Confident Trump: “I don’t need Jay Z” as battle for White House enters final weekend

As the US presidential election campaign enters its final weekend, Donald Trump says he does not need celebrities like Jay Z to appeal to voters.

The Republican candidate says his “old-fashioned” approach is all he needs to pack out arenas and insists that supporters are drawn to his message.

In dismissing the likes of Jay Z he is directly contrasting his approach with the more glitzy star-studded rallies favored by Democrat rival Hillary Clinton.

With election day just three days away, both candidates are making a final push for the White House in key battleground states.

Celebrity

Clinton has favored the celebrity factor with megastar couple Jay Z and Beyonce supporting the democratic candidate at an event in Cleveland, Ohio.

Beyonce said: “I want my daughter to grow up seeing a woman lead our country” while Jay Z dismissed The Donald as “divisive” adding that: “He cannot be my president.”

Speaking to adoring supporters who packed into an arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Trump was quick to contrast his campaigning style with that of Clinton.

He told the crowd: “I didn’t have to bring J-Lo or Jay Z – the only way she gets anybody. I’m here all by myself.”

Trump was not quite all by himself though as he silenced the crowd when he brought onstage the parents of teenager Riley Rone, 19, who was tragically killed in a Memorial Day motorcycle accident.

Honor

Rone’s mother Barbara Rone said: “I want you to please, please, please vote for Mr. Donald Trump in my son’s honor.”

The Trump campaign team feel that endorsements like that will strike the right chord with voters and give him the edge on Tuesday.

Upbeat Trump said: “We’re leading in Ohio, we’re leading in Iowa, we’re leading in North Carolina, we’re leading in New Hampshire, we’re leading in Florida.”

Both candidates are ramping up the gas in these final days with a packed schedule of engagements designed to both win over new voters and persuade their existing supporters to get out and vote.

LeBron James

Clinton has more big names lined up to support her with both President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden campaigning for her this weekend.

Then on Sunday NBA star LeBron James – regarded as the world’s best basketball player – is due to stand side-by-side with Clinton in Cleveland.

Trump would argue that he has substance over celebrity but neither candidate can afford to take it easy at this crucial time in what has been a long and bitter campaign.

They both must do all they can to bring their supporters out to vote and while their campaign styles are vastly different their ultimate goal is exactly the same.

This has been one of the most controversial American elections of all time and the world is waiting to see how the electorate will vote in just three days time.

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Clinton Rallies and Secured Democratic Vote as Terror Attack Threats Intensifies

In the latest electoral survey, the Republican candidate Donald Trump gained more likely voters. However, the Democratic flag bearer, Hillary Clinton rallies in states which considered to safe for Democrats.

According to BBC, both parties concentrate on convincing their supporters to vote rather than influencing the ‘undecided’.

In an early election, 37 million voters cast their votes.

Threats of Terrorism

US Law enforcements received intelligent reports of any Al-Queda terrorism-related attack. The report “lacks specificity” according to a police spokesman.

However, authorities believed that New York, Texas and Virginia, amongst the potential targets for the attack. They constantly evaluate all possible terror threats prior to major national events

Possible terror attack news intensifies as both Clinton and Trump plan their final campaign march in battleground states across the country.

The two presidential candidates campaign in Ohio and Pennsylvania. According to poll surveys released on Tuesday, the two states are crucial battlegrounds for the election.

Two candidates battle out

In one of his campaign, Trump’s showed his downright opposition to Clinton’s foreign policy on Syria He told a group of supports that Clinton wants “550% increase” of refugees in Syria coming into the US.

The real estate mogul said, “Her plan would mean generations of terrorism, extremism, and radicalism spreading into our schools and communities”.

On the other hand, Clinton’s rebuttal for Trump’s attack on her is his temperament and judgmental comments about women and minority groups. She told her supporters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that Trump was “unfit” to be the next president because of his behavior.

John Podesta, the Democrats campaign head joined the heated rebuttal of the two presidentiables. Podesta said that Trump should ask the New Jersey’s Governor, Chris Christie to resign his post. Christie also acts as the head of the Republican candidate’s transition team.

Christie’s two aides were found guilty in scheming traffic jams in New Jersey. An act considered spreading political turmoil against a local Democratic mayor. Christie denied any participation in the deed.

Trump leads the way in Ohio, according to Real Clear Politics, the state polling agency. Meanwhile, Clinton leads the election in a small fringe in Pennsylvania.

Recent national polls indicate that the Republican candidate gained momentum in several battlegrounds in the last few weeks.

Clinton struggles

Clinton struggles within the last few weeks of the electoral race because of her rough relationship with the FBI. The agency presses on their investigation regarding Clinton’s private email used when she was still the Secretary of State during the Obama administration.

In July, the FBI looked into her private email use but did not charge her for any illegal misconduct. Clinton said she is sure that the new probe will not affect FBI’s original assessment on her.

Furthermore, Clinton’s camp questioned FBI’s ill timing of the announcement of their investigation. Two senior Democrats requested for an investigation of the former New York Mayor and Trump surrogate, Rudy Giuliani’s role in the FBI probe.

On Friday morning, Guiliani’s interview with Fox News indicated he knew about the probe even before FBI announced the news. He said, “I had no role in it. Did I hear about it? You’re darn right I heard about it.”

Later that day, Democratic Members, Elijah Cummings and John Conyers, requested the Justice Department to investigate Giuliani’s source of information. In the letter they wrote, “Leaking this information to former FBI officials as a conduit to the Trump campaign is equally intolerable”.

Guiliani told CNN that “No, I’ve spoken to no current FBI agents’, and denied all allegations that he had any knowledge of the investigation.

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Source: Takata considers bankruptcy for U.S. unit

Air bag maker Takata Corp of Japan is considering a bankruptcy filing for its U.S. unit. The company is currently looking for a sponsor to help pay for accountabilities connected to its faulty inflators, a person informed on the subject told Reuters.

Takata has been occupied in choosing a financial backer for its reversal as it faces enormous costs associated to the worldwide recall of millions of potentially defective inflators. A company-appointed steering committee has engaged investment bank Lazard Ltd as an consultant for the process.

The company is straining to supply replacement parts for the potentially faulty inflators, which have been linked to more than 16 deaths worldwide, mostly in the United States. The incidents have led to the industry’s largest ever recall, with about 100 million instructed to be withdrawn globally.

The source said a Chapter 11 filing for Michigan-based TK Holdings, its U.S. unit, was one option it was studying, although no filing was expected soon. The unit accounts for almost half of Takata’s global sales.

A filing would not be forthcoming because the company still had to pick a sponsor and finalize terms. Further, it would have to arrive at a settlement with automaker creditors, the source said.

On Friday, Takata recapped its willingness to finalize a deal with its automaker customers over the restructuring, ideally by year-end. It added though that any decision eventually would be made by the steering committee.

“Our preference would be to restructure debts through an out-of-court settlement with creditors. This has been our position since the start, and has not changed,” Takata CFO Yoichiro Nomura told reporters at a results briefing.

“Aside from that, we’re open to all options.”

He added that an out-of-court resolution would be desirable to a court-ordered bankruptcy for all of the company’s global operations. Allowing the company to continue operations would ensure a steady supply of inflator replacement parts involved in the recall.

Sources told Reuters last month that the struggle over bankruptcy is expected to defer by months the designation of a rescuer. Likewise, completion of Takata’s restructuring plans that were expected to be completed this year would have to be moved back.

Bidders for the company include Sweden’s Autoliv and Japanese inflator maker Daicel Corp, sources have said. On the other hand, its creditors include the world’s leading automakers including the Renault/Nissan alliance, Honda Motor Co, and Ford Motor Co.

Escalating air bag-related costs have battered Takata’s profits. Last year, the company booked its third annual loss in four years. Moreover, its share price has dropped 90 percent since 2014.

The company said on Friday that the threat of soaring air bag-related costs meant that it would not issue a dividend for the first half.

Still, Takata raised its full-year profit projection to 20.0 billion yen ($193.87 million) from the earlier estimate of 13.0 billion. The company is banking on a boost from asset sales in the first half.

This forecast mostly leaves out the impact of the recalls as the company has only delineated a small number of related liabilities.

If Takata were found to be exclusively liable for the inflator defect, it could face a bill of about $13 billion for recalls announced so far, according to estimates from experts and automakers including General Motors.

It would also encounter U.S. lawsuits.

These impending liabilities would dwarf Takata’s war chest of around 72.4 billion yen as of the end of September. To this point, automakers have paid most of the recall costs while Takata and its customers resolve how to divide responsibility.

Trading in Takata shares was temporarily suspended on Friday following the Nikkei business daily’s initial report that it was preparing for a potential bankruptcy filing.

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Arrested Philippine Mayor Killed in Prison Shootout

On Saturday, a mayor imprisoned for drug-related charges at a jail in the central Philippines was killed along with another inmate in a shootout, police said.

Mayor Rolando Espinosa of Albuera town in Leyte surrendered to the national police chief in August. This was after President Rodrigo Duterte’s request for him and his son, Kerwin, to stop their participation in the drug trade.

The mayor was detained again on October 5 after he was allowed to go home ealier. He is the second local government official on Duterte’s supposed “narco-list” slain during police operations.

The shootout happened after Espinosa and inmate Raul Yap shot at a team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). Police said the team was on an assignment to serve a search warrant against the convicts.

“As a matter of procedure, this incident will undergo investigation to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident,” said Superintendent Elmer Beltejar, Eastern Visayas Regional Police Chief.

Police said they retrieved a .38 Super pistol and a .45 caliber pistol from the cells of Espinosa and Yap. A small sachet holding suspected methamphetamine and assorted drug accouterments were also unearthed inside Espinosa’s cell, police said.

The presidential palace called Espinosa’s death as “unfortunate”. Further, it said that an investigation was underway.

Espinosa had publicly denied any role in the drug trade. However, he said his son was selling “shabu” (methamphetamine), which he secures from a jailed Chinese drug trader.

Last month, Abu Dhabi police arrested Kerwin. Purportedly he was among the largest illegal drug operators in the Eastern Visayas region, according to Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa.

Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom, in October, was killed alongside nine of his guards in a shootout, according to police. Dimaukom was a powerful mayor in the Duterte’s problematic home province of Mindanao,.

War on Drugs taking Effect

Police operations as well as suspected vigilantes have killed more than 2,300 people. This is in connection with the anti-illegal drugs campaign since Duterte took office on June 30.

On Friday, Duterte said his campaign against drugs had curtailed the supply to “very low” levels. He also thanked China for supporting his crackdown, but cursed constantly at ally the United States for condemning it.

 

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3 Million Samsung Washing Machines to be Recalled In US

In another stunning setback for one of the world’s top consumer brands, U.S. authorities issued a recall Friday of close to 3 million Samsung washing machines. The recall was announced after numerous injuries – including a broken jaw –caused by “excessive vibration” were reported.

The recall comes a month after the South Korean manufacturer issued a recall to its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. The Note 7 recall was due to a problem that set off the phones’ batteries to overheat and catch fire. Since then, the company discontinued production of the device completely. Meanwhile, it was estimated that the debacle would cost it $5.3 billion.

Furthermore, its washing machine recall would cover models sold in Canada. No injuries had been reported in that country, Samsung said Friday

The company issued a separate recall of washing machines in Australia in 2013. It stems from reports of electrical problems in certain models that caused fires. Last year, Australian authorities called that problem “a major safety failure,” after getting complaints that the company was offering repairs but not a replacement or refund, as required by Australian law.

The current recall comes following weeks of deliberations between Samsung and U.S. authorities about statements that the drums in certain top-loading washing machine models can become unstable and cause severe vibrations. This shuddering, in some cases, causes the top of the machine to disengage from the chassis.

Attorneys representing consumers in Georgia, Texas and Indiana, who say their washing machines “exploded” while being used, hit Samsung with a lawsuit over the summer.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in a statement Friday, cited 733 reports of Samsung appliances that experienced “excessive” vibration. Nine of them recounted injuries, including a broken jaw and a busted shoulder.

Samsung said the problem happened when a high-speed spin cycle was used to wash bedcovers or other large items. The company’s U.S. subsidiary said in a statement that it is working with retailers and the commission to notify consumers about the problem.

Initial Action from Samsung

“Our priority is to reduce any safety risks in the home and to provide our customers with easy and simple choices in response to the recall,” said Samsung senior vice president John Herrington in the statement.

In the recent recall, the company is offering consumers an option between a free repair and a rebate just before the purchase of a new washing machine. A full refund is being offered to consumers who bought an affected model in the last 30 days.

The recall involves 34 models of top-loading washing machines produced between 2011 and this year. They were sold at Sears, Best Buy, The Home Depot, Lowes and other stores for prices between $450 and $1,500.

 

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Clinton Draws on Celebrity Support As Trump Goes It Alone

In what has become an increasingly competitive race, Hillary Clinton sent celebrities from politics and the music industry across battleground states Friday to try to revitalize Democrats. Meanwhile, Donald Trump preserved his go-it-alone approach.

The Democratic presidential nominee concluded a day of campaign stops at a crowded, star-studded concert in Cleveland. Clinton showered praise on rapper Jay Z and his wife, singer Beyonce, asking thousands of cheering fans for their votes as she stood beside the celebrity couple on a brilliantly lit stage at the Wolstein Center.

“Please take this energy out with you,” she said. “Help us win Ohio.”

On the other hand, Trump boasted that he didn’t need stars to lure thousands to his events.

He told a packed rally Friday night in Hershey, Pennsylvania that he didn’t have to bring J-Lo or Jay Z. “I am here all by myself. Just me. No guitar, no piano, no nothing.”

Trump’s campaign has been a contentious one and has split the Republican Party. He has appeared with a ragtag group of backers including former Indiana University basketball coach Bobby Knight. A scheduled event with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for Saturday was canceled after a couple of his top aides were found guilty Friday on all counts for their roles in the “Bridgegate” scandal.

On Saturday, Trump and Clinton will be campaigning in Florida. Both are on last-ditch efforts to win support in a state where early voting have already surpassed 2012 levels. Strong Latino numbers, particularly around Miami, boosted Clinton’s team. However, the Democrats have seen their odds drop in Ohio, a crucial battleground state that’s been tilting toward Trump. Clinton’s numbers are also weakening in New Hampshire.

Clinton’s campaign has held a succession of free concerts intended to create enthusiasm for her bid, particularly among minority and millennial voters. While singer/actress Jennifer Lopez took the stage in Miami, R&B singer Ne-Yo and rocker Bon Jovi rallied voters in North Carolina. Steve Wonder was performing in Philadelphia.

Clinton will host a concert on Saturday night with pop star Katy Perry in Philadelphia. After the event, she would return to the city on Monday for a collaborative rally with her husband Bill Clinton, President Barack Obama, and first lady Michelle Obama. Pennsylvania is a state where Clinton has sustained a solid lead; In six presidential elections, it has not voted for a Republican.

Clinton’s celebrity supporters complement an already deep line-up of political backups eager to campaign for Clinton. On Friday, President Obama in campaigned in North Carolina, Vice President Joe Biden in Wisconsin and Sen. Bernie Sanders in Iowa.

On the other side of the campaign trail, Trump spent Friday on a visit of rural areas. He hopes to encourage turnout among the voters attracted to his pledge to bring back a lost America. He started his day in Atkinson, New Hampshire, wherein according to the Census Bureau, has a population 6,800 and nearly 98 percent white. From there, he was bound for Wilmington, Ohio, another predominantly white community where only 13 percent of its 12,500 inhabitants have a college degree.

In a rally more than 2,000 miles from the Mexican border, Trump elicited loud cheers in Atkinson. This was when he promised to build an immense wall between the U.S. and Mexico. The crowd jeered when he argued that Clinton supports open borders.

“Her plans would mean generations of terrorism, extremism and radicalism spreading into your schools and through your communities,” Trump proclaimed.

Nearing the Finish Line

Despite a close race in national polling, Trump’s road to victory remains slim. His campaign seems to be more and more about making up for losses among suburban voters, specifically college-educated women, by enticing new voters in remote places.

However, Democrats are taking little for granted with polls tightening across battleground states. On Friday, Hillary Clinton made an afternoon stop in Detroit, Bill Clinton worked to raise turnout in Colorado, and Vice President Joe Biden was heading to Wisconsin — all states Clinton was assumed to have a sure win weeks ago.

 

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Retailers Hold Back on Black Friday Participation

The long-standing essence of discounts and promos during Black Friday seems to be weakening in the past, more so this year. JDA Consumer Survey conducted its own observation; found out that there will be lesser promo offers this coming Black Friday.

JDA Consumer Survey constitutes 1,000 shoppers, in which 47% said they plan to skip this year’s Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Furthermore, 73% of the respondents prefer to go shopping after the holiday season, waiting for better deals such as Amazon Prime Day. Another 34% said they change their mind in joining the 2016 Black Friday, even though they participated last year.

Responses from the survey indicate a decreasing trend of shoppers during the sale event that started last year. The obvious mindset of the shoppers affects the overall relevance of Black Friday.

According to Paula Rosenblum, the managing partner at RSR research and Forbes contributor said, “The basis of Black Friday is long since dead — the kick-off to the holiday season on a four-day weekend”.

The head of Your Retail Authority, Lee Kent said that “The only thing that makes Black Friday is the deals”. Shoppers come in for the discounts, Lee added, “If you offer them, consumers will come, but if you offer them on other days, the consumer has choices. It’s that simple!”

Online shopping factors in

Online shopping contributes in the diminishing Black Friday’s shoppers. Furthermore, retail stores started offering pre-holiday sales which grab more attention. This instance takes the focus off from the highly anticipated holiday retail sale.

Last week, in an online discussion of industry heads of the Retailwire Brain Trust, believed that e-commerce is not the only aspect affecting Black Friday.

As what Rosenblum stated, “E-commerce wounded the goose that laid that golden egg, but the year that retailers opened on Thanksgiving, they killed it once and for all.”

The CEO of Black Monk Consulting, Ryan Mathews thought otherwise. He said, “It isn’t online shopping that is killing Black Friday, it’s the fact that consumers have caught on to the hustle. Look how many people do their ‘holiday shopping’ after the holidays or even the New Year to capture real discounts.”

Bob Phibbs, the President, and CEO of The Retail Doctor believed that the widely available discounted sales of the retailer spoiled the essence of Black Friday. He said, “With the always-discounted retailer always available, the substance of Black Friday is gone, even if the marketing is still around,”

For employee’s sake

Apple, on the other hand, ignored last year’s Black Friday promotion in all of its stores. The company toned down the significance of the anticipated holiday season sale.

They want to eliminate ‘door busters’ stress and focus their attention on caring for their employee’s welfare during holidays.

BrainTrust members share Apple’s empathy towards their employees.

Rainmaker Solutions CEO ED Rosenbaum said, “It’s almost like the meal is over and the dishes are done so let’s get in line. This is what I object strenuously to. Retail employees deserve to spend the holiday with their family.”

He added that “If retailers learned to forget the greed and fear of being outdone by the competition, Black Friday could become a sales day with none of these openings before the sun comes up”.

Retailers amass a huge amount of profit during Black Friday promotions but “have a deleterious effect on associates”, according to Richard J. George, a Professor of Food Marketing at Saint Joseph’s University. For the Ph.D. graduate, Black Friday promotions can somehow label as one of the “failed retail experiments”.

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