XIAN BATTLES COVID-19 IN WORST OUTBREAK TO HIT A CHINESE CITY THIS YEAR

The Xian Industrial and Technology Center in China reported  more than 100 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, making the number of locally transmitted infections  the highest in any Chinese city this year. Xian reported 155 new local cases on December 29th. December, official data showed.

 This brings the number of local infections to more than 1,100 since the outbreak began on December 9, forcing authorities to lock down the city of 13 million people. It has been since the 23rd. 

"Xian has entered a brisk phase in its fight against the virus," Zhang Fenghu, a city government official, told Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology, two of the world's largest manufacturers of memory chips, before the blockade could affect its chip manufacturing facilities in the area.

Xian is also a major tourist destination, drawing visitors to its collection of terracotta warriors who were buried with China's first emperor more than 2,000 years ago.

The authorities have launched several rounds of  testing across the city to monitor the transmissions. Round six started on Thursday, a day later. Restrictions have restricted access to everyday necessities and many people cannot go out and shop, leaving them dependent on supplies.

Deliveries and the government are working to resolve the issue, a Xian government official said  Wednesday.

WUHAN ANNIVERSARY

A Xian resident surnamed He told Reuters that she tried to order groceries through the online app from Alibaba-backed supermarket chain Freshippo, but was unable to secure many items such as potatoes and cucumbers.

The app posted a message saying "Delivery staff is not available" under many articles. Based on a screenshot you provided. Several boroughs have organized free grocery deliveries to some residential complexes, state media said.

The total supply of essential items in Xian is sufficient, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce told reporters. Now on its eighth day, it coincides with the second anniversary of the first signs of the coronavirus outbreak in downtown Wuhan. an "unknown cause," according to state media.

In addition, on Thursday, thousands of people left messages on the social media account of the late COVID-19 whistleblower Li Wenliang on the anniversary of the day, also on December 30, 2019, in which he learned of the possibility of a causative virus.

Pneumonia in Wuhan: As of Wednesday, mainland China had reported 101,890 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including  local and imported, with a death toll of 4,636.

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XIAN BATTLES COVID-19 IN WORST OUTBREAK TO HIT A CHINESE CITY THIS YEAR

The Xian Industrial and Technology Center in China reported  more than 100 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, making the number of locally transmitted infections  the highest in any Chinese city this year. Xian reported 155 new local cases on December 29th. December, official data showed.

 This brings the number of local infections to more than 1,100 since the outbreak began on December 9, forcing authorities to lock down the city of 13 million people. It has been since the 23rd. 

"Xian has entered a brisk phase in its fight against the virus," Zhang Fenghu, a city government official, told Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology, two of the world's largest manufacturers of memory chips, before the blockade could affect its chip manufacturing facilities in the area.

Xian is also a major tourist destination, drawing visitors to its collection of terracotta warriors who were buried with China's first emperor more than 2,000 years ago.

The authorities have launched several rounds of  testing across the city to monitor the transmissions. Round six started on Thursday, a day later. Restrictions have restricted access to everyday necessities and many people cannot go out and shop, leaving them dependent on supplies.

Deliveries and the government are working to resolve the issue, a Xian government official said  Wednesday.

WUHAN ANNIVERSARY

A Xian resident surnamed He told Reuters that she tried to order groceries through the online app from Alibaba-backed supermarket chain Freshippo, but was unable to secure many items such as potatoes and cucumbers.

The app posted a message saying "Delivery staff is not available" under many articles. Based on a screenshot you provided. Several boroughs have organized free grocery deliveries to some residential complexes, state media said.

The total supply of essential items in Xian is sufficient, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce told reporters. Now on its eighth day, it coincides with the second anniversary of the first signs of the coronavirus outbreak in downtown Wuhan. an "unknown cause," according to state media.

In addition, on Thursday, thousands of people left messages on the social media account of the late COVID-19 whistleblower Li Wenliang on the anniversary of the day, also on December 30, 2019, in which he learned of the possibility of a causative virus.

Pneumonia in Wuhan: As of Wednesday, mainland China had reported 101,890 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including  local and imported, with a death toll of 4,636.

source https://techncruncher.blogspot.com/2021/12/xian-battles-covid-19-in-worst-outbreak.html

PFIZER’S COVID-19 SHOT CAUSES MOSTLY MILD SIDE EFFECTS IN YOUNG KIDS’

İmage Credit: Reuters

Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE's COVID-19 vaccine mainly caused  mild side effects in children ages 5 to 11, according to data published by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The data showed that some children were affected after the second dose of the vaccine  reported injection site pain and other systemic reactions such as fatigue and headache.

The CDC said it had also received reports of 11 cases of myocarditis, a type of inflammation of the heart, in 511-year-old children  who had received the vaccine. Of these, seven had recovered and four were recovering at the time of reporting.

Myocarditis is a rare side effect after mRNA vaccines.

Notification system for adverse vaccination events  (VAERS).They received 4,249  adverse event reports, of which 97.6% of the cases were not serious, according to the CDC report.

The cases were reported between November 3 and December 19 through VAERS and vsafe, a voluntary smartphone-based security monitoring system for adverse events following COVID19 vaccination, in children in this age group.

The vaccine was approved in the United States  in late October for children ages 5 to 15 and is the only approved vaccine for that age group. 

A separate study by the CDC showed that Pfizer 92's two-dose vaccine was effective against coronavirus infections in teenagers aged 12 to 17 years.

 The observation period for the analysis coincided with the period of dominance of the delta variant  in the United States, the CDC said.

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PFIZER’S COVID-19 SHOT CAUSES MOSTLY MILD SIDE EFFECTS IN YOUNG KIDS’

İmage Credit: Reuters

Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE's COVID-19 vaccine mainly caused  mild side effects in children ages 5 to 11, according to data published by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The data showed that some children were affected after the second dose of the vaccine  reported injection site pain and other systemic reactions such as fatigue and headache.

The CDC said it had also received reports of 11 cases of myocarditis, a type of inflammation of the heart, in 511-year-old children  who had received the vaccine. Of these, seven had recovered and four were recovering at the time of reporting.

Myocarditis is a rare side effect after mRNA vaccines.

Notification system for adverse vaccination events  (VAERS).They received 4,249  adverse event reports, of which 97.6% of the cases were not serious, according to the CDC report.

The cases were reported between November 3 and December 19 through VAERS and vsafe, a voluntary smartphone-based security monitoring system for adverse events following COVID19 vaccination, in children in this age group.

The vaccine was approved in the United States  in late October for children ages 5 to 15 and is the only approved vaccine for that age group. 

A separate study by the CDC showed that Pfizer 92's two-dose vaccine was effective against coronavirus infections in teenagers aged 12 to 17 years.

 The observation period for the analysis coincided with the period of dominance of the delta variant  in the United States, the CDC said.

source https://techncruncher.blogspot.com/2021/12/pfizers-covid-19-shot-causes-mostly.html

SCIENTISTS TO TEST HIGH DEXAMETHASONE DOSES IN COVID-19 PATIENTS

    İmage Credit: AFP Photo

British scientists will investigate whether higher doses of a cheap and widely used steroid called dexamethasone might work better in severe COVID-19 patients compared to  standard lower doses, they said Thursday. , showed that it was able to save the lives of COVID-19 patients in  a so-called "breakthrough" in the coronavirus pandemic. 

They found that a 6 mg daily dose of dexamethasone,  used to reduce inflammation in diseases such as arthritis, reduced the death rate among critically ill COVID-19 patients in hospitals by about a third.

"Given the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, we can expect  patients  with severe COVID-19 to be hospitalized for a while," said Peter Horby, a professor at Oxford University who co-led the study.

 “So it is very important that we continue RECOVERY to  compare a higher dose of 20 mg  dexamethasone given once a day for five days, followed by 10 mg once a day for  another five days, with the usual low dose treatment.

Process is supported by the UK government and Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates and his ex-wife Melinda French's charity.

Last week,  scientists began investigating GSK and Vir Biotechnology's antibody-based drug COVID19  as a possible treatment for hospital patients.

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SCIENTISTS TO TEST HIGH DEXAMETHASONE DOSES IN COVID-19 PATIENTS

    İmage Credit: AFP Photo

British scientists will investigate whether higher doses of a cheap and widely used steroid called dexamethasone might work better in severe COVID-19 patients compared to  standard lower doses, they said Thursday. , showed that it was able to save the lives of COVID-19 patients in  a so-called "breakthrough" in the coronavirus pandemic. 

They found that a 6 mg daily dose of dexamethasone,  used to reduce inflammation in diseases such as arthritis, reduced the death rate among critically ill COVID-19 patients in hospitals by about a third.

"Given the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, we can expect  patients  with severe COVID-19 to be hospitalized for a while," said Peter Horby, a professor at Oxford University who co-led the study.

 “So it is very important that we continue RECOVERY to  compare a higher dose of 20 mg  dexamethasone given once a day for five days, followed by 10 mg once a day for  another five days, with the usual low dose treatment.

Process is supported by the UK government and Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates and his ex-wife Melinda French's charity.

Last week,  scientists began investigating GSK and Vir Biotechnology's antibody-based drug COVID19  as a possible treatment for hospital patients.

source https://techncruncher.blogspot.com/2021/12/scientists-to-test-high-dexamethasone.html

F.D.A. Plans to Allow 12- to 15-Year-Olds to Receive Pfizer Boosters

 

The Food and Drug Administration to authorize booster doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds Monday. (Emily Elconin, Reuters)

The United States Food and Drug Administration should receive a booster injection of the Pfizer vaccine up to five months after a second dose from the current six months, the newspaper reported.

 The increase in cases caused by omicrons can be an important tool for millions of children. According to initial data from laboratory studies, the  variant can bypass some of the protection offered by two doses of the PfizerBioNTech vaccine.

But the booster doses of the PfizerBioNTech and Moderna vaccines appear to protect against Omicron, also based on laboratory studies. 

The rapidly spreading variant has resulted in thousands of new COVID19 hospital admissions for U.S. children in the past few weeks, raising new concerns about  the number of unvaccinated Americans under the age of 18

who will do well with the new surge.

 The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  Rochelle Walensky said in an interview with CNN on Wednesday that the agency could receive a call regarding the third dose of the COVID19 vaccine  for children aged 12-15 The vaccine - The CDC's Advisory Committee plans to meet mid-next week to vote on whether to recommend the changes.

 While officials  said the vaccines protect against serious illness and death from Omicron, some children as young as 12 to 15 are now more than six months away from their previous vaccinations.

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HERE’S WHY EMMA WATSON ALMOST QUIT HARRY POTTER

 

The original trio from the Wizarding franchise, Harry Potter, are expected to return to the silver screen next New Years Day in the 20th anniversary special when they return to Hogwarts.

 In the reunion special, two of the movie's lead actors, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, spoke about how they were on the verge of leaving the series after season five, responsible for his childhood fame during his adolescence.

 Best known for their characters  Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, Watson and Rupert Grint made the reveal during the  special Harry Potter reunion show for the 20th anniversary.

“You were considering retiring. I never told you about it, ”Rupert joked with Emma about the days before.

 At that time, she revealed how solemnly she  wanted to leave the character: "Yes. I think she was scared." I don't know if you ever felt like it reached a tipping point where you said, 'This is now forever,' "revealed Watson." Fame had finally come home in a big way. 

"At some point there was Grint agrees that he also had his moments of contemplation  where he would insist "what life would be  if I called it a day." Radcliffe, aka Harry Potter, added to the conversation, saying, "Never really.

" He talked about it. I think we had it at our own pace. We were then in the moment. "However, the female lead in Harry Potter believed that" no one had to convince her to stay, "except for the love and appreciation of the fans.

source https://techncruncher.blogspot.com/2021/12/heres-why-emma-watson-almost-quit-harry.html

HERE’S WHY EMMA WATSON ALMOST QUIT HARRY POTTER

 

The original trio from the Wizarding franchise, Harry Potter, are expected to return to the silver screen next New Years Day in the 20th anniversary special when they return to Hogwarts.

 In the reunion special, two of the movie's lead actors, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, spoke about how they were on the verge of leaving the series after season five, responsible for his childhood fame during his adolescence.

 Best known for their characters  Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, Watson and Rupert Grint made the reveal during the  special Harry Potter reunion show for the 20th anniversary.

“You were considering retiring. I never told you about it, ”Rupert joked with Emma about the days before.

 At that time, she revealed how solemnly she  wanted to leave the character: "Yes. I think she was scared." I don't know if you ever felt like it reached a tipping point where you said, 'This is now forever,' "revealed Watson." Fame had finally come home in a big way. 

"At some point there was Grint agrees that he also had his moments of contemplation  where he would insist "what life would be  if I called it a day." Radcliffe, aka Harry Potter, added to the conversation, saying, "Never really.

" He talked about it. I think we had it at our own pace. We were then in the moment. "However, the female lead in Harry Potter believed that" no one had to convince her to stay, "except for the love and appreciation of the fans.

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Fortnite Servers Go Down, Millions Of Gamers And Their Parents At Wit’s End

 

The tragedy today hit millions of houses around the world, as one of the most popular online games in the world was offline several hours.

Fortnite, which has more than 350 million players worldwide, was offline for several hours due to an unknown technical issue.
The time for parents, whose play-obsessed offspring is at home during the winter holidays and devoting themselves to their passion for hours, couldn't have been worse.
Developer Epic Games posted on Twitter that their team is investigating an issue with the game's servers: “Fortnite is currently unavailable and players will not be able to log in while we are investigating an issue.

We’re continuing to work on a fix that will bring Fortnite back online and appreciate everyone’s patience.

Fortnite game servers are currently offline while we investigate a solution to stability issues, and we’ll provide another update as more info is available. pic.twitter.com/aRTnawTJgE

— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) December 29, 2021

Epic Games was also having problems.Of course, the large player base had time.
Pro Fortnite player Sypher PK joked that he could potentially run for president since his favorite time has gone.

It's been 10 minutes since Fortnite servers have been down. I now have touched grass, got jacked, made a billion dollars, and will be running for President.

— SypherPK (@SypherPK) December 29, 2021

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Fortnite Servers Go Down, Millions Of Gamers And Their Parents At Wit’s End

 

The tragedy today hit millions of houses around the world, as one of the most popular online games in the world was offline several hours.

Fortnite, which has more than 350 million players worldwide, was offline for several hours due to an unknown technical issue.
The time for parents, whose play-obsessed offspring is at home during the winter holidays and devoting themselves to their passion for hours, couldn't have been worse.
Developer Epic Games posted on Twitter that their team is investigating an issue with the game's servers: “Fortnite is currently unavailable and players will not be able to log in while we are investigating an issue.

We’re continuing to work on a fix that will bring Fortnite back online and appreciate everyone’s patience.

Fortnite game servers are currently offline while we investigate a solution to stability issues, and we’ll provide another update as more info is available. pic.twitter.com/aRTnawTJgE

— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) December 29, 2021

Epic Games was also having problems.Of course, the large player base had time.
Pro Fortnite player Sypher PK joked that he could potentially run for president since his favorite time has gone.

It's been 10 minutes since Fortnite servers have been down. I now have touched grass, got jacked, made a billion dollars, and will be running for President.

— SypherPK (@SypherPK) December 29, 2021

source https://techncruncher.blogspot.com/2021/12/fortnite-servers-go-down-millions-of.html

Tumblr is at war with Apple over ‘mature’ content on its app again

 Tumblr users looking to view adult content on the platform must avoid the iOS app as the company says it hides "sensitive content" so as not to violate Apple's sensitivities.

 "In order to remain available in the Apple App Store," says Tumblr, "we need to expand the definition of  sensitive content and access to it in order to meet its guidelines." Apple are available. 

The company says it will display the above overlay on blogs "marked as explicit" and when "you see search results or tags for specific words or phrases". 

However, users will have to guess what has leaked as Tumblr will not "currently" reveal this information.

It probably won't be  hard to guess what leaked, but the new definition of "sensitive content" goes beyond what some would expect. 

Tumblr says  users "may also notice" that:

•  Images they receive through blog direct messages that they don't follow can't be viewed in the app. 
• Explicitly marked blog likes and reblogs  are hidden from notes. 
• The images of the  reblogs that appear in the post notes are blurry unless you follow the Tumblr that added the image.
•  Your dashboard (the "Next" and the "Materials For You" tab), search results, and tag results will no longer display content that contains certain words or phrases. 
• Certain words and phrases have been removed from  search (sometimes called search suggestions). 
• We have excluded blogs from search results and tags that may contain or create sensitive content.

 These changes were implemented with the release of Tumblr version 22.1 in the App Store.

The company says  it won't display this overlay to users of its Android app or mobile website. it merely extends its restrictions on sensitive content to comply with Apple guidelines.

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Elon Musk sells another $1 billion in Tesla shares, nearing 10% target

Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, stands in the foundry of the Tesla Gigafactory during a press event.

Patrick Pleul | picture alliance | Getty Images

Elon Musk sold another $ 1.02 billion in Tesla Inc. stock, moving closer to his goal of reducing his stake in the electric car maker by 10 percent. US Securities and Exchange Commission. 

Musk has been selling Tesla shares since asking his Twitter followers in November if he should sell some of his stake. Musk said in a tweet last week that he was "almost done" cutting his Tesla stake by 10 percent. The latest sale brings Musk's total number to about 15.6 million shares, for about $ 16.4 billion. 

You would have to sell around 17 million shares to get rid of 10 percent of your stake, provided your exposure excludes exercisable options.

Tesla gained 2.3 percent in pre-market trading in the United States. The stock has gained 54 percent this year. It's unclear whether the November poll  had anything to do with Musk's plans. Options towards the end of the year and drew up a business plan for selling stocks ahead of his tweet. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Musk has net worth of $ 278.9 billion, up nearly 80% this year.

source https://techncruncher.blogspot.com/2021/12/elon-musk-sells-another-1-billion-in.html

Elon Musk reveals who bitcoin's creator Satoshi Nakamoto might be

 

Musk.MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images

Elon Musk seems to agree with many that hyper-secret cryptocurrency expert Nick Szabo could be Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious creator of the digital currency Bitcoin. 

"You can watch ideas evolve before Bitcoin was launched and see who wrote about those ideas," Musk told artificial intelligence researcher Lex Fridman on a podcast posted Tuesday when asked what he thought about the real ones Identity of Nakamoto thinks. 

The Tesla billionaire said that while he "obviously" doesn't know exactly who created Bitcoin, Szabo's theories seem central to the creation of cryptocurrency. "It seems that Nick Szabo is probably responsible for developing these ideas more than anyone," he said. “He says he's not  Nakamoto, but I'm not sure it's neither here nor there. 

But he seems to be  responsible for the ideas behind Bitcoin more than anyone. Bitcoin was first proposed by Satoshi Nakamoto in October 2008. , a pseudonym for what people thought it could be. 

In 2014, a team of linguists examined Nakamoto's bitcoin whitepaper along with the writings of Szabo and 10 other potential creators. They found the results undeniable. "It's mind-boggling," said the researchers, adding that none of the other possible writers were anywhere near as good.

A 2015 New York Times report also identifies the invention of bitcoin in Szabo, who has spoken publicly about the history of bitcoin and blockchain technology but  repeatedly  claims that he is the anonymous inventor of the digital asset. Another reason it is associated with Bitcoin is because of its origins. of the  cryptocurrency "Bit Gold" in 1998.

Source:Yahoo News

source https://techncruncher.blogspot.com/2021/12/elon-musk-reveals-who-bitcoins-creator.html

New Flagpro malware linked to Chinese state-backed hackers

 The cyber espionage group APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) Blackwell has been targeting Japanese companies with a new type of malware that researchers call "Flag pro". Second level malware and run it. 

Breaching corporate networks

The chain of infection begins with a phishing e-mail that was developed for the target organization and pretends to be a message from a trusted partner.

 The e-mail contains a password-protected ZIP or RAR attachment with a Microsoft Excel file [.XLSM] linked to a malicious macro. Running this code creates an executable file in the Flag pro home directory. 

When it first runs, Flagpro connects to the C2 server over HTTP and sends the system identification details obtained by executing hard-coded operating system commands. 

In response, the C2 can send additional commands or a second-level payload that Flag pro can execute. 

An example of a sent command Source: NTT Security

Communication between the two is base64 encoded, and there is also a configurable delay between connections to avoid creating an identifiable operating model.

Communication between Flagpro and the C2 Source: NTT Security

 Flagpro has been used against Japanese companies for more than a year, at the latest since October 2020, according to a report by NTT Security. 

The most recent samples the researchers were able to obtain are from July 2021. The target companies are from a variety of industries, including defense, media and communications technology. 

Flagpro v2.0

At some point in their analysis, NTT researchers noticed a new version of Flag pro that can automatically close relevant dialog boxes to make external connections that could reveal their presence to the victim. 

"In the Flag pro v1.0 implementation, if a dialog box titled 'Windows セ キ ュ リ テ ィ' appears when Flagpro is accessing an external site, Flagpro will automatically click the OK button to close the dialog box" explains NTT Security report. “This handling also works if the dialog is written in Chinese or English  indicates destinations are in Japan, Taiwan, and English-speaking countries.

Inserted code serving as obfuscation in Flagpro v2.0 Source: NTT Security

 Blackwell APT is a lesser known player discovered by Trendier researchers in the summer of 2017 and has partnered with China. His typical targets are in Taiwan, although he has occasionally targeted companies in Japan and Hong Kong to steal technology.

 In February  2021, a report from Unit 42 linked  Blackwell to Waterbear Flag pro, another cyber espionage group believed to have the backing of the Chinese government like Apt, Black tech, Knowledge and Refinement to adapt their tools to new reports like this one, Flag pro is likely to be modified for more stealth use.

As the NTT report concludes, “Recently they (Blackwell) started using another new malware called Selfsame Loader and Spider RAT. “That means they are actively developing new malware. Defenders should be aware of the new indicators of exposure to new malware and follow all security best practices to maintain a strong defense against sophisticated threats like Blackwell.

Source: Bleeping Computer

source https://techncruncher.blogspot.com/2021/12/new-flagpro-malware-linked-to-chinese.html

Watch out for ‘child in need’ Whatsapp scams as parents get duped out of £50,000

 Another WhatsApp scam is circulating, this time aimed at parents. WhatsApp scammers pretend to be desperate children who need money right away.

 People in the UK have reportedly been defrauded of nearly £ 50,000 for this type of scam. 25 cases of fraud were reported between August and October, with victims losing pounds 48,356. 

A Bedford mom shared her WhatsApp exchange with a Bedford Facebook group to warn others.

"Hello mom, it's me. I have a new number, you can delete the old one, ”read the scammer's input text. 

Toni Parker, 53, thought her son had dropped his phone down the toilet and had a new phone number (Picture: Caters News)

When the woman asked who the unknown messenger was, they replied: “Your oldest and sweetest son xx. The scammer then stated that he had  a new phone and was "transferring everything", claiming that his banking app had banned him for 48 hours. 

“Very annoying because there is nothing I can do  about it. Can you possibly pay  me and I will get it back to you asap? I'm sorry to bother you with this, '' read the scammer's text message. However, instead of sending the money immediately, the woman called her daughter, who confirmed that she was not sending the messages.

When the woman realized she was being attacked by a conspiratorial impostor, she immediately warned others about the deception.

 This is not the first time such a tactic has been used to commit fraud on WhatsApp. In August, a nurse was cheated of £ 2,500 after a scammer impersonated her son. In September, WhatsApp users were warned of the scam that could see criminals steal thousands of them.

 'WhatsApp protects our users' personal messages with end-to-end encryption, but we want to remind people that we all have one.' We advise all users never to share their six-digit PIN code with anyone, not even with friends or family, and we recommend  all users configure two-step verification for added security.

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Watch out for ‘child in need’ Whatsapp scams as parents get duped out of £50,000

 Another WhatsApp scam is circulating, this time aimed at parents. WhatsApp scammers pretend to be desperate children who need money right away.

 People in the UK have reportedly been defrauded of nearly £ 50,000 for this type of scam. 25 cases of fraud were reported between August and October, with victims losing pounds 48,356. 

A Bedford mom shared her WhatsApp exchange with a Bedford Facebook group to warn others.

"Hello mom, it's me. I have a new number, you can delete the old one, ”read the scammer's input text. 

Toni Parker, 53, thought her son had dropped his phone down the toilet and had a new phone number (Picture: Caters News)

When the woman asked who the unknown messenger was, they replied: “Your oldest and sweetest son xx. The scammer then stated that he had  a new phone and was "transferring everything", claiming that his banking app had banned him for 48 hours. 

“Very annoying because there is nothing I can do  about it. Can you possibly pay  me and I will get it back to you asap? I'm sorry to bother you with this, '' read the scammer's text message. However, instead of sending the money immediately, the woman called her daughter, who confirmed that she was not sending the messages.

When the woman realized she was being attacked by a conspiratorial impostor, she immediately warned others about the deception.

 This is not the first time such a tactic has been used to commit fraud on WhatsApp. In August, a nurse was cheated of £ 2,500 after a scammer impersonated her son. In September, WhatsApp users were warned of the scam that could see criminals steal thousands of them.

 'WhatsApp protects our users' personal messages with end-to-end encryption, but we want to remind people that we all have one.' We advise all users never to share their six-digit PIN code with anyone, not even with friends or family, and we recommend  all users configure two-step verification for added security.

source https://techncruncher.blogspot.com/2021/12/watch-out-for-child-in-need-whatsapp.html

A Weird Paper Tests The Limits of Science by Claiming Octopuses Came From Space

 A round-up of decades of research into a fairly "external" idea with viruses from space begs the question of how scientific we can be when it comes to speculating about the history of life on earth. and nonconformist in describing the scientific fringes, but then articles like this one from 2018 pop up and make us blink like owls not knowing where to start.

In this review, which by. was published, a total of 33 names were listed as authors Advances in Biophysics and Molecular Biology (as of August 2018) The journal is peer-reviewed and fairly well cited.

 So not exactly a small or paid niche source for publication. Science writer Stephen Fleischfresser delves into  the backgrounds of two of the most famous scientists involved: Edward Steele and Chandra Wickramasinghe. Well worth reading.

 For a tl version; Dr. Steele is an immunologist known for his views on evolution based on the acquisition of genetic changes determined by the influence of the environment rather than random mutations in what he calls metalamarckism.

Wickramasinghe, on the other hand, has had a slightly less controversial career known for empirically confirming Sir Fred Hoyle's hypothesis that describes the production of complex carbon molecules in interstellar dust. Wickramasinghe and Hoyle were also  responsible for further space biology work. one is based on more than just the origins of organic chemistry. 

Hoyle Wickramasinghes (HW) thesis of cometary biology (cosmic biology) makes the rather simple claim that the direction of evolution was significantly influenced by biochemistry that did not begin on our planet. In Wickramasinghe's own words: “Comets are the carriers and distributors of life in the cosmos, and life on earth originated and developed as a result of input from comets.

 These inputs, argued Wickramasinghe, are not limited to a generous pinch of  amino acids that have been branded into the world. Neither do acids. Rather, they include viruses that infiltrate organisms and drive their evolution in completely new directions.

The report, entitled “Cause of the Cambrian Explosion: Terrestrial or Cosmic? and other viruses  to be released in meteoric debris may potentially add new DNA sequences to terrestrial genomes and cause further mutagenic changes within the germline and somatic genomes, ”the authors wrote.

 Before going any further, because that was the docile part during this period, a group of mollusks known as cephalopods first stretched  their tentacles under their shells and branched into an amazing variety of sizes and shapes in an amazingly short amount of time  and octopuses are as strange as the animals themselves,  in part because of their ability to manipulate their DNA in the blink of an eye.

 The authors of the article make the rather bold claim that these genetic oddities could be a sign of life from space, this time not from space viruses  but from the arrival of enter genomes frozen in stasis before they thaw in our warm waters.

"Thus the possibility that cryopreserved squid and/or octopus eggs, arrived in icy bolides several hundred million years ago should not be discounted," they wrote.

In his review of the article, University of Eastern Finland medical researcher Keith Baverstock admitted that there is much evidence  plausibly in line with HW's thesis, such as the strange timeline of virus emergence, but that is not how science comes Ahead. 

"I believe this paper justifies skepticism of the scientific value of stand alone theories of the origin of life," Baverstock argued at the time.

"The weight of plausible, but non-definitive, evidence, great though that might be, is not the point."

Although the idea is as new and exciting as it is provocative, nothing in the summary helps us better understand the history of life on earth than existing assumptions that give little  value to our evolutionary model.

 Perhaps science can handle a generous dose of madness from time to time. The magazine's editor, Denis Noble, admits that "more research is needed", which is a bit of an understatement.

 Room for discussion. "As space chemistry and biology grow in importance, it is appropriate for a journal devoted to the interface between physics and biology to stimulate discussion," said Noble.

"In the future, the ideas will surely become testable."

Just in case those tests confirm speculations, we recommend being well prepared for the return of our cephalopod overlords. Who knows when they'll want those eggs back?

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Elon Musk’s ex Grimes sparks new pregnancy rumours with cryptic post: See here

 

Elon Musk’s ex, singer Grimes, has sent rumour mills in overdrive with her latest Instagram 

Elon Musk's ex-singer Grimes got the rumors going with her latest Instagram post showing her with a prominent belly.
Grimes fans continued to speculate on Tuesday after the Player of Games singer's new photo showing an animated form of her. At one stroke, she repeated her first pregnancy announcement with Musk's chid.

Comments on the post ranged from "The Queen is Pregnant" to "OMG, pregnant again?" However, Grimes has yet to respond to speculation. in May 2020 after  two years of dating.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ☘︎𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰࿎ (@grimes)

The couple has since split and the Tesla CEO confirmed the split to Page Six in September 2021.

We're half apart, but we still love each other, see each other often, and have a very good relationship, "said Musk.



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A Weird Paper Tests The Limits of Science by Claiming Octopuses Came From Space

 A round-up of decades of research into a fairly "external" idea with viruses from space begs the question of how scientific we can be when it comes to speculating about the history of life on earth. and nonconformist in describing the scientific fringes, but then articles like this one from 2018 pop up and make us blink like owls not knowing where to start.

In this review, which by. was published, a total of 33 names were listed as authors Advances in Biophysics and Molecular Biology (as of August 2018) The journal is peer-reviewed and fairly well cited.

 So not exactly a small or paid niche source for publication. Science writer Stephen Fleischfresser delves into  the backgrounds of two of the most famous scientists involved: Edward Steele and Chandra Wickramasinghe. Well worth reading.

 For a tl version; Dr. Steele is an immunologist known for his views on evolution based on the acquisition of genetic changes determined by the influence of the environment rather than random mutations in what he calls metalamarckism.

Wickramasinghe, on the other hand, has had a slightly less controversial career known for empirically confirming Sir Fred Hoyle's hypothesis that describes the production of complex carbon molecules in interstellar dust. Wickramasinghe and Hoyle were also  responsible for further space biology work. one is based on more than just the origins of organic chemistry. 

Hoyle Wickramasinghes (HW) thesis of cometary biology (cosmic biology) makes the rather simple claim that the direction of evolution was significantly influenced by biochemistry that did not begin on our planet. In Wickramasinghe's own words: “Comets are the carriers and distributors of life in the cosmos, and life on earth originated and developed as a result of input from comets.

 These inputs, argued Wickramasinghe, are not limited to a generous pinch of  amino acids that have been branded into the world. Neither do acids. Rather, they include viruses that infiltrate organisms and drive their evolution in completely new directions.

The report, entitled “Cause of the Cambrian Explosion: Terrestrial or Cosmic? and other viruses  to be released in meteoric debris may potentially add new DNA sequences to terrestrial genomes and cause further mutagenic changes within the germline and somatic genomes, ”the authors wrote.

 Before going any further, because that was the docile part during this period, a group of mollusks known as cephalopods first stretched  their tentacles under their shells and branched into an amazing variety of sizes and shapes in an amazingly short amount of time  and octopuses are as strange as the animals themselves,  in part because of their ability to manipulate their DNA in the blink of an eye.

 The authors of the article make the rather bold claim that these genetic oddities could be a sign of life from space, this time not from space viruses  but from the arrival of enter genomes frozen in stasis before they thaw in our warm waters.

"Thus the possibility that cryopreserved squid and/or octopus eggs, arrived in icy bolides several hundred million years ago should not be discounted," they wrote.

In his review of the article, University of Eastern Finland medical researcher Keith Baverstock admitted that there is much evidence  plausibly in line with HW's thesis, such as the strange timeline of virus emergence, but that is not how science comes Ahead. 

"I believe this paper justifies skepticism of the scientific value of stand alone theories of the origin of life," Baverstock argued at the time.

"The weight of plausible, but non-definitive, evidence, great though that might be, is not the point."

Although the idea is as new and exciting as it is provocative, nothing in the summary helps us better understand the history of life on earth than existing assumptions that give little  value to our evolutionary model.

 Perhaps science can handle a generous dose of madness from time to time. The magazine's editor, Denis Noble, admits that "more research is needed", which is a bit of an understatement.

 Room for discussion. "As space chemistry and biology grow in importance, it is appropriate for a journal devoted to the interface between physics and biology to stimulate discussion," said Noble.

"In the future, the ideas will surely become testable."

Just in case those tests confirm speculations, we recommend being well prepared for the return of our cephalopod overlords. Who knows when they'll want those eggs back?

source https://techncruncher.blogspot.com/2021/12/a-weird-paper-tests-limits-of-science.html