Nintendo says nine-month profit up nearly 25%, lifted by strong titles

TOKYO, Japan — Nintendo said Thursday its net profit jumped nearly 25 percent for the nine months to December, riding out the crucial holiday season thanks to blockbuster game titles for its popular Switch console.

The Kyoto-based games giant said its bottom-line profit rose 24.9 percent to 168.8 billion yen ($1.6 billion) for the April-December period on sales of 997.3 billion yen, up 16.4 percent.

"During the holiday season, software was a great driver of hardware sales," the firm said in a statement.

For the year to March, it maintained its optimistic annual targets, expecting a net profit of 165 billion yen, up more than 18 percent from the previous fiscal year.

Its annual sales target also remained unchanged at 1.2 trillion yen.

Nintendo's latest portable console the Switch has become a huge global seller, helped by the release of innovative, family-friendly titles that have wowed critics and gamers alike.

Nintendo shares soared more than 15 percent in January on expectations that sales were solid for the Christmas shopping season.

source: philstar.com

Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor suspended

LAS VEGAS – UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was fined $500,000 and suspended for nine months for a brawl inside and outside the octagon after his fight with Conor McGregor at UFC 229. McGregor was fined $50,000 and suspended for six months.

Nurmagomedov climbed over the cage and scuffled with a fighter in McGregor’s corner after McGregor (21-4) tapped out during a chokehold by Nurmagomedov (27-0) in the fourth round of UFC 229.         

source: philstar.com

Curry sizzles as Warriors rout Pacers

LOS ANGELES – Golden State star Stephen Curry scored 26 points on another milestone night on Monday (Tuesday Manila time), leading the defending champion Warriors in a 132-100 rout of the Indiana Pacers.

The Warriors stretched the longest winning streak in the league this season to 11 as they wrapped up a five-game road trip in style in Indianapolis.

Curry connected on 10 of 13 shots from the field, including six three-pointers and became the first player in NBA history to make 200 three-pointers in seven successive seasons.


He did most of the damage in the first half, when his 23 points included eight straight to break a 16-16 tie midway through the first quarter — a burst that put the Warriors on their way.

"Just a really good way to finish it," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of the convincing end to the road trip. "I was a little worried about this game. Everybody's anxious to get home, but we've finished off the trip the right way.


"We're in a groove, we're in a good place. We've just got to keep going."

DeMarcus Cousins added 22 points for the Warriors, shaking off a scary fall in the first quarter.

Cousins, playing just his fifth game for the Warriors after missing almost an entire year after a torn Achilles tendon, went down hard after Indiana's Myles Turner fouled him in transition in the first quarter.

"I wasn't actually hurt, I was more spooked from the fall," said Cousins, who was slow to rise but stayed in the game.

Kevin Durant added 16 points for the Warriors, who let "banged up" Draymond Green sit out for a bit of rest.

Turner scored led the Pacers with 16 points, but Indiana dropped their second straight since losing guard Victor Oladipo to a season-ending knee injury.

In Boston, the absence of Kyrie Irving was no problem for the Celtics as Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart scored 21 points apiece to lead the Celtics to a 112-104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Aron Baynes added 16 points, Marcus Morris scored 15 and Al Horford and Terry Rozier chipped in 14 each for the Celtics, whose 16 blocked shots were a franchise record.

Irving sat out with a sore left hip — possibly the result of a fall in Saturday's loss to the Warriors.

"I don't think it'll be anything long-term," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said before the game. "We'll see after tonight how he feels tomorrow."

Stevens said it wasn't a tough decision to have Irving sit out a seventh game this season, even with a minor injury, as the team looks to preserve the long-term health of the All-Star point guard.

"Especially with a guy that we were going to sit him eight to 12 games anyway, so when he does have nicks and bruises, it makes sense to sit."

Nuggets rally

The Denver Nuggets, second in the Western Conference behind the Warriors, erased a 25-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Grizzlies in Memphis 95-92.

Nikola Jokic scored 24 points and drained a go-ahead hook shot with 28.9 seconds to play as the Nuggets became the first team in the league this season to win after trailing by 25 in the second half.

Down 17 heading into the final period, the Nuggets forced the Grizzlies into eight straight misses in the final 10 minutes.

Malik Beasley scored 13 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

"It's what we do," Beasley said. "We just stayed together, kept our heads up and kept playing hard. We're the best team in this league to me."

source: philstar.com

Harden explodes anew as Rockets beat Magic on Paul's return

LOS ANGELES — Chris Paul returned from injury, but it was James Harden's 40 points that fueled the Houston Rockets' 103-98 come-from-behind victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday (Monday Manila time).

Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Harden extended his streak of games with at least 30 points to 23. He chipped in 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots — including one in the last 30 seconds to help the Rockets seal the win.

Paul, who missed 17 games with a left hamstring injury, finished with 12 points, six assists and five steals.


Houston trailed by as many as 15 in the third quarter, never taking the lead until there were less than five minutes remaining.

Harden keyed their rally, scoring seven straight Rockets points in the final 2:12 of the contest starting with a basket that put Houston up 95-93.

"They kept digging it and digging it and finally we held them to 37 in the second half," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "That was awesome — that was really good defense."

Meanwhile, Paul George led the way in Oklahoma City, scored 36 points and pulling down 13 rebounds in the Thunder's 118-112 victory over the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks.

Russell Westbrook notched his 16th triple-double of the season with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, and the Thunder put the brakes on Milwaukee's Most Valuable Player candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo to post a fifth straight win.

Oklahoma City led by as many as 19 points in the third quarter.

Milwaukee closed to within three with 1:09 left in the game, but George answered Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe's 3-pointer with his own from beyond the arc to push the Thunder's lead back to 113-107 and contributed two of the free throws that Oklahoma City used to seal the game.

Antetokounmpo finished with 27 points and 18 rebounds and Khris Middleton added 22 points for the Bucks, who saw their six-game winning streak end.

In Dallas, Toronto star Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points and the Raptors withstood a triple-double from Dallas rookie Luka Doncic in a 123-120 victory over the Mavericks.

Pascal Siakam converted a 3-point play with 3:56 remaining to break a 108-108 tie as the Raptors erased a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit.

Danny Green stretched Toronto's lead to 116-112 with 1:34 to play, and after Dallas' Harrison Barnes missed a pair of free throws Leonard scored on a driving layup.

Mavs prodigy Doncic, 19, scored 35 points with 12 rebounds and 10 assists to become the first to post two triple-doubles in the NBA while still a teenager.

However, it wasn't enough to prevent Toronto from improving to 37-15 to pull into a virtual tie atop the East with the 35-13 Bucks.

Cavs snap skid

Elsewhere, the NBA-worst Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a six-game skid with a 104-101 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

The game came down to the final possession, with Bulls guard Zach LaVine's 3-point attempt over Cedi Osman bouncing off the rim at the buzzer.

The Cavs limited the Bulls to one basket from the field in the final 3:50 as they clung on for the win.

"We haven't been in that situation often, but when we do get there, it's important moving forward that we learn how to play down the stretch, we learn how to execute, how to defensively get the stops that we need," Cavaliers head coach Larry Drew said. "Certainly any time you do that on the road it makes it that much sweeter."

In New York, the Miami Heat climbed back to .500 with a 106-97 victory over the Knicks.

Miami guard Wayne Ellington scored all 19 of his points in the second half, including a pair of 3-pointers that pushed the Heat's lead to 100-92 with 1:08 remaining.

Veteran Dwyane Wade added 15 points off the bench for Miami in his penultimate appearance at Madison Square Garden before he retires at the end of the season.

source: philstar.com

Djokovic claims record seventh Aussie Open crown

MELBOURNE, Australia – Novak Djokovic was so good, so relentless, so pretty much perfect, that Rafael Nadal never stood a chance.

Djokovic reduced one of the greats of the game to merely another outclassed opponent – just a guy, really – and one so out of sorts that Nadal even whiffed on one of his famous forehands entirely.

In a remarkably dominant and mistake-free performance that yielded a remarkably lopsided result, the No. 1-ranked Djokovic overwhelmed Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 on Sunday night to win a record seventh Australian Open championship and a third consecutive Grand Slam title, raising his count to 15 overall.


“An amazing level of tennis,” Nadal acknowledged.

After dropping only four games in the semifinals, Djokovic spoke about being “in the zone.” Clearly, he did not budge from there, producing 34 winners and only nine unforced errors Sunday.

And this was against no slouch, of course: Nadal is ranked No. 2, owns 17 major trophies himself and hadn’t dropped a set in the tournament.

But Djokovic left Nadal smirking or gritting his teeth or punching his racket strings, unable to compete at all.

So Djokovic added to previous triumphs in Melbourne in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, along with four at Wimbledon, three at the US Open and one at the French Open.

He broke his tie with Roger Federer and Roy Emerson for most Australian Open men’s titles. He also broke a tie with Pete Sampras for third-most Grand Slam trophies; Djokovic only trails Federer, with 20, and Nadal.

And he is gaining on them.

A sore right elbow cost Djokovic the last half of 2017. It contributed to a fourth-round loss in Melbourne a year ago. He had surgery about 11 months ago. All that is in the past.

The 31-year-old Serb is once again at an elite level.

Djokovic and Nadal know each other, their styles and their patterns all too well. This was their 53rd meeting – more than any other pair of men in the half-century professional era – and record-equaling 15th at a Grand Slam tournament.     

source: philstar.com

'We don't sell people's data,' says Facebook's Zuckerberg

SAN FRANCISCO, United States — Facebook co-founder and chief Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday renewed his defense of the social network's business, arguing that targeting ads based on interests was different from selling people's data.

"If we're committed to serving everyone, then we need a service that is affordable to everyone," Zuckerberg said in an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal.

"The best way to do that is to offer services for free, which ads enable us to do."


2018 was a horrific year for Facebook, marked by a series of scandals over data protection and privacy and concerns that the leading social network had been manipulated by foreign interests for political purposes.

Despite the scandals, Facebook revenue and user numbers have continued to grow.

Making ads relevant, and less annoying, involves understanding people's interests, according to Zuckerberg.

Facebook uses "signals" such as pages users "like" and what they share about themselves to target advertising.

"Sometimes this means people assume we do things that we don't do," Zuckerberg said of the business of supporting the social network with targeted ads.

"For example, we don't sell people's data, even though it's often reported that we do."

Selling user data would not only undermine essential trust in the social network, it would go against Facebook's business interests because rivals could use it to compete for advertising, he reasoned.

Facebook also provides users with controls regarding information used for ad targeting and lets them block advertisers,  Zuckerberg pointed out.

Criticism of Facebook has included the social network being used as a platform to spread divisive or misleading information, as was the case during the 2016 election that put US President Donald Trump in the White House.

"Clickbait and other junk may drive engagement in the near term, but it would be foolish for us to show this intentionally, because it's not what people want," Zuckerberg wrote.

"Another question is whether we leave harmful or divisive content up because it drives engagement. We don’t."

Facebook has been investing in artificial intelligence and adding employees devoted to ferreting out content that violates the social network's rules.

The expense could weigh on its quarterly earnings, due for release next week.

"The only reason bad content remains is because the people and artificial-intelligence systems we use to review it are not perfect -- not because we have an incentive to ignore it," he said.

source: philstar.com

Oscar nominations: All the fun facts

LOS ANGELES, United States — The nominations for the 91st Oscars were announced Tuesday, with "Roma" and "The Favourite" leading the pack.

But the statistical quirks that the annual event throws up can be as intriguing as tracking which movies get the most nods.

Here are some fun facts and figures from this year's list of nominees:


Netflix's big step forward

Streaming giant Netflix took a major step forward in its quest to be both a distribution king and a purveyor of quality original content with 14 Oscar nominations, including its first for best picture for "Roma."

"Roma" earned 10 nods, while "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" -- the latest from Joel and Ethan Coen -- scored three. The last Netflix nomination went to "End Game," which is up for best documentary short subject.


Netflix claimed a 15th nomination for another documentary short, "Period: End of Sentence," but it was not listed as a Netflix production in the Academy's press kit.

In 2018, the company earned eight nominations, half of them for "Mudbound." In the years before, Netflix had just a handful of nominations, all in documentary categories.

By comparison, Amazon Studios -- which had already broken through in the best picture category in 2017 with "Manchester by the Sea" -- earned three nominations for steamy Polish love story "Cold War."

"We are honored to receive our first Best Picture nomination and so many other firsts this morning," said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos.

Wakanda forever

For many moviegoers, the Oscars have become somewhat elitist, often rewarding arthouse fare that not many have seen. But those fans cannot complain this year.

Marvel superhero blockbuster "Black Panther" -- the highest-grossing film of 2018 in North America -- scored seven nominations including one for best picture, becoming the first movie based on a comic book to earn the honor.

Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o, who stars in the film, posted footage on Twitter of the cast celebrating when excerpts from the film premiered at San Diego Comic-Con.

"Seven #OscarNoms for #BlackPanther, including best picture!! This is our reaction the first time we saw footage from the film and we're feeling this way all over again today! Thank you @TheAcademy! #WakandaForever," she wrote on Twitter.

Beyond its best picture nomination, "Black Panther" earned nods for costume design, original score, original song (rapper Kendrick Lamar is a nominee in that category), production design, and sound mixing and editing.

Cuaron reigns supreme

Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma," a black-and-white cinematic ode to his childhood in 1970s Mexico City -- and the mother and nanny who raised him -- earned a whopping 10 nominations to lead the contenders.

But the Mexican filmmaker himself scored an impressive feat -- four of those nominations are his: for best picture as a producer, best director, best original screenplay and best cinematography.

He joins illustrious company with his achievement: Warren Beatty did the same, scoring four nominations in four different categories -- twice -- for "Heaven Can Wait" and "Reds."

Joel and Ethan Coen did it for "No Country for Old Men."

Snubs and surprises

Industry watchers were shocked that Bradley Cooper was snubbed in the best director category for "A Star Is Born" -- but earned three nominations for best actor, best adapted screenplay and best picture (as a producer).

They were thrilled to see Spike Lee earn his first directing nomination for "BlacKkKlansman." It was his fifth overall -- counting two others for the same film. The US filmmaker earned a lifetime achievement award at the 2016 Oscars.

Another major name left off the list was Timothee Chalamet, who had been seen as a likely contender for best supporting actor for his portrayal of a drug addict in "Beautiful Boy."

And many expected "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" -- a critically acclaimed documentary about US children's show host Mister Rogers -- to make the cut. It did not.

A happy surprise was a best actress nomination for breakout "Roma" star Yalitza Aparicio in her debut performance.

For Oscars watcher Sasha Stone, the new voters in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences "really did show up and vote in ways we've not really seen in the Oscar race, just not in ways we thought they might...surprised. A little weirded out."

source: philstar.com

Patriots to face Rams in Super Bowl 53 after OT NFL thrillers

WASHINGTON, United States – Five-time champion Tom Brady guided the New England Patriots into their third consecutive Super Bowl, where they will face a Los Angeles Rams squad that advanced Sunday (Monday Manila Time) in dramatic but controversial fashion.

The only day in NFL playoff history with two over-time thrillers saw the Patriots win 37-31 at Kansas City on Rex Burkhead's 2-yard touchdown run in the American Conference final.

"Over-time, on the road, against a great team, it required everything," Brady said. "This is crazy. That was a hell of a game. It's unbelievable."


The Rams edged host New Orleans 26-23 on Greg Zuerlein's club playoff record 57-yard over-time field goal in the National Conference final, their rally from 13-0 down the best in team playoff history.

"Unbelievable. Can't find the words," Rams quarterback Jared Goff said. "To be down 13-0, the defense to play the way they did. And our kicker made a 57-yard field goal. Unbelievable."


New England will face Los Angeles in Super Bowl 53 on February 3 in Atlanta in the NFL championship spectacular.

The Patriots seek their third title in five years in their ninth Super Bowl trip in 18 seasons under Brady, who at 41 could surpass 39-year-old Peyton Manning as the oldest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl and become the first to do it six times.

"It feels pretty sweet," Brady said. "We earned it and I'm really happy for us. It was awesome. What a game."

Brady became the first quarterback in NFL playoff history to go 3-0 in over-time, having won all three on the opening drive of the extra session.

This one came after four lead changes in the fourth quarter and a dramatic fightback drive by Kansas City to force the first extra-time American Conference final since 1986.

"The players just competed really hard today," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "You can't buy these. You've got to earn them and they earned this one."

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will not become the youngest Super Bowl champion quarterback at 23, but he served notice he could trade dramatic late-game drives with Brady, the sport's master of such heroics.

'Never get over it'

The Saints, meanwhile, were livid over the lack of a late-game penalty call when Rams defender Nickell Robey-Coleman ran into Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis on a third-down pass. New Orleans lost a chance to run down the clock and make a last-play short field goal try.

"They blew the call," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "I don't know if there was ever a more obvious pass interference call."

"It's a tough way to lose a game, especially when you're in a position like that to win it," Payton said. "We'll probably never get over it."

The Saints received the ball to begin over-time but Rams linebacker Dante Fowler hit Brees as he threw and safety John Johnson picked off the awkward lob while falling onto his back, the lone New Orleans turnover setting up Zuerlein's winner.

"I was crying on the bench," said Rams defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. "I've never been this excited."

Rams coach Sean McVay, who turns 33 on Thursday, became the youngest coach to reach the Super Bowl.

"It's a credit to the people you have around you," McVay said. "Our team demonstrated great mental toughness. It was a tough start. We had confidence and we got it done. It was a great win."

The Rams seek their fourth NFL crown but their first for Los Angeles in the Super Bowl era. The team won NFL titles in 1945 based in Cleveland, 1951 based in Los Angeles and by winning the 2000 Super Bowl while based in St. Louis. The franchise lost two other Super Bowl trips in 1980 (Los Angeles) and 2002 (St. Louis).

Drama at Kansas City

At Kansas City, there were four lead changes and a conference-finals record 38 points scored in the fourth quarter.

Brady marched the Patriots 65 yards in 84 seconds and New England seized a 31-28 lead thanks to Rex Burkhead's 4-yard touchdown run with 39 seconds remaining.

Mahomes then drove the Chiefs into position for Harrison Butker's 39-yard equalizer field goal with eight seconds remaining.

The Patriots took a 14-0 half-time lead on Sony Michel's 1-yard touchdown run 8:05 into the game and Brady's 29-yard touchdown pass to Phil Dorsett with 27 seconds to play in the second quarter.

Mahomes answered 2:04 into the second half on a 12-yard touchdown pass to Travis Kelce but the Patriots answered on Stephen Gostkowski's 47-yard field goal.

Damian Williams scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns for the Chiefs on catches of 1 and 23 yards from Mahomes and a 2-yard run.

Brady, 72-1 as a starter when up by 14 or more, marched the Patriots for rookie Michel's 10-yard touchdown run and Burkhead's go-ahead and winning touchdown runs.

source: philstar.com

Broner cries robbery: ‘Everyone knows I beat Pacquiao’

LAS VEGAS – Adrien Broner just couldn’t believe what had just transpired.

A defiant Broner insisted he won his 12-round encounter with Manny Pacquiao Saturday (Sunday Manila time), saying he did well by controlling the fight and landing his punches.

“I beat him. Everybody out there knows I beat him. I controlled the fight, he was missing. I hit him clean more times. I beat him,” the 29-year-old fighter said in the ring shortly after losing to Pacquiao via unanimous decision in their well-attended fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here.


Broner made the declaration despite being on the defensive end throughout the fight, always wary of an aggressive Pacquiao.

Pacquiao shut Broner down with combinations and was effective in cutting off the ring. He had Broner hanging on to dear life in the seventh and ninth rounds after pinning the challenger to the ropes and again rocking him with flurries.


Additionally, the numbers clearly contradict Broner’s claim.

According to punch stats released by fight promoters, Pacquiao connected on 112 of the 568 total blows he threw against Broner. Broner, meanwhile, threw only a total of 298 blows and landed only 50.

Nothing it seems will convince the brash boxer from Cincinatti that he was the inferior man Saturday.

Broner even went as far as to suggest that the fight was fixed to accommodate a rematch between Pacquiao and Mayweater, who expectedly watched the bout at ringside.

“You know I beat that boy. They are trying to get that money with Pacquiao and Floyd,” Broner said.

“I beat him. Smart boxing,” he added.

Pacquiao must have rocked him badly.

source: philstar.com

Pacquiao, Broner again stress motivations for victory

LAS VEGAS — One is already a legend still working to become an even bigger one. The other is an underachiever fighting for respect and reevaluation.

Manny Pacquiao and Adrien Broner faced off for the last time Friday here (Saturday, Manila time), a day before trading gloves in a fight that would have major consequences for them — win, lose or draw.

The two fighters hurdled the last obstacle to their 12-round title showdown, making the welterweight limit of 147 pounds, then re-emphasized their motivations in notching a victory 24 hours from now.


Broner, the 29-year-old challenger known for his swagger and loud mouth, effectively crushed speculations about weight difficulties when he tipped the scales at 146.5 pounds — half a pound below the limit.

He had claimed to have the training best camp ever, and the weigh-in result is just part of the evidence.

“First of all, I feel good,” said the Cincinnati-born fighter, who is known to have talent but always comes up short when facing quality opposition.

Broner (33-3-1, with 24 KOs) is a four-division champion — having won titles at super featherweight, lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight. His career, however, has been tainted by losses to high-caliber fighters.

He is looking for that career-defining win that would inevitably lead to bigger paydays to support his flashy, carefree persona.

“It's a hell of an opportunity. After I win tomorrow, I'll be a legend overnight,” he told the packed crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena where the free-to-the-public weigh-in ceremony took place.

More importantly, Broner believes a victory over Pacquiao — a first-ballot Hall of Famer once he becomes eligible — will lead to his critics viewing him in a much better light.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao, as usual, had little trouble with weight. He was a pound lighter than the limit at 146 pounds.

The Filipino icon is buoyed by the opportunity to prove he can still put on a good show at 40 years old — at the site of his biggest fights.

“It doesn't matter if I am 40 years old, I still feel young,” he said after tipping the scales.

The two fighters engaged each other in a longer-than-usual staredown that lasted for at least 20 seconds. It was Pacquiao who first broke eye contact, while Broner continued looking at his foe.

Pacquiao had been ignoring Broner’s trash talks throughout the promotion. When their staredown finally ended, he tapped his opponent’s right butt, a clear sign that he understands

Broner’s antics are only for business purposes.

For the eight-division champion, pouring more cement to an already immovable legacy is something he won’t get tired of doing.

“It's my legacy to always give a good fight,” he said.

source: philstar.com