(2019-02-25). Supreme Court Screw-Up Sullies U.S. Constitution. counterpunch.org Giving a speech at Georgetown University, late Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., said: "[T]he Constitution is a sublime oration on the dignity of man." However, after the Supreme Court's February 7 refusal to stay devout Muslim Domineque Ray's execution — despite Ray's unrebutted claim only Christian prisoners in Alabama are afforded a spiritual advisor during their final moments — this high-minded aspiration for one of our country's founding documents appears to be, as it has before (see, for example, Dred Scott, Plessy v. Ferguson, Korematsu), empty words. As Justice Kagan observed in dissent, it was…
(2019-02-25). "Every Option is on the Table": Pompeo Stokes Fears of Military Force in Venezuela. theantimedia.com 
(CD) — Unrest and fears of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela continued on Sunday as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated the Trump administration's warning that "every option is on the table" and that it would galvanize a "global coalition to put force behind the voice" of those calling for the ouster of President Nicolás Maduro. Pompeo …
(2019-02-25). The Secret History of Fiat Brazil's Internal Espionage Network and Collaboration With the Military Dictatorship. theintercept.com 
The workers were a threat to the company's bottom line, so Fiat Brazil suppressed labor organizing through an internal spy ring.
(2019-02-25). Attend March 10 Solidarity Vigil in London for Julian Assange. wsws.org The SEP (UK) calls on all defenders of civil liberties and democratic rights, all opponents of imperialist wars for regime change, to attend the March 10 vigil and make it known in your workplaces, campuses and schools.
(2019-02-25). 'Is this for real?': Twitter perplexed by sudden CIA fixation on Black Panther movie. rt.com 
The CIA drew a hail of ridicule and incomprehension when it unexpectedly posted a Twitter thread dedicated to the hit superhero film 'Black Panther'. Some Twitter users even suspected the spy agency had been hacked.
(2019-02-25). SEP national secretary James Cogan calls for maximum participation in rallies to free Julian Assange. wsws.org Cogan explains the connection between the fight for Assange's freedom and the fight against the escalating government attacks in every country against freedom of the press and other basic democratic rights.
(2019-02-24). Progressives Caution Against War in Venezuela. truthdig.com Unrest and fears of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela continued on Sunday as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated the Trump administration's warning that "every option is on the table" and that it would galvanize a "global coalition to put force behind the voice" of those calling for the ouster of President Nicolás Maduro. | Pompeo made the comments on "Fox News Sunday" hours after he tweeted that the "U.S. will take action against those who oppose the peaceful restoration of democracy in #Venezuela," an apparent reference to those…
(2019-02-24). 'Embrace democracy, Venezuela!' Bolton threatens new sanctions, Pompeo vows 'action'. rt.com 
Failure of the attempted forcing of US "humanitarian aid" into Venezuela has not deterred the Trump administration hawks from seeking regime change in Caracas. They now threaten new sanctions unless Venezuela "embraces democracy."
(2019-02-24). Warning 'Every Option Is On the Table,' Pompeo Stokes Fears of Military Force in Venezuela. commondreams.org Comments from secretary of state come day before Vice President Mike Pence heads to the Colombian capital for an emergency summit | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/pompeo-venezuela-force.jpg…
(2019-02-24). The Bitter Fruit of Trump's China Bashing: Anti-Asian Racism. truthout.org Donald Trump's New Cold War with Beijing has caught Chinese foreign students at U.S. universities in its crosshairs. | The Trump administration has tightened restrictions on their visas, accused them of spying for the Chinese state and its high tech giants, and in the process whipped up a climate of anti-Asian racism. | Trump's policies yielded bitter fruit most recently at Duke University. The chair of the graduate program in biostatics, Megan Neely, in the wake of complaints from a faculty members about Chinese grad students "speaking Chinese (in their words VERY LOUDLY)" in the student lounge and study area…
(2019-02-24). Corporate-Backed Groups Seek More Pro-Business Judges in the Deep South. truthout.org Back in 1994, after the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that oil giant BP owed back taxes to Plaquemines Parish, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) urged its member corporations to contact the justices to complain. A few months later, after a LABI-backed candidate won the state Supreme Court election, the court unanimously overturned
(2019-02-23). Mueller recommends harsh sentence for 'hardened' criminal Paul Manafort. rt.com 
Special Counsel Robert Mueller has castigated former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for "repeatedly and brazenly" violating the law, and called on a federal judge in Washington DC to punish him appropriately. |
(2019-02-23). The working class and the fight to free Julian Assange. wsws.org The persecution of Assange is the spearhead of a global offensive against freedom of speech and for censorship of oppositional voices on the internet.
(2019-02-22). Philippines: Break the culture of silence, violence and impunity. greenleft.org.au 
The following statement on the February 13 arrest of Filipino journalist Maria Ressa was issued by the Filipino human rights movement, iDefend. | iDefend condemns the arrest of Maria Ressa by the National Bureau of Investigation on February 13 on charges of cyber-libel. | Ressa's arrest is the latest demonstration of how government critics are silenced in a manner which mirrors a familiar style of the late Marcos dictatorship. | For two years, Senator Leila de Lima remains incarcerated on unproven drug charges; former Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was removed from her post in a Quo Waranto proc…
(2019-02-21). Fixing Tech's Ethics Problem Starts in the Classroom. thenation.com Fixing Tech's Ethics Problem Starts in the Classroom…
(2019-02-21). Ending the Punishment of Poverty: Supreme Court Rules Against High Fines & Civil Asset Forfeiture. democracynow.org 
In a major victory for civil liberties advocates, the Supreme Court has unanimously ruled to limit the practice of civil asset forfeiture—a controversial practice where police seize property that belongs to people suspected of crimes, even if they are never convicted. On Wednesday, the court ruled the Eighth Amendment protects people from state and local authorities imposing onerous fines, fees and forfeitures to generate money. The case centered on an Indiana man named Tyson Timbs, whose Land Rover was seized when he was arrested for selling drugs. The vehicle was worth $42,000—more than four times t…
(2019-02-21). Ex-Pinochet secret police agent Adriana Rivas' extradition case deferred. greenleft.org.au 
Former secret police agent under dictator General Augusto Pinochet Adriana Rivas will face court again on March 1 to see if she is extradited back to Chile, where she is facing charges relating to alleged torture and kidnapping offences. | While visiting Chile in 2007, Rivas was arrested for the aggravated kidnapping of seven victims in 1976. At the time she was the principal assistant to Manuel Contreras, the former head of Pinochet's National Intelligence Directorate (DINA). | All of the victims subsequently disappeared after undergoing vicious torture sessions. | However, Rivas breached her conditional bail an…
(2019-02-20). PATRICK LAWRENCE: Pompeo, Pence & the Alienation of Europe. consortiumnews.com If the objective was to further isolate the U.S., the two officials could not have done a better job last week, writes Patrick Lawrence. By Patrick Lawrence Special to Consortium News What a job Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary… Read more →
(2019-02-20). A Supreme Court Milestone for Students' Free Speech Rights. aclu.org In 1969, a group of public school students protesting the Vietnam War made First Amendment history that stands strong to this day. | This month marks 50 years since the landmark Supreme Court ruling that cemented students' rights to free speech in public schools, Tinker v. Des Moines. We're inspired to see that students still take advantage of their First Amendment rights and speak out on political issues today. | We grew up in Iowa, where our father was a Methodist minister. Believing that faith s…
(2019-02-20). Saudis Facing Criminal Charges in the U.S. Keep Disappearing. Is the Kingdom Helping Them Escape? democracynow.org 
A growing number of Saudi students are vanishing while facing serious criminal charges in the U.S. Federal law enforcement officials are now launching an investigation into the suspicious disappearances to probe if the Saudi government was involved and how. We speak with Shane Dixon Kavanaugh, The Oregonian reporter who broke the story about the spate of Saudi student disappearances. He found that in at least four cases the Saudi government paid a defendant's bail and legal fees before he disappeared. In one case, police believe Saudi officials snuck a Saudi national out of the country on a private plane using a…
(2019-02-19). New hate map helps users explore landscape of hate. splcenter.org The Southern Poverty Law Center has introduced an updated, interactive hate map equipped with new features to help people better understand the hate groups operating in their state and across the country.
(2019-02-17). Can Turkey and Syria actually come to an agreement? uwidata.com 
Ankara, who is now shifting away from the USA and towards the regional powers, is expected to begin negotiations with Damascus. Of course right now a low level exterior politics is underway with Syria. At this situation, intelligence agencies cannot just say "We execute whatever our leader orders.". Many times leaders are off the grid, …
(2019-02-16). Unequal Justice: Kavanaugh's Vote on Abortion Access Bodes Ill for Roe. progressive.org It hasn't taken Kavanaugh long to show his true colors. The big reveal came on February 7, when he voted against a "stay" that will keep a draconian Louisiana abortion law from taking effect.
(2019-02-15). Headlines for February 15, 2019. democracynow.org Trump to Use National Emergency Declaration to Build Border Wall, "It's Incredible": Rep. Ocasio-Cortez on Amazon Scrapping NYC Project After Grassroots Protests, Report: Amazon to Pay No Federal Taxes Despite Making $11 Billion in Reported Profits, Denver Teachers Declare Victory After 3-Day Strike, More U.S. Workers Went on Strike in 2018 Than in Any Year in Three Decades, Parkland Shooting Survivor Emma González: "We Fight Our Trauma by Fighting Against Gun Violence", William Barr Sworn In as Attorney General After Senate Confirmation, Former Deputy FBI Director Speaks Out on Launching Counterintelligence Prob…
(2019-02-15). SPLC statement on Supreme Court's denial of Trump administration's request to immediately enforce asylum ban. splcenter.org The U.S. Supreme Court today denied the Trump administration's request to immediately enforce a new policy of denying asylum to migrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border between ports of entry.
(2019-02-12). What it Really Takes to Secure Peace in Afghanistan. progressive.org Constant military surveillance of Afghans yields almost no real intelligence about the problems they face each day. An unusual group of volunteers uses a far different approach.
(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…
(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.