News of the World

[kyonides]

EA tells Kyle Rittenhouse his name could cause ‘harm’

Kyle Rittenhouse, who shot three people in self-defense during riots last year, has had his EA online account targeted by the gaming company for using his own name, which EA says could “harm others or negatively disrupt the game.”
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However, Rittenhouse’s actions continue to impact his life. An email posted to Instagram on Friday by the teenager showed that his Electronic Arts (EA) account had been reported for breaking the company’s ‘Positive Play Charter’.

The email warned Rittenhouse that he “may have used words or phrases that harm others or negatively disrupt the game.” The words or phrases in question were his username: “Kyle Rittenhouse.”

Rittenhouse didn’t even use the name on EA’s own online platform. Rather, the company found that he used it on Steam, the world’s largest PC games distribution service. The name, EA’s email continued, is an “inappropriate reference” to “Violence, Terror, and Tragic Events.”

Kyle Rittenhouse, who shot three people in self-defense during riots last year, has had his EA online account targeted by the gaming company for using his own name, which EA says could “harm others or negatively disrupt the game.”
Rittenhouse’s legal woes ended last month when a jury in Kenosha, Wisconsin, found him not guilty of murder, attempted murder and reckelss endangerment. The charges stemmed from his shooting dead of two men who attacked him, and injuring another, during Black Lives Matter protests in the Wisconsin city last August.

However, Rittenhouse’s actions continue to impact his life. An email posted to Instagram on Friday by the teenager showed that his Electronic Arts (EA) account had been reported for breaking the company’s ‘Positive Play Charter’.

RT
A screenshot of Kyle Rittenhouse's Instagram story, December 10, 2021 © Instagram / @thisiskylerittenhouse
The email warned Rittenhouse that he “may have used words or phrases that harm others or negatively disrupt the game.” The words or phrases in question were his username: “Kyle Rittenhouse.”

Rittenhouse didn’t even use the name on EA’s own online platform. Rather, the company found that he used it on Steam, the world’s largest PC games distribution service. The name, EA’s email continued, is an “inappropriate reference” to “Violence, Terror, and Tragic Events.”

Essentially a set of rules for players, EA describes its ‘Positive Play Charter’ as “an updated set of community guidelines with clear consequences for players who engage in racist, sexist, homophobic, and abusive acts in our games and channels.” Introduced last June, the company said at the time that it had removed more than 3,500 instances of “inappropriate and hurtful names and language” in the weeks leading up to its introduction.

Even if a gaming platform needs to enforce some rules to keep the environment safe, there's no justification for these abuse. We are not talking about a tyrant like a caesar nor Hitler nor Stalin here. If you are not entitled to pick your very own name as your username, they are violating your rights by discriminating you for no good reason.

What happened to the innocent until proven guilty principle!?
Or was it changed to automatically guilty for being yourself already?
Honestly, EA and Steam could get sued for this abuse in the future...

[kyonides]

Heart Inflammation Risk Higher From Moderna Vaccine
Than COVID-19 for Those Under 40: Study

The risk of developing a form of heart inflammation is higher for people younger than 40 after receiving Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine than it is from contracting COVID-19, according to a new study.

Researchers found 15 excess cases per 1 million people who received a second dose of the vaccine compared to 10 extra cases of myocarditis following a positive COVID-19 test. Moderna’s vaccine is typically taken in a two-dose regimen.

The risk of myocarditis, a form of heart inflammation, was much higher following the second dose of the Moderna vaccine, but there were still 8 excess cases per 1 million people following the first dose as well.

“Time to abandon the belief that COVID-19 myocarditis risk is always higher than mRNA vaccine myocarditis risk. For some individuals, myocarditis risks of the vaccine(s) are higher than those of the disease,” Euzebiusz Jamrozik, an infectious disease expert who works at the University of Oxford, wrote on Twitter.

The elevated risk stood out against what researchers found for the Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines. People were found to be more at risk of contracting myocarditis from COVID-19 than from either of those vaccines, regardless of age.
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The study was published in Nature and was carried out by professors from multiple colleges, including the University of Oxford, which helped develop the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Researchers utilized data from the English National Immunization database, which includes information on all people vaccinated in England. The database featured information on 38.6 million people through Aug. 24.

Jan. 6 Committee Confirms Schiff Presented
Doctored Text Message Between Meadows and Jordan

The House of Representatives committee investigating the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol acknowledged on Wednesday that it doctored a text message between former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), excluding content about how they wanted former Vice President Mike Pence to handle electoral votes during the Joint Session of Congress earlier this year.

On Monday, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the head of the House Intelligence Committee, showed a graphic during a hearing on newly obtained communications between Meadows and others, including Jordan. The graphic was displayed as the Jan. 6 panel was discussing whether to hold Meadows in contempt of Congress for refusing to hand over information related to the probe.

The graphic included the title “Lawmaker Text to Meadows.”

The message was presented as follows: “On January 6, 2021, Vice President Mike Pence, as President of the Senate, should call out all electoral votes that he believes are unconstitutional as no electoral votes at all.”

“You can see why this is so critical to ask Mr. Meadows about. About a lawmaker suggesting that the former vice president simply throw out votes that he unilaterally deems unconstitutional in order to overturn a presidential election and subvert the will of the American people,” Schiff said.

However, the message was actually a direct quote from former Department of Defense Inspector General Joseph Schmitz, according to The Federalist. The text included an attachment of Schmitz’s determination that Pence could object to electoral votes from states.

The text was also altered to cut off the rest of the sentence, which stated, “in accordance with guidance from founding father Alexander Hamilton and judicial precedence,” the outlet said.

Scientists Claim They May Have Discovered the Cause of Alzheimer’s

Scientists at the University of California–Riverside said in recent findings that the key to understanding Alzheimer’s may have to do with “tau” proteins that likely cause neurofibrillary tangles—which are found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Previously, researchers suggested that amyloid plaques, which are a buildup of amyloid peptides, may be the cause.

Both amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are critical indicators that doctors look for when trying to diagnose Alzheimer’s.

“Roughly 20 percent of people have the plaques, but no signs of dementia,” said UCR chemistry professor Ryan Julian in a statement. “This makes it seem as though the plaques themselves are not the cause.”

Researchers focused on the different structures a single molecule can manufacture, known as isomers.

“An isomer is the same molecule with a different three-dimensional orientation than the original. A common example would be hands. Hands are isomers of each other, mirror images but not exact copies. Isomers can actually have a handedness,” Julian said.
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If a protein stays too long—generally more than 48 hours—some amino acids in the proteins convert into the “other-handed” isomer, they noted.
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The human body has a process called autophagy, they noted, which clears used or defective proteins from cells. When people age, autophagy can slow down, although it isn’t clear why, Julian said, which is what his team is attempting to figure out.

Biden Ups Federal Funds for Kentucky Disaster Relief

President Joe Biden took an aerial tour over parts of Kentucky Wednesday morning to assess storm damage from deadly weekend tornadoes, and later in the day approved the federal government covering the entire cost for cleanup.

Over the weekend, Biden approved Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s request for a major disaster declaration, making federal funding available for the state, and on Monday approved disaster declarations for Tennessee and Illinois as well.

On Wednesday, Dec. 15, Biden upped the funds to Kentucky from 75 percent to 100 percent of the cleanup cost over the following 30 days.

When reporters asked if more money is needed from Congress, Biden said, “We don’t need it now.”

“It’s incredible how ya’ll have stepped up,” the president said Wednesday during an address in Dawson Springs, Kentucky. “I’m going make sure the federal government steps up and that we do every single thing.”

More than 30 tornadoes tore through Kentucky and seven other states over the course of Friday and Saturday, killing at least 88 people, including 74 in Kentucky, and leaving thousands more without a home or without power.

FDA Strengthens Warning Over Severe Condition
Linked to Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Vaccine

U.S. drug regulators this week formally strengthened a warning to Americans regarding a severe condition linked to Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine.

Blood clots and low blood platelet levels, known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), are now listed as a contradiction, or a medical reason for somebody not to get the shot.

“Do not administer” the vaccine to individuals with a history of the set of conditions following the vaccine or any other adenovirus-vectored COVID-19 vaccine, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says in an updated fact sheet (pdf) for health care providers administering vaccines.

TTS has been reported in “a wide range of individuals 18 years and older” since administration of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine began earlier this year, regulators say.

The highest reporting rate, approximately 1 case per 100,000 doses administered, has occurred in women aged 30 to 49.

About 15 percent of the TTS cases have been fatal.

[kyonides]

Feds admit tracking 33 million mobile phone devices during lockdowns

The Public Health Agency admits it tracked 33 million mobile devices to monitor the population’s movement during lockdowns, according to Blacklock’s Reporter .

The agency says cell tower locators were used to “understand the public’s responsiveness during lockdown measures.”

“Due to the urgency of the pandemic the Agency collected and used mobility data such as cell tower location data throughout the COVID-19 response,” said agency spokesperson Mark Johnson.

“It was to help understand possible links between the movement of populations within Canada and COVID.”

The reason the directive was disclosed was, according to Johnson, to “to be open and transparent.”

However, it also comes following a federal contractors’ notice that the agency will permanently introduce cell tower tracking.

“The agency will use mobility data to describe and analyze population-level trends,” said Johnson.

“Mobility data cannot be used to track or monitor individuals.”

Even so it can easily be used to monitor pretty much anybody 24/7, making me think it's a new incarnation of Big Brother...

[kyonides]

Japanese Frozen star Sayaka Kanda dies suddenly aged 35

Japanese actress Sayaka Kanda has died at the age of 35, it has been confirmed.

The star, who was best known for voicing Frozen character Anna, died ‘suddenly’ on Saturday.

Her agency confirmed the news and said in a statement: ‘Kanda Sayaka (35 years old) died suddenly at 9:40pm on December 18, 2021. We are very sorry to give such a report to all the fans who supported us and all the people who took care of us.

‘We are still unable to accept her passing and are trying to cope with it.’

A cause of death has not been determined.

Kanda, who voiced the Japanese dub for the character of Anna in Disney’s Frozen, was appearing in a stage version of My Fair Lady at the time of her death.

She was quite young indeed.

[kyonides]

Well, first of all let me tell you now that I truly hope you all have enjoyed a nice Christmas, eve, dinner, etc. this year.

Russian court slaps Google, Meta with massive fines

A Moscow court on Friday slapped Google with a nearly $100 million fine and also fined Facebook’s parent company Meta $27 million over their failure to delete content banned by local law, as Russia seeks to step up pressure on technology giants.

The Tagansky District Court ruled that Google repeatedly neglected to remove the banned content, and ordered the company to pay an administrative fine of about 7.2 billion rubles (about $98.4 million).

Google said it would study the court documents before deciding on its next steps.

Later Friday, the court also slapped a fine of nearly 2 billion rubles ($27.2 million) on Meta for failure to remove banned content.Are 

Russian courts had previously imposed smaller fines on Google, Facebook and Twitter this year, and Friday’s rulings marked the first time the size of the fine was calculated based on revenue.

Russian state communications watchdog Roskomnadzor said Google and Meta were specifically accused of violating the ban on distributing content that promotes extremist ideology, insults religious beliefs and encourages dangerous behavior by minors, among other things.

Aren't you glad you don't live in Russia?

Spanish eruption’s end brings ‘emotional relief,’ rebuilding

Authorities on one of Spain’s Canary Islands declared a volcanic eruption that started in September officially finished Saturday following 10 days of no lava flows, seismic activity or significant sulfur dioxide emissions.

But the emergency in La Palma, the most northwest island in the Atlantic Ocean archipelago, is not over due to the widespread damage the eruption caused, the director of the Canaries’ volcanic emergency committee said in announcing the much-anticipated milestone.

“It’s not joy or satisfaction - how we can define what we feel? It’s an emotional relief. And hope,” Pevolca director Julio Pérez said. “Because now, we can apply ourselves and focus completely on the reconstruction work.”

Fiery molten rock flowing down toward the sea destroyed around 3,000 buildings, entombed banana plantations and vineyards, ruined irrigation systems and cut off roads. But no injuries or deaths were directly linked to the eruption.

Pérez, who is also the region’s minister of public administration, justice and security, said the archipelago’s government valued the loss of buildings and infrastructure at more than 900 million euros ($1 billion).

Anyway, it's good to hear that the volcano is no longer erupting lava like crazy. 

Space telescope launched on daring quest to behold 1st stars

The world’s largest and most powerful space telescope rocketed away Saturday on a high-stakes quest to behold light from the first stars and galaxies and scour the universe for hints of life.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope soared from French Guiana on South America’s northeastern coast, riding a European Ariane rocket into the Christmas morning sky.

“What an amazing Christmas present,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA’s science mission chief.

The $10 billion observatory hurtled toward its destination 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometers) away, or more than four times beyond the moon. It will take a month to get there and another five months before its infrared eyes are ready to start scanning the cosmos.

First, the telescope’s enormous mirror and sunshield need to unfurl; they were folded origami-style to fit into the rocket’s nose cone. Otherwise, the observatory won’t be able to peer back in time 13.7 billion years as anticipated, within a mere 100 million years of the universe-forming Big Bang.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson called Webb a time machine that will provide “a better understanding of our universe and our place in it: who we are, what we are, the search that’s eternal.”

U.S. Navy warship remains in port
after COVID-19 breaks out among '100% immunized' crew

A U.S. Navy warship held off on deploying to South America last week after an outbreak of COVID-19 among its vaccinated crew.

USS Milwaukee, a littoral combat ship, remained in port at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay following positive tests from some of its sailors, some of whom exhibited mild symptoms, according to a Friday announcement from the U.S. Navy.

"The crew is 100% immunized and all COVID-19 positive sailors are isolated on board and away from other crew members," the release explained. "A portion of those infected have exhibited mild symptoms."
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The Navy did not say how many sailors had tested positive from the ship's crew, which contains a little more than 100 people, but said the ship "is following an aggressive mitigation strategy in accordance with Navy and CDC guidelines."

The USS Milwaukee began its deployment from Mayport, Fla., on Dec. 14 and was scheduled to head to the U.S. Southern Command region until the outbreak.

Spider-Man: No Way Home becomes the top movie of 2021

The latest Marvel movie unseated its previous hit 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'

Peter Parker’s good fortune continued over the holiday weekend as Hollywood prepares to close the books on a turbulent 2021. Even with some mighty competition from new "Matrix" and "Sing" movies, and rising concerns over the omicron variant, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" stayed in the No. 1 spot and netted a few more milestones too including crossing the $1 billion mark globally.

According to studio estimates Sunday "Spider-Man" added $81.5 million over the three-day weekend, down 69% from its first weekend. The Sony and Marvel film has now grossed $467 million from North American theaters, more than doubling the domestic grosses of 2021′s previous No. 1 film, "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings."

With $587.1 million from 61 overseas markets, in just 12 days of release, "Spider-Man" has grossed $1.05 billion globally. It's the first film of the pandemic to cross $1 billion and is tied with "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" for being the third-fastest film ever to do so — and this without the benefit of its release in China.

Universal’s "Sing 2" came in second place with an estimated $23.8 million, while Warner Bros.' "The Matrix Resurrections" grossed $12 million to take third place.

I personally don't like movies that are full of logical loopholes and a few lame battles except for one.
Anyway, I guess fans do love it or they wouldn't have hit the $1 billion mark globally.

[kyonides]

Omicron infection appears to protect against Covid delta variant
and could displace it, South Africa study finds

People infected with the heavily mutated omicron variant of Covid-19 may have increased immune protection against delta, a new study says.

As a consequence, omicron could displace delta, according to the small study published by South African scientists this week.

The findings could have significant implications for nations such as the United States where omicron infections are rapidly increasing but the delta variant, which has caused an increase in hospitalizations, is still widespread.

“These results are consistent with Omicron displacing the Delta variant, since it can elicit immunity which neutralizes Delta making re-infection with Delta less likely,” the team of scientists, led by Khadija Khan at the Africa Health Research Institute, wrote in their findings.

If omicron displaces delta and proves more mild than past variants, “the incidence of Covid-19 severe disease would be reduced and the infection may shift to become less disruptive to individuals and society,” according to the scientists’ findings.

CDC Shortens Covid-19 Quarantine Guidelines for General Population

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in a reversal of a previous recommendation, cut the number of days of isolation for Americans who contract COVID-19 from 10 days to five days regardless of vaccination status.

The agency similarly shortened the time that close contacts of COVID-19 need to quarantine. Authorities with the CDC said that its latest guidance is in line with more and more evidence suggesting that those who contract the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus are the most infectious two days before and three days after symptoms emerge.

Meanwhile, the CDC said that a surge in the Omicron variant across the United States propelled the latest guidance change. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told The Associated Press on Monday that the United States will experience significantly more Omicron cases.

“Not all of those cases are going to be severe. In fact, many are going to be asymptomatic,” she told the newswire service. “We want to make sure there is a mechanism by which we can safely continue to keep society functioning while following the science.”

Since the emergence of the new strain in southern Africa last month, only one Omicron death has been reported so far in the United States. Officials in Texas said a Harris County man apparently died from the variant last week.

According to a recent analysis of U.S. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, the hospitalization rate for Omicron appears to be far lower than previous strains.

Around 64,000 Americans were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Christmas Day, or Dec. 25, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That represents an increase of about 3 percent from the week prior, when around 62,000 people were hospitalized on Dec. 18.

However, that’s much lower than peak hospitalizations that were seen during the Delta surge and about half that of the record-high hospitalizations in January 2021. On Sept. 1, some 98,000 people were hospitalized around the United States amid the Delta surge, and at around Jan. 14, more than 133,000 were hospitalized, federal data show.

But Walensky, in a statement published on the CDC’s website on Monday, warned that Omicron “has the potential to impact all facets of our society” and called on people to either get vaccinated or take a booster shot. She also recommended people to wear a mask inside public indoor spaces regardless of vaccination status.

The CDC last week also loosened its recommendation for healthcare workers to stay out of work for about 10 days if they test positive for the CCP virus. New recommendations suggest that healthcare workers can head back to work after seven days if they produce a negative test result and have no symptoms.

The isolation time, the CDC added, can be shortened to five days if there are staffing shortages at facilities.

Cuba Signs ‘Belt and Road’ Agreement With China

Cuba and China have signed a cooperation plan to push forward construction projects under Beijing’s controversial overseas infrastructure program, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has saddled many participating countries with heavy debt loads.

The Chinese Embassy in Cuba announced the agreement on its website on Dec. 26, saying that the deal was inked two days earlier by He Lifeng, head of China’s top economic planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission, and Cuban Vice Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas.
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Under the agreement, the two nations aimed to work together on projects in several key sectors, including communications, education, health and biotechnology, science and technology, and tourism, according to the Agencia Cubana de Noticias news agency.

The Chinese Embassy also stated that a timetable and a roadmap had been proposed to implement the projects, without giving details.
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The researcher was quoted as saying that “Cuba is rich in mineral and oil resources, and is a major source of nickel ore for China.” Cuba has one of the world’s largest nickel deposits in the world.

New Jersey Gov. Murphy Blasted for Costa Rica Travel
as COVID-19 Omicron Variant Surges

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy is catching heat for taking an eight-day Christmas vacation in Costa Rica despite the State Department warning travelers to “reconsider” visiting there due to COVID-19 and as the case count surges in his own state.

Murphy, vice chair of the National Governors Association, called in from Costa Rica to President Biden’s COVID-19 response meeting with the nation’s governors on Monday, where he received a “thank you” from the president before the meeting was closed to the public.

Murphy and his wife left the country on Dec. 22 and are due back this Thursday, while Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver serves as acting governor.

So let's say it's true that he and his family left US in order to spend the holidays in Costa Rica. Why now? And why can't Americans do the same without being called irresponsible or reckless by the authorities?

[kyonides]

New NYC Mayor Calls 911 on Men Fighting During Subway Ride on First Day

New York City Mayor Eric Adams called the police when he saw three men fighting during his commute to his first day on the job, according to footage of the incident.
While waiting for a subway train and talking to reporters on Saturday, Adams, a Democrat, saw three men fighting near the Kosciuszko St. J train stop in Brooklyn. He called 911 to report an “assault in progress,” footage shows.
By the time police arrived on the scene, two men had left and officers spoke to the remaining alleged offender, according to local reporters.
“Once a transit cop always a transit cop,” Adams said at around 8 a.m. when he called 911. When punches were being thrown, he said, “Here we go. I knew it was only a matter of time, that’s why I kept looking at it.”

Honestly that is NOT the way anybody should start a new year. 

EU Proposes Green Certificate for Nuclear and Gas Energy

The European Union has drafted a proposal that allows consideration for natural gas and nuclear energy to be included within the scope of “green” investments as countries and environmentalists battle over the complicated classification system.

Later this month, the European Commission is expected to suggest recommendations on the environmental criteria needed in order to classify an energy source as “green” and whether projects can be included within the EU’s “sustainable finance taxonomy.” According to draft conclusions viewed by multiple media outlets, the commission has suggested adding gas and nuclear energy to the green mix, resulting in immediate criticism from some governing political parties and environmental activists.

Gas projects would be temporarily labeled green if they were utilized in place of coal and emitted less than 270 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour (e/kWh), receive a construction permit before the end of 2030, and plan to switch to a renewable energy source by 2035.

Similarly, nuclear energy would fall within the green category if new plants granted construction permits by 2045 meet specific criteria that present no significant harm to the surrounding environment, as well as water resources. Presently, countries in Europe are at varying stages of energy transition.

Energy Department Approves Release of
2 Million Barrels of Crude to Exxon

The U.S. Department of Energy has approved the release of two million barrels of crude oil to ExxonMobil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) on Dec. 30, as part of the initiative undertaken in November by the federal government to lower gasoline prices in the country.

This is the third exchange of crude oil with ExxonMobil. Currently, the DOE has supplied over seven million barrels from the SPR in an effort to boost supply. An exchange refers to a situation where oil entities like refineries borrow critical supplies from SPR, which the companies have to replace in full later on, along with an additional amount that is dependent on how long they kept the oil.
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The White House had announced the plan to release 50 million barrels from the SPR as a coordinated worldwide response to high oil prices after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) allies turned down a U.S. appeal to release more crude into the market and stabilize the price.

More Than 2,200 Flights Canceled on Jan. 2
Amid COVID-19 Staffing Issues, Snowstorm

More than 2,200 flights have been canceled on Jan. 2, the day after New Year’s, amid staffing shortages and poor weather conditions in some parts of the United States.

Some 2,233 flights within, into, or out of the United States were canceled on the morning of Jan. 2, according to tracking website FlightAware. About 3,000 delays have been reported, the website’s data show.

Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport had the most delays and cancellations, with more than 500 flights being canceled, according to FlightAware. Denver International Airport had nearly 300 cancellations.

The mess of flight cancellations can be blamed, in part, on snowstorms that have affected O’Hare and Denver’s airport. Some have suggested that flight crew shortages are also to blame amid a bevy of COVID-19-related sick calls in recent days, which have likely been exacerbated by airlines’ vaccine requirements for staff.

SkyWest Airlines, which operates flights for American, Delta, United, and Alaska airlines, saw the most cancellations on Jan. 2. About 20 percent of its scheduled flights, or 479 flights, were scuppered, the data show. Mesa Airlines, Envoy Air, and Air Wisconsin—also regional carriers—canceled dozens of flights on Jan. 2.

GMO Foods to Be Labeled ‘Bioengineered’ as New Rule Takes Effect

Products in the United States containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will be labeled as “bioengineered” under new food disclosure rules that took effect on Jan. 1.

That’s a change from being described as having “genetically engineered” or GMO components.

Companies were given until Jan. 1 to comply with the new rules, which were finalized during the Trump administration. The government was following a law passed by Congress in 2016 to create a national standard for disclosing foods that are or may be bioengineered.

The countrywide standard “avoids a patchwork state-by-state system that could be confusing to consumers,” then-Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said at the time.

The updated labeling requirements have drawn criticism, and a legal challenge from the Center for Food Safety, which charges that they’re confusing.

By the way, actress Betty White has passed away last Friday during New Year's Eve.
She aged 99 and was quite close to celebrate her 100th birthday.  RIP Betty White.

[kyonides]

800,000 Noncitizens Allowed to Vote in NYC Elections

New York City Mayor Eric Adams allowed a measure to become law on Jan. 9 making about 800,000 noncitizens in the city eligible to vote in municipal elections.
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The bill was approved by the City Council on Dec. 9, 2021, giving the mayor 30 days to veto; Adams allowed it to become law without any action. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio had expressed concerns about the measure but declined to veto it before leaving office on Dec. 31.
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The law applies to legal permanent residents, people with working papers, and so-called Dreamers, as long as they’ve been residents of the city for 30 consecutive days.
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The law doesn’t apply to state or federal elections.

These noncitizen voters also can apply to cast an absentee ballot for municipal elections.

Adams was initially concerned about the 30-day residency requirement. But he told CNN on Jan. 9, “After hearing their rationale and their theories behind it, I thought it was more important to not veto the bill.”

He said that in Brooklyn, where he was the borough president, 47 percent of residents don’t speak English at home.

People, that's exactly how you can destroy a county.
 How they hell did they ever think it makes sense that anybody living there has a right to vote?
So if a Mara or MS gangster shows up there, he will be able to pick a mayor that hates  cops?
They've simply lost all common sense and the worst is that NY mayor believed in the "theories" they told him.
So if somebody comes to his office and tells him that unicorns, phoenix birds and ET aliens exist, he will buy their fairy tales in no time?
Only legal citizens should be allowed to vote anywhere.
Next thing they could come up with would be that any alien including Alf could become their next mayor.

New York Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy criticized the law as “perhaps the worst idea out of New York City Democrats.”

“This radical legislation is unconstitutional, un-American, and downright dangerous. This not only will undermine the credibility of local city elections but will undoubtedly interfere with the integrity of state and national elections across New York State,” Langworthy told reporters before the City Council approved the bill.

[DerVVulfman]

As you so reported it...

This radical legislation is unconstitutional, un-American, and downright dangerous.

And it shall be fought...

Republicans File Lawsuit
To Block New York City’s Noncitizen Voting Law

Republican leaders are making good on a threat to fight a recently enacted NY law in local elections

It’s really an open and shut case. The Constitution of the State of New York is very straightforward: citizenship is a prerequisite to voting, not just in statewide elections but in city elections as well.

Other plaintiffs included State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar, Congressmember Nicole Malliotakis, the five Republican members of the New York City Council along with other state elected officials from Staten Island and four voters who are naturalized citizens. City Council member Robert Holden, a Democrat from Queens, is also a plaintiff.

  This lawsuit is fully bi-partisan against this law which has already been shown unconstitutional.

[kyonides]

US Senate Considers App Store Reform Bill

Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) have partnered to deliver an antitrust bill addressing Big Tech, which is due to be debated by the Senate on Thursday.

Bill S.2710, the Open App Markets Act, targets Apple and Google in particular, two companies that mediate access to apps for the great majority of smartphone users through the App Store and Google Play Store, respectively. The proposed law would prevent companies from privileging their own in-house applications over competitors and open up avenues for third-party app stores.

App store access has been one of the primary means by which digital industries exert control over platforms they do not own. At different points in 2018, Apple banned both Tumblr and Telegram, citing the availability of child pornography on these platforms as the reason for their removal. Both have since been reinstated in the App Store. This action was widely seen as the catalyst for Tumblr’s adoption of a universal ban on adult content, which was criticized by progressive media outlets.
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Even giants like Facebook and Twitter are at the mercy of Apple and Google to provide access to their applications. In 2020, Facebook added a note to the checkout page for paid Facebook events, saying that Apple would take a 30 percent cut of the cost of entering these events. The note was removed as a result of pressure from Apple, which cited a policy against “irrelevant” information.