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How American billionaires grew their fortune during the coronavirus pandemic

Sean Hall
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How American billionaires grew their fortune during the coronavirus pandemic

American billionaires grew a massive $637 billion during the coronavirus pandemic. American billionaires Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg added the biggest gains to their fortune, with Bezos adding $34.6 billion to his wealth and Zuckerberg adding $25 billion. 600 other billionaires added eye watering amounts of money to their current wealth. The coronavirus pandemic has rewarded many of the country’s wealthiest, even though the economy and labor force struggled in its wake. This is due to a variety of factors. One of these is the fact that many more people are staying home, with many across the globe in lockdown and being forced to stay home.

This in turn led to a huge increase in online shopping and general online use. Those billionaires involved in the tech or online industry saw huge gains due to this, with the lockdowns and the pandemic in general benefitting them greatly. While the American unemployment rate rose significantly due to businesses not having enough traffic to afford workers anymore, the economy dipped accordingly. Billionaires during this time period grew their fortunes. This is also partly because the government lends more aid to larger companies. This allowed them to be bailed out from the damage of the pandemic and to continue to grow despite the struggles that many other small businesses faced.

This government assistance was demonstrated once before during the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008. The US government gave a bailout package to banks which helped to keep them afloat. However, after the stock market bounced back, banks had extra cash on hand to invest and allowed them to make a profit while others suffered greatly during the crisis. The same situation played out during the coronavirus pandemic, with government assistance helping those larger companies to stay afloat and allowing the billionaires at the top to continue to grow their wealth disproportionately in comparison to the rest of the country and its economy.

Google Photos Redesign Brings ‘Map View’, Auto-Play Videos and More

Jeremy Spain
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Google Photos Redesign Brings ‘Map View’, Auto-Play Videos and More

Google Photos has launched a redesigned app that the company says gives more prominence to photos and videos. It also brings search front-and-center. As part of the plan, the app now comes with three tabs – Photos, Search and Library. The app also finally gets a ‘Map View‘, which has been one of its most-requested features. Finally, the Google Photos icon is also getting a minor refresh while largely retaining the look and feel of the existing logo.

Photos

As always, the main tab will contain all your photos and videos. However, the thumbnails are now larger, while the videos will now auto-play. Google also says that there will now be less white space between photos. At the very top, you’ll also notice a larger ‘Memories‘ carousel.

Search (Includes Map View)

Google says it is putting Search front and center to help users quick access to the people, places and things that are most important to them. It will also have an interactive map view of all photos and videos, enabling users to see where exactly they have taken their photos. “If you enable location from your device camera, Location History, or manually add locations, those photos have always been organized and searchable by place in Google Photos. Rolling out today, they’ll also show up on the map view”, said Google.

Library

The Library tab contains some of the most important photo collections, including Albums, Favorites, Trash, Archive and more. For US and Canadian residents, the tab will also include Google’s Print Store, where folks will be able to order photo prints directly from Google Photos.

Other Changes

Some of the other changes include the addition of more types of ‘memories’ to the mix. The app has also done away with the ‘For You’ tab and moved the movies, collages and animations section into Memories. As mentioned already, the Google Photos icon has also received a makeover with a refreshed and simplified look while retaining the spirit of the familiar pinwheel logo.

The new, updated Google Photos will be rolling out over next week on Android and iOS.

What happens when the deceased has no will or final wishes?

Sean Hall
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What happens when the deceased has no will or final wishes?

Most people who pass away have a legally binding will, which stipulates how their estate and assets should be distributed. In some cases, however, no will can be found, which means the person died “interstate” – meaning without a will or final testament.

It is believed that if you die without a will, your estate goes directly to the Crown. This is not true. The Succession Act 2006 outlines that eligible relatives will inherit your estate. These are known as intestacy rules. It is only if you do not have any eligible relatives or family contacts that your estate will be passed on to the State.

To avoid any confusion, it is strongly recommended that you make a will. This ensures that your family is protected if you suddenly pass away. Having control over your estate also ensures that you can leave your estates to those who need it the most.

Key events of the presidency of George W. Bush

Sophia Masters
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Key events of the presidency of George W. Bush

In January 2001 George W. Bush became the 43rd President of the United States. He was a member of the Republican Party and served two terms as President, from 2001 until 2009. Throughout his 8 years as President, his Vice President, Dick Cheney, remained by his side. George W. Bush was also the 46th governor of Texas from 1995 until 2000.

Becoming the leader of the free world certainly came with a lot of different challenges, like it typically does. One of the most defining moments of George W. Bush’s presidency was the 9-11 terrorist attack. Every American alive at the time remembers what they were doing that day and when they found out what happened.

While that was certainly the most memorable moments of his presidency, there were a number of other key events that shaped the presidency of George W. Bush, have a read on below to find out more:

Start of Presidency

George W. Bush was inaugurated into the White House on January 20, 2001. By doing so he became the second son of a President to take office. Just two days after being in office he bans aid for abortion. It was known as his first policy and was initiated during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, although throughout the presidency of Bill Clinton, it was not enforced.

Also, less than a month into his first term, he sent in United States planes to attack Iraqi radar locations. In June 2001 he approves a whopping $1.35 trillion tax cut, which reduced income tax rates for many Americans. The relationship between the United States and China also changed when he pledged military support for Taiwan.

Terror Attacks

George W. Bush wasn’t even in office for a year when he had to deal with the biggest terrorist attack on US soil since Pearl Harbor. Terrorists hijacked a total of four commercial airplanes, crashing two into the World Trade Centre, one into the Pentagon and another in the Pennsylvanian countryside. Deaths from this terror attack is said to be around 3,000.

George W. Bush addressed the nation and vowed to bring those responsible for the attacks, Al Qaeda (the founder was Osama bin Laden) to justice. It didn’t take too long before America rallied and got international support and they invaded Afghanistan. In October 2001, George W. Bush officially announced that there has been military action in Afghanistan.

The Recession

There was quite a significant amount of financial deregulation throughout George W. Bush’s term as President. There were fears by many about a looming financial recession before it actually happened, and despite the best efforts of those in office, America, and pretty much the rest of the world fell into a recession.

Iraq War

In March of 2003, George W. Bush addressed the nation and officially declared war on Iraq. By May of the same year he declared that it was mission accomplished and planed to reduce the number of troops in the area. Things started to escalate over the years and in 2006 the Iraqi government requested that America reduce the number of troops in their country, a request that George W. Bush denied.

The next year in 2007, the Congress passed a bill to withdraw all troops from Iraq within a year, which George W. Bush went on to veto. Eventually the amount of troops in Iraq did start to decline, from 168,000 in September of 2007 to just under 150,000 when George W. Bush left the White House. To this day there are still American troops in Iraq, as well as Afghanistan, and other places.

Is a quicker COVID-19 test possible?

Georgia Packer
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Is a quicker COVID-19 test possible?

As the world adapts to a new “COVID-normal” world, health news has primarily focused on vaccine developments, herd immunity, case numbers and fatality rates. However, more and more experts are focusing on reducing testing times as a way of adjusting to life after the pandemic.

How tests are conducted now

Currently, COVID-19 testing relies predominantly on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which are collected via nasal and throat swabs. While these tests aren’t overly invasive, the main problem with them is the time-delay; it takes 24 hours to get a result. Unfortunately, results can only be generated as quickly as the resources allow for, meaning some people are isolating for days and days before receiving their result. Naturally, this isn’t a practical long-term solution.

What are point-of-care tests?

Experts in Australia are arguing that point-of-care tests should be considered for future use, especially if vaccine efforts aren’t successful. An example of a point-of-care test would be a finger pinprick, which would be able to check for coronavirus antibodies. They aren’t as invasive as the current testing methods, and results can be released in 15 minutes.

How could they help?

Because more point-of-care tests could be administered at a quicker rate, state and federal governments would be able to develop a more reliable and accurate picture of where the virus is in the community. These tests could also help integrate some normality back to life, where they could be used in large workplaces, health facilities, schools and other facilities where large gatherings take place.

Such testing measures could also be used for airlines and allow countries to ease restrictions at a quicker rate. Borders could be opened, and domestic/international travel could return over a gradual period.

What’s the drawback?

One of the main drawbacks with this type of testing is that they cannot determine if someone is currently infectious, or recently been infected but is no longer contagious or symptomatic.

The Democratic Party is the oldest active political party in history

Sophia Masters
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The Democratic Party is the oldest active political party in history

The Democratic Party is the oldest active political party in history. It remains one of the two main parties in the United States’ two-party political system, along with the Republican Party. Much like the Republic Party, the Democrats’ ideological base has changed rather significantly over time. Let’s check out some of the Party’s most pivotal moments and individuals.

The beginning

The Party was founded in 1828 and evolved around the Democratic-Republican Party from 1792. Andrew Jackson was the first Democratic President of the United States when he was elected in 1829 (serving until 1837). During the Party’s early formations, they supported minimal government intervention, enhanced state sovereignty, opposed the construction of a national bank and high tariffs.

When did it all change?

Like the Republican Party, the Democrats underwent a seismic ideological shift during the 19th century. With the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, the Party’s ethos irrevocably changed, as the Party pursued the New Deal Coalition to combat the effects of The Great Depression and institute modern liberalism in the United States.

The Roosevelt Administration passed reforms designed to alleviate economic fragility, promote spending and coordinate structural reform. Roosevelt is the only President to have served more than two terms, having won four consecutive elections. He died in office in 1945, shortly after the Second World War.

The Democratic Party today

In its current ideational formation, the Democratic Party can be categorised as upholding modern liberalism, centrism, left-wing populism and progressivism. In recent years, the Democratic Party has engendered more radically progressive candidates, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib (colloquially known as “The Squad” in the US Congress). Indeed, the group has been defined as representing a new generation of diverse, young political leaders, advocating for more progressive policies such as the Green New Deal.

How the Black Lives Matter movement gained traction

Sophia Masters
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How the Black Lives Matter movement gained traction

Support for the Black Lives Matter movement has gained massive popularity due to the increase in police shootings of several unarmed African Americans in the United States by police officers. Furthermore, anti-racist literature and race-centric books are dominating the New York Times and Amazon bestseller lists. To top this off, several protests have been demonstrated in almost all major US states with many turning into violent riots coupled with looters. With the country expressing increased rates of racism due to approval from government sources such as the US president, many decided that enough was enough for them. As a result, the US has become much more politically active with many fighting for racial and gender rights, as well as a plethora of other issues.

The demands being shouted by the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protestors include the resignation of various police chiefs as well as the resignation and conviction of numerous officers involved in unarmed killings of black people. This is especially true for the George Floyd murder, which sparked the protests up again and ultimately was what helped give major publicity to the BLM movement and launched the protests across the country. Shootings of unarmed black people continued to surface and spread across social media platforms, coupled with police’s violent retribution against protestors helped to further grow the movement and gain its traction. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, people are angry and feel oppressed and thus support for the movement continues to grow in the emotionally charged movement.

American voter’s support for the BLM movement continues to grow and doesn’t look to be slowing down, with BLM protestors actions gaining results.

BLM will continue to grow in number and support and will continue to fight until they have achieved their goals and vision.

Why mass shootings have become more and more frequent

Ben Keane
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Why mass shootings have become more and more frequent

Public mass shootings have become much more frequent in the US as well as being displayed on the media. Furthermore, they are becoming deadlier, claiming more lives per shooting as well their frequency becoming alarmingly high.

This is due to a variety of factors that have influenced the shooters to commit these acts as well as for more shooters to replicate ‘copycat’ shootings. The Columbine High School shooting paved the way for the rise of mass murderers, setting the formula for school shootings.

From there on, many others have committed similar acts in schools such as the Sandy Hook shooting and Virginia Tech shooting. This formula has also applied in other settings not involving schools such as the Colorado cinema shooting in which a shooter entered a cinema screening The Dark Knight rises and opening fire on moviegoers. One of the factors that contributed to the rise of these mass shooters would be the media attention. The media consistently reports on these events and almost glorifies the shooters which in turn leads others seeking attention to carry out shootings of their own to have their name paraded on TV.

In addition to this, there are others who sympathize with the shooters motives namely bullying. In the event of school shooters, most if not all have experienced some form of bullying which leads them to carry out these violent acts in a form of retribution against those who wronged them and society as a whole.

This is largely modelled on the Columbine shooters formula who shot up the high school as an act of revenge against bullies and society. Mental health issues are also on the rise amongst the young generation, which can further exasperate these issues, leading to the mass shootings. America needs to introduce further support for young people as well as measures aimed to preventing these acts from occurring more frequently than they already are.

How to avoid being a victim of identity theft

Sean Hall
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How to avoid being a victim of identity theft

Identity crime is a major issue in societies across the world. This type of crime creates a significant amount of profit for the offender, and can devastate a victim’s finances. Identify theft is a form of crime whereas the offender will assume the pre-existing identity of the victim in order to garner financial gain. This is done through the use of bank accounts and other financial institutions. There are various ways to protect yourself from becoming the victim of identity theft.

Always cover number when using an ATM

It is important to cover your number when using an ATM, and be aware of your surroundings at all times. This will prevent anyone from seeing your pin, stealing your card and using it. Moreover, check for any loose fixtures attached to the ATM. Increasingly popular, card skimmers can be attached to an ATM to record the pin and information of a card.

Be wary when receiving emails from financial institutions

Scammers will often send emails that are similar to the names of financial institutions asking for personal information. This is called phishing, and falling for this scam can result in offenders having your personal information needed to login to an online banking platform and stealing your money.

Ensure that your antivirus software is up to date

Antivirus software is a good defence against viruses that would steal information from your computer. These can include keyloggers, which record information that is typed into your computer.

These are some tips you can use to avoid being a victim of identity theft. They are relatively simple to follow, but effective in their cause. Identify theft can easily be committed by an offender, but just as easily be prevented. In following these tips, you reduce the likelihood of being a victim of identity theft significantly.

How do celebrities influence fashion styles?

Olivia Rivers
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How do celebrities influence fashion styles?

It is well understood that celebrities have a significant influence on popular fashion trends. Everyone wants to be a celebrity, so it only makes sense that it is fashionable to try and emulate the styles they have.

Even movie stars and music artists seem to have a more significant influence on what’s trendy than professional fashion models. People identify with celebrities and want to emulate the looks that they have both in front of the camera and in their personal lives.

While celebrities’ everyday wear, when photographed by journalists, is an obvious source of inspiration for many people, there are several other ways this occurs. Social media has given celebrities a way to interact with fans on a more personal level, and this is a significant source of inspiration for their followers.

While previously celebrities were only seen in clothing that was prohibitively expensive for everyday people, they are now interacting in a more casual way via social media. It’s far more common to see the styles of home and workout wear that celebrities wear on platforms like Instagram.

Of course, sponsorships also play a massive role in the impact that celebrities have on fashion trends. When a clothing line wants to do an advertising campaign that sells a ‘look’ to the masses, they will often pay a celebrity a large sum to appear in a commercial or even just wear it while they perform an interview.

At the various red carpet ceremonies and other Hollywood events, commentators purposefully comment on the brands that celebrities are wearing on the night. This naturally gives those brands immense exposure since their name is being dropped in a casual way – it’s even more powerful when the celebrity says the brand name themselves and muses on how they love the outfit they are wearing.

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