(2020-09-16). As Venezuela Foils CIA "Terror Plot" Pompeo Tours Its Neighbors To Talk Regime Change. mintpressnews.com 
The State Department's silence has been deafening following the arrest of a US citizen and former CIA operative allegedly caught plotting an on a Venezuelan oil refinery.
(2020-09-16). "A Disgrace": Amnesty International Blocked From Monitoring Trial of Julian Assange. thealtworld.com Amnesty International's Europe Director described the hearings against Assange as an "assault on the right to freedom of expression" that would have a "chilling effect on media freedom." | MPN— The high profile extradition hearing of publisher and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange continued in Central London today. But it did so without oversight from international human rights groups. Julia Hall, an expert on criminal justice and human rights for Amnesty International,
(2020-09-16). Assange Would Not Have Fair US Trial, Witness Tells Old Bailey. popularresistance.org Julian Assange's extradition hearing resumed yesterday morning after a coronavirus test for a member of the prosecution's legal team came back negative. | Mark Summers QC, one of Assange's lawyers, asked District Judge Vanessa Baraitser to give a direction mandating the use of masks for the remainder of the hearing. She responded that government guidance on wearing masks in public places in the Old Bailey "does not include the well of the court," before saying, "those that wish to wear masks in the well of the court are welcome to do so" but "there is no obligation to do so, and I make no direction."
(2020-09-16). Assange on Trial: Supermax Prisons and Special Administrative Measures. counterpunch.org DAY FIVE Having had a coronavirus scare towards the end of last week, necessitating a brief suspension of proceedings for September 11, the extradition proceedings for Julian Assange resumed with Eric Lewis. The chairman of the board of Reprieve, who has cut his teeth on representing Afghan detainees in US custody and those in Guantánamo,
(2020-09-16). Democrats Ignore U.S. Military's Refutation of 'Russian Bounties' Story. strategic-culture.org 
Caitlin JOHNSTONE | NBC News Two months after top Pentagon officials vowed to get to the bottom of whether the Russian government bribed the Taliban to kill American service members, the commander of troops in the region says a detailed review of all available intelligence has not been able to corroborate the existence of such a program. | "It just has not been proved to a level of certainty that satisfies me," Gen. Frank McKenzie, comm…
(2020-09-16). Day Nine: Julian Assange Extradition Hearing. popularresistance.org Things became not merely dramatic in the Assange courtroom today, but spiteful and nasty. There were two real issues, the evidence and the procedure. On the evidence, there were stark details of the dreadful regime Assange will face in US jails if extradited. On the procedure, we saw behaviour from the prosecution QC that went well beyond normal cross examination and was a real attempt to denigrate and even humiliate the witness. I hope to prove that to you by a straightforward exposition of what happened today in court, after which I shall add further comment.
(2020-09-16). Assange's Sixth Day at the Old Bailey: US Prison Conditions and Politicised Prosecutions. globalresearch.ca September 15. Central Criminal Court, London. Today, witnesses appearing in the extradition trial of Julian Assange fleshed out some points touched upon the previous day: the fate awaiting the WikiLeaks publisher in the US prison system, and the political nature …
(2020-09-16). Assange will not get a fair trial in US, says Pentagon Papers publisher in testimony. peoplesdispatch.org In the recent set of testimonies, Assange's defense team dismantled the prosecution's argument that Assange caused any harm by publishing classified names…
(2020-09-16). Chomsky, Walker and Ellsberg Defend Julian Assange. zcomm.org Alice Walker, Noam Chomsky, and Daniel Ellsberg oppose the extradition of Julian Assange to the US to face charges under the Espionage Act…
(2020-09-16). Wisconsin Supreme Court blocks Green Party presidential campaign from 2020 ballot. wsws.org The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3 to reject a lawsuit by the Green Party candidates seeking an injunction against the distribution of ballots to voters without their names on them.
(2020-09-16). Pompeo seeking to restore Trump's destroyed credibility. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 16 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that Pompeo is seeking to restore Trump regime's destroyed credibility due to its failure in maximum pressure policy against Tehran.
(2020-09-16). US Looks Forward to Working With New Japanese Prime Minister Suga – Pompeo. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON, September 17 (Sputnik) – The Trump administration congratulates Yoshihide Suga on his election by the main chamber of the Japanese parliament as the next prime minister of Japan and looks forward to working with him, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
(2020-09-15). Your Man in the Public Gallery: Assange Hearing Day 9. globalresearch.ca Things became not merely dramatic in the Assange courtroom today, but spiteful and nasty. There were two real issues, the evidence and the procedure. On the evidence, there were stark details of the dreadful regime Assange will face in US …
(2020-09-15). Assange's Fifth Day at the Old Bailey: Supermax Prisons and Special Administrative Measures. dissidentvoice.org Having had a coronavirus scare towards the end of last week, necessitating a brief suspension of proceedings for September 11, the extradition proceedings for Julian Assange resumed with Eric Lewis. The chairman of the board of Reprieve, who has cut his teeth on representing Afghan detainees in US custody and those in Guantánamo, has not …
(2020-09-15). Day Five: Julian Assange Case. popularresistance.org Paused last week due to a COVID19 scare, Julian Assange's extradition hearing resumed today with witness testimony from Eric Lewis, chairman of the board of Reprieve and a lawyer who "represents Guantanamo and Afghan detainees in litigation, seeking redress and accountability for torture and religious abuse while in US custody." | Lewis confirmed that before being asked to provide expert testimony on this case, he opined in the press that he believes Assange shouldn't be extradited or prosecuted, and while he handled the facts objectively in providing his witness statement, those are still his views today.
(2020-09-15). Dark Web Voter Database Report Casts New Doubts on Russian Election Hack Narrative. globalresearch.ca A new report showing that US state-level voter databases were publicly available calls into question the narrative that Russian intelligence "targeted" US state election-related websites in 2016. | *** | A September 1
(2020-09-15). Whistleblower on Doctor at ICE Facility: "Everybody He Sees Has a Hysterectomy" truthout.org A whistleblower complaint directed toward the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleges that detainees at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Georgia were medically neglected, including not being tested for COVID-19, and that an alarmingly large number of hysterectomies were being performed on detainees. | The complaint, filed with the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for DHS, states that the hysterectomies were performed on several immigrants held within the Irwin C…
(2020-09-15). The Devolution of America. therealnews.com 
Stir Crazy! Episode 88: Today we are joined by TRNN climate reporter Aman Azhar, TRNN managing editor Lisa Snowden-McCray, and climate and housing organizer Rachel Eve Stein. Hosted by Kim Brown.
(2020-09-15). Dems and linked officials kick Green Party off presidential ballots in swing states, sparking concerns of political machination. rt.com 
The Democratic Party in the US has been blasted online for allegedly trying to disenfranchise the Green Party, which is facing an all-out political attack, losing places on several states' presidential ballots. | The Supreme Courts of Wisconsin and Montana on Monday decided against the Green Party's nominee Howie Hawkins' presence on the ballot list for the November election. In both instances, court officials linked to the Democratic Party were responsible. | This coincided with Philadelphia's Democrats currently being in a legal battle with the Greens to try and prevent Hawkins from appearing on the ballots…
(2020-09-15). First they came for RT: US now wants Qatar's AJ+ to register as FOREIGN AGENT. rt.com 
AJ+, Al Jazeera's online channel, has been told to register as a foreign agent by the US government, under a precedent set against RT and Chinese outlets in recent years. The Qatar-based outlet is blaming UAE lobbyists. | "Despite assertions of editorial independence and freedom of expression, Al Jazeera Media Network and its affiliates are controlled and funded by the Government of Qatar," Jay Bratt, head of the counterintelligence and export control at the Department of Justice, wrote in a letter sent to Al Jazeera on Monday, according to Mother Jones magazine. | That means AJ+ is required to register as an…
(2020-09-15). Brazil: Rio de Janeiro Governor to Face Corruption Charges. telesurenglish.net The Brazilian Attorney General's Office Monday filed a complaint to the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ) against Rio de Janeiro Governor Wilson Witzel over charges of corruption. | RELATED: | Earlier this month, he was accused of being the head of a criminal organization that came up with a scheme to divert public health resources during the pandemic. | Twelve other people were accused of being involved in the scheme…
(2020-09-15). Iran, the United States and False Flags. globalresearch.ca United States' government spokespeople are forever demonizing Iran. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has proclaimed that Iran is the
(2020-09-15). Exposure of Trump's lies on COVID-19 implicates Spain's Podemos party. wsws.org Though it had access to intelligence briefings on the deadly danger posed by the pandemic, Podemos adopted a criminally negligent policy.
(2020-09-15). Railroad Industry Group Passed Intel on Environmental Journalist to Cops. zcomm.org By distributing private intelligence reports to federal "fusion centers," industries can influence how law enforcement views threats…
(2020-09-15). New Hotline For Postal Service Whistleblowers. popularresistance.org The United States Postal Service provides safe, timely communication for all Americans. Increasingly, that includes supporting U.S. elections by handling mail-in ballots, a function of vital importance during the COVID-19 pandemic. But unprecedented turmoil has shaken the institution in recent months. Concerns are mounting that administrative changes could undermine the agency's basic mission: to deliver all Americans' mail safely and on time. This dedicated effort is being undertaken to ensure that POGO is able to help investigate and advocate for reforms relative to critical and essential Postal Service functio…
(2020-09-14). Israel and the UAE Hope to Turn Yemen's Remote Islands into an Intel Gathering Hub. globalresearch.ca Often a flashpoint for tensions between international rivals and a major chokepoint for much of the world's maritime transit, the waters surrounding Yemen have become a much-vaunted prize for regional intelligence services. | *** | In the wake of the recent
(2020-09-14). Day 5 of Assange trial: Wikileaks' publication of Afghan War Logs was basis for ICC case. peoplesdispatch.org Today's witness presented by the defense, Eric Lewis, tried to impress upon the fact that once Assange could be subjected to arbitrary detention methods and highlighted the tremendous contributions of Wikileaks in advancing an ICC investigation of the US…
(2020-09-14). Trump's War On Journalism Takes Center Stage. popularresistance.org In the last half-century, journalists James Bamford, Ben Bradlee, Seymour Hersh, and Neil Sheehan were each threatened with prosecution under the Espionage Act. But the U.S. government never followed through with Espionage Act charges against a journalist until 2019, when WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested and charged. | Trevor Timm, the executive director for the Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF), told a magistrate court judge, "[President Donald] Trump's administration is moving to explicitly criminalize national security journalism, and if this prosecution is allowed to go forward, dozens of rep…
(2020-09-14). The Cause of Julian Assange Is the Cause of Freedom — Free Assange Now. sputniknews.com Julian Assange is a victim of torture, grotesque character assassination, and shameful judicial procedures that amount to vengeful persecution, not a fair and proportional prosecution.
(2020-09-14). Assange extradition hearing adjourned after videolink failure, court fails to explain cause of problems. rt.com 
Hot on the heels of a coronavirus scare, Julian Assange's extradition hearing was postponed on Monday following a farcical videolink failure which meant the court could not hear the testimony of a prominent witness. | The court was hearing from witness Eric Lewis, an experienced US lawyer, when out of the blue it was interrupted by a Fox News video about WikiLeaks. The source of the unexpected interruption was never revealed and the court went into recess in a bid to resolve the technical difficulties. | Lewis was expected to give evidence that Assange would face a "flagrant denial of justice" if put on trial…
(2020-09-14). Australian government, Labor opposition silent on sadistic British show-trial of Julian Assange. wsws.org The Australian political and media establishment has largely responded to the vicious attacks on Assange's legal and democratic rights by pretending that they are not occurring.
(2020-09-14). After 19 years of US occupation, Taliban-Afghan government talks underway. liberationnews.org 
Direct negotiations between representatives of the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban began today in Qatar with the goal of reaching a political settlement ending the war between the two sides. The negotiating teams are led by top officials — the Afghan government side led by intelligence head Masoom Stanikzai, and the Taliban delegation led …
(2020-09-14). 'Like Communist East Germany': UK minister chided for urging people to spy on neighbors for breaching Covid restrictions. rt.com 
UK Policing Minister Kit Malthouse has provoked a wave of public indignation by suggesting people report their neighbors to police if they violate new Covid restrictions. The idea was likened to East German police practices. | The minister has encouraged people throughout the UK to report anyone not complying with a new regulation that came into force overnight which has quickly become known as the 'rule of six'. It bans social gatherings of more than six people if they're not from the same household, and violators can face fines of between £100 and £3,200. Someone who organizes a house party could…
(2020-09-14). Selected Articles: Seeking Truth in a Country of Lies. globalresearch.ca 
By The main theme is propaganda and how it is used by the government, the deep state, and the media that is …
(2020-09-14). US Sabotage of Venezuela Economy. US Ex-Marine Caught Spying on Oil Refineries. globalresearch.ca A U.S. former marine and spy who had been spying on the Amuay and Cardon refineries was captured in the Venezuelan state of Falcon on Thursday. | Speaking on the twelfth anniversary of the youth wing of the United Socialist Party …
(2020-09-14). Wisconsin Supreme Court blocks mailing out of absentee ballots pending ruling on Green Party ballot access. wsws.org The Democratic party has led the charge in purging third-party candidates, including the Greens, from the November ballot.
(2020-09-14). Wisconsin Supreme Court Lifts Hold on Absentee Ballots. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON, September 15 (Sputnik) – On September 11, the court suspended mail-in ballots pending a decision on whether to include Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins and reprint the documents.
(2020-09-14). UAE-Israel Deal: 'Peace-for-Protection'…? globalresearch.ca It was no surprise to hear US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declare at the weekend that the UAE and Israel have agreed to form a security and military alliance against Iran to 'protect' US interests and the Middle East …
(2020-09-14). Dr. Strangelove's Spoon Benders: How the U.S. Military Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. strategic-culture.org It is the belief held by top officials within the U.S. military industrial complex that their ideology of appropriate morality is to prevail and that one must use these mind-over-matter techniques to achieve the ultimate goal, "the power to manipulate reality", that global dominance can be achieved without wiping out the world."MindWar must be strategic in emphasis, with tactical applications playing a reinforcing, supplementary role. In its strategic context, MindWar must reach out to friends, enemies, and neutrals alike across the globe…through the media possessed by the United States which have the capabilit…
(2020-09-13). Edward Snowden Criticizes Amazon For Hiring Former Director of US National Security Agency. sputniknews.com In 2013, the former NSA contractor leaked a cache of top secret US intelligence documents revealing a massive surveillance campaign of Americans. Among other things, the documents revealed that the intelligence agency illegally accessed information on millions of people in the US and across the world, even snooping on world leaders.
(2020-09-13). Trial Week 1: Witnesses state Assange did nothing illegal. peoplesdispatch.org In the first week of Julian Assange's extradition trial in London, witnesses sought to bring out the political nature of the prosecution against Assange, despite the prosecution's attempt to make it appear otherwise. They also pointed out the opaque nature of the Wikileaks indictment in the United States, with evidence against Assange yet to be shared to the public, and the threat the case poses to press freedoms.
(2020-09-13). US Demands Hinder Spanish Probe Into Security Firm That Spied On Assange. popularresistance.org There will be no judicial cooperation forthcoming from the United States unless a Spanish judge reveals his information sources in an investigation into alleged espionage against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange while he was living in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. | Judge José de la Mata of Spain's High Court (Audiencia Nacional) has sent a request for judicial cooperation to US authorities as part of his probe into a Spanish private security company named UC Global S.L. and its owner David Morales, on allegations that this firm secretly recorded Assange's private meetings with lawyers, politicians, relatives…
(2020-09-13). Trump's 'War on Journalism' Takes Center Stage at Julian Assange's Extradition Hearing. globalresearch.ca In the last half-century, journalists James Bamford, Ben Bradlee, Seymour Hersh, and Neil Sheehan were each threatened with prosecution under the Espionage Act. But the U.S. government never followed through with Espionage Act charges against a journalist until 2019, when …
(2020-09-13). The CIA Book Publishing Operations. counterpunch.org 
One of the alternative press's most significant scoops of the 1960s was Sol Stern's February 1967 Ramparts magazine's exposé revealing that the Central Intelligence Agency had long secretly funded and controlled the National Student Association (NSA). The story was significant because it revealed the NSA was a CIA front, but its greater significance came with the many derivative investigative journalistic pieces published in the months that followed.
(2020-09-13). The Historic Clash of Two Opposing Geopolitical Paradigms. strategic-culture.org 
Compared the great initiatives taken on behalf of freedom and anti colonialism throughout the past 260 years, today's America appears to be a strange and foolish creature running roughshod over the dignity of people and nations in a race for mass nuclear extermination. | Such is the image projected by Mike Pompeo's ranting anti-China attacks or the relentless demonization of Russia sweeping across mainstream media ever day- both nations who have repeatedly called for cooperation and friendship with the USA. If it were simply belligerent words then we could brush off these childish attacks as mere foolish rhetoric…
(2020-09-13). Iran has largest artificial intelligence companies in region. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 13 (MNA) — Iran's Vice President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari said that Iran has the largest knowledge-based companies in the field of artificial intelligence in the region.
(2020-09-13). Australia defends intelligence raids as spat with China escalates. yenisafak.com Australia's Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton on Sunday defended the government's right to intelligence raids to prevent foreign interference, after China condemned searches on the homes of its journalists working in Australia.Dutton declined to directly confirm that the Chinese journalists were questioned by Australia's intelligence agency in June, saying an investigation was still underway, but said there was some "activity" by the country's intelligence agency."Where (the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) has sufficient grounds for the execution of a search warrant, or for activities otherwise, t…
(2020-09-13). UAE's Bin Zayed AI university, Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science sign MOU. yenisafak.com The United Arab Emirates' Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science have signed a memorandum of understanding "to work together across a range of fields," the UAE's WAM news agency reported on Sunday.The accord is the first of its kind to be signed between two higher education institutes from the UAE and Israel, it added. "The aim is to advance the development and use of artificial intelligence as a tool for progress," it said.
(2020-09-13). Afghans see hope on horizon as peace talks commence. yenisafak.com The launch of the direct talks for peace in Afghanistan has left many in this conflict-riddled nation caught between curiosity and cautious optimism.Extraordinarily vigilant security was what many Afghans in the bustling capital of Kabul noticed as they began their work week Saturday. Thursdays and Fridays are weekends in Afghanistan.The day talks began, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani chaired a meeting of the Security High Command with the army and intelligence chiefs and other key officials. "Serious attention should be paid for the security of highways," he said, according to a statement by his office.
(2020-09-13). How a US Army Whistleblower Revealed 'the Apparatus of a Police State'. commondreams.org Soldiers with the Mississippi National Guard watch a crowd of protesters at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. on June 6, 2020. (Photo: The National Guard/Flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/army_whistleblower.jpg …
