Pinay in UAE faces court for forcing fellow Pinay into prostitution

A Filipina maid faced a United Arab Emirates (UAE) court on Thursday for allegedly forcing a fellow Filipina into prostitution after luring her to work in Dubai, a report of the news site Khaleej Times said on Friday.

The maid, 33, was charged along with a 31-year-old Pakistani driver who allegedly raped the 31-year-old victim, the report said.

Khaleej Times said the maid met the victim on a social networking site and convinced her to go to Dubai on a visit visa and work as a saleswoman.

The maid allegedly picked up the victim from the Dubai International Airport and brought her to an apartment, but then grabbed her passport and locked her up.

The report said the maid forced the victim into prostitution to repay the visa cost of Dh20,000.

The victim was reportedly told that she would be unable to return to the Philippines and see her family if she did not pay the amount.

The victim was also allegedly not allowed to go out alone.

Khaleej Times said the victim was forced to obey the Filipina suspect and had sex with men for money.

On September 7 last year, the victim sneaked out from the apartment while the maid was sleeping and sought help of the Philippine Consulate. – VVP, GMA News

NBA: Heat extend home win streak to clinch playoff berth

MIAMI – The Miami Heat won their 16th consecutive home game, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 99-93 on Tuesday (Wednesday, PHL time) to clinch their fourth straight NBA playoff berth.

LeBron James scored a season-high 41 points for the Heat who are an NBA best 22-2 at home this season.

James also had six rebounds, four assists and three steals for the Heat, who have not lost at home since January 22 against Milwaukee.

The Heat’s longest home winning streak is 18 games, set between January and April of 2005.

Miami continues their five-game home stand against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday (Thursday, PHL time) before taking on Memphis, Detroit and Boston.

Mario Chalmers had 19 points, six rebounds and four assists as Miami rebounded from a one-sided 19-point loss to the Celtics in Boston on Sunday (Monday, PHL time).

James scored 14 consecutive Heat points in the fourth quarter. Chris Bosh finished with 17 points and Udonis Haslem had 11 rebounds.

Miami played without all-star guard Dwyane Wade, who missed the game with an injured left knee. The Heat are 9-1 without Wade, who could return to play against the Thunder.

Evan Turner finished with 26 points and eight rebounds for the 76ers, who are 1.5 games back of Boston for first place in the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia has lost five of its last half dozen road contests.

Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala had 11 points before leaving the game in the third quarter after being poked in the eye.

Turner scored 15 points in the first half as the 76ers led 54-51 at halftime. Philadelphia led 11-6 in fast-break points and shot 53 percent from the field in the opening half.

This was the fourth meeting of the season between the two, with Miami having now swept the season series by winning them all. – AFP

NBA: Lakers to fine center Bynum for ‘numerous infractions’

Andrew Bynum doesn’t just have injuries to tend to now, as the Los Angeles Lakers fined the center for “numerous infractions”.

ESPN Los Angeles reported Tuesday (Wednesday, PHL time) that one of the many violations Bynum committed was “blowing off a meeting with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak.”

The center, who has the league’s second best field foal percentage at 58.1 percent, also disclosed that he doesn’t participate in team huddles.

“I don’t take part in the huddles. I’m resting … getting my Zen on,” said Bynum.

One of Bynum’s recent on-court antics includes taking an ill-advised 3-pointer in their game against the Golden State Warriors, a shot that resulted in him getting benched for the rest of the game by head coach Mike Brown.

“I took one. I’ma take some more,” said Bynum in a CSB Sports report.

Bynum has also been cited for having numerous speeding violations, including parking in a handicapped spot while doing his grocery shopping in July- a serious infraction in the United States.

Due to an ankle injury suffered against the Golden State Warriors in a recent game, Bynum will sit out Tuesday’s (Wednesday, PHL time) match versus the New Jersey Nets. Pau Gasol started at center, in his place with Josh McRoberts getting the nod at the power forward spot. – AMD, GMA News

OFWs in HK air concerns on ‘illegal’ training fees

Overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong raised with Philippine officials their concerns about allegedly illegal training fees charged by recruitment agencies.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said this topped the list of issues discussed at the “Usap Bayan” forum at the Philippine Consulate last March 18.

“The most talked-about issues were the illegal collection of training and other fees by recruitment agencies as well as the mandatory collection of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) membership fee during the ‘re-contracting’ process of Filipino workers,” the consulate reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Other topics tackled at the forum included:
the mandatory insurance required under Republic Act 10022 of 2009, or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995
prices of passports and authentication services
dubious recruitment activities.
The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong hosted the “Usap Bayan” to listen to various issues affecting Filipinos in Hong Kong.

Attending the forum were Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan and members of the Filipino community in Hong Kong.

Consul General Noel Servigon and Labor Attaché Manuel Roldan updated the crowd on the measures being undertaken by the Consulate to address their concerns.

Servigon and Roldan also welcomed the dialogue as an opportunity for Filipinos to express their concerns to their elected legislators.

For her part, Ilagan promised to follow up congressional measures that will further benefit overseas Filipino workers around the world. — LBG, GMA News

 

Bryant struggles in Lakers’ loss to Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets got a measure of revenge against the Los Angeles Lakers, winning 99-90 on a night that saw Kobe Bryant shoot 6-of-28 from the field.

The Lakers had defeated the Nuggets in their previous game, 92-89, after Denver’s Danilo Gallinari botched a wide-open lay-up that could have tied the game in the final seconds.

This time, Gallinari was on target, scoring 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting and tallying 5 steals.

Meanwhile, Bryant struggled badly from the field, missing 22 of his shots, including 7 3-pointers. He also committed 6 turnovers and failed to get back on defense numerous times during the game.

Andrew Bynum had another strong game, with 18 points and 16 rebounds, while Pau Gasol had 20 points and 11 boards. But both players had few touches, with Gasol only having 15 field goal attempts, while Bynum had 12.

“I did not coach a good game and our players did not play a good game,” new Lakers head coach Mike Brown said afterward.

Ty Lawson had a double-double for Denver, with 17 points and 11 assists, while Nene had 13 points. Al Harrington, Andre Miller and Chris Andersen all came off the bench and scored 12 points each.

Bryant’s struggles on the court overshadowed a historic night wherein he became only the second guard in NBA history, after Michael Jordan, to score 28,000 points.

Chicago routs Memphis

The Chicago Bulls won their first game at home in the United Center, easily dispatching off the Memphis Grizzlies, 104-64.

Carlos Boozer led the Bulls with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Derrick Rose had 16 points.

The Grizzlies continue to struggle without injured point guard Mike Conley, and suffered another scare when starting forward Zach Randolph bruised his right knee.

None of the Memphis starters scored in double figures, with Randolph scoring only 2 points and Rudy Gay scoring 5.

Kings dominate Hornets sans Cousins

The Sacramento Kings showed no effects of their on-going off-court drama, easily routing the New Orleans Hornets, 96-80, at home.

Kings head coach Paul Westphal decided to bench starting power forward DeMarcus Cousins for the game after Cousins reportedly demanded to be traded, but it seemed to have little effect on the Kings.

Former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans led all scorers with 27 points, while Marcus Thornton added 25 points.

The Hornets out-rebounded the Kings 60-41, but lacked scoring punch with starting guard Eric Gordon sitting out due to a knee injury.

Trevor Ariza topscored for the Hornets with 17 points. New Orleans missed all of their 3-point shots in the game. (ABS-CBN)