Tech trends 2020: New spacecraft and bendy screens

If your ambition is to fly into space - and you've got plenty of spare cash - then 2020 could be an exciting year.

If space travel is not really your thing, but you would like a much bigger screen on your mobile phone, then 2020 might also have some tech for you.

But if you think there are already too many phones out there and the technology industry needs to be less wasteful, well some tech companies might catch up with your thinking.

Here's a little taster of what might be coming in the next twelve months.

Crewed space missions
2020 is going to be a "pivotal year" for space travel, according to Guy Norris, a senior editor at Aviation Week & Space Technology.

Since Nasa retired the Space Shuttle in 2011, the US has relied on Russian spacecraft to transport astronauts to the International Space Station.

That could all change in 2020 when, if all goes to plan, two US-built spacecraft should start carrying crew.

Boeing's CST-100 Starliner, which can carry up to seven astronauts into orbit, is due for its first test flight today before the first manned flight, likely to be in 2020.

Meanwhile the SpaceX Dragon capsule will go through some final tests in early 2020, and if they all go well then it too would be ready for a crewed mission.

Claudine Auger: French actress known for James Bond role dies aged 78

French actress Claudine Auger, best known for her role alongside Sean Connery in the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball, has died at the age of 78.

She died on Wednesday in Paris following a long period of illness, her agency Time Art said.

Auger started out as a model, representing France and coming first runner-up in Miss World in 1958.

But she quickly developed a talent for acting, and landed roles including one in the 1962 film The Iron Mask.

A few years later in 1965, she shot to global stardom as Domino in Thunderball, the fourth film in the Bond franchise.

She was the first female co-star to the James Bond character, known as a "Bond girl", to be from France.

It was later revealed that the production team had rewritten the character for Auger. Domino was initially supposed to be Italian, but she became French.

A$AP Rocky has finally come out to address his alleged sex tape leak.

A$AP Rocky has finally come out to address his alleged sex tape leak.
On Thursday, December 19, an explicit video allegedly showing the Harlem rapper having sex with a white woman surfaced on Pornhub. The face of the man in the tape wasn't visible, but fans linked the man to A$AP Rocky because of the similarities between the tattoos of the man in the video.
Last night, the rapper took to his Twitter account to address the sex tape leak, saying he doesn’t know that man in the video.

He wrote: “MY PENIS AND I WOKE UP 2 THE ALARMING DISTURBANCE OF A VIDEO CLIP 2DAY,” he tweeted. “

AS HIS DEFENSE ATTORNEY WE’RE PREPARED 2 DENY ANY SLOW STROKES OR LACK OF KILLIN THE PUSSY .A LONG LIST OF SATISFIED WOMEN CAN ATTEST TOO. BUT THE REAL PUNCHLINE IS SEEING PPL WHO NEVER F**KED HIM RATE HIM.”

An impeached Trump tries looking ahead, but uncertainty threatens Senate vindication

After being impeached, President Donald Trump is hoping to move quickly to a vigorous defense in the Senate and is distressed the trial he hopes will vindicate him might be delayed.

"What are they doing?" Trump asked a top Republican ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham, upon learning Thursday morning that House Democrats may withhold sending articles of impeachment to the Senate until they feel assured there will be a fair trial.
"I said, 'Mr. President, I don't know,'" Graham told reporters before traveling to the White House to discuss the matter further with Trump.
The uncertainty threw a wrench into long-laid plans by the White House to mount an effort at exoneration once the impeachment proceedings move across Capitol Hill to the upper chamber. Trump and his aides have long eyed a Senate trial as the venue for eventual vindication in the saga, viewing the Republican-led chamber as a lock to acquit the President.
One possible avenue for Trump is looking back, to Barack Obama, with a suggestion -- supported possibly with Justice Department legal opinions -- that the former president should have been impeached for blocking congressional Republicans from fully investigating the "Fast and Furious" gun-running scandal.

Trump was spending the day at the White House, with two holiday receptions listed on his public calendar. He returned to a frigid Washington late Wednesday after a bitter and disjointed "Merry Christmas" rally in Michigan where he learned of the impeachment vote from a placard held aloft by a campaign aide.

The 'worst' airlines for long and short-haul flights named by Which?

American Airlines and British Airways have been rated among the worst airlines for long-haul flights, according to a survey of travelers by a consumer watchdog.
The UK flag carrier was criticized for the "quality of its food and drink, the comfort of its seats and value for money for its short-haul and long haul services," in the annual report by Which? Travel.
More than 6,500 travelers were asked about customer service, boarding and cabin environment as part of the survey.
American Airlines was named the worst long-haul airline, with a score of 48%.
"American Airlines takes customer feedback very seriously, and we were disappointed to see the findings of the Which? survey, based on the experiences of 53 customers," a spokesman for the airline told CNN.
"However, we recognize there is always room for improvement and we will continue to strive to deliver an excellent service that cares for our customers on life's journey."

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Anthony Joshua lands in Saudi Arabia ahead of his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr

Anthony Joshua has landed in Saudi Arabia ahead of his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr., which will take place on Saturday, December 7, 2019, in Diriyah.

The British-Nigerian boxer will be looking to regain his IBF, WBA and WBO titles after losing them in a shock defeat to Ruiz Jr back in June at Madison Square Garden. The Mexican boxer defeated Joshua in the seventh-round to hand British/Nigerian boxer his first professional loss.
Sports authorities in Saudi Arabia are said to have tabled almost $100million (£83million) for the match to be held there.

#6THAFRIMA Full List of Winners: Awilo Longomba and 2face Idibia receive 'Legendary Awards'

Winners have emerged at the 6th All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA held on Saturday, November 23, 2019, at the Eko Convention Centre of Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

Winners were announced in the 36 categories of the awards ceremony, which comprise the Continental and Regional categories.

Also, the 6th AFRIMA Legendary awards were announced; a recognition of individuals who have impacted positively to the world using their craft in the music, arts and culture industry. This years’ Legendary awards recipients are international Congolese music veteran, Awilo Longomba; and Nigerian music icon, 2Baba.

See the full list of winners below:

19 persons feared dead after a small plane crashed in Congo

17 passengers and two crew members are feared dead after a small aircraft they were onboard, crashed into a densely populated area of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo this morning November 24th.

The plane, operated by the company Busy Bee, crashed during takeoff for a flight to the city of Beni, a government official said in a statement. The number of fatalities is not yet clear.
The Dornier plane was en route to Beni, 350 kilometres north of Goma (220 miles), when it went down.
“There were 17 passengers on board and two crew members. It took off around 9-9.10 am (0700 GMT),” Busy Bee airline staff member Heritier Said Mamadou said

'Angels caught me': Boy thrown from mall balcony walking normally, family friend says

A 5-year-old boy who was thrown from a third-floor balcony at the Mall of America in Minnesota is walking normally again seven months after the attack.

That's according to an update posted Friday by family friend Noah Hanneman on a GoFundMe page which has raised more than $1 million for the boy and his family.

The boy, identified by the page and in court as Landen, fell about 40 feet on April 12 after he was grabbed at random by Emmanuel Aranda.

Aranda has since pleaded guilty to attempted premeditated first-degree murder and been sentenced to 19 years in prison. He told investigators he went to the mall “looking for someone to kill.”

But after a lengthy hospitalization and multiple physical therapies, the boy is beginning to return to a normal life, according to Hanneman.

College student Kennesaw State PG Kamiyah Street arrested on multiple murder charges in Atlanta

Kennesaw State starting point guard Kamiyah Street was arrested this week in Atlanta on multiple murder charges, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Street was arrested on Thursday on eight counts, per the report, including murder, three counts of felony murder, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Her arrest stems from the July 16 death of 21-year-old Nashiem Hubbard-Etienne, whose body was found in the parking garage of an apartment complex just south of downtown Atlanta. Hubbard-Etienne was “the victim of a targeted shooting,” an Atlanta police spokesman told the Journal-Constitution.

The homicide investigation is still ongoing.

Chilean singer Mon Laferte shows her bare breasts as she goes topless on the Latin Grammys red carpet (+18 photos/video)

Chilean singer Mon Laferte went topless on the Latin Grammys red carpet which held last night and this move is making her trend across various social media platforms.
The Latin Grammy ceremony held on Thursday, November 14 in Las Vegas, United States.
Arriving the event, Chilean singer Mon Laferte made sure she drew the attention of the international press with a daring action. She had on a black dress which she pulled off her shoulders to expose her bare breats.

On her naked chest, were written words which translates in English to mean: "In Chile they torture, rape and kill."

How do you feel about Instagram's plan to start hiding the likes on posts starting today

From today, Instagram will start a trial that hides the number of likes on the posts of users in the US. This has already been tested in Australia, Canada, Japan and a handful of other territories. If it works in the US, the change is expected to be rolled out globally, with users of Instagram all over the world having their number of likes hidden from their viewers.

 According to Instagram, the decision to hide your number of likes from others is so that users can "focus on the photos and videos you share, not how many likes they get." Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri said hiding the "like" feature will help people's well-being and health.

London to get 'world's first' infinity pool with 360-degree views

 

For thrill-seeking swimmers, the chance to take a death-defying dip might not be far away. Plans to build a rooftop infinity pool -- with 360-degree views of the London skyline -- are in motion. The designs for the 600,000-liter pool and 55-story building, named Infinity London, have been unveiled by Compass Pools.
 The designers claim the concept is a world-first, describing the structure as "the only building in the world to incorporate a 360-degree infinity pool." The pool will be made from cast acrylic and will feature transparent sides and floors, so visitors below will be able to see swimmers splashing around above them. To keep views pristine, there are no stairs on the outside of the pool or the building -- instead, a spiral staircase that rotates and rises through the water provides access for swimmers.

British tech billionaire Mike Lynch faces US extradition over Autonomy fraud claims

 US charges against Mike Lynch involve wire and securities fraud conspiracy, and carry a prison term. The British billionaire who founded scandal-hit software company Autonomy faces an extradition battle after American authorities formally requested he be forced to face fraud charges in a US court. Mike Lynch is subject to an extradition request filed by the Department of Justice in September, an American government lawyer revealed in a hearing this week.

 Mr Lynch, 54, is accused of 17 counts of wire and securities fraud conspiracy over the £7.1bn sale of Autonomy to Hewlett Packard (HP) in 2011 - charges that would mean decades in prison if he is convicted. The State Department is now reviewing the extradition request before passing it to the Home Office, at which point Mr Lynch would be arrested and would have to decide whether to fight extradition proceedings. He was first charged a year ago but has yet to appear in the US to enter a plea as he defends himself in a $5bn (£3.9bn) civil fraud trial in the English courts.

 Less than a year after HP bought Cambridge-based data analysis firm Autonomy, HP wrote off almost all of the company's value - and accused Mr Lynch and other former company management of vastly inflating what it was worth. Mr Lynch denies fraud and claims HP destroyed the company he had built. His lawyers have called the US charges a “travesty of justice” and say the dispute belongs in the English courts. Robert Leach, a lawyer for the US attorney’s office for Northern California, this week told a San Francisco court that an extradition request was first made on Sept 10.

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3 Ways To Make Your Business

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Children were told to ‘build the wall’ at White House Halloween party

A Halloween party on Oct. 25 at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building featured candy, paper airplanes and — concerning for some attendees — a station where children were encouraged to help “Build the Wall” with their own personalized bricks.

Photos of the children’s mural with the paper wall were provided to Yahoo News.

The party, which took place inside the office building used by White House staff, included the families of executive-branch employees and VIP guests inside and outside government. Even though many of the attendees were members of President Trump’s administration, not everyone thought the Halloween game was a treat.

“Horrified. We were horrified,” said a person who was there and requested anonymity to avoid professional retaliation.

The Eisenhower Executive Office Building stands across from the White House and houses a large portion of the West Wing support staff and is home to the vice president’s ceremonial office. The “Build the Wall” mural was on the first floor, outside the speechwriter’s office and next to the office of digital strategy and featured red paper bricks, each bearing the name of a child.

Large letters on the display spelled out “Build the Wall.” Kids dressed as superheroes and ninjas were given brick-colored paper cards and told to write their name with a marker and tape them to the wall. Alongside the paper wall were signs including one that read “America First,” a slogan often used by President Trump that had been criticized because it was previously employed by the Ku Klux Klan.

Earlier in the week offices inside the EEOB had been instructed to put together kid-friendly displays for trick-or-treaters. The displays were supposed to be interactive and inspiring, and all were supposed to address the party’s theme: “When I grow up I want to be…”

Photos posted on social media show Vice President Mike Pence was present for the Halloween party at the EEOB. However, a spokesperson for the vice president said he did not go beyond his office, which is on the second floor.

The U.S. Military is Sending Thousands of Troops and Even B-1 Bombers into Saudi Arabia (To Counter Iran)

On October 6, around fifty U.S. commandos in northeastern Syria tasked with hunting down ISIS forces were withdrawn from territory near the Turkish border controlled by the Kurdish-Arab SDF faction.

The U.S. withdrawal was a prerequisite for a Turkish attack against the SDF which subsequently took place. The remaining hundreds of U.S. forces elsewhere in northeastern Syria were endangered in the crossfire and had to be withdrawn a few days later.

The U.S. withdrawal was post-hoc justified on the basis that they were no longer needed in the Middle East and it was time to “bring the troops home.”

But in the weeks since, the United States has deployed over 3,000 more troops to the Middle East—including hundreds of National Guardsmen in Syria, and thousands of soldiers and airmen deployed to Saudi Arabia.

While a companion article looks at the deployment of a mechanized battalion to defend an oil field in southeastern Syria, this second part looks at the rapid buildup of U.S. forces in the wealthy Kingdom in response to intensifying clashes with Iran following the United State’s withdrawal from a nuclear deal with Tehran.

Return to the Kingdom

China perfected fake meat centuries before the Impossible Burger

When 29-year-old Wang Jianguang was growing up in a poor neighborhood in China's northern Shanxi province, his family would buy him chicken wings with soy sauce as a rare treat.
Except they weren't actually made of chicken. The wings were an intricate combination of soybeans and peanuts. "They looked just like chicken wings, though," Wang said.
It was his first encounter with China's centuries-old tradition of imitation meat dishes.



Possible before Impossible
In the past few years, demand for fake meat products has surged in the Western world, as people seek environmentally sustainable and healthier alternatives to red meat.
Two of the biggest US plant-based food companies, "Impossible Foods" and "Beyond Meat," have made millions from a growing appetite for meat-free burgers. By mid-2019, there were so many orders for "Impossible Meat" the company admitted it was struggling to keep up.
But long before the first plant-based patties hit the grill in the West, China had been sculpting and flavoring traditional meat-based dishes out of mushrooms, nuts and vegetables.
"It shadows and parallels Chinese cuisine ... it is incredibly diverse and in every part of the country you have a different version," said food writer Fuschia Dunlop.
Some records of monks eating tofu-based "vegetarian meat" date back as early as the Song Dynasty in the 10th century. It was known as "fanghun cai" or literally "imitation meat dish."
Wang now works at a restaurant called Baihe Vegetarian in the traditional hutong alleyways of Beijing's Dongcheng district. They serve a huge range of fake meat dishes -- pork spare ribs, dumplings, kung pao chicken.

The restaurant's owner Liu Hongyan said between 80 and 100 people regularly visit her restaurant each day and the number is rising.
"I think more and more people are embracing vegetarian culture. People are considering their health," she said. "There's too much fat and oil in red meat," she said.

AOC faces challengers on the right and the further right who cite her 'socialism'

A Jamaican immigrant businesswoman from Queens and a Latino councilman from the Bronx are among 10 candidates who have filed with the Federal Election Commission to unseat the charismatic star of the freshman Democratic class in Congress, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. And both are running on the same issues: “socialism” and the aborted plan to bring Amazon’s East Coast headquarters to the district, which Ocasio-Cortez opposed and helped kill.

Republican Scherie Murray, 38, objects to Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement of progressive presidential contender Bernie Sanders, which the congresswoman delivered at a rally in late October “with the backdrop of the Queensbridge Park Houses,” Murray noted. The residents of that public housing development would have been candidates for some of the 25,000 jobs that Amazon said it would bring to the area.

“It was a slap in the face to hard-working people,” said Murray in an interview with Yahoo News. “And to force a narrative of a socialist agenda. What we saw was AOC deliver socialism to America. And we ought to be afraid of that.”

“She literally ran Amazon out of New York City,” said Fernando Cabrera, 55, a Democratic member of the City Council whose Bronx district, across the East River from Queens, overlaps with part of Ocasio-Cortez’s 14th District. “Most cities were craving, yearning, negotiating to have them in their city. And here we had a freshman congresswoman literally [run] out 25,000 jobs,” he told Yahoo News.

Cabrera, a church pastor who describes himself as “pro-capitalist” and has served as a City Council member for 10 years, said that was the key moment that inspired him to run against the rookie congresswoman.

Cabrera is one of two Democrats hoping to challenge Ocasio-Cortez in the Democratic primary, scheduled for June 23, 2020. Murray has seven rivals so far for the Republican nomination. The district is overwhelmingly Democratic.

Ocasio-Cortez told Yahoo News in April that she didn’t regret opposing the Amazon deal.

But her opposition to the project, based largely on the enormous tax breaks the company had negotiated from the city and state, has underscored what Murray and Cabrera see as the bigger problem — socialism.

Rep. Katie Hill, freshman targeted by revenge porn, resigns with a blast at Trump

During her final speech on the House floor Thursday, Rep. Katie Hill apologized for actions that led to her resignation while also boasting that her last vote as a member of Congress was in favor of the impeachment inquiry into President Trump.

“I wanted to show young people, queer people, working people, imperfect people that they belong here, because this is the people’s house. I fell short of that and I’m sorry. To every young person who saw themselves and their dreams reflected in me, I’m sorry. To those who felt like I gave them hope in one of the darkest times in our nation’s history, I’m sorry. To my family, my friends, my staff, my colleagues, my mentors, to everyone who’s supported and believed in me, I’m sorry.”

She continued: “And to every little girl who looked up to me, I hope that one day you can forgive me.”

Days earlier, the first-term California lawmaker had announced her resignation after nude photos of her were leaked to media outlets amid allegations of an improper sexual relationship with a subordinate.

While Hill admitted to a relationship with a female campaign staffer during the final years of what she called an “abusive marriage,” she denied having a relationship with a congressional aide — a more serious charge that would constitute a violation of House ethics rules.

Gernot Rohr: Nigeria coach unhappy at fixture schedule

Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr says November's 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers fixture schedule facing his side is "not ideal and proper" as he announced a 23-man squad.

The Super Eagles open their Group L campaign against neighbours Benin at home on 13 November before travelling to face Lesotho four days later.

"Our players from Europe will only get to us a day or two before the first game, so there is no time for adaptation to the African conditions," Rohr said.

"After that game on Thursday we travel to Lesotho away on Friday to play on an artificial surface on Sunday. This is not ideal and proper for any team.

"We've spoken to Caf about this but nothing has been done."

Experienced defender Kenneth Omeruo, Italy-based Ola Aina and Samuel Kalu all return after having to withdraw from the recent friendly against Brazil because of injury.

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, who was left out of the last two friendly matches, returns along with fit-again captain Ahmed Musa, who has been absent since the Nations Cup finals in Egypt.

"Having big booty is better than having a Masters degree" Naira Marley says

Naira Marley is of the opinion that a woman who has a big butt is better than one with a Masters degree.
The Nigerian rapper tweeted about this. He then went on to pray for his female followers that their butt will get "fatter" and their stomach "flatter".
See his tweets below.

At least 65 dead in Pakistan after a packed passenger train blew up and burst into flames

At least 65 people have died and many more are injured in Pakistan after a packed passenger train blew up and burst into flames.
The train erupted in a fireball after a gas canister being used to cook food exploded. The fire destroyed three of the train’s carriages near the town of Rahim Yar Khan in the south of Punjab province.
Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told Geo TV: "Two cooking stoves blew up. They were cooking, they had (cooking) oil which added fuel to fire.
He added: "Most deaths occurred from people jumping off the train."
Officials have said many more people are injured, some in a critical condition.

Brit millionaire’s war hero son, 34, butchered and dumped in boot of abandoned Lexus in California

A BRIT millionaire’s son was butchered and dumped in the boot of an abandoned car in the US.

Adrian Bonar, 34, was found wrapped in tarpaulin by cops in Anaheim, California.

The ex-soldier’s dad is restaurant boss Dr Brian Bonar, 72, from Greenock.

The sister of the Brit war hero has blasted his killers — and said they deserve to rot “in the sewers of hell”.

Pauline Gourdie, 48, hit out after Adrian was discovered rolled up in plastic sheeting and stuffed in the boot of a ditched Lexus.

Homicide cops have launched a probe following the grim find by California highway patrol officers.

And Pauline wrote in a moving online tribute to the ex-squaddie: “My wee brother, my twin 14 years apart. How I loved you and I know you loved me back.

“My heart is breaking, yet bursting with pride that you were my brother. It’s clear you were not only loved by your family but by so many whose life you touched.

“You were taken too soon but by gawd did you live it.”
Pauline, of Gourock, added: “So proud of all that you achieved in your life, cut short by evil scum.

“May you soar with the eagles in heaven while they squawk in the sewers of hell! Until we meet again. Sleep tight lil bro. Your heartbroken sis, P.”

Adrian’s body was found in the Lexus by a roadside in Anaheim, 75 miles from his hometown of Escondido, California, on October 17.