2019-09-18: News Headlines

RT (2019-09-18). Big Brother is watching you (from afar): US spies seek long-range facial recognition capabilities. rt.com US intelligence agencies are looking to enhance their facial recognition capabilities with technology that can identify people from hundreds of meters away, potentially transforming drones into biometrically accurate spy cameras. | The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) wants any and all information that could help current biometric surveillance tech overcome the inaccuracy that comes with distance, according to a request for information posted by the In…

Media Lens (2019-09-18). Stockholm Syndrome: Julian Assange And The Limits Of Guardian Dissent. dissidentvoice.org Nothing happened on September 2 in central London. Roger Waters, co-founder of Pink Floyd, did not initiate a protest outside the Home Office. He did not sing and play the Floyd classic 'Wish You Were Here', or say: Julian Assange, we are with you. Free Julian Assange! The renowned journalist and film-maker John Pilger did …

Media Lens (2019-09-18). Stockholm Syndrome — Julian Assange and the Limits of Guardian Dissent. globalresearch.ca Nothing happened on September 2 in central London. Roger Waters, co-founder of Pink Floyd, did not initiate a protest outside the Home Office. He did not sing and play the Floyd classic 'Wish You Were Here', or say: | 'Julian …

Edward Snowden (2019-09-18). Exclusive: Edward Snowden's First Adventures in Cyberspace. thenation.com Exclusive: 's First Adventures in Cyberspace…

RT (2019-09-17). US sues Snowden for violating 'CIA & NSA non-disclosure pact' with his new book, but it also wants the proceeds. rt.com The US government has filed a lawsuit against the National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, alleging that his newly-published memoir 'Permanent Record' violates nondisclosure agreements he signed with the CIA and NSA. | The civil lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, claims that Snowden violated these agreements by not sending a draft of the book to the spy agencies for review — and presumably redaction — before publication. It also alleges that the whistleblower's public speeches on "intelligence-related matters" violated the agreements. | Rather than pull the book from the shelves, the government…

Alexander Rubinstein (2019-09-17). Trump Brushes Israeli Dragnet Surveillance of D.C. Under the Rug. mintpressnews.com "Donald Trump has had a closer relationship with Israeli leaders than any president in American history. I think he genuinely doesn't care that the Israelis spy on the United States. I think he doesn't see the harm in this and does not feel threatened by it." — CIA Whistleblower John Kiriakou…

RT (2019-09-17). 'Storm Area 51' forces shutdown of Nevada airspace to protect top secret facility. rt.com The US Federal Aviation Administration has banned all aircraft, including emergency vehicles, from the airspace near Area 51 ahead of the 'Storm Area 51 event' scheduled for Friday. | Everything from news helicopters to drones to private planes and even police vehicles have been barred from the airspace in anticipation of the viral event. The US Air Force (USAF) has also sternly warned people not to waste its time and energy, or even put their lives at risk, by attempting to flout the ban. | Only aircraft "working in support of the Department of Energy (DOE) Mission are allowed to enter the TFR (Temporary Flig…

RT (2019-09-17). 'Very high probability' Iran behind Saudi attack, say anonymous US officials. rt.com While Saudi Arabia is holding off on assigning blame for the attack on its oil facilities, the US media are pointing the finger at Iran, citing anonymous government officials allegedly familiar with the ongoing investigation. | US and Saudi investigators have determined "with very high probability" that Saturday's strike was launched from an Iranian base close to the border with Iraq, CNN reported, based on these anonymous sources. | Both drones and cruise missiles were used to attack the refinery at Abqaiq and the Khurais oil field, flying over southern Iraq and Kuwait to avoid Saudi air defenses, according t…

teleSUR, LA (2019-09-17). US Sues Edward Snowden Over New Book, Seeks to Sale Profits. telesurenglish.net The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that they were suing NSA data leaker Edward Snowden over his new book "Permanent Record". | RELATED: | Snowden Hopes France Will Grant Him Asylum | "The United States today filed a lawsuit against Edward Snowden, a former employee of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA), who published a book entitled Permanent Record in violation of the non-disclosure agreements he signed with both CIA and N…

commondreams (2019-09-17). ACLU Comment on Edward Snowden Lawsuit. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Oliver Milman (2019-09-17). 'The Silenced': Meet the Climate Whistle-Blowers Muzzled by Trump. thenation.com 'The Silenced': Meet the Climate Whistle-Blowers Muzzled by Trump…

Staff (2019-09-17). Meet the Climate Whistleblowers Muzzled by Trump. truthout.org | | From weakening vehicle emissions to blocking warnings about how coastal parks could flood or the impact on the Arctic, the Trump administration is accused of muzzling climate science. | Here six whistleblowers and former government scientists describe being sidelined by the administration — and why they won't be quiet. | Jeff Alson: | Role: A former senior engineer…

Fight Back (2019-09-17). Yemeni forces strike Saudi Arabia; U.S. blames Iran. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – In the early morning hours of September 14 ten drones carried out an intensive bombing of two of the world's largest oil refineries, both located in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Aramco facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais were decimated, crippling the productive capabilities of the oil manufacturers in the country. The Air Force of the Yemeni Army and Popular Committees have announced that these strikes are a part of what they're calling the 2nd Operation of Balanced Deterrence. | The attacks serve as the latest in an ongoing war of resistance by Yemen that began nearly five years ago. On one side, there a…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2019-09-17). Edward Snowden Responds After Trump DOJ Sues Whistleblower Over New Memoir the US Government 'Does Not Want You to Read'. commondreams.org Citing what First Amendment advocates call an "unconstitutional" system of controlling what federal employees can and cannot say about their work, President Donald Trump's Justice Department on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden over the publication of his memoir. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/26213764531_fb2a8ef6fd_o1.jpg

Staff (2019-09-17). Headlines for September 17, 2019. democracynow.org Iran Rejects Talks with U.S. Following Disputed Drone Attacks in Saudi Arabia, Israelis Head to Polls to Decide Netanyahu's Fate, Afghanistan: Blast Near Presidential Rally Kills Dozens Amid Mounting Violence, Massive Blackout Hits Four Central American Nations, 2 Italian Officials Indicted over Migrant Deaths from 2013 Shipwreck, 2019 Was Northern Hemisphere's Hottest Summer on Record, Auto Workers Continue Strike with Support from Dems, Environmental Activists, Manhattan DA Subpoenas Trump Tax Returns, Acting Intelligence Dir. Refused to Turn Over Whistleblower Complaint That Could Involve Trump, House Dems Inv…

Staff (2019-09-17). Headlines for September 17, 2019. democracynow.org Iran Rejects Talks with U.S. Following Disputed Drone Attacks in Saudi Arabia, Israelis Head to Polls to Decide Netanyahu's Fate, Afghanistan: Blast Near Presidential Rally Kills Dozens Amid Mounting Violence, Massive Blackout Hits Four Central American Nations, 2 Italian Officials Indicted over Migrant Deaths from 2013 Shipwreck, 2019 Was Northern Hemisphere's Hottest Summer on Record, Autoworkers Continue Strike with Support from Dems, Environmental Activists, Manhattan DA Subpoenas Trump Tax Returns, Acting Intelligence Dir. Refused to Turn Over Whistleblower Complaint That Could Involve Trump, House Dems Inve…

John McEvoy (2019-09-17). In an exclusive interview former Ecuadorian foreign minister explains how lawfare is an attempt to 'blur the collective memory of the people'. thecanary.co CORRECTION: The headline was changed for clarity from "In an exclusive interview former Ecuadorian foreign minister explains how lawfare has 'blurred the collective memory of the people'" to "In an exclusive interview former Ecuadorian foreign minister explains how lawfare is an attempt to 'blur the collective memory of the people'" at 8.20pm on 17 September.This is part 1 of a 3-part interview with Guillaume Long, the former foreign minister of Ecuador. Part 2 covers systemic global corruption, and part 3 covers Ecuador's decision to grant political asylum to Julian Assange. The interview has been edited in part…

Staff (2019-09-16). Saudi Oil Refinery Attack Raises Fears of "Wider Regional War" Involving U.S. & Iran. democracynow.org President Trump is threatening to take military action after several large Saudi Arabian oil facilities were attacked Saturday by drones and cruise missiles. Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack, but numerous reports indicate the attack may have come from Iraq or Iran rather than Yemen. Crude oil prices soared more than 15% after the Aramco-run plants suffered heavy damage. One of the plants struck is the world's biggest petroleum-processing facility. According to one estimate, the attacks decreased Saudi's daily oil output by nearly 6 million barrels. While the United States has been quic…

Staff (2019-09-16). Headlines for September 16, 2019. democracynow.org U.S. Threatens Military Action Against Iran After Oil Attacks in Saudi Arabia, United Auto Workers Strike to Demand Fair Wages, Healthcare & Job Security from GM, Purdue Pharma Files for Bankruptcy, Calls Mount to Impeach Justice Kavanaugh After NYT Report on Sexual Misconduct, Hong Kong Protesters Appeal to U.S., U.K. as Uprising Shows No Sign of Slowing Down, Outsiders Lead Tunisia's Presidential Exit Polls, Algeria Announces Elections Amid Ongoing Protests Against Ruling Elite, U.K. Judge Says Julian Assange a Flight Risk, Must Remain in Prison, Appeals Court Revives Emoluments Case Against Trump, Felicity Huf…

Aaron Maté (2019-09-14). Ex-CIA analyst on why he predicted John Bolton's firing. thegrayzone.com Ex-CIA analyst John Kiriakou discusses why he accurately predicted John Bolton's ouster as National Security Adviser; who might replace him;…

Aaron Maté (2019-09-06). Embassy insider exposes CNN lies about Julian Assange. thegrayzone.com A "bombshell" CNN report claimed to show how Wikileaks founder Julian Assange published stolen Democratic Party emails in 2016 in…

ACLU (2019-08-27). New Resource Tool Sheds Light on Government's Prepublication Review System. aclu.org Millions of current and former government employees are subjected to this far-reaching censorship system. | This piece was originally published in Just Security. | For more than three years, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University have been litigating a series of Freedom of Information Act requests relating to "prepublication review." Under this far-reaching censorship system, millions of current and former government employees, con…