Avast Antivirus problems on a Sunday morning

When I turned on the PC this morning, I found I had ZERO Avast antivirus protection, despite renewing in July this year.

When looking at the Avast screen, I was informed that my "free trial" was over and that I would need to cough up the cash to activate the software again.
 
I went to the Avast website and tried to download my active license again, only to find that the file is corrupted. When visiting the forum, I saw that Avast is "aware of the problems" and are working on it.

I did contact support to tell them of my problem and am awaiting their response, but in the meantime I need to work, so have uninstalled Avast and downloaded the free AVG antivirus software to protect me in the meanwhile.

If you are experiencing the same problem, I recommend you do likewise, as you are currently in danger of infection, but send Avast support a message to let them know of your problem.

I do wonder if their website has been attacked by hackers - it seems like a good way to get your malware out to the world?

British woman could face stoning in Dubai after reporting gang rape

A British tourist who reported being gang raped by two men has been arrested in Dubai and charged for having “extramarital sex.”

Photo by Kamel Lebtahi / CC BY-ND 2.0

A 25-year-old UK woman was allegedly attacked and gang-raped last month by two British men while on holiday in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. When she reported the attack to the police, the woman was reportedly arrested, under the law which punishes “extramarital sex.” If convicted, she could face the possibility of years behind bars, or could suffer severe physical punishment, which would include flogging or stoning to death.

The story was reported by a UK-based organization, Detained in Dubai, which assists people who have been targeted by injustice in the United Arab Emirates. According to the report, authorities confiscated the unnamed woman’s passport before releasing her on an undisclosed payment of bail. While the woman is now stuck in Dubai, her two alleged attackers have reportedly flown back home to Birmingham in the U.K. Their names have been quoted by the Sun Newspaper as "Butlin and Harris."

Latest Reports The Sun reported that the alleged assailants "Butlin and… https://t.co/55IJRtcWbb

— Detained in Dubai (@detainedindubai) November 17, 2016

Radha Stirling, the founder and director of Detained in Dubai, told the media that the United Arab Emirates have a long history of punishing rape victims, saying police there fail to recognize the difference between consensual sex and violent rape. Stirling said that victims, like the woman in question, go to the police for justice after they are raped, but end up being prosecuted themselves, while the rapist goes free. 

According to a report by RT News, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office have confirmed that the charges have been made against the woman, and stated that the case deserves the “utmost concern.” Stirling added that the police in Dubai not only invalidate their victimization, but actually punish them. RT quotes the UK government’s foreign travel advice for the area, which stresses that any sex outside of marriage is illegal, stating that this is irrespective of the traveler’s own relationship with their partner back in the UK.

The advice goes on to say that in the UAE, it is against the law to share the same hotel room with a person of the opposite sex unless married or closely related to that person. It is also against the law to live together outside of marriage.

The Rolling Stones declined James Corden’s invitation for 'Carpool Karaoke'

James Corden asked the Rolling Stones to join in the fun of the “Carpool Karaoke” segment of his “Late Late Show,” but was disappointed at their response.

Photo by Gorupdebesanez / CC BY-SA 3.0

The Rolling Stones reportedly decided that it would be too “embarrassing” for the popular rock band to appear on Carpool Karaoke, so they turned down Corden’s invitation.

In the past, Corden has rocked his audience with the likes of Lady Gaga, current First Lady Michelle Obama and Adele taking a turn in the car. As reported by Metro, due to the popularity of the segment, James is probably not used to getting a negative response to his invitation, especially from fellow Brits.

Reportedly the iconic band’s record label, Polydor, leaned on them to appear on the show, but the Rolling Stones, made up of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood, politely declined. The Mirror did a pretty impressive bit of Photoshop on the idea,though.

James Corden can't get no satisfaction as Rolling Stones snub "embarrassing" Carpool Karaoke sketch https://t.co/XlekoZ7p9x

— News, Views, People. (@NVPeople) November 5, 2016

Reportedly a source stated that James and the show’s team were hoping to have the veteran rockers on the show as part of the promo for their new album, but there was no luck. The show’s producer, Ben Winston, had previously said that having the band on Carpool Karaoke would be "amazing" and that they would be "dream" guests. However, Richards, particularly, was against the idea, but the whole band apparently though it would be embarrassing for them to be singing along to their own music as the cameras rolled. 

It seems that sometimes you just can’t get no satisfaction. For those who haven't seen the show, it turns out the Red Hot Chili Peppers were quite happy to appear. Watch the fun below.

Watch Julian Assange reveal the secret world of the U.S. elections [Video]

Whistleblower and WikiLeaks founder and editor, Julian Assange, has just given one of his most fascinating interviews with John Pilger, a fellow Australian émigré, at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

Photo: Screen capture from YouTube video

The interview summarizes what has come to light from the tens of thousands of Clinton emails released in batches by WikiLeaks on their website this year.

Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy since 2012 to avoid extradition to the U.S. on "espionage" charges. In October, his internet was cut off, due to his "interference" in the U.S. presidential election. For a while, people believed he might be dead, but Assange is very much alive.

You can watch the full interview below and can access the full transcript on RT's website here.