China demands release of Huawei executive arrested in Canada

China is demanding the release of a Huawei executive who was arrested in Canada.

Canadian law enforcement detained Huawei Technologies’ chief financial officer, Meng Wanhzou, in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Dec. 1. Meng, the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, is facing extradition charges to the United States over accusations that she violated Iran sanctions.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on both Canada and the U.S. to release Meng. In its statement, a Ministry spokesperson demanded that the two countries “effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of the person concerned.”

The Chinese embassy in Canada has also released a strongly worded statement.

“At the request of the U.S. side, the Canadian side arrested a Chinese citizen not violating any American or Canadian law. The Chinese side firmly opposes and strongly protests over such kind of actions, which seriously harmed the human rights of the victim. The Chinese side has lodged stern representations with the U.S. and Canadian side, and urged them to immediately correct the wrongdoing and restore the personal freedom of Ms. Meng Wanzhou. We will closely follow the development of the issue and take all measures to resolutely protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens.

Huawei’s relationship with the United States has long been rocky.

At the beginning of the year, the company’s planned entrance into the U.S. phone market was derailed. Wireless carriers such as AT&T and Verizon cancelled plans to sell Huawei phones due to pressure from U.S. government. Intelligence officials labeled the company as a national security threat, fearing its smartphones could be used by the Chinese government to spy on the U.S. Just this past August, Donald Trump signed a bill banning U.S. government agencies from buying smartphones and other products from the Chinese electronics manufacturer.

Huawei CFO Meng’s bail hearing is currently scheduled for Friday, Dec. 7.

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Even after #MeToo, research reveals ‘alarming’ attitudes to consent and sexual assault

A major new survey has revealed the extent of alarming views about consent and what constitutes rape and sexual violence.

The research, conducted by the End Violence Against Women Coalition in collaboration with YouGov, found that a third of men in Britain believe that if a woman has flirted on a date it “generally wouldn’t count as rape” even if she didn’t explicitly consent to sex.

A third of men also believe a woman “can’t change her mind after sex has started.”

And 33 percent of Brits believe it “isn’t usually rape” if a woman is pressured into sex without “physical violence” taking place.

4,000 people across Great Britain were surveyed in EVAW Coalition’s effort to find out why rape is proving “so difficult to tackle” during an era “when reports to police are increasing exponentially.” Per a FOI request undertaken by EVAW, police recorded 16,374 rape offences between 2012 and 2013. This number rose to 41,186 in 2016/2017.

The research also showed worrying attitudes towards “stealthing” — the practice of removing a condom during sex without a partner’s consent. 40 percent of those surveyed believe “it is never or usually not rape” to stealth someone.

The study also suggested a big generational divide when it comes to attitudes to what constitutes sexual violence.

“This could help explain why juries are so reluctant to convict particularly younger men where consent is in question.”

35 percent of over 65s surveyed believe it “isn’t rape” to have non-consensual sex with a wife or partner, compared to 16 percent of 16-24s.

43 percent of people over 65 think that “in most cases” if a woman changes her mind “halfway through but the sex continues” it doesn’t count as rape. This figure contrasts with 22 percent of people aged 25 to 49.

Rachel Krys, co-director of the EVAW Coalition, said in a statement that the figures are “alarming” because they show “a huge proportion of adults in Britain — who make up juries in rape trials” are not clear about what constitutes rape.

“It is known that the vast majority of women who are raped know the person who raped them, but for many people, the most commonly understood scenario is a single violent incident of rape committed by a stranger on a dark street,” Krys continued.

“This could help explain why juries are so reluctant to convict particularly younger men where consent is in question.”

Krys noted that there’s been “a huge increase” in the number of women reporting rape and sexual violence to the police.

“#MeToo has shone a light on the scale of sexual violence, and more women are seeking justice,” said Krys.

“Yet as a society we are failing to respond to this call for help, and this year the number of cases being taken forward by police and the courts fell.”

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U.S. Soccer Foundation Sues U.S. Soccer After Being Asked to Change Name, Logo

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

United States Soccer ended its relationship with a charitable organization in August and is now facing a lawsuit.

According to Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated, the U.S. Soccer Foundation sued the U.S. Soccer Federation on Thursday.

U.S. Soccer Foundation President Ed Foster-Simeon explained U.S. Soccer told his organization—which has invested more than $125 million over the last 25 years to improve access to soccer, largely in low-income communities—it was severing the relationship.

Wahl noted the purpose of the lawsuit is to establish “a declaratory judgment that the foundation owns the name ‘U.S. Soccer Foundation’ and related trademarks.”

The U.S. Soccer Foundation was created in 1994 with some of the money the United States made by hosting the World Cup that year. The U.S. Soccer Federation’s president has traditionally occupied a seat on the foundation’s board.

Wahl shared a look at the similarities of the logos:

Grant Wahl @GrantWahl

Breaking: The US Soccer Foundation is suing US Soccer. Story: https://t.co/5q4ITpwXwZ

The U.S. Soccer Foundation explains its mission on its website:

“The mission of the U.S. Soccer Foundation is to enhance, assist and grow the sport of soccer in the United States, with a special emphasis on underserved communities.

“We view soccer as a powerful vehicle for social change. By supporting the development of places to play, places to grow and places to learn, our goal is to ensure that children in underserved communities have easy and affordable access to quality soccer programs that support their physical and personal development.”

Foster-Simeon pointed out that United States Soccer used the presence of such a charitable foundation to help it land the 2026 World Cup.

“It’s almost like a bait-and-switch,” he said. “Like we were great for them leading up to the bid, but then within weeks of receiving the bid, it’s like, ‘Oh, we want to divorce from you and want you to change your name.’”

It was announced in June that the United States, Mexico and Canada won the right to host the 2026 World Cup. It will mark the first time in the event’s history three nations serve as hosts.

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Why are countries banning Huawei?

On Thursday, Canadian authorities arrested Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer (CFO) of Chinese tech company Huawei.

The details of the arrest are still unclear but Wanzhou faces extradition to the United States, according to the Canadian Department of Justice.

Following the arrest, both the Chinese embassy, as well as Huawei called for the release of Wanzhou, who is the daughter of the company’s founder Ren Zhengfei.

Under Zhengfei’s leadership, Huawei has become one of the biggest telecommunications companies in the world, and has established itself as a leading smartphone manufacturer.

But Huawei’s expansion from its Chinese roots into the rest of the world has sparked concerns among Western governments over the company’s close ties to the Chinese authorities, as well as its willingness to export technologies to countries that are under sanction.

Over the last couple of years, Huawei has reportedly circumvented sanctions imposed on North Korea and Iran, providing the countries with telecom equipment that can be used for extensive spying on populations, so-called dual use technologies.

But the vast majority of criticism has surrounded Huawei’s growing influence on global communications in the coming years. The Chinese company will provide technology for 5G wireless internet across the world.

Ahead of the rollout of that faster internet technology, several countries have warned against using Chinese hardware because of security concerns, which stem from the Chinese government’s use of Huawei’s products to spy on people around the world.

Huawei has denied all allegations that it might be involved in the collection of intelligence for the Chinese government.

So far, four countries have officially said they will not allow Huawei to take part in the 5G trials.

United States

The US, China’s biggest competitor both in terms of economy, as well as global intelligence gathering, is afraid that China would have access to information, such as location data, and that Chinese technologies could pose a possible threat to critical American infrastructure.

To prevent the Chinese telecom company from gaining too much traction in the US, lawmakers have urged wireless carrier AT&T to reconsider potential deals with Huawei.

In 2012, Huawei and ZTE Corp, another Chinese telecom company, were subject of an investigation that looked into whether their equipment could pose a threat to US interests.

That report by US Congress concluded that “Huawei did not fully cooperate with the investigation and was unwilling to explain its relationship with the Chinese government or Chinese Communist Party, while credible evidence exists that it fails to comply with US laws.”

Since then, the US has been on a mission to prevent its allies from using Huawei technology for critical infrastructure, especially focusing on fellow members of the so-called Five Eyes, a group of five English speaking countries (US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain) whose intelligence agencies share information on a large scale.

The US has also tried to dissuade other countries like Germany from allowing Huawei to provide technologies in the near future.

Australia

Australia, part of the Five Eyes group, banned Huawei from providing 5G technology in August of this year, but it did so by not specifically mentioning Huawei by name.

In a statement, the Australian government said companies “who are likely to be subject to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government” would no longer be allowed to provide 5G technology, which was clearly directed at the Chinese telecom company.

Currently, Huawei is already providing Australia with its 4G network, but with the introduction of 5G, even more products will be connected to the internet in the near future.

Following Australia’s decision, Huawei said there was no fundamental difference between 4G and 5G architecture and that 5G provides better security for both privacy and security, adding that its allegations about security concerns were not based on facts.

New Zealand

In November, New Zealand announced it would take the same measures as Australia following a request by mobile carrier Spark to use Huawei equipment for its 5G networks.

The Government Communications Security Bureau intelligence agency denied that request because 5G technology inherently poses a bigger risk since its mobile internet and cellphone capabilities are intertwined.

“I have informed Spark that a significant security risk was identified,” Director-General of the GCS Andrew Hampton said, without going into detail about those risks.

Great Britain

As the second most important data in the Five Eyes intelligence sharing group, Great Britain has been urged repeatedly by its allies to ban Huawei from its 5G infrastructure.

So far the UK has not officially done so, but the British government is debating wether special measures should be taken.

Earlier this week, head of intelligence agency MI6 said he had his doubts about the telecom company.

His comments followed the 2013 ‘Foreign involvement in the Critical National Infrastructure’ report, when the UK looked at Huawei as part of its critical infrastructure.

That report concluded that although no direct evidence was found that Huawei did anything malicious, considerable risks were involved with having the Chinese company be partially responsible for such critical technologies.

Ahead of any decision by the UK government, British telecommunication company BT announced on Wednesday it would not use Huawei technologies as the backbone of its soon to be deployed 5G network and that it would be removing Huawei parts from its existing 3G and 4G networks.

Canada

Another country currently looking at the risk Huawei’s technologies could possibly pose is Canada, which has been under pressure from its Five Eyes allies to ban the Chinese company from its 5G infrastructure.

According to reports in local media, US lawmakers have been talking to Canadian officials and companies about barring Huawei tech from being implemented in Canada’s new 5G network.

“While Canada has strong telecommunications security safeguards in place, we have serious concerns that such safeguards are inadequate given what the United States and other allies know about Huawei,” Senators Mark Warner and Marco Rubio wrote in a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau according to Reuters news agency.

However, according to Canadian media, telecom companies so far have not said whether they will ban Huawei equipment.

In September, the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) intelligence agency said it had been conducting tests on Huawei equipment for several years to see if they pose any danger to the country.

“CSE provides advice and guidance to mitigate supply-chain risks in telecommunications infrastructure upon which Canadians rely, including, since 2013, a programme that has been in place to test and evaluate designated equipment and services considered for use on Canadian 3G and 4G networks, including Huawei,” the CSE told the Globe and Mail in a statement.

Germany

Another country that currently uses Huawei technology but has not yet decided on its future is Germany, a key ally of the Five Eyes intelligence group.

Last month, senior German officials said they are planning a last-ditch drive to convince the government to consider excluding Chinese firms such as Huawei from building the country’s 5G infrastructure.

“There is serious concern. If it were up to me we would do what the Australians are doing,” one official told Reuters news agency.

This push is being led by the foreign and interior ministries after they held talks with their US and Australian counterparts.

So far, no decision has been made by Germany, but according to one lawmaker a ban could be on the horizon.

“But we need to be able to vet individual cases in order to ensure our critical infrastructure is protected.

That could lead to the exclusion of Chinese firms from building our 5G infrastructure,” Katharina Droege, a Greens lawmaker said following the push to ban Huawei.

Italy, Japan, India

The US has also been talking to Italy and Japan, two countries who currently use Huawei in a lot of their infrastructure.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, the US has communicated its security concerns over 5G equipment manufactured by Huawei.

In September, Indian media also reported Huawei was banned from participating in 5G trials in the country, but shortly afterwards Huawei and India both said the company had been invited to test its equipment in the second-largest mobile market in the world.

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The 2019 Golden Globe Nominations Are Here — See The Full List

There can be 100 people in a room, and 99 won’t care about awards season, but all it takes is the one person who does. And now that the 2019 Golden Globe nominations are here, it’s time to get down to business.

It’s no surprise that Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born sashayed away with five noms, all in key categories — including Best Picture, Drama; Best Actor and Best Director for Cooper; and Best Actress for Lady Gaga. The singer-songwriter’s been embracing her Hollywood moment since premiering the film on the festival circuit earlier this year to critical acclaim and internet fervor, but she also scored a nomination for Best Original Song for “Shallow” — a song that no one will be able to get out of their heads until February.

But it’s Adam McKay’s Dick Cheney satire, Vice, that received the most noms, despite the fact that the public still hasn’t seen it and it only started screening for critics a week ago. But the Hollywood Foreign Press Association loves a blistering comedy starring A-list movie stars like Christian Bale and Amy Adams (who hopefully turns this nod into a real shot at the Oscar gold that’s been evading her for 12 years).

This year’s show will also mark the awards season return of the internet’s favorite boyfriend, Timothée Chalamet. The 22-year-old landed a supporting nom for his haunting performance in Beautiful Boy, while Hollywood’s other favorite boy, Lucas Hedges, scored a Best Actor nom for his work in Boy Erased.

Lady Bird’s exes are thriving, but Saoirse Ronan’s lead performance in Mary Queen of Scots — and the entire female-led film — was snubbed, in favor for another film about women, power, and royalty: Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Favourite, which landed five nods.

When it comes to surprises, however, the category is… Pose. Ryan Murphy’s critically lauded series about New York City ball culture in the 1980s, starring a predominantly trans cast, landed two noms in the TV categories, including the top prize. So now you know this Golden Globes red carpet is going to be fierce.

Anyway, if you want to ace your office Oscar pool this February, the Golden Globes are a good place to start, as the winners of these awards typically garner some much-needed awards season momentum. Hosted by Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg — a real dream team — the 2019 Golden Globes will air live on NBC on Sunday, January 6, 2019. Check out the full list of nominees below:

FILM

Best Motion Picture, Drama

A Star Is Born

Black Panther

If Beale Street Could Talk

BlacKkKlansman

Bohemian Rhapsody

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

The Favourite

Green Book

Mary Poppins Returns

Crazy Rich Asians

Vice

Best Actor, Motion Picture, Drama

Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born

Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody

Willem Dafoe, At Eternity’s Gate

Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased

John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman

Best Actress, Motion Picture, Drama

Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born

Glenn Close, The Wife

Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Nicole Kidman, Destroyer

Rosamund Pike, A Private War

Best Actor, Motion Picture, Comedy

Christian Bale, Vice

Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

Robert Redford, The Old Man & the Gun

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns

John C. Reilly, Stan & Ollie

Best Actress, Motion Picture, Comedy

Olivia Colman, The Favourite

Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns

Charlize Theron, Tully

Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade

Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians

Best Supporting Actor, Motion Picture

Timothée Chalamet, Beautiful Boy

Sam Rockwell, Vice

Mahershala Ali, Green Book

Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman

Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture

Amy Adams, Vice

Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

Claire Foy, First Man

Emma Stone, The Favourite

Rachel Weisz, The Favourite

Best Director

Alfonso Cuaron, Roma

Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born

Peter Farrelly, Green Book

Adam McKay, Vice

Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman

Best Screenplay

Alfonso Cuaron, Roma

Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite

Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk

Adam McKay, Vice

Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga, and Brian Hayes Currie, Green Book

Best Animated Feature

Incredibles 2

Isle of Dogs

Ralph Breaks the Internet

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Mirai

Best Foreign-Language Film

Capernaum

Girl

Never Look Away

Roma

Shoplifters

Best Original Song

“All The Stars,” Black Panther

“Girl in the Movies,” Dumplin’

“Revelation,” Boy Erased

“Requiem For A Private War,” A Private War

“Shallow,” A Star Is Born

Best Original Score

Marco Beltrami, A Quiet Place

Alexandre Desplat, Isle of Dogs

Ludwig Göransson, Black Panther

Justin Hurwitz, First Man

Marc Shaiman, Mary Poppins Returns

TELEVISION

Best Television Series, Drama

The Americans

Bodyguard

Homecoming

Killing Eve

Pose

Best Television Series, Comedy

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

The Kominsky Method

Barry

The Good Place

Kidding

Best Limited Series or Television Movie

The Alienist

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Escape at Dannemora

Sharp Objects

A Very English Scandal

Best Actor, Television Series, Drama

Jason Bateman, Ozark

Stephan James, Homecoming

Richard Madden, Bodyguard

Billy Porter, Pose

Matthew Rhys, The Americans

Best Actress, Television Series, Drama

Sandra Oh, Killing Eve

Caitriona Balfe, Outlander

Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale

Julia Roberts, Homecoming

Keri Russell, The Americans

Best Actor, Television Series, Comedy

Sacha Baron Cohen, Who Is America

Jim Carrey, Kidding

Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method

Donald Glover, Atlanta

Bill Hader, Barry

Best Actress, Television Series, Comedy

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Kristen Bell, The Good Place

Candace Bergen, Murphy Brown

Alison Brie, GLOW

Debra Messing, Will & Grace

Best Actor, Limited Series or Television Movie

Antonio Banderas, Genius: Picasso

Daniel Bruhl, The Alienist

Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose

Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal

Best Actress, Limited Series or Television Movie

Amy Adams, Sharp Objects

Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora

Connie Britton, Dirty John

Laura Dern, The Tale

Regina King, Seven Seconds

Best Supporting Actor, Television Series

Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method

Kieran Culkin, Succession

Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal

Henry Winkler, Barry

Best Supporting Actress, Television Series

Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects

Penélope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Thandie Newton, Westworld

Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid’s Tale

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Hands on with Apple Watch’s ECG and irregular heart rhythm features

The Apple Watch Series 4’s transformation from miniature iPhone and fitness tracker to medical device is now complete with the release of the ECG (electrocardiogram) app and irregular heart rhythm notifications.

The two heart-related features were introduced at the revamped smartwatch’s debut in September and are now finally available via a software update.

The ECG app is exclusive to the Apple Watch Series 4 as electrocardiogram readings need the electrodes built into both the heart rate monitor on the backside and within the Digital Crown to create a reading.

The irregular heart rhythm notifications (IHR) feature, however, only uses the optical heart rate sensor, and is therefore compatible with all Apple Watches from Series 4 going back to Series 1 (not to be confused with the original Apple Watch which is technically “Series 0”).

Apple gave me a preview of the ECG app and irregular heart rhythm notifications feature pre-loaded onto a Series 4 loaner unit so I could see for myself how they worked.

Of course, I couldn’t properly test whether the features would be life-saving or not since my heart’s healthy. Still, having the two features accessible from my wrist fulfills the device’s promise as a wearable companion that’s got my back if I were to notice unusual symptoms or signs that could be related to heart problems.

The most important thing to understand about both new heart-related features is that they’re — Apple can’t stress this enough – not replacements for a doctor. Nor do they make the Apple Watch some kind of holy grail wearable capable of detecting if you’ve got a heart attack or stroke.

Rather, both Apple Watch features are there to detect signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular beating of the heart. If an ECG reading shows an irregular heart beat pattern or the IHR notifications thinks something isn’t right, that’s a suggestion and gentle nudge to check in with your physician. They’re by no means a definitive diagnosis of any heart condition.

Making sure Apple Watch users understand what the ECG readings and IHR notifications do and don’t do and translating the complicated medical terminologies associated with heart issues was a top priority for Apple.

Apple makes it easy to understand what an ECG is with plain English.

You should definitely read up on what everything means.

Setting up both features happens within Apple’s Health app on iOS. In typical Apple fashion, it walks you through how to use the ECG app on your Apple Watch and explains in plain English terms like sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation, and the various readouts for what they could possibly suggest.

Tapping on “learn more” link button expands each section with more details and at first I was tempted to tap through to quickly complete the setup, but I decided not to. Because why even bother turning these features on if you don’t care to understand how your heart works and what the readouts might mean? You owe it to yourself to read through the various setup sections if you care about your heart health.

Taking and understanding your ECG

Taking an ECG on an Apple Watch Series 4 is quite easy: simply launch the ECG app and place your finger on the Digital Crown and a 30-second timer will count down.

For the best results, you’ll want to make sure your Apple Watch is snug on your wrist so the crystal heart rate sensor on the back accurately detecting your pulse and also have your arm rested on a table.

Once finished, you’ll get one of four different results: sinus rhythm, atrial fibrillation, low or high heart rate, or inconclusive.

If your heart’s operating normally, it’ll likely get a sinus rhythm result indicating “the upper and lower chambers of your heart are beating in sync” according to the Health app.

An atrial fibrillation result suggests your heart’s beating irregularly could be a sign of arrhythmia and you should probably visit your physician to find out if it’s something more serious.

A low or high heart rate result happens when your heart rate is either under 50 BPM (beats per minute) or over 120 BPM. In these cases, the Apple Watch’s sensors simply can’t check for atrial fibrillation and Apple considers the reading “inconclusive.”

Inconclusive readouts simply mean they couldn’t be classified, and could have been from improperly taking the ECG (see recommended tips above). An inconclusive readout doesn’t mean nothing is wrong.

You shouldn't take an ECG every day. — You shouldn’t take an ECG every day.

What an ECG will look like in the Health app on iOS.

Regardless of what ECG result you get when you take it, again, it’s not definitive. Symptoms such as fatigue or shortness of breath or chest tightness could impact the result and as such, the ECG app gives you a list of symptom options to add to each reading. These are stored together with the detailed ECG charts within the Health app.

Also important to note: You shouldn’t take an ECG all the time. While it might be comforting to get an ECG daily, Apple doesn’t want to put people in a state of paranoia or panic; it should only be used if you have symptoms that you think might impact your heart rhythm. Moreover, taking too many ECGs can actually create more false positives and false negatives, leading to inaccurate results over time.

ECG readings in the Health app are presented in a graph that Apple says is familiar to physicians. In my briefing on the ECG app, I got the sense Apple wants patients to build a closer relationship with their healthcare providers.

For example, the ability to export your ECG readout as PDF and send it to your doctor or print it out to show them during a visit isn’t common yet, but it might be in the future. It gives some control back to the patient, but at the same time allows both patient and doctor to have a more informed overview of the patient’s health.

That said — in maybe what’s now sounding like somewhat of an annoying reminder — the Apple Watch’s ECG readout is only a single-lead ECG as opposed to the 12-lead ECGs used by hospital or doctor’s offices. The latter looks at your heart rhythm from multiple views (one for each of the connected leads) and can detect heart attacks.

If the Apple Watch ECG shows AFib, the responsibility is on the individual to get it further checked on by a physician and perhaps take a more advanced ECG reading.

Irregular heart rhythm notifications work in the background and supports Series 1-4.

There’s not a whole lot to say about the irregular heart rhythm notifications since I couldn’t get any data on it from my test Apple Watch.

Unlike an ECG, IHR notifications work in the background and only send an alert “if an irregular rhythm is detected on five rhythm checks over a minimum of 65 minutes.”

It’s still really early days for the Apple Watch’s medical ambitions, but it’s already looking promising. The American Heart Association published a white paper of preclinical studies that took a look at the effectiveness of using an Apple Watch for ECGs and IHR notifications. The results suggest the smartwatch is highly accurate in detecting signs of AFib.

As the Apple Watch’s sensors improve, heart and medical readouts will only get better and more accurate.

ECG and IHR notifications doesn’t mean we don’t need doctors anymore. Rather, it’s like having a guardian on your wrist — you’ll be glad it’s there if anything bad happens.

Both features will be available in a software update for watchOS starting today.

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Golden Globes 2019: Check out the full list of nominees

Winter is here, which means awards season is in full swing. Hollywood’s favorite time of year kicks off Jan. 6 with the Golden Globe Awards, whose nominations were announced Thursday by Terry Crews, Danai Gurira, Leslie Mann and Christian Slater.

The series of months surrounding awards shows usually churn out most of the nominees, but February’s Black Panther swooped in to clinch a few nominations (especially in music categories). It could well be on track to represent Marvel and Disney at the Oscars.

HFPA President Meher Tatna also announced the inception of a new award for achievement in television performance, similar to film’s Cecil B. Demill Award.

For a full list of Golden Globe nominees for 2019, see below.

Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In A Series, Limited Series Or A Motion Picture Made For Television

Amy Adams, Sharp Objects

Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora

Connie Britton, Dirty John

Laura Dern, The Tale

Regina King, Seven Seconds

Best Limited Series Or A Motion Picture Made For Television

The Alienist

Versace

Escape at Dannemora

Sharp Objects

A Very English Scandal

Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In A Series, Limited Series Or A Motion Picture Made For Television

Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method

Kieran Culkin, Succession

Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal

Henry Winkler, Barry

Best Screenplay Motion picture

Alfonso Cuaron, Roma

Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite

Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk

Adam McKay, Vice

Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, Green Book

Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In A Series, Limited Series Or A Motion Picture Made For Television

Antonio Banderas, Genius

Daniel Bruhl, The Alienist

Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose

Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal

Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role In A Series, Limited Series Or A Motion Picture Made For Television

Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects

Penelope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Thandie Newton, Westworld

Ivan Strahovsky, The Handmaid’s Tale

Best Original Score

Marco Beltrami, A Quiet Place

Alexandre Desplat, Isle of Dogs

Ludwig Göransson, Black Panther

Justin Hurwitz, First Man

Mark Shaiman, Mary Poppins Returns

Best Motion Picture – Animated

Incredibles 2

Isle of Dogs

Mirai

Ralph Breaks the Internet

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Best Foreign Language Film

Capernaum

Girl

Never Look Away

Roma

Shoplifters

Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Kristen Bell, The Good Place

Candice Bergen, Murphy Brown

Alison Brie, GLOW

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Debra Messing, Will & Grace

Best Performance By An Actor In A Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Sacha Baron Cohen, Who Is America?

Jim Carrey, Kidding

Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method

Donald Glover, Atlanta

Bill Hader, Barry

Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series – Drama

Catriona Balfe, Outlander

Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale

Sandra Oh, Killing Eve

Julia Roberts, Homecoming

Keri Russell, The Americans

Best Director – Motion Picture

Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born

Alfonso Cuarón, Roma

Peter Green Brook

Spike Lee, BlackKklansman

Adam McKay, Vice

Best Performance By An Actor In A Television Series – Drama

Jason Bateman, Ozark

Steven James, Homecoming

RIchard Madden, Bodyguard

Billy Porter, Pose

Matthew Rhys, The Americans

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Mahershala Ali, Green Book

Timothee Chalamet, Beautiful Boy

Adam Driver, BlackKklansman

Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me

Sam Rockwell, Vice

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Glenn Close, The Wife

Lady Gaga, A Star is Born

Nicole Kidman, Boy Erased

Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me

Rosamund Pike, A Private War

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical

Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns

Olivia Colman, The Favourite

Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade

Charlize Theron, Tully

Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical

Christian Bale, Vice

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns

Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

Robert Redford, The Old Man & the Gun

John C. Reilly, Stan & Ollie

Best Television Series – Drama

The Americans

Bodyguard

Homecoming

Killing Eve

Pose

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical

Amy Adams, Vice

Claire Foy, First Man

Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

Emma Stone, The Favourite

Rachel Weisz, The Favourite

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Glenn Close, The Wife

Lady Gaga, A Star is Born

Nicole Kidman, Boy Erased

Melissa McCarthy,

Can You Ever Forgive Me

Rosamund Pike, A Private War

Best Original Song

“All the Stars,” Black Panther

“Girl in the Movies,” Dumplin

“Requiem for a Private War,” A Private War

“Revelation,” Boy Erased

“Shallow,” A Star is Born

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born

Willem Defoe, Eternity’s Gate

Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased

Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody

John David Washington, BlackKklansman

Best Motion Picture – Comedy

Crazy Rich Asians

The Favourtie

Green Book

Mary Poppins Returns

Vice

Best Motion Picture – Drama

Black Panther

BlackKklansman

Bohemian Rhapsody

If Beale Street Could Talk

A Star is Born

The 2019 Golden Globe Awards will air Jan. 6 on NBC.

This post will be updated as nominees are announced.

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Reuben Foster’s Ex-Girlfriend Talks Alleged Assault, LB Being Signed by Redskins

SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 21: Reuben Foster #56 of the San Francisco 49ers defends during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium on October 21, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. The Rams defeated the 49ers 39-10. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

Washington Redskins linebacker Reuben Foster‘s ex-girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, appeared Thursday on Good Morning America and discussed the alleged assault that led to his departure from the San Francisco 49ers.

Ennis said Foster flew her out to Florida to work on their relationship while he was seeing someone else, and she said that Foster slapped and pushed her when she threatened to tell the other woman that he arranged for her to come to Florida:

Good Morning America @GMA

Football star Reuben Foster’s accuser: “When he got signed I was like I can’t believe somebody picked him up…I was shocked.” https://t.co/kA5h0qJtdJ https://t.co/hsqEJDNdOz

Per Julia Jacobo of GMA, Ennis said she suffered a concussion as a result of the alleged assault.

The Redskins claimed Foster off waivers just days after his arrest, and Ennis noted she was “shocked” another team was willing to acquire him immediately.

Ennis also addressed previous allegations she levied against Foster during the Good Morning America interview.

She told authorities at the time that she made up the allegations in order to extort money from Foster, but on Thursday, Ennis said she wasn’t being truthful:

Good Morning America @GMA

.@ABC EXCLUSIVE: @LinseyDavis sits down with Football star Reuben Foster’s accuser as she recounts alleged assault. https://t.co/kA5h0qJtdJ https://t.co/VSxD7keLK0

“I did what I had to do for the person I love,” Ennis said. “I thought that he would change.”

Ennis also said that Foster had assaulted her three times previously:

ABC News @ABC

EXCLUSIVE: Ex-girlfriend of NFL star Reuben Foster recounts alleged assault as she speaks out to @ABC News’ @LinseyDavis. https://t.co/IQ2g78h2zS https://t.co/3BWDQbJWuq

According to ESPN.com, Foster was charged with felonies for domestic violence, making criminal threats and weapons possession in April. The first two charges were dropped after Ennis recanted her allegations, and the weapons charge was reduced to a misdemeanor. Foster was also charged with second-degree marijuana possession in January, although the charge was dismissed upon completion of a diversion course.

Even so, Foster was suspended for the first two games of the 2018 season for violating the NFL‘s conduct and substance-abuse policies.

Ennis noted that she has been in therapy since the most recent altercation and now realizes she was in a toxic situation with Foster, saying, “Like, everything I thought was love is really not love. It’s not.”

The 49ers selected Foster with the 31st overall pick in the 2017 draft out of Alabama. While he is now a member of the Redskins, he is ineligible to play or practice with the team since he is on the Commissioner Exempt List.

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Thurrock chose to leave the EU. Are voters there still happy?

Essex, United Kingdom – Few places in Britain were as certain as the borough of Thurrock when asked to weigh up the UK’s membership of the European Union in a June 2016 referendum.

More than 72 percent of voters in the area, which forms part of the southeastern county of Essex, opted to quit the bloc. Only three other areas registered a higher leave vote.

Since the ballot, in which 52 percent of people nationwide voted to leave, British Prime Minister Theresa May’s efforts to manage the departure have been met with intense scrutiny.

On Tuesday, parliament is expected to reject the withdrawal agreement she drew up alongside European leaders following months of negotiations.

Criticism of the deal across the political spectrum has been sharp.

Some argue it would see the UK too tied in with Europe and at the mercy of Brussels’ decision making.

Others say it would mean the UK renounces benefits it currently enjoys as a member of the political and economic bloc, leaving the country isolated and weaker.

Ahead of the parliamentary vote, Al Jazeera asked voters in Thurrock for their views on Brexit, and to see if the area’s apparent certainty on quitting the EU had been muddied by more than two years of political chaos.

Paul Outram, 43, communications technician

‘Another referendum would be a kick in the teeth for the people who voted to leave’ [David Child/Al Jazeera]

I voted to leave because I’m fed up with being dictated to by Europe on our laws and them telling us what we can do in our own parliament. I want to take back the power.

I don’t think we have had the right people leading the discussions and negotiations over Brexit, though. Theresa May should have gone for a harder Brexit, because where we are heading for at the moment is basically a no-man’s land, where we wouldn’t actually be out-out and still too much controlled by Europe.

I don’t think we should go with her deal, it’s too soft and not what we wanted.

She’s not going to get the support of parliament for it but I just hope it doesn’t end up in another referendum. That would be a kick in the teeth for the people who voted to leave.

We still need a relationship with Europe, yes, but it’s a two-way thing. People think that we need Europe more than they need us but I think it’s 50-50, especially with security. For national security and world security we still need to work with each other.

We have always been a great nation and have always survived over hundreds of years, we only joined the EU about 40 years ago so I don’t see why our history should be dictated by the last four decades alone when before that we always did alright.

Naomi Campbell, 34, social worker

I voted to stay in the EU because we know what it is about and what we have already got. For me, there wasn’t enough certainty around leaving and what that would mean. There were a lot of questions about leaving that weren’t answered.

From what I understand, this Brexit deal means we aren’t really coming out of the EU, but I try not to listen to the arguments and after a while when you hear Brexit you just switch off.

A Brexit deal with the EU is never going to be perfect, if they let us go with a perfect deal then others will want to leave too, but if the withdrawal agreement is going to benefit us in some way then it’s fair enough to come out.

If it’s going to leave us in a worse position, though, we might as well stay in. Better the devil you know, right?

It would be beneficial to have a second referendum though, because when it comes to the government they like to argue amongst themselves and it’s about their personal agenda and gains sometimes.

Besides, now people do actually know what Brexit is about a bit more, we can actually decide whether to go ahead with it or not. I think it would be a slightly different result if it happened.

Pritish Patel, 40, newsagent

‘We have problems and issues with immigrants from the EU, that’s why I voted to leave’ [David Child/Al Jazeera]

I voted leave to try and get something better for the UK, but now everything has changed.

The government hasn’t done a bad job, but the problem is they haven’t thought enough about how Brexit can fix our immigration problems.

We have problems and issues with immigrants from the EU, that’s why I voted to leave. The government is focusing on everything [in the withdrawal plan], but I want them to focus on immigration laws and crime laws.

Parliament has a totally different view of the points to me, though.

Moni Sola, 40, healthcare assistant

I don’t really understand Brexit, I don’t see any way it’s going to favour me, but I do feel that European people are coming into the UK and costing the country lots of money.

I feel the politicians deciding on this issue have seen more than we have seen, but they can’t really explain it properly because they are worried about being accused of racism.

They have their heads on though, they know what they’re doing and should go on with this deal.

Jolene Cander, 40, charity shop volunteer

‘If we did have a second referendum a lot more people would vote to remain’ [David Child/Al Jazeera]

I voted to stay in the EU, I thought it would be better than leaving because of all the trade deals we share.

I think things will increase in price if we leave and I’m concerned about whether we will be able to travel freely throughout Europe still.

A lot of the people that voted to leave thought that it would get rid of immigrants and a lot more racism has come out since the referendum because of certain politicians warning that X will happen or Y will happen.

But it can’t just happen like that, to say ‘right we are leaving, out you go’, they have come here for a reason and that’s because they can’t live in their own country for the most part.

The majority will take jobs that English people don’t want to do, because they are lower-wage jobs, and if they all got thrown out of the country there would be a lot of English people asking why nobody is doing those jobs anymore.

This hasn’t been fair on Theresa May, it wasn’t her that brought this in but she’s been left to deal with it and is now getting all the flak for it.

It’s unlikely that there will be a second vote because once the decision is made, it’s made, but I think if we did a lot more people would vote to remain.

Having a deal signed off on will at least mean this is decided, I don’t think it will be better [than remaining] and it will affect a lot of people poorly but I guess we just have to wait and see.

Rafael Akinde, 63, security guard

I voted out in the referendum.

The law of this country is being overridden by EU law and I also don’t like the dilution of our identity. I don’t want our British nationality to be diluted.

I have not been able to go through the deal yet, I will, but I know we can do without Europe.

We don’t need a second referendum, that would be an insult to our democracy. We should stick by the first result.

Without Europe we will survive, Canada survives, New Zealand survives, America survives. These are very strong countries.

People who say leaving Europe will be bad for us are telling lies. Even if businesses vacate temporarily, they will come back again.

Linda Hort, 32, artist

I was not registered to vote in the referendum as I am not a British citizen, despite living here. But in my opinion people who were voting were not necessarily aware of the weight of it and I don’t think it was a good idea to ask the public this question, in this way.

It was a misleading conversation at various points and the vote was used as a political tool without a full explanation of the economic and other influences it might have on people’s lives.

I am understanding of both sides [leave and remain], it did bring up frustrations that are very important for the UK. There are things that people aren’t happy with and I am completely accepting of that, I feel compassion for everyone, but as a non-UK citizen I am just living on hold now.

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‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’ is the perfect celebration of ‘Smash’

There’s a certain beauty to Super Smash Bros., a beauty that has sustained itself over 19 years and five games, a beauty that transcends the fighting game genre, a beauty that weaves its way into every facet of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is, as its name suggests, the ultimate expression of Super Smash Bros., bringing together every single character, item, and stage from games past into a single, spectacular title that simultaneously embraces everything that has come before it and throws in just enough new additions to make it fresh.

Super Smash Bros. is a celebration of Nintendo, its video games, and dozens of other iconic games that have made their way onto various Nintendo platforms over the years. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a celebration of that celebration.

And what a celebration it is.

At a press preview event for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in New York City, about three weeks before Ultimate‘s release date, I played the game for the first time. I jumped in with a group of other members of the press, only one of whom I was familiar with, and immediately sunk right in.

There’s something about Super Smash Bros. that can bring people together

Part of the fun of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is that anyone has a chance of winning a standard game. With anywhere between two and eight players dashing around a single stage and items dropping in to mix things up left and right, the tides of battle can change at a moment’s notice, regardless of how much experience any single player has in Smash.

Over several matches, I came in first, second, third, and fourth playing with a handful of strangers and acquaintances, but the entire time I was playing I never stopped having fun.

At one point I approached one of the various Smash setups in the room and asked if I could jump in with the two players who were battling each other. Above their characters were the custom names “Nairo” and “alf,” names of competitive Smash players. Nairoby “Nairo” Quezada is one of the best Super Smash Bros. 4 players in the world.

I played a handful of matches with them (never taking first place) and had a blast even though they were leagues better than I could ever hope to be.

There’s something about Super Smash Bros. that can bring people together. Its blend of simple, and approachable mechanics, colorful cast of characters, and competitive nature is absolutely magnetic.

It’s the kind of series that can build friendships. It can bring strangers together. It can inspire people to come together after months of not seeing each other.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate continues this tradition.

New touches

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate brings enough new touches to make everything feel fresh but not overburdened.

There are the new characters, of course, with fighters like King K. Rool from Donkey Kong, Ridley from Metroid, Inklings from Splatoon, and Simon from Castlevania making their first appearances. Many of the new characters are completely novel experiences in the series with unique moves that shake up the meta.

And then there are the echo fighters, like Daisy and Dark Samus, which pretty much work the same mechanically as their counterparts (Peach and Samus, respectively) but with a different character design.

Dark Samus plays just like regular Samus, but a little floatier.

New stages are a given in Smash as well, and the collection of new stages in Ultimate have all the life and color that we’ve come to expect. A couple of highlights are Dracula’s Castle from Castlevania and New Donk City Hall from Super Mario Odyssey that climbs up and down the Empire State-like city hall.

It doesn’t do anything to take away from the formula

Nintendo also saw fit to include hundreds of songs from the various games represented in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, including tons of new remixes of classic tunes. When selecting your stage, you can choose the music that plays in the background, or even just peruse the library and make your own playlists of songs to listen to while the Switch screen is off.

One of the biggest additions is the single player adventure, World of Light, which is a fun shake-up for Smash that takes the usual battles players are used to and adds different elements to them like floors covered in fire, enemies that are extra large, or other changes. The more you play, the more spirits you get, which augment your fighter with things like increased attack power, extra jumps, and starting with particular items.

Charizard is imbued with the spirit of Valoo from 'The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.' — Charizard is imbued with the spirit of Valoo from ‘The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.’

The ultimate Smash

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is another Smash game. It doesn’t do anything to take away from the formula like Brawl did when it added a feature that made characters occasionally trip. It doesn’t add anything crazy that makes it feel like a completely new game.

But that’s not really what anyone is looking for. Smash fans want to play Smash, and when a new one comes out, they don’t want a bunch of extra bells and whistles or a reinvention of the game they already love.

In that sense, because Super Smash Bros. Ultimate doesn’t stray wildly from the formula, but simply gives Smash a visual upgrade and a few new fighters and stages and modes, it’s perfect.

'Ultimate' is so delightfully fun. — ‘Ultimate’ is so delightfully fun.

It has your favorite stage because it has every stage. It has your favorite fighter because it has every fighter. It is the ultimate expression of Nintendo’s delightful take on the fighting game genre because it doesn’t muck up what makes the best parts of the series so great.

From what I’ve played over a couple dozen hours, the game seems airtight. No bugs. No annoyances. No character that seems wildly overpowered. Of course, I’m not a professional Smash player so I can’t look at it from that critical lens, but it feels good to me.

In my experience as a casual-yet-passionate player, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is exceptional in every way.

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