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PBC News & Comment: Full Podcast—Obama Commutes Chelsea Manning’s Sentence!

Cheering Chelsea Manning’s early release, we praise Kevin Gosztola for his excellent coverage of her case, defining his journalism skills….–read Gosztola’s report on the commutation at Shadowproof

–baseball star Willie McCovey got a pardon, former Gov. Don Siegelman didn’t

–Trevor Timm, in op-ed, says Manning did the right thing, and yesterday Obama did, too

–Julian Assange stands by his offer to be extradited to the US, but Obama deflects it at his final news conference

–Obama praised the media, defended Manning decision, and explains UN abstention as “wake up call” on fading 2-state solution

–those tough corporate media reporters didn’t ask about many important issues, like Guantanamo, where 40 or 41 men will languish indefinitely

–Obama weighs decision to arm Kurdish fighters in Syria

–second winner of Goldman environmental prize is murdered within a year

–British Prime Minister May defines her plans for Brexit

Part 2

As new report shows 2016 hottest year ever, Trump nominees for EPA, Interior admit global warming is not a hoax….

–Interior nominee Ryan Zinke: “I don’t believe it’s a hoax”

–EPA nominee Scott Pruitt says it, too, but his actions and support network contradict him

–see DeSmogBlog’s interactive graphic of Pruitt’s connections here

–billionaire Betsy DeVos dodges tough questions in hearing that is sharply curtailed by GOP chair

–at The Intercept, Jeremy Scahill demonstrates that DeVos lied about her family foundation, which funded anti-gay fundamentalists

–Scahill also exposes DeVos’ brother Erik Prince, Blackwater founder who is advising Trump in the background

–Trump’s national security team is off to slow start

–Tom Price, Trump’s demolish-Obamacare guy says he won’t be “pulling the rug out” but doesn’t explain how or why