Seifert blasts New Zealand to T20 series win

April 9, 2023

AFP – Tim Seifert was the match-winner for the second straight game as New Zealand clinched the T20 series against Sri Lanka with a tense four-wicket victory yesterday.

Seifert blasted a career-high 88 off 48 balls to fire the Black Caps to 183-6 from 19.5 overs after the tourists had posted 182-6 in the third and final game at John Davies Oval.

The opener struck 10 fours and three sixes in an innings that bore many of the hallmarks of his unbeaten 79 when New Zealand levelled the series at Dunedin on Wednesday.

Captain Tom Latham provided the only meaningful support with 31 off 23 and New Zealand’s middle order nearly conspired to lose the game after Seifert departed with four overs remaining.

Needing to score at little more than a run-a-ball at that stage, the Black Caps stuttered.

Needing 10 runs to win off the final over bowled by Lahiru Kumara (3-38), Mark Chapman struck a six off the first ball before he was the first of three New Zealand wickets to fall.

With two still needed off the last two deliveries, Rachin Ravindra held his nerve to find a gap in the outfield and secure the 2-1 series win.

New Zealand’s Tim Seifert plays a shot as Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis reacts. PHOTO: AFP

Latham conceded the run chase should not have become so tight at the death.

“They put us under pressure so it was good to see the way the guys responded to that,” Latham said.

“The way Timmy Seifert went out there and played was really important but obviously it wasn’t ideal going down to the last couple of balls. “I’d say we always had it under control though.”

It completes a disappointing tour for Sri Lanka, who lost the Test and ODI series by the same 2-0 scoreline but were more competitive in the shortest format.

Captain Dasun Shanaka said his team adjusted gradually to New Zealand conditions and suggested Sri Lankan cricket officials should take careful note.

“I think it’s about preparation. We should make sure when we come here again, we should come at least two weeks, three weeks before we play,” Shanaka said.”Once we got into the T20 series we started looking a different team.”

Sri Lanka gave themselves a shot at victory after Kusal Mendis struck a rapid 73 off 48 balls, taking full advantage after being dropped by Daryl Mitchell at slip when on 10.

The opener-wicketkeeper went on to hit six fours and five sixes in his 12th half-century, falling just short of his career-high score of 79.

Having been asked to bat, Mendis was the dominant figure in an opening stand of 76 with Pathum Nissanka (25 off 25), before putting on a further 46 with Kusal Perera (33 off 21).

Wickets fell rapidly over the closing overs, preventing the tourists from going close to 200. Seifert has not been included in New Zealand’s squad for the white ball tour of Pakistan beginning on Friday as he is expecting the arrival of his first child.

Sri Lanka’s next assignment is a two-Test home series against Ireland, beginning on April 16.

Giving back to the community

April 9, 2023

Rokiah Mahmud

Members of the Leo Club of International School Brunei (ISB) lent a helping hand to the needy in Kampong Bolkiah ‘A’ yesterday.

The project, dubbed Ramadhan Charity Project, donated cooking and baking essentials to selected recipients of the village ahead of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivities.

Led by Leo Zawanah, the project also served as an example of charitable causes for the young generation to emulate. Aside from helping the community, the project also aimed at raising awareness on the importance of assisting the needy.

Fifteen bags of essentials were distributed yesterday.

Members of the Leo Club of International School Brunei (ISB) during the project. PHOTO: LEO CLUB OF ISB

South Korea to offer USD5.3B in financing to support battery investment in North America

Business

April 9, 2023

CNA – South Korea yesterday said it will provide KRW7 trillion (USD5.32 billion) in financial support for its battery makers seeking to invest in infrastructure in North America over the next five years to help firms cope with the United States (US) Inflation Reduction Act.

Government support will include lowering lending rates and insurance premiums by as much as 20 per cent as well as providing more loans and tax credits for Korean firms’ battery and material production facilities in the region, the Industry Ministry said.

The US Treasury Department last week unveiled stricter electric vehicle (EV) tax rules, requiring automakers to source a certain percentage of critical minerals for EV batteries from the US or a US free-trade partner to qualify for new US federal incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act.

The act requires 50 per cent of the value of battery components to be produced or assembled in North America to qualify for a USD3,750 credit and 40 per cent of the value of critical minerals sourced from the US or a free trade partner also for a USD3,750 credit.

“Both the government and businessmen should cooperate to find solutions together to effectively cope with situations changing rapidly after the Inflation Reduction Act,” Trade Minister Lee Chang-yang said while presiding over a meeting with major battery cell makers and materials firms.

In November, South Korea launched the government-backed battery alliance to better source key metals dominated by China to bolster battery supply chain stability.

South Korea’s LG Energy Solution (LGES), Samsung SDI and SK On comprise three of the world’s five biggest EV battery cell makers, commanding more than a quarter of the global market and supplying the likes of Tesla, Volkswagen AG and General Motors.

In March, LGES said it would resume a stalled US battery project with a USD5.6 billion investment in Arizona to qualify for federal incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act.

A truck drives down a rural road near a water tower marking the location of the Memphis Regional Megasite in Stanton, Tennessee, United States. PHOTO: AP

Work-from-home order issued as Chiang Mai tops world pollution table

April 9, 2023

ANN/THE STAR – Thailand’s Chiang Mai was ranked the world’s most polluted city on Friday, with authorities urging people to work from home to avoid the hazardous air.

Smoke from forest fires and farmers burning crop stubble has blanketed the popular tourist destination in recent weeks.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha held video talks with the leaders of neighbouring Myanmar and Laos to discuss the problem, which affects large areas of Southeast Asia every year.

Thailand has been choking on heavy air pollution since the start of the year, caused in part by seasonal agricultural burning.

Nearly two million people have needed hospital treatment for respiratory conditions caused by air pollution this year, according to the Public Health Ministry.

On Friday morning, the air monitoring website IQAir ranked Chiang Mai as the most polluted major city in the world, above regular hotspots such as Delhi and Lahore.

A general view shows hazy conditions due to air pollution in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. PHOTO: THE STAR

Levels of the most dangerous PM2.5 particles – so tiny they can enter the bloodstream – were more than 66 times the World Health Organization’s annual guideline, according to IQAir.

Chiang Mai provincial governor Nirat Pongsittitavorn issued a statement urging people to stay indoors and work from home to “protect themselves and reduce the health impact” from PM2.5 particles.

Forest fires have contributed to the problem.

The latest, in Chiang Rai province, northeast of Chiang Mai, began on Thursday and has affected 96 hectares of forest.

Home to nearly 130,000 people, Chiang Mai is a gateway to Thailand’s hilly north, visited pre-pandemic by millions of tourists for its historic centre and laid-back atmosphere.

But Vice-President of the Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association Wittaya Pongsiri said the pollution was putting visitors off.

Officers kill homeowner after responding to wrong address

April 9, 2023

FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO (AP) – Officers with the Farmington Police Department in northwestern New Mexico shot and killed a homeowner when they showed up at the wrong address in response to a domestic violence call, state police investigators said.

The shooting happened around 11.30pm on Wednesday New Mexico State Police released more details late on Thursday, and Farmington police confirmed on Friday that the three officers involved are on paid administrative leave pending a review of the case.

The officers were not immediately identified, and it wasn’t clear what administrative action could be taken.

Body camera footage reviewed by state police shows the homeowner opening the screen door armed with a handgun and that’s when officers retreated and fired.

Not knowing who was outside, the man’s wife returned fire from the doorway and officers fired again.

State police said the woman put down her gun after realising the individuals outside her home were police officers.

Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said in a social media post that it was a chaotic scene and that more information will be released in the coming week.

He called it a dark day for the police force and for the family of homeowner, who was identified as Robert Dotson.

“What I will tell you as the chief is that this is an extremely traumatic event and that I am just heartbroken by the circumstances surrounding this,” he said.

“This ending is just unbelievably tragic. I am extremely sorry that we are in this position.”

The case comes amid an ongoing reckoning across the country over use of force by law enforcement officers.

Most recently, the United States (US) Justice Department opened a civil rights investigation after a US Park Police officer in Washington fatally shot a 17-year-old who drove off with an officer in the back seat after being found asleep in a suspected stolen car.

In Farmington, the officers had initially knocked on the front door of the wrong home and announced themselves as police officers.

When there was no answer, they asked dispatchers to call the reporting party back and have them come to the front door.

Dotson, 52, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Warriors beat resting Kings 119-97 to close in on playoffs

Sports

April 9, 2023

AP – Klay Thompson scored 29 points, Stephen Curry added 25 and the Golden State Warriors closed in on a playoff berth by beating the short-handed Sacramento Kings 119-97 on Friday night.

The defending-champion Warriors missed a chance to clinch the postseason when New Orleans won earlier in the night but can still get in as one of the top six seeds in the Western Conference by winning at Portland in the season finale today.

“I think for us, you go in and you try to win the game and we get what we want,” guard Donte DiVincenzo said. “What we want is to not be in that play-in game. So simple as that.”

Golden State could get in with a loss today depending on other results but could be relegated to the play-in tournament instead.

DiVincenzo added 18 points for the Warriors, who have won seven of nine games.

Trey Lyles and Chimezie Metu each scored 15 points to lead the Kings, who were locked in as the No. 3 seed in the West after Memphis won earlier in the night.

Sacramento Kings Keegan Murray drives the ball. PHOTO: AP

“Both halves we started out real slow,” coach Mike Brown said. “We had to play catch-up. Fighting uphill against a team like that… made it tough.”

With little at stake, the Kings rested their top three scorers with De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Kevin Huerter all getting the night off.

That took some of the energy out of a sold-out building that had been excited for a possible playoff preview between the two neighbouring franchises who have never even made the playoffs in the same year since the Kings moved to Sacramento for the 1985-86 season.

“That would be amazing,” Thompson said of a possible Warriors-Kings playoff matchup.

“That’d be special for Northern California. The Kings have great fans. We have great fans.

Mike B has them boys playing together and hard and that would be really cool.”

The Warriors raced to a 32-16 lead after one quarter but got sloppy in the second when the Kings took advantage of seven turnovers in the quarter and good outside shooting to cut the deficit to 53-48 at the half. “Carelessness was the main cause,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. Sacramento played hard and they got into the ball and they forced a couple. But you saw some of the careless passing that we’re not going to be able to get away with in the playoffs.”

Golden State built the lead back up to 13 points in the third quarter and were never seriously threatened in the final quarter.

High commission distributes bubur lambuk

National

April 9, 2023

Lyna Mohamad

The Malaysian High Commission in Brunei Darussalam held its annual Rewang Menyediakan Bubur Lambuk Malaysia programme at the Malaysian High Commission in Jalan Kebangsaan yesterday.

Preparations of the porridge began early yesterday morning and were distributed as alms. Malaysian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Dato’ Raja Reza bin Raja Zaib Shah and spouse Datin Roslina Ismail distributed the porridge. Dato’ Raja Reza said that they are proud to be able to continue its traditional programme of preparing bubur lambuk for this year’s Ramadhan.

“Forty volunteers comprising staff from the Malaysian High Commission and members of the Persatuan Kebajikan Melayu Se-Malaysia di Brunei (PKMS), were involved in the programme, which was carried out with the concept of mutual cooperation.”

The high commissioner added that bubur lambuk was chosen because it is one of the most popular foods in Malaysia served during iftar.

Two thousand portions of porridge were distributed to the public and the Malaysian community as well as hospital staff and mosques in Kampong Pulaie, Kampong Jerudong, Kampong Sengkurong and Kampong Sungai Hanching.

The welfare programme hoped to create a culture of giving during the month of Ramadhan and to strengthen ties between the Malaysian High Commission and local and Malaysian communities.

Malaysian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Dato’ Raja Reza bin Raja Zaib Shah hands over bubur lambuk. PHOTO: LYNA MOHAMAD

Fashion or football?

Lifestyle

April 9, 2023

AFP – Fashion has always taken a close interest in the world of football and its biggest stars, but less so in the style of its fans.

Until now, that is, since the “blokecore” trend is turning football supporters into true fashion icons.

From the runways to Kim Kardashian’s wardrobe, the football jersey is the most stylish item of the moment.

Fashion or football?

There’s no need to choose, thanks to the rise of the latest fashion aesthetic, “blokecore”, which takes inspiration from the pitches and stands of the world’s greatest stadiums.

Not content with seducing sports fans, the trend is now making waves on social networks, TikTok in the lead, with nearly 100 million views for the #blokecore hashtag.

The phenomenon speaks volumes about the ever-closer links between the worlds of fashion and sport.

The ‘blokecore’ trend has taken over TikTok, scoring nearly 100 million views. PHOTOS: AFP

FOOTBALL AND FASHION

There are countless connections between the fashion and luxury industries and football, but until now, the biggest fashion houses have been content with signing up the services of star players, such as Kylian Mbappe, or collaborating with world-renowned teams or equipment manufacturers.

But this time, the trend is not coming from the industry, but from the street, or more precisely, from social networks, where users have decided to combine style and football, a duo that was previously considered incompatible.

Emerging in 2022, the “blokecore” aesthetic evidently gained momentum during the World Cup in Qatar, but instead of running out of steam after Argentina’s victory over France, it has continued to grow and become a real fashion phenomenon… much to the delight of football fans.

User Brandon Huntley is credited with the origin of this fashion trend, stemming from his inspiration of the moment.

The young man simply filmed himself wearing a football jersey, jeans and sneakers, with the message: “Hottest trend of 2022: blokecore.”

If it didn’t catch on right away, the aesthetic ended up going viral with no less than 200,000 views for the video, and, as we’ve seen, nearly 100 million views for the trend that has now conquered women – but especially men – all over the world.

However, to give credit where credit is due, the trend actually goes back several decades.

It finds its source in the United Kingdom (UK), where “bloke” is a colloquial term for “guy” or “dude”, and all in the aim of celebrating British football culture from the 1970s to the 1990s.

FROM THE STREET TO THE CATWALKS

Unlike other, more complex fashion aesthetics, the “blokecore” trend is characterised by a football jersey – most often a vintage model – worn with jeans and sneakers. Simple, basic.

Most of the jerseys spotted on the Chinese social network are linked to English clubs, but as the trend grows, so does the presence of shirts from other football nations, including France, Brazil, Italy, Croatia and Spain.

Note that the aesthetic is not only popular in Europe and the United States (US), but also in Asia.

On the social network Xiaohongshu, the hashtag #blokecore has exceeded seven million views, reported Jing Daily.

These codes of the street have since been adopted on the runway, with brands like Koche, Balenciaga and most recently, Wales Bonner, which have made the football jersey the star of the runway.

And that’s not all, as a host of fashion icons – more accustomed to showing off sumptuous couture gowns than supporters’ attire – have since appropriated the football jersey.

This is the case of Bella Hadid, as part of the campaign for Balenciaga and Adidas, but also of Kardashian, seen in recent months with a vintage Roma shirt, then a Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) jersey. Two outings that have not gone unnoticed, and that should contribute to the continuation of this new sportswear trend.

Sub-zero temperatures on Mt Kinabalu lead to icicle formations

April 9, 2023

ANN/THE STAR – Sub-zero temperatures have been recorded on the summit area of Sabah’s Mount Kinabalu, causing the formation of icicles on the country’s highest peak.

According to the Sabah Parks Facebook page, temperatures of between -3 degrees Celsius and -5 degrees Celsius were recorded at the peak between 2.30am and 7am yesterday.

It said this caused liquid on rocks and trees to freeze and subsequently form ice shards, icicles as well as some snow.

These formations were discovered from the Panalaban substation, which is the last pit stop before the ascent to Low’s Peak, at over 3,200 metres above sea level, up to the summit point.

“The surface of granite stones is slippery because of the ice formations. May all climbers exert caution throughout their climb and descent from the mountain.

“So far, all climbing activities are smooth and under control. No emergencies or accidents have been reported,” Sabah Parks added. It added that chances of acute mountain sickness were more likely during cold weather.

The post drew the attention of netizens, with some reporting that the cold was also felt at the foothills of the majestic mountain.

Depleted Mavs lose to Bulls, eliminated from play-in race

Sports

April 9, 2023

DALLAS (AP) – Kyrie Irving had a seat next to Dallas owner Mark Cuban, and fellow All-Star Luka Doncic wasn’t far away in sweats after his limited duty was finished.

Neither was available to address how the Mavericks essentially pulled the plug on their season before they were eliminated from the postseason. That chore was left to coach Jason Kidd – again.

Coby White scored 24 points and the short-handed Chicago Bulls rallied past the depleted Mavericks 115-112 on Friday night, eliminating Dallas from play-in contention a year after the club reached the Western Conference finals.

Kidd said before the game an “organisational decision” was made to limit Doncic to the first quarter while sitting Irving and four other regulars when Dallas still had a chance to catch Oklahoma City for the final play-in spot as the 10th seed in the West.

Despite the move, the Mavericks led by double digits in the second half before a rag-tag bunch filled mostly with players who spent the season on the end of the Dallas bench slowly let the lead slip away.

“It’s not so much waving the white flag,” Kidd said. “It’s decisions sometimes are hard in this business. We’re trying to build a championship team.

“With this decision, this is maybe a step back. But hopefully it leads to going forward.”

The Bulls sat their top two scorers in DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, but they are already locked in to the 10th seed in the East.

Borneo Bulletin OnlineThe Independent Newspaper in Brunei Darussalam, Sabah and Sarawak

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