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French youtuber with a million subscribers accused of corrupting minors

VIDEO. ExperimentBoy, with 1.16 million subscribers, has been accused of approaching and manipulating young boys, according to evidence gathered by Numerama. By Le Point.fr

Born two years ago on Twitter, #BalanceYourYoutubeur once again appeared in the network's top trends on Wednesday. Back then, it was a way for victims to put into words what they had been subjected to, often without actually accusing anyone by name. Scrolling through the hashtag, you can read stories of being taken over and manipulated by unconditional fans who, as minors, give the influential videographer who comes to talk to them whatever he or she asks. Often photos, sometimes more.

A few names were circulated, and some of the "bad buzz" gained momentum, but there was no follow-up. On several occasions, #BalanceTonYoutubeur came back, fuelled by new accounts, and then disappeared. But on Wednesday 19 August, new revelations brought the word-diese back into the spotlight: our colleagues at Numerama published an in-depth investigation, backed up by numerous eyewitness accounts. And, above all, a name. That of Baptiste Mortier-Dumont, alias ExperimentBoy, 1.16 million subscribers.

"He asked me to do things, showed me what he was doing".

As his pseudonym suggests, the young man has been making a name for himself since 2012 with his wacky, spectacular and explosive scientific experiments. With his extremely cheerful face, teasing headline and short videos, his target audience is more likely to be a young audience looking for entertainment than a seasoned scientist. Described by France 2 as a "young, slightly mad scientist", he is described as the star of the "13-24 age group" in a report by France 3.

Throughout the summer, Numerama's editorial team gathered a number of testimonials making serious accusations against ExperimentBoy. Thirteen in all. We used to send each other videos when I came home from school," explains Quentin, now 17. I could do whatever he wanted. He'd ask me to do things, show me what he was doing. He advised me to buy certain sex objects, which I did. Numerama explains that the witnesses have a similar profile. They are "young boys who describe themselves as having been 'naive' or 'uncomfortable' as children".

Two complaints lodged

With a spectacular number of followers and a high profile among young people, the youtuber himself approaches young boys on social networks. "He'd tell me to trust him, and I'd tell him about my problems at school, and I quickly became attached. It was the first time a friend had shown me affection. He realised that I had no idea what friendship was and invented a definition of friendship that suited him, so that I fell into it", explains a certain François, aged 11 at the time of his first discussions with the youtuber.

"Don't tell anyone else. [...] It's not a game either, and not that there's anything wrong, just that I exist publicly, so it's complicated," reads a screenshot of a discussion. According to Numerama, two complaints were filed against the youtuber in June and August 2020 for corruption of minors.

"Attempt to destabilise

Back in June, as a number of witnesses began to accuse him on Twitter, ExperimentBoy wrote: "I'll be brief: the perpetrators of the destabilisation attempt will very shortly be brought before the competent courts. I will announce the date of the hearing and the court concerned at a later date. I'll let my lawyers do their job and get on with my projects.

On Wednesday, Numerama also published the response of the youtuber's lawyers to the investigation against him: "In addition to the clear breach of the presumption of innocence, Mr Mortier-Dumont deplores an investigation whose timing (the respondent's position was sought immediately before publication of the article) suggests - even before reading the article - a biased position. He will not hesitate to take legal action against anyone who makes defamatory comments or attacks the presumption of innocence". A few hours after the publication of Numerama's investigation, the most 'liked' comments under ExperimentBoy's latest videos all refer to the accusations against him.

United States: almost 240,000 displaced by California fires

FIRES Around twenty fires are still ravaging California. Almost 240,000 people have been displaced. While other states have come to the aid of the Californian fire brigade, international aid has been requested.

Nearly 240,000 people have so far been evacuated to escape the fires ravaging California. In recent hours, the authorities have received reinforcements in terms of men and equipment, ahead of a possible new series of storms.

Around twenty major hotspots were still active on Sunday, including the LNU Lightning Complex and the SCU Lightning Complex, to the north and south-east of San Francisco respectively.

The LNU has already burned through more than 138,000 hectares, making it the second largest perimeter fire in California's history, behind the Mendocino Complex and its 185,000 hectares that went up in smoke in July 2018.

The SCU Complex is already the third most destructive fire, with more than 137,000 hectares destroyed, whereas it was only contained to 10% on Sunday morning.

In all, over 1,000 buildings have been destroyed in the California wildfires, which have resulted in at least five deaths, including 845 in the LNU Complex alone, which was contained at 17% on Sunday.

Reinforcements requested

Nearly 240,000 people have been evacuated in the "Golden State", as the state is known, Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the Californian fire protection agency CalFire, said on Sunday in a video posted on Twitter.

The Californian authorities have acknowledged that the number of fire-fighters was initially insufficient to combat so many large-scale fires effectively.

But over the last few hours, California firefighters have received reinforcements of men and equipment from several American states, including Oregon, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, announced a CalFire spokesman. Around 200 men from the National Guard were also mobilised, and some 14,000 firefighters were on the ground on Sunday.

International aid

On Sunday, firefighters could count on more than 200 flying aircraft, planes and helicopters, including military aircraft modified to fight the fires. Governor Gavin Newsom has asked for help from Canada and Australia.

Already under stress, California was preparing for a new weather sequence marked by possible thunderstorms until Tuesday, which could lead to fires breaking out.

A series of thunderstorms and a wave of more than 12,000 lightning strikes last weekend and at the beginning of the week have already triggered the fires currently burning in California.

Article from: lenouvelliste

Would you like some advice on perfecting your style?

Coronavirus: better than hydroxychloroquine, cannabis.

Canadian scientists have discovered that 13 varieties of cannabis could prevent Covid-19 infection.

What if, after hydroxychloroquine was called into question by the WHO, all eyes were now on cannabis? Surprising as it may seem, Canadian researchers have just published a study affirming the benefits of the plant against coronavirus, reported The Next Web.

According to their study, which has yet to be verified, scientists have identified thirteen varieties of cannabis sativa that are effective not in treating but in preventing infection by the virus. By modulating the ACE2 enzyme, cannabis is thought to limit the entry and proliferation of SARS-CoV-2 in the lungs.

The non-psychoactive substance (CBD) extracted

To achieve this result, the Canadians extracted cannabidiol (CBD), the plant's non-psychoactive substance, from 800 varieties of cannabis. These varieties are not sold on the market and were developed by the researchers.

CBD-based treatments are nothing new. For several years now, therapeutic cannabis has been prescribed across the Atlantic for the prevention of certain diseases. In some cases of cancer or epilepsy, it is recommended to help patients cope better with therapies and their side effects. Its virtues are even said to reduce migraines and headaches by half.

Kanye West is officially a US presidential candidate

While a member of Yeezy's campaign declared yesterday that the rapper was "out of the running", a representative of Kanye West has filed the first official papers for his candidacy.

" We must now fulfil America's promise by trusting God, unifying our visions and building our future. I'm running for President of the United States! Kanye West announced it personally on his Twitter account on 4 July, and he has kept his promises. According to People magazine, as of Wednesday 15 July the rapper is officially a candidate in the US presidential election to be held in November, pitting him against Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. This is despite a member of his campaign declaring him "out of the race" and his voting intentions of 2 %.

Kanye 2020 or... Birthday Party

Also according to People, Kanye West's team has filed a Statement of Campaign Organization -titled Kanye 2020- with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The Declaration of Organization form states that the Kanye 2020 Committee will serve as the "Principal Campaign Committee" with Kanye West as its candidate. His party is called the "BDP", which stands for "Birthday Party". A joke? Contacted by Rolling Stone magazine, the FEC confirmed that a committee dubbed "Kanye 2020″ had indeed submitted a form, before adding that it could not "not to confirm the legitimacy of this deposit". Kim Kardashian's husband still has to fill in the second presidential application form, in which he will have to prove that he has raised or spent more than $5,000 on his campaign.

Candidate in Oklahoma... but not in the other US states

But that's not all. According to a spokesperson for the Board of Elections, a representative of Kanye West filed the necessary documents for his candidacy as an independent candidate in the Oklahoma election on Wednesday 15 July, the deadline for filing his candidacy. According to Forbes, the billionaire rapper paid the $35,000 required for his registration and also submitted a declaration of candidacy.

But because his candidacy arrived too late in some parts of the USA (deadlines vary from state to state), Kanye West will not be able to appear on the ballot papers anywhere in the country. For example, voters in Texas and Florida will not be able to elect Kim Kardashian's famous husband. For other states in Uncle Sam's country, Kanye West's candidacy will require several thousand signatures from residents. And there's no word yet on whether he's already collected them... So stay tuned.

By Pierre-Yves Paque

In France, it will be compulsory to wear a mask in enclosed public places from "next week".

French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday that the measure would come into force on 1 August.

The decree making it compulsory in France to wear masks in enclosed areas open to the public will come into force "next week", French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced to the Senate.

"We were planning for these provisions to come into force on 1 August", said the Prime Minister. "I understand that this deadline was too late (...) so the decree will come into force next week", he said during his general policy statement to the senators.

"An effective prevention and protection measure".

"Wearing a mask is an effective preventive and protective measure, along with observing barrier procedures", he stressed.

Emmanuel Macron's announcement on 14 July that it would be compulsory to wear a mask in "enclosed public places" from 1 August had pleased those who advocated this measure, but they were calling for it to be applied without delay, including in the workplace.

Jean Castex pointed out that "in so-called professional premises, this implies a change in the health protocols governing the activities concerned".

By APF LE TEMPS

"The first person to catch the virus at the party gets paid".

Young Americans took part in a series of corona parties. The aim of the game? Invite infected people to a party, catch the virus and win the lottery.

The United States is still reeling from the first wave of the coronavirus epidemic, and the number of cases is rising rapidly in some states. Short confinements, too few restrictions, regions affected one after the other - there are many reasons for this.

To which we can add recklessness and stupidity. A group of young people in Alabama have reached a milestone in this area by deciding to organise "Covid-19 parties". The concept is very simple: "Invite as many people infected with the coronavirus as possible. The first person to catch it also gets paid! To collect the prize money, the "lucky one" has to go and have his or her infection confirmed by a doctor. He then receives the money for the tickets to the famous evening.

"They can bring the coronavirus home".

It's hard to imagine the motives of the people involved in this dangerous game. When informed of the existence of this type of party, the authorities in the town of Tuscaloosa didn't believe it at first: "We thought it was a rumour before carrying out any research. But the doctors' offices and the State of Alabama received the same information as we did", explained to CNN Sonya McKinstry, from the city council.

Worse still, this is not an isolated phenomenon. Several similar "private parties" are reported to have taken place in towns in this southern US state. "I'm furious that such a serious and deadly virus should be treated in this way. It's not just irresponsible, they can bring the coronavirus home and contaminate their parents or grandparents", she continued.

The city has therefore decided to sound the alarm, and police checks will be stepped up. Since the beginning of the health crisis, Alabama has recorded more than 39,000 coronavirus infections and almost a thousand deaths.

by Thomas Holzer/L'essentiel

Judge refuses to block release of John Bolton's explosive book on Trump

In his book, excerpts of which have been published in newspapers, the former national security adviser criticises the US President's decisions, which are "motivated by re-election calculations".

The White House's efforts to prevent the publication of John Bolton's book, scheduled for 23 June, will have been in vain. On Saturday 20 June, a US judge refused to block the release of the explosive book by Donald Trump's former adviser, John Bolton, in which he flays the president-candidate, who is already under pressure just a few months before the presidential election.

The American president reacted by saying that his former adviser would pay a price "very strong for publishing his book without White House authorisation.

John Bolton "put the national security of the United States at risk". and "has put his country in dangerIn his decision, Washington federal court judge Royce Lamberth emphasised this point. But "The government has failed to establish that a ban would prevent irreparable damage. Its claim is therefore dismissed".he concluded.

Judge Lamberth pointed out that the book had already been widely circulated and that it was now "An open secret. According to the publisher, over 200,000 copies have already been sent to bookshops across the country.

"Today we welcome the Court's decision rejecting the government's attempt to eliminate the book". commented his lawyer Charles Cooper.

The image of an incompetent and mocked President

The judge acknowledged that John Bolton did not appear to have asked for a"written authorisation to the White House prior to publication, which would have certified that none of the elements "Classified did not appear in the book. He implied that a separate lawsuit, also brought by the government, could result in Mr Bolton losing the $2 million advance he had received to write the book, due to breaches of confidentiality agreements. The magistrate is also in charge of this other case.

"The Government intends to hold Bolton to account for honouring his agreements and ensure that he receives no benefit from his shameful decision to place his desire for money and attention above his commitment to protecting national security."insisted the White House.

Title The Room Where it Happened (The Room Where It Happened) chronicles the author's seventeen months as National Security Advisor to the occupant of the Oval Office in 2018-2019.

In this vitriolic book, the former White House adviser fuels the image of an American president who is incompetent on the international stage, mocked by senior members of his own administration and who puts his thirst for re-election on 3 November before the interests of the country.

"SUPER JUDICIAL VICTORY against Bolton. Obviously, as the book had already been circulated and leaked to many people and the media, there would have been nothing the highly respectable judge could have done to stop it."Donald Trump reacted on Twitter.

"Bolton broke the law and has been exposed and blamed for doing so and will pay a very high price. He likes to drop bombs on people and kill them. Now bombs will fall on him", threatened the American President, referring to his ex-advisor's war-mongering diplomatic stance.

Scotland becomes the first country in the world to teach LGBT+ history

The country has just announced that it will include the teaching of LGBT+ history in schools. A real step towards equality, celebrated by associations and the government.

The news comes at the height of Pride Month, the 30-day international campaign to raise awareness of the LGBT+ cause. Between now and 2021, school curricula in Scotland will be revised to include LGBT+ history and the struggles for equality that continue to this day. This will set an example for the rest of the world, as the country will become the first to educate its young people on the issue, reports Glamour UK. From the beginning of next year, all state schools will receive lessons that will include subjects such as the fight against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, and the history of the queer movement.

It was in November 2018 that the project was accepted. At the time, the Scottish ministers validated in their entirety the recommendations of a working group led by the Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) campaign. Its instigators had called for an end to the "destructive legacy" of Section 28, legislation dating back to 1988 which prohibited local authorities in the UK from "promoting" homosexuality. This legislation was only repealed in 2001 in Scotland and in 2003 in the rest of the UK.

Deputy First Minister and Education Secretary John Swinney welcomed the landmark decision, which also condemns the discrimination faced by LGBT+ people: "Scotland is already regarded as one of the most progressive countries in Europe when it comes to LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex] equality. I am delighted to announce that we will be the first country in the world to integrate LGBTI inclusive education into the school curriculum.

For Jordan Daly, co-founder of the TIE campaign, this is "a monumental victory for our campaign, and a historic moment for our country". He added: "The introduction of LGBTI inclusive education in all state schools is a world first. At this time of uncertainty, it sends a strong and clear message to LGBTI young people that they are valued here in Scotland".

In France, anti-LGBT acts up by more than a third

In May, the French Ministry of the Interior published a terrible report. In 2019, the police and gendarmerie "recorded 1,870 victims of homophobic or transphobic offences, compared with 1,380 in 2018, i.e. an "increase of 36% in the number of victims of anti-LGBT acts", the government reported in a statement dated May 2020. The associations pointed out, however, that this was an inaccurate figure, as many victims do not dare to lodge a complaint.

"These figures bear witness to the deep-rooted nature of homophobia and transphobia in society" and "are part of a wider context of increasing acts of hatred and identity-based extremism", commented the ministry. During the lockdown, the government released 300,000 euros as part of its "emergency plan", financing hotel rooms for around forty young people in difficulty, thanks to the association Le Refuge. When will we see some concrete action to change people's attitudes to the issue, starting at a very young age?

By Pauline Machado

Donald Trump no longer wants to talk to Xi Jinping "for the time being".

The relationship between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping has continued to deteriorate since the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis.

I have a very good relationship [with him] but at the moment I don't want to talk to himsaid Mr Trump on Fox Business.

Asked about the various retaliatory measures he could envisage, he was threatening: There are many things we could do. We could break off all relationships.

What would happen if we did?he continued. We would save 500 billion dollars if we broke off all relationshe added.

For weeks, US President Donald Trump has been accusing the Chinese authorities of concealing the scale of the epidemic, which appeared at the end of 2019 in the city of Wuhan (central China), and thus facilitating its spread.

Beijing denies this and claims to have passed on all the information to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other countries, including the United States, as quickly as possible.

They could have stopped himhe hammered home on Fox Business.

Agence France-Presse