We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Gundam series, Ultraman film coming this year
Streaming platform Netflix had fans excited after teasing what anime content it has in store for 2024, including a new "Mobile Suit Gundam" series and an "Ultraman" movie......»»
Canino claims women’s chess crown
Ruelle Canino, the 16-year-old chess wonder, shook the current order and slew some of the country’s giants of the game in conquering the National Women’s Chess Championship in Malolos, Bulacan over the weekend......»»
Golden Haven launches international campaign for OFWs
Golden Haven, the country’s leading memorial park developer, has launched its GO! International campaign, a groundbreaking initiative that aims to help overseas Filipino workers secure their financial future......»»
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......»»
SM Group, Levi’s strengthen partnership
The SM Group is reinforcing its partnership with Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) to support the expansion of the iconic jeans brand’s retail footprint in the country. .....»»
Next Attraction: Movies, series showing this April 2024
It's not just the summer sun blazing across the country, brand-new movies and series are headed to the Philippines this April......»»
Franki Russell appointed Miss Universe New Zealand 2024, country s first in 5 years
Filipino-Kiwi actress and model Franki Russell has been appointed as Miss Universe New Zealand 2024, making her the country's first representative to the annual pageant since 2019......»»
Miss Saigon co-creator praises musical s Philippine connections
Claude-Michel Schönberg is back in the country to witness the comeback of "Miss Saigon," which has close ties to the Philippines because of all the Filipino actors who took part in its numerous stagings, beginning with theater legend Lea Salonga......»»
TCL’s latest QD-Mini LED TV vows to take gaming to another level
Electronics brand TCL has launched what it claims to be its “most innovative” television to date that could possibly change gaming......»»
Sofia Andres reacts to upstaging Marian Rivera, Janine Gutierrez at fashion store opening
Actress Sofia Andres reacted to claims that she allegedly upstaged showbiz royalties Janine Gutierrez and Marian Rivera at the store opening of an international fashion brand in Makati City recently......»»
Maxene Magalona graces luxury brand’s store opening days before Francis M claims
Last October 12, five days before former flight attendant Abegail Rait and her daughter Gaile Francesca guested on “Pinoy Pawnstars” to sell “Master Rapper” Francis Magalona’s jersey for P500,000, Francis’ daughter with Pia Magalona, actress Maxene Magalona, was all smiles as she graced the opening of international fashion brand Coach’s new store in Greenbelt 5, Makati City......»»
Accused of rape, Russell Brand speaks of ‘distressing’ week
British comedian and actor Russell Brand on Friday spoke of an "extraordinary and distressing week" in his first public comments since rape and assault allegations were aired against him, but did not address the claims. "Obviously it's been an extraordinary and distressing week and I thank you very much for your support and for questioning the information you are being presented with," he said on a video posted to his YouTube channel, which has 6.64 million subscribers. "I need your support now more than ever, more than I ever imagined I would," he added. But he did not comment on the joint investigation by The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4 television in which four women made claims of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse against him. Then on Thursday, a woman accused Brand of exposing himself to her in 2008. Brand criticized the British government for asking tech companies to take action against him. Denouncing what he described as "deep state and corporate collusion" and "media corruption and censorship", he said he would post a longer video on Monday. In a video released last week, just before the story broke, Brand, 48, denied the allegations against him, which are said to have taken place between 2006 and 2013. He said his relationships had always been "consensual", even during a period when he admitted he was "very, very promiscuous". Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's official spokesman called the allegations "very serious and concerning". Sunak "has been clear there should never be any space for harassment, regardless of where it is found", he added. Brand's publisher Bluebird announced that "all future publishing" with the comedian had been put on hold. Video-sharing platform YouTube has also demonetized his content. /jj © Agence France-Presse The post Accused of rape, Russell Brand speaks of ‘distressing’ week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UK media investigate sex assault claims against comedian Brand
The BBC and Channel 4, former employers of British actor and comedian Russell Brand, said Sunday they were investigating claims of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse over a seven-year period, which the 48-year-old has denied. Four women have alleged sexual assaults between 2006 and 2013 when Brand was at the height of his fame working as a presenter for BBC Radio 2, Channel 4 and acting in Hollywood movies, a joint media investigation said Saturday. The broadcasters BBC and Channel 4, along with the production company Banijay UK, said Sunday that they would open internal inquiries into the claims. "We are urgently looking into the issues raised," a BBC spokesperson told AFP. The allegations were made in a joint investigation by The Sunday Times, the Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches. "Banijay UK has launched an urgent internal investigation and will cooperate with any requests for information from broadcast partners and external agencies," the production firm said. According to the Times investigation, several women have made a range of accusations about Brand's alleged controlling, abusive and predatory behavior. In a video released Friday, Brand denied the "very serious criminal allegations". He said he had received letters from a TV company and a newspaper listing "a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks". "Amidst this litany of astonishing rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute," he said in the video clip posted online. According to the media reports, one woman alleged that Brand raped her in his Los Angeles home, while another claims he assaulted her during a three-month relationship while she was 16 and still at school. Known internationally as the former husband of pop star Katy Perry, Brand began his career as a stand-up comedian in the early 2000s. He was the host of the chat show Big Brother's Big Mouth, a spin-off of the popular reality series, for three years from 2004. He also played rock star Aldous Snow in the 2008 film "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and its 2010 sequel "Get Him To The Greek". London's Metropolitan Police told AFP that while it was aware of the allegations, "At this time, we have not received any reports in relation to this". "If anyone believes they have been the victim of a sexual assault, no matter how long ago it happened, we would encourage them to contact police," it said. The post UK media investigate sex assault claims against comedian Brand appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ralph Lauren probed in Canada over Uyghur forced labor claims
Canada's corporate watchdog on Tuesday launched an investigation of Ralph Lauren's Canadian unit over allegations the fashion giant used forced labor from China's Uyghur minority. The announcement follows similar probes of Nike Canada and Canadian mining firm Dynasty Gold, which the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) began last month. A coalition of 28 civil society organizations last year filed a complaint with the watchdog alleging "Ralph Lauren Canada has supply relationships with Chinese companies that use or benefit from the use of Uyghur forced labor." "I have decided that the Ralph Lauren complaint warrants an investigation," ombudsperson Sheri Meyerhoffer said in a statement. The brand's US parent company, she noted, has disputed Canadian jurisdiction over the matter, arguing that its subsidiary "is not responsible for decision-making" and all of its operations are overseen by the company's US headquarters. Rights groups say more than one million Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim minorities have been held in re-education camps in China's western Xinjiang region, with a slew of abuses that include forced labor. Lawmakers in Western nations, including Canada, have called the crackdown in Xinjiang a "genocide," and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has referred to the treatment of Uyghurs as crimes against humanity. Beijing denies the accusations, describing the facilities as vocational centers designed to curb extremism. The post Ralph Lauren probed in Canada over Uyghur forced labor claims appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bolsonaro aides raided in Brazil jewels probe
Brazilian police raided the homes of Jair Bolsonaro allies accused of reselling gifts including jewelry from foreign dignitaries for the "illicit enrichment of" the former president, a judicial judgment showed on Friday. The divisive right-winger categorically denied any wrongdoing, his lawyers saying he "never appropriated or misappropriated any public good," in a statement posted on the G1 news site. The scandal broke earlier this year, when newspaper Estado de Sao Paulo reported customs officials had seized a set of jewels from a government aide who tried to bring them into the country undeclared in his backpack in 2021. Brazilian law bars public officials from keeping expensive gifts. Elements of the police investigation were disclosed in a judgment by Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes to justify search warrants carried out by federal police on Friday at the homes of former Bolsonaro aides. "The evidence collected showed (the existence) during the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro, of a network to divert goods of a high amount which were offered to him," part of the judgment read. "Beyond allowing an inadmissible enrichment of the President of the Republic... it is possible that the Brazilian head of state was co-opted by foreign nations through these assets", investigators believe. They also reported goods placed in "a suitcase transported on the presidential plane on December 30", when Bolsonaro left Brazil for the United States, two days before the inauguration of his left-wing successor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who defeated him in an October 2022 election. Among these state gifts were two sculptures given by the government of Bahrain during a state visit in 2021, as well as gifts from Saudi Arabia including a watch and a fountain pen from the Swiss luxury brand Chopard, investigators say. One of those suspected of reselling these gifts is Mauro Cid, a former top aide to Bolsonaro, who has been in prison since May over falsification of Covid-19 vaccination certificates. According to investigators, Cid mentioned in an audio message "25,000 dollars in cash" which would be intended for the ex-president after the sale of certain goods. Known for a brash style that earned him the nickname "Tropical Trump," Bolsonaro, the former army captain turned congressman surged to prominence as a presidential candidate in 2018 by playing to voters disgusted with corruption and economic mismanagement. After presiding over a presidency marked by scandals including his handling of Covid-19, Bolsonaro has now been barred from office for eight years over his unproven claims of massive fraud in the country's election system. bur-leg/ssy © Agence France-Presse The post Bolsonaro aides raided in Brazil jewels probe appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tainted love: Misinformation drives ‘vaccine-free’ dating
In a private dating group on Facebook, Renee flaunts herself to like-minded singles as a fit, adventurous Kizomba dancer who at 35 exudes "inner child vibes." But her main draw? She is unvaccinated. The Covid-19 pandemic may have receded, but dating apps, websites and social media groups still offer to unite vaccine-hating singles who believe debunked falsehoods such as that coronavirus jabs alter DNA or cause infertility. The trend underscores how anti-vaccine sentiment has become an entrenched identity for many who willfully resist or ignore scientific assertions that inoculations saved tens of millions of lives globally when the pandemic was raging. A prospective match's vaccination status determines compatibility not just for Renee, a self-employed Australian, but for many posting in "unvaxed singles" groups that have cropped up on Facebook. Dating decisions there are driven by chemistry but not science. In one closed group breached by AFP, many listed "no jabbies" as their top dating criteria, while others cheered anti-vaccine advocates as "pure blood freedom fighters." One meme popular in the group described their ideal partner: "She's curvy, funny, intelligent, unvaccinated." It demonstrates how the pandemic turned rejecting vaccines from a personal health decision to the way "people express their personal brand," said Timothy Caulfield, a professor at the University of Alberta in Canada. "It shows how high the walls of their echo chambers are. Being anti-vaccine has become an ideological flag -- a way to demonstrate which team you belong to," Caulfield told AFP. "It is less and less about science and more and more about the values being antivax signal." 'Swipe left' According to a 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center, about half of US adults who used a dating site or app said it was important to see the vaccination status on profiles. "Why is your vaccination status such a big deal? I've even seen it listed as a 'dealbreaker' on some profiles," said a post in a dating discussion group on the online messaging board Reddit. "The profiles I see most state the following: 'if you're vaccinated then please swipe left.'" Some comments in the group referred to vaccinated singles as people carrying "biological weapons," an apparent reference to the debunked claim the vaccinated spread "super strain" variants. Vaccine falsehoods often overlap with other types of misinformation, introducing believers to those espousing the QAnon conspiracy theory and anti-LGBTQ narratives. "Studies have consistently shown that if a person is anti-vaccine – or unvaccinated – you can make a strong guess about that person's positions on a host of other issues," Caulfield said. Spreading falsehoods can also be profitable. The Florida-based Wellness Company sells a detoxification supplement that it claims counteracts the harmful effects of coronavirus jabs, destroying spike proteins to get back "that pre-Covid feeling." But experts and public health authorities told AFP's fact-checkers there is no evidence the nearly $65 supplement does that. The same company also backs a dating website for unvaccinated people called Unjected. Before being accepted, its members are required to have their "vaccination status certified by a medical professional," according to the website. In 2021, US media reported the Unjected app, dubbed as the "Tinder for anti-vaxers," was removed from Apple's App Store over Covid-19 misinformation. A slew of similar apps for unvaccinated singles are available on the Google Play Store. One such platform is called Unjabbed, whose user reviews expressed concern about bugs and phone hacking attempts after the app was downloaded. 'Tall, dark, handsome' At the height of the pandemic in 2021, conventional online dating platforms including Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid sought to boost vaccinations. As part of a White House-backed effort, many platforms allowed users to create badges displaying vaccination status, with OkCupid calling the inoculated the "new tall, dark and handsome." Users who were vaccinated or planned to be saw a spike in matches and engagement, OkCupid said in a blog, adding the "vaccine is really helping people find love." But any future inoculation drive could be jeopardized by anti-vaccine sentiment, which appears resilient even as the pandemic ebbs and travel restrictions are lifted around the world. The allure of finding an unvaccinated partner is reinforced by false social media posts sharing unfounded fears that vaccines can be "shed" or passed onto people through body fluids, threatening fertility. "The only real utility a dating platform like this could have is finding a partner that aligns with your 'medical freedom' views," Katrine Wallace, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, told AFP. "There is no clinical reason to do so." The post Tainted love: Misinformation drives ‘vaccine-free’ dating appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Huw Edwards named as BBC presenter at centre of explicit images row
Veteran news anchor Huw Edwards was on Wednesday revealed by his wife as the BBC presenter accused of paying for explicit images but police said no criminal offense had been committed. Vicky Flind said in a statement that her husband was "suffering from serious mental health issues" and was now "receiving in-patient hospital care where he will stay for the foreseeable future". At the same time, Metropolitan Police issued a statement saying that there was "no information to indicate that a criminal offense has been committed". The furor has been front-page news and the lead story on radio and television news bulletins for six successive days, with frenzied speculation on social media about the star's identity until the confirmation. It comes after the BBC -- whose brand is built on public trust -- was rocked in recent years by scandals that saw some of their biggest names revealed as serial sex offenders. Edwards, 61, is one of the most recognizable faces on UK television and was the man entrusted with telling the world that Queen Elizabeth II had died. The BBC has been under the spotlight since allegations emerged last week in The Sun newspaper from the parents of a young adult, who said that the presenter had paid for explicit images of their child. The young adult, however, called the claims "rubbish". The tabloid newspaper did not name the presenter but accused the BBC of failing to properly investigate the claims, sparking another crisis at the national broadcaster. Edward's wife said she was revealing his identity "after what have been five extremely difficult days for our family" and was doing so "primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children". "Once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published," she added, saying that he only learned of the allegations on Thursday. Further claims have since been made against the presenter, as three more people came forward with complaints over the last two days. The BBC itself reported on Tuesday that another person in their 20s had come forward to say they received threatening messages from the presenter while The Sun reported that he also broke Covid lockdown rules to meet another young person he met on a dating site. Creepy messages The alleged pandemic breach has a particular resonance in the UK as the BBC was at the time reporting on the country's third lockdown and how it was being enforced. Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street also led to the long-running "Partygate" scandal that contributed to the downfall of former prime minister Boris Johnson. A fourth person also told The Sun the star sent messages containing love hearts and kisses on Instagram when they were aged 17. The first claims emerged in an article published Friday, in which the parents said the presenter had paid a total of £35,000 ($45,000) for the pictures. The family said their child had used the money to fuel a crack cocaine addiction, prompting lawyers acting for the young person to deny the claims. The post Huw Edwards named as BBC presenter at centre of explicit images row appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DOT probes alleged use of ‘non-original’ content in tourism campaign video
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is investigating claims of non-original content used in their "Love the Philippines" tourism campaign video. It said its contracted agency, DDB Philippines, released an audiovisual presentation (AVP) that has raised concerns. While no public funds were involved, the DOT said it remains committed to promoting the country to the highest standard and will take necessary action to protect its interests. Here's the DOT's full statement: STATEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM The Department of Tourism (DOT) expresses its profound gratitude for the overwhelming response of the Filipino people in support of the enhanced tourism campaign, Love The Philippines. Truly, there is so much more to love about our country than what we have so far articulated to the world. The public’s adoption and localization of the Love The Philippines tagline and logo to their own experiences, destinations, and offerings reflect our collective love of country and pride of place as Filipinos. As one of the many other forthcoming components of the launch of the enhanced tourism campaign, the DOT’s contracted agency, DDB Philippines, prepared and published an audio-visual presentation that has recently been the subject of scrutiny on the alleged use of non-original shots in certain parts of the AVP. The DOT is currently conducting an exhaustive investigation to determine the veracity of, and to gather the full faculty of facts on, these allegations. During the various meetings and consultations held relative to the tourism brand enhancement, the DOT, for its part, repeatedly sought confirmation from DDB on the originality and ownership of all materials contained in the AVPs and key visuals presented to the Department. In ALL these occasions, DDB repeatedly assured the DOT that the originality and ownership of all materials are in order. While no public funds have been paid for the AVP in question as this particular component of the launch was released on the account of DDB, the DOT holds the responsibility of promoting the country to the highest standard. Therefore, it will not hesitate to exact accountability and take the necessary action to protect the interest of the country even as it continues to exhaust all efforts to develop and promote the Philippine tourism industry. The post DOT probes alleged use of ‘non-original’ content in tourism campaign video appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Prince Harry to make history with UK court testimony
Prince Harry will become the first senior British royal to give evidence in court for more than a century when he testifies this week against a tabloid newspaper publisher. Harry, 38, is expected to take the witness stand at London's High Court in a trial considering unlawful information-gathering claims against Mirror Group Newspapers. King Charles III's younger son and other high-profile figures allege that the publisher engaged in illegal activities, including phone hacking, at its titles and are seeking damages. The case is one of several that Harry has brought against British newspaper groups since stepping down from royal duties in early 2020 and relocating to the United States. The MGN trial, which is expected to last up to seven weeks, kicked off last month, days after Charles's May 6 coronation which Harry attended. The California-based prince also made a surprise appearance at the High Court in March for a privacy claim he and others have launched against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail. Harry, the Duke of Sussex, made written submissions in that case but did not give in-person evidence, sitting near the back of the court during several days of proceedings. His appearance on the stand, expected Tuesday, is said to be the first time a senior royal has given evidence in court since Edward VII, who took the stand in an 1890 slander trial before becoming monarch. Harry battles Harry, who is fifth in line to the throne, has had a difficult relationship with the media, especially since he and his American wife Meghan left Britain. As well as filing multiple lawsuits, the couple has repeatedly lashed out over alleged privacy invasions by photographers in particular. Just weeks ago, they claimed to have been involved in a "near catastrophic car chase" with paparazzi in New York, an incident police and other officials played down. Harry's mother, Princess Diana, was killed in a 1997 Paris car crash as she was being pursued by photographers. He has also challenged the UK government in court over his security arrangements when he is back from the United States. But on May 23, he lost his bid for a legal review of a decision refusing him permission to pay for specialist UK police protection himself. In television interviews and his explosive memoir "Spare" -- released in January -- Harry hit out at other royals, accusing them of colluding with the press. In court filings unveiled in April, Harry claimed the royal family as an institution had struck a "secret agreement" with one UK publisher that had prevented him from suing, to avoid a royal entering the witness box. He also alleged the monarchy wanted to prevent the opening of a "Pandora's Box" of negative coverage that could tarnish the royal brand. Tapping claims The MGN case centers on claims its tabloids conducted unlawful information-gathering, including voicemail tapping, to obtain stories about Harry and other high-profile figures. The other claimants are two television soap opera actors and the ex-wife of a comedian. At the outset of the trial on May 10, MGN apologized and admitted to "some evidence" of unlawful information-gathering and assured that "such conduct will never be repeated". But it denied voicemail interception and argued that some claims had been brought too late. The claimants' lawyer David Sherborne submitted that "industrial scale" illegal activities were happening at MGN and had been approved by senior executives. Harry's unofficial biographer Omid Scobie -- who co-authored a best-selling 2020 book about Harry and Meghan -- claimed in a submission that he was shown how to hack voicemails while on work experience at MGN title The Sunday People. Scobie also said that while on work experience at its sister paper The Mirror he overheard the then-editor Piers Morgan being told that information for a story about Australian pop star Kylie Minogue had come from voicemail. Morgan, editor of the tabloid between 1995 and 2004, has denied any involvement in phone hacking. The post Prince Harry to make history with UK court testimony appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Push with audit
An audit of the country’s electricity grid should not even be the subject of debate as it is a necessity considering that the operating system is practically compromised in favor of the State Grid Corporation of China or SGCC, the 40-percent partner in the consortium. Equipment bearing Western brand names such as Asea Brown Boveri, General Electric, and Siemens were all discarded a year after NGCP took over the National Transmission Corp. assets in 2009. The NARI system from a group that is a unit of the SGCC took its place. The main difference is that the earlier equipment allowed for independent operations, in contrast to NARI which is centralized. The use of a single system exposes the electricity network to outside threats, an industry expert said. The NARI system provides electronic control that makes it possible to switch on and off the circuit breakers of power plants. Based on the source in the energy sector, NGCP officials’ claims about the safety of the power backbone from intrusion are dubious since the installed system allows remote access to the network. The apprehension of industry insiders is based on the fiber optic communication system that has a coverage that rivals those of the two major telecommunications giants Smart and Globe which is accessible to SGCP. Since the entire network is interconnected, tapping into the entire power operations is possible. It can be shut down or started by those in control and this can be done remotely through the Internet. The source said that if a hacker penetrates the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition domain, which is what happened in Ukraine in 2015, outside forces can gain control and run the TransCo network. In the Ukraine experience, a Russian operation was suspected. Forces of President Vladimir Putin knocked out Ukraine’s power system, among the key targets of the 2022 invasion. China has dismissed as baseless the allegations that it can manipulate the country’s transmission grid. Resolution of the issue can only happen through a comprehensive audit of the system that NGCP has consistently blocked by indicating that it will allow only a review by the Energy Regulatory Commission. After the yellow and red alerts in the first week of May, the Department of Energy again indicated its plan to conduct an audit which NGCP met with its consistent argument that only ERC has such power. “We will be issuing the necessary orders to commence within the year. We’re just waiting for all the audit reports to be in and accepted by the Energy Regulatory Commission,” Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said. Lotilla reiterated that a comprehensive review is needed to get to the bottom of all the country’s transmission problems, which sometimes cause power interruptions. “Our job is to make sure that we have the proper, called for comprehensive study and audit,” the Energy chief said. An earlier proposal was for the government and NGCP to each assemble a technical working group that would jointly conduct the audit. The Department of Energy has been restricted under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act from initiating a probe of the concessionaire as the law specifies the agency is limited to policy making. ERC, however, according to the source, lacks the teeth to enforce an audit. Energy officials should muster the will to go through with the review of NGCP. It is absurd that the government has to go through an ordeal just to inspect a property it owns since NGCP is merely a tenant based on its 25-year concession. The audit involves a matter of national security that the government must uphold. The post Push with audit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»