2020年9月8日星期二

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Yahoo! News: Brazil


Trump is angry that Twitter won't remove a crudely edited 'Moscow Mitch' meme poking fun at McConnell

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 08:20 AM PDT

Trump is angry that Twitter won't remove a crudely edited 'Moscow Mitch' meme poking fun at McConnellWhile Twitter's rules prohibit content that's shared with the intent to deceive people, satire and memes are generally allowed on the platform.


Raging wildfires destroy Washington town, roar through California, Oregon

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 11:46 AM PDT

Raging wildfires destroy Washington town, roar through California, OregonFirefighters and emergency responders searched on Tuesday for residents of tiny Malden, about 300 miles (480 km) east of Seattle, a day after a firestorm destroyed 80% of its homes, along with the fire station, post office, city hall and library. "The scale of this disaster really can't be expressed in words," said Brett Myers, sheriff of Whitman County, where the town of 200-300 people is located.


‘Cult’ booted from Hawaii island following protests over cultural appropriation

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 11:55 AM PDT

'Cult' booted from Hawaii island following protests over cultural appropriationGroup previously forced to leave Kauai for own safety


$300,000 raised for salon owner accused of "setting up" Pelosi

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 09:29 AM PDT

$300,000 raised for salon owner accused of "setting up" PelosiSalon owner Erica Kious received support after saying she is thinking of relocating her business due to threats following the viral video.


Georgia to investigate 1,000 alleged cases of double voting in primary

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 10:55 AM PDT

Georgia to investigate 1,000 alleged cases of double voting in primaryGeorgia's top election official said Tuesday that his office has identified about 1,000 cases of double voting in the June primary election — a felony he's determined to see prosecuted.


Police chief stabbed in face with ice pick after answering his door, SC cops say

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 12:25 PM PDT

Police chief stabbed in face with ice pick after answering his door, SC cops sayThe suspect is accused of saying the chief was "going to die."


Tuscaloosa Mayor Reopens College Bars as COVID-19 Skyrockets at University of Alabama

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 09:37 AM PDT

Tuscaloosa Mayor Reopens College Bars as COVID-19 Skyrockets at University of AlabamaThe mayor of Tuscaloosa is letting bars near the University of Alabama reopen on Tuesday, even though the school just reported more than 800 new cases.In a press release, Mayor Walt Maddox citied a "positive trend" in results, saying an overall decline in community positivity rates "provides an opportunity for a limited reopening of bars which have sacrificed a great deal to protect our healthcare system and economy." At the same time, the university reported 846 new cases over the last week—the largest increase in a single week since classes began.Maddox shut down all bars in the area for two weeks in late August, after more than 500 University of Alabama students tested positive in the first five days back on campus. The latest tally shows an increase in average daily cases from that first report, though a slight decline from a truncated, three-day report the week before. The university boasted about the trend in a press release, with Dean of the College of Community Health Sciences Richard Friend claiming it "shows that the UA System Health & Safety Plan is working."University of Alabama to Profs: Don't Tell Students About COVID-Infected ClassmatesThe release pointed out that only 65 students had tested positive the day before. But even Friend noted that they had yet to see the full benefits of bars being shuttered in the area, saying that they were only "starting to see the results of those decisions."Even some students were outraged with the decision. One who identifies himself as a freshman at the university tweeted that the mayor was making a "huge mistake" and that the decision made him feel less safe on campus."Cases aren't going down. They are skyrocketing," he wrote. "Why are our politicians constantly failing to do the right thing? I just don't get it."Maddox initially ordered bars shut down and bar service suspended at restaurants for two weeks on Aug. 24, after photos of coeds flocking to local bars, maskless and packed together, surfaced on social media. The university also suspended all social gatherings on or off campus, and instituted a 14-day moratorium on student events outside of classes."The ever-increasing number cases of coronavirus on campus will create two major disruptions for the city of Tuscaloosa if left unabated," Maddox said at the time, citing disruptions to the economy and the health care system. "I know this is not easy. I know the coronavirus has taken so much but we must finish the job."His updated order issued Friday allows lounge establishments to operate at 50 percent capacity if they do not exceed 100 people and also allows other establishments to serve alcohol only to seated customers.The mayor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.


Nebraska police officer dies 2 weeks after he was shot

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 08:43 AM PDT

Nebraska police officer dies 2 weeks after he was shotA Nebraska police officer who was shot two weeks ago while attempting to arrest a 17-year-old on an assault charge died Monday, authorities said. Luis "Mario" Herrera, a 23-year veteran of the Lincoln Police Department, was shot while serving a warrant Aug. 26, The Lincoln Journal Star reported. "Sadness does not begin to describe fully our community's sense of loss with the passing of Investigator Mario Herrera," Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird said in a brief statement.


A French man chased a fly around with an electric swatter and accidentally blew up his own house

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 08:16 AM PDT

A French man chased a fly around with an electric swatter and accidentally blew up his own houseThe man, in his 80s, was slightly burned and his home is uninhabitable. The fate of the fly is unknown.


Belarus opposition figure 'tore passport to pieces' to avoid expulsion

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 12:30 PM PDT

Belarus opposition figure 'tore passport to pieces' to avoid expulsionAuthorities in Belarus tried to forcibly expel leading opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova from the country but she tore up her passport in defiance and jumped out a car window to stay, her allies said Tuesday.


Tropical trouble for the Carolinas? Forecasters eye system in the Atlantic

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 02:07 PM PDT

Tropical trouble for the Carolinas? Forecasters eye system in the AtlanticA tropical disturbance about 300 miles southwest of Bermuda could become a tropical depression as it moves northwest over the Atlantic this week.


Palestinians set to soften stance on UAE-Israel normalisation: draft statement

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 08:22 AM PDT

Palestinians set to soften stance on UAE-Israel normalisation: draft statementThe Palestinian leadership has watered down its criticism of the normalisation deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates before an Arab League meeting in Cairo on Wednesday at which the accord will be debated. A draft resolution presented by the Palestinian envoy, a copy of which was seen by Reuters, does not include a call to condemn, or act against, the Emirates over the U.S.-brokered deal. Announced on Aug. 13, the accord was the first such accommodation between an Arab country and Israel in more than 20 years, and was forged largely through shared fears of Iran.


Wreckage of sunken WWII battleship found off Norway

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 04:48 AM PDT

Wreckage of sunken WWII battleship found off NorwayThe 571-foot Karlsruhe led the attack on Kristiansand during the invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940.


Biden calls Trump 'downright un-American' and Trump says Biden is 'stupid' as presidential campaign enters its last leg

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 11:52 PM PDT

Biden calls Trump 'downright un-American' and Trump says Biden is 'stupid' as presidential campaign enters its last legPresident Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden two took rhetorical swipes at each other Monday as the campaign entered its homestretch.


Catholic priest says Democrats are going to hell — and Texas bishop backs him up

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 09:20 AM PDT

Catholic priest says Democrats are going to hell — and Texas bishop backs him up"Repent of your support of that party and its platform or face the fires of hell," the priest said.


Last two journalists working for Australian media leave China

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 05:36 PM PDT

Last two journalists working for Australian media leave ChinaThe last two journalists working for Australian media in China have left the country after police demanded interviews with them, the Australian government and Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported on Tuesday. ABC's Bill Birtles and The Australian Financial Review's Michael Smith landed in Sydney after flying from Shanghai on Monday night, ABC reported. Both had sheltered in Australian diplomatic compounds in recent days. The journalists left after Australia revealed last week that Australian citizen Cheng Lei, business news anchor for CGTN, China's English-language state media channel, had been detained. Australian embassy officials in Beijing told Birtles last week that he should leave China, ABC reported. Birtles was due to depart Beijing on Thursday and was holding a farewell party on Wednesday when seven police officers arrived at his apartment and told him he was banned from leaving the country, ABC said. Birtles was told he would be contacted on Thursday to organise a time to be questioned about a "national security case", ABC said. Birtles went to the Australian embassy where he spent four days while Australian and Chinese officials negotiated. Birtles agreed to given police a brief interview in return for being allowed to leave the country. Smith had similarly holed up at the Australian consulate in Shanghai. Foreign Minister Marise Payne confirmed that her government had provided consular support to the two journalists to assist their return to Australia. "Our embassy in Beijing and Consulate-General in Shanghai engaged with Chinese government authorities to ensure their wellbeing and return to Australia," she said. Australia's travel warning of the risk of arbitrary detention in China "remains appropriate and unchanged," she added. ABC news director Gaven Morris said Birtles was brought back to Australia on the Australian government's advice. "This bureau is a vital part of the ABC's international newsgathering effort and we aim to get back there as soon as possible," Morris said. "The story of China, its relationship with Australia and its role in our region and in the world is one of great importance for all Australians and we want to continue having our people on the ground to cover it," he added. The newspaper's editor-in-chief Michael Stutchbury and editor Paul Bailey described the situation as "disturbing". "This incident targeting two journalists, who were going about their normal reporting duties, is both regrettable and disturbing and is not in the interests of a co-operative relationship between Australia and China," they said in a statement. Relations between China and Australia were already strained by Australia outlawing covert interference in politics and banning communications giant Huawei from supplying critical infrastructure. They have worsened since the Australian government called for an independent inquiry into the origins of and international responses to the coronavirus pandemic. Birtles told reporters at Sydney airport that his departure was a "whirlwind and ... not a particularly good experience". "It's very disappointing to have to leave under those circumstances and it's a relief to be back in a c country with genuine rule of law," Birtles said. Smith told his newspaper: "The late-night visit by police at my home was intimidating and unnecessary and highlights the pressure all foreign journalists are under in China right now." Smith said at the airport he had felt "a little bit" threatened in China. "It's so good to be home, so happy, I can't say any more at the moment, it's such a relief to be home, so really happy," Smith said. "It was a complicated experience but it's great to be here," he added.


7 killings investigated at illegal pot grow in California

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 08:03 AM PDT

7 killings investigated at illegal pot grow in CaliforniaDetectives on Tuesday investigated what prompted the Labor Day killings of seven people at an illegal marijuana growing operation in a small, rural Southern California community known for horse ranches and plant nurseries along dirt roads. The fatal shootings in Aguanga, north of San Diego, represent the latest flashpoint in the violence that often permeates California's illegal marijuana market. The state broadly legalized recreational marijuana sales in January 2018 but the illicit market is thriving — in part because hefty legal marijuana taxes send consumers looking for better deals in the illegal economy.


Colorado school officials called the sheriff and suspended a 12-year-old Black boy after he showed a toy gun in his Zoom class

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 05:12 AM PDT

Colorado school officials called the sheriff and suspended a 12-year-old Black boy after he showed a toy gun in his Zoom classIsaiah Elliott's parents say the school went straight to the sheriff's office before asking them if the "Zombie Hunter" gun was real or fake.


Hospital: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is out of a medically induced coma

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 06:30 PM PDT

Hospital: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is out of a medically induced comaAfter being placed in a medically induced coma, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is "being weaned off mechanical ventilation" and is "responding to verbal stimuli," Berlin's Charité Hospital announced on Monday.Last week, the German government said tests showed "unequivocal evidence" that a "chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group" was used to poison Navalny, a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Charité Hospital said it "remains too early to gauge the potential long-term effects" of Navalny's "severe poisoning."Navalny became sick on Aug. 20 while on a flight from the Siberian city of Tomsk to Moscow. Before being flown to Berlin, Navalny was treated by Russian doctors who claimed he was not poisoned. The Kremlin has denied playing any role in the incident.In 2018, a Novichok nerve agent was used to poison Sergei Skripal, a former Russian spy living in England, and his daughter. These chemical weapons were first developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and few scientists outside of Russia have much experience working with them, CNN reports.More stories from theweek.com Senate Republicans are apparently struggling to find 51 GOP votes for a COVID-19 relief bill Are the troops turning on Trump? Keeping Up With the Kardashians to end after Season 20


At least 11 dead in massacres in Colombia

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 08:02 PM PDT

At least 11 dead in massacres in ColombiaAt least 11 people were killed in three separate group killings in Colombia, police said Monday, one of the deadliest days since FARC guerrillas signed a peace accord with the government in 2016.


Philippine president pardons U.S. Marine jailed for transgender killing

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 06:13 AM PDT

Philippine president pardons U.S. Marine jailed for transgender killingPhilippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday pardoned a United States Marine convicted of killing a transgender woman in the country nearly six years ago, sparking condemnation from activists who described the move as a "mockery of justice". Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton was jailed in 2015 for killing Jennifer Laude near a former U.S. navy base. A trial court signed off on his early release last week for good conduct, but was blocked by an appeal from Laude's lawyers.


Trump is a looming presence over congressional race, strategists say

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 06:54 AM PDT

Trump is a looming presence over congressional race, strategists sayThe campaign to win control of Congress is turning into a referendum on President Trump. While Republicans are hitching their fortunes to their party's leader, Democrats are positioning themselves as a bulwark against him.


Officer shoots 13-year-old boy with autism after mom calls 911 for help, Utah cops say

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 08:17 AM PDT

Officer shoots 13-year-old boy with autism after mom calls 911 for help, Utah cops say"He's a small child. Why didn't you just tackle him?"


Thousands of Burning Man fans violated social distancing laws to hold their own festivals in the Nevada desert and on California beaches

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 12:09 PM PDT

Thousands of Burning Man fans violated social distancing laws to hold their own festivals in the Nevada desert and on California beachesSan Francisco Mayor London Breed called those gathering on beaches "reckless" and "selfish" for violating social distancing guidelines.


Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe faces new charge while on temporary release says Iran state media

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 05:31 AM PDT

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe faces new charge while on temporary release says Iran state mediaAn Iranian court issued a new unspecified charge against British aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on Tuesday, Iranian state media reported. The British-Iranian dual national has been detained in Tehran since 2016 on sedition charges, but was temporarily released from Evin Prison prison in March amid the coronavirus outbreak after serving nearly all of her five-year sentence. She is barred from leaving the country. "The branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary court summoned Nazanin Zaghari and her designated lawyer this morning and informed her of a new indictment," an unnamed official told the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) news website. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested during a holiday in April 2016 and accused of plotting the "soft toppling" of Iran's clerical establishment. Her family and employer deny the accusations against her. They say the 41-year-old from Hampstead, north London, was in Iran with her young daughter Gabriella to visit family. "Our colleague is innocent and remains unlawfully held hostage for crimes she has not committed," said Antonio Zappulla, Thomson Reuters Foundation CEO. "We had desperately hoped there might be an end in sight to her trauma," he said in a statement. "Instead, she now faces a new charge – details of which remain hidden – following a secret appearance at the country's revolutionary court today." Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn Tulip Siddiq tweeted that she had spoken with Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe and could "confirm that she was taken to court this morning and told she will face another trial on Sunday." Her husband Richard Ratcliffe, who has campaigned relentlessly for her release, believes his wife's release is contingent on the UK paying Iran money owed on a cancelled 1970s weapons deal. "The failure to resolve this issue has resulted in Nazanin being taken hostage, and other people being taken hostage," Mr Ratcliffe said in a BBC Panorama documentary broadcast last month. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has acknowledged that he is seeking to pay a debt to the Iranian government, in a letter reported in the Guardian on Friday to lawyers acting for families of dual nationals detained in Iran, including Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe. The debt derives from Chieftain tanks ordered by the shah of Iran. When the Shah was overthrown in 1979, Britain did not deliver the 1,500 tanks to the new Islamic republic nor return the money. International arbitration in 2008 found that the UK owed the debt, thought to be worth about £400m. Neither the UK nor Iran acknowledges a link between the payment of the debt and freeing of British prisoners in Iran. Mr Ratcliffe said last month he feared his wife, who was due for release in March 2021, could face a second trial. "Behind closed doors, they keep saying there's a second court case, they keep talking about running it," he told ITV. Amnesty International condemned the reports of a new charge against Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe. "Nazanin has already been convicted once after a deeply unfair trial, and there should be no question of her being put through that ordeal again," said Kate Allen, the advocacy group's UK director. "As a matter of absolute urgency the UK government should make fresh representations on Nazanin's behalf, seeking to have any suggestion of a second trial removed."


Search for missing livestock ship crew off Japan resumes

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 07:46 PM PDT

Search for missing livestock ship crew off Japan resumesJapanese coast guard ships resumed searching on Tuesday for a livestock ship and its 40 missing crew members off Japan's southern islands after the efforts were suspended due to a typhoon. The Gulf Livestock 1 sent a distress signal early Sept. 2 while it was sailing in stormy conditions in the East China Sea as a typhoon passed the area. Two survivors were rescued and the body of a third crew member was recovered before a second typhoon halted the search.


Mexican president says would extradite predecessor Calderon to U.S.

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 10:06 AM PDT

Mexican president says would extradite predecessor Calderon to U.S.Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he would extradite former President Felipe Calderon to the United States if Washington asked him to, according to an interview published on Tuesday. Responding to a question from newspaper La Jornada, Lopez Obrador, a leftist, did not explain what could prompt such an extradition request for Calderon, a conservative rival whom he accused of robbing him of the presidency in 2006. Calderon governed Mexico from 2006 to 2012 and is arguably best known for launching a military-led crackdown on drug cartels that coincided with a spike in homicides and gang violence.


A Misleading Attempt to Bolster the ‘Mostly Peaceful’ Riots Narrative

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 01:43 PM PDT

A Misleading Attempt to Bolster the 'Mostly Peaceful' Riots NarrativeHas this summer's unrest been "mostly peaceful," as some have claimed? A new study from Roudabeh Kishi and Sam Jones at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) has been trumpeted as sufficient justification for the media's attempt to push this line. Kishi and Jones's partisan framing have doubtlessly contributed to this misunderstanding. "In more than 93 percent of all demonstrations connected to the movement, demonstrators have not engaged in violence or destructive activity," they explain. "Violent demonstrations, meanwhile, have been limited to fewer than 220 locations," they assure us. More remarkable is their assertion that the media is responsible for the public's increasingly negative view of the Black Lives Matter movement. They lament the "disproportionate coverage of violent demonstrations" and dismiss the claim that "antifa is a terrorist organization" as a "mischaracterization." They advise that we not let ourselves be manipulated by "the media focus on looting and vandalism . . .  there is little evidence to suggest that demonstrators have engaged in widespread violence."While Kishi and Jones may be surprised that the media is more inclined to cover violent riots than peaceful protests, the people living and working in the neighborhoods ravaged by those riots do not share their confusion. For widows such as Ann Dorn, whose husband, David, was killed in St. Louis by people attempting to loot a pawn shop he was protecting, it is readily apparent why the violence matters. Nineteen people had already died in riot-related violence two weeks into the protests in early June. For small-business owners already struggling to stay afloat under the pressure of a pandemic, it is similarly self-evident. In a six-day period from May 29 to June 3, rioters were responsible for over $400 million in damage across the country. As of June 9, 450 New York City businesses had been looted or otherwise vandalized. In Minneapolis and St. Paul — where riots first broke out after George Floyd's death — 1,500 businesses have sustained damage. As Brad Polumbo has observed, the socioeconomic shadow cast by that damage will be a long one, as business owners will be loathe to invest in an area in which the government cannot guarantee that their property will be protected. Tragically, because the riots are concentrated in urban settings, they disproportionately take the lives and damage the property of minorities.Yet Kishi and Jones remain sanguine about the role that Black Lives Matter has played in the destruction, and insist that where violence has occurred, it is largely attributable to the far right. As evidence, they cite the fact that a single member of the Hells Angels gang was caught smashing windows in Minneapolis in late May. That behavior is worthy of condemnation and imprisonment, but Kishi and Jones can't help themselves from laying the blame of all of the ensuing violence on this single incident. According to their analysis, those smashed windows "helped spark an outbreak of looting following initially peaceful protests." If a man smiles and shakes your hand before pulling a gun on you, the initial feigned friendliness may not have been genuine. If a man sees smashed windows and thinks, "That looks like fun," he was probably never especially opposed to committing acts of violence.The ACLED researchers further excuse lawlessness in American cities by conveniently ignoring the aforementioned harm caused to blameless families and businesses, asserting that "in many cases" the "violent demonstrations have specifically targeted statues seen to represent the country's legacy of racist violence." Notably, Kishi and Jones draw no distinction between efforts to tear down statues of Confederate leader Jefferson Davis versus those of Christopher Columbus. Moreover, while Rich Lowry has convincingly argued that conservatives should not feel any particular affinity toward Confederate monuments, all Americans should share an attachment to the rule of law.Kishi and Jones's assessment of data also changes depending on if they feel the numbers carry enough water for Black Lives Matter. They dismiss violence in 7 percent of demonstrations as miniscule, yet count a similar proportion of violent incidents inspired by anger at monuments as "very many." Kishi and Jones also express outrage at the fact that there has been "government intervention" in about 9 percent of the demonstrations, "despite the fact that demonstrations associated with the BLM movement have been overwhelmingly peaceful." Per their own analysis, that makes for a difference of only 2 percent between the protests that have turned violent and the ones in which authorities have stepped in.None of this is to say that the many peaceful protesters who have participated in marches around the country have no legitimate grievances, or to call those participants violent criminals. The Republican majority in the Senate has acknowledged issues with our criminal-justice system and proposed legislation to address many of them — legislation blocked by their Democratic colleagues for political purposes. But it is to suggest that that hundreds of violent riots resulting in billions of dollars in damage, lost life, and a fraying social fabric is not an issue to be set aside. And it's also to suggest that the efforts of academics and journalists attempting to set them aside are as transparent as they are egregious.


China passed 'extraordinary' virus test, says bullish Xi

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 01:04 AM PDT

China passed 'extraordinary' virus test, says bullish XiChina has passed "an extraordinary and historic test" with its handling of the coronavirus, President Xi Jinping said Tuesday at a triumphant awards ceremony for medical professionals decorated with bugle calls and applause.


Trump ex-campaign chief accused of spending like a ‘drunken sailor’ amid reports $800 million of funds already spent

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 05:18 AM PDT

Trump ex-campaign chief accused of spending like a 'drunken sailor' amid reports $800 million of funds already spentBrad Parscale was demoted from campaign chief role in July


Allegiant passenger removed after dispute over flight attendant's face mask

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 01:05 PM PDT

Allegiant passenger removed after dispute over flight attendant's face maskAllegiant removed a man Monday after he repeatedly interrupted the pre-flight safety briefing to tell the flight attendant to put her mask back on.


Congressman’s post about shooting Louisiana protesters is condemned by ACLU

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 09:17 AM PDT

Congressman's post about shooting Louisiana protesters is condemned by ACLU"Calls for change should never be met by racist threats or intimidation," the civil rights group said.


'Shots fired' over India and China border dispute

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 02:55 AM PDT

'Shots fired' over India and China border disputeIndian and Chinese troops appeared to exchange warning shots along their disputed border in Ladakh on Monday, the first time firearms have been used by soldiers from the neighbouring superpowers since 1975. While no casualties were reported, the clash is likely to further heighten tensions after the two sides were engaged in fatal hand-to-hand combat earlier this year. China claimed on Tuesday that Indian soldiers had opened fire to ward off a unit patrolling in a contested mountainous region. But India, officially, denied they fired shots, countering that China had used their guns to intimidate Indian forces. However, Indian Army sources told The Telegraph a Chinese patrol had advanced towards Indian territory on strategically important mountain tops near Pangong Tso Lake. They claimed Indian units fired warning shots in the air. Zhao Lijian, a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, said: "It is the first time since 1975 that peace on the border of the two countries was broken by gunshots." In a statement released on Tuesday, the Indian Government condemned the PLA for "blatantly violating agreements and carrying out aggressive maneuvers" and reiterated its commitment to "protect national integrity and sovereignty at all costs." Years of fragile peace has set a convention that states the two sides do not use guns to avoid escalations of violence in remote terrain.


ByteDance is giving its 60,000 employees cash bonuses after working 'endless hours' amid TikTok ban 'noise'

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 11:08 AM PDT

ByteDance is giving its 60,000 employees cash bonuses after working 'endless hours' amid TikTok ban 'noise'The bonuses are to "thank everyone for their efforts and dedication" as ByteDance and TikTok face challenges brought on by politics and COVID-19.


Hundreds of Americans planted those alarmingly mysterious Chinese seeds. Others ate them.

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 07:47 AM PDT

Hundreds of Americans planted those alarmingly mysterious Chinese seeds. Others ate them.The same rules apply to a package of mysterious seeds found in your mail as do to a bag of fries discovered in a parking lot: As tempting as it is, don't open it, and most certainly do not eat what's inside.Unfortunately, dozens of Americans didn't follow those basic life instructions when they received unsolicited packets of seeds seemingly coming from China a few months ago. State governments were deluged with thousands of questions from people who'd gotten the seeds, and had no idea how to respond when some people said they'd eaten them, Vice reports.Vice's Jason Koebler requested records regarding the seeds from every state's department of agriculture, as well as from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and some USDA labs. From those records, Koebler found "tens of thousands of Americans received what they perceived to be Chinese mystery seeds in July." Many of them reasonably "panicked," quickly asking their governments what they should do, he wrote.Others maybe didn't panic enough. One woman in New Mexico called in to her state department of agriculture after reports of the mysterious seeds started circulating, and let it know that "like a dumbass, I planted them." "Everything that's in the garden where I planted them are having a hard time and are starting to die," she continued, asking for some advice. Officials told Vice they were overwhelmed with the number of calls, Facebook messages, and emails they'd gotten, and in several cases, had to figure out what to tell people who ate the seeds. Read more at Vice.More stories from theweek.com Senate Republicans are apparently struggling to find 51 GOP votes for a COVID-19 relief bill Are the troops turning on Trump? Keeping Up With the Kardashians to end after Season 20


Brazil eyes coronavirus vaccine rollout in January, acting health minister says

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 02:50 PM PDT

Brazil eyes coronavirus vaccine rollout in January, acting health minister saysBrazil's acting Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello said on Tuesday that a COVID-19 vaccine would be rolled out for all Brazilians in January 2021. "We are closing contracts with vaccine manufacturers and the forecast is that a vaccine will arrive for us starting in January next year and we will start vaccinating everyone," Eduardo Pazuello said in a video posted to social media. Pazuello and other ministers were responding to questions from Esther Castilho, a 10-year-old YouTuber wearing a cowboy hat.


Trump disputes Atlantic report that he called service members ‘losers’ and ‘suckers’

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 11:30 AM PDT

Trump disputes Atlantic report that he called service members 'losers' and 'suckers'President Trump on Monday denied reports that he repeatedly mocked deceased American service members and skipped a visit to a veterans' cemetery out of concern that the rainy weather would mess up his hair.


Hong Kong activist charged under archaic sedition law

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 04:28 AM PDT

Hong Kong activist charged under archaic sedition lawA prominent Hong Kong democracy activist on Tuesday became the first person to be charged with sedition since the city was returned to Chinese rule as authorities widened their pursuit of critics in the financial hub.


High turnout by Trump’s base won’t be enough to get him re-elected

Posted: 06 Sep 2020 07:13 PM PDT

High turnout by Trump's base won't be enough to get him re-electedAccording to an analysis provided to the Washington Post,


Exclusive: Two-thirds of Americans say they won't get COVID-19 vaccine when it's first available, USA TODAY/Suffolk Poll shows

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 09:57 AM PDT

Exclusive: Two-thirds of Americans say they won't get COVID-19 vaccine when it's first available, USA TODAY/Suffolk Poll showsTwo-thirds of U.S. voters say they won't try to get a coronavirus vaccine as soon as it becomes available, according to a new USA TODAY/Suffolk Poll.


Joe Biden sends message to Cubans in recognition of Our Lady of Charity homage

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 11:47 AM PDT

Joe Biden sends message to Cubans in recognition of Our Lady of Charity homageThe republican campaign also recognizes Cuba's patron saint


Pro-Trump and BLM protesters clash in violent scenes as experts warn election will bring social unrest

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 12:57 PM PDT

Pro-Trump and BLM protesters clash in violent scenes as experts warn election will bring social unrestExpert warns of unrest if Americans are left waiting on election result as mail-in ballots are counted


Disney filmed parts of 'Mulan' in China's Xinjiang, where millions of Muslims are being spied on and locked up

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 02:51 AM PDT

Disney filmed parts of 'Mulan' in China's Xinjiang, where millions of Muslims are being spied on and locked upChinese authorities have installed a modern police state to oppress Muslims in Xinijang. "Mulan" thanked some of those authorities in its end credits.


Israeli startup’s counter-drone augmented reality system to deploy with US forces

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 02:04 PM PDT

Israeli startup's counter-drone augmented reality system to deploy with US forcesA new joint Israeli and U.S. program aims to develop an augmented reality based control for unmanned systems to engage in small drone-on-drone warfare.


'Worse than combat:' Helicopters rescue hundreds from California wildfire

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 05:17 PM PDT

'Worse than combat:' Helicopters rescue hundreds from California wildfireCalifornia Army National Guard Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters were flying into dense smoke, sometimes landing within 50 feet (15 m) of flames while an extreme wildfire burned through a dead forest in Central California. Kipp Goding landed multiple times at a campsite where people gathered on a lake dock as everything around them burned, filling his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to capacity.


French pensioners left 'homeless' by squatters who changed locks to Riviera villa

Posted: 08 Sep 2020 06:26 AM PDT

French pensioners left 'homeless' by squatters who changed locks to Riviera villaThe case of a retired French couple who sold their house to settle into a Riviera villa only to find that it was occupied by a family, leaving them "homeless", has triggered public outrage and calls to change the country's squatting laws. Henri and Marie-Thérèse Kaloustian, both 75, were looking forward to a peaceful retirement by the sea after selling their home in Lyon, southeastern France. Their intention was to decamp to the holiday home, a pink villa they have owned for the past 36 years in the picturesque village of Théooule-sur-Mer. But when they arrived late August, they were shocked to discover that an unknown couple with two small children had "moved in" and refused to budge. After receiving threats from the father, they contacted the local gendarmerie who refused to throw the family out without a court order, reportedly telling the couple: "Sorry, squatters have all the rights."


Rachel Dolezal 2.0 highlights a very specific type of white female privilege

Posted: 07 Sep 2020 01:33 AM PDT

Rachel Dolezal 2.0 highlights a very specific type of white female privilegeBefore we move on to the next spectacle, we should consider what about our society produces and craves such imposters while ignoring more complex portrayals of Blackness.


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