Daily Archives: January 1, 2020

2020-01-01: News Headlines

RT (2020-01-01). Trump says he 'does not see war with Iran happening,' hours after issuing 'threat' to Tehran. rt.com US President Donald Trump has said that the US is not gearing up for war with Iran, adding that he prefers peace to war. It comes just hours after the US leader upped the ante, making a pointed threat against Tehran on Twitter.

RT (2020-01-01). Iran's Supreme Leader hits back at Trump's 'big price' threat, says US 'took revenge' for defeating ISIS. rt.com Giving a sharp rebuke to Donald Trump's threat to make Iran pay for an attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said tirades like this usually end up nowhere. | On the heels of the Tuesday siege of the US diplomatic mission in Baghdad, President Trump fired off a series of inflammatory tweets, vowing to hold Iran "fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities." Shortly thereafter, he took a different tone, saying he doesn't see a war with Iran coming. | But…

RT (2020-01-01). Numerous cars TORCHED during New Year's Eve mayhem in Strasbourg, France (VIDEOS). rt.com Vandals in Strasbourg, France, marked the start of 2020 by setting countless vehicles on fire. Videos on social media purportedly show shocking acts of arson that took place across the city. | Police have not disclosed how many cars were torched, but a source told AFP that the figure was larger than the previous year. A number of arrests and some minor injuries have also been reported. | Pendant que les Franàßais fêtaient tranquillement la nouvelle année, la racaille n'a pas pu s'empêcher de déroger à ´ ses ª traditions. | Voitures brûlées, jets de projectiles sur pompiers et policiers : des s…

RT (2020-01-01). Dance, chant, sing: WATCH Indian soldiers send army-style New Year greetings. rt.com Taking a break from the hard work of soldiering, Indian service members have been filmed sending a flurry of artistic New Year greetings to the nation, garnering applause on social media. | Deployed in the snowy Himalayan ridges of Kashmir, a bunch of soldiers try their best to show off their team spirit. Standing atop a mountain, their squad chanted some slogans before "wishing everybody a happy and a prosperous New Year." | Their brother-in-arms —serving tours of duty in the same region— staged a more sophisticated performance, singing a patriotic song while also dancing in unison. | Message to the…

Multiple Organizers (2020-01-01). Protest at Facebook Headquarters. indybay.org Facebook HQ | 1601 Willow Rd, Menlo Park, California 94025…

teleSUR, JGN (2020-01-01). Riña en cárcel mexicana deja un saldo de 16 muertos y cinco heridos. wp.telesurtv.net Una pelea entre grupos de reos en una cárcel del estado de Zacatecas, en el norte de México, dejó un saldo de 16 personas muertas y cinco heridas, informó una fuente oficial. | LEA TAMBIÉN: | Destacan crecimiento económico durante 2019 en México | La Vocería de Seguridad Pública de Zacatecas informó en la red social de Twitter que "la tarde de este martes se registró una riña al interior del Centro Regional de Reinserción Social (Cerereso) Varonil, que dejó como saldo el fallecimiento de 16 Personas Privada…

Staff (2020-01-01). UN Expert Describes Detention of Chelsea Manning as "Amounting to Torture" truthout.org United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer shared on social media Tuesday a letter he sent to the United States government last month expressing concerns that the continued detention of whistleblower Chelsea Manning amounts to torture. | The Geneva-based expert tweeted in the early hours of Tuesday: | #USGovt of 1 Nov 2019 explaining why continued detention of teleSUR, lsl, JGN (2020-01-01). Reportan 27 casos de neumonía viral en el centro de China. wp.telesurtv.net Autoridades sanitarias chinas informaron el martes que los 27 casos de neumonía reportados en días pasados en Wuhan, capital de la provincia central de Hubei, fueron identificados como neumonía viral. | LEA TAMBIÉN: | Presidente de China desea un Hong Kong estable y próspero en 2020 | "En relación a la detección continua de casos de inflamación de pulmones de origen desconocido, pedimos a todas las instituciones médicas que mantengan estadísticas y controlen la situación de los pacientes e infor…

yenisafak (2020-01-01). Terrorist YPG/PKK kills 2 civilians in northern Syria. yenisafak.com The YPG/PKK terror group killed at least two civilians and wounded four in a car bomb attack in northern Syria, Turkey's National Defense Ministry said on Monday.The ministry said on Twitter that YPG/PKK terrorists had targeted the town of Tal Abyad but a Turkish military checkpoint blocked them from entering the town, and it exploded on the outskirts.The terrorist suspected of being responsible for the attack was arrested.The YPG/PKK terror group is targeting settlement areas under control of the Syrian National Army (SNA), which fought alongside the Turkish forces in Turkish-led anti-terror operations in northe…

RT (2019-12-31). 'Art against austerity': Paris Opera gives free street performance amid strikes over pension reform. rt.com Paris Opera musicians on strike over unpopular pension reform plans proposed by the French government delighted passers-by with a free New Year's Eve concert on the steps outside the Bastille opera house. | In the Tuesday evening show, the musicians performed classics like the Dance of the Night from Sergei Prokofiev's 'Romeo and Juliet' and Damnation of Faust by Hector Berlioz, as well as offering a rousing rendition of La Marseillaise, France's national anthem. | #Paris Opera gives street performance amid strikes over pension refor…

RT (2019-12-31). Only US govt-friendly apps allowed? Army bans soldiers from using TikTok over alleged Chinese 'cyber threat'. rt.com The US Army has banned personnel from using Chinese social media app TikTok, signaling that its soldiers should stick to platforms that march exclusively to Washington's tune. | An army spokeswoman confirmed on Monday that the Chinese app "is considered a cyber threat" and will no longer be allowed on government phones and mobile devices. The military had previously used the popular social media platform to reach out to potential recruits. | The decision comes less than two weeks after the US Navy banned the Chinese app from all government-issued mobile devices — citing the same alleged "cybersecurity thr…

RT (2019-12-31). Iran slams US 'audacity' to blame it for Baghdad embassy storming. rt.com Iran has flatly rejected US accusations that it is behind violent protests which broke out at the American embassy in Baghdad in response to US airstrikes on militia groups in Iraq. | In a tweet on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump accused Iran of "orchestrating an attack on the US Embassy in Iraq," and said Tehran will be held "fully responsible." Trump also called on "millions" of Iraqis to resist Iran. | Iran hit back at the "audacity" of Washington to blame Tehran for the attacks in a statement posted by the Foreign Ministry. | "America has the surprising audacity of attributing to Iran the protests of th…

RT (2019-12-31). Trump blames Iran for Baghdad embassy attack, promises US will 'always' respond strongly. rt.com President Donald Trump has blamed Iran for bombing a coalition base and orchestrating the storming of the US Embassy in Baghdad, as Iraqis rage at American airstrikes on militias in the country. | "Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many," the president tweeted on Tuesday. "We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the US Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible." | Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsib…

RT (2019-12-31). This is not a warning, it's a threat: Trump declares US embassy in Iraq safe, says Iran will pay 'big price' for attack. rt.com President Donald Trump has said that a US embassy in Baghdad has been secured by American and Iraqi troops, and threatened to hold Iran "fully responsible" for any damages or loss of life at any US facility. | "This is not a Warning, it is a Threat," Trump declared in a tweet on Tuesday afternoon, adding that Iran will "pay a very BIG PRICE" for the embassy siege earlier in the day. ….Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. Happy New Year!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump…

teleSUR, pha, JCM (2019-12-31). Colombianos despiden el año con cacerolazo contra el gobierno. wp.telesurtv.net Los colombianos tienen previsto este martes para la noche de fin de año, y la apertura del año 2020, un cacerolazo en rechazo a las políticas del gobierno del presidente Iván Duque, como parte de la ola de protestas que se vive en la nación suramericana desde hace más de un mes. | LEA TAMBIÉN: | Duque anuncia aumento de salario mínimo en Colombia para 2020 | La convocatoria fue impulsada a través de su cuenta en la red social Twitter por la activista social Cielo Rusinque y el llamado de la…

teleSUR (2019-12-31). Brazil Fines Facebook US$1.6m in Cambridge Analytica Case. telesurenglish.net Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security has sentenced Facebook with a US$1.6 million fine for sharing data belonging to 443,000 Brazilian users in relation to the Cambridge Analytica case. | RELATED: | Facebook's Black Employees Denounce Company's Racism in a Letter | According to the government, there is evidence of an "abusive" practice wh…

Orinoco Tribune (2019-12-31). IACHR Identified 68 Thousand Twitter Accounts Created in Support of Bolivia's de Facto Government. globalresearch.ca The Commission (an appendage of OAS) explained that since the (forced) resignation of Evo Morales, the accounts have supported hashtags such as #BoliviaLibreyDemocratica and #NoHayGolpeEnBolivia. | *** | The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) detected, as part of the campaign to …

Staff (2019-12-31). LGBTQ Activists Took on ICE, the Corporatization of Pride, and More in 2019. truthout.org Most queer and trans people get their news from a few media conglomerates and tech companies that control most of what we see, and only a few very privileged queer and trans voices get any kind of platform. | The largest for-profit LGBTQ+ outlets are owned by a holding company, Pride Media, which may soon shut down the 52-year-old Advocate and 27-year-old Out (the author of this piece has contributed to both). After years of surrendering profits to internet giants like Facebook and Google, the t…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2019-12-31). UN Expert Calls Detention of Chelsea Manning 'Open-Ended, Progressively Severe, Coercive Measure Amounting to Torture'. commondreams.org United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer shared on social media Tuesday a letter he sent to the United States government last month expressing concerns that the continued detention of whistleblower Chelsea Manning amounts to torture. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/chelsea_manning_0_0.jpg

RT (2019-12-31). Cubicle 2020? Internet field day after Mike Bloomberg promises 'open office plan' for White House East Room if he wins presidency. rt.com Billionaire ex-mayor Michael Bloomberg has exposed himself to torrents of Twitter snark, after pledging that as president he would convert the East Room in the White House into a soulless maze of cubicles. 'Why?' many asked. | The presidential contender found it necessary — for reasons which may forever remain a mystery — to announce that he will turn the White House's historic East Room into an "open office" if he secures the Democratic nomination and defeats Donald Trump in 2020. | The former New York City mayor said that by doing so, he'll be able to "sit with our team" — presumably as he jud…

RT (2019-12-30). Plane carrying Kansas basketball team forced to make emergency landing after engine SPITS FIRE (VIDEO). rt.com A Swift Air 737 passenger jet was forced to make an emergency landing after one of its engines malfunctioned and began spitting fire, as terrifying eyewitness video taken on board shows. | The plane was forced to turn around 20 minutes into its flight, having just departed Mineta San Jose International Airport on Sunday. The University of Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team was on board and their senior associate athletic director, Ryan White, shared shocking video of one of the plane's engines belching blazing fire. | @KUHoops plane blows engine…

RT (2019-12-30). Elon Musk unveils Starship's 'giant dome' 1 month after explosion devastated launch vehicle (VIDEOS). rt.com The SpaceX craft Elon Musk hopes will one day take astronauts to Mars has taken a step forward, with the team building the 50-meter-tall (160 feet) capsule working around the clock to finish its huge dome. | Musk shared updates about the project's progress on Twitter on Monday, saying he and the SpaceX team had spent the whole night working on the "most difficult part of [the] primary structure": Starship's giant dome. | In his videos, he shows three of the huge structures at varying stages of construction — and it wasn't long before Twitter users compared the strange hemispheres to alien crafts. | Almost…

RT (2019-12-30). All West Virginia prison guard trainees pictured giving NAZI salute on viral photo SACKED after review. rt.com Three staff members and all of the West Virginia corrections cadets, who posed for a photo making a hand gesture resembling a Nazi salute, have been sacked after an inquiry found the class instructor encouraged the practice. | All 34 would-be prison guards and three West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation Academy employees have been fired after an in-depth investigation into the viral photo showing the trainees giving a Nazi salute in a class photo accompanied by the words "HAIL BYRD!" | "As I said from the beginning, I condemn the photo of Basic Training Class 18 in the strongest possible ter…

RT (2019-12-30). Too good to be true? Sharon Stone BLOCKED by dating app after disbelieving users flag her account as fake. rt.com If a Hollywood star can't find a date what hope do the rest of us have? Social media users were haunted by this existential question after Sharon Stone revealed that she had made an account on a dating app — but was blocked.

Fight Back (2019-12-30). 2019: sounds like an upsurge. fightbacknews.org In 2019, we saw workers take to picket lines and we saw mass movements hit the streets in the U.S. and around the world. And when there's an upsurge with lots of people hitting the streets, you can bet it will be accompanied by protest music. This year has been no exception. | Here are my favorite political songs of 2019. Some give voice to a specific struggle, while others tackle more general themes. | I'm sure I missed out on some good ones – add more in the comments. | (Content warning: some of these songs contain profane language and…

Staff (2019-12-30). Michael Moore on Trump, 2020 & Why "the Old, Angry White Guy" Doesn't Represent the Working Class. democracynow.org Last week on Democracy Now!, acclaimed filmmaker "Michael Moore predicted": www.democracynow.org/2019/12/26/michael_moore_donald_trump_impeachment Donald Trump would win re-election if Democrats don't choose a candidate to run against him who excites their base of voters. His comments prompted President Donald Trump to respond on Twitter, "He made [the] same prediction in 2016. Nobody ever said Michael was stupid!" But Moore's comments went further than Trump's tweet alluded to. He said the working class in the United States is mostly women, people of color and young people — all groups who tend to v…

Staff (2019-12-30). Michael Moore: Democrats Must Not Ignore Voters of Color. truthout.org Last week on Democracy Now!, acclaimed filmmaker Michael Moore predicted Donald Trump would win re-election if Democrats don't choose a candidate to run against him who excites their base of voters. His comments prompted President Donald Trump to respond on Twitter, "He made [the] same prediction in 2016. Nobody ever said Michael was stupid!" But Moore's comments went further than Trump's tweet alluded to. He said the workin…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2019-12-30). Because of Small Donations, Sanders 'Out-Raised Literally Everyone Else in the Field' in 2019. commondreams.org #PresidentSanders trended on Twitter as the senator approached 5 million donations for the year. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/sanders.age__0.jpg

RT (2019-12-29). Texas church shooting: Gunman neutralized by parishioners after killing 1 & gravely injuring another in White Settlement. rt.com A gunman killed one and injured another person during a service at a church in White Settlement, Texas, before a parishioner shot him dead. | In a graphic livestreamed video from the service, the gunman – wearing a black hood – approaches the communion server before pulling out what appears to be a shotgun. He manages to shoot two worshippers at point-black range as the panicked crowd dives for cover among the wooden pews. Before the gunman can squeeze off a third shot, an armed "heroic parishioner" as police later call him shoots the perpetrator. Multiple other bystanders pull weapons and encircle the man.

Alan Macleod (2019-12-27). Wikileaks Still Holding Powerful to Account as Founder Julian Assange "Slowly Dies" in Prison. mintpressnews.com Julian Assange is dying inside Belmarsh Prison in London. Those are his own words, relayed through English journalist Vaughan Smith, who revealed that the Wikileaks founder called him on Christmas Eve to share his greetings. Smith also divulged that Assange told him he is kept in solitary confinement 23 hours per day and is often sedated. | His treatment has elicited protests around the world, from journalists, news organizations, human rights groups and celebrities. Last week a group of Australian doctors asked Foreign Minister Marise Pay…

Morgan Artyukhina (2019-12-25). Social Media and Social Control: How Silicon Valley Serves the US State Department. mintpressnews.com Facebook isn't the only Silicon Valley firm with partisan oversight of what we see: the bipartisan billionaire class and their security state have partnered with tech firms since the dawn of the internet to control the parameters of users' thinking.

Eds. (2019-12-23). Chile: TV broadcast live when two armored cars crushed citizen. mronline.org Real-time scenes evidenced once again how the Chilean state acts with rampant and absurd violence. | Source

The Canary (2019-12-18). Tories spent over £950,000 on Facebook adverts in late election blitz. thecanary.co The Conservative Party spent more than any other party on Facebook and Instagram adverts in the run-up to last week's General Election, analysis by the PA news agency has found.It largely came in a spending blitz in the final two weeks of the campaign.Across their two main pages — named Conservatives and Boris Johnson — the party spent a total of £959,329 in the four weeks up to the vote.In comparison, Labour spent £552,035 on its Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyn pages between 14 November and 12 December, the fourth most of the major UK parties.The Liberal Democrats were the second biggest spe…

Candice Yanez (2019-12-16). Viral Chilean feminist anthem reveals powerful international sentiment against sexual violence. liberationnews.org The protest song was first performed for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 20 in Valparaíso, Chile.

Ramzy Baroud (2019-12-02). The War on Truth: How Israel's Social Media Trolls Conquered Facebook. zcomm.org Israel may have found a way to circumvent the influence of Facebook on the discussions pertaining to Palestinian rights and the Israeli occupation…

Matt Bruenig (2019-12-01). The Usual Incoherence on Student Benefits Is Back. peoplespolicyproject.org Of all the welfare state topics, student benefits manages to consistently attract the most incoherent and weird arguments, and the recent spate of arguments on this front are no exception. In the last week, a student benefit dustup has been instigated by Pete Buttigieg ostensibly being against free public college for millionaires and billionaires while Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are ostensibly for it. | This has set off the usual round of commentary about how Buttigieg is arguing for means-testing while Warren and Sanders are arguing f…

Matt Bruenig (2019-11-17). CAP's Topher Spiro Is Trying to Deceive Journalists By Lying. peoplespolicyproject.org It's been fun to see how the Center for American Progress (CAP) navigates this year's presidential election. For insider political reasons, they can't support Biden or Sanders. But for a long time, it was unclear who the alternative candidate they could support would be. | When Kamala Harris was rising, CAP's staff was doing overtime boosting her on Twitter and in the press, including boosting Harris's absurd health care proposal. But Harris's collapse put an end to that strategy. Recently Warren has risen as the alternative and so CAP has been working to promote her campaign, which puts CAP in the comical positi…

2020-01-01: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Trump says he 'does not see war with Iran happening,' hours after issuing 'threat' to Tehran
rt.com | 2020-01-01
US President Donald Trump has said that the US is not gearing up for war with Iran, adding that he prefers peace to war. It comes just hours after the US leader upped the ante, making a pointed threat against Tehran on Twitter. | …
rt.com/news/477243-iran-war-trump-not-happening/

Protest at Facebook Headquarters
Multiple Organizers | indybay.org | 2020-01-01
Facebook HQ | 1601 Willow Rd, Menlo Park, California 94025…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/29/18829303.php

Riña en cárcel mexicana deja un saldo de 16 muertos y cinco heridos
teleSUR, JGN | wp.telesurtv.net | 2020-01-01
Una pelea entre grupos de reos en una cárcel del estado de Zacatecas, en el norte de México, dejó un saldo de 16 personas muertas y cinco heridas, informó una fuente oficial. | LEA TAMBIÉN: | Destacan crecimiento económico durante 2019 en México | La Vocería de Seguridad Pública de Zacatecas informó en la red social de Twitter que "la tarde de este martes se registró una riña al interior del Centro Regional de Reinserción Social (Cerereso) Varonil, que dejó como saldo el fallecimiento de 16 Personas Privada…
wp.telesurtv.net/news/mexico-carcel-zacatecas-pelea-grupos-rivales-muertos-20200101-0005.html

Reportan 27 casos de neumonía viral en el centro de China
teleSUR, lsl, JGN | wp.telesurtv.net | 2020-01-01
Autoridades sanitarias chinas informaron el martes que los 27 casos de neumonía reportados en días pasados en Wuhan, capital de la provincia central de Hubei, fueron identificados como neumonía viral. | LEA TAMBIÉN: | Presidente de China desea un Hong Kong estable y próspero en 2020 | "En relación a la detección continua de casos de inflamación de pulmones de origen desconocido, pedimos a todas las instituciones médicas que mantengan estadísticas y controlen la situación de los pacientes e infor…
wp.telesurtv.net/news/reportan-casos-neumonia-viral-centro-china-20191231-0024.html

Numerous cars TORCHED during New Year's Eve mayhem in Strasbourg, France (VIDEOS)
rt.com | 2020-01-01
Vandals in Strasbourg, France, marked the start of 2020 by setting countless vehicles on fire. Videos on social media purportedly show shocking acts of arson that took place across the city. | Police have not disclosed how many cars were torched, but a source told AFP that the figure was larger than the previous year. A number of arrests and some minor injuries have also been reported. | Pendant que les Franàßais fêtaient tranquillement la nouvelle année, la racaille n'a pas pu s'empêcher de déroger à ´ ses ª traditions. | Voitures brûlées, jets de projectiles sur pompiers et policiers : des s…
rt.com/news/477267-strasbourg-cars-fire-new-years-france/

Dance, chant, sing: WATCH Indian soldiers send army-style New Year greetings
rt.com | 2020-01-01
Taking a break from the hard work of soldiering, Indian service members have been filmed sending a flurry of artistic New Year greetings to the nation, garnering applause on social media. | Deployed in the snowy Himalayan ridges of Kashmir, a bunch of soldiers try their best to show off their team spirit. Standing atop a mountain, their squad chanted some slogans before "wishing everybody a happy and a prosperous New Year." | Their brother-in-arms –serving tours of duty in the same region– staged a more sophisticated performance, singing a patriotic song while also dancing in unison. | Message to the…
rt.com/news/477270-indian-soldiers-new-year-greetings/

Iran's Supreme Leader hits back at Trump's 'big price' threat, says US 'took revenge' for defeating ISIS
rt.com | 2020-01-01
Giving a sharp rebuke to Donald Trump's threat to make Iran pay for an attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said tirades like this usually end up nowhere. | On the heels of the Tuesday siege of the US diplomatic mission in Baghdad, President Trump fired off a series of inflammatory tweets, vowing to hold Iran "fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities." Shortly thereafter, he took a different tone, saying he doesn't see a war with Iran coming. | But…
rt.com/news/477260-ayatollah-trump-threat-baghdad/

Terrorist YPG/PKK kills 2 civilians in northern Syria
yenisafak.com | 2020-01-01
The YPG/PKK terror group killed at least two civilians and wounded four in a car bomb attack in northern Syria, Turkey's National Defense Ministry said on Monday.The ministry said on Twitter that YPG/PKK terrorists had targeted the town of Tal Abyad but a Turkish military checkpoint blocked them from entering the town, and it exploded on the outskirts.The terrorist suspected of being responsible for the attack was arrested.The YPG/PKK terror group is targeting settlement areas under control of the Syrian National Army (SNA), which fought alongside the Turkish forces in Turkish-led anti-terror operations in northe…
yenisafak.com/en/world/terrorist-ypg-pkk-kills-2-civilians-in-northern-syria-3508671

Colombianos despiden el año con cacerolazo contra el gobierno
teleSUR, pha, JCM | wp.telesurtv.net | 2019-12-31
Los colombianos tienen previsto este martes para la noche de fin de año, y la apertura del año 2020, un cacerolazo en rechazo a las políticas del gobierno del presidente Iván Duque, como parte de la ola de protestas que se vive en la nación suramericana desde hace más de un mes. | LEA TAMBIÉN: | Duque anuncia aumento de salario mínimo en Colombia para 2020 | La convocatoria fue impulsada a través de su cuenta en la red social Twitter por la activista social Cielo Rusinque y el llamado de la…
wp.telesurtv.net/news/colombia-convocan-cacerolazo-31-diciembre-contra-gobierno-duque-20191231-0006.html

This is not a warning, it's a threat: Trump declares US embassy in Iraq safe, says Iran will pay 'big price' for attack
rt.com | 2019-12-31
President Donald Trump has said that a US embassy in Baghdad has been secured by American and Iraqi troops, and threatened to hold Iran "fully responsible" for any damages or loss of life at any US facility. | "This is not a Warning, it is a Threat," Trump declared in a tweet on Tuesday afternoon, adding that Iran will "pay a very BIG PRICE" for the embassy siege earlier in the day. | ….Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. Happy New Year!– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump…
rt.com/news/477237-trump-threat-iran-iraq-protests/

Iran slams US 'audacity' to blame it for Baghdad embassy storming
rt.com | 2019-12-31
Iran has flatly rejected US accusations that it is behind violent protests which broke out at the American embassy in Baghdad in response to US airstrikes on militia groups in Iraq. | In a tweet on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump accused Iran of "orchestrating an attack on the US Embassy in Iraq," and said Tehran will be held "fully responsible." Trump also called on "millions" of Iraqis to resist Iran. | Iran hit back at the "audacity" of Washington to blame Tehran for the attacks in a statement posted by the Foreign Ministry. | "America has the surprising audacity of attributing to Iran the protests of th…
rt.com/news/477233-iran-iraq-embassy-blame/

Iran slams US 'audacity' to blame it for Baghdad embassy storming
rt.com | 2019-12-31
Iran has flatly rejected US accusations that it is behind violent protests which broke out at the American embassy in Baghdad in response to US airstrikes on militia groups in Iraq. | In a tweet on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump accused Iran of "orchestrating an attack on the US Embassy in Iraq," and said Tehran will be held "fully responsible." Trump also called on "millions" of Iraqis to resist Iran. | Iran hit back at the "audacity" of Washington to blame Tehran for the attacks in a statement posted by the Foreign Ministry. | "America has the surprising audacity of attributing to Iran the protests of th…
rt.com/news/477233-iran-iraq-embassy-blame/

Brazil Fines Facebook US$1.6m in Cambridge Analytica Case
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-31
Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security has sentenced Facebook with a US$1.6 million fine for sharing data belonging to 443,000 Brazilian users in relation to the Cambridge Analytica case. | RELATED: | Facebook's Black Employees Denounce Company's Racism in a Letter | According to the government, there is evidence of an "abusive" practice wh…
telesurenglish.net/news/Brazil-Fines-Facebook-US1.6m-in-Cambridge-Analytica-Case-20191231-0010.html

Cubicle 2020? Internet field day after Mike Bloomberg promises 'open office plan' for White House East Room if he wins presidency
rt.com | 2019-12-31
Billionaire ex-mayor Michael Bloomberg has exposed himself to torrents of Twitter snark, after pledging that as president he would convert the East Room in the White House into a soulless maze of cubicles. 'Why?' many asked. | The presidential contender found it necessary — for reasons which may forever remain a mystery — to announce that he will turn the White House's historic East Room into an "open office" if he secures the Democratic nomination and defeats Donald Trump in 2020. | The former New York City mayor said that by doing so, he'll be able to "sit with our team" — presumably as he jud…
rt.com/usa/477203-bloomberg-president-white-house-office-space/

IACHR Identified 68 Thousand Twitter Accounts Created in Support of Bolivia's de Facto Government
Orinoco Tribune | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-31
The Commission (an appendage of OAS) explained that since the (forced) resignation of Evo Morales, the accounts have supported hashtags such as #BoliviaLibreyDemocratica and #NoHayGolpeEnBolivia. | *** | The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) detected, as part of the campaign to …
globalresearch.ca/iachr-identified-68-thousand-twitter-accounts-support-bolivia-de-facto-government/5699187

Only US govt-friendly apps allowed? Army bans soldiers from using TikTok over alleged Chinese 'cyber threat'
rt.com | 2019-12-31
The US Army has banned personnel from using Chinese social media app TikTok, signaling that its soldiers should stick to platforms that march exclusively to Washington's tune. | An army spokeswoman confirmed on Monday that the Chinese app "is considered a cyber threat" and will no longer be allowed on government phones and mobile devices. The military had previously used the popular social media platform to reach out to potential recruits. | The decision comes less than two weeks after the US Navy banned the Chinese app from all government-issued mobile devices — citing the same alleged "cybersecurity thr…
rt.com/usa/477167-tiktok-ban-china-cyber-threat/

Trump blames Iran for Baghdad embassy attack, promises US will 'always' respond strongly
rt.com | 2019-12-31
President Donald Trump has blamed Iran for bombing a coalition base and orchestrating the storming of the US Embassy in Baghdad, as Iraqis rage at American airstrikes on militias in the country. | "Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many," the president tweeted on Tuesday. "We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the US Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible." | Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsib…
rt.com/usa/477200-trump-blames-iran-embassy-attack/

LGBTQ Activists Took on ICE, the Corporatization of Pride, and More in 2019
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-31
Most queer and trans people get their news from a few media conglomerates and tech companies that control most of what we see, and only a few very privileged queer and trans voices get any kind of platform. | The largest for-profit LGBTQ+ outlets are owned by a holding company, Pride Media, which may soon shut down the 52-year-old Advocate and 27-year-old Out (the author of this piece has contributed to both). After years of surrendering profits to internet giants like Facebook and Google, the t…
truthout.org/articles/lgbtq-activists-took-on-ice-the-corporatization-of-pride-and-more-in-2019/

UN Expert Calls Detention of Chelsea Manning 'Open-Ended, Progressively Severe, Coercive Measure Amounting to Torture'
Jessica Corbett, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-12-31
United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer shared on social media Tuesday a letter he sent to the United States government last month expressing concerns that the continued detention of whistleblower Chelsea Manning amounts to torture. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/chelsea_manning_0_0.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/12/31/un-expert-calls-detention-chelsea-manning-open-ended-progressively-severe-coercive?cd-origin=rss

Elon Musk unveils Starship's 'giant dome' 1 month after explosion devastated launch vehicle (VIDEOS)
rt.com | 2019-12-30
The SpaceX craft Elon Musk hopes will one day take astronauts to Mars has taken a step forward, with the team building the 50-meter-tall (160 feet) capsule working around the clock to finish its huge dome. | Musk shared updates about the project's progress on Twitter on Monday, saying he and the SpaceX team had spent the whole night working on the "most difficult part of [the] primary structure": Starship's giant dome. | In his videos, he shows three of the huge structures at varying stages of construction — and it wasn't long before Twitter users compared the strange hemispheres to alien crafts. | Almost…
rt.com/usa/477111-spacex-starship-dome-elon-musk/

All West Virginia prison guard trainees pictured giving NAZI salute on viral photo SACKED after review
rt.com | 2019-12-30
Three staff members and all of the West Virginia corrections cadets, who posed for a photo making a hand gesture resembling a Nazi salute, have been sacked after an inquiry found the class instructor encouraged the practice. | All 34 would-be prison guards and three West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation Academy employees have been fired after an in-depth investigation into the viral photo showing the trainees giving a Nazi salute in a class photo accompanied by the words "HAIL BYRD!" | "As I said from the beginning, I condemn the photo of Basic Training Class 18 in the strongest possible ter…
rt.com/usa/477151-nazi-cadets-salut-fired/

Too good to be true? Sharon Stone BLOCKED by dating app after disbelieving users flag her account as fake
rt.com | 2019-12-30
If a Hollywood star can't find a date what hope do the rest of us have? Social media users were haunted by this existential question after Sharon Stone revealed that she had made an account on a dating app — but was blocked. | …
rt.com/news/477105-sharon-stone-dating-app-blocked-bumble/

Michael Moore: Democrats Must Not Ignore Voters of Color
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-30
Last week on Democracy Now!, acclaimed filmmaker Michael Moore predicted Donald Trump would win re-election if Democrats don't choose a candidate to run against him who excites their base of voters. His comments prompted President Donald Trump to respond on Twitter, "He made [the] same prediction in 2016. Nobody ever said Michael was stupid!" But Moore's comments went further than Trump's tweet alluded to. He said the workin…
truthout.org/video/michael-moore-democrats-must-not-ignore-voters-of-color/

Michael Moore on Trump, 2020 & Why "the Old, Angry White Guy" Doesn't Represent the Working Class
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-30
Last week on Democracy Now!, acclaimed filmmaker "Michael Moore predicted": www.democracynow.org/2019/12/26/michael_moore_donald_trump_impeachment Donald Trump would win re-election if Democrats don't choose a candidate to run against him who excites their base of voters. His comments prompted President Donald Trump to respond on Twitter, "He made [the] same prediction in 2016. Nobody ever said Michael was stupid!" But Moore's comments went further than Trump's tweet alluded to. He said the working class in the United States is mostly women, people of color and young people — all groups who tend to v…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/30/michael_moore_trump_2016_2020_prediction

Michael Moore on Trump, 2020 & Why "the Old, Angry White Guy" Doesn't Represent the Working Class
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-30
Last week on Democracy Now!, acclaimed filmmaker "Michael Moore predicted": www.democracynow.org/2019/12/26/michael_moore_donald_trump_impeachment Donald Trump would win re-election if Democrats don't choose a candidate to run against him who excites their base of voters. His comments prompted President Donald Trump to respond on Twitter, "He made [the] same prediction in 2016. Nobody ever said Michael was stupid!" But Moore's comments went further than Trump's tweet alluded to. He said the working class in the United States is mostly women, people of color and young people — all groups who tend to v…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/30/michael_moore_trump_2016_2020_prediction

Because of Small Donations, Sanders 'Out-Raised Literally Everyone Else in the Field' in 2019
Eoin Higgins, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-12-30
#PresidentSanders trended on Twitter as the senator approached 5 million donations for the year. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/sanders.age__0.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/12/30/because-small-donations-sanders-out-raised-literally-everyone-else-field-2019?cd-origin=rss

Texas church shooting: Gunman neutralized by parishioners after killing 1 & gravely injuring another in White Settlement
rt.com | 2019-12-29
A gunman killed one and injured another person during a service at a church in White Settlement, Texas, before a parishioner shot him dead. | In a graphic livestreamed video from the service, the gunman – wearing a black hood – approaches the communion server before pulling out what appears to be a shotgun. He manages to shoot two worshippers at point-black range as the panicked crowd dives for cover among the wooden pews. Before the gunman can squeeze off a third shot, an armed "heroic parishioner" as police later call him shoots the perpetrator. Multiple other bystanders pull weapons and encircle the man.
rt.com/viral/477068-people-shot-church-white-settlement-texas/

Social Media and Social Control: How Silicon Valley Serves the US State Department
Morgan Artyukhina | mintpressnews.com | 2019-12-25
Facebook isn't the only Silicon Valley firm with partisan oversight of what we see: the bipartisan billionaire class and their security state have partnered with tech firms since the dawn of the internet to control the parameters of users' thinking.
mintpressnews.com/social-media-control-how-silicon-valley-serves-us-state-department/263267/

Social Media and Social Control: How Silicon Valley Serves the US State Department
Morgan Artyukhina | mintpressnews.com | 2019-12-25
Facebook isn't the only Silicon Valley firm with partisan oversight of what we see: the bipartisan billionaire class and their security state have partnered with tech firms since the dawn of the internet to control the parameters of users' thinking.
mintpressnews.com/social-media-control-how-silicon-valley-serves-us-state-department/263267/

Tories spent over £950,000 on Facebook adverts in late election blitz
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-12-18
The Conservative Party spent more than any other party on Facebook and Instagram adverts in the run-up to last week's General Election, analysis by the PA news agency has found.It largely came in a spending blitz in the final two weeks of the campaign.Across their two main pages — named Conservatives and Boris Johnson — the party spent a total of £959,329 in the four weeks up to the vote.In comparison, Labour spent £552,035 on its Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyn pages between 14 November and 12 December, the fourth most of the major UK parties.The Liberal Democrats were the second biggest spe…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2019/12/18/tories-spent-over-950000-on-facebook-adverts-in-late-election-blitz/

Viral Chilean feminist anthem reveals powerful international sentiment against sexual violence
Candice Yanez | liberationnews.org | 2019-12-16
The protest song was first performed for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 20 in Valparaíso, Chile.
liberationnews.org/viral-chilean-feminist-anthem-reveals-powerful-international-sentiment-against-sexual-violence/

The War on Truth: How Israel's Social Media Trolls Conquered Facebook
Ramzy Baroud | zcomm.org | 2019-12-02
Israel may have found a way to circumvent the influence of Facebook on the discussions pertaining to Palestinian rights and the Israeli occupation…
zcomm.org/zmagazine/the-war-on-truth-how-israels-social-media-trolls-conquered-facebook/