Getting recommended amount of physical exercise linked to lower risk of 7 cancers

A new American analysis has found that hitting the recommended weekly levels of physical activity could lower the risk of developing seven different cancers.

Led by researchers at the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the new analysis looked at nine existing studies including a total of 755,459 participants to investigate whether meeting the recommended amounts of physical activity is linked to a lower risk of 15 different cancers.


Updated guidelines recommend that people should aim for 2.5 to 5 hours per week of moderate-intensity activity, or 7.5 to 15 METs (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) per week. MET measures an individual’s energy expenditure, with one MET defined as the energy it takes to sit quietly. Moderate-intensity activities burn three to six times as much energy per minute as sitting quietly (3 to 6 METs), and vigorous-intensity activities burn more than 6 METs.

After asking the participants to self-report their physical activity levels, the researchers then followed them for 10.1 years.

The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, showed that engaging in recommended amounts of activity (7.5 to 15 MET hours per week) was associated with a statistically significant lower risk of seven of the 15 cancer types included in the study, compared to doing no physical activity. The team also found that the more exercise participants did, the more the risk was reduced.

Of these 15 cancers, physical activity was linked to a lower risk of colon cancer in men (8% lower risk for 7.5 MET hours per week and a 14% lower risk for 15 MET hours per week), a lower risk of breast cancer in women (6% to 10%), endometrial cancer (10% to 18%), kidney cancer (11% to 17%), myeloma (14% to 19%), liver cancer (18% to 27%), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in women (11% to 18% lower risk).

The researchers admitted that their analysis had some limitations. For example, though the total number of participants was large, the number of participants studied for certain cancers was limited. In addition, participants were mainly white, and participants self-reported their level of physical activity, a method that is prone to errors.

However, the authors still concluded that, “These findings provide direct quantitative support for the levels of activity recommended for cancer prevention and provide actionable evidence for ongoing and future cancer prevention efforts.”

“Physical activity guidelines have largely been based on their impact on chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” said study author Dr. Alpa Patel. “These data provide strong support that these recommended levels are important to cancer prevention, as well.” IB/JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

Tina Turner mural defaced at record store

Employees at a record store in North Carolina say a mural of pop star Tina Turner has been defaced
with a red swastika.

The Citizen Times reported Thursday that the mural is outside Static Age Records in downtown Asheville.


Store owner Jesse McSwain said someone unconnected to the store apparently covered the mural in a black sheet before he could address the situation. Static Age called police and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

McSwain said that his store is “a widely inclusive, safe space” and that “hate speech will get you out the door.”

The record store uses its pulldown storefront to honor music legends. They have included Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Lemmy from Motörhead and Lou Reed. Turner’s mural was based on her character in the film “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome”. RGA

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Dating app Tinder to move out of parent’s home

The popular mobile dating app Tinder will move out on its own next year in a spinoff announced Thursday by corporate parent IAC.

Tinder and its online dating siblings including PlentyOfFish, OkCupid and Hinge, which make up the Match Group, will be spun off as an independent company in 2020, according to an IAC statement.


“We’ve long said IAC is the ‘anti-conglomerate’ — we’re not empire builders,” said Barry Diller, chairman and senior executive of the holding company IAC.

“We’ve always separated out our businesses as they’ve grown in scale and maturity and soon Match Group, as the seventh spinoff, will join an impressive group of IAC progeny collectively worth $58 billion today.”

Tinder, known for giving users the option to “swipe” right or left to accept or reject a date, is the largest of the apps in Match Group with an estimated 57 million users worldwide.

The friendly breakup creating two separate public companies will give Match Group more flexibility while providing fresh capital to IAC, a media and entertainment group which also includes the Daily Beast, Dotdash Vimeo, Investopedia and HomeAdvisor.

“We’ve grown up tremendously over the last 20 years as part of IAC, from an innovator in a nascent category to a global leader in a fast-growing market with millions of users all over the world,” said Mandy Ginsberg, chief executive officer of Match Group. “Match Group is in an incredibly strong position as we enter this transaction and we are ready for the next chapter of the company’s journey.” RGA

source: business.inquirer.net

Report: Popular UAE chat app ToTok a government spy tool

NEW YORK  — A chat app that quickly became popular in the United Arab Emirates for communicating with friends and family is actually a spying tool used by the government to track its users, according to a newspaper report.

The government uses ToTok to track conversations, locations, images and other data of those who install the app on their phones, The New York Times reported, citing U.S. officials familiar with a classified intelligence assessment and the newspaper’s own investigation.


The Emirates has long blocked Apple’s FaceTime, Facebook’s WhatsApp and other calling apps. Emirati media has been playing up ToTok as an alternative for expatriates living in the country to call home to their loved ones for free.

The Times says ToTok is a few months old and has been downloaded millions of times, with most of its users in the Emirates, a U.S.-allied federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula.


Government surveillance in the Emirates is prolific, and the Emirates long has been suspected of using so-called “zero day” exploits to target human rights activists and others.

Zero days exploits can be expensive to obtain on the black market because they represent software vulnerabilities for which fixes have yet to be developed.

The Times described ToTok as a way to give the government free access to personal information, as millions of users are willingly downloading and installing the app on their phones and blindly giving permission to enable features.

As with many apps, ToTok requests location information, purportedly to provide accurate weather forecasts, according to the Times. It also requests access to a phone’s contacts, supposedly to help users connect with friends. The app also has access to microphones, cameras, calendar and other data.

A security expert who said he analyzed the app for the Times, Patrick Wardle, said that ToTok “does what it claims to do” as a communications app, which is the “genius” of the app if it is being used as a spy tool. “No exploits, no backdoors, no malware,” he wrote in a blog post. The app is able to gain insights on users through common functions.

In a blog post Monday, ToTok did not respond directly to Sunday’s Times report, but said that with “reference to the rumors circulated today about ToTok,” the one goal of the app’s creators was to create a reliable, easy-to-use communications platform. The post said ToTok had high-security standards to protect user data and a privacy framework that complied with local and international legal requirements.

ToTok said the app was temporarily unavailable in the app stores from Google and Apple due to a “technical issue.”



The Times says that based on a technical analysis and interviews with security experts, the company behind ToTok, Breej Holding, is most likely affiliated with DarkMatter, an Emirati cybersecurity company that has hired former CIA and National Security Agency analysts and has close business ties to the Emirati government.

Emails sent to ToTok through its website and to the Emirates embassy in Washington were not immediately returned.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Liverpool lands 1st world title, Qatar passes pre-2022 test

DOHA, Qatar — After tens of billions of dollars spent on infrastructure, and skepticism over this tiny gas-rich nation’s suitability as a sporting host, a World Cup has finally been handed out in Qatar.

It was Liverpool lifting FIFA’s lesser-regarded Club World Cup trophy on Saturday night. In three years, the biggest prize in soccer will be handed out in a stadium yet to be completed.

The Club World Cup, which ended Saturday with Roberto Firmino sealing Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Flamengo in extra time, has been the first major international footballing test of Qatar’s readiness.

With a 45,000-strong crowd packed into Khalifa Stadium, Qatar has shown it can fill a venue with sports fans —- unlike at the track and field world championships earlier this year.

“Everybody was for different reasons on the edge pretty much but I saw so many sensationally good performances and I’m really happy of course for our supporters,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said. “The atmosphere in the stadium was great.”

But it is a stadium touched by the welfare concerns that have dogged Qatar’s building work since being awarded the main 32-team World Cup in 2010 by FIFA. A British worker plunged to his death during the construction phase in conditions later deemed to be dangerous.

This was a Club World Cup trip also tinged in tragedy for the losing finalists from Brazil. When fire engulfed a dormitory at Flamengo’s academy in Brazil in February, 10 players — all between 14 and 16 years old — died.

“It was a very sad moment in Flamengo’s history and, I believe, in Brazilian football as well,” midfielder Everton Ribeiro said in Doha. “Lives were lost, dreams were lost.”

Flamengo was ordered by a Rio de Janeiro judge earlier this month to pay the equivalent of $2,500 a month to the families of 10 victims and three injured players. Flamengo, which appealed the decision, is already paying families about $1,200 a month.

“If the situation is settled with the families, as soon as possible, including the support that Flamengo is already giving, it will be better for everybody,” Ribeiro said.

Flamengo’s grief was followed by success not achieved by a Brazilian side since Pele’s Santos in 1963.


The Brazilian championship was won in November, 24 hours after clinching a first Copa Libertadores title since 1981 in a continental triumph which earned a reunion with Liverpool.

When the European champions and South American champions met in a single-game version of the Club World Cup 38 years ago, Flamengo beat Liverpool 3-0.

Since the 1981 Intercontinental Cup, football has tilted in Europe’s favor over South America but the very staging of this seven-team Club World Cup in the Persian Gulf shows where so much of the wealth now comes from in the sport.

And it was a Brazilian player prized away from his homeland to Europe as a 19-year-old, initially by Hoffenheim in Germany, who settled this final for Liverpool in the 99th minute.

Firmino was still inside his own half when captain Jordan Henderson launched the defense-splitting pass that set Liverpool on the path to glory. As Firmino raced through Flamengo territory unchallenged, Sadio Mane held up the ball received from Henderson. When Firmino reached the penalty area, Mane squared to the Brazilian, who took three touches to control the ball past defender Rodrigo Caio before knocking it into the net.

Firmino also struck in the semifinal victory over Monterrey on Wednesday, giving him two goals in as many games in the Khalifa Stadium, having only netted once in the previous 16 games for Liverpool in all competitions.

“I couldn’t be more happy for him that he could score that goal because … (of) what this competition means to Brazil, to South American people,” Klopp said.

After netting the World Cup winner, Firmino raced away in celebration, ripping off his jersey and leaping into the air.

Firmino and his teammates will have to wait some time to attach FIFA’s gold Champions Badge to their jerseys. Liverpool anticipates it will only be allowed to be worn in the Champions League, which resumes in February, rather than weekly in the Premier League.

It may have to settle with lifting the Premier League trophy in May for the first time.


As Liverpool added the world title to its sixth European Cup collected in June, back in England its pursuit of the Premier League was helped by Leicester losing to Manchester City.

A domestic title drought stretching back to 1990 for the 18-time English champions is well-placed to end with Liverpool holding a 10-point lead over Leicester ahead of Thursday’s game against its second-place rival.

“Liverpool are enjoying their best time in their decade,” Flamengo coach Jorge Jesus said. “They played a tremendous match and Flamengo were excellent also.

“We were a match for Liverpool. I’m fully pleased with what Flamengo have done. Brazilian clubs in future will be contenders to European clubs and we have exhibited that today.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Rock ‘n’ sausage roll tops UK Christmas charts

A novelty song about sausage rolls secured the coveted Christmas number one spot Friday on the U.K. singles charts.

LadBaby landed the festive crown for the second year running with “I Love Sausage Rolls” — a comedy reworking of “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”, which was a 1982 hit for U.S. singer Joan Jett.


Last year LadBaby — 32-year-old YouTube ‘dad blogger’ Mark Hoyle — topped the charts at Christmas with “We Built This City”, a similar sausage roll-based revamp.

Proceeds from the single are going towards The Trussell Trust foodbank charity.

LadBaby became the first artist to serve up two consecutive novelty Christmas number ones.

The only other acts to have pulled off back-to-back festive chart-toppers are The Beatles between 1963 and 1965 and the Spice Girls, who also had three straight Christmas number ones between 1996 and 1998.

“How have we done this again? It’s the best feeling in the world — it’s a Christmas miracle yet again!” said Hoyle.

“Who doesn’t love a sausage roll at Christmas?”

LadBaby beat Stormzy’s “Own It” featuring Ed Sheeran to the top spot, while Lewis Capaldi’s “Before You Go” rose one place to number three.

The battle to secure the Christmas number one took off in the 1970s, seeing some epic contests between huge hits.

Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Mull of Kintyre” by Wings, Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston were all giant Christmas chart-toppers.


Since 2002, the race has commanded less national excitement, being predictably dominated by reality television contest winners — though novelty records and charity singles have recently started to chip their way in.

Meanwhile, Rod Stewart has the Christmas number one album with “You’re In My Heart”, a collection of his classic hits with new backing from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Stewart is only the fifth British act in UK chart history with 10 or more number one albums; only The Beatles, Robbie Williams, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie have more. NVG

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Boxer Adrien Broner hit with $830K judgment in sex assault claim

CLEVELAND — An Ohio judge awarded $830,000 to a woman who claimed former boxing champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner sexually assaulted her at a Cleveland nightclub.

The default judgement was delivered Tuesday after Broner failed to defend himself in the lawsuit.


The Cincinnati native was accused in the lawsuit and a criminal case of pinning a woman he didn’t know on a couch in June 2018 and kissing her against her will as she struggled to free herself. The lawsuit said one of Broner’s friends pulled him off the woman after someone took a photo of the assault.

Broner, 30, was originally charged with sexual imposition in Cuyahoga County. He pleaded guilty in April to misdemeanor charges of assault and unlawful restraint and was sentenced to probation.

Attorneys for Broner in the lawsuit received permission from Judge Nancy Margaret Russo in November to withdraw from the case, leaving Broner to defend himself. He appeared at a default hearing without representation on Dec. 3 but never appeared for a deposition or responded to discovery requests, said the woman’s attorney, Ashlie Case Sletvold.

Attempts to reach Broner were unsuccessful. A man who identified himself as Broner’s manager hung up when asked about the case on Wednesday.

The award includes both prejudgment and post-judgment interest.

Sletvold said her client, who she said received a year of intensive therapy for post-traumatic stress syndrome, hopes Broner has learned “he can’t put his hands on strangers.”

“It doesn’t matter who he thinks he is,” Sletvold said. “It’s not an appropriate way to behave.”

Asked whether she believes Broner will pay her client, Sletvold said she would hoped someone had taken care of his money. She referred to videos posted online of Broner flushing cash down toilets.

The Cincinnati Enquirer in 2017 detailed Broner’s previous brushes with the law.


An undefeated Broner won the world welterweight title in June 2013 against Paul Malignaggi but lost it the following December in a bout against Marcos Maidana. He lost a title fight by unanimous decision against welterweight Manny Pacquiao in January.

Broner has a career professional record of 33-4-1 with 24 knockouts.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Coke Studio continues to go beyond supporting OPM to advocating for the environment

Coca-Cola has been on a constant mission to refresh the world by providing people with moments of happiness, moments where they can enjoy and pursue their passions. The ultimate testament to this is Coke Studio, a platform that has shown how Coca-Cola not only refreshes its customers with its beverages but also refreshes the local music scene by supporting the best and brightest of OPM.

Going beyond promoting OPM, Coke Studio rallies Filipino musicians and music-lovers to elevate the music scene with an uplifting purpose – advocating for environmental protection.  Since Coke Studio Philippines was first launched in 2017, it has seamlessly weaved two of its advocacies together, becoming a reflection The Coca-Cola Company’s firm stance on caring for the planet. This is an advocacy which the Company has continuously practiced across the board, from its operations to its various programs and campaigns including Coke Studio.



In 2018, this advocacy for sustainability was taken further when Coca-Cola announced its goal to creating a World Without Waste. The already-established Coke Studio became the perfect platform to introduce this vision to the youth. Now, three seasons in, Coke Studio continues to amplify the message of environmental protection through music.

With music as a powerful, unifying force, Coke Studio concerts and events have not only brought teens together to enjoy the best of OPM, but have also become spaces where the youth learn and practice mindful consumption. Across its three seasons, each concert and roadshow has been thoughtfully-planned to inspire environmental stewardship among event-goers, educating them on proper waste management and providing them the facilities for responsible waste disposal.

After mounting numerous concerts and events in universities, fiestas, to festivals nationwide, Coke Studio has continued to shift the youth’s perceptions on PET bottles from a use-and-dispose product to one with multiple lives and instilled the importance of collection, segregation, and recycling.

A testament to how involved the youth were in these green and sustainable activations, Coca-Cola was able to collect and divert an estimated 9,500 kilograms of PET bottles which will be recycled into new products such as T-shirts, benches, and even the iconic Coke Studio earphones with the help of its recycling partners.

Coke Studio has redefined and set a new standard for environmentally-conscious activations, events and consumer engagements with its goal of uniting and empowering the youth to become a part of the solution in protecting the planet.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Doctor’s report calls 77-year-old Biden ‘healthy, vigorous’

WASHINGTON — Joe Biden is “healthy, vigorous” and “fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency,” according to a doctor’s report released Tuesday by the 77-year-old former vice president.

Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who has been Biden’s primary care physician since 2009, writes in a three-page note that the Democratic presidential candidate is in overall good shape — he’s trim, exercises and keeps his cholesterol at healthy levels with the use of a statin medication.

Since 2003, Biden has had episodes of atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat that’s potentially serious but treatable. His doctor now describes the atrial fibrillation as “persistent.” O’Connor cited a list of tests that show the candidate’s heart is functioning normally and his only needed care is a blood thinner to prevent the most worrisome risk, blood clots or stroke.

Another Democratic candidate, Michael Bloomberg, has the same kind of irregular heartbeat, according to records released last week.

Biden had a brush with death in 1988, requiring surgery to repair two brain aneurysms — weak bulges in arteries, one of them leaking. Biden has never had a recurrence, his doctor said, citing a specific test in 2014 that examined his arteries.

O’Connor’s letter cited only a few other minor ailments. Biden takes medications, as needed, for seasonal allergies and occasional reflux, or heartburn. He has had several small, non-melanoma skin cancers removed over the years. Preventive screenings, including colonoscopies, show no signs of trouble.

“Overall he’s in good health,” said Dr. Mary McLaughlin, director of cardiovascular health and wellness at Mount Sinai Heart in New York, who reviewed Biden’s information.

She noted that he has good blood pressure without needing medication, unusual for his age, and that he exercises five days a week.

“I would say that someone with well-controlled atrial fibrillation on a blood thinner definitely can perform the duties of a stressful job,” McLaughlin added. But she questioned why the records don’t mention a cardiac stress test, which would eliminate any questions about heart function.

Biden is the third Democratic presidential candidate to release his medical records. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, 70, released a doctor’s note earlier this month that said she is in “excellent health.” A letter from Bloomberg’s physician said the 77-year-old New York billionaire was in “outstanding health.”

Bernie Sanders, the oldest candidate in the field at 78 years old, said that he’d release his records “probably by the end of the year.” He suffered a heart attack in October that took him off the campaign trail for a few days.


Biden, Sanders and Bloomberg would be the oldest president in history if elected.

Republican Donald Trump, now 73, was the oldest newly inaugurated first-term president. He has been criticized for releasing only cursory details on his health while running for the White House. But he has also mocked Biden, suggesting age has slowed his potential Democratic rival.

Biden’s age has been a lingering shadow on his candidacy, even with other septuagenarians in the race. In one summer debate, Julián Castro suggested, wrongly, that Biden had forgotten details of his own health care proposal. Castro, now 45, denied he was taking a shot at Biden’s age, though that’s how it was widely interpreted.

Earlier this month in Iowa, a voter who said he was 83 told the candidate he is too old to serve as president. Biden challenged the man to a push-up contest and an IQ test.

None of the recent releases of candidates’ health information has mentioned screenings for memory problems, and whether they’re needed or useful – or even what kind is appropriate — in high-functioning adults is an unsettled medical question.When he brings up the matter himself, Biden acknowledges his advancing age but argues that it comes with the “wisdom” and “experience” to manage the hyperpartisan nature of Capitol Hill and calm the international turbulence of Trump’s presidency. The former vice president does have longevity in his family. His father lived to be 86. His mother lived to age 92.

Warren, Sanders and Biden have all showcased their physical activity during the campaign, with Warren frequently jogging to the podium at events and Sanders playing softball with staff.

A Pew Research Center poll from May found that about half of Democrats said it would be best for a president to be in their 50s. A quarter said it would be best for a president to be in their 40s, and 16% preferred a president in their 60s. Just 3% said someone in their 70s would be best — and 6% said the same of a president in their 30s.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Chess grandmaster becomes No. 1 in fantasy football

Magnus Carlsen is a No. 1 player in both reality and fantasy.

The world chess champion from Norway is showing he has a flair for another game by moving to the top of the standings in Fantasy Premier League, an online football competition played by more than 7 million people.


The 29-year-old Carlsen even changed the bio on his Twitter page to reflect his new-found status. It now reads: “The highest ranked chess player in the world. Current (live) #1 Fantasy Premier League player.”

The fantasy game involves picking a squad of 15 players from Premier League clubs who score points through goals, assists, defensive shutouts and a few other elements during each round of games in England’s top division.


Carlsen’s team, which he has called “Kjell Ankedal,” rose to No. 1 in the world on Saturday after Mohamed Salah scored twice for Liverpool in its 2-0 win over Watford. Carlsen picked Salah as his captain, which means he earned double points from the Liverpool forward.

“Since a lot of people are asking about my FPL strategy,” Carlsen told his more than 247,000 followers on Twitter, “mine is the not so groundbreaking one of part stats and part gut feeling.”

It was working well in a game played by 7,190,421 players from around the world this season. Carlsen also did well in FPL two seasons ago, finishing in 2,397th place.


Carlsen became chess grandmaster for the first time in 2013 when he beat Viswanathan Anand of India.

source: sports.inquirer.net

49ers lose in wild finish but end six-year playoff drought

The San Francisco 49ers have ended a six-year playoff drought even though they lost to the Atlanta Falcons 29-22 in a wild finish in which they allowed 12 points in the final two seconds.

That’s right, 12 points in the last two seconds.


Julio Jones caught a 5-yard pass from Matt Ryan with two seconds left to give Atlanta a 23-22 lead.

Wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus recoverd a fumble in the end zone when the 49ers botched the kickoff return when they lateraled in a futile attempt to score on a razzle-dazzle return.

The 49ers (11-3) nevertheless made it into the NFC playoff field minutes later when the Dallas Cowboys wrapped up their 44-21 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

The Cowboys’ win also put the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks into the playoffs.

Earlier, the New England Patriots clinched their 11th consecutive playoff berth despite another pedestrian passing performance by Tom Brady.

source: sports.inquirer.net

FTC may try to block Facebook from integrating apps

SAN FRANCISCO  — Facebook’s stock dropped almost 3% in regular trading after news reports suggested that the FTC may take antitrust action to prevent Facebook from integrating its disparate messaging apps.

The reports said the Federal Trade Commission may seek a court injunction that would block Facebook’s “interoperability” plans for Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram, which involves revising them to use the same underlying software.


Both the FTC and Facebook declined to comment on the reports.

Facebook has been planning to integrate the apps since early 2019. Federal regulators are concerned that Facebook’s plan could make it hard to break up the company should the FTC find that necessary. The news was first published by The Wall Street Journal.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Luka Doncic triple-double lifts Mavs past Pistons in Mexico

MEXICO CITY — Luka Doncic’s Spanish was flawless. His game was pretty good, too.

Doncic scored 41 points and posted his eighth triple-double of the season, Seth Curry added a season-high 30 points off the bench and the Dallas Mavericks topped the Detroit Pistons 122-111 on Thursday night in the opener of the NBA Mexico Games.


Doncic finished with 12 rebounds and 11 assists for the Mavericks, who at 17-7 are off to their best 24-game start since posting the same mark at this point of the 2014-15 season.

“He picked us apart,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said.

Curry scored 18 points in the second quarter alone for Dallas. The Mavericks trailed by seven late in the first half, then went on a 14-0 run before intermission and eventually led by as many as 24.

Curry became the first Dallas reserve to score 30 off the bench since Jason Terry had 34 against San Antonio on Jan. 29, 2012.

“Even when Detroit was playing zone, our guys were making an effort to drive-and-kick, drive-and-kick and find Seth ultimately for the shot,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “Real happy for him. He did everything. He drove it. He shot it. He made a couple good plays on the breaks. He made a couple good passes. He was a huge contributor tonight.”

Doncic’s eight triple-doubles already match his total from last season. Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points for the Mavericks, who outrebounded Detroit 52-34.

“I think we’re getting better and better every day,” Doncic said. “He’s going to get better. I’m going to get better. And with us two, the team is going to get way better.”

Andre Drummond led the Pistons with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Derrick Rose scored 19 points and Markieff Morris added 16 for Detroit, which got 12 from Tony Snell and 10 apiece from Christian Wood and Blake Griffin.

“Back to the drawing board,” Casey said. “Dallas is a great team. Rick’s done a heck of a job with that team. But we missed a lot of shots that we normally make. And then defensively, I thought we missed a lot of rotations.”


It was the 29th game in Mexico since 1992, the most of any country other than the U.S. or Canada in that span and came on a night where the NBA announced that Capitanes — a Mexico City-based team in that country’s top pro league — will be joining the G League starting next season.

“Playing out here was incredible,” Drummond said. “The atmosphere was outstanding.”

Doncic addressed the Mexico City crowd pregame — to their delight — in flawless Spanish, before turning the microphone over to Griffin. “Hola, Mexico,” was the extent of Griffin’s Spanish offering, as he grinned and a very amused Doncic looked on standing a few feet away.

The night didn’t get much easier for Griffin from there: He shot just 3 for 16, and 1 for 10 from 3-point range.

Doncic, meanwhile, went on to post his second 40-point triple-double of the season. He’s the first player in NBA history to have multiple 40-point triple-doubles before turning 21; he doesn’t celebrate that birthday until Feb. 28.

TIP-INS
Mavericks: It was the third time Dallas played a regular-season game outside of the U.S. or Canada — the Mavs played Houston in 1997-98 and Phoenix in 2016-17, both in Mexico City. … NBA Commissioner Adam Silver misspoke before the game at a news conference, introducing deputy commissioner Mark Tatum as “Mark Cuban” — the Mavs’ owner.

Pistons: Before Thursday, Detroit’s only other regular-season game outside of the U.S. or Canada was Jan. 17, 2013 — a loss to New York in London. … This was only Detroit’s second chance at a three-game winning streak so far this season. The Pistons had won two straight before losing to Milwaukee on Dec. 4, and had won two straight again before Thursday.

AVOCADO WOES
Drummond was a game-time decision because the Pistons said he had an allergic reaction to an avocado. He had swelling around his eyes Wednesday, but played as planned.

SECOND GAME
San Antonio plays Phoenix in Mexico City on Saturday. It’ll count as a home game for the Suns. This is the first time that the NBA has brought four teams to the Mexico games.

UP NEXT
Mavericks: Host Miami on Saturday.

Pistons: Visit Houston on Saturday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

‘PBB’ alum Fumiya Sankai to undergo lung surgery in Japan

Former “Pinoy Big Brother: Otso” housemate Fumiya Sankai is set to undergo an operation after finding out that he has a hole in his right lung.

Sankai revealed his condition by showing himself on a hospital bed in Japan, with a tube connected to his body, as seen in a vlog on his YouTube channel last Tuesday, Dec. 10.

He explained that his doctors would have to cut his lungs to remove the hole they had discovered. Sankai also admitted to being nervous about the surgery, but added that it was something he had to do.


Aside from his right lung, his left one may have to be operated on as well, since there is a possibility it may also have a hole.

“That’s why [I’m] sad. Bakit (Why) my lungs is like that talaga?” he said.

Despite his left lung, Sankai stated that he would focus on the operation for his right one first. Sankai also assured his fans and followers that he would do his “best” when he undergoes the procedure.

“Laban, diba (Just fight, right)?” he said.

He then took the time to express his gratitude to his supporters for their well wishes.

“I saw your [comments] and then I got energy from you guys, thank you so much,” he said. “Maraming salamat po (Thank you very much).”

Sankai also revealed that the tube connected to his body would hurt him because it would come in contact with his back at times, as seen in a separate vlog on Dec. 8.


His brother Shunya stated that Sankai chose to post vlogs of his current condition because “he wanted to encourage the viewers by not only showing the fun part but also the struggles he had without being ashamed of them.”  /ra

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Asian shares rise after buying mood on Wall Street ends week

TOKYO – Asian shares were mostly higher Monday cheered by a buying mood on Wall Street that came at the end of last week.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 edged up 0.3% in early trading to 23,414.51, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.2% to 6,722.90. South Korea’s Kospi edged up 0.3% to 2,088.76. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost earlier gains to inch down 0.2% to 26,451.16. The Shanghai Composite index fell 0.2% to 2,906.42.

“Markets were mostly higher on the solid U.S. jobs data print,” said Vishnu Varathan of the Asia & Oceania Treasury Department at Mizuho Bank in Singapore, adding that questions remained on whether would prove enough amid other global risks.

The surprisingly strong U.S. jobs report had put investors in a buying mood on Wall Street, extending the market’s winning streak to a third day.

The rally pushed the Dow Jones Industrial Average up by more than 300 points and erased the S&P 500’s losses from earlier in the week, nudging the benchmark index to a second consecutive weekly gain.

The Labor Department said employers added 266,000 positions, well above estimates of 184,000. The report also showed unemployment falling to a 50-year low. Separately, an index that measures how consumers feel about the economy showed an increase from last month.

The S&P 500 rose 28.48 points, or 0.9%, to 3,145.91. The index posted a 0.2% gain for the week, a solid pivot from losses of more than 1% as of late Thursday. It’s now within 0.3% of its all-time high set on Nov. 27 and up 25.5% so far this year.


The latest gains also helped stem some of the losses for the Dow and Nasdaq.

The Dow climbed 337.27 points, or 1.2%, to 28,015.06. The Nasdaq gained 85.83 points, or 1%, to 8,656.53. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 19 points, or 1.2%, to 1,633.84.

Friday’s batch of encouraging economic data capped what started as a rough week for the market.

Increased trade tensions and disappointing economic reports — including data showing manufacturing continues to shrink, and growth in the service sector is slowing — dragged the market to steep losses on Monday and Tuesday.

The latest employment report and consumer sentiment data are a welcome development as steady job growth has been one of the bright spots in the economy, along with solid consumer spending.

Investors also got some encouraging news on the U.S.-China trade front, with Beijing saying Friday that it is waiving punitive tariffs on U.S. soybeans and pork as negotiations for a trade deal continue.

ENERGY:

Benchmark crude oil

It rose 77 cents to $59.20 a barrel on Friday.

Brent crude oil, the international standard, gained $1 to close at $64.39 a barrel.

CURRENCIES:

The dollar fell to 108.59 Japanese yen from 108.69 yen on Friday. The euro weakened to $1.1055 from $1.1107.

source: business.inquirer.net

Towards an iPhone with no ports by 2021

One of the future versions of the iPhone, which will probably not be released before 2021, will have no physical connections, opines famous analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF Securities, whose focus is Apple developments.

According to Kuo, Apple plans to definitively drop its Lightning port and simply intends not to replace it. Kuo is convinced that Apple has decided not to replace its Lightning port with one of the USB-C connectors, which are a standard feature of the Android ecosystem.


In the next two years, at least one iPhone (probably the most high-end one) will have absolutely no physical ports, and will rely on wireless for charging and data transfers. The problem is that until now, inductive charging is slower than charging with a wired connection. So there is little chance that in the near future Apple will be able to compete with the likes of Vivo or Realme, both of which are already offering hyper-fast wired charging systems.

At the same time, the analyst once again indicated that Apple is working on an iPhone SE 2, which is due for release in the first half of 2021. It will be equipped with a 5.5- or 6.1-inch screen, with a full-screen design that has a smaller notch than current models.

Finally, let us not forget that earlier this year Kuo suggested that all of the new iPhones to be presented in 2020 (and by inference thereafter) would be 5G compatible. RGA

source: technology.inquirer.net

‘All roads lead to Putin’: Impeachment ties Ukraine, Russia

WASHINGTON — House Democrats are bringing the impeachment focus back to Russia as they draft formal charges against President Donald Trump.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi is connecting the dots — “all roads lead to Putin,” she says — and making the argument that Trump’s pressure campaign on Ukraine was not an isolated incident but part of a troubling bond with the Russian president reaching back to special counsel Robert Mueller’s findings on the 2016 election.

“This has been going on for 2 1/2 years,” Pelosi said Friday.

“This isn’t about Ukraine,” she explained a day earlier. “‘It’s about Russia. Who benefited by our withholding of that military assistance? Russia.”

The framing is taking on greater urgency and importance, both as a practical matter and a political one, as Democrats move seriously into writing the articles of impeachment.

It’s an attempt to explain why Americans should care that Trump pushed Ukraine to investigate rival Joe Biden while withholding $400 million in military aid that Congress had approved for the struggling Eastern European ally fighting a border war with Russia.

“Sometimes people say, ‘Well I don’t know about Ukraine. I don’t know that much about Ukraine,'” Pelosi said Thursday after announcing the decision to draft formal charges. “Well, our adversary in this is Russia. All roads lead to Putin. Understand that.”

At the same time, tracing the arc of Trump’s behavior from the 2016 campaign to the present, stitches it all together. And that helps the speaker balance her left-flank liberals, who want more charges brought against Trump, including from Mueller’s report, and centrist Democrats who prefer to keep the argument more narrowly focused on Ukraine.

Pelosi and her team are trying to convey a message that impeachment is indeed about Ukraine — Trump’s asking-for-a-favor phone call that sparked the probe — but also about a pattern of behavior that could stoke renewed concern about his attitude toward Russia ahead of the 2020 election.

“It shows that a leopard doesn’t change his spots,” said Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., a member of the Intelligence Committee, which drafted the 300-page report on the Ukraine inquiry that serves as the foundation for the impeachment proceedings.

With articles of impeachment coming in a matter of days and votes in the House expected by Christmas, Trump’s team is hardening its argument that the president did nothing wrong. They say voters will stick with him at the Democrats’ expense next November.

Late Friday, White House Counsel Pat Cipollone informed the Judiciary Committee that the administration would not be participating in upcoming hearings, decrying the proceedings as “completely baseless.”

And Trump’s campaign announced new rallies taking the case directly to voters — as well as a new email fundraising pitch that claims the Democrats have “gone absolutely insane.”‘

“The Democrats have NO impeachment case and are demeaning our great Country at YOUR expense,” Trump wrote in the email to supporters. “It’s US against THEM.”

Democratic lawmakers and aides are working behind closed doors over the weekend as the articles are being drafted and Judiciary Committee members are preparing for hearings and votes expected next week.

The articles are likely to encompass two major themes — abuse of office and obstruction — as the drafters strive to reach the Constitution’s bar of “treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” But they could be divided up into multiple articles.

Democrats argue that Trump abused his office when he asked Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for a “favor” during a July 25 phone call congratulating the newly-elected comedian-turned-president. Trump wanted Ukraine to announce it was investigating Democrats including

Biden, according to a rough transcript released under pressure by the White House.

They might also include a charge of “bribery,” based on Trump’s decision to withhold the military aid and stall on granting Zelenskiy a coveted White House visit the new president was seeking as a show of support from the U.S., its most important ally. The money was eventually released once Congress began investigating in September. The meeting never happened.

Obstruction articles could include obstruction of Congress, as the White House ordered officials not to comply with House subpoenas for testimony or documents in the impeachment inquiry.

They could also include obstruction of justice, based on Mueller’s report on the original Trump-Russia investigation.

There is still robust internal debate among House Democrats over how many articles to write and how much to include — and particularly whether there should be specific mention of Mueller’s findings from his two-year investigation into Trump’s possible role in Russia’s 2016 election interference.

The special counsel could not determine that Trump’s campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia. However, Mueller said he could not exonerate Trump of obstructing justice in the probe and left it for Congress to determine.

Pelosi is particularly protective of the views of the new class of freshman lawmakers, who won elections in 2018 to give Democrats the House majority and will be up for re-election in 2020.

Many of those Democrats who supported launching the impeachment probe have yet to say whether they will vote to impeach.

“I can’t say if I’d vote for or against something until I see it,” said freshman Rep. Joe Cunningham, D-S.C. “Some of it seems connected. Some of it doesn’t.”

Freshman Anthony Brindisi, D-N.Y., narrowly elected to a district Trump carried by 12 percentage points, said he’s right in the middle: “I’m totally undecided.”

Democrats expect there will be two to four articles of impeachment against the president. Merging the Mueller findings into the overall charges by making the direct link to Ukraine might be one way to reach all sides.

Said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., a member of the Judiciary Committee, “You know we have to explore the possibility that the Ukraine episode is not some kind of aberrational outburst but rather reflective of a continuing course of misconduct.”

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Getting paid correctly for working on holidays

Q:        I worked on Thanksgiving Day and the Day after Thanksgiving. Am I entitled to holiday pay?         


A:        Around this time of year, we get this question a lot. So we thought we would revisit this issue, especially since Christmas Day and New Year’s Day are coming up and they fall in the middle of what many people would consider a workweek.

Hours worked on holidays are treated like hours worked on any other day of the week. The law does not require payment of overtime or other special premiums for work during holidays, unless such work goes beyond 8 hours per workday or 40 hours per workweek. The law also does not require that employers pay employees for holidays that are not worked.

The employer chooses when to be open and closed for business. They are not required to close their businesses or give employees the day off on any holiday.  If the employer is open on a holiday and schedules the employee to work that day, the law does not oblige the employer to pay the employee anything but the employee’s regular pay.

However, if by working on a holiday the employee incurs overtime hours, then the employee should be paid the overtime premium for all overtime hours worked.

The employer may pay a premium rate for working on a holiday if the employer adopts such a policy or practice. If the employee is subject to a collective bargaining agreement or an employment contract that provides for premium pay for hours worked on holidays, then the employer must pay a premium rate for working on a holiday.

Some employers choose to close their business on major holidays and give their employees paid time off equivalent to 8 hours of work at the employee’s regular rate. Many employees are subject to a collective bargaining agreement or an employment contract which provides that the business be closed on holidays and employees be paid time off from work.

Employees are smart to be vigilant about their rights to correct wages. Aside from inquiring into whether they are correctly paid for working on holidays, employees should also ask whether they are in fact paid for all the hours they have worked. Are they paid correctly for any of the following?

1) off-the-clock work

2) missed meal or rest breaks

3) work-related travel time

4) preliminary or postliminary work (such as time spent putting on uniforms or washing tools)

5) work done “at home”

6) controlled on-call or standby time

7) not being provided at least 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep while on a 24-hour duty

If an employee has issues regarding any of the above, the employee may be entitled to additional back pay.

Whether you’re working during the Holidays or not, we wish all employees and their families Happy Holidays! May you continue to enjoy good health and fairness in the workplace!

source: usa.inquirer.net

BTS sweeps top prizes at 2019 MAMA in Nagoya

SEOUL — K-pop sensation BTS picked up nine prizes at this year’s Mnet Asian Music Awards in the Japanese city of Nagoya on Wednesday, monopolizing the biggest Asian music awards event.

The septet took home the top three prizes at the 2019 MAMA — Album of the Year, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year — winning big at the awards ceremony held at Nagoya Dome.


Six other awards including Best Male Group, Best Dance Performance-Male Group and Best Music Video also went to BTS.

“Year 2019 has been a year of really intense and hard work. Looking back, we had (a time) when we almost gave up, but after some time we can now smile over the past,” member Suga said, lifting the Artist of the Year trophy.

“Over the past year, we have grown more and become stronger,” he said.

Member J-Hope said in a separate speech after taking the Album of the Year prize that BTS “will try to provide a positive influence and good messages.”

Member Jimin hinted at the band’s next album, saying, “We are preparing our next album and we might be able to come up with an album that is far better than what you are expecting.”

Separately, veteran singer Lee So-ra’s 2019 song featuring Suga, “Song Request,” was named Best Collaboration during the three-hour awards and performance ceremony.

Girl band TWICE took home Best Dance Performance-Female Group and Best Female Group, while female quartet Mamamoo won Favorite Vocal Performance.

ITZY and Tomorrow X Together lifted Best New Female Artist and Best New Male Artist, respectively.

The 2019 MAMA was well received by fans in Japan despite on-going diplomatic and trade disputes between Seoul and Tokyo stemming from their shared history.


MAMA organizer CJ’s choice of Nagoya had raised eyebrows among South Korean fans after the city temporarily suspended the exhibition of a symbolic Korean sculpture during the city’s hosting of the Aichi Triennale art festival in the wake of the bilateral rows earlier this year. Yonhap

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Indonesian wushu fighter pushes past grief after father’s death to deliver golds

MANILA, Philippines–Indonesia’s Edgar Xavier Marvelo was left in tears after his golden performance in wushu in the Southeast Asian Games.

But they were not just tears of joy as the 20-year-old Edgar learned his father succumbed to illness the same day he delivered two gold medals for the Indonesians.


According to Jakarta Post, Edgar’s father Lo Thiang Meng had a heart condition and was hospitalized the day the wushu athlete arrived in Manila on Monday. The team got the call about his death at 1 a.m. on Tuesday.

But, in the best show of grit and professionalism, Edgar pushed past tremendous pain and grief to give his country what he had also promised his late father, who was an avid follower of his career.

He won the top plum in men’s daoshu/gunshu combined category and the men’s team event for taolu duilian on Tuesday.

“I promised that I would do [this] for him,” Edgar told the Indonesian publication while battling tears.

According the official Facebook of 2019 SEA Games, members of the Indonesian wushu team were also moved to tears by Edgar’s showing.

Initially, Edgar’s family wanted to withhold the information from Edgar so he could focus on the SEA Games first, but his coach decided to let her athlete know.

“I told him, just let it out. And he cried. We hugged for quite a while. After that, he was ready to warm-up at eight,” said Indonesian wushu head coach Novita in the report.

It was not the first time that Edgar had to compete while his father’s illness loomed over his head. In October, his father was also hospitalized while he was at the World Championship in Shanghai, China.

Edgar went home to his hometown Wednesday morning. His father is reportedly scheduled to be cremated on Saturday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Lil Nas X named 1st Apple Music Award winners

LOS ANGELES — Billie Eilish will be the first recipient of the Apple Music Award for global artist of the year, one of three honors for the pop singer.

Apple announced Monday that Eilish’s “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” has been named album of the year. Eilish and her brother Finneas will also receive songwriter of the year honors.


Eilish will perform a live-streamed concert from the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple’s campus in Cupertino, California, beginning at 6:30 p.m. PST on Wednesday.

Lizzo has been named the breakthrough artist of the year.


Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” is the company’s pick for song of the year.

The company says its album and song of the year honors are determined by streams on its Apple Music service. Other awards are determined by Apple Music’s editorial team. NVG

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Ronaldo crowned Italian league player of the year

MILAN  – Cristiano Ronaldo was named the Italian league’s player of the year on Monday following his debut season at Juventus.

Ronaldo was at the Gran Gala del Calcio in Milan to collect his prize, instead of attending the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris where he was third in the voting for best player in the world.

The Juventus forward turned up about an hour before the main award was announced, arriving more than two hours after the other guests, and waited outside in the car until the moment came for him to go on stage to pick up the prize for his place in the team of the season.

“It’s an honor to hold this award,” Ronaldo said in Italian. “I thank my Juventus teammates.

“I’m very happy to play in Italy, it’s a very difficult league. Thanks to everyone for having voted for me. I want to do as well this year, too.”



For the first time at the Italian ceremony there were also awards for female players. Roma and Italy forward Manuela Giugliano won the top prize.

All the awards are voted for by a mix of footballers, coaches, referees and journalists.

Ronaldo signed for Juventus from Real Madrid in July 2018 and helped the Bianconeri to their eighth successive Serie A title.

The 34-year-old Ronaldo scored 28 goals in all competitions for Juventus, including 21 in the league.


Gian Piero Gasperini won the award for best coach after leading Atalanta to third place and a Champions League berth.

Atalanta was the team of the season, ahead of Juventus and Italian Cup winner Lazio.


“This award I share with the whole club, all the players, the whole of Bergamo because we did something really amazing, all of us together,” Gasperini said.

“We did incredibly last season, it was unthinkable, including the Italian Cup final. It’s because of that that we’re getting all these awards.”

Gasperini beat former Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri and Bologna’s Siniša Mihajlović.

Brescia’s Sandro Tonali won the award for the best Serie B player after the 19-year-old forward helped to win the second division title last season.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Dutch supermarket drops staff underwear photo request

The Netherlands’ top supermarket chain said Tuesday it has ditched plans to ask staff to upload photos of themselves in their underwear to work out sizes for new uniforms.

The Albert Heijn retailer had asked workers at one of its stores in the eastern city of Nijmegen to send the pictures using an “innovative mobile app.” But it changed course after the Dutch newspaper NRC quoted stunned employees as complaining about the plan.


“I saw a poster hanging in our canteen and I was shocked,” 17-year-old Jochem de Haes, who works at the Nijmegen branch, told NRC.

“My mother thought it was a joke. But the manager told us that if we don’t do it, we can’t be in the store anymore because we don’t have the right corporate clothing.”

Albert Heijn insisted the plan was voluntary and was aimed at helping bring in new uniforms for staff at its 1,000 Dutch stores.

“We conducted a test with an innovative mobile app in one of our supermarkets in order to determine clothing sizes in a quick and efficient way,” Albert Heijn said in a statement. “In this test we asked associates to upload a personal photo in close-fitted clothing or underwear for automatic analyses by the app.”

“Although participation was voluntarily and pictures were not visible to management, this should never have happened,” the supermarket chain added. “We have canceled the pilot yesterday and we apologize to all involved.”

The Dutch Data Protection Authority said the move was “bizarre.”

“Albert Heijn has no basis at all for imposing this on his employees,” it was quoted as saying by NRC.

It is not the first technical mix-up for the supermarket chain, which suffered two major breakdowns at checkouts in the space of a month earlier this year, causing huge queues. RGA

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Ferrari chief happy to consider possibility of Hamilton move

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — The prospect of six-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton driving for Ferrari in the future may not be as far-fetched as it once seemed.

Hamilton is one of several F1 drivers whose contracts expire at the end of next year, and Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto did not dismiss the tantalizing idea of poaching the Mercedes star when asked on Friday if he would be interested in signing him.


“Lewis is certainly an outstanding driver, a fantastic driver,” Binotto said at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “Knowing that he’s available in 2021 can make us only happy, but honestly it’s too early for any decision.”

Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel and his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc are also out of contract at the end of 2020.

So is Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, and Red Bull’s eight-time race winner, Max Verstappen, thus increasing the prospect of a merry-go-round for the 2021 campaign with experienced drivers potentially changing seats.

“We are happy with the drivers we’ve got at the moment,” Binotto said, referring to Vettel and the highly promising Leclerc. “Certainly at one stage next season we will start discussing and understanding what to do.”

Although Hamilton has previously expressed his admiration for Ferrari as a marquee name in F1, the British driver has made no mention of wanting to leave an all-conquering Mercedes team which has won a record six straight drivers’ and constructors’ championships under the inspired leadership of team principal Toto Wolff.

Wolff and Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013 — with Hamilton replacing seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher following his retirement — and they have formed a very tight bond based on the highest mutual respect.

Flatteringly, Hamilton even recently suggested his own future at Mercedes is linked to Wolff’s future with the German manufacturer.

“Lewis and I have grown close over the last seven years … and I think we have built up a lot of trust. For him to say that is nice,” Wolff said on Friday. “I’d also like to know where he goes or if he stays in the future. Can I shed more light? No, for me it was important to finish the season in Abu Dhabi. There are many things to be decided on and we will see over the winter.”

Bottas, too, is keeping his options for 2021 open after winning a career-best four races this season and beating Hamilton in pole positions.



“I can’t remember a time when so many drivers’ contracts are expiring. If I had to decide on my future for 2021 (right now) it would be a no-brainer to continue with this team,” Bottas said. “There are many elements that have to come together, at the same time I have to keep my eyes open and be open-minded about the future.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

‘Black Friday’ becoming a shadow of its former self in US

The U.S. holiday shopping season officially opened with a deluge of “Black Friday” promotions but the frenzied crowds of the past have thinned out with the rise of e-commerce.

Companies in the retail, entertainment and tourism industries once again tried to entice shoppers after Thanksgiving with a bevy of offers on a day synonymous with American consumer culture and notorious “doorbuster” sales that start at the crack of dawn.


But U.S. consumers aren’t buying Black Friday the way they once did.

Only 36% of U.S. consumers plan to shop this year on Black Friday, down one percent from last year and a decline of 23% from 2015, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers survey.

“Just a few years ago, Black Friday had the aura of a FOMO (fear of missing out) event,” PWC said. “Now it seems more symbolic than significant in the pantheon of retail holidays.”

Black Friday will be followed in three days by “Cyber Monday,” a second highpoint of spending early in the season.

Friday’s sales have prompted copycat versions throughout Europe, an effort that has generated no small amount of friction.

This year’s events prompted protest in parts of France, Germany and the Netherlands that included environmentalist rallies outside Amazon distribution centers and human chains blocking malls.

There has been little sign of that sort of subversiveness in the United States. Rather, the bigger emerging challenge for Black Friday has been shifting consumer patterns.

The PWC survey said that for the first time in 2019 more consumers (54%) said they’ll do more of their shopping online than in stores.


Higher sales expected

Economists and retail industry insiders are broadly confident about the outlook for the 2019 season, owing to a strong labor market.

Consumer spending accounts for about 70% of US economic growth and has stayed strong throughout 2019 even as manufacturing has stagnated and business investment has been lackluster.

“Consumers are in good financial shape and willing to spend a little more on gifts for the special people in their lives this holiday season,” said Matthew Shay, Chief Executive of the National Retail Federation.

The NRF has projected that US consumers will spend an average of $1,048 this year, up about 4% they said they would spend last year.

But increasingly more of those sales are migrating online.

This trend includes Amazon of course, but also traditional brick-and-mortar chains like Walmart and Macy’s that have evolved into “multichannel” retailers, as well as companies and organizations hawking everything from pet food to hotel stays to political merchandise.

President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” merchandise was being once again discounted on the U.S. president’s political website at 35% off.

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts was offering 25% off merchandise orders of $75 or more.

Due to the lateness of Thanksgiving, this year’s holiday shopping season is about six days shorter than last year, prompting more retailers to push up promotions even earlier in the season than usual, according to analysts.

Online consumer spending on Thanksgiving day came in this year at $4.2 billion, up 14.5% from a year ago and the first time above $4 billion, according to Adobe Analytics.


Jason Woosley, a vice president with Adobe, said preliminary data showed Black Friday was also on track to top its performance from last year by almost 19%, with promotions for sporting goods and appliances especially popular.

The data suggested the Thanksgiving day shopping spree hasn’t “stolen any traffic from Black Friday,” he said, adding that about 20% of the overall online sales for the season are expected between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. NVG

source: business.inquirer.net

Belgium retains year-end No. 1 spot in FIFA rankings

ZURICH— Belgium will end the year as FIFA’s top-ranked team after winning all 10 of its games in 2019.

Retaining its year-end No. 1 spot, Belgium extended its lead over World Cup champion France going into a four-month break for the top national teams.


Brazil, England and Uruguay are unchanged as Nos. 3-5. World Cup runner-up Croatia is No. 6, trading places with European champion Portugal at No. 7.

Spain, Argentina and Colombia complete the top 10.

Mexico, at No. 11, is the best-ranked CONCACAF team. The United States is No. 22.

Senegal is Africa’s top team at No. 20. No. 28 Japan replaces Iran as Asia’s highest ranked team.

World Cup host Qatar moved up two spots to No. 55 after winning its latest qualifying game for the 2023 Asian Cup.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Trump strips away truth with hunky topless photo tweet

WASHINGTON–Days after causing alarm with an unscheduled trip to the hospital, President Donald Trump tweeted a photo-shopped image of himself Wednesday as a rippling, bare-chested boxer.

The president is furious over media speculation following his sudden trip to a government hospital outside Washington last Saturday and the startling tweet was his latest attempt to put talk of ill health to rest.


In the picture, Trump’s head is superimposed on the hulking body of a boxer — an image taken from the publicity poster for the Sylvester Stallone movie “Rocky III.”

The montage, in which a distinctly airbrushed version of the 73-year-old president’s face is used, comes without comment.

Not that the Republican real estate tycoon is shy on the subject. He rarely misses a chance to talk up his own physical prowess and often makes unscripted comments — flattering or derogatory — about the physique of other men, often to their face during official events.

On Tuesday, while giving a reelection campaign speech in Florida, Trump fumed at length in a bizarre rant about his recent hospital visit.

He claimed, wrongly, that major media outlets were reporting he’d had a “massive” heart attack when he was taken, without prior notice, to the Walter Reed military hospital.

In fact, most media questioned the unusual circumstances of the visit, which would usually have been flagged in advance. The White House said afterward that Trump had simply decided to do part of his annual physical exam early, in order to save time later.



According to his last medical exam, in February, Trump is technically obese but in good health. He rarely exercises, other than playing golf — as he did at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Wednesday.

‘Take off your shirt, sir’

At the campaign rally, Trump told supporters that false media reports of a heart attack sparked worry among staff back in the White House.

But in the hospital, he claimed, doctors had only had one overriding concern — to witness his spectacular physique.

“The first thing they do is say, ‘Take off your shirt, sir, and show us that gorgeous chest. We’ve never seen a chest quite like it,'” he said.

Aside from praising his own chest, Trump launched into a description of the muscles of Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis — a man Trump explained he previously thought had been fat.

“One day I am with him and I pat him on the shoulder and I go, whoa! That’s strong,” Trump recalled to the crowd of thousands.

“That’s a lot of muscle there. My hand didn’t sink in like it does with a lot of people. And then I see him without a shirt one day, and this guy is strong. He’s not fat. That’s all power. That’s all muscle. I want to tell you that.”

Trump has previously on frequent occasions expressed scorn for opponents’ small hands or admiration for the big hands of visitors to the White House and others.

He has also attacked female antagonists with lurid physical insults, including “horse face,” while Adam Schiff, one of the top Democrats in the Trump impeachment probe, is branded “pencil neck.”

The tweeted photo of a hunky Trump drew instant and sustained mockery online, as well as retweets from the president’s admirers, who enjoy the way he has brought showmanship into the White House.


“Now we know what they did to him at that mysterious doctor’s visit?” quipped NBC News anchor Andrea Mitchell over the faked Trump boxer.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Twitter to start deleting inactive accounts on December 11

On Tuesday, Twitter began alerting users who have not logged into their account for over six months that it would be deleted.

Twitter users who are not active on the social media began receiving emails on Tuesday stating that, unless they log in by Dec. 11, their accounts would be deleted.


Specifically, users who have not signed in for over six months will permanently lose their Twitter account and username, as outlined in the platform’s inactive account policy.

According to the company, an account only has to sign in once in a while to be considered “active” — no tweeting, retweeting, or liking necessary.

Twitter has been sending out alerts about possible account deletion at the end of the year for over six months now.

Once an account is deleted, these usernames will be available for new accounts to take; Twitter has not stated how long it will take after removal for the names to become accessible. IB/JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

Jokic, Grant lead Nuggets to win over Wizards

DENVER — Gary Harris isn’t putting up big scoring numbers. It’s the guard’s defense that has spearheaded the Denver Nuggets’ rise to the top of the Western Conference.

After another shutdown night, Harris’ teammates are campaigning for him to be on the NBA’s all-defensive team.


“We’re not joking around with first team,” Jamal Murray said. “He’s been showing it. Not just one game, not just two games, but all season long.”

Harris held Washington guard Bradley Beal to a season-low 14 points, Nikola Jokic had a season-high 20 rebounds and Jerami Grant added a season-best 20 points to lead the Nuggets to a 117-104 win over the Wizards on Tuesday night.

Jokic finished one rebound shy of his career best and scored eight points in Denver’s sixth straight win.


Will Barton had 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, Murray added 16 points and Mason Plumlee scored 15 for the Nuggets, who are 10-1 in November and ended a three-game home losing streak against Washington.

Beal, the Wizards’ leading scorer averaging 29.6 points, failed to score 20 points for the first time this season and was held to 6-for-15 shooting. He was 2 of 10 from behind the 3-point line.

“Anytime you can manage the best player on the other team, you start with that,” Plumlee said. “Brad Beal’s a heck of a player and he didn’t get 20, 30 points.”

It is a familiar theme when the Nuggets face an elite guard. Houston’s James Harden scored just 27 points, 10 below his season average, and Devin Booker had just 12 when Phoenix was in Denver on Sunday night.

“That’s all Gary,” Grant said. “He’s locking everybody up this year. He’s shutting everyone down.”

Denver held one of the NBA’s prolific offenses to its second-fewest point total of the season. Washington entered the game averaging 119.1 points and had failed to score at least 100 points just once in 15 games. It needed 35 in the fourth to reach 100 this time.


Jordan McRae had 21 points and Moritz Wagner and Davis Bertans each finished with 14.

The Nuggets grabbed control in the second quarter, opening a 17-point lead after Washington led 27-26 early in the period. Grant had 15 points in the second and 16 in the half as Denver took a 64-47 lead into the break.


“They did a good job all night just trying to get downhill,” McRae said. “I think we have to do a better job of helping each other going up in the paint, just knowing everybody has everybody’s back.”

The Nuggets pushed the lead to 20 points in the third quarter and after Washington closed within 14 midway through the fourth quarter, Barton converted a rare 4-point play to make it 107-89.

Those were the only four points of the fourth for Barton, who was the only Denver starter to play in the quarter.

Denver shot 52.2 percent and had 70 points in the paint.

“We gave them no resistance. There was no physicality,” Wizards coach Scotty Brooks said. “When you don’t give any resistance to a great team, they’re going to get 70 points in the paint.”

TIP-INS

Wizards: Guard Isaiah Thomas received warm applause from the crowd when he was announced as a starter. He played 12 games with the Nuggets last season. … Washington was 1 of 16 from the 3-point line in the first half and finished 10 of 40 from behind the arc.

Nuggets: Their last home win against the Wizards was March 12, 2016. Denver outscored Washington by 24 in the fourth quarter to win by 16. … The Nuggets weren’t called for a foul in the first quarter. They picked up six in the first 2:46 of the second quarter. … Malik Beasley scored 11 points off the bench on his 23rd birthday.


UP NEXT

Wizards: At Phoenix on Wednesday night.

Nuggets: At Sacramento on Saturday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

In Virginia, Bloomberg blasts Trump for Navy leader’s ouster

NORFOLK, Va. -New presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg traveled to the city that hosts the world’s largest Navy base on Monday and blasted President Donald Trump over the recent ouster of the nation’s Navy secretary.

For the first stop of his Democratic campaign, Bloomberg went to Norfolk, where he criticized Trump over the firing of Richard Spencer. The civilian leader of the Navy said he could not in good conscience follow an order by the president to allow a Navy SEAL accused of war crimes to retire without losing his SEAL status.

“The fact remains: We have a president, a commander in chief, who has no respect for the rule of law, and no concern whatsoever for ethics or honor, or for the values that truly make America great,” Bloomberg told a group of reporters at a downtown hotel.

Virginia is a critical Super Tuesday state that is key to Bloomberg’s campaign strategy of bypassing early states to focus on the crush of states that vote later in the cycle. And the locale offered the billionaire and former mayor of New York City more than just the latest controversy in Washington to promote his platform.

The neighboring city of Virginia Beach suffered a mass shooting on May 31 that killed 12 people at a municipal complex. Bloomberg, 77, said that such shootings have become “almost routine” and that “we have to put an end to this madness.”

Gun control is a hallmark of Bloomberg’s political identity. His group, Everytown for Gun Safety, has pumped more than $6 million into Virginia campaigns alone in recent years to support like-minded Democrats, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

Democrats retook both chambers in Virginia’s Legislature earlier this month. Bloomberg said it was proof that “with the right candidate, we can turn areas from red to blue.”

Bloomberg, a centrist who became a Democrat last year, joined the presidential race Sunday, just 10 weeks before primary voting begins. His Democratic rivals have already pounced on his plans to rely on his personal fortunes to fund his campaign, accusing him of trying to buy an election.

Bloomberg said Trump was a “threat to our country, to our values and our national security.” But he also cast doubt on the crowded field of Democrats whose performance, he insinuated, forced him into the race.

“I think that there is a greater risk of having Donald Trump reelected than there was before,” Bloomberg told reporters. “And in the end, I looked in the mirror and said that I just cannot let this happen.”

The former Republican touted a platform that also focused on combating sea-level rise, economic inequality and health care.
He said he’s already beaten Trump in other arenas, at least symbolically, devoting tens of millions of dollars to pursue policy priorities that are in sharp contrast to the president’s.


For instance, Bloomberg has helped shutter 282 coal plants in the United States and organized a coalition of American cities on track to cut 75 million metric tons of carbon emissions by 2025.

“I know what it takes to beat Trump because we already have, and I will do it again,” Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg also chatted with people at a diner in downtown Norfolk that was mobbed with reporters and at least some people who were eager to support him.

Among them was Craig Schranz, 43, an emergency medicine physician who said he’s fiscally conservative and socially liberal like Bloomberg is. He praised Bloomberg for not “vilifying” capitalism and for supporting a health care plan that doesn’t eliminate private-payer health insurance.

“I think he’s someone who knows how to govern,” said Schranz, who said he had supported former Vice President Joe Biden before Bloomberg joined the race. “I think he’s going to implement sound policy that we need.”

Bloomberg plans to go to Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday.

GSG
source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Patriots hold Cowboys’ No. 1 offense without TD in 13-9 win

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Few teams have had success scoring touchdowns against the Patriots this season.

Add the NFL’s top-ranked offense to that list.

The Patriots held the Cowboys without a TD for the first time this season, Tom Brady threw a touchdown pass and New England beat Dallas 13-9 on Sunday.

It was New England’s 18th straight regular-season victory at home. The Patriots (10-1) have won 10 games in 17 consecutive seasons dating back to 2003 and surpassed the San Francisco 49ers (16 seasons from 1983-98) for the most consecutive years with at least 10 wins.

Dallas (6-5) had a chance to take the lead late. But facing fourth-and-11 on its own 25 with 1:50 left, Dak Prescott’s 20-yard completion to Amari Cooper was nullified after an official review.

The Patriots, who struggled offensively in their win over Philadelphia last week, played without two key receivers after Mohamed Sanu and Phillip Dorsett were ruled out with injuries. Brady made the most of what he had, tossing a first-quarter touchdown pass to rookie N’Keal Harry and completing a 32-yard pass to rookie Jakobi Meyers.

Brady finished 17 of 37 for 190 yards. Julian Edelman caught eight passes for 93 yards. Sony Michel rushed 20 times for 85 yards.

Brady has been critical of the offense’s output in recent weeks. Coming away with wins is enough for him right now.


“I think every team develops at different times,” Brady said. “I think we take the challenges as they come and try to do the best we can. … I’m happy we came away with more points than them.”

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said the wet and windy conditions on the field, which included temperatures that dipped into the 30s, played a factor.

“Obviously no excuses. But the weather had an impact on both offenses,” he said. “A lot of balls on the ground, a lot of balls going off receivers’ hands. I thought our guys handled it better and better as the game went on.”


But not well enough.

Dallas struggled to move the ball for most of the game. Ezekiel Elliott rushed 21 times or 86 yards, but the Cowboys were just 2 of 13 on third down.

Prescott finished 19 of 33 for 212 yards and an interception. Cooper was held without a catch for the first time as a member of the Cowboys.

Dallas entered the game averaging 444.6 yards per game on offense and had the league’s best passing attack, averaging 312.7 yards.

But the Cowboys looked pedestrian for most of the first half opposite New England’s top-ranked defense, which came in allowing just 152.6 passing yards.

The Patriots focused on taking away two of Prescott’s favorite targets in Cooper and tight end Jason Witten. Prescott threw in their direction just twice in the opening half, while mostly checking down to short passes.

Elliott helped the Cowboys keep the ball moving, but his long gains were limited as New England stacked the box on first and second down.

“It was frustrating,” Elliott said. “Just gotta find a way to score.”

Dallas finally found some traction trailing 13-6 in the fourth quarter when Prescott connected with Randall Cobb for a 59-yard gain to get the Cowboys to the New England 25.

The drive stalled on the Patriots 11 and the Cowboys settled for a 29-yard field goal by Brett Maher.


New England got help from a special teams play to set up Harry’s TD.

Matt Slater blocked Chris Jones’ punt on the Dallas 30, and Nate Ebner recovered on the 12. Two plays later, Brady hit Harry in the front of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown — the first of Harry’s NFL career.

“I’m definitely not satisfied yet,” Harry said. “Anybody who knows me knows I’m about to turn it up a notch. To set the bar higher. I’m ready to get back to work.”

Prescott was intercepted by Stephon Gilmore on Dallas’ ensuring drive. The Patriots took over on the Dallas 29, but quickly went three-and-out. They settled for a 44-yard field goal by Nick Folk that made it 10-0.

RECORD WATCH

Harry became the 75th player to catch a touchdown pass from Brady, extending an NFL record. Vinny Testaverde was second, with 70 different TD targets.

A first-round draft choice from Arizona State, Harry made his debut last week after spending time on injured reserve with an ankle injury.

It was the 15th touchdown pass of the season for Brady. That’s a record for a player after his 42nd birthday.

JONES VENTS

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he was frustrated the team didn’t perform better on a day it had a chance to gain some distance in the NFC East.


“Make no mistake: This was a bigger game for us than it is for the Patriots,” he told reporters in a lengthy session in an equipment closet off the visitors’ locker room. “We had a chance to establish something. I’m just frustrated. I thought we could put together a better effort.”

Jones said he got what he expected out of the defense and seemed willing to give the offense a bit of a pass because of the foul weather. But the special teams came under scrutiny for allowing a blocked punt, missing a field goal and blowing 20 yards of field position with a penalty on another punt.

“Special teams is 100 percent coaching,” he said.

INJURIES

Dallas: S Jeff Heath was checked out on the sideline after delivering a hit on Meyers in the third quarter.

UP NEXT

Cowboys: Host the Bills on Thanksgiving.

Patriots: Visit the Texans next Sunday.

source: sports.inquirer.net