(2020-02-12). Afghan President Ghani cites 'notable progress' in US-Taliban talks. rt.com 
The US and the Taliban appeared closer on Wednesday to a breakthrough in talks over an American troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, after the country's President Ashraf Ghani said there had been "notable progress" in negotiations. | In a series of tweets late on Tuesday, Ghani said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had called him to inform him of developments in the talks in Doha, Qatar. Pompeo spoke of "the notable progress made in the ongoing peace talks with the Taliban," Ghani tweeted. | "The Secretary informed me about the Taliban's proposal with regards to bringing a significant and enduring reduction in…
(2020-02-12). 'Intel coup of the century': CIA used Swiss encryption firm to spy on dozens of nations for decades — reports. rt.com 
The CIA and German intelligence spied on the secret communications of governments around the world for decades in a covert partnership, controlling a top encryption company and installing backdoor vulnerabilities in its products. | Founded during the Second World War, the Swiss cryptography firm, Crypto AG, has provided top-of-the-line devices for encoding communications to some 120 countries. Starting in 1970, however, the CIA and then-West Germany's foreign intelligence service, the BND, secretly bought and controlled the company, using its devices to eavesdrop on enemies and allies alike, according to a joi…
(2020-02-12). No plans for public inquiry after spy claims in Harry Dunn case — Foreign Office. thecanary.co 
The Foreign Office (FCO) has said it has "no plans" to launch a public inquiry despite reports that Harry Dunn's alleged killer had worked as a spy for the CIA.The PA news agency understands that the FCO responded to questions from the teenager's family on Wednesday — saying the case had been handled "properly and lawfully throughout".Dunn's parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, had demanded answers from foreign secretary Dominic Raab as to whether he was notified of Anne Sacoolas's history with the CIA and if she was still serving at the time of their son's death.(L to R) Harry Dunn's mother Charlotte Ch…
(2020-02-12). International Day Of Action To Free Julian Assange & Chelsea Manning. indybay.org UK Consulate | 1 Sansome St. | San Francisco…
(2020-02-12). Rank-and-file teachers in Sydney adopt resolution defending Assange and Manning. wsws.org The resolution is the outcome of the initiative of the Committee For Public Education, acting independently of the trade union apparatus.
(2020-02-12). Why Clinton Foundation Whistleblowers' Case Against IRS May Cause US Political Dynasties to Shiver. sputniknews.com While the mainstream media in the US was preoccupied with Donald Trump's impeachment another legal drama has been unfolding since March 2019, namely Lawrence W. Doyle and John F. Moynihan v Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Wall Street analyst Charles Ortel has explained why the case matters more than the impeachment saga.
(2020-02-11). US promises 'enormous pressure' on Tehran over… failed satellite launch? Pompeo says missile development behind Iran space program. rt.com 
Iran's latest attempt to launch a scientific satellite has apparently unnerved Washington, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lashing out at Tehran and vowing that the US would not let it continue the launches. | Washington used the occasion to once again slam Iran and the 2015 deal on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, from which the US itself unilaterally withdrew back in 2018. | Also on rt.com | | Since then, America has been hell-bent on s…
(2020-02-11). Four Roger Stone prosecutors quit case as DOJ backs down from 'horrible & unfair' sentencing advice blasted by Trump. rt.com 
The US Justice Department has reconsidered its recommendation that former Trump advisor Roger Stone serve nine years in prison for lying to Congress, instead deferring to the court, while four of its prosecutors have resigned. | Punishing the self-described "dirty trickster" with seven to nine years in prison "could be considered excessive and unwarranted," prosecutors said in a statement on Tuesday. "Ultimately, the government defers to the Court as to what specific sentence is appropriate." | Wow, Mueller prosecutor Zelinsky withdraws from the Stone case AND includes this footnote(!): | "The Court is advised…
(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…
(2020-02-11). Democrats Ignore Trump's Real Violations. globalresearch.ca This week the latest Democratic Party attempt to remove President Trump from office — impeachment over Trump allegedly holding up an arms deal to Ukraine — flopped. Just like "Russiagate" and the Mueller investigation, and a number of other attempts …
(2020-02-11). Woman who killed UK teenager Harry Dunn was a CIA spy. wsws.org The Dunn family's legal spokesman, Radd Seiger, explained it is "high time that the nation can see with full transparency whether or not the government prioritised protecting the identity of the Sacoolas family over the welfare and rights of Harry's family."
(2020-02-11). Afghan President Reports Progress In US-Taliban Talks. telesurenglish.net Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said Tuesday that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told him that "remarkable progress" had been made in talks between the United States and the Taliban to achieve an agreement for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. | Through Twitter, Ghani…
(2020-02-11). Bt Cotton: Cultivating Farmer Distress in India. counterpunch.org Later this month, India's Supreme Court will hold a lengthy hearing on the commercialisation of genetically modified (GM) mustard, which would be the country's first GM food crop. The court has asked the chair of the Technical Expert Committee to be present and says that the decision on GM mustard cannot be kept pending. The
(2020-02-08). Three Extraordinary Australian Journalists: Burchett, Pilger, Assange. dissidentvoice.org Australia has produced extraordinary journalists across three generations: Wilfred Burchett (deceased in 1983), John Pilger (80 years old but still active) and Julian Assange (48 years old, currently in London's Belmarsh prison). Each of these journalists made unique contributions to our understanding of the world. Although Australia is part of the western world, each of …
(2020-02-08). Media darling Pete Buttigieg was in unit that worked with the CIA in Afghanistan. thegrayzone.com While Buttigieg's campaign denies allegations he was a CIA asset, military records reveal Mayor Pete was in a unit that…
(2020-02-07). Pilger, Burchett and Assange: Three Extraordinary Australian Journalists That Spoke Truth to Power. mintpressnews.com Australia, writes Rick Sterling, should be proud of its three native sons that were willing to speak truth to power no matter the consequences.
(2020-02-05). The Government is Using its Foreign Intelligence Spying Powers for Routine Domestic Investigations. aclu.org More than forty years ago, Congress | gave the executive branch a set of exceptional surveillance powers to pursue | foreign spies on U.S. soil. Now, the government is increasingly relying on those | powers to advance ordinary domestic criminal investigations. | In United States v. | Osseily, a fraud prosecution in California, the government appears to have used | this surveillance — which is conducted under the Foreign Intelligence | Surveillance Act (FISA) — to a longtime perm…
(2020-01-17). Chip Gibbons on FBI vs. 1st Amendment. fair.org 
Media…