Author: News Polite

With Chris Carson gone, can Rashaad Penny ‘take off’ as Seahawks’ RB1? – NFL Nation

6:00 AM ET

  • Brady HendersonESPN

RENTON, Wash. — For the first time in his NFL career, running back Rashaad Penny began training camp as the Seattle Seahawks‘ projected starter.

It didn’t happen as a rookie in 2018, when Chris Carson returned from his broken leg and reclaimed the job, even though the Seahawks had just drafted Penny No. 27 overall. It didn’t happen in any of the next three seasons, as Carson entrenched himself as Seattle’s lead back while Penny was sidelined by one injury after another, including a torn ACL in December 2019 that shelved him for almost all of 2020.

So only now, with Carson out of the picture following plans to retire due to a neck injury, Penny is heading toward the start of the season as the Seahawks’ clear-cut RB1, coming off a torrid five-game stretch at the end of last season in which he led the NFL with 671 rushing yards.

“I don’t think like that,” Penny said when asked about being the clear-cut RB1 last week after the first practice of camp. “I’ve got a lot of stuff to prove to myself. Again, I’ve still got to be healthy … I’ve got a big chip on my shoulder this year, so I really don’t see anything as far as that, but I’m excited about the opportunity and we’ll just see where it goes from here.”

Penny isn’t getting ahead of himself because he knows his spot on the depth chart doesn’t mean much unless he can stay on the field. So far, so good. His only injury hiccup this offseason was a brief absence in the spring to rest what coach Pete Carroll described as a minor hamstring issue. He’s taken part in all five practices of camp and closed out the second one with a long touchdown run in which he sprinted past Seattle’s defense.

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“I think this is the best condition that he’s ever been,” Carroll said, “and I know he’s going to be flying.”

Interestingly, Carroll said the same thing last summer after Penny reported to camp on the leaner side of his weight range at 225 pounds. He came back this year at 237, which he’s played at in the past. Penny said some of that weight is muscle he’s added in his lower body but hinted that he wants to drop a few pounds this summer.

“Rashaad is in great shape,” Carroll said. “Two-thirty-seven he weighed. Just cut and sharp and fast and excited because he had such a great offseason. He looked terrific. He couldn’t wait to get out here and just run. He really wanted to show us that he could go, and he looked just like he did when we finished up at the end, so that was really fun to see that.”

That was a reference to Penny’s scorching finish to last season. With Carson on the sideline because of the neck injury — and with some motivation from Adrian Peterson — Penny ran for 208 more yards than the next-best rusher over the final five games. His six rushing touchdowns in that span tied for the league lead and were one more than he totaled to that point in three-plus seasons.

That stretch of brilliance earned Penny something that would have previously been hard to imagine — a second contract with Seattle. He tested free agency before returning on a one-year deal worth $5.75 million, all but $680,000 of which is guaranteed.

The Seahawks had added motivation to bring back Penny with Carson’s football future in doubt. The team released him a day before camp with a failed physical, a procedural move that makes him eligible to earn some of the non-guaranteed money he was set to make in 2022.

Penny, a close friend of Carson’s, called his retirement “heartbreaking.” Carroll did the same.

“I loved him on our team,” Carroll said. “It breaks my heart to not have him again, particularly with how we’re going about it.”

As in, with how much they’ve always liked to run the ball — Seattle has the NFL’s fourth-highest designed rush percentage since 2012 — and with how much of a focus that will be in their post-Russell Wilson offense. What other choice do they have than to lean on their revamped defense and run game and hope Drew Lock and/or Geno Smith can manage their way to victories?

That plan and their doubts about Carson gave the Seahawks more reason to reinforce their backfield by drafting Kenneth Walker III with one their two second-round picks. Walker has flashed his 4.38 speed and much better receiving skills than you might have assumed from a player who caught only 13 passes during his Heisman-finalist 2021 season at Michigan State.

“He’s fast,” Penny said of the 5-foot-9, 211-pound Walker. “This dude, he can play. He kind of reminds me of a smaller Chris. We’ll see when we get pads on … He fears nothing. I like the way he just wants to learn and wants to be great.”

Penny has missed 30 of a possible 69 games (including playoffs) in his career due to injury. Only twice has he carried more than 20 times in a game. So Walker figures to get plenty of work, whether by design or out of necessity. Seattle also has Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas as change-of-pace options. Their contributions on special teams make them safe bets to make the opening-day roster.

“We’re really fired up about Ken being here too now,” Carroll said. ” … It’s going to be a fantastic opportunity for us to see those guys play. It takes more than one.”

With pads coming on, the second week of camp will offer a look into whether Penny is again running with the same aggressive style that was evident during his closing surge last year.

“I feel like as far as what I did last season, it was kind of no surprise to me because I always knew what I could do,” he said. “I think the hard part was just me getting to play on Sundays … and now that I’m feeling healthy and I’m feeling at my best, I can’t wait to actually take off this year.”

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Bill Belichick, Patriots leaders: Bill Russell’s impact felt throughout organization – NFL Nation

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — When Bill Belichick was in his second season as New England Patriots coach in 2001, Bill Russell — the Boston Celtics great who won 11 NBA championships — visited the team.

Russell’s death on Sunday at age 88 had Belichick reflecting on that visit, and current Patriots players reflecting on Russell’s legacy.

“It was great,” Belichick said. “Bill’s a great person. His comments on leadership, teamwork and unselfishness are all outstanding.”

Belichick’s close friendship with football great Jim Brown led to his connection with Russell, setting the stage for the 2001 visit. This week, the Patriots’ two longest-tenured players — Matthew Slater and Devin McCourty — shared how Russell impacted their lives.

“It’s really hard to put into words what Bill Russell meant not only to this city, but to professional sports, has meant to Black athletes, and just the progress we’ve seen in this country over the last 60 years or so,” Slater said.

“When I think of Bill Russell, I don’t think of, necessarily, the championships. Or the Celtics and the winning, which is a legacy that speaks for itself. I think of what he did for Black athletes. I’m a beneficiary of the actions of men and women like Bill Russell, who are willing to step out on the limb and advocate for Black athletes and Black Americans, and push for change, push for equality.”

Slater was referencing, among other things, how Russell boycotted a 1961 exhibition game to protest discrimination.

For McCourty, who describes himself as a “huge basketball fan”, playing professional football in New England drew him closer to Russell.

“Coming here, and just learning his story, initially all you know is ‘Bill Russell, a champion, and winner.’ But just his willingness and vulnerability to be very open about what he went through and wanting change,” McCourty said.

“As an athlete that gets to play in this area, I drew a lot of inspiration and motivation from how he viewed things. I think the road he paved for Black athletes to be able to be successful in this city, and sports in general; I think about his life … he wasn’t just a great athlete, but he was a better person. All of us here, we strive to be like Bill Russell.”

In an interview with Sirius XM NFL Radio, Belichick shared more detail on the time Russell visited the Patriots.

“He’s a big Patriots fan and gave us a lot of support, and he was just a tremendous person to talk to. I’ve learned an awful lot from Bill Russell. Very fortunate to have had a relationship with him,” Belichick said.

“Obviously he was a great player and there was a lot of attention on him, but how he tried to deflect that and enhance other players, how to help other players play better, what he could do to help his teammates.

“Ultimately his role changed from player to coach, to some combination of both, and so he talked a lot about how being a leader — and how being a coach combined with being a player — was really the ultimate in trying to help the team.

“And when you have veteran players on every team, which we had at that time and still have now; how those players are more than just good players, they’re mentors, they’re leaders. They have to find ways to help other players play better and still sustain their level of play. And that’s what the great players do. And we’ve had a lot of them, but Bill really put it into a great perspective.”

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Where to Buy Cute Cheap Clothing Online

We independently selected these products because we love them, and we think you might like them at these prices. If you buy something through our links, E! makes a commission on your purchase. Prices are accurate as of publish time. Items are sold by retailer, not E!. 

With back to school shopping happening now and fall being right around the corner, many of us will be looking to refresh our wardrobe for the new season. If you’ve got a few special events lined up for the end of summer, you may need new clothes even sooner. Fortunately, buying a chic new outfit doesn’t have to break the bank.

There are many online stores that offer stylish tops, dresses, jeans and more for affordable prices. Since we’re all about helping you with all your shopping needs, we picked out a few stores that are worth being on your radar.

For instance, if you’re looking for easy breezy dresses that can help beat the heat this summer, we recommend checking out what Cupshe has to offer. The brand already has affordable prices regularly, so you’re guaranteed to find an incredible deal whenever they have sales. Right now, they have deals up to 80% off during their back to school sale. Not only that, you can also take an additional 12% off plus score free shipping with no minimum purchase on your first order. It’s a great sale to shop if you want to add some cute new items to your closet, but it’s not the only one.

We’ve rounded up some of the best online stores that offer cute and cheap clothing, many of which are having sales right now. Check those out below.

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Inflation punishes the prudent while Bitcoin gives future hope — Jordan Peterson

The ability to save up is an essential tool for self-regulation and planning for the future, but when inflation becomes uncontrollable, those who put in their efforts to delay gratification get punished for their choice. On the other hand, Bitcoin (BTC) does the opposite, according to clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson. 

In the show called What is Money?, Peterson joined the Bitcoin entrepreneur Robert Breedlove to talk about money and discuss the effects of fiat inflation on people who forego instant gratification and how Bitcoin gives hope for the future.

According to Peterson, hyperinflation hurts those who are patiently putting in the work and are saving up for the future. He described these people as the “pillars of our society,” and Peterson argued that these people are vital to the security and survival of civilization. He explained that:

“You want to encourage people to have some faith in the future and make decisions that make the delay of gratification morally laudable and intelligent. Inflation hurts those people.”

Peterson highlighted that with inflation distorting the market, one of the things that made him interested in Bitcoin is that there are no such distortions or interference. Cryptocurrency enables a free market, according to the psychologist.

He further mentions that BTC may be a device that will enable society to adapt to what he describes as the horizon of the future. “It’s the only bloody device we have. Unless you think central planners are going to manage it. Good luck with that. That’s just not going to happen,” he said.

Related: Bitcoin 2022: Thiel calls Buffett ‘sociopathic,’ Mexican billionaire has 60% in BTC

Peterson dived into Bitcoin in 2019 when he started accepting BTC donations after leaving the subscription platform Patreon because of issues on free speech. The 12 Rules of Life author has also been trying to understand Bitcoin since 2021, inviting BTC proponents to his podcast and exploring more about cryptocurrency.

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Vivo Y35 4G Live Image Surfaces Online Ahead of August 11 Launch, Design Tipped

Vivo Y35 4G, a new Y-series smartphone from the Chinese smartphone brand is all set to launch on August 11 in Malaysia. Just days before the formal debut, a live image of the Vivo Y35 4G has leaked online. The render shows the handset in two shades and suggests triple cameras at the rear along with an LED flash. However, the Vivo Y35 4G is confirmed by the company to come in two colour variants. It will be powered by the Snapdragon 680 SoC, alongside 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of onboard storage. It will pack a 5,000mAh battery with support for 44W FlashCharging.

Known tipster Paras Guglani (@passionategeekz), in collaboration with Rootmygalaxy, has leaked the hands-on image of the Vivo Y35 4G. As mentioned, the leaked render shows the handset in two different colour options. It shows a triple rear camera unit arranged in the upper left corner of the handset. The camera unit is led by a 50-megapixel AI-backed primary sensor. Further, the left spine of the handset has the power and volume buttons.

Vivo has already announced that the launch of the Vivo Y35 4G will take place on August 11 in Malaysia. The brand is already teasing the specifications of the handset via its Malaysia website. It will be offered in Agate Black and Dawn Gold colour options.

Vivo Y35 4G specifications

The upcoming Vivo Y-series phone is confirmed to feature a 6.58-inch full-HD+ (1,080 x 2408) LCD display. It will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 680, coupled with 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of onboard storage. The inbuilt RAM can be expanded virtually up to 16GB using additional onboard storage.

The Vivo Y35 4G is teased to come with a triple rear camera setup headlined by a 50-megapixel main sensor. It will include two 2-megapixel sensors as well. For selfies, the phone will get a 16-megapixel selfie sensor at the front. It is confirmed to pack a 5,000mAh battery that supports 44W FlashCharge support.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on Twitter, Facebook, and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Vivo Y16 Specifications, Renders Allegedly Leaked, MediaTek Helio P35 SoC Tipped



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Opinion | This Is How the U.S. Will Stand With Taiwan

Vladimir Putin’s brutal attack on his Ukrainian neighbors has sparked global outrage — and forged unprecedented unity — among the democratic nations of the world. Not so with Xi Jinping, the hypernationalist president of the People’s Republic of China. Rather, he is no doubt taking notes and learning lessons from Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine to apply to his plans for Taiwan.

The United States and our partners in the international community need to do the same to develop and put in place a new and more resilient strategy for Taiwan while there is still time.

A clear lesson from the war in Ukraine is that authoritarian leaders have been emboldened in recent years by dysfunctional democracies and hesitant international institutions. Accordingly, the United States needs less ambiguity to guide our approach to Taiwan. In today’s world — with Mr. Xi’s China — a robust and credible deterrence to preserve peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait requires clarity in word and deed. President Biden vowed in May to use force to defend Taiwan — the third time he has said so, even though his aides have said the longstanding U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity has not changed.

The moral and strategic case for standing with Taiwan, whose people share our interests and our values, could not be clearer. China is carrying out influence campaigns against Taiwan using cyberattacks and disinformation, deploying propaganda to reinforce its “one China” message, spreading disinformation and conspiracy theories to divide Taiwanese society and make it easier to gain control of the island. This is a plan of attack eerily reminiscent of Mr. Putin’s in Ukraine.

China is also employing coercive economic tactics against any nation or company that does not fall in line with Beijing’s anti-Taiwan policy, going as far as imposing a trade embargo on Lithuania for welcoming a Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius. Given Taiwan’s role as “foundry to the world” for the manufacture of advanced microchips, Beijing’s willingness to threaten supply chains and potentially hold the global economy hostage is a matter of concern for the United States’ prosperity and security and those of our allies and partners.

Making matters worse, Taiwan now also faces an aggressive Chinese military, which seems determined to be postured for an invasion in the coming years.

China’s rapid military buildup with new technologies and weapons deployed against Taiwan threatens to destabilize the entire Indo-Pacific. There are near daily Chinese military incursions into Taiwan’s air defense zone and dangerous and unsafe Chinese Navy maneuvers intended to coerce and intimidate Taiwan on the high seas as well. Only a few weeks ago, 29 Chinese military aircraft, including six bombers, flew into Taiwan’s air defense zone — sending a clear message of a potential blockade — before returning to base. These are not the actions of a nation with a policy of maintaining peace and stability. These are the actions of a nation intent on aggression.

Moreover, Beijing’s recent threats over Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan were as predictable as they were indicative of Mr. Xi’s truculence. But the United States must be clear: Using her visit as an excuse for performative sound and fury is simply that: a pretext for more aggressive steps that China has been preparing to take anyway. That is why Ms. Pelosi was right in not letting China decide who can and cannot visit Taiwan. The result of Beijing’s bluster should be to stiffen resolve in Taipei, in Washington and across the region. There are many strategies to continue standing up to Chinese aggression; there is clear bipartisan congressional agreement on the importance of acting now to provide the people of Taiwan with the type of support they desperately need.

We saw the warning signs for Ukraine in 2014 and failed to take action that might have deterred further Russian aggression. We cannot afford to repeat that mistake with Taiwan.

That is why I have worked with Senator Lindsey Graham to introduce the bipartisan Taiwan Policy Act of 2022.

Our legislation would reinforce the security of Taiwan by providing almost $4.5 billion in security assistance over the next four years and recognizing Taiwan as a “major non-NATO ally” — a powerful designation to facilitate closer military and security ties. It would also expand Taiwan’s diplomatic space through its participation in international organizations and in multilateral trade agreements.

The legislation would also take concrete steps to counter China’s aggressive influence campaigns, impose crippling economic costs if Beijing takes hostile action against Taiwan (such as financial, banking, visa and other sanctions) and reform American bureaucratic practices to bolster support for Taiwan’s democratic government. In short, this effort would be the most comprehensive restructuring of U.S. policy toward Taiwan since the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979.

While Beijing will likely rely on a planned narrative of blaming the United States for any aggression, the fact is that it’s China, not the United States, that has been steadily seeking to change the status quo with Taiwan.

The United States and our partners must remain cleareyed as we respond with measured steps during this critical window of opportunity — before China unalterably changes the cross-strait dynamic to its advantage and sets the stage for a possible invasion of Taiwan — to reinvigorate our diplomatic strategy. To work with Taipei to modernize its military to maintain deterrence. To combat Beijing’s political influence and misinformation campaigns. And to develop deeper ties between our two peoples.

As China challenges us across every dimension of national security — militarily, economically and diplomatically and on values — we are laying out a new vision that ensures our country is positioned to defend Taiwan for decades to come. Getting our strategy right is essential to deter and constrain Beijing’s problematic behavior and to encourage Mr. Xi to make different choices from Mr. Putin’s.

To be clear, the United States is not the world’s policeman. But surely we have a moral and practical obligation to stand with the people of Taiwan, who want only to be able to determine their own future.

If we do nothing, then we must be comfortable with effectively ceding Taiwan by letting China continue its unabated military, economic and diplomatic bullying campaign.

Mr. Putin’s delusions in Ukraine could not make the catastrophic global consequences of inaction clearer.

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Judge, Jury & Executioner — Global Issues

  • by Thalif Deen (united nations)
  • Inter Press Service

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 03 (IPS) – A spike in state-sanctioned executions worldwide – including in Iran, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and more recently Myanmar – has triggered strong condemnations from the United Nations and several civil rights and human rights organizations.

As Covid-19 restrictions that had previously delayed judicial processes were steadily lifted in many parts of the world, says Amnesty International (AI), judges last year handed down at least 2,052 death sentences in 56 countries—a close to 40% increase over 2020—with big spikes seen in several countries including Bangladesh (at least 181, from at least 113), India (144, from 77) and Pakistan (at least 129, from at least 49).

Other countries enforcing the death penalty, according to AI, include Egypt, Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan, Belarus, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), China, North Korea, Viet Nam and Yemen.

In military regimes, such as Myanmar, the armed forces play a triple role: judge, jury and hangman.

Dr Simon Adams, President of the Center for Victims of Torture, the world’s biggest organization that works with torture survivors and advocates for an end to torture worldwide, told IPS the recent execution of four pro-democracy activists by Myanmar’s military junta represents a sickening return to the “politics of the hangman’s noose”.

Arbitrary detention and torture have also been committed on an industrial scale, he said.

The military regime has detained over 14,000 people and sentenced more than 100 to death since the (February 2021) coup. While many governments around the world have condemned the recent hangings, it is going to take more than words to end atrocities in Myanmar, he pointed out.

“People are crying out for targeted sanctions on the Generals, for an arms embargo, and for Myanmar’s torturers and executioners to be held accountable under international law”, said Dr Adams, who also helped initiate the case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, where The Gambia is trying to hold Myanmar accountable for the genocide against the Rohingya.

The London-based Amnesty International (AI) said last May that 2021 “saw a worrying rise in executions and death sentences as some of the world’s most prolific executioners returned to business as usual and courts were unshackled from Covid-19 restrictions.”

Iran accounted for the biggest portion of this rise, executing at least 314 people (up from at least 246 in 2020), its highest execution total since 2017.

This was due in part to a marked increase in drug-related executions—a flagrant violation of international law which prohibits use of the death penalty for crimes other than those involving intentional killing, said AI.

Antony J. Blinken, US Secretary of State, said last week the United States condemns in the strongest terms the Burma military regime’s executions of pro-democracy activists and elected leaders Ko Jimmy, Phyo Zeya Thaw, Hla Myo Aung, and Aung Thura Zaw for the exercise of their fundamental freedoms.

“These reprehensible acts of violence further exemplify the regime’s complete disregard for human rights and the rule of law.’

Since the February 2021 coup, he pointed out, the regime has perpetuated violence against its own people, killing more than 2,100, displacing more than 700,000, and detaining thousands of innocent people, including members of civil society and journalists.

The regime’s sham trials and these executions are blatant attempts to extinguish democracy; these actions will never suppress the spirit of the brave people of Burma, (Myanmar), he added.

“The United States joins the people of Burma in their pursuit of freedom and democracy and calls on the regime to respect the democratic aspirations of the people who have shown they do not want to live one more day under the tyranny of military rule,” Blinken declared.

Condemning the execution of the four democracy activists by the military regime in Myanmar, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said last week: “I am dismayed that despite appeals from across the world, the military conducted these executions with no regard for human rights. This cruel and regressive step is an extension of the military’s ongoing repressive campaign against its own people.”

“These executions – the first in Myanmar in decades – are cruel violations of the rights to life, liberty and security of a person, and fair trial guarantees. For the military to widen its killing will only deepen its entanglement in the crisis it has itself created,” she warned.

The High Commissioner also called for the immediate release of all political prisoners and others arbitrarily detained, and urged the country to reinstate its de-facto moratorium on the use of the death penalty, as a step towards eventual abolition.

Meanwhile, in a statement released August 2, Liz Throssell, a Spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva said : “We deplore the hanging today of two men in Singapore and are deeply troubled by the planned execution of two others on 5 August.

The two, a Malaysian and a Singaporean, were hanged at Changi Prison this morning after they were convicted in May 2015 of drug trafficking and their appeals subsequently rejected.

Two other men, Abdul Rahim bin Shapiee and his co-accused Ong Seow Ping, are currently expected to be executed on Friday after Bin Shapiee’s family was notified of his fate on 29 July.

They were both convicted in 2018 of possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking and their sentences upheld on appeal. In the past, co-accused persons have almost always been executed on the same day.

“We urge the Singapore authorities to halt all scheduled executions, including those of Abdul Rahim bin Shapiee and Ong Seow Ping. We also call on the Government of Singapore to end the use of mandatory death sentences for drug offences, commute all death sentences to a sentence of imprisonment and immediately put in place a moratorium on all executions, with a view to abolishing the death penalty”, the statement said.

“The death penalty is inconsistent with the right to life and the right to be free from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and there is growing consensus for its universal abolition. More than 170 States have so far abolished or introduced a moratorium on the death penalty either in law or in practice,” she noted.

Agnes Callamard, AI Secretary-General, said that “China, North Korea and Viet Nam continued to shroud their use of the death penalty behind layers of secrecy, but, as ever, the little we saw is cause for great alarm.”
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The known number of women executed also rose from nine to 14, while the Iranian authorities continued their abhorrent assault on children’s rights by executing three people who were under the age of 18 at the time of the crime, contrary to their obligations under international law.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia more than doubled its number of executions, a grim trend that continued in 2022 with the execution of 81 people in a single day in March, according to AI

As well as the rise in executions seen in Saudi Arabia (65, from 27 in 2020), significant increases on 2020 were seen in Somalia (at least 21, from at least 11) South Sudan (at least 9, from at least 2) and Yemen (at least 14, from at least 5). Belarus (at least 1), Japan (3) and UAE (at least 1) also carried out executions, having not done so in 2020.

Significant increases in death sentences compared to 2020 were recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (at least 81, from at least 20), Egypt (at least 356, from at least 264), Iraq (at least 91, from at least 27), Myanmar (at least 86, from at least 1), Viet Nam (at least 119 from at least 54), and Yemen (at least 298, from at least 269), AI said.

In several countries in 2021, AI said, the death penalty was deployed as an instrument of state repression against minorities and protestors, with governments showing an utter disregard for safeguards and restrictions on the death penalty established under international human rights law and standards.

IPS UN Bureau Report


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© Inter Press Service (2022) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service



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Binance, KuCoin, OKX CEOs flex security amid Solana FUD storm

With Solana hitting the headlines for succumbing to a hack on Wednesday, prominent crypto CEOs — including Binance’s Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, KuCoin’s Johnny Lyu and OKX’s Jay Hao — recommended that Solana (SOL) investors move their holdings over to their own exchanges as an immediate security measure.

Numerous blockchain investigators and crypto investors flagged an alleged widespread private key compromise, allowing the attacker to steal native SOL tokens and Solana-compatible SPL tokens such as USD Coin (USDC) from Phantom and Slope wallets. However, the root cause of the attack remains a mystery as all parties, including Solana and Phantom, denied faults at their ends. Phantom’s official stance on the matter shared with Cointelegraph:

“We are working closely with other teams to get to the bottom of a reported vulnerability in the Solana ecosystem. At this time, the team does not believe this is a Phantom-specific issue.”

Parallel to the ongoing investigations of the Solana fiasco, CZ warned investors of “an active security incident on Solana” that drained funds in SOL and USD Coin (USDC) off over 7000 wallets. His recommendation to unhacked investors was to transfer their assets to a cold wallet or Binance.

Lyu gave a similar assurance to KuCoin users as he confirmed that all SOL assets were not impacted by the hack; as he said:

“We’re in close contact with the Solana team and have blocked the suspicious addresses as requested.”

Hao, however, echoed CZ’s recommendation as he advised investors to move their assets to OKX to protect themselves from the hack.

Given the uncertainty behind the hacker’s potential and reach, other crypto exchanges such as Bybit have proactively suspended all deposits and withdrawal of assets on the Solana blockchain.

Related: Hacker drains $1.08M from Audius following passing of malicious proposal

A hack that passed a malicious governance proposal resulted in the transfer of tokens worth $6.1 million, with the hacker making away with $1 million.

Speaking to Cointelegraph, Audius co-founder and CEO Roneil Rumburg clarified that no members of the community were involved in the passing of the malicious proposal:

“This was an exploit — not a proposal proposed or passed through any legitimate means — it just happened to use the governance system as the entry point for the attack.”

Blockchain investigator Peckshield later narrowed down the fault to Audius’ storage layout inconsistencies.



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Michael Saylor Steps Down as MicroStrategy CEO to Focus on Bitcoin Acquisition Strategy

Cloud software company MicroStrategy has announced that Michael Saylor, a Bitcoin maximalist who has served as the company’s chief executive officer since 1989, will step down as CEO and transition to a new role of executive chairman to focus even more significantly on the firm’s Bitcoin holdings. Phong Le, the company’s president, will assume the role of CEO at MicroStrategy after Saylor, which is currently the public company with the largest Bitcoin treasury. The changes take effect starting Monday, August 8.

Saylor stated in a press release that as executive chairman, his focus will be solely on “Bitcoin acquisition strategy and related Bitcoin advocacy initiatives.” At the same time, Le will manage the company’s day-to-day operations.

Saylor had been Microstrategy’s CEO since its creation, while Le, who joined the company in 2015, has served as President since July 2020. The press release credited Le with “delivering one of the [company’s] best operational and financial years” in 2021.

In 2000, Saylor famously lost $6 billion (roughly Rs. 48,008 crore) in a single day after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) brought charges against his company. His company managed to capture the spotlight after adopting Bitcoin as its reserve asset in a surprise move in August 2020.

Microstrategy was the first publicly listed business to start acquiring Bitcoin as part of its treasury, which paved the way for other tech companies such as Tesla to add the cryptocurrency to their own balance sheets.

While Tesla sold its Bitcoin holdings in the recent market downturn, today’s earnings report indicates that as of June 30, MicroStrategy still held 129,699 Bitcoin, a sum worth approximately $2.98 billion (roughly Rs. 23,844 crore) dollars at current prices.

The firm has consistently refused to alter its outlook on the digital asset, despite the price of Bitcoin plunging below $30,000 (roughly Rs. 24 lakh) in May, which meant MicroStrategy was in the red on its average purchase price.

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Basketball Betting Tips and Predictions

Basketball prediction

Basketball is spread worldwide and has gradually become one of the most popular sports in the world after football. Today, professional basketball is not just played in North America and Europe; other markets and regions are joining, increasing commercial interest in basketball… Significant and small-pro leagues are popping up, with South America, Asia and Africa leading the way.

Where sports are successful, there are also opportunities for sports betting. Betting on basketball has become increasingly popular in recent years. If you make successful basketball predictions, you can make potentially lucrative bets.

NBA

The premier men’s professional basketball league, the NBA invites only the most talented athletes to join, resulting in the 30 best-performing teams.

Eighty-two games will determine each team’s confidence in making the playoffs. After identifying the top teams in the East and West, the real fun begins. The NBA playoffs may be the most exciting time of the year. The odds constantly change after every second of the game, and the winner is usually determined in the game’s final seconds. Predictions are sometimes challenging, but knowing what you’re doing can be very rewarding.

There’s always the NBA Summer League before the NBA starts. In summer league, the team prepares the final lineup for the long and challenging season ahead. This is also where underperforming players can prove themselves to secure the last spot on the roster.

Europa League

The EuroLeague is the European version of the NBA, where 24 teams go head-to-head. Predicting European basketball is very interesting because of the many surprises that occur every year that cause the odds to fluctuate. Teams such as Real Madrid, Maccabi Tel Aviv and CSKA Moscow have a solid record, but there are always some surprises along the way.

NCAA

Another fun and popular way to bet on basketball is the NCAA tournament. The NCAA is the college association for North American students and a testing ground for many young athletes and future NBA stars. The NCAA Tournament draws crowds yearly, with fans from all over the country coming together to support their favourite colleges. The biggest event of the year is called March Madness, the final part of the competition to determine the winner. Choose from America’s top universities like Duke, Kentucky or Texas Tech and predict which team will be the next NCAA champion.

Basketball odds

Players with experience in sports betting will find basketball betting rules easy to understand as they do not stray far from the traditional team sports market. The goal is clear – choose a specific outcome and find the bookmaker with the best odds.

Apart from the usual straight betting, spread betting is the most popular type of basketball betting because it requires a deeper understanding of the sport. In other words, it’s easier to determine the winner than to guess whether the points hit the target.

Suppose the Orlando Magic are playing against the Boston Celtics. The Celtics are the favourites, and the Magic are the underdogs. Bookmakers made the Boston Celtics a 10-point favourite for the game. So if you want to put your money on the Celtics, they have to win by 11 points or more for your bet to be correct.

You lose your bet if the Celtics win by 9 points or less. On the other hand, if you bet on Magic to win and they win with opposite odds to theirs, you will still win the amount based on the odds calculated for them. However, if you bet on Magic and lose by 9 points or less, you are still a winner. This is basically what it means to cover the spread!

How to bet on basketball

If you are a basketball fan, basketball betting tips and predictions are easy to give. But even if you are unfamiliar with the sport’s rules, you can easily bet on the NBA, Euroleague or any other international basketball game. The main idea is that if you want to profit, you need to make the correct predictions about who will be the winner.

Some of the most popular basketball betting methods are spread betting, total betting and odds betting, parlay betting and teasing are more advanced methods of making complex basketball predictions.

  • Point spread betting
  • The Totals
  • Moneyline
  • Parlays
  • Teasers
  • Outright betting

Spread betting is the easiest way to bet on basketball and essentially means finding the winner of the game, but with a handicap. The favourite has a specific lead that he has to reach. This is the most popular basketball betting market, and most bettors use this format as their primary form.

Total is the second largest basketball market when it comes to guessing the outcome of a basketball game. It’s a big/little bet because you must consider the number of points to score. For each game, you get a total of the points scored (combined) by both teams. Your task is to guess whether the total score is above or below a threshold.

For example, if the Celtics are playing the Magic and the score to beat is 183, you can predict that the team will score over (over) or under a given score. 

Moneyline betting is another popular form of basketball betting. Many tipsters offer their predictions, and you’ll find many helpful basketball tips on our website. Moneyline betting is a bet on the winner of the game without a handicap. However, winning odds are calculated differently, as the team’s chance of winning is now higher than 50%, rather than spread betting.

Parlays and Tears are often referred to as “exotic” bets. Parlay betting and teaser betting (as opposed to other more traditional forms of basketball betting) is that, in this case, you must correctly predict the outcome of two or more games. In parlay betting, the bettor has the opportunity to bet on the spread using the odds line.

Trailers, however, are created using a points distribution that players can choose to adjust to their liking. To win, you must guess all games correctly. If you bet on six games, a one-sixth error means you lose your bet.

Other types of basketball markets include betting on various parts of the game. This means you can bet on the spread each quarter, half quarter, or the total for the period. Direct betting can also be placed through basketball betting. These predictions involve guessing the winner of a particular tournament or competition. You can bet on the NBA playoff champion, the best team in the West, No. 1 in the East or the NCAA Tournament winner.

You can also try to guess the best team in NBA Summer League with our NBA Summer League predictions. Alternatively, you can focus on Eurobasket and bet on the winner of the Euroleague. Make sure to place your bets before the game, as the odds tend to drop after each match. Finally, you can place bets on individual players’ scores. For example, you can bet whether Paul George scores more than 25 points. This is a high/low prediction because you can try to guess whether the player will score more or less than a given number.

Basketball Live Betting

Betting on basketball is a fascinating and famous form of betting. Most bettors prefer this form of basketball betting because it is an exciting way to predict. As you might guess, live betting is made while the basketball game is still in progress. Players can make assumptions based on basketball skills and have the opportunity to increase their income.

There are two types of live betting: live betting and in-game betting. In-play betting refers to betting placed during the actual match, while in-play betting is set during the short breaks in the game. This is when the odds usually change, and you can place bets based on the current score or the situation on the field.

Fortunately, there are many exciting basketball markets to bet on. In addition to being able to bet in the traditional forms described above (spreads, lines and totals), there are other markets to explore. You can bet on the quarterly spread throughout the game or the first or second half. The same goes for each quarter or half of the funding lines and totals. Bettors can even place bets on individual players and the points they will receive.

Basketball live betting

Live betting is enjoyable because it allows you to adjust your basketball bets to the current situation. You can watch the game live and make basketball predictions as the game unfolds before your eyes. Odds constantly change, so getting accurate basketball tips can sometimes be challenging.

Watching the games you are betting on can provide you with more valuable information when placing your bets. Most bookmakers offer free live basketball, but you must meet specific requirements to access it. Typically, bookmakers require users to have a registered account and funds in the account. Some bookmakers only offer free live streaming to users who have placed the minimum wager in the past 24 hours. As you can see, these requirements are easy to meet, and the wide variety of broadcast games creates a better betting experience for bettors.

Best bookmakers for basketball betting

To be successful in sports betting, you need to find the best basketball betting tips and the best basketball odds. This is done by finding quality bookmakers that can give you better odds than others. Before choosing an online bookmaker, it is worth analysing some essential factors. The following are the main ones:

  • Various basketball games and markets
  • high basketball odds
  • Free streaming of NBA, Euroleague and other events
  • Welcome Bonuses and Promotions

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