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For Immediate Release
February, 18 2021, 11:00pm EDT
Contact:
Joe Karp-Sawey, media manager,Tel: +44 (0)7711 875 345,Email:,joe.karpsawey@globaljustice.org.uk
G7 Vaccine Pledge Is 'Fig Leaf' for Global Apartheid
Promising donations ‘at some point in the future’ fails to tackle the real problem: urgent lack of supply caused by Big Pharma’s patents.
WASHINGTON
Responding to the G7 statement today [1], Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now, said:
"G7 leaders are presiding over global vaccine apartheid. First they handed over control of publicly-funded vaccines to big business. Then they hoarded most of this year's vaccine doses for themselves. Now, under pressure from countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, they're proposing to donate some of their surplus vaccines at some undefined point in the future - as if this were a village jumble sale.
"The elephant in the Zoom today was Big Pharma's patents, which are preventing most countries from producing the vaccines they need. We know these companies are refusing to share their vaccine recipes with the world, preventing the ramping up of manufacturing that we need. It's time to compel them to. Clearly G7 leaders are feeling some heat over the grotesque inequality of the present situation. We need to turn it up, and make sure they support South Africa and India's proposal to suspend Covid-19 patents at the WTO next month. It is the fairest and fastest way to accelerate the global vaccine effort."
Global Justice Now is a democratic social justice organisation working as part of a global movement to challenge the powerful and create a more just and equal world. We mobilise people in the UK for change, and act in solidarity with those fighting injustice, particularly in the global south.
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California, Virginia Democrats Notch Wins in Fight Against Trump GOP's Map Rigging
"The continuing effort led by Washington Republicans to unfairly rig the midterm elections with an unprecedented series of mid-decade gerrymanders must be met head-on," said a former US attorney general.
Jan 14, 2026
Democratic officials and voters battling President Donald Trump's attempt to bully Republican state lawmakers to rig congressional maps for the GOP ahead of the November midterm elections recorded two key wins on Wednesday.
In California, two members of a three-judge panel upheld Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's new map, which was approved by the state's voters late last year and then challenged by the California Republican Party and the US Department of Justice.
Meanwhile, in Virginia, the Democratic majority in the state's House of Delegates advanced a proposed constitutional amendment that would let lawmakers to redraw the congressional map in the middle of the decade—an authority that would expire in 2030.
As the Virginia Mercury detailed:
Democrats argue the amendment is necessary to counter aggressive Republican gerrymanders elsewhere that could tilt control of Congress, while Republicans call it a blatant power grab that undermines Virginia voters' 2020 decision to create an independent redistricting commission.
"This amendment creates essentially a narrow, temporary exception," said Del. Rodney Willett (D-58), the measure's sponsor. He emphasized repeatedly that the proposal does not automatically redraw any lines and does not eliminate the Virginia Redistricting Commission.
"We are not expanding the authority to change the state district lines," Willett said. "We're just talking about congressional lines. And more importantly, it does not change any of the lines as they exist today—this just creates the process to consider doing that."
The proposal now heads to the Virginia Senate, where Democrats also have a majority. If it advances, as expected, then the measure would be voted on by state residents in April.
According to the Hill, "Democratic leaders in Old Dominion are eying either a 10-1 or 9-2 map in a state where Democrats currently have a 6-5 edge in the congressional delegation."
Former US Attorney General Eric Holder, now chair of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said in a Wednesday statement that "the continuing effort led by Washington Republicans to unfairly rig the midterm elections with an unprecedented series of mid-decade gerrymanders must be met head-on."
"The threat created by the Trump administration to our democracy is grave. Protecting our system requires taking extraordinary and responsive action, like the proposed referendum in Virginia," he continued. "The decision by Virginia lawmakers to pursue a process that allows voters to weigh in stands in stark contrast to the illegitimate power grab engineered by Republicans in Texas and anti-democracy efforts now underway by politicians in Florida."
In addition to Texas and Florida, Missouri and North Carolina's GOP legislators have pursued new maps for their states ahead of the midterms—under pressure from the president—while some Indiana Republicans joined with Democrats to block an effort there.
Newsom, one of several Democrats expected to run for president in 2028, led the fight for Proposition 50, which voters approved in November. So far, California is the only Democrat-led state to fight back by trying to draw Republican districts out of existence.
In the court battle over the California map, Judges Josephine Staton and Wesley Hsu—appointees of former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, respectively—allowed the new districts to stand, while a Trump appointee, Judge Kenneth Lee, dissented.
Welcoming Wednesday's court ruling, Newsom said that "Republicans' weak attempt to silence voters failed. California voters overwhelmingly supported Prop 50—to respond to Trump's rigging in Texas—and that is exactly what this court concluded."
Although the case could move to the US Supreme Court—which has a right-wing supermajority that includes three Trump appointees—the justices in December gave Texas Republicans a green light to use their recently redrawn map.
As the New York Times reported: "The Supreme Court previously determined that courts could not rule on claims of partisan gerrymandering. So Republicans who oppose the California maps face the same challenge as Democrats who opposed the maps in Texas: to prove that race, not partisanship, was the predominant factor in crafting the new district lines."
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee intervened in the lawsuit, represented by Elias Law Group. Firm partner Abha Khanna called Wednesday's decision "a vindication of California voters and a decisive rebuke of the Republican Party's attempt to use the courts to overturn an election."
"The court correctly recognized that Proposition 50 was an unambiguously partisan response to Texas' unprecedented mid-decade redistricting," Khanna added. "The accusations of racial gerrymandering, especially coming from Republicans and Trump's Department of Justice, were nothing more than a cynical attempt to prevent California voters from having their voice heard in response to Texas."
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'Blindly Endorsing' Trump Crimes, Senate GOP Kills Venezuela War Powers Bill
"Senate Republicans continually fall in line behind Donald Trump, no matter how reckless, no matter how unconstitutional," fumed Sen. Chuck Schumer.
Jan 14, 2026
US Senate Republicans on Wednesday defeated the latest in a series of war powers resolution aimed at blocking President Donald Trump from further unauthorized military attacks on Venezuela, a result that came after the president pressured a pair of GOP lawmakers who previously voted to advance the measure to flip.
Vice President JD Vance's tie-breaking vote was needed to overcome a 50-50 deadlock on the resolution introduced last month by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) “to block the use of the US armed forces to engage in hostilities within or against Venezuela unless authorized by Congress” as required by the 1973 War Powers Act.
Two GOP senators who voted earlier this month to advance the resolution—Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana—voted against the legislation on Wednesday. This, after Trump publicly lambasted five Republican senators who voted to advance the bill, ensuring its temporary survival.
Paul and fellow GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined Democrats and Independents who caucus with them, Sens. Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, in voting for the resolution.
"The chances of us getting into an endless war are even greater."
Hawley said he was swayed by Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told the senator “point blank, we’re not going to do ground troops" in Venezuela following the bombing, invasion, and kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife earlier this month.
Young shared a letter from Rubio stating that Trump will “seek congressional authorization in advance (circumstances permitting)” if he decides on any “major military operations” in Venezuela. He also warned on social media that "a drawn-out campaign" in the Venezuela "would be the opposite of President Trump's goal of ending foreign entanglements."
The resolution's co-sponsors accused their Republican colleagues of enabling Trump's lawbreaking and endless wars.
"Senate Republicans continually fall in line behind Donald Trump, no matter how reckless, no matter how unconstitutional, no matter the potential cost of American lives," Schumer said at a press conference following the vote. "They go along with the president, who is defying what the Constitution requires."
"The chances of us getting into an endless war are even greater, because when the Republicans rubber-stamp everything [Trump] does, the restraints go away," Schumer continued. "Donald Trump said he's not afraid of putting boots on the ground in Venezuela when asked how long it would take—one year, two years, three years, even that wasn't long enough; he said much longer—that's not ambiguous."
"So why wouldn't our Republican colleagues just do what Congress is supposed to do, assert our authority, and let's have a debate?" Schumer added. "What has happened tonight is a roadmap to another endless war because this Senate, under Republican leadership, failed to assert its legitimate and needed authority."
Senate Republicans just BLOCKED the bipartisan War Powers resolution to end the illegal war in Venezuela. They voted for forever wars, and against the best interests of the American people.
— Senator Jeff Merkley (@merkley.senate.gov) January 14, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Other Democratic senators also decried Wednesday's vote, with Alex Padilla of California saying that the "Senate Republican majority just walked away from their constitutional duty and chose to rubber-stamp Trump’s ‘act now, plan later’ military intervention in Venezuela."
"They are blindly endorsing the actions of a president who cannot articulate a clear mission or long-term strategy in the region, putting American troops in harm’s way, and gambling with billions of taxpayer dollars," he continued. "Trump campaigned on ending endless wars, not starting new ones. He lied to Congress and the American people, cozying up to Big Oil while hiding behind claims of combating drug trafficking just after pardoning another head of state found guilty of helping smuggle 400 tons of cocaine into our country."
“If Senate Republicans were truly ‘America First,’ they would stand up for the Constitution they swore to defend and reclaim Congress’ authority instead of once again surrendering it to an out-of-control president," Padilla added.
Advocacy groups also condemned the Senate vote.
BREAKING: The Venezuela War Powers Resolution has failed in the Senate.J.D. Vance broke a 50-50 tied vote on a point of order to discard the resolution.70% of the U.S. opposes this war.This government isn't representing them. It's representing the oil & arms industries.
[image or embed]
— CODEPINK (@codepink.bsky.social) January 14, 2026 at 3:51 PM
"What we saw was an effort to dissuade senators from exercising their jurisdiction over war by threatening political careers and offering nonbinding assurances the administration hopes Congress will rely on, even though its actions give Congress no reason to do so," Demand Progress senior policy adviser Cavan Kharrazian said.
"Congress’ war powers don’t rest on trust," he added, "they rest on law, and legal obligations don’t disappear because of promises."
Robert Weissman, co-president of the consumer watchdog group Public Citizen, said in a statement that “Donald Trump and Senate Republican leadership can bully their way out of a war powers resolution but that doesn’t change the basic facts: Trump’s bombing of Venezuela and abduction of its leader was wrong, unconstitutional, and a screaming violation of international law."
"Trump has dropped all pretense that this is anything other than a military action for oil and empire," Weissman continued. "Neither has any support among the American people, whose opposition to intervening in Venezuela will only grow—especially as US oil companies demand taxpayer subsidies and guarantees as a condition of investing in Venezuela."
“The so-called America First president has become the America Bombs First president, making the world a far more dangerous place," he added. "Shame on Republicans for failing to stand up, yet again, to what they know are authoritarian and unconstitutional actions.”
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'Real Justice' for Renee Good Begins With Impeaching Noem, Omar Says as Protests Continue
"ICE's reckless actions have taken a mother from three children, a partner from a wife, and inflicted unfathomable pain on our community."
Jan 14, 2026
As protests against the Trump administration's immigration operations continued in Minnesota on Wednesday, a week after a federal officer fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar argued that justice for the Minneapolis woman requires impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
"Today we are honoring the life and memory of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, a writer, and a poet," Omar—whose congressional district includes Minneapolis—said outside the US Capitol in Washington, DC, beside other lawmakers.
Good "had just dropped... her 6-year-old son off at school and was serving as a legal observer when she was murdered by an ICE agent in South Minneapolis," Omar said, referring to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Jonathan Ross.
"ICE's reckless actions have taken a mother from three children, a partner from a wife, and inflicted unfathomable pain on our community. My deepest condolences go out to Renee's family, friends, and anyone who loved her," the congresswoman continued. "We will not stop fighting until we achieve real justice and accountability."
According to Omar: "That must begin with impeaching Kristi Noem and ensuring no federal agent can act as a judge, jury, and executioner on our streets. It must also include [a] full and transparent investigation, and legal action against ICE."
Omar is among dozens of Democrats in the House of Representatives backing articles of impeachment against Noem for alleged obstruction of justice, violation of public trust, and self-dealing, introduced on Wednesday by Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-Ill.).
That introduction and Omar's remarks at the Capitol came as protests continued in the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul—which, along with Minnesota, are suing the US Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and other agencies and leaders, including Noem, to end the deployment of thousands of immigration agents to the state.
In that case, US Judge Kate Menendez, appointed to the District of Minnesota by former President Joe Biden, declined to issue a temporary restraining order on Wednesday morning. Instead, she is seeking more information from all parties by late next week.
"I think the issues are really important and I don't want to suggest by not acting immediately one way or the other that I think they are unimportant," Menendez said, according to CBS News. "To the contrary, I understand this is important to everybody."
Meanwhile, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who filed the case, joined Saint Paul students for a walkout against ICE.
The Intercept reported Wednesday that "federal agents have repeatedly invoked Good's death to threaten the lives of observers and demonstrators in Minnesota," including in an encounter with local resident Phil Maddox, who filmed a masked man with an ICE officer badge screaming into his vehicle, "Stop fucking following us."
As the outlet detailed:
Maddox pans his phone camera to reveal another agent standing by the passenger-side door with a handgun drawn. Stomping back past the car, the first agent continues his tirade, telling Maddox that he won't "like the outcome" if he follows the agents.
"You did not learn from what just happened?" the ICE agent asks. "Go home to your kids." Maddox said he immediately interpreted the question as a threat.
"They're saying, 'Get in our way and we'll shoot you,'" Maddox said. "'We have immunity, we can do what we want, and you should fear us.'"
On Monday, Pioneer Press, shared another account of an agent referring to Good's death: "Brandon Siguenza told media and detailed in a Facebook post how he and a friend, Patty O'Keefe, were taken into custody near 42nd and 16th streets in South Minneapolis on Sunday morning. He said agents sprayed pepper spray into their vehicle's vents, broke their windows and arrested them both on charges of obstruction."
According to the outlet, which covers the Twin Cities:
O'Keefe told KARE-TV that during the drive to the detention facility at the Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling, one agent told her, "You guys got to stop obstructing us, that's why that lesbian (expletive) is dead."
O'Keefe said the comment was "shocking."
As videos emerge of federal agents telling observers to stop recording them, the National Coalition Against Censorship on Tuesday reminded Americans that "the First Amendment unequivocally protects the right to observe, monitor, and take pictures and video of government officials conducting their duties in public."
Minneapolis City Council President Elliot Payne also reminded residents of their rights on Wednesday while sharing his own experience being "assaulted by ICE" with reporters. Payne said that an agent pushed him from behind on Monday, while he observed another agent pointing a taser at people on the street.
"You have the right to observe these operations," Payne stressed. "You have the right to keep your door shut. You have a right to demand a judicial warrant, and if they do not have a judicial warrant, you do not have to open your door."
In recent days, protesters, observers, and targeted Minnesotans have shared footage of federal officials demanding to see proof of citizenship, even though there is no law requiring citizens to carry that and immigration agents are barred from conducting indiscriminate searches.
Pioneer Press reported that "during questioning by investigators, Siguenza said he was told 'they could offer undocumented family members of mine legal protection if I have any (I don't), or money, in exchange for giving them the names of protest organizers, or undocumented persons. I was shocked, and told them no.'"
In a separate report, the outlet shared a story from Elizabeth Lugert-Thom, a Saint Paul resident who said that agents, who didn't identify themselves, knocked on her door and asked if she knew where Hmong and other Asian families lived nearby. She also told them she didn't know, and wrote on Facebook, "I was a bit shaken and a bit shocked of what I was asked to do."
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