(2019-02-26). The Bitter Fruit of Trump's China Bashing: Anti-Asian Racism. counterpunch.org 
Donald Trump's New Cold War with Beijing has caught Chinese foreign students at American universities in its crosshairs. His 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 have yielded bitter More
(2019-02-26). Shifting the Centre of Gravity: Julian Assange Receives His Passport. globalresearch.ca In March 2008, one Michael Horvath of the US Army Counterintelligence Center within the Cyber Intelligence Assessments Branch considered the risks posed by WikiLeaks in a 32 page document. Created under the auspices of the Department of Defence's Intelligence …
(2019-02-26). Shifting the Centre of Gravity: Julian Assange Receives His Passport. counterpunch.org In March 2008, one Michael Horvath of the US Army Counterintelligence Center within the Cyber Intelligence Assessments Branch considered the risks posed by WikiLeaks in a 32 page document. Created under the auspices of the Department of Defence's Intelligence Analysis Program. The overview suggests, importantly, the interest shown in Assange by the defence wing of More
(2019-02-26). Mueller Report: Secrecy Shouldn't be an Option. counterpunch.org As February draws to an end, rumors abound that we're about to see Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Or at least that someone — namely, newly confirmed US Attorney General William Barr — is about to see that report. The rest of us, maybe not so More
(2019-02-26). Terry Hicks, father of former Guantanamo prisoner David Hicks, speaks on the defence of Julian Assange. wsws.org Terry Hicks, who waged a determined five-year battle to secure his son's release from Guantanamo Bay and repatriation to Australia, spoke out on the campaign to free the WikiLeaks publisher.
(2019-02-26). The "Permanent War State" Aims to Plunder Venezuela — Wilkerson and Jay. therealnews.com 
Trump promises "democracy and freedom" to Venezuela, delivered by Elliott Abrams who brought you illegal wars, coups, and support for dictatorships; and Mike Pompeo and VP Pence, both with deep ties to the Koch brothers who need Venezuelan heavy crude to feed their Texas refinery — Col. Larry Wilkerson joins TRNN's Paul Jay…
(2019-02-26). Australian teachers pass workplace motion endorsing Free Assange rallies. wsws.org The motion was moved by a member of the Committee For Public Education (CFPE), which is actively promoting and campaigning for the demonstrations on March 3 and March 10.
(2019-02-26). 'Ask Snowden': Huawei exec pokes fun at US spying during tech show. rt.com 
A Huawei executive hit the US where it hurts by making fun of the NSA and bringing up whistleblower Edward Snowden during a no-holds-barred speech at the world's biggest mobile conference.
(2019-02-25). The Media and the "Deep State": The Military-industrial Complex Eisenhower Warned About. globalresearch.ca While most of the US mainstream media was "shocked" by Donald Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 US Presidential Elections, the same can't be said about all media outlets. Although, to be fair, it was a difficult …
(2019-02-25). The Supreme Court Rightly Cited the Black Codes in Ruling Against Excessive Fines, Fees, and Forfeitures. aclu.org The justices held that the Eighth Amendment protects people from state and local authorities' abusive reliance on monetary penalties to raise money. | Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a rare unanimous ruling in Timbs v. Indiana, holding for the first time that the Eighth Amendment's Excessive Fines Clause applies to state and local governments — not just federal authorities. | The fact that this landmark decision is unanimous is itself remarkable. But it bears noting that in…
(2019-02-25). The Supreme Court Has Undone a Century of American Opposition to Sports Gambling. thenation.com The Supreme Court Has Undone a Century of American Opposition to Sports Gambling…
(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). '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). 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…
(2019-02-24). '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."
(2019-02-23). 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. |
(2019-02-22). 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). 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…
(2019-02-21). 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…
(2019-02-20). 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.
(2019-02-16). 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). 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…
(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.