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Major US highway collapses after vehicle fire
A fire caused an overpass on one of America's busiest highways to collapse early Sunday in Philadelphia, authorities said, as reports attributed the cause to a truck that burst into flames under the bridge. The collapse took out four traffic lanes along an elevated section of heavily traveled Interstate 95, though no injuries were immediately reported. "Companies arrived on location and they found... heavy fire from a vehicle -- we don't know what type of vehicle it was," Battalion Chief Derek Bowmer of the Philadelphia Fire Department told a news conference. Bowmer added the situation was considered a hazmat incident, but could not confirm reports that the burning vehicle was an oil tanker. Local media reported that Philadelphia police, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), were looking for the driver of the vehicle associated with the fire, whose whereabouts are unknown. An ATF spokesman told AFP that its Philadelphia field division "is supporting the investigation" and referred additional inquiries to the fire department. The fire department declined to comment. The north-south highway -- one of the busiest in the United States, connecting major cities along the East Coast from Maine to Florida -- remains closed in both directions in the Philadelphia area, officials said. Rebuilding the section of destroyed highway could take weeks, authorities said, a nightmare scenario for commuters as well as for road travelers at the start of the summer holiday season. "Avoid (the) area. Plan and seek alternative travel routes," the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management said in a tweet. US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said on Twitter he is offering "any assistance that USDOT can provide to help with recovery and reconstruction." Television images showed flames and billowing smoke coming from the crumbled section of I-95 in the northeastern city's Tacony neighborhood, with parts of the elevated roadway having fallen onto the lanes below. City authorities issued a series of alerts on Twitter about a tanker truck fire on the highway, which local media reported went up in flames underneath the bridge, apparently causing the collapse. A city spokeswoman told AFP that a "large fire under I-95" caused the highway to collapse, but did not attribute it to any vehicle. She said the fire has been declared "under control." Local media reported the fire started around 6:20 a.m. (0220 GMT) when Sunday traffic is typically light. "I will always be grateful to our first responders for the dangerous, life-saving work they do to keep residents and visitors safe," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said on Twitter. The southbound lanes of the highway, while still standing, are "compromised," Bowmer said. "They got a lot of heat and heavy fire." "I-95 will be impacted for a long time, for a long time," city Managing Director Tumar Alexander told a news conference, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Residents told city media outlets that they heard several explosions, which a fire department captain told the local NBC station were coming from underground, caused by runoff from the truck. The post Major US highway collapses after vehicle fire appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mayon raised to Alert Level 3, residents within 6km PDZ asked to evacuate
Alert Level 3 has been raised on Mayon Volcano in Legazpi City, Albay due to an increased tendency toward a hazardous eruption according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Thursday, 8 June. The agency advised residents who live inside the 6-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) to evacuate due to the danger of pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), lava flows, rockfalls, and other volcanic hazards. Phivolcs also advised the public to be vigilant against PDCs, lahars, and sediment-laden streamflows along channels draining the edifice. Civil aviation authorities are also asked to advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft. "Since the Alert Level status was raised from Alert Level 1 to Alert Level 2 on 05 June 2023, the repeated collapse of the growing summit dome of Mayon Volcano has generated an increasing number and volume of rockfall events," Phivolcs said in its 12:00 noon bulletin. "In view thereof, PHIVOLCS-DOST is now raising the alert status of Mayon Volcano from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 3," the agency said. According to Phivolcs, this means that Mayon is exhibiting magmatic eruption of a summit lava dome, with increased chances of lava flow and hazardous PDCs affecting the upper to middle slopes of the volcano and of potential explosive activity within weeks or even days. Read Phivolcs' bulletin here: The post Mayon raised to Alert Level 3, residents within 6km PDZ asked to evacuate appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US averts first-ever default with 11th-hour debt deal
US senators voted to suspend the federal debt limit Thursday, capping weeks of fraught negotiations to eliminate the threat of a disastrous credit default just four days ahead of the deadline set by the Treasury. Economists had warned the country could run out of money to pay its bills by Monday -- leaving almost no room for delays in enacting the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which extends the government's borrowing authority through 2024 while trimming federal spending. Hammered out between Democratic President Joe Biden and the Republicans, the measure passed the Senate with a comfortable majority of 63 votes to 36 a day after it had sailed through the House of Representatives. "No one gets everything they want in a negotiation, but make no mistake: this bipartisan agreement is a big win for our economy and the American people," Biden said in a statement posted to social media. He said he would sign the bill "as soon as possible" and address the nation Friday. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer added that the nation could "breathe a sigh of relief" after avoiding a "catastrophic" economic collapse. "But, for all the ups and downs and twists and turns it took to get here, it is so good for this country that both parties have come together at last to avoid default," he said. The bill -- which now heads to Biden's desk to be signed into law -- ended a day of intense back-and-forth between party leaders and rank-and-file members who had threatened the bill's quick passage with last-minute gripes about the details. Democratic leaders had spent months underlining the havoc that a first default in history would have wrought, including the loss of millions of jobs and $15 trillion in household wealth, as well as increased costs for mortgages and other borrowings. 'Behind the eight ball' The late evening drama came after a series of failed ballots on amendments sought mainly by Republicans who were threatening at one point to hold up the process, dragging it deep into the weekend. Senators elected to offer 11 tweaks to the 99-page text, many objecting to funding levels for their pet projects -- from border control and Chinese trade to taxation and the environment -- and each requiring a vote. Defense hawks upset at Pentagon spending being capped at Biden's budget request of $886 billion threatened at one point to derail the bill's passage entirely. In the end, they fell in line after being offered a commitment to a separate bill providing cash for Ukraine's defense against the Russian invasion, and promoting US national security interests in the Middle East and in the face of Chinese aggression against Taiwan. "As currently written, this bill puts our military behind the eight ball... The first and most important dollars we allocate each year in the budget are those to protect and defend the United States and our interests," said South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham. America spends more money than it collects through taxation, so it borrows money via the issuing of government bonds, seen as among the world's most reliable investments. Around 80 years ago, lawmakers introduced a limit on how much federal debt could be accrued. Politically toxic The ceiling has been raised more than 100 times since to allow the government to meet its spending commitments -- usually without drama and with the support of Democrats and Republicans -- and stands at around $31.5 trillion. Both parties see raising the debt limit as politically toxic, although they acknowledge that failure to do so would plunge the US economy into a depression and roil world markets as the government missed debt repayments. Republicans hoped to weaponize the extension to campaign against what they see as Democratic overspending ahead of the 2024 presidential election, although hikes in the debt ceiling only cover commitments already made by both parties. Kevin McCarthy, the top lawmaker in the Republican-led House, had touted the bill he spent weeks negotiating as a big victory for conservatives, although he faced a backlash from hardliners on the right who said he made too many concessions on spending cuts. He fell one short of the 150 votes -- two-thirds of his caucus -- he had promised to deliver in the lower chamber as he fought to quell a right-wing rebellion, and needed Democratic help to advance the bill to the Senate. On the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, the vote was being touted as a major victory for Biden, who managed to protect almost all of his domestic priorities from deep cuts threatened by Republicans. "This legislation protects the full faith and credit of the United States and preserves our financial leadership, which is critical to our economic growth and stability," said US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. The post US averts first-ever default with 11th-hour debt deal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
New York parking garage collapses, at least 1 dead, 4 injured
At least one person died and four were rushed to hospital after a multi-story parking garage in New York City collapsed on Tuesday, emergency responders said. Aerial video footage circulating on social media showed cars piled on top of one another in a jumble of cracked concrete in the financial district of Lower Manhattan. The building on Ann Street "pancaked, collapsed, all the way to the cellar floor," the acting head of New York's buildings department, Kazimir Vilenchik, told a press conference at the scene. Its exterior remained standing, but officials said they feared further collapse. The fire department's chief of operations John Esposito said they had ordered all their initial responders out of the building -- but that a robotics unit had been able to deploy a robot dog and fly drones inside to conduct searches. He said they believed there had been six workers in the building when it collapsed. "Four of them have been transported to the hospital in stable condition. We have one patient that has died," he told the news conference. The sixth person refused medical treatment, he said. Esposito said the fire department believed everyone had been accounted for. Officials were calling for New Yorkers to avoid the area. The post New York parking garage collapses, at least 1 dead, 4 injured appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PNP seeks balance on MUP pension overhaul plan
The Marcos administration should strike a balance in its plan to overhaul the pension for the military and uniformed personnel to avoid a fiscal collapse, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. yesterday said......»»
Beermen to put emphasis on improving 3rd quarter performance
San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent said that he and the team will look at the film of the past two games and hopefully patch up the holes in their gameplan to avoid letting their foes back in......»»
Climate pledges still ‘nowhere near’ enough for 1.5C: UN
PARIS, France — International climate pledges remain far off track to limit temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius, according to a UN report released Wednesday, less than two weeks ahead of high-stakes negotiations to tackle global warming. The combined climate pledges of more than 190 nations that signed up to the 2015 Paris climate deal put Earth on track to warm around 2.5C (36 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels by the century’s end, the UN said. With the planet already battered by climate-enhanced heatwaves, storms and floods after just 1.2C of warming, experts say the world is still failing to act with sufficient urgency to curb greenhouse gas emissions. “We are still nowhere near the scale and pace of emission reductions required to put us on track toward a 1.5 degrees Celsius world,” said Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change. “To keep this goal alive, national governments need to strengthen their climate action plans now and implement them in the next eight years.” The UN’s climate experts have said emissions — compared to 2010 levels — need to fall 45 percent by 2030 in order to meet the Paris deal’s more ambitious goal. In this latest report, the UN said that current commitments from governments around the world will in fact increase emissions by 10.6 percent by 2030. When nations met in Glasgow last year for a previous round of climate negotiations, they agreed to speed up their climate pledges to cut carbon pollution and increase financial flows to vulnerable developing nations. An aerial view shows a destroyed in a flooded area following heavy rainfalls near Kastamonu, on August 11, 2021. From flash floods to forest fires, drought to “sea snot”, Turkey is bearing the brunt of increasingly frequent disasters blamed on climate change. Demiroren News Agency (DHA) / AFP ‘Disappointing’ But only 24 countries, of 193, had updated their plans at the time of the report, which Stiell said was “disappointing”. “Government decisions and actions must reflect the level of urgency, the gravity of the threats we are facing, and the shortness of the time we have remaining to avoid the devastating consequences of runaway climate change,” he said. He called on governments to revisit and strengthen their carbon cutting plans in line with the Paris temperature goals before the UN climate meeting, which will be held from November 6 to 18 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Nations are meeting in the shadow of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and cascading global crises of hunger, energy prices and living costs, exacerbated by extreme weather. Scientists have warned that any rise above 1.5C risks the collapse of ecosystems and the triggering of irreversible shifts in the climate system. In the last year alone, the world has seen unprecedented floods, crop-withering heatwaves and wildfires across four continents. With the impacts slamming hardest into countries least responsible for fossil fuel emissions, calls have grown louder for richer polluters to pay “loss and damage” to vulnerable nations. In a landmark report this year on climate impacts and vulnerabilities, the UN’s 195-nation Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that time had nearly run out to ensure a “liveable future” for all. That report was signed off by the same governments that will return to negotiations in Egypt......»»
North Korea to defy coronavirus with huge parade
Nuclear-armed North Korea is expected to parade its latest and most advanced weapons through the streets of Pyongyang on Saturday, as the coronavirus-barricaded country celebrates the 75th anniversary of leader Kim Jong Un’s ruling party. Saturday is expected to see thousands of goose-stepping soldiers packed into Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square, named for North Korea’s founder, under the gaze of his grandson Kim Jong Un ED JONES AFP/ MANILA BULLETIN South Korea’s unification minister told parliament on Thursday that a “large-scale parade” was anticipated, and satellite imagery on the respected 38North website has also suggested the cavalcade could be huge. The anniversary comes during a difficult year for North Korea as the coronavirus pandemic and recent storms add pressure to the heavily sanctioned country. Pyongyang closed its borders eight months ago to try to protect itself from the virus — which first emerged in neighbouring China — and has still to confirm a single case of infection. Last month, troops from the North shot dead a South Korean fisheries official who had drifted into its waters, apparently as a precaution against the disease, prompting fury in Seoul and a rare apology from Kim. Nevertheless, Saturday is expected to see thousands of goose-stepping soldiers packed into Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square, named for North Korea’s founder, under the gaze of his grandson, the third member of the family to rule the country. A procession of progressively larger armoured vehicles and tanks is likely to follow, culminating with whatever missiles Pyongyang wants to put on show. The North is widely believed to have continued to develop its arsenal — which it says it needs to protect itself from a US invasion — throughout nuclear negotiations with Washington, deadlocked since the collapse of a summit in Hanoi in February last year. Now analysts expect a new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) or an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the US mainland to appear — maybe even one with multiple re-entry vehicle capabilities that could allow it to evade US defence systems. The anniversary of the Workers’ Party means North Korea “has a political and strategic need to do something bigger”, said Sung-yoon Lee, a Korean studies professor at Tufts University in the United States. Showcasing its most advanced weapons “will signal a big step forward in Pyongyang’s credible threat capabilities”, he said. But unlike on many previous occasions, no international media have been allowed in to watch the parade, and with many foreign embassies in Pyongyang closing their doors in the face of coronavirus restrictions, few outside observers will be present. It is not clear whether state broadcaster KCTV will air the event live — some past parades have not appeared on television until the following day. But the South’s government has detected signs that Kim is to give a speech at the parade, Yonhap News Agency reported Friday citing unnamed sources. – Masks and missiles? – At the end of December, Kim threatened to demonstrate a “new strategic weapon”, but analysts say Pyongyang will still tread carefully to avoid jeopardising its chances with Washington ahead of next month’s presidential elections. Showing off its strategic weapons in a military parade “would be consistent with what Kim Jong Un promised”, while “not provoking the US as much as a test-launch of a strategic weapon”, said former US government North Korea analyst Rachel Lee. The messaging of the parade “will be heavily domestic — on party accomplishments, unity around the leader, and improving the economy before the Eighth Party Congress”, she added, referring to a meeting of the Workers’ Party due to take place in January. But Harry Kazianis of the Center for the National Interest warned that with thousands of people involved, it could turn into a “deadly superspreader-like event” unless “extreme precautions” were used. The impoverished nation’s crumbling health system would struggle to cope with a major virus outbreak, and he added that such protective measures seemed “pretty unlikely”. “Clearly masks and missiles don’t mix.”.....»»
Baltimore bridge collapse could lead to delayed shipments, higher shipping costs
The closure of the Port of Baltimore in the US following the collapse of the Baltimore key bridge is expected to lead to shipment delays and higher shipping costs......»»
Emergency protocols in case of bridge collapse sought
Emergency protocols in case of bridge collapse sought.....»»
Baltimore Bridge collapse: Police had about 90 seconds to stop traffic before bridge fell
BALTIMORE — It was the middle of the night when a dispatcher’s warning crackled over the radio: A massive cargo ship had lost its steering capabilities and was heading toward the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Within about 90 seconds, police officers who happened to be nearby responded that they managed to stop vehicle traffic over.....»»
Hope for more survivors from Baltimore bridge collapse fades
BALTIMORE – The coast guard announced on Wednesday that hope of finding more survivors of the Baltimore bridge collapse has dimmed, and efforts have switched to searching for the bodies of the missing persons, as well as seeking more answers as to why a container ship crashed into the span. The coast guard announced on.....»»
EXPLAINER: Why did the Baltimore bridge collapse and what is the death toll?
(Reuters) -Divers recovered the remains of two of the six missing workers more than a day after a cargo ship smashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. The bodies of two men were found in a red pickup truck submerged in the icy waters of the Patapsco River. Rescuers pulled two workers from the water.....»»
No Pinoy hurt in Baltimore bridge collapse
The Philippine embassy in Washington has not received any report of Filipinos hurt in the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland on Tuesday......»»
Victims of Baltimore bridge collapse include those from Mexico, Guatemala
Maryland [US], March 27 (ANI): Among those reported missing following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in the US are Mexican nationals, CNN reported, citing Rafael Laveaga, Chief of the Consular Section of Mexico's Embassy in Washington. Laveaga refrained from specifying the exact number of missing Mexican nationals when he addressed reporters near the scene on Tuesday. A reporter asked Laveaga: ".....»»
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......»»
‘Sama-sama sa Angel’s Pizza’ TikTok Singing Contest Grand Finals: A resounding success
The inaugural “Sama-sama sa Angel’s Pizza” TikTok Singing Contest, an electrifying celebration of talent and creativity, reached its pinnacle with the Grand Finals held at Viva Café in Cyberpark Tower 1, Araneta City in Quezon City......»»
Fil-foreign teams top NBTC finals
Global squads stamped their class as Fil-Am Nation Select-USA and Canada’s Top Flight Sports reigned supreme in the Smart-National Basketball Training Center National Finals Division 1 and 2, respectively, over the weekend at the Mall of Asia Arena......»»
Minglanilla ends 22-year title drought, wins Gullas Cup in dominating fashion vs. Talisay
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Abante Minglanilla hoisted the Rhea Gullas Cup 2024 First District of Cebu Inter-City/Municipality Basketball Tournament title after routing the visiting Talisay Aksyon Agad, 72-58, on Saturday evening, March 23, at the Minglanilla Sports Complex. Minglanilla, also known as the Archangels, beat Talisay in their do-or-die Game 3 of the finals, and.....»»
NCAA juniors champ, Finals MVP Manalili basks on day full of wins
Finals MVP Jonathan Manalili helps power Letran to the NCAA juniors basketball championship, then scores another winning romp in the NBTC All-Star just a few hours later.....»»