Dior Homme celebrates updated classics at Paris fashion

PARIS - Dior Homme designer Kris Van Assche on Saturday celebrated the updated classic at Paris fashion while Korea's Songzio jazzed up cool, summer looks with metallic print and big pockets.

On day four of men's fashion, Van Assche said he delved into Christian Dior's world for a collection in which the "bourgeois meets the artist."



"I wanted a sense of renewal and an idea of Christian Dior's artistic milieu to come through as well as his love of formality and tradition," he said.

The result was formal, navy suits with an emphasis on the tuxedo and traditional pinstripe.

Nautical touches, a reference to the Normandy-born Dior's love of the sea, came in the form of toggle fasteners and striped knit vests over shirts to create what Van Assche called "a new form of three piece suit."

The Belgian designer said he was also influenced by a letter dating from the 1950s he found in the Dior archives.

In the letter, Dior, who founded the Christian Dior fashion house in 1946, wrote about the importance of maintaining traditions.

"Traditions have to be maintained so they can be passed on to future generations," he wrote.

"In troubled times like ours we must maintain these traditions which are our luxury and the flower of our civilization," he added.

Van Assche turned the handwritten letter into a print which he used throughout the collection.

Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld described the clothes as "very modern classic, updated classic."

"Classic—if it is only classic—becomes boring. You need to freshen it with modernity," he told reporters after the show.

US actor Ansel Elgort and Asian actor and boy band star Vic Chou were also among those on the front row at the show.

Elsewhere on Saturday, South Korean designer Songzio took the "configuration and shape of wood" as the inspiration for his latest collection.

The designer sent out oversized coats, boxy shirts, and wide, pleated shorts.

Standout looks included a knit tunic ensemble and sleeveless, transparent shirt with gold-coloured metallic print.

Big pockets popped up on the front of shirts and the back of shorts.

As well as his signature palette of dark navy and tones of black, there was also white and cream, vivid orange and midnight blue.

Songzio picked up the gold in black leather sandals while other footwear had big straps high over the ankle. — AFP

source: gmanetwork.com

LJ Reyes wishes to rekindle friendship with Paulo Avelino

Nagkaroon ng pocket presscon ang GMA Artist Center para sa mga artists nila na ang karakter na ginagampanan sa mga serye ng GMA-7 ay kontrabida.

Isa si LJ Reyes sa mga nakausap ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) at ilang entertainment press sa naturang presscon sa Max’s Restaurant noong June 24.

Sabi nga namin sa kanya, “kontrabida” na pala ang label niya.

Ayon naman kay LJ, “Actually, kasi siguro, mas madali lang yung label, kasi para lang mas ma-distinguish.

“Kasi ngayon, nowadays, mas nagiging totoo na yung story na ginagawa natin. At sa totoong buhay, wala naman talagang kontrabida.

“Minsan, meron lang circumstances na yung mga tao, nagiging bida, nagiging kontrabida because of the way they react to things.

“So sa buhay ko, siyempre, ako ang bida. Siyempre, meron akong sariling kontrabida. Yung ganun. Pero, sa totoong buhay, wala naman pong kontrabida.”

Sa totoong buhay, sino kaya ang kontrabida sa kanya?

Natawa ito sabay sabing, “Wala naman... yung mga circumstances talaga. Depende sa personality mo, sa mga goals mo. Doon ka lang magre-react differently.

“Tapos, hindi naman talaga kontrabida pero, yung reaction mo, it’s either mahe-hurt mo ang isang tao or mapapasaya mo.

“Kapag na-hurt mo ang isang tao, ikaw na ang kontrabida. But not necessarily labelled ka as kontrabida.”

E, siya, naging kontrabida na rin ba siya sa totoong buhay?

“Feeling ko naman, I might have hurt people unconsciously or indirectly. But it’s not something I meant to do.

“Hindi naman siguro, hindi naman kontrabida. Kasi kapag kontrabida, sinasadya ko talagang saktan yung tao.”

“Actually, nakakatawa, noong bata ako, maldita talaga ko. Kunwari may kalaro ako, lalo na halimbawa mga pinsan ko, kung nabuwisit ako sa kanila, isusumbong ko sa lolo ko.

“E, yung lolo ko, favorite ako, sila ang pinapalo,” natawang kuwento pa niya.

Prefers challenging roles

Kung tatanungin siya, mas gusto ba niya na ang label niya ay kontrabida o bida?

“Ang gusto ko talaga, hindi ko naman gustong i-label ang sarili ko na kontrabida o bida.

“Pero gusto ko lang talaga yung mga role na matsa-challenge ako. Sometimes kasi, kapag binigyan ka ng bida role, ang nangyayari, hindi na siya masyadong challenging.

“Tapos, may nagtanong sa akin one time, bakit daw sa mga indie films, bida ako, pero sa TV, kontrabida ko.

“Sabi ko naman, gusto ko nga yun na nagagawa ko pareho, nang sabay. Puwede ako sa TV mag-kontrabida at puwede akong magbida sa indie.

“Sa akin, mas tinitingnan ko ang character kung gaano ka-complex, instead of labelling kung bida o kontrabida,” diin niya.

Pero paano nga kung ang label na sa kanya ng Kapuso network ay kontrabida?

“Okey lang, buti nga may label,”natawang sabi niya.

New Series
Sa telebisyon, sa Yagit muli mapapanood si LJ. Pero ang sabi raw ng director nilang si Gina Alajar, wala raw siyang masasabing kontrabida sa serye.

Si LJ ang gaganap sa role na Flora.

Aniya, “Ako ang gaganap na live-in partner ng kapatid ni Yasmien Kurdi. Eventually, sa amin sila titira kasama ang mga bata.

“E, si Flora, gusto niya ng masarap na buhay, maluwag na buhay. Very comfortable life ang gusto niya. So hindi talaga siya kontrabida na kontrabida.”

Nag-story conference pa lang daw sila para sa Yagit dahil balitang September o October pa raw yata ito magpa-pilot.

Sa kasalukuyan ay nagsasagawa sila ng nationwide audition. Kasama sila sa audition. Bakit kailangang kasama pa sila?

“Para ma-inspire ang mga kids?” natawang sabi niya.

May nahanap na ba sila?

Ani LJ, “Ang alam ko si Direk Gina, kumukuha sila ng 20, tapos, papabalikin pa ulit yun and down to four.

“Pero I think, kung may makita talaga sila na magagaling na bata kahit hindi pasok sa apat na characters, they might still get them so, audition lang sila nang audition.”

Indie film

Habang wala pang regular na drama series, tinapos muna raw niya ang indie film na The Janitor na pang-Cinemalaya.

Kapareha naman ni LJ rito si Dennis Trillo bilang asawa niya.

“Okay naman ang movie. Masarap kasi talagang katrabaho si Direk Mike [Tuviera]. Yung production, masarap katrabaho. Napakagaan.

“As an actor, si Direk Mike... hindi ka niya pababayaan. Si Dennis, siyempre, masarap katrabaho. Very professional,” paghanga ni LJ.

Paano niya ilalarawan ang karakter niya sa Janitor?

“Mabait naman siyang asawa kasi yung character, minahal talaga niya nang buong-buo si Dennis.

“Yung tipong puwede naman siyang pumili ng iba kasi nga dapat parang hindi kasi siya galing sa mahirap, yung character niya. Pero pinili niya si Dennis... kasi mahal niya,” detalye pa niyang kuwento.

Napansin si LJ sa dalawa niyang naunang Cinemalaya movies. Sa The Leaving ay nanalo siya ng Best Supporting Actress. Na-nominate rin siya sa ilang awards dahil naman sa Intoy Syokoy.

Posible kayang mapansin siyang muli sa The Janitor?

“Iba kasi yung The Leaving, iba kasi yung genre niya, iba rin ang Intoy... ito naman parang action-drama.

“Sana. Hindi ko alam,” kibit-balikat niyang pahayag.

Mommy LJ

Masaya naman daw ang pagiging ina niya sa apat na taong gulang na anak na si Aki.

Sabi nga niya, “Masaya, challenging pa rin. Kasi every time na lumalaki ang anak mo, umaabot sila sa iba’t ibang stage.

“Nag-iiba-iba rin kung paano ang attack mo of raising them, pakikipag-usap sa kanila.

“Siyempre ngayon, kailangan talaga disiplinahin mo siya, turuan mo siya.”

Nagtatanong na ba sa kanya ang anak niya?

“About what? Marami namang tanong ang batang yun. Karamihan pa nga, why.”

Ano ang sagot niya sa mga “why” na tanong ni Aki?

Lahad niya, “Hangga’t kaya kong sagutin, sinasagot ko. Kapag hindi ko na masagot, sinasabi ko, 'E, why are you asking so many questions?'”

Tungkol sa ama nito, kay Paulo Avelino, nagtatanong na rin ba sa kanya?

Dagdag pa niya, “Sa amin ni Pau, wala naman siyang tanong. Minsan hahanapin niya, 'Mommy, where’s Daddy?' Sasabihin ko, nasa work. Ganyan...”

Hindi ba siya tinatanong ni Aki why Daddy’s not coming home?

Tanggi niya, “Hindi, feeling ko kasi, namulat na siya na ganoon ang set-up. And I don’t think naman kasi na nakukulangan siya sa pagmamahal.”

Love life

Kung si Paulo ay hayagan na nanliligaw, o kung anuman ang meron sila ni KC Concepcion, sa parte naman ni LJ, kumusta ang lovelife niya?

May mga manliligaw ba siya?

“Meron naman po,” natawang sagot niya.

“Feeling ko, feeling ko lang! Hindi tayo sure!” natatawang sagot pa rin niya.

“Actually kasi, ayoko ng suitors, gusto ko friends. Mas gusto ko ang maging friends.

“Kasi, kapag sinabi mong ligaw, best foot forward ang mga lalaking ‘to.

“Kaibiganin niyo na lang ako.”

Paano kung ligawan nga siya?

“Na-o-awkward po ako kapag nililigawan ako, kapag may pinapadala sa akin.”

Happy for Paulo

Naitanong namin kay LJ kung paano at ipakilala siya ni Paulo kay KC.

“Okay lang,” nakangiti niyang sabi.

May epekto pa ba sa kanya kapag nakakabalita siya tungkol kay Paulo at may iba na ngang napupusuan?

“Wala e, actually, magiging happy talaga ko kung kunwari maging okey sila at happy sila pareho.

“Siyempre, kung happy ang isang tao, lalabas sa kanya yun. Magaganda ang magagawa niya.”

Kung sinuman ang maging asawa o makakatuluyan ni Paulo, yun din ang magiging stepmom ng anak niya.

“Stepmom agad?” natawang sagot niya.

Kung sakali, concerned ba siya sa magiging stepmom ng anak niya?

“Oo, pero, teka naman, boyfriend-girlfriend pa lang ang pinag-uusapan. Hindi pa naman sila pakakasal,” natatawa niyang banggit.

May nagsabi naman kay LJ na doon na rin papunta yun.

“Opo nga, pero, let’s give them time. Huwag natin silang madaliin. Kung mangyayari, mangyayari yun.

“And I’m sure naman si Pau kung papasok sa isang relationship, alam niya yun, seseryosohin niya. I don’t think na kakalimutan niya ang responsibilities niya kay Aki.

“At kasama na ro'n ang pagpili niya sa pangalawang nanay ni Aki, sabihin na nating ganun...

“I’m sure, pipili naman si Pau ng isang tao na, siyempre, wife niya in the future, katuwang niya sa lahat ng bag

No reconciliation

Tahasan namang sinabi ni LJ na hindi na siya umaasa na magkakabalikan pa silang dalawa.

At saka ito tinanong kung nawala na ba ang love.

“Wala na,” saad naman niya.

“Hindi na kasi ganun, e. I have respect for Pau kasi, siya ang tatay ni Aki.”

Biniro naman si LJ na kung wala ng love, lust na lang?

“Wala, wala rin,” natatawang sabi niya.

“Walang love, wala na ring lust. Hayan, para malinaw. Pero yung respeto, hindi puwedeng mawala kasi, tatay siya ni Aki.”

Friendship with Paulo

Bilang nanay ng anak ni Paulo, hindi raw malayong kahit wala na sila, posibleng pagselosan pa rin siya ng magiging karelasyon nito dahil habang-buhay silang may ugnayan.

Sabi naman ni LJ, “Hindi wala na yun.
=hindi pa ro'n sa comfort level ng friendship namin dati na bago pa kami.

“Gusto kong mabalik yun. Para kay Aki. Kahit noong wala na kami, halimbawa, special occasion, magkakasama kami.”

Kumusta bang ama si Paulo kay Aki?

“Very loving naman siya kay Aki at saka, kapag sila naman ang magkasama, hands-on naman siya.”

Spoiler ba si Paulo?

“Oo, nai-spoil niya kasi, minsan na lang sila magkita. Ako na lang ang disciplinarian.” —  Rose Garcia, Pep.ph

source: gmanetwork.com

Langer three ahead at Senior Players Championship

Bernhard Langer survived a poor start and a strong challenge from Kenny Perry to stretch his lead to three shots after Saturday's (Sunday, PHL time) third round of the Senior Players Championship in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The 56-year-old German, seeking his third major title on the over-50s Champions Tour, recovered from two bogeys in the first five holes with a superb display of putting on the back nine to fire a four-under-par 66 at Fox Chapel Golf Club.

Langer, who had been two strokes in front overnight, reeled off four birdies in five holes from the 12th to regain control of the tournament before ending the day with a 15-under total of 195.

American Perry, who won last year's Senior Players Championship by two shots at Fox Chapel, was alone in second at 12 under after carding a sizzling 65 that included an eagle at the par-five second and six birdies.

Perry, who clinched his third consecutive major on the Champions Tour with victory at the Regions Tradition in May, had been one ahead with four holes to play but slipped back with a bogey at the 16th before the fast-finishing Langer took charge.

Left-hander Russ Cochran (63) and fellow Americans Joe Durant (67) and Bill Glasson (68) were tied for third at 11 under in the third of the year's five senior major championships.

Langer, whose previous major wins on the Champions Tour came at the 2010 Senior Open Championship and the 2010 U.S. Senior Open, is taking nothing for granted with several quality players in close pursuit and 18 holes to be played on Sunday.

"There are about 10 other guys within striking distance," the German, a twice former Masters champion, told reporters after moving back to the top of the leaderboard with birdies at the 12th, 14th, 15th and 16th. "It's not over by any means.

"Kenny played very well here on this golf course last year.

"I played with him the first two days, he played very well. He drives the ball very far and pretty straight, which sets himself up pretty good.

"I've still got to shoot under par. Somebody shot seven-under today I think, right?" Langer asked in reference to Cochran's 63.

"So anybody that is 10-under, 11-under, shoots that kind of score, I've got to go under-par. Still 18 holes to play, it's a lot of golf."

Langer has won two Champions Tour events this year, the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai and the Insperity Invitational, and will be seeking his 21st career title in Sunday's final round.

Perry, who trailed Fred Couples by two shots heading into the final round at Fox Chapel last year before charging to victory with a closing 64, embraced the feeling of deja vu.

"It's kind of running just like last year," the 53-year-old smiled. "I just hope the results are the same.

"Bernhard is a different character. He's tough. He's gritty. He's got a lot of heart. He's a good friend and I enjoy competing against him.

"I am looking forward to the challenge tomorrow ... I need to shoot seven-under probably." - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Designers mix streetwear with preppy, tap nature at Paris fashion

PARIS - Phillip Lim mixed streetwear with a large dose of preppy at Paris fashion on Thursday while Damir Doma and Issey Miyake turned to nature for inspiration.

Lim said his collection was all about mixing up influences to put his finger on what "boys are really wearing right now."

The US designer kicked off his show on day two of the men's collections with a pale blue and grey check suit teamed with white sports shoes and high-necked black shirt.

Other looks for spring/summer 2015 included shorts and an asymmetrical top in large white check and tartan worn with long white socks.

"It was street-prep. It was prep's influence on street urban clothes... I wanna really polish streetwear up," he told AFP backstage.

Lim said he drew on masculine codes and patterns for a "spirit of youthful elegance..

"Streetwear is permanent now in men's fashion. Instead of just making the street, you know, bring it up," the designer added, dressed in one of his own boilersuits.

At Issey Miyake, designer Yusuke Takahashi was inspired by a holiday to the Palau island chain in the Pacific to produce an environmentally conscious collection that delighted marine conservationists.

In contrast to Raf Simons' sombre, prison-chic collection on Wednesday, Takahashi sent out smiling models in joyous clothes.

Squids, jellyfish, pineapples and dragon fruit popped up on garments, giving the collection a playful, pop art feel.

'Polishing up streetwear'

"It's a nice present" from Issey Miyake, Claire Nouvian, founder of marine conservation organisation Bloom, told AFP at the show.

"The depths [of the oceans] are a very beautiful place, but also fragile and devastated by deep sea fishing," she said, adding that she hoped the collection would help to "sensitise" people.

Croatia's Damir Doma also turned to the natural world for inspiration.

The designer said nature and its "profound symmetry as well as its endless irregularities" set him thinking about pattern and texture.

The collection focused on the balance modern men have to strike between design and practicality, formality and casualness, he said.

"It's a kind of symmetry askew. It's something beautiful that you can find in butterflies and flowers... which we tried to transfer into fabrics with laser cuts and the dotted prints," he told AFP.

"It's about the everyday rearranged for the modern man... [who is] a creative sort, a very sensitive person," he said.

Doma added that his jackets aimed to create a relaxed silhouette rich in both fabric and colour combinations.

Examples included a "sea deep blue" and an "unusual violet" that looked like the sky at dawn, he said.

Elsewhere, veteran Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto's latest collection featured rich tapestry of floral patterned fabrics.

Jackets came with asymmetrical flaps or oversized white patches while trousers were voluminous, some with buttons down the side.

All were teamed with flowing scarfs, hats or headbands and very wild hair.

Five days of men's fashion for spring/summer 2015 wraps up on Sunday, followed from July 6-11 by six days haute couture collections. — AFP

source: gmanetwork.com

You can now remotely edit MS Office documents via Google Docs

 

Google may be attracting more users of Microsoft Office by allowing its cloud-based Google Docs platform to edit Office files.

  

At its I/O Developers Conference, Google said users can now open Word, Excel and PowerPoint files and save them in their native formats, tech site Mashable reported.

 

This means Google Docs users can now save and edit any type of file, "including old Microsoft Office files, and convert them to Google Docs."

 

It also said Google Docs users can "view, create and share documents, spreadsheets and presentations on both mobile devices and the desktop."

 

Even better, there is offline support "so users can make edits or start from scratch without an Internet connection and then sync up later."

 

Mashable said Google claimed strong growth and now has more than 190 million active users.

 

Suggest edit

 

Meanwhile, a new "suggest edit" mode tracks collaborators' suggestions in documents.

  

On the other hand, the Slides app and Microsoft Office editing functions are relatively new. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Michael Jackson fans from around the world recall icon, 5 years on

GLENDALE - Michael Jackson fans from around the world laid flowers Wednesday at the mausoleum where the pop icon is interred, grieving but also celebrating on the fifth anniversary of his shock death.

Around 100 fans, some dressed as the self-proclaimed King of Pop, gathered at the Forest Lawn cemetery outside Los Angeles, where the 50-year-old died while rehearsing for a comeback tour.

"We love you Michael," read a banner on a giant red heart placed outside the small mausoleum in Glendale, north of downtown LA.

"Five years without you -- we love you more," read one message, while others said simply: "We miss you" or "Thank you for continuously giving us reason to smile."

Mikie, who came with a group of girlfriends from Japan all dressed in Jackson T-shirts, said it was her second time at the neatly-tended cemetery.

"There are lots of feelings," she told AFP.

Jackson died on June 25, 2009 of an overdose of the clinical anesthetic propofol, administered by his doctor to help treat insomnia as the singer prepared for "This is It" shows in London.

His personal medic Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 over the star's death and jailed for four years. He was released in October after serving two years.

Fans came from Britain, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the United States and many other countries to the cemetery, the final resting place of generations of Hollywood celebrities.

'Sad day'
 
Carine Temmerman, from a Belgian Jackson fan club, picked through the carpet of messages laid out before the star's mausoleum. "I've cried a lot, seeing what people have written," she said.

"It's a sad day for most of us, but we decided to celebrate who the man was, and celebrate his legacy," said Melanie Freeman from New York.

"Five years later, it just grows, it's not diminished at all," she told AFP, adding: "All the things that MJ used to do, we do it for him now."

Marta, from Mexico, said Jackson gave his fans "lots of guidance."

"He was a good person who worked for underprivileged people," she added, looking at a placard reading: "The fix for a broken world is in the lyrics of Michael's music. Are you listening?"

Jackson was planning a global comeback tour to help him stave off bankruptcy, five years after being acquitted of child molestation charges that left his career in tatters.

He had debts of up to $500 million before his death, but in the five years since, his executors have earned more than $700 million, according to the recent book "Michael Jackson Inc."

Money-making ventures have included the "This is It" movie of rehearsals for the doomed tour, a touring Cirque du Soleil stage show and two posthumous albums so far, with more to come. — Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

Google to unveil new television set-top box on Wednesday: WSJ

Google Inc is expected to unveil at least one small set-top box that resembles products like the Roku, Amazon's Fire TV, and Apple Inc's Apple TV, the Wall Street Journal reported citing sources who have seen the device.

Google will show off the set-top box on Wednesday during its developer conference, the Journal said. (on.wsj.com/1lOjtiz)

The set-top box will be powered by Google's new Android TV software designed to play movies, games and other content on television. However, the device will carry another company's brand name, the newspaper said.


Representatives from Google were not immediately available for comment outside regular U.S. business hours.

Tech companies from Microsoft Corp to Apple are vying for space on the TV - the traditional family entertainment center and where people used to spend most of their leisure time before the advent of the smartphone and tablet.

Amazon unveiled a $99 video streaming device "Fire TV" video and game streaming device in April, with hopes of boosting its main online retail business over the longer term.

In December 2012, Google sold its set-top TV box maker Motorola Home to Arris Group Inc for $2.35 billion.  — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Where Messi leads, Argentina must follow

PORTO ALEGRE - After underwhelming early performances, traditional Latin American top dogs Argentina and reigning African champions Nigeria have something to prove when they meet in their final World Cup Group F match on Wednesday (Thursday, PHL time).

Argentina was among the favorites going in to the tournament but despite a much-vaunted front four, they have yet to come alive, with the exception of some moments of match-winning magic from Lionel Messi.

Nigeria, representing Africa's richest and most populous nation, have also labored to convince as a team.

Nonetheless, Argentina sits atop Group F with six points thanks to their less-than-emphatic wins over Bosnia and Iran.

The Sky Blues have already qualified for the Round of 16 but will still want finish first to ensure an easier opponent - in principle at least - in the next stage.

Nigeria has four points following a dull draw with Iran and a win over first-timers Bosnia. A draw would be enough to ensure qualification but a loss to Argentina could put them in trouble.

Iran, which surprised many with their tenacious, bold play against Argentina, could still seize second place if they beat Bosnia and rack up a better goal difference.

So a game that could see as much anxiety as adventure is on the cards.

Messi's sublime strike against Iran in stoppage time in Belo Horizonte only highlighted the danger of Argentina relying on the Barcelona man too much. It wasn't supposed to be like that.

He and his fellow strikers Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria form what should have been one of the most formidable attack forces in the tournament, but so far it has been rather blunt.

The defense has also looked shaky, with central defender Ezekiel Garay repeatedly caught off guard against Iran.

"We have a few causes for concern," head coach Alejandro Sabella admitted after the close-shave against Iran.

With other Latin American teams such as Chile and previously unheralded Costa Rica powering ahead and delighting fans along the way, Argentina will need to step up the pace if they are to quickly regain what they see as their rightful place at the front.

"We know we are not playing as well as we are expected," Messi said. "But as we go along in the tournament, we will be improving and we will reach our full potential."

Argentina will be able to count on fervent support - tens of thousands of fans are expected to flood over the border into the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, a region which shares its gaucho culture but harbors an intense soccer rivalry.

Nigeria may take heart from the fact that they made a slow start in the African Nations Cup before going on to take the title last year.

The Super Eagles cannot afford to give anything away at the back but will need to hunt for goals if they are to be sure of qualifying for the Round of 16 for the first time since 1998.

Playing in their fifth World Cup, Nigeria's performance against Bosnia was an improvement on the Iran game, when they look bereft of ideas. But their defensive frailties were exposed on several occasions and that could prove fatal with a hungry wolf like Messi on the prowl. - Reuters



FACTBOX: Nigeria v. Argentina

Where: The Beira Rio stadium, Porto Alegre
Capacity: 48,849
When: Wednesday June 25, 1300 local (Thursday, 12am, PHL time)
Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Key stats:
- Argentina has won the World Cup twice, in 1978 and 1986.
- In previous Group F matches, Argentina beat Bosnia 2-1 and Iran 1-0 have already qualified for the Group of 16.
- Nigeria is playing in its fifth World Cup. Its best performances were in 1994 and 1998, when they reached the Round of 16.
- Nigeria drew with Iran in their opening Group F match then beat Bosnia 1-0. They need a point against Argentina to ensure going through in the event that Iran beat Bosnia.
- Nigeria is the reigning African champion.

Previous meetings: The two sides have met six times previously, with Argentina winning four times, Nigeria once, and one match ending in a draw.

source: gmanetwork.com

This crazy coat makes you electronically invisible

 

It's no Klingon or Romulan device, and it doesn't look a thing like Harry Potter's cloak. But this odd-looking garment does promise to render the wearer invisible, at least electronically.

 

Meet the CHBL Jammer Coat, whose manufacturer claims can keep online services like Google from finding the wearer.

 

"The piece is made of metallized fabrics, which are blocking radio waves and shielding the wearer against tracking devices. You are no longer reachable on your mobile phone and no information from your credit card can be captured," it said.

 

It added the "Wave Circle" pattern of the fabric "gives an illusion of strange multiple body parts, which hides and frees the individual physicality."

 

A separate report on tech site Mashable said Coop-Himmelblau, an Austrian architecture firm, designed the clothing to jam the wearer's phone, "effectively rendering him invisible."

 

"The code is basically a Faraday cage, with metals embedded in the fabric that reflect incoming radio waves, protecting the wearer from unwittingly sharing any information on any device beneath it," it added.

 

Mashable noted the coat's lumpy pattern "acts as a disguise for would-be phone hackers and thieves." — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com

Soccer’s many moves boost fitness skills, experts say

NEW YORK - Young soccer players may never reach the dazzling athleticism on display at the World Cup in Brazil, but fitness experts say the sport cultivates such a variety of skills that playing it can underpin a lifetime of activity.

From aerobic prowess to foot-eye coordination and the ability to turn on a dime, soccer hones the body so even a young baseball or tennis player can benefit from the sport, said Dr. Michael F. Bergeron, executive director of the National Youth Sports Health & Safety Institute, which advocates for health and safety in youth sports.

"Soccer is a sport that requires lot of different kinds of movements: running forward and back, cutting, changing direction, high-bursts and recovery capacity, that all enhance foundational skills," said Bergeron, who is based in South Dakota.

"The conditioning, body control, recovery capacity and eye-foot coordination skills translate nicely into a variety of sports," he added.

The number of young people playing soccer has risen from 1.6 million in 1990 to more than 3 million in 2012, according to figures from the U.S. Youth Soccer, a member of the United States Soccer Federation.

But Bergeron added there is a dramatic drop-off in sports participation in general by age 15.

Lauren Sesselmann, an American-born Canadian professional soccer player for the Houston Dash in the National Women's Soccer League, runs youth soccer camps for boys and girls, mainly ages seven to 18.

"I work with the kids on jumping, vertical leaps, how not to be afraid when in the air, how to execute a proper header, and different ways to protect themselves," said Sesselmann, whose Canadian national team captured a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics.

"Most of the kids love soccer and want to play," said Sesselmann, creator of "Fit As A Pro" DVDs. "I give them an extra push, a lot of speed training, squatting, lunging, and I make sure they're running correctly. They can fix that at a young age."

Sesselmann said a soccer player can run eight to 10 miles (13 to 16 kilometers) in the course of a game.

Cross training is a big part of Sesselmann's personal routine, as she prepares for the FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada next year.

"I'm outside the soccer field 60 or 70 percent of the time, in the gym doing weight lifting, yoga, agility drills," she said. "Out of season I work on increasing speed, fitness, strength. In camp with the team we do the ball work, tactical work, and technical work. "

California-based exercise physiologist Dr. Mark Kelly thinks soccer is a great sport for youth but added that many players sustain foot, ankle and knee injuries, as well as repeated head trauma.

Sesselmann thinks soccer can be almost as dangerous as dangerous as American football, even though she's been in love with it since age 10.

"Soccer just became my sport," she said. "I loved the running around, the pushing people, the tackling ... and the scoring goals!" — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Belgium snatch late win over Russia to reach last 16

RIO DE JANEIRO - Teenager Divock Origi became the youngest player to score in this World Cup when he cracked in an 88th-minute winner to give Belgium a 1-0 victory over Russia on Sunday (Monday, PHL time) and a place in the last 16.

Origi's well-placed shot came after a dangerous jinking run and cutback from the left by,  and it settled an otherwise turgid game during which the 73,000 fans regularly booed both teams.

The 19-year-old's goal came just four minutes after Kevin Mirallas crashed a free kick against the base of goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev's right-hand post to give Belgium six points from two games. Russia on the other hand has a solitary point.

"It was an important goal but I thought we created it as a team," Origi said in a television interview. "I thought we showed today that we are mentally strong."

Belgium manager Marc Wilmots said he gambled on Origi who plays for French club Lille.

"He's in a good space right now, he's 19-years-old. It was a bit of a surprise since he was an unknown before I selected him. Now everyone knows who he is.

"It was a hard game because the Russians were expecting us - the players were tired, it was hot, the Russians were already cramping up after 60 minutes.

"It was not an easy match but I think we deserved to win it."

Russia coach Fabio Capello thought it was a decent game.

"The match was a really good one, fast, strong," he said. "I'm disappointed for the players because they played a really good game."

Rousing finale
But apart from Belgium's rousing finale, the game was one of the poorest in the tournament although Origi will not worry about that as he became the first teenager to score in the World Cup since Lionel Messi in 2006.

Despite a few flashes of inspiration from Belgium's right-winger Dries Martens in the first half and their attacking finish at the end, the match never rose above the largely forgettable.

Both managers made changes to the teams that played in their opening matches, but if their ideas were to spark up their teams after relatively poor opening displays, those plans did not appear to work.

Apart from Mertens doing his best to bring Belgium to life before the break by giving left back Dmitry Kombarov a torrid time down the right, none of his inspired runs or passes produced the breakthrough.

Russia looked lively on the break in the first half with Victor Fayzulin popping up in dangerous positions, but one of the strengths of this Belgium side is their defense.

Captain Vincent Kompany, who missed two days of training with a groin injury, gave a masterful display in the center of the back four and although Thomas Vermaelen went off after 31 minutes with a knee injury, his replacement Jan Vertonghen did a good job in controlling Alexander Samedov and Oleg Shatov.

Russia had what appeared to be a decent penalty claim turned down when Toby Alderweireld seemed to catch Maksim Kanunnikov just inside the area and missed a great chance just before halftime when Alexander Kokorin miscued his header wide.

Alan Dzagoev also went close late in the game for Russia soon after coming on. - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Microsoft to retire older Skype versions for desktop

Users of Microsoft's Skype videoconferencing software on desktop or laptop computers may have to upgrade to the new version soonest.

In a blog post, Microsoft said Skype for Windows 6.13 and below and Skype for Mac 6.14 and below will be retired, "over the next few months."

"We‘re excited to be working on great new experiences for Skype, but more on that later! For now, we encourage you to download and update to the latest version today," it said.

To encourage users to upgrade soonest, Microsoft indicated the new version allows:


- Sending and receiving instant messages when contacts are offline
- Viewing consistent chat history across multiple devices
- Syncing read/unread status on all messages across devices

A separate report on The Next Web said it is not clear what "retiring" means, however.

Still, it said it is worth following Microsoft's advice to update soonest.


"While it’s not clear exactly what ‘retiring’ means, in terms of whether it will simply stop working or will just no longer be supported, Microsoft says it’s encouraging 'all users to update to the latest version today to continue using Skype without disruption,'” it said. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

MH370 hunt to shift south

SYDNEY - The drawn-out search for missing Malaysian Flight MH370 will revert to an area south of the previously suspected crash site following new analysis of the plane's flight path, an official said Friday.

Investigators grappling to solve the mystery of the jet's disappearance are reportedly set to scour a zone 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) west of Perth—previously subject to an aerial search—when an underwater probe resumes in August.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is leading the search, would not pinpoint the exact location of the probe as analysis is still ongoing, but said it was clearly further south.

"It is already clear from the provisional results of our analysis that the search zone will be south of the previous search area," a bureau spokesman told AFP.

"But still on the seventh arc where the aircraft last communicated with the satellite."

Australian officials have said repeatedly that the revised search zone will be in the area of the seventh arc, or the final satellite "handshake" from the plane. It is believed to be when the aircraft ran out of fuel and was in descent.

Citing unnamed US sources, The West Australian newspaper said Friday that Australia's Joint Agency Coordination Center (JACC) would soon announce the hunt would move 800 kilometers southwest from where it was previously focused.

It said sources had revealed that survey ship Fugro Equator was already operating in this area and would soon be joined by Chinese vessel Zhu Kezhen.

No sign of plane

A massive aerial and underwater search for MH370, which had 239 people onboard when it diverted from its Kuala Lumpur to Beijing flight path on March 8, has failed to find any sign of the plane.

Scientists from British satellite operator Inmarsat told the BBC earlier this week that the search had yet to target the most likely crash site, or "hotspot", after becoming diverted by pings thought at the time to have originated from the plane's black boxes.

It was not clear from The West Australian report whether the new search area overlaps with the "hotspot".

Until now, the most intensive search had been with a mini-sub in the area where the pings were detected. The area has now been ruled out as the final resting place of MH370. The source of the noises is unknown.

JACC said Friday that the revised search zone, based on an intensive study of satellite communications from the jet and other data, would be announced by the end of the month.

It said the Fugro Equator was now working in this zone.

"Located along the seventh arc, that area is consistent with provisional analysis of satellite and other data that is being used to determine the future search area," it said.

Australian officials announced earlier this week that a survey of the sea bed, as yet mostly unmapped and crucial to the success of the underwater search, had resumed.

The two ships—Fugro Equator and Zhu Kezhen—will survey an area up to 6,000 metres (20,000 feet) deep and covering up to 60,000 square kilometers before an a contractor begins an intensive undersea probe looking for debris. — Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

Orlando Harry Potter attraction enchants despite glitches

ORLANDO Fla. - The signature ride of the new "Harry Potter" attraction at Universal Studios in Orlando, a roller coaster with passenger cars that pitch, heave and spin 360 degrees through a 3-D film adventure, was shut during a media preview on Thursday after minor glitches the previous night.

"Escape from Gringotts" is the centerpiece ride of the new Diagon Alley expansion to the "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley" attraction, opening to the public July 8, which recreates the London-based wizard shopping district imagined in J.K. Rowling's book series.

The ride ran into a technical snag and broke down late Wednesday during a red carpet debut, and was still not running on Thursday. Even so, the actors who attended the preview gasped and grinned as they walked though Diagon Alley, a fully realized four-story shopping district.

"It's absolutely brilliant. It totally takes you in," said Warwick Davis, who played Professor Filius Flitwick in the film series.

To enhance the feeling of authenticity, the designers collaborated with Rowling to create additional signage and graphics that remained true to the book, said senior vice president of Universal Creative Thierry Coup.

"If we had to make up the name of a print shop, the name or wording is somewhere in the book," Coup said.

Diagon Alley is connected to Hogsmeade, the original Potter attraction at Universal Orlando, by the Hogwarts Express, a four-minute themed train journey based on the magical locomotive in the book series.

The new additions will join the main "Harry Potter" ride, "The Forbidden Journey," which is based in Hogsmeade and is an amalgamation of scenes from the book.

"Escape from Gringotts," topped by a landmark fire-breathing dragon, closely follows a storyline in which the book's leading characters - Harry Potter, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley - escape from the goblin-run bank vaults on the back of a dragon.

Diagon Alley resembles an old English village with a hint of enclosed American mall. Large swaths of the shopping district are covered by glass with ceilings made to look like sky and a strategically located elevated train track, allowing comfortable shopping even during a Florida summer storm.

While theme parks in Europe and Asia feature enclosed areas, open air is the norm in Florida's sunny climate, and shopping is the main activity. Potter fans can purchase a $6.95 set of chattering teeth at Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, Hogwarts school robes for $109.95 at Madam Malkins, or Dumbledore's robes, the priciest item in the shop, for $700.

On the dining side, the Leaky Cauldron restaurant offers up traditional British dishes such as a Toad in the Hole (sausage in savory bread pudding), for $8.99, and fisherman's pie for $14.99.

Comcast Corp's Universal Studios will also bring the world of "Harry Potter" to its Hollywood theme park in 2016, as part of plans to drum up attendance with a revamp and five-year expansion plan for its film-themed attractions. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Facebook website returns to service after crash

Facebook Inc.'s FB.O website crashed briefly on Thursday, temporarily preventing computer and mobile phone users from reaching the site around the globe.

During the outage, Facebook users ranging from Australia to South Korea to India and Britain were greeted with a message saying "Sorry, something went wrong".

The cause of the outage was not immediately known. Its exact duration could not be confirmed but service was restored in less than an hour.

It prevented users from posting to the social networking site "for a brief period of time", a Facebook spokesman said.

"We resolved the issue quickly, and we are now back to 100 percent," he said. "We're sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused."  — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Rooney role the question for England

SAO PAULO - Start him. Drop him. Move him. The whole of England seems to have an opinion on what Roy Hodgson should do with Wayne Rooney for their Group D clash against Uruguay on Thursday (Friday, PHL time).

It was the under-fire forward's inviting cross swatted home by Daniel Sturridge that got England level against Italy in their opener on Saturday (Sunday, PHL time) but, posted on the left, Rooney looked short of fitness and struggled with defensive duties at times.

Despite the clamor in some quarters for Rooney to be dropped to the bench, Hodgson is likely to switch him to a central role behind Sturridge, pushing the jet-heeled Raheem Sterling out wide to romp up and down Uruguay's right.

The pace of Sterling, Sturridge and Danny Welbeck could cause real problems for the South Americans' defense, which crumbled in the face of Costa Rica's direct running in a shock 3-1 defeat in the first game in the group.

While England's 2-1 defeat on Saturday (Sunday, PHL time) was their first in a World Cup opener since 1986, they go into their second game at the Corinthians arena in a confident frame of mind after a fearless display full of pace and promise against Italy.

Striker Sturridge acknowledged the level of performance promised much for the future but said England could not be satisfied with being unlucky losers.

"At the end of the day it's about results, not performances, and we realize that as a team as well," he said on Monday (Tuesday, PHL time).

"I don't think we need to change much, we just need a bit of luck, a break, but we will take the positives out of that and the end thing is that we want results," he told reporters.

Hodgson savored what he called England's "best performance" since he took over two years ago, suggesting he feels little reason to ring the changes for Copa America champions Uruguay.

Suarez to return?

Like England, Uruguay must recover from an opening loss but there were few positives from a dire performance against Costa Rica in which right back Maxi Perreira was sent off in stoppage time.

Coach Oscar Tabarez told reporters after training on Monday (Tuesday, PHL time) that his team had to be wary of England's front men, who showed "great technical potential" against Italy.

"They're fast in decision-making and running. We have to limit them, because they are going to repeat that offensive style against us," he added.

Key to Uruguay's hopes of getting their campaign back on track will be the fitness of striker Luis Suarez, who missed the opener and is still a doubt for Thursday.

Suarez lit up the English Premier League last season with 31 goals in 33 games but underwent keyhole surgery on his left knee last month and was not deemed fit enough to face Costa Rica.

While Tabarez was cagey about his key striker's chances of facing England, Suarez himself has no doubts about his fitness.

"I'm 100 percent, otherwise I wouldn't be here," he told Uruguayan reporters at the team's training camp on Monday (Tuesday, PHL time).

"I knew it would be difficult [to be ready for] the first game, but if the proper time was left then I was going to be 100 percent afterwards. I've done everything I had to do.

"I'm training today with the team and I feel in good condition. I never lost the joy and the desire. I never thought I would miss the World Cup."

While others were reluctant to describe Thursday's (Friday, PHL time) game as 'must win', Uruguay captain Diego Lugano is full aware of the importance of the match.

"It's life or death on Thursday. We're up against two of the best in the world now [England and Italy]. It's an enormous challenge."  - Reuters


FACTBOX: Uruguay v. England

Where: The Corinthians arena, Sao Paulo
Capacity: 61,606
When: Thursday, June 19, 1600 local (Friday, 3am, PHL time)
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo

Key stats:
- England's 2-1 loss to Italy on Saturday (Sunday, PHL time) was their first defeat in a World Cup opener since losing to Portugal in 1986.
- Uruguay has won the World Cup twice, including the inaugural tournament on home soil in 1930.
- England's sole triumph came in 1966, also on home soil.
- Uruguay finished fourth at the last World Cup in South Africa after losing to the Netherlands in the semifinals.

Previous meetings: England has played Uruguay 10 times previously, with the South Americans winning four to England's three.

Last meeting: England won the last match between the two in 2006, a 2-1 victory played in Liverpool.

source: gmanetwork.com

YouTube hits a sour note with indie music labels

Google-owned YouTube has announced it is dropping content from independent music producers that have not signed up for the video sharing platform's upcoming subscription-based music service, UK's The Guardian reported.

“Our goal is to continue making YouTube an amazing music experience, both as a global platform for fans and artists to connect, and as a revenue source for the music industry,” the report quoted a Google spokesman as saying.

The spokesman said the subscription service would bring new revenue streams “in addition to the hundreds of millions of dollars YouTube already generates for them each year."

If this pushes through, artists like Adele, Arctic Monkeys and Jack White could see their videos taken down, the report said.

The Guardian said YouTube is about to test the new service, which will charge a fee for people to watch and listen to music without ads, and to download songs to their devices.

"We are excited that hundreds of major and independent labels are already partnering with us,” he said.

Responsibility to users

Robert Kyncl, Google's vice president and head of business at YouTube, claimed the video sharing site already signed up labels representing 90 percent of the music industry.

"While we wish that we had 100% success rate, we understand that is not likely an achievable goal and therefore it is our responsibility to our users and the industry to launch the enhanced music experience," he said.

The Guardian said YouTube attracts more than one billion monthly viewers, with music as one of its biggest categories.

It added the upcoming premium music subscription will compete with Spotify, Deezer and Napster, and even Apple-owned Beats Music and Google's own Google Play Music All Access.

'Catastrophic error of judgment'

The Guardian said trade body WIN branded YouTube's move as a "catastrophic error of judgment."

"They have suffered a simple but catastrophic error of judgement in misreading the market," WIN's chief executive Alison Wenham said.

Wenham added YouTube was "setting itself up for failure" and only a few independent labels would agree to its terms.

"Music fans want a service that offers the complete range of music available. This is something that companies such as Spotify and Deezer do, both of whom have excellent relationships with the independent music sector," she said.

Merlin, the licensing agency of independent labels, estimates indies collectively have 32.6-percent market share of the recorded music industry's sales and streams.

'Corporate hubris'

The Guardian quoted musician Billy Bragg as saying the move smacks of "corporate hubris."

  

 I don’t think they realize what a stupid thing they’ve done," he said. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Eto'o could play in Croatia game despite knee injury - coach

MANAUS - Cameroon captain and record goal scorer Samuel Eto'o could be used as a substitute during the second Group A game against Croatia on Wednesday (Thursday, PHL time) despite a knee injury, coach Volker Finke said.

Eto'o, 33, said on Monday (Tuesday, PHL time) he had virtually no hope of appearing in the game, with Cameroon needing at least a point to avoid a group stage exit.

The Indomitable Lions lost their opener 1-0 against Mexico, when Eto'o came on as a substitute but felt a recurrence of a niggling knee injury he has been battling for the last few months.

"I think the most important thing for us tomorrow is that Samuel is with us, perhaps as a substitute," Finke told a news conference on Tuesday (Wednesday, PHL time).

"I think it would be very very hard for him to start because we're dealing with health matters here and we can't work miracles," he said.

Eto'o, who has scored 54 goals for Cameroon, said he had not had the time needed over the last few months to fully recover.

"Even if I knew I'd be playing or not I wouldn't say anything ... we can't reveal our strengths and weaknesses to our opponents," he said.

Cameroon did not perform particularly well against Mexico and were disheartened by the loss, Finke said.

"Our spirits were low, that's normal, because a defeat like that hurts. We didn't play well in the first half, we were a little bit better in the second half but we missed some chances ... but I think the players can hope for improvement," he said.

Even though Mexico and Brazil already have four points, Finke said qualification was still a possibility for Cameroon and Croatia if they drew on Wednesday.

"No one can sleep because everything remains open ... if the match tomorrow is a draw, the last games will be really crazy," he said.  - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Schumacher out of coma, shifted to Swiss hospital

PARIS/LAUSANNE - Formula One ex-champion Michael Schumacher, who sustained severe head injuries in a ski accident in late 2013, is out of a coma and was transferred on Monday from a French to a Swiss hospital to continue rehabilitation, officials said.

"Michael has left the CHU Grenoble [hospital] to continue his long phase of rehabilitation. He is not in a coma anymore," spokeswoman Sabine Kehm said in a statement.

"For the future we ask for understanding that his further rehabilitation will take place away from the public eye," Kehm said of Schumacher, who turned 45 earlier this year.

She did not say what Schumacher's next destination was.

Soon afterwards, a spokeswoman at University Hospital of Lausanne in western Switzerland said Schumacher had been admitted there. "He is here, he arrived this morning," Darcy Christen told Reuters.

Christen declined to say what unit Schumacher, whose family home is in a town between Lausanne and Geneva, was being treated in, citing medical secrecy and family privacy.

The German, who won a record 91 Grand Prix victories and left motor racing in 2013 after a disappointing three-year comeback, bashed his head on a rock while skiing off-piste in the French Alps resort of Meribel on December 29. - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Spurs capture fifth title, dethrone Heat

The San Antonio Spurs quietly looked to avenge their Finals series loss to the Miami Heat coming into this season. With a barrage of three-pointers and their signature suffocating defense, they did just that.

The Spurs won game five of the best-of-seven 2014 NBA Finals, 104-87, for a 4-1 victory on Sunday (Monday, PHL time) at the AT&T Center, giving them their fifth NBA title.


The home team came storming back from a 16-point deficit, and led by as much as 22 points, to topple the defending champions, who got a indefatigable effort from LeBron James (31 points, 10 rebounds, five rebounds, two blocks), and not much else from their supporting cast.

The Heat came out strong in the first period, opening with an 8-0 blast, and a Ray Allen triple later on extended that lead to 22-6, five minutes and change left in the first period. However, Manu Ginobili led a 12-0 run to put the Spurs in the thick of things, 22-18.

LeBron James countered with five straight, but Tiago Splitter and Kawhi Leonard scores sandwiched Norris Cole charities to arrive at the 29-22 score after the initial 12 minutes.

The Heat offense stalled in the second. They went nearly five minutes without a basket, conceding 14 unanswered to the Spurs, 42-35. James ended their silence with a seven-foot bucket, but Ginobili countered with a trey.

James and Wade conspired to water down their deficit somewhat, but a Boris Diaw layup closed out the scoring in the first half, 47-40, in favor of the Spurs.

Both teams struggled to score at the beginning of the third, but when the Spurs woke up,it was a like a tidal wave hit the Heat. An 18-4 run, highlighted by three straight triples, two from Patty Mills and one from Ginobili, gave the home team a 65-44 buffer, 5:01 left in the third.

The Heat got back-to-back baskets, but Mills quickly squelched the run with another triple. Another four-point cluster by Miami got it to 17, 70-53, but once again Mills doused the fire with a triple, to return the buffer to 20.

Miami started the fourth with one last run, scoring five unanswered, 77-58. Tony Parker finally got on board though, and made back-to-back seven-footers, 90-72. James was later subbed out at the 6:30 mark, essentially waving the white flag.



Kawhi Leonard top-scored for the Spurs with 22 points, and added 10 rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. He was later named Finals MVP

Manu Ginobili came off the bench for 19 points, four boards and four assists. Patty Mills sparkled for 17 points on 5-of-8 three-point shooting, while Tony Parker bucked a slow start to chime in with 16 markers.

Chris Bosh was the Heat’s second-best scorer, putting in 13 markers and seven caroms. Dwyane Wade was a non-factor with 11 on 12 shot attempts.

The Spurs had won game one 110-95, ripping off a late fourth quarter run after James suffered from cramps. The Heat came back in game two, winning 98-96, but San Antonio was simply red-hot in Miami, getting victories of 111-92 and 107-86 to set this one up.

During the 2012-13 series, the Heat won in seven games, after the Spurs fell in OT in game six, up 3-2. - AMD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Spurs marching towards fifth title with a quarter left in game five against Heat

Early on, the San Antonio Spurs were down by 16 points. With a quarter left to play, their biggest lead has been 22, and they are armed with a 77-58 advantage over the Miami Heat entering the final canto of game five of the NBA Finals, Sunday (Monday, PHL time) at the AT&T Center.

At 3-1, the Spurs are on the verge of their fifth NBA title. The Heat came out strong in the first period though, opening with an 8-0 blast, and a Ray Allen triple later on extended that lead to 22-6, five minutes and change left in the first period. However, Manu Ginobili led a 12-0 run to put the Spurs in the thick of things, 22-18.

LeBron James countered with five straight, but Tiago Splitter and Kawhi Leonard scores sandwiched Norris Cole charities to arrive at the 29-22 score after the initial 12 minutes.

The Heat offense stalled in the second. They went nearly five minutes without a basket, conceding 14 unanswered to the Spurs, 42-35. James ended their silence with a seven-foot bucket, but Ginobili countered with a trey.

Both teams struggled to score at the beginning of the third, but when the Spurs woke up,it was a like a tidal wave hit the Heat. An 18-4 run, highlighted by three straight triples, two from Patty Mills and one from Ginobili, gave the home team a 65-44 buffer, 5:01 left in the third.

The Heat got back-to-back baskets, but Mills quickly squelched the run with another triple. Another four-point cluster by Miami got it to 17, 70-53, but once again Mills doused the fire with a triple, to return the buffer to 20.

Kawhi Leonard has scored 20 points to lead the home side, adding nine rebounds and two assists. Manu Ginobili has come off the bench to add 19, with two boards and three assists. Patty Mills exploded for 17 markers off the bench on 5-of-8 three-point shooting, while Tim Duncan has provided 12 points and seven caroms.

LeBron James has poured in 27 points and nine rebounds for the Heat but it hasn’t been enough. The team’s second-best scorer has been Chris Bosh with 11. - AMD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Heat explode for big start in do-or-die game five

The Miami Heat waxed hot from the start, opening with an 8-0 run, but the San Antonio Spurs rallied back to get within single digits, 29-22, after 12 minutes in game five of the 2014 NBA Finals, Sunday (Monday, PHL time) at the AT&T Center.

A Ray Allen triple gave the defending champions a 22-6 lead, five minutes and change left in the first period, but Manu Ginobili led a 12-0 run to put the Spurs in the thick of things, 22-18.

LeBron James countered with five straight, but Tiago Splitter and Kawhi Leonard scores sandwiched Norris Cole charities to arrive at the 29-22 score.

James has 17 points, six rebounds, an assist and two blocks to lead all players. Leonard on the other hand has logged eight points and five boards. - AMD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Johnson, UFC's little big man, headlines UFC 174

Demetrious Johnson is one of the most exciting fighters in mixed martial arts.

The Kirkland, Wash., resident is 9-1-1 over the past four years. He has won five consecutive fights. He has established himself as a dominant champion in his division, one capable of one-punch knockouts, slick submissions holds, or going all 25 minutes when needed.

Yet he still has his share of detractors, for one simple reason: Johnson lords over the Ultimate Fighting Championship's lightest men's division, flyweight. And the haters seem to think a 5’3”, 125-pounder can't develop into a draw, no matter how big the size of the fight in the dog.

"I don't even hear the critics anymore," said Johnson, whose 11 fights with UFC parent company Zuffa over the past four years makes him most active fighter on the company's 500-fighter roster. "Yeah, I'm not tall. Doesn't mean I can't fight."

Whether he hears detractors or not, he'll have a chance to prove them wrong Saturday night (Sunday, PHL time), as he headlines one of the UFC's marquee pay-per-view events for the first time. Johnson (19-2-1) will defend his championship against Dagestan's Ali Bagautinov (15-2) in the main event of UFC 174 in Vancouver.

For his part, Johnson says he's not too worried about the platform, as long as there's a cage in the arena when he gets there.

"It's just another fight," Johnson said. "It's on pay-per-view and that's cool, but I don't care if it's pay-per-view or on FOX or on cable. Just another fight, to me."

Johnson experienced success as an undersized bantamweight (135 pounds) before the UFC instituted a 125-pound class in 2012, with his only loss in the past four years a decision against then-bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz.

Since then, the fighter known as "Mighty Mouse" has found his groove at 125. He won the inaugural title in Sept. 2012 by defeating Joseph Benavidez. The UFC has attempted to maximize his exposure, with some encouraging results. His first title defense, a decision win over John Dodson in Jan. 2013, peaked at 5.2 million viewers, one of the UFC's strongest numbers in three years on FOX. His most recent defense, a first-round knockout in a rematch against Benavidez, drew a near-sellout crowd of 11,573 to Sacramento's Sleep Train Arena in December.

Inside the industry, Johnson's gotten respect for his well-rounded talents. He ranks fourth in the current MMAFighting.com pound-for-pound poll, behind UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, longtime featherweight champ Jose Aldo Jr., and heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez.

Saturday, the 27-year old's latest challenge is the unheralded Bagautinov. The 28-year old, who trains at Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque, has won 11 straight fights, and is 3-0 in the UFC. While he entered the UFC with a reputation as a finisher, he's gone the distance in his past two fights.

"Ali is a solid fighter from a great camp who I have to respect," Johnson said. "But he can't do all the things I do, standing up, on the ground, everywhere. I respect Ali but I'm not worried."

The co-feature bout is a welterweight showdown with championship implications, as Rory MacDonald (16-2) takes on Tyron Woodley (13-2)

The 24-year old MacDonald, a British Columbia native, trains with former longtime champ Georges St-Pierre in Montreal and was considered his heir apparent before a pair of lackluster performances set him back. But a solid February win over veteran Demian Maia got him back on track. St. Louis' Woodley, meanwhile, has made his case with finishes of veterans Josh Koscheck and Carlos Condit.

While the winner of a July 26 bout between Robbie Lawler and Matt Brown has been promised the next shot at welterweight champ Johny Hendricks, nothing is ever etched in stone in the UFC, and a solid showing by the winner of this fight could cause them to jump the line. - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Wall St. edges up on Intel but posts weekly decline

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks edged up on Friday, boosted by bullish news from the tech sector, but major indexes fell for the week as unrest in Iraq kept investors on edge.

Intel Corp (INTC.O) was one of the S&P 500's biggest gainers and one of Nasdaq's most active names, but overall gains were capped as investors kept a close watch on violence in Iraq that drove oil prices CLc1 to their highest since September.

Analysts are worried about the impact a protracted period of high commodity prices could have on economic growth, especially with indexes near record levels.

President Barack Obama said on Friday he needs several days to determine how the United States will help Iraq deal with a militant insurgency, but he ruled out sending U.S. troops back into combat and said any intervention would be contingent on Iraqi leaders becoming more involved.

"The situation in Iraq is another one of these geopolitical flare-ups that have a short-term impact on the market. It will continue to create volatility in the oil market, but I don't think it will spill over that much to equities," said Randy Frederick, managing director of trading and derivatives at Charles Schwab.

The CBOE Volatility index VIX .VIX, Wall Street's so-called fear gauge, fell 3 percent to 12.18 on Friday.

Intel shares jumped nearly 7 percent to $29.87 a day after the Dow component raised its full-year revenue outlook, citing stronger-than-expected demand for personal computers used by businesses.

OpenTable Inc (OPEN.O) popped 48.3 percent to $104.48 in heavy trading after Priceline Group Inc (PCLN.O) said it would buy the company for $2.6 billion. Priceline fell 3 percent to $1,189.30.

Among other Internet names, Yelp Inc (YELP.N) jumped 13.8 percent to $74.92 and GrubHub Inc (GRUB.N) rose 7 percent to $36.00.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 41.55 points or 0.25 percent, to 16,775.74, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 6.05 points or 0.31 percent, to 1,936.16, and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 13.02 points or 0.3 percent, to 4,310.65.

For the week, the Dow was down 0.9 percent, the S&P fell 0.7 percent and the Nasdaq was down 0.25 percent.

The week's decline was the first after three weeks of consecutive gains on the S&P 500. For the year, the broad market index is up about 4.8 percent.

Brent crude LCOc1 edged further above $113 a barrel on Friday, up about $4 since the start of the week, on concerns that an insurgency in Iraq could trigger civil war and eventually hit oil exports. [O/R]

In macroeconomic news, U.S. consumer sentiment unexpectedly fell in June as views by consumers with the lowest incomes soured, according to the preliminary June read from the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's index.

Finisar Corp (FNSR.O) plunged 21.9 percent to $19.71 a day after forecasting weaker-than-expected earnings, citing higher capital expenditure in China.

Trading volume was at around 5.07 billion shares on U.S. exchanges, below last month's average of about 5.76 billion, according to data from BATS Global Markets.  — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Winner crowned in 10th annual New York toilet paper wedding dress contest

NEW YORK - There was something old, something new, something borrowed and something double-ply for 10 designers who battled it out on Thursday for $10,000 and the top prize in the 10th annual toilet paper wedding dress contest held in New York City.

The elaborate gowns, headpieces, purses and lacey veils showed off at the competition could be made of nothing but rolls of Charmin Ultra Soft toilet paper, and materials like glue, tape and thread, organizers of the event by Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com said.

"I am blown away," said Kate Pankoke, a contest judge who also owns Elaya Vaughn Bridal and was a contestant on seasons 11 and 12 of the reality television show Project Runway.

"It's really impressive what they can get toilet paper to do," she said.

The gowns - some long and flowing and others cut off above the knees - were adorned with intricate toilet paper pearls and flowers.

The winning dress, named Romance on a Roll and crafted by 28-year-old Susan Brennan of Orchard Lake, Michigan, took some 20 rolls to craft.

The ornate, full-length gown was dotted with complex floral and lace designs, and could be detached at the waist to reveal a 1920's flapper-inspired dance dress underneath.

It took a month of work, said Brennan, who co-owns the online boutique Fare Oak and is a professional cheerleader for the Detroit Pistons.

"There was toilet paper everywhere," she said.

But the work was well worth it for the three-time winner, with her dress earning the $10,000 prize.

"It's not even fully hit me yet," Brennan said. "I'm just ecstatic."

Laura Gawne and Susan Bain started the contest a decade ago as a way to promote their website, Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com. Initially they received just a handful of submissions, but 10 years later the pair had to sort through 1,491 entrants to crown a winner.

"The bar has risen every year," Gawne said. "This contest has just taken on a life of its own."

The contest, complete with a runway judging, was held on the rooftop balcony of the Sanctuary Hotel in Manhattan and was sponsored by Procter & Gamble's Charmin toilet paper. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Scolari defends penalty, praises Neymar after win

SAO PAULO - Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari rejected claims they were favored by the referee and heaped praise on Neymar after the forward scored twice in a 3-1 win over Croatia in the World Cup opening game on Thursday (Friday, PHL time).

Scolari said his team showed great character after bouncing back from an early own goal and singled out 22-year-old Neymar for his man of the match performance.

"The only thing we want is that Neymar is happy playing ball. He's a special player," Scolari told reporters after the win gave Brazil a great start in their bid for a record-extending sixth World Cup title.

Brazil fell behind after 11 minutes through Marcelo's own goal but Neymar led the comeback, scoring with a left-footed shot from outside the area and then with a controversial penalty awarded by Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura.

Croatia's coach Niko Kovac was furious about the award of the soft 71st-minute spot kick and said the World Cup could become a "circus" if Brazil continued to get favorable calls.

Scolari, who said he agreed with the call, responded by reminding Kovac that Brazil has won the World Cup more times than any country and did it without any help from referees.

No comment

"I'm not going to comment on what my colleague [Kovac] said. The only comment I can make is that Brazil has five World Cup titles," he said. "Those weren't five circuses in favor of Brazil."

"The referee saw a penalty. It's the referee that has to decide."

Scolari, Neymar and the rest of the Brazil team are under intense pressure as local fans expect their team to deliver the country's first World Cup title on home soil.

Neymar delivered in style on Thursday (Friday, PHL time), leading the comeback alongside excellent midfielder Oscar.

"He [Neymar] doesn't need all of you [the media] to demand that he become the best player in the world. His responsibility is to play for Brazil, and that's what he did today," Scolari said.

Neymar said the victory was "more than I ever dreamed or imagined. The merit belongs to the team as a whole, which remained cool and calm to come from behind and win."

Scolari also heaped praise on the Brazil supporters in the 62,103 crowd in Sao Paulo, a city with notoriously fickle fans who booed the team in their final warmup match for the World Cup.

"Our players were excellent, they showed determination to be able to come from behind. They were fantastic," Scolari said.

"But who really deserves praise are the fans. It was wonderful, the support we received here in Sao Paulo. If there's still any notion out there Sao Paulo doesn't root for the national team effusively enough, that was put to rest today."  - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com 

Google welcomes start of World Cup festivities with doodle

Google is taking part in the festivities marking the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup as it posted an animated doodle on its home page.

Visitors to Google.com were greeted with an animated doodle with a dancing "l" and the "e" playing the drums.


"Yes, we’ll take a little samba with our #WorldCup opening ceremony," Google said in a tweet.

As in the past, clicking on the doodle will take the visitor to a Search Results page for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

The FIFA World Cup is an international men's football tournament that started early Friday (PHL time) and will end on July 13.

Spain is the defending champion. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Teen gunman in Oregon school shooting got weapons from home

TROUTDALE, Oregon - The teenage gunman who killed a classmate at an Oregon high school on Tuesday was armed with a military-style rifle and a semiautomatic pistol obtained from his home and lacked any known connection to his victim, police said on Wednesday.

Police said an autopsy of the suspect, Jared Michael Padgett, 15, confirmed that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after exchanging fire with police inside Reynolds High School in Troutdale, a Portland suburb.

The shooting, which ended with Padgett's body being found in a bathroom stall of the gymnasium building, marked the third outbreak of deadly gun violence to shake a US high school or college campus in less than three weeks.

Troutdale Police Chief Scott Anderson declined at a news conference to offer an explanation for what may have driven Padgett to walk into a boy's locker room and shoot a fellow freshman, 14-year-old Emilio Hoffman.

"We have not established any link between the student and shooter," Anderson said. "At this time it would be inappropriate to discuss a motive."

But he credited a school gym teacher, Todd Rispler, with preventing further loss of life. Rispler was grazed by gunfire as he encountered Padgett but made his way to the school office to warn administrators of the attack and initiate a lockdown, Anderson said.

Anderson said Padgett opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle and also was carrying a semiautomatic handgun that he did not use, as well as a large knife and nine loaded ammunition magazines with a capacity for several hundred rounds.

The youth arrived at the school on Tuesday morning by school bus, carrying a guitar case and a duffel bag. When confronted in the locker room by the teacher, the boy wore a vest used for carrying ammunition and other items and a camouflage-colored athletic helmet, Anderson said.

"The shooter obtained the weapons from his family home," the chief said. "The weapons had been secured, but he defeated the security measures."

Police have not said whether the firearms were legally owned or registered by family members.

A statement released by Hoffman's family described him as an avid soccer player who also enjoyed science and history and whose laughter was infectious. "You couldn't be around Emilio without laughing," his mother, Jennifer, wrote.

The Portland Oregonian newspaper reported that Padgett was active in the Mormon church as well as the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, with a strong interest in guns and aspirations to follow his older brother into the military.

One fellow member of his JROTC class, Agustin Guzman, 16, told the newspaper that Padgett had a rigid side.

"He was one of those organized people who liked order, liked everything to be really perfect," he said, recounting that Padgett became "really irritated if we messed up" when folding the American flag.

Another friend, Kaylah Ensign, recalled Padgett losing his temper when others disagreed with him during a class presentation on a book he read about Adolf Hitler. —Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com