Daily Archives: October 13, 2020

2020-10-13: News Headlines

Max Blumenthal (2020-10-13). Why did Amnesty UK, Bellingcat and White Helmets sabotage Roger Waters webinar on corporate pollution? thegrayzone.com The Grayzone obtained audio of a call in which Roger Waters confronted Amnesty leadership over efforts by Syria regime-change operatives — including its own staff — to sabotage an Amazon Watch webinar on Chevron's pollution of Ecuador. The campaign manager of Amnesty International UK, Kristyan Benedict, appears to have removed an Amnesty International tweet announcing an Amazon Watch webinar to raise awareness both of Chevron's pollution of an indigenous region of Ecuador and the company's ruthless persecution of environmental lawyer …

Mitchel Cohen (2020-10-13). Those Who Do Not Learn From History are Condemned to reTweet It. counterpunch.org ìThe first step in the revolution by the working class, is to raise the proletariat to the position of ruling class, to win the battle for democracy Ö one of the first and most important tasks of the militant proletariat. î Karl Marx & Frederick Engels, The Communist Manifesto My aim is to reinvent the wheel. My goal

The Canary (2020-10-13). Lack of interpreter at coronavirus briefings leaves deaf 'isolated and misinformed'. thecanary.co Deaf people have said the lack of a sign language interpreter at coronavirus briefings in England is leaving the community "isolated" and allowing misinformation to spread.Lacking: British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters attend briefings in Scotland, Wales, and the north of Ireland, but have yet to appear with experts and politicians in England. The BBC provides a superimposed translator on the BBC News channel during briefings, who also appears on Downing Street's live Twitter feed.An interpreter from the BBC is used for Downing Street's Twitter feed of the coronavirus briefing (Screengrab/Twitter)Howeve…

teleSUR (2020-10-12). Bolivia: Leftist Parliamentary Candidate Brenda Segovia Arrested. telesurenglish.net The Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) denounced the arbitrary detention of the parliamentary candidate, Brenda Segovia, in Santa Cruz on Monday. | RELATED: | "We repudiate the coup-born regime's political violence. The political movement demands the immediate release of our militant," MAS presidential candidate Luis Arce tweeted. | A week ahead of Bolivia's elections, Arce also urged "an end to the far-right-wing attacks…

MEE staff (2020-10-12). Turkey asked to halt deportation of Turkmen activist. middleeasteye.net Turkey asked to halt deportation of Turkmen activist | Dursoltan Taganova is at risk of arbitrary detention and torture if deported, human rights campaigners have warned | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 12: 28 | Social media picture of Dursoltan Taganova (Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights) | Human rights organisations have condemned plans by Turkish authorities to deport an activist to Turkmenistan, where they fear she w…

MEE staff (2020-10-12). Israel-UAE deal: Vast majority of Arabic social media posts on pact negative, says report. middleeasteye.net Israel-UAE deal: Vast majority of Arabic social media posts on pact negative, says report | Report says posts were 'part of an organised campaign' by pro-Palestinian groups to denounce the deal | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 11: 40 | Representatives of Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed a normalisation agreement in Washington, DC on 15 September (AFP) | A study of Arabic-language social media conducted b…

MEE staff (2020-10-12). Kuwait deports three Egyptian dissidents to Cairo: Report. middleeasteye.net Kuwait deports three Egyptian dissidents to Cairo: Report | The dissidents have reportedly shown support for anti-Sisi protests that erupted across rural Egypt in September | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 13: 30 | Kuwait has reportedly handed over three Egyptian dissidents to Interpol over charges of 'incitement to chaos and calls for protests through social media' (AFP) | Kuwait has deported to Cairo three Egyptians who…

MEE correspondent (2020-10-12). Egyptian writer and Sisi critic Amin el-Mahdy dies days after release from jail. middleeasteye.net Egyptian writer and Sisi critic Amin el-Mahdy dies days after release from jail | The publisher was detained last month after calling president Sisi a 'murderer' and a 'thief' in a Facebook post | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 11: 04 | Mahdy was opposed to both Sisi and the Muslim Brotherhood (Facebook) | The Egyptian author Amin el-Mahdy died on Sunday, soon after his release from a brief detentio…

RT (2020-10-12). Holocaust denial content banned by Facebook following longstanding criticism. rt.com Facebook has expanded its hate speech policy to prohibit any content that "denies or distorts the Holocaust." The social media platform explained the move by the rise in ant-Semitism around the globe. | The decision "marks another step in our effort to fight hate on our services," Monika Bickert, Facebook vice president of content policy, said in a statement released on Monday. | The restrictions are being imposed due to a "well-documented rise in anti-Semitism globally and the alarming level of ignorance about the Holocaust, especially among young people," Bickert explained. | She also referred to a recent su…

RT (2020-10-12). 'Furor' at New York Times after union attacks paper for going after 'one of its own,' but then deletes tweet saying it was 'error'. rt.com The New York Times is facing more controversy after a union representing over 1200 employees attacked the paper in a tweet that is now deleted, saying they went after one of "their own" with a scathing article on the 1619 Project.

RT (2020-10-12). FAKE 'official' drop boxes pop up in California, as local Republicans try to defend practice on Twitter. rt.com Containers labeled "official ballot drop-off box" have been recently noticed in Southern California by local media alleging voter fraud, and their installment might have been illegal. | The metal containers were first spotted earlier this week by

RT (2020-10-12). NATO boasts about own expansion in attempt at Twitter meme, prompting online war in replies. rt.com A NATO attempt to channel a cutesy Twitter meme sparked fighting in the replies, from calls to kick out Turkey and hopes for expansion in Ukraine, Georgia and the Balkans, to another warfront between Armenia and Azerbaijan. | On Monday, NATO posted the flags of its original 1949 members alongside the greatly expanded membership of today, hopping onto the three-week-old "How it started vs. How it's going" meme train. | How it started How it's going | üáßüá™üá®üá¶üá©ü&aacute…

Nick Pemberton (2020-10-12). Social Media Demonization Is Another Moral Panic. counterpunch.org In his debate against Kamala Harris, Mike Pence zeroed in on the words "American people". He wanted to shift responsibility away from a failing administration and onto the people themselves. Harris was at her strongest when she slammed this approach as making the American people sacrificial. There is no term more fascist than "essential worker"—death

ALEX (2020-10-12). Labor dirty tricks targets Greens over 'Mean Girls' tweet. greenleft.org.au colombiareports.com/feed/

Jack Delaney (2020-10-11). It's Time To Nationalize Social Media And Big Tech. counterpunch.org The tech oligopolies and monopolies — and particularly social media corporations — are not accountable to the public and lack meaningful regulation. The industry creates corrosive environments for democratic societies. The result allows for users and workers to be manipulated and exploited so that the industry can secure market share and profits.

Jack Delaney (2020-10-11). It's Time Nationalize Social Media And Big Tech. counterpunch.org On September 1, 2020, I received a direct message (DM) on Twitter from a reporter working with a mainstream outlet requesting comment. After a brief chat on the phone, I was informed that I was unwittingly caught up in a Russian-backed media operation, for a "publication" that had recently offered a writing opportunity. The "outlet"

RT (2020-10-11). Privacy or child protection? 7 governments, including US & UK, argue Facebook's new encryption plan would benefit PEDOPHILES. rt.com The UK, and others, have criticized Facebook over its plan to introduce end-to-end message encryption, arguing it would allow pedophiles freely share child abuse materials as millions are attributed to the tech giant's platforms. | The US social media giant has found itself at the center of yet another controversy as its initiative supposedly aimed at protecting the privacy of billions of people using Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp stumbled on the vehement opposition of the UK and the US, as well as other countries. The governments argue the move would make the social networks a safe haven for pedophiles and…

sputniknews (2020-10-11). Twitter Flags Trump Tweet on Being 'Immune' as 'Potentially Harmful' COVID-19 Information. sputniknews.com Earlier on Saturday, US President Donald Trump's personal physician announced in a statement that Trump no longer posed a risk of transmitting the coronavirus to others – after over a week of the president's COVID recovery process.

Common Dreams staff (2020-10-10). Climate Emergency Activist Greta Thunberg Endorses Biden in Rare Political Tweet. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/greta_thunberg_3_0.jpg

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-10-10). How Did People Have Conversations Back Before Tech Oligarchs Were There To Police Them? thealtworld.com Twitter has "Starting next week, when people attempt to Retweet a Tweet with a misleading information label, they will see a prompt directing them to credible information about the topic before they can amplify it," Twitter

teleSUR (2020-10-10). Colombia: Social Organizations Denounce New Massacre in Cauca. telesurenglish.net Colombia's authorities and social organizations Friday informed that a group of armed men killed four people in a rural area of Jamundi municipality in Valle del Cauca Department. | RELATED: | The victims are young Eider Gutierrez and brothers Eliceo and Edgar Campo. The fourth person remains unidentified. | "Bandits attacked the youths with firearms in La Meseta, Comuneros community," Jamundi's mayor Andres Ramirez tweet…

The Canary (2020-10-10). Police investigate Brexit campaigner Darren Grimes over controversial David Starkey interview. thecanary.co A police investigation has been launched into Brexit campaigner Darren Grimes over a controversial interview he published in which historian David Starkey said slavery was not genocide because there are "so many damn blacks" still around.In a statement, Metropolitan Police confirmed that "on 4 July, the Metropolitan Police Service was passed an allegation from Durham Police of a public order offence relating to a social media video posted online on 30 June."The matter is currently being investigated."No arrests have been made, the force added.Dr David Starkey faced significant backlash over his comments in the in…

RT (2020-10-10). Actress Kirstie Alley spars with fellow celeb Rosanna Arquette after tweeting 'radical left' will be in charge if Biden wins. rt.com Conservative actress Kirstie Alley became embroiled in a war of words with fellow celebrities online after blasting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as "evil" over her attempt to create a new procedure to remove a sitting US president. | "The 'process' EVIL NANCY PELOSI speaks of is an attempt at a presidential takeover of a President by glorified BAKER ACT," Alley tweeted on Friday, adding "don't believe a word that comes out of this [witch's] mouth… and yes she gives witches a bad name." | The "process" EVIL NANCY PELOSI speaks of is an attempt at a presidential takeover of a President by glorified BAKER ACT ..

RT (2020-10-10). Nearly 500,000 power outages reported across Texas & Louisiana as Hurricane Delta pummels gulf coast with 80mph gusts. rt.com Nearly a half-million residents in Texas and Louisiana have been left without power after Hurricane Delta made landfall along the US gulf coast, battering cities with winds up to 80 miles per hour. | Delta hit land in southwest Louisiana on Friday night, inflicting widespread damage and knocking out electricity for some 379,636 people in the state and another 108,402 in neighboring Texas, Footage circulating on social media showed powerful gust…

RT (2020-10-10). Belarus' Lukashenko meets JAILED opposition activists, talks constitutional reform. rt.com Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has paid an unexpected visit to a detention center in Minsk, meeting incarcerated members of the so-called 'Coordination council of the opposition'. | The unusual move was reported by local media on Saturday, with a short video from the meeting emerging on social media later in the day. | Members of the opposition 'council' were detained over calls to overthrow the government amid the unrest that followed the contested August 9 presidential election. The activists are currently being held at the pre-trial detention center of the Belarus State Security Committee (KGB) i…

Tim Anderson (2020-10-10). The Great VIRAL Debate: Dr Anderson's Opening Statement. thealtworld.com Dr Piers Robinson is our Chair. Off-Guardian is your host. The proposition to be debated is: : SARS-COV-2 merits suppression measures in order to combat the virus rather than the herd/community immunity approach | Dr Anderson responds in support of the proposition: : | Iask readers to reflect a little on health systems and the ideas behind them, and not just react to particular measures. To simply react to the crisis as 'lockdown vs no lockdown', and complain how it affects individual liberties, misses that. | The 2020 pandemic has shown us massive failures in western neoliberal health systems [mdash…

WSWS (2020-10-10). Trump intensifies conflict with big tech over Section 230 protections following censorship moves by Facebook and Twitter. wsws.org After Facebook and Twitter both censored Trump for falsely comparing the coronavirus to the flu, the president called for a repeal of the law protecting social media companies from liability for content posted on their platforms.

Radha Surya (2020-10-10). This Tyrant Feeds Peacocks. zcomm.org India is burning. In the months from March to May the news and social media were flooded with heart rending stories and images of the trauma of out-of state workers who lost their livelihood overnight when the coronavirus lock down was imposed without adequate notice. With all modes of transportation brought to a halt they

_____ (2020-10-10). The MEC Saga Shows That Canada Needs More Co-operation. popularresistance.org The campaign to "Save MEC" — Mountain Equipment Co-op — has rallied more than 140,000 Canadians together to save a business that is being sold to an American private equity firm. But this grassroots and groundswell campaign wasn't about saving a retailer; it was about saving a co-op. In fighting for a member-owned, democratic business, the campaign tapped into a passion in Canadians for co-operation. | That passion, which drove thousands of people to engage on social media, sign petitions, demand support from banks and donate more than $100,000 to a legal fund to challenge the sale of the co-op, prove…

Ràºdiger Groàü, Carina Conzelmann, Janis A Màºller, Frank Reister, Frank Kirchhoff, Jan Màºnch (2020-10-10). [Correspondence] Undermining breastfeeding will not alleviate the COVID-19 pandemic — Authors' reply. thelancet.com In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, questions regarding possible methods of virus transmission, including the safety of breastfeeding by mothers who are infected, are of great importance. We reported1 the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA (not viral particles, as incorrectly stated by Natalie Shenker and colleagues) in consecutive milk samples from an infected mother and interpreted our findings with the greatest caution. In particular, we did not claim that SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted via contaminated breastmilk or that breastfeeding should be discontinued by mothers with…

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-10). Zarif names his talks with Chinese FM 'fruitful'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 10 (MNA) — In a tweet on Saturday, Iranian FM Zarif named his held talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Iran-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as 'fruitful'.

sputniknews (2020-10-10). Pence's Fly Becomes Star of Video Parody Inspired by Horror Movie 'The Ring'. sputniknews.com The scene featured in the viral video was taken from the 2002 American remake of 1998 Japanese horror film "The Ring".

Paul Craig Roberts (2020-10-10). Masks Are a Political Agenda, Not a Protection Against Covid or Flu. thealtworld.com This 39-minute interview with two experts is the best information available on the efficacy and dangers of masks. As I have reported from the beginning, unless the mask is N95 it provides zero protection against inhalation and exhalation of viruses: | All masks raise C02 levels, reduce oxygen levels, and, if you are infected, increase the viral load that you are breathing. If a N95 mask has an exhalation valve, the C02 and contaminant levels are lower, but if you are infected…

Anthony DiMaggio (2020-10-09). The Case Against Social Media: Mass Misinformation in the Covid-19 Era. counterpunch.org Americans are now witnessing a new era of conspiracy mongering and fake news via the rise of the fringe "QAnon" movement, among a plethora of paranoid claims that Covid-19 is an elite-fueled hoax and that it was secretly created by powerful people working in the shadows.

Lawrence Ware — Chanda Prescod-Weinstein (2020-10-09). Debatable: Can Kamala Harris Tell Us Anything About the Politics of Ava DuVernay? counterpunch.org I can't believe that it was just last year that Ava DuVernay's "When They See Us" was the thing that Black folks were watching and discussing on social media. We laughed, we cried, we felt righteous indignation at the way those young men were treated, and immeasurable gratitude for the filmmaker who put their stories

Areeb Ullah (2020-10-09). Twitter suspends Saudi accounts that stoked rumours of coup in Qatar. middleeasteye.net Twitter suspends Saudi accounts that stoked rumours of coup in Qatar | Accounts purported to belong to members of Qatar's royal family and fabricated statements from Amnesty and Human Rights Watch | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 14: 51 | It remains unclear why Twitter took so long to identify the network and delete the accounts linked to Saudi Arabia (AFP) | Twitter says it has deleted more than 30 accounts that sto…

RT (2020-10-09). Check with MSM first: Twitter rolls out new rules for candidates to claim victory in US election. rt.com Twitter has rolled out a set of changes to its rules ahead of the upcoming US presidential election. From now on, users — including candidates — cannot claim victory until it's called by at least two "authoritative" news outlets. | The updated rules were unveiled by the social media platform on Friday. While an earlier version of the rules said election candidates could not claim victory on the platform until the results were "certified," now they are allowed to do so when the results are merely "authoritatively called." The general twitterati are barred from prematurely hailing the victory of a ca…

RT (2020-10-09). 4 killed, dozens injured in gas tank explosion in Beirut neighborhood (VIDEOS). rt.com The Lebanese capital Beirut has been rocked by a powerful blast after a diesel tank blew up in a densely-populated residential area. At least four people died and scores were injured in the explosion and subsequent fire. | Photos and videos published on social media show streets littered with debris and rubble, as well as damaged buildings, as firefighters try to extinguish blazes raging at what appears to be the scene of the blast. | ŸÅŸàÿ¨ ÿßÿ∑ŸÅÿßÿ° ÿ®Ÿäÿ±Ÿàÿ™ Ÿ&agrav…

Staff (2020-10-09). FBI Charges Men Involved in Whitmer Kidnapping Plot With Domestic Terrorism. truthout.org Just months after President Trump tweeted for his supporters to "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!" the FBI has foiled an alleged plot to kidnap and take hostage Democratic Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer. Authorities arrested six men Thursday involved in the kidnapping plot, and seven others who were said to be planning to storm the state Capitol in Lansing with the intent of starting a civil war. "It came as a surprise to many, but not necessarily here in Michigan, because the state has a long history o…

Staff (2020-10-09). Pence Faked Care for George Floyd, But We Know the Truth of His Administration. truthout.org Immediately following this week's vice presidential debate, an explosion of unapologetically racist and misogynist references to Kamala Harris have spread across social media. Trump himself labeled her a "monster" on Fox News. | This kind of vitriol is dangerous, especially with Trump occupying an unfiltered bully pulpit from which he covertly commands right-wing vigilante and militia. We can only imagine the signal that such language sends to those hyped up and armed "patriots," whom he has…

2020-10-13: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media! (Copy the text of the postee below, then paste it on social media and the story images will also appear.)

Why did Amnesty UK, Bellingcat and White Helmets sabotage Roger Waters webinar on corporate pollution?
Max Blumenthal | thegrayzone.com | 2020-10-13
The Grayzone obtained audio of a call in which Roger Waters confronted Amnesty leadership over efforts by Syria regime-change operatives — including its own staff — to sabotage an Amazon Watch webinar on Chevron's pollution of Ecuador. The campaign manager of Amnesty International UK, Kristyan Benedict, appears to have removed an Amnesty International tweet announcing an Amazon Watch webinar to raise awareness both of Chevron's pollution of an indigenous region of Ecuador and the company's ruthless persecution of environmental lawyer …
thegrayzone.com/2020/10/12/amnesty-uk-bellingcat-white-helmets-sabotage-roger-waters-amazon-watch/

Those Who Do Not Learn From History are Condemned to reTweet It
Mitchel Cohen | counterpunch.org | 2020-10-13
ìThe first step in the revolution by the working class, is to raise the proletariat to the position of ruling class, to win the battle for democracy Ö one of the first and most important tasks of the militant proletariat. î Karl Marx & Frederick Engels, The Communist Manifesto My aim is to reinvent the wheel. My goal…
counterpunch.org/2020/10/13/those-who-do-not-learn-from-history-are-condemned-to-retweet-it/

Lack of interpreter at coronavirus briefings leaves deaf 'isolated and misinformed'
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-10-13
Deaf people have said the lack of a sign language interpreter at coronavirus briefings in England is leaving the community "isolated" and allowing misinformation to spread.Lacking: British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters attend briefings in Scotland, Wales, and the north of Ireland, but have yet to appear with experts and politicians in England. The BBC provides a superimposed translator on the BBC News channel during briefings, who also appears on Downing Street's live Twitter feed.An interpreter from the BBC is used for Downing Street's Twitter feed of the coronavirus briefing (Screengrab/Twitter)Howeve…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/10/13/lack-of-interpreter-at-coronavirus-briefings-leaves-deaf-isolated-and-misinformed/

Bolivia: Leftist Parliamentary Candidate Brenda Segovia Arrested
telesurenglish.net | 2020-10-12
The Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) denounced the arbitrary detention of the parliamentary candidate, Brenda Segovia, in Santa Cruz on Monday. | RELATED: | Bolivia: Violent Pro-Coup Extremists Assault MAS Canvassers | "We repudiate the coup-born regime's political violence. The political movement demands the immediate release of our militant," MAS presidential candidate Luis Arce tweeted. | A week ahead of Bolivia's elections, Arce also urged "an end to the far-right-wing attacks…
telesurenglish.net/news/Bolivia-Leftist-Assembly-Candidate-Brenda-Segovia-Arrested-20201012-0006.html

Kuwait deports three Egyptian dissidents to Cairo: Report
MEE staff | middleeasteye.net | 2020-10-12
Kuwait deports three Egyptian dissidents to Cairo: Report | The dissidents have reportedly shown support for anti-Sisi protests that erupted across rural Egypt in September | MEE staff | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 13: 30 | Kuwait has reportedly handed over three Egyptian dissidents to Interpol over charges of 'incitement to chaos and calls for protests through social media' (AFP) | Kuwait has deported to Cairo three Egyptians who…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/kuwait-egypt-dissidents-deportation-cairo-report

Turkey asked to halt deportation of Turkmen activist
MEE staff | middleeasteye.net | 2020-10-12
Turkey asked to halt deportation of Turkmen activist | Dursoltan Taganova is at risk of arbitrary detention and torture if deported, human rights campaigners have warned | MEE staff | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 12: 28 | Social media picture of Dursoltan Taganova (Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights) | Human rights organisations have condemned plans by Turkish authorities to deport an activist to Turkmenistan, where they fear she w…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-turkmen-activist-dursoltan-taganova-deportation

Egyptian writer and Sisi critic Amin el-Mahdy dies days after release from jail
MEE correspondent | middleeasteye.net | 2020-10-12
Egyptian writer and Sisi critic Amin el-Mahdy dies days after release from jail | The publisher was detained last month after calling president Sisi a 'murderer' and a 'thief' in a Facebook post | MEE correspondent | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 11: 04 | Mahdy was opposed to both Sisi and the Muslim Brotherhood (Facebook) | The Egyptian author Amin el-Mahdy died on Sunday, soon after his release from a brief detentio…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypt-sisi-critic-amin-mahdy-dies

Israel-UAE deal: Vast majority of Arabic social media posts on pact negative, says report
MEE staff | middleeasteye.net | 2020-10-12
Israel-UAE deal: Vast majority of Arabic social media posts on pact negative, says report | Report says posts were 'part of an organised campaign' by pro-Palestinian groups to denounce the deal | MEE staff | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 11: 40 | Representatives of Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed a normalisation agreement in Washington, DC on 15 September (AFP) | A study of Arabic-language social media conducted b…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-uae-deal-bahrain-arab-social-media-against-normalisation

Holocaust denial content banned by Facebook following longstanding criticism
rt.com | 2020-10-12
Facebook has expanded its hate speech policy to prohibit any content that "denies or distorts the Holocaust." The social media platform explained the move by the rise in ant-Semitism around the globe. | The decision "marks another step in our effort to fight hate on our services," Monika Bickert, Facebook vice president of content policy, said in a statement released on Monday. | The restrictions are being imposed due to a "well-documented rise in anti-Semitism globally and the alarming level of ignorance about the Holocaust, especially among young people," Bickert explained. | She also referred to a recent su…
rt.com/news/503292-facebook-ban-holocaust-denial/

FAKE 'official' drop boxes pop up in California, as local Republicans try to defend practice on Twitter
rt.com | 2020-10-12
Containers labeled "official ballot drop-off box" have been recently noticed in Southern California by local media alleging voter fraud, and their installment might have been illegal. | The metal containers were first spotted earlier this week by Orange County Register and KCAL, who rep…
rt.com/usa/503289-fake-drop-boxes-california/

'Furor' at New York Times after union attacks paper for going after 'one of its own,' but then deletes tweet saying it was 'error'
rt.com | 2020-10-12
The New York Times is facing more controversy after a union representing over 1200 employees attacked the paper in a tweet that is now deleted, saying they went after one of "their own" with a scathing article on the 1619 Project. | …
rt.com/usa/503295-new-york-times-1619-project/

NATO boasts about own expansion in attempt at Twitter meme, prompting online war in replies
rt.com | 2020-10-12
A NATO attempt to channel a cutesy Twitter meme sparked fighting in the replies, from calls to kick out Turkey and hopes for expansion in Ukraine, Georgia and the Balkans, to another warfront between Armenia and Azerbaijan. | On Monday, NATO posted the flags of its original 1949 members alongside the greatly expanded membership of today, hopping onto the three-week-old "How it started vs. How it's going" meme train. | How it started How it's going | üáßüá™üá®üá¶üá©ü&aacute…
rt.com/news/503290-nato-meme-replies-war/

Labor dirty tricks targets Greens over 'Mean Girls' tweet
ALEX | greenleft.org.au | 2020-10-12
colombiareports.com/feed/…

Social Media Demonization Is Another Moral Panic
Nick Pemberton | counterpunch.org | 2020-10-12
In his debate against Kamala Harris, Mike Pence zeroed in on the words "American people". He wanted to shift responsibility away from a failing administration and onto the people themselves. Harris was at her strongest when she slammed this approach as making the American people sacrificial. There is no term more fascist than "essential worker"–death…
counterpunch.org/2020/10/12/social-media-demonization-is-another-moral-panic/

It's Time To Nationalize Social Media And Big Tech
Jack Delaney | counterpunch.org | 2020-10-11
The tech oligopolies and monopolies — and particularly social media corporations — are not accountable to the public and lack meaningful regulation. The industry creates corrosive environments for democratic societies. The result allows for users and workers to be manipulated and exploited so that the industry can secure market share and profits.
counterpunch.org/2020/10/11/its-time-nationalize-social-media-and-big-tech/

It's Time To Nationalize Social Media And Big Tech
Jack Delaney | counterpunch.org | 2020-10-11
On September 1, 2020, I received a direct message (DM) on Twitter from a reporter working with a mainstream outlet requesting comment. After a brief chat on the phone, I was informed that I was unwittingly caught up in a Russian-backed media operation, for a "publication" that had recently offered a writing opportunity. The "outlet"
counterpunch.org/2020/10/11/its-time-nationalize-social-media-and-big-tech/

It's Time Nationalize Social Media And Big Tech
Jack Delaney | counterpunch.org | 2020-10-11
On September 1, 2020, I received a direct message (DM) on Twitter from a reporter working with a mainstream outlet requesting comment. After a brief chat on the phone, I was informed that I was unwittingly caught up in a Russian-backed media operation, for a "publication" that had recently offered a writing opportunity. The "outlet"
counterpunch.org/2020/10/11/its-time-nationalize-social-media-and-big-tech/

Twitter Flags Trump Tweet on Being 'Immune' as 'Potentially Harmful' COVID-19 Information
sputniknews.com | 2020-10-11
Earlier on Saturday, US President Donald Trump's personal physician announced in a statement that Trump no longer posed a risk of transmitting the coronavirus to others – after over a week of the president's COVID recovery process.
sputniknews.com/us/202010111080741772-twitter-flags-trump-tweet-on-being-immune-as-potentially-harmful-covid-19-information/

Privacy or child protection? 7 governments, including US & UK, argue Facebook's new encryption plan would benefit PEDOPHILES
rt.com | 2020-10-11
The UK, and others, have criticized Facebook over its plan to introduce end-to-end message encryption, arguing it would allow pedophiles freely share child abuse materials as millions are attributed to the tech giant's platforms. | The US social media giant has found itself at the center of yet another controversy as its initiative supposedly aimed at protecting the privacy of billions of people using Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp stumbled on the vehement opposition of the UK and the US, as well as other countries. The governments argue the move would make the social networks a safe haven for pedophiles and…
rt.com/news/503196-facebook-encryption-plan-child-pedophiles/

Climate Emergency Activist Greta Thunberg Endorses Biden in Rare Political Tweet
Common Dreams staff | commondreams.org | 2020-10-10
commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/greta_thunberg_3_0.jpg

How Did People Have Conversations Back Before Tech Oligarchs Were There To Police Them?
Caitlin Johnstone | thealtworld.com | 2020-10-10
Twitter has announced the rollout of even more censorship policies in the lead-up to the November US presidential election. | "Starting next week, when people attempt to Retweet a Tweet with a misleading information label, they will see a prompt directing them to credible information about the topic before they can amplify it," Twitter informs us, with "credible information" of course meaning information fr…
thealtworld.com/caitlin_johnston/how-did-people-have-conversations-back-before-tech-oligarchs-were-there-to-police-them

Colombia: Social Organizations Denounce New Massacre in Cauca
telesurenglish.net | 2020-10-10
Colombia's authorities and social organizations Friday informed that a group of armed men killed four people in a rural area of Jamundi municipality in Valle del Cauca Department. | RELATED: | Hunger Protests Grow in Colombia Amid Coronavirus Lockdown | The victims are young Eider Gutierrez and brothers Eliceo and Edgar Campo. The fourth person remains unidentified. | "Bandits attacked the youths with firearms in La Meseta, Comuneros community," Jamundi's mayor Andres Ramirez tweet…
telesurenglish.net/news/Colombia-Social-Organizations-Denounce-New-Massacre-in-Cauca-20201010-0001.html

Trump intensifies conflict with big tech over Section 230 protections following censorship moves by Facebook and Twitter
wsws.org | 2020-10-10
After Facebook and Twitter both censored Trump for falsely comparing the coronavirus to the flu, the president called for a repeal of the law protecting social media companies from liability for content posted on their platforms.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/10/10/tech-o10.html

This Tyrant Feeds Peacocks
Radha Surya | zcomm.org | 2020-10-10
India is burning. In the months from March to May the news and social media were flooded with heart rending stories and images of the trauma of out-of state workers who lost their livelihood overnight when the coronavirus lock down was imposed without adequate notice. With all modes of transportation brought to a halt they Read…
zcomm.org/zblogs/this-tyrant-feeds-peacocks/

The MEC Saga Shows That Canada Needs More Co-operation
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2020-10-10
The campaign to "Save MEC" — Mountain Equipment Co-op — has rallied more than 140,000 Canadians together to save a business that is being sold to an American private equity firm. But this grassroots and groundswell campaign wasn't about saving a retailer; it was about saving a co-op. In fighting for a member-owned, democratic business, the campaign tapped into a passion in Canadians for co-operation. | That passion, which drove thousands of people to engage on social media, sign petitions, demand support from banks and donate more than $100,000 to a legal fund to challenge the sale of the co-op, prove…
popularresistance.org/the-mec-saga-shows-that-canada-needs-more-co-operation/

[Correspondence] Undermining breastfeeding will not alleviate the COVID-19 pandemic — Authors' reply
Ràºdiger Groàü, Carina Conzelmann, Janis A Màºller, Frank Reister, Frank Kirchhoff, Jan Màºnch | thelancet.com | 2020-10-10
In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, questions regarding possible methods of virus transmission, including the safety of breastfeeding by mothers who are infected, are of great importance. We reported1 the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA (not viral particles, as incorrectly stated by Natalie Shenker and colleagues) in consecutive milk samples from an infected mother and interpreted our findings with the greatest caution. In particular, we did not claim that SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted via contaminated breastmilk or that breastfeeding should be discontinued by mothers with…
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32066-3/fulltext?rss=yes

Zarif names his talks with Chinese FM 'fruitful'
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2020-10-10
TEHRAN, Oct. 10 (MNA) — In a tweet on Saturday, Iranian FM Zarif named his held talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Iran-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as 'fruitful'.
en.mehrnews.com/news/164543/Zarif-names-his-talks-with-Chinese-FM-fruitful

Pence's Fly Becomes Star of Video Parody Inspired by Horror Movie 'The Ring'
sputniknews.com | 2020-10-10
The scene featured in the viral video was taken from the 2002 American remake of 1998 Japanese horror film "The Ring".
sputniknews.com/viral/202010101080733739-pences-fly-becomes-star-of-video-parody-inspired-by-horror-movie-the-ring/

Police investigate Brexit campaigner Darren Grimes over controversial David Starkey interview
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-10-10
A police investigation has been launched into Brexit campaigner Darren Grimes over a controversial interview he published in which historian David Starkey said slavery was not genocide because there are "so many damn blacks" still around.In a statement, Metropolitan Police confirmed that "on 4 July, the Metropolitan Police Service was passed an allegation from Durham Police of a public order offence relating to a social media video posted online on 30 June."The matter is currently being investigated."No arrests have been made, the force added.Dr David Starkey faced significant backlash over his comments in the in…
thecanary.co/breaking-news/2020/10/10/police-investigate-brexit-campaigner-darren-grimes-over-controversial-david-starkey-interview/

Nearly 500,000 power outages reported across Texas & Louisiana as Hurricane Delta pummels gulf coast with 80mph gusts
rt.com | 2020-10-10
Nearly a half-million residents in Texas and Louisiana have been left without power after Hurricane Delta made landfall along the US gulf coast, battering cities with winds up to 80 miles per hour. | Delta hit land in southwest Louisiana on Friday night, inflicting widespread damage and knocking out electricity for some 379,636 people in the state and another 108,402 in neighboring Texas, according to PowerOutage.us, a project that aggregates data from utility companies around the country. | Footage circulating on social media showed powerful gust…
rt.com/usa/503114-hurricane-delta-half-million-lose-power/

Actress Kirstie Alley spars with fellow celeb Rosanna Arquette after tweeting 'radical left' will be in charge if Biden wins
rt.com | 2020-10-10
Conservative actress Kirstie Alley became embroiled in a war of words with fellow celebrities online after blasting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as "evil" over her attempt to create a new procedure to remove a sitting US president. | "The 'process' EVIL NANCY PELOSI speaks of is an attempt at a presidential takeover of a President by glorified BAKER ACT," Alley tweeted on Friday, adding "don't believe a word that comes out of this [witch's] mouth… and yes she gives witches a bad name." | The "process" EVIL NANCY PELOSI speaks of is an attempt at a presidential takeover of a President by glorified BAKER ACT ..
rt.com/usa/503115-kirstie-alley-spars-celebrities-biden/

Belarus' Lukashenko meets JAILED opposition activists, talks constitutional reform
rt.com | 2020-10-10
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has paid an unexpected visit to a detention center in Minsk, meeting incarcerated members of the so-called 'Coordination council of the opposition'. | The unusual move was reported by local media on Saturday, with a short video from the meeting emerging on social media later in the day. | Members of the opposition 'council' were detained over calls to overthrow the government amid the unrest that followed the contested August 9 presidential election. The activists are currently being held at the pre-trial detention center of the Belarus State Security Committee (KGB) i…
rt.com/russia/503156-belarus-lukashenko-jailed-opposition/

Masks Are a Political Agenda, Not a Protection Against Covid or Flu
Paul Craig Roberts | thealtworld.com | 2020-10-10
This 39-minute interview with two experts is the best information available on the efficacy and dangers of masks. As I have reported from the beginning, unless the mask is N95 it provides zero protection against inhalation and exhalation of viruses: | thehighwire.com/videos/mask-whistleblowers-tell-all/ | All masks raise C02 levels, reduce oxygen levels, and, if you are infected, increase the viral load that you are breathing. If a N95 mask has an exhalation valve, the C02 and contaminant levels are lower, but if you are infected…
thealtworld.com/paul_craig_roberts/masks-are-a-political-agenda-not-a-protection-against-covid-or-flu

The Case Against Social Media: Mass Misinformation in the Covid-19 Era
Anthony DiMaggio | counterpunch.org | 2020-10-09
Americans are now witnessing a new era of conspiracy mongering and fake news via the rise of the fringe "QAnon" movement, among a plethora of paranoid claims that Covid-19 is an elite-fueled hoax and that it was secretly created by powerful people working in the shadows.
counterpunch.org/2020/10/09/the-case-against-social-media-mass-misinformation-in-the-covid-19-era/

FBI Foils Right-Wing Plot to Kidnap Michigan Gov. Months After Trump Urged "Liberation" of State
Staff | 18.224.45.15 | 2020-10-09
Just months after President Trump tweeted for his supporters to "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!" the FBI has foiled an alleged plot to kidnap and take hostage Democratic Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer. Authorities arrested six men Thursday involved in the kidnapping plot, and seven others who were said to be planning to storm the state Capitol in Lansing with the intent of starting a civil war. "It came as a surprise to many, but not necessarily here in Michigan, because the state has a long history of militia and white nationalist ties," says Russ McNamara, a reporter at WDET, Detroit's NPR affiliate. We also speak w…
18.224.45.15/2020/10/9/michigan_kidnapping_plot_right_wing_militias

Why America's Economic War On China Is Failing
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2020-10-09
U.S. President Donald Trump–supported by most of the U.S. establishment–deepened the U.S. government's assault on the Chinese economy. The "trade war" seemed to play well with Trump's political base, who somehow hoped that an economic attack on China would miraculously create economic prosperity for them. In 2018, Trump slapped tariffs on more than $200 billion worth of various Chinese goods. Then, Trump's administration went after Chinese high-tech firms such as Huawei, ZTE, ByteDance (the owners of TikTok), and WeChat.
popularresistance.org/why-americas-economic-war-on-china-is-failing/

Twitter suspends Saudi accounts that stoked rumours of coup in Qatar
Areeb Ullah | middleeasteye.net | 2020-10-09
Twitter suspends Saudi accounts that stoked rumours of coup in Qatar | Accounts purported to belong to members of Qatar's royal family and fabricated statements from Amnesty and Human Rights Watch | Areeb Ullah | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 14: 51 | It remains unclear why Twitter took so long to identify the network and delete the accounts linked to Saudi Arabia (AFP) | Twitter says it has deleted more than 30 accounts that sto…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/twitter-suspends-saudi-accounts-stoked-rumours-coup-qatar

FBI Charges Men Involved in Whitmer Kidnapping Plot With Domestic Terrorism
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-10-09
Just months after President Trump tweeted for his supporters to "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!" the FBI has foiled an alleged plot to kidnap and take hostage Democratic Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer. Authorities arrested six men Thursday involved in the kidnapping plot, and seven others who were said to be planning to storm the state Capitol in Lansing with the intent of starting a civil war. "It came as a surprise to many, but not necessarily here in Michigan, because the state has a long history o…
truthout.org/video/fbi-charges-men-involved-in-whitmer-kidnapping-plot-with-domestic-terrorism/

'Imagine': Ex-CIA director Brennan dreams of Navalny becoming president of Russia AND befriending Joe Biden
rt.com | 2020-10-09
Apparently ditching all tradecraft, former CIA chief and godfather of Russiagate John Brennan "imagined" Joe Biden in the White House and Alexey Navalny in the Kremlin as part of a (partisan) birthday tribute to John Lennon. | "Imagine prospects for world peace, prosperity, and security if Joe Biden were president of the United States and Alexei Navalny the president of Russia," Brennan tweeted on Friday, above the lyrics to the cult song 'Imagine,' on the occasion of Lennon's 80th birthday. | "We'll soon be half…
rt.com/russia/503105-former-cia-chief-navalny-imagine/

4 killed, dozens injured in gas tank explosion in Beirut neighborhood (VIDEOS)
rt.com | 2020-10-09
The Lebanese capital Beirut has been rocked by a powerful blast after a diesel tank blew up in a densely-populated residential area. At least four people died and scores were injured in the explosion and subsequent fire. | Photos and videos published on social media show streets littered with debris and rubble, as well as damaged buildings, as firefighters try to extinguish blazes raging at what appears to be the scene of the blast. | ŸÅŸàÿ¨ ÿßÿ∑ŸÅÿßÿ° ÿ®Ÿäÿ±Ÿàÿ™ Ÿ&agrav…
rt.com/news/503104-beirut-gas-tank-explosion-lebanon/