2019-05-08: News Headlines

Juan Cole (2019-05-08). Pompeo in Baghdad to Pressure Iraq to Join Press Against Iran; Iraq Declines. commondreams.org Mike Pompeo and John Bolton are known, serial, dedicated liars.(Photo: Gage Skidmore/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pompeo-warren.jpeg

Jason Ditz (2019-05-08). Chelsea Manning Says She'll Never Testify Against WikiLeaks, Seeks Release From Jail. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — Whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been held in detention in Alexandria, VA for the last two months on "contempt" charges for refusing to testify against WikiLeaks. On Monday, her legal team issued a new legal argument seeking release. The argument is seen in an 8-page legal filing, which at its core is that she is never going …

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2019-05-08). 'This Kind of Obstruction Is Dangerous': Ahead of Barr Contempt Vote, DOJ Threatens Executive Privilege to Block Full Mueller Report. commondreams.org "The department's decision reflects President Trump's blanket defiance of Congress's constitutionally mandated duties," said House Judiciary chairman Jerry Nadler | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/donald_trump_and_william_barr.jpg

RT (2019-05-08). Trump asserts executive privilege over Robert Mueller's report — DOJ. rt.com US President Donald Trump has invoked executive privilege over the unredacted Mueller report and other materials subpoenaed by the House Democrats, the Justice Department has said.

WSWS (2019-05-08). Workers and youth defend Assange and democratic rights at SEP (Australia) meetings. wsws.org "Politicians have a vested interest in keeping him behind bars, so it will require a broad mobilisation of people to save Assange and defend our rights."

WSWS (2019-05-08). SEP candidates address election meetings in Australia to defend Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning. wsws.org The SEP, which is running eight candidates in Australia's federal election, held public meetings in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

WSWS (2019-05-08). Pamela Anderson and WikiLeaks editor-in-chief visit Julian Assange in prison. wsws.org Anderson condemned the state persecution of her friend as a "misrule of law in operation."

Kurt Nimmo (2019-05-08). Julian Assange Tortured with Psychotropic Drug. globalresearch.ca Retired USAF lieutenant colonel Karen Kwiatkowski writes in an article posted at Lew Rockwell's website that Julian Assange is receiving the same treatment as suspected terrorists while in captivity at "Her Majesty's Prison Service" at Belmarsh. | The FBI, Pentagon, and …

Consortiumnews (2019-05-08). Stefania Maurizi on How Julian Assange Changed Journalism. consortiumnews.com The Italian journalist and WikiLeaks collaborator speaks with Dennis J. Bernstein and Randy Credico about the implications of Assange's struggle against U.S. extradition. By Dennis J Bernstein and Randy Credico Special to Consortium News Julian Assange was back in court twice… Read more →

Democracy Now! (2019-05-08). Headlines for May 8, 2019. democracynow.org Iran to Suspend Part of Nuclear Deal Citing U.S. Sanctions, Pompeo Makes Surprise Visit to Iraq As U.S.-Iran Tensions Mount, UN Rapporteur Slams U.S. For Using Sanctions to Precipitate Humanitarian Disasters, 1 Dead, 8 Injured in Colorado School Shooting Near Columbine, NYT: Trump's Tax Records Show He Lost Over $1 Billion Between 1985 and 1994, House Prepares to Hold Barr in Contempt as Justice Dept. Advises Trump to Invoke Executive Privilege, Georgia Enacts One of Nation's Most Restrictive Abortion Bans, Uber & Lyft Drivers Strike Ahead of Uber's Wall Street Debut, Tens of Thousands of Teachers in Oregon to Wa…

Stephen Lendman (2019-05-08). Will the Trump Regime Attack Venezuela and Iran? globalresearch.ca Imperial madness defines US geopolitics under Republicans and undemocratic Dems, seeking dominion over planet earth, its resources and populations. | Naked aggression and other hostile actions are its favored strategies. Trump delegated his geopolitical agenda to hardline extremists Pompeo and Bolton….

Vern Loomis (2019-05-08). The Quiet Coup. dissidentvoice.org Does William Barr appear to be easily manipulated? Do you really think he lacks inner strength? James Comey thinks so (James Comey: How Trump Co-opts Leaders Like Bill Barr). How about Mike Pompeo and Stephen Miller? Does Donald Trump have them acting out of character? Do you think Lindsey Graham does his bidding out of …

Eds. (2019-05-08). U.S. State Department publishes, then deletes sadistic Venezuela hit list boasting of economic ruin. mronline.org The Grayzone has obtained a list of "key outcomes" on Venezuela deleted out of apparent embarrassment by the State Department. It boasts of wrecking the nation's economy, destabilizing its military, and puppeteering its political opposition. | Source

plenglish (2019-05-08). Venezuelan Justice Investigates Those Involved in Attempted Coup. plenglish.com Caracas, May 8 (Prensa Latina) The Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) and the Public Ministry of Venezuela are carrying out an investigation to determine those involved in the attempted coup d"état on April 30, when five people were killed.

WSWS (2019-05-08). Former Australian PM denounces anti-China witch-hunt of intelligence agencies. wsws.org Paul Keating's outburst highlights the degree to which Australia and its military and security agencies have been integrated into the US war drive against China.

plenglish (2019-05-08). Lopez Obrador Launches Modern Surveillance Device in Hidalgo. plenglish.com Mexico, May 8 (Prensa Latina) Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador launched Hidalgo"s C51 Control, Command, Communications, Computing and Intelligence Center at his morning press conference held Wednesday in Zapotlan de Juarez.

RT (2019-05-08). 'We don't spy … we INVESTIGATE' — ex-FBI chief Comey on Trump campaign op. rt.com It looked like a spy, it wiretapped like a spy, and set up sting operations like a spy — but James Comey says the FBI's counterintelligence operation against Donald Trump's presidential campaign was "investigating." |

Aída Chávez (2019-05-08). Sen. Ron Wyden Demands Answers From DHS and Private Intel Firm Over Spying on Anti-Trump Immigration Protests. theintercept.com Homeland Security distributed information about protests collected by spies for hire. An influential senator on surveillance issues wants to know why.

Democracy Now! (2019-05-07). Headlines for May 7, 2019. democracynow.org Reuters Reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo Released from Burmese Prison, 500+ Ex-Prosecutors: Trump Would Be Charged with Obstruction If He Weren't President, House Dems to Vote on Holding AG Barr in Contempt Over Mueller Report, Treasury Misses Deadline To Hand Over Trump's Tax Returns, Russia Warns Against Military Intervention in Venezuela, Pompeo: Reduction of Arctic Sea Ice Opens Up "Opportunities for Trade", Turkey Scraps Istanbul Election Results After Ruling AKP Candidate Loses, Syria: Air Raids Destroy Hospitals, Kill at Least 17 Civilians, Panama Elects Centrist Laurentino Cortizo in Close Presidential R…

James Risen (2019-05-07). Did Donald Trump's Grip on the Justice Department Sabotage Robert Mueller's Investigation? theintercept.com Given what we now know about the events of the last two years, Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre resembles a routine weekend in the Trump administration.

Consortiumnews (2019-05-07). How US and Foreign Intel Agencies Interfered in a US Election. consortiumnews.com The evidence is plain—there was a broad, coordinated effort by the Obama Administration, with the help of foreign governments, to target Donald Trump and paint him as a Russian stooge, writes Larry Johnson By Larry C. Johnson Sic Semper Tyrannis … Read more →

RT (2019-05-07). CIA on dark web: US spy agency shares its Tor network address. rt.com The CIA has announced its own website on Tor, promising an anonymous path to tipping off the government on the same platform many people use to hide from it — and leaving the internet asking if Tor itself is a spy tool.

Consortiumnews (2019-05-06). Top Ten Questions About the Mueller Report. consortiumnews.com Daniel Lazare examines some of the missing pieces in the special counsel's 448-page tome on Russian interference. By Daniel Lazare Special to Consortium News In January 2017, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper issued a report about Russian interference co-signed… Read more →

RT (2019-05-06). Mueller report row: House Dem chair calls vote to hold AG Barr in contempt of Congress. rt.com House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler has scheduled a vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress, after Barr's Justice Department refused to hand over an unredacted copy of the Mueller report. |

RT (2019-05-06). Ban Russians from US, sanction sports teams & target Putin, says ex-NATO commander. rt.com The US is too "weak" on Russia in the wake of Mueller's report, a TIME article by former NATO commander James Stavridis claims, suggesting Washington go beyond sanctions to target Russian civilians, even President Putin himself. |

Democracy Now! (2019-05-06). Ex-Blackwater CEO Erik Prince Makes a Comeback Under Trump Selling Mercenary Armies Around the World. democracynow.org The House Intelligence Committee has sent a criminal referral to the Justice Department for Erik Prince, founder of the mercenary firm Blackwater. House Democrats are accusing Prince of lying to Congress during his November 2017 testimony before the Committee, when he described a meeting in the Seychelles with a Russian banker before Donald Trump's inauguration as a chance encounter. According to the Mueller report, the meeting was an attempt to establish a backchannel between the incoming Trump administration and Russia, and may have been arranged by the Trump team. The move is one of the latest actions placing…

unitedEditor (2019-05-06). Israeli offensive, North Korean missiles, Venezuela, Assange. uwidata.com Israel offensive On May 4, the Israel Defense Forces announced an air strike on dozens of targets in the Gaza Strip. The office of the Turkish news agency Anadolu in the Gaza Strip was hit in the course of the offensive. Mevlàºt àáavu≈üoƒülu called the incident an example of aggression on the Israeli side, and …

Aaron Maté (2019-05-06). Rachel Maddow endorses regime change in Venezuela to "push Russia back," sympathizes with Bolton and Pompeo. thegrayzone.com The top rated MSNBC host took her trademark brand of liberal militarism to new levels by branding efforts to avert…

John Nichols (2019-05-06). Andrew Gillum Wants the Supreme Court to Be a Central Issue in 2020. thenation.com Andrew Gillum Wants the Supreme Court to Be a Central Issue in 2020…

Staff (2019-05-06). Citizenship Question Could Invalidate 2020 Census. therealnews.com Immigration activist Attorney Andrea Senteno analyzes the significance of the Supreme Court's hearing on including a citizenship question on the 2020 census…

Austyn Ross (2019-05-06). NAACP Opposes Michael Park's Nomination to Second Circuit, Says Failure to Support Brown V. Board is Disqualifying. naacp.org Today, the NAACP announced its opposition to the nomination of Michael Park to the U.S Circuit Court for the Second Circuit. The Senate will vote on Mr. Park's nomination later this week. Derrick Johnson, president and CEO, made the following statement: "Next week, we celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Supreme Court's seminal decision in …

unitedEditor (2019-05-05). April 2019 — geopolitical events. uwidata.com Europe Assange arrested On April 11, Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks, was arrested in London after Ecuador revoked political asylum earlier granted to the journalist. Since 2012, Assange has been held in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Britain is likely to extradite Assange to the US against Assange's wishes. Assange is accused in …

Binoy Kampmark (2019-05-04). Disproportionate Sentences: Julian Assange, Bail, and Extradition. dissidentvoice.org Should journalism ever have a deity worth His, Her or Its salt, looking down upon the recent proceedings against Julian Assange will provide endless choking fits of confusion and dismay. The prosecution continues in the twisted logic that engaging a source to disclose something secret while also protecting anonymity is somehow unnatural in the world …

Staff (2019-05-04). Guilt by Association? Arrest of Assange Friend Has No Basis. therealnews.com Cyber-security and privacy expert Ola Bini was arrested in Ecuador the same day that Ecuador revoked Julian Assange's asylum. A court now affirmed his pre-trial detention, while his parents and his lawyers say it has no basis…

Staff (2019-05-04). Assange Extradition Will Have Chilling Effect on Investigative Journalism, Free Speech. therealnews.com We speak to Julian Assange's lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, about the first extradition hearing Assange had in London, where he refused to voluntarily turn himself over to US authorities…

Staff (2019-05-03). Barr Hearings on Mueller Report Display the Threat to Democracy. therealnews.com Attorney and activist Kamau Franklin dissects the questioning of Attorney General Barr on his handling of the Mueller report…

Democracy Now! (2019-05-03). Headlines for May 3, 2019. democracynow.org Pelosi Accuses Barr of Lying to Congress over Mueller Report, Rep. Nadler Threatens to Hold Barr in Contempt, Over a Million Evacuate as Cyclone Slams Northeastern India, Venezuela Court Orders Arrest of Opposition Leader Leopoldo López, Two Activists Arrested Outside Venezuelan Embassy in D.C., EU Threatens to Sue U.S. over New Restrictions on Cuba, Senate Fails to Overturn Trump Veto on Yemen War, Assange to Fight Extradition to the United States, Pentagon Accused of Killing 10x as Many Civilians Overseas as Acknowledged in New Report, Report: U.S. Military Spending Is Higher Than Next Eight Countries Combined,…

Kevin Gosztola (2019-05-03). 'A Massive Chill On Investigative Journalism': First Hearing In Julian Assange's Extradition Case. shadowproof.com The first procedural hearing in WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's extradition case was held in the United Kingdom. It was very brief, and Assange appeared via video link from Belmarsh prison. "I do not wish to surrender myself for extradition for doing journalism that has won many, many awards and protected…

susan_p (2019-05-03). Venezuela: Another coup fails. greenleft.org.au "Interim President" Juan Guaido and right-wing opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez spearheaded an unsuccessful coup attempt in Caracas on April 30. | The thwarted uprising started in the early morning hours when renegade military and intelligence officers reportedly released Lopez from house arrest. Lopez then joined Guaido and a handful of soldiers on the Altamira overpass in east Caracas, outside the Francisco de Miranda airbase, known as La Carlota. | Lopez and Guaido released videos on social media, call…

Democracy Now! (2019-05-02). Headlines for May 2, 2019. democracynow.org Attorney General Barr Grilled by Senate Judiciary over Mueller Report, Trump Administration Says It May Go to War to Oust Venezuelan President, Hundreds Arrested in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Paris, France, at May Day Rallies, Haitians Mark May Day with Calls for Living Wages, Ouster of President MoàØse, Honduras Cancels Education and Healthcare Privatization Plans Amid Protests, Puerto Rico May Day Protesters Demand End to Austerity Measures, 10,000 South Carolina Teachers Rally for Union Rights and Livable Wages, New York Domestic Workers Join Protest at the Trump Building on Wall Street, 16-Year-Old Gu…

Keegan Hankes, Researcher, Intelligence Project (2019-05-02). SPLC: Facebook and Instagram ban far-right and extremist figures, but still have more work to do against hateful content. splcenter.org Facebook and Instagram announced today that they have banned several far-right, antisemitic and extremist figures and organizations for being "dangerous," a sign that they are more aggressively enforcing their hate speech policies under pressure from civil rights organizations, including the SPLC.

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2019-05-01). Venezuelans Hold Rival Marches for Workers' Day as Pompeo Threatens 'Military Action'. venezuelanalysis.com Opposition leader Juan Guaido called for "escalating strikes" following Tuesday's failed military putsch.

ACLU (2019-04-30). There's a Battle Brewing at Google Over Employee Speech. The Outcome Affects Us All. aclu.org Retaliating against Big Tech employees who push their employers to do the right thing is a threat to us all. | The outcome of a battle heating up at Google over the limits of employee free speech will have huge consequences for all of us. Will Google shut down internal dissent and silence whistleblowers? Or will the company live up to its initial motto, "Don't be evil?" | In 2017, researchers Meredith Whittaker and Kate Crawford founded the AI Now Institute at New York University, with the goal of "produc[ing] interdisciplinary research on the social implication…

Mark Fiore (2019-04-25). Free Advice for Democrats. progressive.org Now that the redacted Mueller report lays out what appears to be evidence of a president obstructing justice, it's up to Congress.

Bill Blum (2019-04-25). Unequal Justice: As the Next Census Approaches, Will the Supreme Court Side with Trump in his War on Immigrants? progressive.org The idea for reinstating the citizenship question came from discussions including White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, both of whom have long histories as proponents of anti-immigrant policies.

Dennis J. Bernstein (2019-04-23). Daniel Ellsberg Speaks Out on the Arrest of Julian Assange. progressive.org "Without whistleblowers we would not have a democracy. And there have to be people to distribute work and publish it."

Ricardo Vaz (2019-04-15). Venezuela: Canada Imposes Fresh Sanctions as Pompeo Vows to 'Tighten Noose'. venezuelanalysis.com US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Lima Group have pledged more sanctions against Venezuela.