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UAAP: Ready vs La Salle defense, PJ Palacielo sparks NU win

Having faced La Salle before in the preseason, National University big man PJ Palacielo already had an idea of what to expect the next time the Bulldogs faced the Green Archers.

Both teams met again on Sunday in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament and Palacielo seemed to have it all figured out. ‘Since our preseason games, I was already stressing how I’d get through the La Salle defense,’ Palacielo said on Sunday after giving NU a big lift in an 82-78 victory over La Salle at Quadricentennial Pavilion that hiked the Bulldogs’ league-leading record to 5-1.

‘They throw out zones, double or even triple teams so earlier, I just visualized whatever situation the coaches would give me,’ he added.

Palacielo was a spark off the bench, scoring 16 points on 60 percent shooting from the field. He also came up big on the defensive end as he had a hand in slowing down La Salle’s dynamic forward Mike Phillips. Phillips still registered 15 points and 16 rebounds, but he went just 6-of-14 from the field and fouled out late in the game.

‘They told me they’d give me the ball and it’s my responsibility to handle the ball when it’s with me,’ said Palacielo. ‘I just read what they were doing until I got my confidence.’

PBA: Terrafirma upsets NLEX, gives coach Ronald Tubid his first win

Terrafirma stunned NLEX, 97-91, to hand rookie coach Ronald Tubid his first victory in the PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday at Ynares Center here.

The Dyip drew a big performance from neophyte JM Bravo, the sixth-round pick in last month’s Draft, as he fired 18 points with eight rebounds to help deny the Road Warriors a 2-0 start in the all-Filipino tournament. Both teams now hold identical 1-1 slates, with Terrafirma bouncing back from Friday’s 107-87 defeat at the hands of Blackwater.

Bravo sparked the Dyip’s third quarter runaway and led by double figures before weathering the Road Warriors comeback in the final minutes.

Jerrick Ahanmisi’s layup off Xyrus Torres gave Terrafirma a breather at 95-91 with 37.1 seconds left, after the lead shrank to two behind JB Bahio. Ahanmisi added 14 in his second game since being acquired by Terrafirma from Magnolia in the offseason. Bahio and Torres had 14 points apiece, the former grabbing 11 boards, for the Road Warriors, who are still without Robert Bolick as he continues to mourn the passing of his father in the United States.

Next up for Terrafirma is against Converge on Oct. 22 at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, while NLEX plays Phoenix on the same playdate.

Solon asks to probe into alleged sexual harassment in Manila council

Laguna Representative and House Committee on Women and Gender Equality (CWGE) Chair Rene Ann Matibag on Saturday filed a resolution to look into the implementation of the Safe Spaces Act in local governments following an accusation that a Manila councilor sexually harassed his fellow councilor.

‘The investigation is not just about the case. It’s about sending a clear message that sexual harassment, whether on the streets, online, or in the halls of power, will never be tolerated,’ Matibag said.

‘Every office from the barangay hall to the city council to Congress itself, must be a safe, respectful, and gender-sensitive space. Under the Safe Spaces Act, all government offices are mandated to adopt and enforce measures to prevent gender-based sexual harassment,’ the lawmaker added.

Matibag also warned that officials who fail to implement this law may be administratively sanctioned. Moreover, Matibag condemned sexual harassment, especially in government, calling for the enforcement of the Safe Spaces Act and the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees among local governments and legislative bodies.

She also commended Castro for speaking out, saying, ‘coming forward in such circumstances is never easy, and it takes great strength to stand for one’s dignity and truth.’ Manila Councilor Eunice Castro, in a privilege speech on Thursday, alleged that her fellow councilor, Ryan Ponce, had been harassing her through text messages and even asking Castro to ‘reveal more,’ referring to her clothing during a council session. In the same session, Ponce apologized to Castro saying in Filipino: ‘I stand here not to defend myself. I stand here to wholeheartedly, humbly apologize for what I did, for what I said.’

UAAP: Games vs former teams light fire under Gani Stevens

There were two important University of the Philippines games that seemed to have molded Gani Stevens into the beast he’s shaping up to be in UAAP Season 88.

Interestingly, it was those games against his former schools, University of Santo Tomas and University of the East, which allowed Stevens to show what he’s truly capable of. In the Fighting Maroons’ 69-66 win over Far Eastern University at Quadricentennial Pavilion on Sunday, Stevens revealed that his outing against the University of Santo Tomas and the University of the East allowed him to go on a different gear for UP.

‘In that game against UST, I felt embarrassed. I felt ashamed in front of my teammates and coaches, but I know how I should’ve played that game,’ Stevens said after lifting UP over Far Eastern University, 69-66, on Sunday in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament.

‘I know what kind of player I am. I shouldn’t have performed like that.’ Stevens was referring to the Fighting Maroons’ season-opening beatdown at the hands of the Growling Tigers, where he went scoreless. Determined to redeem himself, Stevens vented his ire on the Red Warriors the following game.

‘It’s kind of ironic, but the game where I really turned the corner was against UE. We had a lot of energy in that game and from then on, I just tried to keep on building and improving,’ said the Filipino-American big man.

Against UE, Stevens recorded a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds in UP’s 92-75 rout.

The 6-foot-7 Stevens committed to UST back in April 2022 but bolted the Tigers and transferred to the Warriors just four months later. He played one season at UE before moving to UP in June 2023.

After NU win in UAAP, Jeff Napa helps steer Terrafirma to victory

Jeff Napa completed a double victory on Sunday after making it in time to help Terrafirma secure an upset of NLEX in the PBA Philippine Cup here.

Napa rushed from the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion, where he steered National University past La Salle in the UAAP, to help out coach Ronald Tubid and fellow assistant Jaren Jarencio guide Terrafirma to a 97-91 win at Ynares Center. The victory served as a big bounce-back performance from the Dyip, who two nights earlier suffered a 107-87 loss to the Blackwater Bossing to begin the season.

Terrafirma improved to 1-1.

While tasked as lead assistant, Napa was seen several times drawing up plays during timeouts and shouting instructions to players as if he’s the one calling the shots for Terrafirma. But that can be said as well on Jarencio, who did the same thing when the situation arose. Tubid, however, has taken a democratic approach while also providing his own inputs.

Hours earlier, Napa and NU defeated La Salle, 82-78, to regain the solo lead in the UAAP with a 5-1 record.

PBA: Phoenix hangs on to win, San Miguel off to rare 0-2 start

Phoenix sent San Miguel Beer to a 0-2 start in the PBA Philippine Cup after coming away with a 109-103 victory on Sunday night at Ynares Center here.

Heroes were plenty as the Fuel Masters displayed steely resolve despite the Beermen rallying from a 10-point halftime deficit to eventually hand Willy Wilson his first win at the helm. The Fuel Masters improved to 1-1 after opening the conference with a 93-78 loss to the TNT Tropang 5G two nights earlier in Rodriguez.

Ricci Rivero topscored with 16 points while new additions Evan Nelle, Yousef Taha and Prince Caperal had their share of contributions on both ends for Phoenix, which led by as many as 16 in the fourth quarter before staving off a late rally by SMB.

Taha did the yeoman’s job of containing June Mar Fajardo, though the nine-time Most Valuable Player was still able to come up with 19 points and 22 rebounds. But the Beermen dropped their second in a row for the first time since the 2021-22 Governors’ Cup. It is also their first 0-2 record in the all-Filipino since the 2009-10 season. Don Trollano and CJ Perez added 18 and 17 points, respectively, for San Miguel, which pulled within four a couple of times down the stretch.

Phoenix’s next game is on Oct. 22 against NLEX at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, while San Miguel tries to finally get on the winning column next Sunday in a faceoff with Rain or Shine in Rodriguez.

Less people are dying all over the world – Report

A report by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) reveals that the global mortality rate has declined by 67 per cent since 1950, in spite of population growth and aging.

The study, which covered 204 countries and territories as well as 660 subnational locations between 1990 and 2023 was published in The Lancet medical journal and released on its website on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the findings were presented and unveiled at the ongoing World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany, holding from Sunday to Tuesday.

According to the report, global life expectancy has returned to pre-pandemic levels, rising by more than 20 years since 1950 to 76.3 years for females and 71.5 years for males.

The study, however, highlighted of wide regional disparities, with life expectancy ranging from as high as 83 years in high-income regions to as low as 62 years in sub-Saharan Africa.

While global health indicators had improved, the report warned of an emerging crisis of higher death rates among adolescents and young adults.

It attributed the rise to suicide and substance use in North and Latin America and to infectious diseases and unintentional injuries in sub-Saharan Africa.

It said that between 2011 and 2023, the highest increase in deaths was recorded among those aged 20 to 39 in high-income North America, largely due to suicide, drug overdose and excessive alcohol use.

The report also noted that deaths among those aged 5 to 19 rose in Eastern Europe, high-income North America and the Caribbean within the same period.

It said that while the global mean age at death increased from 46.4 in 1990 to 62.9 years in 2023, geographic inequities were profound.

‘The highest mean age of death was recorded in the high-income super-region, with females reaching 80.5 years and males at 74.4 years.

‘The lowest mean age of death was in sub-Saharan Africa, with females at 37.1 years and males at 34.8 years.

‘The all-cause probability of dying before age 70 decreased across each GBD super-region and region from 2000 to 2023, with drug use disorders as one of the leading causes.

‘ In sub-Saharan Africa, the probability increased for many Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD), and the mean age of death from NCDs was lower than expected,’it stated.

According to the report, new data and methods uncovered higher mortality among girls and women (ages 15-29 years) in sub-Saharan Africa is 61 per cent greater than previously reported.

In Nigeria, it showed that fewer people were dying now than in 1990, showing better health and longer lives for both men and women.

It revealed a significant decline in the age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) between 1990 and 2023.

Data showed that the rate for both sexes dropped from 1,722.41 deaths per 100,000 people in 1990 to 1,085.19 in 2023.

For males, it fell from 1,846.59 to 1,182.86, while for females, it declined from 1,599.20 to 1,003.34, indicating improved health outcomes and increased life expectancy across the population.

It noted that tremendous progress has been made in slashing many infectious diseases and injuries and in improving the health of newborns, but cuts to development assistance for health threaten this success.

The report explained that more children aged 5 to 14 in sub-Saharan Africa died between 1950 and 2021 than earlier estimates showed, mainly due to respiratory infections, tuberculosis, other diseases and unintentional injuries.

The report revealed that deaths among young women aged 15 to 29 in sub-Saharan Africa were 61 per cent higher than earlier estimates, mainly due to maternal mortality, road injuries and meningitis.

It stated that many countries particularly those with the fewest resources-need better access to prevention and treatment for non-communicable diseases.

According to the report NCDs account for nearly two-thirds of the world’s total death and disability, led by ischemic heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

It stated that half of the world’s disease burden was preventable and driven by 88 modifiable risks, with the top three being high blood pressure, air pollution and smoking.

It further noted that the burden of mental disorders continued to surge globally, with anxiety and depression increasing death and disability by 63 per cent and 26 per cent respectively.

NAN reports that the study was led by Dr Christopher Murray, Director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine alongside its GBD Collaborator Network.

The researchers collected and analysed data and produced estimates for 375 diseases and injuries and 88 risk factors by age and sex from 1990 to 2023.

The Lancet is a peer-reviewed medical journal founded in 1823 in the United Kingdom covering global health, medicine and public health policy.

NARD, NMCN order hospitals to treat gunshot victims before police report

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) have reiterated calls for hospitals to treat gunshot victims immediately without requesting for police reports.

Both organisations issued the reminder during interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, following recurring reports of hospitals neglecting gunshot victims in emergencies.

NAN reports that the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Wounds Act, signed into law in 2017, mandates prompt treatment by all hospitals, public or private, without requiring police documentation.

Section 7 of the Act states that any person or authority whose omission leads to unnecessary death of a gunshot victim may face five years of imprisonment, a N500,000 fine, or both.

The Nigerian Police Force, in a circular dated Oct. 25, 2023, directed all personnel to comply with the Act’s provisions immediately, reiterating that no delay in treatment is permissible.

Dr Mohammad Suleiman, National President of NARD, condemned the refusal to treat victims as ‘unacceptable,’ citing both the law and the Federal Ministry of Health’s directive on emergency care.

Suleiman stated that some doctors might be unaware of the law and stressed that NARD educated members regularly through Continuing Medical Education programmes on legal matters affecting medical practice.

Speaking on his experience, Suleiman said: ‘Where I practice in Katsina, we treat first. The police pick up the process. Our role as doctors is to save lives, not judge.’

Although unaware of recent denial cases, Suleiman encouraged citizens to report such incidents for investigation, emphasising that all emergency patients must be treated regardless of administrative or monetary concerns.

He warned that rejecting patients in emergencies was criminal and unethical.

‘Offending doctors should be referred to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) disciplinary tribunal for sanctions.

‘Our training is anchored on life protection, not profit. Any doctor who turns away a patient in critical condition for monetary reasons must be held accountable,’ Suleiman emphasised.

He applauded the ministry’s efforts to strengthen emergency response systems and reminded the public that the MDCN tribunal had powers equivalent to a Federal High Court in disciplinary matters.

Registrar of the NMCN, Mr Ndagi Alhassan, noted that some nurses acted based on restrictive hospital policies, even though those policies might contradict Federal Government directives on emergency treatment.

‘In some hospitals, policy demands documentation before care, but nurses must prioritise life. With the federal directive, saving the patient comes first, then documentation can follow,’ Alhassan explained.

Alhassan advised nurses to stabilise gunshot victims immediately and handle documentation later.

‘That’s the ethical, professional, and lawful approach nurses must follow in life-threatening emergencies,’ he stated.

Vatican: Man turns St Peter’s altar to toilet in front of worshippers

Hundreds of worshippers were left horrified on Friday morning after a man brazenly urinated on the Altar of Confession inside St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City’s holiest Catholic site.

The disturbing act took place around 9 a.m., according to the New York Post, when the unidentified man scaled the steps of the sacred altar where the Pope traditionally celebrates mass, dropped his pants, and urinated in full view of stunned tourists and worshippers.

Videos circulating online show the man calmly pulling up his jeans moments after the act before Vatican police tackled and escorted him out of the basilica. It remains unclear if he has been detained or charged.

The incident has been described as a grave desecration of one of Christianity’s most revered sites. Sources told the Post that Pope Leo XIV was ‘deeply shocked’ upon learning of the event, though the Holy See Press Office has yet to issue an official statement.

The Altar of Confession, located directly above St Peter’s tomb, is reserved exclusively for papal masses and key liturgical ceremonies.

This is not the first time the altar has been defiled. Earlier this year, a man smashed several candelabras on the same spot, and in June 2023, a Polish protester stripped naked atop the altar with ‘Save children of Ukraine’ scrawled across his back. That incident prompted Vatican officials to re-sanctify the altar in a special penitential rite.

Adesua Etomi speaks on post-partum struggles

Nollywood actress Adesua Etomi-Wellington, has opened up on some of the struggles she faces after birthing her second son, Zekiah.

While celebrating his birthday with an heartfelt post on Instagram, Adesua opened up on the struggles of motherhood.

She expressed her gratitude to God for the life of her son, adding that his presence in her life and marriage has been a blessing.

‘We can’t believe today is your first birthday, Zekiah. We are all deeply in love with you, our strong-willed baby, our sunshine, our bundle of joy with a PhD in facial expressions. You are evidence of God’s faithfulness. He is indeed a promise keeper. You are so beautiful and have brought so much joy and laughter into our home. You are proof that God still answers prayers. but also steals your sleep. Proof that one can rule the house with maximum authority and two teeth,’ she wrote.

Adesua, however, added that despite the struggles she encountered during and after pregnancy, she would do it all again for her children. The actress also revealed that she suffered hair loss after birthing her second son.