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March 2024: Ed Sheeran for the third time in Manila
Global music sensation Ed Sheeran is set to enthrall Manila once again by bringing his record-breaking Mathematics Tour to the Philippines, and to Europe and Asia, in 2024. The British singer-songwriter’s Manila concert is scheduled for 9 March 2024 at the SMDC Festival Grounds in Parañaque City. Adding to the excitement, the event will also feature another talented singer-songwriter, Callum Scott, as a special guest. Sheeran last serenaded his Filipino fans in April 2018, following a brief setback in his personal life due to a cycling accident. Originally scheduled for November 2017, the concert was rescheduled and finally pushed through. His very first Manila performance was at the Mall of Asia Arena in 2015, marking the beginning of a profound connection between the massively popular singer and his Filipino admirers, among the most ardent fans of his hits such as “Perfect,” “Photograph,” “Thinking Out Loud,” “Lego House” and many others. Ticket sales for the Mathematics Tour will commence on 26 October 2023, 12 noon, at ovationtickets.com and smtickets.com. The post March 2024: Ed Sheeran for the third time in Manila appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hong Kong flooded by heaviest rainfall in 140 years
Hong Kong was flooded by the heaviest rainfall in nearly 140 years on Friday, leaving the city's streets and some subway stations under water and forcing its schools to close. Just across the border, authorities in China's tech hub Shenzhen recorded the heaviest rains since records began in 1952. Climate change has increased the intensity of tropical storms, experts say, with more rain and stronger gusts leading to flash floods and coastal damage. The heavy rains in Hong Kong started on Thursday and in the hour leading up to midnight, the city's weather observatory recorded hourly rainfall of 158.1 millimeters at its headquarters, the highest since records began in 1884. On Friday afternoon, the Hospital Authority said at least 110 people were hospitalized due to injuries, with four in serious condition. A man was found unconscious off the shore of western Hong Kong Island and declared dead at the hospital, though authorities were still investigating if the death was flood-related. The city's highest rainstorm warning level, "black", was hoisted for a record-breaking 16 hours before being lowered at 3:40 pm Friday, with rainfall mostly easing by late afternoon. "It's absolutely shocking," said Jacky, 52, who lives in the Wong Tai Sin district with his elderly parents. "I don't remember floods ever being this bad in our district." "The bottom floor of the mall is completely flooded, the water level is higher than the storefronts... it's turned our day into chaos," he added. Authorities issued flash flood warnings, with emergency services conducting rescue operations in parts of the territory. "Residents living in close proximity to rivers should stay alert to weather conditions and should consider evacuation" if their homes are flooded, the observatory said. It also warned of potential landslips, telling motorists to "keep away from steep slopes or retaining walls". Hong Kong's stock exchange cancelled all trading sessions on Friday. 'Once in a century' Hong Kong Chief Secretary Eric Chan described the deluge as "a once-in-a-century heavy rainstorm", adding that extreme conditions would continue until midnight local time (1600 GMT). "It's like putting four bathtubs of water into one bathtub... it will spill," Chan said at a press conference, when asked if the government had done enough to prevent flooding. The Hong Kong Observatory said it recorded more than 600 millimeters of rainfall at its headquarters over 24 hours -- roughly a quarter of the city's annual average. Earlier in the day, taxis struggled through flooded roads as commuters attempted to make their way to work, with some cars stranded in the deluge. "It felt like the whole neighborhood was isolated by the floodwater. One of the underground car parks is totally under water," Olivia Lam, who lives on the eastern side of Hong Kong Island, told AFP. "The water was almost waist-deep outside my building, and that's not the worst (case) in the neighborhood." An AFP reporter saw boulders and mud from a landslide block off a two-lane road in the Shau Kei Wan district, with mud also spilling over into a nearby basketball court. Residents of a public housing block just 30 meters from the landslide lined up with buckets to collect fresh water after the building's supply was disrupted. Roads were also flooded on the island of Lantau, where rivers swelled over their banks. Southern China was hit the previous weekend by two typhoons in quick succession -- Saola and Haikui -- though Hong Kong avoided a feared direct hit. Tens of millions of people in the densely populated coastal areas of southern China had sheltered indoors ahead of those storms. Hong Kong's weather observatory said the latest torrential rain was brought by the "trough of low pressure associated with (the) remnant of Haikui". Authorities suspended schools and cargo clearance services on the city's border with Shenzhen were paused. The border disruption came hours after Hong Kong authorities announced that Shenzhen was preparing to discharge water from its reservoir, which they said could lead to flooding in northern parts of the city. Hong Kong's subway operator said there was a service disruption on one of its lines after a station in the Wong Tai Sin district was flooded. A handful of other stations were also affected by the rain. Footage posted on social media showed a subway train not stopping at Wong Tai Sin station, which had floodwater on its platform. The flooding could cost Hong Kong at least $100 million, according to a Bloomberg Intelligence estimate, compared to $470 million in damage when the city was hit by typhoon Mangkhut in 2018. The post Hong Kong flooded by heaviest rainfall in 140 years appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hawaii fire death toll nears 100, and anger grows
The death toll in Hawaii from the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century ticked towards 100 Sunday, fueling criticism that government inaction contributed to the heavy loss of life. At least 96 people were confirmed to have died as of Sunday night, but officials warned the figure was likely to rise as recovery crews with cadaver dogs work their way through hundreds of homes and burned-out vehicles in Lahaina. The historic coastal town on the island of Maui was almost destroyed by the fast-moving inferno early Wednesday morning, with survivors saying there had been no warnings. When asked Sunday why none of the island's sirens had been activated, Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono said she would wait for the results of an investigation announced by the state's attorney general. "I'm not going to make any excuses for this tragedy," Hirono, a Democrat, told CNN's "State of the Union." "We are really focused, as far as I'm concerned, on the need for rescue, and, sadly, the location of more bodies." More than 2,200 buildings were damaged or destroyed as the fire tore through Lahaina, according to official estimates, wreaking $5.5 billion in damage and leaving thousands homeless. "The remains we're finding are from a fire that melted metal," said Maui Police Chief John Pelletier. "When we pick up the remains... they fall apart." That was making identification difficult, he added, appealing for those with missing relatives to give DNA samples that might speed up the process. Pelletier said cadaver dogs still had a vast area to search in the hunt for what could still be hundreds of people who are unaccounted for. "We're going as fast as we can. But just so you know, three percent -- that's what's been searched with the dogs," he said. Questions over alert system The wildfire is the deadliest in the United States since 1918, when 453 people died in Minnesota and Wisconsin, according to nonprofit research group the National Fire Protection Association. The death toll surpassed 2018's Camp Fire in California, which virtually wiped the small town of Paradise off the map and killed 86 people. Questions are being asked about how prepared authorities were for the catastrophe, despite the islands' exposure to natural hazards such as tsunamis, earthquakes and violent storms. In its emergency management plan last year, the State of Hawaii described the risk wildfires posed to people as being "low." Yet the layers of warning that are intended to buffer a citizenry if disaster strikes appear not to have operated. Maui suffered numerous power outages during the crisis, preventing many residents from receiving emergency alerts on their cell phones. No emergency sirens sounded and many Lahaina residents spoke of learning about the blaze from neighbors running down the street or seeing it for themselves. "The mountain behind us caught on fire and nobody told us jack," resident Vilma Reed, 63, told AFP. "You know when we found that there was a fire? When it was across the street from us." Reed, whose house was destroyed by the blaze, said she was dependent on handouts and the kindness of strangers, and was sleeping in a car with her daughter, grandson and two cats. The New York Times reported Sunday that firefighters sent to tackle the flames found some hydrants had run dry. "There was just no water in the hydrants," the paper quoted firefighter Keahi Ho as saying. Roadblocks The congregation of Grace Baptist Church, which was leveled in the blaze, gathered Sunday in a coffee shop in Kahului for two hours of solace. Pastor Arza Brown led the service in his sandals, the only shoes that survived the blaze that destroyed his house. But the trappings of ministry were far from his mind as he comforted fellow evacuees. "That's one thing about getting together today -- just to be with each other and encourage each other," he said. For some survivors, the difficult days after the tragedy were being worsened by what they see as official intransigence, with roadblocks preventing them from getting back to their homes. Maui police said the public would not be allowed into Lahaina while safety assessments and searches were ongoing -- even some of those who could prove they lived there. Maui's fires follow other extreme weather events in North America this summer, with record-breaking wildfires still burning across Canada and a major heat wave baking the US southwest. Europe and parts of Asia have also endured soaring temperatures, with major fires and floods wreaking havoc. Scientists say human-caused global warming is exacerbating natural hazards, making them both more likely and more deadly. The post Hawaii fire death toll nears 100, and anger grows appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hawaii fire death toll nears 100, anger grows
The death toll in Hawaii from the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century was expected to cross the 100-mark Sunday, fueling criticism that an inadequate official response contributed to the heavy loss of life. Officials updated the toll to 93 late Saturday but warned the figure was likely to rise as recovery crews with cadaver dogs continued the grim task of searching burned-out homes and vehicles in the epicenter of Lahaina. The historic coastal town on the island of Maui was almost completely destroyed by the fast-moving inferno early Wednesday morning, with survivors saying there had been no warnings. When asked Sunday why none of the island's sirens had been activated, Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono said she would wait for the results of an investigation announced by the state's attorney general. "I'm not going to make any excuses for this tragedy," Hirono, a Democrat, told CNN's "State of the Union." "We are really focused, as far as I'm concerned, on the need for rescue, and, sadly, the location of more bodies." More than 2,200 structures were damaged or destroyed as the fire tore through Lahaina, according to official estimates, wreaking $5.5 billion in damage and leaving thousands homeless. "The remains we're finding are from a fire that melted metal," said Maui Police Chief John Pelletier. "When we pick up the remains... they fall apart." Among the ruins in Lahaina, a town of more than 12,000 and the former home of the Hawaiian royal family, an iconic, 150-year-old banyan tree remained standing but severely burned, AFP journalists saw. President Joe Biden said on Sunday he was "looking at" the possibility of visiting the island. Questions over alert system The wildfire is the deadliest in the United States since 1918, when 453 people died in Minnesota and Wisconsin, according to the non-profit research group the National Fire Protection Association. The death toll surpassed 2018's Camp Fire in California, which virtually wiped the small town of Paradise off the map and killed 86 people. Maui suffered numerous power outages during the crisis, preventing many residents from receiving emergency alerts on their cell phones. No emergency sirens were sounded, and many Lahaina residents have spoken of learning about the blaze because of neighbors running down the street. "The mountain behind us caught on fire and nobody told us jack," resident Vilma Reed, 63, told AFP. "You know when we found that there was a fire? When it was across the street from us." Reed, whose house was destroyed by the blaze, said she was depending on handouts and the kindness of strangers while sleeping in a car with her daughter, grandson, and two cats. In its emergency management plan last year, the State of Hawaii described the risk wildfires posed to people as being "low". Some residents who fled the flames have also expressed anger at a roadblock put up preventing them from returning to their homes. Maui police said members of the public would not be allowed into Lahaina while safety assessments and searches were ongoing -- even some of those who could prove they lived there. Some residents waited for hours hoping to be allowed in to comb through the ashes or look for missing pets or loved ones. When asked about growing anger at the response, Hirono told CNN she understood the frustration because "we are in a period of shock and loss." Maui's fires follow other extreme weather events in North America this summer, with record-breaking wildfires still burning across Canada and a major heat wave baking the US southwest. Europe and parts of Asia have also endured soaring temperatures, with major fires and floods wreaking havoc. Scientists say human-caused global warming is exacerbating natural hazards, making them both more likely and more deadly. The post Hawaii fire death toll nears 100, anger grows appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
William Friedkin, incendiary director of ‘The Exorcist’
US director William Friedkin, who died Monday, will forever be remembered for his Oscar-winning "The Exorcist" in 1973, one of the most controversial horror films of all time that still chills new generations of moviegoers. The taboo-breaking scene of a 12-year-old girl believed to be possessed by the devil, foul-mouthed and feverishly masturbating with a crucifix on her bed, provoked frenzy in audiences and sparked a global debate about the occult in the Catholic Church. "It was shocking," wrote Rolling Stone in 2018, recalling the first reactions. It "had people lining up at the entrances of movie theatres while the exits were soppy with puke from the previous showing." Remarkably for a horror film, it was nominated for 10 Oscars and took home two. Pact with the devil Friedkin, who passed away in Los Angeles on Monday at the aged of 87, after suffering health issues in recent years, first hit the pinnacle in Hollywood a few years before "The Exorcist" -- with his stomping, stylish 1971 thriller "The French Connection." Starring Gene Hackman as a cop in gritty, corrupt New York City, the film won five Oscars including Best Director and Best Picture. It was a pearl of the "New Hollywood" wave of socially and politically charged filmmaking associated with emerging directors such as Robert Altman, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese. Friedkin was asked to direct "The Exorcist" -- based on a novel inspired by a reported case of possession of a 14-year-old boy -- after other star directors including Stanley Kubrick had turned it down. "I thought it was a film about the mystery of faith... but I didn't set out to make a horror film," Friedkin was quoted saying in The Hollywood Reporter in 2015. "But by now, I have accepted that it is." His film was followed by four sequels, based on the same novel but without Friedkin's participation, together grossing more than $600 million worldwide. A television series began in 2016. Real power Friedkin was born in Chicago in 1935. His mother was a nurse and his father held several jobs, from merchant seaman and semi-professional softball player to discount-clothes salesman. He singled out viewing in his twenties of Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" (1941) as having a radical impact. "It changed my life," he said in a 2014 interview published on the website of respected US critic, Roger Ebert. "It made me understand that film was an art form and a unique way of storytelling that I had never considered". Friedkin started working in television as a runner and then directed TV shows before making his own documentary in 1962, "The People vs Paul Crimp", about a real-life death row prisoner. The film would contribute to Crimp's death sentence being commuted, convincing Friedkin of "the power of cinema", he told AFP in an interview in 2017. In 1967 he made his first feature, "Good Times", a musical starring the popular pop duo Sonny and Cher. Eclipse from the A-List After his heyday in the 1970s, came a spectacular fall from the Hollywood A-List. It was his ambitious "Sorcerer" (1977), that would prove Friedkin's undoing. After a difficult shoot that went wildly over budget to cost $22 million, the film bombed at the US box office, grossing just under $6 million. It was also eclipsed by the first installment of George Lucas's "Star Wars", released at the same time. Amongst his other flops from a total of about 20 features was "Cruising" (1980) with Al Pacino as an undercover cop hunting down a serial killer in New York's S&M scene. But "Killer Joe" in 2011, starring Matthew McConaughey as a man plotting to kill his own mother, brought renewed critical praise. In 2018, decades after his most famous hit, Friedkin revisited the themes of "The Exorcist" with the documentary "The Devil and Father Amorth", about a priest performing an exorcism in Italy. "The life of a filmmaker is one film to another," Friedkin told the LA Times in 1989 about how he picked himself up after his career had taken a tumble. "There's a great reward when you connect with the public and people are lining up around the block to see your film. But the real joy is making the film." Friedkin was married four times, the first time to one of France's top actresses, Jeanne Moreau. The post William Friedkin, incendiary director of ‘The Exorcist’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Temperature reaches new highs as heatwaves scorch the globe
Temperatures reached new highs on Monday as heatwaves scorched parts of the Northern Hemisphere, triggering health warnings and fanning wildfires in the latest stark reminder of the effects of global warming. From North America to Europe and Asia, people gulped water and sought shelter from the sweltering heat, with the mercury expected to reach new highs in several places in the next few days. Europe, the globe's fastest-warming continent, was bracing for its hottest-ever temperature this week on Italy's islands of Sicily and Sardinia, where a high of 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit) is predicted, according to the European Space Agency. "We're from Texas and it’s really hot there, we thought we would escape the heat but it’s even hotter here," Colman Peavy, 30, said as he sipped a capuccino at an outside terrasse in central Rome with his wife Ana at the start of a two-week Italian vacation. With June already having been the world's hottest on record, according to the EU weather monitoring service, Mother Nature seemed intent on July not falling far behind. China reported a new high for mid-July in the northwest of the country, where temperature reached 52.2C in the Xinjiang region's village of Sanbao, breaking the previous high of 50.6C set six years ago. In nearby Turpan city, where ground surface temperatures sizzled at 80C in some parts, authorities have told workers and students to stay home and ordered special vehicles to spray water on major thoroughfares, the meteorological body said. In Cyprus, where temperatures are expected to remain above 40C through Thursday, a 90-year-old man died as a result of heatstroke and three other seniors were hospitalized, health officials said. In Japan, heatstroke alerts were issued in 32 out of the country’s 47 prefectures, mainly in central and southwestern regions. At least 60 people in Japan were treated for heatstroke, local media reported, including 51 who were taken to hospital in Tokyo. The heat was enough for at least one man to dispense with social mortification in Hamamatsu city. "It’s honestly unbearable without a parasol, although I have to admit it is a bit embarrassing," he told national broadcaster NHK of the umbrella in his hand. Japan's highest-ever temperature was 41.1C first recorded in Kumagaya city in 2018. 'Oppressive' US heat In western and southern states in the US, which are used to high temperatures, more than 80 million people were under advisories as a "widespread and oppressive" heatwave roasted the region. California's Death Valley, often among the hottest places on Earth, reached a near-record 52C Sunday afternoon. In Arizona, the state capital Phoenix recorded its 17th straight day above 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius), as temperatures hit 113F (45C) on Sunday afternoon. "We're used to 110, 112 (degrees Fahrenheit) ... But not the streaks," Nancy Leonard, a 64-year-old retiree from the nearby suburb of Peoria, told AFP. "You just have to adapt". Southern California was fighting numerous wildfires, including one in Riverside County that has burned more than 7,500 acres (3,000 hectares) and prompted evacuation orders. Historic highs forecast In Europe, Italians were warned to prepare for "the most intense heatwave of the summer and also one of the most intense of all time," with the health ministry sounding a red alert for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna and Florence. Temperatures were due to hit 42C-43C in Rome on Tuesday, smashing the record of 40.5C set in August 2007. Nevertheless, visitors thronged to tourist hot spots like the Colosseum and the Vatican. "I'm from South Africa. We're used to this heat," said Jacob Vreunissen, 60, a civil engineer from Cape Town. "You have to drink lots of water, obviously wear your hat and that’s about it." Greece saw a respite on Monday, as temperatures eased a bit and the Acropolis in Athens resumed its regular opening hours after shutting for a few hours during the previous three days. But a new heatwave was expected from Thursday and meteorologists warned of a heightened risk of wildfires amid strengthening winds from the Aegean Sea. In Romania, temperatures are expected to reach 39C on Monday across most of the country. Little reprieve is forecast for Spain, where meteorologists warned that "abnormally high" temperatures on Monday, including up to 44C in the southern Andalusia region in what would be a new regional record. Killer rains Along with the heat, parts of Asia have also been battered by torrential rain. South Korea's president vowed Monday to "completely overhaul" the country's approach to extreme weather, after at least 40 people were killed in recent flooding and landslides during monsoon rains, which are forecast to continue through Wednesday. In northern India, relentless monsoon rains have reportedly killed at least 90 people, following burning heat. Major flooding and landslides are common during India's monsoons, but experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity. It can be difficult to attribute a particular weather event to climate change, but many scientists insist that global warming is behind the intensification of heatwaves. The post Temperature reaches new highs as heatwaves scorch the globe appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Oppressive’ heat wave scorches US West and South
Swaths of the United States home to more than 80 million people were under heat warnings or advisories Sunday, as relentless, record-breaking temperatures continued to bake western and southern states. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned of "a widespread and oppressive heat wave" in parts of the Southwest, western Gulf Coast and southern Florida, with sizzling temperatures carrying into the coming week raising health risks for millions. Southern Californians, who saw thermometers peak at 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit (41-43 Celsius) on Saturday, faced a second day of similarly brutal temperatures Sunday, with the mercury expected to top 115F (46C) in parts of California, Nevada and Arizona, the NWS said. By Sunday afternoon, California's famous Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth, had reached the near-record temperature of 126F (52C). Tourists visited the national park to get a glimpse of what the NWS warned would be "life-threatening daytime heat" set to last until Tuesday night. Visitor Eliana Luna told broadcaster MSNBC on Sunday the heat felt like a "burning sensation" on her body. "The heat, you can feel it dripping through the back, all the way down," she said. The NWS has said heat is the leading weather-related killer in the United States and urged Americans to take the risk seriously. "In total, from South Florida and the Gulf Coast to the Southwest, over 80 million people remain under either an Excessive Heat Warning or Heat Advisory as of early this morning," the NWS said in a Sunday morning bulletin. The day before, the town of Idyllwild, east of Los Angeles and some 5,400 feet (1,645 meters) above sea level, blew past its previous record to reach 100F. - 'It's hell' - Authorities have been sounding the alarm for days, advising people to avoid outdoor activities in the daytime and to avoid dehydration, which can quickly become fatal in such temperatures. In Arizona, the state capital Phoenix has recorded 17 straight days above 109F, as temperatures hit 113F (45C) on Sunday afternoon. The city, home to over 1.6 million people, is under an Excessive Heat Warning until Wednesday evening, according to the NWS, which said the record seven-day average was likely to be broken. Volunteers have been organized to direct Phoenix residents to cooling centers and distribute bottles of water and hats, but program head David Hondula told the local ABC station that its three-days-per-week schedule is "clearly... not enough." In Miami, the NWS on Sunday issued its first-ever Excessive Heat Warning for the region, in effect until 7:00 pm, as heat and humidity mixed to create a "feels-like" temperature expected to hit 112F. "It's hell, it's hot, it's crazy hot," Miami visitor Lola Cee told AFP along the famed Ocean Boulevard. "I've never experienced this heat before," she added. Residents of the sprawling Texas city of Houston have been asked to conserve electricity from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm Saturday through Monday, in an attempt to mitigate pressure on the electricity grid. - 'Not typical' - Heat waves are occurring more often and more intensely in major US cities, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, with a frequency of six per year during the 2010s and 2020s compared to two per year during the 1960s. "This heat wave is NOT typical desert heat," the NWS's Las Vegas office tweeted Thursday, specifying that "its long duration, extreme daytime temperatures, & warm nights" were unusual. In Canada, which is suffering from warm temperatures combined with months of below-average rainfall, the amount of land burned by devastating wildfires so far in 2023 climbed to an-all time high of 24.7 million acres (10 million hectares) on Saturday. "We find ourselves this year with figures that are worse than our most pessimistic scenarios," Yan Boulanger, a researcher at Canada's natural resources ministry, told AFP. On Sunday, a firefighter died while working in Canada's Northwest Territories, authorities announced, only days after a 19-year-old woman lost her life working to extinguish a fire in nearby British Columbia. While it can be hard to attribute a particular weather event to climate change, scientists insist human-linked global warming is responsible for the multiplication and intensification of heat waves. Flooding has also ravaged parts of the northeastern US in recent weeks. Officials in eastern Pennsylvania's Bucks County reported on Sunday that five people had died and two children were missing after a storm the day before unleashed up to seven inches (18 centimeters) of rain in one hour, causing flash flooding that swept away vehicles. bur-mlm/des/caw © Agence France-Presse The post ‘Oppressive’ heat wave scorches US West and South appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Six feared dead in torrential Japan rain
Six people are feared dead in torrential rains that hit southwest Japan this week, the country's government said Tuesday, as search and rescue operations continued on the ground. A heavy band of precipitation dumped record-breaking amounts of rain in some parts of the Kyushu area through Monday, causing rivers to overflow and sodden earth to collapse in landslides. At least three people are confirmed to have died in the rains, government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters on Tuesday, adding officials were investigating whether another three deaths were linked to the disaster. Three people remain missing and two have been reported lightly injured, he added. "We express our condolences to those who died, and our heartfelt sympathy towards those who were affected by the disaster," Matsuno said. Some remote communities remain effectively cut off by flooding and other damage, but the safety of residents there has been confirmed. Transport remained disrupted as of early Tuesday, with some train services stopped and highways blocked, and 1,400 homes were without power. In Saga region's Karatsu, members of Japan's military were digging through the soil and debris left by a deadly landslide that engulfed homes. The downpours, which forecasters had warned risked being the region's "heaviest rain experienced", prompted evacuation notices for hundreds of thousands of people. Japan is currently in its annual rainy season, which often brings heavy downpours, and sometimes results in flooding and landslides as well as casualties. Scientists say climate change is intensifying the risk of heavy rain in Japan and elsewhere because a warmer atmosphere holds more water. The weather agency said it had already been raining for more than a week in the region before the heavy downpours that arrived Sunday night. And while the sun was shining in many areas on Tuesday, officials have warned of more rain in the forecast, which could loosen already sodden ground. Landslides are a particular risk in Japan during heavy rains because homes are often built on plains at the bottom of hillsides in the mountainous country. In 2021, rain triggered a devastating landslide in the central resort town of Atami that killed 27 people. And in 2018, floods and landslides killed more than 200 people in western Japan during the rainy season. The post Six feared dead in torrential Japan rain appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Major Mayon eruption unlikely
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Tuesday warned that the minor eruptions of Mayon Volcano are inevitable amid its increased unrest, but major eruption remains “unlikely.” In a television interview, Phivolcs-Bicol resident volcanologist, Dr. Paul Alanis, noted that sudden steam-driven or phreatic eruptions are expected over the Mayon Volcano given its current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes. “Right now, the scenario of a major eruption is quite remote… But of course, there is still a possibility of small eruptions,” he said. Mayon Volcano is currently emitting moderate plumes at 200 meters tall drifting to the west-southwest slowly curving to the north. Alanis said ashfall events may affect the west and north of the Albay province, including municipalities of Camalig Giunobatan, Ligao and Oas. Residents are advised to cover their nose and mouth with a damp, clean cloth or dust mask should ashfall events occur within their communities. “So far we are looking at two possible scenarios with the ongoing activity in Mayon,” he said, citing the 2014 Mayon eruption that posed a “quiet explosion” with rockfall and minor lava flow of the Mayon and the major eruption with small bursts and a major lava flow-like in 2018. Alanis said the pressure in the volcano remained in the peak part, while there is a weak pressure on the lower slopes. At least 74 rockfall events have been recorded in the Mayon volcano. The latest Phivolcs bulletin showed that the volcano edifice is inflated, but no crater glow has been observed. Phivolcs warned anew that entering within the six-kilometer-radius Permanent Danger Zone is not allowed as explosions, rockfall, and landslides are expected with the Mayon’s ongoing unrest. Also, flying any aircraft close to the volcano’s summit is prohibited as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft. The post Major Mayon eruption unlikely appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Six new K-romances on Netflix
Audiences worldwide have been growing fonder of K-romance, and this affection shows no signs of fading. Between 2018 to 2022, global viewership of Netflix’s K-romance titles tripled. In 2022 alone, more than 90 per cent of this viewing came from outside South Korea. As the home of compelling K-romances, Netflix is introducing six new Korean romance series over the upcoming five months. Here’s a sneak peek at what these new shows have to tell. See You in My 19th Life (premiering 17 June) In this spinoff from a hit webtoon, Shin Hye-sun stars as a heroine who can remember all her past lives. As a young girl in her 18th life, she falls for a thoughtful boy next door. In her 19th life, she tries to make her way back to him, only to find he has become a cold man who doesn’t want to get close to anyone. Can love triumph across lifetimes? [caption id="attachment_141489" align="aligncenter" width="525"] PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF NETFLIX.COMYOONA and Lee Jun-ho in ‘King The Land.’[/caption] King the Land (premiering 17 June) A wealthy heir cannot stand fake smiles. He meets a girl whose bright smile is part of her job — in one of his family businesses. He immediately dislikes her, writing her off as someone who hides her true self behind a fake smile. Former global K-Pop idols Jun-ho and Yoona team up for the first time as actors in this much-anticipated “enemies to lovers” K-romance. Behind Your Touch Rom-com queen Han Ji-min plays a veterinarian in a small town who has a very strange gift of psychometry. When she convinces a detective of her abilities, they team up to solve neighborhood crimes. [caption id="attachment_141488" align="aligncenter" width="525"] JANG Shin-yu and Rowoon in ‘Destined With You.’[/caption] Destined with You K-romance powerhouses Cho Boa and Rowoon (also a K-Pop idol) combine their star wattage in this sweeping saga. Rowoon plays a hotshot lawyer who has it all but is haunted by a family curse. And it turns out that the woman who is key to breaking this curse is none other than the seemingly ordinary civil servant played by Cho. A Time Called You (premiering in third quarter of 2023) Ahn Hyo-seop (from Business Proposal) and Jeon Yeo-been (from Vincenzo) star in this remake of classic Taiwanese romance Someday or One Day. Jeon’s character travels back in time to 1998 and meets a man played by Ahn, who bears an uncanny resemblance to her late boyfriend. Each lead takes on the challenge of playing two characters who look identical, but have completely different personalities — and all the complications that create when it comes to love. Doona! (premiering in fourth quarter of 2023) A college student (Yang Se-jong) navigates life and school while dealing with a unique predicament — he's living with a former K-Pop sensation, played by real-life former K-Pop star Suzy. Their relationship starts out as one of mutual misunderstanding and dislike, and grows over time into one of love and trust. But can their connection withstand the cruel pressures of fame? The post Six new K-romances on Netflix appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Shanghai records hottest May day in 100 years
Shanghai recorded its hottest May day in 100 years on Monday, the city's meteorological service announced, shattering the previous high by a full degree. Scientists say global warming is exacerbating adverse weather, with many countries experiencing deadly heatwaves and temperatures hitting records across Southeast and South Asia in recent weeks. "At 13:09, the temperature at Xujiahui station hit 36.1 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit), breaking a 100-year-old record for the highest temperature in May," a post on the service's official Weibo account read, referring to a metro station in the center of China's largest city. The temperature at the bustling station climbed even higher to 36.7C (98F) later in the afternoon, Shanghai's meteorological service said. That put it a full degree above the old record, 35.7C, which has been recorded four times previously, in 1876, 1903, 1915 and 2018, according to the weather service. Shanghai residents sweltered under the early-afternoon sun, with some apps showing a "feels like" temperature estimate of more than 40C (104F). "I headed out at noon to pick up a delivery, and got a headache after coming back," read one post from Shanghai on Weibo. Another said: "I almost got heatstroke, it's really hot enough to explode." Deadly heat Parts of India saw temperatures above 44C (111F) in mid-April, with at least 11 deaths near Mumbai attributed to heat stroke on a single day. In Bangladesh, Dhaka suffered its hottest day in almost 60 years. The city of Tak in Thailand recorded its highest-ever temperature of 45.4C (114F), while Sainyabuli province in Laos hit 42.9C (109F), an all-time national temperature record, the study by the World Weather Attribution group said. A recent report from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that "every increment of global warming will intensify multiple and concurrent hazards". In May, the United Nations warned that it is near-certain that 2023-2027 will be the warmest five-year period ever recorded, as greenhouse gasses and El Nino combine to send temperatures soaring. There is a two-thirds chance that at least one of the next five years will see global temperatures exceed the more ambitious target set out in the Paris accords on limiting climate change, the UN's World Meteorological Organization said. The 2015 Paris Agreement saw countries agree to cap global warming at "well below" two degrees Celsius above average levels measured between 1850 and 1900 -- and 1.5C if possible. The global mean temperature in 2022 was 1.15C above the 1850-1900 average. The WMO said there was a 66 percent chance that annual global surface temperatures will exceed 1.5C above pre-industrial levels for at least one of the years from 2023-2027. The post Shanghai records hottest May day in 100 years appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PGMA clears FL from ‘coup’
Breaking her silence on the alleged House tussle, former President, now Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo slammed efforts to drag First Lady Liza-Marcos into allegations that the latter supported a plan to oust Speaker Martin Romualdez. The effort to pull her into the friction at the legislature “is disrespectful to her and to her intelligence,” Arroyo said in a social media post yesterday. “A report is going around that I was ‘duped’ by a congresswoman into thinking that the alleged House coup had the blessings of the First Lady. I am truly sorry that she should even be dragged into this political fantasy of a House coup,” Arroyo said. She slammed efforts to spread “pathetic rumors” from those who “are the ones duping the Filipino people.” “They should now move on to the serious business of making positive contributions to national progress,” Arroyo said of the rumor mongers. The social media post came on the heels of allegations that she orchestrated a failed coup against Romualdez. Rumors flew thick about the failed ouster move on 17 May when members of the House, before it adjourned session, voted Pampanga Representative Aurelio Gonzales Jr. as the new senior deputy speaker in place of Arroyo. Gonzales is one of the chamber’s deputy speakers before he was promoted to the second-highest post at the House. The reason given for the switch in posts was that it will relieve Arroyo of “the heavy load required from the position.” Congratulations flowed A day after the apparent demotion, congratulatory messages from congressmen from prominent political parties in the House poured for Gonzales, as well as for Romualdez, which caused more tongues to wag. But the former Chief Executive previously set the record straight, saying that despite her previous ambitions, she had no intention of succeeding Romualdez and that she respected Mr. Marcos’ choice to support his cousin as House leader. “I will just say three things: Every politician worth his or her salt would know that in the Philippines, no House coup can ever succeed without the consent of the President. That is simply a fact of life in Philippine politics.” “Second, I made a humble contribution to the joining of forces that became the UniTeam, and the resulting supermajority in the House is a major force for delivering our President’s agenda. Thus, I would never take any action to destroy it.” “Third, I did not have any conversation, here or abroad, with any congressman or congresswoman, or any other politician active or retired, to plot, support, encourage or participate in any way in any alleged House coup.” Arroyo’s post puts it. Likewise, Arroyo firmly stated that being Speaker once more “is no longer part of my political objectives.” Arroyo held the post from 2018 to 2019. Arroyo added that when she learned of reports that she was suspected of plotting a “coup” against Romualdez, “I decided I must speak out to clarify my political position.” She ceded, however, that some of her actions may have been “misconstrued, such as my recent trip with a delegation of Congressmen to South Korea for some official meetings.” Arroyo insisted that her only aims as representative of the 2nd district of Pampanga were to support the legislative agenda of Speaker Romualdez and President Marcos and to use whatever experience as a former President to help out “when I am called upon to do so.” Diplomatic responsibility Outside of her role as Congresswoman, her public interest is to help reduce tension between the United States and China, “given that I was strongly allied to both countries when I was President.” Arroyo was elected Speaker of the 17th Congress in place of Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez. The fire was further fueled by an announcement of Vice President Sara Duterte, after the Arroyo’s demotion, that she was tendering her “irrevocable resignation” from the ruling Lakas-CMD, which she co-leads with Romualdez. Days following Arroyo’s statement, Romualdez slammed claimed attempts to destabilize the House, declaring that the lower chamber was “in order” and would not in any way allow political maneuverings. “There is still much work to do, so occasional moves to destabilize the House should be nipped in the bud,” he said. After exchanging barbs, Romualdez and Arroyo were seen together at the rostrum at Gonzales’ oathtaking on Monday last week, indicating that no further turmoil was on the horizon. Before the ceremony, Romualdez and Gonzales even made a traditional gesture of respect on Arroyo on the plenary floor with a pagmamano. The next day, Romualdez and Arroyo were spotted together after the swearing-in of 19 new Lakas-CMD members, dousing all suspicions of the leadership dispute in the chamber. The post PGMA clears FL from ‘coup’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Dawn’s love for HyunA is not dead — it’s just buried in a song
It’s very clear, Dawn still loves HyunA. When the South Korean artist appeared on 1theK’s “Look Me Up” segment on YouTube, it mentioned his relationship with HyunA. Yet sadly, it also told of its demise. One commenter asked if he still loved her to which he answered: “To be honest, I feel the same (as before). Whether I’ve broken up with HyunA, we date again, or have whatever relationship now is not what’s important. Because I just love HyunA as a person, I think I will love HyunA even if we’re both on completely different paths in the future with other people.” [caption id="attachment_119850" align="aligncenter" width="686"] photograph courtesy of IG/HYUNA | HYUNA[/caption] The rapper also briefly talked about their engagement which he clarified by saying: “Since I liked her so much, I obviously had the thought of ‘If I want to get married later on, I definitely want to marry her,’ but at the time, I just wanted to give her a ring.”’ The Korean couple surprised the world when they went public with their already two-year relationship in 2018 to counter Cube Entertainment’s denial earlier that day after several photos of them were released on the internet. Both of them were part of a three-piece group Triple H alongside Hui. Prior to that, HyunA and Dawn were part of their respective groups — 4Minute and Pentagon. It was through Triple H that the pair got closer. After going against the system, the couple received countless backlash from the internet. They were also ousted by Cube Entertainment on the grounds of the trust being lost with the artists but they soon found a new home with PSY’s P Nation until August 2022. They announced their engagement on 3 February 2022 but broke up nine months after with HyunA breaking the news via an Instagram post with the caption: “We broke up. We decided to remain good friends and colleagues from now on. Thank you always for your support and for looking over us fondly.” After breaking up, Dawn released a single titled “Dear My Light” which was inspired by HyunA. “I met someone who was a great light in my life. This person was able to make my darkness become light again. It’s these sorts of experiences and feelings that allowed me to make this song. As I was writing it, I felt as if I was writing a letter to this person,” he said in an interview with Teen Vogue. The single also marks Dawn’s first comeback in a while. HyunA also expressed her support for Dawn via Instagram Reels. She reposted part of the music video with the caption in Korean that roughly translates to: “I met you at my prettiest, and no matter what anyone says, I was able to withstand it all because of you. I’m okay.” The post Dawn’s love for HyunA is not dead — it’s just buried in a song appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Shared history will see PH-US relations through — solon
The long and amiable history between the Philippines and the United States will have a bearing in the prospective relationship between President Duterte and US President-elect Joe Biden. (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Kabayan Party-List Rep. Ron Salo on Thursdaysaid that both leaders “have the primordial interests of their respective countries and their people.” “I am confident that the Philippines and the US will have a robust and dynamic relationship under US President-elect Biden. The US and the Philippines have a shared history and long diplomatic ties,” said the former University of the Philippines (UP) law professor. Philippine-US relations as they appear today were arguably forged and tempered through the nations’ shared experiences in World War II nearly 80 years ago. The Americans were instrumental in liberating Filipinos from occupying Japanese forces in 1945. The aftermath of the war saw the signing of a Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the two nations on August 30, 1951, in Washington, DC. Americans have consistently been viewed in high regard by Filipinos compared to other nationalities, as per surveys. Meanwhile, there are said to be 4.1 million Filipino Americans in the US as of 2018, according to the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) figures. “There are many Filipinos in America as well as Americans of Filipino heritage who continue to contribute in shaping American life, culture, and consciousness. Filipinos also remain to be American’s brown brothers in this part of the globe,” Salo said. “Certainly, it is to the interests of both countries to maintain a strong diplomatic relation,” added the lawyer-congressman. Some observers are waiting how the dynamics between Duterte and Biden would turn out. This is mostly due to Duterte’s critical stance on the US government when Barack Obama was still the American president. Biden, a seasoned diplomat, served as Obama’s vice president from 2008 to 2016......»»
Duterte appoints Galvez as vaccine czar; ‘good choice’, say lawmakers
By Genalyn D. Kabiling and Charissa Luci-Atienza In a meeting with government officials on the disaster response Monday, President Duterte announced he wanted former AFP chief and now Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr Galvez to lead the government’s vaccine acquisition and distribution effort. Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. (NTF AGAINST COVID-19 / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Duterte said Galvez would be the only authorized official to negotiate for the country’s’ vaccine supply. He expressed his dislike with the creation of committees since the process will take long. “As I have said earlier during the start of the COVID, I only want one line of authority coming from dito sa the Task Force sa pagbili ng bakuna, the negotiation, manufacture, negotiation, production or distribution is ibinigay ko ‘yan kay Secretary Galvez,” he said. “I have great faith in Charlie to really come up with the solutions for the problem,” he added. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque defended the additional assignment given to Galvez, saying the planned immunization drive would involve “more of a logistics challenge than a medical challenge.” Galvez, who joined the Duterte Cabinet in 2018, also currently serves as chief implementer of the government’s plan to fight the coronavirus outbreak. Meanwhile, members of the House of Representatives lauded Galvez’s designation as vaccine war, among them: Representatives Michael Defensor, Roger Mercado, Ronnie Ong, Alfred Vargas and Rosanna Vergara. “It’s more of a logistics challenge than a medical challenge,” Roque explained. He said the only medical issues involved in the vaccine purchase are related to safety and efficacy of the drugs. This matter, he said, will be handled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He said Galvez is expected to continue his close coordination with the Department of Health and other agencies that will be involved in the vaccination drive. “Gen. Galvez would have the hindsight of what happened and the understanding of the COVID baseline. What we need is the leadership and managerial skills in taking the lead of the COVID vaccine campaign,” Defensor, chairperson of the House Committee on Public Accounts, said in a text message when asked if the vaccine czar should have been a medical doctor. “I support the President’s appointment of Sec Galvez. Galvez is an innovative administrator. He can be trusted to implement the program well,” Mercado said in a separate text message. “We are happy that the president is preparing early and appointing someone to lead is good news,” Ong said. Vargas also rallied behind the the decision of President Duterte to appoint Galvez, saying that “we don’t need a doctor but a manager for this job.” Vergara also gave her vote of confidence to Galvez. “Being the COVID-19 policy chief implementer, he has a clear overview of the COVID-19 situation in the county and such knowledge is very crucial in the distribution of the vaccine. I am sure, there are medical experts who advise the good Secretary,” she said. “I am assuming the vaccine chosen has already passed all testing and FDA approvals , the challenge will be to properly allocate and distribute it fairly across the country to the most vulnerable and this is the challenge anyone who heads this Task Force will face– how do you properly allocate this should the vaccine supply be limited because of world wide demand? Thus, the need to plan for equally expedited distribution and delivery. Building a delivery system that is quick, fair and will not result to inequitable distribution,” Vergara added......»»
‘Rolly’ may pass close to Metro Manila after Quezon landfall Sunday
After its landfall over Quezon province this Sunday, typhoon “Rolly” (international name: “Goni”) will possibly pass close to Metro Manila between Sunday evening and Monday morning. In its weather bulletin Saturday morning, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather specialist Benison Estareja said Rolly will move west-southwest this Saturday toward the sea off the coast of Bicol region. (DOST PAGASA / MANILA BULLETIN) The typhoon was already around 540 kilometers east-northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, moving at 20 kilometers per hour (kph) around 7 a.m. Beginning early Sunday, it will gradually turn west-northwest, bringing its inner rainbands-eyewall region near or over Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur during the morning-afternoon hours and over Quezon-southern Aurora area during the afternoon-evening hours. The center of the eye of the typhoon may pass very close or over the Calaguas Islands by Sunday afternoon and make landfall in Polillo Islands and mainland Quezon in the evening. Estareja said the eye of Rolly will likely pass directly over Quezon-Aurora, entire Central Luzon, “where Metro Manila and Rizal will be closest,” and over parts of Ilocos Region, particularly Pangasinan and La Union. After crossing Central Luzon, the center of Rolly may exit the mainland Luzon landmass, most likely through the Zambales-Bataan area by Monday morning, Estareja said. Signal No. 2 up; Metro Manila under signal No. 1 The wind signal in some provinces in the Bicol region were upgraded to tropical cyclone wind signal No. 2 as damaging gale-force to storm-force winds is expected to affect these areas in the next 24 hours. Signal No. 2 has been hoisted over Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias Island, and the southeastern portion of Quezon (San Francisco, San Andres, San Narciso, Mulanay, Catanauan, Buenavista, Lopez, Guinayangan, Calauag, Tagkawayan). More areas were also placed under signal No. 1 in anticipation of strong breeze to near gale conditions associated with the approaching typhoon. These areas were Metro Manila, the rest of Masbate including Ticao Island, the rest of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Marinduque, Romblon, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, Oriental Mindoro, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, southern portion of Isabela (Aurora, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, San Mariano, Palanan, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Echague, San Agustin, Jones, Cordon, Santiago City, Ramon, San Isidro, Angadanan, Alicia, Cauayan City, Cabatuan, San Mateo), Northern Samar, northern portion of Samar (Tagapul-An, Almagro, Santo Nino, Tarangnan, Catbalogan City, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao), the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Taft, Can-Avid, Dolores, Maslog, Jipapad, Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo), and the northern portion of Biliran (Kawayan, Maripipi). PAGASA said signal No. 3 may be raised over portions of Bicol region late Saturday. Based on the intensity forecast, the highest possible wind signal to be raised will be signal No. 4 for very destructive typhoon-force winds. Elsewhere, areas that are not under not under tropical cyclone warning signal may experience strong breeze to near gale conditions due to the northeasterlies, particularly over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, and the coastal and mountainous areas of Cagayan and Isabela. Nears super-typhoon status As of Saturday morning, Rolly has maximum sustained winds of 215 kph and gustiness of up to 265 kph. It is close to reaching the 220 kph maximum wind speed to be classified as a supertyphoon. PAGASA is not ruling its possible intensification into a supertyphoon within 12 hours. Estareja said Rolly has a high chance of intensifying into a supertyphoon while on its way to the country, but there is still a slim probability that it may make landfall as a supertyphoon. However, it is still expected to remain a strong typhoon or near supertyphoon strength by the time it makes landfall over Quezon. While traversing Luzon, the tropical cyclone may weaken considerably to a minimal typhoon (120 kph to 140 kph yung maximum sustained winds), Estareja said. Nonetheless, Rolly is still possibly destructive. It may emerge as a severe tropical storm over the West Philippine Sea. Typhoon impacts This Saturday, the trough or extension of Rolly will bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Central Visayas, Negros Occidental, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Palawan, including Cuyo Islands, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Sulu archipelago. From late Saturday throughout Sunday, heavy to intense rains due to the direct impact of Rolly will already be felt over Bicol region, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Metro Manila, Central Luzon Marinduque, and the northern portions of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro. Moderate to heavy rains will also be experienced over Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. PAGASA warned that flooding, rain-induced landslides, and sediment-laden streamflows or lahar may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall, especially in areas that are highly susceptible to these hazards. There is a moderate to high risk of storm surge of up to 3.0 meters (m) over the northern coastal areas of Quezon including Polillo Islands and up to 2.0 m over the coastal areas of Aurora, Marinduque, Bicol region, and Northern Samar, and the other coastal areas of Quezon in the next 48 hours which may result in life-threatening and damaging coastal inundation. PAGASA said this storm surge may be accompanied by swells and breaking waves reaching the coast. Rough to “phenomenal” seas (2.5 to 15.0 m) will be experienced over the seaboard of areas where tropical cyclone warning signal is in effect and rough to very rough seas (2.5 to 5.0 m) over the remaining seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Eastern Visayas (that are not under tropical cyclone warning signals) and Caraga. Sea travel is risky for all types of seacraft over these waters, especially those under storm warning signals. Meanwhile, moderate to rough seas (1.2 to 2.5 m) will be experienced over the remaining seaboards of the country. Mariners of small sea vessels were advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea, while inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions. Another cyclone approaching While Rolly is raging over Luzon, Estareja said the tropical depression with international name “Atsani” could enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Sunday afternoon. It will be assigned its local name “Siony” once inside the PAR. It was estimated at 1,605 km east of Visayas around 4 a.m. Saturday. Atsani has maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph, while moving west-northwestward at 25 kph. It is likely to re-intensify into a tropical storm in the next 24 to 48 hours, and further into a typhoon in the next few days. It remains less likely to affect any portion of the country over the next three days. But Estareja said PAGASA is not ruling out a possible landfall in Central or Southern Luzon, before recurving toward the southern islands of Japan in the coming days. He also reiterated that a Fujiwhara effect is unlikely between Rolly and Atsani. Fujiwhara effect happens when two typhoons pull each other in a seesaw-like motion......»»
Coconut farmers are poorest agri people
Coconut farmers are now the poorest people in the agriculture sector, much poorer than when they were 30 years ago. This was the assessment of Danny Carranza, a coconut farmer and member the Kilusan Para sa Tunay na Repormang Agraryo at Katarungang Panlipunan (Katarungan). (MB FILE, Keith Bacongco) Carranza blamed the coconut farmers’ poverty on the low copra prices, inability to intercrop and modernize, and now the COVID-19 pandemic, which isolates some of them who are living in far-flung areas. “If you’re going to compare, we are much poorer now than we were back in 1990,” said Carranza. Carranza said the “crisis in coconut” that started in the 1990s was never resolved, but even worsened especially when farmers failed to diversify and intercrop before copra prices, dictated by world prices, crashed in 2019 and in the previous years. “The price of copra is improving, reaching P16/kg from P8/kg last year, but that is still not enough,” Carranza said, adding that farmers’ income from a hectare of coconut plantation does not reach P10,000 anymore. At present, about 95 percent of the 3.5 million hectares of coconut farms in the Philippines are meant to produce copra, which is the material for coconut oil manufacturing. But with the collapse of the prices of coconut oil in the world market over the last two years, prices of copra have also dropped plunging farmers into deeper poverty. According to the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), prices of copra at farmgate as of October 15 stood at P21.86/kg, which is higher compared to P14.55/kg price level during the same day last year. But Carranza said that it normally takes three to four years for coconut farmers to recover when a typhoon hits their plantation because coconut trees don’t recover fast. Several typhoons have devastated coconut trees lately. “Farmers’ income is dictated by world prices, they don’t have enough funds to modernize their industry, and the government has failed to support them in the diversification of their coconut plantations,” Carranza said. “Then things got worse because of climate change. And then, because of lockdown, a lot of farmers who live in far-flung areas were isolated and couldn’t deliver their produce,” he added. In 2018, farmers working in coconut farms only received a daily nominal wage rate of P264, based on Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data. To alleviate the current situation of coconut farmers, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced that it will soon distribute a P5,000 worth of assistance to coconut farmers, which will be withdrawn from the agency’s P24-billion stimulus package granted under ‘Bayanihan 2’. The problem, according to Carranza, is that the assistance may only benefit farmers who own 1 hectare of coconut plantations or less. The PCA is also setting aside a portion of its budget to finance on-farm and off-farm livelihood projects for coconut farmers such as intercropping and livestock. Meanwhile, Pambansang Kilusan ng Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (PKMP) Chairman Eduardo Mora said the legal team of Senator Bong Go pledged to help coconut farmers push for provisions that they want to be included in the Coco Levy Act, the proposed law that will pave the way for the release of the P100-billion coco levy fund. “It was the office of Senator Bong Go that informed us that the senate version of Coco Levy Act was already passed in third and final reading. But his legal team also assured to help us in the congress version of the law, in bicameral, and in the drafting of the IRR [implementing rules and regulation] of the law,” Mora told Business Bulletin. Mora’s group, which represents more than a hundred thousand coconut farmers in the country, has been calling for increased farmers’ representation in the planned coconut trust fund management committee. Coconut farmers also don’t want the funds to be handled by PCA, Mora said. Business Bulletin already sought for Agriculture Secretary William Dar’s reaction regarding the farmers’ opposition of the Coco Levy Act, but he hasn’t responded yet. .....»»
Why public can’t access SALN of magistrates
Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta defended the High Tribunal’s restriction of public access to the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) of magistrates. Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta (FACEBOOK / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) “We cannot release the SALN because there are matters there that are confidential in nature,” Peralta said during an online press briefing. The Chief Justice said that the SALN contains information like the addresses of judges and their family members which could be used by parties in influencing the decision-making of cases. “You can just imagine ‘yung mga judges na nagdecide ng cases against somebody (What might happen to judges who decided on cases against somebody),” he said. Because of this, Peralta said the SC has implemented guidelines which restricts public access to SALNs of magistrates. “We came up with the guidelines that we can only release ‘yung summary,” the Chief Justice said. Last September, the SC denied the requests of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) and lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon for copies of the SALN of SC Associate Justice Marvic Leonen. Gadon has filed a letter of appeal to the SC insisting that it should release Leonen’s SALN since the magistrate has allegedly skipped the filing of SALNs when Leonen was still teaching at the University of the Philippines (UP). In a letter addressed to SC Clerk of Court Edgardo Aricheta, Gadon said “the right of any citizen for access on SALNs is clearly provided under the law.” “With due respect to the Supreme Court, the denial only invites suspicion among the public that the Supreme Court is hiding something in so far as the SALNs of AJ Marvic Leonen are concerned and that it cannot also escape public suspicion that the Supreme Court is giving AJ Marvic Leonen a special treatment and protection which I hope is not true,” the lawyer warned. Gadon pointed out “there is no lawful nor valid reason why my request for the certified copies of the SALNs of AJ Marvic Leonen cannot be granted.” “The Supreme Court granted the same request in the case of Atty. Maria Lourdes Sereno hence it should be granted in the instant request for SALNs of AJ Marvic Leonen,” he reminded. Prior to Sereno’s ouster in 2018 as chief justice, Gadon was able to secure from the High Tribunal copies of her SALNs. Sereno was ousted as Chief Justice in 2018 after the SC granted the quo warranto petition of the OSG which sought to invalidate her appointment at the High Tribunal over violations in skipping the filing of her SALNs when she was still a law professor at the University of the Philippines (UP). “If Atty. Lourdes Sereno was ousted from the Supreme Court due to lack of integrity as exemplified by her non-filing of SALNs in UP for many years, then there is no reason why the same standard should not be applied to Associate Justice Marvic Leonen,” said Gadon who also alleged that Leonen had skipped in the filing of SALNs when he was still a UP law professor......»»
QC wildlife park reopens for shooting photos, videos
Planning to capture a special moment with the calming nature reserve as backdrop? (Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN) The Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center (NAPWC) in Quezon City has just reopened its doors to private and commercial video and photo shoots. To schedule a photo/video shoot, it is encouraged to contact the Park Information Office at 8924-6031 local 236 or send an email at napwc@bmb.gov.ph prior to the target date of the activity. The park administration reminded that walk-ins will not be accommodated and health and safety protocols must be observed at all times. Applicants will be sent their approved requests via email, while corresponding fees will be paid at the Park Information Office prior to the commencement of photo/video shoot. A printed or an electronic copy of the request approval message will be presented at the gate on the day of the photo/video shoot. The 23.85-hectare NAPWC, under the supervision of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB), is a legislated protected area found in Quezon City. With the passage of the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) Act of 2018 or Republic Act (RA) 11038, an amendment to the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) or RA 7586, the NAPWC became one of the 94 protected areas legislated in Congress, and classified as national park. More than 3,000 individual trees can be found within the park wherein 13 species are found to be endemic to the Philippines including Katmon, Kamatog and Antipolo. Various species of animals also inhabit the park. The arificial lagoon found in the park serves as habitat to a number of fish species like tilapia, catfish and snakehead, among others. It is also a venue for recreational, civic, religious and educational activities on biodiversity conservation, as well as for special and milestone events. Another frequently visited site within the Park is the Wildlife Rescue Center that serves as temporary shelter and rehabilitation facility for confiscated, donated and/or abandoned indigenous and exotic wildlife. The Wildlife Rescue Center also serves as training ground for practitioners and students of veterinary medicine, zoology, biology, botany, and natural science. .....»»
UAAP 81: When the sleeping giant named UP finally awakened
No cheering - that's the cardinal rule for sportswriters during coverages. In collegiate sports, not even your very own alma mater song is spared. Still, on November 28, 2018, I thought this one time could be an exception to the rule. After all, more than half of the Araneta Coliseum had their hands raised in singing "UP Naming Mahal." Certainly, not one more fist in the air could be considered conspicuous. After all, the University of the Philippines Men's Basketball Team was letting it all out right there on the court. Certainly, not one more show of emotion could be out of place. And after all, the Fighting Maroons had just done it. It, being seeing a new dawn after the so-called dark days. FROM FIGHTING TO WINNING UAAP 81 started very much like how many, many UP seasons did in recent memory. There was a lot of hope, no doubt, what with Paul Desiderio in his last year, Bright Akhuetie in his first year, Gomez de Liano brothers Juan and Javi being back for more, and Bo Perasol still at the helm. Only, being a fan of the Fighting Maroons also meant you know full well all of it couldn't be true. History is a lesson to be learned - and from the promise of Migs De Asis, Mike Gamboa, Martin Reyes, and great Filipino-American hope Mike Silungan and the potential of Mikee Reyes, Woody Co, and Kyles Lao, Diliman has learned many, many lessons, indeed. And then, the season started. A season-opening win became a 1-3 standing. A 3-3 record worsened to 3-5. Standing at an even 5-5 in the stretch run then led to winning three of the last four games in the elimination round. And before you knew it, UP, yes, UP was knocking on the door of the Final Four. Could this be it? Or could this be just the biggest disappointment the Fighting Maroons had ever served? FROM WINNING TO LOSING A winning tradition could be taken for granted. Coming from a school down south that was, is, and forever linked to a particular powerhouse, I, personally, was very much used to winning. Even more, I was right there when Joshua (or Dave, as we called him) Webb, Jeric Fortuna, and Jed Manguera led the team formerly known as the Bengals to a breakthrough championship. So, yeah, personally, my tradition was to root for a winning team - be it in the Jrs. or in the Srs. Come college, though, I traded in the shield of green and white for the luntian at pulang sagisag magpakailanman. And hey, UP Diliman is and always will be the best school in the history of man, in my eyes. In terms of basketball, though, it left much to be desired. As I was about to go to college, the Fighting Maroons went winless in back-to-back years. And then, they had three-win seasons when I was a freshie and a sophomore. In all my four years in college, I only experienced eight wins out of 56. So yeah, in State U, there was the exact opposite of a winning tradition. (EDITOR'S NOTE: Don't get me wrong here. UP is a power in many, many sports and is a contender for the general championship year in and year out. Back then, though, forgive me if I only had eyes for men's basketball.) FROM JETT TO PAUL And then, a ray of light shone bright, and brighter, and brighter. I have now grown to love Mikee Reyes - he is a great guy and a good analyst. Back then, though, he was a prime proof of what wasn't working in UP. Here was a talent who had a shot at making a name for himself and taking his team along with him for the ride, but unfortunately, just could not put it all together. Reyes was just one of many, many promising players in maroon and green who didn't have the sort of support that a winning tradition entailed. True to their name, though, the Fighting Maroons kept, well, fighting. And in his last year, Jett Manuel proved that the tides could turn in their favor. Manuel would never be the best player on De La Salle University or Ateneo de Manila University or even University of Sto. Tomas and Far Eastern University. Still, he gave his all game in and game out and grew to be a beloved player and leader in Diliman. He set the standard for the kind of fight a Maroon should have and in his last year, steered his squad to a fifth-place finish at 5-9. Not a finish to be proud of by any means, but for the first time in a long time, there were signs of life coming from State U. And that's when I knew Jett Manuel would be my forever King Maroon. However, just two years later, Paul Desiderio made me question that. FROM THEN TO NOW Definitely, Paul Desiderio is not Jett Manuel. Jett is eloquent and looks like he came from an exclusive private school, which he did. Paul speaks in short but sweet terms and is very much proud of his roots in Cebu. What they both have, though, is an undeniable love for UP and an unwavering determination to lead the Fighting Maroons to where they belong. When Manuel left, of course, the reins went to Desiderio and in his very first game as main man, he proved his worth. I know you know what I'm going to talk about - because this was the time he uttered the words that would define State U from that point onto the foreseeable future. "Atin to, papasok to!" -- Paul Desiderio during the timeout. Moments later...#UAAPSeason80 pic.twitter.com/7yafSpldJM — ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) September 10, 2017 The maroon and green yet again fell short of the Final Four that year, but come next season, a playoff berth was, indeed, theirs for the taking. Downing La Salle in the very last game of the elims, they booked a trip to the next round for the first time since 1997. That would have been more than enough for their long-suffering faithful, but they did themselves one better - actually, two better - and upset second-seed and twice-to-beat Adamson University. Just like that, UP would be playing in its first Finals since the days of Benjie Paras, Ronnie Magsanoc, Eric Altamirano, and Joe Lipa. That day, November 28, 2018, would always live on with me. FROM ME TO YOU As bad as I wanted to break the cardinal rule for sportswriters, I didn't. As bad as I wanted to stay on the floor to listen and live in the chorus singing in harmony, "Mabuhay ang pag-asa ng bayan," I couldn't. When UP made history, I had to go back to the press room and finish my full take on the game. Just minutes before, I honestly couldn't believe the breaking report I was working on in my phone and uploading in our website. Really? The Fighting Maroons had done it. Even with the final stat sheet in my hands, I still couldn't believe it. Really? The Fighting Maroons had done it. Even through writing "those back-to-back wins have set up for them a date with defending champion Ateneo de Manila University in the best-of-three Finals slated for Saturday at the MOA Arena," I still couldn't believe it. Really? The Fighting Maroons had done it. Of course, in the very end, Ateneo was Ateneo and State U had to settle for second-place. Still, there may not be another silver medal that was worth celebrating more. You have to understand that again, this is a team not that far off from its dark days - so, yeah, this silver season was a special season. And so, at the very end of Season 81, when I saw Paul standing on the game officials' table, basking in the UP community's cries of "De-si-de-rio" and "A-tin-to," another chant was playing in my head - "You deserve it." This image, would always live on with me. At the same time, though, I was a firsthand witness to another image that told me this was just the beginning. First Finals appearance, first Finals loss. Fo sho, GDL brothers @javigdl22 and @juan_swish9 will only be better from this. #UAAPSeason81 pic.twitter.com/CMV0JH30rh — No Work Normie Riego (@riegogogo) December 5, 2018 Juan and Javi GDL sat on the makeshift awarding stage while the Blue Eagles were enjoying their back-to-back championships and Desiderio was being serenaded by the Fighting Maroons' faithful. Their eyes were welling up with tears, but deep down there, you could also see their determination to be back, to be better, and to say themselves "Atin 'to" to a championship. FROM HERE ON OUT UAAP 81 was Ateneo's, no doubt about that. UAAP 82, when UP was supposedly stronger, was still Ateneo's, yet again no doubt about that. Actually, the Fighting Maroons were even owned by runner-up UST that year - and those Growling Tigers had a Cinderella tale to tell of their own. And yet, for my money, no team in recent memory has won over everybody quite like Paul Desiderio's UP Fighting Maroons. Maybe, just maybe, that's all because I'm an Isko with student no. 2008-6*1*5. Or maybe, just maybe, it's so good to see a sleeping giant awakened - now knowledgeable of how to build a team and now knowledgeable how to put up support for that team. Or maybe, just maybe, it's so good to see homegrown stars like Diego Dario and the GDLs stay home and play home and to see a foreign student-athlete like Akhuetie shine bright both as a student and as an athlete. Or maybe, just maybe, it's so good to put your full faith in somebody like Desiderio who truly, madly, and deeply believed "Atin 'to" - even though recent history said otherwise. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo. Norman Lee Benjamin Riego has served as a sub-section editor for ABS-CBN Sports' website since 2014. He is among thousands of ABS-CBN employees who will be retrenched on August 31, 2020. .....»»