GOP split over impeachment pushback as Dems plow ahead

WASHINGTON — The president’s lawyer insists the real story is a debunked conspiracy theory. A senior White House adviser blames the “deep state.” And a Republican congressman is pointing at Joe Biden’s son.

As the Democrats drive an impeachment inquiry toward a potential vote by the end of the year, President Donald Trump’s allies are struggling over how he should manage the starkest threat to his presidency. The jockeying broke into the open Sunday on the talk show circuit, with a parade of Republicans erupting into a surge of second-guessing.

At the top of the list: Rudy Giuliani’s false charge that it was Ukraine that meddled in the 2016 elections. The former New York mayor has been encouraging Ukraine to investigate both Biden and Hillary Clinton.

“I am deeply frustrated with what he and the legal team is doing and repeating that debunked theory to the president. It sticks in his mind when he hears it over and over again,” said Tom Bossert, Trump’s former homeland security adviser. “That conspiracy theory has got to go, they have to stop with that, it cannot continue to be repeated.”

Not only did Giuliani repeat it Sunday, he brandished pieces of paper he said were affidavits supporting his story.

“Tom Bossert doesn’t know what’s he’s talking about,” Guiliani said. He added that Trump was framed by the Democrats.

Senior White House policy adviser Stephen Miller, meanwhile, noted that he’s worked in the federal government “for nearly three years.”

“I know the difference between whistleblower and a deep state operative,” Miller said. “This is a deep state operative, pure and simple.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, heatedly said Trump was merely asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to root out corruption. That, Jordan said, includes Hunter Biden’s membership on the board of a Ukrainian gas company at the same time his father was leading the Obama administration’s diplomatic dealings with Kyiv. There has been no evidence of wrongdoing by either of the Bidens.

Mixed messaging reflects the difficulty Republicans are having defending the president against documents released by the White House that feature Trump’s own words and actions. A partial transcript and a whistleblower complaint form the heart of the House impeachment inquiry and describe Trump pressuring a foreign president to investigate Biden’s family.

In a series of tweets Sunday night, Trump said he deserved to meet “my accuser” as well as whoever provided the whistleblower with what the president called “largely incorrect” information. He also accused Democrats of “doing great harm to our Country” in an effort to destabilize the nation and the 2020 election.

Trump has insisted the call was “perfect” and pushed to release both documents.

“He didn’t even know that it was wrong,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, describing a phone call from Trump in which the president suggested the documents would exonerate him.

But Democrats seized on them as evidence that Trump committed “high crimes and misdemeanors” by asking for a foreign leader’s help undermining a political rival, Democrat Joe Biden. Pelosi launched an impeachment inquiry and on Sunday told other Democrats that public sentiment had swung behind the probe.

By all accounts, the Democratic impeachment effort was speeding ahead with a fair amount of coordination between Pelosi, Democratic messaging experts and its political operation.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said Sunday that he expects the whistleblower to testify “very soon,” though details were still being worked out and no date had been set. Hearings and depositions were starting this week. Many Democrats are pushing for a vote on articles of impeachment before the end of the year, mindful of the looming 2020 elections.

Schiff said in one interview that his committee intends to subpoena Giuliani for documents and may eventually want to hear from Giuliani directly. In a separate TV appearance, Giuliani said he would not cooperate with Schiff, but then acknowledged he would do what Trump tells him. The White House did not provide an official response on whether the president would allow Giuliani to cooperate.

Lawyers for the whistleblower expressed concern about that individual’s safety, noting that some have offered a $50,000 “bounty” for the whistleblower’s identity. They said they expect the situation to become even more dangerous for their client and any other whistleblowers, as Congress seeks to investigate this matter.

On a conference call Sunday, Pelosi, traveling in Texas, urged Democrats to proceed “not with negative attitudes towards him, but a positive attitude towards our responsibility,” according to an aide on the call who shared the exchange on condition of anonymity. Polling, Pelosi said, had changed “drastically” in the Democrats’ favor.

A one-day NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll conducted Sept. 25 found that about half of Americans — 49% — approve of the House formally starting an impeachment inquiry into Trump.

There remains a stark partisan divide on the issue, with 88% of Democrats approving and 93% of Republicans disapproving of the inquiry. But the findings suggest some movement in opinions on the issue. Earlier polls conducted throughout Trump’s presidency have consistently found a majority saying he should not be impeached and removed from office.


House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries of New York urged the caucus to talk about impeachment by repeating the words “betrayal, abuse of power, national security.” The Democrats’ campaign arm swung behind lawmakers to support the impeachment drive as they run for reelection, according to another call participant to spoke on condition of anonymity.

The contrast with the Republicans’ selection of responses was striking.

A combative House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said that nothing in Trump’s phone call rose to the level of an impeachable offense.

“Why would we move forward on impeachment?” the California Republican said. “There’s not something that you have to defend here.”

Bossert, an alumnus of Republican George W. Bush’s administration, offered a theory and some advice to Trump: Move past the fury over the 2016 Russia investigation, in which special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence of conspiracy but plenty of examples of Trump’s obstruction.

“I honestly believe this president has not gotten his pound of flesh yet from past grievances on the 2016 investigation,” Bossert said. “If he continues to focus on that white whale, it’s going to bring him down.”

Two advisers to the Biden campaign sent a letter Sunday urging major news networks to stop booking Giuliani on their shows, accusing Trump’s personal attorney of spreading “false, debunked conspiracy theories” on behalf of the president.

The letter to management and anchors of shows at ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, MSNBC, CNN and Fox News added: “By giving him your air time, you are allowing him to introduce increasingly unhinged, unfounded and desperate lies into the national conversation.”

/atm

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Mayfield and Chubb combine to carry Browns past Ravens 40-25

BALTIMORE — Finally, Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns lived up to the hype.

Even better, the brash quarterback and the long suffering franchise celebrated their coming out party with a lopsided victory over a longtime nemesis.


Mayfield threw for 342 yards and a touchdown, Nick Chubb ran for a pivotal 88-yard score and the Browns beat the Baltimore Ravens 40-25 Sunday to earn a share of first place in the AFC North.

Chubb finished with 165 yards and three touchdowns against the league’s third-ranked rushing defense. Jarvis Landry had eight catches for 167 yards before leaving with a suspected concussion, and Odell Beckham Jr. had two catches for 20 yards in a supporting role.

The addition of Beckham and the maturation of Mayfield, combined with an improved defense, created high expectations for the Browns (2-2) during the offseason. Then Cleveland started 1-2, losing twice at home. Worse, Mayfield threw five interceptions and just three touchdown passes.

None of that mattered after the Browns breezed past the Ravens.

“We know how good we can be. That’s the frustrating part about how we started,” Mayfield said. “We just need to do our job and that’s what guys did this week.”

First-year coach Freddie Kitchens concurred.

“You keep your head down and keep working, usually good things happen,” he said. “You turn the corner.”

Cleveland kept Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson in check and used a mixture of Mayfield’s passing and Chubb’s physical running to rip the Ravens for 530 yards — the second straight week Baltimore (2-2) yielded more than 500 yards.

“We’ve just got to clean it up and guys do their job. Simple as that,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “We’re not doing our assignment the way we’re supposed to, too many times, and it’s costing us big plays.”

Mayfield hit Landry for 65 yards and connected with Ricky Seals-Jones for 59. Then, of course, there was that 88-yard run. In all, the Browns had 10 plays of at least 16 yards.

As a result, Cleveland finds itself tied atop the division with the Ravens, who won it last year. It’s the first time Cleveland has been in first place after four games since 2013.

“We haven’t really won anything,” Kitchens conceded. “Guys, it’s just one game.”

Still, it’s worth noting that Cleveland went 1-15 in 2016 and 0-16 just two years ago, and this victory came against a team that owned a 30-10 lead in a series that began in 1999 — three years after Art Modell moved the original Browns to Baltimore.

Jackson’s deft passing and elusive running were a key part of Baltimore’s 2-0 start, but for a second straight week he couldn’t make up for his own team’s porous defense. He got the Ravens to 24-18 with 9:51 left before Chubb took a pitch deep in his own territory, burst through a hole on the right side and ran untouched into the end zone.

“Anybody could have ran through that hole,” Chubb said.

A subsequent fourth-down gamble by Baltimore failed before Jackson threw successive interceptions. The first one ended a run of 248 passes without being picked off.

Jackson went 24 of 34 for 247 yards and three scores. He had 66 yards rushing.

Down 17-10, the Ravens were moving for the potential tying score when Mark Ingram had the ball pried loose by Jermaine Whitehead, and Chad Thomas recovered at the Cleveland 26. It was Baltimore’s first turnover of the season.

The Browns immediately went the other way and grabbed a two-touchdown advantage late in the third quarter with a 2-yard run by Chubb.

CHOKE HOLD

Beckham and Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey tangled several times during the game and got into a heated scuffle in the third quarter. Beckham threw a punch and Humphrey choked him after they wrestled to the ground. Both players were penalized.

“I ran to him after the game, apologized,” Humphrey said. “That’s not really the brand of football I really want to represent. When the whistle blows, it’s got to be over with.”

HAIL BRIAN

The Ravens inducted former coach Brian Billick into the team’s Ring of Honor, adding his name to the facade on the upper deck. Billick led Baltimore to a Super Bowl victory during the 2000 season and went 85-67 from 1999-2007.

INJURIES

Browns: Starting CBs Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams were inactive with hamstring injuries for a second straight week. … LB Willie Harvey left in the first quarter with a shoulder injury and did not return.

Ravens: DT Brandon Williams (knee) was placed on the inactive list after struggling during a pregame workout.

UP NEXT

Browns: For the second time in three weeks, Cleveland plays in prime time, facing the San Francisco 49ers on the road Monday night.

Ravens: In the second of three successive AFC North games, Baltimore travels to Pittsburgh to face the rival Steelers (0-3 entering Monday night game vs. Cincinnati).

source: sports.inquirer.net

Liverpool, Man City helped by goalkeeper errors in EPL wins

It was a day of goalkeeping blunders in the English Premier League.

Liverpool and Manchester City, seemingly set for another duel for the title, benefited from two of them in hard-fought away wins on Saturday.


Liverpool eked out a 1-0 victory at Sheffield United but only after home goalkeeper Dean Henderson let a volley from the edge of the area by Georginio Wijnaldum slip through his arms and legs in the 70th minute.

That’s seven straight wins to open the campaign for Liverpool, and 16 in a row in the league stretching back to March. Two more and the Reds will equal the top-flight record set by City in 2017.

City, meanwhile, was drawing 1-1 against Everton and dipping below its usual high level when Riyad Mahrez took aim with a free kick in the 72nd minute. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford should have had it covered but the ball went under his hand and crept inside the far post, before Raheem Sterling wrapped up a 3-1 win with a late goal.

The gap between Liverpool and second-place City stayed at five points. West Ham, in third spot, is a further four points adrift.

Capping a forgettable day for goalkeepers, Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris was dispossessed near his own line to concede a goal against Southampton. His teammates rescued him by winning 2-1 despite playing with 10 men for an hour, lifting the side to fourth.

TOP TWO DIG IN

Neither Liverpool nor City was at their fluent best, but still found ways to win. It is not yet October and they are already pulling clear of the rest.

Liverpool, in particular, was put off its game by the intensity and work rate of Sheffield United before Henderson’s mistake cost the promoted side. Henderson is on loan from Man United, traditionally Liverpool’s fiercest rival.

It was just a second clean sheet in the league for Liverpool, which kept a league-high 21 last season.


“Eight times 1-0 is more important than one time 8-0,” said Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, referring to City’s massive win by that score against Watford last weekend.

City never reached those heights against Everton, though Kevin De Bruyne excelled once again, collecting his eighth assist in the league with a curling cross headed home by Gabriel Jesus.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalized for Everton, which forced City goalkeeper Ederson Moraes into some smart saves.

“They are on an incredible run,” City manager Pep Guardiola said of Liverpool. “They don’t drop points and they win well. We know it, the players know it. It is not easy.”

DEFIANT SPURS

Lloris’ mistake was probably the worst of the day.

The France captain collected the ball near his line, dithered and tried to beat Southampton striker Danny Ings with a deft turn. Ings dispossessed Lloris and the ball rolled into the net, leaving the score 1-1 after Tanguy Ndombele’s early goal.

By that stage, Tottenham was also a man down after the 31st-minute red card to Serge Aurier for two bookings but Mauricio Pochettino’s team still prevailed, Harry Kane finishing a flowing move in the 43rd to make it 2-1.

Spurs have had a difficult start to the season — losing on penalties to fourth-tier Colchester in the League Cup in midweek — but they are still in the Champions League places.

WEST HAM FLYING

Doing even better than Tottenham, somewhat surprisingly, is West Ham.

A 2-2 draw at Bournemouth, earned by left back Aaron Cresswell’s 74th-minute equalizer, lifted West Ham to third. The London team’s only loss came on the opening weekend, a 5-0 hammering by Man City.

It was Cresswell’s second goal in as many games. He also curled in a free kick in a win against Manchester United last weekend.

HOME WIN FOR CHELSEA

Chelsea finally kept a clean sheet this season, and it earned Frank Lampard a first home win in the league since his return as manager.

Jorginho converted a penalty and Willian scored with a deflected shot as Chelsea beat Brighton 2-0 with both goals coming in the second half.

It was the ninth straight league loss for Brighton against Chelsea — an English record run for most games played, and lost, against one opponent.

Lampard had two draws and a loss in his first three league games at home following his return to Chelsea, where he is the all-time top scorer.

STILL BOTTOM

Watford will head into October still without a league win.

Wolverhampton Wanderers consigned Watford to a fifth loss in seven games by winning 2-0 at Molineux thanks to an effort from Matt Doherty and an own-goal by Daryl Janmaat.

Watford has two points and was on the end of an 8-0 thrashing by Man City last weekend.

In the other two games, Burnley equalized twice in a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace won 2-0 at home to Norwich.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Don’t forget to secure your health insurance as you go to college

Are you among the 400,000 freshmen in California — or 2.9 million nationwide — who have just started college, or are about to? As you buy your books, ponder the best meal plan or wonder whether you will get along with your roommate, don’t forget about health insurance.

Whether you’re an undergrad or graduate student, your options will depend on where you go to college, if you already have coverage through a family or individual health plan, and how much money you make.

It might surprise you to know you could qualify for no-cost Medicaid, the public health insurance program for people with low incomes.

“The good news is there are a few good options,” says Paul Rooney, vice president of carrier relations at eHealth, an online health insurance broker based in Santa Clara, Calif.

Since health plans vary from region to region and state to state, your first call might be to an insurance agent in the market where your college is located to discuss your options. The help is free. In California, you can find certified insurance agents on the “Find Help” tab of the website of California’s Obamacare marketplace, Covered California: www.coveredca.com


Sometimes, staying on your family’s plan is the best option — and you can do so up to age 26.SIGN UP

If you are on your family’s plan, or you have your own insurance, call the customer service number on your insurance card to ask about the level of coverage, if any, it will provide if you attend college in another region or state.

If your family health plan is a preferred provider organization (PPO) with a national insurance company — Cigna, Aetna or UnitedHealthcare, for example — you often can get full medical services at in-network prices in other regions of the country where your insurer operates.

But it also has to work financially. Parents, ask your employer or your insurer if taking your child off the family PPO will lower your premium. If the answer is no, and he will have full network coverage while away at college, it makes sense to keep him on the plan.

If the answer is yes, do the math.

Keith Wakeman, CEO of a Chicago-based mental health app startup called SuperBetter, learned he would save $1,900 this year by taking his son Jack off the family’s Blue Cross PPO and buying him the student plan offered by Purdue University, where he is a freshman.

“The plan is much better for Jack in terms of deductibles and copays — and also includes vision and dental,” Wakeman says. “It was a no-brainer for us.”

It probably also makes sense to take your student off the family plan if it is a health maintenance organization (HMO) or an exclusive provider organization, both of which restrict their networks more than PPOs.

There are exceptions: Some insurers allow HMO enrollees to get full medical services at no extra cost in other regions or states where they operate. Ask your health plan if that’s possible.

If it’s not, the health plan offered by your college could be a good option.

Student health plans have improved in recent years, in part because they almost always comply with the Affordable Care Act’s coverage requirements. That means most offer a comprehensive range of medical services at a high level of coverage, says Stephen Beckley, a senior partner with Fort Collins, Colo.-based Hodgkins Beckley Consulting, which works with colleges on student health programs.

The University of California system’s health plan is “exceptional,” Beckley says, “because of its highly favorable cost and the addition of vision and dental benefits.”

Nationally, costs vary widely from college to college, and some are very high, Beckley says.

The cost of this year’s UC undergraduate student health insurance plan, which includes all campuses except Berkeley, ranges from $1,773 to $3,537 for 12 months of coverage, according to Zina Slaughter, the plan’s director. Stanford University, by contrast, charges $5,592 for undergraduate and graduate students.

Beware: Many universities, the UC system and Stanford included, will enroll you in their health plan automatically, and you must obtain a waiver — by proving you have other acceptable coverage — to avoid the charges.

“We tell people that you should make sure you’re not being opted into services you won’t use,” says Erin Hemlin, director of health and policy advocacy for Young Invincibles, which promotes the interests of young adults.

If your family plan doesn’t work for you anymore and your college plan is too expensive, check to see if you qualify for no-cost Medicaid, which goes by the name Medi-Cal in California and insures one-third of the state’s residents.

This goes for students at private universities and public schools, including the 481,000 students at the 23 campuses of the California State University system and the 2 million-plus who attend one of the state’s 115 community colleges.

In the more than 30 states that have expanded Medicaid, including California, individuals who make up to about $17,200 annually are eligible for the program. It helps if your parents do not claim you as a dependent on their tax returns; otherwise, you must report their income.

Check with the health department in your county to see if you qualify. Find a list of California county offices at www.dhcs.ca.gov.

If your income is too high for Medicaid, you might still qualify for a subsidy to buy a health plan through your state’s Obamacare insurance exchange. In California, log onto the Covered California website or call 800-300-1506 to research options.

Enrollment in 2020 Obamacare exchange plans starts Oct. 15 for Covered California and Nov. 1 in most of the rest of the country.

Experts say a viable option for some students who are on their family’s plan is to stay on it, getting emergency care at a local hospital if necessary and basic primary care at the on-campus clinic (access is often included in student fees). They can wait to get physical checkups and other non-urgent care until they visit home.

Giorgia Winters, a resident of Long Beach, Calif., says that’s the decision she and her husband made for their son Matthew, 18, who just entered Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz. They don’t worry about his health: He had to pass a Federal Aviation Administration fitness test to pursue his pilot’s license at the school.

“He’ll come fairly often, because Prescott is an hour or so away by airplane,” Winters says. “I don’t know how much better it is financially, but it was more comfortable for us.

source: usa.inquirer.net

US Stock Market Experienced Gains After Impeachment Probe

Wall Street stocks were mixed early Wednesday, with Nike and Boeing gaining, as investors took a wait-and-see approach to a congressional impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump.

The anticipation of the impeachment probe was a factor in the stock market’s retreat on Tuesday.

But the US stock market and investors appeared to be taking the news in stride after House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi formally announced the probe.

Wednesday’s flattish early trading “suggests that the market isn’t going to allow itself to get too worked about the inquiry at this stage of matters when the headlines are heavy but the tradable facts of import are light,” analyst Patrick O’Hare wrote at Briefing.com.

About 20 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 26,841.85, up 0.1 percent.

The broad-based S&P 500 was essentially flat at 2,965.68, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index had shed 0.2 percent at 7,978.90.


Among individual companies, Dow member Nike surged 5.2 percent after reporting better-than-expected quarterly profits on strong direct sales and higher revenues from China.

Boeing also added to the Dow’s gains, advancing 0.6 percent as it announced a number of reforms to its board and corporate structure to highlight safety concerns after two crashes led to 346 fatalities and the grounding of its popular 737 MAX plane.

Philip Morris International jumped 5.9 percent as it and Altria called off a potential $200 billion merger following a sudden surge in worries about vaping.

Altria, which holds a major stake in e-cigarette company Juul, gained 0.5 percent.

source: usa.inquirer.net

A story less told: Bangladesh’s success in green garments production

DHAKA — Earlier this month, Made in Bangladesh, a film that brings to light the predicament of workers in Bangladesh’s readymade garments (RMG) industry, was screened amidst much anticipation at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film features a thought-provoking tale about the struggles of female garment workers, the obstructions faced in the process of unionization, and importantly, questions regarding working conditions in the backdrop of the infamous Rana Plaza disaster in 2013. Nevertheless, while the film brings forth crucial features of the RMG industry which require our attention, it refrains from acknowledging a different side of Bangladesh which ought to be appreciated.

Around the same time that Made in Bangladesh premiered in Toronto, Washington-based non-profit organisation US Green Building Council (USGBC) declared Bangladesh to be the leader in green RMG production—6 out of the top 10 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified factories are situated in Bangladesh, with 25 Bangladeshi factories credentialed with the highest certification from the USGBC.

In hindsight, following the Rana Plaza catastrophe, efforts of the consortium of entrepreneurs, workers and the government to navigate the country towards sustainable RMG production have not only been noticeable, but also remarkable when one considers the harsh and somewhat self-righteous criticism by the West against Bangladesh.

It is no secret that the present government has given priority to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across several aspects of its governance structure, and in so doing, it has given a clear message to RMG producers of the need to introduce eco-friendly measures in production processes, especially after 2013.

Green Production falls in line with the need to identify the threats posed by climate change, whilst simultaneously recognising the continuing importance of the RMG sector to the country. Theoretically, environmental protection has three broad facets, namely mitigation, adaptation and compensation—as such, navigating towards green production is part of a series of adaptation measures led by the business industry to accelerate the journey towards achieving the SDGs on a wholescale level. Therefore, to see Bangladesh as the global leader in Green Production is indeed a proud moment for the country—and it goes to show that the RMG industry has indeed understood, if not fully implemented, the feasibility of sustainable production.

Green Factories represent a relatively new institutional approach towards making business processes more sustainable. The Japanese multinational firm Fujitsu defines Green Factories as “facilities that pursue a unified approach in striving to reduce the amount of materials and energy used in business operations, minimise the amounts of chemical discharge, waste, and air pollution produced through business operations, and also minimise manufacturing costs.” In addition to these, an important feature of Green Factories lies in the realm of how these establishments are expected to put emphasis on compliance mechanisms and regulatory architectures which promote, protect and preserve both environmental and labour rights. Therefore, many of the problems portrayed in films like Made in Bangladesh, or by Western media outlets, can indeed be addressed if green production structures are diffused across the wider RMG sector in Bangladesh.

From an economic viewpoint, Green Production is financially viable, as it is aimed at reducing costs through streamlined production processes, whilst concurrently ensuring an institutional emphasis on reducing overall waste in factories—water recycling, instilling material efficiency levels and controlling air pollution are a few of the key characteristics of green production techniques, as promoted by the USGBC.

The advantages posed by Green Factories to third-party actors, termed external benefits, are equally eye-opening—from ensuring drastic improvements in clean water accessibility to reducing pollution levels in surrounding areas, green production techniques create innumerable social benefits for people living around factories. This has been an area of concern for some time, and therefore moving towards green production is not only a need of the time, but a mandatory step for Bangladesh to take in its quest for augmenting environmental protection schemes.

The total number of LEED-certified Green Factories in Bangladesh increased to 91 in 2019 from 67 in 2018. Faisal Samad, the vice-president of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), recently indicated that whilst Bangladesh tops the chart in Green Production globally, it needs to continue investing its resources and technology in further divesting sustainable techniques across the board.

A startling feature of the entire story has been the nature of the initiatives taken by the entrepreneurial community in Bangladesh—the government has indeed given normative instructions to the business leadership as to the need to bring in eco-friendly measures in their production processes, yet in terms of funding and subsidisation, much of the financing towards green production has been done without state-based incentives.

Consumers of Green Factories, most prominently the global multinationals, which have a long history of sanctimoniously criticising Bangladeshi factories—that too without doing much to tangibly support the improvement of working conditions or sustainable production—have, therefore, a moral responsibility to support the growth of green production. This means recognising the quality of what Bangladeshi firms produce, financially assisting the transition of the industry towards green production techniques and at the same time, paying firms their due share when it comes to purchases.

We tend to forget that a large aspect of why labour conditions and wage levels remain low is in the vicinity of the unfair and almost incomprehensible prices paid by global multinationals for RMG products. International consumers prefer Bangladeshi products over that of other countries not only because its RMG goods are cheap, but because of the superior quality of the textile and clothing produced by some of the most efficient workers in the world.

Therefore, it is equally important for films like Made in Bangladesh to showcase that global brands and Western societies carry a higher proportion of the responsibility than local stakeholders in addressing the plights of our RMG industry. We should recognise that while Bangladesh is doing its bit with its given capacity, in instilling sustainability in its economic structures, it cannot take the whole brunt of the blame for the problems the RMG sector now faces.

Bangladesh has taken a lead in establishing production techniques that ought to be the norm in the near future—Green Production successfully addresses aspects of both profitability and efficiency, that too by holistically considering the effects of production on workers, the environment and third-party actors. One would hope that the government of Bangladesh institutionalizes the idea of green production techniques on a broader scale, through specific legislation, subsidisation measures and financial support, with the aim to ensure an efficient transition towards wide-ranging sustainability techniques.

The challenge for RMG stakeholders lies in encouraging small and medium sized factories to shift towards Green Production—and that remains the next area for the BGMEA, the broader business community and the government to address unitedly, and importantly, through specific structural changes to the way businesses operate in the country.

source: business.inquirer.net

Fila Sneakers

After coming back to the US market about seven years ago, FILA was a family-type brand with its eye on huge channels such as Kohl’s Corporation. In that period, however, FILA set up a new channel called FILA heritage.

This channel is focused on expanding its presence in the sneaker space.

Fila Sneakers The Disruptor and Mind Blower

According to FILA North America’s director of heritage, Louis Colon III, the brand is currently all about the consumer’s attention.


The Heritage category has seen massive sales and becomes a key revenue source especially with its re-released iconic FILA sneakers.

FILA, arguably the most popular sportswear label in the ’90s is making not just a comeback but a rebrand as well.

At the forefront of this rebrand, the wave is the company’s hit sneaker from 1990 – The Disruptor.


This iconic FILA sneaker was first released in 1996.

It’s a massive sneaker with a saw-tooth sole.

The most popularly worn color of the Disruptor is pure white.

The new re-release of this legendary sneaker brings quite a number of fashion trends to the scene.

Trends like the surge of massively shaped sneakers, known as Dad sneakers, the revival of 90’s pop fashion, and possibly fashion’s new love for the intentionally ugly.

The second wave of the Disruptor is being termed the Disruptor 2.

This rebranded FILA shoe has done massive numbers in stores such as Foot Locker.

The CEO of this store, Dick Johnson stated recently that the FILA Disruptor 2 is one of its hottest foot-wears, alongside the timeless Vans, skate shoes.

The sneaker is a top contributor to FILA’s comeback US sales, which saw an increase of 21% in the last quarter.

Matt Powell, a sports industry analyst for research firm NPD Group expressed that the sales are quite a considerable leap.
According to him, dad’s shoes and retro wear are all the rage.

Another blast from the past being brought back by FILA is the Mindblower sneaker.

There are several colorways available for this trainer.

They include white and green and peach, classic navy and red.

The behemoth clumpy design of this shoe meshes well with fashion’s current love for dad sneakers.

Also, with the FILA logo imprinted on the upper, it’s set to mark its place in the logo-mania trend as well.

Although the Disruptor is already among the top sneakers of this season, the Mindblower is showing definite potential at catching up to it.

For quite a while, the FILA brand and its retro logo have been amassing clout in the fashion industry.

Russian designer Gosha Rubchinskiy who regularly draws style inspiration from the ’80s and ’90s displayed FILA branded wears on the runway around late 2016.

In February of this year, Fendi, the lavish label sparked up FILA’s clout, even more, when it used FILA’s design for its Fall line.

This season, more and more fashion fans are going for logo-centric clothes and retro footwear such as the Mindblower and the Disruptor in particular.

When the international search platform Lyst dropped its list of the hottest products from the last quarter, the Disruptor landed second place in the women’s category.

This list was based on variables such as page views, searches, and sales spanning 6 million items. The Disruptor surpassed hyped products from top brands such as Chanel, Off-white and Prada.

Another ranking list from Lyst of the hottest trainers in several UK cities showed that the Disruptor was the top sneaker in London.


Fila Journey to the Top

The FILA sneakers have the benefit of being easily available, selling at stores such as Urban Outfitters and Journeys.

Their pricing is also another advantage, going for $65 to $70, way less than the luxury brand versions of dad sneakers ( such as Balenciaga’s $895 Triple S) or a competitor like the $100 Nike M2K Tekno.

FILA sneakers are available for men as well as women.

However, Powell observes that the dad sneaker fashion is more prominent with women.

This season is the most significant one FILA has had in a long time in areas like the US and UK.

These are places where FILA vanished from their market after a solid reign in the ’90s.

A Forbes story from 2008 disclosed that in 1997, FILA’s US sales hit a peak of $687 million.

However, issues arose afterward, including a failed attempt at moving the brand to luxury retailers.

Forbes recounted that a decade later- the US division “lost $42 million on $61 million in sales”.

That same year—2007— Gene Yoon, founder of FILA’S Korean division, gathered funds together to purchase FILA’S trademarks from Sports Brands International, their owner at the time.

Yoon supervised FILA’s steady rebirth, which comprised making FILA’s “Heritage” category, a major influence in FILA’s present success.

The Relaunch of the Fila Sneakers

Disruptor and Mind Blower isn’t the only thing the brand is doing.

The brand has released a pocket-friendly collaboration with a weekday.

This release includes breathable water-proof joggers and sneakers all in the brand’s legendary colorway of white, green, pink and blue.

The collection has 20 pieces and according to Louise Lasson, creative director of Weekday, they function as an activewear collection from a minimalistic fashion POV.

Lesson stated that it was necessary to truly create the pieces with a focus on detailing and functionality as well as the fashion facet of urban sportswear.

Currently, as part of moves to solidify their rebranding.

FILA sneakers and clothes are fusing smoothly into wider trendsetting fashion, with the extra dash of authentic heritage.

Louis Colon III, FILA North America’s director of heritage stated last year that “When you see brands in high, high fashion selling the ugly shoe, the bulky shoe—we have had this in our brand DNA since 1993.

He further said they don’t intend to be only a nostalgia label or brand.

They are aiming at balancing the past, future and of course the present.

Clearly, FILA is determined to maintain its presence this time around.

source: usa.inquirer.net

New England Patriots: Brady Wins 30-14 Over Jets

The New England Patriots lead by Tom Brady became the third team in seven months to sour on Antonio Brown’s off-field problems when they released the All-Pro receiver Friday.  On the field, they didn’t need him to roll to an easy victory over the New York Jets.

Tom Brady threw a pair of touchdown passes and the Patriots didn’t allow an offensive touchdown for the third straight week as they dominated in a 30-14 win Sunday.

It was the Patriots’ first game since Brown was cut after a second woman accused him of sexual misconduct.

“Obviously, it was a tough week,” safety Duron Harmon said. ”

A lot of media. A lot of stories. But the only thing we focused on was the Jets and I thought it showed today.”

Sony Michel and Rex Burkhead each added a rushing touchdown for the Patriots (3-0), who won their seventh straight over the Jets and earned their ninth consecutive regular-season win at home over their AFC East rival.


Brown’s absence didn’t slow New England against a Jets team that was without starting quarterback Sam Darnold, still recovering from mononucleosis, and injured linebacker C.J. Mosley and defensive lineman Quinnen Williams.

They seemed lost at times on defense and struggled to move the ball offensively — going 0 for 12 on third down — against the Patriots’ top-ranked defense in quarterback Luke Falk’s first NFL start.

Phillip Dorsett and Julian Edelman caught TD passes from Brady.

But, Edelman left the game with about a minute to play in the quarter with a chest injury and didn’t return.

The Super Bowl MVP in February caught a 3-yard pass from Brady, fell on his right side and was sandwiched by Harvey Langi and Henry Anderson. Edelman got up holding his rib area.

Brady was 28 of 42 for 306 yards and headed to the sideline with 8:41 left in the fourth quarter and New England leading 30-7.

He was briefly replaced by rookie Jarrett Stidham, who completed his first two passes before having his third intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Jamal Adams.

Brady returned the following series.

Falk, who was on the practice squad a week ago, got the nod with Darnold still at least a week away from returning and Trevor Siemian sidelined for the season after injuring his ankle in New York’s loss to Cleveland last Monday night.

Falk finished 12 of 22 for 98 yards and had an errant pass in the third quarter intercepted by Devin McCourty deep in the Jets own territory.

“It was a hard lesson to learn,” Falk said. “When playing a team like that, you can’t have errors.”

The Jets dropped to 0-3 for the first time since the 2003 season.

It was McCourty’s third straight game with an interception.

“We’ve just got to continue letting the ball find somebody,” McCourty said.

Le’Veon Bell carried 18 times for just 35 yards.

The Jets punted on their first six possessions and only crossed into New England’s territory once in the first half.

They punted on 10 of their 13 possessions.

New York didn’t get on the scoreboard until Gunner Olszewski muffed a punt late in the third quarter and it was recovered in the end zone for a touchdown by Arthur Maulet.

The Patriots were also limited in the run game without running back James White.

He missed the game to be with his expectant wife.

But New England still scored on each of its first three possessions, building a 20-0 halftime lead.

Michel scored the game’s first touchdown, running it from 5 yards out to cap a 9-play, 88-yard drive.

Brady and offense then took to the air, spreading out New York’s secondary with multiple four-receiver formations.

Dorsett had a 25-yard TD reception and Edelman caught another score from 3 yards out early in the second quarter.

Edelman capped the score with an emphatic spike of the ball, a throwback to the celebration of choice by retired Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.

New England Patriots Defense

The Patriots are the first team in the Super Bowl era that hasn’t allowed a rushing or passing TD in their first three games.

New England Patriots Milestone

With his touchdown throw to Dorsett in the first quarter, Brady passed Drew Brees for second place on the NFL’s career list for touchdown passes.

It was Brady’s 523rd TD pass. Peyton Manning is first with 539.

New England Patriots Progress

Jets cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who played only four snaps in New York’s loss to Cleveland last week, saw a little more action against the Patriots.

Nate Hairston started the game, but Johnson subbed in early in the first quarter.

He finished with three tackles.

Johnson, who signed a five-year, $72.5 million deal last year, entered the season as the Jets’ No. 1 cornerback.

New England Patriots Injuries

Patriots: WR Josh Gordon came off the field early in the second half with an apparent finger injury after he got his hand caught in an opponent’s face mask. But he returned later in the third quarter, catching a 28-yard pass inside the 5 to help set up Burkhead’s touchdown run. … DL Adam Butler left late in the third quarter with a leg injury after combining on a sack with Don’t’ a Hightower.

Hightower left in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury.

source: ussa.inquirer.net

United Auto Workers strike against GM may be headed to day 8

NEW YORK – A strike against General Motors by 49,000 auto workers appears headed to an eighth day.

Bargainers were meeting all day Sunday at GM’s headquarters in downtown Detroit. “They’re still talking,” United Auto Workers union spokesman Brian Rothenberg said.


The workers left their jobs early Monday after their four-year contract with the company expired.

They’re seeking a bigger slice of GM’s profits, products to manufacture at plants GM wants to close, a path to permanent jobs for temporary workers and other items.

GM wants to lower its labor costs so they’re closer to the compensation for workers at U.S. factories owned by foreign automakers. Most UAW production workers make about $30 per hour. GM’s labor cost including benefits is $63 per hour while the foreign companies pay about $50, according to the Center for Automotive Research, an industry think tank.

Democrats have been quick to back United Auto Workers in their strike against General Motors, a union they long have aligned with politically. The Republican response has been muted.

Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren visited the striking workers on Sunday at the GM Detroit-Hamtramck plant.

“GM is demonstrating that it has no loyalty to workers in America …. Their only loyalty is to their bottom line, and if they can save a nickel by moving jobs to Mexico or to Asia or anywhere else on this planet, they will do it,” Warren said.

Meanwhile, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden visited and spoke with striking auto workers in Kansas City, Kansas.

The strike is playing out as a federal corruption investigation against top UAW officials widens. The FBI raided UAW President Gary Jones’ suburban Detroit home last month and prosecutors have charged 11 people in the investigation so far, leading many of the 49,000 workers nationwide to question whether leaders have their backs. /gsg

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Tonga’s cancer beater gets his moment at Rugby World Cup

SAPPORO, Japan — There were times not long ago when Nasi Manu was too sick and weak from the chemotherapy to walk up the steps at a stadium and watch a game of rugby. On Sunday, he played in a Rugby World Cup match.

Manu got his moment off the bench in Tonga’s opening game of the World Cup against England in Sapporo.


Tonga lost 35-3 but got some inspiration by seeing the loose forward come off the bench to complete his recovery from testicular cancer that saw him undergo emergency surgery, months of chemotherapy and miss all international rugby last year and most of this season.

It was Manu’s first game back for Tonga since his cancer diagnosis and his wife and two-year-old daughter came to Japan to watch him.

“The whole day has been very difficult for me, just controlling the nerves,” Manu said. “I couldn’t sleep last night, I just got too excited. I was telling my wife that I didn’t know what to do. I packed my bags five times.”

Manu shed tears at a welcoming ceremony for the Tongan team at the World Cup last week. He said the tears flowed after he realized how far he’d come from last year, when he was fearing for his life and his rugby career was secondary.

There were more when he lined up and sang Tonga’s national anthem on Sunday.

“They were plenty of them, but then I had to calm down,” he said.

Tonga coach Toutai Kefu said he’s planning to give Manu a gentle introduction back to international rugby and manage his game time.

“We all knew as a group that this was important for him,” Kefu said. “I just had a chat to him and he said he was very tired, he needed more game time, and his lungs were gone.

“But I reassured him, I said ‘Mate, you’re lucky to be back out on the field.’ I think that’s the first step.


“But knowing Nasi, he’s a very competitive person and he wants to give 100 percent,” Kefu said. “He’s a good player on and off the field. An important member for us.”

Manu said his “legs were gone” and he had to battle it out to play the rest of the 33 minutes he was on the field.

“No fitness can prepare you for that. I have achieved my dream of playing in a World Cup whatever happens and I have so many people I can thank for getting me here.

“I can’t say names because I am afraid I will miss some out.”

Some of the people Manu has already thanked are his teammates at Italian club Benetton Treviso who shaved their heads in support of him when he was undergoing chemotherapy and sent him cellphone videos to keep his spirits up. His club also helped him get treatment.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Taylor Swift pulls out of Melbourne Cup gig

Pop superstar Taylor Swift has pulled out of a performance at the Melbourne Cup, with animal rights activists taking credit after a campaign to highlight cruelty to racehorses.

The Grammy Award-winner was announced as the headline act for the “race that stops a nation” earlier this month and was due to sing two songs from her latest hit album “Lover”.

But it sparked a backlash on social media and a push by the Campaign for the Protection of Racehorses, which claimed she had “put money before compassion” and was “endorsing animal abuse”.

More than 6,500 people signed an online petition urging her to cancel.

In a statement late Saturday, promotor Mushroom Events cited scheduling issues as the reason for Swift’s no-show.

“Changes to her Asian promo schedule have made it logistically impossible for her to be here,” it said.

The Campaign for the Protection of Racehorses applauded the decision.

“The pressure on Taylor Swift to cancel her performance was significant,” it said on Facebook.

“Her fans did not want to see her supporting animal abuse. Whilst the reason being used by the racing industry is a scheduling mix-up, it appears to us that she has responded to those calls.”

Six horses have died at the Melbourne Cup since 2013, including one last year when Irish five-year-old The CliffsofMoher was euthanised after suffering a fractured right shoulder during a race that has been run on the first Tuesday of November since 1876.

“Obviously, this (Swift pulling out) is disappointing for everyone,” said Victoria Racing Club chief executive Neil Wilson.


“We understand how important the pre-Cup entertainment is and we look forward to providing an update (on other acts) shortly.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Apple New Privacy Enhancements for Iphone 11 and iOS 13

Apple’s iOS 13 in the iPhone 11 is a software update that comes with plenty of privacy enhancements but in some cases, only if you take the time to understand how they work.

Among the changes: You’ll be able to sign in to third-party services with your Apple ID account rather than Facebook’s or Google’s.

You’ll also get more notices and warnings about apps tapping location data.
The free update is available for existing iPhones on Thursday and will come with new iPhone 11 models out Friday.

Here’s how to navigate the new privacy features and make the most of them.


Apple  iPhone 11 Sign-In

Google and Facebook have long made it easy to sign into third-party services without having to create new accounts and new passwords to remember.

Trouble is, by leaning on those companies, you’re also opening the door for them to collect more data about you.


You may find that disheartening given numerous privacy lapses, especially involving Facebook.

Apple is offering an alternative.

The company doesn’t have the same need to collect data, as it doesn’t count on profits from data-driven targeted ads the way Google and Facebook do.

Apple promises it won’t track you when you use “Sign in with Apple.”

One attractive feature is the ability to mask your real email address.

Apple can give you a new, unique email for every service you use, and will automatically forward messages to your own email account.

You can reduce junk mail by disabling forwarding from specific companies, while still using that Apple email to sign in.
Apple says it won’t snoop on messages.

Apps that offer an outside sign-in system, such as Facebook’s, must also include Apple’s to be on iPhones.

But Apple’s system is limited to sharing your name and email address.

If the app needs more information, you’ll have to provide that on your own or fall back on Facebook or Google anyway.

But don’t stray from Apple’s garden.

You’ll need to sign in through a web browser if you use the service on Android, Windows or other non-Apple devices.

That eliminates much of the convenience.

iPhone 11 Location

Maps, ride-hailing, and many other apps need your location data to work.

But does your drug store or coffee shop really need to know where you are and where you’ve been?

Previously, Apple gave you just a few choices on the matter.

You could share your location continuously with an app, provide it only when you were using the app, or deny the app access to any location information.

(The last choice breaks many apps, and it can be a challenge to turn location back on if you change your mind.)

Now Apple will let you grant location permission temporarily.

If you close the app or restart the phone, you’ll have to grant permission again.

You can keep doing that until you’re more comfortable with the app and its use of location, at which time you can make permission permanent.

But permanent doesn’t mean sharing while the app is in the background.

After you’ve used an app for a while, the phone will prompt you with details on where and how many times it has tapped your location.

Only then can you grant “always allow” access. You can also take it back if you’ve given it before.

The idea is to arm you with more information before deciding.

Unfortunately, there’s no “reject once” option to see how well an app works without a location.

Once you reject it, you’ll have to go into settings to turn location back on.

LOCATION, THE SNEAKY WAY

Even if you’ve denied location access, apps might be able to infer it through Bluetooth connections.

A retail store, for instance, might have Bluetooth beacon trackers to detect people who have its app installed.

Now, apps must especially ask for that permission.

(There are exceptions when a music app, for instance, wants to stream to headphones you’ve already paired with the phone.)

Apps that have been updated for iOS 13 must tell you specifically why they need Bluetooth.

Citi’s app, for instance, says it’s to enable after-hours entry to ATM lobbies without pulling out your card.

You’re left guessing with older apps. If you’re not sure, just say “no.”

Apple is also clamping down on apps’ ability to infer your location by identifying nearby Wi-Fi networks, which can be matched to location databases.

Apps that want that information must already have location permission from you or meet Apple’s criteria for needing that information.

This won’t affect your ability to use apps over Wi-Fi, as that’s set up through your phone, not the app.

iPhone 11 Camera Privacy

When sharing photos through the Photos app, you can now remove embedded location information by tapping on the small “Options” link at the top of the screen. Location is shared by default, and you need to turn it off each time.

You can disable the camera’s ability to embed location information, to begin with. To do that, go to “Privacy” in the phone’s settings, then “Location Services,” ”Camera” and finally the “Never” option.

This feature exists in earlier versions of iOS as well.

iPhone 11 Reducing Robocalls

A new setting lets you silence unknown callers.

You’ll still hear from numbers you’ve recently called or ones stored in your contacts, as well as from numbers the digital assistant Siri finds in other apps, such as within your emails.

But the iPhone will assume everything else is spam and send it straight to voice mail.

This option is off by default; you need to turn it on under “Phone” in the settings.

Apple will also suggest the option when you look through your recent and missed calls, as you see the iOS 13 privacy enhancements are pretty helpful.

source: usa.inquirer.net

Twitter, Facebook close accounts linked to Spanish party

MADRID  — Twitter and Facebook say they have removed 365 fake accounts linked to Spain’s conservative Popular Party that were used to influence public opinion and spread spam.

Twitter said Friday it culled from the social network 265 accounts “operated by the party” that were “identified as falsely boosting public sentiment online in Spain.” The accounts were active before Spain’s April 29 general election.


Facebook says it removed 65 Facebook accounts and 35 Instagram accounts after it uncovered links to individuals associated with the Popular Party.

Facebook said the accounts had posts about politics, elections and criticism of the party’s opponents.


The Popular Party denies it ran the accounts.

The once-dominant party heavily lost the April election to Spain’s Socialists.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Aaron Carter claims late sister raped him, calls brother Nick ‘serial rapist’ after getting restraining order

Aaron Carter has launched a Twitter tirade against his siblings after his older brother Nick Carter and twin sister Angel Carter filed a restraining order against him on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

Nick, 39, tweeted on Tuesday that he and Angel “were required to seek a restraining order against our brother Aaron.”

“In light of Aaron’s increasingly alarming behavior and his recent confession that he harbors thoughts and intentions of killing my pregnant wife and unborn child, we were left with no choice but to take every measure possible to protect ourselves and our family,” the Backstreet Boys member explained.

According to a TMZ report, the restraining order was filed on Monday, Sept. 17, in Las Vegas. It was claimed that Aaron and Angel were talking on FaceTime on Aug. 7 when he told his sister that he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Aaron reportedly told Angel that he had thoughts of “killing babies” and “killing Lauren Kitt,” who is Nick’s pregnant wife.

Aaron’s ex-girlfriend Lina was in the conversation and told Angel, “How do you think I feel with him sleeping with a sword next to him?” Aaron allegedly told her to shut up and “you are next on my list.” A day after the FaceTime conversation, police conducted a welfare check on Aaron after Angel called them.

Rape, abuse allegations against siblings

“Take care. @nickcarter we’re done for life,” Aaron, 31, tweeted on Wednesday, after announcing that he had been served with the restraining order. “I haven’t seen him in four years. And I don’t intend [to].”

The “I Want Candy” pop singer denied making any threats, claiming that his siblings were trying to commit him involuntarily to a mental institution under the California law code 5150.

He claimed the restraining order comes after he and Nick’s ex, Melissa Schuman, did a live stream about her rape allegations against Nick. Schuman accused Nick of raping her in 2017 as the #MeToo movement gained steam.

“I know you’re mad I spoke to @MelissaSchuman so to retaliate you call the police to take away my legal guns and you file a restraining order #pathetic #Coverup,” said Aaron.

In a series of tweets, he claimed that his brother had abused him after Nick allegedly broke his nose multiple times. He cited another instance when his brother allegedly pied him in the face during an acceptance speech.


He also said that he witnessed Nick abusing his ex-girlfriend Paris Hilton and that he silenced women whom he allegedly sexually abused by paying them or through “fear and extortion.”

“I’m standing by all these victims. Please. @Aphrodite_Jones the victims all want to talk now Maybe do a r Kelly type documentary,” Aaron appealed.

He continued to rant about his brother’s alleged sexual misconduct and abuse yesterday, Sept. 19, calling him a “serial rapist.” He also compared him to Jeffrey Epstein, the late sex offender who ran an underage sex trafficking ring.

On the same day, he claimed that his late sister Leslie had bipolar disorder and raped him when she was not on her medications from the time that he was 10 to 13 years old. Leslie passed away in 2012 at age 25 due to a drug overdose.

He denied that he has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia and said he had been seeking therapy for 15 years.

He lashed out too at his twin sister Angel for “shoplifting Xanax” and told her to get rid of her prescription while she had a baby. He accused his ex-girlfriend Lina of “conspiring” with his siblings to put him in a mental institution and claimed that she drank alcohol daily.

Aaron and Nick have been feuding for years and have struggled with substance abuse. Both have faced arrests for driving under the influence and additionally Aaron has been arrested for possession of drugs.  /ra

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

iOS 13 The Anti Hacking Operating System

Apple hit back Friday at a Google research report suggesting iPhones may have been targeted by a long-running hacking operation, calling it inaccurate and misleading as they prepare to launch iOS 13.

Apple spokesman Fred Sainz said in a statement the research released by Google created a “false impression” that large numbers of iPhone users may have been compromised.

Sainz said that contrary to what Google claimed, the incident was a “narrowly focused” attack which affected “fewer than a dozen websites that focus on content related to the Uighur community, an ethnic minority in China.

“Regardless of the scale of the attack, we take the safety and security of all users extremely seriously,” he wrote.

“Google’s post, issued six months after iOS patches were released, creates the false impression of ‘mass exploitation’ to ‘monitor the private activities of entire populations in real-time,’ stoking fear among all iPhone users that their devices had been compromised. This was never the case.”


Researchers with Google’s Project Zero security task force said last week that an “indiscriminate” hacking operation that targeted iPhones used websites to implant malicious software to access photos, user locations, and other data.

“Simply visiting the hacked site was enough for the exploit server to attack your device, and if it was successful, install a monitoring implant,” said Project Zero’s Ian Beer.

Sainz said Apple believes that the website attacks were operational for roughly two months, not two years as Google implied.

“We fixed the vulnerabilities in question in February — iOS 13 working extremely quickly to resolve the issue just 10 days after we learned about it,” Sainz said.

“When Google approached us, we were already in the process of fixing the exploited bugs.

Security is a never-ending journey and our customers can be confident we are working for them .”- iphone iOS 13 to be released next week.

rl/acb

© Agence France-Presse

Yankees clinch 1st AL East title since 2012, reach 100 wins

NEW YORK — Aroldis Chapman got Albert Pujols to swing over a slider in the dirt, and the New York Yankees jogged to the infield to exchange handshakes and hugs after clinching their first AL East title since 2012.

No wild celebration, not this year.

Hours after the startling news that pitcher Domingo Germán was placed on administrative leave under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy, the homer-happy Yankees routed the Los Angeles Angels 9-1 Thursday night to wrap up first place and breeze to their 100th win.

DJ LeMahieu hit a go-ahead, three-run homer for yet another big moment in his first year with New York and old mainstay Brett Gardner homered and had three RBIs.

Players decided it was not a night for dogpiles, not given how many already have gotten hurt, some in bizarre mishaps.

“We’re just trying to avoid injuries,” LeMahieu said.

A day after wasting a chance to clinch first place, the Yankees went ahead when LeMahieu went deep in the second inning.

Gardner, among just two holdovers from their last World Series championship team in 2009, added a solo shot in the fourth and then hit a two-run double in the sixth. Cameron Maybin and Clint Frazier homered for good measure in the eighth.

“You got a team full of savages,” slugger Aaron Judge said, invoking the word manager Aaron Boone made famous during his mid-summer rant at an umpire. “It’s been a long season, a lot of ups and downs. We’re going to celebrate and enjoy tonight, but we got a lot more baseball to play.”

Despite putting 30 players on the injured list this year, New York (100-54) made Boone the first manager to win 100 games in each of his first two major league seasons.

“We got a lot bigger fish to fry, but this is the first step along the way,” Boone said. “Nothing has got in their way. Whatever has come adversity-wise, they faced it and powered right through it.”

The Yankees open the playoffs on Oct. 4, likely against Minnesota, which leads the AL Central, or the wild-card winner.

Germán’s status for the postseason is uncertain after a breakout season. He is the Yankees’ top-winning pitcher at 18-4.

Boone and general manager Brian Cashman spoke with players before the game.

“It’s a difficult situation that none of us really know that many details about, so you just try and lay it out,” Boone said. “Sometimes things come up over the course of the season that you’re not necessarily prepared for and you just try and talk through it the best you can.”

Masahiro Tanaka (11-8), in line to start the playoff opener, allowed Kole Calhoun’s homer leading off the fourth. The Angels had just four hits in seven innings off Tanaka, who struck out six and walked one.

New York’s 19th AL East title was its first following a run of 13 in 17 years that started in Derek Jeter’s rookie season. The Yankees, led by Judge, Gary Sánchez and Gleyber Torres, will be making their 21st postseason appearance in 25 years and 55th overall — 22 more than any other team.

And they will head to the October following their 21st 100-win season, their first in back-to-back years since 2002-04.

New York moved into sole possession of the lead for good on June 15 with the start of an eight-game winning streak, beginning a spurt of 13 victories in 14 games that ended the month. The Yankees led by 6 1/2 games at the All-Star Game, won seven of their first nine after the break and have led by seven to 11 1/2 games since. And they achieved their success despite the most players on the injured list for any big league team since at least 2004.

After Wednesday’s 3-2 loss, the Yankees waited in their clubhouse for three hours until just before 1 a.m., hoping second-place Tampa Bay would lose at Los Angeles and ensure the division title for New York. But the Rays rallied in the ninth and defeated the Dodgers in 11 innings.

Protective plastic remained overnight wrapping the six large-screen televisions in the Yankees clubhouse, a sign that the bubbly celebration was not too far off. There was plenty of spraying — but non-vintage Laurent Perrier Brut. The good stuff is saved for late October.

LeMahieu’s homer off Andrew Heaney (4-6), which followed a rare infield hit by slow-legged catcher Austin Romine with two outs, landed about three rows over the scoreboard in right-center, giving him career bests of 25 homers and 97 RBIs in his first season with the Yankees. Gardner also set career highs for homers (26) and RBIs (69), and New York extended its team record with 292 long balls, one shy of major league-leading Minnesota.

“Hopefully the beginning of something special,” Gardner said.

STANTON

DH Giancarlo Stanton was 0 for 3 with a walk and two strikeouts as a designated hitter his second game back from a layoff of nearly three months.

STAR TURN

Pujols had a .328 career batting average when he left St. Louis after 11 major league seasons and joined the Angels for 2012. His career average dipped to .29995 with an 0 for 4 night. His average had not been below .300 at the end of a game since a 4-for-14 start as a rookie in 2001, according to the Elias Sport Bureau.

“Not all the greatest players hit over .300,” Pujols said. “Hitting .300 would be great, but definitely, for me more important is hopefully I can win a championship before I’m done with my contract, because that’s why the front office brought me here.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: RHP Dellin Betances has been told surgery is not recommended for the partially torn left Achilles tendon that ended his season after eight pitches. Manager Aaron Boone said the foot will be in a walking boot for another four weeks. … Judge was given a day off after he landed on his right shoulder during an attempt for a diving catch Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Angels: RHP Jamie Barria (4-8) will be on the mound at Houston, opposed by Zack Greinke (6-1).

Yankees: LHP J.A. Happ (12-8) starts Friday’s series opener against Toronto, his former team.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Apple Awards $250 Million for iPhones Screen

Apple on Tuesday deepened its ties with a Kentucky manufacturing plant by awarding $250 million to support Corning Inc.’s continued work to develop glass for iPhones and other devices.

The award builds on the $200 million that Corning received from Apple’s Advanced Manufacturing Fund in 2017, the tech giant said.

The combined investments support Corning’s research and development that will be crucial for next-generation consumer devices, Apple said.

Scratch-resistant glass for every generation of the iPhone has been made at Corning’s plant in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Corning also supplies glass for iPads and Apple Watches.

“Apple and Corning’s rich history dates back more than a decade and our partnership revolutionized glass and transformed the technology industry with the first iPhone,” Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer, said in a release.

“This award underscores Apple and Corning’s shared belief in the vital role that ingenuity plays in creating industry-leading products, and the pride that both companies take in applying American innovation and advanced manufacturing to solve some of the world’s toughest technology challenges,” he added.

Wendell P. Weeks, Corning’s chairman, chief executive officer and president, said the additional investment will allow the Corning, New York-based company to develop “groundbreaking new glass innovations” while expanding its manufacturing capabilities.

“Most importantly, our ongoing collaboration allows us to create vital new capabilities for end users and continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible well into the future,” he said.

Corning employs about 400 people at its technology development and manufacturing operations in Harrodsburg. It’s been part of the central Kentucky community for more than 65 years.

The company said the new Apple award won’t result in an immediate increase in jobs at the Kentucky operation but enables “future opportunities that may lead to growth.” The Harrodsburg plant is Corning’s longest-running U.S.-based manufacturing facility.

Apple and Corning first teamed up more than a decade ago when former Apple CEO Steve Jobs ordered the plastic screen on the company’s first iPhone to be replaced with a scratch-resistant glass just a few months before the product was to launch.

source: usa.inquirer.net

Credit counseling Will Help You Improve Your Finances, This Is Why

Credit counseling is one of the most recommended debt solutions in America, especially for debtors filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Before visiting a credit counseling agency, you ought to know if credit counseling works. This post answers the questions, “does credit counseling work?” What are the benefits of visiting a credit counselor? Is It Right for me?

Like general psychotherapy, there are a lot of criticisms on Credit Counseling. Some critics accuse debt counseling agencies of predatory practices, which is defined as “imposing unfair and abusive loan terms on borrowers”.

According to a 2006 audit report from the office of inspector general (IG) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

These predatory practices include; charging exorbitant fees, failing to meet expected standards, inability to proffer practical solutions for debtors, and deceiving clients.

Every field has its own bad eggs, and credit consulting is not an exception.

However, the red flags should not deter you from seeing the benefits of credit counseling, a field that was created with the purpose of helping debtors get rid of credit card debt.

What Are the Benefits of Visiting a Credit Counselor?

There are four major functions of a debt counselor, namely; debt management, budgeting, education, and tools application.

To paint the full picture of what each function entails, I’ve provided a bulleted list of mini-functions under each head-function.

Debt Management Benefits

* Evaluates the client’s total financial case by reviewing monthly wages, properties, credit card debts, expenses, credit reports, or other financial information.

* Develop debt management plans (DMP’s) and budgets to help clients meet their monetary goals.

* Drafts debt repayment dates in favor of clients.

* Recommend methods, such as adjusting budgets, applying for debt management plans, using personal loans, or declaring bankruptcy.

* Speaks to clients by telephone or physically to garner more financial data.

* Prepare documents to solidify legal contracts after getting a go-ahead from the client and creditor agency.

* Update records of the client’s account activity, like correspondence, financial transactions, or counseling session notes.

* Direct clients to community services or resources in cases beyond credit counseling.

* Evaluate the duration for Credit card debt repayment using the volume of debt, interest rates, income, and savings.

* Negotiate with creditors agency on behalf of clients to help adjust payments, reduce interest rates, extend payment duration, or devise a better DMP.

Budgeting Your Money to Pay Off Debt

* Evaluate the financial capacity or status of clients.

* Devise actionable methods to help clients pay their credit card debt, obtain permanent housing or mortgage programs.

* Creates monetary plans for clients while making debt repayment a priority



Financial Education to Avoid Getting in Debt

* Informs clients on financial issues, such as consumer protection laws, credit report ratings, wage attachments, bankruptcy laws, or collection actions.

* Recommends way forwards on housing issues, like mortgage delinquency, housing rental, and homeownership.

* When it comes to financial planning, credit or budgeting, debt counselors recommend educational materials for clients.


* Explain federal policies to clients, such as the DMP rules, the pros, and cons of enrolling in debt repayment plans, or lender concession policies.

Tools and Apps To keep You Debt Free

* Studies financial records for missing cheques, payment history, returned cheques, held money, or other similar cases to resolve client’s issues.

* Releases funds to creditors on behalf of clients.


* Oversees the foreclosure, repossessions, or removal of levies.

Best Credit Counseling Agencies in America

Credit counseling is a legit practice in America. Credit counseling society is dominated by non-profit organizations and Christian/religious entities.

The idea of credit counseling was spearheaded by lenders and credit agencies during the mid-’60s in a bid to curb the continuous outbreak of personal bankruptcies.

Even though there’s a difference from nation to nation or within a nation, consumer debt is basically made up of credit card debt, car loans, and home loans.

Credit counseling aka debt counseling deals with consumer debt, which isn’t in the client’s capacity to pay.

Aside from educating the client and creating a proper budget that suits the client’s income, credit counselors assist debtors in devising a debt management plan aka DMP.

In the United Kingdom, DMP is also known as IVA, an Individual voluntary arrangement.

For a DMP to be effective, the client has to give the credit counselor the mandate to negotiate with the creditor(s) on the behalf of the debtor.

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* Step 1 – Select your debt amount below to see if you’re eligible


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The aim of negotiation is to reduce the interest rate, extend payment date, lower monthly minimum payment, and waive outstanding late charges.

After the agreement has been made, the debt would be consolidated into a single payment, depending on the case at hand.

Not all debt cases demand a DMP or IVA, some debt counselors would go as far as negotiating debt relief or debt consolidation.

Does Credit Counseling Work: A Critic’s Perspective

Critics around the globe have criticized credit counseling, on the basis that the idea originated from credit agencies, who wanted to prevent debtors from seeking better alternatives.

Predatory practices include demanding unlawful or exorbitant fees, inability to meet the required standard, inability to proffer actionable solutions for clients, and neglecting the debtor’s interest in favor of the creditor.

Regulations Protecting Americans from Predatory Practices

The society of credit counselors is loosely regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in America.

The FTC is the nation’s debtor’s protection agency, which can slam credit agencies with a lawsuit for deception, extortion, and offenses of any nature.

Though the federal government has created policies protecting debtors, individual states may also regulate DMPs.

The attorney general of the state has the power to protect citizens from predatory practices.

There are two major associations representing the interests of creditors, namely: the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

SUMMARY

Like I noted earlier, the major benefit of enrolling for credit counseling is guidance.

To get the most out of credit counseling, you ought to be attentive to every debt solution proffered by the credit counselors.

Then, you can decide to opt-in for DMPs, debt relief, debt forgiveness, or bankruptcy.

With respect to education, tool application, Student loan Debt, debt management, and budgeting, debt counseling works.

It is also important to know that the debt counselor is not a magician: he/she can only persuade creditors to reduce the interest rates or extend the payment date, but the final decision lies in the hands of your creditors.

Though, most creditors prefer DMPs to bankruptcies.

source: ussa.inquirer.net