Hawks gibitik sa Jazz
Hawks gibitik sa Jazz.....»»
Tatum midaob sa Wizards
Tatum midaob sa Wizards.....»»
Hawks negate Steph’s 60 points
Dejounte Murray extended the game with a jumper in the final seconds of regulation, then scored seven consecutive points in overtime, allowing the host Atlanta Hawks to overcome a 60-point explosion by Stephen Curry for a 141-134 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night......»»
Curry’s 60 points wasted as Warriors loss to Hawks
Curry’s 60 points wasted as Warriors loss to Hawks.....»»
73 Luka sets franchise record
Luka Doncic matched the fourth-highest scoring performance in NBA history Friday, pouring in 73 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 148-143 victory over the Atlanta Hawks......»»
Magical Luka conjures epic 73-point performance as Mavs escape Hawks
Luka Magic......»»
Hawks’ Trae Young out due to concussion
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young sustained a concussion in Saturday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers and his timetable to return to action has not been determined, the team announced Sunday. The two-time All-Star drew a charge and took an inadvertent elbow from the Cavaliers’ Isaac Okoro with 8:43 remaining in the fourth quarter and.....»»
Disney orders Wizards of Waverly Place sequel show
Disney has ordered the creation of a pilot episode for a sequel show to "Wizards of Waverly Place," with former stars Selena Gomez and David Henrie slated to return......»»
MB roster a mix of ‘hawks and doves’ – ING
Dutch financial giant ING said the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is divided when it comes to the country’s monetary stance with the completion of the seven-member roster......»»
Quizon, Frayna settle for crucial draw
Daniel Quizon and Janelle Mae Frayna, two wizards out chasing history, fought to a draw yesterday to stay within striking distance from each other after the 11th round in the Philippine National Chess Championship at the Marikina Community Convention Center......»»
Hawks guard Trae Young fined $25,000
Trae Young thinks he got fouled in his final shot attempt in the Hawks’ painful one-point loss to the Nets.....»»
Baldur’s Gate 3 crowned game of the year at 2023 Game Awards
Role-playing hit “Baldur’s Gate 3”, based in the world of Dungeons and Dragons, was named video game of the year at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles late Thursday. Set in a fantasy realm of wizards, elves, barbarians and other characters, it is the latest installment in the titular franchise, created by Larian Studios. “The.....»»
Phoenix unveils J3
A lot of interest surrounds the unveiling of Phoenix import Johnathan Williams III as the Super LPG Fuel Masters make their PBA Commissioner’s Cup debut against NLEX at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tomorrow night. Williams, 28, is a legit NBA veteran, averaging 5.2 points in 39 total games, including six starts, with the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards over two seasons and has glowing creds......»»
MVP Joel Embiid drops 48 on Wizards as 76ers win 5th straight
Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid erupts for 48 points as the Philadelphia 76ers drop 146 on the rebuilding Washington Wizards.....»»
Pause or hike? ECB rate decision on a knife edge
The European Central Bank is walking a tightrope between still-high inflation and a darkening eurozone outlook as it decides whether to lift interest rates again or finally pause its historic hiking cycle. Whether to raise borrowing costs for a 10th straight time when they meet Thursday is shaping up to be rate-setters trickiest decision since the tightening campaign began. The central bank for the 20 countries that use the euro has already lifted rates by 4.25 percentage points since July last year to combat runaway consumer prices. But the Frankfurt institution now finds itself in a "difficult spot," HSBC said in a note, as officials struggle to digest competing data. On one hand prospects for the single currency area are looking bleaker, particularly due to a poor performance in its biggest economy, Germany, which sank into a recession over the winter and is struggling to climb out of it. Latest data showed eurozone second-quarter growth reached just 0.1 percent, lower than previously estimated, while a recent survey pointed to the economy contracting at its fastest rate in three years as a manufacturing slowdown spread to services. The weak data has fuelled calls for the ECB to pause the aggressive hiking cycle for fear it could deepen a downturn, and President Christine Lagarde finally opened the door to doing so at the bank's last meeting in July. Eye-watering inflation But consumer prices, which began surging after Russia's invasion of Ukraine due to galloping energy costs, continue to rise strongly. This would support arguments for another hike to borrowing costs, with the aim of further depressing demand and slowing inflation. Consumer price rises came in unchanged at 5.3 percent in August, way above the ECB's two percent target, although closely-watched core inflation -- excluding volatile energy and food prices -- eased a little. While inflation has slowed since last year as energy costs fall, officials are now worried that other factors, particularly wage increases in a tight labor market, are keeping it elevated. The data makes for a "very complicated mixed bag," said ING economist Carsten Brzeski. "We expect a very heated debate with a close outcome." Brzeski said he expected the 26-member governing council to opt for one final increase, which would take the closely-watched deposit rate to a record high. Other analysts, however, are betting on a pause on Thursday, although they also think the ECB might then impose one final hike at a later meeting. This would be similar to what the US Federal Reserve has done -- taking a break in June before resuming lifting rates again in July. The Fed and the Bank of England are due to hold their next meetings the week after the ECB. Hawks versus doves ECB officials have insisted their decision will depend on incoming data, which has put the focus on updated forecasts the central bank is also due to release on Thursday. In the run-up to the meeting, they have mostly been cagey about what will happen, a contrast to other recent meetings where the decision was usually well-telegraphed in advance. And mixed signals have emerged in recent days. Governing council member Peter Kazimir called for another 25-basis-point hike, with the Slovak central bank chief writing in an op-ed it is "better to be safe than sorry". But another member, Italian central bank boss Ignazio Visco, disagreed with those who think it is better to overdo it, rather than undershoot, while ECB chief economist Philip Lane welcomed signs inflation was easing in some areas. Analysts stressed it was far from clear whether the "hawks", backers of further tightening, or "doves" -- proponents of a pause -- would prevail on Thursday. But if they do choose to lift rates, it will likely be "the final hike in this cycle, with the ECB on hold until at least mid-2024," said Frederik Ducrozet, chief economist at Pictet Wealth Management. The post Pause or hike? ECB rate decision on a knife edge appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gilas heartbreakers
The FIBA World Cup games have begun with an opening night of flag-waving, music-filled entertainment proudly showcasing our much-heralded love for singing and dancing. And for the next two weeks, basketball fanatics will be focused on the best of the best hoopsters in the world. Political leanings will be set aside and diplomatic disagreements among competing nations momentarily ignored by 32 countries bannered by a record number of 55 NBA players amicably but surely passionately battling for national pride on the hardcourts of Manila, Jakarta and Okinawa. Undoubtedly, the Philippines has prepared long and hard. Undoubtedly, our Gilas pool of an exciting combination of youthful and seasoned cagers possessed finally with enough height, girth, and basketball savvy to be internationally competitive have stepped up and put their individual professional careers on hold for the opportunity to don the colors of the country. Undoubtedly, MVP, the godfather and financial backer of SBP, has done his utmost best to deliver for the Filipino people the much-cherished dream of returning our basketball team to the Olympics by topping other Asian countries in the World Cup. Undoubtedly, the Filipino fans have continued to pour their hearts out for Gilas, desperately hoping for the much-fantasized victories over the top teams of the world starting with the higher-ranked countries in our group, namely, #10 Italy and #23 Dominican Republic versus our #40 rank. And certainly, a win against lower-ranked #41 Angola would not be an outsized expectation. So, what has happened so far? As of this writing, I must say that, surely, like millions of our countrymen, my heart is utterly heartbroken. Why? Two Gilas games have just been concluded and much to our lament, although we still have one more game to play against Italy, our aspirations for moving up to the second round of 16 have been shattered for all intents and purposes. We still have a long shot for a Hail Mary miracle if the Dominicans beat the Angolans, our tormentors in the second game of Gilas, and IF we beat Italy. This slimmest of slim scenarios will have Gilas tied with Italy and Angola at one win and two losses each, which will have to be settled on point differentials. We first lost to the Dominican Republic 87- 81 in a tightly contested match-up. Our team stood toe to toe against NBA star Karl Anthony Towns, an unstoppable behemoth every time he drove in on his strong side against the defenses of AJ Edu and our own man mountain June Mar Fajardo. Both defenders nevertheless stood out with their steady shooting and defensive efforts. The first game against the Dominicans, to the credit of our undersized team, was a nip-and-tuck affair all throughout that could have gone either way until our scoring machine, NBA star Jordan Clarkson, fouled out with about three minutes left. Without Clarkson to respond to Towns, the game of Gilas quickly unraveled and the outcome became inevitable. The game against Angola started and ended quite differently. With dimming hopes for moving up to the next round, Gilas ferociously came out strong, even leading by as many as 11 points in the second quarter. Clarkson’s shooting, however, was not as sharp, hitting only 32 percent compared to his 38 percent clip against the Dominicans and Gilas’ penchant for turnovers continued to hurt. By the start of the fourth quarter, Angola took control and never looked back. Some lessons to be learned. No matter how great a player Clarkson is, other players will have to step up more consistently. Basketball after all is and will always be about team play. Fajardo was marvelous in the Dominican game but couldn’t maintain his strong play in the match-up against Angola’s NBA Atlanta Hawks center, Bruno Fernando. On the other hand, Edu, Dwight, and Pogoy showed intermittent flashes of brilliance but lacked game-long consistency. The much heralded Kai Sotto, perhaps through no fault of his own since he was denied sufficient playing time to show his stuff, was flat and didn’t really wow the crowd. But perhaps the biggest question asked by basketball pundits is if coach Chot Reyes is up to par compared to the brilliant bench tactician Tab Baldwin who unexpectedly stepped down as Gilas coach. Until next week… OBF! *** For comments, email bing_matoto@yahoo.com. The post Gilas heartbreakers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Latvia s Kristaps Porzingis (foot) to miss FIBA World Cup
(Photo credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports) Kristaps Porzingis of Latvia announced on social media Tuesday that he will miss the FIBA Basketball World Cup because of a foot issue. The 7-foot-3 center, a new member of the Boston Celtics after a three-team trade with the Washington Wizards in June, was set to lead Latvia in the World Cup, which begins Aug. 25 in Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia. "After several weeks o.....»»
Putting the quit on Quilter
Karl Quilter, a Chicago resident, was recently handed a sentence of 30 years in a United States federal prison for OSEC, or the online sexual exploitation of children based in the Philippines. The 58-year-old Quilter entered last year a guilty plea, claiming that the minors he spoke with on social media sites Facebook, Viber, and Skype from 2017 to 2020 were his “girlfriends.” His modus operandi, court records showed, involved dangling money transfers to persuade his victims to send the requested images. Quilter, in fact, visited the Philippines in 2017 and 2018, but he would not admit to actually having physical sex with minors, something that could have added to his sentence. He, nonetheless, admitted to having vowed to return to the Philippines in 2020 to act out his OSEC fantasies, yet more proof that OSEC oftentimes leads to actual physical abuse by moneyed, well-traveled monsters. The successful prosecution of Quilter and others like him, however, represents only one side of the coin as there’s also a pressing need to stop the abuse at the source, hundreds of miles away. Putting behind bars adults, frequently family members, who enable this heinous crime within the Philippines and other poor countries, is equally important. Unicef, the International Justice Mission, and Interpol have conducted extensive research that indicates that the Philippines, even before the start of the pandemic, had become a major global hub for live-streaming or the distribution of videos and photos of sex acts involving children as young as two years old. According to their estimates, the incidence of OSEC in the country had more than tripled in recent years, with the Philippines receiving more than eight times as many referrals as any other country, “making it the center of the global live-stream sex abuse trade.” The IJM, which started working closely with authorities in the Philippines in 2020 to close physical channels of sexual abuse of minors like bars and prostitution houses, had warned that Covid-19 lockdowns spanning two years had significantly contributed to a threefold rise in OSEC cases. With his department as the lead agency in the government’s efforts against human trafficking, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has gone, so far, as to warn telecom companies that they would be prosecuted if they did not provide checks and filters against OSEC materials being routed through their networks. The biggest telcos have been heeding Remulla’s call, but as technology moves fast, they have to contend not only with the traffickers but also with tech wizards, those who live off the Dark Web, and who provide the backend support to ram OSEC materials through governmental and corporate check valves. IJM has drawn a silver lining around the dark clouds, saying that significant progress has been made in reducing the availability of children for sale on the streets and for internet-based sex trafficking. The figures, the group claimed, have fallen by as much as 86 percent in the cities where they were present. The relationship between OSEC and money transfers has been made crystal clear by recent research by the Anti-Money Laundering Task Force. It said that to stop the cycle of exploitation and bring the offenders to justice, it is necessary to destroy the illegal financial networks and stop the use of legal ones for OSEC payments. Although Quilter’s sentencing represents an important development in the prosecution of foreign offenders, he is just one among the millions of pedophiles and other perverts who have fueled OSEC, a multi-faceted problem that requires creative solutions and cross-border cooperation among governments, non-governmental organizations, and communities. OSEC operations by families in far-flung barangays are an open secret in communities, betrayed by the sprouting of Wi-Fi antennas in homes that also suddenly had access to extra cash. Cracking down on them has been easier, but the additional challenge now is stopping OSEC coursed through smartphones with internet data access. OSEC has been and will always be a cat-and-mouse game. It’s a virtual one-upmanship in trying to put the quit on depravities perpetrated by the likes of Quilter. The post Putting the quit on Quilter appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NBA: Warriors acquire point guard Chris Paul, add guard Cory Joseph
SAN FRANCISCO— The Golden State Warriors finalized their trade with the Wizards for guard Chris Paul on Thursday, sending forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. and guards Jordan Poole and Ryan Rollins to Washington along with a pair of draft picks. The Wizards will receive a 2027 second-round selection and a 2030 first-round choice, the team said […] The post NBA: Warriors acquire point guard Chris Paul, add guard Cory Joseph appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Porzingis to Boston
The Washington Wizards have agreed to trade center Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team trade that also includes Marcus Smart heading to the Memphis Grizzlies, two people with knowledge of the deal said Thursday morning......»»