News Roundup 10/20/20
US Government Sues Google for Antitrust Violations
The US Justice Department is suing Google for Antitrust violations. The Justice Department along with 11 other states filed the suit on Tuesday, at the Washington District court. Department officials accuse the search engine giant of entering into agreements with device makers, including Apple and Samsung, to ensure Google is the default search engine on their devices. They are also accused of using data obtained from its search service for its advertising business. Google denies the allegations and a senior official says that the lawsuit is “deeply flawed”.
Source: NHK
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Spencer Davis Dies At Age 81
Spencer Davis died in the hospital on Monday while being treated for pneumonia his agent told BBC news. Many people mourn his death,
"He was a very good friend," said Bob Birk, who had worked with the musician for more than 30 years.
Spencer Davis is behind The Spencer Davis Group, who scored transatlantic hits with Keep on Running and Somebody Help Me. The band, which also featured a teenage Stevie Winwood, toured with The Who and The Rolling Stones in the 60s.
Source: BBC
New York's Roosevelt Hotel to Close After Nearly 100 Years Due to Pandemic
The New York City landmark was the election headquarters for Gov. Thomas Dewey when he incorrectly announced he defeated Harry Truman in the 1948 presidential election. It has served as the backdrop for movies such as "The Irishman" and it helped start a New Year's Eve tradition. After surviving many eras of history in New York, from Prohibition to World War II, the 1,025-room hotel will cease operations on Oct. 31 because of a detrimental drop in business amid the pandemic.
“Due to the current, unprecedented environment and the continued uncertain impact from COVID-19, the owners of The Roosevelt Hotel have made the difficult decision to close the hotel and the associates were notified this week,” Roosevelt Hotel says.
Russia Offers One Year Nuclear Pact Extension
Russia is pressing the United States to give an official answer to its proposal for a one-year extension of the last remaining nuclear arms control pact between the two countries.The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that Russia has proposed a one-year extension to the New START Treaty and is ready to freeze its total number of nuclear warheads during that period. The statement said the warhead freeze and one-year extension would be possible if Washington does the same and does not advance any additional conditions.
Source: NHK
Renegade Sheriffs Say They Might Not Enforce Ban on Guns at Michigan Polling Places
Renegade Michigan sheriffs are saying they won't enforce a ban on guns in polling stations, even after the feds busted an armed militia plot to kidnap the state's Democratic governor. Sheriff Mike Murphy uploaded a video on Facebook where he said he wasn’t encouraging people to carry, but if they did, he wasn’t going to arrest them unless they were actively involved in “voter intimidation.” Three other police officers including Murphy won’t be enforcing the directive and they are joined by a handful of local clerks in their opposition to the ban.
Source: Vice