Boston Celtics won its 18th NBA title

 

Screengrab from NBA/ESPN

The 2023-24 NBA Season finals were an intense clash between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics had a commanding lead at 3-0, but the Mavericks managed to interrupt their sweep in Game 4. Despite the setback, the Celtics managed to regain their composure.

In Game 5 of its best-of-seven finals match between the Celtics and the Mavericks, the Celtics have finally been crowned champions again after beating the Mavericks at the score of 106-88. Jaylen Brown was named MVP.

They have been the most dominant team in the league all season, and it’s so satisfying to see them finally get their 18th title. They definitely earned it. Of course, it was a long season with many ups and downs, but the Celtics always managed to overcome the challenges they faced. 

Congratulations to the Boston Celtics for winning their 18th NBA title!

Let's Do The News! (June 18, 2024)

             

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- The Department of Foreign Affairs remains mum on the recent harassment by China in the West Philippines, preceded by the condemnation by recent countries. In response, the Philippines took part at the 2nd multilateral maritime cooperative activity in the West Philippine Sea.

- A magnitude 4.1 quake hits Tarragona, Davao Oriental

- Antonio Baltazar Nebrida Jr, has sworn in as PTV4's new General Manager in front of PCO Secretary Cheloy Garafil at the Malacanang.

- US President Joe Biden is announcing a policy defending over 500K undocumented spouses of US citizens from deportation.

- Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra avoided pre-trial detention for allegedly insulting the monarchy after a criminal court granted him bail.

- India is investigating the recent railway collision that killed nine and hurt dozens.

- Three people were killed in the shooting at an office building near a daycare center and a school in Toronto.

- A wildfire burning northwest of Los Angeles has forced the evacuation of over 1000 people from a popular outdoor recreation area and burned over 14K acres.

- The United States government is suing Adobe, alleging that it concealed early cancellation fees and made it difficult to cancel subscriptions to its products. The FTC says Adobe "trapped customers into year-long subscriptions."

- Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda and nine others of the automaker's board were re-elected at an annual general meeting, amid recent scandals over governance and certification test results.

- The Audi e-tron GT minor change was unveiled with the S e-tron GT  and the range-topper RS e-tron GT Performance with 912bhp of power output, making it the most powerful Audi road car.

2025 Audi S e-tron GT

2025 Audi RS e-tron GT Performance

- Apple Films' Formula 1 movie will arrive in cinemas this June 2025.

- HYBE files complaints against individuals who leaked and traded artists' flight information.

- KBS variety show Synchro U is airing in the second half of 2024 with Yoo Jae Suk as one of the presenters.

- Actor Ian McKellen is recovering after accidentally falling off a London bridge.

TTFN.

Let's Do The News! (June 17, 2024)

            

Your daily round-up of today's news...

- The Quezon City government warns residents to be careful due to the "hissing" of cases of dengue and several other diseases this rainy season.

- The AFP calls China's statement of the RORE mission in Ayungin Shoal "misleading" and "deceptive". A certain political analyst says that China is conducting a crackdown in the West Philippine Sea, making arrests on alleged trespassers. The AFP remains tight-lipped on the latest resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal This is despite the Chinese media's statement that the ships of the two countries had a 'collision' this morning.

- An airplane carrying 21 Filipino crew members of MV Tutor, has landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

- The Greek coastguard threw nine migrants to their deaths in the Mediterranean, witnesses say. The nine are among more than 40 people alleged to have died as a result of being forced out of Greek territorial waters, or taken back out to sea after reaching Greek islands, according to reports. The Greek coastguard denies all accusations of illegal activities.

- Hamburg police say they have shot a man who threatened officers with an axe, ahead of the Euro 2024 match in the German City.

- Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky says he will offer peace talks if Russia leaves Ukraine. Dozens of countries are committing to Ukraine's territorial integrity.

- Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has described the introduction of daily "tactical pauses" in military activity in a part of southern Gaza as “unacceptable”.

- Supercars will host a Perth street race this 2026 season. The WA Government approved plans for the Supercars organizers to host a street race in Burswood Park. The new street circuit could attract over 50,000 fans per day.

- Honda and Mitsubishi Corporation announced plans to establish the Altna joint venture for EV businesses, battery leasing, and smart charging.

- An i☆Ris documentary film is coming this September with exclusive interviews from members over six months.

- A new Tokyo Revengers anime and its Fairy Tale shorts are coming soon.

- Masked Rider DEN-O, the 2007 Kamen Rider TV series, is getting a Smart Pachinko game coming this September 2024.

- MOMOLAND member JooE signs with Oneul Entertainment.

- BABYMONSTER announced their July comeback.

- Bryson DeChambeau wins his second US Open title.

- Former major league infielder, coach, and instructor Mike Brumley was killed in a car crash in Mississippi. He was 61. Brumley played for six teams from 1987 to 1995. He most recently served as a minor league coach and instructor for the Atlanta Braves from 2018 to 2022.

- Vloggers Rosmar Tan and Rendon Labador are facing "persona non grata" in Coron, Palawan.

TTFN.

2024 NASCAR Cup Series - Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series continues in Iowa Speedway for the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol. It's the first time a NASCAR Cup race was held in Iowa, the first of the 2024 season, and the drivers are going all-out.

As the green flag waved, the action in Iowa is underway. The first stage saw Christopher Bell nearly spun out in turn 2 at the start of the race, and then Corey LaJoie spun in Lap 4 after Carson Hocevar got loose and tagged Zane Smith, who tagged LaJoie. AJ Allmendinger also got into trouble on Lap 52, losing a tire and hitting the wall.

As Ryan Blaney won Stage 1, Stage 2 and the final stage had crashes aplenty. On Lap 80, Noah Gragson was nearly taken out by John Hunter Nemechek. Then, on Lap 182, Daniel Hemric hit the wall. The wild racing continued when Kyle Larson won Stage 2 and then sent Daniel Suarez into a spin on Lap 220, which was followed by Denny Hamlin crashing into Larson. After that, Chris Buescher was the victim of a blown tire that had him hit the wall on Lap 260, and Kyle Busch also hit the wall on Lap 269.

Screengrab from NASCAR

After a wild Father's Day race night in Iowa, Ryan Blaney wins the Iowa Corn 350 of the NASCAR Cup Series!

The next race is in New Hampshire for the USA Today 301 this June 23rd.

FIA WEC S12 - 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 2024 edition of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans comes to life at the Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe, and the Hypercar grid is fully booked.

This year, the grid includes Lamborghini, BMW, and Alpine joining alongside Toyota, Ferrari, Cadillac, and Porsche. This is exciting news, as this will be the first time for both Lamborghini and Alpine to participate. For BMW, it is their first time since 1999, and their first time in the Hypercar class.

In addition to the much-lauded addition of BMW, Alpine, and Lamborghini to the Le Mans Hypercar grid, the LMGT3-class machines have proudly made their Le Mans debut. The GT3-class machines, from the Ford Mustang to the Lexus RCF, the Corvette Z06 to the Porsche 911, and even the Ferrari 296, are all ready to flex their racing muscles in this legendary endurance arena. This is one of the most prestigious races in the world and a true classic in endurance racing. With all these new additions, this year’s race is sure to be one for the ages.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans delivered many key moments, such as a GR010 crashing an RCF GT3 during a warm-up lap. Alpine also made their debut at Le Mans this year, but sadly it ended in shambles due to an engine failure. There was also a case of deja vu from last year's Le Mans, where Toyota and Ferrari clashed for victory. It's disappointing to see Alpine's debut end the way it did, but it's also inspiring to see so many legendary manufacturers competing at such a prestigious event. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a true classic in endurance racing, and it was great to see some new faces this year.

Screengrab from WEC

Ferrari made history yet again. With the #50 Ferrari AF Corse 499P, they defeated the #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The #22 United Autosports won the LMP2 class, and the #91 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 became the first LMGT3 racer to win Le Mans. Congratulations to all the winners!

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is over but the 2024 edition of the FIA World Endurance Championship rages on as the next race is the Rolex 6 Hours of Sao Paulo this July 14th.

Meralco wins its first PBA Philippine Cup title

The Meralco Bolts have been fighting for the title for 14 years and finally advanced to the PBA Philippine Cup finals, where they faced their biggest hurdle; the legendary San Miguel Beermen team.

The Beermen have won 29 PBA titles and have a veteran team, making them a formidable opponent for any team. The Bolts are also a great team, but they have never won the championship. But the Bolts are looking to change that this year, and if they can beat the Beermen, they will have a great chance of winning the title.

The first game saw Meralco draw first blood by beating San Miguel at the score of 93-86, followed by Game 2 where SMB beat Meralco by a point, 95-94. The two sides trade punches until Game 5, where Meralco's third win of their best-of-7 match against San Miguel puts them on the brink of their first title.

Game 6 was held in front of a massive crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, and the atmosphere was electric. The game was close throughout, but the Meralco Bolts made a few key stops down the stretch and held on for the win. In the end, the Bolts won Game 6 80-78 and clinched their first PBA Philippine Cup championship in team history.

Chris Newsome is named Best Player at the score of 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Photo: Philippine Basketball Association

Congratulations to the Meralco Bolts for finally winning the PBA Philippine Cup after 14 years of fighting for the title. It was a close one, going against the legendary San Miguel Beermen, who are tied with Ginebra for most titles won. I’m especially happy for Chris Newsome, who was named Best Player of the Game. Cheers to the Bolts for a great season and an even better finish!

2024 Repco Supercars Championship - betr Darwin Triple Crown

The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship continues in Hidden Valley for the betr Darwin Triple Crown. 

This two-parter saw unexpected moments and some controversial ones. Ryan Wood avoiding penalty during qualifying, Aaron Love getting fined for speeding in pit lane, a pit lane incident involving Cam Waters, the Broc Feeney-James Golding incident, and Chaz Mostert's redemption drive are some moments from the Darwin race weekend.

Screengrab from Supercars

Broc Feeney made headlines in Darwin having swept the entire race weekend with the first part controversially passing through James Golding and escaping the penalty. At the same time, Mark Winterbottom finished 2nd and Will Brown finished 3rd. The latter part saw Feeney beat Brown and Brodie Kostecki to complete the sweep.

After Darwin, Will Brown is currently leading with 1353 points while Broc Feeney is in 2nd with 1245 points and Chaz Mostert is in 3rd with 1074 points.

The next event is the NTI Townsville 500 this July 4-7.