Warriors lose preseason opener to Nuggets
How to help the Taal evacuees DAY6 is for everybody “It wasn’t a discussion or a decision,” Draymond Green said. “We said what we had to say. Everybody knows where we stand. We don’t need to do anything else to show where we stand. Everyone knows where we stand.”Lakers and Wolves players stood with arms locked during their anthem.Paul Millsap had 22 points and 11 rebounds in his first game for Denver. Nikola Jokic added 12 points and six rebounds, making 7 of 10 free throws. Emmanuel Mudiay had 19 points and six assists off the bench.Kerr only planned to use his starters 20-25 minutes with an international trip ahead. The Warriors were set to leave Sunday for China, where they will play a pair of preseason games against Minnesota.Golden State rookie Jordan Bell had a nice alley-oop dunk in the third quarter from Green, who received his Defensive Player of the Year trophy from Ben Wallace just before tipoff.ADVERTISEMENT Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Mos Burger to open in Manila; teases with a pop-up Denver Nuggets’ Will Barton (5) looks to pass away from Golden State Warriors’ JaVale McGee, left, during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)OAKLAND, Calif. — Kevin Durant drove through the paint for a quick one-handed slam. Stephen Curry dazzled with his dribbling and pulled up for quick 3-pointers that weren’t quite as accurate as usual.The Golden State Warriors still looked like the dominant team they were in winning a championship just a few months ago, even in a 108-102 preseason loss to Denver on Saturday night.ADVERTISEMENT Margot Robbie talks about filming ‘Bombshell’s’ disturbing sexual harassment scene LATEST STORIES Martinez fails to qualify for 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics MOST READ In ‘Jojo Rabbit,’ Comedy and Drama Collide
Jake says relationship with Shaina ‘goes beyond physical attraction’ New Warriors forward Omri Casspi was away from the team for the Jewish high holiday of Yom Kippur, and so was analytics guru Sammy Gelfand.“I talked to him a couple days ago. Sammy Gelfand also will not be here tonight as he observes the holiday as well,” Kerr said. “Whatever each person needs to do then obviously we afford them that right. It’s an important holiday for people of the Jewish faith. Omri has our full support.”Golden State played a September game for the first time since facing Portland on Sept. 30, 1980, in Seattle. This marks the Warriors’ third trip to China after playing there previously in 2008 against Milwaukee and ’13 against the Lakers.REMEMBERING HAMBLENKerr fondly remembered Frank Hamblen, who died Saturday at age 70. A moment of silence was held before the Lakers tipped off.Hamblen won seven NBA championships as an assistant to Phil Jackson in Los Angeles and Chicago. The Lakers said Hamblen died in Del Mar. They did not provide a cause of death.“He was my assistant coach in Chicago, a good friend and great coach. He will be missed,” Kerr said before the game. “He was just a good coach, good guy. I would see him in San Diego summertime. … He was funny, he was a great basketball mind. I still remember when Frank came to the Bulls, we had basically the whole team back and the first day of camp Michael Jordan said, ‘Our motivation this year is to get a ring for Frank.’ He was new that year. He said, ‘Everybody else in this room has a ring but Frank doesn’t have one so we’re going to get you one this year’ and we did — thanks to me and Michael.”LEONARD SIDELINEDSan Antonio star Kawhi Leonard will miss the entire preseason while rehabbing an injury to his right quadriceps and the Spurs don’t have a timetable for his return.Coach Gregg Popovich told reporters in San Antonio that the thigh has bothered Leonard since the playoffs. The two-time All-Star and two-time Defensive Player of the Year has been rehabbing since the season ended. The Warriors have 12 players back, including all five starters. But they don’t have their shooting touch yet, going 4 of 33 from deep. Their four All-Stars were a dismal 1 for 19.NBA Finals MVP Durant scored 10 points in nearly 24 minutes, Curry had 11 in the NBA’s preseason opener.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSRedemption is sweet for Ginebra, Scottie ThompsonSPORTSMayweather beats Pacquiao, Canelo for ‘Fighter of the Decade’SPORTSFederer blasts lack of communication on Australian Open smogLater Saturday in Southern California, Lonzo Ball made his highly anticipated Lakers debut in Anaheim against the Timberwolves, playing their first game with All-Star Jimmy Butler. Ball’s first basket was a 3-pointer with 3:47 left in the first quarter.Warriors and Nuggets players stood through the national anthem, a week after President Donald Trump rescinded his White House invitation to Curry and his team. Warriors coach Steve Kerr indicated before the game he didn’t expect any kind of protest. OSG plea to revoke ABS-CBN franchise ‘a duplicitous move’ – Lacson “It’s just from last year, working on things from last year,” Popovich said. “It’s gone a little more slowly than we thought.”Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard PLAY LIST 02:14Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard02:56NCRPO pledges to donate P3.5 million to victims of Taal eruption00:56Heavy rain brings some relief in Australia02:37Calm moments allow Taal folks some respite03:23Negosyo sa Tagaytay City, bagsak sa pag-aalboroto ng Bulkang Taal01:13Christian Standhardinger wins PBA Best Player award It’s too early to present Duterte’s ‘legacy’ – Lacson Redemption is sweet for Ginebra, Scottie Thompson View comments
His three birdie putts were from a combined 30 inches. The longest of his birdie putt was from just inside 2 feet on No. 10 that got him back to even par for the round. He was one rotation away from making a long eagle putt on the par-5 sixth.He was never under par the entire round, and his near ace on the 16th brought him back to even par.But he needed those three birdies to offset his mistakes, and the sobering part of his return is that Woods didn’t make a putt longer than 4 feet. That was on the second hole, when his approach from the bunker landed 6 feet behind the hole and went over the back into light rough.He also gave away a shot on the par-5 13th, when he laid up from the rough and hit a wedge that drifted right and went into the bunker. He blasted that out to 3 feet, which was the hard part. And then he missed the short par putt .Woods made his other two bogeys from greenside bunkers, both times missing 12-foot putts.He played the par 5s in even par, and didn’t give himself any other birdie chances inside 15 feet.“It’s hard to make a lot of birdies when you’re not giving yourself any looks, and I didn’t do that today,” Woods said. “Tomorrow, hopefully, I’ll drive a little better, get my irons obviously a lot closer and we get the better of the two greens tomorrow. So we’ll see what happens.”But there was no mistaking his presence.Fans lined both sides of the opening fairway in anticipation of seeing Woods, who was playing the PGA Tour for only the second time since August 2015. That was right before he had a second and third surgery on his back, which kept him away for some 15 months. He returned at Torrey Pines last year and opened with a 76 on his way to missing the cut. A week later, he withdrew after a 77 in Dubai with back spasms and was gone again.Regardless of the score, Woods looked as though he’s back for the long haul. The fusion surgery eliminated the pain. And while he wasn’t sharp, Woods hit the ball plenty far and saw at least a little bit of golf that made him such a dominant figure. “We can’t see anything land from back there, so we’re just listening for some noise,” Woods said. “And people started cheering.”The ball rolled to the hole and broke a few inches in front of the cup for a tap-in birdie .FEATURED STORIESSPORTSTim Cone, Ginebra set their sights on elusive All-Filipino crownSPORTSGinebra beats Meralco again to capture PBA Governors’ Cup titleSPORTSAfter winning title, time for LA Tenorio to give back to Batangas folkWoods brought big crowds back to golf in his latest return to the PGA Tour, and he even produced a few big roars.There just weren’t enough cheers for his liking. Playing for the first time since recovering from a fourth back surgery that cost him another year on the PGA Tour, Woods was mostly steady, sometimes spectacular and ended his day with an even-par 72 that left him seven shots behind Tony Finau.“It was fun to compete again,” Woods said. “It was fun to be out there.”The next trick is to stay at Torrey Pines beyond Friday. With virtually no wind making this a day for reasonable scoring, Woods was tied for 84th and will start the second round on the North Course just outside the cut line.Finau birdied his opening two holes on the North and finished with a 35-foot birdie putt for a 65.Woods had a few big moments that looked familiar to fans who stood as many as four-deep around the greens.ADVERTISEMENT Steam emission over Taal’s main crater ‘steady’ for past 24 hours Tiger Woods reacts after just missing a birdie putt on the sixth hole hole of the South Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)SAN DIEGO — Tiger Woods has been away from the PGA Tour too long to know for certain when a shot is as good as it looks.This was a 6-iron on the par-3 16th hole on the South Course at Torrey Pines, from 188 yards to a slightly elevated green with a pin tucked behind a deep bunker. The sun was setting behind the Pacific late Thursday afternoon, and the glare made it tough to follow the flight of the ball.ADVERTISEMENT MOST READ OSG plea to revoke ABS-CBN franchise ’a duplicitous move’ – Lacson View comments The South Course, which hosted the 2008 U.S. Open that Woods won, typically is far stronger than the North at Torrey Pines. That’s no longer the case with the North getting a makeover two years ago, with bent greens that are firm this week and narrower fairways.The average score on the South was 71.62, compared with 71.31 on the North. Forty-one of the 73 players who broke par were on the South.Finau birdied his opening two holes to set the tone for his round, and he wound up with nine birdies, the last one from 35 feet to take the lead.“It played a lot tougher than it did in the past,” Finau said. “I think it’s just a credit to my start. From there I was just able to let the golf course come to me. The par 5s are very reachable for me hitting some irons in there. Again, I think it was just my start. I got off to a good start and was able to ride that momentum all the way through the round.”He had a one-shot lead over Ryan Palmer and Ted Potter Jr., who each had a 66 on the South.Defending champion Jon Rahm, who can reach No. 1 in the world by winning, opened with a 68 on the South. He hit into the water with his second shot on the par-5 18th, but he saved par with a 15-foot putt.“Just unfortunate it happened, but I made a good putt, had a couple really good putts down the stretch and had a good finish,” Rahm said. “Good momentum going to tomorrow.” OSG plea to revoke ABS-CBN franchise ’a duplicitous move’ – Lacson Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard PLAY LIST 02:14Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard02:56NCRPO pledges to donate P3.5 million to victims of Taal eruption00:56Heavy rain brings some relief in Australia02:37Calm moments allow Taal folks some respite03:23Negosyo sa Tagaytay City, bagsak sa pag-aalboroto ng Bulkang Taal01:13Christian Standhardinger wins PBA Best Player award LATEST STORIES Nonito Donaire vs Naoya Inoue is BWAA 2019 Fight of the Year Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Michael Porter Jr. stays patient as playing time increases Lights inside SMX hall flicker as Duterte rants vs Ayala, Pangilinan anew Newsome sets focus on helping Bolts open new PBA season on right track Almazan vows to comeback stronger after finals heartbreak Jiro Manio arrested for stabbing man in Marikina Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Babos-Mladenovic combine to win Australian women’s doubles
View comments Ateneo settled for the third spot in the standings with a 9-5 record, its worst record in six years, but that doesn’t shake Madayag’s confidence one bit.“We’re going to be confident despite the loss, we just need to play happy,” said Madayag, who had eight points in the game.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSGinebra beats Meralco again to capture PBA Governors’ Cup titleSPORTSAfter winning title, time for LA Tenorio to give back to Batangas folkSPORTSTim Cone, Ginebra set their sights on elusive All-Filipino crownAteneo’s loss against the Lady Spikers were also its second straight at the end of the eliminations when the Lady Eagles suffered a three-set loss against University of the Philippines in the match prior against La Salle.Madayag, even though Ateneo has the twice-to-win disadvantage in the Final Four, added they won’t take FEU lightly. Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next P16.5-M worth of aid provided for Taal Volcano eruption victims — NDRRMC MOST READ Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard PLAY LIST 02:14Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard02:56NCRPO pledges to donate P3.5 million to victims of Taal eruption00:56Heavy rain brings some relief in Australia02:37Calm moments allow Taal folks some respite03:23Negosyo sa Tagaytay City, bagsak sa pag-aalboroto ng Bulkang Taal01:13Christian Standhardinger wins PBA Best Player award LATEST STORIES Scientists seek rare species survivors amid Australia flames Maddie Madayag. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.netFor the first time in five seasons Ateneo won’t be having a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four, but that doesn’t deter captain Maddie Madayag from beaming her confident aura.The Lady Eagles missed their chance for a second seed playoff against Far Eastern University when they lost to defending champion De La Salle in the final game of the eliminations, 26-24, 25-17, 25-19, Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.ADVERTISEMENT Judy Ann’s 1st project for 2020 is giving her a ‘stomachache’ Jo Koy draws ire for cutting through Cebu City traffic with ‘wang-wang’ Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Green group flags ‘overkill’ use of plastic banderitas in Manila Sto. Niño feast Jiro Manio arrested for stabbing man in Marikina Truck driver killed in Davao del Sur road accident Lights inside SMX hall flicker as Duterte rants vs Ayala, Pangilinan anew Nadine Lustre’s phone stolen in Brazil The Lady Tamaraws ended elimination round on a five-game winning streak, a direct inverse of what the Lady Eagles mustered.“We won’t be complacent because FEU is a really strong team,” said Madayag in Filipino. “They’ve been winning constantly and they’re on the rise right now.”“In the week before the semifinals we will all be focusing on volleyball.”ADVERTISEMENT Formidable La Salle ‘not even peaking yet,’ says Baron
A lawsuit was filed last week in Nevada by Kathryn Mayorga, who says she was raped by Ronaldo in Las Vegas in 2009. Police have also re-opened an investigation. Ronaldo has denied the accusation.Allegri says “it’s a delicate moment but he has large shoulders. I see him calm in training.”FEATURED STORIESSPORTSGinebra beats Meralco again to capture PBA Governors’ Cup titleSPORTSJapeth Aguilar wins 1st PBA Finals MVP award for GinebraSPORTSGolden State Warriors sign Lee to multiyear contract, bring back Chriss View comments Japeth Aguilar embraces role, gets rewarded with Finals MVP plum Phivolcs: Slim probability of Taal Volcano caldera eruption Lights inside SMX hall flicker as Duterte rants vs Ayala, Pangilinan anew LATEST STORIES Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Lights inside SMX hall flicker as Duterte rants vs Ayala, Pangilinan anew Tim Cone, Ginebra set their sights on elusive All-Filipino crown Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard PLAY LIST 02:14Carpio hits red carpet treatment for China Coast Guard02:56NCRPO pledges to donate P3.5 million to victims of Taal eruption00:56Heavy rain brings some relief in Australia02:37Calm moments allow Taal folks some respite03:23Negosyo sa Tagaytay City, bagsak sa pag-aalboroto ng Bulkang Taal01:13Christian Standhardinger wins PBA Best Player award
FILE – In this Aug. 25, 2018 file photo Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo looks to the sky as he reacts during the Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Lazio at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Italy. Ronaldo is being sued by a Nevada woman who said he raped her in the penthouse suite of a Las Vegas hotel in 2009 and then dispatched a team of “fixers” to obstruct the criminal investigation and trick her into keeping quiet for $375,000. The suit filed Thursday asks the Clark County District Court to void the 2010 settlement and non-disclosure agreement, claiming the woman was so traumatized by the events that she was incapable of participating in negotiations. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, file)TURIN, Italy— Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri says Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to play in Saturday’s Italian league match at Udinese despite a rape allegation against him in the United States.Allegri says Ronaldo “is doing well” and that he is “ready to return to action.”ADVERTISEMENT MOST READ Nadine Lustre’s phone stolen in Brazil Gretchen Barretto’s daughter Dominique graduates magna cum laude from California college Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. NCAA: Letran survives Lyceum after controversial review Gov’t to employ 6,000 displaced by Taal Allen Durham still determined to help Meralco win 1st PBA title
Dear Editor,I am very concerned with the new advancements of security in Guyana. Many governmental corperations are following the trend of heavily tinted glass, whereby one cannot see the person to whom they are communicating. This is most common in places where there is a cashier. It becomes very annoying when you cannot see the person to whom you are speaking. For example, I had visited the airport to pay for parking; I was very disturbed by the huge black glass at the cashier’s point. Not only at the airport but also at the National Democratic Council (NDC) in Peters Hall and the Post Office on Alexander Street, Kitty. This is happening at a number of places where we have had security slackness but now it seems as though everyone has gone “security crazy”.Instead of fostering security, this form of mechanism can lead to much more catastrophic fraudulent activities. A receipt could be issued that is fake. The customer would not be able to identify the person who handled the financial transaction. To the authorities concerned, if it has not occurred before, it will happen, and we may not be able to identify who we did business with.This form of behaviour also has a negative psychological effect on customers. In my opinion, it displays a form of anti-social behaviour and non-friendly customer relation or rudeness on the part of the administration of the post office and other such places. It is not only annoying but as a customer I feel estranged and uncomfortable because I cannot communicate with my Guyanese citizens. I have a way of smiling and chatting and spreading joy. I do understand the security consideration, but whatever security mechanism is put in place, it must not appear that the cooperation or business is unfriendly.These ridiculous tinting and close knitted wiring that prevent you from communicating with the other person makes it seem as though we are living in a crime driven society. However, when we visit the bank, which deals with billions of dollars daily and our private businesses we do not encounter such unfriendly tinting, so then why is it that this “tinting madness” is happening at the parking lot at the airport, the NDCs and the post offices? I do not like to make a critique without giving a suggestion. Therefore, my suggestion is where you have the tint cut to a facial size hole so that the person can be seen and communicate “eyeball to eyeball”, yet install other security mechanisms for example CCTV cameras, grill work, grill mesh, wrought iron grills or wired grills, whatever mechanism that can be used for security should be used but do not cause your business or Guyanese to feel uncomfortable and estranged.Sincerely,Roshan Khan Sr
Led by her granddaughter, Madam Mcleod Turkett Darpoh, the family paid tribute to their beloved grand, great grand and great great grand mother, the late Mother Askie. Many of the grand, great grand and great great grandchildren attended the funeral.The Mt. Carmel AME Church, situated on the main street of Arthington in rural Montserrado County, was filled to capacity over the weekend as relatives, loved ones, friends, and sympathizers gathered to celebrate the peaceful home going of the oldest Liberian in the Diaspora, Teacher Parthena Laura Graham Askie.This outstanding centenarian, one of the oldest Liberians, died on July 6, 2018 in Ellicot City, near Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America. Her body was flown into Monrovia last week for burial, in accordance with her wish.Parthena Laura Graham Askie, direct descendent of Alonzo and Robert Branch Sr., was born in Arthington on November 22, 1912.She was the last child of Laura Wright and Richard Graham. Until her death she was the oldest living heir of Hoggard, Branch, Laura Wright and the Stewart families.She was a mother not only to her one biological child, Mrs. Bernice Eastman, but to many whom by way of nurturing, she adopted along the way. Among those she touched were her many grand, great grand and great-great grandchildren—four generations, a unique privilege granted to few people, only by God Himself.Pastor Patrick Charles Luke, Sr., grandson of the deceased, delivering the funeral discourse over his grandmother, Madam Parthena Askie, said it was important to know what it means to depart the world at the age of 105.Preaching from Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians 1:1-20, Pastor Luke said there are two things in the world that Christians need to understand — the purpose of life and of death. When God’s purpose for those who truly believed him and live according to his will is accomplished, there is no need to hesitate, for God will always stand by that person and protect him or her in every way.
Family members paying tribute to the late Mother Parthena Laura Graham Askie.Referring to his grandmother, Ma Parthena, the preacher declared that “She lived as a true follower of Christ.”“My grandmother was a true believer of Jesus Christ. As such, she had lived for 105 years, which means that, according to the Bible, she exceeded by far the three scores and ten. My experience with her was basically in the area of discipline, which made me to become who I am today in the society.“One of the most important things I missed her for was the numerous pieces of advice to us on how to become a good Christians. She motivated us; and never spared the rod for all those she loved and cared for.”A good Christian, Pastor Luke told the funeral audience, will always seek God’s face in everything he or she does. That was her major priority. It is this example of hers that we need to follow, focusing on her contributions to the church and humanity. God was pleased with these contributions, and that is why He so richly blessed her with long live and caused her to live so long—105, in good health and a sound mind. This is something that most people will not be able to accomplish.
The late Mother Parthena Laura Graham AskieMother Askie was exemplary, distinguished woman, a disciplinarian and a God- fearing person. She kept her life very simple and the secret of her long life was the way she carried herself. She lived with dignity and respect; and even at the age of (100) was remarkable, and could still remember names and birthdates as well as telephones numbers of families members.Her granddaughter, Madam Mcleod Turkett Darpoh, led the family in paying tribute to their beloved grand, great grand and great great grand mother. Many of the grand, great grand and great great grandchildren attended the funeral.Mother Parthena was married to the late Thomas Charles Askie, until his death parted them. She loved, served and cared for her family with great dedication, and she credited her stepmother, Ma Nancy as she was affectionately called, for her early teachings of learning, a woman Mrs. Askie described as especially kind. They shared closeness up to Ma Nancy’s death thereby, endearing ma Nancy’s children to her: Henry, John Henry, John Winston, Margaret and Margaret.The Arthington Reconstruction and Development Association honored her with their gifts of love, and a plaque which she truly cherished.Mother Askie served in civic positions and the church until traveling to the United States with her children in 1991.She was blessed to have served the AME Church all of her adult life from construction to structural, organization and program development of the Church, pioneering services in every capacity and every stage of development.She enjoyed entertaining bishops, pastors and all who were in any way connected with the growth of the Mount. Camel Church and school in the Arthington.Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
GTT has announced increased rates for its Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service for residential and business use, beginning January 1, 2018.In a notice published in several newspapers, the company said, “GTT has tried to maintain prices of our services despite the increasing cost of running the business due to factors outside of our control. It is, therefore, with deep regret that we announce that we will be increasing our prices for residential and business DSL service.”GTT said while giving the four-week advance notice to its customers that the new rates would be reflected on their February 2019 bills.The increases range between $300 and $400.Bills which ranged from $6299 to $9999 will be increased by $300, while bills ranging from $11,399 to $19,399 will be hiked by $400.Back in June last year, the company’s request to increase landline rates and reduce international call rates was approved by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). That hike took effect from August 1, 2017 while the reduction in international call rates took effect from July 1, 2017 although approved on June 9, 2017.Those rates were being monitored as well as the services provided by the company.The landline rates were increased on a per minute basis for the first minute or part thereof and on a per second basis after the first minute. Residential lines were being charged $2000 – an increase of $1500. Businesses which paid $1500 are now paying $4000.Several acts of vandalism this and the previous year which struck the telecommunications company may have contributed to the increased costs for services.The first act of vandalism was detected on July 14, 2017, one day before GTT officially launched the Blaze fibre-optic high-speed Internet. At one point, the company’s fibre-optic cable was also sabotaged at a time when it launched its high-speed LTE broadband in Essequibo.The company had also revealed that over a 12-month period from September 2016 onwards, its loss of service and restoration efforts equated to $50 million. There have been prosecutions of persons for the vandalism.Twenty-two-year-old Ricky Singh of Lot F Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was in August placed on $350,000 bail upon being arraigned in court and denying that between July 22 and July 24, 2017, at Soesdyke, EBD, he was caught vandalising and stealing GTT fibre-optic cable.Twenty-four-year-old fisherman Sanjay Seecharran of Grove Public Road, EBD has also recently been jailed for three years after confessing to stealing fibre-optic cable from GTT.
LONDON – A leaked cockpit video published Tuesday captures a dramatic exchange between two American pilots whose voices choke up when they learn they have killed a British soldier in Iraq. “I’m going to be sick,” one pilot says, later adding “we’re in jail, dude.” Ever since the friendly-fire incident nearly four years ago, the Pentagon has said the video was classified. That meant the footage could not be presented in open court during a British inquest into the death of Lance Cpl. Matty Hull, who was killed when at least one U.S. jet fired on his convoy in the southern city of Basra. But after excerpts of the video were published in The Sun newspaper and the footage was widely broadcast, U.S. authorities agreed to release it for the inquest. Neither pilot from the Boise, Idaho-based 190th Fighter Squadron was disciplined in the U.S. military’s own investigation, which concluded the pilots “followed the procedures and processes for engaging targets,” Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said Tuesday. The leaking of the tape strained relations between the Department of Defense and their British counterparts, who were previously given a DVD of the classified video. The dramatic cockpit video and recording begins with two pilots identifying a target and checking with ground control that there are no coalition troops in the area – to which ground control says, “That is an affirm. You are well clear of friendlies,” according to the transcript released by The Sun. Tempers flare between the two pilots, with one saying it looks like the prospective targets are carrying orange rockets. Coalition troops are often equipped with bright orange markers to identify them as friendly forces. “I know what you’re talking about!” the first pilot says, after asking about the location of the prospective targets. “OK, well they got orange rockets on them,” the second pilot says. “Orange rockets?” the first pilot asks again, telling the other pilot they need to get back to base soon. “I think killing these damn rocket launchers, it would be great,” the second pilot says. At least one of the U.S. A-10 jets opened fire on Hull’s tank, which was part of a five-vehicle convoy engaged in combat outside Basra on March 28, 2003. Four other soldiers were wounded, including the convoy’s leader, Capt. Alexander MacEwen. Gunfire is heard. Minutes later they learn there are friendly forces in the area and that one person is dead and another is wounded. Pilot 1: “I’m going to be sick.” Pilot 2: “Ah f—.” Pilot 1: “Did you hear?” Pilot 2: “Yeah, this sucks.” Pilot 1: “We’re in jail, dude.” The pilots communicate with ground control again. “They did say there were no friendlies,” the first pilot says. “Yeah, I know that thing with the orange panels is going to screw us. They look like orange rockets on top,” the second pilot says. The first pilot then asks if his tape is still on. Seconds later, there is silence. A publicly releasable version of the U.S. investigation report – which found the pilots followed procedures and practices for engaging targets – was given to the British Defense Ministry in November 2003, said Lt. Col. Teresa Connor, a spokeswoman at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida. It was unclear why neither the Defense Ministry nor U.S. authorities released the findings. On Tuesday, after the leaking of the tape, Connor said Central Command authorized Britain to display the video to the coroner and family in the presence of the Defense Ministry. It is up to the ministry to decide whether and when to do so, she said. The U.S. military has no plan to release the names of the pilot or their unit, Connor said. The U.S. Embassy’s deputy chief of mission, David Johnson, said he thought the coroner had already viewed the video. “Our focus is really on finding out where our procedures fell down and allowed information that was classified to be provided to individuals who did not have appropriate access to it,” Johnson told the AP, saying that U.S. and British exchanges had been “military to military.” Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker is hearing the inquest, which resumes Feb. 16. British coroners tasked with inquests into suspicious deaths have become increasingly critical of military errors. One coroner last year criticized American authorities for failing to provide access and name U.S. Marines involved in the death of British television journalist Terry Lloyd, shot in Iraq in March 2003. Johnson said the British inquests were “unique.” “It’s a very delicate situation in looking at this issue in the context of domestic law when what has happened has occurred on the battlefield,” he said. He said the video humanized the tragedy on both sides but that nothing could compare to the family’s loss. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters in Washington that he had read the transcript of the incident. “My reaction is that these people immediately understood that it was a terrible, terrible mistake, and they felt immediate remorse of what happened.” Susan Hull, Hull’s widow, welcomed the release of video, saying it was “vital evidence and must be shown” at the inquest. “The inquest is my one and only chance to hear how and why Matty died,” she said in a statement released by her lawyers. “I would have preferred to hear the evidence from the U.S. pilots themselves. However, they cannot be compelled to come and they have not come voluntarily. The video is therefore vital evidence and must be shown. I do not relish hearing it in open court, but after years of being told that it did not exist or was secret I feel that it was right not to give up hope.” Previously, the Defense Ministry had said it was unable to persuade the U.S. to declassify the footage – a recording British authorities initially claimed did not exist. Britain’s defense secretary, Des Browne, welcomed the U.S. release of the video. “The release of classified information, even for the closest of allies, is never straightforward, but this is the right thing to do,” he said. Former U.S intelligence officer Bob Ayers, now a security analyst based in London, said pilots in fluid combat situations often do not have real-time intelligence and logistics information. “This was happening during the mad rush toward Baghdad,” Ayers said. “You have planes that are going 300 mph and by the time they get coordinates, they’re five to 10 miles off the mark.”160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set!
Both women, who emigrated from the Soviet Union in the 1980s but recently returned to Russia for a vacation, were severely sickened, but their lives are not in danger, medical officials in Moscow said. “They have positive dynamics, and their condition is improving,” Dr. Viktor M. Kaznacheyev, the chief physician at the Sklifosovsky Clinic in Moscow, told The New York Times. The women had been treated at the clinic since falling ill Feb. 24. Their Moscow vacation reportedly began Feb. 14 and they were due back in California on Feb. 26. The poisoning has stunned friends and family back home. Oyuna Chuluun, a medical assistant at Marina Kovalevsky’s storefront clinic in West Hollywood, said she thought the apparent poisoning an accident. She said Marina was divorced. “We just don’t believe someone would want to poison her,” Chuluun told The Associated Press. Doctors say the mother and daughter were poisoned with thallium, a reputed poison of choice for intelligence agencies and assassins. It was initially suspected to be the toxin used in last year’s fatal poisoning in London of former Russian security agent Alexander Litvinenko, but it was later determined he had ingested the rare radioactive isotope polonium-210. Studio City neighbors of Marina Kovalevsky say she and her daughter moved into a home in the hills above Laurel Canyon around five years ago. Yana Kovalevsky later moved away, they said. They describe the sandy-haired doctor as a quiet woman seen each morning before her vacation walking her dog down the street from her tidy two-story, yellow home, which was recently remodeled. “It’s terrible,” said Robin Perud, 40, who lives across the street. Neighbor suspicious Lionel Kipnis, who lives next door and has picked up her mail for three weeks, figured something was wrong when they did not return. “A lady, a friend of theirs’, stopped by Saturday and said they’d fallen ill.” Marina Kovalevsky is an internal-medicine specialist in private practice in West Hollywood and has had admitting privileges at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center since 1999, a spokeswoman for the hospital said. She was educated in the 1970s in Kemerovo, an industrial and coal-mining region in southern Siberia. “She left Los Angeles in perfectly good health,” said Dr. Arkady Stern, a colleague covering for her at her West Hollywood practice on Santa Monica Boulevard. Thallium, an element with no taste or odor, has been used as an ingredient in insecticides and rat poison, and by criminals and intelligence services, including those of the former Soviet Union and of Iraq under Saddam Hussein. Slow-acting poison It was said to have been selected by the CIA as a poison to be sprinkled in Fidel Castro’s shoes – a plot that was never carried out. When ingested, it is a slow-acting poison that can cause excruciating abdominal pain, breathing difficulties, damage to the nervous system and extensive hair loss. Stern said the two women had been administered Prussian blue, an antidote commonly used to counteract thallium’s effect, and had undergone dialysis to help rid their systems of lingering toxins. There is no indication that either woman would have been of interest to Russian intelligence services, and no clear criminal motive for the poisoning. “My personal opinion,” Stern said, “is that it could be some mistake. I cannot imagine that anyone in their right mind would want to hurt this person. She is very loved and very respected by her patients, her colleagues and her friends.” Wire services contributed to this report. dana.bartholomew @dailynews.com (818) 713-3730 160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! A Studio City doctor and her daughter who were mysteriously poisoned in Moscow with a highly toxic element popular with assassins returned to Los Angeles on Wednesday to waiting ambulances and a throng of reporters. Looking pale and unable to walk on their own, Dr. Marina Kovalevsky, 49, and her daughter, Yana, 26, were escorted through a crush of camera crews, reporters and bright flashes at the Tom Bradley International terminal. “We’ve just had a 13-hour flight. We’ll be more than happy to talk to you later,” Yana Kovalevsky told the media. “Just leave us alone, please. Have some respect, please. Get the camera out of our face.” The pair left the Aeroflot jet in airline wheelchairs and were helped by friends and family members into other wheelchairs. They were then placed in separate ambulances about 5:20 p.m. and presumably taken to an area hospital, although officials would not confirm where they were going. 
0Shares0000Gor Mahia head coach Dylan Kerr reacts during their CAF Confederations Cup match against Rayon Sport at the Kasarani Stadium on August 19, 2018. PHOTO/Timothy OlobuluNAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 21 – Gor Mahia head coach Dylan kerr is faced with a huge headache ahead of him with a possibly fate defining next two weeks in wait.The British tactician could wrap up a second league title since joining Gor over the next two matches; Sofapaka on Wednesday in Narok and arch rivals AFC Leopards on Saturday at the Kasarani Stadium. But, he has a do-or-die clash against USM Alger in the CAF Confederations Cup on August 29 to look out for.A loss to Rwanda’s rayon Sport on Sunday night put the record 16-time Kenyan Premier League champions in a precarious situation as far as their continental ambitions are concerned and the now have to go to North Africa and pull out a win beyond all costs.“It is tough for us and the FKF and KPL should have helped us by shelving some of these fixtures, but they refused. What can we do? We have two crucial games, very tough games and one is against our big rivals and then we have to look at USM which is a must win game. We have to make tough decisions,” the tactician said.Kerr has either to rest some of his key players for one of the two league matches or both and preserve them for USM Alger. But, the game against AFC on Saturday is not just your ordinary match. It is the battle for bragging rights.The Gor Mahia that started their CAF Confederations Cup match against Rayon Sport at the Kasarani Stadium on August 19, 2018. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu“We will look at who is fresh and who is ready for that game but to be honest, our focus is on the USM match,” the tactician noted.Gor would have wrapped up a spot in the quarter finals had they even drawn against Rayon in Nairobi, but they couldn’t get a way past the Rwandese.“We prepared well, we worked hard and the atmosphere in training was great but it just didn’t happen. Credit to Rayon, they came here to win and basically made us work hard. We didn’t click. In the first half we conceded an early goal which is unlike us and we gave the ball away too many times,” the tactician said.“No excuses, it just wasn’t our day. It just didn’t work for us,” a dejected Kerr further noted.He said that their tough run of citures hasn’t given them time to prepare well as most of the sessions have just been more of recovery than working on tactical preparation for the next game.His sentiments were shared by skipper Harun Shakava who said the players are suffering from fatigue while most of them are playing beyond the pain barrier carrying injuries.Gor Mahia striker Francis Mustafa vies for the ball against Rayon Sport’s Abdul Rwatubyaye in a CAF Confederations Cup match at the Kasarani Stadium on August 19, 2018. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu‘It is very tough because we are genuinely tired. Travelling, playing, recovering… it takes a toll on players. We have players who are playing with injuries and it is hard to demand 100 percent from them. We asked the federation and KPL to postpone some of our games but they refused,” the defender noted.He added; “We are out here representing Kenya and it is not good to see that we don’t get enough support. But we will fight on, all is not lost,” Shakava opined.The team is still optimistic they will pull off the success of going into the Confederations Cup quarter finals, despite needing all points away to USM.0Shares0000(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)