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Heat oust depleted Bucks to reach NBA East finals; Lakers down Rockets, up 2-1
Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat drives to the basket against the Milwaukee Bucks during Game Five of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA Playoffs on September 8, 2020 at The Field House in Orlando, Florida. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP) MIAMI (AFP) — The Miami Heat punched their ticket to the NBA Eastern Conference finals Tuesday, beating top-seeded Milwaukee 103-94 as injured Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo watched from the bench. Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic finished with 17 points apiece as six Heat players scored in double figures and Miami completed a 4-1 series victory in a bruising encounter against the league’s top defensive team. Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 23 points. Antetokounmpo — tipped to scoop a second straight NBA Most Valuable Player award this season — aggravated his sprained right ankle in the first half of the Bucks’ game-four overtime victory over the Heat. The Bucks declared him inactive less than an hour before tipoff on Tuesday. The loss of Antetokounmpo, who averaged career highs of 29.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game this season, was a huge blow for the Bucks, as they tried to do what no NBA team has done before: come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a seven-game playoff series. It’s the second straight campaign that the Bucks built the best regular-season record only to come up short in the playoffs. In 2019 they fell to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors in six games in the Eastern Conference finals. The fifth-seeded Heat will face either the Boston Celtics or Toronto Raptors for a place in the NBA Finals. The Celtics lead their series against the defending NBA champion Raptors three games to two. Butler, who added 10 rebounds and six assists and was a perfect eight-for-eight from the foul line, said the Heat’s impressive 8-1 record so far in the playoffs means nothing now. “All of that is behind us now,” he said. “We’ll wait and see who we get out of Toronto and Boston and then we’ll lock in on that. “But it’s zero-zero now, we’ve got eight more to get.” The Heat trailed 28-19 after a chaotic first quarter in which they committed six turnovers leading to nine Bucks points. They trailed by as many as 13 in the first period, but settled down in the second, out-scoring the Bucks 33-18 to take a 52-46 lead into halftime. But Milwaukee, with Middleton leading the way, refused to go away. After going scoreless for more than six minutes in the third period the Bucks put together an 8-0 run to pull within five points. Trailing 73-65 going into the final period, the Bucks trimmed the deficit to four multiple times, but the Heat’s depth finally proved too much. “Obviously they missed their MVP,” Butler said. “But we knew we were going to have to get one out of the mud and I think this was the one.” Antetokounmpo said he felt “lost” as he was unable to contribute. “Mentally it was a battle, but at the end of the day you’ve got to trust your teammates and that’s what I decided to do,” he said after the Bucks medical staff persuaded him not to risk further injury by playing. LeBron leads Lakers LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers, left, drives the ball against Ben McLemore #16 of the Houston Rockets during the second quarter in Game Three of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 08, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (AFP) In Western Conference action, LeBron James scored 36 points and Anthony Davis added 26 as the Los Angeles Lakers powered to the finish in a 112-102 victory over the Houston Rockets. The Lakers grabbed a 2-1 series lead and James notched an NBA record 162nd career playoff win. “It says that I’ve played with a lot of great teams,” said James, who won two NBA titles with the Miami Heat and one with the Cleveland Cavaliers. “It says that I’ve played with a lot of great teammates and some great coaches.” James Harden scored 33 points with nine rebounds and nine assists and Russell Westbrook added 30 points for Houston in a back and forth battle that saw 16 lead changes. The Lakers’ reserves scored 42 points, with Houston’s only points off the bench the 16 of Jeff Green. Rajon Rondo, who scored 21 off the bench for Los Angeles, hit back-to-back three-pointers and came up with a steal and layup as the Lakers surged ahead with a 17-5 scoring run to start the fourth quarter. After putting up 64 points in the first half Houston scored just 38 in the second and the Lakers posted their second straight win of the series. There was a frightening moment in the fourth quarter, as Robert Covington and Davis collided as Davis rose for a rebound. Davis’s elbow appeared to hit Covington in head and he left the court holding a bloodied towel to his face, while Davis was hurting from Covington’s elbow in his side......»»
Fight mars A s 9th straight win, 7-2 over Astros
By The Associated Press Benches cleared and even the stands emptied during Oakland’s 7-2 victory over the Astros on Sunday, tempers flaring at last between the AL West rivals months after Houston’s sign-stealing scandal was brought to light by Oakland pitcher Mike Fiers. Oakland’s Ramon Laureano got hit by a pitch — for the third time in the three-game series — this one by Humberto Castellanos with one out in the seventh. Laureano began exchanging words with animated Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron, then left first base, threw down his batting helmet and began sprinting toward him. Astros catcher Dustin Garneau tackled Laureano before the A’s outfielder reached Cintron, and a wild scene ensued. Players rushed out of both dugouts to join the fray. A’s and Astros players who were sitting in the seats, observing COVID-19 social-distancing protocols, also rushed onto the field. Laureano was ejected by plate ump Ted Barrett. Oakland won its ninth straight, and Houston lost its fifth in a row. Matt Olson hit a three-run homer in the third and Matt Chapman connected the very next pitch, taking the score from 1-0 to 5-0 on consecutive offerings from Astros starter Cristian Javier (1-1). Robbie Grossman also homered and Mark Canha contributed an RBI single. A’s rookie left-hander Jesus Luzardo (1-0) earned his first major league win in his second career start. BRAVES 5, PHILLIES 2, 1st game; BRAVES 8, PHILLIES 0, 2nd game PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. homered twice and Freddie Freeman also went deep to spoil Spencer Howard’s big league debut and Atlanta Braves completed a sweep of the doubleheader with an 8-0 win in the second game. Acuna also homered in Atlanta’s 5-2 victory in the first game. He had four hits in the second game and added his his fourth career multihomer game. The Phillies had waited since the restart to send Howard (0-1) to the mound. Freeman hit a two-run homer in the third for the early lead and Acuna had a solo shot to the opposite field in right for a 3-0 lead. Atlanta’s Max Fried (3-0) hummed along against the Phillies until needed to get out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the fifth. Acuna hit a two-run shot off Trevor Kelley for a 6-0 lead in the sixth. In the first game, Acuna hit a two-run homer off Deolis Guerra (1-1) and Adam Duvall had a three-run double to lead the Braves. Tyler Matzek (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win, and Mark Melancon worked a scoreless ninth for his third save. INDIANS 5, WHITE SOX 4, 10 innings CHICAGO (AP) — Delino DeShields snapped a tie with a perfectly placed squeeze bunt in the 10th inning to lift Cleveland. DeShields’ bunt drove in José Ramírez, who started the inning on second as part of baseball’s extra-inning rule for the pandemic-shortened season. Mike Freeman added a two-out RBI single that gave Cleveland a 5-3 lead. Veteran left-hander Oliver Perez got the final two outs following a 46-minute rain delay for his first save. It was just the fifth save of his 18-year career. Phil Maton (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Jimmy Codero (0-1) allowed two runs, one earned, in the loss. José Abreu and James McCann homered for Chicago. ROYALS 4, TWINS 2 KANSAS CITY, Mo (AP) — Hunter Dozier hit a two-run single in his first at-bat since testing positive for COVID-19, and prized prospect Brady Singer earned his major league win to lead Kansas City. The Royals won their fourth in a row overall. The Twins lost all three at Kauffman Stadium and have dropped four straight. Dozier hadn’t played this season while recovering from the virus. He quickly delivered, putting the Royals ahead 2-0 in the first inning. Singer (1-1) allowed two runs and five hits in five innings. The Kansas City bullpen threw four shutout innings with Scott Barlow closed for his first save. Jose Berrios (1-2) went 5 1/3 innings giving up four runs. He allowed Maikel Franco’s leadoff homer in the sixth. RANGERS 7, ANGELS 3 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Los Angeles Angels right fielder Jo Adell was charged with a rare four-base error when a fly ball from Texas’ Nick Solak popped out of the rookie’s glove and flew the few remaining feet over the fence in the Rangers’ win. The play was initially ruled a home run for Solak, but the official scorer changed it to an error after consulting with the Elias Sports Bureau. Texas completed a three-game sweep as Lance Lynn (2-0) earned his 100th career win, losing a shutout on Tommy La Stella’s two-run homer in the fifth. Shin-Soo Choo capped a four-run fourth with a two-run single that chased Angels starter Andrew Heaney (1-1). Rougned Odor ended an 0-for-18 skid with an RBI single for the first run in the fourth. BREWERS 9, REDS 3 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich homered, tripled and drew a bases-loaded walk Milwaukee got its first home victory. The Brewers avoided falling to 0-5 at home for the first time since 1970, the franchise’s inaugural season in Milwaukee. Justin Smoak broke out of a slump and delivered hits from each side of the plate during a six-run rally in the sixth that put the Brewers ahead for good. Milwaukee poured it on in the seventh with back-to-back homers from Keston Hiura and Yelich. Sonny Gray (3-1) gave up three hits to the Brewers’ first four batters of the sixth and left with the score tied and runners on the corners with one out. Michael Lorenzen replaced Gray and didn’t retire any of the four hitters he faced as the Brewers eventually built a 7-2 lead. Brent Suter (2-0) earned the win with two innings of shutout relief. METS 4, MARLINS 2 NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob deGrom dodged trouble for five innings, rookie Andrés Giménez had three hits and scored three runs, and New York won a home series for the first time this season. DeGrom (2-0) allowed two runs and seven hits, marking the 25th time in his past 27 starts he permitted three runs or fewer. Jesus Aguilar hit a two-run homer in the fifth for the Marlins, who lost their second straight after getting off to a 7-1 start despite 18 players testing positive for the coronavirus. Seth Lugo tossed a scoreless ninth for his third save. Pablo Lopez (1-1) allowed three runs — two earned — and five hits in five innings. RED SOX 5, BLUE JAYS 3 BOSTON (AP) — Mitch Moreland hit two home runs, including a walk-off shot over the Green Monster to lead Boston. Xander Bogaerts drew a two-out walk from Thomas Hatch (0-1) to set up Moreland’s game-winner. Matt Barnes (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth to get the win. The Blue Jays now head to Buffalo, New York, where they’ll play their remaining home games at the site of their Triple-A affiliate across the Niagara River from Canada. Rafael Devers also homered for the Red Sox. RAYS 4, YANKEES 3 ST. PETERSURG, Fla. (AP) — Michael Perez had an RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning to lift Tampa Bay. Mike Brosseau started the ninth with a double off Zack Britton (0-1) but was thrown out at third on Brandon Lowe’s grounder. Lowe advanced to second on a wild pitch before Manuel Margot walked. After both runners advanced on Willy Adames grounder to first, Perez lined a single to right as the Rays took three of four from the AL East leaders. Brosseau and Lowe both homered in the seventh, when the Rays tied it at 3. Ryan Thompson (1-0) worked a perfect ninth for his first major league win. TIGERS 2, PIRATES 1 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Spencer Turnbull pitched seven strong innings and Miguel Cabrera singled home the tiebreaking run in the eighth for Detroit. Cabrera’s single to left-center field off Richard Rodriguez (0-1) scored Jonathan Schoop, who was hit by a pitch with two outs and took second on a wild pitch. Turnbull (2-0) allowed only one run and five hits while striking out four and walking two. Buck Farmer pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Joe Jimenez retired the side in order for his fifth save. PADRES 9, DIAMONDBACKS 5 SAN DIEGO (AP) — Dinelson Lamet was brilliant in taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning and Fernando Tatis Jr. continued his remarkable power surge with a two-run homer off winless Madison Bumgarner, who allowed four of San Diego’s club-record six long balls as the Padres beat Arizona. Manny Machado homered twice off Bumgarner. Wil Myers, Francisco Mejia and Ty France also went deep for San Diego. Lamet (2-0) had allowed only one baserunner, on a hit by pitch, until Kole Calhoun homered leading off the seventh. The right-hander struck out 11 and walked none in 6 2/3 innings. The Padres remain the only major league team without a no-hitter, having played 8,154 games since 1969 without one. With the Padres leading 9-1, Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly pitched a scoreless eighth. Bumgarner (0-3) has struggled with the Diamondbacks, who gave him an $85 million, five-year contract in December after he spent a decade with the San Francisco Giants, helping them win three World Series titles in five seasons. He allowed six runs and five hits in two innings. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said the 31-year-old lefty exited after experiencing back spasms. DODGERS 6, GIANTS 2 LOS ANGELES (AP) — AJ Pollock and Mookie Betts each hit a three-run homer to rally Los Angeles past San Francisco. The Dodgers have won nine of 12, and they took two of three in the series from their NL West rivals. Their 29 long balls lead the majors. With the Dodgers trailing 2-0, Cody Bellinger singled off Giants starter Kevin Gausman with one out in the seventh inning and Justin Turner followed with a single off submariner Tyler Rogers (1-3). Max Muncy took a called third strike, but Pollock sent a full-count pitch to left-center for his fourth homer and a 3-2 lead. Betts’ shot in the eighth made it 6-2. Jake McGee (1-0) got the win with a hitless inning. Mike Yastrzemski had a two-run single in the fifth for the Giants. MARINERS 5, ROCKIES 3 SEATTLE (AP) — Justus Sheffield pitched six shutout innings for his first major league win, Dylan Moore hit a two-run homer and Seattle slowed down Colorado. Sheffield (1-2) gave up four hits without a walk and struck out seven in his longest stint this season. He worked his way out of a jam with a strikeout to end the fifth, then sat down two more Rockies in the sixth before reaching his pitch limit. Charlie Blackmon extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a first-inning double for Colorado. The loss snapped a three-game win streak for the Rockies, who had won seven of eight in August -- including two straight over the Mariners. Colorado starter German Marquez (2-2) allowed six hits in seven innings......»»
Rays hold Yankees to 2 hits in 1-0 win
By The Associated Press ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pinch-hitter Michael Perez hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning on his 28th birthday, six Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a two-hitter and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the AL East-leading New York Yankees 1-0 on Friday night. Yoshi Tsutsugo drew a leadoff walk from Adam Ottavino (2-1) in the eighth and went to second with one out when Kevin Kiermaier walked. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch before Perez put the Rays up 1-0 on his fly to center. Chaz Roe (2-0) went the final two innings for the win. Masahiro Tanaka allowed one hit and struck out five over five innings, retiring his final 13 batters after giving up a first-inning single to Yandy Diaz. The Yankees’ right-hander needed just 59 pitches in his second start after beginning the season on the concussion list after being struck in the head by Giancarlo Stanton’s liner during a July 4th summer camp simulated game. Three New York pitchers also limited the Rays to just two hits. MARLINS 4, METS 3 NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Cervelli hit a three-run homer, Humberto Mejia impressed in his abbreviated major league debut and Miami kept up its surprising surge. The Marlins won their sixth in a row and improved to 7-1 — they’re 5-0 since missing more than a week because of the team’s coronavirus outbreak. Cervelli waved and pointed to the imaginary fans in the seating areas after hitting his second homer of the season. Jonathan Villar added an RBI double in Miami’s four-run second. Dominic Smith homered for the Mets, who have lost seven of nine. New York scored its other runs in the eighth on a throwing error by third baseman Brian Anderson and RBI single by J.D. Davis. Stephen Tarpley (2-0) pitched two innings for the win. Nick Vincent escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and finished for his first save since 2016 with Seattle. Michael Wacha (1-2) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings. WHITE SOX 2, INDIANS 0 CHICAGO (AP) — Dylan Cease worked his way through five shutout innings, and the Chicago White Sox beat Aaron Civale and Cleveland. Cease walked the leadoff man four times and hit a batter, but wiggled out of trouble each time. The right-hander allowed two hits and struck out four. The Indians went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base, continuing a season-long problem and wasting a terrific start by Civale. They had won three in a row. Civale (1-2) allowed five hits, struck out five and walked one in seven innings. Cleveland played without manager Terry Francona and hitting coach Ty Van Burkleo. Francona missed his sixth straight game while addressing a gastrointestinal issue he has been dealing with for months. The team announced before the series opener that Van Burkleo had opted out of the 2020 season because of the coronavirus. RED SOX 5, BLUE JAYS 3 BOSTON (AP) — Alex Verdugo hit two solo homers over the Green Monster, Mitch Moreland had a two-run shot and Boston’s beleaguered staff rebounded to lift the Red Sox past Toronto. Verdugo also robbed Travis Shaw of a homer with a leaping grab and Moreland had a bases-loaded walk to help Boston win its second straight following a four-game losing streak. Cavan Biggio hit a solo homer, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette each had an RBI double for Toronto, which has dropped five of six. Moreland’s homer sailed just over the 380-foot sign at the edge of the Blue Jays’ bullpen in right off starter Tanner Roark (1-1) in the third inning for his fourth homer. Reliever Heath Hembree (2-0) got three outs for the victory and Brandon Workman the final three for his third save. ROYALS 3, INDIANS 2 KANSAS CITY, Mo, (AP) — Ryan McBroom hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning and Kansas City held Minnesota to a pair of solo homers. Nick Heath and Nicky Lopez also drove in runs for the Royals, who have won two straight after a six-game slide. Jakob Junis served up homers to Byron Buxton and Marwin Gonzalez before leaving with two outs in the fifth inning, and Greg Holland (2-0) led four relievers in holding down the Twins the rest of the way. Trevor Rosenthal retired the final three batters in order for his second save. Matt Wisler (0-1) served up McBroom’s homer as Minnesota lost a one-run game for the second consecutive night. REDS 8, BREWERS 3 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Trevor Bauer turned in another stellar outing, and Matt Davidson and Nick Castellanos homered to lead Cincinnati. Bauer (2-0) gave up three hits and one run in six innings while striking out 12. The Reds scored six runs in the second off Milwaukee starter Eric Lauer (0-1), ending a 24-inning scoring drought. Cincinnati had pushed across three runs before Davidson’s three-run homer, his first of the season, which barely cleared the wall in center field. The Reds (6-8) lost 13-0 to Cleveland on Thursday night, failing to score in the last 23 innings of the home-and-home series. PADRES 3, DIAMONDBACKS O SAN DIEGO (AP) — Zach Davies retired the first 13 Arizona batters, Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a leadoff homer and rookies Jake Cronenworth and Edward Olivares also went deep to lead San Diego. Davies (2-1) took a perfect game into the fifth before giving up consecutive one-out singles to Eduardo Escobar and David Peralta. He got out of the jam by retiring the next two batters on popups. Davies allowed three singles in 5 2/3 innings, struck out six and walked none. Four relievers finished the combined four-hitter for San Diego’s first shutout. Kirby Yates pitched the ninth for his second save in two chances. Luke Weaver (0-3) went only three innings, allowing two runs and two hits with three strikeouts and one walk. TIGERS 17, PIRATES 13, 11 INNINGS PITTSBURGH (AP) — Niko Goodrum drove in five runs, two on a double in a big 11th inning that sent Detroit past Pittsburgh. Both teams finished with 16 hits, surprising since each club had four players in the starting lineup batting under .190. Those numbers soon changed as Detroit played its first game in five days. Erik Gonzalez drove in six runs. He homered, doubled and singled twice as Pittsburgh lost for the eighth time in nine games and fell to 3-11. It was 12-all after nine innings and Jeimer Candelario broke a 13-all tie with an RBI single in the 11th. Austin Romine singled home another run and Goodrum capped the inning with his line drive to right field. Candelario finished with three hits and three RBIs. Rookie Bryan Garcia (2-0) got the win despite giving up the 10th-inning run. Dovydas Neverauskas (0-2) allowed all four runs in the 11th. ATHLETICS 3, ASTROS 2, 13 INNINGS OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Marcus Semien singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 13th to lift Oakland to its seventh straight win in a game that matched the longest this season with baseball’s new extra-innings rule. Alex Bregman hit an RBI double in the top of the 13th inning only for the A’s to tie it on Austin Allen’s single in the bottom half against Cy Sneed (0-2). J.B. Wendelken (1-0) worked three strong innings and the A’s finally delivered after squandering bases-loaded chances in the 10th and 12th. Houston lost its third straight. The Astros were supposed to visit Oakland months ago in late March for their first road trip of 2020 after a sign-stealing scam that blemished baseball during the offseason. Coronavirus delayed the Bay Area trip. Robbie Grossman hit a tying homer in the seventh and Gold Glove third baseman Matt Chapman made a terrific stop on Jose Altuve’s sharp grounder to keep the game tied in the 10th. ROCKIES 8, MARINERS 4 SEATTLE (AP) — Daniel Murphy had a key two-run single and later hit a two-run home run, Garrett Hampson and Charlie Blackmon added solo shots, and Colorado won for the sixth time in seven games. Murphy’s hit with two outs in the sixth ended the night for Seattle starter Yusei Kikuchi (0-1) and gave Colorado a 4-1 lead. Colorado then feasted on Seattle’s shaky bullpen. Hampson hit his first home run of the season with two outs in the seventh, and Blackmon led off the eighth with his third long ball. Murphy capped his night lining the first pitch from reliever Yohan Ramriez into the right-field seats with one out in the eighth. Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela (3-0) threw six strong innings, allowing two earned runs and struck out five. DODGERS 7, GIANTS 2 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts homered for the first time at Dodger Stadium, and Max Muncy, Will Smith and Edwin Ríos went deep to lead Los Angeles. The Dodgers have won three in a row and eight of 10. Betts was back in the lineup for the first time since injuring his left middle finger last Sunday in Phoenix. He didn’t waste any time, doubling in his first at-bat. He homered into the left-field pavilion in the third, tying the game 1-all. Two batters later, Justin Turner’s RBI single gave Los Angeles the lead for good, 2-1. The Dodgers pummeled Jeff Samardzija in the fourth. Muncy homered to the right-field pavilion leading off. Smith slugged his second homer of the season — both against the Giants — that eluded a leaping Darin Ruf in left field, extending the lead to 5-1. Samardzija (0-2) struggled again in the fifth, and was pulled after loading the bases with no outs. Samardzija was charged with six runs (five earned) and seven hits in four-plus innings. Dylan Floro (1-0) got the victory, giving up one hit in one inning with two strikeouts. RANGERS 4, ANGELS 3 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mike Trout homered again on his birthday, but Robinson Chirinos drove in two runs without a hit and Texas snapped a three-game losing streak. Trout turned 29, and homered for the fifth time in the seven big league games he has played on his birthday. The three-time AL MVP put the Angels up 2-0 in the first with his 444-foot drive over their bullpen in left-center. Chirinos had a sacrifice fly in the second inning, then walked with the bases loaded as part of a three-run fourth when the Rangers went ahead to stay when all of those runs were unearned. Jordan Lyles (1-1), one of three offseason additions to the Rangers rotation, struck out five in 5 1/3 innings. Rafael Montero, activated from the injured list earlier in the day, worked a perfect ninth for his first career save capped by Trout’s game-ending strikeout. Angels starter Griffin Canning (0-2) threw more balls (45) than strikes (43) while walking six batters in 3 2/3 innings. ORIOLES 11, NATIONALS 0 BALTIMORE (AP) — Even Chris Davis got in on the act for the suddenly slugging Orioles, doubling his season total by collecting two of Baltimore’s 19 hits and raising his average from .087 to .143 in a big win over Washington. Seven of the Orioles’ nine starting position players each got at least a pair of hits. José Iglesias led the way by going 4 for 4 with three RBIs, and Renato Núñez added a three-run homer to back left-hander Tommy Milone (1-1), whose six-inning outing was the longest by an Orioles pitcher this year. Milone, who was drafted by the Nationals in 2008 and briefly pitched for them in 2011 and 2018, allowed just three hits and didn’t walk anyone. The Orioles were coming off getting swept in four games at home by the cobbled-together, coronavirus-struck Miami Marlins. But after scoring a grand total of once through the first three games of that series, Baltimore put up seven runs in the finale Thursday, then kept on swinging well Friday against the reigning World Series champion Nationals and starter Aníbal Sánchez (0-2)......»»
Phil and James Younghusband discuss their retirement and future with Philippine football
In a span of just months, Filipino-British football stars Phil and James Younghusband both announced their retirement from the sport, thus ending the Younghusband era in Philippine football. Phil and James were crucial parts of the Philippine Azkals’ biggest moments, including the Miracle in Hanoi during the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, as well as their recent milestones with the AFC Asian Cup berth. In November of 2019, Phil, the Philippine Azkals’ leading goalscorer announced that he was calling it a career, and in June of 2020, his older brother James followed suit. As it turns out, that wasn’t the original plan for James, who initially wanted hang his spikes up at the end of the year. Speaking to Cedelf Tupas on the Crossover Podcast, James shared that he actually wanted to play out the whole 2020 Philippines Football League season, but the COVID-19 pandemic axed those plans. “Originally, my plan was to finish off the year with Ceres with the whole 2020 season but of course, with the pandemic and the situation and football put on hold especially now here with it still on break, I just felt it was time to announce, I’ve decided to end it a bit earlier,” James said. Ceres-Negros was the final stop on James’ long and decorated professional Philippine club football career, which began in 2011. While 2019 was indeed an eventful year for James on the pitch, he admits he would have wanted a proper end to his career. “Winning the double last year, getting the chance to play in AFC in the Champions League and with AFC Cup, it was a nice way to end it, but of course, would have been nice to finish the year.” With the uncertainty of things given the COVID-19 pandemic however, James felt that the time was right to put a bow on what has been a great career. “Just felt with the momentum of being on break, I had to announce it now, and seeing around, waiting around, wondering when the league would restart but I felt yeah, it was time to announce it and I’m just thankful to everyone for the great messages and the great articles…itreally feels great to see that appreciation.” James admitted that seeing his younger brother retire first did play a part in influencing his decision as well. “Yeah, I think as well. During this time, you’re sitting at home, a lot of time to think and evaluate yourself and your life, and as well, my brother he’s starting a family, me as well I felt there’s other things in life I want to experience as well and a new chapter to begin.” “It played a part as well, we had a great run as well, great memories as well and I just felt the time was right during this pandemic to announce it,” James added. As for Phil, he explained that his decision to retire last year came after a series of setbacks coupled with him getting ready to start a family. “I mean there’s a lot of ups and downs and the downs can really bring you down and it came to a point that I had successive blows with the folding of Davao, with not being able to start in games in the Asian Cup, it was very disappointing and my morale was very low and I was getting married at the time, losing my job when I knew I had to fund a wedding,” Phil admitted. “I just knew my priorities when my wife, we were starting a family and I just felt very unmotivated with football so those successive blows really took its toll on me and I knew I didn’t wanna feel that again and I want security and start a family, your priority is family you gonna want to support them and make sure they never in a vulnerable position so I decided I want to be in a position where I can support them and give them security,” Phil continued. Unfortunately, unlike in most other Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines is still struggling to keep a local club football league afloat, which can largely be attributed to the clubs themselves struggling to get financial support. “Playing in Philippine football is not gonna give me that because there’s been numerous times clubs folded and look what’s going on now, it’s really tough,” Phil said. “I was in the same position of a lot of players are going through now in Philippine football where clubs are going to find financial support and it’s very difficult. I empathize with anyone in that position.” While the Younghusband era in Philippine football may be over in terms of them being players, there remains a large possibility that the two remain involved in a different capacity, whether it be coaching or otherwise. “I think it’s now time where I wanna start pursuing a possibility in coaching and learning more about coaching,” he shared. “I would actually like to travel as well to different countries and learn about different cultures about football also, and different philosophies,” said James. “I wanna travel to different countries and learn different ways of styles of football, coaching football. My goal was always to help develop Philippine football and to go abroad, learn, and come and share that to the Philippines,” he continued. “James and I have always said a lot of our knowledge and experience were gained at Chelsea Football Club. We were able to watch the best players in the world every day, the best facilities, being under the best coaches in the world and most of our knowledge and experience has come from that but we feel if we want to grow in the sport and we want to help develop football even more in the Philippines, we need to go abroad and gain more knowledge, more experience and be able to bring it back again to the Philippines,” Phil added. “I think we still have a lot to offer Philippine football, whether that’s next year or the year after. We don’t know but we still have something to offer,” he continued......»»
Abando back, De Liaño out in EASL Final Four in Cebu
Rhenz Abando, who played well for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup, makes his anticipated Philippine comeback when his Korean mother club Anyang Jung Kwan Jang sees action in the East Asia Super League Final Four tomorrow at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu......»»
Abando returns from injury for Korean club in EASL
Rhenz Abando, who played for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup, makes his anticipated Philippine comeback with Korean mother club Anyang Jung Kwan Jang in the East Asia Super League (EASL) Final Four at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu......»»
Esquivel reigns in longboard event of Baler International surf tilt
Filipino surfer Jay-r Esquivel once again ruled the longboard qualifying series (LQS) event of the World Surf League (WSL) Baler International Pro on Tuesday, becoming the lone Filipino to win a competition in the inaugural event......»»
Josh Reyes rues TNT’s inconsistency, losing steam amid EASL exit
TNT’s cold start made the uphill East Asia Super League (EASL) battle against the Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters steeper, coach Josh Reyes said Wednesday......»»
Message of PM Anwar Ibrahim
Crisis brings out the best and the worst in man. It reveals his true persona behind the façade of photo-shopped and public relations-created images. Amidst the Israel-Hamas war, former president Rodrigo Duterte outrageously advised Israel President Benjamin Netanyahu to make “Gaza the world’s biggest cemetery.” And just recently, our ambassador to the United Kingdom twitted on social media (taken down later) that “Palestinian children should be killed . . .” These comments went viral among Moro netizens who unleashed a barrage of angry libelous words against the source. Now, juxtapose this with the public statements by regional leaders about the crisis. And from the gallery of regional statesmen, I pick Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’Seri Anwar Ibrahim whose poignant messages earned the praise of not a few, including non-Muslims. The reaction of these leaders betrays the dichotomy of opinions along religious lines. The Muslim countries, true to their affiliation with the Muslim Palestinians, as members of the World Brotherhood of Muslims or “Ummah Islamiyyah” stood should-to-shoulder with the Palestinians. On the flip side are the non-Muslims led by the United States which condemned the 7 October surprise attack by Hamas on Israel. The world is now on edge because of the strong words of revenge of rightist President Benjamin Netanyahu using the world media stage for his threats of annihilation and cutting off of basic supplies of food, medicines, water, electricity, and fuel to the Palestinians of the Muslim City of Gaza. According to jurists, these are crimes against International Humanitarian Law and other UN covenants and Geneva Conventions. And they claim that while Israel has the right to defend itself, that is not a license to commit genocide. Prime Minister Ibrahim stood tall among Muslim leaders in expressing the sentiment of his government. He had been vocal at every turn of the crisis. He must have had a premonition of the impending catastrophe. His eloquent speech before the United Nations General Assembly on 22 September, which in my book is in the same league as the “What it means to be a Muslim” speech of King Abdullah of Jordan, has earned praise from many observers. He said, “In the Middle East, the politics of dispossession continues with a vengeance with more illegal settlements being built, stripping Palestinians of land that rightfully belongs to them. This constitutes a gross violation of international law. It also poses an insurmountable obstacle to a two-state solution, not to mention the continued killings. There is also flagrant hypocrisy in dealing with the issue of Palestine. The international community must speak up against the atrocities committed towards the Palestinians even as they so vehemently speak out against human rights violations, injustice, and abusive regimes.” When the war broke out on 7 October, one of the countries that reacted immediately was Malaysia. PM Ibrahim issued a statement expressing his country’s solidarity with the struggles of the Palestinians and reiterated his indictment of the international community for its “one-sided actions regarding . . . cruelty and oppression against the Palestinians. The confiscation of land and property belonging to the Palestinian people . . . done relentlessly by the Zionists.” After the bombing of the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, which killed more than 500 innocent civilians, PM Ibrahim described it as being “on an insane and inhumane level. What is most regrettable is that Western countries, which speak about human rights, seem to differentiate between peoples, with some considered first-class and others as subordinates.” PM Ibrahim knows how geopolitics works. There will be consequences for standing up against the position of the world powers, the US and Europe, which had expressed total support for Israel. There might be a price to pay. Economic, trade, and political relationships might be put in jeopardy. But the Islam in him outweighed other interests. And for that, Muslims salute him. We are proud to belong to the Malay race. amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Message of PM Anwar Ibrahim appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Economic Watch: Jingdezhen ceramics shine bright under BRI
NANCHANG, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- At an ongoing expo held in Jingdezhen, a world-famous "porcelain capital" in east China's Jiangxi Province, a set of glazed ceramic jars stole the spotlight. The monochrome porcelain, named Dialogue, was designed by overseas designers and produced by a local ceramic company. "The series has mixed together Chinese ceramic culture and foreign design, and that is how the series.....»»
Session Road transforms to ‘Little Chinatown’
BAGUIO CITY — The Association of Baguio Chinese-Filipino Youth Inc. and the local government here is set to treat the residents and the visitors of the Summer Capital of the Philippines with a Chinese touch at the famous Session Road on 7 to 8 October 2023. This is part of the celebration of the Chinese 2023 Mid-Autumn Festival and the public will witness the “Little Chinatown Crawl” and mini Dice Game at Session Road. Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong in his Executive Order 138, series of 2023 allowed the closure of Session Road for two days to vehicular traffic for the staging of the Little Chinatown. Also known as the Mooncake Festival or Lantern Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional East Asian festival held on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, which usually falls in September or early October. “The Festival is a traditional and culturally significant celebration observed by Chinese communities around the world, including a sizable population of Filipino-Chinese in the City of Baguio,” said the mayor’s EO. The Baguio City Police Office is directed then to come up and implement a security and traffic management plan to reduce the road closure impact to the public as Session Road is a major route in the city. Meantime, the Baguio City Engineering Office is also asked to provide the manpower, equipment and devices for the closure of roads and rerouting of traffic. The post Session Road transforms to ‘Little Chinatown’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biggest-ever Asian Games ready for liftoff in China after Covid delay
The biggest Asian Games in history, boasting about 12,000 competitors -- more than the Olympics -- will open on Saturday in the Chinese city of Hangzhou after a year's delay because of Covid. Athletes including world and Olympic champions will fight for medals in 40 sports from athletics, swimming and football to eSports and bridge. Nine sports, among them boxing, break dancing and tennis, will serve as qualifiers for next year's Paris Olympics. The Games were supposed to take place last September but were postponed because of China's strict zero-Covid rules, before China's ruling Communist Party abruptly abandoned the policy. The 19th edition of the Games, which were first held in New Delhi in 1951, throws together competitors from 45 countries and territories across Asia and the Middle East. For China, which hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics in a Covid-secure "bubble" in Beijing, it is a chance to show off its organizational, sporting and technological prowess after the pandemic years cut the country off from the sporting world. "We have overcome a lot of challenges but we are now fully conditioned to hold a successful Games," Chen Weiqiang, chief spokesperson for the Games, said on Wednesday. Sport meets politics The Games will be staged at 54 venues -- 14 newly constructed -- mostly in Hangzhou but also extending to cities as far afield as Wenzhou, 300 kilometres (180 miles) south. The centerpiece is the "Big Lotus" Olympic stadium with a capacity of up to 80,000 where athletics and the opening and closing ceremonies will be staged. President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony and meet Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad there, along with other visiting leaders, Chinese state media says. Assad is making his first visit to ally China since the war erupted in Syria in 2011. Russian President Vladimir Putin likewise attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, along with Xi, and weeks later launched the invasion of Ukraine. Hangzhou, a city of 12 million people an hour's bullet train from Shanghai, is famed in China for its ancient temples, gardens and its beloved West Lake. It is also the unofficial home of China's tech industry, notably the birth place of Jack Ma's Alibaba. The Games will showcase some of the latest tech to come out of the city, including driverless buses, robot dogs and facial recognition. China medal dash Hosts China have topped the medals table at every Asian Games since 1982 and are expected to do so again by the time the curtain comes down on October 8. They should reign in swimming, with Qin Haiyang fresh from his heroics at the world championships, where he announced himself as the new undisputed breaststroke king. The 24-year-old swept all three men's events and set a new world record in the 200m. In athletics, another of the most closely watched sports, India's Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra will defend his Asian Games javelin crown. His nearest competitor should be world silver medalist Arshad Nadeem from arch-rivals Pakistan and the countries are also on a collision course in cricket and hockey. ESports, in what is seen as a step toward Olympic inclusion one day, will make its full Asian Games debut having been a demonstration sport five years ago. Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as "Faker", has god-like status in League of Legends and will lead the South Korean charge at the futuristic-looking China Hangzhou Esports Centre. There is an added incentive which has caused controversy in South Korea -- winning gold will exempt them from having to do military service. A feature of the Asian Games is that it includes sports that are a little more quirky than the Olympics. Xiangqi -- also known as "Chinese chess" -- the card game bridge and the ancient wrestling discipline of kurash are all on the menu. Although the Games officially open on Saturday, the sporting action began on Tuesday, when North Korea returned to major international competition for the first time since the pandemic with a 2-0 win over Taiwan in men's football. The post Biggest-ever Asian Games ready for liftoff in China after Covid delay appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Spain police nab bet fixers
Twenty-three suspected members of a bet-fixing ring were arrested in Spain on Friday. Police made the arrest after the tax office, Europol and Interpol helped them uncover a system that granted the suspects access to match information before the bookmakers, allowing them to place bets with certainty, a police statement said. Interpol said the gang used sophisticated satellite technology to access match information from “live video signals from around the world, straight from stadiums, pitches and arenas.” The gang’s system then placed bets on matches in the Asian and South American football leagues, Union of European Football Associations Nations League, the Bundesliga, the Qatar 2022 World Cup and the Association of Tennis Professionals and International Tennis Federation tennis tournaments. The gang used the identities of third parties to lay bets and collect the winnings so as not to arouse suspicion. The investigation of the ring began in 2020 when police noticed a series of suspicious online bets on international table tennis events that were linked to a Romanian and Bulgarian criminal network working in Spain. They also engaged in “fixing matches outside of Spain by corrupting athletes. Once the outcomes were agreed, crime group members based in Spain would then place online bets on a massive scale”, Interpol said. WITH AFP The post Spain police nab bet fixers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Blue Eagles lose anew, exit World University Basketball Series empty-handed
The Ateneo Blue Eagles missed the podium of the World University Basketball Series (WUBS) after losing in the bronze medal match against America's Radford University, 68-77, in Tokyo, Japan Sunday afternoon......»»
Pursuing sustainable dev’t, food security
Asia is the world's largest rice consumer, accounting for 90 percent of global rice consumption. According to a business website that made use of data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service, the Philippines is among the top 20 countries with the highest rice consumption per capita. Data shows that the country's almost 113 million population consumes around 16.50 million metric tons of rice every year. The affordability and availability of rice have been cited as the primary reasons for Filipinos' penchant for eating rice. Thus, the proliferation of restaurants in the country serving "unlimited rice" has always been a fool-proof marketing strategy to entice customers. India's announcement in July that it would restrict the export of non-basmati rice has jolted not just the country but the global rice market. India is the world's largest rice exporter, accounting for over 40 percent of the global rice trade. It is on this note that I am calling for stronger government interventions in the agricultural sector. Unfortunately, India's decision comes at a time when the country is grappling with flooded rice fields as a result of recent calamities. But we cannot blame India for its decision to prioritize its domestic market. We have to be prepared as this could trigger a rice crisis affecting millions of Filipinos who consider rice a staple food. It is high time that we provide our local farmers with much-needed support to boost domestic rice production by offering them drought-resistant rice seeds, more fertilizers, additional irrigation, increased training, and easy access to credit facilities with low-interest rates. Our government must focus on short-term remedies such as exploring alternative sources like Vietnam and Thailand. But more importantly, we must implement long-term interventions that will lead to sustainable rice production. I have always been an advocate of sustainability and self-sufficiency to achieve food security which is a top priority of the current administration. Meanwhile, I have remained committed to visiting various parts of the country, not only to provide assistance but also to address the concerns of our people. On 5 August, we attended the blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the two-storey Malasakit Center Building at Cotabato Regional and Medical Center in Cotabato City. We aided 647 patients and 2,535 medical frontliners including security guards, utilities, and other hospital staff. Meanwhile, qualified beneficiaries were given financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Joining us were CRMC Chief of the Hospital, Dr. Ishmael Dimaren, Maguindanao del Norte Rep. Bai Dimple Mastura, Matnog Mayor Zohria Bansel-Guro, Sultan Kudarat Mayor Tucao Mastura, and Vice Mayor Shameem Mastura. We also participated in the inauguration of the new Super Health Center (SHC) in the town of Libungan, where we assisted 1,000 indigent beneficiaries together with Vice Governor Efren Piñol, former vice governor Shirlyn Macasarte, Mayor Angel Rose Cuan and Vice Mayor Jims Fullecido. At the invitation of Mayor Angel Rose Cuan, we attended the town's Inter-Barangay Basketball Championship as part of its 62nd Founding Anniversary and 8th Katambolit Festival. We then headed to Midsayap to attend the groundbreaking of the SHC and assist 1,000 struggling residents together with Rep. Samantha Santos, Vice Gov. Efren Piñol, Mayor Rolando Sacdalan, and Vice Mayor Vivencio Deomampo Jr. On 4 August, we witnessed the groundbreaking of the SHC to be built in Monkayo, Davao de Oro. We visited the construction and renovation of the public market funded through our efforts. We also distributed assistance to 1,000 indigents in the area accompanied by Congresswoman Maria Carmen Zamora, Vice Governor Jayvee Uy, and Board Member Herv Apsay, among others. On 3 August, we were in Batangas to witness the groundbreaking of the Batangas Provincial Medical Center (New Provincial Hospital) in the municipality of Tuy. We also led the distribution of aid to 1,700 residents, with the support of Governor Dodo Mandanas. We were joined by Vice Gov. Mark Leviste, Congressmen Eric Buhain and Ray Reyes, Tuy Mayor Jose Jecerell Cerrado, San Luis Mayor Oscar Lito Hernandez, Vice Mayor Maan de Gracia, Lian Vice Mayor Ronin Leviste, and other local officials. We then went to Davao City to attend the 1st General Assembly of the Philippine Councilors League-Occidental Mindoro. On 2 August, we visited Caloocan City and witnessed the groundbreaking of the SHC, along with Health Secretary Ted Herbosa, Congresswoman Mitch Cajayon-Uy, Congressman Oca Malapitan, Mayor Along Malapitan, and Vice Mayor Karina Teh. We distributed aid to 980 impoverished residents in collaboration with the offices of Cong. Cajayon-Uy, Councilor Ed Aruelo, and Councilor Wewel De Leon. For those affected by Typhoon Egay, we distributed food packs and assisted 5,000 beneficiaries in Minalin, Arayat, and various towns in Pampanga; 500 in Bauang, La Union; 700 in Calumpit, and 1,700 residents from Hagonoy, Guiguinto, and San Miguel in Bulacan; 900 in Dagupan City, San Fabian, and Calasiao in Pangasinan; 200 in Binangonan, Rizal; and 200 in San Antonio, Zambales. We also assisted 89 fire victims in various barangays in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. We also provided help to 1,200 impoverished residents of Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; 1,049 in San Pedro City, Laguna; 800 in Tabaco City, Albay; and 67 more in Pulupandan, Negros Occidental. We also helped people in Bulacan, including 66 in Santa Maria, 66 in Paombong, 66 in Baliwag, 66 in Bustos, 66 in Obando, and 66 in Norzagaray. In Batangas, we also assisted 500 beneficiaries from Calaca, 400 in Tanauan City, and 57 more in Batangas City. The post Pursuing sustainable dev’t, food security appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
FDCP to screen int’l award-winning films in Ayala Cinemas
The Film Development Council of the Philippines licensed the rights to four new titles from Belgium, Austria, Cambodia and the United Kingdom earlier this year, which are now set for commercial release, in partnership with Ayala Cinemas, from 26 to 30 July. The FDCP’s Audience Development Program and Ayala Cinemas’ The A-List Series aim to bring acclaimed films more accessible to movie lovers through the A-LWist Series Presents: FDCP World Cinema. With this partnership, the FDCP and the Ayala Cinemas will bring world cinema titles to the Filipino audience with its initial offering of films that have won multiple recognitions in reputable film festivals and award-giving bodies. [caption id="attachment_158971" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘CLOSE.’[/caption] Cannes-winning titles Aftersun directed by Charlotte Wells, Close directed by Lukas Dhont, Corsage directed by Marie Kreutzer and Return to Seoul directed by Davy Chou will be screened in select Ayala Cinemas in Metro Manila, Bacolod, Cebu, Cinema ‘76 and in FDCP Cinematheque Centres in Manila, Davao, Iloilo, Nabunturan and Negros. In a statement, FDCP Chairman and CEO Tirso Cruz III said that the national film council is proud to showcase these award-winning films from all over the world and assured viewers that they will have a memorable experience watching these films. “May these powerful films be an effective avenue of inspiration and deepen your love of profound film artistry,” Cruz ended. More than its aim to encourage audiences to return to the cinemas, this program aims to further expose moviegoers to titles that would help them expand their horizons. The post FDCP to screen int’l award-winning films in Ayala Cinemas appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Djokovic wants ‘integrity, tradition’ protected in Saudi tennis deal
Novak Djokovic warned Saturday that the "integrity and tradition" of tennis must be preserved should the sport strike a tournament deal with Saudi Arabia. Both the ATP and WTA, which run the money-spinning men's and women's tours, have been targeted by the Saudis despite accusations that the Gulf kingdom is attempting to "sportswash" their human rights record. The country has been signing up veteran football stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to play in their domestic league and are bankrolling English club Newcastle. Saudi Arabia also caused shockwaves in golf with its financing of the rebel LIV series and already hosts a Formula One Grand Prix. "I think that we as individual sport on a global level are probably closest to golf in terms of how we see sports," 23-time major winner Djokovic said at Wimbledon. "I think from that example we can probably learn a lot, some positives, some negatives, and try to structure a deal -- if it's going in that direction -- that it is going to protect the integrity and tradition and history of this sport, but still be able to grow it in such way that it will be appropriate." WTA chief executive Steve Simon said Friday that his organization is evaluating the "challenging topic" of taking the sport to Saudi Arabia. The country has been linked with hosting the flagship end-of-season WTA Championships. "It's a very difficult and challenging topic that is being measured by many groups right now," Simon said. "In February I went to Saudi Arabia to see it for myself. We took a couple of players and some reps as well. We wanted to see what the change was." ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi has said the men's tour has had "positive" discussions with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund about a potential deal. That announcement drew criticism from tennis legends John McEnroe and Chris Evert. Former world number one Andy Murray, who has refused to play exhibitions in Saudi Arabia despite the offer of mind-boggling sums of money, said that it would be a "different, difficult question" if the tournaments were official tour events. "When you start missing them, you obviously get penalized for that. It's definitely something I would have to think about. Unfortunately it's the way that a lot of sports seem to be going now," said the British star. - 'Play wherever WTA decides' - Women's world number one Iga Swiatek said she was still waiting to see if a WTA deal with the Saudis is finalized. "It's hard to know what is the rumor and what's not," said Swiatek but added "I'll be ready to play wherever the WTA decides we're going to play." Swiatek, the reigning US Open and French Open champion, has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine in its war against Russia. Although the 22-year-old Pole admitted she hasn't thought about the potential pitfalls of Saudi Arabia, she believes she and her peers can have an influence on any decision. "I was more thinking what I can do as an individual player. For sure we as a community, I feel like we have some power, we could use that," she said. dj/ea © Agence France-Presse The post Djokovic wants ‘integrity, tradition’ protected in Saudi tennis deal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
How companies are helping DENR ensure an ‘Environment for Life’
On the occasion of the global celebration of World Environment Day, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources held an “Environment for Life” event, led by DENR Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga, that highlighted the department’s two-pronged blueprint for strategic and effective sustainable development and environmental action in the country. The key to these initiatives is to put in place comprehensive, whole-of-government and whole-of-society plans that are coupled with finding strategic partners in the form of LGUs and/or the private sector. Marubeni Philippines, a major integrated trading and investment business conglomerate from Japan; Holcim Philippines, a Swiss-based global building materials and aggregates company; the Razon-led Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc.; SM Supermalls of SMIC; San Miguel Corporation; DMCI Mining Corporation; HOPE/Century Pacific Food Inc.; Makilala Mining Company Inc.; and Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies Inc. shared the stage with the DENR and presented their respective efforts toward coherent, convergent and synergized environmental action. [caption id="attachment_149039" align="aligncenter" width="525"] PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF HOLCIM PHILIPPINES | Holcim Philippines decarbonized its operations and reduced carbon emissions per ton of cement by 7 percent.[/caption] A recurring theme in all the reports from these strategic partners was how their initiatives embodied the DENR mantra regarding natural resources: to protect, rehabilitate, restore and regenerate. And when it came to treating plastic waste, it was about reduce, reuse and recycle. Marubeni highlighted its carbon credit program through reforestation, a joint undertaking of Marubeni, DENR, Dacon Corp. and the University of the Philippines Los Baños. The initial site covers 10,000 hectares in Negros Occidental and aims to restore biodiversity, create employment in local communities and establish a carbon credit program. Holcim Philippines decarbonized its operations and reduced carbon emissions per ton of cement by 7 percent. In partnership with DENR, it will deploy a 100-percent solar powered catamaran, the Circular Explorer, operated by One Earth One Ocean, to clean up coastal areas from plastic waste in Manila Bay. There is a new project in Northern Mindanao to support coral and coastal ecosystems via a “marine bio-active concrete.” Prime Infra has a reforestation project, in partnership with DENR, covering a 1,800-hectare area within the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape. This project integrates water security and watershed protection with forest carbon and biodiversity management, with the MoU serving as a blueprint for the wider implementation of nature-based solutions programs. SM Supermalls embraces sustainability through initiatives on energy conservation, solid waste reduction and water conservation. Its adoption of green and resilient designs in its buildings promotes disaster mitigation and prevention measures, along with solid waste management. Initiatives such as Trash to Cash Recycling, EV charging stations, regular coastal clean-ups, incentives for bicycle riders and the use of recycled water for cooling systems are all part of the SM Supermalls commitment to environmental action. San Miguel Corporation showcased its dredging and river widening work in rehabilitating the Pasig River and its tributaries, which has been effective in reducing floods and overspill in several strategic localities along the river’s course that has historically been notorious for flooding. SMC partners with DENR, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Metro Manila Development Authority and concerned LGUs on these initiatives. DMCI Mining shared its work in helping clean up the recent MT Princess Empress tanker accident and the resulting oil spill and expressed its appreciation for the opportunity to play a critical role in the cleanup of coastal areas in Caluya, Antique. Meanwhile, HOPE Foundation/Century Food Inc., a highly developed CSR sustainable program centered on coconut growing for its Vita Coco beverage, has generated livelihood opportunities for several targeted barangays and communities. It also joined the Plastic Exchange Program, which aims to reduce plastic waste and contribute to the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility Act. The Makilala Mining Company presentation offered a framework for the future of responsible mining, since the planned equity participation for the Balatoc indigenous community that owns the land can provide a regenerative sustainability model for the mining sector. The women in their senior management team also make Makilala a model of inclusion and diversity. Lastly, BEST highlighted its Trash to Cashback program and how it’s centered on a five-step program of Segregate, Exchange, Redeem, Collect and Recycle. The company’s Balik PET Bottle Program is in partnership with Coca-Cola Far East Limited and the Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners. The event was an effective showcase for how the DENR is developing new ways of working across several fronts to make the protection, preservation and regeneration of the country’s natural resources part of a comprehensive plan for resource development, to ensure that a sustainable future can be safeguarded for all. The post How companies are helping DENR ensure an ‘Environment for Life’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Smoke shrouds New York
Smoke from Canada’s wildfires shrouded New York and other cities along the United States East Coast on Wednesday. The US Environmental Protection Agency issued air pollution warnings covering more than 100 million people across the northeastern US from Chicago and to Atlanta as thousands of people in Canada evacuated their homes to escape harm from the wildfires. The smog enveloped the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline, with the Federal Aviation Administration saying it had slowed traffic to and from the city’s airports due to reduced visibility. Major League Baseball postponed Wednesday’s game between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox as well as the Phillies’ home game against the Detroit Tigers due to poor air quality. IQAir.com, which tracks air quality around the world, said New York was enduring the worst air quality index of any major city in the world when it is normally outside the top 3,000 worst cities for pollution. India’s New Delhi, notorious for its pollution, has the second-worst AQI. AirNow, another monitor, said the Big Apple’s AQI reached a hazardous level of 413 at 5 p.m., just short of the scale’s maximum of 500. New York City health commissioner Aswin Vasan said it was experiencing its worse air quality since the 1960s, while New York state Governor Kathy Hochul called it an “emergency crisis” that could last several days. New York City Mayor Eric Adams suspended all outdoor activities at public schools and urged city dwellers to limit outdoor time to “the absolute necessities.” US lends firefighters US President Joe Biden said on Twitter that more than 600 American firefighters and other personnel, along with equipment, had been deployed to Canada to help battle the blazes. The White House said Biden had spoken with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Wednesday, offering “additional support to respond to the devastating and historic wildfires.” Trudeau on Twitter said he had thanked Biden. In Canada, more than 11,000 locals have already been evacuated from Quebec province, now the epicenter of the disaster, with another 4,000 expected to flee by the end of Wednesday, local leader Francois Legault said. The post Smoke shrouds New York appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
World’s oldest-known burial site found in S.Africa: scientists
Palaeontologists in South Africa said Monday they have found the oldest known burial site in the world, containing remains of a small-brained distant relative of humans previously thought incapable of complex behaviour. Led by renowned palaeoanthropologist Lee Berger, researchers said they discovered several specimens of Homo naledi -- a tree-climbing, Stone Age hominid -- buried about 30 meters (100 feet) underground in a cave system within the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO world heritage site near Johannesburg. "These are the most ancient interments yet recorded in the hominin record, earlier than evidence of Homo sapiens interments by at least 100,000 years," the scientists wrote in a series of yet to be peer-reviewed and preprint papers to be published in eLife. The findings challenge the current understanding of human evolution, as it is normally held that the development of bigger brains allowed for the performing of complex, "meaning-making" activities such as burying the dead. The oldest burials previously unearthed, found in the Middle East and Africa, contained the remains of Homo sapiens -- and were around 100,000 years old. Those found in South Africa by Berger, whose previous announcements have been controversial, and his fellow researchers, date back to at least 200,000 BC. Critically, they also belong to Homo naledi, a primitive species at the crossroads between apes and modern humans, which had brains about the size of oranges and stood about 1.5 metres (five feet) tall. With curved fingers and toes, tool-wielding hands and feet made for walking, Homo naledi's discovery by Berger had already upended the notion that our evolutionary path was a straight line. The species is named after the "Rising Star" cave system where the first bones were found in 2013. The oval-shaped interments at the centre of the new studies were also found there during excavations started in 2018. The holes, which researchers say evidence suggest were deliberately dug and then filled in to cover the bodies, contain at least five individuals. "These discoveries show that mortuary practices were not limited to H. sapiens or other hominins with large brain sizes," the researchers said. The burial site is not the only sign that Homo naledi was capable of complex emotional and cognitive behaviour, they added. The post World’s oldest-known burial site found in S.Africa: scientists appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»