China & Russia Could Disrupt Critical US Infrastructure

Link: www.technologyreview.com

China and Russia could disrupt critical national infrastructure in the US, says intelligence report

Both China and Russia are capable of launching cyberattacks that could bring down electricity networks or hospitals, according to the latest annual US Worldwide Threat Assessment.

The threats: The 42-page report, compiled by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, cites cyberattacks, online misinformation, and election interference as the top security concerns facing the US today. It identifies China and Russia as the biggest sources of potential attacks on US infrastructure (it provides the example of natural-gas pipelines), with the ability to cause disruption for days or even weeks. The review said Russia could carry out cyber-espionage and launch influence campaigns similar to those conducted during the 2016 US presidential election, and that is “becoming more adept at using social media to alter how we think, behave, and decide.”

https://www.technologyreview.com/the-download/612849/china-and-russia-could-disrupt-us-critical-national-infrastructure-says/

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1000 Ontario Patients A Day Being Treated In The Hospital Hallway

Link: www.thestar.com

1,000 Ontario hospital patients a day being treated in corridors: Report

Roughly 1,000 hospital patients in Ontario are getting medical attention in corridors instead of proper treatment spaces on “any given day,” Dr. Rueben Devlin says in his first report to Premier Doug Ford on improving health care and ending “hallway medicine.”

While the retired head of Humber River Hospital notes there is “much to be proud of” in the provincial health care system, his report found it is “too complicated” to navigate after hearing from more than 340 patients.

https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2019/01/31/1000-ontario-hospital-patients-a-day-being-treated-in-corridors-report.html

EU Risks Pushing Venezuela Towards Civil War

Link: www.euronews.com

The Parliament has recognised Juan Guaidó as interim President of Venezuela and has called on EU Governments and Institutions to do the same until new free and transparent elections are called.

The resolution was approved with the votes of the two main groups: EPP and socialists.

In an interview with Euronews, the Ambassador of Venezuela to the EU, said this will fuel tensions in the country and as the European member states to act with responsibility.

“The European Parliament can not consider itself above the Security Council. The important thing is to ask whether the European Union is willing to take a step forward to bring Venezuela into a situation of civil war; that is the question that must be asked. Not if Venezuela wants to make changes in its democracy and in its institutional arrangement,” Claudia Salerno, Venezuela’s Ambassador to the EU.

The opposition immediately welcomed the vote in the European Parliament.

https://www.euronews.com/2019/01/31/eu-risks-pushing-venezuela-towards-civil-war-after-parliament-recognises-guaido?

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Russian Politician Detained In Connection With 2010 Murders

Link: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rauf Arashukov, a 32-year-old senator representing the Karachayevo-Cherkessia region of Russia’s Northern Caucasus, is a suspect in the 2010 murders of two people and of pressuring a witness to one of the killings, according to investigators.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/30/russian-politician-detained-parliament-connection-2010-murders/

Toxic Air Closes Schools In Thailand

Link:

Bangkok shuts hundreds of schools as some of world’s most toxic air shrouds city

(Bloomberg) — Thai officials shut hundreds of schools in Bangkok on Wednesday as some of the world’s most toxic air hung over the city.

The metropolis of about 10 million people closed 437 government schools until Friday, its local authority said, prompting private institutions to follow suit. The air quality index, or AQI, was around 170 in the afternoon, the fourth-worst major urban reading globally, according to data from AirVisual, which tracks pollution levels.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha, leader of Thailand’s military government, said he’s seeking temporary closure of some factories during pollution spikes to tackle the problem. He added that he’s ordering soldiers to inspect and report back on the worst polluters.

“In the short-term, shutting down factories may mean accepting some economic damage, but protecting public health must be the utmost priority,” said Kakuko Nagatani-Yoshida, the UN Environment Programme’s regional coordinator for chemicals, waste and air quality.

Link: www.nationalpost.com

https://nationalpost.com/news/world/bangkok-shuts-hundreds-of-schools-as-some-of-worlds-most-toxic-air-shrouds-city

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How climate change is behind this week’s extreme cold snap

With wind chill values, it could feel like –51 C in some parts of Canada and U.S.

Baby, it’s frigid outside.

A large swath of Canada, from the Prairies to Nova Scotia, is under a deep freeze. Temperatures in Winnipeg are dipping down to –36 C Monday night with a windchill of almost –50 C. In Windsor, which is typically the warmest spot in Ontario, the overnight temperature will dip to –27 C with a windchill of –40 C.

Link: www.cbc.ca

https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/climate-change-polar-vortex-1.4998820

Polar Vortex Brings Frigid Weather To Much Of Canada

Polar Vortex Brings Frigid Weather To Much Of Canada

Newslinks:

Global News – https://globalnews.ca/news/4907009/polar-vortex-canada/

Extreme cold has gripped much of Canada thanks to a hovering polar vortex.

READ MORE: Canada’s wild weather: Flowers are blooming in the west and snow is pummeling the east

Large swaths of the country are under extreme cold alerts. Stretching from Saskatchewan through Manitoba and northern regions of Ontario and into Quebec, temperatures dipped south of -50C with the windchill Wednesday. And it’s not over yet.

“This polar vortex is expanding out to include more of North America on Thursday,” said Global News chief meteorologist Anthony Farnell.

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Deep Freeze Hits Mid-west, Stops Mail Delivery

Temperatures Plummet

At least 2,700 flights were cancelled nationwide, more than half of them at Chicago’s two main airports. Another 1,800 flights scheduled for Thursday were also called off. Fuel lines at O’Hare Airport froze, forcing some planes to refuel elsewhere before continuing to their destination, an airport spokeswoman said.

www.thestar.com

NHL Rumors: Panarin, Martinook, Matthews, More

LINK: The Hockey Writers

In today’s rumor rundown there is potentially bad news out of Columbus when it comes to Artemi Panarin. Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Jets know what they want out of the trade deadline, the Carolina Hurricanes are close to an extension with one of their players and the Maple Leafs will now focus their attention on Auston

OTHER ARTICLES:

https://www.nhl.com/news/philadelphia-flyers-new-york-rangers-game-preview/c-304298072

The Game

The Philadelphia Flyers seek their season-high fifth straight win when they visit the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Market Watch: Stocks rally as the Fed keeps rates unchanged

U.S. stocks rallied Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average reclaiming the 25,000 level for the first time in over a month, after getting a double dose of boost from the Federal Reserve’s unanimous decision to stand pat on interest rates as well as solid corporate results.

Solid earnings from Boeing Co. helped to propel the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher while technology shares got a lift from better-than-expected quarterly results from Apple Inc.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stocks-point-to-gains-following-apples-results-and-as-a-fed-policy-update-looms-2019-01-30

How are the benchmarks faring?

The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +1.67% rose 467 points, or 1.9%, to 25,047, while the S&P 500 index SPX, +1.53% advanced 44 points, or 1.7%, to 2,684, and the Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, +2.11% climbed 149 points, or 2.1%, to 7,178.

LINK: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stocks-point-to-gains-following-apples-results-and-as-a-fed-policy-update-looms-2019-01-30

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Boeing stock finds its wings as Tesla: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/boeing-stock-finds-its-wings-as-tesla-revs-its-engine-2019-01-30

Boeing Airways Inc. shares are gaining altitude Wednesday, after the company forecast clear skies ahead.

The aerospace company crushed Wall Street’s expectations with its latest quarterly results, driven by record commercial-airplane deliveries and solid performance from its defense unit.

Pop star says migrants tried to sneak across border on her tour bus

A pair of migrants tried to sneak into the UK on an Australian pop singer’s tour bus, the star said.

“SCARY. We just found two people hiding in our tour bus, in the luggage carrier, trying to sneak across the border into the UK,” Amy Shark tweeted Sunday from Brussels, Belgium.

“No idea how they got in there or who they are or their plans. I didn’t think this stuff happened I’m so naive,” the singer-songwriter added.

The award-wining musician was asleep on the bus when her team found the stowaways in the luggage compartment, she told Australian broadcaster ABC on Tuesday.

LINK:

 https://nypost.com/2019/01/29/pop-star-says-migrants-tried-to-sneak-across-border-on-her-tour-bus/

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Ex-NYU ‘stalker’ professor sues alleged victim’s lawyers for defamation

She just won’t give up.

A former New York University professor who was accused of stalking Citigroup’s chief economist is now suing the man’s lawyers, claiming they shared 1,251 nude photos of her, causing her $50 million in shame and humiliation.