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wikileaks announces a window of opportunity for donors formerly blocked by visa and mastercard, and via carte bleue. 

The French credit card system, Carte Bleue, is coupled with the VISA/MasterCard system globally. VISA and MasterCard are contractually barred from directly cutting off merchants through the Carte Bleue system. The French non-profit FDNN (Fund for the Defense of Net Neutrality- Fonds de Défense de la Net Neutralité) has set up a Carte Bleue fund for WikiLeaks.

WikiLeaks advises all global supporters to make use of this avenue immediately before VISA/MasterCard attempts to shut it down.

also, the australian reports today that australian officials have at last responded (in part) to a 6/30/2012 10 page letter from julian assange's legal team. in that letter, barrister burnside requests information on australian government communications with the u.s. government, including whether an indictment has already been prepared by the u.s.  the paper reports australian officials stating yesterday that u.s. officials had not given them any indication (one way or the other, i gather) whether mr. assange would be extradited and charged.

julian assange asserts that the case is about freedom of speech and the press.  he expresses fear that if he were extradited to the united states from sweden, he would be charged with espionage and terrorism related offenses and held under the same deplorable conditions as bradley manning;  he could also be held punishable under the death penalty where capital punishment may still apply to espionage charges in the united states. 

mr. assange has requested asylum in ecuador.  he is presently staying at equador's embassy in london while ecuador considers his request.

below, bewareofyak shares a live update on private manning's case from court reporter alexa o'brien.