1290: Hairy Legs

The UK Gov

Page 3..

A single Ct value in the absence of clinical context cannot be relied upon for decision making about a person's infectivity.

Ct values cannot be directly compared between assays of different types – not all laboratories use the same assay, and some may use more than one

Source

Understanding cycle threshold (Ct) in SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Here's part of the BinaxNOW product insert. You'll notice my mark on the bullet point that mentions this test cannot differentiate between SARS-COV-1 and SARS-COV-2. It also can't rule out other infections or pathogens.

My favorite part though is on the bottom of the sheet, center column. You'll see a table that looks at Cycle Thresholds for the comparator method. The Binax test is compared against a PCR with a cycle threshold of 33...go figure! Current PCR cycle threshold is 45....which is wildly increasing the number of cases and feeding the hysteria.

Binax is equivalent to a test with a cycle threshold of 33. There will be less positive cases and this, what they want to be the gold standard and tied to the NAVICA app, will be the testing mechanism that settles the waters and allows those in control to continue forcing us to be slaves to the Rona. It's also the cheapest test on the market at $5 a pop. Bet they'll give it to you free if you just download the app!

More to come! TYFYC!

Terrence

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 16:52

Cristiano Ronaldo has labelled his coronavirus test as ''bull****'' after being ruled out of Juventus' Champions League match against Barcelona.

The Portuguese tested positive on 13 October while on international duty and has since been in quarantine at his home in Turin.

Ronaldo took a PCR test on Tuesday in a late bid to play at the Juventus Stadium on Wednesday night, but despite continuing to be asymptomatic, the test came back positive.

Ronaldo said he was ''feeling good and healthy'' and that the ''PCR IS BULL****'', questioning the efficiency of the swab tests used to test Covid-19.

Ronaldo's absence has prevented the highly-anticipated latest instalment of his rivalry with Lionel Messi.

And with both playing in different leagues, it was seen as one of the final occasions to witness the two legendary players go head-to-head.

Both teams won their opening games of Group G, with the Italians beating Dynamo Kiev and the Spaniards beating Ferencvaros respectively.

There will be one more occasion to witness Ronaldo vs Messi when the return leg takes place on 8 December at the Nou Camp.

Ronaldo's absence has denied Andrea Pirlo the opportunity to showcase his first choice front three.

After signing Alvaro Morata from Atletico Madrid, Pirlo is intent on using the Spaniard alongside Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala.

"We are thinking to play them as a front-three," Pirlo said. "With Ronaldo in his classic centre-left position".

While Juventus defender Danilo insists the Old Lady can defeat the La Liga giants without their talisman.

"I feel good about the way we play; we often have the ball and therefore there's no problem," the Brazilian said. "I don't know about tomorrow, but I'm ready to do my best. We have to be quick and focused.

"We are on the right path. These are the best matches to play in. Any team would miss a player like Cristiano, but we have faith in all the players."

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 02:26

Kevin McKernan : The Live-Dead qRT-PCR problem, the testing industrial complex and its impact on society.I never thought the work'... https://t.co/utO5yvgxWO

Mon Oct 26 01:23:26 +0000 2020

Prescott : @Kevin_McKernan @threadreaderapp

Mon Oct 26 02:25:35 +0000 2020

Brian Breckenridge : @Kevin_McKernan @MichaelThau @adamcurry

Mon Oct 26 02:21:34 +0000 2020

Sinisa Catic : @Kevin_McKernan @aginnt This is a wonderful exposition of PCR technology, but it does not address the issue of how'... https://t.co/LcmOFeObqE

Mon Oct 26 02:20:43 +0000 2020

Alex Rodriguez (Parler: @therealarod1984) : @Kevin_McKernan We wrote a paper on this 2 months ago. Not quite as detailed as this amazing thread, but saying th'... https://t.co/vQsAI9mhCr

Mon Oct 26 02:15:44 +0000 2020

No Ma'am : @Kevin_McKernan @kerpen Thanks. Now my brain hurts.

Mon Oct 26 02:14:39 +0000 2020

satoshi's kitten ðŸºðŸðŸ¸ðŸº : @Kevin_McKernan @SWAtlasHoover

Mon Oct 26 02:12:52 +0000 2020

c_disco5 : @Kevin_McKernan @cbcwhitecoat

Mon Oct 26 02:12:29 +0000 2020

Cheo : @Kevin_McKernan @boriquagato @gummibear737 @EthicalSkeptic @MLevitt_NP2013

Mon Oct 26 02:10:06 +0000 2020

Cheo : @Kevin_McKernan @SWAtlasHoover @realDonaldTrump @tedcruz @AlexBerenson @FoxNews

Mon Oct 26 02:09:04 +0000 2020

satoshi's kitten ðŸºðŸðŸ¸ðŸº : @Kevin_McKernan @DrEricDing

Mon Oct 26 02:04:25 +0000 2020

david king : @Kevin_McKernan Kevin - Gotta link to a paper / blog? I / we need to understand this.@AlexBerenson we'd welcome a'... https://t.co/95rb4s8GwS

Mon Oct 26 02:04:24 +0000 2020

HeadMaximus : @Kevin_McKernan @KY_HenryClay You eggheads are giving me a headache

Mon Oct 26 02:04:06 +0000 2020

Beckett Basketcase : @Kevin_McKernan Please unroll, @threadreaderapp

Mon Oct 26 01:55:55 +0000 2020

azreear : @Kevin_McKernan Thank you Kevin. A lot have been said about PCR testing but still remains a mystery to many

Mon Oct 26 01:53:35 +0000 2020

TNK : @Kevin_McKernan @Alex_Washburne One of the papers showing a previous casedemic due to pcr https://t.co/DzcEwlyhhf

Mon Oct 26 01:44:26 +0000 2020

Reids1611 : @Kevin_McKernan With a cycle of 40 CT we will never see zero ''cases'' and they can keep their draconian measures going

Mon Oct 26 01:28:47 +0000 2020

Kevin McKernan : I hope to convey the need to push for public transparency on the CQ values being utilized to count ''case'' #'s. I al'... https://t.co/WPoay7ecoR

Mon Oct 26 01:25:16 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 17:00

Health authorities are investigating why five false-positive COVID-19 test results have been recorded at a community in the remote Kimberley, each of them prompting an emergency containment response.

Key points: Five false positive COVID tests came from one remote Kimberley community All five tested negative upon further investigation Authorities have ruled out testing procedure as the cause, but cannot explain resultsThere have been about 10 false or weak positive test results across WA in recent months, but it is the cluster in the far north that has microbiologists baffled.

Health authorities are not naming the Kimberley community that has recorded the unusual results, to protect the privacy of the residents.

Medical director for the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services, Lorraine Anderson, said the result is hard to explain, but does not pose a risk of infection.

"If you have a COVID test you have to isolate yourself until your test comes back negative," Dr Anderson said.

"Out of the thousand or so tests we've done on the machines in the Kimberley, we've had five come back as a weak positive result."

Catch up on the main COVID-19 news from October 28 with our coronavirus blog.The five individuals were kept in isolation and tested again and the results were found to be false positives.

"They've been acted upon quickly and re-tested quickly on another platform and confirmed to be COVID negative," Dr Anderson said.

"There's lots of hypotheses as to why that might be the case and it's certainly something that the microbiologists in Perth are spending quite a bit of time on trying to work out."

Find more local news Tell us your location and find more local ABC News and informationMystery remainsIf the five results were unconnected, authorities would likely accept these false positives as an expected artefact of testing large numbers of people.

But coming from the same location suggests some other factor is at work.

"Operator and machine error has been ruled out," Dr Anderson said.

"These machines and the testing follow very strict quality controls and we're very confident that this is not about the people taking the test and it's not about the machine that's being used."

Concerns have been held that coronavirus could be particularly dangerous in remote Indigenous communities.(ABC Kimberley: Rebecca Nadge)One explanation may be the presence of an unusual and unrelated virus that is able to trigger a weak positive result in the rapid testing being used in remote communities.

"You're testing very small parts of the virus and sometimes there's a crossover with other viruses or with other elements that are around," Dr Anderson said.

While that may be interesting for microbiologists, Dr Anderson said it does not pose a risk to the general public.

"It's not anything to be concerned about," she said.

"There's been very good communication with all communities about point-of-care testing and about the potential for weak positives and false positives and false negatives."

Rapid testing still reliableDespite the unexplained test results, the head of public health operations at WA Health, Ben Scalley, said rapid testing machines are a vital part of the testing regime, especially in regional and remote WA.

"It's really important we have access to tests that we can get results from in a timely manner," Dr Scalley said.

"It's still a swab to the throat and nose and the result is returned in an hour or two."

Dr Ben Scalley says rapid coronavirus testing is providing a valuable service to community health.(ABC News: James Carmody) Coronavirus questions answered Breaking down the latest news and research to understand how the world is living through an epidemic, this is the ABC's Coronacast podcast.

Read more

The rapid testing has only been used in particular circumstances, Dr Scalley said.

"There's a limited supply that we have of rapid tests, so we need to use them carefully," he said.

"So we prioritise the rapid tests for only when we need to know the rapid result or in remote areas when we need to know a rapid result."

Dr Scalley said the false positives in the Kimberley are not typical of the rapid testing.

"We've had exceptionally few false positive tests," he said.

"It's only happened a handful of times on the rapid test or the full test and that's a high level of performance for WA."

Dr Scalley said that most importantly for community health, false negatives where an infected person could be left in the community, were very rare.

"The rapid test is very good at picking up when the person does have disease," he said.

"The public can be very confident in the testing and the testing results that they get."

What you need to know about coronavirus: Who needs to wear a face mask in Victoria and when The symptoms The number of cases in Australia Global cases, deaths and testing rates

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 17:00

'‹COVID testing analysers to be rolled out in regional areasFaster turn-around-times for some of our most vulnerable peopleFurther increasing Statewide testing capacityFaster turn-around-times in regional areas will be available for urgent cases with the introduction of regional on-site testing analysers for COVID-19 - with results available within an hour.

The analysers will provide testing capability to regional areas of most need, further adding to the State's testing capacity.

For the first time, the McGowan Government. through PathWest, is installing molecular PCR analysers in select laboratories outside of Perth - the first of which will be located at PathWest Broome next week, then Kalgoorlie and Geraldton. Feasibility studies are underway for further roll-out to Port Hedland, Albany and Esperance.

The GeneXpert® analysers will be used for higher risk COVID-19 testing scenarios, such as health care workers, police, hospital patients, people living in Aboriginal communities and those from an area with an increased risk of community transmission.

Test results will be provided in a fraction of the time, without having to transport samples to Perth.

The Department of Health, PathWest and the WA Country Health Service are also co'‘ordinating the rollout of a COVID-19 Remote Point of Care Testing Program announced by the Commonwealth Department of Health last week. These analysers will provide testing in smaller regional and remote communities where no testing facilities are available.

For more information telephone the COVID-19 Health Information Line on 1800 020 080 for advice by visiting http://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/

Comments attributed to Health Minister Roger Cook:

"Providing quick turnaround times and diagnostic equipment closer to some of the most vulnerable people in the State is essential as we continue to manage this global health crisis.

This is another way we are increasing testing capacity in the system, and forms part of our extensive testing program.

By slowing the spread of the virus, we have been able to better prepare our hospitals and regions as we come into the winter season."

Comments attributed to Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt:

"The introduction of rapid tests into regional areas adds to other protection measures the State Government has implemented for regional Western Australians, including tough travel restrictions into remote communities.

"While the recent low cases numbers have been very promising, I urge people, particularly those from remote communities, don't become complacent.

"Your community is the safest place to be."

Comment attributed to Mining and Pastoral region MLC Kyle McGinn:

"This is a game changer for people in the regions who will now receive their results much sooner than if they required transport to Perth."

Comment attributed to Kimberley MLA Josie Farrer:

"The fast-tracked results are welcomed by the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service who have strongly advocated for this in the regions and will make a big difference in helping keep our mob safe."

Health Minister's office - 6552 6500

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 01:38

Ivor Cummins : Biggest waste of money in history - all prior WHO and country pandemic guidelines stated "test and trace" no use'... https://t.co/WGT0JBqG23

Wed Oct 28 16:13:18 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 03:01

Sunday, October 25:517 New Coronavirus Cases, 255 Delayed Positive Cases, 3 New Deaths Face coverings are now required to be worn in public. Do not gather in groups larger than ten people and maintain six feet of social distancing from others. Read More

Not sure who sent in the information about pubs in Ireland being open, but I can confirm that they are closed under the current restrictions.

They were closed since March and were allowed to briefly open for a few weeks, before being told to shut again recently.

What was even more hilarious is that back in June, only pubs that served food were allowed to reopen, as long as they served a meal that cost more than €9, because you know how dangerous COVID19 is when you spend €8.50 on a meal.

Many will go out of business.

Best regards,

Danilo.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:12

Despite publicly downplaying it, President Donald Trump and his team of White House advisers have embraced the controversial belief that herd immunity will help control the COVID-19 outbreak, according to three senior health officials working with the White House coronavirus task force. More worrisome for those officials: they have begun taking steps to turn the concept into policy.

Officials say that White House adviser Scott Atlas first started pushing herd immunity this past summer despite significant pushback from scientists, doctors and infectious disease experts that the concept was dangerous and would result in far more Americans getting sick and dying. Since then, various White House advisers have tried to play down the idea that the administration has implemented a strategy for COVID-19 based on herd immunity, which holds that if enough people contract a disease and become immune from it, then future spread among the broader population will be reduced.

Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, told reporters in September that "herd immunity has never been a strategy" fostered by the Trump administration. And in a statement to The Daily Beast, Atlas insisted that it wasn't a pursuit.

''As we have specifically stated many times on the record and in print, we emphatically deny that the White House, the President, the Administration, or anyone advising the President has pursued or advocated for any strategy of achieving herd immunity by letting the coronavirus infection spread through the community,'' the statement read. ''That has never been advised to the President nor has it ever been part of any policy of the President.''

But those working on the government's COVID response say that the attempts by the White House and Atlas to steer clear from using the phrase ''herd immunity'' are merely a game of semantics. Privately, one of those sources said, the actual policy pursuits have been crafted around a plainly herd immunity approach; mainly, that the government should prioritize protecting the vulnerable while allowing ''everyone else to get infected,'' that source said.

In a recent call with reporters, in which The Daily Beast participated, administration officials laid out a new emphasis in the president's coronavirus policy which underscored ''protecting the vulnerable,'' key among them nursing home patients. One official said the coronavirus was ''dangerous for a certain subset of the population'' and that ''most people do extraordinary well.''

Officials on the call pointed to a Great Barrington study, which was assembled by a team of scientists who advocate for trying to reach herd immunity through the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19.

Though Atlas insists he has not pushed ''herd immunity,'' another official said Atlas actually began advocating for the concept'--and the president became receptive to it'--at the same time as task force officials were being sidelined from conversations about how the administration planned to handle what many predicted would be a difficult fall season. Since then, officials said, the White House has been largely focused on getting a vaccine out to the American people and has left the fight against the community spread to one task force official: Dr. Deborah Birx. Birx, the White House task force coordinator, has been on the road for months trying to convince Americans to wear masks and social distance. In her absence, and with the task force meeting less regularly, Atlas has thrived as a presidential confidant.

''This is all Atlas,'' said one of the officials who spoke with The Daily Beast. ''I find it disturbing'... bordering on ludicrous. Everything that comes out of Atlas' mouth is geared towards letting it rip and then just worry about protecting the vulnerable. Everything he says points to the fact that he believes herd immunity is a good option. Yet he denies he's pushing herd immunity as a strategy saying 'No that's not what I'm doing.' But he is.''

Herd immunity is a scientific term that embraces the idea that when ''most of a population is immune to an infectious disease, this provides indirect protection'... to those who are not immune to the disease,'' according to Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. While herd immunity has been used as a way to control the spread of other diseases, the school's analysis noted that ''the situation for SARS-CoV-2 is very different: COVID-19 carries a much higher risk of severe disease and even death.''

Health officials say that the practical acceptance of herd immunity by the president could lead to a dangerous and potentially deadly new phase in the pandemic, even if it is accompanied by a simultaneous effort to screen and protect seniors and those with comorbidities. Scientists warn that if the administration continues to focus just on protecting, for example, individuals in nursing homes, it will overlook those people who fall outside of the most vulnerable population but who could still contract the virus, survive it, and have long-lasting health complications.

''It's a really dangerous idea. And it's a potentially deadly mistake,'' said Tom Frieden, former director for the Centers for Disease Control in the Obama administration. ''They know that term [herd immunity] is toxic, but that's exactly what they're recommending. I mean, Scott Atlas said it's a positive thing. It's not a positive thing. Every infection is a step backwards.''

Frieden said focusing solely on protecting the vulnerable doesn't make sense from a public health standpoint.

''What we keep seeing all over the country is you see cases start in one group, and then they go to the elderly a week, two weeks, three weeks later, and then you see an increase in cases and then an increase in hospitalizations and then inevitably more deaths,'' he said.

Among health officials working on the COVID response, Atlas has been basically alone in his belief that allowing people to get sick with the disease could be a net positive, officials say. Atlas, a neuroradiologist with no background in handling infectious disease outbreaks but who has become Trump's coronavirus guru, told CNN in August, ''We can allow a lot of people to get infected'--those who are not at risk to die or have a serious hospital requiring illness.''

''We should be fine with letting them get infected, generating immunity on their own and the more immunity in the community the better we can eradicate the threat of the virus including the threat to the people that are vulnerable. It's what herd immunity is,'' he said.

For Trump, Atlas' advocacy of this approach has represented an opportunity. The president has long pushed for less restrictive public health measures to combat COVID, under the belief that the country needed to prioritize economic interests. Herd immunity as a theory ''basically gave him permission to reopen the country even if we hadn't flattened the curve,'' one official said.

''There's a false narrative that has been developed, where either you shut down, or you let everybody do whatever they want to do and let them get affected,'' one official said. ''You can still keep businesses open. You could still have the economy slowly getting back if you wear a mask, avoid crowds and social distance.''

Atlas' August interview caused significant uproar among officials tasked with responding to the coronavirus outbreak. The Washington Post first reported in August that Atlas was urging the White House to foster the herd immunity idea. The next day, Atlas appeared again on CNN, this time saying that he had not advocated for the concept.

''There's never been any advocacy of herd immunity coming from me to the president to anyone in the administration, to the task force, to anyone I've spoken to,'' Atlas said. ''The president does not have a strategy advocating herd immunity. The task force does not have a strategy advocating herd immunity.''

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 01:59

A DAD has attempted to shop at a Welsh supermarket wearing just his boxer shorts and a facemask - after clothes were deemed "non-essential".

Chris Noden, 38, was stopped by security staff as he tried to push his trolley into the Tesco store in Newport, Gwent.

'š ¸ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

Chris Noden tried to push his trolley into the Tesco store in Newport Credit: Wales News Service But the 38-year-old was stopped by security staff Credit: Wales News ServiceToday is the first full day of Wales' "firebreak" lockdown and stores are currently unable to sell clothes to customers.

Wife Dawn, 33, filmed him as he tried to access the store saying: "Clothes are non-essential - let him in."

Dawn told the workers: "Clothes are deemed now non-essential. Your stores policy says clothes are non-essential. Let him in to buy some clothes.

"This is beyond a joke. There are children out there growing that need clothes."

But a security guard said: "He's not appropriately dressed. Go and take it up with the government." You can't come in dressed like that."

When the staff said they won't let him in, Dawn replied: "So clothes are essential to day-to-day life?" The worker said: "Of course they are."

The couple were turned away but Dawn later posted the video online.

She said: "Please note that no lockdown rules were broken, nobody was put at risk, this non-essentials list is beyond a joke! Clothes aren't essential are they Mr Drakefold.

"Chocolate, sugar, alcohol and tobacco all classed as essential items?"

He was wearing just a pair of boxer shorts and a face mask Credit: Wales News Service His wife Dawn told the workers: "Your store's policy says clothes are non-essential. Let him in to buy some clothes." Credit: Wales News Service

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 03:34

A waiter cleans a table after closing in Saint Germain-en-Laye, west of Paris on Oct. 16, to comply with new COVID-19 restrictions forcing restaurants, cinemas and theaters in the French capital to close. France imposed a nighttime curfew in Paris and other major cities to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Michel Euler/AP hide caption

toggle caption Michel Euler/AP A waiter cleans a table after closing in Saint Germain-en-Laye, west of Paris on Oct. 16, to comply with new COVID-19 restrictions forcing restaurants, cinemas and theaters in the French capital to close. France imposed a nighttime curfew in Paris and other major cities to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Michel Euler/AP New regulations and social-distancing rules are being introduced across multiple European countries in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus as a second wave of the pandemic accelerates across the continent. Europe reported more than 1.3 million new cases this past week, its highest single week count yet, according to the World Health Organization.

Spain and France each surpassed 1 million cumulative confirmed cases last week, becoming the sixth and seventh countries to do so globally. Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom are also experiencing record numbers '-- threatening to overwhelm countries' abilities to test, trace and contain the virus. Polish President Andrzej Duda tested positive for the virus over the weekend, as cases have doubled there in recent weeks.

Europe's infection rate has been rising for over 90 days, according to European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. As authorities and experts worry that the situation in Europe may soon spin out of control, governments are imposing curfews and social restrictions in an attempt to avoid full-scale lockdowns that could hurt the economy and dim the upcoming holiday season.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Snchez declared a national state of emergency on Sunday, which included a nighttime curfew and possible travel restrictions between regions. Italy also announced new measures to curb the virus, the harshest since its lockdown in the spring, when the country was the global epicenter of the pandemic.

U.K. Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced a move to a "high" alert level for London and other cities as of Oct. 17, banning residents from mixing with people from other households indoors and restricting outdoor gatherings to six people or fewer.

Last week, Ireland became the first country in Europe to reimpose a lockdown in the face of soaring cases.

Wales began a 17-day lockdown this weekend, shuttering all nonessential businesses and requiring people to remain home, with few exceptions. "If we do this now and if we then have a consistent set of national rules, to keep the transmission and the intensity of the virus at a lower level, then we can have a much more normal Christmas season for businesses," Vaughan Gething, the Welsh health minister, told BBC Radio Wales.

France has become the worst-hit country in Europe's second wave, with over 40,000 new cases every day the past few days. Nightly curfews have been in place in several cities since mid-October, and this weekend, multiple new curfews were enacted, bringing the total number of people affected to around 46 million, or about two-thirds of France's population.

"The second wave is here," said Prime Minister Jean Castex at a press conference when the new restrictions were announced. "The situation is grave."

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 11:39

Hundreds of people have gathered at Koenigsplatz for a demonstration in Munich, Germany, Saturdauy, Oct.24, 2020. Under the motto "Rising for Culture", artists reminded people of the difficult life situations that have arisen from the Corona crisis for many cultural workers. (Lino Mirgeler/dpa via AP)

A cyclist wearing face mask protection crosses along an empty High street, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, as new measures against the coronavirus began in the Navarra province where all bar and restaurants are closed for 15 days from midnight Wednesday. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)

A policeman checks documents of a driver at central Syntagma square in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. Greece's government has imposed a nightly curfew in greater Athens and other areas with high infection rates as well as a mask requirement. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)

This photo shows a view of central Monastiraki square in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. Greece's government has imposed a nightly curfew in greater Athens and other areas with high infection rates as well as a mask requirement. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)

Israeli police remove a protester as they forcibly clear the square outside of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

A resident wearing face mask protection walks along an empty San Nicolas street, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, as new measures against the coronavirus began in the Navarra province where all bar and restaurants are closed for 15 days from midnight Wednesday. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)

Residents wearing face mask protection as they walk along an empty Javier street, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, as new measures against the coronavirus began in the Navarra province where all bar and restaurants are closed for 15 days from Wednesday midnight. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)

A resident wearing face mask protection walks along an empty Estafeta street, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, as new measures against the coronavirus began in the Navarra province where all bar and restaurants are closing for 15 days. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)

Empty streets are pictured after curfew in Marseille, southern France, Sat, Oct. 24, 2020. The curfew imposed in eight regions of France last week, including Paris and its suburbs, is being extended to 38 more regions and Polynesia. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Friends share a drink at a bar before curfew in Marseille, southern France, Sat, Oct. 24, 2020. The curfew imposed in eight regions of France last week, including Paris and its suburbs, is being extended to 38 more regions and Polynesia. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

People wear face masks as they watch a street performer in Montreal, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic continues. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Police patrol the center of the city to enforce the curfew in Strasbourg, eastern France, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. The curfew imposed in eight regions of France last week, including Paris and its suburbs, is being extended to 38 more regions and Polynesia. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Before the curfew, servers smoke cigarettes in Strasbourg, eastern France, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. The curfew imposed in eight regions of France last week, including Paris and its suburbs, is being extended to 38 more regions and Polynesia. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Children walk by a restaurant as it closes a few minutes before curfew in Saint Jean de Luz, southwestern France, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. A curfew intended to curb the spiraling spread of the coronavirus, has been imposed in many regions of France including Paris and its suburbs. (AP Photo/Bob Edme)

People spill beer on the ground during a protest against the government restriction measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, in Rome, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte, who imposed severe-stay-at-home limits on citizens early on, then gradually eased travel and other restrictions, has been leaving it up to regional governors in this current surge of infections to order restrictions such as overnight curfews, including in places like Rome, Milan and Naples. (Mauro Scrobogna/LaPresse via AP)

Residents take part in a free yoga class sponsored by the "Treino na Laje" project that aims to recover people's self-esteem through yoga, in Capao Redondo favela, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, as restrictions related to COVID-19 pandemic are eased. The project also distributes donated food and toys for poor children, performs social actions and administers free sports classes. (AP Photo/Carla Carniel)

German police officers check on the Wilmersdorfer EinkaufsstraŸe to make sure that the mask obligation is observed in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Oct.24, 2020. As of today's Saturday a compulsory mask will be in force on ten busy streets and other places in Berlin. (Christoph Soeder/dpa via AP)

A patrol of the federal police goes along Kollwitz-Platz in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Oct.24, 2020. In connection with the corona restrictions, numerous police officers checked during the night that the curfew and contact restrictions were being observed. (Paul Zinken/dpa via AP)

BERLIN '-- Several people attacked Germany's national disease control center with incendiary devices early Sunday, Berlin police reported.

A security guard noticed the attack on the Robert Koch Institute in the German capital and was able to quickly extinguished the flames. Nobody was injured, but one window was destroyed. Criminal police has taken over the investigation on suspicion that the attack may have been politically motivated.

Among other things, the institute keeps track of Germany's coronavirus outbreak. It publishes daily new infection figures and also advises the government and the public on how to keep the pandemic from getting out of control.

While most Germans support the country's handling of the pandemic, some have tried to downplay the dangers of the virus.

On Sunday, the institute reported 11,176 new daily infections, almost double the number reported a week ago Sunday. Another 29 people died of COVID, bringing Germany's overall death toll to 10,032.

___

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

'-- Europe's restaurants and bars are being walloped by new virus curfews and restrictions

'-- Spain gets ready to impose a new state of emergency to tamp down surging virus infections

'-- Surging coronavirus colors White House race in closing days

'-- Europe, US watch case totals grow, debate new restrictions

'-- Colombia reaches 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases

'-- Police in England will try to stop people from leaving Wales, which has started a 17-day lockdown to slow a surging rate of coronavirus infections.

___

Follow all of AP's coronavirus pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

(Ad)Is it possible to see returns like $11,012, $13,900 and even an incredible $24,520 from the stock market every single week'... With 100% certainty?

___

HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

NEW DELHI '-- India's daily coronavirus cases have dropped to nearly 50,000, maintaining a downturn over the last few weeks.

The Health Ministry says 50,129 new cases have taken the overall tally to nearly 7.9 million on Sunday. It also reported 578 deaths in the past 24 hours, raising total fatalities to 118,534.

The ministry also said India's active coronavirus cases were below 700,000 across the country and almost 7.1 million people had recovered from COVID-19.

India is second to the United States with the largest outbreak of the coronavirus. Last month, India hit a peak of nearly 100,000 cases in a single day, but since then daily cases have fallen by about half and deaths by about a third.

Some experts say the decline in cases suggests that the virus may have finally reached a plateau but others question the testing methods. India is relying heavily on antigen tests, which are faster but less accurate than traditional RT-PCR tests.

___

MELBOURNE, Australia '-- A COVID-19 outbreak in the north of Melbourne has led health authorities in Australia's Victoria state to hold off on any further easing of restrictions in the beleaguered city.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews withheld any announcement on an easing on Sunday as the state awaits results on 3,000 people who were tested in the city's north in the past 24 hours.

He described it as a ''cautious pause'' - not a setback - to rule out there wasn't widespread community transmission linked to the cluster.

Among the current restrictions are mandatory wearing of masks and no traveling beyond 25 kilometers (15 miles) from home. At the start of the second wave of cases two months ago, Andrews instituted an overnight curfew and shut down most businesses.

''I know it is frustrating,'' Andrews said. ''I know people are keen to have a long and detailed list of changes to the rules. It is not appropriate for us to do that now.'''"

Victoria reported seven new coronavirus cases on Sunday, with six linked to the latest outbreak, which involves 39 people across 11 households.

No additional deaths kept the state toll at 817 and the national toll at 905.

___

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka '-- Sri Lankan authorities have terminated a number of passenger trains and widened the curfew as COVID-19 cases related to a new cluster at a garment factory continue to surge.

The Railway Department canceled at least 16 trains '-- mostly ran through busy office hours '-- after the number of commuters declined due to the curfew imposed in many parts of the country.

More than a dozen villages are isolated in densely populated Western province, which includes capital Colombo.

Authorities last week closed the island's main fish market on Colombo's outskirts after 49 traders tested positive for the coronavirus. By Sunday, the number of cases from the fish market went up to nearly 900.

Authorities say the outbreak is linked to a cluster in a garment factory early this month, which has grown to 4,052 cases, more than half the country's total of 7,521. During the last 24 hours, 368 new cases have been detected.

In a bid to contain the spread, health authorities also closed three fishery harbors and many fish stalls around the country.

Several thousand people have been asked to quarantine at home. Schools and key public offices are closed and gatherings banned. The death toll rose to 15 on Saturday.

___

BOGOTA, Colombia '-- Colombia reached 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday, its health ministry says, becoming the second country in Latin America to report that number in less than a week.

The nation of 50 million saw cases peak in August and has seen a decline since but still continues to register around 8,000 new infections a day.

Eight countries now have more than 1 million confirmed cases, and three are in Latin America. Argentina hit 1 million confirmed cases on Monday. Brazil ranks third worldwide in the number of virus cases, with more than 5 million, and passed 1 million infections back in June. Peru and Mexico are expected to reach 1 million cases each in the coming weeks.

Overall, Latin America continues to register some of the highest caseloads, diagnosing more than 100,000 confirmed infections each day, though the World Health Organization reports that Europe is now seeing even larger numbers as a second virus wave strikes.

___

LANSING, Mich. '-- Michigan has reported more than 3,000 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus '-- the highest daily count yet during the pandemic.

The 3,338 new COVID-19 cases reported Saturday by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services surpassed the state's previous single-day record of 2,030 new cases set on Oct. 15. That earlier record had topped the previous record of 1,953 from early April.

The state agency also reported Saturday 35 more deaths from COVID-19, raising Michigan's pandemic toll to 7,182 deaths.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Michigan's chief medical executive, said in a statement that it's ''now more important than ever that people take this seriously.'' She urged Michigan residents to wear a face mask every time they are around someone outside of their own household, to practice social distancing and avoid large gatherings.

___

EL PASO, Texas '-- The surge in coronavirus in the Texas border city of El Paso continued Saturday with a record 1,216 new cases, nearly 20% of the state's 6,125 new cases, according to city-county health officials.

There have been 3,346 cases in the city during the past three days, according to city-county health reports. El Paso has reported 38,554 total cases since the pandemic began in March.

''Today's spike is part of an unfortunate national surge that we have been planning and preparing for,'' public health director Angela Mora said in a statement. ''Now, we need our community to help us by doing their part and staying home, if and when possible, for the next two weeks in order to stop the rapid the spread of the virus.''

Gov. Greg Abbott has sent medical equipment and about 500 medical personnel to the region to help fight the virus. There have been more than 858,000 reported cases in Texas and nearly 17,500 deaths, 81 reported Saturday, since the pandemic's start.

___

COLUMBIA, Tenn. '-- A Tennessee hospital is suspending all elective procedures requiring an overnight stay due to a surge in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, The Daily Herald of Columbia, Tennessee, reported.

As of Friday evening, Columbia's Maury Regional Medical Center was treating 50 COVID-19 inpatients, 20 of whom were in the medical center's 26-bed intensive care unit. In response, the hospital said Friday it is suspending elective surgical procedures that require an overnight stay for two weeks, beginning on Monday.

''The time has long passed for our community to take this virus seriously,'' Alan Watson, CEO of Maury Regional Health, said in a Friday statement. ''We are seeing the impact of our community letting down their guard, and we must make every effort to mitigate the spread of this virus.''

On Thursday, the Tennessee Department of Health reported that statewide hospitalizations had reached a new record of 1,300 patients with COVID-19 and had an ICU bed availability of just 11%.

Martin Chaney, Maury Regional's chief medical officer, said small home gatherings have become the emerging threat through which the disease is being spread in the six-county region the medical center covers.

''In our homes, we all let our guard down,'' Chaney said. ''You think it is safe to not socially distance, and you take your masks off. That is spreading the disease very rapidly.''

He said Maury Regional has consistently seen a surge in cases about two weeks after each major holiday.

''It is so predictable now,'' Chaney said. ''When families travel and get together for holidays, it is a high-risk time for spreading the virus.''

Tennessee recorded 2,574 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday and 24 new deaths, bringing the total number of deaths in the state to 3,100.

___

VATICAN CITY '-- Pope Francis met with the Spanish prime minister at the Vatican, but neither man wore a mask during the public part of their meeting.

That's despite 13 Swiss Guards and someone staying at the same Vatican City guest house where Francis lives recently testing positive for the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wore a mask when he arrived in a Vatican courtyard, but everyone sat unmasked immediately before and after his closed-door talks with Francis.

Spain this week became the first country in Western Europe with more than 1 million confirmed virus cases.

The Vatican says Sanchez also spoke with the Holy See's foreign minister, discussing matters including ''the current health emergency, the process of European integration and migration.''

In his speech, Francis called politics ''an act of charity, nobility'' and the mission of a politician is to help a nation to progress. The pontiff also says its ''very sad'' when ideologies drive the destiny of a nation.

___

PHOENIX '-- Arizona is experiencing increases in coronavirus cases and the rate of positive test results.

The 14-day rolling average of daily confirmed infections rose from 617 on Oct. 9 to 914 on Friday. Meanwhile, the average daily deaths increased from 7.6 to 8.4 and the positive test average went from 6.5% to 8.9%.

Rolling averages even out daily spikes and drops.

The state Department of Health Services on Saturday reported 890 cases and four additional deaths, increasing the Arizona totals to 236,772 confirmed infections and 5,869 deaths.

___

OKLAHOMA CITY '-- Oklahoma has registered more than 1,800 newly confirmed coronavirus cases.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health report on Saturday comes one day after Gov. Kevin Stitt extended a state of emergency another 30 days. The health department reported 1,829 new cases for a total of 115,685.

There have been 11 more deaths, bringing the death toll to 1,245.

12 Marijuana Stocks to Buy Now

There are now more than 50 publicly-traded companies operating in the cannabis industry. Most of these companies aren't directly growing and selling marijuana themselves, but they do stand to benefit greatly as more states legalize the sale and possession of marijuana. Some of these marijuana stocks are media companies. Others are privately studying the medical uses of marijuana. Yet others are providing tools and software for marijuana growers. As more cannabis companies file IPOs and enter the stock market, it will become increasingly difficult for investors to identify which marijuana stocks will truly benefit from the cannabis boom.Our subscribers have begun digging through these companies, checking out their financials, business models and long-term growth prospects. They know that some "marijuana stocks" are just empty shell companies that deserve to be penny stocks, but they also recognize there are some legitimate and growing companies that truly stand to benefit from the green rush. As a group, they have added 10 different cannabis stocks to their watchlists and are actively investing in them. More than 1,400 MarketBeat subscribers are now following our top-trending cannabis company.

This slide show lists the 12 pot stocks that MarketBeat subscribers are have added to their watchlists and are actively monitoring.

View the "12 Marijuana Stocks to Buy Now".

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 12:08

De maat is vol als het aan Minister van Volksgezondheid Hugo de Jonge ligt. Het feestje bij Hilversum was voor hem de druppel. Daar vierden wel driehonderd jongeren afgelopen weekeinde een illegaal dansfeest. "Mogelijk zijn nu tot wel drieduizend mensen besmet geraakt door het wanstaltelijke gedrag van ongehoorzame jongeren," aldus de premier.

In een spoedberaad met het Kabinet stelde De Jonge voor de mogelijkheid op heropvoedingskampen te overwegen. "We zitten nu al diep in de tweede golf van deze vreselijke #coronaziekte. Maar Nederlandse lijken maar niet te willen luisteren. Het dringt allemaal niet goed door. Dan moeten we drastischere maatregelen doordrukken: heropvoedingskampen voor wie niet wil luisteren."

Volgens een woordvoerder van de regering zouden zulke heropvoedingskampen in de oude barakken van bijvoorbeeld Kamp Vugt geplaatst kunnen worden. Daar zijn tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog veel Joden vergast. "Hopelijk brengt uitgerekend die plek mensen op andere gedachten."

De Kamer beraad zich maandagochtend over een wetsvoorstel om overtreders van de coronaregels linea recta naar de kampen te sturen.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 15:36

TRAVELLERS are using fake coronavirus test certificates to board flights as some are charging £150 for forged result, it has emerged.

The brazen rule breakers have said they were able to board their flights after doctoring someone else's test and changing it to their name before printing it out and showing it to staff at UK airports.

'š ¸ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

1

Traveller are reportedly faking their negative coronavirus tests to travel Credit: Getty Images - GettyMany airlines are now requiring proof of a negative coronavirus test before travellers can board a plan to certain countries.

A small industry of selling false negative certificates is also cropping up with travellers reportedly ready to cough up £50-£150 for the bogus documents.

NHS Covid-19 tests are only currently available for front-line workers so travellers must get a private test which can cost up to £150.

One Blackburn man told how he was given a negative test by a friend and then he changed the name to his own and printed it out.

He used it to travel to Pakistan - which requires international travellers to present a negative test taking within 96 hours of travel.

The man said he was able to travel to Pakistan with his fake test.

The man, who did not want to be named, told the Lancashire Telegraph: "People are doing this as you can't get a Covid test if you have to travel to Pakistan in case of an emergency.

"It is difficult to get one unless you are a key worker.

"If you put down you have symptoms then you don't get the test. How can you travel then?"

Those who also want fake negative tests are able to pay for it, it is claimed.

In Bradord, some are charging £150 for a fake certificate for last-minute travellers and others in Blackburn ware reportedly charging £50.

Another traveller said: "We needed a Covid-19 test for a family member and I spoke to one travel agent and he said, 'Get it done and even if it comes out positive we will provide a negative one for you for £50'."

Official government advice states: "Some airlines require passengers to have recent Covid-19 test results in order to fly.

ISO-LATERS!World's most haunted island where plague sufferers were sent to quarantine

TEST CHAOSBrits heading to Canary Islands today face confusion over Covid tests

CHECK YOU OUTBrits holidaying in Tenerife will be tested for Covid during hotel check-in

WELCOME BREAKSHalf term activities for October 2020 - things to do with the family

LEVEL UPTravelling between Tiers 1, 2 and 3: Covid lockdown rules explained

FULL LISTQuarantine list UK: Which countries are on the list?

"You should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country.

"You should arrange to take a private test. Contact your travel company for the latest information."

The Sun Online contacted the Civil Aviation Authority for a comment.

Canary Islands, Mykonos, Denmark & Maldives come OFF quarantine list giving holiday boost for Brits

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 04:53

Three police officers suffered minor injuries while breaking up a 'Stop The New Normal' protest in central London.

Crowds of thousands gathered in the city with banners and placards, calling for 'freedom' and an end to restrictions imposed due the pandemic.

They called the new rules 'tyranny' and also voiced their opposition to vaccines.

Piers Corbyn, brother of former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, also attended the protest.

Visit our live blog for the latest updates Coronavirus news live

Police were deployed outside Buckingham Palace as crowds of protesters gathered on the steps of the Queen Victoria memorial opposite the gates, before making their way to Trafalgar Square.

Police said that at least ten people were arrested at the anti-lockdown protest, after they announced it would be broken up as the demonstration failed to comply with the risk assessment.

There was some disruption on Westminster Bridge as officers tried to disperse crowds.

Yesterday, around 50 people gathered in Parliament Square for a protest organised by the Stop Trump Coalition.

A pantomime cow and a group of chlorinated chickens were among demonstrators who turned out to protest against a proposed trade deal between Britain and the US.

Organisers said any negotiated deal would be a 'horror story' and a serious threat to the NHS, UK food standards and democracy.

Ahead of the weekend's events police had urged people to comply with Covid-19 regulations, warning that they may be at risk of committing a criminal offence if they did not.

The force said they 'strongly advise' people not to attend any large gatherings for the protection of themselves and others.

Under current regulations, no-one can participate in a gathering of more than six people outdoors unless certain exemptions apply.

The Met said officers had also received information that unlicensed music events (UMEs) were being organised across the capital.

The force said these events remain illegal and officers will shut them down and take action against organisers.

Commander Ade Adelekan, leading today's police operation, said: 'Throughout the day, officers have been managing a number of complex protests at various locations across central London. One demonstration in particular attracted a large number of protesters and I became increasingly concerned that those in the crowd were not maintaining social distancing or adhering to the terms of their own risk assessment.

'Organisers did not take reasonable steps to keep protesters safe which then voided their risk assessment. At this point, officers then took action to disperse crowds in the interests of public safety.

'I am grateful that the vast majority of people listened to officers and quickly left the area. Frustratingly, a small minority became obstructive, deliberately ignoring officers' instructions and blocking Westminster Bridge.

'Although the majority of protests have concluded, our policing operation will continue into the night and I would urge Londoners to stick to the regulations, avoid gathering in large numbers and maintain social distancing.'

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more Not convinced? Find out more >>

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 04:55

Recent PostsSenate Confirms Amy Coney BarrettThe U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, 52 to 48. President Trump and Senate Republicans have succeeded in securing a 6-3 conservative majority on the high court, just eight'...

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day''It's the pandemic, stupid.'' '-- James Carville, in an interview with MSNBC, updating his iconic campaign slogan for the 2020 presidential election. Save to FavoritesTwitterFacebookLinkedInEmail

Trump Eyes Hosting Election Night PartyPresident Trump has his eye on hosting an election night party at his own hotel in the nation's capital, the AP reports. Over the weekend, the campaign pushed out fundraising'...

Biden Expands National Lead Over TrumpHeading into the final week of the 2020 presidential campaign, Joe Biden now holds his largest-ever lead over President Trump, 54% to 42%, according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll'...

Biden to Campaign In IowaJoe Biden will travel to Iowa Friday, marking his first in-person visit of the general election cycle, the Des Moines Register reports. Save to FavoritesTwitterFacebookLinkedInEmail

Child Sex Trafficking Prosecutions Decline Under TrumpA new report from Syracuse University finds that federal prosecution of child sex trafficking cases has significantly declined since 2017, the year President Trump took office. Save to FavoritesTwitterFacebookLinkedInEmail

Trump Rallies Are Non-Stop Lies''Two minutes and 28 seconds into a campaign rally on a recent Saturday night in Janesville, Wis., President Trump delivered his first lie,'' the New York Times reports. ''Over the'...

Tennessee Lawmaker Prescribed Opioids to LoverAn attorney for Tennessee Sen. Joey Hensley (R) conceded the politician, a small-town doctor, prescribed opioids to family members and an employee with whom he was in a romantic relationship, in what the state contends is a'...

Japan's Big New Climate Goal''Japan's new prime minister said on Monday the nation will seek to become carbon-neutral by 2050, a move that will require huge changes in its fossil fuel-heavy energy mix in'...

Polling Guru Bets on BidenMark McKinnon: ''In many ways 2020 is haunted by 2016. So in an effort to tune into a clear, crisp radio signal through all the white noise, I interviewed the'...

Decades of Bungling at the NYC Elections BoardNew York Times: ''As the workings of American democracy have become more complex '-- with sophisticated technology, early voting and the threat of foreign interference '-- New York has clung'...

GOP Pollster Has Biden Up BigA new Public Opinion Strategies (R) poll finds Joe Biden leading Donald Trump nationally by 14 points, 55% to 41%. Save to FavoritesTwitterFacebookLinkedInEmail

An Anonymous Republican Speaks OutOlivia Nuzzi has an excellent look at the ''tortured self-justification of one very powerful Trump-loathing anonymous Republican.'' Said the Republican of President Trump: ''I thought he would lose! I mean,'...

Biden Keeps Light ScheduleJoe Biden had no public schedule on Friday, Sunday or Monday, just eight days before what the Democratic presidential nominee calls the ''most consequential election of our lifetime,'' Bloomberg reports'....

Trump Sparks Rise of 'Patriot Churches'Washington Post: ''While most White conservative Christian churches might only touch on politics around election time and otherwise choose to keep the focus during worship on God, politics and religion'...

More Battleground State PollsFrom Reuters/Ipsos: PENNSYLVANIA: Biden 50%, Trump 45% WISCONSIN: Biden 53%, Trump 44% From Insider Advantage: PENNSYLVANIA: Trump 48%, Biden 46% From New York Times/Siena: TEXAS: Trump 47%, Biden 43% From'...

Click here for an interactive version.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 13:35

NU.nl maakt gebruik van cookies.

DPG Media en derde partijen plaatsen cookies en vergelijkbare technieken (''cookies'') en verwerken gegevens (zoals informatie over jouw toestel, je browser, je surfgedrag en je locatie) op onze websites en apps voor de volgende doeleinden: informatie op een apparaat opslaan en/of openen, het gebruik van de sites analyseren om deze te verbeteren, sociale media integreren, gepersonaliseerde advertenties en content, advertentie- en contentmeting, inzichten in het publiek en productontwikkeling.

DPG Media deelt jouw (persoons)gegevens met Mediahuis Nederland en RTL Nederland, via 'NLProfiel', om gezamenlijke groepsprofielen op te stellen op basis van cookies.

Daarnaast biedt DPG Media enkele adverteerders de mogelijkheid de door DPG Media verzamelde informatie ook buiten haar websites en apps te gebruiken bij het inkopen van advertentieruimte en laat DPG Media deze adverteerders bij het tonen van hun advertenties cookies plaatsen om zo zelf informatie te verzamelen.

Door op 'akkoord' te klikken, ga je hiermee akkoord. Wil je geen cookies toestaan, klik dan op ''Doorgaan zonder cookies''. Zie ook ons Privacy- en cookiebeleid

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 21:54

SINGAPORE: It will soon be compulsory to use the TraceTogether app or token to do SafeEntry check in at certain venues conducting activities with large groups of people.

The Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) announced on Tuesday (Oct 20) that TraceTogether-only SafeEntry will be progressively implemented at popular venues across Singapore by the end of the year.

Advertisement AdvertisementIt said that this transition from other SafeEntry methods, such as scanning identity cards, is vital as the country prepares to resume larger-scale events and further reopen its economy safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The TraceTogether programme, which comprises both an app and a token, relies on proximity data to provide an initial list of close contacts for COVID-19 cases.

Together with SafeEntry and associated digital systems, the programme would enable contact tracing teams to reduce the time taken to identify and quarantine a close contact from four days to less than two days on average.

This helps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

Advertisement AdvertisementBETTER PROTECTION

''The use of TT-only SE (TraceTogether-only SafeEntry) will provide added assurance that everyone present at these larger-scale activities is better protected by effective contact tracing through participation in the TT programme,'' SNDGO said.

''TT-only SE ensures that if a COVID-19 case is identified, we can quickly inform close contacts in those locations through the TT programme.

''The close contacts can immediately take the necessary precautions to keep their loved ones safe.''

Advertisement READ: Social gatherings of up to 8 people may be allowed in Phase 3, says Gan Kim YongWhen TraceTogether-only SafeEntry is implemented at a venue, visitors will no longer be able to enter by scanning QR codes with phone cameras, using SingPass Mobile or scanning their personal IDs.

Instead, they will have to use the TraceTogether app to scan the venue's QR code or allow entry staff to scan the QR code on their TraceTogether token.

PHASED ROLLOUT

Since August, TraceTogether-only SafeEntry has been on trial at several venues with high human traffic or where people are expected to be in close proximity for extended periods of time.

From now until mid-November, TraceTogether-only SafeEntry will be rolled out at venues which host activities that draw larger groups of people.

These include cinemas, places of worship with more than 100 attendees, and venues hosting live performances and business events.

''Members of the public who intend to attend these activities are encouraged to download the TT app or collect their TT token as soon as possible,'' the SNDGO advised.

READ: Nightlife industry a 'higher risk' setting, activities unlikely to resume even at start of Phase 3, says Lawrence WongBy December, TraceTogether-only SafeEntry will be implemented at all popular venues currently requiring check-in, including workplaces, schools, malls, food and beverage outlets and hotels.

A full list of venues is available on the SafeEntry website and will be updated "on an ongoing basis", said SNDGO.

TraceTogether tokens are now available for collection at 38 Community Centres and Clubs (CCs) and will be available at all 108 CCs by the end of November.

Find out where to collect your TraceTogether token here.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 12:52

President Emmanuel Macron had chosen the star journalists of France2 and TF1, Anne-Sophie Lapix and Gilles Bouleau, to interview him on the Covid-19 epidemic. He announced a curfew to them as a health measure. Several Western countries think they are facing a new wave of Covid-19 epidemic. Populations that have already suffered a lot, not from the disease, but from the measures taken to protect them from it, find it difficult to accept new public order measures on health grounds. This is an opportunity for us to analyze behaviors.

Governments know that they will have to account for what they have done and what they have not done. In the face of the disease and even more so in the face of this pressure, they have had to act. How did they think about their strategy?

In developing it, they relied on the advice of specialists (doctors, biologists and statisticians). Immediately these were divided in each discipline and opposed each other so that the government could only continue with some of them. But on what criteria did they choose them?

Many uncertainties While public opinion is persuaded : that the virus is transmitted through respiratory droplets; that contaminations can be contained by wearing surgical masks and maintaining a distance of at least one meter with one's interlocutors; that it is possible to distinguish healthy people from sick people by the use of PCR tests;

Specialists are much less assertive. On the contrary, some say : that the virus is mainly transmitted not through respiratory droplets, but through the air we breathe; that, therefore, surgical masks and social distances are useless; that the PCR tests that are performed do not measure the same thing in different laboratories and that, therefore, the cumulative statistics are like adding apples and pears together.

Thus, despite the reassuring messages from the authorities, there is still a great deal of confusion about the characteristics of this epidemic.

What can be done about it? The problem facing the authorities was new. No professional training had prepared them to face it. So they turned to specialists. While the former gave them clear advice, everything became complicated when others came to contradict them. They were overwhelmed.

If the rulers were politicians, they could only react according to their political experience. As they grew older, they learned to propose even better, not 0.5 percent increase in the base salary like their competitors, but 0.6 percent, even if it meant finding an excuse not to have to keep their promises. Caught unawares, they went into a bidding war with their neighbors, making more drastic decisions one after the other to show that they were superior to them. Above all, they masked their incompetence by resorting to authoritarian measures.

If they were technocrats, they could only react according to the experience of their bureaucratic body when faced with large-scale disasters. But it is difficult to adapt to a health crisis the experience gained from fighting floods or earthquakes. As a reflex, they therefore turned to pre-existing public health administrations. However, the political leaders had already invented new structures that duplicated the previous ones, without specifying the distribution of competences. Instead of joining forces, each of them was trying to preserve its own square.

If the rulers had been chosen on the basis of their authority, i.e., both their firmness and their attention to others, they would have approached the problem according to their general culture.

In such a case, they knew that viruses need the people they infect to live. As deadly as Covid-19 was in the first weeks of its outbreak, it did not seek to kill humanity, but would adapt to humans. From then on, its lethality would drop rapidly and there would never be another epidemic peak. The idea of a "second wave" seemed highly unlikely to them. Never since viruses have been distinguished from bacteria has a viral disease been observed in several waves.

The rebounds we are seeing today, in the USA for example, are not small additional waves, but mark the arrival of the virus in new populations to which it has not yet adapted. The national accumulation of the number of sick people masks a geographical and social distribution.

Moreover, unaware of how the virus is transmitted, governments would have assumed that it is transmitted like all other respiratory viral diseases: not through respiratory droplets, but through the air we breathe. Similarly, they would have known that in all viral epidemics, the majority of deaths are not due to the virus itself, but to the opportunistic diseases that occur during them. As a result, they would have decided to recommend that everyone should air their living spaces thoroughly and would have made it mandatory in all jurisdictions. In addition, they would have recommended that everyone should not disinfect their hands, but wash them as often as possible. They would have ensured that points were installed for this purpose as widely as possible.

In fact, these were the two main measures that WHO had advised at the beginning of the epidemic, before hysteria replaced reflection. No wearing of surgical masks, no disinfection, no quarantine, and even less containment of healthy people.

Science does not provide a definitive answer,it just pushes away questions The way in which the scientists were staged illustrates a clear misunderstanding of what science is. Science is not an accumulation of knowledge, but a process of knowledge. We have just verified the virtual incompatibility between the scientific spirit and current practice.

It is absurd to demand from scientists, who are just beginning the study of a virus, its propagation and the damage it causes, a remedy for what they do not yet know. It is pretentious for scientists to answer such questions.

A change in society Some of the measures taken when this virus erupted can be explained by misjudgements. For example, President Macron initiated the practice of generalized containment when he was intoxicated by the catastrophic statistics of Neil Ferguson (Imperial College London) [1] He announced at least 500,000 deaths. There were 14 times fewer, according to official figures that are known to be overestimated. In retrospect, it appears that this serious attack on liberties was not justified.

However, the choice of the curfew, a few months later, when there was a slight rebound in deaths, is incomprehensible in democratic states: everyone could observe that this disease was much less lethal than feared and that its most dangerous period was over. There is no current data to justify such an attack on freedoms.

President Macron himself has justified it by referring to a second wave that does not exist. If he was able to take it on such an unconvincing argument, when will he be able to lift it?

It must be noted that this time it cannot be an assessment error, but rather an authoritarian policy under the guise of a health crisis [2].

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:43

NOS Nieuws ' Maandag, 16:17

De vliegtuigstoel en het uitzicht moet je er zelf bij bedenken.. Maar eten alsof je in business class zit op 10 kilometer hoogte, kan nu ook thuis. Althans, in Finland.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 02:08

Mayo Clinic has teamed up with a health technology company to launch a new digital service focused on reducing the high cost of testing and care for COVID-19, sexually transmitted diseases and other common medical conditions.

Mayo Clinic is partnering with Los Angeles-based Safe Health Group on the venture to improve access to efficient, affordable treatment for common medical conditions, the health system announced in conjunction with the start of the HLTH 2020 virtual conference Monday.

The venture will focus on testing for STDs and common ailments but will initially target COVID-19 through symptom tracking and testing by linking consumers, clinicians and test distribution into one digital solution, called HealthCheck.

Featured Webinar Patient experience and the bottom-line impact on a practice

Practices that deliver exceptional experience often demonstrate strong financial performance and efficient operations. Join us to learn how to identify the most impactful connections between patient experience and financial performance, how to measure, track and improve patient experience as it relates to the bottom line, and identify patient experience measures that affect financial performance.

HealthCheck is a smartphone and desktop app that's designed to provide real-time health status verification while also protecting consumer privacy, much like a health passport, according to Ken Mayer, CEO of Safe Health Systems.

The SAFE platform emerged from the Mayo Clinic and Arizona State University Alliance for Health Care's MedTech Accelerator program, a program designed to accelerate use-inspired research and improve patient care and outcomes through innovations. The venture will be part of The Mayo Clinic Platform, an initiative launched in January that uses emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, connected health devices and natural language processing for healthcare innovations.

RELATED: Mayo Clinic, Amazon, others launch collaboration to increase COVID-19 testing, vaccine development

As COVID-19 vaccinations become available, the application will support vaccine workflow and verification.

The apps and services will be available to universities, employers and organizations looking for resources to restart in-person activities and support new care models, according to the organizations.

As the country looks to bring back large public gatherings like concerts and sporting events, there will be a need to verify that individuals have been tested or have received a COVID-19 vaccine, according to John Halamka, M.D., who leads the Mayo Clinic Platform.

"Think about all the IT, cloud-hosted services and apps that are needed for every part of that," he said. "We're going to need a workflow to validate negative test results and who has received a vaccine and an app is the right way to do it."

The future of virtual care includes on-demand diagnostic testing, including the tracking of lab results and proof of vaccine administration in support of the post-COVID-19 "new normal," he said.

RELATED: Mayo Clinic's Halamka: Telehealth boom slowing, but don't expect it to go back to pre-COVID-19 rates

Safe Health Group got its start three years ago by developing a mobile app to track and verify a user's sexual health. That app, called Safely, enables users to import test results from almost any doctor or lab and then show their verified STD status privately on their phone, Mayer said.

The company was able to leverage that technology to develop the HealthCheck app. Mayo Clinic wanted to work with Safe Health Group on the app because the company has a track record of developing apps that understand testing workflows and laboratory ordering even within a complex compliance and regulatory landscape, Halamka said.

When using the app, a user's COVID-19 test result is recorded permanently in their phone in way that is not "fakeable," Halamka said.

"It will provide you a QR code to show your employer, your school, or to show before attending an event," he said.

Mayo Clinic and Safe Health Group have been working on the digital health app for the past nine months. The venture comes as employers are looking for back-to-work solutions and major airlines including American Airlines, JetBlue Airways and United have begun offering COVID-19 tests to passengers, allowing them to bypass quarantine restrictions.

RELATED: Mayo Clinic hires health IT veteran Halamka to lead digital health strategy, AI projects

Mayo Clinic's role in the partnership is to provide lab testing and clinical expertise.

"It's a really wonderful way of bringing together an agile software developer with great clinical expertise and lab capacity," Halamka said.

The SAFE platform enables the rapid implementation of custom digital health applications, which combine digital provider services, artificial intelligence-based care automation and remote point-of-care diagnostics. The current COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need for remote diagnostic and digital care services, the organizations said.

''Safe Health Systems represents the originality, creativity and optimistic belief required to yield innovative and transformative health care solutions,'' says Steven Lester, M.D., Mayo Clinic cardiologist and founder and medical director of the MedTech Accelerator program. ''The SAFE platform will support a digital revolution in health care and embodies how the MedTech Accelerator program supports innovative companies in their quest to advance patient-centric health care solutions.''

Mayo Clinic has invested in Safe Health Systems, as it is a strategic component of the Mayo Clinic Platform, the health system said.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 04:26

Alex Berenson : Some real-time data on suicides out of London; a 70% increase in completed suicides or serious attempts compared to'... https://t.co/e2s7zjFIPa

Thu Oct 29 04:04:53 +0000 2020

ð'µð'šŠð'š›ð'š' ð'²ð'šð'š•ð'š•ð'šŽð'šŒð'š'ð'šð'š› : @AlexBerenson But the cases. THE CASES!

Thu Oct 29 04:16:20 +0000 2020

Matt Pickell : @AlexBerenson Suicides and the effect from people who are not going to the doctor for regular exams. I hear of peop'... https://t.co/HdUV38bZIF

Thu Oct 29 04:14:36 +0000 2020

Obama's Nobel Prize : @AlexBerenson @AnnCoulter How is it that Republicans care about suicides but not Coronavirus deaths? ...... they're'... https://t.co/8yQj15t5JW

Thu Oct 29 04:13:12 +0000 2020

Karin J : @AlexBerenson Dreadfully sad. This madness must be stopped.

Thu Oct 29 04:12:43 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:06

Published duration 10 hours ago

media caption 'We will all get there together': President Macron places France into lockdown for NovemberFrench President Emmanuel Macron has announced a second national lockdown until at least the end of November.

Mr Macron said that under the new measures, starting on Friday, people would only be allowed to leave home for essential work or medical reasons.

Non-essential businesses, such as restaurants and bars, will close, but schools and factories will remain open.

Covid daily deaths in France are at the highest level since April. On Tuesday, 33,000 new cases were confirmed.

Mr Macron said the country risked being "overwhelmed by a second wave that no doubt will be harder than the first".

Meanwhile, Germany will impose an emergency lockdown that is less severe but includes the closure of restaurants, gyms and theatres.

Infections are rising sharply across Europe, including the UK which on Wednesday announced 310 new deaths and 24,701 new officially-recorded cases.

In England, a new study estimates almost 100,000 people are actually catching the virus every day, with researchers warning that "something has to change".

Night curfews are in force in several countries, including for 46 million people in France.

News of the new restrictions being introduced in Europe's biggest economies led to sharp falls in the financial markets on Wednesday. The UK's FTSE 100 ended almost 2.6% lower, and Germany's Dax dropped 4.2%. Major US indexes also sank 3.4% or more.

"We are deep in the second wave," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. "I think that this year's Christmas will be a different Christmas."

Why is France acting now?

In a televised address on Wednesday, Mr Macron said that France must now "brutally apply the brakes" to avoid being "submerged by the acceleration of the epidemic".

"The virus is circulating at a speed that not even the most pessimistic forecasts had anticipated," he said, adding that half of all intensive care beds at French hospitals were being occupied by Covid patients.

The president said that under the new rules, people would need to fill in a form to justify leaving their homes, as was required in the initial lockdown in March. Social gatherings are banned.

"Like in the spring, you will be able to leave your house only to work, for a medical appointment, to provide assistance to a relative, to shop for essential goods or to go for a walk near your house," Mr Macron said.

But he made clear that public services and factories would remain open, adding that the economy "must not stop or collapse".

Mr Macron added that visits to care homes - which were banned during the two-month lockdown declared in March - would be permitted under the latest measures.

The curbs will apply until 1 December and will be reassessed every two weeks. The president said he retained "hope that families will be able to be reunited for Christmas".

A new French lockdown - with differences

The French government has been taken by surprise by the virulence of this second Covid wave. Some 50,000 new cases a day are being reported and that's probably a big underestimate.

The proportion of critical beds occupied by Covid patients is now 70% in Paris. The new restrictions announced by President Macron on Wednesday are similar to measures introduced in March, but with some key differences.

For business, it's going to be another massive blow - especially for sectors like entertainment and events. The president promised help for French firms, but did not provide details.

After the economy picked up in the third quarter, it now looks inevitable that it'll contract again between now and the end of the year, and for the whole of 2020 the government's predicting a 10% fall in GDP.

What about Germany's new restrictions?

Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country had to "act now" and called for a "major national effort" to fight the spread of coronavirus.

While Germany has a lower infection rate than many other parts of Europe, the speed with which the virus has been spreading in recent weeks has alarmed Berlin.

"Our health system can still cope with this challenge today, but at this speed of infection it will reach the limits of its capacity within weeks," Mrs Merkel said.

media caption Europe's streets emptyA partial lockdown will now begin in Germany on 2 November, under terms agreed by Mrs Merkel and the 16 state premiers:

Schools and kindergartens will remain open Social contacts will be limited to two households with a maximum of 10 people and tourism will be haltedBars will close and restaurants will be limited to takeawaysTattoo and massage parlours will shutSmaller companies badly hit by the lockdown will be reimbursed with up to 75% of their November 2019 takingsMrs Merkel and the state premiers are expected to reconvene by video conference on 11 November to reassess the situationThe chancellor said the measures were necessary to avoid a national emergency.

The German government is keen to enable families and friends to meet at Christmas, but daily infections have soared to a new high of 14,964, with 85 more deaths reported in the latest 24-hour period.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:31

Scots in areas with severe Covid outbreaks will face being placed into near-full lockdowns under a new five-tier system unveiled by Nicola Sturgeon.

Jason Leitch, the Scottish Government's National Clinical Director, said he expected some form of coronavirus restrictions to still be in force in December, meaning traditional large family gatherings, like Christmas, are likely to be banned.

Those living in an area with the highest level would experience restrictions almost as severe as the full lockdown imposed across the UK in March, when there was a stay-at-home message and draconian limits on travel.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own devolved governments and separate health systems.

What are the new rules?Scots face wide-ranging travel bans while shops, hairdressers and gyms in virus-hit areas would be shut down again under ''complicated'' new lockdown rules unveiled by Ms Sturgeon.

The First Minister has published proposals for her five-tier system for imposing local restrictions, which will come into force on November 2, and will be used to set rules for each of Scotland's 32 council areas.

Under the highest level, to be imposed on areas where virus levels are ''very high or rapidly increasing'', close to a full lockdown would be brought in, with non-essential shops shut and the possible re-imposition of the ''stay at home'' order.

Even Scots in areas not suffering from high infections face significant curbs on their liberty, with non-essential travel to be banned to areas in the second highest or highest tier. Those in hard-hit areas would be banned from leaving their council borders, with only limited exceptions, such as to go to work or for education.

Severe limits on gatherings between households will also remain in force, even in areas with low cases, meaning the chances of traditional family Christmases going ahead are in major doubt.

In a further blow for Scotland's hospitality industry, pubs and restaurants are set to face significant further restrictions under the plan. They would be shut completely in the top level areas, banned from selling any alcohol in the second highest, and could serve alcoholic drinks indoors only with a main meal, or outdoors without a main meal, in middle-tier areas.

Does Scotland have a tiered lockdown system?A new tiered system of lockdown restrictions will come into force in Scotland on November 2 if approved at Holyrood, the First Minister said.

Ms Sturgeon said some areas might face stricter measures than those in force in the central belt, where licensed hospitality venues have been temporarily closed.

Setting out her plan, which is being consulted upon before a Holyrood vote on October 27, Ms Sturgeon said she did not want to take a ''one size fits all approach if that is not warranted'', with restrictions to be tailored to each area's level of infection.

What are the current restrictions?In the meantime, from 6pm on October 9 until October 25, pubs and cafes are banned from serving alcohol indoors.

Outdoor venues can open until 10pm and are allowed to sell alcohol until that time. Indoor hospitality venues selling food and non-alcoholic drinks will operate between 6am and 6pm.

Five health board areas - Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire & Arran, Lothian, and Forth Valley - face stricter restrictions, with pubs and licensed cafes to shut to all but takeaway customers for the same period.

People in the five health boards under tougher restrictions have also been asked to avoid public transport unless absolutely necessary, and use it only when travelling to work, school or for other unavoidable reasons.

Snooker and pool halls, indoor bowling alleys, casinos and bingo halls are closed in these areas for two weeks from October 10. Contact sports and indoor group exercise for those 18 and over are suspended for the same period, as are outdoor live events.

Ms Sturgeon is also examining a travel ban between Scotland and the north of England after backing draconian cross-Border restrictions unveiled by the Welsh First Minister.

Ms Sturgeon said she "fully" supported a decision by Mark Drakeford to ban people from Covid hotspots in the rest of the UK travelling to Wales.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:42

The outlook for the virus pandemic is worsening across the country, with more than twenty states reporting case numbers at or near record levels. As cases rise, so do anxieties among consumers who have already started panic hoarding for the second time this year as the COVID winter approaches.

As the panic hoarding begins, food makers are prepared this time, unlike the first round that started in March, which resulted in widespread shortages of food products.

Bloomberg notes General Mills, Campbel Soup, Conagra Brands, and Stonyfield Farm have expanded internal and external product lines this summer to prepare for another panic wave of buying.

"America's food-makers are determined not to get caught flatfooted again. Many companies left sales on the table this spring when they couldn't ramp up production fast enough for the dried pasta and canned soups that skittish consumers were stockpiling. Food producers used a calmer summer to assess the new grocery landscape and rework their strategies. Now, with Covid-19 cases climbing again and big holiday meals getting closer, investors are waiting to see whether it will be enough," Bloomberg said.

According to Centricity Inc., a firm that tracks online search activity, panic hoarding for the second time this year is underway. They said demand for baking goods in the three weeks through Oct. 13 spiked 3,400% from a year earlier.

"That's less than the 6,000% jump that preceded the first wave of pantry loading," said Centricity's chief executive officer Mike Brackett, adding that he expects this round will include other products besides canned goods and other staples.

"In the last three to four weeks, we've seen very drastic increases, similar to how we did with the first wave of the pandemic," Brackett said.

The second round of panic hoarding comes as new COVID-19 daily cases have been steadily increasing since September. Even though food companies are prepared, shortages will likely be seen at US supermarkets, and or buying limitations will be placed on items.

Paul Gianetto, senior vice president of sales and merchandising of Raley's Supermarkets, told Bloomberg that only 70% to 75% of its orders are being filled, which is much better from the 40% at the heart of the pandemic. He said his department must order more private-label brands to thwart customers from wiping shelves clean.

"There is definitely a lot of hoarding that's being anticipated that's already causing a little strain," Gianetto said in an interview. "The real thick of it is going to be those 10 to 14 days prior to Thanksgiving."

Vivek Sankaran, chief executive officer of Albertsons Cos., which operates Safeway, Vons, and other grocery chains, said certain products ahead of Thanksgiving are near impossible to find.

"It's still difficult to get items like cleaning sprays and wipes, hot dogs and flour," Sankaran said.

"There will be greater demand this holiday season than last holiday season. We're increasing the amount of supply," he said.

General Mills told Bloomberg that its inventories won't normalize until June 2021 as the virus has triggered panic hoarding and supply chain disruptions this year.

Sean Connolly, chief executive officer at Healthy Choice parent Conagra, said:

"We are pretty much selling everything we can make... As long as demand remains very elevated, and if there is an additional uptick, that will just further stretch the supply that can be produced."

So the question readers need to be asking: How prepared are food companies for another round of panic hoarding?

A perfect storm is brewing of not just supermarkets but also food banks nationwide could experience food shortages during the COVID winter. Food insecurity could become a major issue in the months ahead.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:13

The University of Cambridge has receive d m ulti-million -pound funding from the government for a clinical trial of its COVID-19 vaccine.

Trial preparations are underway for the vaccine, which will be delivered via an innovative needle-free injection technology developed by US firm PharmaJet.

It is hoped that a successful trial will result in the widespread availability of a low-cost vaccine.

The vaccine has been developed by DIOSynVax , a spinoff company supported by the University of Cambridge , and uses computer modelling of the virus' structure to identify the distinct genetic code.

The combined artificial intelligence and synthetic biology approach allows for development of a vaccine that is specific to developing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

''Our approach using synthetic DNA to deliver custom-designed, immune-selected vaccine antigens is revolutionary and is ideal for complex viruses such as coronavirus,'' said Dr. Jonathan Heeney, CEO of DIOSynVax.

''If successful, it will result in a vaccine that should be safe for widespread use that can be manufactured and distributed at low cost.''

The PharmaJet System was chosen due to its record of increasing the efficacy of nucleic acid-based vaccines and therapeutics.

''It is especially exciting that the clinical trial will test giving the vaccine through people's skin using a device without any needles as together with stable DNA vaccine technology, this could be a major breakthrough in being able to give a future vaccine to huge numbers of people across the world ,'' said Professor Saul Faust, director of the National Institute for Health Research Southampton clinical research facility where the clinical trial will take place.

Chris Cappello, president and CEO at PharmaJet , added: ''We are pleased to be collaborating with the University of Cambridge and DIOSynVax as the delivery system for their vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 .

''Our n eedle-free s ystems have been proven to improve the immune response for multiple RNA/DNA-based vaccines as well as being used to eradicate diseases such as influenza, measles and polio.''

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:20

Reports out of Ireland suggest that the first COVID-19 vaccine out of the West could be available in Ireland in literally just a matter of weeks. Known as BTN162b2, this mRNA-based vaccine was originally developed by the German biotech known as BioNTech and now is associated with Pfizer as the giant American pharmaceutical company entered into a co-development and commercialization arrangement with the company. Ironically, as TrialSite reported, the Pfizer and BioNTech team didn't accept U.S. federal money from Operation Warp Speed to subsidize clinical development, yet they appear on track to be first in the vaccine race in the West (e.g. North America, Europe, etc.) as versus the East (China, Russia), the latter of which, have both generated COVID-19 vaccines now in some form of commercial use. In the case of Russia's Sputnik V, health authorities there ''registered'' the drug but this was more marketing than anything else as that vaccine and comparable Chinese candidates still must be scrutinized in ongoing Phase 3 trials. Now Pfizer Ireland has revealed to local media that the company could potentially be in the position to receive an emergency use authorization (EUA) within weeks. This would trigger the start of what would be an unprecedented effort to start the distribution process involving 100 million doses of BNT162b2 before the end of 2020. he vaccine candidate has been tested on 35,000 people thus far with no reports of any adverse reactions.

Pfizer's country director in Ireland, Paul Reid, most recently shared with Eilish O'Regan with the Irish Independent that ''We can have 100 million doses by the end of 2020. If we have an advance purchase agreement with the EU Commission, that is secured. Part of that would include a volume we think we can make available across Europe.''

The country manager shared that Pfizer was moving at ''breakneck speed'' to make it to the finish line and in the process serve to ''lift the nation's spirits as the country endures six weeks of lockdown.'' If the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency approve emergency use authorizations (EUA) by the end of October to early November, it would be possible to start inoculating people before the end of the year.

Quality Data Matters

Ultimately, the regulators on both sides of the ''Pond'' will demand quality data-driven evidence for any EUA. Mr. Reid shared, ''The FDA will review the data with their own scientists. It will be reviewed by an external panel of independent experts at a publicly held meeting. We are going to have to demonstrate the quality and consistency of the vaccine.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 10:48

No vaccine in the history of medicine has been as eagerly anticipated as that to protect against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Vaccination is widely regarded as the only true exit strategy from the pandemic that is currently spreading globally.

The UK is at the forefront of a huge international effort to develop clinically safe and effective vaccines. The Vaccine Taskforce was the brainchild of Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK Government's chief scientific advisor, who saw the need for a dedicated, nimble private-sector team of experts embedded in the Government to drive forward the development of vaccines for the UK and internationally. The Vaccine Taskforce was set up under the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in May, 2020, and I was asked to chair the taskforce, reporting directly to the prime minister, and working alongside Deputy Chair Clive Dix. The Vaccine Taskforce aims to ensure that the UK population has access to vaccines as soon as possible, while working with partners to support equitable access for populations worldwide, whether rich or poor.

However, we do not know that we will ever have a vaccine at all. It is important to guard against complacency and over-optimism. The first generation of vaccines is likely to be imperfect, and we should be prepared that they might not prevent infection but rather reduce symptoms, and, even then, might not work for everyone or for long.

Our strategy has been to build a diverse portfolio across different formats to give the UK the greatest chance of providing a safe and effective vaccine, recognising that many, and possibly all, of these vaccines could fail. We have focused on vaccines that are expected to elicit immune responses in the population older than 65 years: over three-quarters of deaths caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection are in this older population,

1 Office for National StatisticsAnalysis of deaths involving COVID-19 data.

, 2 Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional death counts for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): daily updates of totals by week and state.

so it is essential that any vaccine is able to protect this group. Scalability of vaccine manufacture was also a key criterion, with the goal being to manufacture in the UK, if possible, to secure supply and create long-term resilience. We considered only vaccines that have the potential for approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and European Medicines Agency and for vaccine delivery as early as the end of 2020 or, at the latest, in the second half of 2021.

The Vaccine Taskforce has now secured access to six vaccines (from more than 240 vaccines in development) across four different formats: adenoviral vectors, mRNA, adjuvanted proteins, and whole inactivated viral vaccines, which are promising in different ways. The most advanced vaccines, such as those developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, BioNTech and Pfizer, and Janssen, are based on novel formats for which we have little experience of their use as vaccines, although the initial immunogenicity and safety data are encouraging.

3Folegatti PM Ewer KJ Aley PK et al.Safety and immunogenicity of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2: a preliminary report of a phase 1/2, single-blind, randomised controlled trial.

, 4Walsh EE Frenck RW Falsey AR et al.Safety and immunogenicity of two RNA-based Covid-19 vaccine candidates.

, 5Sadoff J Le Gars M Shukarev G et al.Safety and immunogenicity of the Ad26.COV2.S COVID-19 vaccine candidate: interim results of a phase 1/2a, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Vaccines based on frequently used vaccine formats, such as adjuvanted protein vaccines developed by Novavax, and by GSK and Sanofi, and inactivated whole viruses developed by Valneva, will not be available until late in 2021.

We also have an agreement with AstraZeneca to supply a neutralising antibody cocktail as a prophylactic treatment once clinical trials are completed and it is approved by regulators. This treatment will be provided in the short term for people who cannot receive a vaccine, such as people who are heavily immunosuppressed and cannot mount an immune response, or people who need immediate protection, such as health-care workers.

The Vaccine Taskforce has options to purchase sufficient doses of each vaccine type to vaccinate the appropriate UK population. Following the interim advice by the UK's Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisations,

6 Department of Health and Social CareJCVI: updated interim advice on priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination.

vaccination would be recommended for adults older than 50 years, health-care and social-care workers on the front line, and adults with underlying comorbidities. The precise dose required will be determined as part of the clinical trials and by the decisions made by the UK Government on the basis of the advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. We anticipate that most vaccines will require two doses, and we are also investigating whether annual or biannual revaccination booster shots might be required to maintain durable protection.

Developers of COVID-19 vaccines range from small biotechnology companies to big pharmaceutical companies, each with different commercial objectives and with different amounts of funding to support manufacturing scale-up and clinical trials. In some cases, the Vaccine Taskforce is investing at risk to support these activities before we know whether the vaccine is safe and effective, and, in other cases, we have negotiated an advanced purchase agreement. In both instances, government funding is usually linked to reaching clinical, regulatory, and other milestones. If a vaccine is not going to work, then we will stop funding.

Some of the developers, such as AstraZeneca, GSK and Sanofi, and Janssen, are pursuing the development of a vaccine on a non-profit basis, at least for the pandemic period; whereas others view the resources and risk that they are assuming as justification for seeking a profit.

The first phase 3 efficacy data from the leading vaccine candidates are due by the end of 2020, subject to accruing sufficient rates of infection within the clinical trial cohorts to show the vaccines' efficacy. The primary endpoint is to show that the vaccine can protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection and reduce symptom burden. Two phase 3 efficacy clinical trials are now underway in the UK; the Oxford AstraZeneca adenovirus-vectored vaccine (

NCT04400838) and the world's first phase 3 study for Novavax's protein-adjuvant vaccine (

NCT04368988), both occurring at various sites across the UK. Numerous phase 3 studies are in preparation to start in the UK in 2020 and 2021 with US, European, Australian, and possibly Chinese vaccine developers, reflecting the UK's strong reputation for running clinical trials and postauthorisation pharmacovigilance of high quality.

To help to accelerate the development of successful vaccines, we launched the National Health Service COVID-19 vaccine registry

7 National Health ServiceTake part in coronavirus research.

and have enrolled over 295'000 volunteers,

8 National Health Service DigitalCoronavirus vaccine studies volunteers dashboard.

with a focus on populations who are at high risk of severe infection and mortality from COVID-19. We plan to accelerate recruitment in disease hotspots with mobile research teams informed by robust PCR testing, and have provided funding for clinical trials of crucial importance, including Janssen's two-dose Ad26 protocol (

NCT04505722), Imperial College London's self-amplifying RNA (ISRCTN17072692), and Valneva's whole inactivated vaccine. We are also exploring the potential for future controlled human challenge studies, dependent on ethics and regulatory approvals. These studies have the potential to assess the efficacy of vaccines more quickly and with far fewer participants than a standard phase 3 trial. The Vaccine Taskforce is also supporting the development of heterologous boost clinical protocols, through the National Institute for Health Research, to explore whether different vaccine combinations can increase immunity or durability of protection.

To harmonise results from the various clinical trials, and to help to define immune correlates of protection, we have supported development of standardised, accredited assays, including quantitative high-throughput spike-protein ELISAs, live viral-neutralisation assays, and T-cell assays, which will be available to all vaccine developers.

A major challenge is that the global manufacturing capacity for vaccines is vastly inadequate for the billions of doses that are needed, and the UK manufacturing capability to date has been equally scarce. The Vaccine Taskforce has provided funding for flexible and surge production in several new UK sites for vaccine manufacture to provide the UK population with a new vaccine in less than 9 months from the identification of the pathogen. We also plan to bring new vaccine technologies and capabilities to the UK for future pandemic preparedness.

No-one has ever done mass vaccination of adults anywhere in the world before and the two-dose regimen, plus cold-chain restrictions for some vaccines, adds to the complexity of this deployment operation. National Health Service England has flexible deployment plans to start the vaccination of prioritised cohorts as soon as the vaccines are approved by the regulatory authorities, currently not to be coadministered with the influenza vaccination (although clinical trials are exploring coadministration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines). Deployment plans have been developed for a range of settings from mass vaccination sites to large and small mobile (eg, pop-up) sites, general-practitioner surgeries and pharmacies, and even roving teams to visit people in care homes and people who are housebound or shielding.

We cannot, however, protect the UK without working with our international partners to protect the world. SARS-CoV-2 is a global pandemic with a toll of over 1·1 million deaths.

9 WHOWHO coronavirus disease (COVID-19) dashboard.

No one is safe until we are all safe. Pandemic viruses do not respect national borders.

There will not be one successful vaccine, or one single country, that is able to supply the world. We urgently need international cooperation to pool risks and costs, address barriers to access, and scale up the manufacturing capacity to produce sufficient doses to protect everyone at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection globally.

The UK is committed to ensuring that everyone at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, anywhere in the world, has access to a safe and effective vaccine. The COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility, to which the UK has committed £548 million, will deliver vaccines for the UK population and provide access to vaccines for lower income countries: initially 2 billion doses for 1 billion people worldwide. Working with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, WHO, and a broad alliance of 180 nations, this pooling of resources maximises the chances of securing access to a vaccine and making it available to all who need it. But we now need to make this global facility a permanent one: ready to respond to future pandemics quickly in the future and to control COVID-19.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is likely to evolve, and other zoonotic pathogens are likely to pose future risks. China, Europe, the USA, and the UK need to work together. If we establish international collaboration right now, then we will be better prepared to control future pandemics without causing the largest global recession in history and the biggest threat to lives in living memory.

Declaration of interests

I am on the investment committees of all venture capital funds managed by SV Health Investors, except SV Medical Convergence Fund and SV7 Growth Fund. I sit on the boards of various companies for SV Health Investors, including Autifony Therapeutics, Bicycle Therapeutics, Mestag Therapeutics, Pulmocide, Sitryx, and Zarodex Therapeutics. SV Health Investors does not invest in companies related to work on the COVID-19 vaccine.

References 1. Office for National StatisticsAnalysis of deaths involving COVID-19 data.

2. Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional death counts for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): daily updates of totals by week and state.

3. Folegatti PM Ewer KJ Aley PK et al.Safety and immunogenicity of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2: a preliminary report of a phase 1/2, single-blind, randomised controlled trial.

Lancet. 2020;

396 : 467-478 4. Walsh EE Frenck RW Falsey AR et al.Safety and immunogenicity of two RNA-based Covid-19 vaccine candidates.

N Engl J Med. 2020;

() 5. Sadoff J Le Gars M Shukarev G et al.Safety and immunogenicity of the Ad26.COV2.S COVID-19 vaccine candidate: interim results of a phase 1/2a, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

medRxiv. 2020;

() 6. Department of Health and Social CareJCVI: updated interim advice on priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination.

7. National Health ServiceTake part in coronavirus research.

8. National Health Service DigitalCoronavirus vaccine studies volunteers dashboard.

9. WHOWHO coronavirus disease (COVID-19) dashboard.

Article InfoPublication HistoryPublished: October 27, 2020

IdentificationDOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32175-9

Copyright(C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ScienceDirectAccess this article on ScienceDirect

Link to Article

Archived Version

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 23:42

World Economic Forum : You'll own nothing, and you'll be happy. This is how our world could change by 2030. Read more:'... https://t.co/ouHZ5zR74D

Fri Nov 18 15:15:41 +0000 2016

dojm : @wef get lost

Sun Oct 25 23:42:34 +0000 2020

Aaron Clayton : @wef https://t.co/PMz3o1BC1W

Sun Oct 25 23:42:08 +0000 2020

real Scotland. : @wef You ever heard over my cold hands you can import EVERY LAST DEGENRATE TO MY HOME but you cannot stop what is coming.

Sun Oct 25 23:41:36 +0000 2020

BMD : @wef Western democracies will implode if they do the things you suggest. Destroying the economy through carbon tax'... https://t.co/aZfBY2C8rR

Sun Oct 25 23:41:36 +0000 2020

Joseph Steidle : @wef No thanks.

Sun Oct 25 23:41:20 +0000 2020

Colin - Free Radical : @wef Yeah no. F*ck y'all

Sun Oct 25 23:41:18 +0000 2020

XiongCC : @wef @remindmetweets in 10 years

Sun Oct 25 23:40:43 +0000 2020

Jacinta Anderson : @wef I double dog dare you to try and take my stuff

Sun Oct 25 23:40:42 +0000 2020

Hakuna : @wef @remindmetweets in 10 years.

Sun Oct 25 23:40:40 +0000 2020

real Scotland. : @wef Get it trending #defundtheUN

Sun Oct 25 23:40:13 +0000 2020

James Roddyy Tizzo : @wef Who will do it when every single communist is dead? Haha

Sun Oct 25 23:40:11 +0000 2020

Florin Vio Sandu : @wef I don't think anybody ever voted for this abomination. So what are you going to do, freaks?

Sun Oct 25 23:39:58 +0000 2020

Turo La Tigra : @wef Hot trash ðŸ--¥

Sun Oct 25 23:39:51 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 19:58

Covid-19 has stopped the world in its tracks, turned our lives upside down and forced us to re-evaluate what matters most to us all. That means how to protect the health of people, their loved ones and their neighbours today and in the future.

Governments have responded robustly. In Thailand, for instance, decades of investment in the public health system primed it to respond rapidly in early January when Covid-19 came knocking. Italy, the first western country to face the brunt of the virus, demonstrated through national collaboration and a commitment to science that no matter how challenging an outbreak, it can be turned around.

The pandemic has brought to the fore the inequities so many people around the world face today in health. Covid-19 has not stopped people needing insulin for diabetes, healthy food for nutrition, and services to screen for and treat cancer.

It has also presented new challenges to the world order that, for the past 75 years, has strived to promote peace and development, built on the principles of multilateralism, respect and collaboration.

RecommendedAnd, following in the footsteps of the climate crisis that threatens our collective future, Covid-19 has underlined the need for a ''One Health'' approach to protecting the fragile interplay between human, animal and planetary health.

Sobering examples like HIV, Ebola and now Covid-19 show why we, as a human race, can no longer merely pay lip service to respecting the environment. We must and can do more to prevent the reckless, human-caused spillovers of viruses from the natural world into our communities.

Above all, the Covid-19 tragedy has left us with no option but to change how we approach health for the better. We need to ensure health services for all through investing in universal health coverage (UHC); strengthening national and global health emergency preparedness systems; and treating health as a series of political, security, economic and social choices.

We must ensure that everybody on the planet can access the services and care they need to attain the highest possible level of physical and mental wellbeing. This is why UHC, underpinned by primary healthcare, is so key. Countries like New Zealand and Rwanda that have invested in it are better able to deliver services to all, especially the most vulnerable, and to withstand sudden shocks brought about by health emergencies.

Preparedness is also pivotal. The world was woefully ill-prepared for the Covid-19 pandemic. Industrialised countries, confident in the medicalised nature of their seemingly strong health systems, lacked the human and local touch shown by countries like Thailand, where health workers went door to door, providing essential primary care services, and looking for warning signs of infection, at the community level.

The human touch: health workers check students for signs of coronavirus in Bangkok (C) Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP via Getty ImagesTo provide both UHC and preparedness, increased investment in health systems is essential. Herein lie the political and economic choices. When political leaders at the highest level prioritise investment in their people's health, they are also shoring up their societies against the devastating effects that health challenges can have on employment, vital services and local economic life.

Investment in health costs a fraction of the losses we see today caused by Covid-19. This underscores the importance of the historic global effort that is under way to develop rapidly distribute equitably safe and effective vaccines, treatments and diagnostics to fight the new coronavirus through the Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator initiative.

We are pleased that scores of health partners and countries are supporting the ACT Accelerator, which requires $35bn, almost half of which is needed for the vaccine component, called Covax. Such investment pales in comparison with the trillions lost in global economic activity, trade, travel and job losses. Rapid and full funding of this historic initiative offers the world the best way to end the acute phase of the pandemic.

At the World Health Organization, we are determined to use the seismic shock caused by Covid-19 as a driving force for change. It is essential for the entire world to reflect on all aspects of this response, and to learn collectively from what has worked, and what has not, to prevent a crisis like this from happening again.

Latest coronavirus newsFollow FT's live coverage and analysis of the global pandemic and the rapidly evolving economic crisis here.

But I have already seen how the impact of Covid-19 has caused a monumental shift across humanity, and this gives me hope. The pandemic has generated the most amazing stimulus for partnership and solidarity across so many sectors.

Scientists around the world are working together to develop the tools needed to protect people. Health workers are striving night and day to save lives and heal the sick. Diverse communities, from artists to athletes, philanthropists to tech giants, are using their influence and resources for the greater good.

And many political leaders and governments are putting the pandemic before politics and doing all that must be done to protect their public. This must become the norm. The human losses sustained, and the sacrifices that so many have made, oblige us to elevate public health to the highest level possible. We are duty bound to use Covid-19 as the turning point for the health of all people everywhere. I believe we can make the right choice.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is director-general of the World Health Organization

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 04:25

October 23, 2020 | Judicial Watch(Washington, DC) '' Judicial Watch announced today that it and the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 300 pages of emails of Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, including his approval of a press release supportive of China's response to the 2019 novel coronavirus.

On January 27, 2020, the World Health Organization/World Bank convened the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB). The following day, the GPMB Secretariat writes an email with the subject line ''TIME SENSITIVE Message from GPMB Co-Chairs: review of draft GPMB Statement on 2019-novel coronavirus:''

There was consensus for the GPMB to issue a statement supportive of countries' (especially China) and WHO response efforts, and to call for urgent actions to further strengthen global preparedness and response to this outbreak.

Please find attached a draft GPMB Statement.

On January 29, Fauci responds:

Looks fine. Please see my comments in attached document.Thanks,Tony

The emails were produced in response to a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed May 4, 2020, on behalf of the DCNF in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ( Daily Caller News Foundation v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (No. 1:20-cv-01149) ). The lawsuit was filed after HHS failed to respond to an April 1, 2020, FOIA request from the DCNF asking for:

Communications between Dr. Fauci and Deputy Director Lane and World Health Organization officials concerning the novel coronavirus.Communications of Dr. Fauci and Deputy Director Lane concerning WHO, WHO official Bruce Aylward, WHO Director General Tedros Anhanom, and China.The time period for the request is January 1, 2020 to April 1, 2020.

Many of the emails consist of missives to large groups of recipients, including Fauci, from Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, which describes itself as ''an independent monitoring and accountability body to ensure preparedness for global health crises'' convened by the World Health Organization and the World Bank

· On January 28, 2020, in an effort to organize a joint statement among international organizations on ''sharing research data and findings relevant to the novel coronavirus (nCoV),'' GPMB's Jeremy Farrar emails upwards of three dozen, mostly redacted recipients, including the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Francis Collins, and cc'ing Fauci, sending them all a proposed joint statement, which is completely redacted in the documents provided by HHS, for their review and approval. Shortly thereafter, Collins responds: ''NIH is happy to endorse the joint statement.'' That same day, Professor Stewart Cole, President of the Institut Pasteur emails Farrar: ''Thanks for the initiative. Pasteur is on board and fully supportive.'' A subsequent statement , which was published two days later on January 30, says:

The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) convened on 27 January 2020 to discuss the current outbreak of 2019-nCoV which was first detected in Wuhan, China and is now quickly spreading internationally. The Board commends the speed of the response so far by countries and the World Health Organization (WHO), the transparency of China in sharing information and the genome sequence of the virus, and the strong collaboration between China and affected countries and with WHO.

· On February 1, 2020, the chief scientist at the WHO emailed Fauci to let him know the WHO was organizing a global research partners forum on February 11 and to ask him to attend, also suggesting he might think about funding and/or undertaking research on this ''new viral outbreak:''

As the head of an agency that would play an important role in addressing this new viral outbreak, either by undertaking or funding research, or both, I take great pleasure in inviting you to this meeting.

· On February 4, Hilary Marston from NIH replied to the WHO's invitation to a coronavirus forum, begging off on behalf of Fauci: ''First, as to your kind invitation to have him join the meeting, unfortunately his time is entirely consumed as central member of the US government response team and he will be unable to travel.'' She went on to recommend several individuals Fauci wanted to attend the meeting in his stead.

· On February 13, 2020, it appears that National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Deputy Director for Clinical Research and Special Projects Dr. Cliff Lane was en route to Japan to ''assist with rapid implementation of a study of the drug remdesivir as a therapeutic intervention for COVID-19, within the context of the current cases in that country.'' It appears that WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros invited him instead to come to China to participate in the WHO Mission there. Fauci's Associate Director for International Research Affairs, Gray Handley, replied to a redacted recipient at WHO that Lane was unable to accept the WHO's invitation to come to China: ''Due to the importance of this study, Dr. Lane may not be available to participate in the WHO mission to be undertaken in China next week.''

It appears that when Fauci discovered what Handley had done, he countermanded his decision by having HHS Director of the Office of Global Affairs Garrett Grigbsy send an email informing two individuals, apparently at WHO, that Lane would be coming to China:

I just talked to Dr. Fauci and there must have been some communication mix up about Cliff.

Cliff Lane is absolutely going to China as part of the WHO team (if invited). [Emphasis in original]

· In one fundraising campaign, Ilona Kickbusch of GPMB sent an email to Victor Dzau on March 3, 2020 and cc'ed Anthony Fauci along with more than two dozen other, mostly redacted recipients under the Subject Line: ''Re: GPMG: COVID-19 FUNDING NOTE,'' Kickbusch says

Ahead of the GPMB Board call on Wednesday, I'm pleased to attach a note (on behalf of Jeremy Farrar, Victor Dzau and a small working group) setting out the urgent need for new funding for the global COVID-19 response.

You will have seen the strong announcement today from the World Bank of up to $12 bn to support country response, which we warmly welcome. We are asking for your feedback on the call and consideration for the GPMB to launch an ''ask'' this week regarding needs not likely to be covered by the World Bank announcement '' this would target the leaders and policy makers of other financing institutions and G7/G20 nations'...The aim of the note is to encourage an immediate and full response to the needs of the world, recognizing that many countries are not well prepared and could be left behind.

· On March 4, the GPMB group held a conference call with its board in preparation for making another $8 billion request to a group of international financial institutions. On March 5, Alex Harris, head of global policy and advocacy at Wellcome '' a global charitable foundation, funded by a £26.8 billion investment portfolio that does grant funding, advocacy campaigns and partnerships to raise money for select clients (founded by the pharmaceutical entrepreneur, Sir Henry Wellcome) '' emailed GPMB board members, including Dr. Fauci and included a lengthy list of ''G7 leaders and Sherpas'' and ''International financial institutions:''

Thank you for your input on the call yesterday regarding the COVID-19 funding request that the GPMB will be making to multilateral financing institutions and G7/G20 nations.

In this regard I attach:

An updated background note revising the ask to $8bn as a result of removing the [redacted] we had previously included for strengthening country preparedness, given the World Bank announcement

''The government is now ever so slowly complying with the law and letting the American people know how they did business with the WHO and China at the outset of this pandemic,'' said Daily Caller News Foundation President Neil Patel. ''We are grateful to Judicial Watch for helping us force the government to do its job.''

''These Fauci emails show how praising China was the odd priority of the WHO in the face of a novel and dangerous coronavirus,'' said Judicial Watch Tom Fitton. ''That the NIH tried to slow-roll the release of these emails and is still sitting on thousands more is a scandal.''

On September 22, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered HHS to begin processing 300 pages of emails per month beginning on October 21. In a September 21 court filing, HHS said the agency could begin producing 300 pages of responsive records to the Daily Caller News Foundation beginning on November 30, eight months after receiving the Daily Caller's request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The total number of responsive records is approximately 4,200, which would have pushed off the full release of the records until at least 2022. HHS also alleged that Fauci must personally review each one of his emails before they are released.

###

any action voluntarily taken in good faith to restrict access to or availability of material that the provider or user considers to be obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable, whether or not such material is constitutionally protected

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 04:09

A Facebook iconShare by facebookA Twitter iconShare by twitterA LinkedIn iconShare by linkedinAn email iconShare by email

The CEOs of Google, Facebook and Twitter released prepared remarks on Tuesday ahead of a hearing with the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday.Republicans and Democrats have expressed concern about how Twitter, Google and Facebook moderate, or fail to moderate, content posted by users.Below are summaries of the prepared remarks.The CEOs of Facebook, Google and Twitter released prepared remarks on Tuesday that warn against repealing Section 230, the statute that protects the social networks from liability for their users' posts. The remarks were released in advance of Wednesday's hearing with the Senate Commerce Committee.

The CEOs have been called in front of the committee because lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are concerned about how each company moderates, or sometimes fails to moderate, content posted by users.

The committee will examine Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a statute that has provided tech platforms immunity from legal liability for their users' posts since the late 1990s. In recent years, as tech companies face more scrutiny over their content moderation practices and ad-driven business models, the law has attracted bipartisan criticism for its broad protections.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey: Undermining Section 230 will leave only the largest tech companiesTwitter CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey gestures while interacting with students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in New Delhi on November 12, 2018.

Prakash Singh | AFP | Getty Images

Twitter has come under fire for, among other things, how it handled its decision to block an unverified New York Post story claiming to contain a "smoking gun" email related to presidential candidate Joe Biden. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey apologized for blocking the story URLs earlier this month. It has also been criticized for muting or blocking tweets that contain misinformation.

Dorsey argues in his prepared remarks Section 230 has allowed small companies to scale up to compete against established, global companies and eroding it could destroy how we communicate online. He says only the largest, well-funded tech companies will survive.

Weakening or removing Section 230 will also lead to more speech removal on social media networks, Dorsey argues, and will further limit the networks' ability to address harmful content.

Dorsey says Twitter will seek to earn trust from users by increasing transparency around content moderation policies, instituting fair processes such as an appeals method, giving users more control over the algorithms that govern their experience, and protecting user privacy.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg: Government should take more active role in regulating techFacebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg argues the government should take a more active role in regulating tech companies.

He says in his prepared remarks that big tech companies shouldn't get to make big decisions on harmful content, privacy, election integrity and data portability. It's the same stance he's taken since March 2019, when he wrote an op-ed calling for Congress to come in and regulate Facebook.

Without Section 230, platforms could face liability for even basic moderation, Zuckerberg warns. He says Congress should update Section 230 so that it works better but acknowledged the current debate around Section 230 shows people are upset with how it currently works.

"We believe in giving people a voice, even when that means defending the rights of people we disagree with," Zuckerberg says. "Free expression is central to how we move forward together as a society. We've seen this in the fight for democracy around the world, and in movements like Black Lives Matter and #MeToo. Section 230 allows us to empower people to engage on important issues like these'--and to provide space where non-profits, religious groups, news organizations, and businesses of all sizes can reach people."

Zuckerberg will also tell lawmakers that Facebook supports local journalism. "Facebook also supports our democracy by supporting journalism'--particularly local journalism, which is vital for helping people be informed and engaged citizens." He highlights that Facebook has made a $300 million commitment to help publishers build readership and subscription models.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai: Section 230 'foundational' to U.S. leadership in techSundar Pichai

Source: CNBC

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai argues in his prepared remarks that the internet has been one of the world's most important equalizers, allowing people to post their opinions online no matter what those opinions are.

He says "the same low barriers to entry also make it possible for bad actors to cause harm" but that Section 230 is fundamental to allowing Google to provide access to a wide range of information and viewpoints.

It has also been "foundational to US leadership in the tech sector," Pichai says.

"As you think about how to shape policy in this important area, I would urge the Committee to be very thoughtful about any changes to Section 230 and to be very aware of the consequences those changes might have on businesses and consumers."

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 14:21

Top Definitions Quizzes Examples Explore Dictionary British Medical [ ik- spresh - uh n ]

/ ɪkËsprɛʃ Én /

noun the act of expressing or setting forth in words: the free expression of political opinions.

a particular word, phrase, or form of words: old-fashioned expressions.

the manner or form in which a thing is expressed in words; wording; phrasing: delicacy of expression.

the power of expressing in words: joy beyond expression.

indication of feeling, spirit, character, etc., as on the face, in the voice, or in artistic execution: the lyric expression embodied in his poetry.

a look or intonation expressing personal reaction, feeling, etc.: a shocked expression.

the quality or power of expressing an attitude, emotion, etc.: a face that lacks expression; to read with expression.

the act of expressing or representing, as by symbols.

Mathematics . a symbol or a combination of symbols representing a value, relation, or the like.

Linguistics . the stylistic characteristics of an utterance (opposed to meaning). Linguistics . the system of verbal utterances specific to a language (opposed to content1). the act of expressing or pressing out.

Computers . a combination of variables, constants, and functions linked by operation symbols and any required punctuation that describe a rule for calculating a value.

QUIZZESTAKE THIS QUIZ IF A DAZZLING VOCABULARY IS YOUR DESIDERATUM!Have the Words of the Day from October 19''25, 2020, made an indelible mark on your memory? Take the quiz to find out!

Question 1 of 7

What does ''clement'' mean?

Origin of expression First recorded in 1425''75; late Middle English, from Latin

expressiōn-

(stem of

expressiō

) ''a pressing out.'' See

express,

-ionsynonym study for expressionOTHER WORDS FROM expression ex·pres·sion·al, adjective ex·pres·sion·less, adjective ex·pres·sion·less·ly, adverb pre·ex·pres·sion, noun

re·ex·pres·sion, noun su·per·ex·pres·sion, noun

Words nearby expression ex-president,

express,

expressage,

express delivery,

expressed skull fracture,

expression

,

Expressionism,

expression mark,

expression vector,

expressive,

expressive aphasiaDictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, (C) Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for expressionIt was also an attack on our freedom of expression and way of life.

''Tu eres como chuleria en pote,'' goes the Puerto Rican expression that gave rise to his moniker.

However the expression on his face offered some explanation.

Chris Stein of Blondie catches Ramone with an ''aw, shucks'' expression just after he drops a plate of food.

Future was determined to supply it using the very modes of expression it had turned its back on.

Still I cannot see that this at all explains the expression of a "cock-and-bull story."

His eyelids droop slightly, but his eyes are keen and his expression astute.

Infinite'--this word is by no means the expression of a clear idea: it is merely the expression of an effort to attain one.

I bowed my head to conceal the expression which might have told his lordship that I intended to do nothing of the kind.

The form of expression was so crude that once more Barbara was startled.

British Dictionary definitions for expression noun the act or an instance of transforming ideas into words

a manifestation of an emotion, feeling, etc, without words tears are an expression of grief

communication of emotion through music, painting, etc

a look on the face that indicates mood or emotion a joyful expression

the choice of words, phrases, syntax, intonation, etc, in communicating

a particular phrase used conventionally to express something a dialect expression

the act or process of forcing or squeezing out a liquid

maths a variable, function, or some combination of constants, variables, or functions

genetics the effect of a particular gene on the phenotype

Derived forms of expression expressional , adjective expressionless , adjective expressionlessly , adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition (C) William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 (C) HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for expression n. The act of pressing or squeezing out.

The outward manifestation of a mood or disposition by mobility of the facial features; facies.

The phenotype manifested by a genotype under fixed environmental conditions.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright (C) 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 14:20

Use of the single word ''expression'' to reach speech, press, petition, association, and the like, raises the question of whether the free speech clause and the free press clause are coextensive, or whether one reaches where the other does not. It has been much debated, for example, whether the ''institutional press'' is entitled to greater freedom from governmental regulations or restrictions than are non-press individuals, groups, or associations. Justice Stewart has argued: ''That the First Amendment speaks separately of freedom of speech and freedom of the press is no constitutional accident, but an acknowledgment of the critical role played by the press in American society. The Constitution requires sensitivity to that role, and to the special needs of the press in performing it effectively.''412 But, as Chief Justice Burger wrote: ''The Court has not yet squarely resolved whether the Press Clause confers upon the 'institutional press' any freedom from government restraint not enjoyed by all others.''413

Several Court holdings do firmly point to the conclusion that the press clause does not confer on the press the power to compel government to furnish information or otherwise give the press access to information that the public generally does not have.414 Nor, in many respects, is the press entitled to treatment different in kind from the treatment to which any other member of the public may be subjected.415 ''Generally applicable laws do not offend the First Amendment simply because their enforcement against the press has incidental effects.''416 Yet, it does seem clear that, to some extent, the press, because of its role in disseminating news and information, is entitled to deference that others are not entitled to'--that its role constitutionally entitles it to governmental ''sensitivity,'' to use Justice Stewart's word.417 What difference such ''sensitivity'' might make in deciding cases is difficult to say.

The most interesting possibility lies in the First Amendment protection of good-faith defamation.418 Justice Stewart argued that the Sullivan privilege is exclusively a free press right, denying that the ''constitutional theory of free speech gives an individual any immunity from liability for libel or slander.''419 To be sure, in all the cases to date that the Supreme Court has resolved, the defendant has been, in some manner, of the press,420 but the Court's decision in First National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti that corporations are entitled to assert First Amendment speech guarantees against federal and, through the Fourteenth Amendment, state, regulations causes the evaporation of the supposed ''conflict'' between speech clause protection of individuals only and press clause protection of press corporations as well as of press individuals.421 The issue, the Court wrote in Bellotti, was not what constitutional rights corporations have but whether the speech that is being restricted is protected by the First Amendment because of its societal significance. Because the speech in Bellotti concerned the enunciation of views on the conduct of governmental affairs, it was protected regardless of its source; while the First Amendment protects and fosters individual self-expression as a worthy goal, it also and as importantly affords the public access to discussion, debate, and the dissemination of information and ideas. Despite Bellotti's emphasis upon the political nature of the contested speech, it is clear that the same principle'--the right of the public to receive information'--governs nonpolitical, corporate speech.422

With some qualifications, therefore, the speech and press clauses may be analyzed under an umbrella ''expression'' standard, with little, if any, hazard of missing significant doctrinal differences.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 21:14

Chuck Ross : Tony Bobulinski found out through the Senate report a few weeks ago that Hunter and Jim Biden had a side deal with'... https://t.co/960BAuNlqa

Sun Oct 25 00:43:46 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 19:13

Business | Ex- Hong Kong Official Gets Lighter Sentence in Bribery Case A federal judge gave Patrick Ho substantial credit for tutoring and counseling many inmates at the Manhattan Correctional Center when she sentenced him on Monday. Credit... Franke Tsang/South China Morning Post, via Getty Images A former Hong Kong official's repeated good deeds while in custody led a federal judge to sentence him on Monday to much less time in prison than United States authorities had wanted for conspiring to bribe foreign leaders on behalf of a Chinese oil company.

Judge Loretta A. Preska of Federal District Court in Manhattan sentenced Patrick Ho to three years in prison '-- two years less than federal prosecutors had sought in a sentencing memorandum.

''Corruption is insidious,'' and the crimes Mr. Ho committed warrant a prison sentence, the judge said. But she noted that Mr. Ho had a long history of helping ordinary people and gave him substantial credit for tutoring and counseling many fellow inmates at the Manhattan Correctional Center.

''The random acts of kindness to so many is something extraordinary,'' Judge Preska said after Mr. Ho expressed remorse for his actions and bowed to the judge at the end of his statement.

Mr. Ho was also ordered to pay a $400,000 fine.

Mr. Ho, an ophthalmologist and a frequent visitor to the United Nations in recent years, was convicted in December on charges of trying to bribe government leaders in Africa to secure business for CEFC China. Mr. Ho worked for a think tank set up by the once-fast-growing company. The trial put a spotlight on the aggressive methods CEFC used to expand its reach from Asia to Africa, Europe and the United States.

Mr. Ho, 69, has been held in federal custody since his arrest in November 2017. He will get credit for the roughly 16 months he has spent in federal detention, meaning he has completed nearly half his sentence. After his prison term, he will most likely be deported to Hong Kong.

Mr. Ho told the court that he was remorseful and said he was heartened by letters of support from the inmates he had helped counsel who were either on suicide watch or studying for their high school equivalency exams. At one point during his statement, Mr. Ho's voice began to quaver, and Judge Preska had her clerk take him a box of tissues.

''At times I felt my life was over,'' Mr. Ho said.

Prosecutors and the federal Probation Office recommended a sentence of five years, far less than the more than 20 years called for under federal guidelines.

As part of its recommendation, the probation department noted that the bribery scheme had been initiated and controlled by high-level officials at CEFC, including its former chairman, Ye Jianming.

Mr. Ye, who was served with a subpoena by federal authorities during a visit to the United States in late 2017, has not been seen since March. He is believed to be in Chinese custody and under investigation for unspecified crimes.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 19:10

Patrick Ho claimed he was a ''sacrificial lamb'' in the trade war. Photo: SCMP

The 70-year-old, who was jailed for 36 months and fined US$400,000 last year, is also expected to be deportedIn December 2018, a federal jury found him guilty on seven of eight counts in a case revolving around oil rights in Africa for Shanghai-based CEFC Topic | Patrick Ho

Published: 12:03am, 9 Jun, 2020

Updated: 9:53am, 11 Jun, 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 19:08

NEW YORK (AP) '-- A prominent Hong Kong businessman earned leniency with a three-year prison sentence dispensed Monday by a judge who said bribes paid to the presidents of two African countries were serious crimes but kindness including playing violin for fellow inmates was extraordinary.

U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska sentenced Dr. Chi Ping Patrick Ho, 69, who is also an ophthalmologist and was once Hong Kong's home affairs secretary.

Preska said acts of charity were common for those who had achieved Ho's wealth, but he went ''above and beyond'' by restoring sight for strangers, bringing music to the Metropolitan Correction Center and tutoring inmates who then finished high school.

''It is indeed extraordinary,'' Preska said.

Ho was convicted in December of paying bribes to the presidents of Chad and Uganda in a scheme to secure oil rights for an energy conglomerate known as CEFC China Energy.

Lawyers for Ho insisted at trial that payments to the presidents were legitimate charitable donations. The payments included $2 million in gift boxes delivered to Chad's president in 2014.

Ho was charged in New York City by authorities who cited meetings and wire transfers in Manhattan related to the bribes.

Prosecutors had recommended Ho serve five years. Defense lawyers said his 16 months behind bars as a model inmate were enough.

Ho will likely serve about another year behind bars before he is deported.

''The actions that have caused this suffering and brought me to this courtroom today were mine and mine alone,'' he told Preska as he choked up several times.

''I accept full responsibility for them and I am deeply sorry,'' Ho said.

He said he was grateful to guards and inmates at the MCC for keeping him safe.

When he finished his remarks, Ho took a full bow before the judge to show his ''gratitude and appreciation.''

During a weeklong trial, prosecutors said Ho approached the presidents of Chad and Uganda on behalf of CEFC China Energy after growing accustomed to using money to entice foreign officials to help the company expand its business.

Prosecutors say the Ugandan scheme emerged at the United Nations in New York when Uganda's foreign minister served as president of the U.N. General Assembly.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 19:06

Patrick Ho Chi-ping GBS JP (born 24 July 1949 in Hong Kong) is a Hong Kong ophthalmologist turned politician.

He joined the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the Preparatory Committee of Hong Kong SAR.[1] When the Principal Officials Accountability System was introduced in 2002, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Tung Chee-wah appointed Ho Secretary for Home Affairs, a senior ministerial post.

He was convicted of bribery offences in a U.S. federal court in 2018.

Education and ophthalmologist career Edit Ho studied in the Diocesan Boys' School, Hong Kong. He won a scholarship and was educated in USA for 16 years. He is an ophthalmologist who trained in eye surgery with special expertise in retinal surgery, he was a fellow at Harvard Medical School. He returned to Hong Kong in 1984 and taught eye surgery at the Chinese University of Hong Kong as Professor of Ophthalmology. From 1988 to 2000, he was Professor of Surgery (Ophthalmology) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.[2]

Political career Edit Since 1993, he has been a member of the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and in 1995, he was appointed as a member of the Preparatory Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Selection Committee of the first SAR Government. He was the vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Policy Research Institute. In July 1997, he was appointed to the Provisional Urban Council until its disestablishment in 1999.

In 2000, Ho was appointed Chairman of the Arts Development Council.[2]

In 2002, he joined the Chief Executive of Hong Kong Tung Chee-wah's second HKSAR administration as the Secretary for Home Affairs when the Principal Officials Accountability System was introduced. He served in the senior ministerial post for five years.[3]

In 2003, he was present at the Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin following tradition and drew Kau Chim sticks to foretell the fortune of Hong Kong. He drew number 83 which represented bad times ahead. Coincidentally Hong Kong experienced a fatal SARS outbreak and an attempted legislation of Basic Law Article 23, which led to the massive protests at the 1 July march. Ever since, no Hong Kong minister has represented the government to the temple.[4]

Ho was appointed chairman of the Sports Council in 2005.[5]

After leaving the government in 2007, he joined a lobbying firm established and funded by CEFC China Energy (CEFC), a Shanghai-based energy company,[3] of which he became vice-chairman and secretary-general. The organisation, under Ho, was a leading exponent of the Xi Jinping's Belt & Road Initiative.[6]

Bribery and money laundering conviction Edit Ho and former Senegalese foreign minister Cheikh Gadio were arrested in New York in late November 2017, charged with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and money laundering. The pair offered a US$2 million bribe to the president of Chad for oil rights, and deposited a US$500,000 bribe to an account designated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda on behalf of CEFC. The million-dollar bribes were dressed as donations.[7] The energy fund, chaired by Ye Jianming, denied authorising Ho to engage in corrupt practices.[8][9]

On 5 December 2018, Ho was convicted on seven counts of bribery and money laundering, following a federal trial in which Gadio stood as a witness for prosecutors.[10][11] He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and fined $400,000 in March 2019.[12]After being imprisoned at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York, as of 9 June 2020, the South China Morning Post reported that Ho has been released and deported to Hong Kong.[13][14]

Family Edit Ho married then Taiwanese actress Sibelle Hu Huizhong on 5 September 1997.[15] They have one daughter, Audrey Ho Ka-chun. Ho has a daughter and a son from a previous marriage. His ex-wife and children from his previous marriage reside in the US.[citation needed ]

Other titles and memberships Edit Special Honours by the Chinese Medical Association (CMA)Vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Policy Research Institute, appointed 1996[2]Past member of the Preparatory Committee on Chinese Medicine and the Provisional Urban CouncilSee also Edit Hong Kong Government Lunar New year kau cim traditionReferences Edit ^ "Tung delays naming new team". The Standard. 21 June 2002. ^ a b c Cheung, Gary (6 December 2018). "Musician, eye surgeon and a politician who married an actress, Patrick Ho led a varied, eventful life before bribery scandal". South China Morning Post . Retrieved 16 March 2019 . ^ a b " ' Civil diplomat' Patrick Ho tapped UN connections to broker deals". South China Morning Post. ^ Cheung, Gary. "Musician, eye surgeon and a politician who married an actress, Patrick Ho led a varied, eventful life before bribery scandal - Asean Plus | The Star Online". www.scmp.com . Retrieved 7 December 2018 . ^ "Ho Takes Charge of Supreme Body". South China Morning Post. 14 January 2005 . Retrieved 15 March 2019 . ^ Zhuan, Ti (12 May 2017). "China's worldwide infrastructure investment promotes globalization 2.0". China Daily . Retrieved 16 March 2019 . ^ "US arrests Patrick Ho over alleged oil bribes". South China Morning Post. ^ Cheng, Kris (21 November 2017). "Explainer: Patrick Ho's bribery allegations '' from top Hong Kong official to US police custody". Hong Kong Free Press . Retrieved 23 November 2017 . ^ "Indictment Case 1:17-mj-08611-UA". ^ "Ex-Hong Kong Official Convicted in Bribe Case Involving Chinese Oil Company". New York Times. 5 December 2018. ^ Lum, Alvin; Emma Kazryan (6 December 2018). "Former Hong Kong minister Patrick Ho Chi-ping convicted in US court on 7 of 8 counts in bribery and money-laundering case". South China Morning Post . Retrieved 7 December 2018 . ^ Cheng, Kris; Grundy, Tom (26 March 2019). "3-years prison and US$400k fine for ex-Hong Kong official Patrick Ho, guilty of bribery". Hong Kong Free Press . Retrieved 26 March 2019 . ^ https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/ ^ "Disgraced former minister Patrick Ho returns to city after jail release". South China Morning Post. 9 June 2020 . Retrieved 9 June 2020 . ^ "Taiwanese Actress Weds Hong Kong Surgeon". The Straits Times. 20 September 1997. p. 20.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 21:26

For years we heard the left claimed Russia was holding blackmail information on Donald Trump. The left even suggested that there was a Russian 'pee '' pee' tape. This was a complete lie. It was all made up. But the Russians certainly are holding blackmail tapes on Hunter Biden to use against a Biden administration.We found the real blackmail photos. This has nothing to do with President Trump. But it does have everything to do with THE BIDENS.TRENDING: BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Hunter Biden's "RUSSIAN BLACKMAIL PHOTOS" Uncovered - Hunter with Russians in Hollywood

Hunter Biden was certainly an addict and may still be. He put himself in highly compromising situations as a result. He was high or wasted much of the time and therefore very narcissistic and reckless. This showed in the way Hunter treated women, his family, friends and drugs.

Hunter's father Joe Biden used Hunter to put together deals around the world in a racketeering enterprise to increase the Biden family's wealth. This occurred throughout Joe's 47 years in politics. He's now running for President.

But it seems the Biden family has a problem. They were involved in numerous shady activities around the world and they are susceptible to compromise. In addition, Hunter put his family in additional blackmail situations all by himself. Because of his addiction, Hunter found himself in shady places with shady people and as a result he put his family in additional security and legal compromising positions.

One such example was in October 2018 on Devlin Drive West Hollywood with some 'friends'. Hunter spent a night in this luxurious property with a group of girls and guys. One member of the group was a girl by the name of Christina. She has a California driver's license. She also spent some time with Hunter.

Christina has some friends.

But these aren't ordinary friends, it appears they are Russians. These guys hung out with Hunter Biden at the luxurious property in West Hollywood.

The problem with this vacation was that multiple compromising pictures were taken of him by some of these 'friends' and the acts were captured on the CCTV cameras. One such picture shows Hunter in what appears to be an orgy, in others he models naked.

An evaluation of one of the women in the above picture shows that she has a some marking on her upper back. However, after the image was taken, someone covered it up with a black ellipse. We were able to uncover that under the black ellipse, there was a tattoo. This type of marking is similar to tattoos used to brand trafficked sex slaves.

We also know that at least one of the women at villa in West Hollywood was a Russian national who traveled to the US in 2017-2018 on a tourist visa. We know this because we have a copy of her passport.

Also, Hunter took some shocking photos of himself.

In summary, Hunter Biden, spent some time in 2018 with some Russians at a property in West Hollywood and engaged in perverted sexual activities. These acts were likely taped and photographed. As a result of this event, the Bidens became the likely targets of blackmail. Unlike the fake pee pee images which were alleged in the Steele dossier and the Russia collusion farce the Bidens truly do have a never-ending list problems that should disqualify them from ever holding public office again.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 16:43

Some QAnon followers appear to believe that Tony Bobulinski , the former business partner of Hunter Biden, may be the person behind the baseless conspiracy theory, following his recent Fox News interview.

During the interview on Tucker Carlson Tonight, the former Navy lieutenant and former CEO of Sinohawk Holdings said that during his time as an officer he held a top secret level security clearance, which he pointed out was known as Q clearance.

Bobulinski said that because of this, he would be audited every year to make sure he was not receiving gifts which might suggest he was being influenced by "Russians, the Iranians, the Chinese and stuff like that."

Bobulinski has made unverified claims that Sinohawk Holdings is a partnership involving Chinese energy company CEFC and the family of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. He said that he believes Biden and his son, Hunter, had been "compromised" by this.

In making that claim, Bobulinski again mentioned the security pass.

"Obviously, I'd reference that I held a Q clearance, you're briefed on compromise and who you're able to talk with and deal and do business with," he said.

"And I just don't see, given the history here and the facts, how Joe can't be influenced in some manner based on the history that they have here with CEFC and stuff like that. So as a citizen and an American taxpayer, I'm very, very concerned."

Biden has denied having any "overseas business whatsoever". The Wall Street Journal has previously found that texts and emails it had received from Bobulinski provided no evidence that Joe Biden ever used his political standing as a former vice president to aid Hunter's business dealings in China.

Since the Fox interview, some QAnon followers suggested Bobulinski's reference to Q clearance could mean he is the figurehead behind the conspiracy theory.

The baseless theory that President Donald Trump is waging a secret war against Satan-worshiping pedophiles and cannibals stem from a shadowy figure known only as "Q", who originally would leave clues on controversial message board site 4Chan.

While never making explicit accusations, Q would post coded messages, or "drops", which were interpreted by QAnon followers. "Q" claimed to have a knowledge of high-level security clearance within the U.S. government.

" Bobulinski just said he held a Q clearance (top-secret clearance) when he was a Naval Officer. He also described himself as a 'Patriot' at his initial press conference," one Twitter account with more than 50,000 followers, posted.

This is believed to be the first time that Bobulinski , who served as an instructor for Naval Nuclear Power Training Command, has been linked to the conspiracy. He has not publicly made any reference to it or its claims before.

Elsewhere, supporters of the theory suggested Bobulinski is the "stealth bomber"'--a reference to messages from Q which have appeared online as far back as 2018.

The Stealth Bomber is an apparent figure who will "navigate around installed corrupt" government agencies and expose so-called truths.

Having previously suggested that Robert Mueller, Jeff Sessions or Bill Barr may be the promised Stealth Bomber discussed by Q amid the Russia collusion investigation, the conspiracy theorists are now making the same link for Bobulinski .

"Those who believe that the FBI is sitting on bombshell information likely believe that now is the perfect time for Q's promised Stealth Bomber to sneak past the corrupt agencies to the media to expose the truth about the Bidens ," noted Twitter user @ sadclownesq , who tracks QAnon supporters and their claims online.

"Anons have just started with the Stealth Bomber connections, but between the hero role they need filled and tonight's explicit invocation of 'Q clearance,' I think Tony Bobulinski is about to get very, very popular in online conspiracyland ."

Newsweek has approached Bobulinski for comment.

Tony Bobulinski , who claims to have been an associate of Hunter Biden, departs after speaking to reporters at a hotel in Nashville, Tennessee on October 22, 2020, MANDEL NGAN / AFP/Getty

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 03:43

If President Trump wins re-election, he'll move to immediately fire FBI Director Christopher Wray and also expects to replace CIA Director Gina Haspel and Defense Secretary Mark Esper, two people who've discussed these officials' fates with the president tell Axios.

The big picture: The list of planned replacements is much longer, but these are Trump's priorities, starting with Wray.

Wray and Haspel are despised and distrusted almost universally in Trump's inner circle. He would have fired both already, one official said, if not for the political headaches of acting before Nov. 3.Why it matters: A win, no matter the margin, will embolden Trump to ax anyone he sees as constraining him from enacting desired policies or going after perceived enemies.

Trump last week signed an executive order that set off alarm bells as a means to politicize the civil service. An administration official said the order "is a really big deal" that would make it easier for presidents to get rid of career government officials.There could be shake-ups across other departments. The president has never been impressed with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, for example. But that doesn't carry the urgency of replacing Wray or Haspel.The nature of top intelligence and law enforcement posts has traditionally carried an expectation for a higher degree of independence and separation from politics.Be smart: While Trump has also privately vented about Attorney General Bill Barr, he hasn't made any formal plans to replace him, an official said.

Trump is furious that Barr isn't releasing before the election what Trump hoped would be a bombshell report by U.S. Attorney John Durham on the Obama administration's handling of the Trump-Russia investigation.Durham's investigation has yet to produce any high-profile indictments of Obama-era officials as Trump had hoped."The attorney general wants to finish the work that he's been involved in since day one," a senior administration official told Axios.Behind the scenes: "The view of Haspel in the West Wing is that she still sees her job as manipulating people and outcomes, the way she must have when she was working assets in the field," one source with direct knowledge of the internal conversations told Axios. "It's bred a lot of suspicion of her motives."

Trump is also increasingly frustrated with Haspel for opposing the declassification of documents that would help the Justice Department's Durham report.A source familiar with conversations at the CIA says, "Since the beginning of DNI's push to declassify documents, and how strongly she feels about protecting sources connected to those materials, there have been rumblings around the agency that the director plans to depart the CIA regardless of who wins the election.''As for Wray, whose expected firing was first reported by The Daily Beast, Trump is angry his second FBI chief didn't launch a formal investigation into Hunter Biden's foreign business connections '-- and didn't purge more officials Trump believes abused power to investigate his 2016 campaign's ties to Russia.

Trump also grew incensed when Wray testified in September that the FBI has not seen widespread election fraud, including with mail-in ballots.A senior FBI official tells Axios: "Major law enforcement associations representing current and former FBI agents as well as police and sheriff's departments across the country have consistently expressed their full support of Director Wray's leadership of the Bureau."Trump soured on Esper over the summer when the Defense secretary rebuffed the idea of sending active-duty military into the streets to deal with racial justice protests and distanced himself from the clearing of Lafayette Square for a photo op at St. John's church.

Trump indicated to Axios then that he "really wasn't focused on" firing Esper. One senior official cautioned that others who want the Pentagon job could be driving speculation to undercut Esper. But one source, who discussed options with Trump, told Axios he urged the president to wait until post-election to replace him.Chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement that Esper "has always been and remains committed to doing what is best for the military and the Nation.''Trump 2.0 would bring more loyalty testsChris Liddell, Trump's deputy chief of staff for policy coordination, is heading the White House's transition effort, including vetting potential new Cabinet officials, two White House officials told Axios.

He's working closely with White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Johnny McEntee, who runs the Office of Presidential Personnel and has been conducting "loyalty tests" to weed out "Never Trumpers" from the administration.In 2016, Trump famously blew up his own transition process. The officials said Liddell is determined to avoid a repeat. Liddell declined to comment.Politico first reported on Trump's transition team.Don't forget: The transition between first and second terms is traditionally a time when presidents who win re-election accept resignations and switch out their teams.

Former chiefs of staff to Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, speaking on David Marchick's "Transition Lab" podcast, said their administrations didn't prepare enough for a "robust transition" between terms. Bush's former chief Josh Bolten said he'd advise Trump to "rethink all of your personnel and know what your priorities are."White House spokesman Judd Deere told Axios: "We have no personnel announcements at this time nor would it be appropriate to speculate about changes after the election or in a 2nd term."

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 11:42

While social media makes its best attempt at trying to get Joe Biden elected by censoring stories about his son, YouTube is facing another dilemma: the platform is so inundated with political ads it has nowhere to put them.

As advertising campaigns flood the platform, YouTube has "struggled" to place the ads in front of the desired audience for each, according to Bloomberg.

Interestingly enough, YouTube is experiencing the shortage most in "critical swing states", where ad prices have doubled as a result. This, obviously, makes political advertising far more lucrative for Google, who saw ad revenue fall this year and will announcing its earnings next week.

Cat Stern, media director for Lockwood Strategy Lab, a digital campaign agency focused on Democratic candidates and progressive advocacy organizations, told Bloomberg: ''There's a crunch. All political advertisers are buying in the same states, to similar audiences.''

YouTube viewers have risen during the pandemic and while commercial ads have been "anemic", political ads have spiked heading into November 3. In highest demand are the ads that users aren't allowed to skip through. There are also ad "reservations" for YouTube's most popular videos that are in high demand.

Reid Vineis, vice president of digital at Majority Strategies, a Republican political ad firm, said: ''The reserves tend to be gobbled up by well-funded campaigns.''

While this occurs, other less-well-funded campaigns have turned to platforms like Hulu and Roku to run their ads.

Some states, like Iowa, are usually entirely sold out on YouTube. Tim Cameron, co-founder of FlexPoint Media, said: ''A lot of late money that's coming on board -- it's difficult to find anywhere to put it.''At some points, YouTube has been unable to place up to 75% of the amounts that people are willing to spend. YouTube didn't comment for Bloomberg's article, but the article notes that a "code yellow" was assigned to Google's staff regarding the inability to place ads, meaning Google was increasing the resources it was deploying to try and solve the issue.

Google has sole more than $139 million in political ads over the last month alone.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:24

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive to speak to members of the U.S. military during an unannounced trip to Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq in 2018. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images President Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive to speak to members of the U.S. military during an unannounced trip to Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq in 2018.

Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images When President Trump was released from the hospital after being treated for COVID-19, he had a prescription for how Americans could handle the coronavirus.

"Don't let it dominate you. Don't be afraid of it," he said in a video from the White House. The apparent idea: that the coronavirus, which has killed at least 225,000 people in the U.S., could be wrestled into submission.

The way Trump has sold strength as a key part of fighting the virus is echoed by supporters. Garland Thompson was in the cheering crowd gathered outside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center when Trump left the hospital. I asked him how worried about Trump's health he was. He said he wasn't.

"He's a vibrant man. He's strong. This man, he looks stronger than Biden. Let's admit it," Thompson said.

Trump's overt hypermasculinity was a defining feature of his candidacy in 2016, whether he was talking about his testosterone count or his penis size or shrugging off the infamous Access Hollywood tape, in which he talked about committing sexual assault as "locker room talk." That macho approach went on to define his presidency as well.

His opponents know it, too, and they're trying to turn this key piece of his political success into a vulnerability. The anti-Trump Lincoln Project has made multiple ads taking aim at Trump's manhood.

"Even Fox said you were low-energy," a woman purrs in one ad about the Republican convention's TV ratings. "We know. It's different now. You're tired. It's hard to keep your [meaningful pause] ratings up."

Of course, masculinity is interwoven with presidential politics; all American presidents have been men, as have all major-party nominees, save one. Trump didn't create this atmosphere, and he's not the only one who benefits from it, either '-- so does Joe Biden. It has boosted and busted the fortunes of presidents.

However, Trump has been blatant about amping up his particular, aggressive and pugilistic brand of masculinity. After four years, that machismo has manifested itself in seemingly every area of his presidency. And it matters '-- it has potential political and even policy impacts that may last well beyond his tenure in office.

"Carry a purse with that mask"

Trump and some of his high-profile supporters often portray mask wearing as a sign of weakness. He mocked Joe Biden in the first debate for wearing a mask, and Trump implied at one point that to wear one publicly would be to give in: "I didn't want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it."

Conservative commentator Tomi Lahren was more explicit in linking masks to gender, joking that Biden "might as well carry a purse with that mask."

In the past, men have been less likely to adopt all sorts of public health measures, like wearing seat belts and helmets, as The New York Times reported. But Trump did not fight this mindset; instead, he continually questioned the effectiveness of masks, despite his own administration's guidelines promoting them.

As the president, with constant media attention, he has enormous messaging power to encourage mask-wearing, or discourage it. As it stands, Republicans are less likely than Democrats to believe masks are effective, or to say they wear masks.

There was another approach Trump could have taken, says Meredith Conroy, professor of political science at California State University.

"There was a way to make wearing a mask masculine, a different type of masculinity, about protecting other people and being patriotic," she said. "But that's not the type of masculinity that Trump has really ever embodied. So it probably was never going to happen."

Strongmen, factory workers and Confederate generals

There are areas beyond public health that reflect Trump's focus on masculinity '-- areas where it may influence policy.

For example, there are effects on America's international relations '-- as when Trump has praised strongmen or authoritarian leaders. He has hailed Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping as "strong" and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan as "a tough guy who deserves respect."

Trump's combative style also could exacerbate existing tensions, as when Trump tweeted that he had a "much bigger and more powerful" "Nuclear Button" than North Korea's Kim Jong Un '-- "and my button works!"

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the ''Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.'' Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!

'-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018Masculinity is also reflected in Trump's economic rhetoric. He was blatant about it this week when he told a crowd in Michigan, "We're getting your husbands back to work." (This is despite the fact that women have disproportionately dropped out of the labor force during the pandemic.)

But it also has arguably long been present in the president's insistent focus on male-dominated, blue-collar professions.

In multiple major economic addresses and State of the Union speeches, Trump has highlighted professions like manufacturing, mining and construction, but virtually ignored other working-class, "pink-collar" workers in female-dominated, care-oriented jobs like nursing or health aides. And in his job-creation initiatives, Trump has also tended to focus on those blue-collar areas '-- particularly manufacturing.

Indeed, he seems to relish the public appearances he gets to do while promoting these industries, as he dons hard hats or sits behind the wheel of a semi.

It's true that manufacturing can provide stable, high-paying jobs and that COVID-19 showed that U.S. supply chains need improvement. However, a relentless focus on manufacturing overstates that industry's importance in regaining American jobs, while obscuring the reality of America's growing working class of women '-- often, nonwhite women '-- in the service sector.

Masculinity and political dysfunction

Aggressive masculine politics can fuel political dysfunction, says Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of Jesus and John Wayne, a book about white evangelicals and masculinity.

"Militancy is at the heart of [Trump's] identity, and militancy requires enemies, and so his enemies are both foreign and domestic," she said.

Beyond picking fights with foreign leaders, Trump does so with domestic politicians and the news media. The clear idea that comes across, Du Mez says, is that "compromise is a sign of weakness."

"What we lose here is a sense of a larger common good," she said. "And this militant masculine identity really does drive our political polarization."

If the need to appear tough causes a president to not just disagree with but demonize the other party '-- to belittle them with nicknames like Crazy Nancy Pelosi or Cryin' Chuck Schumer, for example '-- it's easy to see how it could fuel polarization.

It's noteworthy that President Trump seems to have a gendered pattern to his put-downs: He tends to belittle male opponents as weak, saying they are "cryin'" or "little" or "low-energy," whereas he often insults women's looks or casts them as hysterical. Not only that, but he has a pattern of attacking women of color, as NPR's Juana Summers has reported.

Race is also inseparable from this masculine posturing, according to Du Mez. She pointed to the violent suppression of Black Lives Matter protesters, as well as the defense of Confederate monuments and Columbus Day.

"These heroes that are celebrated tend to be white military heroes that enforce this myth of white masculine power as really being the center of American history, the center of the American story," she said.

Reshaping Republican politics

There are signs that Trump's macho rhetoric is filtering down to other party members '-- as when Texas Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted that "many liberal males never grow balls" or when Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler tweeted a video depicting Trump physically wrestling the coronavirus to the ground and beating up on it.

"I think Trump's exaggerated hypermasculinity, if you could call it that, has, if it's done anything, it's driven women away from the party," said Christine Matthews, a Republican pollster who has been critical of Trump.

She points out that women have increasingly been filtering over to the Democratic Party, and men to the Republican Party.

Overt masculinity may also be shaping how women run within the party, Matthews added.

"I think the Trump era has attracted a different kind of Republican woman who may want to run for office '-- somebody who may have a little backlash to the women's marches or political correctness," she said.

In fact, she says those women are adopting one particular stereotypically masculine prop.

"One of the things I was noticing in the 2020 election, as I was sort of taking a look at some of the Republican women running for office, is how many of them seem to be presenting themselves as not only Second Amendment supporters, but pictures of themselves with guns '-- large guns."

Matthews found that more than one-third of non-incumbent Republican women running for Congress had campaign materials prominently featuring them with guns. Arizona Republican U.S. House candidate Tiffany Shedd, for example, has a photo of herself with a rifle resting on her shoulder on her website. In some campaign photos, Colorado Republican U.S. House candidate Lauren Boebert has a pistol strapped to her thigh.

The dynamics here are complicated: the Republican Party has grown more conservative as it has grown more male '-- two factors that may in fact be related. Those women candidates simply have to appeal to that more conservative (and more male) electorate.

The upshot is this: In a party that has struggled to elect women, where men are the majority of voters, and where the head of the party encourages hypermasculinity, the kind of female candidates who can break through may just be the ones who can speak that language.

Furthermore, to the extent that Trump appeals more to men than women, he may be accelerating these long-standing trends of both an increasing gender gap and increasing ideological distance between the parties.

Joe Biden talks about the need for American-made electric cars in a summer 2020 campaign ad.

Joe Biden YouTube Biden's masculinity '-- and femininity

For his part, Joe Biden isn't as aggressive in his posturing. However, he wields and benefits from masculinity in his own way, as Vox's Anna North and the Washington Post's Matt Viser have noted. In a campaign video promoting American-made cars, he oohed and aahed over a classic Corvette.

"God, could my dad drive a car. Oof," he said.

Biden has done the macho act as well '-- he has talked about wanting to "beat the hell out of" Trump and suggested push-up contests with both Trump and an Iowa voter.

He also at one point laughed off accusations of behaving inappropriately to women. "I just want you to know I had permission to hug Lonnie," he said, after hugging International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers President Lonnie Stephenson at a 2019 event.

But then, he has examples of himself as an empathetic caregiver '-- an image the Biden campaign has worked hard to emphasize. A years-old video of Biden comforting family members of mass shooting victims was recently viewed more than 11 million times on Twitter. In it, the son of a victim ran up and hugged him.

"Thank you for hugging me!" Biden said, kissing the boy on his forehead. "You OK? You'll be OK. We're gonna be OK. We're gonna be OK. I promise."

Some have called this a sort of enlightened masculinity. Conroy, however, thinks differently.

"When people talk about Biden's empathy and compassion and they're like, 'That's a 21st century vision of masculinity.' No, it's not! It's just femininity!" she said.

It may be, she adds, that there's more room for Biden to appear warm and caring among heavily female Democratic voters.

That may be evident on Election Day. Polls suggest that the gender gap in this year's election could be record-setting.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:57

Is it too much of a coincidence that the Biden for President logo has connections with socialist and communist remnants of an era from China's history some 60 years ago?

The three simple stripes that make up the letter ''E'' in Biden eerily callback to the ''Three Red Banner'' slogan from when China was building into a state in the late 1950s early 1960s.

From Wikipedia '' Three Red Banners was an ideological slogan in the late 1950s which called on the Chinese people to build a socialist state. The ''Three Red Banners'' also called the ''Three Red Flags,'' consisted of the General Line for socialist construction, the Great Leap Forward and the people's communes.

The Other China: Hunger Part I '' The Three Red Flags of DeathWORLDVIEW Magazine '' May 1, 1976Excerpt: Even this strange human scene, however, dwindles to a pinpoint and is gone as one withdraws to that high plateau where policy is formulated and proclamations are made. In the 1962 communique of the Tenth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China a single phrase'--''the temporary difficulties encountered by the Chinese people'''--encompasses the agony of China under the Three Red Flags.

New directions in national policy, 1958''61Excerpt: The pressures behind the dramatic inauguration in 1958 of ''Three Red Banners'''--i.e., the general line of socialist construction, the Great Leap Forward, and the rural people's communes'--are still not fully known. Undoubtedly, a complex mixture of forces came into play. Mao personally felt increasingly uncomfortable with the alliance with the Soviet Union and with the social and political ramifications of the Soviet model of development.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 03:46

Show caption Anthony Fauci outlines Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America at a conference in Seattle in March 2019. Photograph: Benjamin Ryan/The Guardian

Aids and HIVConservatives see Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation as key in bringing down the Affordable Care Act. Doctors and scientists warn it will destroy a major effort to help vulnerable and poor Americans

Fri 23 Oct 2020 05.00 EDT

In his State of the Union address in February 2019, Donald Trump vowed to end the HIV epidemic by 2030.

'Rick Scott had us on lockdown': how Florida said no to $70m for HIV crisis But if Trump has his way and the supreme court strikes down the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the resulting seismic disruption to the healthcare system would end that dream.

Democrats have expressed grave concern that if Amy Coney Barrett is seated on the supreme court, the conservative jurist could cast a decisive vote to destroy the ACA in the California v Texas case scheduled for oral argument starting 10 November. The Senate judiciary committee committee voted to advance Barrett's nomination on Thursday. A full Senate vote is expected on Monday.

The brainchild of Dr Anthony Fauci and other top brass at the Department of Health and Human Services, the ambitious Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America has received for its debut year $267m in new federal spending, largely targeted at HIV transmission hotspots across the US.

Amy Coney Barrett listens during a confirmation hearing. Photograph: Anna Moneymaker/AP The central aim of the Trump-backed plan is to improve access to antiretrovirals, given that successfully treating HIV with such medications eliminates transmission risk. For HIV-negative people, the plan promotes greater use of PrEP '' a daily antiretroviral tablet that cuts the risk of HIV by more than 99% among gay and bisexual men, who are its predominant users and account for seven in 10 new infections.

Given antiretrovirals' enormous cost, the ACA and its broadening of insurance access serves as backbone to the HIV plan, which seeks a 90% reduction by 2030 to the otherwise slowly declining or stagnant national HIV transmission rate of about 37,000 new cases annually.

''The plan is dead in the water if the ACA goes down,'' said Amy Killelea, senior director of health systems and policy at Nastad, an HIV public policy non-profit.

''President Trump's healthcare agenda, in particular his plan to get the supreme court to rule against families' healthcare, does more to end access to HIV care than it does to end HIV,'' said the Washington state senator Patty Murray.

'Heartbreaking and morally indefensible' Kaiser found that between 2012 and 2018, the proportion of the non-elderly HIV population lacking insurance declined from about 18% to 11%. This shift was mainly driven by the expansion of Medicaid in the states that opted under the ACA to open the program to all residents with incomes below 138% of the federal poverty level.

About 60% of non-elderly people receiving care for HIV fall into that lowest of income brackets. Forty per cent of people with HIV receive Medicaid, compared with 15% of the general population.

''Striking down the ACA would lead many people with HIV to lose insurance coverage,'' said Jennifer Kates, director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Not following the science to address HIV or Covid-19 primarily impacts people of color Medicaid expansion has also been tied to increased HIV testing and PrEP use. In Louisiana, the only state in the deep south to expand Medicaid, state officials attributed a 12% decline in HIV diagnoses between 2015 and 2018 to such effects.

For an overall population as vulnerable and stigmatized as those living with and at risk for HIV '' one that is disproportionately Black and Latino, with a high rate of substance use disorders, mental illness, homelessness, incarceration and especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, unemployment '' a sudden loss of health insurance can prove critically disruptive to consistent healthcare engagement and access to antiretrovirals.

When individuals stop taking such medications, HIV can spread more widely as viral load rises to a transmissible level in people with the virus and HIV-negative people lose PrEP's protection.

The pandemic has already disrupted such access. Preliminary analyses point to rising rates of unsuppressed HIV and major declines in PrEP refills and testing for the virus in recent months.

''In light of the extraordinary public health and economic challenges we are currently facing, the idea that the supreme court would reverse the great progress we have made in efforts to eliminate HIV in the United States is heartbreaking and morally reprehensible,'' said Robert Greenwald, director of the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation at Harvard Law School.

The federal Ryan White HIV/Aids Program and its $2.4bn budget will continue to provide uninsured people with HIV with at least some form of safety net, helping to cover care and treatment should Obamacare fall.

You want to take away from me the one tool I have to make sure that I do the best for these people? How dare you? But since the ACA's major insurance provisions launched in 2014, Ryan White has undergone a major shift, especially in Medicaid expansion states, toward focusing on covering ancillary ''wraparound'' services for insured people with HIV, such as case management, housing and transportation. The program also increasingly pays for private Obamacare plan premiums. These shifts, research indicates, have improved viral suppression rates.

Ryan White's wraparound coverage would dissipate if funds were more urgently needed to address an insurance-loss surge. Kates and other experts predict the program might not prove nimble enough to promise a smooth transition into a post-ACA era.

Experts also fear a return of waiting lists for HIV treatment coverage by the Aids Drug Assistance Program, a Ryan White component that co-funds medication or health insurance premium coverage with the states. These notorious lists have tended to lengthen during economic downturns, thanks to tightening state budgets.

Michelle Collins-Ogle, a pediatric and adolescent HIV physician at Montefiore medical center in the Bronx, relies on the Affordable Care Act to help her care for a vulnerable population of young people living with or at risk for the virus. Photograph: Benjamin Ryan/The Guardian Decimating the ACA would also vaporize numerous less widely appreciated facets of the law that provide crucial protections for insured people living with and at risk for HIV. These include the elimination of annual and lifetime coverage caps, the establishment of annual caps on out-of-pocket costs, and the promise of no such costs for validated preventive services, such as HIV testing and PrEP. The law's anti-discrimination provisions have also helped ensure more equitable healthcare access.

Trump's claim he can simply forbid pre-existing condition exclusions by executive order notwithstanding, a loss of this cherished ACA-guaranteed protection would, Kaiser research indicates, render people with HIV uninsurable on the open market.

'Ham-fisted' The opioid crisis, which along with other forms of substance abuse has begun to reverse the two-decade decline in HIV diagnoses among people who inject drugs, is also poised to worsen if the nation loses ACA-based coverage for mental health and substance use disorder treatment in particular.

Greg Millett, director of public policy at amfAR, The Foundation for Aids Research, noted that during a year defined by urgent calls for racial justice, the harsh demographic realities of the intersecting Covid-19 and HIV epidemics serve as prime examples of the nation's long failure to address race-based health inequities.

Truvada and the truth: is HIV prevention propelling the STI epidemic? ''It's no mistake with this administration that they are not following the science comprehensively in addressing HIV, nor Covid-19,'' Millett said. ''And unfortunately, not following the science to address HIV or Covid-19 primarily impacts people of color.''

The Trump administration's ''ham-fisted'' handling of Covid-19, Millett said, has already jeopardized achieving the goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030.

Michelle Collins-Ogle, a pediatric and adolescent HIV physician at Montefiore medical center in the Bronx, expressed outrage over conservatives' dogged battle to destroy the signature legislative achievement of the Obama administration, the ACA.

''Here I am, working hard to take care of people who are indigent and vulnerable,'' Collins-Ogle said. ''And you want to take away from me the one tool I have to make sure that I do the best for these people?

''How dare you?''

{{heading}}{{#paragraphs}}

{{.}}

{{/paragraphs}}

{{highlightedText}}

{{#cta}}

{{text}}{{/cta}}

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on WhatsApp Share on Messenger

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 20:00

(AP) - A former Trump administration official who penned a scathing anti-Trump op-ed and book under the pen name ''Anonymous'' made his identify public Wednesday.

Donald Trump is a man without character. It's why I wrote ''A Warning''...and it's why me & my colleagues have spoken out against him (in our own names) for months. It's time for everyone to step out of the shadows. My statement: https://t.co/yuhTgZ4bkq

'-- Miles Taylor (@MilesTaylorUSA) October 28, 2020Miles Taylor, a former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security says in a tweet: ''Donald Trump is a man without character. It's why I wrote 'A Warning' ... and it's why me & my colleagues have spoken out against him (in our own names) for months. It's time for everyone to step out of the shadows.''

Taylor has been an outspoken critic of Trump's in recent months, and he has a contributor contract on CNN.

Taylor's anonymous essay was published in 2018 by The New York Times, infuriating the president and setting off a frantic White House leak investigation to try to unmask the author.

In the essay, the person, who identified themselves only as a senior administration official, said they were part of a secret ''resistance'' force out to counter Trump's ''misguided impulses'' and undermine parts of his agenda.

The author wrote, ''Many Trump appointees have vowed to do what we can to preserve our democratic institutions while thwarting Mr. Trump's more misguided impulses until he is out of office.''

The allegations incensed the president, bolstering his allegations about a ''deep state'' operating within his government and conspiring against him. And it set off a Beltway guessing game that seeped into the White House, with current and former staffers trading calls and texts, trying to figure out who could have written the piece.

Trump, who had long complained about leaks in the White House, also ordered aides to unmask the writer, citing ''national security'' concerns to justify a possible Justice Department investigation. And he issued an extraordinary demand that the newspaper reveal the author.

Instead, the author pressed forward, penning a follow-up book published last November called ''A Warning'' that continued to paint a disturbing picture of the president, describing him as volatile, incompetent and unfit to be commander in chief.

Trump ''stumbles, slurs, gets confused, is easily irritated, and has trouble synthesizing information,'' the author alleged, also citing racist and misogynist statements the author claimed Trump made behind closed doors.

Then-White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham slammed the author as a ''coward'' for hiding their identity, charging that they ''didn't put their name on it because it is nothing but lies.''

Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 20:03

Miles Taylor is an American former government official who specializes in security and international relations. He was formerly a Trump administration appointee who served in the United States Department of Homeland Security from 2017 to 2019, including as Chief of Staff to former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Acting Secretary Chad Wolf.

In August 2020, while on leave from his job at Google, he produced an ad for Republican Voters Against Trump, denouncing Trump and endorsing Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Taylor was the first former senior Trump administration staffer to endorse Biden. As of August 2020, he is the highest-ranking former member of the administration to endorse Biden. In October 2020, he revealed himself to be the anonymous writer of the essay "I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration" (2018) and the best-selling book A Warning (2019).[3][4]

Early life and education Taylor grew up in La Porte, Indiana and graduated from La Porte High School in 2006 as valedictorian.[5] He received a Bachelor of Arts in international security studies from Indiana University Bloomington, which he attended as a Harry S. Truman Scholar and Herman B. Wells Scholar.[6] As a senior, he received IU's inaugural Presidential Student Internship.[7]

He received an MPhil in International Relations from New College, Oxford, which he attended as a Marshall Scholar.[6]

Career In 2007, while in college, he interned in the office of the Secretary of Defense and the office of Vice President Dick Cheney.[7] In 2008, he worked as Briefing Book coordinator at the Department of Homeland Security.[7] In 2009 he served as a regional policy intern for the Defense Department.[7]

Taylor was a political appointee in the administration of George W. Bush.[6] He was a staffer for the House Appropriations Committee and then the Committee on Homeland Security, where he was advisor to its chair, Michael McCaul.[6] He was McCaul's chief speechwriter and the Majority Staff Lead for the congressional Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel.[6] In 2015 he was named a Penn Kemble Fellow by the National Endowment for Democracy.[8]

From 2017 to 2019 Taylor worked at the Department of Homeland Security, including serving as Chief of Staff for Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf.[9] In August 2020, Taylor said that in April 2019 he had personally witnessed President Trump offer Homeland Security staff federal pardons for any criminal prosecution arising from their actions in stopping illegal immigration to the United States, and at that point Taylor decided to resign from the Department.[10][1] White House spokesman Judd Deere rejected Taylor's allegations, and described him as "another creature of the D.C. Swamp who never understood the importance of the President's agenda or why the American people elected him and clearly just wants to cash-in".[11]

In September 2019 Taylor was hired by Google as a government affairs and public policy manager with a title of Head of National Security.[12][13] He is a senior fellow at Auburn University's McCrary Center for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.[14]

Campaigning for Joe Biden In August 2020 he took a leave from Google to support Joe Biden's presidential campaign.[15] He made an ad for Republican Voters Against Trump, denouncing Trump and endorsing Biden in the 2020 presidential election.[15][16] Conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin said it was possibly "the most compelling of the 2020 election cycle".[17] Taylor wrote an opinion piece for the Washington Post also in August 2020;[9] Rubin said it "adds detail to what we could have only surmised was the story behind chaotic policy rollouts."[17] The next day, Taylor appeared on multiple news and analysis shows saying that other former members of the Trump administration were considering speaking out similarly.[18]

Journalist Judy Woodruff asked Taylor in a PBS NewsHour interview why he had spoken out when he did rather than immediately after leaving the administration. Taylor responded,

If I had come out and talked about Donald Trump a year ago, when I left the administration, he's a master of distraction. He would have buried it within a day, and it wouldn't have mattered to voters. But, right now, American voters are reviewing the president's resume...so, I think there's no more important time for me or other ex-Trump officials to come out and actually talk about what the experience was inside the administration and what kind of man sits behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.[19]

Taylor was the first former senior Trump administration staffer to endorse Biden.[20] As of August 2020, he is the highest-ranking former member of the administration to endorse Biden.[18]

"Anonymous" publications On October 28, 2020, CNN announced on-air that Taylor revealed himself to be "Anonymous", the author of the New York Times September 5, 2018 op-ed, "I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration" and the 2019 book, A Warning.[21][22]

Personal life Taylor is a lifelong member of the Republican Party.[19][23][24]

References ^ a b Solender, Andrew. " ' If You Get In Trouble I'll Pardon You': Ex-DHS Official Miles Taylor Says Trump Promised Protection For Illegal Policies". Forbes. ^ "Leadership". Department of Homeland Security. September 7, 2006. ^ https://milestaylor.medium.com/a-statement-a13bc5173ee9 ^ CNN, Jake Tapper and Jeremy Herb. "Author of 2018 'Anonymous' op-ed critical of Trump revealed". CNN . Retrieved 2020-10-28 . ^ "Local News - Hometown News Now". hometownnewsnow.com. 17 August 2020 . Retrieved 2020-08-20 . ^ a b c d e "Miles Taylor". National Endowment for Democracy. September 22, 2015 . Retrieved August 20, 2020 . ^ a b c d "LaPorte student who served in Cheney office named IU intern". nwitimes.com. 23 September 2009 . Retrieved 2020-08-20 . ^ "2015-2016 Penn Kemble Fellows". National Endowment for Democracy . Retrieved August 20, 2020 . ^ a b Taylor, Miles. "Opinion | At Homeland Security, I saw firsthand how dangerous Trump is for America". Washington Post . Retrieved August 20, 2020 . ^ Blake, Aaron (August 26, 2020). "Analysis | Miles Taylor's very serious allegations against Trump, explained". Washington Post. ^ "Former Trump administration official calls his presidency "terrifying " ". CBS News. August 18, 2020. ^ "Google Hired A Former Top DHS Staffer Who Once Defended The Travel Ban". BuzzFeed News . Retrieved August 20, 2020 . ^ Palmer, Anna; Sherman, Jake. "POLITICO Playbook: Behind the president's struggles with impeachment". POLITICO . Retrieved August 20, 2020 . ^ "Miles Taylor". mccrary.auburn.edu . Retrieved 2020-08-20 . ^ a b Elias, Jennifer (August 18, 2020). "Former Trump staffer who joined Google is now on leave to support Biden". CNBC . Retrieved August 20, 2020 . ^ Diamond, Jeremy; Tapper, Jake; Warren, Michael (August 17, 2020). "Former senior Trump administration official endorses Joe Biden". CNN . Retrieved August 20, 2020 . ^ a b Rubin, Jennifer (August 18, 2020). "Opinion | A former DHS official is putting other Trump insiders to shame". Washington Post . Retrieved August 20, 2020 . ^ a b Faulders, Katherine (August 18, 2020). "Former DHS official now backing Biden warns Trump others will speak out". ABC News . Retrieved August 20, 2020 . ^ a b "Why this former DHS official under Trump is endorsing Biden". PBS NewsHour. 2020-08-18 . Retrieved 2020-08-20 . ^ "Ex-DHS official: Trump appeared to side with Team Russia". POLITICO . Retrieved 2020-08-20 . ^ Shear, Michael D. (October 28, 2020). "Miles Taylor, a Former Homeland Security Official, Reveals He Was 'Anonymous ' " '' via NYTimes.com. ^ CNN October 28, 2020 "Author of 2018 'Anonymous' op-ed critical of Trump revealed" https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/28/politics/anonymous-new-york-times-oped-writer/index.html ^ " ' Second term would be more dangerous:' Lifelong Republican Miles Taylor blasts Trump, endorses Biden". ABC7 Chicago. 2020-08-18 . Retrieved 2020-08-20 . ^ "Ex-DHS official: I fear Trump will do this to make the election difficult". The Penn . Retrieved 2020-08-20 .

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 02:44

Publiciteit Publiciteit Publiciteit Nederlands Arabisch Duits Engels Spaans Frans Hebreeuws Italiaans Japans Nederlands Pools Portugees Roemeens Russisch Turks Chinees

Engels Synoniemen Arabisch Duits Engels Spaans Frans Hebreeuws Italiaans Japans Nederlands Pools Portugees Roemeens Russisch Turks Chinees

Uw zoekopdracht kan naar ongeschikte uitdrukkingen leiden.

Uw zoekopdracht kan naar informele uitdrukkingen leiden.

a corner

around the corner

whack

Vannacht gaat er iemand het hoekje om.

Somebody's going to die tonight. Vuur gaat niet zomaar het hoekje om.

Dus jij was de lijfwacht van mijn vader en hij is het hoekje om.

So you were my father's bodyguard, and he got waxed. Ik ben iemand die het hoekje om ging en weer terugkwam, dankzij wat ik noem... Pauls Power.

I'm just a guy who happened to kick the bucket and bounce back, thanks to something that I call... Een van m'n mannen is het hoekje om.

Ik vrees dat neville ook het hoekje om is, Baldrick.

Ik moest het hoekje om om erop te kunnen.

En het leek er op of ze een paar keer het hoekje om was.

Als ik het hoekje om ga, zorg dan dat m'n zoon het goed heeft.

We gaan hier even het hoekje om.

Maar als Beecher het hoekje om is... hebben wij een appeltje te schillen.

Let me tell you, after Beecher's dead, you and me, we got a score to settle. Ik wil niet zeggen dat Professor Farnsworth oud is maar als je even naar z'n leeftijd kijkt, gaat hij binnenkort wel het hoekje om.

Now I'm not saying Professor Farnsworth is old but if you consider his age, he's likely to die soon. Loop naar links, het hoekje om

Ik vermoed dus echt dat er een alternatief is, dat leven eigenlijk probeert zichzelf het hoekje om te krijgen niet bewust, maar gewoon, omdat het zo gaat.

So, I really suspect there's an alternative, and that life does actually try to do itself in - not consciously, but just because it does. We gluren even om het hoekje om enkele van de bijzondere kalksteenformaties te zien, maar rijden daarna gauw weer in onze airco-mobile terug naar de camping.

We take a peek around the corner to see some of the interesting limestone formations, but quickly hop back into our aircon-car to return to the campsite. Ik was blij toen ze het hoekje om ging.

Wil jij soms het hoekje om?

Blijft dat ding op de oprit staan tot ik het hoekje om ga?

We hebben eigenlijk niet zo'n bijzondere voorstelling van dit bouwwerk, maar als we het hoekje om komen en ons op honderd meter afstand van het gevaarte bevinden zijn we allebei onder de indruk.

Actually we don't have the idea it's a very impressive sight, but as we turn around the corner and so we're just a hundred metres away from the colossus we're both impressed. Hoe was hij voor hij het hoekje om ging?

How was he before he bucked out? Er zijn geen resultaten gevonden voor deze term.Resultaten: 36 . Exact: 36 . Verstreken tijd: 61 ms.

Veel voorkomende woorden: 1-300, 301-600, 601-900, Meer

Frequente korte uitdrukkingen: 1-400, 401-800, 801-1200, Meer

Frequente lange uitdrukkingen: 1-400, 401-800, 801-1200, Meer

Documents Bedrijfsoplossingen Vervoegen Synoniemen Proeflezer Hulp en informatie

3F foment weakness. Foment chaos. Foment the destruction of America

BGY

B blue. Control internet and media.

G gold. Influence. Bribe media officials etc

Y yellow. Honeypots to compromise officials

https://gnews.org/154724/

It's all true. We are at war with the CCP. China communists party has unlimited evil. CCP despises their own Chinese non party citizens also. CCP most despises overseas Chinese Americans

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 00:37

Why Have a Sister City? Provo City and its programs have become an important and positive force for peace by promoting understanding and respect among nations.On the individual level, there are opportunities for personal development, new friendships, and new challenges to understand the world around us.On the municipal level, the exchange of experiences between cities, who may be facing similar problems, leads to new ideas and unique solutions, while at the same time enjoying the pride of one's own community.On the national level, the more personal contact with American citizens helps to correct any distorted impressions of the people and life in this country often held by people of other nations. This process also works in reverse for us.These relationships foster an atmosphere in which economic development, trade, tourism, education, history, art, foreign languages, international relations and global understanding can be nurtured.

Meissen, GermanyThe city of Meissen has a natural tie to Provo, it being the home of Dr. Karl G. Maeser, a prominent founder of Brigham Young University.

The Maeser family took the lead in formulating the Sister City Relationship, which was established in July 2001.

The city of Meissen is over 1000 years old. It lies on the River Elbe and is known the world over for its beautiful porcelain, which is identified by the distinctive trademark featuring two crossed swords.

Delegations, led by Meissen's Mayor Olaf Raschke, have visited Provo three times. A large Provo delegation of 34 people visited Meissen in 2008. They participated in Meissen's yearly Wine Festival which is comparable to Provo's Freedom Festival.

Meissen Educational ExchangeTimpview High School's German teacher, Stephen Van Orden, worked with the Franziskanium Gymnasium in Meissen to build an ongoing educational exchange program.

Since its inception in 2001, there have been exchanges every other year, this year being the 7th exchange.

Timpview students and teachers travel to Meissen in June. They are hosted, for two weeks, in the homes of Franziskanium students. In October of that same year, when the teachers and students of the Franziskanium travel to Provo for their two week visit, the students stay in the home of the student who hosted them in Meissen.

Nanning, ChinaNanning, the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is the region's political, economic, scientific and technological, cultural, educational, hygienic, information and financial center.

It is located in southeastern China on the Vietnam border. It is the home of the Nanning International Folk Song Art Festival held in the fall of each year.

Dignitaries from Nanning have visited Provo seven different times. Representatives from Provo have visited Nanning 4 times.

Mayor Curtis was asked to present a slideshow at the 2013 Nanning International Sister Cities Exchange and Cooperation Seminar. The slideshow outlined Provo City's Transportation and Circulation Plan for the future.

The highlight of the trip was the delight expressed by their Nanning hosts when Mayor Curtis easily communicated with them in their own Mandarin language.

Mayor Zhou visits ProvoThe week following his return from Nanning, Mayor Curtis was delighted to host Mayor Zhou and his delegation of 6.

Mayor Zhou expressed interest in visiting public facilities in Provo. His delegation visited Wasatch Elementary Chinese Immersion classes, the Provo City Library, the NuSkin building, BYU, Provo's City Building and fire station, and the new Provo Recreation Center. Mayor Zhou was very impressed by this "magnificent facility" that Provo City had constructed for their citizens.

Chengdu, China Part of Provo City's visit to China included participating in GOED's Trade Mission to Chengdu, China.

The Trade Mission helped to facilitate meetings between the management of companies from Utah and the management from companies in China who wanted to investigate becoming business partners.

Several companies from Provo participated in these "match making" meetings.

During meetings with government officials, Provo participated in signing a Memorandum of Understanding wherein it was proposed that the Jinniu District, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, Peoples Republic of China and Provo City intend to explore a friendship relationship for the purpose of promoting mutual understanding and economic, educational, scientific and government exchanges. This MOA will be valid until September of 2018. During this time, both sides will work together to determine the validity of establishing a formal Friendship City relationship.

CONTACT INFORMATIONMain Office - (801) 852-6400

Keith MoreyEconomic Development Division Director(801) 852-6432kmorey@provo.org

HOURS OF OPERATIONMonday - Thursday

7:00AM - 6:00PM

LOCATIONSouth of City Center Building

330 W 100 S

Provo, UT 84601

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:39

China's southern tech hub of Shenzhen concluded the country's largest test of the sovereign digital currency this month after giving out 10 million yuan in red packets. Photo: Bloomberg

Currency issued through DCEP can be used in mobile wallets like WeChat Pay, says Mu Changchun, head of the central bank's digital currency research instituteThe People's Bank of China has already found counterfeit digital yuan wallets, Mu says Topic | Digital currencies

Published: 5:30pm, 26 Oct, 2020

Updated: 12:47pm, 27 Oct, 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:37

ISD recognises that cities are uniquely placed to safeguard their citizens from polarisation and radicalisation to create stronger and safer communities.

Launched at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015, ISD's Strong Cities Network (SCN) is the first ever global network of mayors, policy-makers, and practitioners, united in building social cohesion and community resilience to counter violent extremism in all its forms.

The SCN comprises more than 100 member cities from every major global region, each with specific lessons, practice or challenges surrounding violent extremism. It serves as a platform for communities, CVE professionals and local political leaders to connect with their counterparts around the world to learn from one another's experience to inform and develop their own local practice.

The Strong Cities Network is made up of Global cities We also work closely with civil society groups and partner organisations to support our cities in establishing inclusive, welcoming communities, safeguarding respect for human rights to prevent violence and the hate, division and polarisation which engenders violent extremism. Our programming spans training, research, and online and offline activities and resources aimed at enriching understanding of '' and enabling more effective local responses to '' the challenge of violent extremism at the local level and on a global scale.

—Joe DownyCoordinator, Strong Cities Network

Joe is a Project Coordinator for the Strong Cities Network at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. With a background in graphic design, Joe recently graduated with distinction from the University of Sussex with an MA in Conflict, Security and Development. He specialised in Middle Eastern Politics, Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Peace-building, focusing primarily on the geopolitics of the Syrian Civil War. He wrote his dissertation on the resilience of the Syrian regime in light of the civil war, which explored the structural conditions that enabled the regime to survive where other dictators fell during the Arab Spring. Prior to joining ISD, he was a Research and Communications Assistant for Children on the Edge, with voluntary experience with NGOs in the UK, Lebanon and Turkey.

—Daniel HootonDeputy Head, Strong Cities Network

Daniel Hooton is Deputy Head of ISD's Strong Cities Network (SCN), with responsibility for strategy and delivery of international cities programmes. This includes current projects to develop institutional approaches to long-term governance, human security and social policy challenges in cities across Africa, Asia, the Balkans and the Middle East. He has advised and worked with numerous international governments, UN agencies and mayors on international counterterrorism and counter-extremism strategy, briefing senior ministers and leaders and shaping multilateral cooperation on grassroots practice in cities around the world. Daniel previously served as policy advisor to the Shadow Minister for Communities in the UK Parliament, developing opposition policy and scrutiny on community cohesion, social exclusion and public services reform. He holds a Master's degree with Distinction from the London School of Economics, a Bachelor's degree from the University of Bristol, and has a longstanding interest in devolution, borders and port cities.

—Tim HulseCoordinator, Monitoring and Evaluation, Strong Cities Network

Tim is a Coordinator at ISD, working predominately on the Strong Cities Network (SCN) and Google Innovation Fund. His role consists of developing monitoring and evaluation systems for a range ISD programmes in order to demonstrate the impact that the Institute has in preventing and countering violent extremism. As part of this role Tim also supports a number of ISD partners in demonstrating the sustainable impact of their projects. Tim has previously been engaged in research for a number of UK charities and NGOs focusing on extremism, Middle Eastern politics and refugee issues among other topics. He holds a Masters in Intelligence and International Security from King's College London and a Bachelors in the Study of Religions from the School of Oriental and African Studies.

—Marta LopesManager, Strong Cities Network

Marta is a Manager at ISD, working on the Strong Cities Network (SCN). She supports local authorities in developing and implementing programmes and models in the SCN's regions to ensure tailored bottom-up responses to local challenges posed by violent extremist movements.Prior to joining ISD in July 2018, Marta completed a traineeship at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in the Human Security Division. In previous positions she had the opportunity to work in several countries across Asia, in the US and in South Africa. Marta holds an MA in Conflict, Governance and International Development from the University of East Anglia. Her dissertation focused on local challenges and legitimacy issues in the peace-building process in Colombia, studying the interplay between state, civil society and local populations in the department of Choc". Marta is bilingual French and Portuguese, and is also comfortable working in Spanish and German.

—Rebecca Skellett is Head of Strong Cities Network (SCN). Rebecca also supports ISD's Education and Prevention activities regularly representing ISD at international events and in the media.Rebecca spearheads the Strong Cities Network (SCN), advocating for cities to have a central seat at the table in preventing and countering violent extremism in all its forms. The SCN is the first ever global city network devoted to uniting cities around the world to build social cohesion and community resilience to counter violent extremism in all its forms. The network comprises 114 cities from across 40 countries. Rebecca oversees the SCN's activities ranging from advising cities directly, arranging global and regional training and capacity building activities engaging with mayors, municipal-level policymakers and practitioners to its long term strategies such as designing regional models for P/CVE. Previously, Rebecca worked on the front-line of the UK's Prevent CVE Programme across several London boroughs and has extensive experience in overseeing individual casework, conducting community engagement, developing local CVE programming, training and policy frameworks for local government and the education sector. Rebecca also advises national level policy-makers in the UK as a member of the UK Department for Education's Expert Advisory Panel for Extremism.

—Nayla-Joy ZeinRegional Coordinator, Strong Cities Network

Nayla is a Regional Coordinator working on MENA-related issues across ISD, including the Strong Cities Network and Young Cities programmes. Previously based in Beirut, she coordinated the regional work of the Strong Cities Network municipality capacity building project in Lebanon and Jordan. Prior to joining ISD, Nayla worked as a Research Assistant at McGill University (Canada), mainly focusing on transitional justice, female militancy and violent conflict in Lebanon. She also worked on female radicalisation in the MENA region and Syrian refugee prospects for return at the Carnegie Middle-East Center. Nayla holds a B.A in Political Science and Philosophy from McGill and is currently pursuing her MSc in Conflict Studies at the London School of Economics. Nayla is trilingual English, French and Arabic.

—Jonathan is a Senior Policy Fellow at ISD. Until 2020, he was ISD's Deputy Director with responsibility for Research, Policy and Cities work, overseeing ISD's policy work and networks including the Policy Planners' Network and the Strong Cities Network, as well as overseeing ISD's work on education policy and programming. At ISD, Jonathan authored

Mapping hate in France: A panoramic view of online discourse (2020), Smearing Sweden: International Influence Campaigns in the 2018 Swedish Election (2018),Counter-Conversations: A model for direct engagement with individuals showing signs of radicalisation online (2018),The Impact of Counter-Narratives (2016), Lone Actor Terrorism: Policy Paper 3 '' Motivations, Political Engagement and Online Activity (2016), and edited An Online Environmental Scan of Right-wing Extremism in Canada (2020).Prior to joining ISD, Jonathan was Head of Programme at the UK cross-party think tank Demos, where he published over forty research reports on topics including violent extremism both Islamist (The Edge of Violence, 2010) and Far-Right (The New Face of Digital Populism, 2011). Jonathan has also written extensively on education (The Forgotten Half, 2011), social and emotional learning (Character Nation, 2015), youth social action and attitudes towards politics (Tune In, Turn Out, 2014), digital politics and marketing (Like, Share, Vote, 2014), trust in government (Trust in Practice, 2010) and religion and integration (Rising to the Top, 2015), among other topics. Jonathan holds a Master's degree (with distinction) from the London School of Economics and Political Science as well as Bachelor's degrees in Political Science and Philosophy from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:37

You can find the list of #StrongCities below. Click on the cities in blue to go to their city profile page. The SCN city profiles provide an overview of the core challenges and approaches in several SCN member cities with regard to violent extremism and polarisation.

Aarhus, DenmarkAktau, KazakhstanAl-Karak, JordanAnaheim, United StatesAntalya, TurkeyAntwerp, BelgiumAracinovo, North MacedoniaAtlanta, United StatesAugsburg, GermanyAurora, United StatesBar, MontenegroBeirut, LebanonBerane, MontenegroBerlin, GermanyBern, SwitzerlandBiel/Bienne, SwitzerlandBihać, Bosnia and HerzegovinaBijeljina, Bosnia and HerzegovinaBirmingham, United KingdomBordeaux, FranceBuenos Aires, ArgentinaBujanovac, SerbiaBulqiz, AlbaniaČair (Skopje), North MacedoniaCalgary, CanadaCali, ColombiaCentar (Sarajevo), Bosnia & HerzegovinaCrrik, AlbaniaChaguanas, Trinidad and TobagoChanchamayo, PeruChattanooga, United StatesCopenhagen, DenmarkCuenca, EcuadorDakar, SenegalDenver, United StatesDerry/Londonderry, United KingdomDhaka North, BangladeshDhaka South, BangladeshDiffa, NigerDjibouti City, DjiboutiDoboj, Bosnia and HerzegovinaDresden, GermanyD¼sseldorf, GermanyEdmonton, CanadaElbasan, AlbaniaEnvigado, ColombiaFerizaj, KosovoFuenlabrada, SpainGentofte, DenmarkGjakova, KosovoGjilan/Gnjilane, KosovoGostivar, North MacedoniaGračanica, KosovoGuldborgsund, DenmarkGusinje, MontenegroHani i Elezit, KosovoHelsinki, FinlandIrbid, JordanIsiolo County, KenyaJablanica, Bosnia and HerzegovinaKa§anik, KosovoKaduna State, NigeriaKamenica, KosovoKano State, NigeriaKaraganda, KazakhstanKičevo, North MacedoniaKiffa, MauritaniaKolofata, CameroonKousseri, CameroonKristiansand, NorwayKumanovo, North MacedoniaKwale County, KenyaLamu County, KenyaLeicester, United KingdomLibrazhd, AlbaniaLi¨ge, BelgiumLondon, United KingdomLos Angeles, United StatesLouisville, United StatesLuton, United KingdomMajdal Anjar, LebanonMalaga, SpainMal(C), MaldivesMalm¶, SwedenManchester, United KingdomMandera County, KenyaMedell­n, ColombiaM(C)ri (Diamare), CameroonMitrovica South, KosovoMokolo, CameroonMombasa County, KenyaMontgomery County, United StatesMontr(C)al, CanadaMontreuil, FranceMumbai, IndiaNakuru County, KenyaNarayanganj, BangladeshNew York, United StatesNovi Pazar, SerbiaNowshera, PakistanOhrid, North MacedoniaOslo, NorwayOttawa, CanadaPalermo, ItalyPanjikent, TajikistanParis, FrancePeć (Peja), KosovoPeshawar, PakistanPignon, HaitiPittsburgh, USAPreÅevo, SerbiaPrijedor, Bosnia and HerzegovinaPrishtina, KosovoPrizren, KosovoPuno, PeruQuetta, PakistanRotterdam, The NetherlandsRožaje, MontenegroSaida, LebanonSan Diego, United StatesSarcelles, FranceSrebrenik, Bosnia and HerzegovinaStockholm, SwedenStruga, North MacedoniaTetovo, North MacedoniaThe Hague, The NetherlandsTirana, AlbaniaTripoli, LebanonTunis, TunisiaTutin, SerbiaTuzla, Bosnia and HerzegovinaUlcinj, MontenegroUtrecht, The NetherlandsViborg, DenmarkVictoria, AustraliaVilvoorde, BelgiumViti, KosovoVushtrri, KosovoYaound(C) II, CameroonZamboanga, PhilippinesZanzibar, TanzaniaZarqa, JordanZvečan, Kosovo

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:57

Is it too much of a coincidence that the Biden for President logo has connections with socialist and communist remnants of an era from China's history some 60 years ago?

The three simple stripes that make up the letter ''E'' in Biden eerily callback to the ''Three Red Banner'' slogan from when China was building into a state in the late 1950s early 1960s.

From Wikipedia '' Three Red Banners was an ideological slogan in the late 1950s which called on the Chinese people to build a socialist state. The ''Three Red Banners'' also called the ''Three Red Flags,'' consisted of the General Line for socialist construction, the Great Leap Forward and the people's communes.

The Other China: Hunger Part I '' The Three Red Flags of DeathWORLDVIEW Magazine '' May 1, 1976Excerpt: Even this strange human scene, however, dwindles to a pinpoint and is gone as one withdraws to that high plateau where policy is formulated and proclamations are made. In the 1962 communique of the Tenth Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China a single phrase'--''the temporary difficulties encountered by the Chinese people'''--encompasses the agony of China under the Three Red Flags.

New directions in national policy, 1958''61Excerpt: The pressures behind the dramatic inauguration in 1958 of ''Three Red Banners'''--i.e., the general line of socialist construction, the Great Leap Forward, and the rural people's communes'--are still not fully known. Undoubtedly, a complex mixture of forces came into play. Mao personally felt increasingly uncomfortable with the alliance with the Soviet Union and with the social and political ramifications of the Soviet model of development.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:27

After his speech at the Hudson Institute was cancelled, Guo Wengui, a former Chinese business tycoon from China who is now actively exposing the Communist Party officials' corruption, issued a press release and held a press conference at the National Press Club on October 5.

Guo showed those present a document, claiming it was a top secret document from China, dated April 27, 2017. The title was, ''The Response of the Office of the State Council regarding the Office of the (Communist Party's) Central National Committee's Plan to Secretly Send 27 State Security Officers including He Jianfeng to the U.S. to Perform Job Duties.'' Guo said that He Jianfeng was from the State Security office and was mainly responsible for collecting intelligence on the U.S. and for controlling the spy network there. ''Twenty eight people except He have already come to the United States. Their main base was the Bank of China in New York. Also (some went to) the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. and to some Chinese organizations. Another 50 people came (to the U.S.) later.'' The Chinese government later denied the authenticity of the document.

Guo stated that China has a complete ''BGY'' plan to control the world. ''BGY'' stands for, ''The plan (which) includes Blue (control the Internet), Gold (buy influence with money), and Yellow (seduce key people with sex). Guo also said that China has a second plan called ''3F'' and both plans are to ruin the U.S. and to assure that China controls the world.

Source: myanniu.com (Guo Wengui's website), October 5, 2017 http://www.myanniu.com/?p=2077

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 21:47

The leader of Chechnya said Tuesday that French President Emmanuel Macron was "forcing people into terrorism" by justifying that caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad were protected under free speech rights.

Ramzan Kadyrov, a trusted ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressed Macron's statement after the French president warned citizens living or traveling in Muslim-majority countries to be cautious due to anger over caricatures of the prophet, Reuters reported.

Macron's warning came just days following a deadly knife beheading outside a French school on Oct. 16, killing a teacher who previously taught his class a lesson on freedom of speech.

The teacher, Samuel Paty, referenced the Prophet Muhammad caricatures published in the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2015, which resulted in armed shooters attacking the magazine's office and killing 12 people five years ago.

Depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a caricature or in any context that lacks respect is seen as blasphemous by many Muslims.

Macron vowed for swift action in the investigations into Paty's killing, calling him a "quiet hero" and pledging to fight against what he calls "Islamist Separatism" in France.

Kadyrov posted on social media Tuesday condemning Macron's response to the teacher's display that the president called a defense of free speech, Reuters reported.

"You are forcing people into terrorism, pushing people towards it, not leaving them any choice, creating the conditions for the growth of extremism in young people's heads," Kadyrov wrote on Instagram, addressing Macron.

"You can boldly call yourself the leader and inspiration of terrorism in your country," Kadyrov added.

Kadyrov is an ex-rebel who endorsed a Kremlin military campaign that defeated an Islamist insurgency in Chechnya. He is the son of the former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov.

He reportedly downplayed that the man who beheaded the teacher was of Chechen origin, saying he grew up in France.

An official for the France's presidential administration denounced Kadyrov's statement.

"We won't be intimidated and we put on notice those who sow hatred, which, in Kadyrov's case, is unacceptable," the administration told Reuters.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 16:46

The Wednesday cover of Charlie Hebdo, showing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Charlie Hebdo The French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday published a caricature of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan amid his tensions with French President Emmanuel Macron. The cartoon depicts Erdogan sitting in his underwear, drinking a beer, and lifting up a woman's hijab to expose her bare backside. Most Muslims consider drinking alcohol haram, or forbidden. Erdogan has vocally condemned Macron's recent attacks on Islam, saying on Saturday the French president needed "mental" treatment. On October 2, Macron announced a law that would monitor and regulate France's Islamic communities. Support for the law strengthened after the October 16 killing of a teacher who had shown his class cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad. Charlie Hebdo's inflammatory cartoons have prompted several terrorist attacks in recent years. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday published a searing caricature of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan amid high tensions between him and French President Emmanuel Macron.

On Saturday, Erdogan said Macron needed "mental" treatment following a series of comments in which the French president criticized Islam and said it needed regulation in France.

In response, Paris recalled its ambassador from the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Sunday, with Erdogan joining a call Monday for Islamic nations to boycott French products.

Charlie Hebdo, whose 2015 cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad had inspired several terrorist attacks, weighed in Wednesday.

The cartoon depicts Erdogan sitting in a T-shirt and underwear, drinking a beer, and lifting up a woman's hijab to expose her bare backside.

Drinking alcohol is considered haram, or forbidden, by most Muslims, and Erdogan has long condemned it.

"Ouuuh! The Prophet!" the speech bubble from Erdogan's mouth said, suggesting Erdogan was only pretending to be a staunch defender of Islam.

The headline published alongside the cartoon said: "Erdogan: In private, he is very funny!"

Erdogan and French President Emmanuel Macron in Istanbul in 2018. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images Turkish officials slammed the cartoon on social media.

"You cannot deceive anyone by hiding behind freedom of opinion! I condemn the immoral publication of the inexcusable French rag about our President," Fuat Oktay, the vice president, tweeted.

Turkey's communications director, Fahrettin Altun, tweeted: "We condemn this most disgusting effort by this publication to spread its cultural racism and hatred."

Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan's spokesman, tweeted: "We strongly condemn the publication of the French magazine, which has no respect for any faith, sacred and value, about our President."

Macron has not publicly commented on Wednesday's caricature.

A memorial for the Charlie Hebdo editor Stephane Charbonnier and the cartoonists Georges Wolinski, Bernard Verlhac, and Jean Cabut on the Place de la Republique in Paris on January 8, 2015, shortly after an attack on the magazine's office. MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images On October 2, Macron called Islam "a religion in crisis all over the world" and announced a new law that would see his government monitor how mosques and Islamic communities are funded and how clerics are trained in France.

The law gained new relevance on October 16, when Samuel Paty, a teacher, was decapitated in northern Paris after showing his class the 2015 Charlie Hebdo cartoons that mocked the Prophet Muhammad.

Creating or proliferating images of God or the Prophet is not permissible in Islam and is considered blasphemous.

The attacks prompted by the Charlie Hebdo cartoons have seen Macron spend the past three years criticizing what he describes as Islamic separatism in France and outlining his plan to eradicate homegrown extremism.

At a memorial service for Paty last week, Macron defended Charlie Hebdo, saying the country "will not give up our cartoons."

Read more:France pulled its ambassador from Turkey, and Arab states are boycotting French products, after Macron said he wanted to regulate IslamMMA clubs are a hotbed for potential extremists, European security officials sayThe French government vowed to bring social media giants 'under control' following the role of online platforms in the beheading of a teacher in ParisStudents pay tribute to beheaded French teacher who feared for his safety after teaching a lesson about freedom of expression NOW WATCH: Popular Videos from Insider Inc.

NOW WATCH: Popular Videos from Insider Inc.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 05:06

Vogue's September issue was different this year. Anna Wintour and her staff put it together when more than 15 million people were marching in Black Lives Matter protests nationwide and employees at Vogue's parent company, Cond(C) Nast, were publicly calling out what they viewed as racism in their own workplace. At 316 pages, the issue, titled ''Hope,'' featured a majority of Black artists, models and photographers, a first for the magazine.

For members of Vogue's editorial team, the September edition came in the uneasy wake of an internal email Ms. Wintour had sent on June 4. ''I want to say plainly that I know Vogue has not found enough ways to elevate and give space to Black editors, writers, photographers, designers and other creators,'' wrote Ms. Wintour, the Vogue editor in chief since 1988 and Cond(C) Nast's artistic director since 2013, making her the editorial leader of all its titles. ''We have made mistakes, too, publishing images or stories that have been hurtful or intolerant. I take full responsibility for those mistakes.''

Black editors who have worked with Ms. Wintour said they saw her apology as hypocritical, part of a calculated play by an executive known for her ability to gauge the public mood. Other Black journalists who are current or former employees of Cond(C) Nast said the email and the September issue that followed it represented an awkward, though heartfelt, attempt at genuine change.

More than any other institution, Vogue has defined fashion and beauty for generations of women, and the runway looks encouraged by the London-born Ms. Wintour, 70, have trickled down from haute couture houses to fast-fashion retailers and into the hands of everyday consumers. From Manhattan to Hollywood and beyond, she has helped set a standard that has favored white, Eurocentric notions of beauty.

Image Ms. Wintour in 2010 with many of her top lieutenants. Phyllis Posnick and Grace Coddington are third and second from right, respectively. Credit... Will Ragozzino/Getty Images The rare magazine editor who is known outside the publishing industry, Ms. Wintour '-- she is simply ''Anna'' to those in the know, or those who want to be '-- has become a singular cultural figure. After establishing herself in fashion, media and entertainment in the first part of a career that stretches to the 1970s, she has more recently become a political power player as a bundler for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. And as the orchestrator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute benefit, better known as the Met Gala, she has transformed an affair for Manhattan's society set into a full-blown East Coast Oscars, with luminaries from fashion, music, movies and sports on the Anna-controlled guest list.

As Ms. Wintour ascended, Vogue's publication of ''hurtful or intolerant'' content rarely resulted in lasting negative attention for her. But Black journalists who have worked with Ms. Wintour, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution, said they had not gotten over their experiences at a magazine whose workplace mirrored its exclusive pages.

Under Ms. Wintour, 18 people said, Vogue welcomed a certain type of employee '-- someone who is thin and white, typically from a wealthy family and educated at elite schools. Of the 18, 11 people said that, in their view, Ms. Wintour should no longer be in charge of Vogue and should give up her post as Cond(C) Nast's editorial leader.

''Fashion is bitchy,'' one former Black staff member said. ''It's hard. This is the way it's supposed to be. But at Vogue, when we'd evaluate a shoot or a look, we'd say 'That's Vogue,' or, 'That's not Vogue,' and what that really meant was 'thin, rich and white.' How do you work in that environment?''

Many of the people interviewed for this article said the racism they encountered was usually subtle, but sometimes blunt. Their main accusation was that Ms. Wintour created a work environment '-- and there is no facet of Vogue that she does not control '-- that sidelined and tokenized women of color, especially Black women.

Many Black people who worked for her said they felt so out of place in Ms. Wintour's domain that they created white alter egos '-- two used the term ''doppelg¤nger'' '-- just to get through the workday, reconditioning their presentation and dress in a way that was mentally draining.

Some Black editors did not want to comment on the experience of fellow colleagues, but offered another view. Lindsay Peoples Wagner, the editor of Teen Vogue since 2018, said she had experienced uncomfortable moments in the industry but that Ms. Wintour ''has given me opportunities in leadership, and I've made inclusivity a deep part of the conversations we're having.''

Three other people of color said Cond(C) Nast had made positive changes and Ms. Wintour had promoted them to top roles. Naomi Campbell, one of the first Black supermodels, who was on the cover of Ms. Wintour's first September issue in 1989, vehemently defended the editor.

Image Naomi Campbell on the cover of the September 1989 issue of Vogue. Credit... Cond(C) Nast ''The first cover try I ever did, I had no idea she had to fight for me,'' Ms. Campbell said. ''She's been a very important factor in my career and my life and has been honest about what she can do and what she cannot.''

The recent tumult at Cond(C) Nast has knocked Ms. Wintour off balance. Inspired by the protests that arose after the police killing of George Floyd in May, employees have confronted their bosses at companywide meetings and in smaller gatherings. Their complaints have led to the resignations of key editors and pledges from the chief executive, Roger Lynch, and Ms. Wintour herself, to revamp Cond(C) Nast's hiring practices.

''I strongly believe that the most important thing any of us can do in our work is to provide opportunities for those who may not have had access to them,'' Ms. Wintour said in an emailed statement. ''Undoubtedly, I have made mistakes along the way, and if any mistakes were made at Vogue under my watch, they are mine to own and remedy and I am committed to doing the work.''

Devoting the September issue '-- the most important of Vogue's year '-- to Black contributors indicates Ms. Wintour grasps the intensity of the protest movement roiling the country. But in fashion, of course, appearances are paramount. During a large Cond(C) Nast meeting on race in June, Ms. Wintour '-- who is the head of the company's diversity and inclusion council '-- was conspicuously absent. Employees exchanged Slack and text messages during the session, asking the same question: ''Where's Anna?''

'Well I honestly don't think that's a big deal'Long before Cond(C) Nast employees went public with complaints about the company's handling of race, Ms. Wintour has been criticized for Vogue's portrayals of Black people.

For many readers, a 2008 cover of LeBron James and Gisele B¼ndchen was reminiscent of racist images of Black men from a century ago. The basketball star is bellowing and gripping the supermodel around the waist, and some saw an unmistakable parallel to a racist World War I propaganda poster. Ms. Wintour also drew criticism when she helped the fashion designer John Galliano, who was fired from Christian Dior in 2011 after he was caught on camera making anti-Semitic remarks and declaring, ''I love Hitler.'' She continued to support Mr. Galliano even after he was found guilty of a hate crime by a Paris court.

Being indisputably the most important magazine in fashion means Vogue comes in for extra scrutiny '-- especially in its cover selections. Last year, The Pudding, a publisher of visual essays, used algorithms to analyze 19 years of the Vogue archives and measure the average ''lightness'' of cover models' skin tones. In one span, from 2000 to 2005, only three of 81 women were Black. In a statement, Cond(C) Nast said that from 2017 to 2020, 32 percent of Vogue covers featured Black women.

Former Vogue employees said that in recent years, Ms. Wintour has not kept pace with the public's changing attitudes on issues of racism and discrimination. At a London fashion week party hosted by Burberry in February 2017, the reality TV star Kendall Jenner showed up with a new look: fake gold teeth. Vogue noted the choice in a breezy online story written by a white contributor: ''The flashing teeth felt like a playful wink to the city's free-spirited aesthetic '-- or perhaps a proverbial kiss to her rumored boyfriend, A$AP Rocky.''

A Black staff member contacted one of the magazine's executives to object, saying the story insensitively endorsed an instance of cultural appropriation, according to emails obtained by The New York Times. Other staff members brought the article to Ms. Wintour's attention, with one lieutenant explaining by email why some people on staff and on social media had reacted negatively: ''If Kendall wants to do something stupid fine but our writers (especially white ones) don't need to weigh in and glorify it or ascribe reasons to it that read culturally insensitive.''

Image Kendall Jenner at London fashion week in 2017. When the magazine described her fake gold teeth as ''a playful wink,'' some staff members complained to Vogue executives that the fashion choice was an example of cultural appropriation. Credit... Backgrid Ms. Wintour appeared not to grasp the issue. After several exchanges, she wrote: ''Well I honestly don't think that's a big deal.''

Cond(C) Nast said in a statement: ''The coverage itself is not cultural appropriation.''

Vogue's content has, though, been accused of being exactly that. The March 2017 issue showcased Karlie Kloss, a white model, in a geisha outfit, with her face in pale makeup and her hair dyed black '-- a blatant form of yellowface. Readers condemned the layout, which was shot in Japan by Mikael Jansson and included a photograph of Ms. Kloss with a sumo wrestler. New York Magazine's fashion site The Cut was among the many critics, writing: ''One thing's for certain: Embracing diversity does not mean styling Karlie Kloss as a geisha.''

Image In a 2017 edition of the magazine, Karlie Kloss appeared as a geisha. She later apologized. Credit... Mikael Jansson A Cond(C) Nast human resources executive in charge of the company's diversity program fielded numerous complaints, and alerted Ms. Wintour. According to three people with direct knowledge of the exchange, Ms. Wintour responded that she took full responsibility, but added the feature could not have been cut because of its ''enormous expense.''

After an online outcry, Ms. Kloss issued an apology on Twitter: ''These images appropriate a culture that is not my own and I am truly sorry for participating in a shoot that was not culturally sensitive.''

The tweet angered Ms. Wintour, according to the three people, and Ms. Kloss sent a note in an effort to mollify her. ''I imagine the feeling is mutual, that it was hurtful to see the criticism from our Japan trip,'' the model wrote. ''I had written a short piece on social media as I wanted to make known that it was never my intention to offend or upset anyone from this spread.''

Ms. Wintour's reply the following day was icy: ''Thanks Karlie another time please give us a heads up if you are writing about a Vogue issue.'' (Ms. Kloss has continued to appear in the magazine's pages.)

In the fall of 2017, there was yet another awkward exchange on race between Ms. Wintour and Vogue staff members. It concerned a photo shoot by Patrick Demarchelier that showed several dark-skinned Black models wearing head scarves.

As Ms. Wintour weighed whether to publish the images, she asked an employee by email if they might be misconstrued as racist. But she flubbed the attempt, using a dated, offensive term: ''Don't mean to use an inappropriate word, but pica ninny came to mind,'' Ms. Wintour wrote.

Image A 2017 photo shoot by Patrick Demarchelier showed several dark-skinned Black models wearing head scarves. Ms. Wintour asked an employee if the images seemed racist: ''Don't mean to use an inappropriate word, but pica ninny came to mind.'' Credit... Patrick Demarchelier In a statement, Ms. Wintour said: ''I was trying both to express my concern for how our readers could have interpreted a photo and raise the issue for discussion, and I used a term that was offensive. And for that, I truly apologize.''

In the 2017 email, Ms. Wintour requested that a specific Black staff member evaluate the photo shoot. The employee, an assistant, told her superiors that the work was fine. The real problem, she continued, according to several people familiar with the meeting, was why a low-ranked person such as herself had been asked to assess it. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence.

'A colonial broad' Image ''Dame Anna Wintour is a colonial broad. She's part of an environment of colonialism,'' said Andr(C) Leon Talley, a former editor at Vogue, as he promoted a memoir about his time in the fashion industry. ''She is entitled and I do not think she will ever let anything get in the way of her white privilege.'' Credit... George Etheredge for The New York Times For Ms. Wintour, who descends from British nobility and was recently made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, the pace of the current moment of protest may be a challenge. But she is also the daughter of a London newspaper editor and has made a career out of anticipating and responding adroitly to cultural trends.

In 2016, Ms. Wintour made a change to her pool of assistants. (She had three aides for many years, but more recently has had two.) That year, according to three Cond(C) Nast employees, she told the company's human resources department that her next assistant should be Black. Eventually, most of her assistants were people of color, the people said. The job is highly sought after, a steppingstone to bigger roles in fashion and media, but because it is low-paying, it usually goes to women from wealthy families. The sight of Ms. Wintour's new adjutants made for a vivid contrast with the usual Vogue hires.

In 2017, Ms. Wintour was part of the small committee that decided to replace the departing Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter with Radhika Jones, the editorial director of the books department at The Times, making her one of the few top editors of color in Cond(C) Nast's history. Ms. Wintour has since championed Ms. Jones against in-house naysayers who complained that she had featured too many people of color in Vanity Fair. ''My experiences with Anna have been nothing but positive,'' Ms. Jones said. ''She's supportive of my vision and she understands what I've been trying to achieve and she has helped me to achieve it.''

Image Ms. Wintour promoted Chioma Nnadi, the magazine's fashion editor, to oversee Vogue.com. Credit... Acielle Tanbetova for The New York Times Last month, Ms. Wintour replaced Stuart Emmrich, a former Styles editor at The Times, as the editor of the Vogue website with Chioma Nnadi, a Black woman who had been the magazine's fashion director. And in August, Ms. Wintour was instrumental in the hiring of the superstar book executive Dawn Davis, who is Black, as the editor of Bon App(C)tit. (She replaced Adam Rapoport, who resigned under pressure in June after staff members accused him of running a discriminatory workplace.)

In a statement, Cond(C) Nast said that 42 percent of its editors in chief were now people of color '-- all of them put in place by Ms. Wintour '-- and that all photo shoots are ultimately overseen by Raºl Martinez, the corporate creative director, who is the son of Cuban (C)migr(C)s.

Some of Ms. Wintour's relationships with Black editors have been rocky. Andr(C) Leon Talley, a fashion titan, was one of Vogue's most recognized personalities, often seated beside Ms. Wintour in the front row at runway shows in Paris, Milan and New York. She lavished professional and financial support on Mr. Talley, but the two had a falling-out, and he left the magazine in 2013.

This year, he published a memoir, ''The Chiffon Trenches,'' which reads in part as a scathing takedown of the fashion industry for its whiteness. During a promotional interview, a podcaster asked Mr. Talley about Ms. Wintour's apology for Vogue's ''hurtful or intolerant'' content. ''Dame Anna Wintour is a colonial broad,'' Mr. Talley replied. ''She's part of an environment of colonialism. She is entitled and I do not think she will ever let anything get in the way of her white privilege.''

Image Ms. Wintour and Edward Enninful, the editor of British Vogue, in London last year. Credit... Will Oliver/EPA, via Shutterstock Edward Enninful, a Black editor at Cond(C) Nast who has led British Vogue since 2017, is among the next generation of Cond(C) Nast leaders, and is often mentioned as Ms. Wintour's potential successor at the magazine's American flagship. The two are said to have a difficult working relationship, according to people in New York and London who have directly observed their dynamic. (In July, Mr. Enninful said that a security guard at Cond(C) Nast's London office racially profiled him, telling him to ''use the loading bay.'' Mr. Enninful described the incident on Instagram, writing ''Change needs to happen now.'' Cond(C) Nast dismissed the guard, he said, and the post has since been deleted.)

When Ms. Wintour promoted Elaine Welteroth, a Black woman, to a top position at Teen Vogue in 2016, the appointment was heralded as a step forward for diversity. But the promotion was fraught, Ms. Welteroth wrote in her 2019 memoir, ''More Than Enough.'' Instead of running Teen Vogue herself, as the editor in chief, she was given a more ambiguous title, ''editor,'' and was asked to split leadership of the publication with two others. Ms. Welteroth felt that the structure effectively sidelined her, giving her less power than that of the previous Teen Vogue boss, Amy Astley. (A year after her appointment, Ms. Welteroth was named editor in chief. She left Cond(C) Nast in 2018.)

''Would any of it have gone down this way if I were a White man?'' Ms. Welteroth wrote.

A summer of discontentThe killing of Mr. Floyd sparked difficult discussions about race and diversity in magazines and newspapers across the country, including at The Times. Employees everywhere have become more vocal about what they see as racist attitudes in the workplace.

At Cond(C) Nast, Bon App(C)tit, a rising profit center thanks in part to its popular cooking videos, has been the red-hot center of dissent in recent months, with many of its staff members quitting in protest. Before the hiring of Ms. Davis to lead the magazine, Ms. Wintour watched closely over its editorial operations, people who worked at the property said.

At the time, people of color who had been featured in the videos complained that they were paid less than their white colleagues and that Bon App(C)tit had whitewashed their recipes '-- a trend in food journalism where ethnic cuisines are recast from a white perspective. Readers flooded the comments section of Bon App(C)tit's Instagram account with messages of support for those who complained.

In a post to Bon App(C)tit's account, Priya Krishna, a freelancer who had accused Cond(C) Nast of unequal pay, was quoted as saying: ''I have been forced to think outside of myself and my identity my entire career. So why can't white editors change their mindset now?''

Ms. Wintour asked to have the item removed, according to internal Cond(C) Nast Slack messages. But by the time of her request, the Krishna post had been online for hours, and Ms. Wintour was warned that deleting it would only attract more attention. The social media team suggested posting new content that would push the item down in users' feeds. Ms. Wintour approved the plan, according to two people involved in the discussion.

Marcus Samuelsson, a celebrity chef who signed a one-year agreement with Cond(C) Nast as a Bon App(C)tit consultant, said the company's history with diversity ''was challenging,'' but he added that Ms. Wintour had worked to create more inclusivity. ''She championed it from Day 1,'' he said.

Many people who have worked at Vogue or with Ms. Wintour said that despite her moves toward a more diverse staff, she was still responsible for a hostile workplace. They singled out two of Ms. Wintour's best known lieutenants: Phyllis Posnick, a Vogue editor who styled the 2017 geisha and head scarf shoots, and Grace Coddington, another fixture at the magazine.

In the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, as staff members were despondent that Mrs. Clinton had lost to Donald J. Trump, Ms. Posnick said, in a voice that three people could hear, ''I knew this was going to happen. It's all the Blacks' fault. They didn't vote.'' The next year, when Rihanna showed up late for Vogue's annual fashion conference '-- hardly an unusual occurrence for a musician '-- two people heard Ms. Coddington say, ''Black people are late everywhere.''

In a statement, Ms. Posnick, 78, denied making the comment. ''I have never and would never say something like this for the simple fact that I don't believe it,'' she said. Ms. Coddington, 79, also disputed that she had made the Rihanna remark: ''Why would I say that when I am perennially late myself?''

Image Grace Coddington at her home in 2016. Behind her is the collection of ''mammy'' figurines. Credit... Leslie Kirchhoff Ms. Coddington is perhaps the second-most visible figure of the Wintour era at Vogue, having stolen multiple scenes in ''The September Issue,'' a popular 2009 documentary about the magazine. In 2016, the year she switched her Vogue status from employee to freelancer, Ms. Coddington was photographed in her Manhattan kitchen, with a shelf of racist ''mammy'' figurines clearly visible in the background. The collection was roundly criticized.

In a statement, Cond(C) Nast noted that Ms. Posnick and Ms. Coddington no longer contributed to the magazine.

'Cond(C) Nasty' Image Cond(C) Nast headquarters in New York. For years, Vogue welcomed a certain type of employee '-- typically white and from a wealthy family. Now, 42 percent of the company's editors in chief are people of color. Credit... Sam Hodgson for The New York Times To work at Vogue is to inhabit a kind of prep school dormitory where relationships are defined by family ties and social connections that span generations. For many younger people of color who came from less rarefied backgrounds, gaining a toehold was considerably more difficult.

Cond(C) Nast assistants famously put up with grueling hours and humiliating tasks, a job satirized in ''The Devil Wears Prada,'' a best-selling novel by a former Wintour assistant and later a hit movie starring Meryl Streep as the demanding boss. The hazing is seen as a rite of passage, part of why the company has the nickname ''Cond(C) Nasty.'' And while Black staff members acknowledge all that, they said that race complicates matters.

Black employees are often asked to participate, or merely show up for, high-level meetings '-- a corporate practice known as fronting, six people interviewed for this article said. At Vogue, they have been asked to weigh in on cover images or take part in discussions with advertisers, forums that do not typically call on junior employees.

In a statement, Cond(C) Nast said, ''Anna and Vogue and all the leaders at our brands have made concerted efforts to build inclusion into all we do every day.''

In 2016, the actress Lupita Nyong'o showed up at Vogue's office at One World Trade in Lower Manhattan to discuss a planned photo shoot. Ms. Nyong'o sat down with top editors, who had proposed photographing her in her home country, Kenya, along with some family members. The accompanying article would also focus on her family.

Ms. Nyong'o expressed concern about how her family would be portrayed, saying she feared they might come across as cultural props, according to several people with knowledge of the meeting. After a long pause, a junior editor '-- the only Black staff member in the room '-- piped up. Addressing the actress, she suggested that the shoot would be an opportunity to showcase Africa, a rarity in any American magazine, let alone Vogue.

The shoot was a go. And the junior editor was never asked to attend a fashion meeting again.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 12:10

Of all the packaged cookies out there, Oreo rates as my absolute favorite. Holding them in milk like I'm trying to torture information out of the cookie and then eating the soft saturated aftermath is one of my favorite desserts. If it didn't make me fat, I'd drown a bunch in a bowl of milk and eat it like cereal on the daily.

That said, I bought the cereal. Not as good. Don't get it.

I tell you all this because I want you to understand that this recent political stunt that Oreo pulled put me in a position that I didn't want to be in and that now I'll be avoiding Oreo cookies for the foreseeable future. The reason is that the political stunt they pulled either showed me that they're cowards or that they think I'm an ignorant idiot who needed guidance about social issues.

The problem started when Oreo decided to tweet out what constitutes defining what a ''loving world'' looks like and how we should be ''respecting others.'' That was mistake one.

It's not up to Oreo to define these things. It's a cookie maker, not a philosopher or a religious official. It hasn't dedicated hours and hours to concepts of goodness or love.

It makes cookies.

Its second mistake was using a divisive example of what we could do to make a loving world more respectable. It immediately pointed to the transgender community's demands on how we should utilize ''pronouns,'' complete with examples.

pic.twitter.com/BJmIJApECP

'-- OREO Cookie (@Oreo) October 18, 2020

So not only did Oreo attempt to guide its customers with instructions on how to be more loving and respectful, it did so using one of the most divisive issues in the country. It effectively told us that the pronoun issue important to the trans community must be obeyed.

I use the word ''obeyed'' very deliberately. Few groups become as mob-like as the transgender community and their allies. Few groups adhere to cancel culture as it does. Careers and lives have been destroyed because of the transgender activist community's lack of ability to reason and overt sensitivity. I, myself, lost a gig at one point because of the transgender mob.

There is a myriad of issues here but one of the biggest is the implication that ''respect'' and ''love'' look like using pronouns of those who disassociate with the gender they were born as, implying that disrespect, hate, and intolerance look like the opposite.

It's implied because the transgender activist community has flat out said that any disagreement with this is, in fact, disrespect, hate, and intolerance.

Speaking from a person who looks at transgender issues in opposition from its activists, my refusal to embrace the transgender culture, including its pronouns, doesn't come from a position of hate or intolerance. Having done the research, I've seen what the mental disorder ''gender dysphoria'' does to people and it's not healthy. It carries with it a 40 percent suicide rate and off-the-charts rates of depression. These suicide rates climb for teenagers.

My care and respect go deeper than shallow references to them via pronouns, it's absolute care for their life and quality of it. If you're scaling which person cares the most here, those who consider transgenderism a mental disorder have a very valid argument about how they care more.

Oreo made it seem like care and love look like one thing, which just so happens to look like how the transgender activists demand it appear with repercussions to those who disagree. In doing so, Oreo did the exact opposite of what it was trying to set out to do. It divided, not united.

It could be Oreo did this for two reasons. One is that Oreo did so out of fear and obedience of being canceled and labeled as a brand who doesn't care about transgender people or the LGBT community at large. A lot of horrible things could be lobbed at Oreo for the transgression of not capitulating to activists and mobs.

The other possibility is that Oreo agreed that people needed to be educated on this. They look out at their customers as uneducated and ignorant, possibly even in need of an intervention with the path to acceptance being normalization of the concept of pronouns and transgenderism.

No matter which reason, it's not good. Either Oreo is a bunch of cowards or they think they're better than others, enough to begin defining right and wrong to them.

The problem is that Oreo is just one of many companies that have taken this route. Merchants have become preachers. People who huck wares have taken it upon themselves to define right and wrong. Philosophy now comes with a logo.

It's disturbing that we've gotten here because a company is either believes in its own self-importance or out of fear of being punished for not doing it. Either way, it's all done in the name of keeping sales afloat which makes it feel all the cheaper. If tomorrow the entire world collectively turned against the LGBT community wholesale then Oreo would be one of the ''woke'' brands denouncing them right alongside everyone else.

I love Oreo but this participation in divisive politics has left such a bad taste in my mouth that no amount of Oreos and milk can get it out. I'll be refraining from purchasing Oreos for some time, or at least until they get their act together.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:17

BRATTLEBORO '-- Mocha Joe's Cafe temporarily closed due to a strike organized by employees over wages and other grievances, including their hopes of reinstating an employee who was fired for writing ''ACAB,'' which stands for All Cops are Bastards, on the bottom of a coffee cup served to a police officer.

Other employee demands include being able to refuse service ''that makes them feel unsafe, including (to) law enforcement,'' and working through issues related to the pandemic.

Employees picketed in front of the cafe on Main Street on Saturday and Sunday. One sign said, ''Pay your workers!!!''

''Your latte can wait!!!'' read another.

On Sunday, an employee picketing in front of the cafe said the group would be declining interviews with the Reformer and wouldn't say why.

In a telephone interview, Mocha Joe's co-owner Pierre Capy said eight employees at the cafe signed a letter outlining demands and one employee later expressed regret for signing it. The cafe employs 11 people including substitute workers.

In the letter, staff demanded they receive $15 an hour while receiving tips and $16.50 an hour during ''project hours.'' They said the increase should not change coffee prices. They called for a bump in compensation before any more investment in new infrastructure, machinery or appliances is made.

They demanded that if quarantine is needed for any employee, they ''will receive two weeks of paid time off equal to a total of 30 hours of labor if the employee is not receiving unemployment during that time. This time will not be counted as paid vacation time.''

Staff demanded that the cafe not reopen indoor seating or allow public use of the bathroom again until the employees deem it safe. They called for ''adequate'' personal protective equipment for the duration of the pandemic including disposable masks for customers and employees, hand sanitizer, nitrile gloves and cleaning supplies.

Employees demanded that Mocha Joe's provide employees with full disclosure and transparency of company finances. That includes plans for the use of the federal Payroll Protection Program and grants, salaries of managers and owners, and profits made by its companies.

The letter also called for an employee to be reinstated with no prerequisites, stating that staff should ''have the ability to refuse service that makes them feel unsafe, including law enforcement.''

Capy said an employee was fired for writing ACAB, which stands for All Cops are Bastards, on the bottom of a coffee cup served to a police officer and long-time customer of the cafe after another employee drew a pig on the officer's cup in an earlier incident. Both were offered a ''path'' to return to work, which involved apologizing to the officer.

The employee who wrote ACAB didn't feel comfortable doing so, Capy said, ''so we weren't able to reinstate that person.''

His wife Ellen Capy, co-owner, said the issue hadn't been resolved before the letter of demands came in.

''We were just trying to figure out what to do next,'' she said.

Brattleboro Police Captain Mark Carignan, a long-time Mocha Joe's customer, posted on Facebook a couple months ago that he got a coffee cup at the cafe with a pig drawn on it. He hasn't said whether he got the ACAB cup, too.

Carignan released a statement about Mocha Joe's on Sunday. ''Mocha Joe's appears to be working through a labor dispute,'' Carignan said in the statement. ''It is a successful Brattleboro business and I hope they are able to resolve the matter to both parties' mutual satisfaction.

''I have patronized the business for nearly two decades and have almost always found their staff friendly and helpful,'' Carignan said. ''They also have delicious coffee. I know both Pierre and Ellen Capy, as well as several of their employees, and hope to patronize their business again soon.''

The owners addressed the picketing in a letter to the community in which they noted their appreciation for the cafe staff who are ''serving the community in a truly difficult and confusing time, with the pandemic, election season, and all that is going on in the world.''

''Throughout our 30 years in business here in Brattleboro, we have led with our values of serving great coffee while empowering people in our local and global communities, including own employees,'' they wrote. ''Unfortunately, we had to close the cafe today because some of our staff refused to come to work, refused to meet with us, and picketed outside.''

The owners received a letter signed by some of their staff at 1 p.m. Friday. They said the employees refused to come back to work unless all the demands were met in nine hours.

''One of the demands is that cafe staff be allowed to refuse service to police officers, or anyone else for that matter,'' the owners wrote. ''Not only do we disagree with this position, but we are not sure it is even legal. We support calls to fix policing and we support the Black Lives Matter movement, but our cafe's doors are open to everybody.''

Ellen Capy said the essence of the cafe is being welcoming and serving coffee.

''You can't discriminate against anyone,'' added Capy.

In their letter, the owners described telling employees they wanted to meet to discuss the issues but they refused to do so until all the demands were met.

''We want to be clear '-- all cafe staff receive $15 per hour or more,'' the owners wrote. ''We ran the numbers and with tips, the range is $15 to $18 per hour. This range does not account for the $3 per hour hazard pay that we paid to all cafe employees for hours worked during the three-month period when we reopened. We added this hazard pay in recognition of the difficulties working in the service industry during the reopening.''

The cafe closed in March and didn't reopen until June with limited hours and no indoor seating, according to the letter. The owners said they followed state guidelines and while other businesses allowed for indoor seating, they have not.

The owners said they believe they have fulfilled every request for personal protective equipment. They described being ''hugely sympathetic to those working in the service industry during a pandemic.''

''It's hard, sometimes underappreciated work and we've always aimed to take care of our people above and beyond the industry standards,'' they wrote.

The cafe was closed for three months and Mocha Joe's roasting business experienced ''a dramatic decrease in sales,'' according to the letter. The owners said it's been difficult to stay afloat and are grateful they received federal Payroll Protection Program loans to cover some of their labor costs this summer.

''These loans have very strict usage guidelines and we've followed them to a tee, including spending at least 75 percent of the loan on labor,'' they wrote.

The owners credited loyal customers for their ability to keep the business going this year.

''Indeed, this is a challenging time,'' they wrote. ''At this point, we are closing the cafe temporarily out of respect for our customers and existing staff, while we evaluate the best options for the community and Mocha Joe's. We wish it didn't have to come to this, but 2020 continues to baffle us all.''

Reporter Bob Audette contributed to this story.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 19:39

The Bahamas, an island nation in the West Indies, made digital currency history on Oct. 20 with the official launch of a new central bank digital currency, the so-called Sand Dollar. It became the first country to roll out a CBDC available to all residents, and while the Bahamas is a small nation '-- with only 393,000 people '-- it appears to be an event of some global financial significance.

Or is it? ''It could be if it succeeds,'' Ross Buckley, KPMG-KWM professor of disruptive innovation at University of New South Wales, Sydney, told Cointelegraph. ''Other small island nations '-- as in my backyard in the Pacific '-- are watching it carefully and could well follow suit.''

James Barth, a finance professor at Auburn University, placed the event in the context of a series of CBDC milestones, beginning with the launch of Bitcoin (BTC) in 2009 and including Facebook's Libra announcement in 2019, China's CBDC trials in April, and the European Central Bank's statement about the possible issuance of a digital euro in October. ''These developments and the COVID-19 pandemic made it virtually certain that a country '-- most likely a small country '-- would go live with a central bank digital currency,'' he said.

Some, however, said it was too early to tell. Hans Gersbach, an economics professor at ETH Zurich in Switzerland, told Cointelegraph: ''First, we have to see whether it will function well in practice.'' Jay Joe, CEO of Nzia Limited '-- the technology solutions provider for the Bahamas rollout '-- told Cointelegraph that the Sand Dollar was introduced in the Bahamas to help facilitate financial inclusion across the nation:

''The Bahamas as a vast archipelago spreading across over 100,000 square miles of ocean, has many remote islands and communities where residents do not have access to formal financial services.''Because of population sparsity, it often isn't economically viable for banks to build branches and sustain infrastructure. The new CBDC ''enables the people of The Bahamas universal access to digital payments and extends the reach of financial services to all corners of the nation,'' Joe told Cointelegraph. Among the key questions the nation's central bank and others were looking to answer with the rollout, Joe said, were ''how existing regulations and policies will be shaped, and, eventually, how the CBDC will be embraced by the people to some day become as ubiquitous as cash.''

A sense of urgency?The global demand for online services has accelerated dramatically with the COVID-19 pandemic, and this is arguably driving the development of CBDCs around the world. As the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Canada, Timothy Lane, said recently. ''If we want to be ready to develop any kind of digital central bank product, we need to move faster than we thought was going to be necessary.'' Barth further explained:

''The virus has shifted behavior in favor of more social distancing and therefore greater use of online communication and transactions, both domestically and globally. This certainly makes digital currencies more relevant as money and for payments.''But this sense of urgency isn't universal, as Jerome Powell, chairman of the United States Federal Reserve, said on Oct. 19 at an International Monetary Fund event. He believes that CBDCs face many critical challenges, such as preventing fraud and cyber attacks, ensuring financial stability, and protecting privacy, saying: ''There's a great deal of work yet to be done. [...] In fact, I actually do think that CBDC is one of those issues where it's more important for the United States to get it right than it is to be first.''

The U.S. needn't worry about losing the "first-mover" advantage with regard to a digital currency, Powell implied. Was he right? ''Probably in the immediate sense, yes,'' according to Buckley, who added: ''Longer term though if China or another nation allows its CBDC to be used in international trade, the U.S. will have to respond and quickly.''

The U.S. draws extraordinary benefits from minting the world's reserve currency, and the loss of exclusivity in that regard could cost the U.S. economy dearly. It would also have political consequences '-- for instance, placing many countries outside the scope of U.S. financial sanctions. Buckley believes that China's ''long game'' is, arguably, to upend the U.S. dollar as the world's reserve currency. ''It [China] hates that the global economic system is built upon the U.S. dollar, and it aims to build a parallel system that it controls,'' he said, further adding: ''This was the impetus behind the denomination of trade contracts of other country's exporters and importers with China in renminbi.''

It was also a motivation behind the New Development Bank established by the BRICS states '-- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa '-- and also for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, continued Buckley, referencing another multilateral development bank whose creation was proposed by China in 2009 to make better use of Chinese foreign currency reserves amid a global financial crisis. ''A [Chinese] CBDC will interact really well with dematerialized digital trade documentation so if China allows DC/EP offshore it will be a total game changer. In time I think they will.''

Barth, for his part, agreed that the U.S. didn't have to hurry to bring a CBDC to market, as the U.S is the world's largest economy, accounting for 20% of global gross domestic product, and the U.S. dollar remains the world's dominant currency. ''Chairman Powell is right that the U.S. does not have to worry about losing any 'first mover' advantage by rushing to issue a central bank digital currency.''

On the other hand, Sidharth Sogani, founder and CEO of analytics firm Crebaco Global, told Cointelegraph that being first to market among large economies does matter. "China is already testing its CBDC. They have integrated POS machines, mobile apps and many other source codes to develop apps on their CBDC.''

He further opined: ''First mover advantage is crucial in this case '-- especially when you are competing with China.'' Financially, the U.S. is still dominant, but with regard to CBDC technology, it trails '-- ''And here China is going to lead for sure as they are ready with their CBDC and are the second biggest economy globally.''

Sogani explained this from the point of view of a bank customer: ''If you are already having a great experience with Bank A,'' which uses a Chinese CBDC, ''will you open an account or download an app with Bank B '-- which does business with a U.S. dollar CBDC?'' If/when China launches its CBDC, it will attract large numbers of global customers very quickly. ''It will be difficult to catch them.''

The U.S. should have a CBDC ready to go '-- just in case '-- suggested Gersbach. ''Preparation should be stepped up in order to follow fast if successful models of CBCDs are introduced.'' But according to Barth, the big question is how the ''CBDCs will affect money and payments, particularly the role of the government.'' Gersbach also outlined several other factors: ''Preventing cyber attacks, privacy issues, and financial stability. Security of all kinds and financial stability are the two most important issues to be resolved.''

Sogani, assuming that CBDCs would be built on a blockchain platform, questioned how CBDCs would relate to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. ''It's [a CBDC] a completely different thing, with different fundamentals and uses. Understanding the nitty gritty is the biggest challenge.''

How close is the first mass CBDC?It seems that the development of CBDCs around the world has picked up in 2020, and if this is the case, when might one see the first massive-scale CBDC? According to Barth: ''Most of the major countries have been studying CBDCs for some time now.'' He added:

''China, of course, has been engaged in trials but with no information provided about a nationwide adoption date. Nevertheless, it is likely to be the first major country to issue a CBDC, and if so, it is likely to trigger other major countries to follow suit.''Regarding China, Sogani said: ''Their legal framework seems to be in the making. It will launch it for the masses in a few months. I don't see any other country as close to China's development stage." Meanwhile, according to Buckley: ''China intends clearly its digital currency/electronic payment project to dominate payments and money within China domestically, and they've been working on it for five to seven years.''

As long as the project remains domestic, there is no real challenge to the United States. But if China takes it global, ''It will take the U.S. years of work to respond with a CBDC of its own, the so-called digital dollar,'' said Buckley.

Meanwhile, Sogani sees big benefits, even for small countries '-- like the Bahamas '-- that take the digital path. "A CBDC enables a country's currency to go global which the current financial ecosystem doesn't offer.'' To make an international transfer, ample paperwork needs to be signed and fees paid. ''This is expensive. It takes up to two days and is complicated,'' commented Sogani, adding:

''But if it is a CBDC, it can go directly to the mobile apps, and it can be tracked. Yes, there will be compliance but the SWIFT method, which involves nostro and vostro accounts, will be eliminated '-- making life simpler.''Joe called the Bahamas' rollout ''the world's first production-grade live implementation of a retail CBDC.'' Asked if there were lessons here for other nations, the NZIA CEO told Cointelegraph that there were many, ''including the importance of grassroots engagement and understanding of CBDC and its effects on the intermediated financial system,'' further adding:

''A CBDC is more than elaborate software and mobile wallet systems. It needs to be designed from the ground up and built as part of a national payments infrastructure that addresses the needs of everyday people.''In sum, there appears to be a certain global logic to recent events. Because the U.S. dollar, the incumbent global currency reserve, has much to lose by coming to market with a flawed CBDC, it appears to be moving cautiously, content to let smaller players such as the Bahamas do its beta testing. Meanwhile, China, the challenger, is moving fast, but its DC/EP project is focused on the nation's mass market for now. A truly global digital yuan may still be some years away.

''A CBDC is a total game changer that raises a host of tough issues,'' concluded Buckley. ''This is why no one country has yet done it. Central banks never like stepping into the unknown '-- it's not in their DNA for good reasons. But I think China will force other nations' hands.''

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 19:45

SAND DOLLAR

From twitter announcementWhy is the Bahamas called the Bahamas? The Bahamas is an archipelago consisting of 700 islands scattered across a vast expanse of ocean; more than 470k square kilometers. Hence the plural. The name Ba Ha Ma could have originated in the Taino language of the early inhabitants.

The challenges for payment systems using digital payments or physical cash for such a scattered archipelago are understandable. A compelling reason for the launch of the digital B$, also called the sand dollar, is to support a payment system using a liability of The Central Bank Of The Bahamas, the safest form of payment in the Bahamas. In addition, it is meant to improve financial inclusion, reduce service delivery costs and increase transactional efficiency.

After a successful 2019 pilot on the island conglomeration of Exuma which reflects the configuration of the Bahamas; the digital B$ was launched yesterday according to a tweet from the Central Bank of the Bahamas. The sand dollar is the first ever nationwide Central Bank Digital Currency in the world. As a pilot location, Exuma is a smaller version of the Bahamas.

The total GDP of the Bahamas was around $12 B in 2018, the per capita income is one of the highest in the Americas, with a 90% penetration for mobile devices. In short, you could not have asked for a more ideal ground for the release of the world's first CBDC; a relatively well-off, scattered population with high mobile penetration. The other twist in the story is that the B$ is pegged to the USD. So in effect, this can be seen as a pilot release of a digital USD by proxy.

The project itself is to create a digital currency ecosystem to support digital payments. The main feature is a digital version of the Bahamian dollar. Additionally, an ecosystem consisting of Authorized Financial Institutions (AFI) was created that provide services to the retail customers. This is in the form of KYC/AML checks, wallet services and custodial services for the sand dollar. AFI includes money transmitter businesses, payment service providers and commercial banks.

The AFIs can provide their own version of the sand dollar app (after a strict cyber security review) or use the baseline app provided by the central bank. The digital wallets are key components as they interact with retail customers. The wallets are segregated into three tiers, this is similar to the Chinese approach. The lowest tier does not require strict KYC/AML requirements and limits the amount of sand dollars held. The other two tiers have a risk based approach to KYC, for retail customers this increases the limits; however higher amounts are taken into the custody of the appropriate AFI. All businesses or payees have to be properly KYCed.

The wallets are secured with multi-factor authentication coupled with a common password and a one time password. Protections against sim-swapping are not known. A digital identity solution for the Bahamas is also being created in parallel with the sand dollar.

The sand dollar will not pay interest and cannot be held non-domestically. Hence payees not domiciled in the Bahamas cannot be directly paid using the sand dollar. However it can be used for all wholesale and retail transactions domestically. The sand dollar can be used 24/7/365 in disconnected settings and bear very low transaction fees.

The technical solution provider is NZIA, which has a novel architectural solution consisting of NZIA Cortex DLT (a blockchain platform) at its foundation, hardware nodes running the platform, with a hybrid wireless network at the top to connect the mobile devices. The hybrid wireless network provides connectivity in exacting ecosystems. Islands in the archipelago can lose power due to hurricanes, so this is a very crucial feature. The synchronization of the wallet will happen eventually when connections pick up again.

All in all, this is an important milestone in the development of CBDCs. The benefits are not quantifiable a priori, as with any far-reaching solution the effects are emergent. It requires a certain amount of courage to embark on such a project. A population created by forced globalization with a 90% Afro-Bahamian population, a history of piracy, known as a haven for escaped slaves, but a beacon for financial freedom and economic opportunity today, is the right setting for the release of such a revolutionary form of money. With one foot in the sea and one on land, ''Forward, Upward, Onward Together'', as the motto of the Bahamas states.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 04:09

Dustin *Get Your Flu Shot* Volz : This is wild: Juniper had a back door in its gear'--placed at the request of the NSA'--compromised by a hostile foreign'... https://t.co/5mOQhgOhty

Wed Oct 28 13:42:55 +0000 2020

David Helms : @dnvolz @RonWyden These are the people who want a backdoor key to your phone

Thu Oct 29 02:57:00 +0000 2020

Daniel Capo Sobral : @dnvolz @RonWyden To no one's surprise, surely. None of it.

Thu Oct 29 02:09:28 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 04:11

by Denver Gingerich on October 26, 2020

We learned on Friday that GitHub removed youtube-dl's primary collaboration forum and code repository from their site, which had been hosted at https://github.com/ytdl-org/youtube-dl. The action was in response to a DMCA Section 512 notice that the RIAA sent demanding removal of youtube-dl, which was released and distributed via GitHub under a liberal FOSS license. In the notice, the RIAA cites DMCA Section 1201 (the removing digital restrictions section) as justification for youtube-dl's removal.

We believe that youtube-dl has substantial non-infringing uses. There are many, but to name a few, youtube-dl has the following important features:

enable users to watch YouTube videos without installing any non-free softwarewatch YouTube at different speeds (including speeds YouTube does not offer) '-- an important feature for accessibility!change the YouTube video quality setting manually when the user is more aware of bandwidth issues than YouTube's non-human algorithmsability to download (and then, with other software, modify and reuse) freely licensed videos, such as those licensed under CC-BYvarious aids for journalists, including fact-checking, video analysis, and bandwidth savingWe realize Microsoft, a paying member of the RIAA, has left themselves stuck between their industry association's abuses of the law and the needs of FOSS projects for which they provide infrastructure. While under current law (which we object to), complying with the takedown notice is admittedly the fastest way to limit Microsoft's liability, we view Microsoft's membership in the RIAA as a much bigger liability to our community, now that Microsoft controls GitHub. We call on Microsoft to resign from the RIAA and remove their conflict of interest in this matter. This is an important opportunity for Microsoft to stand up for the values of software freedom.

If you work at Microsoft (including for its GitHub subsidiary), we call on you to petition your employer to resign immediately from the RIAA. We suggest that you raise these concerns directly with your manager or other management, or (even better) by starting an internal email petition with other employees.

To build a strong community of FOSS developers, we need confidence that our software hosting platforms will fight for our rights. While we'd prefer that Microsoft would simply refuse to kowtow to institutions like the RIAA and reject their DMCA requests, we believe in the alternative Microsoft can take the easy first step of resigning from RIAA in protest. We similarly call on all RIAA members who value FOSS to also resign.

[permalink]

Tags: FOSS Sustainability, software freedom for everyone

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 10:13

Silicon Valley could wreck audio journalism'--unless Washington acts first.

Nick Sirotich This story is part of a package exploring how to rescue and revitalize journalism.

Read the rest of the pieces here.

And, if you enjoy what you're reading, please consider making a donation'--we're a nonprofit media organization and rely on the support of our readers.

The Daily is perhaps the most successful news product at the country's most successful newspaper. Each weekday morning, a new episode of the New York Times podcast appears on millions of phones. Host Michael Barbaro, a former Times politics reporter, might talk one day to the White House correspondent Maggie Haberman about the latest Trump palace intrigue, and the next to a reporter in the Moscow bureau about unrest in Belarus. The show is a wildly successful experiment that attracts a much larger audience than the front page of the print newspaper each day and brings in major ad revenue from the likes of BMW, Chanel, and Fidelity Insurance. At a time when the financial viability of the news industry is very much in doubt, The Daily is an encouraging counterexample.

The Times is at the forefront of a broader podcasting boom. Ad revenue for podcasts increased by nearly 50 percent last year, according to an estimate from the Interactive Advertising Bureau, and is projected to top $800 million this year. Regional newspapers like The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Texas Tribune, and the Des Moines Register have gotten into podcasting, as have many online magazines and public radio stations. Slate now makes about half of its revenue from its podcasts. Vox Media expanded from a handful of shows in 2017 to more than 200 shows in 2020. Revenue from podcasting is expected to double this year. ''We went from it being a hobby, to strategy, to a big pillar of the company,'' says Marty Moe, president of Vox Media Studios.

Podcasting is also a sector where it's relatively easy for new and independent voices to break in. The former radio reporter Amy Westervelt founded her own network, Critical Frequency, in 2017. Just two years later, it won AdWeek's annual award for best podcast network of the year. Podcasting also provides space for in-depth reporting, something that has become increasingly difficult to fund in other media. Long investigative reports on technical subjects can be turned into explanatory miniseries, as BuzzFeed did in September with an expos(C) on big banks' role in financing terror and drug operations. Challenging topics, like school segregation, can be excavated through compelling storytelling, as with Nice White Parents, a New York Times podcast tracing the history of one Brooklyn school. ''The space for high-quality content, and quality journalism, has been contracting for economic reasons for many years now,'' says Jacob Weisberg, CEO of Pushkin Industries, a podcast production company he started after years as the editor in chief of the Slate Group. ''I see podcasts very much as a place to enlarge that space.''

Ad revenue for podcasts increased by more than 40 percent last year and is projected to top $800 million this year. Regional newspapers have gotten into podcasting, as have many online magazines and public radio stations.

But podcasting's bright future is under increasing threat. The medium stands in danger of being rolled up by monopolistic tech platforms that could come to own and control the marketplace itself. With that power, they could suck away much of the value created by talented podcasters, just as Amazon stole away the income of even many best-selling authors after it came to own and control most of the digital infrastructure on which e-books are sold.

The most immediate incursion from Big Tech is Spotify, the music-streaming giant, which has already made aggressive moves to install itself as the new podcast gatekeeper. It has acquired several production companies and cut exclusive deals with top podcasters, like Joe Rogan, requiring that they remove their shows from all other platforms. But behind Spotify loom even more powerful actors. Its forays appear to have piqued the attention of Amazon and Google, and possibly even Apple, which has long functioned as a passive, benevolent monopolist over podcast distribution.

There's nothing inherently wrong with market platforms. The trouble arises when marketplaces come under the control of monopolists who are accustomed to running platforms to their own advantage, at the expense of everyone else who relies on them. The recent House antitrust subcommittee report on tech monopolies illustrates what this can look like. The investigation found evidence that Amazon exploits the data it gathers on third-party sellers who use its online market to undercut those very merchants; that Google put a thumb on the scale to feature its own products, like Chrome and Google Shopping, over competitors even when its engineers knew those offerings wouldn't naturally rise to the top of a Google search; and that Apple uses its control over the iPhone app market to unfairly tax, bully, and play favorites with third-party app developers.

These monopolistic tendencies have already wreaked havoc on other creative industries, forcing onerous terms on musicians, app developers, and book authors, as well as stealing revenue from newspapers and magazines. The same fate could befall podcasting, to the detriment of journalists and, by extension, democracy. But it isn't too late. As the House report makes clear, the government waited until the damage was already done to start investigating the anticompetitive practices of tech monopolies. Podcasting offers policy makers a chance to atone for their sins'--by using public policy to keep podcasting from being devoured before it's too late.

S teve Jobs introduced the wider world to podcasts at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2005. (The term is a mashup of iPod and broadcast.) Slate was one of the earliest media companies to experiment with it. They started by simply reading articles into a microphone. They tried something they called ''voicemail blogs.'' ''It was very much about figuring out a new medium,'' Weisberg, the former Slate executive, told me. ''There wasn't a clear revenue model, but the people who were making them at Slate loved making them, and the audience loved them, so they kept expanding.''

Thankfully, it was relatively easy for Slate, and other podcasters, to get their product out. Podcasts relied on ''Really Simple Syndication,'' or RSS feeds, a standardized, open web format for pushing out updates to any website. The format made it easy for listeners to subscribe to podcasts and automatically get new episodes, using any number of apps set up to receive RSS feeds. For the most part, however, people didn't listen on any number of apps. They listened on iTunes, and, later, Apple's podcasting app, which was preinstalled on iPhones. Apple let podcast hosts put their shows on the app for free. By default, Apple became something like a benevolent old-fashioned bookstore owner, not charging anyone for product placement, demanding onerous terms of services, or competing against independent authors with its own products. Weisberg describes the company's hands-off approach as ''a real gift'' to the podcasting world.

It took time, but thanks to its widespread accessibility'--and a few blockbuster shows, most notably the 2014 sensation Serial'--podcasting took off. In 2015, less than half of Americans were familiar with podcasts, and only 17 percent listened monthly, according to a survey from Edison Research. By early 2020, three-quarters of Americans were familiar with podcasts, 37 percent listened monthly, and 25 percent had listened to one in the last week. Most impressive is the amount of time listeners spent. Out of those who listened in the last week, the average time spent listening to podcasts is more than six and a half hours per week.

All that ear time has opened up enormous opportunities for ads. Businesses have capitalized. Podcast listeners hear their favorite hosts shill for products for a few minutes each episode: a subscription toothbrush service, stamps you can print out at home, software for getting an email newsletter started. Ads delivered by hosts are the primary way many successful podcasts bring in money. Done well, they don't feel all that intrusive'--it's just more stuff from the person you chose to listen to. ''Hosts are able to leverage the personal connection that they have with the audience,'' says Dan Check, CEO of Slate, which makes the listener more receptive and the ad more effective.

So effective, in fact, that companies are willing to pay more per 1,000 listeners (the ''cost per mille,'' or CPM in industry argot) for an ad on a top podcast than the going rate for a Super Bowl ad in recent years. While the advertising industry has been rocked by tighter budgets during COVID-19, brands are projected to increase their spending on podcast ads in this year, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau's data.

For the most part, that money has been going to podcasters themselves. Advertisers make deals with podcasters directly or go through one of several podcast ad firms that match brands to shows. Lots of podcasts bring in additional revenue by putting out extended episodes on Patreon, or letting subscribers pay for an ad-free feed. This has all grown without giant tech companies consolidating the market and taking huge cuts of the revenue.

But that's starting to change.

T o understand what could happen to the podcasting industry, it helps to understand what happened to early Hollywood.

In the 1940s, a handful of studios controlled nearly every part of the moviemaking process, from the theaters in which the films were shown to the actors, who had to sign exclusive deals with one studio. Under studio contracts, actors' lives were minutely controlled. Actresses were prevented from getting married or having children, for example, if it conflicted with their image as a sex symbol.

The Supreme Court put this setup to an end. In a landmark 1948 decision, United States v. Paramount Pictures, the Court ruled that Hollywood movie studios could no longer also own movie theaters, because that put them in the position of favoring their own films over those of independent moviemakers. The decision ultimately meant that actors, screenwriters, directors, and other creative talent could sell their services across a much broader open market and were no longer effectively indentured to one of the era's studios. It also meant the viewing public had a much broader choice of films showing at their local theater.

But now, Spotify looks like it's trying to become today's version of pre-1948 Paramount.

The first clue came in 2018, when Spotify struck a deal with the actress and comedian Amy Schumer to create an original podcast for the platform, and then netted an exclusive deal with the rapper and podcaster Joe Budden. The exclusive deal was a major change in the terms of the game. Traditionally, all podcasts had been free to listen to, with some ads, on all podcast platforms. But for the duration of his contract, Budden, who had established his popular hip-hop culture podcast across several platforms, would be forbidden from airing his show on any other podcasting platform.

Podcasting provides space for in-depth reporting, something that has become increasingly difficult to fund in other media.

A spate of exclusive deals followed. Spotify made agreements with Vice News, Kim Kardashian West, and Barack and Michelle Obama's production company, Higher Ground. Perhaps most notably, the company netted Joe Rogan, one of the most popular podcasters in the country. According to The Wall Street Journal, the company is paying him more than $100 million to bring his show to Spotify, and to remove it from all other platforms by the end of 2020.

The second sign of vertical integration came in February 2019, when Spotify acquired two podcast companies: Gimlet Media, a premier company behind the popular shows Reply All and Homecoming, and Anchor, a software company with tools for people to make their own podcasts. ''Gimlet and Anchor will position us to become the leading platform for podcast creators around the world and the leading producer of podcasts,'' Spotify CEO Daniel Ek wrote after the deals closed. ''These acquisitions will meaningfully accelerate our path to becoming the world's leading audio platform.'' The company then went on to acquire Parcast, a podcast production company focused on making true crime podcasts, and the Ringer, a popular sports website and podcast network, home to Bill Simmons's titular podcast.

This means that Spotify is no longer just a platform for listeners to find podcasts and for podcasters to find an audience. It's also a podcast production company that competes for listeners against the other podcasts on its own platform'--like the old movie studios that owned the theaters that rival movie producers depended on. This seriously disadvantages independent podcast production companies, like Amy Westervelt's Critical Frequency, which must compete with Spotify-backed productions that can command far greater resources and potentially get insider perks, like additional promotion on the platform or more detailed audience data than is available to other content creators. Similarly, Anchor's tools could be integrated directly into Spotify's app'--a massive advantage other podcast tool companies can't match. (The platform has already tested an in-app ''create podcast'' button that took users to Anchor's tools.)

As a platform, Spotify also has at least two major advantages when cutting deals with advertisers, which could threaten the setup that has so far worked pretty well for podcast hosts. First, it could, in the future, offer brands a larger audience for their ads than any other podcasting firm alone could deliver, with the option to, say, advertise across their thousands of sports shows. This might draw advertisers away from other podcasting firms. Spotify is already netting far bigger customers than individual podcasters typically could. Omnicom, a large digital marketing agency, has signed up to buy $20 million worth of podcasting ads on Spotify.

Spotify's forays appear to have piqued the attention of Amazon and Google, and possibly even Apple, which has long functioned as a passive, benevolent monopolist over podcast distribution.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, it has changed up podcast delivery technology in a way that will give its ads an edge. Traditionally, the RSS format made podcasting more resistant to surveillance-based micro-targeted ads'--you can't do much spying on someone when they're listening to a downloaded file, and that was the information podcasters had to work with. But as a mobile app Spotify has a lot more granular information to offer advertisers'--like precise location, the time when users are listening, and even whether someone's phone is in their hand or in their pocket. Streaming also allows the company to dynamically insert ads into podcasts as they are playing, something that most podcast firms, which have to pre-bake ads into podcasts to comport with RSS-based platforms, cannot do. Finally, as a platform, Spotify can also bring to bear user data, like the demographic information people input to set up an account, or the preferences and habits revealed by their music listening, that podcast firms generally don't have access to.

These enhanced advertising capabilities are a major part of Spotify's sales pitch. In January 2020, the company announced its new ''Streaming Ad Insertion'' technology, which will take information about listeners, like their age, gender, location, and type of device, and use it to target ads at them, inserted in real time as they stream their podcast. In June, the Verge reported that Spotify has made this technology available for 100 Spotify shows. It's still early days; the company has hinted that it will expand the technology's use further.

Spotify's more sophisticated ad targeting abilities, and its power to program ad placement within podcasts, mirror the trend that eroded the business model for print journalism. Print publications used to be important gateways to specific audiences'--Runner's World, for example, was a place Nike knew it could reach potential buyers. That remained true in the early days of the internet, when advertisers bought banner space directly from publishers. But the rise of micro-targeting over the past decade allowed brands to aim their ads to a certain audience no matter what website or app they're looking at. Runner's World, in other words, is no longer the most important gateway to Nike's audience.

Instead, the gateway became the two companies that provide the most detailed data on individuals. The first is Google, which tracks users across its sprawling empire of map, email, search, video (YouTube), and other properties. The second is Facebook, whose monopoly over social networking gives it an unrivaled trove of granular and intimate data about its users. The two companies' data advantage, built up largely through acquisitions of competitors, has allowed them to dominate the business of digital advertising and to redirect to themselves the ad money that once funded media outlets. Google now controls 90 percent of the market for publisher-side ad servers, and takes an estimated 40 percent cut of ad sales that use its services, according to an investigation by the UK's Competition and Market Authority. The two companies combined took in 88 percent of the growth in digital advertising dollars between 2018 and 2019. (See Phillip Longman's ''Starving the News'')

Targeted advertising could do the same to podcasts. Some in the podcasting business are already worried that it will. ''Let's look at the web, the best and most recent example of a mass-market, highly diverse, mature, fully analytics-capable medium,'' Marco Arment, creator of the popular podcasting app Overcast, remarked in aColumbia Journalism Review article after hearing about new podcasting ad tracking software. ''How did that turn out for all sides involved? Is web publishing a healthy business while minimizing consumer/privacy abuse?'' It was, of course, a rhetorical question.

S potify may have gotten an early start on taking over the podcast market, but it's facing competition from some fearsome rivals.

In September, The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon Music was branching into podcast distribution, letting podcasters add their feeds to the platform, and has plans to put out exclusive podcasts of its own, including one with DJ Khaled. It is also fashioning Audible, its audiobook platform, into a podcast network, with dozens of original, exclusive shows that exist behind a $7.95 monthly paywall.

Amazon has advantages Spotify doesn't. Its Echo speaker leads the smart-speaker market. Anytime someone asks Alexa to play a podcast, it automatically plays from Amazon Music (if it's available there). The company could parlay its dominance of smart speakers into gatekeeping power in podcasting. The opportunities forsynergy'--or, perhaps, for self-dealing'--are immense. Someone listening to a podcast via Amazon Music on their Echo device could hear an ad for a product made by Amazon and sold on Amazon. With a few words to Alexa, they could buy it. In that interaction, Amazon would have created the podcast, the platform the podcast is played on, the software that summons the podcast, the hardware the podcast is played on, the product advertised, and the market on which the product is sold.

Google has also begun expanding into the podcast market. When you search for a podcast on Google, several small panels embedded high up in the search results direct you to episodes on Google Podcasts. That product has less than 2 percent of the market, according to figures from the podcast hosting platform Libsyn. (Solid market share figures are hard to come by, but Libsyn publishes the share of downloads each platform gets, across all listeners to the thousands of podcasts it hosts.) And yet Google's search engine often features it above more popular apps, like Spotify and Stitcher. Google has several other levers it could pull to expand its app's reach. Google's Android operating system runs on roughly 45 percent of phones in the United States. Google runs the app store those phones use, Google Play, and has its own line of smart speakers, Google Home. The company is adept at using these platforms to create what the House antitrust report called ''interlocking monopolies,'' using dominance in sector A to give its own products an advantage in sector B. Ultimately, Google's biggest advantage lies in its data. As podcast advertising shifts to a real-time micro-targeting model, personal data will be the coin of the realm, and no company in the world knows as much about as many individuals as Google.

Monopolistic tech companies have already strip-mined revenues from other creative professionals, including musicians, app developers, book authors, and print journalists.

Don't forget Apple, which commands more than 60 percent of U.S. podcast listeners, according to Libsyn's figures. Apple's success has less to do with beating its competition in design and user experience and more to do with the fact that it comes pre-installed on all iPhones, a level of convenience that Spotify and other podcast apps can't compete with. The open question is whether the company will do much with its power. Apple has built its brand in part around privacy, so it may not get into the invasive business of advertising. But between hiring Jake Shapiro, the founder of a premier podcast distribution nonprofit, to lead creative partnerships at Apple Podcasts, and its recent acquisition of Scout FM, a company that algorithmically curates custom podcast playlists, there are signals that Apple may finally be stepping up its efforts. Like Google, it could turn any number of dials to promote its own podcast platform through superior integration with Siri, or better compatibility with Apple's own iPhones or iOS operating system. Its competitors rely on Apple's app store for distribution, and Apple could make any number of decisions on that platform that hurt its competition. Through its own software'--from Safari to the Health app'--Apple can gather substantial personal information for advertisers. If Apple vertically integrates and gets into podcast production and advertising, as Spotify has, it would be extremely well positioned to monopolize the podcasting industry.

S o what happens next?

It's not hard to imagine a scenario in which Spotify becomes a dominant podcast creator, advertiser, and distributor. Once people are used to finding their favorite podcasts in one place, they're unlikely to wander. If Spotify can provide the largest audience for advertisers, and a system for granular micro-targeting based on the data it collects on those listeners, it could win a critical and self-reinforcing chunk of the podcasting pie.

Or perhaps Amazon, Google, or Apple will surge from behind, buying or crushing Spotify en route to dominating the industry.

Finally, we could also end up in a world where Spotify, Amazon, Google, and Apple all make aggressive efforts to own the podcasting space, and we end up with a few ginormous podcast creator-advertiser-distributor companies. That might be better than a single monopolist taking everything over'--but probably not much. Right now the industry is mostly vertically separated. Some companies make podcasts, others do advertising, and still others run platforms'--and there's competition within each level. A four-way Big Tech podcasting oligopoly, however, would be more like the Hollywood studio system of the 1940s. In that world, ''if you want to produce a podcast, you're going to get to pick between one of four bosses, as opposed to being able to be your own boss and sell into an open market,'' says Matt Stoller, an antitrust expert at the American Economic Liberties Project. (Stoller was one of the first to write about market consolidation in podcasting, and how it could harm the industry.) This could drive down revenue for content creators'--and the publications that depend on them. Having four companies control the pipeline of audio content could also make it harder for new and independent creators to find an audience.

The point of antitrust law is not only to reel in monopolies once they've crushed their competitors and taken over industries. It's also to prevent harmful consolidation from happening in the first place.

It's possible that these fears will prove to be overblown. Many observers are optimistic that there will always be a route for independent podcasts, or podcasts made by small companies, to succeed. Jacob Weisberg of Pushkin and Dan Check of Slate, for example, think the fact that listeners don't seem to mind ads read by hosts means that advertisers will continue to pay high prices to content creators, even if it means their products aren't micro-targeted. Others hope that indie podcasters will be able bring in enough money through subscriptions, or extra paid content on Patreon, to sustain themselves if platform companies take over ad sales. At least some podcasters seemed to have learned the right lesson from the decline of digital publishing: Make your money from several different sources.

But as the history of digital advertising shows, the worst can happen. That means policy makers must be proactive to help keep the podcast market healthy.

Fortunately, there are clear ways for the government to step in. The FTC, and other regulators, could take the stance that platforms, once they provide an essential infrastructure, must stick to being platforms'--they can't branch out into advertising or podcast creation, where they might have an unfair advantage. Regulators could also create rules to ensure that podcast creators don't have to take bad deals in order to gain access to distribution platforms. In the past, the federal government created such rules for media. In the 1970s, for example, the Federal Communications Commission issued rules preventing the big three television networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC, from sucking profits away from independent TV producers.

Those rules were eventually relaxed, as antitrust enforcement generally fell apart. The past couple of years, however, have seen the beginnings of an antitrust renaissance. As Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple have crept into every corner of our lives, advocates and policy makers have rediscovered competition policy as an important bulwark against corporate monopolies. The Department of Justice, the FTC, dozens of state attorneys general, and European Union regulators each have had investigations into one or more of these companies in 2020. On October 6, the House subcommittee released a report finding that Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook used their platforms to gain an upper hand in new markets. The Democrats on the committee, who authored the report, gave Congress concrete recommendations, including a ban on letting certain dominant platforms compete in adjacent lines of business.

But the point of antitrust law is not only to reel in monopolies once they've crushed their competitors and taken over industries. It's also to prevent harmful consolidation from happening in the first place. Policy makers should apply the thinking from their report to the podcasting industry before the situation becomes worse. They should enforce structural separation within the industry, so the platforms that provide essential infrastructure can't branch out into content creation or advertising within podcasts.

They must do this now. Podcasts are one of the few promising ways for media outlets to reach new audiences, develop new journalistic formats, and bring in new revenue for valuable reporting that is otherwise underfunded and underappreciated. But the drumbeat of platform monopolization is getting louder. Regulators need tolisten up.

Grace Gedye Grace Gedye is an editor at the Washington Monthly.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 14:11

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:40

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:29

Hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters were left in the freezing cold for hours after a rally at an airfield in Omaha, Nebraska, on Tuesday night, with some walking around 3 miles to waiting buses and others being taken away in ambulances.

Seven people were taken to hospitals suffering from a variety of conditions, and a total of 30 were "contacted" for medical reasons, the Omaha Police Department said in a statement. The Omaha Airport Authority had a slightly different figure for the number taken to hospitals '-- it said six were "throughout the duration of the event" and added that it could not confirm that the people were taken to hospitals because of the cold.

The temperature in the area was in the mid-30s at the time but as low as 27 degrees with wind chill.

President Donald Trump looks out at supporters at a campaign rally in Omaha, Neb., on Tuesday. Jonathan Ernst / ReutersMany of those at the rally at the Eppley Airfield faced hours in long lines to get in and clogged parking lots and busy crowds to get out, hours after Air Force One departed around 9 p.m. The police said the last person was loaded onto a bus at the rally site at 11:50 p.m. '-- about three hours after the event had ended.

On Wednesday, Joe Biden said the incident was emblematic of "Trump's whole approach."

"Just look what happened last night in Omaha, after the Trump rally ended, hundreds of people, including older Americans and children, were stranded in subzero freezing temperatures for hours," Biden told reporters during a brief speech in Wilmington, Delaware. "Several folks ended up in the hospital. ... It's an image that captured President Trump's whole approach in this crisis. ... He makes a lot of big pronouncements, but they don't hold up."

The police department said 25,000 people had been taken to the rally site by 40 buses running from 10 a.m. until the rally began at 8 p.m.

According to police dispatches recorded by the radio communications platform Broadcastify, at least 30 people, including the elderly, an electric wheelchair user and a family with small children, were among those requiring medical attention after hours of waiting in the cold.

"Supporters of the president were brought in, but buses weren't able to get back to transport people out. It's freezing and snowy in Omaha tonight," Nebraska state Sen. Megan Hunt tweeted.

The Trump campaign, Omaha Fire/EMS and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office in Omaha did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

"There's an issue with a number of people unable to find their cars and wandering in the cold. ... See if we can't get everybody reunited with a car," the Omaha police Dispatch 1129 recording said, according to Broadcastify.

One officer advising 8 to 9 elderly people who are struggling. Seperate officer advising they have located an elderly party who is frozen cold unable to move with an altered mental status.

'-- Omaha Scanner (@omaha_scanner) October 28, 2020"I've got an elderly male that's down 10 blocks ... having a hard time breathing right now," audio on Omaha police Dispatch 1100 said. Another says: "Subject says he's about to pass out."

The recordings say 20 buses backed up and created jams as rallygoers had to be shuttled back to busy parking lots and exits. The dispatches also refer to patients' being taken to the Creighton University Medical Center. The hospital did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Police said in the statement that when many people decided to walk several miles to the parking areas, the foot traffic created further delays in getting the buses to the rally site to pick up those waiting.

Download the NBC News app for the latest election news

On Wednesday, the Trump campaign said in a statement: "President Trump loves his supporters and was thrilled to visit Omaha last night. Despite the cold, tens of thousands of people showed up for his rally. Because of the sheer size of the crowd, we deployed 40 shuttle buses '-- double the normal allotment '-- but local road closures and resulting congestion caused delays. At the guest departure location, we had tents, heaters, generators, hot cocoa, and handwarmers available for guests. We always strive to provide the best guest experience at our events and we care about their safety."

Ahead of the event, police warned on Twitter that "Parking at the TRUMP rally is full."

Parking at the TRUMP rally is full. Shuttles will no longer be transporting people to the event. You will not be able to access the rally by foot, UBER,or any other means of transportation. Parking is not allowed in surrounding neighborhoods, roadways or businesses.

'-- Omaha Police Dept (@OmahaPolice) October 27, 2020"Is there any place you would rather be than a Trump rally on about a 10-degree evening? ... It's cold out here, but that's OK," Trump said as he arrived at Eppley Airfield wearing a heavy black coat and gloves.

Crowds cheered as he pretended to close up his coat.

Trump told the crowd that earlier Tuesday, he had been to Wisconsin and Michigan where it had also been freezing and raining, and he thanked the crowds for attending.

"I said I won't put on a hat because I'm going to show you how tough we are," he said.

"It was pouring and it was freezing. It is the coldest right here, right? It is an honor to be with you, I have to say. When we win, you win, Nebraska wins and all of America wins."

Geoff Bennett and Alexandra Bacallao reported from Omaha. Caroline Radnofsky and Adela Suliman reported from London.

Geoff Bennett Geoff Bennett is a White House correspondent for NBC News.

Adela Suliman Adela Suliman is a London-based reporter for NBC News Digital.

Caroline Radnofsky Caroline Radnofsky is a senior reporter for NBC News' Social Newsgathering team based in London.

Alexandra Bacallao, Adam Edelman and The Associated Press contributed.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:09

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:03

Very frustrating that Michael Mina's editorial and project and the concept of low cycle threshold paper based lateral assays is not on the forefront of Dr. Fauci's bully pulpit.

I came into this week expecting to be blown away by the interview of Dr. Fauci and informed by the interview with Dr. Mina. It is the reverse.

We need paper spit tests printed on the presses similar to the ones printing the trillions of dollars going to virus relief (Dr. Mina's wisdom not mine.) Who cares about Moderna's or China's dead virus or any other vaccine if we can beat down R effective with a simple dipstick test that could get kid's in school and me out of my wife's hair and back in the workplace. Norm needs a test to get back in the bar, we can't lock down again '... we can't get people to brush their teeth much less wear a mask.

I am heartened by Dr. Fauci, Dr. Condit and Dr. Racaniello's collegiality and obeisance but not the complaisance in underscoring the priority of simple cheap low cycle threshold testing. That is the story!

Mike Mina for President 2020! He's got my write in vote (which I am going to mail in on paper that could test another hundred voters if infused with the right lateral flow immunochromatographic assay.)

Frustated. Let's start beating this drum!

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:39

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:33

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:29

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:11

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 12:09

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:34

Durham councillor claims Covid is 'a fake virus' that does NOT exist and says living in lockdown is 'like living in North Korea'Irene Hewitson, 63, called Covid-19 a 'fake virus' at an anti-lockdown protestIndependent councillor said life in lockdown was 'like living in North Korea'Durham politician claimed pandemic would stop 'if people took off their masks' By Jack Wright For Mailonline

Published: 06:45 EDT, 27 October 2020 | Updated: 12:11 EDT, 27 October 2020

A councillor who claims that Covid-19 is a 'fake virus' which does not exist has compared life under lockdown to 'living in North Korea'.

Irene Hewitson, an Independent member of Great Aycliffe Town Council in Co Durham, said she will believe that coronavirus exists 'when my neighbours, relatives, friends and work people are dying around me'.

Speaking at an anti-lockdown rally in Durham city centre, the outspoken councillor compared the virus to the flu and suggested the pandemic would be over 'if people turned their TVs off and just took their masks off'.

'We're being locked down over a fake virus. I don't believe the virus exists,' Cllr Hewitson, 63, told ChronicleLive yesterday. 'When my neighbours, relatives, friends and work people are dying around me then I'll believe it's true.

'I've got a friend who works in the Nightingale Hospital and they've never had one patient. They've been cleaning a hospital for six months. It's absolutely disgusting.

'My granddaughter goes dancing, she goes skating '' all the things she enjoys is going ahead '' and yet Boris can still go hunting and shooting, it's absolutely disgusting.'

The Byerley Park, Horndale & Cobblers Hall councillor's outburst came during an anti-lockdown protest held at Market Place in Durham yesterday.

The rally, which was organised by Geza Tarjanyi who has spent months protesting outside Downing Street, saw a tiny turnout of opponents to the Government's pandemic policies.

Cllr Hewitson, who lives in Newton Aycliffe, added: 'I think if people turned their TVs off and just took their masks off, got back to normal then the virus would be gone.

'I'm 63-year-old and I've never worn a mask, I've never used hand sanitiser and I've never had a day's illness. And I won't because I'm building up an immunity if there is a little tiny virus out there like the flu.

'People need to wake up fast because before long we're going to have no jobs, no social life, no life at all. It's going to be like living in North Korea.'

A spokesperson for Great Aycliffe Town Council declined to comment.

Durham is currently in Tier 2 lockdown, where households and support bubbles are banned from meeting indoors.

But separate households can meet outdoors and in public gardens, provided they keep two metres apart.

Meanwhile 1,725 students and 20 members of staff at Durham University have tested positive for Covid-19 since the start of term.

Speaking at an anti-lockdown rally in Durham city centre, the outspoken councillor compared the virus to the flu and suggested the pandemic would be over 'if people turned their TVs off and just took their masks off'

Mr Tarjanyi has questioned the success and purpose of Covid-19 restrictions enforced in the stated attempt to suppress the virus.

Holding a white flag with the word 'TRUTH' printed on it, he gave a half-hour speech during which he branded Prime Minister Boris Johnson a traitor, local media reports.

He urged the small crowd in the Market Place to put a white flag outside their businesses to show their support before telling them: 'Believe me folks, we are very, very close to bringing down this government, the police know it, the judges know it, the country knows it and even Boris Johnson knows it.

'We are now going to stay strong, we have now got to believe in people like me who are telling you the truth.'

A number of police officers were seen in the Market Place observing the event.

It comes as a group of 50 MPs from 'red wall' constituencies demanded a lockdown exit strategy in the biggest Tory challenge to Boris Johnson's election since the General Election.

The Northern Research Group of Conservative backbenchers has written to Mr Johnson to warn the Covid-19 crisis is threatening his pledge to 'level-up' the country and could 'send the North into reverse'.

The group, led by former minister Jake Berry, wants the Prime Minister to publish a 'clear road map' for Tier 3 areas to leave lockdown as well as an economic recovery plan for the North of England.

Advertisement

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:32

Source: KXAN Austin | by: Avery Travis

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) '-- Marcy Renneberg spent weeks grieving the death of her father. She would like to sit with her mother to help her process their loss, but isn't allowed due to state restrictions. That's why Renneberg said she filed a lawsuit.

''We still had memories to make that were stolen from us,'' she said, blaming the state of Texas as the thief.

Marcy Renneberg's parents were married for 50 years, before Roland died. They celebrated Valentine's Day together in their Round Rock Nursing Home this year. (Photo provided by: Marcy Renneberg)

After COVID-19 began to spread across the state back in mid-March, Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) restricted access to vulnerable long-term care facilities '-- banning any non-essential visitors, including family members.

INVESTIGATIONS: See KXAN's continuing coverage of coronavirus in Texas nursing homes

In the court documents filed this week, Renneberg and another family claim the governor, HHSC and the individual nursing homes are ''violating constitutional and statutory rights'' of the residents and their loved ones by ''prohibiting essential family visitors, damaging the health of residents in these facilities, and costing precious time to the residents and their families.''

Renneberg said her father remained healthy for four months after the pandemic began, but he ultimately tested positive for the virus and later died.

''To know they've suffered months of cruel isolation, and you've had your heart ripped out? It's a tormenting process that you weren't able to be there with them for their last months. Their last months,'' she cried. ''The government has taken that away from us. The government is the one that's responsible for the cruelty to my family.''

Her attorney, Warren Norred, said they are concerned about how long these restrictions have been in place.

''We wouldn't have filed this a day into this or a week into this,'' Norred said. ''We've had multiple plaintiffs die and pass away while we are trying to find some remedy for them.''

He argued there should be a special session of the Texas legislature called in order to ''suspend laws'' for this long, and there is ''no oversight'' to the governor's actions.

The lawsuit also invokes the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Texas Human Resources Code, which states, ''An elderly individual is entitled to privacy while attending to personal needs and a private place for receiving visitors'... This right applies to medical treatment, written communications, telephone conversations, meeting with family, and access to resident councils.''

The court documents state, ''The Governor is impeding this right and is suspending this portion of the law without authority.''

When are nursing home visits allowed?Marcy Renneberg remembers the last time she spoke to her father, through the window of the nursing home. She chooses not to remind her mother, who has dementia, that Roland is no longer alive.

''I want to help my mother. I want to comfort her. I want to be there for her,'' Renneberg said. ''That's my responsibility. I'm her medical power of attorney. I'm being denied what I think is my legal responsibility.''

After nearly six months of separation, certain nursing homes meeting a list of criteria were allowed to apply for limited visitation in early August.

All long-term care facilities must report no confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in staff in the last 14 days and no active positive cases in residents before qualifying. Skilled nursing facilities, specifically, are only allowed to conduct outdoor visits and must administer tests to staff on a weekly basis.

KXAN Investigators obtained data showing only 57 of the state's more than 1,200 licensed nursing homes have applied for visits. So far 36 facilities have been approved, while six facilities were denied. Eight applications were still pending. Seven facilities were approved for visits at one point, but they have had their visitation approvals rescinded.

Meanwhile, the data shows 881 of the more than 2,000 assisted living facilities in the state have applied for visits. Assisted living applicants were more likely to be approved '-- with 772 facilities allowed visitation. Twenty-one assisted living facilities have been denied. Sixty applications were still pending. Twenty-eight homes had their visitation approvals rescinded.

Nearly all of the more than 100 intermediate care facilities applications were approved. According to the state, these facilities serve people with intellectual disabilities.

Norred feels these Phase I allowances were implemented so that the state can ''say they are doing something, but you are really not.''

Meanwhile, in a virtual panel hosted this week by state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, representatives from HHSC said the slow reintegration of visitors is necessary to keep these vulnerable residents safe. '.....

READ MORERelated

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:29

KUSI News : Gov. @GavinNewsom's "mandatory guidelines" for all private gatherings this holiday season are extreme.- 3 househo'... https://t.co/01G87dZHKK

Wed Oct 28 17:00:58 +0000 2020

Amber : @KUSINews @sp_robbb @GavinNewsom Haha lol. Oh ok.. NOT.... To bad @joebiden there is a limit. U can only have 3 pe'... https://t.co/6jbOm5A2Cc

Thu Oct 29 10:48:10 +0000 2020

Yanks Fan 147 : @KUSINews @GavinNewsom It's time to sue California this is unconstitutional.

Thu Oct 29 10:30:25 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:29

Oct. 28, 2020Newly appointed Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from the Pennsylvania voting case. NBC News' Pete Williams reports on the setback for Republicans and why Barrett sat out the vote.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:27

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:22

Draxx : @whitwt @adamcurry @THErealDVORAK Waaasted

Thu Oct 29 07:07:37 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:20

Jan. 3, 2017Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer talks with Rachel Maddow about Donald Trump's antagonistic tweeting at U.S. intelligence agencies over evidence of Russian hacking.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:09

Berlin '-- With coronavirus infections on the rise, German officials announced on Wednesday new restrictions and a partial lockdown for the month of November to try and bring COVID-19's spread back under control. Starting Monday, bars, cinemas and clubs will be closed, restaurants will be limited to delivery and carry-out service, and people will only be allowed to meet outside with members of another household in groups of no more than 10.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters/Fabrizio Bensch/Pool The goal is for families and friends to be able to meet again during the Christmas season without too many restrictions in place. But for this to happen, the federal and state governments believe that everyone must limit their activities and social contacts.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged the population to stay at home. People should "generally refrain from unnecessary travel and visits, even visiting relatives," she said during a press conference.

In neighboring France, President Emmanuel Macron announced a national lockdown would start at midnight Thursday and last until December 1 at the earliest. Bars and restaurants will be closed, and public gatherings will be banned.

The new rules in Germany follow a spike in coronavirus infections during October with the country shattering records for the daily number of new cases. The country reported a record high of over 22,000 cases Friday; the second-highest number of over 13,000 cases was reported Tuesday.

The rules announced Wednesday are similar to lockdown restrictions in the spring, and they will remain in place until the end of the month for the time being.

Schools and nurseries will remain open. Church services were also not affected by the new measures and can continue if hygiene rules are observed.

Retail stores will remain open, but there are restrictions on how many customers may be inside at a time. Hairdressers will stay open, but beauty and tattoo parlors will be closed because social distancing cannot be maintained.

In addition to cinemas, other entertainment venues will be closed, including amusement parks, concert halls, operas and theaters. Gyms and swimming pools will also shutter, and professional sports are only allowed without spectators.

Merkel said hotels will only be available for "absolutely necessary" and non-tourism purposes.

The chancellor said the restrictions should bring the spread of the virus back under control. The outbreak has reached a point where 75% of infections can't be traced back to their source.

Germany had managed the pandemic relatively well compared to other European nations, but now officials are worried that the health care system will collapse if the number of infections continues to rise.

Elaine Cobbe contributed to this report.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 03:27

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 03:12

Wednesday, October 28, 2020 5:32PM ET

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The candidates for next week's 2020 presidential election responded to reporter questions on Wednesday concerning the fatal police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. and the civil unrest that is unfolding in Philadelphia.

President Donald Trump said the federal government is looking into the shooting which he called a "terrible event" and "if asked to go in to help, we will do that."

Former Vice President Joe Biden promised to study ways to prevent such shootings if elected president and denounced the looting in the city, repeating the calls from Wallace Jr.'s father to stop the violence.

Trump, Biden respond to police shooting, looting in Philadelphia

Wallace, 27, a Black man, was fatally shot by police Monday after authorities say he ignored orders to drop a knife. But his family's lawyer said the family had called for an ambulance to get him help with a mental health crisis. The shooting set off two days of protests and looting, and some rioters threw debris at officers, injuring two, according to police.

RELATED: Looters ransack Philadelphia businesses during 2nd night of unrestLooters ransack Philadelphia businesses during 2nd night of unrest

Speaking to reporters from Las Vegas on Wednesday, President Trump said he knows the police very well in Philadelphia and "they should be able to handle" the looting that has emerged in the aftermath of Wallace's death.

"It shouldn't be allowed. That's no way to do it. You got to have law and order. You have to have respect for our police," Trump said.

Trump said the state should bring in its National Guard. The Guard is set to arrive in Philadelphia either Friday or Saturday.

He said his administration would help Philadelphia and would be ready to go into the city within one hour if they receive a call.

President Trump's press secretary released the following statement Tuesday:

The riots in Philadelphia are the most recent consequence of the Liberal Democrats' war against the police. Law enforcement is an incredibly dangerous occupation, and thousands of officers have given their lives in the line of duty. All lethal force incidents must be fully investigated. The facts must be followed wherever they lead to ensure fair and just results. In America, we resolve conflicts through the courts and the justice system. We can never allow mob rule. The Trump Administration stands proudly with law enforcement, and stands ready, upon request, to deploy any and all Federal resources to end these riots.RELATED: 'Don't shoot my son': Wallace's mom said she tried to defuse situationWallace's mom said she tried to defuse situation ahead of fatal shooting

Speaking to reporters in Wilmington, Delaware after voting on Wednesday, Biden said that "there is no excuse whatsoever for the looting and the violence" that's broken out in Philadelphia in response to the shooting, but he said protesting overall is "totally legitimate."

Biden said he'll be setting up a commission if elected president to study "how you diminish the prospect of lethal shootings in circumstances like the one we saw." Biden's criminal justice plan would increase oversight of police departments and offer funds to support police reforms at the local level.

On Tuesday, Biden tweeted:

Our hearts are broken for the family of Walter Wallace Jr., and for all those suffering the emotional weight of learning about another Black life in America lost. Walter's life mattered.Biden offered the comments after voting early at a government building in downtown Wilmington. Delaware allows residents to vote early by appointment, and he and wife Jill voted together. President Trump voted on Saturday in Florida.

----

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright (C) 2020 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 02:11

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 19:59

Dr. Simone Gold : I was told by my hospital and my state Governor that I could be reprimanded for prescribing hydroxychloroquine, a m'... https://t.co/ol96nnc4Rz

Wed Oct 28 09:55:27 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 19:56

Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 : This is amazing https://t.co/imqGQ5ad99

Wed Oct 28 19:01:24 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 16:56

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:53

Need help? Contact us We've detected unusual activity from your computer networkTo continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy.

Need Help?For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

Block reference ID:

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:43

The news was greeted with tears, cheers and, at the afternoon school pick-up, a spontaneous concert of parents honking car horns in celebration.

As Victoria's premier, Daniel Andrews, announced at 3.30pm on Monday that Melbourne's months-long lockdown would (largely) come to an end, residents rejoiced.

From midnight on Tuesday cafes, restaurants, bars and beauty services will reopen, subject to patron limits, and people will be able to leave their home for any reason.

It was a moment of high anticipation.

As Andrews spoke, the activist and author Sally Rugg tweeted: ''Is Dan ok? He seems like he's about to cry?'' Minutes later, after the announcement, she added: ''Oh god now I'm crying.''

Sally Rugg (@sallyrugg)oh god now I'm crying

October 26, 2020For millions around the city and the state, the floodgates of emotion opened.

Some cracked a beer during the press conference, toasting the latest episode of what had become the state's longest-running, and usually dourest, daytime TV show. Others quoted the famous words of Melbourne's Nobel Prize-winning immunologist Peter Doherty.

Chelsea Hetherington (@chelsea_hetho)Dan Murphy's opening hours

October 26, 2020 Elyce Phillips (@ElycePhillips)Fuckin cheers, mates pic.twitter.com/YTPQ1ENAEw

October 26, 2020The author Andrea Rowe said she was in the car with her daughter at the school gates listening to the radio as the news came through.

''She's crying,'' Rowe wrote. ''I'm tooting. Folks are flashing lights and hollering. The Rosebud school carpark pickup is going off.''

Andrea Rowe (@AndreaRowe_au)Listening to @DanielAndrewsMP press conference with a teen in the car that we are opening up! She's crying. I'm tooting. Folks are flashing lights and hollering. The #Rosebud school carpark pickup is going off. Opening joy! #victorialockdown

October 26, 2020 Georgia Love (@GeorgieALove)SEE YOU AT THE PUB 12.01 WEDNESDAY

October 26, 2020 Madman Films (@MadmanFilms)the vibes in Melbourne right now pic.twitter.com/dG4V1eFxuZ

October 26, 2020Asked by reporters about his famous quote from March at the start of the lockdown '' ''[that you can't] have all your mates around to home and get on the beers'') '' Andrews announced he would in fact be reaching for the spirits.

Benita Kolovos 🐯 (@benitakolovos)Q: Can I confirm you are saying we can finally get on the beers?The premier: ''I might go a little higher up the shelf.''

October 26, 2020A week ago,Andrews' ''get on the beers'' clip had in fact been remixed into a dancefloor banger '' and played at a Western Australian festival.

On Monday, Victorians finally had reason to share it themselves.

cowboy himbo (@cameronwilson)lets gooooooooooooo https://t.co/z2WR9wbKuy

October 26, 2020 Tyson Whelan (@tyson_whelan)regret to inform the premier's press conferences are going off at perth's nightclubs pic.twitter.com/bB3BVgC21f

October 18, 2020Not everyone was overjoyed. The News Corp columnist Sophie Elsworth said the short notice meant some businesses ''have just over one day to get sorted''. The former premier Jeff Kennett said it was ''long overdue''.

Sophie Elsworth (@sophieelsworth)Pubs, cafes restaurants etc can open from 11.59pm tomorrow. They have just over one day to get sorted. Immense pressure to get staff, stock & sorted in time. #COVID19Vic ðŸ·

October 26, 2020But for others, it was a moment of unqualified joy after months of darkness.

Greg Larsen (@gregmlarsen)Country towns about to get smashed #COVID19Vic pic.twitter.com/Y2u5qKR6mA

October 26, 2020 Osman Faruqi (@oz_f)Everyone was at home Brigid https://t.co/RG4W6pGOId

October 26, 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:41

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:38

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:36

Posted by Kane on October 27, 2020 3:06 amNEWS JUNKIES -- CHECK OUT OUR HOMEPAGE

Liz Harrington vs Christiane Amanpour yesterday

''Why don't you want to report this? This is one of the most powerful families in Washington,'' she asked. ''And you're okay with our interests being sold out to profit Joe Biden and his family, while we're suffering during a pandemic from communist China?''

Pretty audacious of CNN '-- who spread actual Russian disinformation w/the leak of the dossier set up briefing in Trump tower to subvert the peaceful transition of power '-- to accuse anyone else of spreading Russian disinformation

And the emails about the "big guy" are real, btw pic.twitter.com/n0cKyDjNsE

'-- Elizabeth Harrington (@LizRNC) October 22, 2020

Here's the full clip

Glenn Greenwald noticed'...

The only silver lining in all of this is that media outlets are so desperate to help Biden win that they're not even pretending anymore. No pretense. There's great clarity in that. To the NPR Public Editor Note, the CNN panel and that Rid quote, add this stunning @camanpour clip: pic.twitter.com/6g7zMTTIsR

'-- Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) October 25, 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:25

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:24

Political Education(@political_education) on TikTok: #exprESSIEyourself #YouGotThis #MicellarRewind #Yellow #fyp #fypシ #foryou #foryoupage #trump2020 #biden2020 #biden #trump #news #vote

joshuafrasier

is using TikTok. Join us now!

Open App585

111

31

#exprESSIEyourself #YouGotThis #MicellarRewind #Yellow #fyp #fypシ #foryou #foryoupage #trump2020 #biden2020 #biden #trump #news #vote

@Political Education

original sound original sound original sound

Open TikTok

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:23

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's strict restrictions on social gatherings ahead of Thanksgiving next month has sparked anger from many residents in the state, with a number of celebrities sharing their reactions to the rules on social media.

Gov. Newsom and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) have released stringent new regulations in an attempt to curb growing cases amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"Gatherings are defined as social situations that bring together people from different households at the same time in a single space or place. When people from different households mix, this increases the risk of transmission of COVID-19," the CDPH said in a statement.

Among the new rules are; all gatherings must include no more than three households, masks must stay on after eating and drinking and singing, chanting and shouting are "strongly discouraged."

Gov. Newsom and California Department of Public Health have released stringent new regulations in an attempt to curb growing cases amid the coronavirus pandemic. Getty/Carolyn Cole/Pool/AFPThe rules have been met with a lot of hostility from some of California's famous residents.

Comedian Rob Schneider took to Twitter to mock the Governor over the rules, disparagingly calling him "Emporer."

"Dear Emperor @GavinNewsom. During our allotted 3 family limit this Thanksgiving, if my Aunt comes over, can I throw her a slice of turkey from the window?" he tweeted.

"We promise NOT to sing... we will all just whisper, 'PLEASE RECALL DIPS*** GAVIN NEWSON!'"

Dear Emperor @GavinNewsom During our allotted 3 family limit this Thanksgiving, if my Aunt comes over, can I throw her a slice of turkey from the window? We promise NOT to sing... we will all just whisper, 'PLEASE RECALL DIPSHIT GAVIN NEWSON!' https://t.co/wJKM2sPBtL

'-- Rob Schneider (@RobSchneider) October 17, 2020Full Metal Jacket actor Adam Baldwin is equally displeased with the restrictions placed on the holiday, deeming them "Ridiculously unenforceable."

Ridiculously Unenforceable.°Ÿ‘‡GFY, Gavin & that succubus health minister!°Ÿ‘‡

'California Gov. Newsoms Thanksgiving Rules Explained as Severe Restrictions Put in Place.'https://t.co/irUC69SSc6

'-- Adam Baldwin (@AdamBaldwin) October 25, 2020Country singer Cody Wolfe tweeted (and since deleted): "Hey @GavinNewsom as a new California resident. I live in a condo. So therefore I can't have my Thanksgiving outside, but its okay I'm coming over to your place to spread some holiday cheer all over your dining room table."

He added: "Oh and as by legal right of the U.S. constitution I'm not wearing a mask as I deem it to be unlawful and unconstitutional. You should be impeached for committing treason."

Oh and as by legal right of the US constitution I'm not wearing a mask as I deem it to be unlawful and unconstitutional. You should be impeached for committing treason.

'-- °'—–°'—°'——°'—¬ °'—ª°'—°'—Ÿ°'—°'— °ŸŽ¸ (@CodyWolfeMusic) October 26, 2020Total confirmed cases in California have surpassed 887,600, with 17,192 reported deaths, as of Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

Character actor Nick Searcy said he was not going to abide by the rules, writing: "We are having Thanksgiving at my house with a lot of people and @gavinnewsom can kiss my ass and bark at the hole."

We are having Thanksgiving at my house with a lot of people and @gavinnewsom can kiss my ass and bark at the hole. California Gov. Newsom's Thanksgiving Rules Explained as Severe Restrictions Put in Place https://t.co/yI4njD7b0R

'-- Nick Searcy, BELOVED INT'L FILM & TELEVISION STAR (@yesnicksearcy) October 25, 2020"Gavin Newsom, LOFL. No one is listening to you anymore. You have lost your mind," actress Justine Bateman said.

"How many of you sheep are going along with Newsom's Thanksgiving protocols?" author Adam Carolla asked.

How many of you sheep are going along with Newsom's Thanksgiving protocols ?

'-- Adam Carolla (@adamcarolla) October 21, 2020Not everyone is against Newsom however. Food writer Jenna Golden asked why people were not concerned with the help of others during the pandemic.

I get that Governor Newsom's Thanksgiving rules are far from ideal. I want to spend the holidays with my family too. But, I don't understand when people decided that their own individual freedom was more important than the collective health of others? https://t.co/qkM44Upaon

'-- Jenna Golden (@jigolden) October 25, 2020She tweeted: "I get that Governor Newsom's Thanksgiving rules are far from ideal. I want to spend the holidays with my family too. But, I don't understand when people decided that their own individual freedom was more important than the collective health of others?"

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:18

In this video, Eventide Chief Investment Officer, Finny Kuruvilla, MD, PhD, shares his perspective on the latest data surrounding COVID-19.

This presentation expresses the views of Eventide Asset Management, LLC's personnel, and there is no guarantee that such views are accurate. The material provided herein is for informational purposes only and is confidential. There is no guarantee that any investment will achieve its objectives, generate positive returns, or avoid losses.

Reference to Eventide's Business 360 ® approach is provided for illustrative purposes only and indicates a general framework of guiding principles that inform Eventide's overall research process. The Business 360 framework informs the Adviser's investment process but cannot in and of itself be used to determine which securities to buy or sell. There is no guarantee that the Adviser's Business 360 approach will produce the desired results.

Before investing or sending money, an investor should carefully review investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses as provided in prospectuses and other information available at www.eventidefunds.com or by calling 1-877-771-EVEN (3836). Eventide Asset Management, LLC serves as investment adviser to the Eventide mutual funds distributed through Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (''NLD''), member FINRA/SIPC. NLD and Eventide are not affiliated entities.

9136-NLD-10/22/2020

Posted October 23, 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:53

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:45

'If somebody refuses in one of our facilities to be tested, they have to keep staying'Oct 27, 2020 11:00 AM

By Grabien Staff

EXCERPT:

ARDERN: ''I've got a number of questions about people refusing '-- you know, what we do if someone refuses to be tested? Well, they can't now! If someone refuses, in our facilities, to be tested, they have to keep staying. So they won't be able to leave after fourteen days, they have to stay on for another fourteen days. So it's a pretty good incentive. You either get your tests done and make sure you cleared, or we will keep you in the facility longer. So I think people '-- most people will look at that and say, 'I'll take the test.'"

Like our work? Support the cause.

$5 $10 $20 Custom

');}function stripeGetToken(){ blockPage(); Stripe.card.createToken($('#donationform'), stripeResponseHandler);}function stripeResponseHandler(status, response){ if (response.error) { unblockPage(); if (typeof(response.error.param) != 'undefined') $('#' + response.error.param).addClass('ui-state-error'); showMessage(strError, '

', { 'Close': 'close' }); } else { $('#stripetoken').val(response.id); submitForm('donationform'); }}$(function(){ Stripe.setPublishableKey('pk_live_Q0E2BA1l1FWPaUM7Or8Ewp6M');});

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:36

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:36

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:27

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 12:59

Keith Olbermann : THE 50 WORST TRUMP ATROCITIES: The new "Olbermann Vs. Trump" video. From accusing everybody of treason to putting k'... https://t.co/dOa4aAeUQj

Wed Oct 28 06:00:01 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 12:57

Cartoon Network : The Crystal Gems say BE ANTI-RACIST! You have to acknowledge racism to act against it. Don't be silent, use your vo'... https://t.co/I4uAH3bNxO

Tue Oct 27 17:30:32 +0000 2020

David Feed : @cartoonnetwork This is why the times before the end is compared to Sodom and Gomorrah, when even the children are'... https://t.co/5dES1AwhMg

Wed Oct 28 12:55:30 +0000 2020

Logurt : @cartoonnetwork I want to say "I can't believe people are defending racism in the comments!!!1" but I can believe i'... https://t.co/vhRb924HSH

Wed Oct 28 12:55:26 +0000 2020

zak : @cartoonnetwork Wow this is horrifying. Absolute poison

Wed Oct 28 12:54:55 +0000 2020

M4STRO1 : @cartoonnetwork You really gonna shove this shit down to kids who still can't make up their mind with the alphabets?

Wed Oct 28 12:53:36 +0000 2020

SNATCHER-STARZ 🎃 '… #BLM : @cartoonnetwork BE ANTI-RACIST! https://t.co/zHTiAMlB5V

Wed Oct 28 12:53:10 +0000 2020

Dewayne : @cartoonnetwork @JoeBiden Hey joe ThE CrYsTaLs SaY DonT Be RaCiSt https://t.co/OFswAo2may

Wed Oct 28 12:53:02 +0000 2020

Dewayne : @cartoonnetwork lmao wow what kinda woke bullshit is this

Wed Oct 28 12:52:01 +0000 2020

S T R A W B E R R Y ___M I L K ('Œ'– -'– ) : @cartoonnetwork https://t.co/K6nLmwEVPX

Wed Oct 28 12:51:48 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 12:56

James Woods : This would be heartbreaking if he hadn't been such a corrupt person all his life... https://t.co/kMwBCIHTcM

Wed Oct 28 07:58:38 +0000 2020

Bill Day : @RealJamesWoods Pitiful.

Wed Oct 28 12:55:23 +0000 2020

cr malanga : @RealJamesWoods Omg what a disaster

Wed Oct 28 12:55:06 +0000 2020

Simon Patrick Millig : @RealJamesWoods This looks to me like it's been doctored.

Wed Oct 28 12:54:57 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 12:50

Link to Article

Archived Version

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 12:41

OAN NewsroomUPDATED 9:40 AM PT '' Tuesday, October 27, 2020The latest numbers from the CDC reveal hospitals have been counting patients who died from serious preexisting conditions as COVID-19 deaths. One America's Pearson Sharp has more, as the CDC counts over 51-thousand patients who actually died from heart attacks, as opposed to the coronavirus.

>>

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 21:37

U.S. news The shadowy group that operated near Albany, New York, has been the subject of the HBO docuseries "The Vow."

Oct. 27, 2020, 4:26 PM EDT / Updated Oct. 27, 2020, 5:02 PM EDT

By David K. Li

Keith Raniere, who ran a cult-like group that kept women as virtual sex prisoners to service him in upstate New York, was sentenced to 120 years in prison on Tuesday.

Raniere was convicted on federal sex trafficking, racketeering and possession of child pornography charges last year for his role in the alleged sex cult called NXIVM (pronounced "nexium").

The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis, who presided over the six-week trial last year that ended in Raniere convicted on all counts.

Acting U.S. Attorney Seth DuCharme said he hopes the sentence will serve as a deterrence to any aspiring cult leaders.

''When justice catches up to you, as it did today, it is severe," DuCharme told reporters outside court in Brooklyn. "Keith Raniere will not be able to victimize people anymore after today's sentence and we're very grateful for that."

Marc Elliot, a former NXIVM member and supporter of Raniere's, said the defendant didn't get a fair trial.

"We all should be fighting for due process no matter how much you don't like it or how inconvenient it is," Elliot said. "Because if someone or society ever turns on you, you better hope to God that due process and laws are still standing to protect you."

In a jailhouse interview that aired Friday on "Dateline NBC," Raniere apologized for the "tragedy" and "hurt" he caused victims '-- but also said that he's not guilty of any crimes.

"I am innocent," Raniere said.

"This is a horrible tragedy with many, many people being hurt," he added. "There is a horrible injustice here. And whether you think I'm the devil or not, the justice process has to be examined."

It took jurors in Brooklyn just a few hours in June 2019 to convict Raniere. In running a purported self-help organization near Albany, New York, he created a secret sorority called DOS in which female "slaves" turned over compromising materials that were used to blackmail and force them into sex, prosecutors said.

One former NXIVM member, India Oxenberg, daughter of "Dynasty" star Catherine Oxenberg, said once she became ensnared in the group, it was difficult to leave.

"When you're unaware, it's so easy to be led astray, especially by people who are masters at manipulation," Oxenberg told ABC's "Good Morning America" this month.

NXIVM's president, Nancy Salzman, her daughter Lauren Salzman, bookkeeper Kathy Russell and Claire Bronfman, the Seagram liquor heiress, have all pleaded guilty to various charges.

Bronfman was a key NXIVM benefactor and sentenced to 81 months behind bars. She admitted last year that she harbored someone who was living in the U.S. illegally for unpaid ''labor and services'' and that she committed credit card fraud on behalf of Raniere.

Keith Raniere Keith Raniere Conversations / via YouTubeNXIVM is the subject of the HBO docuseries "The Vow," which is scheduled to feature Raniere in its second season next year.

In his interview with "Dateline," Raniere apologized for participating in a group that caused so much "pain and suffering."

"I've clearly participated. I've been the leader of the community. And it has come to this," he said. "Even if it is by oppression, I am absolutely sorry and pained. This is a horrible situation."

David K. Li David K. Li is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 17:44

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 13:47

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 13:11

Bernie'sTweets : NZ has set up ''quarantine camps'' People can be forcibly removed to camps if there is a risk they may infect other'... https://t.co/PUQB2PANyG

Mon Oct 26 22:49:09 +0000 2020

Garytill893 : @berniespofforth Locking people up for a totally unreliable test. So if you're not ill or have any symptoms but ref'... https://t.co/Kj3PgjT0Hk

Tue Oct 27 13:11:41 +0000 2020

Desirae Smith : @berniespofforth Kiss our asses!

Tue Oct 27 13:11:32 +0000 2020

NB GORDON : @berniespofforth @TomFitton WOW ðŸ"

Tue Oct 27 13:10:20 +0000 2020

trucker hat : @berniespofforth They voted for this. Lots of kiwis delighted over their Jihadi PM getting reelected.

Tue Oct 27 13:10:17 +0000 2020

Ned WBA : @berniespofforth @McPineapple2020 I think if the British Govt did that, there would be frothing lefties rioting out'... https://t.co/QDPTNHicYW

Tue Oct 27 13:10:06 +0000 2020

Tammy Broen : @berniespofforth @BeNosey @JosephJFlynn1 @realDonaldTrump @DonaldJTrumpJr #TrudeauCrimeMinister'... https://t.co/Vmc6ugIiWj

Tue Oct 27 13:09:48 +0000 2020

Ura Knucklehead : @berniespofforth @NULOOKREFINISH @Marfoogle @bpearthwatch1 @RoystonPotter @JonExArmy @stevendenoon @lookner https://t.co/23nqXM2Hch

Tue Oct 27 13:09:34 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 04:53

Copyright (C) 2020 David Icke Books Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 00:35

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 22:29

North Carolinians have taken more than 3 million coronavirus tests during the pandemic, with PCR testing accounting for 97 percent of the positive results. While the test is widely regarded as accurate when it comes to positive or negative for coronavirus, some in the scientific world say it provides an incomplete picture.

tonight WRL investigates why experts say are Covad. 19 case numbers are inflated. You have no idea if they have active infection or did they have it? Two months ago, WRL investigates to 95.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 22:29

By Cullen Browder, WRAL anchor/reporter

Raleigh, N.C. '-- North Carolinians have taken more than 3 million coronavirus tests during the pandemic, with PCR testing accounting for 97 percent of the positive results.

Polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests involve rapidly making millions to billions of copies of a specific DNA sample through a process called cycling, amplifying it enough to study in detail. While the test is widely regarded as accurate when it comes to positive or negative for coronavirus, some in the scientific world say it provides an incomplete picture.

Dr. Carl Heneghan, director of the University of Oxford's Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, told The Spectator magazine in London, that the black-and-white nature of the test is leading to an inflated number of cases.

"We have found RNA evidence in shedding for 78 days," Heneghan said. "When you're picking up asymptomatic people, you have no idea if they have an active infection, or did they have it two months ago?"

For its coronavirus test, North Carolina's state public health lab cycles a DNA sample up to 37 times before deciding whether it's positive or negative. LabCorp, the main private tester in the state, has a cycle threshold that's even higher, at 38.

"The more times you do that, the less virus you start out with," Heneghan said.

WRAL Investigates went through the specs of dozens of PCR tests that asked for emergency approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The cycle thresholds range from as low as 35 to as high as 40, depending on the maker.

"The higher that threshold goes, the dimmer the signal is '' or translated to virus, the lower amount of virus is present," said Thomas Denny, chief operating officer of Duke University's Human Vaccine Institute, who heads up the school's coronavirus testing program.

"If you think of a needle in a haystack, it's very hard to find a needle in a haystack," Denny said in explaining the cycling threshold concept. "But if you can make 1,000 needles in that haystack or 1,500 needles in that haystack, it's easier to pick it out."

The higher thresholds raise questions when people are labeled as positive, he said, noting the test could detect inactive virus.

But Scott Shone, director of the state's public health lab, said the debate misses the point of the testing.

"These tests weren't designed specifically to identify how much virus is there, just whether it's there or not," Shone said. "Trying to add additional layers of analysis onto a test that wasn't designed for that purpose can be dangerous."

When labs report results to North Carolina, it's only in the form of positive or negative. Denny said he thinks health care providers could use the cycle threshold results as one diagnostic tool, along with a patient's condition and known contacts. Someone with a high cycle threshold positive result may not be an active case and may not need to quarantine, he said.

"I think knowing that is useful information, especially in the early days of the disease where we are now," he said, adding that it's better to have testing that's too sensitive because a false positive is better than a false negative, which could lead to more spread.

Some researchers have tried to grow coronavirus from samples with cycle thresholds higher than 34. But they were unsuccessful, meaning the virus wasn't active '' yet the people who took the test were labeled as positive.

Dr. Michael Mina, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, has recommended cutting off the cycle threshold closer to 30 to identify only those people who have enough virus to spread. Lowering the cycle threshold would reduce cases by 80 to 90 percent, he said.

Heneghan said thresholds in the high 30s paint a false picture, causing unnecessary quarantines and negative economic impacts,

"You can point a threshold level which says you are infectious, which is about a million copies per [milliliter} in a sample, which is a cycle threshold of about 25," he said.

That 25 threshold is exponentially lower than what most labs use to test for the coronavirus. The FDA applications for LabCorp's test, as well as the ThermoFisher test used by the state lab, clearly say that, after a positive result "other diagnostic information is needed to determine patient infectious status."

In most cases, however, lab results are reported to the patient and local health authorities without any follow-up examination.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 15:56

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner Jared Corey KushnerLincoln Project attorney on billboards lawsuit threat: 'Please peddle your scare tactics elsewhere' Biden pushes back on Trump: 'Crass' to go after political rival's children Lawyers for Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner threaten to sue Lincoln Project over Times Square billboards MORE said Monday that in order for the president's policies to be most effective, Black Americans must want to succeed.

''One thing we've seen in a lot of the Black community, which is mostly Democrat, is that President Trump Donald John TrumpFox News president, top anchors advised to quarantine after coronavirus exposure: report Six notable moments from Trump and Biden's '60 Minutes' interviews Biden on attacks on mental fitness: Trump thought '9/11 attack was 7/11 attack' MORE 's policies are the policies that can help people break out of the problems that they're complaining about,'' Kushner, who is Trump's son-in-law, said during a Fox News interview. ''But he can't want them to be successful more than they want to be successful.''

''What you're seeing throughout the country now is a groundswell of support in the Black community because they're realizing that all the different bad things that the media and the Democrats have said about President Trump are not true and so they're seeing that he's actually delivered,'' Kushner added.

His comments come just eight days before the election, with nationwide polls consistently showing Trump trailing Democratic nominee Joe Biden Joe BidenFox News president, top anchors advised to quarantine after coronavirus exposure: report Six notable moments from Trump and Biden's '60 Minutes' interviews Biden on attacks on mental fitness: Trump thought '9/11 attack was 7/11 attack' MORE , who also leads in many battleground states.

Black voter turnout hit a 20-year low in 2016 and both campaigns have focused heavily on courting Black Americans. Historically, Republican presidential candidates have done poorly with Black voters, but Trump garnered double digit support among Black men in 2016.

But polls this cycle point to a significant lead for Biden over Trump with Black voters. In a New York Times/Siena poll released last week, 90 percent of Black respondents said they were or had already voted for Biden, while just 4 percent said the same for Trump.

Trump's reelection campaign has touted accomplishments ranging from prison reform and economic ''opportunity zones'' to the record-low unemployment rate for Black Americans before the coronavirus pandemic took hold.

His campaign and the Republican National Committee have also tried to dispel the notion that Trump is racist, dismissing the president's incendiary comments about race that have at times sparked bipartisan criticism.

''President Trump may not always say the right things, but he does the right things. He says what's on his mind and he gets results,'' Kushner said on Monday.

Kushner's comments came in response to the White House meeting with rapper Ice Cube about policies that would bring more equity to Black communities around the country.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 11:40

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 04:21

Squawk Box : "I would suspect that a good portion of the deaths in that younger cohort were due to despair, due to other reasons'... https://t.co/hCsJSvpQ2C

Wed Oct 21 11:30:25 +0000 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 03:45

AUSTIN (KXAN) '-- Austin Public Health's says it's walk-up flu vaccination clinics are serving as a practice for distributing the COVID-19 vaccine.

Saturday, an Austin Public Health walk-up flu shot event delivered nearly 200 vaccinations. Another clinic is expected to take place next month which will offer some 600 shots, according to officials.

''We are just making sure we have all the nuts and bolts in place so that we are ready once the COVID-19 vaccine comes around,'' said Chief Epidemiologist Janet Pichette.

The second clinic will operate as a drive-thru event on Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Travis County Expo Center, 7311 Decker Lane.

Austin Public Health also announced earlier this week a move to form a COVID-19 distribution coalition based on the fact that vaccine demand will be limited at first. The coalition is made up of health care and community partners.

''As we meet we are going to develop a distribution plan. In order to follow the outline provided, we are going to determine the priority populations, who we know in this community will be able to get the vaccine first,'' said Pichette. ''Health care workers and first responders will be the first to receive it.''

Pfizer, a pharmaceutical corporation, says we could expect results from its first COVID-19 vaccine trial as early as the first week of November. The Austin Regional Clinic is apart of the Pfizer vaccine trial which currently includes thousands of participants across the country.

''They believe they will have preliminary data that will suggest if it was positive or negative. They will also have safety data sometime mid November,'' said Dr. Jay Zdunek, Austin Regional Clinic. ''If all goes well, then it is anticipated that we may get rapid approval from the FDA.''

This discussion comes at a time when COVID-19 numbers are spiking in some areas of Texas.

Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced a surge to send medical equipment and health care workers to El Paso.

''The medical personnel and supplies we are deploying to El Paso build upon the resources the state previously sent to the community and will provide much needed support to area hospitals and first responders. The State of Texas will continue to work with local officials to protect public health and help the El Paso community mitigate the spread of COVID-19.''

Governor Greg Abbott A release said the Texas Department of State Health Services would deploy over 460 medical personnel plus equipment including:

Texas Emergency Medical Task Force ambulance busMedical incident support teamFive ambulancesMobile medical unit to assist first responders48 patient monitors25 medical beds30 oxygen concentratorsSince Oct. 10, 40 support personnel from St. David's HealthCare in Central Texas, including nurses, have been sent to El Paso to help in the fight against COVID-19.

According to a spokesperson for St. David's HealthCare, those workers were sent to its affiliate hospital, Las Palmas Del Sol HealthCare to assist with the recent surge in cases for the region.

''Through their affiliation with HCA Healthcare, St. David's HealthCare's national partner, the healthcare systems are able to combine resources to strengthen their capabilities and improve care,'' a statement from the spokesperson said in part.

The area has reported a record-breaking number of cases. As of Saturday, the city reported 10,911 active COVID-19 cases and 572 total deaths. Austin-Travis County had 850 active cases and 448 deaths, at last check.

Saturday, Gov. Greg Abbott also requested to use William Beaumont Army Medical Center on Ft. Bliss for non-COVID patients to free up hospital beds in El Paso-area hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients.

That assistance is on top of the resources Gov. Abbott, along with the Texas Division of Emergency Management and DSHS previously sent, which was 244 medical personnel, including respiratory therapists and nurses. Together that more than doubled the number of personnel in El Paso to help care for COVID-19 patients.

As of Oct. 22, El Paso's emergency response warehouses were stocked with over 4.8 million masks, over 629,000 gowns and coveralls, over 400,000 gloves, over 38,000 face shields, plus more person that has been provided by TDEM.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 02:54

EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego on Sunday afternoon ordered a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew daily due to El Paso's coronavirus crisis.

The curfew will be in effect for both the county and city starting Sunday night and continuing for two weeks. Law enforcement agencies will enforce the curfew along with the face mask requirement and other mandates, he said.

The judge said El Paso's sheriff, police chief and constables had all been directed to enforce the orders, which he indicated has the support of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

The one exception to the curfew is for those engaged in work involving essential services, Samaniego said. He also indicated that business not following existing health guidelines face the prospect of being shut down by authorities.

School districts have been advised they should postpone high school football and other sports events for the next two weeks, Samaniego said.

The judge made his announcements at a news conference where he declared that "all hospitals have reached capacity." (You can watch the news conference in the video player above. It begins about 13 minutes into the recording.)

Earlier Sunday, El Paso topped 11,000 active virus cases as local hospitals experienced a 300% increase in patients.

Officials have also announced that the El Paso Convention Center will be converted into a makeshift hospital, with the federal government also sending aid.

Also this weekend, there was a state request made to use the old William Beaumont Army hospital to house non-Covid patients - and there was a plan put into place by local hospitals to airlift some patients to hospitals elsewhere in the state due to the lack of bed space.

Video shows patient overflow tents set up outside at UMC El Paso, as the city has recently seen a significant spike in COVID-19 cases. https://t.co/BQySTnjGAL pic.twitter.com/ULRxxS7pIR

'-- ABC News (@ABC) October 25, 2020

Link to Article

Archived Version

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 23:50

Need help? Contact us We've detected unusual activity from your computer networkTo continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy.

Need Help?For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

Block reference ID: