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Showing posts from October 18, 2020

Oracle CEO donated $250k to Lindsey Graham's re-election campaign just hours before the company announced lucrative deal to become TikTok's US tech provider - which the senator was 'pivotal' in brokering

A top executive at one of the nation’s leading tech companies donated $250,000 to a super Political Action Committee supporting Senator Lindsey Graham’s re-election campaign, as his company closed in on a coveted deal to become TikTok’s US technology partner. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison made the quarter of a million dollar donation to the Security is Strength PAC, which is paying for ads supporting Graham in his reelection bid, The Verge reported. The donation, described as unusually large for Ellison, was made on September 14 – just hours before Oracle announced it had been selected by the Beijing-based social media platform TikTok to be its cloud technology provider. Oracle staved off competition from the likes of Microsoft and a number of other high-profile bidders in order to save the popular app, after President Trump pledged to ban it in the US over data-sharing concerns unless it was sold by its China-based parent company, Byte Dance.  Ellison’s company’s deal was applauded by the

Backlash as police get test and trace data: Michael Gove is forced to defend the move after officers were handed personal details amid privacy row

Michael Gove was forced to defend police being given personal data through the NHS Test and Trace system amid a furious privacy row yesterday. Experts and public health officials reacted with anger when it emerged police had been given powers to request details of people who had been told to self-isolate in England. The agreement between the Department of Health and Social Care and the National Police Chiefs’ Council was revealed as Test and Trace chief Dido Harding admitted the system was ‘not a silver bullet’ to tackle coronavirus. Michael Gove was forced to defend police being given personal data through the NHS Test and Trace system amid a furious privacy row yesterday Experts said sharing data with police would deter people from engaging with the system.  University College London professor of health psychology, Susan Michie, said the policy, revealed by the Health Service Journal, would ‘further cause distrust in the Government which is a massive problem in terms of adherence to

'I am not OK': Unemployed Surrey father-of-two, 51, goes viral with tweet about struggling during the coronavirus lockdown and gets 300,000 messages of support

An unemployed father-of-two has been flooded with messages of support on social media after he took to Twitter and candidly admitted 'I am not OK' having endured months living alone during the pandemic. Edmund O'Leary, 51, from Epsom, Surrey, who has had depression for more than a decade, admitted his mental health had plummeted during coronavirus and he had hit 'rock bottom' as he took to Twitter to share his mental anguish with others. Within hours of asking for help, Mr O'Leary was inundated with 300,000 heartening responses from well-wishers from across the world.  In his message, which has now been viewed more than ten million times and liked by more than 230,000 people, Mr O'Leary wrote: 'I am not ok. Feeling rock bottom. Please take a few seconds to say hello if you see this tweet. Thank you.' Edmund O'Leary, 51, from Epsom, Surrey, took to Twitter on Friday to candidly admit: 'I am not OK' The father-of-two told social media users

Greater Manchester Police delete 'intimidating' tweet ordering people to carry proof they are exempt from wearing masks as they boast about fines handed out to shoppers

A tweet from Greater Manchester Police ordering members of the public to carry proof that they are exempt from wearing a face covering has been deleted after sparking an online backlash.  GMP Stretford today posted a message on its official Twitter page informing the public they had issued five tickets inside the Trafford Centre to those those who had failed to wear a mask before warning others to carry proof of their exemption.   In their message the police wrote: 'Five tickets issued to people inside the Trafford Centre yesterday failing to wear a mask. Most people complied with the new law and supported our presence. 'We will be there again today so please wear your mask and if exempt carry proof. Thanks.'  A tweet from Greater Manchester Police in Stretford asking those who are exempt from wearing a mask to bring proof has been deleted. (Stock image) Earlier today GMP Stretford posted a message on its official Twitter page informing the public they had issued five ticke

Tens of thousands of people march through streets of Minsk in Belarus in latest protest against re-election of president Alexander Lukashenko as they defy police threats to open fire

Thousands of protesters descended onto the streets of the Belarusian capital today to demand the resignation of their leader of 26 years President Alexander Lukashenko. Crowds of demonstrators gathered at an industrial neighbourhood in southeast Minsk for a march along Partisan Prospect, a key transport artery and home to a number of factories, despite a threat by officials to use firearms against protesters.  Belarus, a former Soviet republic closely allied with Russia, has been rocked by strikes and weekly street protests since authorities announced that Lukashenko, who has ruled in authoritarian fashion since 1994, had secured re-election on August 9 with 80 per cent of votes. Earlier today, some protesters chanted 'strike!' and 'you and your riot police get out!' while others carried the historical white and red flag of Belarus as they walked defiantly through the streets. Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Belarusian capital today in the latest marc

Retired Army major, 80, embarks on 100 mile charity row in home-made boat dubbed the 'Tintanic' which is made out of corrugated iron, curtain hooks and hosepipe

Eighty-year-old Major Mick has today embarked on a 100-mile charity rowing trip in a home-made boat fashioned from corrugated iron, curtain hooks and hosepipe.  Travelling just 2mph, retired Army major Michael Stanley, is determined to row the stretch on the Chichester canal in West Sussex to raise money for St Wilfrid's Hospice in Bosham. The veteran, who served in The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards for 35 years has dubbed boat the Tintanic after creating it from two sheets of corrugated iron, curtain hooks and hosepipe.   Mr Stanley, known as Major Mick, had aimed to raise £1,000 for St Wilfrid's Hospice in Bosham but has already surpassed £9,100. Michael Stanley, who is also known as 'Major Mick', 80, rows along the Chichester canal, West Sussex, in his home-made rowing boat, named the Tintanic He said had been inspired to make the boat during lockdown after a recent visit to India, where he saw the tin boats used. He said: 'I got two sheets of corrugated iron, put t