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☆ Fact Check-Viral video promotes baseless vaccine depopulation theory
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +14 min

However, there is no evidence that mortality rates have surged or that stillbirths have increased as a result of COVID-19 vaccines. News reports about cardiac arrests and unexpected deaths are then shown on screen and are baselessly attributed to COVID-19 vaccines. There have been 55 deaths involving COVID-19 vaccines causing adverse effects in England between March 2020 and October 2022. While stillbirth rates remain constant, global birth or fertility rates, including in the U.S., have been declining for decades (here, here, here, here). The film does not provide evidence that the global elite are depopulating the world through COVID-19 vaccines.

☆ The Pentagon Marches Off to Climate War
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The war in Ukraine is draining U.S. arms stockpiles while geopolitical risks grow. Yet the Biden Administration is worried about—you can’t make this up—the climate impact of U.S. weapons and wants to impose costly green mandates on federal contractors. A little-noticed rule-making proposed by the Department of Defense, NASA and the General Services Administration last month would require federal contractors to disclose and reduce their CO2 emissions as well as climate financial risks. The rule would cover 5,766 contractors that have received at least $7.5 million from the feds in the prior year.

☆ Pentagon awards multibillion-dollar cloud contract to Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Each of the four tech companies is guaranteed at least $100,000 under the contract, defense officials said at a press briefing Thursday. The use of multiple tech firms for the cloud services instead of just one will make the work cheaper and more resilient, the officials added. The JEDI contract was initially awarded to Microsoft in 2019, a deal potentially worth up to $10 billion over 10 years. And it formally canceled the JEDI contract last year, starting over with a new solicitation under the JWCC. “From the enterprise to the tactical edge, we are ready to deliver industry-leading cloud services to enable the DoD to achieve its critical mission.”

☆ Best Balance-Transfer Credit Cards
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +16 min

We looked through cards from both large national banks and smaller credit unions to find the best 0% balance transfer offers that can help you pay down credit card debt. In addition to being the best balance transfer card, the Unlimited Cash Rewards card remains useful after you have paid off your credit card balance. While balance transfer credit cards can be a great tool for paying down debt, transferring your balance to a new credit card is not usually free. How We PickedTo pick Buy Side from WSJ’s Best Balance Transfer Credit Card, we looked for no-annual-fee credit cards offering balance transfers for new customers with 0% APR promotions. We preferred credit cards with longer balance transfer promotional periods and lower balance transfer initiation fees.

☆ Elon Musk's SpaceX unveils Starlink-like satellite service for governments called 'Starshield'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

SpaceX has launched a satellite network, called Starshield, to be used by governments. Starshield will offer a higher level of security than its Starlink satellite service, SpaceX says. Despite this, SpaceX indicated that Starshield will be different from the Starlink satellite constellation, which now has more than 3,200 satellites in low-Earth orbit. "While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use," SpaceX says on its website. SpaceX says it can work at "unprecedented speed" to deploy its Starshield network given that it provides "end-to-end" solutions from building rockets to user terminals.

☆ Google, Oracle, Amazon, and Microsoft awarded $9 billion Pentagon cloud deals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Pentagon said Wednesday that Amazon , Google , Microsoft and Oracle each received a cloud-computing contract that can reach as high as $9 billion each through 2028. Originally, the Pentagon had awarded the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, or JEDI, to Microsoft in 2019. A legal battle ensued as Amazon, the top player in the cloud infrastructure market, challenged the Pentagon's decision. Last year the Pentagon changed its approach, asking for bids from Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle to address cloud needs. Oracle generated $900 million in cloud infrastructure revenue in the quarter that ended Aug. 31, a small fraction of the $20.5 billion total for Amazon's cloud subsidiary, Amazon Web Services, in the third quarter.

☆ Pentagon awards $9 bln cloud contracts each to Google, Amazon, Oracle and Microsoft
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 7 (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Wednesday awarded cloud computing contracts worth $9 billion each to Alphabet Inc's Google (GOOGL.O), Amazon Web Services Inc (AMZN.O), Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) and Oracle Corp (ORCL.N). The contracts which run until 2028, will provide the Department of Defense with enterprise-wide, globally available cloud services across all security domains and classification levels. The move comes months after the Pentagon had delayed its decision to award an enterprise-wide Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) contract earlier this year. The deal puts the military more in line with private-sector companies, many of whom split up their cloud computing work among multiple vendors to avoid being locked in to any specific one. Reporting by Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Fact Check-No evidence children were rescued from Joe Biden-owned property in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

There is no evidence that a Biden-owned property exists above a bioweapon lab in Ukraine, but social media users are sharing the claim, adding that thousands of children were rescued from the alleged bioweapon lab underneath the property. An Instagram user shared an image of a headline that reads, “BREAKING NEWS: Thousands of Children Rescued, Mutilated Bodies Recovered, From Biden-Owned Ukraine Property” (here). NO EVIDENCE OF CHILDREN RESCUED IN CAGESReuters has not found any evidence to support the claim in the articles of Russian soldiers having rescued thousands of children or recovered mutilated bodies in the alleged bioweapon lab in Ukraine from reputable news reports or the Russian government’s website (government.ru/en/news/). Similar narratives of a raid to rescue thousands of children from “Underground Tunnels” in the U.S. date to at least October 2019 (here), (here). There is no evidence children were rescued from a tunnel operating a biowarfare lab underneath a Biden-owned property in Ukraine.

☆ Self-driving truck startup Kodiak Robotics wins $50 million deal to help develop driverless Army vehicles
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( John Rosevear | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Self-driving truck startup Kodiak Robotics said Tuesday that it won a two-year, $49.9 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to help develop automated combat vehicles for the U.S. Army. The company said the vehicles will be tailored for reconnaissance, surveillance and other missions that would present a high risk to a human driver. The contract was awarded by the DoD's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and is part of the Army's ongoing Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) program. DIU said it received 33 responses to its initial solicitation in October, and selected Kodiak and another vendor, development software provider Applied Intuition, after an extensive review process. The award marks the latest development in the DoD's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Grand Challenge self-driving competitions, which began in 2004.

☆ Fact Check-Video falsely reports the arrests and executions of multiple notable figures
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Reuters Fact Check previously debunked similar narratives of “mass arrests” targeting political officials ( nKBN29R1ZA ). Some users seemed to believe the video’s claims that there have been mass arrests and executions. A Reuters review of Obama’s social media accounts show she maintains an active social media presence on Twitter ( twitter.com/MichelleObama ), and an official Instagram ( here ). An official and active social media account on Twitter for McConnell is also observable ( twitter.com/LeaderMcConnell ). Reuters found no credible reporting to support the claims made in this video of supposed executions or arrests.

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☆ China wants US not to interfere in ties with India - Pentagon
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Krishna N. Das | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, Nov 30 (Reuters) - China has warned the United States to not interfere in its relationship with India following deadly border skirmishes between the Asian giants in 2020, the Pentagon said in a report. Ties between India and China have nosedived since the worst border clashes between them in 45 years killed 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers. India is part of the so-called Quad alliance with the United States, Japan and Australia that aims to keep China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region in check. "The PRC seeks to prevent border tensions from causing India to partner more closely with the United States. PRC officials have warned U.S. officials to not interfere with the PRC’s relationship with India."

☆ Video: What Stephen Miller's testimony tells legal analyst about Trump probe
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

Ryan Goodman, a former special counsel at the Department of Defense, says former Trump adviser Stephen Miller's testimony to a federal grand jury in Washington, DC, as part of the January 6, 2021, investigation indicates that the "walls of executive privilege have fallen apart."

You must be eligible to join Navy Federal Credit Union to get a mortgage Dash icon A dash. How Navy Federal Credit Union worksYou can get a mortgage through Navy Federal if you are an active military member, veteran, family member of someone affiliated with the military, or Department of Defense civilian. Is Navy Federal Credit Union trustworthy? The Better Business Bureau gives Navy Federal Credit Union an NR, or "No Rating," because it is responding to customer complaints that had already been resolved. Navy Federal Credit Union FAQIs Navy Federal good for a mortgage?

You must be eligible to join Navy Federal Credit Union to get a mortgage Dash icon A dash. Read our review Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing rightThe bottom line: Navy Federal Credit Union is one of our best VA mortgage lenders. Compare rates On Rocket Mortgage's website Compare rates On AmeriSave Mortgage Corporation's website Compare rates On New American Funding's websiteNavy Federal Credit Union Mortgage: Overall Lender RatingFeature Insider rating (out of 5) Loan types 4 Affordability 5 Customer satisfaction 4.8 Trustworthiness 4 Total 4.45Navy Federal Credit Union Mortgage: Pros and ConsPros Cons VA and conventional mortgage optionsNo-down-payment mortgage optionCan apply with alternative credit dataEasy online application processCompetitive rates Unable to apply for a FHA mortgage, USDA mortgage, construction loan, or reverse mortgageNeed to meet eligibility requirements to become a Navy Federal memberCan't see personalized rates before applying for preapprovalNavy Federal Credit Union Mortgage Interest Rates and FeesWhen you select "Mortgages" on the Navy Federal website, you'll scroll down to see sample rates for its loan options. Is Navy Federal Credit Union Mortgage Trustworthy? Navy Federal Credit Union FAQIs Navy Federal good for a mortgage?

☆ A hotline set up between Russian and US militaries at the start of the Ukraine war has been used just once, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia and the US set up a "deconfliction" hotline shortly after Putin's invasion of Ukraine began. But the hotline has only been used once since then, a US official told Reuters. That missile blast, which triggered global concern, was likely caused by a Ukrainian air defense missile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at the time. Both the Russian Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Milley and his counterpart, Russian General Valery Gerasimov, have spoken on two occasions since the start of the war, the outlet said.

☆ China's military has been spending a lot more time working on how to forcefully capture an island, Pentagon says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

China's military has been increasingly practicing seizing islands, the Pentagon says. The US has accused China of engaging in aggressive behavior around Taiwan and in the South China Sea. As an extensive assessment of China's military might, the report outlines the threat that China poses to the self-ruled democratic island of Taiwan. In addition to Beijing's longstanding focus on Taiwan, China also holds competing claims to islands and reefs in the South China Sea, where China has been building military outposts and strengthening its position. Earlier this month, Vice President Kamala Harris made a rare trip to a South China Sea hotspot, specifically the Philippine island of Palawan, which overlooks contested areas in the strategic waterway.

Reuters is the first to report on the use of the deconfliction line, beyond regular testing. SEVERAL WAYS TO COMMUNICATEThe deconfliction line is just one of several ways the U.S. and Russia militaries still have to communicate. Other military channels include rare high-level talks between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union maintained such hot lines at different levels. Vershbow drew a comparison to the far more active deconfliction line for Syria, where U.S. and Russian military forces sometimes operate in the same airspace or terrain.

☆ U.S. Senate eyes tightened restrictions on Chinese semiconductors
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - The Democratic leader of the U.S. Senate urged lawmakers on Monday to back his proposal to bar the U.S. government from doing business with companies that use semiconductors made by producers the Pentagon considers Chinese military contractors. "We need our government and our economy to rely on chips made right here in America." The proposal from Schumer and Cornyn would broaden an existing ban on government use of Chinese chips. "We need to stay tough on the Chinese government and its actions," Schumer said. Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, additional reporting by Katharine Jackson; Editing by Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Chinese-made drones are flying in restricted DC airspace, sparking new spying fears in the nation's capital
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

There are rising concerns in DC about the potential for recreational Chinese-made drones to be used for spying. Congressional lawmakers have received classified briefings from US agencies on these concerns, per a Politico report. Chinese-made drones have repeatedly flown into restricted airspace over Washington, DC, the report said. A spokesperson for DJI told Politico that though the firm makes an effort to ensure customers follow regulations "we can't control the end users' behavior." Insider reached out to the Senate Homeland Security, Commerce, and Intelligence committees for comment but has not yet received a response.

☆ Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle push Biden administration to provide Ukraine with lethal 'Gray Eagle' drones
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Lawmakers are asking the Biden administration to provide Ukraine with MQ-1C "Gray Eagle" drones. The drones, made by General Atomics, can carry four Hellfire missiles. "The long-term upside of providing Ukraine with the MQ-1C is significant," lawmakers wrote. C. Mark Brinkley, a spokesperson for General Atomics, told Insider that lawmakers are right to argue that Ukraine could put the drones into service soon after receiving them. "We believe it would be a game-changing decision to send Gray Eagles to support the Ukrainian defense."

☆ Trump's White House blocked government websites aimed at helping Americans vote, fighting human trafficking, easing homelessness, and stopping fraud, federal records show
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Federal agencies asked the Trump White House to approve dozens of new ".gov" websites. Such custom ".gov" website domains enhance government agencies' ability to effectively provide and market services to an American public that's all but universally connected to the internet. On December 23, 2019, the CIA asked Trump's White House to approve the website domain DataTransport.gov. Chiu/APBlock and delayIn at least one case, Trump's White House denied a website request — the United States Agency for International Development-sponsored ProsperAfrica.gov — that Biden's White House later approved. In March 2021, Office Management and Budget officials denied Insider's FOIA request, stating that "no responsive records were located."

A new documentary about the killing of Mexican American soldier Vanessa Guillen provides an inside look at the tenacious pursuit her family embarked to spark change in the military justice system. Christy Wegener, director of the “I am Vanessa Guillen” documentary available on Netflix Thursday, said this is “not a traditional crime documentary by any means.”“It has a bigger mission,” she told NBC News. Vanessa Guillen, at center. As her fight for further and more permanent military reform continues, Mayra Guillen said she has considered becoming a congresswoman. Mayra Guillen, center, in "I Am Vanessa Guillen."

☆ Lockheed gets Microsoft classified cloud to speed work with Pentagon
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Mike Stone | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Microsoft will provide Lockheed Martin with its first classified cloud as part of a three-year deal, executives said on Wednesday, making it easier for the United States' largest weapons maker to share information with the Pentagon, its top customer. The secure cloud partnership will permit Lockheed (LMT.N) to avoid some of the repetitive security compliance processes for each new government project. "Whenever you stand up a new classified program, it takes weeks to months to just get the I.T. Microsoft has made a "substantial investment" and spent more than seven years building the classified cloud being used by the Department of Defense, Zach Kramer, general manager, Mission Engineering at Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) said in the joint interview with Lockheed. And really what that does is enable the collaboration with others," Kramer said, such as the Department of Defense or, once they join a classified cloud program, suppliers.

Over recent years, NATO allies and Russia have scaled up military exercises in the region; Chinese and Russian warships conducted a joint exercise in the Bering Sea in September. Four Arctic experts say it would take the West at least 10 years to catch up with Russia's military in the region, if it chose to do so. "NATO is increasing its presence in the Arctic with more modern capabilities," NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg told Reuters. Now NATO and Arctic allies are changing their stance. Sweden and Finland have begun investing in surveillance and deterrence capabilities and military hardware including jets so their air forces can fight alongside Arctic NATO allies.

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