We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Gazans await ‘life and death’ aid, Israel readies invasion
Thousands of tonnes of "life and death" aid for Gaza should be delivered soon, the United Nations said Friday, to relieve a "beyond catastrophic" situation after unrelenting Israeli bombing in response to an unprecedented Hamas attack. Some 175 lorries stuffed with vital medicines, food, and water stretched into the distance at the Rafah crossing with Egypt, which has removed concrete roadblocks and is scrambling to repair the route into besieged Gaza -- the only one not controlled by Israel. Overseeing operations personally, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters: "These trucks are not just trucks, they are a lifeline, they are the difference between life and death for so many people in Gaza." Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the Islamist militant group launched a shock raid from the Gaza Strip on October 7, killing at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians shot, mutilated or burned to death, according to Israeli officials. Hamas gunmen also kidnapped some 200 hostages including foreigners from around two dozen countries. The Islamist group said Friday that its armed wing had released two Americans among the captives, a mother and her daughter, the first fruit of mediation efforts by the Gulf state of Qatar. The Islamist group did not detail how or when the hostages were released. The Israeli military said earlier Friday that most of those abducted to Gaza were still alive. It said more than 20 were minors. In response to the Hamas attack, Israeli bombers have levelled entire city blocks in Gaza in preparation for a ground invasion they say is coming soon. The Hamas-run health ministry said 4,137 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the onslaught. Israeli jets pounded more than 100 Hamas targets in Gaza overnight, the army said, with AFP reporters hearing loud explosions and witnessing plumes of smoke billowing from the northern Gaza Strip. Embracing front-line soldiers and clad in body armour, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged them to "fight like lions" and "win with full force". Fists clenched and voice raised, Netanyahu told cheering troops: "We will deal harsh blows to our enemies in order to achieve victory." Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told some of the tens of thousands of personnel preparing the ground invasion that "the order will come soon". 'Beyond catastrophic' US President Joe Biden said Friday he expected the first aid for Gaza to pass through the Rafah crossing from Egypt within the next two days, under a deal he clinched to allow in 20 trucks of supplies for civilians. Medicine, water purifiers and blankets were being unloaded at El Arish airport near Gaza, an AFP reporter saw, with Ahmed Ali, head of the Egyptian Red Crescent, saying he was getting "two to three planes of aid a day". But World Health Organization emergencies director Michael Ryan said Biden's 20-truck deal was "a drop in the ocean of need" and that 2,000 trucks were required. The UN says more than one million of Gaza's 2.4 million people are displaced, with the humanitarian situation "beyond catastrophic" and deteriorating daily. Refugees from northern Gaza told harrowing tales of bombs, profiteering and extreme temperatures as whole families trekked on foot to flee the violence. Mother of seven Fadwa Al-Najjar walked for 10 hours with her family from northern Gaza to reach a UN camp in the southern city of Khan Yunis, saying she saw cars hit by a strike just in front of them. "We saw bodies and limbs torn off and we just started praying, thinking we were going to die," she said. 'It's unimaginable' On the other side of the conflict, the full horror of what Israel suffered on October 7 and following days was still emerging, as traumatised residents recounted their stories. Shachar Butler, a security chief at the Nir Oz kibbutz, where Hamas militants killed or kidnapped a quarter of the 400 residents, recalls more than a dozen gunmen spraying bullets indiscriminately and lobbing grenades at homes. "It's unimaginable," the 40-year-old told AFP as part of a trip organised by the Israeli military. "Anytime someone tried to touch my window, I shot him," he said. "The people who came out got kidnapped, killed, executed, slaughtered." Butler estimated as many as 200 militants attacked the kibbutz, entering from three sides before going house-to-house. Homes there were still charred with burnt personal belongings strewn everywhere. Israel says around 1,500 Hamas fighters were killed in clashes before its army regained control. 'No safe place' Biden requested a massive $105 billion security package Friday, including $14 billion for Israel, but paralysis in the still speakerless Congress means it will hit an immediate wall. Fresh from a whirlwind trip to Israel this week, Biden is hoping to staunch the possibility of a wider Middle East war. The United States has moved two aircraft carriers into the eastern Mediterranean to deter Iran or Lebanon's Hezbollah, both Hamas allies, from getting involved. After days of clashes with Hezbollah fighters along the Lebanese border, Israeli authorities announced the evacuation of Kiryat Shmona, a nearby town which is home to some 25,000 residents, many of whom have already left. The conflict has inflamed passions across the region, with protests held in several countries. Thousands flooded into Egypt's iconic Tahrir Square in support of Gaza, an AFP correspondent said. Protests were also held outside the French and US embassies in Tunis. Following a strike at a church compound late Thursday, the Hamas-controlled interior ministry said several people sheltering at the church were killed and wounded, blaming an Israeli strike. The Israeli army acknowledged a church wall had been damaged in one of its air strikes targeting a "command and control centre belonging to a Hamas terrorist". "This place is dedicated for praying, a place of love and peace," said witness Abu Khalil Jahshan. "There is no safe place here in Gaza." The post Gazans await ‘life and death’ aid, Israel readies invasion appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Parent to Karapatan: ‘Please stop posting about my son, I beg you’
Former Overseas Filipino Worker Jerome Christopher David, father of Job who was among three rebel fighters said to have been captured in a military encounter, asked the activist group Karapatan to stop posting on social media about his son and two companions and painting them as victims of abduction or enforced disappearance. “Sana itigil na ng Karapatan na mag-post sila sa Facebook na ang anak ko ay dinukot, tinurtyor, Hindi po totoo ‘yon, kayo mismo (Karapatan) ang nagko-commit ng human rights (violation) na walang permiso namin na i-post niyo ‘yung profile picture ng anak ko na sila ay dinukot,” said David appealed during a virtual press conference of the Integrated Communications Office Center, the media bureau of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. “Tama na po, ‘wag niyo na pong i-post ‘yan, pakiusap lang po. Kung ano man po ang inyong ipinaglalaban puwede niyo naman daanin sa matiwasay na paraan. Tama na po, ako na po ang nakikiusap sa inyo (Please stop your posts. Whatever is your advocacy, you can do it in a peaceful manner. Please stop, I'm begging you). My son is now living peacefully,” he reiterated. Brigadier General Randolph Cabangbang, commanding general of the Army’s 203rd Infantry Brigade, revealed to the media that the parents of Job, Alia Encela and Peter del Monte are contemplating taking legal action against Karapatan for alleged continued harassment. “In fact, I’m discouraging them (parents) not to file what they think is a writ of Amparo. Sabi ko wala namang nakikinig sa Karapatan. Having said that, we’re consulting lawyers, we’re studying it,” Cabangbang said. “To Karapatan, hands off our families, hands off our children,” he said. NTF-ELCAC spokesman Joel Sy Egco, who is also ICOC director-designate, reiterated his warning to Karapatan to stop their donation drives using what he called the “abduct-surface-donate-release” scheme. “Kahit ano pa ang sasabihin niyo, kayo-kayo na lang ang naniniwala sa sinsabi niyo sa inyong echo chamber mismo (Whatever you say, only you listen to each other within your echoc chamber). NTF-ELCAC continues to gather evidences of your scamming activities and in due time charges will be filed against you,” he said. Egco said ELCAC’s National Secretariat led by Executive Director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. will support and assist parents and the Army if and when legal charges are ready to be filed against Karapatan and other such organizations. “Again, Encela, del Monte and David are not detained, they voluntarily submitted themselves to be in the custody of the military as they’re undergoing the processes of rebuilding their lives ruined by the CPP-NPA-NDF before joining their families and to mainstream society,” he said. The three were captured by Army troopers on September 23, 2023 during combat operations in Sitio Malaglag, Barangay Lisap in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro. Cabangbang said he was relieved and looking forward to turning over the three former rebels to their parents safe and sound. "It’s a happy moment dahil buhay itong tatlo na sa di kalauna’y makakasama na nila muli ang kanilang mga magulang” (these three are alive and will be reunited soon with their parents), he said. During the conference, ICOC showed a 7-minute video clip of the parents and relatives of Encela, del Monte and David having happy moments hugging, laughing and eating together. Cabangbang also thanked the three former rebels for their voluntary insights and analysis of how their former comrades operate in his brigade’s area of operation. “For the past weeks, napakarami na po nilang naitulong sa ating brigade. They have been providing the necessary analysis and the information that we need, such that for the past two days may naengkwentro po na grupo nila because of their insightful analysis and correct and timely information,” Cabangbang added. In the encounter, the soldiers recovered three high-powered firearms and personal paraphernalia of the fleeing rebels. Cabangbang said they believed that two of the rebels were wounded because of blood traces from the recovered firearms and one of them could be the deputy commander of the group. “When I arrived here, there were only 15 NPA rebels in our AOR. Minus Alia, Peter and Job, only 12 remaining. We’ve already identified them all,” he said. Now, Cabangbang said, the three are reaching out to their former comrades to give up the armed struggle and surrender to the government. The post Parent to Karapatan: ‘Please stop posting about my son, I beg you’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
New mission: BuCor reform
Following his tenure as chief of staff in the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 2015, retired four-star General Gregorio Pio Catapang chose to settle in Pampanga. Here, he embraced a simpler life as a farmer, relishing in the delights of native chicken, fresh produce, and the serene natural surroundings. “I am an environmentalist, so I decided to stay in Arayat, Pampanga, to be a farmer upon my retirement in October 2015, and I prayed, ‘Lord, it has been mission accomplished, so give me a new mission,’” Catapang narrated. The former military chief, the AFP’s 45th from July 2014 to 2015, is not a stranger to close encounters with mortality. Throughout his extensive service in the Philippine Army, from graduating from the Philippine Military Academy in 1981, he has endured several clashes with enemies, even more than one could count with the fingers. He held major positions in the AFP as commander of the 2nd Infantry Division — the Army’s largest unit, 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division, 703 Infantry Brigade, and 28th Infantry Brigade, among others. He also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, J3, of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. His rise to prominence was not without hitches because he barely survived nine brushes with death. His strong faith in the Lord enabled him to be alive today. “The first incident that I encountered that almost ended my life was when I fell from the second floor of our house when I was just a kid; the second was when I was in the field where a provincial bus liner rammed the car I was in,” Catapang said. He was airlifted from Basa Airbase to V. Luna General Hospital and eventually transferred to Quezon City Medical City as he continued to bleed due to his severe injuries. “The doctor told me not to sleep because I might turn into a coma. So I fight on as the doctors continue to treat me,” he added. While still recovering, with his facial wounds still not yet fully healed, he was called by his commander to report back to work. “Nakangiwi pa ako dahil sa sugat (I was still grimacing in pain), but as a soldier, I followed the order, and that was then I realized that he was teaching me how to become chief of staff,” Catapang said, adding that as a good soldier, he had to endure the pain. He recalled that a chopper ride in the mountains of Cagayan also nearly took his life as it flew at 1,000 feet and traveled 18 knots. “The chopper is already old. I just have to make the sign of the cross as the chopper made a low-altitude flight due to poor visibility. We plunged downward, and I thought it was the end for me. But thankfully, the chopper normalized, and we safely landed,” he said. While in a restaurant in Angeles, Pampanga, Catapang said he was informed that NPA (New People’s Army) rebels would ambush him. “We ate at a chicken restaurant in Angeles and received information that I would be ambushed on returning to our camp. It was retaliation for the death of eight commanders of the NPA after movement patterns were detected based on information from barangay chairpersons,” he said. He cannot forget, too, that during the Pinatubo eruption in 1991, the roof of the building they were occupying collapsed due to the accumulated volcanic ash. Catapang, named after two generals — Gregorio del Pilar and Pio del Pilar — led his soldiers in helping the indigenous peoples in the area, giving them food, clothing, and other necessities. “The natives very loved us because of that,” he added. He said he is thankful to have emerged victorious and alive from the all-out war against Muslim secessionists in Mindanao. It almost ended his life, but he survived with solid faith in the Lord. Throughout his life, he consistently believed that prayers are always answered, particularly when reciting the rosary. Proof was when he fervently prayed to the Lord to allow him to marry his first girlfriend, and his request was granted. He married Maria Lourdes and has three children. Catapang’s early life lacked the excitement it later encompassed. He was a typical teenager. He attended high school at the Claret School of Quezon City. Shortly after graduating from PMA, he pursued graduate courses at the University of the Philippines. He is the second of four children of Gregorio Catapang Sr., a lawyer for the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Lourdes Punzalan, an accountant at the Department of Finance, from whom he learned the value of public service. As a military officer, Catapang rallied the troops to strictly adhere to the AFP’s slogan of “Kawal DISIPLINADO, bawal ABUSADO, dapat ASINTADO” — three key words that spell out the Do’s and DON’T’s to become proficient in fire and maneuver and avoid collateral damage; be respectful of human rights, adhere to international humanitarian law and the rule of law, and the rules of engagement. Catapang moved on with his career and retirement life, carrying an excellent performance standard, exemplary leadership and a keen vision. Answered post-retirement prayer After retiring from active military service spanning 34 years, he received a divine blessing through a new mission. Following seven years of working as a farmer, he experienced a life-altering moment on the evening of October 19, 2021. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla gave him an offer to lead the Bureau of Corrections. Unaware of the challenges that awaited him within the BuCor, especially at the New Bilibid Prison, he accepted the offer. It was only later that he discovered the appalling issues of corruption among the prison staff and the dire condition of the overcrowded facilities. Under the guidance of Secretary Remulla, Catapang’s mission to reform the BuCor is yielding positive results. They are actively organizing culminating activities to release eligible individuals who have been deprived of their liberty. To alleviate the overcrowding in the jail facilities, the BuCor is actively organizing and implementing various reforms. The main goal is to transfer all persons deprived of liberty from the maximum security compound of the NBP to new facilities outside of Metro Manila. Catapang is confident plans will come to fruition, as they have already presented their long-term reform plan to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for approval. “At present, the reformation of BuCor is in full swing. I am confident we will accomplish and make things happen,” he said. The NBP, he said, is undergoing a significant transformation. The plan is to shut down the NBP in Muntinlupa and repurpose the area into a new business district similar to Bonifacio Global City in the southern part of Metro Manila. Explaining the reason behind the decision, he said high-end residential communities surround the current location of the NBP in Muntinlupa. To align with the surrounding environment, the intention is to close down the NBP and relocate all inmates to regional jail facilities nationwide. Catapang shared plans to dedicate eight hectares of land within the NBP to improve the living conditions of the settlers and provide them with opportunities for reintegration into society. “We will build condominium units for the settlers at the NBP, complete with amenities like a swimming pool, multipurpose facilities, and the like. Repair of residential houses is no longer possible, including power lines, so we decided to allocate the lands for them,” he added. The government will optimally use the land area by developing it into a business and government center, aligning with the DoJ’s plan. To support the food security initiatives of the President, he said they have already started the cultivation of approximately 10 hectares of land at the Iwahig Penal Colony. The aim is to grow rice and high-yield crops, contributing to the government’s long-term food security plans. “Hopefully, this will be done also to other penal farms of BuCor because we have ample lands for cultivation,” Catapang said. For the BuCor Director General who refused to be defined by limitations and setbacks, the relentless spirit and passion for reforms radiate triumphs against the most formidable odds. The post New mission: BuCor reform appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hugh Jackman and wife separating: statement
"Wolverine" star Hugh Jackman and his wife of 27 years are to separate, a statement carried by US media said Friday. The Australian actor, 54, met fellow performer Deborra-Lee Jackman on the set of an Australian TV series in 1995, and the pair wed a year later. "We have been blessed to share almost (three) decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage," a joint statement first reported by People magazine said. "Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth. "Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness." The couple have two children together. Jackman, a Golden Globe winner for his role in "Les Miserables," has juggled his image as a muscle-bound superhero, with ventures into music and dancing during a varied career. "We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives," the statement continues, adding that no further information will be released. In a social media post to mark the couple's silver wedding, Jackman described their marriage as "natural as breathing." "From nearly the moment we met... I knew our destiny was to be together. In our 25 years - our love has only grown deeper." "I’m forever grateful to share our love, our life - and, our family together. We’ve only just begun. Deb, I love you with all my heart!" Jackman's rippling muscles and cut-glass features have earned him an army of admirers, and in 2008 he was named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive". The post Hugh Jackman and wife separating: statement appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hugh Jackman and wife separating: statement
"Wolverine" star Hugh Jackman and his wife of 27 years are to separate, a statement carried by US media said Friday. The Australian actor, 54, met fellow performer Deborra-Lee Jackman on the set of an Australian TV series in 1995, and the pair wed a year later. "We have been blessed to share almost (three) decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage," a joint statement first reported by People magazine said. "Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth. "Our family has been and always will be our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love, and kindness." The couple have two children together. Jackman, a Golden Globe winner for his role in "Les Miserables," has juggled his image as a muscle-bound superhero, with ventures into music and dancing during a varied career. "We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family navigates this transition in all of our lives," the statement continues, adding that no further information will be released. In a social media post to mark the couple's silver wedding, Jackman described their marriage as "natural as breathing." "From nearly the moment we met... I knew our destiny was to be together. In our 25 years - our love has only grown deeper." "I’m forever grateful to share our love, our life - and, our family together. We’ve only just begun. Deb, I love you with all my heart!" Jackman's rippling muscles and cut-glass features have earned him an army of admirers, and in 2008 he was named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive". hg/jh © Agence France-Presse The post Hugh Jackman and wife separating: statement appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UK marks first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death
King Charles III on Friday thanked the public for their support in his first year as monarch, as he marked the one-year anniversary of the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. In a short statement, the 74-year-old British head of state recalled the "great affection" for his mother, her life and public service. "I am deeply grateful, too, for the love and support that has been shown to my wife and myself during this year as we do our utmost to be of service to you all," he added. Commemorations will be low-key on Friday, with the king -- who is at his sprawling Scottish Highland estate of Balmoral -- not expected at any official engagement. His mother, who was on the throne for a record-breaking 70 years, died at Balmoral aged 96 after a period of declining health. Throughout her reign, she did not publicly mark her accession, as it was also the anniversary of her own father King George VI's death in 1952. Last year, when she began her Platinum Jubilee year on February 6, she spent the day in private at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk, eastern England. Gun salute In London, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery will mark Charles's accession by firing a 41-gun ceremonial salute in Hyde Park from 12:00 pm (1100 GMT). Members of the Honourable Artillery Company -- the oldest regiment in the British Army -- will fire a 62-gun salute from the Tower of London from 1:00 pm. Both regiments were involved in firing the Death Gun salutes to mark the queen's death, and the Proclamation salutes to mark Charles's new reign. The king's eldest son and heir, Prince William, and his wife, Catherine, are expected to carry out royal duties and deliver a message in honor of the late queen. William's estranged younger brother, Prince Harry, was in the UK for a charity event on Thursday but was not expected to meet members of his family. "As you know, I was unable to attend the awards last year as my grandmother passed away," Harry told the charity event. "She would have been the first person to insist that I still come to be with you all instead of going to her, and that's precisely why I know exactly one year on that she is looking down on all of us tonight, happy we're together." Relations between Harry and his father and brother have been strained since he and his wife, Meghan, quit royal life and moved to North America in 2020. Ties have been frayed further by their criticisms of the family in television interviews, a docuseries, and Harry's autobiography. Memorial Elizabeth II's death was a seismic event in British life. For most Britons alive, the queen was the only monarch and head of state they had ever known. During the 10-day official mourning period, tens of thousands of people queued for up to 25 hours to file past her flag-shrouded coffin as it lay in state in Westminster Hall at the Houses of Parliament. Even more packed the streets of London and the route west to Windsor Castle for the state funeral, which was beamed around the world to a television audience of millions. The queen was interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, Windsor, alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died in 2021, her father and mother, and the ashes of her younger sister, Princess Margaret. Earlier this week, the government announced that a national memorial to the late monarch will be commissioned "in due course". In London on Thursday, there were mixed views about Charles's first year. Some felt he had been right not to introduce sweeping reform too early. "He's got a hard act to follow but he will I think change things," Joanne Hughes, 61, told AFP outside Buckingham Palace. But despite 161 official engagements and tours of all four nations of the United Kingdom, others were indifferent about the new king -- and the monarchy in general. "The monarchy is dying," said nursing student Mimi Jaffer-Clarke. "If he wants it to not die, then he needs to try to The post UK marks first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rescue dog that helped find lost kids in Amazon is now missing
Six-year-old tracker dog Wilson, who went missing during the ultimately successful, weeks-long search for four missing Indigenous children in the Colombian Amazon, is now the target of a rescue mission himself. Dozens of soldiers are scouring the jungle for the canine hero that disappeared on duty two weeks ago, with the military having vowed not to "abandon a fallen comrade" who may have found the children long before the rescue team arrived. As relief settled in following a happy ending to the 40-day odyssey of Lesly (13), Soleiny, (9) Tien Noriel (5) and one-year-old Cristin, Colombians have been clamoring on social media for the safe return of Wilson as well. #Let'sGoForWilson, #OneIsMissing and #WilsonNationalHero are some of the tags doing the rounds. Colombians have also taken to placing posters in their windows to insist: "Missing Wilson," while others are posting photos of their cats and other pets carrying signs pleading for the dog's safe return. "The search is not over," the army insisted in a statement issued after the children were located last Friday, adding more than 70 soldiers remain deployed in the dense jungle to find the Belgian Shepherd. They include Cristian David Lara, Wilson's handler since he was a puppy in training. Lara, a colleague told the El Espectador newspaper, "does not want to leave until he finds his dog." Added General Pedro Sanchez, who headed the search for the children: "We're going for Wilson, we’re going to bring him back." 'Disoriented' Wilson was the one to find Cristin's discarded baby bottle in the thick vegetation some four kilometers (2.5 miles) from the wreckage several days after the May 1 small aircraft crash that claimed the lives of all three adults on board, including the siblings' mother. As the weeks passed, a team of nearly 200 soldiers and Indigenous jungle experts accompanied by several dogs kept finding signs that the kids were alive: half-eaten fruit, discarded diapers, makeshift shelters and footprints. Then, two weeks ago, "due to the complexity of the terrain, humidity and adverse weather conditions" Wilson must have become "disoriented" and disappeared, the military said in a statement. After his human comrades lost sight of Wilson, however, evidence emerged that he may have been the first to find the children: a dog's footprints were spotted near those of the children shortly before the rescue team got to them. The two older children, Lesly and Soleiny, have since made a drawing of a dog next to a river and amidst trees. Astrid Caceres, director of the Colombian Family Welfare Institute overseeing the children's convalescence, said they keep talking about a dog. Lesly "told us... of a dog that they had lost, that they didn't know where it went, that it had accompanied them for a while," she recounted. 'Fallen comrade' The Colombian army has trained more than 17,000 dogs during decades of internal conflict in specializations including explosives detection, demining and search and rescue. Apart from wild animals, insects and continuous rain in the Amazon, Wilson also risks encountering members of armed groups who remain active in the jungle, fighting over drug and other illegal commerce. Sanchez said Wilson had not been equipped with a GPS tracker to prevent "the enemy" from locating him and his human comrades. In Bogota, homemaker Nora Villa, 55, was one of those closely following the fate of the dog. "Please, may they do everything possible to find Wilson the doggie!" she told AFP on a city street. On the day of Wilson's disappearance, the military had vowed on Twitter to "never abandon a fallen comrade on the battlefield." The search for the children, dubbed Operation Hope, would continue "in the search for our canine Wilson, who... in his eagerness to find the children, got separated from the troops," it said. The post Rescue dog that helped find lost kids in Amazon is now missing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Indigenous upbringing helped children survive Amazon ordeal
by Hervé BAR Lost for 40 days in the Colombian Amazon, four Indigenous children survived eating seeds, roots and plants they knew were edible thanks to their upbringing. And it was in part down to the local knowledge of Indigenous adults involved in the search alongside Colombian troops that they were ultimately found alive. "The survival of the children is a sign of the knowledge and relationship with the natural environment that is taught starting in the mother's womb," according to the National Organization of Indigenous Peoples of Colombia (OPIAC). The four siblings survived a small plane crash on May 1 that took the lives of the pilot, their mother and a third adult. The family of the children clung to hope that the siblings' familiarity with the jungle would see them through. The "children of the bush," as their grandfather called them, survived eating yucca flour that was aboard the doomed plane, and scavenging from relief parcels dropped by search helicopters. But they also ate seeds, fruits, roots and plants that they identified as edible from their upbringing in the Amazon region, Luis Acosta of the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC), told AFP. - 'Spiritual force' - Acosta, who took part in search operations, said the children were imbued with "spiritual force." That is a shared perception among Indigenous leaders, and Acosta noted that a guardian was to be posted outside the military hospital where doctors were attending to the children to help accompany them "spiritually." "We have a particular connection to nature," Javier Betancourt, another ONIC leader, told AFP. "The world needs this kind of special relation with nature, to favor those like the Indigenous who live in the jungle and take care of it." During the search, soldiers worked side by side with Indigenous trackers for 20 days. President Gustavo Petro praised what he called a "meeting of Indigenous and military knowledge" that he said showed respect for the jungle. Army helicopters broadcast recordings of the childrens' grandmother telling them in the Indigenous Huitoto language to stay put in one spot until rescuers reached them. "It was President Petro who brought us together," Acosta told local media, referring to soldiers and Indigenous experts. "In an initial meeting, eight days before our search began, the president told us we needed to go with the army because the army couldn't do it alone," he added. - A winning combo - More than 80 volunteers from Indigenous territories in the departments of Caqueta, Putumayo, Meta and Amazonas joined around 100 soldiers in what was dubbed "Operation Hope." It was an unusual union of forces. In many of Colombia's Indigenous territories, armed outlaw groups roam and easily coerce native peoples, who protect their lands with rudimentary weapons. Relations between Indigenous communities and the armed forces are also strained. But in the Guaviare department, rescuers from separate groups set their differences aside to work together. While soldiers planned operational details, native searchers held rituals to communicate with jungle "spirits," using mambe, a paste made of coca leaf and ash, as well as chirrinchi, a fermented drink. Using machetes, rescuers felled trees and marked them with spray paint to guide the children. Indigenous medicinal knowledge was also used to adapt to the difficult jungle conditions, treating scratches, splinters, insect bites, exhaustion and physical pain. The indigenous people have "worked in the rain, in storms and in many difficult situations, but always with the hope and spiritual faith that (the children) could be found," Acosta said. It all led to the discovery of the siblings by an Indigenous tracker in an area that hadn't yet been explored. hba/sp/lv/cjc/tjj/mca © Agence France-Presse The post Indigenous upbringing helped children survive Amazon ordeal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Children lost for 40 days in Colombian Amazon found alive
Four Indigenous children who had been missing for more than a month in the Colombian Amazon rainforest were found alive and flown to the capital Bogota early Saturday. The children, who survived a small plane crash in the jungle, were transported by army medical plane to a military airport at around 00:30 am Saturday (0530 GMT). They were immediately taken off the plane on stretchers with ambulances waiting to bring them to hospital. "Today we have had a magical day," President Gustavo Petro told the media earlier on Friday, after announcing their rescue. "They are weak. Let's let the doctors make their assessment," he added. The president had posted a photo on Twitter showing several adults, some dressed in military fatigues, tending to the children as they sat on tarps in the jungle. One rescuer held a bottle to the mouth of the smallest child, whom he held in his arms. "A joy for the whole country! The 4 children who were lost 40 days ago in the Colombian jungle were found alive," he wrote on Twitter. Video shared by the Defense Ministry late Friday showed the children being pulled up into a helicopter as it hovered over the tall trees in almost complete darkness. Originally from the Huitoto Indigenous group, the children -- aged 13, nine, four and one -- had been wandering alone in the jungle since May 1, when the Cessna 206 in which they were traveling crashed. The pilot had reported engine problems only minutes after taking off from a jungle area known as Araracuara on the 350-kilometer (217-mile) journey to the town of San Jose del Guaviare. The bodies of the pilot, the children's mother and a local Indigenous leader were all found at the crash site, where the plane sat almost vertical in the trees. Officials said that the group had been fleeing threats from members of an armed group. A massive search involving 160 soldiers and 70 Indigenous people with intimate knowledge of the jungle was launched after the crash, garnering global attention. The area is home to jaguars, snakes and other predators, as well as armed drug smuggling groups, but ongoing clues -- footprints, a diaper, half-eaten fruit -- led authorities to believe they were on the right track. Worried that the children would continue wandering and become ever more difficult to locate, the air force dumped 10,000 flyers into the forest with instructions in Spanish and the children's own Indigenous language, telling them to stay put. The leaflets also included survival tips, and the military dropped food parcels and bottled water. Rescuers had also been broadcasting a message recorded by the children's grandmother, urging them not to move. According to the military, rescuers found the children about five kilometers (three miles) west of the crash site. 'Absolute survival' Huitoto children learn hunting, fishing and gathering, and the kids' grandfather, Fidencio Valencia, had told AFP the children are well acquainted with the jungle. News of the rescue came as Petro returned home from Cuba, where he signed a six-month truce with Colombia's last active guerrilla group, the ELN. "Getting closer and attaining peace in the agreement that is moving forward with the ELN... And now I return and the first news is that indeed the Indigenous communities that were in the search and the military forces found the children 40 days later," he told reporters in Bogota. "They were alone, they made it on their own. An example of absolute survival that will go down in history," he said. Seventeen days after the children went missing, Petro announced that they had been found alive, but he retracted the statement a day later, saying he had been given false information. On Friday, he praised "the effective coordination between the military and the Indigenous people" during the search, saying it was an "example of an alliance for the country to follow." Valencia told AFP that the children had been found by a native of Araracuara who had been participating in the search. Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez paid tribute to the various army units' "unshakeable and tireless" work, as well as to the Indigenous people who took part in the search. Army rescuers "immediately took charge of and stabilized" the four siblings, who were transferred to San Jose del Guaviare, according The post Children lost for 40 days in Colombian Amazon found alive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Children lost for 40 days in Colombian Amazon found alive
The four Indigenous children who had been missing for more than a month in the Colombian Amazon rainforest after a small plane crash have been found alive, President Gustavo Petro announced Friday. "A joy for the whole country! The 4 children who were lost 40 days ago in the Colombian jungle were found alive," Petro wrote on Twitter. His post included a photograph of several adults, some dressed in military fatigues, attending to the children who were sitting on tarps in the dense forest. "They are weak. Let's let the doctors make their assessment," Petro told the press in Bogota. Originally from the Uitoto Indigenous group, the children -- aged 13, nine, four, and one -- had been wandering alone in the jungle since May 1, when the Cessna 206 in which they were traveling crashed. The bodies of three adults who had been with them -- their mother, the pilot and a relative -- were all found at the crash site by the army. A massive search by 160 soldiers and 70 Indigenous people with intimate knowledge of the jungle had been underway ever since for the youngsters, garnering global attention. The area is home to jaguars, snakes and other predators, as well as armed drug smuggling groups, but ongoing clues -- footprints, a diaper, half-eaten fruit -- led authorities to believe they were on the right track. Worried that the children would continue wandering and become ever more difficult to locate, the air force dumped 10,000 flyers into the forest with instructions in Spanish and the children's own Indigenous language, telling them to stay put. The leaflets also included survival tips, and the military dropped food parcels and bottled water. Rescuers had also been broadcasting a message recorded by the children's grandmother, urging them not to move. A magical day Huitoto children learn hunting, fishing and gathering and the kids' grandfather, Fidencio Valencia, had told AFP the children are well acquainted with the jungle. "Today we have had a magical day," Petro told the media upon his return from Cuba, where he signed a six-month truce with Colombia's last active guerrilla group, the ELN. "Getting closer and attaining peace in the agreement that is moving forward with the ELN... And now I return and the first news is that indeed the Indigenous communities that were in the search and the military forces found the children 40 days later," he said. "They were alone, they made it on their own. An example of absolute survival that will go down in history," he added. Petro had announced that the children had been found alive 17 days after they disappeared, but retracted the announcement a day later, saying he had been given false information. Valencia, the children's grandfather, confirmed to AFP on Friday that the children had been found. "I need a flight or a helicopter to go and get them urgently," he said. The post Children lost for 40 days in Colombian Amazon found alive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The Tiamzons, dead or alive? (1)
A puzzling statement was issued that couple Benito and Wilma Tiamzon were dead. It was not an assumption but a confirmation made by the faceless spokesperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines, Marco Valbuena, on Thursday that their top-ranking leaders did not die from a sea encounter in Catbalogan, Samar but were tortured and killed by the military. Ahead of DNA test results on human remains believed to be the Tiamzons, Valbuena made a premature claim. Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., said the PNP Forensic Group has yet to release its official DNA report which is also being awaited by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Tiamzons were traveling with eight members of a guerilla group on a boat off Catbalogan City when they figured in a firefight with Joint Special Operations Task Force Trident and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on 22 August 2022. The military believed the group perished after their boat exploded. Human remains were found in the water in the succeeding days but were not identified. Who really are the Tiamzons? Benito, 71, National Democratic Front consultant, was the vice chairman, executive committee member, and political bureau member of the CPP–New People’s Army-NDF. Wilma, 70, was CPP secretary general and, like her husband, was a member of the executive committee and political bureau of the CPP-NPA-NDF. She was also NDFP negotiating panel national consultant and the National Finance Commission secretary. The couple were arrested on 22 March 2014 and detained at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame, Quezon City. Two years after, they were granted bail when the peace talks with the government resumed under the Duterte administration in August 2016. When the peace talks collapsed in 2017, the couple refused to surrender and went into hiding until a Quezon City court ordered their re-arrest in 2018. On 27 November 2020, Benito and Wilma were sentenced to up to 40 years in prison after being convicted of the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of Lt. Abraham Claro Casis and three other Army officers in Quezon in 1988. They were also ordered arrested for 15 counts of murder, issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 32 in Manila on 17 September 2017, in connection with the alleged 1985 purge in Leyte of communist rebels accused of being military informants, known as the “Inopacan massacre.” After running around headless since the death of its ideological founder in December 2022, timing is everything for the orphaned communist groups. Yes, everything happens at the perfect time. And, yes, the NDF’s 50th anniversary on Monday, 24 April is the perfect time. According to security forces, on occasions like this, CPP-affiliated organizations are expected to continue propagating issues and propaganda to portray them as still winning against the government and to expedite their recruitment of new revolutionaries. This is their strategy to portray the AFP as the primary violator of human rights in the country; and that the Philippine and American governments are conspiring to execute the apprehended terrorists. True enough, their digital spokesperson, whose face is always left to everyone’s imagination, announced that at the break of dawn on 24 April, all NPA units have been ordered to stand in formation and silently perform a 21-gun salute to pay respects and give the highest salute to the Tiamzon couple — their heroes for a day. (To be continued) The post The Tiamzons, dead or alive? (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lionel Richie, Katy Perry to play Charles coronation show
Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Andrea Bocelli will be among those performing at a concert to mark King Charles III's coronation, the BBC said on Friday. A televised Coronation Concert is being held in the grounds of Windsor Castle, west of London, on May 7 -- the day after Charles is officially crowned king. BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore said the coronation was a "once-in-a-generation occasion" and called the concert line-up "world-class". But recent reports have said that a number of big-name stars have turned down the gig, including Adele, Elton John, Harry Styles and the Spice Girls. They are said to have declined because of scheduling clashes or touring commitments. But the Mail on Sunday said singer Kylie Minogue had refused given increased republican sentiment in her native Australia, where Charles is also king. Some 20,000 members of the public and invited guests are set to attend in person, with the live event also broadcast on radio and online. Other confirmed performers in the lineup include opera star Bryn Terfel, the singer-songwriter Freya Ridings and composer-producer Alexis Ffrench. Perry -- who performed for US President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021 -- as well as Take That and Richie all have links to Charles's charitable foundations. Richie, who at 73 is just a year younger than the king, said the concert would be an "honor and a celebration". Bocelli has previously performed for Charles's mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September last year aged 96. He was among a star-studded lineup headlined by Diana Ross for the late monarch's Platinum Jubilee concert marking her 70th year on the throne last June. Further names for the Coronation Concert will be announced in due course, the BBC said. Despite the coronation being the first since 1953 and an event most Britons alive have never witnessed, public interest currently appears lacking. Coronation coins have been minted, special chinaware produced and even a crown emoji made to mark the occasion at Westminster Abbey. But a YouGov poll of more than 3,000 people published Friday indicated that just over a third (35 percent) "do not care very much" about the event. Just under a third (29 percent) said they "do not care at all", with apathy greatest among younger age groups. About a quarter (24 percent) of all respondents said they cared "a fair amount" and only about one in 10 people (nine percent) said they cared "a great deal". Nonetheless, 46 percent of Britons said they would likely watch or take part in celebrations, including street parties and community lunches on May 8, which has been declared a public holiday. Preparations were ongoing for the solemn religious ceremony, whose roots date back more than a millennium, and the guest list finalized. Charles's younger son Prince Harry is set to attend, despite his public criticisms of the royal family since moving to the United States in early 2020. The former British army captain's actress wife, Meghan, however, will remain in California with their two young children. The post Lionel Richie, Katy Perry to play Charles coronation show appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Military sorry after UP alumni tagged as slain rebels show up alive
The Armed Forces of the Philippines has apologized for a list it published over the weekend that incorrectly tagged University of the Philippines alumni among students allegedly killed or arrested after joining the New People’s Army......»»
7 nanlaban drug suspects dead after Baste Duterte declares drug war
Less than a week after Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte declared a "war on drugs" in the city, at least seven drug suspects were killed during a buy-bust operation in the city — violence that highlights the seriousness of the mayor's recent threat of outright killing persons caught using illegal drugs......»»
Stocks eke out gains, back at 6,900
The stock market eked out gains to move back up to the 6,900 level as investors continued to hunt for bargains......»»
Dingdong may bagong na-achieve bilang sundalo ng Philippine Navy
IBINANDERA ng Kapuso Primetime King at Box-Office King na si Dingdong Dantes ang pinaka-latest achievement na kanyang nakamit. Matapos sumabak sa isang matinding military training para sa pagiging reservist ng Philippine Navy, isa na rin siya ngayong certified naval combat engineering officer. Baka Bet Mo: Sharon ipinakilala ang isa pang ‘anak’ sa US: Napakaguwapo, iyan.....»»
Six presumed dead after ship destroys major US bridge
Authorities on Tuesday suspended their search for six people missing after a packed cargo ship slammed into a Baltimore bridge, causing it to collapse and blocking one of the busiest US commercial harbors......»»
Philippines declares 'strategic defeat' of NPA rebels
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines declared on Tuesday a "strategic defeat" of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels, who have been fighting against the government since the 1960s, saying there is no more active guerilla fronts in the country. Eduardo Ano, National Security Adviser and former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said "thousands" of NPA insurgents have decided to return t.....»»
3 suspected rebels killed in clash in Philippines Batangas
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Three suspected rebels were killed in a clash with government forces in Batangas province, south of Manila, on Tuesday, the Philippine military said. The military said a 30-minute gunfight broke out around 6:30 a.m. local time after the troops ran into a group of New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Rosario town. The troops recovered three rifles, six jungle packs, and some mater.....»»
Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, March 26
MANILA -- Three suspected rebels were killed in a clash with government forces in Batangas province, south of Manila, on Tuesday, the Philippine military said. The military said a 30-minute gunfight broke out around 6:30 a.m. local time after the troops ran into a group of New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Rosario town. (Philippines-Clash) - - - - BEIRUT -- Two people were killed and nine other civ.....»»