Day: August 29, 2022

Elon Musk Subpoenas Twitter Whistleblower Ahead of Trial

Elon Musk’s legal team is demanding to hear from Twitter’s whistleblowing former security chief, who could help bolster Musk’s case for backing out of a $44 billion deal to buy the social media company. 

Former Twitter executive Peiter Zatko — also known by his hacker handle “Mudge” — received a subpoena Saturday from Musk’s team, according to Zatko’s lawyer and court records. 

The billionaire Tesla CEO has spent months alleging that the company he agreed to acquire undercounted its fake and spam accounts — and that he shouldn’t have to consummate the deal as a result. 

Zatko’s whistleblower complaint to U.S. officials alleging Twitter misled regulators about its privacy and security protections — and its ability to detect and root out fake accounts — might play into Musk’s hands in an upcoming trial scheduled for Oct. 17 in Delaware. 

Zatko served as Twitter’s head of security until he was fired early this year. 

 

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US Government to Provide $11 Million for Production of Monkeypox Vaccine

The U.S. government said on Monday it would provide about $11 million to support the packaging of Bavarian Nordic’s BAVA.CO Jynneos monkeypox vaccine at a U.S.-based manufacturer’s facility.

The Danish company, which is the maker of the only approved monkeypox vaccine, had earlier this month signed up Michigan-based Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing to package the two-dose shot.

The production is expected to begin later this year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said, adding that the funding will help the manufacturer recruit more staff and buy additional equipment.

Globally, the number of confirmed monkeypox cases have crossed 47,600 with over 17,000 cases reported in the United States so far.

The Jynneos vaccine is in short supply and U.S. regulators have authorized a method of administration that allows providers to get five doses instead of one from a single vial to expand access.

The United States initially ordered 3 million doses and in July sought another 2.5 million doses. Bavarian Nordic said the additional doses would be packaged at the U.S. facility.

The delivery of the total 5.5 million doses is spread across this year and the next.

More than 207,000 doses of Jynneos vaccine have been given in the country as of Aug. 23, but very few people have received the second shot needed for full protection, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said last week.

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US Navy Turns to Driverless Ships for Indo-Pacific Strategy

As the U.S. military continues to consider China’s military strength in the Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. Navy is turning to driverless ships to multiply its forces. VOA’s Jessica Stone takes us along for a closer look at this military innovation. Camera: Keith Lane

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NASA Set to Test Rocket, Capsule for Sending Astronauts to Moon 

The U.S. space agency NASA says it is ready to launch its most powerful rocket ever along with a new crew capsule Monday in a test of systems it will use to send humans back to the moon. 

The Space Launch System rocket is set to propel the Orion capsule without any people on board for this flight. Orion is due to go around the moon and return to Earth, with the entire journey taking about six weeks. 

If successful, NASA plans to fly astronauts around the moon in 2024 and potentially put them on the lunar surface as early as 2025. 

NASA said there was an 80% chance of favorable weather conditions for Monday’s launch. If weather does interfere, another attempt would happen Friday. 

The launch is part of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to have humans walk on the moon for the first time since 1972, including the first woman and person of color to do so. 

NASA is also planning a moon base as part of Artemis, and says it will use what it learns to inform efforts to send the first astronauts to Mars. 

Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters 

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Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift lead MTV Video Music Awards 

Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican Latin trap and reggaeton artist who’s among the world’s biggest stars, scored MTV’s artist of the year award Sunday at the annual Video Music Awards. 

But the performer was conspicuously absent from the show: he was busy with his own blockbuster tour, playing the second night of a sold out concert at Yankee Stadium that over the weekend drew some 100,000 fans. 

Bad Bunny, wearing a satin pink suit and white sunglasses, accepted the award via video and also delivered a seismic performance of his smash “Titi Me Pregunto” from the baseball stadium in New York, where the song has soundtracked the streets for months.   

“Thank you so much, New York,” the 28-year-old said in Spanish to resounding applause. 

“From the beginning I always believed that I could be great, that I could be one of the biggest stars in the world, without changing my culture, my language,” he said. “I’m Benito Antonio Martinez from Puerto Rico – for the whole world.”   

In a sure sign that pandemic-stymied touring was back in full swing, another of the year’s biggest stars, Harry Styles, also couldn’t make it to the VMAs – which aired from New Jersey’s Prudential Center – due to his own show at Madison Square Garden. 

The artist who dropped “Harry’s House” this year also accepted his award for the year’s best album via video.

Swift album on the way

Taylor Swift was also among the night’s big winners, turning heads on the red carpet in a dress dripping with crystals before winning the night’s top prize of music video of the year for her 10-minute-long film “All Too Well.”  

“I’m so proud of what we made,” said the 32-year-old, who has been making good on her vow to re-record her first six albums so she can control the rights to them. 

“We wouldn’t have been able to make this short film if it weren’t for you, the fans,” Swift said onstage. “Because I wouldn’t be able to re-record my albums if it weren’t for you. You emboldened me to do that.”   

She then gave fans a gift in return, announcing that her new album will come out October 21. 

Shortly after the broadcast’s end, the megastar revealed the new project’s name. 

“Midnights, the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life, will be out October 21. Meet me at midnight,” she wrote on social media.   

Hip hop superstar Nicki Minaj reigned over the evening as the 2022 recipient of the prestigious Video Vanguard Award. 

Wearing her signature pink wig, the hip-hop icon from Queens delivered a medley of her hits including “Super Bass” and her most recent single “Super Freaky Girl.” 

Brazil’s Anitta also turned heads with a booty-popping performance before winning the award for best Latin video for “Envolver.” 

“I was born and raised in the ghetto of Brazil, and for whoever was born there, we would never think this was possible,” she said when accepting the trophy  

Johnny Depp appears 

Iconic stoner comedy duo Cheech and Chong awarded the Red Hot Chili Peppers with the Global Icon Award, before the California rockers performed and also paid tribute to Taylor Hawkins, the late Foo Fighters drummer. 

Eminem and Snoop Dogg opened their performance sitting on a couch as Snoop smoked a giant – albeit fake – blunt, before the pair headed to the metaverse for a trippy, animated performance of their latest collaboration “From the D 2 the LBC.” 

Marshmello and Khalid performed “Numb” with neon, disorienting visuals that created a brief but heady rave effect, while South Korea’s Blackpink gave their first show at a US awards night ever.

Lizzo also performed before scoring the Video For Good award — which honors videos with social or political messages — for her song “About Damn Time.” 

Wearing a cone-bra corseted dress that recalled Madonna, the superstar thanked fans for voting for her to receive the award before nodding to US politics. 

“Vote to change some of these laws that are oppressing us,” the star urged. 

And at the awards show that’s historically far better known for its antics than actual prizes, Johnny Depp – fresh off his controversial defamation trial against his ex-partner Amber Heard – appeared as the MTV Moonman, his head digitally superimposed on the flying astronaut.   

“You know what? I needed the work,” said the 59-year-old actor. 

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