(2020-07-25). [Editorial] COVID-19 and China: lessons and the way forward. thelancet.com China has largely controlled COVID-19. A country of 1 ∑4 billion people and a size similar to Europe or the USA now reports only clusters of cases rather than widespread community transmission. China has been widely criticised for its role and responsibilities during the pandemic because of censorship, transparency, and human rights concerns. But the rest of the world can still learn from China's successes in bringing its outbreak under control.
(2020-07-25). [Correspondence] Women's reproductive rights. thelancet.com I hope it is stating the obvious to suggest that it is despicable both to ban abortion and to impose it on women whether in the name of religion, in the service of a political ideology, or as a perceived demographic imperative.1 Forced birth and forced abortion are foul. They are an assault on the autonomy, dignity, and rights of women, and are a threat to their lives, health, and wellbeing. Examples of banning and forcing abortions are found throughout the world and across time (sometimes in the same place and at the same time, as seen in Nazi Germany).
(2020-07-24). WATCH Portland protesters battling federal police to sound of Star Wars' Imperial March. rt.com 
Chaotic scenes outside Portland's federal courthouse were given a snarky soundtrack by a demonstrator who showed up to the fracas armed with a stereo. The city has seen nightly clashes between police and protesters. | Footage taken by New York Times correspondent Mike Baker shows activists and federal agents fighting over control of a fence guarding the building in downtown Portland, which has been under siege by demonstrators for nearly two months. | Protesters used projectiles and laser pointers against federal law enforcement tasked with protecting the courthouse, who in turn deployed tear gas to keep the m…
(2020-07-24). Uprising: Mass Protests Rock the Nation. counterpunch.org In an act of political desperation, President Donald Trump ordered a contingent of federal law-enforcement officers to impose order in Portland, OR. Under the direction of Attorney General Bill Barr, agents from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bureau of Prisons were deployed to protect
(2020-07-24). From Portland to the World. mronline.org 
Since the end of May, demonstrators opposing police violence and white supremacy have thronged the streets of Portland, Oregon, clashing with law enforcement officers. Last week, aspiring autocrat Donald Trump escalated the situation by announcing that he would be sending federal agents around the country to assert his authority through acts of violence against protesters.
(2020-07-24). Oregon judge bans feds from arresting or using force against 'journalists & legal observers' at Portland protests. rt.com 
A judge has issued a temporary restraining order on federal agents deployed in Portland, ruling that they may not arrest, disperse or otherwise use force against reporters and legal observers covering ongoing protests there. | US District Court Judge Michael Simon
(2020-07-24). Portland's movement is fighting back! Defend Portland, Ore.! Defend People's Resistance! No Police State! workers.org 
Workers World Party Statement Despite the brutal attempt of the White House to crush the heroic Black Lives Matter movement by sending camouflaged federal agents — secret police — to Portland, Ore., Chicago and other U.S. cities, the movement and all who support it have been fighting back. The initial . . . |
(2020-07-24). PCHR: Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (16— 22 July 2020). imemc.org Summary Israeli military forces continued to commit crimes and multi-faceted violations against Palestinian civilians and their properties, including raids into Palestinian cities that are characterized with excessive use of force, assault, abuse and attacks on civilians. This week, the Israeli army's excessive use of force rendered 5 injuries among Palestinian …
(2020-07-24). Trump orders federal police to more cities. wsws.org The Trump administration is stepping up its unconstitutional moves toward dictatorial rule, tear gassing the mayor of Portland, Oregon and announcing the deployment of federal police to additional cities.
(2020-07-24). 2020 Vision Will Show You What is True, if You Can Keep Your Sanity. counterpunch.org We've all been making jokes about how terrible 2020 has played out, but I think even those of us with a bit of an imagination for the absurd and ominous missed the mark as far as this ultimate level of governmental degeneracy we've been able to achieve. Dads backing up moms in Portland with leaf
(2020-07-23). King Joe and the Round Table: Biden's America in a Multipolar World. zcomm.org If Biden is elected, it will be up to peace-loving Americans to demand a foreign policy that takes illegal military "options," brutal sanctions and a new arms race off the table and replaces them with a new commitment to the rule of law and "Round Table" diplomacy…
(2020-07-23). Defund the Police State, Before It's Too Late. globalresearch.ca The American police state is currently making its boldest test run to date in Portland, Oregon, escalating violence and lawlessness against the peaceful population of an American city. The people of Portland have responded with increased resistance, but support from …
(2020-07-23). Trump Administration Deploys Federal Forces into Major U.S. Cities. globalresearch.ca The repressive U.S. state's chickens have come home to roost with President Donald Trump announcing federal troops will be deployed to several U.S. cities. This comes after federal agents reportedly disappeared protesters last week off the streets of Portland, Oregon….
(2020-07-23). MSNBC's Joe Scarborough calls Portland protests 'peaceful'… despite footage of escalating violence. rt.com 
Joe Scarborough has called protests in Portland "peaceful for the most part," less than a day after the mayor was tear-gassed in the face amid escalating violence following more than two months of demonstrations. | On his Morning Joe show Thursday, Scarborough railed against the deployment of federal agents to the city of Portland, saying they have launched "deeply disturbing attacks" against "peaceful protests, for the most part." | The MSNBC host has no doubt seen footage of federal agents arresting protesters and proceeding to throw them into unmarked vans — but perhaps he missed the videos of demonstr…
(2020-07-23). Secret police in Portland violated human rights of peaceful protesters. indybay.org Videos showing U.S. Federal secret police(with no badges and riding in unmarked vehicles)inflicting massive violence on mostly peaceful protesters are running viral across the Globe. Yet the Federal governing regime brazenly avows that this will be the "new normal" in major cities from now on…
(2020-07-23). Cities challenge Trump's dispatch of federal law enforcement officers. peoplesworld.org 
OAKLAND, Calif. — Outrage is growing throughout the country over Donald Trump's use of federal law enforcement against protesters in Portland, Oregon, and his threats to dispatch federal officers to other U.S. cities. On July 20, Trump told reporters he might send federal "law enforcement" to cities he claimed were experiencing heightened violence, naming cities …
(2020-07-23). U.S. Navy veteran speaks out about being attacked by Trump's secret police in Portland this past weekend. nationofchange.org It isn't about me getting beat up. It's about focusing back on the original intention of all of these protests, which is Black Lives Matter.
(2020-07-23). The Federal Response to Protests Extends Far Beyond Portland. thenation.com The Federal Response to Protests Extends Far Beyond Portland…
(2020-07-23). Stand with the resistance in Portland! fightbacknews.org Protesters grabbed off the streets by federal agents who refuse to identify themselves, placed unmarked vehicles, and taken to undisclosed locations. These same agents nearly killed a young man holding part of a sound system at a demonstration. This is the outrageous reality in Portland today, were Trump has deployed a paramilitary police force to carry out a wave of repression. The good news is that the resistance in Portland has been nothing short of heroic, as thousands have taken to the streets in a powerful display of opposition. | The Trump administration has repeatedly stated that it is deploying federal a…
(2020-07-23). New Civil Rights Lawsuit Filed Against Federal Law Enforcement. popularresistance.org The Western States Center, the First Unitarian Church of Portland, two state representatives and an ACLU legal observer are listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which alleges the federal government has violated protesters' 10th Amendment rights. It was filed Tuesday in federal court. | The 10th Amendment delineates the separation of powers between federal and state governments. | "The power to engage in ordinary law enforcement is one of the long-recognized powers that belong to the states and to their municipalities," said Cliff Davidson, an attorney with Snell & Wilmer, the firm filing the lawsuit. | The W…
(2020-07-23). Federal Agents Retreat To Portland Base As Protesters Control Streets. popularresistance.org The DHS officers dispatched by the president to put down the demonstrations have instead become prisoners of the building they are ostensibly there to defend. | "The feds don't have control of the streets," said a woman holding a sign "100% not a terrorist", who gave her name only as Shannon. "I think they're more scared than us. They're hiding in there. They don't know what they're doing." If the intent was to intimidate the protesters into abandoning the few square blocks of downtown Portland under their control, it backfired spectacularly. | Residents of a city with a long history of radical street protest wer…
(2020-07-23). What Are Trump And His Goons Up To? popularresistance.org First and foremost, it is a political stunt to capture the law and order crowd and press on divides between the coastal cities and inland voters. But it's also more sinister than that. The use of federal forces is designed to weaken local accountability by freezing out local government that constituents can reach. Portland's mayor might not even have opposed some "help" from the feds, but he wasn't asked. In other words, this wasn't mutual aid. This was indeed an invasion. An alphabet soup of federal agencies have been employed to crack down on police brutality protests, including the National Guard, the US Marsh…
(2020-07-23). Portland's Mayor Tear-Gassed By Militarized US Police. popularresistance.org The mayor of Portland, Oregon was tear-gassed by U.S. government agents as he stood outside a federal courthouse during another night of protests against the presence of federal police sent by President Donald Trump to quell the city's ongoing unrest. | Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, appeared slightly dazed and coughed and said Wednesday night it was the first time he'd been tear-gassed. | He put on a pair of goggles someone handed him and drank water but did not leave his spot at the front of the protest and continued to take tear gas as the demonstration raged — with protesters lighting a large fire betwe…
(2020-07-23). In another night of unrest in Portland, tear gas hits mayor. yenisafak.com The mayor of the U.S. city of Portland, Ted Wheeler, was stung by tear gas early on Thursday morning after he joined demonstrators protesting against racial injustice and police brutality.Protests have rocked Portland every night for weeks, with security forces often tear-gassing and clubbing demonstrators.Visiting the protest site, Wheeler was jeered at by some demonstrators who called on him to resign and chanted "Shame on You". They said he should have done more to protect Portland's citizens.However, as he stood amongst the crowd outside Portland's Justice Center, Wheeler, who was wearing a face mask, was him…
(2020-07-23). Portland mayor cheers protesters & joins them to face tear gas, gets calls to resign anyway (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler failed to win over a crowd of angry anti-police protesters despite rooting for their cause. But rather than seeing him as an ally against federal agents, some said he's part of the problem and has to go.
(2020-07-23). Philly DA Larry Krasner: Trump Is a "Wannabe Fascist." I Will Charge His Agents If They Break Law. democracynow.org 
As President Trump announces a "surge" of federal agents into major U.S. cities to confront protesters, we speak with Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who warns he will arrest and charge Trump's police forces if they violate the rights of residents in his city. "The law applies to the president of the United States, even though he doesn't think so. The law applies to law enforcement. The law applies to civilians. It is real simple," says Krasner. He also discusses the importance of releasing incarcerated people during the pandemic, and tackling police corruption, such as in the case of political pris…
(2020-07-23). Headlines for July 23, 2020. democracynow.org Trump to Send "Surge" of Federal Officers into Democrat-Run Cities, COVID-19 Hospitalizations in U.S. Near Same Level as Peak of Pandemic in April, Trump Falsely Claims Children Do Not Transmit COVID-19, McConnell to Unveil New $1 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Package, Global COVID-19 Cases Top 15M as Deaths Reach New High in Brazil, U.N.: Israeli Threat to Annex West Bank Is Hampering Palestianian Response to Pandemic, Federal Judge Rejects Releasing Detained Immigrant Families, Report: U.S. Holding Immigrant Toddlers in Hotels for Weeks Before Deportation, Canada Court Rules United States Is Not Safe for Asylum Seek…
(2020-07-23). Paramilitary-Style Tactics in Portland Mirror Decades of U.S. Violence on the Border & Abroad. democracynow.org 
The harrowing scenes of paramilitary-style units in the streets of American cities like Portland has shocked mainstream America, but award-winning independent journalist Todd Miller, who has reported on border security and immigration for over a decade, says it's a reflection of how the U.S. has operated around the world. We also speak with Cecilia Menjívar, UCLA sociology professor, who says the image of unmarked vans snatching people from the streets "brings back memories to Latin Americans who lived through disappearances of families and friends and co-workers."
(2020-07-23). 'Turkish aid helps Venezuela fight virus effectively'. yenisafak.com Sevki Mutevellioglu told Anadolu Agency last week Turkish aid, including 25 ventilators, 40,000 testing kits, 150,000 masks and protective clothing, reached the capital Caracas.He noted that the aircraft was also carrying medical equipment donated to Venezuela as part of various health projects supervised by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).The ambassador said the Venezuelan side welcomed the aid as its economy is crippled by sanctions.Mutevellioglu praised the "fast, effective and accurate" response of President Nicolas Maduro's government.Noting that the ventilators and other supplies were…
(2020-07-23). As Trump threatens secret police deployment nationwide, Democrats debate expanding surveillance powers and new money for DHS. mronline.org 
The rogue deployment of secret federal police forces in Portland, Oregon, has added a new complication to negotiations over reauthorizing the Trump administration's vast surveillance powers and appropriating new money for the Department of Homeland Security.
(2020-07-23). Defend Portland! Defend People's Resistance! No Police State! workers.org 
Despite the brutal attempt of the White House to crush the heroic Black Lives Matter movement by sending camouflaged federal agents ‚àí secret police ‚àí to Portland, Chicago and other U.S. cities, the movement and all who support it have been fighting back. The initial response to the threat of . . . |
(2020-07-23). PCHR: "IOF Raid Yabous Cultural Centre and Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Occupied East Jerusalem" imemc.org The Palestinian Center For Human Rights (PCHR): On Wednesday, 22 July 2020, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) raided Yabous Cultural Centre and Edward Said National Conservatory of Music (ESNCM) in the center of occupied East Jerusalem and confiscated thousands of documents, files, PCs, tablets, and surveillance cameras. At the same time, …
(2020-07-23). Philippines: New People's Army lands blow on U.S.-backed Duterte regime armed forces. fightbacknews.org According to reports, the communist-led New People's Army (NPA) successfully ambushed a platoon of the 15th Infantry Battalion last Wednesday afternoon, July 8, in Brgy. Pinggot, Ilog Town, Negros Occidental, killing at least 12 AFP soldiers and wounding four others. | In a statement, red fighters of the Armando Sumayang Jr. Command (ASJC) of the New People's Army's Southwest Negros Front said that the NPA action was in response to the clamor of peasant masses in Southwest Negros seeking redress from the growing cases of arson, destruction of crops, illegal arrest, fake surrender and other rights abuses and crimi…
(2020-07-23). Trump Administration's Pressure Prompted Tehran and Damascus to Cultivate Ties with China. globalresearch.ca The Trump administration's "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran and Syria involving economic sanctions has prompted Tehran and Damascus to cultivate ties with US-sanctioned and alienated China. | Tehran and Beijing have accelerated talks on a 25-year partnership begun in 2016, following …
(2020-07-23). Minneapolis Park Police Displace Sanctuary Encampment, Arrest 24. unicornriot.ninja Minneapolis, MN — On Monday, July 20, dozens of houseless people were displaced and 24 people were arrested as law enforcement executed an eviction of the eastern portion of a sanctuary tent encampment in Powderhorn Park. | After the raid, Unicorn Riot spoke to community members,…
(2020-07-23). Minneapolis Park Police Displace Sanctuary Encampment. unicornriot.ninja Minneapolis, MN — On Monday, July 20, dozens of houseless people were displaced and 24 people were arrested as law enforcement executed an eviction of the eastern portion of a sanctuary tent encampment in Powderhorn Park. | After the raid, Unicorn Riot spoke to community members,…
(2020-07-23). Security Council stalemate frustrates families of Syria's missing detainees. news.un.org Families of the more than 130,000 people believed to be detained and forcibly disappeared in Syria, are deeply frustrated by the Security Council's failure to unite and make progress on the issue, the 15-member organ was told on Thursday.
(2020-07-23). Guns? Yes. Masks? No. And Gestapo in Portland. zcomm.org The toxic mix of valuing gun ownership over protecting public health, conspiracism, and reactionary movements glued together by white supremacy and national chauvinism are too deeply rooted to be ended any time soon…
(2020-07-23). Turkey's East Med. energy policy on firm legal basis. yenisafak.com Turkey's oil and gas exploration and drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean are based on a strong international legal footing, according to energy experts on Thursday.As part of the country's hydrocarbon exploration activities, Turkey announced the start of new seismic research activity with the MTA Oruc Reis seismic vessel in the Eastern Mediterranean via NAVTEX (navigational telex) on July 21, 2020.Using a small islet a few miles distance from Turkey's coast as justification, the Greek Foreign Ministry alleged the Turkish drillship MTA Oruc Reis had violated its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean con…
(2020-07-23). Paramilitary-Style Tactics in Portland Mirror Decades of Global US Violence. truthout.org The harrowing scenes of paramilitary-style units in the streets of American cities like Portland has shocked mainstream America, but award-winning independent journalist Todd Miller, who has reported on border security and immigration for over a decade, says it's a reflection of how the U.S. has operated around the world. We also speak with Cecilia Menjívar, UCLA sociology professor, who says the image of unmarked vans snatching people from the streets "brings back memories to Latin Americans wh…
(2020-07-23). NAACP Mourns the Death of Civil Rights Icon, Congressman John Lewis. indybay.org …
(2020-07-22). The Wisconsin District of FRSO condemns the deployment of federal agents to Milwaukee. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – Last week, unmarked federal agents in military uniforms grabbed protesters off the streets of Portland, Oregon, and threw them into unmarked black vans. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed responsibility for the shadowy operation, citing "graffiti" as their justification for snatching activists off the street and interrogating them. | Now, Milwaukee has been named by the Trump administration as one of the cities that would likely be targeted for deployment of Homeland Security Investigation agents. Some Milwaukee activists have reported spotting unidentified agents in military gear n…
(2020-07-22). The Long History Of Murdered Animal Rights And Environmental Activists. indybay.org With the June 19 passing of Regan Russell who died when run over by a slaughterhouse truck at a vigil in Canada, a long horrible chain of violence has been added to.
(2020-07-22). Rights experts call on Tanzania to end 'crackdown' on civic space. news.un.org Tanzania should allow peaceful gatherings to take place ahead of elections in October and step back from "draconian" laws, UN-appointed independent rights experts said on Wednesday.
(2020-07-22). Trump to Send Federal Troops to Protests in Chicago & Seattle. zcomm.org "We're looking at the infringement on our rights that is just escalating"
(2020-07-22). Alberta's right-wing government adopts draconian anti law. wsws.org As it launches a fresh assault on workers' wages and social rights, the Kenney government has passed a law that could be used to criminalize and suppress virtually any demonstration.
(2020-07-22). Outrage over Trump attack: Portland movement fights back. workers.org 
Federal officers were deployed to "quell" Portland's protests beginning the weekend of July 10 and continuing the following week. Camouflaged unidentified agents arrested and detained demonstrators without even a pretext. The Trump administration has escalated the confrontation between the people and the state apparatus, bringing a whiff of fascism to . . . |
(2020-07-22). Portland: "Wall of Moms" mobilizes to protect protests from police violence. mronline.org 
Chanting, "Feds stay clear! Moms are here!," groups of women congregated at the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse and other locations in Central Portland. They were met with tear gas, flashbangs, and pepper round bullets, injuring many.
(2020-07-22). Another Long Day of GOP Disrespect for Women. thenation.com 
Attacks on AOC, Liz Cheney, and Portland's "Wall of Moms" make it seem like Republicans don't care about women. Except Ghislaine Maxwell.
(2020-07-22). Federal officers seen dragging protesters into unmarked vans in Portland. fightbacknews.org Portland, OR – For weeks now, officers under the oversight of the Department of Homeland Security have been terrorizing the residents of Portland Oregon in new attempts to stamp out the protest movement that has been ongoing since the killing of George Floyd. These officers can be seen in various videos wearing nondescript camo fatigues with no markings indicating who they are or, or what agency they are working for. These same federal officers nearly killed a protester in Portland last week after shooting him in the head with a 'less-lethal' impact device. | In an intensification of an already overzeal…