2020-09-26: News Headlines

RT (2020-09-26). 'I'm deleting Twitter': Morning Joe shares 'deceptively edited' video clip of Amy Coney Barrett, runs with tail between his legs. rt.com 'Morning Joe' host Joe Scarborough has vowed to "delete Twitter" from his phone after being accused of "lying" for sharing a debunked clip of potential Supreme Court Justice nominee Amy Coney Barrett. | In a now-deleted tweet, Scarborough shared a clip of Barrett appearing to suggest that she opposed nominating Supreme Court judges in a presidential election year for fear they may "flip the balance of the court." Barrett made the comments in question after Barack Obama had nominated Merrick Garland to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. | "Amy Coney Barrett opposed Merrick Garland…

RT (2020-09-26). Better chance of seeing 'Elvis on the Moon'? Twitter jeers Meghan Markle's purported White House ambitions. rt.com Meghan Markle's alleged White House ambitions have not been well-received among the Twitter electorate, with many arguing that the Duchess of Sussex doesn't have what it takes to make it in American politics. | Read more | | The 39-year-old Los Angeles born actress and wife of Prince Harry reportedly doesn't want to give up her US passport because she wants to run for president, according to Vanity Fair. A…

Indivisible (2020-09-26). Saturday 9/26: Emergency Call To Action. indybay.org Online via YouTube…

Richard Horton (2020-09-26). [Comment] Offline: COVID-19 is not a pandemic. thelancet.com As the world approaches 1 million deaths from COVID-19, we must confront the fact that we are taking a far too narrow approach to managing this outbreak of a new coronavirus. We have viewed the cause of this crisis as an infectious disease. All of our interventions have focused on cutting lines of viral transmission, thereby controlling the spread of the pathogen. The "science" that has guided governments has been driven mostly by epidemic modellers and infectious disease specialists, who understandably frame the present health emergency in centuries-old terms of plague.

sputniknews (2020-09-26). 'Biden's Ego, Mouth his Weak Spots': Netizens Irked by Democrat's 'Stupid Bastards' Dig at Troops. sputniknews.com Earlier, a video of the former vice president Joe Biden jokingly calling US troops "stupid bastards" in 2016 went viral, stirring up a reaction on the internet late Friday.

sputniknews (2020-09-26). Don't Take or Promote Drugs: B-Town Filmmaker Karan Johar Slams Malicious Campaign, Netizens React. sputniknews.com Filmmaker Karan Johar's 30-second video, posted by him in July 2019 about his alleged drug party, is going viral. The clip is being investigated in relation with an ongoing probe of B-town's drug world. Former Delhi legislator Manjinder Singh Sirsa filed a police complaint on 15 September over an alleged 'drug party' at Karan's Mumbai house.

yenisafak (2020-09-26). Normalization deals 'tool' to undermine Islam: Scholar. yenisafak.com A top Muslim scholar has linked recent normalization deals between the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Israel to a campaign aimed at undermining Islam and monopolizing the Islamic countries.Ali al-Qaradaghi, the Secretary-General of the International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS), said there are many tools being used to "uproot Islam and reoccupy Muslims intellectually, socially, economically and politically"."One of these tools is through creating a new religion under the beautiful name of 'Abraham's faith'," al-Qaradaghi said in a Facebook post on Saturday. "[This claim] does not have anything to do…

Joe Piette (2020-09-25). Anti-fascists say 'Proud Boys, out of Philly!'. workers.org Phiadelphia anti-fascists banner, Sept. 20. The fascist Proud Boys group posted notices on social media "calling all patriots" to Philadelphia's Clark Park at 1: 00 pm Sept. 19. By 2: 00 pm, none of them were visible. Over 500 progressive activists did show up, who would have told the missing brownshirts in . . . |

Neve Gordon (2020-09-25). Redefining Anti-Semitism on Facebook. counterpunch.org The objective is to force Facebook to alter its hate speech definition so that its own "detection algorithm" will characterize any criticism of Israel as hate speech and automatically remove the pertinent content from the platform. Given that Facebook has 2.7 billion users and is the world's largest and arguably most influential media platform, it comes as

MEE correspondent (2020-09-25). Egypt sees 'day of rage' as thousands protest against Sisi across the country. middleeasteye.net Egypt sees 'day of rage' as thousands protest against Sisi across the country | Protests called by whistleblower Mohamed Ali have mostly taken place in villages due to the government's relentless crackdown on dissent | Fri, 09/25/2020 – 14: 30 | "Don't be afraid to say it: Sisi must go" is a chant used by the protesters who rose against the country's president since Sunday (Twitter) | P…

RT (2020-09-25). 'Shoot on sight': Boston Dynamics robot dog spotted out on city street triggers fear — and defensiveness. rt.com Video of a Boston Dynamics Spot robot dog apparently wandering a city street on its own has struck terror into the hearts of social media users — though some defended the 'bot, pointing out humans can hurt each other without help.

Staff (2020-09-25). America 101: Criminalizing Dissent. therealnews.com Stir Crazy! Episode 91: Today we are joined by journalist Justine Barron, sociologist Taure Brown, and Baltimore based activist and recording artist Eze Jackson. Hosted by Kim Brown. Follow all of our panelists on twitter. Kim Brown: @kimbrownlive, Taure brown: @sankofabrown, Justine Barron: @jewstein3000, Eze Jackson: @ezewriter…

_____ (2020-09-25). Peavey Park Sanctuary Homeless Camp Evicted. popularresistance.org Minneapolis, MN — A long-dreaded eviction of the sanctuary camp at Peavey Park took place today just after 6: 00 a.m., an hour before sunrise. Minneapolis Park Police, Minneapolis Police, and sheriff's officers were all documented as having taken part in this morning's sweep. The area around Peavey Park was cordoned off with caution tape while the clearing of the park took place. A social media account for supporters of the unhoused community, Twin Cities Encampment Responders, sent out an alert around 6: 20 a.m. that park police were at Peavey.

Nora Barrows-friedman (2020-09-25). YouTube, Zoom and Facebook censor Leila Khaled for Israel. zcomm.org "They are bothered by the ways in which we are focusing on questions of Black liberation, Palestinian liberation and prison abolition, and the connections between these movements"

sputniknews (2020-09-25). Graphic Video: Seattle Cop Put on Administrative Leave After Riding Over Man's Head With Bike. sputniknews.com A video of a Seattle police officer walking his bike across the head of a man lying on the ground has rocked social media, with users decrying the cop's action and the Seattle Police Department later saying that the incident is under investigation.

yenisafak (2020-09-25). Kashmiris develop plasma donor website to save lives. yenisafak.com Vidur Tickoo and Jaswinder Singh, who hail from the region's main city Srinagar, told Anadolu Agency they were touched by the way many people are seeking help from plasma donors through social media."It was really painful to see such 'haphazardness' where people were posting messages on social media and not getting much help in return while exposing their privacy as well," Tickoo said.In late July, he and Singh decided to develop a website in order to centralize all plasma donors and recipients in one place. It was designed to work on low-speed internet connections as well."We wanted to make it accessible to all,…

yenisafak (2020-09-25). Four injured in Paris knife attack, assailants on the run. yenisafak.com Four people were injured Friday in a knife attack near the former headquarters of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris.Two of the victims are in a state of "absolute urgency", according to statements by the police on Twitter.Two assailants are presently on the run.A search is underway by the local Paris police headquarters in the area of boulevard Richard Lenoir. Law enforcement has warned the public to avoid the area.

Nadda Osman (2020-09-24). Zoom criticised for cancelling webinar with Palestinian activist Leila Khaled. middleeasteye.net Zoom criticised for cancelling webinar with Palestinian activist Leila Khaled | The event was also later blocked by YouTube and Facebook for featuring the activist and former hijacker | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 15: 02 | The online event was cancelled by Zoom, and later blocked by Facebook and YouTube (Screengrab/ AFP) | Zoom, a video conferencing platform, is facing a barrage of criticism online after cancellin…

Anthony Cartalucci (2020-09-24). Nations Should Begin Removing Facebook, Twitter, and Google from Their Information Space. thealtworld.com Legal options are a start. The ultimate goal should be replacing Facebook, Twitter, and Google with local alternatives like Russia, China, and many other nations are already doing. | The Thai government has begun legal proceedings against US-based social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Google. This comes at a time when nations around the globe have begun pushing back against the abusive American tech firms and their role in advancing US foreign policy and in particular, illegal US interventions including war. | Not only are these US-based tech companies refusing to follow Thai laws regarding sedi…

RT (2020-09-24). Russian Embassy in US tells Washington to focus on fighting Covid-19, rather than bashing Russia's pioneering Sputnik V vaccine. rt.com The Russian Embassy in Washington issued a sharp rebuke of the US government on Thursday, telling them to "save American lives (and) fight Covid19 , not Russian Vaccines (being prepared to fight the killer pandemic)." | The comments were made in response to a US Department of State press briefing which had seemed to cast doubt over the effectiveness of coronavirus formulas developed in Russia. | The official Twitter account for the Russian Embassy in the USA warned the government not to "try to downplay President Putin's constructive proposal to hold an online top-level conference shortly for countries interes…

RT (2020-09-24). 'Bleak' and 'depressing': Supposedly feel-good story about 89-year-old pizza delivery man getting $12k tip backfires. rt.com A supposedly 'feel-good' story about an 89-year-old pizza delivery man receiving a huge tip to help pay his monthly bills backfired, with social media users more angered that the octogenarian had to work into old age to survive. | Derlin Newey from Utah's Weber County works 30 hours a week delivering pizzas for Papa John's because he can't afford his monthly bills on social security alone. The man's story gained attention after Carlos Valdez, a TikToker who got to know him through his deliveries, raised $12 thousand from his followers, gave the money to Newey as a tip, and filmed the whole thing. | "How do I e…

RT (2020-09-24). 'You'll have to drag me off, man': British police kick passenger off train after forcing him to wear face mask (VIDEO). rt.com A London Overground passenger was removed from the train after arguing with transport police officers over a face mask. While the passenger agreed to put it on, he decided to badmouth the officers, who made him walk. | Footage of the altercation, believed to have been filmed on Wednesday, emerged on social media and promptly went viral. It shows a young man arguing with a British Transport Police (BTP) officer, who repeatedly asks him to put on a face mask. | "You'll have to drag me off, man," the passenger can be heard saying as he refused to put the mask on. | The rebellious passenger was backed up by a g…

commondreams (2020-09-24). Thousands Call on Facebook to Stop Censoring Palestine. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-09-24). Advocates Demand Facebook #StopCensoringPalestine After Platform Blocks Livestream Featuring Palestinian Rights Defenders. commondreams.org "When it comes to speech advocating for Palestinians. Facebook swiftly censors and removes content, often with no explanation." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/facebook-censorship_petition.jpg

350 Marin & others (2020-09-24). Saturday 9/26: Climate Strike: #BayAreaShoeStrike Climate Emergency Protest Online & In-person North Bay. indybay.org In-person: Novato City Hall, 901 Sherman Ave, Novato, CA 94945 | Online via social media & YouTube…

The Canary (2020-09-24). Courts head apologises after Black barrister mistaken for defendant three times in a day. thecanary.co The acting head of the UK's court service has apologised after a Black barrister was mistaken for a defendant three times in one day. | Alexandra Wilson, a criminal and family barrister and author of In Black And White, tweeted that she was "absolutely exhausted" after staff at the court repeatedly failed to recognise she worked in the legal profession. | Her tweets quickly went viral, drawing accusations of racism within the UK's court system. | Kevin Sadler, the acting chief executive of Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service apologised to Wilson and said it was "totally unacceptable behaviour" and he would…

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Hong Kong activist 'arrested over 2019 protest'. yenisafak.com Prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has been arrested for attending an "unlawful assembly" last year, a statement on his Twitter account said on Thursday."Joshua [Wong] is arrested when reporting to Central Police Station at about 1pm today [0500GMT]," it said. "The arrest is related to participating in an unauthorized assembly on 5 Oct. last year. He is told to have violated the draconian anti-mask law as well."The 23-year-old was at the forefront of anti-government protests last year demanding the withdrawal of a controversial bill that would have allowed extradition of alleged criminals to m…

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Fatah: Intra-Palestinian talks in Turkey 'fruitful'. yenisafak.com A top member of Palestinian Fatah on Thursday said that ongoing talks in Turkey with its longtime rival Hamas are "positive, fruitful, and productive." | "The dialogue is an important step towards reconciliation and partnership, and unifying the Palestinian stance in the light of the consensus on rejecting all the liquidation projects against the Palestinian cause." Hussein al-Sheikh, a member of Fatah's Central Committee, wrote on Twitter. | Separately, Munir al-Jaghoub, who heads Fatah's information office, told Anadolu Agency that a senior Fatah delegation will head to the Qatari capital Doha and then to Cairo…

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Ukraine says Lukashenko not 'legitimate' Belarus leader. yenisafak.com Ukraine does not consider Alexander Lukashenko the legitimate president of Belarus, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kulebahours announced Thursday, a day after the veteran leader was sworn in for a sixth term."Today's "inauguration" of Lukashenko does not mean his recognition as a legitimate head of Belarusian state," he wrote on Twitter. "Ukraine has never interfered in internal affairs of Belarus and will always support the Belarusian people."Protests broke out after Lukashenko, who has served as president since 1994, was declared the winner of Aug. 9 polls. Opposition candidates, however, accused the administration of…

ACLU (2020-09-24). Facebook's Discrimination Against the LGBT Community. aclu.org My wife and I have made music together for the past 8 years, in an independent band named Unsung Lilly. We are passionate about creating epic, empowering pop music., , As a same-sex couple, we have been heartened recently by the improved representation of LGBTQ people on television, and we are grateful that most people we meet are accepting of our relationship. It's enough to make you think that maybe society has fully accepted that 'love is love.', Unfortunately, our recent experience with Facebook suggests otherwise. When Facebook's platform refused to allow us to fully express ourselves as both artists and…

Greenpeace (2020-09-23). Facebook Suspends Accounts Associated with Event Targeting Coastal GasLink Pipeline. zcomm.org Hundreds of individual accounts linked to Indigenous, environmental, and social justice organizations were suspended from Facebook because they were co-hosts of an online Facebook event targeting the Coastal GasLink pipeline majority funder.

MEE staff (2020-09-23). Saudi dissidents launch new party calling for democracy in kingdom. middleeasteye.net Saudi dissidents launch new party calling for democracy in kingdom | New group calls for independent judiciary, elected parliament and equality under law | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 23: 01 | NAAS aims to 'establish a path to democracy as a governing system' in Saudi Arabia (Twitter) | Exiled Saudi activists have formed a political party calling for democracy and respect for human rights in the kingdom, a move that bri…

RT (2020-09-23). 'They'll come knocking at your door': NRA says a Biden victory would deprive Americans of 'your AR-15,' sends Twitter into frenzy. rt.com Many on Twitter are up in arms over gun control once again, thanks to an NRA post warning Americans that their semi-automatic rifles would be taken away should Joe Biden win the upcoming US presidential vote. | The National Rifle Association has apparently sought to remind Americans about the Democratic Party presidential candidate's stated plans to crack down on gun ownership. However, it appears instead to have reignited the interminable controversy over the future of gun control instead. | "If Joe Biden wins — Mike Bloomberg wins — and Beto O'Rourke will be knocking on your door for your AR-15," t…

Workers World Party (2020-09-23). Workers World Party demands "Stop Censoring Palestinian Resistance!" workers.org Sept. 23 — Today, three media platforms, Facebook, Zoom and YouTube, collaborated to censor a Palestinian program featuring Palestinian revolutionary Leila Khaled and U.S. political prisoners. Workers World Party condemns this censorship and expresses its solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people for self-determination and freedom. The WWP Facebook . . . |

Michael T. Hertz (2020-09-23). Trump tweets another t*rd. nationofchange.org Can you see where we're headed? Down a slippery slope to where true liberty dies.

sputniknews (2020-09-23). Facebook Prepared to 'Restrict' Content Circulation if US Election Descends Into Online Chaos. sputniknews.com Facebook will take an array of measures to "restrict the circulation of content" if the November 3 US presidential election devolves into chaos and unrest, according to a Tuesday report by the Financial Times.