Twitter says it will begin removing misinformation about COVID-19 vaccinations from its site. That includes false claims that the virus is not real, debunked claims about the effects of receiving the vaccine. It will also remove baseless claims suggesting immunizations and vaccines are used to intentionally cause harm or to control people. Twitter said in a blog post Wednesday that it will start enforcing the new policy next week. If people send tweets in violation of the rules, they will be required to delete them before they are able to tweet again. Before the offending tweet is removed, Twitter will hide it from view.
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Posted inArticle
Fans jeer as players take a knee in English soccer match
Some fans attending an English second-tier match between host Millwall and Derby jeered as players took a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Booing from the stands was clearly heard in video footage published on social media as both sets of players made the symbolic gesture after the referee blew the whistle to signal the start of the match at The Den. Players in English soccer have continued to take a knee this season to show support for the fight against discrimination following the death of George Floyd in the United States. Limited numbers of fans are being allowed in stadiums in England this week for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak in March.
Posted inArticle, Business
Google AI researcher’s exit sparks ethics, bias concerns
Artificial intelligence scholar Timnit Gebru helped improve Google’s public image as a company that elevates Black computer scientists and questions harmful uses of AI technology. But internally, Gebru, a leader in the field of AI ethics, was not shy about voicing doubts about those commitments. That’s until she was ousted this week in a dispute over a research paper examining the societal dangers of an emerging branch of AI. The furor over Gebru’s abrupt departure is the latest incident raising questions about whether Google has strayed so far away from its original “Don’t Be Evil” motto that it now routinely ousts employees who challenge management.
Posted inArticle, Business, Health
Hospitals can care for Medicare patients at home in pandemic
Hospitals will be allowed to care for Medicare patients in their own homes during the pandemic under a new program to help hospitals deal with the latest surge. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Wednesday the program will let hospitals quickly start such programs, which offer constant electronic monitoring and other technology. They have been used for patients with private insurance in a limited way, then the pandemic dramatically boosted their use. Hospitals now can do the same for Medicare patients with various health problems, including COVID-19, who are are sick enough to be hospitalized but don’t need intensive care.
Posted inArticle, Business
BuzzFeed buying HuffPost from Verizon for undisclosed price
BuzzFeed is buying HuffPost from Verizon as part of a bigger deal that has the wireless giant investing in the digital-media company. BuzzFeed and Verizon did not disclose terms of the deal. Verizon will be a minority shareholder in BuzzFeed and the two companies will partner on content and ads. BuzzFeed is known for its quizzes and lists but also invested in its news division. Its founder and CEO, Jonah Peretti, also co-founded HuffPost, then known as The Huffington Post, in 2005. AOL bought it for $315 million in 2011. Peretti said in a memo to BuzzFeed employees that he expects the deal to close at the beginning of 2021.
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Squirrelly situation: Critter causes South Carolina outages
A section of South Carolina’s capital city was without power Monday after a squirrel scurrying across equipment caused damage that led to a blackout. Dominion Energy says the critter caused the outages in downtown Columbia. Spokesman Matt Long said the squirrel came into contact with the protective device surrounding a transformer and was killed during the encounter. Another power outage was reported Monday after a dump truck hit some wires in the city. By 11:45 a.m., nearly 1,800 customers had reported being without power but crews were working to make repairs in the remaining affected areas.
Posted inArticle, Business
Beyond Meat falls short in 3Q as restaurants struggle
Beyond Meat says it felt the full force of the coronavirus pandemic in the third quarter, leading to worse-than-expected financial results. The company cited consumer stockpiling in the second quarter, coupled with continuing struggles at restaurants and other food-service customers. Beyond Meat’s revenue rose 2.7% to $94.4 million. According to analysts polled by FactSet, that was far short of the $132 million that Wall Street forecast. El Segundo, California-based Beyond Meat said it lost $19.3 million for the quarter. Adjusted for one-time items, the company lost 28 cents per share. Analysts had forecast a 5 cent per share profit.
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Connecticut election worker tests positive for coronavirus
An election worker in New Haven, Connecticut, has tested positive for the coronavirus, leading to a dozen other workers being quarantined. Maritza Bond, the city’s public health director, says the infected employee has not been to work since last week after experiencing possible coronavirus symptoms and that offices in City Hall have been disinfected. The 12 people placed in quarantine were temporary employees who spent Tuesday in the city clerk’s office counting absentee ballots. City-Town Clerk Michael Smart has asked the secretary of the state’s office for support to ensure elections operations are completed Wednesday.
Posted inArticle, South County Bureau
COVID-19 amplifies affordable housing crisis in RI’s South County
In the higher-priced coastal areas, more people are facing housing insecurity, turning to temporary assistance, shelter beds, motel stays, and friends’ couches to keep a roof overhead. Some fear the situation could get worse.
Posted inArticle, Arts And Culture
Johnny Nash, singer of ‘I Can See Clearly Now,’ dies at 80
The writer, singer and producer of the classic “I Can See Clearly Now” has died. Johnny Nash’s son says his father died Tuesday at his home in Houston of natural causes at 80. Nash was a Houston-born artist who rose from pop crooner to early reggae star to chart-topping status with “I Can See Clearly Now.” Released in 1972, the tune was covered by artists ranging from Ray Charles and Donny Osmond to Soul Asylum and Jimmy Cliff, whose version was featured in the 1993 movie “Cool Runnings.” It also turned up in the film “Thelma and Louise,” and a Windex commercial.
