WATCH: Streetboys show off slick dance moves in Vhong Navarro’s wedding FEU was off to a hot start and mounted a 19-point lead, 30-11, at the start of the second quarter and that early burst was enough for the Tamaraws to hold on until the final buzzer.“That’s what we addressed after our loss to La Salle that we can’t allow ourselves to be down big in the earlier stages of the game,” said Tamaraws head coach Olsen Racela in Filipino.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSSEA Games: Philippines picks up 1st win in men’s water poloSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutout“We did fairly well last game but we were down big at the start and what happened today was the exact opposite of what happened last time.”Ron Dennison paced FEU with 16 points while Prince Orizu put up 15 points and grabbed 16 boards. BSP sees higher prices in November, but expects stronger peso, low rice costs to put up fight MOST READ LOOK: Loisa Andalio, Ronnie Alonte unwind in Amanpulo for 3rd anniversary View comments The trio of Richard Escoto, Barkley Ebona and Arvin Tolentino had 11 points apiece to intensify the Tamaraws’ offensive fire.Clark Derige had a game-high 22 points to lead the Red Warriors in the losing effort. E.T. returns to earth, reunites with grown-up Elliott in new ad Frontrow holds fun run to raise funds for young cancer patients Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.netFar Eastern University easily brushed off University of the East, 90-83, to claim its first win in the UAAP Season 80 seniors’ basketball tournament Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.The Tamaraws, after losing to defending champion La Salle, 95-90, on Sunday, are now at 1-1 while the Red Warriors are yet to win after two matches.ADVERTISEMENT Fire hits houses in Mandaluyong City Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Trending Articles PLAY LIST 00:50Trending Articles00:50Trending Articles00:50Trending Articles01:37Protesters burn down Iran consulate in Najaf01:47Panelo casts doubts on Robredo’s drug war ‘discoveries’01:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games Read Next Ateneo beats UP, claims 2nd win in UAAP women’s basketball LATEST STORIES For the complete collegiate sports coverage including scores, schedules and stories, visit Inquirer Varsity. Nonong Araneta re-elected as PFF president
Read Next Spoelstra picked up the idea from watching Dragic play in Slovenia over the last two summers; fouling to get the ball back, even late in tie games, is more prevalent in European games.In the end, it worked out anyway.“That’s the difference between a head coach enjoying his glass of wine or staying up all night second-guessing every single decision,” Spoelstra said.Wade didn’t seem aware of the plan to foul only if he missed one of the three.“I wanted to foul,” Wade said. “I had confidence in myself that I was going to make all three. They kept running (the same) pick and roll, and it was killing us and I just felt playing the numbers … I wanted the young fella to see, in this environment, what he’s going to do.”Simmons missed the first, made the second. Wade brought the ball downcourt, dribbled left, went behind his back, then to the right, then eventually found his spot to fire over Simmons for what became the gamewinner.“That’s what he does,” 76ers coach Brett Brown said. “That’s who he is. That’s who he’s always been. He just sort of grabbed the team and put it on his back.”Philadelphia used a 16-3 run to open a 33-20 lead in the first half, and Miami answered with an 18-2 run to go up 38-35. From there, a 12-minute stretch of back-and-forth commenced with neither team ever leading by more than three.The 76ers eventually broke through, going up nine late in the third. But they saw the margin cut to 75-73 going into the fourth, after Wade hit a step-back 3 to end the quarter. In the fourth, Philadelphia went up again, this time by 10 — and Miami clawed back again, using an 11-1 run to knot the game on a layup by Wade with 4:57 left.And in the end, Wade came through in the biggest way. In his house, the Heat got a needed win. Families in US enclave in north Mexico hold sad Thanksgiving LATEST STORIES Miami Heat Dwyane Wade screams with the crowd after scoring the winning basket to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers in an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 in Miami. (Charles Trainor Jr./Miami Herald via AP)MIAMI — This was vintage Dwyane Wade, and he knew exactly what he was doing.He intentionally fouled Ben Simmons in the final seconds of a tie game, usually an absolute no-no. He didn’t give the ball up on the ensuing possession with his team down by one, choosing instead to decide the outcome himself.ADVERTISEMENT Sports venues to be ready in time for SEA Games PLAY LIST 00:59Sports venues to be ready in time for SEA Games01:27Filipino athletes get grand send-off ahead of SEA Games00:50Trending Articles01:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. “It was good tonight to be back in that position,” Wade said.TIP-INS76ers: Philadelphia got fouled three times on 3-point tries and made the utmost of the chances, converting them into 10 points. Marco Belinelli made three free throws, and Redick turned one into a four-point play, and made three more when hit again beyond the arc with 1:47 left. … Redick scored 15, Belinelli had 13 and Simmons finished with 11.Heat: It was the 24th time in Miami’s last 26 games that the winning margin was less than 10 points. … Wade’s previous season high was 25, when he was with Cleveland.MOTT LEAVESMost of the second half was played with only two referees on the floor. Rodney Mott left the game early in the third quarter, accompanied by Heat athletic trainer Jay Sabol. Bill Spooner and Lauren Holtkamp finished the game.UP NEXT76ers: Visit Cleveland on Thursday.Heat: Host the L.A. Lakers on Thursday. Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH LOOK: Iya Villania meets ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’ cast in Mexico Goran Dragic scored 21 for the Heat, who got 16 points from Tyler Johnson and 15 points and 11 rebounds from Hassan Whiteside.Joel Embiid scored 23 points for Philadelphia, which got 21 from Dario Saric. The 76ers led by as many as 10 in the fourth and had a chance to win at the buzzer, but JJ Redick’s wide-open 3-point try bounced off the rim.“D-Wade down the stretch was amazing,” Redick said.He needed to be, since Philadelphia led for 96 percent of the second half — and lost, because Wade wouldn’t allow any other outcome.Wade got fouled on a 3-point try with 29 seconds left and the Heat down by three. The plan that Spoelstra laid out was for the Heat to foul Simmons — a 57 percent foul shooter — if Wade missed one of the three foul shots. Wade made all three, but fouled Simmons anyway.ADVERTISEMENT
Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC View comments The foul? Brilliant.The shot? Even better.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSLillard, Anthony lead Blazers over ThunderSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutWade scored 15 of Miami’s final 17 points, finished with a season-high 27 and his jumper with 5.9 seconds remaining lifted the Heat to a 102-101 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night. And yes, he punctuated the gamewinner with the “this is my house” signal and yell to the crowd, as if there was any doubt that he somehow lost the deed to the building during his stints in Chicago and Cleveland.“There’s something about Dwyane Wade when you put that Miami Heat jersey on and play in front of these fans,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He becomes somebody very special.” Pussycat Dolls set for reunion tour after 10-year hiatus John Lloyd Cruz a dashing guest at Vhong Navarro’s wedding AFP official booed out of forum Google honors food scientist, banana ketchup inventor and war hero Maria Orosa Doe-eyed superhero picked for Tokyo Olympics 2020 mascot MOST READ
Kerala Blasters are struggling with injuries and are unlikely to have Mario Arques and Gianni Zuiverloon. They already don’t have Sandesh Jhingan, who had a successful knee surgery on Thursday. Kerala haven’t been able to create many goal-scoring opportunities for star striker Bartholomew Ogbeche and have been extremely edgy at the back..@KeralaBlasters form: W L L@OdishaFC form: L L WWiLL the Blasters turn things around at home against Odisha FC tonight? #KERODI #HeroISL #LetsFootball #TrueLove pic.twitter.com/tePVAz7sqI— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) November 8, 2019 Odisha FC’s defence would be a bit of a worry as they have conceded six goals in three games and also tend to leak goals in the final 10 minutes. However, their midfield and forward line was fluid in their previous game. Xisco Hernandez’s partnership with Aridane Santana and Jerry Mawihmingthanga looks promising and adding the pace of Nandhakumar Sekar to the mix, Kerala’s defence could be in for trouble.
About the authorPaul VegasShare the loveHave your say Bournemouth boss Howe delighted with Fraser formby Paul Vegas10 months agoSend to a friendShare the loveBournemouth boss Eddie Howe is delighted with the form of Ryan Fraser.The Scotland international has been a regular presence under Howe this season and is level with Eden Hazard for most assists in the Premier League this season with nine.”He’s done so well this [season], he’s been a regular goal creator, goal scorer and his set-piece delivery has been excellent, which was evident on Wednesday,” Howe said.”Two lovely free-kicks, one floated and one whipped, with two goals coming from that. So really pleased.”I’m not surprised [by his performances]. His technical ability is so high; he’s got two lovely feet and a very good football brain.”It was more a case of wanting him to show everybody what he can do on a consistent basis and he’s started to do it this [season].” 
Chelsea manager Lampard: Hudson-Odoi, James not ready for returnby Freddie Taylora month agoSend to a friendShare the loveChelsea manager Frank Lampard says Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James need more time in the U23s.The teenage duo are expected to be utilised in Lampard’s first-team squad after returning to action with the U23 side last week.But Lampard wants to see them gain more fitness before returning to be considered for selection.”They are fit but not match fit,” said Lampard ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Valencia. “Callum is getting extra work in and with Reece, he played in the Under-23s and they may need another game in the Under-23s in them before they are ready for action. N’Golo similarly. “Although not to play in Under-23s, he will have more training to do just because the injury has been bothering him.” About the authorFreddie TaylorShare the loveHave your say
Brighton defender Dan Burn values his time with Darlingtonby Paul Vegas12 days agoSend to a friendShare the loveBrighton defender Dan Burn values his time with non-league Darlington.The centre-half spent two years at the club as a 17-year-old playing in non-league for Darlington and he talked about what it did for his career.He said: “The people at Darlington were huge for me in terms of what they did for my career at the time.“The youth team manager, Craig Liddle, is someone that really stands out, and I still speak to him today.“He gave me the belief that I could play football properly full time, and not fall out of the game. I am very thankful to someone like that, because having that sort of belief can change your life.“He developed me loads, as I arrived at the club as an average footballer and he pushed me on to be better and reach the next level.“I also have to be thankful to Mark Cooper, who was the first-team manager at the time, as he gave me a good run in the team.“That was a brave decision by him considering my ability and age at the time.” About the authorPaul VegasShare the loveHave your say
Brandi Morin APTN National NewsA trapper from northern Alberta is in a fight with Parks Canada after his hunting cabin was removed from Wood Buffalo National Park.Parks Canada said regulations didn’t allow for hunting cabins in the area.He’s now requesting the backing of treaty members from across Canada.
DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler’s new CEO says major job cuts or an alliance with other automakers are not in the plans for Italian-American automaker.Mike Manley says the company downsized its workforce significantly a decade ago, and smaller cuts have been made since. So unlike crosstown rivals Ford and General Motors, he doesn’t expect any “big bang event.”Manley took over for the late Sergio Marchionne last year. Three years ago, Marchionne was shopping for a partner and said the industry needed to consolidate to better share huge capital investment costs.But Manley says FCA is now in a different position and can go it alone. He says at the Detroit auto show that the company has the resources and the balance sheet to stand on its own.The Associated Press
With an increase in demand for these hampers, the donation will be of great help for the Salvation Army.If you would like to donate to the Christmas Hamper Campaign, donations can be dropped off at the Community & Family Services office, 10116 100 Ave.Distribution Day of the hampers is Wednesday, December 19th. FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – The Doig River First Nations presented a donation in the amount of $2500.00 to the Salvation Army for their Christmas Hamper Campaign.Chief Trevor Makadahay presented Cameron Eggie, Executive Director – Northern Centre of Hope with the Donation at the recent ‘World Cafe’ event held December 5th at the Northern Grand Hotel.The donation was given to go towards the Christmas Hamper Campaign, a service that the Salvation Army provides for anyone in the community to apply for. Unlike the Food Bank, an income matrix is used to assess and prioritize the need. The Salvation Army assesses household income vs expenses to determine the value of the hamper.
Houston: Scientists have used artificial intelligence (AI) to uncover two more hidden planets in the data collected by the Kepler space telescope. The technique shows promise for identifying many additional planets that traditional methods could not catch. Researchers from The University of Texas at Austin in the US created an algorithm that sifts through the data taken by Kepler to ferret out signals that were missed by traditional planet-hunting methods. Also Read – Swiggy now in 500 Indian cities, targets 100 more this year The process, described in the The Astronomical Journal, should help astronomers find many more missed planets hiding in Kepler data. “K2 data is more challenging to work with because the spacecraft is moving around all the time,” said Andrew Vanderburg, from UT Austin. This change came about after a mechanical failure. While mission planners found a workaround, the spacecraft was left with a wobble that AI had to take into account. Also Read – New HP Pavilion x360 notebook with in-built Alexa in India The Kepler and K2 missions have already discovered thousands of planets around other stars, with an equal number of candidates awaiting confirmation. The two planets are both very typical of planets found in K2, researchers said. “They’re really close in to their host star, they have short orbital periods, and they’re hot. They are slightly larger than Earth,” said Anne Dattilo, who led the study. Of the two planets, one is called K2-293b and orbits a star 1,300 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius. The other, K2-294b, orbits a star 1,230 light-years away, also located in Aquarius. Once the team used their algorithm to find these planets, they followed up by studying the host stars using ground-based telescopes to confirm that the planets are real. These observations were done with the 1.5-metre telescope at the Smithsonian Institution’s Whipple Observatory in Arizona and the Gillett Telescope at Gemini Observatory in Hawaii. The future of the AI concept for finding planets hidden in data sets looks bright. The current algorithm can be used to probe the entire K2 data set, Dattilo said — approximately 300,000 stars. The method couls also be applied to Kepler’s successor planet-hunting mission, TESS, which launched in April 2018. Kepler’s mission ended later that year.
Mumbai: Englishman Jos Buttler laid the platform with a rampaging 89 while Shreyas Gopal held his nerve at the death to power Rajasthan Royals to a four-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League encounter here Saturday. This was Royals’ second victory of the season in seven games after losing a last ball thriller to CSK less than 48 hours back. Put into bat, Mumbai Indians rode on a aggressive 81 by South African Quinton De Kock to post an imposing 187/5, but Buttler’s 43-ball knock studded with eight fours and seven sixes set the tone before Royals survived a scare to finish the game in 19.3 overs. Also Read – Puducherry on top after 8-wkt win over ChandigarhThe match was a forgettable one for young West Indies pacer Alzarri Joseph (0/53 in 3 overs), who was hammered for eight fours and three sixes and then was injured trying to save a boundary. The 13th over changed the game’s complexion as Buttler smashed two sixes and four fours off Joseph to bring down the equation to a manageable run-a-ball. Buttler first conjured a 60-run opening stand with skipper Ajinkya Rahane (37 off 21 balls, 6x 4; 1×6) to lay the foundation and then added 87 runs for the second wicket with Sanju Samson (31 off 26 balls; 2×4, 1×6). Also Read – Vijender’s next fight on Nov 22, opponent to be announced laterButtler initially played second fiddle to Rahane but then upped his ante once skipper was gone. The Englishman in the eighth over, hit Rahul Chahar for a six, and then in next over, smashed two sixes off Krunal Pandya as he raced to 50 off 29 balls. When Buttler departed in the 14th over, Rajasthan needed 41 runs. But then came the twist in the tale when Mumbai did make a comeback of sorts sending four batsman — Samson, Rahul Tripathi (1), Steve Smith (12 ) and Liam Livingstone (1) — back to the pavilion as Rajasthan slumped to 174.6 from 147/2. However, Shreyas Gopal (13 not out) and K Gowtham (0 not out) held their nerves to take the side home in a tense situation. Gopal hit the winning boundary off Hardik Pandya as celebrations erupted in the Rajasthan camp. Joseph was the costliest bowler having conceded 53 runs in three overs. Earlier, Quinton de Kock hit a belligerent 81 as he powered Mumbai Indians to an imposing 187 for 5 against Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League game here Saturday. South African De Kock was the wrecker-in-chief as he hammered six fours and four sixes in his 52-ball knock and got able support from skipper Rohit Sharma (47 off 32 balls), who made a comeback after missing out the last Mumbai game due to a leg injury. A late cameo from Hardik Pandya (28 off 11 balls), in which smashed three sixes and one fours ensured Mumbai neared the 190-run mark. Earlier, Rohit and De Kock took the opposition attack to the cleaners as the two added 96 for the first wicket. They started the onslaught in the third over amassing 18 runs with the South African hitting a six and four off Krishnappa Gowtham. Then Rohit ripped apart pacer Dhawal Kulkarni, striking three fours, including a splendid cover drive, as Mumbai gathered 14 runs from it. De Kock kept playing shots at will even as Mumbai reached 57/0 after Powerplay period. Then De Kock dispatched spinner Liam Livingstone for two sixes over deep mid-wicket as runs came thick and fast. He raced to his fifty in 34 balls. Rohit, who struck six fours and a lone six, threw his wicket away giving a sitter to Jos Buttler off Jofra Archer. And then Rajasthan made a good comeback removing Surya Kumar Yadav (16) and Kieron Pollard (6) to reduce the hosts to 136/3. Rajasthan bowlers made a splendid comeback as they removed De Kock and Ishan Kishan before the Hardik show. Meanwhile, it was Rohit’s 100th match as captain for Mumbai Indians (including the now defunct Champions League T20 games) and it was Mumbai’s overall 200th match.
Usually, it’s pretty easy to figure out why an NBA team got better. The Sixers, who were the NBA’s most-improved team this year, got Joel Embiid and an extra 18 wins compared to last season. Houston, 14 wins better, got MVP-level play out of James Harden, who’s been a perfect fit for new coach Mike D’Antoni’s pace-and-space offense.Then there’s Utah, a team that was 40-42 last year, yet has pieced together a fringe NBA title contender this season. The Jazz’s improvement isn’t as straightforward as the Rockets’ or Sixers’, though — they did it by tinkering with the margins of a roster that had missed the postseason for four consecutive years, and they’re capitalizing on their two young stars finally coming of age.Perhaps the best comparison for this Jazz team is the Indiana Pacers from three or four years ago: Rudy Gobert is the Jazz’s souped-up version of Roy Hibbert, the leader of a very stingy defense that forces a ton of midrange jumpers. Gordon Hayward is the analog to Paul George, a talented wing player who can score over just about anyone. And Utah’s George Hill is … George Hill, who joined the team in July following an offseason trade and is now the conductor of a Pacers-like slow-paced offense. And even that lofty comparison to the two-time Eastern Conference finalists may be selling this club short; the Jazz shoot and pass the ball better and far more than Indiana ever did.Much of Utah’s jump stems from two key trades that bolstered each of those areas. The first deal landed Hill, a respected veteran point guard1In exchange for the No. 12 pick, Taurean Prince, in a three-team deal, and the other yielded skilled forward Boris Diaw2Diaw cost the Jazz Olivier Hanlan, the 42nd pick in 2015, and a 2022 second-rounder.. Both players, who once played for San Antonio, have helped the Jazz become a rare team that has been able to replicate the Spurs’ style. Watch the Jazz for long enough, and you can see San Antonio’s influences baked into some of Utah’s offensive plays and sets; particularly when Diaw is on the floor3The Jazz threw more passes than any other team during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The Spurs ranked third and fifth, respectively..Video Playerhttps://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/spursaction.mp400:0000:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.Video Playerhttps://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/utahspurs-likeaction.mp400:0000:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.The team’s transactions weren’t the sexiest, which is reflected by the NBA’s national TV ratings, in which the Jazz still rank near the bottom of the league. But as of now, those two moves — plus the Joe Johnson signing — look prescient. Hill, despite battling injuries all season, forced opponents to guard the perimeter more honestly and logged a career-high scoring average. Diaw, Utah’s best passer despite playing power forward, finished with a team-high six assists in the Game One victory over the Clippers. And Johnson, who connected on 41 percent of his 3s during the regular season, had 21 points in the series opener, including the game-winning floater at the buzzer4There were a flurry of Twitter users who didn’t know Johnson played for the Jazz until they saw him hit the dramatic shot to win Game One.But the offseason moves alone wouldn’t have made the Jazz this formidable. Utah needed Hayward to take the next step. Among the most notable improvements that he has made: Hayward has grown considerably stronger, giving him the ability to be more aggressive and absorb more contact as he barrels toward the basket following curls and dribble handoffs. Aside from connecting on a blistering 69 percent of his shots at the rim this year — one of six wings to shoot that well on 200 shots or more — Hayward also managed to log a career-best 45 and-1 situations where he scored despite getting fouled. By contrast, he was blocked just 43 times all season. To put that into context, it’s pretty rare for wing players to finish with more and-1s than shots blocked in a given season; this year LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard were the only other wings to accomplish the feat5Among players with at least 30 and-1s.Video Playerhttps://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/hayward2.mp400:0000:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.Video Playerhttps://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/haywardstrength.mp400:0000:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.The other Jazz player who took the leap is also the reason the team’s die-hard fans can’t sleep at night: How injured is Gobert? It’s not clear how long he’ll be out with his knee hyperextension and bone bruise. The Jazz managed to squeak by without him on Saturday, but as Tuesday’s Game Two highlighted, the defense sans Gobert may be too porous to win this series6The Jazz have allowed the Clippers to shoot 79 percent from inside of five feet this series when using small-ball lineups, according to ESPN Stats & Information Group. That number shrinks to a more respectable 62 percent when Utah uses two traditional bigs on the court at once., let alone compete with Golden State, who will almost certainly be waiting for them in the conference semifinals.But should Utah get a healthy version of its best player back — and yes, Gobert’s incredible jump in offensive efficiency, paired with his stellar defense, makes him the club’s most-valuable player — the Jazz can make some noise. They owned the third-best defense in the association this year, behind San Antonio and Golden State, and excel at defensive rebounding and limiting team’s opportunities in transition. Playing the percentages, the defense surrenders the NBA’s lowest share of corner 3-point attempts, and the only true soft spot they possess on that end is by design: They rank near the top of the league in terms of how frequently they goad opponents into taking inefficient midrange jumpers.Yet their entire defensive scheme, which often calls for wings to switch assignments and aggressively crowd their opponents along the 3-point line, works to perfection because of Gobert’s incredible mobility and impact around the rim. Watch this regular-season sequence against Portland, for instance. Damian Lillard seemingly pulls the trigger on his shot a beat quicker than he normally would to avoid Gobert. Then Blazers forward Al-Farouq Aminu grabs an offensive rebound, but opts against going for the putback because of Gobert’s presence.Video Playerhttps://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/scaredofgobert.mp400:0000:0000:15Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.When teams are actually bold enough to bring the ball inside against him7Opponents take just 31 percent of their shot attempts at the restricted area with Gobert on the court, down from 36 percent when he’s on the bench., it frequently turns out to be a mistake.Video Playerhttps://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/gobertswat.mp400:0000:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.Gobert, who led the NBA in defensive win shares and blocks, held foes to 49 percent shooting from within six feet, 12.5 percentage points beneath their average and the best rate among centers8Among those who have played at least 50 games. Fellow Defensive Player of the Year candidate Draymond Green’s rim-protection stats were equally impressive, at 48 percent while holding players 13.2 points under their averages. But Green is considered a forward on NBA.com..As tense as this moment is for Jazz fans, the offseason may prove to be even more stressful. Hayward, 27, and Hill, 30, become unrestricted free agents at season’s end, leaving the small-market club — which has the league’s smallest payroll — with tough financial choices9The team also faces a tough decision on big man Derrick Favors, who’s getting a pretty high-profile audition with Gobert sidelined. as it seeks to build on its first 50-win season since the 2009-10 season with Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan.But those decisions can wait a bit. After all, winning — and doing it now, in this postseason, with this core group — is the strongest case a team like Utah can make to its pending free agents anyway.Check out our NBA playoff predictions.
The Delta Routine has graced several stages with its rock ‘n’ roll, but the band isn’t so familiar with Columbus – and its about to change that this weekend. The Milwaukee-based group is scheduled to perform in Columbus 7 p.m. Sunday at Scarlet & Grey Café. Lead vocalist and guitarist Nick Amadeus said the band is looking forward to the Columbus tour stop and the fresh audience to come with it. He added the band has toured through parts of Ohio before but is excited to tour elsewhere in the state. “Cleveland was a little bit weird,” Amadeus said, laughing. “We wanted a change-up.” Amadeus also said The Delta Routine has drawn some of its influences from rock band Hero Jr., an Indianapolis-based band that is touring with The Delta Routine. Columbus-based band Up All Nights is also scheduled to perform with the groups at Scarlet & Grey Sunday. Comprised of Amadeus, keyboardist and vocalist Al Kraemer, guitarist and vocalist Victor Buell IV, bassist and vocalist Evan Paydon and drummer Kyle Ciske, The Delta Routine has had numerous lineup changes in members and instruments since its formation seven years ago. Amadeus said the band found some of its current members by chance at a fashion show. Another important part of the group though is its producer Mike Hoffman, who came across the band due to being a family friend of Amadeus. He’s been with the band from the group’s release of its self-titled debut album in 2007 up to its fourth and most recent release “Cigarettes and Caffeine Nightmares” Oct. 9. “Nick and the guys are very driven, inspired chaps. You know, the only kind I’ll work with,” Hoffman said in an email. “You gotta have rocket fuel in your veins if you’re gonna go anywhere. These guys are tanked up and ready to launch, always.” Referring to The Delta Routine’s music as rock ‘n’ roll with a bit of a pop element, Amadeus said he normally tries to take the lead on the songwriting aspect of albums by laying down some lyrics, then getting the main beat. He said, however, the band’s last album was a collaborative effort from the group. Brett Ruland, owner of Spoonful Records located at 116 E. Long St., said the rock scene is still very popular in Columbus and the turnout at The Delta Routine’s show should be pretty large. “That genre always sells well,” Ruland said. “Indie and rock are the bestsellers here.” Although Ruland said he has never heard of The Delta Routine, he said he’s open to listening to its music and getting himself and others in the rock ‘n’ roll scene familiar with it. Scarlet and Grey is located at 2203 N. High St. and will charge a $5 to $10 cover charge at the door for Sunday’s show.
South Korea revolves around Son Heung-min, but is he all on his own?FIFA Ranking: 57World Cup history – Just as many other second or lower tier teams that have hosted a World Cup, South Korea also had its biggest success when it had the honour to welcome opponents on its home terrain back in 2002. After surprisingly topping Group D ahead of the United States, Portugal and Poland, the South Koreans defeated Italy in the Round of 16 through a 117th minute golden goal by Ahn Jung-hwan, then took the scalp of another giant Spain on penalty kicks, before losing to Germany in the semi-final in Seoul. They eventually finished fourth after getting beaten by Turkey in the third place playoff match.Otherwise, South Korea has been eligible to participate as such since the 1950 World Cup. Its very first participation in 1954 wasn’t a memorable one, as the inexperienced Taegeuk Warriors were thrashed by both Hungary (9-0) and Turkey (7-0) in the group stage. Its next appearance was in 1986. South Korea has been a part of every World Cup since that year, but other than 2002, it has managed to progress past the group stage only one other time (in 2010).How they qualified? – South Korea wasn’t convincing during the AFC qualification process, managing to earn a mere 15 points from 10 matches. It finished second behind Iran, which was enough to ensure direct promotion.Full 23-man squad:Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu (Vissel Kobe) Kim Jin-hyeon (Cerezo Osaka) Cho Hyun-woo (Daegu FC)Defenders: Kim young-gwon (Guangzhou Evergrande) Jang Hyun-soo (FC Tokyo) Jung Seung-hyun (Sagan Tosu) Yun Yong-sun (Seongnam FC) Oh Ban-suk (Jeju United) Kim Min-woo (Sangju Sangmu) Park Joo-ho (Ulsan Hyundai) Hong Chul (Sangju Sangmu) Go Yo-han (FC Seoul) Lee Yong (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)
Son Heung-Min refuses to raise panic button after Spurs loss Andrew Smyth – August 25, 2019 Son Heung-Min has called on his team-mates to remain positive and move on following a shock 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle United.Midfielders: Ki Sung-yueng (Swansea City) Jung Woo-young (Vissel Kobe) Ju Se-jong (Asan Mugunghwa FC) Koo Ja-cheol (FC Augsburg) Lee Jae-sung (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) Lee Seung-woo (Hellas Verona) Moon Seon-min (Incheon United)Forwards: Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) Hwang Hee-chan (FC Red Bull Salzburg) Kim Shin-wook (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)Coach: Shin Tae-yongSouth Korea’s Group F fixtures: South Korea – Sweden (18 June), Nizhny Novgorod Stadium South Korea – Mexico (23 June), Rostov Arena South Korea – Germany (27 June), Kazan ArenaOther than Tottenham forward and South Korean superstar Son Heung-min, South Korea has a couple of other valuable contributors. Augsburg’s Koo Ja-cheol, Swansea’s Ki Sung-yueng and Red Bull Salzburg’s Hwang Hee-chan are all European-based footballers who know what it takes to compete with the best. Nevertheless, this Korean squad does not appear to be as dangerous as some of the other South Korean squads in previous World Cups. Expectations are low, which means getting past the group will be a remarkable accomplishment.Star player: Son Heung-minPlayer to watch: Hwang Hee-chan
FIFA have handed the Mexico Football Federation a $10,400 fine for “discriminatory and insulting chants” in the national side’s World Cup opener against GermanyThe football governing body’s disciplinary committee sanctioned Mexico on Wednesday with a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs ($10.4k U.S.) for the chants that were aimed at Germany captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) with a fine of CHF 10,000 for the misconduct of a group of Mexican fans (cf. art. 67 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code) in relation to discriminatory and insulting chants during the first half of the 2018 FIFA World Cup match played between Germany and Mexico,” FIFA wrote, via ESPN.This is not the first time such the Mexican Football Federation have had to deal with such allegations after having been penalised 12 times by FIFA over anti-gay chants during their qualifying campaign for the World Cup.They have also received official warnings for the first two offences and were later handed another 10 fines.
Top 5 Bundesliga players to watch during the weekend Tomás Pavel Ibarra Meda – September 11, 2019 With the international activity cooling down for the next month, we go back to the Bundesliga’s Top 5 players to watch next weekend.The German…The football governing body have been taking strong actions against such offences ever since the chants that the Mexico supporters made in the 2014 World Cup – which they were unpunished for.“The decision was passed after a thorough assessment of the relevant match reports, the FMF’s precedents and the evidence provided, which included videos of the incidents as well as examples of certain sustainable actions taken by the FMF to raise awareness among its supporters,” FIFA said. “Moreover, the Disciplinary Committee gave a warning to the FMF, who may face additional sanctions in case of repeated infringements of this type.”Fellow South American sides Argentina and Chile have also been sanctioned in the past by FIFA for similar offences.Recently Mexico striker Javier Hernandez and Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Marco Fabian pleaded with the supporters to put an end to the chants on social media.
The Real Madrid fans have spoken in all fronts, they overwhelmingly want Santiago Solari to keep his job as the first squad manager from now on.The deadline for Santiago Solari as the Real Madrid manager is right around the corner, his last match as the interim manager will be against Celta and the fan base has decided that they want him to stay as the boss for the rest of the season.The three wins in three matches from three different competitions were enough, scoring eleven goals with a clean sheet was more than enough for an important part of the fans to decide that the Argentine boss is the ideal man to salvage the season at such an early stage.Many Spanish media outlets from the city of Madrid have conducted their own polls this week after Los Blancos defeated Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League in such a convincing fashion, the ones who voted loved what they saw from Santiago Solari and most are willing to give the man a chance to prove that he is a great manager who can take Los Blancos to yet another trophy-winning season.In order to keep the information from any poll as trustworthy as possible, we decided to only take the numbers from a single news outlet that conducted a poll this Thursday and is also one of the most respected sources in Spain.Santiago Solari has the big job at Real Madrid for now, but the race for a permanent manager is still alive | @DeanJonesBR: https://t.co/tpJJVDlVBB pic.twitter.com/N6QlXKFiFW— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 8, 2018Diario AS took the liberty to ask a good 56.535 readers from their publication about Solari, they wanted to know how many of them wanted the Argentine manager to get the job as the manager for the rest of the season at least.The response from the readers was swift and convincing, as a staggering 82% of people have voted for Santiago Solari’s appointment as the new manager.We also have a feeling that this number will go up even more if Los Blancos manage to defeat Celta de Vigo in Balaidos, doing that would really get Santiago Solari that hot seat and it would prove that he is capable of making the squad win away again despite any complication that presents itself.But the main reason why Solari has mostly won the respect and adoration from the fans and the board members, has a lot more to do with the gambles that the manager made in the little time he had to maneuver as the Real Madrid manager.There were at least three complicated choices he made, that ultimately gave the advantage because he was fortunate enough to get positive results after making such decisions.Solari has impressed at @realmadridenAnd his positioned has been strengthened
Zidane reveals Sergio Ramos injury concern for Real Madrid Andrew Smyth – September 14, 2019 Zinedine Zidane has put Sergio Ramos’ availability for Real Madrid’s trip to Sevilla next weekend in doubt after withdrawing him against Levante.Could he get the job permanently?🤔https://t.co/JqVVJmpij1 pic.twitter.com/lT8tr1yKRg— MARCA in English (@MARCAinENGLISH) November 9, 2018We will start with the goalkeeper problem, a dilemma that even manager Julen Lopetegui wanted to avoid and Zinedine Zidane predicted since last season.For some strange reason, Florentino Perez doesn’t want Keylor Navas as the main goalkeeper in the club and has been trying to replace him for several years without success.Now that the president doesn’t have anyone to contradict him, buying Courtois was only the beginning of the end for the Costa Rica international and Solari made the right choice by leaving him on the bench for the two important matches.Fortunately for the boss, the gamble paid off as Los Blancos have a clean sheet with Thibaut as the goalie.The other gamble was a safer one with Vinicius Junior, a young talent who will inevitably become a great player and has responded perfectly to Solari’s trust after Lopetegui humiliated him in front of everybody.So far in the three matches he’s played, Vini already provided two assists and scored a goal that has at least granted him the chance of maybe getting more minutes against Celta in order to completely save the job for Solari once and for all.Solari to make closing argument for revived Madrid job https://t.co/ayk0l8oZ6l pic.twitter.com/RjO4tvI9ol— Cleansheet (@Cleansheet) November 9, 2018What the decision that Florentino will make in regards to Santiago Solari’s future in Real Madrid? Please share your opinion in the comment section down below.
Wikimedia CommonsKerala Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac on Friday, March 3, presented the 68th state budget in the Assembly. The Budget 2017-18 had an anti-climax as the opposition staged a walkout at the end of the budget presentation alleging that the budget papers were leaked.Check live updates and highlights of Kerala Budget 2017-18 here: Budget allotments – HighlightsSmart City mission – Rs 100 crore Karunya scheme- Rs 350 crore Suchitwa Mission – Rs 127 crore Scientific landfills – Rs 50 crore Soil and land conservation – Rs 201 crore Water conservation – Rs 150 crore Drinking water – Rs 1,858 crore Crematorium cleaning – Rs 100 crore Coastal development – Rs 216 crore Vizhinjam port project – Rs 90 crore Fish farm promotions – Rs 500 crore Welfare of differently-abled people – Rs 250 crore Security pensions fixed at Rs 1,100 Ration subsidy – Rs 900 crore Anganwadi teachers’ honorarium – Rs 350 crore Primary milk society – Rs 30 crore Dairy development – Rs 97 crore Pepper and cardamom farming – Rs 10 crore To stabilize rubber base price – Rs 500 crore Mid-day meal scheme – Rs 640 crore rape victims’ rehabilitation – Rs 5 crore KSRTC – Rs 3,000 crore Kudumbashree – Rs 161 crore Transgender pension, relocation – Rs 10 crore12.22 p.m.: It was not the budget documents, highlights prepared for media was circulated on the web, says Isaac.12.20 p.m.: Finance Minster Thomas Isaac meets the press after his eighth budget presentation.11.50 a.m.: Budget speech ends. Opposition demands an explanation from the government.11.45 a.m.: Finance Minster Isaac tables Budget 2017-18 in the assembly.11.44 a.m.: CM Pinarayi Vijayan hands over a note to Speaker.11.43 a.m.: Chennithala reads out budget paper outside the Assembly.11.43 a.m.: Chennithala sys, “budget leaked for the first time in the history of Kerala.”11.42 a.m.: Leader of opposition meets press at the media room.11.41 a.m.: BJP MLA O Raja opal also joins UDF and walks out.11.40 a.m.: TM Thomas Isaac continues budget speech.11.38 a.m.: Opposition resorts to sloganeering in the assembly.11.37 a.m.: BJP MLA O Rajagopal walks out.11.36 a.m.: Poonjar MLA PC George stays in the assembly. 11.35 a.m.: Oppositions boycott assembly.11.34 a.m.: Government announces Rs 61 crore for NoRKA.11.32 a.m.: Finance Minister resumes budget presentation.11.31 a.m.: Speaker intervenes, says the allegations to be probed.11.30 a.m.: Chennithala says Thomas Isaac is “a man of social media” and the budget leaked from FM’s office.11.29 a.m.: FM resumes Budget 2017-18 speech in the assembly.11.27 a.m.: Finance Minster Isaac seeks permissions to resume the budget presentation in the assembly.11.25 a.m.: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan responds to the accusation made by the opposition in the assembly.11.24 a.m.: Ruckus in Kerala assembly following the Leader of Opposition’s statement.11.23 a.m.: Sanctity of budget lost. Kerala 2017-18 budgets compromised; secret papers are out in the social media platforms,” says opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala.11.17 a.m.: Rs 203 crore announced for farmers’ relief11.16 a.m.: Rs 30 crore for drought relief11.15 a.m.: Government allots Rs 10 crore for transgender pension, relocation11.14 a.m.: Announces taluks, revenue divisions; New taluks in Kunnamkulam and Payyanur11.13 a.m.: New department has been announced for the welfare of women. Rs 161 crore has been allotted for Kudumbashree11.11 a.m.: FM invokes MT Vasudevan Nair’s Randamoozham in the budget before announcing the projects and fund allocations for women safety in the state.11.10 a.m.: ONV memorial to get Rs 5 crore.11.09 a.m.: Isaac announces increase in Pravasi kshema pension.11.06 a.m.: Kochi biennale and film festivals to get permanent venues.11.05 a.m.: Budget avails Rs 724 crore for health service.11.01 a.m.: 10,000 young artists to get Rs 10,000 per month11.00 a.m.: Allotted Rs 265 crore for Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan10.59 a.m.: Announces Rs 3,000 crore for Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC)10.56 a.m.: Education loan repayment support scheme to be formed to give relief to the students. Rs 640 crore for mid-day meal scheme10.55 a.m.: Rs 5 crore allotted for rape victims’ rehabilitation10.54 a.m.: 381 crore for Kerala varsities for different projects. 2 rescue homes to be set up and Pink control rooms to be allotted with Rs 12 crore.10.53 a.m.: Allots Rs 1,858 crore for drinking water.10.52 a.m.: Avail Rs 70 crore for Japan drinking water project.10.51 a.m.: Rs 15 crore allotted for minor irrigation projects.10:50 a.m.: Government allots Rs 600 crore for the construction of check dams and regulators10.49 a.m.: Sabarimala master plan for Rs 25 crore10.47 a.m.: Rs 682 crore credit for metro/transport projects10.45 a.m.: Announces solar and water projects. Solar power project in Kasaragod set to commence its operations this year.10.42 a.m.: Allots Rs 900 crore for power transmission network projects.10.40 a.m.: All street lights in Kerala to be made LED.10:35 a.m.: All districts in the state to set up parks for autistic children.10.34 a.m.: Special investment (chit fund) plans by KSFE for non-resident Keralites.10.29 a.m.: Kerala to invest Rs 3,500 crore for hill-highway project (1,267 km)10.27 a.m.: The Finance Minister foresees Rs 50,000 crore worth road projects in next five years.10.26 a.m.: Government has plans to expand mineral sand mining in public sector 10.25 a.m.: Rs 111 crore for Kinfra.10.24 a.m.: Palakkad to get a life science park.10.24 a.m.: Government allots Rs 482 crore for industries, Rs 51 crore for textile mills.10.23 a.m: Announces Rs 20 crore for tourism marketing projects.10.22 a.m.: The government allots Rs 5 crore to promote boat race (Vallamkali) in Kerala.10.18 a.m.: Government aims to make the state of Kerala an IT hub, announces free Internet for 20 lakh people. 10.13 a.m.: Kerala Beedi employees’ welfare to get Rs 20 crore.10.08 a.m.: Kerala Budget 2017-18 announces Rs 90 crore for Kasaragod project.10.04 a.m.: Budget allots 97 crore for dairy development, 30 crore primary milk society and Rs 150 crore for value-added agro parks.10.00 a.m.: Thomas Isaac announces Rs 2,600 crore for SC welfare and Rs 750 crore for ST welfare.9.57 a.m.: Budget allots Rs 10 crore compensation for endosulfan victims.9.54 a.m.: Thomas Isaac announces Rs 250 crore for the welfare of differently-abled people.9.52 a.m.: Finance minister TM Thomas Isaac promises infrastructure projects worth Rs 25,000 crore worth in 2017-18.9.41 a.m.: CPI (M) office in Kozhikode was set on fire last night after a bomb was hurled at the RSS headquarters.9.40 a.m.: Kerala Finance Minister TM Thomas Isaac is presenting his eighth budget.
US President Donald Trump walks across the tarmac after stepping off Air Force One upon arrival at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey. Photo: AFPDonald Trump’s administration ramped up the pressure on North Korea on Sunday ahead of a week of high-stakes diplomacy at the United Nations, warning Pyongyang will be “destroyed” if it refuses to end its “reckless” nuclear and ballistic missile drive.With US officials and their allies scrambling to find ways to contain an increasingly belligerent Pyongyang, the US president will address the UN General Assembly on Tuesday and then confer Thursday with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts on the sidelines of the meeting.Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-In spoke by phone Saturday night and pledged “stronger pressure” on Kim Jong-Un’s regime, the South’s presidential office said, adding that the North must be made to realize that “further provocation” would put it on a “path of collapse.”The Security Council last Monday imposed a new raft of sanctions on North Korea-but their impact depends largely on whether China, Pyongyang’s ally and main economic partner, will fully implement them and on Russia, which is hosting tens of thousands of North Korean workers.Washington’s ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, kept up the rhetorical pressure ahead of the upcoming meetings in New York, asserting that if the North should pose a serious threat to the US or its allies, “North Korea will be destroyed.”Trump’s earlier warning he would rain “fire and fury” on a recalcitrant North Korea, she said, was “not an empty threat.”“None of us want war,” Haley added in an interview on CNN. “We wanted to be responsible and go to all diplomatic means to get their attention first. If that doesn’t work, General Mattis”-the US defense secretary-“will take care of it.”Enforcement in focusAs the US and its allies emphasize the diplomatic track, South Korea is also deploying a state-of-the-art US missile defense system. In their latest call, the White House said Trump and Moon had committed to “take steps to strengthen deterrence and defense capabilities” of South Korea, offering no details of how it might do so.Analysts say that in the event of hostilities, millions of people in the Seoul area-as well as the 30,000 US troops in South Korea-would be vulnerable to attack by the thousands of artillery pieces the North has positioned near the border, with potentially staggering casualties.So far, every effort to persuade the North to back away from its fast-developing nuclear and missile programs-including its most powerful nuclear test yet, on September 3 — has proved futile, at times even seeming to prompt new acts of defiance from Pyongyang.The North’s latest show of resistance came when it launched a long-range missile over Japan on Friday, just four days after the UN Security Council had passed a tough new package of sanctions.At the request of the United States, the Security Council will hold a ministerial-level meeting Thursday on ways to enforce the latest sanctions, which include an export ban on textiles, freezing work permits to North Korean guest workers and capping oil supplies.‘Rocket Man’Haley said sanctions had already provided a “punch in the gut” to Pyongyang but that strict enforcement was crucial.Separately, Trump’s national security advisor, H.R. McMaster, agreed that “the critical thing is going to be to get all countries, every one, to do all they can to enforce those sanctions, to do everything they can, short of a military conflict, to resolve this problem.”But if diplomacy and economic pressure fail, he added, “We have to prepare all options.”Pyongyang, an insular country with few outside contacts, says it needs nuclear weapons to protect itself from “hostile” US forces and is determined to build the capacity to deliver a nuclear warhead that could hit the US mainland.North Korea said Saturday it was bent on nothing less than military “equilibrium” with the United States.As his administration continued its efforts to rein in the North, Trump himself gave a more unbridled account of his latest diplomatic contacts.“I spoke with President Moon of South Korea last night. Asked him how Rocket Man is doing. Long gas lines forming in North Korea. Too bad!” Trump tweeted, apparently finding a new nickname for Kim (McMaster confirmed that that was probably Trump’s intention).Whether there are gas lines is unclear; very few people own cars in North Korea, outside military and government officials.
Myanmar on Friday freed two newsmen for Turkey’s state broadcaster, their local interpreter and a driver after they completed a two-month jail sentence for violating an aircraft law by filming with a drone, a prison official said.Cameraman Lau Hon Meng from Singapore, reporter Mok Choy Lin from Malaysia, Aung Naing Soe – a local journalist who was interpreting for the pair – and driver Hla Tin were released from a prison at Yamethin, near the capital Naypyitaw.Police detained the two journalists on assignment for the TRT World television station and the two Myanmar men on 27 Oct, when they attempted to fly a drone near Myanmar’s parliament building.A court last month sentenced them to two months in prison under the colonial-era Anti-Aircraft Act. All four were until this week also facing an additional charge for importing the drone, and the two foreigners were also facing immigration charges.”We released Aung Naing Soe and the crew at 7:20am today because immigration and police have dropped the charges,” said Aung Myo Chun, chief of Yamethin prison.”They have served their two-month prison sentence under the Anti-Aircraft Act.”A police officer told Reuters on Tuesday he had been ordered to drop the charges because the four had not intended to damage national security and to improve Myanmar’s relations with the journalists’ home countries, Singapore and Malaysia.A local photographer said the two foreign nationals left Yamethin prison by car but Aung Naing Soe and Hla Tin walked out of the prison compound.Later, Aung Naing Soe told Reuters by phone that the release was a surprise.”We have been arrested unexpectedly, and now we are so glad to be unexpectedly released like this,” he said. “We didn’t know that we would be released in the morning until last night.”The case came amid tensions between Buddhist majority Myanmar and mostly Muslim countries like Turkey and Malaysia over Myanmar’s treatment of the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority.In early September, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan accused Myanmar of genocide in the western state of Rakhine, a charge that Myanmar denies. The United Nations has said an estimated 655,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine for Bangladesh since the military launched a crackdown on militants in the state in late August.Two Reuters journalists, who had covered events in Rakhine, were arrested on 12 Dec and are still in detention over accusations they violated the Official Secrets Act, also a hangover from British colonial rule in Myanmar.Their families said at a news conference on Thursday that the reporters, Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, told them they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some documents by policemen who had invited them for a meeting.
Share Andrea Parker / Cory MaluskiFor years, the state’s main power grid operator has warned of high electricity prices and even power outages during the hot summer months.It’s rarely been as bad as feared. But experts say the latest startling forecast from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas looks to be more accurate, although they downplayed the potential impact to residential customers.ERCOT said on Thursday it expects to see record-breaking prices and demand for power this summer that could require it to take emergency measures to maintain supply — and force customers to curb power usage. It identified a variety of factors expected to put a strain on the grid on top of record-breaking demand, including delayed power supply projects and the closure of three major coal-fired power plants.That will result in “tight operating reserves” — numbers released Thursday show ERCOT expects to have have barely enough power to meet demand from June through September, which will result in sky-high power prices at certain times.“The ERCOT market has experienced a series of new peak demand records over the last few years as Texas’ economy continues to grow at record pace,” ERCOT President and CEO Bill Magness said in a statement. “We expect high peak demand will continue this summer.”A hot, dry summer — which is expected — and any unplanned outages of power plants would compound the problem, said Rice University associate professor Dan Cohan.“I sure hope we can dodge a bullet this time,” he said. “But the odds are stacked against us, and not many Texans see this bullet coming. This summer could be the wake-up call that drives major efforts for conservation and new build-outs of natural gas, solar, and storage to prepare for the next one.”But, he said, “Markets are tough to predict, especially since weather will play a big role, so we don’t know exactly what will happen.”Bill Peacock, vice president of research at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank, said the market is working exactly like it’s supposed to — only that it’s been unfairly manipulated by renewable energy subsidies. Those have led to reliability problems — a notion many dispute — and the premature closure of coal plants, he said.It’s actually important that ERCOT and the state’s Public Utility Commission allow prices to go high this summer, Peacock said. That’s because it will spur investment in “peaking” power plants — those that run when there is high demand.“We have more than enough baseline to take care of us,” he said.Michael Webber, deputy director of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, said ERCOT has been predicting some version of summertime doom and gloom for at least the past decade so it’s easy to shrug off this warning. While there is certainly cause for concern, he said a variety of factors will have to coalesce to result in extreme impacts like widespread power outages.And he said residential customers, who mostly pay fixed prices, aren’t likely to see a big change in their bills. Price spikes are more likely to affect large-scale commercial power purchasers and utility companies who sell power, he said. That would eventually trickle down to consumers, but it’s hard to say when and by how much. [Texas’ electric prices are also generally lower than other states to begin with, he said.]Webber said the risk of vulnerable populations losing power during a time when air conditioning is all but a requirement is always a concern and “we need to watch that.”“But I think generally we’ll be fine,” he said.Disclosure: Rice University and the University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.