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2gether hacked: 1.2m in cryptocurrency stolen, native tokens offered in exchange – ZDNet

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2gether has revealed a cyberattack in which roughly 1.2 million in cryptocurrency has been stolen from cryptocurrency investment accounts.

Founded in 2017, 2gether offers a cryptocurrency trading platform within the Eurozone for buying and selling without additional fees. The organization's native coin is the 2GT token, which is -- or, at least, was -- due to be issued during 2020 following a pre-sale in Spain.

However, on July 31 at 6.00 pm CEST, the trading platform suffered a cyberattack on its servers.

The unknown threat actors reportedly behind the attack made off with 1.183 million in cryptocurrency in investment accounts, which equates to 26.79% of overall funds.

See also:Cybersecurity 101: Protect your privacy from hackers, spies, and the government

In a stream of Twitter updates posted by 2together CEO Ramn Ferraz Estrada, the executive was keen to emphasize that general wallets and Euro accounts were not impacted, nor were the financial details of payment cards used to deposit funds.

However, user passwords were also compromised in the security breach, and it is recommended that users change them.

2together has not revealed how the security incident took place. An investigation is underway to find out how the cyberattackers managed to obtain access to the company's servers, as well as the full extent of the damage caused.

The cryptocurrency platform added that information is being "gathered" to give to local authorities.

In an update posted August 1, Ferraz, Chairman Salvador Casquero, and Director Luis Estrada said the "extremely difficult situation has brought us all a lot of uncertainty," branding the hackers responsible as "soulless individuals."

The executives said that following the theft, the platform does not have enough funds to cover all of its bases and so an emergency discussion took place with an unnamed "investment firm" to try and secure a cash injection.

However, an agreement was not reached -- and so the only alternative is to offer users the equivalent of their stolen cryptocurrency in the native 2GT token.

CNET:The best home security camera of 2020

"We want to compensate the amount of stolen cryptocurrency (26.79% of your position before the attack) with a volume in 2GT equivalent to the issuance price of 5 cents," the team said. "On top of that, we commit to keep looking, at top capacity and as soon as possible, for additional funds to make up for every single one of your cryptocurrencies."

The executives said that if it was possible to use other funds, they would, but in the meantime, the technical team is working on reestablishing the trading app to reopen access "as soon as possible and with all the security measures available."

A Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) will take place in the next few days to answer investor questions, according to 2gether.

TechRepublic:Security analysts: Industry has not solved the talent gap or provided clear career paths

"We hope you can see these hard times and adverse events compensated soon, whether you decide to give us the vote of confidence we're asking you for or not," the team added.

In other cryptocurrency news, last week, China arrested 109 individuals in a massive sting connected to the PlusToken Ponzi scheme.

The South Korean exchange was touted as a high-yield investment for those with little experience in cryptocurrency, while also offering a commission for members who sign up new traders. When the team performed what is thought to be an exit scam, an estimated $3 - $6 billion in deposits was taken, and many of the PlusToken management team fled abroad.

Have a tip? Get in touch securely via WhatsApp | Signal at +447713 025 499, or over at Keybase: charlie0

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2gether hacked: 1.2m in cryptocurrency stolen, native tokens offered in exchange - ZDNet

What Really Is Cryptocurrency? – TheStreet

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Courtesy of Matt Sauer, MWSWNB Investments:

Is it a derivative, an asset or a currency? Look at its effect on the efficient frontier. Confidence is the key in any currency.

The advent of crypto assets and specifically cryptocurrency has garnered a significant amount of attention from investors. Is this the dawning of a new asset class or tulip bulbs? While there is diverse opinion on the subject, we observe cryptocurrency from three vantage points:

Asset Allocation

Modern Portfolio Theory constitutes the prevailing wisdom on selecting assets based on forecasted returns of each asset together with the correlation to the others to determine the mix of the allocation. The risk measurement is introduced through the volatility of the returns and is utilized to determine the weights of the assets in the portfolio. The introduction of uncorrelated assets has been labeled a free lunch because of the potential of return not being solely driven by correlated risk. Investors have observed the traditional asset classes of bonds, stocks and cash increase in correlation especially since the correction that occurred in the early 2000s.

The goal of asset allocation is to generate a return pattern for different risk profiles that minimize the drawdown. The more correlated the assets, the increase in difficulty of achieving the goal. The factor that MPT left out is how path dependent asset returns are. Additionally, because financial asset prices are lognormally distributed rather than normally distributed, the tails are fatter than occurs in normal distributions.

One of the fallacies that occurs in asset allocation is the belief that the investors are arbitraging time so short-term volatility is not a concern. This ignores the path dependency of the returns because geometric averages are non-ergodic. The result of the differences in return pattern is labeled the volatility tax which is simply the difference between arithmetic and geometric averages. While the arithmetic averages are simply the average of the returns the geometric returns are the average of the logarithms of the average price changes. A logarithm is a concave function so the bigger the loss the steeper the curve and the greater the penalty paid by the portfolio.

So how does an investor mitigate the volatility tax? We will explore the costs of hedging versus the introduction of non-traditional assets in the portfolio to obtain the objective of maximizing the compounded annual growth rate.

Crisis Proofing

In a recent academic study (Harvey et al. 2019), the goal of crisis proofing portfolios was analyzed. Purchasing rolling S&P 500 puts was costly at 7.4% annualized cost (thus wiping out the expected performance) while also finding the strategy of utilizing 10-year US Treasuries as unreliable. The best solution found was a long/short strategy of quality minus junk utilizing Fama and Frenchs work. This leaves a long only portfolio manager with few options to avoid the impact on the geometric averages of swift downturns.

Introducing crypto assets as a low cost non-correlated asset will provide a different return pattern. After the original transaction costs, the carrying cost of 50-100 basis points per year of the asset only accrue 10-20 basis points overall to the cost of the portfolio for a 2% position. As a diversifying asset it is the cheapest form of owning the largest sigma of returns. This strategy does not require dynamic hedging by either rolling puts or simply buying the dip. These strategies both increase the size of drawdowns while rolling options becomes more expensive as implied volatility increases during swift downturns.

Research has established that the risk-return tradeoff is distinct from stocks, currencies and macroeconomic factors (Liu and Tsyvinski 2018). Additionally, factors specific to cryptocurrency markets (momentum and investor attention) drove returns.

The cost of dynamically hedging a portfolio is too expensive so the best alternative for the portfolio manager is to introduce assets that exhibit anti-fragility. Investments that benefit from chaos are extremely valuable to a portfolio manager and as cryptocurrency exhibits these characteristics once, no portfolio manager will sit on the sidelines the second time.

Portfolio managers must acknowledge that cryptocurrency does not act as a traditional hedge, but it does raise the efficient frontier. This becomes more important if bond prices become more correlated with stock prices and flatten the efficient frontier.

We suggest a new version of MPT that has a z axis that is defined by purchasing power of the portfolio in a basket of currencies. The efficient frontier becomes a plane that is advantaged by owning diversified currencies. This is another building block in crisis proofing portfolios as the debasement of a currency held as the primary currency can be a much greater tax than the volatility.

Asset Class

Critics of cryptocurrency have stated that the growth is not based on investment factors but derivative factors such as money laundering. These attempts to undermine an emerging asset class are not new and have always been part of the growth.

The recent volatility of prices may suggest to some pundits that cryptocurrency is not an asset class but a speculative game. This is the expected reaction to volatility as common stocks were treated with the same apprehension following the 1929-32 price movement. Lawrence Chamberlains 1931 quote in Investment and Speculation was that only bonds could be bought for investment. Obviously, this quote was a result of market movements at that time rather than an attempt to protect wealth against inflation in the long run but that is the point. Todays fears over volatility are tomorrows missed returns.

High yield bonds have long been known by their pejorative title of junk bonds. Investors were lambasted in 1990 for being so foolhardy as to have invested in an asset class that was down 8.46% when high grade bonds were up 8.96%. There was a media frenzy over the death of junk bonds as an asset class. However, 1991 was a rebound year as junk was up 43.23% versus 16% for the high-grade bonds. Back to back 18% years in 1992-93 put junk back to asset class status and it has been high yield ever since.

Speculators are deemed to trade strictly on greed and fear. Invoking Keynes beauty contest analogy, they are evaluating what the other speculators will do and attempt to do it first. The coordination game they are playing involves looking for the Schelling point for the path of least resistance in the short run. Therefore, momentum and investor attention has driven the price, investors are trading short term momentum from the media coverage and have been utilizing investor attention to create liquidity both up and down. As the asset class matures, the Schelling point is not media opinion but focal point investors. This allows institutional investors to coordinate without communication. As the allocations of the new asset class are made independently, the coordination game played by market participants is utilizing their own Schelling point.

Asset classes become relevant because of recent superior performance whether it is quality stocks, gold or high-grade bonds. Institutionalization occurs after the speculator fallout as investors slowly migrate to the investment.

Currency

Currencies are the domain of countries because of taxing capability, regulation and the ability to affect supply. The idea that cryptocurrency is a true currency has been a question. The growth in government debts and obligations globally has not been perceived by the financial markets as an issue yet the risks are mounting. The dollar is no longer backed by gold or any liquid asset other than taxing ability. Bretton Woods is only a memory.

There is no risk that an investor in United States Treasury bonds will not be repaid principal. The question is what the purchasing power of that principal in terms of a basket of other currencies, oil and gold will be.

What are the experts thinking and writing about government policies and the effects on purchasing power?

International Monetary Fund viewpoint

A recent IMF working paper espoused the following thoughts on debt:Sovereign debt is a Janus-faced asset class. In the best of times it relaxes the domestic constraint on savings, smooths consumption, and finances investment. Investors see it as a safe haven, as delivering alpha, and as a means of portfolio diversification. In the worst of times it is associated with debt overhangs, banking collapses, exchange-rate crises and inflationary explosions. Investors see it unenforceable, illiquid and prone to messy debt workouts.

Currently global debt is about $244 trillion and about 318% of GDP. In January 2019, the International Monetary Fund warned governments to reign in debt and build buffers against risks. If a government can borrow at very low rates or in some cases negative rates, the path of least resistance is to increase the money supply and borrow more to keep the world economy rolling.

United States Congress viewpoint

Congressman Brad Sherman has proposed cryptocurrency be banned because it poses a threat to the dollars role as a reserve currency and the fact that the international settlement of oil is in dollars. As unworkable a policy that he suggests, there is a hint of fear among those responsible in the United States for debasing the dollar.

Our viewpoint

Developing countries have gold and currency reserves to underpin their currency. Developed countries utilize sovereign stability to create demand for their currency and then exploit the demand by increasing the amount of currency to maximize domestic asset values. As governments find it more difficult to sustain asset values necessary for tax receipts the debasement will continue. The global lack of the velocity of money supply has had governments pushing on a string since the last asset crisis of 2009. The next crisis will be led by asset price downturns but will morph into a crisis of currency value as governments try to flood the market with paper money to support asset prices. In this case the assets that rise in value will not be tied to a currency, be portable and not debasing.

What exactly is Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrencys strength is that it can solve several fundamental problems in the global marketplace. Like having the transient properties of being a solid, liquid and gas; crypto assets can function in as a derivative, an asset and a currency. The investment holding that reconstitutes Modern Portfolio Theory and adds a z axis of currency risk also allows for a solution that is the new efficient frontier as it progresses into an asset class that is anti-fragile. Inflation protection is the tangible outcome of rethinking risk as defined by purchasing power across all currencies rather than the loss of it in one.

--Matt Sauer, MWSWNB Investments. Originally published here.

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What Really Is Cryptocurrency? - TheStreet

What Paxful has learned over five years in the cryptocurrency space – htxt.africa

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This year marks Paxfuls fifth year in operation and its taking some time to reflect on its journey thus far.

Thats not to say the firm has anything to regret, quite the opposite.

Paxful now boasts 4.5 million registered wallets and recently reached a trading volume of $4.6 billion. On top of that, each year has seen one million new users signing up to the platform with an additional two million expected to join Paxful by years end.

On its journey, the firm has learned a few lessons and one of those lessons is that while there might be a few big players in the cryptocurrency sector, there is still room for newcomers.

We welcome seeing more players enter the space, as it raises awareness and educates the public on the crypto-economy and P2P finance. It contributes to the growth of economic opportunity and financial inclusivity for people around the world as more individuals are using bitcoin in their everyday lives, says co-founder and chief executive officer at Paxful, Ray Youssef.

So with opportunity seemingly available, what can Paxful share with others looking to get into the space.

It should be obvious that the safety of users should be paramount but above and beyond implementing safety measures, its about constantly investing in new safety measures, keeping up with compliance and managing risk.

Over and above that, many users are still very confused by cryptocurrency and incidents such as Silk Road and Dread Pirate Roberts, and robberies of cryptocurrency exchanges dont help the cause.

Its for this reason we see firms like Paxful and Luno embarking on education campaigns to inform users about what cryptocurrency is and why its rather safe.

Cryptocurrency is popular all over the world, but Paxful says that in emerging markets there is a growing appetite for financial tools.

Bitcoin continues to change the way people manage their finances. Our customers in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia are getting around the limitations of their financial systems by realizing the full potential of the Bitcoin-economy, using it for both personal finance needs and entrepreneurial ventures including paying bills, purchasing goods and services, and building businesses, says Youssef.

But beyond just appetite from users, there is growing demand for professionals versed in blockchain.

Mindful of this, Paxful highlights how important investing in the next generation of talent is. We saw this last week with the announcement of several free webinars that the public can attend to learn about cryptocurrency, and blockchain.

In addition to nurturing talent, Youssef also says that partnerships in this industry are vital.

We are witnessing more industry collaborations that successfully play to each others strengths, adding value, increasing functionality and unlocking more trading options for customers. We are always excited to partner with businesses who share our passion and vision of economic freedom, a world where everyone has equal access to finance, no matter who they are, or where they are from, the co-founder says.

Partnerships of note include Paxful and OKEx, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world.

Locally, weve also seen partnerships between Luno and several firms which have made the platform more accessible or even earn interest on cryptocurrency holdings.

Its clear that rather than going at it alone, sometimes, especially when it comes to managing digital currency, a trusted partner may be a better avenue to pursue.

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What Paxful has learned over five years in the cryptocurrency space - htxt.africa

Cryptocurrency Market News: $1.2 billion in Bitcoin was withdrawn out of exchanges in the past week – FXStreet

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BTC/USD continues trading below $12,000 although bulls are getting closer to the crucial resistance level.

ETH/USD has stabilized around $400 which is the most important resistance point in the short-term.

XRP/USD has been able to stay above $0.30 in the past 24 hours while the daily 100-EMA and the 200-EMA are getting closer to a bull cross not seen since two years ago.

According to Genesis, a digital currency broker, and DeFi leader, Q2 marked around $2.2 billion in originations which is a 324% increase over the last year.

German police have seized around $30 million in crypto from movie2k.to, a streaming service that used to hold illegal movies. It seems that the revenue of the website was used to buy Bitcoin worth around $30 million today. The report alleges that the sites programmer has acquired more than 22,000 Bitcoin in total.

A new crypto derivatives exchange called Alpha5 has raised more than $1.5 million in their initial seed funding round. Announced around December 2019, Alpha intends to become an all-in crypto exchange with many unique features like a late liquidity pool and credit proxy futures.

What cant kill Bitcoin, makes it stronger.

Mark Wittkowski

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Cryptocurrency Market News: $1.2 billion in Bitcoin was withdrawn out of exchanges in the past week - FXStreet

How a world of fake profiles exploited Facebook to tout Roger Stone and Donald Trump – Yahoo News

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Roger Stone spent a half-century honing his skills as a political operator and building a reputation as a stop-at-nothing dirty trickster, in support of a range of big-name politicians and causes, including Donald Trump and Richard Nixon.

Now, a report from the cybersecurity firm Graphika suggests that Stone who in recent years has become one of Fort Lauderdales best-known residents was able to translate his real-world approach to the online world, exploiting the social media platform Facebook as he pursued goals that included promoting Trump and himself.

A closer look at the document shows how the Sunshine State emerged as an epicenter for the disinformation network, which set out to meddle in Florida politics and beyond.

Last month, the social media giant took down a network of 54 Facebook accounts, 50 pages and four from Instagram, another social media site it owns. A map showed 15 locations of the accounts were in Florida, mostly along the coast from Vero Beach to Miami; a handful were elsewhere.

The disinformation network jumped into Florida politics, posting from an inauthentic account named Rob Kanter against Senate Bill 10, Graphika said. That legislation, which created a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee, was fiercely opposed by Big Sugar. The bill passed in 2017, despite efforts on social media to defeat it.

Another example cited by Graphika: When a judge issued an order blocking Trumps order barring citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States in 2017, a Stone Cold Truth post accused the judge of letting terrorists in the U.S. to kill your family. It published his work address and phone numbers and invited people to call or email him.

Some pages associated with Stone promoted Stone, and often his books. Some attempted to influence legislation and criticized enemies including Hillary Clinton sometimes with negative messages. Some used fake names and were illustrated with faces found on the internet.

Story continues

Our investigation linked this network to Roger Stone and his associates, Facebook said. Some had links to the far-right group Proud Boys, Facebook said.

The report tied one example of online harassment by the network to a Sarah Jameson Facebook account, which purported to be a woman living in Plantation.

Roger Shuler, who writes an online blog called Legal Schnauzer, said he received a barrage of profanity-laden emails from some claiming to be a Sarah Jameson in 2015 and 2016. The person emailing was upset over Shuler critical posts about then-U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions and federal Judge Bill Pryor.

Shuler said he looked up Jamesons Facebook page and found a Roger Stone shrine. It seemed bizarre enough for him to write on his blog about the account with only 18 friends and posts promoting Stone.

I definitely had suspicions that it was a fake account or a false identity, Shuler said. It was kind of like a fan-girl page. Not much in-depth information. Whoever it was seemed to like Roger Stone for some reason.

It made me wonder: Roger Stone is known for dirty tricks. Was he involved in some of this? Shuler added.

Graphika, which says it uses artificial intelligence to analyze social media, said Facebook provided it with information to analyze before the takedown. The Graphika report was entitled Facebooks Roger Stone Takedown: Facebook Removes Inauthentic Network Attributed to Political Operative.

The accounts that were taken down, which included Stones Facebook and Instagram accounts, were most active from 2015 to 2017, especially around the time of the presidential election. Some were active as recently as this spring and advocated for a presidential pardon for Stone.

Graphika said many of the accounts carried discernible markers of inauthenticity, such as using profile pictures of other individuals.

For example, the accounts called Luciana Ramos (ostensibly based in Florida), Adrienne Leeann (no location given), and Jake Charles (ostensibly in Kahului, Hawaii), had profile pictures taken from, respectively, actress Christian Serratos in the Walking Dead series, a teenager whose story featured in the Des Moines Register in July 2016 (the account uploaded its profile picture five days after the story was published), and a Getty Images stock shot of surfing, Graphika wrote.

For people whove watched Stone over the years, the reports findings seem par for the course. For those who arent familiar with his long and colorful some would say sordid history, its a startling compilation.

Most werent major online presences, Graphika reported. Most pages had fewer than 5,000 followers and fewer than 200, although Stone had 60,000 followers each on Facebook and Instagram and 141,000 followers for his Stone Cold Truth page, Graphika said.

Stones social media activity had been limited.

In July 2019, while he was awaiting trial, a federal judge cut off Stone from social media sites Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who presided over the case against Stone in Washington, D.C., acted after Stone posted a picture of her on Instagram with an image that to many looked like the crosshairs of a gun next to her head.

Stone couldnt be reached for comment Thursday.

Stone told the Miami Herald that he planned to take action, saying Graphika are the con men I will be suing. Because he earns a substantial amount of income from the promotion of my books and my other products on Facebook I have damages and will be bringing appropriate legal action. He said it was completely totally and categorically false that he associated with inauthentic accounts.

A Graphika spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

For decades, Stone was known mainly to people in the political and media worlds.

He burst into broader public consciousness when his support for Trumps presidential campaign involved him in the special counsels investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, his eventual indictment and conviction on federal charges, and finally Trumps commuting the prison sentence of his longtime associate.

On July 10, Trump commuted Stones sentence, just days before he was supposed to begin serving a 40-month prison term for lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstructing the U.S. House investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia, which meddled in the 2016 election.

Stone has consistently denied wrongdoing and said the prosecution was motivated by politics.

Trumps decision, which was criticized by many in the legal and political worlds, rewarded a longtime loyalist, who had promised that I will never roll on Donald Trump, regardless of any pressure applied to him.

2020 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at http://www.sun-sentinel.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Sandy Backs the Blue invites all to wave flags in support – Pamplin Media Group

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With National Night Out postponed, group hosts activities for people of all ages

Driving down Highway 26 the last few Monday evenings, you've likely seen a display of American flags. This weekly flag wave, as organizer Dixie Bailey is calling it, is an effort by Sandy Backs the Blue, a group organized to show support for local law enforcement.

From 6-8 p.m. today, Aug. 4, the group plans to host a special flag wave to honor the evening that would have been National Night Out.

"Because of mandates, we can't have a gathering (for National Night Out)," Bailey explained.

So, instead, Sandy Backs the Blue is encouraging everyone to come out and wave a flag along Highway 26 near Mt. Hood Cigar Co.

"Right now, the police department needs all the love and encouragement they can get," Bailey said. "They're getting a lot of mixed messages right now not necessarily our law enforcement but in other places."

There will also be a coloring contest going on through Saturday, Aug. 22. Children interested in participating are asked to print out a coloring sheet from the National Night Out website and turn it in at one of four local locations to be considered for a prize.

Those locations include Mt. Hood Cigar Co., 37333 Highway 26, Sandy; Geren's Farm Supply, 33680 S.E. Kelso Road, Boring; the Sandy Police Station, 39850 Pleasant St., Sandy; or Rapid Fire Arms, 39110 Proctor Blvd., Sandy.

Votes will be garnered via social media and the winner will be announced by Aug. 31.

Those interested in showing support from home can also do so by placing a blue bulb in their porch light for the evening.

Bailey added that the flag wave is meant to be "non-political," but that anyone can bring any flag they desire. In recent flag waves, people have flown the American flag, Trump flags and Proud Boys flags, but Bailey says flags celebrating other causes and political candidates are welcome. She said she also invited the Sandy STAND UP Movement leadership to attend. STAND UP leaders have made attending the flag wave a decision for their individual members given current public health concerns.

"It's about community unity, and we want the Sandy Police Department to see that we have that here," Bailey said.

The police department hopes to have an actual event for National Night Out at a later date yet to be determined.

For more information about tonight's event, visit the Facebook page.

You count on us to stay informed and we depend on you to fund our efforts.Quality local journalism takes time and money. Please support us to protect the future of community journalism.

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Hong Kong government to offer universal, voluntary coronavirus tests – Macau News

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Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced on Friday that the government will introduce a universal, voluntary coronavirus testing scheme that could cover millions of Hong Kong people.

Lam said the tests conducted with the support of the central government, can start in two weeks time.

The top officials said its time to further increase the number of coronavirus tests as she warns there could be 1,500 silent carriers of the coronavirus in Hong Kong.

From mid-July, authorities had tested 130,000 people from high-risk groups such as minibus and taxi drivers, those who work in the markets, elderly care homes and restaurants, she said. One out of 2,500 of them tested positive for the virus.

Lam said although in the past few days the number of new cases were less than 100 a day, the situation remains critical.

She said after recording 1,206 cases in the first half of this year, over the last five weeks it has jumped to 3,850 while the number of deaths rose to 46.

She said all walks of life have been affected and around 20 clusters have been identified including places like elderly home, wet markets and groups of taxi drivers.

The CE said the central government attaches great importance to the situation in Hong Kong and pledges to offer all necessary support anytime.

She said she wants to clarify the plan early as there are a lot of rumours and smearing concerning the mainland going on. She urged the public not to be affected by the misleading remarks.

The top officials dismissed privacy concerns, saying testing staff would not know the identities of those who provided the samples.

Lam criticised those who attempted to damage the relationship between the mainland and Hong Kong using conspiracy theories.

(RTHK/Macau News)PHOTO RTHK

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Paws for thought on International Cat Day – Macau Business

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Videos of frolicking felines and gifs of purring pussies will be how most animal enthusiasts mark International Cat Day on Saturday.

But for owners who believe their pets are scratchy, aggressive and mean, the problem is probably you, according to a Hong Kong-based cat consultant who has owned 50 in her lifetime.

Feline behaviourist Briganne Carter mostly helps cat owners deal with problems like their pets scratching furniture and urinating outside the litter box, and said a lot of the time it has more to do with the pet owners than the cats.

Most people are really resistant to change in their environment to accommodate the cats, Carter said. And they just dont know a lot about it.

Thats where Carter comes in.

I see often a very immaculate place with nice leather furniture, and the cat has nothing. So whats the cat going to do? The cat needs to scratch, she said.

Sometimes the solution to destructive behaviour can be as simple as buying a cat tree.

Other times, however, the problem is harder as it may stem from trauma in the animals past.

Cats are super sensitive to emotion, she said.

Lauren England, 43, pulled a feral kitten from a flooded drain pipe during a typhoon.

The rescue cat bonded with another feral kitten in foster care, so she took home both, naming one Sir Ian McKellen and the other Brian Blessed.

But it was not smooth sailing.

They were just going crazy when I was in bed at night, and I could just hear things in here smashing and being torn, England said, describing the kittens first week at home.

It was just like a whirlwind had come through, noting that she had several plants before the kittens, but was now left with just one.

The kitten she rescued from the drainpipe had started hissing and spitting, and thats when she sought help from Carter.

Ive never really had that level of aggression from a cat, she admitted, despite growing up with them all her life.

Slowly the cats have come to trust her more, allowing themselves to be stroked with a toothbrush and sit at a distance on the couch.

Were not there yet but were making steady progress, she said.

For Carter, the job is often as much about helping the pet owners as it is the cats. I feel like a lot of what I do is counselling people.

Ive got a bit of a life coach as well as a kitten coach at the moment, England agreed.

What troubles Carter most is that some pet owners often give up on their cats because of bad behaviour, instead of seeking behavioural solutions.

There are thousands and thousands of cats that are needlessly abandoned, given to shelters, she lamented, because people dont realise that the cats troubled behaviour is actually very normal.

Cats are just being cats, she says. Theyre doing exactly what theyre supposed to.

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Russia wants to return to Venus, build reusable rocket – Macau Business

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The head of Russias space agency said Friday that Roscosmos wants to return to Venus and bring back soil samples and build spacecraft that will surpass Elon Musks rockets.

Last week Americas first crewed spaceship to fly to the International Space Station in nearly a decade returned safely to Earth, splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico.

The mission was carried out jointly by NASA and Musks SpaceX. Its Falcon 9 rocket is semi-reusable.

We are making a methane rocket to replace the Soyuz-2, Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said in an interview with state news agency RIA Novosti.

He said it will be a reusable space complex, noting that it will be possible to use its first stage at least 100 times.

Of course we are looking at what our American colleagues are doing, said Rogozin. But our engineers are trying to take a shortcut not to repeat what our SpaceX colleagues are doing but surpass them.

Rogozin said he was not impressed with the SpaceX spacecraft, saying its landing was rather rough.

Its not designed for ground landing thats exactly why American colleagues chose to land on the water the way it was done 45 years ago, Rogozin said.

Russia had for many years enjoyed a monopoly as the only country able to ferry astronauts, and the SpaceX launch meant the loss of a sizeable income. A seat in the Soyuz costs NASA around $80 million.

Rogozin said he also wanted Russia to return to Venus.

It was always a Russian planet,' he said.

The Soviet Union was the only nation to have landed probes on the surface of Venus.

I believe that Venus is more interesting than Mars, Rogozin said, adding that studying Venus could help scientists understand how to deal with climate change on Earth.

Venus, whose atmosphere is made up nearly completely of carbon dioxide, is considered to be the hottest planet in the solar system.

If we dont study what is happening on Venus then we wont understand how to prevent a similar scenario from happening on our planet.

He said he wanted Russians in cooperation with Americans or by themselves to bring back the surface materials of Venus.

It would indeed a breakthrough, Rogozin said.

We know how to do it, he added, saying Russian scientists were currently studying relevant Soviet-era documents.

But Roscosmos lamented that repeated budget cuts risked threatening many of the programmes.

I dont quite understand how to work in these conditions, he said. We are seeing that leading foreign space agencies are increasing their budgets.

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Chow It Up This Weekend – Caribbean and Latin America Daily News – News Americas

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News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Aug. 7, 2020: As we get into the hot month of August, heres a simple recipe you can make that is sure to refresh and titillate the taste buds this weekend. Its a chow that you can make using mango, pineapple or cucumbers and its a Trini delicacy. Heres how to make a mango chow.

INGREDIENTS

1-2 green mangos

1/4 teaspoon of salt

Sprinkle of black pepper

1 tablespoon of shado beni or 1/4 cup of cilantro (Optional)

1 lime OR 1 lemon OR a few tablespoons of vinegar to taste

1-2 of your favorite pepper (optional)

1 shallot (optional)

2 cloves of garlic (optional)

METHOD

In a bowl, add sliced pepper of your choice, garlic and shallots. These ingredients are optional based on the level of spice youre trying to achieve in your mango chow.

Wash and peel the mango, slice mango into wedges and place in a bowl

Add salt and pepper

Add your shado beni or cilantro

Squeeze the juice of the lemon or lime, this can also be substituted with vinegar.

Toss the mixture with a spoon, do not use hands if peppers are present in the mixture

Bon Appetite

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Chow It Up This Weekend - Caribbean and Latin America Daily News - News Americas

MMC Latin America and the Caribbean 4Mi Snapshot July 2020 : Impact of COVID-19 on Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Peru – Peru – ReliefWeb

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This snapshot seeks to provide an overview of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on Venezuelan migrants and refugees in Peru. It aims to contribute towards building a solid evidence base to inform targeted responses on the ground, as well as advocacy efforts related to the situation of refugees and migrants during the coronavirus pandemic.

Recommendations

Increase humanitarian assistance in order to limit the impact of the COVID-19 crisis for migrants and refugees.

Prioritize cash-based assistance to ensure that refugees and migrants can cover their most pressing needs.

Disseminate information to increase Venezuelan refugees and migrants awareness of existing assistance programs and how to access them.

Ensure that refugees and migrants are adequately included in government relief programmes.

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MMC Latin America and the Caribbean 4Mi Snapshot July 2020 : Impact of COVID-19 on Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Peru - Peru - ReliefWeb

Brexit and driving: What you should know about driving in Europe after Brexit – Express

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The terms of the UKs withdrawal from Europe are still being negotiated.

Therefore it is not yet known exactly how rules on driving in the EU will change in the future.

After January 1, 2021, the current rules surrounding driving abroad may change, but in the meantime the current Government guidance on the subject is available via its website.

READ MORE:New driving laws supported by road users

As part of this, you need to take your driving licence with you.

If you are taking your own vehicle, you also need to take your log book (V5C) and your insurance certificate.

According to the Government website, you do not need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in any EU and EEA country or Switzerland, for visits of up to 12 months.

To drive in some non-EU countries you may however need an International Driving Permit, which you can get from the Post Office.

While abroad, you must follow the local driving rules of where you are visiting, including abiding by local speed limits and drink driving laws.

The Government note you may also be required to have additional equipment with you, such as reflective jackets, warning triangles, emission stickers, headlight converter stickers or a GB sticker.

You also should check your insurance if you are taking your own vehicle.

For more information on driving abroad, you can visit the Governments dedicated webpage on the topic HERE.

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Brexit and driving: What you should know about driving in Europe after Brexit - Express

James O’Brien warns of Covid unemployment colliding with Brexit – LBC

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7 August 2020, 15:19

James O'Brien warned that the unemployment caused when furlough ends is going to collide with the effects of Brexit.

Speaking on his LBC show, he said: "You know the narrative of the feckless workshy layabout was the pre-Brexit two-minutes hate.

"It was single mothers when I started this job. Then it became unemployed people. And you couldn't open a right-wing newspaper without seeing unemployed people under attack.

"If it was an unemployed single mother who had been given a big house in a smart part of town, that was all their Christmases at once."

He then went on to discuss what would happen next: "What's going to happen is the precise moment when people come to realise the reality of unemployment, so they are going to wake up to the reality of Brexit.

"And the people who have flogged you the false narrative about the unemployed, the people who've looked you in the eye and told you that living on 95 a week is an absolute King's ransom, who also told you there would also be 350m for the NHS.

"You are going to wake up to the reality of what unemployment means at precisely the same time you wake up to the reality of what Brexit means. And the people that lied to you about both, who are they going to go after to avoid responsibility for their own crimes?"

Watch his full, fascinating monologue at the top of the page.

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James O'Brien warns of Covid unemployment colliding with Brexit - LBC

WATCH: Brexit Party chairman says civil servants should be ‘let go’ if they won’t return to office over Covid-19 fears – The New European

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Video

PUBLISHED: 09:46 06 August 2020 | UPDATED: 13:07 06 August 2020

Adrian Zorzut

Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice on Sky News. Picture: Sky News

Sky News

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Almost four years after its creation The New European goes from strength to strength across print and online, offering a pro-European perspective on Brexit and reporting on the political response to the coronavirus outbreak, climate change and international politics. But we can only continue to grow with your support.

Richard Tice told LBCs Tom Swarbrick that Downing Street should lead by example and let go of staff unwilling to return to the workplace.

The former MEPs comment comes in the same weeks workers were urged to return to the office by prime minister Boris Johnson.

In July, Johnson said employers would be given the right to decide when staff should return to the workplace from August 1. He then insisted people should return in order to help struggling businesses in city centres who rely on worker footfall to survive.

MORE: Boris Johnson working from Chequers retreat after telling people to get back to office

A new survey published in the Times found that only 34% of Britons are back at their desks, compared with 75% of Germans, Italians and Spanish, and 83% of office staff in France.

But Tice, irate at the findings, said the government needed to incentivise people to come back into the city centre, [like making] transport free for six months.

The government needs to lead by example, he continued. Hundreds of thousands of civil servants need to come back into the office.

And bluntly, if not, then let them go. There are plenty of other people who can do the job.

A surprised Swarbrick asked Tice on what ground he would fire up to 66% of Whitehalls workforce.

The Brexiteer failed to give a solid answer, instead saying: If we dont do this, the economy is literally going to go down a vicious spiral into the kitchen sink.

He then went on to say that it was not good enough for papers like the Daily Mail to berate firms for not forcing people back to the workplace when the news organisations own staff are still working from home.

Paul Niland said on Twitter: As usual @TiceRichard completely misses the point. The conversation to be had is about *HOW* to make working environments safe to return to. That key factor is missing from his thinking because what do Brexit cheerleaders know about calculating consequences.

Martin Hall asked why workers had to return to the office. They are working perfectly well from home. Things havent ground to a halt.

Marina Perkiss pointed out: In that case, how come he dialled in for his call with @TomSwarbrick1?

Almost four years after its creation The New European goes from strength to strength across print and online, offering a pro-European perspective on Brexit and reporting on the political response to the coronavirus outbreak, climate change and international politics. But we can only rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press with your support. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.

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WATCH: Brexit Party chairman says civil servants should be 'let go' if they won't return to office over Covid-19 fears - The New European

Prime Minister urged to block peerage of former Brexit Party MEP over IRA Warrington bomb comments – Belfast Telegraph

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The Prime Minister has been urged to block the peerage of a former Brexit Party MEP who previously failed to condemn the IRA Warrington bomb.

laire Fox was one of 36 people to the Lords by Boris Johnson.

At the time of the 1993 attack, which killed two boys and injured more than 50, Claire Fox was a leading member of the Revolutionary Communist Party which said the right of the Irish people to take whatever measures are necessary in their struggle for freedom.

In a letter to Boris Johnson, Labours Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols said Ms Foxs nomination had caused hurt to those directly affected by bombing and revulsion in her constituency.

To allow Ms Fox to become a Life Peer would be to show crass insensitivity to victims of terrorism, and to the communities still scarred by the attack 27 years on, she said.

Warrington will never forget that day, nor the victims whose lives were cruelly cut short.

Labours MP for Ashton under Lyne, Angela Rayner, added that Boris Johnsons failure to block the peerage was an insult to the people of the North West and shows that he doesnt care about the victims and survivors of terrorism in our communities.

She added: If the Prime Minister refuses to block this nomination he is showing that he doesnt care about the victims and survivors of terrorism in our communities.

Ms Fox has denied defending IRA terrorism, and when asked about the controversy on Sky News this week, she said her views had moved on.

Well it is true that I was involved in revolutionary politics a long time ago and they will have been views that I had then that I think at the time were part and parcel of politics as they were understood, including on Ireland, and they are very controversial today, but it was a long time ago.

She added: Thats what Id say, it was a long time ago. Times have moved on, I understand people are very angry about views I had...27 years ago. Thats life, you know. I stand on what I say now.

Asked about accepting a peerage after calling for the House of Lords to be abolished, she said: I appreciate that people will want to level the charge of hypocrisy against me but I just think that although its an unelected chamber and I do think its an affront to democracy Im pleased to be given and opportunity and a platform to argue for things that I feel very strongly about, like for example free speech and obviously some of the ideas associated with Brexit.

So Ive taken it. Ive given it some thought as you would imagine.

Colin Parrys 12-year-old son Tim was killed in the Warrington bomb in the attack as well as three-year-old Johnathan Ball.

Mr Parry criticised the decision to hand Ms Fox a peerage, saying: This offends me and many others deeply.

The Daily Mirror reported that an earlier statement from Ms Fox added: Contrary to what has been reported elsewhere, I do not support or defend the IRAs killing of two young boys in Warrington in 1993.

I have not mentioned the horrific times of over 23 (now 27) years ago since then and do not believe there is any justification for violence in Ireland today.

The killing of Johnathan Ball and Tim Parry was a terrible tragedy.

The 1994 IRA ceasefire and the 1998 Good Friday Agreement drew a line under the conflict. Its surely time to move on.

A Downing Street spokesman said: Claire Fox has addressed her historic comments about the Troubles and acknowledged the pain that the families of the victims of terrorism have faced.

She is not a Conservative peer, and her political views will differ from those of the Conservative Government.

Mr Johnsons list also includes Tory donors, his brother Jo and long-term friends such as the Evening Standard owner Evgeny Lebedev.

Belfast Telegraph

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Prime Minister urged to block peerage of former Brexit Party MEP over IRA Warrington bomb comments - Belfast Telegraph

EOS, Ethereum and Ripple’s XRP Daily Tech Analysis August 7th, 2020 – FX Empire

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For the day ahead

Ethereum would need to move through the $396.77 pivot to support a run at the first major resistance level at $402.54.

Support from the broader market would be needed, however, for Ethereum to break back through to $400 levels.

Barring an extended crypto rally, the first major resistance level should cap any upside.

Failure to move through the $396.77 pivot would bring the first major support level at $389.51 into play.

Barring an extended sell-off, however, Ethereum should continue to steer clear of the second major support level at $383.74.

First Major Support Level: $389.51

Pivot Level: $396.77

First Major Resistance Level: $402.54

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $257

38.2% FIB Retracement Level: $367

62% FIB Retracement Level: $543

Ripples XRP rose by 0.19% on Thursday. Following on from a 0.38% gain on Wednesday, Ripples XRP ended the day at $0.30296.

A bearish start to the day saw Ripples XRP fall to an early morning intraday low $0.29712 before finding support.

Steering clear of the first major support level at $0.2929, Ripples XRP rose to a mid-afternoon intraday high $0.3112.

Ripples XRP broke through the first major resistance level at $0.3099 before falling back to sub-$0.30 levels.

Finding late support, Ripples XRP moved back through to $0.3029 levels to deliver the upside on the day.

At the time of writing, Ripples XRP was down by 0.18% to $0.3024. A bearish start to the day saw Ripples XRP fall from an early morning high $0.30303 to a low $0.30171.

Ripples XRP left the major support and resistance levels untested early on.

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EOS, Ethereum and Ripple's XRP Daily Tech Analysis August 7th, 2020 - FX Empire

Ethereum (ETH) Down $9.42 Over Past 4 Hours, Fares the Worst Out of Top Cryptos to Start the Day; 3 Day Up Streak Snapped – CFDTrading

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Ethereum 4 Hour Price Update

Updated August 07, 2020 07:19 PM GMT (03:19 PM EST)

Ethereum is down 2.44% ($9.42) since the last 4 hour candle, marking the 2nd candle in a row a decline has happened. Out of the 5 instruments in the Top Cryptos asset class, Ethereum ended up ranking 2nd for the four-hour candle in terms of price change relative to the last 4 hour candle.

Ethereum is down 1.51% ($6.05) since the previous day, marking a reversal from the day prior and the end of a 3 day positive run. This move happened on lower volume, as yesterdays volume was down 33.61% from the day before and down 14.68% from the same day the week before. On a relative basis, Ethereum was the worst performer out of all 5 of the assets in the Top Cryptos asset class during the previous day. Lets take a look at the daily price chart of Ethereum.

Trend traders will want to observe that the strongest trend appears on the 30 day horizon; over that time period, price has been moving up. For another vantage point, consider that Ethereums price has gone up 19 of the previous 30 trading days.

Behold! Here are the top tweets related to Ethereum:

@Narodism @musalbas @MPtherealMVP @NickSzabo4 So you dislike the aesthetics of some people in the ethereum community (btw Ive never done a burner party, LSD or a sex orgy) therefore ethereum has lost the plot? If I wanted to I could make similar caricatures about the whole rah rah Im manly because I eat steak thing.

I follow a lot of Bitcoin accounts and a lot of Ethereum accounts. Im noticing that currently Ethereum accounts are a bit stronger than Bitcoin accounts. More articulate, more well-versed with the other sides arguments, better at making the other side seem less knowledgeable.

My @discord account was suspended this morning because I sent too many private messages to people that wanted their @poapxyz to recall the @ethereum medalla testnet launch. Please help me making this visible to the discord support team so they know Im no spammer

As for a news story related to Ethereum getting some buzz:

Elrond Interoperability with Ethereum & Compatible Chains via xDAI Token BridgeElrond Network

Were excited to announce our partnership with the xDAI Stable Chain to make their Arbitrary Message Bridge compatible with Elrond.This integration will enable token transfers between the Elrond mainnet and Ethereum compatible chains, as well as smart contract calls between the different chains.

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Ethereum (ETH) Down $9.42 Over Past 4 Hours, Fares the Worst Out of Top Cryptos to Start the Day; 3 Day Up Streak Snapped - CFDTrading

MVIS and CryptoCompare Launch Institutional Ethereum and Bitcoin WVAP Index – CryptoGlobe

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MV Index Solutions GmbH (MVIS) and CryptoCompare have announced the launch of two new professional-grade indices involving bitcoin and ethereum.

According to the official press release, MVIS and leading digital asset data aggregator CryptoCompare have partnered to launch the MVIS CryptoCompare Institutional Ethereum Index (MVIETH) and the MVIS CryptoCompare Bitcoin VWAP Close Index (MVBTCV).

The institutional ethereum index was designed to measure the performance of digital asset portfolios invested in ethereum, with the price based upon selected exchanges. The MVBTCV index measures the performance of portfolios invested in bitcoin, with the closing value based upon an hourly volume-weighted average price (VWAP). VWAP provides investors with a trading benchmark for the average price BTC has traded at over the course of the time period.

Charles Hayter, CEO and co-founder of CryptoCompare, said the new indices reflected the growing demand for regulated digital asset investment products.

He continued,

The indices will provide investors with a transparent benchmark to measure the performance of their Bitcoin and Ethereum exposure.

MVIS chief operating officer (COO) Thomas Kettner said the new indices would serve as a complement to the companys existing products and help investors combat potential market manipulation.

Featured Image Credit: Photo via Pixabay.com

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MVIS and CryptoCompare Launch Institutional Ethereum and Bitcoin WVAP Index - CryptoGlobe

20 Prior To and also After Pictures of Stars That Cut Their Heads – D1SoftballNews.com

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Getty Images/Mens Health and wellness

Hair indicates a whole lot to an individual. It holds as much relevance otherwise a lot more so than the garments an individual uses. Yet what can be even more of a declaration than a person that picks to cut their head and also rock a vibrant appearance? Some celebrities do it for individual factors, while others fearlessly use it on video camera. In either case, these 20 celebs recognize that they look excellent with or without a cut head. Take a look at these wild prior to and also after images of celebs that cut their head.

Sight Gallery40 Pictures.

1 of 40

Dwayne The Rock Johnson.

Hair

Back in 2006, the Rock went to the start of his effective acting profession, and also really had a complete head of hair.

2 of 40

Dwayne The Rock Johnson.

Cut

With numerous acting duties, generating jobs, and also the begin of his very own tequila brand name, Johnsons cut head makes him look the recognized entrepreneur that he is.

3 of 40

Millie Bobby Brown.

Hair

At age 16, Millie Bobby Brown has all of it, whether it be a fashion-forward design or a prominent cosmetics line.

4 of 40

Millie Bobby Brown.

Cut

Yet when followers initially satisfied her in the initial period of Complete Stranger Points, Browns cut head was necessary to her personality.

5 of 40

Sigourney Weaver.

Hair

After greater than 4 years in Hollywood, Weavers acting selections have actually been as varied as her design selections.

6 of 40

Sigourney Weaver.

Cut

Although her hair was dark and also curly in the initial 2 Alien movies, it was 1992s Unusual 3 that displayed her cut head and also devotion to the function

7 of 40

Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Hair

Whether it be a suit/tie combination or a laid-back attire, Levitts interest to hairstyling constantly makes him look classic.

8 of 40

Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Cut

As a great star recognizes, look on video camera is crucial to your efficiency, as JGL plainly recognized when cutting his go to 2012s Costs Thrill

9 of 40

Natalie Portman.

Hair

Ever before the style chameleon, Portmans design selections have actually constantly been vibrant and also one-of-a-kind.

10 of 40

Natalie Portman Cut.

Cut

Portman additionally verified her valiancy on video camera when she notoriously cut her go to her function in 2005s V for Grudge

11 of 40

Bryan Cranston.

Hair

Cranstons remained in Hollywood for some time, and also like his garments, his much shorter hairdo has actually ended up being a timeless.

12 of 40

Bryan Cranston.

Cut

Yet it was his function in Damaging Poor that created Cranston to cut his head, leaving followers stunned and also not even if of his efficiency.

13 of 40

Colin Farrell.

Hair

In the very early aughts, Farrells different movie duties made him stand apart, similar to his style selections.

14 of 40

Colin Farrell.

Cut

It was difficult not to observe the star when he marched at the best of Minority Record looking entirely various, yet exceptionally eye-catching with a cut head.

15 of 40

Matt Damon.

Hair

Matt Damons hair selections have actually been rather regular for many years, similar to his regime in Hollywood.

16 of 40

Matt Damon.

Cut

Yet occasionally modification is an excellent way to seasoning points up, as he did when he showed up on The Today Program with a cut head.

17 of 40

Amandla Stenberg.

Hair

For a girl in Hollywood, the starlet certain recognizes exactly how to infuse her individuality right into her red carpeting design selections.

18 of 40

Amandla Stenberg.

Cut

It mayve shocked followers and also style doubters to see Stenberg with a cut head (which she provided for her function in Where Hands Touch), yet the appearance absolutely matched her.

19 of 40

Tom Hardy.

Hair

The stars design constantly emanated a smooth self-confidence, similar to the duties he represents in his movies.

20 of 40

Tom Hardy Cut.

Cut

Although it may be startling to see Hardy without his locks, you can not assist yet believe he looks excellent.

21 of 40

Anne Hathaway.

Hair

Anne Hathaways hair was popular for tween women back in 2001, offered her personality Mias significant design improvement in The Princess Diaries.

22 of 40

Anne Hathaway.

Cut

Ever before so brave, Hathaway fearlessly cut her directly video camera while carrying out I Fantasized a Desire for the 2012 remake of Les Miserables

23 of 40

Jake Gyllenhaal.

Hair

I can not be the just one that suches as when Gyllenhaals hair is much longer and also matches his simple, laid-back set.

24 of 40

Jake Gyllenhaal.

Cut

With a cut head (below at the 2005 Academy Honors), Gyllenhaals sharp face attributes get on screen for all to appreciate.

25 of 40

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20 Prior To and also After Pictures of Stars That Cut Their Heads - D1SoftballNews.com

Lions’ Hunter Bryant Projected to ‘Turn Heads’ in Camp – Heavy.com

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GettyHunter Bryant makes a catch against Oregon State.

The Detroit Lions have a cast of rookies set to go on trying to impact the team in a huge way in 2020, and the biggest might be a player they didnt even select.

Recently, Bleacher Report took a look at naming the one undrafted free agent that is going to shake things up in a big way and turn some heads. Writer Chris Roling is betting on a member of the offense getting it done, and is projecting some big things for Hunter Bryant as a result.

Heres what Roling wrote:

Bryant is a versatile 62 weapon who spent his final collegiate season amassing 825 yards and three scores while averaging 15.9 yards per catch. Whether its blocking, playing near the chains or creating mismatches all over the field, the upside has always been apparent. Red flags from a pair of knee injuries were seemingly the only thing that knocked him out of the draft.

Not that the Lions will complain. Bryant has the talent to slot comfortably on the depth chart behind 2019 first-round pick T.J. Hockenson and free-agent add Jesse James.

In fact, creative usage out of the backfield and otherwise could quickly help Bryant become a camp star.

Bryant, from Washington, was one of the more stunning players to go undrafted and the Lions could quickly have a major deal on their hands in terms of the young pass catcher. The teams depth is not that stacked at tight end, and there is no reason Bryant cant push players with a solid camp period.

Dont sleep on Bryant being one of the best players on the field and certainly one of the best rookies during training camp. With the amount of hype he has received coming in, it might be a minor upset if Bryant doesnt turn some heads.

Bryant, one of the top pass catching tight ends in the draft, was not selected and it was a bit of a surprise considering he has major talent. Another stat that was presented shows how that talent manifests itself on the football field, and proves the Lions may have scored a major impact maker for their offense in the process.

As Pro Football Focus explained, Bryant collected over 7 receptions of 20+ yards downfield in 2019, which was the highest total of any Power 5 conference tight end last season.

Looking beyond the numbers, its clear Bryant could give the Lions another deep threat to stretch the field. Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones and Marvin Hall already do the same thing at wide receiver, and getting Bryant into this mix gives the Lions a potentially potent deep ball option at tight end in order to stretch the field further.

Bryant could be more of a wideout than a tight end at the next level, but no matter what position he plays, seeing his ability to score completions of over 20 yards is an amazing sight for the teams offense. Players like this are in high demand across the NFL.

Bryant, expected to be the biggest prize in the undrafted free agency period, comes to the Lions as a very productive tight end out of Washington. The Lions depth at the position behind T.J. Hockenson and Jesse James is a bit thin, so Bryant would add a little bit with his ability to go up and make catches. In college, Bryant put up 1,394 yards and 5 touchdowns, but 6-2 size means he could be a solid pass catching option for the team at the position. He should have a great chance at sticking on the roster.

Bryant has shown the big play ability at tight end as this stat proves, which makes him a player to watch even as he was undrafted to start his NFL career.

Many think he will be able to really open some eyes once camp gets going.

READ NEXT: Matthew Stafford Wife Rips NFL Over COVID Testing

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Lions' Hunter Bryant Projected to 'Turn Heads' in Camp - Heavy.com