4UMF Present– Today Headlines as on 12 July 2013
Current Events | Current News | Entertainment News •Derek Jeter Injured •Lil Twist Arrested •Man Robs Gas Station While Applying For Work •Africa‟s Economy Sees Rapid Growth •Nokias Lumia 1020 Features 41 Megapixel Camera •Teen Robot Tricks Online Predators •Medal For Star Wars Director George Lucas •Toddler Buys Car Online While Playing With Phone •Bieber Calls Bill Clinton To Apologize •Target Facing Lawsuit For Racist Training Manual
DEREK JETER INJURED Derek Jeter played his first game at Yankee Stadium since fracturing his ankle some eight months ago. And then departed early with another injury. Jeter singled and drove in a run in four at-bats Thursday against the Kansas City Royals, finally returning from two ankle surgeries in the wake of a gruesome ankle injury suffered in the American League Championship Series. But after his right quadriceps muscle tightened up, he conferred with trainers and manager Joe Girardi before his fifth at-bat, and was removed for pinch hitter Brett Gardner. Jeter will undergo an MRI on the quadricep. “It‟s not frustrating. Yet,” Jeter said after the Yankees‟ 8-4 victory. “I‟m going to get an MRI. I hope it‟s not a big deal.” Jeter began playing in rehab games more than a week ago. At 39, it‟s somewhat understandable he‟d have a few creaks in trying to return. It was an uncharacteristically cautious Jeter who met with the media after the game, striking a wait-and-see pose rather than his usual, defiant tone toward injury questions. “If it‟s all good,” he said of the MRI, “then I‟m playing.”
LIL TWIST ARRESTED The rapper known as Lil Twist has been arrested for investigation of driving under the influence after being stopped in California while he was behind the wheel of Justin Bieber‟s luxury sports car. Christopher Moore, 20, was pulled over around 3:30 a.m. Thursday on a Calabasas road leading to a gated community where Bieber lives, said Los Angeles County Sheriff‟s Department spokesman Steve Whitmore. Moore was driving a 2012 Fisker registered to the pop star and going between 60 and 70 mph in an area that has a 30 mph speed limit because of construction, authorities said. Investigators think Moore might have been under the influence of marijuana. Bail was set at $5,000 for the misdemeanor offense. Moore is signed to Lil Wayne‟s Young Money Entertainment label imprint. An email seeking comment was sent to his record label.
MAN ROBS GAS STATION WHILE APPLYING FOR WORK Seems like foolproof plan: start filling out a job application at the gas-station counter, pretend to be engrossed in the paperwork, and when the clerk walks away, grab the money you‟ve spotted in an easily accessible drawer. Simple victimless crime. Don‟t even need a squirt gun to pull off that trick. That‟s what Anthony Thomas is accused of doing yesterday morning at the Ocala Citgo in Marion County, Florida. As a surveillance video from the Citgo shows, the 33-year-old reached over the counter as an employee walked away, opened a drawer, and pulled out a wad of cash. Then, apparently, Thomas ran off. Police were alerted and they caught up with him a few blocks away from the store. But how‟d the officers confirm he was the suspect? Ocala Police said they were able to identify him by the job application he filled out beforehand. He‟d used his real name and personal information on the forms. Oh, Flordia.
AFRICA’S ECONOMY SEES RAPID GROWTH Africa„s economy is growing faster than any other continent, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB). A new report from the AfDB said one-third of Africa‟s countries have GDP growth rates of more than 6%. The costs of starting a business have fallen by more than two-thirds over the past seven years, while delays for starting a business have been halved. The continent‟s middle class is growing rapidly – around 350 million Africans now earn between $2 and $20 a day. The share of the population living below the poverty line in Africa has fallen from 51% in 2005 to 39% in 2012. Africa‟s collective gross domestic product (GDP) per capita reached $953 last year, while the number of middle income countries on the continent rose to 26, out of a total of 54. The AfDB‟s Annual Development Effectiveness Report said the growth was largely driven by the private sector, thanks to improved economic governance and a better business climate on the continent. “This progress has brought increased levels of trade and investment, with the annual rate of foreign investment increasing fivefold since 2000.
NOKIAS LUMIA 1020 FEATURES 41 MEGAPIXEL CAMERA Nokia has unveiled a new handset with a 41 megapixel sensor which it claims can record “details never thought possible from a smartphone”. It says consumers will be able to zoom in and reframe their photos without worrying about the image quality suffering. Analysts who have tested the device said that it was “without doubt” the best smartphone camera on the market. But they added that was not a guarantee that it would be a bestseller. Market research firm IDC recently carried out a survey of smartphone owners in 25 countries to identify what factors were most likely to drive future purchases. The results placed camera resolution 15th on a list of 23 features. Audio quality for voice, battery life, device security and browsing came top of the poll. “Most people just look at their photos on their smartphone or via a social network on a computer – and for this the other vendors already provide very good quality,” Francisco Jeronimo, a mobile phone analyst at the firm, told the BBC. “Nokia needs to convince consumers that this new handset
TEEN ROBOT TRICKS ONLINE PREDATORS Spanish researchers have created a robot posing as a 14-year-old girl to spot paedophiles in online chatrooms. Negobot uses artificial intelligence (AI) software to chat realistically and mimic the language used by teenagers. The “virtual Lolita” starts off neutral but will adopt any of seven personalities according to the intensity of interactions. Experts say it can help overburdened police but may risk trapping people unfairly. The team behind the project at the University of Deusto near Bilbao say the software represents a real advance. One of its creators, Dr Carlos Laorden, said that in the past “chatbots” have tended to be very predictable. “Their behaviour and interest in a conversation are flat, which is a problem when attempting to detect untrustworthy targets like paedophiles,” he noted. By contrast, the Negobot uses advanced decision-making strategies known as “game theory” to simulate convincing chats as they develop. It can take the lead in conversations, and remember specific facts about what had been discussed previously, and with whom. Child-like behaviour The so-called conversational agent also uses child-like language and slang, introducing spelling mistakes and contractions to further spoof the
MEDAL FOR STAR WARS DIRECTOR GEORGE LUCAS Star Wars director George Lucas has received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in a ceremony at the White House. Lincoln screenwriter Tony Kushner and soprano Renee Fleming were also among the 23 recipients honoured for their cultural contributions to the US. The president praised their ability “`to open up minds and nourish souls”. “[To] help us understand what it means to be human, and what it means to be an American”. “The work that we honour today, the lifetime achievement of these artists and these scholars, reminds us that the human imagination is still the most powerful tool that we have as a people,” Mr Obama told the medallists. “Frankly, this is just fun for me because I feel like I know you all because I‟ve enjoyed your performances.” He hailed 69-year-old filmmaker Lucas for “transforming” movies. “I remember when I first saw Star Wars,” said Mr Obama, who was a teenager when the first film was released in 1977.
TODDLER BUYS CAR ONLINE WHILE PLAYING WITH PHONE Like many toddlers, 14-month-old Sorella Stoute enjoys playing with her dad‟s smartphone. What‟s not to like? An interactive screen, bright colors, probably some games. And, of course, the eBay app, which Sorella used to buy a 1962 Austin Healey when her father wasn‟t paying attention. “She decided to open the eBay app, and started clicking around and one thing led to another and we own a car,” Sorella‟s dad, Paul Stoute, told KOIN 6. Luckily for Stoute and his wife, the used car was relatively inexpensive, costing just $225. Even so, the purchase – which the Stoutes found out about when they received the congratulatory email from eBay – initially worried the couple. “It was a „What do we do? We can‟t really afford it‟ type of thing,” Stoute said. They ultimately decided to keep the car, storing it behind the home of Sorella‟s grandmother, Carlene Stenejhem, who at first had trouble believing the news. “I said, „Yeah, right,‟” Stenejhem said. “And [my daughter] said, „No, Sorella bought a car on eBay and we have to buy it.‟” Stoute hopes to restore the car as a gift for Sorella‟s 16th birthday or graduation. “I‟m just glad she didn‟t buy the $38,000 Porsche I was
BIEBER CALLS BILL CLINTON TO APOLOGIZE Public urinator Justin Bieber took to his Twitter account yesterday evening to say he and Bill Clinton buried the hatchet after the pop singer was caught on tape dousing a photo of the former president with cleaning liquid and obscenities. “@billclinton thanks for taking the time to talk Mr. President,” Bieber tweeted. “Your words meant alot. #greatguy.” Bieber didn‟t elaborate on the exchange, nor did Clinton respond to the tweet, but several gossip sites say it was Bieber who phoned Clinton to apologize for disrespecting him. A source who spoke with Extra says the two had a “great conversation” during which Clinton accepted the apology and “told the pop star to be conscious of the friends he keeps and to focus on the good work he is doing.” Clinton, who knows a thing or two about being caught with his pants down doing something he should be doing, told Bieber “if that is the worst thing you have ever done, all is well,” according to E! Online. No word on whether Bieber also reached out to the kitchen staff at Artichoke Basille‟s Pizza to apologize for making them clean a mop bucket full of his piss.
TARGET FACING LAWSUIT FOR RACIST TRAINING MANUAL Three former Target warehouse employees are suing the retail chain, claiming they were fired after complaining about a racist training document used at a California distribution center. Molly Snyder, a spokesman for Target, confirmed that the document had been used at the center. She added that the company was taking responsibility for the document, though she noted it was not part of any “formal or company-wide training.” From Snyder‟s statement: “It is never Target‟s intent to offend our team members or guests and we apologize. The content of the document referenced is not representative of who Target is. We strive at all times to be a place where our team and guests feel welcome, valued and respected. This document, which was used during conversations at one distribution center, was never part of any formal or company-wide training. We take accountability for its contents and are truly sorry.” But what exactly does training document, titled “Organization Effectiveness, Employee and Labor Relations Multi-Cultural Tips,” say? Here‟s an excerpt from the lawsuit: “This document instructs managers to note differences among Hispanic employees, and states the following: “a. Food: not everyone eats tacos and burritos; “b. Music: not everyone dances to salsa; “c. Dress: not everyone wears a sombrero;