MERALCO clamped down a well-known offensive Magnolia squad on Sunday to bolster its quarterfinal campaign after a slow start in Season 48 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup.

SAMANTHA KYLE CATANTAN went for the fun side of competing in what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that bore tremendous pressure and high expectations and the result was God-given—a ticket to the Paris Olympics.

CANOSSA Academy (Lipa City) needed four sets while Kings’ Montessori won in three frames to claim the boys and girls bronze medals, respectively, in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Under-18 Championships on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. 

MADRID—Rafael Nadal tore his headband off, thrust his arms in the air and soaked up the cheers. 

PORTLAND, Oregon—On a recent weeknight at this bar in northeast Portland, fans downed pints and burgers as college women’s lacrosse and beach volleyball matches played on big-screen TVs. 

Participants in the fun category are flagged off just before sunrise during Sunday’s Manila leg of the National Milo Marathon at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds in Pasay City.

EVERYONE seems to wonder what is wrong with the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Why isn’t it as popular as it once was? Why has attendance dwindled? 

Francis is traveling to Venice to check out the Holy See’s pavilion for this year’s Venice Biennale. It’s a first for a pope, and has given the 60th edition of the world’s longest running international art exhibit reason for another round of headlines.

CAIRO—Hamas said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long war and stave off a planned Israeli ground offensive into the southern city of Rafah.

KYIV, Ukraine—Russia launched a barrage of missiles against Ukraine overnight, in attacks that appeared to target the country’s energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia said its air defense systems had intercepted more than 60 Ukrainian drones over the southern Krasnodar region.

WASHINGTON—The US will provide Ukraine additional Patriot missiles for its air defense systems as part of a massive $6 billion additional aid package, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Friday.

BEIJING—US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up his just-concluded latest visit to China with a stop at a Beijing record store where he bought albums by Taylor Swift and Chinese rocker Dou Wei in a symbolic nod to cross-cultural exchanges and understanding he had been promoting for three days.

Friday’s report from the government showed that prices rose 0.3 percent from February to March, the same as in the previous month. It was the third straight month that the index has run at a pace faster than is consistent with the Fed’s 2 percent inflation target. Measured from a year earlier, prices were up 2.7 percent in March, up from a 2.5 percent annual rise in February.

SAMANTHA KYLE CATANTAN went for the fun side of competing in what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that bore tremendous pressure and high expectations and the result was God-given—a ticket to the Paris Olympics.

Hamas released a video on Saturday showing two hostages alive as it studied Israel’s latest proposal for a ceasefire, in an apparent bid to increase pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to call off a major offensive that would deepen the war in Gaza. 

IT was a bittersweet ending to the PVL All-Filipino Conference for PLDT’s Savi Davison the High Speed Hitters shocked powerhouse Creamline in four sets.

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas’ (UST) Jonna Perdido and National University’s (NU) Michaelo Buddin stepped up for their squads when it mattered the most in the final week of the UAAP Season 86 women’s and men’s volleyball elimination rounds.

DEFENDING champion University of Santo Tomas took the solo lead as Khy Progella and Cameron Grace Villaluz overcame Adamson University’s Shai Nitura and Fel Sagaysay, 21-14, 24-22, in a duel of top teams in the UAAP Season 86 High School Girls’ Beach Volleyball Tournament at the Sands SM By The Bay on Saturday.

The metals industry is abuzz with a possible £31 billion ($39 billion) takeover of Anglo American Plc by Australian giant BHP Group Ltd. Anglo has rejected the offer arguing that it’s a significant undervaluation.

FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts — Lionel Messi scored two goals to excite a New England Revolution-record crowd, leading Inter Miami CF to a 4-1 victory on Saturday night.