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How to Make a Bodycon Dress Look Good on Plus Size Women

Lisa.Felice
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How to Make a Bodycon Dress Look Good on Plus Size Women

Bodycon dresses are all about highlighting a woman’s figure as they cling to the curves revealing the shape. It’s for this reason that a lot of plus size women shy away from these body-hugging dresses.

Can plus size women jump on the bodycon bandwagon too? Absolutely yes! The bodycon is here to stay and nobody should miss out on it. Today’s women are embracing their bodies more and this explains why you’re seeing more housewives, single ladies, slender ladies, and thick ladies wearing the plus size black jacket.

There’s this misconception that bodycon dresses should only be worn by ladies with perfect body shapes and that plus-size women should avoid them like a plague.

Image source: svgsilh.com

Here are some tips to help you wear a bodycon dress and rock it like the queen you are:

  1. The most important thing is being confident enough
  2. Always choose the right undergarment that evens out and flattens any plump on your body
  3. Wear seamless bras and panties with bodycon dresses
  4. Buy a dress that’s in your size. Getting smaller sizes will be disastrous

What are the best ways to wear a casual bodycon dress?

We have put together a number of ways in which plus-size women can wear bodycon dresses:

  1. Find printed patterns and geometrical prints

The easiest way to camouflage the extra weight is by working with a printed fabric. You shouldn’t go for larger prints as these only make you look heavier.

With a plus-size body, you should also try to incorporate geometrical lines – both horizontal and vertical stripes into your bodycon dress pattern.

2. Pick a good fabric

Considering the extra weight, go for thick fabrics that are strong and firm enough to hold on the extra plump areas of the body without showing any bulging. Choosing light or sheer fabrics would make all the details on your body more visible. Nobody wants to see your panty line.

3. Camouflage the abdominal area

Keeping in view with the extra fat around your abdominal area, you’ll be more comfortable if you cover it up. The best way to do this is by using a belt around your waistline to give this focal region a slimming effect.

If you can find bodycon dresses with a peplum style around the waist, they should work just as good.

4. Black bodycon dresses are the best

Black bodycon dresses are a great option for plus size women as they tend to give the women an elongated and vertical look with a stylish illusion of a much slimmer frame.

Image source: svgsilh.com

5. Try a bodycon with a crop top

If you would like to break the monotony of wearing a full bodycon dress, why not try the same look is a different yet classy way? Try pairing a crop top with a knee-length pencil skirt. This look creates the same bodycon effect while showing a little skin.

6. Go for a minimal look

Bodycon dresses are already a killer by themselves so there’s no need to over-accessorize. For the best look, choose simple jewelry. As they say, simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.

7. Choose the right style depending on your shape

Focus on your body shape when you’re choosing a dress. If you have a heavier bottom, choose a dress with an embellished top as it’ll divert attention to the top area. For women with heavy-looking bosoms, they should get a design that covers it.

You should also keep in mind that the neckline plays an important role in creating a balanced look.

8. The shoes

Plus size women tend to look shorter even when they aren’t very short. To overcome this, go for a pair of high heels that are comfortable to walk in.

Conclusion

It’s about time that society stopped judging women based on how they look and no one has the right to tell another person how they should dress. Women can wear whatever they want and look gorgeous irrespective of their size. All they need is a positive attitude.

If you’re plus size and wearing a bodycon has been one of your biggest fear, it shouldn’t be anymore. It’s now time to start rocking this sizzling trend – you’ll be surprised at how much there is to experiment with. We hope that our tips and hacks inspire you to get started.

Stay confident!

5 Strategies To Enhance Your Enterprise Cybersecurity Framework

Nancy Clayson
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5 Strategies To Enhance Your Enterprise Cybersecurity Framework

There are several widely-used, reliable strategies to enhance your enterprise cybersecurity framework across your organization. Experienced IT professionals understand the importance of advanced cybersecurity measures to secure and safeguard enterprise networks. Enterprise cybersecurity measures are much more advanced than individual network security techniques. Sophisticated cybersecurity procedures must additionally extend to your workstations, IT hardware, networks, and on-premises business structures. You even need to monitor cybersecurity on remote employee’s home workstations. When properly strategized, enterprise cybersecurity measures are essential to protect the data of your organization, internal stakeholders, as well as your valuable customers. Read on to learn about the essential strategies to enhance your enterprise cybersecurity framework.

vpn

Install Enterprise-Grade Cybersecurity Resources

Enterprise-grade security resources are essential tools to optimize your business cybersecurity framework. Without cybersecurity resources installed, you risk your platform security, performance, and data being compromised. Advanced firewall systems are one of the most integral cybersecurity components your organization can purchase. These systems monitor all incoming and outgoing traffic from your network to identify and proactively address potential threats. At the same time, you need to purchase advanced, enterprise-grade antivirus software to protect your network from potentially malicious attacks. Some of the most commonly purchased enterprise antivirus options are malware protection, system monitoring, and machine learning antivirus software. Even more, you should consider the benefits of using a VPN for your business. You need to install sophisticated, enterprise-grade cybersecurity resources to optimize your business security framework. 

Integrate A Container Registry  

Integrate a container registry into your organization to optimize your organizational cybersecurity framework. Advanced container registries are essential tools to organize and package your enterprise software libraries and files. Registries utilize containerization technology to securely package and seal software programs inside ‘containers,’ along with all of their application libraries, binaries, repositories, and additional files. Once integrated, a container registry supports all of your Docker containers and Helm Chart repositories across your software programs. An advanced container registry serves as a centralized, single access point to access your remote images and integrate them into your build ecosystem. Utilize an advanced container registry to optimize your enterprise cybersecurity framework. 

Preform Frequent IT Risk Assessments 

Frequent IT risk assessments are essential to optimize your enterprise cybersecurity framework. Preforming these regular assessments can largely improve online security in your company. Regular IT risk assessments are essential to identify potential malware, ransomware, spyware, or additional network virus attacks. At the same time, IT risk analyses can identify potential threats that could be caused by natural disaster, system failure, or accidental human interference. Thorough analyses can even protect against malicious behavior like interference, interception, or impersonation. By conducting frequent assessments, you can protect your organization from data loss, legal consequences, as well as application or system downtime. You need to preform frequent IT risk assessments to significantly optimize your organizational cybersecurity framework. 

Enforce Stronger Passwords 

Enforce stronger passwords to strengthen cybersecurity procedures across your organization. Strong passwords are essential to protect your network accounts, enterprise information, customer data, and employee systems. The best passwords contain mixed case letters, numbers, symbols, and special characters. At the same time, you should never use the same password for more than one enterprise account. Ensure that employees do not have their passwords written down anywhere where they can easily be viewed, compromised, lost, or stolen. If you are worried about losing your enterprise passwords, purchase a secure password manager to store all of your account data. You need to enforce stronger passwords to optimize your organizational cybersecurity framework. 

Map Threat Surface Area

Once you have identified threats, it is essential to map your threat surface area to optimize your enterprise cybersecurity procedures. Take a considerable amount of time to map out your threat surface area based on quantifiable risk. You can determine risk based on potential threats to your stakeholders, employees, or even your customers. Mapping your threats allows you to identify the specific data, applications, identities, systems, and network elements that must be sufficiently safeguarded. Through this technique, you can identify and allocate valuable resources for specific network defensive measures. Be sure to map your threat surface area to optimize your organizational cybersecurity practices. 

There are several strategic methods to optimize your enterprise cybersecurity framework. First, you need to install sophisticated, enterprise-grade cybersecurity resources. Utilize an advanced container registry to store and securely transport data throughout development stages. At the same time, preform frequent IT risk assessments to analyze your security performance. Moreover, enforce stronger passwords to optimize your organizational cybersecurity framework. Furthermore, be sure to map your threat surface area throughout your business. Consider the points mentioned above to learn about the essential strategies to enhance your enterprise cybersecurity framework.

North Korea Bombs Joint Liaison Office with South Korea

Roy Siemens
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North Korea Bombs Joint Liaison Office with South Korea

North Korea has blown up a joint liaison office with South Korea near the border town of Kaesong.

The incident comes just hours after North Korea renewed threats of military action at the Korean border.

The site was opened in 2018 to help the Koreas – officially in a state of war – to communicate. The joint liaison office had been empty since January due to Covid-19 restrictions.

In a statement, South Korea warned it would “respond strongly” if North Korea “continues to worsen the situation”.

The destruction of the office, the statement said, “abandons the hopes of everyone who wanted the development of inter-Korean relations and peace settlement in the Korean Peninsula”.

“The government makes it clear that all responsibility of this situation lies in the North.”

Image source Wikimedia

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Kim Jong-un Appears In Public After 20 Days of Absence

Russia expressed concern at the renewed tensions between the Koreas.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said on June 16: “We call for restraint from all the sides.”

Tensions between North and South Korea have been escalating for weeks, prompted by defector groups in the South sending propaganda across the border.

Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong – considered a close and powerful ally – threatened at the weekend to demolish the office.

There were hopes for improved relations between North Korea and South Korea and its close ally the US after President Donald Trump met Kim Jong-un at the North-South border last June, but nothing materialized and the atmosphere has since deteriorated.

North Korea is under crippling US and UN economic sanctions over its militarized nuclear program. Washington has not yet commented on the North’s latest action.

In recent weeks, North Korea has repeatedly condemned South Korea for allowing propaganda into its territory.

Defector groups regularly send such material via balloons, or even drones, into North Korea.

Caring for Blemish-Prone Skin: 7 Things You Need to Know

Kathryn R. Bown
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Caring for Blemish-Prone Skin: 7 Things You Need to Know

Clear skin makes us look healthy, feel naturally beautiful, and more confident. Blemish-prone skin can be an uncomfortable and embarrassing issue to deal with. It also requires a lot of time and effort in order to prevent breakouts and to remove scars and spots that develop under the skin. Most of the things that we can do to cover up and hide these noticeable and sometimes painful blemishes can make the skin problem even worse, which causes a ripple effect. There are many factors that play a role in the condition of your skin, such as stress, diet, hormones, skin type, and more. Fortunately, if you follow the right skin care regime, keeping your pimples under control will become much easier, as it incorporates itself into your daily routine. Here are six things you need to know about caring for blemish-prone skin.

Image by Kjerstin Michaela Haraldsen from Pixabay

Cleanse Thoroughly

Dirt, oils, makeup, and anything that builds up on your fingers and makeup brushes will form the ideal breeding ground for bacteria on your face. If you cleanse your skin twice a day, in the morning and in the night, it will prevent your pores from getting clogged up, which is one of the easiest ways to keep your skin clear. A cream cleanser that doesn’t cause dryness or irritation would be an ideal choice.

Start Exfoliating

If you allow excess oil and dirt build-up on your skin, it will promote the growth of bacteria that can trigger acne. This is difficult to remove via cleansing alone. Exfoliating once a week will keep your skin clean, which can avert future breakouts. You should use a gentle, anti-inflammatory exfoliator to scrub during a breakout, as normal ones can irritate the skin and prevent proper healing.

Moisturize Daily

Hydrating your skin won’t have an immediate effect on existing breakouts, but it is an essential part of any skin care routine and is a highly effective method of prevention. When your skin is well-hydrated, it will be healthy and it will heal faster. You should moisturize your skin twice daily. For an extra burst of hydration, you should use squalane oil. For the best results, make sure it’s 100% pure.

Take Necessary Vitamins

We shouldn’t forget that the skin is another organ, and eating healthy and taking enough vitamins directly affects its function. Zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin B complex are the main vitamins for improving your skin’s health. If you want to take dietary supplements, you should try well-researched tables. Also, If you want to have faster results, you can apply for IV treatments that will fit your needs. Nowadays, you can receive mobile IV treatment anywhere, for example, you can receive mobile IV treatment in Fort Worth, were within 15-20 minutes. Your body will eventually benefit from this treatment since it boosts energy and provides relief, which will affect your skin as well.

Try Treatments

There are many factors that can trigger breakouts, such as diet, stress, and hormones. Sometimes, these factors are out of your control, which means you won’t realize they are causing an issue until it is too late. For moments like this, you should have an effective spot treatment on hand to target these breakouts. When applied directly to the area, it can reduce swelling and redness.

Apply Serums

Serums are packed full of a concentrated amount of fast-acting and hardworking ingredients. They do not work overnight, but they will do a good job when it comes to improving blemish-prone skin at a gradual rate. The serum’s ingredients will be designed to penetrate your skin at a cellular level. Some have the ability to encourage skin healing and reduce the appearance of scarring.

Use Masks

When double cleansing is not enough, you should take it up a notch by using a skin mask. In order to prevent and control breakouts, you should look for facial masks that contain decongesting properties, as this will help with lifting build-up from the deep within your pores, ensuring a detoxifying cleanse. Masks use fast-acting ingredients that are extremely quick and effective at caring for your skin.

Nothing is better than achieving clear, glowing skin, especially when you are prone to pimples and breakouts. Getting blemish-prone skin under control can take a lot of time and effort, but when you see results, it will all be worthwhile.

London Protests: Rightwing Demonstrators Protecting Statues Clash with Police

Roy Siemens
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0
London Protests: Rightwing Demonstrators Protecting Statues Clash with Police

The Met Police clashed with demonstrators in London, where thousands, including some far-right activists, gathered despite warnings to avoid protests.

Groups gathered in the center of the capital on June 13, claiming they were protecting statues from anti-racism activists.

UK’s Home Secretary Priti Patel described the violence as “thoroughly unacceptable thuggery”.

Some anti-racism protests have taken place in London and across the UK.

The Met Police had placed restrictions on several groups intending to protest, including having to finish at 17:00 BST, following violent scenes last weekend.

However, several groups remained on the streets of central London after the official cut-off.

As of 17:00 BST, Scotland Yard said they had arrested five people for offences including violent disorder, assault on police, possession of an offensive weapon, being drunk and disorderly and possession of Class A drugs.

Image source Sky News

Columbus and Confederate Statues Toppled by Protesters

Texas University Removes Confederate Statues Overnight

Donald Trump Denounces Removal of Confederate Statues

As some protestors moved towards Waterloo Station around 18:00 BST, both the underground and mainline station were temporarily closed due to the protests – but later reopened.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan urged protesters to leave to prevent further violence and the spread of coronavirus in London.

Various groups from around the country, including some far-right activists, said they had come to London to protect symbols of British history.

Hundreds of mostly white men gathered around the Cenotaph war memorial in Whitehall and the boarded-up statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.

There were a number of clashes with police in riot gear as crowds – chanting “England” and raising their arms – surged towards lines of officers.

Some protesters managed to break metal barriers around the Cenotaph on Whitehall while hurling flag poles, a smoke flare and a traffic cone towards police who were striking them back with batons.

Large groups of right-wing protesters then moved to Trafalgar Square, where fireworks were thrown across the crowds.

A statement from the London Ambulance Service said it had treated 15 patients, including two police officers, for injuries at the protests.

Police attempted to stop protesters getting to Hyde Park where an anti-racist demonstration, which had largely been peaceful, was taking place.

Organizers from the Black Lives Matter movement had urged people not to join any anti-racism rallies planned for the weekend over fears there could be clashes with far-right groups. One demonstration planned for June 13 in London was brought forward by a day.

President Donald Trump Postpones Oklahoma Rally to Avoid Juneteenth Day

Diane A. Wade
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President Donald Trump Postpones Oklahoma Rally to Avoid Juneteenth Day

President Donald Trump has decided to postpone his first post-coronavirus lockdown election rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, so it does not fall on Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the end of US slavery.

He tweeted that the June 19 rally would be held a day later out of respect for Juneteenth.

The choice of date had drawn criticism amid nationwide anti-racism protests.

The location was also controversial, as Tulsa saw one of the worst massacres of black people in US history in 1921.

Up to 300 people died when a white mob attacked the prosperous black neighborhood of Greenwood, known as the “Black Wall Street”, with guns and explosives. About 1,000 businesses and homes were also destroyed.

Juneteenth is not a federal holiday, but is widely celebrated by African Americans.

It celebrates the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation to enslaved African Americans in Texas.

Texas was the last state of the Confederacy – the slaveholding southern states that seceded, triggering the Civil War – to receive the proclamation, on June 19, 1865, months after the end of the war.

President Trump initially defended the timing of his rally, telling Fox News: “Think about it as a celebration. My rally is a celebration. In the history of politics, I think I can say there’s never been any group or any person that’s had rallies like I do.”

However, critics accused the president of disrespecting the date and the significance of Tulsa to US history.

Explaining the decision to move his rally, President Trump tweeted: “Many of my African American friends and supporters have reached out to suggest that we consider changing the date out of respect for this Holiday, and in observance of this important occasion and all that it represents. I have therefore decided to move our rally to Saturday, June 20th, in order to honor their requests…”

The “Make America Great Again” rally in Tulsa will be Donald Trump’s first campaign event since March 2, when the coronavirus pandemic put a halt to mass gatherings.

President Trump is seeking re-election in November 2020, but polls show him lagging behind his Democratic rival, Joe Biden.

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Columbus and Confederate Statues Toppled by Protesters

Texas University Removes Confederate Statues Overnight

Donald Trump Denounces Removal of Confederate Statues

Campaign rallies are seen as a key method of energizing his base, and Oklahoma is traditionally a Republican-voting state.

The event will proceed against a backdrop of ongoing protests against racial inequality and police brutality, triggered by the death of African American man George Floyd on May 25. George Floyd, who was unarmed, died in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota after a policeman knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes.

The rally is being held in a 19,000-seat indoor arena, and concerns have been raised about the potential risks.

Oklahoma has one of the US lowest infection rates, and businesses are reopening – but the state’s Governor Kevin Stitt has urged residents to keep social distancing and to “minimize time spent in crowded environments”.

People buying tickets for the Tulsa rally online have to click on a waiver confirming that they “voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to Covid-19” and will not hold the president’s campaign responsible for “any illness or injury”.

President Trump has announced he plans to hold further events in Florida, Texas, North Carolina and Arizona.

Columbus and Confederate Statues Toppled by Protesters

Nancy Clayson
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0
Columbus and Confederate Statues Toppled by Protesters

Statues of Christopher Columbus and Confederate leaders have been torn down in several states, as pressure grows on authorities to remove monuments connected to slavery and colonialism.

In Richmond, Virginia, statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis was toppled on June 10.

Statues of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus in Boston, Miami and Virginia have been vandalized.

The movement has been sparked by the death in police custody of African American George Floyd.

George Floy’s death in Minneapolis has led to protests in the US and internationally against police brutality and racial inequality.

Memorials to the Confederacy, a group of southern states that fought to keep black people as slaves in the American Civil War of 1861-1865, have been among those targeted.

A number of Confederate statues on Monument Avenue in Richmond have been marked with graffiti during the protests.

Richmond also saw a statue of Columbus pulled down, set alight and thrown into a lake earlier this week.

A 10ft tall bronze statue of Columbus was toppled in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on June 10.

The Columbus statue in Boston, which stands on a plinth at the heart of town, was beheaded.

Many people in the US celebrate the memory of Columbus, who in school textbooks is credited with discovering “the New World”, the Americas, in the 15th Century.

However, Native American activists have long objected to honoring Columbus, saying that his expeditions to the Americas led to the colonization and genocide of their ancestors.

The death of George Floyd, whose neck was kneeled on by a police officer for nearly nine minutes, has spurred global protests led by the Black Lives Matter movement.

Many cities and organizations have taken steps to remove Confederate symbols, which have long stirred controversy because of their association with racism. 

Image source Wikimedia

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Texas University Removes Confederate Statues Overnight

Donald Trump Denounces Removal of Confederate Statues

Confederate Flag: South Carolina House Approves Flag Removal

Charlottesville Protests: Donald Trump Condemns Racist Violence

Last week, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced that a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee would be removed from Richmond.

However, a judge has since granted a temporary injunction stopping the removal.

Stock-car racing organizers Nascar announced on June 10 it was banning Confederate flags, frequently seen at races.

President Trump meanwhile rejected calls to rename military bases named after Confederate generals, saying they remain part of America’s heritage.

The president tweeted: “The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations.”

On June, President Trump renewed threats to take federal action against local protesters occupying public spaces.

In a pointed exchange on Twitter, the president demanded that the mayor of Seattle “take back your city” from protesters, whom he called anarchists and domestic terrorists.

7 Health Effects of Smoking on Your Body

Kathryn R. Bown
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7 Health Effects of Smoking on Your Body

Smoking harms almost every part of the body, including the skin, eyes, circulatory system, respiratory system, and even the reproductive system. Smoking also causes an increased risk of many different diseases, including cancer and diabetes.

Each year in the United States, almost 500,000 people die from tobacco use-related illnesses. In fact, smoking cigarettes kills more Americans than car accidents, alcohol, guns, illegal drugs, and HIV combined.

Here are seven ways that smoking impacts your health. By switching to a tobacco alternative, you can get the nicotine you need without the tobacco.

1. Lung Damage

When a cigarette is inhaled, nicotine and dozens of other chemicals are introduced into the respiratory system. Smokers are at a 25 times higher risk of developing lung cancer than non-smokers.

Aside from an increased risk of lung damage that may lead to lung cancer, smoking also increases the risk of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). In all cases of COPD, 9 out of 10 are linked to smoking.

Smoking also damages the airways, which contributes to the infamous smoker’s cough.

2. Damage to Cardiovascular System

While there are many factors that increase the risk of heart disease, smoking is one of the top lifestyle habits that contribute to the disease. Those who smoke, as well as those who are exposed to secondhand smoke, are at an increased risk of heart disease and heart attacks.

Tobacco smoke also lowers good cholesterol (HDL) levels in the body, while increasing bad cholesterol (LDL). Tobacco smoke has also been linked to increased triglycerides and total cholesterol in the blood.

Nicotine causes blood vessels to tighten, which restricts blood flow throughout the body. This increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, and high blood pressure.

3. Damaged Immune System

Smokers are more likely to have more respiratory tract infections when compared to people who don’t smoke. This is not only because smoking damages the lungs, but it also impacts the immune system’s ability to fight off infections.

This means that smokers will experience more severe and longer-lasting illnesses. Smoking has also been linked to lower levels of antioxidants in the blood, including vitamin C.

Smoking also increases inflammation throughout the body.

4. Vision Problems

While your vision may not be impacted immediately, smoking has shown to have negative effects on the eyes. Long-term smokers are likely to experience future vision problems, including cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma.

Smoking also increases the risk of damage to the optic nerve. This is the nerve that connects the eye to the brain. Excessive damage to the optic nerve can cause blindness.

In the short-term, smokers are likely to experience dry eyes, which makes the eyes red and scratchy.

5. Fertility & Reproductive System Issues

Smoking damages both the male and female reproductive systems. For men, smoking increases the risk of erectile dysfunction. Smoking also negatively impacts the quality of sperm, which reduces fertility.

For women, smoking can make it much more difficult to get pregnant. This is often attributed to tobacco and the many other chemicals that are found in cigarettes. These chemicals impact hormone levels, which then impact fertility. Women also experienced an increased risk of developing cervical cancer.

Smoking also has profound impacts on pregnant women as well as the developing fetus. Common complications include:

  • Increased risk of preterm delivery
  • Increased risk of ectopic pregnancy
  • Reduced birth weight
  • Damage to the baby’s brain, lungs, and central nervous system
  • Increased risk of congenital abnormalities, such as cleft palate and cleft lip
  • Increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome

6. Impacted Digestive System

Smoking suppresses the appetite because it decreases your sense of taste. This makes eating a lot less enjoyable because you can’t taste the food that you’re putting into your mouth.

Smoking has been linked to many different cancers, including cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and larynx. There’s also an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

Smokers are also more likely to develop insulin resistance, because of how smoking impacts insulin. Insulin resistance increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, along with the many complications associated with the disease.

7. Damaged Hair, Skin, & Nails

Smoking impacts the hair, skin, and nails in many ways. Smokers are at an increased risk of hair loss, balding, and early graying. This is due to the high nicotine content found in cigarettes.

Smoking also visibly impacts the skin. Tobacco smoke changes the structure of the skin, which can lead to dry skin and premature aging. This is because nicotine reduces blood flow, which impacts the skin’s ability to get the nutrition it needs.

People who smoke are also at an increased risk of developing skin cancer.

Routine handling of tobacco products stains the fingers and fingernails a yellow color. Aside from staining, smokers face a higher risk of fungal nail infections.

Conclusion

It’s an understatement to say that smoking has a profound impact on the body. While it’s not easy to quit smoking, doing so can greatly improve your overall health now and long into the future. Quitting smoking is the key to living a happier, longer life.

George Floyd Funeral: Family and Friends Pay Their Last Respects

Diane A. Wade
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George Floyd Funeral: Family and Friends Pay Their Last Respects

Impassioned pleas for racial justice have been heard at the funeral of George Floyd, an African American whose death in police custody spawned global outrage.

Speakers in the church in Houston, Texas, lined up to remember a man whose “crime was that he was born black”.

George Floyd, 46, died in Minneapolis last month as a white police officer held a knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes, his final moments filmed on phones.

Four police officers involved have been sacked and charged over his death.

George Floyd’s coffin was taken from the church driven in a motorcade to the Houston Memorial Gardens where he was to be buried beside his mother.

One of George Floyd’s nieces, Brooke Williams, called for a change in laws which, she argued, were designed to disadvantage black people.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

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George Floyd Memorial Held in Minneapolis

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Joe Biden addressed the service in a video message saying: “When there is justice for George Floyd, we will truly be on our way to racial justice in America.”

The Democratic presidential candidate has sharply criticized President Trump, accusing himat the weekend of making “despicable” speculative remarks about George Floyd.

The service was held at the Fountain of Praise church, attended by some 500 guests including politicians and celebrities.

“George Floyd was not expendable – this is why we’re here,” said Al Green, the local Democratic congressman.

“His crime was that he was born black.”

Veteran civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton told the service: “All over the world I see grandchildren of slave masters tearing down slave masters’ statues.”

Talking about George Floyd’s difficult life, he said: “God took the rejected stone and made him the cornerstone of a movement that’s gonna change the whole wide world.”

In Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz called on people to honor the funeral by observing silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the time George Floyd was pinned to the ground before he died.

George Floyd’s coffin was taken to a cemetery in Pearland, south of Houston, for a private burial ceremony. For the last mile of the procession it was conveyed in a horse-drawn carriage.

Barriers were erected along the route to allow members of the public to pay their respects safely as the procession passed.

George Floyd’s body was on display at the church for six hours on June 8.

North Korea Cuts All Official Communication Channels with South Korea

Roy Siemens
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0
North Korea Cuts All Official Communication Channels with South Korea

North Korea has announced it will cut off all official communication channels with South Korea, including a hotline between the two nations’ leaders.

It said this was the first in a series of actions, describing South Korea as “the enemy”.

Daily calls, which have been made to a liaison office located in the North Korean border city of Kaesong, will cease from June 9.

North and South Korea had set up the office to reduce tensions after talks in 2018.

Image source Flickr

The two states are technically still at war because no peace agreement was reached when the Korean War ended in 1953.

North Korea “will completely cut off and shut down the liaison line between the authorities of the North and the South, which has been maintained through the North-South joint liaison office… from 12:00 on 9 June 2020,” the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report said.

Military communication channels will also be cut, it said.

North Korea Fires Gunshots at South Korean Guard Post in DMZ

Kim Jong-un Appears In Public After 20 Days of Absence

When the liaison office was temporarily closed in January because of Covid-19 restrictions, contact between the two states was maintained by phone.

North Korea and South Korea made two phone calls a day through the office, at 09:00 and 17:00. On June 8, the South said that for the first time in 21 months, its morning call had gone unanswered, although contact was made in the afternoon.

“We have reached a conclusion that there is no need to sit face-to-face with the South Korean authorities and there is no issue to discuss with them, as they have only aroused our dismay,” KNCA said.

Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un’s sister, threatened last week to close the office unless South Korea stopped defector groups from sending leaflets into North Korea.

She said the leaflet campaign was a hostile act that violated the peace agreements made during the 2018 Panmunjom summit between South Krea’s Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un.

North Korean defectors occasionally send balloons carrying leaflets critical of the communist region into the North, sometimes with supplies to entice North Koreans to pick them up.

North Koreans can only get news from state-controlled media, and most do not have access to the internet.

Ties between North Korea and South Korea appeared to improve in 2018, when the leaders of both countries met three times. Such high-level meetings had not taken place in over a decade.

George Floyd Death: Derek Chauvin’s Bail Set at $1.25 Million in 1st Court Appearance

Diane A. Wade
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George Floyd Death: Derek Chauvin’s Bail Set at $1.25 Million in 1st Court Appearance

Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis ex-policeman accused of killing unarmed black man George Floyd, has made his first court appearance, where his bail was set at $1.25 million.

Prosecutors cited the “severity of the charges” and public outrage as the reason for upping the former officer’s bail from $1 millio.

Derek Chauvin faces charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other arresting officers are charged with aiding and abetting murder.

George Floyd’s death in May led to global protests and calls for police reform.

Derek Chauvin, who is white, knelt on George Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while he was being arrested in Minneapolis on May 25.

The 44-year-old and the three other police officers have since been fired.

Meanwhile, mourners in Houston, Texas, where George Floyd lived before moving to Minneapolis, have been viewing his body, publicly on display for six hours at The Fountain of Praise church.

On June 9, a private funeral service will be held in Houston. Memorial services have already been held in Minneapolis and North Carolina, where George Floyd was born.

It is believed a family member escorted George Floyd’s body on a flight to Texas on June 6.

Joe Biden is expected to visit George Floyd’s relatives in Houston to offer his sympathies. Aides to the former vice-president said he would also record a video message for June 9 service.

Image source: Wikipedia

Derek Chauvin, a 19-year police veteran, did not enter a plea as he appeared via teleconference on June 8.

The former officer did not speak during the 15-minute hearing, and was handcuffed and wearing an orange jumpsuit as he sat a small table.

Judge Jeannice M. Reding set a bail of $1.25 million with no preconditions, or $1 million with conditions that include Derek Chauvin not contacting George Floyd’s family, surrendering his firearms and not working in law enforcement or security as he awaits trial.

His lawyer did not object to the bail price.

Derek Chauvin is currently being held at the Minnesota state prison in Oak Park Heights, after being transferred several times.

His next court appearance is set for June 29.

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Derek Chavin faces three separate charges: unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, for which the maximum penalties are prison terms of 40, 25 and 10 years respectively.

By bringing multiple charges, prosecutors give jurors a choice and increase the chances of a conviction.

Minneapolis city council has voted to ban chokeholds and neck restraints by police officers, and Democrats in Congress have unveiled sweeping legislation on police reform.

Anti-racism protests started by George Floyd’s death are now entering their third week in the US. Huge rallies have been held in several cities, including Washington DC, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

With the rallying cries “Black Lives matter” and “No Justice, No Peace”, the demonstrations are among the largest US protests against racism since the 1960s. June 6 gatherings included a protest in the Texas town of Vidor, once infamous as a stronghold of the Ku Klux Klan white supremacist group.

Bosarge Divorce: Texas Divorce Case Now an Issue in South Dakota Senate Race

Lisa.Felice
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Bosarge Divorce: Texas Divorce Case Now an Issue in South Dakota Senate Race

Press release

Dan Ahlers, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in South Dakota, thinks the state has created a monster when it comes to South Dakota’s secretive $3 trillion trust industry.

“I don’t want South Dakota to be the equivalent of offshore accounts in other countries where people hide their money,” said Dan Ahlers.

“I don’t want South Dakota to be known for that and I don’t think that’s the reputation that the people of South Dakota want.”

Dan Ahlers was commenting on the growing national publicity surrounding the divorce of Ed and Marie Bosarge.  Marie’s lawyers claim Ed Bosarge fraudulently hid more than $2 billion in South Dakota trusts in an attempt to cheat her out of community property.

“It’s getting so much traction, so much publicity that we are now going to get a flood of people going ‘Hey, I can shirk my obligations by just moving everything to South Dakota and putting it into a trust,’” Dan Ahlers said.

 “I would prefer that we do the right thing, that we respect decisions that are made in other states and that we are not a haven.”

Image source: edbosarge.com

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Once the Houston courts reopen, a jury will decide if the Houston billionaire defrauded his wife. A South Dakota court has already rejected Marie Bosarge’s claims. If 312th Family District Court Judge Chip Wells and a Harris County jury find that Ed Bosarge committed fraud and transferred money illegally into the South Dakota trusts, will South Dakota ensure that Marie Bosarge is made whole?

“I don’t think the laws of South Dakota, the State of Texas or anything we might imagine somehow frees him of an obligation that he has undertaken at the time he married Mrs. Bosarge,” said Judge Chips Wells in a February 2020 hearing in Texas.

“Most of the legislators had no intent to allow people to skirt the law in other states. That would never have been our intent,” Dan Ahlers said.

Many of the trust laws were amended while Senator Mike Rounds was South Dakota’s Governor. It is the secrecy of the South Dakota trusts that is worrying Dan Ahlers.

“Open records are not important to him and haven’t been. He had to be taken to court just to get the names of the people who were invited to the pheasant hunt. Those were records that have always been open until he was Governor. These bills came from his Department of Revenue,” Dan Ahlers said.

Dan Ahlers also talked about the tax money being hidden in these South Dakota trusts.

“What’s the economic benefit to South Dakota other than allowing people to hide their money and in some cases potentially break the law in another state. I think that is the question that has to be asked locally,” Ahlers said.

The Rounds campaign did not respond to our request for comment. The members of the Governor’s trust task force have all refused comment.

George Floyd Memorial Held in Minneapolis

Diane A. Wade
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George Floyd Memorial Held in Minneapolis

A service to commemorate George Floyd, the first of three planned memorials, is being held in Minneapolis.

George Floyd, 46, died on May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His death in police custody has sparked huge protests across the US.

Family members and friends are now arriving and taking their seats for the memorial service.

The service at a sanctuary at the city’s North Central Universityis also being attended by a number of lawmakers, actors and musicians.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar are some of the politicians in attendance.

Ludacris, TI, Tiffany Haddish and Kevin Hart are among the celebrities present.

Attendees have also been reminded to socially distance themselves to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

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The service has begun with a reading of scripture by Reverend Jerry McAffey of the New Salem Missionary Baptist Church.

On June 3, new charges were announced against all four of the now sacked officers present at George Floyd’s death.

The charge against Officer Derek Chauvin has been elevated to second-degree murder while the other three officers, previously uncharged, face counts of aiding and abetting murder.

The vast majority of demonstrations over the past eight days have been peaceful, but some have turned violent and curfews have been imposed in a number of cities.

Former President Barack Obama and Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, are among senior public figures who have offered their support to the protesters.

Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for the Floyd family, said it was more than just honoring George Floyd’s memory.

“It’s going to be a celebration of life, but it’s also going to be a plea to America and a plea for justice that we don’t let his death be in vain,” he told NBC’s Today show.

Madeleine McCann Assumed Murdered by German Child Abuser

Nancy Clayson
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Madeleine McCann Assumed Murdered by German Child Abuser

Madeleine McCann is “assumed” to be dead by German prosecutors, who have identified an imprisoned German child abuser as a suspect in the murder of the British girl.

The suspect, who has been named in German media as 43-year-old Christian B, is currently serving a prison sentence.

Christian B is believed to have been in the area where Madeleine, aged 3, was last seen while on holiday in Algarve, Portugal.

The UK’s Metropolitan Police said it had received more than 270 calls and emails since a new appeal for information was launched on June 3.

Hans Christian Wolters, from the Braunschweig Public Prosecutor’s Office in Germany, said in an update on June 4: “We are assuming that the girl is dead.

“With the suspect, we are talking about a sexual predator who has already been convicted of crimes against little girls and he’s already serving a long sentence.”

He said the suspect was regularly living in the Algarve between 1995 and 2007, when the British girl disappeared, and had jobs in the area, including in catering, but also committed burglaries in hotels and dealt drugs.

The McCann family’s spokesman said Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry, felt the new development was “potentially very significant”.

Clarence Mitchell, who has represented the family since Madeleine McCann went missing, said that in 13 years he couldn’t “recall an instance when the police had been so specific about an individual.

“Of all the thousands of leads and potential suspects that have been mentioned in the past, there has never been something as clear cut as that from not just one, but three police forces,” he said.

The Met Police, who are working with their German and Portuguese counterparts, said the case remained a “missing persons” investigation in the UK because it does not have “definitive evidence” as to whether Madeleine is alive or not.

Christian B has been described as white with short blond hair, and about 6ft tall with a slim build at the time.

Police have also released photos of two vehicles – a VW camper van and a Jaguar car – which are believed to be linked to the man, as well as a house in Portugal.

The day after Madeleine McCann vanished in 2007, the suspect transferred the Jaguar to someone else’s name.

Madeleine McCann went missing shortly before her fourth birthday from an apartment in Praia da Luz on the evening of May 3, 2007, while her parents were with friends at a nearby tapas bar.

Her disappearance sparked a huge and costly police hunt across much of Europe – the most recent Metropolitan Police investigation, which began in 2011, has cost more than £11 million ($12.1 million).

Two officers from Scotland Yard investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have flown to Spain as part of a review into the case

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Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell, who is in charge of the Met investigation – known as Operation Grange – said the suspect, then aged 30, frequented the Algarve between 1995 and 2007, staying for “days upon end” in his camper van and living a “transient lifestyle”.

The suspect was in the Praia da Luz area where the McCann family was staying when Madeleine disappeared and received a phone call at 19:32, which ended at 20:02. The girl is believed to have disappeared between 21:10 and 22:00 that evening.

Police have released details of the suspect’s phone number (+351 912 730 680) and the number which dialed him (+351 916 510 683), and said any information about these numbers could be “critical”.

Mark Cranwell said the caller was a “key witness” and should get in touch, while he also appealed to the public for details about the suspect.

In a statement, the McCanns, from Rothley in Leicestershire, welcomed the appeal: “We would like to thank the police forces involved for their continued efforts in the search for Madeleine.

“All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice.

“We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive, but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know as we need to find peace.”

Police said the suspect was one of 600 people that detectives on the UK inquiry originally looked at, though he had not been a suspect.

After a 10-year anniversary appeal in 2017, “significant” fresh information about him was provided.

George Floyd Death Declared A Homicide in Official Post-Mortem Examination

Diane A. Wade
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0
George Floyd Death Declared A Homicide in Official Post-Mortem Examination

An official post-mortem examination has declared the death of George Floyd, which triggered widespread protests across the US, as a homicide.

George Floyd, 46, suffered a cardiac arrest while being restrained by Minneapolis police, the report found.

It listed George Floyd’s cause of death as “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression”.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump vowed to use the military to end the unrest.

A video showing a white police officer continuing to kneel on George Floyd’s neck even after he pleaded he could not breathe has reignited deep-seated anger over police killings of black Americans.

The footage has led to six consecutive days of protests around the United States and a level of civil unrest not seen in decades.

Officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter and will appear in court next week. Three other police officers have been fired.

The official post-mortem examination of George Floyd by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office also recorded evidence of heart disease and recent drug use. It said he suffered the cardiac arrest “while being restrained by a law enforcement officer” on May 25.

Image source: Wikipedia

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The findings were released shortly after those of a private examination that was carried out by medical examiners hired by the Floyd family.

This report said George Floyd died from asphyxia (lack of oxygen) due to a compression on his neck and also on his back.

The private examination also found the death was a homicide, a statement from the family’s legal team said.

“The cause of death in my opinion is asphyxia, due to compression to the neck – which can interfere with oxygen going to the brain – and compression to the back, which interferes with breathing,” Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said at a news conference on June 1.

Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for the Floyd family, said: “Beyond doubt he would be alive today if not for the pressure applied to his neck by Officer Derek Chauvin and the strain on his body by two other officers.”

He added: “The ambulance was his hearse.”

More than 75 cities have seen protests over what happened to George Floyd. Streets that only days ago were deserted because of the coronavirus pandemic have filled with demonstrators marching shoulder to shoulder.

The Floyd case follows the high-profile cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Eric Garner in New York and others that have driven the Black Lives Matter movement.

George Floyd Death: President Trump Threatens to Deploy Army to End Civil Unrest

Diane A. Wade
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George Floyd Death: President Trump Threatens to Deploy Army to End Civil Unrest

President Donald Trump has threatened to send in army to end growing civil unrest in the US over the death of George Floyd.

The president said if cities and states failed to control the protests and “defend their residents” he would deploy the army and “quickly solve the problem for them”.

Protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man in police custody, have escalated over the past week.

On June 2, Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden criticized President Trump for “serving the passions of his base”.

He said: “We’re not going to allow any president to quiet our voice.”

On June 2, the Las Vegas sheriff said an officer died in a shooting after police attempted to disperse a crowd.

Dozens of people have been injured as authorities used tear gas and force to disperse protests which have swept more than 75 cities.

Four officers meanwhile were shot and injured on June 1 during unrest in St Louis, Missouri.

Dozens of major cities have imposed overnight curfews.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

George Floyd Death: US Cities Placed under Curfew Following Violent Protests

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In New York, the iconic department store Macy’s was broken into, as shops were looted and windows smashed.

Curfew in the city will resume at 20:00 on June 2.

In Chicago, two people were reported killed amid unrest, although the circumstances are unclear.

The chief of police in Louisville, Kentucky has been sacked after law enforcement officers fired into a crowd on Sunday night, killing the owner of a nearby business.

Australian PM Scott Morrison has demanded an investigation into the alleged assault by police of two Australian journalists covering protests in Washington DC.

Music channels and celebrities have pledged to mark #BlackoutTuesday pausing for eight minutes – the length of time a police officer knelt on George Floyd’s neck.

The protests began after a video showed George Floyd, 46, being arrested in Minneapolis on May 25 and a white police officer continuing to kneel on his neck even after he pleaded that he could not breathe.

Officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and will appear in court next week. Three other police officers have been fired.

The Floyd case has reignited deep-seated anger over police killings of black Americans and racism. It follows the high-profile cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; Eric Garner in New York; and others that have driven the Black Lives Matter movement.

President Trump delivered a brief address from the White House Rose Garden, amid the sound of a nearby protest being dispersed.

The president said “all Americans were rightly sickened and revolted by the brutal death of George Floyd” but said his memory must not be “drowned out by an angry mob”.

He described the scenes of looting and violence in the capital on May 31 as “a total disgrace” before pledging to bolster the city’s defenses.

President Trump said: “I’m dispatching thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel and law enforcement officers to stop the rioting, looting, vandalism, assaults and the wanton destruction of property.”

CBO: US Economy Could Take 10 Years to Catch Up After Coronavirus Pandemic

Clyde K. Valle
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CBO: US Economy Could Take 10 Years to Catch Up After Coronavirus Pandemic

The US economy will be affected by the coronavirus pandemic for almost a decade, according to projections by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

The CBO forecasts the outbreak will cut US economic output by 3% between this year and 2030, a loss of $7.9 trillion.

The warning comes as tens of millions of people are out of work due to lockdown measures.

The CBO is a federal agency within the US government that provides budget and economic information to Congress.

America’s historic downturn comes even after trillions of dollars have been pumped into the economy.

Image source Wikimedia

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The CBO said the majority of the loss was caused by the sharp contraction in economic activity this year, which it had not predicted in its last 10-year report, published in January.

CBO director Phillip Swagel wrote in response to an inquiry from Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer: “Business closures and social distancing measures are expected to curtail consumer spending, while the recent drop in energy prices is projected to severely reduce US investment in the energy sector.”

“Recent legislation will, in CBO’s assessment, partially mitigate the deterioration in economic conditions,” he added.

Since the virus pandemic hit the US the government and the Fed have provided trillions of dollars of support for the world’s biggest economy.

Still, unemployment has soared to levels not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s as more than 40 million Americans have already been put out of work.

The US unemployment rate hit 14.7% in April and on June 5 the Labor Department is expected to confirm that it reached 20% in May. In March that figure stood at just 4.4% having risen from a 50-year low from the month before.

There is an ongoing debate in the Congress over a new $3 trillion a new stimulus plan as well as a proposal to renew several federal aid programs that would otherwise lapse, including a temporary increase to jobless benefits that is set to expire in July.

George Floyd Death: US Cities Placed under Curfew Following Violent Protests

Nancy Clayson
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George Floyd Death: US Cities Placed under Curfew Following Violent Protests

Large demonstrations have taken place in at least 30 cities across the US following the death of a black man in police custody.

Curfews have been ordered in cities across the US to try to stem unrest sparked by George Floyd’s death.

Largely peaceful protests later turned violent in many areas, with cars and buildings set alight and riot police using tear gas and rubber bullets.

President Donald Trump urged “healing” over the death of 46-year-old George Floyd but said he could not allow mobs to dominate.

Derek Chauvin, an ex-police, officer has been charged with murdering George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The 44-year-old white man is due to appear in court on June 1.

In video footage, Derek Chauvin can be seen kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for several minutes on May 25. George Floyd repeatedly says that he is unable to breathe.

Three other officers present at the time have also since been sacked.

The Floyd case has reignited US anger over police killings of black Americans. It follows the high-profile cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Eric Garner in New York and others that have driven the Black Lives Matter movement.

One of the cities worst affected by unrest is Los Angeles. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in the city and activated the National Guard – the reserve military force that can be called on by the US president or state governors to intervene in domestic emergencies.

LA City is under a 20:00 to 05:30 curfew. Numerous shops have been looted, including on the famous retail avenues, Melrose and Fairfax, while overhead footage showed fires burning. Earlier police fired rubber bullets and hit protesters with batons. Hundreds of arrests have been made.

Mayor Eric Garcetti said this was “the heaviest moment I’ve experienced” since the riots in 1992 that were sparked by the acquittal of police over the beating of Rodney King.

Image source: Wikipedia

Black Lives Matter: Minneapolis Protesters Clash with Police over George Floyd’s Death

Eric Garner death: Thousands protest in Staten Island over police chockhold death

In New York, video showed a police car driving into a crowd of protesters. Mayor Bill de Blasio said the situation was not started by the officers, but Congress Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said his comments were unacceptable and he should not be making excuses for the officers.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot imposed a 21:00 to 06:00 curfew until further notice, saying she was “disgusted” at the violence.

In Atlanta, protesters remained on the streets after the curfew began, damaging property and vehicles. Dozens of arrests were made.

One city that has seen less violence is where George Floyd died. Some 700 National Guard officers are aiding police in Minneapolis and they acted quickly to enforce the curfew imposed there. The Star Tribune said the action had so far headed off the unrest of the previous night.

For the second day running, a large crowd of protesters taunted National Guard officers outside the White House in Washington, DC. If they had breached the fence, President Trump said they would have been “greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen”.

In under-curfew Philadelphia, 13 police officers were hurt and at least 35 arrests made as stores were looted, police cars torched and buildings defaced.

San Francisco is the latest to impose a curfew, announced by Mayor London Breed for 20:00 local time on Sunday, after looting and violence.

Indianapolis was one of the cities that had seen peaceful protests during the day turn violent later. At least one shooting death has occurred, but police said no officers had discharged weapons.

Overnight curfews have also been declared in Philadelphia, Miami, Portland and Louisville, among other cities, although many were simply ignored.

Coronavirus: Prince Joachim of Belgium Gets Covid-19 after Breaking Lockdown at Party in Spain

Diane A. Wade
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Coronavirus: Prince Joachim of Belgium Gets Covid-19 after Breaking Lockdown at Party in Spain

Prince Joachim of Belgium has contracted coronavirus after attending a party during lockdown in Spain, the country’s royal palace says.

The 28-year-old prince traveled from Belgium to Spain for an internship on May 26, the palace said.

Two days later, Prince Joachim went to a party in the southern city of Córdoba, before testing positive for Covid-19.

According to Spanish reports, the prince, a nephew of Belgium’s King Philippe, was among 27 people at the party.

Under Córdoba’s lockdown rules, a party of this size would be a breach of regulations, as gatherings of no more than 15 people are currently permitted.

Image source: alchetron.com

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Spanish police have launched an investigation into the party. Those found to have flouted lockdown rules could be fined up to €10,000 ($11,100).

Everyone who attended the party is said to be in quarantine. Prince Joachim, the youngest son of Princess Astrid and 10th in line to the Belgian throne, is said to have mild coronavirus symptoms.

Rafaela Valenzuela, a representative of the Spanish government in Córdoba, condemned the party, calling those who attended “irresponsible”.

She said: “I feel surprised and angry. An incident of this type stands out at a moment of national mourning for so many dead.”

The party was first covered by Spanish newspaper El Confidencial, which cited a document from the Andalucian authorities but did not name the prince.

Belgian media have since confirmed with the palace that Prince Joachim was in Spain, where he remains.

Prince Joachim is known to have a long-standing relationship with a Spanish woman, reported to be Victoria Ortiz.

Spain is in the process of emerging from one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe. It outlined a four-stage plan on May 4 to start easing the lockdown, which saw children under 14 confined to their homes for six weeks.

The country said it was moving to a second phase from June 1 for 70% of Spaniards, leaving only major cities under tighter restrictions.

Spain has among the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the world. As of May 30, the country had 239,228 infections and 27,125 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Online Security and Your Company: 4 Areas of Risk to Consider

Nancy Clayson
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Online Security and Your Company: 4 Areas of Risk to Consider

The last decade has seen a huge shift to online business even if it is only for one portion of a company. There are business owners that made a promise never to have a website as they would do things old school. Even the most steadfast of anti-technology business owners have given in as the world’s business landscape has changed. A lack of a website or even email can lead to lost customers on a daily basis. The shift to handling business online has been done in all areas including communication and even accounting. The old days of having to keep detailed accounting records have been replaced by inputting this into a platform that assists with this process. The vital information that accounting and communication platforms house needs to be protected at all costs. Below are tips to help maintain quality online security at your company regardless of its size. 

Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

Employees

Employees can be a huge vulnerable area for a business trying to protect their data. Current employees likely will not be the threat although their actions could leave vital information at risk. The importance of not downloading applications outside of trusted sources is a perfect policy to institute. Far too many applications were designed to steal information from its users. Former employees are going to be the largest risk though as they might want revenge as they feel like they have been unjustly terminated. Changing passwords is important for any shared accounts. People that are terminated will often try to collect as much information that they believe can help them when fired. 

Freelancers

Freelancers are likely going to have access to certain company systems or receive logins to use certain company tools. The turnover that many companies see with freelancers needs to be kept in mind. Creating freelancer accounts that can be used is important as you do not want a freelancer having access to an admin account. Freelancers will likely not profit off of trying to wreak havoc on a company so stealing of information will likely not happen. Restrict the number of accounts or documents the freelancer has access to just to be safe. There is a chance the freelancer could become a valued part of the team on a full-time basis. 

Phishing Emails and Direct Cyberattacks

Phishing emails can be used to get credit card information or even account passwords. The importance of being able to identify a phishing email cannot be undervalued as these emails are becoming more and more advanced. Phishing emails are more of a threat than a direct attack as it is cheap to send out thousands of emails in a day. Direct cyberattacks can be an issue if a company is believed to have important information. If these attacks are prevalent then a cybersecurity firm should be hired. The best cybersecurity software combined with a team to identify breaches might be required. For most businesses direct attacks regularly are less of an occurrence than viruses stealing information or phishing emails answered. 

Clients with Access to Certain Systems 

The tough truth is that your client likely has some kind of access to your system or cloud. Many clients desire this so they can see the progress on a specific project that is underway. A hack of a client can lead to confusion and even the deletion of a certain milestone in a project management system. The information that is stored in project management systems is often tied into the accounting platform being used. The last thing that you want is the payment details of your clients or employees being stolen. Identity theft is not a joking matter and can years to fully recover from. Restricted access to a system usually prevents the client’s access from compromising security but not in all cases. Do not underestimate the will of a seasoned hacker or even a disgruntled former employee of your client. If a client’s account is constantly being hacked it is important to let them know. Some clients will not change what they are doing though as they are stuck in their ways. 

Take the time to do a proper online security risk assessment when it comes to 3rd party apps. Allowing a cloud access security broker solution to assist with this can save time and money. The apps that you or employees use could be vulnerable although they are following best practices in other aspects of their work. Do not allow a data breach of some kind to destroy your business as it could take years to recover if it ever does. 

Demo-2 Launch: SpaceX Mission Set for Second Try

James J. Williams
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Demo-2 Launch: SpaceX Mission Set for Second Try

SpaceX will make a second attempt in the coming hours to get NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken into orbit.

On May 27, the Dragon capsule’s flight to the International Space Station (ISS) was postponed because of poor weather at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.

Forecasters say conditions on May 30 will probably be touch and go again.

It follows the spectacular explosion on May 29 of a rocket prototype at SpaceX’s R&D facility in Texas.

SpaceX has been trialing a new design for a future vehicle it calls Starship. The latest model was destroyed in the blast.

The development work at Boca Chica, close to the Mexican border, is entirely separate from SpaceX’s commercial crew activities with NASA.

Doug Hurley’s and Bob Behnken’s lift-off at Kennedy is scheduled for 15:22 EDT.

There’s huge focus on their mission because it will mark the first time that the US has been able to launch its astronauts to the ISS since the retirement of NASA’s space shuttles in 2011.

It will also be the first occasion that NASA has used a private company to transport one of its crews to orbit.

Image source: NASA

Dragon Capsule: SpaceX Launches First Demo Mission from Kennedy Space Center

Dragon CRS-10: SpaceX Successfully Launches New Mission Carrying Cargo Ship for ISS

However, people were wrong if they thought this attention added to the pressure to get the astronauts off the ground, said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.

“We will launch when we are ready,” he told reporters.

“I’ll tell you, the President and the Vice President were proud of the NASA team and the SpaceX team for making the right call for the right reasons.”

The first launch attempt in the week was scrubbed just 16 minutes before the designated launch time. There had been much electrical activity in the air throughout the day, and controllers concluded it wouldn’t be prudent to proceed with the flight.

At the moment of postponement, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken were sitting in their Dragon capsule atop its Falcon rocket with the booster fuels being loaded below them.

The frustration was that the countdown was going so smoothly; engineers had seen no technical issues of concern. The vehicles were in perfect shape to begin their ascent.

On May 30, they will follow exactly the same routines. The astronauts will head out to the pad about three hours prior to 15:22 EDT. A SpaceX “close out” team will help them strap into their capsule seats, and then it will be a case of running through the pre-flight checks with controllers.

If the launch goes ahead, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken have about a 19-hour flight to the ISS. They’ll use that time to try out systems onboard the Dragon capsule, including having a go at manual flying. They’ll also need to get some sleep after what will have been a long day.

The astronauts are expected to stay at the ISS for between one and four months before returning to Earth.

SpaceX, which is run by the tech billionaire Elon Musk, has a $2.6 billion contract with NASA to provide six crew flights to the space station. The first of these is scheduled for the end of August, assuming nothing untoward happens on Doug Hurley’s and Bob Behnken’s demonstration.

Boeing has a similar contract, but it is a year at least behind SpaceX in its development timeline.

5 Amazing Structures that Would Not Exist Without Contractors

Sonia Pantiss
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5 Amazing Structures that Would Not Exist Without Contractors

Architecture is a beautiful and creative art form. Though we might imagine architects spending nights bent over their blueprints to create masterpieces like the London Eye, there is more to the picture. Crafting magnificent and practical buildings takes a team of creatives to make it happen. 

Behind every great architect is a team of contractors ready to put in the hours of physical construction. These professionals go through dedicated programs at places like the contractor training center to become masters in their field. While architects get most of the credit, contractors deserve recognition for the amazing infrastructure we use every day.

Let’s highlight some gorgeous buildings that wouldn’t be around without contractors. 

1. Gardens by the Bay – Singapore

Singapore has a plethora of beautiful buildings throughout the country. Among these, the Gardens by the Bay in the Marina Bay district takes the cake for most breathtaking.

The process of constructing the park began in 2006, with an international master plan design competition. The contractors entered the picture in 2007 after a select vote by jury and public took place in late 2006.

During this time, the team began to work on the Bay East Gardens and Flower Dome. The contracting company finished their work in 2011, leading to the amazing Gardens we enjoy today. 

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

2. The Shard – England

Another city full of gorgeous architectural structures is London. Irvine Sellar, the developer of the Shard, began the process in 1998, but it wasn’t until 2008 with funding from Qatar that construction began. 

The contracting team worked until 2012 when the building was ready to be opened. The unique design and well-built structure helped push the Shard onto the list of London landmarks along with Big Ben and the Tower Bridge. 

Image source: Wikipedia

3. Sendai Mediatheque – Japan

The Sendai Mediatheque is a multipurpose cultural center located in Sendai, Japan. Toyo Ito designed the project after floating seaweed with a completely open 7-story floor plan. The construction began in 1997 with a lot of the creative building freedom going to the contracting team. 

The building utilized steel pipe tubes, glass, and aluminum mesh, and everything has an alternative function. Some pipes doubled as stairs and elevators, for example. The construction ended in 2000, but the Mediatheque opened to the public in 2001. 

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

4. Seattle Central Public Library – United States

The United States houses several intricately designed public spaces, focusing a dedicated effort on making beautiful libraries. The modern Seattle Public Library is no exception. The central public library cleared in 1998 as part of a city-wide effort to double the square footage of neighborhood libraries. 

After OMA and Joshua Prince-Ramus completed drafts for the library in 1999, the contracting team at Hoffman Construction Company began working. The workers dedicated six years to ensure that the eleven-floor library looked stunning and met all building safety codes. In 2004, the public gained full access to the Central Public Library.

Image source: Wikipedia

5. Heydar Aliyeva Center – Azerbaijan 

The Heydar Aliyeva Center, located in Baku, Azerbaijan, is a flowing and curved building that boasts a beautiful aura. The center’s design had both the natural desert topography and the multifunctional purpose of the building in mind. The architect, Zaha Hadid, drafted his plan in 2007 after winning a design competition. 

The contracting company completed the eight-story project in 2012. Included in the construction was a 1000-seat auditorium, exhibition spaces for local artists, and a museum, among other things. 

Image source: Wikipedia

Without Contractor Teams, None of These Would Be Possible

The list here is just the tip of the iceberg. Without dedicated teams to do the groundwork, the magnificent buildings and structures we enjoy every day wouldn’t exist. 

If you’ve ever dreamed of being a contractor, there’s nothing stopping you from going out into the world and contributing to the next masterpiece.

Navigating the New Normal: Saving Money is Important, but Donating in Times of Crisis is an Imperative

Nancy Clayson
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Navigating the New Normal: Saving Money is Important, but Donating in Times of Crisis is an Imperative

“Rather than being a human, be a humanitarian” – Kowtham Kumar

Are you pondering the importance of giving of your time and money to charitable organizations like NGOs and Non-Profits?

This quotation by Kowtham Kumar highlighted above, describes the raison d’etre of being human. Ergo, being human is to espouse humanitarian acts and principles.

What is a humanitarian?

 By way of answering this question, let’s examine the following definition:

A humanitarian is defined as a“person actively engaged in promoting human welfare and social reforms, as a philanthropist.”

Photo Source: www.tampabay.com

The new normal: Navigating the socioeconomic consequences of COVID-19

The world first heard of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in the last days of 2019. Fast forward to May 2020, and very little is known about this virus. Consequently, scientists and medical professionals are struggling to predict the virus’s behavior.

What is internationally accepted is that one of the only ways to control its rampant spread is social isolation or social distancing. Therefore, over 50% of the world’s population is currently under a stay-at-home or lockdown order. All non-essential businesses have closed, and millions of people have either lost their jobs or been furloughed. As a result, the COVID-19 is responsible for a total shutdown of the global economy, costing the world at least $7 trillion (USD).

NGOs and non-profits like yadezra.net are still continuing to feed the vulnerable, poor, and needy during these challenging times. However, it is a challenge because they are feeling the financial strain from the economic challenges of the fallout from COVID-19. Thus, they need donations even more than before the world woke up to the “new normal.”

Reasons why donating to charities is an imperative

Now that we have established that donating to NGOs, non-profit organizations, and charities is an imperative, let’s consider two of the most important benefits of supporting NGOs and charities during this crisis.

Helping people less fortunate

It is our social, moral, an ethical imperative to help people less fortunate than ourselves. It does not matter how much we give, what matters is that we give. Many religious organizations espouse the edict of giving at least 10% of all income to a charitable organization.

The website, nonprofitsource.com, notes that “giving to religion (defined as giving specifically to congregations, denominations, missionary societies, and religious media) has consistently remained America’s single largest recipient of charitable giving.”

Thus, irrespective of what our personal beliefs are because this article’s intent is not to discuss religion, let’s consider a simple case study of giving to charity during these challenging times.

If by way of example, we use the principle of giving 10% of our income to charity, then the following figures apply:

For every $10 we earn, we only need to give $0.10 to charity.

Therefore, if we only earn $40 per month ($10 per week x 4), then the maximum amount that we need to donate to charity for a particular month is $0.40.

Image source: PxHere

Statistics show that, in 2017, the median US weekly salary was $857. Thus, an average American employee earned $3428 per month ($847 x 4 weeks). Therefore, 10% of $3428 is $342.80. Thus, the maximum amount suggested based on the 10% rule is $342.80.

While this sounds like a lot of money, in the bigger scheme of things it is only 10% of your salary. And, from personal experience, it is essential to make the donation as soon as you get paid; otherwise, it is easy to spend this money on something else.

Improves our mental, emotional, and physical health

The health benefits associated with generosity include increased self-esteem, improved mood, less depression, lower stress levels, lower blood pressure, and greater happiness.

Why?

Research studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health have found that giving to charitable organizations boosts the feel-good chemicals or endorphins in your brain. Endorphins are manufactured by the hypothalamus and the pituitary glands. They act as a pain reliever and a happiness booster.

As an aside, it is interesting to note that endorphins have a similar function in your body as opioids. In other words, endorphins act as natural opioids. The human body has special receptors that bind to the synthetic opioids when taken on prescription by a medical professional to manage short-term pain. And, the combination of the opioids and the body’s receptors blocks pain signals from reaching the brain.

Consequently, the more you give and help people who are less fortunate, the more endorphins your body will manufacture, the happier you will be. And, the happier you are, the healthier you are.

Final thoughts

It’s vital to remember that, while philanthropic behavior is essential to your health and happiness, it’s equally important to manage your budget carefully, save as much as you can, and not overspend on anything. Otherwise, you will end up in financial difficulties.

The consequences of overspending are directly juxtaposed to the positive benefits of giving and managing your finances properly. And, if you overspend, you will no longer be in the position to support charitable organizations. Thus, everyone concerned, including yourself, will lose out on the overall benefits of your charitable actions. 

SaaS Products All HR Departments Must Have In 2020

Dana R
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SaaS Products All HR Departments Must Have In 2020

The human resources department is one of the most important non-core functions of any business. As a result, in most cases, the HR department of any organisation has a lot of responsibilities to handle. 

From processing payrolls to keeping track of attendance, from recruiting fresh talent to employee engagement, the functions of HR are critical to ensuring smooth functioning of the business machine.

To this end, it is important for business owners to ensure their HR department is equipped with the right tools to carry out their responsibilities with maximum efficiency.

As SaaS products become more affordable and accessible, even for small businesses, it only makes sense to take advantage of them to maximise the efficiency of your HR department.

In this article, we will discuss three essential tools that have almost become a necessity for modern HR departments. 

Let us begin:

Payroll Software

The variety of payroll tasks involved in calculation of an employee’s salary are time consuming and have a lot of scope for human error. Such errors can cause serious miscalculations in an employee’s salary which can in turn, ruin the reputation of your organisation.

Modern payroll software is designed to automate the whole process with minimal effort. From processing salaries to calculating the tax returns of your organisation, a payroll software can take care of it all. These software can be customised to the specific regulations applicable to your business, along with any special rules that are applicable to the calculation of the salaries of your employees.

This way, you not only eliminate the scope of human errors from the process, but also free up the time of your HR department to focus on other critical activities.

Learning Management System

One of the most important functions of an HR department is to overlook the learning and development of the employees. A learning management system enables them to do this task efficiently. A learning management system is a platform that is used to store, share, and manage training content. 

These online training software enable learning administrators (HR associates) to enroll learners (employees) and assign different training curriculums to them. A learning management system also offers features like gamification and blended learning that allow learning administrators to create an engaging learning experience.

Additionally, these tools come loaded with tracking features that allow learning administrators to track the progress of different courses, as well as the progress of different learners. 

This way, they can pinpoint the areas where the course curriculum can be optimised for better retention and comprehension. These tracking capabilities also enable training administrators to identify learners that need special attention and tailor their learning experience according to their needs.

Time Tracking Software

At a time when teams are forced to work from their homes, tracking their productivity is one of the most essential jobs of the HR department. ONe of the most efficient ways to do so is with time tracking software.

The applications of a time tracking software aren’t limited to this time of social distancing. We’re living in a gig economy and working with freelancers is becoming an increasingly common practice. In order to make sure your company is not being billed unfairly, your HR department will need a time tracking software to track the hours of the freelancers that work for your organisation.

Conclusion

Tracking time and processing payrolls are two of the most time-consuming tasks of an HR department. By automating these, you can make your HR department much more productive, and use their potential for more important tasks. On the other hand, effective employee training is next to impossible to carry out without the help of a great learning management system.

Are there any tools that your HR department uses that we haven’t mentioned in this article? Share them with us in the comment section below!

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