(2019-01-30). Trump lashes out at US spy chiefs over Iran, North Korea and ISIL. aljazeera.com Trump calls US intelligence directors 'naive' after they contradicted his views on threats to the US.
(2019-01-30). "The Worst Option is War": US Intervention in Venezuela Will Only Deepen the Country's Crisis. commondreams.org Elliott Abrams, left, listens to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talk about Venezuela at the State Department in Washington, Friday, Jan. 25, 2019. (Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta, AP) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-01-30_at_4.16.14_pm.png…
(2019-01-30). Trump's Crusade in Latin America. counterpunch.org What we are witnessing in Venezuela is a Latin America policy that draws from the Cold War and the era of US interventions, when regard for democracy and international law mattered little and anticommunism was the dominant motif. With John Bolton and Mike Pompeo leading the way, the targeting of Venezuela, along with Cuba and More
(2019-01-30). Trump's, Pompeo's, Bolton's, The CIA's and Pentagon's Heinous Violence Toward Venezuela. indybay.org Trump continues the illegal violence directed by the CIA and White House against Venezuela as the CIA has violated Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Chile, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua etc since 1947, as our government has violated S and Central America since they achieved independence from Spain.
(2019-01-30). Trump rips into US intel's Iran report, calling spies 'wrong' & 'naive'. rt.com 
President Trump has called US intelligence agencies "naive" and "wrong" on Iran, after their annual 'threat assessment' contradicted his hawkish stance by downplaying Tehran's nuclear threat.
(2019-01-30). Headlines for January 30, 2019. democracynow.org U.S. Hands Over Assets to Guaidó as Venezuela Restricts His Travel, Intelligence Community Contradicts Trump on Iran, N. Korea, ISIS, Trump Immigration Rule Forces 1st Asylum Seeker Out of U.S., Back into Mexico, Pentagon to Send "Several Thousand" More Troops to U.S.-Mexico Border, Honduras: Rights Groups Slam Guilty Verdict for Opposition Critic María Luisa Borjas, Brazil: 5 Arrested in Dam Collapse That Killed 65, Devastating Environment, Mexico: Tens of Thousands Strike as 27 Factories Reach Deals for Pay Raises, U.K. Lawmakers Order PM Theresa May to Reopen Brexit Negotiations, Cameroon: Security Forces Arre…
(2019-01-30). Chile: Mapuches Fight For Right to Consultation in Araucania. telesurenglish.net Chile's Mapuche community from Araucania made public on Sunday a communique defending their stance against Plan to Promote Auracania and the National Accord for Peace in Araucania. | RELATED: | Supreme Court Finds in Favor of Mapuche Leader Facundo Jones | The Mapuches also criticized the Chilean government's double standards of conducting two different policies related to human rights. They argued that while the State condemns the Venezuelan government's "alleged" human rights…
(2019-01-30). ACLU Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Separation of Church and State. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-01-30). Defense Intelligence Agency warns Chinese military is reaching "critical point of confidence" wsws.org The DIA report aims to stoke fears of Chinese military expansion. However, by its own admission, China's capacities, while growing, are dwarfed by the US.
(2019-01-29). Bellingcat Member Likely Behind Toronto-Based Venezuelan Pro-Opposition News Outlet. mintpressnews.com 
The "open-intelligence investigation network," Bellingcat, is infamous for its biased reporting and forwarding the mainstream media narrative. Its connections to the Institute of Statecraft and its pet project the Integrity Initiative are also no secret.
(2019-01-29). Headlines for January 29, 2019. democracynow.org U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Venezuela in Latest Challenge to Maduro, White House Raises Specter of Military Intervention in Venezuela, CBO: Gov't Shutdown Caused $3 Billion Permanent Loss to Economy, Joshua Tree Damage from Shutdown Could Take 300 Years to Recover, DOJ Charges Huawei with Bank Fraud, Seeks CFO's Extradition, Yemen: Attack on Camp Kills 8 Civilians as Ceasefire Is Delayed, Polar Vortex Hits Midwest, Bringing Dangerous Conditions, Senate Advances Anti-BDS Bill, Acting AG: Mueller Probe "Close to Being Completed", Virginia Teachers Protest for Fair Wages and Education Funding, Immigrant Rights Activis…
(2019-01-29). Pompeo's Foreign Policy Fantasy. counterpunch.org 
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo started out the new year—the date was January 10—preaching "the truth" about U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, and for reasons we will get to below, he chose to do so at the American University in Cairo, Egypt (AUC). He implied that he was particularly capable of discerning the truth because he is "an evangelical Christian" who keeps a "Bible open on my desk to remind me of God and His Word, and The Truth." This confession indicates that Mr. Pompeo is wearing ideological glasses through which he cannot possibly see the world, much less the Middle East, in an o…
(2019-01-29). Mike Pompeo's Deranged Foreign Policy. consortiumnews.com The U.S. secretary of state is a Christian zealot who sees the U.S. as incapable of doing ill, writes Lawrence Davidson. By Lawrence Davidson TothePointAnalysis.com U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo started out the new year—the date was Jan. 10—preaching… Read more →
(2019-01-29). Stone pleads not guilty to obstruction, lying to Congress in Mueller probe. rt.com 
Roger Stone has entered a not guilty plea in federal court in Washington, DC. The former advisor to US President Donald Trump is facing seven criminal counts as part of US Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.
(2019-01-29). Pakistan: Asia Bibi must finally get her freedom. amnesty.org Responding to the Supreme Court's decision to uphold its ruling, again acquitting Asia Bibi of blasphemy charges and ordering her release, Amnesty International's South Asia Campaigner, Rimmel Mohydin, said: | "Asia Bibi must finally get her freedom and an end to her ordeal. After nine years behind bars for a crime she didn't commit, it is difficult to see this long overdue verdict as justice. But she should now be free to reunite with her family and seek safety in a country of her choice. | "The authorities must also resist and investigate any attempts to intimidate the Supreme Court. They have a duty to protect…
(2019-01-29). Iran fine, North Korea bad, Russians everywhere: US spies tell Senate of world dangers. rt.com 
US intelligence chief Dan Coats painted a dire picture of a danger-filled world to the Senate, contradicting the Trump administration's optimism on North Korea and pessimism on Iran while beating the drum of Russiagate.
(2019-01-29). 'CNN doesn't cover Mueller, they work for him': Tucker Carlson on Roger Stone's arrest. rt.com 
Fox host Tucker Carlson offered his take on CNN filming a surprise FBI raid on Roger Stone's house, saying the channel has turned into the "PR arm" of Robert Mueller, "the single most powerful" — and unelected — man in the US.
(2019-01-28). Regime Change Is Not the Answer: Rep. Ro Khanna Speaks Out Against U.S.-Backed Coup in Venezuela. democracynow.org 
More information has come to light about the direct U.S. role in an attempted coup in Venezuela. The Wall Street Journal reports Vice President Mike Pence called opposition leader Juan Guaidó on the night before he declared himself to be president, pledging U.S. support for his actions. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has accused the United States of attempting to wage a coup. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has named Elliott Abrams to be his special envoy to Venezuela. Abrams is a right-wing hawk who was convicted in 1991 for lying to Congress during the Iran-Contra scandal, but he was later p…
(2019-01-25). How Washington's Devastating "Economic Blockade" of Venezuela Helped Pave the Way for Coup Attempt. democracynow.org 
Venezuela remains in a state of crisis as opposition forces—with the backing of the United States—attempt to unseat the government of Nicolás Maduro. On Thursday, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said the military continues to stand by Maduro. His remarks came one day after President Trump announced that the U.S. would recognize opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's new leader. Guaidó, the new head of Venezuela's National Assembly, declared himself president on Wednesday during a large opposition protest. Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ordered the U.S. to r…
(2019-01-23). ACLU: Trump's Anti-Trans Ban Has No Military Justification, Is Driven by Animus & Discrimination. democracynow.org 
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court revived President Donald Trump's plan to ban transgender people from serving in the U.S. military. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court lifted two lower court rulings that had blocked the ban from going into effect on constitutional grounds. Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented. A third injunction remains in place for now. We speak to Chase Strangio, staff attorney at the ACLU, which is challenging the Trump administration's ban on servicemembers who are transgender.
(2019-01-23). Laverne Cox: Trump's Military Ban Is Part of Larger, Years-Long Attack on Transgender People. democracynow.org 
The pioneering trans actress and activist Laverne Cox responds to the Supreme Court's revival of President Donald Trump's plan to ban transgender people from serving in the U.S. military. She spoke on Tuesday at the National Day of Racial Healing as part of a conversation moderated by Amy Goodman.
(2019-01-22). SPLC statement on Supreme Court's decision to lift injunctions against Trump's transgender military ban. splcenter.org The U.S. Supreme Court's decision today to temporarily lift injunctions against the Trump administration's ban on open service by transgender Americans is just that: temporary.
(2019-01-19). Brett Kavanaugh is a Threat to Racial Justice and Voting Rights. zcomm.org In light of the proliferation of laws that pose obstacles to voting, the Supreme Court will have the opportunity to further eviscerate the Voting Rights Act…
(2019-01-16). Was that the Onion or Reuters Quoting Mike Pompeo on Venezuela? zcomm.org This Reuters article says "The Maduro regime is illegitimate and the United States will work diligently to restore a real democracy to that country," Pompeo told reporters in Abu Dhabi, where he is on a tour of Middle East countries. " [emphasis added] The Onion might have simply changed "countries" above to "dictatorships" or, Read more…
(2019-01-10). Farewell to bblum6. zcomm.org Bill Blum passed away early last month in Virginia. Many Z Net readers will know his canonical book, Killing Hope: US Military and CIA Interventions Since WWII, or remember his regular newsletter Anti-Empire Report. My first contact with Bill came in 1995 when I wrote him about something he had written on the Cold War. Read more…
(2019-01-09). New Documents Reveal a Covert British Military-Intelligence Smear Machine Meddling In American Politics. grayzoneproject.com The Integrity Initiative has mobilized an international disinformation campaign across Europe. Now, with government and right-wing foundation money, this massive…
(2019-01-07). Venezuelan Ex-Magistrate Flees to Miami, Pledges to 'Collaborate' with US Authorities. venezuelanalysis.com Venezuela's Supreme Court claims Christian Zerpa fled a sexual harassment investigation.
(2019-01-03). US Secretary of State Pompeo Enlists Allies to 'Return Democracy' to Venezuela. venezuelanalysis.com US allies Brazil and Colombia have repeatedly voiced support for regime change efforts.
(2018-11-29). On Julian Assange and the Political Economy & future of Europe. zcomm.org Interview on the socio-economic transformations taking place within the core of the European Union and how much time is left until it disintegrates…
(2018-11-26). Crucifying Julian Assange. zcomm.org Chris Hedges and Joe Lauria, journalist and editor-in-chief, Consortium, discuss efforts to force #WikiLeaks publisher, #JulianAssange, out of the Ecuador Embassy in London and extradite him to the USA to stand trial.