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MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – Beauty queen-turned-actress Gloria Diaz reiterated her earlier stance that she did not say anything bad about Cebuanos.

“I didn’t say Cebuano is lowly or bobo. Why would I say that? I mean, I might be mataray but I wouldn’t say such a thing. I love the Philippines. I love my people. My boyfriend is a Visayan so why would I say that?” asked the loquacious beauty queen in an exclusive phone interview late Wednesday afternoon.

The actress, who suggested that Filipino beauty queens should get interpreters when competing in beauty pageants abroad, was quoted in her television interview as saying that a Cebuana can hardly speak English or Tagalog. Some Cebuanos perceived this statement as derogatory.

An online report said a resolution declaring her persona non grata has already been issued by The Vice Mayors League of The Philippines-Cebu.

But Diaz maintained that she never said Cebuanos cannot speak English.

“I didn’t say anything bad against Cebuanos. All I said was for the contestants to answer the question in the most comfortable language they could speak. Kung Ilocano, they speak in Ilocano. Kung Pampango Replica handbags, they speak in Pampango. Kung Bicolano, they speak in Bicolano. Kung Cebuano, they speak in Cebuano,” she added.

Diaz said her interview on TV was taken out of context.

“The interview with me was aired three consecutive days and if they didn’t catch them all they wouldn’t get the whole picture. And the way some of my sound bites were put together wasn’t exactly what I meant,” she exclaimed.

Diaz also questioned the resolution declaring her persona non grata. “And persona non grata refers to criminals, right? Have I done something wrong? I think I was just misinterpreted by Cebuanos.”

Diaz, 1969 Miss Universe, added: “I won’t go to Cebu until the Cebuanos, who misinterpreted what I said, apologize to me.”

Diaz said she raised the issue of language use in reference to beauty contests only. “Besides, the English we would want Venus Raj to use was not of the Parliament English. She was not applying for a writing job in English. She wasn’t there to be the paramount of a good English speaker."

Raj, Miss Universe 4th runner-up, was heavily criticized after her poor response to the pageant’s customary question-and-answer portion. Her response reportedly spoiled her chances to bring home the crown.

Diaz believed that the 22-year-old beauty from Camarines Sur could have expressed herself clearly if she had answered using a language she is most comfortable in. This prompted her to suggest getting interpreters for Filipinos competing in international beauty pageants.

Nonetheless, Diaz said Raj did great in Miss Universe 2010.

“Her English was good so why make a big fuss out of it? She gave a good answer,” she said. “I am very irrelevant about the issue.”

She also appealed to the country’s leaders to be more relevant. “There are still more important things to tackle in this nation like the dengue issue, the Hong Kong sentiment about the hostage taking crisis Replica Watches, the economy. My God! I am very irrelevant.”

NEW YORK – Defending champion Kim Clijsters advanced to the US Open women’s final by rallying to defeat US third seed Venus Williams 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, running her US Open win streak to 20 matches.

Clijsters will play in Saturday’s championship match against Russian seventh seed Vera Zvonareva, the Wimbledon runner-up seeking her first Grand Slam title who ousted Danish top seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3 in the other semi-final.

The Belgian second seed has a 5-2 career record against Zvonareva, but has dropped both meetings to the Russian since returning from a break to have a family, falling in this year’s Wimbledon and Montreal quarter-finals.

"It’s going to be a tough battle," Clijsters said. "She doesn’t give you much."

Clijsters, who did not play on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts between her 2005 and 2009 title runs due to her hiatus, matched the second-longest women’s win streak. Only Chris Evert’s 31-match run is longer in the 33-year Open Era.

"This is what I was trying to achieve in coming back," Clijsters said after Friday’s win. "It wasn’t always easy but I’m glad I stuck through it and could enjoy these moments."

Clijsters, who last year became the first mother since 1980 to win a Slam crown, is trying to become the first back-to-back US Open women’s champion since Williams in 2001 and was happy at answering the challenge Williams posed.

"I was able to raise my level. That’s what I was most pleased about, that I was able to rise to the occasion when I had to," Clijsters said.
Williams struggled in the swirling winds of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"It was tough to play with the wind. It was so bizarre Tag heuer replica watches," Williams said. "Usually the wind isn’t this relentless. Every day the wind is different. I like to come though in these challenges but today I didn’t.

"I wish I could have played better on the bigger points."

The quality of shotmaking despite the blustery weather surprised Clijsters.

"Conditions have been really tough," Clijsters said. "That’s why I was happy with the level we played at."

Clijsters improved to 7-6 lifetime against Williams with her fifth victory in a row against the American, a run that included a fourth-round triumph at last year’s US Open.

"I just tried to make the points and when I felt I had an opportunity to step up and accelerate I tried to take advantage," Clijsters said.

After two double faults and four unforced errors in a tie-breaker led to Williams losing her first set of the tournament, she squandered a break point in the second game of the last set and surrendered a break in the third game.

"I’m glad she had a couple of double faults in the tie-breaker," Clijsters said.

They exchanged breaks in the eighth and ninth games, each set up by a double fault. Clijsters swatted a lob winner for a 5-4 lead, then held serve to finish off the match after two hours and 23 minutes.

Williams broke Clijsters in the seventh game of the match on the only break chance either had in the first set.

They exchanged breaks on the way to a second-set tie-breaker that Williams botched by double faulting twice, netting two forehands plus hitting an overhead smash beyond the baseline to hand Clijsters a 6-1 lead.

"I played a lot of good points but obviously in the tie-breaker I wasn’t able to play as well as I wanted Rolex replica watches," Williams said. "I had some errors and she played some good tennis."

BASEL, Switzerland – Andy Roddick resumed the hunt for a place in the eight-man ATP season final with a 7-5, 7-6 (8/6) defeat of fellow American Sam Querrey to move into the second round at the Swiss Indoors Wednesday.

Roddick stands provisional eighth in the field for the World Tour Final in London from November 21 with three spots remaining open after qualification by Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Basel holder Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Robin Soderling.

A handful of candidates are still in the hunt including Roddick, who injured a knee last month in Shanghai and was playing for the first time in a fortnight.

Roddick hammered his trademark aces with abandon Tag heuer replica watches, toting up 16 in just over 90 minutes of battle.

Querrey, another big hitter, managed 16 but put a backhand into the net on Roddick’s first match point to make an early exit on his debut appearance.

The victory ran Roddick’s record in the series to 5-2 and annulled the sting of losses in two of their three previous meetings.

Roddick has been a stranger in recent years in Basel, hometown of top seed and national sporting icon Roger Federer. The last time the American played the indoor event was in 2003, when he reached the semi-finals.

But Roddick recalled an even earlier tennis date in Switzerland. "I played my first Basel: played first Davis Cup match here in 2001. It was a dead rubber, but it’s something you never forget."

In other first-round matches, veteran Czech Radek Stepanek beat Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) while Finn Jarkko Niemimen Omega replica watches, 2007 losing finalist against Federer, defeated German Daniel Brands in a qualifying battle 6-3, 6-2.

Paul-Henri Mathieu put in a bid for inclusion on the French Davis Cup finals team against Serbia with his win over recent Stockholm finalist Florian Mayer of Germany 6-3, 6-3.

Federer was playing later in the second round in front of a packed home crowd as the three-time champion bids to win his fourth title in five editions after losing his title a year ago to Djokovic.

BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand has been kicked out of the 2012 men’s Olympic qualifying competition round for fielding an ineligible player Replica handbags, local media reported on Tuesday.

The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) told the Bangkok Post they would appeal after being thrown out following a first-round penalty shootout victory over Palestine.

The Thais were set to face Bahrain in the next round of regional qualifiers for next year’s London Olympics before the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stepped in, according to the paper.

The AFC punished Thailand for fielding suspended player Sucharit Chanthakul during the first leg in February, the report added.

"We have been formally informed by the AFC about the matter," FAT secretary general Ong-art Korsinkha told the paper. "We are appealing."

Neither the AFC or FAT were immediately available for comment.

Soccer’s governing body FIFA would not confirm or deny Thailand’s expulsion but said an investigation was under way.

"FIFA has a case open with Thailand Replica Watches," FIFA told Reuters in an email, adding that it could not comment further.

MANILA, Philippines — The Petron Blaze Boosters completed the semi-finals cast in the PBA Philippine Cup playoffs after a two-game sweep of the Meralco Bolts, 80-64, Wednesday night at the Ynares Sports Center.

The third-seeded Boosters, the PBA Governors Cup champions last season, will face the team they defeated in the finals, the Talk N Text Tropang Texters in a best-of-7 series.

The Boosters piled up a double-digit lead early in the first quarter, 30-17 Replica Watches, and never looked back in dispatching the Bolts.

"Maganda ang game plan namin and the guys stuck with it. They were aggressive from the get-go to the finish," Petron head coach Ato Agustin told PBA.ph.

Petron barely missed a beat despite ace guard Alex Cabagnot playing only 3 minutes due to an injury. Denok Miranda, who played extended minutes with Cabagnot hurt, delivered for the Boosters with 12 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds.

Even with Cabagnot out, the Boosters led by as many as 18 points. Rookie Chris Lutz had 22 points, Arwind Santos chipped in 18 and Joseph Yeo had a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Agustin said their semi-finals match-up against Talk N Text "will be a question of will and determination."

"The team who wants it more, gets it," he added.

The Petron mentor admitted that his squad will be the underdog going into the semi-finals. "Kumpleto na sila, samantalang pilay pa rin kami. Pero gusto ko ang laban namin," Agustin said.

The Texters won both games against Petron in the elimination round.

The scores:

PETRON 80 – Lutz 21, Santos 18, Yeo 13, Miranda 12, Baclao 6, Reyes 6, Tugade 2, Ildefonso 2,
Doruelo 0, Agustin 0, Cabagnot 0.

MERALCO 64 – Espinas 20, Cardona 10, Mercado 9, Macapagal 7, Taulava 7, Isip 4, Timberlake 2,
Borboran 2, Omolon 2, Ross 1, Ballesteros 0, Lanete 0, Hugnatan 0.

Quarters: 30-17, 46-32 Replica Watches, 58-49, 80-64

lPARIS – iPhones, Blackberries and other smartphones are the hottest item for thieves on the Paris metro Replica Watch, and robbers are increasingly turning to violence to get their hands on them, police said Tuesday.

"Almost one in every two thefts on public transport now concerns a mobile telephone, while ‘classic’ wallet or purse thefts represent only 33 percent of incidents," Paris police chief Michel Gaudin told a city council meeting.

Seventy percent of the phones stolen in Paris are smartphones Fake Watches, police statistics show.

Gaudin said the 8.9 percent rise in violent crimes in Paris since the start of the year was partly due to telephone thefts, which he said accounted for 75 percent of the 991 violent incidents in October alone.
 

The Management Tip of the Day offers quick, practical management tips and ideas from Harvard Business Review and HBR.org (www.hbr.org).

"Having the chance to talk with someone high up in your organization can be a great opportunity to share your ideas and gain exposure. But it can also be nerve wracking – what if you say the wrong thing? Here are three tips for preparing for your next chat with a head honcho:

1. Do your homework. Find out what the senior team’s priorities are. Work out a few key points about your projects or career as they relate to what senior leaders care about now.

2. Be brief. Once in front of the senior leader Replica Watch, make your key points succinctly.

3. Read the situation. If the senior leader is not interested Replica Watch, thank her for her time and move on. How you behave is more important than what you say. Yammering on signals a lack of self-awareness."

- Today’s Management Tip was adapted from "Tips for Making Small Talk With Bigwigs" by John Baldoni.

Any opinions expressed are not endorsed by Reuters.

MANILA Fake Watches, Philippines – An electronic and lights parade filled the streets of Batac, Ilocos Norte this week as residents continue to celebrate the Christmas season.

Locals and tourists alike were treated to a showcase of floats in different sizes and shapes, as well as mini lights held by those who were part of the annual event.

This is the second year that Batac has conducted the electronic and lights show.

Apart from providing entertainment, it is considered a symbol of the residents’ effort to move toward progress, an idea usually characterized by light.

Meanwhile, a 35-foot Christmas tree was recently lit in Cotabato City. It was decorated with assorted Christmas lights and has an LED screen on top.

The city hall, known as the People’s Palace, was also decorated with Christmas lanterns and a life size figure of the newborn Jesus Christ in a manger along with the 3 wise men.

Although Cotabato City is considered a Muslim area, the government recognizes the spirit of the yuletide season of Catholics in the city. — Reports from Mark Magdirila Fake Watches, ABS-CBN Laoag and Archad Rangan, ABS-CBN Cotabato

MANILA, Philippines – Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said on Thursday the next chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should come from Asia after the head of the fund resigned following charges he sexually assaulted a maid in a Manhattan hotel.

The resignation of Dominique Strauss-Kahn has sparked debate over the 65-year-old tradition that a European is appointed as head of the IMF, with emerging economies pressing for the next chief of the Washington-based global lender to be drawn from their ranks.

"Given the urgent need for stable leadership in the IMF Breitling replica watches, coupled with the shifting global economic landscape wherein Asia increasingly plays a major role as a growth driver of the global economy, there is no time more fitting than now for an Asian leader to take the helm of such a distinguished institution," Purisima told reporters via a mobile text message.

"A new brand of leadership will send a positive signal that the IMF is indeed responsive to the changing world," Purisima said.

For years, emerging economies have demanded a greater say in how the IMF is run.

Officially, the 24-member executive board of the Fund votes to fill the top post Omega replica watches, with votes weighted based on member countries’ and region’s subscription quotas.

But traditionally it has been negotiated based on a pact that gives the US a hold on the World Bank’s top job and Europe the IMF position.

Some European leaders have already called for another European to be named, with French finance minister Christine Lagarde and former German central banker Axel Weber mentioned as possible candidates.

In recent years, however, shifts that have given rising economies greater quotas, and dissatisfaction with the IMF’s approach to many crisis-struck countries, have sparked pressure for a broader-based pool of candidates.

The popular shortlist from emerging economies includes Turkish former UN official Kemal Dervis, Indian planner and IMF veteran Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and Mexican central banker Agustin Carstens. – With AFP
 

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court has ordered the Manila Regional Trial Court to finally implement the compromise deal that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and Orient Commercial Banking Corp. forged during the processing of the latter’s receivership.

In an 8-page ruling penned by Associate Justice Martin Villarama Jr., the first division of the appellate court said the deal rendered moot and academic several petitions filed for the seizing of the assets of the bank.

“With the final settlement of the claims of petitioner against herein respondents, the issues raised in the present petition regarding the propriety of the issuance of writ of attachment by the trial court and the grave abuse of discretion allegedly committed by the appellate court in reversing the orders of the trial court Breitling replica watches, have now become moot and academic,” the high court said.

The deal allows for the dismissal of 19 civil cases pending before several courts. In turn Cartier replica watches, Orient Bank will pay BSP its total obligations worth P2.97 billion.