Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Less than 1% of fully vaccinated people experience a breakthrough Covid-19 infection, analysis finds

 https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-vaccine-updates-08-02-21/h_4258aa07cbf2206435b5f84328ddab33

 Less than 1% of fully vaccinated people experienced a breakthrough infection, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of official state data.

The federal government only reports data on breakthrough infections that result in hospitalization or death.

According to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 0.004% of people who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 experienced a breakthrough case resulting in hospitalization, and less than 0.001% have died from the disease. That’s about 6,600 severe breakthrough cases out of more than 163 million fully vaccinated people.

But the KFF analysis shows that breakthrough infections of any kind are also extremely rare.

Fact check: Kamala Harris said she supports protests, not ‘riots’, in Late Show clip

 https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-kamala-harris-late-show-rio-idUSKBN27E34P

 Social media users have been sharing a video of Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris saying that anti-racism protests will not and should not stop, claiming that it shows she supports Black Lives Matter riots.

Harris condemned violent protests on Aug. 27 after multiple nights of looting and two violent deaths.

She said, “It’s no wonder people are taking to the streets and I support them. We must always defend peaceful protest and peaceful protestors. We should not confuse them with those looting and committing acts of violence, including the shooter who was arrested for murder. And make no mistake, we will not let these vigilantes and extremists derail the path to justice.”  ( here )

Did Kamala Harris Bail Out ‘Violent Rioters’ During George Floyd Protests?

 https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/harris-protesters-bail/

Claim

During protests over the police in-custody death of George Floyd in the summer of 2020, Kamala Harris donated money to a Minnesota nonprofit that helped protesters who were arrested get out of jail and break more laws. 
 
What's True

Harris expressed support for a nonprofit called the Minnesota Freedom Fund (MFF), which pays criminal bail and immigration bonds, and encouraged her supporters to donate to it during the protests over Floyd's death in the summer of 2020.

What's False

However, Harris did not donate money to the nonprofit before, after, or during the protests, according to its records. Additionally, no evidence shows people who received bail or bond assistance from MFF for arrests during the demonstrations committed more crimes after their initial detainment.

Graham Twists Facts on Harris Support for Protesters

https://www.factcheck.org/2021/02/graham-twists-facts-on-harris-support-for-protesters/ 

 Last year, before she was vice president, Kamala Harris used her social media accounts to encourage donations to a Minnesota nonprofit “to help post bail” for individuals arrested in the state while protesting the death of George Floyd.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham twisted those facts to claim “she actually bailed out rioters,” one of whom, he said, “went back to the streets and broke somebody’s head open.”

We found no evidence that happened.

Update, Feb. 17: After this story was published, Graham’s office responded. A spokesperson emailed us links to news articles and videos that said Harris “supported,” “talked up” and “promoted” MFF. One of the articles the spokesperson emailed also said that Lionel Timms had been bailed out by MFF before he was charged with committing a second physical assault. As we noted, Timms’ prior arrest was unrelated to either a protest or riot.

Monday, August 2, 2021

Fact-check: Fox News and Republican lawmakers push new false flag conspiracy that FBI orchestrated US Capitol attack

 https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/17/politics/tucker-carlson-capitol-insurrection-conspiracy/index.html

 Fox News, right-wing websites and Republican lawmakers are promoting a new false flag conspiracy that the FBI orchestrated the deadly assault on the US Capitol.

The haywire theory originated from an article published Monday by Revolver News, a right-wing website. From there, it was picked up by Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who used his opening segment on Tuesday night to slam the FBI, saying it played a role in the January 6 attack.
Several Republican lawmakers quickly piled on. They entered the article into the congressional record, tweeted about the Fox News segment, condemned the FBI agents who supposedly "organized and participated" in the Capitol attack, and demanded answers from the FBI director.

Fact check: Democrats have condemned violence linked to BLM, anti-fascist protests

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/08/13/fact-check-democrats-have-condemned-violence-linked-protests/3317862001/ 

The claim: 'Not a single' Democrat has condemned violence linked to BLM and antifa

meme posted to Facebook claims that Democrats have turned a blind eye on violent protests.

“Not a single Democrat has condemned nor called for an end of the BLM and ANTIFA caused violence,” the post reads. “They are aiding and abetting mass violence across the country.”

 Multiple high-profile Democrats have spoken out against violence at Black Lives Matter protests, sparked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer in May.

On May 31, the fifth night of demonstrations, former Vice President Joe Biden, the party’s presumptive nominee, wrote in a statement that protesting police brutality is “right and necessary” and the “American response."

“But burning down communities and needless destruction is not,” Biden wrote. “Violence that endangers lives is not. Violence that guts and shutters businesses that serve the community is not.

93% of Black Lives Matter Protests Have Been Peaceful, New Report Finds

 https://time.com/5886348/report-peaceful-protests/

The vast majority of Black Lives Matter protests—more than 93%—have been peaceful, according to a new report published Thursday by a nonprofit that researches political violence and protests across the world.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) analyzed more than 7,750 Black Lives Matter demonstrations in all 50 states and Washington D.C. that took place in the wake of George Floyd’s death between May 26 and August 22.

Washington gives $135 million to UNRWA after agency condemns anti-Israel hate

 https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/americas/1626616771-washington-gives-135-million-to-unrwa-after-agency-condemns-anti-israel-hate

 The Biden administration paid $135 million (€ 114 million) to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) on Saturday after an agreement was signed last week, which for the first time, condemns anti-Israel hatred.

Dems have abandoned all principle by telegraphing approval of some rioting

 https://nypost.com/2021/04/19/dems-abandoned-all-principle-by-signaling-approval-of-some-rioting/

 Are some riots good and others unacceptable? Surely not. Those who destroy property and commit assaults, whether against law enforcers or civilians, ought to be punished, no matter the cause they claim to support.

 But today’s liberals reject this fair, universal standard. Some riots deserve legal protection, they insist, while others must be harshly repressed. It all depends on the politics of the rioters.

Some, such as the excitable Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), are cheering the prospect of another round of Black Lives Matter riots, er, “peaceful protests,” if the Derek Chauvin trial doesn’t go their way. They’re also up in arms about a new Florida law that strengthens punishment for those who take to the streets to commit violence.

Quotes show Democrats supported riots “when BLM was BURNING down cities and killing people in the streets!”

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/jan/07/facebook-posts/quotes-4-democrats-twisted-make-it-look-they-endor/ 

 If Your Time is short

  • This is misleading. Some of the quotes are legitimate, and were made during or around the height of the Black Lives Matter protests over the summer. Some statements received backlash, but none specifically indicated that they meant anything besides peaceful protest. 

  • Other comments were made years ago and were not referring to any looting or violent civil unrest that occurred in 2020. 

Fact check: Quotes from Democratic leaders about riots, unrest taken out of context

 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/01/15/fact-check-quotes-democratic-leaders-riots-out-context/6588222002/

 The claim: Democratic leaders in the House and Senate called for violence during BLM protests

Watchdog: Dozens of UNRWA teachers condone violence, spread antisemitism online

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/watchdog-dozens-of-unrwa-teachers-condone-violence-spread-antisemitism-online/

 Dozens of teachers and other workers employed by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees have incited violence, shared photos praising Adolf Hitler, and spread antisemitic conspiracy theories on social media, according to a report compiled by a watchdog released early Monday.

The UN Watch report identified 22 UNRWA teachers in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan who posted incendiary content against Jews or Israel on their Facebook profiles. It has identified over 100 incidents since 2015.

Sunday, August 1, 2021

Study: Recovered COVID patients don't benefit from vaccine

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/310963

A new study on the effects of natural infection by the coronavirus suggests that there may be little to no benefit for recovered SARS-CoV-2 patients in receiving vaccines against the coronavirus.

According to the study, conducted in Cleveland, Ohio and published in the MedRxiv journal last month, people who were infected with the coronavirus enjoy significant long-term immunity from the virus, which is unlikely to be increased by being injected with one of the coronavirus vaccinations now on the market.

The study followed 52,238 employees of the Cleveland Clinic Health System, monitoring infections among vaccinated and unvaccinated workers, and the incidents of reinfection among both vaccinated and unvaccinated workers.

Florida sees 21,000-plus coronavirus cases Saturday, breaking one-day record

 https://www.foxnews.com/health/florida-breaks-record-coronavirus-cases-21000-spike

 Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has resisted mandatory mask mandates and vaccine requirements and on Friday he barred school districts from requiring students to wear masks when classes resume next month.