Regional and municipal elections in Venezuela live on Radio Venezuela Live 22 and 23 November

Friday, November 21, 2008 : For most of the decade, Silicon Valley technology startups have assumed that Google would pay their legal bills. Not literally, mind you, but rather by taking on the big, high-profile cases about fair use, interoperability, and other digital intellectual property issues that would set precedents that all disruptive innovators could rely on.

Friday, November 21, 2008 : The middle-of-the-night eviction last week of an elderly Palestinian couple from their home in East Jerusalem to make way for Jewish settlers is a demonstration of Israeli intent towards a future peace deal with the Palestinians.

Citing the deepening economic crisis in the United States, international delivery service DHL Express last week abruptly announced it would drastically reduce its US operations. The plan, to be implemented by early 2009, leaves workers and their families to struggle with joblessness and outright collapse of local economies in company-dependent communities throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and California.

Missiles launched from an unmanned US drone killed at least five people on Wednesday in the Pakistani village of Indi Khel. The attack is the first outside the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) that border Afghanistan. The village is inside Pakistan's North West Frontier Province and about 50 kilometres from the Afghan border.

During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama pledged to close the infamous prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba and try detainees charged with crimes in American courts rather than in military commissions. Obama reiterated his intention to close Guantánamo in an appearance on the "60 Minutes" television program last Sunday, but he and his spokespeople have been less than forthcoming about what will be done with the 250 prisoners still housed at the prison.

The events of the past few days have made clear that a proposed $25 billion bailout of the US Big Three auto companies is being used to intensify the ruling class offensive against auto workers and the American working class as a whole.

Friday, November 21, 2008 : Supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr protest in Baghdad as parliament debates security deal.

Friday, November 21, 2008 :Israel's tightened blockade of a million and a half Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is now entering its third week. On Monday the Israeli Navy seized 15 Palestinian fishermen and three international activists off the coast of Gaza. The fishermen were released but the activists remain in an Israeli jail. We speak to Darlene Wallach from inside the Masiyahu prison near Tel Aviv.

Friday, November 21, 2008 :South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu is one of the leading voices for peace, justice, and human rights around the world. He was a central figure in the South African struggle against apartheid and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. Today he will receive the J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding for his work for peace in South Africa and elsewhere.

From a Friday, November 21, 2008 entry on Informed Comment, Juan Cole's blog

San Francisco Federal Court House 450 Golden Gate, Near Civic Center BART Building is bounded by Polk, Larkin & Turk Sts

Fur Free Demonstration When: Nov. 28, 2008, 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Where:Union Square, San Francisco, CA Contact: Caroline Nasella (caroline@idausa.org), In Defense of Animals, 415.448.0048, ext. 215

The city of Palo Alto announced today that its controversial police chief will retire shortly. Palo Alto is home to Stanford University and many high tech companies and is in the midst of a controversy over racial profiling sparked by statements made by Police Chief Lynne Johnson. Photo: *Rally and March on City of Palo Alto In Response to Racial Profiling* courtesy of the Raging Grannies.

March on Sacramento! Demand that Marriage Licenses Continue to Be Issued in All Counties in California! Demand the Immediate Overturn of Prop. 8!

The authorities are saying they will refuse to send Darlene to London and want to send her back to the United States.. The judge said she would make a decision today so Darlene is waiting to hear the ruling . She still does not have a passport. She sounded fine, relieved to finally be able to talk to someone outside Israel. If you know ANY media who would like to interview her, please let me know and I will pass on Darlene's phone number to them. This story is vitally important to get out to the public.

625 Sutter, San Francisco, CA

Insight on the Economic Meltdown. Joseph Stiglitz talks about misplaced priorities in handling the economic meltdown and what we should do next.

This is an excellent, balanced analysis of what the 2008 election will mean for California rivers by Steve Evans, conservation director of Friends of the River. "The expected focus of the Obama Administration on energy and global warming is hugely positive given the previous administration's position of denial," said Evans. "But President-Elect Obama's views on some key issues do raise a few red flags in regard to rivers, including his strong support for water-consumptive ethanol as an alternative fuel, as well as on renewable energy (which could possibly include river-damaging hydroelectric energy produced by big dams). River champions should take every opportunity to educate the new administration on common sense enviromental solutions, before firm positions are made." I would add that the environmental challengers of the incoming presidential administration and Congress include the unprecedented collapse of Central Valley fall chinook salmon, Delta smelt, longfin smelt, threadfin shad, striped bass and other California Delta fish populations. These dramatic population declines were spurred by record water exports by the state and federal Delta pumps, declining water quality and other factors. Will the new administration and Congress step up and begin the hard work to restore the fisheries - or will they side with Governor Arnold Schwarzegger and corporate agribusiness and allow these populations to descend into the abyss of extinction? For more information, go to http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Post2008Election Photo: This picture is of the Amargosa River, now being considered for Wild & Scenic designation and protection through the Eastern Sierra Heritage Act.

Labor film maker Pedro Angel Rivera will be reporting on the important victory of the Puerto Rican FMPR Teachers Union and will be screening some video of their successful struggle in a recent rigged election to eliminate the union