Sunday

Man accused of masturbating on train rips his wanted posters


NEW YORK, United States — Police in New York City say a man spotted by officers ripping down wanted posters of himself had been accused of masturbating on a subway train.

The photo of Kosta Kolaci (KOH’-stah koh-LAH’-cheeh) that’s on the posters was taken this month by a rider who was in the same subway car. The rider handed over his photos to police, who made the posters.

The 61-year-old suspect was arrested Friday when officers saw him in a Brooklyn station, tearing down the posters.


He’s charged with public lewdness. A phone number couldn’t be found for Kolaci. /cbb

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Is Katy Perry hinting at rekindled romance with Orlando Bloom?


Katy Perry may have dropped a hint at her relationship status during an interview where she said she’s “spoken for.”

The singer had been asked whether she would date a contestant during an interview on Entertainment Tonight, April 23. She rejected the idea and said, “No, I’m sorry I have been spoken for and speak for myself. And I’m very happy!”

Host Lauren Zima clarified Perry’s statement by asking about an Instagram Story the singer posted earlier in the day. It showed Perry holding up a caricature of Orlando Bloom holding a broom with the caption “Orlando Broom.” Zima asked, “Are you a Mrs. Broom?”


Perry denied this and said, “No, I’m not a Mrs. Broom,” then winked at the camera to the hosts’ surprise.

The “American Idol” judge previously dated the “Lord of the Rings” actor for a year before breaking up on February 2017.

Previous reports mentioned the two celebrities may be trying to give their relationship a second chance. Last March, Perry left a flirty comment on Bloom’s shirtless Instagram photo. She said, “Oh hey! I was actually looking for a washboard to do my laundry on.”

On April 28, Perry and Bloom attended the Unite To Cure conference in the Vatican City where they met Pope Francis.


Perry shared a snapshot of the encounter on Instagram with Bloom standing to her right. She was invited to the conference to give a talk on meditation. Alfred Bayle/JB

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Warriors use big second quarter to pull away, crush Pelicans


OAKLAND, Calif. — Kevin Durant had 26 points and 13 rebounds, Draymond Green dazzled all over the floor with his fourth career postseason triple-double, and the Golden State Warriors thoroughly overmatched the New Orleans Pelicans for a 123-101 win in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals Saturday night.

Green finished with 16 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and two blocks and just with his hustle and energy helped the defending champions pull away with a superb, decisive second quarter.

Now, they likely get Stephen Curry back for Game 2 on Tuesday night and all that he brings — even if in a limited role initially.


Anthony Davis had 21points and 10 rebounds, scoring 10 in the first quarter before having a tougher time generating shots the rest of the way to finish 9 for 20. Jrue Holiday was held to 4-for-14 shooting and 11 points.

Golden State again played without two-time MVP Curry, who has been sidelined since March 23 with a sprained left knee. Coach Steve Kerr called it “very likely” Curry would play Game 2 in the best-of-seven series.

Klay Thompson, who led Golden State with 27 points, hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the first half that made it 76-48. But New Orleans ended the second on a 7-0 run and Darius Miller’s 73-foot heave at the halftime buzzer counted after review, getting the Pelicans within 76-55 at the break. They hit another buzzer-beater to end the third but it was way too late.

Rajon Rondo had nine points and dished out 11 assists for New Orleans.

But once Golden State got going in transition, Oracle Arena started rocking and the Pelicans couldn’t keep pace — with tempo being something the Warriors know is key this series. They opened the second with a 13-5 burst and were on their way.

Davis, who averaged 33 points, 12 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in a first-round sweep of Portland, made 5 of 7 shots in the opening period.

Green has been brilliant on the boards as Golden State keeps taking its defense up a level. He had games of 19 and 18 rebounds in the final two matchups of a five-game series with San Antonio in the first round.

Nick Young started at forward for the Warriors while 2015 NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala remained in the starting lineup in place of Curry as Golden State won a franchise-record 13th straight postseason home game.


The Warriors swept the Pelicans in the only other playoff meeting between the franchises in the 2015 first round as Golden State went on to capture its first championship in 40 years.

HIGH-FLYING W’S

Golden State had its highest scoring postseason first half as well as second quarter. The 76 points topped 73 against Phoenix on May 4, 1994, while 41 in the second bested 40 scored against Utah on May 11, 2007.

Golden State shot 13 for 20 in the second, making four 3s and 11 of 14 free throws.

PALS

Kerr and Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry shared a nice greeting and laugh before the series got going. As general manager in Phoenix, Kerr worked with Gentry and then made him the first call to be his top assistant when Kerr became head coach of the Warriors before the 2014-15 season.

CURRY OUT

As usual, Curry insisted he “feels great and he’s ready to go,” said Kerr, who is encouraged his superstar point guard feels so good.

“Just made the decision based on giving him the extra few days and the fact he only scrimmaged yesterday,” Kerr said. “You’ve been out five weeks and we’re playing in the playoffs, I don’t think one scrimmage is enough, even though he feels great, he wants to play and pleaded his case. But we’re going to sit him tonight and very likely he’ll play Game 2.”

Curry returned to full practice with contact Thursday and only scrimmaged 5 on 5 for the first time Friday, and Kerr prefers that Curry get additional on-court time at full speed Sunday.

TIP-INS

Pelicans: The Pelicans’ 126-120 win April 7 in Oakland snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Warriors. “We approach the game as if everybody’s washed their hands of everything that has happened,” Gentry said. … Gentry received a technical at the 8:43 mark of the first quarter. … The Pelicans shot 7 for 23 in the second. … New Orleans surrendered 110 or more points in the last 11 regular-season games against Golden State.

Warriors: Green topped Tom Gola’s three playoff triple-doubles for most in franchise history. … Young, who played 21 minutes, made a 3 on his first shot and another late in the game on his second attempt. … Golden State has won 25 of the last 27 meetings overall vs. the Pelicans. … Jay-Z and Beyonce sat courtside.

source: sports.inquirer.net


Saturday

Instagram Stories can now upload multiple photos, videos


Tired of uploading photos and videos onto your Instagram Story one by one? This new update might benefit you.

Android users of the social media app can now share their “Stories” all at once, Instagram said on Tuesday.

Users may now enjoy this when they click the new icon at the top right of the screen. From there, they can now select up to 10 photos and videos from their gallery. And when tapping the edit screen, users will be able to view the media lined up and customize with texts and GIFs.


The feature is now available for Android, and will soon roll out on iOS users in the following weeks.

Aside from this update on Stories, Instagram has also created the “Data Download” option where it lets users download their account information through a web browser.  /ra

source: technology.inquirer.net

Friday

Nadal cruises into Barcelona Open quarterfinals


BARCELONA, Spain— Rafael Nadal cruised into the Barcelona Open quarterfinals by defeating fellow Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-1, 6-3 on Thursday.

The top-ranked Nadal converted on his second match point to clinch his 16th straight victory on clay and set up an encounter with Martin Klizan, who eliminated Novak Djokovic in the second round.

“I came out with the conviction that I could play a lot better than I did yesterday (against Roberto Carballes Baena), and that’s what happened,” Nadal said.

Coming off his 11th Monte Carlo title, Nadal has won 11 of his 12 ATP Tour matches this season, with the only loss coming from an injury retirement in the Australian Open quarterfinals.

He has won 40 consecutive sets on clay to extend his own record, and has won 33 of his last 34 matches on the dirt.

“I had more options in the second set but a player like Nadal doesn’t give you many chances,” the 69th-ranked Garcia-Lopez said.

Nadal needs to win his 11th Barcelona title this week to retain his No. 1 ranking.

Klizan, the 140th-ranked Slovak who defeated Nadal in Beijing in 2014, reached the last eight by ousting veteran Feliciano Lopez 6-1, 6-4.

Second-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria saved two match points to defeat Malek Jaziri of Tunisia 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (8), while third-seeded Dominic Thiem of Austria got past Jozef Kovalik of Slovakia 7-6 (5), 6-2 for his 12th win in 15 clay-court matches this season.

David Goffin of Belgium made it to the quarterfinals by coming from behind to defeat Karen Khachanov of Russia 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-0, and 19-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece upset local Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-4, 7-5.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Kim, Moon discussed denuclearization; permanent peace on peninsula – Seoul


North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in discussed denuclearization and a permanent peace on the Korean peninsula at their summit Friday.

“The two leaders had a sincere and frank dialogue over the denuclearization and the establishment of permanent peace of the Korean peninsula and development of inter-Korea ties,” said Moon’s spokesman Yoon Young-chan.
Wives to attend summit banquet

Meanwhile, Seoul also said the wives of Kim and Moon will join a banquet on Friday.


The banquet would follow the historic summit of the two leaders of the two Koreas.

The presence of the two first ladies – Ri Sol Ju and Kim Jung-sook – had previously been up in the air. /kga

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Rockets advance to 2nd round with eyes on bigger goals


HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets spent almost no time celebrating their first-round playoff series win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

For the top-seeded Rockets, it simply moved them a little closer toward their goal of bringing the franchise its first title in more than two decades.

“This was a pretty good step for us, a step in the right direction, but we’ve got a long way to go,” James Harden said. “We (don’t) have this team just to win one playoff series.”

From the moment Chris Paul joined the Rockets in a blockbuster trade from the Los Angeles Clippers last summer, the Rockets have talked incessantly about their desire and belief that the pairing of the two star point guards could propel this already good team into contender status.

A 65-win regular season led by Harden’s MVP-caliber play and Paul’s work in a top supporting role gave the Rockets the NBA’s best record for the first time in franchise history and added to the belief that this could be the year they win it all.

Despite not playing their best at times, the Rockets easily handled the eighth-seeded Wolves, turning in three blowout wins in the 4-1 series triumph, capped by Wednesday’s night 122-104 victory.

“We’ll continue to get better, work on some things, figure out who we play and take it from there,” Harden said.

They move on to the Western Conference semifinals for the second straight season and look to return to the conference finals for the first time since losing to the Golden State Warriors in 2015.

But first they’ll get a few days to rest as they await the winner of the series between the Thunder and Jazz. Utah leads 3-2 after Oklahoma City overcame a 25-point second-half deficit to avoid elimination Wednesday night.

Coach Mike D’Antoni said it’s difficult to do too much preparation before they know who they’ll face.

“We’ll watch it. Get some popcorn and enjoy the NBA like everybody else does then we’ll break it down,” he said. “We’ll have plenty of time to prepare and get in there and do what we do.”

While the Rockets have their eyes on winning their first title since taking back to back trophies in 1994-95, the next round will be a benchmark of sorts for Paul considering his disappointing playoff history.

The nine-time All-Star has faced criticism after making nine previous playoff trips without advancing past the second round. The worst of those flops came in 2015 against Houston, when Paul and the Clippers had a 3-1 lead in the conference semifinals. They got blown out in Game 5 and squandered a 19-point second-half lead in Los Angeles in Game 6 before falling in Game 7 at Houston.

He bristles when the subject is brought up by reporters, but both Harden and Trevor Ariza said Paul discussed that series this week as a cautionary tale when Houston took a 3-1 lead over Minnesota.

Paul carried the Rockets with a 27-point performance in a Game 2 win against Minnesota and scored 25 points in Game 4 when he and Harden fueled a 50-point third quarter that allowed the Rockets to come back to Houston a win away from wrapping up the series.

While his scoring helped Houston through this series, perhaps more important to Houston’s success was what he did to facilitate scoring by others like Clint Capela, who led Houston with 26 points on Wednesday night. Paul had a tough time in the first game of the series when he tied a season-high with six turnovers.

In the next four games he piled up 29 assists with just three turnovers to help Houston advance.

Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau marveled at how difficult it is to deal with both Harden and Paul after the pair combined for 21 assists on Wednesday night.

“They can hurt you a lot of different ways,” he said. “They hurt us with the pass tonight. They’re not worried about their shots. They’re worried about the team getting good shots.”

While Houston’s offensive prowess was evident throughout the year, the Rockets hope that their work on defense against Minnesota shows that they’re solid on that side of the ball, too.

“We’ve been saying it all season long and in order for us to get where we want to go defense is going to have to be our backbone,” Harden said. “We’re going to have to get stops.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Tuesday

Motive elusive after van driver kills 10 on Toronto sidewalk


TORONTO — Police in Canada’s biggest city are piecing together witness accounts and surveillance video trying to determine why a driver plowed a rented van along a crowded sidewalk, killing 10 people and injuring 15 in what many said seemed a deliberate attack.

A 25-year-old suspect was quickly captured in a tense but brief confrontation with officers a few blocks away from where his van jumped the sidewalk Monday and continued for a mile, leaving people bloodied and dead in his wake. But authorities so far had not disclosed a possible motive or cause even as the police chief agreed with witnesses that it seemed intentional.

“The incident definitely looked deliberate,” Police Chief Mark Saunders told reporters at a late-night news conference.


Saunders said the suspect, Alek Minassian, who lives in the Toronto suburb of Richmond Hill, had not been known to police previously. An online social media profile described him as a college student.

Officials would not comment on a possible motive except to play down a possible connection to terrorism, a thought that occurred to many following a series of attacks involving trucks and pedestrians in Europe and the presence in Toronto this week of Cabinet ministers from the G7 nations.

Asked if there was any evidence of a terrorist link, the chief said only, “Based on what we have there’s nothing that has it to compromise the national security at this time.”

A senior national government official said earlier that authorities had not turned over the investigation to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a sign that investigators believed it unlikely terrorism was the motive. The official agreed to reveal that information only if not quoted by name.

Authorities released few details in the case, saying the investigation was still underway, with witnesses being interviewed and surveillance video being examined.

“I can assure the public all our available resources have been brought in to investigate this tragic situation,” Toronto Police Services Deputy Chief Peter Yuen said earlier.

The incident occurred as Cabinet ministers from the major industrial countries were gathered in Canada to discuss a range of international issues in the run-up to the G7 meeting near Quebec City in June. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale called the incident a “horrific attack” and said the G7 foreign ministers extended their condolences.

The driver was heading south on busy Yonge Street around 1:30 p.m. and the streets were crowded with people enjoying an unseasonably warm day when the van jumped onto the sidewalk.

Ali Shaker, who was driving near the van at the time, told Canadian broadcast outlet CP24 that the driver appeared to be moving deliberately through the crowd at more than 30 mph.

“He just went on the sidewalk,” a distraught Shaker said. “He just started hitting everybody, man. He hit every single person on the sidewalk. Anybody in his way he would hit.”

Witness Peter Kang told CTV News that the driver did not seem to make any effort to stop.

“If it was an accident he would have stopped,” Kang said. “But the person just went through the sidewalk. He could have stopped.”

Video broadcast on several Canadian outlets showed police arresting the driver, dressed in dark clothes, after officers surrounded him and his rental Ryder van several blocks from where the incident occurred in the North York neighborhood of northern Toronto. He appeared to make some sort of gesture at the police with an object in his hand just before they ordered him to lie down on the ground and took him away.

Witness Phil Zullo told Canadian Press that he saw police arresting the suspect and people “strewn all over the road” where the incident occurred.

“I must have seen about five, six people being resuscitated by bystanders and by ambulance drivers,” Zullo said. “It was awful. Brutal.”

Police shut down the Yonge and Finch intersection following the incident and Toronto’s transit agency said it had suspended service on the subway line running through the area.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his sympathies for those involved.

“We should all feel safe walking in our cities and communities,” he said. “We are monitoring this situation closely, and will continue working with our law enforcement partners around the country to ensure the safety and security of all Canadians.”

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Sunday

Musicians and fans pay tribute to DJ Avicii


Thousands of fans gathered in Stockholm Saturday to remember Swedish star Avicii, one of the world’s most successful DJs who has died aged 28.


The DJ, whose real name was Tim Bergling, was found dead Friday in Muscat, the capital of the Gulf sultanate Oman, where he had been on holiday with friends.

A police source in Oman said the death was not considered to be suspicious, adding that the circumstances would remain confidential at the request of the family.


On Saturday afternoon, several thousand people gathered to remember the DJ at Sergels Torg plaza in Stockholm, where the crowd danced to his hit songs.


“He was a modern Mozart,” said 61-year-old language teacher Chris Koskela. “One of the greatest artists that Sweden has ever known.”

Fellow DJ Sebastian Ingrosso, who organised the event with Swedish House Mafia, tweeted: “We were just kids with dreams, Tim inspired us all and millions more.”

On Friday night nightclubs across the capital held a minute’s silence and his name was projected on the Ericsson Globe arena, where in 2014 Avicii played three sell-out gigs.

Tributes poured in from the musical world, as well as from Swedish royalty.

Madonna, who worked with Avicii on her last album, posted a picture of herself in the DJ booth with him and wrote: “So Tragic. Goodbye Dear Sweet Tim. Gone Too Soon.”



DJ David Guetta, who collaborated with Avicii on “Sunshine,” wrote: “We lost a friend with such a beautiful heart and the world lost an incredibly talented musician

In 2015, Avicii DJ-ed at the wedding reception of Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip and his bride Sofia. In a statement they said: “We had the honor to have known him and admired him both as an artist and the beautiful person that he was.”

Health problems

Avicii was among the first DJs to break through into the mainstream as electronic dance music grew over the past decade from nightclubs to Top 40 radio.

His biggest hits included “Wake Me Up,” which went to number one across Europe in 2013 and featured the soul singer Aloe Blacc.

But he had made no secret of his health problems, including pancreatitis, triggered in part by excessive drinking linked to his party lifestyle.

In 2016, Avicii stunned fans by announcing his retirement when he was just 26, saying that he wanted to leave the high-flying electronic music lifestyle.

Avicii — who for years was one of the world’s most lucrative electronic musicians — in 2016 made number 12 on the list of top-paid DJs of Forbes magazine, which said he earned $14.5 million in the previous year. NVG

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Apple to give MacBook Pro battery replacement for free



Apple will be offering free service to non-Touch Bar 13-inch MacBook Pro units whose batteries have bloated.


Eligibility for this program will be determined by the MacBook’s product serial number. The company estimates units manufactured between October 2016 and October 2017 will fall within the affected range.

Owners may input their MacBook’s serial number on the replacement program page to check eligibility. They can later go to an Apple Authorized Service Provider to get the MacBook’s battery replaced.

This battery replacement program covers MacBook Pros affected by a battery issue five years since the model was first sold in retail.

Meanwhile, the company specifies that the battery replacement does not extend the standard warranty of 13-inch MacBook Pros.

Apple also offers battery replacements for old iPhones and Apple Watch Series 2 devices. JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

Friday

Large area of Berlin center evacuated for WWII bomb disposal


BERLIN — Berlin police are evacuating thousands from a central area of the German capital and shutting down the main train station in preparation for the removal of an unexploded World War II bomb found during recent construction work.

Police said on Friday that some 10,000 residents and workers were being forced to leave a two-square-kilometer (almost a square mile) area, including the train station, for bomb experts to defuse the 500-kilogram (1,100-pound) British bomb dropped during the war.

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn said train stops at the busy station would end at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. through traffic will also be shut down before experts begin their work. It was not clear how long it would take.

Even 73 years after the end of the war, such discoveries are common in major cities in Germany. /kga

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Thursday

Amy Schumer praises Fil-Am designer Monique Lhuillier in her funny way


LOS ANGELES—In her candid, funny way, Amy Schumer paid Monique Lhuillier the highest compliment when the actress explained why she chose and loved the Fil-Am designer’s wedding gown when she wed chef Chris Fischer in February.

“I didn’t have to wear Spanx,” began the “I Feel Pretty” star in our recent interview at The Whitby Hotel in Manhattan. “I didn’t wear a bra. I didn’t have to suck in. I felt like I could be totally free and be myself. And peeing was pretty easy (laughs).”

Nordstrom, which sells the gown at $5,490, describes Lhuillier’s creation on its website: “A beautiful ball gown of a dress … with floral lace appliqués tumbling gracefully down a V-neck bodice suspended from delicate spaghetti straps … A hint of pale color beneath a voluminous skirt of ethereal silk tulle adds a dramatic dimension…”

The gown’s comfortable style ties in with the standup comedian and actress’ fun personality. She shared several photos of her quickly planned, surprise outdoor Malibu wedding before 80 guests, which included pal Jennifer Lawrence, on Instagram.

“I feel prettiest when I don’t think about what I look like,” said the “Trainwreck” actress.

At the interview, she wore an orange top and skirt (with a white cardigan) which she revealed “is going to be from my line. It’s coming very soon. We’re considering two names.”

Amy revealed that Jennifer was not a bridesmaid (the only bridesmaid was her sister, Kim Caramele). “But Jennifer did give a toast. It was really sweet.”


Of her actress-buddy, Amy said, “Jennifer is 10 years younger than me, but she is an old soul. She’s wise and she has been famous for so long. I have a lot to learn from her. We look to each other and give advice, mostly unsolicited (laughs). She was openly talking about how she was hitting on Larry David at my wedding. As her friend, I was like, ‘Hey, let’s steer you in another direction (laughs).’

“And not just because of the age difference, but I know better than for her to want to date another performer. I was like, ‘I don’t think you should be with actors or comedians, and that is because I’ve had experience with them, too.’

“We’re the kind of friends where we met and felt close to each other right away. We feel really connected because growing up, people were telling us to shut up, simmer down and let the boys be funny and say their thoughts first. We both rejected that. We’re confident in ourselves, love our friends fiercely and are also complete a**holes. We have fun and yeah, she feels like family.”

Amy shared more details—one of the first few times that she did so—about her special day last Feb. 13 in our chat.

“The wedding was so much fun,” she said. “I’m 36, not 22, and want to have my wedding. I flew in all my girlfriends from home, and everyone was able to make it.

“There were no wedding crashers. We planned it in three or four days, which I recommend.”

Nobody got intoxicated, but Amy joked with a laugh, “There was a drunk bride (laughs). Nobody humiliated himself/herself. Everybody had a good time.”

The native New Yorker claimed that she never dreamt of a traditional wedding. “I thought if I ever met someone I wanted to commit to, that we would go to the courthouse. Yeah, I get enough attention. I didn’t need it to be my day. But the two of us were like, f**k it. Let’s have fun and let’s have a wedding.”

So, who is the man who inspired the no-nonsense comedian to do the wedding march, in a lovely gown and all? Aside from being a chef, Chris is an award-winning cookbook author who operates his family’s farm in Martha’s Vineyard, where he and Amy met.

“My assistant Molly is his sister,” Amy dished. “I had been working with Molly for months, and she introduced me to her brother as a chef. I was visiting Martha’s Vineyard, and he was cooking for us. I thought he was so cute.

“After five or six months was when we started looking at each other differently. Then, we asked Molly if it was OK with her. I think she said yes because she was afraid of losing her job (laughs).

“I’m 36 and had been dating forever. I never fantasized about getting married. Then, I met Chris, and he was the kindest, smartest, funniest and most giving person I had ever met. I wanted to partner up with him.”

Teased that it was a very smart move on her part to marry a chef, Amy laughed as she conceded, “Yeah, you bet! I never have to cook and do the dishes. He’s teaching me a lot about vegetables. He loves fennel, celery root—and these are things that I have mostly avoided (laughs).”

The wedding marked the end of Amy’s dating period, which included relationships with a furniture designer, a pro wrestler and a comedian.

She looked back at those days: “It was tough, but funny. A lot of my standup comedy came from there. I have lived with boyfriends before, but I was never with someone I wanted to marry.

“I’ve been heartbroken, but I don’t have anyone that got away. I’m lucky. I am close friends with a lot of my exes. They were at the wedding. I’ve been in abusive relationships. The story in the movie (‘I Feel Pretty’) about finding out that the guy had a girlfriend, that happened to me.”

Written and directed by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, “I Feel Pretty” is an enjoyable romp that taps Amy’s charisma and comedic chutzpah. She plays Renee, a woman who’s coping with insecurity until she wakes from a fall in a SoulCycle class. Suddenly, she believes that she is supermodel-gorgeous and a capable woman. Renee’s newfound confidence turns her life around, but what happens when she realizes that her appearance never really changed?

Michelle Williams (hilarious as a socialite beauty company owner), Rory Scovel, Busy Philipps, Naomi Campbell, Lauren Hutton, Aidy Bryant and Emily Ratajkowski round out the cast.

“The message of this movie is important to me—to realize that what you look like isn’t who you are, you have a voice and potential,” Amy explained. “Love yourself like your own mother does.”

Amy frankly admits that being an outspoken gun control advocate since a tragic 2015 shooting at a “Trainwreck” screening (even before the recent gun violence incidents) will affect the “I Feel Pretty” ticket sales in the United States.

“I know that this movie will sell less tickets because of it,” she said. “I can’t help but stand up for something that I clearly know is right. But I think the real leaders are the children, the younger generation.”

As far as success in her own career is concerned, Amy is buoyed up by the confidence that she gained like her character, Renee, did.

“Being in this business where I started out, like a lot of women do, I apologized before saying any sentence with, ‘I am sorry, but I have an idea.’ But working with filmmakers I respect, like Judd Apatow, was where I got the confidence to just go up and say, ‘I have an idea.’

“Then running my own TV show (‘Inside Amy Schumer’) and being a producer of these projects really made me understand more about my self-worth, that I have a lot to contribute.”

On a personal level, Amy seems to revel in her other new role, being a wife and partner in what promises to be a wonderful union. “It was our two-month anniversary yesterday,” she announced. “We made it, the big one!” she exclaimed with a chuckle. “And it feels nice. I feel settled with him. This is it. I just feel great, loved and so grateful.”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Wednesday

Starbucks to shut US stores for ‘racial-bias education’


Starbucks will close stores and corporate offices across the United States on May 29 to conduct “racial-bias education,” the company announced Tuesday, following outrage over the arrest of two black men in one of its cafes.

It was the latest bid by the behemoth coffee chain to recover from last Thursday’s incident in Philadelphia, which was captured on video and went viral, viewed millions of times.

The video posted on Twitter by a Starbucks client shows uniformed police questioning and then handcuffing the two men, who offer no resistance, as a white client repeatedly asks an officer, “What’d they do? What’d they do?”

Starbucks said more than 8,000 stores would be closed on the afternoon of May 29 and training provided to nearly 175,000 employees, and incorporated going forward.

CEO Kevin Johnson, who has also apologized, said the company was “committed to being a part of the solution” and that he had been in Philadelphia “listening to the community, learning what we did wrong and the steps we need to take to fix it.”

“Closing our stores for racial bias training is just one step in a journey that requires dedication from every level of our company and partnerships in our local communities,” he said.

The curriculum will be designed “to address implicit bias, promote conscious inclusion, prevent discrimination and ensure everyone inside a Starbucks store feels safe and welcome,” the company said in a statement.

Philadelphia police said they received a 911 call from a Starbucks worker who said the men were trespassing, after refusing to buy anything. Police said officers had “politely” asked the two to leave before finally arresting them.

They reportedly asked first to use the bathroom, but were told it was only for paying customers.

The two men’s lawyer Lauren Wimmer told a CBS affiliate in Philadelphia that they had been waiting for a third man to arrive for a business meeting.

Indignities, suspicion 

Starbucks declined to prosecute and the men were released.

Ex-US president Barack Obama’s former attorney general Eric Holder and Bryan Stevenson, a civil rights lawyer who has exonerated innocent prisoners on death row, will be among those experts consulted on the curriculum, Starbucks said.

“Being treated with respect and dignity at a place of public accommodation is an essential aspect of full citizenship,” tweeted NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which fights for racial justice and which is also being consulted.

“The reality is that most black Americans regularly face the indignities of being treated with suspicion,” it added.

“This is a crucial next step in fighting implicit bias,” tweeted Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, another expert consulted.

The woman who posted the video, Melissa DePino, said a Starbucks employee called police because the men had not ordered anything, while they waited for a friend.

“All the other white (people) are wondering why it’s never happened to us when we do the same thing,” she tweeted.

“The men were sitting there peacefully quietly and they were put in handcuffs and they were walked out of the store, humiliated, embarrassed and put in a patrol car,” DePino subsequently told MSNBC television.

The video drew widespread attention. Drummer Questlove of the group Roots tweeted a question: “Waiting in a Starbucks while black is a crime?”

Starbucks has also launched a review of training and practices to make reforms where necessary, and once completed, this will be made available to other companies, including their licensee partners, it said.

The company has more than 25,000 coffee shops around the world. NVG

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Brown sets playoff career-best as Celtics roll to a 2-0 edge over Bucks


BOSTON — The Celtics knew they’d need their younger players to step up this postseason with Kyrie Irving sidelined for the postseason.

They have, and it’s added up to 2-0 lead in Boston’s first-round matchup with Milwaukee.

Jaylen Brown had a playoff career-high 30 points and the Celtics pulled away into second half to earn a 120-106 win over the Bucks on Tuesday night.

Terry Rozier added 23 points. Game 3 is Friday in Milwaukee.The Celtics led by as many as 20 in the fourth quarter as their ball movement overwhelmed the Bucks.

Brown, who is in his second year, said right now the Celtics are feeling “confident as ever.”

“People have been writing us off all year. And we just keep proving people wrong. So that’s what we’re gonna do,” he said.

Milwaukee got as close as 107-97 with 4:13 to play. But the Celtics responded with an 11-2 run, capped by a banked in 3-pointer by Brown to push their lead back up to 118-99.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Khris Middleton added 25 points.

“I think as a team we didn’t show up tonight,” Antetokounmpo said.

Turnovers were an issue for the second straight game for Milwaukee. The Bucks finished with 15, leading to 21 Boston points. They also shot just 41 percent from the free-throw line (7 of 17).

“They were just the more desperate team tonight again,” Middleton said. “We started off poorly again. … We’ve just got to more into it, got to be the more desperate, hungry team.”

Boston had just three turnovers through three quarters and only seven on the night. Rozier finished no turnovers for the second straight game

“I’ve just got that confidence,” Rozier said. “My teammates, my coach, they trust in me to get everybody in their spots to run the plays. … I’m gonna do what I can to protect the ball and get my guys open.”

The Celtics’ bench also came up big, outscoring their Milwaukee counterparts 41-25. Marcus Morris led Boston’s reserves with 18 points. Shane Larkin chipped in 11 points, scoring in double-digits for the first time in a playoff game.

He also had a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter that gave Boston a 15-point cushion entering the final period.

Brown said he is expecting to see a much different Bucks team as the series shifts to Milwaukee.

“We not taking anybody lightly,” he said. “I know they’re going to come out and make adjustments.”

TIP-INS

Bucks: Have been outscored 42-13 in second-chance points through two games. … Shot 62 percent in the first half (23 of 37).

Celtics: At age 21, Brown is the youngest player in Celtics history to score 30 or more points in a playoff game. … Boston went 13 of 31 from the 3-point line.

QUOTABLE

“I had a chip on my shoulder since I got drafted. I had a chip on my shoulder since forever. It’s all carry over. This year I got the opportunity to start in the playoffs. That chip on my should is gonna remain, no matter how deep we go.” — Rozier

FREAK’S STREAK

Tuesday marked the ninth straight game that Antetokounmpo has scored at least 20 points against the Celtics.

HEAVY HEART

Celtics guard Marcus Smart has a heavy heart as he continues to work his way back from right thumb surgery.

Smart revealed prior to Tuesday’s game that his mother, Camellia Smart, was recently diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. He was able to visit her briefly in Texas last week. But he said she wants him to be with the team because seeing him play would “put a smile on her face.”

“She told me she’d rather me be here than back there,” Smart said. “Doing what I love to do.”

HAYWARD UPDATE

Gordon Hayward has hit a new milestone in his left ankle rehab. He is currently at St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, Indiana, working with a running mechanics specialist.

“We’re just trying to get him ready for Friday’s game. And we’re hopeful he can play,” Stevens joked before the game.

He then quickly made it clear it’s simply the “logical next step” in what remains a long rehab process.

“He’s not gonna join us in Milwaukee,” Stevens said. “He’s still a long, long, long way away.”

SPECIAL GUEST

Boston Marathon winner Desiree Linden was honored during a timeout in the first quarter. On Monday Linden became the first American woman to win the race since 1985.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Monday

Apple warns employees to stop leaking information on future products


Apple issued a warning to all its employees to avoid information leaks on future products.

A lengthy memo put out on the company’s internal blog talked about the business repercussions of leaked information and the legal actions that can be taken to punish leakers, as reported by Bloomberg.

The memo stated the company “caught 29 leakers” in 2017 and 12 of those were arrested. Apple also warned that those who get terminated may find difficulty in finding new employment.

Apple product marketing executive Greg Joswiak said on the memo, “We want the chance to tell our customers why the product is great, and not have that done poorly by someone else.”

“The impact of a leak goes far beyond the people who work on a project,” the memo stated.

Several instances of leaks were cited on the memo. One of these referred to information about a software package which revealed details on the then-unreleased iPhone X and new Apple Watch.

A meeting with software engineer head Craig Federighi earlier this year was also leaked to the media. Federighi told staff who attended the meeting that some planned iPhone software were getting delayed.

Apple’s stand to remain secretive about plans and future products is yet to be tested. Whether the internal memo will prove effective in preventing leaks before they happen remains to be seen. Alfred Bayle/JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

Sunday

Red Sox off to best start in 118-year history


BOSTON — Red Sox rookie manager Alex Cora cracked a smile when asked how he felt when he learned it was the best start in team history.


“I just heard it for the first time,” Cora said after Boston beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-3 on Saturday to get to 12-2.

In 118 years, the Red Sox had never reached 10 games over .500 that soon. Only once — in 1918 — had Boston started 11-2.


“I’ve been saying it for a while — we’ve been playing good baseball for a while, regardless of spring training,” Cora said. “We’re playing clean and fast and pitching. We’re proud of what they’re doing.”

Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, Andrew Benintendi had a two-run single and an RBI double, and J.D. Martinez homered for the Red Sox.

“Our offense is doing what it’s doing, and our pitching and our defense is consistent. We’re dangerous,” Benintendi said.

Alex Cobb (0-1) was roughed up in his Orioles debut, giving up eight runs — seven earned — in 3 2/3 innings. He signed a $57-million, 4-year deal as a free agent on March 21 after spending all 11 years of his professional career in Tampa Bay’s organization.

“Just a little rusty,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “Physically, he’s in good shape. He’s only going to get better. Tough conditions and a really good-hitting club swinging the bat well right now.”

Pedro Alvarez had a two-run homer for Baltimore, which has lost four of five.

Cobb felt he was ready and gave credit to Boston’s hitters.

“We did all we could do,” he said. “There is no replicating this. This is the best team in the world hitting right now, and you’re never going to get ready for that.”


Hector Velazquez (2-0) gave up two runs in five innings. Marcus Walden pitched the final three innings for his first big-league save.

The Red Sox started fast as they’ve done frequently this season. They scored three in the first before making an out.

Mookie Betts opened with a walk and raced around to score on Benintendi’s double off the Green Monster, sliding ahead of a relay throw.

Ramirez then followed with his homer into the Monster seats, making it 3-0.

Martinez homered into Baltimore’s bullpen in the third.

Boston broke it open and chased Cobb with four more, making it 8-0 in the fourth. Benintendi hit his two-run single. Ramirez added an RBI double and scored on shortstop Manny Machando’s throwing error — his second of the game.

“We’re doing everything right and having fun,” Ramirez said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: 2B Jonathan Schoop was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right oblique. Showalter said it happened on his last at-bat in Friday’s loss. “If you look at it, it was a little awkward,” he said. … Showalter also said OF Colby Rasmus (strained left hip flexor) likely won’t be ready to come off the DL when he’s eligible this week.

Red Sox: Betts bruised his left foot in a collision with catcher Chance Sisco’s left shin guard when he scored in the first. He came out a few innings later. The team said X-rays were negative, but Cora said Betts will likely have Sunday off. … Cora also said LHP Drew Pomeranz, recovering from a strained left forearm flexor since spring training, felt good after his second rehab start on Friday and could return to the rotation Thursday or Friday.

EAGER TO GO

Ramirez was back in the lineup after missing Friday’s game with a bruised right wrist from getting hit by a pitch a night earlier.

“He actually beat me to the ballpark. That’s a good sign,” Cora joked.

SWITCH, NO PROBLEM

Jackie Bradley Jr. usually is Boston’s center fielder. When Betts got hurt, he moved to right and made a headlong diving grab on Adam Jones’ liner.

“Just saw it was pretty low and the only way I was going to catch it was if I left my feet,” he said.

PICK SIX

The Red Sox have scored six or more runs in six straight games.

“We’ve got a lot of sluggers in that lineup,” Cora said.

UP NEXT

Orioles: RHP Dylan Bundy (0-1, 1.35 ERA) is set to pitch Sunday. He’s given up just three earned runs in his first three starts, but Baltimore has scored only five total on the days he’s pitched.

Red Sox: LHP Chris Sale (1-0, 1.06) looks to continue to his strong start, having allowed only two runs in 17 innings.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Sega celebrates Mega Drive’s 30th anniversary with release of mini console


Sega celebrates the classic Genesis or Mega Drive console’s 30th anniversary by releasing a Mega Drive Mini.

The gaming company showcased a sample of the retro mini console at the 2018 Sega Fes convention held at Bellesalle in Akihabara between April 14 to 15. The name “Mega Drive Mini” is still tentative, as stated in a Sega Twitter announcement, but Sega plans to release the retro console within the year.



Sega also has not yet revealed what games will be included in the retro console. However, it appears that a company called AtGames will be manufacturing the Mega Drive Mini, as reported by Polygon.

AtGames previously released the Sega Genesis Flashback retro console in 2017. It came with 85 built-in games. It could also accommodate original Sega Genesis and Mega Drive game cartridges. The console featured wireless controllers and a 720p HDMI video output.



Compared to the Genesis Flashback, the Mega Drive Mini appears smaller and looks more in line with Nintendo’s own NES and SNES Classic consoles. Fans of the the original Mega Drive may also expect around the same number of pre-loaded games to come with the Mega Drive Mini.

SEGA stopped making gaming consoles in 2001 when the Dreamcast did not become as popular as projected. The company instead shifted its focus on its more lucrative software business. JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

Asus finally ushers the AI-powered Zenfone 5 and Zenfone 5Z


Thousands of Zenfans all over the Philippines went #Backto5 upon the much-awaited arrival of the ZenFone 5 Series in the country during its official launch last April 14 in the newly-opened One Esplanade in Pasay City.

After all the anticipation and global fanfare that the ZenFone 5 Series garnered during MWC 2018 in Barcelona, Spain, Filipinos finally got their hands on the most Intelligent ZenFones, ZenFone 5Z and ZenFone 5, together with the ZenFone 5Q – the world’s first true quad camera smartphone!

No less than ASUS Global CEO, Jerry Shen, spearheaded the Philippine launch anew, and he was joined by ASUS Global Marketing Operations Head, Marcel Campos, and ASUS Philippines’ Country Manager, George Su on stage to all mark yet another milestone in the country. Qualcomm President and VP for Southeast Asia, Manholtra Mantosh was in attendance as well to celebrate the long-standing and strong partnership between the two companies.

“It is time to give back to those who supported the ZenFones since the very beginning, and our way of gratitude is bringing everyone closer to the best mobile photography experience, which only our ZenFones can truly offer – after all, that is what we are most loved for,” Jerry Shen stated. “Today, we have elevated mobile photography to a new level with the ZenFone 5’s AI-powered cameras, and we are proud to introduce the dawn of Intelligent ZenFones that are sure to give you the greatest photography prowess smartphones can offer.”

The 2018 ZenFone 5 series salutes the first generation ZenFone 5, as it is geared towards championing mobile photography anew. With the ZenFone 5Z and ZenFone 5 bearing the latest Artificial Intelligence (AI) camera technology that can think for its users; as well as with ZenFone 5Q bringing its own photography advancements as the world’s first true-quad camera smartphone, mobile photography will surely never be the same again.

AI CAMERAS THAT THINK FOR YOU: THE ZENFONE 5Z & ZENFONE 5

ZenFone 5Z is an exciting next-generation 6.2-inch, dual-camera smartphone that comes with a beautiful 19:9 all-screen display (ASUS’s first-ever phone to have this feature) featuring a 90% screen-to-body ratio, packed in a 5.5-inch body size. It’s also the first-ever ZenFone model to harness the power of the latest Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform with AIE, featuring a 3rd Generation AI platform that includes the Hexagon 685 Vector DSP, Adreno 630 Graphics, and Kryo 385 CPU.

ZenFone 5Z also benefits from the Snapdragon X20 Gigabit LTE modem, delivering speeds that surpass the gigabit barrier for a ‘wireless fiber’ experience, as well as integrated 2×2 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® 5 for ultra-low-power wireless earbuds. The extreme-performance ZenFone 5Z comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB ROM, offering breathtaking performance combined with outstanding energy efficiency for long-lasting battery life.

ZenFone 5 features an exquisitely crafted design, an amazing dual-camera system, and is powered by the latest Snapdragon 636 Mobile Platform. For an instant blast of extra power, the exclusive ASUS AI Boost — available on both ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z — optimizes performance for games and other demanding tasks.

ZenFone 5Z and ZenFone 5 feature intelligent dual-camera systems that adapt and learn, delivering perfect photos every time. Equipped with the latest flagship Sony® IMX363 sensor with large 1.4µm pixels, an f/1.8 wide-aperture lens, 120° wide-angle secondary camera, four-axis optical image stabilization (OIS) and AI-enhanced camera features — including AI Scene Detection for 16 different scenes and objects, AI Photo Learning, Real-time Portrait and Real-time Beautification — ZenFone 5Z and ZenFone 5 encourage creativity and free the user to concentrate on the subject rather than the camera.

ENJOY A TRUE QUAD-CAM SYSTEM WITH THE ZENFONE 5Q

The ZenFone 5Q is a stylish 6-inch smartphone featuring the world’s first globally-announced true quad-camera system with high-resolution and wide-angle cameras at both front and rear. ZenFone 5Q removes the limits on photographic creativity, with a high-resolution main camera — 20MP Sony at the front, 16MP at the rear — and, uniquely, a secondary 120° wide-angle camera at both front and rear. Unlike rival systems, each camera works independently every time for perfect selfies, wefies, landscapes, portraits or groups shots.

The 6-inch Full HD+ IPS display has a Full View 18:9 aspect ratio and an ultraslim bezel, making the pocket-friendly ZenFone 5Q as compact as a standard-aspect-ratio 5.5-inch phone. Powered by the Snapdragon 630 Mobile Platform, ZenFone 5Q combines incredible performance, optimized power efficiency and a 3300mAh battery with advanced security and convenience features — including NFC, triple-slot SIM/microSD card holder, rapid face unlock and fingerprint recognition — for a mobile experience like no other.

MARKET AVAILABILITY

The ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Q are officially available nationwide beginning April 14, 2018 and are for 0% interest on Home Credit for 6 months, from April 14, 2018 to June 30, 2018.The ZenFone 5 is priced only at PHP19,995.00 and the ZenFone 5Q is for the affordable rate of PHP 16,995.00.

Onsite buyers of the ZenFone 5 were bundled with a JBL T450 Headset, a JBL Flip 4 Speakers, and an exclusive ZenFone Hoodie; while on-site buyers of the ZenFone 5Q were given a bundle of JBL Clip 2 Speakers, ZenPower Slim 3000, and an exclusive ZenFone Hoodie.

ZenFone 5Z will hit the market within June 2018 for just PHP 29,995.00.

The ZenFone Max M1 also made an appearance during the event. Titled as the BATTERY KING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS, the newest addition to the ZenFone Max heritage sports a 13MP + 8MP dual rear camera and a 5.5” HD+ Full View Display, and is powered by a 4000mAh large battery housed inside a 5” design. With a market price of PHP 9,995.00, the ZenFone Max M1 will arrive in the coming weeks.

ROAD TO ONE HUNDRED ASUS STORES

ASUS Philippines’ Country Manager, George Su, took to the stage and announced that since its first opening, the local team will have hit its 100th store mark on April 15, 2018 – just a day after the ZenFone 5 launch

“One of ASUS’ top most priorities is to bring the best innovations closer to your homes,” Su stated. “I, on behalf of the ASUS family, would like to invite you all to come over and continue to share the experience of incredible technology with us.”

The 100th ASUS store will have opened in Ayala Malls Feliz, Marcos Highway.

For more information on ASUS, the ZenFone 5 series, and other incredible products from ASUS, tune in to the ASUS Philippines Facebook Page and the ZenTalk Philippines Forum.
ADVT

source: technology.inquirer.net

Saturday

LOOK: North Carolina restaurant serves tarantula-topped burgers



A freshly made hamburger usually consists of a juicy patty, fresh tomatoes, crunchy lettuce, melt-in-your-mouth cheese and a soft bun. But in this burger joint in North Carolina, they chose to take it to the next level.

As part of their sixth annual Exotic Meat Month, Bull City Burger and Brewery is serving its customers burgers topped with an oven-roasted tarantula. The burger has 100 percent North Carolina pasture-raised beef, gruyere cheese and spicy chili sauce. Bull City Burger even shared a photo of what the burger looks like on its Twitter page posted last Saturday.

In the post, it seemed that two people had the guts to try the meal. It was David D’s turn to give it a shot.

And giving a brief description, customers who ordered it said it tasted “most like crab, or other shellfish, sometimes with a bit of a metallic-y taste.” They added: “BUT, the legs, the body…each bite tastes a bit different.”


It has been the second year since they served this kind of variety. Other choices include alligator, iguana, bison, turtle, bugs and python, among others, as reported by WRAL.com yesterday.

With the burger priced at $30 (P1,560), are you up for the challenge?  Katrina Hallare /ra

source: usa.inquirer.net

Thursday

Zuckerberg says regulation inevitable. Is Congress up to it?


WASHINGTON — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged Wednesday that regulation of social media companies is “inevitable” and disclosed that his own personal information has been compromised by malicious outsiders. But after two days of congressional testimony, what seemed clear was how little Congress seems to know about Facebook, much less what to do about it.

House lawmakers aggressively questioned Zuckerberg Wednesday on user data, privacy settings and whether the company is biased against conservatives. As they did in the Senate a day earlier, both Republicans and Democrats suggested that regulation might be needed, but there was no consensus and few specifics about what that might look like — or even what the biggest problems are.

New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the panel and a 30-year veteran of the House, said at the beginning of the hearing that he plans to work on legislation but is pessimistic that Congress will pass anything.

“I’ve just seen it over and over again — that we have the hearings, and nothing happens,” he said.

For Zuckerberg, who often found himself explaining what his company does in rudimentary terms to lawmakers twice his age, the hearings could be considered a win: Facebook shares rose more than 1 percent after climbing 4.5 percent on Monday. And his company regained more than $25 billion in market value that is had lost since it was revealed in March that Cambridge Analytica, a data-mining firm affiliated with Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, gathered personal information from 87 million users to try to influence elections.

Still, Facebook’s stock remains 10 percent below where it stood before the scandal, a decline that has wiped out about $50 billion in shareholder wealth.

Zuckerberg agreed to the hearings as pressure mounted over the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the company’s own admission last year that it had been compromised by Russians trying to influence the 2016 election. Earlier this year, special counsel Robert Mueller charged 13 Russian individuals and three Russian companies in a plot to interfere in the 2016 presidential election through a social media propaganda effort that included online ad purchases using U.S. aliases and politicking on U.S. soil. A number of the Russian ads were on Facebook.

Zuckerberg told the Senate on Tuesday that the company has been working with Mueller in his Russia probe and apologized over and over again for the company’s handling of data privacy.

“I started Facebook, I run it, and I’m responsible for what happens here,” he said.

House lawmakers were a bit tougher on Zuckerberg than their colleagues in the Senate, many of whom seemed confused by the company and what it does. Some of the House members curtly cut him off in questioning, trying to make the most of their four minutes each.

Zuckerberg mostly held his composure, repeating many of the same well-rehearsed answers: He is sorry for the company’s mistakes. He is working on artificial intelligence technology to weed out hate speech and at the same time ensure that they don’t block people for the wrong reasons. People own their own data, as far as he sees it. And he’s come a long way since he created the platform in his dorm room almost 15 years ago.

Some of the lawmakers talked to Zuckerberg, 33, as they would their children or grandchildren, and were occasionally befuddled by the complexities of his company.

Wrapping up his four minutes, Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., commended the platform, saying “it’s wonderful for us seniors to connect with our relatives.”

By the close of Wednesday’s hearing, Zuckerberg had spent roughly 10 out of the previous 24 hours testifying before Congress.

On regulation, Zuckerberg said he was open to it.

“The internet is growing in importance around the world in people’s lives and I think that it is inevitable that there will need to be some regulation,” he said.

Still, he said, lawmakers need to be careful, noting that new rules or laws could hurt smaller businesses more than a behemoth like Facebook.

House Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden said the committee will look at what could be done.

“While Facebook has certainly grown, I worry it has not matured,” Walden, R-Ore.,  told Zuckerberg. “I think it is time to ask whether Facebook may have moved too fast and broken too many things.”

Many questions focused on Cambridge Analytica, which gathered data several years ago through a personality quiz created by an academic researcher. The app vacuumed up not just the data of the people who took it, but also — thanks to Facebook’s loose restrictions — data from their friends, too, including details that they hadn’t intended to share publicly. Cambridge Analytica then obtained the data and was said to have used it to try to influence elections around the world.

Zuckerberg said at the House hearing that his own Facebook data was part of that sweep. He told the Senate that Facebook had been led to believe Cambridge Analytica had deleted the user data it had harvested and that had been “clearly a mistake.” He assured senators the company would have handled the situation differently today.

That may be enough to satisfy lawmakers for now. But that could change if Democrats take control of Congress in midterm elections this year.

Pallone said that if Democrats were in charge, “then we would push all the more.”   /muf

source: technology.inquirer.net

Wednesday

Paypal moves to offer traditional banking services


Paypal expands its feature set by offering basic traditional banking services on top of it existing digital wallet.

These new services include Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. insurance for balances up to government-set limits, debit cards for ATM cash withdrawals, employer direct-deposit for earnings, and funds top-up through taking a picture of a paper check, reports The Wallstreet Journal.

Unlike traditional banks, which pay interest on balances, Paypal will charge 1 percent for paper check photo deposits and added fees for ATM withdrawals.

The goal of the company is not to replace traditional banks. Rather it offers an option to people with small balances, which is mostly overlooked by traditional banking systems.

“If you don’t have a bank account, you can’t take an Uber ride, can’t stay in a room on Airbnb,” said Paypal chief operating officer Bill Ready.

To build this system, Paypal worked with several small banks, which will largely work behind the scenes. Ready said this allows the company to get products to customers faster than banks.  Alfred Bayle /ra

source: technology.inquirer.net

Monday

WrestleMania: Lesnar keeps Universal strap, Rousey wins in WWE debut


Brock Lesnar needed six F5s, including one through the announce table, as he got the better of Roman Reigns to retain his WWE Universal Championship in the main event of WrestleMania Monday (Manila time) in New Orleans.

Amid reports of his potential departure, the Beast Incarnate showed why he remains the company’s top dog as he bloodied his challenger and extended his reign.

AJ Styles bested Shinsuke Nakamura to keep his WWE Championship, but the dream match ended in a shocker as the King of Strong Style brutally attacked the Phenomenal One.

Styles reversed the Kinshasa into a Styles Clash to get the three-count, but just when he was showing respect to his Japanese foe, Nakamura low-blowed him and unleashed a hellacious beatdown to stun the fans in attendance.

Ronda Rousey also impressed in her WWE debut as she and Kurt Angle topped Stephanie McMahon and Triple H in a mixed tag match after the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion made the Raw commissioner tap out with an armbar.

The Undertaker finally answered the challenge of John Cena and delivered a squash, winning the match with his patented Tombstone Piledriver.

The 16-time world champion thought that the legend would not respond to his call, with Elias coming out and mocking him in front of the New Orleans crowd.

Cena heard enough and attacked Elias, but as he made his way to the back, the Undertaker’s gong sounded and the two faced off for the first time at the grandest stage of them all.

Daniel Bryan also made his triumphant return as he and Shane McMahon fended off an early attack from Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn and win the match, keeping the two out of SmackDown Live.

The SmackDown general manager looked in peak form in his first match in three years, displaying his full arsenal and hitting a running knee-Yes lock combo on Zayn to get the win.

Charlotte ended Asuka’s undefeated streak and retained her SmackDown Women’s Championship with the Figure Eight.

Nia Jax also won her first Raw Women’s Championship, waylaying Alexa Bliss and finishing her off with a Samoan Drop from the second rope.

Seth Rollins became a Grand Slam Champion as he won the Intercontinental title in a triple threat match to open the show.

Finn Balor was about to win the belt after a Coup de Grace on The Miz before The Architect nailed the Curb Stomp on the pinning Balor and gave the defending champion one for his own to get the three-count.

Jinder Mahal also captured the United States Championship after winning the fatal-four-way.

The Modern Day Maharaja took advantage of the distraction from Sunil Singh, hitting Rusev with the Khallas. He also bested defending champ Randy Orton and Bobby Roode in the bout.

Braun Strowman picked his tag team partner, a 10-year-old kid named Nicholas, from the crowd and beat The Bar to become the new Raw Tag Team Champions as the Monster Among Men put Cesaro through a Running Powerslam to get the victory.

The Bludgeon Brothers are the new rulers of the SmackDown tag team division as they emerged triumphant in the triple threat match over the Usos and the New Day.

Harper and Rowan connected with the assisted powerbomb from the top turnbuckle to Kofi Kingston to claim the belts.

Cedric Alexander became the new WWE Cruiserweight Champion after beating Mustafa Ali in the kickoff show.

Ali missed his second 0-5-4 on Alexander, leading to three elbows and a Lumbar Check for the pinfall finish in the tournament finals.

Naomi also was the winner of the first WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal, capitalizing on the confusion and eliminated Bayley after she took out her best friend Sasha Banks.

Woken Matt Hardy won the fifth Andre the Giant Battle Royal after the returning Bray Wyatt helped him eliminate former winners Mojo Rawley and Baron Corbin.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Sunday

Kate Hudson announces she's pregnant with a baby girl


"Something Borrowed" actor Kate Hudson announces her pregnancy in a fun and energy-filled video on her Instagram account on Saturday,

In the video she's seen jumping in excitement with her whole family as they popped big giant black balloons that exploded with mini pink balloons, which revealed that she and her musician boyfriend Danny Fujikawa are expecting a baby girl.


In the caption she explained that this was the reason for her absence on her social media accounts.

"SURPRISE!!!  If you’ve wondered why I’ve been so absent on my social channels it’s because I have never been more sick! It was the most sick first trimester of all my children. Boomerangs have made me nauseous, Superzoom is an easy way to have my head in the toilet, food instagrams make me queezy and thinking too much about insta stories made me even more exhausted than I already had been," Kate wrote on her Instagram account.

She said it has become challenging and exhausting to hide her pregnancy since she'a already "poppin'."

"If you’ve seen me out and about smiling and pretending like everything is amazing...I was lying! BUT! I have broken through on the other end of that and rediscovering the joys of insta/snap. We have been trying to keep this pregnancy under the radar for as long as possible but I’m a poppin now! And it’s too darn challenging to hide, and frankly hiding is more exhausting then just coming out with it! My kids, Danny, myself and the entire family are crazy excited! A little girl on the way," she continued.

Kate has two other children, Ryder Russell Robinson, 14, her son with Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson, and Bingham Hawn Bellamy, 6, her son with Muse frontman Matt Bellamy.

The couple made their red carpet debut as a couple last May, but Hudson told "The Talk" that they have known each other for 15 years. — Jannielyn Ann Bigtas/LA, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Iran hit by global cyber attack that left US flag on screens


DUBAI - Hackers have attacked networks in a number of countries including data centers in Iran where they left the image of a US flag on screens along with a warning "Don't mess with our elections", the Iranian IT ministry said on Saturday.

"The attack apparently affected 200,000 router switches across the world in a widespread attack, including 3,500 switches in our country," the Communication and Information Technology Ministry said in a statement carried by Iran's official news agency IRNA.

The statement said the attack, which hit internet service providers and cut off web access for subscribers, was made possible by a vulnerability in routers from Cisco which had earlier issued a warning and provided a patch that some firms had failed to install over the Iranian new year holiday.


Cisco did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A blog published on Thursday by Nick Biasini, a threat researcher at Cisco's Talos Security Intelligence and Research Group, said: "Several incidents in multiple countries, including some specifically targeting critical infrastructure, have involved the misuse of the Smart Install protocol...

"As a result, we are taking an active stance, and are urging customers, again, of the elevated risk and available remediation paths."

Iran's IT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi posted a picture of a computer screen on Twitter with the image of the US flag and the hackers' message. He said it was not yet clear who had carried out the attack.

Azari-Jahromi said the attack mainly affected Europe, India and the United States, state television reported.

"Some 55,000 devices were affected in the United States and 14,000 in China, and Iran's share of affected devices was 2 percent," Azari-Jahromi was quoted as saying.

In a tweet, Azari-Jahromi said the state computer emergency response body MAHER had shown "weaknesses in providing information to (affected) companies" after the attack which was detected late on Friday in Iran.

Hadi Sajadi, deputy head of the state-run Information Technology Organization of Iran, said the attack was neutralized within hours and no data was lost. — Reuters

Friday

McGregor in custody after backstage melee ahead of UFC 223


UFC star Conor McGregor has turned himself into police in the wake of a backstage melee he instigated after a news conference for one of UFC’s biggest cards of the year.

Video footage appears to show the promotion’s most bankable star throwing a hand truck at a bus full of fighters , injuring at least one scheduled to compete Saturday.

McGregor was being processed and no charges had been filed as of Thursday night.

Video showed McGregor with a group of people causing chaos Thursday as they took an elevator to the loading dock at Barclays Center. He can be seen tossing trash cans and being prevented from throwing a barricade at a bus during his unannounced appearance in New York.

The New York Police Department said McGregor threw a hand truck at a bus causing minor injury to an individual on the bus. At least two fights at Saturday’s UFC 223 card have been scrapped as a result of the incident.

“The organization deems today’s disruption completely unacceptable and is currently working on the consequences that will follow,” UFC said in a statement. “Individuals involved in the incident are not welcome at tomorrow’s ceremonial weigh-in or Saturday’s event at Barclays Center.”

McGregor hasn’t fought for UFC since November 2016 and was stripped this week by UFC President Dana White of the 155-pound championship he had never defended. White also said this week he did not expect McGregor to attend Saturday’s fights.

McGregor profanely responded on Twitter and wrote, “You’ll strip me of nothing.”
McGregor last fought at all in a boxing match he lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Aug. 26, 2017.

The popular Irishman is tight with UFC 223 fighter Artem Lobov, who was involved this week in a scuffle in a hotel with Khabib Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov fights Max Holloway for the lightweight championship left vacant by McGregor.

Lobov was yanked from the card. Michael Chiesa was sent to the hospital with injuries sustained in the attack and was forced out of his scheduled fight against Anthony Pettis.

“A decision was made by the New York State Athletic Commission to pull me from UFC 223,” Chiesa tweeted. “I’m devastated to say the least. @showtimepettis I hope to run this match up ASAP. June 9th in your backyard. That’s all I have to say for now. Much love.”

Flyweight Ray Borg also was injured in the wake of the McGregor attack.

UFC President Dana White said this week in New York that McGregor would fight again for UFC this year. McGregor’s actions now put any future fights very much in doubt.

The 29-year-old McGregor once held the 145 and 155-pound championships at the same time and boldly stated he wanted an ownership stake in UFC. But the trash-talking, egocentric has been out of the fight game except for his boxing dalliance with Mayweather that made him wealthy enough to never have to fight again. McGregor and his girlfriend welcomed their first child, a son, in May 2017.

source: sports.inquirer.net