On social media, it's frighteningly easy to unwittingly spread both misinformation and disinformation. But which is which? According to Business Insider, misinformation is just information that's incorrect, false, or wrong. For example, the idea that 5G networks cause cancer. People often post and forward articles making such claims, even though it's been proven that 5G signals cannot harm the body.
Actor and stand-up comedian Dustin Diamond has been hospitalized with cancer. Diamond is best known for playing the role of Samuel 'Screech' Powers on the popular 1990s high school comedy 'Saved by the Bell.' Besides writing a controversial tell-all about his time on the show, Diamond has also faced some legal troubles. According to CNN, he served three months in jail for stabbing a man during a 2014 altercation at a bar in Wisconsin.
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar will resign on January 20, the same day of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. Azar used his departure letter to condemn President Donald Trump over his role in inciting last week's violent attack on the US Capitol. According to Business Insider, Azar said that Trump's actions following the election 'threaten to tarnish' the administration's accomplishments.
President-elect Joe Biden announced during a Friday speech that he has plans for FEMA. He said he will instruct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to build facilities for COVID-19 vaccines. These facilities will then distribute the vaccine to the American public, says Business Insider. Biden said his administration will build 100 federally-funded community vaccination centers. He plans to have this in motion by the end of his first month in office.
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas plans to attend President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. This comes after weeks of elevating misinformation about the election results. Cruz has faced immense backlash and increasing pressure to resign following his objection. Biden has even criticized the Texas senator and said he should be defeated in 2024. Since November, Cruz has sown doubts into the electoral process, says Business Insider.
People who take aspirin at least three times per week are more likely to survive bladder cancer. Regular aspirin use also was associated with a reduced risk of death from breast cancer. However, taking aspirin had no effect on a person's risk of getting several forms of the disease. These diseases include bladder, breast, gastrointestinal or pancreatic cancers. Aspirin also did not reduce a person's risk of death from gastrointestinal or pancreatic cancer.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters The NRA says it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Friday. The organization has been beset by financial troubles for years. The NRA is also relocating from New York to Florida where it will register as a nonprofit. The National Rifle Association has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the group said in a statement Friday. Internal financial documents showed that it increased spending over revenue and it ran a deficit for several years, including a gap of $10.8 million in 2018.
Vice President Mike Pence and Pres. Donald Trump are spending the last days of their administration very differently. CNN reports that Mike Pence is dropping in on the White House phone operators. Pence is addressing troops at bases across the country. Pence is paying a visit to national guardsmen in place for the inauguration. Pence is speaking by phone with his successor, Kamala Harris. Trump, in denial and silenced on social media, is refusing to speak to Biden.
Samuel Corum/Getty Images House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday said that Congress members could face prosecution should an investigation show that they were accomplices in the Capitol riots. "If they aided and abetted the crime, there may have to be actions taken beyond the Congress in terms of prosecution for that," Pelosi said during a news conference. Pelosi also pointed out one rioter captured on camera in a "Camp Auschwitz" sweatshirt, describing him as a "punk.
On Friday, Bitcoin slid as investors took profits from the volatile trading week. Business Insider reports the cryptocurrency fell as much as 11%, to $34,409.04, at intraday lows. The slide closes out bitcoin's second most volatile week in the last three years. The coin climbed as much as $41,440 before falling as low as $30,324. The week also saw more voices dismiss the cryptocurrency as a dangerous market bubble.
Americans overwhelmingly say that Trump is responsible on some level for the Capitol siege. 76% said Trump bears a "great deal" or "a lot" of responsibility. Less than one-fifth said the president is blameless for the riot at the Capitol. Trump was impeached over the Capitol siege on Wednesday, says Business Insider. This is the second impeachment for Trump, making him the only President to be impeached twice.
President-elect Joe Biden unveiled a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus plan on Thursday. It includes $1,400 checks, according to Business Insider. Biden had pledged $2,000 direct payments to Americans. The $1,400 checks would be in addition to the $600 direct payments provided most recently. This would be welcomed funds as more and more Americans face eviction and hunger. Most developed countries worldwide have been supporting their citizens with funds since last March.
Andrew Williams was one of the Trump supporters who stormed the US Capitol on January 6th. Days later, he asked, "How are they going to arrest every single person?" in a live stream. His expression of doubt regarding the insurrection was fairly widespread among participants. Williams was arrested on January 13th, according to Business Insider. Williams' activities and participation were chronicled in photos and videos obtained by federal police.
14 (UPI) -- The incoming Biden administration's plan to release more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine won't cause supply shortages, Dr. Celine Gounder, a member of the newly created COVID-19 advisory board said Thursday. Two COVID-19 vaccines, made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, have been approved for use in the United States, and both require two doses for maximum effectiveness.
Susan Walsh/AP Biden unveiled his $1.9 trillion stimulus plan on Thursday. It contained a $1,400 boost to stimulus checks, robust state and local aid, as well as vaccine distribution funds. The plan underscores Biden's intent to aggressively shore up a deteriorating economy and address the devastation wrought by the pandemic. Biden's proposal includes: A $1,400 top-up for stimulus checks which will bring the total distributed amount to $2,000. $130 billion in funds to reopen schools.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be sworn into office in front of the US Capitol around 12 p.m. on January 20. Celebrities Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez will perform at the ceremony, Biden's inaugural committee announced on Thursday. Later that evening, Biden and Harris will speak to the nation via a TV special featuring performances by Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi, and other A-listers.
The Washington Post reports that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have spent $100,000 on bathroom accommodations. The bathroom was for their Secret Service detail. The power couple rented the bathroom after barring the agents from using their bathrooms. Jared & Ivanka barred the Secret Service from using their 6.5 bathrooms when they first moved into their DC mansion in 2017.
Petco soared as much as 73% in its first day of trading on Thursday. Petco raised $817 million in its IPO debut after its shares priced at $18. The IPO frenzy has continued into 2021 following the trading debut surges of Affirm and PoshMark. Business Insider reports that Petco priced its IPO at $18 per share and sold 48 million shares. The Pet Care company operates about 1,470 pet-care centers that sell food, toys, and supplies for a range of pets.
Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has been criminally charged with willful neglect of duty. The charges come in connection with the Flint water crisis. Former Michigan health director Nick Lyons is another official also expected to face charges. The Flint water crisis started in 2014, when the city decided to switch to a new water supply to save costs. Business Insider reports the water supply the city moved to use, however, was contaminated with lead and other toxins.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized her GOP colleagues who are reportedly reluctant to impeach. Republicans are reporting they fear death threats from Trump's supporters. Ocasio-Cortez argued that many progressives have dealt with death threats for years. She stated it's a "privilege" for GOP members to be facing this danger for the first time. Trump supporters broke into the Capitol building last week violently, causing chaos.
Fast-food employees will strike Friday to demand a national minimum wage of at least $15 an hour. The strike will take place on what would be Martin Luther King Jr's 92nd birthday. Strike organizer "Fight for 15" is aiming to pressure the Biden-Harris administration. They hope to prioritize the wage increase to help close the wage gap among workers of color. $15 an hour and the right to unionize would change the lives of the workers for the better.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham criticized the House impeachment efforts on Wednesday. Graham appeared to shade Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, says Business Insider. "It is a rushed process that, over time, will become a threat to future presidents," Graham said. He continued with, "As to Senate leadership, I fear they are making the problem worse, not better." Graham broke from Trump and firmly acknowledged that Biden won the 2020 race.
The House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The impeachment is for "incitement of insurrection", according to Business Insider. This is regarding his role in catalyzing a deadly siege of the US Capitol on January 6th. This secondary impeachment is the most bipartisan impeachment vote in US history. One Republican voted to impeach Trump the first time. Ten house republicans voted to impeach Trump this time.
The US Department of Health and Human Services expanded COVID-19 vaccine availability. The agency said they will now include people age 65 and older in the initial phase of distribution. According to UPI, the changes also give priority to those with underlying health conditions. People of any age with underlying health conditions are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 infection.
College campuses across the U.S. are seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases. More than half of colleges across the country reported "spikes" in positive coronavirus cases. According to UPI, the data suggests that students and others may be "super-spreaders". Since the start of the pandemic, many colleges and universities across the country closed their campuses. Researchers say the data "confirm the widespread fear in early fall that colleges could become the new hot spots".
Nearly 60% of new COVID-19 cases are in adults between 18 and 24 years old. Adults under 24-years-old represent nearly 1.7 million of the nearly 2.9 million cases of coronavirus in that age group. According to UPI, 96% of these cases experienced symptoms, agency researchers said. Children aged 5 to 17 years, make up nearly 35% of all reported cases in people 24 years of age and younger. The data was released Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
E-readers like Kindles only use power when the content of the screen changes. Because of that, Kindles have a long battery life. That means you probably need to charge it every few days or weeks rather than once a day. Still, Business Insider reports there are a number of ways to save the battery life on your Kindle--especially if it's aging and the battery is wearing out. Keep your reading light as low as possible, and put your Kindle to sleep when you're not using it.
Florida, aka The Sunshine State, is known for its sunny, sandy beaches, low taxes, and colorful characters. And as the Trump family has become personam non grata among the Manhattan hoi-polloi, it makes sense that President Donald Trump intends to settle there. Now, Business Insider reports even more members of the Trump clan may be making the state their home after President Donald Trump leaves office.
A rioter wearing a deeply offensive, anti-Semitic sweatshirt at the US Capitol last week is now under arrest. Newser reports the man was photographed wearing a 'Camp Auschwitz' sweatshirt during the US Capitol siege was taken into custody on Wednesday in Virginia. The garment also featured 'Work brings freedom.' It's a translation of "Arbeit macht frei," the German phrase that appeared on the concentration camp’s entrance. Robert Keith Packer, 56, was arrested in Newport News, where he lives.
Marco Rubio of Florida urged President-elect Joe Biden to put $2,000 stimulus payments at the top of his agenda. The Florida senator supported the Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help Act that passed in the House on Dec. 28. Rubio begged Biden work past partisan motives to get $2,000 payments to Americans. According to Business Insider, Biden previously expressed support for $2,000 stimulus checks. They are expected to be included in his economic relief package releasing on Thursday.
Armie Hammer's estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers is 'shocked and sickened' by the actor's alleged kinks. That's according to a close friend, who exclusively spoke to the DailyMail.com Armie Hammer allegedly sent sexually graphic messages to several women. He discussed rape fantasies, BDSM, breaking bones and talk of cannibalism The alleged messages date back to 2016 and some are as recent as February 2020, when Hammer was still married to Chambers.
Republican Rep. John Katko of New York made a statement Tuesday afternoon. He said he will vote to impeach President Donald Trump, says CNN. This makes Katko one of the first Republicans to sign on to the Democrats' efforts. Democrats aim to hold the President accountable for his role in the storming of the US Capitol. His words are cited as spurring his supporters on to commit violence resulting in 5 deaths. House Democrats are now moving rapidly toward impeaching Trump for a second time.
Starting in two weeks, states with the speediest vaccine rollouts will be prioritized. The prioritization will be for additional doses, US officials announced Tuesday. The new system is meant to incentivize states to promptly record vaccinations. It will also prevent doses from sitting in freezers, says Business Insider. But it could also punish states that lack the funding or resources to accelerate vaccine administration.
European authorities say one of the internet’s largest forums for criminal activity has been seized and the man believed to be its operator has been arrested. Gizmodo reports DarkMarket boasted nearly half a million users and over 200,000 re-sellers. On it, they could digitally swap drugs, malware, stolen credit card data, and SIM cards, among other things.
The FBI and Justice Department are looking into 'significant felony cases tied to sedition and conspiracy' after the riot and siege of the US Capitol. Business Insider reports the acting US attorney said Tuesday that the 'scope and scale' of the Capitol riot probe is unprecedented in FBI and DOJ history. Michael Sherwin said his office has opened more than 170 subject files so far and charged 70 cases.
Inflation may be rearing its ugly head in the US economy sooner than predicted. According to Business Insider, a recovery of the US's hardest-hit businesses could drive a faster-than-expected rebound for inflation. The US Federal Reserve aims to reach inflation of at least 2% before considering lifting its benchmark interest rate. However, price growth has trended below that level for years and fell further at the start of the pandemic.
Pres. Elect Joe Biden supports $2,000 stimulus checks. Business Insider reports the checks are expected to form part of another economic aid package to be unveiled this week. Higher-earners may receive some federal cash as well. The phase out for stimulus cash has been extended to higher incomes.
On Monday, Fox News host Brian Kilmeade sounded the alarm over Pres. Trump's looming impeachment. Trump is being impeached over the Capitol Hill siege that saw thousands of dollars of damage and 6 people dead. The longtime host of "Fox & Friends" argued impeachment would only lead to more attacks. "50 state houses are being threatened on Inauguration Day — this is the last thing you wanna do."
London Zoo has denied Ricky Gervais' dying wish to be eaten by lions. In a statement, the zoo said he might be "too gristly" for the lions' taste. The zoo is struggling financially because of COVID-19. Kathryn England, Chief Operating Officer for the Zoo, said they welcome donations that keep their animals fed. Last week, Gervais told Conan O'Brien of his dying wish. He said he wanted to give something back to the natural world because "we take everything from this world.
GOP Senator Susan Collins of Maine has published a new op-ed. In it, she said she initially thought the Capitol siege was the work of the Iranians. "My first thought was that the Iranians had followed through on their threat to strike the Capitol," Collins, Collins is a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, says Business Insider. Tensions between the US and Iran have been heightened in recent weeks.
Facebook will begin removing all content that mentions the phrase "stop the steal". This comes a full 69 days after Election Day, according to reports at CNN. There have been continued attempts to organize events against the outcome of the US presidential election. Many of them have lead to violence, like the terror attacks on the Capitol recently. "We're taking this additional step in the lead up to the inauguration," says Guy Rosen, Facebook's VP of integrity.
Stephanie Keith/Getty Images Airbnb is banning all "hate group members" — including the Proud Boys — from its platform as a part of its newly announced "Capitol Safety Plan" ahead of the presidential inauguration. The company will be deleting accounts held by people who have been named by media or law enforcement as someone who committed a "violent criminal activity" at the historic Capitol siege.
11 (UPI) -- Drinking several cups of coffee daily appears to lower risk for developing prostate cancer, according to an analysis published Monday by BMJ Open. Advertisement "This study suggests that increased coffee consumption may be associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer," researchers from Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University wrote.
The State Department seemed to be getting a bit ahead of itself on its website on Monday. That's when the department published a bizarre notice on its website saying President Trump’s term was ending a full nine days ahead of schedule. According to Gizmodo, the notice gave rise to speculation that something was going on at the agency. However, two current-serving diplomats with knowledge of the situation reported the erroneous notice was the result of a disgruntled employee.