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U.S. mass shooter still at large
An urgent police dragnet entered its second day late Thursday for a man accused of gunning down 18 people at a bowling alley and a bar in Maine, United States. Dozens of law enforcement agents surrounded the family home of 40-year-old suspect Robert Card, but by mid-evening agents left the property in Bowdoin, near Lewiston, to hunt for him elsewhere. A wide area around Lewiston remained locked down more than 24 hours after Card allegedly went on a rampage, culminating in the deadliest mass shooting this year in America. Thirteen people were also wounded. Authorities erected roadblocks, ordered schools and businesses closed, and told residents to stay indoors. Governor Janet Mills said the suspect was “considered armed and dangerous, and police advised that Maine people should not approach him under any circumstances.” Card was seen in surveillance footage pointing a semi-automatic rifle as he walked into the Just-in-Time bowling alley on Wednesday. News outlets broadcast footage of people fleeing in terror from the bowling alley after the shooting started Wednesday evening. Card is a member of the US Army Reserve. US media reported that he had recently been sent for psychiatric treatment after he said he was hearing voices. Hundreds of police in military-style camouflage gear and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents flooded the search zone in what Lewiston police chief David St. Pierre called “an all-hands-on-deck approach.” Biden called Maine’s governor to offer federal support, and ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff at the White House and all government buildings. The post U.S. mass shooter still at large appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ilocos Sur micro-entreps get help from Bong Go
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go’s team, in coordination with Governor Jeremias “Jerry” Singson, Vigan City Mayor Jose Bonito Singson Jr., Caoayan Mayor Germelina Goulart and other local government officials, provided assistance to micro-business owners at the Vigan Conservation Complex and Caoayan municipal gymnasium in Ilocos Sur on Monday, 23 October. A total of 68 individuals received masks and snacks, while select recipients were given shoes, shirts and balls for basketball from Go’s team. Aside from the assistance from Go, the beneficiaries also qualified for the Department of Trade and Industry’s program that Go supported which provides livelihood kits to assist communities affected by crises in their recovery efforts. “Patuloy tayong sumusuporta sa mga programang pangkabuhayan lalo na yung mga makakatulong sa mga mahihirap na nahaharap sa krisis. Sa ating pakikipagtulungan, ang DTI ay nagbibigay ng mga negosyo kits sa mga kwalipikadong benepisyaryo at tinuturuan sila kung paano palalaguin ang kanilang mga negosyo para mapakinabangan ng pamilya ang kanilang kikitain. Nagbigay naman tayo ng karagdagang suporta sa mga benepisyaryo ng programang ito,” he explained in a video message. Also in attendance were DTI 1 Regional Director Grace Falgui-Baluyan and Provincial Director Charry Quodala. Go acknowledged how the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected businesses in the country. In response to this, Go is one of the authors and co-sponsors of Republic Act 11960, known as the One Town, One Product Philippines Act. This legislation serves to institutionalize the OTOP Philippines Program, a strategic initiative tailored to nurturing the growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises throughout the country. The essence of the OTOP Program centers on the identification and promotion of distinctive products originating from various towns and municipalities. In doing so, it not only encourages entrepreneurship but also effectively harnesses local resources while preserving our rich cultural heritage. This approach facilitates increased visibility, market access, and enhanced competitiveness for micro-businesses, thereby making a substantial contribution to our country’s economic resilience. "Hindi lamang ito tungkol sa pag-angat ng MSMEs. Ito'y pagkakataon para sa bawat Pilipino, kahit saan man sila naroroon, na magtagumpay sa negosyo," he elaborated. "When communities take the lead in product development, we see more sustainable and culturally relevant outcomes. This is what OTOP aims to achieve," Go said. Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, emphasized the role played by Malasakit Centers in ensuring convenient access to the government's medical assistance programs. As part of his commitment to alleviating the struggles faced by individuals and families while improving their access to essential healthcare services, Go initiated the establishment of Malasakit Centers in 2018. This was institutionalized in 2019 through the passage of RA 11463, which was principally authored and sponsored by Go. Since its inception, the Malasakit Centers have helped more than seven million poor and indigent patients nationwide. Currently, there are 159 Malasakit Centers, including those at Ilocos Sur Provincial Hospital (formerly known as Gabriela Silang General Hospital) in Vigan City and Ilocos Sur Medical Center in Candon City. Moreover, Go also supported the construction of more than 600 Super Health Centers in strategic locations nationwide including four in Ilocos Sur as identified by the Department of Health which is the lead implementing agency. The initiative was a collaborative effort among lawmakers, LGUs and the DOH. According to Go, Super Health Centers are designed to focus on primary care, consultation, and early detection of diseases, further strengthening the healthcare sector in the country, especially in rural communities. It will also help decongest hospitals. Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, also supported various infrastructure projects, including the road improvements in Magsingal and Narvacan; acquisition of medical equipment for public health facilities in Cervantes, Magsingal, Narvacan, Salcedo, Sinait and Sta. Lucia; acquisition of ambulance units in Burgos, Nagbukel, San Emilio and Tagudin; and construction of multipurpose buildings, halls and gyms in Bantay, Cabugao, Santa, Sigay and Sugpon. The post Ilocos Sur micro-entreps get help from Bong Go appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Manhunt for US shooter presses on, leaving small town in fear
Thousands of anxious small-town Maine residents began a second day under lockdown Friday as police waging a sprawling manhunt struggled to find a US Army reservist accused of killing 18 people in America’s deadliest mass shooting this year. Dozens of law enforcement agents surrounded the family home of the suspect, Robert Card, 40, but by mid-evening agents left the property in Bowdoin, near Lewiston, Maine, to hunt for him elsewhere. A wide area around Lewiston remained locked down Friday, more than 24 hours after Card allegedly went on a rampage in which 13 people were also wounded. People in Lewiston were on edge, buzzing with talk of Card and the massacre. "Uneasy," said resident Jeremy Hiltz, when asked how he felt. "It's a small community . When something like this happens, everybody knows somebody" affected." Authorities erected roadblocks, ordered schools and businesses closed, and told residents to stay indoors. Governor Janet Mills said the suspect was considered armed and dangerous. Card was seen in surveillance footage pointing a semi-automatic rifle as he walked into the Just-in-Time bowling alley on Wednesday. In early evening, law enforcement agents surrounded the Card family home in Bowdoin, bringing in armored vehicles, and sending up drones and a helicopter. State police warned "please come outside" and "we don't want anyone to get hurt" over a loudspeaker near the home, but later said the warnings were routine and not confirmation that Card was inside. One longtime neighbor, Dave Letarte, said news of the shooting "floored me." "I would have never expected that from him," he told AFP of Card. Joseph Walker, a manager at the Schemengees Bar & Grille, was among those killed Wednesday night, his father, Leroy Walker, told NBC News. Walker said his family was "suffering and dying in a nightmare we don't understand." "We were up all night. We didn't know where to go, who to turn to," he said. Terror at bowling alley One survivor told television reporters that he was 15 feet (5 meters) from the gunman when he opened fire at the bowling alley. He thought at first it was a balloon popping. "And as soon as I turned and saw it was not a balloon and he was holding a weapon, I just booked it down the lane and I slid basically into where the pins are and climbed up into the machine and was on top of the machines for about 10 minutes until the cops got there," he said. Card is a member of the US Army Reserve, but had not been deployed in any combat zone. US media reported that he had recently been sent for psychiatric treatment after he said he was hearing voices. Hundreds of police in military style camouflage gear, as well as FBI agents, flooded the search zone in what Lewiston police chief David St. Pierre called "an all-hands-on-deck approach." Republicans oppose new laws This latest shooting is one of the deadliest in the United States since 2017, when a gunman opened fire on a crowded music festival in Las Vegas, killing 60 people. Mass shootings are common in the United States, a country with more privately owned guns than people, and strong political opposition to even minor restrictions on access. The country has recorded at least 565 mass shootings this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nongovernmental organization that defines a mass shooting as four or more people wounded or killed. President Joe Biden called Maine's governor to offer federal support, and ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff at the White House and all government buildings. Biden added that the gun violence that plagues the United States "is not normal, and we cannot accept it," urging lawmakers to pass a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. A Maine Democrat who holds a seat in the US House of Representatives, Jared Golden, flipped on this ban, saying that after the shooting in his state his previous opposition to such a restriction, which is supported by most in his party, was a mistake. "I have opposed efforts to ban deadly weapons of war, like the assault rifle used to carry out this crime," Golden said Thursday. "The time has now come for me to take responsibility for this failure," he added. But in a reminder that Congress will not be considering stronger gun ownership laws anytime soon, the newly installed Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, told Fox News that the reason for so many mass shootings in the United States "is the human heart, not guns." The post Manhunt for US shooter presses on, leaving small town in fear appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hunt for ‘armed and dangerous’ US gunman who killed 18
Hundreds of police in the US state of Maine hunted Thursday for a fugitive gunman who killed 18 people at a bowling alley and a bar, as President Joe Biden mourned "yet another senseless and tragic mass shooting." The rampage in the small northeastern city of Lewiston also left 13 people wounded, three critically, in the deadliest shooting this year in America. A wide area around Lewiston was locked down during the tense search as authorities erected roadblocks, ordered schools and businesses closed, and told residents to stay indoors. Governor Janet Mills said the suspect was "considered armed and dangerous, and police advised that Maine people should not approach him under any circumstances." "This attack strikes at the very heart of who we are and the values we hold dear," Mills told a press conference. "This is a dark day for Maine." Police named the suspect as 40-year-old Robert Card -- seen in surveillance footage pointing a semi-automatic rifle as he walked into the Sparetime Recreation bowling alley. Police converged on the home of Card's father in nearby Bowdoin early Thursday evening, closing off roads. One longtime neighbor, Dave Letarte, said news of the shooting "floored me." "I would have never expected that from him," he told AFP of the younger Card. Joseph Walker, a manager at the Schemengees Bar & Grille, was among those killed the night before, his father Leroy Walker told NBC News. Walker said his family was "suffering and dying in a nightmare we don't understand. "We were up all night. We didn't know where to go, who to turn to," he said. Terror at bowling alley News outlets broadcast footage of people fleeing in terror from the Sparetime Recreation bowling alley after the shooting started Wednesday evening. One survivor told television reporters that he was 15 feet (5 meters) from the gunman when he opened fire. He thought at first it was a balloon popping. "And as soon as I turned and saw it was not a balloon and he was holding a weapon, I just booked it down the lane and I slid basically into where the pins are and climbed up into the machine and was on top of the machines for about 10 minutes until the cops got there," he said. Card is a member of the US Army Reserve. US media reported that he had recently been sent for psychiatric treatment after he said he was hearing voices. Hundreds of police in military-style camouflage gear and FBI agents flooded the search zone in what Lewiston police chief David St. Pierre called "an all-hands-on-deck approach." "We continue to work tirelessly in bringing the situation to an end," he told reporters, vowing "to locate and hold the person accountable." Biden called Maine's governor to offer federal support and ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff at the White House and all government buildings. "Once again, our nation is in mourning after yet another senseless and tragic mass shooting," he said. Biden added that the gun violence that plagues the United States "is not normal, and we cannot accept it," urging lawmakers to pass a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Daily mass shootings Police and rescuers reportedly arrived at the Sparetime Recreation bowling alley at about 7:15 p.m. in response to an active shooter, and then received reports of another shooting at the Schemengees Bar & Grille. In surveillance images of Card at the bowling alley, he appeared calm and composed as he moved through the doorway with his rifle raised. Officers located a "vehicle of interest" -- a white sport utility vehicle -- in Lisbon, a town around eight miles (12 kilometers) from Lewiston. The shooting is one of the deadliest in the US since 2017, when a gunman opened fire on a crowded music festival in Las Vegas, killing 60 people. Mass shootings are alarmingly common in the United States, a country with more guns than people, and attempts to clamp down on their spread are always met with stiff resistance. The country has recorded at least 565 mass shootings this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nongovernmental organization that defines a mass shooting as four or more people wounded or killed. Efforts to tighten gun controls routinely run up against opposition from Republicans, staunch defenders of the constitutional right to bear arms. The political paralysis endures despite widespread outrage over recurring shootings. The post Hunt for ‘armed and dangerous’ US gunman who killed 18 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Meta quarterly profit jumps but it sees volatility in ad market
Meta on Wednesday reported that its quarterly profit more than doubled from last year's figure as it looks ahead at a volatile ad market and lawsuits accusing it of profiting from "children's pain." "Meta earnings looked pretty good," said independent tech analyst Rob Enderle. "They have clearly cut back on the bleeding surrounding their metaverse efforts and the company appears to be on a more even keel right now." The tech giant said it made a profit of $11.6 billion as ad revenue climbed 23 percent to $34 billion when compared to the same period a year earlier. "We had a good quarter for our community and business," said Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg. The number of people using Facebook monthly rose slightly to 3.05 billion in a year-over-year comparison while monthly active users of Meta's "family" of apps was 3.96 billion a 7 percent increase from the same quarter in 2022, the company reported. Meta said it had trimmed costs, with layoffs and other belt-tightening measures started last year providing "greater efficiency." Meta had suffered a rough 2022 amid a souring economic climate and Apple's data privacy changes, which allowed users to block ad targeting, the pillar of Meta's business. Meta's vow of austerity on spending brought an unprecedented round of cost-cutting that saw the company lay off tens of thousands of workers since last November. Meta shares, which closed the formal trading day down, fell more than three percent further in after-hours trades to $289.50. Chief financial officer Susan Li said during an earnings call that Meta is seeing "volatility" in an ad market that started to soften when the conflict between Israel and Hamas began. "It's hard for us to attribute demand softness directly to any specific geopolitical event," Li said. "We have seen broader demand softness follow other regional conflicts in the past, such as in the Ukraine war, so this is something that we're continuing to monitor." Lawsuit peril Analyst Enderle maintained that Meta is at risk from lawsuits poised to damage its image and its wallet. Dozens of US states this week accused Meta of profiting "from children's pain," damaging their mental health and misleading people about the safety of its platforms. "In seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its Social Media Platforms," argued a joint lawsuit filed in federal court in California. The states accused Meta of exploiting young users by creating a business model designed to maximize time they spend on the platform despite harm to their health. In total more than 40 states are suing Meta, though some opted to file in local courts rather than join in the federal case. Meta said the states were singling it out unfairly instead of working with social media companies to develop universal standards for the whole industry. "This landmark lawsuit could herald a seismic shift in how social media platforms approach product features and user engagement," said Insider Intelligence principal analyst Jeremy Goldman. "That said, even as tech stocks face uncertainty, Meta's consistent performance cements its leadership in the digital realm." Meanwhile, the European Union is seeking details on measures Meta has taken to stop the spread of "illegal content and disinformation" in light of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The AI race The tech giant is putting artificial intelligence into digital assistants and smart glasses as it seeks to gain lost ground in the AI race. "I'm proud of the work our teams have done to advance AI and mixed reality with the launch of Quest 3, Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, and our AI studio," Zuckerberg said in the earnings release. The second-generation Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses made in a partnership with EssilorLuxottica have a starting price of $299. "Smart glasses are the ideal form factor for you to let AI assistants see what you're seeing and hear what you're hearing," Zuckerberg said. Meta has taken a more cautious approach than its rivals Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google to push out AI products, prioritizing small steps and making its in-house models available to developers and researchers. "The majority of the world's population will have their first experience of generative artificial intelligence with us," Meta chief technology officer Andrew "Boz" Bosworth told AFP in a recent interview. Meta recently unveiled AI-infused chatbots with personalities, along with tools for creating images or written content using spoken prompts. The post Meta quarterly profit jumps but it sees volatility in ad market appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A resounding FIBA World Cup hosting success
In 2007, sports patron and prominent business executive Manny V. Pangilinan flew to Geneva to mend the country’s scarred relationship with FIBA when the Philippines was suspended due to a struggle between the Basketball Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Olympic Committee. Over the years, MVP, along with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas or SBP, were able to make amends and formed a strong bond with FIBA. And as they say, the rest was history. MVP’s vision to host the FIBA World Cup in a tri-nation bid was approved. The country, together with Japan and Indonesia, was granted to host the 2023 FIBA World Cup, with 32 teams competing for the coveted Naismith trophy for the 2023 Last Sunday, the World Cup curtain finally closed, with several records written, erased, and etched in FIBA history. First, the expanded World Cup adopted by the organizers successfully achieved a more competitive playing field. Nine of the 32 that came to this World Cup did not play in the previous World Cup. After two weeks of grueling competition, six of the eight countries that previously entered the quarterfinals in the 2019 World Cup failed to advance to the next round. Argentina, France, Spain, Poland, Australia, and the Czech Republic were eliminated earlier in the group stages, with only the US and Serbia moving to the semi-final round. Second, for the first time since it participated in the tournament, Germany won the World Cup championship, beating all its opponents in the elimination rounds for an immaculate 7-0 and completing an 8-0 game sweep by beating Serbia in the final, 83-77. FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis was quoted by AP saying the expanded qualification field “has changed global basketball on the men’s side.” Third, the three host countries had record-breaking attendance, a rousing success for the tri-nation hosting of the world’s biggest basketball show. Across 92 games in 15 days in five different venues (three in Manila, one each in Okinawa and Jakarta), Zagklis said the World Cup drew a total of 700,000 fans pending the final numbers from the bronze-medal match between USA and Canada and Serbia-Germany finale. In the opener on 25 August, the Philippines tallied a World Cup record featuring 38,115 fans who witnessed the thrilling battle between home team Gilas Pilipinas and the Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. The milestone highlighted the Philippines’ hosting and smashed the previous record of 32,616 spectators who watched the gold medal match between the USA and Russia in the 1994 games in Toronto, Canada. Zaglis was all praises for the three countries, especially the Philippines, whom he described as an excellent host. “I don’t think it’s easy to find anywhere in the world that has this kind of service to the visitors. Always with a smile and kindness and with a solution-oriented approach. I can only express how grateful FIBA is to the Philippines,” Zaglis said. SBP president Al S. Panlilio had mixed emotions as the FIBA World Cup ended. “We have proven that our country can host a global basketball event as huge as the FIBA World Cup. Everyone involved — the local organizing committee, various private and public stakeholders, volunteers, peace and order personnel, traffic enforcers, the LGUs, and basketball-loving Pinoys who bravely trooped to the venues to watch the games — must be congratulated for making the event a whopping success.” “But there’s also a feeling of extreme bittersweetness as it comes to an end, yet overshadowed by extreme hopefulness for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar,” he added. Panlilio spearheaded the country’s bid for the multiple-nation hosting of the World Cup along with MVP, SBP chairman emeritus, in 2017. He acknowledged what MVP did to bring the FIBA World Cup to the Philippines with his creative vision of bidding for multi-nation hosting. “It was a privilege to help realize that creative vision by collaboratively working with various groups and stakeholders and successfully hosting the World Cup. We are proud of the effort everyone contributed to make this huge undertaking a monumental and amazing feat,” Panlilio said. The post A resounding FIBA World Cup hosting success appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Enact laws for rice dealers, LGUs told
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos on Wednesday urged local government units, particularly the councilors, to pass measures to help the rice dealers in their localities. During the Metro Manila Councilors League’s 35th anniversary celebration in Pasay City, Abalos enjoined the councilors to enact ordinances to help rice retailers by temporarily suspending the collection of market stall fees or granting discounts to alleviate the effects of the rice price ceiling. “(You might pass ordinances) to empower the mayors (to give discounts to stall holders who are) rice retailers (or not charge them for the) stalls for a month,” he said in a statement on Wednesday. Mandaluyong City is one of the first local government units to pass an ordinance to help rice retailers by suspending the assessment and collection of market stall fees in Public Markets 1 and 2 from 5 September to 5 October. Earlier, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. authorized the payout of P5,000 to P15,000 each to unregistered small rice retailers and sari-sari store owners selling rice who were affected by the mandated price cap on rice. Meanwhile, Abalos encouraged the MMCL to strengthen public order and safety in the metropolis through the implementation of a unified closed-circuit television system and other technological advancements to fight crime. He said a unified approach to fighting crime can lead to improved investments and progress. “Development is synonymous with peace and order. (If the) peace and order (is bad, it will be hard to get) investments,” he said. For her part, MMCL president and Caloocan City Councilor Carolyn Cunanan said, “As president of MMCL, rest assured we will continue to achieve our vision of a united Metro Manila, united in terms of services and legislative excellence for our constituents.” Marikina distributes aid Meanwhile, Marikina City 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo on Wednesday led the distribution of cash assistance to more than 400 small rice retailers in the city. The distribution of cash grants followed the imposition of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of a price cap on rice through Executive Order 39. This was the first batch of Marikina rice retailers to receive the benefit, Quimbo said. The lawmaker thanked President Marcos for his quick response in addressing the rice crisis in the country. With Neil Alcober The post Enact laws for rice dealers, LGUs told appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AI and business: Insights from UPMG Philippines confab
The United Print Multimedia Group Philippines held its general membership meeting on 30 August 2023, at Escolta Lucky Chinatown Hotel. The event aimed to delve into the dynamic interplay between artificial intelligence and the media landscape. UPMG President Barbie L. Atienza set the tone for the day's discussions: learning from UPMG members who had recently participated at the 74th World News Media Congress on 28-30 in Taipei, Taiwan. Sherly O. Baula, UPMG Treasurer and Credit and Collection Manager of Chinese Commercial News, shed light on the pros and cons of AI integration in newsrooms, citing concerns on job displacement and authenticity on one hand, while also highlighting AI's potential to streamline newsroom processes and innovate content creation, such as AI-generated listicles engaging animated videos. A notable example she cited was the debut of the AI-generated news anchor named "Fedha" on a Kuwaiti news channel. Baula's also unpacked policies and rules that now govern AI in newsrooms worldwide, touching on issues such as transparency, ethics, data quality, verification methods, staff expertise and collaborations between data scientists and journalists. One key concern was restoring public trust, particularly given AI's potential to disseminate misinformation through tools like deepfakes. Baula proposed a robust framework for newsrooms, including AI usage guidelines, transparent labeling of AI-generated content, human oversight and rigorous fact-checking by seasoned news editors. In conclusion, Baula stressed that AI remains an evolving technology, requiring the integration of human oversight to balance creative and ethical dimensions of news production. Jay Sarmiento, Vice-President of UPMG, and Sales & Marketing Director of Philstar Media Group, shared his insights on a range of business models that news outlets can leverage amid the AI revolution. She underscored the potential for AI to enhance operations rather than supplant traditional journalism. With decentralization of the web gaining momentum, Sarmiento emphasized the need to refine business models and urged news organizations to embrace AI's transformative potential and chart strategies beyond established Big Tech, as this approach could yield untapped intellectual property revenue streams. Sarmiento introduced a spectrum of 15 business models that news companies could consider, ranging from paid content provision to data mining and affiliate marketing. News companies should capitalize on their unique strengths to select three models that align with their core competencies, thereby creating fresh revenue streams, she said. Angel V. Guerrero, UPMG Board Secretary and Publisher of Adobo Magazine, closed the event by noting that the meeting was a shared journey of exploration, learning and empowerment for UPMG members. The post AI and business: Insights from UPMG Philippines confab appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Children trapped in cable car dangling over Pakistan ravine
Six children are among the eight people who have been trapped all day Tuesday in a cable car dangling over a deep valley in Pakistan, with military helicopters hovering nearby ahead of a possible rescue attempt. The children were using the chairlift to get to school when a cable broke at a height of around 1,200 feet (about 365 meters) midway through its journey in a remote, mountainous part of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. "The evening is coming nearer. Tell us why the helicopters are going back?" Gul Faraz, one of the adults stuck in the cable car, said to AFP by phone. "For God's sake help us," he earlier told local media. Several military helicopters flew reconnaissance sorties and an airman was lowered by harness to deliver food, water and medicine, Tanveer Ur Rehman, a local government official, told AFP. "This is a delicate operation that demands meticulous accuracy. The helicopter can not approach the chairlift closely, as its downwash (air pressure) might snap the sole chain supporting it," he said. Anxious crowds gathered on both sides of the ravine, which is several hours from any sizeable town. "Every time the helicopter lowered the rescuer closer to the chairlift, the wind from the helicopter would shake and disbalance the chairlift making the children scream in fear," Ghulamullah, chairman of the Allai valley area, told Geo News. 'What can they do?' The gondola broke down at around 7:00 am local time, with residents using mosque loudspeakers to alert neighborhood officials across the Allai valley. Headmaster Ali Asghar Khan told AFP by phone that the children were teenage boys and students at his government high school Battangi Pashto. "The school is located in a mountainous area and there are no safe crossings, so it's common to use the chairlift," Khan said. "The parents are gathered at the site of the chairlift. What can they do? They are waiting for the rescue officials to get their children out. We are all worried." Abid Ur Rehman, a teacher from another school in the area, said around 500 people had gathered to watch the rescue mission. "Parents and women are crying for the safety of their children," he told AFP. Syed Hammad Haider, a senior Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial official, said the gondola was hanging about 1,000 to 1,200 feet above the ground. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar issued a directive for all chairlifts in mountainous areas to be inspected and for those that are not "safety compliant" to be immediately closed. Cable cars that carry passengers and sometimes cars are common across the northern areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Gilgit-Baltistan, and are vital in connecting villages and towns in areas where roads cannot be built. In 2017, 10 people were killed when a chairlift cable broke, sending passengers plunging into a ravine in a mountain hamlet near capital Islamabad. The post Children trapped in cable car dangling over Pakistan ravine appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden widens web of US alliances faced with China, Russia, Trump
With a historic three-way summit with Japan and South Korea, President Joe Biden has further deepened the web of US partnerships in a determined signal to adversaries despite question marks on the political climate at home. Since Biden took office in 2021, NATO has expanded and mostly closed ranks over Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- and, in clear if unstated responses to an assertive China, the United States forged a new three-way defense pact with Australia and Britain and ramped up work through the four-way Quad involving Australia, India and Japan. The United States already has security alliances with Japan and South Korea, together the bases for some 84,500 troops, but will now also plan three-way, multi-year military exercises across all domains along with real-time information-sharing and a crisis hotline. Jon Alterman, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that alliances were "baked" into the mindset of Biden, who was a senator at the end of the Cold War. Partnerships can increase other countries' faith in the direction of the United States, Alterman added. "This administration believes deeply in the centrality -- not the importance, the centrality -- of partnerships," he said. "The challenge is, all of our partners remember the previous administration, they look at the polling numbers, and they have absolutely no confidence in where the US is going to be in two years' time, five years' time or 10 years' time," he said. Previous president Donald Trump loudly questioned the value of alliances, insisting that countries such as Germany and South Korea were not paying enough for the US troop presence and scoffing at NATO's commitments of mutual defense to all allies. Trump is again seeking the White House and recent opinion polls have also shown softening support for US military assistance to Ukraine, which has totaled $43 billion since Russia's attack. Asked about Trump at a news conference with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Camp David presidential retreat, Biden said that his predecessor's "America First policy, walking away from the rest of the world, has made us weaker, not stronger." "America is strong with our allies and our alliances, and that's why we will endure," Biden said. Tougher task in Asia Whereas in Europe the United States has led a common defense for decades under NATO, in Asia -- seen by Biden as the critical region -- Washington has navigated individual alliances with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia and Thailand. One reason for the hodgepodge has been historical animosity between Japan and South Korea, with the Camp David summit until recently unthinkable. Yoon has turned the page by resolving a dispute over Japan's wartime forced labor of Koreans. Yoon, Kishida and Biden said they shared the same vision of a "rules-based international order" -- a nod to China's muscle-flexing in Asia but also to Ukraine, of which Japan and South Korea have been prominent non-Western supporters. China denounced the Camp David initiative, with state media saying the United States was raising tensions by creating a "mini-NATO," although there was no three-way mutual defense promise. Shihoko Goto, acting director of the Asia program at the Wilson Center, doubted that the three countries were even aspiring to collective self-defense but said their new cooperation was part of an "interweaving" with existing alliance arrangements. "As a single thread it may be weak, but because it is going to be part of that fabric and making it into a multi-layered approach, it would actually be really strong," she said. Risks await Biden has also moved bilaterally with countries concerned about Russia and China. He has said he plans to travel shortly to boost ties with Vietnam, whose tensions with Beijing run deep. But one of his big bets, India, has stood firm on its historic refusal to join alliances and is also taking part this week in a summit with Russia and China of the BRICS bloc of emerging economies. Trump is not the only wild card for the future. In South Korea, Yoon is only allowed a single term, which ends in 2027. "If an ultra-leftist South Korean president and an ultra-right wing Japanese leader are elected in their next cycles, or even if Trump or someone like him wins in the US, then any one of them could derail all the meaningful, hard work the three countries are putting in right now," said Duyeon Kim, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. The post Biden widens web of US alliances faced with China, Russia, Trump appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Angat Dam reserve level short of 12 meters — MWSS
The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System or MWSS is hoping for a further increase in the reserve level at Angat Dam as it nears the target of 210 to 212 meters, which officials said Wednesday will ensure enough supply for Metro Manila in the first six months of El Niño next year. MWSS division manager Patrick Dizon said the dam’s reserve has risen to 199.9 meters due to the heavy rains brought by typhoons “Egay” and “Falcon.” “The weather bureau predicts El Niño to start by the fourth quarter this year and last until the second quarter of 2024. With an elevation of 210 to 212 meters by the end of this year, we are more assured of a water supply during the drought period,” Dizon said. He said this ensures enough water supply from Angat Dam in Bulacan to households and commercial establishments in Metro Manila for this month and strengthens chances of a manageable supply in the fourth quarter of this year up to the second quarter of next year. Angat Dam in Bulacan supplies 90 percent of the water requirements of Metro Manila, and Dizon said the recent rains also augmented reserves in watersheds near the dam, which means the water allocation of 48 cubic meters per second to this area is still reasonable for this month. “We’re still experiencing rain this month. We’re coordinating with and can request for a higher allocation from the National Water Resources Board, but currently, we can still manage with the existing supply from our watersheds,” Dizon said. However, he stressed the public must still conserve water and find ways to collect and store more water as the reserve level at Angat Dam has yet to reach its desirable mark while the government is promoting a “whole-of-the-nation” approach to water security. Dizon said part of this is the continued construction of water augmentation projects. “We’re coordinating with the Water Resources Management Office to speed up approval of construction permits, he said. Jose Dorado Jr., deputy administrator for the Engineering and Technological Operations Group of MWSS, said a facility in Cavite will be used by water distributor Maynilad, while Manila Water will tap Laguna Lake and East Bay in Calawis, Antipolo. Another is a facility in Poblacion, Muntinlupa. For the long term, Dorado said the 60-meter Kaliwa Dam is expected to be completed by 2026 and will be operated in the first quarter of 2027. The Kaliwa Dam is near communities in General Nakar, Quezon and Tanay, Rizal. Dizon said households in Las Piñas City serviced by Maynilad will continue to experience water interruptions this month until November due to the replacement of filtration membranes of water plants that draw their supply from Laguna Lake. “These maintenance activities are required by law to be conducted every five years as rains in November and December will make the water in Laguna Lake cloudy. They ensure that the quality of the water from the lake passes the Philippines National Standards,” he said. The post Angat Dam reserve level short of 12 meters — MWSS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Signal No. 5 up in Eastern Babuyan Islands
Super Typhoon "Egay" has maintained its strength as it endangers Extreme Northern Luzon, according to PAGASA’s 2 pm advisory. Signal No. 5, the highest public storm warning signal, has been raised in Camiguin island, the eastern portion of Babuyan islands. According to the state weather bureau’s latest advisory, the storm is last located 230 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. The super typhoon carries maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour and gusts up to 230 kilometers per hour. Egay is currently moving northwest, still heading to Northeastern Cagayan-Babuyan Islands at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour. Signal No. 4 is raised on the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan, specifically the towns of Santa Ana and Gonzaga and the rest of Babuyan islands. The super typhoon is expected to continue its northwest direction in the next 12 hours, before shifting west-northwestward. A northward or southward shift in Egay’s track may result in a close approach or landfall in the landmass of northeastern Cagayan and Babuyan Islands. The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council of Calayan Islands said it has conducted preemptive evacuations due to the looming threat of Egay, with 54 families or a total of 188 individuals evacuated. In Santa Ana, Cagayan, 42 families or 154 individuals were evacuated to ensure their safety. The rescued individuals were residing in Barangays Palawig, Tangatan, Centro and Casambalangan. In Peñablanca, Cagayan, the Natallag Bridge in Barangay Manga is temporarily closed to any type of vehicles due to the overflowing of Pinacanauan River. The post Signal No. 5 up in Eastern Babuyan Islands appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Blinken rallies SE Asia against ‘coercion’ in swipe at China
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed unity Friday with Southeast Asian nations against "coercion", in a thinly veiled reference to Beijing, as host Indonesia warned at talks that the region should not become a proxy for global rivalries. Blinken met foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Jakarta at a gathering that also brought the top diplomats of China and Russia, the two main adversaries to the United States. A day after his latest talks with China on managing tensions between the two powers, Blinken made a clear if unstated allusion to concerns shared with many in the region over Beijing. "We share a vision of the Indo-Pacific that is free, open, prosperous, secure, connected and resilient," Blinken told ASEAN foreign ministers, using another term for the Asia region. "That means a region where countries are free to choose their own paths and their own partners, where problems are dealt with openly -- not through coercion," he said. "We must uphold the freedom of navigation in the South and East China Seas and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait." Friction has been rising for years between Beijing and Southeast Asian nations, particularly Vietnam and the Philippines, over China's sweeping claims to much of the South China Sea. Maritime incidents have been on the rise and tensions have also soared over Taiwan, the self-governing democracy which Beijing claims and has not ruled out seizing by force. But host Indonesia warned that ASEAN cannot become a proxy, as tensions flare not only between the United States and China but over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "The Indo-Pacific must not be another battleground," Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told ministers of the 18-nation East Asia Summit, which includes the United States, China and Russia, as well as Japan, India and Australia. Managing tensions The annual closed-door talks have often been a raucous affair as big powers clash, but the United States and China have been working to prevent disagreements from spiraling out of control. Blinken met Thursday evening for more than an hour and a half with China's foreign policy supremo Wang Yi, less than a month after the top US diplomat paid a rare visit to Beijing. He told Wang that Washington would hold hackers "accountable" after a breach of US government email accounts was blamed on Chinese state-backed actors, a US official said. Wang urged Washington to "work with China in the same direction" to improve ties and stop interfering in China's affairs, according to a statement on Friday by the foreign ministry in Beijing. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong held her own meeting with Wang on Thursday and said she had urged Beijing to "navigate our differences wisely" and provide "transparency" on a controversial policing pact with Solomon Islands. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi also met Friday with Wang, where Tokyo and Beijing traded barbs over the former's plan to discharge treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant. US shuns Russia While the United States has sought to increase communication with China, Blinken shunned Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. It was first time Blinken and Lavrov were in the same room since a Group of 20 meeting in March in New Delhi, where they spoke briefly on the sidelines. US officials say Russia has no real interest in diplomacy to end the war in Ukraine, with Western powers instead ramping up military support to Kyiv. The US approach has caused unease in parts of the developing world, with countries including India and South Africa refusing to rally behind condemnation of Russia. Meeting with ASEAN, Blinken called for a "just and lasting peace to Russia's war of aggression" in Ukraine. In an interview with Indonesian media this week, Lavrov said the war in Ukraine would not end until Western nations gave up their efforts to "defeat" Russia. Pressure on Myanmar ASEAN talks have been dominated by the crisis in Myanmar. The bloc refused to invite the country's military junta, which seized power in February 2021. With Myanmar's chair at the table conspicuously empty, Blinken urged more pressure. "In Myanmar, we must press the military regime to stop the violence, to implement ASEAN's five-point consensus, to support a return to democratic governance," Blinken said. ASEAN reached a five-point peace plan two years ago with the junta, which has yet to implement it. Myanmar's neighbor Thailand has broken with the bloc by pursuing engagement with the junta, although its foreign minister said he also was able to see deposed elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday. Singapore Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan told reporters at the end of meetings Friday that ASEAN members "encourage all channels of communication to be open". The post Blinken rallies SE Asia against ‘coercion’ in swipe at China appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The price we have to pay
We caught our good friend Mulong busy fetching water when we visited him over the weekend. Just like most of his neighbors, Mulong was preparing for the time the daily water supply would be cut off to scrimp on whatever supply was available in our dams. Starting yesterday, more than half a million households within the concession area of water distributor Maynilad Water Services began enduring service interruptions for as long as 11 hours as the water level of Angat Dam continued to drop amid the El Niño weather phenomenon. Around 591,000 Maynilad customers in Caloocan, Navotas, Malabon, Valenzuela, Manila and Quezon cities had their supply cut from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m., if the schedule started on time. Despite assurances that the water service interruptions won’t be much of an inconvenience as they have been limited to the nighttime hours, Mulong was not taking any chances. “Mabuti na ang sigurado (It pays to be sure),” Mulong fumed as he transferred a pail of water to a big drum. “Eh kung walang tumulo dyan sa takdang oras (What if water does not flow at the scheduled time)?” Mulong is probably just one of the many who are not leaving their fate to the concessionaires. Unless the rains start falling soonest, this jack-of-all-trades friend of ours would rather leave his fate to himself. He, however, remains optimistic that the rainfall would increase next month to raise the water levels, particularly at Ipo Dam which has a lower capacity and spilling level. We told Mulong that climate change is the price we earthlings have to pay for our own follies. We can’t blame any particular group for the mess we are in. The lack of an abundant water supply we told him could be blamed on El Niño, a climate phenomenon that impacts weather patterns and rainfall distribution. “Dati wala naman tayong ganito, ah (We didn’t have these things before),” he told us. Yes, we said, but El Niño can lead to drought, reduced agricultural productivity, and water shortages. Mitigating the impact of El Niño, we pointed out, requires a comprehensive approach involving various strategies and sectors. Efficient water resource management is therefore crucial during El Niño periods, we explained to our friend. This includes optimizing water storage facilities, improving irrigation systems, and promoting water conservation practices, we added. “So, what is our government doing?” Mulong asked us. Didn’t you notice how the government has enhanced its early warning system? Long before the onset of El Niño, we had already been warned of its potential impact so that the public could take preventive measures. “Look at you,” we told him, “you’re already preparing for the water supply cut because you’ve been forewarned. If not, we all would have been caught flat-footed.” “Oh, and is that why I heard on the radio that the Agriculture Department is urging farmers to intensify and ramp up rice production before we feel the effects of El Niño?” he asked. “Exactly,” we replied. “Although Pagasa said that El Niño is now in the country, its impact on farms would not be immediate and would take time to affect those in non-irrigated areas.” The weather bureau said the amount of rain for the months of June to September would be normal to above normal but rainfall for October to December would be below normal, we told our friend. “Yeah, I can understand all of that, but it really pains me that we are all suffering now because of our abuse of Mother Earth. Don’t you wish we could have taken care of her more?” The post The price we have to pay appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UBS completes Credit Suisse takeover
UBS finalized the takeover of its former rival Credit Suisse on Monday, clearing the way for the Herculean task of integrating two of the world's most important banks. UBS, Switzerland's leading bank, was forced into the marriage on March 19 to prevent its closest domestic rival from going under -- which potentially could have had catastrophic consequences for the global financial system. "UBS has completed the acquisition of Credit Suisse today, crossing an important milestone," the bank announced. "Credit Suisse Group AG has been merged into UBS Group AG and the combined entity will operate as a consolidated banking group." UBS chairman Colm Kelleher said he was pleased to have closed the transaction in under three months, "bringing together two global systemically important banks for the first time. "We are now one Swiss global firm and, together, we are stronger," he said. The technically- and politically-complex merger has created a megabank bigger than anything Switzerland has seen before -- and its size has some politicians worried, fearing it could not be rescued if it too got into trouble. No other option "We consider the merger to be a massive task with substantial executions risks," said ING senior sector strategist Suvi Platerink Kosonen. For Thomas Jordan, chairman of Switzerland's central bank, there was no other solution. "Of course, it's a pity there is only one (big bank) left. But I am sure that if the takeover by UBS hadn't succeeded, there would have been an international financial crisis," the Swiss National Bank chief told the SonntagsZeitung weekly newspaper. UBS chief executive Sergio Ermotti said Monday that "instead of competing, we'll now unite as we embark on the next chapter of our joint journey. Together, we'll present our clients an enhanced global offering, broader geographic reach, and access to even greater expertise." But he warned Friday that the coming months are likely to be "bumpy", saying the operation would require "waves" of difficult decisions, particularly regarding employment. At the end of 2022, the two giants had around 120,000 employees worldwide, including 37,000 in Switzerland. Ermotti told public broadcaster SRF that around 10 percent of the Credit Suisse workforce had left in recent months. "It helps in part to mitigate the social costs a bit, which we're pleased about," he said while adding that it showed there was competition in the sector, and "people who are willing to hire employees". Just the beginning For the time being, the two banks will continue to operate separately under the UBS umbrella. But UBS has already created a new board of directors for certain Credit Suisse operations, headed by current UBS vice-chairman Lukas Gaehwiler. Credit Suisse risked collapse when its share price plunged more than 30 percent during trading on March 15, after three US regional lenders folded. A series of scandals had undermined confidence in the 167-year-old bank. The Swiss government, the central bank, and the financial regulators FINMA stepped in and strongarmed UBS into a quickfire $3.25 billion takeover announced on March 19. The deal includes guarantees for UBS in case there are any nasty surprises in the Credit Suisse cupboards, and liquidity to facilitate the takeover. In an internal memo to staff, seen by AFP, UBS executives welcomed Credit Suisse workers, calling for "patience" from all employees while concrete details are worked out. "The most crucial phase is just beginning," Kelleher and Ermotti said. Clarity and stability According to the Financial Times newspaper, UBS will impose red lines on Credit Suisse staff on the type of business they can do while waiting for the integration to be completed. And UBS executives have been careful to highlight their conservative approach to risk, saying the integration cannot be compromised. The outline of UBS's plans should become clearer when it publishes its second-quarter financial results. The bank has pushed the publication date back by more than a month to August 31. FINMA said the merger completion "marks the end of a phase of great uncertainty" and "creates clarity and stability". "FINMA welcomes UBS's strategic focus, which foresees a rapid reduction of risk in investment banking," it said in a statement, referring to the most troubled part of Credit Suisse's operations. UBS expects its CET1 capital ratio, which compares a bank's capital to its risk-weighted assets, to be around 14 percent in the second quarter of 2023. Monday marks the last trading day for Credit Suisse shares on the Swiss stock exchange. Shareholders will receive one UBS share for every 22.48 Credit Suisse shares. The post UBS completes Credit Suisse takeover appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Coaching great John Thompson of Georgetown dead at 78
By JOSEPH WHITE AP Sports Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — John Thompson, the imposing Hall of Famer who turned Georgetown into a “Hoya Paranoia” powerhouse and became the first Black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men’s basketball championship, has died. He was 78 His death was announced in a family statement released by Georgetown on Monday. No details were disclosed. “Our father was an inspiration to many and devoted his life to developing young people not simply on but, most importantly, off the basketball court. He is revered as a historic shepherd of the sport, dedicated to the welfare of his community above all else,” the statement said. “However, for us, his greatest legacy remains as a father, grandfather, uncle, and friend. More than a coach, he was our foundation. More than a legend, he was the voice in our ear everyday.” One of the most celebrated and polarizing figures in his sport, Thompson took over a moribund Georgetown program in the 1970s and molded it in his unique style into a perennial contender, culminating with a national championship team anchored by center Patrick Ewing in 1984. Georgetown reached two other title games with Thompson in charge and Ewing patrolling the paint, losing to Michael Jordan’s North Carolina team in 1982 and to Villanova in 1985. At 6-foot-10, with an ever-present white towel slung over his shoulder, Thompson literally and figuratively towered over the Hoyas for decades, becoming a patriarch of sorts after he quit coaching in 1999. One of his sons, John Thompson III, was hired as Georgetown’s coach in 2004. When the son was fired in 2017, the elder Thompson -- known affectionately as “Big John” or “Pops” to many -- was at the news conference announcing Ewing as the successor. Along the way, Thompson said what he thought, shielded his players from the media and took positions that weren’t always popular. He never shied away from sensitive topics -- particularly the role of race in both sports and society -- and he once famously walked off the court before a game to protest an NCAA rule because he felt it hurt minority athletes. “I’ll probably be remembered for all the things that kept me out of the Hall of Fame, ironically, more than for the things that got me into it,” Thompson said on the day he was elected to the Hall in 1999. Thompson became coach of the Hoyas in 1972 and began remaking a team that was 3-23 the previous season. Over the next 27 years, he led Georgetown to 14 straight NCAA tournaments (1979-92), 24 consecutive postseason appearances (20 NCAA, 4 NIT), three Final Fours (1982, 1984, 1985) and won six Big East tournament championships. Employing a physical, defense-focused approach that frequently relied on a dominant center -- Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo were among his other pupils -- Thompson compiled a 596-239 record (.715 winning percentage). He had 26 players drafted by the NBA. One of his honors -- his selection as coach of the U.S. team for the 1988 Olympics -- had a sour ending when the Americans had to settle for the bronze medal. It was a result so disappointing that Thompson put himself on a sort of self-imposed leave at Georgetown for a while, coaching practices and games but leaving many other duties to his assistants. Off the court, Thompson was both a role model and a lightning rod. A stickler for academics, he kept a deflated basketball on his desk, a reminder to his players that a degree was a necessity because a career in basketball relied on a tenuous “nine pounds of air.” The school boasted that 76 of 78 players who played four seasons under Thompson received their degrees. He was a Black coach who recruited mostly Black players to a predominantly white Jesuit university in Washington, and Thompson never hesitated to speak out on behalf of his players. One of the most dramatic moments in Georgetown history came on Jan. 14, 1989, when he walked off the court to a standing ovation before the tipoff of a home game against Boston College, demonstrating in a most public way his displeasure against NCAA Proposition 42. The rule denied athletic scholarships to freshmen who didn’t meet certain requirements, and Thompson said it was biased against underprivileged students. Opposition from Thompson, and others, led the NCAA to modify the rule. Thompson’s most daring move came that same year, when he summoned notorious drug kingpin Rayful Edmond III for a meeting in the coach’s office. Thompson warned Edmond to stop associating with Hoyas players and to leave them alone, using his respect in the Black community to become one of the few people to stare down Edmond and not face a reprisal. Though aware of his influence, Thompson did not take pride in becoming the first Black coach to take a team to the Final Four, and he let a room full of reporters know it when asked his feelings on the subject at a news conference in 1982. “I resent the hell out of that question if it implies I am the first Black coach competent enough to take a team to the Final Four,” Thompson said. “Other Blacks have been denied the right in this country; coaches who have the ability. I don’t take any pride in being the first Black coach in the Final Four. I find the question extremely offensive.” Born Sept. 2, 1941, John R. Thompson Jr. grew up in Washington, D.C. His father was always working — on a farm in Maryland and later as a laborer in the city — and could neither read nor write. “I never in my life saw my father’s hands clean,” Thompson told The Associated Press in 2007. “Never. He’d come home and scrub his hands with this ugly brown soap that looked like tar. I thought that was the color of his hands. When I was still coaching, kids would show up late for practice and I’d (say) ... ‘My father got up every morning of his life at 5 a.m. to go to work. Without an alarm.‘” Thompson’s parents emphasized education, but he struggled in part of because of poor eyesight and labored in Catholic grammar school. He was moved to a segregated public school, had a growth spurt and became good enough at basketball to get into John Carroll, a Catholic high school, where he led the team to 55 consecutive victories and two city titles. He went to Providence College as one of the most touted basketball prospects in the country and led the Friars to the first NCAA bid in school history. He graduated in 1964 and played two seasons with Red Auerbach’s Boston Celtics, earning a pair of championship rings as a sparingly used backup to Bill Russell. Thompson returned to Washington, got his master’s degree in guidance and counseling from the University of the District of Columbia and went 122-28 over six seasons at St. Anthony’s before accepting the job at Georgetown, an elite school that had relatively few Black students. Faculty and students rallied around him after a bedsheet with racist words was hung inside the school’s gym before a game during the 1974-75 season. Thompson sheltered his players with closed practices, tightly controlled media access and a prohibition on interviews with freshmen in their first semester -- a restriction that still stands for Georgetown’s basketball team. Combined with Thompson’s flashes of emotion and his players’ rough-and-tumble style of play, it wasn’t long before the words “Hoya Paranoia” came to epitomize the new era of basketball on the Hilltop campus. Georgetown lost the 1982 NCAA championship game when Fred Brown mistakenly passed the ball to North Carolina’s James Worthy in the game’s final seconds. Two years later, Ewing led an 84-75 win over Houston in the title game. The Hoyas were on the verge of a repeat the following year when they were stunned in the championship game by coach Rollie Massimino’s Villanova team in one of the biggest upsets in tournament history. Success allowed Thompson to rake in money through endorsements, but he ran afoul of his Georgetown bosses when he applied for a gambling license for a business venture in Nevada in 1995. Thompson, who liked playing the slot machines in Las Vegas, reluctantly dropped the application after the university president objected. Centers Ewing, Mourning and Mutombo turned Georgetown into “Big Man U” under Thompson, although his last superstar was guard Allen Iverson, who in 1996 also became the first player under Thompson to leave school early for the NBA draft. “Thanks for Saving My Life Coach,” Iverson wrote at the start of an Instagram post Monday with photos of the pair. The Hoyas teams in the 1990s never came close to matching the achievements of the 1980s, and Thompson’s era came to a surprising and sudden end when he resigned in the middle of the 1998-99 season, citing distractions from a pending divorce. Thompson didn’t fade from the limelight. He became a sports radio talk show host and a TV and radio game analyst, joining the very profession he had frustrated so often as a coach. He loosened up, allowing the public to see his lighter side, but he remained pointed and combative when a topic mattered to him. A torch was passed in 2004, when John Thompson III became Georgetown’s coach. The younger Thompson, with “Pops” often watching from the stands or sitting in the back of the room for news conferences, returned the Hoyas to the Final Four in 2007. Another son, Ronny Thompson, was head coach for one season at Ball State and is now a TV analyst. ___ Joseph White, a former AP sports writer in Washington who died in 2019, prepared this obituary. AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich contributed......»»
Typhoon renders 14 road sections in Bulacan impassable
Fourteen road sections in Bulacan became impassable due to typhoon “Ulysses” Thursday. (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Initial road assessment by the Department of Public Works and Highways showed that 14 sections of nine national roads are not passable as of 10 a.m. Three sections of the Manila North Road were closed. The Banga Section is not passable to light vehicles due to .40-meter deep flood; Saluysoy Section in Meycauayan, Bulacan is also not passable to light vehicles due to .30-meter deep flood; and Ibayo Section (SM Marilao) in Marilao, Bulacan is impassable to light and medium vehicles due to .50-meter flood. The Salacot Section of the Daang Maharlika Road in San Miguel, Bulacan and the San Ildefonso Section in San Ildefonso, Bulacan became impassable to all types of vehicles due to .20-meter deep flood and fallen electrical posts, respectively. The road’s Maasim Section in San Ildefonso was also closed to light vehicles due to .30-meter deep flood. Camias Section of thebSan Miguel – Sibul Road in San Miguel is not passable to light and medium vehicles due to .80-meter deep flood. Partida Section of the Sta. Maria-Norzagaray Road at the Norzagaray-Sta.Maria boundary will remain impassable until the fallen camachile tree in the area is cleared, the department said. The Gen. Alejo Santos Highway in Angat, Bulacan also became impassable to heavy and large vehicles due to fallen tree. The Sta. Rita-Camias Old Road in San Miguel is not passable to light vehicles due to .50-meter deep flood. A .30-meter deep flood also caused the closure of the Camalig Section of the Meycauyan-Camalig Road, a section of the Sta. Maria Bypass Road in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, and the Bagbaguin Section of Bocaue-San Jose Road in Sta. Maria. All three road sections are not passable to light vehicles. According to the department, roving maintenance personnel and crew have been deployed to undertake initial response and monitoring of the affected road networks. “Rest of national roads and bridges are passable with extra caution,” it added. Four road sections in Zambales were also affected. As of 11 a.m., a section of the Olangapo-Bugallon Road was flooded due to overflowing NIA waterway. Sandbagging of the flooded portion have been done, the agency said. The Kalaklan Gate Bridge of Olongapo-Bugallon Road was also flooded. Maintenance crew were already deployed to clean its bridge drains. Another section of the road became impassable due to its obstructed canal. Clearing operations are now under way. Soil erosion was reported on Jose Abad Santos Ave. Sandbagging on the affected section have been implemented. According to the department, roving maintenance personnel and crew have been deployed to undertake initial response and monitoring of the affected road networks. Heavy equipment were also pre-positioned in flood and landslide prone areas......»»
Microsoft to permanently close all retail stores
Microsoft said Friday it will close all of its stores and move its retail operations online, keeping just four locations and transforming them into “experience centers.” The move means the more than 80 Microsoft stores closed due to the coronavirus pandemic will not reopen as the tech giant enters “a new approach to retail,” according […] The post Microsoft to permanently close all retail stores appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
New DCPO chief pledges technology-driven approach
THE new director of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) underscored the utilization of technology to streamline their operations......»»
Globe closed on an additional P1.16-B in tower sales
Globe Telecom, the Zobel Family’s telecommunications company, disclosed that it closed on the sale of another 91 cell towers to Frontier Towers to raise approximately P1.16 billion in cash......»»