NSA’S ‘XKEYSCORE’ COLLECTS NEARLY ALL INTERNET USER DOES

Report from The Guardian: ” A top secret National Security Agency program allows analysts to search with no prior authorization through vast databases containing emails, online chats and the browsing histories of millions of individuals, according to documents provided by whistleblower Edward Snowden. The NSA boasts in training materials that the program, called XKeyscore, is its ‘widest-reaching’ system for developing intelligence from the internet. The latest revelations will add to the intense public and congressional debate around the extent of NSA surveillance programs.”  (link to report below)

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/31/nsa-top-secret-program-online-data

SNOWDEN’S FATHER — MY SON WON’T GET A FAIR TRIAL

From report: “If Edward [Snowden] returned to the US for prosecution, he would not be granted the constitutional right of due process, the elder Snowden fears.

‘The fact is no assurances have been made that he will be given a fair trial, that he deserves, or any citizen of this nation is given by our Constitution,’ he said…” (Link to report below)

http://on.rt.com/nhdw8z

 

BRADLEY MANNING VERDICT BRINGS ANGER — AND RELIEF …

Colonel Denise Lind, had made an “extremely important decision, under what must have been trying professional conditions, by denying the prosecution’s effort to launch the most dangerous assault on investigative journalism and the free press in the area of national security that we have seen in decades.” — Bradley Manning trial defense witness — (Guardian story’s link below)

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/30/bradley-manning-verdict-anger-relief

CORNEL WEST: “OBAMA IS A GLOBAL GEORGE ZIMMERMAN”

FROM CORNEL WEST VIA DEMOCRACY NOW: — On [President] Obama’s remarks comparing himself to Trayvon Martin, West says: “Will that identification hide and conceal the fact there’s a criminal justice system in place that has nearly destroyed two generations of precious, poor black and brown brothers? [Obama] hasn’t said a word until now — five years in office and can’t say a word about a ‘new Jim Crow.’ … Obama and [Attorney General Eric] Holder — will they come through at the federal level for Trayvon Martin? We hope so — [but] don’t hold your breath. There’s going to be many people who say, ‘We see this President is not serious about the criminalizing of poor people.'” (link below to text and video)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/democracy-now/cornel-west-obama-is-a-gl_b_3635516.html?utm_source=Alert-blogger&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Email%2BNotifications

CHINA WIDENS BIG PHARMA PROBE INTO ILLICIT PRACTICES: REPORTS

UK TELEGRAPH REPORT:

“Astrazeneca’s sales office in Citic Square, Shanghai, on Friday afternoon and were said to have detained one employee …. The move comes after Chinese authorities appear to be widening their probe into drug pricing beyond GlaxoSmithKline..” (link below)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/pharmaceuticalsandchemicals/10194330/AstraZeneca-employee-detained-in-China.html

FINANCIAL TIMES REPORT (link below):

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/23c0e636-f29b-11e2-802f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2ZmNINqqI

ACTIVISTS: RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION FOUND NEAR AEROJET PLANT IN TENNESSEE

REPORT:

19 July 2013

JONESBOROUGH, TN (USA): Activists reveal radioactive pollution

by Michael Henes

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) and Appalachian Peace Education Center (APEC) held a press conference on Monday 15 July announcing the findings of a recent study revealing uranium contamination in the area surrounding Aerojet Ordnance Tennessee (AOT) in Jonesborough.

Johnson City Press newspaper and NBC-affiliate WJHL Channel 11 attended the conference held on Old State Route 34 across from the northeast Tennessee uranium weapons facility. (link follows)

http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2013/07/21/jonesborough-tn-usa-activists-reveal-radioactive-pollution

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YOU ARE BEING TRACKED BY LICENSE PLATE SCANNERS

Common Dreams Report:

“Tens of millions of innocent Americans are being tracked by the police through vast license plate scanning systems, according to new documents obtained by the ACLU.

“Location records of millions of civilians are logged and updated in roughly 300 police departments nationwide through “rapidly expanding” automatic license plate reader technologies, dispersed throughout cities and communities the group says.

“The spread of these scanners is creating what are, in effect, government location tracking systems recording the movements of many millions of innocent Americans in huge databases,” said ACLU Staff Attorney Catherine Crump, the report’s lead author …” (link & photo below)

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/07/17-6

MONSANTO DROPS BID TO SELL EUROPE MORE OPPOSED GMO SEEDS

REPORT: “The world’s largest seed corporation says it has dropped its bid to get more genetically modified crops onto the European market due to the wide-spread popular opposition. The biotech giant says it will expand its share of the natural seed market instead.

“We will no longer be pursuing approvals for cultivation of new biotech crops in Europe. Instead, we will focus on enabling imports of biotech crops into the EU and the growth of our current business there,” the US-based company said in an email statement.

“Several EU member states, including France, Germany, Austria, Spain, have banned the cultivation of genetically-modified crops….” (story’s link below)

http://rt.com/news/monsanto-europe-gmo-food-309/

RUSSIA OPPOSITION LEADER NAVALNY FREED, CAN RUN FOR MOSCOW MAYOR

Report: “[Russian] protest leader Aleksey Navalny has been freed [from prison] pending appeal along with co-defendent Pyotr Ofitserov on the condition they adhere to travel restrictions. The court ruled Navalny may run in the Moscow mayoral elections despite charges set against him…” (link below)

http://rt.com/news/navalny-freed-appeal-mayor-302/

PORTRAITS — AMERICANS WHO TELL THE TRUTH …

Visit the Americans Who Tell the Truth website (link below) to view the portraits by Robert Shetterly of those he regards as embodying this ideal:

“Americans Who Tell the Truth is dedicated to the belief that a profound sense of citizenship is the only safeguard of democracy and the best defense of our social, economic, and environmental rights. Through portraits and stories of exemplary American citizens, both historical and contemporary, AWTT teaches the courage to act for the common good. The original portraits and accompanying resources promote our country’s ideals, illuminate the necessary work of the present, and inspire hope in the future.”

Edward Snowden’s portrait is now included.

http://www.americanswhotellthetruth.org

Thanks to Common Dreams for sending a special message about this.