After Wakanda-inspired outfit, Serena Williams launches fashion collection

NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams has launched a fashion collection soon after participating in her first major tennis tournament in 16 months, dressed in a black "warrior princess" catsuit, no less.

But don't look for her French Open outfit among the athleisure, office and evening clothes on her new namesake website, the only place her duds are available.

Following collaborations with HSN and Nike, Williams' "Serena" line includes an "S'' motif and comfortable price points.

The letter adorns bralettes and high briefs, along with a T-shirt with the name of her childhood home, Compton.


She says she hopes to inspire women to own their own "s'' words, like strong, sexy, sophisticated, sassy, smart, silly and spontaneous.

Prices range from $40 for the logo T-shirt to $215 for a gold and black anorak jacket.

Williams considers the black bodysuit she wore at the French Open much more than a fashion statement.

There's a practical reason for the full-length legs on the skintight outfit: The aim is to protect her because of past bouts with blood clots.

There also is a message she wanted to send about self-worth and feeling powerful as she returned to Grand Slam action with a first-round victory at Roland Garros on Tuesday, about nine months after giving birth to a daughter.

"It feels like this suit represents all the women that have been through a lot mentally, physically, with their body to come back and have confidence and to believe in themselves," Williams said after beating Kristyna Pliskova 7-6 (4), 6-4 at Court Philippe Chatrier. "I definitely feel like it is an opportunity for me to inspire a whole different group of amazing women and kids."

The outfit called to mind Williams' black "catsuit" that she wore at the 2002 U.S. Open. It also was reminiscent of the white bodysuit that American player Anne White wore at Wimbledon in 1985.
Williams referred to what she wore Tuesday as the "catsuit — the new version, 2.0."

"I call it, like, my Wakanda-inspired catsuit," referring to the fictional nation in the film "Black Panther."

"We designed it way before the movie," she said, "but still, it kind of reminds me of that."

Williams said she feels "like a warrior princess, kind of," when she wears the outfit.

"I'm always living in a fantasy world," she added. "I always wanted to be a superhero, and it's kind of my way of being a superhero."

Tuesday's match was the first at a major tournament for the 23-time Grand Slam champion in 16 months.

She gave birth on Sept. 1, then dealt with complications related to a pulmonary embolism.

"I had a lot of problems with my blood clots, and, God, I don't know how many I have had in the past 12 months. So it is definitely a little functionality to it," Williams said. "I have been wearing pants in general a lot when I play, so I can keep the blood circulation going. It's a fun suit, but it's also functional, so I can be able to play without any problems." — Reports from Howard Fendrich, AP

source: philstar.com

South Korea’s President Moon congratulates BTS

MANILA, Philippines — The boys of BTS continued to reap congratulations and bask in the admiration of fans with their global rise, and the latest to send compliments is South Korean President Moon Jae In.

Recognizing the latest of the achievements of BTS—grabbing the top spot of the Billboard Top 200—Moon said: “The songs, dance, dreams and enthusiasm of BTS energized and gave strength to young people around the world.”

Congratulations to the Seven Music-loving Boys and Their Wings, ‘ARMY’!
The songs, dance, dreams and enthusiasm of BTS energized and gave strength to young people around the world. https://t.co/6ZL4XdrZVv

— ??? (@moonriver365) May 28, 2018

 Moon posted on his Twitter and Facebook a note, in English and in Hangul, for the seven-piece group.

BTS or Bantan Seonyondan or Behind the Scene is the first Korean group to land on the Billboard Top 200 with their latest outing “Love Yourself: Tear.”

“At the very heart of the BTS’s outstanding dancing and singing is sincerity. This magical power turns grief into hope and differences into similarity,” the South Korean president added.

“Thank you to BTS for spreading joy across Korea and the world with your great performances,” Moon also said.

Quoting the Billboard, a report from the Associated Press said that the BTS album is “first primarily foreign language album” to grab the top spot since Il Divo’s “Ancora” in 2006.

BTS, composed of Rap Monster (Kim Namjoon), Jin (Kim Seokjin), Suga (Min Yoongi), J-Hope (Jung Hoseok), Park Jimin, V (Kim Taehyung) and Jeon Jungkook,
is among the third generation of global phenomenon Hallyu or “Korean Wave.”
The South Korean government promotes Hallyu as one of its global cultural policies. The global trend also contributes to Korea’s GDP. — with a report from Associated Press

source: philstar.com

Diplomacy heats up before summit, with trips by US, North Korea

SEOUL, South Korea — Diplomacy accelerated Tuesday ahead of a potential summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a team of American diplomats involved in preparatory discussions left a Seoul hotel, possibly to continue talks with their North Korean counterparts.

Meanwhile, in Beijing, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol planned to head to the United States, potentially for more talks to set up the summit. He would be the most senior North Korean official to visit the United States in 18 years.

Yonhap said Kim Yong Chol's name was on the passenger list for a flight Wednesday from Beijing to New York. It earlier reported that he was heading straight to Washington, but later said he changed his flight to New York. South Korean officials couldn't immediately confirm the report. Kim was seen in the Beijing airport Tuesday by The Associated Press.

Kim is a former military intelligence chief and now a vice chairman of the North Korean ruling party's central committee tasked with inter-Korean relations. A visit to the United States would mark the highest-level North Korean official visit since 2000, when late National Defense Commission First Vice Chairman Jo Myong Rok visited Washington, South Korea's Unification Ministry said.


In South Korea, it wasn't immediately clear whether the American officials, including Sung Kim, the U.S. ambassador to Manila, were heading to the Korean village of Panmunjom, which straddles the border inside the Demilitarized Zone, where they met with North Korean officials on Sunday. Sung Kim is a former U.S. ambassador to South Korea and was a top negotiator with North Korea in past nuclear talks.

Trump withdrew from a planned June 12 summit with Kim Jong Un last Thursday, citing hostile North Korean comments, but has since said the meeting in Singapore could still happen. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has lobbied hard for nuclear negotiations between Trump and Kim, met with the North Korean leader in a surprise meeting on Saturday in an effort to keep the summit alive.

In their second meeting in a month, Moon said Kim expressed willingness to cooperate to end confrontation and work toward peace for the sake of a successful summit with Trump. But Kim also said he was unsure whether he could trust the United States over its promise to end hostile policies against North Korea and provide security assurances if the country does abandon its nuclear weapons, according to Moon.
Despite Kim's apparent eagerness for a summit with Trump, there are lingering doubts about whether he will fully relinquish his nuclear weapons, which he may see as his only guarantee of survival. Moon has insisted Kim can be persuaded to abandon his nuclear facilities, materials and bombs in a verifiable and irreversible way in exchange for credible security and economic guarantees.

U.S. and South Korean officials haven't confirmed the details of the pre-summit negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang at the border.

The officials may discuss bridging the gap between Washington and Pyongyang on what a deal on the North's nuclear weapons would look like. There's also speculation that American officials are trying to persuade the North Koreans to export a certain number of its nuclear warheads overseas at an early stage as proof of its commitment to denuclearize.

U.S. officials have talked about a comprehensive one-shot deal in which North Korea eliminates its nukes first and receives rewards later. But Kim, through two summits with Chinese President Xi Jinping in March and May, has called for a phased and synchronized process in which every action he takes is met with a reciprocal reward from the United States.

Seoul has been advocating an alternative approach in which the North's comprehensive commitment and credible actions toward denuclearization are followed by a phased but compressed process of inspection and verifiable dismantling. Before he canceled the summit, Trump did not rule out an incremental approach that would provide incentives along the way to the North.

source: philstar.com

LeBron, back in Boston, for another Cavs farewell

BOSTON- LeBron James and the depleted Cleveland Cavaliers won’t get any sympathy from the Celtics when they return to Boston for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Already laboring to reach his eighth straight NBA Finals with a supporting crew made mostly of cast-offs and throw-ins, James lost the only other All-Star on the roster on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) when Kevin Love was declared out for the series finale with a concussion.

Now, in what could be his final game in a Cleveland uniform — again — James will have to do it largely on his own.

In Boston, where the Celtics are perfect so far this postseason.

And in a series where the road team hasn’t really even come close.

“There’s something different about LeBron, period,” Cleveland forward Larry Nance Jr. said after James scored 46 with 11 rebounds and nine assists on Friday night (Saturday in Manila) to send the series to a decisive seventh game. “I think (coach Tyronn Lue) said it best: ‘We’re going into a Game 7 with the baddest dude on the planet on our team.’ I like our chances.”

James is having what could be the best postseason of his career, averaging 33.9 points and just under nine assists and rebounds, with seven 40-point games, two buzzer beaters, and a sweep of top-seeded Toronto. But he’s played in every game this season — Sunday (Monday in Manila) will be his 100th — and it showed in the Game 5 loss to the Celtics.

He admitted to fatigue afterward and then played all but two minutes in Game 6 despite a sore knee from a collision with Nance.

Still, the four-time MVP carried his team even after Love banged heads with Boston’s Jayson Tatum in the first half and left the game.


“I can’t say enough good things about him,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “Every time we watch. Every time you’re standing out there. Every time you watch him on film. Best player in the game.”

James will probably have to do it again in Game 7 to reach the NBA Finals for the eighth straight year, something accomplished only by Bill Russell and some of his Celtics teammates in the 1960s.

Lue said he wasn’t concerned about James’ leg. Or about the team’s history in the TD Garden, where the Cavaliers lost the first three games by an average of 17 points.

“We throw it all out,” Lue said on Saturday. “It’s one game left to go to the NBA Finals.”

The Celtics have had their own injury problems, starting in the first quarter of the season opener — at Cleveland — when top free agent Gordon Hayward went out for the year with a broken leg. Five-time All-Star Kyrie Irving, acquired from the Cavaliers in an offseason roster overhaul, needed knee surgery and was lost in March.

But they caught a break when Tatum was cleared to play on Saturday. Stevens said the team doctors checked on him “and he’s great.”

“So nothing there as far as to be concerned about,” Stevens said.

Well, there’s one thing to be concerned about.

“We know LeBron is different than a lot of other guys, but we’ve got to get the job done,” Celtics guard Terry Rozier said. “That’s no excuse, so we’re looking forward to it.”

For James, it’s an opportunity to extend the season for his hometown team and put off another summer of questions about his future. Eight years ago, he came to Boston for the conference semifinals and had a triple-double — 27 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists — but shot 8 for 21 with nine turnovers and the Celtics eliminated the Cavs from the playoffs.

As he left the court, James stripped off his Cleveland jersey; then came “The Decision” and the move to Miami.

James is again able to become a free agent this season, with the Lakers, 76ers and Rockets among the most-mentioned destinations. Having led Cleveland to the city’s first major sports title in half a century in 2016, there is less pulling at him to stay home this time.

But another title would ease the pain even more. And with the injury bug hitting the Western Conference finalists — Chris Paul was the latest ruled out for a game — the East champion might not be as big an underdog as expected.

James will be ready.

“You’ve got to be poised. You’ve got to be able to handle a punch or two,” he said. “We know it’s challenging. They’re 10-0 on their home floor, and they’ve been very successful against us, obviously, at home. But if you love challenges, then this is a great opportunity.”

source: philstar.com

Maddie Poppe is American Idol 2018

Maddie Poppe, 20, female troubadour from Iowa, is American Idol (AI) 2018. She bested country balladeer Caleb Lee Hutchinson, 19, from Georgia. This makes her the first female finalist to win the contest in ages. I think Jordin Sparks was the last one. After that, there came a succession of male singers, most of them of the bland, forgettable variety which I believe contributed to the first American Idol’s diminished viewership and which brought about its eventual death.

Actually this revival edition also went in that direction when Maddie, Caleb and third placer Gabby Barrett, 17, from Pennsylvania became the consistent top-notchers during the elimination rounds. They were getting the most votes from viewers. White America was voting in a big way and making very white choices just like this final trio. Truth to tell, I thought the show lost a lot of edge when it was those three contestants who were left in the finals.

It honestly felt like there was this unwritten rule hovering over the voters to keep American Idol white and singing country. Get rid of the rockers, the soul men, the Africans, the Hispanics, the half-breeds, the transgender, the short, the fat, etc. I have a feeling that judge Katy Perry realized this during the finals show when she blurted out that it was a disaster. I think she was referring to the performances and the nondescript original songs chosen for the finalists. All plain and dull.

This is not to say that Maddie does not deserve the title. Though always low-key, she was consistently good in her performances. She has her own style. She shows a lot of promise as a songwriter. And she is no rip-off like Caleb, who has too much of Johnny Cash and Scotty Mccreery or of Gabby who channels Carrie Underwood all the time. I liked her sweet moment singing Rainbow Connection with Kermit The Frog. She seems nice. But I want more dazzle. I want spellbinding star quality that she seems to lack.

Anyway, I hope Maddie becomes a success. Also Caleb and Gabby and all those fantastic, definitely more interesting talents that the show lost because the judges kicked them out or they did not get enough votes from the viewers. Besides if Maddie becomes a big star, then American Idol stays on air. And it is a fun show to watch. I love judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie and I am glad that they all signed on for the next season.

Now, make sure you tune in to the replays of this year’s finals night and most of all to the announcement of winners which came the next day. I may not agree with the viewers’ choices but the AI producers did put on a most enjoyable show. I would have loved Richie in a ballad duet with Michael J. Woodward but that All Night Long (Night Long) with the Top 10 finalists was a real rouser. Besides they gave Michael J. to the great Yolanda Adams to duet with in What The World Needs Now Is Love, Sweet Love and it was really great.

Other numbers you must also catch are Luke in a duet of Most People Are Good with Gabby; Nick Jonas singing Jealous with Top 7’s Jurnee; the sweet moment of Katy and Catie Turner from Top 5, together in Part Of Me; Top 24 contestant Layla Spring and her baby sister Dyxie singing Blue with original artist LeAnn Rimes. Oh and wasn’t it nice of American Idol to bring back Ada Vox to sing Lady Marmalade with no other but the legendary Patti Labelle, who I must say, still rides those vocal curls effortlessly.
Now adopting an alpaca was sweet of American Idol. It was for contestant Noah Davis. But bringing back Sendaya, the heartthrob from Season Six looking like that, was not. Oh and did you know that Maddie and Caleb are dating? Watching them sing together makes one wonder how their love story will play out. I hope they stay happy and in love forever.

And if you are feeling sad and blah or just feeling plain nothing, check out that rendition of Hello by Ada Vox, Noah and that James Franco look-alike, Katy’s crush Trevor Holmes. It is just plain hilarious.

source: philstar.com

LeBron dumps 44 points as Cavs level series with Celtics

CLEVELAND- LeBron James scored 44 points, surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar atop a postseason list and helped the Cleveland Cavaliers even the Eastern Conference finals at 2-2 on Monday night (Tuesday Manila time) with a 111-102 victory over the Boston Celtics who are looking forward to getting home.

Pushed by a raucous crowd that wasn't so confident a few days ago, the Cavs held off Boston's comeback in the fourth quarter and squared a series that is now a best-of-three.

Cleveland is trying to become the 20th team — out of 300 — to overcome a 2-0 deficit and James, who has already orchestrated two such rallies, is a step closer to a third.

But to do it again the Cavs will have to win in Boston, where the Celtics are 9-0 this postseason.

Game Five is Wednesday night at TD Center (Thursday Manila time).

Kyle Korver added 14 points with several hustle plays, and Tristan Thompson had 13 points and 12 rebounds for Cleveland.

Jaylen Brown scored 25 and Boston had all five scorers in double figures, but the Celtics fell behind by 19 in the first half and didn't have enough to catch Cleveland.

And, of course, they didn't have James, who moved past Jabbar (2,356) for the most field goals in playoff history. James also recorded his 25th career postseason game with at least 40 points — his sixth in this postseason.

The Celtics hung around in the second half and pulled within 100-93 on Marcus Smart's basket with 4:29 left. But Thompson got free for a dunk, and after a miss by Boston, James recovered after making his seventh turnover by making a steal and layup.

Moments later, James drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing to finally put away the young Celtics, who will now feel the immense pressure of trying to hold off the three-time champion.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens considered changing his starting lineup, but decided to stick with the same first five — Brown, Jayson  Tautum, Marcus Morris, Al Horford and Terry Rozier — as the first three games.

Boston's starters held their own, but none of them was able to match James when it mattered most.

The Celtics couldn't afford another slow start and that's exactly what happened.

Boston got some open looks in the first quarter, but the Celtics shot just 27 percent (7 of 26) and both Tatum and Brown missed dunks. Also, Morris picked up three fouls and his teammates all seemed tentative as the Cavs pushed their lead to 15 at halftime.

Blowout city

Like most fans, Lue has been stunned — but not necessarily disappointed — by the number of lopsided wins in the playoffs, especially in the semifinals.

The first six games between Boston-Cleveland and Houston-Golden State were decided by an average of 24 points. The Warriors won Game Three on Sunday night (Monday Manila time) by 41, the largest margin of victory in franchise history.

"It does surprise me," he said. "All four teams are really good. But the home court has shown it's been a factor."

source: philstar.com

British royal family thanks those who celebrated wedding

LONDON — The royal family has thanked people who attended or watched the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

"Thank you to everyone who came to Windsor and those who followed from around the UK, the Commonwealth, and the world," the royals said.

The family tweeted its thanks late Saturday night while Harry and his bride were attending a private soiree hosted by Harry's father, Prince Charles.

Kensington Palace did not release details, but photographs showed Markle, now known formally as the Duchess of Sussex, wearing an emerald-cut aquamarine ring that had belonged to Harry's mother, Princess Diana, to the reception.

The newlyweds spent their first night as a married couple at Windsor Castle. They are not immediately going on honeymoon.

source: philstar.com

For a prince's wedding, even the greenery has royal roots

WINDSOR, England — Even the foliage in the flower arrangements will have royal roots.

Philippa Craddock, the London florist selected by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to design the blooms for their wedding ceremony, said Wednesday that ferns and branches of silver birch, English oak and beech from Windsor Great Park will be part of the greenery adorning the scenery at nearby St. George's Chapel.

An integral part at that, according to Craddock.

"The base is the foliage, that's where the designs start from, and then the flowers are complementary on top of that, but actually it's very much the foliage and shapes of the branches that will give us the shape of the designs," she told Britain's Press Association.

Windsor Great Park is one of the public open spaces owned by Britain's monarch. Unsurprisingly, its 4,800 acres have quite the pedigree.

William the Conqueror hunted there in the 11th century when the park was a forest. King Charles II was the one who tamed the land in the late 17th century. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the husband she would forever mourn after his death at Windsor Castle, were devoted park patrons.

Harry's great-grandfather, King George VI, set in place the first of 60 oak trees that were planted in honor of his 1937 coronation. Another row of oaks honors Harry's grandfather, Prince Philip, who holds the title of park ranger. Still another celebrated Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday.

Kensington Palace previously revealed that roses, peonies and foxgloves also will be in the church arrangements at Saturday's wedding. Beyond that, Craddock and the garden keeper at Windsor Great Park, John Anderson, are staying respectfully discreet.

"There are moments where I've focused on it being another commission, so it's like working with any one of our couples, and of course you take a step back and you just realize the enormity of it," Craddock said. "It's a huge occasion and we're just hugely privileged."

source: philstar.com

Stealing home; Durant sparks Warriors over host Rockets in opener

MANILA, Philippines — Season wins leader Houston battled an entire campaign to seize a home-court edge throughout the NBA playoffs, but defending champion Golden State stole it away with a 119-106 victory Monday.

Kevin Durant scored 37 points and Klay Thompson added 28 for the Warriors to capture the best-of seven Western Conference final opener in a rare series start on the road for a team seeking its third NBA crown in four seasons.

“We’re just trying to win every game we play,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said. “It ends up being ‘stealing home court’ but we don’t look at it that way. We won one game on the road. Let’s try to win two.”

Stephen Curry added 18 points, six rebounds and eight assists while Green contributed nine rebounds and nine assists for the Warriors.


“It’s a great start. We played well,” said Thompson, who scored 11 points in the fourth quarter. “We’re not going to relax. We’re still not where we want to be. We still have a long way to go.”

NBA scoring champion James Harden netted 41 points to lead the Rockets, who host game two on Wednesday.

“We’ve got to do a better job of taking better shots, not turning the ball over and getting back on D,” Harden said. “We’ve got to make them rotate and take tougher shots.

“They do a really good job if you take bad shots or turn the ball over. That’s what they thrive on. Those mistakes can’t happen.”

Durant scored 17 first-half points and sparked Golden State after the Rockets played aggressively at the start, using two big runs to jump ahead only to have the Warriors overtake them by the middle of the second quarter.

“You know they are going to come out with a lot of energy,” Durant said. “We just tried to take their best punch and keep fighting.”
“To withstand that run says a lot about our team,” Green said. “The further you get along in the playoffs, the more intensity you need to bring.”

source: philstar.com

Nunes beats Pennington to retain UFC title

RIO DE JANEIRO — Amanda Nunes of Brazil beat American Raquel Pennington early Sunday to defend her UFC bantamweight title for the third time. The heavily favored Brazilian won by technical knockout in the fifth round in front of her home fans in Rio de Janeiro.

Nunes said winning against her friend Pennington was the hardest challenge she had to face in her career.

“I respect this woman so much,” the Brazilian said with tears in her eyes after her victory. “This was the hardest thing I did in my career. I had to do it to defend this belt, defend my biggest dream.

“We will have some beers as friends later tonight.”

Before the decisive round, Pennington was heard saying “I’m done,” but her coach insisted she should return to the bout.

The American hadn’t fought since November 2016 because of injuries. The two friends were scheduled to clash in December, but Pennington broke her left leg in an ATV crash.

In the opening of the event’s main card, former lightweight champion Vitor Belfort announced his retirement after losing to countryman and former champion Lyoto Machida by knockout.

“Everything in life has beginning, middle and end,” Belfort said. “I will stop fighting here because I think I reached the end. Thanks for your love.”

American Kelvin Gastelum beat crowd favorite Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in a split-decision that was booed by local fans.

Unbeaten Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Mackenzie Dern needed less than three minutes to overcome American Amanda Cooper in the strawweight division. Dern, who made her UFC debut only two months ago and weighed in seven pounds above the limit on Friday, won by submission.

“I try not to cry,” Dern said, “but my camp was very hard and I had the weight issue.”

John Lineker beat Brian Kelleher in their bantamweight bout by knockout.

source: philstar.com

Najib Razak concedes defeat in Malaysia election

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia  — The Latest on Malaysia's election (all times local):

11:30 a.m.

Malaysia's prime minister Najib Razak, who led the ruling National Front coalition to a historic loss in a national election on Wednesday, has conceded defeat.

At a televised press conference, Najib said, "I and my colleagues accept the verdict of the people."


He said the National Front "will honor the principle of democracy in the parliament."

Opposition parties, led by Malaysia's former authoritarian leader Mahathir Mohamad, tapped into anger over a corruption scandal and a new tax to end the National Front's 60-year hold on power.

Because no single party won a majority in the election, Najib said the country's king will have responsibility for appointing the next prime minister.

"The national front will respect whatever decision is made by the king," he said. "I urge all Malaysians to be calm and to trust the king's wisdom to make the best choice."

___

10:45 a.m.

Supporters of Malaysia's new government have taken to the streets of Kuala Lumpur to celebrate their unexpected election victory.

People stood on roadsides waving the white, blue and red flag of the opposition alliance that triumphed in Wednesday's national election. Cars honked their horns as they sped past.
"I'm so happy," said a woman waving the opposition flag. "I hope we'll have a better Malaysia now. Malaysia reborn!"

Malaysian voters were angered by a corruption scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Razak and new taxes. The opposition victory ends the ruling National Front's 60-year-old on power,

___

3:40 a.m.

Mahathir Mohamad says the new Malaysian government will not be seeking revenge on defeated prime minister Najib Razak, who is accused of involvement in a corruption scandal at state investment fund 1MDB.

U.S. investigators say at least $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund by associates of Najib between 2009 and 2014, including $700 million that landed in Najib's bank account.

Najib, who denies any wrongdoing, clamped down on dissent to survive the scandal.

Mahathir said he is not seeking revenge and wants to restore the rule of law.

He added that those found to have breached the law will be prosecuted.

___

3 a.m.

Mahathir Mohamad has said after he led a Malaysian opposition alliance to a historic election victory that he expects a prime minister will be sworn in within a day.

Mahathir was the country's authoritarian leader for 22 years until 2003. He says the opposition's majority is bigger than announced so far.

The 92-year-old Mahathir says a representative of Malaysia's constitutional monarchy has contacted the opposition to acknowledge its victory.

Mahathir emerged from retirement and joined the opposition after being angered by an epic corruption scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The opposition's win ends the National Front's 60 year hold on power.

___

2:40 a.m.

Official results from Malaysia's national election show the opposition alliance led by the country's former authoritarian ruler Mahathir Mohamad has won a majority in parliament, ending the 60-year rule of the National Front.

The Election Commission says the opposition has so far won 112 seats and the National Front has 76 seats.

The opposition is also sweeping state elections, including Johor state where the dominant Malay party in the National Front was founded.

Malaysian voters have been angered by a corruption scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Razak and new taxes.

Mahathir is 92 and leads an alliance of opposition parties.

source: philstar.com

‘Best of West’ final showdown looms

MANILA, Philippines — The Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets both raced to a pair of lopsided wins on Sunday and can book their spots in the Western Conference final with victories on their home courts on Tuesday.

Kevin Durant scored 38 points to power the reigning NBA champion Warriors over the New Orleans Pelicans, 118-92, and Chris Paul finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds as the Rockets defeated the Utah Jazz, 100-87.

Durant said his free form game plan allowed him to be aggressive and effective at the same time.

“I just try to tell myself that I’m at my best when I don’t care what happens after the game, the outcome or anything,” Durant said.


Stephen Curry added 23 points as the Warriors seized a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven second-round series.

The Warriors are seeking a fourth consecutive trip to the NBA finals and their third crown in four seasons.

Curry said the key was getting the ball to their hottest player, Durant.

“Just find ways to get him in scoring positions,” Curry said. “Sometimes, that’s not really hard to do – just throw it to him.

“Just keep the game simple at that point because he’s such a great scorer, you don’t have to really overthink things.”

The host Pelicans, led by 26 points and 12 rebounds from Anthony Davis, never led while Golden State stretched the lead to as many as 26 points.

Durant added nine rebounds while Draymond Green had eight points, nine rebounds and nine assists for the Warriors.

In Utah, NBA veteran Paul, celebrating his 33rd birthday, also had 12 rebounds while James Harden scored 24 points to power the Rockets to a 3-1 series lead.
“It was an emotional, crazy game,” said Paul.

Clint Capela tallied 12 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks in the win.

Paul powered the offense and when he combined with Harden they were impossible to defend against.

“There are different ways to win,” said Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni. “We got a lot of stuff we can go to. The plan was to get that, so we wouldn’t be a one dimensional team.”                           

source: philstar.com

Golovkin makes short work of Martirosyan with 2nd round KO

CARSON, California — Gennady Golovkin said his second-round knockout of Vanes Martirosyan wasn’t intended to send a message to Canelo Alvarez.

Instead, it was the last-minute replacement for Alvarez who verbally tagged the Mexican superstar on Cinco de Mayo.

“I see why he’s eating that kind of meat. I see why he’s trying to get that extra edge,” said Martirosyan, referencing Alvarez’s failed drug test in March.

Golovkin won his 20th consecutive middleweight title defense by sending Martirosyan down at 1:53 of the second round on Saturday night (Sunday in Manila).

Showing he has not lost any of his devastating power after his previous two fights ended in decisions, Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 KOs) tied Bernard Hopkins’ record for middleweight title defenses with staggering fury.

After being tagged with a strong three-punch combination from Martirosyan (36-4-1) late in the first round, Golovkin responded with a devastating charge in the second. He started the eight-punch onslaught with a short left and pounced on the damaged Martirosyan, finally dropping him with two powerful lefts.

Martirosyan compared the sequence to being hit by a truck immediately after the fight, then likened Golovkin’s punches to being hit by a train in the press conference.

“Every punch was the same power and that surprised me,” Martirosyan said. “Thirty-six years old, and he’s still fighting like that. He is the real deal.”

The fight came together in hectic fashion after Golovkin’s rematch with Alavarez fell apart. Golovkin and Alvarez fought to a draw last September and were set to meet again in Las Vegas on the Mexican holiday before Alvarez was suspended for six months by the Nevada Athletic Commission in April after testing positive for clenbuterol.
Alvarez has blamed the positive test on tainted Mexican beef, which led to Martirosyan’s quip.

With the lucrative fight against Alvarez scuttled until this fall at the earliest, Golovkin was eventually able to put together a replacement bout in Southern California, where he built up a strong following with a series of title defenses at StubHub Center and the Forum. Despite short notice and a modest card, Golovkin drew a crowd of 7,837 and the biggest gate receipts for boxing at StubHub Center.

Golovkin made it worth their while, making an extended entrance by parading around the converted tennis court to the riff from the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.”

The card also featured the first women’s fight on HBO in the cable network’s 45-year history of broadcasting boxing, as undisputed welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus (33-0) remained undefeated with a unanimous decision over Kali Reis (13-7-1).

Braekhus won 97-92, 96-93 and 96-93 on the three scorecards despite being knocked down to one knee by a hard right from Reis in the seventh round. Reis nearly dropped Braekhus again in the eighth with another hard right, and the crowd booed when the result was announced after Reis’ late charge.

UFC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg was in attendance and confirmed her interest in boxing against Braekhus, adding to a night where it was hard not to focus on the specter of fights that could have been and could still happen.

Focus on a rematch with Alvarez returned to the forefront immediately after Golovkin leveled Martirosyan.

Golovkin said after the fight he would take on all comers, including Alvarez. His attitude did not change in the subsequent press conference.

“Everybody want second fight, second step. Of course, I want to,” Golovkin said. “It’s very important for me and boxing people, for everything. Just I’m ready. Let’s do it. September.”

Besides his joke, Martirosyan had a prediction for how a second Golovkin-Alvarez fight might play out, especially if Alvarez feels the pressure to meet the demanding standards of Mexican boxing fans and go toe-to-toe with Golovkin after being responsible for the fight being scuttled in May.

“I think if Canelo stayed in front of Gennady, he would get knocked out cold,” Martirosyan said.

source: philstar.com