Daily Archives: February 18, 2020

2020-02-18: News Headlines

RT (2020-02-18). Like the 'Titanic,' the glory of the US won't prevent it from sinking… and it will sink — Iran's Khamenei. rt.com Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has denounced the US ahead of Iran's elections, likening Washington to a sinking ocean liner, and calling it out as a mass oppressor. | Pulling no punches, Khamenei tweeted that the country's arch rival is a clear "manifestation of oppression" that is "abhorred by the world." | Not stopping there, he also likened the US to the 'Titanic,' and promised its fate may be no less grim. | "The Americans decorate a facade to deceive others and to scare some. But, just as the magnificence of the 'Titanic' didn't prevent her from sinking, the glory of the US won't prevent it from sink…

Staff (2020-02-18). Journalist: Harvey Weinstein's Defense Team Is Waging a War Against the #MeToo Movement. democracynow.org A jury of seven men and five women meet today in New York Supreme Court to begin deliberations on whether to find disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault. The case has drawn international attention amid the #MeToo movement. If the jurors find Weinstein guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 100 women but in this case faces five charges based on evidence relating to two main accusers. One woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, alleges she was raped by Weinstein in a New York hotel, for which he has been charged wit…

John Bachtell (2020-02-18). In politics, a day or a week makes a big difference. peoplesworld.org What a difference a day (or week) makes. During the first week of February, a sense of panic spread through the ranks of many Democrats and activists. First, there was the Iowa Caucus vote counting debacle, and then Trump was acquitted in the sham impeachment trial. Then the criminal, white supremacist, rapist, autocrat in the …

Morning Star (2020-02-18). Amazon offers free shipping for illegal Israeli settlements, but not Palestinian Territories. peoplesworld.org Amazon has been accused of discrimination by offering free shipment to illegal settlers in the occupied West Bank, but not for Palestinians living there. The practice was discovered by the Financial Times as it entered illegal settlement addresses into the global online retailer's delivery portal. Amazon's website offered free shipping for orders, saying: "If your …

Staff (2020-02-18). Netanyahu Trial Clouds Last Days of Israel Election Campaign. truthdig.com The prime minister is slated to appear in a Jerusalem court as a defendant just two weeks after the March 2 vote.

RT (2020-02-18). Netanyahu's corruption trial to begin on March 17, Israeli Justice Ministry says. rt.com Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial will start on March 17, two weeks after Israel holds its third national election in less than a year, the Justice Ministry said on Tuesday. The PM, who heads the right-wing Likud party, is fighting for his political life in a March 2 election, after inconclusive ballots in April and September. | Netanyahu, 70, the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be charged with a crime, has denied any wrongdoing in the three corruption cases against him. Charges, which were formally filed with the court three weeks ago, include bribery, breach of trust and fraud. | T…

Rashida Tlaib (2020-02-18). Detroit Overtaxed Residents Are Fighting Back. zcomm.org In Detroit, a showdown between progressive lawmakers and the city is taking on racist housing policies that robbed African Americans in Detroit of their homes and widened the racial wealth gap…

Hazim El-Naser (2020-02-18). 'The Deal of the Century' and Its Hidden Secrets. globalresearch.ca We oppose and reject the US-Israeli peace plan, or the so-called "deal of the century", for many political, economic, social and religious reasons. It is rejected due to new signs that it will impede progress on the water issue between …

Philip Giraldi (2020-02-18). Explaining Syria: It's Everyone's Fault Except the U.S. and Israel. globalresearch.ca The first week in February was memorable for the failed impeachment of President Donald Trump, the "re-elect me" State of the Union address and the

Michael Arria (2020-02-18). Bloomberg Defied a Flight Ban to Show Support for Israel, Defended the Country Shelling a School and Killing Sleeping Children. globalresearch.ca In July 2014, Israel launched a series airstrikes on Gaza, kicking off a

Staff (2020-02-18). Teacher Strikes Boost Fight for Racial Justice in Schools. truthout.org One year ago, Los Angeles teachers on strike were demanding an end to random searches where students were yanked out of class to be frisked. By the time they walked back into work, they had won a partial victory. | Now these searches are coming to an end districtwide — landing a blow against racism in the schools. | L.A. teacher union activists, like their counterparts in Chicago, Seattle, St. Paul, and other cities, are making contract demands to confront segregation, underfunding, and the criminalizatio…

Staff (2020-02-18). Striking LA Teachers' Win Against Random Frisking Is Becoming District Policy. truthout.org One year ago, Los Angeles teachers on strike were demanding an end to random searches where students were yanked out of class to be frisked. By the time they walked back into work, they had won a partial victory. | Now these searches are coming to an end districtwide — landing a blow against racism in the schools. | L.A. teacher union activists, like their counterparts in Chicago, Seattle, St. Paul, and other cities, are making contract demands to confront segregation, underfunding, and the criminalizatio…

WSWS (2020-02-18). Erfurt, Germany: 20,000 demonstrate against fascism. wsws.org "Not with us! No pact with fascists—never and nowhere!" This was the main slogan for the mass demonstration which took place in the East German city of Erfurt on Saturday, February 15.

Curt Wechsler (2020-02-18). Emergency Meeting: How to Sustain Mass Struggle Against Fascism. indybay.org Fireside Room, First Unitarian Universalist Society, 1187 Franklin Street, San Francisco…

Jordan Smith (2020-02-18). Supreme Court Could Gut Reproductive Rights Without A Ruling. zcomm.org the latest salvo in the ongoing effort of anti-abortion lawmakers to erode reproductive rights…

Staff (2020-02-18). Harvey Weinstein's Defense Team Is Waging a War Against the #MeToo Movement. truthout.org A jury of seven men and five women meet today in New York Supreme Court to begin deliberations on whether to find disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault. The case has drawn international attention amid the #MeToo movement. If the jurors find Weinstein guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 100 women but in this case faces five charges based on evidence relating to two main accusers. One woman, who…

Fréa Lockley (2020-02-18). Alleged ethnic discrimination left Gypsies and Travellers out in Storm Dennis. thecanary.co Reports have emerged suggesting that a group of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) young people were denied entry to a nightclub on 15 February. It also alleges further discrimination from the local police force. This comes amid wider attacks against GRT communities from Boris Johnson's government. | Ethnic discrimination: | A Facebook

yenisafak (2020-02-18). Palestine to sue Amazon for shipping to settlements. yenisafak.com Palestine is planning to sue e-commerce giant Amazon for conducting business in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. | In a statement on Tuesday, the Economy Ministry said it will send a letter to Amazon demanding an immediate halt of its commercial activities in Israeli settlements.A Financial Times report last week revealed that Amazon was delivering free to Israeli settlements, while charging Palestinian customers for its services. | The report said that Palestinians who select their address as being in Israel get free shipping from the company. | Palestinians who select their address as being in the…

yenisafak (2020-02-18). Syrian dad helps little girl avoid trauma by teaching her to laugh as bombs fall. yenisafak.com Italian screenwriter and director Roberto Benigni's 1999 Academy Award-winning movie "Life is Beautiful" centers around a father and son who were imprisoned at a Nazi concentration camp during World War II.In an effort to protect his son from the unbearable conditions, the father, Guido, turns the Nazi death camps into an imaginary playing field.However, the nine-year conflict in Syria that the world has been watching live on TV and the internet is nothing like a blockbuster.A Syrian father, who fled toward the Turkish border due to recent shelling by the Assad regime in Idlib's de-escalation zone, turned the hor…

sputniknews (2020-02-18). Israeli Satellite Firm Releases Images Allegedly Showing Aftermath of Airstrike on Damascus. sputniknews.com Three Syrian soldiers were killed during the strike, which occured on 13 February. The Syrian government blamed the attack on Israel with PM Netanyahu refusing to comment on the incident. "Maybe it was the Belgian Air Force", he said during an interview with Radio Haifa.

sputniknews (2020-02-18). Iran's Khamenei Calls For Large Turnout in Upcoming Elections to Hinder US's 'Evil Intentions'. sputniknews.com Iran's upcoming legislative elections, which are set for 21 February, have previously been slammed by some members of the opposition and US officials as fictitious, something Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was eager to denounce.

Ilana Novick (2020-02-17). Michael Bloomberg's Racism Goes Well Beyond Stop-and-Frisk. truthdig.com Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is using his billions to pay for his presidential campaign ads, blanketing television, radio and social media feeds across the country. As pundits, including

Staff (2020-02-17). How Bloomberg-Funded Center for American Progress Censored a Report on NYPD Surveillance of Muslims. democracynow.org Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg's self-funded campaign has flooded the airwaves with political advertisements, with the billionaire former New York City mayor having already spent more than $400 million on TV, radio and other ads — far outpacing other campaigns. But it's not just Bloomberg's unprecedented campaign spending that has raised eyebrows. As The New York Times reports, Bloomberg has also kept potential critics quiet by making major donations to progressive causes and advocacy groups around the country over the years. This may have played a part in obscuring Bloomberg's checkere…

IMEMC & Agencies (2020-02-17). Dozens of Armed Settlers Attack, Injure 5 Palestinian Shephards. imemc.org Armed Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian shepherds in the town of al-Mughayyir, in central occupied West Bank, while grazing their livestock, on Monday, the town`s mayor stated. Marzouq Abu Naim, told WAFA that dozens of illegal armed settlers chased and brutally assaulted several Palestinian civilians, forcing them out of their fields, …

IMEMC News & Agencies (2020-02-17). Israeli Soldiers Invade Lands, Open Fire At Farmers, In Gaza. imemc.org Several armored Israeli military vehicles invaded, on Monday morning, Palestinian farmlands near Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and opened fire at farmers in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza. Media sources said several army vehicles, including bulldozers, invaded Palestinian farmlands north of Beit Lahia, and started …

IMEMC News (2020-02-17). Israeli Soldiers Bulldoze Palestinian lands To Expand Illegal Colony. imemc.org Israeli soldiers invaded, Monday, Palestinian lands in the villages of Iskaka and Yasuf, east of Salfit city in central West Bank, and started bulldozing them to expand an illegal colony. Khaled 'Abaya, the head of Yasuf Village Council, said the lands are privately owned by the villagers and are in …

IMEMC News & Agencies (2020-02-17). EU to Vote Against "Deal of the Century" as Israeli-US Mapping Committee Plans Weak Palestinian Entity. imemc.org Foreign Ministers from the European Union (EU) are expected to discuss US President Donald Trump's "Deal of the Century" and deliberate countermeasures to the plan on February 17, during a meeting in Brussels, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The paper reported that the decisions are still unclear. However, the EU …

teleSUR (2020-02-17). Kashmiris, Palestinians Protest India Envoy's Speech at Harvard. telesurenglish.net A group of Kashmiri and Palestinian activists came together to protest against a talk at Harvard University by India's Consul General to the United States (U.S.) Sandeep Chakravorty, who has proposed in the past that India's government should use Israel's colonizing model. | RELATED: | In solidarity for Kashmir, the protesters gathered at Harvard Square, where Chakravorty was giving his speech, and h…

IMEMC News (2020-02-17). Soldiers Abduct Eight Palestinians In West Bank. imemc.org Israeli soldiers abducted, on Monday at dawn, at least eight Palestinians from their homes, in several parts of the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) has reported. The PPS said the soldiers invaded and ransacked homes in the al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah, and abducted Othman Nakhla, …

Evelyn Leopold (2020-02-17). How the UN's Middle East Peace Plan Was Trounced by Its Own Members. counterpunch.org Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has delivered a dramatic condemnation of the U.S.-drafted Middle East peace plan. No country, except Israel, has approved of the proposals at any public forum. Still, several nations around the world want the Palestinians to use the plan as a means of reopening negotiations with Israel by presenting its own vision.

Ali Harb (2020-02-17). How AIPAC Is Losing Bipartisan Support in Washington. globalresearch.ca "A true friend of Israel." These were the words Barack Obama used Standing in front of thousands of attendees in Washington, Obama, who was …

IMEMC News & Agencies (2020-02-17). East Jerusalem Organization Raided, Director Summoned. imemc.org Members of the Israeli security service, today, raided Volunteer for Hope, an organization located in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina, under the pretext of holding "prohibited activities," and gave its director, Silvia Abu Laban, a summons to appear before Israeli intelligence for interrogation. Local sources told WAFA …

IMEMC News & Agencies (2020-02-17). Israeli Forces Close Water Holes, Confiscate Barracks, Order Eviction of 15 Facilities in Jordan Valley. imemc.org On Monday morning, Israeli occupation forces closed water holes in Khirbet Allan, in Al-Jiftlik village of the northern Jordan Valley. Activist Aref Daraghmeh stated that a force from the occupation army and the so-called "Civil Administration" raided the area and closed water holes, explaining that the occupation is marketing false …

IMEMC News & Agencies (2020-02-17). Entrance to Ramallah Village Resealed. imemc.org Israeli occupation forces, at dawn on Sunday, re-closed the main entrance to Deir Nidham village, to the west of Ramallah City, PNN reports. According to local residents, soldiers returned the cement blocks which they had placed several days ago and which the residents of Deir Nidham removed yesterday. On Saturday, …

George Stacey (2020-02-17). Coronavirus outbreak leads to a rise in racism towards Asian people. nationofchange.org Many Asians using the hashtag #JeNeSuisPasUnVirus—or "I'm not a virus", in an order to aware people regarding this and to generate a kind of sympathy and respect in people hearts.

teleSUR (2020-02-17). Palestine Urges Int'l Community to Move Against US Peace Plan. telesurenglish.net Palestine on Monday urged the international community to move against the U.S. Mideast peace plan, known as the "Deal of the Century," without delay. | RELATED: | The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a press statement that the international community has not much time left to salvage the two-state solution, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the U.S. Mideast peace plan on Jan. 28. | "Neutral or…

Futher Column, By Abby Zimet, Staff Writer (2020-02-17). Aww Look: Nazis Getting Married. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Staff (2020-02-17). Headlines for February 17, 2020. democracynow.org Americans Aboard Cruise Ship Repatriated as 71,000 Global Cases of Coronavirus Confirmed, 1,100+ Ex-DOJ Staff Call on Attorney General Barr to Resign, Sen. Klobuchar Can't Say Name of Mexican President, Sen. Sanders Calls Out Bloomberg on Campaign Trail, Bloomberg's Company Faced Years of Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Lawsuits, LGBT Activists of Color Call Out Pete Buttigieg for Ties to Big Money, Conservative Positions, Airstrikes Kill 31 People, Including Children, in Yemen, Intensifying Syrian Gov't Offensive Has Displaced 800,000 Civilians Since December, Airstrike Kills 8 Civilians in Afghanistan as U…

The Canary (2020-02-16). Benny Gantz says he will lead Israeli government without Benjamin Netanyahu. thecanary.co Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz has vowed to form a government that will include neither indicted prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor the predominantly Arab parties in Parliament.In a series of TV interviews two weeks before national elections, Mr Gantz looked to project confidence that the March 2 vote will provide the decisive outcome that eluded the two previous elections last year.Mr Gantz's Blue and White party is currently polling ahead of Mr Netanyahu's Likud, although neither appears to have a clear path to a parliamentary majority required to form a coalition government.Mr Gantz laid out two pote…

IMEMC News & Agencies (2020-02-16). Amazon Forcing Palestinians to Identify as Israelis to Qualify for Free Shipping. imemc.org Global ecommerce web giant Amazon has been accused of discriminating against Palestinians by offering free shipping to illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, but not to Palestinians living in the same area. In findings released in an investigation by the Financial Times, the newspaper discovered that by taking all of …

IMEMC News & Agencies (2020-02-16). Israeli Soldiers Chase Shepherds in the Jordan Valley. imemc.org Israeli forces, today, chased Palestinian shepherds in the northern Jordan Valley, according to a local activist. Aref Daraghmeh said that Israeli soldiers chased a number of shepherds as they were grazing their livestock in the area of al-Burj, where they briefly detained a group of shepherds two days ago. Israeli …

RT (2020-02-15). With Sanders surging in the polls, Israel lobby spends big bucks to sink his chances in Nevada. rt.com After emerging as the Democratic frontrunner in wake of Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, Bernie Sanders heads to Nevada leading in polls but facing new opposition: the Israel lobby and its vast cash reserves. | Despite being pipped at…

Fight Back (2020-02-15). UNF SDS stands up against Madeleine Albright and administration. fightbacknews.org Jacksonville, FL – On February 5, the University of North Florida hosted an event called "A Conversation with Madeleine Albright" where UNF President David Szymanski joined her on stage celebrating her life as a woman in politics and discussing her new book. | Albright was a former secretary of state under the Clinton administration and championed the destruction of Iraq, earning her the nickname "Iraq's Grim Reaper." Albright has attempted to wash over her imperialist and racist values with 'feminist' remarks such as stating there is "a special place in hell" for women who do not vote Hillary. | Several members…

David Swanson (2020-02-15). Shut Down Canada Until it Solves its War, Oil, and Genocide Problem. dissidentvoice.org Indigenous people in Canada are giving the world a demonstration of the power of nonviolent action. The justness of their cause — defending the land from those who would destroy it for short term profit and the elimination of a habitable climate on earth — combined with their courage and the absence on their part …

Staff (2020-02-14). Rep. Rashida Tlaib: Trump's "Racist" Plan Would Legalize the Theft of Palestinian Land. democracynow.org We continue our conversation with Congressmember Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress. She responds to President Trump's Middle East plan, under which Israel would gain sovereignty over large areas of the occupied West Bank, Jerusalem would be under total Israeli control, and all Jewish settlers in the occupied territory would be allowed to remain in their homes. Tlaib says the plan was formulated with a "racist lens" that ignores Palestinian lives and aspirations. Tlaib says she wants people "to know what the human impact is of taking people's land, taking people's…

Staff (2020-02-14). Detroit Overtaxed Residents by $600M, Causing Foreclosure Crisis. Residents Are Now Fighting Back. democracynow.org In Detroit, a showdown between progressive lawmakers and the city is taking on racist housing policies that robbed African Americans in Detroit of their homes and widened the racial wealth gap. On Thursday, the Coalition for Property Tax Justice announced a class-action lawsuit against the city of Detroit, Wayne County and the state of Michigan in response to unfair property tax foreclosures. One in four Detroit properties have been subject to property tax foreclosure, a level comparable only to tax foreclosure rates during the Great Depression. According to legal experts, many of the foreclosures were caused by…

Vijay Prashad (2020-02-14). I am tired of holding other worlds in my fist. mronline.org In November 2019, the Bolivian army—with a nudge from the shadows—told its President Evo Morales Ayma to resign. Morales would eventually go to Mexico and then seek asylum in Argentina. Jeanine àÅñez, a far-right politician who was not in the line of succession, seized power; the military, the fascistic civil society groups, and sections of […] |

Whitney Webb (2020-02-14). NYC Taxpayers Spending Millions on Cyber Center with Controversial Ties to Israeli Intelligence. mintpressnews.com New York City taxpayers are on the hook for a multi-million dollar cyber center in the heart of Manhattan with deep ties to Israel's high-tech intelligence apparatus.

RT (2020-02-14). Anti-BDS laws are meant to censor & control speech, journalist Abby Martin tells RT after suing Georgia govt over cancelled talk. rt.com Barred from speaking at a public university over her refusal to sign a pledge of allegiance to Israel, journalist Abby Martin is now suing the state of Georgia, arguing its anti-BDS legislation sets fire to the First Amendment. | Slated to give a keynote talk at a media literacy conference at Georgia Southern University later this month, Martin was asked to sign what amounts to a loyalty oath to the State of Israel, mandated under a 2016 Georgia law barring the government from hiring contractors who boycott Israeli products or associate with the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Martin t…

Sasha Abramsky (2020-02-14). Republicans Have Made It Clear They Will Let Trump Become a Dictator. Will We? thenation.com Republicans Have Made It Clear They Will Let Trump Become a Dictator. Will We?

2020-02-18: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Detroit Overtaxed Residents Are Fighting Back
Rashida Tlaib | zcomm.org | 2020-02-18
In Detroit, a showdown between progressive lawmakers and the city is taking on racist housing policies that robbed African Americans in Detroit of their homes and widened the racial wealth gap…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/detroit-overtaxed-residents-are-fighting-back/

Amazon offers free shipping for illegal Israeli settlements, but not Palestinian Territories
Morning Star | peoplesworld.org | 2020-02-18
Amazon has been accused of discrimination by offering free shipment to illegal settlers in the occupied West Bank, but not for Palestinians living there. The practice was discovered by the Financial Times as it entered illegal settlement addresses into the global online retailer's delivery portal. Amazon's website offered free shipping for orders, saying: "If your …
peoplesworld.org/article/amazon-offers-free-shipping-for-illegal-israeli-settlements-but-not-palestinian-territories/

Bloomberg Defied a Flight Ban to Show Support for Israel, Defended the Country Shelling a School and Killing Sleeping Children
Michael Arria | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
In July 2014, Israel launched a series airstrikes on Gaza, kicking off a 51-day war that left thousands dead. According to the United Nations, at least 2,104 Palestinian were killed, including 1,462 civilians. 495 were children and 253 were women. …
globalresearch.ca/bloomberg-defied-flight-ban-show-support-israel-defended-country-shelling-school-killing-sleeping-children/5703977

Netanyahu Trial Clouds Last Days of Israel Election Campaign
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-18
The prime minister is slated to appear in a Jerusalem court as a defendant just two weeks after the March 2 vote.
truthdig.com/articles/netanyahu-trial-clouds-last-days-of-israel-election-campaign/

Netanyahu's corruption trial to begin on March 17, Israeli Justice Ministry says
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial will start on March 17, two weeks after Israel holds its third national election in less than a year, the Justice Ministry said on Tuesday. The PM, who heads the right-wing Likud party, is fighting for his political life in a March 2 election, after inconclusive ballots in April and September. | Netanyahu, 70, the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be charged with a crime, has denied any wrongdoing in the three corruption cases against him. Charges, which were formally filed with the court three weeks ago, include bribery, breach of trust and fraud. | T…
rt.com/newsline/481121-netanyahu-corruption-trial-israel/

Explaining Syria: It's Everyone's Fault Except the U.S. and Israel
Philip Giraldi | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
The first week in February was memorable for the failed impeachment of President Donald Trump, the "re-elect me" State of the Union address and the marketing of a new line of underwear by Kim Kardashian. Given all of the …
globalresearch.ca/explaining-syria-everyone-fault-except-u-s-israel/5703993

'The Deal of the Century' and Its Hidden Secrets
Hazim El-Naser | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
We oppose and reject the US-Israeli peace plan, or the so-called "deal of the century", for many political, economic, social and religious reasons. It is rejected due to new signs that it will impede progress on the water issue between …
globalresearch.ca/deal-century-hidden-secrets/5703905

Teacher Strikes Boost Fight for Racial Justice in Schools
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
One year ago, Los Angeles teachers on strike were demanding an end to random searches where students were yanked out of class to be frisked. By the time they walked back into work, they had won a partial victory. | Now these searches are coming to an end districtwide

Striking LA Teachers' Win Against Random Frisking Is Becoming District Policy
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
One year ago, Los Angeles teachers on strike were demanding an end to random searches where students were yanked out of class to be frisked. By the time they walked back into work, they had won a partial victory. | Now these searches are coming to an end districtwide

Erfurt, Germany: 20,000 demonstrate against fascism
wsws.org | 2020-02-18
"Not with us! No pact with fascists–never and nowhere!" This was the main slogan for the mass demonstration which took place in the East German city of Erfurt on Saturday, February 15.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/erfu…

Emergency Meeting: How to Sustain Mass Struggle Against Fascism
Curt Wechsler | indybay.org | 2020-02-18
Fireside Room, First Unitarian Universalist Society, 1187 Franklin Street, San Francisco…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/18/18830782.php

Free Gerald Reed Now!
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-02-18
Fight Back! News Service is circulating the following statement from the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, the Chicago Torture Justice Center, and Mamas Activating Movements for Abolition and Solidarity. | Judge Thomas J. Hennelly has attempted to illegally reverse the order of another judge, Thomas V. Gainer, who vacated the conviction of Gerald Reed and ordered a new trial. Gainer vacated Reed's conviction after overwhelming evidence that his "confession" to a double murder in 1990 was the fruit of horrible torture by police working under Commander Jon Burge, torture so extreme that it b…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/2/17/free-ger…

In politics, a day or a week makes a big difference
John Bachtell | peoplesworld.org | 2020-02-18
What a difference a day (or week) makes. During the first week of February, a sense of panic spread through the ranks of many Democrats and activists. First, there was the Iowa Caucus vote counting debacle, and then Trump was acquitted in the sham impeachment trial. Then the criminal, white supremacist, rapist, autocrat in the …
peoplesworld.org/article/in-politics-a-day-or-a-week-makes-a-big-difference/

Supreme Court Could Gut Reproductive Rights Without A Ruling
Jordan Smith | zcomm.org | 2020-02-18
the latest salvo in the ongoing effort of anti-abortion lawmakers to erode reproductive rights…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/supreme-court-could-gut-reproductive-rights-without-a-ruling/

Harvey Weinstein's Defense Team Is Waging a War Against the #MeToo Movement
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
A jury of seven men and five women meet today in New York Supreme Court to begin deliberations on whether to find disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault. The case has drawn international attention amid the #MeToo movement. If the jurors find Weinstein guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 100 women but in this case faces five charges based on evidence relating to two main accusers. One woman, who…
truthout.org/video/harvey-weinsteins-defense-team-is-waging-a-war-against-the-metoo-movement/

Journalist: Harvey Weinstein's Defense Team Is Waging a War Against the #MeToo Movement
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-18
A jury of seven men and five women meet today in New York Supreme Court to begin deliberations on whether to find disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault. The case has drawn international attention amid the #MeToo movement. If the jurors find Weinstein guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 100 women but in this case faces five charges based on evidence relating to two main accusers. One woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, alleges she was raped by Weinstein in a New York hotel, for which he has been charged wit…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/18/irin_carm…

Alleged ethnic discrimination left Gypsies and Travellers out in Storm Dennis
Fréa Lockley | thecanary.co | 2020-02-18
Reports have emerged suggesting that a group of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) young people were denied entry to a nightclub on 15 February. It also alleges further discrimination from the local police force. This comes amid wider attacks against GRT communities from Boris Johnson's government. | Ethnic discrimination: | A Facebook post from Progress in Dialogue showed pictures of young people allegedly denied entry to Fever Nightclub in Nuneaton after "every…
thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2020/02/18/alleged-ethnic-discrimination-left-gypsies-and-travellers-out-in-storm-dennis/

Palestine to sue Amazon for shipping to settlements
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-18
Palestine is planning to sue e-commerce giant Amazon for conducting business in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. | In a statement on Tuesday, the Economy Ministry said it will send a letter to Amazon demanding an immediate halt of its commercial activities in Israeli settlements.A Financial Times report last week revealed that Amazon was delivering free to Israeli settlements, while charging Palestinian customers for its services. | The report said that Palestinians who select their address as being in Israel get free shipping from the company. | Palestinians who select their address as being in the…
yenisafak.com/en/news/palestine-to-sue-amazon-for-shipping-to-settlements-3512276

Syrian dad helps little girl avoid trauma by teaching her to laugh as bombs fall
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-18
Italian screenwriter and director Roberto Benigni's 1999 Academy Award-winning movie "Life is Beautiful" centers around a father and son who were imprisoned at a Nazi concentration camp during World War II.In an effort to protect his son from the unbearable conditions, the father, Guido, turns the Nazi death camps into an imaginary playing field.However, the nine-year conflict in Syria that the world has been watching live on TV and the internet is nothing like a blockbuster.A Syrian father, who fled toward the Turkish border due to recent shelling by the Assad regime in Idlib's de-escalation zone, turned the hor…
yenisafak.com/en/world/syrian-dad-helps-little-girl-avoid-trauma-by-teaching-her-to-laugh-as-bombs-fall-3512272

Israeli Satellite Firm Releases Images Allegedly Showing Aftermath of Airstrike on Damascus
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-18
Three Syrian soldiers were killed during the strike, which occured on 13 February. The Syrian government blamed the attack on Israel with PM Netanyahu refusing to comment on the incident. "Maybe it was the Belgian Air Force", he said during an interview with Radio Haifa.
sputniknews.com/middleeast/202002181078341694-israeli-satellite-firm-releases-images-allegedly-showing-aftermath-of-airstrike-on-damascus/

Iran's Khamenei Calls For Large Turnout in Upcoming Elections to Hinder US's 'Evil Intentions'
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-18
Iran's upcoming legislative elections, which are set for 21 February, have previously been slammed by some members of the opposition and US officials as fictitious, something Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was eager to denounce.
sputniknews.com/middleeast/202002181078342877-irans-khamenei-calls-for-large-turnout-in-upcoming-elections-to-hinder-uss-evil-intentions/

Israeli Soldiers Bulldoze Palestinian lands To Expand Illegal Colony
IMEMC News | imemc.org | 2020-02-17
Israeli soldiers invaded, Monday, Palestinian lands in the villages of Iskaka and Yasuf, east of Salfit city in central West Bank, and started bulldozing them to expand an illegal colony. Khaled 'Abaya, the head of Yasuf Village Council, said the lands are privately owned by the villagers and are in …
imemc.org/article/israeli-soldiers-bulldoze-palestinian-lands-to-expand-illegal-colony/

Palestine Urges Int'l Community to Move Against US Peace Plan
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-17
Palestine on Monday urged the international community to move against the U.S. Mideast peace plan, known as the "Deal of the Century," without delay. | RELATED: | Israel Confident Friendly ICC Members Will Block Palestine Probe | The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a press statement that the international community has not much time left to salvage the two-state solution, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the U.S. Mideast peace plan on Jan. 28. | "Neutral or…
telesurenglish.net/news/Palestine-Urges-Intl-Community-to-Move-Against-US-Peace-Plan-20200217-0009.html

Israeli Soldiers Invade Lands, Open Fire At Farmers, In Gaza
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2020-02-17
Several armored Israeli military vehicles invaded, on Monday morning, Palestinian farmlands near Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and opened fire at farmers in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza. Media sources said several army vehicles, including bulldozers, invaded Palestinian farmlands north of Beit Lahia, and started …
imemc.org/article/israeli-soldiers-invade-lands-open-fire-at-farmers-in-gaza/

Soldiers Abduct Eight Palestinians In West Bank
IMEMC News | imemc.org | 2020-02-17
Israeli soldiers abducted, on Monday at dawn, at least eight Palestinians from their homes, in several parts of the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) has reported. The PPS said the soldiers invaded and ransacked homes in the al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah, and abducted Othman Nakhla, …
imemc.org/article/soldiers-abduct-eight-palestinians-in-west-bank-2/

EU to Vote Against "Deal of the Century" as Israeli-US Mapping Committee Plans Weak Palestinian Entity
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2020-02-17
Foreign Ministers from the European Union (EU) are expected to discuss US President Donald Trump's "Deal of the Century" and deliberate countermeasures to the plan on February 17, during a meeting in Brussels, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The paper reported that the decisions are still unclear. However, the EU …
imemc.org/article/eu-to-vote-against-deal-of-the-century-as-israeli-us-mapping-committee-plans-weak-palestinian-entity/

How the UN's Middle East Peace Plan Was Trounced by Its Own Members
Evelyn Leopold | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-17
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has delivered a dramatic condemnation of the U.S.-drafted Middle East peace plan. No country, except Israel, has approved of the proposals at any public forum. Still, several nations around the world want the Palestinians to use the plan as a means of reopening negotiations with Israel by presenting its own vision.
counterpunch.org/2020/02/17/how-the-uns-middle-east-peace-plan-was-trounced-by-its-own-members/

Dozens of Armed Settlers Attack, Injure 5 Palestinian Shephards
IMEMC & Agencies | imemc.org | 2020-02-17
Armed Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian shepherds in the town of al-Mughayyir, in central occupied West Bank, while grazing their livestock, on Monday, the town`s mayor stated. Marzouq Abu Naim, told WAFA that dozens of illegal armed settlers chased and brutally assaulted several Palestinian civilians, forcing them out of their fields, …
imemc.org/article/dozens-of-armed-settlers-attack-injure-5-palestinian-shephards/

Kashmiris, Palestinians Protest India Envoy's Speech at Harvard
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-17
A group of Kashmiri and Palestinian activists came together to protest against a talk at Harvard University by India's Consul General to the United States (U.S.) Sandeep Chakravorty, who has proposed in the past that India's government should use Israel's colonizing model. | RELATED: | India's Modi Endorses Trump for US 2020 Election at 'Howdy Modi' Event | In solidarity for Kashmir, the protesters gathered at Harvard Square, where Chakravorty was giving his speech, and h…
telesurenglish.net/news/Kashmiris-Palestinians-Protest-India-Envoys-Speech-at-Harvard–20200217-0014.html

Entrance to Ramallah Village Resealed
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2020-02-17
Israeli occupation forces, at dawn on Sunday, re-closed the main entrance to Deir Nidham village, to the west of Ramallah City, PNN reports. According to local residents, soldiers returned the cement blocks which they had placed several days ago and which the residents of Deir Nidham removed yesterday. On Saturday, …
imemc.org/article/entrance-to-ramallah-village-resealed/

East Jerusalem Organization Raided, Director Summoned
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2020-02-17
Members of the Israeli security service, today, raided Volunteer for Hope, an organization located in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina, under the pretext of holding "prohibited activities," and gave its director, Silvia Abu Laban, a summons to appear before Israeli intelligence for interrogation. Local sources told WAFA …
imemc.org/article/east-jerusalem-organization-raided-director-summoned/

How AIPAC Is Losing Bipartisan Support in Washington
Ali Harb | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-17
"A true friend of Israel." These were the words Barack Obama used when describing himself to AIPAC, a day after he secured the Democratic party nomination in 2008. | Standing in front of thousands of attendees in Washington, Obama, who was …
globalresearch.ca/how-aipac-losing-bipartisan-support-washington/5703842

Israeli Forces Close Water Holes, Confiscate Barracks, Order Eviction of 15 Facilities in Jordan Valley
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2020-02-17
On Monday morning, Israeli occupation forces closed water holes in Khirbet Allan, in Al-Jiftlik village of the northern Jordan Valley. Activist Aref Daraghmeh stated that a force from the occupation army and the so-called "Civil Administration" raided the area and closed water holes, explaining that the occupation is marketing false …
imemc.org/article/israeli-forces-close-water-holes-confiscate-barracks-order-eviction-of-15-facilities-in-jordan-valley/

Bloomberg Defied a Flight Ban to Show Support for Israel, Defended the Country Shelling a School and Killing Sleeping Children
Michael Arria | commondreams.org | 2020-02-17
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu greets Bloomberg when the former mayor flew to Israel in July 2014 to support Israel's assault on Gaza and oppose the FAA decision to suspend domestic flights to the country. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/views/2020/02/17/bloomberg-defied-flight-ban-show-support-israel-defended-country-shelling-school?cd-origin=rss

Coronavirus outbreak leads to a rise in racism towards Asian people
George Stacey | nationofchange.org | 2020-02-17
Many Asians using the hashtag #JeNeSuisPasUnVirus–or "I'm not a virus", in an order to aware people regarding this and to generate a kind of sympathy and respect in people hearts.
nationofchange.org/2020/02/17/coronavirus-outbreak-leads-to-a-rise-in-racism-towards-asian-people/

Michael Bloomberg's Racism Goes Well Beyond Stop-and-Frisk
Ilana Novick | truthdig.com | 2020-02-17
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is using his billions to pay for his presidential campaign ads, blanketing television, radio and social media feeds across the country. As pundits, including CNN's Brian Stelter, suggest, this national visibility blitz may have boosted Bloomberg's standing in national polls; it rose to 15% in a Quinnipiac survey last week. With that polling boost however, comes an increase in media and voter scrutiny

After 'Former GOP Oligarch' Bloomberg Airs Ad Criticizing Online Vulgarity, Progressives Point to Former Mayor's Long Record of Bigotry
Eoin Higgins, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-02-17
"Speaking for myself, I'd rather be insulted on Twitter by random, anonymous users (something that has happened often from non-Sanders-supporters) than subjected to stop-and-frisk, workplace harassment, indiscriminate Israeli bombing, mass surveillance, and other Bloomberg policies." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/news/2020/02/17/after-former-gop-oligarch-bloomberg-airs-ad-criticizing-online-vulgarity?cd-origin=rss

Aww Look: Nazis Getting Married
Futher Column, By Abby Zimet, Staff Writer | commondreams.org | 2020-02-17
commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/further/miller_tease_nazi_eq9zdavwoaee0ti.jpg …

Amazon Forcing Palestinians to Identify as Israelis to Qualify for Free Shipping
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2020-02-16
Global ecommerce web giant Amazon has been accused of discriminating against Palestinians by offering free shipping to illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, but not to Palestinians living in the same area. In findings released in an investigation by the Financial Times, the newspaper discovered that by taking all of …
imemc.org/article/amazon-forcing-palestinians-to-identify-as-israelis-to-qualify-for-free-shipping/

Israeli Soldiers Chase Shepherds in the Jordan Valley
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2020-02-16
Israeli forces, today, chased Palestinian shepherds in the northern Jordan Valley, according to a local activist. Aref Daraghmeh said that Israeli soldiers chased a number of shepherds as they were grazing their livestock in the area of al-Burj, where they briefly detained a group of shepherds two days ago. Israeli …
imemc.org/article/israeli-soldiers-chase-shepherds-in-the-jordan-valley/

Benny Gantz says he will lead Israeli government without Benjamin Netanyahu
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-16
Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz has vowed to form a government that will include neither indicted prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor the predominantly Arab parties in Parliament.In a series of TV interviews two weeks before national elections, Mr Gantz looked to project confidence that the March 2 vote will provide the decisive outcome that eluded the two previous elections last year.Mr Gantz's Blue and White party is currently polling ahead of Mr Netanyahu's Likud, although neither appears to have a clear path to a parliamentary majority required to form a coalition government.Mr Gantz laid out two pote…
thecanary.co/breaking-news/2020/02/16/benny-gantz-says-he-will-lead-israeli-government-without-benjamin-netanyahu/

With Sanders surging in the polls, Israel lobby spends big bucks to sink his chances in Nevada
rt.com | 2020-02-15
After emerging as the Democratic frontrunner in wake of Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, Bernie Sanders heads to Nevada leading in polls but facing new opposition: the Israel lobby and its vast cash reserves. | Despite being pipped at…
rt.com/usa/480942-bernie-sanders-nevada-dmfi-aipac/

Shut Down Canada Until it Solves its War, Oil, and Genocide Problem
David Swanson | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-15
Indigenous people in Canada are giving the world a demonstration of the power of nonviolent action. The justness of their cause

UNF SDS stands up against Madeleine Albright and administration
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-02-15
Jacksonville, FL – On February 5, the University of North Florida hosted an event called "A Conversation with Madeleine Albright" where UNF President David Szymanski joined her on stage celebrating her life as a woman in politics and discussing her new book. | Albright was a former secretary of state under the Clinton administration and championed the destruction of Iraq, earning her the nickname "Iraq's Grim Reaper." Albright has attempted to wash over her imperialist and racist values with 'feminist' remarks such as stating there is "a special place in hell" for women who do not vote Hillary. | Several members…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/2/15/unf-sds-…

Rep. Rashida Tlaib: Trump's "Racist" Plan Would Legalize the Theft of Palestinian Land
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-14
We continue our conversation with Congressmember Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress. She responds to President Trump's Middle East plan, under which Israel would gain sovereignty over large areas of the occupied West Bank, Jerusalem would be under total Israeli control, and all Jewish settlers in the occupied territory would be allowed to remain in their homes. Tlaib says the plan was formulated with a "racist lens" that ignores Palestinian lives and aspirations. Tlaib says she wants people "to know what the human impact is of taking people's land, taking people's…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/14/rashida_t…

Anti-BDS laws are meant to censor & control speech, journalist Abby Martin tells RT after suing Georgia govt over cancelled talk
rt.com | 2020-02-14
Barred from speaking at a public university over her refusal to sign a pledge of allegiance to Israel, journalist Abby Martin is now suing the state of Georgia, arguing its anti-BDS legislation sets fire to the First Amendment. | Slated to give a keynote talk at a media literacy conference at Georgia Southern University later this month, Martin was asked to sign what amounts to a loyalty oath to the State of Israel, mandated under a 2016 Georgia law barring the government from hiring contractors who boycott Israeli products or associate with the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Martin t…
rt.com/usa/480806-abby-martin-georgia-bds/

NYC Taxpayers Spending Millions on Cyber Center with Controversial Ties to Israeli Intelligence
Whitney Webb | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-14
New York City taxpayers are on the hook for a multi-million dollar cyber center in the heart of Manhattan with deep ties to Israel's high-tech intelligence apparatus.
mintpressnews.com/cybernyc-taxpayers-millions-cyber-center-israel-ties-intelligence/264984/

NYC Taxpayers Spending Millions on Cyber Center with Controversial Ties to Israeli Intelligence
Whitney Webb | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-14
New York City taxpayers are on the hook for a multi-million dollar cyber center in the heart of Manhattan with deep ties to Israel's high-tech intelligence apparatus.
mintpressnews.com/cybernyc-taxpayers-millions-cyber-center-israel-ties-intelligence/264984/

Republicans Have Made It Clear They Will Let Trump Become a Dictator. Will We?
Sasha Abramsky | thenation.com | 2020-02-14
Republicans Have Made It Clear They Will Let Trump Become a Dictator. Will We?
thenation.com/article/politics/republicans-trump-dictator-fascism/

I am tired of holding other worlds in my fist
Vijay Prashad | mronline.org | 2020-02-14
In November 2019, the Bolivian army–with a nudge from the shadows–told its President Evo Morales Ayma to resign. Morales would eventually go to Mexico and then seek asylum in Argentina. Jeanine àÅñez, a far-right politician who was not in the line of succession, seized power; the military, the fascistic civil society groups, and sections of […] | Source…
mronline.org/2020/02/14/i-am-tired-of-holding-other-worlds-in-my-fist/