Filippine

LAS VEGAS --- Kamaru Usman brutally stopped Colby Covington with 50 seconds left in the fifth round at UFC 245 on Saturday night, retaining his UFC welterweight title with a spectacular finish to their grudge match. Alexander Volkanovski took the UFC featherweight title from Max Holloway and became the second Australian champion in the promotion's history with a tactical unanimous-decision victory. Amanda Nunes defended her bantamweight title with a grinding unanimous-decision victory over Germaine De Randamie at T-Mobile Arena. Usman (16-1) closed out an occasionally slow fight with Covington (15-2) in thrilling fashion, knocking down the challenger twice with precise punches ...

Keep on reading: Usman batters Covington, Volkanovski claims title at UFC 245

MADRID --- A disputed decision not to award a late penalty may have cost Barcelona the Spanish league lead entering Wednesday's "clsico" against Real Madrid. Barcelona was held to a 2-2 draw at Real Sociedad on Saturday, giving Madrid a chance to go into the midweek match at Camp Nou Stadium with a two-point lead if it beats Valencia on Sunday. Barcelona was expected to file a formal complaint to the Spanish soccer federation over the non-call, which came after Real Sociedad defender Diego Llorente appeared to pull down Gerard Piqu by his jersey in stoppage time. Neither the referee nor video review thought there was enough to award a penalty. Barcelona was especially upset ...

Keep on reading: Barcelona’s disputed draw adds fuel to upcoming ‘clásico’

A magnitude 6.9 quake struck Davao del Sur on Sunday afternoon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

Phivolcs said the epicenter was at 6 kilometers northwest of Padada, Davao del Sur. It was tectonic in origin and had a depth of 30 kms from the surface.

Intensity 4 was felt in Matanao, Davao del Sur.

Phivolcs said damage and aftershocks were expected. Franz Embudo

MEXICO CITY --- San Antonio set a record. Patty Milly got the Spurs a win, too. Mills made a jumper from the free throw line with 0.3 seconds left in the Spurs' record-setting fourth consecutive overtime game, and they outlasted the Phoenix Suns 121-119 on Saturday. The NBA record book shows 20 instances of teams playing three straight overtime games --- but never four straight, like the Spurs have. They're 3-1 in those games, their best stretch since opening the season 4-1. "We've had four overtime games in a row now and we've won three of them and I think there's something positive to be said for that," Mills said. "Tonight it was the execution. We haven't had the greatest...

Keep on reading: Mills hits winner, Spurs outlast Suns in record-setting OT

LEGAZPI CITY -- An alleged New People's Army (NPA) commander was among the four rebels killed in an ongoing firefight with Army soldiers in a remote village in Matnog town in Sorsogon province, Maj. Ricky Aguilar, Philippine Army's 9th Infantry Division public affairs chief, said Sunday. Killed was Robert Estiller, aka "Cindy/Meo," commanding officer of the NPA Sentro De Garbidad (SDG), Larangan 2, operating in Sorsogon. Estiller's three other companions who were also slain in the armed encounter are yet to be identified, Aguilar said. The body of the slain NPA commander and his companions are now in the custody of the Army and would be turned over to the Matnog police for disposit...

Keep on reading: Alleged NPA commander among killed in Sorsogon clash

Tokyo formally unveiled its 60,000-seater main Olympic Stadium Sunday, more than seven months before the 2020 Opening Ceremony -- with a host of special features to beat the feared heat. Built on the site of the former national stadium used for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, it has five floors above ground and two below, with greenery planted on the decks to provide shade from the scorching summer sun. The eaves around the outer perimeter keep out sunlight and rain and will help channel breeze into the stadium. There are also eight mist spraying facilities, 185 fans and 16 air-conditioned lounges. Opening the facility, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hailed its "top-level universal desi...

Keep on reading: Tokyo unveils heat-busting stadium, 7 months before Olympics

MILWAUKEE --- Giannis Antetokounmpo displayed his remarkable skills early and often as the Milwaukee Bucks continued their quest to break a franchise record that has stood for nearly half a century. The reigning MVP sank a 3-pointer for his first points of the game, then followed with a spinning layup, a wide-open dunk and a step-through slam for nine quick points to give Milwaukee an early lead. And when the Cleveland Cavaliers made it close in the second quarter, Antetokounmpo streaked down the court, received a feed from Donte DiVincenzo and threw down a one-handed dunk as the Bucks began to pull away. Antetokounmpo and the Bucks went on to beat Cleveland 125-108 Saturday...

Keep on reading: Antetokounmpo, Middleton lead Bucks to 18th straight win

MANILA, Philippines --- A powerful 6.9 earthquake rocked Padada, Davao del Sur on Sunday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. The quake struck at 2:11 p.m. with epicenter 6 kilometers northwest of Padada. Phivolcs said that the tremor was of tectonic origin and had a 30-kilometer depth of focus,sending people out of their houses and buildings in Digos City. The tremor was also felt in other areas at various intensities: Reported Intensities: Intensity VII - Matanao & Magsaysay, Davao del Sur Intensity VI - Kidapawan City; General Santos City; Bansalan, Davao del Sur; Alabel & Malapatan, Sarangani; Koronadal City Inte...

Keep on reading: Magnitude 6.9 earthquake jolts Davao del Sur

DALLAS --- A Dallas crowd stunned by Luka Doncic's ankle injury and the big deficit that followed was standing with the Mavericks in position to win late. Still, a huge comeback without the young phenom came up short. Doncic left in the opening minutes with a sprained ankle and the Mavericks rallied from 24 points down to take a lead into the final minute of regulation before falling to the Miami Heat 122-118 in overtime Saturday night. Bam Adebayo put Miami in front for good on a put-back dunk with 1:15 remaining in overtime and finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his second triple-double in three games. "Anytime you lose your best player, the way he'...

Keep on reading: Luka Doncic injures ankle, Mavs fall to Heat in overtime

Actress and philanthropist Angel Locsin has nothing but gratitude after being appointed as the Ambassador for Peace and Humanitarian Advocate by the Gawad Filipino Awards last Dec. 5. The multi-awarded actress expressed her thanks and showed off her well-deserved certificate through Instagram last Friday, Dec. 13. "Maraming salamat po Gawad Filipino Awards. Mabuhay po kayo (Thank you so much, Gawad Filipino Awards. Long live)," she said. https://www.instagram.com/p/B6AUXstlLYK/ Locsin gave fans a peek of the actual certificate and her "ambassador" sash, accompanied by a short "boomerang" clip of her blowing a kiss while holding her certificate. Locsin's appointment was...

Keep on reading: LOOK: Angel Locsin’s appointment as peace ambassador by Gawad Filipino earns praise

SAN PEDRO CITY -- A village councilor in Batangas City was shot and killed allegedly by a man tagged as an illegal drug pusher in their barangay (village). The victim was identified as Jorge Almarez, a councilor in Barangay Bolbok. Batangas city police chief Lt. Col. Julius Aonuevo, meanwhile, identified the suspect as Gilbert Acua. In a phone interview Sunday, Aonuevo said the village officials had long suspected Acua of illegal drug pushing. In fact, the officials were in the process of verifying reports from the community for the possible inclusion of the suspect on the village's watchlist of illegal drug personalities. "Allegedly, it was Almarez who [submitted] the inf...

Keep on reading: Alleged drug pusher shoots down village exec in Batangas

MANILA, Philippines --- Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday claimed that two days before she was sacked as co-chair of the Interagency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino urged her to stay in her post. "Ma'am, huwag mo kaming iiwan. Huwag mo kaming iiwan kasi maraming nangyayari noong nandiyan ka na," Robredo recalled what Aquino told her during her radio program "Biserbisyong Leni" on RMN-DZXL. (Ma'am, please don't leave us. Many things already happened when you were already here.) According to Robredo, this happened during a closed-door meeting, and that her staff also heard Aquino's plea. "Kasi a...

Keep on reading: Robredo: PDEA chief Aquino asked me to stay as ICAD co-chair

MELBOURNE, Australia --- High emotions, fierce hugs from Tiger Woods, this time as a winner both ways in the Presidents Cup. Woods capped off a big year that began with his 15th major at the Masters by playing and leading his U.S. team to another victory in the Presidents Cup on Sunday at Royal Melbourne. The first playing captain in 25 years, he opened the 12 singles matches by beating Abraham Ancer to set the Presidents Cup record with his 27th match victory, and set the tone for the rest of his team. The scoreboard was filled with American red scores all day as they rallied from a two-point deficit to win the Presidents Cup for the eighth straight time against an Intern...

Keep on reading: Tiger Woods, US team rallies to win Presidents Cup again

MANILA, Philippines --- Sen. Panfilo Lacson is not buying House leaders' defense that the Congress-approved national budget for 2020 is not riddled with "pork barrel," stressing that projects withoutclear details are still considered pork. Last Wednesday, Lacson bared that the House madelast-minute insertionsin the budget bill which was later on approved by the bicameral conference panel and ratified by both chambers on the same day. In an interview with radio dzBB Sunday, he said he had asked Senate finance chair Sonny Angara to postpone the bicam meetings until the House submits its changes to the General Appropriations Bill (GAB). He received the file only on the night ofTue...

Keep on reading: Projects without clear details still ‘pork’ — Lacson

Mariel de Leon opened up about mental health in hopes of helping those who face similar struggles, after someone called her "crazy" for having problems with her own mental health. "I'm not one to post about these things because I'm the type that hates being vulnerable, but I feel like mental health is such an important topic nowadays," she said in her Twitter post yesterday, Dec. 14. https://twitter.com/honestlymariel/status/1205779516553076741 De Leon first expressed how glad she was over more people talking about mental health "because that's what people need; conversation and support." The model then revealed that someone had called her crazy "for having mental health problems ...

Keep on reading: Mariel de Leon on being called ‘crazy’: ‘Never let anyone talk down on you’

COLUMBUS, Ohio --- They crowded into Nationwide Arena, 13,000 strong, cheering every shot, roaring with every basket. Many were not there to see the game. They came to see LeBron. Both of them. Bronny James made his Ohio debut Saturday, and hit the go-ahead shot in the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers' 59-56 victory over the St. Vincent-St. Mary Irish. Sierra Canyon is 8-0. Watching, cheering loudest of all and pacing the sideline, was LeBron James, NBA great, father to Bronny, and St. Vincent-St. Mary's most famous alum. The elder James led the Irish to three state titles in four years, bringing their games to the airwaves of ESPN airwaves and the pages of Sports Illustrate...

Keep on reading: Bronny James hits game-winner vs dad’s former high school team

NEW YORK --- Terence Crawford's latest opponent had not only never been knocked down, but Crawford couldn't recall seeing him even hurt. Then again, he'd never been in a ring with a fighter like Crawford before. Crawford dropped Egidijus Kavaliauskas three times before stopping him in the ninth round Saturday night to remain unbeaten and defend his welterweight title at Madison Square Garden. "I wanted to give the crowd a knockout," Crawford said. "When I started letting my hands go, I started landing more fatal shots." Crawford knocked down the challenger once in the seventh round and twice more in the ninth before referee Ricky Gonzalez stopped it at 44 seconds of the round. Cra...

Keep on reading: Crawford stops Kavaliauskas to defend welterweight title

A mother, who claims she felt frustrated with her newborn baby, threw the child at a hospital crib to stop him from crying. The newborn's mother, Megan James, is charged with child endangerment and has been jailed in Iowa, United States, subject to a $30,000 (P1.5 million) bond, as per Fox-affiliate, KTIV last Friday, Dec. 13. The 32-two-year-old woman gave birth to a healthy boy on Nov. 15 at the Sioux City hospital, according to court documents. The baby's injuries later made the hospital staff suspicious, local radio station KSCJ reported on the same day. Eventually, the mother admitted to her wrongdoing. She claimed she felt exasperated with the baby while trying to breastfeed h...

Keep on reading: Mother who threw her newborn baby at crib jailed

Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo confirmed that she will release her report on the government’s drug war to the public on Monday, December 16.

Robredo said she will share an overview of the 30-page report, which contains her findings and recommendations on the anti-illegal drug campaign obtained from her 18-day-stint as co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD).

“Bibigyan natin ng kopya si Presidente, siyempre, kasi naka-address sa kaniya iyon. Bibigyan natin ng kopya iyong members ng ICAD. Bibigyan natin ng kopya iyong media (We will give the President a copy, of course, because the report is addressed to him. We will also give a copy to the members of ICAD. We will also give a copy to the media),” Robredo said on her weekly radio show on Sunday.

She called on those concerned to be open to her suggestions on how to improve the campaign against drugs. DIVINA NOVA JOY DELA CRUZ

  GAMU, Isabela -- An Army corporal was killed while two other soldiers were wounded during an encounter with some New People's Army rebels in Echague town on Saturday, the military said. Maj. Noriel Tayaban, Army's 5th Infantry Division spokesperson, identified the fatality as Cpl. Adonis Galera of Pinukpuk town, Kalinga province. The wounded were Cpl. Harold Ganagan of Tinglayan, Kalinga; and Cpl. Fajardo Manuel of Paracelis, Mountain Province. Tayaban said the soldiers, who belong to the 86th Infantry Battalion, were deployed to Barangay Villa Rey after receiving reports that the communist rebels were trying to extort for the underground movement's anniversary on Dec....

Keep on reading: Soldier slain, 2 others wounded in clash with NPA rebels in Isabela