(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.
(2021-02-11). #CancelDisneyPlus: Boycott campaign claims 'Mandalorian' star Gina Carano's firing was politically motivated. rt.com 
Social media users have sharpened their pitchforks after it was revealed that Lucasfilm axed 'Mandalorian' star Gina Carano. Conservatives claim she was wrongfully 'canceled' from the show due to her political beliefs. | No stranger to internet controversy, Carano shared a post from another user on her Instagram page on Wednesday which described how Jews were treated in Nazi Germany, as part of a broader commentary about political persecution.
(2021-02-11). Turkey 'neutralizes' 2 YPG/PKK terrorists in N.Syria. yenisafak.com The terrorists attempted to infiltrate the area of Turkey's cross-border anti-terror offensive Operation Peace Spring to disrupt peace and security in the region, the ministry said on Twitter.Turkish authorities use the word "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).In its more than 30-year terror campaign agains…
(2021-02-10). London bus workers denounce Facebook censorship: "Hands off the WSWS!" wsws.org A resolution protesting Facebook censorship of the World Socialist Web Site and Socialist Equality Party has been received from the London Bus Rank-and-File Committee, along with statements of support from bus drivers.
(2021-02-10). Facebook's "depoliticization" aimed at censorship of left-wing and socialist organizations. wsws.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.
(2021-02-10). In the News: Trump and Right Wing Privilege. liberationnews.org 
This interview is an episode of The Socialist Program with Brian Becker, a podcast providing news and views about the world for those who want to change it. You can follow the show on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss the …
(2021-02-10). Egypt: New mega-mosque project for administrative capital divides opinions. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt: New mega-mosque project for administrative capital divides opinions | Social media users have both praised and condemned the government's plans to build what it says would be the biggest mosque in the world | Wed, 02/10/2021 – 15: 55 | The mosque is set to be one of the largest in the world, according to Egypt's presidential spokesperson (Screengrab/Facebook) | Egypt's announcement of plans to bui…
(2021-02-10). Loujain al-Hathloul: Saudi activist released from prison. middleeasteye.net 
Loujain al-Hathloul: Saudi activist released from prison | Blogger Nouf Abdulaziz, who was also swept up in Mohammed bin Salman's 2018 crackdown on dissent, also reportedly released | Wed, 02/10/2021 – 16: 56 | In a photo shared by her sister on social media, Loujain is shown smiling after her release (Screengrab/Twitter) | Saudi women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul has returned home after spendin…
(2021-02-10). Here's my number: Netanyahu still waiting for Biden phone call. middleeasteye.net 
Here's my number: Netanyahu still waiting for Biden phone call | Israeli envoy to the UN sent a phone number purporting to be Netanyahu's office line to the US president on Twitter | Wed, 02/10/2021 – 20: 43 | Then-Vice President Biden and Israel's Netanyahu give joint statements in Jerusalem, 9 March 2016 (AFP/File photo) | We've all had friends who don't call. Sometimes they are busy. Sometimes they are avoidin…
(2021-02-10). Consumer Price Index: Jump in Gas Prices Pushes Overall CPI up 0.3 Percent in January. cepr.net (This is a compilation of Dean Baker's quick-take analysis over Twitter. Follow @DeanBaker13 on Twitter to get his quick-take analysis of government data immediately upon release.) The overall inflation picture looks good. Inflation in the problem areas (rent, medical care, and education) continues to be under control. We will see a bounce back in hard hit sectors like …
(2021-02-10). A Death on the Anniversary of the Iranian Revolution. counterpunch.org 
Haleh Lajevardi, an Iranian professor of sociology, died last week in Tehran at the age 56. Her brother who tweeted the news of her passing did not reveal the cause of death. People close to her knew that she had dealt with bouts of depression for many years, particularly after she was dismissed from her
(2021-02-10). Harry Haywood, Black Bolshevik. workers.org 
February 4 was the birthday of Black Communist Harry Haywood, one of the great Marxist-Leninist thinkers, leaders and revolutionaries of the 20th century. Although Haywood was born over 100 years ago and has been deceased for over 30 years, his contributions to Marxism-Leninism and the struggle for Black Liberation and . . . |
(2021-02-10). Trump Is Furious With His Lawyers' Performance on Day One of Impeachment Trial. truthout.org 
Former President Donald Trump is reportedly angry with how his lawyers, on day one of his second impeachment trial, have attempted to defend him in their opening statements, at one point resorting to screaming in order to vent his frustrations, multiple reports have said. | Without a Twitter or Facebook account to express his feelings on the impeachment trial in a more direct manner, the public is largely unaware of what Trump's thoughts are about the first day of the Senate's impeachment pr…
(2021-02-10). 'When you're removed, you're removed': Twitter chief says Trump ban is PERMANENT even if he's re-elected. rt.com 
Former President Donald Trump will never be allowed back on Twitter, even if he runs for office again in 2024 and wins, company Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal told CNBC. | "The way our policies work, when you're removed from the platform, you're removed from the platform," Segal told CNBC on Wednesday, adding that bans are permanent "whether you're a commentator, you're a CFO, or you are a former or current public official." | "The way our policies work, when you're removed from the platform, you're removed from the platform whether you're a commentator, you're a CFO or you are a former or current public of…
(2021-02-10). Director of Marvel's 'Avengers' and DC's 'Justice League' under fire over 'toxic work environments', alleged misogyny & racism. rt.com 
A second actor has come forward accusing blockbuster filmmaker Joss Whedon of ill-treating his actors on set. Charisma Carpenter, who worked with Whedon in the 1990s, has voiced her support for Justice League's Ray Fisher. | Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on the hit TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, posted a lengthy Twitter denunciation on Wednesday, describing how Whedon "abused his power on numerous occasions" during the time she worked with him – fat-shaming her while she was pregnant, mocking her religious beliefs, playing actors off against one another, and even triggering a "chronic phys…
(2021-02-10). Choose your own algorithm? Twitter's Dorsey wants to create decentralized platform giving users total control over what they see. rt.com 
Twitter founder Jack Dorsey has teased an ultra-customizable new platform allowing users to build the ultimate echo chamber by picking out the "ranking algorithms" that shape their feed — as Twitter's own usefulness diminishes. | Dorsey fleshed out ideas for a long-promised decentralized social network tentatively dubbed Bluesky in a phone call with investors on Tuesday, The Verge reported. He suggested that giving people the option to select ranking algorithms themselves would attract (and keep) users much better than leaving the choices up to a single company (i.e. Twitter) with heavy-handed moderating…
(2021-02-10). Director of Marvel's 'Avengers' and DC's 'Justice League' under fire over 'toxic work environments,' alleged misogyny & racism. rt.com A second actor has come forward accusing blockbuster filmmaker Joss Whedon of ill-treating his actors on set. Charisma Carpenter, who worked with Whedon in the 1990s, has voiced her support for Justice League's Ray Fisher. | Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on the hit TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, posted a lengthy Twitter denunciation on Wednesday, describing how Whedon "abused his power on numerous occasions" during the time she worked with him — fat-shaming her while she was pregnant, mocking her religious beliefs, playing actors off against one another, and even triggering a "chronic…
(2021-02-10). Biden throws weight behind Newsom as campaign to recall California governor says it nears 1.5mn signatures needed to trigger vote. rt.com 
US President Joe Biden is "clearly" opposed to the drive to oust California Governor Gavin Newsom from office, the White House said, as more than 1.4 million people have reportedly signed a petition to recall the governor. | Biden's spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, took to Twitter on Tuesday to voice support for the embattled governor, stating that the president considers him an ally in many areas and does not endorse the fast-growing recall campaign. | "In addition to sharing a commitment to a range of issues with Gavin Newsom from addressing the climate crisis to getting the pandemic under control, [President Biden]…
(2021-02-10). Biden's budget nominee Neera Tanden grilled over calling Bernie Sanders 'everything but an ignorant SLUT' at contentious hearing. rt.com 
Neera Tanden, Joe Biden's nominee for budget director, was pressed over her history of insulting tweets and corporate coziness. However, neither party took her to task for suggesting that Libya pay for its own bombing. | Tanden sat before the Senate Budget Committee on Wednesday for her second confirmation hearing, after Tuesday's session with the Homeland Security Committee. This time, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) held the gavel, and questioned Tanden on her history of derogatory statements about him and his progressive supporters. | "Your attacks were not just made against Republicans," Sanders told Tande…
(2021-02-10). 'You say the wrong thing, you lose your position': Guardian columnist reveals he was fired over tweets criticizing Israel. rt.com 
Columnist Nathan J. Robinson has revealed that the Guardian fired him over a sarcastic tweet about US aid to Israel, even though he deleted it and agreed to never bring up the issue in hopes of keeping the job. | "The moment I irritated defenders of Israel on social media, I was summarily fired from my job as a newspaper columnist," Robinson wrote on Wednesday in His columns had appeared in the Guardian since 2017, and Robinson says he had only…
(2021-02-10). 'You say the wrong thing, you lose your position': Guardian columnist reveals he was fired over tweets criticizing Israel. rt.com Columnist Nathan J. Robinson has revealed that the Guardian fired him over a sarcastic tweet about US aid to Israel, even though he deleted it and agreed to never bring up the issue in the hope of keeping his job. | "The moment I irritated defenders of Israel on social media, I was summarily fired from my job as a newspaper columnist," Robinson wrote on Wednesday in His columns had appeared in the Guardian since 2017, and Robinson says he had on…
(2021-02-10). COVID-19: Expert asks US not to rely much on intel. yenisafak.com A member of the World Health Organization (WHO) team investigating the origins of coronavirus has asked the US not to rely "too much" on information from intelligence agencies."Please don't rely too much on US intel: increasingly disengaged under [Donald] Trump frankly wrong on many aspects… but don't forget it's "TRUST" then "VERIFY"!" Peter Daszak tweeted on Wednesday.He was reacting to the news story, the US will not accept the global health body's findings out of Wuhan without independently verifying.The disease, which first appeared in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has killed more than 2.3 mi…
(2021-02-10). Atlanta's landmark Krispy Kreme doughnut shop goes up in flames as firefighters battle blaze (VIDEOS). rt.com 
A historic doughnut joint in Atlanta, Georgia has caught fire, causing pastry lovers to mourn. Videos posted to social media show firefighters scrambling to extinguish the inferno. | The massive fire broke out at the Krispy Kreme doughnut store on Ponce de Leon Avenue in the early hours of Wednesday morning, local media reported. | Footage shows the building engulfed in flames with fire trucks and emergency vehicles parked nearby. | The Krispy Kreme Restaurant on Ponce De Leon Avenue is on fire. Crews from Atlanta…
(2021-02-10). Activist claims LA cops playing copyrighted music to keep videos of interactions with the public off social media. rt.com 
Police in Beverly Hills have been accused of playing copyrighted music while speaking to a local activist, in an apparent bid to trigger a content-blocking feature and keep videos of the encounters off social media. | Sennett Devermont is an entrepreneur whose 'Mr. Checkpoint' app tips users off to the location of police checkpoints on the road and allows them to rate their encounters with individual police officers. He's also a thorn in the side of the Beverly Hills Police Department, and regularly livestreams videos of himself verbally challenging officers on the street and at protests. | Also on rt.com…
(2021-02-10). The witch hunt has come for Ken Loach. They'll have to come through us first. thecanary.co 
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 anatomy of the witch hunt: | 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 amp…
(2021-02-10). Khabib laments current generation in Dagestan but says children can learn for future after killing of former village chief. rt.com 
Khabib Nurmagomedov has said Dagestan must learn from the mistakes of current generations and ensure the region's children are brought up in the right way. | The UFC lightweight champion recently took to social media to quote a war poem and call for societal change after the killing of Abakar Kaplanov, the former head of the Dagestani village of Novokuli. | Kaplanov was killed over a reported land dispute as part of an initial incident that led to hundreds of people taking to the streets. | The news of Kaplanov's death drew tributes from UFC fighters including Khabib's close friend and teammate Islam Makhachev…
(2021-02-10). 'Shameful': Fox News Cuts Away From Senate Trial as Shocking Footage Emerges. commondreams.org Instead, the network aired segments on a viral kitten filter video and the Dallas Mavericks national anthem controversy. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/fox.jpg …
(2021-02-10). Minnesota Republican Gets Stuck Upside Down During Virtual Committee Hearing. sputniknews.com Thomas Earl Emmer, an American politician, lobbyist and attorney, has served as the US Representative for Minnesota's 6th congressional district since January 2015. Emmer also served as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives between 2005 and 2011.
(2021-02-09). Facebook hires ex-NATO press officer and social media censor Ben Nimmo as intel strategist. thegrayzone.com 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. This report was originally published by Mint Press News. Ben Nimmo, a former NATO press officer and current senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, has announced Facebook has hired him to "lead global threat intelligence strategy against influence operations" and "emerging threats." Nimmo specifically named Russia, Iran and China as potential dangers to the …
(2021-02-09). Facebook, the ADL and the Brewing Battle to Label Zionism as Hate Speech. mintpressnews.com 
While a debate rages over whether Facebook should view the term 'Zionist' as a slur, the ADL continues on its crusade to make the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism the worldwide standard.
(2021-02-09). Trump's Twitter ban highlights need to democratise social media. greenleft.org.au Twitter's permanent suspension of Donald Trump's account on January 8 was an anti-climactic conclusion to a presidency that ultimately finished with a whimper rather than a bang, writes Leo Crnogorcevic.
(2021-02-09). Twitter suspends accounts, removes verification of Saudi political prisoners. middleeasteye.net 
Twitter suspends accounts, removes verification of Saudi political prisoners | Decision criticised as 'uncalled for' as the detainees are held in situations beyond their control | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 11: 54 | Ali al-Omari (L) and Awad al-Qarni have been in jail since 2017. Their verified Twitter badge has recently been removed by the social media giant (Twitter) | Twitter has removed the blue verified badge from…
(2021-02-09). I analyzed all of Trump's tweets to find out what he was really saying. juancole.com 
By Michael Humphrey | — The tally was in, it was clear Donald Trump had lost — and he tweeted: "either a new election should take place or … results nullified." It sounds familiar, but it wasn't November 2020. It was February 2016. Trump was just months into his presidential campaign, and was already telling …
(2021-02-09). Chile: Political Parties Urge Dissolution Of Carabineros. popularresistance.org Chile's political parties and social leaders on Monday demanded the dissolution of the Military police (Carabineros) three days after an agent shot dead juggler Francisco Martinez, 27, during an identity check. | "We demand the Senate to debate on the re-foundation of Carabineros," Progressive Party (PRO) Senator Alejandro Navarro tweeted, recalling that police brutality is part of the "nefarious legacy" of Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship (1973-1990). | Chile's Communist Party (PC) Secretary Eduardo Artes also demanded the resignation of President Sebastian Piñera, "who has defended the Carabineros despite the br…
(2021-02-09). Kuwaiti women speak up about sexual harassment online. middleeasteye.net 
Kuwaiti women speak up about sexual harassment online | Women in Kuwait have launched a social media campaign in which they demand accountability and share their testimonies | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 12: 35 | Women in Kuwait are raising awareness about sexual harassment in the country (Screengrab/Instagram/Illustration: Mohamad Elasaar) | "I will not be silenced." | This has been the rallying cry for women in…
(2021-02-09). New app Clubhouse becomes free speech haven in Turkey amid Bogazici protests. middleeasteye.net 
New app Clubhouse becomes free speech haven in Turkey amid Bogazici protests | The audio-only social media application has quickly become a centre of activism in Turkey's deeply polarised society | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 08: 54 | Protesters take photos as Turkish police officers detain demonstrators during a rally in support of Bogazici University students in Istanbul on 4 February 2021 (AFP) | When Turkish p…
(2021-02-09). Democrats Disarm Themselves Before Trump's Senate Impeachment Trial. counterpunch.org Donald Trump, has with luck, eluded the consequences of being a failed gambling czar with no respect for the law. But his luck has reached a new level with Congressional Democrats refraining from holding him accountable for breaking the law and violating the Constitution as regularly as the rising and setting of the sun for
(2021-02-09). 'They're silencing women who don't agree with radical feminism' — author who claims book was censored by Facebook tells RT. rt.com 
Big Tech is trying to silence women who speak out against radical feminism, author Carrie Gress told RT, after a Catholic store claimed that Facebook had taken down ads for her book on 'toxic femininity'. | A Catholic gift store, Guadalupe Gifts, said it was told by Facebook that it could not sell Gress's book on its platform because the item did not comply with the social network's "commerce policies." | "The book's been out for two years, so to get that kind of response at this point seems a bit ridiculous," Gress told RT. | In a late January email to the store, cited by the news website The College Fix, Fac…
(2021-02-09). Gateway Pundit founder questions those saying 2020 election was secure while 'cracking down' on sites like his in RT interview. rt.com 
Following his permanent ban from Twitter, Gateway Pundit founder and editor Jim Hoft spoke to RT and questioned why social media platforms are working so hard to keep sites like his from reaching readers. | The @gatewaypundit Twitter handle belonging to Hoft, which sported over 375,000 followers, was banned on Saturday night for "repeated violations" of Twitter's "civic integrity process," which focuses heavily on information or theories that "could undermine faith in the process itself, such as unverified information about election rigging, ballot tampering, vote tallying, or certification of election results…
(2021-02-09). 'They're gentrifying RBG': Twitter loses it over pricy apartment building 'honoring' Ruth Bader Ginsburg. rt.com 
A Washington DC apartment building has been named The Ginsburg — to honor the late Supreme Court Justice. The call to live in the upscale complex, "named for the heart of justice," however, drew ridicule online. | The naming of the building was to "honor" Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but in order to live in the complex supposedly inspired by the much-beloved judge, you'll have to fork over some serious money. | According to apartments.com, one two-bedroom apartment is
(2021-02-09). Twitter users cry foul as platform mulls subscription service… but meltdown may be premature. rt.com 
Twitter users are up in arms over reports that the company is toying with the idea of introducing paid features, but some of the drama appears to be the result of people jumping to conclusions after skimming headlines. | In an effort to reduce its reliance on advertising, Twitter is exploring new ways of generating revenue, including the use of subscription fees for some services, Bloomberg reported. | Read more | | In a s…
(2021-02-09). Turkey trains Libyan troops on counter-terrorism. yenisafak.com The Turkish Armed Forces continue to provide counter-terrorism training to the Libyan Armed Forces, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said on Tuesday."As part of the military training, assistance and advice agreement, we continue to provide training to the Libyan Armed Forces. Our personnel are providing 'Basic Counter-Terrorism Training' to the Libyan soldiers in the Homs Joint Maritime Training Center Command," the ministry said on Twitter.On Nov. 27, 2019, Ankara and Tripoli signed two memorandums of understanding: one on military cooperation and the other on maritime boundaries of countries in the Eastern…
(2021-02-09). WATCH: Fighter lands INCREDIBLE spinning wheel kick KO at Khabib's EFC 33 event in Moscow. rt.com 
Gergi Shakhruramazanov scored an explosive knockout to illuminate EFC 33 in Moscow as the promotion held a first event in the Russian capital since being acquired by UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. | Russian featherweight Shakhruramazanov set up the finish with a brutal knee to the body of opponent Ali Dikaev before unleashing the kick which left him out cold on the canvas just under three minutes into the first round. | Shakhruramazanov improved to 10-0 with the stunning KO and was the toast of MMA Twitter after the clip was shared. | "Looks like Khabib made a good investment," read one reply…
(2021-02-09). Amid internal meltdown at New York Times, '1619 Project' creator doxxes reporter for digging into her own racially charged tweets. rt.com 
In the New York Times' latest internal scrap, the paper's leading advocate for critical race theory allegedly doxxed a reporter for calling out her hypocrisy, after a veteran journalist was forced out for using "the N-word." | Donald McNeil Jr., the New York Times' top reporter on the Covid-19 pandemic, resigned last week. McNeil, it had been revealed, used a racial slur while on a trip to Peru with students in 2009. McNeil simply repeated the term after a student inquired about its usage, and the paper backed him up, saying he had no malicious intent. Nevertheless, he resigned after 150 employees demanded he…
(2021-02-09). 'No good deed goes unpunished': Bafflement as LA Times pundit compares Trump-supporting neighbors who plowed her driveway to Nazis. rt.com 
A woman whose driveway was cleared of snow by Trump-supporting neighbors has repaid the favor by writing an op-ed in which she notes that even the Nazis were found to be occasionally polite, causing social media to implode. | In a piece in the Los Angeles Times titled, 'What can you do about the Trumpites next door?' Virginia Heffernan
(2021-02-09). No sign COVID spread in Wuhan before Dec 2019: WHO. yenisafak.com A team of international experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and China on Tuesday said there is insufficient evidence that the coronavirus had spread in Wuhan before December 2019.Addressing a virtual news conference in Wuhan city of China, the Chinese team leader Dr. Liang Wannian said: "The discovery of viral sequence of coronavirus suggests the virus originated from the zoonotic transmission, but the host is yet to be identified.""There is insufficient evidence that SARS-COV-2 [COVID-19] had spread in Wuhan before December 2019," he said and added: "There is no indication."The 17-member WHO team on…
(2021-02-09). The viral feta pasta dish everyone's raving about is even better without pasta. salon.com Our cheap, fast and friendly take is guaranteed to delight beginners and exhausted home cooks alike in the kitchen…
(2021-02-09). Downtown Business Owner Threatens Violence Against Homeless People in San Lorenzo Park. indybay.org Troy Swanner, the owner of Live Oak Clothing on Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz, has made comments on social media threatening vigilante violence against the homeless people who have been camping and sheltering in place nearby in San Lorenzo Park. "Me and the community are going to have to physically go do something about it," Swanner said. "Like what we used to do to the homeless to make them clean up their s***." Swanner then elaborated, saying "we locals […] used to beat the s*** out of the homeless that would spread their garbage around and leave needles. And it seemed to work a lot better than what's…
(2021-02-08). Telegram scores top spot as most-downloaded app in the WORLD for January, founder reveals. rt.com 
Encrypted social app Telegram has snagged the coveted position of most downloaded (non-gaming) app in the world for January, attracting tens of millions of WhatsApp, Twitter, and TikTok refugees. | The secure chat app finally hit #1 last month after growing 40 percent over each year, according to founder Pavel Durov, who credited Telegram's win to "consistency" in a celebratory post on his Telegram channel. | "For the last 7.5 years we've consistently defended the privacy of our users and regularly improved the quality and feature set of our apps," he explained, suggesting "focused effort [applied] over a long…