Sen. Gary Peters says John James refusing to concede is ‘pathetic’: ‘They lost’

John James wants an investigation into his race against the Michigan senator

Michigan Republican U.S. Senate candidate John James is not conceding defeat to incumbent Sen. Gary Peters and wants an investigation into the race to determine its fairness.

James, a Black businessman and Iraq War veteran who graduated from West Point, fell short of his bid to unseat the first-term senator in Tuesday’s election. Peters was projected to win with 49.8% of the vote in comparison to 48.3% for James with 99% of precincts reporting, according to the New York Times.

(Credit: Peters and James)

Read More: Judge nixes Trump bid to stop Philly vote count

The race was heavily watched, with millions pouring into the contest, and seen as a benchmark as to whether or not Michigan would elect its first Republican senator since 1994, and its first Black senator. James previously lost by 7 points to Sen. Debbie Stabenow in 2018, but was seen as very competitive in this effort.

Despite outlets declaring that he fell short of that goal in the battleground state, James is now refusing to concede and claiming “while Senator Peters is currently ahead, I have deep concerns that millions of Michiganders may have been disenfranchised by a dishonest few who cheat.”

pic.twitter.com/jpPVpU9KMg

— John James (@JohnJamesMI) November 5, 2020

James, 39, made the accusation in a statement posted to Twitter on Thursday. He maintained that the integrity of democracy was at stake if he were to accept the loss without due diligence that every ballot was legally cast.

“While not everyone wins in an election, voters must be confident that the election was fair and honest,” James wrote in a statement shared on Twitter Thursday.  “Failure to do so, is the end of democracy.”

“When this process is complete, I will of course accept the results and the will of the people,” James added, “but at this time there is enough credible evidence to warrant an investigation to ensure that elections were conducted in a transparent, legal and fair manner. Those who object likely have something to hide.”

John James, Michigan GOP Senate candidate, speaks at an election night event after winning his primary election at his business James Group International August 7th, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Read More: Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters wins reelection, beats John James

James preemptively criticized those who will find fault in his course of action.

“Those who object likely have something to hide,” James insisted.

James also retweeted a user who claimed that he was actually the victor.

Michigan elected it's first Black Senator. The people have spoken. John James has won this race. The ballots are counted. Stop making up numbers, stalling the process and cheating the system. @garypeters

— stusandler (@stusandler) November 4, 2020

The Detroit News reported that Charlie Spies, an attorney representing James, filed a complaint with the Wayne County Board of Canvassers and alleged Democratic interference. He reportedly claimed that Republican poll watchers weren’t allowed to “meaningfully participate” as the vote count was monitored and cast doubt on the process.

“We have seen and we have witnesses that saw the mysterious appearance of ballots at the TCF Center that can’t be accounted for,” Spies said.

The current tally had Peters leading James by more than 80,000 votes. He laughed off being told that his Republican challenger wanted to contest the outcome of the race during a press conference on Thursday.

In this Oct. 16, 2020, file photo, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., speaks during an event with Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden at Beech Woods Recreation Center, in Southfield, Mich. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

“It’s sad and it’s pathetic. They lost,” Peters said to reporters at the Goodison Cider Mill. “It’s very clear. Just count the votes. I understand Mr. James has been running for four years, he’s lost twice now. I understand that doesn’t sit well with him.”

Peters added that James had not yet personally contacted him but urged him not to be a sore loser.

“This is where you see someone’s character,” the senator added. “And they come up and realize that they need to accept the vote of the people of the state of Michigan. I would hope that this nonsense could go away.”

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Judge nixes Trump bid to stop Philly vote count

U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond suggested each party be allowed 60 observers inside a hall at a downtown convention center where the final ballots are being tallied

A federal judge has denied a bid by President Donald Trump’s campaign to stop the vote count in Philadelphia over observer access, urging the two sides to instead forge an agreement.

Read More: McConnell may stop Biden from picking liberal Cabinet: report

U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond suggested each party be allowed 60 observers inside a hall at a downtown convention center where the final ballots are being tallied. As the hearing unfolded Thursday evening, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden were locked in a tight battle for the 20 electoral votes in Pennsylvania.

Diamond, an appointee of President George W. Bush, chastened the lawyers as both sides bickered about who was following the rules and reminded them they are officers of the court.

People urge for all votes to be counted during a demonstration outside the Pennsylvania Convention Center where votes are being counted, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020, in Philadelphia, following Tuesday’s election. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

“Really, can’t we be responsible adults here and reach an agreement?” the exasperated judge asked. “The whole thing could (soon) be moot.”

Read More: Alabama police captain placed on leave for social media post on Biden voters: ‘Put a bullet in their skull’

Republicans went to court Thursday afternoon to complain that election officials in the Democratic-led city were ignoring a state court order they’d won earlier in the day to give them a closer view of ballot processing.

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Counties with highest COVID-19 cases voted for Trump, data shows

The president also won massive support in states with the highest virus-related deaths

Americans in counties with the highest number of new COVID-19 cases overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump in Tuesday’s election.

According to an Associated Press analysis, in 376 counties where the virus is currently most rampant, 93% of those counties went for Trump. Most were in rural areas where there is low adherence to social distancing and mask-wearing, Chicago-Tribune reports. Counties in Montana, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Wisconsin are hotbeds for the latest surge in COVID cases, and Trump enjoyed massive support from voters in these areas.

“Public health officials need to step back, listen to and understand the people who aren’t taking the same stance” on mask-wearing and other control measures, said Dr. Marcus Plescia of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

Read More: Fauci warns of COVID-19 surge, opposes Trump’s response

New #COVID19 cases are going up in 79% of U.S. jurisdictions. Average daily cases in the last 7 days increased 20% from the previous 7 days. Help slow the spread: wash your hands, wear a mask and stay 6 feet from others. Learn more: https://t.co/Ne79RXzgg7 pic.twitter.com/PJMmY8DvaT

— CDC (@CDCgov) November 4, 2020

Trump also won the majority of votes in states with the highest COVID-19 deaths, including Florida and Texas. 

“The president has spent months minimizing the virus and the pain of the loved ones of the more than 230,000 Americans taken by COVID-19. It’s no surprise that the deception paid off,” said Florida resident Andrea Mulcahy, whose husband died of COVID-19 in July at age 52.

“It’s also heartbreaking that more Americans don’t understand the horror that so many of their neighbors have lived and continue to live,” she added.

Read More: Tens of thousands of COVID-19 infections linked to Trump rallies: study

There have been more than 230,000 COVID-19 related deaths in America. Trump has responded by downplaying the severity of the pandemic and encouraging the public to ignore basic safety precautions.

If elected to the White House, Joe Biden has vowed to “immediately put in place a national strategy that will position our country to finally get ahead of this virus and get back our lives,” the former vice president said at a rally in Wilmington, Delaware, last month.

“I’ll reach out to every governor in every state, red and blue, as well as mayors and local officials during the transition, to find out what support they need and how much of it they need. I’ll ask the new Congress to put a bill on my desk by the end of January, with all the resources necessary to see how both our public health and our economic response can be seen through the end,” Biden added.

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Africa's week in pictures: 30 October - 5 November 2020

A selection of the week's best photos from across the continent and beyond.

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McConnell may stop Biden from picking liberal Cabinet: report

Sources say Joe Biden’s transition team is considering prospective Cabinet nominees who will be on the moderate side

According to a new report, potential president Joe Biden may limit his Cabinet choices to moderates if he does take office.

Read More: McConnell: New virus relief bill will now be top priority

As Axios reports, the former vice president’s transition team will consider limiting its prospective Cabinet nominees to those who satisfy Mitch McConnell. According to the outlet, this could keep many progressive Democrats out of the running for high-ranking positions. Sources told Axios Biden may go with centrist options such as economist Lael Brainard for Treasury Secretary or Tony Blinken, former Deputy National Security Advisor for Secretary of State instead of more left-leaning politicians like Susan Rice and Stacey Abrams.

A source close to McConnell says a “Republican Senate would work with Biden on centrist nominees but no ‘radical progressives’ or ones who are controversial with conservatives.”

“It’s going to be armed camps,” the source said.

The outlet previously reported that the Biden team considered an informal ban on naming Democratic U.S. senators to the Cabinet if he wins, which prevents consideration of Elizabeth Warren for Treasury or Bernie Sanders for Labor. Biden himself, focused on the election outcome, had not confirmed a potential Senate ban but it avoids having to choose replacements while the balance of the Senate is still at stake.

Susan Rice speaks onstage at the 10th Anniversary Women In The World Summit – Day 2 at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on April 11, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

But Politico reports Warren hopes to be Treasury Secretary in a Biden White House. Sources confirmed to the outlet: “She wants it.”

Read More: McConnell says ‘no concerns’ about health while badly bruised and bandaged

Biden officials may hold out for signals from McConnell about whether he’ll fight every nominee or only a few selected progressive options per Axios.

As theGrio reported, McConnell, the Senate majority leader, was re-elected to a seventh term in Kentucky, defeating Democrat Amy McGrath. According to the report, he won by boasting that his leadership post and close ties to President Donald Trump were political assets for the Bluegrass State. Trump won Kentucky by 30 percentage points.

A statement on the official website for the Biden-Harris Transition Team said that staffers are prepared to continue working towards an easy transition if Biden does win the presidency.

“The American people will determine who will serve as the next President of the United States. Votes are still being counted in several states around the country. The crises facing the country are severe — from a pandemic to an economic recession, climate change to racial injustice — and the transition team will continue preparing at full speed so that the Biden-Harris Administration can hit the ground running on Day One.”

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Virginia man kills wife, himself after she serves him separation papers

Their daughter says he may have suffered from untreated mental health issues.

A family is in mourning after a tragic murder-suicide on Halloween night.

Michele Francis, 53, of Stafford, Virginia attempted to serve her husband separation papers on Oct. 31, but it ended with him shooting her and then pulling the gun on himself.

Read More: Virginia man arrested for allegedly killing friend, driving with body in car

The Stafford County Sheriff’s office responded to a 911 call at Baldwin Drive in the subdivision of Cardinal Forest. They found the couple in the master bedroom with gunshot wounds, according to The Free Lance-Star.

The husband was identified as Peter Francis, 57, a surgical technician.

“My father took my mom’s life simply because she got tired of his abuse and had decided to leave him,” Tiffini Amber Pietrzak, 24, the couple’s oldest daughter, who lives in Florida, told The Free Lance-Star in a phone interview.

“He’s been causing us pain our entire lives and now he’s caused pain that may never go away.”

The couple, married almost 26 years, shared an 18-year-old son who says he heard an argument and then gunshots from the upstairs bedroom. He ran upstairs and after discovering his father’s body in a closet, called 911.

Read More: Virginia Baptist church donates $1 million in surplus tithes

The couple also has a 15-year-old daughter who was staying with Pietrzak in Florida. Pietrzak says when she picked up her sister two weeks earlier to get her away from the deteriorating situation, she begged their mother to come along but she refused.

She describes her as the backbone of the family who worked a full-time job and two part-time jobs.

Pietrzak is asking for help to take care of the siblings she now has to raise. Both her sister and brother are still in high school.

“I never imagined having two extra people to be responsible for,” she adds, “We have enough on our plate with our own family, but I’m all they have left.”

The daughter has advice for other victims of abuse.

“People need to know they are not alone and perhaps it will encourage someone to take action before it’s too late.”

Donate to Pietrzak’s GoFundMe here.

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Lil Wayne reportedly broke up with girlfriend over her Biden endorsement

In a plot twist, Lil Wayne reportedly unfollowed his girlfriend because she posted a message in support of Joe Biden

Lil Wayne made headlines after he endorsed President Donald Trump last week. Shortly thereafter it was reported that his girlfriend Denise Bidot broke up with him due to his political views. Now the plus-sized model has come forward to deny the viral claim and sources have revealed that it was in fact Wayne who dropped her for voting Democrat.

The 38-year-old hitmaker had been blissfully dating the plus-sized model for months, but sources claimed they split shortly after he revealed that he met with the Republican presidential incumbent just days before the 2020 general election on Nov. 3.

READ MORE: Sales of alcohol, food, and weed skyrocketed on election night: report

(Credit: Instagram)

Originally it was reported that Bidot she broke things off with Wayne because of his endorsement. But the Puerto Rican and Kuwait bombshell denied the rumors in a social media post, declaring, “I did not. This is absolutely false.”

Later, in an Instagram story captured by Gossip in the City, she wrote, “Imagine being dumped over an IG post…that expressed MY political view and encouraged people to vote… It’s definitely 2020.”

Allegedly there was some tension between the couple after Bidot posted a picture endorsing Biden with the hashtag, #notrumpforme. She later posted a picture of Wayne in her story clarifying, “Let me be clear this my king. I love him.”

View this post on Instagram

Looks like Lil Wayne was the one who broke things off of with his boo for not being down with Trump!

A post shared by The Neighborhood Talk, LLC (@theneighborhoodtalk) on Nov 3, 2020 at 12:17pm PST

READ MORE: John Legend says rappers supporting Trump are new supergroup ‘called the Sunken Place’

But that seemingly wasn’t enough to smooth things over given Wayne unfollowed her shortly thereafter. According to The Neighborhood Talk even after she removed her Biden endorsement, a source claims he kicked her out.

Wayne has yet to directly address the scandal. But he did post a cryptic message on his Twitter about love that many speculate is in reference to the break up in which he shared, “I live the way I love and love the way I live. I’m a lover not a lighter bekuz they burn out. I am an eternal fire and burning love, either leave with a tan, a 3rd degree burn, or stay and die in love. You’re sweating. Sincerely, the fireman.”

As we previously reported, this controversy all started last Thursday when the New Orleans hip-hop star shared a photo of he and Trump standing side by side as they smiled with their thumbs up.

“Just had a great meeting with @realdonaldtrump @potus,” wrote Wayne, real name Dwayne Carter Jr. He continued, “…besides what he’s done so far with criminal reform, the platinum plan is going to give the community real ownership.”

“He listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done.”

Trump later went on the record to state that Lil Wayne requested a meeting with him and also complimented him as an “activist” and “nice guy.”

Just had a great meeting with @realdonaldtrump @potus besides what he’s done so far with criminal reform, the platinum plan is going to give the community real ownership. He listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done. 🤙🏾 pic.twitter.com/Q9c5k1yMWf

— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) October 29, 2020

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Sen. Holly Mitchell helps make history with all-female Board of Supervisors in LA County

State Senator Holly Mitchell won a landslide victory for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors 2nd District race

While the country is still counting votes, Los Angeles, California is making process.

State Sen. Holly Mitchell made history when she won the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors 2nd District race in Tuesday’s election.

Read More: Senator Holly Mitchell says Los Angeles County Supervisor is ‘the job I have trained for my entire career’

Mitchell won easily against L.A. City Councilman Herb Wesson according to CBS Los Angeles. She won 60.89% of the votes against City Councilman Herb Wesson’s 39.11%. They were both gunning to take L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas’ seat who had termed out. The board is formally known as “five little kings” for the five men that held their positions for decades is long over.

The Board of Supervisors is considered the most powerful body of local government in the country. It controls the county’s $35-billion budget, the largest jail system, and its health care system.

(Credit: Senator Holly J. Mitchell)

Read More: Mystery blue dots painted near Biden supporters’ homes in California

This is the first time in history that women will run the board in the over 150 years it has been established. Ange-Marie Hancock Alfaro, a professor and chair of gender studies of the University of Southern California, says five women having this much power on a board is basically unprecedented in the country.

“I can’t think of another example in the entire United States where you will have five women having control of,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “… the largest county in the entire country just in terms of people, but also the largest county budget in the entire country.”

Former Supervisor Gloria Molina was the first Latina elected to the board in 1991 and she said when she joined she was met with racism and sexism. She says a male supervisor told the media she was “having hot flashes,” when she challenged a decision made by one of her fellow supervisors.   

Mitchell said at first she never thought of running until $1 billion was cut from the state’s subsidized childcare. She said that was her lightbulb moment.

“I literally said in my mind, ‘I guess I have to run,’ ” said Mitchell.

Mitchell previously introduced The CROWN Act, a law that protects Black people from race-based hair discrimination, which is the denial of opportunities because of hair texture or protective hairstyles including braids, locs, twists, or Bantu knots. The law was ultimately passed in seven states. In an exclusive interview with theGrio last month, the senator explained the significance of making issues that impact the Black community a priority.

“It is who I am, it is the lens through which I see the world, I experience the world and it’s the moves through which I legislate and appropriate resources. I’m the only black woman that serving in the California State Senate currently and I’m only the fourth since statehood. I’m clear that I have a responsibility to bring it,” she said. “I am confident in my skin, and it gives In great pride to stand on that floor.”

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These Factory Robots May Point the Way to 5G’s Future

Manufacturing, mining, and delivery firms, among others, are exploring building their own high-speed wireless networks with the new standard.

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The Evolution of Game Console Design—and American Gamers

They say art mimics life, and that definitely applies to the often garish aesthetics of gaming hardware, from the 1977 Atari 2600 to the PlayStation 5.

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Mogadishu Deaf School: 'After learning sign language, I understand everything'

This school in Mogadishu is the first of its kind - a school for hard of hearing or deaf children.

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Ethiopia: Four things you need to know about the Tigray crisis

Four things that explain the crisis in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

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Tigray crisis: Ethiopia's Abiy Ahmed vows to continue military offensive

Abiy Ahmed's pledge to carry on fighting in Tigray comes despite international calls for restraint.

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African Champions League: Zamalek to face Ahly in all-Egyptian final

Zamalek beat Raja Casablanca 3-1 in Cairo to book a place against Egyptian rivals Al-Ahly in the African Champions League final.

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How to Manage Containers Using Podman and Skopeo in RHEL 8

One of the challenges developers faced in the past is getting applications to run reliably across multiple computing environments. Oftentimes, applications didn’t run as expected or encountered errors and failed altogether. And that’s where

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WhatsApp Is Adding Disappearing Messages—With Some Limits

The popular encrypted messaging app now lets you automatically make chats vanish after a week, but look out for a few caveats.

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BpyTop – Resource Monitoring Tool for Linux

BpyTOP is another Linux command-line utility for resource monitoring among many other utilities like a top, Htop, Bashtop, etc. bashtop users can expect similar features in bpytop since bpytop is ported from bashtop and

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Using machine learning to track the pandemic’s impact on mental health

Dealing with a global pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of millions of people. A team of MIT and Harvard University researchers has shown that they can measure those effects by analyzing the language that people use to express their anxiety online.

Using machine learning to analyze the text of more than 800,000 Reddit posts, the researchers were able to identify changes in the tone and content of language that people used as the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic progressed, from January to April of 2020. Their analysis revealed several key changes in conversations about mental health, including an overall increase in discussion about anxiety and suicide.

“We found that there were these natural clusters that emerged related to suicidality and loneliness, and the amount of posts in these clusters more than doubled during the pandemic as compared to the same months of the preceding year, which is a grave concern,” says Daniel Low, a graduate student in the Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology at Harvard and MIT and the lead author of the study.

The analysis also revealed varying impacts on people who already suffer from different types of mental illness. The findings could help psychiatrists, or potentially moderators of the Reddit forums that were studied, to better identify and help people whose mental health is suffering, the researchers say.

“When the mental health needs of so many in our society are inadequately met, even at baseline, we wanted to bring attention to the ways that many people are suffering during this time, in order to amplify and inform the allocation of resources to support them,” says Laurie Rumker, a graduate student in the Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics PhD Program at Harvard and one of the authors of the study.

Satrajit Ghosh, a principal research scientist at MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research, is the senior author of the study, which appears in the Journal of Internet Medical Research. Other authors of the paper include Tanya Talkar, a graduate student in the Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology at Harvard and MIT; John Torous, director of the digital psychiatry division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; and Guillermo Cecchi, a principal research staff member at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center.

A wave of anxiety

The new study grew out of the MIT class 6.897/HST.956 (Machine Learning for Healthcare), in MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Low, Rumker, and Talkar, who were all taking the course last spring, had done some previous research on using machine learning to detect mental health disorders based on how people speak and what they say. After the Covid-19 pandemic began, they decided to focus their class project on analyzing Reddit forums devoted to different types of mental illness.

“When Covid hit, we were all curious whether it was affecting certain communities more than others,” Low says. “Reddit gives us the opportunity to look at all these subreddits that are specialized support groups. It’s a really unique opportunity to see how these different communities were affected differently as the wave was happening, in real-time.”

The researchers analyzed posts from 15 subreddit groups devoted to a variety of mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder. They also included a handful of groups devoted to topics not specifically related to mental health, such as personal finance, fitness, and parenting.

Using several types of natural language processing algorithms, the researchers measured the frequency of words associated with topics such as anxiety, death, isolation, and substance abuse, and grouped posts together based on similarities in the language used. These approaches allowed the researchers to identify similarities between each group’s posts after the onset of the pandemic, as well as distinctive differences between groups.

The researchers found that while people in most of the support groups began posting about Covid-19 in March, the group devoted to health anxiety started much earlier, in January. However, as the pandemic progressed, the other mental health groups began to closely resemble the health anxiety group, in terms of the language that was most often used. At the same time, the group devoted to personal finance showed the most negative semantic change from January to April 2020, and significantly increased the use of words related to economic stress and negative sentiment.

They also discovered that the mental health groups affected the most negatively early in the pandemic were those related to ADHD and eating disorders. The researchers hypothesize that without their usual social support systems in place, due to lockdowns, people suffering from those disorders found it much more difficult to manage their conditions. In those groups, the researchers found posts about hyperfocusing on the news and relapsing back into anorexia-type behaviors since meals were not being monitored by others due to quarantine.

Using another algorithm, the researchers grouped posts into clusters such as loneliness or substance use, and then tracked how those groups changed as the pandemic progressed. Posts related to suicide more than doubled from pre-pandemic levels, and the groups that became significantly associated with the suicidality cluster during the pandemic were the support groups for borderline personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The researchers also found the introduction of new topics specifically seeking mental health help or social interaction. “The topics within these subreddit support groups were shifting a bit, as people were trying to adapt to a new life and focus on how they can go about getting more help if needed,” Talkar says.

While the authors emphasize that they cannot implicate the pandemic as the sole cause of the observed linguistic changes, they note that there was much more significant change during the period from January to April in 2020 than in the same months in 2019 and 2018, indicating the changes cannot be explained by normal annual trends.

Mental health resources

This type of analysis could help mental health care providers identify segments of the population that are most vulnerable to declines in mental health caused by not only the Covid-19 pandemic but other mental health stressors such as controversial elections or natural disasters, the researchers say.

Additionally, if applied to Reddit or other social media posts in real-time, this analysis could be used to offer users additional resources, such as guidance to a different support group, information on how to find mental health treatment, or the number for a suicide hotline.

“Reddit is a very valuable source of support for a lot of people who are suffering from mental health challenges, many of whom may not have formal access to other kinds of mental health support, so there are implications of this work for ways that support within Reddit could be provided,” Rumker says.

The researchers now plan to apply this approach to study whether posts on Reddit and other social media sites can be used to detect mental health disorders. One current project involves screening posts in a social media site for veterans for suicide risk and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the McGovern Institute.

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Netflix docu-series ‘Trial 4’ tells story of wrongfully convicted Boston man who served 22 years

Sean K. Ellis went to prison for the murder of a Boston police detective in 1993. 

Netflix has released the trailer for its upcoming docs-series Trial 4 and the facts of the real-life case are more than troubling. 

Read More: Netflix unveils trailer and photos for Shondaland series ‘Bridgerton’

The eight-episode series directed by Rémy Burkel chronicles the life of Sean K. Ellis, a man who spent 22 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. 

At the age of 19, Ellis was convicted for the murder of Boston Police detective John Mulligan in 1993. He was put on trial three times before being found guilty.

Years later, the police conspiracy that sent Ellis to prison was uncovered, leading to three officers involved in the investigation being convicted on federal extortion charges. It turns out they were guilty of robbing people at gunpoint and falsifying warrants. 

Even after Ellis was released in 2015 due to the evidence showing his case was mishandled, he faced a possible fourth trial. The docu-series covers the entire ordeal and includes interviews with Ellis and nearly everyone involved with the shocking true story. 

Here’s the official synopsis: 

The eight-episode docuseries TRIAL 4 delves into the story of Sean Ellis, a man who served 22 years in prison after being found guilty of killing Boston Police Detective John Mulligan in 1993. Though law enforcement presented evidence linking Ellis to the murder, further investigation revealed corrupt police officers, questionable witnesses and enormous pressure within the department to solve the case. Ellis’s story, while devastating, sheds light on timely issues of systemic racism, police corruption and criminal justice reform while offering hope that, ultimately, people have the power to change the system.

Read More: Netflix prepping ‘My Dad the Bounty Hunter’ from ‘Hair Love’ director

Trial 4 premieres on Netflix on Nov. 11.

Check out the trailer: 

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Baltimore to pay $2 million settlement for police hiring discrimination

The DOJ claimed that a written test given to recruits was intentionally biased against Black applicants.

The Baltimore County Police Department has reached a $2 million dollar settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice as part of a discrimination lawsuit against Black American applicants.

theGRIO previously reported, the DOJ sued the Baltimore County government last August claiming that a written test given to police recruits was intentionally biased against Black applicants, according to the Baltimore Sun.

The agency believes the ploy worked because Blacks failed the test at a much greater rate than white counterparts, resulting in fewer Black police officers making it into the force. The lawsuit noted that the difference was “statistically significant.”

Read More: Baltimore illegally took partial police settlement from woman, judge says

The suit alleged that applicants were tested on “reading, grammar, logic and other skills’ not related to the job of a Baltimore police officer or cadet, the report states. 

The lawsuit accused the Baltimore County Police Department of a “pattern or practice of discrimination” against Black applicants and demanded that the county “make remedial relief to those who suffered discrimination and adopt appropriate nondiscriminatory measures to correct the discrimination.”

Julian Jones, the lone Black person on the Baltimore County Council, said last year that he was “taken aback” by the allegations, telling the Baltimore Sun, “I’m confident that the current administration is going to do any and everything necessary to make sure we’re not discriminating against people.”

Under the settlement, Baltimore County must pay $2 million in back pay to eligible claimants, and make 20 priority hires of individuals who previously failed the written exam.

Read More: DOJ accuses Baltimore County Police of racial discrimination in hiring; files suit

“Our Police Department should look like the communities it serves and, even prior to this lawsuit, I joined Chief Hyatt to begin efforts that increase the diversity of our police force,” Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said in a news release. “This settlement will help hold Baltimore County accountable as we continue working toward that critical goal — while also helping to further ensure our Police Department can best serve all of Baltimore County’s residents.”

As part of the settlement agreement, Baltimore County must also ditch the allegedly unlawful written examinations.

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McConnell: New virus relief bill will now be top priority

We may have a new stimulus bill before the end of the year.

Americans could have another $1200 stimulus check on the way.

According to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Senate will focus on a new stimulus bill as soon as they return to work on Monday. On Wednesday, he also announced the plan could include local aid, per The Washington Post.

Read More: Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell reelected to 7th term

“It’s a possibility we will do more for state and local governments,” said McConnell. “We need another rescue package. The Senate goes back into session next Monday. Hopefully, the partisan passions that prevented us from doing another rescue package will subside with the election. And I think we need to do it and I think we need to do it before the end of the year.”

The idea of a new relief bill has been on the table for a while now. But McConnell and Senate Republicans have complained about the $2 trillion proposed package, calling it too costly. McConnell did try to push through a smaller bill that was rejected by Democrats because it did not include local and state aid or another stimulus check.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), gives election remarks next to his wife, Elaine Chao, at the Omni Louisville Hotel on November 4, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. McConnell has reportedly defeated his opponent, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Amy McGrath, marking his seventh consecutive U.S. Senate win. (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

“We need to sit down and talk to each other like we did back in March and April and address the problem, and I’m confident we will no matter who ends up running the government, no matter who’s in the White House, no matter who’s — I think we know the Democrats are going to run the House — no matter who runs the Senate, it’s time to overcome all that and get results,” said McConnell.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have been the main drivers of a new package, spending hours trying to come up with one that both parties could agree on. But according to McConnell, there is another important issue on the agenda in regards to COVID-19.

Read More: McConnell says ‘no concerns’ about health while badly bruised and bandaged

 “Until we kill it, so that’s job one. We’ve already allocated an enormous amount of money toward testing, treatment and vaccines. We may need to do more in the next rescue package, because ultimately you got to kill the [virus] before we get back to normal because there’s no other way to get back to normal.”

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Chris Christie slams Trump for baseless election ‘fraud’ claims

Though the former governor of New Jersey is a known Trump ally, even he’s criticizing the president’s latest actions

Possibly outgoing President Trump has drawn criticism throughout his presidency over his words and actions, but now it’s coming from those who have shown support for him in the past. On Tuesday night, Trump declared he won the election despite millions of votes that have yet to be counted. While on the air doing election coverage for ABC News last night, Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey says the president made a “bad strategic decision,” as recounted by People.

Read More: Trump ally Chris Christie tests positive for COVID-19

Chris Christie on Pres. Trump's election remarks: "I talk tonight… as a former U.S. Attorney. There's just no basis to make that argument tonight. There just isn't."

"I disagree with what he did tonight." https://t.co/GwwRl4EUb3 #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/PGborH5sCH

— ABC News (@ABC) November 4, 2020

“There’s just no basis to make that argument tonight. There just isn’t,” Christie said.  “All these votes have to be counted that are in now. Tonight, this was not the time to make this argument.”

Christie, who is a Republican, says he was speaking as a former U.S. attorney in regards to Trump’s allegations, though he has worked with the president in the past and was even one of his advisors for the presidential debates.

Host George Stephanopoulos pushed back on Christie’s comments, saying Trump was “preparing the battlefield.”

“I disagree with what he did tonight,” said Christie.“There comes a point where you have to let the process play itself out before you judge it to have been flawed. And I think by prematurely doing things – if there is a flaw in it later, he has undercut his own credibility in calling attention to that flaw.”

: Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani listen as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Briefing Room of the White House on September 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump is preparing for the first presidential debate with former Vice President and Democratic Nominee Joe Biden on September 29th in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Joshua Roberts/Getty Images)

Christie, the governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018 endorsed Trump in 2016. He told ABC anchors that considering Trump’s position, his comments were off-base.

Read More: Whoopi takes on Chris Christie on COVID-19: ‘Who are you willing to sacrifice?’

 “It’s a bad political decision, and it’s not the kind of decision you would expect someone to make tonight who holds the position he holds.”

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Trump ally Angela Stanton-King loses Georgia House race with less than 15% of the vote

Nikema Williams defeated Angela Stanton-King with almost 85% of the vote for the seat once held by the late Rep. John Lewis

Nikema Williams defeated Angela Stanton-King in a landslide victory in the race for the late Congressman John Lewis’ seat in Georgia.

Williams won the seat with 85.1% of votes to Stanton’s 14.9%, The New York Times reports. The landslide victory was by a margin of 71%. It wasn’t a close contest despite the oversized importance it had after Lewis‘s death in July from pancreatic cancer at the age of 80. The Georgia lawmaker had served in the House of Representatives since 1987.

Democrats chose Williams to run for the 5th Congressional district after Lewis passed. Georgia’s 39th district senator campaigned on a platform of “good trouble,” invoking Lewis’ creed and promising to “protect his legacy.” She vowed to fight for Medicare for All, universal family care, and against rampant voter suppression tactics.

(Credit: Georgia State Senate, Getty Images and Stanton-King)

Read More: Cori Bush elected as first Black female congresswoman from Missouri

“I’m committed to fighting for you and I’m committed to bringing your voices with me to the halls of Congress,” she said in a campaign ad she tweeted to supporters last month.

1/2 I am the little girl who grew up in rural Alabama in a home with no indoor plumbing and no running water.

I am a mom, a wife, a State Senator, and your next Congresswoman. pic.twitter.com/db57TGXcIl

— Senator Nikema Williams (@NikemaWilliams) October 9, 2020

Stanton-King, a staunch Republican and founder of the American King Foundation, blasted the Democrats for what she believed was poor leadership. She pilloried the party for fostering an environment of lawlessness and accused Williams of feeling “entitled” to the seat. Stanton-King’s platform prioritized a pro-life agenda and her support of President Donald Trump.

I know the world hears him 🗣

ANGELA STANTON KING

I love the support this man and his administration has given me over the last year! This is truly what makes America Great! @realdonaldtrump is My forever President🇺🇸 #stantonkingforcongress pic.twitter.com/cZTgwXUEd9

— Angela Stanton King 🇺🇸 (@theangiestanton) November 2, 2020

Both women were less than impressed with the other, resulting in no debates taking place between them. Williams said she wouldn’t agree to one as she believed that Stanton-King was spreading lies on social media.

“I’m not going to give her a platform,” Williams said in October. “I’m not going to legitimize her candidacy.”

Stanton-King blasted Williams for being “afraid to face me.”

Ultimately, voters resonated more with Williams’ message and helped her rout Stanton-King on Election Day.

WE DID IT! Thank you for your support — I would have never been able to do it without you.

This seat does not belong to me, it belongs to the people. And I'm ready to fight #OutLoudAndOnPurpose for the people of #GA5! Now let's get in some #GoodTrouble y'all! pic.twitter.com/5UAKv5R73J

— Senator Nikema Williams (@NikemaWilliams) November 4, 2020

“WE DID IT! Thank you for your support — I would have never been able to do it without you,” the Georgia state senator tweeted Wednesday.

“This seat does not belong to me, it belongs to the people. And I’m ready to fight #OutLoudAndOnPurpose for the people of #GA5! Now let’s get in some #GoodTrouble y’all!”

Read More: Mauree Turner to be 1st non-binary lawmaker in US, 1st Muslim legislator in Oklahoma

Stanton-King acknowledged her loss but cast blame on the media and possible cheating for her defeat.

I’m grateful for the love & support shown to me on this campaign 🏃‍♀️ I was in an uphill battle from the start. But even w/ bias media, an opponent refusing to debate, & a water main break in the only room that holds the ballots, the world still knows my name!

The fight continues

— Angela Stanton King 🇺🇸 (@theangiestanton) November 4, 2020

“I’m grateful for the love & support shown to me on this campaign Woman running I was in an uphill battle from the start. But even w/ bias media, an opponent refusing to debate, & a water main break in the only room that holds the ballots, the world still knows my name! The fight continues,” she tweeted.

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Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters wins reelection, beats John James

The 61-year-old Peters continued Democrats’ dominance of Senate elections in the battleground presidential state

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Democratic Michigan Sen. Gary Peters won reelection Wednesday, defeating Republican challenger John James in a tight race.

The 61-year-old Peters continued Democrats’ dominance of Senate elections in the battleground presidential state. Republicans have won just once there since the 1970s, despite having spent heavily to try to unseat Peters in one of their few pickup opportunities.

Read More: Some Democrats floating Hakeem Jeffries for House Speaker: report

Peters is a former congressman, state lawmaker, lottery commissioner and investment adviser who served in the Navy Reserve. He ran by emphasizing his bipartisan work, his ranking as one of the most effective senators and James’ support for President Donald Trump.

“I am sincerely honored that the voters of Michigan have once again put their trust and confidence in me to represent them in the United States Senate,” Peters said in a statement. “As we look ahead, I am energized to keep working to move our state forward and continue putting Michigan first.”

In this Oct. 16, 2020, file photo, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., speaks during an event with Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden at Beech Woods Recreation Center, in Southfield, Mich. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

Earlier in the day, James retweeted his campaign consultant’s claim that he had “won this race” — despite Peters later taking and building his lead — drawing criticism from Democrats. James’ campaign could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.

Peters, 61, was one of two incumbent Democrats running for reelection in a state Donald Trump won in 2016 — a presidential battleground no less and a rare place on the Senate map for Republicans to play offense in 2020. James, a 39-year-old Black businessman and Iraq War veteran, was waging a stiff challenge as he aimed to become the first Michigan Republican to win a U.S. Senate seat in a quarter-century.

Peters, a former congressman, state senator, lottery commissioner and investment adviser, emphasized his bipartisanship and ranking as an effective senator, saying more of his bills were into law by Trump than any other Senate Democrat. He also criticized James’ opposition to the federal health care overhaul and noted James backed Trump “2,000%” during his first campaign — a 2018 loss to Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

John James, Michigan GOP Senate candidate, speaks at an election night event after winning his primary election at his business James Group International August 7th, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

James, who would become Michigan’s first African American senator, highlighted his leadership of his family’s automotive logistics company in Detroit and his service in combat after graduating from West Point. His campaign gave 5% of donations to charity.

Read More: Trump sues in 3 states, laying ground for contesting outcome

He called Peters a “do-nothing” career politician and questioned his bipartisan credentials, noting he voted against confirming all three of Trump’s Supreme Court nominees.

Republicans have taken just one of Michigan’s last 15 Senate races, in 1994, when Spencer Abraham won an open seat.

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Some Democrats floating Hakeem Jeffries for House Speaker: report

Despite the suggestion, Jeffries says he is fine in his current role.

Some are rallying for House Democratic caucus chairman Hakeem Jeffries of New York to become House Speaker, but he doesn’t even want the job.

Read More: New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries quotes Biggie Smalls in speech during Trump’s impeachment trial

Two moderate House Democrats who are upset about the Democratic losses this election cycle said on Wednesday they are working to get support for Jeffries to challenge Speaker Nancy Pelosi, per The Hill.

“He’s the only one prepared and positioned,” said one of the centrist Democratic lawmakers. “He bridges moderates and progressives better than anyone. And most importantly, he’s not Nancy Pelosi.”

According to his spokesman, despite the ongoing discussion, Jeffries is focused on his current spot and leaning into another important topic.

House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (L) speaks with Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) after the State of the Union address in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives on February 04, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump delivers his third State of the Union to the nation the night before the U.S. Senate is set to vote in his impeachment trial. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

“As we wait for every vote to be counted in the most pivotal election in our lifetime, keeping the House Democratic Caucus unified on behalf of the American people has never been more important. Representative Jeffries is running to serve a second term as Chairman of the vibrant House Democratic Caucus in the 117th Congress.”

Jeffries was elected to his position in November of 2018. The Brooklyn-bred New Yorker is a graduate of New York University and the fifth highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives. He is an advocate for economic and social justice per his website, Jeffries.house.gov.

Many are frustrated with the senior Democratic leadership which is why Pelosi is becoming a target.

Read More: Hakeem Jeffries delivers a lesson in diversity with new senior leadership

“It’s time for Democrats to elevate a new generation of leadership in both the House and the Senate,” said one of the Democrats for Jefferies. “Americans are clearly afraid of ‘socialism,’ want safe streets and neighborhoods and to vote for people who they believe will help put more money in their pockets. While Democratic policies can adequately address those issues, our messaging mechanism clearly cannot.”

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Philadelphia police release bodycam footage of Walter Wallace Jr. shooting

The victim received mental health care at a crisis center three days before he was killed. 

The Philadelphia Police Department has released the 911 calls and bodycam footage showing the fatal encounter with 27-year-old Walter Wallace Jr..

As theGrio previously reported, law enforcement had responded to three disturbance calls from Wallace Jr.’s home and the last visit on Oct. 26 resulted in him being fatally shot.

He died after two police officers claimed he “advanced” on them with a knife, and they shot Wallace Jr. “several times.” He later died at the hospital.

Read More: Walter Wallace Jr. received mental health care days before shooting

The Philadelphia police officers who killed #WalterWallaceJr while he was having a mental health crisis did not have Tasers.

They shot him at least 14 times.

His mother said family had told the officers Wallace was having a crisis: "They stood there and laughed at us." pic.twitter.com/WgGUkrhZE7

— AJ+ (@ajplus) October 29, 2020

In a press conference on Wednesday, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said police video of the incident “may be intense and traumatic for many people to watch.”

“With this release, the world will see we are engaging in an open process, a process that acknowledges the harm our actions have caused,” he added. “We will learn from our failings and we will do better.”

The officers involved in the shooting have been identified as Sean Matarazzo, 25, who has worked for the department since 2018, and Thomas Munz, 26, who joined the force in 2017, per Buzzfeed News. 

Wallace Jr. received mental health care at a crisis center three days before he was killed by Philadelphia police. 

An earlier report on theGRIO noted that he regularly used the outpatient services at the West Philadelphia Consortium, a mental health crisis response center, and had recently resumed treatment, according to executive director John White, per Inquirer.com. 

“His mother told me that when he came home Friday and she asked him how it went, he told her that he was doing much better and that we had gotten him ready to start looking for a job,” said White of Wallace Jr.’s last visit to the center. 

But for whatever reason, Wallace became triggered and began to spiral out of control on that fateful night. Family members called 911 requesting medical assistance for him, but instead, police showed up.  

White believes if the family or the police had called a crisis team from the center to the scene, Wallace Jr. might still be alive.

Read More: Walter Wallace Jr.’s family does not want officers charged, lawyer says

The bodycam footage supports previously released cellphone videos showing Wallace exiting the house holding a knife. The officers demand that he drop the weapon before one cop yells “shoot him.” Several shots are fired and Wallace collapses. 

“The ambulance never made it,” said attorney Shaka Johnson at a press conference shortly after his death. “[Officers] didn’t have the training and the tools to do the job effectively and, as such, a man was murdered.”

Release of the bodycam footage reportedly marks the first time the Philadelphia Police Department has publicly made available video of a police shooting. 

“What you will not see…and mark my words on this, you will not see a man with a knife lunging at police,” Johnson said of the video. 

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