(2021-04-17). [Correspondence] Institutional racism and national lockdowns. thelancet.com Soham Bandyopadhyay1 claimed that the UK Government's national lockdown, announced in November, 2020, to control COVID-19, was an institutionally racist policy. Claims of institutional racism are serious allegations and thus warrant critical appraisal. I therefore raise three points.
(2021-04-17). [Perspectives] Mary Susan Malahlela: practising medicine under apartheid. thelancet.com Until well into the 20th century, the only way Black South Africans could train as doctors was to travel abroad. This was an expensive option and there were few scholarships, so the numbers remained small. Not until 1941 did South African medical schools agree to admit a small minority of students of Indian or African ancestry. One of the first through the doors at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg was Mary Susan Malahlela. In 1947, she became the first Black woman to qualify in South Africa.
(2021-04-17). [Correspondence] Institutional racism and national lockdowns — Author's reply. thelancet.com I thank Richard Armitage, and Ajay Hegde and Shubha Rao for their replies to my Correspondence.1 First, it is undeniable that more people in the UK celebrate Christmas by comparison with Diwali, Eid, or other cultural festivals. However, there was never a question of comparing the importance of one festivity to another. The issue was the implementation of a thoughtless policy—a policy that simply aimed to fulfil a promise made in July, 2020, of a minimally disrupted Christmas without full consideration of the current context2 or the unique effects of such a heavy-handed approach on certain communities.
(2021-04-16). Pandemic Discrimination Against Asian Americans Has Long Roots. popularresistance.org "I have pepper spray and I hold it every time I'm alone right now in case I see someone that is really frightening," said New York City teacher Annie Tan, who is Chinese American. | By February 2020, friends of hers had already been verbally harassed on the subway. One had been deliberately coughed on. Another was too scared to take the train anymore. | Many Asian Americans and Asian immigrants are experiencing similar incidents. | A neighbor pointed to her and said "China virus," said Ah Ying, a homecare worker in San Francisco who immigrated years ago from Taishan, China. A physical assault on an Asian American…
(2021-04-16). The vote in Bessemer is 'a problem for the whole working class'. workers.org 
The following edited remarks were made on an April 9 webinar entitled "The struggle continues — Next Steps for BAmazon Union and beyond — Organizer's Meeting" organized by supportamazonworkers.org. Holmes is Workers World Party's First Secretary and an organizer with the Workers Assembly Against Racism in New York City. My . . . |
(2021-04-16). Murder of Daunte Wright ruined Derek Chauvin show trial. mronline.org 
The Black-murder-by-cop next door to Minneapolis shows the world the dehumanization that is built into the white supremacist DNA of settler-colonialism will continue to produce crimes against our collective humanity. | April 16, 2021 | Newswire…
(2021-04-16). Israel Concludes Independence Day Celebrations By Bombing Gaza. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Starting on April 14th and continuing until the evening of April 15th, Israel celebrated its Independence Day. | And what better way to commemorate the event than by exchanging fire with the Gaza Strip. | In the late hours of April 15th, and early hours of April 16th, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that a rocket had been fired at southern Israel from Gaza. | A statement by the Israel Defense Forces said alerts went off in the city of Sderot and the surrounding area. Th…
(2021-04-16). The Hawks Who Want War With Iran Are Working Overtime. counterpunch.org Just as talks between the US and Iran were taking place last week in Vienna, a cyberattack was carried out on Iran's Natanz nuclear facility. Reports are that the Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, was behind the attack that blacked out the facility just one day after Tehran launched new advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges and as
(2021-04-16). Week of Action for Palestinian Prisoners: Events and Actions around the world. samidoun.net 
People and organizations around the world are preparing to mark Palestinian Prisoners' Day — April 17 — commemorated each year as a day of struggle for liberation for the Palestinian prisoners, on the front lines of confrontation, and the Palestinian people. Below are many of the actions and events taking place around the world to commemorate Palestinian Prisoners' Day 2021 and the Palestinian Prisoners' Week of Action from April 17-23! This page will be updated with further events and actions. Read the call to action from occupied Palestine in: English | Arabic | French | German | S…
(2021-04-16). Recognition of Palestine is 'Symbolic' But also Critical: the Australian Case. counterpunch.org Australia's Labor Party's recognition of Palestine as a State on March 30 is a welcomed position, though it comes with many caveats. Pro-Palestinian activists are justified to question the sincerity of the ALP's stance and whether Australia's Labor is genuinely prepared to fully adopt this position should they form a government following the 2022 elections.
(2021-04-16). Israel restricts entry to al-Aqsa mosque for Palestinians on first Friday of Ramadan. middleeasteye.net 
Israel restricts entry to al-Aqsa mosque for Palestinians on first Friday of Ramadan | The Israeli military blocked roads and installed makeshift checkpoints around the mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, allowing access to small numbers of Palestinians | Fri, 04/16/2021 – 13: 00 | A Palestinian woman takes part in the first Friday prayers of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan at al-Aqsa mosque, 16 April 2021…
(2021-04-16). Biden Sanctions Russia for Cyber Espionage While Remaining Silent over Israeli Cyberattack on Iran. democracynow.org 
The United States has imposed new sanctions on Russia and expelled 10 Russian diplomats after the Biden administration accused Moscow of being involved in major cyberattacks. The Treasury Department claimed Russia interfered in the 2020 election and was behind the SolarWinds hack, which compromised the computer systems of nine U.S. government agencies and scores of private companies. The sanctions target 32 Russian entities and individuals and bar U.S. banks from purchasing Russian government debt. Russia vowed to retaliate against the new sanctions and accused the Biden administration of degrading bilateral rela…
(2021-04-16). HR 2590 Rep McCollum's Bill Protecting Palestinians. indybay.org As she did in the 115th and 116th Congress, on April 15, 2021, Dem. Rep. of Minnesota, Betty McCollum introduced HR 2590, the Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act which "prohibits Israel from using U.S. taxpayer dollars in the Occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem for: the military detention, abuse, or ill-treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention; to support the seizure and destruction of Palestinian property and homes in violation of international humanitarian law; or, to extend any assistance or support for Israel's u…
(2021-04-16). The Palestinians: "We Shall Not Be Moved" counterpunch.org 
The resolve of the Palestinians to live on the land that is rightly theirs, despite all the Israeli efforts to dislodge them and drive them out, has never wavered. Just as the long struggle of African Americans has persisted since in the face white resistance which has employed an evolving array of tactics to block their way, 'voting reform, being only the last.
(2021-04-16). Forced Patriotism is Un-American: Arkansas and the Anthem. counterpunch.org 
Should student-athletes and those attending athletic events be forced into displays of patriotism? Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge thinks so. She recently introduced the "Star-Spangled Banner Act," which would require each public school to play the National Anthem at the beginning of all school-sanctioned sporting events. A second piece of legislation, the "Moment of Silence
(2021-04-16). US aid must not fund Israeli abuses against Palestinians, new bill says. middleeasteye.net 
US aid must not fund Israeli abuses against Palestinians, new bill says | Legislation introduced by Congresswoman Betty McCollum prohibits US assistance from contributing to detention of children, home demolitions or annexation | Fri, 04/16/2021 – 19: 10 | The Israeli military detains hundreds of Palestinian children annually (B'Tselem) | Congresswoman Betty McCollum has renewed her efforts to prohibit US taxpaye…
(2021-04-16). US senators introduce weapons oversight bill as Biden advances $23bn UAE arms sale. middleeasteye.net 
US senators introduce weapons oversight bill as Biden advances $23bn UAE arms sale | The bill would ensure congressional review of international weapons deals and protect against sensitive technology being sold to powers hostile to US | Fri, 04/16/2021 – 15: 40 | The UAE is set to become the second Middle Eastern country, after Israel, to acquire the US-made F-35 warplanes (Reuters/File photo) | Two senior Dem…
(2021-04-16). Labour disclosure 'shows antisemitism was weaponised against Corbyn', activists say. middleeasteye.net 
Labour disclosure 'shows antisemitism was weaponised against Corbyn', activists say | Former leader's disciplinary code, which was criticised by pro-Israel groups, is still being used under Starmer, party officials admit after court hearing | Fri, 04/16/2021 – 10: 02 | Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, pictured in London at a protest against proposed new police powers, in April 2021 (AFP) | A gro…
(2021-04-16). Smoking Gun: Hate for Sale. progressive.org Hardcore rightwing merchandise communicate anti-Semitism, celebrate fascism, hype dangerous conspiracy theories, and call for violence.
(2021-04-16). Mountain View–Rising Up Against Anti-Asian Discrimination. indybay.org Chanting "Stop the Violence–No More Silence," more than 500 demonstrators marched from the vicinity of the historic Caltrain Station at the end of Castro Street to rally in the Mountain View City Hall Plaza on April 11.
(2021-04-16). Genocide Drowned out by Media Silence: The Yemen War Six Years Later. globalresearch.ca "Life has become very difficult. We spend all our time looking for basic life necessities. We spend hours searching for either oil, electricity, airstream energy, gas, any way to provide for our basic necessities, a life that is difficult in …
(2021-04-16). Armed racism keeps no one safe. zcomm.org Racism remains embedded in its social infrastructure. Much of the country is "protected" by an occupying army…
(2021-04-16). Daunte Wright's Killing Makes the Case for Shrinking Police Budgets. indybay.org Three weeks into the Minneapolis trial of Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd, a white police officer in the neighboring suburb of Brooklyn Center killed a young Black man named Daunte Wright and illustrated in tragic terms just how law enforcement remains engaged in a racist war on Black America in spite of national scrutiny.
(2021-04-16). National Day of Action Demanding Justice for George Floyd! fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR). | The day of decision is coming. Closing arguments will soon take place in the case of Derek Chauvin, one of the four cops who killed George Floyd on a Minneapolis street, and the entire world will be watching as the jury begins deliberations. We settle for nothing less than justice! | The National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression or NAARPR is calling for protests around the country, that will coincide with day that the jury reaches a verdict. It is critical th…
(2021-04-16). Rising Hate: SPLC president addresses National Press Club about dangers of increasing far-right extremism. splcenter.org  …
(2021-04-16). Labour Disclosure 'Shows Antisemitism Was Weaponised Against Corbyn', Activists Say. globalresearch.ca A group of Labour activists fighting through the courts to discover …
(2021-04-15). US Supreme Court again exempts religious gatherings from COVID-19 regulations. wsws.org For the fourth time since Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court, the new right-wing majority has ruled that local authorities cannot limit indoor religious gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
(2021-04-15). Jewish Voice for Peace Action Endorses McCollum Bill Placing Conditions on US Aid to Israel. commondreams.org "Congress must stop ignoring the unjust and blatantly cruel mistreatment of Palestinian children and families living under Israeli military occupation." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2021-04-15). Supreme Court Confirms Annulment of All Charges Against Lula. telesurenglish.net As a result of the Supreme Court's affirmation of the annulment, Lula will recover all of his political rights and be able to run, if he and his party so choose, in the country's upcoming presidential elections in 2021. | RELATED: | The Supreme Court decision was approved by eight votes to three and supported the position of Judge Edson Fachin, who on March 8 had annulled all of the sentences against Lula, which tota…
(2021-04-15). Sen. Markey, Rep. Jones Join Progressive Groups in Urging Congress to Expand the Supreme Court. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-04-15). How Can Hate Speech, Conspiracy Theories, etc., be Banned on Social Media? zcomm.org As social media sites continue to ban or suspend users who are posting misinformation that endangers public health or incites violence toward others, such as hate speech, the Supreme Court is more likely to be drawn into that discussion…
(2021-04-15). Palestine accuses UK of giving 'carte blanche to Israel' in opposing ICC probe. middleeasteye.net 
Palestine accuses UK of giving 'carte blanche to Israel' in opposing ICC probe | PA's UK diplomatic mission responds to Boris Johnson's objection to international court's probe into abuses in the occupied Palestinian Territories | Thu, 04/15/2021 – 16: 48 | A Palestinian man on 4 March walks past a mural of journalists killed during Israel's 2014 offensive in Gaza (AFP/File photo) | The Palestinian Authority's…
(2021-04-15). Israeli jets & helicopters strike Gaza Strip in reprisal for rocket attack. rt.com 
Explosions lit up the night sky over Gaza as Israeli fighter jets and attack helicopters bombed several locations inside the Palestinian enclave. Tel Aviv said the strike was a reprisal for a rocket fired into Israel earlier. | Reports of the bombing came shortly after 1am local time on Friday, with eyewitnesses sharing videos purportedly showing explosions and claiming F-16 fighters were attacking. | The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the bombing and said it was in "response to the rocket fired from Gaza at Israel earlier tonight." | Fighter jets and helicopters struck "a Hamas weapons manufacturing s…
(2021-04-15). Boycott Israeli Dates — Stand with Palestine, Boycott Apartheid! samidoun.net 
Boycott Israeli Dates!: | Thousands of Palestinian prisoners are marking Ramadan inside Israeli prisons, deprived of their families and loved ones, while their communities and loved ones are kept from these strugglers for freedom by iron bars and prison walls of the occupation. Millions more Palestinians mark the holiday facing home demolitions, land confiscation, systematic racism and apartheid, a killer siege, extrajudicial executions, military occupation, and settler colonialisn. For 72 years, Palestinian refugees have been denied their right to return to their homes, lands and properties by the Zionis…
(2021-04-15). Just Like in the US, Policing in Israel is Rooted in Racist Violence. mintpressnews.com 
In the US, policing can be traced back to nineteenth-century slave patrols. In Israel, security forces have roots in Haganah, a Zionist militia group involved in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine.
(2021-04-15). After Election, Israel Turns Attention To De-Arabization Of The Zionist State. popularresistance.org Jerusalem – As these words are being typed, The Holy Month of Ramadan is about to begin and I want to begin by wishing my Muslim brothers and sisters, friends, and all Muslims around the world Ramadan Karim. I was born and raised in Jerusalem, which has been an Arab and Muslim city for over 1,500 years. The sight of this beautiful ancient city during Ramadan is unforgettable. The lights and decorations, the festivities, and the families enjoying all of this are heartwarming. | Sadly, since the Zionist invasion of Palestine 73 years ago, and particularly since the savage conquest of the Old City 54 years ago, this…
(2021-04-15). Palestinians in Israel mark 73 years since Nakba, affirming right of return. middleeasteye.net 
Palestinians in Israel mark 73 years since Nakba, affirming right of return | As Israel celebrates independence day, Palestinian citizens participate in the annual March of Return | Thu, 04/15/2021 – 15: 01 | Palestinians demonstrate along the controversial separation barrier at the western entrance of the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, marking the 72nd anniversary of the Nakba, 16 May 2020 (AFP) | As Is…
(2021-04-15). Protesting Ongoing Israeli Army Arrests, Detention of University Students in Occupied Palestine. juancole.com By Committee on Academic Freedom of the Middle East Studies Association. To: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Minister of Education Yoav Galant, Minister of Higher Education Ze'ev Elkin, Minister of Justice Avi Nissenkorn, Brigadier General Rasan Alian, Head of Civil Administration in the West Bank, Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Chief Clerk Init …
(2021-04-15). Israel Sabotages the Natanz Nuclear Facility. counterpunch.org 
Over the weekend, Iran marked National Nuclear Technology Day. The stars of the show were going to be new advanced centrifuges at the Natanz uranium enrichment plant. Unfortunately, the stars did not shine and President Hassan Rouhani and his officials were left with a reminder of the previous time the centrifuges at Natanz crashed. In
(2021-04-15). Houthis Targeted Oil Facilities, Patriot Systems In Saudi Arabia With 11 Drones & Missiles (Video, Map Update). southfront.org 
Early on April 15, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) carried out a large-scale attack with 11 drones and missiles on several…
(2021-04-15). Black Lives Matter: Teacher disciplined for displaying BLM flag sues Florida school district for discriminatory treatment. splcenter.org  …
(2021-04-15). Black Lives matter protests draw wide support. greenleft.org.au Large and angry protests were held in several cities across the country to mark 30 years since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody handed down its findings, reports Isaac Nellist.
(2021-04-15). Anti-Chinese Propaganda is About Fortifying a US Empire in Crisis & Preparing for War. orinocotribune.com By Rainer Shea — Apr 11, 2021 | In his The conquest of the Ukraine and other areas of the Soviet Union would necessitate war against the Soviet Union, and this war had to be prepared well in advance. To this end the Nazi propaganda ministry, headed by Goebbels, began a campaign around a supposed genocide committed by the Bolsheviks in the Ukraine, a dreadful period of catastrophic famine deliberately provoked by Stalin in order…
(2021-04-15). France need not apologise for Rwanda genocide: former PM. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 15 (MNA) —Former French prime minister Edouard Balladur has rejected the recent findings of a historical commission investigating France's role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, saying that his country does not need to apologize.
(2021-04-15). The Israeli Attack on Iran May Sabotage the US Goal of a New Nuclear Deal. globalresearch.ca On April 11, the Natanz uranium enrichment site was attacked. An …
(2021-04-15). UN experts warn of increasing attacks on Palestinians by extremist settlers. peoplesdispatch.org The group of three experts also expressed grave concern at the heightened rate of settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories by the state of Israel…
(2021-04-15). Major powers respond to Israel's criminal attack on Natanz with a shrug of the shoulders. wsws.org The blast was criminal and reckless. The loss of electrical power for any length of time could have had catastrophic consequences, as the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan demonstrated.
(2021-04-15). Equal treatment for Taiwan compatriots seeking vaccination on mainland: spokesperson. ecns.cn A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday said Taiwan compatriots enjoy the same treatment as mainlanders when seeking vaccination on the mainland.
(2021-04-15). Wednesday 4/28: On Environmental Racism, Climate Change, and Pathways to Justice. indybay.org Online…
(2021-04-15). Armed Racism Keeps No One Safe. commondreams.org A completely different form of public safety and order must emerge, transcending this armed authoritarianism with deeply racist roots. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …