(2019-08-20). Make love, not war? Department of PEACE plan unveiled by Marianne Williamson, and Twitter loves it. rt.com 
Democratic presidential hopeful and spiritual guru Marianne Williamson has revealed a proposal for a new "Department of Peace," a project devoted to "ending the scourge of violence" around the world. Twitter felt the good vibes. | The proposal was rolled out on Monday night in a post on Williamson's website, calling for a new cabinet-level department. The plan lists a lofty series of goals, ranging from addressing "white supremacy" and domestic gun violence, to developing "restorative justice programs" and "new structures of nonviole…
(2019-08-20). Emergency & music fests prepared in rural Nevada one month out from 'Storm Area 51'. rt.com 
With the 'Storm Area 51' event just weeks away, a rural county in Nevada is preparing for the worst. Ahead of the Facebook-organized plot to "see them aliens," the county has already declared a state of emergency. | Officials in Lincoln County, Nevada have agreed to pre-sign an emergency declaration in preparation for the now notorious event, scheduled for late September, which could draw a horde of visitors — the Facebook event page has already amassed hundreds of thousa…
(2019-08-20). The racist chicken boxes are getting a make-over and it's total genius. thecanary.co As The Canary previously reported, the home office's latest attempt to tackle knife crime through chicken boxes was lambasted for "racial profiling". | Chicken stores are replacing their usual packaging with special boxes. Bearing the hashtag #knifefree, the boxes also feature "real life stories to show people how they can go…
(2019-08-20). Trump's domestic gag rule forces planned parenthood to withdraw from Title X funding, threatening healthcare of 1.5 million women. nationofchange.org Reproductive rights advocates slammed the Trump administration on Monday after Planned Parenthood announced that the White House had forced it to decline funding used to provide healthcare to more than a million low-income women. | The organization said it was withdrawing from Title X funding, citing the Trump administration's "domestic gag rule," which prohibits health centers receiving the funds from counseling patients about where and how to obtain abortion care. | #IStandWithPP (2019-08-20). Twitter's new policy on 'state-controlled news media' should concern us all. thecanary.co Twitter has announced an update to its advertisement policy which may reflect yet another assault on free speech by social media giants. On 19 August, Twitter declared that: Going forward, we will not accept advertising from state-controlled news media entities. | While this may not see…
(2019-08-20). #PrayForAmazonia Goes Viral as Twitter Users Call Attention to 'International Emergency' of Fires Devastating Brazil's Rainforest. commondreams.org "The Amazon rainforest has been burning for three weeks! We are on the verge of losing it completely if the fire isn't put out. The loss of trees, the loss of biodiversity is what is accelerating climate change." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/amazon_fires.jpg …
(2019-08-20). Key questions about Boris Johnson's Brexit letter to Donald Tusk. thecanary.co 
With Brexit due on October 31, Boris Johnson has set out in writing his demands for changes to the UK's divorce deal from the European Union.— What has the Prime Minister said?In his letter to European Council president Donald Tusk, Johnson confirmed his aim of removing the backstop — the contingency plan to keep a soft border with Ireland in all circumstances — from the legally binding Withdrawal Agreement. | I have written to @eucopresident about key aspects of the UK's…
(2019-08-20). Headlines for August 20, 2019. democracynow.org NYPD Fires Daniel Pantaleo 5 Years After He Killed Eric Garner, Planned Parenthood Rejects Federal Funds over Trump "Gag Rule" on Abortion Referrals, Fears of Renewed Arms Race as U.S. Tests Ground Missile and Questions Remain over Russian Blast, Sudan: Omar al-Bashir Heads to Court Days After Signing of Transitional Deal, Salvadoran Rape Survivor Cleared After Prior Conviction for Killing Stillborn, Twitter & Facebook Remove China-Linked Accounts over Hong Kong Protest Misinformation, Elizabeth Warren Apologizes to Indigenous Groups at Iowa Native American Forum, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Asks Federal Court to H…
(2019-08-20). Jo Swinson probably wishes she hadn't posted that latest lie about Jeremy Corbyn. thecanary.co 
On 20 August, Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson lied about Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn ( again). But people were quick to call her out. And now, she probably wishes she hadn't bothered. | "Fake news": | Swinson tweeted: | Jeremy Corbyn didn't fight to remain in 2016, and he won't fight for remain now. He wants to deliver a Labour Brexit, becau…
(2019-08-19). Trump says Google should be 'sued for manipulating millions of votes' in Clinton's favor in 2016. rt.com 
Google's search engine may have "manipulated" millions of voters into supporting Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election by way of slanted search results, US President Donald Trump has claimed in a tweet. | In a tweet on Monday, Trump suggested that a "report just out" concludes that the tech giant manipulated election results by up to 16 million votes, though it was not immediately clear what report he referring to. | "Wow, Report Just Out! Google manipulated from 2.6 million to 16 million votes for Hillary Clinton in 2016 election!" the president said. | Wow, Report Just Out! Google manipulated…
(2019-08-19). Twitter Helped Chinese Government Promote Disinformation on Repression of Uighurs. theintercept.com Twitter helped to promote Chinese government propaganda and disinformation about the country's controversial internment camps in the Xinjiang region, a review of the company's advertising records reveals. | The social media company today announced a policy change that would bar such promotion following an inquiry from The Intercept and an earlier controversy over similar propaganda related to demonstrations in Hong Kong. | In Xinjiang, a western province in China, the United Nations has estimated that 1 milli…
(2019-08-19). Professor slams US for causing 'intense hardships' abroad, and media for not holding it to account. thecanary.co Jeffrey Sachs — director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University — a long-time critic of US foreign policy. And speaking to The Canary, he slammed devastating US sanctions on countries like Venezuela and I…
(2019-08-19). Sanders unveils plan to end cash bail, ban private prisons, and 'fundamentally transform' US criminal justice system. nationofchange.org Decrying America's status as the "world's leading jailer," Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday released a comprehensive plan to confront the crisis of mass incarceration, end the criminalization of poverty, and dramatically overhaul the U.S. criminal justice system. | "We have a criminal justice system that is racist and broken, and working together we're going to fundamentally transform it," said Sanders, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. | The platform, which Sander…
(2019-08-19). Dear Guys Who Got Arrested for Throwing Water on NYPD Cops. counterpunch.org You hosed Harlem. You bedewed Brownsville. You wetted Woodhaven. News media report that you've sprayed or doused water — yes,vile, menacingly wet water — on police officers in incidents all over New York City. No one knows where you will strike next. You: young, smirking, and — need we add — black. Shown on social media brazenly enjoying yourselves More
(2019-08-19). Government criticised for spending £10m on Brexit advertising campaign. thecanary.co Ministers have been criticised for spending more than £10m over eight months on an advertising campaign to help people and businesses prepare for Brexit. | Figures released to the PA news agency under Freedom of Information laws showed the government spent £10,842,063 on their Prepare For EU Exit adverts between November 2018 and July this year. | The cabinet office spent £2.7m on print, £2.4m on radio, £1.2m on TV and more than £1 million on social media advertising, and a further £3m on other platforms, according to the data. | The figures also revealed that the page ad…
(2019-08-19). Selected Articles: The Crisis in Hong Kong. globalresearch.ca Our objective at Global Research is to recruit one thousand committed "volunteers" among our more than 50,000 Newsletter subscribers to support the distribution of Global Research articles (email lists, social media, crossposts). | Do not send us money. Under Plan A…
(2019-08-18). 'Racism Witch Hunt!' Trump rips into NYT leak scandal, calling it 'evil propaganda machine'. rt.com 
US president Donald Trump ramped up his attacks on the "failing New York Times" on Sunday, accusing the paper of engaging in a "Racism Witch Hunt" following leaked comments from the news outlet's executive editor. | "The failing New York Times, in one of the most devastating portrayals of bad journalism in history, got caught by a leaker that they are shifting from the Phony Russian Collusion Narrative (the Mueller Report & his testimony were a total disaster), to a Racism Witch Hunt," the president said on Twitter. | "'Journalism' has reached a new low in the history of our Country. It is nothing more than an…
(2019-08-18). As ordinary people continue to suffer, Corbyn pledges to end influence of 'big donors' on politics. thecanary.co Poverty among elderly people in Tory Britain is currently sky high. But as ordinary citizens continue to suffer, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has announced that his party is working o…
(2019-08-18). 113 MPs accuse Johnson of "fascism" and demand the recall of Parliament. thecanary.co In a two page letter to UK prime minister Boris Johnson, 113 MPs from across the parties have accused him of deploying the language of "fascism". Their prime concern was the consequences of a no-deal Brexit. They demand the recall of parliament. This follows speculation, reported by The Canary, that the Johnson-led government could crash out of the EU before parliament returns from the summer recess.The letter: On the first page of t…
(2019-08-17). Tulsi Gabbard lists political correctness among threats to American values. rt.com 
Widespread efforts to silence speech deemed to be offensive threaten US constitutional rights, Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard says. Her latest campaign ad takes aim at the hot-button issue of political correctness. | In a new campaign video posted on Twitter, Gabbard lists political correctness alongside things like overly powerful IT corporations and government overreach. All three infringe on Americans' personal rights, she says. | Big tech, overreaching government, political correctness — our constitutional rights are under attack. As president, I'll protect your rights to free speech, c…
(2019-08-17). How do the Western powers use social networks for their own political goals? uwidata.com 
A recent story by the Washington Post revealed that Facebook's algorithms had censored the United States' Declaration of Independence, flagging it for alleged "hate speech".
(2019-08-17). The British government is covertly funding Muslim media as part of its counter terror strategy. thecanary.co A report published by Middle East Eye on 15 August revealed that a media outlet for young Muslims is in fact "a covert British government counterterrorism programme": | 'Woke' news platform aimed at young Muslims is actually a secret British government counterterrorism programme pic.twitter.com/gvtTAH6x2x | — Middle East Eye (@MiddleE…
(2019-08-16). Twitter censors come for Scaramucci over 'fat shaming' Trump. rt.com 
Anthony Scaramucci, onetime supporter turned vocal critic of US President Donald Trump, got locked out of Twitter for what the platform said was "abusive behavior," after calling the president fat. | "The Mooch" reached out to media outlets on Friday, complaining that his Twitter account was on lockdown after he called Trump "the fattest President since William Howard Taft." | . @Scaramucci says Twitter has temporarily suspended his account. "I think it is related to 'fat shaming' President Trump," the president's former communications director s…
(2019-08-16). Trump Tweets, Then Netanyahu Bans Reps. Ilhan Omar & Rashida Tlaib From Israel. therealnews.com 
Jim Zogby and Phyllis Bennis discuss the Trump-Netanyahu dynamic, the diminishing power of AIPAC, and the political battle against Rep. Omar and Rep. Tlaib…
(2019-08-16). Marjorie Taylor Greene: How an Outspoken MAGA Fan Built a Following in a World of Extremists. splcenter.org Originally a MAGA supporter but now an emerging MAGA star, Marjorie Taylor Greene has deftly leveraged social media and confrontations in public to increase her visibility. Now she's entering politics as a GOP candidate for Georgia's 6th Congressional District.
(2019-08-16). Trauma Counselors Were Pressured to Divulge Confidential Information About Facebook Moderators, Internal Letter Claims. theintercept.com Nearly 1,500 miles from the Menlo Park headquarters of Facebook, at a company outpost in Austin, Texas, moderators toil around the clock to screen and scrub some the most gruesome, hateful, and heinous posts that make their way onto the social network and its photo-sharing subsidiary, Instagram. They are required to view as many as 800 pieces of disturbing content in a single shift, and routinely turn to on-site counselors to help cope with the procession of stomach-turning images, videos, and text. But some members of this invisible army have complained, in a statement widely circulated within Facebook, that the…
(2019-08-16). What Is Israel Trying to Hide? Reps. Tlaib & Omar Blocked from Taking Official Trip to West Bank. democracynow.org 
Israel sparked outrage Thursday when it banned two freshman Democratic congresswomen of color — Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota — from entering the country. Following outcry from Democratic leaders and Palestinians, Israel granted permission for Tlaib to enter the country on "humanitarian" grounds to visit her family in the West Bank — though Tlaib said Friday she will not visit her family under such conditions. Israel originally denied entrance to Tlaib and Omar after President Donald Trump tweeted, "It would show great weakness if Israel allowed Rep. Omar and Rep.Tl…
(2019-08-15). Headlines for August 15, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Administration Moves to Seize Iranian Tanker Held in Gibraltar, Chinese Paramilitaries Mass on Hong Kong Border as Pro-Democracy Protests Continue, Dow Jones Plunges 800 Points on Fears of Looming Recession, Study Finds CEO Pay Increased 1,000% Since 1978 While Wages Stagnated, Facebook Hired Hundreds to Listen In on Users' Audio Messages, Mexico City Police Officers Suspended over Rape of Two Teenagers, Italian Court Allows Rescued Migrants to Disembark as Hundreds More Remain Stranded at Sea, NBC News: ICE Now Jailing 8,000 Migrants in Mississippi, Louisiana, Federal Court Weighs Fate of Protected Status…
(2019-08-14). Jonathan Weisman's Judgment Has Been Lapsing for a Long While Now. fair.org 
The New York Times announced yesterday (The Wrap, 8/13/19) that it had demoted deputy Washington editor Jonathan Weisman for "recent serious lapses in judgment." These included a since-deleted tweet from last month that asserted that politicians of color don't really count as coming from their regions: | Saying @RashidaTlaib (D-Detroi…
(2019-08-13). How Voice of America Persian Became a Trump Administration PR Machine. theintercept.com As an Iranian American journalist covering the Iran-U.S. relationship, Negar Mortazavi is accustomed to receiving vitriol on social media. Still, she found it unusual when she saw on Twitter that someone had called her a "treasonous criminal" and "a spy and an enemy of the people." The tweets got darker: "If the U.S. had laws of the Middle Ages like Iran, this mouthpiece of the corrupt regime would have been executed," one read, in Farsi. | What made the tweets unusua…
(2019-08-09). Facebook Settlement Breaks a Record, But Not the Cycle of Exploitation. progressive.org For years, Facebook engaged in a pattern of deceptive conduct that misled users about how their data was being handled. Now, despite a $5 billion fine imposed by the U.S. government, it promises to do little to guarantee a change in behavior.
(2019-08-09). Documents Reveal Monsanto Surveilled Journalists, Activists & Even Musician Neil Young. democracynow.org 
Explosive new documents reveal the U.S. agribusiness giant Monsanto ran a "fusion center" to surveil and discredit journalists and activists who criticized or wrote damning reports about Monsanto, as well as legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young, who released an album in 2015 called "The Monsanto Years." Monsanto monitored Young's Twitter activity and even analyzed the lyrics of his album. The fusion center also surveilled journalist Carey Gillam, who has done extensive research and writing about Monsanto and its popular pesticide Roundup, which has been linked to cancer. The corporation also targeted the nonpro…
(2019-08-03). El Paso Shooting Suspect May Have Authored Manifesto Containing White Nationalist Talking Points. splcenter.org The suspect in a shooting that left 20 people dead at an El Paso Walmart may have posted and liked anti-immigrant leaning remarks on what appears to be his Twitter account.
(2019-08-01). Facebook Dismantles Saudi-Linked Network of Fake Accounts. theantimedia.com More than 350 profiles and pages linked to the Saudi government with some 1.4 million followers were taken down by Facebook on Thursday.