Dozens arrested in Catalonian free speech protests

Submitted by Zedlines Contributor on Fri, 19/02/2021 - 10:29

Dozens have been arrested in protests over the arrest of the outspoken, left-wing rapper Pablo Hasél in Catalonia, Spain. 

The rapper was taken into custody on Tuesday, on charges of glorifying terrorism and slandering the Crown and State institutions, via controversial tweets and song lyrics.

Protesters see Hasel’s arrest as a blow to freedom of expression in Spain.

 

PM's statement on LNP staffer's sexual assault called into question

Submitted by Zedlines Contributor on Fri, 19/02/2021 - 10:21

Content warning: sexual assault

Text messages obtained by The Australian newspaper today have called into question a statement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday responding to the alleged sexual assault of Liberal National Party staffer Brittany Higgins. 

A former colleague and friend of Higgins former claimed they spoke directly to the Prime Minister’s office about the incident in text messages sent in 2019, less than a fortnight after the alleged rape, contradicting the PM’s claim he only learned of the assault on Monday February 15th of this year.

Gubbi Gubbi activists' eviction delayed

Submitted by Zedlines Contributor on Fri, 19/02/2021 - 10:11

A camp of Gubbi Gubbi Nation and other protesters remains in place after failing to comply with an eviction notice issued earlier this week. 

Protesters were warned they would be arrested for trespassing if the camp remained in place, but an injunction filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday has protected them from removal thus far. 

The camp, established outside the Djaki Kundu sacred site near Gympie, has been protesting construction work on the Bruce Highway they fear will destroy the sacred site, since January 25th this year.

 

Fritz: Pastel

Submitted by chrisc on Fri, 19/02/2021 - 09:59

<span style="font-size:14px"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">- In 2017, Newcastle singer-songwriter Fritz quietly released her self-titled debut album. <em>Fritz </em>was a record filled with reverb and noise, leaving her voice obscured, and comfortably subtle. <strong>Tilly Murphy</strong>, the force behind Fritz, is back now in 2021 with a louder and prouder sophomore sound.

Superfeather: Superfeather

Submitted by chrisc on Thu, 18/02/2021 - 16:51

<p><span><span>- I’ve been waiting years for the Superfeather album - coming out soon on Melbourne’s Wondercore Island. Their only recorded material up to this point is the delicious <em>Dempsey Roll</em> on the first Wondercore compilation from 2013. Instrumentally oriented, Superfeather’s sound touches on jazz, mathrock and funk with distinct use of syncopation, making for some propulsive grooves. It’s been a long time coming but well worth the wait. </span></span></p>

slowthai: TYRON

Submitted by chrisc on Thu, 18/02/2021 - 16:20

<p>- Once poised to be the game-changer of Britain, grime artist <span>Slowthai</span> completely stole 2019 with his debut record <em>Nothing Great About Britain</em>. With its brand of fiery politically-charged punk-rap, the album almost guaranteed the young MC to be a winner until his drug-fuelled, toxic behaviour at the 2020 NME awards brought it all down. Slowthai’s latest record <em>Tyron </em>reads as a self-assessment in hopes of repairing the damage to all that goodwill.

European human right court demands release of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny

Submitted by Zedlines Contributor on Thu, 18/02/2021 - 10:55

European Court of Human Rights is demanding the immediate release of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny saying his life is at risk in prison. 

Mr Navalny was arrested upon returning from Germany last month, where he spent five months recovering from nerve-agent poisoning.


Several Western countries are warning failure to release Navalny would mark a breach of human rights convention, and that sanctions could be placed against Russia over the case.

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