News

Biden Receives South Korean President in the US in May
16Apr By Alan LorenzNo Comments
News, South Korea, US

Biden Receives South Korean President in the US in May

US President Joe Biden will receive his South Korean colleague Moon Jae-in in Washington in the second half of May.   According to a White House spokesman, an exact date has not yet been set. The visit serves, among other things, to underline the relationship between the two countries. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken of Foreign Affairs and his colleague Lloyd Austin of Defense visited the South Korean capital Seoul last month. Austin then emphasized that the US alliance with South Korea "had never been more important because of the unprecedented challenges posed by North Korea and China." As the first foreign head of government since taking office on Jan. 20, Biden will receive Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga at the White House on Friday. The visit underscores "friends...
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Computer Maker Dell to Split Off Cloud Company VMWare
15Apr By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Technology, News

Computer Maker Dell to Split Off Cloud Company VMWare

The American computer manufacturer Dell Technologies will split off its majority stake in cloud company VMWare. This creates two completely separate listed companies. The deal allows Dell to raise billions to reduce its high debt.   Dell owns 81 percent of VMWare. Following the spin-off, VMWare will pay out billions in special dividends to shareholders, of which Dell could potentially receive $ 9.7 billion. The Texas computer company acquired the majority stake through the 2016 acquisition of data storage group EMC, the parent company of VMWare. The acquisition was worth $ 67 billion. Dell has been reviewing strategic options for California's VMWare since the summer of last year. The technology group is weighed down by a debt of more than 48 billion dollars. According to CEO Mich...
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Von der Leyen Prefers Corona Vaccines With mRNA Base
14Apr By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Europe, News

Von der Leyen Prefers Corona Vaccines With mRNA Base

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants the EU to focus on vaccines based on so-called mRNA technologies, such as those from pharmaceuticals Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna, when purchasing corona vaccines. She says the EU may need new vaccines for extra protection against the coronavirus after people have already been vaccinated or to fight new variants of the virus. The German underlined that this does not mean that future contracts will not be signed with producers who do not use mRNA technology, such as AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson for the Janssen vaccine. Possible rare side effects with blood clots after vaccination with vaccines from these two manufacturers are currently under investigation.
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WHO Wants to Ban Trade in Live Mammals on Food Markets
13Apr By Alan LorenzNo Comments
News

WHO Wants to Ban Trade in Live Mammals on Food Markets

The World Health Organization (WHO) wants to stop selling live mammals on food markets. By restricting this practice, the emergence of new diseases must be prevented.   "Animals, especially wild animals, are the source of more than 70 percent of new infectious diseases in humans," WHO said in a joint statement with the World Animal Health Organization and the United Nations Environment Program. The health organization recognizes that markets are often crucial for the local population's livelihood and food supply. Still, countries are being called upon to halt live mammals' sale as an "emergency" measure. This intervention is intended to protect the health of market traders and customers. They run the risk of germs spreading to humans. Food markets with live animals came under a m...
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Joker Malware Downloaded on Half A Million Huawei Devices
12Apr By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Technology, News

Joker Malware Downloaded on Half A Million Huawei Devices

Apps infected with Joker malware have been downloaded more than 500,000 times from the Huawei AppGallery. The apps have since been removed from that app store, but users have to get them from their device themselves.   Antivirus company Doctor Web writes in a report that it has found a dozen apps on Huawei's AppGallery that are a vehicle for Joker malware. These include a messaging service, a puzzle game and a camera app. Those apps largely do what they are supposed to do, but the device users also subscribe to paying mobile services. According to the report, the apps also request access to notifications to fool users for longer. With that permission, the software could intercept any confirmation text messages sent when you subscribe to a paid service. According to Doctor Web, the...
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Nineteen Officers Injured in Northern Ireland Riots
9Apr By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Ireland, News

Nineteen Officers Injured in Northern Ireland Riots

Nineteen officers have been injured in the ongoing riots in Northern Ireland. The total number of police officers injured by the riots last week thus rises to 74, local media report.   Despite calls for calm by politicians, Belfast's streets were ravaged by rioters on Thursday evening, who threw stones, fireworks and Molotov cocktails at riot police, among other things. In addition to the nineteen officers, a police dog was also injured. A water cannon was used for the first time in years. Irish nationalists and pro-British loyalists have been involved in the worst turmoil of recent years. Brexit has increased tensions in the region. Besides, there is dissatisfaction with the authorities' decision not to prosecute the nationalist party leaders for violating corona rules.
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New York Stock Markets Mostly Higher After Fed Minutes
8Apr By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Business, News, US

New York Stock Markets Mostly Higher After Fed Minutes

The stock exchanges in New York mainly opened higher on Thursday after reassuring words from central banks.   Minutes from the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank (ECB) show that they see little as yet in a premature winding down of their stimulus measures for the economy. According to the Fed, it may still take some time before the conditions are met, such as reducing the extensive buy-back program. Policymakers at the ECB also emphasized in their interest rate decision in March that the buy-back program to combat the corona pandemic will continue as long as necessary. Before the opening bell, investors were still faced with disappointing figures about the US labour market. Last week, the number of claims for unemployment benefits rose to 744,000, while economists on av...
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Google Keeps Bleeding AI Scientists
7Apr By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Technology, News

Google Keeps Bleeding AI Scientists

Samy Bengio, who has worked for Google as an AI scientist for 14 years, is leaving the company after the recent riot over diversity and censorship.   A shareholder of Alphabet, meanwhile, is asking for better protection for whistleblowers. Bengio gave his notice a few weeks after two of his colleagues were fired. He is the highest-ranking AI employee to leave the company, believed to be in the wake of an internal battle over Google's scientists' independence. Samy Bengio has been with the tech giant for fourteen years, in the Google Brain department focuses on deep learning and artificial intelligence. Google has confirmed the resignation. The man is leaving amid ongoing controversy within Google's AI department. It started in December when the company fired Timnit Gebru, a promi...
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Chinese Cinemas Must Show Patriotic Films
6Apr By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Entertainment, China, News

Chinese Cinemas Must Show Patriotic Films

Chinese cinemas must show propaganda films twice a week for the next few months.   According to the authorities, for example, a positive atmosphere should be created in the run-up to the anniversary of the ruling Communist Party, which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this summer. The Chinese National Film Administration says that films should be shown until the end of the year that show "love for the party, the country and socialism". This must be done in "every province, region and city". Party members and others involved must ensure that those film screenings are well attended, emphasizes the film administration. He mentions discounts and advertisements as ways to lure Chinese people to the cinema. State media reports that films such as Jingang Chuan ('The Sacrifice')...
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US Service Sector Leaps Forward
5Apr By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Business, News, US

US Service Sector Leaps Forward

Activity in the US service sector has never been higher, according to market researcher ISM. ISM's index came in at 63.7, with anything above 50 indicating growth.   Since the measurements began in 1997, the market researcher's indicator has never before indicated such optimism. With more and more Americans vaccinated, parts of the long-suffering economy such as shops and hospitality can open up in more parts of the country. In addition to lifting corona measures, the services sector is also benefiting from government stimulus measures. Many Americans received emergency aid from the government that took them back to the stores to buy things. Corona support measures also make it easier for companies to look to the future. ISM's figures on the services sector follow strong statisti...
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