Saturday, January 02, 2021

Pamela Anderson Pleads With US President Trump to Pardon Julian Assange

Pamela Anderson Pleads With US President Trump to Pardon Julian Assange

17:51 GMT 02.01.2021Get short URL

Actress and activist Pamela Anderson, a long-standing supporter of jailed journalist and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, has made previous appeals to President Donald Trump to end his prosecution. Trump has already pardoned several associates more controversial convicts.

Actress Pamela Anderson has again called on US President Donald Trump to grant an 11th-hour pardon to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

The Canadian-born Baywatch and Barb Wire star, also an animal rights and HIV activist, urged Trump to act in the name of press freedom before Monday, when Judge Vanessa Baraitser will rule on whether he can be extradited to the US.

The campaigning journalist faces 18 criminal charges over Wikileaks publishing of classified Pentagon files documenting the killings of civilians by US armed forces in Iraq, which were leaked by jailed whistle-blower Chelsea Manning. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 175 years in jail.

“The case is simply a criminalisation of a free press,” Anderson told the New York Post. “Julian is being charged with journalism. Documents that have exposed war crimes and human rights abuses. Now the US wants to punish him for exposing crimes."

The actress added: “If this extradition is successful, it will mean that no journalist is safe from prosecution. This will set a precedent where any US journalist can be charged and sent to any country that requests their extradition."

Trump is set to leave office on January 20, when president-elect is sworn in. He has already issued several presidential pardons in his final weeks, including for his former national security advisor General Michael Flynn, his son-in-law Jared Kushner's father Charles, and the four Blackwater security personnel imprisoned for the 2007 Nisour Square massacre in Iraq.

Pamela Anderson

Anderson cautioned other journalists against acquiescence in Assange's extradition, warning that it was the thin end of the wedge for their own freedoms.

"Don’t think ‘it won’t happen to me,’ because it absolutely could, and countries will use it to silence whatever they don’t like the sound of,” she said.

“Everyone should be asking Mr. Trump to pardon him,” she said. “Anyone with influence should speak up for his freedom because it is our freedom, too. Take to Twitter and start a storm of requests.”

Last month Anderson, a longstanding supporter of Assange, tweeted glamourous photos of herself with a message to Trump to let Assange return to his native Australia.

Assange was accused of sexual assault in Sweden in August 2010, although he was not charged and allowed to leave the country and travel to the UK. In November that year Swedish prosecutors decided to charge the journalist with rape and sought his extradition from London.

After failed legal battles in British courts against being sent to Sweden, from where he feared he would be re-extradited to the US, Assange was granted political asylum in June 2012 by the left-wing government of Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa, and took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

In April 2019 Correa's successor Lenin Moreno, who was cultivating good relations with Washington, ordered Assange expelled from the embassy after Wikileaks reported on corruption allegations against his government. Police were called to forcibly remove the journalist. He was arrested for breaching bail conditions imposed seven years earlier during his appeal against extradition.

Anderson said Assange was being held on remand in "medieval" conditions that put him at risk of infection with the deadly coronavirus strain.

“It’s madness. He is … crammed in amongst murderers in a prison that is rife with COVID,” she said. “It’s the middle of winter and it’s freezing in there and his winter clothes haven’t been delivered. The whole thing is a medieval madness.”

She urged others to join her campaign to free the journalist.

“Drop the charges. Stop this persecution of a man who was brave enough to stand up for the right thing,” Anderson pleaded. “We can be a part of setting him free. We just need to have the courage he had and speak up.”

Bobi Wine: From pop star to presidential hopeful in Uganda

Uganda votes for a new president in January. Popular musician and challenger Bobi Wine wants to build a united coalition. In his way is President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled with an iron fist for over three decades.

Bobi Wine has always been a popular figure among Ugandans. Over the past few years, though, he has become a thorn in the side of Uganda's government. The 38-year-old will take on the country's longtime president in the January 14 election.

Wine — one of President Yoweri Museveni's biggest critics — became famous as a reggae and pop musician. His albums and singles have made him a household name across East Africa for over 15 years. Among other honors, he has won an MTV Music Award.

President Museveni, in power for 34 years, faces a significant challenge from Bobi Wine

But, since 2017, Wine has been a prominent member of the opposition in Uganda's Parliament. In November, Wine, whose given name is Robert Kyagulanyi, was named the presidential candidate of the National Unity Platform (NUP) opposition party.

Wine has predicted a difficult fight to free Uganda from Museveni's 34-year rule in his nomination speech: "Today, we close the book of lamentation and open the Book of Acts."
The 'ghetto president'

With this statement, the pop star signal led his intention to end Museveni's grip on power. This is a serious threat for Uganda's political elite, and, directly following his presidential nomination, Wine was detained for a few hours by police. Wine later said he was harassed and abused.

The election campaigns in Uganda have been fraught with violence, especially for the opposition. In November, the government said dozens of people were killed in campaign-related violence. In December, one of Wine's aides suffered serious injuries from rubber bullets during a confrontation between security forces and opposition supporters.

Just three weeks before the presidential vote in Uganda, the death of Wine's bodyguard threw a spotlight on the violence in the run-up to the poll. Wine said his aide was purposefully run over by a military police vehicle, which the military denied.

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A singer's ascent

The music star, who was raised in a poor neighborhood of Kampala, embraces his background as the "ghetto president," and says he fights for his vision of a democratic Uganda.

"I want to live in a free Uganda. But as an ideology, we are people who want to feel that we matter in our country," he told DW in 2018.

No obstacle seems too big for the charismatic singer. Torture, abuse and accusations of high treason from the government have so far not been able to deter his campaign.

Presidential candidate Bobi Wine has been arrested multiple times by security forces

"I must also say that I am presidential material," Wine told DW in August. "I'm well educated and well researched and well traveled. But most importantly, if we are to compare with a president that has presided over our country for more than 34 years, he is not as educated as I am. He was not as credible as I am."

A united Uganda?

Wine has outlined five key goals for his potential presidency. He wants to establish law and order and respect for human rights. He promises improvements to the health sector, education system and agriculture sector. Land ownership should return to the people. He also wants to unite Uganda's ethnically diverse society.

Watch video Will young voters decide Uganda's presidential election?

To achieve his goals, Wine believes he must use both sides of his personality: "The different characters have different roles to play. As Kyagulanyi, I walk into Parliament and articulate issues. As Bobi Wine the musician, I also use the microphone to make sure that the message goes as far as possible. I think they just complement each other."

Wine speaks to the frustrations of younger Ugandan voters, who make up a considerable portion of the population.

Museveni — who has led Uganda since 1986 — once held this role. But today, many of the younger generation are critical of corruption and ineffective governance. Wine demands change — with the help of a peaceful revolution.

Wine has support from youth in a country where 70% of people are under the age of 30

"The People Power Revolution is actually an initiative that seeks first and foremost to create or to unite all change-seeking forces in Uganda. After that, then we can proceed and change our country. It is a belief in the sovereignty of the people, as indeed provided for in our constitution right at the beginning. That old power belongs to the people. So, we are reminding people about their power, but most importantly, about the ability to make use of that power that they have," Wine told DW.

Wine said Uganda's 2016 election was a key moment for him in deciding to run for office. Museveni officially won by a landslide, but the vote was not seen as transparent or fair.

When he saw, as many saw, there was no chance a peaceful transition of power through elections, Bobi Wine decided that his candidacy would "bring back the hope and confidence in the people and make them realize that we can change our destiny."

This article was adapted from the German by Cai Nebe.

Bobi Wine likens Uganda election to 'a war and a battlefield'

Bobi Wine, the former reggae singer turned Ugandan opposition .leader, has spoken about his country’s bitter and violent presidential election campaign as it moves into its final two weeks

Bobi Wine, left, escorts an injured supporter to a medical centre in December.

“The campaign is crazy. It’s like a war and a battlefield,” Wine said in an interview conducted before he was detained for a third time in two months on Wednesday.

“Every day, we are met with heavily armed military officers. It’s always teargas and grenades, live bullets and beatings,” the 38-year-old said in the town of Lyantonde, 112 miles (180km) from the capital, Kampala.

“I am afraid and concerned every day. I fear for my life and the lives of my comrades in the struggle. The regime is after our lives. It’s after hurting and incapacitating us. Every day we live is as if it’s the last one.”

The January polls pit Wine against Yoweri Museveni, who came to power in 1986.

Photograph: Tiksa Negeri/Reuters

The campaign has already been marked by the worst political violence in Uganda for decades, with more than 50 people shot dead by security forces over two days of protests that followed Wine’s arrest in November.

Ten days later, police fired shots into Wine’s car, prompting him to briefly suspend his campaign. Last week, Wine said one of his bodyguards was killed when military police ran him over while Wine’s convoy was taking a wounded journalist to seek medical help. Military police said the bodyguard had fallen from a speeding car.

On Wednesday, Wine was detained again, along with members of his team, while campaigning in the country’s central region. Wine was flown back to Kampala and was back on the campaign trail again on Thursday, although dozens of his team remained behind bars.

Opposition supporters are routinely dispersed by security forces using teargas and rubber bullets.

“We wake up in the morning and we don’t know what to expect for the day. It’s only by the mercy of God that we manage to make it through the day. I have to wear a bulletproof vest all the time to protect my life. The brutality and violence continue to escalate,” Wine told the Guardian.

© Provided by The Guardian

Bobi Wine (centre) during his arrest on Wednesday. Photograph: Reuters

The intensifying violence in the small east African state has prompted international concern. “We are gravely concerned by the election-related violence, the excessive use of force by security personnel, as well as the increasing crackdown on peaceful protesters, political and civil society leaders and human rights defenders,” a panel of UN experts said in a statement this week.

Known by supporters as “the ghetto president”, Wine broke into formal politics in 2017 when he won a seat in Uganda’s national assembly, and has since been badly assaulted and detained many times. The politician, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, grew up in poverty in Kampala before his successful musical career.

Wine has repeatedly accused Museveni of being a dictator, and has enthusiastic support, especially among Uganda’s young and urban population who want change.

“This is a generational cause. I am a Ugandan that represents the pain, misery, aspirations and dreams of millions of Ugandans. What I am saying and representing is what millions of young people in the ghettoes, unemployed and those in universities want,” Wine said.

Bobi Wine campaigning in December.

Photograph: Sumy Sadurni/AFP/Getty Images

But Wine has yet to lay out any detailed policy programmes, and faces an experienced opponent who can count on loyalty from individuals and institutions in Uganda that have benefited from his rule over decades. Museveni, 76, has the support of security forces and much of the bureaucracy. Decades of economic growth and subsidies have won him a loyal mass following in rural areas.

The authorities say force is necessary to ensure compliance with measures against Covid-19. “In Uganda, Covid-19 regulations have been weaponised … as [a] pretext for political repression,” said Deprose Muchena of Amnesty international.

Amnesty said supporters of Museveni and the ruling party had repeatedly gathered in large crowds unhindered by police.

At rallies and in national media, Museveni has accused Wine and other opposition leaders of being “traitors” who planned “insurrection … with their foreign backers”. At one rally, Museveni said the protesters were “being used by outsiders … homosexuals and others who don’t like the stability and independence of Uganda.”

Richard Emanio, a party worker for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), said foreign powers wanted to use the opposition to destabilise Uganda.

“Museveni should continue to rule Uganda because of his proven leadership ability. He has helped stabilise our country politically, economically and socially. He has helped other African countries see peace,” Emanio said.

There are also international concerns over the harassment of journalists and government critics in Uganda.

The recent arrest and week-long detention of Nicholas Opiyo, a prominent Ugandan human rights lawyer, sent “a chilling message about their disregard for basic rights”, said Otsieno Namwaya, the senior researcher for Africa at the New York-based Human Rights Watch.

Lincoln Project ad shows Trump border wall built from tombstones of Covid victims

Trump’s border wall was ‘paid for with 330,901 American lives’, says the a
Matt Mathers @MattEm90

Republican anti-Trump group, the Lincoln Project, has released a new ad attacking the president's handling of Covid-19, claiming his Mexico border wall is made from the tombstones of the more than 330,000 Americans who have died.

The silent clip, shared on Twitter earlier this week, displays the figure 330,901 - referring to the number of Covid deaths in the US.

"More than 330,901 Americans are dead," states the video. It then shows a mocked-up version of the president's US-Mexico border wall, with a row of tombstones stacked on top of the concrete structure, which is lined with flowers and a US flag.

"This is Trump's wall," another message reads. "Paid for with 330,901 American lives", it adds.

"330k+ dead and counting. Because of the #TrumpVirus," says a Twitter post accompanying the video.

The president has been repeatedly criticised for his approach to the pandemic. During the election campaign, he crisscrossed the country for public rallies, disregarding public health advice and refusing to wear a face mask.

Covid-19 deaths and cases have continued to rise since the video was released.

There were 230,982 infections reported on 31 December - up slightly from the 229,349 logged on 30 December. In total, the US has now recorded 20 million cases and some 346,000 Covid-related deaths, official figures show.

The Lincoln Project is a political action committee formed in late 2019 by several current and former Republicans.

The goal of the committee “is to prevent the reelection of Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election and defeat his supporters in the United States Senate," according to the group’s website.

The Lincoln Project

@ProjectLincoln

330k+ dead and counting. because of the #TrumpVirus.

This is #TrumpsWall.

12:11 PM · Dec 29, 2020·Twitter Web App

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Lincoln Project ad shows Trump border wall built from tombstones of Covid victims | The Independent

DRESSED AS BOOGALOO BOYS
Proud Boys to attend Jan. 6 DC rallies 'incognito'

Members of the far-right group the Proud Boys will attend Washington, D.C., rallies for President Trump on Jan. 6 "incognito," with leaders of the group saying they will dress in "all BLACK" to mimic the attire of anti-fascist groups and counterprotesters.

The group is known for its signature black and yellow clothing during rallies and protests, where they typically appear in large groups. The group's chairman, Enrique Tarrio, announced on social media that group members "might dress in all BLACK for the occasion."

Additionally, members of the group will likely branch off into smaller formations to remain "incognito."

Thousands of people are expected to gather in the District on Wednesday for at least four planned pro-Trump rallies protesting the certification of President-elect Joe Biden. Protests will be underway as Congress convenes to count the electoral votes approved by the House in December.

Both the president and his supporters have repeated unsubstantiated claims of mass voter fraud resulting in Biden unfairly winning the 2020 election, a claim former Attorney General William Barr and several intelligence agencies denied had any effect on the election's outcome.

Both the Proud Boys and some violent sects of counterprotest groups known as antifa have been at odds in recent months during public political events, often engaging in physical conflict due to ideological differences.

Last month, four stabbings occurred near a bar that served as a home base for Proud Boys members following a pro-Trump protest in the city.

The bar also resides inside Hotel Harrington, a common spot for members of the far-right group to stay while visiting the District. Both the bar and the hotel announced closures on Jan. 4, 5 and 6 following reports of the planned rallies this week.

In Tarrio's post, he called out the hotel for having “fallen victim to the fake news.”

Several public demonstrations will take place throughout the day on Jan. 6. The Washington Post reported there have been online threats of violence, ploys to smuggle guns into the District and calls to set up an “armed encampment” on the Washington Mall.

Despite escalating tensions ahead of Wednesday's planned mass gatherings, Trump has been eager to invite any and all of his supporters to D.C.

THE EIGHTIES ARE BAAAAACK

Wham's Last Christmas finally hits number one 36 years after it was released

George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley have managed to finally bag a number one with Wham! mega hit Last Christmas

The late icon, who sadly passed away on Christmas Eve in 2016, has bagged the first number one of 2021 with the Wham! track.

Last Christmas had been trailing behind Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas as the retro festive tunes enjoyed their annual resurgence over Christmas.

The iconic Wham! track has now finally achieved its number one spot for the first time since being released in 1984.

It is the first time in 24 years that George Michael's music has ranked in the top spot, after Jesus To A Child in 1996.

Wham! released the tune in 1986RELATED ARTICLES

Martin Talbot from the Official Charts Company confirmed the exciting news that Wham! had finally got to number one.

“This is a fantastic record for Last Christmas. Just a few weeks after Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas is You reached Number 1 after a 26 year wait, for the Wham! tune to make its own impact after so long really shows how much the British public love their Christmas classics,” he said.

George had written and produced the tune Last Christmas after being inspired by a visit to his childhood home.

His band mate Andrew Ridgeley recently opened up about how the inspiring tune came about.

The popular festive song has finally achieved number one

George sadly passed away on Boxing Day in 2016 (Image: Getty Images)

"We went to his old room, the room in which we had spent hours as kids recording pastiches of radio shows and jingles, the room where he kept a keyboard and something on which to record his sparks of inspiration, and he played me the introduction and the beguiling, wistful chorus melody to 'Last Christmas.'' Andrew wrote.

"It was a moment of wonder."

He added: "George had performed musical alchemy, distilling the essence of Christmas into music.

George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley formed Wham! (Image: Getty Images)

Andrew recently reflected on creating the incredible tune (Image: Getty Images)

"Adding a lyric which told the tale of betrayed love was a masterstroke and, as he did so often, he touched hearts."

Up until today, Last Christmas by Wham! had been the biggest-selling UK chart single never to have made it to number one.

Andrew as well as George Michael's fans will certainly welcome the exciting and long-awaited news

Wham! - Last Christmas (Official Video) - YouTube

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment

Saturday, January 02, 2021

Pamela Anderson Pleads With US President Trump to Pardon Julian Assange

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