(2020-10-03). [Correspondence] Remdesivir and COVID-19. thelancet.com In the first published placebo-controlled trial of remdesivir for treating severe COVID-19, Yeming Wang and colleagues1 were unable to attain their primary endpoint of time to clinical improvement. Although admittedly underpowered due to early trial termination, remdesivir did not appear to affect rates of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral RNA load decline and mortality when compared with placebo. Given these disappointing findings, we are left to wonder if a lack of clinically significant outcomes in placebo-controlled trials could have been predicted.
(2020-10-03). [Comment] Circulating ACE2: a novel biomarker of cardiovascular risk. thelancet.com Dysregulation of the renin—angiotensin system plays a major role in the progression of cardiovascular disease in humans. The enzymatic reactions within the renin—angiotensin system generate angiotensin II, which promotes vasoconstriction and inflammation and deleterious cardiovascular effects.1 Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) acts to counterbalance the renin—angiotensin system by degrading angiotensin II.2,3 In 2005, ACE2 was identified as the cellular receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV),4 and we now know that ACE2 also facilitates viral entry of SARS-CoV…
(2020-10-03). [Editorial] Building a resilient NHS, for COVID-19 and beyond. thelancet.com The UK response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been ill prepared, patchy, confused, and incompetent. From initial equivocations, to a series of policy U turns and conflicts with scientific advisers, to vague public health guidance, the UK's COVID-19 performance has fallen disastrously short and undoubtedly cost lives. It has pushed the National Health Service (NHS) to the brink. Having wasted a summer of opportunity to strengthen systems to suppress viral transmission following an easing of lockdown restrictions, the UK Government is facing a winter wave of COVID-19 with no strategy in sight.
(2020-10-03). Russian journalist sets herself on fire and dies near police HQ. thecanary.co The editor of a Russian news website died after setting herself on fire outside a regional police headquarters on Friday 2 October. This occurred a day after officers searched her residence. | Russia's Investigative Committee confirmed the death of Kolza.Press editor Irina Slavina in Nizhny Novgorod, a city of 1.2 million. It's located about 235 miles east of Moscow. | Meanwhile, the independent news site Meduza reported that Slavina left a message on Facebook saying her death should be blamed on Russian authorities. | Slavina reported on Thursday 1 October that police searched her home, although the nature of th…
(2020-10-02). Israel-UAE musical collaborations spark social media debate. middleeasteye.net 
Israel-UAE musical collaborations spark social media debate | An instrumental cover and a Hebrew-English-Arabic mashup have caused a stir online, as cultural ties between Israel and the UAE strengthen | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 15: 45 | Two collaborations between Israeli and UAE musicians celebrating normalisation have received mixed reactions online (Screengrabs) | Less than two months since Israel and the…
(2020-10-02). Philly election authorities vow to beef up security FOR REAL as journalist strolls into burglarized voting machine warehouse. rt.com 
After a local journalist was able to walk into a recently-burglarized Philadelphia warehouse where voting machines are kept and document the lack of security, city officials have promised to bolster security measures. | WHYY reporter Max Marin had no problem gaining access to the East Falls warehouse that holds Philadelphia's voting machines, strolling in through an open door on Thursday morning — the day after election officials admitted sensitive materials had recently been stolen from the facility and vowed to step up their security. | The journalist posted a video to Twitter showing rows and rows of s…
(2020-10-02). President Trump says he & first lady tested positive for coronavirus after top aide infected on campaign trail. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he and First Lady Melania Trump have both tested positive for the coronavirus, just hours after it was learned a senior aide had contracted the illness. | "Tonight, [the first lady] and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!" the president tweeted in the early hours of Friday morning. | Tonight,
(2020-10-02). 'I ask that Russia be blamed for my death': Russian journalist SETS HERSELF ON FIRE in front of regional police office. rt.com 
A journalist from Nizhny Novgorod has died after setting herself alight in front of a police station, blaming the authorities for her death. The Russian Investigative Committee denies the incident is tied to any police action. | Irina Slavina, the editor-in-chief of small local news outlet, Koza.Press, traveled to a regional police headquarters in the central Russian city and set herself on fire. The woman died at the scene. | Earlier, Slavina wrote on her Facebook page that "I ask that the Russian Federation be blamed for my death," without providing any further explanation. The bizarre incident came a day af…
(2020-10-02). Israeli minister quits Netanyahu's cabinet over protest curbs. middleeasteye.net 
Israeli minister quits Netanyahu's cabinet over protest curbs | Emergency laws limit Israelis to protesting only 1km outside of their homes | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 15: 24 | Asaf Zamir who belongs to Gantz's Blue and White Party said Netanyahu was prioritising his interest over the country's (Facebook) | An Israeli minister on Friday resigned because of a new law that limits protests against Be…
(2020-10-02). Can we make Facebook and Google "democratic utilities?" zcomm.org Is there another path we could take that might allow us to harness the benefits of these huge services, while also blunting their negative effects?>
(2020-10-02). Scotland's first minister calls on lawmaker to resign over breaking COVID rules. yenisafak.com Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, called on one of her lawmakers to resign on Friday after Margaret Ferrier admitted that she had travelled while suffering symptoms of COVID-19 and then after testing positive."I've spoken to Margaret Ferrier and made clear my view that she should step down as an MP (member of parliament)," Sturgeon said on Twitter."I did so with a heavy heart – she is a friend & colleague – but her actions were dangerous & indefensible. I have no power to force an MP to resign but I hope she will do the right thing."
(2020-10-02). Russian journalist dies after setting herself on fire: local media. yenisafak.com A Russian journalist died on Friday after setting herself on fire in front of the local branch of the interior ministry in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, a day after her apartment was searched by police, according to local media.Prior to her self-immolation, Irina Slavina wrote on her Facebook page: "I ask you to blame the Russian Federation for my death."
(2020-10-01). Serious questions remain about shady 'PeaceData' website blamed on Russian trolls. thegrayzone.com As political censorship escalates on social media, American spy agencies accuse Russia of running a fake left-wing news website called PeaceData. But there is no evidence for the FBI's claims, and many questions remain unanswered. By Ben Norton US government intelligence agencies have initiated a series of smear campaigns relying on false innuendo to suggest that independent left-wing American media outlets are connected to Russia. The broad-based, longstanding operation to imply links between foreign governments and alternative news websites through …
(2020-10-01). Serious questions remain about mysterious 'PeaceData' website blamed on Russian trolls. thegrayzone.com As political censorship escalates on social media, American spy agencies accuse Russia of running a fake left-wing news website called PeaceData. But there is no evidence for the FBI's claims, and many questions remain unanswered. By Ben Norton US government intelligence agencies have initiated a series of smear campaigns relying on false innuendo to suggest that independent left-wing American media outlets are connected to Russia. The broad-based, longstanding operation to imply links between foreign governments and alternative news websites through …
(2020-10-01). Twitter removes 130 Iran-linked accounts during US presidential debate. middleeasteye.net 
Twitter removes 130 Iran-linked accounts during US presidential debate | Social media giant says accounts all appeared to originate in Iran and were identified based on FBI intelligence | Thu, 10/01/2020 – 17: 06 | Last year, Twitter removed almost 5,000 accounts it said were linked to Iranian government (AFP/File photo) | Twitter says it removed 130 accounts linked to Iran that were "attempting to disrupt the…
(2020-10-01). You'll be executed first, Twitter's woke ex-CEO tell tech businessmen who wish to steer clear of politics. rt.com 
People on Twitter think its former CEO has called for the execution of his political opponents, after Dick Costolo warned that "me-first capitalists" will face firing squads during "the revolution." | Costolo, a veteran tech entrepreneur who ran Twitter between 2010 and 2015, poured some gasoline on the fire of an argument currently underway in Silicon Valley. People in IT are debating whether corporations should be engaged in social justice activism and allow political discourses in their workspaces. | "Me-first capitalists who think you can separate society from business are going to be the first people line…
(2020-10-01). And the medal goes to… Sexism! Oppression-olympics poster valorizing Hillary Clinton goes viral, boggling Internet's mind. rt.com 
The online community has ridiculed a 2014 political poster that uses the n-word and b-word repeatedly and seeks to prove racism ended with Barack Obama's presidency, while sexism has remained unchallenged throughout US history. | The art project, titled 'Words Matter' and designed by Yue Chen, went viral on Wednesday, after it grabbed users' attention for having the n-word typed over it some fourteen times.
(2020-10-01). The Idiotic Claim That Other Nations Are 'Disrupting The Public Conversation' On US Politics. thealtworld.com 
Twitter claims that it has suspended 130 Iranian accounts for "attempting to disrupt the public conversation" during the US presidential debate. | "Based on intel provided by the FBI, last night we removed approximately 130 accounts that appeared to originate in Iran," a
(2020-10-01). US Senate committee approves subpoenaing heads of Twitter, FB & Google for hearing on tech firms' legal immunity. rt.com 
The US Senate Commerce Committee has unanimously agreed to subpoena the CEOs of Twitter, Google and Facebook to attend a hearing on the legal immunity enjoyed by internet companies over user content. | The committee's decision on Thursday comes after it failed to reach agreement with the companies to send their respective chief execs Jack Dorsey, Sundar Pichai and Mark Zuckerberg voluntarily. | The hearing centers around potential reforms to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which offers tech companies protection from liability over content posted online by their users. | "No provider or user of a…
(2020-10-01). You'll be executed first, Twitter's woke ex-CEO tells tech businessmen who wish to steer clear of politics. rt.com People on Twitter think its former CEO has called for the execution of his political opponents, after Dick Costolo warned that "me-first capitalists" will face firing squads during "the revolution." | Costolo, a veteran tech entrepreneur who ran Twitter between 2010 and 2015, poured some gasoline on the fire of an argument currently underway in Silicon Valley. People in IT are debating whether corporations should be engaged in social justice activism and allow political discourses in their workspaces. | "Me-first capitalists who think you can separate society from business are going to be the first people line…
(2020-10-01). Could they be blocked? Russia refuses to grant extension to Facebook & Twitter over demand to store citizens' data inside country. rt.com 
Russia has changed its mind about giving Facebook and Twitter extra time to fulfill the legal requirement of moving their servers. The law states that data on Russian users is required to be stored inside the country's borders. | According to newspaper RBK, it was previously thought that the two tech giants, as well as some other companies, would be given until October 30, 2022 to comply. Instead, the government has decided only to grant delays to companies that sell airplane tickets, leaving everyone else scrambling to find a Russian server. | According to a Russian law passed in 2015, websites with data on R…
(2020-10-01). 'Like father, like son': Twitter up in arms after Boris Johnson's dad gets caught violating new strict mask guidelines. rt.com 
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's father has taken heat on social media after he was photographed shopping without a mask. The PM just recently updated the strict mask-wearing rules amid an uptick in Covid-19 cases. | Stanley Johnson, 80, was "caught red-handed" by the Daily Mirror, which published photos of him casually shopping without a mask. By doing so, the author and former Tory politician had flouted the tougher rules on face coverings announced by his son last week. Amid the resurgence of Covid-19, Brits were ordered to wear masks in shops and malls, while the fines for breaking the regulations were do…
(2020-10-01). Election Interference in Latin America: A Growing Danger. cepr.net Many people in the US first became aware of the problem of election interference on social media when allegations emerged of Russian attempts to influence the 2016 US elections through the dissemination of "fake news" on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. But as we learn more about the phenomenon, it is becoming increasingly …
(2020-10-01). Friday 10/2: Gathering to Celebrate Ruth Bader Ginsburg w/ Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence SF. indybay.org In-person: intersection of Market Street & Castro Street, San Francisco, CA | Online event livestream: www.facebook.com/SFSisters/…
(2020-10-01). 'Me During Classes': Sleepy Duckling Dozing Off. sputniknews.com During these pandemic-ridden times, schoolkids are missing out on a lot of classroom fun since most classes have shifted online. To remind students of boring lectures that make them crave a nap, the official Instagram handle of YouTube India has posted an adorable video.
(2020-10-01). 'Re-Education Camp': US Cadet Sues Naval Academy Following Expulsion Over 'Racist' Tweets. sputniknews.com A 21-year-old cadet of the US Naval Academy claims service leadership is violating his First and Fifth Amendment rights and intends to expel him from the military school over social media posts that many have deemed racist.
(2020-10-01). Turkish foreign minister in Kuwait upon emir's death. yenisafak.com "In #Kuwait to convey our condolences on behalf of [Turkish] President @RTErdogan and the Turkish nation," Mevlut Cavusoglu wrote on Twitter.On Tuesday, Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who ruled oil-rich state since 2006, died at age 91. Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah was named the new Kuwaiti emir to succeed the late ruler.In a statement, Turkish President Recep Tayyip had said he received the news of the emir's demise with "great sadness"."On behalf of the Turkish nation, I convey my sincere condolences to the friendly and brotherly people of Kuwait."
(2020-09-30). Azerbaijan has 'handed over' command of its Air Force ops in Nagorno-Karabakh to Turkey, Armenian defense ministry claims. rt.com 
The Azerbaijani military has passed control of its air force operations in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region to Turkey, Yerevan claims. Ankara insists no Turkish aircraft was used in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. | Turkey's military command has allegedly been coordinating the Azerbaijani airstrikes against targets in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian defense ministry's spokeswoman, Shushan Stepanyan, said in a series of Twitter posts on Wednesday. |
(2020-09-30). History not to forgive killers, traitors: Foreign Ministry. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 30 (MNA) — On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the martyrdom of Palestinian child Muhammad al-Durrah, Iranian Foreign Ministry in its Twitter account wrote that the history won't forgive killers and traitors.
(2020-09-30). 'Not According to Harris': Biden Sets Off Meme Storm After Saying 'I'm the Democratic Party'. sputniknews.com The 29th of September saw the first presidential debate between incumbent Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden, during which the two exchanged barbs over a spate of issues, including the coronavirus, healthcare, and election integrity.
(2020-09-30). Outrage over Indian rape victims' cremation by police. yenisafak.com The covert cremation by police of the body of a 19-year-old gang-rape victim early Wednesday triggered protests and condemnations by citizens and activists in India.The Dalit (lower caste) woman was tortured and gang-raped by four men from an upper caste at her village in Hathras in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Sept. 14. She battled for her life for two weeks before succumbing to her injuries on Tuesday.In a video going viral on social media, the victim's mother is seen pleading with police to allow her to see her daughter one last time, and bring her body home, as the police cremated the body amid tigh…
(2020-09-30). Color Of Change PAC: Trump is Calling His Supporters to Violence and Facebook Is Helping Him Do It. commondreams.org ______________________________…