Thirty-seven strawberries a day may keep the doctor away

An apple a day has been replaced with strawberries -- 37 of them, to be exact. A recent study from scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, California, suggests that eating a heaping bowl of the flavonoid-packed fruits every day can keep diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and even cancer at bay.
Published on June 27 in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE, the research reveals that a naturally occurring flavonoid called fisetin (also found in lesser degrees in other fruits and veggies) is found most abundantly in strawberries and packs a mighty punch at fending off diseases.

In the study, researchers fed Akita mice the equivalent of 37 strawberries a day for a human. The mice, genetically afflicted with high blood sugar, showed a reduction in medical diabetes symptoms and inflammatory activity linked to cancer, and the study also concluded that the fisetin-rich diet protected neurons in the brain to help prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Earlier research supports the findings that strawberries preserve brain function by reducing the cell-damaging inflammation and oxidation that accompanies age-related diseases. Scientists from the Chicago Healthy Aging Project revealed that older adults who consume strawberries at least once a month have less cognitive decline, and that women who consumed more than one serving of strawberries a month had a 16.2 percent slower rate of mental decline than those who consumed less.

Access the new research: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0021226

Uproar as Princess Di resurrected for cover story

A Newsweek cover photo marking Princess Diana's 50th birthday, reimagines her still-elegant but with crow's feet and an aging neckline, sparking a media uproar and outrage among her devoted fans.
Almost 14 years after her tragic death aged just 36 in a Paris car crash, Diana remains the best beloved British royal, forever fresh, youthful and vibrant in the memory of millions around the world.
But the Newsweek cover photo on stands this week imagines a noticeably older Diana strolling alongside Kate Middleton -- the daughter-in-law she never met, who is now known as Princess Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge.
The computer-generated image is edited from a photo of Princess Catherine arriving at a wedding earlier this month with her younger sister Pippa.
She is wearing a cream-colored dress with brown piping from US designer Michael Kors, a matching brown Jimmy Choo purse slung over her shoulder.
Her perfectly coiffed frosted hair sports a beige hat at a jaunty angle, while a Bulgari bracelet and watch and earrings and ring by Van Cleef & Arpels complete the picture.
US media was almost unanimous in giving the retouched image a thumbs down, with several describing it as downright "creepy."
The Atlantic Monthly referred to the image as "Princess Diana's ghost." Some critics questioned its journalistic value, others, its tastefulness.
The Los Angeles Times, in the headline of its article on the Newsweek story, pondered whether it was "shocking, brilliant, or just plain cheap?"
Newsweek's editor Tina Brown -- a friend of Diana who also penned a tell-all biography about the late princess -- wrote inside the magazine that she saw the issue as a sort of tribute.
"Diana would have been 50 this month," she writes. "What would she have been like?"
Brown then seeks to answer her own question, saying the former Diana Spencer likely "would have gone the J. Crew and Galliano route a la Michelle Obama, always knowing how to mix the casual with the glam."
"There is no doubt she would have kept her chin taut with strategic Botox shots and her bare arms buff from the gym," said Brown, predicting her late friend would have made at least two more trips down the wedding aisle herself, probably "on both sides of the Atlantic."
"Her romantic taste would have moved to men of power over boys of play," Brown wrote about her friend, who was dating Egyptian Dodi Fayed when they were both killed in the 1997 Paris car crash, hounded by the paparazzi.
Brown imagined New York as Diana's ultimate home and said she would have made peace with "her reviled first husband" Prince Charles, who would have become "her best male friend."
Diana's eldest son Prince William, second-in-line to the British throne after Prince Charles, married Kate Middleton in April as millions around the world looked on, still captivated in part by the late princess's legacy.

Piolo and KC top Trending Searches on Yahoo! Philippines

Real-life sweethearts Piolo Pascual — Yahoo! OMG! Awards's Hottest Actor — and "megadaughter" KC Concepcion top Trending Searches on Yahoo! Philippines.

1. Piolo Pascual and KC Concepcion. Yahoo! OMG! Awards' Hottest Actor Piolo Pascual last week revealed that he and his girlfriend KC Concepcion will have a concert in California, United States this October. The couple's last project together was the ABS-CBN remake of Korean telenovela "Lovers in Paris," where their on-screen romance blossomed into a real-life relationship.
2. Philippines' 40 Richest.  Forbes has released its list of richest people in the Philippines — 11 of them are US dollar billionaires.  SM's Henry Sy remains on top of the richest list with a $7.2-billion net worth. Also on the top five are beer and tobacco magnate Lucio Tan, Cebu Pacific founder John Gokongwei Jr., real estate tycoon Andrew Tan, and DMCI founder David Consunji. Last and youngest on the list is Edgar Sia II, 34, who sold his fastfood chain Mang Inasal to Jollibee, which was founded by Tony Tan Caktiong, number 11 in this year's Forbes list.
3. Manny Pacquiao. After winning his boxing bout with Shane Mosley, the Pambansang Kamao took on the battle against the reproductive health bill, which remains pending in Congress. The richest congressman then took the cudgels for private sector workers asking for a legislated P125 across-the-board wage increase. Pacquiao has also co-authored Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano's House Bill 375.
4. Bagyong Falcon. Tropical storm Falcon (Maeri) brought rains that reminded and warned Filipinos, especially those in Metro Manila, of the Ondoy tragedy. Following heavy rains and flooding, the Department of Education on suspended classes from preschool to high school in the National Capital Region on June 24. As of the latest info from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, six people died, three people were injured, and 14 went missing due to Falcon.
5. Pilipinas Got Talent. Marcelito Pomoy, a 27-year-old singer dubbed as the "Man with a golden female voice," was declared grand winner of the season 2 of ABS-CBN's "Pilipinas Got Talent." The "doble-kara" performer, who shifts from a male to a female voice while singing a song, took home P2 million cash prize after defeating 13 other grand finalists.
6. Wimbledon. Russian tennis player and 2004 Wimbledon winner Maria Sharapova, who is popular among Yahoo! users, is now the women's tournament's favorite after Serena and Venus Williams were eliminated. Meanwhile, men's tournament defending champion Rafael Nadal worries about a foot injury he suffered while in a game with Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro, whom he eventually defeated.
7. Derek Ramsay. Philippine Entertainment Portal's Scoopbox reported last week that Angelica Panganiban's boyfriend canceled his guesting on "Gandang Gabi Vice" after he learned that "TV Patrol" would come out with a story about his alleged marriage to a Filipino-Indian woman.

8. Anne Hathaway. The 28-year-old American actress is playing Catwoman, a seductive villain, in Christopher Nolan's final installment of the Batman series, "The Dark Knight Rises." She has also admitted that she called and emailed her Oscar Awards co-host James Franco after he commented that "The Tasmanian Devil would look stoned standing next to Anne Hathaway."
9. Miriam Defensor-Santiago. The outspoken senator and her husband, former Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Narciso Santiago, on recently renewed their wedding vows as they celebrated their 40th anniversary. Among her guests and principal sponsors were former President Joseph Estrada, former President and current Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Chief Justice Renato Corona, and former First Lady and incumbent Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos.
10. Commission on Higher Education. Yahoo! users searched for CHED last week as they await pronouncement on possible suspension of classes in the college level after tropical storm Falcon brought rains that flooded the metro. However, CHED however let college and university administrators decide on the matter. Based on its rules, it can only declare automatic suspension when there is typhoon signal number three in the area.
These trending searches are for June 20 to 26, 2011. Check out the previous Yahoo! Search Trends article, "K-Pop stars, OMG! Awards nominees, and Jose Rizal on Yahoo! Philippines Trending Searches."

TV before bed a bad idea for kids, researchers say

Letting young kids watch television before bed interferes with their sleep, according to a study published June 27.
Researchers surveyed the parents of about 600 preschool-age children, from 3 to 5 years old. Children who were allowed to watch violent television during the day (meaning children's programming that contained violent scenes) increased sleep problems, and watching TV after 7 pm was linked to sleep problems, regardless of whether or not the programs contained violent.

The researchers advise that doctors ask parents to limit late-night television and media, and violent programs in general, for young kids. Be mindful of childrens' programming -- some shows are more suitable for seven- or eight-year-olds, not preschool children, the researchers said.

Kids with TVs in their rooms watched more TV and were more likely to have sleep problems; also, the more television children watched, and the more violence they were exposed to on television, the more problems they had sleeping.

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, adds to the growing body of research that finds children who watch violent TV, or even too much TV during the day, may struggle with bedtime and naptime schedules, including one from 2008 from the University of Washington that yielded similar findings.

Access the study here: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/06/23/peds.2010-3304.abstract

Kate makes stellar debut as Princess Catherine

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, wowed screaming Canadian crowds as she and Prince William began their first official overseas trip as Britain's royal golden couple.
Canadians on Thursday turned out en masse for a glimpse or a handshake as Princess Catherine, wearing a navy lace dress by Montreal-born designer Erdem Moraliaoglu, put in a consummate debut performance in the capital Ottawa.
"Welcome to Canada, honeymoon capital of the Commonwealth," said Governor General David Johnston.
Packed with pomp and pageantry, the North American tour comes just two months after a radiant Kate Middleton walked down the aisle in a fairytale royal wedding watched by an estimated two billion people worldwide.
Popularly known still as Kate, the only hint of trouble for the former Miss Middleton came the moment she stepped off the plane and her flowing dark hair was buffeted by a strong wind as she greeted dignitaries.
The couple's arrival at the National War Memorial in downtown Ottawa triggered excited screams from an estimated 10,000-strong crowd -- several of the women wearing fascinators, the hair accessory of choice for the duchess.
"There he is. There's our future king," Pat Snair shouted from the fringes of the crowd as the 29-year-old newlyweds stepped from the cortege to place a bouquet of flowers before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
While Prince William, second in line to the British throne, has plenty of experience at royal duties, Kate is a relative rookie. But it was clearly the elegant Berkshire, England native that many of the crowd had come to see.
She represents the future of the monarchy, she's "excitement and youth," said Denise, in her 60s.
"William is OK, but Kate is fascinating," added two teenage girls.
The princess was cool under fire and showed no outward signs of nerves on her first overseas walkabout, smiling broadly and exchanging polite banter as she shook hands with the crowd for longer than the intended hour.
"I'm hoping to find romance like theirs," said one wildly-impressed teenage girl.
From the war memorial unveiled in 1939 by William's great-grandparents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, who established a tradition with the first royal walkabout, the show then moved on to the official residence of the governor general, the vice-regal representative of Queen Elizabeth II.
"Catherine and I are so delighted to be here in Canada," William said. "We have been looking forward to this moment for a very long time. Quite separately, before we were married, we had both had a longing to come here, instilled in us by our parents and grandparents."
He spoke in both of Canada's official languages, French and English, and to laughs vowed his French would improve over the course of this trip.
"The geography of this country is world-renowned, as is the hospitality of its peoples," William said. "We are so very excited about having this opportunity to experience both -- and learn much more about this fantastic country."
Canadian fans packed every hotel in sight of the capital. Some even camped overnight on the steps of the war memorial, awakened by Canada's national anthem blared from nearby Parliament Hill, where technicians readied sound and stage equipment for Friday's Canada Day celebrations.
Support for the monarchy hovers above 50 percent in Canada and has risen from last year when Queen Elizabeth II visited, although there is still a vocal anti-monarchist minority planning to protest in Quebec City on Sunday.
In addition to official and military ceremonies, the royal schedule has lighter moments planned, such as a cooking class, an aboriginal sports event and a rodeo.
Later Thursday, the royals attended a barbecue with 120 young Canadians at the residence of the governor general, where they are spending the night. A downpour, however, forced the event indoors.
William, in a buttoned down shirt slightly open at the collar, khakis and brown loafers, put his arm around the princess's waist to guide her around the room, chatting with guests. Kate changed into a black and white dress by Issa for dinner.
The gourmet menu included Quebec cheeses, chilled New Brunswick oysters, Qikiqtarjuaq sea urchins, Great Lakes herring roe salsa, Winnipeg smoked goldeye, Yukon Arctic char, musk ox prosciutto and potato-crusted Alberta yak tartar.
On Friday, the couple will cap off their visit to the capital by joining tens of thousands of revelers outside parliament for musical performances and fireworks to celebrate Canada's national holiday.
They then embark on a countrywide tour, taking a cooking class in Montreal on Saturday, before traveling on to Quebec City, Charlottetown, Yellowknife and Calgary.
Prior to their final stop in Canada, the newlyweds are expected to sneak away on a romantic getaway to a secluded and undisclosed location in the Rocky Mountains.
After wrapping up their Canadian tour, they will travel to California for a three-day visit on July 8-10 whose highlight will be a black-tie celebrity reception for British filmmakers in Los Angeles.

Solved puzzle reveals fabled Cambodian temple

It has taken half a century, but archaeologists in Cambodia have finally completed the renovation of an ancient Angkor temple described as the world's largest three dimensional puzzle.
The restoration of the 11th-century Baphuon ruin is the result of decades of painstaking work, hampered by tropical rains and civil war, to take apart hundreds of thousands of sandstone blocks and piece them back together again.
"When I first saw how devastated the monument was, I never thought we would be able to put it back together," said Cambodian restorer Ieng Te, who joined the project as a young student in 1960 and was tasked with numbering stones.
"I am so happy and excited that we were able to rebuild our historic temple," the now 66-year-old said as he oversaw the final construction activities at the site.
On a recent rainy morning workers were adding a final layer of paint to newly-installed wooden staircases at Baphuon, one of the country's biggest temples after Angkor Wat, the largest structure in the famed Angkor complex.
It is one of the last jobs to be done before the temple reopens to the public next week, finally revealing itself in full glory after spending decades in pieces.
Cambodian King Sihamoni and French Prime Minister Francois Fillon will be among the first to tour the impressive three-tier temple during an inauguration ceremony on July 3.
The story of the 10-million-euro ($14m) renovation began in the 1960s when a French-led team of archaeologists dismantled the pyramidal building because it was falling apart, largely due to its heavy, sand-filled core that was putting pressure on the thin walls.
The workers numbered some 300,000 of the sandstone blocks and laid them out in the surrounding jungle.
But efforts to rebuild the crumbling towers and lavishly ornamented facades abruptly came to a halt when Cambodia was convulsed by civil war in 1970.
The records to reassemble Baphuon, including the numbering system, were then destroyed by the hardline communist Khmer Rouge which took power in 1975.
In 1995, when the area in northwestern Cambodia was again safe to work in, the French government-funded project was restarted under the leadership of architect Pascal Royere from the Ecole francaise d'Extreme-Orient (EFEO).
"It has been said, probably rightly so, that it is the largest-ever 3D puzzle," Royere told AFP.
The team carefully measured and weighed each block and then relied on archive photos stored in Paris, drawings and the recollections of Cambodian workers to figure out where each part fits.
"We were facing a three-dimensional puzzle, a 300,000-piece puzzle to which we had lost the picture. And that was the main difficulty of this project," Royere said.
"There is no mortar that fills the cracks which means that each stone has its own place. You will not find two blocks that have the same dimensions."
The restoration of Baphuon, one of Angkor's oldest ruins, was completed in April and Royere said it was a moment of joy for the 250-strong, mainly Cambodian, team.
Finishing the "unique" undertaking was "a collective satisfaction because it was a complicated project," he said.
Built around 1060 by King Udayadityavarman II in honour of the Hindu god Shiva, Baphuon was the country's largest religious building at the time, 35 metres high (114 feet) and measuring 130 by 104 metres (426 x 340 feet).
In the 16th century, a 70-metre long reclining Buddha statue was built into a wall on the second level using stones from the top of the temple.
These two phases of construction, hundreds of years apart, further complicated the restoration, said Royere, and working during the rainy season proved another major challenge.
But those struggles are behind him now and as the Frenchman watched camera-toting tourists amble along the long elevated walkway that leads to the temple, he said he was confident the site would become a top attraction.
Located at the heart of the Angkor park, it "certainly promises to be a great success," he said.
Gazing up at Baphuon, first-time visitor to Cambodia Gayle Sienicki from Washington DC marvelled at the temple's long journey to recovery.
"It's just amazing, I mean truly amazing, that they could take these bits of stones and figure out how to put them all back together," she said. "I'm in awe. I think this is just the coolest thing."

Pagcor allots P1B for building of 1,000 classrooms

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has allocated P1 billion for the construction of 1,000 classrooms in public elementary and secondary schools nationwide, the agency’s biggest project so far.

The project, dubbed “Matuwid na Landas sa Silid-Aralan,” is in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), Pagcor chairman and chief executive officer Cristino Naguiat Jr. said in a statement on Thursday.

Naguiat said they would also tap the help of non-government organizations to construct the classrooms compliant with DepEd’s standards and specifications.

He said it was Pagcor’s “biggest project ever,” the agency’s contribution to President Benigno Aquino III’s national program to improve the quality of education in the country.

“All of our contributions have been mandated by laws. One major project of Pagcor that was not required by law was only for the P100 million funding for the construction of the Manila City Hall of Justice in 2000 and 2002,” Naguiat pointed out.

“Through this undertaking, we hope to help our government in addressing the perennial problem of classroom shortage in the Philippines. We hope to have all 1,000 classrooms completed and become operational next school year in communities where they are most needed,” he said.

Naguiat said the agency’s funding for the project was made possible by its robust performance during the first five months of 2011 and huge savings in operating expenses since July 2010. Its revenues last month amounted to a record P3.03 billion.

“From January to May this year alone, we were able to reduce our opex by P873 million,” he said.

France’s Christine Lagarde first woman IMF chief

WASHINGTON—France’s Christine Lagarde was named Tuesday the first-ever female chief of the IMF, faced with an immediate crisis as violent Greek protests rocked the stability of the eurozone.

The French finance minister, respected for her leadership during the financial crises that have shaken Europe over the past three years, was selected by the International Monetary Fund’s executive board to take up the five-year job from July 5.

Her victory came after the BRIC powers — Brazil, Russia, India and China — added their endorsements on top of US and European support, after efforts to construct an emerging economy bloc to challenge Europe’s 65-year lock on the job.

Lagarde replaces fellow countryman Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who resigned abruptly on May 18 after being arrested in New York for an alleged sexual assault.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s office declared the pick a “victory for France,” while British finance minister George Osborne welcomed the “good news for the global economy.”

Lagarde’s choice over Mexican central bank head Agustin Carstens was expected, but not assured until Washington gave her its decisive endorsement and the BRIC countries added theirs.

The 55-year-old lawyer, a divorced mother of two and finance minister since 2007, was chosen by consensus rather than a vote of the 24 IMF executive directors, the board said.

A European has held the position by tacit agreement with Washington since 1946, and Europe’s leaders were determined to have someone already deeply involved in its ongoing crises, especially Greece.

The secretive process, coming after the IMF promised transparency, drew criticism from groups pressing for more openness in the Fund.

“This travesty of an appointment process undermines the credibility of the IMF. Rumors had circulated about some openness, but before the candidates were interviewed, the decision had already been made,” said Luc Lampriere, the director of Oxfam France.

Lagarde had to earn the support of the emerging powers, where worries over eurozone stability were accompanied by concerns that she would be too focused on Europe, and unable to take a neutral stance.

She stressed she would work for the Fund’s entire membership.

“The IMF has served its 187 member countries well during the global economic and financial crisis, transforming itself in many positive ways,” she said in a statement after her nomination.

“I will make it my overriding goal that our institution continues to serve its entire membership with the same focus and the same spirit.”

Carstens, who failed to rally developing economies to mount any real challenge, praised Lagarde as “very capable” but added that he hoped she would strengthen IMF governance “so as to assure its legitimacy, cohesiveness and ultimately, its effectiveness.”

The Fund, which plays a crucial but often controversial role in aiding countries in financial straits, was left reeling after Strauss-Kahn resigned in the middle of tense negotiations over Greece’s massive bailout.

IMF chief since 2007, Strauss-Kahn was arrested in New York on allegations that he sexually assaulted a hotel chambermaid, allegations he denies.

Though not an economist, Lagarde has gained wide respect as France’s point-woman during its leadership of the G20 as well as in European debt talks.

She faces an immediate crisis on the job with Greece, where protesters and police battled in the streets on the eve of an expected parliamentary vote on the IMF-European Union-dictated austerity program to help the country avoid default — but also likely add to the hardship in its ravaged economy.

“If I have a message this evening about Greece, it is a call to the Greek opposition for it to join in national unity with the party which is currently in power,” Lagarde urged in an interview on France’s TF1 television.

Looking ahead, she needs to advance reforms of the global finance system to protect against systemic weaknesses coming from some of the most powerful economies, including Europe and the United States.

She also must deliver on promises of a bigger role in the IMF for the BRICs.

“India looks forward to governance and quota reforms of the Fund to reflect global economic realities,” India’s IMF director, Arvind Virmani, said in a statement endorsing Lagarde.

There were also calls for the IMF to make the process of choosing its managing director more transparent.

“She should waste no time in establishing a legitimate selection process for the next managing director that is truly based on merit,” said Mohamed El-Erian, head of the investment giant Pimco and a one-time candidate to run the Fund.

Aquino approves P1.816T budget proposal for 2012

MANILA, Philippines—President Aquino approved Wednesday night his administration’s proposed P1.816 trillion national budget for 2012.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said social services—basic education, public health and the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program—will get the lion’s share, or 31 percent, of the proposed budget at P573.5 billion.

Next year’s proposed allocation for social services reflects an increase of 10 percent from the current budget of P521.4 billion.

Abad said the economic services sector will get the second-biggest allocation of 24.3 percent, or P442.1 billion. In particular, he said, infrastructure and other capital outlays, especially those in support of agriculture, tourism, and industrial development, have been given greater emphasis with an increase of 27.2 percent to P243 billion in 2012.

A fiscal deficit of P286 billion, or 2.6 percent of the gross domestic product, is targeted in 2012, Abad said. This is lower than this year’s target of P300 billion, or three percent of GDP.

Spending for national defense will increase by just around two percent, from P104.7 billion in 2011 to P106.9 billion next year.

Police recover purported Eva Peron tiara

million euros ($9 million), including a tiara that may have belonged to the late first lady of Argentina Eva Peron, the government said Wednesday.

The jewels, snatched in a complex sting involving counterfeit money, a fake Arab sheik and an accomplice hidden in a desk, were found in a safe in a luxury Milan hotel room in an operation carried out with Interpol, Spain's interior ministry said in a statement.

Seven suspects in the December 2009 heist, believed to be part of a Serbian crime group, were arrested in March 2011 in Switzerland, France and Italy and then extradited to Spain where they are awaiting trial, it said.
The group set up the con in November 2006 when two young men who spoke Italian bought around 20,000 euros' worth of jewels from a boutique in the eastern city of Valencia.
"This was the beginning of an elaborate deception since the only objective of this purchase was to gain the trust of the victim," the statement said.
Three years later, the pair returned to the shop to offer to put its owner in contact with a supposed Arab sheik who wanted to buy a huge amount of jewellery for his wives.
In December 2009, the fake sheik and a man identified as his banker met with a female employee of the jewellery shop at a business centre to pay for jewels worth 10.5 million euros.
"As the bundles were being counted, they were placed in the drawers of a desk. But the desk had a false bottom and inside it was hidden a short person who replaced the bundles of real money with bundles in which only the top and bottom bills were real," the statement said.
When the jewellery store employee began to inspect the bundles of cash the suspects shoved her and threatened to kill her before running away with the jewellery.
"Among the jewels that were stolen was a tiara that may have belonged to Eva Peron," the statement said.
Italian police revealed some of the details of the discovery of the jewels on June 23. At the time they said they were confident that they would be able to recover more of the jewels that were stolen by the group.

A record 17 Pinoys through to last 64 in world 9 ball

The Philippines showed why it is one of the greatest pool-playing nations in the world when Filipino cue players accounted for 17 of the 64 players left in World 9 Ball Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Antonio Gabica, Caneda Villamor, Roberto Gomez, Venancio Tanio, Joven Alba, Israel Rota, Lee Van Corteza, Ronnie Alcano, and Raymond Faraon all won their do-or-die matches in the losers' bracket yesterday to advance to the knockout stage that reels off today with the round of 64.
The nine survivors join Dennis Orcullo, Django Bustamante, Efren "Bata" Reyes, Carlo Biado, Oliver Medenilla, Jeff De Luna, Allan Cuartero and Antonio Lining, who earlier advanced outright after winning their first two group stage matches.
The lone casualty among the 18 Pinoys seeing action in Doha was qualifier Francisco Olita, who dropped a heartbreaking 8-9 knockout match to Soheil Vahedi of Iran. Were it not for that close loss, the Philippines would have gone a perfect 18-for-18 after the group stage.

Photo by Sid Ventura

Nonetheless, accounting for 17 out of the final 64 is still a very impressive — and unprecedented - feat. Longtime pool sportswriter Ted Lerner said in his World Pool Association column that he was pretty sure this was a record for a single country in the world pool championships.
But the hard part begins today as the knockout matches get going, and already, the 17 Filipinos are sure to be reduced to 16 after Medenilla and Corteza drew each other in the upper portion of the round of 64 bracket.
In the same upper half of the bracket, Tanio faces the Netherlands' Nick van den Berg, Biado tangles with Iran's Takhti Zarekani, Gabica squares off against 2001 champ Mika Immonen, Cuartero battles Ahmad Taufiq Murni, and Alba plays Chinese Taipei's Chang Jun Lin.
In the lower half, Alcano is pitted against Chris Orme, Rota battles Chang Yu Lun, Lining plays perennial contender Oliver Ortmann of Germany, Orcullo faces Indonesia's Muhammad Zulfikri, Reyes locks horns with Carlos Cabello, Bustamante battles Sascha-Andrej Tege, De Luna plays Fu Che Wei, Gomez faces the man who beat him in the 2007 championship match, Daryl Peach, and Faraon takes on Stephan Cohen.

Photo by Sid Ventura

Should Orcullo and Reyes hurdle their respective opponents, they will face each other in the round of 32. De Luna and Gomez are also on a collision course in the next round if they win today.
Other contenders who advanced include Niels Feijen of the Netherlands, American Shane Van Boening, England's Darren Appleton, last year's runner-up Kuo Po Cheng of Chinese Taipei, and Germany's Thorsten Hohmann and Ralf Souquet.
In the tournament's biggest shocker so far, Mariusz Skoneczy of Poland ousted former champion Wu Jiaqing of China, 9-8, after Wu incredibly missed an extremely easy shot on the 8 ball in the deciding 17^th rack.

By Sid Ventura | Sportsaholic

Philippines holds Sri Lanka in WCup qualifier

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The Philippines held Sri Lanka to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their World Cup qualifier on Wednesday, with the goals coming either side of halftime.
Hosts Sri Lanka went ahead in the 43rd minute through Chathura Gunarathna but substitute Nate Burkey brought the Philippines level with his goal in the 50th minute.
The result left the Philippines well placed to progress to a second-round match against Kuwait.

US women's World Cup campaign off to winning start

Two-time world champions United States lived up to their status as women's World Cup favourites on Tuesday, beating North Korea 2-0 in their Group C opener.

Lauren Cheney opened the scoring for the Americans in the 54th minute and Rachel Buehler doubled the lead after 76th minutes for Pia Sundhage's team.

The Americans top Group C with three points along with Sweden while North Korea and Colombia have zero points.

The Americans next play Colombia on July 2 in Sinsheim while the Koreans face Sweden the same day in Augsburg.

"It feels great to have played the first 45 minutes, to have made some changes at halftime and do very well in the second half," said Sundhage.

"I am happy with how we scored the goals, how we played, and how strongly we defended. It's a good start."

Her North Korean counterpart was happy with the Asians' first half display.

"Today we played the American team and in the first half I think our team was pretty gutsy," said Kim Kwang Min.

"In the second half we didn't have enough strength left and were unable to implement the tactics we wanted to use."

In front of 21,859 at the Rudolf Harbig Stadium in Dresden American Carli Lloyd had the first chance after 10 minutes with a header off a free kick but Korean keeper Hong Myong Hui was well-placed.

Hong made a better save a minute later from Cheney's long shot as the United States began building up pressure.

North Korea finally had a good chance a minute later but U.S. keeper Hope Solo was well placed at the right post to turn round Kim Su Gyong's attempt for a corner.

The Asians had the most dangerous attack thus far after 38 minutes as Kim passed to Song Jong Sun, who worked free on the right side and got to the touch line before passing across the mouth of the goal.

It beat Solo but there was no Korean there to put the ball away.

Kim made one substitution at half-time, bringing Paek Sol Hui on for Yun Hyon Hi - with Paek moving into the back four and left outside back Ho Un Byol taking a forward position.

The Americans came out after the break showing much more ambition, with Cheney being denied by Hong in the 47th minute.

Shannon Boxx then put a shot just past the far post two minutes later and Abby Wambach finally had a chance, but missed woefully from six yards out after 51 minutes.

North Korea finally succumbed to the pressure when Cheney finally beat Hong to make it 1-0 for the Americans in the 54th minute.

Wambach chipped a ball from the left side over the defence to Cheney, who headed home for her 14th goal in her 40th international.

"When Lauren scored that goal it was like getting the monkey off our backs. We just wanted to score that goal and get it out of the way," said Wambach.

North Korea went close to levelling just two minutes later but Ri Ye Gyong's 16-yard blast struck the crossbar.

The Americans missed a chance to double their advantage after 65 minutes as Wambach's header was deflected by Hong onto the crossbar.

The U.S. finished off their opponents in the 76th minute as Alex Krieger sent a cross from the right which struck the crossbar, the ball rebounded to Buehler, who struck the ball just inside the near post for her second career goal.

By David Hein | AFP News – Wed, Jun 29, 2011

North Koreans played despite lightning strike: coach

North Korea's women's football coach Kim Kwang Min claimed several players had played in the opening 2-0 World Cup loss to two-time champions United States on Tuesday still suffering from the effects of being struck by lightning at a pre-tournament training camp.

"Frankly speaking, when we were having training and test matches before we left for this tournament, five of the players were hit by lightning and were in hospital," said Kim, through an interpreter in the post-game press conference.

"We had an accident in Pyongyang before we left for this tournament. Some of the players were left behind. Some were in hospital and came later. Until now they were not fully treated for the match."

Kim said the incident occurred on June 8.

Kim added that the players most affected were the goalkeeper, four defenders and some midfield players - without naming them.

The coach said doctors had originally decided that they were not in a fit state to play but that they played anyway.

Kim also praised his players' performance under these circumstances.

"The fact that they played in this match is abnormal. It is the result of their very powerful and strong will."

The news hit FIFA media officials like a lightning bolt as well.

"It was news to us all," said FIFA media officer Julie Brown at the U.S. press conference when journalists asked for the Americans' opinions of the North Korean revelation.

By Robert Michael | AFP News – 1 hour 45 minutes ago

Transformers: Dark of the Moon starts screening June 29

MANILA, Philippines—The trailer for the latest Transformers film which had a cryptic beginning must have kept fanatics of the well-known science fiction film franchise on their seats.

But the waiting will soon be over as the third installment to the Transformers series starts screening June 29. Join Shia LaBeouf as he reprises his role as Sam Witwicky for Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon to hit Philippine theaters beginning June 29.

The movie takes its viewers back to a mysterious event from the Earth’s past that threatens to bring a massive war which the Transformers may not be able to handle alone.

By: Karen Boncocan
INQUIRER.net

Ice cream, ‘balut’ vendor succeeds ‘siomai’ peddler

Until recently, to make ends meet, Marcelito Pomoy spent his mornings selling ice cream, and his nights peddling balut in Imus, Cavite, his hometown. That’s about to change. The 25-year-old singer won ABS-CBN’s reality talent search, “Pilipinas Got Talent 2,” at the Araneta Coliseum Sunday night.

Besting 13 other contenders, a tearful Marcelito raised his fist in triumph upon being declared grand champion by “PGT2” judges Kris Aquino, Ai Ai de las Alas and Freddie Garcia. Voice trembling, he thanked all his supporters.

In contrast to Season 1 winner Jovit Baldivino’s (a former siomai peddler) landslide victory, this year’s title was fiercely contested. Marcelito barely edged out the tap-dancing brothers Happy Feet, with 19.56 and 18.32 percent, respectively, of the total nationwide votes. Third placer was the high-flying dance crew Freestylers, from Calamba, Laguna, with 9.46 percent.

Dubbed “Male Diva” by fans for his ability to sing à la Regine Velasquez, Marcelito has been a favorite since the auditions phase for his impressive renditions of “Narito Ako,” “Sana Maulit Muli,” and “Hanggang Ngayon.”

At the show’s end, Marcelito gave an encore of his winning piece from the night prior, “The Prayer,” originally recorded by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli. Stage fireworks cascading behind him, Marcelito was feted with a standing ovation and rousing cheers as he tackled the inspirational duet by seamlessly switching from a high female voice to a suave baritone and back.

MARCELITO sings his winning piece. Photo by Arnold Almacen

Marcelito was handed a check worth P2 million. The second and third placers received P100,000 each, and the 11 others, P50,000 apiece.

The finalists also got to perform onstage with Gary Valenciano, Zsazsa Padilla, 6cyclemind, Aiza Seguerra, John Prats, Rayver Cruz, Gab Valenciano and Jhong Hilario.

Success made sweeter

More than the money and the prospect of fame, Marcelito’s win was made memorable by a recent reunion with his estranged family.

Marcelito was just six months old when his mother, Anicita, left him and his three siblings with their father, Mario, who was in jail. For two years, the children lived in prison. Then their father decided to put them up for adoption.

Last year, Marcelito found his father in his native Surigao del Sur and, more recently, his mother and siblings in Manila.

Asked what it felt like to perform for his family, Marcelito said, speaking in straight Filipino, “I just prayed that they’d be proud of me. I had long dreamt of coming to Manila to find all of them. I’m very, very happy that I finally did. I hope we can forgive one another and get along well together, after all these years.”

Worthy opponents

TAP-DANCING brothers Happy Feet. Photo by Arnold Almacen

The other finalists proved to be worthy competitors with world-class talents.

The Freestylers opened grand finals performance night on Saturday with an exciting blend of acrobatics and breakdancing. Members of the audience held their breath as the dance troupe pulled off a series of death-defying stunts, highlighted by tucked double somersault dismounts.

Happy Feet, from Libona, Bukidnon, was a sentimental favorite. Brothers Ramonito and Lourdito brought judge De las Alas to tears with their finale competition number, Whigfield’s “Close To You.”

Dancing magician Rico Sanorjo, 60, gave the audience quite a scare when he impaled his wife with a spear. To resounding cheers, Rico also produced two geese from thin air, put them in a steel cage, then turned them into a 70-kilogram python. Fellow magician and last year’s finalist, Alakim, was spotted in the crowd, nodding in approval.

Angel Calalas, 22, dubbed “Queen of Hula Hoops,” twirled flaming rings around her arms and waist and drew gasps when she was hoisted up for an airborne exhibition.

TAGS:Entertainment , Marcelito Pomoy , Pilipinas Got Talent , Television

By: Allan Policarpio
Philippine Daily Inquirer