Daily Archives: January 26, 2020

2020-01-26: News Headlines

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-01-26). Split Hearings: The Assange Extradition Case Drags On. globalresearch.ca It is being increasingly larded with heavy twists and turns, a form of state oppression in slow motion, but the Julian Assange extradition case now looks like it may well move into the middle of the year, dragged out, ironically …

Orion the Elder (2020-01-26). Basta Thanks Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange for Revealing Bush's War Crimes. indybay.org MacArthur&Fruitvale…

sputniknews (2020-01-26). Japan's Railway to Use Artificial Intelligence for Tackling Snowdrifts – Reports. sputniknews.com TOKYO (Sputnik) – The West Japan Railway company is developing a smart system based on artificial intelligence (AI) to increase the efficiency of clearing tracks from snowbanks and protecting the high-speed Hokuriku Shinkansen train route, the Japanese Kyodo news agency reported.

sputniknews (2020-01-26). Boris Johnson Reportedly at Odds With Trump Over Plans to Let Huawei Supply Britain's 5G Kit. sputniknews.com The UK is soon expected to make a final decision on whether to allow Chinese tech giant Huawei to supply the country with 5G equipment. Washington, however, has repeatedly warned London that this move could threaten British national security and potentially compromise intelligence sharing between the transatlantic allies.

Brett Redmayne-Titley (2020-01-26). How the US Supreme Court Forever Sold Its Gavel: Behind the Scenes Legal Machinations. globalresearch.ca "Essentially, five Justices were unhappy with the limited nature of the case before us, so they changed the case to allow themselves to change the law." — Former US Supreme Court justice, John Paul Stevens | This week almost all media …

Tiffany Muller (2020-01-26). We Need Candidates Who Will Fight to Get Money Out of Politics. zcomm.org In the decade since this disastrous Supreme Court ruling, just 11 wealthy people have made 20 percent of super PAC donations…

Binoy Kampmark (2020-01-25). The Assange Extradition Case Drags on. dissidentvoice.org It is being increasingly larded with heavy twists and turns, a form of state oppression in slow motion, but the Julian Assange extradition case now looks like it may well move into the middle of the year, dragged out, ironically enough, by the prosecution. Curiously, this is a point that both the prosecutors, fronted by …

WSWS (2020-01-25). French "yellow vests" protest for Assange outside Belmarsh prison in London. wsws.org The protests point to the deeply-rooted opposition among workers internationally to US and European governments' relentless campaign to destroy Assange.

Common Dreams staff (2020-01-25). Pompeo Denounced for 'Insulting and Contemptuous' Statement Lashing Out at NPR's Mary Louise Kelly. commondreams.org The secretary of state's statement was framed as "a shameful assault on press freedom." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/pompeo-npr.jpg

Staff (2020-01-25). Pompeo Lashes Out at Journalist; NPR Defends Its Reporter. truthdig.com The top U.S. diplomat, accused of cussing and demanding Mary Louise Kelly point to Ukraine on unmarked map, unleashes angry, direct attack.

RT (2020-01-24). 'Spygate' update: At least two FISA warrants to spy on Carter Page were 'not valid,' DOJ says. rt.com The top US spy court has revealed that at least two of the four warrants for spying on a Trump campaign adviser are now considered to have been improperly obtained, and all information gained from them is being restricted. | FBI applications under the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) described Carter Page as a foreign agent in order to spy on his communications during and after the 2016 presidential campaign. Thanks to the "two hop" rule for these warrants, the spying could have extended to the entire campaign as well as President Donald Trump himself. | In a January 7 ruling declassified on Thursd…

WSWS (2020-01-24). As extradition hearing dates are set, US Department of Justice argues Assange has no First Amendment rights. wsws.org The latest evidence submitted by the US government underscores the fundamental democratic issues at stake in the decade-long illegal persecution and witch-hunting of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks.

South Front (2020-01-24). Video: Turkey's Military Industrial Complex. globalresearch.ca Turkey is working to develop its national industry and reequip its armed forces with modern military equipment. The worth of projects in this field is estimated to be around $77 billion. Ankara is paying special attention to the modernization and …

Staff (2020-01-23). Headlines for January 23, 2020. democracynow.org Democrats Accuse Trump of Trying to "Cheat" Upcoming Election, Supreme Court Decides Not to Fast-Track Obamacare Case, D.C. Sues Trump's Inaugural Committee over $1M Rental of Trump Hotel Ballroom, ICJ Orders Burma to Protect Rohingya from Genocide, Trump Says He's Planning to Add More Countries to Travel Ban, State Department to Make It More Difficult for Pregnant Women to Receive Visas, Trump Says He May Cut Medicare, Social Security, Trump Plans to Speak at Anti-Choice March for Life Friday, Chinese Authorities Seal Off City of Wudan as Coronavirus Spreads, Tulsi Gabbard Sues Clinton for Defamation, U.N.: Clim…

Staff (2020-01-22). A Torturer Meets His Victims: CIA Psychologist Defends Brutal Methods at Guantánamo Military Hearing. democracynow.org On Tuesday, the psychologist identified as the "architect" of the CIA's torture program testified for the first time to the war court at Guantánamo Bay. James Mitchell was in the courtroom for a pretrial hearing for five 9/11 suspects who had been subject to torture, euphemistically called "enhanced interrogation techniques." Mitchell and his partner, Dr. Bruce Jessen, were paid $81 million to help design the CIA's torture methods, including some of the agency's most abusive tactics. The pair had no prior experience in interrogation. At the hearing, Mitchell reportedly told defense lawyers he only came to Guantán…

Jessica Arons (2020-01-22). 47 Years Later, We're Fighting to Make Roe a Reality Everywhere. aclu.org Today we commemorate the 47th | anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the | landmark Supreme Court case that recognized a constitutional right to abortion. | In the nearly five decades since, the decision has weathered numerous storms | and faced plenty of erosion, leaving too many without meaningful access to | abortion care. But 2020 could be its most consequential year yet. | This spring, the Supreme Court will hear | arguments in June Medical | Services v. Gee and could uphold state abortion re…

Staff (2020-01-21). A Show Trial? As Trump Impeachment Trial Begins, Mitch McConnell Accused of Staging a Cover-Up. democracynow.org The Senate opens the third impeachment trial of a U.S. president in the country's history Tuesday, marking a historic day in Washington. Under proposed rules by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, each side will be given 24 hours over two days for opening arguments, after which senators will have 16 hours for questions and four hours for debate. The Senate will then vote on whether to hear from any new witnesses. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has said McConnell is trying to rush the impeachment process, while House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff, who is one of the impeachment managers, has accused the…

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

Brigitte Amiri (2020-01-17). The Supreme Court Takes Up the Issue of Birth Control Coverage — Again. aclu.org The Supreme Court just announced that it will hear | yet another case about the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) birth control coverage | requirement. If you are experiencing déjà vu, you are not alone. Court battles | over the birth control coverage requirement have been raging for almost a | decade. How did we get here? | 2012: | The Birth Control Benefit is Established | Congress passed the Women's Health Amendment to the | ACA to try to close the disparity in health care costs that women have | historically experienced. In 2012, the independent, nonpartisan Institute of | Medicine was tasked with determining wh…

Staff (2020-01-17). Headlines for January 17, 2020. democracynow.org Senate Impeachment Trial Opens as Accountability Office Says Trump Broke Law by Withholding Aid, Pentagon Contradicts Trump and Says 11 U.S. Troops Injured in Iranian Strikes, Senate Votes to Approve USMCA, Report: Six Banks Reaped $18 Billion Last Year from Trump Tax Cuts, Guatemalan Protesters Demand Outgoing President Be Arrested for Corruption, Deported Immigrant Rights Leader Jean Montrevil Sues U.S. Government, FBI Arrests 3 Suspected Neo-Nazis Ahead of Pro-Gun Rally in Richmond, Virginia, Florida Supreme Court Upholds Law Limiting Voting Rights for People with Felony Convictions, Harvard Law Students Prote…

Michele Goodwin (2020-01-16). Arkansas Legislators' Attack on Abortion is Unconstitutional. aclu.org The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled time and again that | reproductive privacy is "central to personal dignity and autonomy, [which] are | central to the liberty protected by" the Constitution. The Court has made | eminently clear that under the Constitution, the right of a pregnant person to | terminate a pregnancy prior to viability is a right so essential to our freedom | that our government cannot ban or impose an undue burden on its exercise. But | despite the long-standing clarity of this principle, reproductive health and rights | continue to come under blistering, unrelenting attack. | Nowhere is this cl…

Marjorie Cohn (2019-12-02). Civil Rights Are on the Chopping Block in New Supreme Court Term. zcomm.org Hello, A very small proportion of ZNet content is available only to Sustainers. You can become a sustainer for a small repeating donation – monthly or yearly via the links for Sustaining, or Donating, available on the top page of ZNet.

2020-01-26: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Split Hearings: The Assange Extradition Case Drags On
Dr. Binoy Kampmark | globalresearch.ca | 2020-01-26
It is being increasingly larded with heavy twists and turns, a form of state oppression in slow motion, but the Julian Assange extradition case now looks like it may well move into the middle of the year, dragged out, ironically …
globalresearch.ca/assange-extradition-case/5701718

Basta Thanks Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange for Revealing Bush's War Crimes
Orion the Elder | indybay.org | 2020-01-26
MacArthur&Fruitvale…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/01/24/18830062.php

Japan's Railway to Use Artificial Intelligence for Tackling Snowdrifts – Reports
sputniknews.com | 2020-01-26
TOKYO (Sputnik) – The West Japan Railway company is developing a smart system based on artificial intelligence (AI) to increase the efficiency of clearing tracks from snowbanks and protecting the high-speed Hokuriku Shinkansen train route, the Japanese Kyodo news agency reported.
sputniknews.com/asia/202001261078142502-japans-railway-to-use-artificial-intelligence-for-tackling-snowdrifts/

Boris Johnson Reportedly at Odds With Trump Over Plans to Let Huawei Supply Britain's 5G Kit
sputniknews.com | 2020-01-26
The UK is soon expected to make a final decision on whether to allow Chinese tech giant Huawei to supply the country with 5G equipment. Washington, however, has repeatedly warned London that this move could threaten British national security and potentially compromise intelligence sharing between the transatlantic allies.
sputniknews.com/world/202001261078141883-boris-johnson-reportedly-at-odds-with-trump-over-plans-to-let-huawei-supply-britains-5g-kit/

How the US Supreme Court Forever Sold Its Gavel: Behind the Scenes Legal Machinations
Brett Redmayne-Titley | globalresearch.ca | 2020-01-26
"Essentially, five Justices were unhappy with the limited nature of the case before us, so they changed the case to allow themselves to change the law."

We Need Candidates Who Will Fight to Get Money Out of Politics
Tiffany Muller | zcomm.org | 2020-01-26
In the decade since this disastrous Supreme Court ruling, just 11 wealthy people have made 20 percent of super PAC donations…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/we-need-candidates-who-will-fight-to-get-money-out-of-politics/

The Assange Extradition Case Drags on
Binoy Kampmark | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-01-25
It is being increasingly larded with heavy twists and turns, a form of state oppression in slow motion, but the Julian Assange extradition case now looks like it may well move into the middle of the year, dragged out, ironically enough, by the prosecution. Curiously, this is a point that both the prosecutors, fronted by …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/01/the-assange-extradition-case-drags-on/

French "yellow vests" protest for Assange outside Belmarsh prison in London
wsws.org | 2020-01-25
The protests point to the deeply-rooted opposition among workers internationally to US and European governments' relentless campaign to destroy Assange.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/25/yell-j25.html

French "yellow vests" protest for Assange outside Belmarsh prison in London
wsws.org | 2020-01-25
The protests point to the deeply-rooted opposition among workers internationally to US and European governments' relentless campaign to destroy Assange.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/25/yell-j25.html

Pompeo Lashes Out at Journalist; NPR Defends Its Reporter
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-01-25
The top U.S. diplomat, accused of cussing and demanding Mary Louise Kelly point to Ukraine on unmarked map, unleashes angry, direct attack.
truthdig.com/articles/pompeo-lashes-out-at-journalist-npr-defends-its-reporter/

Pompeo Denounced for 'Insulting and Contemptuous' Statement Lashing Out at NPR's Mary Louise Kelly
Common Dreams staff | commondreams.org | 2020-01-25
The secretary of state's statement was framed as "a shameful assault on press freedom." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/pompeo-npr.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/01/25/pompeo-denounced-insulting-and-contemptuous-statement-lashing-out-nprs-mary-louise?cd-origin=rss

Pompeo Lashes Out at Journalist; NPR Defends Its Reporter
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-01-25
The top U.S. diplomat, accused of cussing and demanding Mary Louise Kelly point to Ukraine on unmarked map, unleashes angry, direct attack.
truthdig.com/articles/pompeo-lashes-out-at-journalist-npr-defends-its-reporter/

As extradition hearing dates are set, US Department of Justice argues Assange has no First Amendment rights
wsws.org | 2020-01-24
The latest evidence submitted by the US government underscores the fundamental democratic issues at stake in the decade-long illegal persecution and witch-hunting of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/24/assa-j24.html

As extradition hearing dates are set, US Department of Justice argues Assange has no First Amendment rights
wsws.org | 2020-01-24
The latest evidence submitted by the US government underscores the fundamental democratic issues at stake in the decade-long illegal persecution and witch-hunting of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/24/assa-j24.html

Video: Turkey's Military Industrial Complex
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-01-24
Turkey is working to develop its national industry and reequip its armed forces with modern military equipment. The worth of projects in this field is estimated to be around $77 billion. Ankara is paying special attention to the modernization and …
globalresearch.ca/video-turkeys-military-industrial-complex/5701581

'Spygate' update: At least two FISA warrants to spy on Carter Page were 'not valid,' DOJ says
rt.com | 2020-01-24
The top US spy court has revealed that at least two of the four warrants for spying on a Trump campaign adviser are now considered to have been improperly obtained, and all information gained from them is being restricted. | FBI applications under the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) described Carter Page as a foreign agent in order to spy on his communications during and after the 2016 presidential campaign. Thanks to the "two hop" rule for these warrants, the spying could have extended to the entire campaign as well as President Donald Trump himself. | In a January 7 ruling declassified on Thursd…
rt.com/usa/479033-doj-page-fisa-warrants/

Murdoch University drops suit against academic
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2020-01-24
freedom of speech Mark Tan & Alex SalmonIssue 1250 Australia Whistleblowers PerthJanuary 24, 2020Mudoch University's decision on January 13 to drop its lawsuit against Associate Professor Gerd S…
greenleft.org.au/content/murdoch-university-drops-suit-against-academic

OPCW investigator testifies at UN that no chemical attack took place in Douma, Syria
Ben Norton | thegrayzone.com | 2020-01-22
In testimony before the United Nations Security Council, former OPCW inspection team leader and engineering expert Ian Henderson stated that…
thegrayzone.com/2020/01/22/ian-henderson-opcw-whistleblower-un-no-chemical-attack-douma-syria/

A Torturer Meets His Victims: CIA Psychologist Defends Brutal Methods at Guantánamo Military Hearing
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-01-22
On Tuesday, the psychologist identified as the "architect" of the CIA's torture program testified for the first time to the war court at Guantánamo Bay. James Mitchell was in the courtroom for a pretrial hearing for five 9/11 suspects who had been subject to torture, euphemistically called "enhanced interrogation techniques." Mitchell and his partner, Dr. Bruce Jessen, were paid $81 million to help design the CIA's torture methods, including some of the agency's most abusive tactics. The pair had no prior experience in interrogation. At the hearing, Mitchell reportedly told defense lawyers he only came to Guantán…
www.democracynow.org/2020/1/22/cia_torture_program_guantanamo_bay

47 Years Later, We're Fighting to Make Roe a Reality Everywhere
Jessica Arons | aclu.org | 2020-01-22
Today we commemorate the 47th | anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the | landmark Supreme Court case that recognized a constitutional right to abortion. | In the nearly five decades since, the decision has weathered numerous storms | and faced plenty of erosion, leaving too many without meaningful access to | abortion care. But 2020 could be its most consequential year yet. | This spring, the Supreme Court will hear | arguments in June Medical | Services v. Gee and could uphold state abortion re…
aclu.org/news/reproductive-freedom/47-years-later-were-fighting-to-make-roe-a-reality-everywhere

A Show Trial? As Trump Impeachment Trial Begins, Mitch McConnell Accused of Staging a Cover-Up
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-01-21
The Senate opens the third impeachment trial of a U.S. president in the country's history Tuesday, marking a historic day in Washington. Under proposed rules by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, each side will be given 24 hours over two days for opening arguments, after which senators will have 16 hours for questions and four hours for debate. The Senate will then vote on whether to hear from any new witnesses. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has said McConnell is trying to rush the impeachment process, while House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff, who is one of the impeachment managers, has accused the…
www.democracynow.org/2020/1/21/trump_impeachment_trial_us_senate

Arkansas Legislators' Attack on Abortion is Unconstitutional
Michele Goodwin | aclu.org | 2020-01-16
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled time and again that | reproductive privacy is "central to personal dignity and autonomy, [which] are | central to the liberty protected by" the Constitution. The Court has made | eminently clear that under the Constitution, the right of a pregnant person to | terminate a pregnancy prior to viability is a right so essential to our freedom | that our government cannot ban or impose an undue burden on its exercise. But | despite the long-standing clarity of this principle, reproductive health and rights | continue to come under blistering, unrelenting attack. | Nowhere is this cl…
aclu.org/news/reproductive-freedom/arkansas-legislators-attack-on-abortion-is-unconstitutional