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PBA Press Corps to award Ramon Fernandez Trophy to Philippine Cup Finals MVP

RM CHUA/ONE SPORTS

THE PBA Press Corps announced on Thursday the introduction of the Ramon Fernandez Trophy that will be handed out to the winner of the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Starting with the PBA’s 50th Season Philippine Cup Finals, the PBA Press Corps will present a trophy named in honor of Mr. Fernandez for his remarkable contributions that included a record 19 championships, the most by any player.

Mr. Fernandez gave his blessing in a meeting with PBA Press Corps President Vladimir Eduarte of Abante/Tonite and the group’s other officers during the 50th Season opener last Oct. 5 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“To have the PBA Finals MVP trophy bear my name, especially in this 50th year, the Golden Anniversary of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), is something I never imagined yet will forever treasure. This is more than a personal recognition. It is a reminder of a lifetime shaped by the league that gave me purpose, pride and a second family,” Mr. Fernandez said.

“The PBA was my battlefield, my classroom and my home. It was where I learned discipline, sacrifice, resilience, teamwork, humility and the meaning of leadership under pressure. Every championship fought for, every Finals series endured, every cheer and every criticism… all of it molded the player and the man I became. I owe so much of who I am today to this league.”

The first four-time MVP won nine titles with the fabled Toyota franchise before adding three more for Tanduay and seven for San Miguel Beermen, highlighted by a historic Grand Slam in 1989.

Mr. Fernandez is also the league’s all-time leading scorer with 18,996 points, a record that may stand the test of time.

“With those 19 championships, who knows how many Finals MVP awards Mr. Fernandez could’ve won if such recognition had already been handed out during his time,” said Mr. Eduarte. “The Finals MVP trophy in Fernandez’ name is a well-deserved recognition the PBA Press Corps unanimously decided on.”

The introduction of the Ramon Fernandez Trophy also comes as the Press Corps will mark 30 years since awarding its first Finals MVP, which was Jojo Lastimosa for Alaska in the 1996 All-Filipino Cup, two years after Mr. Fernandez played his 20th and last season as a pro with San Miguel.

A plaque had been given out to each of the previous Finals MVP winners, who are determined through votes by Press Corps members actively covering the PBA beat.

Aside from still being the PBA’s career scoring leader, Mr. Fernandez also continues to still be No. 1 to this day in the league’s total rebounds ladder (8,652), defensive rebounds (6,435), shot blocks (1,853), free throws made (3,848), minutes played (36,624:30), and still No. 2 in career assists (5,220), steals (1,302) and games played (1,074).

Mr. Fernandez, who also played for Beer Hausen and Purefoods, averaged 17.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.7 shot blocks per game in an illustrious 20-season career. — Olmin Leyba

Hostility on NBA elite

The boos at the Fiserv Forum the other day were not especially loud by National Basketball Association (NBA) standards, but they resonated all the same. When Giannis Antetokounmpo turned toward the crowd and booed back, his reaction reflected recognition of the shift in sentiment. Star and fans remained aligned, but on the opposite end of the spectrum. The Bucks were being routed at home to bring even more disappointment to the season, and the crowd had had enough. He, too, reached a breaking point, leading to his direct, perhaps reflexive, and certainly revealing response.

For and in the NBA, it is not an unfamiliar sight. LeBron James heard boos in Cleveland well before he left the first time, less because of failure than because of looming anxiety. Kevin Durant played under a similar cloud in Oklahoma City, where expectations turned to suspicion as opportunities narrowed. Anthony Davis became the focus of open hostility in New Orleans once departure was imminent. In each case, the noise was not about a single game. In each case, the narrative was stalling. And, in each case, the name on the marquee, fairly or not, became both a symbol and a point of leverage.

Antetokounmpo complicates the lineage because his story in Milwaukee is that of success. He delivered a championship. He signed contract extensions. He spoke the language of loyalty without hedging. The Bucks’ modern identity is inseparable from his rise, and confidence in their competitiveness has long been anchored to his presence. And, needless to say, the kinship reframes the boos: They were not a call for departure so much as a protest against inertia. The roster is older than desired, thinner than hoped, and increasingly dependent on the force of will of their foundational piece to paper over structural infirmities. In this sense, fans were not rejecting him; they were reacting to the possibility of a future without him.

How the league elite handle these moments often determines the way they are remembered. James tended to absorb the noise, with silence and leverage underscoring his honor. Durant, more exposed, sparred in public and online, invariably with tension. Antetokounmpo chose neither distance nor diplomacy; he met the criticism head-on, returning the boos and then explaining himself without apology. Certainly, there was an old-school quality to the manner in which he paid for action with reaction: having deemed himself worthy of unshakable belief, he met its on-demand withdrawal with proportionate anger.

To be sure, the more instructive comparisons may well be with those who endured the noise and stayed. Dirk Nowitzki heard boos in Dallas during lean years, but organizational clarity eventually steadied the relationship. Kobe Bryant was openly booed in Los Angeles during the post-dynasty wilderness; fortunately, a decisive reset restored goodwill. In both cases, the would-be Hall of Famers absorbed frustration because the direction, however painful, was evident.

Which, in a nutshell, is now the challenge in Milwaukee. Antetokounmpo’s reaction was honest, even principled. Whether it becomes a forgotten footnote or a significant marker in the sport’s annals depends less on crowd behavior than on what the Bucks do next. When boos are rained on a player with as much gravitas as his, history suggests the clock has already started: not racing, but moving all the same.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Seahawks, 49ers set for rubber match with NFC title-game berth at stake

EVERY great NFL defense needs a nickname.

From the Purple People Eaters (Vikings) to the Steel Curtain (Steelers), the Monsters of the Midway (Bears) to the Doomsday Defense (Cowboys), the Fearsome Foursome (Rams) to the New York Sack Exchange (Jets) and the Orange Crush (Broncos) to the Legion of Boom (Seahawks), the best all got monikers.

Even the Dolphins’ No-Name Defense of the 1970s.

The current Seattle Seahawks defense hasn’t yet matched the Legion of Boom, which led the NFL in fewest points allowed from 2012 to 2015, but it has come up with a nickname just in case — the “Dark Side.”

That unit will be key when the top-seeded Seahawks (14-3) play host to the sixth-seeded San Francisco 49ers (13-5) on Saturday in an NFC divisional-round playoff game.

“I think throughout the season, we were just feeling like we had a really special defense, you know, special players, and we were also just doing special things,” Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams said. “We always hear of ‘Legion of Boom,’ especially being in here. We were starting to get to a point like, ‘Hey, maybe we deserve our own name.’”

The Seahawks had the league’s top-ranked scoring defense at 17.2 points per game.

Their best performance came in the regular-season finale in Santa Clara, California, against the 49ers in a game to determine the NFC West division title and the conference’s top playoff seed, which included a first-round bye. The Seahawks allowed just 173 yards of total offense in a 13-3 victory.

That dropped the 49ers to the No. 6 seed. They went on the road and defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, 23-19, on Sunday to advance.

Christian McCaffrey gained just 48 yards on 15 carries but made six receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns to boost San Francisco. Little-used receiver Demarcus Robinson added six catches for 111 yards and a score.

It was a costly victory, however, as star tight end George Kittle sustained a torn right Achilles tendon.

The 49ers will be without Kittle and All-Pro defender Nick Bosa (knee) against Seattle.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, who was designated to return from injured reserve on Tuesday, was more likely to return should the 49ers advance to the NFC Championship Game, but Warner didn’t rule out playing this week. He has been sidelined since Oct. 12 with a fractured and dislocated right ankle.

Niners safety Ji’Ayir Brown (hamstring) and linebacker Luke Gifford (quadriceps) also sat out practice on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“I think that made us stronger for stuff like this,” Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams said about the 49ers’ injury-marred season. “Kittle going down in the first half (at Philadelphia). I think if we didn’t have experience with that, it would have been easy for everybody to fold and nobody would have blamed us. They would say, ‘Hey, they don’t have this player, don’t have that player, they probably should lose.’”

Offensive tackle Josh Jones (knee) was the only active Seattle player to miss both the Tuesday and Wednesday practices. Linebacker Tyrice Knight (shoulder) was limited on Wednesday after missing Tuesday, and linebacker Ernest Jones (illness) sat out the Wednesday session.

Starting left tackle Charles Cross was a full participant on Tuesday after missing the final three games of the regular season, but he was listed as limited on Wednesday with knee and hamstring issues when the hamstring previously was the only injury listed.

The Seahawks will be playing their first playoff game at home since January 2021.

“We need it loud, man,” defensive lineman Jarran Reed said, “so the Dark Side can come alive.”

The 49ers won 17-13 at Seattle in the season opener, thanks to Bosa’s strip sack of Sam Darnold with 36 seconds left and the Seahawks at San Francisco’s 9-yard line. Brock Purdy threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to backup tight end Jake Tonges with 1:34 remaining for the go-ahead score. — Reuters

Rested Broncos, depleted Bills gear up for playoff rematch

FOR the first time in 10 years, the Denver Broncos enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

The last time they were the No. 1 seed — 2015, Peyton Manning’s fourth and final season in Denver — happens to be the last time they won a Super Bowl.

Broncos coach Sean Payton knows the potential benefit of being No. 1. When his New Orleans Saints won Super XLIV in 2009, they were the NFC’s top seed.

But entering Saturday’s playoff opener against the visiting Buffalo Bills, Payton is also well aware that regular-season success and the No. 1 seed don’t guarantee anything when it comes to the postseason.

“The (bye) is important, but myth No. 2 is that (it) ensures the fast start. It doesn’t,” Payton said on Tuesday. “Understand this: We’re playing a team that’s coming off one of their biggest wins in the last 10 years. We have to earn a fast start and take advantage of the energy, take advantage of the rest. But it has to be done out (on the field).”

Payton also knows the challenges presented by the Bills, who handily beat the Broncos, 31-7, in last season’s wild-card round.

The Bills are still alive for the rematch thanks to their first road playoff win since the 1992 season, 27-24 at Jacksonville on Sunday.

Josh Allen, who entered with a foot injury and twice visited the injury tent during the game with head, hand and knee injuries, gutted out a performance that included 306 total yards, three total touchdowns and a pair of go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown drives.

“I feel good. Honestly, I feel a little better than I have the last couple weeks,” Allen said on Tuesday.

Allen, who has won his first playoff game in each of the last six seasons, would secure his third AFC Championship Game appearance with a win over the Broncos.

However, he will have quite a limited receiver room entering the matchup after both Tyrell Shavers and Gabe Davis sustained torn ACLs in the win over the Jaguars. That leaves Buffalo with just three wide receivers on its active roster — Keon Coleman, Brandin Cooks and Khalil Shakir.

Shakir led the team with 719 receiving yards in the regular season, adding a game-high 12 catches for 82 yards against Jacksonville. Coleman, the team’s 2024 second-round pick, took a step back in production in Year 2 with 404 yards.

Curtis Samuel (elbow) had his practice window for a return from injured reserve opened on Tuesday and was a full participant in the first two practices of the week.

“Another guy’s got to step up. That’s point-blank what it means,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “And I don’t mean to be short. It’s just right now, it’s full confidence in the guys in that room.”

Standout defensive tackle Ed Oliver (bicep) also saw his practice window open on Tuesday, making it possible that he will play his first game since Oct. 26. He was limited in Tuesday and Wednesday’s practices.

For Denver quarterback Bo Nix, this will be his first home playoff game. He completed 59.1% of his passes for 144 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Buffalo.

“I think everybody would say they’d rather be at home in this situation,” Nix said. “Last year was a tough environment, tough road experience. Good for a young person like me to go gain that experience (in my) first year. It’s obviously nice to be at home. It’s nice for that challenge to be on the other side.”

Nix will be assisted by a Broncos defense that set a franchise record with 68 sacks, 11 more than any other team and just four off the NFL record set by the 1984 Bears.

Buffalo running back Ty Johnson (ankle), cornerback Maxwell Hairston (ankle) and safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring) did not practice on Tuesday or Wednesday. Team sack leader Greg Rousseau (back), linebacker Matt Milano (ankle) and tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) have been limited.

Denver has just four players on the injury report, none of whom have missed a practice this week. Tight end Lucas Krull (foot) and linebackers Dre Greenlaw (hamstring) and Drew Sanders (ankle) have been limited.

The Bills have beaten the Broncos four of the last five times they’ve faced off and won both postseason matchups, including a 10-7 win in the 1991 AFC Championship Game. — Reuters

Raptors erupt early, stave off Pacers’ late charge

THROUGH much of Wednesday night’s loss to the Toronto Raptors, the Indiana Pacers’ chances of extending their season-high three-game win streak appeared dead in the water.

The Pacers pared down what had been a 27-point deficit in the second quarter to just four, but Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes closed the door late for Toronto in a 115-101 triumph in Indianapolis.

Ingram had a game-high 30 points to go with seven rebounds, while Barnes added 26 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds as the Raptors won for the seventh time in their last 10 games.

Pascal Siakam, Indiana’s leading scorer, was held without a basket until early in the second quarter. He recovered quickly, scoring 10 points in the second and another 12 in the third, and finished the night with a team-high 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Toronto’s advantage dipped into single digits when Andrew Nembhard hit a jumper with 8:09 to play to get the Pacers within nine. A Nembhard layup with 5:35 to play got Indiana within four before Ingram and Barnes responded with authority.

Those two players scored Toronto’s last 12 points. Ingram made back-to-back 3-pointers and added another basket, while Barnes made a pair of jumpers to keep the Pacers at bay.

Barnes, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, had 10 first-quarter points while Ingram tallied eight in the first frame as the Raptors jumped out to a 15-4 lead before four minutes had elapsed and raced to a 39-18 advantage through 12 minutes.

Toronto shot 73% (16 of 22) from the field in the opening frame, including 80% (four of five) from beyond the arc.

Gradey Dick, who posted his first double-double of the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds, had three baskets at the end of the first quarter to spur a breakthrough night. Dick had scored just 15 total points in his last four games.

Collin Murray-Boyles was the third Raptors player to post a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Nembhard and Quenton Jackson each contributed 14 points for Indiana. Jarace Walker shot 3-for-5 from beyond the arc and scored 11 points, and Johnny Furphy had 10 points and 10 rebounds. — Reuters

Nxled acquires Brooke Van Sickle, MJ Phillips, Myla Pablo and Jules Tolentino overnight

THE Nxled Chameleons’ massive transformation is now complete.

The franchise announced on Thursday it has acquired super stars Brooke Van Sickle, MJ Phillips and Myla Pablo and rising young setter Jules Tolentino that, overnight, installed it as one of the teams, if not the team, to beat in the PVL All Filipino Conference unfurling Jan. 31.

The bevy of free agent acquisitions hiked the Chameleons’ total to 14 players, 11 of which came from the Petro Gazz Angels, who recently decided it would go on an indefinite leave.

The other Petro Gazz players picked up by the club were Bang Pineda, Nicole Tiamzon, Jonah Sabete, Djanel Cheng, Ranya Musa, Jellie Tempiatura and AA Adolfo.

Its other three new recruits were Aduke Ogunsanya from Choco Mucho and Aby Maraño and Joyme Cagande from a defunct Chery Tiggo.

They joined a club that retained EJ Laure, Krich Macaslang, Jovelyn Fernandez and Lyann de Guzman among others.

In its six conferences in the league, Nxled hasn’t finished better than fifth place, which came in the PVL on Tour early this year.

But with the cabal of weapons now on their armament, the Chameleons should contend and shoot for the stars. — Joey Villar

Amateur outlasts pros for massive payday at ‘One Point Slam’ ahead of Australian Open

AN AMATEUR tennis player from Sydney, Jordan Smith, struck gold on Wednesday as he walked away with a check worth A$1 million ($661,000) after holding his nerve to win the “One Point Slam” ahead of the Australian Open.

The showdown pitted amateur players and celebrities against an elite field of 24 professionals, which included the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek.

Smith, who qualified as the New South Wales state champion, got the better of two-time Australian Open winner Sinner and women’s world number four Amanda Anisimova, before beating Joanna Garland in the final.

Taiwan’s Garland, the women’s number 117, had reached the final after beating world number three Alexander Zverev, former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios and Maria Sakkari.

“I don’t know anymore. Coming into tonight, I was just happy to win one point. I was so nervous, but I enjoyed being out here. It was a great experience,” said Smith, who added he planned to buy a house with his winnings.

The event, part of the expanded opening week of the major, featured an elimination draw with “rock, paper, scissors” used to determine who will serve or receive, and the winner of the point going through to the next round.

Amateurs were allowed two serves, but ATP or WTA-ranked players could only have one go.

Greece’s Sakkari knocked out the men’s world number one Alcaraz after he netted a dropshot.

“The dropshot is my shot, I don’t know what happened,” a nonplussed Alcaraz said.

Six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek exited at the hands of Spaniard Pedro Martinez, who drew gasps from the crowd at the Rod Laver Arena when he caught world number 10 Alexander Bublik by surprise with an underhand serve.

“I gave him a taste of his own medicine,” Martinez said of Bublik, who is known for his phenomenal touch and penchant for trick shots.

The Australian Open runs from Jan. 18 to Feb. 1 at Melbourne Park. — Reuters

San Miguel Beermen brace for defiant Gin Kings in Game 6 of Philippine Cup semis

Game on Friday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7:30 p.m. – San Miguel vs Ginebra*
*San Miguel leads Series, 3-2

A BLOCKBUSTER rematch against early finalist TNT offers a tantalizing prospect defending champion San Miguel Beermen (SMB).

But before they could entertain thoughts of Round 2 against the Tropang 5G, the Beermen must first take care of the closeout business against defiant Barangay Ginebra on Friday in Game 6 of PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinal series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

And looking back at last season’s final four against the same rival, SMB anticipates the no-quit Gin Kings to put up a hell of a fight in the 7:30 p.m. match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to force a sudden death like they successfully did the previous time SMB held a 3-2 upperhand.

“We’re one (win) away from the finals but it’s not going to be easy for us knowing from our experience in the last All-Filipino conference. We went to Game 7 and nasa catch-up situation kami at that time (rubbermatch). Fortunately we won that game,” said coach Leo Austria.

In last season’s Game 6, Ginebra wiped out SMB’s 11-point fourth-quarter lead and banked on LA Tenorio’s clutch three-pointer to grab a nail-biting 88-87 equalizer. Then in the winner-take-all, Austria’s charges overcame an 11-point second-half deficit before finishing the crowd darlings off, 100-93.

“We know Ginebra’s fighting spirit,” said Mr. Austria on Wednesday after the Beermen got on the hill in the race-to-four with a 115-109 Game 5 verdict.

“We’re leading by 14 points and all of a sudden, (Ginebra got to within) one shot away from tying the game (5) but I think the players know how to deal with those kinds of situations.”

Ginebra’s Tim Cone said he likes the fight and the effort exerted by the Gin Kings in their late comeback attempts.

“We’ll see if we can beat them two in a row. But we can’t get to a Game 7 winner-take-all unless we take care of Game 6. So that’s where our focus is, Game 6,” he said.

The Tropang 5G got to the Last Dance first on the strength of their pulsating 99-96 steal over Meralco in Game 5. This marks their fourth straight finals appearance and a second shot at the PBA’s crown jewel after falling short versus SMB in Season 49, 2-4.

Notes: The PBA cracked the whip on referee Jeff Tantay for missing a crucial call in the dying seconds of the TNT-Meralco tiff. Commissioner Willie Marcial said Mr. Tantay would be suspended for failing to make the right call, that is, whistling Calvin Oftana for a foul while blocking the attempt of CJ Cansino with nine seconds left and TNT holding a 97-96 lead. With the non-call, play continued and the Bolts were forced to foul Rey Nambatac to stop the clock. Mr. Nambatac went on to convert both to make it a three-point contest. Mr. Marcial said the Commissioner’s Office is still deciding on the length of Mr. Tantay’s suspension even as the technical committee further reviews the said match. — Olmin Leyba

Philippines seeks to block access to Grok on child safety concerns

The xAI Grok logo is seen in this illustration taken, Feb. 16, 2025. — REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/ILLUSTRATION

MANILA — The Philippines is moving to block Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok amid concerns about its ability to generate sexualised images, including content that could pose child safety risks, the secretary of information and communications technology said on Thursday.

“The CICC is already working together with the NTC to block that,” Henry Aguda told a press briefing when asked if the Philippines will take action against Grok, a generative AI tool now facing a global backlash.

CICC refers to the government’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, while NTC is the National Telecommunications Commission.

Mr. Aguda said Grok’s footprint in the country remains relatively small compared to more widely used platforms like ChatGPT and Claude.

“But this week, for sure, that will be resolved,” he said.

Governments and regulators from Europe to Asia have been cracking down on sexually explicit content generated by Grok on the social media platform X, launching probes, imposing bans and demanding safeguards.

Indonesia temporarily blocked Grok on Saturday due to the risk of AI-generated pornographic content, becoming the first country to deny access to the AI tool.

Malaysia’s communications regulator said on Tuesday that it will take legal action against X due to concerns over user safety in relation to Grok.

X did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Philippines’ move. — Reuters

St. Luke’s completes 300th minimally invasive procedure for aortic stenosis

SLMC doctors and patients celebrating a new milestone in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) treatment in the Philippines. — EDG ADRIAN A. EVA

People with severe aortic stenosis, a condition where the heart’s aortic valve narrows and restricts blood flow, can already undergo a less invasive and faster procedure compared to traditional open-heart surgery, according to St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC).

The procedure, called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), is a minimally invasive treatment in which a diseased aortic valve is replaced with a bioprosthetic valve to restore proper blood flow. The new valve is delivered through a catheter, usually inserted via the patient’s groin or wrist, and the entire procedure may take less than an hour.

SLMC recently celebrated the completion of its over 300th TAVR procedure, one of the first in the country since the program began in 2012, led by Dr. Fabio Enrique B. Posas.

“Unlike the old surgical procedures, we do these with a beating heart,” Dr. Posas, head of SLMC’s Center for Structural Heart and Vascular Interventions, told reporters on Wednesday. “In most cases, we don’t use general anesthesia and there’s no breathing tube.”

“In general, whenever we can, we perform the procedure without any cuts — what we call fully percutaneous,” he added.

Dr. Posas said this approach makes TAVR less invasive and safer for high-risk patients, particularly elderly individuals and those with multiple comorbidities who are diagnosed with aortic stenosis.

SLMC reported a success rate of about 97% for TAVR procedures, with a mortality rate of 1.67%, usually involving patients who are already critically ill, Mr. Posas said.

Recovery after TAVR typically takes less than a week, although this may vary depending on the patient’s condition.

Jun Gil, 83, chairman of Executive Edge, Inc., and SLMC’s 300th TAVR patient, said he felt significantly better after undergoing the procedure and was discharged after six days.

“I feel like a new person already. I feel good. I don’t have chest pain anymore, and I don’t hear any murmur in my chest,” Mr. Gil told reporters on the sidelines of the event.

While TAVR is less invasive than open-heart surgery, Dr. Posas clarified that it is not a complete replacement for open heart surgical valve repair, but rather an additional option for older and high-risk patients.

He noted that open-heart surgery may still be more suitable for younger and healthier patients, as surgically implanted valves tend to last longer. TAVR valves may require repeat procedures after 15 to 20 years, he said.

Apart from TAVR and other minimally invasive treatments, SLMC said it is also looking to expand its cardiac services through the integration of robotic-assisted heart surgeries. — Edg Adrian A. Eva

Trump administration to suspend immigrant visa processing for 75 nations

A “Make America Great Again” hat is seen on display on the trading floor at The New York Stock Exchange. — REUTERS

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump’s administration is suspending processing for immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, a State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday, as part of Washington’s intensifying immigration crackdown.

The pause, which will impact applicants from Latin American countries including Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay, Balkan countries such as Bosnia and Albania, South Asian countries Pakistan and Bangladesh, and those from many nations in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, will begin on January 21, the spokesperson said.

A State Department cable outlining the move and seen by Reuters said the Department was undergoing a “full review” of all policies, regulations and guidance to ensure “the highest level of screening and vetting” for all US visa applicants.

The cable, sent to US missions, said there were indications that nationals from these countries had sought public benefits in the United States.

“Applicants from these countries are at a high risk for becoming a public charge and recourse to local, state and federal government resources in the United States,” the cable outlining the move which was reviewed by Reuters said.

The move, which was first reported by Fox News, does not impact US visitor visas, which have been in the spotlight given the United States is hosting the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.

The decision follows a November directive to US diplomats asking them to ensure that visa applicants are financially self-sufficient and do not risk becoming dependent on government subsidies during their stay in the US, according to a State Department cable seen by Reuters at the time.

“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people,” said Tommy Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the State Department.

“Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” he added.

The cable directed US consular officers to refuse any applicants whose visas have been “print-authorized” but have not been printed, or those that have been printed but have not left the consular section.

LEGAL IMMIGRATION
Mr. Trump has pursued a sweeping immigration crackdown since returning to office in January. His administration has aggressively prioritized immigration enforcement, sending federal agents to major US cities and sparking violent confrontations with both migrants and US citizens.

While he campaigned on stopping illegal immigration into the United States, his administration has also made legal immigration more difficult – for example, by imposing new and expensive fees on the applicants of H-1B visas for highly skilled workers.

“This administration has proven itself to have the most anti-legal immigration agenda in American history,” David Bier, Cato’s Director of Immigration Studies and The Selz Foundation Chair in Immigration Policy, said in a statement.

“This action will ban nearly half of all legal immigrants to the United States, turning away about 315,000 legal immigrants over the next year alone,” Mr. Bier said.

The State Department has revoked more than 100,000 visas since Mr. Trump took office, it said on Monday. The administration has also adopted a stricter policy on granting visas, with tightened social media vetting and expanded screening.

Mr. Trump, a Republican, captured the White House saying a tougher stance on immigration was needed after years of high levels of illegal immigration under his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.

In November, Mr. Trump had vowed to “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World Countries” following a shooting near the White House by an Afghan national that killed a National Guard member.

FULL LIST OF COUNTRIES
The list of countries that will be impacted by the suspension, according to a US official, are: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, North Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen. — Reuters

China, Canada move to reset ties as Carney visits

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney — REUTERS

BEIJING — China is willing to deepen cooperation with Canada while eliminating “interference,” Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Canadian counterpart at a meeting in Beijing on Thursday. 

The comments came after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s arrival in the Chinese capital on a four-day state visit, the first by a Canadian head of government in nearly a decade.

Mr. Carney is set to meet Premier Li Qiang later on Thursday and President Xi Jinping on Friday. 

“China is willing to enhance communication with Canada, foster mutual trust, eliminate interference and deepen cooperation,” Mr. Wang, China’s top diplomat, told Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who was part of Mr. Carney’s delegation.

That would ensure two-way ties keep steady, substantive and robust, the Canadian prime minister’s office cited Mr. Wang as telling Ms. Anand. 

“We’ll make sure that we continue to make progress together in the short and the long term for the benefit of the peoples of both of our countries,” Ms. Anand told Mr. Wang.

Since a positive encounter in October between Mr. Carney and Mr. Xi in South Korea, the countries have shown a common desire to turn the page and reset ties following periods of tension in relations since 2017.

The most recent instance of fraught ties was after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government set tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in 2024, following similar US curbs.

China retaliated last March with tariffs on more than $2.6 billion of Canadian farm and food products, such as canola oil and meal, leading to a slump of 10.4% in Chinese imports of Canadian goods in 2025, shown in customs data on Wednesday.

Re-engagement with China has also been fueled by a push to diversify export markets after US President Donald J. Trump imposed tariffs on Canada last year and suggested the longtime US ally could become his country’s 51st state. — Reuters

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