Editor (2021-03-30). Smash Georgia's anti-voting law. workers.org The Republican Party-dominated state government has pushed through a bill making Georgia the first state to pass a broad anti-voting law. This law drags voting protection for African Americans back to the racist norms before the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Losing the national presidential vote and two Senate seats . . . |

Joyce Chediac (2021-03-30). In memoriam: Nawal El Saadawi, Egyptian feminist and anti-imperialist. liberationnews.org Egyptian feminist Nawal El Saadawi died March 21 at age 89. Neither imprisonment nor job loss, nor banning her writings, not even death threats could stop her fight for the rights of Egyptian women. She exposed both the religious and sectarian foundation of patriarchy. Her courage and uncompromising defense of women and the poor inspired …

Marcelle Cendrars (2021-03-30). Nicaragua: Building The Good Life (Buen Vivir) Through Popular Revolution. dissidentvoice.org As I traveled in Nicaragua on the recent Sanctions Kill delegation, one thing was clear: social transformation (revolution) requires both political power and participation by the people. Without political power, revolutionary programs will not have the material resources they require. Without the participation of the people, revolutionary programs, even with resources, cannot be put into …

_____ (2021-03-30). Virginia Public Sector Workers Organize To Make Their New Bargaining Rights A Reality. popularresistance.org When Virginia changed its law last year to allow local government workers to bargain collectively, it was a leap forward in a time when the trend is generally in the opposite direction. | As always, the devil is in the details—and there's a lot of devilry here. But the change presents a substantial opening for unions. Now teachers, firefighters, and sewer workers are getting organized and pushing local governments to bargain over such issues as pay and staffing. | Bargaining is still banned for state employees. But the new law, which takes effect May 1, allows cities, counties, and towns to bargain with the…

splcenter (2021-03-30). Outrage in Georgia: Civil rights groups sue to block state's shameful new voter suppression law. splcenter.org &nbsp…

Finian Cunningham (2021-03-30). China Aces Western Hypocrisy. dissidentvoice.org There's a new dawn evident: China is not putting up with what it sees as hypocritical Western interference in its sovereign affairs. Sanctions are being met with rapid counter-sanctions, and Chinese officials are vociferously pointing out Western double standards. There was a time when the United States and its allies could browbeat others with condemnations. …

Dave DeCamp (2021-03-30). Iran Rejects Ending 20% Enrichment for Some Sanctions Relief. news.antiwar.com A report from Politico on Monday said the Biden administration was ready An unnamed Iranian official responded to the report and

Dave DeCamp (2021-03-30). Report: US Preparing to Offer New Proposal to Iran. news.antiwar.com According to Citing people "familiar with the matter," the report said the proposal could be put forward as early as this week. One source said the proposal asks Iran to halt some nuclear activity, such as new advanced centrifuges and the enrichment of uranium at 20 percent, in exchange for some relief from US sanctions, although details are still being worked out…

Dave DeCamp (2021-03-30). Report: EU Set to Sanction Iranian Officials. news.antiwar.com According to Citing three unnamed European diplomats, the report said the sanctions are expected to be agreed on Wednesday. If implemented, the sanctions would come at a sensitive time, as a possible revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, i…

Staff (2021-03-30). Headlines for March 30, 2021. democracynow.org First Witnesses Testify in Murder Trial of Ex-Cop Derek Chauvin, Who Killed George Floyd, Civil Rights Groups File Second Legal Challenge to Georgia Voter Suppression Bill, WHO Says COVID-19 Pandemic Likely Began in Animal Hosts, Rather Than Laboratory Escape, CDC Director Warns of "Impending Doom" as Coronavirus Cases Rise Across U.S., CDC Extends Federal Eviction Moratorium to June 30, Wealthiest 1% of Americans Account for One-Third of Unpaid Taxes to IRS, Protests Erupt in Mexico Demanding Justice for Salvadoran Refugee Killed by Police, Suez Canal Reopens After Salvage Teams Clear Stuck Container Ship, 60 Ch…

Staff (2021-03-30). Derek Chauvin Defense Blames "George Floyd Himself for His Own Death," Not the Police "Blood Choke" democracynow.org As the murder trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin continues, we speak with Minneapolis civil rights lawyer Nekima Levy Armstrong, who says prosecutors in the case clearly established that "the actions of Derek Chauvin played the most critical role in cutting off the air supply of George Floyd," leading to his death, while the defense appears to be resorting to a strategy of victim-blaming. "I was really dismayed to see them try to deflect blame to bystanders and to blame George Floyd himself for his own death," says Armstrong, a former president of the Minneapolis NAACP.

Ali Harb (2021-03-30). US judge dismisses lawsuit linking Palestine solidarity group to 'terrorism'. middleeasteye.net US judge dismisses lawsuit linking Palestine solidarity group to 'terrorism' | Judge dismissed argument that US Campaign for Palestinian Rights was liable for militant attacks because of its support for BDS as 'not convincing' | Tue, 03/30/2021 – 23: 41 | Palestinian rights activists in Washington protest against Israel's plans to annex parts of the West Bank, 3 July 2020 (MEE/File photo) | A US judge has dismiss…

Phyllis Richardson (2021-03-29). The Worst Attack on Voting Rights Since Jim Crow. counterpunch.org Last November, despite a global pandemic, voter intimidation, and an unprecedented disinformation campaign, a record number of Americans cast a ballot in the 2020 election. Expanded voting by mail, no-excuse absentee voting, curbside voting, and early voting made the ballot box more accessible. But now, Republican lawmakers in 43 states are introducing hundreds of restrictive

Eds. (2021-03-29). Britain and China: Trading sanctions and the new cold war. mronline.org IAIN DUNCAN SMITH sees the Chinese sanctions applied to him and other politicians yesterday as a "badge of honour." | March 29, 2021 | Newswire…

WSWS (2021-03-29). Oppose deportations and all anti-immigrant measures in Australia and New Zealand! wsws.org The Australian and New Zealand governments have joined in the international assault on the rights of immigrants, as they seek to divert anger over mass job cuts and austerity measures in the most nationalist and xenophobic direction.

Reynard Loki (2021-03-29). Colorado's 'MeatOut Day' Has Started a Meat War. counterpunch.org Colorado Governor Jared Polis's declaration of March 20 as "MeatOut Day" to promote plant-based diets—which are beneficial to human health, the environment, and the prevention of cruelty to animals—sparked controversy between animal rights activists and the meat industry that went beyond state lines. Polis is not the first major politician to promote this message to

_____ (2021-03-29). Nicaragua: Building The Good Life (Buen Vivir) Through Popular Revolution. popularresistance.org As I traveled in Nicaragua on the recent Sanctions Kill delegation, one thing was clear, social transformation (revolution) requires both political power and participation by the people. Without political power, revolutionary programs will not have the material resources they require. Without the participation of the people, revolutionary programs, even with resources, cannot be put into practice and defended. | Right now, Nicaraguans have both and they are making great progress in building a new society or as it is often referred to in Latin America, 'Buen Vivir,' (the good life). They are demonstrating what we…

Hugo Murphy (2021-03-29). The Weekly Round-up: Asylum System Overhaul. ukhumanrightsblog.com In the news: Home Secretary Priti Patel pledged a 'fair but firm' overhaul of the UK's asylum system in the Commons on Thursday. The proposed measures aim to crack down on the criminal smuggling operations which helped 8,000 people cross the Channel by boat last year. Under the Home Secretary's proposals, asylum seekers would have their claims …

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2021-03-29). 'Just Look at the Torture Video,' Says George Floyd's Family Lawyer as Chauvin Trial Begins. commondreams.org "America, the whole world is watching. Do we really have equality and justice for all?" | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …

teleSUR (2021-03-29). Venezuela Seeks To Swap Oil for COVID-19 Vaccines. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro approved the "Oil for Vaccines" payment scheme as a strategy to advance the national vaccination campaign and face the freezing of Venezuelan assets by the U.S. and other countries. | RELATED: | Venezuelan frozen funds abroad amount to almost US$7 billion, which cannot be used to fight the pandemic due to U.S. arbitrary sanctions. | The Bolivarian nation advocates for these f…

Pavan Kulkarni (2021-03-29). Lack of political will and IPR rules stand in the way of mass vaccination for COVID-19. peoplesdispatch.org A proposal made by India and South Africa in October last year to waive certain Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of COVID vaccines has gained massive support across the world. Despite its potential to prevent millions of avoidable deaths, the US and its allies continue to block the proposal at the WTO.