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Donald Trump: “Let ObamaCare Die on Its Own”

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump: “Let ObamaCare Die on Its Own”

The new Republican healthcare policy should be to allow ObamaCare to collapse, said President Donald Trump.

He told reporters of the current healthcare law: “I’m not going to own it.”

“I can tell you the Republicans are not going to own it.”

Support for the Republican Senate bill fell apart on July 17 when two more senators said they could not back it.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said President Trump was “playing a dangerous game” with the US healthcare system.

Image source Flickr

ObamaCare Replacement: Republican Efforts to Find Alternative Fail

He said on July 18: “He is actively, actively trying to undermine the healthcare system in this country using millions of Americans as political pawns in a cynical game.”

Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said the chamber would vote early next week on a motion for repealing ObamaCare only.

However, with at least three Republicans against the plan B, it is probably doomed, too.

Donald Trump backed the just-repeal-it plan on July 17 but changed his tune on the next day by proposing to simply let ObamaCare – which has failed to curb rising costs as insurance options dwindle – die on its own.

“As I have always said, let ObamaCare fail and then come together and do a great healthcare plan. Stay tuned!” the president tweeted.

Donald Trump has invited all Republican senators to discuss healthcare over lunch at the White House on July 19.

Without a replacement bill, analysts have estimated that millions of people would lose health insurance.

The GOP’s proposed alternative includes steep cuts to Medicaid, a healthcare program for the poor and disabled, removed the individual mandate requiring all Americans to have health insurance or pay a tax penalty and implemented a six-month lockout period for anyone who lets their health coverage lapse for more than two months.

The House of Representatives passed a similar version of the Senate bill, but slashed taxes on the wealthy used to pay for the health scheme. The Senate proposed a similar provision but was forced to ditch it amid opposition.

Lim Ji-hyun: Celebrity North Korean Defector Returns to Pyongyang

Roy Siemens
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0
Lim Ji-hyun: Celebrity North Korean Defector Returns to Pyongyang

South Korean Intel officials are investigating whether Lim Ji-hyun, a prominent defector from North Korea, has been kidnapped back to Pyongyang.

Lim Ji-hyun fled to South Korea in 2014, where she became a popular TV personality.

However, a woman resembling her appeared in a propaganda video in Pyongyang on July 16 – prompting speculation she may have been abducted.

In the video, Lim Ji-hyun says she was lured away and forced to slander North Korea.

The woman says that she voluntarily returned across the border.

Lim Ji-hyun had been a popular face on South Korean television, appearing on both talk shows and reality TV programs.

The South Korean authorities have not yet confirmed if the woman in the propaganda video is Lim Ji-hyun. However, they believe Lim Ji-hyun is back in North Korea.

The propaganda video was released on Youtube by the North Korean Uriminzokkiri website on July 16.

In the video, the woman introduces herself by another name, Jeon Hye-Sung.

The woman is shown in conversation with an interviewer and Kim Man-bok, another former defector who also returned to North Korea.

She says she was lured to South Korea by the “fantasy” that she could “eat well and make lots of money” and claims that she was forced into slandering her own country.

The woman describes how in South Korea everything was judged by money, how she was struggling to make ends meet and was asked to discredit North Korea on several TV shows.

She said she was now living back with her parents again after returning to North Korea last month.

“I felt really lonely in South Korea and I missed my parents,” she said in the video.

JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reports that the defector had thanked her fans as recently as April for a birthday party, calling it “possibly the happiest birthday of my life”.

Her fan club announced on July 16 it would shut.

The South Korean intelligence officials are investigating how Lim Ji-hyun might have re-entered North Korea.

Some North Korean defectors have speculated that Lim Ji-hyun may have been abducted on the China-North Korean border while attempting to smuggle out family members, the Korea Times reports.

Over the past decade, tens of thousands of North Koreans have defected from the authoritarian state into South Korea.

According to the unification ministry in Seoul, since 2012 only 25 returned.

Some North Korean defectors have described difficulties in adapting to life in South Korea – many miss their families in the North, or struggle to find suitable jobs.

Ashley Madison Puts Forward $11.2Million to Settle Class Actions

Nancy Clayson
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Ashley Madison Puts Forward $11.2Million to Settle Class Actions

The Ashley Madison infidelity website, which was hacked in July 2015, has offered a settlement to the people suing the company.

Millions of members had their personal details stolen when the site, which encouraged people to cheat on their partners, was breached.

Ruby Life, formerly known as Avid Life Media, has put forward $11.2 million to settle a number of class actions.

Some of the fund will be used to compensate those with a “valid claim”.

Ashley Madison was a dating website for people who already had a partner but were looking to have an affair.

Ashley Madison COO Noel Biderman Steps Down Following Privacy Scandal

In July 2015, the website’s systems were compromised and details of 33 million accounts were posted online.

The data included names, address, birth dates and interests.

The company behind the website faces legal action from people who say the data breach led to financial loss and identity theft.

Ruby Life was known as Avid Dating Life at the time of the Ashley Madison data breach.

The rebranded company describes itself as an “industry leader in open-minded dating services” and still advertises Ashley Madison on its website.

Ruby Life said in a statement: “The parties have agreed to the proposed settlement in order to avoid the uncertainty, expense, and inconvenience associated with continued litigation.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSBXh-vddPU

FIFA Corruption Scandal: Spain’s Soccer Federation President Angel Maria Villar Arrested

Clyde K. Valle
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FIFA Corruption Scandal: Spain’s Soccer Federation President Angel Maria Villar Arrested

Spanish Football Federation President Angel Maria Villar Llona and his son have been held as part of a corruption investigation, police in Spain say.

Angel María Villar Llona, a former soccer player, was arrested on suspicion of embezzling funds, El Pais and Efe news agency reported.

He has been president of the association since 1988.

His son, Gorka Villar, was among a number of other people also arrested during a number of raids on July 18.

Spain’s High Court told Reuters that one of its investigating magistrates and anti-corruption prosecutors were leading the probe.

Spanish media report that the allegations centre on the falsification of documents and skimming profits from international soccer matches.

Image source Wikimedia

There has been no comment yet from Angel María Villar, 67, or his lawyers.

In his time as president of the federation, Spain’s men’s soccer team has won two European championships as well as the 2010 World Cup, becoming one of soccer’s dominant forces.

Angel María Villar has also served on the council of soccer’s world governing body FIFA for the past 29 years, but was reprimanded by FIFA for failing to comply with its internal inquiry into the 2018/22 World Cup bidding process.

He was acting president of UEFA, Europe’s soccer association, while its chief Michel Platini was under investigation. He lost out on the presidency in an election last year.

UEFA and FIFA said they were aware of the reports.

Gorka Villar served as the director-general of the South American soccer confederation CONMEBOL before standing down last year.

Before standing down, Gorka Villar had been accused of extortion by a number of Uruguayan soccer clubs.

ObamaCare Replacement: Republican Efforts to Find Alternative Fail

Diane A. Wade
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ObamaCare Replacement: Republican Efforts to Find Alternative Fail

Republican efforts to find a replacement for ObamaCare have collapsed.

Two Republican senators said they opposed the GOP’s proposed alternative, making it impossible for the bill to pass in its current form.

The GOP has been divided on the issue, with moderates concerned about the effects on the most vulnerable.

President Donald Trump has now called for repeal of President Obama’s healthcare system, so Republicans can start “from a clean slate”.

That task falls to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Mitch McConnell said: “Regretfully, it is now apparent that the effort to repeal and immediately replace the failure of ObamaCare will not be successful.”

Image source PicServer

President Trump had made repealing and replacing ObamaCare, under which more than 20 million people gained healthcare coverage, a key campaign pledge.

Republicans view the 2010 legislation as an overreach of the federal government and say patients have less choice and higher premiums.

The GOP’s proposed alternative had kept key ObamaCare taxes on the wealthy, while imposing sharp cuts to healthcare for the poor and allowing insurers to offer less coverage.

Two Republican senators, Mike Lee and Jerry Moran, said the new legislation did not go far enough in repealing ObamaCare.

Jerry Moran said “we should not put our stamp of approval on bad policy” while for Mike Lee, “in addition to not repealing all of the ObamaCare taxes [the bill] doesn’t go far enough in lowering premiums for middle class families; nor does it create enough free space from the most costly ObamaCare regulations”.

Two senators – Rand Paul and Susan Collins – had already opposed the bill.

Rand Paul said the bill kept too much of the “ObamaCare taxes”, while Susan Collins expressed concerns about cuts to Medicaid.

With the two new opponents, Republicans – who hold 52 seats – no longer have enough votes to pass the bill in the 100-member Senate.

Moderate Republicans had also said the bill would have harmed some of their vulnerable constituents.

The non-partisan Congressional Budgetary Office (CBO) found the bill would have stripped 22 million Americans of health insurance over the next decade.

On top of that, polls had shown ObamaCare remained popular among Americans – a survey by the Washington Post and ABC News on July 17 found more than twice as many people preferred Barrack Obama’s program to the proposed alternative.

Netflix Subscribers Hit 104 Million Worldwide

Clyde K. Valle
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Netflix Subscribers Hit 104 Million Worldwide

Netflix shares surged on July 17 after the company announced it now had about 104 million subscribers, a larger-than-expected number that boosted revenues.

According to the company’s bosses, the gains were a sign that investment in new shows and movies was paying off as online television becomes more popular.

Netflix is behind shows such as 13 Reasons Why, about teen suicide, and political drama House of Cards.

The company CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings said it was “the rewards of doing great content”.

Netflix Shares Jump 20% on Record Number of Subscribers

Netflix shares rose more than 10% in after-hours trading following the announcement of its second-quarter earnings.

It said it added about 5.2 million members during the quarter, mostly from overseas.

International members now account for about half of Netflix subscribers.

Netflix Goes Live in Nearly Every Country in the World

Netflix has cultivated those audiences with movies such as Okja, a movie made by one of South Korea’s top directors about a young girl’s quest to recover a giant companion from a multi-national corporation.

The company also said it expected international members to help boost profits for the year – a first for that part of the business.

The growth helped Netflix to report a 32% rise in second quarter revenues to $2.8 billion, and it expects revenues to reach nearly $3 billion in the third quarter.

Netflix profits for the second quarter of 2017 were $65.6 million, up about 60% year-on-year.

Gulf Crisis: UAE Denies Hacking Qatar News Agency

Roy Siemens
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Gulf Crisis: UAE Denies Hacking Qatar News Agency

The UAE has denied it was behind the alleged hacking of Qatar’s state news agency in May.

The Washington Post cited US intelligence officials as saying the UAE had orchestrated the posting of incendiary quotes attributed to Qatar’s emir that he insisted were fabricated.

The incident helped spark a diplomatic rift between Qatar and its neighbors.

Qatar said the report “unequivocally proves that this hacking crime took place”.

Qatar Crisis: Saudi-Led Bloc Warns of Unspecified New Measures

Swiss news network The Local said a fake news story quoting FIFA president Gianni Infantino had been posted on a copycat website on July 15.

The Washington Post‘s story cited unnamed US intelligence officials as saying newly-analyzed information confirmed that on May 23 senior members of the UAE government had discussed a plan to hack Qatari state media sites.

Image source Al Jazeera

Later that day, the official Qatar News Agency quoted Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani as criticising US “hostility” towards Iran, describing it as an “Islamic power that cannot be ignored”, and calling Hamas the “legitimate representative of the Palestinian people”.

Qatari officials said the agency had been hacked by an “unknown entity” and that the story had “no basis whatsoever”. However, the remarks were reported across the region and caused a stir.

Qatar Rejects List of Conditions for Lifting Sanctions

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt responded by blocking Qatari media.

Two weeks later, the four countries cut all links with Qatar over its alleged support for terrorism and relations with Iran. The boycott has caused turmoil in the oil- and gas-rich emirate, which is dependent on imports by land and sea for the basic needs of its population of 2.7 million.

The US intelligence officials told the Washington Post it was unclear whether the United Arab Emirates authorities had hacked the Qatar News Agency itself or paid a third party to do it.

Donald Trump Claims Credit for Qatar Isolation

The Qatari government communication office said in a statement: “The information published in the Washington Post… revealed the involvement of the United Arab Emirates and senior Emirati officials in the hacking of Qatar News Agency.”

The Guardian reported last month that an investigation by the FBI had concluded that freelance Russian hackers were responsible.

US intelligence agencies declined to comment on the Washington Post‘s article, but the UAE’s ambassador insisted that it “had no role whatsoever in the alleged hacking”.

“What is true is Qatar’s behavior. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas and Gaddafi. Inciting violence, encouraging radicalization, and undermining the stability of its neighbors,” Yousef al-Otaiba wrote in a statement posted on Twitter.

Qatar has acknowledged providing assistance to Islamist groups designated as terrorist organizations by some of its neighbors, notably the Muslim Brotherhood. However, it has denied aiding jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda or ISIS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRQk1q9levA

George A. Romero Death: Living Dead Director Dies of Lung Cancer Aged 77

Sonia Pantiss
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George A. Romero Death: Living Dead Director Dies of Lung Cancer Aged 77

Living Dead director George A. Romero has died at the age of 77, his manager has announced.

George A. Romero died in his sleep on July 16 with his wife and daughter at his side, after a “brief but aggressive battle” with lung cancer, Chris Roe said.

He co-wrote and directed Living Dead that started the zombie series Night of the Living Dead in 1968.

It led to a number of sequels – and a slew of imitators.

Image source Wikimedia

Chris Roe said George A. Romero died listening to the score of The Quiet Man, “one of his all-time favorite films”.

At the time of its release, Night of the Living Dead was criticized for being gory but it went on to be a cult classic and shape horror and zombie films for decades.

Happy Days Star Erin Moran Found Dead at 56

While it did not use the word zombies, it was the first movie to depict cannibalistic reanimated corpses.

Previous movies had shown zombies as being living people who had been bewitched through voodoo.

Despite having a budget of just $114,000, Night of the Living Dead made $30 million at the box office and was followed by five sequels and two remakes.

George A. Romero had a non-starring and uncredited role in the movie as a news reporter.

He went on to direct other movies including the 1971 romantic comedy There’s Always Vanilla, the 1978 vampire film Martin, and the 1982 Stephen King adaptation Creepshow.

George A. Romero’s only work to top the box office success enjoyed by Night of the Living Dead was Dawn of the Dead, released in 1978, which earned more than $40 million.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG_Xy7C_zm8

Venezuela Opposition Referendum: Woman Shot Dead in Voting Queuing

Diane A. Wade
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Venezuela Opposition Referendum: Woman Shot Dead in Voting Queuing

More than seven million Venezuelan voters have taken part in an opposition-organized referendum in the country, according to academics monitoring the poll.

The referendum result strongly backed opposition to the socialist government’s proposed constitutional changes.

Venezuela remains polarized between supporters of President Nicolas Maduro and the opposition, which wants fresh elections.

A 61-year-old woman was shot dead while queuing to vote in the capital, Caracas.

Venezuela: Leopoldo Lopez Released from Jail After Three Years

Men on motorbikes opened fire, killing Xiomara Soledad Scott, and wounding three others.

Image source teleSUR

The opposition blamed a “paramilitary” gang for the shooting, which prosecutors said they would investigate.

Separately, journalist Luis Olavarrieta was kidnapped, robbed and beaten by a group, but managed to escape.

More than 100 people have died in clashes and protests in Venezuela since April.

Venezuela Opposition Sets Up Roadblocks and Demands Early Elections

Cecilia García Arocha, the rector of the Central University of Venezuela, said 6,492,381 people voted within the country and another 693,789 at polling stations abroad. However, the vote has no legal status.

The turnout is slightly less than the 7.7 million people who voted for opposition candidates at the 2015 parliamentary elections. There are 19.5 million registered voters in Venezuela.

Venezuela’s Supreme Court Attacked by Helicopter

Voting Yes or No to three questions, 98% rejected the new assembly proposed by President Nicolas Maduro and backed a call for elections before his term of office ends in 2019.

They also voted for the armed forces to defend the current constitution.

An official vote will be held on July 30 for a new assembly, which would have the power to rewrite the constitution and to dissolve state institutions. However, critics say the new assembly could herald dictatorship.

The July 16 unofficial poll was held in improvised polling stations at theaters, sports grounds and roundabouts within Venezuela and in more than 100 countries around the world.

However, President Maduro described the vote as “meaningless”.

“They have convened an internal consultation with the opposition parties, with their own mechanisms, without electoral rulebooks, without prior verification, without further verification. As if they are autonomous and decide on their own,” he said.

Nicolas Maduro argues that the constituent assembly is the only way to help Venezuela out of its economic and political crisis.

Opposition leaders fear that the process of setting up a new constituent assembly and rewriting the constitution would almost certainly delay this year’s regional elections and the 2018 presidential election.

They also fear that the constituent assembly would further weaken the National Assembly, Venezuela’s opposition-controlled legislative body.

Wimbledon 2017: Roger Federer Becomes First Man to Win Record Eight Title

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Wimbledon 2017: Roger Federer Becomes First Man to Win Record Eight Title

Roger Federer has become the first man to win Wimbledon eight times and extended his record to 19 Grand Slam titles after beating Croatian Marin Cilic.

The 35-year-old Swiss won 6-3 6-1 6-4 as 28-year-old Marin Cilic struggled with a blister on his left foot and broke down in tears during the second set.

Roger Federer, 35, finished the contest in one hour and 41 minutes to claim his first Wimbledon title since 2012.

Wimbledon 2012: Roger Federer wins his 17th Grand Slam title after beating Andy Murray

The No 3 becomes the oldest man in the Open Era to win at the All England Club.

Roger Federer surpasses Pete Sampras and William Renshaw, who won their seventh titles in 2000 and 1889 respectively, with only Martina Navratilova still ahead in terms of Wimbledon singles titles on nine.

Image source Wikimedia

The Swiss has won two of the three Grand Slam titles so far this year, having returned from a six-month break to win the Australian Open in January.

With 19 major titles he extends his lead over Rafael Nadal in the men’s game to four, and now stands joint-fourth on the all-time list with Helen Wills Moody, five behind Margaret Court on 24.

Australian Open 2017: Roger Federer Wins His Fifth Title after Beating Rafael Nadal in Final

Among his long list of achievements, Roger Federer became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1976 to win the Wimbledon title without dropping a set.

The tournament favorite from the outset, he was rarely troubled over the course of seven matches, and Marin Cilic was not in the condition to provide a serious test.

Roger Federer was playing in his 11th Wimbledon final and Marin Cilic his first, and the gap in experience showed from the early stages.

Marin Cilic later revealed that it was emotional rather than physical pain at that stage, but he was clearly in some distress and there was little he could do to stop Roger Federer racing into a two-set lead after just 61 minutes.

A medical time-out was taken before the start of the third set and this time strapping and padding applied to Marin Cilic’s left foot.

A first retirement in a men’s singles final since 1911 appeared likely but Marin Cilic struggled on, while Roger Federer probed for the break that would surely end his wait for a Wimbledon title.

Fourteen years on from his first victory, there were signs of nerves when he served for the title for the first time since 2012.

Senegal: Eight Dead in Wall Collapse at Demba Diop Stadium

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Senegal: Eight Dead in Wall Collapse at Demba Diop Stadium

A wall collapsed at Senegal’s Demba Diop stadium at the end of the League Cup final between Stade de Mbour and Union Sportive Ouakam killing eight people and leaving injured at least 49.

Fighting started in the capital Dakar between rival fans and police responded by using tear gas, which led to panic, a stampede, and the wall collapse.

Some soccer fans were throwing projectiles including stones at others.

Besiktas Stadium Twin Bomb Attack Kills At Least 38 in Istanbul

Pictures circulating online appear to show people scrambling over a low wall amid clouds of gas.

Image source AFP

Local news agency APS reported that ambulances and firefighters were at the scene.

With the score 1-1 after 90 minutes, Mbour scored in the first period of extra time to win 2-1, and violence broke out at the final whistle.

Cheikh Maba Diop, whose friend died in the incident and who helped move people out of the stadium, told AFP: “All of a sudden when the wall fell… we knew exactly that some of our own had lost their lives because the wall fell directly on to people.”

A spokesman for Senegal’s President Macky Sall said that campaigning for upcoming elections would be suspended on July 16 as a mark of respect, and that there should be “punishments serving as a warning”.

Chile: Heavy Snowfall Hits Santiago Causing Disruption and Blackouts

Nancy Clayson
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Chile: Heavy Snowfall Hits Santiago Causing Disruption and Blackouts

A heavy snowfall has hit Santiago de Chile causing disruption and blackouts, leaving thousands of residents shivering in the dark.

According to officials, about 250,000 people were affected by power cuts, mostly caused by snow-laden trees falling on cables.

Image source EFE

One death was reported – of a worker trying to clear ice – and two other people were injured by a fallen power line, Chilean media said.

According to meteorologists, it was the heaviest snowfall in the Chilean capital since 2007.

Douglas Tompkins Dies in Kayaking Accident in Chile

The snowfall came as Santiago and surrounding region were enduring an unusually cold snap.

As well as the power cuts, the weather has caused traffic disruption in the city and several sporting fixtures have been postponed.

The big freeze was not bad news for everyone, however, and thousands of children headed outdoors to build snowmen and throw snowballs.

Forecasters say lighter amounts of snow are still expected to fall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSSvZGzSW_I

Maths Genius Maryam Mirzakhani Dies of Breast Cancer Aged 40

James J. Williams
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Maths Genius Maryam Mirzakhani Dies of Breast Cancer Aged 40

Maths genius Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to receive the prestigious Fields Medal for mathematics, has died in the US qt the age of 40.

The Iranian, a professor at Stanford University, had breast cancer which had spread to her bones.

Nicknamed the “Nobel Prize for Mathematics”, the Fields Medal is only awarded every four years to between two and four mathematicians under 40.

The prize was given to Prof. Maryam Mirzakhani in 2014 for her work on complex geometry and dynamical systems.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Maryam Mirzakhani’s death caused “great sorrow,” state media reported.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said her death was a cause for grief for all Iranians.

US-Iranian scientist Firouz Naderi posted on Instagram: “A light was turned off today. It breaks my heart… gone far too soon.”

Image source YouTube

Firouz Naderi added in a subsequent post: “A genius? Yes. But also a daughter, a mother and a wife.”

Maryam Mirzakhani and her husband, Czech scientist Jan Vondrak, had one daughter.

Some social media users criticized Iranian officials for not using recent images of Maryam Mirzakhani which showed her uncovered hair. Iranian women must cover their hair in line with a strict interpretation of Islamic law on modesty.

Iranian official media and politicians used older pictures in their social media tributes, which show her hair covered.

Stanford University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne described Prof. Maryam Mirzakhani as “a brilliant mathematical theorist and also a humble person who accepted honors only with the hope that it might encourage others to follow her path”.

“Maryam is gone far too soon but her impact will live on for the thousands of women she inspired to pursue math and science,” he said.

“Her contributions as both a scholar and a role model are significant and enduring and she will be dearly missed here at Stanford and around the world.”

Born in 1977, Maryam Mirzakhani was brought up in post-revolutionary Iran and won two gold medals in the International Mathematical Olympiad as a teenager.

She earned a PhD at Harvard University in 2004, and later worked at Princeton before securing a professorship at Stanford in 2008.

Maryam Mirzakhani’s receipt of the Fields Medal three years ago ended a long wait for women in the mathematics community for the prize, first established in 1936.

She was also the first Iranian to receive it.

The citation said Maryam Mirzakhani had made “striking and highly original contributions to geometry and dynamical systems” and that her most recent work constituted “a major advance”.

Wimbledon 2017: Garbine Muguruza Wins Her First Title after Beating Venus Williams

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Wimbledon 2017: Garbine Muguruza Wins Her First Title after Beating Venus Williams

Garbine Muguruza won her first Wimbledon title after beating five-time champion Venus Williams.

The 23-year-old Spanish player saved two set points and won the last nine games in a 7-5 6-0 victory under the Centre Court roof.

Garbine Muguruza denied Venus Williams, 37, a first major title for nine years, which would have made her the oldest female Grand Slam champion in the Open era.

Image source AFP

Venus Williams Involved in Florida Fatal Crash

It is 14th seed’s second Grand Slam title after her French Open triumph over Serena Williams in 2016.

“I had the hardest match today against Venus,” said Garbine Muguruza.

“She’s such an incredible player. I grew up watching her play – sorry,” she added, to the watching American.

“I feel incredible to be able to play her here. Of course I’m nervous because I always dreamed about winning it, but I was composed.”

Having lost to Serena Williams in the 2015 final, Garbine Muguruza becomes the second Spanish woman to win the Wimbledon singles title after her coach, Conchita Martinez.

Garbine Muguruza is also the first woman to beat both Williams sisters in Grand Slam finals.

Turkey Failed Coup: One Year Since Bloody Attempt

Roy Siemens
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0
Turkey Failed Coup: One Year Since Bloody Attempt

Turkey is marking the first anniversary of the failed coup.

Tens of thousands of people took the streets of Istanbul with many heading to the bridge that became a landmark of resistance after an army faction tried to seize power.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will unveil a memorial there for the 260 people who died fighting the coup. Some 2,196 were also wounded.

The Turkish government has since dismissed more than 150,000 state employees, saying it is rooting out coup supporters.

Critics say the dismissals, and a wave of 50,000 arrests, are part of an attempt to purge dissent.

The date of July 15 has been declared an annual holiday.

Turkey Coup Attempt: More Than 50,000 People Purged by Government

Kicking off a series of events that will extend into dawn today, PM Binali Yildirim told a special session of parliament that July 15, 2016, was a “second War of Independence”, following the conflict that led to the creation of the modern state in the 1920s.

Image source Wikimedia

“It has been exactly one year since Turkey’s darkest and longest night was transformed into a bright day, since an enemy occupation turned into the people’s legend,” Binali Yildirim said.

However, head of the main opposition Republican People’s Party Kemal Kilicdaroglu condemned the government’s actions since the coup.

He said: “This parliament, which withstood bombs, has been rendered obsolete and its authority removed. In the past year, justice has been destroyed. Instead of rapid normalization, a permanent state of emergency has been implemented.”

Recep Tayyip Erdogan flew from the parliamentary session to Istanbul, in a plane accompanied by air force jets.

Turkey Coup Attempt: 2,839 Soldiers and Officers Arrested

The president will join the huge crowds on the bridge over the Bosphorus where civilians had confronted pro-coup soldiers last year. It has been renamed the Bridge of the Martyrs of July 15 and the president will unveil a “martyrs’ memorial” there.

Istanbul is awash with giant anniversary billboards, with anti-coup slogans strung between the minarets of mosques.

President Erdogan will later return to Ankara to address parliament at midnight, the exact time last year it was attacked by coup plotters.

He will unveil a monument to the coup’s victims at his palace in the capital at dawn.

On July 15, 2016, the coup plotters, armed with tanks, warplanes and helicopters, declared that they had taken over on state media, and bombed parliament and other key locations.

They tried to detain President Erdogan as he holidayed in an Aegean resort, but he had left and the coup was thwarted by civilians and soldiers loyal to the president.

The Turkish authorities accused a movement loyal to the Muslim cleric, Fethullah Gulen, of organizing the plot.

Fethullah Gulen, who remains in the United States, denies any involvement.

Washington has so far resisted calls from the Turkish authorities to extradite him.

Critics say President Erdogan is using the purges to stifle political dissent, and last week hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Istanbul at the end of a 450km (280-mile) “justice” march against the government.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the marchers of supporting terrorism.

On July 14, the government continued its dismissal of state employees, sacking another 7,395 for alleged links to what it calls terrorist groups.

Raul Castro Criticizes Donald Trump’s Rollback on Cuba

Diane A. Wade
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0
Raul Castro Criticizes Donald Trump’s Rollback on Cuba

Cuban President Raul Castro has spoken publicly for the first time against President Donald Trump’s rollback of a thaw between the two countries a month ago.

Raul Castro said “attempts to destroy the revolution” would fail.

President Trump has tightened restrictions on US travel to and business with Cuba.

However, the US embassy in Havana, re-opened by former President Barack Obama, is still operating.

Fidel Castro Death: Donald Trump Calls Cuban Leader “Brutal Dictator”

President Castro was speaking in front of Cuba’s national assembly. It was his first public comment on the policy changes President Trump announced a month ago.

State-run Cuban media quoted President Castro as saying that President Trump was using “old and hostile rhetoric” and had returned to “confrontation that roundly failed over 55 years”.

The Cuban president said: “We reject the manipulation of the topic of human rights against Cuba, which can be proud of much in this area and does not need to receive lessons from the United States nor anyone.”

Barack Obama and Raul Castro Hold Historic Joint News Conference

Donald Trump anchored his policy rollback in human rights concerns raised by political opponents of Cuba’s communist government, many of whom have fled to Miami where the president announced the changes on June 16.

President Castro continued: “Cuba and the United States can cooperate and live side by side, respecting their differences. But no one should expect that for this, one should have to make concessions inherent to one’s sovereignty and independence.”

Raul Castro will step down as president in seven months, but will remain the head of the country’s Communist Party.

Donald Trump Jr. Meeting Attended by Russian Lobbyst Rinat Akhmetshin

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Jr. Meeting Attended by Russian Lobbyst Rinat Akhmetshin

Rinat Akhmetshin, a former Soviet intel officer turned lobbyist, attended a meeting last year with senior aides to President Donald Trump and his son, it has emerged.

Rinat Akhmetshin confirmed to media he was present at the Trump Tower encounter.

Donald Trump Jr. was promised damaging material on Hillary Clinton at the meeting, his emails show.

Donald Trump’s eldest son has only previously acknowledged that a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, was present.

Donald Trump Jr. has played down the June 9, 2016, meeting since it was reported this week.

However, the Senate Judiciary Committee has asked Donald Trump Jr. to publicly testify.

Donald Trump Jr.’s Email Chain on Russia Meeting in Full

Several congressional panels and federal investigators are looking into claims that Russia meddled in last year’s election in a bid to help Donald Trump.

The New York meeting was also attended by Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and election chairman, Paul Manafort.

It has emerged as the firmest evidence yet of non-diplomatic interactions between Trump campaign aides and Russian figures.

During a news conference in Paris, France, on Thursday, President Trump said that “most people would have taken that meeting”.

Image source Flickr

“Zero happened,” he said.

Rinat Akhmetshin told the AP news agency he served in a Soviet military unit that was part of counterintelligence, but that he was never formally trained as a spy.

In court papers filed with the US District Court in Washington DC, where he lives, a mining company accused him of organizing a hack on its private records as part of an alleged smear campaign.

Donald Trump Jr. Admits Meeting Russian Lawyer During Campaign

International Mineral Resources hired a private investigator to follow Rinat Akhmetshin to London.

The Russian-American was overheard in a coffee shop bragging about arranging the cyber-attack on the firm’s computer system, according to court documents.

Rinat Akhmetshin denied the allegations, and the case was later dropped.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the Russian government knows nothing about Rinat Akhmetshin, the AP reported.

Rinat Akhmetshin told the Washington Post he became a US citizen in 2009 but retains his Russian nationality.

He is a registered lobbyist who has focused in recent years on overturning the 2012 US Magnitsky Act.

The law, which froze the assets of senior Russian officials, angered President Vladimir Putin.

Rinat Akhmetshin told the Washington Post he only accompanied Natalia Veselnitskaya to the Trump Tower meeting on the spur of the moment after meeting her for lunch.

He said he showed up with her at the Manhattan skyscraper wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

Rinat Akhmetshin said he and Natalia Veselnitskaya were joined by an interpreter.

“I never thought this would be such a big deal, to be honest,” he said.

The meeting was set up by Rob Goldstone, a British music publicist for Russian pop star Emin Agalarov.

Emin Agalarov worked with Donald Trump on staging the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow in 2013.

Emails show that Rob Goldstone promised Donald Trump Jr. that Natalia Veselnitskaya, whom he described as a “Russian government attorney”, would share damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

Donald Trump Jr. said it became apparent as they spoke that Natalia Veselnitskaya wanted to discuss a suspended program for Americans to adopt Russian children.

However, Rinat Akhmetshin told the AP that Natalia Veselnitskaya informed Donald Trump Jr. she had details of possible illicit funds being funneled to the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

“This could be a good issue to expose how the DNC is accepting bad money,” he said he recalled her saying.

According to Rinat Akhmetshin, Donald Trump Jr. asked her if she had evidence to prove the claim, but the lawyer urged the Trump campaign to research the matter.

Donald Trump’s son appeared to lose interest, said Rinat Akhmetshin.

“They couldn’t wait for the meeting to end,” he added.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJb-qhrjjKo

Bastille Day 2017: Donald Trump Joins Emmanuel Macron for Paris Parade

Diane A. Wade
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Bastille Day 2017: Donald Trump Joins Emmanuel Macron for Paris Parade

President Donald Trump has joined French President Emmanuel Macron the Bastille Day parade in Paris, where US and French troops marched together down the Champs-Élysées.

Donald Trump was guest of honor as the annual parade this time marked 100 years since the Americans entered World War One.

President Emmanuel Macron said “nothing will ever separate” France and the US, and President Trump’s presence showed “a friendship across the ages”.

Earlier Emmanuel Macron stood in a military jeep and inspected the troops.

He is now in Nice, attending a commemoration for last year’s Bastille Day terrorist attack, in which a Tunisian-born man drove a huge lorry into a celebrating crowd on the beachfront, killing 86 people.

Image source Wikimedia

At the start of the ceremony people were honored for their heroism on the night.

They included Franck Terrier, the man who drove his scooter alongside the speeding truck and jumped on to its cab, punching the driver through the window in a desperate attempt to force him to stop.

Franck Terrier was given a lengthy ovation and awarded the Légion d’honneur – France’s highest order of merit.

France remains under a state of emergency, following a spate of terror attacks by jihadists.

In Paris earlier, President Donald Trump and the First Lady warmly embraced their French counterparts – Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte.

Donald Trump called Bastille Day “a wonderful national celebration”.

“Our two nations are forever joined together by the spirit of revolution and the fight for freedom,” he said.

Earlier, he suggested he could review his position on climate change, after Emmanuel Macron argued in defense of the 2015 Paris accord.

G20 Final Agreement Acknowledges Donald Trump’s Withdrawal from Paris Climate Change Deal

“Something could happen with respect to the Paris accord,” President Trump said.

“We’ll see what happens.”

Last month President Trump had said the US would withdraw from the Paris accord, citing moves to negotiate a new “fair” deal that would not disadvantage US businesses.

Yesterday, First Lady Melania Trump toured Notre Dame cathedral with Brigitte Macron, and prayed before a statue of the Virgin Mary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLtdHyD4i3w

Bad Things can Happen Anywhere: Knowing How to Handle the Situation is Important

Dana R
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Bad Things can Happen Anywhere: Knowing How to Handle the Situation is Important

No matter where you live, what your life status is, or how careful you are, bad things can happen.  However, unfortunate events in your life can be made much easier when you know how to handle them properly.  For example, if a fire were to start on your stove while cooking with grease, you would certainly know not to throw water on the fire.  It is these details that are the most important in our lives, as how we handle situations determines the direction we must take in the aftermath.

What happens if I am injured in an accident?

Personal injury situations can be frightening and confusing.  However, this does not have to be the case.  Keeping a cool head in the situation is important.  If you are involved in an accident and become injured, you will first need to seek assessment and treatment for your injuries.  Be sure to get copies of the medical records, especially if another person was involved in the accident.  These records will be vital to your case if it must go to court to determine responsibility.

Related image

One of the biggest concerns that you may have is finding someone to represent your personal injury case.  This can be a frustrating or relief-filled experience depending on how you handle it.  There are some great personal injury specialists out there to help you through this difficult time, so it is best to stay calm, make sure you have all of your records in order, and think reasonably and logically.

Why do I need a personal injury lawyer?

Although you could, in theory, represent yourself in a case, you will not know all of the state regulations regarding personal injury litigation and thus, could harm your own case unintentionally.  It is far better to select a solid personal injury lawyer to handle the case, as they can guide you through the process and make sure no important steps are missed.  By selecting someone to represent your case, you are taking the necessary step to ensure that your case is not dismissed due to missing records, inconsistent admissions, or any other factor that could affect your case negatively.

Another important thing you will want to keep in order are your follow-up visits for any injuries.  If you miss a follow-up visit, it will appear as if your injuries were not as serious, creating a hole in your credibility that you simply cannot afford.  A personal injury lawyer will help to keep you on track with your requirements which is vital to your case as well.

Knowing how to handle the situation will determine the outcome of your case

While there is some weight to be accredited to the legal process itself, knowing how to handle these types of situations and taking the time to select a representative for your case will factor in heavily in the outcome of your case.  Be sure to gain representation, keep clear records, and be upfront about your injuries, treatments, follow-ups, and any additional and pertinent information about how the injuries occurred and you are sure to have a low-stress case that results in an acceptable outcome.

Beyonce Reveals Newborn Twins Sir Carter and Rumi

Lisa.Felice
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Beyonce Reveals Newborn Twins Sir Carter and Rumi

Beyonce has revealed the first picture of herself with her twins Sir Carter and Rumi to celebrate them turning one month old.

She also confirmed their names – which had been rumored after she and Jay-Z filed a trademark for the names.

The picture showed Beyonce and the twins draped in a purple floral sheet, while she wore a blue veil.

It clocked up more than two million likes on Instagram in an hour.

Image source Instagram

Beyonce wrote: “Sir Carter and Rumi 1 month today”, with a string of emojis of prayer hands and a woman, man, little girl and two babies.

As well as the twins, a boy and a girl, Beyonce and Jay-Z are also parents to 5-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy.

Beyonce Reportedly Gives Birth to Twins

The style of the image, in which Beyonce stands in a garden barefoot in front of a floral archway, echoes the photoshoot she used to announce her pregnancy on the network. That post, in February, became the most-liked in the history of Instagram.

The world had been eagerly awaiting the first glimpse of the babies ever since media reported Beyonce had given birth last month.

Beyonce Is Pregnant with Twins

However, neither the singer, nor her husband had confirmed any details of the twins until now.

Beyonce’s father, Mathew Knowles tweeted on June 18: “They’re here!” and “Happy birthday to the twins” – but the timing of Beyonce’s post suggest they were actually born on June 14.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxiid24KZbs

Liu Xiaobo’s Death: China’s Most Prominent Dissident Dies from Liver Cancer Aged 61

Diane A. Wade
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Liu Xiaobo’s Death: China’s Most Prominent Dissident Dies from Liver Cancer Aged 61

China’s most prominent human rights and democracy advocate and Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo has died aged 61.

Liu Xiaobo had been serving an 11-year prison term for “subversion” and was recently moved to a hospital due to a terminal liver cancer.

A university professor turned tireless rights campaigner, Liu Xiaobo was branded a criminal by authorities.

The Nobel Committee said the Chinese government bore a “heavy responsibility” for Liu Xiaobo’s death.

He was repeatedly jailed throughout his life. When not in prison, Liu Xiaobo was subject to severe restrictions while his wife, Liu Xia, was placed under house arrest.

Liu Hui: China Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo’s brother-in-law sentenced to 11 years in jail

Liu Xiaobo played a significant role in the Tiananmen student protests of June 1989 which ended in bloodshed when they were quashed by troops.

Image source Wikipedia

He and other activists negotiated the safe exit of several hundred demonstrators, and have been credited with saving the protesters’ lives.

Liu Xiaobo was subsequently placed in a detention center and released in 1991.

Liu Xiaobo’s brother-in-law Liu Hui arrested in China

His campaign to free those detained during Tiananmen landed him in a labor camp in north-eastern China for three years but he was permitted to marry poet Liu Xia there in 1996.

Liu Xiaobo was later freed, and continued to campaign for democracy.

The 11-year jail term he was serving when he died was handed down in 2009 after he compiled, with other intellectuals, the Charter 08 manifesto.

This was a call for an end to one-party rule and the introduction of multi-party democracy. Liu Xiaobo was found guilty of trying to overthrow the state.

He was a pro-democracy figurehead for activists outside mainland China, although many of his compatriots were unaware of his struggles because the authorities rigorously censored news about him.

Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 for his “long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China”, but he was not permitted to travel to Norway to accept it.

Liu Xiaobo was the second person to receive the award while in prison – the other was the German pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, who won in 1935 while incarcerated in a Nazi concentration camp.

FIFA Whistleblower Chuck Blazer Dies Aged 72

Clyde K. Valle
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FIFA Whistleblower Chuck Blazer Dies Aged 72

Former FIFA official Chuck Blazer has died at the age of 72, his lawyers have announced.

Chuck Blazer, who was banned from all soccer activities for life in 2015, had been suffering from cancer.

In 2013, he pleaded guilty to bribery, money laundering and tax evasion but agreed to help investigators expose corruption in FIFA.

Image source Sports Illustrated

A larger-than-life character, he was ex-chief of CONCACAF, North and Central American soccer’s governing body.

FIFA Corruption Scandal: Former Official Chuck Blazer Admits Taking Bribes

Chuck Blazer’s information led to charges against 14 other current or former FIFA officials, and contributed to the downfall of FIFA President Sepp Blatter.

His lawyers said in a statement: “We are truly saddened by the passing of our client and friend, Chuck Blazer.

“His misconduct, for which he accepted full responsibility, should not obscure Chuck’s positive impact on international soccer.”

FIFA Corruption Scandal: Ex-VP Jack Warner to Reveal All About Soccer Corruption

Chuck Blazer served on FIFA’s executive committee from 1997 to 2013, during which time he pocketed millions to fund a globe-trotting VIP lifestyle.

A 2013 report by CONCACAF’s integrity committee said he had received more than $20.6 million in commissions, fees and rental payments from the organization between 1996 and 2011.

Chuck Blazer’s personal excesses included two apartments in New York’s Trump Tower, one of which was exclusively for his cats.

Brazil Corruption Scandal: Former President Lula da Silva Sentenced to Nine and A Half Years in Jail

Diane A. Wade
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Brazil Corruption Scandal: Former President Lula da Silva Sentenced to Nine and A Half Years in Jail

Brazil’s ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been convicted of corruption charges and sentenced to nine and a half years in jail.

The judge ruled Lula da Silva could remain free pending an appeal.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has rejected claims that he received an apartment as a bribe in a corruption scandal linked to state oil company Petrobras.

The former leader says the trial is politically motivated and has strongly denied any wrongdoing.

The case is the first of five charges against Lula da Silva.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva served eight years as president until 2011 and has expressed interest in running again in the 2018 elections for the left-wing Workers’ Party.

Image source Wikimedia

On July 12, a judge found the former president guilty of accepting bribes from engineering company OAS in the form of a beachfront apartment in return for his help in winning contracts with the state oil company.

In a statement, his lawyers insisted he was innocent and said they would appeal.

“For more than three years Lula has been subject to a politically motivated investigation. No credible evidence of guilt has been produced, and overwhelming proof of his innocence blatantly ignored,” they wrote.

The head of the Workers’ Party, Senator Gleisi Hoffmann, also hit out at the ruling, saying it was designed to stop Lula da Silva standing for office.

Gleisi Hoffmann said the party would protest against the decision.

In theory, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is free to run in the presidential election until the legal process ends.

The charges he faces relate to the Car Wash scandal, the nickname for Brazil’s biggest ever corruption probe.

Operation Car Wash was launched three years ago amid escalating public anger over political corruption.

The investigation centers on companies that were allegedly offered deals with Petrobras in exchange for bribes, which were funneled into politicians’ pockets and party slush funds.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a former steel worker turned union leader, came to office as the first left-wing leader in Brazil in nearly half a century.

He was Brazil’s most popular president during his tenure – former President Barack Obama labeled him the most popular politician on Earth.

Unable to stand for a third consecutive term, he was succeeded by close ally Dilma Rousseff, who was later impeached.

Brazil’s current President Michel Temer also faces corruption allegations and is resisting calls for him to step down.

Essential Skills For Medical Professionals

Dana R
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Essential Skills For Medical Professionals

Are you thinking about joining the medical profession during the next few years? Would you like to make sure you have what it takes? Then you’ve come to the right place today. In this article, we’re going to highlight some essential skills that all professionals require. If you don’t have these traits at the moment, you’ll just have to work on them. Thankfully, it can take up to five years to get qualified. So, you have more than enough time.

Leadership Skills

There might come a time during your career where you have to take the lead and manage a situation. For that reason, you need to work hard to ensure you have excellent leadership skills. You also need to learn to make logical decisions under pressure.

Communication Skills

The way in which you talk to your patients and staff is critical. If you don’t have excellent communication skills, you might create misunderstandings. That is not acceptable in the medical world where mistakes can cost lives.

Analytical Skills

New laws and regulations appear in the health care field every single day. New devices and technology also appear on the market often. For that reason, all medical professionals require advanced analytical skills. That will also assist you when it comes to making diagnoses, etc.

Now you know about some of the most valuable skills, you can work hard to ensure you refine your approach. At the end of the day, working in a medical job is a noble decision. It means you want to help people and give something back. However, you still need to take the job seriously.


Credit Healthcare Administration Career Infographic

Are Amazon Going to Solve a Murder?

Dana R
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0
Are Amazon Going to Solve a Murder?

crime-scene

Wikimedia

November 22, 2015. Arkansas. Victor Collins, a 47-year-old father of five, is found dead in a hot tub. He was strangled and drowned. A man – the owner of the property on which the body was found – has been arrested, but hard evidence seems to be lacking. It would later transpire that the police were looking to a nearby Amazon Echo is help solve the case.

This doesn’t that the authorities turned to the device and said “Alexa, could you help solve this murder?”, by the way. It means that the police believe that the device may have picked up on some key audio evidence. After all, as long as the Amazon Echo is plugged in, it’s listening to what’s happening – and it would appear that Amazon are keeping recordings of all the Echo hears. This is why the police continued to put pressure on Amazon to share the relevant data, something Amazon only eventually agreed to do in March of this year.

Wikimedia

Amazon appears to have spent some time fighting the affidavit that law enforcement sent out in an attempt to retrieve the data they felt may provide crucial evidence to solving the crime. Such resistance may be understandable from a business and data privacy perspective. After all, the Echo wasn’t built to record people’s conversations and actions just so Amazon would have data to use against their customers. (Presumably.) Sharing such data may indeed be a violation of the trust between Amazon and their customers. In any case, the company relented in March, allowing authorities access to the data.

It’s highly unlikely that the homicide defense attorney in this case will have ever dealt with “testimony” from an Amazon Echo before now. Still, it’s entirely possible that there is nothing of particular use to the authorities in Amazon’s data logs.

A case similar to this also had the tech world in its grip throughout last year. In December 2015, the San Bernardino shooting attack took place. A court order was sent to Apple; the FBI wanted access to the data on the iPhone of one of the shooters, demanding that Apple comply and hand over the information. Apple resisted, claiming that it was in their customer’s best interests that the company didn’t simply hand over data – which they assure their customers is not shared with anyone – to the authorities. This drama eventually ended when an unidentified third party unlocked the phone.

Wikipedia

All of this raises important questions about the nature of data privacy and tech companies’ responsibilities to their customers. While many of us will be able to see how the release of such data can help put bad eggs behind bars, there’s simply no denying that police pressure to release private information about citizens should concern all of us. Representatives at Amazon and Apple have said in both cases that the information gathered by these devices are protected by the free speech protection of the First Amendment. Amazon explicitly argued that the police should have to hop through several legal hoops before customer data is released.

Be careful with what devices you’re using, and what information you’re sharing on them. Oh, and try not to commit any murders in their presence.

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