Google working on call-recording feature for native smartphone app

After first spotting preliminary code for a call-recording tool in version 43 of Google’s Phone app, XDA Developers reported that the feature’s code in Version 44 has been completed enough for the media to fully enable the tool and test it out.

If the feature actually does roll out to the public build of the application, users will be able to tap a “Record” button that is added to the app’s interface when a call is ongoing. This button can be used to both start and end call recording; the audio clip can then be listened to from the call log and exported as a .wav file. Though XDA Developers were unable to activate this element of the feature, users will also be able to view a transcript of the call.


To accommodate the legal conditions of call recording, a message will pop up when the Record button is tapped, reading, “When using the call recording feature, you are responsible for complying with applicable laws related to the recording of calls. Please be aware that many jurisdictions require the consent of both parties for such recording.” Everyone else in the call will automatically be told that “this call is now being recorded” and that “call recording has now ended” when a user begins and stops recording.

As of right now, there is no indication in the code that the feature will be restricted to certain phone models or regions when and if it does roll out the public. RGA

source: technology.inquirer.net

Fil-Am fan of Kobe Bryant visits crash site

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — Filipino-American Andy Digal Doria went to church on Monday morning (Philippine time) when he first learned of Kobe Bryant’s  death from a news alert on his phone.

“It’s devastating,” said Doria, a Glendale resident who works as a real estate broker in California.


“We’ve lost a legend,” he told Inquirer in an interview on Facebook Messenger.

Doria, a Los Angeles Lakers fan, immediately went to the crash site in Calabasas, about 30-minute drive from his home.

He said it was foggy and cold on Monday morning but it didn’t hamper fans to visit the crash site.

He said he had seen fans and media and emergency vehicles on Willlow Glen Street and Las Virgenes Road.

Calabasas officials encouraged people to go to the DeAnza Park as Las Virgenes and Lost Hills were off to the public.

Some fans brought LA Lakers jersey and streamers to show their love for Bryant.

He saw smoke from the crash site.

In downtown Los Angeles,  thousands of fans gathered outside the Staples Center  to remember Bryant.

Doria said the Los Angeles Police Department put restrictions around Staples Center. Fans could not be able to access the area, and some areas around the venue were closed.



Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash along with his daughter and 7 others who were on board.

Staples Center was the home of the Los Angeles Lakers, where Bryant spent all 20 years of his career.

Bryant, 41, an NBA great who retired in 2016, spent his 20-year career with the Lakers, earning five National Basketball Association championships and numerous other honors.

source: sports.inquirer.net

NBA legend Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash

NBA legend Kobe Bryant died Sunday when a helicopter crashed and burst into flames in foggy conditions in suburban Los Angeles, leaving five people dead, US media reported on Sunday.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's officials said there were no survivors from the morning crash on a rugged hillside in Calabasas, west of Los Angeles.

The helicopter was described as a Sikorsky S-76, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said.

TMZ was the first US outlet to report that Bryant was among the fatalities. The NBA icon's death was later confirmed by ESPN, CNN and the Los Angeles Times citing unidentified sources.

TMZ reported that Bryant's wife, Vanessa was not among those on board the helicopter.

Early reports of Bryant's death sent shockwaves throughout the world, with fellow stars and celebrities expressing disbelief at the news.

"I'm stunned," wrote Hall-of-Fame NBA star Scottie Pippen. "Words can't even come close to describing it. Just an incredibly sad and tragic day."

"This can't be true," Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic wrote on Twitter. "No please."

Tennis great Martina Navratilova added: "Gone much too soon, how devastating to hear of his passing, he gave joy to so many for so long - deep condolences to his family, his friends, his Laker family. RIP Kobe."

At the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, dozens of shocked fans gathered to pay tribute to the star.

The crash came only hours after the 41-year-old former Los Angeles Lakers icon was passed by current Lakers star LeBron James for third on the all-time NBA scoring list in a Saturday game at Philadelphia.

Bryant's final post on social media had been a tweet congratulating James on surpassing him.

"Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames," Bryant wrote. "Much respect my brother #33644".


- Five-time champion -


Bryant was a five-time NBA champion in a career that began in 1996 straight out of a high school and lasted until his retirement in 2016.

He also was a two-time Olympic gold medalist, helping spark the US squad of NBA stars to titles in 2008 at Beijing and 2012 at London.

Bryant bowed out of the NBA in 2016, scoring 60 points in his final appearance before his adoring fans at the Staples Center.

It was a fairytale farewell to a sporting career which had begun two decades earlier.

The son of former NBA player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, the Lakers legend was born in Philadelphia in 1978 while his father played for the 76ers.

The elder Bryant played from 1984 to 1991 in Italy, giving young Kobe a global worldview as he grew up dreaming of following his dad into the NBA.

When his father retired as a player, the family moved back to the Philadelphia area and Kobe began his star turn at Lower Merion High School, where his jersey number 33 was retired.

He decided at age 17 to jump directly from the prep ranks to the NBA, only the sixth player and first guard to make such a leap.

Bryant was selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA Draft but they were picking for the Lakers in a deal made before the draft.

At 18, Bryant became, at the time, the youngest player or starter in an NBA game and the youngest winner of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

In 1998, he became the youngest NBA All-Star starter. In a 1999 campaign shortened by a labor dispute, Bryant started every game for the Lakers and signed a six-year deal worth $70 million.

As the Michael Jordan era ended in Chicago, Bulls coach Phil Jackson wound up joining the Lakers and with sharpshooter Bryant joining dominating inside force Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers captured three NBA crowns in a row from 2000-2002, returning the team to glory days unseen since 1988.


He remained with the franchise for the remainder of his career, successfully branching out into the entertainment industry following his retirement.

In 2018, he won an Oscar for his animated short film "Dear Basketball", a love letter to the sport which brought him fame and fortune.

AFP

Oxford Economics: Wuhan coronavirus seen to cut tourism revenues in Asia, including PH

MANILA, Philippines — The influx of Chinese tourists to the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries would take a hit from the outbreak of Wuhan coronavirus, but most economies in the region were expected to be ready in offsetting any potential economic impact of the illness, UK-based Oxford Economics said Sunday.

“The Wuhan coronavirus outbreak could potentially be a high-impact but short-lived event, similar to the SARS experience in 2003. As such, we think that the current virus outbreak poses a downside risk to our China growth forecast, particularly in the first quarter and possibly the second quarter should the outbreak be prolonged. But beyond that the impact should begin to fade,” Oxford Economics senior economist Tommy Wu and head of India and Southeast Asia economics Priyanka Kishore said in a Jan. 26 research briefing titled “Wuhan virus raises downside growth risks in short-term.”


Oxford Economics explained that while China’s gross domestic product (GDP) may be impacted especially on the consumption side (such as retail and tourism), and to a lesser extent on investments and industries, the economic effect would be “less severe compared to the SARS episode, at least for now.”

“The faster reaction time by the Chinese authorities this time around, with increased transparency and firm actions taken recently, are certainly helpful in mitigating the impact on public health, confidence and the economy. That is so even though municipal and provincial governments have at times been late, faulty and non-transparent in their response, especially at the early stage of the outbreak. We also expect the government to roll out measures, if needed, to stabilize growth,” Oxford Economics said.

Elsewhere in Asia, the economic impact of the Wuhan coronavirus would be felt by countries hosting many Chinese tourists as they get locked down in the mainland.

“We expect the economies that have a higher share of tourism in GDP and are more reliant on Chinese tourists—Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines—to feel the impact more,” Oxford Economics said.

Citing Tourism Economics and World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) data, Oxford Economics noted that travel and tourism activities accounted for up to 25 percent of the Philippines’ GDP.

“Tourism and related industries, such as food and beverages, recreation, clothing, etc., are prominent drivers of growth for most Southeast Asian economies and Hong Kong. Moreover, Chinese tourists account for a higher share of total tourist arrivals in these economies compared to the SARS outbreak period,” Oxford Economics pointed out.

Asian economies were nonetheless seen to be able to withstand decline in foreign tourism receipts, especially from China. “All these economies have available policy space to buffer domestic demand, if needed,” Oxford Economics said.

As of Sunday, the Philippines remained free from infection of Wuhan coronavirus.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia last week said “there’s always a potential impact” on the economy when diseases such as the Wuhan coronavirus and African swine fever strike.


In a separate Jan. 24 report, London-based Capital Economics said that “if the outbreak continues to spread, one of the main channels through which the region will be affected is through a decline in tourist arrivals from China.”

“The number of Chinese travelling abroad has increased nearly ten-fold since the SARS outbreak in 2003 and spending by Chinese visitors now accounts for sizeable share of some countries’ GDP, most notably Hong Kong, Cambodia, Thailand, and Singapore,” Capital Economics senior Asia economist Gareth Leather said in a report titled “Coronavirus to hit tourism, upside surprise on growth.”

In the case of the Philippines, spending by Chinese visitors in the country was still very low compared to most of its Asean neighbors, at less than 1 percent of GDP, estimates compiled by Capital Economics showed.

“During the SARS outbreak in 2003, Chinese tourist numbers fell by around one-third. If they fell by a similar amount again, it would knock around 1.5-2 percentage points from GDP in the most vulnerable countries. Overall though, lessons from past epidemics show that while the initial hit to the economy can be severe, growth tends to bounce back quickly after the virus is contained,” Capital Economics said.

source: business.inquirer.net

Tinder introduces new tools to keep users safe

Tinder has announced a collection of tools for the app that prevent users from being catfished and help them keep in touch with trusted contacts and emergency services if needed.

A handful of the new tools are available thanks to the integration of Noonlight, a connected safety platform that gives each individual a personal safety service. Through Noonlight, users can share information about their date night — who they are meeting as well as where and at what time — with people they trust. Users can “discreetly trigger” emergency services in the event that they feel uncomfortable or in danger.


Along with Noonlight, Tinder has begun slowly rolling out Photo Verification, a feature that is still being tested, which “allows members to self-authenticate through a series of real-time posed selfies, which are compared to existing profile photos using human-assisted artificial intelligence technology.” Those with verified identities will have a blue checkmark next to their names in a very Twitter-like fashion.

Users will also be armed with a Safety Center tool which provides information about how to stay safe. The company has plans to eventually personalize this guide to each individual, but right now, it is rolling out with the same information for everyone.

Lastly, in select markets, the application will inform users if offensive content was sent thanks to machine learning. If this type of message is detected, Tinder will prompt users with a question asking “Does this bother you?” and if they answer “yes,” they will be presented with the option to block the person. Likewise, if a user is sending offensive content, the app will ask them to verify if they really want to send the material.

All features have already begun rolling out and will continue to over the next few months. RGA

source: technology.inquirer.net

Rock band founded by Fil-Am cousins is up for Grammy

DALY CITY, California – A rock band founded in this city by Filipino American cousins in 1982 is among headliners at this year’s Grammy Awards.

The seminal heavy metal band Death Angel, a progenitor of the “thrash metal” subgenre, received its first-ever nomination in its nearly 40 years on the stage, on the road and on records.


The band’s ninth album, “Humanicide” is facing Candlemass for “Astorolus – The Great Octopus”; I Prevail for “Bow Down”; Killswitch Engage for “Unleashed”, and Tool for “7empest” for Best Metal Performance at this year’s Grammy Awards.

Produced by Jack Suecof, the Death Angel album was released last May.  It wowed Germany, whose rockers made it the nation’s 19th-ranked album, according to Offizielle Top 100 of 2019.

Also nominated is Filipino American R&B singer-songwriter H.E.R., as Gabriella Wilson is known in the industry.  Last year the Vallejo, California, native won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Album.  She is nominated for five categories including Album, Record and Song of the Year with her album “I Wsed to Know Her” and “Hard Place.”

Named after the title of a book, Death Angel, is fronted by lead guitarist Rob Cavestany, the only one remaining of the original members. His cousin Mark Osegueda, who is also Filipino and reportedly the band’s former roadie, does lead vocals. Another Filipino and newer member, Ted Aguilar, plays rhythm guitar along with Damien Sisson on bass, and Will Carroll on drums.

“I was right here on this tour bus, behind my bunk at 5 a.m., when I woke up to our lead singer Mark shaking me,” Cavestany reveals in a Grammy Awards teaser how he learned about getting the industry nod for the first time.

He said the first person he called was his wife.  He disclosed that what most excited him about the 62nd Grammy Awards was meeting singer-songwriter-pianist Alicia Keys, a child musical prodigy.  Keys will host the ceremonies scheduled Sunday, January 26 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Death Angel defines Thrash Metal, the subgenre that takes rock rage to a new aggressive level.  Perhaps the most popular thrash metal band is Metallica, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers also born in the San Francisco Bay Area, whose lead guitarist is Filipino American Kirk Hammett.  In 2003 Rolling Stone named Hammett 11th among the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

Over the years, Death Angel has released nine studio albums, one box set and two live albums. It has weathered transitions, including the departure and return and second exit of founding member Andy Galeon, the original drummer.  Galeon, Cavestany, Dennis Pepa and Gus Pepa (who share a surname but are not brothers, Galeon noted) formed the original Death Angel in 1982.

Galeon left in 1991 when the band broke up temporarily.  He rejoined them 2001, after performing together at a benefit concert for a brother rocker, Chuck Billy of Testament, who was coping with cancer.  They regrouped afterwards, recorded and toured, but Andy opted out again in 2009; he was by then married and a father, saying his time had come to “move on.”

“That’s great!” Galeon raved about the Grammy nomination.  “I congratulate the guys for keeping the fire burning, passing the torch to a younger generation discovering thrash music.”

Galeon says the cousins, all US-born and raised in Daly City and Concord, California, naturally gravitated together being children of a musically inclined family.  His mother, the late community leader Erlinda Tiongco Galeon, played the marimba and the piano.

Their parents encouraged their passion for rock.  Their gigs were one of the rare reasons Erlinda Galeon, a Daly City Library Trustee and director of several nonprofit boards, would beg off from meetings and presentations.  She and her mom squad would scream the loudest near mosh pits, as fired up as their sons on stage.

Andy Galeon counts Black Sabbath, Rush, Scorpions and Iron Maiden as predecessors whose music inspired Death Angel.

Though he has stepped away from the band, he still gets together with them.

“We’ll always be cousins,” said the drummer who plays with “local bands around the Bay Area.”

source: usa.inquirer.net

Facebook to boost site safety with 1,000 more UK staff

Facebook on Tuesday said it plans to create 1,000 more London-based jobs this year to improve safety on the social network with the aid of artificial intelligence.

The announcement came as Facebook’s head of global affairs and communications Nick Clegg, a former United Kingdom deputy prime minister, again urged action on setting new rules for the internet.


“Last spring, Facebook’s chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg outlined four areas where he believes smart regulation can make a real difference: harmful content, election integrity, privacy and data portability,” Clegg said in a speech delivered in Rome.

“In these areas and others we are keen to engage constructively with policymakers. We have not only long accepted the need for new regulation, we are impatient to get going.”

And in a message directed at European policymakers, Clegg added: “Everyone agrees the internet needs new rules. We want them, just as you do. So let’s get to work.”

Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg meanwhile noted that increasing the company’s London workforce by around one third would help to “address the challenges of an open internet and develop artificial intelligence to find and remove harmful content more quickly.

“They will also help us build the tools that help small businesses grow, compete with larger companies and create new jobs,” she added.

Facebook said that it was increasing the number of staff at its largest engineering hub outside the United States to more than 4,000.

“The U.K. is a world leader in both innovation and creativity. That’s why I’m excited that we plan to hire an additional 1,000 people in London this year alone,” Sandberg said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomed the move, saying that “the U.K. is successfully creating both homegrown firms at the forefront of cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, whilst attracting established global tech giants like Facebook.” RGA

source: technology.inquirer.net

Eala in quarterfinals of Aussie Open lead up

Alex Eala fought her way back to defeat Russian Elina Avanesyan, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, on Sunday to make the girls singles quarterfinals of the AGL Loy Yang Traralgon junior international tennis in Australia.

The 14-year-old Eala, priming up for her main draw appearance in the coming Australian Open, displayed the grit and power that enabled her to vault to No. 9 in the world in girls singles.


“It was a big test for Alex,” said her father Mike just minutes after the match.

The fourth-seeded Eala was down a set and 3-5 at 30-all in the ninth game of the second set when she mounted the rally that secured her spot in the Top 8.

Eala had earlier disposed of Hungary’s Amarissa Kiara Toth, 6-1, 6-2, in the first round, before beating China’s Na Dong, 6-2, 6-1.

She also made the second round in doubles paired

with Indonesia’s Priska Madelyn Nugroho. They beat Australia’s Olivia Gadecki and Amy Stevens, 6-2, 7-5, to advance.

They were set to play Belgium’s Sofia Costoulas and Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic before play was halted due to rain. INQ

sports.inquirer.net

Eminem drops surprise album, advocates changes to gun laws

Rapper Eminem once again dropped a surprise album, releasing “Music to Be Murdered By” on Friday — along with a video that calls for changes to gun laws.

The follow-up to 2018’s “Kamikaze” — also released without warning — was announced on Twitter just after midnight.


The Detroit rapper’s new music video for “Darkness,” one of the album’s 20 tracks, depicts a shooting at a concert. The lyrics and storyline of the video specifically allude to the 2017 mass shooting at a music festival in Las Vegas that left 58 people dead, making it the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. It closes with audio and video footage of news broadcasts from other recent mass shooting around the U.S. and an appeal to register to vote.

“When will this end? When enough people care,” reads the text at the end of the video. “Register to vote at vote.gov. Make your voice heard and help change gun laws in America.”

A link to the music video on Eminem’s website encourages viewers to contact or visit several gun violence prevention organizations, including Everytown for Gun Safety and Sandy Hook Promise.

The cover art features blood spatter and a bearded Eminem clad in a suit and fedora and holding a shovel. An alternate cover features the same splatter, with a now hatless Eminem holding both a hatchet and a gun to his head in an homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 album of the same name: “Inspired by the master, Uncle Alfred!” Eminem tweeted.

“Music to Be Murdered By” is Eminem’s 11th studio album, according to his website.

Among many collaborators, the album features Ed Sheeran, Skylar Grey, Anderson .Paak and Juice WRLD, the 21-year-old rapper who died in December.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Jiro Manio arrested for stabbing man in Marikina

MANILA, Philippines — Former child star Jiro Manio was arrested in Marikina City for allegedly stabbing a man, police said.

Manio, 27, was taken into police custody Friday night after a concerned citizen alerted authorities of the incident on M.A Roxas St. in Brgy. San Roque, the Marikina City Police Department reported.



The victim was identified as  25-year-old Zeus Doctolero.

When police arrived on the scene, the citizen had already restrained Manio, who used an unknown weapon to stab Doctolego twice in the back shoulder, the report said.

The victim was brought to the hospital for treatment.

In a text message to INQUIRER.net, Marikina Police chief Col. Restituto Arcangel said that Manio is currently detained and will face charges of frustrated homicide.

Manio is known for his role in the 2003 family drama “Magnifico”, earning him the best child actor award from the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences.

source: ntertainment.inquirer.net

McGregor says he was ‘close’ to signing fight with Manny Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines — Conor McGregor’s first dabble in boxing did not end well after he was stopped in the 10th round by Floyd Mayweather three years ago.

But the MMA star doesn’t want that to be his only appearance inside the ring.


In an interview with Ariel Helwani on the MMA Show, McGregor bared his plans for at least three boxing fights, which include a rematch with Mayweather and a showdown with Manny Pacquiao, as well as his aspirations to win a boxing world title.

“I’d like to rematch Floyd. I mean, he’s flirting with it and they want all this. And he can go and pick someone else, it’s not gonna be the same. It’s not. I’ve done phenomenal in that bout,” McGregor said.

“But also, I would be open to other boxing bouts. You know, Manny. We’re actually close to signing Manny. There’s been talks about the Manny fight as well. There was an offer made on that. Just not yet,” added the former two-division champion in the UFC, who is also interested in fighting former boxing champion Paulie Malignaggi.


It’s not the first time a potential crossover clash between McGregor and Pacquiao came up after the two warriors had been reportedly engaged in “initial” talks about a fight in December 2017.

For now, boxing can wait with McGregor just four days away from his return to the Octagon against Donald Cerrone in the main event of UFC 246 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas after a 15-month layoff.

source: sports.inquirer.net

YouTube teases new Coachella documentary

YouTube Originals is partnering with the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival for a special documentary celebrating the festival’s 20th anniversary.

According to a press statement from YouTube, “Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert” will include “exclusive, never-before-seen footage and interviews” documenting the Californian festival’s colorful history.


The documentary will also feature performances by some of music’s biggest names, including Billie Eilish, Kanye West, Daft Punk, Travis Scott, Blackpink, Swedish House Mafia, Björk, The White Stripes, Madonna, Moby, Beck, Radiohead and others.

In addition to releasing the Chris Perkel-directed “Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert”, YouTube will return this year for the 10th year in a row as the official playlist and livestream partner for both weekends of the festival.

As is tradition, YouTube Premium members will receive exclusive access to a limited supply of passes for the 2020 edition of Coachella, which will take place across the second and third weekends of April.

General on-sale passes for weekend 1 (April 10 to 12) are currently sold out, while tickets for the festival’s second weekend (April 17 to 19) went on sale Jan. 6.

The announcement of “Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert” arrived on the heels of the star-studded lineup for the 2020 edition of the festival, which will be headlined by Travis Scott, Frank Ocean and Rage Against the Machine.

Weekend 1 is sold out  Register for Weekend 2 presale at https://t.co/x8PRTb12Eh. Presale starts Monday 1/6 at 12pm PT pic.twitter.com/QPRYnJVe9P

— Coachella (@coachella) January 3, 2020

Additional performers include Thom Yorke, Lana Del Rey, Lil Uzi Vert, FKA twigs, DaBaby, Run the Jewels, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Nas X, City Girls as well as Charli XCX.

Film composer and former Oingo Boingo frontman Danny Elfman will also make a special appearance at the festival, leading fans to speculate about whether he will perform some of his most popular compositions like the scores of “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, “Edward Scissorhands” and “Men in Black”.

I guess the cat is out of the bag. @coachella 2020!

Danny Elfman… Past, Present and Future! From Boingo to Batman and Beyond!#coachella #coachella2020 pic.twitter.com/qVKk4Siq3z

— Danny Elfman (@dannyelfman) January 3, 2020

This is not the first time that an award-winning film composer will take the stage of the Empire Polo Club.

Hans Zimmer made his debut at Coachella in 2017, bringing some of his most famous soundtracks to life alongside a full orchestra and special guest Pharrell Williams.

Ahead of the 2020 edition of Coachella, watch the newly-released teaser for “Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert”:

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Phivolcs: Volcanic tsunami possible if Taal alert level raised to 5

MANILA, Philippines — A volcanic tsunami is possible if the Taal Volcano alert is raised to 5, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned Monday.

“Yung volcanic tsunami po, pwede po natin iexpect sa panahon na mag-intesify pa po lalo ‘yung pinapakita ng Taal ngayon sa alert level 5,” Phivolcs Supervising Science Research Specialist Winchelle Sevilla said during the Taal Volcano interagency coordination meeting in Tagaytay.


(A volcanic tsunami is possible if Taal’s activity further intensifies to level 5.)

Phivolcs earlier raised Alert Level 4 over Taal Volcano which means a hazardous explosion may occur within hours or days.

Sevilla recommended residents near Taal’s lakeshore to evacuate amid the volcano’s heightened activity.

“Kung may mga kababayan po tayong nasa lakeshore area, posible po sigurong i-evacuate po muna natin. Kasi posible pong magkaroon ng volcanic tsunami kung sakali pong mag-intesify yung aktibidad (ng Taal),” Sevilla said.

(If there are residents near the lakeshore area, they should be evacuated since it’s possible for a volcanic tsunami to occur should Taal’s activities further heighten.)

A volcanic tsunami may occur in caldera lakes when water is displaced by deformation of the lake floor caused by rising magma, Phivolcs explained in its website.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

12 shot, five dead, in single day of shootings in Baltimore

BALTIMORE — Authorities say 12 people were shot, five of them fatally, in eight separate weekend shootings in Baltimore.

The first of Saturday’s shootings was reported at about 2:30 a.m. and involved three female victims, all found with apparent gunshot wounds in a car in a northeastern section of the city. One victim, a 28-year-old woman, died shortly after arriving at a hospital.



A few hours later, police responding to a shooting in southeast Baltimore found a 46-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the leg. Then, a second shooting victim, a 40-year-old man, walked into a hospital seeking treatment for a gunshot wound to his leg.

Shortly after 2:30 p.m. Saturday, police found a man fatally shot in southeast Baltimore. That was followed less than half an hour later by a shooting in central Baltimore that left a 37-year-old man wounded.

A 38-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound around 7 p.m. Saturday in northeast Baltimore.

A shooting in southwest Baltimore about an hour later left one man wounded and another dead. More gunfire a few minutes later in northeast Baltimore left a 37-year-old man fatally wounded.

Saturday’s violence ended shortly before 11 p.m., when officers found a 24-year-old man fatally wounded in northwest Baltimore.

The city recorded 348 homicides last year, its fifth consecutive year with more than 300 murders and the most violent year ever on a per-capita basis.

City council president Brandon Scott, a Democrat running for mayor, issued a statement Sunday condemning the violence.

“A day that should have been met with pride and community was once again flooded with violence and loss,” Scott wrote, an apparent reference to an NFL divisional playoff game hosted by the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night.

“This violence is heartbreaking and must stop now,” added Scott, who said he plans to question Baltimore’s police commissioner and other agency heads about what they were doing in the affected communities before and after the shootings.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Novak Djokovic beats Shapovalov, leads Serbia into ATP Cup semis

SYDNEY— Novak Djokovic had an almost full house on his side at Ken Rosewell Arena, and felt like he needed to be a responsible host for his guests.

There was a delay late in the third set of his ATP Cup quarterfinal match against Denis Shapovalov on Friday when a spectator needed medical attention from paramedics and Djokovic, despite being down 0-30 while serving for the match, took a bottle of water over toward the stadium seating and asked the crowd to pass it along.

He got back level at 30-30 in that game before Shapovalov broke to level the set at 5-5. The Canadian saved a breakpoint in the next game but after the match went to a tiebreaker following 2 1/2 hours, Djokovic seized control by winning the first five points and then finished off a comeback 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4).

Dusan Lajovic had earlier beaten Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-2 and so Djokovic’s win sealed the quarterfinal ahead of the doubles match, giving Serbia a spot in the semifinals against Russia. Serbia won the doubles to complete a 3-0 sweep.

“That was so close, it could have gone in a different way easily. (Shapovalov) was playing terrific tennis,” Djokovic said. “It felt, not a little bit, fully like I’m playing at home.”

Djokovic, who has won a record seven Australian Open men’s singles titles, was playing in Sydney for the first time in a decade after going 3-0 in singles in the ATP Cup group stage in Brisbane.

“I’m mean, Brisbane we had amazing support — but this has taken it to a different level,” Djokovic said. “All the Serbian people came out today.

“They were engaged sometimes a little bit too much, and Denis was rightfully annoyed at times, you know, with the sounds, but it was a Davis Cup-like atmosphere, really. I mean, ATP Cup brings this kind of opportunity for players to experience something they don’t experience in 90% of the tournaments.”

The temperature topped topped 33 Celsius (91 F) during the match, and it was hazy outside with a lack of breeze, making the conditions inside the arena stifling.

Djokovic endured it all to extend his record to 5-0 against Shapovalov. The constant chants and even a burst of trumpet from the flag-waving Serbian fans certainly helped him, he said. The 16-time major winner reveled in the team environment, with his teammates and coaches on the side of the court, and the echo of “Nole, Nole, Nole” going around the stadium.

Shapovalov complained about the noise made as he served a double-fault to fall behind 4-0 in the tiebreaker, and the umpire asked the crowd to keep quiet during the service motion.


He was agitated during the match but didn’t complain later, saying he was getting more comfortable taking on Djokovic and the other top players.

“With my confidence right now, with my game, I really feel that I can take it to anyone, and I feel like against anyone I have a chance to win,”he said. “Today again, it’s another step for me, showing me that I’m right there with these guys. Honestly, I was a couple points away from taking the match. So, yeah, I think I’m at a really good position.”

Russia captain Marat Safin said his team would benefit from the extra day of rest and could win both singles matches against Serbia on Saturday, and have the semifinal wrapped up before the doubles.

Australia awaits in the semifinals for the winner of Friday’s later match between Spain and Belgium.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Ozzy Osbourne, Elton John tease upcoming collaboration

AFP - The unexpected collaboration was recently announced by Osbourne’s wife, Sharon, on her daytime chat show “The Talk”.

“There’s new music, and it’s great. He’s got his friends playing on it. He’s doing a song with Elton [John]. There’s so much good stuff. Good things,” she teased without sharing further details about the project.


Although Ozzy Osbourne and Elton John have never duetted in the past, the two musicians worked together for the 2011 animated film, “Gnomeo and Juliet”.

John notably contributed to the movie’s soundtrack, while the 71-year-old metal legend voiced the character of Fawn.

In a recent interview with The Sun, Osbourne revealed that John had been particularly supportive in the past few months, which were marred by a series of health issues for the former Black Sabbath frontman.

“Elton is a sweetheart. He has phoned me throughout all this. He was at the house the other day with his two boys. They are great kids. They are such a good family. You would be surprised. When you are feeling miserable, you find out who is a friend and who doesn’t give a sh*t,” he explained.

It is still uncertain whether Osbourne and John’s collaborative song will appear on the metal legend’s upcoming new album, which is set to arrive in the coming weeks.

“Ordinary Man” will notably mark Osbourne’s first studio effort in nearly a decade, with the rocker describing the follow-up to his 2010 “Scream” as “quite possibly the most important album I have done in a very long time.”

The album was recorded in Los Angeles with the help of Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and producer Andrew Watt.

Osbourne revealed that he was inspired to return to the studio for “Ordinary Man” by his recent collaboration with chart-topper Post Malone on “Take What You Want”, which appeared on Posty’s “Hollywood’s Bleeding.”

While Osbourne’s 12th studio opus is on the way, John recently won the award for “Best Original Song” alongside his longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin at the 2020 Golden Globes.



“It’s the first time I won an award with him. Ever. We never won a Grammy, we never did anything together except for this and I’m so happy, thank you very much,” the vocalist said during the award ceremony.

The pair won the prestigious award for “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again”, which they penned for the award-winning biopic retracing John’s life, “Rocketman”. CL/JB

Getting It Straight: Conforming Loans vs. Non-Conforming Loans

Although mortgage translations are less than obvious, it’s palpable that most Canadians demand an elevated level of clarification when it comes to the pivotal commitment. A genuine comprehension of mortgage systems is trying enough, and when combined with deciphering a plethora of terminology, the task to many seems daunting. One strong example is distinguishing conforming loans from non-conforming loans. Getting it straight, once and for all, is vital.

Conforming Loans

A conforming loan is indicative of loan limit restrictions and, simultaneously, a number of unique preconditions are enforced. The Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA or Fannie Mae) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC or Freddie Mac) are government-sponsored entities that prompt and administer the market for home loans. These agencies have definitive protocols and decrees that mortgages must observe. Statutes describe and define maximum loan amounts, advisable properties, preconditions for down payments, and credit stipulations to name a few. In essence, there are a plethora of details that are premeditated, which ultimately are most advantageous and unique to you and your capacities.

The fundamental appeal of a conforming loan is that they award a lower interest rate, analogous to non-conforming loans. This constitutes lower monthly mortgage payments and, ultimately, less spending throughout the life of your investment.

Non-Conforming Loans

A non-conforming loan does not observe Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and, consequently, cannot sell to these divisions of government. Judged as tricky and encompassing a higher level of risk, they are a challenging sell with banks imposing higher interest rates. In essence, banks write the bulk of mortgages, then conclusively settle on the portfolios of FNMA or FHLMC after being purchased from financial institutions. They are then packaged into mortgage-backed securities (MBS), which sell on the secondary market. An MBS is quite akin to a bond that is comprised of an array of purchased home loans from banks, also receiving payments reflective of bond coupons.

Non-conforming “jumbo loans” include any lending above the conforming limit; these loans are geared toward high-income earners who have good credit and productive assets. Lenders will characteristically assume a more significant risk with these mortgages by virtue of the loan size and lack of government insurance.

The appeal of a non-conforming loan is very clear cut. Although these types of loans are substantially riskier and less prevalent, they allow you to borrow more sizeable amounts, not feasible with their counterpart conforming loans. Typically, to diminish any hazard, lenders demand a significant down payment or require mortgage payments in an asset account for added security. The risk to the lender is offset through generally higher interest rates, more sizable upfront fees, and stricter underwriting requirements.

From the sale of mortgages, financial institutions use the profit of sales to invest in offering new loans at the current interest rate. But Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are restricted from purchasing indiscriminate mortgage products. Their federal rules conform to loans synonymous with protection and security. They are most advantageous to banks, as they are sales that are deemed less complicated and conclusively more appealing to borrowers.

Our expert team at Northwood Mortgage has many more answers to simple or more intricate mortgage questions, and we look forward to connecting with you. As one of the most venerated brokerages in the GTA, our team exemplifies prized services and choice products to our clients, lenders, and investors alike.

We invite you to visit us for more insight at Northwood Mortgage.com or talk to us one-on-one for a more personal assessment, fitting your needs, at 1-888-495-4825.

source: northwoodmortgage.com

Samsung to release Galaxy S20, Galaxy Fold 2 on Feb. 11

SEOUL — Samsung Electronics will release the sequel to the Galaxy S10 at an event next month.

In an invitation sent to media on Sunday, the Korean tech giant said it “will unveil new, innovative devices that will shape the next decade of mobile experiences. The reveal will take place at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event in San Francisco at 11 a.m. on February 11.”


Samsung is expected to unveil Galaxy S20, the next iteration in the Galaxy S series, and Galaxy Fold 2, the successor to the Galaxy Fold.

The invitation shows two squares instead of the letter “a” in the spelling of Galaxy. The first rectangular shape seems to imply the Galaxy S20 while the second appears to hint that the next Galaxy Fold is folded in half in a clamshell design.

Industry watchers say while the Galaxy Fold could be used like a tablet by expanding the screen, the next product will increase portability by folding the screen in half.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Pentagon says US airstrike killed powerful Iranian general

BAGHDAD — The Pentagon said Thursday that the U.S. military has killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, at the direction of President Donald Trump.

An airstrike killed Soleimani, architect of Iran’s regional security apparatus, at Baghdad’s international airport Friday, Iranian state television and three Iraqi officials said, an attack that’s expected to draw severe Iranian retaliation against Israel and American interests.

The Defense Department said Soleimani “was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.” It also accused Soleimani of approving the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad earlier this week.

A statement released late Thursday by the Pentagon said the strike on Soleimani “was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans.”

The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF, Iraqi officials said. The PMF media arm said the two were killed in an American airstrike that targeted their vehicle on the road to the airport.

Citing a Revolutionary Guard statement, Iranian state television said Soleimani was “martyred” in an attack by U.S. helicopters near the airport, without elaborating.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who was vacationing on his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, but sent out a tweet of an American flag.

Their deaths are a potential turning point in the Middle East and if the U.S. carried them out, it represents a drastic change for American policy toward Iran after months of tensions.

Tehran shot down a U.S. military surveillance drone and seized oil tankers. Meanwhile, the U.S. blames Iran for a series of attacks targeting tankers, as well as a September assault on Saudi Arabia’s oil industry that temporarily halved its production.

The tensions take root in Trump’s decision in May 2018 to withdraw the U.S. from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers, struck under his predecessor.

A senior Iraqi politician and a high-level security official confirmed to The Associated Press that Soleimani and al-Muhandis were among those killed in the attack shortly after midnight. Two militia leaders loyal to Iran also confirmed the deaths, including an official with the Kataeb Hezbollah faction, which was involved in the New Year’s Eve attack by Iran-backed militias on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.



The security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said al-Muhandis had arrived to the airport in a convoy along with others to receive Soleimani, whose plane had arrived from either Lebanon or Syria. The airstrike took place near the cargo area after he left the plane to be greeted by al-Muhandis and others.

Two officials from the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces said Suleimani’s body was torn to pieces in the attack while they did not find the body of al-Muhandis. A senior politician said Soleimani’s body was identified by the ring he wore.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject and because they were not authorized to give official statements.

As the head of the Quds, or Jerusalem, Force of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Soleimani led all of its expeditionary forces. Quds Force members have deployed into Syria’s long war to support President Bashar Assad, as well as into Iraq in the wake of the 2003 U.S. invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, a longtime foe of Tehran.

Soleimani rose to prominence by advising forces fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and in Syria on behalf of the embattled Assad.

U.S. officials say the Guard under Soleimani taught Iraqi militants how to manufacture and use especially deadly roadside bombs against U.S. troops after the invasion of Iraq. Iran has denied that. Soleimani himself remains popular among many Iranians, who see him as a selfless hero fighting Iran’s enemies abroad.

Soleimani had been rumored dead several times, including in a 2006 airplane crash that killed other military officials in northwestern Iran and following a 2012 bombing in Damascus that killed top aides of Assad. Rumors circulated in November 2015 that Soleimani was killed or seriously wounded leading forces loyal to Assad as they fought around Syria’s Aleppo.

Earlier Friday, an official with the Popular Mobilization Forces said seven people were killed by a missile fired at Baghdad International Airport, blaming the United States.

The official with the group known as the Popular Mobilization Forces said the dead included its airport protocol officer, identifying him as Mohammed Reda.

A security official confirmed that seven people were killed in the attack on the airport, describing it as an airstrike. Earlier, Iraq’s Security Media Cell, which releases information regarding Iraqi security, said Katyusha rockets landed near the airport’s cargo hall, killing several people and setting two cars on fire.



It was not immediately clear who fired the missile or rockets or who was targeted. There was no immediate comment from the U.S.

The attack came amid tensions with the United States after a New Year’s Eve attack by Iran-backed militias on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. The two-day embassy attack which ended Wednesday prompted President Donald Trump to order about 750 U.S. soldiers deployed to the Middle East.

It also prompted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to postpone his trip to Ukraine and four other countries “to continue monitoring the ongoing situation in Iraq and ensure the safety and security of Americans in the Middle East,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said Wednesday.

The breach at the embassy followed U.S. airstrikes on Sunday that killed 25 fighters of the Iran-backed militia in Iraq, the Kataeb Hezbollah. The U.S. military said the strikes were in retaliation for last week’s killing of an American contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base that the U.S. blamed on the militia.

U.S. officials have suggested they were prepared to engage in further retaliatory attacks in Iraq.

“The game has changed,” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Thursday, telling reporters that violent acts by Iran-backed Shiite militias in Iraq — including the rocket attack on Dec. 27 that killed one American — will be met with U.S. military force.

He said the Iraqi government has fallen short of its obligation to defend its American partner in the attack on the U.S. embassy.

The developments also represent a major downturn in Iraq-U.S. relations that could further undermine U.S. influence in the region and American troops in Iraq and weaken Washington’s hand in its pressure campaign against Iran.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

LG announces new home appliance for indoor gardening

With CES 2020 just around the corner, LG recently announced a refrigerator-like indoor gardening appliance that can water plants, moderate temperature and provide artificial sunshine.

LG is taking indoor gardening to the next level with its home gardening cultivator. The appliance resembles a fridge, but instead of simply providing cool, controlled temperatures in which to store food, it gives plants light and water, and can be monitored through a complimentary mobile application.



The unit mimics optimal outdoor growing conditions with temperature control, LED lights, forced air circulation and wick-based water management to help consumers who want to know “exactly what’s in their food and where it comes from,” and “anyone interested in pursuing a healthier, greener lifestyle” grow herbs and vegetables all year round, per LG.

Up to two dozen of LG’s available seed packages — each containing seeds, peat moss and fertilizer — can be moderated by the device. A non-circulating water system administers the appropriate amount of water to each packet while discouraging the growth of algae and the diffusion of odors. When the appliance launches, 20 different varieties of plants will be available, including various types of lettuces, basil and arugula.

The appliance will be unveiled in full and demonstrated at this year’s CES conference, which runs from January 7 to 10, 2020, in Las Vegas. Pricing and availability of the cultivator and accompanying seed packets have not yet been announced. NVG

source: technology.inquirer.net