(2020-03-13). 'No tests': AP reporter trying to get Covid-19 test sent from pillar to post by health authorities, told to 'stay home' on Twitter. rt.com 
AP reporter Steve Peoples had no luck trying to get tested for the Covid-19 virus after he presented to a primary care center and was subsequently bounced around to various other health facilities with no tests available anywhere. | Peoples tweeted on Friday that he had been experiencing "mild symptoms" — a headache, mild fever and cough — but that when he arrived at his primary care center in north Jersey, they told him to go to the emergency room instead. | I'm presenting mild symptoms (headache, mild fever, mild cough) and want to get tested in north Jersey. Primary care tells me to go to ER. ER…
(2020-03-13). Australia's home affairs minister tests positive for coronavirus. rt.com 
Australia's minister for home affairs, Peter Dutton, has announced that he has contracted coronavirus. The senior Australian official said that he has been hospitalized. | In a statement posted to his official Twitter page, Dutton explained that he was tested for COVID-19 after waking up with a "temperature and sore throat." | Dutton was hospitalized after the test returned positive. The minister said that he "feels fine" and will provide updates as they become available. | Australia will ban all public gatherings of more than 500 people starting on Monday, as the government attempts to stop toe spread of the…
(2020-03-13). PM Johnson postpones May's elections in England including London mayor till 2021 to avoid clash with coronavirus peak. rt.com 
The UK government has announced that local and mayoral elections scheduled for May are to be postponed for one year due to the Covid-19 epidemic to avoid the expected peak of the virus in late spring. | Voters in England were scheduled to go to the polls on May 7 — including for the London Mayoral contest — but just hours after the PM's spokesperson said they were "working to facilitate" the elections, they have now been taken off the 2020 political calendar. | Responding to the move, London Mayor Sadiq Khan —who was up for re-election— has taken to Twitter to insist that he "will continu…
(2020-03-13). Soccer prez: "I resign…but the blatant sexism wasn't my fault." peoplesworld.org 
My, my, how quickly the mighty fall. Three days after the U.S. Soccer Federation sparked a massive backlash when its legal filings—in a gender discrimination lawsuit no less—argued: "male soccer players are more skilled than female soccer players," Carlos Cordeiro resigned as head of the organization. Cordeiro announced his resignation via Twitter Thursday night, apparently not even information …
(2020-03-13). Friday the 13th strikes as Snapchat down across Europe and eastern US. rt.com 
Hundreds of users on both sides of the Atlantic are reporting that popular multimedia messaging app Snapchat has stopped working, with snapchatters unable to send and receive messages or update their feeds. | According to crowdsourcing outage tracker DownDetector.com, the outages began shortly after 2: 30pm GMT (9: 30am ET). Within a matter of minutes the number of reports spiked to over 500. | | © DownDetector | The areas worst affected appear to be north-western Europe and the UK, and the area surrounding New York City. | | © DownDetector | Irate users took to Twitter to vent their frustration at…
(2020-03-13). Sports stars vs coronavirus: What are famous athletes doing amid the pandemic? (PHOTOS, VIDEO). rt.com 
After swathes of international sports events were canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak, sport stars have taken to social media to share videos to battle the doom and gloom caused by the pandemic. | Many athletes whose competitive schedule has been seriously affected by the spread of the deadly Covid-19 disease continue to train in the hopes that the pandemic will be over soon. |
(2020-03-13). Flares & crazy moves: Russia's Little Big disco-inspired Eurovision clip becomes most viewed among all contenders (VIDEO). rt.com 
Disco vibes, flare pants, a chorus in Spanish and serious faces, while performing the freakiest of dance moves — Russia's rave-pop-punk hooligans Little Big have impressed the Eurovision crowd with a clip for its contest song. | Little Big, often described as "a Russian mental patient's answer to Die Antwoord," sure know how to make a hit. Two years ago their song, called 'Skibidi,' became a viral sensation, gaining 23 million views on YouTube in just 1 week. Since then it was seen by almost 370 million people, while the dance routine from the clip became a meme. | The Saint Petersburg band's entry for t…
(2020-03-13). Bio-war-of-words: US summons Chinese ambassador over 'disinformation campaign' about coronavirus origin. rt.com 
China's ambassador to Washington Cui Tiankai was summoned to the State Department after a spokesman for the foreign ministry in Beijing tweeted that the deadly coronavirus could have been seeded in Wuhan by the US military. | Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell summoned Cui on Friday over what he called a "blatant, global" disinformation campaign about the Covid-19 coronavirus. The ambassador was filmed leaving Foggy Bottom after the meeting, without answering questions shouted by US reporters. | Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai leaving State. He was summoned earlier this mornin…
(2020-03-13). 'Where was your patient zero?' Chinese official speculates AMERICANS may have infected Wuhan at army games & calls to 'come clean'. rt.com 
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lijian Zhao has demanded US authorities reveal what they're hiding about the origins of Covid-19, going as far as to suggest the coronavirus may have been brought to China by the US military. | Pointing to a video of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Robert Redfield apparently admitting the US had several deaths from Covid-19 before they were able to test for it, Zhao called on the American watchdog to come clean in a tweet posted on Thursday. | 2/2 CDC was caught on the spot. When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are…
(2020-03-13). Bolivia: Evo Morales Expresses Concern About Covid-19. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's former President Evo expressed concern about the mismanagement that the self-proclaimed President Jeanine Añez is carrying out of the Covid-19 pandemic. | RELATED: | Through his twitter account, Morales addresses the Bolivian people asking them to remain calm, be supportive and not stigmatize any citizen. | He said that the Añez administration spent more than US$50 million ‚Äã‚&Au…
(2020-03-13). "Homelessness, Gentrification and Counterinsurgency in Oakland" indybay.org In California, the richest state in the US, there are tens of thousands of African and Mexican people living in tents, under tarps and overpasses. | But right now in St. Louis, the Uhuru Movement is creating the basis for an independent African economy by building the Black Power Blueprint – www.facebook.com/BlackPowerBlueprint/ | Find out how you can challenge "Homelessness, Gentrification and Counterinsurgency in Oakland" by coming to the Uhuru House on Thursday, March 12th at 7: 00 pm – 7911 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland CA (take the 57 bus, only blocks away from Eastmont Mall)…
(2020-03-13). Bolsonaro Claims His Second COVID-19 Test Was Negative. telesurenglish.net According to both local media and international news agencies, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro tested positive for Covid-19. | The 64-year far-right politician appeared on Thursday on a Facebook live wearing a mask on his face. | His initial test was carried out after the arrival of the Brazilian delegation from the United States. | Bolsonaro was in contact with his communication secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, who also tested positive for the disease.‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã This top official was also in cont…
(2020-03-13). Brazil's Bolsonaro is Covid-19 Positive in His First Test. telesurenglish.net According to both local media and international news agencies, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro tested positive for Covid-19. | The 64-year far-right politician appeared on Thursday on a Facebook live wearing a mask on his face. | His initial test was carried out after the arrival of the Brazilian delegation from the United States. | Bolsonaro was in contact with his communication secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, who also tested positive for the disease.‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã This top official was also in cont…
(2020-03-13). Bill de Blasio, Climate Troll. counterpunch.org Bike ticket sting at 59th and 1st Avenue. Two cops ticketing, I think, when folks turn right on red coming south/off the Queensboro Bridge. Good lord, how do you schedule the spring ticket traps at the same time as you tell people to bike to work? Those tweets, from a bicycle commuter and local journalist,
(2020-03-13). Kashmir's former leader released after 7 months in jail. yenisafak.com Former chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir and serving member of Indian parliament was released from preventive detention on Friday.In a Twitter post, government spokesman Rohit Kansal posted a government order that said Farooq Abdullah's preventive detention under the Public Safety Act has been revoked.Under the act, a person can be detained without a trial for up to three months and this detention could be perpetually extended unless a court quashes the detention.Abdullah's National Conference party welcomed the move as a "step in the right direction.""We hope it is followed up with release of other p…
(2020-03-13). Trump says large-scale coronavirus testing ready to go. yenisafak.com Under fire for a poor response to coronavirus, U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said his administration is now ready to start mass public testing."The changes have been made and testing will soon happen on a very large scale basis. All Red Tape has been cut, ready to go!" he tweeted following criticism over a testing kit shortage and a tepid response to his attempts to reassure the public.Trying to pass the buck, Trump sought to blame the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the nation's leading public health institution, for failing to tackle the testing kit problem over the years."For decades…
(2020-03-13). Sex in the Age of Coronavirus: Experts Share Tips on How to Keep Your Love Life Safe. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): The Wuhan-originated novel coronavirus, which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), has infected over 127,000 people globally, with 75 cases confirmed in India.
(2020-03-13). Roaming Charges: Going Viral. counterpunch.org 
+ From Albert Camus's The Plague, which is once again on my nightstand: "There have been as many plagues as wars in history; yet always plagues and wars take people equally by surprise." + We are witnessing what happens to a country (this one) that faces a pandemic after it has privatized almost every aspect of
(2020-03-12). 'The Hunt' released Friday the 13th: Must we burn Blumhouse? peoplesworld.org 
On August 9, 2019, the commander-in-tweet attacked "Liberal Hollywood" for having "great Anger and Hate! …The movie coming out [which] is made in order to inflame and cause chaos. They create their own violence and then try to blame others." The movie in question was The Hunt, and the day following Trump's Twitter tantrum Universal …
(2020-03-12). Trump says trade will 'in no way' be affected by Europe travel ban in apparent about-face after markets crash. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump said that trade in "no way" will be impacted by the 30-day Europe travel ban, despite saying less than an hour earlier the restrictive measures would apply to a "tremendous amount of trade and cargo." | Trump has baffled traders and ordinary netizens after he took to Twitter in the wake of his national address earlier on Wednesday to assure the public that his order to suspend all travel from Europe pertains only to the movement of people, but not goods. | Hoping to get the payroll tax cut approved by both Republicans and Democrats, and please remember, very important for all countrie…
(2020-03-12). Remembering McCoy Tyner, iconic and influential jazz pianist. peoplesworld.org 
McCoy Tyner, the groundbreaking and influential jazz pianist and the last surviving member of the John Coltrane Quartet, has died. He was 81. Tyner's family confirmed the death in a statement released on social media on March 6. "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of jazz legend, Alfred McCoy Tyner. McCoy …
(2020-03-12). US confirms bombing Iraq's Shia Kata'eb Hezbollah militia after rocket strike at base near Baghdad killed 2 troops. rt.com 
US aircraft bombed five Shia militia targets in Iraq in retaliation for the earlier deaths of two US service members and a British nurse in a rocket attack on Camp Taji near Baghdad. | "Earlier this evening, the United States conducted defensive precision strikes against Kata'ib Hizbollah (KH) facilities across Iraq. These strikes targeted five weapon storage facilities to significantly degrade their ability to conduct future attacks against Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) coalition forces," the US Department of Defense said in a statement, confirming multiple reports on social media. | Branding the raids "de…
(2020-03-12). 'Leave me be': Did the Simpsons REALLY predict Tom Hanks would get CORONAVIRUS? rt.com 
The news that Tom Hanks has been struck down with coronavirus has shocked fans around the world. The outpouring has even sparked a viral meme claiming that The Simpsons predicted the beloved actor's illness. But is it true? | The iconic cartoon is famous for its uncanny ability to foresee major world events — from the election of US President Donald Trump, a voting machine controversy in the US, and the 2014-2016 Ebola crisis. | The current, breathless claim is that Hanks' cameo in the 2007 feature film 'The Simpsons' during which he appears to self-isolate and asks "if you see me in person, leave me b…
(2020-03-10). Testimony of a surgeon working in Bergamo, in the heart of Italy's coronavirus outbreak. mronline.org 
In one of the non-stop e-mails that I receive from my hospital administration on a more than daily basis, there was a paragraph on "how to be responsible on social media", with some recommendations that we all can agree on. |
(2020-03-10). 'Missing the mark': Ex-Warren staffers face outrage over campaign tattoos eerily similar to Holocaust concentration camp numbers. rt.com 
Former staffers for Elizabeth Warren have been taken to the woodshed over tattoos meant to memorialize her ill-fated campaign — which just happen to closely resemble markings given to Holocaust concentration camp prisoners. Oops! | Intending to commemorate the Democratic senator's failed bid for the presidency, at least two former Warren staffers thought tattoos displaying the hex code for the campaign's "Liberty Green" theme would be a clever tribute — until Twitter caught wind of it. In an avalanche of criticism, netizens wasted no time in pointing out the obvious — albeit accidental — r…
(2020-03-09). Sudan Prime Minister survives attempted assassination. news.un.org Sudan's Prime Minister survived a reported assassination attempt in the capital Khartoum on Monday, tweeting after the incident that he was "safe and in good shape".
(2020-03-06). Oil firm dumps plans to drill the Bight, but fight not over. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-02-21). In the Midst of Infighting, Anti-LGBTQ Church Network's Website and Social Media Disappear. splcenter.org The New Independent Fundamental Baptist network, most prominently associated with anti-LGBTQ pastor Steven Anderson, appears to be in turmoil as infighting again erupts, this time between Anderson and fellow pastors in the network.
