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Microsoft's Newsguard marks fake news stories as credible if they spread mainstream narrative

John Nolte
Breitbart
Mon, 28 Jan 2019 18:40 UTC
microsoft
© AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File
NewsGuard, which is the establishment media's latest effort to blacklist alternative media sites, is giving its sign of approval to proven hoaxes, even to stories that have been retracted.

Microsoft is so desperate to spread fake news and blacklist ideas it doesn't like, NewsGuard is automatically included in one of its browsers.

You will find more examples below, but here is NewsGuard's seal of approval (on the Google search page) for Rolling Stone's 2014 hoax about a gang rape at the University of Virginia (UVA).

Rolling Stone (which NewsGuard gave a passing grade) was eventually forced to retract the story and settle some lawsuits, but the far-left HuffPost's aggregation of Rolling Stone's proven lie is still live, and that green checkmark is NewsGuard's way of telling readers they are reading something credible:
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Snakes in Suits

Virginia Democrat admits she didn't read extreme abortion bill she co-sponsored

James Barrett
The Daily Wire
Thu, 31 Jan 2019 18:31 UTC
intercom
© Jeffrey Greenberg/UIG via Getty Images
After co-sponsoring an extreme abortion bill that allows abortion up until a child's birth, and amid massive backlash to "moderate" Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam's defense of letting a born-alive infant die, Virginia Delegate Dawn Adams (Richmond) sent a letter to her constituents Wednesday night apologizing for supporting the bill and explaining that she "did not read" the bill before co-sponsoring it.

"I made a mistake, and all I know to do is to admit it, tell the truth, and let the chips fall where they may," wrote the lawmaker in a newsletter reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "If you follow my newsletter or have written to me to ask about my votes, you know that I do my best to read and research every bill I vote on. But I did not read a bill I agreed to co-patron and that wasn't smart or typical. I will work harder and be better for it."

Adams then vaguely referenced some of the controversy swirling around the bill she co-sponsored along with fellow Democrat Del. Kathy Tran (Fairfax) and tried to explain why she backed the radical bill without having read it.
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Arrow Down

Losing Proposition: Kamala Harris supports Medicare for all

Katherine Timpf
National Review
Thu, 31 Jan 2019 18:12 UTC
Senator Kamala Harris
© Elijah Nouvelage/REUTERS
Senator Kamala Harris launches her campaign for President of the United States at a rally in her hometown of Oakland, Calif., January 27, 2019.
In a CNN town hall on Monday night, Democratic presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris stated that she'd be supportive of ending private insurance companies completely.

"I believe the solution, and I actually feel very strongly about this, is that we need to have Medicare for all," Harris said in response to an audience member's question about health care. "That's just the bottom line."

Since she made the comments, a number of her fellow Democrats have come out to say that they disagree.

"It would take a mighty transition to move from where we are to that," said Senator Dick Durbin. "What most of us said we would support is a Medicare-type plan - a not-for-profit public plan that is available for everyone. I think that's a good first step."

"I'm not going to say you have to give it up," Senator Tim Kaine, the 2016 Democratic vice-presidential nominee, said of private insurance. "I think the idea is to offer a nonprofit insurance plan as an option."

Comment: See also:

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Gold Bar

Venezuela to sell gold reserves to UAE without Russia's help


RT
Fri, 01 Feb 2019 18:18 UTC
Dubai
© Reuters / Hamad I Mohammed
Dubai
Caracas plans to sell 29 tons of gold to the United Arab Emirates in return for euro in cash, Reuters cites a senior government official as saying. The money is needed to provide liquidity for imports of basic goods.

According to the official, the sale of the nation's gold began with the shipment of 3 tons on January 26, following the export last year of $900 million in unrefined gold to Turkey.

The source denied Moscow's involvement in the operation after rumors circulated this week that mysterious Russian-operated airplanes arrived in the country and planned to leave with Venezuelan gold on board. That is incorrect, according to the official.

Caracas reportedly needs cash for imports of basic products that it sells to the population at subsidized prices. A possible explanation for the payment for the gold in euros is US sanctions, which restrict Venezuela's use of the dollar.
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Eye 1

Google pays fine to Russian media watchdog amid illegal content row


RT
Fri, 01 Feb 2019 18:05 UTC
google eye
© Global Look Press / imago stock&people
US media giant Google has paid a fine to Russian authorities over its non-compliance with the country's laws - namely, the apparent refusal to exclude blocked and illegal resources from results on its search engine.

Google has transferred the funds it was ordered to pay following an administrative case in Russia, a spokesman for the Russian media watchdog, Roscomnadzor, confirmed on Friday.

According to a new Russian law, which took effect last year, operators of internet search engines must exclude results for websites, blocked in Russia. Such content includes blocked websites, extremist materials, child pornography, advertising of illegal drugs and other off-limits stuff.
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Star of David

Gantz surges in polls against Netanyahu, who faces indictment

Yumna Patel
Mondoweiss
Fri, 01 Feb 2019 17:56 UTC
gantz netanyahu
© Carlos Latuff
The Israeli campaign trail is heating up as the April 9 elections draw closer. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a fast-growing opposition, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has said he plans to decide whether to indict the PM before the election, and Palestinian lawmakers are scrambling to finalize their slates ahead of their primaries.

Former Israeli military chief Benny Gantz, head of the new Hosen L'Yisrael party (Resilience for Israel), is making strides in his election campaign, with polls placing him at a near tie with Netanyahu - something no other candidate or party has managed to do in recent years.

Following Gantz's first public speech in Tel Aviv earlier this week, Haaretz reported that if elections were held now, Gantz would receive 21 to 24 Knesset seats - eight seats up from the previous poll predictions.

In a poll conducted by Israel's Channel 12 news station asking who voters wanted as Prime Minister, 36% of those polled said Netanyahu while 35% said Gantz.

Leaders of the centrist Yesh Atid party (There is a Future) are reportedly considering forming a joint center ticket with Gantz's party following the ex-military chief's spike in the polls.
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Eye 1

Twitter suspends account of attorney representing plaintiffs in DNC fraud lawsuit

Elizabeth Vos
disobedient media
Wed, 30 Jan 2019 17:56 UTC
Jared Beck

Jared Beck
Earlier today, Twitter suspended the account of Jared Beck, an attorney representing the plaintiffs in the DNC Fraud Lawsuit. Disobedient Media has consistently covered the ongoing litigation of the suit, which has resulted in questions regarding a number of deaths, bizarre phone calls, and other unusual occurrences.

The historical significance of the Beck's suit against the DNC and former DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz cannot be overstated, as it confronts the heart of the actual election-rigging from which the entire Russiagate scandal was constructed to deflect. Despite this - or because of it - the lawsuit has gained remarkably sparse corporate media coverage.

The suit has forced the DNC's counsel to admit a number of shocking stances, including statements suggesting that the party had every right to choose candidates in back rooms, and even that election-rigging is protected by the first amendment. DNC counsel had the gall to argue:
"... To recognize any of the causes of action that Plaintiffs allege based on their animating theory would run directly contrary to long-standing Supreme Court precedent recognizing the central and critical First Amendment rights enjoyed by political parties, especially when it comes to selecting the party's nominee for public office."
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Mr. Potato

War whore litmus test: US Senate passes non-binding resolution opposing troop withdrawal for Syria and Afghanistan


RFE/RL
Thu, 31 Jan 2019 17:46 UTC
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
© Joshua Roberts / Reuters
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
The Republican-led U.S. Senate approved a mainly symbolic bill opposing plans to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan in a rare rebuke of President Donald Trump.

With substantial support from both parties, the Senate on January 31 voted 68-23 in favor of a nonbinding amendment stating that the Senate believed that Islamic militant groups in both countries continue to pose a "serious threat" to U.S. security.

The amendment acknowledges that progress has been made in the fight against Islamic State and Al-Qaeda insurgents in both countries. But it said the region could be destabilized should "a precipitous withdrawal" occur without measures taken to secure the gains, likely creating a vacuum that could be filled by Iran or Russia.


Comment: Who destabilized the region in the first place? The U.S. and Israel.


The legislation called on the U.S. administration to verify conditions have been met for the militant groups' "enduring defeat" before any significant withdrawal of troops takes place in Syria or Afghanistan.

The bill was drafted by Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has rarely spoken out against Trump or his policies.
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Play

Awkward: Max Blumenthal confronts lawmakers on what America's doing in Venezuela - 'Are we meddling?'


RT
Fri, 01 Feb 2019 17:33 UTC
blumenthal
© The Grayzone Project / YouTube
US members of Congress freeze, fumble and deliver bewildering answers to award-winning journalist Max Blumenthal as he asks Capitol Hill politicians what they think of the US' open support for Venezuela's opposition.

Many members of the US Congress are greatly concerned by supposed 'Russian meddling' in American affairs. But what do they think about Washington openly getting behind the opposition in Venezuela? In a video, published on his website, the Grayzone Project, Blumenthal asked lawmakers just that.

The politicians were visibly caught off guard by pretty simple and straightforward questions. Several lawmakers couldn't provide a definitive answer to whether the US public support for opposition leader Juan Guaido could be considered 'meddling' in a foreign nation's affairs.

"Haven't thought about that," a baffled lawmaker was heard saying when asked how he would react if Russia recognized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as president of the US.

Washington did something similar to that last week, when President Donald Trump recognized the speaker of Venezuela's opposition-controlled parliament, Guaido, as the legitimate leader of the country.

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Jet3

Australian military admits their jets 'may have' killed 18 civilians in Mosul airstrike

Amy Remeikis
The Guardian
Thu, 31 Jan 2019 17:24 UTC
mosul destruction iraq
© Reuters / Ari Jalal
Destroyed buildings from previous clashes are seen in Mosul, Iraq, January 10, 2018.
Australian Defence Force officials have admitted between six and 18 civilians were killed in a Mosul airstrike involving Australian jets, but said they could not determine if Australian or allied missiles caused the deaths.

The defence minister, Christopher Pyne, described the deaths as "deeply regrettable" but said the 12-month investigation into the strike on 13 June 2017 could not come to a conclusion over who was at fault.

The deaths occurred during joint operations between Iraqi and allied forces to take back Mosul from Isis, which had designated the city the Iraqi capital of its so-called caliphate.

"After a thorough investigation conducted by the Australian Defence Force it's been determined that between six and 18 civilians were killed in a Coalition air strike and that an Australian platform may have been part of that air strike, may have been responsible," Pyne told the Nine Network.

"It's impossible to definitively say whether it was an Australian missile that caused the deaths, but I can say that it's deeply regrettable.

"Obviously we do everything we can to avoid a civilian casualty. The Isis fighters, there were seven who were using heavy weapons to attack the Iraqi forces in Mosul.


Comment: When the U.S.-led coalition kills civilians, it is always an accident and deeply regrettable, even if it was deliberate. When the coalition's enemies (Russia, Syria, Hezbollah) kill civilians, it is always intentional, even when it didn't happen.

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