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JUST IN: Pentagon Papers Whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, Is Dead

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Daniel Ellsberg, Pentagon Papers Whistleblower

Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower who leaked the “Pentagon Papers” about the Vietnam War, died on Friday, his family announced. He was 92.

Ellsberg announced in March that doctors told him he had terminal pancreatic cancer and only around six months to live.

“He was not in pain, and was surrounded by loving family,” his wife and children said in a statement announcing his death — and highlighting that his last months had been well spent despite his illness.

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Ellsberg’s family said he had been “thrilled to be able to give up the salt-free diet his doctor had him on for five years.”

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“Hot chocolate, croissants, cake, poppyseed bagels, and lox gave him extra pleasure in these final months,” they wrote. “He also enjoyed re-watching his favorite movies, including several viewings of his all-time
favorite, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”

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Ellsberg was a military analyst when he released thousands of documents to US media in 1971 that revealed successive United States administrations had lied to the public about the Vietnam War.

The 7,000 classified pages determined that, contrary to the public assertions of US government officials, the conflict was unwinnable.

The leak changed public perceptions of the conflict and was recounted in the 2017 Hollywood thriller “The Post,” which detailed the nail-biting behind-the-scenes story of the papers’ publication.

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The New York Times published excerpts until the administration of President Richard Nixon obtained a court injunction barring the newspaper from continuing to do so on national security grounds. The Washington Post then took up the mantle.

Ellsberg was charged under America’s Espionage Act but the case ended in a mistrial in 1973 after illegal evidence gathering by the government came to light.

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“Daniel was a seeker of truth and a patriotic truth-teller, an antiwar activist, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, a dear friend to many, and an inspiration to countless more. He will be dearly missed by all of us,” his family added.

AFP

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South African Court Finds Radical Politician Malema Guilty On Gun Charges

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A South African court on Wednesday found firebrand opposition leader Julius Malema guilty of violating gun laws for firing an assault rifle at a 2018 rally.

Malema, leader of the radical anti-capitalist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, is known for fiery speeches and courting political tensions both at home and abroad.

The 44-year-old and his former bodyguard were charged with firing the gun in the air during the EFF’s fifth birthday celebration in Eastern Cape province.

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The court found him guilty of unlawful possession, reckless endangerment, among other charges, the National Prosecuting Authority said.

Malema could face up to 15 years in prison. The case will be heard on January 23 next year for pre-sentencing.

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Malema, who was present in court for the verdict, said he will appeal the decision.

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Speaking to supporters outside, he struck a defiant tone: “As a revolutionary, going to prison or death is a badge of honour. We cannot be scared of prison or dying for the revolution.”

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In August, Malema was found guilty of hate speech for telling his supporters at a 2022 rally that they should “never be scared to kill.”

He has long been criticised by South Africa’s white minority for his radical rhetoric and his singing of the anti-apartheid song “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer”, which some say incites anti-white violence.

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Church Scaffold Collapse Kills 36

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Makeshift scaffolding set up at a church in Ethiopia collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least 36 people and injuring more than 200, state media said.

The incident occurred at around 7:45 am in the town of Arerti, roughly 70 kilometres (40 miles) east of the capital Addis Ababa, when a group was visiting for an annual Virgin Mary festival.

District police chief Ahmed Gebeyehu told state media Fana: “The number of dead has reached 36 and could increase more”, adding “more than 200 people have suffered injuries” and were receiving treatment at a local hospital.

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Some people remained under the rubble, local official Atnafu Abate told the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC), without giving further details about those trapped or possible rescue efforts.

He said some of the more seriously hurt were taken to hospitals in the capital.

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Images shared on the EBC’s official Facebook page showed a mess of collapsed wooden poles, with crowds gathering amid the dense debris.

Other pictures appeared to show the outside of the church where scaffolding had been precariously constructed.

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A government statement shared by EBC expressed condolences and added that “safety must be given priority”.

Health and safety regulations are virtually non-existent in Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation, and construction accidents are common.

The sprawling country is a mosaic of 80 ethnic groups and has one of the world’s oldest Christian communities.

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Its predecessor, the Axumite Empire, declared Christianity the state religion in the fourth century.

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Rescuers Pull Survivor From Indonesia School Collapse As Parents Await

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Rescuers pulled a survivor from the ruins of a collapsed school in Indonesia on Wednesday, as desperate parents demanded that searchers speed up efforts to find dozens more still believed trapped in the rubble.

Part of the multi-storey school on the island of Java gave way suddenly on Monday, as students gathered for afternoon prayers.

On Wednesday, rescuers said they had retrieved a survivor and a fourth body from the ruined building, but gave no details on either.

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Based on school records, “91 people are suspected to be buried,” National Disaster and Mitigation Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said in a statement late Tuesday.

Tearful parents milled near the ruins throughout Wednesday, awaiting news of their children.

We believe our children might still be alive because they were crying for help,” said father Abdul Hanan, whose 14-year-old son is missing. “The rescue operation must be accelerated.”

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“We are racing against time now,” the 45-year-old added, bursting into tears.

Nearby, Dewi Sulistiana was awaiting news of her 14-year-old son, with whom she was last in touch on Sunday. The boarding school limits student access to cellphones.

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She rushed to the scene from Surabaya, several dozen kilometres (miles) away, after hearing about the collapse.

“I have been here for days. I cried thinking about my son,” she told AFP. “Why is it taking so long to find him? Why is the search so slow? I haven’t had any updates, so I just wait.”

The rescue operation is complex, said Mohammad Syafii, head of the National Search and Rescue Agency.

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If vibration happens in one spot, it could affect other places. So now, to reach the spot where the victims are, we have to dig an underground tunnel,” he told reporters.

Digging itself poses challenges, including possible landslides. And any tunnel will only provide an access route around 60 centimetres (about 23 inches) wide because of the structure’s concrete columns.

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Technology, including thermal-sensing drones, is being used to locate survivors and the deceased as the 72-hour “golden period” for best survival chances nears its end.

AFP saw rescuers in orange uniforms appearing to snake cameras under the rubble to hunt for traces of survivors.

So far, signs of life have been detected in seven areas, said Emi Freezer, of the National Search and Rescue Agency.

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Water and food were being sent in, but access was through a single point, he said. “The main structure has totally collapsed.”

Complicating the operation, an earthquake struck offshore overnight, briefly halting the search.

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Around the ruins, local charitable organisations have set up posts offering families food and drink.

The school collapse was so violent it sent tremors across the neighbourhood, said local resident Ani.

I felt a vibration, and then I heard a noise. I immediately ran to save myself. I didn’t realise at first it was a building collapse,” the grocery stall owner told AFP.

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Many people then also ran to save themselves,” she added.

Investigations into the cause of the collapse were ongoing, but initial signs point to structural issues and construction that did not meet building standards, experts said.

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The building collapsed after its foundation pillars failed to support the weight of new construction on the fourth floor of the school, said the national disaster management agency spokesman.

Lax construction standards have raised widespread concerns about building safety in Indonesia, where it is common to leave structures — particularly houses — partially completed, allowing owners to add extra floors later when their budgets permit.s

Earlier this month, at least three people were killed and dozens were injured when a building hosting a prayer recital collapsed in West Java province.

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AFP

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