2021-02-14: News Headlines

RT (2021-02-14). 'That's what someone microchipped would say,' Twitter jokes after jabbed Bill Gates' daughter mocks Covid-19 vax conspiracy theory. rt.com Jennifer K. Gates, daughter of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, tried mocking the numerous conspiracy theories surrounding her "genius" father after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine, only to face a wave of ridicule herself. | "Sadly the vaccine did NOT implant my genius father into my brain — if only mRNA had that power…..!" Jennifer Gates wrote on Instagram, adding a winky face emoji. The statement accompanied an image of her after she had received a Covid-19 vaccine. | There have been numerous conspiracy theories floating on social media about Bill Gates and his foundation's involvement in the development of…

RT (2021-02-14). 'Creepy': CIA trolled over baffling Valentine's Day poem on Twitter. rt.com The Central Intelligence Agency left social media users feeling slightly uncomfortable on Valentine's Day with a bizarre bit of poetry in celebration of the romantic holiday. | "Roses are red. Violets are blue. Happy Valentine's Day from the CIA to you!" the controversial government agency tweeted on Sunday. | Creepy ‚ò Ô∏è The tweet was a follow-up to a previous coded message…

_____ (2021-02-14). The Guardian Revealed Its True Face in Sacking a Columnist for Criticising U.S. Military Aid to Israel. strategic-culture.org By Jonathan COOK | The revelation that a leftwing journalist, Nathan J Robinson, has been In the tweet below, I have listed a few of the mor…

Ralph Nader, Bruce Fein (2021-02-14). Democrats' Shameful Cave. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-12923215461.jpg

Online News Editor (2021-02-14). Lapland town goes viral with Summer Olympics bid to raise climate awareness. laprensalatina.com Helsinki, Feb 14 (efe-epa).- The remote town of Salla in Finland's northernmost Lapland region has gone viral with a fake bid to host the 2032 Summer Olympic Games, a comical gag with a serious message on the perils of the climate crisis. The video campaign titled "Save Salva. Save the Planet" has garnered over 250 …

yenisafak (2021-02-14). Yemen rebels offer to halt attacks on Saudi Arabia. yenisafak.com Yemen's Houthi rebels have offered to stop attacks against Saudi Arabia in return for halting airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition."We are the ones who call for peace and have offered many solutions for it, but the outcome so far is that the American, British and European bombing continues and the battles continue," Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, a member of the group's Supreme Political Council, said on Twitter.Al-Houthi said his group is ready to take the initiative of halting attacks on Saudi Arabia provided "there is seriousness" from the Saudi-led coalition to end its "aggression" on Yemen.There was no comment fro…

yenisafak (2021-02-14). Turkey neutralizes 3 PKK terrorists in northern Iraq. yenisafak.com Three PKK terrorists in northern Iraq were neutralized by Turkish drones, according to the Turkish National Defense Ministry on Sunday."3 PKK terrorists spotted in the Gara region in northern Iraq… trying to escape with a paramotor were neutralized by our UAVs," the ministry said on Twitter.The total number of terrorists neutralized in the region has reached 53, it added.Turkey launched Operation Claw-Eagle 2 on Feb. 10 to prevent the PKK/KCK and other terror groups from re-establishing positions used to carry out cross-border terror attacks. The operation was completed on Sunday.Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-…

yenisafak (2021-02-14). Myanmar coup opponents face charges, army hunt. yenisafak.com Seven people supporting the ongoing anti-coup protests have been charged for comments on social media and are being hunted by Myanmar's military junta, authorities said on Saturday.The seven individuals include Min Ko Naing and Kyaw Min Yu, known as Jimmy, both prominent leaders during the mass demonstrations of 1988, and Htwe Lynn Ko, known as Lynn Lynn, a famous singer and Aung San Suu Kyi loyalist.All seven have been charged under section 505 (b) of the penal code for allegedly defaming the state and threatening "public tranquility" through their social media posts, the National Administrative Council said in…

yenisafak (2021-02-14). Three PKK terrorists killed in northern Iraq. yenisafak.com Three PKK terrorists in northern Iraq were neutralized by Turkish drones, according to the Turkish National Defense Ministry on Sunday."3 PKK terrorists spotted in the Gara region in northern Iraq… trying to escape with a paramotor were neutralized by our UAVs," the ministry said on Twitter.The total number of terrorists neutralized in the region has reached 53, it added.Turkey launched Operation Claw-Eagle 2 on Feb. 10 to prevent the PKK/KCK and other terror groups from re-establishing positions used to carry out cross-border terror attacks. The operation was completed on Sunday.Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-…

yenisafak (2021-02-14). German travel vlogger embraces Islam after spending a year in Pakistan. yenisafak.com Popular German travel vlogger and content creator Christian Betzmann shocked his fans on social media when he announced that he has embraced Islam after spending a year in Pakistan.Taking to Instagram, Betzmann posted a photo of himself holding a certificate from the Islamic School of Miami accompanied by a caption saying that he "accepted Islam.""I started this channel last December and spend almost 1 year in Pakistan. During this time I met so many incredible people and learned a lot about the religion and the lifestyle. Growing up in Europe, the word Islam was always connected with negativity, war, terrorism,"

yenisafak (2021-02-14). Turkish officials decry execution of 13 citizens by PKK. yenisafak.com Turkish officials on Sunday decried the execution of 13 Turkish citizens in a cave in northern Iraq and reiterated their determination in the fight against terrorism."PKK, a designated terrorist organization in Turkey, the United States and the European Union, murdered 13 Turkish citizens who were held in northern Iraq. They were brave sons of Turkey, a key NATO ally and a key contributor to the global war on terror," Turkey's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said on Twitter.Noting that Turkey will continue its counter-terrorism efforts with "unwavering determination until the terror threat is completely a…

RT (2021-02-13). Trump impeachment acquittal is a victory for 'white supremacy'… according to liberals crying over 'sad day in America'. rt.com Though Donald Trump's impeachment was not expected by most to pass in the Senate, the former president's loudest critics expressed their shock on social media by equating it to a victory for fascism and white supremacy. | "It is a sad day in America when only 7 republicans have the patriotism and integrity to convict a tyrant," actress and Democrat activist Alyssa Milano tweeted minutes after Trump's acquittal was announced, with 43 senators ultimately voting down the article of impeachment accusing the former president of "inciting an insurrection." | Milano and others recommended Trump be tried in an actual…

RT (2021-02-13). Trump impeachment acquittal is a victory for 'white supremacy' … according to liberals crying over 'sad day in America'. rt.com Though Donald Trump's impeachment was expected by most to not pass the Senate, the former president's loudest critics expressed their shock on social media by equating it to a victory for fascism and white supremacy. | "It is a sad day in America when only 7 republicans have the patriotism and integrity to convict a tyrant," actress and Democrat activist Alyssa Milano tweeted minutes after Trump's acquittal was announced, with 43 Senators ultimately voting down the article of impeachment accusing the former president of "inciting an insurrection." | Milano and others recommended Trump be tried in actual court,…

RT (2021-02-13). It takes two to tango: ByteDance may sell TikTok to rival as dispute between Beijing & New Delhi wrecks app ops in India. rt.com Chinese multinational ByteDance is reportedly mulling the idea of selling the India operations of TikTok to local rival Glance in an effort to breathe new life into the app, which has been indefinitely banned by New Delhi. | The talks, initiated by Japan's SoftBank, are currently in the initial phase, according to people familiar with the matter, as cited by Bloomberg. | Glance's parent company, mobile advertising technology firm InMobi, also operates video-sharing social media platform Roposo, which has boomed in India after the South Asian nation introduced a ban on using TikTok last July. SoftBank is report…

RT (2021-02-13). 'My personality differentiates me': Mauro Icardi's wife Wanda Nara shows off body as she offers fans Valentine's Day love (VIDEO). rt.com Paris Saint-Germain striker Mauro Icardi's wife, Wanda Nara, has insisted that photo filters and being rich enough to afford surgery does not give her body confidence, posing in a tiny outfit to celebrate Valentine's Day. | Glamorous Nara runs her own cosmetics brand and is known for stripping off for racey social media posts, even lying on a balcony in a swimsuit in temperatures of minus six in Paris this week. | Now the selfie-loving showgirl has claimed that her life away from the camera, including acting as the former Argentina forward's agent, defines her more than her figure and photoshoots. | "Each woma…

yenisafak (2021-02-13). Turkey neutralizes two PKK terrorists in N.Iraq. yenisafak.com Turkey neutralized two more PKK terrorists as part of its anti-terror operation in northern Iraq, the National Defense Ministry said on Saturday."Operation Claw-Eagle 2 is ongoing in Gara region of northern Iraq. Two PKK terrorists detected in the region are neutralized in an air operation," the ministry said on Twitter.It added that the number of terrorists neutralized since the start of the second phase of Operation Claw-Eagle on Wednesday has reached 39.Turkish authorities use the word "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.Turkey's operations Claw-Tiger and Cl…

yenisafak (2021-02-13). Impact of France's nuclear tests persists: Algeria. yenisafak.com France's nuclear experiments in the Algerian desert in the 1960s were three to four times equal to the Hiroshima bombing in Japan, Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum said on Saturday.In a Twitter post on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the first French nuclear explosion in the Algerian desert, on Feb. 13, 1960, Boukadoum described the impacts of the tests as "catastrophic"."On this day in 1960, imperialist France carried out the first nuclear explosion in the Reggane region in the Algerian desert, in a process code-named 'Gerboise Bleue' (Blue Desert Rat)," Boukadoum said.He added that the French n…

yenisafak (2021-02-13). Turkey condemns terror attack on UN personnel in Kabul. yenisafak.com Turkey condemned a deadly terrorist attack on a vehicle carrying UN personnel in Afghanistan, said the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Saturday."We are saddened to receive the news that 5 security guards lost their lives in a terrorist attack against a vehicle carrying UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) employees in Kabul on February 11," the ministry said in a written statement.It strongly condemned the "heinous act of terrorism", and conveyed condolences to the relatives of the deceased.It added that Turkey shares the pain of the UN community.Following the attack, UNAMA said on Twitter: "The UN family in…

_____ (2021-02-13). The Selective Outrage of Jens Stoltenberg. strategic-culture.org The potential consequences from Stoltenberg's ridiculous, appalling NATO policies and infantile wet dreams will be horrible, Martin Sieff writes. | Why was the storming of the Capitol "Shocking and Unacceptable" to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg when the violent coup toppling democracy in Ukraine with the open shameless support of the United States and the European Union was not? | "Shocking scenes in Washington, DC," Stoltenberg tweeted on January 6. "The outcome of this democratic election must be respected." | Yet hardly more than a month later, Stoltenberg personally welcomed with open arms at NATO h…

Rabbi Alissa Wise (2021-02-13). Facebook might censor criticism of Zionists. That's dangerous. zcomm.org By making 'Zionists' a de facto protected category, Facebook would shield the Israeli government from accountability and harm efforts to dismantle antisemitism…

mgrochowski (2021-02-13). VIDEO PREMIERE: Union Organizer Reacts to "Nurse Jackie" WALKOUT. dsausa.org Join us for the premiere of EWOC's first YouTube video: Union Organizer Reacts! Our own Tristan Bock-Hughes, former organizer with the Illinois Nurses Association, watches and reviews an episode of "Nurse Jackie" where the nurses stage a walkout to stop their hospital from closing. Is it a realistic model of labor power, or just TV fantasy?…

Santa Cruz Vigilante Watch (2021-02-13). Live Oak Clothing Owner Stands by Violent Threats Directed at Homeless People. indybay.org Troy Swanner, the owner of Live Oak Clothing on Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz, is standing by comments he made on social media threatening vigilante violence against the homeless people who have been allowed under a federal judge's order to legally camp and shelter in place nearby in San Lorenzo Park. When confronted on social media on February 11, Swanner said: "I know exactly what I wrote so I really don't care if you screenshot it […] I stand behind what I say." Troy Swanner made the violent and bigoted comments about the homeless people staying in the park on December 30, stating: "Me and the commun…

MEE staff (2021-02-12). 'We want real justice': Loujain al-Hathloul's family slams conditions of release. middleeasteye.net 'We want real justice': Loujain al-Hathloul's family slams conditions of release | Since Loujain's sentence was only suspended, not pardoned, Saudi Arabia retains right to return her to prison for any perceived criminal activity | Fri, 02/12/2021 – 16: 27 | A woman viewing a tweet posted by sister of Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul, Lina, in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on 10 February (AFP/File photo) | Af…

RT (2021-02-12). Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny's defamation case adjourned once again — faces fine after calling WWII veteran 'traitor'. rt.com For a second successive Friday, a court in Moscow has adjourned a libel case against Alexey Navalny. This time until next Tuesday. The Russian opposition figure is accused of defaming an elderly World War II veteran in a tweet. | During the trial, judge Vera Akimova warned Navalny multiple times for interrupting and for statements she deemed unrelated to the case at hand. The opposition figure also complained repeatedly that he'd received no answers to his questions during cross-examination. He also accused the judge of conducting an interrogation similar to what would happen in a "fascist commandant's office.

RT (2021-02-12). CCTV under fire after Chinese New Year gala features blackface performers AGAIN as Beijing celebrates Africa ties. rt.com Chinese state TV has been labelled "racist" after its Spring Festival Gala kicked off with a celebration of African culture featuring Chinese dancers in African-style costumes and black face makeup beating drums. | The five-hour annual program, which has drawn as many as 800 million viewers in the past, caused a storm on Twitter, with activists and commentators lambasting China's CCTV for the culturally inappropriate move. | The show, titled African Song and Dance and featuring blackfaced dancers and a man dressed as a monkey, aired on Thursday, as Asia welcomed in the lunar Year of the Ox in a subdued fashion…

MEE staff (2021-02-12). Palestinian citizens of Israel protest against police failure to tackle gun violence. middleeasteye.net Palestinian citizens of Israel protest against police failure to tackle gun violence | Protests broke out across Israel as Palestinians decried the lack of action on the spread of illegal weapons and gang crime in Arab communities | Fri, 02/12/2021 – 12: 31 | Palestinian citizens of Israel protested in Umm al-Fahm against Israel Police inaction to tackle crime for the fifth consecutive week, 5 February (Social…

Jonathan Cook (2021-02-12). The Guardian Revealed Its True Face in Sacking a Columnist for Criticising US Military Aid to Israel. counterpunch.org The revelation that a leftwing journalist, Nathan J Robinson, has been sacked as a Guardian US columnist for criticising Israel on Twitter — and that he was pressured to keep quiet about it by Guardian editors — should come as no surprise. He is only the latest in a long line of journalists, myself included,

Alan Macleod (2021-02-12). American Tech Giants Are Partnering with India's Strongman Leader to Crackdown on Dissent. mintpressnews.com Twitter's actions are quite a departure from 2019 when it delayed a network upgrade in Iran at the behest of the US government for fear that it could interfere with anti-government demonstrations.

Staff (2021-02-12). Ralph Nader on Corporate Crime, Holding Boeing Accountable for 737 MAX Deaths & Biden's First Weeks. democracynow.org Legendary consumer advocate Ralph Nader says the U.S. is experiencing a "corporate crime wave," and that the Trump administration's $2.5 billion settlement with Boeing over the manufacturer's faulty 737 MAX jets amounts to a "slap on the wrist." Boeing's faulty planes were involved in two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, including Nader's 24-year-old grandniece Samya Stumo. Nader says the Biden Justice Department should reopen the previous administration's settlement and hold Boeing fully accountable. "This is just another example of giant companies getting away with their corporate criminal…

Staff (2021-02-12). Where Are the Witnesses? Ralph Nader Says Democrats' Impeachment Case Is "Prescription for Defeat" democracynow.org As the historic Senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump continues, we speak with longtime consumer advocate, corporate critic and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, who says Democrats have set themselves up for defeat by rushing proceedings and failing to call witnesses — including Trump himself. "The narrow approach of the articles of impeachment keep the Democrats from having a full hand," says Nader. "They have like 10 arrows in their quiver and they're using one or two."

yenisafak (2021-02-12). Over 3.5M people vaccinated against COVID-19 in Turkey. yenisafak.com The number of people in Turkey who were vaccinated against the coronavirus crossed the 3.5 million mark, the country's health minister said on Friday.Vaccination for people over 65 years started as of Friday, Fahrettin Koca added on Twitter.Turkey began its mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign on Jan. 14, starting with healthcare workers along with top officials to encourage public confidence in the vaccines.Since last December, Turkey has also been implementing curfew on weeknights and a full weekend curfew to curb the spread of the virus.As of Thursday, Turkey registered a total of 27,187 deaths from COVID-19, wh…

Staff (2021-02-12). Ralph Nader: Biden Must Hold Boeing Accountable for Deaths Due to Faulty Planes. truthout.org Legendary consumer advocate Ralph Nader says the U.S. is experiencing a "corporate crime wave," and that the Trump administration's $2.5 billion settlement with Boeing over the manufacturer's faulty 737 MAX jets amounts to a "slap on the wrist." Boeing's faulty planes were involved in two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, including Nader's 24-year-old grandniece Samya Stumo. Nader says the Biden Justice Department should reopen the previous administration's settlement and…

RT (2021-02-12). Fresh off banning Project Veritas, Twitter accused of giving anti-Trump Lincoln Project a pass for publishing ex-member's PMs. rt.com Twitter is under fire for seemingly opting to take no action when the Lincoln Project posted one of its ex-members' direct messages without her consent. Critics saw it as a proof that "all's fair when you hate Donald Trump." | Formed before last year's election to oust Donald Trump from the White House and return the Republican Party to its pre-Trump incarnation, the Lincoln Project has fallen on hard times since Joe Biden's victory. Founding member John Weaver was outed as a sex pest who allegedly bothered boys as young as 14, and the group's claim that it was unaware of Weaver's alleged perversion has largel…

RT (2021-02-12). Will Twitter ban CNN? O'Keefe rips Twitter hypocrisy after Project Veritas 'doxxing' suspension. rt.com The founder of Project Veritas has fired shots at Twitter for letting CNN get away with a 2018 ambushing of a Trump supporter in her home, but taking down the watchdog's account for allegedly violating its 'anti-doxxing' policy. | The conservative watchdog group's account was permanently suspended on Thursday over "repeated violations of the companies [sic] anti-doxxing policies," founder James O'Keefe said, while he himself was also temporarily locked out of his account. All that after posting a video of a Facebook official being confronted on the platform's alleged hate speech policies, apparently outside th…

_____ (2021-02-12). Facebook Hires ex-NATO Press Officer and Social Media Censor Ben Nimmo as Intel Strategist. strategic-culture.org Nimmo has previously worked for NATO and the Integrity Initiative, a covert UK govt troll farm. His move to Facebook suggests more censorship on the way for anti-establishment voices. | By Alan MACLEOD | Ben Nimmo, a former NATO

Andrew Levine (2021-02-12). Trump: How is He Possible? counterpunch.org How can someone of Trump's caliber have become president? And now that he no longer is president, how is it possible that he is still able to have his will be done in the Republican Party? How is he able, out of office and with his Twitter account blocked, to make everything even worse than it already is — for example, by making a certifiable nut case, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a rising star in what remains of the Party of Lincoln?

Online News Editor (2021-02-12). Modi hardens nationalist stance amid pressure on Twitter over criticism. laprensalatina.com By David Asta Alares New Delhi, Feb 12 (efe-epa).- The recent support offered by celebrities like Rihanna and Greta Thunberg on Twitter to the Indian farmers' months-long protests against liberalization of agriculture has raised the heckles of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, which has alleged that there is an international conspiracy to defame the country. …

Online News Editor (2021-02-12). Navalny in court to face charges of slandering WW2 veteran. laprensalatina.com Moscow, Feb 12 (efe-epa).- Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was back in court Friday to face charges of slandering a World War II veteran who appeared in a video last year in support of constitutional changes that would allow President Vladimir Putin to remain in power until 2036. Navalny tweeted that those who appeared in …

yenisafak (2021-02-12). 'Russia ready for breakup with EU if sanctions imposed'. yenisafak.com Moscow is ready to break ties with the European Union if it follows through on its plan to impose sanctions, Russia's foreign minister said on Friday.In an interview on the Soloviev Live YouTube channel, Sergey Lavrov said Russia has no desire to be isolated from the world but needs to be prepared for any eventuality.To a question on whether Russia is heading towards a breakup with the bloc, Lavrov said: "We believe that we are ready; if we see once again, as we already have more than once, that sanctions are being imposed in some areas that create risks for our economy, including the most sensitive areas.""We do…

yenisafak (2021-02-12). Turkey's December industrial output growth beats G20 countries. yenisafak.com With posting the largest rise in industrial production in December 2020, Turkey left behind all G20 countries, the country's industry and technology minister said on Friday."Solid rise in industrial output in the last quarter of 2020 proves that Turkey will be one of the few countries to close out the year with a positive gross domestic product (GDP) growth," Mustafa Varank said on Twitter.His comments came after the Turkish Statistical Institute released figures on the country's industrial output.The industrial production index in December 2020 increased 1.3% on a monthly basis and 9% on an annual basis.The figu…

_____ (2021-02-12). The Mechanics Behind The Egyptian Revolution. popularresistance.org The Egyptian revolution, which flared from early 2011 to mid-2013, is usually presented in the media (and some academic circles) as a "Facebook Revolution" or at least as one gigantic event that was ignited and organized online. The truth is slightly different. | The 2011 uprising was the product of a decade-long complicated political process, in which dissent was accumulating, organizing skills were honed, small victories were achieved and fear of the regime's repressive apparatus was gradually eroding. | One central element in this process that would in 2011 culminate in a full-blown revolution was the visualiz…

_____ (2021-02-12). The Witch Hunt Has Come For Ken Loach. popularresistance.org First, the media and political opportunists tried to convince us life-long anti-racist Jeremy Corbyn was Hitler-in-waiting. Now, life-long anti-racist Ken Loach is being attacked by the same witch hunt. But after several years of the fraudulent weaponisation of antisemitism to achieve political objectives, the left is done. You come for one of us, you come for all of us. And that includes Ken. The witch hunt has a standard play after it picks a target. First, a person's social media and public history is combed. Then a fabricated 'controversy' is constructed. This is amplified by the press in order to create a se…

UC Berkeley & Stanford University (2021-02-12). Monday 2/15: Reaping What We Sow: A Conversation with Pulitzer Prize Winner Alice Walker. indybay.org YouTube livestream (FREE)…

Staff (2021-02-11). Headlines for February 11, 2021. democracynow.org "The Inciter-in-Chief": Democrats Accuse Trump of Being "Singularly Responsible" for Insurrection, Trump Attacked Pence on Twitter Minutes After Learning VP Was Evacuated from Capitol, Georgia Prosecutor Opens Criminal Probe of Trump over Election Interference, U.S. COVID Death Toll Tops 471,000; Half of All Deaths Occurred Since Nov. 1, WHO Backs Use of Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine, Saudi Women's Rights Activist Loujain al-Hathloul Released After 1,001 Days in Prison, Biden & Xi Jinping Speak on Phone as U.S. Forms Military Task Force on China, U.S. Sanctions Military Junta as Anti-Coup Protests Continue in Burma,…

WSWS repost (2021-02-11). Facebook's "depoliticization" aimed at censorship of left-wing and socialist organizations. indybay.org The recent announcement by Facebook that it would "reduce the amount of political content" on its platform is part of the drive by the US ruling establishment to block the spread of progressive, left-wing and socialist ideas on social media.

RT (2021-02-11). Facebook's enforcement report reveals AI is deleting 97 PERCENT of 'hate speech' before anyone reports it. rt.com Facebook has patted itself on the back for nuking almost all "hate speech" that supposedly violated its rules. But not only was most content deleted before anyone could flag it, users weren't even allowed to appeal most deletions. | Unveiling its Community Standards Enforcement Report for the fourth quarter of 2020 on Thursday, Facebook bragged that its expanded use of artificial intelligence had helped it delete almost twice as much "bullying and harassment" content as the previous quarter, just one of several categories in which removals skyrocketed, while its Instagram subsidiary dramatically expanded its a…

Nadda Osman (2021-02-11). UAE urged to free Jordanian imprisoned for highlighting corruption in Amman. middleeasteye.net UAE urged to free Jordanian imprisoned for highlighting corruption in Amman | Ahmed al-Atoum was sentenced to ten years in prison over social media posts criticising Jordan's king and government | Thu, 02/11/2021 – 13: 15 | The Jordanian activist was sentenced to ten years over his social media posts (Screengrab/Social media) | Human rights organisations have this week urged the United Arab Emirates to r…

RT (2021-02-11). Instagram's crackdown on 'hateful' DMs speeds up the spiral of Anglocentric censorship on social media. rt.com The app founded to share cute photos is now using AI to censor "hate speech" in direct messages, enforcing an Anglo-American notion of banning the ever-increasing expanse of unapproved thoughts on the rest of the planet. | Anyone who sends direct messages containing "hate speech" or abuse shall henceforth be banned, Instagram

Peoples Dispatch (2021-02-11). UN human rights expert demands release of rights activists imprisoned in the UAE. peoplesdispatch.org United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, asked the UAE government on Wednesday, February 10, to release three human rights defenders serving 10 year jail terms. She claimed that their mistreatment and harassment in prison amounts to torture. | In a press release, Lawlor claimed that, "not only have Mohamed Al-Roken, Ahmed Mansoor and Nasser Bin Ghaith been criminalized and imprisoned for their non-violent and legitimate calls for respect for human rights in the UAE, they have been subjected to ill-treatment in prison." | #AhmedMansoor Juan Cole (2021-02-11). Top 5 Reasons for Biden to snub Israel's Netanyahu, whom he still hasn't Called. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Danny Danon, Israel's former ambassador to the United Nations, impatiently tweeted a list of all the foreign leaders that President Joe Biden has already called in his one month in office, and suggesting it was time he called Binyamin Netanyahu. Biden is close to the Israel lobbies and had been …