Author Archives: Danzig

From farmed mink to your pet cat, here’s what we know about coronavirus and animals – CNN

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While the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there's no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus, there have been reports of pets being infected.

And since the coronavirus is believed to have infected wild animals before jumping to humans, this is an area scientists need to learn more about in an effort to control the spread of Covid-19 and future illnesses.

Covid-19 was found in three of 11 cats at one mink farm, and the government said cats may play a role in the spread of the virus between farms.

At a farm in Teruel, Spain, 92,700 mink are to be culled after 78 of 90 animals tested were found to have the coronavirus -- 87% of the sample.

Can I catch coronavirus from my pet?

The CDC says the risk of animals spreading Covid-19 to people is "considered to be low" and the agency does not recommend routine testing of pets.

A YouTube video released by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in mid-June said that "it doesn't seem like animals can give you the virus," although you may be able to give it to them.

Since animals can spread other diseases to humans, it's always best to wash your hands after touching a pet and before touching your face.

Didn't the coronavirus originate in wild animals?

Researchers believe the coronavirus spent some time infecting both bats and pangolins before it jumped into humans. Scientists suspect humans first came into contact with an animal sick with the disease at a wet market in China.

What is clear is that the coronavirus has swapped genes repeatedly with similar strains infecting bats, pangolins and a possible third species, a team at Duke University, Los Alamos National Laboratory and elsewhere reported in the journal Science Advances in May.

What's also clear is that people need to reduce contact with wild animals that can transmit new infections, they concluded.

How can I protect my pet from Covid-19?

Consider avoiding dog parks and other crowded public places, the FDA advises. The six-foot distancing rule applies to leashed pets, as well as to other people.

The FDA also suggests avoiding contact with animals if you are sick -- if possible, have someone else care for your pet until you're well again, or wear a face covering around them.

If your pet gets sick after contact with a person with Covid-19, call your veterinarian and find out about telemedicine consultations or other plans for seeing pets.

Animal rights groups warned that a bigger risk than the spread of the virus from animals to humans is the "spread of fear" causing owners to abandon their pets.

Should this change how we behave around animals?

Fur farms such as those where the mink outbreaks occurred are banned in many countries because of concerns around animal welfare and ethics.

Research published in Science Advances warned that humans are setting ourselves up to be infected with new viruses by operating "wet markets" where many different species of live animals are caged and sold, and by moving deeper into forests where animals live.

They said "reducing or eliminating direct human contact with wild animals is critical to preventing new coronavirus zoonosis [transmission from animals to humans] in the future."

Jane Goodall, the pioneering chimpanzee expert, said she hoped that the coronavirus would make us reflect on our relationship with the natural world.

She said humans had "disrespected" nature and animals, "and as we destroy the forests and the habitats, species which normally wouldn't interact have been crowded together" and have been forced into closer contact with humans.

Goodall noted that HIV originated with the hunting of chimpanzees, that Middle East respiratory syndrome -- another coronavirus -- comes from camels, and that modern farming practices create ideal conditions for a virus to jump from an animal to a human. The climate crisis could also bring further problems and more diseases.

"So, let's hope we come out of the pandemic and can work out together, a greener future economy, and a better way to live in harmony with the natural world," Goodall said, "for the sake of the environment, animals, our own health and future generations."

CNN's Maggie Fox, Laura Prez Maestro, Mick Kerver, Rob Picheta and Jen Christensen contributed reporting.

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From farmed mink to your pet cat, here's what we know about coronavirus and animals - CNN

Testing Is on the Brink of Paralysis. Thats Very Bad News. – The New York Times

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As Covid-19 cases surge to their highest levels in dozens of states, the nations testing effort is on the brink of paralysis because of widespread delays in getting back results. And that is very bad news, because even if testing is robust, the pandemic cannot be controlled without rapid results.

This is the latest failure in our national response to the worst pandemic in a century. Since the Trump administration has abdicated responsibility, governors must join forces to meet this threat before the cataclysm that Florida is experiencing becomes the reality across the country.

Testing should be the governors first order of business.

Despite President Trumps boast early this month that testing is so massive and so good, the United States two largest commercial testing companies, Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp, have found themselves overwhelmed and unable to return results promptly. Delays averaging a week or longer for all but top-priority hospital patients and symptomatic health care workers are disastrous for efforts to slow the spread of the virus.

Without rapid results, it is impossible to isolate new infections quickly enough to douse flare-ups before they grow. Slow diagnosis incapacitates contact tracing, which entails not only isolating those who test positive but also alerting the infected persons contacts quickly so they can quarantine, too, and avoid exposing others to the virus unwittingly.

Among those who waited an absurdly long time for her results was the mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms. We FINALLY received our test results taken 8 days before, she tweeted last week. One person in my house was positive then. By the time we tested again, 1 week later, 3 of us had COVID. If we had known sooner, we would have immediately quarantined.

Another complaint came this week from Mr. Trumps former acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, who wrote in an op-ed commentary for CNBC that my son was tested recently; we had to wait 5 to 7 days for results. Noting, too, that his daughter was told she didnt qualify for a test, he added, That is simply inexcusable at this point in the pandemic.

As summer turns to fall, slow and fragmented testing will fatally undermine the reopening of schools and universities, whose plans are predicated on quickly identifying outbreaks and suppressing spread. Testing for millions of students will feed into an already failing national system.

Vice President Mike Pences casual invocation of an extraordinary national success in testing in a recent call with governors was flatly wrong, as is the presidents similar trumpeting of testing success. These claims contribute to a false sense among the public that testing may have had early stumbles but is ramping up slowly but surely.

The reality is that the spread of the virus has vastly outpaced the expansion of testing capacity. That spread in turn results in more illness and therefore more tests to process, which further slows down turnaround time in a vicious cycle. The dedication and patience of thousands of people waiting in serpentine lines of cars for hours to be tested are wasted when the results arent returned quickly enough.

We are at this point because of the absence of a coordinated federal plan, and, indeed, because of a White House that seems actively hostile to producing one. The nations governors and state legislators must fill the void.

Unity among the states is not just about neighborliness but also about self-interest. So long as interstate travel continues, inadequate testing anywhere threatens public health everywhere, including in places that have found or developed localized testing capacities and are less sensitive to the bottlenecks that Quest and LabCorp are experiencing.

The signal difference between federal and state leadership is that the former can print money and the latter cannot. If states are to step up, they will need resources: money from Congress without executive branch holdup, coordination and mutual aid from one another, and cooperation and expertise from the public itself.

Heres what the governors need to do to bolster the overall testing capability before the end of the summer, best begun with a summit in the next two weeks.

Governors must work collectively to fill gaps in their own testing and contact-tracing programs. The National Governors Association helped in a similar effort to curb the spread of the Zika virus.

In March there was a mad scramble and competition for personal protective equipment. Now, the allocation of tests and test processing may end up in another free-for-all. A coordinated approach by all states would avoid that. Consistent metrics must be established for accountability and to identify trigger points that call for rapid policy responses. Acting in concert can make it easier to undertake tough or controversial decisions like ordering lockdowns when testing shows renewed spread.

Governors should also agree to assist in sharing local test processing capacity, including by university labs, so it is available wherever it is most needed. Relying largely on two large commercial testing companies, as we are now, has proved to be a major vulnerability.

For example, the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard has stepped up in Massachusetts with more testing capacity so much so that it is not being fully used. But no process is in place for a doctor in, say, Arizona to prescribe a test that the Broad will process. Thats a problem that governors can help solve. They can also find ways to subsidize investments by labs to expand capacity, to help untangle medical insurance complications so tests are covered and to prompt innovations in testing.

In particular, they should encourage the academic and commercial sectors to develop, test and produce new, rapid, point-of-care testing. More broadly, they should recruit data scientists and experts in science communication ready to lend their skills to a unified effort.

We cant allow the delays at Quest and LabCorp to mark the start of a downward spiral. Instead, we must marshal a nationwide strategy to place the United States in the ranks of other countries that are successfully beating back the pandemic.

Sorting out testing is foundational to slowing the spread of the virus. From there, governors can build a comprehensive national plan of attack. Doing so will require new forms of coordinated governance. In the absence of federal leadership, its up to governors to step to the fore.

Margaret Bourdeaux is research director of the Program of Global Public Policy at Harvard Medical School. Beth Cameron is the vice president for Global Biological Policy and Programs at the Nuclear Threat Initiative. Jonathan Zittrain is a professor of law and computer science at Harvard and co-chair with Dr. Bourdeaux of the Berkman Klein Centers Digital Pandemic Response Practice.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com.

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Testing Is on the Brink of Paralysis. Thats Very Bad News. - The New York Times

How To Protect Yourself From The Risk Of Airborne Coronavirus Transmission? : Goats and Soda – NPR

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I'm hearing a lot of talk about the coronavirus spreading through aerosols is wearing a mask in a grocery store enough protection? What else should I do to stay safe?

Quick answer first: Going to the grocery store where you and everyone else is wearing a mask and keeping a distance from each other is still considered a low-risk activity. Go get your summer strawberries!

For background, aerosols are tiny microdroplets containing the virus that can be expelled when we talk or breathe and can stay aloft and travel on air currents. It's still unclear how much of a role they play in spreading the virus, but recently more than 200 scientists wrote an open letter asking the World Health Organization to pay more attention to them.

The agency still maintains that the greater risk of spread appears to be from droplets larger particles, also expelled when we talk or breathe, which settle more quickly and are less likely to accumulate in the air. However, WHO released a new scientific brief on July 9 saying that airborne transmission might be contributing to spread in crowded, poorly-ventilated indoor spaces such as gyms, choir practice rooms and nightclubs. But how much transmission aerosolized particles are responsible for, versus droplets and contaminated surfaces, they can't say for sure.

"What we are calling for is more systematic research to be done in these types of settings," said Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead for WHO's health emergencies program, at a press conference on Friday. In other words, stay tuned.

Bottom line: It's impossible to rule out that some amount of transmission may be caused by aerosols. If you want to err on the side of caution, here's what some infectious disease researchers say can help minimize the risks:

Face away from people when you talk: When you're talking face to face with someone, you're in direct line of the plumes of breath that come out of their mouths when they speak. "If there's any scenario where I'm face to face, with someone, I move my head off-center so I'm no longer inhaling that direct plume," says Seema Lakdawala, a flu transmission researcher at the University of Pittsburgh. One tip that helps her is to not make direct eye contact with people. It can be awkward, she acknowledges, but "it's not just about protecting myself, but also about protecting other people," since it's possible to shed the virus without knowing you're infected.

Wear your mask properly: Wear a layered cloth mask in public spaces, especially if you're indoors or in a setting where you can't socially distance. Make sure it covers your nose and mouth. This will catch many of the droplets that come out when you breathe or speak and prevent them from getting into the air. Ideally, to take precautions against tiny, aerosolized microdroplets, "we should be masking everyone with better masks," says Abraar Karan, a physician at Harvard Medical School. But the N95 masks that effectively filter most aerosol particles are in short supply and uncomfortable to wear. Karan suggests well-fitting KN95 masks which have similar protection (but make sure your mask isn't counterfeit).

Make the indoors more like the outdoors: "You limit aerosol transmission by increasing ventilation and increasing air circulation by opening a window, putting on a fan and just moving the air," says Lakdawala, who keeps several fans running at all times in her lab and office space. Moving air disperses the particles in the air and makes it less likely that someone will breathe in a concentrated cloud of infectious virus. Donald Milton, an infectious disease aerobiologist at the University of Maryland and lead author on the open letter about aerosols, also recommends cleaning indoor air, through air filtration and ultraviolet sanitizing light. "You wouldn't drink water downstream from another town without treating it. But we breathe air from other people without treating it," he says.

Limit the amount of time you're in close contact with people: The public health rule of thumb for what counts as an exposure is close contact with an infected person for 15 minutes or more, so uncrowded grocery stores where everyone is masked and moving represents a relatively low-risk situation, both Lakdawala and Milton agree. Hopefully, you're not standing in one aisle for very long, but you're going to shop efficiently, says Lakdawala, "So even if there are fine aerosols that are getting released by somebody who is infected, they're getting diluted out as these people move in air currents." Indoor bars, restaurants and other situations where people are staying in one place for a period of time, and speaking or singing loudly, make Milton more wary. "I don't know how to drink a beer with a surgical mask on," he says. "And I wouldn't go sing at choir practice, OK?"

Keep a buffer of personal space: This isn't just important for the spray of droplets, it may also help when it comes to tiny airborne particles. If you are planning to sit and talk to a friend, keeping a distance of at least 6 feet creates more opportunities for airflow between you and others. "We have a happy hour in our neighborhood where everybody brings our chairs, and we sit on someone's lawn," says Lakdawala. "Everyone is spatially distanced, and we bring our own drinks and talk." Maintaining a distance from others means there's more ventilation and space for air to pass between you, says Lakdawala.

Each precaution adds another layer of safety from aerosolized particles, says Milton. "Wearing a mask means you're putting less virus droplets into the air, sucking less out [of the air]. Keeping distances means there's less of it near you. And having good ventilation or air sanitation means what's in the air is getting removed. All of those things add up to giving you good protection."

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How To Protect Yourself From The Risk Of Airborne Coronavirus Transmission? : Goats and Soda - NPR

OPINION – Macau’s Solution to the Pandemic Crisis – Macau Business

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An eye-catching headline in a local newspaper exposes the dangers of believing what you read when it comes to advertising or marketing. How to catch your reader, client or customer is a key feature of promoting your product or service; how to do it?

Opinion | Keith Morrison Author and educationist

One way is to impress your reader with namedropping and making text impenetrably replete with high-sounding phrases. But it doesnt necessarily work. Take this example from Bhaskar, writing in 1994: Hegel served only to replicate in his actualistic monovalent analytic reinstatement in transfigurative reconciling dialectical connection, while in his hubristic claims for absolute idealism he inaugurated the Comtean, Kierkegaardian and Nietzschean eclipses of reasons, replicating the fundaments positivism through its transmutation route to the superidealism of Baudrillard. Brain torpor is setting in. Im lost. I think Ill put that back on the bookshop shelf.

Or how about this one: We incorporate data, machine learning and analytics alongside a strong behavioural science and visual design capability to provide lasting value across all the projects we deliver (https://mudano.com/why/). Spare us.

Or how about going for a piece of talking-up jingoism: attach the word solutions to everything. Ask yourself how many times is it really meaningful or simply sleight-of-hand hyperbole? For example, fictitiously speaking: bathroom redesign for customized, client-centred living solutions: paint; international luxury-living solutions for your own designer bedroom: new curtains; revolutionary innovatory solutions to information-age management: spreadsheets; health-giving, protective vitalizing solutions to promote your childs well-being: formula milk. Try attaching the word solutions to sales-talk; it seldom fails to expose the nonsense at work in promotional statements, where problems are conflated mistakenly with ideas.

There seems to be a restricted code of grotesque terms which seem to be de rigueur in promotion-speak from a cabal of cognoscenti, in which deliver, solutions, value (or, better still, value-added), maximize, win-win (or, even better, win-win solutions) and innovative or their cognates frequently figure. Look at this: our core strengths are the combination of our consulting expertise, technical skills, and product development capability to provide government and commercial organizations with innovative solutions to maximize business values (http://win-winsolution.com/). Yawn.

Talking of solutions, how about making claims that bring a tear of laughter to the cheeks of readers? A Macau newspaper reported that the solution to the pandemic crisis in Macau, discussed in Macaus Legislative Assembly, is tourism diversification, which could include sport tourism and medical tourism. Really? Adding the word tourism to other possible solutions to the pandemic in Macau deflates any cachet of tourism.

But wait; in Macau, how about other kinds of tourism solutions: environmental mess tourism; roadwork tourism; hole tourism; congestion tourism; stink tourism; crowd tourism; how not to build a light rail system tourism; how to wait for ages in a hospital tourism; how to go round endless government departments to get an answer tourism; how to be squashed in supermarket tourism; how to survive a bus ride tourism? Appending tourism to a statement does not necessarily make it more attractive or add anything worthwhile.

My point is very simple: be real and realistic in what to say and plan when promoting Macau. If Macau really is to become the much-talked-about World Center of Tourism and Leisure other than for gambling, a bit of quaint heritage visitation, and eating, then we must staunch the flow of over-statement, of selective statements, and of claiming the impossible.

Maybe George Orwell had it right when he remarked that advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket. For Macau to diversify its tourism needs more than a few high-sounding terms; it needs to have something real to offer, and I simply do not see this in the suggestion of sports or medicine.

With some very high profile exceptions, sports events and medical tourism are typically restricted to participants rather than tourists. And, anyway, I thought that the solution to the pandemic crisis was to halt the pandemic, in which the Macau government has excelled to date, not to diversify tourism. Silly me.

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OPINION - Macau's Solution to the Pandemic Crisis - Macau Business

As Trump attacks, China sees a worrying trend for its future – Macau Daily Times

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A Beijing supporter displays a placard during a protest against the U.S. sanctions outside the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong yesterday

On Monday, it was the South China Sea. On Tuesday, it was Hong Kong. On Wednesday, Huawei and human rights.The Trump administration appears to be accelerating a push to define China as a strategic threat, a worrying trend for the countrys leaders as the ambitions of a rising economic and military power collide with Americas.A senior official accused the U.S. this week of using the Hong Kong issue to try to obstruct Chinas development.Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang told U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad in a meeting in Beijing that threats of U.S. sanctions and the withdrawal of special trading privileges for Hong Kong are not about democracy and freedom in the semi-autonomous territory but an attempt to contain China.I want to warn the U.S. sternly that any bullying and unfairness imposed on China by the U.S. will meet resolute counterattack from China, and the U.S. attempt to obstruct Chinas development is doomed to failure, he said, according to an account carried by state media.Behind the tough words is growing concern. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a speech last week that U.S.-China relations face their most severe challenge since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1979. He asked if bilateral relations will be able to stay the course after a more than four-decade voyage.At one level, the Trump administrations attacks on China are seen as election-year politics, an attempt to woo voters and distract them from problems at home. President Donald Trump has sought to blame the coronavirus outbreak on China, rather than on any shortcomings in how his government dealt with it.But Americas differences with China go beyond Trump. The tone could change if he is not re-elected in November, but the underlying issues will remain.Ahead of the election, the factors leading to a possible free-fall in relations are becoming more intense, said Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in China.After the U.S. elections, a window might emerge for serious dialogue, but the overall situation will not be reversed, he said. He added that he doesnt see a strategy the two governments could adopt to ease tensions.The two countries have a fundamental divide in their thinking. The U.S. has always hoped that China would become more democratic as its interactions with the rest of the world grow. Chinas long-ruling Communist Party says the two should respect their differences.China and the U.S. should not seek to remodel each other, Wang said in his speech. Instead, they must work together to find ways to peaceful coexistence.The divide is playing out in Hong Kong, where the U.S. and other Western democracies have grown increasingly concerned over Chinas imposition of a security law that is seen as a threat to freedom of speech and the right to protest.China views outside pressure on Hong Kong and other human rights issues as interference in its domestic affairs.Branstad expressed to Zheng deep American concern about Chinese decisions that erode fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, according to a statement posted on the U.S. Embassy website yesterday.It said Branstad explained the Trump administrations finding that the city of 7.5 million people is no longer sufficiently autonomous from China to merit special treatment in trade. He also called on China to restore Hong Kongs liberties.Trump signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act on Tuesday, a law that sanctions officials who undermine the citys autonomy, as well as an executive order affirming an earlier decision to eliminate the preferential trade treatment.That followed a declaration by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday that the U.S. would not recognize most of Chinas maritime claims in the South China Sea. On Wednesday, Pompeo said the U.S. would ban employees from Huawei and other Chinese companies who aided alleged human rights abuses in places such as Chinas Xinjiang region.The U.S. has interfered with Chinas internal affairs and harmed Chinas interests on the issues of Xinjiang, Tibet and the South China Sea, further exposing its nature of naked hegemony, Zheng told Branstad.While Zheng urged the U.S. not to go further and further on the wrong path, Branstad called on China to refrain from any further erosion of Hong Kongs autonomy.Chu Yin, a professor at the University of International Relations, offered a glimmer of hope. He said frictions between nations always rise during times of economic slowdown.Chinas foreign diplomacy is facing grave and complicated challenges, but the situation will improve a lot with the easing of the epidemic situation and the recovery of the economy, he predicted. KEN MORITSUGU, BEIJING, AP

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As Trump attacks, China sees a worrying trend for its future - Macau Daily Times

Patriotic education base to open at Macao Handover Gifts Museum – Macau News

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A patriotic education base is being set up at the Handover Gifts Museum of Macao and slated to be ready by the end of the year, Tsang Hio Ian, who heads the Education and Youth Affairs Bureaus (DSEJ) Documentation, Information and Public Relations Centre, said on Thursday.

Tsang made the remarks at a press conference after this years second plenary meeting of the government-appointed Youth Affairs Committee, which was held on the bureaus premises on Thursday.

Tsang said that the base would include an exhibition area, a training area and a multimedia theatre. The base will be a venue for schools and organisations to learn more about the importance of educating local residents about the Loving the country and loving Macao concept.

Cheong Man Fai, who heads the Youth Department, told reporters that the budget for setting up the base was 2.5 million patacas. Cheong added that the base will show movies and host conferences to educate youth about patriotism.

Cheong pointed out that there will be translations for non-Chinese speakers to learn about patriotism.

Meanwhile, during the press conference, Choi Man Chi, the acting head of the Youth Departments School Sports and Youth Activities Division, said there were around 29,000 people registered for the bureaus summer activities, and 24,000 people had already signed up for them. Over 99 per cent signed up via online platforms.

The press conference did not elaborate as to whether those who registered could still sign up for activities, or when the activities begin.

Choi underlined that the bureau has implemented a raft of COVID-19 prevention and control measures, including rescheduling and class-size reductions, to ensure the participants safety.

(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)

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Patriotic education base to open at Macao Handover Gifts Museum - Macau News

US warns of ‘arbitrary detention’ risk in China – Macau Business

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The United States on Saturday warned citizens of heightened risk of arbitrary detention in China as tensions between Beijing and Washington soared over issues including Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet.

US citizens in China may be subjected to prolonged interrogations and extended detention for reasons related to state security', the State Department warned in a security alert.

The State Department said Chinese authorities may also impose exit bans as part of arbitrary enforcement of local laws for purposes other than maintaining law and order.

Beijing and Washington have traded barbs and sanctions on a slew of issues in recent months, including the coronavirus pandemic and Chinese policies in the far west regions of Tibet and Xinjiang, with Chinese authorities threatening retaliation this week for US sanctions on Chinese officials.

A controversial security law pushed on Hong Kong by Chinas central government in June has alsocaused international concern over the wording of the legislation, which bans subversive acts and speech against the Chinese government made anywhere in the world.

Australia and Canada have also issued travel warnings over fears of arbitrary detention by Beijing.

Last year China arrested Australian-Chinese writer Yang Hengjun, who was indicted earlier this year for espionage.

China has also arrested two Canadians after Canada detained a high-profile executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei in late 2018.

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US warns of 'arbitrary detention' risk in China - Macau Business

Former bank officer in Penang duped of RM167,999.50 in Macau scam – Malay Mail

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Barat Daya district police chief Supt A.A. Anbalagan said the victim, aged 65 and living in Taman Desa Ara, Bayan Lepas here, claimed that on June 4, someone claiming to be from a courier company telephoned him to inform that there was a package containing a MyKad and five bank cards addressed to him. Picture by Mukhriz Hazim

BALIK PULAU, JULY 17 A former bank officer lost his life savings of RM167,999.50 after falling victim to a Macau scam syndicate.

Barat Daya district police chief Supt A.A. Anbalagan said the victim, aged 65 and living in Taman Desa Ara, Bayan Lepas here, claimed that on June 4, someone claiming to be from a courier company telephoned him to inform that there was a package containing a MyKad and five bank cards addressed to him.

The victim said the call was then connected to a man who claimed to be a police officer in Sabah, who then informed him (victim) that his name was linked to a money laundering activity before the call was transferred to a police sergeant and an officer, with the rank of ASP, for further review of the victims case, he said in a statement today.

He said the suspect then asked the victim to send his online bank account identification and password for verification before asking for the TAC number that was sent to his (victim) phone.

Upon checking, the victim found RM9,999.50 had been deducted from his bank account, he said, adding that the victim, as instructed by the suspect, also transferred all his money to a given account.

The victim is believed to have deposited RM167,999.50, including the initial amount deducted from his account into the account given by the syndicate from June 20 to July 1, and the transfer transactions were done through an automatic teller machine (ATM) as well as via online, he added.

Anbalagan said the suspect was also ordered to tear the receipts of the money transfer made through the ATM machine.

The victim lodged a police report after realising that he was cheated. Bernama

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Former bank officer in Penang duped of RM167,999.50 in Macau scam - Malay Mail

Nicholson’s latest single Sunrise is a fast-paced Trance number with heart-stopping beat drops – Press Release – Digital Journal

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Born and based out of London,Nicholsonis a talented music producer who has been honing his craft for over 2 decades now. Having been taught the art of music by legendary, late Tony De Vit, his excellence in his craft cannot be questioned. With such great background Nicholson was sure to do wonders, which he eventually did, by playing at big and renowned UK festivals such as Glastonbury and Bull Dog Bash. His journey is not limited to the UK; he has had the experience of performing worldwide for Soundscape and LHHR (NZ) and Tranceport (ARC), along with many others. He has also bagged various BBC Radio 1 plays, including one for his track The Dawn by Kutski, a popular radio DJ on British national radio.

After performing and exploring harder music genres, Nicholson ultimately was drawn towards his forever love for trance music and has been concentrating on it full time, since 2013. 2020 marked the beginning of yet another round of success, first with Jam And Spoon Remix Right in the Night, that hit Number 1 spot on Beatport, and now with his recent release Sunrise, that has been winning the listeners hearts ever since it was released. Sunrise has already received plays on regular broadcasts and special programs by the people the Godfathers of Trance music. But Nicholsons charm doesnt end here; he has a lot more coming up for his fans this year. With his new album titled Reverent, scheduled to get released by the end of July 2020 on legendary label Tidy Two, Nicholson is sure to win over his fans from across the world.

Apart from late Tony Di Vit, Carl has had the experience of learning alongside industries finest artists like Fatboy Slim, Paul van Dyk, and others. He won the BPI award for his popular track Times like These, that was also featured in Extreme Euphoria series. With his comeback in trance music since 2013, Carl has made sure to level up his music game, by remixing the music of some of the biggest names in trance music like Binary Finary, Marmion, Tony de Vit & Quench. His music is played worldwide and has earned loyal support from some of the industrys best artists like Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Paul Van Dyk, Jordan Suckley, Alex M.O.R.P.H, and Sean Tyas.

With an amazing track record,Nicholsonis definite to take over the industry with a force anytime soon. His music is loved and supported by his fans from all over the world, for which he feels extremely blessed and thankful. Nicholson assures that he will continue to make astounding music and keep on amusing his fans.

Listen to the single Sunrise now onSpotify.com.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicholsonTrance

Media ContactCompany Name: M Suess PR for TFG Group Ltd Contact Person: Mandy SuessEmail: Send EmailPhone: 0064 22 0130424Country: United KingdomWebsite: http://www.tfggroup.nz

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Nicholson's latest single Sunrise is a fast-paced Trance number with heart-stopping beat drops - Press Release - Digital Journal

Meet the 15-year-old Belfast DJ headlining shows throughout the country – Belfast Live

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He may be young in years but 15-year-old Belfast lad Tyler Jack has already built up a wealth of experience since turning his hand to dance music.

Having been gifted his first set of decks when he was just 12, Tyler has amassed a huge following in the techno/trance scene in Belfast over the last few years.

He's also become an in-demand name at dance events throughout Northern Ireland and beyond, performing alongside the likes of Belfast Vital headliner Timmy Trumpet and meeting up with the likes of Ben Nicky.

Speaking to Belfast Live, Tyler said: "I've always had a love for music from when I was very young. I got my first set of decks when I was 12, then I was uploading videos on social media. It kind of blew up really quickly from there and all of a sudden the videos were reaching a really wide audience."

Tyler was catapulted to a much larger audience with his live-streaming sets taking off on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. This has also proved even more popular during the lockdown period, with people to turning to the likes Tyler to get their dance fix while nightclubs are shut.

"I started doing live streams a few years back and that caught the attention of a lot of promoters in Belfast," he said. "From then, it went from playing birthday parties to playing social clubs, to playing nightclubs and making my way onto the festival circuit."

Tyler found himself sharing a stage with one of his music icons last year - Timmy Trumpet. He performing as part of Timmy's Belsonic after-party at the Telegraph Building in front of hundreds of people.

"I was putting my videos up on social media and I caught the attention of a promoter in Belfast," said Tyler. "I went up to meet up with her and she said, 'I have a lot of gigs coming up. What do you think about playing the Belsonic after-show with Timmy Trumpet?'. And with him being one of my idols for years, it was a brilliant thing to do."

Tyler also recently met up with the hugely successful producer and DJ Ben Nicky, who is scheduled to perform a massive outdoor Belsonic gig in Belfast next summer.

"Since I started, Ben's always followed my stuff and supported me," he said. "Whenever he came over here, I went up and met with him and we had a really good conversation about music. He's been a massive help to me and given me loads of advice, which I obviously value highly because this is someone who plays shows to 15,000 people."

Describing his music and a mix between techno, trance and hardcore, Tyler has performed to audiences up and down the country in recent years, with plans to tour as soon as he's able to. Despite the obvious challenges that come with being a dance musician when you're under 18 years old, Tyler says he's taking things in his stride.

"At the start, it was hard to be this young and try to perform gigs and stuff," he said. "I mean at the very start, I was doing this at the age of 12! But once I got to know the promoters and the club owners, they obviously knew I wasn't going to be messing about if they gave me a chance to perform. I'm not going to be drinking and I'm there with someone who's older than me. At the end of the day, I'm there to play the music."

The same goes for the balancing act of playing gigs and managing school life.

"It can be hard at times," he says. "But I've always managed it all. You come home from school, do some studying and coursework, then you make music - that's how I've balanced it. Then at the weekend, Fridays and Saturdays I'd be playing gigs, and Sunday I'd be setting up for school again."

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Meet the 15-year-old Belfast DJ headlining shows throughout the country - Belfast Live

Ajay Devgns Shivaay title track BTS video showcases how devotion was fused with trance – Republic World – Republic World

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Bolo Har Har Haris one of the few fan-favourite tracks of Bollywood which has been created with the right blend of devotion and trance. The song brings together a number of artists who excel in their particular genre. Before the release of the film, Shivaay, the team had released a making video in which the artists involved in creating the piece couldbe seenbe speaking about their contribution and the overall effect of the song. All of them could be seen complimenting Mithoon for composing such a powerful and effective piece.

Bolo Har Har Har is the title track from the film Shivaay whichreleased in the year 2016. The song is an ode to Lord Shiva who is regarded as the destroyer in the Hindu mythology, which is why a considerable part of the audience was able to connect with the powerful song. In the making video of the song, which was released as a promotional piece, the artists can be seen coming together and speaking about the significance and meaning of the song. Music composer Mithoon can be seen talking about how Ajay Devgn wanted the energy of the song high, throughout, which is what theytriedto do. He also speaks about Sukhwinder Singhs pivotal role in the piece as the strength in the song brings a special kind of effect to it. Mithoon can also be seen speaking about Mohit Chauhans uniquestyle and the zone that he creates through his verse.

ReadFrom Ajay Devgn's Film To ICSE Results Fan Debate, Here Are The Top Memes Of The Week

Also readAjay Devgn's 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' Climax Was Shot At THIS Place & Not In Italy

Mithoon can also be seen putting special emphasis on rapper Badshaahs part as he believes he brings the right kind of attitude to the song. On the other hand, Badshah can also be seen expressing gratitude over being able to be a part of this musical journey. Megha Sriram Dalton can be seen chanting meaningful mantras and putting a spell on the listener through her strong and heavy voice. Mithoon also revealed that Megha has been associated with tribal music which helps the piece. Ajay Devgn can be seen talking about the motive of creating a song like Bolo Har Har Har. He reveals that it is not a Bhajan but does carry elements of devotion. He also says that the aim was to keep the song relatable, to people of all age groups. Ajay Devgn also adds that he is happy with the outcome as the youth have been tripping on the track as well.

ReadAjay Devgn's 'Darkhaast' Song From 'Shivaay': Here's What Went Into The Making Of The Song

Also readAjay Devgn's 'Ek Hi Raasta', Other Films With Actor Saeed Jaffrey

Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.

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Football, Boyne and the Dee – Drogheda Independent

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The memories of Jack Charlton abounded this week as the region recalled a legend of the game.

As part of his role with Ireland - and as a football man - he visited Drogheda on a number of occasions during his 'glory days' - indeed his first visit to United Park coming in February 1990 for an under 16 clash between Scotland and Ireland.

He arrived into the Press area, sat down and just watched the action unfold, almost in a trance.

Had he come just for the game, 'No,' he replied, 'I was down Ardee way earlier for a spot of fishing on the Dee!.

You had to take that comment with a pinch of salt.

The game ended 2-2, Gary Hanrahan scoring one of the Irish goals and a certain Eddie Van Boxtel playing in goals, denying future Irish star Nick Colgan a run.

Two months later, he was back again.

This time it was a Drogheda Utd gala dinner and what a star attraction he was.

But he had the flu and when he walked into the Boyne Valley Hotel, immediately hit the bed for two hours!

He revealed later that on his way from Navan to Drogheda he spotted a stretch of the Boyne he had not fished before and decided to investigate. Followed by his companion (in best Sunday suit) thc keen fisherman walked for up to four miles along the bank.

Among the guests for the evening was none other than Ronnie Whelan snr., father of Livcrpool and Republic of Ireland star, Ronnie jun., and during the course of the evening he recalled his days at Drogheda "Young Ronnie often talks about coming down on the bus to Drogheda during those days and hc used to play about on the steps at the Lourdes Stadium,' he said.

Down the years, he returned to the Boyneside on a number of occasions, as popular as that first day when he stepped foot into United Park.

Drogheda Independent

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Football, Boyne and the Dee - Drogheda Independent

Standard Chartered and Universities Space Research Association join forces on Quantum Computing – PRNewswire

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LONDON andMOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Standard Chartered Bank and Universities Space Research Association (USRA) have signed a Collaborative Research Agreement to partner on quantum computing research and developing quantum computing applications.

In finance, the most promising use cases with real-world applications include quantum machine learning models (generating synthetic data and data anonymisation) and discriminative models (building strong classifiers and predictors) with multiple potential uses such as credit scoring and generating trading signals. As quantum computing technology matures, clients should benefit from higher quality services such as faster execution, better risk management and the development of new financial products.

Kahina Van Dyke, Global Head of Digital Channels and Client Data Analytics at Standard Chartered, said: "Similar to other major technological advancements, quantum computing is set to bring widespread benefits as well as disrupt many existing business processes. This is why it's important for companies to future-proof themselves by adopting this new technology from an early stage. The partnership with USRA gives us access to world-class academic researchers and provides us with a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of models and algorithms with the potential to establish quantum advantage for the real-world use cases."

Bernie Seery, Senior VP of Technology at USRA noted that "This partnership with the private sector enables a diversity of research through a competitively selected portfolio of quantum computing research projects involving academic institutions and non-profits, growing an ecosystem for quantum artificial intelligence that has already involved over 150 researchers from more than 40 organizations that produced over 50 peer-reviewed publications over the last seven years."

Alex Manson, Global Head of SC Ventures, Standard Chartered's innovation, fintech investment and ventures arm, stated: "The world is currently in the process of identifying commercial use cases where quantum computer capabilities will surpass classical computers. We have a conviction that some of these use cases will transform the way we manage risks in financial services, for example by simulating portfolios and exponentially speeding up the generation of market data. We will work with USRA to identify such use cases in financial services, with a view to implementing them within our bank, as well as potentially offering this service to other market participants over time."

Mark Johnson, Vice President, Processor Design, Development and Quantum Products at D-Wave said: "Quantum computing research and development are poised to have a profound impact on the industries responsible for solving today's most complex problems. That's why researchers and businesses alike are looking to quantum computing today to start demonstrating tangible value. We're proud to work with USRA and Standard Chartered Bank as they improve global access to quantum systems and undertake essential research and development."

At USRA's Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science, Dr. Davide Venturelli, Associate Director for Quantum Computing, notes that quantum annealing is implementing a powerful approach to computing, featuring unique advantages with respect to other traditional and novel approaches, that should be studied, theoretically and experimentally, to advance the state of art of computing technologies for the benefit of nearly all disciplines.

Standard Chartered's team, led by Dr. Alexei Kondratyev, Global Head of Data Science and Innovation, and USRA have collaborated in quantum computing research since 2017. An earlier success in investigating the quantum annealing approach to computational problems in portfolio optimisation use cases led to this strategic partnership, where USRA will continue to support fundamental academic research in quantum physics and artificial intelligence and Standard Chartered will focus on future commercial applications.

In 2012, USRA partnered with NASA to found the Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (QuAIL): the space agency's hub to evaluate the near-term impact of quantum technologies. With QuAIL, the USRA team has investigated the physics, the engineering and the performance of multiple generations of quantum annealing processors built by D-Wave Systems. It has also participated in U.S. government research programs that looked into application of quantum annealing for combinatorial optimization, aviation, earth science and machine learning. NASA Ames Research Center is currently hosting a D-Wave 2000Q annealing system, thanks to the support of this partnership.

Standard Chartered and USRA intend to develop this initial collaboration beyond quantum annealing to all unconventional computing systems that could provide an advantage to applications of interest, such as gate-model noisy-intermediate scale quantum (NISQ) processors and Coherent Ising machines.

For more information, contact: Standard Chartered: Group Media Relations Contact: Shaun Gamble, [emailprotected] Tel: +44 2078855934

USRA: PR Contact: Suraiya Farukhi, [emailprotected] Technical Contact: David Bell, [emailprotected]

About USRA

Foundedin 1969, under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences at the request of the U.S. Government, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is a nonprofit corporation chartered to advance space-related science, technology and engineering. USRA operates scientific institutes and facilities, and conducts other major research and educational programs, under Federal funding. USRA engages the university community and employs in-house scientific leadership, innovative research and development, and project management expertise.RIACS is a USRA department for research in fundamental and applied information sciences, leading projects on quantum computing funded by NASA, DARPA, the US Airforce and NSF.

More info at: https://riacs.usra.edu/quantum/and http://www.usra.edu.

About Standard Chartered

We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 59 of the world's most dynamic markets, and serving clients in a further 85. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, Here for good.

Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges as well as the Bombay and National Stock Exchanges in India.

For more stories and expert opinions please visitInsightsatsc.com. Follow Standard Chartered onTwitter,LinkedInandFacebook.

SOURCE Universities Space Research Association

http://www.usra.edu

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Standard Chartered and Universities Space Research Association join forces on Quantum Computing - PRNewswire

Hollywood Wants to Kill You: The Peculiar Science of Death in the Movies – Chemistry World

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Rick Edwards and Michael BrooksAtlantic Books2019 | 282pp | 12.99ISBN 9781786496928

Buy this book on Amazon.co.uk

Can you really die from insomnia? How would a tree kill an antelope? Why should you stay out of the water? And particularly relevant in the current climate why should we be terrified of pig farms?

These are just a few of the questions answered in Hollywood Wants to Kill You. In the book, Rick Edwards and Michael Brooks take some of the greatest disaster movies ever made and turn them into case studies for the various ways in which all we are all doomed.Brooks did PhD in quantum physics, but now works as a journalist, co-hosting the podcast Science(ish) together with fellow journalist Edwards.

Each chapter examines a different way to die: nuclear fallout, viral epidemic, massive superstorms, killer robots, giant predators and so many more. For each genre of death and destruction, Edwards and Brooks take key storylines from some of your favourite films and dissect what Hollywood got right. I have to admit, learning about the physiological effects of sleep deprivation makes Freddy Krueger much more scary (although he was already quite scary thanks to the knives and the creepy nursery rhyme).

The book is interspersed with engaging mini side-stories about real-world examples of Hollywood storylines. For example, in an incident reminiscent ofThe Day of the Triffids, 3000 antelopes died suddenly on a South African game ranch killed by acacia trees. The trees had produced antelope-killing levels of tannins, warning each other of the hungry herbivores by emitting volatile compounds. These stories, in addition to the authors playful cartoon-style commentary,create a mix of realism and whimsy throughout, making the book fun and entertaining.

As you might expect from a book about movies, there are quite a few spoilers, but I dont think thats a negative it gave me ideas for several films to watch and analyse. Besides, if you didnt already know that Armageddon was about a totally plausible story of deep-sea drillers going into space then maybe this isnt the book for you.

Id recommend for bedtime reading, but its actually quite hard to put down and apparently not sleeping is bad for you.

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Hollywood Wants to Kill You: The Peculiar Science of Death in the Movies - Chemistry World

How Employers Should Handle Political Speech In The Workplace – JD Supra

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During this time when we are seeing protests related to Black Lives Matter and COVID-19, and as political campaigns start to heat up, it can be expected that employers will start to hear more discussion of a political nature in the workplace. Employees may argue for a particular political viewpoint or even try to campaign in the workplace. It behooves an employer to have an understanding of how the law treats political speech in the workplace. The following are some points regarding how the law treats political speech in the workplace:

Freedom of Speech: The right to free speech is foundational in the United States. But does this right extend to the private workplace? The answer is a resounding no. Aside from some narrowly tailored exceptions (such as whistleblowing and the right to discuss conditions of employment granted under the National Labor Relations Act), an employee of a private employer does not have the right to say whatever the employee wants to say. This means that a private employer has the right to limit or even prohibit political speech in the workplace. This includes all types of speech from conversations to emails, from political buttons and shirts to posters.

Have a Policy: Because an employer can limit or prohibit political speech in the workplace, it follows that an employer can discipline an employee if the employee engages in such speech. It is, of course, a good idea to have a policy clearly setting forth the employers rules regarding political speech and then discipline according to the policy. Be sure to enforce the policy even-handedly.

Non-Solicitation Policies: An employers non-solicitation policy is also a means by which an employer can limit or prohibit campaigning in the workplace.

Employers Pushing Their Views on Employees: Employers should be careful about trying to persuade employees to their way of thinking on political issues. Most states have laws that restrict this. For example, in Oregon, the Worker Freedom Act prohibits employers from forcing employees to attend political meetings and distribute political communications. In Washington, employers cannot interfere with an employees efforts to support or oppose an initiative; discriminate against employees because of their support or opposition of a candidate, party or other political activity; or use payroll contributions or salary increases for the purpose of funding political activities or candidates.

Following these precepts should help employers stay out of trouble when it comes to political speech in the workplace.

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How Employers Should Handle Political Speech In The Workplace - JD Supra

Don’t overestimate chances of dealer busting in blackjack – Press of Atlantic City

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Q: Im a stubborn old coot and I refuse to bust with 16, and I dont really like to hit 15, either. Ive just seen too many busts with 16. I just dont see that Im any worse off waiting to see if the dealer will bust.

A: I think youre overestimating the likelihood of the dealer busting.

With any hard total of 12 or higher, you can bust with a one-card hit. The dealer shows only one card, and you dont know until the second card is turned up whether a one-card hit can bust the dealer. When you make your decision, youre flying partially blind.

When you start with hard 16, you can be busted with a 6, 7, 8, 9 or any of the four 10-value cards. Thats eight of the 13 card denominations, or 61.5%. Its a little better with hard 15. Any card from 7 through the 10 values busts you. Thats seven of 13 denominations, or 53.8%.

Compare those to the dealer bust percentages with anything from 7 through an Ace face up situations in which basic strategy calls for you to hit with hard 12 or higher.

In a six-deck game in which the dealer hits soft 17, dealers starting with a 7 up bust only 26.2% of the time. If youre counting on the dealer busting, youre looking for something that happens barely more than a quarter of the time. It doesnt get any better from there. Starting with 8, dealers bust only 24.4 percent of hands, with 22.9% on 9s. 23.0 percent on 10 values and 20.1% on Aces. Dealers just dont bust often enough make a waiting game worth your while. Stand, and youll lose every time the dealer makes 17 or better, from 73.8% of hands starting with 7s to 79.9% of hands starting with Aces.

You can see that in the average outcomes. Lets just use 10-5 vs. 7 as an example. If you stand, you average 47.6 cents in losses per dollar wagered. If you hit, that drops to 36.9 cents per dollar. Youre not in a great situation when you have a hand that can be busted in one hit vs. a dealer high card. No matter what you do, youll lose more than you win. But accepting the risk of busting and hitting instead of counting on the dealer to bust puts you in a better position to cut losses.

Q: I miss the days when coins dropped into the slot machine trays after you won. I once had a 1,000-quarter jackpot, and I remember how excited I got when the coins were dropping.

A: One of challenges slot manufacturers have faced is finding a way to replace that celebration feel. Part of the reason modern slots are loaded with music, sound effects and special celebration graphics is to provide some of that feel.

As video slots replaced reel slots, operators worried their casinos were getting too quiet. That said, there were downsides to the coin-dropping machines.

Dirty hands from scooping coins was part of the deal. So were empty coin hoppers and waiting for fills.

But yes, coin drops after big wins were a thrill.

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Don't overestimate chances of dealer busting in blackjack - Press of Atlantic City

Casino Morongo replaces former bingo space with slots and table games, goes smoke-free – The Whittier Daily News

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Casino Morongo, the smaller sister property adjacent to Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa, went smoke-free Friday, July 17, and also added 100 slot machines and eight blackjack tables in the casinos former bingo room, a casino official said.

Simon Farmer, executive director of marketing for the Cabazon-area casinos, wrote in an emailed statement that the new gaming space inside of the former bingo hall was supposed to be a non-smoking room, but guest and Team Member feedback led the team to expand the non-smoking directive to the entire casino.

Designated smoking areas will be established outside, Farmer wrote.

The larger casino had already banned smoking and established smoking areas outside.

The new gaming space will have limited seating to meet social distancing guidelines and plexiglass shields have been installed between many of the slot machines, according to Farmer. He said face masks are still mandatory at both casinos.

An Instagram post on Morongos official account Thursday described Casino Morongo as having $5 blackjack with hundreds of new slot machines added with plexiglass dividers beginning at 2 p.m. July 17. It said that table games would be open Friday-Sunday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

As for what happens to bingo now that the bingo hall has been converted, that remains to be seen.

As discussed before, Morongo continues to explore options for safely reopening bingo, possibly in a new space, but no date has been set for its return, Farmer wrote.

As the novel coronavirus pandemic has persisted, more casinos in Southern California have made tweaks to their safety plans and that has often resulted in prohibiting smoking.

San Manuel Casino nearHighland announced in late June that it was prohibiting smoking indoors and also limiting alcohol service to people at slots and table games to keep people from walking up to bars and congregating.

Earlier this week, Soboba Casino Resort near San Jacinto announced it also was prohibiting smoking indoors.

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Casino Morongo replaces former bingo space with slots and table games, goes smoke-free - The Whittier Daily News

888 Announces New Partnership With NetEnt Live – Gaming Post

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By Ben Hamill - July 16 2020

So popular have live casino games become, that 888 Holdings 888casino brand has decided to add a whole new range of games to its online gaming menu. And, as an added plus, the games are developed by none other than online casino entertainment colossus NetEnt Live Casino.

Live casino games have skyrocketed in popularity in recent times. This is believed to be the result of customers yearning for an authentic casino gaming experience online. Real dealers, real-time play, and live chat and commentary feeds are all believed to have added to the popularity of the market. And 888s customer base, says the online operator giant, is no exception to the rule.

The operator has confirmed that it will be adding NetEnt Lives Blackjack and Roulette titles to its own product offering.

Read More...Microgaming To Develop 2nd Tarzan Slot

The partnership signed into force between 888casino and NetEnt Live Casino will ensure that 888s players will in future enjoy access to top-of-the-range live dealer features. These include a wide variety of games, multiple camera views, fully customisable options, and interactions with professional dealers.

And its moreover a pleasure to be signing up for a partnership with the likes and superb quality of a games provider such as NetEnt Live Casino, says Guy Cohen, who is the Senior Vice President at 888. Cohen described NetEnt as one of the worlds finest developers of live dealer games and added that NetEnt is the perfect partner for bringing the best of Vegas, Atlantic City, and Monte Carlo into the very homes of players, wheresoever in the world they may be located.

Games developed by NetEnt as part of its NetEnt Live Casino package include Roulette, featuring three unique Roulette wheel formats each displayed in full-HD video quality and functionality. NetEnts Live Blackjack is every bit as impressive as its Roulette offering, with plenty of options for high-rollers and budget-conscious spenders alike. A series of all-new Blackjack titles is soon to be part of 888s offering courtesy of NetEnt including Perfect Blackjack and Blitz Blackjack.

And if 888 is thrilled at the opportunity of offering NetEnt Lives supreme casino games to its players, then NetEnt is even more so at the prospect of offering their products via the 888 brand. Director of NetEnt Live Casino, Andres Renfigo, says he considers the 888 brand to be the absolute benchmark in the world of regulated online gaming. The NetEnt team is thrilled at now having the opportunity to entertain 888s players with only the best in authentic online gambling entertainment.

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888 Announces New Partnership With NetEnt Live - Gaming Post

Laws and History of Gambling in Oklahoma – Best Casinos in Oklahoma – BestUSCasinos.org

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Oklahoma is just 45 minutes of where I sit in my home office as I write this post. Just over the Texas border, with Oklahoma is the worlds largest casino, WinStar.

WinStar is probably the most well-known casino in Oklahoma, which is itself a newcomer to the American casino scene.

But its not a a gambling destination to overlook when youre planning your next casino vacation.

Gambling in Oklahoma has a recent history.

The Sooner State made horse racing legal in 1982. Compared to Nevada, Oklahoma was late to the gambling party. Nevada legalized gambling in 1949.

Oklahoma would wait another 10 years before making it legal to play bingo for money. If your grandma won money playing bingo before 1992 in OK, it was probably under the table.

In 2003, Oklahoma would legalize the lottery. This was in keeping with a nationwide trend of setting up state-run lotteries. People were driving across state lines to play the lottery.

Oklahoma saw this as a lost revenue opportunity and created their own lottery commission. Now, instead of their residents traveling to Texas to buy tickets, they could spend their lottery dollars in their home state.

Heres a side note:

The Oklahoma lottery largely funds education within the state and the states teacher retirement fund. Most states use lottery profits to fund education, wildlife protection, and other public improvements within their state.

Casinos became legal the same year that lotteries became legal. 2004 was a big year for the Sooner State. There are quite a few requirements for casinos in Oklahoma. I will get into that shortly. All casinos in Oklahoma are required to be located and operated by native tribes.

Here are the basic gambling/ casino rules for the state of Oklahoma:

18-21. The age range depends on the casino. Make sure to check the age requirements before visiting any Oklahoma casino.

No. The state mandated that the casinos in Oklahoma must be located on native lands and run by native tribes. This mandate is spelled out that native tribes have an exclusivity agreement with the state and pay 4-10% tax for this agreement.

Native tribes were the primary operators of horse tracks and most of the states bingo halls. Once the state legalized casinos, the native tribe racetracks and bingo halls converted to casinos.

In the last year, the governor of Oklahoma has challenged the casino laws saying that as of Jan.1st, 2020 casino gambling is illegal. The 3 largest native tribes, Choctaw, Cherokee, and Chickasaw have pushed back on the governors stance and asked for clarification.

Pay close attention to this story as it unfolds. This could be a huge shift in native lands casinos in this country. Oklahoma Governor Stitt has filed a lawsuit to halt operation of native casinos in his state.

Yes, there are a few quirks to Oklahomas gambling laws.

The first quirky law every casino has in common there are ante requirements for all casino games. The ante varies depending on the game. Blackjack tables have a 50-cent ante, and craps and roulette tables have a $1.00 ante. Its weird, but its also part of playing table games in the state.

This is my list of my favorite casinos and casino resorts to visit in the Sooner State. They are in no particular order. Some of the casinos youve heard of and some of the casinos are off the beaten path.

Lets get this one off the table. WinStar is Oklahomas, Americas, and the Worlds largest casino. WInStar is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation.

This truly mega casino opened its doors as the WinStar Casino the same year that Oklahoma legalized gambling in casinos. 2004 was a game changer for the native tribe gambling establishments.

WinStar renamed itself as the WinStar Word Casino and Resort in 2013. This same year it beat out Foxwoods Casino, a native lands casino in CT, as the largest casino in the world.

WInStar boasts 370,00 square feet with a poker room made up of 55 tables, over 8,500 gaming machines, over 100 gambling tables, keno, and a high roller suite.

If youre looking for entertainment options, WInStar is home to the Global Events Center, a concert venue that has over 3,500 seats. Famous acts make tour stops on a regular basis.

I was able to see one of my favorite TV actors, Jerry Seinfeld, do his standup act there in the summer of 2019.

If youre a foodie like my husband and I, youll be looking for dining options. WinStar World Casino and Resort offers options for all tastes and budget options.

Wanting a classic steak house experience?

Check.

Want a quick bite to soak up last nights revelries before hitting the casino floor?

Check.

Your kid only eats spaghetti?

Theyve got Italian food too.

Dont forget that WinStar also had its own PGA designed golf course. If youre a fan of the Netflix hit documentary, Tiger King, its just a short drive to visit Joe Exotics former zoo.

WinStar is unique in its size and location. Its just over an hour drive from the Dalls-Fort Worth Metroplex, one of the largest cities in America. This also makes traveling to the mega casino resort a breeze.

If youre new to gambling in Oklahoma casinos, then WInStar World Casino and Resort is a great place to start.

Dont get lost, though.

My sons college roommate was there for a bachelor party and was lost for four hours. With a dead phone. And a little tipsy.

Youve been warned.

Choctaw Casino and Resort in Durant, OK is the flagship location of the Choctaw Nations chain of casinos and resorts. The Durant location is located on 50 acres belonging to the Choctaw Nation.

As required by Oklahoma gaming laws, Choctaw properties are managed and owned by the tribal nation. The profits go to improvement projects for the native nation.

The Durant casino and resort has a 218,884 sq. Foot casino floor. You can play one of the over 4,800 gaming machines, place a bet (with an ante of course) at any of the over 80 table games. Choctaw Durant also offers a horse racing sportsbook.

There are a variety of dining and entertainment options. The resort features multiple pools with cabanas that can be reserved.

Are you thinking of making it a family trip?

The resort offers bowling, shopping, a movie theater, and an arcade.

The Choctaw Casino and Resort is a great option for families that are looking for a a family getaway with adult gambling and entertainment options.

Just like WinStar, Choctaw Durant is only a 1.5-hour drive from DFW airport.

The high-end experience at Artesian Hotel Casino is a fantastic option for an adult-only weekend getaway. Located in Sulphur, OK, the casino and hotel is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation as per Oklahoma gaming laws.

The Artesian is much smaller than the other two casinos resorts on my list. The boutique hotel and casino opened April 2013. The casino floor is 15,000 square feet of gaming featuring high roller rooms, baccarat, blackjack, and poker.

Artesian Hotel Casino is an excellent romantic weekend getaway option. You can book a spa day, like my husband did for our 25th wedding anniversary, at their award-winning spa, the SOLESERNITY.

Their dining options are reminiscent of country club offerings with a flushed-out wine list. The three dining establishment offer everything from a gourmet eggs benedict to a house-aged rib eye. My personal favorite drink offering is the Tennessee Fir Mule at the Fountain Club.

The hotel rooms are splendid with dcor. The rooms range in size and amenities. They remind me of a less loud version of the W Chicago.

Much like the other two casino resorts on this list, this hotel and casino is a short drive from DFW airport, clocking in at about 2 hours. For me, a spa and gambling getaway is worth the slightly longer drive.

I hope you have better grasp of the casino offering from Oklahomas diverse gaming industry. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what Oklahomas gambling landscape has to offer.

There are 60 casinos in Oklahoma. All of them are owned and managed by native tribes. The fact that the tribes redistribute the profits to improvements within their communities is a feel-good win for me as well.

I would love to hear your feedback and questions. Leave a comment below.

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Laws and History of Gambling in Oklahoma - Best Casinos in Oklahoma - BestUSCasinos.org

SpaceX Is Launching a Fleet of Pirate-Hunting Satellites

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A company called HawkEye 360 is about to launch a cluster of satellites that hunt down pirates, smugglers, and poachers around the world.

At the end of the year, a fleet of pirate-hunting satellites will take to the sky.

A satellite intelligence company called HawkEye 360 says it’s booked a ticket on a SpaceX rideshare mission to launch a cluster of three satellites that will sail around the globe, tracking down pirates, poachers, and smugglers.

HawkEye 360, unlike the superhero of the same name, doesn’t actually dole out justice. But it does work with terrestrial authorities including the Pentagon and the National Reconnaissance Office to pinpoint potential issues by tracing radio signals coming from the surface.

The company has had satellites in orbit since 2018, but CEO John Serafini told Futurism that each new launch will further improve its capabilities to track down crimes from orbit.

“We’ve seen dark ship activity all over the globe,” Serafini told Futurism, “and even analyzed Iran smuggling oil to Syria.”

“We were able to identify a build-up of Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley, contributing deeper understanding about the heightened tensions occurring along the India/China border,” he added. “We’ve helped rangers in Garamba National Park monitor their vast landscape for wildlife poaching.”

That last project, he said, illustrates one of the main ways this new launch will help HawkEye 360 improve: It’s not that there are parts of the world that it can’t monitor with its current fleet, Serafini says, but that each cluster will improve its response time as well as its ability to pinpoint a signal’s exact location.

“Similar to how visible imaging satellites were once only the domain of governments, but now there are many commercial providers of satellite imagery, HawkEye 360 is augmenting government capabilities by providing a useful source of commercial [radio frequency] data,” Serafini said.

With each new launch — Serafini wants to bring the total satellite count to 21 in the coming years — the amount of time it takes to revisit each location will drop. The ultimate goal is to get it down to 45 minutes, Serafini says. That would make it harder for, say, poachers to sneak into the Garamba National Park or any other preserve, kill a protected animal, and make off with the trophy.

“With our current cluster, we can already collect data anywhere in the world multiple times per day,” Serafini said. “But we need faster revisits in order to enable dark ship tracking or increase data density to conduct richer analysis.”

More on satellite surveillance: The Pentagon Wants Sentinel Satellites To Deter Space Warfare

The post SpaceX Is Launching a Fleet of Pirate-Hunting Satellites appeared first on Futurism.

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SpaceX Is Launching a Fleet of Pirate-Hunting Satellites