Tag Archives: WorldNews

Alphabet’s Google to invest $10 billion in ‘digital India’

One has to wonder what the results would be if Alphabet decided to invest $10 billion in a digital Native American enterprise effort Google has announced it will invest $10 billion over the next five to seven years to accelerate India’s transition to a digital economy. India is expected to hit 650 million internet users this year.

Texas Supreme Court denies Texas GOP’s appeal to hold in-person convention this week in Houston

The Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth in 2012.

The Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth in 2012.
Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune

The Texas Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by the Republican Party of Texas seeking to host its in-person convention this week in Houston. Justices also denied a similar petition spearheaded by other party officials and Houston activist Steve Hotze.

Monday’s news effectively kills the party’s chances of holding its in-person gathering as planned, which was set to begin July 16 at Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center. As of Saturday, the State Republican Executive Committee, considered the party’s governing board, had reaffirmed the party’s commitment to proceeding with the event, which was expected to draw roughly 6,000 people.

Last week, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner directed the city’s legal department to work with Houston First Corp., the operator of the convention center, to review its contract with the party. The group later sent a letter to the party informing them that the event had been canceled. The party responded, saying it would sue Turner, the city of Houston and Houston First Corp., arguing that the gathering was protected under both the Texas and U.S. Constitutions and should be allowed to continue as planned. A Harris County judge denied a request by the party that would have let them proceed with the convention, and, soon after, the party said it would file an appeal to the Texas Supreme Court.

As the back and forth has ensued, party officials have said repeatedly that they have a contingency plan to host the event virtually.

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School shark, sold as ‘flake’ in Australian fish and chip shops, listed overseas as critically endangered

Earn your dollars differently, fools!

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Species classed as ‘conservation dependent’ under national laws so can be commercially traded despite suffering 90% drop in numbers

A shark routinely sold in Australian fish shops has been listed as critically endangered by an international conservation body, prompting environmentalists to call for stronger protection of the species.

It comes as the government is due to release an interim report into Australia’s national environmental laws, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

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The ‘cancel culture’ war is really about old elites losing power in the social media age | Nesrine Malik

Exactly!

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Those decried as ‘online mobs’ are mostly people who’ve never been able to influence conversations about their own fates

Whenever I talk to people who are suddenly concerned about “cancel culture” or “online mobs”, my first thought is always: “Where have you been for the last decade?” I’ve been online long enough and, like many others, been receiving criticism and abuse online for long enough, to know that what some see as a new pattern of virtual censure by moral purists is mostly a story about the internet, not ideology or identity.

If critics of “cancel culture” are worried about opinions, posts and writings being constantly patrolled by a growing group of haters, then I am afraid they are extremely late to the party. I cannot remember a time where I have written or posted anything without thinking: “How many ways can this possibly be misconstrued, and can I defend it if it were?” It’s not even a conscious thought process now, it’s instinct.

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