2020-06-22: News Headlines

PCHR (2020-06-22). PCHR Follows with Concern Continued Detention of Citizens on Grounds of Freedom of Expression and Peaceful Assembly. imemc.org The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) follows with concern the continued summonsing and detention of several Fatah Movement activists and cadres by the Internal Security Services (ISS) on grounds of a protest and social media posts on the 14th anniversary of the internal Palestinian division between Fatah and Hamas movements. …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-06-22). Algerian court sentences prominent Hirak activist to one year imprisonment. peoplesdispatch.org Amira Bouraoui, who has been convicted for her Facebook post, is part of the popular ongoing Hirak movement which calls for large-scale democratic reforms in Algeria…

Staff (2020-06-22). "Robert E. Lee Was a Brutal Slave Master": Activist's Call to Rename Louisiana School Goes Viral. democracynow.org We play a video that has now gone viral from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where community activist Gary Chambers Jr. calls out members of the Lee High School school board for their racism during a June 18 meeting to discuss a resolution to rename the school, which is named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Chambers urged members to choose a name in honor of people who fought slavery and racism, not someone who defended it, and addressed board member Connie Bernard, who had defended Robert E. Lee and was seen shopping on her computer during the meeting.

R. Robertson (2020-06-22). BLM Demonstrators Calling for Racial Justice March on Facebook HQ. indybay.org On June 12, hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters demanded Facebook stop funding local police by marching on the social media giant's headquarters in Menlo Park.

Fiore Longo (2020-06-22). Do Black Lives Matter to Big Conservation Groups? counterpunch.org You are walking through the rainforest with your best friend. Sunlight sparkles through the leaves and the two of you are chatting and laughing. Birds tweet, monkeys hoot, and perhaps that was the sound of a forest elephant you heard in the distance. Suddenly you hear the crack of a rifle: your best friend collapses, crumpled, and you fall to your knees to catch them as their blood pours over your hands and stains your clothes.

Fight Back (2020-06-22). Rally in Arlington, TX demands justice. fightbacknews.org Arlington, TX — The Progressive Student Union (PSU) rallied 30 students and community members, June 18, demanding community control and defunding of the Arlington Police Department. "We need to remember why we are doing this," said Arlington resident Adara Arrie. "This is not something to post on social media for a trend. Change has not happened," | This rally is one of the many across this country calling for community control of the police and less over-policing in our communities. | "The Arlington Police Department receives $66 million," said PSU organizer Mark Napieralski, "we could use that money to…

_____ (2020-06-22). Court Refuses To Block Information On Who Police Targeted In Social Media. popularresistance.org Massachusetts's highest court will not block the disclosure of police reports that could show the Boston police department has targeted Black and Latinx men for surveillance on social media. | Boston attorney Josh Raisler Cohn, who represents a man charged with several gun violations, began seeking the police reports in November 2018 to determine if the police have surreptitiously used the social media service, Snapchat, to target people of color. Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins appealed Ullmann's order, but her office's petition was denied. After an unsuccessful appeal to a single justice of the…

yenisafak (2020-06-22). Military standoffs apart, Chinese investments roar in India. yenisafak.com Amid the clamor to boycott Chinese goods and cut trade ties, in the wake of the killing of its 20 soldiers in a border clash, experts in India have warned that it will inflict more damage to the country itself.Out of $92 billion worth annual trade, Indian exports account for just $18 billion, according to the figures available with India's Commerce Ministry.Videos of Indians breaking and burning functional Chinese appliances, such as television sets, have been doing the rounds in social media. Ramdas Athawale, a government minister, even demanded a ban on restaurants selling Chinese food.But a fact check suggests…

sputniknews (2020-06-22). Netizens Enraged as Full Page Tennessee Newspaper Ad Declares 'Islam' Will 'Detonate Nuclear Device'. sputniknews.com The published ad was paid for by a religious group referring to itself as "Ministry of Future for America", who defined their mission "to proclaim the final warning message" of the Christian Bible.

en.mehrnews (2020-06-22). No foreign provocation can undermine Iran-Afghanistan close relation: Foreign Ministry. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 22 (MNA) — Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its twitter account on Monday wrote that no ill-intended foreign provocation can undermine Iran-Afghanistan close relation.

RT (2020-06-21). Tennessee newspaper apologizes after ad promising nuclear bomb from Islam in July based on 'Bible prophecies'. rt.com The Tennessean has found themselves in hot water on social media and apologizing following a paid advertisement in their newspaper promising Islam will drop a nuclear bomb on the city of Nashville on July 18. | "Dear citizens of Nashville," the full-page ad read. "We are under conviction to not tell you but provide evidence that on July 18, 2020, Islam is going to detonate a nuclear device in Nashville, Tennessee." | Included above the text is an image of President Donald Trump and Pope Francis with burning US flags behind them. In small print above the image is the label "paid advertisement." | The text is s…

RT (2020-06-21). 'Just blame the Russians!' Moscow's deputy UN envoy mocks Nikki Haley over blaming US unrest on Russia. rt.com The only task US officials seemingly have is finding a way of pinning the blame for literally any incident on Moscow, Russia's deputy UN envoy jokingly said as former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley did just that. | The ex-UN envoy apparently decided to jump on the bandwagon of Russia bashers and put all the blame for the massive riots gripping the US following the murder of an African American by a cop on Moscow. | Haley stated in a Twitter post that "playing up" the "allegations" of police abuse in America has been the new tactics of Russian intelligence apparently hell bent on disrupting yet another US…

RT (2020-06-21). 'You killed somebody in cold blood': Cop charged in George Floyd killing shamed in viral VIDEO as he goes to buy Oreos. rt.com J. Alexander Keung, one of the officers being charged in connection with the death of George Floyd, was accosted in a grocery store where he was casually buying "necessities" like Oreos, which began trending on Twitter. | Freed on $750,000 bail on Friday, Keung was spotted at a Cub Foods supermarket when one person decided to put him on film. | "What's your name?" the unidentified woman asks the 26-year-old former officer. He then confirms he is Keung and the woman says, "So you're out of prison, and you're comfortably shopping in Cub Foods, as if you didn't do anything." | Keung replies that he is getting "ne…

RT (2020-06-21). The Guardian's sister paper forces YouTube to again terminate 'far-right' channel The Iconoclast, doxes man behind it. rt.com The liberal newspaper the Observer has prodded YouTube into re-suspending "the most successful and toxic British far-right" anonymous channel and has unmasked the individual running it. | The Observer, the sister newspaper of British liberal heavyweight the Guardian, has

sputniknews (2020-06-21). 'Something Very Disturbing About What's Going On': AG Barr on Social Media 'Censoring' Content. sputniknews.com Barr's interview, in which he shares his opinions on antitrust law, comes amid high tension between US President Donald Trump and social media, as Twitter and Facebook flag and remove his content for breaking terms of service. Trump, in response, initiated an executive order that would make it easier for social media platforms to be sued.

en.mehrnews (2020-06-21). VIDEO: Israeli Regime afraid of Hezbollah precision-guided missiles. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 21 (MNA) — A video clip released via social media shows the coordinates of the Israeli regime's sensitive places in the occupied lands targeted by the Hezbollah resistance group's precision-guided missiles.

en.mehrnews (2020-06-21). Ulyanov underscores full commitment of E3, Russia to JCPOA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 21 (MNA) — In a tweet, Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov underlined full commitment of his country and that of E3 to JCPOA and diplomatic efforts to save it.

The Canary (2020-06-20). Washington DC protesters topple statue of Confederate general Albert Pike. thecanary.co Black Lives Matter protesters have toppled the only statue of a Confederate general in the US capital and set it on fire on Juneteenth — the day marking the end of slavery in the US. | Cheering demonstrators jumped up and down as the 11ft statue of Albert Pike, wrapped with chains, wobbled on its high granite pedestal before falling backwards. | Protesters then set a bonfire and stood around it in a circle as the statue burned, saying "No justice, no peace!" and "No racist police!". | Eyewitness accounts and videos posted on social media indicated that police were on the scene but did not intervene. | Donal…

WSWS (2020-06-20). Johnson government mounts offensive against mass opposition to police violence and racism. wsws.org Home Secretary Priti Patel is linked with a Facebook group providing a platform for the far-right thugs who attacked Black Lives Matter protesters.

RT (2020-06-20). US cop stays calm as protesters blow smoke in his face & give him middle finger (VIDEO). rt.com A video has been circulating on social media showing a police officer remaining calm and collected as he was surrounded, flipped off and shouted at by a group of angry protesters. | The minute-long clip posted on social media shows a uniformed police officer surrounded by what appears to be a group of loud protesters. They repeatedly raise their middle fingers close to the officer's face shield, and blow cigarette smoke in his face. A laser pointer is also being aimed at the man's head. Despite the aggressive gestures, the officer remains calm and silent. | The officer was reportedly targeted because he ref…

Fraser Myers (2020-06-20). Every Brand Under the Sun Supports Black Lives Matter. Why? anti-empire.com It can't have escaped people's notice that the Social media were awash with black squares as every brand under the sun took part in #BlackOutTuesday in favour of the protests. Apple — the

Annelies Wilder-Smith, Steven W Lindsay, Thomas W Scott, Eng Eong Ooi, Duane J Gubler, Pamela Das (2020-06-20). [Comment] The Lancet Commission on dengue and other Aedes-transmitted viral diseases. thelancet.com The past 50 years have seen the emergence of epidemic arboviral diseases transmitted by the urban mosquito, Aedes aegypti. More than 120 countries are affected by frequent and cyclical dengue epidemics that result in an estimated annual 400 million infections and 100 million symptomatic cases.1 Chikungunya virus re-emerged in 2004 from east Africa and spread to Asia, the Pacific, the Americas, and Europe.2,3 Zika virus spread from sub-Saharan Africa through Asia and the Pacific to the Americas, where it caused a major outbreak associated with severe birth defects and neurological complications.

RT (2020-06-20). 'Every human life is precious': Pence savaged after saying 'all lives matter' in interview. rt.com US Vice President Mike Pence has unleashed a wave of outrage and indignation on Twitter after saying "all lives matter" despite being repeatedly pressed to utter "black lives matter." Every life is important, he argued. | In a sit-down with a Philadelphia ABC affiliate on Friday, reporter Brian Taff nudged Pence several times to repeat the slogan — which doubles as the name for a movement dedicated to fighting police brutality and racism in the US — asking "Can you say those words?" | "In this nation… we cherish the ideal that all of us are created equal and endowed by our creator with certain inal…

RT (2020-06-20). Turning tables: Conservatives 'call' to cancel Yale for being named after slave trader. rt.com Conservatives got #CancelYale trending on Twitter and targeted liberals like Hillary Clinton in their effort to troll the left, calling for the Ivy League school to change its name because it's named after a slave trader. | Right-wing pundit Jesse Kelly kicked off the hashtag on Saturday by noting that Yale University is named after Elihu Yale, a British merchant and slave trader. | "Yale University was named for Elihu Yale. Not just a man who had slaves. An actual slave trader. I call on @Yale to change its name immediately and strip the name of Yale from every building, piece of paper, and merchandise. Other…

RT (2020-06-20). Black man beats Macy's white employee over alleged racial slur, store says attack was 'unprovoked' (VIDEO). rt.com A viral video shows a black man assaulting a Macy's employee in Michigan, wrestling the white man on the ground and beating him allegedly over a racial slur. The department store says the attack was unprovoked. | Footage of the incident surfaced online earlier this week, promptly going viral. According to the description of the video, the black man overheard the Macy's employee using the word "n****r" while on the phone and then attacked him right at the store. | A man at a store in

WSWS (2020-06-20). Death of two workers sparks wildcat strike by 3,200 workers at auto parts plant in Matamoros, Mexico. wsws.org When news broke that Luciano Romero Contreras, a 48-year-old janitor at Plant 52, had died the previous day, workers downed tools and began discussions at the facility and on social media.

yenisafak (2020-06-20). India claims Pakistani drone shot down in Jammu and Kashmir. yenisafak.com India's border security forces on Saturday announced that they had shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) belonging to Pakistan at an outpost in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir.The Border Security Force (BSF) shot down the Pakistani Hexa copter drone allegedly carrying an assortment of arms at the Pansar border outpost in Kathua district."Alert troops of BSF shot down a Pakistani Hexa copter drone carrying 01 M4 carbine machine (US Made), 02 filled magazines (60 Rds), 07 Chinese grenades," the BSF said in a statement on Twitter.The aircraft was spotted by a BSF patrol at in the vicinity of the borde…

RT (2020-06-19). PANDERMONIUM: Snapchat yanks cringeworthy Juneteenth filter that asked users to 'smile to break chains'. rt.com Snapchat has removed a Juneteenth-themed that encouraged users to "smile" to break the chains of slavery, something that was quickly flagged by social media users as an offensive attempt to pander to Black Lives Matter activists. | If users chose to use the filter, they could photograph themselves in front of an African flag with the words "Juneteenth" and "Freedom Day" captioned. The user was then told to smile as chains appear and then suddenly break, a clear nod to the day being a celebration of the end of slavery in the US. | The filter was disabled after numerous complaints and removed from the service in…

RT (2020-06-19). PANDER-MONIUM: Snapchat yanks cringeworthy Juneteenth filter that asked users to 'smile to break chains'. rt.com Snapchat has removed a Juneteenth-themed that encouraged users to "smile" to break the chains of slavery, something that was quickly flagged by social media users as an offensive attempt to pander to Black Lives Matter activists. | If users chose to use the filter, they could photograph themselves in front of a Pan-African flag with the words "Juneteenth" and "Freedom Day" captioned. The user was then told to smile as chains appear and then suddenly break, a clear nod to the day being a celebration of the end of slavery in the US. | The filter was disabled after numerous complaints and removed from the service…

RT (2020-06-19). Trump warns 'protesters, anarchists & agitators' they face a 'much different scene' at his Oklahoma rally. rt.com President Donald Trump has warned any "protesters, anarchists" and "agitators" who show up at his Oklahoma rally that they'll be met with a very different response than police have shown during the George Floyd protests elsewhere. | Trump, who is due to hold his first political rally since the beginning of the pandemic on June 20, tweeted on Friday that "any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes" who head to the Oklahoma venue will be treated differently than they have been "in New York, Seattle, or Minneapolis." | Any protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes who are going to Okl…

RT (2020-06-19). Trump retweets his critic Max Blumenthal, who changes handle to slogans like 'US sanctions kill kids' for Trump audience to read. rt.com On Thursday, followers of Donald Trump's Twitter feed were able to read scathing criticisms of the US president, thanks to a careless retweet of a post by journalist Max Blumenthal, who seized the chance to weaponize his name. | The trolling session of the US troll-in-chief started with Blumenthal attacking former US National Security Advisor John Bolton and the left-wing figures lionizing him for writing a book that makes his former boss look bad. | John Bolton, a notoriously mendacious enemy of all living beings on the planet, is discovering what every other great Republican hope of the Resistance has: liber…

RT (2020-06-19). Twitter pulls Trump's 'manipulated' CNN parody video after media outcry, citing copyright violation. rt.com Twitter has removed a satirical video shared by US President Donald Trump — a parody CNN clip it flagged as "manipulated media" — after the broadcaster saw red over the tweet and following complaints from the owner of the footage. | The meme clip, which featured a mock CNN chyron and was meant as a dig at what Trump and his supporters see as biased media coverage of his presidency, was pulled on Friday after a company representing the original creators of the video complained to social media platforms, saying the footage was used without permission. In addition to Twitter, Facebook has also deleted…

RT (2020-06-19). Katie Hopkins permanently suspended from Twitter to keep platform 'safe' from 'hateful conduct'. rt.com Twitter has permanently suspended the account of right-wing British media personality Katie Hopkins, who had amassed over a million followers and was retweeted by US President Donald Trump. | "Keeping Twitter safe is a top priority for us. Abuse and hateful conduct have no place on our service, and we will continue to take action when our rules are broken," the social media company said in a statement on Friday. | Hopkins was banned from the platform shortly after complaining that her blue-check verified status had been removed. The company claimed the Briton violated their "hateful conduct policy," but did no…

RT (2020-06-19). Alaskan National Guard removes 'Into the Wild' bus from remote location that lured thrillseekers to their deaths (VIDEO). rt.com After multiple search and rescue missions to save thrillseekers from the Alaskan wilderness over the years, the state National Guard removed a 1940s bus, featured in the 2007 film 'Into the Wild,' using a Chinook helicopter. | In a joint mission between the Department of Natural Resources and the National Guard, soldiers flew to the remote location 25 miles west of the Parks Highway on Stampede Trail on Thursday, retrieving the world-famous vehicle known to some as "Bus 142," or the "Magic Bus." The vehicle was reportedly hauled to the trail about 60 years ago by a road crew. | www.facebook.com/AlaskaN

RT (2020-06-19). No memes, no chill? Twitter flags Trump's fake 'CNN clip' intended as satire as 'manipulated media'. rt.com Twitter has again slapped a "manipulated media" tag on a tweet from US President Donald Trump — a meme video mocking CNN — prompting cheers from the #Resistance, which apparently missed what many saw as an "obvious joke." | Shared to Twitter by the president on Thursday evening,…

RT (2020-06-19). Tucker Carlson becomes target of SPELLS, with #WitchesAgainstTucker trending amid slander lawsuit and BLM controversy. rt.com As Fox News defends host Tucker Carlson's show against accusations of not being factually accurate, the hashtag #WitchesAgainstTucker began trending on Twitter, conjuring up some highly unusual critics of the commentator. | "We, the witches of Poland will no longer tolerate the behaviors of @TuckerCarlson. I am calling on all witches of Poland to cast your spells on him," humorous rapper and successful Twitter troll Elijah Daniel tweeted, appearing to kick off the #WitchesAgainstTucker hashtag, which has received support from thousands of users. | Daniel followed up with a tweet written in Polish, stating, "Yo…

Marko Marjanoviƒá (2020-06-19). Trump Says Should Have Fired Bolton for Botching NK Talks, but Bolton Had Already Sabotaged Talks Under Bush. anti-empire.com Trump now He also blames Bolton for setting him back on the North Korea process so much so the consequences are still felt to this day: | twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1273620779645665280 | twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1273620783131250690 | Trump says he should have fired…

teleSUR (2020-06-19). Facebook Will Endorse Underrepresented Communities. telesurenglish.net Black-owned businesses and organizations will be supported by Facebook, Company's Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sheryl Sandberg announced on Thursday. | RELATED: | Amidst world fuss created after George Floyd's murder on May 25, black and diverse suppliers and communities will be endorsed with 1.1 billion dollars investment. Of those, 75 million dollars will be destined to support black-owned businesses that helps and have a direct impact…

teleSUR (2020-06-19). Brazil's Education Minister Quits Amid Political Crisis. telesurenglish.net Brazil's Education Minister Abraham Weintraub Thursday announced his resignation from office amid the political crisis that confronts the far-right President Jair Bolsonaro with the Supreme Federal Court (STF) and the National Congress. | RELATED: | "I'll leave the country as soon as possible, I don't want to fight," tweeted Weintraub, who had been considered by local analysts as one of Bolsonaro's closest collaborator…

yenisafak (2020-06-19). EU must pay full $6.5B to Turkey: Top Hungary diplomat. yenisafak.com The EU should respect its commitment to Turkey and pay the entire sum of ‚Ǩ6 billion ($6.5 billion) promised under a 2016 deal to stem irregular migration, Hungary's foreign minister said Friday."Turkey has a crucial role in stopping illegal migration," which is why "the EU should pay the ‚Ǩ6 billion it previously promised to Turkey," Szijjarto said in streaming video on Facebook, speaking after a high-level videoconference with his counterparts from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland, and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.Szijjarto was referring to the 2016 Turke…

sputniknews (2020-06-19). Video: Snapchat Apologizes After Juneteenth Filter Prompted Users to Smile to Break Chains. sputniknews.com Snapchat apologized Friday for a Juneteenth interactive face filter that prompted users to "smile" in an effort to break chains seen in the background.

_____ (2020-06-19). Social Media and OPSEC: How Much Information Are You Giving Away? strategic-culture.org J.G. Martinez D. | For many, the current situation has brought us lessons to learn.

_____ (2020-06-19). VIDEO: J.K. Rowling scandals. strategic-culture.org Enough is never enough for extremists and now SJWs are on the hunt for the head of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowfing because of a tweet.

RT (2020-06-18). 'Nazi' or 'Antifa'? Trump campaign ads removed as Facebook rules RED TRIANGLE violated 'organized hate' policy. rt.com Several Donald Trump presidential campaign ads were axed by Facebook for violating its policy with a red triangle, which critics say is a Nazi reference. Conservatives insist it's meant to symbolize Antifa, crying political bias. | The ads in question were posted to the Facebook pages for the president, Vice President Mike Pence, and Team Trump, and blasted "Antifa" and "far-left mobs" for "destroying" American cities. | However, it's not the verbiage of the ads that has raised eyebrows, but rather an inverted red triangle seen right before social media users were asked to sign a petition celebrating Trump's d…

RT (2020-06-18). 'I was ahead of our times': Trump says both he & CHAZ anarchists in Seattle opted for building BORDER WALL first. rt.com US President Donald Trump has pointed out that an anarchist community that has taken over part of Seattle first built a barrier around it, choosing to take that as an endorsement of his wall on the US-Mexico border. | Taking to his social media of choice on Thursday, Trump styled himself as a true visionary as he half-jokingly suggested that the builders of the anarchist utopia (or dystopia, depending on one's point of view) in Seattle might have drawn inspiration from his own mega-project. | "First thing the anarchists did upon taking over Seattle was 'BUILD A WALL.' See, I was ahead of our times!" Trump twee…

RT (2020-06-18). 'Independent' Facebook fact-checker exposed as partisan smear factory packed with CNN alumni. rt.com Facebook fact-checker Lead Stories is a biased outfit bristling with ex-CNN staffers that presents itself as neutral, despite most of its employees having donated to the Democratic Party, a conservative outlet has revealed. | The National Pulse (TNP), whose story about supposed financial links between Black Lives Matter, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, and fundraiser ActBlue was flagged as "partly false" by Lead Stories on Facebook, did some

RT (2020-06-18). Trump brushes aside Bolton's book as 'pure fiction' written by 'sick puppy'. rt.com The upcoming book by former US national security adviser John Bolton is a "compilation of lies and made up stories," President Donald Trump has said. He alleged that Bolton is slandering him in retaliation for being fired. | Bolton, a veteran warhawk with dubious record of workspace retaliation, is currently at the forefront of political storm over his upcoming tell-all book, 'The Room Where It Happened.' | Trump, who is depicted in a most unflattering light in the memoir, judging by excerpts leaked to the US media, unloaded at the work of his former adviser on Twitter. | Bolton's book, which is getting terrib…

yenisafak (2020-06-18). Five more Iraqi lawmakers test positive for coronavirus. yenisafak.com At least five more Iraqi members of parliament have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, local media reported on Thursday.Mahasin Hamdun Dali, Alaa Nasi and Laith Dulaimi from Mosul are among the lawmakers tested positive for the virus, Hoshiar Karadag, the head of the parliament, told reporters.The parliament would not be suspended due to the latest developments, Karadag added.Wahdi Jumeili, another lawmaker, also announced on social media that he tested positive for COVID-19.No information was provided regarding the identity of the fifth lawmaker, who contracted the virus.On Wednesday, an Iraqi medical so…