So, Should You Buy a New Phone or Not?

’Tis the season for new gadgets of all kinds, including new smartphones. So how do you figure out if you really need one?

There are three easy questions to ask yourself to figure out the answer.

Can I still get software updates on my current phone?

Is my device beyond repair?

Am I unhappy with my phone?

Apple reveals iPhone 12 mini at latest event

APPLE has revealed a miniature version of the iPhone 12 that shouldn't break the bank.

The iPhone 12 Mini has a screen size of just 5.4 inches.

Follow our iPhone 12 launch event blog for the latest news and updates…

That makes it one of the smallest iPhones to be released.

It's also 5G.

The iPhone Mini is cheaper than the iPhone 12.

It starts at just $699, the iPhone 12 starts at $799.

More to follow…

In other Apple news, eagle-eyed Apple fans spot blurry glimpse of new iPhone 12 on official website hours before launch.

And, Apple over-ear headphones could be coming out in November, according to a famed 'leaker'.

What are your thoughts on this new iPhone? Let us know in the comments…

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Coronavirus: 42 Tory rebels rail against 10pm curfew in Commons vote

A total of 42 Tory rebels have railed against the government’s 10pm curfew for bars and restaurants in the latest House of Commons vote.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has resumed the hearing after a lunch break.

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Gold Futures Settle Sharply Lower As Dollar Rises

Gold prices drifted lower on Tuesday as the dollar firmed up against major currencies, rebounding from a recent weak spell, after optimism about fiscal stimulus faded a bit this afternoon.

Still, it appears the continued spurge in coronavirus cases probably limited gold’s losses.

On the Covid-19 front, Johnson & Johnson said it had temporarily halted its Covid-19 vaccine trial due to an unexplained illness in a participant, raising uncertainty about the timing and effectiveness of a vaccine.

According to reports, coronavirus cases have surged in many parts of the world and several countries have reimposed social-distancing measures and announced fresh lockdown restrictions to limit the spread of the virus.

The dollar index rose to 93.60 after moving just above the flat line during the European session. It was last seen at 93.54, up more than 0.5% from the previous close.

Gold futures for December ended down $34.30 or about 1.8% at $1,894.60 an ounce, snapping a three-day winning streak.

Silver futures for December closed lower by $1.142 or 4.5% at $24.129 an ounce, while Copper futures for December settled at $3.0445 per pound, down $0.0195 or 0.6% from the previous close.

U.S. Supreme Court allows Trump to wind down census early

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to wind down counting for the 2020 U.S. census a month earlier than originally planned in a blow to civil rights groups that are concerned there will be an undercount.

The high court put on hold a lower court ruling that ordered the once-in-a-decade population count to continue until Oct. 31.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is taking a short break.

Alabama Ruling to Make Ballots Safer for Black Voters Blocked

A federal appeals court put a hold on part of a judge’s ruling that eased Alabama’s restrictions on mail-in voting for older citizens to protect their health during the upcoming election.

The 2-1 ruling Tuesday by the U.S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta scrapped much of the injunction issued by a judge who said the state’s long history of racism put Black voters in particular peril during the pandemic.

The appeals courts granted Alabama’s request to stay the portion of the injunction that exempted voters who are at least 65 or have underlying health conditions from identification and witness-signature requirements for absentee ballots to prevent spread of the coronavirus.

The appeals court spared a part of the injunction that blocked Alabama from preventing election officials from setting up curb-side voting procedures “that otherwise comply with state and federal election law.”

U.S. District Judge Abdul Kallon in Birmingham had ruled that easing the measures during the public-health crisis to protect vulnerable voters was necessary to comply with the Voting Rights Act. Kallon cited the state’s history of institutionalized racism and the unequal impact of the virus on Black Americans.

Read More: Alabama’s Legacy of Racism Cited in Mail-In Voting Decision