Non-IT News Thread
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Democrats claim victory in key Virginia and Kentucky elections
US Democrats have made gains in state elections, in what is being seen as a blow to President Donald Trump.
Democrat Andy Beshear claimed victory in Kentucky's governor vote, after a tight race in the conservative-leaning state. Meanwhile, Democrats seized full control of the legislature in Virginia for the first time in over 20 years. The results are a gauge of the political mood ahead of next year's presidential election. Republicans held on to power in the Mississippi governor vote, following a closely-fought race in the traditional Republican stronghold. US state governors head the executive branch in state governments. In Kentucky, Mr Beshear claimed victory over incumbent Republican governor Matt Bevin after final results gave him a lead of 0.4%. Mr Bevin, 52, says he will not concede, citing unspecified "irregularities". However, Mr Beshear, a 41-year-old attorney general whose father is a former governor of the state, said: "We will be ready for that first day in office and I look forward to it." -
'Astonishing' fossil ape discovery revealed
Fossils of a newly-discovered ancient ape could give clues to how and when walking on two legs evolved.
The ability to walk upright is considered a key characteristic of being human. The ape had arms suited to hanging in the trees, but human-like legs. It may have walked along branches and even on the ground some 12 million years ago, pushing back the timeline for bipedal walking, say researchers. Until now the earliest fossil evidence for walking upright dates back to six million years ago. The four fossils - of a male, two females and a juvenile - were unearthed in a clay pit in Bavaria between 2015 and 2018. "The finds in southern Germany are a milestone in palaeoanthropology, because they raise fundamental questions about our previous understanding of the evolution of the great apes and humans," said Prof Madelaine Böhme from the University of Tübingen, Germany. -
Nato alliance experiencing brain death, says Macron
President Emmanuel Macron of France has described Nato as "brain dead", stressing what he sees as waning commitment to the transatlantic alliance by its main guarantor, the US.
Interviewed by the Economist, he cited the US failure to consult Nato before pulling forces out of northern Syria. He also questioned whether Nato was still committed to collective defence. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a key ally, said she disagreed with Mr Macron's "drastic words". Russia, which sees Nato as a threat to its security, welcomed the French president's comments as "truthful words". Nato, which celebrates 70 years since its founding at a London summit next month, has responded by saying the alliance remains strong. -
Australia bushfires: Record number of emergencies in New South Wales
Australian authorities say an "unprecedented" number of emergency-level bushfires are threatening the state of New South Wales (NSW).
More than 90 blazes were raging across the state on Friday. Gusty winds and up to 35C heat have exacerbated the fires, many of which are in drought-affected areas. There are reports of people trapped in their homes in several places, with crew unable to reach them due to the strength of the fires. "We are in uncharted territory," said Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons. "We have never seen this many fires concurrently at emergency warning level." At one point, 17 emergency-level fires were burning simultaneously across NSW. -
@mlnews said in Non-IT News Thread:
Australia bushfires: Record number of emergencies in New South Wales
Australian authorities say an "unprecedented" number of emergency-level bushfires are threatening the state of New South Wales (NSW).
More than 90 blazes were raging across the state on Friday. Gusty winds and up to 35C heat have exacerbated the fires, many of which are in drought-affected areas. There are reports of people trapped in their homes in several places, with crew unable to reach them due to the strength of the fires. "We are in uncharted territory," said Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons. "We have never seen this many fires concurrently at emergency warning level." At one point, 17 emergency-level fires were burning simultaneously across NSW.More on this:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-10/nsw-weather-conditions-ease-but-high-risk-fires-expected/11690080
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50357103The smoke is drifting over to New Zealand now.
View from Space:
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This article has a heap of photos of the fires:
https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/moments-of-bravery-and-bush-spirit-captured-in-photos-of-nsw-fires/news-story/f901d4e87f01334df917e37bbb1f63a9 -
Things in Bolivia getting really bad. We have several team members there so talking to people on the inside continuously...
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Not sure if this should be IT or Non-IT
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/technology-50381728/the-fake-video-where-johnson-and-corbyn-endorse-each-otherHows how on the face of it, videos can be made very realistic when dealing with elections. But also any world issues.
How can we trust what's posted out there? But that's maybe for another thread/discussion
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Bolivia crisis: Jeanine Áñez declares herself interim president
Bolivian opposition senator Jeanine Áñez has declared herself interim president of the South American country following Evo Morales' resignation.
Ms Áñez said she was next in line under the constitution and vowed to hold elections soon. Her appointment was endorsed by Bolivia's Constitutional Court. Lawmakers from Mr Morales' party boycotted the session, and the former president branded Ms Áñez "a coup-mongering right-wing senator". Mr Morales has fled to Mexico, saying he asked for asylum there because his life was in danger. He resigned on Sunday after weeks of protests over a disputed presidential election result. He has said he had been forced to stand down but had done so willingly "so there would be no more bloodshed". -
@mlnews fingers crossed that this makes a different.
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More than 10 million sign up for Disney+ in first day
That's pretty crazy, a service going from 0 to 10 million in a day. No wonder lol.
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@Obsolesce said in Non-IT News Thread:
More than 10 million sign up for Disney+ in first day
That's pretty crazy, a service going from 0 to 10 million in a day. No wonder lol.
$70 million, less whatever discount Verizon is getting for their deal. Because you know they are not payin $6.99 for each subscriber they are giving it to for "free"
Not bad for day 1 of the first month.
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@JaredBusch said in Non-IT News Thread:
@Obsolesce said in Non-IT News Thread:
More than 10 million sign up for Disney+ in first day
That's pretty crazy, a service going from 0 to 10 million in a day. No wonder lol.
$70 million, less whatever discount Verizon is getting for their deal. Because you know they are not payin $6.99 for each subscriber they are giving it to for "free"
Not bad for day 1 of the first month.
10 million didn't sign up on Tuesday - 10 million might have gone live - but tons of people (like me) have been signed up and paid ages ago.
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@Dashrender said in Non-IT News Thread:
@JaredBusch said in Non-IT News Thread:
@Obsolesce said in Non-IT News Thread:
More than 10 million sign up for Disney+ in first day
That's pretty crazy, a service going from 0 to 10 million in a day. No wonder lol.
$70 million, less whatever discount Verizon is getting for their deal. Because you know they are not payin $6.99 for each subscriber they are giving it to for "free"
Not bad for day 1 of the first month.
10 million didn't sign up on Tuesday - 10 million might have gone live - but tons of people (like me) have been signed up and paid ages ago.
The article said 10 million sign-ups on first day. Where did you see otherwise?
The article specifically states that Disney said 10 million actual sign-ups on day 1. Not 10 million since ages ago.
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@Obsolesce said in Non-IT News Thread:
@Dashrender said in Non-IT News Thread:
@JaredBusch said in Non-IT News Thread:
@Obsolesce said in Non-IT News Thread:
More than 10 million sign up for Disney+ in first day
That's pretty crazy, a service going from 0 to 10 million in a day. No wonder lol.
$70 million, less whatever discount Verizon is getting for their deal. Because you know they are not payin $6.99 for each subscriber they are giving it to for "free"
Not bad for day 1 of the first month.
10 million didn't sign up on Tuesday - 10 million might have gone live - but tons of people (like me) have been signed up and paid ages ago.
The article said 10 million sign-ups on first day. Where did you see otherwise?
The article specifically states that Disney said 10 million actual sign-ups on day 1. Not 10 million since ages ago.
10m actually seems like a reasonable first day sign up given the advertising for it and how many people are Disney addicted. It's "high", but within reason for sure.
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Venice floods: Italy to declare state of emergency over damage
Italy is set to declare a state of emergency in Venice after the Italian city was engulfed by 1.87m (6ft) high water levels, flooding its historic basilica and cutting power to homes.
More than 80% of the city, a Unesco world heritage site, was under water when tides were at their highest. Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described the flooding as "a blow to the heart of our country". He said the government would now act quickly to provide funds and resources. He said the government would "accelerate" the building of structural defences for the lagoon city, referring specifically to the so-called Mose project - a hydraulic barrier system to shut off the lagoon in the event of rising sea levels and winter storms.The prime minister is expected to announce the emergency measures later on Thursday. -
@mlnews and that's their sewage, too!
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'Alarm' over winter flood prospects in England
The Environment Agency's director of flood risk management says he is "alarmed" by the prospect of further flooding across England this winter.
John Curtin said there had been so much rain this Autumn, the land is saturated in many places. He is concerned that floods are going to "get worse, more frequently, more often." The three months from September have seen near-record levels of rain with 900 properties flooded across England. Mr Curtin said 21,000 homes in the current flooding period had been protected due to existing defences and operational activities. "I do sound alarmed because we are in the middle of November and everywhere is saturated," he told reporters. "All the flood storage areas are full. We have to be really vigilant because what I don't want is that horrendous 900 number to become a 10, 15, 20,000 number." -
BBC News - Bolivia crisis: Death toll mounts amid pro-Evo Morales protests
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-50441867
