Daily Archives: October 17, 2020

2020-10-17: News Headlines

RT (2020-10-17). 'We are in a truly Orwellian culture': Amazon yanks Covid-19 skeptic's book for ominously vague 'content violations'. rt.com Amazon has joined its Big Tech fellows in ramping up censorship of any criticism of the "official" Covid-19 narrative, deploying obfuscatory excuses to justify removing journalist James Perloff's latest book, he told RT. | After selling a respectable 3,500 copies over the last two months, Perloff's book on the coronavirus pandemic and its weaponization by world governments, 'Covid-19 and the Agendas to Come: Red-Pilled,' was suddenly "banned" by Amazon.com, the writer revealed on Twitter on Thursday. | t.co/MCvENktgr4 & I offer it in bulk quantities t.co/Fl…

RT (2020-10-17). 'Garbage company': Mother Jones chief lashes out at Facebook for throttling traffic to left-leaning news site. rt.com Facebook's tinkering with its news feed has cost Mother Jones up to $600,000 a year in lost revenue, its editor-in-chief has alleged, calling the social network a "garbage company" and a "toxic cesspool" damaging the US. | Clara Jeffery said she was "enraged" after reading a Wall Street Journal @dseetharaman and

_____ (2020-10-16). Imagine If MSM Consistently Applied the Evidentiary Standards It's Applying to Hunter Biden's Emails. strategic-culture.org Caitlin JOHNSTONE | published by The New York Post which purports to show "smoking gun" emails from the laptop of Hunter Biden, son of Democratic nominee Joe Biden. | Both Twitter and Facebook have censored the story on their platforms, the first time we've seen the powerful social media giants deplatform a mainstream news media article, both citing concerns about the origins of the emails and an uncertainty about the veracity of the claims. | "Facebook was limiting distribution of the story while its outside fact-checkers reviewed the story's claims, spokesman Andy Stone said," Eva Bartlett (2020-10-16). On the British State-Funded BBC's Pending Smear. thealtworld.com The British state-funded BBC, which has a history of perverted war propaganda against the people of Syria, a history of whitewashing the crimes of terrorists in Syria, a history of flat out lying about events in Syria, has decided to launch another smear against myself, Vanessa Beeley, researchers of the Working Group on Syria, a former ambassador to Syria, and others. | This is not just another character assassination, though, this is a serious threat against journalists and those speaking truth against establishment narratives. Thanks to those who have tweeted or spoken about this revolting attack. | On Twitter…

_____ (2020-10-16). Possible Recurrence Of OAS Electoral Fraud In Bolivia. popularresistance.org Washington, DC — Bolivia's general elections on Sunday, October 18, could again be threatened by the involvement of the Organization of American States (OAS), Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) Co-Director Mark Weisbrot warns. On September 30, OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro met with the de facto interior minister of Bolivia, Arturo Murillo, at the OAS's Washington, DC headquarters. Following the meeting, Almagro Tweeted that Murillo had "conveyed his concern about the possibility of a new fraud" in Bolivia's October 18 elections.

Mohammad Ayesh (2020-10-16). Arabic press review: What is Arab media saying about the Clinton emails? middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: What is Arab media saying about the Clinton emails? | The Clinton emails scandal has resurfaced thanks to Trump's presidential campaign – and Arab news and social media are abuzz | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 13: 54 | Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton takes questions after delivering a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations on 19 November 2015 in New York City (AFP) | The…

RT (2020-10-16). 'Most brazen media suppression in US history': Republicans go after Twitter over censorship of NYPost's Biden bombshell. rt.com Suppressing several stories critical of Democrat candidate Joe Biden amounted to election interference and an illegal political contribution, the Republican National Committee said in a complaint to the election watchdog FEC. | The party filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on Friday, accusing Twitter of illegally interfering with the 2020 US presidential election through its muscular censorship of a handful of articles that appeared to expose Biden's son Hunter's dodgy business dealings with Ukrainian and Chinese entities. | Twitter's unprecedented blackout, which blocked all sharing of link…

RT (2020-10-16). Twitter rolls out 'DISPUTED' warnings for users trying to post 'misleading' content after backlash over Biden emails censorship. rt.com Twitter is cracking down on the spread of "misleading" content ahead of the US election, as users attempting to retweet anything similar to the NYPost's Hunter Biden leaks will now get a warning the material is "disputed." | Attempting to retweet offending content will trigger a prompt warning the user that the material they're trying to post is "disputed," Twitter revealed on Friday, posting an image of the new warning screen. | The user will be able to click a button to "find out more" about why Twitter doesn't want the material shared, and then presumably post it anyway. | Our work to limit the spread of mi…

RT (2020-10-16). Too little too late? Twitter announces 'hacked materials' policy update after Biden expose censorship fiasco. rt.com Twitter has issued a mea culpa after using its "hacked materials" policy to bury a controversial story alleging shady backroom dealings by the Biden family, with the platform vowing to alter its rules and how it enforces them. | "Over the last 24 hours, we've received significant feedback (from critical to supportive) about how we enforced our Hacked Materials Policy yesterday," Twitter policy head Vijaya Gadde said in a tweet on Thursday night, adding that the company would change how it applies the rule and lift its blockade on the Biden story, published on Wednesday by the New York Post. | We believe that l…

RT (2020-10-16). 'No need to quarantine': Biden says he was wearing mask, '50+ feet away' from crew member who had Covid-19 on board campaign plane. rt.com Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden said he will not quarantine after being on board the same airplane as a crew member who tested positive for the coronavirus, saying he was far away and wearing a N-95 mask. | "My COVID test from last night came back negative," Biden tweeted on Thursday evening, just before the platform unexpectedly crashed. | "Not only was the individual 50+ feet [15 meters] away and wearing a mask, but I was wearing an N-95 mask," he added. "My doctors have advised that there is no need for me to quarantine." | Not only was the individual 50+ feet away and wearing a mask, but I was w…

RT (2020-10-16). Mexico's ex-defense minister faces five drug trafficking charges in US. rt.com Former Mexican Defense Minister Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, who has been arrested in Los Angeles, is now facing five charges in the US related to drug trafficking, Mexico's foreign minister has said. | The arrested general is expected to be transferred to New York shortly, a senior diplomat, Marcelo Ebrard, said on Twitter, citing the country's consulate in Los Angeles. | Cienfuegos, who was in office from 2012 to 2018, was arrested late on Thursday at Los Angeles International Airport on a Drug Enforcement Administration warrant. | The high-profile arrest was praised by President Andrés Manuel Lop&eacu…

WSWS (2020-10-16). San Diego educators force delay in school reopenings as COVID-19 spreads in the region. wsws.org The delay to school reopenings stems directly from the actions of rank-and-file educators and parents, who have organized car caravan protests and have been increasingly outspoken on social media.

news.un (2020-10-16). COVID-19: 'Little or no' benefit from trials of anti-virals, says WHO. news.un.org Latest results from a UN-coordinated international trial on four COVID-19 therapeutic drugs, indicate that they have "little or no" positive impact on preventing deaths in patients infected with the new coronavirus.

Steve Kanters, Marco Vitoria, Michael Zoratti, Meg Doherty, Martina Penazzato, Ajay Rangaraj, Nathan Ford, Kristian Thorlund, Prof. Aslam H. Anis, Mohammad Ehsanul Karim, Lynne Mofenson, Rebecca Zash, Alexandra Calmy, Tamara Kredo, Nick Bansback (2020-10-16). Comparative efficacy, tolerability and safety of dolutegravir and efavirenz 400mg among antiretroviral therapies for first-line HIV treatment: A systematic literature review and network meta-analysis. thelancet.com The evidence supports choosing dolutegravir in combination with lamivudine/emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate as the preferred first-line regimen and low-dose efavirenz-based regimens as an alternative. Dolutegravir can be considered to be effective, safe and tolerable.

_____ (2020-10-16). Why You Won't Find Us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. strategic-culture.org Dear readers of the Strategic Culture Foundation website, | In September 2020, the Strategic Culture Foundation was banned from Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube following unsubstantiated claims that it was connected with Russian intelligence services and interfered in the US presidential elections on their orders. It means that you can't find us on these platforms and, moreover, if you try to post any links leading to SCF on your personal page, you will most likely not be allowed to do that. This case provides a glimpse into the dystopian future of suppressing dissident voices by governments previously known as dem…

Alex Kotch (2020-10-16). Koch-Funded Legal Group Pushes to Allow Mass Evictions During Pandemic. commondreams.org A major force behind this change is a legal nonprofit that is heavily funded by the foundation of billionaire industrialist and Republican megadonor Charles Koch. (Photo: @lizaveta9 on Twitter) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-10-16_at_11.15.24_am.png

commondreams (2020-10-16). FCC Announcement to Regulate Speech on Social Media Facilitates Election Disinformation and Undermines Democracy. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2020-10-16). FCC Chairman Moves to Regulate Internet Sites and Social Media That Refuse to Amplify Trump Propaganda and Lies. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Nadda Osman (2020-10-15). Jordan: Kidnapped boy found with amputated hands, sparking outrage. middleeasteye.net Jordan: Kidnapped boy found with amputated hands, sparking outrage | The graphic video of the attack has prompted calls for the perpetrators to be held accountable | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 15: 31 | Images of the 16-year-old boy have circulated online, with hundreds of people calling for justice (screengrab/Twitter) | The kidnapping and severe injuries inflicted on a 16-year-old boy in Jordan have sparked shoc…

Nadda Osman (2020-10-15). Outcry over death of Egyptian woman harassed and run over by group of men. middleeasteye.net Outcry over death of Egyptian woman harassed and run over by group of men | Mariam Mohamed was walking in Cairo's Maadi district when she was killed as she tried to get away from harassers | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 13: 07 | Mariam Mohamed was walking home when she was harassed and killed by a group of men (Screengrab/Twitter) | The killing of a woman in the Maadi neighbourhood of Cairo has sparked condemnation…

MEE staff (2020-10-15). Gulf states using coronavirus pandemic to crackdown on dissent: Amnesty. middleeasteye.net Gulf states using coronavirus pandemic to crackdown on dissent: Amnesty | Rights group accuses Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman of suppressing expression on social media | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 22: 08 | Amnesty says social media restrictions imposed by Gulf states not necessary to protect public health (AFP/File photo) | Gulf states are using the coronavirus pandemic as a pretext to crack down on free s…

RT (2020-10-15). 'International solidarity': German technicians refuse to work on Belarusian President Lukashenko's plane at Hamburg airport. rt.com Technical workers, attached to Lufthansa, at Germany's Hamburg Airport have declined to service the state plane of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, accusing him of "giving the order to shoot at demonstrators in Belarus." | In a Facebook post on the page of the Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft workers union, a statement explained that technicians for Lufthansa Technik would not service the presidential Boeing 737 as an act of "international solidarity" and "standing side-by-side with Belarusian workers." In addition, the union demanded Lukashenko's resignation, and called for democratic elections…

RT (2020-10-15). YouTube bans 'conspiracy theories used to justify real-world violence,' including QAnon content, amid Big Tech crackdown. rt.com With every major Silicon Valley tech company expanding its censorship efforts ahead of the presidential election, YouTube is the latest to filter out 'harmful' information, including 'QAnon' and 'Pizzagate' content. | YouTube

RT (2020-10-15). Twitter CENSORS THE GOVERNMENT, briefly blocking link to GOP page on CONGRESS website with copy of NYPost's Hunter Biden story. rt.com After downplaying the censorship of links to a New York Post exposé on the Biden family's alleged murky business dealings, Twitter is still blocking links to the "unsafe" story, even ones posted by US lawmakers. | When the New York Post published a tranche of emails on Wednesday claiming to reveal Hunter and Joe Biden's alleged backroom dealings in Ukraine, the story spread like wildfire. That is, until Twitter and Facebook began preventing users from sharing links to the incriminating article. As Republicans and conservatives decried the apparent "censorship," Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey stepped in to clear the a…

RT (2020-10-15). Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey blames 'poor communication' in Biden story takedown, downplaying Big Tech 'censorship' scandal. rt.com Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has blamed "bad communication" and a "lack of context" in response to public outcry over his platform's censorship of a New York Post story on alleged backroom dealings of the Biden family. | "Our communication around our actions on the [New York Post] article was not great. And blocking URL sharing via tweet or DM with zero context as to why we're blocking: unacceptable," Dorsey tweeted on Wednesday, hours after Twitter began blacklisting the

RT (2020-10-15). EU Commission chief von der Leyen leaves Brussels summit for 2nd Covid quarantine in a month. rt.com The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, left the EU summit in Brussels suddenly on Thursday, after it transpired a member of her office had tested positive for the virus. | The Commission chief left the summit less than an hour after it began, saying she was going into quarantine, in line with coronavirus health rules. | "I have just been informed that a member of my front office has tested positive to Covid-19 this morning. I, myself, have tested negative," she tweeted. "However, as a precaution, I am immediately leaving the European Council to go into self-isolation." | This is the se…

RT (2020-10-15). Wild deer attacks selfie-seeking woman in London park after she got too close in bid for perfect picture. rt.com Pursuing a perfect photo led one young woman to be attacked by a deer in London's Richmond Park as she foolishly tried to get close enough to the wild animal to snap a selfie during rutting season. | The moment the woman paid for her senselessness was caught on camera as the deer gave her a firm kick in the back with its forelegs. Royal Parks Police took to Twitter to rebuke the woman for her ill-advised photoshoot, warning that deer are not like the Disney character Bambi and can cause harm. | "This picture, taken on October 11 in Richmond Park, demonstrates why you need to stay 50m away. They are wild animal…

Pablo Guisado-Vasco, Sofia Valderas-Ortega, Maria Maravillas Carralón-González, Ana Roda-Santacruz, Lucia González-Cortijo, Gabriel Sotres-Fernández, Eva María Martí-Ballesteros, José Manuel Luque-Pinilla, Elena Almagro-Casado, Félix J. La Coma-Lanuza, Ruth Barrena-Puertas, Esteban Javier Malo-Benages, María José Monforte-Gómez, Rocío Diez-Munar, Esther Merino-Lanza, Lorena Comeche-Casanova, Margarita Remirez-de-Esparza-Otero, María Correyero-Plaza, Manuel Recio-Rodríguez, Margarita Rodríguez-López, María Dolores Sánchez-Manzano, Cristina Andreu-Vázquez, Israel John Thuissard-Vasallo, José María Echave-Sustaeta María-Tomé, Daniel Carnevali-Ruiz (2020-10-15). Clinical characteristics and outcomes among hospitalized adults with severe COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary medical center and receiving antiviral, antimalarials, glucocorticoids, or immunomodulation with tocilizumab or cyclosporine: A retrospective observational study (COQUIMA cohort). thelancet.com In a real-clinical setting, inhibition of the calcineurin inflammatory pathway, NF-Œ∫Œí, could reduce the hyperinflammatory phase in COVID-19. Our findings might entail relevant implications for the therapy of this disease and could boost the design of new clinical trials among subjects affected by severe COVID-19.

sputniknews (2020-10-15). 'Big Impact on Discourse': Twitter Polices Black Americans' Politics in Botnet Takedown – Journo. sputniknews.com Twitter recently took down several dozen accounts it says were impersonating Black supporters of US President Donald Trump and hinted they might have been foreign-controlled. Two journalists told Sputnik the story's prominence owes mostly to Democratic insecurity about Black voters looking outside their party for political solutions.

sputniknews (2020-10-15). Will Twitter and Facebook Shut Down Our Ukraine Reporting? sputniknews.com On today's episode Lee Stranahan covers: C-SPAN editor Steve Scully lied about getting his Twitter account hacked, President Trump & Joe Biden are having town halls, Senate is subpoenaing Jack Dorsey for censoring New York Post article on Ukraine & Hunter Biden, and a Kamala Harris staffer has tested positive for Covid-19.

Staff (2020-10-15). White House Advisers Privately Gave Sober COVID Warnings as Trump Misled Public. truthout.org More evidence has emerged showing that the Trump administration provided a profoundly different outlook to the public about the possible effects of the coronavirus pandemic than it did behind closed doors in the weeks leading up to. | On February 24, Trump wrote on his Twitter account that Americans shouldn't be worried. | "The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA,"

Jon Queally, staff writer (2020-10-15). Progressives Warn Against Accepting—Let Alone Applauding—Twitter Ban of "Garbage" NY Post Story. commondreams.org "Look carefully at what Twitter is saying to justify censoring the Biden story. If applied consistently, it'd mean that some of history's most consequential journalism—the Pentagon Papers, WikiLeaks' war logs, Snowden docs, Panama Papers, our Brazil Archive—would be banned." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/twitter_banning_ny_post.jpg

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-10-14). WATCH: Sunrise Movement Makes 'Most Explicit Pitch to Fossil Fuel Workers' Yet With Ad for US House Candidate Mike Siegel. commondreams.org Following its viral video promoting Sen. Ed Markey's Democratic primary campaign, the Sunrise Movement released an ad in support of another vocal Green New Deal champion—Mike Siegel, who is running to oust Republican Rep. Michael McCaul in Texas' 10th congressional district. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/siegel_yt_thumbnail.png

RT (2020-10-14). Twitter BLOCKS sharing links to NYPost's Hunter Biden emails story, invoking 'HACKED MATERIALS' policy for first time ever. rt.com Twitter has one-upped Facebook's censorship regarding a story based on alleged emails from Democratic candidate Joe Biden's son Hunter about his Ukraine dealings, blocking all users from sharing it via tweet or direct message. | Twitter users were blocked on Wednesday from sharing the

Zero Hedge (2020-10-14). Facebook Bans Ads Questioning Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines. globalresearch.ca Mark Zuckerberg has clearly had enough of being hauled in front of Congress and hectored by a gang of senior citizens and listening to the head of the ACLU slam his company as a vessel for violent hate speech. Because …

_____ (2020-10-14). Skills For Revolutionary Survival: Communications. popularresistance.org Face the facts. We are tied to our devices in ways that are incredibly useful for organizing, but that also expose us to isolation should the state and companies take away these technologies. Cell phones and the internet rely on corporate infrastructure and is subject to both government surveillance and service denial. What do we do when social media bans anti-capitalists and anti-colonialists? What do we do when our cell phones fully become monitoring devices we willingly keep by our side, all to the benefit of state intelligence services?

sputniknews (2020-10-14). Outrage Ensues After Facebook, Twitter Block Sharing of New York Post's Hunter Biden Story. sputniknews.com After the New York Post dropped a bombshell story about Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden's son Hunter's Ukrainian business dealings on Wednesday, social media giants Facebook and Twitter rushed to limit its spread, prompting accusations of censorship and in-kind aid to Joe Biden.

Steve Topple (2020-10-14). The corporate press pack just descended into disgraceful farce. thecanary.co The corporate media descended into farce on Tuesday 13 October. Because the public were once again subjected to the worst kind of journalism. It's one where supposed professional reporters are little more than Tory lapdogs. | Client journalism in full swing: | As 'Client Journalism' Expert pointed out, several corporate journalists shared similar tweets. It was a comment by one of those now-infamous 'government sources'. The quote was in response to Labour leader Keir Starmer's press Looks like they're all in…

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

Kathy Durkin (2020-10-13). Viral capitalism: Racist, sexist bosses kill jobs. workers.org Another 1.3 million people filed for unemployment benefits during the week of Sept. 28, adding to the ranks of the 12 million workers still jobless due to the pandemic. They and their families have lost health insurance, not provided by this ruthless capitalist government. Evictions and homelessness are on the . . . |

2020-10-17: 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.)

No Real Change Can Come If Speech Is Restricted By Monopolistic Oligarchs
Caitlin Johnstone | thealtworld.com | 2020-10-17
In a solid new article titled " Facebook and Twitter Cross a Line Far More Dangerous Than What They Censor" on the cross-platform silencing of The New York Post's publication of Hunter Biden's emails, The Intercept's Glenn Greenwald writes the following: That is always how it will work: it is exclusively the voices on the fringes and the margins, the dissidents, those who reside outside of the factions of power who will be subjected to this silencing. Mainstream political and media voices,…
thealtworld.com/caitlin_johnston/no-real-change-can-come-if-speech-is-restricted-by-monopolistic-oligarchs

'We are in a truly Orwellian culture': Amazon yanks Covid-19 skeptic's book for ominously vague 'content violations'
rt.com | 2020-10-17
Amazon has joined its Big Tech fellows in ramping up censorship of any criticism of the "official" Covid-19 narrative, deploying obfuscatory excuses to justify removing journalist James Perloff's latest book, he told RT. | After selling a respectable 3,500 copies over the last two months, Perloff's book on the coronavirus pandemic and its weaponization by world governments, 'Covid-19 and the Agendas to Come: Red-Pilled,' was suddenly "banned" by Amazon.com, the writer revealed on Twitter on Thursday. | BAD NEWS. After selling over 3,500 copies for Amazon since publication on August 20, Amazon has banned my boo…
rt.com/usa/503778-perloff-amazon-censorship-coronavirus/

'We are in a truly Orwellian culture': Amazon yanks Covid-19 skeptic's book for ominously vague 'content violations'
rt.com | 2020-10-17
Amazon has joined its Big Tech fellows in ramping up censorship of any criticism of the "official" Covid-19 narrative, deploying obfuscatory excuses to justify removing journalist James Perloff's latest book, he told RT. | After selling a respectable 3,500 copies over the last two months, Perloff's book on the coronavirus pandemic and its weaponization by world governments, 'Covid-19 and the Agendas to Come: Red-Pilled,' was suddenly "banned" by Amazon.com, the writer revealed on Twitter on Thursday. | t.co/MCvENktgr4 & I offer it in bulk quantities t.co/Fl
rt.com/usa/503778-perloff-amazon-censorship-coronavirus/

Greta Thunberg mocks US Supreme Court nominee as eco-activists paint judge's refusal to OPINE on climate change as DISQUALIFYING
rt.com | 2020-10-16
Child enviro-prodigy Greta Thunberg is ripping US Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett for declining to give her opinions about the cause of climate change, likening the judge's restraint to lacking a view on gravity. | "To be fair, I don't have any views on climate change, either," Thunberg said on Thursday on Twitter, mocking Barrett's answers in her Senate confirmation hearing. "Just like I don't have any views on gravity, the fact that the earth is round, photosynthesis nor evolution. But understanding and knowing their existence really makes life in the 21st century so much easier." | To be fair, I don…
rt.com/usa/503648-greta-mocks-amy-barrett-climate/

On the British State-Funded BBC's Pending Smear
Eva Bartlett | thealtworld.com | 2020-10-16
The British state-funded BBC, which has a history of perverted war propaganda against the people of Syria, a history of whitewashing the crimes of terrorists in Syria, a history of flat out lying about events in Syria, has decided to launch another smear against myself, Vanessa Beeley, researchers of the Working Group on Syria, a former ambassador to Syria, and others. | This is not just another character assassination, though, this is a serious threat against journalists and those speaking truth against establishment narratives. Thanks to those who have tweeted or spoken about this revolting attack. | On Twitter…
thealtworld.com/eva_bartlett/on-the-british-state-funded-bbcs-pending-smear

Possible Recurrence Of OAS Electoral Fraud In Bolivia
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2020-10-16
Washington, DC — Bolivia's general elections on Sunday, October 18, could again be threatened by the involvement of the Organization of American States (OAS), Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) Co-Director Mark Weisbrot warns. On September 30, OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro met with the de facto interior minister of Bolivia, Arturo Murillo, at the OAS's Washington, DC headquarters. Following the meeting, Almagro Tweeted that Murillo had "conveyed his concern about the possibility of a new fraud" in Bolivia's October 18 elections.
popularresistance.org/possible-recurrence-of-oas-electoral-fraud-in-bolivia/

Arabic press review: What is Arab media saying about the Clinton emails?
Mohammad Ayesh | middleeasteye.net | 2020-10-16
Arabic press review: What is Arab media saying about the Clinton emails? | The Clinton emails scandal has resurfaced thanks to Trump's presidential campaign – and Arab news and social media are abuzz | Mohammad Ayesh | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 13: 54 | Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton takes questions after delivering a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations on 19 November 2015 in New York City (AFP) | The…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/hillary-clinton-emails-arab-media-what-saying

San Diego educators force delay in school reopenings as COVID-19 spreads in the region
wsws.org | 2020-10-16
The delay to school reopenings stems directly from the actions of rank-and-file educators and parents, who have organized car caravan protests and have been increasingly outspoken on social media.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/10/17/sand-o16.html

COVID-19: 'Little or no' benefit from trials of anti-virals, says WHO
news.un.org | 2020-10-16
Latest results from a UN-coordinated international trial on four COVID-19 therapeutic drugs, indicate that they have "little or no" positive impact on preventing deaths in patients infected with the new coronavirus.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/10/1075562

Comparative efficacy, tolerability and safety of dolutegravir and efavirenz 400mg among antiretroviral therapies for first-line HIV treatment: A systematic literature review and network meta-analysis
Steve Kanters, Marco Vitoria, Michael Zoratti, Meg Doherty, Martina Penazzato, Ajay Rangaraj, Nathan Ford, Kristian Thorlund, Prof. Aslam H. Anis, Mohammad Ehsanul Karim, Lynne Mofenson, Rebecca Zash, Alexandra Calmy, Tamara Kredo, Nick Bansback | thelancet.com | 2020-10-16
The evidence supports choosing dolutegravir in combination with lamivudine/emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate as the preferred first-line regimen and low-dose efavirenz-based regimens as an alternative. Dolutegravir can be considered to be effective, safe and tolerable.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30317-5/fulltext?rss=yes

Why You Won't Find Us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube
_____ | strategic-culture.org | 2020-10-16
Dear readers of the Strategic Culture Foundation website, | In September 2020, the Strategic Culture Foundation was banned from Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube following unsubstantiated claims that it was connected with Russian intelligence services and interfered in the US presidential elections on their orders. It means that you can't find us on these platforms and, moreover, if you try to post any links leading to SCF on your personal page, you will most likely not be allowed to do that. This case provides a glimpse into the dystopian future of suppressing dissident voices by governments previously known as dem…
strategic-culture.org/news/2020/10/16/why-you-wont-find-us-on-facebook-twitter-and-youtube/

'Most brazen media suppression in US history': Republicans go after Twitter over censorship of NYPost's Biden bombshell
rt.com | 2020-10-16
Suppressing several stories critical of Democrat candidate Joe Biden amounted to election interference and an illegal political contribution, the Republican National Committee said in a complaint to the election watchdog FEC. | The party filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on Friday, accusing Twitter of illegally interfering with the 2020 US presidential election through its muscular censorship of a handful of articles that appeared to expose Biden's son Hunter's dodgy business dealings with Ukrainian and Chinese entities. | Twitter's unprecedented blackout, which blocked all sharing of link…
rt.com/usa/503766-republicans-twitter-biden-censorship/

'No need to quarantine': Biden says he was wearing mask, '50+ feet away' from crew member who had Covid-19 on board campaign plane
rt.com | 2020-10-16
Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden said he will not quarantine after being on board the same airplane as a crew member who tested positive for the coronavirus, saying he was far away and wearing a N-95 mask. | "My COVID test from last night came back negative," Biden tweeted on Thursday evening, just before the platform unexpectedly crashed. | "Not only was the individual 50+ feet [15 meters] away and wearing a mask, but I was wearing an N-95 mask," he added. "My doctors have advised that there is no need for me to quarantine." | Not only was the individual 50+ feet away and wearing a mask, but I was w…
rt.com/usa/503650-biden-quarantine-covid-tracing/

Twitter rolls out 'DISPUTED' warnings for users trying to post 'misleading' content after backlash over Biden emails censorship
rt.com | 2020-10-16
Twitter is cracking down on the spread of what they call "misleading" content ahead of the election: users attempting to retweet anything similar to the NYPost's Hunter Biden leak will now get a warning the material is "disputed." | Attempting to retweet the offending content will trigger a prompt warning the user that the material they're trying to post is "disputed," Twitter revealed on Friday, tweeting an image of the new warning screen. The user will be able to click a button to "find out more" about why Twitter doesn't want the material shared – and then presumably post it anyway. | pic.twitter.com/KjQSnD…
rt.com/usa/503775-twitter-disputed-materials-warning/

Too little too late? Twitter announces 'hacked materials' policy update after Biden expose censorship fiasco
rt.com | 2020-10-16
Twitter has issued a mea culpa after using its "hacked materials" policy to bury a controversial story alleging shady backroom dealings by the Biden family, with the platform vowing to alter its rules and how it enforces them. | "Over the last 24 hours, we've received significant feedback (from critical to supportive) about how we enforced our Hacked Materials Policy yesterday," Twitter policy head Vijaya Gadde said in a tweet on Thursday night, adding that the company would change how it applies the rule and lift its blockade on the Biden story, published on Wednesday by the New York Post. | We believe that l…
rt.com/usa/503654-twitter-hacked-policy-change/

Twitter rolls out 'DISPUTED' warnings for users trying to post 'misleading' content after backlash over Biden emails censorship
rt.com | 2020-10-16
Twitter is cracking down on the spread of "misleading" content ahead of the US election, as users attempting to retweet anything similar to the NYPost's Hunter Biden leaks will now get a warning the material is "disputed." | Attempting to retweet offending content will trigger a prompt warning the user that the material they're trying to post is "disputed," Twitter revealed on Friday, posting an image of the new warning screen. | The user will be able to click a button to "find out more" about why Twitter doesn't want the material shared, and then presumably post it anyway. | Our work to limit the spread of mi…
rt.com/usa/503775-twitter-disputed-materials-warning/

Mexico's ex-defense minister faces five drug trafficking charges in US
rt.com | 2020-10-16
Former Mexican Defense Minister Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, who has been arrested in Los Angeles, is now facing five charges in the US related to drug trafficking, Mexico's foreign minister has said. | The arrested general is expected to be transferred to New York shortly, a senior diplomat, Marcelo Ebrard, said on Twitter, citing the country's consulate in Los Angeles. | Cienfuegos, who was in office from 2012 to 2018, was arrested late on Thursday at Los Angeles International Airport on a Drug Enforcement Administration warrant. | The high-profile arrest was praised by President Andrés Manuel Lop&eacu…
rt.com/news/503732-mexico-defense-minister-drugs-charges/

FCC Announcement to Regulate Speech on Social Media Facilitates Election Disinformation and Undermines Democracy
commondreams.org | 2020-10-16
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commondreams.org/newswire/2020/10/16/fcc-announcement-regulate-speech-social-media-facilitates-election?cd-origin=rss

Koch-Funded Legal Group Pushes to Allow Mass Evictions During Pandemic
Alex Kotch | commondreams.org | 2020-10-16
A major force behind this change is a legal nonprofit that is heavily funded by the foundation of billionaire industrialist and Republican megadonor Charles Koch. (Photo: @lizaveta9 on Twitter) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-10-16_at_11.15.24_am.png
commondreams.org/views/2020/10/16/koch-funded-legal-group-pushes-allow-mass-evictions-during-pandemic?cd-origin=rss

FCC Chairman Moves to Regulate Internet Sites and Social Media That Refuse to Amplify Trump Propaganda and Lies
commondreams.org | 2020-10-16
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commondreams.org/newswire/2020/10/16/fcc-chairman-moves-regulate-internet-sites-and-social-media-refuse-amplify-trump?cd-origin=rss

Imagine If MSM Consistently Applied The Evidentiary Standards It's Applying To Hunter Biden's Emails
Caitlin Johnstone | thealtworld.com | 2020-10-15
Mainstream media and social media platforms are actively blacking out an October surprise published by The New York Post which purports to show "smoking gun" emails from the laptop of Hunter Biden, son of Democratic nominee Joe Biden. | Both Twitter and Facebook have censored the story on their platforms, the first time we've seen the powerful social media giants deplatform a mainstream news media article, both citing concerns about the origins of the emails and an uncertainty about the veracity of the claims. | "Facebook was limiting distribution of t…
thealtworld.com/caitlin_johnston/imagine-if-msm-consistently-applied-the-evidentiary-standards-its-applying-to-hunter-bidens-emails

PDF of October 15 issue
A. Majumdar | workers.org | 2020-10-15
Download the 12-page PDF. Viral capitalism: Racist, sexist bosses kill jobs Answer to fascist threat? Working class struggle! ALSO: Indigenous Peoples' Day; ICE targets VietLead activist; Book Review 'Capitalism on a Ventilator'; Cops & white supremacists. TEAR DOWN THE WALLS: Racism & federal executions; Jalil Muntaqim home! Free Kao Saelee! . . . | Continue reading PDF of October 15 issue at Workers.org
workers.org/2020/10/51873/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pdf-of-october-15-issue

Jordan: Kidnapped boy found with amputated hands, sparking outrage
Nadda Osman | middleeasteye.net | 2020-10-15
Jordan: Kidnapped boy found with amputated hands, sparking outrage | The graphic video of the attack has prompted calls for the perpetrators to be held accountable | Nadda Osman | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 15: 31 | Images of the 16-year-old boy have circulated online, with hundreds of people calling for justice (screengrab/Twitter) | The kidnapping and severe injuries inflicted on a 16-year-old boy in Jordan have sparked shoc…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/jordan-zarqa-boy-found-amputated-hands-outrage

Gulf states using coronavirus pandemic to crackdown on dissent: Amnesty
MEE staff | middleeasteye.net | 2020-10-15
Gulf states using coronavirus pandemic to crackdown on dissent: Amnesty | Rights group accuses Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman of suppressing expression on social media | MEE staff | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 22: 08 | Amnesty says social media restrictions imposed by Gulf states not necessary to protect public health (AFP/File photo) | Gulf states are using the coronavirus pandemic as a pretext to crack down on free s…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/coronavirus-gulf-states-crackdown-speech-amnesty

Outcry over death of Egyptian woman harassed and run over by group of men
Nadda Osman | middleeasteye.net | 2020-10-15
Outcry over death of Egyptian woman harassed and run over by group of men | Mariam Mohamed was walking in Cairo's Maadi district when she was killed as she tried to get away from harassers | Nadda Osman | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 13: 07 | Mariam Mohamed was walking home when she was harassed and killed by a group of men (Screengrab/Twitter) | The killing of a woman in the Maadi neighbourhood of Cairo has sparked condemnation…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypt-woman-killed-harassed-triggers-outcry

Clinical characteristics and outcomes among hospitalized adults with severe COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary medical center and receiving antiviral, antimalarials, glucocorticoids, or immunomodulation with tocilizumab or cyclosporine: A retrospective observational study (COQUIMA cohort)
Pablo Guisado-Vasco, Sofia Valderas-Ortega, Maria Maravillas Carralón-González, Ana Roda-Santacruz, Lucia González-Cortijo, Gabriel Sotres-Fernández, Eva María Martí-Ballesteros, José Manuel Luque-Pinilla, Elena Almagro-Casado, Félix J. La Coma-Lanuza, Ruth Barrena-Puertas, Esteban Javier Malo-Benages, María José Monforte-Gómez, Rocío Diez-Munar, Esther Merino-Lanza, Lorena Comeche-Casanova, Margarita Remirez-de-Esparza-Otero, María Correyero-Plaza, Manuel Recio-Rodríguez, Margarita Rodríguez-López, María Dolores Sánchez-Manzano, Cristina Andreu-Vázquez, Israel John Thuissard-Vasallo, José María Echave-Sustaeta María-Tomé, Daniel Carnevali-Ruiz | thelancet.com | 2020-10-15
In a real-clinical setting, inhibition of the calcineurin inflammatory pathway, NF-κΒ, could reduce the hyperinflammatory phase in COVID-19. Our findings might entail relevant implications for the therapy of this disease and could boost the design of new clinical trials among subjects affected by severe COVID-19.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30335-7/fulltext?rss=yes

Will Twitter and Facebook Shut Down Our Ukraine Reporting?
sputniknews.com | 2020-10-15
On today's episode Lee Stranahan covers: C-SPAN editor Steve Scully lied about getting his Twitter account hacked, President Trump & Joe Biden are having town halls, Senate is subpoenaing Jack Dorsey for censoring New York Post article on Ukraine & Hunter Biden, and a Kamala Harris staffer has tested positive for Covid-19.
sputniknews.com/radio-the-backstory/202010151080783862-will-twitter-and-facebook-shut-down-our-ukraine-reporting/

'Big Impact on Discourse': Twitter Polices Black Americans' Politics in Botnet Takedown – Journo
sputniknews.com | 2020-10-15
Twitter recently took down several dozen accounts it says were impersonating Black supporters of US President Donald Trump and hinted they might have been foreign-controlled. Two journalists told Sputnik the story's prominence owes mostly to Democratic insecurity about Black voters looking outside their party for political solutions.
sputniknews.com/analysis/202010151080783891-big-impact-on-discourse-twitter-polices-black-americans-politics-in-botnet-takedown—journo/

White House Advisers Privately Gave Sober COVID Warnings as Trump Misled Public
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-10-15
More evidence has emerged showing that the Trump administration provided a profoundly different outlook to the public about the possible effects of the coronavirus pandemic than it did behind closed doors in the weeks leading up to. | On February 24, Trump wrote on his Twitter account that Americans shouldn't be worried. | "The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA," Trump tweeted out. "We are in conta…
truthout.org/articles/white-house-advisers-privately-gave-sober-covid-warnings-as-trump-misled-public/

'International solidarity': German technicians refuse to work on Belarusian President Lukashenko's plane at Hamburg airport
rt.com | 2020-10-15
Technical workers, attached to Lufthansa, at Germany's Hamburg Airport have declined to service the state plane of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, accusing him of "giving the order to shoot at demonstrators in Belarus." | In a Facebook post on the page of the Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft workers union, a statement explained that technicians for Lufthansa Technik would not service the presidential Boeing 737 as an act of "international solidarity" and "standing side-by-side with Belarusian workers." In addition, the union demanded Lukashenko's resignation, and called for democratic elections…
rt.com/russia/503620-lufthansa-technicians-lukashenko-airplane/

Twitter CENSORS THE GOVERNMENT, briefly blocking link to GOP page on CONGRESS website with copy of NYPost's Hunter Biden story
rt.com | 2020-10-15
After downplaying the censorship of links to a New York Post exposé on the Biden family's alleged murky business dealings, Twitter is still blocking links to the "unsafe" story, even ones posted by US lawmakers. | When the New York Post published a tranche of emails on Wednesday claiming to reveal Hunter and Joe Biden's alleged backroom dealings in Ukraine, the story spread like wildfire. That is, until Twitter and Facebook began preventing users from sharing links to the incriminating article. As Republicans and conservatives decried the apparent "censorship," Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey stepped in to clear the a…
rt.com/usa/503617-twitter-censors-republicans-nypost-biden/

YouTube bans 'conspiracy theories used to justify real-world violence,' including QAnon content, amid Big Tech crackdown
rt.com | 2020-10-15
With every major Silicon Valley tech company expanding its censorship efforts ahead of the presidential election, YouTube is the latest to filter out 'harmful' information, including 'QAnon' and 'Pizzagate' content. | YouTube announced an expansion of its hate and harassment policies on Thursday, and will immediately prohibit "content that targets an individual or group with conspiracy theories that have been used to justify real-world violence." The 'QAnon' and 'Pizzagate' conspiracies were cited b…
rt.com/usa/503631-youtube-censors-qanon-pizzagate/

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey blames 'poor communication' in Biden story takedown, downplaying Big Tech 'censorship' scandal
rt.com | 2020-10-15
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has blamed "bad communication" and a "lack of context" in response to public outcry over his platform's censorship of a New York Post story on alleged backroom dealings of the Biden family. | "Our communication around our actions on the [New York Post] article was not great. And blocking URL sharing via tweet or DM with zero context as to why we're blocking: unacceptable," Dorsey tweeted on Wednesday, hours after Twitter began blacklisting the story.
rt.com/usa/503542-dorsey-poor-communication-censorship/

EU Commission chief von der Leyen leaves Brussels summit for 2nd Covid quarantine in a month
rt.com | 2020-10-15
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, left the EU summit in Brussels suddenly on Thursday, after it transpired a member of her office had tested positive for the virus. | The Commission chief left the summit less than an hour after it began, saying she was going into quarantine, in line with coronavirus health rules. | "I have just been informed that a member of my front office has tested positive to Covid-19 this morning. I, myself, have tested negative," she tweeted. "However, as a precaution, I am immediately leaving the European Council to go into self-isolation." | This is the se…
rt.com/news/503624-european-commission-leyen-quarantine/

Wild deer attacks selfie-seeking woman in London park after she got too close in bid for perfect picture
rt.com | 2020-10-15
Pursuing a perfect photo led one young woman to be attacked by a deer in London's Richmond Park as she foolishly tried to get close enough to the wild animal to snap a selfie during rutting season. | The moment the woman paid for her senselessness was caught on camera as the deer gave her a firm kick in the back with its forelegs. Royal Parks Police took to Twitter to rebuke the woman for her ill-advised photoshoot, warning that deer are not like the Disney character Bambi and can cause harm. | "This picture, taken on October 11 in Richmond Park, demonstrates why you need to stay 50m away. They are wild animal…
rt.com/uk/503632-deer-attacks-woman-london-park-selfie/

Progressives Warn Against Accepting—Let Alone Applauding—Twitter Ban of "Garbage" NY Post Story
Jon Queally, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-10-15
"Look carefully at what Twitter is saying to justify censoring the Biden story. If applied consistently, it'd mean that some of history's most consequential journalism—the Pentagon Papers, WikiLeaks' war logs, Snowden docs, Panama Papers, our Brazil Archive—would be banned." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/twitter_banning_ny_post.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/10/15/progressives-warn-against-accepting-let-alone-applauding-twitter-ban-garbage-ny-post?cd-origin=rss

WATCH: Sunrise Movement Makes 'Most Explicit Pitch to Fossil Fuel Workers' Yet With Ad for US House Candidate Mike Siegel
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-10-14
Following its viral video promoting Sen. Ed Markey's Democratic primary campaign, the Sunrise Movement released an ad in support of another vocal Green New Deal champion—Mike Siegel, who is running to oust Republican Rep. Michael McCaul in Texas' 10th congressional district. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/siegel_yt_thumbnail.png
commondreams.org/news/2020/10/14/watch-sunrise-movement-makes-most-explicit-pitch-fossil-fuel-workers-yet-ad-us-house?cd-origin=rss

Facebook Bans Ads Questioning Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines
Zero Hedge | globalresearch.ca | 2020-10-14
Mark Zuckerberg has clearly had enough of being hauled in front of Congress and hectored by a gang of senior citizens and listening to the head of the ACLU slam his company as a vessel for violent hate speech. Because …
globalresearch.ca/facebook-bans-ads-questioning-safety-covid-19-vaccines/5726592

Skills For Revolutionary Survival: Communications
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2020-10-14
Face the facts. We are tied to our devices in ways that are incredibly useful for organizing, but that also expose us to isolation should the state and companies take away these technologies. Cell phones and the internet rely on corporate infrastructure and is subject to both government surveillance and service denial. What do we do when social media bans anti-capitalists and anti-colonialists? What do we do when our cell phones fully become monitoring devices we willingly keep by our side, all to the benefit of state intelligence services?
popularresistance.org/skills-for-revolutionary-survival-communications/

Outrage Ensues After Facebook, Twitter Block Sharing of New York Post's Hunter Biden Story
sputniknews.com | 2020-10-14
After the New York Post dropped a bombshell story about Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden's son Hunter's Ukrainian business dealings on Wednesday, social media giants Facebook and Twitter rushed to limit its spread, prompting accusations of censorship and in-kind aid to Joe Biden.
sputniknews.com/us/202010141080772445-outrage-ensues-after-facebook-twitter-block-sharing-of-new-york-posts-hunter-biden-story/

Twitter BLOCKS sharing links to NYPost's Hunter Biden emails story, invoking 'HACKED MATERIALS' policy for first time ever
rt.com | 2020-10-14
Twitter has one-upped Facebook's censorship regarding a story based on alleged emails from Democratic candidate Joe Biden's son Hunter about his Ukraine dealings, blocking all users from sharing it via tweet or direct message. | Twitter users were blocked on Wednesday from sharing the New York Post story critical of the Bidens published just that morning. The decision was based on a never-before-invoked "hacked materials policy" that Twitter announced hours after Facebook had stomped on the same story.
rt.com/usa/503531-twitter-bans-share-biden-nypost/

The corporate press pack just descended into disgraceful farce
Steve Topple | thecanary.co | 2020-10-14
The corporate media descended into farce on Tuesday 13 October. Because the public were once again subjected to the worst kind of journalism. It's one where supposed professional reporters are little more than Tory lapdogs. | Client journalism in full swing: | As 'Client Journalism' Expert pointed out, several corporate journalists shared similar tweets. It was a comment by one of those now-infamous 'government sources'. The quote was in response to Labour leader Keir Starmer's press conference: | pic.twitter.com/QOMx47yAB…
thecanary.co/trending/2020/10/14/the-corporate-press-pack-just-descended-into-disgraceful-farce/

The corporate press pack just descended into disgraceful farce
Steve Topple | thecanary.co | 2020-10-14
The corporate media descended into farce on Tuesday 13 October. Because the public were once again subjected to the worst kind of journalism. It's one where supposed professional reporters are little more than Tory lapdogs. | Client journalism in full swing: | As 'Client Journalism' Expert pointed out, several corporate journalists shared similar tweets. It was a comment by one of those now-infamous 'government sources'. The quote was in response to Labour leader Keir Starmer's press conference: | Looks like they're all in…
thecanary.co/trending/2020/10/14/the-corporate-press-pack-just-descended-into-disgraceful-farce/