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A federal judge has abruptly ordered that Chelsea Manning be released from jail in Virginia, where she has been held over a year for refusing to cooperate with a grand jury investigating Wikileaks. The ruling that her testimony “is no longer needed, in light of which her detention no longer serves any coercive purpose,” came a day after news reports that Manning had attempted suicide; her lawyers stressed the act proved again “she will not betray her principles, even at risk of grave harm to herself.” Manning had long maintained her silence to protest a “predatory” grand jury system that she charged targeted political speech. The judge refused to waive over $250,000 in fines, but for now at least – small mercies – Manning is free.