7-time champ Serena Williams gets smooth draw at Wimbledon

LONDON — Serena Williams avoided any early matchups against opponents with success to speak of at Wimbledon in a draw on Friday that could put her against No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina in the third round.

Williams is returning to the grass-court tournament for the first time since 2016 after missing it last year while pregnant. She gave birth to a daughter in September.

She is ranked outside the top 150, but the All England Club decided to seed her 25th based on past success, which includes collecting seven of her 23 Grand Slam singles trophies at Wimbledon. Williams’ first-round opponent when play begins on Monday will be 107th-ranked Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands, who has one career tour title.


Williams is competing for the first time since she pulled out of the French Open ahead of a fourth-round showdown against five-time major champion Maria Sharapova in early June, citing an injured chest muscle. That was Williams’ return to Grand Slam action after a 16-month absence.

Rus has only once been as far as Wimbledon’s third round, back in 2012. That was the last time she won a match at the All England Club. She was beaten in the first round of qualifying a year ago, as were both of the women Williams could meet in the second round, 136th-ranked qualifier Viktoriya Tomova of Bulgaria and 167th-ranked wild-card recipient Tereza Smitkova of the Czech Republic.

Svitolina has only once been as far as the fourth round.

Williams’ possible fourth-round opponent, 2017 U.S. Open runner-up Madison Keys, made one quarterfinal appearance, while the 36-year-old American’s potential quarterfinal foe, reigning Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki, has never been beyond the fourth round.

Williams could face her older sister, five-time champion and 2017 runner-up Venus, in the semifinals. The ninth-seeded Venus Williams opens against 62nd-ranked Johanna Larsson of Sweden, who is 0-7 at Wimbledon.

The Williams sisters are not in the doubles draw. They have won 14 Grand Slam titles as a pair, including six at Wimbledon.

In the top half of the women’s singles bracket, the quarterfinals could be French Open champion Simona Halep vs. two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, and defending champ Garbine Muguruza vs. No. 6 Caroline Garcia. In the bottom half, No. 2 Wozniacki was drawn to face Svitolina, while 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens could play No. 7 Karolina Pliskova.

The potential men’s quarterfinals in the top half are eight-time champion Roger Federer vs. 2017 U.S. Open runner-up Kevin Anderson, and 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic vs. No. 6 seed Grigor Dimitrov. In the bottom half of the bracket, it could be two-time Wimbledon winner Rafael Nadal vs. 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, and No. 4 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 7 Dominic Thiem.



Two-time champion Andy Murray will face 48th-ranked Benoit Paire in the first round. It’s a rematch of Murray’s fourth-round victory over the Frenchman at the All England Club in 2017.

That was Murray’s last win before he sat out nearly a year because of an injured hip that was surgically repaired in January.

He returned to action last week and so is ranked only 156th and unseeded at Wimbledon, which he won in 2013 and 2016.

Murray could face 26th-seeded Denis Shapovalov of Canada in the second round.

The top-seeded Federer’s opening opponent on Monday will be 57th-ranked Dusan Lajovic of Serbia. Their only previous meeting anywhere came in Wimbledon’s second round last year, when Federer won in straight sets en route to the title.

No. 2 seed Nadal, whose 17 Grand Slam titles trail only Federer’s 20 among men, faces 129th-ranked Dudi Sela of Israel on Tuesday. Nadal has won both of their previous matchups.

Men’s first-rounders to keep an eye on include Dimitrov against three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka, who is still working his way back into form after knee surgery; 12-time major champ Novak Djokovic against Australian Open quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren of the U.S.; and No. 23 Richard Gasquet against Gael Monfils in a matchup of Frenchmen.

Two women who lost a Wimbledon final against Serena Williams will meet in the first round when former No. 1 and two-time major champion Angelique Kerber plays qualifier Vera Zvonareva. Kerber was the runner-up in 2016, Zvonereva in 2010.

Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon champion who is seeded 24th, could face 2017 French Open champion and 12th-seeded Jelena Ostapenko in the third round, and Kvitova in the fourth.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Instagram now lets you play music in ‘Stories’

Ever wanted to include music in your “Stories” but you couldn’t? Instagram has finally granted your wish.

The photo- and video-sharing app announced on Thursday that it has now included music in its “Stories.”

The feature may be seen when you tap to add a sticker in either your photo or video story. A music icon is included, which is home to a library of thousands of songs courtesy of Instagram. Users may search a specific song or browse by mood or genre.

The song may be previewed by tapping the play button. The specific track may either be fast-forwarded or rewinded to choose an exact part to play.

Users can also choose a song before taking a video. By opening the camera, swipe to the new “Music” option. You may search a song, and record a video as the song plays in the background.

The music sticker has been rolled out on Instagram’s latest update in select countries. Meanwhile, the “Music” option is currently available on iOS as of now. Android users will also enjoy the update soon.  /ra

source: technology.inquirer.net

Microsoft improves facial recognition tech to better recognize darker skin tones

Microsoft has made “significant improvements” to its facial recognition technology that had difficulties recognizing darker skin tones, especially when it came to women.

According to Microsoft’s announcement on Tuesday, it has been able to reduce the error rates for darker-skinned men and women by up to 20 times by expanding the training datasets used for its Face API.

Facial recognition technology’s role in society is continuously growing; the most obvious use is in unlocking our devices, but that is only a small part of it. Identifying faces is a useful tool for organizations including authorities searching for criminals, social media sites wanting to tag your friends and even MasterCard which wants you to pay with your face rather than PIN-code. Therefore, high accuracy rates are crucial.


However, a report published by MIT’s Media Lab in February showed that the facial recognition systems from Microsoft, IBM and China’s Megvii misidentified the gender of up to 35 percent of darker-skinned women with the “Microsoft gender classifier perform[ing] the best, with zero errors on classifying all males and lighter females.”

“Artificial intelligence technologies are only as good as the data used to train them,” Microsoft outlined in its new post, noting that “higher error rates on females with darker skin highlights an industrywide challenge.” In other words, it seems as though the data used to train the AI technology didn’t sufficiently represent diverse skin tones, nor did it effectively factor in varying hairstyles, jewelry and eyewear.

Hanna Wallach, a senior researcher in Microsoft’s New York research lab and an expert on fairness, accountability and transparency in AI systems, explains, “If we are training machine learning systems to mimic decisions made in a biased society, using data generated by that society, then those systems will necessarily reproduce its biases.”

The Face API team via Azure Cognitive Services has made changes in order to increase precision results these include expanding and revising the benchmark data sets and even launching a ‘new data collection effort’ that focuses on skin tone, gender and age.

“This is an opportunity to really think about what values we are reflecting in our systems,” said Wallach, “and whether they are the values we want to be reflecting in our systems.” JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

Iggy Azalea teases new single ‘Kream’

Iggy Azalea took to Twitter this week to tease a new single called “Kream”, which will arrive ahead of her EP “Surviving the Summer”.

The rapper shared the artwork for the single via social media, later confirming, “The single artwork says kream because that is the name of the song.”

JULY SIX. pic.twitter.com/SN3HaC94jE


— IGGY AZALEA (@IGGYAZALEA) June 25, 2018

In early June, Azalea revealed the her long-in-the-works recording project “Surviving the Summer”, initially thought to be a full album, would take the form of an EP dropping July 6. It now appears the single “Kream” will be released on the same day as the EP.

In January, Azalea revealed that the lead single off “Surviving the Summer” would be “Savior” featuring Quavo, releasing the track a month later. JB

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

The Best Estate Planning Strategies for High Net Worth Investors

Estate planning is no small feat; in fact, for most individuals, it’s an ongoing process. Even with the guidance of a team of financial and tax advisors, estate planning experts, and specialists in life insurance, annuities, and other investment alternatives, you may be shocked to learn how much of your estate could be lost to taxes. Estate tax mitigation is a key element of estate planning, but in order to be effective in minimizing tax liability, it’s vital that you understand the criteria for imposing both estate and income taxes.


In 2017, the estate tax exemption was set at $5.49 million per individual and $10.98 million for married couples. Any assets over and above these sums will typically be subject to taxation, which can reach well over 50% or more if you include the impact of any possible state estate taxes. High net worth individuals with an estate valued above these thresholds must employ a number of strategies in order to maximize the transfer of wealth to heirs and charitable interests. The good news is that only two out of every 1,000 estates will be subject to federal estate taxes this year, which is largely attributable to the efforts of expert estate planning advisors who work with high net worth investors to minimize their estate tax liability.

So, how then can you develop a solid estate planning strategy as a high net worth investor? I routinely encourage our clients to consider the approaches described below. However, before taking any sort of action, be sure to discuss strategies with your financial advisor and estate planning team. This will ensure that you make the right move for your precise priorities and requirements.

Properly Titling Assets as a High Net Worth Estate Planning Strategy

A properly structured estate should provide ample access to assets needed while you are alive without compromising your overall estate and legacy plans. While certain assets may be directly owned by you or your spouse, it is wise to make certain that other assets are safely outside your estate for estate tax purposes. Some assets such as business interests and investment portfolios, and retirement accounts will require you to maintain direct control, while other assets such as life insurance may be outside of the estate in a properly structured trust.

Estate taxes can reduce the value of your estate by 50% or more, but these taxes apply only to assets owned directly by you. By ensuring that your assets are properly titled, you’ll be better equipped for the estate planning process.

Systematically and Strategically Reducing the Size of Your Estate

While it may seem counterintuitive, reducing the size of your estate could result in a larger transfer of wealth to your heirs as you may qualify for a lower tax bracket. An effective strategy will often include developing a plan that includes the creation of trusts, reallocation of assets to children, and qualified donations, all with the goal of helping you achieve the transfer of as much of your wealth as allowable.

Additionally, strategic gifting may also be beneficial as it entails distributing up to $15,000 per recipient each year—and it is free of taxation and does not reduce your estate/gift tax exemption. This can serve as an effective method for reducing the size of your estate in a tax-free manner.

Finally, it may be possible to pay for certain expenses for your heirs, such as college tuition, without being subject to gift taxes.This is another key area to explore with your accounting and financial team as well as your estate planning advisors.

Leveraging Qualified Charitable Donations as an Estate Planning Strategy

Another estate planning strategy is to take advantage of IRA Qualified Charitable Donations (QCDs). This serves to reduce the size of your estate while guaranteeing that your funds go to the intended recipient with minimal—if any—taxes due.

QCDs are available to IRA owners who are at least 70 ½ years old. The distribution must be paid directly to the non-profit organization. Married couples can each donate up to $100,000 per year from their own IRA, for a maximum gift of up to $200,000 per year, provided they maintain separate IRAs.

Using Trusts to Transfer Wealth from a High Net Worth Estate

Trusts often become a topic of discussion during the estate planning process, but trusts are not suitable for everyone—and not all trusts offer any substantial tax sheltering. This is because financial allocations to the beneficiary are typically considered taxable income unless properly structured.

That said, there are a number of types of trust, such as living trusts and irrevocable trusts, which serve different purposes and can be useful. Living trusts offer access to assets and offer maximum control while alive, while Irrevocable trusts seek to maximize tax exemptions on the wealth they’re passing along to heirs and charities. Therefore, it’s wise to work with your financial planner and estate planning consultants to determine which trust, if any,  may be beneficial for transferring wealth in your unique situation.

Life Insurance as an Estate Planning Tool for High Net Worth Individuals

Life insurance policies can serve as a very effective technique for conveying wealth to your loved ones—and even to charities. In fact, it’s often possible to secure a life insurance policy even later in life, imparting a greater tax-free sum to the beneficiary when you pass.


For instance, a sum of $80,000 could be used to secure a life insurance policy with a payout of up to $5 million (depending upon age and health, of course). Even when taxation on a life insurance policy is taken into account, the overall sum provided to the beneficiary would be greater than the amount of money that was paid into the policy. Life insurance should definitely be explored with an estate planning and life insurance expert if you are a high net worth individual looking for estate planning tools and investment alternatives.

Choosing the Right Estate Planning Advisor

If you are concerned about choosing a trusted advisor to work on your estate plan, you are not alone. A 2016 survey found that 53% of respondents reported challenges as they sought out the advice and guidance of an estate planning professional. To complicate matters further, many other consultants may have a role in your estate planning process as well, including your financial advisors, attorneys, CPAs, and life insurance advisors. Your individual goals are central to your estate plan; choosing an advisor that you feel can help you meet your unique objectives and overcome any challenges you may encounter is critical. In my many years of advising clients, I’ve found that while every client has their own story and their own goals, maximizing wealth transfer is typically their top priority.

source: howardkayeinsurance.com

For over 55 years, the professional team of advisors at Howard Kaye Insurance has been working with clients to achieve their estate planning goals using investment alternatives such as annuities and life insurance. Our experts have devised a number of effective strategies that serve to maximize the transfer of your wealth while simultaneously limiting and minimizing tax liability. This ensures that your loved ones and the charities that are close to your heart can enjoy the maximum benefit from your estate. Our advisors are ready to discuss your goals today, so contact our team by calling 1-800-DIE-RICH.

Gigi Hadid, Zayn Malik giving ‘second chance’ to relationship

Since their breakup in March, Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik haven’t been apart long from each other, leading many to speculate that a reconciliation was inevitable.

The two dated for two years before announcing their split. However, in April they were seen locking lips in New York as per TMZ.

According to E! News, Hadid and Malik have been bonding in the singer’s farm in Pennsylvania, which is beside that of  the model’s mother.


“Gigi and Zayn are in a much better place since splitting,” said the E! News source. “They needed the space apart for a bit and are now giving things a second chance.”

As for news that they are official, it seems that it’s still in the works. An E! News source said in a May report that the “Pillowtalk” singer was eager to get back together, but that Hadid was “hesitant.”

In a June 18 GQ feature, Malik said, “We’re adults. We don’t need to put a label on it, make it something for people’s expectations.”

They supposedly broke up due to their hectic careers, with Hadid an in-demand model and Malik working as a solo artist. But as Hadid said in their breakup statement, “As for the future, whatever’s meant to be will always be.”  Niña V. Guno /ra

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Falcao scores, Colombia beats Poland 3-0 at World Cup

KAZAN, Russia — Four years after Radamel Falcao was supposed to lead Colombia at the World Cup, he’s doing just that.

Falcao missed the tournament in Brazil with a knee injury and had to wait until arriving in Russia to score his first World Cup goal. It came in Colombia’s 3-0 victory over Poland on Sunday.

“It’s a dream goal,” Falcao said. “I’m happy for the victory, for the team’s performance and the goal that I scored, which I’ve been waiting for for many years.”



The victory kept Colombia in the running for a spot in the round of 16 and knocked out Poland, the first European country to be eliminated.

Falcao, Colombia’s all-time leading scorer with 30 goals, made sure he would stay healthy for this year’s World Cup by sitting out several matches with his Monaco club this season.

So far, so good.

“We always hope that he can score and hope that he can be fit as he was today, and we want to help him,” Colombia coach Jose Pekerman said. “I think the fact that he scored was very important, not just for today but for the matches to come.

“He is a symbol of the national team. He is a symbol of Colombian football.”

Playing some scintillating soccer in Kazan, Falcao scored with the outside of his foot in the 70th minute after a superb pass from playmaker Juan Quintero in the back of the defense.

Yerry Mina scored the first goal in the 40th and Juan Cuadrado completed the win in the 75th.

Both teams lost their Group H openers and knew another loss would end their hopes of advancing. Colombia will next face Senegal on Thursday in Samara with a chance to win the group, while Poland will play Japan in Volgograd.



Senegal and Japan drew 2-2 earlier Sunday and lead the group with four points each.

Mina out-jumped the Poland defense to head in the opening goal from James Rodriguez’s cross, rewarding a spell of domination by the Colombians.

Rodriguez’s through ball after Poland lost possession in midfield led to the final goal. Cuadrado collected the pass and rushed toward the box, timing his shot perfectly to beat goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Poland got off to an aggressive start in the hot and humid Tatarstan capital, pressing high and winning most of the duels in the opening minutes.

Colombia gradually settled in, though, with Quintero providing attacking width and Cuadrado proving dangerous with his subtle moves on the edge of the box.

Colombia slowed the pace in the second half, showing good counterattacking qualities. Quintero came close in the 56th minute on the break, but his goal-bound shot took a deflection.

Cut off from the rest of his teammates, Robert Lewandowski had a few attempts but could not convert his rare chances.

GROUP DYNAMICS

Colombia is still alive ahead of its final match against Senegal and can still win the group, while Poland can only hurt Japan’s chances of advancement.

KEY TO SUCCESSES

Given his first start after fully recovering from a calf injury, Rodriguez lived up to expectations. He pressed relentlessly, tracked back and delivered an assist for Mina.

Rodriguez has now been directly involved in nine goals in seven World Cup appearances for Colombia, scoring six and assisting on three. He formed an excellent partnership with Quintero to create some beautiful play for Colombia.

Besides scoring, Mina was also excellent in containing Lewandowski throughout the match.

POOR POLAND

Poland played well for 15 minutes but then faded.

The team was overwhelmed in midfield and looked clueless in attack in another error-ridden display that resulted in an early exit.

Poland has now failed to keep a clean sheet in its last 10 World Cup matches, since beating Portugal 1-0 in 1986.

“The Colombian team was a much better team,” Poland coach Adam Nawalka said.

source: sports.inquirer.net

As Facebook ages, teens look elsewhere to connect

SAN FRANCISCO, United States – Manon, 17, has a Facebook account but to connect with her friends she turns to other social networks like Instagram or Snapchat.

“I don’t use it to post status updates or personal information,” the San Francisco teen says.

Manon maintains her Facebook account to be able to stay in touch with the large number of users on the huge social network and as a “gateway” to log into other apps.



“But to communicate with my friends, it’s Snapchat,” the high schooler said.

“Everyone says Facebook is out of date. I think it’s because all the parents are on Facebook.”

As Facebook has grown into a network of more than two billion people globally it has lost its luster for younger users who made up a core base.

While Facebook has become one of the world’s most valuable and powerful companies, it’s no longer seen as a cool destination for teens, who are turning to Snapchat and Instagram, which is owned by Facebook.

According to a Pew Research Center survey this year, 51 percent of US teens ages 13 to 17 use Facebook, compared with 72 percent for Instagram and 69 percent who are on Snapchat. The survey found 85 percent used the Google video sharing service YouTube.

The landscape has shifted since a 2014-15 Pew survey which found Facebook leading other social networks with 71 percent of the teen segment.

“The social media environment among teens is quite different from what it was just three years ago,” said Pew researcher Monica Anderson.

“Back then, teens’ social media use mostly revolved around Facebook. Today, their habits revolve less around a single platform.”



The breakup of teens and Facebook was occurring before the latest scandals which have hit Facebook over hijacked user data and propagation of misinformation.

According to a Forrester Research survey 34 percent of US online youth view Facebook “as a website for old people and parents.”

“US online youth regard Facebook as utility, while other networks that deliver niche value steal attention from Facebook’s broad platform,” said Forrester’s Anjali Lai in a research note.

“Established social networks face an image problem.”

A separate report by the research firm eMarketer came to a similar conclusion, estimating that Facebook would lose some two million US users under age 24 this year.

Still king globally

Facebook remains king of the social media space and is still growing, though more slowly than in past years.

Its profit in the first quarter of 2018 jumped 63 percent from a year ago to $5 billion, and total revenues increased 49 percent to $11.97 billion.

And the California company has been moving to become more diversified, with its “family” of apps that include Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp, and virtual reality gear from its Oculus division.

To connect with younger audiences, Facebook has launched a parentally controlled Messenger Kids app for those too young to have their own Facebook account, and recently expanded that to Peru and Canada.

Facebook is also moving to challenge YouTube, and potentially other services like Netflix, with original video on its own platform and on Instagram, which now has one billion users.

With 2.2 billion users, Facebook still has a big lead over Snapchat, with 191 million users at the end of March, and Twitter with 336 million.

“Snapchat has a lot of growing to do before it can really be a huge challenger to Facebook,” said Debra Williamson, social media analyst at eMarketer.

But the trends show services like Instagram and Snapchat — which has grown beyond its original offering of disappearing messages — have become the new, cool place for young smartphone users.

With Snapchat, “you can add animation, special effects, that’s what’s interesting for my generation,” said 16-year-old Charlotte, another San Francisco high school student.

Manon said she also likes Instagram because it is “more about creativity, people who make music or photography can post what they do.”

Agence France-Press

Kroos scores late to give Germany 2-1 win over Sweden

SOCHI, Russia — Toni Kroos scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time from outside the penalty area, and 10-man Germany rallied to beat Sweden 2-1 on Saturday to stay alive at the World Cup.


Kroos’ goal came off a set play after a foul in the closing minutes of stoppage time. Kroos tapped the ball to Marco Reus, who set it up for Kroos to curl the right-footed shot to the far post. Sweden goalkeeper Robin Olsen couldn’t get his hand on it.

Reus scored in the 48th minute to pull Germany even after Ola Toivonen’s goal in the 32nd put the Swedes in front. Germany finished with 10-men after Jerome Boateng was sent off following a second yellow card with about 10 minutes remaining.


Mexico has six points in Group F, while Germany and Sweden both have three entering their final matches.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Canada will show us if pot is beneficial

BANGKOK — Starting in October, marijuana will be entirely legal in Canada, where lawmakers passed sweeping cannabis legalization last week. Recreational use of pot and hashish by adults will be lawful, and the decision should have a much farther-reaching impact. Interest in the purported health benefits of cannabis will now considerably increase.

While several nations have decriminalized marijuana in part or by region or jurisdiction, Uruguay was until now the only country to legalize it across the board. Canada follows suit with the Cannabis Act, which allows each of the 10 provinces to devise its own system of licensing and regulating related business.

“It’s been too easy for our kids to get marijuana – and for criminals to reap the profits,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. “Today, we change that.” The change is in fact sure to make it even easier for “kids” to access marijuana, if their parents are buying and using it without fear of prosecution, but it will also indeed sever the profits going to illicit dealers, which of course cannot be taxed.


The Canadian move is extremely bold. Critics are howling, but the law displays a political resoluteness based in no small measure on faith. The health benefits of cannabis continue to be debated, but the dispute cannot be resolved without serious, long-term research, and perhaps the Canadian experiment will enable that. Meanwhile, what’s about to happen in Canada will have other members of the international community reviewing their attitudes towards a plant that’s been used since primitive times as a mild intoxicant.

Thailand is among the nations linked unfavorably to marijuana. It is not only a supply source, but also has tough laws that class “ganja” as a dangerous narcotic – as well as inconsistent enforcement of those laws. Its stance and its overseas reputation aren’t going to change anytime soon, but the authorities have at least given hints of progressive thinking, mooting a proposal to allow cannabis to be cultivated for health research.

If health benefits are established, doctors might have a valuable new tool, not least in easing the pain and discomfort of diseases. But such a drastic development might also explain why academic interest in marijuana has been limited. The medical establishment might be clinging to the status quo.In the US, nine states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis, but federally it remains classified as a prohibited drug because there is no official proof of medical merit, and instead high potential for abuse. Thailand too, and most countries, await the evidence it can do some good.

So let’s get on with the serious research. Scientists around the world should be pooling resources and dissecting the claims made for marijuana’s wholesome benefits. Shown proof the benefits exist, politicians would have to choose between public health and conservative reluctance. First comes the science, then the politics.

Few young people today believe cannabis is harmful, apart from coughing when it’s smoked. But doubt has been renewed recently with declarations that the touted medicinal benefits have been inadequately researched. Canada’s leap of faith might turn out to be a terrible mistake, but it has at least encouraged other nations to consider long-overdue action and launch unbiased and unhindered research that will either give the world a minor medical miracle or prove it was all just a pipe dream.

source: opinion.inquirer.net

Sources: Thunder’s Anthony to opt in, take $28 million

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony plans to opt in and take the $28 million he is due next season.

The New York Times first reported the 34-year-old Anthony’s decision to bypass the chance to become a free agent. A person with knowledge of details confirmed Anthony’s choice to The Associated Press on Friday night. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the situation publicly.

The Thunder traded for Anthony and Paul George to join Russell Westbrook before last season, moves that gave them high hopes of challenging Golden State in the West. It didn’t work out as planned.


The 34-year-old Anthony had been the headliner his entire career — he’s 19th in NBA history with 25,417 points — but he was more of a catch-and-shoot scorer last season instead of the isolation specialist he had always been. He averaged 16.2 points per game, but struggled at times in his new role. His playing time dwindled in the playoffs and he wasn’t happy. In Game 6 of the first-round playoff series against Utah that ended Oklahoma City’s season, he played fewer minutes than backup Jerami Grant.

It wasn’t entirely clear if Anthony would opt in. After the season, he said he prefers to play with the ball in his hands more and said coming off the bench is “out of the question.”

“So it’s something I really have to think about, if I really want to be this type of player, finish out my career as this type of player, knowing that I have so much left in the tank and I bring so much to the game of basketball,” he said.

Despite his confidence, the 10-time All-Star posted career lows in scoring average and field goal percentage last season. Thunder general manager Sam Presti said at the end of the season that he doesn’t expect Anthony’s role to change.

“I give him an enormous amount of credit for the fact that he put both feet in,” Presti said. “I personally think he did an excellent job in his first year transitioning his game, working to becoming more of an off-the-ballplayer, being more reliant on other people to generate his offense, and sacrificing a lot. At the same time, I think every player is entitled to take a step back after the season, reflect on the year they had, and in his case have to make a determination about whether or not this is a role that he wants to continue to be functioning in.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Nets go abroad, grab Musa and Kurucs in NBA draft

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets have been creative in their attempt to start from scratch after selling away the future of the franchise five years ago hunting for a championship that never came.

Two months after capping a third straight losing season, the Nets hope their latest acquisitions might be part of the solution.

Brooklyn continued its rebuild Thursday night, selecting Dzanan Musa with the 29th overall pick and Rodions Kurics at No. 40 in the NBA draft.



Musa was taken with the pick acquired from the Toronto Raptors in a trade last July, which also landed forward DeMarre Carroll.

The Nets have been trying to salvage something of the previous drafts after the last regime sent three unprotected first-round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 to the Boston Celtics and the right to swap first round picks in the 2017 draft for Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry.

The trade netted Brooklyn a disappointing second-round exit that season and sent the organization into a downward spiral with no draft assets to show for it.

So now, the Nets are looking abroad.

Brooklyn has invested heavily in its international scouting department since New Zealand-born general manager Marks took over in February 2016, and that group led them to Musa and Kurics.

Musa, 19-year-old from Bosnia and Herzegovina, spent the last three seasons with KK Cedevita, leading them to the Croatian League championship. At 6-foot-9, he averaged 13.3 points and shot 46.2 percent from the field in 30 league games.

Brooklyn was impressed with what they had seen at the international level from Musa, who has been playing professionally since the age of 16.

“I think from scouting perspective we’ve enjoyed watching him play. Very dynamic,” general manager Sean Marks said. “Obviously his offensive skills are pretty special. (A good) size for (his) position. He has been playing at a very, very high level. A very competitive young man.”


Kurocs, a 6-foot-9 prospect, was tabbed by draft experts in years’ past as a first-round selection but sat mostly on the bench for FC Barcelona in the Spanish ACB League and in Euroleague competition this past season. He averaged 1.4 points in 10 games.

“I am not sure why he was there when we picked, but he is a guy that we had been targeting for some time,” Marks said. “We’re thrilled to get our hands on Rodions.”

Marks said he expects both players to join the Nets roster for the upcoming season.

Musa has a $1 million buyout clause with KK Cedevita. Rodions’ contract calls for a $4 million fee to free him up from his Spanish club.

“There is a lot of development there with their bodies and so forth. Again, I think both (are) really great development pieces for our coaching staff, performance (and) so forth to get their hands on,” Marks said. “I am intrigued to what they can do for both player. Playing in an elite level in Europe for quite some time, I think that transition that we talked about before will hopefully won’t be seamless.”

Brooklyn also drafted at the 45th spot, taking Kentucky shooting guard Hamidou Diallo, and traded his rights to the Charlotte Hornets as part Wednesday’s deal for Dwight Howard, who is expected to be bought out by the Nets.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Instagram unveils new video service in challenge to YouTube

SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook’s Instagram service is loosening its restraints on video in an attempt to lure younger viewers away from YouTube when they are looking for something to watch on their smartphones.

The expansion announced on Wednesday, dubbed IGTV, will increase Instagram’s video time limit from one minute to 10 minutes for most users. Accounts with large audiences will be able to go as long as an hour.

The video will be available through Instagram or a new app called IGTV. The video will eventually give Facebook more opportunities to sell advertising.

It was the latest instance in which Instagram has ripped a page from a rival’s playbook in an effort to preserve its status as a cool place for young people to share and view content. In this case, Instagram is mimicking Google’s YouTube.

Before, Facebook and Instagram have copied Snapchat — another magnet for teens and young adults.

Instagram, now nearly 8 years old, is moving further from its roots as a photo-sharing service as it dives headlong into the longer-form video.

The initiative comes as parent company Facebook struggles to attract teens, while also dealing with a scandal that exposed its leaky controls for protecting users’ personal information.

Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom told The Associated Press that he hopes IGTV will emerge as a hub of creativity for relative unknowns who turn into internet sensations with fervent followings among teens and young adults.

That was what has already been happening on YouTube, which has become the world’s most popular video outlet since Google bought it for $1.76 billion nearly 12 years ago. YouTube now boasts of 1.8 billion users.

Instagram, which Facebook bought for $1 billion six years ago, now has 1 billion users, up from 800 million nine months ago.

More importantly, 72 percent of American kids ranging from 13 to 17 years old use Instagram, second to YouTube at 85 percent, according to the Pew Research Center. Only 51 percent of people in that group now use Facebook, down from 71 percent from a similar Pew survey in 2014-2015.



That trend appears to be one of the reasons that Facebook is “hedging its bets” by opening Instagram to the longer-form videos typically found on YouTube, said analyst Paul Verna of the research firm eMarketer.

Besides giving Instagram another potential drawing card, longer clips are more conducive to video ads lasting from 30 seconds to one minute. Instagram does not currently allow video ads but Systrom said it eventually will. When the ads come, Instagram intends to share revenue with the videos’ creators — just as YouTube already does.

“We want to make sure they make a living because that is the only way it works in the long run,” Systrom said.

The ads also will help Facebook sustain its revenue growth. Total spending on online video ads in the United States is expected to rise from nearly $18 billion this year to $27 billion in 2021, according to eMarketer.

Lele Pons, a YouTube sensation who also has amassed 25 million followers on Instagram, plans to launch a new cooking show on IGTV in hopes of increasing her audience and eventually generating more revenue.

“It’s like Coca-Cola and Pepsi,” she said. “You will never know what you like better unless you try both.”

IGTV’s programming format will consist exclusively of the vertical video designed to fill the entire screen of smartphones — the devices that are emerging as the main way younger people watch a video. By contrast, most YouTube videos fill only a portion of the screen unless the phone is tilted horizontally.

Snapchat began featuring vertical video before Instagram, another example of its penchant for copying rivals.

But Systrom sees it differently.

“This is acknowledging vertical video is the future and we want the future to come more quickly, so we built IGTV,” Systrom said.      /kga

source: technology.inquirer.net

Banking by smart speaker arrives, but security issues exist

NEW YORK — Hey Alexa, what’s my bank account balance?

Big banks and financial companies have started to offer banking through virtual assistants – Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google’s Assistant – in a way that will allow customers to check their balances, pay bills and, in the near future, send money just with their voice.

And with the rapid adoption of Zelle, a bank-to-bank transfer system, it soon could be possible to send money to friends or family instantly with voice commands.


But the potential to do such sensitive tasks through a smart speaker raises security concerns. Virtual assistants and smart speakers are still relatively new technologies, and potentially susceptible to being exploited by cyber criminals.

Regional banking giant US Bank is the first bank to be on all three services – Alexa, Siri and Assistant. The company did a soft launch of its Siri and Assistant services in early March and this month started marketing the option to customers.

Other financial companies have set up virtual assistant features. Credit card companies Capital One and American Express both have Alexa skills that allow customers to check their balances and pay bills. There are other smaller banks and credit unions that have set up Google Assistant or Alexa as well.

“We want to be there for our customers in any possible way that we can,” said Gareth Gaston, executive vice president for omnichannel banking at US Bank.

For now, US Bank is keeping the features available through bank-by-voice fairly restrictive.

Customers will be able to check bank balances, pay US Bank credit cards and mortgages, ask Alexa or Google the due dates on bills, and other basic functions. Money cannot be transferred from a US Bank account using voice yet, Gaston said, but the bank is considering the option.

Asking Google, Alexa or Siri for the weather or to tell a joke is one thing, but it’s a whole other issue when these assistants access and share sensitive personal information. These apps will typically announce a person’s available balance over the speaker, which has the potential to create awkward situations at parties.

In the case of Google and Alexa, users must create a secure connection between their bank and the assistant through Alexa’s Skills or Google’s Actions. All banks require the use of a four-digit PIN before they will provide balance and bank account info over these speakers, and suggest making those PINs different from the one on a customer’s ATM card.

Apple’s Siri is the most restrictive of the three virtual assistants, only showing a user a bank account balance on a screen, and not allowing other features like paying bills. Banks can integrate Siri into their iPhone and iPad apps, but Apple’s HomePod smart speaker that launched earlier this year does not currently accept banking commands. A company spokeswoman declined to say whether that feature was coming.

Google Assistant has the capability to do individual voice recognition, providing one additional level of security on that platform, but that is not implemented on US Bank’s Action yet. Security experts say that additional level of security could be foiled, however.

“Users’ voices can be recorded, manipulated, and replayed to the assistants,” said Kurt Baumgartner, a security researcher with Kaspersky Lab. “Also, with access to banking accounts and abilities to transfer and pay out money, remote financial fraud may be within the reach of cybercriminal groups soon.”

source: technology.inquirer.net

FIFA charges Mexico after fans chant anti-gay slur

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Mexico after its fans used an anti-gay slur during the team’s 1-0 win over Germany.

Some Mexican supporters chanted the slur when Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer prepared to take a goal kick in the 24th minute of Sunday’s game at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Fans in Mexico use the chant to insult opposing goalkeepers as they take a goal kick. Widely considered a slur, some argue there is no discriminatory intent.

FIFA did not elaborate on the nature of the disciplinary proceedings and didn’t say when a hearing would take place.

“Further updates will be communicated in due course. As proceedings are ongoing please understand we cannot comment further at this stage,” FIFA said in a statement.

The Mexican soccer federation has been repeatedly fined by FIFA over fans chanting the slur in recent years, but the sanctions haven’t escalated. The federation and players have previously urged fans to stop the chant to avoid further punishment.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport canceled two fines against Mexico in November, ruling the chant was “insulting” but not meant to offend, though it left other fines in force.

FIFA is using a new anti-discrimination procedure for the World Cup, under which referees are instructed to stop the game for an announcement on the public address system when discriminatory behavior is seen or heard. If it continues, the official could suspend the game, and then abandon it if the behavior persists.

“A public announcement was prepared, but the chants ceased,” FIFA said. “After the match and as an important step for further action, the incident was duly included in the match report, as well as the evidence produced by the anti-discrimination observers.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Mexico shakes with excitement over Germany World Cup win

MEXICO CITY — Thousands of exuberant Mexican soccer fans took to the streets Sunday to cheer their national team’s long-shot win against Germany in Mexico’s first match of the 2018 World Cup soccer tournament.

The 1-0 stunner, with Hirving Lozano scoring the winning goal, has given Mexicans hope that their team might win the tournament for the first time ever. Mexico has competed in the FIFA World Cup since the sporting event kicked off in 1930. The highest it has ever advanced is to the quarter-finals, placing sixth in both 1986 and 1970.

Lozano’s goal set off such a commotion that seismic detectors in Mexico City registered a false earthquake, which the geological institute said may have been generated by “massive jumps” across the city. Spectators who had gathered to watch the match on a big TV screen in the central Zocalo square screamed with joy after the score.


After the match, throngs of fans dressed in green converged around the iconic Angel of Independence monument, bouncing with joy and waving the Mexican flag. Small groups chanted “Mexico” and “Yes we could!” Some broke into song, including the traditional Cielito Lindo tune best known for its “Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay” chorus. Car horns blared, whistles were blown and drums beat for hours after the match.

“We aspire to win a World Cup this time,” said Miguel Paez, a 31-year-old who donned a Mexican wrestling mask in the colors of the national flag as he celebrated on Mexico City’s main avenue, Paseo de la Reforma.

Paez described the game as a welcome distraction from Mexico’s upcoming July 1 presidential election. “Mexico needs a break. Mexico needs to shout,” he said, jumping up and down.

Some Twitter commentators and fans were quick to draw parallels between the Mexican team’s long odds ahead of the Germany match and the big lead in surveys enjoyed by leftist presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, or AMLO.

“AMLO can be beat. The surveys are based on few people,” said Jose Antonio Bohon, a 51-year-old national team supporter on his way to the Angel.

The win has also helped Mexican fans move beyond the team’s recent indiscretions.

The Mexican squad entered the 2018 tournament under a cloud of scandal. The problems began last year when the US Treasury Department accused team captain Rafael Marquez of being a front man for a drug kingpin. The accusation cost Marquez sponsorships and called into question whether he would play in the tournament. Marquez took to the field toward the end of Sunday’s match against Germany, notching his fifth appearance in a World Cup.

Also, earlier in June, gossip magazine TVNotas reported that nine members of the Mexican squad indulged in an all-night party with 30 female escorts following their farewell match against Scotland in Mexico City. Commentators worried that family tensions could distract the players from their goal of winning World Cup matches.


“They’ve always done things like that,” 53-year-old fan Magdalena Martinez said Sunday of the partying Mexican players. “It wasn’t my boyfriend or my husband, so as long as they continue to play well, who cares.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Schmeichel, Poulsen lead Denmark past Peru 1-0 at World Cup

SARANSK, Russia — Whether Kasper Schmeichel was making an acrobatic save or just getting lucky, it was his night.

In a World Cup debut reminiscent of the way his father, Peter, played for Denmark and Manchester United, Schmeichel made Yussuf Poulsen’s opportunistic second-half goal stand in a 1-0 victory Saturday over Peru.

“It’s good to have a good goalkeeper, let me put it that way,” Denmark coach Age Hareide said. “He is acrobatic and a very quick goalkeeper. He had a fantastic performance and we needed it. You have to acknowledge the performance of Kasper today.”



Poulsen squeezed his goal between charging Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese and the left post in the 59th minute after collecting an angled pass from midfielder Christian Eriksen.

The victory gave Denmark a crucial advantage in Group C, in which France defeated Australia 2-1 earlier in the day.

Appearing at the World Cup for the first time in 36 years, Peru had overwhelming fan support in the Mordovia Arena and the bulk of scoring chances, including a late first-half penalty shot that Christian Cueva sent sailing over the crossbar.

Cueva said he approached the penalty kick differently than usual and it backfired.

“I made a mistake; all I can do is correct it,” he said.

Minutes later, he walked toward the locker room looking disgusted while teammates tried to console him, taking turns putting their arms around his shoulders.

“At halftime we told him he had to keep playing strong,” Peru coach Ricardo Gareca said. “Of course, people make mistakes and in all matches there are mistakes. … He has the character to turn things around.”

The penalty was awarded after Gambian referee Bakary Gassama used the video assistant referee system to decide Poulsen had tripped Cueva in the penalty area.



Hareide didn’t seem bothered by the penalty.

“I’m sure it was the correct decision. It was fine,” he said. “It (VAR) does make life easier for the referee.”

Poulsen’s foul didn’t harm Denmark on the scoreboard, and he wound up being named man of the match after his goal and timely defensive play helped secure a victory against an aggressive and relentless Peru squad. His clearing header in the box on a cross over Schmeichel’s head helped the keeper recover and leap to grab the ball as it came down with Peru players looking to pounce.

“This was a very emotional game for me, especially because I made the penalty,” Poulsen said. “It seemed I was going to be the villain here. But at the end I scored and became a hero. That’s football. I was also a bit lucky.”

The stay of Peru and its tens of thousands of fans in Russia could be short if they don’t capitalize on scoring chances. And they have to play group favorite France next.

“I don’t think Peru, our team, deserved to lose, based on what I saw on the pitch,” Gareca said.

GUERRERO’S EFFECT

Gareca decided to use 34-year-old striker Paolo Guerrero as a substitute, delaying his much-anticipated first World Cup appearance until about 30 minutes remained.

Guerrero nearly missed the World Cup because of a doping ban that was lifted by a Swiss judge just before the World Cup.

Within his first two minutes on the field, his point-blank header was saved by Schmeichel. Later, his clever back-heel from close range rolled just wide.

“He’s a very important player, but the last one to come into the national squad,” Gareca said, explaining his decision to save Peru’s all-time leading scorer for the second half. “He played very well.”

PERU’S PRESSURE

Peru finished with 17 attempts to Denmark’s 10, and many of the Incas’ shots were of the point-blank variety. Schmeichel turned away many by diving or extending whatever limb he could into the ball’s path.

Schmeichel’s kick save denied Jefferson Farfan’s hard-hit, 83rd-minute bid.

The 31-year-old Schmeichel, who plays for English club Leicester City, ended up with the most saves (6) by Denmark keeper in a World Cup match since his father (9) at the 1998 tournament in France.

“Denmark’s goal keeper was a great figure in the match,” said Gallese, whose block of Erikson’s breakaway bid briefly sustained Peru’s hope of a late equalizer. “We did not deserve to lose. Now all we can do is to think about France.”

Within the opening minutes, Peru was pushing forward and nearly drew a penalty when Edison Flores and Poulsen collided on the left side of the box, but Gassama waved play on.

Peru nearly broke through in the 13th minute when Carrillo executed a step-over dribble to his left, along the edge of the penalty area, and unleashed a low, hard left-footer. Schmeichel dove to his right to bat the ball away.

The so-called Danish Dynamite did not get its first shot on goal until the 39th minute.

INJURY CONCERN

Starting midfielder William Kvist might be done for the World Cup, Hareide said.

Kvist was substituted after a hard collision with a leaping Farfan as the two pursued a ball in the air.

Hareide said if Kvist has a fractured rib, “he’s out of the World Cup for sure.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

WORLD CUP: Spain ready to leave coaching woes in the past

SOCHI, Russia — Spain can’t wait to get the ball rolling and put its coaching woes in the past.

And nothing better than a win against European champion Portugal in its World Cup opener to start moving forward after one of the most chaotic days in the national team’s history.

Spain will have new coach Fernando Hierro on the bench Friday after Julen Lopetegui, who led the team on a 20-match unbeaten campaign since taking over the squad in 2016, was fired Wednesday for accepting the Real Madrid coaching job without informing the soccer federation in advance.



“We need to turn the page as soon as possible,” Spain captain Sergio Ramos said Thursday. “Spain has to be above anybody. The World Cup starts tomorrow (for us) and we have a great game to play against the European champion. Hopefully we will start on the right foot.”

Spain arrived as one of the title favorites thanks to its good performances under Lopetegui, but La Roja was rocked when newly elected federation president Luis Rubiales fired him for not properly handling the negotiations with Madrid. Hierro, a former national team player and Real Madrid captain who had been acting as Spain’s sports director, was hastily picked for the job despite not having any significant coaching experience.

“Very few things will change. There wasn’t a lot of time,” said Hierro, who had previously coached second-division club Real Oviedo and was an assistant to Carlo Ancelotti after Zinedine Zidane left the post in 2014. “We are well prepared. We have been practicing intensely these past weeks and we have confidence in these players and the ideal that has been in place for the last two years.”

Lopetegui, who was officially introduced by Real Madrid back in Spain not long after Spain’s news conference in Sochi, had revamped Spain’s national team after taking over from Vicente del Bosque following the 2016 European Championship.

Ramos, one of the six Madrid players with the national team, said the squad didn’t want to talk about the coaching change anymore and would remain focused on playing soccer.

“The desire of this group to do well hasn’t changed,” he said.

Ramos, who will captain Spain in a World Cup for the first time, dismissed reports that players tried to persuade the federation president to change his decision on Lopetegui.

“This is a decision that doesn’t belong to us. It’s taken by people who have more power than the players,” he said. “We can only do something on the field.”



Ramos said Lopetegui “would remain a part of whatever happens to Spain in this World Cup.”

At the end of the news conference at Fisht Stadium, the outspoken defender said he wanted to leave with a smile on his face.

“This looks like a funeral,” he said. “Tomorrow the World Cup starts for us.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Colon notches 2,500th career strikeout vs Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — Bartolo Colon recorded his 2,500th career strikeout against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 45-year-old right-hander retired second baseman Max Muncy in the first inning on Tuesday night.

That made Colon the 34th pitcher in history to reach the 2,500th plateau, according to Elias Sports Bureau.


He is tied with Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for most wins by a pitcher from the Dominican Republic with 243.

Now in his 21st major league season, Colon left the game in the fourth inning with the Rangers trailing 7-2. He gave up home runs to Joc Pederson, Muncy and Yasiel Puig.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Actress Rose McGowan indicted on cocaine charge in Virginia

LEESBURG, Virginia — A grand jury in Virginia has indicted actress and activist Rose McGowan on one felony count of cocaine possession.

News outlets report a Loudoun County grand jury handed down the indictment Monday.

Charging documents say cocaine was found in a wallet McGowan left behind on a plane last year. McGowan has maintained the cocaine isn’t hers, suggesting in court papers that the drugs were planted at the behest of movie producer Harvey Weinstein. He couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.


McGowan was among the first to accuse Weinstein of sexual assault, and she and others say he’s aggressively sought to discredit his accusers. Weinstein has denied all accusations.

McGowan’s trial date will be set Tuesday. Her attorney, Jim Hundley, declined comment to media.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson engaged after 24 days together is the epitome of whirlwind romance

Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson very recently became Instagram-official following rumors that they’re dating. Just a couple of weeks after that, there are reports that they’re already engaged. ENGAGED!

A source told People, “It’s a recent engagement. They’re just two people who found love quickly and make each other happy all the time. They both started talking about it this past weekend. It’s nothing they’ve been hiding.” Although the couple hasn’t confirmed anything just yet, Ariana posted then deleted an emoji-filled tweet as soon as the news went public.

But this isn’t the first time we’ve seen just how fast their relationship is going. They reportedly became a couple shortly after they broke up with their exes Mac Miller and Cazzie David. In the 24 days they’ve been together (it’s only been this long?!), Ariana and Pete have gotten matching tattoos. Both have small cloud tattoos on their fingers, and Pete got the Dangerous Woman bunny ears inked behind his ear and the initials “AG” on his thumb.

Fans have noted that it’s looking like a whirlwind romance because of the tattoos. And now they’re engaged. Hold on, I need a breather.

Anyway, congratulations, Ariana and Pete! Here’s hoping you guys talk about Harry Potter for a long, long time.

source: preen.inquirer.net

Anthony Bourdain, Kate Spade remembered at Moschino fashion show

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) — The celebratory mood at the Moschino’s fashion show was tinged with sadness over recent deaths of designer Kate Spade and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain.

Actress-model Jaime King had met both but was more familiar with Spade, having started to work with the fashion icon when she was 14.

“She wanted to make beautiful handbags and beautiful clothes and bright colors and she was very whimsical and free. She made everybody feel welcome,” King said Friday night. “She just really paved the way for women in such a huge way that I don’t think a lot of people know about her.”



King also met Bourdain while filming “Kitchen Confidential,” a 2005 sitcom based on his best-selling memoir. She complimented him on his ability to cross “boundaries and races and circumstances.”

“He was about the communion. He was about going into people’s homes and meeting them at their level,” she said, adding that he also embraced the #MeToo movement. “He stood up for us.”

Moschino designer Jeremy Scott said that he briefly met Spade and they shared a laugh about having the same hometown. “I met her once and she ironically is from Kansas City, like I am,” he said. “She seemed like a very lovely person and my sympathies are with her family.”

Bourdain killed himself in France on Friday, while Spade killed herself in New York earlier in the week. NVG

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Crawford dominates Horn to seize WBO welterweight world title

Unbeaten Terence Crawford punished Jeff Horn en route to a ninth-round technical knockout on Saturday to seize the Australian’s World Boxing Organization welterweight world title.

America’s Crawford, the former undisputed super lightweight world title holder, outclassed the Aussie who was defending the title he won in a huge upset of Manny Pacquiao in July of last year in Brisbane.

Horn defended the belt with a technical knockout of Gary Corcoran in December, but he was dominated by Crawford all the way at the Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.



Crawford, who improved to 33-0 with 24 knockouts, battered Horn for eight rounds, knocking him down in the ninth with a flurry of blows.

Horn beat the count, but Crawford unleashed another barrage and referee Robert Byrd called a halt at 2:33 of the round.

With the win Crawford claimed a world title in a third weight division.

He defeated Julius Indongo last August to become the undisputed super lightweight world champion.

A former WBO lightweight world champ, Crawford made the move up to welterweight in impressive fashion.

He won every round and was never really hurt by Horn, who fell to 18-1 with one draw and 12 knockouts.

A vocal Australian contingent among the crowd of 8,112 lustily backed Horn, but he was in trouble from the start as Crawford caught him with a hard left just seconds in.

Crawford, using his speed and his ability to switch stances to good effect, landed almost at will, Horn absorbing the punishment without finding a way to answer.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Kevin Durant wins back-to-back Finals MVP

CLEVELAND — Kevin Durant went back-to-back, twice.

It’s now two straight NBA championships for the Golden State Warriors, and two consecutive NBA Finals MVP awards for the forward who played a huge role in getting them to those titles.

Durant scored 20 points in the Game 4 clincher Friday night, a 108-85 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers — but his series will be remembered most for what he did in Game 3. Durant scored 43 points in that game, including a 33-foot 3-pointer in the final minute to all but clinch the win for the Warriors.

Durant averaged 28.8 points in the series, along with 10.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists.

“It’s just about the journey, all season,” Durant said. “Getting up every day, going to work with these guys, it’s amazing. The environment is incredible. It’s good for you to be around guys like this. It helps you become a better basketball player and a better man.”


Durant becomes the 11th player to win Finals MVP twice, joining six-time winner Michael Jordan, three-timers Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan and LeBron James, and two-timers Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajuwon, Willis Reed and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

He’s also the sixth player to win it in consecutive years, with Jordan, O’Neal, James, Olajuwon and Bryant being the others.


Since 2009 the award has been named for Celtics legend Bill Russell, the 11-time champion who surely would have won the award several times if it existed in his playing days. The Finals MVP was first handed out in 1974.

Durant is one of 30 players to win the award.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Leaked video purports to reveal Samsung Galaxy Note 9 design

New video and images, claimed to be factory leaks, along with speculations, are starting to offer a picture of what to expect from the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, believed to be set for an August reveal. So far, the exterior appears to be a clone of the Galaxy Note 8, while tech fans are analyzing the clues to figure out what will be found under the hood.

A set of 3D renders of what is supposedly the new model were published Thursday on 91mobiles, along with a 360-degree video, confirming Bloomberg’s report that the Note 9 “will look similar to last year’s model.” Almost a month ago, noted leakster @UniverseIce tweeted two images of devices side by side, one being the likely version that will be unveiled, a Note 8 lookalike, the other a slightly wider version with less top and bottom bezel captioned, “Samsung can achieve this design…But still gives us such a design” (on the lookalike model). The poster hypothesized that such a similar design “may be to save manufacturing costs.” Another tweet projected that if “lucky, you will see 8GB RAM and 512GB ROM Galaxy Note 9.”

The dimensions of the upcoming model are thought to be 161.9 x 76.3 x 8.8 mm, “around 6.3-inches,” which means it’s slightly shorter, wider, and thicker than the Note 8,” as reported by 91mobile, who have partnered with @OnLeaks, another industry tipster, to glean “concrete info about the Note 9.”



The Note 9 might arrive with a slightly thinner bezel, Infinity Display and supposedly the same buttons and ports as seen before: volume and power buttons on the left, dedicated Bixby button on the right. Users not ready to lose their wired headphones will be happy to see that the 3.5mm jack port is likely to stay on the base, alongside the microphone, USB Type C port, speaker and silo for the ejectable S Pen.

The back is where the design seems to have been reworked. Note 9 may have its fingerprint scanner below the camera module, which suggests that there won’t be an under-display fingerprint scanner.

As for other expected specs, nothing has been confirmed although multiple tech blogs are expecting the device to be powered by the latest Samsung Exynos 9810 or upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC, depending upon the region. As for the cameras, chances are that the Galaxy S9 will lend its latest rear-camera setup to the Note 9, offering better low-light performance and the ability to record slow-motion video at up to 960 frames per second (at 720p resolution).

Unless more puzzle pieces are leaked in the next coming weeks, to see the full list of specs Samsung fans will probably have to wait until Aug. 9, the date tipped by Bloomberg as the unveiling. JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

Google rules out using artificial intelligence for weapons

SAN FRANCISCO – Google announced on Thursday it would not use artificial intelligence for weapons or to “cause or directly facilitate injury to people,” as it unveiled a set of principles for the technologies.

Chief executive Sundar Pichai, in a blog post outlining the company’s artificial intelligence policies, noted that even though Google would not use AI for weapons, “we will continue our work with governments and the military in many other areas” such as cybersecurity, training, or search and rescue.

The news comes with Google facing an uproar from employees and others over a contract with the United States military, which the California tech giant said last week would not be renewed.

Pichai set out seven principles for Google’s application of artificial intelligence, or advanced computing that can simulate intelligent human behavior.

He said Google is using AI “to help people tackle urgent problems” such as prediction of wildfires, helping farmers, diagnosing disease or preventing blindness.

“We recognize that such powerful technology raises equally powerful questions about its use,” Pichai said in the blog.

“How AI is developed and used will have a significant impact on society for many years to come. As a leader in AI, we feel a deep responsibility to get this right,” Pichai also wrote.

The chief executive said Google’s AI programs would be designed for applications that are “socially beneficial” and “avoid creating or reinforcing unfair bias.”

He said the principles also called for AI applications to be “built and tested for safety,” to be “accountable to people” and to “incorporate privacy design principles.”

Google will avoid the use of any technologies “that cause or are likely to cause overall harm,” Pichai wrote.

That means steering clear of “weapons or other technologies whose principal purpose or implementation is to cause or directly facilitate injury to people” and systems “that gather or use information for surveillance violating internationally accepted norms.”


Google also will ban the use of any technologies “whose purpose contravenes widely accepted principles of international law and human rights,” Pichai said.

‘A good start’

Some initial reaction to the announcement was positive.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which had led opposition to Google’s Project Maven contract with the Pentagon, called the news “a big win for ethical AI principles.”

“Congratulations to the Googlers and others who have worked hard to persuade the company to cancel its work on Project Maven,” EFF said on Twitter.

Ryan Calo, a University of Washington law professor and fellow at the Stanford Center for Internet & Society, tweeted: “Google’s AI ethics principles owe more to (English philosopher Jeremy) Bentham and the positivists than (German philosopher) Kant. Nevertheless, a good start.”

Calo added, “The clear statement that they won’t facilitate violence or totalitarian surveillance is meaningful.”

The move comes amid growing concerns that automated or robotic systems could be misused and spin out of control, leading to chaos. At the same time, Google has faced criticism that it has drifted away from its original founders’ motto of “don’t be evil.”

Several technology firms have already agreed to the general principles of using artificial intelligence for good but Google appeared to offer a more precise set of standards.

The company, which is already a member of the Partnership on Artificial Intelligence including dozens of tech firms committed to AI principles, had faced criticism for the contract with the Pentagon on Project Maven, which uses machine learning and engineering talent to distinguish people and objects in drone videos.

Faced with a petition signed by thousands of employees and criticism outside the company, Google indicated the $10 million contract would not be renewed, according to media reports.

But Google is believed to be competing against other tech giants such as Amazon and Microsoft for lucrative “cloud computing” contracts with the US government, including for military and intelligence agencies.                   /kga

source: technology.inquirer.net

One more win: Durant lifts Warriors past Cavs for a 3-0 lead in NBA Finals

CLEVELAND — Kevin Durant stood calmly near midcourt — and a very familiar spot — as teammates Stephen Curry and Draymond Green screamed at him in celebration.

Another momentous shot for Durant.

And soon, probably another NBA championship.

Durant scored a career playoff-high 43 points, draining a long 3-pointer in the final minute to cap his magnificent performance, and the Warriors beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-102 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night to move within a victory of a sweep, their second straight title and third championship in four years.

The Warriors are on dynasty’s doorstep.

Afterward, the defending champs could be heard loudly celebrating inside their locker room, perhaps a warmup for a bigger party to come.

The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are in a hole that might as well be 6 feet deep. Teams that have fallen behind 3-0 in the playoffs are 0-131.

It might be time for the guys from Northern California to order some champagne from Napa Valley.

With the Cavs down 103-100, Durant stood defiantly and almost motionless after dropping his 33-footer — just a few feet from where he made one in Game 3 last year — and effectively ended the fourth straight finals matchup between two teams who have gotten to know each other well since 2015.

After Durant scored, Curry and Green rushed to his side and the trio walked back toward Golden State’s bench where the other Warriors were hugging and high-fiving.

As always Durant stayed cool.


“I don’t want to downplay anything, but I don’t want to act like this is the end of the road,” Durant said. “So just get back to work tomorrow and figure out a better game plan.”

Durant said the similarity with last year’s shot — a moment that helped define his first championship — didn’t occur to him.

“No, not at all,” he said. “I just took the shot.”

There was nothing James or the Cavs could do but think about what might have been after losing two games that were within their reach.

“Tonight will be tough,” said James, who scored 33 and rolled his right ankle in the first half. “Tomorrow I’ll replay some plays and some moments and things of that nature. When I wake up Friday morning I’ll be locked in on the game plan of what needs to be done to help our team win. That’s just who I am.”

Golden State will now have four chances to wrap up its title starting with Game 4 on Friday night. The Warriors are trying to join a select list of teams to win three championships in four years.

Kevin Love added 20 points for the Cavs, who have fallen into a hole in which no team has ever emerged. Cleveland came back from a 3-1 deficit to stun the Warriors in the 2016 finals, but that was when Durant was in Oklahoma City and James had a different supporting cast.

The Warriors won despite a 3-of-16 shooting performance from Curry, who did come up big down the stretch as the Cavs were trying to salvage their season.

Now Cleveland could be down to one final game with James, who recorded his 10th triple-double in the finals. The three-time champion can opt out of his $35.6 million contract and test free agency this summer, and it may be time for the 33-year-old to find a team capable of beating the Warriors.

These Cavs can’t figure it out.

Durant, who tilted this rivalry toward the West Coast when he signed with the Warriors as a free agent before last season, was brilliant from the start. He helped offset a rough night for Curry, who made a finals-record nine 3-pointers in Game 2, but was just 1 of 10 from behind the arc and didn’t score his second field goal until there were under three minutes left.

Curry’s scoop shot put the Warriors up 98-97 and defensive specialist Andre Iguodala, who didn’t play in Games 1 or 2 because of a knee injury, came up with a steal under the basket. Curry finally buried a 3 and after James matched him with a long shot, Iguodala drove the lane for a thundering dunk.

Moments later, Durant delivered his dagger to silence Cleveland’s crowd.

“No, that wasn’t the same shot,” James said when asked to compare Durant’s 3 to last year’s. “The one he made tonight was about four or five feet behind the one he made last year. He’s an assassin. That was one of those assassin plays right there.”

Durant scored 24 in the first half, when the Warriors attempted 13 free throws to zero for the Cavs, a disparity that induced further wrath on the officials from Cleveland fans still stinging from the now infamous reversed call in Game 1.

James arrived at 6 p.m. dressed more casually — camouflage pants, purple hoodie, “Billionaire Boys Club” baseball cap — than on the road where he and the Cavs have been wearing suits during the postseason.

Everything is more relaxed and familiar at home for James and his teammates, who were counting on a return to their own noisy building, where they play better and shoot better, to get them back into the series.

The Warriors had other plans.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Green passed Wilt Chamberlain (922) for the most rebounds in Warriors playoff history. … Klay Thompson played in his NBA-high 390th game over the last four seasons. Green is second with 387, while James is third at 381. … Curry has made a 3-pointer in 89 consecutive playoff games, and a record 43 on the road.

Cavaliers: Kyle Korver continued to struggle. He missed all four shots and is now 8 of 29 dating to Game 1 of last year’s Finals. … James (238) broke a tie with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and moved into fourth place for the most playoff games. Only Derek Fisher (259), Tim Duncan (251) and Robert Horry (244) have made most postseason appearances.

COMEBACK KID

Iguodala, the 2015 finals MVP, scored eight points and made one steal in 22 minutes, but his impact went beyond those numbers.

“It was good just having him, settling the game down,” guard Shaun Livingston said. “His defense was strong, whoever he was up against — LeBron or someone else — and his toughness makes everyone out there better.”

HOOD HELPS

Lue gave Rodney Hood a chance and the seldom-used forward came through with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting with six rebounds. Hood only played four minutes in the first two games.

“That was Rodney Hood, man,” James said. “It was more than just what he did for the team. For himself, that was just a huge moment.”

UP NEXT

Game 4 is Friday night.

source: sports.inquirer.net