Facebook bans political ads after polls close on Election Day as U.S. tensions rise We've heard a lot about voter suppression as we approach Election Day. So what is it and how does it manifest itself? The Associated Press explains. (Oct. 5) AP Domestic Oregon governor urges residents to 'uninvite' family for Thanksgiving Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is calling on residents in the state to 'uninvite' their loved ones from gatherings over the Thanksgiving holiday. "This is hard, but making difficult sacrifices now will save lives," Brown tweeted.
Cybersecurity company finds hacker selling info on 186 million U.S. voters WASHINGTON — A cybersecurity company says it has found a hacker selling personally identifying information of more than 200 million Americans, including the voter registration data of 186 million. The revelation underscored how vulnerable Americans are to email targeting by criminals and foreign adversaries, even as U.S. officials announced that Iran and Russia had obtained voter registration data and email addresses with an eye toward interfering in the 2020 election. Much of the data identified by Trustwave, a global cybersecurity company, is publicly available, and almost all of it is the kind that is regularly bought and sold by legitimate businesses. Netflix sign-ups jump during coronavirus lockdowns Image copyright Getty Images Netflix has seen subscriber numbers surge this year, as lockdowns around the world keep people at home where they want to be entertained. Almost 16 million people created accounts in the first three months of the year, the firm said. That is almost double the new sign-ups it saw in the final months of 2019. However, the streaming service, which is behind some multi-million dollar productions, said shutdowns have halted "almost all" filming around the world.
'Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking:' Takeaways from the VP debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence offer competing viewpoints on America's COVID-19 response. USA TODAY It was almost a given that Wednesday's debate in Salt Lake City between Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris would be less chaotic than the slugfest in Cleveland between President Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden. Name calling and insults were largely absent and at one point, Pence congratulated Harris on making history by being the first Black woman and first Asian American woman on a major party ticket. But there were plenty of skirmishes between the two candidates who were separated by plexiglass barriers and seated 12 feet apart because of coronavirus precautions.
Biden distances himself from Obama amid 'third term' comparisons President-elect Joe Biden is seeking to distance his incoming administration from comparisons to the Obama years, as some critics speculate his presidency could be the equivalent of a third term for former President Barack Obama. "This is not a third Obama term because we face a totally different world than we faced in the Obama-Biden administration," Biden told NBC News in an interview this week. “President Trump has changed the landscape, it’s become ‘America First,’ which meant America alone.”
Gold retreats as dollar gains, U.S. stimulus hopes wane (Reuters) - Gold slipped on Thursday from a more than one-week high hit in the last session, as the dollar recovered some lost ground after doubts emerged whether an agreement on a new U.S. fiscal coronavirus aid package could be reached before the election. Spot gold fell 0.6% to $1,913.45 per ounce by 0343 GMT, after hitting its highest level since Oct. 12 at $1,931.01 on Wednesday. U.S. gold futures were down 0.7% to $1,916.00 per ounce. “What we are seeing is this unwillingness to really believe (about a stimulus deal)... that’s why these moves don’t have near-term follow through,” said DailyFx currency strategist Ilya Spivak. Stimulus talks between U.S. lawmakers faced a setback on Wednesday when President Donald Trump accused Democrats of being unwilling to craft a compromise on aid, despite reports of some progress earlier in the day. The news dented risk sentiment and lifted the dollar .DXY against its rivals, making gold more expensive for holders of other currencies.
Coronavirus: World risks 'biblical' famines due to pandemic - UN Image copyright Reuters The world is at risk of widespread famines "of biblical proportions" caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the UN has warned. David Beasley, head of the World Food Programme (WFP), said urgent action was needed to avoid a catastrophe. A report estimates that the number suffering from hunger could go from 135 million to more than 250 million. Those most at risk are in 10 countries affected by conflict, economic crisis and climate change, the WFP says. The fourth annual Global Report on Food Crises highlights Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria and Haiti.