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Graham, McCollum lead Pelicans past Bulls 126-109

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Devonte’ Graham unravelled his braids and let his hair, as well as his shot, flow freely.

Graham hit five three-pointers on his way to a season-high 30 points, CJ McCollum scored 25 and the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Chicago Bulls 126-109 on Thursday.

“It was good, man, to see the ball go in, play with confidence. It was fun,” Graham said, but sounded reluctant when asked if he’ll keep his hair unbraided.

“For now, I guess, until I play bad,” said Graham, a fourth-year pro out of Kansas. “I used to have this little nappy head in college. I guess everybody’s just surprised by it now.”

Jonas Valanciunas added 16 points and 19 rebounds for the Pelicans, who won for the fourth time in six games as they try to solidify their hold on a Western Conference play-in spot.

Zach LaVine scored 39 points and Coby White added 23 for Chicago, which played without leading scorer DeMar DeRozan and lost for the fifth time in six games. The slumping Bulls are in danger of sliding out of a top-six seed in the East (the seventh and eighth seeds have to host the play-in round).

“It’s frustrating, obviously, we’re just trying to figure out how to get back into a rhythm,” LaVine said.

“No one is going to help us. We’ve done enough talking. We’ve done enough of trying to pep talk and rallying to keep guys’ spirits up, but we just have to get it done now.”

New Orleans Pelicans guard Devonte’ Graham shoots. PHOTO: AP
Chicago Bulls centre Nikola Vucevic (9) screens New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones. PHOTO: AP

Pelicans undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado scored 13 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, hitting a driving layup, floater and three-pointer in succession to help fuel a pivotal surge in which New Orleans built a 15-point cushion.

Graham’s deep three-pointer and Valanciunas’ 10-foot turnaround capped the spurt and made it 107-92 with 6:26 to go.

Javonte Green and Alex Caruso each hit a three-pointer to help Chicago pull to 109-102 before Graham hit a momentum-halting driving layup as he was fouled. Graham added two more free throws to give him five straight points.

“We need that from him, especially in a game like tonight,” Alvarado said. “Wasn’t shocked. That’s who he is. He better keep that hairstyle because I guess that’s what it is.”

McCollum’s bank shot made it 116-102 with 2:01 left and Chicago removed its starters soon after.

LaVine scored 16 points in the first quarter, when he hit five of his first six shots, including all three three-pointers he attempted, and helped Chicago build a lead as large as nine.

But the Pelicans erased the deficit in the second. Graham’s 29-foot three-pointer, followed by his driving floater while being fouled, put New Orleans up 52-50. The Pelicans were ahead by four late in the period on Herb Jones’ putback, but White drained his fourth of five three-pointers on the night to pull Chicago to 63-62 at halftime.

A blend of the best of both worlds

Swatch has collaborated with Omega to imagine an innovative Swatch take on the Speedmaster Moonwatch.

The unexpected, provocative and visionary partnership, a first between Swatch and Omega, is the culmination of a trend of collaborations between luxury and street brands to create innovative new products that blend the best of both worlds.

The brands have drawn their design inspiration from space, to create a collection of eleven Swatch models named after planetary bodies, from the giant star at the centre of the solar system to the dwarf planet at its periphery.

All of the Swatch designs are in the brand’s patented BIOCERAMIC, a unique mix of two-thirds ceramic and one-third material derived from castor oil. Although colours like pink and pale blue offer strong clues that these are not your standard Omega Speedmaster watches, a hard-core Moonwatch fan would be hard-pushed to find the difference in the overall look.

The key Moonwatch design features are all there. The asymmetrical case, the famous tachymeter scale with dot over ninety and the distinctive Speedmaster subdials, which all work perfectly.

Omega’s Moonwatch is legendary and a must-have for collectors. Swatch’s witty BIOCERAMIC MoonSwatch collection makes the iconic design accessible to fans everywhere. It’s a down to earth take on the watch that went to the moon, which is a perfect representation of Swatch’s joy of life and innovation philosophy.

The new collection comes in rarely seen colours. Each MoonSwatch feature its own mission statement, inspirational engravings and joint OMEGA X SWATCH logos on the dial and crown.

The battery cover on each watch features a depiction of its planet. A spacesuit-ready VELCRO© strap adds a final touch of astronaut chic.

For those wishing to “Reach for the Planets” a MoonSwatch is a great way to lighten up for the journey.

ABOVE & BELOW: A timepiece in fiery red with ‘Alaska Project’ watch hands; and a celebration of our precious planet in blue and green. PHOTOS: SWATCH

Extended sponsorship for Pusat Ehsan students

Darussalam Assets Sdn Bhd has extended its sponsorship for two special needs students at Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam (Pusat Ehsan) for the fifth consecutive year.

Permanent Secretary (Investment) at the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MoFE) and Darussalam Assets Chief Executive Officer Haji Khairuddin bin Haji Abdul Hamid, Darussalam Assets’ Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Hajah Rahayu binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Razak, Pusat Ehsan Board of Trustees member Audrey Choo Wah and School Principal of Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam Nurussa’adatul binti Saifulbahri attended the cheque presentation at the Darussalam Assets office.

Darussalam Assets has been a long-standing benefactor of the ‘Special Needs Student Adoption Scheme’ since its 2017 launch.

Through the Student Adoption Scheme, sponsors are given the opportunity to invest in the life, growth and long-term development of students, providing them access to additional learning support, rehabilitation services, activities, facilities and transportation expenses required.

The supplementary support hopes to help students tap into their full potential to be recognised as skilled individuals, in line with Pusat Ehsan’s vision of enabling the special needs community to live a meaningful life among society.

Darussalam Assets, through its corporate social responsibility initiatives, aims to inspire social and economic changes by offering sustainable support and development for the community in line with its aim to be a responsible corporate citizen.

Over the years, Darussalam Assets has had the honour to witness the life-changing progress students have made as a result of the Student Adoption Scheme, and hopes that other private sector organisations will follow suit.

Pusat Ehsan Board of Trustees member Audrey Choo Wah and Permanent Secretary (Investment) at the Ministry of Finance and Economy and Darussalam Assets Chief Executive Officer Haji Khairuddin bin Haji Abdul Hamid with the sponsorship as School Principal of Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam Nurussa’adatul binti Saifulbahri (L) and Darussalam Assets’ Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Hajah Rahayu binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Razak (R) look on. PHOTO: Darussalam Assets

Britain, Canada launch free trade talks

OTTAWA (AFP) – Britain and Canada announced on Thursday the launch of bilateral free trade negotiations, as London looks to firm up trade access since formally leaving the European Union (EU) last year.

“I am thrilled to announce that Canada and the United Kingdom are officially launching negotiations towards a new free trade agreement,” Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng told a joint news conference in Ottawa with her British counterpart Anne-Marie Trevelyan.

Negotiations, Ng said, are expected to take two years. London has so far signed agreements with non-EU European countries (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), but also more distant countries such as Japan and more recently Australia and New Zealand.

Inspiring volunteer receives award

James Kon

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has recognised Lailatul Zubaidah binti Haji Mohd Hussain, representing Brunei Darussalam, as the 216th Commonwealth Point of Light in honour of her voluntary service of providing a community platform for families with children with special educational needs.

Lailatul Zubaidah received the Queen’s Commonwealth Points of Light certificate from British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam John Virgoe during a high tea reception hosted at his residence recently to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD).

The event, hosted outdoors and in line with the Brunei Government’s COVID-19 guidelines, was joined by guests that included inspiring women in Brunei who are game changers in their fields.

The event also saw guests sharing their experiences and discussing the IWD’s theme, #BreakTheBias.

“It was a happy coincidence that Brunei’s next Commonwealth Points of Light was announced a day before IWD, providing a perfect opportunity to celebrate both the Commonwealth Points of Light award and IWD,” said the British high commissioner.

Meanwhile, Deputy High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Catherine Pochkhanavala-Cleeve said, “The United Kingdom (UK) has a strong reputation in standing up for women’s rights around the world. On IWD this year, we celebrate the work we have done to champion gender equality. It is also an opportunity to identify areas to work on.”

Catherine shared that the UK will be publishing a new strategy called the ‘3 Es’, setting their ambition to ‘educate girls, empower women and end violence’. The Points of Light is a prestigious honour awarded to outstanding volunteers – individuals who are making positive changes in their community.

Lailatul Zubaidah binti Haji Mohd Hussain posing with her award. PHOTO: BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION

Iran blames US for delays in reaching nuclear deal

BEIRUT (AP) – Iran’s foreign minister claimed on Thursday that his country is ready to reach a lasting agreement with world powers, blaming the latest failure to revive Tehran’s tattered nuclear deal on an allegedly “unrealistic vision” by the United States (US).

Speaking during a visit to Beirut, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian urged the US to stop “wasting time.”

Nuclear negotiations nearly reached completion on the deal earlier this month before Russia demanded that its trade with Iran be exempted from Western sanctions over Ukraine, throwing the process into disarray. Negotiators have yet to reconvene in the Austrian capital, and its unclear exactly what hurdles lie ahead.

Amir-Abdollahian discussed a range of issues with Lebanese officials, including the tiny Mediterranean country’s parliamentary elections due in May, Russia’s war in Ukraine and the latest developments on efforts to resurrect the nuclear deal.

“We believe that if there is a realistic American vision in dealing with the situation, we will very soon see the birth of this nuclear deal,” he said. Asked about the main obstacles, he said “some matters are still pending and they are related to lifting the unjust sanctions” imposed on Iran.

“We believe that the United States should move on the right track instead of wasting time,” he said, without elaborating. “We are ready to reach a strong, good and lasting agreement as long it does not cross the Islamic Republic of Iran’s red lines.”

Iran enjoys wide influence in Lebanon. Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Lebanon on Thursday from neighbouring Syria, where he met with Syrian President Bashar Assad and other top officials.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. PHOTO: AP

 

 

Italy out of Qatar 2022 qualifying after 1-0 loss

PALERMO, SICILY (AP) – European champion Italy will miss the World Cup. Again.
The unthinkable happened in Palermo on Thursday as the Azzurri were beaten 1-0 by North Macedonia following a last-gasp goal by Aleksandar Trajkovski in their playoff semifinal.

Italy had 32 shots on goal, compared to just four for its opponent.

But it was Trajkovski’s effort from outside the area as defenders closed in around him that made the difference.

It was North Macedonia’s only real opportunity after a completely dominant performance by Italy, which missed a number of chances and had several others saved by visiting goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.

But, just like five years ago, at the final whistle the Italy players fell to the ground in disbelief and disappointment – with several of them in tears – as the opposition celebrated wildly.

Italy also failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after losing to Sweden in a two-legged playoff the previous November. Missing two straight World Cups is an unprecedented low point for the four-time champion, especially just months after winning Euro 2020.

“I’m proud of my teammates, we are all destroyed and broken but we have to start again,” Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini said. “At the moment it’s difficult to talk about it, it will remain a great hole.

“I hope that the coach will stay because he is essential for this team. Now we have to return to winning, go to the Euros and in four years time return.”

But Roberto Mancini, who took over as Italy coach after the last qualifying failure, said on Thursday that the disappointment “was too great to talk about the future”.

North Macedonia players celebrate as Italy players reacts after their team’s elimination. PHOTO: AP
Italy’s manager Roberto Mancini leaves the pitch. PHOTO: AP

Mancini was missing a number of players that helped Italy win the European Championship last summer and had to field a makeshift defence, but it was barely troubled by North Macedonia until the very end.

Italy got off to an aggressive start but struggled to find a way past the wall of red shirts.

The Azzurri were gifted a great chance in the 30th minute after a horrendous kick from the North Macedonia goalkeeper left Domenico Berardi with an open goal but he scuffed his shot and Dimitrievski got back in time to make the save.

Dimitrievski did better moments later when he fingertipped Ciro Immobile’s angled shot over the bar. Italy was getting closer and Dimitrievski had to make another save, this time to palm Lorenzo Insigne’s effort around the post.

North Macedonia had its first attempt on goal on the stroke of halftime when Enis Bardi threaded a ball through for Trajkovski but his effort was straight at Giangluigi Donnarumma.

Italy was laying siege to the goal but saw everything charged down by North Macedonia.

And it was made to pay for its profligacy in stoppage time as Trajkovski fired a low shot into the bottom left corner from 25 yards, leaving Mancini looking stunned.

EU regulator advises COVID drug be authorised

LONDON (AP) – The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Thursday it was recommending that an antibody medication developed by AstraZeneca be authorised to help some vulnerable people avoid getting sick with the coronavirus.

EMA said in a statement that it was advising the use of the new drug, sold as Evusheld, in people age 12 and over before they were exposed to COVID-19 to prevent future infections.

It is now up to the European Union’s (EU) executive arm, the European Commission, to officially authorise the drug. EMA said the drug’s side effects were mostly mild, with some people reporting reactions at the injection point.

The agency noted that research was done before the emergence of the hugely infectious Omicron variant and said that it was evaluating data to determine if a different dose might be needed.

Although antibody drugs have been a standard treatment for treating COVID-19 infections for more than a year, AstraZeneca’s is the first intended for long-term prevention against COVID-19 infection rather than as a short-term treatment.

High commissioner urges Malaysian entrepreneurs to be more involved in agriculture

James Kon

High Commissioner of Malaysia to Brunei Darussalam Dato’ Raja Reza bin Raja Zaib Shah urged Malaysian entrepreneurs in the Sultanate to be more involved in the agriculture sector, where there is still much potential to grow.

He said this during an official visit to IAM Food, an agritech farm in Tungku Agricultural Development Area on Thursday, where he and his spouse were welcomed by farm Directors Ellin Chong and her husband Lau Han Chong.

The Malaysian high commissioner said, “Agriculture is one of the important growing economic activities in the Sultanate. During the recent Legislative Council (LegCo) session, a BND96.13-million budget was approved for the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MRPT), in which 32 per cent will be allocated for the development projects to boost Brunei’s food security.”

He said farmers and entrepreneurs must continue to explore innovative ways to modernise their farming and production methods to embrace new technology, including the application of the Internet of Things (IoT). “This is essential especially during the pandemic, as Brunei is also facing the challenges of sourcing foreign workers.“

Prior to a tour, farm Director Ellin briefed on IAM Food. “This month marks the company’s first anniversary,” Ellin said, adding that Phase 1 costs around BND3 million.

Ellin expressed hope to inspire other entrepreneurs to the farm, “by showing the country what we are capable of and how we do it”.

IAM Food earned a vote of confidence from the MPRT, being given another two plots of land – 2.2 hectares and 5.5 hectares – to expand its production. Working closely with the MPRT through the Agriculture and Agrifood Department, IAM Food explores new ways to make agriculture more sustainable and help the sector achieve its production goals.

High Commissioner of Malaysia to Brunei Darussalam Dato’ Raja Reza bin Raja Zaib Shah and his spouse receiving a memento from the IAM Food directors. PHOTO: IAM FOOD

Ageing well begins with eating better

Tara Parker-Pope

CNA/THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY – Small changes in your eating habits can lower your risk for many diseases associated with ageing. The good news is it’s never too late to get started. Here are five tips to keep in mind.

AVOID PROCESSED MEAT
A number of studies have found associations between eating a lot of processed meats and poor health. A Harvard review found that eating one serving a day of processed meats, like bacon, sausage and deli meats, was associated with a 42 per cent higher risk of heart disease and 19 per cent increased risk of diabetes.

EAT BLUE (AND OTHER COLOURS)
One study found that eating the equivalent of a cup of blueberries a day lowered blood pressure. Most of us can’t eat a daily cup of blueberries, but the lesson is to add darkly coloured fruits and vegetables – blueberries, cherries, spinach and kale – to your diet. They are loaded with nutrients, fiber and carotenoids.

PASS ON PACKAGED FOODS
How do you know if a food is processed? One good indicator is if it comes in a package that has to be ripped open.

Think chips, granola bars, junk food, fast food, frozen pizza, etc. There are, of course, some exceptions to the rule. Some whole, unprocessed foods that are good for you come in packages by necessity. Think nuts, eggs, olive oil and milk to name a few.

REMEMBER THE ONE-INGREDIENT RULE
If a packaged food contains only one ingredient (ground turkey, for instance) it’s probably a reasonable choice.

SKIP THE SUPPLEMENTS
Study after study has seemed to debunk the benefit of taking supplements. The best advice: Save the money you would spend on them and invest in a new pair of walking shoes, a gym membership or a delicious and healthy meal with your family. All of those are likely to do more for your health than a supplement.

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Borneo Bulletin is the leading English daily in the country. It was first published by Brunei Press. Today, Borneo Bulletin has become the foremost source of information on local and foreign affairs, and the region’s business news.

© 2013 Borneo Bulletin Online - The Independent Newspaper in Brunei Darussalam, Sabah and Sarawak

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