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NEWS BRIEFS | 25 March 2024
Senate eyes probe of resorts within the slopes of Mt. Apo Following the controversy involving the establishment of a resort reportedly within the famed Chocolate Hills in Bohol province, Senator Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committees on Energy and Migrant Workers, is setting his sights on the resorts located on the slopes of Mt. […].....»»
Hontiveros asks Senate leadership to approve subpoena for Quiboloy
Sen. Risa Hontiveros appealed to the Senate leadership to approve her subpoena that would compel controversial pastor Apollo Quiboloy to attend her committee investigation into the alleged abuses within the Kingdom of Jesus Christ ministry......»»
‘In what world do you live?’ Israeli FM asks UN chief after Gaza criticism
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Tuesday denounced UN chief Antonio Guterres over his criticism of Israel's Gaza campaign, as Cohen recounted graphic details of Hamas attacks on civilians. "Mr. Secretary-General, in what world do you live?" Cohen told Guterres at a Security Council session on the crisis. Cohen later told reporters that he had canceled a meeting with Guterres. The United Nations leader earlier had alleged "clear violations" of international law as Israel pounds Gaza in response to the October 7 assault by Hamas and called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Guterres also said that the Hamas attacks did not occur "in a vacuum," pointing to "56 years of suffocating occupation" endured by the Palestinians. "How you can agree to a ceasefire with someone who swore to kill and destroy your own existence?" Cohen said in English. Rejecting tying the violence to the occupation, Cohen said Israel gave Gaza to the Palestinians "to the last millimeter" with its withdrawal in 2005. Israel shortly afterward imposed a blockade of the impoverished territory, in place ever since, after Hamas took power, and it still occupies the West Bank. Israel's outspoken ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, called on Guterres to resign -- writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the UN chief has "expressed an understanding for terrorism and murder." A spokesman for Guterres said the secretary-general would go ahead with a meeting Tuesday with representatives of families held captive by Hamas in Gaza. He will attend in the presence of an Israeli mission representative but not Cohen, the UN spokesman said. The post ‘In what world do you live?’ Israeli FM asks UN chief after Gaza criticism appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ready for it? Belgian university offers literature course on Taylor Swift
A hubbub grips the class in the Belgian city of Ghent as university students eagerly discuss whether US pop star Taylor Swift is a "literary genius". The question elicits passionate responses from students, and it's an exercise their professor hopes will enliven their engagement with more traditional figures of the English Literature canon. The course is among a handful that have popped up at universities around the world as pop titan Swift has racked up hits and awards and as her Eras Tour is expected to set a record for the first billion-dollar tour. "To read her lyrics without the context of the song, it can feel like poetry," one student says, after the teacher opens the floor to discussion. Another student pipes up to suggest it's too soon to say Swift, 33, has had the same cultural impact as William Shakespeare, known around the world for many centuries. While Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays, Swift has recorded 10 albums. Some will wonder what Shakespeare and his peers share in common with today's biggest US singer-songwriter. Well, they are all the subject of Elly McCausland's course called "Literature (Taylor's Version)" for Master's degree students at Ghent University, which will run until the end of the year. During the first class on Monday, assistant professor McCausland piqued the students' curiosity with controversial questions, including why certain authors and literature are considered timeless, while other books are not valued the same way. McCausland's goal? To make literature more accessible. "I'd like to get people excited about literature, thinking about literature in a new way and realizing that actually even literature from centuries and centuries ago still has something to add to our conversations," she told AFP at the class. 'Swift is a real poet' The 10-session course will use Swift's songs as references for themes and will focus on a series of historic texts including Charlotte Bronte's Villette, lesser known than Jane Eyre. The course has proved popular, with 61 students signed up, twice as many as usual. There are even students from other parts of Belgium. Zina Ringoot, 20, had learned just hours before that she could attend the course and made the 90-minute trip to Ghent from Antwerp in the northeast. "I'm a huge Taylor Swift fan," said Ringoot, an English literature Master's student. "I'm hoping to write my thesis on Taylor Swift's album 'folklore' and how it connects to romanticism. So I thought I would get a lot out of this class." Not everyone in the class is a Swiftie, as her fans call themselves. Joris Verschelde, 21, admitted he was "not that big of a fan" but wanted to "see the connection between the songs and what what we already learned" in the older texts. Laughter often fills the windowless auditorium, despite the fact that serious themes are on the agenda, including feminism, sexism and misogyny. When McCausland asks: "Who are the gatekeepers" of English literature, one student quips: "A bunch of old men!" Even if critics reject comparisons with the canonical greats, Swift has fans even among Shakespeare experts including British academic Sir Jonathan Bate. After attending a concert during Swift's record-breaking Eras tour, Bate wrote in the Sunday Times in April: "I came away with confirmation of a thought I first had 15 years ago: this isn't just high-class showbiz, Taylor Swift is a real poet." Beyond Belgium University courses looking at Swift have been popping up around the world. New York University's Clive Davis Institute launched its first-ever course on Swift last year, and Queen Mary University of London offered a summer school this year looking at Swift through a literary lens. In Arizona, PhD student Alexandra Wormley is hosting a course on the social psychology of Swift at Arizona State University this autumn. Critics online and even some media pundits have pondered just what it is about Swift that is so appealing. For Clio Doyle, an academic who hosted the summer course at Queen Mary, "Swift is a really fascinating songwriter". The lecturer in early modern literature added that another reason she looked at Swift was because of her popularity and the discussions surrounding her work. "A course about Swift would be an opportunity for students both to deepen their readings of Swift's lyrics and to think about what it means to study something as literature," Doyle, who runs a similarly-themed podcast about Swift, told AFP. The summer course will be offered again next year, and interest is not limited to the United States or Europe. The University of Melbourne will host a three-day "Swiftposium" looking at Swift's cultural, economic and global impact in February 2024, the same month her tour arrives in Australia. The post Ready for it? Belgian university offers literature course on Taylor Swift appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Teves could join legislative proceedings, but only if he asks
During a hearing on Tuesday, hours before Arnie Teves was designated as a terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council through Resolution 43, Manila Rep. Benny Abante, a panel member, said Teves could join proceedings in the House of Representatives via personal request. The House ethics and privileges panel, which jurisdiction includes administrative complaints and issues filed against House members, will let suspended lawmaker Teves participate in legislative proceedings via videoconferencing only if he would make a "personal request." "Because we have a rule here that must appear [in person]. The ruling here is this if any congressman would like to make use of the videoconferencing, he has to make a personal request on that and the reason why," Abante said. He underscored that Teves is not excluded from this privilege, which is afforded to all members of the House. "If he wants to participate with us through video conferencing, then he must make a personal request, not through his lawyers. He himself personally," Abante stressed. The lawmaker made the remark, notwithstanding that Teves has since pleaded that he be allowed to attend legislative proceedings via teleconference but has been denied. To recall, Teves lambasted the House leadership, questioning why colleagues were allowed to join meetings, sessions, and hearings through video teleconferencing while he was not. He had earlier cried over being considered absent--that later resulted in a twice suspension-- despite attending the legislative proceedings via teleconference, which he lamented was permitted by Congress. The lawmaker, who was being tagged as the "mastermind" behind the murder of his political foe, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, and nine others on 4 March, has been headstrong in his decision not to return home and physically attend the House ethics panel motu proporio, citing serious threats to his life. Ako Bicol Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon, the panel's vice chairperson, in the same hearing, echoed Abante's comment, citing Speaker Martin Romualdez's recent order that "all the congressmen are required to attend physically or face to face all activities here in Congress" following the lifting of State of Public Health Emergency. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., through Proclamation No. 297 issued on 21 July, ordered the lifting of the state of public health emergency that had previously been declared throughout the country owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, which had claimed thousands of lives. "That's why he (Teves) has to make a request personal to the Office of Speaker or to the Secretary-General to avail the videoconferencing," Bongalon said. The panel chairperson, Rep. Felimon Espares, meanwhile, stressed that "he needs to report [for work] here in the House," citing the lawmaker's expired travel clearance. "He left with an approved travel authority which already lapsed, so he needs to show up here,” Espares noted. The panel chairman thus explained that Teves has no reason to hide since there is no arrest warrant yet against him. The post Teves could join legislative proceedings, but only if he asks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rights defender asks court to dismiss indirect contempt charges
“We call on the courts to attend to the more pressing resolution of the cases of at least 778 political prisoners like former Sen. De Lima and our colleague Alexander Philip Abinguna, who has been detained for more than four years on trumped-up charges, instead of harassment suits by the government and its minions against activists and ordinary citizens." The post Rights defender asks court to dismiss indirect contempt charges appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Jailed activist asks court permission to visit baby’s wake
Detained human rights activist Reina Mae Nasino yesterday asked a Manila court to allow her to attend the wake and burial of her three-month-old baby who died of pneumonia last week......»»
Jailed activist mom asks Manila court to let her attend baby s funeral
“She prays for true compassion and mercy that any inconsolable mother in deep sorrow needs,” Reina Mae Nasino's lawyers said......»»
Survey shows Cha-cha still unpopular with Filipinos — Senate leaders
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said that the findings of the survey by private pollster Pulse Asia, which was released on Wednesday, show that Charter change is an "unpopular move.".....»»
House leaves Quiboloy’s fate to Senate
The House of Representatives will no longer pursue and implement the warrant of arrest it issued against pastor Apollo Quiboloy after it approved on final reading the bill revoking the franchise of the evangelist’s alleged TV network......»»
Go inspects Bacolod Super Health Center
Sen. Bong Go, chairperson of the Senate committee on health and demography, inspected a Super Health Center in Bacolod City on Sunday......»»
‘Senate rules on Cha-cha on the right track’
The Senate rules on amending the 1987 Constitution are “on the right track” and ready even before the sub-committee wraps up its discourse on the Resolution of Both Houses 6 pushing Charter change, a senator said......»»
Probe continues to determine fault in Cotabato van-truck collision
Investigators are still trying to establish who between two drivers was at fault in Monday’s collision of a van and a dump truck that both burst into flames in an accident in Antipas, Cotabato that resulted in the death of 17 individuals......»»
Mayor orders probe on alleged consumption of confiscated fish by CLO Enforcement Team
Mayor orders probe on alleged consumption of confiscated fish by CLO Enforcement Team.....»»
James Jimenez’s presence in Comelec event wakes up ghost of debate fiasco probe
What ever happened to the investigation against him? Why was he in the Comelec's headquarters on Monday? Is this the second coming of James Jimenez?.....»»
Rappler Talk: Leila de Lima, a woman of faith
In this Holy Week episode, former senator Leila de Lima opens up about faith, forgiveness, and the godsent pets who kept her company in nearly seven years in jail.....»»
Angeles toddlers’ death inside car prompts probe into parental accountability
Autopsy results show the two toddlers died of asphyxia by suffocation.....»»
SEC formally asks NTC to block Binance
In a letter to the NTC, SEC Chairperson Emilio Aquino says Binance 'poses a threat to the security of the funds of investing Filipinos'.....»»
Meralco reminds public of electrical safety tips this Holy Week
Electric concessionaire Meralco said that its personnel will attend to the needs of its customers during Holy Week despite its offices being closed from Maundy Thursday to Black Saturday......»»
Bills vs online piracy to be prioritized with public hearing
Two legislative measures granting additional capability to the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in curbing online content piracy will be tackled during the recess of the Senate sessions......»»