(2019-05-10). Trump Continues Obama's War on Whistleblowers. theantimedia.com (CJ Opinion) — "New drone whistleblower at The Intercept," tweeted the outspoken CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou in October 2015. "For God's sake don't let @MatthewACole learn his identity." Intercept investigative reporter Matthew Cole has been tied both to Kiriakou's discovery and prosecution and to that of Reality Winner, who leaked classified documents to The Intercept in 2017. Kiriakou's comment came after the …
(2019-05-10). Chelsea Manning Has Just Been Released From Jail. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — Whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been released from jail on Thursday, following months in detention for "contempt" after she refused to testify before a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks. The official reason is that the mandate of the grand jury in question has expired. This explanation is likely a bit of legal sleight of hand on the court's …
(2019-05-10). Chelsea Manning released after 2 months' detention, might be back in jail in 6 days. rt.com 
Whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been released from a Virginia prison where she spent the last 62 days for refusing to testify on her 2010 leak of classified military files before a grand jury.
(2019-05-10). War on Venezuela? counterpunch.org Mix a little socialism in with the oil and war may be unavoidable. Thus, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, talking about Venezuela: "The president has been crystal clear and incredibly consistent. Military action is possible. If that's what's required, that's what the United States will do." He goes on, demonstrating how we lie about war in More
(2019-05-10). CIA Veteran to Chair Kent State 50th May 4 Commemoration Advisory Committee. counterpunch.org Kent State has appointed a 25 year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to chair a committee to create plan and execute activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the shootings at the campus that killed four and wounded nine students on May 4, 1970. Stephanie Smith, an associate professor in Kent State's School More
(2019-05-10). Assange's US Extradition Battle: The Fight to Defend the Conscience of America. counterpunch.org It has been over three weeks since Ecuador illegally terminated political asylum of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the UK police violently arrested him. Assange is now held in solitary confinement in what many have called the UK's Guantanamo Bay. On Thursday, Assange's fight against US extradition began at a UK court. The US charged More
(2019-05-10). Chelsea Manning released, faces new imprisonment for refusing to testify against Assange. wsws.org Even before she was released on Thursday, Manning was served with a new subpoena to demand testimony before a different grand jury. She could be returned to jail as early as next week.
(2019-05-10). Pentagon's top secret 'ninja bomb' revealed, Twitter asks if it's really necessary. rt.com 
The CIA and Pentagon have apparently found a new solution to their high civilian casualty rates from drone strikes — a targeted 'ninja bomb' which doesn't explode. Twitter, however, is far from convinced.
(2019-05-10). Pompeo's Arctic Shipping Lanes. counterpunch.org 
America's Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking at the prestigious Arctic Council biannual meeting in Finland, christened the Arctic meltdown: "A wonderful economic opportunity for international trade." In a nutshell, here's a critique of the Secretary's advice: An ice-free Arctic reduces travel time for shipping lanes between Asia and the West by three weeks, which qualifies as one of the biggest transport revolutions since cargo planes first crossed the Atlantic in the early 20th century. More
(2019-05-09). Trump Administration Charges Drone Whistleblower With Allegedly Violating Espionage Act. shadowproof.com A former language analyst for the United States Air Force, who worked for the National Security Agency, was arrested and charged with violating the Espionage Act and other offenses. | According to the indictment filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, Daniel Hale allegedly disclosed eleven classified documents to a reporter who worked for an online news website. The documents relate to the U.S. government's targeted assassination program involving armed drones that was expanded under President Barack Obama's administration. | I…
(2019-05-09). Ex-US intelligence analyst charged with leaking top-secret drone war docs. rt.com 
In the latest chapter of the US' crackdown on whistleblowers, a 31-year-old intelligence contractor is facing charges for leaking 17 secret documents to an unnamed journalist, which could result in up to 50 years in prison.
(2019-05-09). Statement on the Indictment of Alleged Drone Strike Whistleblower. theintercept.com The Intercept does not comment on matters relating to the identity of anonymous sources. | In an indictment unsealed on May 9, the government alleges that documents on the U.S. drone program were leaked to a news organization. These documents detailed a secret, unaccountable process for targeting and killing people around the world, including U.S. citizens, through drone strikes. They are of vital public importance, and activity related to their disclosure is protected by the First Amendment. The alleged whistleblower faces up to 50 years in prison. No one has ever been held accountable for killing civilians in d…
(2019-05-09). Psychology expert says blaming Russia for Trump was an easy way out for a 'traumatised' US society. thecanary.co With the completion of the Mueller report, nobody was indicted for colluding with Russia to influence the 2016 election. The report's findings caused major humiliation
(2019-05-09). House Panel Holds Barr in Contempt as Trump Claims Executive Privilege. truthout.org The House Judiciary Committee has voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress over his refusal to turn over the unredacted Mueller report and the underlying evidence to lawmakers. Meanwhile, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff has issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for the unredacted report. This all came after the White House invoked executive privilege to prevent the full report's release to Congress and to bar former White House counsel Don McGahn from providing documents to Congress related to the Mueller probe. We speak with Ian Millhiser, a columnist for Thi…
(2019-05-09). A Constitutional Crisis? House Panel Holds AG Barr in Contempt as Trump Claims Executive Privilege. democracynow.org 
The House Judiciary Committee has voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress over his refusal to turn over the unredacted Mueller report and the underlying evidence to lawmakers. Meanwhile, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff has issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for the unredacted report. This all came after the White House invoked executive privilege to prevent the full report's release to Congress and to bar former White House counsel Don McGahn from providing documents to Congress related to the Mueller probe. We speak with Ian Millhiser, a columnist for ThinkP…
(2019-05-09). Trump ratchets up anti-immigrant campaign. greenleft.org.au 
While much of the media continues to focus on the Mueller report and the squabbles between the White House and the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, US President Donald Trump's real crimes are scarcely addressed or are ignored altogether. | This column will take up one of these crimes, Trump's intensification of his racist war on immigrants. He is not alone on this — the ultra-right throughout Europe and elsewhere have similar anti-immigrant policies. | In recent weeks Trump has appointed new officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
(2019-05-09). Crisis Point? High Stakes in Trump's Showdown With Congress. truthdig.com WASHINGTON—Democrats call it a "constitutional crisis." But is it? | Stunned by the extent of the White House's blanket refusal to comply with oversight by Congress, the Democrats warn that the Trump administration is shattering historic norms and testing the nation's system of checks and balances in new and alarming ways. | It's not just the House's fight with the Justice Department over the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report. The standoff involves President Donald Trump's unwillingness to engage with dozens of Capitol Hill probes of his tax returns, potential business conflicts and the run…
(2019-05-09). Pompeo lays down the law during UK visit. wsws.org The US secretary of state's remit was to demand that the UK government toe the line in backing the geo-strategic imperatives of US imperialism… or else.
(2019-05-09). Bolton's War. Escalating US Hostility against Iran. Seeking a Pretext for War. globalresearch.ca National Security Advisor John Bolton, aided by his comrade-in-arms Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, is doing everything possible to instigate a war with Iran. Naked aggression as a means of starting such a war may be too much …
(2019-05-09). Pompeo in Baghdad to Pressure Iraq to Join Press Against Iran; Iraq Declines. globalresearch.ca US secretary of state Mike Pompeo made a surprise four-hour visit to Baghdad on Tuesday in connection to the panic he is trying to trump up, along with US national security adviser and Sheldon Adelson plant John Bolton about Iran …
(2019-05-09). US dismisses climate change at Arctic Council Summit: Pompeo says melting sea ice brings 'new opportunities for trade'. nationofchange.org The U.S. objections come as the Arctic just experienced its five warmest years on record, and is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world.
(2019-05-09). 'Alexa, Stop Spying on My Kids': FTC Complaint Charges Amazon's Echo Dot Violates Child Privacy Law. commondreams.org A coalition of consumer and public health groups demanded Thursday that federal regulators investigate and sanction Amazon for its Echo Dot Kids Edition, arguing that it illegally collects and retains children's personal data. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/amazon_echo_kids.jpg…
(2019-05-09). Pandering to Israel Means War with Iran. globalresearch.ca The United States is moving dangerously forward in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to provoke a war with Iran, apparently based on threat intelligence provided by Israel. The claims made by National Security Advisor John Bolton and …
(2019-05-08). 'Constitutional crisis' or political stunt? House Democrats hold AG Barr in contempt. rt.com 
House Judiciary Committee Democrats have voted to hold Attorney William Barr in contempt of Congress for defying their demands for the unredacted Mueller report and underlying evidence.
(2019-05-08). Transgender People's Rights Are in Peril. progressive.org The majority-conservative Supreme Court is poised to review the rules on discriminating against trans people in the workplace.
(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
(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…
(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 …
(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.
(2019-05-08). Senate Intel committee subpoenas Don Jr over Trump Tower testimony — report. rt.com 
The Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee has subpoenaed Donald Trump Jr. over his claim that he had only superficial knowledge about his father's intention to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, multiple outlets have reported.
(2019-05-08). Stefania Maurizi on How Julian Assange Changed Journalism. consortiumnews.com The Italian journalist and longtime media partner of WikiLeaks 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 KPFA Flashpoints Julian Assange was back in court twice… Read more →
(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.
(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…
(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 →
(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…
(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 →
(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 …
(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…
(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…
(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 …
(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 …
(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,…
(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…
(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…
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.