2020-12-17: News Headlines

Alan MacLeod (2020-12-17). US Embassy Caught Scrubbing Tweets Urging Venezuelans Not to Vote. globalresearch.ca The United States embassy for Venezuela has been caught deleting tweets undermining the integrity of the "Tomorrow in Venezuela there will be …

Steve Watson (2020-12-17). Twitter Says It Will Remove All Posts Claiming Vaccines Can Harm People. globalresearch.ca Twitter has declared that it will remove all posts that suggest there are any "adverse impacts or effects of receiving vaccinations," despite reports already emerging of health workers getting sick from taking Pfizer's coronavirus shot. | Twitter

Harvey Goldberg (2020-12-17). Ecuador: Popular Progressive Alliance Wins Election Certification. indybay.org "#ThePresidentialTicketOfHope will be on the ballot on #7thFebruary. Thanks to everyone who was vigilant and mobilized! Thanks for international solidarity! The Ecuadorian people have enforced their right to choose in democracy," tweeted Andrés Arauz, candidate for President for UNES in response to his ticket being given firm certification by the election authorities. | Photo credit: Wikipedia…

Rayhan Uddin (2020-12-16). Dissident former Saudi jockey alleges poison threat and attempt to 'lure' her home. middleeasteye.net Dissident former Saudi jockey alleges poison threat and attempt to 'lure' her home | Alya Al-Howeiti, once a celebrated sports star in the kingdom, reveals backlash and death threats since speaking out against Riyadh's policies | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 14: 22 | Alya al-Howeiti was a celebrated Saudi jockey, before becoming a London-based human rights activist (Screengrab/Twitter) | A Saudi dissident and fo…

MEE and agencies (2020-12-16). Turkey: YouTube to appoint local representative after government pressure. middleeasteye.net Turkey: YouTube to appoint local representative after government pressure | Critics have warned that the new internet law, which requires such a role, will increase censorship and help silence dissent | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 13: 38 | 'We remain committed to our Turkish users, creators and business partners, and will continue to preserve the platform's vibrance and openness,' YouTube said in a…

Nur Ayoubi (2020-12-16). Chicken run: Lebanese boy risks life and limb to rescue runaway fowl from Israel. middleeasteye.net Chicken run: Lebanese boy risks life and limb to rescue runaway fowl from Israel | Hussein Shartoony becomes an unexpected hero after Israeli soldiers fire bullets into the air as he attempts to rescue his friend | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 11: 59 | The reaction of the Israeli soldiers to Hussein and his chicken garnered ridicule online (Screengrab/Twitter) | Hezbollah may be Israel's most pressing threat on the Le…

RT (2020-12-16). Facebook pleads concern for small businesses in attack ads against Apple privacy move which limits user data tracking. rt.com Facebook has slammed Apple, via adverts placed in mainstream US newspapers, over an operating system update that makes it harder for social media companies to harvest data from users in order to hit them with personalized ads. | In full-page adverts carried by the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Facebook claims that new privacy updates for Apple's iOS 14 operating system, which came out on Monday, will be bad for small firms. | The social media giant vows that it is "standing up to Apple for small businesses everywhere," as it attacks changes to the Apple operating system…

sputniknews (2020-12-16). Twitter Will Start Removing Posts Promoting COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation Amid Pfizer Rollout. sputniknews.com Social media giant Twitter presently requires the removal of tweets that include a variety of false or misleading information regarding SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19; its latest update is an extension of its current policy.

John Pilger (2020-12-15). The Most Lethal Virus is Not COVID. It is War. counterpunch.org In the midst of the greatest health emergency in modern times, with more than 4 million surgical procedures delayed by the National Health Service, Boris Johnson has announced a record increase of £16.5 billion in so-called defence spending — a figure that would restore the under-resourced NHS many times over.

Alex MacDonald (2020-12-15). Iraqi activist shot dead in Baghdad. middleeasteye.net Iraqi activist shot dead in Baghdad | Local media reports that Salah al-Iraqi was shot five times in suburb of Baghdad al-Jadeed | Tue, 12/15/2020 – 17: 02 | A social media picture of Salah al-Iraqi (Facebook) | A well-known Iraqi activist was shot dead in Baghdad on Tuesday evening, the latest in a long line of assassinations in the country. | According to local media, Salah al-Iraqi was shot f…

teleSUR (2020-12-14). Sudan Is Removed From List of Countries Sponsoring Terrorism. telesurenglish.net Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Monday welcomed the announcement that the United States has removed his country from the State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSTL) list. | RELATED: | "After 3 decades of global isolation on the SSTL, Sudan officially rejoins the international community as a peaceful nation supporting global stability. This achievement comes with numerous opportunities for Sudan's development," Hamdok tweet…