Portside

"Rasmea came under attack by the U.S. government because she is Palestinian and because for decades she has organized for Palestinian liberation and self-determination, the Right of Return, and an end to U.S. funding of Israeli occupation,"

"President Obama released a statement today unreservedly calling on the Federal Communications Commission to protect net neutrality by reclassifying broadband providers as common carriers under Title II of the Telecommunications Act. His statement comes on the heels of an unprecedented public outcry in favor of real net neutrality, including a record-breaking four million comments on the issue to the FCC." ACLU Statement

There are more than forty thousand Chinese restaurants across the country—nearly three times the number of McDonald’s outlets. The restaurants, connected by Chinese-run bus companies to New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, make up an underground network—supported by employment agencies, immigrant hostels, and expensive asylum lawyers—that reaches back to villages and cities in China, which are being abandoned for an ideal of American life that is not quite real.

I think this is a good time for all of us—Tribune included—to stop pretending that Rauner was the nobody from nowhere as depicted in his campaign commercials as opposed to a consummate insider whose firm once made millions managing state pensions funds during Governor Blago's reign.

Your job contract or cellphone agreement could have secret language that ruins your life. Here's how it works

Shrinking the financial sector will make us all richer.

Our Planet of the Arthropods is dominated by insects, and when and how insects took over the earth is a question that’s puzzled naturalists for centuries. In an incredible international effort, 100 scientists combined their molecular, computational biology, statistics, paleontology, and taxonomic expertise to uncover some surprising conclusions about when major groups of insects evolved.

In response to Occupy Central protests in Hong Kong, China's government is reportedly committed to paying more heed to the "two systems" component of its unique governing relationship with the former British colony. But it will stress its "one country" nature. Sources indicate Beijing will make certain "appropriate adjustments" while also campaigning to educate its residents to the fact that Hong Kong is an integral part of China.

Popular protests last week forced out the man who had run the West African nation of Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) for the last 27 years. Ousted President Blaise Compaoré was a key ally of US. However, one military ruler was immediately replaced with another as the army stepped in after days of angry demonstrations. Domestic, regional and international demands are growing for a swift transfer of power into civilian hands. But will it happen?

A federal district court judge, in a recent ruling that could well presage a similar decision by the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority, disallowed the use of one of the primary tools for proving housing discrimination. If allowed to stand, the ruling would devastate the ability of fair housing advocates to prove discrimination by a realtor, landlord or lender.