NBA: Antetokounmpo drops 30 in Bucks' win over Knicks

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 11 of his 30 points in the third quarter as the Milwaukee Bucks seized control and recorded a 109-95 Christmas Day victory over the host New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Antetokounmpo recorded his 13th 30-point game of the season and added 14 rebounds for his 22nd double-double, but it was his performance in the third that helped the Bucks get a win in their first appearance on Christmas since facing the Kansas City Kings in 1977.

He also became the first Milwaukee player to score 30 on Christmas Day since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1972.

Milwaukee won for the fifth time in six games overall.

Coming off a season-low nine points Saturday in Miami, Antetokounmpo made 5 of 6 shots in the third when the Bucks shot 65 percent (15 of 23) and outscored New York 36-22.

He hit two layups, converted a dunk and hit two jumpers during the decisive quarter and helped the Bucks avenge a 136-134 overtime loss in New York on Dec. 1 when they blew a 16-point lead.

Brook Lopez added 20 points for the Bucks, who shot 54.7 percent while outscoring the Knicks 61-49 in a flawless second half.

Malcolm Brogdon contributed 17 points while Thon Maker chipped in 12 to help Milwaukee compensate for a rough showing by Khris Middleton, who shot 2 of 12 and scored six points.

Rookie Kevin Knox scored 21 points for the Knicks, who dropped their sixth straight Christmas Day game since beating Boston in 2011. Knox shot 8 of 20 as New York shot 36.5 percent overall while losing its fifth straight and 10th in 11 games since the overtime win over Milwaukee.

After holding a 48-46 lead after a ragged first half, the Bucks took control early in the third.

Antetokounmpo scored six points in the first 4:19 of the third and gave Milwaukee a 62-54 advantage on a thunderous dunk following a steal by Brogdon. A little over two minutes later, the Bucks took their first double-digit lead at 69-58 on a transition hoop by Antetokounmpo.

Milwaukee expanded its lead to 77-61 when Sterling Brown hit a 3-pointer with 2 1/2 minutes remaining, breaking a string of 17 straight missed 3-pointers. A dunk by Maker, a corner 3-pointer by George Hill and another basket by Maker helped stake Milwaukee to an 84-68 lead entering the fourth.

Antetokounmpo returned with 8:25 remaining when Milwaukee held a 90-75 lead, and the advantage was never below the 13 the rest of the way.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

A hot Christmas in Australia

Tourists and locals stand near a Christmas tree as they celebrate Christmas Day on Sydney's Bondi Beach in Australia. Unlike in the northern hemisphere where it is winter now, Australia's  summer season starts in December. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Lakers down undermanned Clippers

The Los Angeles Lakers took advantage of the Los Angeles Clippers' injury woes as they claimed a 111-102 victory over their neighbors in the final game of the NBA's 2016 Christmas Day schedule.

With Chris Paul and Blake Griffin out due to various injuries, the Lakers were able to snap an 11-game losing streak against the Clippers and improve to 12-22 in the season. The win also ended their four-game slide.

All five starters scored in double digits for the Lakers, with Nick Young and Timofey Mozgov each tallying 19 points. Luol Deng had a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Julius Randle flashed his all-around game with 13 points, seven boards, and eight assists.

After trailing by three points, 55-58, at the half, the Lakers used an 11-0 run to open the third quarter to seize control of the game. They wound up outscoring the Clippers, 34-16, in the frame to take an 89-74 lead heading into the final quarter.

The Clippers opened the fourth frame with 11 unanswered points of their own to come to within four, 85-89, with nine minutes left to play, but free throws by Deng and Lou Williams, as well as lay-up by Jordan Clarkson afforded the Lakers some breathing room.

The Lakers restored a double-digit lead when Williams got inside the paint for a lay-up with 3:40 left to make it 103-92, and the Lakers cruised from there.

JJ Redick led the Clippers with 22 points, making four of his seven triples, but had to sit out the final frame due to a sore left hamstring. Jamal Crawford also had 22 points off the bench, while DeAndre Jordan had seven points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.

The Clippers now have a 27-5 win-loss record.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Warriors fret on Curry's fitness

Reigning NBA MVP Stephen Curry could be headed for an absence due to a left leg injury, Golden State Warriors interim coach Luke Walton said on Tuesday.

Curry, who played through a right calf injury during a Christmas Day game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, did not practise on Tuesday because of his ailment.

He is listed as questionable for Wednesday's game against the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State are set to take on Houston Rockets on Thursday.


"There's a chance that he won't play in one or both," Walton told the San Jose Mercury News.

"That's probably going to be a game-time decision or at least determined on how he's feeling tomorrow."

After a breakout MVP campaign last season, Curry has ascended to even greater heights this time and leads the league in scoring with 30.5 points per game.

Champions Warriors (29-1) are off to the best start in NBA history but after steering clear of major injuries a season ago their health is now being tested.

Starting forward Harrison Barnes has been out for the past 13 games, shooting guard Klay Thompson missed a contest earlier this season and coach Steve Kerr (back surgeries) has yet to take the sideline.

Now Golden State's ultimate catalyst, Curry, is in question.

"He hasn't said anything except for he wants to play," Walton said.

"Even (Monday) in the game when I saw him in the game limping, and I tried to take him out, he gave the wave-off and said that it was fine."

(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Man dies after blowing up condom machine

A man died on Christmas Day in Germany after he was hit in the head by a flying piece of metal from a condom machine that he and two accomplices blew up in an apparent robbery attempt, police said on Monday.

The 29-year-old man was taken to hospital in the western town of Schoeppingen, near the Dutch border, by the two other men who fled the scene of the explosion in a car, leaving behind condoms and money scattered around the gutted vending machine.

The two men told hospital officials that their friend had fallen down the stairs, injuring his head. Suspicious of their story, the officials called the police.

During questioning, police said, one of them admitted that the three had blown up the condom machine, and that their cohort was hit in the head by metal as he tried to take cover from the explosion.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

WATCH: Americans try balut for the first time

MANILA - Most Filipinos love balut. But do Americans share the same sentiment for the local dish BuzzFeed described as "a fertilized duck egg that is boiled in the shell"?

On Christmas Day, the entertainment website aimed to find that out. Some of the taste testers were hesitant to try it at first. But after doing so, nearly all were in agreement that "it wasn't as bad" as they thought it would be.

"I never thought I would say these words: The fetus tastes good," quipped one taste tester. "I was a little bit anxious for my first time but I don't think this is that bad," added another.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Christmas Day cleanup after storms kill 14 in US

CHICAGO, United States - Rescue workers and heartbroken residents on Friday sifted through what was left of homes wiped out by several ferocious storms and tornadoes that killed at least 14 people in southeastern United States.

The storms, feeding on unseasonably warm air, left a trail of destruction in rural communities from Alabama to Illinois, just as Christmas reached its crescendo.

More than a dozen tornadoes were reported in six states, with the southern states of Mississippi and Alabama hardest hit. Seven people were confirmed dead there and another 60 injured, with one person missing, said the Mississippi emergency management agency.

"We are experiencing some flash flooding today, with storms coming through right now in five counties. And damage assessments are still ongoing," the emergency agency's Brett Carr told AFP.

Among the Mississippi dead was a seven-year-old boy who was killed when a storm picked up and tossed the car he was travelling in, fire chief Kenny Holbrook told reporters in the town of Holly Springs, where thousands greeted Christmas Day without power.

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency in seven counties after the storms caused widespread damage.

Governor Robert Bentley also declared a state of emergency across Alabama on Friday to deal with the effects of the storm.

Hours after the declaration, a tornado touched down in Birmingham, Alabama, the state's most populous city, uprooting trees, tearing off roofs and injuring three people, local media reported.

Six fatalities were confirmed in Tennessee, including three people found dead Thursday in a car submerged in a creek, according to the fire department in Columbia, Tennessee.

Another person was killed in Arkansas.

Georgia's governor declared a state of emergency in counties affected by the severe weather.

- Cleanup volunteers wanted –
Debris from ravaged buildings and other structures littered roads, making them impassable in parts of the southeast.

Officials across the affected region were inviting volunteers to help clean up or make donations as people who fled returned to their homes to see what, if anything, was still standing.

Television footage and pictures posted on social media showed homes flattened across the affected states, with possessions and Christmas presents strewn on the ground or left in a messy heap.

Power lines, trees and mobile phone towers were also toppled.

Therese Apel, a reporter at Mississippi's Clarion-Ledger newspaper, spoke with a north Mississippi family hard hit by the violent weather.

"The Wilkins family lost everything, but they told me, 'It's still Christmas. It's about family and being grateful,'" Apel posted on Twitter.

The worst appeared to be over, but forecasters at the National Weather Service warned severe weather was possible in several states including Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma. Flash floods in the US southeast were also a possibility.

The East Coast meanwhile was enjoying unseasonably warm weather, with temperatures in New York's iconic Central Park peaking at 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 Celsius) Thursday, the warmest Christmas Eve since records began in 1871.

The location set a Christmas Day record with temperatures reaching 66 degrees (19 Celsius) on Friday.

Atlanta, Georgia was also expected to set a record with temperatures reaching 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 Celsius).

The opposite was happening in other areas of the country.

"Ho Ho Ho! Vegas got snow!" reported the National Weather Service before dawn Friday, saying the trace of white tied the record set in 1941 for Christmas Day snow in normally balmier Las Vegas. That record was also tied in 1988 and 2008.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

WATCH: Kobe Bryant's Christmas Day mixtape

Check out NBA's collection of Kobe Bryant's superb plays from his memorable games on Christmas Day.

The video, "Kobe Bryant's ULTIMATE Christmas Day Mixtape," showcased Bryant's high-flying dunks, quick crossovers, and other highlight plays.

The video was NBA's tribute to the Black Mamba, who has already announced his plan to retire at the end of the 2015-2016 season.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Sony works to restore PlayStation after attack

BOSTON -- Sony Corp worked for a third day on Saturday to restore services to its PlayStation network as the FBI said it was looking into the disruption, which began on Christmas Day.

"We are aware of the reports and are investigating the Sony PlayStation matter," Federal Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Jenny Shearer said via email. She did not elaborate.

Meanwhile, Sony said on Saturday that the attack had prevented some people who received consoles for Christmas from using their new machines on the PlayStation network, which lets gamers compete with people around the world via the Internet.

"If you received a PlayStation console over the holidays and have been unable to log onto the network, know that this problem is temporary and is not caused by your game console," Sony executive Catherine Jensen said on the company's U.S. PlayStation blog.

Some customers posted complaints about the outage on the blog. "Three days without PSN. That's absurd," said one of them.

"We understand your frustration," Jensen responded early Saturday afternoon. "Our engineers are working to restore service as quickly as possible!"

Later in the day she said the company had restored access for some users and would keep bringing more back online. Sony declined to say how many of PSN's 56 millions users had been affected by the attack.

The blog said the problems were the result of "high levels of traffic designed to disrupt connectivity and online game play," which is widely known as a distributed denial-of-service attack.

It was Sony's second recent high-profile encounter with hackers after an unprecedented attack on its Hollywood studio, which the U.S. government attributed to North Korea and linked to the release of the low-brow comedy "The Interview."

A hacker activist group known as Lizard Squad said it was responsible for the PSN outage as well as delays on Microsoft's Corp's Xbox network; Microsoft quickly fixed the problem.

The group has claimed responsibility for previous attacks, including ones on PSN in early December and August.

The August attack coincided with a bomb scare in which Lizard Squad tweeted to American Airlines that it heard explosives were on board a Dallas-to-San Diego flight carrying an executive with Sony Online Entertainment.

Sony has been the victim of some of the most notorious cyberattacks in history. Besides the breach at its Hollywood studio, hackers stole data belonging to 77 million PlayStation Network users in 2011.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

'The Interview' makes first million in roller-coaster release

LOS ANGELES - "The Interview" took in more than $1 million (642,772 pounds) in a limited Christmas Day release, a decent start for the raunchy comedy that appeared dead after Sony Pictures pulled it from theatres last week following a devastating cyberattack blamed on North Korea.

Even though the film was very much in the zeitgeist and also up for rental on YouTube and Google Play, it was unclear whether the Seth Rogan movie would recoup the $44 million it cost to make, or the additional millions spent on marketing.

The comedy, steeped in gross-out, bathroom humour that depicts a fictional plot to assassinate North Korea leader Kim Jong Un, managed to fill a few hundred theatres that made a last-minute push to screen the film.

"They (Sony) got $1 million in sales, that's a nice bit of gravy... knowing the main release isn't happening the way it should be," said Gitesh Pandya, editor of boxofficeguru.com.

"The Interview" was shown in 331 mostly independent theatres in the United States - less than 10 percent of its planned wide release - after major U.S. movie chains balked at showing the movie due to security concerns.

It was expected to gross at least $20 million over the long holiday weekend if in wide release, according to Boxoffice.com.

Sony Pictures also released the movie online via Google Inc's YouTube and Google Play, Microsoft Corp's Xbox gaming console and Sony's own dedicated website. It is looking for more partners for digital distribution, though hundreds of thousands of people have reportedly downloaded it from pirate sites.

"Considering the incredibly challenging circumstances, we are extremely grateful to the people all over the country who came out to experience 'The Interview' on the first day of its unconventional release," Rory Bruer, Sony Pictures president of distribution, said in a statement.

The controversy gave the film exposure to audiences that might never have gone to see the movie, and many who showed up on Christmas Day said they were there to support free speech.

One of those was David Humdy, 65, an entertainment industry accountant who saw the film in Los Angeles and declared it "silly, entertaining, better than I thought."

So far, Sony has not released online sales figures, but the screwball comedy was the top film on YouTube and Google Play.

Pandya believes Sony Pictures will be able to absorb losses easily, as it is not unusual for a film of its budget to fall short.

"It's hard to find a way that they recoup it all because they did end up spending a lot of money on marketing for a theatrical release that never happened," he added.

Pandya estimated that "The Interview" would have grossed about $5 million on Christmas Day had it been in wide release.

It did take in an estimated $3,142 per screen without the benefit of playing in the largest multiplexes. That is about double the amount if the film had been in wide release.

The two biggest Christmas Day releases, Universal's "Unbroken" and Disney's "Into the Woods," respectively grossed $4,980 and $6,182 per screen, according to studio estimates.

(Additional reporting by Mary Milliken; Editing by Dan Grebler)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

YouTube shows 'The Interview' before theaters

LOS ANGELES -- Sony Pictures made "The Interview" available online on Wednesday, a day before its theatrical release, after reversing a decision made a week ago to cancel the movie's release following a massive cyberattack.

The film was available for rental on Google Inc's YouTube site as of early Wednesday afternoon. Microsoft Corp and Sony itself are also showing the comedy, a day before its scheduled premiere at some 320 independent theaters.

"We chose the path of digital distribution first so as to reach as many people as possible on opening day, and we continue to seek other partners and platforms to further expand the release," Sony Entertainment chief executive Michael Lynton said in a statement.

He added that Sony had first reached out to Google, Microsoft "and other partners" on Dec. 17, the day the studio said it was canceling the movie's Christmas Day release.

The movie, which stars Seth Rogen and James Franco and is about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, triggered the most destructive cyberattack ever to target a U.S. company, resulting in the release of hundreds of embarrassing emails and confidential data.

U.S. President Barack Obama last week blamed the cyberattacks on North Korea and added to a chorus of criticism by politicians and Hollywood actors, screenwriters and directors accusing Sony of caving to the hackers' demands by censoring itself.

In addition to YouTube Movies, Google Play, Microsoft's Xbox Video, the comedy will be available on a dedicated website, www.seetheinterview.com, to rent for $5.99 or buy for $14.99. No cable or satellite TV operator has yet agreed to make "The Interview" available through video on demand (VOD).

The showing is a chance for Google and Microsoft, which have been bit players in a VOD market dominated by Apple Inc , Amazon.com Inc and cable and satellite operators, to raise their profile.

It was unclear the extent to which the online release would dampen moviegoers' appetite to see the comedy in the independent theaters that announced on Tuesday they planned to show it.

Many Christmas Day screenings were sold out, including one that begins right after midnight at the 184-seat Silent Movie Theatre in Los Angeles.

"I need to say that a comedy is best viewed in a theater full of people, so if you can, I'd watch it like that," Rogen tweeted. "Or call some friends over."

Google said it had weighed the security implications of screening the movie - described by reviewers as "profane" and "raunchy" - after Sony contacted the company about making it available online.

'Imposing censorship'

"But after discussing all the issues, Sony and Google agreed that we could not sit on the sidelines and allow a handful of people to determine the limits of free speech in another country (however silly the content might be)," Google's chief legal officer, David Drummond, wrote in a blog post.

Google has an "enormous" infrastructure that is well tested in fighting off denial of service and other attacks, said Barrett Lyon, principal strategist with F5 Networks and an expert in Internet network security. "I wouldn't imagine seeing 'lights-out' at YouTube," he said, adding that Microsoft could be more vulnerable

Sony pulled the movie after major theater chains refused to show it. That followed threats of September 11, 2001 style attacks from Guardians of Peace, the group that claimed responsibility for the cyberattacks against Sony.

The White House on Wednesday praised the decision to release the film.

"As the president made clear on Friday, we do not live in a country where a foreign dictator can start imposing censorship here in the United States," White House spokesman Eric Schultz said in a statement. "With today's announcements, people can now make their own choices about the film, and that's how it should be."

A national security official said on Tuesday that U.S. authorities did not take the hackers' threats against theatergoers seriously.

CNN, which first reported that Sony was in talks with Google's YouTube on releasing the movie, said the studio also had held talks with Apple about making the comedy available on its iTunes store but that the negotiations broke down.

Obama vowed in a news conference on Friday to respond to the cyberattack "in a place and timing and manner that we choose."

Japan, meanwhile, has begun working to ensure basic infrastructure is safe and to formulate its diplomatic response, officials said, fearing it could be a soft target for possible North Korean cyberattacks in the escalating row over the Sony Pictures hack.

And South Korea is seeking the cooperation of Chinese authorities in a probe into a cyberattack on its nuclear power plant operator after tracing multiple Internet addresses involved to a northeastern Chinese city near North Korea, a prosecution official said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Dingdong slays monsters in 'Kubot' trailer

MANILA - Dingdong Dantes returns as an "aswang" slayer in the sequel to the 2012 action-comedy film "Tiktik," this time with Kapamilya star Isabelle Daza as his leading lady.


The nearly four-minute trailer of "Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2," which is set after the events of the first film, follows Makoy (Dantes) as he battles a new breed of aswang led by actor KC Montero.

Returning cast members include Joey Marquez and Ramon Bautista. The film will also star Elizabeth Oropesa, Lotlot de Leon, Abra, and Julie Ann San Jose.

"Kubot" was directed by Erik Matti and produced by GMA Films, Matti's Reality Entertainment, and Dantes' Agostos Dos Productions. It will compete against seven other movies in the main section of the 40th Metro Manila Film Festival, which will kick off on Christmas Day.

The other entries are: "Feng Shui," "Shake, Rattle & Roll 14," "Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo," "My Big Bossing," "English Only, Please," "Magnum Muslim .357," and "The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

The Bleachers King: On those short-sleeved NBA jerseys

When I first saw those short-sleeved NBA uniforms (with their solid color and huge team logo designs), my first thought was, “They look like something a volleyball player would wear.”

And I thought back to that great American Men’s Volleyball Teams from 1984-88 where they won back-to-back gold medals in the Olympics in addition to two FIVB championships in between. That team had the great Karch Kiraly, named the best male volleyball player of the 20th century by FIVB, the flat-topped Steve Timmons, Dusty Dvorak, Pat Powers, and Aldis Berzins to name a few.

Then I thought, “Not another merchandising gimmick to get people to shell out money.”

Anyone who has played pick up basketball knows that it’s okay to wear t-shirts while playing. But when it gets heavy because of sweat, you roll up the sleeves.

Only these new adidas jerseys are of that adizero design where it 26% lighter than the NBA jersey that comes with a moisture absorbing feature. The sleeves are made with a stretch fabric so that when a baller goes into him jumpshot mode, it doesn’t interfere with his shot.

During the NBA’s Christmas Day games, quite a few voiced out their displeasure with the new short-sleeved jerseys.

However, now when I have stewed on it, it’s not so bad. It will just take some getting used to by the players. Don’t those baggy shorts weigh players down as well?

As someone who used to buy, wear, and collect a lot of basketball and NBA jerseys in particular, it somewhat felt awkward trying to wear them out in public. Unless I was playing a pick up game, I never wore those tank tops in public.

If I did I wore it over a t-shirt.

They aren’t like those baseball, American football or soccer kits that look just fine on and off the field.

The new short-sleeved jerseys would look good if it were perhaps less form hugging and a little more loose or baggy. If you aren’t athletically fit, I don’t thin anyone wants the shirt to be defined by those fatty contours.

That will lead to consumers buying sizes a little bigger.

Maybe the league might want to consider that as well.

Since we’re on the topic of jerseys – and I will keep it to the NBA stuff here – I mostly buy the swingman-type (now priced at $109.95) as opposed to the replicas ($69.95). I do have one authentic ($299.95) and that’s Manu Ginobili’s (that I got from the man himself during a game after a San Antonio Spurs game at New Jersey). Sure, the authentic and swingman versions are more expensive but they are a price you pay for quality and authenticity.

The short-sleeved jerseys are priced the same way the tank top replicas and swingman shirts.

Do I count myself as a jerseyhead? Not anymore as I don’t buy too many nowadays. But here’s what I have in my collection.

Swingman jerseys in my collection:
Michael Jordan – Washington Wizards
Latrell Sprewell – New York Knicks
Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers
Jeremy Lin – New York Knicks
Chris Mullin – Golden State Warriors
Pau Gasol – Los Angeles Lakers
James Harden – Houston Rockets
Pablo Prigioni – New York Knicks

Replica jerseys in my collection:
Michael Jordan – Chicago Bulls
Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers (the old #8)
Tracy McGrady – Orlando Magic
Jason Kidd – New Jersey Nets
Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder
Andres Nocioni – Chicago Bulls

Judging by the reaction to the short-sleeved NBA jerseys, it doesn’t sound good. But I know a lot has been invested in them. Let’s see where they go with this.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Help the Philippines, Pope Francis says on Christmas

MANILA - Pope Francis, celebrating his first Christmas as Roman Catholic leader, on Wednesday called for help for the typhoon-hit Philippines.

Speaking to tens of thousands of people from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, the same spot where he emerged to the world as pope when he was elected on March 13, Francis described Catholic-majority Filipinos as "beloved people".

"Help and protect all victims of natural disasters, especially the beloved people of Philippines gravely affected by the typhoon," he said.

In a Christmas morning mass at the Sto. Niño Church in Tacloban, the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines assured survivors of super typhoon Yolanda that they are not alone.

Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto said the world is ready to help Filipinos recover from the typhoon.

He also brought with him a message of hope from Pope Francis.

"Despite the tragedy you face, you are not alone. God is with you, god is with us," he said.

"It is my privilege to bring to you the solidarity of his holiness, Pope Francis," he added. "You know how much he cares for you. He keeps you in his prayers, and he wants to assure you of the faithful love of God."

He also called for dialogue to end the conflict in South Sudan and all wars, saying everyone should strive to be personal peacemakers.

Aid continues to flow into typhoon-devastated areas, underscoring a massive local and international relief effort launched in Yolanda's aftermath.

The typhoon, the strongest to ever hit land, struck central Philippines on November 8, destroying almost everything in its path. It killed over 6,000 people, left nearly 1,800 missing.

The United Nations recently announced an appeal for $800 million of funding to provide 12 months of assistance for 14 million people affected by the typhoon.

The funds would be used to provide access to food, shelter, water, health and sanitation services.

Call for peace

Pope Francis, in his first "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and world) message on Christmas day, also made another appeal for the environment to be saved from "human greed and rapacity".

He wove his message around the theme of peace.

He called for "social harmony in South Sudan, where current tensions have already caused numerous victims and are threatening peaceful coexistence in that young state."

He also called for dialogue to end the conflicts in Syria, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq, and prayed for a "favourable outcome" to the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.

"Wars shatter and hurt so many lives!" he said, saying their most vulnerable victims were children, elderly, battered women and the sick.

The thread running through the message was that individuals had a role in promoting peace, either with their neighbour or between nations. The message of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem was directed at "every man or woman who keeps watch through the night, who hopes for a better world, who cares for others while humbly seeking to do his or her duty," he said.

"God is peace: let us ask him to help us to be peacemakers each day, in our life, in our families, in our cities and nations, in the whole world," he said.

Breath of fresh air

Pilgrims came from all over the world for Christmas at the Vatican and some said it was because they felt Francis had brought a breath of fresh air to the Church.

"(He) is bringing a new era into the Church, a Church that is focusing much more on the poor and that is more austere, more lively .." said Dolores Di Benedetto, who came from the pope's homeland, Argentina, to attend Christmas eve Mass.

Giacchino Sabello, an Italian, said he wanted to get a first-hand look at the new pope: "I thought it would be very nice to hear the words of this pope close up and to see how the people are overwhelmed by him."

In his speech, Francis asked God to "look upon the many children who are kidnapped, wounded and killed in armed conflicts, and all those who are robbed of their childhood and forced to become soldiers."

He also called for a "dignified life" for migrants, praying tragedies such as one in which hundreds died in a shipwreck off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa are never repeated, and made a particular appeal against human trafficking, which he called a "crime against humanity". - with reports from Reuters, ANC

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Jessy Mendiola to work during Christmas

MANILA – There is no time to feel the holiday blues for actress Jessy Mendiola as the actress revealed that she will be taping for her series, “Maria Mercedes,” even on Christmas Day.

But Mendiola said she is not complaining about her very hectic schedule because it reminds her of how blessed she is.

“Very busy. I think I have to tape on Christmas. We are really trying to fix our schedules. The season we are taping right now is airing. It’s okay. We really have to do it,” she said.

Because of the success of "Maria Mercedes," Mendiola said it doesn't matter that she doesn’t have a special someone during the Yuletide season.

“Sa mga nangyayari sa akin this year, sobra sobra na ang blesings. Warm na ang aking Pasko,” she said, noting that she’s surrounded with good people.

Meanwhile, Mendiola also addressed rumors that her suitor, actor Sam Milby, is planning to introduce her to his parents.

“Not yet, wala pa ang parents niya. Darating pa lang on Christmas yata or sa New Year. Kung ipapakilala, then ipakilala. If not, okay,” she said.

Mendiola said she has been busy in the past months that she and Milby didn’t have the chance to see each other for almost two months.

“Kakatapos lang ng ‘Call Center Girl,’ tapos ongoing 'yung hand-to-mouth taping namin ng 'Maria Mercedes,' so hindi pa kami talaga nakakapagkita,” she said.

Mendiola, however, said Milby made sure to surprise her on her birthday last week.

Aside from Milby, Mendiola is also being linked to her “Maria Mercedes” leading man Jake Cuenca.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Why Dingdong is part of Star Cinema film 'One More Try'

MANILA, Philippines - Although he is not part of the Kapamilya network, actor Dingdong Dantes was chosen to be one of the leading men in "One More Try", Star Cinema's entry to this year's Metro Manila Film Festival.

Ruel Bayani, the movie's director, explained the reason behind this in an interview with entertainment reporters last week.

He cited Dantes' acting chops particularly in the horror film "Segunda Mano", a previous MMFF entry where he starred alongside the country's "Queen of All Media" Kris Aquino.

Bayani added that they also wanted their film to have a new mix of actors to give it a "different flavor".

"Remember si Dingdong, gusto namin siya sa Star Cinema kasi fresh pa lang siya sa 'Segunda Mano', nag-breakthrough performance siya doon, nanalo siya doon," the "One More Try" director explained.

"Hindi namin sinasabi na hindi magagawa ng Kapamilya actor ang magagawa niya. Sinasabi lang namin na priority namin na mabigyan ng bagong putahe ang mga audience, kasi ayaw naming sabihin nila na 'wala na bang bago?' So ito, bago. Ang mga tao, ibang kumbinasyon, ibang halo-halo ito. So iba ang magiging lasa niyan."

In "One More Try", Dantes plays the role of Edward, who is married to Jacqueline, portrayed by Angelica Panganiban. The film's two other lead stars include Angel Locsin and Zanjoe Marudo.

"Ang akala ng mga tao mahirap [kunin si Dingdong]. Nag-present kami at nagustuhan nila, napapapayag sila," Bayani said.

"The truth was ang akala ng mga tao mahirap (kunin si Dingdong), nag-present kami at nagustuhan nila, napapayag sila," Bayani told reporters.

"One More Try" will be screened in theaters nationwide starting Christmas Day, December 25.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Odds of U.S. White Christmas vary by region

The probability of a white Christmas -- with snow at least an inch deep on Christmas Day -- is low for many areas of the United States, forecasters say.

While northern New England, the Upper Midwest, the Rocky Mountains and Intermountain West have a 75 percent of a white Christmas, New York City, Philadelphia and the District of Columbia have less than a 25 percent chance, AccuWeather.com Wednesday.

Regional differences in normal December snowfall and temperatures are both critical factors in what areas can expect a white Christmas, AccuWeather said.

"It tends to stay colder across the northern tier during the day and night, so when snow falls, it's less likely to melt," AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.

Further south, temperatures play a more important part, forecasters said.

"By the time Christmas comes around, there is a pronounced temperature difference from north to south [across the Midwest]," AccuWeather meteorologist Jim Andrews said. "The 'refrigeration' needed to keep the snow from melting is less reliable in Chicago compared to somewhere like International Falls, Minn."

source: upi.com