(2020-08-12). Twitter Spreads Paid U.S. Gov't Propaganda While Falsely Claiming It Bans State Media Ads. strategic-culture.org 
Twitter says it bans ads from state-affiliated media outlets. However, US government propaganda organs like Voice of America's VOA Persian pay the social media corporation huge sums of money to spread disinformation against Iran and other foreign adversaries. | Ben NORTON | Twitter has demonstrated a clear, consistent bias in favor of the US government and its geopolitical interests. The social media giant has also repeatedly lied about its policies on state-backed media outlets. | Twitter unveiled a new feature on August 6 that labels government-affiliated media on the platform. Users immediately pointed out…
(2020-08-12). Leaked documents reveal what TikTok shares with authorities — In the U.S. mronline.org 
A glimpse at what the social media platform does in the U.S. underscores that data privacy issues extend beyond China.
(2020-08-12). Louisiana police in manhunt after hospital shooting, suspect threatens to 'kill any law enforcement officer' who tries to stop him. rt.com 
Police in Shreveport, Louisiana, are on the hunt for a lone gunman who shot and injured a man at a hospital. Police are treating the situation as an "active shooting," and cautioned that the suspect is armed and dangerous. | The suspect, identified by police as 41-year-old Taniel Cole, allegedly shot a man in the leg in the early hours of Wednesday morning, at the St. Mary Medical Center in Shreveport. The victim's injuries aren't considered life-threatening, but Cole is now on the loose. | pic.twitter.com/pOlqz0E61R— ShreveportPolice (@ShreveportPD) (2020-08-12). Cure worse than disease: We filmed REAL BLM protesters burning a Bible. NY Times tried to 'debunk' it with actual FAKE NEWS. rt.com 
Mainstream media have denounced Ruptly video of Portland protesters burning Bibles as 'Russian disinfo', countering the unaltered viral footage with fake news of their own in bad-faith 'shoot the messenger' gaslighting. | Protesters gather around a burning Bible, chanting "F*** Trump" as they neatly drape first an American flag over the flames, in the original video, which clocks in at under 90 seconds. A few of the demonstrators rub their hands over the tiny fire, aping warming themselves as the flames devour the book. | It's an incendiary image (no pun intended) — protesters already denounced from some…
(2020-08-12). Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni sentenced to three years in prison for Facebook posts. peoplesdispatch.org An Algiers court handed journalist Khaled Drareni a three-year prison sentence. The verdict has been widely condemned by human rights groups and Hirak movement protesters…
(2020-08-12). Families of missing Kashmiri men allege they were killed in a staged encounter. peoplesdispatch.org Three men were killed by security forces in Shopian district of Kashmir on July 18. A few days ago, their pictures appeared on social media and were identified by their family members who said they were laborers who were searching for jobs…
(2020-08-12). Russia sees US attempts to revise UN res. 2231 unjustifiable. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 12 (MNA) — In a tweet on Wednesday, Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov named US attempts to revise UNSC Resolution. 2231 as 'counterproductive and unjustifiable'.
(2020-08-12). Derailed train in Scotland is 'extremely serious': Scottish leader Sturgeon. yenisafak.com Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon said the derailment of a train near Stonehaven on Wednesday morning was "extremely serious", as video footage on social media showed smoke rising from the scene on the east coast of the country."This is an extremely serious incident," she said. "I've had an initial report from Network Rail and the emergency services and am being kept updated. All my thoughts are with those involved."Police received reports of a train derailing near Stonehaven, a town 15 km (9 miles) south of the city of Aberdeen, at 0940 a.m. on Wednesday."Emergency services are currently in attendance and the inci…
(2020-08-12). Pakistanis | say 'Turkey is not alone' with countless tweets over East Med | dispute. yenisafak.com Tens of thousands of Pakistanis voiced their support for Turkey regarding the Eastern Mediterranean dispute on social media using the hashtag, "#Turkeyisnotalone", amid an escalating rift between Ankara and Greece over seismic exploration and drilling activities in the region.As a sign of unity between the two brother countries, the hashtag "#Turkeyisnotalone" remained a top trend in Pakistan on the microblogging website on Wednesday.Posting countless tweets and photos, Pakistanis expressed their solidarity with Turkey over mounting tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean."Pakistan and the Pakistani nation will nev…
(2020-08-12). Turkey lays 1,750 km streamer under Mediterranean Sea. yenisafak.com Turkey announced on Wednesday that it had laid two streamer cables on the Eastern Mediterranean Sea bed as part of its ongoing hydrocarbon exploration activities."By Aug. 23, a total 1,750 kilometers of streamer (seismic cable) was laid under the Mediterranean Sea for two-dimensional seismic exploration," Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said on Twitter.Turkey's seismic research vessel, the MTA Oruc Reis was "x-raying the seas."As part of the country's hydrocarbon surveying activities, Turkey released a NAVTEX (navigational telex) on Aug. 10, 2020, announcing that the Oruc Reis would begin cond…
(2020-08-12). A BBC journalist's tweet sums up the broadcaster's rancid attitude towards refugees. thecanary.co A BBC journalist managed to sum up in one tweet the broadcaster's rancid coverage of refugees crossing the Channel. But the situation also points to a wider problem: how co-opted the media is, and how corporations co-opt politics for their own gains. | The BBC: scraping the bottom of the barrel: | Both BBC and Sky News have
(2020-08-11). Rowan Atkinson invokes wrath of cancel culture for raising concerns about controversial 'hate crime' bill. rt.com 
Comedian Rowan Atkinson has incurred the wrath of woke warriors on social media after voicing his opposition to a controversial hate crimes law which he believes will stifle free speech and rational debate. | The British comedy legend was among a group of authors, journalists, philosophers and campaigners who signed an open letter against legislation put forward by the Scottish Nationalist Party, warning of the "unintended consequences" the bill could have. | The signees raised specific concern over provisions around making "stirring up hatred" an offence, even if it was not the intention of the person making…
(2020-08-11). Belarusian SWAT threaten bystanders with GRENADE after collaring teen in viral VIDEO. rt.com 
As protests against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's re-election rage on in several cities, video footage has emerged showing the local riot police apparently deploying some heavy handed tactics against teenagers. | In a video widely shared on social media on Tuesday, two members of Belarus' OMON tactical police can be seen restraining a young man, possibly a protester. The officers manhandle the suspect, and as bystanders complain, one officer tugs on the pin of a grenade. | –î—Ä—É–∑—å—è, –∞ –≤–æ…
(2020-08-11). Whose convention is it again? MSNBC uses Republican backdrop to promote Democratic convention. rt.com 
A graphical blunder by MSNBC demonstrates two facts about modern America: that fact-checking takes second seat to pizzazz, and that neither party has a monopoly on red, white, and blue pageantry. | In a series of graphics announcing the speaker schedule for next week's Democratic National Convention, MSNBC on Tuesday listed the names over a photograph of the Republican Party's 2012 convention — where Mitt Romney accepted his party's nomination in a shower of red, white, and blue balloons. | The gaffe was quickly picked up by hawk-eyed Twitter users, who mocked the network for its sloppiness. Among the fir…
(2020-08-11). Rebellion reignites in Chicago. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – Chicago police shot a 20-year-old Black man, Latrell Allen, in the Englewood neighborhood on Sunday afternoon, August 9. His mother told the media that he was shot five times, and she and an eyewitness both said he didn't have a gun at the time. | Community members angrily challenged the police. In response, the cops became brutal. One eyewitness, Joseph Williams, described on social media, "When I came out, the police were literally whupping a young man. One of them even kicked him in the face, which led to the blood on the ground," as he pointed to a stain on the pavement. | The police escalated.
(2020-08-11). Promising Early Results for Potent, Long-Acting HIV Injection. jamanetwork.com A highly potent, long-acting drug candidate with a novel mode of action showed promising anti-HIV activity in recent phase 1 trials. The slow-release compound, lenacapavir (previously GS-6207), would be used in combination with other antiretroviral agents, researchers said at the 23rd International AIDS Conference.
(2020-08-11). Land Defenders Rebuild Camp Despite New Injunction. popularresistance.org After several arrests last week and a new court order, land defenders are digging in their heels and rebuilding 1492 Land Back Lane, a name they've given McKenzie Meadows, a disputed site of a proposed housing development in Caledonia, Ont. that borders Six Nations of the Grand River's eastern border. | "We are under constant threat of OPP invasion of our unceded Haudenosaunee territory," said community member Skyler Williams in a Facebook post on Sunday. "Despite all of this, we continue to work on and build our community here at Land Back Lane."
(2020-08-11). 'Let's Go Win': Politicos, Netizens React to Biden-Harris 2020 Presidential Ticket. sputniknews.com Social media activity related to the US' ongoing protests and the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic took a backseat for a few hours on Tuesday as politicos and everyday netizens provided their opinions on former US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's selection of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) as his running mate.
(2020-08-11). POTUS Claims G. Washington 'Would Have Had a Hard Time' to Beat Him in Election, Ignites Twitter. sputniknews.com US President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which started in China in late-December 2019, for his declining poll statistics, as his administration faces heavy criticism over its handling of a crisis where over 5 million Americans have been infected with the disease and at least 164,603 have died.
(2020-08-11). Research Reveals Direct Connection Between Smoking, Vaping and Risk of Contracting Coronavirus. sputniknews.com Previous studies on links between smoking, vaping and the coronavirus disease found that COVID-19 patients who smoked, in comparison to nonsmokers, are twice as likely to require mechanical ventilation and treatment in intensive care. Some studies also found that e-cigarettes weaken the ability of the lungs to fight viral infections.
(2020-08-11). Many Progressives Respond With Disappointment as Biden Picks Harris for VP. truthout.org Presumptive Democratic nominee for president Joe Biden has selected Sen. Kamala Harris of California as his vice-presidential running mate. | Harris, who herself ran for president in the Democratic primary races against Biden earlier this year, is just the fourth woman to be named to the ticket of a major political party in presidential politics and the third woman to be named a vice-presidential candidate. | While many on social media described Harris as an inspiring choice, others noted that her p…
(2020-08-10). Twitter spreads paid US gov't propaganda while falsely claiming it bans state media ads. thegrayzone.com Twitter says it bans ads from state-affiliated media outlets. However, US government propaganda organs like Voice of America's VOA Persian…
(2020-08-10). Hundreds of looters raid Chicago after riots break out over police shooting (PHOTOS, VIDEOS). rt.com 
Chicago has been gripped by large-scale rioting and looting, believed to have been sparked by a police shooting in the city. Law enforcement are reportedly struggling to restore order. | Social media was flooded with photographs and videos showing widespread chaos in the city. Footage shows large crowds walking through the streets with looted merchandise, as people rush in and out of stores. | According to eyewitness reports, looters targeted large department stores such as Macy's and Nordstrom, as well as luxury shops including Gucci, Louis Vuitton and even a Tesla dealership. Countless other businesses were…
(2020-08-10). Victim of 'systemic racism'? Biden's Ferguson anniversary tweet flops… as his own DOJ justified Michael Brown shooting. rt.com 
Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden seemingly forgot what was made clear by his own administration when he was vice president under Obama: Evidence shows that Michael Brown was killed while assaulting a police officer. | That was the
(2020-08-10). What could it mean? Twitter erupts with sarcastic suggestions after Trump refers to himself as 'President T'. rt.com 
Donald Trump has sparked yet another Twitter drama after referring to himself as 'President T' in a post questioning the loyalty of a senator, prompting users to make sarcastic suggestions of what the 'T' could possibly stand for. | In the Monday tweet, Trump accused Republican Senator Ben Sasse of "going rogue" after he sharply criticized the president's executive orders aimed at providing coronavirus relief while bypassing Congress. | RINO Ben Sasse, who needed my support and endorsement in order to get the Republican nomination for Senate from the GREAT State of Nebraska, has, now that he's got it (Thank yo…
(2020-08-10). Trump's Payroll Tax Deferral Aims to Weaken and Kill Social Security and Medicare. globalresearch.ca All politicians lie. Rare exceptions prove the rule. | Trump is Exhibit A, a serial liar never to be trusted, a menace to virtually everything just societies hold dear. | Last February 8 he tweeted: "We will not be touching your Social …
(2020-08-10). The Caldwells: Father-Son Duo Team Up on a Portion of Historic Minneapolis Mural. unicornriot.ninja Minneapolis, MN — When Kenneth Caldwell got tagged on a Facebook post about participating in making a Black Lives Matter mural in North Minneapolis, he jumped at the opportunity. | The well-known local artist teamed up with his father, Charles Caldwell, another prolific artist, to create…
(2020-08-10). Videos: Chaos Erupts in France's Cannes Following False Reports of Shooter. sputniknews.com Multiple videos shared on social media Monday documented mass chaos erupting in France's Cannes moments after an unidentified individual yelled out "gunshot" in the streets, a move which ultimately prompted false reports of an active-shooter situation.
(2020-08-09). West wants to avoid strategic coop. between Iran, East. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 09 (MNA) — In a tweet on Sunday, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani wrote that the west is in favor of avoiding Iran from developing ties with the eastern countries.
(2020-08-09). OUCH! Falling on a Pole Like That Must've Hurt. sputniknews.com Some things hurt more than others, and falling on a pole with your legs open must be one of them. In a 'painful' viral video, the distress is palpable.
(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). President Trump signs executive orders banning Chinese social media apps TikTok and WeChat. wsws.org On Thursday, the US president signed two executive orders that will ban the operation of TikTok and WeChat in the US unless they are acquired by US-based companies within 45 days.
(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). 'Queen of Shade': Hillary Clinton Riles Up Social Media as She Mocks Columnist. sputniknews.com The original version of the column in question apparently mentioned that it has been 36 years since "a man and a woman ran together on a Democratic Party ticket", even though Hillary Clinton ran for president in 2016.
(2020-08-08). Bill Gates Warns That TikTok Is a 'Poison Chalice' Amid Potential Microsoft Takeover. sputniknews.com The former CEO and co-founder of technology giant Microsoft has weighed in on the Trump administration's push for an American company to purchase Chinese-owned video-sharing social media app Tik Tok.
(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.