Inquirer

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Cotabato, Philippines — More than 4,000 houses and buildings in Cotabato and Davao del Sur provinces were damaged by Wednesday’s 6.3-magnitude quake.   Makilala is one of the three areas in North Cotabato hardest hit by the tremor. The two others were Kidapawan City and Tulunan, identified by Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology as the epicenter.   About 2,250 residential homes and government buildings were damaged by the quake in Makilala.   Makilala Mayor Armando Quibod said at least 83,000 people in 38 villages have been affected by the quake, the strongest experienced in the town, so far.   Epicenter &nbsp…

Keep on reading: Quake damages 4,000 structures

President Donald Trump said Friday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had assured him that he wants the “ceasefire” with Kurdish militants in northern Syria to work. Trump, in a series of tweets, said he had spoken to Erdogan and “he very much wants the ceasefire, or pause, to work. “Likewise, the Kurds want it, and the ultimate solution, to happen,” the US president said. “There is goodwill on both sides & a really good chance for success,” he said. “The U.S. has secured the Oil, & the ISIS Fighters are double secured by Kurds & Turkey.” Trump also said that “some” European countries, which he did not name, “are now willing, for the first time, to tak…

Keep on reading: Trump Says Erdogan Told Him He Wants Ceasefire

ANTIPOLO CITY—University of Santo Tomas was all business in handling National University, scoring an 88-76 victory in Season 82 of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament at Ynares Center here on Saturday. The Growling Tigers, whose ace forward Rhenz Abando was recently reported to be the subject of being recruited by a rival school, played without distractions and rose to 7-6 while sending the Bulldogs reeling to a league-worst 2-9 and out of Final Four contention. Far Eastern University repeated over La Salle, 81-60, in the second game and claimed solo fourth as jockeying for playoff position nears fever pitch with the elimination round heading to its homestretch. The Tamaraws …

Keep on reading: Totally focused

Who knew something so embarrassing could happen to Playful Celebrity (PC)? While whispering sweet nothings to her Borrowed Man (BM) during sex, PC found herself in a “tight and sticky” fix when BM, apparently in reaction to unrelenting excitement, suddenly turned rigid. And we’re not just talking about consummation of the libidinous sort, mind you. BM had a stroke even before he could finish what he started! In a sudden state of panic, SS didn’t know what to do. So, she dialed the number of BM’s wife for immediate assistance, before the debilitating medical emergency could turn worse than it already was. To cut a long story short, PC and BM were caught in flagrante delicto. T…

Keep on reading: Caught–and stuck–in a ‘tight and sticky’ fix

MANILA, Philippines–Mo Tautuaa, San Miguel Beer’s latest acquisition for its bid for a Triple Crown season, wouldn’t want people to get their hopes up on him just yet. “So far, so good,” he said shortly after the Beermen’s practice at Acropolis Clubhouse on Saturday. “I’m trying to fit in where they need me so far, but you can’t really tell until you have a game.” Tautuaa, the first overall draft pick in 2015, joined the vaunted club Monday last week in a shocker of a deal that shipped another top draft choice in Christian Standhardinger to NorthPort. Tautuaa, who is having a sort of a career resurgence with regards to production, knows that people are giddy about the Beerme…

Keep on reading: Mo Tautuaa ready for any role that San Miguel needs

PHILADELPHIA — The crowd screamed for Ben Simmons to shoot as he dribbled near the perimeter in a preseason game against a team from China. Joel Embiid motioned for him to let it fly. Simmons took a couple more steps, stopped and popped. Swish. Fans celebrated Simmons’ first career 3-pointer as if the Philadelphia 76ers had just won Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Embiid ran over and hugged him, teammates rushed the court and the internet went wild. It’s been nearly impossible to mention Simmons without adding jump shot in the conversation since his debut in October 2017. The 23-year-old Simmons is considered one of the best players in the world despite his reluctance to shoot…

Keep on reading: Not giving up his shot: Ben Simmons’ jumper could lift 76ers

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks were a couple wins from beating Toronto. The Philadelphia 76ers were maybe a couple bounces from doing it a round earlier. Neither team was good enough to finish the job last season, but both think this is their time after Kawhi Leonard went back to the Western Conference. That left the NBA champions weakened and the Bucks and 76ers looking like the favorites to represent the East in the NBA Finals — where perhaps they’d have to deal with Leonard again. The Bucks appeared headed there in 2018-19, right up until midway through the East finals. Milwaukee had the league’s best record at 60-22, with Antetokounmpo eventually winning…

Keep on reading: Bucks, 76ers eye NBA East title with Leonard back in the West

Paul Dano (“There Will Be Blood”) will play classic comic book villain The Riddler, joining a cast led by Robert Pattinson. Robert Pattinson stars as the caped crusader himself, with Zoe Kravitz set to play Selina Kyle a.k.a. Catwoman, and Jeffrey Wright on board as Batman’s ally Commissioner Gordon. Created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, the Riddler, also known as Edward Nygma, or “E. Nigma” is a Gotham City criminal mastermind who likes to incorporate riddles into his schemes, leaving mysterious puzzles and clues for Batman and the authorities to solve. Frank Gorshin and John Astin played the villain in the 1960s TV series, while Jim Carrey played him in 1995’s “Batman Fo…

Keep on reading: Paul Dano cast as The Riddler in ‘The Batman’

MANILA, Philippines—National University hauled in its fourth straight women’s title after a 6-0 sweep in the UAAP Season 82 taekwondo tournament at Blue Eagle Gym Friday. The Lady Bulldogs finished off their gold medal campaign with tough victories over University of Santo Tomas, 5-2, and University of the Philippines, 4-3. Bantamweight Baby Cabanal, the 2015 Rookie of the Year, emerged as the Season MVP for NU. “I’m ecstatic because for the whole four years that I’ve been here we were the champions and I was fortunate to be part of those teams,” said Cabanal in Filipino. The Lady Tiger Jins settled for the silver with a 5-1 record while the Lady Maroons got the bronze …

Keep on reading: NU women’s team wins 4th straight UAAP taekwondo title

MANILA, Philippines–TNT is not leaving anything to chance in its quest for a PBA title this year. The KaTropa, who fell to San Miguel Beer in the Commissioner’s Cup Finals, traded away Brian Heruela to acquire Blackwater sniper Mike DiGregorio in a one-for-one trade Saturday morning. “Three-point shooting is a huge part of our offense, and we have identified Mike as one of the most consistent in the PBA,” coach Bong Ravena told the Inquirer. “[We get a veteran in] DiGregorio,” active consultant Mark Dickel said in a separate interview. “He will also be good in our defensive system.” DiGregorio, who has been averaging 10.8 points and shooting 65% from deep this tournament…

Keep on reading: TNT adds another shooter in DiGregorio, trades Heruela to Blackwater