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Gov’t told to stop drug war to help  decongest prisons

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE PHILIPPINE government should stop its deadly war on drugs if it aims to decongest one of the world’s most crowded jails, according to a human rights advocate.

“It’s impossible for the Department of Justice (DoJ) to decongest prison facilities as long as the drug war continues, which is responsible for over 60% congestion rate,” Fides M. Lim, convenor of Kapatid, a support group for political prisoners, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

Suspects arrested in the state’s anti-illegal drug campaign add to the congested jails that are a “revolving door” of inmates, she added.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla earlier told the United Nations Human Rights Council the government aims to release about 5,000 inmates by June next year.

Last week, the Bureau of Corrections released more than 350 inmates who had served their sentences, Mr. Remulla told an online press briefing on Oct. 26.

The government released about the same number of inmates last month, which included the sick and elderly.

The Justice chief earlier said the national penitentiary, which was designed to house 6,000 prisoners, had 17,000 inmates.

Ms. Lim said DoJ should also review the cases of political prisoners who are detained due to “trumped-up cases.”

“Political prisoners may be but a fraction of the prison population but their incarceration embodies the greatest injustice in our midst,” she said.

With 215,000 prisoners nationwide, Philippine jails and prisons are overfilled more than five times their official capacity, making them the most overcrowded prison system in the world, according to the World Prison Brief.

Many of the country’s jails fail to meet the minimum United Nations standards given inadequate food, poor nutrition and unsanitary conditions, according to Human Rights Watch.

DoJ plans to build a P2.5-billion “world-class” maximum security facility in the town of Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro, Mr. Remulla said in August.

It also plans to relocate the national penitentiary’s minimum security facility to Nueva Ecija in northern Philippines.

Ms. Lim said the country’s jails should be run by trained civilians instead of military personnel.

“Why is it that every problem in this country should have a military solution that is essentially punitive in nature when the central argument for prison reform is human rights?” she asked.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has repeatedly flagged the worsening congestion in the country’s jails, more recently spurred by the arrests of suspects in ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s war on drugs that has killed thousands.

The CHR also said the Duterte government had encouraged a culture of impunity by hindering independent inquiries and failing to prosecute erring cops.

The United Nations Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights earlier said the government’s probe of human rights violations in connection with its deadly drug war lacks transparency.

Mr. Remulla told the UN council on Oct. 6 the government aims to “change the culture” of the local justice system, which he said is prone to delays.

Political analysts have said the government should keep its promise to the UN to overhaul its justice system or risk losing its credibility. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Marcos thumbs down nationwide calamity declaration

A VILLAGE in the southern province of Maguindanao del Norte in the Bangsamoro region was buried in mud and rocks due to a landslide set off by the weeks of rains and aggravated by tropical storm Nalgae (local name: Paeng) on Oct. 28. — BANGSAMORO GOVT

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Monday thumbed down proposals to place the country under a state of calamity for a year after Tropical Storm Nalgae, locally named Paeng, affected many areas and killed almost a hundred people, noting that damage from the storm were highly localized. 

Speaking to reporters after a situation briefing, Mr. Marcos said he found that a nationwide state of calamity was unnecessary after consulting with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on the matter.

“I don’t think it’s necessary. I came to that conclusion in consultation with DENR,” he said. “They said it’s not extensive… the damage is highly localized.” 

Mr. Marcos said “there’s no need for a national calamity” for the regions of Ilocos and Cagayan Valley in the north as well as parts of the Visayas in the central part of the archipelago. 

Local governments are authorized under the law to declare a state of calamity within their jurisdictions. Such declarations serve as basis for the release of special disaster response funds.  

“I don’t think it’s necessary,” the President said. “I think we will focus better if we stay with the calamity status that we have now.” 

The Bangsamoro region, three provinces, and 158 cities and municipalities have declared a state of calamity, based on the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) monitoring report as of Monday. 

PRICE FREEZE
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued a reminder that an automatic price freeze takes effect for 60 days in areas under a state of calamity. 

“For areas under a state of calamity, a price freeze on basic necessities is in effect. We will continue to monitor and provide feedback on possible concerns,” Trade Undersecretary Ana Carolina P. Sanchez said in a Viber message to reporters on Monday. 

Basic necessities under the DTI’s jurisdiction include canned fish, locally made instant noodles, bottled water, bread, processed milk, coffee, candles, laundry soap, detergent, and salt.    

Other government agencies such as the Agriculture department is in charge of monitoring prices on farm and marine products, while the Health department monitors the prices of drugs deemed as essential. 

DEATHS, DAMAGE
The death toll from the typhoon has hit 98, of which 58 have been confirmed, according to the NDRRMC report.  

Of the validated deaths, 53 were from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and two from the Soccsksargen region in the country’s south, areas which were not directly in the typhoon’s path but had been inundated by rain in recent weeks.

Three other verified deaths were from Western Visayas in central Philippines. 

The NDRRMC said 69 people were reported to have been injured, while 63 were missing.  

The typhoon, which was set to leave the Philippine area on Monday afternoon or evening, affected 590,990 families or 1.95 million people in 17 regions, the disaster council said.

Western Visayas topped the list with 217,000 affected families, followed by BARMM with more than 177,000, and Soccsksargen with over 42,000. 

More than 105,000 people had been evacuated, it added. 

The storm has affected 4,188 houses, 3,499 of which were partially damaged while 689 were totally destroyed. 

Many businesses incurred additional losses after the typhoon led to power disruptions, which forced some establishments to use fossil fuel generators to continue their operations amid the storm. 

NDRRMC said brownouts had been experienced in 263 cities and municipalities, while water supply was disrupted in eight areas. 

Damage in the agriculture sector increased to P1.33 billion from an initial report of P49.54 million, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA). 

A total of 53,849 farmers and fishers, and 64,607 hectares of agricultural areas were affected, based on the DA’s report as of Monday afternoon. 

Agricultural losses and damage have been reported in the regions of Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Soccsksargen. 

“Affected commodities include rice, corn, high value crops and fisheries.  Damage has also been incurred in agricultural facilities. These values are subject to validation,” the bulletin said. 

The DA said affected farmers can avail of assistance such as rice, corn, and assorted vegetable seeds, and drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is also extending aid to fisherfolk. 

ANOTHER STORM
Meanwhile, a new tropical storm named Queenie was spotted 815 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao, packing maximum winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 80 kph, PAGASA said in an 11:00 a.m. bulletin on Monday. 

“Queenie is unlikely to directly affect the country until Tuesday,” PAGASA said. “However, light to moderate with at times heavy rains [are] possible over Caraga, Eastern Visayas, and Bicol Region beginning Wednesday.” 

Wind signals might be raised over the eastern portion of Caraga region in the country’s south and in some areas in Eastern Visayas on Tuesday evening. 

Queenie was expected to further intensify. It could weaken by Tuesday evening or Wednesday.

It might lose the characteristics of a tropical cyclone by Friday while approaching Caraga or Eastern Visayas, PAGASA said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

PHL lawmaker calls on vulnerable nations to unite in pushing for accountability from big polluters

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

A PHILIPPINE lawmaker said nations that are most vulnerable to climate change should band together in pushing for more direct compensation systems from the world’s biggest polluters.  

Albay Rep. Jose Ma. Clemente S. Salceda said he hopes that vulnerable countries will form a united front in the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt this month to demand accountability from major polluters like the United States and the European Union.  

“International aid and green financing are not enough,” Mr. Salceda, a former co-chair of the UN Green Climate Fund, said in a statement on Sunday. “There has to be some form of compensation to the most vulnerable and affected countries.”  

He recommended the creation of a global “quick response fund,” similar to the Philippines’ calamity fund, with the money to be provided “by countries according to their pollution contributions, and accessed by countries as soon as climate-related disasters affect them.”  

He said nations “like the Philippines that are the most at-risk due to its impacts have a moral responsibility and the moral ascendancy to fight for the principle of loss and damage.”  

The 2022 Global Risk Report ranked the Philippines as number one among 193 countries in terms of risk because of climate change. 

“If we are soft on this position, we throw other climate-vulnerable countries under the bus,” he said. “So, we have to be strong on loss and damage.”  

Mr. Salceda said international climate law defines “loss and damage” as the permanent loss or reparable damage caused by climate change including “extreme weather events like typhoons, as well as slow-onset events such as sea-level rise”. — Kyanna Angela Bulan

Cotabato provincial gov’t pitches airport project to locators, carriers

MLANG.GOV.PH

THE LOCAL government of Cotabato made a pitch last week to potential locators and airline companies for an airport in the southern province that is planned for revival.  

Cotabato Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza, in her 1st First 100 Days Report, said the airport project remains a priority as it is considered a vital infrastructure for economic development, particularly for moving agricultural output and tourism.   

The project, previously known as the M’lang Airport and now referred to as the Central Mindanao Airport, is not included in the list of priority airports under the 2023 national budget.  

“A team of stakeholders… are set to leave for Manila before the end of this week to do a pitch for possible locators and airline companies,” said Ms. Mendoza, who will be heading the delegation.  

Cotabato Rep. Ma. Alana Samantha Taliño-Santos has also been in talks with officials of the national tourism and transport agencies to secure funding for the planned reopening of the Central Mindanao Airport.  

At the same time, the governor said the legal office is working on the processing of documents for private properties acquired by the provincial government for the airport site.  

“Tourism is an important sector that will provide additional livelihood for each Cotabateño,” Ms. Mendoza said in her report.  

Cotabato has several eco-tourism destinations, including an entry point to Mt. Apo, the highest peak in the Philippines.  

The Central Mindanao Airport is included in the Mindanao Development Authority’s (MinDA) priority infrastructure projects portfolio.   

It is seen to “catalyze inclusive and balanced rural development in Mindanao… complement General Santos and Awang Airports and will boost the economic activities of the area where many agricultural products, including highly-perishable fruits come from,” according to MinDA.  

Ms. Mendoza also reported that roads and other vital infrastructure such as water systems in the rural areas are being implemented.   

“It (road network) is the key to rural development as it provides access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for those who need it most… linking our farmers to markets, students to schools, workers to job sites, and patients to hospitals,” she said. — Maya M. Padillo

Healthcare workers in 4 QC hospitals offered free rides

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

MOTORCYCLE taxi hailing service firm MOVE IT, a subsidiary of Grab Philippines, is extending its partnership with a party-list group for the provision of free rides to healthcare workers. 

The extended free service will cover health workers in four state-owned hospitals in Quezon City.

These are: East Avenue Medical Center and National Kidney and Transplant Institute from Nov. 2 to 8; and Philippine Heart Center and Philippine Children’s Medical Center from Nov. 9 to 15.

BHW Party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha A. Co said healthcare workers from these hospitals have 300 free ride slots available to them. 

“Health care workers at these hospitals who usually take long commutes can get home and go to their workplaces sooner rather than later and without the risk of catching COVID from other commuters if they usually take public transport,” Ms. Co said in a statement on Monday.

“(The) expansion of the Libreng Sakay was necessary to ensure wider coverage to include not just barangay health workers but other health care frontliners as well, so focusing on key hospital locations achieves this goal,” she said. 

The BHW-MOVE IT partnership started last month, covering workers assigned in community health facilities. — Matthew Carl L. Montecillo

Proposed law seeks to institutionalize burial aid for poor families

BW FILE PHOTO

A BILL that seeks to give a 50% discount for burial services to indigent families has been filed by progressive lawmakers at the House of Representatives.   

Under House Bill 5753 or the Free and Discounted Funeral Services Act, mortuaries nationwide are mandated to provide the assistance to beneficiaries, who will be determined based on the government’s Community-Based Monitoring System supervised by the Philippine Statistics Authority.  

“Living is already hard but it’s still difficult when you die plus you have to spend,” ACT-Teachers Party-list Rep. France L. Castro, one of the authors of the bill, said in a statement on Monday.    

“This measure seeks to help our countrymen on this by providing immediate relief to the poor, especially during the loss of their loved ones.”  

Several government agencies, including the Department of Social and Welfare and Development (DSWD) and social insurance institutions, have existing burial assistance programs. 

The proposed discounted and free funeral services will be funded under the DSWD budget.  

“We trust that the House leadership will fast track the measure and approve it as soon as possible to help our poor people cope with the rising cost of funeral services,” Ms. Castro said. — Matthew Carl L. Montecillo

Claros upsets Mordido to win National Juniors chess title

YOUTHFUL sensation April Joy Claros shocked Woman Grandmaster candidate Kylen Joy Mordido in the ninth and final round to rule the National Juniors Chess Championship in Malolos.

Ms. Claros, a 15-year-old Far Eastern University-Diliman standout, actually caught up with Mordido, an Olympiad veteran, at first with six points apiece but took the crown via win-over-the-other rule.

It was the third triumph for Ms. Claros after she ruled the Under-20 section of the National Age Group Championships in Malolos City and the National Youth and Schools Championship in Dapitan City a month ago.

The feat also earned Ms. Claros a spot to the Asan Juniors Championships on Nov. 17 to 26 in Tagaytay City where she would have a chance to earn an outright International Master title or WGM norm if she ends up beating odds and topping it.

Meanwhile, IM Daniel Quizon edged IM Michael Concio, Jr. via tiebreaker to rule the boys’ event.

The 18-year-old Mr. Quizon and Mr. Concio both went undefeated with 7.5 points apiece on seven wins and a draw, which came against each other.

Mr. Quizon is also expected to see action in Tagaytay where he will be aiming for his second of the three required norms to become WGM. — Joey Villar

Lakers defeat Nuggets to capture first win of season

LOS Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) is guarded by Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (50) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. — JAYNE KAMIN-ONCEA-USA TODAY SPORTS

LEBRON JAMES scored 26 points, Anthony Davis added 23 to go along with 15 rebounds and the host Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 121-110 on Sunday night for their first win of the season.

Lonnie Walker IV scored 18 points, as did reserve Russell Westbrook, who also had eight rebounds and eight assists for Los Angeles.

Nikola Jokic had 23 points and 14 rebounds to pace Denver. Jamal Murray scored 21 points, Aaron Gordon chipped in 18, Michael Porter Jr. finished with 17 and Bruce Brown notched 10 off the bench.

The Nuggets played without Bones Hyland, who was injured during warmups. The game was tied at 67 early in the third quarter when Denver started to build a lead. Murray and Brown hit shots and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope drained a 3-pointer to put the Nuggets ahead by seven, and a 3-pointer by Brown made it 83-75 with 3:45 left in the period.

Walker scored 10 points during an 18-2 run that gave the Lakers a 93-85 lead heading into the fourth. Matt Ryan opened the last period with a 3-pointer and Walker split a pair of free throws to give Los Angeles a 12-point lead.

Denver scored the next seven points to get within 97-92, but the Lakers extended the lead to 106-95 on a driving layup by Davis with 7:51 left.

Jokic’s hook shot cut the deficit to seven, but Los Angeles went on a 7-1 run to take a 113-100 lead.

The Nuggets made one last push but twice missed 3-pointers that would have got them within four, and a tip-in by Davis and a layup from Westbrook helped the Lakers close it out.

The Nuggets led by 10 in the first quarter before Los Angeles clawed its way back to get within five entering the second quarter. It was 39-33 with 8:29 left in the period when the Lakers went on a 14-5 run to take their first lead of the night.

A layup by Troy Brown Jr. in the final seconds of the second gave Los Angeles a 55-51 lead at halftime. — Reuters

LIV Golf vows next year will be bigger and better

LIV Golf crowned a first team champion to bring the controversial Saudi-backed series to a close at Trump National Doral on Sunday, declaring the inaugural season a huge success and vowing to come back bigger and better next year.

The 4 Aces captained by Dustin Johnson collected the winner’s prize splitting $16 million, which was just part of a whopping $50 million pay out that saw even the last of the 12 teams pocketing a $1 million for a single round of golf.

Johnson had said that it was the competition not the money that excited him but the former-world number one and Masters champion cashed in anyway finishing top of the LIV money list with more than $35 million from just eight events (including an $18 million bonus as the season’s individual champion).

Bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, LIV grabbed the golf world’s attention with staggering prize purses totalling $255 million while luring top players like six-time major winner Phil Mickelson away from the PGA Tour with huge signing bonuses that reports said totalled close to $1 billion.

But the Saudi money has come with plenty of scrutiny with critics accusing LIV golfers of being little more than well paid mercenaries in a “sportwashing” scheme by a nation trying to improve its reputation over its human rights record.

If sportwashing was the objective of LIV Golf, it failed miserably instead drawing attention to a number of Saudi involvements from the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi to the Kingdom’s treatment of women.

While LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman was in Miami the Australian, who defended the Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and Khashoggi murder saying “we’ve all made mistakes,” kept a low profile holding no formal media availability leaving it to golfers and host Donald Trump to step in praise the project.

Describing LIV’s Saudi backers “as good people with unlimited money”, Trump teased that even more big names will be signing onto the rebel circuit next year.

“The Saudis have done a fantastic job,” praised the ex-president after playing in Thursday’s Pro Am. “And by the way a lot of other people are coming over, big names.”

More poaching of players is sure to dial up the feud between LIV and the PGA Tour another notch, creating more chaos within the sport.

LIV will be rebranded as the LIV Golf League next season but will stick with what it sees as a winning formula, putting an increased focus on the team competition as it grows from eight to 14 events with prize money jumping to more than $400 million.

“You look at the strength of the league now and you have a lot of really strong players and you have a lot of really strong characters in the game,” said Mickelson. “Whether you love them or hate them, there’s a lot of guys here that people want to see.

“Were having a lot of current tournaments on multiple tours coming to us wanting a LIV event, we only have 14 so it’s not like we have a lot to go around, but we’re going to have an exciting year next year with a lot of strong play and a lot of strong tournaments.”

During LIV’s first season, what was happening out on the course was seldom the focus. But LIV proved at Miami that it can produce an entertaining product appealing to a younger audience who descended on Trump National as much for the party as the golf.

All three rounds of the team final delivered some drama but those moments over the course of the season were rare with the Saudi cloud hanging over the US stops.

If LIV Golf is to evolve into a major player it will also need to eventually find a broadcast deal and sponsors which so far have appeared hesitant to get onboard. — Reuters

Bill Belichick makes history as Patriots overpower Jets 22-17

BILL BELICHICK became the second-winningest coach in NFL history and Nick Folk kicked five field goals as the New England Patriots pulled off a 22-17 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J.

Belichick earned his 325th win (regular and postseason) to pass George Halas (324) on the all-time list.

New England (4-4) also won its 13th straight game against the Jets (5-3).

Folk, who played for New York for seven seasons, made field goals of 31, 42, 49, 45 and 52 yards.

Mac Jones completed 24 of 35 passes for 194 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and Rhamondre Stevenson finished with 143 yards from scrimmage (72 receiving, 71 rushing).

Jets quarterback Zach Wilson struggled despite throwing for 355 yards and two touchdowns. He completed just 20 of 41 passes and threw three interceptions.

Garrett Wilson hauled in six of those completions for 115 yards, and Tyler Conklin had two receiving scores.

49ERS 31, RAMS 14

Christian McCaffrey had a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown as visiting San Francisco continued its regular-season dominance over rival Los Angeles at Inglewood, California.

McCaffrey had a 34-yard passing touchdown in the second quarter, a 9-yard receiving score in the third and a 1-yard rushing TD in the fourth to seal San Francisco’s eighth consecutive regular-season victory over Los Angeles.

Jimmy Garoppolo was 21-of-25 passing with 235 yards and two touchdowns for the 49ers (4-4).

Matthew Stafford had a rushing and passing touchdown for the Rams (3-4), going 22 of 33 in the air for a season-low 187 yards.

Cooper Kupp had eight receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown for the Rams but left with 1:02 remaining after an ankle injury.

FALCONS 37, PANTHERS 34 (OT)

Younghoe Koo booted a 41-yard field goal with 1:55 left in overtime as Atlanta pulled out a wild victory against visiting Carolina.

The Panthers’ PJ Walker hooked up with a diving DJ Moore for a 62-yard touchdown heave with 12 seconds left in regulation, but an unsportsmanlike penalty on Moore contributed to a longer extra-point kick that was off the mark and kept the game tied at 34-34.

Still, Carolina (2-6) appeared poised to win after CJ Henderson intercepted a pass in overtime. Eddy Pineiro missed a 32-yard field goal.

Given another chance on offense, the Falcons (4-4) drove 55 yards to set up Koo’s winner.

BRONCOS 21, JAGUARS 17

Latavius Murray rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 1:43 remaining to lift Denver to a win over Jacksonville in London.

Russell Wilson returned from a nagging hamstring injury that kept him out of Denver’s 16-9 loss to the New York Jets on Oct. 23.

He completed 18 of 30 passes for 252 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Broncos (3-5).

Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who threw two costly interceptions, completed 18 of 31 passes for 133 yards and one touchdown.

The Jaguars (2-6) lost their fifth straight game overall and ninth in a row by one score.

COWBOYS 49, BEARS 29

Tony Pollard ran for 131 yards and three touchdowns to key host Dallas’ dominant victory over Chicago in Arlington, Texas.

The Cowboys (6-2) have won six of their past seven games and dealt the Bears (3-5) their fourth loss in their past five contests.

Pollard got the start with Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott nursing an ailing knee. Pollard paced a Dallas offense which was potent from the start, scoring on its first four possessions and delivering the highest scoring output of any team in the league so far this season.

Led by quarterback Justin Fields, Chicago fought its way back after falling behind 28-7. Eddie Jackson also had a key interception with 28 seconds left in the first half which led to a Cairo Santos field goal on the last play of the second quarter.

Fields threw two touchdown passes and completed 17 of 23 for 151 yards while also rushing for another touchdown and finishing with 60 yards on eight attempts on the ground.

DOLPHINS 31, LIONS 27

Tua Tagovailoa threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns and visiting Miami defeated Detroit.

Tagovailoa completed 29 of 36 passes, including a pair of scoring strikes to Jaylen Waddle. Tyreek Hill caught 12 passes for 188 yards, while Waddle hauled in eight passes for 106 yards. Raheem Mostert rushed for 64 yards on 14 carries for Miami (5-3), which erased a 14-point deficit.

Jared Goff completed 27 of 37 passes for 321 yards and a touchdown for the Lions (1-6), who have lost five straight.

Jamaal Williams gained 53 yards on 10 carries and scored twice, but Detroit was shut out in the second half. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught seven passes for 69 yards.

VIKINGS 34, CARDINALS 26

Kirk Cousins accounted for three total touchdowns as Minnesota hung on for a 34-26 victory over Arizona in Minneapolis.

The Vikings won by eight points or fewer for the fifth straight game. Cousins completed 24 of 36 passes for 232 passing yards and two touchdowns while adding a score on the ground.

Dalvin Cook (20 carries, 111 yards) and Alexander Mattison (five carries, 40 yards) combined for 151 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Vikings (6-1).

Kyler Murray completed 31 of 44 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted twice.

In his second game back from a league suspension, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins had 12 receptions on 13 targets for 159 yards and one touchdown for the Cardinals (3-5).

SAINTS 24, RAIDERS 0

Alvin Kamara tallied 158 yards of total offense and scored his first three touchdowns of the season as host New Orleans routed Las Vegas.

Kamara ran for 62 yards and one touchdown and had 96 receiving yards and two touchdown catches as the Saints (3-5) won for just the second time since the season opener.

According to the NFL, Kamara is the first player in league history to have 10 games with at least one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown in his first six seasons.

The Raiders’ Derek Carr threw for just 101 yards, completing 15 of 26 passes with one interception.

Josh Jacobs, who entered the game second in the NFL with an average of 105.5 rushing yards per game, finished with 43 yards on 10 carries for the Raiders (2-5).

EAGLES 35, STEELERS 13

Jalen Hurts threw three first-half touchdown passes to A.J. Brown and unbeaten Philadelphia matched the best start in franchise history with a victory over visiting Pittsburgh.

The Eagles (7-0) tied the 2004 squad that won its first seven contests en route to a Super Bowl appearance, while the cross-state rival Steelers (2-6) are off to their worst start since 2013.

Hurts completed 19 of 28 passes for 285 yards and a career-high four touchdowns — after throwing six in the first six games combined. Brown had six catches for a career-high 156 yards.

Steelers rookie Kenny Pickett was 25 of 38 for 191 yards with an interception and a fumble. He was sacked six times.

An Eagles penalty on fourth-and-goal and some trickery helped the Steelers knot the game at 7-7 on wide receiver Chase Claypool’s 1-yard TD toss to Derek Watt with 1:57 left in the first quarter.

Nick Skiba also made his first career field goal late in the second quarter for Pittsburgh.

TITANS 17, TEXANS 10

Derrick Henry rushed 32 times for 219 yards and two touchdowns as visiting Tennessee stopped punchless Houston.

It was the fourth consecutive 200-yard performance for Henry against the Texans (1-5-1), dating back to 2019, and the most rushing yards by any player this year.

Tennessee (5-2) rushed for 314 yards as a team and threw just one pass in the second half.

Rookie quarterback Malik Willis, making his first NFL start in place of Ryan Tannehill (ankle, illness), completed 6 of 10 throws for 55 yards with an interception and had 12 rushing yards.

Dontrell Hilliard added 83 yards on the ground for the Titans, who won their fifth straight game to remain in first place in the AFC South.

COMMANDERS 17, COLTS 16

Taylor Heinicke’s 1-yard run with 22 seconds left capped a nine-play, 89-yard drive as Washington roared back from a late nine-point deficit to stun host Indianapolis.

In his second game since replacing injured quarterback Carson Wentz, Heinicke went 23-of-31 passing for 279 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

His 33-yard strike to Terry McLaurin to the Colts 1-yard line set the stage for the winning score. McLaurin racked up 113 yards on six catches for the Commanders (4-4).

Indianapolis quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who was making his first career start and his season debut, completed 17 of 23 passes for 201 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.

Jonathan Taylor finished with 16 carries for 76 yards for the Colts (3-4-1).

SEAHAWKS 27, GIANTS 13

Tyler Lockett overcame a pair of rare miscues to catch the tiebreaking touchdown as Seattle defeated visiting New York in the NFL’s lone matchup of the week between teams with winning records.

The veteran receiver hauled in a pass from Geno Smith down the right sideline and scored a 33-yard touchdown with 9:18 remaining to put Seattle ahead for good.

Smith was 23 of 34 for 212 yards and two touchdowns for the NFC West-leading Seahawks (5-3).

Smith went 5 of 5 for 75 yards on the go-ahead drive. Lockett finished the game with five receptions for 63 yards.

The Giants (6-2) were limited to 225 yards of total offense by a Seattle defense that was ranked 29th in total yardage.

Daniel Jones was 17-of-31 passing for 176 yards and was sacked five times. Saquon Barkley gained just 53 yards on 20 carries. — Reuters

Max Verstappen sets F1 record for most wins in a season

MAX VERSTAPPEN — REUTERS

MEXICO CITY — Red Bull’s double world champion Max Verstappen won the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday to set a Formula One record of 14 victories from a single season, as well as the most points scored.

The Dutch driver led from pole position at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, stopping on lap 26 of 71 to switch from soft to medium tires and taking the chequered flag 15.186 seconds clear of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.

“It’s been an incredible year so far, we are definitely enjoying it and we’ll try to go for more,” said Verstappen, who clinched his second title in Japan on Oct. 9 and had an untroubled afternoon.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez finished third in front of his cheering home crowd after a race that was low on thrills and all about tire strategy.

Verstappen’s win was the 25-year-old’s fourth in Mexico and the podium was the same as last year.

In Austin, Texas, last weekend he had pulled level with German champions Michael Schumacher (2004) and Sebastian Vettel (2013) on 13 wins in a season.

There are more races now than then, however, with the 2022 season featuring 22 compared to 19 in 2013 and 18 in 2004.

Verstappen also took his points tally to 416 — 136 more than Perez who moved up to second overall and three more than the previous record set by Hamilton in 2019.

It was also a ninth win in a row and 16th from 20 races for Red Bull, who wrapped up the constructors’ title in Texas with three rounds to spare, but Mercedes showed they were getting closer.

“I was so close in that first stint but I think the Red Bull was clearly too fast today and ultimately, maybe they had the better tyre strategy,” said Hamilton, who felt he should have started on softs instead of mediums before switching to hards. “I’m not sure (hard) was the right tire at the end.”

George Russell lost out at the start, lining up on the front row for Mercedes but dropping two places to fourth as Hamilton muscled past his team mate with Perez also seizing the opportunity to go third.

Russell finished fourth, pitting on the penultimate lap to deny Perez the bonus point for fastest lap.

Both Mercedes drivers complained about the strategy but were assured from the pit wall that Red Bull’s medium tyres would lose performance — a hope that proved to be optimistic.

“That medium looks quick mate, they’re going to go to the end,” said Hamilton over the radio 10 laps from the end, accepting it was game over.

The race was already a four-driver battle after 20 of the 71 laps, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finishing fifth and sixth but far off the pace and the latter close to being lapped.

“This weekend we were just slow,” said Sainz, who finished 58 seconds behind Verstappen.

Daniel Ricciardo put on the show of the day, reeling off overtakes on the soft tyres and finishing seventh for McLaren despite a 10-second penalty for causing a collision with AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda.

His performance won the Australian, who is leaving McLaren at the end of the season with no other drive lined up, the vote for driver of the day by fans and that familiar smile was broader than ever.

Esteban Ocon was eighth for Renault-owned Alpine, after team mate Fernando Alonso retired with an engine failure, with McLaren’s Lando Norris ninth and Valtteri Bottas back in the points for Alfa Romeo in 10th.

“Unbelievable. What a season, what a season,” complained Alonso before he pulled off and parked up on lap 65, triggering a brief virtual safety car while the Alpine was pushed away by marshals.

Formula One said 395,902 spectators attended over the three days, compared to 371,779 last year. — Reuters

Hamilton welcome to race for Mercedes team past age 40

MEXICO CITY — Mercedes have told Lewis Hamilton he can be sure of a seat if he wants to stay in Formula One and believe he can emulate NFL great Tom Brady and compete into his 40s.

The seven-times world champion and winner of a record 103 races will be 38 in January and has said he intends to sign a multi-year extension to the contract that expires at the end of 2023.

“It’s 100% his seat,” team boss Toto Wolff told reporters at the Mexico City Grand Prix when asked whether Mercedes, who have Britain’s George Russell in their other car, might consider anyone else.

The Austrian said contract talks had yet to start, despite both championships now being over. Mercedes still harbors hopes of overtaking Ferrari for second place overall in a year dominated by Red Bull and Max Verstappen.

“We want to definitely finish the season and then find some quiet time over the winter like we have done last time around,” said Wolff. “He’s much more than a driver to us now.

“Although we are not talking about a career end, it’s also important to speak about his role as an ambassador for Mercedes and the many sponsors we have and the implication he can have in our wider universe.”

Hamilton is the second oldest driver on the grid, with double world champion Fernando Alonso at 41 the oldest and set for a couple more seasons after signing with Aston Martin.

After a period of ever-younger drivers — with Verstappen debuting at 17 in 2015, Lance Stroll at 18 in 2017 and Lando Norris at 19 in 2019 — Alonso and Hamilton are set to push the boundaries at the other end of the spectrum.

The oldest race winner of the modern era remains Nigel Mansell at 41 in 1994, with Kimi Raikkonen also a winner at 39 in 2018.

“You can see today’s athletes pushing the boundaries in terms of age. For me, Fernando is performing at a very high level,” said Wolff.

He cited also the example of Brady still on field, being tackled and throwing the ball at 45. “As long as you continue to look after yourself and develop your cognitive sensors, I think he (Hamilton) has many more years in him. I’m pretty certain that’s going to be the case here in the team,” said Wolff. — Reuters

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