Back at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning attempting to monitor a call over hearing in the case of @wikileaks publisher Julian Assange. This is the last such hearing scheduled before the extradition decision will be given on 4 January.

Thread. 1/

The goal posts for access constantly shift at this court, in a completely arbitrary manner. We are currently being told by a court official that no journalists will be allowed in (told they can access the Cloud Video Platform) and only two people can access the public gallery. 2/

At times, even under Covid measures, four journalists have been allowed into the well of this same courtroom, and five people into the public gallery. Two in total today is completely arbitrary. We’re told the access restrictions are the judge’s decision. 3/

We’re hearing that two seats in court are being held for @AusHouseLondon, so we circle back to the same issue as the “VIP” seats held in the September proceedings at the Old Bailey, when these “VIP” diplomats never took their seats, but they were held back from the public. 4/

Again, the only way for professional NGO observers to access these hearings (and do our job) is in person, as the court will not give us remote access. This is not only a barrier to open justice, but the court is creating unnecessary Covid risks as London heads towards Tier 3. 5/

Hearing in MJ Akbar's criminal defamation case against Priya Ramani to begin before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra K Pandey.

After the transfer of Judge Vishal Pahuja, parties are making arguments afresh.

#MeToo #PriyaRamani #MJAkbar #Metooindia

@mjakbar

Hearing begins.

#MJAkbar #PriyaRamani

#MeToo

@mjakbar

Senior Advocate Rebecca John for Priya Ramani begins.

John sums up the submissions made by her in the previous hearings.

It is my truth, made in public interest and good faith: John

#PriyaRamani

EFCC Docks Man for Alleged Investment Fraud in Calabar

The Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday December 2, 2020, arraigned one Joseph Stanley Okputu before Justice Imelda Etape of the State High Court, Calabar, Cross River State for ponzi scheme.

He was arraigned on a two-count charge, bordering on obtaining by false pretence and stealing to the tune of N600,000.00 (Six Hundred Thousand Naira) only.

One of the charges read, "That you, Okputu Joseph Stanley ("M") on or about 6th of August 2018 in Calabar within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, fraudulently converted to your own use the sum of N600,000.00 (Six hundred thousand naira), belonging to Anietie Ekong...

...meant to be invested in bitcoin/forex trading package and to be returned to him with 80% interest on the fortieth (40th) day of the investment,"...

Coroner Joanne Kearsley begins the Verdict hearing by stating that the ruling will be a lengthy one, will take around a hour and a half. She begins by acknowledging Zamzam Ture, Shukri Abdi's mother is in the courtroom #JusticeForShukriAbdi

Lays out statutory parameters of Inquest. "An Inquest is a limited fact finding inquiry."

She has accepted evidence from Shukri's family, Children 1 - 4, GMP, Fire Service and others. The court has reviewed footage, CCTV, and videos from the phone of one of the children

She acknowledges Zamzam Ture was not provided with a satisfactory translator in the first instance.

She outlines Shukri's birth at a refugee camp in Kenya. She moved to the UK completing 5 months in primary school before moving into secondary school.

Shukri was a "joy to have in class". Shukri was remembered a smiley happy girl by her peers.

Zamzam, Shukri's Mum said prior to June 2019, Shukri has never been to a river. She could not swim.

On the 27th June, Shukri had been in school all day. Coroner states there is a discrepency between accounts of who invited Shukri.

THREAD: Yesterday following a pro-Trump/anti-lockdown protest in Salem, OR, riot police fired sting balls at conservatives and Proud Boys who refused to step back while trying to confront counter-protesters.

Filmed by @MaranieRae for @N2Sreports. Contact me for licensing.

In the moments before the sting-ball incident, portions of the right-wing crowd including Proud Boys came across a group of counter-protesters they identified as "antifa" and began chanting "Fuck antifa!" before police stepped in between.

Bombay HC refers to SC judgment in Arnab Goswami case during the hearing of Varavara Rao's case.

"Now we have a judgment(Arnab case) wherein it has been clarified that HC can grant bail in writ. Earlier there was a grey area. Now the law has been made clear", Justice Shinde says

'Arnab's case was on different facts', submits ASG Anil Singh for NIA @NIA_India

"Earlier both of us were pondering whether under 226 bail can be granted, but the position has been clarified now", Justice Shinde replies.

#BombayHighCourt
#VaravaraRao

"Nanavati hospital report is deficient in a number of areas, they have been conspicuously silent on a number of issues"- Anand Grover submits for Varavara Rao.
#BombayHighCourt
#VaravaraRao

VV Rao has had ailments from the beginning, they do not have the infrastructure in jail in terms of medical facilities and he keeps getting unwell/sick since the conditions are such, that is why he cannot stay in jail - Grover

#BombayHighCourt
#VaravaraRao

Once he goes back to jail he will again get sick seeing the ailments he is suffering from, so we will be back to court again as he will get sick - Grover

#BombayHighCourt
#VaravaraRao

THREAD: Portland's Antifa movement held a New Years Eve demonstration Thursday night that became the first declared riot of 2021.

Police confronted the crowd with riot munitions as activists shot fireworks at them.

Filmed by @MaranieRae for @N2Sreports. Contact me for licensing

We are living through a period of such breathtaking, callous disregard for the lives of girls that the jeers and slurs sometimes seem all-encompassing.

Thankfully, however, those whose minds are not dulled by dogma, tribalism or misogyny are starting to realize the full scale of the crime that is being committed. All in the name of “progressive” politics./2of17

To a considerable extent, this growing realization is thanks to the work of the intrepid journalist Janice Turner, @VictoriaPeckham. Here are a few striking passages from her stunning review of a book that everyone who cares about girls - or about false gods - must read./3of17

“.... while Californian girls as young as 13 have double mastectomies the American and British liberal media either cheerlead or keep shtum.”/4of17

“No wonder the geeky or less ‘girlie’
girls we once called tomboys, especially those who are becoming aware they are attracted to other girls, ‘flee womanhood’, as Shrier puts it, ‘like a house on fire, their minds fixed on escape, not on any particular destination’.”/5of17

Statement from the #JusticeForShukriAbdi Campaign

The Coroner released her verdict of accidental death brings to a close a painful chapter for the family, one which has been made even more painful due to the failure of all the institutions that were meant to protect Shukri.

17 months ago,this campaign was created in the wake of the tragic death of Shukri. Since then her mother Zamzam &her family have faced what can only be described as a never-ending nightmare as she demanded answers & the truth of her beloved daughter's last moments on this earth

This vulnerable refugee mother, whose daughter was taken from her in dubious  circumstances, was left in limbo with unanswered questions and her own trauma to deal with all the while trying to support her other children come to terms with what had happened to their older sister

Her family protected her the moment she stepped onto UK soil, but sadly those authorities who should have protected Shukri Abdi, categorically and without question, failed her.  The facts are now firmly out there for the world to see that this was not merely a 'tragic accident'.

This campaign was set up to protect & provide support for the family, & to fight alongside the legal team to ensure that the truth of Shukri's death was exposed, & to ensure that no family ever has to experience the obstacles this mother had to face to simply get to the truth

Anjanette Young. A 20 year social worker. Just back from work. Police invaded her home. Naked. Begged for clothes. Cuffed. 40 minutes of terror. Apologized & left. Then tried to cover it up. Defender: "What happened that night is the norm in Chicago."

"Chicago police & city officials fought to suppress the truth of what happened that night. They almost succeeded. Now, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is calling for accountability. But would she have done so if her legal team or police had been successful in burying the facts?"

"We also must acknowledge how Young’s innocence & class are connected to her believability as a victim. Change one of these factors-if they had the right house, if she was not a professional, if she was using or dealing drugs-& maybe we would all be less concerned about her."

If Anjanette Young were, in fact, "guilty," or a less "sympathetic" victim of police abuse, "her experience would be consistent w/ the logic that assumes Black women should be treated w/ suspicion. And, most likely her experience would never be made known to the general public."

The normal course: "Victims & accused are dehumanized,. Many are moved through the system in complete silence. The state decides how their stories are told & what forms of accountability are just. Neither the victims nor the accused are centered in any processes of healing."

@SBrownloe @fudge1 @fight_far @AnnaPembroke @pritipatel @UKLabour So neither you nor any other lawyer or MP have failed to declare a loan from the bank of mum & dad

Or #GeoffreyRobinson as #PeterMandelson did

Or any cop or judge

None of you have arranged your cashflow to artificially inflate your apparent earnings on a loan application

@fudge1 @fight_far @AnnaPembroke @pritipatel @UKLabour So none of you have had a verbal disagreement with your future wife and when rugby tackled from behind by a drunk off duty cop not had your boot head-butted by him

Nor injured a cop's arm with your neck when he jumped on you from behind

@fudge1 @fight_far @AnnaPembroke @pritipatel @UKLabour So no lawyer judge cop MP or their families has ever dabbled or even "dealt" in drugs

One real straight honest judge threw out a case against #TommyRobinson & effectively accused the police & home office of stitching him up

Can you name ONE reporter jailed for contempt & when?!

@fudge1 @fight_far @AnnaPembroke @pritipatel @UKLabour Can you tell me how many times actual criminals get fines they don't pay community orders they ignore suspended sentences they breach the conditions of...

Even getting suspended sentence for assault then punching cop as leaving court

Or getting restraining order for assault...

@fudge1 @fight_far @AnnaPembroke @pritipatel @UKLabour Then immediately asssulting one of original victims

And only "punishment" for repeat assault & contempt of ignoring court order is extension of duration of suspension or increase of jail sentence that's suspended

I've seen several Letters To The Editor from retired magistrates

1/ In September 1993, then-Microsoft exec Nathan Myhrvold wrote his landmark memo "Road Kill on the Information Highway", laying out a dozen-ish predictions on the rise of the internet

27 years later, I think it's a super interesting case study. Let's evaluate the predictions -

2/ PREDICTION #1: The rise of a surveillance society - police bodycams, CCTV, 24/7 personal recording, and deepfakes

GRADE: A-

Pretty close!

3/ PREDICTION #2: Telecommuting, an end to the "tyranny of geography" and gerrymandering

GRADE: B-

Alas, the electoral college still matters today. The WFH prediction hits closer, but turns out it took two and a half decades + a pandemic to get things going

4/ PREDICTION #3: Telco convergence - phone companies become cable providers and vice versa

GRADE: A-

Honestly this one was a bit of a layup, although it took 15 years longer than anyone expected

5/ PREDICTION #4: The rise of online neo-banks

GRADE: C

Three decades later, and physical banks still exist. Neobanks have a presence in emerging markets, UK, and basically nowhere else. Regulatory inertia: officially a thing

Can’t get over Dr. Susan Moore’s death.

It’s on my mind heavy.

Being sick is bad enough - fatigue, pain, shortness of breath. I imagine that to be a member of the majority caste in this country is to be able to just be sick. To be able to focus energy on getting well and maybe (because medical capitalism) how to pay.

There is so much more on the minds of Black patients - considering if the hospital you go to will treat you well (or at all). To have to, in the midst of the emotional and cytokine storm of infection, muster strength to fight for adequate care. To trade rest for diligence.

To have to calculate how a care provider might interpret how you express emotion & pain-too calm & you must be lying, too hysterical & you might invite the non-therapeutic intervention of armed security guards

To second guess fully disclosing your living situation, finances, diet and ability to afford and adhere to medications because of the potential consequences of the judgement that might follow.

"The leaked email communication from an executive of #Stratfor says that, as Deputy National Security Advisor in 2010 to #Obama, #Brennan and the White House were determined to:

'go after anyone printing materials negative to the Obama agenda.'"
#NoCPTPP

"#Stratfor has been dubbed the 'Shadow

"In an email written by #Stratfor President #FredBurton to work colleagues, Burton wrote on November 21, 2010:

'#Brennan is behind the #witchhunts of investigative journalists learning information from inside the beltway

"[#JohnBrennan] Was to Be Subject of Exposé by Rolling Stone Reporter #MichaelHastings Before Hastings Mysteriously Killed in

"Speculation became rampant that the #CIA had something to do with [#MichaelHastings’]

It is a fuck-this-shit moment for Egyptian women. And the rage and reckoning are the fuel of revolution. Not a cis-gender heterosexual dick-swinging revolution. We already had one of those almost 10 years ago.
A feminist revolution.

The revolutions that began 10 years ago in the Middle East and North Africa might have been started by a man. They will be completed by women and queer people too often marginalized and ignored and subjected to violence by the State, Street and Home.

I wrote this in 2012. And I turned it into my first book Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution to say that unless the rage shifts from the presidential palace to the Street and Home, the revolution has not started

Over the coming weeks, I will be writing more about the #Egyptian revolution 10 years on

“Until the rage shifts from the oppressors in our presidential palaces to the oppressors on our street corners and in our homes, our revolution has not even begun.”

I call that the Trifecta of Misogyny: State, Street, Home. I wrote about it in my 2015 book #HeadscarvesAndHymens

A thread of the known timeline of the #nashvilleexplosion. At 1:22am on Christmas this RV was first recorded by surveillance cameras on Second Avenue in downtown Nashville. It then parked on the west side of the street right next to the AT&T Data Center. @NC5 1/15

At around 5:30am downtown residents heard gunfire on Second Avenue and calls were made to police. A short time later came another round of gunfire. When police responded they found the RV playing a recorded warning that there was a bomb inside. 2/15

At least six brave @MNPDNashville officers went door to door in the immediate area getting the people who were home on Christmas morning to evacuate. @JohnCooper4Nash called the officers “heroes” and says, “there would have been life lost if it wasn’t for their courage.” 3/15

4/15: At 6:30am, with the recorded warning still playing, the RV exploded.

5/15: At least 41 businesses on and around Second Avenue were damaged, many extensively. One building collapsed. The explosion was reportedly heard from Murfreesboro to Lebanon and the fireball was captured in this picture from I-24.

Thread on the killing Iran's chief nuclear scientist.