Daily Archives: August 18, 2020

2020-08-18: News Headlines

Otis Grotewohl (2020-08-18). U.S., fascists set scopes on socialist-leaning Belarus. workers.org Chinese President Xi Jingping and Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on his reelection Aug. 9. USSR-era socialist art in Minsk, Belarus, in February 2019. U.S. imperialism and the Western bourgeois media, however, wasted no time in denouncing Lukashenko's victory as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used . . . |

yenisafak (2020-08-18). Netanyahu says UAE deal does not include sale of F-35 jets. yenisafak.com Israel said Tuesday that a deal to normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) does not include the US sale of F-35 fighter jets to the Gulf state.In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the agreement did not include "any approval by Israel on any arms deal between the United States and the United Arab Emirates".Netanyahu said he directed Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Drammer on Aug. 3 to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to convey an explicit message of Israel's opposition to selling the F-35 and other advanced weapon systems to any country in the Middle East."The peac…

Alan MacLeod (2020-08-17). Julian Assange Court Case Delayed Again in Bizarre Circumstances. globalresearch.ca "I have never in my career faced so much difficulty attempting to trial monitor as in Julian Assange's case." — Rebecca Vincent, Director of International Campaigns for Reporters Without Borders. | *** | There were bizarre scenes at Westminster Magistrates' …

Alan Macleod (2020-08-17). US Remains Defiant, Promises New Sanctions After UN Rejects Anti-Iran Measures. mintpressnews.com According to the State Department, it was the world that was wrong, not Washington. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described the decision to reject their "reasonable resolution" and side with "the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism" as "inexcusable."

Thomas Scripps (2020-08-17). The Show Trial of Julian Assange: A Cruel and Pseudolegal Farce. globalresearch.ca Yesterday's hearing in London made clear, if any further proof was needed, that the prosecution of Julian Assange is a shameful and degrading show trial, intended to railroad an innocent man to prison or death for revealing the crimes of …

WSWS (2020-08-17). Prominent lawyers and legal associations demand Assange's freedom. wsws.org The 152 legal experts are unambiguous: the campaign against Assange has been based on gross violations of law and he must be immediately released from prison.

_____ (2020-08-17). International Lawyers Make Urgent Appeal To British Government. popularresistance.org We write to you as legal practitioners and legal academics to express our collective concerns about the violations of Mr. Julian Assange's fundamental human, civil and political rights and the precedent his persecution is setting. We call on you to act in accordance with national and international law, human rights and the rule of law by bringing an end to the ongoing extradition proceedings and granting Mr. Assange his long overdue freedom — freedom from torture, arbitrary detention and deprivation of liberty, and political persecution. We remind the UK government that the right to a fair trial is a corner…

RT (2020-08-17). US intelligence agencies have another bounty case in Afghanistan, alleging Iran paid the Taliban to attack American forces. rt.com It turns out Russia isn't the only country that US intelligence agencies are anonymously accusing of paying bounties to Taliban fighters to attack US troops in Afghanistan. Another bogeyman, Iran, is allegedly to blame this time. | A foreign government

John Kendall Hawkins (2020-08-17). Trumps' Coy Snowden Mystery: The Kiss of Death. counterpunch.org Had we but world enough and time, This coyness, lady, were no crime. — Andrew Marvell, "To His Coy Mistress" (1681) I'm tired of the bullshit. Now that I've joined Twittersphere I've been getting magic bullets tweeting me all day. Up and to the Left. Some Mark Chapman is said to be disappointed in how

WSWS (2020-08-17). Indiana Rank-and-File Safety Committee demands reinstatement of whistleblower at Faurecia Gladstone plant. wsws.org The newly-formed Faurecia Gladstone Rank and File Safety Committee is also demanding an immediate halt on the part of the company and the local union to all forms of intimidation and harassment.

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-08-16). Dems Urged to Say, 'Yes, Snowden Should Be Pardoned' After Trump Floats Possibility. commondreams.org The comment from the president prompted fresh praise for the former intelligence contractor who "blew the whistle on illegal government activity kept secret for years." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/snowden-trump-pardon-suggestion.jpg

Juan Cole (2020-08-16). No Longer Leader of the Free World: Trump Admin. Humiliated at UN over Iran Arms Embargo. commondreams.org U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attends Security Council meeting at U.N. Headquarters in New York on September 20, 2019. (Photo: Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/iran-resolution-fail.jpg

RT (2020-08-16). 'Seems to be a split decision': Trump says he'll take 'a very good look' at idea of pardoning Snowden. rt.com For the second time in a week, US President Donald Trump has indicated that he might be considering pardoning former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, noting that the issue has long transcended party lines. | Asked if he wants to pardon Snowden at a press conference in Bedminster, New Jersey on Saturday, Trump responded that while he was "not that aware of the Snowden situation," he would "start looking at it." | Trump, who once labelled the former CIA contractor turned-whistleblower a "traitor," argued that there is no consensus within the American political establishment on the matter. | "There are many people.

RT (2020-08-16). 'This is who you are now, GOP': Obama security advisor Rice freaks out over Snowden pardon idea, is roasted for right-wing stance. rt.com The fact they are even considering a pardon for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden shows how low the Republican party has sunk under Donald Trump, believes Susan Rice, former national security advisor in the Obama administration. | The possibility that criminal charges against Snowden may be dropped was floated by the US president this week. The idea triggered an outpouring of public support,

sputniknews (2020-08-16). Israel Closer to US 'Clean Network' by Abandoning Chinese 5G Tech, Report Claims. sputniknews.com Reports suggesting that the Trump administration is urging Tel Aviv to block China from the development of 5G infrastructure in Israel emerged in late May, falling in line with Washington's confrontation with Chinese tech giant Huawei over its alleged connections with Beijing intelligence.

_____ (2020-08-16). Does the CIA Actually "Control" the Mainstream Media Like Some Claim? strategic-culture.org The CIA could never (and doesn't) regulate every movie, video game and YouTube video. But influencing and observing certain VIPs is a much easier potential task. Watch the video and read more in the

yenisafak (2020-08-16). Iran says to export arms once UN embargo lifted. yenisafak.com "Iran will export and sell weapons" once the UN-mandated embargo is lifted, Defense Minister Gen. Amir Hatami told reporters on the sidelines of the National Defense Industry Day in Tehran.He said Iran will "use all its capacities to meet its arms requirements" by exporting weapons after the 13-year embargo expires in October.On Saturday, the UN Security Council turned down a US draft to extend an arms embargo on Iran.US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who had urged the UNSC members to vote for the move, said the Council's "failure to act decisively" was "inexcusable".US officials accuse Iran of supplying weapons…

sputniknews (2020-08-15). Trump on Pardoning Edward Snowden: 'I'm Going to Look at It'. sputniknews.com Edward Snowden, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee who became a whistleblower, revealing the illegal spying practices conducted by US intelligence agencies, has been living in Russia since 2013. He is wanted in the United States on charges of espionage and treason.

yenisafak (2020-08-15). Who is the spymaster suing Saudi crown prince? yenisafak.com He obtained a BA in the Arabic language and literature from Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, a bachelor of science in security sciences in 1979 from King Fahd Security College, and a Master of Science in computer science from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.He also obtained a PhD in computer engineering and artificial intelligence in 1998 from the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom.He is a former Saudi minister and intelligence officer who currently lives in exile in Canada and Riyadh is seeking to arrest him over charge of wasting public money.- CareerWhen King Salman bin Abdu…

Staff (2020-08-14). Supreme Court ruling prevents 1.4 million from voting in Florida. therealnews.com Eddie Conway talks with an attorney about what the impact of this ruling will be in one of the most contentious presidential elections in history.

RT (2020-08-14). Infowars reporter Millie Weaver 'arrested' mid-premiere of her whistleblowing investigation into 'shadow government'. rt.com Investigative reporter Millie Weaver and her husband have reportedly been arrested at the same time her documentary on the US "shadow government" was being screened on YouTube, sending Conservative Twitter into theory overdrive. | Weaver's "arrest" at the couple's home — which has yet to be confirmed by authorities — was initially reported by Infowars on Friday, shortly after the YouTube premiere of her documentary film "ShadowGate." The film purports to expose the secrets of the massive 'Deep State' intelligence apparatus manipulating politics within the US and beyond its borders, based on the repor…

RT (2020-08-14). First they came for WikiLeaks: 'BlueLeaks' activists pursued as 'criminal hacker group' by DHS despite not hacking. rt.com Distributed Denial of Secrets, the group that published the "BlueLeaks" trove of hacked police documents in June, is being persecuted as a "criminal hacker group" by the US Department of Homeland Security — just like WikiLeaks. | The transparency activists "conducted a hack-and-leak operation targeting federal, state, and local law enforcement databases," according to a document circulated by the DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis among law enforcement fusion centers in late June, recently obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request and published by the Verge on Thursday. | There was just…

RT (2020-08-14). 'Not treated fairly'? Trump appears to soften on 'Snowden a traitor' stance, as supporters renew calls for pardon. rt.com Despite having called National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden a "traitor" numerous times in the past, President Donald Trump now acknowledges that the former CIA contractor may have been "treated unfairly." | "There are a lot of people that think that he is not being treated fairly. I mean, I hear that," Trump told The New York Post, in an

RT (2020-08-14). FBI lawyer pleads GUILTY to altering email evidence in Trump spying scandal. rt.com Former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, an important player in the 'Russiagate' investigation into President Donald Trump, is the first person to plead guilty in US attorney John Durham's probe of what's been dubbed 'Spygate.' | Clinesmith was a member of the FBI General Counsel's Office (GCO) assigned to work on the Crossfire Hurricane probe — the name given to the investigation of claims into Trump's ties with Russia during the 2016 election. His attorney, Justin Shur, told the AP news agency on Friday that Clinesmith intends to plead guilty to one count of making a false statement. | An FBI lawyer pled gul…

_____ (2020-08-14). Scheer Intelligence: Questioning Corporate Media's Thirst For Scandal In The Age Of #MeToo. popularresistance.org The Times Literary Supplement in a rave review of JoAnn Wypijewski's provocative new book states: "It is thrilling and cathartic to watch Wypijewski slice through our culture's flabbiest orthodoxies." On this week's installment of "Scheer Intelligence," Wypijewski talks to host Robert Scheer about the "haste to castigate" that has led to shoddy reporting of the true meaning of trials she has covered, ranging from the media frenzy trial of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein to the framing of five teenagers known as the Central Park Five on rape charges, which she offers as a shocking example of a "scandal media" lynchin…

teleSUR (2020-08-14). Chile: Mapuche Leader on Hunger Strike Will Stop Drinking Water. telesurenglish.net On Thursday, the Mapuche's spiritual advisor (machi) Celestino Cordova, who has been on a hunger strike for 103 days, announced that he will stop drinking water in rejection of the violation of his rights. | RELATED: | Cristina Romo, his spokeswoman, released the decision shortly after the Supreme Court rejected Cordova's request to serve part of his sentence at home. | "The Sebastian Piñera administration will have…

yenisafak (2020-08-14). USPS warns Pennsylvania over delivery of mail ballots. yenisafak.com The US Postal Service (USPS) has warned battleground state Pennsylvania that its election deadlines are "too tight" for its standards and might cause delays in delivery of mail-in ballots, according to a report.USPS' letter dated July 29 made public late Thursday as a motion filed to the state's Supreme Court in which officials are asking approval to continue counting mail ballots received up to three days after Nov. 3, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.Thomas J. Marshall, general counsel and executive vice president of the USPS, warned in the letter that "certain deadlines for requesting and casting mail-in bal…

commondreams (2020-08-14). North Carolina Supreme Court Reinstates Life Sentence for Marcus Robinson. commondreams.org ______________________________…

WSWS (2020-08-14). Big tech firms meet with US national security agencies in advance of November elections. wsws.org Nine of the largest tech firms in the US met with multiple government police and intelligence agencies on Wednesday to discuss "election security" in the campaign prior to and on election day in November.

Shepard Ambellas (2020-08-14). Mike Pompeo Admits COVID-19 Is a "Live Exercise," Trump Retorts "I Wish You Would Have Told Us" globalresearch.ca First published March 21, 2020 | United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had a slip of the tongue while addressing the American people from the White House when he stated that COVID-19 is a live military exercise. | "This is not …

teleSUR (2020-08-14). China Calls to Reject US Interference in 5G Cooperation. telesurenglish.net China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, has called on the international community to reject U.S. hegemonic interference in other countries' 5G cooperation and uphold a fair, just, open, and non-discriminatory business environment. | RELATED: | The pronouncement came after the United States (U.S.) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo signed with the Slovenian foreign minister a joint declaration on 5G security durin…

sputniknews (2020-08-14). Pompeo Regrets UNSC Rejected 'Reasonable' Resolution on Extension of Iran Arms Embargo. sputniknews.com Iran has faced arms a United States embargo since 2007, now set to expire in two months under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, from which the US unilaterally withdrew in May 2018.

_____ (2020-08-14). CIA Behind Guccifer & Russiagate — a Plausible Scenario. strategic-culture.org William Binney is the former technical director of the U.S. National Security Agency who worked at the agency for 30 years. He is a respected independent critic of how American intelligence services abuse their powers to illegally spy on private communications of U.S. citizens and around the globe. Given his expert inside knowledge, it is worth paying attention to what Binney says. | In a media

_____ (2020-08-14). The Great Firewall of Washington and Its Consequences. strategic-culture.org After years of calling President Trump a dictator he finally gave the people what they wanted, with his administration taking a page right out of the Communist Party textbook on how to run the internet inside of one's own country. Mike Pompeo recently rolled out a press release detailing the "

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-08-14). Forget Your Feelings About Trump, Say Allies of NSA Whistleblower, 'Snowden Pardon Would Be a Major Win'. commondreams.org "Edward Snowden is a patriot. Our democracy is better off because of him," tweeted the ACLU. "As we said four years ago, the president should pardon him."