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Effective Preparation Materials for Microsoft MS-700 Certification Exam

Nancy Clayson
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Effective Preparation Materials for Microsoft MS-700 Certification Exam
Microsoft said its Nokia division lost $692 million

Passing the Microsoft MS-700 exam is a mandatory step to getting the Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate certification. As a Teams Administrator, your duties include configuring, deploying, and managing Office 365 platform workloads. These professionals are involved in the process of planning, deploying, and managing chat, channels, apps, live events, calling, audio conferences, and meetings in Microsoft Teams. The certificate validates that you are capable of setting up an effective collaboration and communication system for your company. Let’s now have a closer look at the Microsoft MS-700 test and how to prepare for it with ease.

https://www.exam-labs.com/dumps/70-764

Key Exam Details

The Microsoft MS-700 exam proves that the candidates possess the following skills:

  • Planning and configuring a Microsoft Teams environment – 45% to 50%
  • Managing meetings, chat, and calling – 30% to 35%
  • Operating Teams and App policies – 20% to 25%

As you can see, the ability to set up a Teams environment accounts for the biggest percentage of the questions asked in the exam. Dedicate more time to dwell on this topic area. However, do not ignore other sections as well. They equally have an impact on your ability to get a satisfactory passing score.

https://www.exam-labs.com/dumps/98-364

When you feel ready for the certification test, schedule it via Pearson VUE. This Microsoft certified testing partner has the centers located all over the globe. Choose one that is nearest to you or take advantage of the online proctored exam.

The Microsoft MS-700 exam fee varies depending on your location. All payments are made in USD. For those in the United States, the fee is $165. The citizens of other countries usually pay lower than this amount.

https://www.exam-labs.com/dumps/98-349

Effective Preparation Resources

When it comes to preparation materials you can choose from two approaches – free online-based training or paid instructor-led training.

https://www.exam-labs.com/dumps/AZ-300

  1. Free Online Training

Microsoft comes with two self-paced learning paths that are offered to the users at no cost. The first course comprises of five modules and provides you with the knowledge and skills needed to manage team collaboration in Microsoft Teams. The second learning path equips you with the expertise required to move your business from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams. You will be trained on how best to plan the upgrade and ensure the coexistence between these two technologies.

https://www.exam-labs.com/dumps/MS-100

  • Paid Instructor-Led Training

Microsoft maintains its own training guided by the certified trainers. In this course, the students are taken through all the six core elements of Teams management. Choose this option if you have the budget for it, sufficient time to go through the training, and prefer being guided by a more experienced coach.

https://www.exam-labs.com/dumps/MD-100

Conclusion

As a final point, consider joining the Microsoft Learning Partners, which is some of the best places to get valuable training for the Microsoft MS-700 exam. The vendor has a wide network of partnering the organizations in every corner of the world, so you can find one of them in your country of living. These companies will provide you with a variety of learning solutions and equip you with vital skills to meet the certification demands. Also, don’t forget about practice tests and exam dumps to make your training all-embracing.

US Election 2020: Is Postal Voting Vulnerable to Fraud?

James J. Williams
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US Election 2020: Is Postal Voting Vulnerable to Fraud?
Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

The number of postal votes for the US presidential election is expected to rise significantly this time round due to public health concerns over coronavirus.

Ellen Weintraub, commissioner of the Federal Election Commission, has said: “There’s simply no basis for the conspiracy theory that voting by mail causes fraud.”

There have been isolated cases of postal ballot fraud, such as in the 2018 North Carolina primary, which was re-run after a consultant for the Republican candidate tampered with voting papers.

There was also a case this year in New Jersey which saw two Democratic councilors charged with alleged fraud in relation to postal voting, after hundreds of ballots were found stuffed in a post box.

However, according to a 2017 study by Brennan Center for Justice, the rate of voting fraud overall in the US is between 0.00004% and 0.0009%.

According to a research by Charles Stewart, a political scientist at the MIT, postal ballots are more likely to go missing.

He calculated that the number of votes lost through the vote-by-mail system in the 2008 election may have been as many as 7.6 million, or one in five individuals who attempted to post their ballots.

All postal voting states still have in-person voting options for certain reasons.

Alexei Navalny Released from Berlin Hospital

Roy Siemens
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Alexei Navalny Released from Berlin Hospital
Image source Wikimedia

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been discharged from a Berlin hospital where he was being treated for Novichok nerve agent poisoning.

The Charité Hospital in the German capital said it was ending acute medical care because his condition had sufficiently improved.

Alexei Navalny, 44, posted a picture of himself standing unaided with a message saying doctors had given him every chance of a full recovery.

His team alleges he was poisoned on the orders of President Vladimir Putin.

However, the Kremlin strongly denies any involvement.

Alexei Navalny collapsed on a flight in Siberia on August 20. The Russian activist was later transferred to the Charité hospital in Berlin.

A statement from the hospital said that Alexi Navalny had spent 32 days there, including 24 days in intensive care.

“Based on the patient’s progress and current condition, the treating physicians believe that complete recovery is possible. However, it remains too early to gauge the potential long-term effects of his severe poisoning,” it said.

Earlier this month the hospital revealed that Alexei Navalny had begun to recover, saying that he had been removed from a ventilator and could leave his bed.

At the time, the German government said that laboratories in France and Sweden had reconfirmed German tests showing that the poison used on Alexei Navalny was a Novichok agent.

The Kremlin has said there is no proof of that.

Alexei Navalny’s supporters initially believed that his tea had been spiked at Tomsk airport in Siberia before he caught a flight to Moscow. However, they later said that traces of Novichok had been found on a water bottle in the hotel room where he had been staying.

Alexei Navalny became ill during the flight and the plane made an emergency landing in Omsk. Russian officials were persuaded to allow him to be airlifted to Germany two days later.

After tests confirmed poisoning with a Novichok nerve agent, the EU demanded a “transparent” investigation by the Russian government.

Alexei Navalny: Traces of Nerve Agent Found on A Bottle in His Hotel Room, Says His Team

President Trump Refuses to Condemn Russia over Alexei Navalny Poisoning

Russia: Alexei Navalny In Coma After Allegedly Being Poisoned

In an Instagram post on September 22, Alexei Navalny rubbished suggestions – purportedly from President Putin – that he had poisoned himself.

French newspaper Le Monde reported that in a telephone call with President Emmanuel Macron on September 14, President Putin had spoken “with contempt about Alexei Navalny, considering him a simple internet troublemaker who had simulated diseases in the past”.

“Putin has outsmarted me,” Alexei Navalny wrote on Instagram, mocking the Russian president.

“He is nobody’s fool. As a result, I, like a fool, spent 18 days in a coma but failed to achieve what I wanted. The provocation has failed!”

A nerve agent from the Novichok group was also used to poison Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England in 2018. They both survived, but a local woman, Dawn Sturgess, died after coming into contact with the poison.

Recognizing Debt Settlement Scams

Clyde K. Valle
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Recognizing Debt Settlement Scams
Money

“Our innovative program will make all of your debt disappear in just a few months for pennies on the dollar. We’ll also stop all collection calls and lawsuits. This guaranteed method is sponsored by the US Consumer Financial Protection Board to help people get relief from COVID-19 related financial woes. Just send us $49.95 and we’ll get right to work for you.”

Each one of the four sentences above contains clues the paragraph is promoting a scam.  Here’s what you can learn from them to help you get better at recognizing debt settlement scams.

Certain Debts are Immune to Settlement

Unsecured debts such as personal loans, credit card debt and even medical debt can be negotiated and settled. However, secured debts, such as car loans, mortgages, boat and motorcycle loans are ineligible.

This is because the lender can repossess whatever asset was used to secure the loan if you can’t make your payments — thus the term “secured debt”. However, public student loans, alimony and child support are also immune to debt settlement.

Thus, anyone saying they can make all of your debt disappear is lying — and operating in violation of the law. 

There Are No Guarantees

One of the first things any legitimate debt relief  company will tell you is there are no guarantees. This is because every situation is different and therefore negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

What worked for one person might not work for another. Thus, anyone guaranteeing positive debt settlement results is lying — and operating in violation of the law.

Government Entities Aren’t Involved 

OK, well that one isn’t entirely accurate. The Federal Trade Commission does keep an eye on the debt settlement industry to make sure companies offering debt relief are on the up and up. The same is true for your state attorney’s general office and your local consumer protection agency.

However, no government organization promotes debt settlement. Nor do any of them offer debt settlement services. Anyone claiming to be working with any branch of government to settle debt is lying — and operating in violation of the law.

Upfront Fees Are Not Permitted

As part of its effort to protect consumers, the FTC has decreed debt settlement firms can only exact fees after they’ve settled debts on a consumer’s behalf.

Yes, you will be required to set cash aside to fund your settlement agreements as they are reached. However, that money is only to be used to fulfill the arrangements your creditors offer.

Any other use of that money is prohibited. Therefore, anyone saying you need to give them money before they’ve settled one of your debts is lying — and operating in violation of the law.

Creditors Will Still Make Inquiries

One of the premises of debt settlement is you’ll stop making payments to your creditors and instead deposit that money into an escrow account to be used to fund your settlement deals.

So you’d best believe your phone is going to ring when those bills go unpaid.

Yes, you can tell your creditors you’re working with a debt settlement program and they should get in touch with your agent there. However, that cannot stop them from calling you just the same. Anyone who says they can is lying — and yes — operating in violation of the law.

Recognizing debt settlement scams is relatively simple when you bear in mind the old adage; “If it sounds too good to be true — it probably is.” Don’t let desperation be a motivator, keep your wits about you. Understand that just as it took time for the debt situation to develop, unwinding it is going to take time too and you will come out of the situation OK.

Emmys 2020: Schitt’s Creek Sets Record at Virtual Ceremony

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Emmys 2020: Schitt’s Creek Sets Record at Virtual Ceremony
Image source Flickr

Schitt’s Creek, Watchmen and Succession were the big winners at the 72nd annual Primetime Emmy Awards, which were held virtually amid the coronavirus pandemic.

This year’s ceremony, held on September 20, 2020, was presented from an eerily empty Staples Center in Los Angeles by Jimmy Kimmel, with only a few guest presenters joining him in the studio.

It was a significantly lower-key event this year, with most winners dialing in to make their acceptance speeches from home.

Schitt’s Creek won nine prizes – breaking the Emmys record for most wins in a single season for a comedy.

It was a glowing send-off for the Canadian series, which broadcast its sixth and final season this year.

Succession took home the night’s top prize, best drama series, as well as best actor for Jeremy Strong.

The HBO series also won prizes in the drama categories for best writing and best directing during the virtual ceremony.

The show’s British creator Jesse Armstrong listed a number of “un-thank yous” during his acceptance speech, criticizing President Donald Trump and UK’s PM Boris Johnson for their respective responses to the coronavirus pandemic.

Another HBO series, Watchmen, won best limited series, as well as acting gongs for its stars Regina King and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

Twenty-four-year-old Zendaya became the youngest ever winner of best drama actress for her performance in Euphoria, a teen drama which follows a group high school students as they grapple with issues of love, drugs and identity. Zendaya beat stiff competition from the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Laura Linney and Olivia Colman in her category.

Emmys 2020: Full List of Winners and Nominees

Schitt’s Creek won the best comedy series prize, with the show’s creators, father and son Eugene and Daniel Levy, picking up best comedy actor and best supporting comedy actor respectively.

Catherine O’Hara was named best comedy actress, with Annie Murphy winning best supporting actress in a comedy series.

The show follows the wealthy Rose family, who is forced to move to a motel in a small town after losing their fortune.

Schitt’s Creek launched on CBC in 2015 but developed a strong fan following around the world after later being added to Netflix.

Its wins also included outstanding directing for a comedy series for Andrew Cividino and Daniel Levy, with the latter also winning outstanding writing for the finale episode Happy Ending.

Regina King was named best actress in a limited series for her performance in Watchmen.

In her acceptance speech, she paid tribute to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Notorious RBG, who died over the weekend, and encouraged viewers to register vote in the forthcoming presidential election.

Regina King wore a T-shirt bearing the image of Breonna Taylor, a black woman shot and killed by police in Kentucky in March.

Uzo Aduba, who won best supporting actress in a limited series for Mrs. America, also wore a shirt displaying Breonna Taylor’s name during her speech.

Regina King’s co-star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was also named best supporting actor for his performance in the show.

Watchmen, an innovative reimagining of a superhero graphic novel that tackled racism in America, scored the most nominations this year.

The show won a loyal following and critical acclaim last year during its nine-episode run.

Elsewhere, Ozark‘s Julia Garner won best supporting drama actress while Billy Crudup won in the male category for his portrayal of a conniving network executive in Apple TV’s The Morning Show.

Succession‘s creator Jesse Armstrong also won best writing for a drama, while Andrij Parekh won best directing.

Several winners used their acceptance speeches to encourage Americans to register to vote in November’s election, including Mark Ruffalo, who won best actor in a limited series for I Know This Much Is True.

The in memoriam section honored stars including Chadwick Boseman, Naya Rivera, Caroll Spinney, Kirk Douglas, Sir Ian Holm and Dame Diana Rigg.

The Creative Arts Emmys took place earlier this week, with winners announced in categories such as casting, hair, make-up, lighting and sound design.

More than 25,000 members of the Television Academy vote for the awards, which were first presented in 1949.

The name Emmy derives from an early piece of TV equipment called the image orthicon camera tube – or the Immy.

This year marked Jimmy Kimmel’s third time hosting the Emmys, after he fronted the ceremony in 2012 and 2016.

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

Emmys 2020: Full List of Winners and Nominees

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Emmys 2020: Full List of Winners and Nominees
Image source Flickr

The 72nd annual Primetime Emmy Awards took place on September 20, 2020.

This year’s ceremony was presented from an eerily empty Staples Center in Los Angeles by Jimmy Kimmel, with only a few guest presenters joining him in the studio.

Here are the major winners and nominees:

Outstanding comedy series

  • Curb Your Enthusiasm
  • Dead to Me
  • The Good Place
  • Insecure
  • The Kominsky Method
  • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • WINNER: Schitt’s Creek
  • What We Do in the Shadows

Outstanding drama series

  • Better Call Saul
  • The Crown
  • The Handmaid’s Tale
  • Killing Eve
  • The Mandalorian
  • Ozark
  • Stranger Things
  • WINNER: Succession

Outstanding limited series

  • Little Fires Everywhere
  • Mrs. America
  • Unbelievable
  • Unorthodox
  • WINNER: Watchmen

Lead actor in a comedy series

  • Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
  • Don Cheadle, Black Monday
  • Ted Danson, The Good Place
  • Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
  • WINNER: Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
  • Ramy Youssef, Ramy

Lead actress in a comedy series

  • Christina Applegate, Dead to Me
  • Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me
  • WINNER: Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
  • Issa Rae, Insecure
  • Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish

Supporting actor in a comedy series

  • Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
  • William Jackson Harper, The Good Place
  • Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method
  • Sterling K. Brown, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • Mahershala Ali, Ramy
  • Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live
  • WINNER: Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek

Supporting actress in a comedy series

  • Betty Gilpin, GLOW
  • D’Arcy Carden, The Good Place
  • Yvonne Orji, Insecure
  • Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
  • Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live
  • WINNER: Annie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek

Lead actor in a drama series

  • Jason Bateman, Ozark
  • Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
  • Steve Carell, The Morning Show
  • Brian Cox, Succession
  • Billy Porter, Pose
  • WINNER: Jeremy Strong, Succession

Lead actress in a drama series

  • Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show
  • Olivia Colman, The Crown
  • Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
  • Laura Linney, Ozark
  • Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
  • WINNER: Zendaya, Euphoria

Supporting actor in a drama series

  • Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul
  • Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid’s Tale
  • WINNER: Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
  • Mark Duplass, The Morning Show
  • Nicholas Braun, Succession
  • Kieran Culkin, Succession
  • Matthew Macfadyen, Succession
  • Jeffrey Wright, Westworld

Supporting actress in a drama series

  • Laura Dern, Big Little Lies
  • Meryl Streep, Big Little Lies
  • Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown
  • Samira Wiley, The Handmaid’s Tale
  • Fiona Shaw , Killing Eve
  • WINNER: Julia Garner, Ozark
  • Sarah Snook, Succession
  • Thandie Newton, Westworld

Lead actor in a limited series or movie

  • Jeremy Irons, Watchmen
  • Hugh Jackman, Bad Education
  • Paul Mescal, Normal People
  • Jeremy Pope, Hollywood
  • WINNER: Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True

Lead actress in a limited series or movie

  • Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America
  • Shira Haas, Unorthodox
  • WINNER: Regina King, Watchmen
  • Octavia Spencer, Self Made
  • Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere

Supporting actor in a limited series or movie

  • Dylan McDermott, Hollywood
  • Jim Parsons, Hollywood
  • Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend
  • WINNER: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Watchmen
  • Jovan Adepo, Watchmen
  • Louis Gossett Jr, Watchmen

Supporting actress in a limited series or movie

  • Holland Taylor, Hollywood
  • WINNER: Uzo Aduba, Mrs. America
  • Margo Martindale, Mrs. America
  • Tracey Ullman, Mrs. America
  • Toni Collette, Unbelievable
  • Jean Smart, Watchmen

Outstanding reality competition series

  • The Masked Singer
  • Nailed It
  • WINNER: RuPaul’s Drag Race
  • Top Chef
  • The Voice

Outstanding variety talk series

  • Daily Show with Trevor Noah
  • Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live
  • WINNER: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
  • Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Outstanding variety sketch series

  • A Black Lady Sketch Show
  • Drunk History
  • WINNER: Saturday Night Live

Outstanding television movie

  • American Son
  • WINNER: Bad Education
  • Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings: These Old Bones
  • El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
  • Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. The Reverend

Writing for a comedy series

  • WINNER: Daniel Levy, Schitt’s Creek
  • David West Read, Schitt’s Creek
  • Michael Schur, The Good Place
  • Tony McNamara, The Great
  • Sam Johnson and Chris Marcil, What We Do In The Shadows
  • Paul Simms, What We Do In The Shadows
  • Stefani Robinson, What We Do In The Shadows

Writing for a drama series

  • Thomas Schnauz, Better Call Saul
  • Thomas Schnauz,
  • Gordon Smith, Better Call Saul
  • Peter Morgan, The Crown
  • Chris Mundy, Ozark
  • John Shiban, Ozark
  • Miki Johnso, Ozark
  • WINNING: Jesse Armstrong, Succession

Writing for a limited series, movie or drama

  • Tanya Barfield, Mrs. America
  • Sally Rooney and Alice Birch, Normal People
  • Susannah Grant, Ayelet Waldman and Michael Chabon, Unbelievable
  • Anna Winger, Unorthodox
  • WINNER: Damon Lindelof and Cord Jefferson, Watchmen

Director for a comedy series

  • Matt Shakman, The Great
  • Amy Sherman-Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • Daniel Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
  • Gail Mancuso, Modern Family • Finale Part 2
  • Ramy Youssef, Ramy
  • WINNER: Andrew Cividino and Daniel Levy, Schitt’s Creek
  • James Burrows, Will & Grace

Directing for a drama series

  • Benjamin Caron, The Crown
  • Jessica Hobbs, The Crown
  • Lesli Linka Glatter, Homeland
  • Mimi Leder, The Morning Show Mimi Leder,
  • Alik Sakharov, Ozark
  • Ben Semanoff, Ozark
  • WINNER: Andrij Parekh, Succession
  • Mark Mylod, Succession

Directing for a limited series

  • Lynn Shelton, Little Fires Everywhere
  • Lenny Abrahamson, Normal People
  • WINNER: Maria Schrader, Unorthodox
  • Nicole Kassell, Watchmen
  • Steph Green, Watchmen
  • Stephen Williams, Watchmen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gobrh_hHXLk

President Trump: “Supreme Court Nominee Will Be A Woman”

Diane A. Wade
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0
President Trump: “Supreme Court Nominee Will Be A Woman”
Image source: Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump has announced he will next week nominate a woman to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, escalating a political row over her successor.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on September 18 at the age of 87, just weeks before the presidential election.

Joe Biden insists the decision on her replacement should wait until after the vote.

The ideological balance of the nine-member court is crucial to its rulings on the most important issues in US law.

However, President Trump has vowed to swear in Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s successor “without delay”, a move that has infuriated Democrats, who fear Republicans will vote to lock in a decades-long conservative majority on the country’s highest court.

“I will be putting forth a nominee next week. It will be a woman,” President Trump said at a campaign rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina on September 19.

“I think it should be a woman because I actually like women much more than men.”

Some supporters chanted “Fill that seat!” as President Trump spoke, urging him to take the rare opportunity to nominate a third justice during one presidential term to a lifetime appointment on the court.

Earlier, President Trump praised two female judges who serve on federal courts of appeals as possible choices. Both judges – Amy Coney Barrett and Barbara Lagoa – are conservatives who would tip the balance of the Supreme Court in favor of Republicans.

Democrats have vigorously opposed any nomination before November’s election, arguing that Senate Republicans blocked Democratic President Barack Obama’s choice for the Supreme Court in 2016.

At the time, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell justified the move on grounds that it was an election year.

On September 18, Senator McConnell said he intended to act on any nomination President Trump made and bring it to a vote in the Senate before Election Day.

Notorious RBG: Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dies Aged 87

Senate Confirms Brett Kavanaugh as Supreme Court Judge

Donald Trump Nominates Neil Gorsuch for Supreme Court

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, affectionately known as “The Notorious RBG”, a liberal icon and feminist standard-bearer, died of metastatic pancreatic cancer at her home in Washington DC, surrounded by her family. She was only the second-ever woman to sit on the Supreme Court.

The appointment of judges in is a political question which means the president gets to choose who is put forward. The Senate then votes to confirm – or reject – the choice.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who served for 27 years, was one of only four liberals on the nine-seat bench. Her death means that, should the Republicans get the vote through, the balance of power would shift decisively towards the conservatives.

President Trump, who has already chosen two Supreme Court justices during his presidency, is well aware that getting his nominee in would give conservatives control over key decisions for decades to come. Justices can serve for life, unless they decide to retire.

He tweeted on September 19: “We were put in this position of power and importance to make decisions for the people who so proudly elected us, the most important of which has long been considered to be the selection of United States Supreme Court Justices. We have this obligation, without delay!”

Earlier, Senator McConnell said in a statement – which included a tribute to Ginsburg – that “President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate”.

The senator had argued in 2016 that “the American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice” which meant “this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president”.

Now he says the Senate was within its rights to act because it was Republican-controlled, and Donald Trump is a Republican president.

Ricin Letter Sent to President Trump Intercepted by White House Screening Facility

Nancy Clayson
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0
Ricin Letter Sent to President Trump Intercepted by White House Screening Facility
Image source Wikimedia

A letter containing ricin poison that was addressed to President Donald Trump has been intercepted before it reached the White House, officials told media.

It was discovered at a screening facility for White House mail earlier this week, the officials said.

They said a substance found inside the envelope was identified as ricin, a poison found naturally in castor beans.

The Trump administration is yet to comment on the reports.

The FBI and the Secret Service are investigating where the package came from and whether others have been sent through the US postal system.

“At this time, there is no known threat to public safety,” the FBI told CNN in a statement on September 19.

Shannon Richardson posted ricin letter to Barack Obama and Michael Bloomberg

Ricin letter sent to Barack Obama at White House

Ricin letter posted to Senator Roger Wicker intercepted at US Capitol

One official told the New York Times that investigators believe the package was sent from Canada. Reports say the presence of ricin was identified after two tests.

Ricin is produced by processing castor beans. It is a lethal substance that, if swallowed, inhaled or injected, can cause nausea, vomiting, internal bleeding and ultimately organ failure.

No known antidote exists for ricin. According to the CDC, if a person is exposed to ricin, death can take place within 36 to 72 hours, depending on the dose received.

The CDC said ricin – which has been used in terror plots – can be manufactured into a weapon in the form of a powder, mist or pellet.

The White House and other federal buildings have been the target of ricin packages in the past.

In 2014, a Mississippi man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for sending letters dusted with ricin to former President Barack Obama and other officials.

In 2018, a former Navy veteran was charged with sending toxic letters to the Pentagon and White House.

Notorious RBG: Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dies Aged 87

Diane A. Wade
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0
Notorious RBG: Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dies Aged 87
Image source Wikimedia

Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg, died on September 18 at the age of 87, just six weeks before the presidential election.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal icon and feminist standard-bearer, died of metastatic pancreatic cancer at her home in Washington DC, surrounded by her family. She was only the second-ever woman to sit on the US Supreme Court.

Supporters gathered outside the court on Friday night to pay tribute to the woman who had become affectionately known as “The Notorious RBG”.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who served for 27 years, was one of only four liberals on the nine-seat bench. Her death means that, should the Republicans get the vote through, the balance of power would shift decisively towards the conservatives.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Released from Hospital Following Cancer Surgery

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Fractures Three Ribs in Fall

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg admits she was not sober at State of the Union address

President Donald Trump has said he wants a new Supreme Court judge to be sworn in “without delay”, following the death of the long serving liberal justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

His Democrat rival, Joe Biden, insists the decision on her replacement must wait until after the vote.

The ideological balance of the nine-member court is crucial to its rulings on the most important issues in US law.

In 2016, Senate Republicans blocked Democratic President Barack Obama’s pick for the US top court. At the time, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell justified the move on grounds that it was an election year.

However, Senator Mitch McConnell said he intended to act on any nomination President Trump made.

The appointment of judges in the US is a political question which means the president gets to choose who is put forward. The Senate then votes to confirm – or reject – the choice.

President Trump, who has already chosen two Supreme Court justices during his presidency, is well aware that getting his nominee in would give conservatives control over key decisions for decades to come. Justices can serve for life, unless they decide to retire.

He tweeted on September 19: “We were put in this position of power and importance to make decisions for the people who so proudly elected us, the most important of which has long been considered to be the selection of United States Supreme Court Justices. We have this obligation, without delay!”

Earlier, Senator McConnell said in a statement – which included a tribute to Ginsburg – that “President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate”.

The senator had argued in 2016 that “the American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice” which meant “this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president”.

Now the senator says the Senate was within its rights to act because it was Republican-controlled, and President Trump is a Republican president.

Another Hot Death in Florida, Why Car Safety in Florida is Lagging

Nancy Clayson
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0
Another Hot Death in Florida, Why Car Safety in Florida is Lagging
Image by cfarnsworth from Pixabay

The family of a 1-year-old in Orlando is mourning his needless death, not from COVID but negligence. The young boy’s body was found inside a parked car on Friday, and authorities believe he died after being left in a hot car by his unnamed parent or guardian.

According to reports, the young boy was supposed to be dropped off at daycare. But that did not happen, and an ongoing investigation is trying to determine what exactly happened on Friday.

With outside temperatures reaching 87 degrees in the Orlando area on Friday, the internal temperature of the car could increase to almost 120 degrees in roughly one hour if it were parked in the sun. At those temperatures, a child who was locked in a car seat would be unable to call for help or free themselves from the vehicle.

A peer-reviewed study published in Temperature found that even if a car were parked in the shade, it would only have a minimal impact on the internal temperature in the vehicle. Florida law recognizes this risk, and it is a felony to leave a child under six in a car by themselves for more than 15 minutes if the vehicle is running. If the engine is turned off, then the parent or guardian is required to bring the child with them and not leave them in the car.

In 2019, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that heatstroke from being left in a parked vehicle was the cause of death for 52 children across the country. Year-to-date, more than 20 children, have met the same fate.


This raises a question. Why do parents or guardians continue to leave their children in parked cars? Granted, this behavior is dangerous on several levels. Still, the risks are particularly acute in the summertime when temperatures soar, and vehicles with their walls of glass become nothing more than hothouses on wheels.

Such an incident is a parent’s worst nightmare, but in the Sunshine State, the combination of the sun and the heat is means that all drivers must be vigilant. This is not to excuse leaving a youngster in a parked car. These deaths should have been avoided.

Beyond the risk of “hot deaths,” road safety is another issue in Florida. In 2017, Teletrac Navman named I-4 from Tampa to Daytona Beach as one of the most dangerous roads, not just in the state but in the country.


Another Florida road that made the list is I-95 to and from Miami. If you have ever driven this stretch of road, then you know the reason as drivers regularly reach triple digits on the stretch of road leading to the Magic City can scare even the most experienced drivers.

This is one reason why Parkland accident lawyers, Zimmerman & Frachtman, noted that a “sad fact of life that automobile accidents are much more frequent than anyone would like to believe or admit.”

While no one likes being stuck in traffic, the reality is that many drivers in South Florida consistently drive faster than the speed limit, and this can increase the risk for everyone on the road.

According to state officials, stricter enforcement of existing traffic laws could help to make Florida’s roads safer. However, the police cannot patrol every mile of road 24-hours a day.

As such, another option is needed to reduce car accidents. This could include the use of technology to monitor traffic, and when possible, to ticket those who fail to follow the rules. However, this approach is not without its drawbacks.

Improving driver education also plays a role. This not only includes teaching inexperienced drivers but also conveying the dangers of texting and driving, as well as continuing drivers’ education for those seeking to renew their driver’s licenses.

Florida is a great place to live and raise a family. However, the awareness of car safety issues continues to lag in the state, whether it be the dangers of leaving children, pets, and the elderly in hot cars, to the reckless driving which is pervasive on our roads.

As Floridians, we need to do better. This can start with supporting the efforts of our local governments and police departments as they try to increase awareness of these issues to driving safely ourselves.

Everyone has a role to play in making Florida a safe place to live.  Will you play your part, or will you read the headlines following another needless hot death or pile up on I-95 and just shake your head? The choice is yours.

How to Improve Posture in Less Than 30 Days

Kathryn R. Bown
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How to Improve Posture in Less Than 30 Days
A new research has found that people who walk with a slouched body posture are more likely to feel depressed

Having a good posture is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Your posture plays a huge role in making sure that your bones are well aligned with the rest of your body while the tension in your ligaments and muscles is properly distributed. A person with good posture will have improved blood flow, decreased wear and tear on joints, and experience less shoulder, back, and neck pain than a person with bad posture.

Your posture is determined by your day-to-day habits which are formed over years of repeated behavior. Luckily, you won’t need years to improve your posture. In this article, we will explore 4 things you can do daily that will improve your posture in less than 30 days.

Start Your Day with Stretches

Tight and tense muscles have a major impact on your posture and can lead to a miserable day in the office. A daily stretch can help relieve any tension or pain you may have sustained from sleeping, energize you for the day, improve your posture, decrease back pain, help prevent injury, decrease muscle pain, and improve your body’s flexibility. 

Form a new daily habit of a full-body stretch in the morning; this will allow you to loosen up your muscles and give you a better chance at maintaining a good posture during the day.

Keep Your Sitting Posture in Check

You may have heard of ergonomic chairs, and even ergonomic mouse pads and keyboards, but what does the term ergonomic mean and why is it important? According to Collins, ergonomics is the science that seeks to adapt work or working conditions to suit the worker so that workers can perform activities efficiently and comfortably. An ergonomic chair would be a chair that can be adjusted to give a person the most support and most comfort while they are seated.

Your chair can only do so much though. When you are sitting at your office desk, or even seated behind the wheel of your car, try and practice ergonomic sitting. Most people tend to lean forward while seated, putting unnecessary pressure on the lower back. While seated, sit upright so that your shoulder blades are in line with your hip and make sure your chair’s height is adjusted so that your feet can sit flat on the ground. Your knees should bend at a natural 90-degree angle and legs should remain uncrossed. 

Start Strengthening Your Core Muscles

The muscles in your core can be defined as those that help keep you upright. Exercising these muscles can greatly improve your posture in just a few sessions. Exercises such as planks, deadlifts, squats, and crunches are some of the main exercises you can do to strengthen your core and help you on the road to a better posture.

Relax with Care

Relaxing after a long day at work is a must; however, now is not the time to start slacking on your posture. Watching TV from a couch or while lounging on a bed may be comfortable, but the effect it could have on your muscles later that night may just negate all those good feelings. Watching TV from the wrong position can cause strain in the back and neck muscles, so be sure to give your body ample support during times of relaxation.

Your bed is another important factor in good posture as the right bed can mean the difference between a good night’s sleep and one which leaves a person with more aches and pains than they went to sleep with. Make sure your mattress is hard enough to support your weight but not too hard that it affects your posture while you sleep. If you feel that your current bed is not up to the task, a list of Black Friday mattress deals can help you find a bed that best suits you and your budget.

While forming new habits can be difficult, improving posture can have a huge impact on a person’s everyday health and wellbeing. Start practicing some of these good habits today and you should see an improvement in your overall health almost immediately.

Alexei Navalny: Traces of Nerve Agent Found on A Bottle in His Hotel Room, Says His Team

Roy Siemens
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Alexei Navalny: Traces of Nerve Agent Found on A Bottle in His Hotel Room, Says His Team

According to Alexei Navany’s team, traces of the nerve agent allegedly used to poison the Russian opposition leader were found on a bottle in the hotel room where he stayed before falling ill.

Alexei Navalny collapsed on a flight in Siberia last month. Germany says he was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent.

It was previously thought that he may have been targeted at the airport.

A post on his Instagram account says: “Now we understand: It was done before he left his room to reach the airport.”

Alexei Navalny, Russia’s most high profile opposition figure and a leading critic of President Vladimir Putin, is currently receiving treatment in the German capital Berlin.

His team alleges he was poisoned on the orders of President Putin.

However, the Kremlin denies any involvement in the case and says there is no evidence that a nerve agent was used.

A video posted on Alexei Navalny’s Instagram account on September 17 shows members of his team in a hotel room in the Siberian city of Tomsk after news of his poisoning emerged.

The post says they were there to gather potential evidence from the hotel to send to Alexei Navalny’s medical team in Germany because they did not trust the Russian authorities.

Several empty water bottles can be seen in the clip. They are among a number of items bagged by individuals wearing gloves.

“It is precisely on the bottle from the Tomsk hotel room that a German laboratory found traces of Novichok,” the post says.

The German authorities have not commented on the alleged finding.

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Earlier this week, Alexei Navalny posted once for the first time since he fell ill. He said he was now able to breathe unaided. His spokeswoman said he intended to return to Russia.

Alexei Navalny became ill during the flight from Tomsk to Moscow on August 20, and the plane made an emergency landing in the city Omsk. Russian officials were persuaded to allow him to be airlifted to Germany two days later.

After carrying out tests, Germany said there was “unequivocal proof” that Alexei Navalny had been poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent.

According to the German government, labs in Sweden and France later confirmed the findings. A nerve agent from the Novichok group was also used to poison Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, in England, in 2018. They both survived, but a local woman, Dawn Sturgess, died after coming into contact with the poison.

Barbados Drops Queen Elizabeth as Head of State and Says It Is Becoming A Republic

Diane A. Wade
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Barbados Drops Queen Elizabeth as Head of State and Says It Is Becoming A Republic
Image source Wikimedia

Barbados has decided to remove Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state and become a republic.

The Caribbean island nation’s government said: “The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind.”

The Barbadian government aims to complete the process in time for the 55th anniversary of independence from Britain, in November 2021.

A speech written by PM Mia Mottley said Barbadians wanted a local head of state.

It read: “This is the ultimate statement of confidence in who we are and what we are capable of achieving.”

Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace said that it was a matter for the government and people of Barbados.

The statement was part of the Throne Speech, which outlines the Barbadian government’s policies and programs ahead of the new session of parliament.

While it is read out by the governor-general, it is written by the country’s prime minister.

The speech also quoted a warning from Errol Barrow, Barbados’s first prime minister after it gained independence, who said that the Caribbean country should not “loiter on colonial premises”.

Errol Barrow’s is not the only voice in Barbados that has been suggesting a move away from the monarchy. A constitutional review commission recommended republican status for Barbados in 1998.

Mia Mottley’s predecessor in officer, Freundel Stuart, also argued for a “move from a monarchical system to a republican form of government in the very near future”.

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Barbados would not be the first former British colony in the Caribbean to become a republic. Guyana took that step in 1970, less than four years after gaining independence from Britain. Trinidad and Tobago followed suit in 1976 and Dominica in 1978.

All three stayed within the Commonwealth, an association of former British colonies and current dependencies, along with some countries that have no historical ties to Britain.

Barbados key facts:

  • Is one of the more populous and prosperous Caribbean islands;
  • Gained its independence from Britain in 1966;
  • Queen Elizabeth II remains its constitutional monarch;
  • Once heavily dependent on the sugar exports, its economy has diversified into tourism and finance;
  • Its prime minister is Mia Mottley, elected in 2018 and the first woman to hold the post.

New Bronze Statue of Melania Trump Unveiled in Slovenia

Lisa.Felice
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New Bronze Statue of Melania Trump Unveiled in Slovenia
Image source Wikimedia

A new metal statue to First Lady Melania Trump has been unveiled near her hometown in Slovenia.

The bronze statue replaces a wooden sculpture erected in 2019, which was set alight shortly afterwards by unknown arsonists.

Some described the original as a “disgrace” or a “Smurfette”, saying it did not look like Melania Trump.

The new one features a plaque dedicating the sculpture to “the eternal memory of a monument to Melania which stood at this location”.

The First Lady was born in Novo Mesto in 1970, but grew up in the town of Sevnica, when Slovenia was part of the Communist nation of Yugoslavia.

American artist Brad Downey commissioned the original piece and placed it outside Sevnica in 2019.

The sculpture carved out of a tree trunk by local chainsaw artisan Ales Zupevc and depicted Melania Trump in a blue coat like the one she wore to President Donald Trump’s inauguration, but bore only a loose resemblance to the First Lady.

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The wooden sculpture was set alight on 4th of July this year, but Brad Downey has since exhibited the burnt statue in Slovenia, saying it “represents a visual representation of political tensions that are erupting in my country”.

The new statue, made of bronze and revealed to the public on September 15, is a replica of the original.

Slovenian artist Marko Vivoda told AP: “We are here today because we put up again a statue of Melania to the place where it was burnt and to commemorate the statue that was set on fire.”

Since the election of President Trump in 2016, tourists have come to Sevnica to learn more about the First Lady’s origins.

Residents have brought out ranges of Melania-branded merchandise, including slippers, cakes, and Trump-like burgers with fly-away cheese “hair”.

A wooden statue of Donald Trump also appeared in Sevnica last year.

The nearly 26ft tall statue depicted him with a square head and jaw and was similarly controversial before also being burnt down by unknown culprits in January 2020.

Yoshihide Suga Becomes Japan’s Prime Minister Succeeding Shinzo Abe

Diane A. Wade
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Yoshihide Suga Becomes Japan’s Prime Minister Succeeding Shinzo Abe
Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Yoshihide Suga has been elected by Japan’s parliament as the country’s new prime minister, following the surprise resignation of Shinzo Abe.

After winning the leadership of the governing party earlier this week, today’s vote confirms the former chief cabinet secretary’s new position.

A close ally of Shinzo Abe, Yoshihide Suga is expected to continue his predecessor’s policies.

Shinzo Abe announced his resignation last month citing health issues.

On September 16, Shinzo Abe held his final cabinet meeting and told reporters he was proud of his achievements during his nearly eight years in power.

Yoshihide Suga then easily won a poll for prime minister in the Diet, Japan’s lower house, receiving 314 out of 462 votes.

Given that a coalition headed by his conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) holds the majority in the house, Yoshihide Suga’s win was widely expected.

Along with his new cabinet Suga will later be ceremonially endorsed by the emperor at the Imperial Palace.

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A veteran politician and long-time cabinet member, Yoshihide Suga takes the lead at a difficult time for the world’s third-largest economy.

Like many other nations, Japan is struggling with the coronavirus pandemic which has caused the biggest economic slump on record following years of economic stagnations.

Japan is also dealing with a rapidly ageing society, with nearly a third of the population older than 65.

Yoshihide Suga, 71, has served for years as chief cabinet secretary, the most senior role in government after the prime minister.

He has already promised to carry on much of the previous administration’s agenda, including the economic reform program dubbed Abenomics.

Born the son of strawberry farmers, Yoshihide Suga comes from a humble background that sets him apart from much of Japan’s political elite.

He only slowly within the political ranks. He first worked as a secretary for an LDP lawmaker before eventually embarking on his own political career, from city council elections to becoming a member of the Diet in 1996.

In 2005 he became a cabinet minister under Junichiro Koizumi and gained further influence in the subsequent Abe cabinet.

As Shinzo Abe’s right-hand man, Yoshihide Suga gained a reputation for being efficient and practical and the outgoing prime minister strongly supported his ally’s bid for the leadership.

Coronavirus: President Trump Denies Downplaying Seriousness of Covid-19

Diane A. Wade
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Coronavirus: President Trump Denies Downplaying Seriousness of Covid-19
“Donald Trump” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Gage Skidmore

President Donald Trump has denied downplaying the severity of the new coronavirus, despite admitting in a recorded interview to having done that.

At the Q&A meeting with undecided voters, President Trump said he had “up-played” it.

The claim contradicts comments the president made to journalist Bob Woodward earlier this year, when he said he minimized the virus’s severity to avoid panic.

President Trump also repeated on September 15 that a vaccine could be ready “within weeks” despite skepticism from health experts.

No vaccine has yet completed clinical trials, leading some scientists to fear politics rather than health and safety is driving the push for a vaccine before the November 3 presidential elections.

More than 195,000 people have died with Covid-19 in the US since the beginning of the pandemic, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University.

Meanwhile, the magazine Scientific American on September 15 endorsed a presidential candidate for the first time in its 175-year history, backing Democrat Joe Biden for the White House.

The magazine said President Trump “rejects evidence and science” and described his response to the coronavirus pandemic as “dishonest and inept”.

At the town hall meeting held by ABC News in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, President Trump was asked why he would “downplay a pandemic that is known to disproportionately harm low-income families and minority communities”.

The president responded: “Yeah, well, I didn’t downplay it. I actually, in many ways, I up-played it, in terms of action.”

“My action was very strong,” Donald Trump said, citing a ban imposed on people travelling from China and Europe earlier this year.

“We would have lost thousands of more people had I not put the ban on. We saved a lot of lives when we did that,” he added.

In its statement on September 15, Scientific American said despite warnings in January and February, President Trump “did not develop a national strategy to provide protective equipment, coronavirus testing or clear health guidelines.”

Bob Woodward, who broke the Watergate scandal in 1972 and is one of the US’s most respected journalists, interviewed President Trump 18 times from December 2019 to July 2020.

In February, President Trump indicated in an interview with Bob Woodward that he knew more about the severity of the illness than he had said publicly.

According to a recording of the call, President Trump said coronavirus was deadlier than the flu.

Later that month, he said that the virus was “very much under control”, and that the case count would soon be close to zero. He also publicly implied the flu was more dangerous than Covid-19.

Speaking on Capitol Hill on March 10, President Trump said: “Just stay calm. It will go away.”

Nine days later, after the White House declared the pandemic a national emergency, the president told Bob Woodward: “I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”

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Donald Trump, who is seeking re-election, repeated his earlier claim that the virus would disappear on its own because people would “develop… herd mentality”, likely referring to “herd immunity” when enough people have developed resistance to a disease to stop its transmission.

The president also again cast doubt on the scientific advice of his own administration on mask-wearing.

He said: “The concept of a mask is good, but… you’re constantly touching it. You’re touching your face. You’re touching plates. There are people that don’t think masks are good.”

The CDC strongly urges the use of face masks.

President Trump has made contradictory comments on face masks, on the one hand disparaging them as unsanitary, and on the other calling on Americans to “show patriotism” by wearing them.

The Q&A meeting with undecided voters on September 15 came as the presidential election battle entered its final stretches.

Joe Biden is expected to sit for a similar program in Pennsylvania that will air on September 17.

Pennsylvania is seen as a key battleground state in the race to the White House.

#StopHateforProfit: Kim Kardashian Joins Social Media Boycott

Nancy Clayson
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#StopHateforProfit: Kim Kardashian Joins Social Media Boycott
Photo Instagram

Kim Kardashian West joined dozens of other celebrities announcing they will freeze their social media accounts to protest against the spread of “hate, propaganda and misinformation” as part of the #StopHateforProfit campaign.

The reality star wrote in a statement on September 15: “Misinformation shared on social media has a serious impact.”

The celebrities will freeze their accounts for 24 hours on September 16.

Kim Kardashian said: “I can’t sit by and stay silent while these platforms continue to allow the spreading of hate, propaganda and misinformation – created by groups to sow division and split America apart.”

“Misinformation shared on social media has a serious impact on our elections and undermines our democracy,” she added.

Other celebrities that have agreed to take part in the boycott include Katy Perry, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sacha Baron Cohen and Jennifer Lawrence.

Katy Perry wrote on Instagram: “I can’t sit idly by while these platforms turn a blind eye to groups and posts spreading hateful disinformation.”

Ashton Kutcher, who has millions of followers and is also joining the boycott, said “these tools were not built to spread hate [and] violence”.

The organizers of the #StopHateforProfit campaign, which was launched in June, accuse Facebook and Instagram of not doing enough to stop hate speech and disinformation.

The group has focused on Facebook, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp and last year attracted advertising revenue of almost $70 billion.

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Thousands of businesses and major civil rights groups – including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Anti-Defamation League (AD) – have signed up to the campaign.

The group said in a statement: “We are quickly approaching one of the most consequential elections in American history.

“Facebook’s unchecked and vague ‘changes’ are falling dangerously short of what is necessary to protect our democracy.”

In June, Facebook said it would label potentially harmful or misleading posts left up for their news value.

Mark Zuckerberg also said the social media company would ban advertising containing claims “that people of a specific race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, caste, sexual orientation, gender identity or immigration status” are a threat to others.

The Facebook founder said in a statement: “The 2020 elections were already shaping up to be heated.

“During this moment, Facebook will take extra precautions to help everyone stay safe [and] stay informed.”

However, the #StopHateforProfit campaign called for more to be done, and more than 90 companies subsequently paused advertising in support of its efforts.

As a result of the boycott, shares in Facebook fell dramatically and media reported that $7.2 billion had been knocked off Mark Zuckerberg’s personal net worth.

Regulators and policy-makers around the world are concerned about the growth of hate speech, not just on Facebook but on all social media platforms, with many countries launching enquiries into how the tech companies are dealing with the issue.

Middle East Peace Deal: President Trump Hails Israel’s Landmark Deals with UAE and Bahrain

Roy Siemens
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Middle East Peace Deal: President Trump Hails Israel’s Landmark Deals with UAE and Bahrain
Image source: AP

President Donald Trump has hailed the “dawn of a new Middle East”, amid Israel’s landmark deals with the UAE and Bahrain.

The president spoke as the two Gulf states signed agreements fully normalizing their relations with Israel.

The three countries hailed the deals as historic, as did President Trump, whose administration helped broker them.

The UAE and Bahrain are just the third and fourth Arab countries to recognize Israel since its founding in 1948.

President Trump hopes other countries will follow suit, but the Palestinians have urged them not to while their conflict remains unsolved.

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For decades, most Arab states have boycotted Israel, insisting they would only establish ties after Israel’s dispute with the Palestinian was settled.

“After decades of division and conflict we mark the dawn of a new Middle East,” President Trump told a crowd of hundreds gathered at the White House on September 15.

“We’re here this afternoon to change the course of history,” he added.

Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the deals, saying: “This day is a pivot of history; it heralds a new dawn of peace.”

However, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said only an Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories could bring peace to the Middle East.

“Peace, security and stability will not be achieved in the region until the Israeli occupation ends,” he said in a statement after the signing of the deals, AFP reports.

The Israeli army said that two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel while the ceremony was under way.

Before the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the only other Arab countries in the Middle East to recognize Israel officially were Egypt and Jordan, who signed peace treaties in 1978 and 1994 respectively.

Mauritania, a member of the Arab League in north-west Africa, established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1999 but severed ties in 2010.

Breonna Taylor’s Wrongful Death Lawsuit Settled for 12 Million

Nancy Clayson
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Breonna Taylor’s Wrongful Death Lawsuit Settled for 12 Million

The city of Louisville, Kentucky, has agreed to pay $12 million to the family of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was killed in her home by police.

Breonna Taylor was 26 when she was shot at least five times on 13 March during a mistaken drugs raid.

The black woman’s name has featured prominently in anti-racism protests in recent months.

Lonita Baker, a lawyer for Breonna Taylor’s family, called the settlement just one “layer” in the effort to seek justice, and praised new police reforms.

“Justice for Breonna is multi-layered,” she said at a press conference on September 15 alongside Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer.

She called the agreement “tremendous, but only a portion” of what the family hopes for, including the arrest of the officers involved in her death.

“Today what we did here was to do what we could do to bring a little bit of police reform and it’s just a start,” continued Leonita Baker.

“But we finished the first mile in the marathon and we’ve got a lot more miles to go to until we achieve and cross that finish line.”

The settlement includes a series of police reforms in Louisville, including a requirement that all search warrants be approved by a senior officer and giving a housing credit to officers who move to low income neighborhoods they patrol in the city.

In a short statement, Breonna Taylor’s mother Tamika Palmer called for criminal charges against the officers and asked people to continue to say her daughter’s name publicly in advocacy for police reforms.

The settlement is the largest financial sum paid in a police misconduct case in Louisville’s history, according to the Louisville Courier Journal.

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Breonna Taylor’s killing was propelled into the spotlight once again with the death George Floyd, an African-American man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May.

George Floyd’s death sparked global anti-racism protests and brought renewed focus on police brutality.

Shortly after midnight on March 13, three officers entered Breonna Taylor’s apartment by executing a no-knock search warrant – a court document that authorizes police to enter a home without warning.

Breonna Taylor and her partner, Kenneth Walker, were reportedly asleep as the commotion began.

The officers exchanged fire with Kenneth Walker, a licensed gun owner who called 911 in the belief that the drug raid was a burglary. The officers – who fired more than 25 bullets – said they returned fire after one officer was shot and wounded.

During the exchange, Breonna Taylor, an emergency medical technician, was shot eight times and later died.

No drugs were found on the property.

The lawsuit filed by Breonna Taylor’s family accuses the officers of battery, wrongful death, excessive force and gross negligence. It also says the officers were not looking for her or her partner, but for an unrelated suspect who did not live in the complex.

Breonna Taylor’s family has also accused police of leading the raid as a plot to gentrify her neighborhood. Louisville’s mayor dismissed the allegation as “outrageous” and “without foundation or supporting facts”.

One of the officers involved in the raid, Brett Hankison, was fired in June. The other two – Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove – were placed on administrative leave.

Louisville’s police chief was also fired in June after a separate police shooting.

A grand jury could soon decide whether criminal charges should be filed against any of the officers.

Until Freedom, a social justice organization that has held rallies for Breonna Taylor, released a statement saying: “No amount of money will bring back Breonna Taylor.”

“True justice is not served with cash settlements,” the group added.

“We need those involved in her murder to be arrested and charged. We need accountability. We need justice.”

Earlier this year, Louisville’s city council voted unanimously in favor of banning no-knock warrants. Similar legislation that would ban the warrants nationwide was introduced in the Congress.

Alexei Navalny Will Return to Russia

Diane A. Wade
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Alexei Navalny Will Return to Russia

Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who was allegedly poisoned last month, is to return to Russia, his spokeswoman has said.

Kira Yarmysh tweeted: “It’s puzzling to me why anyone should think otherwise.”

Alexei Navalny also posted a picture on Instagram for the first time since he was poisoned, announcing that he was breathing free of ventilation.

He collapsed on a flight from Siberia on August 20. Tests have shown he was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent.

Alexei Navalny was transferred to the Charité hospital in Berlin, Germany.

His team alleges he was poisoned on the orders of President Vladimir Putin.

However, the Kremlin denies any involvement.

Image source Wikimedia

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Kira Yarmysh also wrote: “All morning journalists have been writing to me and asking, is it true that Alexei plans to return to Russia?

“Again I can confirm to everyone: no other options were ever considered.”

The announcement came shortly after Alexei Navalny took to Instagram.

He wrote: “Hi, this is Navalny. I have been missing you. I still can’t do much, but yesterday I managed to breathe on my own for the entire day.

“Just on my own, no extra help, not even a valve in my throat. I liked it very much. It’s a remarkable process that is underestimated by many. Strongly recommended.”

There is a modest police presence outside the hospital where Alexei Navalny is being treated.

There are two armed officers by one entrance and a police van that has been stationed outside for days.

Unconfirmed reports in German media suggest two further armed police units have been set up inside – outside the ward and by Navalny’s bed.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has ruled out a meeting between Alexei Navalny and President Putin after the opposition figure recovers.

“We do not see the need for such a meeting, so I believe that such a meeting will not take place,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Interfax news agency.

Alexei Navalny, 44, is an anti-corruption campaigner who has long been the most prominent face of opposition to Vladimir Putin.

His supporters believe his tea was spiked at Tomsk airport on August 20.

Alexei Navalny became ill during the flight, and the plane made an emergency landing in Omsk. Russian officials were persuaded to allow Navalny to be airlifted to Germany two days later.

A nerve agent from the Novichok group was also used to poison ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, in England, in 2018. They both survived, but a local woman, Dawn Sturgess, died after coming into contact with the poison.

Britain accused Russia’s military intelligence of carrying out that attack. Twenty countries expelled more than 100 Russian diplomats and spies.

However, Russia denied any involvement.

US Open 2020: Naomi Osaka Wins Her Second Title at Flushing Meadows after Beating Victoria Azarenka

Clyde K. Valle
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US Open 2020: Naomi Osaka Wins Her Second Title at Flushing Meadows after Beating Victoria Azarenka

Japan’s Naomi Osaka has defeated Belarusian Victoria Azarenka in a compelling US Open final and claimed her third Grand Slam title.

The 22-year-old fourth seed Naomi Osaka won 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 for her second US Open title.

Naomi Osaka was overwhelmed in the first set and was in danger of trailing 3-0 in the second before recovering to win 10 of the next 11 games to take momentum.

Victoria Azarenka, 31, playing in her first major final since 2013, lost serve for 5-3 in the decider.

The Japanese shrieked with joy as she took her second match point, then calmly laid out on the court and stared at the New York sky as she contemplated her latest achievement.

Naomi Osaka’s level raised considerably as Victoria Azarenka was unable to maintain the intensity she showed in a one-sided opening set.

The fight back ensured Naomi Osaka, who won the 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open, maintained her record of winning every Grand Slam final she has played in.

Her maiden victory at Flushing Meadows in 2018 came in straight sets against Serena Williams in a hostile environment following the American’s infamous argument with umpire Carlos Ramos.

This second success could not have been more different.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

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This year, Naomi Osaka had to fight back from a set down against an inspired Victoria Azarenka – and navigate a tricky decider which could have swung either way – on a virtually empty Arthur Ashe Stadium because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Naomi Osaka looked a little lost as Victoria Azarenka overwhelmed her in a fast start, hitting 13 unforced errors and struggling to cope with the Belarusian’s proactive play and controlled aggression.

Eventually, though, the mental resilience which the Japanese says she has developed over recent months came to the fore.

That resulted in a major momentum shift in Naomi Osaka’s favor as Victoria Azarenka threatened to move 3-0 ahead in the second set.

The former world No 1 maintained that level in the decider to earn a 4-1 lead, but was unable to convert one of three break points to move 5-1 ahead.

That might have proved costly when Victoria Azarenka immediately put the set back on serve, only for Naomi Osaka to battle back again by winning what proved to be the final two games.

Covid-19 Vaccine: Oxford University to Resume Trial after Pause

Kathryn R. Bown
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Covid-19 Vaccine: Oxford University to Resume Trial after Pause

Trials of Astra Zeneca’s and Oxford University’s Covid-19 vaccine will resume after being paused due to a reported side effect in a patient in the UK.

On September 8, AstraZeneca said the studies were being paused while it investigated whether the adverse reaction was linked with the vaccine.

However, on September 12, Oxford University said it had been deemed safe to continue.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock welcomed the news that the trials would resume.

He said: “This pause shows we will always put safety first. We will back our scientists to deliver an effective vaccine as soon as safely possible.”

Oxford University said in a statement that it was “expected” that “some participants will become unwell” in large trials such as this one.

The university added that the studies could now resume following the recommendations of an independent safety review committee and the UK regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

It would not disclose information about the patient’s illness for confidentiality reasons.

However, the New York Times reported that a volunteer in the UK trial had been diagnosed with transverse myelitis, an inflammatory syndrome that affects the spinal cord and can be caused by viral infections.

The WHO says nearly 180 vaccine candidates are being tested around the world but none has yet completed clinical trials.

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Hopes have been high that the vaccine might be one of the first to come on the market, following successful Phase 1 and 2 testing.

The move to Phase 3 testing in recent weeks has involved some 30,000 participants in the US as well as in the UK, South Africa and Brazil. Phase 3 trials in vaccines often involve thousands of participants and can last several years.

According to official figures released on September 12, a further 3,497 people have tested positive with the virus in the UK. It is the second day in a row that number of daily reported cases has exceeded 3,000.

It brings the overall number of confirmed cases so far to 365,174. Meanwhile, the government figures revealed that a further nine people have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19, bring the UK death toll to 41,623.

Confederate Statue Removed in Charlottesville

Nancy Clayson
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Confederate Statue Removed in Charlottesville

Crowds cheered as a crane removed a statue of a Confederate soldier in Charlottesville, Virginia, the scene of a far-right rally three years ago.

The bronze figure, known as “At Ready”, was removed on September 12.

There has been an increased focus on monuments connected to slavery in the wake of mass anti-racism protests in the US and abroad this year.

A number of statues have been removed as a result.

Memorials to the Confederacy, a group of southern states that fought in favor of slavery against the Union in the American Civil War of 1861-1865, have been among those targeted.

However, there has been opposition to the removal of such symbols, with President Donald Trump saying earlier this year that he would “not even consider” renaming military bases after Confederate generals.

The statue was taken down from its plinth in front of the Albemarle County courthouse, where it had stood since 1909.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

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People gathered nearby danced to music as the monument, along with a cannon, were removed.

Albemarle County voted to dismantle the statue in August, the first decision to be made under a new law for removing Civil War monuments in Virginia introduced earlier this year.

In 2017, Charlottesville became the site of the largest white nationalist rally in decades, following a plan to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Avowed neo-Nazi James Alex Fields Jr. was later sentenced to life in prison after driving his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring dozens of others.

In June, Virginia’s Governor Ralph Northam announced that another statue of General Lee would be removed, this time in the state capital of Richmond.

The decision came amid mass protests across the US following the death of George Floyd in police custody.

However, a judge has since granted a temporary injunction to stop the statue’s removal.

President Trump Admits He Downplayed Coronavirus, Bob Woodward’s Book Reveals

Diane A. Wade
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President Trump Admits He Downplayed Coronavirus, Bob Woodward’s Book Reveals

According to a new book, President Donald Trump knew Covid-19 was deadlier than the flu before it hit the US but wanted to play down the crisis.

Bob Woodward, who broke the Watergate scandal and is one of the nation’s most respected journalists, interviewed President Trump 18 times from December to July.

President Trump is quoted as telling Bob Woodward the virus was “deadly stuff” before the first US death was confirmed.

Responding, Donald Trump said he had wanted to avoid causing public panic.

Some 190,000 Americans have been recorded as dying with Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.

“Donald Trump” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Gage Skidmore

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On September 9, some media released parts of the interviews between the president and the journalist, revealing his reported remarks on the outbreak as well as race and other issues.

Here are some of the key quotes so far from Rage, which will be released on September 15.

President Trump indicated that he knew more about the severity of the illness than he had said publicly.

According to a tape of the call, President Trump told Bob Woodward in February that the coronavirus was deadlier than the flu.

“It goes through the air,” President Trump told the author on February 7.

“That’s always tougher than the touch. You don’t have to touch things. Right? But the air, you just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed.

“And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.” 

Later that month, President Trump promised the virus was “very much under control”, and that the case count would soon be close to zero. He also publicly implied the flu was more dangerous than Covid-19.

Speaking on Capitol Hill on March 10, President Trump said: “Just stay calm. It will go away.”

Nine days later, days after the White House declared the pandemic a national emergency, the president told Bob Woodward: “I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”

Speaking from the White House on September 9, President Trump told reporters: “I don’t want people to be frightened, I don’t want to create panic, as you say, and certainly I’m not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy.

“We want to show confidence, we want to show strength.”

President Trump – who is running for re-election in November – said the Bob Woodward book was “a political hit job”.

Responding to reporters’ questions on the book, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said: “The president never downplayed the virus, once again. The president expressed calm. The president was serious about this.”

In a tweet, Joe Biden said that “while a deadly disease ripped through our nation, [President Trump] failed to do his job – on purpose. It was a life or death betrayal of the American people”.

Belarus Protests: At Least 100 Arrested at Anti-Lukashenko Rally

Diane A. Wade
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Belarus Protests: At Least 100 Arrested at Anti-Lukashenko Rally
Image source: Wikipedia

At least 100 people have been arrested in the Belarusian capital Minsk and other towns as protests against President Alexander Lukashenko were held for a fourth weekend in a row.

In Minsk, police charged demonstrators near the presidential palace, firing pepper spray and wielding batons.

Tens of thousands of people defied heavy security and rallied in the city.

Demonstrators want the long-time president to resign after his re-election last month amid allegations of ballot-rigging.

Mass unrest since then has seen at least four people killed and hundreds injured as the government tries to stamp out dissent.

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A number of opposition figures have fled Belarus.

On September 5, activist Olga Kovalkova became the latest to say she had taken refuge in neighboring Poland amid threats of imprisonment.

President Lukashenko, in power since 1994, has accused Western nations of interfering.

Protesters, human rights activists and observers say riot police are brutally suppressing peaceful marches in the former Soviet republic.

Belarus borders Russia, on which it depends heavily for energy and with which it historically has close ties, as well as Ukraine and EU states.

After the Viasna non-governmental organization reported 130 arrests on September 6, the Belarusian interior ministry confirmed for Russian news agency Interfax at least 100 detentions across the republic.

Eyewitnesses told Interfax that police began to make arrests in Minsk after the unsanctioned rally ended and people were going home. Video footage on September 7 shows men in plain clothes beating peaceful protesters with batons.

Internal Affairs Minister Yuri Karayev defended the actions of the security forces.

“They talk about the brutality of the Belarusian police, and I want to say this: there are no more humane, restrained and cool-headed police anywhere in the world,” he was quoted as saying by the official Belta news agency.

September 6 has become the key day for street demonstrations since the rallies began.

In recent days the security forces – dressed all in black with balaclavas over their faces – targeted university students as they returned from their holidays, dragging some from the streets and university buildings into unmarked minivans.

Protests have also been reported in other Belarusian cities and towns including Mogilev, Grodno, and Gomel.

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