2020-02-20: News Headlines

RT (2020-02-20). 'Journalism is not a crime': Australian MP says charges against Assange must be dropped after visiting him in UK prison. rt.com Continued persecution of the WikiLeaks co-founder is a "crazy situation," Australian lawmaker George Christiansen told RT, adding that Julian Assange did not commit any crime aside from running afoul of US elites. | Christiansen, a member of the Liberal National Party of Queensland, questioned the integrity of the legal process against Assange, who is now facing the possibility of extradition to the US over "unlawfully obtaining and disclosing classified documents related to the national defense." | The journalist was hauled out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London after his asylum was revoked in April 2019, an…

RT (2020-02-20). WATCH harrowing footage of 2007 Baghdad killings projected onto UK parliament wall in protest against Assange's extradition. rt.com Campaigners have projected the footage of an American airstrike on Iraqi civilians, originally exposed by WikiLeaks, onto the parliament building in London, to protest against the proposed extradition to the US of Julian Assange. | Clips from the infamous 2007 footage were projected onto Westminster Palace, where both houses of parliament are located. The same video was projected on the wall of the Belmarsh maximum security prison in London, where the WikiLeaks co-founder is awaiting his US extradition trial. The images on the buildings' walls included photos of the activist along with slogans like 'Don't extr…

WSWS (2020-02-20). Lawyers file new motion demanding release of Chelsea Manning. wsws.org Lawyers for Manning, the courageous whistleblower who has been in prison for eleven months for refusing to testify before a secret grand jury in the case of Julian Assange, have filed a new motion in federal court demanding her release.

WSWS (2020-02-20). Eminent Monsters: A Manual for Modern Torture, directed by Stephen Bennett. wsws.org "We have a system that punished the whistle blowers like Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange, not the perpetrators of torture"—Professor Nils Melzer…

WSWS (2020-02-20). Labor Party leads Australian attack on British government over Huawei. wsws.org The line-up behind the US confrontation with China sheds further light on the persecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

WSWS (2020-02-20). Australia: Students and workers demand release of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning. wsws.org "Trillions are spent on war, which creates refugees, kills children and workers, but the people who make these wars happen are roaming free whilst Assange is being murdered by the state."

stclair (2020-02-20). Pardoning Julian Assange: Trump, WikiLeaks and the DNC. counterpunch.org The central pillar to Democratic paranoia and vengefulness regarding the loss of Hillary Clinton in 2016 was the link between Russian hacking, the servers of the Democratic National Committee and the release of emails via WikiLeaks. Over time, that account has become a matter of hagiography, an article of faith, with grave conclusions: WikiLeaks and

Stephen Lendman (2020-02-20). Slow Motion Murder of Julian Assange by US/UK Regimes. globalresearch.ca Assange's crucifixion is all about waging war on dissent, truth-telling on major issues, and journalism the way it's supposed to be. | It's about creeping totalitarian rule in the US, UK, and West — equity, justice, and respect for the rule …

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-02-20). Pardoning Julian Assange: Donald Trump, WikiLeaks and the DNC. globalresearch.ca The central pillar to Democratic paranoia and vengefulness regarding the loss of Hillary Clinton in 2016 was the link between Russian hacking, the servers of the Democratic National Committee and the release of emails via WikiLeaks. Over time, that account …

WSWS (2020-02-20). Growing support for Julian Assange on eve of extradition hearings. wsws.org The fight for Assange's freedom requires the mobilisation of the working class, not moral appeals to capitalist politicians.

Nozomi Hayase (2020-02-20). Assange's Extradition Case: Critical Moment for the Anti-War Movement. zcomm.org The US government's extradition and prosecution of Julian Assange is a critical moment for press freedom, but also for the anti-war movement…

Binoy Kampmark (2020-02-20). "Leave Our Bloke Alone": A Little Mission for Julian Assange. dissidentvoice.org I think that now it is time that the government I am a part of needs to be standing up and saying to both the UK and the US: 'enough is enough, leave our bloke alone and let him come home.' — George Christensen, Australian conservative MP, Sydney Morning Herald, February 19, 2020 An odd …

WSWS (2020-02-20). FBI and Department of Justice reject Freedom of Information Act document request by SEP National Chairman David North. wsws.org The US government declares that the Socialist Equality Party and World Socialist Web Site chairman's request for documents obtained through surveillance of his political activities threatens "national security and foreign intelligence."

Jacob Hornberger (2020-02-20). The CIA's Role in Operation Condor. counterpunch.org The Washington Post reported that top secret documents confirm the role that the CIA played in Operation Condor, the international state-sponsored assassination, kidnapping, torture, and murder ring run by U.S.-supported military dictatorships in South America in the late 1970s. The documents confirm that the CIA's role in the operation was to provide communications equipment to the

yenisafak (2020-02-20). Pompeo, Saudi king discuss regional affairs in Riyadh. yenisafak.com The meeting tackled "the relations between the two countries, the overall regional and international events, the position of the two countries, and the efforts made towards them.""Pleased to be back in Riyadh to discuss the U.S. government's strong commitment to Saudi Arabia's security and the continued need to stand together to counter Iran's malign behavior in the region," Pompeo wrote on Twitter.Pompeo's visit focuses on discussing regional security, economy, and most likely human rights issues such as that of Saudi-American physician Walid Fitaihi.Arrested in November 2017, Fitaihi was released pending trial…

sputniknews (2020-02-20). Inmate Murdered In Belmarsh Jail, Where WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Is Being Held. sputniknews.com Belmarsh prison is a large, modern prison in south-east London which handles most of the remand prisoners who on trial or awaiting trial in the capital. Among those being held there is Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, who is fighting extradition to the United States.

sputniknews (2020-02-20). WikiLeaks Confirms an "Offer" Was Made to Julian Assange Prior to His Indictment. sputniknews.com In 2017 The Wall Street Journal reported that California Congressman Dana Rohrabacher proposed to reach out to Julian Assange on behalf of US President Donald Trump to offer a pardon to the WikiLeaks publisher, if he could prove Russia wasn't involved in the DNC Leaks.

sputniknews (2020-02-20). Meet Richard Grenell: What You Need to Know About New Director of US National Intelligence. sputniknews.com Grenell will replace Joseph Maguire, a retired US Navy admiral who was appointed last August. Maguire was at the centre of Donald Trump's impeachment drama. He testified before Congress about a whistleblower complaint that sparked the impeachment. Although Maguire defended the whistleblower's right he did not criticise president Trump.

pip.hinman (2020-02-20). Barrister says 'democracy at stake' in Assange trial. greenleft.org.au

RT (2020-02-19). A year in jail & quarter million fine since, lawyers seek freedom for Chelsea Manning refusing to testify against WikiLeaks. rt.com Chelsea Manning's attorney has filed a new motion requesting her release from jail, where she has been for nearly a year for continuously refusing to testify before a grand jury against WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. | Manning's incarceration has "exceeded its lawful scope" by moving from being a coercive tactic to a criminal punishment, her lawyer Moira Meltzer-Cohen said in a Manning was jailed in March of 2019 for refusing to testify before a gran…

Prof. Marjorie Cohn (2020-02-19). Extradition of Assange Would Set a Dangerous Precedent. globalresearch.ca The Trump administration is seeking extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States for trial on charges carrying 175 years in prison. On February 24, a court in the U.K. will hold a hearing to determine whether to …

WSWS (2020-02-19). Australian MPs visit Julian Assange at Belmarsh Prison. wsws.org Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen said they agreed with UN official Nils Melzer's assessment that Assange is the victim of psychological torture.

John Pilger (2020-02-19). Julian Assange Must be Freed, Not Betrayed. globalresearch.ca On Saturday, there will be a march from Australia House in London to Parliament Square, the centre of British democracy. People will carry pictures of the Australian publisher and journalist Julian Assange who, on 24 February, faces a court that …

WSWS (2020-02-19). Assange defence team: "The empire calls it espionage. We call it journalism" wsws.org A packed press conference was addressed by WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson, lawyer Jennifer Robinson and Australian MPs Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen.

Global Research News (2020-02-19). Selected Articles: The Truth About Assange. globalresearch.ca By The Trump administration is seeking extradition of WikiLeaks founderJulian Assange to the United States for trial on charges carrying 175 years in prison. …

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-02-19). Chelsea Manning's Lawyers Demand Her Release, Decry 'Punitive' Incarceration. commondreams.org "No matter how much you punish me, I will remain confident in my decision," said the whistleblower. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/lawyers-maiing-motion-release-punitive.jpg

pip.hinman (2020-02-19). New blow to media freedom, whistleblowers. greenleft.org.au

Alexander Rubinstein (2020-02-18). While demanding Assange, US refuses to extradite CIA agent who killed British teen. thegrayzone.com High-ranking CIA agent Anne Sacoolas is charged with killing a teenage British citizen. While the US demands Julian Assange's extradition,…

John Pilger (2020-02-18). John Pilger: It is time for Julian Assange to be saved, not betrayed. thegrayzone.com The truth is that Australia could have rescued Julian Assange and can still rescue him. Leaders of his homeland who have…

John Pilger (2020-02-18). Julian Assange must be freed, not betrayed | John Pilger. thecanary.co On Saturday, there will be a march from Australia House in London to Parliament Square, the centre of British democracy. People will carry pictures of the Australian publisher and journalist Julian Assange who, on 24 February, faces a court that will decide whether or not he is to be extradited to the United States and a living death. | Some Australian history: | I know Australia House well. As an Australian myself, I used to go there in my early days in London to read the newspapers from home. Opened by King George V over a century ago, its vastness of marble and stone, chandeliers and solemn portraits,…

Staff (2020-02-18). Journalist: Harvey Weinstein's Defense Team Is Waging a War Against the #MeToo Movement. democracynow.org A jury of seven men and five women meet today in New York Supreme Court to begin deliberations on whether to find disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault. The case has drawn international attention amid the #MeToo movement. If the jurors find Weinstein guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 100 women but in this case faces five charges based on evidence relating to two main accusers. One woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, alleges she was raped by Weinstein in a New York hotel, for which he has been charged wit…

Susan Price (2020-02-18). John Pilger: Julian Assange must be freed, not betrayed. greenleft.org.au People will carry pictures of the Australi…

pip.hinman (2020-02-18). Protest Julian Assange's extradition. greenleft.org.au The United States government wants to extradite the journalist and whis…

Jason Ditz (2020-02-17). DOJ Investigating Former CIA Director's Role in Russiagate. theantimedia.com The Justice Department is investigating the role of John Brennan in the assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

Whitney Webb (2020-02-14). NYC Taxpayers Spending Millions on Cyber Center with Controversial Ties to Israeli Intelligence. mintpressnews.com New York City taxpayers are on the hook for a multi-million dollar cyber center in the heart of Manhattan with deep ties to Israel's high-tech intelligence apparatus.

Neema Singh Guliani (2020-02-12). Deadline Looming, Strongest Surveillance Reform Bill Yet Emerges. aclu.org Congress has just five weeks to decide the fate of key foreign | intelligence surveillance powers — forcing a showdown between surveillance | reformers and defenders. And now, a group of Republicans and Democrats have | unveiled the strongest comprehensive reform proposal that we have seen | yet. | The Safeguarding Americans' Private Records Act of 2020, introduced by a

Aaron Maté (2020-02-11). Exclusive: New leaks shatter OPCW's attacks on Douma whistleblowers. thegrayzone.com Facing accusations that it issued a doctored report alleging a chemical attack in Syria, the OPCW has released an inquiry…

CounterSpin (2020-01-17). Chip Gibbons on FBI vs. 1st Amendment. fair.org Media…