A month after the Maharashtra Assembly election results were announced on October 24, the political impasse in the State seems to have reached a climax, albeit with a stunning overnight twist. In less than twelve hours, the focus shifted from the NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena alliance that was all set to form a government, to the BJP, as Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister early on Saturday along with NCP leader Ajit Pawar as Deputy CM.Here’s what transpired in the month leading up to the event:October 24: Divided outcomesElections to the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly were held on October 21. Allies BJP and Shiv Sena emerge as the two largest parties in the results, but both parties see a dip in the number of seats won and their vote share. Meanwhile, the NCP and the Congress are net gainers, with 54 and 44 seats respectively.Although a BJP-Shiv Sena government with Mr. Fadnavis at the helm seems like a done deal, the Sena insists on a rotational chief ministership. The BJP, however, maintains that it does not intend to share the post.October 25-29: the early signs of turmoilShiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray says he will only have discussions with BJP national president Amit Shah.Mr. Fadnavis denies acceding to the Sena’s demands. “I have confirmed with Amit Shah and he told me that the BJP has not given any assurance for the Chief Minister’s post for two-and-a-half years (each for the BJP and Sena),” he says.The two parties, in a bid to boost their numbers, enlist the support of MLAs from small outfits and independents.The Congress and the NCP stick to their Oppositional role. “We are entering the new Assembly with not only increased strength but also renewed resolve to fight the anti-people policies of the government to the end,” says Nationalist Congress Party’s Mumbai unit president Nawab Malik. Ajit Pawar, NCP leader and nephew of Sharad Pawar, says that his party and the Congress will remain in the Opposition.October 30- November 2: unlikely alliance on the cards?On October 30, former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan says the Congress high command shall decide on a possible alliance between the Congress and Shiv Sena: “These are ifs and buts… in case we do receive such a proposal from the Shiv Sena… To the best of my knowledge, no such proposal has come to us,” says the senior Congressman.Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala adds to the uncertainty. “Maharashtra is an evolving situation and in such an evolving situation, Congress general secretary in-charge Mallikarjun Kharge and the leaders of the State will decide. It won’t be proper to comment on this any further,” he says.Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut says that he had a meeting with NCP chief Sharad Pawar. The latter however dismisses it as a routine visit.Mr. Pawar also met senior Congress leaders in the State on October 31. The leaders then visited Delhi to discuss the party’s stand if the Shiv Sena stakes claim to form the government. The Congress is yet to receive an official proposal from the Sena.Sanjay Raut also says that the Shiv Sena can form a government on its own, without formally mentioning a possible alliance between the Congress-NCP and Shiv Sena.While Congress’ Prithviraj Chavan briefs party president Sonia Gandhi, senior leader M. Veerappa Moily says they are open to supporting the Sena.November 3 – November 12: numerous upheavalsThe Shiv Sena steps up its rhetoric again with Mr. Raut claiming to have the support of up to 175 MLAs. A Sena Chief Minister would soon take oath at Shivaji Park, he claims on November 4.Meanwhile, the BJP tries to bring Shiv Sena back to the table by offering two key portfolios.In an important development, NCP chief Sharad Pawar meets Congress president Sonia Gandhi on November 4. Though the Congress didn’t comment on the meeting, sources claim Ms. Gandhi has reservations about Sena’s secular credentials.Finally, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik says that the party is ready to be an alternative partner in the government.On November 7, the BJP meets Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to discuss the situation in the State. The Governor later invites the party to form a government.However, the party is unable to carve up the requisite numbers and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis resigns. Mr. Koshyari then calls NCP and Shiv Sena to stake their claim, but denies extra time to Sena. “We (Shiv Sena) were asked if we were willing to form the government. We have started talks with Congress and NCP. We have informed the Governor we have the willingness but the duration given to us is less. The process needs another 48 hours but he has refused us extra time,” says Aditya Thackeray.Shiv Sena and Congress put up their MLAs in hotels in Bandra and Jaipur respectively, amidst allegations of poaching by the BJP. The party denies the horse-trading allegations.On November 12, President’s rule is imposed in the State.November 12- November 15: consolidating tiesThe Shiv Sena moves the Supreme Court against the President’s Rule in the State. The three parties move closer to a formal alliance, working out a Common Minimum Programme. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray says he will study unusual alliances in the country for information, and maintains that it is the BJP that caused their alliance to fall apart.Mr. Pawar says there is no need for mid-term polls and the post of Chief Minister shall lie with Shiv Sena.Shiv Sena announces that it will not attend the national NDA meet in Delhi and has parted ways with the BJP.November 15-November 22: coming to fruitionThe word ‘secularism’ becomes a bone of contention between the Congress-NCP and Shiv Sena, with the latter inclined to drop it from the CMP. Nonetheless, the three parties move closer to forming a government in an alliance called the ‘Mahavikas Aghadi’.Sharad Pawar meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament ahead of announcing Uddhav Thackeray for the Chief Minister’s post. Senior BJP leaders say the meeting involved talks on the political situation in Maharashtra and that it has reignited hope that the party is not completely sidelined.On the eve of November 22, the tri-party alliance announces that Uddhav Thackeray is set to assume chief ministership of the State.November 23: a stunning turn of eventsBJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader Ajit Pawar take oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively.“The State is suffering from farmer problems. The instability in the State is not good for the development of the State. It was important to form the government. Ajit dada came with us and we approached the Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and claimed to form the government. The President’s rule was removed and we decided to take oath today itself,” says Mr. Fadnavis, while talking to news agency ANI at Raj Bhavan.President Ram Nath Kovind revokes President’s Rule in the State in a notification signed at 5.47 am.
Read Next WATCH: Streetboys show off slick dance moves in Vhong Navarro’s wedding Lehnert was a bronze medalist in women’s singles in Singapore 2015, and a silver medalist in both women’s doubles with Denise Dy, and women’s team with Dy and Clarice Patrimonio.Tennis starts on Monday at National Tennis Center Sports Complex, Jalan Duta. LATEST STORIES “I haven’t been playing in tournaments lately,” Lehnert told the Inquirer.Instead, she works full-time as a fitness instructor working in a gym and in private.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 shutoutThe 5-foot-9 stunner strolled the Sunway Putra Mall after checking in with the Philippine delegation secretariat.Her last tournament was last March at Sharm El Sheik in Egypt, the same event she dominated four years ago. SEA Games in Calabarzon safe, secure – Solcom chief Catriona Gray spends Thanksgiving by preparing meals for people with illnesses LOOK: Venues for 2019 SEA Games Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. 
Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students PLAY LIST 01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students03:07PH billiards team upbeat about gold medal chances in SEA Games02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games00:50Trending Articles05:25PH boxing team determined to deliver gold medals for PH03:04Filipino athletes share their expectations for 2019 SEA Games00:45Onyok Velasco see bright future for PH boxing in Olympics02:25PH women’s volleyball team motivated to deliver in front of hometown crowd01:27Filipino athletes get grand send-off ahead of SEA Games Can marathon’s golden maiden bag maiden gold? View comments Flags of SEA Games countries raised at Athletes Village MOST READ Katharina Lehnert. Photo by Marc Anthony ReyesKUALA LUMPUR—Katharina Lehnert may not be as active in the pro circuit, but she’s in tip-top shape for the coming Southeast Asian Games tennis competitions.The 23-year-old Lehnert arrived here Friday from Hanover, Germany, ahead of the Philippine tennis team which is due early Saturday.ADVERTISEMENT Man sworn in as lawyer by judge who sentenced him to prison as a teen 20 years ago UPLB exempted from SEA Games class suspension
Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC The Bolts haven’t seen action since Aug. 18, when they nipped Phoenix Petroleum, 107-104, and it is a layoff that was a welcome one as far as coach Norman Black is concerned as it allowed injuries on some players to heal. WATCH: Streetboys show off slick dance moves in Vhong Navarro’s wedding 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 Catriona Gray spends Thanksgiving by preparing meals for people with illnesses LOOK: Venues for 2019 SEA Games LATEST STORIES Kammuri turning to super typhoon less likely but possible — Pagasa View comments Kelly Williams will man the post for TNT KaTropa in their game against Meralco Wednesday night. —SHERWIN VARDELEONMeralco tangles with struggling sister team TNT KaTropa on Wednesday, seeking a win to formally advance to the quarterfinals of the PBA Governors’ Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.Tip-off is at 4:15 p.m., with the Bolts shooting to become the third team to earn safe passage to the next round, and, more importantly, stay in the hunt for a top four finish which carries a twice-to-beat advantage in the first round of the playoffs.ADVERTISEMENT
Read Next UPLB exempted from SEA Games class suspension Meanwhile, San Miguel Beer, chasing to complete a rare Triple Crown sweep, will most likely play Terik Bridgeman against Rain or Shine in the 7 p.m. contest as the Beermen await the arrival of new import Terrence Watson.Bridgeman, who came in to replace Wendell McKines, was a huge disappointment in his debut last Saturday, scoring just two points and grabbing six rebounds in a 90-79 loss to Alaska in Angeles City in Pampanga.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 shutoutManagement and coaching staff wasted no time and shopped around for a replacement, their third import in the season-closing conference. Watson is expected to plane in either late Tuesday or early Wednesday from the United States.But a ranking team official told the Inquirer that the Beermen would likely play Bridgeman against the Elasto Painters because coaching staff doesn’t feel that Watson would be able to have at least one practice with the team. SEA Games in Calabarzon safe, secure – Solcom chief Azkals eye Mid East training Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH MOST READ Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. 
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
Frontrow holds fun run to raise funds for young cancer patients LATEST STORIES 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 Fire hits houses in Mandaluyong City Nonong Araneta re-elected as PFF president LOOK: Loisa Andalio, Ronnie Alonte unwind in Amanpulo for 3rd anniversary Ateneo won by 18 but the Blue Eagles weren’t really able to establish complete dominance over the Red Warriors until the fourth period where Thirdy Ravena imposed himself.Ravena scored five unanswered points to cap off Ateneo’s 10-1 run to put the Blue Eagles ahead, 77-60, in the final minutes.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“In the third we had the lead but we couldn’t really, we can’t say we had control of the game because they were keeping the score within distance,” said Ateneo assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga. “It’s a good thing our players responded and we played efficient offense in the fourth.”“UE is a tough team and I guess for a minute there we fell into the trap of thinking they were a 0-3 team and in the third we gave up 29 points against them.” Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC FILE PHOTO — Ateneo’s Thirdy Ravena goes for a layup against University of the Philippines during their game in the UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball tournament. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.netAteneo remained unbeaten in the UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball tournament after whipping University of the East, 83-65, Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.The Blue Eagles improved to 4-0 while the Red Warriors tied University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers at the bottom of the standings with identical 0-4 records.ADVERTISEMENT BSP sees higher prices in November, but expects stronger peso, low rice costs to put up fight For the complete collegiate sports coverage including scores, schedules and stories, visit Inquirer Varsity. E.T. returns to earth, reunites with grown-up Elliott in new ad MOST READ Ravena put up a team-high 21 points and eight rebounds to lead the Blue Eagles while Matt Nieto added 11 points. Mike Nieto and Aaron Black chipped in 10 points each.Alvin Pasaol led UE with 22 points with Nick Abanto adding 10 points and nine rebounds. Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Read Next Kammuri turning to super typhoon less likely but possible — Pagasa Parker beats Fury on points, retains WBO heavyweight title View comments
Kris Aquino ‘pretty chill about becoming irrelevant’ View comments Trending Articles PLAY LIST 00:50Trending Articles00:50Trending Articles00:50Trending 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. Japan ex-PM Nakasone who boosted ties with US dies at 101 Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH LATEST STORIES Spieth falls further from the lead at the Australian Open The Philippines lost out to China in its hosting bid in the 2019 Fiba World Cup.It hasn’t served as the hosts of the biggest international basketball tournament since 1978, where Yugoslavia won the title.Japan last staged the Fiba World Cup in 2006 in Saitama, while Indonesia has yet to hold the said event.Argentina has hosted the basketball competition twice before, in the inaugural staging in 1950 and in 1990, both in Buenos Aires, while its partner Uruguay held it in 1967 in Montevideo.ADVERTISEMENT CPP denies ‘Ka Diego’ arrest caused ‘mass panic’ among S. Tagalog NPA
Stronger peso trims PH debt value to P7.9 trillion The two bidders submitted their Host Nation Agreements on the deadline day, confirming their interest to hold the 19th edition of the Basketball World Cup.FIBA is pursuing the multi-country hosting becayse of its success in recent years according Fiba Secretary General Patrick Baumann.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“This was the case at the last two editions of the FIBA EuroBasket as well as at FIBA AfroBasket 2017 and the FIBA AmeriCup 2017. We are fully confident this formula will also work to great effect for our flagship competition. Furthermore, these are countries with rich basketball traditions and passionate fans.”Both candidates will present their proposals to the Fiba Central Board on December 9 and the Board will also award the hosting on the same day. Read Next QC cops nab robbery gang leader, cohort Kammuri turning to super typhoon less likely but possible — Pagasa Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC MOST READ INQUIRER FILE PHOTOThe Philippines is still in the running to host the 2023 Fiba World Cup as the international basketball federation trimmed down the candidates to just two.FIBA guaranteed that the 2023 edition will be staged in multiple countries for the first time as the three-nation bid of the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia and the joint proposal of Argentina and Uruguay were selected as the finalists for the 32-team global hoops extravaganza.ADVERTISEMENT
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
LATEST STORIES MOST READ “They’re playing as well as anyone in our league at this point,” Hornets guard Kemba Walker said. “They move the ball really well, they trust each other.”Fred VanVleet and C.J. Miles each scored 12 points for the Raptors, who have won four straight since an overtime loss to Milwaukee on Feb. 23.Walker scored 27 points and Dwight Howard had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who lost their third straight, all on the road. Charlotte is 10-21 away from home.Jeremy Lamb scored 16 points, Frank Kaminsky had 15 and Nicolas Batum added 10.Despite the outcome, Hornets coach Steve Clifford said he liked what he saw in the final quarter.ADVERTISEMENT John Lloyd Cruz a dashing guest at Vhong Navarro’s wedding Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC Families in US enclave in north Mexico hold sad Thanksgiving “Purposeful offense, smart play, and very good defense,” Clifford said. “That’s what we’re capable of. If we are serious about making a run here, that’s what we’re capable of.”The Hornets are 5.5 games behind Miami for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 18 games remaining.“We need to build on what happened here tonight in the fourth quarter,” Clifford said.A downcast Walker wasn’t as encouraged as his coach.“We lost,” Walker said. “That’s all I’m really looking at right now until we watch the film.”Charlotte’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored the game’s opening basket but the Hornets never led again.The Hornets cut the deficit to two, 88-86, on a three-point play by Lamb with 5:11 left in the fourth quarter. Lowry answered with a 3 for Toronto and, after Walker split a pair at the line, DeRozan added a corner 3, giving Toronto a 93-87 lead with 3:22 remaining. “We just tried to do what we could to stay in the game and win it down the stretch but those guys are really good,” Walker said. “They just made plays.”This was the first time in four meetings with Charlotte this season that the Raptors failed to score at least 120 points. Toronto had won the past three meetings this season by 13 points or more.TIP-INS Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university PLAY LIST 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 Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City Typhoon ‘Tisoy’ threatens Games Pussycat Dolls set for reunion tour after 10-year hiatus LOOK: Iya Villania meets ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’ cast in Mexico
Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas, front left, battles for the ball with Charlotte Hornets centre Dwight Howard (12) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, March 4, 2017. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)TORONTO — After three double-digit losses to Toronto, the Charlotte Hornets finally turned in a strong performance against the Raptors.Unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough to beat the Eastern Conference leaders.ADVERTISEMENT Google honors food scientist, banana ketchup inventor and war hero Maria Orosa View comments DeMar DeRozan scored 19 points, Jonas Valanciunas had 18 points and 13 rebounds and the Raptors beat the Hornets 103-98 on Sunday night, Toronto’s 11th win in 12 games.Ahead by 13 points to begin the fourth quarter, Toronto saw its lead dwindle to two before DeRozan and Lowry made key 3-pointers.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSLillard, Anthony lead Blazers over ThunderSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutout“It wasn’t a pretty game,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. “Last year we probably would have lost that game, but we were mature enough to make plays, the right plays.”Serge Ibaka scored 17 points and Lowry had 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Raptors completed their first season sweep of Charlotte since 2006-07. Toronto improved to 26-5 at Air Canada Centre, the best home record in the NBA. Hornets: F-C Cody Zeller returned after missing the previous two games because of a sore left knee. He fouled out with six points. … G-F Dwayne Bacon missed the game with an illness. … Michael Carter-Williams returned in the third quarter after suffering a sprained left shoulder in the second.Raptors: F OG Anunoby (sprained right ankle) missed his second straight game. “It’s not going to be a long-term thing,” Casey said of Anunoby’s injury. Malcolm Miller made his first career start.CRIME SPREEBatum has at least one steal in 11 consecutive games, the longest streak of his career.AS GOOD AS OVERThe Raptors are 39-1 when they lead through three quarters. The lone exception was a Dec. 11 road defeat to the Clippers in which Toronto led 74-70 after three.UP NEXTHornets: Open a three-game homestand against the 76ers on Tuesday. Charlotte lost at Philadelphia last Friday, their first meeting of the season. The teams play three more times before April 2.Raptors: Host Atlanta on Tuesday. Toronto has won its past three meetings with the Hawks. Oladipo, Pacers hold off Wizards Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH Read Next
Mac Cardona hopes to make a return to the PBA and his potential comeback could also be a reunion of sorts.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSWin or don’t eat: the Philippines’ poverty-driven, world-beating pool starsThe 35-year-old Cardona, who survived a pill overdose in an apparent suicide attempt nearly a year ago, is trying out for the GlobalPort Batang Pier, a team that is all to familiar with the veteran swingman.ADVERTISEMENT “We are looking for other options and we feel Cardona is in the equation,” GlobalPort head coach Franz Pumaren told INQUIRER.net in a text message Thursday when asked if Cardona is trying to make the team. FEU Auditorium’s 70th year celebrated with FEU Theater Guild’s ‘The Dreamweavers’ Robredo should’ve resigned as drug czar after lack of trust issue – Panelo Pumaren cleared Cardona is not yet part of the team and that he has to prove that he can still play at a high level.“We still have to take a look at him in the next few days if he is still capable of playing in the PBA,” Pumaren said.Cardona last played in the PBA with the NLEX Road Warriors in 2016 until he was let go by the team before the start of the 42nd season after a series of misfortunes that included an arrest due to domestic violence and sleeping pill overdose that almost ended his life in August of last year.Cardona saw action in the PBA D-League as a member of Zark’s Burgers.Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Ethel Booba on hotel’s clarification that ‘kikiam’ is ‘chicken sausage’: ‘Kung di pa pansinin, baka isipin nila ok lang’ READ: Mac Cardona to suit up for Zark’s BurgersCardona created a stir on social media after posting a photo of himself joining the Batang Pier in one of their practice sessions at Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong City.In the Instagram photo, Cardona is with former fellow La Salle alums Mike Cortez, Ryan Araña and Rico Maierhofer, Renren Ritualo and Arnold Van Opstal and Pumaren, who was his coach with the Green Archers.Cortez and Araña were teammates with Cardona during their collegiate days.READ: Cardona takes another step in rebuilding his lifeADVERTISEMENT National Coffee Research Development and Extension Center brews the 2nd National Coffee Education Congress View comments Trump strips away truth with hunky topless photo tweet
Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. MOST READ Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: 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 City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games #KicksStalker: Is a Filipino signature shoe on the horizon? LATEST STORIES DILG, PNP back suspension of classes during SEA Games Church, environmentalists ask DENR to revoke ECC of Quezon province coal plant
Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Hotel says PH coach apologized for ‘kikiam for breakfast’ claim Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: 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 City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games That allowed Los Angeles to dictate the financial terms of its bid in a way that cannot be done today.The virtual lack of dissent for the 2028 Games could also be, quite simply, because they’re not on the minds of the people in one of the world’s busiest cities, and largest sports markets.After a quarter-century without the NFL, Los Angeles is in a honeymoon phase with the Rams and Chargers, who have relocated to Los Angeles over the past 24 months. Both the area’s baseball teams are in the playoff chase. The city has two NBA and NHL teams, two major college football teams, and the list goes on. Outside of the occasional staged event hosted by the city’s bid committee, there’s very little signage or buzz whipping around Southern California about an event that’s more than a decade away.“While the Olympics will no doubt enter the conversation and become a compelling, ongoing topic, it will take a while given the time and attention being lavished by fans elsewhere,” said David Carter, executive director of the Marshall Sports Business Institute at University of Southern California.When the latest Loyola Marymount poll was released, LA 2028 organizers touted it as a byproduct of Los Angeles’ Olympic legacy from 1984. The organizers also tout a $5.3 billion budget — exceptionally low for modern-day Olympics — and a plan with virtually every venue already built. There is a government guarantee, but it would only kick in if a number of safeguards, including insurance policies and a $487 million contingency fund built into the original budget, were to fail.“That’s why it’s easy to believe in and support our 2028 plan — low risk and ready to go,” said LA 2028 chairman Casey Wasserman.Still, an 83 percent approval rating is 16 percent higher than the number in Chicago at a similar point in the 2016 race and 24 percent higher than New York at a similar point in the 2012 race. And it’s more than double the number in Boston before that bid tanked.“It was surprising to me, in this day and age, it’s hard to find any issue where support is near unanimous,” said Steve Koczela, who led the independent polling effort in Boston. “You see very strong support for what, in other places, is a controversial idea.” That signal of overarching public support has been a cornerstone of the city’s bid, even though there are legitimate questions about whether anyone in Los Angeles is all that excited about an event that is still 11 years away.On Wednesday, the International Olympic Committee will award Los Angeles the 2028 Olympics, and give the 2024 Games to Paris. The initial polling, about the 2024 Olympics, garnered the 88 percent approval rating among LA residents. A follow-up poll, asking for opinions on hosting the 2028 Olympics, came in at 83 percent approval.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSBoxers Pacquiao, Petecio torchbearers for SEA Games openingBoth numbers outpaced even the IOC’s own internal poll (78 percent), as well as the vast majority of polls conducted this century in candidate cities while they’ve been in the so-called application round, trying to determine whether the Olympics would be welcomed.The Los Angeles poll was commissioned by the bid committee; independent polling, with no attachment to the bid effort, was key to sealing Boston’s fate as a city that simply did not want the games. LATEST STORIES Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Celebrity chef Gary Rhodes dies at 59 with wife by his side Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ NATO’s aging eye in the sky to get a last overhaul FILE – In this July 31, 2017, file photo, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti speaks during a press conference to make an announcement for the city to host the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games 2028, at Stubhub Center in Carson, outside of Los Angeles, Calif. After a debacle in Boston, the U.S. Olympic Committee turned to Los Angeles to host the Olympics. That city commissioned a poll showing 88 percent of its residents supported bringing the Olympics back to Southern California. That overarching public support has been a cornerstone of the city’s bid, even though there are questions about whether anyone in Los Angeles is all that excited about an event that is still 11 years away. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File)LIMA, Peru (AP) — More than anything, the United States was looking for a city that liked the Olympics.After a debacle in Boston, where public support for hosting the games hovered at around 40 percent, the U.S. Olympic Committee turned to Los Angeles, which almost instantly commissioned a poll showing 88 percent of its residents supported bringing the Olympics back to the city.ADVERTISEMENT Celebrity chef Gary Rhodes dies at 59 with wife by his side MOST READ View comments Ethel Booba on hotel’s clarification that ‘kikiam’ is ‘chicken sausage’: ‘Kung di pa pansinin, baka isipin nila ok lang’ A key element missing from the poll, conducted by Loyola-Marymount, was any question about cost, the likes of which almost always bring with it a more negative reaction. For instance, a nationwide poll conducted by The Associated Press in 2015 found 89 percent support to host the Olympics somewhere in the United States. But when respondents were asked if they would support a bid in their local area if it were paid for with a combination of public and private funds, only 52 percent said yes.“It doesn’t surprise me that they didn’t include that question,” said Chris Dempsey, who spearheaded the No Boston Olympics campaign. “We found that to be the most effective argument for us as we were taking our case to the public.”The prospect of — or actual results from — public referendums has made several cities in Western democracies reluctant to put forward bids, or caused them to pull bids that were already on the table. Hamburg, Germany; Budapest, Hungary; and Rome were all in the running for 2024 before pulling out. Left with only Paris and Los Angeles — which replaced Boston as the U.S. bidder — and worried about the future of bidding, IOC president Thomas Bach steered the committee to awarding the 2028 Games, as well, saying the current process “produces too many losers.”Los Angeles has always been a winner when it comes to hosting the Olympics. The 1984 Games famously ran a profit and reshaped the marketing side into the colossus it has become.“I actually think people in Los Angeles have very warm and fond memories of the 1984 Games, and that plays into it,” Dempsey said. “What I think they don’t remember is the context of the Olympics in the bidding process for 1984. They forget that, effectively, LA was the only bidder.”ADVERTISEMENT Trump signs bills in support of Hong Kong protesters Robredo should’ve resigned as drug czar after lack of trust issue – Panelo De Boer fired by impatient Palace after only 4 games
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Let me state the definition of a car that would do a head of state proud, well a head-of-state of a country that is doing well economically that is. The car should have presence; the engine should be powerful enough to supply power to half your colony and at the same time be appreciated for being green, the car should be luxurious but also sporty enough to give some of the sports cars a run for their money; last but not the least, the car should have a heritage that should be well known and something that I would be proud to buy into.As far as heritage goes, Bentley is right up there, having established itself on the proving grounds of one of the toughest endurance races the world has ever seen, the Le Mans 24hr races. But its flagship, the Arnage, was now dated. So Bentley went back to the drawing board and decided to use things from its past as the building blocks of the car that is now known as the Mulsanne.The car itself looks rather slab sided from the front. The rest of the car is pleasing with smooth flowing lines that are traditional as well as modern, strong haunches and a rear that is dominated by large exhaust pipes. The headlamps are reminiscent of the original Bentley flagship.The engine on the Mulsanne houses cutting edge technology. The engine consumes less fuel depending on the load situation and can even shut down four of its eight cylinders under 2000 rpm so as to be about five per cent more fuel efficient overall. Although the car itself has turned out to be heavy, the 1000 Nm of torque can propel it to over 100 kmph in just over five seconds and to a top speed of nearly 300 kmph.The car is surprisingly easy to drive. Electronics help keep it stable under hard acceleration and emergency braking which was often required on my drive on the scenic roads near Inverness in the north of Scotland. The engine has oodles of power and the eight-speed conventional automatic gearbox works very well. Gear shifts are seamless and with eight ratios there is no perceptible jerk when the gears shift. Keeping in touch with its sporty nature, the Mulsanne has gear shift paddles on the steering wheel as well. The drive experience is good and the rear seats even better, but what stands out is the Naim Audio made 20-speaker 2200-watt music system. For untrained ears, it’s the best that I have heard in a car till date and audiophiles have also been praising it.On the move the loudest noise comes from the tyres on tarmac, and that itself is slight enough for you not to notice. I would have liked the exhaust note to have been a little more striking but perhaps the nobility and the intended buyers of the car prefer the silence.You may have second opinions on the looks but there is no denying that Bentley has achieved what it set out to. The production for next year is already sold out and all you can do is join the queue for a car in 2012. Price: 1.1 crore (approx)advertisementOn the road: In the Scottish HighlandsInverness is a town that does not fit in with the pristine surroundings; it’s an ugly jumble of modern and ancient buildings, narrow streets and industrial areas, not suited to be seen in the Bentley Mulsanne. I have of course, the V8 under the hood and over a thousand newton-metres of torque to call upon, and I put it to good use as the concrete jungle of the capital of the Scottish Highlands disappears behind me. It is perhaps the picture postcard landscapes that Scotland presents that makes me want to get away from Inverness, because it’s a pretty decent city, and ranks very high (in the top 10) in the quality of life index of British cities.The mountain roads are narrow and after a heavy downpour, glisten in the harsh sun, a ribbon of sunlight upon the bright green Scottish highlands, to misquote the famous British poet who drew his inspiration from the Welsh mountains. Is this all wrong, I wonder. For roads like these, one needs a super agile, fast accelerating, light car that can play the straights, pirouette around the curves and accelerate hard till the next turn. The Mulsanne on the other hand is huge (I wonder if two Mulsannes can pass by each other on these Scottish roads) and it does take a lot to get the nearly three tonne mass of steel, alloy, fluids and flesh up to speed and then bring it to a near stop for the tight corner.The roads in the Scottish Highlands seem to be at the side of the valleys with smoothened out hills on either side and a river or a lake to keep the road company, more often than not. This too is picture postcard country much like in Austria but the difference is that the hills here are lower and much more rounded and the greens are brighter as compared to the darker greens in Austria. The men working in the countryside seem to wear netting around their faces, something I presume we would use here to keep the bees away while we are busy stealing their honey. In Scotland I am told these midgets breed in hundreds of thousands in summers and can cause high discomfort when they bite.-Yogendra PratapSuzuki GSX R-1000The moment the new Suzuki GSX R-1000 rolled into our garage, I knew this was the best ‘show off’ superbike one can buy. Given of course, you can’t afford the gorgeous and stratospherically priced Ducati 1198 that is. Of all superbikes currently available in India, the GSX best fits the Transformer image; it seems if would just disassemble itself and turn into a towering robot with a deep throaty voice. What it does though is attract lots of eyeballs. The GSX isn’t a gentle beast like the Honda Fireblade (relatively of course), and you get a hint of it when you mount it. The engine has the typical four cylinder awaking noise followed by a hum that misses a beat once in a while as it idles in anticipation. Slot into first and begin rolling and suddenly, the GSX feels very alive indeed. One might be pottering about in 6th gear with the revs barely above 3000 rpm, but get too excited with the throttle and it lurches ahead like a predator.As the engine revs keep piling (and these pile up really fast, mind you), the world turns into a blur, and more often than not one ends up looking skywards. With such manic acceleration we were on the brake more often than the throttle, and the front brake itself, was quite a revelation. There’s so much bite, feel and progression, it really needs to be felt to be believed. It also causes such fierce weight transfer to the front that holding the brakes hard for a longish time had us on the front wheel when we least wanted. Price 12.75 lakh (ex-showrrom)–Vikrant singhColumn courtesy: Auto Bild Indiaadvertisement
Dancers perform during the closing ceremony of the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2010. APThe skies lit up with dazzling fireworks as an emotional China brought the curtains down on the biggest Asian Games in a riot of colour, foot-tapping music and a cultural extravaganza at the Haixinsha Island on the Pearl River in Guangzhou on Saturday.If the opening ceremony held at the same riverside venue on November 12th was high on technical wizardry, the closing was a heart-touching display of warmth by the people of this South China city whose infrastructure has improved remendously as a result of hosting the Games which saw India record their best-ever medal haul till date.Late charge helps IndiaNov 26 | India record its bestCLOSING EVENT: SEE PHOTOSHIGHLIGHTSAsiad closing: Vijender India’s flagbearerIndia finished sixth on the medal rostrum with a record 14 gold, 17 silver and 33 bronze for an overall tally of 64, eclipsing their earlier record of 57 medals in the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi.South Korea’s Ji Youngjun celebrates with his national flag after winning the men’s marathon at the 2010 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2010. APThe closing ceremony was also used by the Games hosts to present cultural segments representing the different regions of the continent, including South Asia in which Indian singers Ravi Tripathi and Tanya Gupta enthralled the capacity crowd.Hosts China were unstoppable in their relentless march to titles and at the end of the Games had an incredible harvest of 199 gold in an overall haul of over 400 medals, proving once again that they are in the top-most echelons of world sports.advertisementKorea finished way behind in second place while Japan were third that underlined the fact that the Asian Games, the second largest sports event after the Olympic Games, are still being overwhelmingly dominated by the far eastern nations of the continent.The prelude to the official part of the ceremony was punctuated by dance of Qiling (a legendary animal symbolizing good luck) to celebrate the success of the Games that was followed by an exhibition of acrobatics and dance.Performers staged “Dragon drunk on the Pearl River”, “Painting of Toy figuring in Emotion” and “Wind of the Yao Ethnic Group” dances while flashbacks of the Asian Games actions were shown on sail-shaped screens before the Chinese President Hu Jintao and Olympic Council of Asia Chief Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah entered the arena to the strains of the Chinese Military Band.With nine plumes of red smoke rising up from the Guangzhou Tower, an athlete jumped out of the screen while the eight sail-shaped screens showed some memorable moments of the Games competitions.The plumes changed shape one by one and the fireworks started on the Guangzhou Tower to symbolize the success of the Games and the happiness it produced. The five-starred red flag of China was unfurled and the hosts? national anthem was played by the Military band.A small cultural segment was then presented with fishing lights shaped as starlight and the crescent moon used as major props to create a dream-like atmosphere of changing colours and flowing figures, the images giving the crowd an impression of fairy tales and scenes of fishing.The face of a smiling child appeared which turned into a beautiful girl from this city of ten million who frolics in the night sky amidst the stars.When she extended her hand all the stars and moon fell into her grasp and she, with a laugh, threw the stars and moon to the Games Torch Tower in the centre of the square.As they fell to the ground, hundreds of children appeared like magic and scattered in all directions to form the Asian Games emblem.A ship resembling a crescent moon with singing children on board gently set sail on the front waterway and hundreds of chorus singers with stars in their hands in four groups entered from two sides.A child singer picked up a Lingnan-style fishing lantern made of bamboo splits ecclosed by paper from the water.Almost immediately several fishing lights in different colours appeared on the scene winding in groups or strings through the site as the children with star lights in their hands flashed those lights to give an impression of a sea of lights.This was followed by the representation of India and the Ganga with the holy river appearing on the sail-shaped screen and running towards the famous temples of India while the screen also showed images of the Taj Mahal and modern architecture.advertisementSeveral dancers led by Cai Yushan and Xi Chuhang performed to the singing of Tripathi and Gupta and there were also motorcycle stunts done in front of the Games Torch Tower.One hundred men performers with Indian flower wreaths in their hands danced in two groups behind the bikes and formed two crescent moons on both sides of the Torch Tower while over 1000 chorus members holding multi-coloured Indian light-reflecting towels danced in harmony.When the two Indian singers came to the front, male dancers ran along the two sides of the Torch Tower to form a triangular pattern and danced with gusto while around 200 women dancers ran out, divided themselves in two groups and performed various Indian dance forms.The men and women dancers came together to form a semi circle they danced together to the song in typical Bollywood style.The other regions of the continent were also given their prominence in the cultural milieu before flashbacks of the Asian Games competitions and athletes being awarded their medals were shown along with emotional scenes, symbolizing the excitement and harmony that was visible during the Games.The cultural show ended with all the participants coming on to the stage forming different patterns while singing and dancing with abandon to bring an end to the cultural part and the commencement of the formal part of the ceremony with the arrival of the athletes.The Indian flag was carried by gold medal winning star boxer Vijender Singh with his left hand in a cast following the thumb injury he sustained during last night’s final against two-time world champion Atoev Abbos of Uzbekistan.OCA President Sheikh Al-Sabah, accompanied by the president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, Liu Peng, executive president of the Games organizing committee Huang Huahua, and the mayor of Guangzhou Wan Qingliang, delivered the keynote address and declared the 16th Asiad closed.The OCA flag was then lowered and the OCA anthem played before the national flag of Korea, the next Games hosts at Incheon in 2014 was raised, in the presence of the vice president of the Korean Olympic Committee and the chief of the Incheon Games organizing committee.Guangzhou mayor Qingliang handed over the Asian Games torch to the OCA chief who, in turn, handed them over to the mayor of Incheon.Later the flag of the first Games held in Delhi in 1951 and the OCA flag were handed over to the Korean representatives by Huahua and Peng.The Koreans presented a short segment to the accompaniment of percussion instruments and taekwondo, the country’s martial arts, which is also part of the Games programme and “Welcome to Incheon” and “See you at Incheon in 2014” were flashed on the screen.The Games flame was extinguished before the fireworks lit up the night sky to signal the end of the closing ceremony.MORE MEDALS FOR CHINAEarlier, just five gold medals were on Saturday presented at the Asian Games, providing a rather slow-paced denouement for an event the Olympic Council of Asia president referred to as “one of the best ever.”advertisementZhou Chunxiu won the women’s marathon, giving China its 198th gold medal of the games, one shy of its eventual total. Myanmar took its first two – in the men’s and women’s doubles finals in sepaktakraw, and OCA chief Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah told a closing news conference that even a military conflict on the Korean peninsula last Tuesday during the games could not damage the event’s image.North and South Korean “athletes stood shoulder-to-shoulder to compete even though there had been some problems in their countries,” Al-Sabah said.After 48 gold medals were presented Friday in a hectic penultimate day, Zhou won the first of the last-day medals when she finished the marathon in 2 hours, 25 minutes, about 90 seconds ahead of her Chinese compatriot Zhui Xiaolon. Kim Kum Ok of North Korea won the bronze.Ji Young-jun of South Korea won gold in the men’s marathon, finishing in 2:11.11, with Japan’s Yukihiro Kitaoka second. That ended China’s chances of capturing 200 gold medals at Guangzhou.Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, won its previous gold in sepak takraw in 1998 in the women’s regu division of the acrobatic volleyball-like sport in which competitors use just about everything but their hands to get a rattan ball over the net. Myanmar’s men beat South Korea 2-0 and its women defeated China 2-1.”We have a new flag and we are proud to have won the gold medal under it,” said Myanmar coach Kyaw Zin Moe.China won the first gold of the games on Nov. 13 when Yuan Xiaochao finished first in wushu martial arts event, and took the last on Saturday. The Chinese women’s volleyball team came back from two sets down to beat South Korea 21-25, 22-25, 25-10, 25-17, 16-14, leaving its final gold medal count for the games at 199.The closing ceremony, featuring a performance by the military band of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the official handover from Guangzhou to Incheon, was scheduled for later Saturday.With inputs from PTI/AP
Former Australian wicketkeeper batsman Adam Gilchrist will be the captain of Kings XI Punjab for the fourth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gilchrist led Deccan Chargers to the trophy in the IPL’s second season. It was no wonder that he was the first player to be bought by Punjab during the players’ auction on January 8. Punjab proceeded to buy 10 more players, with only four Indian players, the backbone of any IPL team. They lost out on several players whom they started to bid for, only to be outbid by other franchises. Punjab would now have to fill up the rest of their squad with the uncapped Indian players and India Under-19 players. However coach Michael Bevan remains confident of Punjab’s prospects because of Gilchrist’s presence. Confirming Punjab’s decision to make Gilchrist as the captain of the team Bevan said, “The main reason we picked him was because he is the captain. Even if he is not at the peak of his career, I still feel he is a leader and he has a lot to offer.”
Anna University TANCET results on June 22.The results of TANCET 2011 (Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test) organised by the Anna University will be declared on June 22.The TANCET results 2011 will be available at the website of Anna University www.results.annauniv.edu.Anna University organises the TANCET examinations on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government for admissions to MBA, MCA, MTech and ME courses in the state.For more news on India, click here.For more news on Business, click here.For more news on Movies, click here.For more news on Sports, click here.
Kevin Pietersen scored a double ton helping England to a commanding 474/8 despite Praveen Kumar’s fiver on the second day of the first Test against India at Lord’s on Friday. Watch KP’s 200 and MSD bowl | Score At stumps, India were 17/0 in 6 overs with openers Gautam Gambhir and Abhinav Mukund at the crease.Though KP’s ton and Praveen Kumar’s five-wicket haul were the highlight of the day, it was India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who managed to grab the maximum eyeballs.And it wasn’t his keeping, but his bowling that hit the limelight – yes, the India skipper, and one of the most successful wicketkeepers that India has produced, bowled on the day.Soon after the lunch when a few overs were left for the new ball to be taken, Dhoni pulled off his gloves and took to bowling to fill the void left by Zaheer Khan, who pulled his hamstring on Thursday.The change also saw Rahul Dravid keeping wickets. And Dhoni could have sent Pietersen back into the pavilion if the DRS hadn’t ruled otherwise. On-field umpire Billy Bowden had given him out when the ball seemed to have nicked off his bat on to the keeper Rahul Dravid. But the reviews ruled against it and Pietersen went on to complete his ton.England started with the overnight score of 127/2 with Pietersen and Jonathan Trott in the middle.The clear and sunny sky aided the batsmen as the ball seemed to come on to the bat unlike Day 1 when the ball was swinging a lot more with the nip in the air following the morning showers.advertisementJonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen were going strongly against India and the duo had put on 98 runs for the third wicket when Praveen Kumar struck.And it was the swing, albeit only a little, that did the trick. The ball kept low moved in and struck against Trott’s pads. He fell for 70 and India got the crucial third wicket on 160.Post Trott’s dismissal, Pietersen took up the challenge and went ahead consolidating the innings. At lunch England were cruising at 217/3 with Pietersen and Ian Bell in the middle.The second session saw Kumar strike again and this was post Dhoni’s cameo with the ball and Pietersen’s 18th Test ton.Kumar couldn’t get Pietersen, but he got rid of his partner Ian Bell with a ball that took the edge of his bat to land in keeper Dhoni’s gloves behind the stumps at 270/4. Bell scored 45.But Kumar’s over was far from over and two balls later he got England’s fifth wicket with new man Eoin Morgan walking back on a duck. From 270/3 England were down to 270/5, but they still had a good batsman in Matt Prior.At tea, England were sitting pretty on 305/5 with Pietersen and Matt Prior at the crease.The third session too was dominated by Pietersen even though Prior scored a fine 71 before going down to Kumar, who finished with a five-wicket haul with Stuart Broad being his last victim on the day.Kumar did take up the challenge in the absence of senior pro Zaheer Khan and claimed his maiden five-wicket haul at Lord’s, yet the Indians were missing their pace-spearhead.No wonder it had prompted ‘Captain Courageous’ to shun his gloves and take to bowling.
The Indian contingent is still awaiting a communication from the Olympic Games organisers on how an unidentified lady was allowed to gatecrash into the team’s march past at the Opening Ceremony even as media reports claimed to have identified the “mystery woman”.The Indians have submitted a letter on this embarrassing issue to the organisers on Saturday night and acting Chef-de-Mission Brig P K Muralidharan Raja said that no response has come yet.”We have submitted the letter expressing our strong resentment on the matter to the organisers last night. We are still waiting for their response,” Raja said.A day after photos of the ‘mystery woman’ appeared in newspapers and went viral on social networking sites, a newspaper claimed to have identified the young lady as Madhura Honey, a post-graduate from Bangalore.Deccan Chronicle, quoting sources, said that her friend from the college was also baffled seeing her with the Indian contingent. She has been living in London and before she went with the Indian team, she had displayed her Olympic passes on her Facebook account. But once this became an issue, she had deactivated her Facebook account.The Indian contingent, however, was willing to wait for an official confirmation about the identity of the person.”I am also aware of these reports. But I can’t comment on newspaper reports. We want something from the organisers,” Raja said.The young lady in red shirt and blue trouser was seen leading the Indian contingent in the march past alongside Beijing Games bronze medallist Sushil Kumar and her unwanted presence has not gone down well with the Indians, who had no clue as to who she was.advertisement
The Deccan Chargers have lost their place as an Indian Premier League franchise after it failed to meet an extended deadline to furnish a Rs.100 crore bank guarantee.The beleaguered owners of Deccan Chargers failed to produce the bank guarantee before the Bombay High Court, a condition that had been set for the struggling team’s survival in the league.Claim to fameThe Hyderabad-based company has won the second season of the IPL in 2009 held in South Africa under the captainship of Adam Gilchrist. Media group Deccan Chronicle Holdings Ltd had bought the franchise for an amount of USD 107 million on 24 January 2008.Why in newsReports quoting sources say banks and financial institutions that have lent money to Deccan Chronicle Holdings are being investigated for alleged irregularities in their dealings with the Hyderabad-based media house.The finance ministry has asked a two-member panel to conduct the probe, which is expected to take two months. A Mumbai based real estate company, Kamla Landmarc has bought the Deccan Chargers IPL franchise. Owned by Mr Ramesh Jain, the company undertakes construction of residential/commercial projects.