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Tag: London

US And UK Arm Child Soldiers At World’s Largest Arms Fair In London

Posted in Journalism, and MintPress News

Against the objections of the United Nations, this week the United States and the United Kingdom together helped arm the world’s child soldiers.

Tuesday through Friday this week, the British capital played host to the world’s largest arms fair, Defence and Security Equipment International, where global arms vendors — many from the U.S. — sell their wares to world governments seeking to upgrade their arsenals. The event was expected to draw 32,000 visitors from 60 countries, including multiple nations that make use of child soldiers in violation of international law.

According to a report from The Guardian, of the 23 nations known by the United Nations to use child soldiers, the U.K. sold arms to 19 of them during the past five years.

Nearly £12M Wasted Holding Julian Assange Without Charge In Embassy

Posted in Archive, Journalism, and MintPress News

For three years, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been forced to take refuge at Ecuador’s embassy in London, fearing arrest and eventual extradition to the United States if he ever steps outside.

Four teams of eight police are maintained at all times to ensure Assange does not escape, at a shocking cost to British taxpayers.

Assange took refuge in the embassy in 2012, where he’s remained ever since under de facto imprisonment. At the time he first entered the embassy, Assange faced possible extradition to Sweden, where he was under investigation for four offenses relating to an alleged sexual assault. Assange and his supporters have maintained that the charges are merely a pretense to see him extradited from Sweden to the U.S., where he could be charged in connection with the release of thousands of documents leaked by imprisoned whistleblower Chelsea Manning.