We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Israel bombs Gaza, fights Hamas around hospitals
Israeli forces pounded besieged Gaza on Wednesday and fought Hamas around several hospitals, despite a UN Security Council demand for a ceasefire. Talks in Qatar towards a truce and hostage release deal involving US and Egyptian mediators have brought no result so far, with Israel and the Palestinian militant group blaming each other. READ: Israel.....»»
Baltimore bridge collapses after cargo ship rams it
A major bridge in the US city of Baltimore almost entirely collapsed Tuesday after being struck by a cargo ship, sending multiple vehicles and up to 20 people plunging into the harbor below. Dramatic footage shows a container ship hitting a footing of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, sending the steel-built structure into the Patapsco.....»»
Shohei Ohtani says interpreter stole money, denies knowledge of gambling debts
Shohei Ohtani says he was unaware Ippei Mizuhara had gambling debts and that he had been lied to repeatedly by the interpreter who had been by his side since he joined Major League Baseball in 2018.....»»
Shohei Ohtani to address theft allegations against interpreter in investigatio
Shohei Ohtani Denies Involvement in Gambling Scandal In a shocking turn of events, baseball star Shohei Ohtani has found himself caught up in a gambling.....»»
Old habits die hard
In a 2018 article, I wrote about how I spent most of my weeknights playing video games and streaming random TV series, reality shows and movies......»»
LIST: Concerts, events this April 2024
April brings on the summer heat and excitement, with no shortage of enjoyable shows and concerts to attend throughout the country......»»
GCash sets sights on further international expansion
With GCash Overseas, Filipinos in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, Qatar, Kuwait, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia can now download and use the GCash app, whether they have Philippine SIMs or local mobile phone numbers in the countries or territories where they live......»»
Elijah Woods on first-ever Asia tour, ‘loving’ Filipino fans
Canadian singer-songwriter and producer Elijah Woods (stylized as elijah woods) is bringing to Asia his ilu 24/7, 365 tour. The series of shows will commence on May 13 in Singapore and travel through Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Manila, Tokyo and Taipei......»»
‘One More Chance’ reincarnated as musical
Musical theater is booming. Pinoys are not lacking for shows to watch anymore......»»
Philippines, US air forces back together for Cope Thunder
The Philippine Air Force and the US Pacific Air Force are set to embark on joint exercises – involving their advanced fighter jets – from April 8 to 19 for this year’s iteration of Cope Thunder, an annual air defense and offense training event to be held in Luzon......»»
Josh Yugen is now the franchise holder of four national Miss Universe organizations
Dubai-based Filipino entrepreneur Josh Yugen's recent appointment as national director of the Miss Universe New Zealand Organization brings to four the number of national organizations under the Miss Universe brand; including his current franchise/licenses for Miss Universe Bahrain, Miss Universe Egypt, and Miss Universe Pakistan......»»
Bahrain princess planning to invest in Subic Bay
The princess of Bahrain is considering putting investments in the Subic Bay Freeport after a brief visit to the facility recently......»»
Bahrain: Repression of Pro-Palestine Protests
(Beirut) - Bahraini authorities have arrested and harassed scores of participants in pro-Palestine protests across the country, including children as well as people who engaged in online pro-Palestine advocacy, since October 2023, Human Rights Watch said today.The protest.....»»
Bahrain: 13 People Convicted in Unfair Mass Trial
(Beirut) - A Bahraini court has sentenced 13 people to prison after an unfair mass trial marred with due process violations and torture allegations, Human Rights Watch and the Bahrain Institute for Righ.....»»
2 American hostages freed
Gaza’s Hamas rulers freed two Americans among the 200 hostages they kidnapped in the deadly 7 October attacks in Israel. More hostages may be released, the group hinted. According to the Israeli government, Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter, Natalie Shoshana Raanan, were returned to Israel late Friday. There was no word on their condition, but US President Joe Biden was “overjoyed” by the news. Biden called the two women after they were released. Hamas also announced it was working with Qatar and Egypt to free its “civilian” hostages, implying that more could be released. An Israeli emissary met the couple at the Gaza border and took them to a military base in central Israel “where their families are waiting to meet them.” The Ranaan family, like many of the captives, had begun a worldwide campaign to pressure Hamas to release them. Hamas said the “al-Qassam Brigades released two American citizens for humanitarian reasons” after being approached by Qatar and Egypt. The Islamist rulers of Gaza said they were “working with all mediators to implement the movement’s decision to close the civilian (hostage) file if appropriate security conditions permit.” It provided no specifics about its demands. Israel claims that Hamas militants took 203 people during the bloodiest attacks in Israel’s 75-year history, including Israelis, dual nationals and foreigners. According to the authorities, at least 1,400 individuals were killed, mostly civilians. Relentless bombing Israel has retaliated with a continuous bombing campaign against Gaza, killing at least 4,137 people, mostly civilians. The hostages have become a massive problem in Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stating that the government will use “any means available to locate all those missing and bring all those kidnapped home.” The International Committee of the Red Cross said it helped transport the freed Americans to Israel. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for more releases “immediately and unconditionally.” “Every single one of them should be released,” said Blinken, adding that a team from the US Embassy would visit the two freed women. Qatar is a major aid donor to Gaza, and two Hamas leaders are based in the Gulf state. A Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson said the country had mediated between Hamas and the United States and that the release followed “many days of continuous communication between all the parties involved.” The Israeli military said earlier Friday that most of those abducted to Gaza were still alive even though some dead bodies have been found on incursions into Gaza. The military said more than 20 hostages were minors, while between 10 and 20 were over the age of 60. Saudi factor Biden said Friday he believed Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel two weeks ago aimed to disrupt the warming ties between the country and Saudi Arabia. “One of the reasons they acted like they did... why Hamas moved on Israel... (was) because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis,” Biden told guests at a campaign fundraiser. “The Saudis want to recognize Israel... unite the Middle East,” he said. The momentum toward a landmark US-brokered deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia — the guardian of Islam’s two holiest sites — was shattered by the 7 October attack by Hamas militants on Israel. A bombing campaign launched in response by Israel has leveled entire city blocks in Gaza, so far killing 4,137 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Saudi officials announced on 14 October during a visit to Riyadh by US Secretary Blinken that the country had suspended talks with Israel on the normalization of relations. Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had spoken of progress with Israel but also insisted on movement on the Palestinian cause. The Gulf kingdom has never recognized Israel and did not join the 2020 Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States, which led neighboring Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Morocco, to establish diplomatic ties with Israel. With AFP The post 2 American hostages freed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Shun mass protests in Egypt
Filipinos in Egypt have been advised to avoid joining any protests following the mass demonstrations, denouncing the bombing of a hospital in the Gaza Strip that reportedly killed at least 500 civilians. In an advisory, the Philippine Embassy in Egypt cautioned Filipinos against joining the random demonstrations and planned mass actions. “The Philippine Embassy in Cairo advises everyone to exercise caution, keep away from mass congregations, and stay home unless necessary,” it said. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are 1,990 Filipinos in Egypt. Egyptians took to the streets to express their anger over the bombing of the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, which left hundreds of Palestinians dead. In one of the demonstrations, a Palestinian flag was raised while an Israeli flag was burned. The demonstrations came after Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi called on Egyptians to express solidarity with the Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war. This developed as top diplomats of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Friday denounced the ongoing war in the Middle East. End bloodshed In a statement, the foreign ministers of the 10-member regional bloc called for an immediate end to the bloodshed. “We strongly condemn the acts of violence which have led to the deaths and injuries of civilians, including ASEAN nationals,” the foreign ministers said. “We urge the immediate end of violence to avoid further human casualties and call for the full respect of international humanitarian law,” it added. Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are engaged in armed conflict following the surprise attack launched by the terror group on Israel last 7 October. The attack by Hamas has left more than 1,400 dead, most of them massacred on the first day of the assault. Meanwhile, the widespread airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have reportedly left at least 3,478 dead. ASEAN also called on “all parties to create safe, rapid and unimpeded passages of human corridors.” Last week, Israel imposed a 24-hour deadline for 1.1 million civilians to evacuate northern Gaza ahead of its ground offensive in the Palestinian territory. Since then, millions of civilians, including foreign nationals, have scrambled to move from northern Gaza to southern Gaza in hopes of exiting the war-torn territory. The bulk of civilians are swarming to the Rafah border in an attempt to enter Egypt despite the border remaining closed and the restricted availability of food, water and electricity. Two-state solution Meanwhile, ASEAN reaffirmed its support for a “negotiated two-state solution that allows Israelis and Palestinians to live side-by-side in peace and security consistent with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.” “This will be the only viable path to resolving the root cause of the conflict,” it said. The regional bloc also called on the “international community to support the peace process in order to ensure long-lasting peace and stability in the region.” “We have issued our respective national statements on the escalation of armed conflicts in the Middle East,” it said. On Wednesday, the Philippines, one of the founding members of ASEAN, expressed its “profound sadness” over the bombing of a hospital in the Gaza Strip, which reportedly killed at least 500 civilians. Israel and Hamas denied being behind the attack and blamed each other for the bombing. The Philippines said all parties should “do their utmost to protect civilians in times of war and armed conflict.” “We support efforts of the United Nations to provide humanitarian relief in the conflict areas,” it said. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are 135 Filipinos in the Hamas-controlled Gaza. Deep concern In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is attending the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit, the Chief Executive expressed deep concern over the rising number of victims and the safety of those affected by the conflict. In his intervention during the 1st ASEAN-GCC Summit here on Friday, Marcos said, “All parties (should) exert their utmost efforts to de-escalate the situation, stop all violence, and engage in dialogue and diplomacy.” He called on the members of the GCC and ASEAN to work together to promote peace, security, and stability in the South China Sea and the Arabian Sea. Marcos also underscored the importance of cooperation between member countries of the two regional groups to ensure their continued prosperity. “As the two regional organizations located astride the major sea gates and vital corridors of the world’s commerce and communications, it is imperative that we work together to promote peace, security, and stability in both our regions, the South China Sea and the Arabian Sea, grounded on the rules-based international order to ensure the stability and prosperity of our countries and the rest of the world,” Marcos said. “Peace and stability are indispensable to ensuring continued prosperity in our respective regions and the world,” he added. The six GCC member countries are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, while the 10 ASEAN member countries are Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. President Marcos attended the ASEAN-GCC Summit, where he discussed business opportunities in the Philippines and urged investors to invest in the Maharlika Investment Fund, among other significant opportunities in the Philippines. The post Shun mass protests in Egypt appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gilas rolls to second win, repel Thais
After a lopsided win against Bahrain, Gilas Pilipinas needed one final push to turn back Thailand, 87-72, Thursday and keep its strong momentum going in men’s basketball of the 19th Asian Games here......»»
Well-oiled Gilas trumps Bahrain in Asiad opener
Gilas opened its Asiad gold medal journey with an 89-61 drubbing of Bahrain Tuesday at the ZJU Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China......»»
Guardians of the seas
The Philippine Navy formally added two fast boats to its Alvarez-class patrol vessels. The former Cyclone-class patrol ships of the US Navy are now in service of the Philippine Fleet’s Littoral Combat Force as BRP Valentin Diaz-PS177 and BRP Ladislao Diwa (PS178) in honor of two Filipino patriots who were among the founding members of the Katipunan, which ignited the Philippine Revolution against Spain in the 19th century. Paoay, Ilocos Norte-native Valentin Diaz was also a signatory in the Pact of Biak-na-Bato while Ladislao Diwa from San Roque, Cavite was instrumental in affecting the surrender of the Spanish forces in the province. Department of National Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro underscored that the acquisition of these vessels was a welcome and timely addition “because the sooner we can complete our littoral defenses the sooner we can pursue a more robust position in defending our sovereign rights in the 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone and under jurisdictions of the Republic of the Philippines.” In March 2023 at Manama in Bahrain, the Philippines formally accepted the former USS Monsoon (PC4) and USS Chinook (PC9) following their decommissioning from the US Navy in accordance with the Excess Defense Articles program. As Secretary Teodoro described this acquisition as a symbol of the continuing cooperation and collaboration between the Philippine and the United States. US Embassy in the Philippines Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson reaffirmed US support “as the Philippines continues its courageous stand to uphold the international order and defend its rights in the West Philippine Sea.” The Philippine Navy eyes the deployment of these vessels in “the soonest possible time” upon the completion of reactivation activities and specialized training of the crews “to ensure the optimal and efficient use of these vessels, its machinery, sensors and weapon systems.” “We can expect that soon, BRP Valentin Diaz and BRP Ladislao Diwa will inherit the critical roles played by their predecessor, BRP General Mariano Alvarez-PS38, currently deployed at Naval Forces Western Mindanao,” he added. These formidable platforms will complement the navy’s fast-attack interdiction crafts and multipurpose attack crafts in carrying out various naval, support to law enforcement, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations within the littoral waters of the country’s porous borders and vast maritime environment. The post Guardians of the seas appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cone sees tough road in Asiad
Even though it outranks Bahrain and Thailand in the totem pole and finished higher than Jordan in the last FIBA World Cup, Gilas Pilipinas is under no illusion the coming Asian Games would be easy......»»