Democrats — like the dozens of freaked-out super-delegates interviewed by the New York Times this week — who threaten to edge out Sanders if he arrives at the party convention with a mere plurality rather than majority of delegates are making a big mistake.
Daily Archives: 29. Februar 2020
Malaysia‘s king appoints Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister
Palace announcement trumps Mahathir Mohamad‘s bid to return to power after his resignation amid political crisis.
I have viewed the widely shared footage depicting the police-involved shooting at the CTA station. With the strong caveat that one perspective does not depict the entirety of the incident, the video is extremely disturbing and the actions by these officers are deeply concerning.
This is murder. It violates multiple laws and policies. It’s against the law to shoot an unarmed person in the back.
On Video, Chicago Police Shoot Man At Grand-State Red Line Station After He Was Moving Between Cars
Deputy Police Supt. Barb West on Friday night said the officers were assigned to the mass transit unit and observed the man improperly moving between train cars, which is against city ordinance.
Trump upends controversial surveillance fight
Trump’s apparent support for including broader changes to the surveillance court associated with FISA comes as he’s railed repeatedly about his campaign being “spied” upon by the Obama-era FBI.
Progressives and libertarian-minded Republicans have long pushed to reform the court, arguing enough privacy protections and transparency aren’t given to individuals targeted for government surveillance.
Domestic phone surveillance program from the Patriot Act may finally see the grave
The Patriot Act was passed in the protectionist aftermath of 9/11, where the government decided to spy on its own citizens phone records under the guise of protecting against terrorism. When the Patriot Act was set to expire in 2015, Congress passed the USA Freedom Act which restored but barely modified several key surveillance provisions of the Patriot Act. Now that the USA Freedom Act is up for renewal, and data on just how ineffective the mass surveillance programs were in the first place, Congress may finally decide to end this heinous surveillance program.
N.S.A. Phone Program Cost $100 Million, but Produced Only Two Unique Leads
(25.02.2020)
The information surfaced as Congress was weighing whether to allow the law that authorizes the agency to operate the system — the USA Freedom Act of 2015 — to expire on March 15, or whether to accede to the Trump administration’s request that lawmakers extend the statute, so the agency could choose to turn the system back on in the future.
The House Judiciary Committee will meet on Wednesday to consider a draft bill that would adjust surveillance law in several ways, including terminating the program’s authority
Je mehr ich erfahre, desto entsetzter bin ich“: Kundgebungen für Julian Assange in Bern und Frankfurt am Main
Im Londoner Schauprozess gegen den WikiLeaks-Gründer Julian Assange vertagte die Vorsitzende Richterin Vanessa Baraitser schon am Donnerstag das Auslieferungsverfahren auf Mitte Mai. Derweil gingen auf der ganzen Welt Menschen für Julian Assange auf die Straße. Neben den großen Kundgebungen und Versammlungen in London gab es in den letzten Tagen unter anderem Protestaktionen in den australischen Städten Sydney, Melbourne und Brisbane, in Sri Lanka, in Neuseeland, im kanadischen Montreal, wie auch erstmals in New York. In Deutschland und in der Schweiz gingen Unterstützer für Assange in Berlin, Köln, Düsseldorf und Frankfurt am Main, sowie in Basel, Zürich und Bern auf die Straße.
Assange forced into ‚glass box‘ in extradition hearing in London
Managing Editor at Shadowproof in London Kevin Gosztola says Julian Assange has been “sitting in a glass box all week” and has been “isolated” during his extradition hearing.
The case in London has been pushed back until May 18, when it‘s scheduled to resume for another three weeks.
This Assange “Trial” Is A Self-Contradictory Kafkaesque Nightmare
The prosecution is working to extradite Assange to the US under a US-UK extradition treaty, a treaty whose contents the prosecution now says we should ignore because they explicitly forbid political extraditions. The prosecution says it doesn’t matter anyway because Assange is not a political actor, yet in 2010 the US government that’s trying to extradite him labeled him a political actor in those exact words. Assange’s trial is taking place in a maximum security prison for dangerous violent offenders because that’s where he’s being jailed for no stated reason and despite having no history of violence, which means he’s kept separate from the courtroom in a sound-resistant safety enclosure where he can’t hear or participate in his own trial. The magistrate judging the case says he can’t be allowed out of the enclosure since he’s considered dangerous, because he’s been arbitrarily placed in a prison for dangerous violent offenders. The magistrate keeps telling Assange to stop speaking up during his trial and to speak through his lawyers, yet he’s being actively prevented from communicating with his lawyers.
These are „Syrians“ Erdogan rushed to preserve & reinforce in #Idlib. FOREIGN mercenaries affiliated with Al-Qaeda ( Uzbek, Uighurs , Albanian, Turkistan, Chechen, French, Saudi, Moroccan) who threaten lives of Syrians , legitimate owners of territory. #EveryInch
A member of Russian forces in Idlib explains that Turkish drones are very active, which have changed the warfare. According to his report, Turkish forces bombard everything that moves, even motorcycles. The video also shows footage of destroyed military equipment.
Jihadists capture town in southern Idlib after launching new attack
This latest attack by the jihadist rebels and their allies comes just 24 hours after the Turkish Armed Forces carried out a heavy assault against the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), which ultimately led to the death of dozens of soldiers an the death destruction of a large amount of equipment.
Mossad Chief Visited Doha, Urged Qatar to Continue Hamas Financial Aid
The visit came to light in an interview former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman gave Israel‘s Channel 12 News on Saturday, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had sent Cohen and the Israeli military‘s chief of Southern Command Herzl Halevi to „beg the Qataris to keep funneling money into Hamas.“
The Taliban Peace Deal Might Have Been Had Many Years and Thousands of Lives Ago
Whatever emerges, Trump—to his credit and to the shame of those Trump critics who consider themselves more responsible stewards of U.S. foreign policy—has shattered the generation-long American political cowardice that inhibited negotiating an end to the war.
At least three times over the past 19 years that the U.S. could have had such a deal, on terms at least as favorable to Washington as the one reached now, and likely better.
US and Taliban sign peace deal that will send ALL American troops home in 14 months and pave way to end of 18-year Afghanistan war
– Pompeo was on hand for signing of the historic peace deal with the Taliban on Saturday in Doha, Qatar
– Deal paves the way for a full US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 14 months if conditions are met
– Taliban agrees to steps to ensure Afghanistan doesn‘t once again become a safe-haven for terrorists
– America has been at war in Afghanistan for 18 years since invasion after the 9/11 terror attacks
– Announcement of peace deal came after a partial week-long truce between the parties
LIVE: @EsperDoD & Afghan President @ashrafghani announce joint declaration.
U.S. Strikes Deal With Taliban to Withdraw Troops From Afghanistan
The United States signed a deal with the Taliban on Saturday that sets the stage to end America’s longest war — the nearly two-decade-old conflict in Afghanistan that began after the Sept. 11 attacks, killed tens of thousands of people, vexed three White House administrations and left mistrust and uncertainty on all sides.
USA und Taliban unterschreiben: Friedensabkommen für Afghanistan
Mehr als 18 Jahre nach dem US-Einmarsch in Afghanistan haben die USA und die militant-islamistischen Taliban ein Abkommen über Wege zu einem Frieden geschlossen.
Netanyahu‘s Willing to Burn Israel Down for a Couple of Knesset Seats
Just as General Sherman launched his famous march to the sea during the U.S. Civil War and en route, in order to win, put to the torch everything he came across – buildings, cattle and the city of Atlanta – so Benjamin Netanyahu is doing with his scorched-earth doctrine. For one or two more Knesset seats, he’s ready to burn down the entire country.
The strategy of the late political consultant Arthur Finkelstein, to which the prime minister has subscribed for almost three decades now – namely, that the only way to win an election is by running a negative campaign – has taken over our political sphere.
Wer hat uns verraten? Na klar!
Dass man niemanden dazu zwingt, sich selbst zu belasten, ist übrigens einer der wesentlichen Merkmale, die eine Justiz von einer Inquisition abhebt. Herzlichen Glückwunsch, liebe SPD. Tolle Idee, einen Nicht-Juristen in den Rechtsausschuss zu schicken.
UN report finds killings of women rights activists in Colombia increased by 50%
The citizens in municipalities most affected by violent groups and illicit economies continued to defend the rights of their communities and ethnic groups, including areas such as Antioquia, Arauca, Cauca and Caquetá. These killings amounted to 65 percent of all the killings, a trend documented by the UN since 2016.
Colombian Movement Defends UN Report Against Govt‘s Attacks
Human rights group Defendamos la Paz movement on Friday defended a UN report on the human rights situation in Colombia during 2019 that was recently refected by the conservative government as interference in domestic affairs.
Kolumbien: Tausende Indigene feiern 49 Jahre Kampf für „Land, Kultur und Autonomie“
Indigener Regionalrat des Cauca setzt sich seit 1971 für die Rechte der indigenen Gemeinschaften ein. Scharfe Kritik an Regierungspolitik
Erdogan verkündet Angriffe auf Ziele in Syrien
Die Türkei meldet, dass sie einen umfassenden Angriff auf die syrische Provinz Idlib gestartet hat. Dabei seien Ziele der Regierung von Präsident Baschar al-Assad „unter schweren Beschuss genommen und zerstört“ worden, sagte Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Mehr als 300 Militärfahrzeuge seien zerstört worden, darunter mehr als 90 Panzer.
Erdogan bestätigt Öffnung türkischer Grenze
„Wir haben seit geraumer Zeit gesagt, dass wir nicht verpflichtet sind, so viele Flüchtlinge aufzunehmen. Sie haben uns Hilfe versprochen, aber Sie tun nichts, und gestern haben wir unsere Grenzen geöffnet. Es sind bereits 18.000 Flüchtlinge vergangen, und heute wird sich die Zahl auf 25.000 oder 30.000 erhöhen, und wir werden unsere Türen nicht schließen. Denn die EU muss ihr Wort halten”, sagte Erdogan am Samstag in Istanbul.
Turkey, Pressing E.U. for Help in Syria, Threatens to Open Borders to Refugees
Friday was much the same, as Turkey demanded help from NATO after a deadly clash in Syria. But this time, Mr. Erdogan not only threatened to let refugees enter Greece. Local officials bought several thousands of them tickets, helped them onto shiny Mercedes-Benz buses and drove them to the border.
The mini-exodus was accompanied step by step by state-run Turkish media, …
Syria: UN urges Russia and Turkey to secure ‘fresh ceasefire’ as risk of military escalation grows
With the Security Council meeting in emergency session on Syria following the death on the battlefield of dozens of Turkish troops, the UN strongly urged Russia and Turkey on Friday “to build on previous agreements to secure a fresh ceasefire” across the war-torn northwest.
After a Face-Off in Syria, Turkey and Russia Try to Pull Back From the Brink
With the United States scaling back its global role, the two nations are in a contest over which will become the pre-eminent regional power.
Trump Again Selects Texas Rep. John Ratcliffe to Be Intelligence Chief
President Trump said he intends to nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe as his director of national intelligence, reviving a selection that foundered last year over concerns about his qualifications and fears he would politicize the nation’s spy apparatus
US-Geheimdienstchef: Trump nominiert Ratcliffe erneut
Der von Trumps Republikanern dominierte Senat muss die Personalie bestätigen. Am Mittwoch vergangener Woche hatte Trump angekündigt, seinen loyalen Botschafter in Berlin, Richard Grenell, vorübergehend zusätzlich zum Geheimdienstkoordinator zu machen.
UAE and US troops to be deployed in Native Fury military exercise
A huge military exercise involving live fire training will take place in the Emirati desert next month. Thousands of marines, sailors and high-ranking officers from the US and UAE military will be involved in Native Fury on March 8. The operation will ensure combat personnel are prepared if they find themselves in a live conflict.
Pentagon chief meets Saudi Arabia‘s deputy defence minister
On landing in Riyadh on Monday, he met the head of US Central Command, which is responsible for military operations in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
Several checkpoints to close for 7 days
He added that the UN and the British Bases have already been informed on the move, which Ioannou said is being taken for the protection of both communities.
Cyprus to shut checkpoints for first time since 2003 over coronavirus
Several crossing points have been dotted along a United Nations-controlled ‘green line’ across the island since the first one opened in central Nicosia in early 2003.
Remarks at a Press Availability on the Situation in Idlib, Syria
QUESTION: So, do you think Turkey should continue its military campaign?
AMBASSADOR CRAFT: I’m going to re-affirm what the President said on his call. He supports Turkey’s efforts to deescalate the situation on the ground. Thanks.
Rekord-Explosion im Weltall
Beule im Schwarzen Loch: Milchstraße hätte 15 Mal hinein gepasst
Luxemburg: Erstes Land der Welt mit kostenlosen „Öffis“
Gleichzeitig sollen Bus- und Straßenbahnlinien ausgebaut werden. Der Einnahmeausfall in Höhe von jährlich 41 Millionen Euro soll über die Steuer ausgeglichen werden.
Afghanistan: Donald Trump kündigt Friedensabkommen mit Taliban an
US-Außenminister Mike Pompeo soll am Samstag in Doha ein Friedensabkommen mit den Taliban unterzeichnen. Anschließend sind innerafghanische Verhandlungen geplant.