(2020-08-08). He 'deserves a raise': 'Karen' roasted for shaming store manager for not doing enough about non-mask wearer. rt.com 
A trans activist's attempt to shame a grocery store manager over not enforcing a Covid-19 mask mandate has epically backfired, with critics labeling the complainer a "super Karen." | "I was just threatened w/assault at @kroger in Louisville because I asked another customer to wear a mask, and she refused," Danielle Muscato tweeted. | Muscato said a manager was informed of the confrontation and talked to the non-mask wearing customer, but "refused to do anything more." | Muscato then posted an image of the store manager, named him, and attempted to shame him. | "His name is Andy, and he does not want Twitter t…
(2020-08-08). 'Too much pot brownie': Clinton slams NYT's Maureen Dowd over claim it's been 36 YEARS since a man & woman ran on Dem ticket. rt.com 
Hillary Clinton and thousands of others roasted a now-corrected story and tweet from the New York Times claiming the last time there was a mixed-gender presidential ticket for the Democratic Party was in the '80s. | "It's hard to fathom, but it has been 36 years since a man and a woman ran together on a Democratic Party ticket," the New York Times' Opinion Twitter account wrote, linking to an article by columnist Maureen Dowd, which included the same quote. | How does an error this significant get past an editor?
(2020-08-08). Georgia highschoolers use social media to expose disastrous conditions as schools reopen. wsws.org Two students from Georgia's North Paulding High School were suspended after photos of hallways packed with crowds of unmasked students went viral on social media.
(2020-08-08). TikTok Diplomacy: A Digital Containment Doctrine. popularresistance.org With TikTok, Donald Trump is adding State Department coercion to his "art of the deal" toolkit. After months of feigned concern that the viral TikTok app represents a "trojan horse" for the Communist Party of China to access U.S. consumer data, the Trump Administration issued the Chinese company an ultimatum: sell the app to a U.S. buyer, or be shut down. | Microsoft has stepped forward as a potential buyer of TikTok, a clone of the Chinese video app Douyin tailored for a Western audience.
(2020-08-08). Two Lebanese shot dead in Tehran in rare shootout. yenisafak.com Two Lebanese nationals were shot dead by unknown assailants in Tehran, in what is being described as a rare incident of shooting in the Iranian capital. A father and daughter were shot by motorcycle-borne armed assailants north of Tehran's Pasdaran neighborhood on Friday, according to local media.The semi-official Fars News Agency identified the victims as Habib Davoodi and Maryam Davoodi, both Arab-speaking Lebanese nationals.Many social media users said the shooting took place near the Tehran house of slain Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was killed along with top Iranian general Qassem Sole…
(2020-08-08). [Articles] Mortality in adults with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and HIV by antiretroviral therapy and tuberculosis drug use: an individual patient data meta-analysis. thelancet.com Use of ART and more effective anti-tuberculosis drugs is associated with lower odds of death among HIV-positive patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Access to these therapies should be urgently pursued.
(2020-08-07). Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook: The Big Four High Tech Oligarchs Appear Before the US Congress. globalresearch.ca Silicon Valley continues to sprawl in influence, and its modern robber barons bestride the globe with a confidence verging on contempt. The technology giants that mark that region of California are praised as "virtuosos of ingenuity," to use Steve Forbes' …
(2020-08-07). Ranking the Infinite Greed, Power and Controls of Giant Corporations. commondreams.org This combination of file photos shows Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Apple CEO Tim Cook. (Photo: DSK/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/ceos.jpg …
(2020-08-07). TikTok — Trump's anti-China tech war is a protection racket for U.S. capital. peoplesworld.org 
I can't say I expected a viral teen dance smartphone app to be the latest flashpoint in President Donald Trump's war on all things China. But that's 2020 for you. TikTok, the wildly popular short video platform owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is in the U.S. government's crosshairs due to alleged national security risks. Trump …
(2020-08-07). 'National security threat'? Trump signs executive orders on TikTok & WeChat, bans transactions with Chinese owners in 45 days. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders addressing what he dubbed a technological national emergency, barring all transactions with the Chinese owners of social media apps TikTok and WeChat after 45 days. | Citing the "threat posed by TikTok," the president signed an order on Thursday prohibiting "any transaction by any person… subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, with ByteDance Ltd.," the Beijing-based tech firm that owns the platform. | BREAKING: President Trump just issued an executive order "on Addressing the Threat Posed by TikTok." It takes effect in 45 days, proh…
(2020-08-07). WATCH: Rescuers comb Air India Express crash site in desperate search for survivors. rt.com 
Rescue operations are underway after an Air India Express passenger flight carrying over 190 people overshot the runway and broke into two, killing at least 14 people and injuring 123 more in the southern Indian state of Kerala. | Videos and photos circulating on social media show the serious damage to the plane, as rescuers comb through the wreckage to find survivors. Rescue vehicles can be seen on site in footage that shows a hectic scene, with many running around and frantically talking into cell phones. | There were total 184 passengers, including 10 infants and 6 crew members, including 2 pilots onboard <...
(2020-08-07). 17 dead, 173 hospitalized after Air India Express flight skids off runway in Kerala with 191 people on board, splits in two. rt.com An Air India Express passenger flight en route from Dubai with 191 people on board overshot the runway during landing at Kerala's Kozhikode airport. Police officials confirmed 17 deaths with another 173 injured. | Officials also confirmed that both the pilot and co-pilot perished in the disastrous crash landing. | Media reports said the plane overshot the runway, fell into a valley and broke up. Images and video circulating on social media showed the aircraft broken into two pieces with rescue operations underway. | There were total 184 passengers, including 10 infants and 6 crew members, including 2 pilots on…
(2020-08-07). 'Biden no longer worthy of the black vote': Trump pounces on 'Sleepy Joe' for controversial diversity statement. rt.com 
Donald Trump attacked Joe Biden by tweeting that he is "no longer worthy of the Black Vote," after his controversial statement. Now both presidential candidates are under fire for their comments on the African American community. | "After yesterday's statement, Sleepy Joe Biden is no longer worthy of the Black Vote!" the president tweeted Friday morning. He referenced the Thursday interview with the presumptive Democratic nominee, where he seemingly
(2020-08-07). 'War on gamers?!' Twitter freaks out fearing Trump's ambiguous 'Tencent ban' could hit Fortnite, League of Legends, PUBG & others. rt.com 
A vaguely worded White House executive order targeting WeChat — owned by Chinese digital entertainment giant Tencent Holdings — has triggered panic online that the move could deal a death blow to the global video gaming industry. | US President Donald Trump signed the order late on Thursday evening, banning American firms from doing business with Tencent — or at least any transactions "related to" its messaging app, WeChat. The move kicked off a frenzy of speculation from netizens, who pointed to the fact that Tencent holds large stakes in a series of major game developers. That roster include…
(2020-08-07). 'It's okay when it comes out of Chuck Schumer's mouth?' Democrat senator says schools must reopen or economy suffers. rt.com 
Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a compromise on a Covid-19 economic relief bill, but one comment from Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) about schools needing to reopen has some seeing hypocrisy on the left. | Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and Schumer addressed the press after failed negotiations with Republicans on a potential relief bill. While many of their complaints about Republicans refusing to continue robust unemployment and other government programs was to be expected, one comment from Schumer went viral as it didn't seem to match the outrage shown to President Donald Trump when he mentioned…
(2020-08-07). Woolworths workers win wage parity after lockout. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-08-07). Facebook Removes Foreign Pro-Trump Troll Farms. telesurenglish.net Facebook and Instagram Thursday took action to prevent their platforms from being used by U.S. President Donald Trump's supporters to promote his reelection campaign. | RELATED: | A Romania-based troll farm pushed pro-Trump content under the names of "Black People Vote For Trump" on Instagram and "We Love Our President" on Facebook. | The content published in those fake accounts and pages was allegedly managed by U.S. ci…
(2020-08-07). American Failures: August, 2020. counterpunch.org It's probably unpatriotic and maybe treasonable to talk about American failures but they are now so glaring that some 12 minutes of read time seems pardonable in this Age of Twitter "discourse." That such obvious failures, if admitted at all, are politicized relative to which side of the Blue/Red street you are one is itself
(2020-08-07). Thursday 8/6: Communities of Color: Communicating Safe Voting Options for November. indybay.org Online via livestream at Human Rights Campaign Facebook…
(2020-08-07). Thursday 8/6: Voting Rights Act 55th Anniversary: COVID19, Voter Suppression, Vote by Mail, & More. indybay.org Online via Twitter…
(2020-08-07). Botswana Rules Out Toxic Chemicals, Viral Diseases as Cause of Mysterious Elephant Deaths. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Botswana's Environment Ministry said Friday it had ruled out agrochemicals and infectious pathogens as a possible cause of hundreds of elephant deaths reported since March.
(2020-08-07). Students Suspended for Taking Pictures of Crowds in Georgia School's Reopening. truthout.org A high school in Paulding County, Georgia, is facing steep criticism for how it has handled reopening its schools after several images on social media revealed a lack of social distancing and mask-wearing among the student body. | But rather than addressing these concerns or taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the district instead appears to be disciplining students that have shared these images on social media. | Hannah Watters, a 15-year-old student at North Paulding High…
(2020-08-07). Britain's National Health Service workers demand pay rise amid COVID-19 crisis. wsws.org Hundreds of health workers demonstrated in London last week and dozens of protests are scheduled in cities across the country this Saturday, organised by Facebook groups.
(2020-08-07). Canada: Last Intact Ice Shelf Collapses Due to Global Warming. telesurenglish.net The last intact ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic collapsed and lost a large part of his area due to extremely high temperatures, according to the Canadian Ice Service (CIS), as reported on Friday. | RELATED: | "Above normal air temperatures, offshore winds and open water in front of the ice shelf are all part of the recipe for ice shelf break up," the CIS tweeted. | According to Luke Copland, a Glaciologist at the University of…
(2020-08-07). Another PKK terrorist surrenders to Turkish forces. yenisafak.com One more PKK terrorist surrendered to security forces in southeastern Turkey, the National Defense Ministry said on Friday. | The PKK terrorist fleeing from the shelter areas in northern Iraq surrendered to the border post in the Cizre district of Sirnak province, the ministry said on Twitter. | "While the operations of the Turkish Armed Forces against the PKK terrorist group continue without slowing down, escapes from the organization continue," the statement added. | On Monday, the Turkish Interior Ministry announced that a total of 123 terrorists have turned themselves in to Turkish security forces in 2020.
(2020-08-07). 'Fluctuations in macroeconomic indicators don't reflect Turkey's reality'. yenisafak.com Fluctuations in macroeconomic indicators do not reflect the reality of the Turkish economy, the country's industry and technology minister said on Friday.Turkey's economy is on the path of production, employment, and innovation, Mustafa Varank wrote on Twitter."We will take Turkey to the levels it deserves with steps to boost the investment appetite for development," he said.His remarks came after the Turkish lira lost ground to other currencies.Late Thursday, the dollar/lira exchange rate hit an all-time high of over 7.30.After the Central Bank took steps Friday to tighten liquidity conditions, the exchange rate…
(2020-08-06). Headlines for August 6, 2020. democracynow.org Beirut Blast Destroys Grain Silo and Leaves 300,000 Homeless, Adding to Humanitarian Crisis, COVID-19 Deaths Surge in Florida and California as New York City Erects Quarantine Checkpoints, India Records Its Highest One-Day Coronavirus Toll, Facebook Removes Video from Trump's Account Citing COVID-19 Misinformation, Security Team Assigned to Family of Dr. Anthony Fauci Amid Death Threats, Gilead Accused of Neglecting Coronavirus Drug Research in Bid to Maximize Profits, Kodak Under Investigation for Insider Trading Tied to Massive Government Loan, Deutsche Bank Gave Trump Financial Records to New York Prosecutors…
(2020-08-06). Israel strikes 'underground terror infrastructure' in Gaza in retaliation for 'explosive balloons' (VIDEOS). rt.com 
The Israel Defense Forces have announced they had targeted multiple "underground terror infrastructure" installations in the Gaza Strip, in retaliation for several "explosive balloons" launched into Israel earlier in the day. | "Terrorists in Gaza launched explosive balloons into Israel throughout the day. In response, our aircraft just struck Hamas underground terror infrastructure in Gaza," the IDF tweeted following Thursday's strikes, adding that it wouldn't allow the group to "terrorize Israeli civilians." | Video of the IDF strike on Hamas' position in response to launching incendiary/IED balloons from
(2020-08-06). Cuba: President Rejects Lawfare Against Leftist Leaders. telesurenglish.net The President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel highlighted on Thursday the use of the judiciary in politics as a colonizing weapon over the peoples of Latin America. | RELATED: | On his official Twitter account, the president maintained that the case of former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, "proves how far the enemies go" in applying those tools. | "The use of the judiciary against left-wing leaders is an imperial m…
(2020-08-06). Ireland and Slavery: Debating the 'Irish Slaves Myth'. counterpunch.org 
Over recent months, social media in Ireland and the United States has been saturated with claims and counterclaims about 'Irish slaves' and a broader controversy about Irish complicity in the transatlantic slave trade. The timing of the 'debate' is far from coincidental: a series of false and malicious assertions that the American far Right have
(2020-08-06). Macron says 'Lebanon is not alone' as he visits devastated Beirut, gets quickly blasted for hypocrisy. rt.com 
French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted in solidarity with people of Lebanon following the massive explosion in its capital. It did not go over well and just reminded critics of the troubled history the two countries share. | On Thursday Macron became the first international leader to visit Beirut, which was literally
(2020-08-06). Twitter introduces new labels for government and state-linked media accounts. thecanary.co 
Twitter is to begin adding labels to the accounts of government officials and state-affiliated media groups to provide more context on who the account represents.The new feature will initially focus on senior political officials who are the voice of their state abroad and accounts belonging to state-backed media, its editors and senior staff.The social media platform said that for political figures, the labels would currently only be applied to accounts from the countries that make up the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — China, France, Russia, the UK and the US.Personal accounts of heads o…
(2020-08-06). Video: Twitter Roasts Trump for Mispronouncing Thailand as 'Thighland'. sputniknews.com Netizens quickly fired off their reactions on Twitter Thursday after US President Donald Trump mispronounced "Thailand" as "Thighland" during a talk about revitalizing US manufacturing at the Whirlpool factory in Clyde, Ohio.
(2020-08-06). Social Media Sites Pull Trump's Posts for Violating COVID Misinformation Rules. truthout.org Two social media sites took bold action against accounts belonging to President Donald Trump and his presidential election campaign for sharing videos of an interview in which he made false statements about coronavirus. | "Team Trump," the president's official campaign Twitter account,
(2020-08-06). Ebola cases in DR Congo rise to 74 in latest outbreak. yenisafak.com At least 74 Ebola virus cases have been recorded in the latest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization announced Thursday.So far there are 74 cases, with 70 confirmed and four probable, 32 deaths and 28 recoveries from the 11th Ebola virus outbreak in Mbandaka, Equateur province, the WHO African Region tweeted.For several months, the DRC has been battling with several diseasing including, Cholera, Ebola, Measles.Last month the WHO office in the Central African country said that a total of 12,959 people have been vaccinated since the start of the 11th Ebola outbreak in ear…
(2020-08-06). Jamaica Celebrates Its 58th Independence Day With Resilience. telesurenglish.net Jamaica celebrates Thursday the 58 anniversary of its independence from the United Kingdom amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. | RELATED: | "Despite COVID-19, we remain committed to making this the decade of growth for Jamaica to anchor our peace, prosperity, and resilience," Prime Minister Andrew Holness tweeted. | He also referred to the efforts made in fiscal, monetary, and structural reforms, which have let Jamaica be "in a…
(2020-08-05). The End of Big Tech? Calls Grow to Break Up Facebook, Amazon for "Mob-Like" Behavior, Monopoly Power. democracynow.org 
Calls are growing to break up the Big Tech giants, with a handful of companies controlling more and more of the technology industry, crowding out or acquiring would-be competitors and exercising vast power over the U.S. economy. Lawmakers grilled the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook during a hearing last week on whether their companies are guilty of stifling competition, in a scene reminiscent of the 1994 hearing of tobacco executives who claimed cigarettes were not addictive. This came just days after Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos reportedly made $13 billion in a single day, even as the coronavirus pandemic ha…
(2020-08-05). Facebook launches TikTok RIVAL as Microsoft in '$30bn' buyout talks. rt.com 
Instagram, owned by tech giant Facebook, has launched its new 'Reels' short video feature in 50 countries — including the US — in what appears to be a direct challenge to TikTok. Microsoft is currently in talks to buy the latter.
(2020-08-05). UK schools' reopening could see Covid-19 cases multiply rapidly but it's 'not certain,' Professor Lockdown warns. rt.com 
The UK might need to hold off on easing Covid-19 restrictions if it wants its schools to re-open without triggering a new viral outbreak, epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, who once prompted London to impose a strict lockdown, warns. | Secondary schools throughout the UK could become new centers of infection as soon as the educational facilities fully re-open in September, Ferguson warned in his latest alarming forecast. | "The risk then is that big schools, comprehensives, universities and FE colleges, link lots of households together, reconnecting the social network," the scientist told BBC Radio 4's 'Today' prog…
(2020-08-05). Statewide online workshop on community control of Florida police. fightbacknews.org Tallahassee, FL -The Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) hosted an online training and workshop, July 30, over Facebook Live on the topic of community control of police. The event was led by experienced anti-racism leaders who are active in the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR), and also founding members of their local organizations: TCAC and the group that inspired TCAC's own founding, the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC). | "NAARPR, JCAC and TCAC all have political repression and police overreach central to their origin stories," noted Tallahassee Communi…
(2020-08-05). Saturday 8/8: 75th Annual Hiroshima-Nagasaki Remembrance & Virtual Peace Lantern Ceremony. indybay.org Online via YouTube livestream or Zoom…
(2020-08-05). Facebook Removes Video Post From Trump Over COVID-19 Misinformation. sputniknews.com Facebook has issued a statement confirming that "harmful COVID misinformation" was the reason a video has been removed from US President Donald Trump's personal page.
(2020-08-05). Iranian FM Zarif Snaps at Google for 'Glitch' When Translating Condolences to Lebanese People. sputniknews.com It appears from the video Zarif retweeted that Google Translate changes "condolences" to "congratulations" when Persian speakers want to translate their sympathies for the Lebanese who suffered a massive explosion on Tuesday.
(2020-08-05). The Censorship of 'Cancel Culture' May Ultimately Be Most Dangerous for Social Justice Champions. commondreams.org In 2014, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign community rallied in support of Professor Stephen Salaita, who was terminated from his tenured faculty position for criticizing Israel on social media. (Photo: Jeffrey Putney/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/image_56_0.jpg …
(2020-08-04). 'Sexually suggestive' or 'get your mind out of the gutter'? Audi banana girl ad yanked after bizarre controversy. rt.com 
After a social media outcry, Audi has pulled an ad showing a little girl eating a banana while leaning on a car. Those objecting remarked on everything from her pose to the 'phallic' fruit. Others pronounced it perfectly innocent. | The German car company publicly retracted the ad on Monday, after an outbreak of pearl-clutching online, issuing a groveling apology on Twitter and promising to get to the bottom of "how this campaign has been created and if control mechanisms failed." | We hoped we could convey these messages, showing that even for the weakest traffic participants it is possible to relaxingly lean…
(2020-08-04). Wednesday 8/5: Email and Twitter Storm for Breonna Taylor! indybay.org Online via Zoom…
(2020-08-04). Public Citizen, Scientists: Gilead and Federal Scientists Have Neglected a Potentially Promising COVID-19 Antiviral Drug. commondreams.org ______________________________…