| Trump planning to axe top security chiefs in White House shake-up if re-elected — report Posted: 26 Oct 2020 02:43 AM PDT  President reportedly planning clearout of officials seen as disloyal to his administration
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| Germany's infectious disease institute targeted in arson attempt, police say Posted: 25 Oct 2020 06:05 AM PDT  Several assailants attacked Germany's Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases with incendiary devices overnight, causing mild damage to the building, police said on Sunday. Security guards at the institute, which advises the government on public health measures to stem the coronavirus pandemic, witnessed the attackers throw bottle-based incendiary devices at the building. While Germany has not been hit as hard by COVID-19 as most other European nations, daily infections in the country are again surging and surpassed 10,000 for the first time this week.
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| 'Totally irresponsible': Dems criticize Pence presiding over Amy Coney Barrett vote after aides contract COVID-19 Posted: 26 Oct 2020 08:53 AM PDT  "As vice president, I'm president of the Senate. And I'm gonna be in the chair because I wouldn't miss that vote for the world," Pence said Saturday.
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| Zeta will be a Cat 1 hurricane soon, and it’s forecast to near the Gulf Coast this week Posted: 26 Oct 2020 04:06 AM PDT  Tropical Storm Zeta rapidly strengthened overnight and is forecast to turn into a Category 1 hurricane sometime Monday. The storm is expected to near the northern Gulf Coast on Wednesday, bringing stormy conditions from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, according to the National Hurricane Center.
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| Tensions between EU and Turkey escalate over Erdogan insults Posted: 26 Oct 2020 06:41 AM PDT  Tensions between the European Union and Turkey have risen further after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan questioned the mental state of his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. Several EU officials harshly criticized Erdogan's comments over the weekend and the bloc's executive arm, the European Commission, said on Monday that the Turkish leader should change his approach if he does not want to derail the bloc's attempts at renewed dialogue with his country. Erdogan said Saturday that Macron needed his head examined.
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| YouTube 'kidfluencers' exposing children to 'staggering' amounts of junk food ads Posted: 25 Oct 2020 11:23 AM PDT  YouTube 'kidfluencers' are exposing children to "staggering" levels of junk food advertising with unhealthy items plugged in videos that have had over a billion views, a study has revealed. Researchers found that almost half of the clips looked at on the video site's "wildly popular" channels featuring child stars promoted unhealthy food and drinks. The lead author of the report, published in the US journal Pediatrics, Dr Marie Bragg, warned that parents were often unaware that the kidfluencers their children watch can be paid by food and beverage companies to promote products. The research comes as some of the most popular channels on YouTube, the second most visited website in the world, in recent years have been for child vloggers, who entertain young audiences by reviewing toys or doing experiments and pranks. The largest such account is called Ryan's World, which features nine-year-old Ryan Kaji from the US and has almost 27 million subscribers. Forbes estimates that the channel earned $26 million (£20 million) last year from advertising revenue from YouTube as well as sponsored content.
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| 'Murder hornet': First nest found in US eradicated with vacuum hose Posted: 26 Oct 2020 12:59 AM PDT  The Asian giant hornets can wipe out a colony of honeybees in hours.
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| The operator of this Boeing 767 private jet says the plane has an air system so advanced it kills pathogens so passengers don't need to wear a mask onboard – see inside Posted: 25 Oct 2020 05:16 AM PDT  This luxury flying apartment costs an hour what a New York City studio costs for an entire year. The difference being this one kills COVID in the air.
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| Critics slam 'shameless hypocrisy' of Saudi G20 meeting as women activists sit in jail Posted: 26 Oct 2020 03:15 AM PDT  A virtual business event hosted by Riyadh promises to place a "special emphasis" on "creating a more equitable future for women."
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| Kushner faces sharp criticism after he suggests some Black Americans don’t 'want to be successful' Posted: 26 Oct 2020 08:14 AM PDT  President Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner is facing some sharp criticism over what his detractors believe was a textbook example of a lack of self-awareness.During a Fox News interview on Monday, Kushner, speaking about Black communities in the United States, said his father-in-law's policies "are the policies that can help people break out of the problems that they're complaining about, but he can't want them to be successful more than they want to be successful," before claiming there has been a groundswell of support for Trump among Black voters.Kushner's comments were understood by his critics to imply that some Black Americans don't strive for success, and he was quickly rebuked. Obsevers pointed out that Kushner comes from a wealthy family, and married into another one, and, therefore, was able to jump over hurdles faced by many other Americans throughout his life. > When I first met Jared, we were college students and he owned $10 million worth of residential rental properties in Somerville based on money he got from his dad.> > More Black people should try that. https://t.co/z13KwvXUKf> > -- Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) October 26, 2020> "he can't want them to be successful more than that they want to be successful," is a thing said by Jared Kushner, whose father bought him into Harvard and NYU, then gave him a real estate fortune, before he got his current job from his father in lawpic.twitter.com/iAp4yAs8va> > -- Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) October 26, 2020More stories from theweek.com The very different emotional lives of Trump and Biden voters The 19 greatest and worst presidential campaign ads of the 2020 election The Trump administration has surrendered to the pandemic
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| ‘A backwards step’: Experts warn Amy Coney Barrett is a threat to IVF Posted: 26 Oct 2020 05:03 AM PDT  Ms Barrett has historically supported organisations who are against both birth control and the in vitro fertilization process
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| Opposition leader flees Venezuela, heads towards Spain and the United States Posted: 24 Oct 2020 02:46 PM PDT  Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López escaped from the South American country and was traveling on Saturday to Spain, where he will spend time with his family before eventually heading towards the United States to continue the efforts to outs the Nicolas Maduro regime, sources close to the former political prisoner told el Nuevo Herald.
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| Editorial: Congress should let Puerto Ricans' vote count on statehood Posted: 26 Oct 2020 02:31 AM PDT  There's a massive get out the vote campaign in the United States, with both major political parties stressing that every vote should count. Contrast that to Puerto Rico. It also has an election Nov. 3, but none of the votes will really count on the major issue: Should the U.S. territory become a U.S. state? Millions of island residents will weigh in on that question. The problem is that ...
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| Philippines: Typhoon leaves 13 missing, displaces thousands Posted: 25 Oct 2020 06:28 PM PDT  A fast-moving typhoon blew away from the Philippines on Monday after leaving at least 13 people missing, forcing thousands of villagers to flee to safety and flooding rural villages, disaster-response officials said. The 13 people missing from Typhoon Molave included a dozen fishermen who ventured out to sea over the weekend despite a no-sail restriction due to very rough seas. The typhoon was blowing west toward the South China Sea with sustained winds of 125 kilometers (77 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 150 kph (93 mph).
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| China Communist Party plenum kicks off in Beijing Posted: 26 Oct 2020 12:43 AM PDT  The three-day meeting comes amid speculation that President Xi intends to be "president-for-life".
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| 2 crew killed in U.S. Navy training plane crash in Alabama identified Posted: 25 Oct 2020 12:56 PM PDT  The two crew killed in a Navy training plane crash Friday were identified Sunday as Navy Lt. Rhiannon Ross and Coast Guard Ensign Morgan Garrett.
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| '60 Minutes' says the huge book Trump's press secretary presented to Lesley Stahl as his 'healthcare plan' was largely filled with existing legislation Posted: 26 Oct 2020 06:05 AM PDT  The White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, delivered the huge book to Stahl after Trump cut short an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes."
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| Turkish president calls for boycott on French goods to stop Macron’s 'campaign of hate' against Muslims Posted: 26 Oct 2020 07:13 AM PDT  Turkey's president has called for a boycott of French goods as his stand-off with counterpart Emmanuel Macron over Islam and free speech escalated sharply. Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the French president of leading a hate campaign against Muslims and accused unnamed Western leaders of being fascists for championing Islamophobia. "You are in a real sense fascists, you are in a real sense the links in the chain of Nazism," he said. "Muslims are now subjected to a lynch campaign similar to that against Jews in Europe before World War II." The spat comes after years of strained relations between Paris and Ankara and follow Mr Erdogan's earlier jibes that Mr Macron had a problem with Muslims and needed checks on his mental health.
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| Court Ruling Could Kill Uber and Lyft in California Posted: 26 Oct 2020 03:30 AM PDT  Just days before Californians themselves were set to decide on the matter, a state appeals court has ruled that app-based ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft must comply with state law AB5 and classify all of their drivers as employees rather than contractors. The ruling raises the possibility that the companies will simply end operations in the state altogether, both having stated previously that their business model depends on the flexibility of using contractors.The companies claim, and drivers often confirm, that the flexibility of contract work is key to their operations. Employers are required under federal and state law to schedule and track their employees' hours for overtime, unemployment, and other purposes. That's not case with contractors, who are legally considered independent businesses.Critics of the ride-sharing companies, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom, claim that's just a dodge to get out of paying overtime and complying with other workplace regulations. Labor unions have pushed for the drivers to be classified as employees, since contractors cannot join unions.A three-judge state appeals court panel on Thursday agreed, rejecting the companies' arguments out of hand. The panel was in full crusader mode, calling the case a "reminder that the foundation of interim injunctive relief lies inequity comes from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was renowned for her expertise in procedure long before she became the national icon known as RBG."The panel said that there was just no reason to assume that forcing ride-sharing companies to operate as traditional employers would in any way hurt their business model, even as it conceded that that model was built around contractors."We recognize that defendants' business models are different from that traditionally associated with employment, particularly with regard to drivers' freedom to work as many or as few hours as they wish, when and where they choose, and their ability to work on multiple apps at the same time," it said.The "multiple apps" point, in particular, is worth noting, because that refers to the ability of drivers to work for multiple different app-based companies at the same time. In other words, the drivers can work for a company and its direct competitor, a situation no traditional employer would tolerate. But a business cannot automatically restrict a contractor from doing that. The ride-sharing companies don't even try. If you've ever taken a ride in an Uber or a Lyft, you've probably also seen a sticker for the other service in the drivers' window.The panel nevertheless argued the companies were employers because the ride-sharing service they provided was the core of their business model, rather than an incidental activity, pointing to a Supreme Court ruling called Dynamex. As for the possibility that the companies cannot function as traditional employers, the panel asserted that just couldn't possibly be true."The People counter, correctly, that a party suffers no grave or irreparable harm by being prohibited from violating the law," the panel said.That is not true in the real world, however: An ill-conceived law can cause great damage. A good example can be found in the case of AB5 itself. In addition to scaring off many employers who use contractors, the law reined in contract work generally, strictly limiting what even traditional freelancers like photographers or musicians could do. State lawmakers were forced to amend the law and carve out exemptions for numerous professions. That's clear proof that they had overreached. Freelancers still claim it's too restrictive.It may yet get worse for Californians. If the state ballot's Proposition 22 to roll back AB5 fails and the panel's ruling stands, the companies have said they'll simply stop operating the state. Customers throughout the state will have limited transportation options — a potential public safety issue, as Mothers Against Drunk Driving has warned. Meanwhile, numerous drivers will be left without a way to make the additional money that ridesharing offers at a time when Californians need the opportunity. The national unemployment rate is 7.9 percent, but the Golden State's rate is 11 percent. California's unemployment has been consistently higher than the national average throughout the year, and the state's effort to reign in gig-economy companies has likely been a factor.
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| Rats help clear minefields in Cambodia – and suspicion of the military Posted: 26 Oct 2020 04:59 AM PDT  Editor's note: Dr. Darcie DeAngelo is a medical anthropologist at the Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (I-GMAP) at Binghamton University, State University of New York. In this interview, she explains the relationship between locals who live near minefields in Cambodia and the mine detectors, often former military combatants, who are viewed with suspicion because of divisions caused by the series of civil wars between the 1970s and 1990s. Why are there so many unexploded bombs and minefields in Cambodia?Cambodia is known for being the site of U.S. bomb droppings during the Vietnam War and for the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime, which also planted land mines from 1975 to 1979. Today a majority of Cambodia's population is age 35 or younger, which means most of the population has grown up since the Khmer Rouge regime ended in 1979. This statistic fails to take into account the uneven distribution of the regime's end in the country as fighting continued in the northwest of the country where the Vietnamese and their Cambodian allies fought to keep the Khmer Rouge army out of the country. Most of the land mines in Cambodia were planted between 1985 and 1989, when the Vietnamese-allied government installed a "bamboo curtain" against the invading Thai and Khmer Rouge along the Thai-Cambodia border in the northwest. This area, called the K5 belt, remains the most densely land-mine-contaminated region of the world, a 1,046-kilometer (650-mile) strip of land with "up to 2,400 mines per linear kilometer." Cambodia's problem of millions of undetonated land mines makes it the country with the highest population of amputees in the world. On average it has 100 land mine accidents per year. Why are the military and other de-mining organizations viewed with suspicion by the locals?Land mine clearance requires a huge amount of military infrastructure. Decontamination, which is the term used for removal of land mines, depends on the same military skill sets that contamination depends on. So people who are de-miners are often soldiers or former combatants in Cambodia, and the divisions from the civil war still run deep. The largest de-mining organization in the country is part of the military branch of government. The current Cambodian state has been running operations to clear the land mines since the 1990s, but the state is also rumored to grab village lands, disappear people who disagree with the ruling party, and quell legitimate protests, so de-miners carry a stigma of military corruption. After war and mass atrocity, the state loses legitimacy. And so what happens is the villagers distrust even peacekeeping efforts, so even efforts to decontaminate the country result in a kind of mistrust. When you distrust the state, you need to build state legitimacy, and de-mining offers a real opportunity for states to do so. They can rehabilitate soldiers and build relationships between villagers and soldiers. But in Cambodia, I heard from villagers that they distrusted the de-miners and found them untrustworthy. They didn't think that their land would be returned to them when the land mines were cleared, which causes some problems when it comes to information about where the land mines are. How does mine clearing with rats work?Rats are being used in de-mining because of their incredible sense of smell, relatively low cost of maintenance and ease of transport. Just like dogs, they don't detect any false positives, as a metal detector would.In the minefield, the rat is connected to two de-miners who walk on cleared corridors with the decontaminated area in between them. The de-miners step down the field in unison as the rat sniffs for mines in the pit, scratching twice when it smells TNT. Then the de-miner maps the location, and clicks a clicker, telling the rat it can go get its reward, a delicious banana. The rats don't get blown up by the mines because they're so light. The rats each weigh 1 to 3 pounds, so they are weightless to a land mine, which usually requires a minimum of 11 to 35.3 pounds of pressure to activate. How did the introduction of rats to de-mining change how it is viewed in Cambodia?Rats have successfully been used to decontaminate Mozambique in Africa, and as for their import into Cambodia, the success story really lies in the fact that the organizations using them have been able to obtain donations and become independent so that they can work on demilitarizing the de-mining industry.Rats don't fit in with the military aesthetic of de-mining, unlike dogs, which are military aid animals and have been used within militaries for centuries. The image of a soldier proudly standing next to his dog is very different from a soldier cradling a small rat in his arms. So when the villagers first saw the rat, they were a little bit puzzled, but I actually think the rat humanized the de-miners in a way that demilitarized them. When they see the rat with a soldier, it's more of this kind of absurdity. So it make them pause and think, "OK, what is a rat doing there?" Villagers have said in interviews that they wondered about it and it made them take a second glance. It undermines the kind of villainous characterization of the de-miners for the villagers. APOPO, an organization that uses the rats in de-mining, posts publicity photos where the rats snuggle with their handlers. Since then the land mine detection dog organizations have started posting photos of their dogs being playful, and pictures of the puppies. So there is an effect which pervades other organizations, and demilitarization is seen as something to be valued, even in a highly militarized industry. These are opportunities for demilitarization of de-mining for the country itself, for the state and for people's trust in authorities.This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Darcie DeAngelo, Binghamton University, State University of New York.Read more: * Rise of the super rat: rodents detect landmines, sniff out TB, find disaster victims * Cambodia has come a long way in 25 years of peace – but it's far from perfectDarcie DeAngelo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
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| Republican Party is now more illiberal and resembles authoritarian parties in India, Hungary and Turkey, study says Posted: 26 Oct 2020 06:35 AM PDT  Study highlights 'global trend' in ruling parties in major democracies becoming more illiberal
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| Mexico seizes industrial-scale meth, fentanyl lab in capital Posted: 25 Oct 2020 03:24 PM PDT |
| Cameroon: Children killed in attack on school in Kumba Posted: 24 Oct 2020 12:13 PM PDT  Officials have blamed Anglophone secessionists for the attack on a private school in a restive region.
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| More mass testing in China after 137 virus cases in Xinjiang Posted: 25 Oct 2020 09:40 AM PDT  Chinese officials were racing Sunday to smother a fresh coronavirus outbreak in the country's far northwest after 137 new infections were discovered.
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| Russia proposes new missile verification regime with U.S. after demise of treaty Posted: 26 Oct 2020 02:29 AM PDT  The Kremlin on Monday proposed that Russia and the United States agree not to deploy certain land-based missiles in Europe and introduce mutual verification measures to build trust following the demise of the INF nuclear arms control treaty. The United States withdrew from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty last year, accusing Moscow of violating it, a charge denied by the Kremlin. Global nuclear arms control architecture has come under further strain since then as the former Cold War foes have been unable to agree on a replacement to New START, another major arms control pact that is due to expire in February 2021.
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| Party chair insists Republicans will hold Senate after Trump voices doubt Posted: 25 Oct 2020 08:50 AM PDT  * Trump tells GOP donors holding Senate will be 'tough' – report * How ending Obamacare would kill Fauci plan to conquer HIVAfter Donald Trump reportedly told donors it would be "tough" for Republicans to hold the Senate, and said he could not and did not want to help some senators, the party chair, Ronna McDaniel, insisted the Senate would stay in GOP hands, saying: "I don't see these senators distancing themselves from the president."In fact, as the party faces strong headwinds at the polls, senators including Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Martha McSally of Arizona and John Cornyn of Texas have sought to put daylight between themselves and Trump.Sasse predicted a "Senate bloodbath" and criticised Trump's views and behaviour. McSally dodged opportunities to express support in a debate. Cornyn sought to portray himself as an independent thinker on policy.Sasse is a shoo-in for re-election but McSally and Cornyn are in tight races."You know I don't see these senators distancing themselves from the president," McDaniel insisted on Fox News Sunday, before admitting: "I mean Ben Sasse is an exception, obviously."Asked about McSally's answers to the question "Are you proud of your support for President Trump?" – repeating that she was "proud to be fighting for Arizona every single day" – McDaniel said: "She's going to rallies with him and she's all over the state with him. Martha McSally supports the president."According to FiveThirtyEight.com, while Trump trails Joe Biden by 2.6 points in Arizona, McSally is struggling in her battle with Mark Kelly, a former astronaut now a campaigner for gun control reform.Other Republicans facing tough fights include Cory Gardner in Colorado, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler in Georgia, Thom Tillis in North Carolina, Lindsey Graham in South Carolina, Susan Collins in Maine and Joni Ernst in Iowa.Most forecasters give Democrats a good chance of retaking the Senate, which Republicans hold 53-47. Trump insisted again on Sunday that his party could take back the House but that seems unlikely, Democratic control firm enough that the speaker, Nancy Pelosi, barely created a ripple with her confirmation to CNN's State of the Union that at the age of 80 she will seek to stay in the role.Corey Lewandowski, a Trump adviser, played down the president's comments about the House but told NBC's Meet the Press he had been "out aggressively campaigning for members of the US Senate" and had "asked his surrogates, including me, to go out and help".Trump's comments, to donors in Nashville, Tennessee before this week's debate with Biden, were reported by the Washington Post."I think the Senate is tough actually," he said. "The Senate is very tough."He also said: "There are a couple senators I can't really get involved in. I just can't do it. You lose your soul if you do. I can't help some of them. I don't want to help some of them."McDaniel said Trump "has done more for the senators with what he's done with helping the Win Red platform, with small-dollar online fundraising, with the ground game the RNC has put in place and all of these states. We want to keep the Senate."Lewandowski said the president had "helped raise money. He's got a great partnership with Senate leader Mitch McConnell. They've raised money together, and we feel very, very strongly that we're going to retain our majority in the US Senate."Frustrated by McConnell's rush to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the supreme court, Democrats are considering structural reform to both the court and the Senate.McDaniel said: "Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are not hiding the fact they want to get rid of the filibuster" – the 60-vote threshold for new legislation – "and they want to fundamentally change the third branch of government [the court]."This is a tight race, we know this, but the trend lines are good in these states. You're seeing McSally gain momentum. You also didn't mention candidates like John James [Michigan] and Jason Lewis [Minnesota], who are in competitive races against Democrat incumbents."So we're gonna keep the Senate, we're working hard to do that."
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| Pence urged to skip Barrett vote after aides test positive for COVID-19 Posted: 26 Oct 2020 05:50 AM PDT  A deeply torn Senate is set to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, but Democratic leaders are asking Vice President Mike Pence to stay away from presiding over Monday's session due to potential health risks after his aides tested positive for COVID-19.
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| Hundreds of thousands lose power as Northern California braces for more wildfires Posted: 25 Oct 2020 07:18 PM PDT  "This is the fire weather forecast I was hoping wouldn't come to pass," a climate scientist said.
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| Ocasio-Cortez Declines to Promise Support for Pelosi as Speaker, Will Back ‘Most Progressive Candidate’ Posted: 25 Oct 2020 11:02 AM PDT  Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday hedged on whether she would support Nancy Pelosi as House speaker again, saying she will support the "most progressive" candidate."If Speaker Pelosi runs again, as she just indicated she will if the Democrats keep the House, will you support her?" CNN's Jake Tapper asked the freshman congresswoman during an interview on CNN."Again, I want to make sure that we win the House. I do believe that we will, but it's critically important that we are supporting Democrats in tight swing races, making sure that not only all of them come back but that we grow our majority. I believe that we have to see those races as they come, see what candidates are there," Ocasio-Cortez responded."I am committed to making sure that we have the most progressive candidate there. But, if Speaker Pelosi is that most progressive candidate, then I will be supporting her," she concluded.The New York progressive's remarks came just moments after Pelosi confirmed on CNN that she intends to run for speaker of the House should Democrats retain their majority in the chamber.Last year, Pelosi clashed with Ocasio-Cortez and three other freshmen progressive congresswomen after the four voted against an emergency border-aid bill brought to the floor by leadership, saying they wanted to see more protections for migrants in the measure."All these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world," Pelosi said after the bill passed in July last year. "But they didn't have any following. They're four people, and that's how many votes they got."Ocasio-Cortez then took issue with Pelosi's minimizing the influence of the four representatives."It got to a point where it was just outright disrespectful," she said at the time. "The explicit singling out of newly elected women of color."However, the two had an amicable meeting and united shortly afterwards on a resolution condemning President Trump's remarks about the congresswomen as racist.
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| Atlanta rapper Silento charged with driving 143 mph on I-85 Posted: 25 Oct 2020 08:26 PM PDT  Atlanta rapper Silento was arrested Friday and accused of driving 143 mph (230 kph) on Interstate 85, authorities said. Silento, or Richard "Ricky" Lamar Hawk, was charged with reckless driving, speeding, failure to maintain lane and improper stopping, news outlets reported. A DeKalb police report said Hawk was pulled over around 3 a.m. after an officer witnessed Hawk's white BMW swerving around slower cars.
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| Spain declares state of emergency over coronavirus as Italy closes cinemas, theatres and gyms Posted: 25 Oct 2020 09:16 AM PDT  Pedro Sánchez, the prime minister of Spain, declared a state of emergency and imposed a nationwide curfew on Sunday, as Italy closed down event halls and Bulgaria's leader tested positive for coronavirus. Under Spain's state of emergency, which was due to come into force on Sunday, citizens must remain inside their homes between 11pm and 6am unless they have a valid reason, such as work or other essential activities. Regional governments have been allowed to adjust the timing of the start and end of the curfew by one hour, while the Canary Islands have been exempted from the curfew altogether. After Spain recorded 110,000 new cases last week, passing a milestone of one million cases, Mr Sánchez said the situation was "extreme", and urged citizens to "stay at home wherever possible". The state of emergency also allows regional governments to apply a "rule-of-six" limit on social gatherings and seal their borders against non-essential entry or exit, as well as place districts or cities under perimeter lockdowns. Mr Sánchez said he wants parliament to approve the state of emergency for six months, until 9 May. "Experts estimate that is the time we need to overcome the most destructive phase of the pandemic. The cost in terms of lives must be as low as possible," he said. It came as Italy announced it would close cinemas, theatres, gyms and swimming pools, while restaurants and bars were told to shut at 6pm, in a fresh round of tough restrictions. The new rules, which come into force on Monday, were imposed after 20,000 cases of coronavirus were recorded on Saturday. Giuseppe Conte, the Italian prime minister, has stopped short of a full nationwide lockdown as the country's economy was severely damaged by a ten-week lockdown imposed earlier in the pandemic. "Our aim is to protect health and the economy," Mr Conte said.
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| Covid in Australia: Melbourne to exit 112-day lockdown Posted: 26 Oct 2020 12:39 AM PDT  Locals in Australia's second-biggest city have spent more than 100 days in a strict lockdown.
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| UK 'SBS' special forces storm tanker and detain stowaways in Channel Posted: 25 Oct 2020 07:50 AM PDT  Troops from the Special Boat Service, a navy special forces unit whose headquarters in just a few miles away from where the vessel began showing signs of distress, boarded the Nave Andromeda near the Isle of Wight off southern England. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Home Secretary Priti Patel authorised the armed forces to board the ship "to safeguard life and secure a ship that was subject to suspected hijacking", the defence ministry said. The defence ministry declined to confirm or deny the involvement of the SBS - in line with British government policy of not commenting on special forces operations.
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| NYPD officers appeared to break protocol by broadcasting 'Trump 2020' over speakers from their patrol cars Posted: 25 Oct 2020 09:16 AM PDT  Videos show at least 3 NYPD officers blaring "Trump 2020" in Brooklyn, breaking protocol prohibiting them from endorsing candidates while on duty or in uniform.
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| Nigeria clashes trigger global movement against police brutality Posted: 24 Oct 2020 12:36 PM PDT  More than two weeks ago, tens of thousands of Nigerians began demanding the disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a controversial police unit known as SARS.
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| The spooky and dangerous side of black licorice Posted: 26 Oct 2020 05:00 AM PDT  Black licorice may look and taste like an innocent treat, but this candy has a dark side. On Sept. 23, 2020, it was reported that black licorice was the culprit in the death of a 54-year-old man in Massachusetts. How could this be? Overdosing on licorice sounds more like a twisted tale than a plausible fact.I have a longstanding interest in how chemicals in our food and the environment affect our body and mind. When something seemingly harmless like licorice is implicated in a death, we are reminded of the famous proclamation by Swiss physician Paracelsus, the Father of Toxicology: "All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; the dosage alone makes it so a thing is not a poison."I am a professor in the department of pharmacology and toxicology and author of the book "Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are." The root of the problemThe unfortunate man who recently succumbed to excessive black licorice consumption is not alone. There are a smattering of similar case reports in medical journals, in which patients experience hypertension crisis, muscle breakdown or even death. Adverse reactions are most frequently seen in people over the age of 40 who are eating far more black licorice than the average person. In addition, they are usually consuming the product for prolonged periods of time. In the most recent case, the Massachusetts man had been eating a bag and a half of black licorice every day for three weeks.Licorice is a flowering plant native to parts of Europe and Asia. Its scientific name, Glycyrrhiza, is derived from the Greek words "glykos" (sweet) and "rhiza" (root). The aromatic and sweet extract from its root has long been used as an herbal remedy for a wide variety of health maladies, from heartburn and stomach issues to sore throats and cough. However, there is insufficient evidence to support that licorice is effective in treating any medical condition.Glycyrrhizin (also called glycyrrhizic acid) is the chemical in black licorice that gives the candy its signature flavor, but it also leads to its toxic effects. Glycyrrhizin mimics the hormone aldosterone, which is made by the adrenal glands when the body needs to retain sodium and excrete potassium. Sodium and potassium work together as a kind of cellular battery that drives communication between nerves and the contraction of muscles. Too much glycyrrhizin upsets the balance of these electrolytes, which can raise blood pressure and disturb the heart's rhythm. Other symptoms of excessive licorice intake include swelling, muscle pain, numbness and headache. Examination of the man who died from consuming too much licorice revealed that he had dangerously low levels of potassium, consistent with glycyrrhizin toxicity.It should be noted that a number of licorice-based foods do not contain real licorice, but use a flavoring substitute called anise oil, which does not pose the dangers discussed here. In addition, despite its name, red licorice rarely contains licorice extract. Instead, red licorice is infused with chemicals that impart its cherry or strawberry flavor.Products that contain real licorice are usually labeled as such, and list licorice extract or glycyrrhizic acid among the ingredients. Be advised that some products, such as black jelly beans or Good & Plenty, are mixtures of different candies that contain both anise oil and licorice extract. Hidden dangers that increase riskGlycyrrhizin has the distinct licorice flavor and is 50 times sweeter than sugar and has been used in other types of candy, soft drinks, tea, Belgian beers, throat lozenges and tobacco. This can make it challenging to keep track of how much glycyrrhizin has been consumed, and a combination of these products could trigger adverse effects.Some people take dietary or health supplements that already contain licorice, which increases the risk of toxic effects from eating black licorice candy. Certain medications such as hydrochlorothiazide are diuretics that cause increased urination, which can lower potassium levels in the body. Glycyrrhizin also lowers potassium levels, further disrupting the balance of electrolytes, which can produce muscle cramps and irregular heart rhythms.People with certain preexisting conditions are more susceptible to black licorice overdose. For example, patients who already have low potassium levels (hypokalemia), high blood pressure or heart arrhythmia are likely to have greater sensitivity to the effects of excessive licorice. Those with liver or kidney deficiencies will also retain glycyrrhizin in their bloodstream for longer times, increasing their risk of experiencing its adverse effects. What to do?If you're a fan of black licorice, there is no need to ban it from your pantry. Eaten in small quantities from time to time, licorice poses no significant threat to otherwise healthy adults and children. But it is advisable to monitor your intake.[Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversation's newsletter.]With Halloween approaching, be sure to remind your kids that candy is a "sometimes food," especially the black licorice. The FDA has issued warnings about the rare but serious effects of too much black licorice, advising that people avoid eating more than two ounces of black licorice a day for two weeks or longer. The agency states that if you have been eating a lot of black licorice and experience an irregular heart rhythm or muscle weakness, stop eating it immediately and contact your health care provider.Some scientists have further cautioned against the routine use of licorice in the form of a dietary supplement or tea for its alleged health benefits. A review article from 2012 warned that "the daily consumption of licorice is never justified because its benefits are minor compared to the adverse outcomes of chronic consumption."This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Bill Sullivan, Indiana University.Read more: * Do we have to toss Halloween out the window this year, too? Public health experts give some guidelines * Half a billion on Halloween pet costumes is latest sign of America's out-of-control consumerismBill Sullivan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
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| Egypt just unveiled the first restaurant at the Great Pyramids ever as it doubles down on tourism to lure travelers back Posted: 25 Oct 2020 05:34 AM PDT  The new restaurant sits on a 14,434-square foot plot of land with views of the Great Pyramids of Giza.
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| Woman shot to death in a Chuck E. Cheese that was ‘full of families,’ Iowa cops say Posted: 26 Oct 2020 06:36 AM PDT  The alleged shooter fled the restaurant before police arrived.
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| France may be at 100,000 virus cases daily as Molotov cocktails thrown at German public health agency Posted: 26 Oct 2020 05:22 AM PDT  Pressure in France for local lockdowns is increasing after the government's chief scientific advisor estimated that the country is seeing 100,000 new coronavirus cases every day. On Sunday, 52,000 new Covid-19 infections were reported in France, another daily record - but yesterday Jean-François Delfraissy, the government's chief scientific advisor, said the true figure was probably twice as high. Dr Delfraissy joined other senior doctors in urging the government to introduce local lockdowns or a weekend lockdown that would effectively extend the current 9pm curfew in force in much of the country to weekends in order to limit social contacts.
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| Chicago Public Schools Says Teachers Union ‘Refuses to Even Discuss’ Returning to In-Person Classes Posted: 26 Oct 2020 07:53 AM PDT  Chicago Public Schools on Friday pushed back against the Chicago Teachers Union, which filed an unfair labor practice charge last week accusing the city's school district of illegally refusing to negotiate with the union on how to safely resume in-person classes amid health concerns.The union has "refused to even discuss" returning to in-person classes, school district spokeswoman Emily Bolton said in a statement."We are disheartened that CTU continues to obstruct and mislead the public about the necessary planning measures needed to prepare for a potential return to safe in-person learning," Bolton said. "While the district is doing everything in its power to plan for all possible scenarios, the CTU refuses to even discuss a return to in-person learning, even as hundreds of private schools in Chicago are open."Chicago's public schools are scheduled to start in-person classes in phases for pre-K students and some special education students during the school year's second quarter, which begins in two weeks on November 9."We don't know what the health situation will be in a couple of weeks' time, but it would be irresponsible not to plan ahead while thousands of students miss out on valuable learning," Bolton added.However, CTU has accused the city's public school district of violating the union's collective bargaining agreement by neglecting to negotiate the start of in-person learning."We all want to return to our students. We don't want to die doing our jobs, and we don't want to be vectors for spreading illness or death to our students and their families," CTU vice president Stacy Davis Gates said in a statement. "Yet the mayor and CPS simply refuse to lay out and discuss their plan for returning to classrooms, when we know from their own facilities records that these buildings aren't safe."The union has demanded that its certified industrial hygienists be allowed to inspect school air quality in the district's buildings. CPS meanwhile has said it has hired state-certified environmental hygienists to perform inspections, the results of which the district says it will release to the public before schools are opened. The district argued that CTU does not have any legal or contractual right to demand its own inspection.Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations have increased in the Chicago area, the city's positivity rate ticking up to 7.5 percent over the last week.Last week, Chicago ordered all non-essential businesses to close at 10 p.m., and more restrictions could be set in motion if cases of the virus continue to rise.
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| Ex-CIA Director Brennan: 'Outrageous' for Trump to talk of inviting Saudi crown prince to D.C. Posted: 24 Oct 2020 12:58 PM PDT 
On the Yahoo News "Skullduggery" podcast, former CIA Director John Brennan said it is "outrageous" for President Trump to talk about inviting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington.
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| Trump asks Supreme Court to block deadline extension for North Carolina ballot Posted: 25 Oct 2020 01:47 PM PDT  President Donald Trump's campaign again asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Sunday to block North Carolina's plan for counting absentee ballots that arrive after the Nov. 3 Election Day, the latest legal tussle in a wide-ranging fight over mail-in voting. The campaign initially filed the application on Thursday after a U.S. federal appeals court decision last week left in place North Carolina's plan, dealing a setback to Trump's re-election campaign. In a 12-3 decision, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last Tuesday denied a bid to halt the North Carolina State Board of Elections from tallying ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 that arrive before Nov. 12.
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| 7 held for suspected tanker hijack after UK commando raid Posted: 26 Oct 2020 02:25 AM PDT  Seven stowaways seized when British naval special forces stormed an oil tanker in the English Channel have been arrested on suspicion of hijacking, police said Monday. Hampshire Police said the men, believed to be from Nigeria, were being held at several police stations on suspicion of "seizing or exercising control of a ship by use of threats or force." Special Boat Service commandos were lowered by rope from helicopters onto the tanker, whose crew had locked themselves in a secure part of the ship known as the citadel.
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| Russia strikes kill 78 Turkey-backed rebels in Syria: monitor Posted: 26 Oct 2020 08:07 AM PDT  Air strikes by Damascus regime ally Russia killed 78 Turkey-backed rebels in northwestern Syria on Monday, a monitor said, in the bloodiest surge in violence since a truce almost eight months ago.
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| Snow due to hit Colorado wildfire areas Posted: 24 Oct 2020 03:07 PM PDT  "We don't anticipate it will be a season-ending event, but we do believe it will help us a great bit," said a fire incident spokesman.
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| Alzheimer's disease study by IBM cites language as an early sign of disease Posted: 25 Oct 2020 12:22 PM PDT |
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