CIA, Mike Pompeo Sued for Spying on Assange's London Visitors
On Mon., a lawsuit was filed against the CIA and its former director Mike Pompeo, accusing them of illegally spying on US citizens who visited Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, thereby violating their Fourth Amendment rights.
The four plaintiffs – attorneys Margaret Ratner Kunstler and Deborah Hrbek, and journalists Charles Glass and John Goetz – allege that the agency recorded their conversations and extracted data from their personal devices.
They claim that Undercover Global – the Spanish company that provided security at the embassy – acted as a CIA agent, providing information it collected without the approval of the Ecuadorian government.
Establishment-critical narrative
By targeting a publisher as if he were an enemy of the state, the CIA has violated US citizens' constitutional right to privacy, as well as attorney-client and medical-patient privileges – not only related to Assange, but potentially to every client and patient who visited the Wikileaks founder. This is a totally absurd government intrusion that reveals the CIA's double standards in accusing Assange of the sorts of violations it routinely utilizes.
Pro-establishment narrative
Assange is not a journalist, he is a spy leading an intelligence agency that has provided sensitive information to enemies of the US. He doesn't care about national security or about the lives he has put at risk, even having deemed them "collateral damage." Suggesting constitutional rights should protect his un-American and illegal activities is a gross misrepresentation.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that Julian Assange will be extradited to the US before Apr. 24, 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Kabul Mosque Bombing Kills At Least 21
A bombing at a Sunni mosque in the Afghan capital of Kabul during evening prayers on Wed. reportedly killed at least 21 people, including a prominent cleric, and wounded 33 others.
The cleric killed is believed to be Mullah Amir Mohammad Kabuli, and no one has yet claimed responsibility for the suspected suicide attack on the Siddiquiya Mosque in Kabul's Kher Khanna district.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the attack, which also injured several children, and promised to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Pro-establishment narrative
The tragic attack in Kabul is just the latest example of how the "emirate" is drifting into chaos and lawlessness since the West's withdrawal. This is compounded by economic collapse and an acute food crisis. But even in combat, the Taliban are failing. The ruthless rampage of the so-called ISIS-K bears witness to this. The US must prepare for an increasing threat to its security interests.
Establishment-critical narrative
Afghanistan only makes the headlines when it comes to violence and tragedy. More attention must be paid to the country's humanitarian catastrophe. Due to the dire economic situation, 22.8M Afghans are facing acute food insecurity, and 3M children are at risk of malnutrition. The West contributes to this by, for example, not releasing Afghanistan's frozen reserves funds. This is a declaration of moral bankruptcy.
Florida Judge: 16-Year-Old Not "Mature" Enough for Abortion
A Florida judge has ruled that a 16-year-old, who was seeking a court waiver to terminate her pregnancy without parental consent, cannot receive an abortion because she isn't "mature" enough.
Mon. saw an appellate court uphold the lower court's ruling that found the teen - referred to as Jane Doe 22-B - "had not established by clear and convincing evidence that she was sufficiently mature to decide whether to terminate her pregnancy."
Florida's "Parental Notice of and Consent for Abortion Act" requires a parent or legal guardian to provide physicians with written consent before an abortion is performed on a minor.
Left narrative
This case is the direct result of the reversal of Roe v. Wade and highlights the dangers of parental consent laws. Rather than trusting and listening to the teen, the state of Florida is effectively forcing her to give birth - ironically deeming her mature enough to raise a child, but not mature enough to make choices about her body.
Right narrative
Doe was seeking to bypass Florida's parental consent law - legislation designed to protect vulnerable minors as well as their unborn children. Facing the recent death of a close friend she was under significant stress and a judge has rightly determined that she needs more time to make an informed decision.
Nerd narrative
There's a 5% chance that abortion will be banned nationally in the United States before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Day 176 Roundup: At Least 12 Killed in Deadly Blasts in Kharkiv; Russia Threatens to Shut Off Zaporizhzhia Plant
In the last 24 hrs, Russian missile attacks on the northeastern region of Kharkiv have killed at least 12 civilians, local officials confirmed on Thursday. In the city of Kharkiv, at least ten civilians were reported killed and at least 35 more were injured in separate attacks. An additional two civilians were reported killed and two were injured in the nearby village of Krasnohrad.
Ukrainian officials also reported that three civilians were killed and six more were injured as a result of Russian shelling in the Donetsk region, where heavy fighting and artillery fire continues. Pro-Russia separatists from the Donetsk People's Republic reported one civilian was killed and nine were injured in Ukrainian attacks for the same time period. Russian shelling was also reported in Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia but there were no reports of civilian casualties.
Meanwhile, as the UN's António Guterres visited Ukraine, Russian defense ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Russia is not deploying any heavy weaponry at the Zaporizhzhia power plant, stating that only security patrols are present at the site. He further alleged Ukraine is preparing to attack the plant on Aug. 19 in order to be able to blame Russia for a nuclear incident. Another official said Russia would turn off the plant if negative developments continue.
Pro-establishment narrative
Experts have made it clear – the situation at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant presents the risk of another Chernobyl. Nuclear disaster has, miraculously, been avoided so far, but continuing risks the safety and effectiveness of staff to control the reactors could have catastrophic consequences.
Establishment-critical narrative
Although Zaporizhzhia's cooling systems will be relatively vulnerable due to their contact with the outside world, the worst case scenario would only cause serious damage at a local level. Both Russia and Ukraine are over stating the risk of nuclear catastrophe to galvanize domestic support for the invasion and play upon Western fears to incentivize providing military and public support respectively.
Nerd narrative
There is an 15% chance that there will be a serious radiation incident at any nuclear plant in Ukraine by 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
UN Report: 'Reasonable to Conclude' Forced Labor Regime Exists in China
A UN special report published on Tues. said it was "reasonable to conclude" that state-backed forced labor among Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China has been occurring in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, particularly in sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing.
Tomoya Obokata, the UN's special rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, said in the report that evidence of forced labor existed within the region's system of "vocational skills education and training" centers, as well as a poverty alleviation program that involves transferring unemployed rural workers to other work.
Obokata recognized that these programs may create employment opportunities for minorities and improve their incomes, as is claimed by the Chinese government. However, he concluded that there are indicators pointing to the involuntary nature of work in many cases.
Anti-China narrative
The case substantiating allegations of Chinese atrocities in Xinjiang continues to build. It's now impossible for UN agencies and member states to ignore these crimes against humanity. The UN office on Genocide Prevention should immediately assess and respond to Chinese government actions against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the region.
Pro-China narrative
Claims about forced labor in China are baseless accusations designed as a political tool to curb Chinese development, all under the pretext of human rights. The West should first confront their own abuses before smearing China; perhaps the US should be investigated for its reprehensible treatment of immigrants, or for its more than 500k child agricultural laborers working under extreme conditions with little to no protection.
Nerd narrative
There is a 25% chance that the UN will open an investigation or otherwise intervene on the issue of the Xinjiang internment camps before 2024, according to the Metaculus Prediction Community.
US, Taiwan Begin Formal Trade Talks
After unveiling the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade in June, the two nations have agreed to begin talks to reach agreements with "economically meaningful outcomes," as well as discuss China's alleged "economic coercion."
The talks - which are set to include issues such as trade faciliation, good regulatory practices, and barriers to trade - are reportedly part of a US effort to "deepen ties with Taiwan." However, Biden's coordinator for the Indo-Pacific region confirmed the US's stance on the One China principle hasn't changed.
China reiterated its opposition to the new US-Taiwan initiative, saying "China will take resolute measures to uphold its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. We advise the [US] stop making misjudgments."
Anti-China narrative
This trade initiative is economic in nature and not a provocation by the US against China. The US government still recognizes China's legal and governmental sovereignty over Taiwan; any military response from Beijing would be an outlandish escalation on China's part.
Pro-China narrative
This latest move is yet another blatant challenge to the One China policy under the guise of trade cooperation. It's an attempt to limit the island's reliance on the Chinese mainland and expand its so-called international space - a direct threat to PRC sovereignty.
Cynical narrative
While the US has a long history of protecting South Pacific nations from communist invasion, the world has changed and the US isn't the sole power in Asia. China has become equal to the US and, in some ways, outgrown it both economically and militarily. Risking a war with China over an island they claim as theirs is not worth the consequences.
Nerd narrative
There is a 26% chance that China will launch a full-scale invasion of Taiwan before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Mexican Lawsuit, US Legislation Putting Pressure on Arms Makers
The recent mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, is being used as one of several examples of alleged negligence of US gun manufacturers in an ongoing lawsuit brought forward last year by Mexico.
The lawsuit - which is against 10 US manufacturers - alleges that gun violence in Mexico is attributed to guns sold in the US and trafficked over the border. It estimates the damage from manufacturers could be $10B.
Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. and Glock Inc., are among the defendants, with the Mexican Foreign Affairs Ministry estimating that 70% of weapons trafficked across the border come from US companies.
Narrative A
This lawsuit is Mexico's attempt to pass the blame for its growing criminal enterprise onto someone else. There are a myriad of factors behind the rampant crime and corruption within its borders, which means that, even if successful, this effort will do little to address them.
Narrative B
While these companies may be protected by the PLCAA in the US, that law has no jurisdiction in Mexico. It is about time that these gun manufacturers and distributors are held accountable for knowingly allowing their products to fall into the hands of dangerous cartels.
Report: Secret Service Knew of Threats Against Pelosi Before Jan. 6
According to emails obtained by govt. watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), the US Secret Service learned of a threat to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) days before the Jan. 6 riots.
The emails show that the Secret Service discovered a Parler account containing threats against Pelosi, Biden, and others on Jan. 4, 2021. The Capitol Police were reportedly alerted on the afternoon of the 6th.
The Parler account posted on Dec. 31, 2020 that Congress' certification of Biden's election win was "#1776 all over again" and urged those heading to DC to keep their "MAGA gear hidden" to avoid attention.
Republican narrative
Protecting Pelosi isn't in the Secret Service's jurisdiction, it falls on the Capitol Police. Threats against public officials occur on a daily basis, and the Secret Service passed on the threat as soon as it was able to.
Democratic narrative
With allegations of deleting potentially incriminating messages, refusal to testify under oath about its role on Jan. 6, and now evidence that it didn't turn over vital information, the Secret Service's credibility is only getting further tarnished. If they're innocent, they're sure not acting like it.
India: Journalist Arrested Over Alleged Maoist Ties
The arrest of a freelance journalist in Jharkhand in eastern India has raised concerns among human rights activists and his family members, who say he was targeted for reporting on issues of marginalized tribal communities.
Rupesh Kumar Singh was arrested on July 17 for alleged links with the banned left-wing armed group, known as the Maoists, that has been in conflict with Jharkhand for decades and is primarily active in India's tribal-dominated states.
According to Singh's wife, the arrest was in connection with a first information report (FIR) under which some suspected Maoists were arrested, though she alleged Singh was not named in the original FIR.
Pro-establishment narrative
This is part of a continued effort to crackdown on Maoist insurgents who have caused an enormous amount of violence in India for decades. The government is justified in doing all it can to protect the lives of its citizens, and its intervention has and will continue to curtail the strength of the insurgency.
Establishment-critical narrative
Singh's arrest is an attempt to silence him under the guise of keeping Jharkhand's streets safe. The Indian police are violating Singh's human rights by harassing him in retaliation for his reporting. This is clearly a case about freedom of the press. Singh should be commended for his willingness to report on the state-imposed repression.
Judge Orders DOJ to Redact and Release Mar-a-Lago Search Affidavit
US Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who signed the warrant allowing the FBI to search former Pres. Trump's Fla. home, on Thurs. ordered the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) to redact and release a version of the affidavit used to obtain the warrant.
Reinhart's order comes after several media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Associated Press, and Washington Post, pushed for the affidavit's release.
Though the DOJ argued unsealing the affidavit could jeopardize the investigation in its "early stages," Reinhart said, "I find that on the present record the Government has not met its burden of showing that the entire affidavit should remain sealed."
Pro-Trump narrative
The DOJ and Biden admin. have weaponized law enforcement resources against their political opponents. The DOJ's desire to not release the affidavit once again makes it clear it's not working in public interest but rather to tarnish the reputation of Trump and his supporters as the midterm elections near.
Democratic narrative
The last thing Trump's defenders should want is for the affidavit to go public because it likely contains evidence that will bury him. Releasing a redacted version, however, might be wise to calm the former president's supporters and prove the DOJ isn't acting politically.
© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.15.2