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Showing posts from July, 2023

Russian drone strike kills 2, wounds 14 in Ukraine’s Odesa

Two people were killed and at least 14 wounded when a Russian drone smashed into a residential high-rise in Ukraine’s Black Sea city of Odesa, authorities said on Saturday. Three children were among the wounded in the overnight attack, with one in critical condition, said regional Governor Oleh Kiper. Footage posted by the State Emergency Service showed firefighters battling a blaze and rushing residents down a dark stairwell in the 21-storey building. Russia has stepped up drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks as diplomatic efforts to end the nearly three-and-a-half-year-old war have stalled. SOURCE: REUTERS AND AGENCIES from The Times Of Earth https://ift.tt/2sPuoD1

South Korean Exchange Upbit Suspends Curve (CRV) Deposits And Withdrawals Following Exploit

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In light of the recent security breach that affected Curve Finance’s CRV token, South Korean-based cryptocurrency exchange Upbit has announced a temporary suspension of deposits and withdrawals for the token.  Upbit Advises Caution Amid Volatility Upbit’s precautionary suspension of all CRV deposits and withdrawals occurred after a reentrancy attack on the Curve Finance platform. The vulnerability was discovered during the weekend, leading to a significant loss of funds. A reentrancy attack is a security breach that causes a potential loss of funds from uninterrupted contract calls. Major outflows were recorded as a result of interactions that manipulated the reentrancy vulnerability in certain  Vyper compiler versions. In a tweet released by Vyper, specific versions of Vyper, such as 0.2.15, 0.2.16, and 0.3.0, were vulnerable to malfunctioning reentrancy locks.  In response to the attacks, Upbit released a volatility warning advising their customers “…to be mindf...

Belleville man sentenced for producing, distributing explicit images of kids

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - A Belleville, Illinois, man was sentenced last week in federal court for producing and distributing sexually-explicit images of children. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois said Brandon Lepper, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distribution of child pornography. “The defendant hid his cell phone and set it up to record in a bathroom he knew a minor would be using to undress in for his own sick pleasure, but then also proceeded to violate and humiliate his victim further by sending their images out into the hands of other pedophiles,” U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW According to court documents, FBI agents interviewed Lepper in April 2021 for distributing child sexual abuse material on social media. While searching Lepper's phone,...

Fields notes: Choppy day for QB Justin Fields as Bears resume training camp

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Fields led all quarterbacks in rushing but was last in passing last season. AP Photos Tracking Bears quarterback Justin Fields during training camp practices: Practice No. 5 at Halas Hall Justin Fields’ promising start to training camp hit a rough patch Monday with his worst passing day of the summer. The offense looked disjointed overall, and Fields’ inconsistency was at the center of it. Rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson picked off Fields in 11-on-11 work, though the Bears still aren’t in full pads. On the next play, Fields and running back Trestan Ebner botched a pitch that led to a fumble in the backfield; it was unclear who made the error, but Fields’ pitch was too far in front of Ebner. He was sharper in seven-on-seven drills, but still had some incomplete passes. His last stretch of 11-on-11 plays featured two intermediate completions to Chase Claypool in tight coverage, but there was a fumbled snap from Lucas Patrick and Fields’ day ended with an intercepti...

Nintendo Switch Sequel Rumored for Second Half of 2024 With LCD Display

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It’s been seven years since the Switch first hit the market. Noting how many folks still pop out their Switch for a lengthy subway ride or just how many new, ingenious inventions are still flowing out of Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom . Knowing all that, Nintendo’s next mobile/docked device could be far more of… Read more... from Gizmodo https://ift.tt/pYn3cXP

Trump’s $475 million ‘big lie’ defamation lawsuit against CNN dismissed

A federal judge has thrown out Donald Trump's $475 million defamation lawsuit against CNN, in which he claimed the network's description of his election fraud associated him with Adolf Hitler. from New York Post https://ift.tt/VNdhFws

NYC launches program to wipe out millions of dollars in patients’ medical debt

A not-for-profit company will acquire the patients’ debt from hospitals at a fraction of face value and pays it off with private donations raised, as well as public funding. from New York Post https://ift.tt/bB4VXz7

Only In Crypto: Bankrupt 3AC Founders Launch ‘Justice’ Token Targeted At Terra (LUNA) Whistleblower

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The controversial founders of now-bankrupt cryptocurrency hedge fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC), Zhu Su and Kyle Davies, have announced the launch of a new ‘Justice’ token, targeted specifically at the whistleblower who outed Terraform Labs.  This comes just a little more than two months after the hedge fund founders announced that they would be operating another crypto exchange called the Open Exchange. 3AC Founders To Launch Justice Tokens According to a Twitter post by Open Exchange, the FatManTerra Justice Tokens will be launched later this week and will be distributed equally between holders of RLB, LUNA, LUNC, and its native token OX. Anonymous crypto sleuth FatManTerra was a major whistleblower who sparked interest in the investigations of Do Kwon’s Terraform Labs, leading to the eventual collapse of the blockchain company and several of its investors. While several parties have started legal proceedings against FatManTerra, Open Exchange claims these Justice Tokens wil...

9 women shot, 1 fatally, in North Lawndale

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Sun-Times file A woman was killed and eight more women wounded at a shooting at a gathering early Sunday in North Lawndale, according to Chicago police. The nine women were among a group at a gathering shortly before 1 a.m. when a black Jeep pulled up and several gunmen got out of the car and opened fire. The attack happened in the 1500 block of South Keeler Avenue, according to police. Video of the aftermath showed balloons and decorations for what appeared to be a birthday celebration, according to CBS2-Chicago . Police placed at least 30 evidence markers at the crime scene. A woman, 21, was shot in her face and died later at Mount Sinai Hospital, police said. Authorities have not released her name. A 28-year-old woman was shot eight times in her torso, police said. She was taken to the same hospital in critical condition. Seven other women were wounded in the shooting. Each was listed in good condition at Mount Sinai and Stroger Hospitals, according to police: A 20-y...

Cubs rob potential walkoff home run in 3-2 win over Cardinals

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Patrick Wisdom homered and Trey Mancini had a tiebreaking RBI single to help the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on Friday night. Drew Smyly (8-7) allowed just two hits in 4 1/3 effective innings in relief as the Cubs won their seventh straight game. It is their longest win streak since also winning seven in a row last Sept. 25-Oct. 2. Reliever Adbert Alzolay got the last four outs for his 12th save in 13 opportunities. He retired pinch-hitter Alec Burleson on a fly ball to deep center with a runner on third to end the game as Mike Tauchman reached over the fence to take away a potential game-winning home run. “As outfielders we're taught to get to the wall and then you have time to make the adjustments you need to,” said Tauchman, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the top of the ninth. “I didn't know I was right at the wall until I kind of turned to catch the ball.” The catch drew rave reviews from his teammates including infielder ...

Bears safety Eddie Jackson misses practice

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Bears safety Eddie Jackson did not practice Saturday. Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images Safety Eddie Jackson became the first Bears player of consequence to miss a training camp practice Saturday. The Bears, though, said there’s nothing to worry about. Jackson was taking a veteran rest day, head coach Matt Eberflus said after practice at Halas Hall. The Bears have their first off day of training camp Sunday. Jackson was in the midst of a resurgent season last year when he suffered a Lisfranc injury to his left foot. The Alabama alum was fortunate to avoid surgery and returned to practice during OTA sessions in June. Eberflus said the injury influenced the Bears’ decision to monitor Jackson. “We just feel like that was a good rest day for him,” Eberflus said. The Bears thus far have had good injury luck. Every player on their two-deep roster has participated in every practice. Center Cody Whitehair walked off the practice field briefly Saturday after appearing to inj...

Will the Bears win the Roquan Smith ‘trade’?

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Bears middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who signed a four-year, $72-million contract in free agency, effectively replaces two-time All-Pro Roquan Smith in the Bears’ defense. Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images Of the myriad holes in the Bears’ roster after general manager Ryan Poles’ first season, the biggest one was particularly self-inflicted, when Poles traded second-team All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith to the Ravens at mid-season after failing to agree on a long-term contract.  It was the most curious move of a roster teardown that was otherwise welcome and necessary after Poles and coach Matt Eberflus were hired in January of 2022. Smith was pound-for-pound the best player on the roster they inherited. He was a proven All-Pro-caliber player, by the eye test and most analytics. He was still only 25 after four NFL seasons. And — not to be discounted — he was on the doorstep of Bears royalty as a standout linebacker, following the lineage of Hall of Famers G...

Fields notes: QB sharper in sped-up practice

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Bears quarterback Justin Fields throws Wednesday. Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images Tracking Bears quarterback Justin Fields during training-camp practices: Practice No. 4 at Halas Hall The Bears’ practice Saturday was decidedly more intense than Friday’s near-walk-though. Fields responded with a sharp practice, showing his best accuracy in camp. He knifed through a two-minute drill by completing three-straight passes — to DJ Moore, Cole Kmet and, for a touchdown, Equanimeous St. Brown. He found tight end Robert Tonyan for a touchdown in a red-zone drill after running one in himself. His best throw of the session, though, came when he hit Moore just beyond the front right pylon, sending cornerback Kyler Gordon tumbling to the ground. Fields threw an interception to safety Adrian Colbert in seven-on-seven drills. Earlier, Fields threw too early down the seam to Tonyan, and watched receiver Darnell Mooney — who was more active than he’s been all week as he recovers fr...

Ford Heights shooting: 1 killed, 4 others wounded

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One person was killed and four others were wounded July 28, 2023 in Ford Heights. Sun-Times file A woman was killed and four other people were wounded in a shooting Friday evening in suburban Ford Heights. About 7:15 p.m., officers responded to a shooting in the 1400 block of Senator Lane, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office. The woman, whose age was unavailable, was taken to Franciscan Health Hospital in Dyer, Ind., where she was pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said. Four others — three women and a man — were also wounded in the shooting and taken to hospitals for treatment, officials said. Their conditions and ages weren’t immediately known. No further details were immediately available. from Chicago Sun-Times - All https://ift.tt/gsRWdwl

Chicago weather: Thousands without power after latest thunderstorms

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A person holds an umbrella on a rainy Chicago day. Sun-Times file Thousands of ComEd customers were still without power Saturday morning after the latest round of severe thunderstorms to rake the Chicago area. As of 11:20 a.m., over 17,000 customers were still without power, according to a ComEd outage map. Wind gusts topped 50 mph and more than an inch of rain was recorded at O’Hare International Airport, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Zachary Yack. Gusts of 70 to 80 mph were reported in areas of Grundy County, in the far southwest suburbs. A fire station in Frankfort and a church in Minooka had parts of their roofs blown off, Yack said. The rain followed a stretch of oppressive heat and humidity that saw heat indexes approach 110 degrees in parts of Chicago. High temperatures are expected to be in the upper 70s and low 80s for the next few days, and the next chance of rain isn’t expected until late next week, forecasters said. Related Chicag...

Talk to Me's Writer on Its Influences and Creepy-Ass Hand

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A24's new horror flick Talk to Me revolves around an embalmed hand that when touched, gives the other person a connection between the worlds of the dead and the living. In the film, a group of high schoolers use the thing at parties and record themselves on social media—you hold the hand, say “talk to me,” and a… Read more... from Gizmodo https://ift.tt/1HrlDXU

Bears CB Jaylon Johnson says he’s playing this season with or without new contract

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Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson talks with head coach Matt Eberflus. Michael Reaves/Getty Images Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson said he’d like a contract extension as soon as possible, but he’s comfortable with the possibility of playing this season without one. “No question,” he said after practice Friday. Johnson has repeatedly expressed no frustration with his situation and reported to training camp on time with the rest of the Bears. He also has indicated he had no intention of a “hold-in,” which former linebacker Roquan Smith utilized last summer when he and the Bears hit a stalemate. “If there is [a distraction], we didn’t notice,” defensive coordinator Alan Williams said of Johnson’s professionalism. “He is doing fine, just fine.” Johnson is in the final season of his four-year, $6.5 million rookie contract. His $1.6 million average salary ranks 87th at his position, according to Spotrac. The Bears drafted Johnson in the second round in 2020, and he quickly bec...

Chicago Board of Education under Lori Lightfoot seldom dissented with mayor who’d promised it wouldn’t be ‘a rubber stamp’

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Then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot (center) with members of her Chicago Board of Education in 2019, including (from left) Sendhil Revuluri, Luisiana Meléndez, Elizabeth Todd-Breland and Miguel del Valle. Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times When newly elected Mayor Lori Lightfoot named seven people in 2019 to oversee the Chicago Public Schools, she said her Chicago Board of Education would be very different from past boards. It would be an independent body composed of people with deep roots in the school system — educators, CPS parents, school activists, not the bankers and corporate lawyers past mayors had appointed, and the work it would do to reach its decisions largely would “have to be in public.” “I don’t want a rubber stamp,” the new mayor said in June 2019, fresh off a landslide victory for what would be her lone term as mayor. “Nobody wants a rubber stamp that undermines legitimacy. They are there to ask tough questions.” Related Lightfoot names new school board But Lightfoot...

‘Untold’ review: What explains Jake Paul, Johnny Manziel? Netflix doc series does

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“In the world of boxing, being the villain is the next best thing,” YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul says in the “Untold” documentary on his life. Netflix If you can’t stand the likes of Jake Paul, Johnny Manziel, Victor Conte from BALCO and the Florida Gators of the Urban Meyer era — well, the third edition of the Netflix sports documentary series “Untold” probably won’t change your mind, but you might gain a measure of empathy or at least a more thorough understanding of some of the subjects of these journalistically solid and thorough pieces. This is a straightforward, traditional documentary series, relying on simple graphics, a treasure trove of news and highlight footage, and present-day interviews with a number of principal players in each chapter, from Jake and Logan Paul to Manziel and his parents to Victor Conte and onetime 100-meter record holder Tim Montgomery to Meyer and Tim Tebow. Near the beginning of “Jake Paul the Problem Child” (premiering Aug. 1), Lo...

Picture Chicago: This week’s 26 can’t miss Sun-Times photos

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Weyes Blood perform on the Red Stage on the second day of Pitchfork Music Festival in Union Park, Saturday, July 22. Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times A girl jumps into the lake on the lakefront, Monday, July 24. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Engineer/EMT Laura Alonso helps 12-year-old Krystal-Marie Grant spray the Chicago Fire Department hose during the 2023 Girls Inc. Firefighter for A Day event at the Quinn Fire Academy, Thursday, July 27. Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times Fans run for shelter as rain pours before Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour outside Soldier Field, Saturday, July 22. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times Killer Mike performs on the Red Stage on the third day of Pitchfork Music Festival in Union Park, Sunday, July 23. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Festival goers take photos while sitting on the grass on the first day of Pitchfork Music Festival at Union Park in the Near West Side, Friday, July 21. Pat Nabong/S...