California protesters prevent Israeli cargo ship from docking to unload its cargo over Gaza offensive

Picketers gathered at the Port of Oakland in California this weekend to prevent an Israeli shipping vessel from unloading its cargo in protest over the situation in Gaza, where the death toll has topped 2,000. In what was a community-wide effort, dock workers that showed up for the evening shift on Sunday did not disturb the integrity of the picket line, which was there in anticipation of the ship, operated by Zim Shipping Services Ltd. Because the line wasn't crossed, no unloading could take place. Organizer Lara Kiswani confirmed that"they're honoring our community picket and they haven't been crossing."

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UK activists occupy govt building over excessively redacted fracking report

A group of campaigners from Reclaim the Power are currently occupying the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (DEFRA) headquarters in London, following the government's decision to censor a report on the potential impacts of fracking. Three anti-fracking and climate justice activists superglued themselves to DEFRA's main doors at approximately 8 am this morning, using reinforced arm tubes to prevent access. Another scaled the building and unfurled a large banner inscribed with the message: "What's to hide DEFRA? - Don't frack with our future." The activists wore black tape pasted across their mouths in an effort to convey the scale of censorship the government had recently employed prior to publishing its report. 'Shale Gas: Rural Economy Impacts,' which details the potential impacts of fracking on rural communities throughout Britain, was released following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request tendered to DEFRA. Want to know the findings of UK Govt report on the impacts of shale gas on rural communities? Me too. #http://ift.tt/VDvvBD - Sarah Merrick (@SpeakSarahSpeak) August 11, 2014

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Russian MP: U.S. criticism of Bolotnaya case hypocritical in light of Ferguson police shooting

A Russian ruling party MP has reacted to Washington's criticism of the sentences given to participants of 2012 Moscow riots, saying that under similar circumstances the US police would use lethal force against protesters. Alyona Arshinova of the United Russia parliamentary caucus emphasized that the sentences in the so called Bolotnaya Square case had been given only to those who had attacked law enforcement officers, and US laws provide that police can use firearms in such circumstances. "US law enforcers can use firearms even in less straightforward situations. One example of this was the tragedy in the town of Ferguson." The lawmaker told the RIA Novosti news agency on Tuesday. Arshinova's reaction was prompted by US State Department spokesperson Marie Harf who on Monday started her press briefing with a statement that the US was "deeply concerned" about the sentences handed down to four Russians who had been found guilty of attacking police and participating in mass riots in Moscow in May 2012. The US officials called the whole Bolotnaya Square process "politically minded" and added that it had been "marked by a lack of due process," without going into details. MP Arshinova said the State Department officials should "start looking for the plank in their own eye."

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British government lobbied U.S. politicians to hide their involvement in CIA torture and rendition program

Records published under Britain's Freedom of Information (FOI) Act have compounded concerns that the UK government lobbied US officials to keep Britain's role in CIA torture and rendition out of a soon-to-be published Senate report. Newly-released data reveals Britain's ambassador to the US, Peter Westmacott, engaged in at least 21 separate meetings with members of the US Senate's Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) prior to its publication of this report, heightening existing allegations that the British government may be seeking to sanitize the document. Westmacott met with key Democrats and Republicans on the SSCI throughout the body's investigation of the CIA program, records obtained by the UK legal charity Reprieve reveal. Of particular note are two separate meetings with Senator Feinstein in the immediate aftermath of the US government's decision to publish what is expected to be a damning report on CIA torture, interrogation and rendition.

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