(2020-07-10). Twitter data-mining tool Dataminr fed police real-time info on Black Lives Matter protesters, despite promises not to spy. rt.com 
An analytics firm parsing Twitter data in real time for law enforcement and media has been caught funneling detailed info on anti-police-brutality marches to the very agencies users are protesting, despite promises not to. | Dataminr, a CIA-funded artificial intelligence startup that mines Twitter's real-time content stream for behavioral patterns and other analytics, has been caught feeding info on police brutality protesters from that "firehose" stream back to law enforcement. While the developers had promised they wouldn't enable domestic surveillance after a series of scandals in 2016, Dataminr is once aga…
(2020-07-10). Private Prison Simulation Game Goes Viral on Apple App Store. thealtworld.com With over two million people locked up across a sprawling network of private and public prisons, the US has by far the highest incarceration rate in the world, significantly worse than brutal dictatorships in Africa, Latin America or Central Asia. | MPN— A new game called "Prison Empire Tycoon" is going viral. Released in late May, it has risen to become the current number one strategy game in Apple's
(2020-07-10). Trump threatens to defund universities for 'Radical Left Indoctrination'. rt.com 
President Donald Trump has announced that the Treasury Department will examine the tax-exempt status of the US' universities and schools, accusing them of indoctrinating children with "Radical Left" ideology. | "Too many Universities and School Systems are about Radical Left Indoctrination, not Education," Trump tweeted on Friday. "Therefore, I am telling the Treasury Department to re-examine their Tax-Exempt Status and/or funding, which will be taken away if this Propaganda or Act Against Public Policy continues." … and/or Funding, which will be taken away if this Propaganda or Act Against Public Policy c…
(2020-07-10). Harper's and the Great Cancel Culture Panic. counterpunch.org You can imagine my chagrin when I discovered that Harper's, a magazine that I have subscribed to since the early 80s, provided a platform for "A Letter on Justice and Open Debate." The open letter was a denunciation of "cancel culture" in the name of liberal values as if angry Tweets by mostly powerless young
(2020-07-10). Trump Threatens To Cut Funding For Schools That Don't Reopen. popularresistance.org President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos are threatening to cut off federal funding to schools that do not open their doors this fall due to coronavirus concerns. | In a recent Tweet he suggests it is a Democrat ploy to hurt him politically by tweeting: "In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS. The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election, but is important for the children & families." In a conference call with governors across the country, Devos stated: "Risk is involved in ever…
(2020-07-10). [UPDATED] Venezuela: Oil Minister, PSUV Vice President Test Positive for COVID-19. venezuelanalysis.com The senior Chavista figures made the announcement on Twitter.
(2020-07-09). Humanity on Track to Soon Hit 1.5 ∫C Paris Accord Limit as Atmospheric CO2 Nears Level Not Seen in 15 Million Years. commondreams.org "It's still not too late to avoid the worst effects of the #ClimateEmergency. But governments need to act NOW," tweeted Greenpeace. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-11526646731.jpg …
(2020-07-09). Facebook and Its Big Tech Cronies Are Upgrading Their Anti-Union Tools. zcomm.org If workers continue to organize, it's possible that Big Tech's big brother surveillance tools may not be sufficient to quell these collective voices of protest…
(2020-07-09). Supreme Court rules today: Trump is not above the law! peoplesworld.org 
President Trump took to Twitter in a rant today after the Supreme Court, in two 7-2 decisions. said the president is not entitled to immunity from congressional and grand jury subpoenas for his tax and financial information. In his rant, Trump called the rulings rejecting his claims that he is essentially above the law "unfair." …
(2020-07-09). Facebook: "serious setbacks for civil rights" dissidentvoice.org 
The Verge reports: A team of civil rights auditors has delivered a scathing and unexpected indictment of Facebook's recent moderation choices after a two-year examination of the platform's practices and internal policies. "While the audit process has been meaningful and has led to some significant improvements in the platform," the report reads, "we have also …
(2020-07-09). Reply to the letter by Philippe, King of the Belgians, about Belgium's responsibility in the exploitation of the Congolese people. mronline.org 
On 30 June 2020, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the former Belgian Congo's independence, the news went viral over the planet: Philippe, King of the Belgians, had conveyed regrets for the colonial past, and particularly for the time when Leopold II owned the Congo as a personal possession (1885-1908), to the Congolese …
(2020-07-09). Series of 'explosions & power outages' reported near Tehran. rt.com 
A series of explosions have rocked the outskirts of the Iranian capital Tehran, as well as the cities of Garmdareh and Quds, Iranian media reported amid speculation that missile depots were the intended target. | Citing social media, official news agency IRIB reported an explosion in western Tehran in the early hours of Friday local time. More explosions were reported in Garmdareh and Quds, the Mehr News Agency added. | Saudi-based Al-Arabiya television reported that the explosion took place in missile depots of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), southwest of Tehran. Iranian officials have neithe…
(2020-07-09). Not a 'racist' plan anymore? Democrats rejoice over Biden's $700bn 'Buy American' promise. rt.com 
Joe Biden unveiled a $700 billion 'Buy American' initiative, drawing praise from both liberals and conservatives on social media, but some noted that similar plans by the Trump administration were previously framed as 'racist.' | Biden's economic pitch includes plans for a $400 billion, four-year increase in government spending on US-made goods and services — topped by a $300 billion investment in research and development for US technology. | "This will be the largest mobilization of public investments in procurement, infrastructure and (research and development) since World War II," Biden's senior advise…
(2020-07-09). 'Pull up your pants & finish school': Would CNN's Don Lemon cancel himself over shockingly unwoke 2013 tips to black community? rt.com 
A vintage clip of CNN anchor Don Lemon telling black people to act civilized and disregard "street culture" has the woke pundit's detractors' jaws on the floor, wondering what happened to him over the intervening seven years. | In the 2013 clip, Lemon praises Fox News host Bill O'Reilly as the Republican pundit decries the "disintegration of the African-American family," even arguing O'Reilly "doesn't go far enough" when he denounces "street culture." The video was posted to social media by "Panda Tribune" on Wednesday and quickly circulated among conservatives, who had a hard time reconciling this Lemon with…
(2020-07-09). 'Much higher' death rate than Covid-19: Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan warns of dangerous local pneumonia. rt.com 
The Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan has warned its citizens in the Central Asian country to exercise caution amid a large outbreak of viral pneumonia, which appears to be deadlier than the new coronavirus. | Between Covid-19 and the pneumonia outbreak, the diplomats described the health situation in Kazakhstan as "very grim." Since the start of the year, 1,772 people have died of pneumonia in the country. In June alone, there were 628 fatalities, including Chinese citizens, a statement on the embassy's website reads. | "The mortality rate of the disease is much higher than that of the new coronavirus pneumonia,"
(2020-07-09). Facebook Fuels Its Users' Ignorance With Lies. thenation.com Facebook Fuels Its Users' Ignorance With Lies…
(2020-07-09). Bolivia: Interim President àÅñez Tests Positive for COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's de facto president Jeanine àÅñez Thursday announced via her Twitter account that she had tested positive to COVID-19 while other members of her team are infected as well. | RELATED: | "I feel well, I feel strong, I am going to keep working remotely from my isolation, and I want to thank all the Bolivians who are working to help us in this health crisis," àÅñez said as COVID-19 cases have spiked in the…
(2020-07-09). Venezuela: Diosdado Cabello Has Tested COVID-19 Positive. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's National Assembly (ANC) president Diosdado Cabello Thursday reported he has tested COVID-19 positive. | RELATED: | "Dear comrades, I would like to inform you that after taking the corresponding tests I have tested positive for COVID-19," Cabello tweeted. | Cabello suspended Wednesday broadcasts of his TV show "Con el Mazo Dando," alleging he had allergies. After testing results, he remains in isolatio…
(2020-07-09). Fashion giant apologizes for selling Muslim prayer mats with Kaaba motif as 'Greek carpets'. yenisafak.com Online fashion retailer Shein has issued a public apology after facing fierce backlash for selling Muslim prayer mats as a home decorative item on its official site, despite many of the rugs bearing motifs of Islamic holy sites.The fast-fashion retailer came under fire after its products caught the eye of a journalism student from the University of Salford, Khadija Rizvi, who posted now-viral screenshots of the mats on social media. Many of the Muslim mats, which were advertised as "frilled Greek carpets," bore motifs of mosques and the Ka'aba, which is considered the most sacred Islamic site by Muslims around th…
(2020-07-09). Pakistan slams 'mischievous' rumors of official's death. yenisafak.com Pakistan on Thursday denounced "mischievous" attempts to change the Wikipedia page of its top diplomat to say he had died a day after testing positive for the novel coronavirus."We strongly condemn attempts by mischievous elements to hack Wikipedia page of FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi spread rumours on social media about his health well-being," tweeted Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Aisha Farooqui, underlining that Qureshi was quickly recovering from the virus.The ministry posted the screenshot of the edited version of Qureshi's page reading that he died on July 4.On July 3, Qureshi tested positive for the coronavirus a…
(2020-07-08). Patriotism Is Bullshit, And Other Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com It is 2021. The Biden administration has launched a full-scale invasion of Syria and the US and Russia are at a nuclear standoff unseen since the Cuban missile crisis. All top Twitter trends relate to the widespread debate over whether or not Sesame Street is guilty of kink shaming. | ~ | A vote for Kanye is a vote for Trump. | A vote for the Green Party is a vote for Trump. | A vote for no one is a vote for Trump. | A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for Trump. | Everything is a vote for Trump. | Everything is Trump. | You are Trump. | I am Trump. | Trump is all there is. | There is no escape. | ~ | Leaving aside th…
(2020-07-08). TikTok Could Become Latest Victim of US War on Chinese Competition. mintpressnews.com A potential US ban on TikTok comes amid a rise in anti-China warmongering that suggests the move has more to do with re-establishing American dominance over social media than concerns over privacy.
(2020-07-08). 'God made you impotent for a reason': Viagra rises to top Twitter trend after SCOTUS ruling on birth control healthcare mandate. rt.com 
If pregnancy is God's will, so is erectile dysfunction, argued critics of the new US Supreme Court ruling that allowed employers to exclude birth control from health insurance plans on religious or moral grounds. | On Wednesday, the court upheld a Trump administration rule which allows employers to opt out of an Obamacare mandate to cover birth control in their insurance plans. Amid an impassioned social media outpouring from both supporters and detractors, came a flood of comments pointing out that erectile dysfunction drug Viagra will still be covered. | Many critics seized on that to argue that SCOTUS favor…
(2020-07-08). Bella Hadid says Instagram CANCELED her post because she mentioned 'Palestine'. rt.com 
Supermodel Bella Hadid has called out Instagram, after it deleted a post honoring her father "and his birthplace of Palestine." The Facebook-owned company said…
(2020-07-08). The End of the American Newspaper. counterpunch.org 
Since the birth of the Word Wide Web in March 1989 (at 00: 00PT/ 08: 00 CET) and the rise of Facebook and the like, the preferred business model of newspaper has been in steep decline as advertising revenue shifted from print media towards the Internet with Google, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are the largest winners. This meant that many newspapers are under severe financial stress while others have closed up shop all together.
(2020-07-08). Facebook bans accounts linked to Roger Stone, Proud Boys & Brazil's Bolsonaro in fight against 'coordinated inauthentic behavior'. rt.com 
Facebook has banned dozens of pages allegedly linked to ex-Trump adviser and Republican operative Roger Stone, as well as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, in its relentless battle against political 'misinformation networks'. | The 100-account network said to be linked to Stone, a Florida resident, was discovered in the course of an investigation into the right-wing group Proud Boys, banned from Facebook years ago, the social media behemoth
(2020-07-08). Trump threatens to CUT FUNDING for schools that don't reopen amid Covid-19 pandemic. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has warned schools that their funding may be cut if they choose to remain closed in the autumn — apparently to the benefit of his political opponents — because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. | "The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before the November Election," Trump tweeted on Wednesday, adding that he "may cut off funding" if schools refuse to reopen. | In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PROBLEMS. The Dems think it would be bad for them politically if U.S. schools open before th…
(2020-07-08). Met chief Cressida Dick apologizes to Team GB's Bianca Williams over viral 'stop and search' incident. rt.com 
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has apologized for "distress" caused during the stop and search of Team GB sprinter Bianca Williams and her partner Ricardo dos Santos, footage of which went viral. | The couple were pulled over, removed from their Mercedes and handcuffed, leaving their three-month-old son in the car. Met police claimed the vehicle had been driving suspiciously, "made off at speed," and was "travelling on the wrong side of the road," in addition to having "blacked out windows." | Williams denies the police claims, saying, "This isn't the first or fourth or fifth time &#…
(2020-07-08). Facebook's Civil Rights Audit Shows Need for Reforms. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-07-08). Even Facebook's Own Audit Proves Its Business Model Is Toxic. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-07-08). Twitter Gave Free Rein for Jack Posobiec To Publish Antisemitic Hate and Disinformation. splcenter.org Twitter enabled OANN correspondent Jack Posobiec's rise by giving him space to promote hate and mislead the public without facing consequences, Hatewatch has determined in a comprehensive review of his account history.
(2020-07-08). Facebook Pressured Towards Censorship Based on Civil Rights Claims. sputniknews.com On this episode of the Critical Hour, host Garland Nixon talks to Margaret Kimberley about pressure Facebook is facing to censor by Civil Rights groups and others.
(2020-07-08). Fauci Says Trump's Focus on COVID Deaths is "False Narrative to Take Comfort In" truthout.org Speaking during a Facebook Live event on Tuesday, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the White House's coronavirus task force, seemingly contradicted notions put forth by President Donald Trump about the death rates from the disease. | Trump, also on Tuesday,
(2020-07-08). Trump Threatens to Cut Funding for Schools If They Don't Reopen in the Fall. truthout.org President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday morning to cut federal funding to schools that choose not to reopen their doors this fall in response to concerns about coronavirus. | Trump tweeted his dismay that U.S. schools couldn't reopen the way that other countries in the world were able to do so, and suggested refusing to start classes back up was a ploy by Democrats to hurt him in a political way. | "In Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and many other countries, SCHOOLS ARE OPEN WITH NO PR…
(2020-07-08). Civil Rights Groups Say Internal Facebook Audit Confirms Company Business Model 'Relies on Racism and Hate'. commondreams.org "There are real-life consequences when social media networks provide platforms for violent white supremacists, allowing them to incubate, organize, and recruit new followers to their hateful movements." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/facebook_1.jpeg …
(2020-07-07). Hate is in the eye of the beholder: Facebook extends olive branch to boycott leaders, but middle ground is elusive in polarized US. rt.com 
Seeking to appease hundreds of companies that have halted advertising, Facebook is pledging to do a better job policing 'hateful' content — a tall order in a nation where warring political parties can't even agree on basic facts. | Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg met on Tuesday with organizers of the boycott campaign, led by the NAACP and the Anti-Defamation League. They also announced plans to meet with other activist groups and consult with their own civil rights auditor. | The #StopHateForProfit boycott movement has seen more than 900 businesses suspending thei…
(2020-07-07). CNN's Don Lemon clashes with actor Terry Crews: Is BLM about police brutality, or problems in the black community? rt.com Actor Terry Crews faced an angry backlash after voicing concerns about the radicalization of the BLM movement. His clash with CNN's Don Lemon on why black-on-black crime is not part of the agenda split society even further. | Last Saturday, Crews, who is also a human rights activist, tweeted that he saw good people as allies regardless of the color of their skin, adding that he was "prepared to die on this hill." He previously expressed concern that the Black Lives Matter movement might slide into black supremacy. | Are all white people bad? | No. | Are all black people good? | No. | Knowing this reality- I st…
(2020-07-07). WATCH protesters carried on hood as car tries to break through blocked road in Bloomington, Indiana. rt.com 
At least two protesters were left clinging to a vehicle for dear life after they attempted to block the car from driving through the scene of a protest in Bloomington, Indiana, videos posted to social media show. | It's not clear what provoked the altercation. After a passenger in the car gets out to clear a scooter placed in the middle of the road, a woman can be seen attempting to physically block the car from proceeding any further. | Here is the full video of the passenger that hit the protester in Bloomington!!!
(2020-07-07). 'Shameful': Tucker Carlson under fire for claiming senator who lost legs in Iraq 'hates America'. rt.com 
Fox News host Tucker Carlson is facing fierce backlash on social media after claiming that Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, a war veteran who lost both her legs in Iraq, hates America. | Speaking on his show on Monday night, Carlson noted that Duckworth was a top contender to be Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's pick for vice president. | He took particular issue with her comment to CNN that it was time to have a "national dialogue" about historical statues in the country, including those to slave-owners like Founding Father George Washington. | Here's what Tucker said about Tammy Duckworth toni…
(2020-07-07). US 'certainly looking' at banning TikTok & other Chinese social media apps, says Pompeo. rt.com 
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has confirmed Washington is considering a ban on Chinese social media apps, including the ultra-popular TikTok, apparently inspired by a similar ban in India and Australia's threat to do the same. | Speaking with Fox News, Pompeo affirmed "we're certainly looking at" banning TikTok and other Chinese apps, following the lead of India, which banned 59 Chinese apps after border skirmishes with Beijing, and Australia, which has threatened to do the same. Americans should download the apps "only if you want your information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party," he smirked.
(2020-07-07). Active shooter situation disturbs morning at Marine Corps base in California. rt.com 
A shelter-in-place order was issued at a Marine Corps base in California after reports shots were fired. The suspect is now in custody and headed to a medical facility for treatment for a self-inflicted gunshot wound | Military police responded to an active shooter situation at Twentynine Palms Marine Corps base after 6am Tuesday morning. | The military installation in southern California is the largest Marine Corps base in the country. Citizens were given alerts on their phones about the shooter, some of which were posted to Twitter. | Phone alerts warned anyone in the area to barricade themselves, and others…
(2020-07-07). Florida man fired after angry outburst, yelling 'I feel threatened' when asked to wear mask in Costco (VIDEO). rt.com 
An insurance salesman from Florida was fired after a video of him losing his temper in a Costco store went viral. The man allegedly exploded after he was scolded by an "elderly woman" for not wearing a protective face mask. | The short video of the encounter, which occurred at Costco in Fort Myers, went viral on Tuesday after it was shared by film director Billy Corben. The clip was viewed nearly seven million times in less than a day. | Footage, believed to be shot about a week ago, shows a raging man wearing a 'Running the World Since 1776' shirt shouting at a person. | "I feel threatened! Back off!" the ang…
(2020-07-07). Guaido Representative Threatens FBI Investigation Into Journalists. popularresistance.org Vanessa Neumann, the U.K. ambassador of self-declared President of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, claims that she is working closely with the FBI in an investigation exposing a "transnational criminal network" of journalists, including John McEvoy, Pablo Navarette, independent outlet Venezuelanalysis and former MintPress News contributor Camila Escalante. | From the Twitter account of her communications firm, Asymmetrica, Neumann said that the four sources were involved in a "criminal conspiracy" supporting Venezuelan vice-president Delcy Rodriguez. "There is a price on your head" she informed them, "welcome to the rule…
(2020-07-07). Ertugrul star shares message in Urdu with Pakistani fans. yenisafak.com Turkish actress Esra Bilgiàß, star of Resurrection: Ertugrul, shared an important message with her fans in Pakistan on her social media accounts as the hit drama continues to mesmerize viewers ever since it started airing in the country, garnering enormous critical and popular success.Taking to Instagram and Twitter, Bilgiàß, who plays Halima Sultan in the mega-hit series, stressed in posts written in Urdu and English that she's not attached to any management company outside Turkey. "My only representative and official manager is Duygu Durukan Cici. You can directly contact her for all collaboration i…
(2020-07-07). Team Hurrem! US rapper Cardi B goes gaga for Turkish series Magnificent Century. yenisafak.com Famous U.S. rapper Cardi B, who has broken several streaming records and is known for her "Girls like me" collaboration with Maroon 5, seems to be binge-watching the hit Turkish TV series Magnificent Century (Muhtesem Yuzyil) after she lit up social media with a series of cryptic tweets.Cardi B took to her Twitter account to discuss her new obsession in a series of tweets and retweets, saying "I hate Nurbanu." Nurbanu Sultan was the chief consort of the Ottoman Sultan Selim II, who reigned between the years of 1566 and 1574.I hate Nurbanu üòíüòí— iamcard…