|
|
|
|
Violent clashes between Israelis and Palestinians got more out of control over the weekend as the world decides how to bring peace to the region. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Middle East turmoil: It's obvious that Israelis and Palestinians don't agree on much, but both sides saw eye to eye on one thing over the weekend - intervention by the United Nations. However, one week into escalated tensions, the only action by the U.N. so far is words. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both Palestinian militants Hamas to stop firing rockets into Israel and the Jewish state to stop its massive retaliations that resulted in 42 Palestinian deaths over the weekend. International affairs experts fear what happens next, especially if Israeli's air assaults turn into a ground campaign. "Fighting must stop. It must stop immediately," Guterres said. "It has the potential to unleash an uncontainable security and humanitarian crisis and to further foster extremism, not only in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel, but in the region as a whole." Further complicating the already perilous situation is the individual involvement of outside actors. President Joe Biden has been calling on both sides to half the violence, while China and Russia are criticizing the U.S. for allowing Israel to bomb civilian areas that it claims are controlled by Hamas. It seems only the U.N. can fix it. FIND OUT IF THE U.N. WILL TAKE ACTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Honor system: The CDC's new policies that allow fully vaccinated Americans to go maskless indoors and outdoors is causing a bit of an uproar with those who have and haven't received their shots. The CDC's announcement on Thursday triggered a range of reactions -- relief for those who are vaccinated and frustration for those who haven't. And with no enforcement teeth behind the new guidelines, we can only hope folks are honest about their vax status. With only 37% of the U.S. population currently fully vaccinated, that puts the onus on a large segment of Americans to do the right thing. If the unvaccinated stop wearing masks, we could see another spike. The policy also puts retail stores and other public venues in an awkward position since there is no obvious way to ask for proof. Several major outlets have already waved the white flag on their mask policies and will rely on the honor system from their customers. FIND OUT WHICH STORES HAVE DROPPED MASK MANDATES
|
|
 |
Markets
| DJIA | 34,327.79 | -0.16% |
| S&P 500 | 4,163.29 | -0.25% |
| Nasdaq Composite | 13,379.05 | -0.38% |
| Japan: Nikkei 225 | 27,824.83 | -0.92% |
| UK: FTSE 100 | 7,032.85 | -0.15% |
| Crude Oil Futures | 66.30 | 0.05% |
| Gold Futures | 1,867.50 | -0.01% |
| Yen | 109.20 | -0.03% |
| Euro | 1.22 | 0.02% | | * As of market close |
|
|
 |
Ransom(ware) note
The high-profile cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline that paralyzed the gas supply chain on the East Coast and pushed up fuel prices amid panic-inducted hoarding attracted widespread attention, but such assaults are more common you might think -- and they're occurring more frequently. The ransomware attacks have been on the rise for years, primarily because of the mounting success the hackers have had at holding computer networks hostage for sizeable ransom payments. The DarkSide group that hacked the pipeline received a reported $5 million in ransom-- not a bad day's work if you don't mind shutting down half the country. Such incidents have only encouraged and emboldened online hackers to attempt to crack the codes on the computer systems of major corporations and governmental agencies at an alarming rate. Cybersecurity officials have been working to identify the hackers and prevent future attacks, but they are relatively powerless to enact policies outside U.S. borders. Surprisingly, these attacks are avoidable with the right defense network and protocols, but many entities have failed at vigilance and investment. GET TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS ABOUT PROTECTING NETWORKS
|
|
|
|
What do you get when you cross "Game of Thrones" with "The Amazing World of Gumball"? Viewers will find out soon from a yet-to-be-named media platform announced Monday by ATT's WarnerMedia and Discovery. In a move designed to rival streaming service giants NetFlix and Disney+, AT&T said it will break off its media holdings like HBO, CNN, TNT and TBS to merge with and Discovery+'s channels like the Cartoon Network, Food Network, TLC and HGTV to create one standalone media platform. "To be one of the best global media companies requires not only broad and deep creative assets, but an investor base and access to capital to make it happen," AT&T CEO John Stankey said. "The decision to combine WarnerMedia with Discovery is rooted in this conclusion." No date has been set for the rollout of the highly anticipated venture but industry experts expect it to be a major player in the booming media biz. FIND OUT WHAT OTHER ENTITIES ARE INVOLVED IN THE DEAL
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Critical thinking
Where did "The Muppet Show" characters Statler and Walforf (aka the old men in the balcony) get their names? And who were their puppeteers? Monday's answer: Staler and Waldorf, in-house critics for "The Muppet Show" and respectively puppeteered by Jerry Nelson and the late great Jim Henson, took their names from two historic New York City hotels. SEND YOUR ANSWER HERE TO SHOW OFF YOUR KNOWLEDGE
|
|
Think Fast Start
We hope you are enjoying waking up to Fast Start, and we say the more the merrier. Introduce your friends to us by forwarding them a copy and encourage them to subscribe. Tell them to let us know you sent them. HERE'S THE EMAIL ADDRESS YOUR FRIENDS WILL NEED
|
|
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.
|
|
IBTimes will always protect your security and privacy. Please read our detailed Privacy Policy. Please do not reply to this email. Click here to adjust your notification preferences or unsubscribe.Â
© Copyright 2021 IBTimes LLC. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
