SF Demands Free Julian Assange & Goes Into UK Consulate Building Lobby
BACFJA | indybay.org | 2020-02-27
As part of world day of action to Free Julian Assange activists rallied in San Francisco and then briefly occupied the UK building lobby.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/24/18831024.php

Free Assange and Manning! SEP and IYSSE to hold demonstration in Colombo
wsws.org | 2020-02-27
Assange and Manning are being persecuted because they dared to expose US war crimes and government corruption.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/27/sril-f27.html

Montreal: Demonstration outside US consulate demands freedom for Julian Assange
wsws.org | 2020-02-27
Speakers denounced the persecution of Assange as a major threat to democratic rights, exposed the complicity of Canada's ruling elite and stressed the importance of a global mobilization of the working class to secure his freedom.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/27/mont-f27.html

Julian Assange, Political Offences and Legal Restraints: Day Three of Extradition Hearings
Dr. Binoy Kampmark | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-27
Wednesday, February 26, Woolwich Crown Court. Today, the focus shifted to the protagonist himself and the nature of the US-UK Extradition Treaty of 2003, a contentious document that shines all too favourably for US citizens. | Julian Assange, whose …
globalresearch.ca/julian-assange-political-offences-legal-restraints-day-three-extradition-hearings/5704876

Julian Assange Against the Imperium
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-27
The second day of extradition hearings against Julian Assange and by virtue of that, WikiLeaks, saw Mark Summers QC deliver a formidable serve for the defence at Woolwich Crown Court.
counterpunch.org/2020/02/27/julian-assange-against-the-imperium/

Julian Assange condemns court for preventing him from speaking to lawyers
wsws.org | 2020-02-27
WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange issued a defiant protest in court yesterday, opposing the flagrant abuse of his legal rights in extradition proceedings brought against him by the United States government.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/27/assa-f27.html

John Pilger: Llegó el momento para que Julian Assange sea liberado, no traicionado
John Pilger | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-27
La verdad es que Australia podía haber rescatado a Julian Assange, y todavía puede. Los líderes de su tierra natal…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/26/john-pilger-julian-assange-liberado-traicionado/

Should Journalists Be Punished For Exposing War Crimes?
Caitlin Johnstone | zcomm.org | 2020-02-27
Source: Caitlinjohnstone.com This is a speech I gave yesterday at a demonstration for Assange with the Socialist Equality Party Australia. Tomorrow in the UK a judge will start the process of answering a very important question. It's a question that many of us knew was the heart of this debate back in 2010, ten years ago, Read…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/should-journalists-be-punished-for-exposing-war-crimes/

"The fight for Assange's freedom requires the political mobilisation of the working class"
wsws.org | 2020-02-27
This speech was delivered by Oscar Grenfell, a leading member of the Socialist Equality Party (Australia) to a public rally in defence of Julian Assange, held in London on Sunday.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/27/osca-f27.html

Julian Assange, Political Offences and Legal Restraints: Day Three of Extradition Hearings
Binoy Kampmark | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-27
Wednesday, February 26, Woolwich Crown Court. Today, the focus shifted to the protagonist himself and the nature of the US-UK Extradition Treaty of 2003, a contentious document that shines all too favourably for US citizens. Julian Assange, whose deteriorating condition has been noted for months by psychologists, doctors and UN Special Rapporteur on torture, Nils …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/julian-assange-political-offences-and-legal-restraints-day-three-of-extradition-hearings/

Is the World about to witness the end of the war in Afghanistan?
M.K. Bhadrakumar | mronline.org | 2020-02-27
Neither the Indian political leadership nor the "deep state" seems to grasp that the geopolitics of the South Asian region is transforming with far-reaching consequences. | Source…
mronline.org/2020/02/26/is-the-world-about-to-witness-the-end-of-the-war-in-afghanistan/

National Security Cinema: The Shocking New Evidence of Government Control in Hollywood–How the US military and CIA go about their propaganda operations
wsws.org | 2020-02-27
The book, by Matthew Alford and Tom Secker, presents extensive evidence that US government departments and agencies use multiple means to manipulate content and even block production of Hollywood films.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/27/nsec-f27.html

Syria: "Moderate Rebels" or "Intelligence Assets"?
Mark Taliano | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-27
"Moderates" never existed except as an "intelligence" agency narrative to protect and arm all the terrorists. "Rebels" never existed except as an "intelligence" agency ploy to falsely portray a Regime Change war as a "revolution" or a "civil war". | Prof. | …
globalresearch.ca/democracy-infidels/5704649

China's Foreign Ministry summons US embassy official over Pompeo's threat to eject Chinese reporters, promises response
rt.com | 2020-02-27
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has called for a meeting with a US embassy official after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened to expel Chinese reporters working in the US, as the two sides become embroiled in a "press war." | "In recent years, the US government has adopted various restrictions on Chinese news organizations in the United States," said Hua Chunying, head of the Foreign Ministry's news department. | "If the US takes further harassment and restriction measures against Chinese news organizations in the US, the Chinese side will certainly respond further." | The stern statement comes after the T…
rt.com/news/481771-china-reporters-summons-ambassador/

Indian Telecom Operators Urge Government to Ease Taxes on Statutory Dues
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-27
New Delhi (Sputnik): India's apex court had ordered telecom service operators to shell out statutory dues on account of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) to the tune of $21 billion. The Supreme Court of India had also criticized the Federal Government for delays in the implementation of its order in October 2019.
sputniknews.com/india/202002271078417114-indian-telecom-operators-urge-government-to-ease-taxes-on-statutory-dues-/

Assange Hearing: US Government Claims it Doesn't Matter if Alleged Offences Are 'Political'
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-27
Barry Pollack, Julian Assange's US-based lawyer, branded as "Orwellian" and "frivolous" claims by prosecutors that while the US government can seek the WikiLeaks founder's extradition under the Anglo-US Treaty, the publisher can't rely on any protection contained within the very same treaty.
sputniknews.com/uk/202002271078410889-assange-hearing-us-government-claims-it-doesnt-matter-if-alleged-offences-are-political/

Persecuted journalist Assange handcuffed, stripped naked on first day of extradition trial
wsws.org | 2020-02-26
As proceedings were due to begin, a court official told WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson that he was barred from the public gallery.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/26/assa-f26.html

Julian Assange Against the Imperium: Day Two of Extradition Hearings
Dr. Binoy Kampmark | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-26
The second day of extradition hearings against Julian Assange and by virtue of that, WikiLeaks, saw Mark Summers QC deliver a formidable serve for the defence at Woolwich Crown Court. "It's difficult to conceive of a clearer example of an …
globalresearch.ca/julian-assange-against-imperium-day-two-extradition-hearings/5704815

With Wikileaks, Julian Assange Did What All Journalists Should Do
Patrick Cockburn | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-26
I was in Kabul in 2010 when Julian Assange and WikiLeaks first released a vast archive of classified US government documents, revealing what Washington really knew about what was happening in the world. I was particularly interested in one of these disclosures which came in the shape of a video that the Pentagon had refused to release despite…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/26/with-wikileaks-julian-assange-did-what-all-journalists-should-do/

Free Julian Assange!
Charles Glass | thenation.com | 2020-02-26
Free Julian Assange!
thenation.com/article/politics/assange-wikileaks-extradition-prison/

Julian Assange Against the Imperium: Day Two of Extradition Hearings
Binoy Kampmark | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-26
The second day of extradition hearings against Julian Assange and by virtue of that, WikiLeaks, saw Mark Summers QC deliver a formidable serve for the defence at Woolwich Crown Court. "It's difficult to conceive of a clearer example of an extradition request that boldly and blatantly misstates the facts as they are known to be …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/julian-assange-against-the-imperium-day-two-of-extradition-hearings/

Russiagate: The Toxic Gift That Keeps on Giving
Kollibri terre Sonnenblume | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-26
All smears are boomerang smears. That is why anyone worth a damn does not engage in it. That goes for the Russia-Gaters, the left/right smears on Gabbard, the years of left/right smears on Assange, the attacks on the Green Party and now the Russia narrative attacks on Sanders. Falling into line with the secret police…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/26/russiagate-the-toxic-gift-that-keeps-on-giving/

Police State US/UK v. Julian Assange
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-26
Tuesday was day two of Assange's Orwellian extradition hearing

Vanderbilt oligarch heir Anderson Cooper worked at CIA in college
Ben Norton | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-26
CNN and 60 Minutes host Anderson Cooper, who red-baited Bernie Sanders over old comments praising Fidel Castro's literacy program, worked…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/25/vanderbilt-anderson-cooper-cia-college/

'Just leave': Afghanistan withdrawal is no-brainer, but 'deep state' controls US foreign policy, says ex-Virginia lawmaker
rt.com | 2020-02-26
A truce between US troops and the Taliban in Afghanistan could result in American forces finally exiting the country, but there are powerful interests that want the war to continue, former Virginia senator Richard Black told RT. | The week-long ceasefire agreement between the two foes appears to be holding, and could pave the way for further negotiations that could lead to a withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan

Heaven Protect Us From Men Who Live the Illusion of Danger: Pete Buttigieg and the US Military
Matthew Hoh | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-26
#CIAPete has been trending on social media this past month as stories and commentaries have emerged telling and re-telling Pete Buttigieg's role as a naval intelligence officer in Afghanistan, his duties in his assignment in Kabul as a member of the Afghan Threat Finance Cell, and his relationship to CIA colleagues. This would be all rather amusing and just another dust speck of non-sense in the vast universe of inanity that is the US presidential race, if it were not for Buttigieg's own use of his time in uniform and in Afghanistan as a cudgel to silence others from both an informed and moral perspective on issu…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/26/heaven-protect-us-from-men-who-live-the-illusion-of-danger-pete-buttigieg-and-the-us-military/

How the US Intelligence Community is Interfering in the 2020 Elections
Jefferson Morley | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-26
President Trump's ongoing purge of the intelligence community, along with Bernie Sanders' surge in the Democratic presidential race, has triggered an unprecedented intervention of U.S. intelligence agencies in the U.S. presidential election on factually dubious grounds. Former CIA director John Brennan sees a "full-blown national security crisis" in President Trump's latest moves against the intelligence…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/26/how-the-us-intelligence-community-is-interfering-in-the-2020-elections/

Anti-Russian Xenophobia Reaches Ridiculous Levels
Jeremy Kuzmarov | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-26
Following his resounding defeat in Nevada in the Democratic Party Caucus, Joe Biden blamed the Russians, telling CBS News that the "Russians don't want me to be the nominee, they like Bernie." The intelligence communities a few days earlier accused Russia of favoring Bernie Sanders and Donald J. Trump. Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic Party…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/26/anti-russian-xenophobia-reaches-ridiculous-levels/

Supreme Court Ruling Hands US Border Patrol a Licence to Kill With Impunity
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-26
The Supreme Court set a dangerous precedent yesterday when it ruled in favor of the US Border Patrol in the cross-border murder of a young teenage boy who was shot in the face by an overzealous agent.
mintpressnews.com/supreme-court-precedent-border-patrol-sergio-hernandez/265236/

Presidential Candidates Should Declare Their Stance on "Costly Failure of the NSA's Unconstitutional Mass Surveillance Program," Says Snowden
Andrea Germanos, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-02-26
The whistleblower's call follows reporting by the New York Times showing the agency's sprawling photo data collection effort came with a $100 million pricetag and nearly no success. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/snowden-2020-nsa-call-records-nyt-report.jpg …
commondreams.org/news/2020/02/26/presidential-candidates-should-declare-their-stance-costly-failure-nsas?cd-origin=rss

As Assange's trial begins, his lawyers highlight risk of extradition with CIA spying operation's 'extreme measures'
Kevin Gosztola | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-25
Assange's lawyers pointed to CIA surveillance by a Sheldon Adelson-backed private contractor and the Trump administration's public contempt for the…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/24/assanges-trial-risk-extradition-cia-spying/

Gilets Jaunes travel to London in force for Julian Assange extradition hearing
John McEvoy | thecanary.co | 2020-02-25
On 23 February, 143 French activists travelled from Paris to Woolwich Crown Court to support Julian Assange, WikiLeaks, and press freedom. The Canary joined them. | Not deterred: | It was a cold and miserable night in Paris, and the coaches were running late. But the group of French activists

Assange's Extradition Hearing Reveals Trump's War on Free Press Is Targeting WikiLeaks Publisher
Nozomi Hayase | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-25
On Monday, WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange's one-week extradition hearing began at Woolwich Crown Court in South East London. The judge heard the opening arguments for the prosecution and defense. The prosecution began, accusing the journalist, who exposed the US government's war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, of espionage charges that would carry 175 years in …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/assanges-extradition-hearing-reveals-trumps-war-on-free-press-is-targeting-wikileaks-publisher/

Julian Assange and the Imperium's Face: Day One of the Extradition Hearings
Binoy Kampmark | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-25
If we are to believe it, Julian Assange of WikiLeaks, the man behind showing the ugliness of power, is the one responsible for having abused it. It is a running theme in the US case against this Australian publisher, who has been given the coating of common criminality hiding the obvious point: that the mission …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/julian-assange-and-the-imperiums-face-day-one-of-the-extradition-hearings/

With Grenell Appointment, the Israel Lobby's Foothold on US Intelligence Grows Even Stronger
Whitney Webb | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-25
With Richard Grenell now overseeing all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies, Israel's influence over the U.S. intelligence community has reached new and troubling heights.
mintpressnews.com/richard-grenell-israel-lobby-us-intelligence/265181/

Trump says Russian interference 'highly exaggerated', blames Adam Schiff for leaking report
rt.com | 2020-02-25
President Donald Trump has called reports that Russia is interfering with the 2020 election "highly exaggerated," and blamed the rumor on House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff. | The specter of 'Russian interference' raised its head again last week, when the Washington Post ran an article claiming the Kremlin is interfering in the upcoming presidential election on behalf of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, with the ultimate goal of getting Trump re-elected. The story provided no specifics on what form the supposed interference took, but claimed that Sanders and Trump had both been briefed on the thr…
rt.com/usa/481645-trump-schiff-sanders-russia/

Assange Extradition Hearing Opens with Scathing Condemnation by Mainstream Media
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-24
The extradition trial of Julian Assange began with the prosecution reading out a damning statement from five leading mainstream media organizations that once partnered with Wikileaks.
mintpressnews.com/assange-extradition-trail-condemnation-media/265167/

Julian Assange extradition hearing sees US attack bravery, press freedom
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-24
As Julian Assange's US extradition hearing begins in London, Randy Credico on the targeting and demonization of the Wikileaks publisher….
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/24/julian-assange-extradition-hearing-sees-us-attack-bravery-press-freedom/

At least they'll have an off switch: Pentagon adopts 'AI Ethical Principles' for its killer robots
rt.com | 2020-02-24
As the United States looks to develop artificial intelligence weapons to keep up with Russia and China, the Pentagon has adopted a set of guidelines that it says will keep its killer androids under human control. | The Department of Defense adopted a set of "Ethical Principles for Artificial Intelligence" on Monday, following the recommendations by the Defense Innovation Board last October. | "AI technology will change much about the battlefield of the future, but nothing will change America's steadfast commitment to responsible and lawful behavior," Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a statement. | Also on…
rt.com/usa/481586-pentagon-ai-robots-ethics/

From Being Tortured in Sri Lanka to the U.S. Supreme Court
Ashoka Mukpo | aclu.org | 2020-02-24
On a frigid day in early February, Vijayakumar Thuraissigiam | stands under an awning on a street corner in lower Manhattan along with one of | his attorneys, Celso Perez of the ACLU. Both are bundled in heavy winter | jackets. Perez is holding his phone up and squinting as he concentrates on the | tinny voice of a translator emanating from its speaker. | "I want them to be aware that you're traveling," Perez says | into the phone. | The voice on the other line translates what Perez said into | Tamil, the native language of Sri Lanka's largest ethnic minority. Thuraissigiam, | heavyset in his late 40s with a…
aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/from-being-tortured-in-sri-lanka-to-the-u-s-supreme-court

Julian Assange "Stop Extradition Protest" in London
acTVism Munich | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-23
This video documents the protest that took place in London on the 22nd of February 2020 to stop the extradition of Julian Assange. This protest was organised by the "Don't Extradite Assange Campaign." | CORRECTION IN VIDEO AT 00: 14: " … and 1 count of conspiracy 'to commit computer intrusion.'"
dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/julian-assange-stop-extradition-protest-in-london/

Trudeau's Demand: "the barricades must come down"
Kim Petersen | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-23
Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau has called the imbroglio between the Wet'suwet'en nation and Canada a matter to be decided by the rule of law.1 However, the Wet'suwet'en have refused to back down and have defied the British Columbia Supreme Court injunction allowing pipeline work to continue. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) were sent …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/trudeaus-demand-the-barricades-must-come-down/

How Bernie Sanders Will Destroy the Deep State if He Becomes President
Eric Zuesse | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-22
Joe Lauria at Consortium News headlined on February 21st, "Apparent US Intel Meddling in US Election With 'Report' Russia is Aiding Sanders", and he noted that, If the story is true and if intelligence agencies are truly committed to protecting U.S. citizens, the Sanders campaign would have been quietly informed and shown evidence to back …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/how-bernie-sanders-will-destroy-the-deep-state-if-he-becomes-president/

New push on cyber 'security' laws
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2020-02-21
civil liberties Viv MileyIssue 1254 Australia privacy Bill of RightsFebruary 21, 2020Worried about online privacy? You should be. Not only are social media corporations spying on you, thanks to Australia's dra…
greenleft.org.au/content/new-push-cyber-security-laws

The Supreme Court Will Decide Whether Asylum Seekers Receive Their Day in Court
Nicky Vogt | aclu.org | 2020-02-20
In March, we will be in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to defend the right to a day in court for asylum seekers and other vulnerable noncitizens. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) vs. Vijayakumar Thuraissigiam considers whether immigrants are entitled to seek judicial review of their expedited removal orders in federal court. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with our argument that the Constitution guarantees that individuals deprived of their liberty have their day in federal court. | That decision w…
aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/the-supreme-court-will-decide-whether-asylum-seekers-receive-their-day-in-court

Journalist: Harvey Weinstein's Defense Team Is Waging a War Against the #MeToo Movement
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-18
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…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/18/irin_carmon_harvey_weinstein_trial_nyc

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

DOJ Investigating Former CIA Director’s Role in Russiagate