2020-02-18: News Headlines

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 …

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…

Mike Ludwig (2020-02-18). Sanders and AOC's Fracking Ban Angers Centrists and Their Fossil Fuel Backers. zcomm.org Source: Truthout Photo by J. Bicking/Shutterstock.com House Democrats have finally unveiled a flurry of climate bills aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but activists say only one proposal represents the "gold standard" for tackling the climate crisis: Legislation introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that would ban fracking nationwide. While none of

RT (2020-02-17). 'A little bit of excitement at no extra cost': Sanders quips after TOPLESS anti-dairy protesters steal show at Nevada rally. rt.com A group of anti-dairy activists, including topless women, upstaged Democratic race frontrunner Bernie Sanders at his own campaign rally ahead of the Nevada primaries. The senator kept his cool, laughing off the stunt, however. | Keen on capitalizing on his success in Iowa and New Hampshire, Sanders was holding a rally in Carson, Nevada on Sunday. He was barely a couple of minutes into his speech when a young woman, who could be seen lurking behind the podium during the live broadcast, rushed the stage and attempted to wrestle the microphone from the Vermont independent. | Sanders did not give in, taking a few…

Sheldon Richman (2020-02-17). Anti-BDS Laws Violate Our Freedom. counterpunch.org Americans' free-speech and other rights are being violated by state laws aimed at stifling the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) Movement against Israel's illegal rule of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, both conquered over half a century ago. Twenty-eight states have enacted anti-BDS laws or executive orders that prohibit state agencies and state-financed entities, such as colleges, from doing business with any person or firm that hasn't pledged never to boycott Israeli goods. |

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…

teleSUR (2020-02-17). US Activists Demand Lawmakers Back Green Deal, 20 Arrested. telesurenglish.net Twenty teenagers were arrested Monday in Washington D.C. at the United States (U.S.) Capitol, home of Congress, as they were demonstrating to demand the senators to back the Green New Deal legislation sponsored by Senator Ed Markey and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. | RELATED: | The protesters were part of a climate action launched by more than 150 middle- and high-schoolers urging the lawmakers to "step u…

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-02-17). 'Done Playing by the Rules,' 20 Sunrise Activists Arrested at Capitol Protest Demanding Lawmakers Back Green New Deal. commondreams.org Over 150 middle- and high-schoolers gathered to demand senators "stand up or step aside" on the climate crisis. | 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…

RT (2020-02-15). Mistrial declared in case of anti-coup activists arrested in DC police raid on Venezuelan Embassy. rt.com Jurors who heard the case of four activists who were invited by Caracas to protect the Venezuelan Embassy in the US capital — only to be nabbed in a police raid on the compound — failed to reach a verdict due to a hung jury.

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…

Fred_F (2020-02-14). Solidarity activists report on visit to Venezuela. greenleft.org.au

Medea Benjamin (2020-02-13). Can the World's Second Superpower Rise From the Ashes of Twenty Years of War. mintpressnews.com While our government's war propaganda has convinced many Americans that we are powerless to stop its catastrophic wars, it has failed to convince most Americans that we are wrong to want to.

Staff (2020-02-11). Headlines for February 11, 2020. democracynow.org New Hampshire Voters Head to Polls for First Primary of 2020, Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 1,000, with Over 42,000 Confirmed Cases, Chuck Schumer Calls for Investigation into Trump's Retaliation-Motivated Firings, DOJ Reviewing Ukraine Info from Giuliani, DOJ Charges 4 Chinese Military Hackers in 2017 Equifax Breach, El Salvador President Bukele and Armed Officers Confront Lawmakers over Military Funding, Fears Mount for 5 Activists Detained in Philippines, Sinn Féin Scores Major Victory in Ireland, Syrian and Turkish Forces Step Up Attacks as 100,000s Face Humanitarian Disaster, Massive Locust Swarms Threaten Cro…

pip.hinman (2020-02-10). Activists oppose Trump's 'deal' on Palestine. greenleft.org.au

Venezuela Analysis (2020-02-06). Embassy Protection Collective: "We Are Not the Ones Who Violated the Law" theantimedia.com In this exclusive interview, VA talks to the activists who defended the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC ahead of their trial.

Medea Benjamin (2020-02-02). Why aren't Americans rising up like the people of Chile and Lebanon? zcomm.org The tinder for a revolutionary movement is everywhere…