2020-05-19: News Headlines

Robert Reich (2020-05-19). The Privileged and Powerful in the Pandemic. commondreams.org Musk's thin-skinned, petulant narcissism bears an uncanny resemblance to Donald Trump, who last week tweeted, "California should let Tesla and @elonmusk open the plant, NOW."(Photo: flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/musk.jpg

Peter Marcus (2020-05-18). 'Crowns of Thorns': A poetic response to the coronavirus crisis. peoplesworld.org The air is fresh but we can't breathe easier with these crowns of thorns we're unable to mask, a sick response to a disease gone viral. Gloves should come in handy, if not for hand-wringing in a soap opera, which whitewashes the rich antibody politic with bail-outs in an economic income tsunami drowning us with …

WSWS (2020-05-18). COVID-19: Podemos, social-democrats prepare to send Spanish police against workers' protests. wsws.org The "left populist" Podemos party is backing plans for Civil Guards to attack working class protests and monitor social media for signs of online dissent.

Robert Mackey (2020-05-18). Long Island Protest Praised by Trump Featured Anti-Vaxxer Call to "Hang Fauci" zcomm.org On Saturday morning, in a tweet that echoed his infamous praise for white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville in 2017, Trump described the protesters who had harassed the reporter as "Great people!"

graham (2020-05-18). Another example of social media censorship. truepublica.org.uk TruePublica Editor: Regular readers of TruePublica know we have given up almost completely with social media as a way of driving traffic to the website. This is because we value organic growth. Growth that can be withdrawn or manipulated at will by others with no response to reasonable questions is not sustainable. We have asked …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-18). National Nurses Day: Not all heroes wear capes. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Photo and article are courtesy of Mayo Clinic News Center andMayo Clinic Employee Facebook. Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear scrubs, protective equipment and step out in difficult times to be there for others. As COVID-19 continues to spread and people heed notices to socially distance themselves and hunker down in their homes, there …

graham (2020-05-18). Buzzfeed UK — brought down by Google and Facebook. truepublica.org.uk There are a number of problems in mainstream media today. Leaving aside the rank level of extremism, fake news and conspiracy nonsense spewed out by the likes of the Express, The Sun and Daily Mail, real journalism itself is under a very real threat by the American tech giants. Without investigations, journalists and editors holding …

Jim Naureckas (2020-05-17). Grading the States' Coronavirus Control. fair.org I recently wrote a Twitter thread ( The good idea, which appears on the Times' "Coronavirus in the US"

Emily Apple (2020-05-17). One of the world's biggest arms companies just tried pushing its progressive credentials. It didn't end well. thecanary.co One of the world's So BAE Systems took to Twitter to s…

Billie Pierre (2020-05-18). Tribal Leader Red-Tagged in Philippines During COVID-19 Crisis. indybay.org 00: 21.42 Length. Hi, this is Billie Pierre with Media Coop, in so-called Canada. Today is May 17, 2020, and we'll be hearing from a tribal indigenous land defender Windel Bolinget from the Cordillera People's Alliance in the Northern Philippines. Himself and his children are currently being smeared in a dangerous disinformation campaign through social media.

Staff (2020-05-17). Big Oil Takes $1.9 Billion in CARES Act Tax Breaks Intended for Small Businesses. truthout.org Sen. Bernie Sanders was among critics outraged that the fossil fuel industry is using tax breaks in the CARES Act meant to help businesses keep workers employed to avoid paying millions of dollars in taxes — and then delivering that money to executives. | "Good thing President Trump is looking out for the real victims of the coronavirus: fossil fuel executives," Sanders tweeted sarcastically Friday. | t.co/4sj6gT53f9 | — Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) The Canary (2020-05-19). Scientists dismiss claims 'mega doses' of vitamin D can protect against Covid-19. thecanary.co Scientists have dismissed "very misleading" social media reports that so-called "mega doses" of vitamin D can protect against coronavirus.Some articles have claimed that the vitamin can act as a protective measure — which scientists say is "not true" and prompted an urgent need to inform the public.However, they have emphasised the importance of maintaining a healthy level of vitamin D in the body.Professor Colin Smith, the University of Brighton's professor of functional genomics, said: "There are currently some very misleading articles doing the rounds on social media about mega doses of vitamin D as a Cov…

RT (2020-05-19). 'Don't ask what happened': Ex-WWE star's wife pleads for help after wrestler VANISHES amid fears he DROWNED in beach tragedy. rt.com The wife of actor and former WWE star Shad Gaspard, who disappeared after saving his son from rough waves on a California beach, has begged fans on social media to help find the 6ft 7in giant as rescue teams continue their search.

RT (2020-05-19). Study Trump cited in his latest attack on WHO does NOT EXIST, says editor-in-chief of prestigious medical journal. rt.com US President Donald Trump cited a study supposedly published in the Lancet medical journal as he once again accused the WHO of ignoring early Covid-19 warnings. Now, the Lancet chief editor says there has been no such publication. | "Dear President Trump, you cite the Lancet in your attack on WHO. Please let me correct the record," Dr. Richard Horton, the editor-in-chief of the prestigious British medical journal, wrote on Twitter on Monday. Trump referred to the outlet in his latest letter to the World Health Organization head, Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus, in which he warned that Washington would perm…

RT (2020-05-19). 'Potential benefit outweighed the risk': Trump's doctor pens letter in defense of HCQ, Twitter still unconvinced he takes it. rt.com With media and online pundits going into a full-blown meltdown after US President Donald Trump said that he was taking hydroxychloroquine as a prophylaxis against coronavirus, his doctor issued a statement in support of the drug. | Trump's admission late Monday that he has been taking the experimental drug, originally designed to treat malaria and several other conditions, has caught many off-guard, spawning a torrent of reactions online. | pic.twitter.com/o9DQrfSjJH— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) May 19,…

RT (2020-05-19). 'Potential benefit outweighed the risk': Trump's doctor pens letter in defense of HCQ, Twitter still unconvinced he's taking it. rt.com With media and online pundits going into a full-blown meltdown after US President Donald Trump said that he was taking hydroxychloroquine as a prophylaxis against coronavirus, his doctor issued a statement in support of the drug. | Trump's admission late Monday that he has been taking the experimental drug, originally designed to treat malaria and several other conditions, has caught many off-guard, spawning a torrent of reactions online. | The White House physician says he and the president "concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks." The FDA says there's no evidence hydroxy…

RT (2020-05-19). 'You first then': Prince Charles' plea to Brits to 'Pick for Britain' during Covid-19 crisis provokes anger. rt.com Britain's Prince Charles' appeal to citizens to join a movement — similar to the 'Land Army' of World War II — and descend on farmlands up and down the nation to help harvest produce during the pandemic has prompted resentment. | Clarence House in London, Charles' official residence, tweeted out a 'Pick for Britain' campaign video fronted by the Prince of Wales on Tuesday. The royal called on Britons to make "a vital contribution to the national effort" by taking on the arduous work this summer to avoid the scenario of crops rotting in fields and going to waste. | The UK's agricultural industry is…

RT (2020-05-19). 'We turned our back on PM because of budget cuts & lack of staff' — Belgian nurse to RT on viral protest. rt.com Belgian nurses and frontline medical staff had been striking for a year, before they were called up to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. After months of ignored demands, they seized their chance when the prime minister came to visit. | By now the video of the viral protest has been seen the world over; the heroes of the coronavirus turning their backs on Belgium's PM Sophie Wilmes upon her arrival at the Saint-Pierre hospital in Brussels. RT sat down with one nurse at the hospital, Nicolas Houyoux, to understand what exactly motivated the stirring protest after a year of strikes at the hospital over poor working co…

RT (2020-05-18). 'Take the red pill': Elon Musk sends Twitter into Matrix meltdown, gets Ivanka Trump's praise… & 'f*** you both' from Wachowski. rt.com Elon Musk has yet again triggered an online storm, urging the public to "take the red pill." The Matrix reference got him showered in praise from conservatives, but the creators of the iconic movie were not amused. | The new cryptic message from the billionaire, who has been repeatedly tweeting out bizarre things lately, arrived on Sunday afternoon. Unlike the lengthy and even less coherent threads Musk produced in the past, this time he stuck to a short form worthy of a true masterpiece. | "Take the red pill," he stated, posting a red rose emoji. | Take the red pill üåπ— Elon Musk…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-19). Only Palestinians can, should decide for Palestine: Foreign Ministry. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 19 (MNA) — Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its twitter account on Tuesday wrote that only Palestinians whether Muslim, Christian, or Jew with a national referendum can and should decide for Palestine.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-18). US policy on Iran not well-calculated: Ulyanov. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 18 (MNA) — In his latest tweet on Monday, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations named US anti-Iranian policies as 'not well-calculated'.

sputniknews (2020-05-19). Walt Disney's Streaming Guru Kevin Mayer Named as TikTok's New CEO. sputniknews.com The executive, who oversaw the launch of Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu, will join TikTok as the social media platform's parent company is planning to roll out its own music streaming service.

sputniknews (2020-05-19). 'Not the Same Anymore': Trump Bashes Fox News Over COVID-19 Treatment, Riles Up Online Crowd. sputniknews.com While some social media users proceeded to savage Trump online, at least one person argued that perhaps looking for a "new outlet" is not something a POTUS should be doing.

sputniknews (2020-05-19). TV Shows, Cars and Make-up: Top Brands Killing It on Instagram Revealed. sputniknews.com The coronavirus pandemic has marked a big spike in digital activity, including on social media, and brands are revamping their Instagram strategies to stand out and reach a wider audience. A new study shows who has been the most successful thus far.

sputniknews (2020-05-19). 'Fan of True Crime': Relative of Alleged Ahmaud Arbery Killers Shared Murder Scene Photo on Snapchat. sputniknews.com Lindsay McMichael, a 30-year-old relative of the father-son duo charged with the February murder of Ahmaud Arbery, recently admitted that she shared an unedited photo of the jogger's lifeless body on social media moments after police arrived on the scene of the shooting.

sputniknews (2020-05-18). Controversy as Identities of 4 K-Pop Idols Who Visited Itaewon Week Before COVID Breakout Revealed. sputniknews.com At the beginning of May, South Korea, which effectively contained the spread of COVID-19, reported dozens of news cases after an infected person visited a party district in Seoul.

yenisafak (2020-05-19). Cricket: India's Kohli credits change in stance for versatility. yenisafak.com Virat Kohli's wide range of shots makes him one of the most versatile batsmen of his era and the India captain says it was a tweak to his stance that brought him a deluge of runs in recent years.Kohli made his India in 2008 as a flashy batsman but has since combined compact technique with elegant shotmaking.In a Facebook live chat with Bangladesh one-day captain Tamim Iqbal, he said ditching his earlier stance opened up scoring options for him."I changed because I wanted to score all over the ground. The static position was limiting my shotmaking options," said the 31-year-old, who goes back-and-across in his cur…

yenisafak (2020-05-19). Libya army defeats Haftar militias near Tunisian border. yenisafak.com The Libyan army has captured two towns near Tunisian border from eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar's militias. | The capture of the two towns was announced by the media office of the government-led Burkan Al-Ghadab (Volcano of Rage) Operation. | "Our heroic forces have entered the towns of Badr and Tij amid welcome from their residents," the media office said in a statement on Facebook on Tuesday. | No further details were available. | Libya-based February TV aired a video showing the deployment of Libyan military vehicles in the town of Badr after taking it from Haftar's militias. | On Monday, the Libyan army reto…

yenisafak (2020-05-19). WHO expects to have 'more clarity' on Trump letter later in day. yenisafak.com The World Health Organization (WHO) spokeswoman said on Tuesday that the agency had no immediate comment on a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump, but expected to have "more clarity" and a reaction later in the day.Trump, in a letter posted on Twitter, threatened on Monday to permanently halt funding for the WHO if it did not commit to improvements within 30 days, and to reconsider his country's membership of the U.N. agency."I saw the letter, for now I don't have any reaction. We are very busy trying to finalise our agenda for the World Health Assembly," WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib told a U.N. briefing in G…

yenisafak (2020-05-18). Turkey condemns pig's-head vandalism of German mosque. yenisafak.com An Islamophobic incident in which a pig's head was mounted onto the door of mosque in southern Germany drew condemnation from Turkey on Monday."Even during the holy month of Ramadan and the epidemic, racism and hostility against Islam continues in Europe. The ugly attack on our mosque in Germany is the latest example of this," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted on Monday.Denouncing the perpetrators' "sick mentality," he urged that they be caught immediately.The incident took place Saturday at the Fatih Mosque in the city of Vaihingen, run by the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs. The incident too…

Cristina Pérez-Cameo, Juan Marín-Lahoz (2020-05-17). [Commentary] Serosurveys and convalescent plasma in COVID-19. thelancet.com The current pandemic is not only overwhelming the health systems of the affected countries but also is killing thousands of other ways healthy adults. Convalescent plasma has been proposed [1] and approved to treat COVID-19 based on the experience acquired treating other viral diseases such as influenza, Ebola, and SARS [2]. It is considered a safe treatment (at least its side effects and contraindications are well known) and it has proven to be efficacious in several viral infections for more than a century.

Tasnim News (2020-05-17). Google Play Removes Iranian App Used against Coronavirus. iranian.com The anti-Iran sanctions imposed by the "Wild West" have forced Google to remove Iranian mobile application 'Mask', developed to tackle the novel coronavirus and warn people to avoid high-risk areas, from its Play Store, a health official said. Iranian Health Ministry spokesperson Kianoosh Jahanpoor said in a post on his Twitter account that the homegrown …

RT (2020-05-16). Trump vows to strip 'radical left' of 'TOTAL COMMAND' over FB, IG, Twitter & Google. rt.com President Donald Trump has vowed to break the "radical left's" apparent control of social media platforms. Earlier, the president thanked his "keyboard warriors" for their support, as they accused the tech firms of censorship. | "The Radical Left is in total command & control of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google," Trump tweeted on Saturday. "The Administration is working to remedy this illegal situation. Stay tuned, and send names & events." | The Radical Left is in total command & control of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google. The Administration is working to remedy this illegal situation. Stay tun…

Ari Paul (2020-05-16). Missing the Context of De Blasio's 'Jewish Community' Tweet. fair.org New York Mayor Bill de Blasio's tweet ( Time for a Yiddish lesson: Shanda, meaning a shame or disgrace; a scandal. | Right-wing voices throughout the media thought they found one with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's tweet ( The background is this: Some Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn, members of a strictly Ort…

RT (2020-05-15). Jailing people who use Covid-19 as bioweapon would be 'discrimination.' So better lock up everyone instead? rt.com Accidentally spreading Covid-19 is wanting grandma dead, say opponents of ending lockdowns. Yet activists now worry that proposed laws to punish those who threaten to spread it deliberately would discriminate against minorities. | A Florida man spat and coughed on a police officer responding to a domestic violence call, and faces up to five years in prison on a federal charge of biological weapons hoax (he was negative for Covid-19). Another man in Texas, who falsely claimed on Facebook that he paid someone to spread the virus at local grocery stores, was charged with the same thing. A Michigan man who wiped h…

RT (2020-05-15). Trump salutes his 'keyboard warriors,' but has he actually curtailed corporate online censorship? rt.com President Donald Trump has paid his respects to the legions of online meme-makers and "keyboard warriors" who helped him get elected. But among these netizens, many feel the president hasn't done enough to fight online censorship. | "Thank you to all of my great Keyboard Warriors," Trump tweeted on Friday. "You are better, and far more brilliant, than anyone on Madison Avenue (Ad Agencies). There is nobody like you!" | Thank you to all of my great Keyboard Warriors. You are better, and far more brilliant, than anyone on Madison Avenue (Ad Agencies). There is nobody like you!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonald…

Hatewatch Staff (2020-05-15). 'Boogaloo Boy' Arrested in Texas, Charged With Plotting To Murder Cops on Facebook Live. splcenter.org "Boogaloo Boys" — individuals associated with an online community characterized by calls for civil strife and ownership of firearms and tactical gear — have advocated for an armed revolution online and at public rallies for months. On April 11, one self-proclaimed "Boogaloo Boy" allegedly used Facebook Live to show himself attempting to murder police.