Author: Stephanie Gauthier

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Russians are targeting Kamala Harris, warns Microsoft

Disinformation videos designed to influence American voters and undermine their confidence in Vice President Kamala Harris have emerged in recent weeks. According to Microsoft, these videos were produced by tech groups linked to Russia.

Microsoft reports that foreign operations, which initially struggled to adjust their tactics after President Joe Biden withdrew from the election race, have now become more aggressive in targeting Kamala Harris.

Their strategies include amplifying alleged leaks and hacked documents with the aim of distorting public perception and generating negative opinion of Kamala Harris.

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Among these videos, one stands out for its disturbing content and the fact that it has been seen and shared by millions. It tells the story of a young black girl who claims that Kamala Harris paralyzed her following a car accident involving an alleged hit-and-run in San Francisco in 2011.

The video was released by KBSF TV, a fictitious company allegedly based in San Francisco, created by the Russians a few days before it was posted, according to the Microsoft report. In addition to this fabricated video, the website offered plagiarized articles to reinforce its appearance of credibility.

In addition, the evidence presented in this fictitious story, including X-rays, came from medical journals, and the spelling of the alleged victims’ names was incorrect.

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Microsoft’s report confirms that this story is a fabrication of a Russian disinformation operation called Storm-1516.

Another story fabricated by the Storm-1516 operation showed in a video an attack at a Donald Trump rally, allegedly orchestrated by Kamala Harris supporters against an event attendee.

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Also according to the report, Storm-1679, another Russian operation that targeted the Paris Olympics, recently redirected its forwards to Kamala Harris.

One of the many videos associated with Storm-1679 showed a fake billboard in New York broadcasting false claims about Harris’ policies. This video was seen by thousands of users on X shortly after its initial post… on Telegram.

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While Microsoft claims that the goal in publishing these reports is to foster education and defend institutions from foreign interference, this report reveals that major tech companies actually hold far more information on this subject than the public imagines.

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Trump wants Canadian water to solve California’s problems

Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, made some strong statements while on his golf course in the Los Angeles area, while during his press conference in which he assured Californians that they would have “more water” than ever by pointing out that the Canadian province of British Columbia had “a very large faucet”.

Trump wants to use water from the Columbia River, located in British Columbia, to alleviate the water shortage in California. He compared the river to a huge faucet that, once opened, would provide “more water than you’ve ever seen” to the state.

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Trump even declared that it would only take a day. However, many feel that his comments are simply intended to appeal to potential voters, without taking into account the feasibility of such a project or its cost.

According to Tricia Stadnyk, professor of environmental engineering at the University of Calgary, interviewed by CTV News, Trump completely misunderstands the distribution of water between countries. She points out that the Columbia River flows from Columbia Lake in British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to the Pacific Ocean, but is still a long way from California, making a simple redirection impossible.

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One thing’s for sure: redirecting water from Canada to California isn’t just a matter of turning on a tap in a day, as Donald Trump promises.

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Tupperware files for bankruptcy!

Tupperware Brands, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

This decision marks a turning point in the company’s 78-year history.

Tupperware’s popularity has plummeted in recent years, as the company has struggled to adapt to changing consumer tastes, particularly among younger people who favor more eco-friendly storage solutions.

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What’s more, it’s also struggling to cope with competition offering more affordable prices.

The famous kitchenware company has announced its intention to continue operating during the bankruptcy proceedings and has asked the court for permission to sell the business to protect the brand while it overcomes its financial difficulties.

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The company, which once revolutionized food preservation and is present in 70 countries worldwide, became famous for its direct sales system and vendor-led Tupperware parties.

However, this situation leaves many customers and sales reps in a state of uncertainty, even though Tupperware representatives are trying to reassure that they will do everything in their power to save the brand.

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Major pipeline explosion in Texas

Authorities in Houston, Texas are responding to Monday’s oil pipeline explosion in Deer Park near La Porte, a small town of over 36,000 people.

The incident prompted mass evacuations and mobilized a large team of firefighters. The bushfire spread rapidly, and a flame several meters high has continued to burn for hours following the explosion, which occurred at around 9:55 a.m. local time.

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The flames damaged several infrastructures and started several small brush fires, complicating the task of firefighters, who had to douse several houses all around the explosion zone.

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The cause of the fire remains uncertain, although initial reports suggest that a car hit the pipeline, causing the explosion.

No injuries or fatalities have been reported to date, but as a precautionary measure, residents have been ordered to evacuate the area.

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Impressive images taken from a helicopter reveal a blackened area around the flames, which continue to rise to several hundred meters in height as firefighters work to bring the blaze under control.

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Donald Trump: “I hate Taylor Swift!”

Donald Trump has posted a bizarre message against Taylor Swift after the latter announced her support for rival Kamala Harris in the current presidential election. On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote:

“I hate Taylor Swift!”

Trump’s strange post came days after the singer announced her support for the Democrats in a post on Instagram on the night of the presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

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In her post, Taylor Swift said she picked Harris for president and stressed that the country could achieve much more if it were guided by serenity rather than chaos.

In her post, which quickly received over 11 million likes, she encouraged her fans to get involved in the democratic process by doing their own research into each candidate’s policies before making a decision. This message doesn’t seem to have gone down well with the former president.

Trump’s rancor towards the singer comes after he attempted to create, using artificial intelligence, images of Taylor Swift and her fans supporting Trump.

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These images were intended to grossly exploit her popularity and image without her consent.

The star added that these events had prompted her desire to clarify her true voting intentions in order to combat misinformation.

This seems to also have greatly annoyed Trump.

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Taylor Swift reaffirmed her comments by using her platform at the MTV Video Music Awards to encourage young voters to cast their ballots.

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Billy McFarland confirms Fyre Festival 2

The Fyre Festival is set to make a controversial return, and its founder, infamous fraudster Billy McFarland, has revealed his plans for the festival scheduled for April 2025 on a private island in Mexico.

This time around, McFarland is promising an exclusive experience aboard a luxury yacht for the modest sum of $1.1 million… no less!

Billy McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison in October 2018 for fraud, following the fiasco of his first Fyre Festival. The festival, held in April and May 2017 on a private island in the Bahamas, was heavily criticized for its many failings and disastrous conditions.

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In addition to his prison sentence, McFarland was also ordered to repay $26 million to victims.

At the Fyre Festival in 2017, housing conditions and food were catastrophic. Attendees discovered rudimentary camping tents instead of the luxurious accommodations promised, and received mediocre meals, mainly the now infamous cheese sandwiches, a far cry from the gourmet dishes advertised.

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The Fyre Festival was one of the most talked-about events of 2017, largely promoted by celebrities such as Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and Ja Rule. The festival was supposed to feature performances by Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Blink-182, but turned out to be a dismal fiasco, with conditions that could have had disastrous consequences for attendees.

Although McFarland claims to have learned from his mistakes, many remain skeptical of his announcement that ticket prices will range from $1,400 for the cheapest option to $1.1 million for the festival’s most exclusive package.

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McFarland is trying to assure potential attendees: they can expect a well-established infrastructure that will support their festival experience. This includes accommodation, catering and other services.

McFarland even joked that a more sophisticated version of the infamous cheese sandwich would be on offer.

Funny guy…

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McFarland is also trying once again to entice the public with numerous activities of all kinds, in addition to the musical performances. He also revealed that all logistics would be handled by a production company. The festival would include live combat sports and other activities to provide a more diverse entertainment environment.

The most expensive tickets include a luxurious experience including scuba diving and access to a private yacht.

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According to NBC News, Billy McFarland admitted full responsibility for his actions, acknowledging that he had committed a crime for which he had been sentenced to prison. He also said he deserved the sentence.

But will this be enough to convince people to invest in such a fanciful and uncertain project when he has yet to reimburse the victims of the first festival fraud?

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Drug ad featuring Serena Williams is misleading, says FDA

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recently sent a letter expressing its dissatisfaction with a TV commercial featuring tennis player Serena Williams, stating that it contains several claims that are misleading to the public.

According to the FDA, the misleading ad depicts tennis champion Serena Williams suffering from a severe migraine attack and light sensitivity in her locker room.

Shortly afterwards, however, she is shown laughing and smiling. Then she appears enthusiastically, walking a blue path through the stage curtains and waving to the audience.

Meanwhile, a voiceover claims that the drug quickly eliminates migraine pain, while on-screen text states that Ubrelvy quickly relieves migraine pain.

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The FDA argues that, although Ubrelvy offers a significant therapeutic benefit to migraine sufferers, the advertising gives a misleading impression of its actual efficacy.

The FDA highlights two major concerns in its explanations: the speed at which the migraine drug works and the implication in the advertising that migraine symptoms, (such as pain but also photophobia, phonophobia and nausea) will disappear completely after taking the drug.

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The FDA stresses the importance of accuracy in drug advertising, claiming that Ubrelvy’s efficacy is exaggerated in the ad with Serena Williams.

According to the FDA, Ubrelvy reportedly takes around two hours to work, contrary to what is suggested in the ad, and around 78% to 81% of patients fail to achieve complete pain relief after a single dose, according to clinical studies.

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Finally, in addition to misleading about the two-hour onset of action, the claim that “one dose eliminates migraine pain” is also misleading, as only around 19% to 22% of patients were pain-free two hours after taking one dose of Ubrelvy.

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Jon Bon Jovi saves a woman about to jump off a Nashville bridge

Rock legend Jon Bon Jovi recently showed great presence of mind when he detected a woman in psychological distress on a pedestrian bridge in Nashville, Tennessee, while filming a music video.

Aware of the imminent danger, Bon Jovi immediately interrupted filming to come to her aid.

The event that could have had tragic consequences occurred on September 10, when Bon Jovi and his film crew spotted the woman precariously perched on the bridge rail.

Bon Jovi quickly went to meet her and strike up a conversation.

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MetroNashville Police recently released video footage of the incident, in which the singer and a woman are seen approaching the woman in distress.

Both struck up a conversation with the woman, who was on the other side of the fence.

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The compassion shown by Bon Jovi and the person accompanying him was palpable, as the images show.

After a few minutes of dialogue, they managed to convince the woman to return to the safe side of the bridge.

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The actions of Bon Jovi and those present that day clearly demonstrate the importance of promoting a supportive culture within the community.

It also underscores the importance of promoting mental health and supporting organizations dedicated to suicide prevention.

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Bomb threat confirmed in Springfield, Ohio

Thursday morning in Springfield, Ohio, City Hall and several other buildings were evacuated due to a bomb threat. City authorities reacted quickly after receiving an e-mail at 8:24 a.m. threatening several public buildings as well as local media.

The threat was taken very seriously by the authorities, who prioritized the safety of the employees concerned as well as Springfield residents. A city spokesperson asked residents to stay away from City Hall during the police response.

Local police and neighboring jurisdictions responded quickly to the scene and maintained a strong police presence throughout the morning.

The city of Springfield, Ohio, is also at the center of unfounded rumors spread by the former U.S. president.

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The incident takes place in a particular context, influenced by controversial statements made during the presidential debate, where Trump had shocked by claiming that migrants were eating the pets of Springfield residents.

These statements were refuted as false allegations stemming from a conspiracy theory. However, they were amplified, notably by Trump’s running mate J.D. Vance and Elon Musk, inflaming right-wing social media.

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The misinformation spread by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, is only exacerbating tensions within the community and between migrants in the face of the current crisis according to local leaders in Springfield.

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Authorities are continuing to investigate the bomb threat and are asking for the public’s help in providing any information that may advance the investigation.

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Trump Media stocks fall again after the debate

Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s difficult debate against his rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center on September 10, 2024, had many unexpected repercussions.

The evening ended well for Kamala Harris, with Taylor Swift announcing her support for Harris and Tim Walz in the election. On the other hand, the day after the debate was difficult for Trump, who received less cheerful news: shares in Trump Media (DJT) fell by over 17%, reaching an all-time low.

Many political analysts observed that Kamala Harris seemed more articulate and better prepared, while Trump appeared nonchalant in his preparation and made awkward remarks that probably displeased some voters. It seems that this perception had an immediate impact on Trump Media, his media company, whose performance was affected the very next morning.

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After the debate, Trump’s shares hit their lowest level since the company was listed on the Nasdaq under the symbol DJT. This drop is particularly worrying for Trump, who often (and often wrongly) claims to have a positive influence on the financial market.

The fall in shares reflects investor skepticism about Trump’s viability as a candidate, following his performance.

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A potential sign of change in investor confidence could be on the horizon, as DJT shares had recorded a slight rise of 10% on the eve of the debate. The drop could suggest that some investors and supporters of the former president were disappointed by his performance.

It’s important to note that Trump is on the verge of being able to sell his Trump Media shares, with the imposed lock-up expiring in a few days, on September 19.

This is likely to add further pressure on investors.