Facebook, Twitter, Instagram block Trump after Capitol violence

Agencies
January 7, 2021

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Washington, Jan 7: In an unprecedented move, Twitter and Facebook have suspended President Donald Trump's accounts after he continued to push conspiracy theories about the November 3 election following the storming of the US Capitol by his supporters.

Twitter suspended Trump's account for 12 hours and also blocked three of his tweets including a video of his address to his supporters.

As a result of the unprecedented and ongoing violent situation in Washington, DC, we have required the removal of three realDonaldTrump Tweets that were posted earlier today for repeated and severe violations of our Civic Integrity policy, Twitter Safety said.

This means that the account of @realDonaldTrump will be locked for 12 hours following the removal of these Tweets. If the Tweets are not removed, the account will remain locked, said the social media company.

Twitter also warned of permanent suspension of Trump's account if he continued to violate its policies.

Future violations of the Twitter Rules, including our Civic Integrity or Violent Threats policies, will result in permanent suspension of the @realDonaldTrump account, it said.

"Our public interest policy which has guided our enforcement action in this area for years ends where we believe the risk of harm is higher and/or more severe, it said, adding that it will continue to evaluate the situation in real-time, including examining activity on the ground and statements made off Twitter.

We will keep the public informed, including if further escalation in our enforcement approach is necessary, it said.

Facebook said it would be blocking the president's account from posting for 24 hours due to two policy violations.

We are locking President Donald Trump’s Instagram account for 24 hours as well, said Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram

One of Trump's tweets that was removed by Twitter included a video of him repeating unfounded claims that the election was taken from him and encouraging his supporters to disperse after violence erupted at the Capitol.

He said that law and order were needed and that he loved his supporters.

Facebook and YouTube have removed the video from Trump's accounts.

Trump posted that video after protesters entered the Capitol, interrupting lawmakers meeting in joint session to confirm the Electoral College results and President-elect Joe Bidens victory in the election.

I know your pain. I know you're hurt. We had an election that was stolen from us. It was a landslide election, and everyone knows it--especially the other side. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have law and order, Trump said in his video that lasted for less than a minute.

This was a fraudulent election but we can't play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace, so go home. We love you. You're very special. You've seen what happens. You see the way, others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel. But go home and go home in peace, Trump said.

Trump has refused to concede the election. He alleges that there was a massive fraud and electoral malpractice. Election officials have denied the allegations.

Facebook's vice president integrity Guy Rosen said: This is an emergency situation and we are taking appropriate emergency measures, including removing President Trump's video. We removed it because on balance we believe it contributes to rather than diminishes the risk of ongoing violence.

In a blog post on October 15, 2019, Twitter said that the accounts of world leaders are not above its policies entirely.

It listed out areas that will result in enforcement action for an account on its service.

Prominent among them include the promotion of terrorism, clear and direct threats of violence against an individual, posting private information, such as a home address or non-public personal phone number; and posting or sharing intimate photos or videos of someone that were produced or distributed without their consent.

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News Network
November 7,2024

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The Israeli regime has killed at least 40 people during new airstrikes against eastern Lebanese areas, besides targeting the country’s capital Beirut with fresh acts of aggression.

Lebanon’s health ministry announced the fatalities on Wednesday, saying 53 other people had also been wounded during the aerial attacks that targeted the country’s Bekaa Valley, including the city of Baalbek.

In early Thursday, the regime was also reported to have attacked Beirut’s southern suburbs, including a site adjacent to Rafiq Hariri International Airport.

The attacks came after the regime issued short-notice evacuation orders apparently directed at the residents of the areas, claiming that the areas contained facilities belonging to Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement.

Tel Aviv has been using similar claims on countless occasions since last October, when it markedly intensified its deadly acts of aggression against Lebanon, in order to try to justify the escalation. Hezbollah has, however, invariably refuted the claims.

Also on Wednesday, the United Nations warned in its most recent flash report on the humanitarian crisis caused by the Israeli atrocities targeting Lebanon that the aggression had “reached a critical point.”

The attacks have claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people, which was “58 percent more than the 1,900 fatalities” that were caused by the regime’s 2006 war against Lebanon, the report said.

“Additionally, an estimated 1.3 million people have been displaced, both within Lebanon and into neighboring countries, 33 percent more than the number of people displaced in 2006,” it added.

Women comprised the majority of those who had been rendered homeless within Lebanon as a result of the Israeli attacks, the report noted.

It also regretted that the Israeli attacks had featured 78 assaults on healthcare facilities across the country that had claimed the lives of 130 health workers and injured 111 others.

In response to the aggression, Hezbollah has been staging hundreds of retaliatory strikes against the occupied Palestinian territories and the Israeli forces trying to advance on southern Lebanese areas.

The movement has vowed to sustain its strikes until the regime ends the escalation.

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News Network
November 7,2024

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In his victory speech, President-elect Donald Trump showered praise on Elon Musk, calling him an "amazing guy" and "super genius." The SpaceX CEO’s satellite internet project, Starlink, received special attention for its role in providing critical connectivity after Hurricane Helene. With Starlink’s success making waves, speculation grows: will Musk bring his revolutionary tech to India’s vast, underserved areas?

In India, Musk’s increasing proximity to Trump and the President-elect’s endorsement has sparked curiosity and anticipation. Although regulatory barriers have delayed Starlink’s entry since 2021, recent policy shifts by India’s Communications Ministry could turn the tide. Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia recently announced plans to allocate satellite spectrum administratively, a move welcomed by Musk, who pledged to "serve the people of India" through Starlink.

What Makes Starlink Unique?
Unlike traditional broadband reliant on cables, Starlink uses thousands of low-earth orbit satellites to provide high-speed internet. This innovative approach bypasses the need for miles of overhead or underground wiring, making it ideal for remote and rural areas. Launched in 2019, Starlink now serves over 4 million users globally, and its entry into India could be transformative in bridging the digital divide.

Starlink’s India Journey So Far
Musk’s ambitions for India began in 2021 with pre-order invitations, but the government halted progress, citing licensing requirements. However, with Scindia’s recent announcement, Starlink may soon navigate the regulatory landscape, potentially setting the stage for a significant market entry.

Showdown with India’s Telecom Titans
If Starlink is allowed in, it could mean intense competition for Indian telecom leaders Mukesh Ambani’s Jio and Sunil Bharti Mittal’s Airtel. Both companies argue that satellite spectrum should be auctioned to maintain a level playing field, especially if Starlink expands to urban areas, challenging their established services.

While Starlink advocates for affordable, widespread access, Indian telecom giants claim global players often leverage rural connectivity narratives for favorable conditions, potentially overshadowing local providers in urban markets. As the government’s decisions unfold, a tech-driven tug-of-war could reshape India’s telecom landscape, with Musk’s Starlink poised as a powerful new player.

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News Network
November 5,2024

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Washington: The race between Democratic leader Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump for the White House has been truly unprecedented as it saw drama, tragedy, political comebacks, fierce rhetoric and a historically razor-tight contest.

As the fight reaches its crescendo with the big election day just a few hours away, many political observers billed the unpredictable race for the 47th President of the US as the most consequential one in decades while appearing to project a grim picture for the country’s future under a Trump presidency.

In her final days of campaign, Vice President Harris focused on a message of hope, unity, optimism and women rights whereas Trump remained fiercely combative in targeting his Democratic rival and even suggested that he may not accept the election outcome in case of a defeat.

Overall, it has been a roller-coaster ride for both 60-year-old Harris and 78-year-old Trump.

Trump received his party’s nomination in March and formally at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in July — in a historic comeback after remaining in political wilderness for months following several court cases.

In effect, he became the first former president to get the nomination for the top office on the planet after being convicted of a felony.

“Trump has made one of the biggest political comebacks since Richard Nixon’s in terms of the political struggles that he has had in the last four years,” Communication Strategist Anang Mittal said.

Just days ahead of the RNC, Trump was shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania. He suffered an upper ear injury. Minutes later, a bleeding Trump raised his fist in defiance, images that drew a lot of emotional support from his die-hard supporters.

For Harris too, it has been a dramatic ride after Biden ended his re-election campaign in July, nearly weeks after he came under severe scrutiny following his incoherent performance at a televised debate with Trump.

While dropping out from the race, Biden, 81, endorsed Harris to succeed him as the Democratic candidate.

Finally in August, the Democratic National Convention formally nominated Harris as the party’s candidate for the presidential election.

The presidential election will be a chance to “move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past”, she said in a powerful speech at the Convention.

If Harris wins, she will become the first woman, first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to become the US President.

In the overall campaign, Harris has been projecting the election as the one to protect the country’s fundamental freedoms, safeguard constitutional values and ensure women’s rights.

On his part, Trump has maintained his signature aggressive rhetoric and promising to rebuild the economy and rid the US from illegal immigrants.

However, there has been strong criticism of the Republican leader’s roadmap to repair the economy.

"Donald Trump is offering a vision of crony rentier capitalism that has enticed many captains of industry and finance,” said Joseph E Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate economist, in a column in Project Syndicate.

"In catering to their wishes for more tax cuts and less regulation, he would make most Americans’ lives poorer, harder, and shorter,” he said.

With election day just a few hours away, there is no clarity on who has a better chance of winning the race.

"The elections are very close. They (the outcome) may change on the basis of a few thousands votes here or there. I think the big issue will be voter turnout tomorrow. That will determine the outcome in certain swing states,” said Executive Director of the US chapter of Observer Research Foundation Dhruva Jaishankar.

Kapil Sharma, a non-resident senior fellow at Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programmes, also echoed similar views.

“This election is probably one of the closest elections that I can remember. I have been working in Washington for over 30 years and I don’t recall an election being this tight,” he said.

More than 78 million Americans have already cast their votes as of Sunday, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab that tracks early and mail-in voting across the US.

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