(2021-01-25). Hotel Workers Turn To Courts To Fight Pandemic Firings. popularresistance.org A former worker is proposing a class action lawsuit against a major Vancouver hotel over alleged wrongful terminations during the COVID-19 pandemic. | Romuel Escobar, who worked at the Pan Pacific hotel for 24 years before being fired in August, filed a notice of civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court Wednesday. | His lawsuit accuses the hotel of terminating workers without cause or notice. It also seeks to represent some 250 current and former regular hourly employees directly impacted by the pandemic in a class action suit. | Unite Here Local 40, which represents B.C. hotel workers, supports the legal action. Worker…
(2021-01-25). 'Vaccination apartheid': Gaza struggling with Covid-19 infections while Israel rolls out jab. middleeasteye.net 
'Vaccination apartheid': Gaza struggling with Covid-19 infections while Israel rolls out jab | Gaza braces for more avoidable deaths with delayed vaccination rollout and an overwhelmed health system | Mon, 01/25/2021 – 11: 08 | A hospital staff member gets tested for coronavirus in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on 31 August 2020 (AFP/file photo) | In the intensive care unit of the European Gaza…
(2021-01-25). Confronting Total Collapse in Israeli-Occupied Gaza: Division and COVID-19. juancole.com By Ali Abdel-Wahab | — ( Al-Shabaka ) — Gaza has always been unique among the different parts of Palestine. Its current particularity stems from being caught between three major variables exacerbating its collapse: the Israeli occupation, division in Palestinian leadership, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This reality raises socio-political questions about the role of these …
(2021-01-25). Israeli Forces Shoot & Injure Farmer in Northern Gaza. imemc.org 
Israeli forces stationed at the northern border of the Gaza Strip opened fire at a Palestinian farmer working on his land in Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza, on Sunday afternoon, resulting in a gunshot wound in his head. The injured farmer was taken to the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, where his wound was described …
(2021-01-25). Why Anti-Racism Must Be Anti-Capitalist. popularresistance.org Last summer we saw one of the largest anti-racist mobilisations in decades. In over sixty countries, protesters took to the streets in their thousands to demand transformative, lasting change. | The Black Lives Matter movement calls for a fundamental shift in how our societies are organised: defunding police forces, ending the prison-industrial complex, opposing imperialist projects abroad, and destroying neo-colonial power relations between the Global North and the Global South. Racism and its brutal history are being discussed in a way that is unparalleled in my lifetime. | As happens with every radical movemen…
(2021-01-25). Biden's Secretary of State Praises Trump's Achievements on Israel. globalresearch.ca A new administration has taken over Washington with talk of justice, respect and diversity. However, when it comes to Israel-Palestine the news isn't so encouraging. | Joe Biden's foreign policy team says it wants to return to the Iran deal, but …
(2021-01-25). Rise in antisemitism during pandemic shows we can never let down our guard: UN chief. news.un.org The COVID-19 pandemic has led to rising antisemitism which shows the world must remain vigilant against this persistent form of racism and religious persecution, the UN Secretary-General told an online event on Monday to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.
(2021-01-25). Arabic press review: Egypt army arrests officers suspected of embezzlement. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Egypt army arrests officers suspected of embezzlement | Meanwhile, Kuwait cancels 60,000 travel reservations over fears of new Covid-19 variant, and Palestinians call for release of relatives held in Saudi Arabia | Mon, 01/25/2021 – 17: 58 | Egyptian soldiers stand guard at Cairo University on 25 March 2018 in central Cairo, ahead of March presidential election (AFP/File pho…
(2021-01-25). Covid-19: Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Israelis protest over lockdown rules. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Israelis protest over lockdown rules | Anger has mounted as the government has moved to close illegal religious schools and seminaries | Mon, 01/25/2021 – 10: 16 | Policemen detain an ultra-Orthodox Jew during a protest over coronavirus restrictions in Ashdod, Israel on 24 January 2021 (Reuters) | Hundreds of members of Israel's ultra-Orthodox community…
(2021-01-25). Despite His Attempt to Tie MAGA to Anti-Semitism, Biden Will Preserve Trump's "Israel First" Legacy. mintpressnews.com Many are expecting President Joe Biden to roll back Trump's heavily pro-Israel policies, but several factors — including his long-established ties to Israeli interests— point to a greater likelihood of their continuation instead.
(2021-01-25). 'We're taking responsibility': Sixty teens announce refusal to serve in Israeli army. mronline.org 
Dozens of Israeli teens sign public letter objecting to military service over Israel's policies of apartheid, neoliberalism, and denial of the Nakba.
(2021-01-25). Islamic Official Shot and Killed in Israel. imemc.org 
On Sunday afternoon, a Palestinian official identified as Sheikh Muhammad Abu Najem, was shot and killed in the city of Jaffa, in the western part of Israel. The Hamas party issued a statement blaming Israel for the murder. Israeli police in Jaffa say they opened an investigation into the shooting, but have not identified any …
(2021-01-25). Equal Opportunity Hate: The Angry White women of the Capitol Far Right. juancole.com 
By Jakana Thomas | — The terror inflicted on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 laid bare America's problem with violent extremism. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies have begun to piece together the events of that day, while attempting to thwart any impending attacks. Scores of people have been arrested and charged over …
(2021-01-25). The Weekly Round-Up: Human Rights vs Unfettered Trade: a Party divided? ukhumanrightsblog.com 
In the news: Last week's round-up detailed China's ongoing oppression of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang province. This week, the government narrowly defeated a backbench rebellion in the form of an all-party amendment, strongly endorsed in the Lords, which would have given victims of genocide the ability to obtain a determination in the High Court confirming …
(2021-01-25). There is an opportunity for Palestinian democracy with elections. zcomm.org While there is a great deal of skepticism regarding whether or not the elections will actually take place, there is already a flurry of action on the ground of initiatives to launch new political parties and jockey for positions within the existing political frameworks…
(2021-01-25). Bad Henry's Lesson: Henry Aaron 1934—2021. thenation.com Bad Henry's Lesson: Henry Aaron 1934—2021…
(2021-01-25). The Justice System Is Going Too Easy on the White Insurrectionists. thenation.com The Justice System Is Going Too Easy on the White Insurrectionists…
(2021-01-25). The Media Destroyed America. globalresearch.ca It did not take long for the Lie Machine, aka American media, to create the false news and fake narrative of the "storming of the US Capitol" on January 6 by a "white supremacist insurrection." | Here is an example from …
(2021-01-25). Lawmaker Slams Greece's Digital Vaccination Certificates, Calls Idea Form of 'Apartheid'. sputniknews.com Greek authorities began issuing digital vaccination certificates for people vaccinated against the coronavirus last week, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis suggesting the measure should be introduced across the European Union to facilitate travel and tourism.
(2021-01-25). Understanding The Politics Of Urban Apartheid In The United States. popularresistance.org Baltimore Maryland is a majority-black but hyper-segregated city. Following the uprising in Baltimore in 2015 in response to the police murder of Freddie Gray, Dr. Lawrence Brown, a public health expert at Morgan University, a historically black university in Baltimore, found that historical context and data were missing from the conversation about what was happening. Thus, he wrote "The Black Butterfly: The Politics of Race and Space in America." In this book, Dr. Brown describes the history of and the players who created the urban apartheid and how Baltimore became a template for many cities across the country.
(2021-01-25). Trinidad and Tobago Holds Legislative and Local Elections. telesurenglish.net Over 51,000 Tobagonians on Monday are called to cast the ballots at some 61 polling stations in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections. | RELATED: | There are 12 seats at stake to be contested by the center-left People's National Movement (PNM) led by Tracy Davidson-Celestine, the left-wing Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) chaired by Farley Augustine, and the independent candidate Denise Tsoiafatt-Angus.
(2021-01-25). A Totalitarian Regime Is Coming to America? Or Is It Just an Old Ball Game? globalresearch.ca Dutch-Jewish historian Jacques Presser remarked as early as 1947: "Fascism, should it ever return, will undoubtedly present itself in the guise of anti-fascism." Having watched the surreal inauguration, the Green Zone in Baghdad popped up. The occupation in Washington was …
(2021-01-25). Joe Biden's Policy on Israel Isn't "Transformative" or "Decent" globalresearch.ca Many are noting happily that Joe Biden's flurry of executive orders are "surprisingly" progressive … and decent. In an
(2021-01-25). Middle America: How We Got Here. progressive.org Republicans must look at how they use racism, hate, white grievance, and every other means they can find to suppress the votes of people of color and hold onto power.
(2021-01-24). Moving the Bar: My Life as a Radical Lawyer — Michael Ratner. theanalysis.news Michael Ratner (1943—2016) was one of America's leading human rights lawyers. Michael won the seminal case in the Supreme Court guaranteeing the right of habeas corpus to Guantanamo detainees. From the torture of prisoners after 911 to the massive racial profiling by the New York Police Department, Michael's voice and vision continue to resonate. His last case, which he worked on until he died, was representing Julian Assange, the editor of WikiLeaks. In a series of interviews with attorneys who knew Michael's work, Law and Disorder hosts Heidi Boghosian and Michael Smith interviewed some of Michael Ratner'
(2021-01-24). Israel bans all international flights to curb Covid-19 spread. middleeasteye.net 
Israel bans all international flights to curb Covid-19 spread | All passenger flights in and out of country halted until end of January. Meanwhile, clashes erupt between police and ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities over coronavirus lockdown measures | Sun, 01/24/2021 – 19: 31 | El Al Israel Airlines planes on the tarmac at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International airport (Reuters) | Israel is t…
(2021-01-24). UAE, Bahrain rulers on hunting trip to Pakistan amid Covid-19 pandemic: Reports. middleeasteye.net 
UAE, Bahrain rulers on hunting trip to Pakistan amid Covid-19 pandemic: Reports | Visit comes after deterioration in UAE relations with Islamabad heightened by differences over ties with Israel | Sun, 01/24/2021 – 12: 34 | Hunters kill the houbara bustard for sport and also because its meat is supposed to have aphrodisiac qualities (AFP) | The crown prince of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain's king a…
(2021-01-24). What Filing Tax Returns Taught Me About Racism in the US. truthout.org 
It's time to add race into the tax conversation. | I used to believe in the redistributive power of the federal income tax. On its face, income taxation is progressive. This means that higher-income earners pay a larger portion of their income in taxes than lower-income earners, which should decrease socioeconomic inequalities. However, after joining the team of a small credit union in Oakland, California, and offering free tax help to low-income families, I became much more critical of our inadequate tax system…
(2021-01-24). Did America really Duck the Dark Night of Fascism? The delusion of normalcy that haunts the United States. juancole.com 
By Liam Kennedy | — The election of Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States was received across much of the world with a mixture of relief and exuberance, though often laced with apprehension. A common theme in news headlines and Twitter feeds was that normal service was being resumed in the …
(2021-01-24). Israel allows US to deploy Iron Dome missile defence system in the Gulf: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Israel allows US to deploy Iron Dome missile defence system in the Gulf: Report | Israeli officials refuse to reveal in which countries the system will be deployed, according to Israeli newspaper | Sun, 01/24/2021 – 11: 21 | Report of US deal on Iron Domes comes against backdrop of Israel's normalisation accords with the UAE and Bahrain (AFP) | The United States is expected to soon begin deploying the Israeli-…
(2021-01-24). Worker Dies After Soldiers Fired Gas Bombs, And Chased Palestinians Near Tulkarem. imemc.org 
A Palestinian worker died, on Sunday morning, near the illegal Annexation Wall, in Far'un village, south of the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, after the soldiers chased many Palestinians and fired gas bombs at them. Palestinian medical sources said Fuad Sabti Jouda, 48, from Iraq at-Tayeh village, east of the northern West Bank city …
(2021-01-24). Soldiers Abduct Three Palestinians, Detonate Their Car, Near Jenin. imemc.org 
Israeli soldiers abducted, on Sunday at dawn, three Palestinians, and detonated their car, near Jenin, in northern West Bank. Montaser Sammour, the head of the Jenin office of the Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) said the soldiers invaded Qabatia town, south of the city, before abducting Ahmad Abu ar-Rob, Jihad Abu ar-Rob, and Majdi Kamil. Sammour …
(2021-01-24). Israeli Colonists Attack Palestinian Journalists Near Hebron. imemc.org 
A group of fanatic illegal Israeli colonists attacked, on Saturday evening, Palestinian journalists who were documenting their seriously escalating violations, near Susiya illegal colony, south of Hebron city, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank. The WAFA Palestinian News Agency said the colonists attacked two of its journalists, identified as Mashhour al-Wihwah and …
(2021-01-24). Israeli Colonists Close Main Junction Near Bethlehem. imemc.org 
Many illegal fanatic Israeli colonists closed, on Saturday evening, the Gush Etzion Junction, south of Bethlehem, south of occupied Jerusalem in the West Bank, blocking Palestinian traffic. Eyewitnesses said the colonists gathered at the junction while carrying Israeli flags and chanting anti-Arab slogans. They added that the colonists blocked all Palestinian traffic on the main …
(2021-01-24). Israel is an apartheid state, says B'Tselem. zcomm.org Time to ditch the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism?
(2021-01-24). Community rallies for an end to the genocide on Tigray. greenleft.org.au Western Australia's Tigrean community organised a second rally on January 22 against the Ethiopian government's war on the Tigray province. Alex Salmon reports.
(2021-01-24). Anti-Semitism and Israel: Right-wing Zionists play a deadly word game. salon.com An expanded definition of "anti-Semitism" is primarily meant to silence Jewish critics of Israel. It won't work…
(2021-01-24). Betsy DeVos and the politics of fear: A not-so-fond farewell to Trump's education secretary. salon.com DeVos was terrible at her job and knew nothing about public schools. That was exactly what the far right wanted…
(2021-01-24). UAE To Set up Embassy in Israel's Tel Aviv. telesurenglish.net The Council of Ministers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has approved the establishment of the UAE embassy in the city of Tel Aviv in Israel, the UAE government's official Twitter said on Sunday. | During the cabinet meeting on Sunday, the decision was made chaired by UAE's Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. | The UAE and Israel normalized bilateral ties with Abraham Accord's signing in September last year in Washington. | Since then, several delegations from the UAE and Israel have met to sign bilateral agreements on trade and investment, tourism, direc…
(2021-01-24). Why Calling Israel An Apartheid State Is Not Enough. popularresistance.org B'Tselem, a leading human rights group in Israel, recently released a report concluding that Israel is an apartheid state, with a regime of Jewish supremacy stretching from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. | The report found that Israel meets the definition of apartheid under international law, which defines apartheid as "inhuman acts committed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining domination by one racial group of persons over any other racial group of persons and systematically oppressing them". | The report received widespread international media attention and was described as a "watershed"
(2021-01-23). Dozens Of Palestinians Injured In Beit Hanoun Explosion. imemc.org 
Updated: The Interior Ministry in Gaza has reported that dozens of Palestinians were injured, on Saturday morning, in an explosion, east of Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza. The Ministry said the causes of the explosion are still under investigation and added that the medics moved at least 27 Palestinians to the Indonesian Hospital, in northern …
(2021-01-23). Israel Shows No Moral Tenet: Justice for Mohammed El-Halabi. dissidentvoice.org 
Israel's continued treatment of Palestinian political prisoners is unconscionable. Mohammed El Halabi, an aid worker from Gaza, has been in prison for four years while he awaits his trial; this is nothing short of cruel absurdity. He has been forced before the court over 150 times, many of those appearances secret, without word of when …
(2021-01-23). Several Palestinians Injured In Beit Hanoun Explosion. imemc.org The Interior Ministry in Gaza has reported that many Palestinians were injured, on Saturday morning, in an explosion, east of Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza. The Ministry said the causes of the explosion are still under investigation and added that the medics moved eight Palestinians to the Indonesian Hospital, in northern Gaza. The explosion caused …
(2021-01-23). Tuesday 2/16: Rashid Khalidi & Nora Barrows-Friedman: Hundred Years War on Palestine. indybay.org Online webinar…
(2021-01-23). Threat of fascistic coup grows in Brazil amid COVID vaccination failure. wsws.org "We the military are the last obstacle to socialism. Who decides whether a people will live in democracy or dictatorship is their Armed Forces," declared fascistic President Bolsonaro.
(2021-01-23). Israeli Army Injures Fifteen Palestinians Near Nablus. imemc.org 
Israeli soldiers attacked, Friday, the nonviolent procession in Beit Dajan village, east of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, and injured sixteen Palestinians, in addition to causing dozens to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation. The Palestinians marched from the village heading towards their lands, where illegal Israeli colonists installed an outpost, three months …
(2021-01-23). 'We neutralized the fascists,' says veteran union organizer. workers.org 
Excerpts taken from the Jan. 14 webinar,"Workers Can Defeat Fascism and Racism," sponsored by Workers World Party, moderated by Ted Kelly. Ed Childs spoke from the WWP Boston branch. To view the entire panel discussion, go to youtu.be/d9_NDIKT0vw. Ted Kelly: What are the root causes of these neo-fascist insurgencies that . . . |
(2021-01-23). Israeli Military Attacks Palestinian Protesters in Kufur Qaddoum. imemc.org 
Israeli soldiers attacked the weekly Friday protest in Kufur Qaddoum village, east of Qalqilia in the northern part of the West Bank. The soldiers used tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets to attack the demonstrators. One teen was shot in the hand by a rubber-coated steel bullet and had to be taken to a nearby …
(2021-01-23). Israeli Colonists Attack Palestinian Homes Near Hebron. imemc.org 
Many fanatic Israeli colonists, illegally squatting on Palestinian lands, attacked Palestinian homes, on Friday afternoon, in the Tawamin community, east of Yatta town, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron. Local sources said the colonists attacked the homes, and tried to invade them, before the locals intercepted them. They added that the colonists …
(2021-01-23). To fight fascism: 'Political education is crucial for people'. workers.org 
Excerpts taken from the Jan. 14 webinar,"Workers Can Defeat Fascism and Racism," sponsored by Workers World Party, moderated by Ted Kelly. Tania Siddiqui spoke from the WWP Houston branch. To view the entire panel discussion, go to youtu.be/d9_NDIKT0vw. Ted Kelly: Comrades, I wanted to talk about why the bourgeoisie needs . . . |