ofubox

[ofubox]

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Mr Pompeo was reportedly listening in on the Ukraine call that is at the centre of impeachment efforts by Democrats US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused Democrats of bullying his staff as a part of an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. He said in a tweet that requests for five officials to appear before a committee were "not feasible". Democrats are investigating whether President Trump improperly pressured Ukraine's leader for personal gain. They have been issuing summonses as part of the inquiry, which centres on a phone call between the two. The phone call sparked a formal complaint from a whistleblower which in turn led to formal impeachment proceedings beginning. A rough transcript emerged last week indicating Mr Trump urged the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate discredited allegations against former vice-president Joe Biden, a 2020 Democratic frontrunner, and Mr Biden's son. On Monday, it emerged that Mr Pompeo was present during the Ukraine call. Who's who in Trump whistleblower story? What is the Trump Ukraine story about? In other developments: Mr Trump asked Australian officials to assist with the ongoing investigation into the origin of the Mueller inquiry, Australia confirmed US Attorney-General William Barr reportedly held private meetings with Italian and British intelligence officials to ask for their help with his probe into the Mueller inquiry Two subpoenaed officials, including former US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, confirmed that they would give evidence to Congress The president's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, was subpoenaed for documents relating to Ukraine by three House committees Republican Senator Chuck Grassley - who is third in the order of succession if Mr Trump is removed - defended the whistleblower, saying they "ought to be heard out and protected" Regarding his call with Mr Trump, Ukrainian leader Mr Zelensky told the Reuters news agency: "I cannot be influenced" Mr Pompeo said the request from the House Foreign Affairs chairman Eliot Engel could be "understood only as an attempt to intimidate, bully and treat improperly the distinguished professionals of the Department of State". "I will not tolerate such tactics and I will use all means at my disposal to prevent and expose any attempts to intimidate the dedicated professionals whom I am proud to lead." The secretary of state was served with a subpoena by House Democrats last week. Media captionWhat we know about Biden-Ukraine corruption claims House Democrats have demanded that five department officials - including the former US ambassador to Ukraine and Mr Trump's special envoy to the country - appear for depositions in October as they "have direct knowledge of the subject matters". Mr Pompeo said Mr Engel's request raised questions about the authority of his committee to "compel an appearance for a deposition solely by virtue of these letters" and without a subpoena. What Trump's Ukraine phone call really means Who listens in on a president's phone call? The secretary of state also accused Mr Engel of not providing witnesses and the department with adequate time to prepare. He said the committee appeared to be attempting to circumvent the White House's "unquestionably legitimate constitutional interest in protecting potentially privileged information related to the conduct of diplomatic relations". In response to Mr Pompeo's letter, three Democratic committee leaders said failure to comply with their interview request was illegal and "will constitute evidence of obstruction". "He should immediately cease intimidating Department witnesses in order to protect himself and the President," said the letter signed by Congressmen Eliot Engel, Adam Schiff, and Elijah Cummings. Quick facts on impeachment Impeachment is the first part - the charges - of a two-stage political process by which Congress can remove a president from office If the House of Representatives votes to pass articles of impeachment, the Senate is forced to hold a trial A Senate vote requires a two-thirds majority to convict - unlikely in this case, given that Mr Trump's party controls the chamber Only two US presidents in history - Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson - have been impeached but neither was convicted and removed President Nixon resigned before he could have been impeached

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/10/trump-impeachment-pompeo-accuses.html

[ofubox]

A Muslim and Christian lesbian couple got married and the photos from their wedding were shared online. The Muslim woman wore a hijab for the ceremony. Both women were in a white dress as they posed surrounded by nature. The photos were shared with the caption: "A Muslim and a Christian who say yes. progress." But a number of Twitter users did not agree that it was progress due to the fact that the couple are not only of different religions but also of same sex. They condemned the union and insisted the Muslim woman is not a true Muslim because she ended up taking off her hijab. Below are a few comments from Twitter users. 

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/10/outrage-as-muslim-and-christian-lesbian.html

[ofubox]

5 Boris Johnson will send his 'final offer' to the EU on WednesdayCredit: Simon Jones - The Sun 5 The PM has revealed he has just 10 days to secure a new Brexit deal with the EU

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/10/boris-johnson-tells-sun-he-has-just-ten.html

[ofubox]

A video making rounds online captured the moment White House reporters ran for cover after a mouse fell from the ceiling of the presidential villa's press booth.  The rodent which fell on the lap of NBC News White House correspondent Peter Alexander at about 10:45 a.m on Tuesday october 1, eventually sought refuge amid a tangle of wires behind a shelf. Confirming the short drama that ensued, some of the White House correspondents including Reuters' Steve Holland tweeted photos of journalists scrambling in the press room as they searched for the mouse as it ran around the booth. 

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/10/reporters-flee-as-mouse-falls-from.html

[ofubox]

Tyler Perry was honoured Tuesday October 1st with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. During the ceremony, the media mogul was joined by actors he formerly directed throughout his career including Kerry Washington, Idris Elba and Crystal Fox. Perry went on to deliver a powerful speech, dedicating the recognition to the underdogs. He said on getting to the podium that this major accomplishment is meant to serve as a source of inspiration for those "whose dreams may be on life support." "I want you to walk past this star in particular and know that I've been there," he said. "I've been struggling, I've been out, broke, homeless. I've been through all of those things, but there was perseverance, tremendous faith in God, and this hope that allowed me to keep going." He added that he hopes those walking past his star will feel seen and can take at least a few things away when they see his name. "So, if you're looking at all of these stars," he added. "I'm sure everybody has a story here who's been immortalized here, but this one, in particular, is for the underdogs. This one, in particular, is for the ones who want to do it their way. This one, in particular, is for those who want to bring as many people through the door with them as they can." He later shared the news to Instagram, writing: Ok, let me explain this photo. So I got a star today on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Thank you chamber!! I’m so grateful, but onto this photo. @only1crystalfox spoke and moved me. @kerrywashington spoke, and we both were in tears. Then @idriselba came up to speak, and they all were so powerful. I was so moved. To look out and see all the cast from all the shows that I have created made my heart so full. To be able to give opportunities to so many was just so humbling to me. Anyway, the photogs were asking for photos so at that moment the BEAUTIFUL KERRY WASHINGTON was leaving, and they all started snapping pictures of her!! Look at my face. We had such a good laugh about this. Thank you everyone for your support and love all these years. My Mamma would be so proud. Watch video below.

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/10/tyler-perry-gets-star-on-hollywood-walk.html

[ofubox]

In a lengthy statement published on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's website, Harry alleged the paper had "unlawfully" published a letter from her to her father  6 Prince Harry said Meghan Markle had been 'vilified' by the pressCredit: AP:Associated Press 6 Prince Harry said the royal couple had been driven to take legal action after 'painful' impact of 'relentless propaganda' against his wife from the press 6 Meghan Markle has started legal action against the Mail on Sunday over a claim that it unlawfully published one of her private letterCredit: Reuters Meghan Markle insists the letter - which detailed her pain at their estrangement since the Royal Wedding - was private. In a statement revealing the legal action, Prince Harry claimed the couple were suffering from the "painful" impact of "relentless propaganda" against Meghan. Referencing press coverage of his mother Princess Diana, the Duke said his "deepest fear is history repeating itself". He wrote: "I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person. “I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.” The statement appeared to break unofficial protocol by discussing personal matters while in the middle of a Royal tour. And it is unclear whether The Queen formally sanctioned the statement or its timing. The outpouring comes after a string of stories about the Royal couple. They include charges of hypocrisy over Harry and Meghan campaigning for climate change while using private jets and Harry attending a Google conference on board a mega-yacht. The couple have also faced criticism over the £2.4m cost of refurbishing their home Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate. 'PAINFUL' In his statement, Harry said he and Meghan believed in “media freedom and objective, truthful reporting” as a “cornerstone of democracy”. But he added: “Unfortunately, my wife has become one of the latest victims of a British tabloid press that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences - a ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son. “There is a human cost to this relentless propaganda, specifically when it is knowingly false and malicious, and though we have continued to put on a brave face - as so many of you can relate to - I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been. “Because in today’s digital age, press fabrications are repurposed as truth across the globe. One day’s coverage is no longer tomorrow’s chip-paper.” Harry, who is represented by high-powered London legal firm Harbottle & Lewis who have made several complaints to newspapers on his behalf, also claimed the couple had been unable to correct “continual misrepresentations” in the press. He also even questioned the positive newspaper coverage the couple have enjoyed during their current Southern African tour. The Duke and Duchess have been pictured every day since last week attending a series of events to highlight good causes close to their hearts. Each visit has been crafted by a team of public relations experts to help improve their image. That included Harry’s visit to land mine fields in Angola - just like Diana did in the 1990s and a rare public appearance by their baby son Archie. 'DOUBLE STANDARDS' But the Prince claimed this “positive” coverage of himself and Meghan on the tour exposed “the double standards” of the press. He added: “She is the same woman she was a year ago on our wedding day, just as she is the same woman you’ve seen on this Africa tour. “I have been a silent witness to her private suffering for too long. To stand back and do nothing would be contrary to everything we believe in.” Meghan started the costly legal action against the Mail on Sunday newspaper over an allegation it “unlawfully” published a letter from her to her father Thomas Markle earlier this year. The Duchess insists the letter - which detailed her pain at their estrangement since the Wedding - was private. Law firm Schillings, representing the Duchess, said she had filed a High Court claim against the paper and its parent company Associated Newspapers over the alleged misuse of private information, infringement of copyright and breach of the Data Protection Act 2018. The legal proceedings in the Chancery Division of the High Court are being privately funded by Harry and Meghan. Depending on the court ruling, proceeds from any damages will be donated to an anti-bullying charity. In response to Harry's statement, Royal author and Prince Charles’ biographer Penny Junor said: “This is the most extraordinary statement and goes way beyond anything I have ever seen issued by a member of the royal family. “I completely understand that Harry should feel protective about his wife and there have undoubtedly been some negative stories in the last nine months that must have hurt - but not exclusively in the Mail on Sunday - and they have not all been lies, nor I would suggest, part of a ruthless campaign. “The positive coverage of this last week in Africa is richly deserved. This feels to me like an over-emotional and somewhat ill- advised outburst.” A Mail on Sunday spokesman said: "The Mail on Sunday stands by the story it published and will be defending this case vigorously. "Specifically, we categorically deny that the Duchess’s letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning." 6 Meghan Markle, pictured today, discussing gender based violence in JohannesburgCredit: Paul Edwards - The Sun 6 Meghan Markle and Prince Harry with their newborn son, ArchieCredit: Alamy Live News 6 The royal couple have come in for criticism for their use of private jetsCredit: The Mega Agency Frogmore Cottage, the home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, cost £2.4m to refurbish

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/10/prince-harry-has-revealed-his-wife.html

[ofubox]

The Destiny's Child singer's 67-year-old dad is set to reveal his battle against the disease on Good Morning America on Wednesday. 5 Beyonce's father Mathew has been diagnosed with breast cancer (pictured with Tina Knowles in 2005) Mathew spoke to GMA's Michael Strahan, which they revealed in a teaser clip for the exclusive pre-recorded interview on Twitter on Tuesday. Strahan is seen asking the music business executive: "How was it to tell your family about the diagnosis?" The former manager of Destiny's Child - which launched his daughter Beyonce to super stardom - is seen wearing black-framed glasses and a charcoal trouser suit. His white shirt is open collared as he sits opposite the television host for the revelation. 5 The Destiny's Child singer's 67-year-old dad is set to reveal his battle against the disease on Good Morning America on Wednesday Mathew also shared to his own Twitter account that he would be making an announcement on the popular breakfast TV show. He split from Beyonce's mum Tina in 2011 after 30 years of marriage, and shares daughters Beyonce and Solange with his ex-wife. The music manager also shares daughter Koi and son Nixon with current wife Gena Avery. Mathew is a longtime supporter of his daughters' careers, especially Bey's. 5 Mathew is a longtime supporter of his daughters' careers, especially Bey's 5 Beyonce and her father Mathew Knowles were seen arriving together at the 47th Annual GRAMMY Awards "I think that's the beauty of her creativity and I think that's what makes it so special, is that it relates to everyone," he told E! News after the release of Lemonade in 2016. He added: "Every one of us have been disappointed before and have had to go through the grieving process of anger and, you know, disappointment and then acceptance and forgiveness. "And I think that's why this again is touching so many people, because it's universal. Everybody can relate to it." Mathew founded his music management company in 1992 and managed Destiny's Child who had their first hit in 1999, as well as producing or executive producing their music. He was accused by members of the band of favouritism for his daughter Beyonce and Kelly Rowland. 5 Destiny's Child and their manager Mathew Knowles pose in October 2000

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/10/beyonces-father-mathew-knowles-has-been.html

[ofubox]

Back in May, at Google’s I/O Developer Conference, the company demonstrated its new Duplex system, an AI-powered virtual assistant that makes phone calls to organize your schedule for you. The audience watched a recording of Duplex making bookings at a restaurant and hair salon. They laughed in surprise when it ‘mmm-hmmm’d its way through the conversation, apparently convincing the person on the other end of the phone that they were, in fact, talking to a fellow human being. This unexpectedly convincing demonstration set social media buzzing – and in the process, it raised a question. Does Duplex’s capabilities for reading and sending conversational signals show that a machine is capable of empathy? This is one of the most critical questions in the developing debate around AI, its role in society, and the extent to which it will disrupt creative industries such marketing. Can a machine have empathy? The three responses I wanted to get a sense of the different opinions out there – and so I decided to ask the question in my LinkedIn feed: Can a machine have empathy? It was the start of a fascinating discussion stream with some intriguing responses. Broadly speaking, these answers fell into three categories. I think these are a pretty good representation of the views that professionals have of AI’s capabilities – and their views about how those capabilities could be used. The first type of response is that yes it can, or yes it will, because AI is ultimately capable of anything the human brain is capable of. As one of the commenters on my question put it, Empathy can be programmed like us. We are machines… the brain is a very good computer but still any ordinary analogically programmed Quantum computer.” The second response is that no, it can’t, because empathy is a uniquely human characteristic and not something a machine is capable of experiencing: Empathy entails not only a sense of self, but also experiencing the emotions of someone else (more or less)—to feel another’s pain… We do not understand consciousness in humans, let alone possess the ability to create it—with verification—artificially.” The third type of response is particularly intriguing. It’s a question of its own: if a machine appears to have empathy, does it really matter if that empathy is real or not? It amounts to functionally the same thing, whether that machine is feeling the same emotions as us or merely deducing those emotions from the signals we send, and coming up with the most appropriate response: “let's imagine we can't tell the difference if it is genuine or not, because a robot has learned the mimic and structure of empathic behaviour, are we still able to look at the robot as a machine?” I’m writing this post to share my own view, but also to answer the question raised in the third type of response that I received. Does the distinction between real and ‘artificial empathy’ matter? I believe that it does. Especially in marketing.Why machines are incapable of true empathy First though, let’s go back to the original question: can a machine have empathy? I’ll put my cards on the table here. I don’t think this is a matter of opinion – and I don’t think it’s one of those questions where the answer may change in the future. A machine cannot have empathy by definition. It comes down to what empathy is – and what a machine is. The full definition of empathy in the Oxford English Dictionary is this: “the power of mentally identifying oneself with (and so fully comprehending) a person or object of contemplation.” Machines cannot mentally identify themselves with human beings because what goes on in the mind of a human being involves things that a machine can never experience for itself, no matter how advanced and deep-learning-driven its own processes might be. For the same reason, a machine will never fully comprehend a human being. As we discuss the role of AI in society in general, and in marketing in particular, it’s important to be clear about why this is. Feeling machines that think The neuroscientist, Antonio Damasio describes it like this: we are not thinking machines that feel; rather, we are feeling machines that think. Human consciousness involves a lot, lot more than rational cognition. In fact, that ability for rational thought is a byproduct of most of the other aspects of our consciousness – not our brain’s driving force. Our conscious life is driven by the way that we experience the world through our senses: a combination of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell that no machine will ever experience in the same way. It’s also driven by powerful biological impulses and needs. No machine will ever feel what it means to be hungry or thirsty; no machine is moved and motivated by the drive to have sex and all the attendant emotions that spin around it; no machine fears homelessness or feels the intense vulnerability that comes from fear for your physical safety. Finally, and no less significantly, our consciousness is shaped by the collective intelligence and cultural memory that comes from being part of the human race. We have collectively channelled our shared emotions and sensory experiences into stories, conversations, shared jokes, sarcasm, symbolism and incredibly subtle psychological signals for many thousands of years. That same collective intelligence develops ethics and values that we can all instinctively agree with; it makes sense of money and systems of fair trade; it agrees on concepts that aren’t logically concrete but are perfectly solid in our minds. Nothing else communicates like human beings – and human beings communicate with nothing else the way they do with one another. This is significant, because the only way to acquire a share in our collective intelligence is to be interacted with as a human being yourself. Unless we engage with machines in the same, full way that we do with other human beings, this collective experience and intelligence is simply not available to them. They are not part of the empathy club. Artificial Intelligence doesn’t replicate human intelligence When people talk about the human brain operating like a computer or about AI learning in the same way that a human being does, they are guessing. In fact, they are part of a long tradition of guessing at how the brain works – and what really makes our consciousness tick. Whenever we invent a new technology, there’s a powerful temptation to start using that technology as an analogy for how the brain functions. When we invented electricity, we started talking about electric currents in the brain; when we invented the telegram, we decided it worked by sending signals. Every time you talk about the cogs whirring away trying to figure something out, you’re harking back to the era when we invented clockwork and became convinced that something similar was going on inside our heads. The conviction many people now have that the human brain works like a computer (and is therefore primarily a logic machine) is just our latest guess. We really don’t know how the brain works and how that working produces our consciousness. It’s therefore highly unlikely that we replicated the human brain when we invented computers – or developed AI. These are the reasons why I agree passionately with the second of the responses to my question in the LinkedIn feed. When we claim that a machine can feel empathy, we’re guilty of reducing the immense, mysterious workings of the human brain and human consciousness down to something that can be understood, replicated and mimicked through a machine driven by logic. It’s not so much that we’re overestimating the capabilities of AI – it’s that we’re severely underestimating how complex our own capabilities are. What’s the difference between Artificial Empathy and the real thing? That brings me to the second question – does it matter that Artificial Empathy isn’t true empathy if it still interacts with us in the same way? I believe it matters a lot. If we proceed with AI on the basis that it doesn’t, the implications will be huge. Artificial Empathy works by observing, learning, responding to and replicating the signals that people send. As deep-learning AIs evolve, and as they are able to work on larger and larger data sets, they’ll get better and better at doing this – of producing the appearance of empathy. However, true empathy involves a lot more than merely observing and responding to emotional signals, no matter how many of those signals you have to work with. Why? Because the signals that people send are a tiny fraction of the internal narrative that they experience. You and I are both far more than the sum of what other people think we are by watching what we do and say. We contain capabilities, emotions, memories and experiences that influence our behaviour without ever coming to the surface. They have to be intuited without ever actually being observed. Beyond rationality: what human empathy is capable of Human intelligence is so powerful because it is not limited to rational thinking. The other elements of our consciousness enable us to deal with the inherent unpredictability and ambiguity of the world around us. They enable us to make decisions on the basis of shared values and motivations that resonate collectively and enable us to know what is right without having to figure out what is right. Empathetic human intelligence is able to feel what it feels to be sad, and feel what it feels to be happy – and it allows those feelings to sway its judgments and its behaviour towards others. A machine couldn’t do that, even if it wanted to. Things become complicated when machines start taking decisions that have profound consequences, without the emotional context and shared values that all humans use when making such decisions. This was one of the key themes in the piece that Henry Kissinger recently wrote on the implications of AI, for The Atlantic. Take the self-driving car that must decide between killing a parent or a child. Will such a machine ever be able to explain to human beings why it makes the choice that it does? And if it’s not required to explain actions with human consequences in human terms, what becomes of our system of ethics and justice? It will need to be rewritten, simplified and stripped of emotion in order to accommodate such machines. As a result, it will feel less representative of us as human beings. Beware a Narrow AI definition of marketing A similar process would occur if we substituted artificial empathy for human empathy when it comes to marketing. AI can impersonate human interactions, but with a far narrower understanding of what’s going on than a human being would have. We have to bear this in mind when we choose the role that AI should play in engaging with audiences or directing marketing strategies. Google’s Duplex may have the appearance of empathy, but that empathy is strictly limited to what’s relevant to the task at hand: completing a restaurant booking, for example. It’s not trained to detect any emotion outside of this – or readjust its behaviour on that basis. If the person on the other end of the phone sounded disorganised and stressed could Duplex respond? Could it make them feel better? Could it thereby charm them into somehow finding a slot for them at a busy time? And from the restaurant’s point of view, will the person making the booking be as likely to actually turn up – or will they feel less obligation to do so, since they never actually spoke to the restaurant themselves? There’s a lot more to human conversation than exchanging information efficiently – and that’s where the implications of real and artificial empathy start to become particularly significant. It’s not just one-to-one conversations that are affected by the difference between real and artificial empathy. It’s also the conversations that you hold with the market and your audience in general. Marketing is the process of creating a proposition that has value for people, and which they will exchange value for. Up to now, marketers and their audiences have been able to feel that value in broad and varied terms that reflects what it means to be alive. Brands and their products and solutions provide functions and services but also reassurance, confidence and certainty; a sense of support and potentially even belonging. And don’t think I’m just talking about consumer brands here. B2B marketing addresses some of the most powerful motivations and emotions that a human being can feel: around security, hopes for the future, the ability to provide for others, personal value and worth. If we start to hand fundamental strategic decisions about marketing to AI, then the definition of value will narrow with startling speed. It will be based around what can easily be observed, measured and communicated – the kinds of things that machines can feel artificial empathy for. It will offer efficient optimisation of particular aspects of a marketing proposition – but the risk is that it ignores the other elements that engage human consciousness in different ways. Smart B2B marketers know the dangers of talking about price when their buyers really want reassurance on value. They know the importance of instilling confidence over and above simply describing product features. Perhaps most importantly, they know that what a buyer describes as being the basis for their decision is often not the only basis for their decision. It’s not just what’s observable that matters. Does AI make better judgments – or just more efficient ones? Much of the fear that people express about AI involves being replaced by a superior form of intelligence that can think in ways that we can’t conceive of and outcompete us in almost every role we can imagine. I believe that the real danger is subtly different: that we downgrade our own intelligence and unique capacity for empathy because a far narrower artificial version is capable of doing some things in a more efficient way. Unless they are fully aware of these risks, organisations that plan on unlocking vast new forms of competitive advantage through AI could end up narrowing the scope of what they are capable of instead. I work for LinkedIn, which is itself owned by Microsoft: two businesses that are developing exciting applications of AI but which also spend a lot of time thinking about how that technology can be ethically used, and what impact it has on society.  Microsoft thought leaders talk about building self-limiting considerations into AI systems, for example, describing AIs that know “when they need to get out of the way.” That’s hugely important at all levels of marketing and business. There are exciting times ahead for applying AI in marketing, including applications that can detect emotional signals at scale and provide us with new depths of audience understanding. As marketers, AI tools can make us more responsive to our audiences on an emotional level – but only if we see them as an input for human empathy rather than a substitute for it. The secret to making best use of artificial empathy will be recognising its limitations compared to the real thing. Effective leadership in an age of AI involves recognising that a world of sensory, emotive, complex and conscious beings cannot be navigated by logic and observation alone.

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/09/can-machine-have-empathy.html

[ofubox]

United Nations, New York City - As the Climate Action Summit wrapped up at the United Nations in New York City on Monday, environmental activists almost universally concluded that not enough had been done to stop global warming and stem the climate crisis. Despite some significant commitments from small and medium-sized countries to limit emissions - and a few other notable announcements - the long-heralded gathering lacked any big moves by major nations. A total of 66 countries enhanced their national pledges to curtail greenhouse gas pollution, but those states represented barely one-fifteenth of world emissions. French President Emanuel Macron said in his address that the European Union would work towards more ambitious targets by early next year, and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that his country was striving for an unprecedented amount of renewable energy. "For the most part, world leaders did not deliver what was needed in New York today," said Greenpeace International's Executive Director Jennifer Morgan.  "We saw millions of people pour on to the streets on Friday, making it clear they will no longer accept apathy, excuses and inaction from weak political leaders incapable of standing up," Morgan added. She said it is "time to address corporate power and the hold it has over politics" and it is "time to stare down the fossil fuel industry and the banks that finance them, challenge their suffocating omnipresence and demand they take responsibility for the human rights impacts of the climate crisis." 'Running out of time' Helen Mountford, the vice president for climate and economics at the World Resources Institute, said that the growing demand for action has resulted in a flurry of private-sector and investor actions. While she said there was a lack of "climate leadership" from many of the biggest emitters, on a call with reporters, she praised the "realisation of the need to shift to a low-carbon economy". She said Russia had just announced its ratification of the 2016 Paris Agreement, and noted that "30 countries, 22 states and 31 corporates have committed to powering past coal". But Oxfam International Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said the accomplishments fell short. "Good intentions and recycled commitments will not protect the millions of people on the front lines of the climate crisis," said Byanyima. "This largely disappointing set of outcomes from the Climate Action Summit raises the stakes even higher for the upcoming COP25 and 2020, when leaders have another chance," she added.  "We cannot keep pushing these decisions down the road. We are running out of time," she said, adding that "the young climate leaders have made it clear that they will not stop until they see action." Shortcomings on Monday were blamed on national politics that prevented some countries from moving forward. Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation, said at a press briefing, "You cannot be on track for 2050 if you don't do a number of things immediately ... at the domestic level to say what trajectories the countries can take." Tubiana complimented the "connections between governments and progressive activists". "This is a win," she told Al Jazeera. "The UN secretary-general was so clear, so courageous in historically demanding what is needed - and not compromising," she added. "That is a new thing in the UN system. It sets the bar ... for some countries and companies and cities." 'A tectonic shift' But many climate advocates said that governments were simply not acting at the level necessary for dealing with the climate emergency. "World leaders say they know 'our house is on fire', but they are adding more fuel to the flames," said May Boeve, the executive director of 350.org. Despite this, Boeve said that "over the last few months, there has been a tectonic shift in climate politics." "The climate strikes are having an impact," she said. "Momentum is on our side and what we're seeing today is politicians stumbling over themselves to catch up." Student climate strikers took to the streets on Friday in more than 4,500 locations around the world [Ben Piven/Al Jazeera] She pointed to protests this morning in Washington, DC, as well as ongoing actions this week across the US and Europe. Boeve also said that protests next Friday would occur in Canada, Spain, Italy, New Zealand and other countries. Other groups also plan to hold actions this week centred on climate. On Tuesday, a delegation from Brazil, supported by Amazon Watch, is expected deliver a petition with nearly 240,000 signatures to the headquarters of BlackRock - the world's largest fund manager - to protest the company's investment in industries contributing to deforestation of the Amazon, as well as the policies of Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro. And while heads of state meet on Tuesday and Wednesday at the General Assembly and Sustainable Development Goals Summit, dozens of activists and civil society organisations are set to hold a parallel People's Assembly to demand world leaders take urgent action on climate justice and inequality. Harjeet Singh, ActionAid's global lead on climate change, said Monday's "summit was supposed to be a turning point, but we have seen an exceptional lack of commitment from the biggest and richest polluting countries that continue to take trivial measures towards solving a life or death crisis." Singh added, "the countries that have responded with the most concrete actions are the ones most vulnerable to climate impacts."

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/09/more-fuel-to-flames-climate-advocates.html

[ofubox]

Lionel Messi on Monday night beat Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil Van Dijk to the FIFA Best Men's 2019 award despite not winning the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona or the Copa America with Argentina... LIBers do you think Ronaldo deserved the award more than Messi? Or Van Dijk should have won it? Lionel Messi of Argentina/Barcelona defeated Netherlands and Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal/Juventus to clinch the FIFA Best Men's player of the year award. The award show, in it's second year of operation awarded the price of Best Men's player to the Argentine who won the Spanish League with Barcelona but was ousted in the Champions League by Liverpool. He also helped his nation in Copa America but didn't come out with major honours.

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/09/lionel-messi-wins-2019-fifa-best-mens.html

[ofubox]

Liverpool head coach, Jurgen Klopp has been named as the world's best coach at the 2019 FIFA Football Awards. The 52-year-old former Borussia Dortmund boss beat  Pep Guardiola of Manchester City and Mauricio Pochettino of Tottenham Hotspur to win the award at an ongoing ceremony  in Milan this evening(Sept 23).  In his acceptance speech, Klopp who earned the award for guiding Liverpool to their sixth European Cup triumph as well as winning the Super Cup said : “Sorry,” Klopp said. “Wow… it’s quite heavy.” “What can I say? I have to thank a lot of people and start with my family, it’s great. “No one would have expected this, 20, five, four years ago. We all know what an incredible job you (Mauricio Pochettino) and Pep did. “I have to thank my outstanding club Liverpool FC, to the owners and my team. “You can only be as good as your team. I’m lucky to have such an incredible bunch of players."

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/09/klopp-named-worlds-best-coach-at-2019.html

[ofubox]

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/09/emmys-2019-winners-list.html

[ofubox]

Brits in Greece, Mexico and Spain are waiting to be repatriated back to the UK after the travel giant collapsed. 21 This passenger sleeps on the floor while waiting for answers at the airport in Palma de Majorca in MajorcaCredit: EPA 21 Passengers looked concerned while queuing up at the Thomas Cook check-in desk at Cancun International Airport - some complained they haven't been given any answers. Kat P on Twitter wrote it there was "no information from anyone", describing the scene as "utter shambles". Pals in Las Palmas Airport tearfully embraced as they waited for answers on when they will able to get home. Other holidaymakers appeared frustrated and exhausted as the stood at the check-in desks. In Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, stranded passengers slept on cots. In Greece, a sea of passengers stood around as they waited for information on when they would be repatriated. Ricky Houston, from Scotland, said his flight from Corfu to Newcastle had been delayed by nine hours. He said: "From Thomas Cook we didn't get anything. I feel sorry for the reps because I don't think they knew anything either. "It was the hotel which kept us up to date. Everyone in the hotel here is shocked, and everyone in this hotel has come with Thomas Cook. For us, it's an inconvenience, for them it's their livelihoods." Scottish tourists hoping to fly back to Glasgow from Majorca said they now expected to head to Birmingham - 250 miles away - before getting home by coach. Holidaymakers stranded at Mugla Dalaman Airport in southern Turkey echoed the frustrations with Thomas Cook. In Palma the mood was similarly stressful for Brit holidaymaker Nick. The dad, who is travelling with his 18-month-old and 12-year-old said: "Nightmare, nightmare, stressed. Not what we wanted really before going home."

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/09/flightmare-stranded-brits-forced-to.html

[ofubox]

Despite last-minute attempts at a rescue, British travel firm Thomas Cook filed for bankruptcy protection [File: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg] Thomas Cook, the world's oldest travel firm, collapsed under a pile of debts on Monday, stranding hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers around the globe and setting off the largest peacetime repatriation effort in British history. Chief Executive Peter Fankhauser said it was a matter of profound regret that the company had gone out of business after it failed to secure a rescue package from its lenders. The UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said Thomas Cook had now ceased trading and the regulator and government would work together to bring the more than 150,000 British customers home over the next two weeks. "I would like to apologise to our millions of customers, and thousands of employees, suppliers and partners who have supported us for many years," Fankhauser said in a statement released in the early hours of Monday morning. "It is a matter of profound regret to me and the rest of the board that we were not successful." The government and aviation regulator said that due to the scale of the situation some disruption was inevitable. "Thomas Cook has ceased trading so all Thomas Cook flights are now cancelled," the CAA said. The demise of Thomas Cook marks the end of one of Britain's oldest companies that started life in 1841 running local rail excursions before it survived two world wars to pioneer package holidays first in Europe and then further afield. The firm now runs hotels, resorts and airlines for 19 million people a year in 16 countries. It currently has 600,000 people abroad, forcing governments and insurance companies to coordinate a huge rescue operation. Pictures posted on social media showed Thomas Cook planes being diverted away from the normal stands, and being deserted as soon as they had landed. The company filed for administration early on Monday to the UK High Court in London after talks to raise additional funding failed in the face of dwindling profits and a pile of debt amounting to 1.7 billion pounds ($2.1bn). The company had said on Friday it was seeking 200 million pounds ($250m) to avoid going bust, and was in talks with shareholders and creditors to stave off failure. Thomas Cook has been hit by online competition, a changing travel market and geopolitical events that have upended its summer season. Last year's European heatwave also hit the company hard as customers put off last minute bookings. The corporate collapse has the potential to spark chaotic scenes around the world, with holidaymakers stuck in hotels that have not been paid in locations as far afield as Goa, Gambia and Greece. In the longer term it could also hit the economies of its biggest destinations, such as Spain and Turkey, leave fuel suppliers out of pocket and force the closure of its hundreds of travel agents across British high streets. The British government and the aviation regulator have drawn up a plan to use other airlines to bring Britons home. In Germany, one of the biggest customer markets for Thomas Cook, insurance companies will take charge.

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/09/uks-thomas-cook-goes-bankrupt-thousands.html

[ofubox]

The 71st Primetime Emmys Awards kicked off on Sunday night, Septemeber 22, in Downtown Los Angeles. The biggest win of the night went to Game of Thrones. The show got best drama series, plus Peter Dinklage won best supporting actor in a drama. Below is the full list of winners at the 2019 Emmys Awards. Winners Outstanding Drama Series Winner: Game of Thrones Better Call Saul Bodyguard Killing Eve Ozark Pose Succession This Is Us Outstanding Comedy Series  Winner: Fleabag Barry The Good Place The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Russian Doll Schitt's Creek Veep Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Winner: Jodie Comer, Killing Eve Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder Laura Linney, Ozark Mandy Moore, This Is Us Sandra Oh, Killing Eve  Robin Wright, House of Cards Directing for a Drama Series Winner: Jason Bateman, "Ozark" Lisa Brühlmann, "Killing Eve" David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, "Game of Thrones" ("The Iron Throne") Adam McKay, "Succession" David Nutter, "Game of Thrones"(The Last of the Starks") Daina Reid, "The Handmaid's Tale" Miguel Sapochnik, "Game of Thrones" ("The Long Night") Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Winner: Billy Porter, Pose Jason Bateman, Ozark Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us Kit Harington, Game of Thrones Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Winner: Julia Garner, Ozark Gwendoline Christie, Game of Thrones Lena Headey, Game of Thrones Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve Sophie Turner, Game of Thrones Maisie Williams, Game of Thrones Writing for a Drama Series Winner: Jesse Armstrong, Succession David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Game of Thrones Emerald Fennell, Killing Eve Peter Gould and Thomas Schnauz, Better Call Saul Jed Mercurio, Bodyguard Bruce Miller and Kira Snyder, The Handmaid's Tale Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Winner: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones Alfie Allen, Game of Thrones Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul Michael Kelly, House of Cards Chris Sullivan, This Is Us Outstanding Variety Talk Series Winner: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver The Daily Show With Trevor Noah Full Frontal With Samantha Bee Jimmy Kimmel Live The Late Late Show With James Corden The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Director for a Variety Series Winner: Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live Alex Buono and Rhys Thomas, Documentary Now! Derek Waters, Drunk History Paul Pennolino, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Jim Hoskinson, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Sacha Baron Cohen, Nathan Fielder, Daniel Gray Longino and Dan Mazer, Who Is America? Outstanding Variety Sketch Series Winner: Saturday Night Live At Home With Amy Sedaris Documentary Now Drunk History I Love You, America Who Is America? Writing for a Variety Series Winner: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Documentary Now! Full Frontal With Samantha Bee Late Night With Seth Meyers The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Saturday Night Live Outstanding Limited Series Winner: Chernobyl Escape at Dannemora Fosse/Verdon Sharp Objects When They See Us Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie Winner: Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon Amy Adams, Sharp Objects Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora Aunjanue Ellis, When They See Us Joey King, The Act Niecy Nash, When They See Us Outstanding Television Movie Winner: Black Mirror: Bandersnatch Brexit Deadwood: The Movie King Lear My Dinner With Herve Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie Winner: Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us Mahershala Ali, True Detective Benicio Del Toro, Escape at Dannemora Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal Jared Harris, Chernobyl Sam Rockwell, Fosse/Verdon Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Drama Winner: Craig Mazin, Chernobyl Russell T Davies, A Very English Scandal Ava DuVernay and Michael Starrbury, When They See Us Brett Johnson and Michael Tolkin, Escape at Dannemora ("Episode 7") Brett Johnson, Michael Tolkin and Jerry Stahl, Escape at Dannemora ("Episode 6") Steven Levenson and Joel Fields, Fosse/Verdon Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie Winner: Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal Asante Blackk, When They See Us Paul Dano, Escape at Dannemora John Leguizamo, When They See Us Stellan Skarsgard, Chernobyl Michael K. Williams, When They See Us Directing for a Limited Series Winner: Johan Renck, Chernobyl Ava DuVernay, When They See Us Thomas Kail, Fosse/Verdon ("Who's Got the Pain") Stephen Frears, A Very English Scandal Ben Stiller, Escape at Dannemora Jessica Yu, Fosse/Verdon ("Glory") Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie Winner: Patricia Arquette, The Act Marsha Stephanie Blake, When They See Us Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects Vera Farmiga, When They See Us Margaret Qualley, Fosse/Verdon Emily Watson, Chernobyl Outstanding Competition Program Winner: RuPaul's Drag Race The Amazing Race American Ninja Warrior Nailed It! Top Chef The Voice Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Winner: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag Christina Applegate, Dead to Me Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll Catherine O'Hara, Schitt's Creek Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Winner: Bill Hader, Barry Anthony Anderson, Black-ish  Don Cheadle, Black Monday Ted Danson, The Good Place Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method Eugene Levy, Schitt's Creek Director for a Comedy Series Winner: Harry Bradbeer, Fleabag Alec Berg, Barry ("The Audition") Mark Cendrowski, The Big Bang Theory Bill Hader, Barry ("ronny/lily") Daniel Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ("We're Going to the Catskills!") Amy Sherman-Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ("All Alone") Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Winner: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag Alec Berg and Bill Hader, Barry Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle and Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Pen15 Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne and Amy Poehler, Russian Doll ("Nothing in This World Is Easy") David Mandel, Veep Josh Siegal and Dylan Morgan, The Good Place Allison Silverman, Russian Doll ("A Warm Body") Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Winner: Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Anna Chlumsky, Veep Sian Clifford, Fleabag Olivia Colman, Fleabag Betty Gilpin, GLOW Sarah Goldberg, Barry Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Winner: Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method Anthony Carrigan, Barry Tony Hale, Veep Stephen Root, Veep Henry Winkler, Barry

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/09/emmys-2019-full-list-of-winners.html

[ofubox]

Former Manchester United player, Roy Keane and recently sacked Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, lay into Manchester United following the English clubs' disappointing 2-0 loss to West Ham on Sunday. Since the shock away victory over Paris Saint-Germain in last season’s Champions League, the result which helped Solskjaer to be given the manager’s job on a permanent basis, United have lost 10 of 19 games, winning just five, and with key players Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw absent through injury, Solksjaer's boys lost to a West Ham side who beat them 3-1 last season. Keane said he was “saddened” by his former club’s lack of quality and warned that it would be a “long way back” for United. “I don’t know where to start,” said Keane to Sky Sports.. “I knew they weren’t in a great place but I am shocked and saddened by how bad they are. You can lose a game of football but everything about United was lacklustre. “No quality. A lack of desire. A lack of leaders. A lack of characters. It is a long way back and it is scary just how far they have fallen.” Mourinho, who was sacked in December last year and replaced by Solskjaer, said: “We were bad last season but I do not see any improvements, even with three new players [Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel Ja “I have to say they are three new players with a positive impact. I like these three players and they are bringing some good quality but the team, as a team, I don’t like at all. I am not surprised by the result and I don’t think Ole can take any positives from the game.”

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/09/its-scary-how-theyve-fallen-roy-keane.html

[ofubox]

ZINEDINE ZIDANE secured a huge boost to his job security as Real Madrid got back to winnings ways against Sevilla. Karim Benzema netted the winner at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Sunday to put Los Blancos second in La Liga. Benzema headed home the second-half winner The Spanish title race is set to be very tight this year with just one point separating the top-six - which doesn't even include Barcelona. Madrid had only won two of their opening five games of the season when heading to Sevilla and coach Zidane was under pressure following the shocking 3-0 loss at Paris Saint-Germain. After 64 minutes, Benzema nodded home the winner from almost the exact same spot he missed a gilt-edged chance in France on Wednesday. And Real produced a solid defensive performance in Andalusia, preventing their opponents from successfully landing a shot on Thibaut Courtois' goal. Such a performance led to Zidane calling it his "best game" since returning to the Bernabeu dugout. It also came against the man who replaced him last summer, Julen Lopetegui going unbeaten as Sevilla boss until this game.

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/09/benzema-eases-pressure-on-zidane-as.html