We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Pampered passengers
Adult diapers are getting a “bum” rap and not for the use they are intended. In 2017, morning rush hour passengers on Metro Rail Transit Line 3 were inconvenienced when the train’s southbound service was halted for more than an hour. Commuters could only take the MRT 3 between the North Avenue and Buendia stations. Trains could not run through to the Ayala Avenue Station as power there had been cut following the discovery of an adult diaper hanging from the power line. After the diaper was removed, train safety was restored, and service went back to normal at 7:46 a.m., according to news reports. On 13 October, a Copa Airlines flight from Panama to the United States turned back due to a supposed bomb threat. On the tarmac at Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport, 144 passengers were evacuated from the plane and it was searched by an anti-explosives team. The bomb squad discovered a suspicious package inside the plane’s toilet. Bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in and special forces officers gingerly handled the package — only to find a harmless adult diaper, recalled José Castro, head of the airport’s security team. Thereafter, the Copa flight resumed, landing in Tampa, Florida at 6:54 p.m. WITH AFP The post Pampered passengers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Flight freak
Airlines incentivize flying by giving points to frequent flyers. Accumulated points can be used to get discounts on their next plane ticket purchases. Under such frequent flyer programs, the more a traveler flies, the more affordable her or his flights become as points are converted to fare discounts or even free flights. In a recent report by 3AW, an Australian news outlet and complaint hotline, a man had earned at least 500,000 frequent flyer points. One day, the guy identified as Mike received an online message instructing him to claim 150,000 points by clicking a link. After doing so, his 500,000 points vanished in what could have been an online scam, according to 3AW. A safe way to get FFP points and enjoy free flights was demonstrated by Tom Stuker, from New Jersey, USA. Stuker, 69, simply bought a United Airlines pass in 1990 which allowed him to fly as much as he wanted to. A consultant on running auto dealerships and an avid traveler, Stuker racked up so many FFP points that not only allowed him to fly free but also to get no-charge hotel accommodations, cruise ship trips, and even Walmart gift certificates as prizes. In 2019, Stuker took a dizzying 373 flights covering 1.46 million miles, according to WP. The total fare came to $2.44 million but he didn’t have to pay for it as he used the UA pass. By that year, before the Covid-19 pandemic struck and grounded airlines, Stuker had logged a total of 10 million miles since 1990. The jet setter passed the 5-million mile mark much earlier, in 2009, according to The Guardian, citing Simple Flying data. Stuker’s investment of $290,000 for the United pass proved to be the best one he made in his life with the 33 years of free flights he had enjoyed ever since. The flight pass brought him to more than 100 countries, including “more than 120 honeymoons,” according to WP. His travels covered over 23 million miles, or 37 million kilometers, to date, which was many times over the 953,000 miles the Apollo 11 astronauts covered in their trip to the moon and back in 1969. The post Flight freak appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biggest-ever airliner order marks first day of Paris Air Show
European aircraft maker Airbus got the Paris Air Show off to a soaring start on Monday with the announcement of the biggest-ever order for civil aircraft, as the French president joined a big crowd for the event's return after a four-year Covid hiatus. The 500-plane deal with low-cost Indian carrier IndiGo kicked off what organizers have billed as the "recovery airshow" after the coronavirus ravaged the sector and the biennial trade fair was canceled in 2021. Fighter jets and civilian aircraft streaked across the sky while suited and uniformed delegations, including Ukrainian military officials and President Emmanuel Macron, toured the stands. This year's airshow has a new focus on defence following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as the industry's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, with French President Emmanuel Macron arriving in a helicopter partly using sustainable aviation fuel. Macron called for "restraint" to protect the environment but said measures for aviation should be "reasonable" rather than "punitive", adding that the world shouldn't "give up on growth". Huge traffic jams around Le Bourget airport outside Paris were a testament to the interest in this year's show, as aircraft makers field hundreds of orders and airlines brace for a near-record number of passengers this year. The Ukraine conflict has also prompted countries to boost military spending, which could benefit aerospace defense firms. While Russia has been excluded from the event, Ukrainian military officials toured the huge exhibition space at Paris-Le Bourget airport, some taking photos of missiles on display. Passion for air hasn't disappeared Macron announced that Belgium is to be admitted as an observer to the French-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System program, which is seeking to develop the next generation of air combat technology. Macron, closing a ministerial conference on European air defense, called it a " major development". The FCAS is due to come into service by 2040 but has already suffered numerous delays. Also on the military front, Macron said that France, Estonia, Hungary, Belgium, and Cyprus are to jointly purchase Mistral short-range surface-to-air missiles. "This is a very fine example of sovereign cooperation between Europeans on a range that is entirely relevant and that was not sufficiently covered", the French leader said. There was star turns for the Rafale fighter made by France's Dassault and the American F-35 jet, with hundreds of visitors turning their phone cameras skyward and some plugging their ears against the deafening flypasts. Le Bourget offers a forum to announce deals with some 2,500 firms lining up to show off their latest planes, drones, helicopters and prototypes such as flying taxis. With 125,000 square meters (1,350,000 square feet) of exhibition space -- the equivalent of nearly 18 football pitches -- around 320,000 visitors are expected during the week-long event. "Passion for the air hasn't disappeared, that's good news," said Bertrand Godinot, easyJet's Netherlands and France director. Big deals Along with the Farnborough airshow in England, which takes place in even-numbered years, Le Bourget is a key sales event for the civil and defence industries. Airbus and rival Boeing compete fiercely in announcing orders for aircraft running into the billions of dollars. Monday's IndiGo-Airbus deal covers A320 family planes at a list price of $55 billion. Although closely held actual sale prices are usually lower, it marks the largest ever civil aviation order by volume, hailed by Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury as "an enormous milestone". Airbus and Boeing are also battling to solidify supply chains as they increase production to meet growing demand. The United States has a strong presence with 425 exhibitors, while firms from 46 other nations are present. China, which lifted Covid restrictions only at the beginning of this year, is also represented. However, Beijing is not displaying its first homegrown medium-haul passenger jet, the C919, built to compete with the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX. Flying taxis The airshow also hopes to open a window into the future as projects for flying taxis and other vertical take-off aircraft abound. Several prototypes will be on display as part of a "Paris Air Mobility" exhibition to showcase the latest innovations that developers hope will change how people travel. Macron arrived aboard Airbus' latest helicopter, the H160, in a flight fuelled with 30 percent sustainable aviation fuel before visiting the European group's stand where it laid out its net-zero-by-2050 plan. Macron had on Friday announced $2.2 billion to help develop technologies to reduce aircraft emissions. Air travel accounts for nearly three percent of global CO2 emissions but serves only a small minority of the world's population. With the industry targeting net zero emissions by mid-century, firms are turbocharging efforts to achieve it. The initial focus is on SAF, made from sources such as municipal waste and agricultural waste. But companies are also working to develop battery- and hydrogen-powered aircraft. The post Biggest-ever airliner order marks first day of Paris Air Show appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Iran court jails missile crew behind jet downing
Ten members of an Iranian missile battery crew involved in the downing of a Ukrainian airliner in 2020 have been sentenced to prison, Iran’s judiciary has said on its website. The commander of the crew received the heaviest penalty of 10 years imprisonment while nine others were sentenced to between one and three years, Mizan Online reported on Sunday. The 10 members of the Iranian armed forces were not named. The commander of a Tor M-1 surface-to-air missile system “fired two missiles,” “contrary to orders” and without obtaining authorization, at the Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 shortly after its takeoff from Tehran on 8 January 2020, killing all 176 people on board, according to Mizan. Ukraine lost 11 citizens in the airline disaster. At the time, Iranian air defenses were on high alert for a United States counterattack after Tehran fired missiles at a military base in Iraq that was used by American forces. Those missiles came in response to the killing in a US drone attack in Baghdad of Major General Qassem Soleimani who headed the foreign operations arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. Three days after the Kyiv-bound plane was shot down, the Iranian armed forces admitted there had been a “mistake.” “Given the extent of the effects and consequences of this action, the main defendant was sentenced to the maximum penalty,” Mizan Online added without giving further details. Compensation Iran’s judiciary said in November 2021 that a trial had opened in Tehran for 10 military members “of various ranks” in connection with the jet’s downing. In January last year, Iran said it had begun paying compensation to families of those killed. Arash Khodaei, a vice president of the country’s Civil Aviation Organization, said that “the sum of $150,000 has been transferred” to some families, while “the process has begun” for others. The payment “does not infringe upon (their) right to take legal action,” state news agency IRNA quoted him as saying. In 2020, Iran offered to pay “$150,000 or the equivalent in euros” to each of the victims’ families. Ukrainian and Canadian officials strongly criticized the announcement, saying compensation should not be settled through unilateral declarations. A Canadian court awarded more than $80 million in compensation to the families of six of the victims in a decision made public in January 2022. That same month, an Iranian couple filed a rare lawsuit against three senior Iranian officials over the deaths of their children in the incident, an Iranian newspaper reported at the time. A group of countries led by Canada called in December for an arbitrator to settle claims against Iran, a first step in possibly bringing a case at the International Court of Justice, which victims’ families have long demanded. Iran offered to pay ‘$150,000 or the equivalent in euros’ to each of the victims’ families. The association of families of the victims reiterated Sunday after the verdict that “an impartial, international court” should try the crime. The post Iran court jails missile crew behind jet downing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
United Airlines now flies direct to SFO
Just when you thought of San Francisco as your next revenge travel destination, comes the good news: United Airlines now flies nonstop daily between Manila and San Francisco......»»
North Korea expels American soldier
North Korea has expelled an American soldier who entered the country from South Korea through the demilitarized zone in July. Travis King was escorted to the Chinese border with the help of Swedish diplomats and handed over to the United States ambassador and a senior miliary officer on Wednesday. He then flew out to a US miliary base. “We can confirm that Private King was very happy to be on his way home,” a senior US administration official told reporters. “He is very much looking forward to seeing his family.” Earlier, North Korea’s state news agency announced that Pyongyang decided to expel King, who was in good health. Last month, Pyongyang confirmed it was holding King, saying he had defected to North Korea to escape “mistreatment and racial discrimination in the US Army.” Intense behind-the-scenes diplomacy resulted in his release. The Private Second Class soldier figured in a drunken pub fight, an incident with police and a stay in South Korean jail before he crossed the DMZ. From the jail, King was being taken to the airport in July to fly back to Texas. He was traveling to Fort Bliss for disciplinary hearings when he snuck away, joined a DMZ sightseeing trip and slipped over the border. Pyongyang said King illegally intruded into the DPRK, the Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday, using the North’s formal acronym. The post North Korea expels American soldier appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NAIA rises in rankings of world’s most internationally connected airports
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has established itself as one of the most internationally connected airports in the world. Known by its International Air Transport Association (IATA) code, MNL, it ranked 15th in the top 50 global airport mega hubs and secured the third spot in the top 25 low-cost carrier airport mega hubs. According to the 2023 Megahubs Index by OAG, a leading provider of digital flight information, intelligence, and analytics for airports, MNL has climbed from 29th place in 2019 to 15th place this year in terms of international connectivity. The flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, emerged as the dominant air carrier with a 32% share of flights. In this list, led by the United Kingdom's London Heathrow Airport, MNL also ranks 6th among the top international mega hubs in the Asia Pacific region, following KUL (Malaysia), HND (Japan), ICN (Republic of Korea), BKK (Thailand), and SIN (Singapore). OAG noted, “The presence of seven Asian airport hubs in the Global Top 20 is significant considering the region is still on the path towards a full recovery.” Currently, MNL hosts 40 international carriers serving 58 international destinations. The latest addition to NAIA’s roster in 2023 is ZIPAIR, which launched its first flight between Manila and Narita last July. Additionally, Philippine Airlines has introduced nonstop flights to Perth, and Air China now directly connects Tianfu Chengdu to NAIA. Among the top 25 mega hubs for low-cost international connections this year, MNL stands out in third place, trailing only KUL (Malaysia) and ICN (Republic of Korea). MNL is the home of Cebu Pacific Air, the Philippines’ leading low-cost carrier (LCC), which will be launching flights to Da Nang, a new destination from Manila, beginning December 7th. Thirteen Asia Pacific airports, including MNL, dominate the rankings, reflecting the high level of LCC penetration in South Asia and Southeast Asia. “We are pleased that MNL is able to ride the momentum brought about by the strong and consistent travel rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the LCC penetration in our region. We are likewise grateful for the confidence the international carriers have extended to us. Testament to this is the growing number of applications from various international carriers who wish to operate flights in NAIA,” Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) Officer-in-Charge Bryan Co said. “NAIA being the country’s main gateway makes it incumbent upon us, as the airport authority, to expand the destinations Filipinos, as well as our guests, can fly to and from MNL,” added Co. HK Express is set to launch its inaugural flight between Manila and Hong Kong on 13 October, while United Airlines is scheduled to launch nonstop flights connecting Manila with San Francisco starting 30 October. The post NAIA rises in rankings of world’s most internationally connected airports appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
3 foreign nationals arrested at NAIA
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Saturday, 2 September, the arrest of three foreign nationals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for violation of immigration laws. On 31 August, the Bureau arrested a Thai national identified as Teerasade Phutthichotiruksa, a 43-year-old male, who attempted to depart via a Thai Airways flight to Bangkok, Thailand, but the Bureau intercepted him during a primary inspection. Phutthichotiruksa, according to the BI-NAIA, showed up for his immigration procedures at NAIA Terminal 3 for departure, but the immigration officer found anomalies and irregularities in the stamps placed on his passport. This prompted the BI officer to submit his document for further inspection through the BI’s Forensic Documents Laboratory. The BI forensic team inspected his travel documents and confirmed that the stamps shown on his passport were counterfeit. As a result, Phutthichotiruksa was arrested, read his rights, and immediately transferred to the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, while awaiting deportation. BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that this case underscores the importance of the immigration officers' vigilance and expertise in detecting fake documents. Their officers are trained to spot irregularities and will arrest foreign nationals who attempt to use fraud to be able to travel. Meanwhile, on 1 September, the BI also arrested of two Chinese fugitives in separate incidents. At the NAIA Terminal 3, the Bureau arrested Chen Changdian, 32, after he attempted to depart the country via Scoot Airlines bound for Singapore. Upon primary inspection, the immigration officer found out that Chen’s name was in the BI’s database of derogatory records. Chen is the subject of an Interpol red notice after being wanted for prosecution in the United Arab Emirates for the crime of murder in 2022. Based on the BI database, Chen arrived in the country in May 2022, but his name was only tagged as a fugitive by Interpol in November 2022. While at the NAIA Terminal 1, the Bureau arrested a Chinese woman who was identified as Lyu Yani, 30 years old, after trying to depart the country via a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Bangkok. According to the BI-NAIA, Lyu's name was also found on Interpol's list of wanted criminals. Lyu was tagged by Interpol as a fugitive wanted for the crime of running a gambling house. Both Chinese nationals were transferred to the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City. All three fugitives are currently facing deportation cases, and their names will be included on the BI blacklist, which will bar them from entering the Philippines in the future. The post 3 foreign nationals arrested at NAIA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Shake up targets PAL growth path
PAL Holdings Inc., or PHI, operator of the flag carrier Philippine Airlines or PAL, has appointed new key executives to its management team to further strengthen its corporate structure — a move seen to sustain the company’s growth momentum. The company informed the stock exchange on Tuesday that it appointed Eric David Anderson as the new PAL chief commercial officer or COO. “The Board approved the reinstatement of the position of chief commercial officer and confirmed the appointment of Mr. Eric David Anderson to the said position with the rank of senior vice president,” the PHI report read. Anderson previously served as PAL’s vice president for Revenue Management and Strategy. Before joining PAL, he was the director for Revenue Management and Planning at Amerijet International Airlines in the United States. He was also the finance manager for Customer Service Ops for Amazon Japan, and director for Global Cargo Strategy, Alliances, and Product for US mega-carrier Delta Air Lines. Relatedly, PHI also disclosed that the company’s Board likewise approved the reinstatement of the position of executive vice president who will report to the president and COO. Sustainability key PAL noted that the move will ensure that its operations are sustainably carried out under the company’s business plan. PAL also recently appointed Anna Isabel Villanueva-Bengzon as chief financial Officer last July. Bengzon was a former deputy CFO for Global Business Power Corporation of Meralco PowerGen until July 2023. She has also worked as CFO for MediaQuest Holdings Inc., TV5 Network Inc., and Metropac Movers Inc., as well as VP/head of Investor Relations at PLDT. The post Shake up targets PAL growth path appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
U.S. weekend shootings: Four dead
Separate shootings at a discount store, ethnic festival and baseball game killed four people and wounded nine others in the United States over the weekend. In the latest shooting on Saturday, the suspected gunman, who was not yet identified, shot dead three Black people at the Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida before shooting himself dead during a standoff with police. Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters told a news conference the shooter entered the store wearing a tactical vest and armed with an AR-style rifle and a handgun. Manifestos discovered by the gunman’s family shortly before the attack “detail the shooter’s disgusting ideology of hate,” Waters said, and at least one of the guns had hand-drawn swastikas on it. Edward Waters University, which is near the store and historically a Black college, said in a statement that the shooter had been on campus earlier that day, though no one was harmed. “An on-campus Edward Waters University security officer engaged an unidentified male in the vicinity of the Centennial Library on campus,” it said. “The individual refused to identify themselves and was asked to leave.” The university added that the individual — later identified as the shooter — left “without incident.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation will investigate the shooting as a hate crime, Sherri Onks, the bureau’s special agent for Jacksonville, said. Earlier Saturday, at least seven people were hospitalized after a shooting at a Caribbean festival in the northeast city of Boston, police said. None of the seven had life-threatening injuries, police said. “Firearms have been recovered and arrests made,” they said in a brief statement. In Chicago, two women were shot and injured inside Guaranteed Rate Field during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Oakland Athletics on Friday. One of the victims was shot in the leg and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center. The other woman, 26, was grazed in the abdomen but refused medical attention. WITH AFP The post U.S. weekend shootings: Four dead appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden salutes ‘new era’ of united Japan, S.Korea in face of China
US President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan and South Korea said Friday they saw a "new chapter" of close three-way security cooperation as the Asian allies joined a first-of-a-kind summit that has already rattled China. Going tieless at the bucolic Camp David presidential retreat, Biden praised the "political courage" of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in turning the page on historical animosity. "Your leadership, with the full support of the United States, has brought us here because each of you understands that our world stands at an inflection point," Biden told a joint news conference in the wooded hills outside Washington. Biden insisted the summit was not about China, which has been flexing its muscle both at home and in Asia under President Xi Jinping, including with major exercises around self-ruling Taiwan. But in a joint statement, the three leaders said they opposed the "dangerous and aggressive behavior" of China in maritime disputes in the East and South China Sea. "We strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the waters of the Indo-Pacific," it said. The two US allies largely see eye to eye on the world -- and together are the base for some 84,500 US troops -- but such a summit would have been unthinkable until recently due to the legacy of Japan's harsh 1910-1945 occupation of the Korean peninsula. But Yoon, taking political risks at home, has turned the page by resolving a dispute over wartime forced labor, and is now calling Japan a partner at a time of high tensions with both China and North Korea. Yoon said he hoped to be "forward-looking" and called the summit a "historic day" in bringing a "firm institutional basis" to the three nations' joint relationship. The three leaders also agreed to a multi-year plan of regular exercises in all domains, going beyond one-off drills in response to North Korea, and made a formal "commitment to consult" during crises, with Biden saying they would open a hotline. The leaders also agreed to share real-time data on North Korea and to hold summits every year. Camp David marks the first time the three countries' leaders have met for a standalone summit, not on the sidelines of a larger event, and is the first diplomatic event since 2015 at the resort, which is synonymous with Middle East peacemaking. 'You can never become a Westerner' Even if Biden said the summit did not target China, Rahm Emanuel, the blunt-speaking US ambassador to Japan, took another tone when he previewed the meeting, saying the three nations were defying China with the United States showing, "We are the rising power; they are declining." Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the two economically developed Northeast Asian democracies instead to work with Beijing to "revitalize East Asia." "No matter how blond you dye your hair or how sharp you shape your nose, you can never become a European or American, you can never become a Westerner," he said in a video shared on official media. "We must know where our roots lie," he said. But China's pressure tactics have led to a sharp deterioration in its favorability in Japan and South Korea, which have traditionally been more discreet than the United States in their comments. Tensions have also risen with North Korea, which has launched a volley of missiles in recent months and is feared to respond to the summit with new action. The leaders' joint statement renewed a call on North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and urged all nations to enforce sanctions. As the Camp David summit opened, North Korea said it had scrambled jets in response to what it called a US spy plane's incursion. Global allies The summit also set its focus beyond North Korea and even Asia. Tokyo and Seoul have offered a major boost to Ukraine as major non-Western powers joining pressure against Russia's invasion. Kishida said greater cooperation with South Korea was "almost inevitable" in light of the "crisis" in the world order. "Due to Russia's aggression of Ukraine, the international order is shaken from its foundation. The unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force in the East and South China Seas are continuing and the nuclear and missile threats of North Korea are only becoming even greater," Kishida said. The summit aims to institutionalize three-way cooperation to make it difficult for any reversal by a future leader -- a South Korean president who again seizes on hostility with Japan or, potentially, a return of Donald Trump, who has disparaged US troop commitments overseas as wasteful. To the surprise of many observers, Yoon's embrace of Japan has drawn relatively muted protests at home. Yoon, a conservative, has quickly become a close US ally, with Biden welcoming him for a rare state visit in which the South Korean leader regaled the audience by singing "American Pie." But Yoon is constitutionally prohibited from serving more than a single term, which ends in 2027. The post Biden salutes ‘new era’ of united Japan, S.Korea in face of China appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Canada’s far north speeds up evacuations as fire approaches main city
Residents of Yellowknife in Canada's far north on Friday raced to evacuate ahead of a midday deadline as wildfires bear down on the remote city and other parts of the vast country. Since authorities in the Northwest Territories issued the city-wide evacuation order late Wednesday, long lines of cars have snaked along the lone highway connecting the area to Alberta province to the south ahead of the 12:00 pm (1800 GMT) cutoff. About 1,500 people have so far left Yellowknife, the regional capital, by plane, with an increased number of flights scheduled Friday to evacuate more of the city's 20,000 residents. The nearest evacuation center is 1,150 kilometers (700 miles) away, in Alberta, where several sites have been set up. Crews have scrambled to erect fire barriers as the flames approached Yellowknife, while water bombers have been seen flying low over the city and swooping in to fill up at a nearby lake. Northwest winds over the next two days will send the fire, already close to the city's perimeter, "in directions we don't want," Northwest Territories' fire information officer Mike Westwick said Thursday. Several military aircraft have already been dispatched, along with more than 120 soldiers to help beat back the flames. In what had already been declared the Northwest Territories' largest-ever evacuation, the emptying of Yellowknife now means half the population of the near-Arctic territory will soon be displaced. Several towns and Indigenous communities were also already under evacuation orders. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau interrupted his summer vacation Thursday to convene an incident response group. In British Columbia in western Canada, evacuation orders were also put in place for areas near Kelowna, as a different fire threatened the city of around 150,000. Scientists say human-caused global warming is exacerbating natural hazards, making them both more frequent and more deadly. The evacuation of Yellowknife is the second time a sizeable Canadian city has been cleared due to wildfires since 100,000 residents of Fort McMurray in Alberta's oil and gas-producing heartland were forced out in 2016. Earlier this year, suburbs of Halifax on the Atlantic coast were also evacuated. Canada is experiencing a record-setting wildfire season, with official estimates of over 13.7 million hectares (33.9 million acres) already scorched. Four people have died so far. Waves of smoke have also intermittently descended on the United States, prompting several air alert warnings in large swaths of the country's center and east. The Yellowknife evacuation comes amid heightened awareness about the deadly speed of wildfires after a town on the Hawaiian island of Maui was razed by a fast-moving inferno, killing more than 100 people. The post Canada’s far north speeds up evacuations as fire approaches main city appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Zamboanga swimming vendors
Bienvenidos bonito, bonita! Quetal ustedes? Oh! Dispensa, my dear readers, pardon my Chavacano, I am still practicing the words I recently learned from our three-day trip to Zamboanga City. Why Zamboanga? Well, why not? Zamboanga is, for me, the most colorful province I have visited as I travel around the Philippines, contrary to the stereotype of other people relating Mindanao to terrorism and chaos. Zamboanga is a must-visit on your travel bucket list. As colorful as the vintas along the shores and as vibrant as its people, Zamboanga is really one of the best places to go to in Mindanao. Have you tried their “curacha” covered in aligue (crab fat) cooked in coconut sauce? Or their Tiyula Itum (braised beef or goat soup) which at first glance looks like dinuguan, but voila! it tastes like tinola and curry combined. Oh, I’m salivating now just thinking about it. If you haven’t tasted the food, then you’re missing a part of your life and I’m not exaggerating. Go! Book that plane or ship right now. I was not in Zamboanga for leisure, you silly! I was there to visit the newly opened “Tindahan sa Pantalan” put up by the Philippine Ports Authority, which changed the lives of the swimming vendors of Zamboanga City. Have you seen the episode of a popular Sunday TV magazine show that featured vendors jumping off a port and swimming over 500 meters to board ships to sell their products to passengers? These vendors risk their lives swimming close to a ship’s propeller, jumping off slippery spots on a ship, and risking death and drowning to make a sale and get through the day. We cannot blame them — they are just making a living. They have their own stories like they weren’t accepted for jobs requiring at least a college education. Some have children with special needs, while others lost their jobs during the pandemic, and with children in college, they decided to take the dangerous plunge to make less than P500 a day. And not all of them know how to swim so they hang on to plastic bags and float to the ships. Devastating and sad, right? That is why “Tindahan sa Pantalan” was created. It is the first-ever store at the port, initiated by PPA General Manager Jay Santiago four months ago after he saw videos of these poor vendors. A 200-square-meter area was developed into a safe commercial space with eight stalls where the vendors can sell their goods rent-free. The good news is that these vendors will no longer have to risk their lives out there in the vastness of the sea. They are starting new lives selling food, lutong ulam, and other products at the port. Life-changing and amazing. The once cat-and-mouse game between the PPA and these illegal vendors jumping off the port is now a united and organized effort to help the vendors who are thankful to the PPA they once hated. We need to listen not only to the voice from above but to the voices at the grassroots level. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. If the government can just provide the most needy people with the right opportunity and resources, I think there will be fewer poor families every day. We have a proposed P5.768-trillion national budget for 2024, and by the end of next year, the country’s debt is projected to climb to P15.8 trillion. We hope that ordinary people like these swimming vendors could also benefit from the trillions in the budget. Who should be taking the initiative to create opportunities for these poor vendors? Well, your guess is as good as mine. We need to act more than we talk. We need to know the problems and face them head-on because, folks, no matter how deep or shallow the water is we will both drown if simple things are not addressed properly…. because we are in the same vinta. Special thanks to Zamboanga Port Manager Arcidi Jumaani, Port Police Station commander Supt. Jef Hizolgon and the rest of Task Force Zamboanga for keeping us safe on our ride to Sta. Cruz Pink Island. To Ma’am Tash, Luz, Francisca, Mark, Abegail and others for giving us a taste of the best dishes in town and gifting us with colorful Mindanaoan fabric. The reason for this project, the vendors doing well now, should also be given a shout-out like Josephine, Darwisa and Kuya Wilfrido who gave me and my team a free bag of peanuts which they now sell in Tindahan sa Pantalan. Thank you very much for your kindness amid life’s challenges. You guys are amazing! Just keep swimming, I mean the idiom, not the old way! The post Zamboanga swimming vendors 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......»»
Stocks waver on uncertain rate outlook
Concerns about further interest rate hikes weighed on stock markets Monday even as data pointed to economic fragility in the United States and Europe -- but Wall Street eked out gains to start the week. Investors were spooked Friday by US jobs data that showed moderate hiring but further wage increases, underscoring persistent inflation pressures. Many have been betting the Federal Reserve is near the end of its monetary tightening cycle as it seeks to engineer a "soft landing" for the world's largest economy -- a strategy also being pursued by the European Central Bank. This refers to an outcome where inflation comes down on the back of interest rate hikes, without triggering a major recession. But Fed governor Michelle Bowman doused those hopes in a speech on Saturday, saying "consistent evidence" was needed that price increases are slowing. "I also expect that additional rate increases will likely be needed to get inflation on a path down to the FOMC's two percent target," she said, referring to the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee. Higher rates would increase the risk of broader economic slowdowns on both sides of the Atlantic. Bowman's comments underscored "the growing uncertainty that is not only starting to permeate central bank thinking but also investor sentiment more broadly", said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets. As a result, investors are likely to take a wait-and-see stance ahead of US consumer price data due on Thursday. For now, all three major US indices advanced to end the day, with the Dow gaining 1.2 percent and the broad-based S&P 500 climbing 0.9 percent. The tech-focused Nasdaq rose 0.6 percent, although it was initially pulled off of opening gains. Apple shares lost 1.7 percent after the company warned of further revenue declines, while Tesla also stumbled on news that its longtime chief financial officer was leaving. "Traders are punishing a couple of the most highly-weighted 'Big Tech' behemoths like Apple and Tesla," said Matthew Weller, research chief at StoneX, noting a "mixed" second-quarter earnings season for US companies overall. European markets closed little changed, tracking Wall Street's weakness on Friday and a mixed showing in Asia amid signs of further economic headwinds. Germany's industrial output plunged in June, official figures showed, with the economy ministry warning of a gloomy outlook as high energy prices and interest rates continued to take their toll in Europe's biggest economy. In Britain, average UK property prices fell 0.3 percent in July from June, major mortgage provider Halifax said, as homeowners struggle with surging borrowing costs. "Early economic data has done little to help lift the outlook for growth in Europe," said Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Scope Markets. Elsewhere Monday, oil prices fell after a pre-weekend rally, in part reflecting supply concerns after a Russian oil tanker in the Black Sea was struck by Ukrainian drones. The Black Sea strikes increase geopolitical risks, according to analysts at DNB, noting the "significant volumes" of both crude oil and refined fuels transported via the Black Sea. The post Stocks waver on uncertain rate outlook appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
MCIA explores, India, U.S. markets
The Mactan Cebu International Airport announced that it has started exploring flights from Cebu to India and the United States in coordination with the Aboitiz Infra Capital to check on trade and market opportunities. AIC chief executive officer Athanasios Titonis said that India is an upcoming market for MCIA and described the most populous country with 1.42 billion in population as a market with “huge potential.” Titonis said that in August 2022, the MCIAA -— in partnership with GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation, the Civil Aeronautics Board, and local carriers Cebu Pacific Air and Philippine Airlines — went to India for a country mission. India will be the 12th source international market for the Philippines as beaches in Cebu are the top draw for Indian tourists. The AIC chief also said that they are looking at developing the US market, following the entry of United Airlines, which offered daily non-stop flights between Manila and San Francisco which begins in October this year. The US is one of Cebu’s tourist source markets alongside South Korea, China and Japan. As of June 2023, MCIAA recorded 3.757 million domestic passengers and 1.081 million foreign passengers. MCIA is the second busiest airport in the country and is jointly managed by AIC and GMCAC. The post MCIA explores, India, U.S. markets appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Australia, US open large-scale war games
SYDNEY (AFP) — Australia opened a large-scale joint military exercise with the United States and almost a dozen other nations on Friday, as a senior officer revealed that a Chinese spy ship was following the proceedings. Officials formally launched the biennial Talisman Sabre exercise, involving more than 30,000 troops from 13 nations, including Britain, Japan, Indonesia, Canada and France. The drills come amid increasing concern about the threat posed to the region by China, which is not part of the military exercise. Speaking at a news conference onboard the HMAS Canberra, Australia’s Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant General Greg Bilton told reporters that a Chinese spy ship had been spotted off the country’s northeastern coast the previous day. “We reached out on Thursday and hailed that vessel in the Coral Sea,” he said. “It’ll move down, I expect, and join the exercise or be in the location of the exercise again. They’ve done this for a number of years — we’re well-prepared for it.” He said the Chinese response to Australia’s communication had been “courteous and in accordance with normal norms at sea.” Australia and the United States have made it clear that they have their eyes on China’s activities in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia has announced moves to develop military facilities in its northern region, while also saying that the US military presence there will increase in coming years. A US “Indo-Pacific Strategy” last year announced efforts to work more closely with regional allies to “shape the region around China” to blunt Beijing’s influence. Lieutenant General Bilton said Australian defense officials “haven’t reached out to the Chinese specifically” ahead of the military exercise. He added: “This exercise is about us, it’s about our partner nations, building interoperability, trust and our ability to respond together to whatever crisis might exist in our region in the future.” For two weeks, until 4 August, troops will participate in field training, amphibious landings, ground force maneuvers, air combat and maritime operations. Most of this year’s exercise will take place in the northeastern Australian state of Queensland. The post Australia, US open large-scale war games appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Talon’ Trafficking Victims Rescued in Cebu
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) intercepted five suspected victims of human trafficking on 8 July. According to the BI-CIA, the said victims, who were attempting to board their flight via Philippine Airlines bound for Thailand under the pretense of being tourists, were later revealed to be bound for the United Arab Emirates. Because of the contradictions in their claims, the immigration officer began to wonder about the travelers' motivations. They stated they were going on vacation, and one of the travelers' buddies and a sibling were supposedly paying for it. The victims, however, acknowledged their true location after further inquiry during a subsequent examination. Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that this is a common scheme of human trafficking, wherein victims are made to go to a third country before flying out to the final port of destination. Tansingco stressed the significance of immigration officials' diligence and awareness in spotting potential instances of human trafficking and stopping such unlawful actions. The victims were immediately turned over to the MCIA Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assistance in filing charges against their recruiter. The Bureau of Immigration urges the public to report any suspicious activities or individuals related to human trafficking to the authorities. The BI chief also said that this is a recurring scheme that uses visa-free countries as a jump-off point to other destinations, and they urge all aspiring overseas workers not to accept such offers and report attempts at illegal recruitment to local authorities. The post Talon’ Trafficking Victims Rescued in Cebu appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
North Korea threatens to down US spy planes
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea on Monday threatened to shoot down any US spy planes violating its airspace and condemned Washington’s plans to deploy a nuclear missile submarine near the Korean peninsula. A spokesperson for the North’s Ministry of National Defense said the United States has “intensified espionage activities beyond the wartime level”, with “provocative” flights made by US spy aircraft over eight straight days this month, and one reconnaissance plane intruding into its airspace over the East Sea “several times”. “There is no guarantee that such shocking accident as downing of the U.S. Air Force strategic reconnaissance plane will not happen in the East Sea of Korea,” the spokesperson said in a statement, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. The spokesperson cited past incidents when Pyongyang shot down US aircraft, and warned the United States would pay for its “frantically staged” air espionage. The statement also slammed the planned deployment of US strategic nuclear assets to the Korean peninsula as “the most undisguised nuclear blackmail” to North Korea, saying it posed a grave threat to regional and global security. “The present situation clearly proves that the situation of the Korean peninsula is coming closer to the threshold of nuclear conflict due to the U.S. provocative military action,” it read. Washington said in April that it would send a nuclear-armed ballistic submarine to make the first visit to a South Korean port in decades, without specifying the timing. North Korea has conducted multiple sanctions-busting launches this year, including test-firing its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles, and in May attempting to put a military spy satellite into orbit. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol has ramped up defense cooperation with Washington in response, staging joint military exercises with advanced stealth jets and high-profile US strategic assets. Yoon is set to attend a NATO summit in Lithuania this week, seeking stronger cooperation with NATO members over North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile threats, his office said. The post North Korea threatens to down US spy planes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
North Korea threatens to down US spy planes violating its airspace
North Korea on Monday threatened to shoot down any US spy planes violating its airspace and condemned Washington's plans to deploy a nuclear missile submarine near the Korean peninsula. A spokesperson for the North's Ministry of National Defence said the United States has "intensified espionage activities beyond the wartime level", with "provocative" flights made by US spy aircraft over eight straight days this month, and one reconnaissance plane intruding into its airspace over the East Sea "several times". "There is no guarantee that such shocking accident as downing of the US Air Force strategic reconnaissance plane will not happen in the East Sea of Korea," the spokesperson said in a statement, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. The spokesperson cited past incidents when Pyongyang shot down US aircraft, and warned the United States would pay for its "frantically staged" air espionage. Late on Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's powerful sister Kim Yo Jong said that a US spy aircraft had violated the country's eastern airspace twice on Monday morning, according to a statement. Kim Yo Jong said that the North would not respond directly to US reconnaissance activities outside of the country's exclusive economic zone, but warned that it would take "decisive action" if the US military crosses its maritime military demarcation line. The earlier KCNA statement also slammed the planned deployment of US strategic nuclear assets to the Korean peninsula as "the most undisguised nuclear blackmail" against North Korea, saying it posed a grave threat to regional and global security. "The present situation clearly proves that the situation of the Korean peninsula is coming closer to the threshold of nuclear conflict due to the US provocative military action," it read. Washington said in April that it would send a nuclear-armed ballistic submarine to make the first visit to a South Korean port in decades, without specifying the exact timing. North Korea has conducted multiple sanctions-defying launches this year, including test-firing its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles, and in May attempting to put a military spy satellite into orbit. South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol has ramped up defense cooperation with Washington in response, staging joint military exercises with advanced stealth jets and powerful US strategic assets. Yoon is set to attend a NATO summit in Lithuania this week, seeking stronger cooperation with NATO members over North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats, his office said. The post North Korea threatens to down US spy planes violating its airspace appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»