Category: UNCATEGORIZED

04 Jan 2022

Mars looks like a delicious dessert in stunning spacecraft image

 

Red Planet Mars

The red planet looks good enough to eat in this Trace Gas Orbiter image of a crater. 

ESA/Roscosmos/CaSSIS

The European Space Agency (ESA) has released a breathtaking new photo of a two-and-a-half-mile-wide ice-covered crater on Mars affectionately nicknamed "Red Velvet."
Spotted by Digitaltrends, the image was captured by the Trace Gas Orbiter taking photos of the surface of the red planet, examining gases in the atmosphere, and serving as a communication link between landers and other devices on the surface and on planet Earth.
The orbiter is officially a collaboration between  ESA and Russian space agency Roscosmos and the photo, originally taken on July 5, 2021, shows a nearly four-kilometer-wide perspective of the surface and the covered crater ice near the north polar region of Vastitas Borealis on Mars.
Like a splash of icing sugar on a rich red velvet cake, this scene from ESA / Roscosmos Exomars Trace Gas Orbiter Captures The contrasting colors of brilliant white water against rusty red martian soil, "the ESA describes .

The ESA says the crater is partially filled with water ice more prevalent on the north-facing slopes since that region receives fewer hours of sunlight throughout the year with the dark sections on the crater edges likely containing volcanic materials like basalt, giving it a sort of scorched looking appearance.
The presence of water on the planet is a big deal for space exploration, since bringing the precious liquid would be too heavy to carry all the way to the planet on a potential future  manned mission. The presence of the ice means the liquid could be melted down and used for drinking water or fuel. The problem, according to the ESA, is that most of these deposits that have been found exist near the polar regions of the planet, and most missions want to land near the equatorial regions. Naturally, the next step is to seek out ice below the surface of the planet with missions like the upcoming  Marce Ice Caper, or the last option is to take the hydrated minerals from the soil and bake them to release any water they might contain.

04 Jan 2022

World’s richest man gets $32BILLION richer: Elon Musk’s worth climbs to $304billion as Tesla stock soars after car maker rolled out nearly a million vehicles in 2021

Elon-musk-and-his-Son,Elon musk Son

Elon Musk and his son X Æ A-Xii at a Time Person of the Year event on 13 December 2021 in New York City(Theo Wargo/Getty Images for TIME)

The  richest man in the world started the richest new year  with Tesla founder Elon Mask adding $ 32.6 billion to his net worth, bringing his fortune to $ 304.2 billion. first person to  do it. 

According to Forbes, the controversial social media billionaire who is also the founder of commercial space company SpaceX remained at the top of the world's richest list for the new year. In second place and $ 103.6 billion behind Musk is Bernard Arnault,  CEO of the French fashion empire LVMH. Amazon founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos is in third place, Forbes said.

The surge in the Tesla share price has again been attributed to South Africa's growing wealth.
The electric car maker said it  delivered more than 936,000 cars in 2021, beating analysts' forecasts, but also said the company had recalled 475,000 of its cars built between 2014 and 2021. Forbes said

 Shares of Tesla had risen more than 13% when the market closed, with the company's market cap once again surpassing the $ 1 trillion mark after falling below that level last month. As Tesla's CEO, Musk, named  Person of the Year 2021 by Time Magazine, owns around 15.6% of the company's shares.He has Continued to sell shares, ending the year after offloading 3 million shares on the open market  to face taxes on the approximately 5.7 million stock options  he exercised at the same time.

If true, this would place him among the biggest ever individual tax payers in the history of the US, although this only represents roughly 0.0036 percent of his worth.

He reportedly sold 15.7 million Tesla shares over the course of 2021 - worth more than $16 billion before tax.

Musk's fortune jumped more than $200 billion over 2020 and 2021. In 2021 alone, he added $116 billion to his net worth.

This, Forbes said, is the biggest one-year gain by any billionaire since the news outlet began tracking the wealth of high net-worth individuals.

Musk is set to earn another windfall later this month when Tesla reports its fourth quarter earnings. If the company meets certain operational and valuation goals, the world's richest man is set to become even richer.

2021 was an eventful year for Musk, marked by a hosting appearance on Saturday Night Live, a break-up with girlfriend Grimes, and his self-coronation as 'Technoking' of Tesla.

Musk made huge waves last month as he sold off many billions worth of his Tesla stock in a move purportedly dictated by a poll he posted on Twitter.

Tesla's soaring stock price has again been credited for Musk's growing wealth. Tesla delivered more than 936,000 vehicles last year, a record figure that represents an 87 percent increase from its 2020 delivery count. Pictured: A Tesla factory in China (file photo)

In reality, at least some of the stock sales were driven by mandatory taxes as he exercised stock options that will expire in August.

He has sold $16.4 billion worth of shares since early November when he said he would sell 10 percent of his Tesla stock if Twitter users agreed, which they did.

But Musk in September had set up a prearranged plan for stock sales related to options expiring next year, and Tesla in a filing on Tuesday said the program was complete.

Musk said last week that he would be done selling shares after his programmed sales ended, meaning that the selloff is now complete.

The final trades, reported on Tuesday, included exercising an option on 1.6 million shares and selling 934,090 of those shares to pay for taxes.

In total, Musk has sold 15.7 million shares in Tesla late in this year, approximately the 10 percent stake the billionaire had pledged to sell.

He exercised options granted in 2012 to buy nearly 23 million shares at $6.24 each, a fraction of Tesla's share price, which stood at $1069.33 in late trading on Thursday, the final trading session of the year.

Tesla delivers a record 936,172 electric cars in 2021 despite supply chain issues

Tesla delivered more than 936,000 vehicles last year, a record figure that represents an 87 percent increase from its 2020 delivery count despite a number of hurdles the electric carmaker faced during the past year.

The Austin, Texas-based company announced its fourth-quarter production and delivery results Sunday - just days after it recalled nearly half a million Model 3 and Model S cars to address issues that increase the risk of crashing.

And last February, Tesla told workers it would temporarily halt some production at its car assembly plant in California as it faced a semiconductor shortage.

Workers on a Model 3 sedan production line in Fremont were told their line would be down from February 22 until March 7, a person familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News.

Despite the challenges Elon Musk's electric car empire faced during the past year - including chip shortages and whistleblower scandals - demand for the sleek, futuristic cars has only grown.

The amount of cars delivered last year dwarfs company figures from yearend 2020, when 499,550 vehicles were shipped to customers.

Of the sales made last year, Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y rides accounted for 911,208 - or 97 percent - of the 936,172 vehicles delivered. Its most budget-friendly Model 3 sedan retails for $46,490 and up, while the Model Y midsized SUV starts around $61,000.

It delivered 24,964 of its pricier Model S and Model X vehicles; its only full-sized SUV, the Model X is tagged about $110,000 while the flagship Model S starts about $100,000.

Tesla in 2020 delivered 57,039 of its Model S and X vehicles in 2020, and 442,511 Model 3 and Model Y cars.

It delivered 112,000 vehicles in 2019.

Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives said the latest numbers are 'jaw-dropping' given the ongoing global chip shortage affecting the automotive industry.

Ives said the production increase was likely boosted by growing demand from car buyers in China, as well as broader enthusiasm for electric vehicles.

Musk also chimed in on the accomplishment, tweeting: 'Great work by Tesla team worldwide!'

Tesla's brand image took some hits last year, most recently last week when it recalled 356,309 Model 3 vehicles made between 2017 and 2020 due to problems with the rearview camera and 119,009 Model S vehicles due to front trunk problems.

Tesla warned that for the specific Model 3 vehicles, opening and closing the trunk could damage the cable harness attaching the rearview camera, causing the camera to suddenly fail.

And the Model S issue could stop the front trunk from latching, allowing it to swing up while the vehicle is in motion.

According to Tesla, only about one percent of the Model 3 cars have the flaw, compared with 14 percent of the Model S vehicles.

Tesla shares have fallen from their record highs, reached two days prior to Musk's infamous Twitter poll, but are still on pace to end the year up 54 percent from January 1.

The company has this week come under fire after it announced that it has opened a showroom in Xinjiang.

The move has attracted criticism from U.S. rights and trade groups, making it the latest foreign firm caught up in tensions related to the far-western Chinese region.

Xinjiang has become a significant point of conflict between Western governments and China in recent years, as U.N. experts and rights groups estimate more than a million people, mainly Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minorities, have been detained in camps there.

China has rejected accusations of forced labour or any other abuses there, saying that the camps provide vocational training and that companies should respect its policies there.

The U.S. electric car maker announced the showroom's opening in Xinjiang's regional capital, Urumqi, on its official Weibo account last Friday. 'On the last day of 2021 we meet in Xinjiang,' it said in the post.

On Tuesday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest U.S. Muslim advocacy organization, criticised the move, saying that Tesla was 'supporting genocide'.

The United States has labelled Chinaâs treatment of ethnic Uyghurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang as genocide. The United States and a few other countries plan a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics in February over the issue.

'Elon Musk must close Teslaâs Xinjiang showroom,' Council on American-Islamic Relations said on its official Twitter account referring to Tesla's founder.

Similar criticism came from a U.S. trade group, the Alliance for American Manufacturing.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The carmaker operates a factory in Shanghai and is ramping up production there amid surging sales in China.

A slew of foreign firms in recent months have been tripped up by tensions between the West and China over Xinjiang, as they try to balance Western pressure with China's importance as a market and supply base.

In July, Swedish fashion retailer H&M reported a 23% drop in local currency sales in China for its March-May quarter after it was hit by a consumer boycott in March for stating publicly that it did not source products from Xinjiang.

Last month, U.S. chipmaker Intel faced similar calls after telling its suppliers not to source products or labour from Xinjiang, prompting it to apologise for 'the trouble caused to our respected Chinese customers, partners and the public'.

Although some have been trying to reduce their supply chain exposure to the region, especially as Washington bans imports such as Xinjiang cotton or blacklists Chinese companies that it says have aided Beijing's policy there, many foreign brands operate stores there.     


Tesla has also found itself under scrutiny from the NHTSA auto regulator, which is probing its autopilot system over safety concerns.


The automaker has also agreed to update its software to prevent drivers from playing video games on the car's system while the vehicle is in motion, following a government safety investigation.

Source: Daily Mail Online

04 Jan 2022

Google Photos removes ability to disable video backups over mobile data

Image Credit: Google

Google Photos has long offered an option to upload photos and videos via mobile data. However, to ensure that you do not spend your monthly data volume, there is the option of only backing up videos via WiFi. In India and some other countries where  WiFi is available, connections are not as frequent, this feature is absent and users have the option to set a daily limit for mobile data usage. Now it seems that Google mistakenly implemented the same settings for Android users all over the world.

As spotted by 9to5Google, if you head over to Google Photos > Photos settings > Backup & sync, you'll find the option to set a daily backup limit when on mobile data. The available allowances include No data, 5MB, 10MB, 30MB, and Unlimited. There's also another separate toggle for backing up your photos and videos while on roaming. However, the ability to specifically disable video backups while on mobile data has been removed.

The implementation could be a Google mistake, as the Photos support page still references the previous settings. The iOS version of Google Photos also continues to display the option to enable / disable video backups on mobile data. 

Additionally, the daily data limits are very low by US and EU standards and users cannot manually increase them, further indicating that this is a loophole on Google's part. Limits on daily mobile data usage are useful in countries like Brazil, Thailand, India, and Nigeria, where users have  relatively little data  and do not have access to a network. WiFi  on a regular basis. 

This is not a cause for concern in developed countries, and some users prefer  their photos to be saved to mobile data immediately. Since videos are considerably larger, it usually makes more sense to only save them  when over WiFi. 

Hopefully Google will bring this option back soon.

04 Jan 2022

Omicron Cases Are Hitting Highs, But New Data Put End in Sight

 

Image Credit:CIPhotos via Getty Images

A number of new studies have confirmed the silver lining of the Omicron variant: Even if the number of cases climbs to a record level, the number of severe cases and hospital admissions is not the case.
The data, some scientists say, points to a new and less worrying chapter in the pandemic. . "Now we're in a completely different phase," said Monica Gandhi, an immunologist at the University of California at San Francisco.
“The virus will always  be with us, but I hope  this variant induces immunity enough that  the Omicron variant was discovered in South Africa a little over a month ago, and experts warn that it will be a long time before it Situation is changing, but last week's data  suggest that a combination of widespread immunity and numerous mutations  resulted in a virus that causes much less serious illness than previous iterations.

A study conducted in South Africa found that patients admitted  there during the  fourth wave, which was dominated by the virus's omichron, were 73% less likely to develop serious illness than those admitted during the delta-dominated third wave .
"The data is pretty strong now with hospitalizations and 'cases decoupled," said Wendy Burgers, an immunologist at the University of Cape Town.
Initially, much of the concern about Omicron was due to the  large number of mutations in the variant, many of which Spike protein, the part of protein found not only easily infects unvaccinated people, but also bypasses antibody responses from  previous infections and vaccines.
It worked its way past these first lines of defense. Several factors appear to make the Omicron variant less virulent or less virulent more severe than previous waves of Covid19. The ability of the virus to infect the lungs. Covid infections usually start in the nose and spread to the throat.
A mild infection doesn't go far beyond the upper respiratory tract, but when it does When the virus reaches the lungs, it is usually the hardest, and symptoms occur.

But five separate studies from last week suggested that the variant doesn't infect the lungs as easily as previous variants. In a study preprinted online  by a large consortium of Japanese and American scientists, omicron infected hamsters and mice  experienced much serious illness with earlier iterations of the virus. took a small number of lung tissue samples from patients  during surgery and found that Omicron grew more slowly  than other variants in these samples.
Burgers said this change in virulence likely had to do with how the virus's anatomy changed. Pathways into the cells, and now it prefers one of those pathways because of all the changes in the spike protein, "she said.
It seems to prefers to infect the upper respiratory tract rather than the lungs. This, Burgers said, could mean less severe infection but also more transmissible as the virus replicates more often in the upper respiratory tract, from where it can spread more easily Second-line defense of previous vaccines and  infections: cells and cells.

T-cells are responsible for attacking a virus once it makes its way into the body’s cells if antibodies fail to prevent infection in the first place. In a recent study by Burgers and colleagues, scientists used white blood cells from Covid patients to show that about 70-80% of the T-cell response is preserved compared with previous strains of the virus. That means that for those who are either vaccinated or had a Covid infection in the past 6 months, it is likely their T-cells can recognize omicron and fight it off relatively quickly.

This latest research will need to be followed up with further study. If it holds up to additional scrutiny, it just might explain why current infections appear to be more mild than in previous waves of the virus.

“When you start to see different kinds of data all pointing in the same direction, you begin to feel more confident that it’s going to hold up,” said Jessica Justman, a Columbia University Medical Center epidemiologist.

However, as cases explode, the absolute number of hospitalizations and deaths with them will continue to rise, even if those numbers increase more slowly.
"If your denominator is huge because lots and lots of people become infected, you still end up with lots of people who go to the hospital and need care," Justman said.


Gandhi of the University of California at San Francisco said that while the number of cases could break records, hope that the combination of highly transmissible omicron and a mild infection could signal the onset of the disease in another study, held in Hong Kong last week  showed that vaccinated patients infected with Omicron also evoked strong immune responses to other versions of the virus.
This could explain why the number of cases in South Africa has quickly peaked.
"I hope this variant creates deep immunity in the population." Hopefully the pandemic will end. "

04 Jan 2022

Deuter Kid Comfort Pro – Child Carrier You Can Trust

When you’re out for a hike with your kids, the most important thing about choosing the right child carrier is to make sure it’s going to be comfortable not only for yourself but also for your child. I was more than happy to test a child carrier from a reputable German company Deuter which has been designing and building top-quality backpacks and child carriers since 1938.

The popularity of Deuter products does not come by accident. Their backpacks and carriers are stylish, comfortable, practical, and durable. The customers love the great mix of reliable materials, functional design, and good looks. Deuter uses quality products and modern designs to meet all of your child’s comfort needs.

This product has a high rating of 4.8 stars with over 200 reviews on Amazon. There is no doubt that this child carrier certainly is one of the best available at the moment on the market, but is it worth every cent you pay for? It indeed comes packed with features but let’s look at them now.

Deuter Kid Comfort Pro Features

  • Aircomfort back system
  • The large VariFlex ECL hip fins are energy-efficient and can be adjusted for maximum comfort.
  • With VariSlide back-length with the wide-ranging adjustment, you may adjust the child carrier to fit either parent comfortably.
  • The Pull-Forward system construction makes it simple to adjust the hip belt even when you’re carrying a lot of weight.
  • The height-adjustable child’s seat has a variable cushion width to promote a healthy sitting posture.
  • Integrated safety harness – keeps kids safe and sound while you’re biking
  • 3 outer pockets for snacks, toys, and more
  • The durable aluminum frame with a sturdy kickstand is tip-resistant, which is very useful when loading the child.
  • Permanently integrated sunroof and a mirror for a rearview. Child Carrier comes with a backpack that may be used separately.

Deuter Kid Comfort Pro child carrier is suitable for children from 8 months old up to 45 pounds or 4 years of age. It has a ventilated back system that allows air to circulate, which is excellent news for your child’s comfort as not many offer this feature. It also comes with lumbar support and elastic on the hip belt, making it exceptionally comfortable for you, especially when carrying your child for more extended periods.

This child carrier comes with a sunshade, and we all know how precious this can be when you take your kid out, and the elements (or other people) get in their eyes. The sun can also heat up quite quickly, and it will make them hot and fussy, so if you plan on taking your child out for a long time, make sure you take something along to protect them.

It’s also really lightweight (8 lbs 5 oz), even considering all its features! It can be easily stored into the boot of your car or just about anywhere else when you aren’t using it while still having access to everything you need while out and about with your child.

It also comes with a rain cover to protect your child when the weather is not in your favor. This rain cover is operated by just one zip, which you will find on the front of the carrier. You can see how much easier this makes it for when you need it. Don’t get caught in the elements when you have your child with you, no matter where you are!

If you plan on going on a hike or anything else of the sort with your child, this carrier is comfortable enough for it. The shoulder straps come with adjustable load lifters to get the right comfort level no matter what you are doing.

Pros of the Deuter Kid Comfort Pro

  1. The Deuter’s padded back system ensures your child is both comfortable and safe during a hike, as it distributes their weight equally on your shoulders and your back. This helps to reduce pressure points that can cause pain and put you off from doing the activities you love.
  2. The unique child harness protects your child as it’s designed to keep them securely in their seat, right throughout even the roughest trails or any unexpected accidents that might happen along the way! This is especially valuable if your little one has fallen asleep on the track, as the harness will help to keep them seated in comfort against your back.
  3. The additional safety features of the Deuter Kid Comfort Pro will put your mind at ease as it comes with a fully adjustable footrest and the 5-point harness that is padded and reinforced for extra sturdiness and durability. The footwell can be adjusted depending on your child’s size and allows them to participate in the hike instead of just getting carried along.
  4. This child carrier is perfect for both short and tall parents as it has several height adjustments so that even if you are very short or very tall, this unit will work well with you!
  5. The AirComfort back system allows you to customize the unit to fit you as it uses a mesh system that promotes airflow and ensures your child’s back is well ventilated as they sit against your spine.
  6. It is pretty roomy, which means your trip with this carrier won’t be cramped at all! You will easily go on hikes of up to several days and still ensure your child’s comfort.
  7. This is a lightweight carrier, which means you will have no trouble carrying it along with the rest of your gear without feeling too weighed down! It weighs just over 8 pounds, so you won’t feel the added weight even if you are trekking for hours on end.
  8. The Deuter Kid Comfort Pro is made of high-quality materials that are tear-resistant and provide just the right amount of flexibility as you take your child on a hike along a trail.
  9. This Deuter product is entirely free of per- and polyfluorinated chemicals. As a result, it lowers the amount of environmentally harmful chemicals that pollute the environment and endanger human health. PVC is used for various applications, including rain protection since it has dirt- and grease-repellent characteristics. Instead, Deuter employs DWR (Durable Water Repellency) impregnation, which is non-toxic to people and the environment.

Cons of the Deuter Kid Comfort Pro

  1. Some parents have mentioned that the seat is not entirely flat, which could be uncomfortable for your little one. This is, of course, entirely up to the child’s preference, but it is worth keeping that in mind.
  2. Some parents have complained that the sunshade is flimsy and not quite big enough, so you might want to opt for another child carrier if you are hiking in extreme heat conditions.
  3. This carrier is definitely on the pricier end of the scale. Still, if you want a durable and genuinely reliable hiking carrier, then this is something we highly recommend you invest in! It will not only give your child a comfortable ride, but it will also last for years and years if taken care of properly.

Conclusion – is Deuter Kid Comfort Pro worth it?

Yes, we do highly recommend the Deuter Kid Comfort Pro! This is one of the top-rated childrens’ carriers on Amazon, and while it is pricier than most, it certainly delivers. It offers unparalleled comfort for your child along with extreme durability making it perfect for long treks in any terrain or climate condition. While the sunshade is a little on the light side, that can be remedied by using an umbrella with this unit, as it does have multiple adjustable harnesses and footwells to accommodate you and your child’s unique needs.

The high-quality product design ensures maximum safety for your child as well as a truly comfortable ride with a very sturdy back system and a well-padded seat that is made with mesh for airflow, keeping your child cool throughout the entire hiking adventure. Overall, this unit is excellent for hikers of any level who want to ensure their child’s safety and comfort while enjoying nature from a new perspective.

The reviews for this product on Amazon.com are very encouraging, with many shoppers seeing value in the Deuter Kid Comfort Pro for their families.

The post Deuter Kid Comfort Pro – Child Carrier You Can Trust appeared first on Comfy Bummy.

03 Jan 2022

Apple has become the world’s first $3 trillion company

Apple CEO Tim Cook greets fans outside the Apple Store on Fifth Ave in the Manhattan borough of New York, New York, U.S., September 20, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

Apple has taken another important step. The iPhone maker surpassed a market value of $ 3 trillion on Monday - the first publicly traded company  to be worth that much. 

Apple shares (AAPL)  briefly rose about 3% to a new all-time high of $ 182.88, surpassing the $ 182.85 per share it needed to be worth $ 3 trillion. The title then retired from that level.

 Apple's market value first crossed the $ 1 trillion mark in August 2018 and topped $ 2 trillion in August 2020.

Apple shares rose nearly 35% in 2021. The company  benefited from booming demand for its new iPhone 13 and other previous models, as well as subscription services such as Apple Music. , Apple TV +, iCloud and its popular App Store. 

Sales rose nearly 30% to over $ 83 billion in Apple's fall quarter, which ended in September. The company also has a whopping $ 191 billion in cash.

But before long, Apple may have some company in the $3 trillion club. Microsoft (MSFT) is now worth about $2.5 trillion and Google owner Alphabet's (GOOGL( market value is right around $2 trillion. Still giant but further behind are Amazon (AMZN), which has a market cap of $1.7 trillion, and Elon Musk  Tesla (TSLA), worth about $1.2 trillion.


03 Jan 2022

President Joe Biden asks student-loan borrowers to ‘do their part’ in preparing for payments to resume on May 1 as pressure for broad cancellation ramps up again

Image Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Biden extended a student-loan-payment pause an additional three months through May 1.

He said borrowers should use this extra time to prepare for the resumption of payments.

But some lawmakers and advocates said this extra time should be used to cancel student debt.

Last month, President Joe Biden gave 43 million federal student loan borrowers an additional three-month Christmas present.
While the president said borrowers should use this extra time to prepare for resuming payments  on May 1, some lawmakers and advocates have said it should  be used to write off student debt instead.


On December 22, the Education Department announced it would move the target date for resuming student loan repayments from February 1 to May 1, citing the Omicron coronavirus variant as the main reason for the change. Without specifying whether this  would be the "final" extension, contrary to the August announcement, Biden urged federal borrowers in a statement to use the extra time to prepare for repayment in 90 days.

“As we take this step, I also call on all student loan borrowers to do their part: make full use of the resources of the Department of Education to help you prepare for the resumption of payments; examine options for reducing payments through income repayment plans; explore the public service loan remission; and make sure you're vaccinated and boosted when you're eligible, ”Biden said in December.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona echoed the sentiment, saying in a statement that the ministry "will continue to provide tools and support to borrowers so that they can participate in the repayment plan which is sensitive to their needs. financial situation, like a plan.The extension adds to the nearly $ 12 billion  student debt that Biden has written off for targeted groups of borrowers, such as those scammed by for-profit schools, since taking office.

Leading lawmakers on the massive student debt cancellation have applauded Biden's extended suspension of payments. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Massachusetts Representative Ayanna Pressley said in a statement  the hiatus allowed borrowers to "make ends meet" and pay for basic necessities, but they still wants Biden to carry out his  loan forgiveness campaign.

"We continue to call on President Biden to take executive action to write off $ 50,000 in student debt, which will help close the racial wealth gap for borrowers and accelerate the recovery of our economy," said the legislators.

Supporters of student loan cancellation agree. Natalia Abrams, president of the Student Debt Crisis Center, said in a statement that the Omicron variant is "a chilling reminder that the pandemic is still a serious concern and that Americans cannot be crushed by student debt as they shoulder this health and economic crisis.


While Biden has pledged during his campaign to approve a $ 10,000 student loan forgiveness, he has yet to deliver on that promise, and some lawmakers have said it could cost  the majority over Democrats in the 2022 midterm election.
Alexandria OcasioCortez of New York  said last month that it was "really illusory" to think Democrats can be re-elected if they don't act on priorities  voters, such as student debt.

 
Vice President Kamala Harris addressed supporters' concerns in a “Face the Nation” interview late last month, he said. must continue to be "vigilant" on the issue, but has not provided for specific means to obtain relief for borrowers.
“Well, I think  we need to keep doing what we're doing and figure out how we can creatively relieve the pressure  students are feeling because of their student loan debt,” Harris said.

03 Jan 2022

Elizabeth Holmes jury deadlocked on 3 charges

Former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes leaves federal court in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Nic Coury) (AP Photo/Nic Coury / AP Newsroom)

The California jury on the criminal fraud case against Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes says she is stuck on 3 of the 11 charges she faces. The panel, made up of eight men and four women, sent a notice to the judge on Monday stating that they could not reach a unanimous verdict on the seventh day of deliberations on Holmes' fate. The jury was still able to decide on the remaining eight points. This story is in progress and will be updated.

Holmes, 37, has been charged by federal prosecutors on nine  wire transfer fraud cases and two wire transfer conspiracy cases for misleading investors and patients with her company's failed blood testing technology. Any charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Holmes has pleaded not guilty on all charges and stood in defense during the trial, admitting he was sorry but denied cheating on anyone.

She also accused her ex-boyfriend and former Theranos Chief Operating Officer, Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, of allegedly misleading her about the effectiveness of Theranos technology, and charged him with emotional and sexual abuse. 

Balwani faces his own trial next year over his alleged Holmes, who founded Theranos at the age of 19  after dropping out of Stanford University and baffling Silicon Valley and investors  with the promise that Theranos technology would work with just a few Drops of blood from a patient could diagnose a variety of diseases instead of the traditional  blood vessels drawn from the patient.

The young entrepreneur became a billionaire on paper after he rose more than $ 900 million in investors, but it began to solve 2015 after the Wall Street Journal exposed that Theranos using traditional machines for its testing rather than its own technology. 

Flaws in the health care startup's technology were also found, indicating that Theranos' own diagnostics were not accurate.


Holmes was indicted in 2018, the same year Theranos shut down.

03 Jan 2022

Eldest Trump children won’t comply with subpoenas from New York attorney general

Eldest Trump children won't comply with subpoenas from New York attorney general
On Location: January 3, 2022Catch up on the developing stories making headlines.Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images, FILE

Former President Trump's eldest son and daughter have refused to comply with  New York State Attorney General's subpoenas while conducting a civil investigation into the valuation of their assets by the family-owned real estate company.

 "A dispute has arisen between the public prosecutor's office and the individual parties to Trump over the subpoenas," said a document published on Monday.

The document, jointly filed  by New York attorney general Letitia James and a Trump Organization attorney, states that Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump are now  named as suspects in James' ongoing investigation, which parallels a criminal investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump will file motions to quash the subpoenas as soon as Monday, the filing indicated. 

The former president and his company have denied the wrongdoing and  attacked the investigation as a policy. 

The previous criminal investigations have led to indictments. Prosecutors said the company paid Weisselberg's rent, living expenses, private school fees and car leasing without properly filing its tax return.

03 Jan 2022

Whistleblower warns baffling illness affects growing number of young adults in Canadian province

Neurological disease
Medical imaging service in a hospital in Savoie, France. A technician monitors a brain MRI scan session. 
BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

A whistleblower spoke to The Guardian about a mysterious neurological disease in New Brunswick, Canada. 

They spoke of their concerns about the disease, saying that it was spreading rapidly and that the cases could be higher than previously thought. 

Symptoms include fatigue, hallucinations, muscle weakness, and an anonymous Canadian whistleblower from Vitalité Health Network, one of New Brunswick's two health authorities,  said that more people are developing symptoms of a mysterious degenerative neurological disease, according to The Guardian.

The Atlantic coast of Canada has been analyzed by researchers for more than two years, but the cause of the disease is not yet known.


Symptoms of the disease include memory problems, muscle cramps, inexplicable extreme  weight loss, pain in the extremities, and hallucinations. 

The disease was originally thought to be a human prion disease, in which proteins called prions cause normal proteins to bend abnormally, but tests have shown that it doesn't . 

So far, the Office of the New Brunswick  Medical Director of Health has publicly said that 48 people have  the disease, but sources told The Guardian that that number is believed to be much higher the disease, said the bureau.


Speaking to The Guardian about the severity of the disease, the whistleblower said he would go public to raise awareness of how quickly the enigmatic disease is spreading and affecting patients: 

"I'm really concerned about these cases because They appear to be evolving The disease affects women and men equally,  patients since 1885. 

An epidemiological study conducted by the New Brunswick Department of Health ruled out any food, behavioral, or environmental stresses that could cause the disease. 

Following that statement, a document was submitted to the Canadian Association of Neuropathologists claiming that  those who died from the disease died from misdiagnosis or missed diagnoses, such as Alzheimer's and cancer, and were not part of the group.