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SM’s Steven Tan named Winshang’s 2023 International Influential Person in Shopping Centers
SM Supermalls president Steven Tan was recognized as one of Winshang’s Golden Censer Prize winners for being "The International Influential Person of the Year 2023 in Shopping Centers" at the 2023 China (International) Shopping Center Summit in Shanghai on 24 August 2023. The Golden Censer Prize is a large-scale professional recognition of China's commercial real estate and famous brands initiated by Winshang, in collaboration with mainstream industrial media, based on field research, data analysis and media surveys, among others. Tan, who assumed the role of President of SM Supermalls in 2020, has been a key figure in the growth and innovation of the mall chain in the Philippines and China. As president, he oversees mall operations in both countries, carrying forward SM's 65-year legacy of retail innovation and outstanding customer service. SM Mall of Asia Complex Under his leadership, SM Supermalls withstood the challenges of the pandemic and rebounded as the economy slowly opened up amid the global health crisis. With the guidance of the Sy family, Tan made sure that SM responded with an agile, innovative and proactive approach to cater to the needs of all stakeholders, from employees and tenants to shoppers. SM City Yangzhou SM City Sto. Tomas The mall’s strategies -- adapting the tenancy mix, creating novel reasons to attract visitors to malls, targeting new customer segments through innovative marketing and developing omnichannel services -- enabled them to gain the trust and loyalty of modern shoppers during the pandemic. Because of this, SM managed to recover and exceed pre-pandemic revenues and income by 2023. In line with their latest expansion program, SM continues to open new malls in China and the Philippines. This brings the total number of shopping centers, locally and internationally, under Tan's stewardship to 93, featuring a cumulative construction area of over 10.8 million square meters and a daily foot traffic of more than 4.2 million. The latest malls to open were SM City Yangzhou last 28 September 2023 and SM City Sto Tomas, Batangas last 27 October 2023. Tan’s exceptional efforts were also honored by various international organizations over the years. He received numerous accolades including the 2021 Asia's Most Influential by Tatler Asia, the 2022 Asia Pacific Women's Empowerment Principles Awards Leadership Commitment by United Nations Women, and the Global Filipino Executive of the Year at the Asian Chief Executive Officer Awards, just to name a few. His dedication and visionary leadership continue to shape the landscape of shopping centers and commercial real estate, not just in Asia but also across the globe. Steven Tan receives the 2023 PeopleAsia People of the Year Award. Tan shared the Winshang Golden Censer Prize with his two co-awardees, namely Powerlong Real Estate Holding’s Co-president Chen Deli, and SCE Commercial Management Holdings' chairman of the board Huang Lun. SM Supermalls is a subsidiary of SM Prime Holdings Inc., with 85 malls in the Philippines and 8 in China. The post SM’s Steven Tan named Winshang’s 2023 International Influential Person in Shopping Centers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
500 EDCA deals in 2024 pipeline
The United States has committed to more than 500 bilateral military engagements with the Philippines next year, which would primarily feature the stepping up of war games and joint sea patrols. An Armed Forces of the Philippines official described the engagements as encompassing exercises and high-level exchanges between the allied nations on security cooperation and strategic vision, including maritime security, information sharing, and capacity and capability development, among others. The commitments were made during last week’s annual Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board meeting, said the AFP official, who requested anonymity. Meanwhile, AFP Public Affairs chief, Lt. Col. Enrico Gil Ileto, said highlights of the activities will include an increased “tempo” in the joint exercises. At the same time, projects under the Enhanced Development Cooperation Agreement will be scaled up. He said engagements with other key international partners will also be part of the new set-up. During the meeting, AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., and US Indo-Pacific Command Chief Admiral John Aquilino reaffirmed the “steadfast commitment of the Philippines and the United States to safeguard their respective nations and the Indo-Pacific region.” “The meeting was the culminating activity of the planning cycle that assessed previous activities and set out over 500 bilateral engagements for 2024,” Ileto said. Increasing the American role in the maritime conflict with China is expected to be matched by the latter through increased aggressiveness in staking its claim in the West Philippine Sea. Swarming by vessels resumes The AFP Western Command on Saturday expressed alarm over the heightened presence of Chinese maritime militia vessels and the massive coral harvesting at Rozul, or Iroquois, Reef, located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. In a weekly news forum in Quezon City, Wescom commander, Vice Admiral Albert Carlos, reported the “resurgence” of swarming incidents in the West Philippine Sea, with about 40 Chinese fishing vessels spotted as of 15 September at Rozul Reef, which is located south of Recto Bank. Carlos said the latest figure is higher than the 33 vessels spotted on 24 August and the 24 tracked on 7 September. Swarming was also observed at Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, where five Chinese fishing vessels were spotted, and Baragatan (Nares) Bank, with two boats, according to a Wescom news release on 14 September. “But the good news is we also have our presence there,” Carlos said, referring to vessels of the Philippine Navy and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. “So, we are addressing the issue of this swarming,” he added. Harmful harvesting Carlos noted that in July, the Philippine Navy deployed divers to conduct an “underwater survey” of the swarmed area and found “there were no more corals” at Rozul Reef. The military is coordinating with scientists and experts to assess the area, he said, adding that it specifically wants to verify the divers’ assessment that massive harvesting of corals happened just recently. “We saw that there were no more corals. The corals were damaged, and there was debris,” he said. “We are not making any conclusions at this time. It’s a work in progress, but we just want to report coral harvesting in the area where (the Chinese were) seen loitering and swarming.” Keeping the peace Carlos said government troops want to “keep the peace and avoid miscalculations” in the WPS despite the recent incidents. He, however, guaranteed a heightened military presence in the Philippines’ waters. “The presence (of Chinese vessels) is already alarming because we have the sovereign rights in our exclusive economic zone. Now, coral harvesting is still unverified. We are not saying that they are harvesting our corals. We suspect somebody is harvesting our corals, which means they are violating our sovereign rights. We have the exclusive right to exploit resources in the West Philippine Sea,” Carlos said. “For the Western Command, that is alarming, because it might appear that we are remiss in our duty to protect our territory, as well as the riches of our exclusive economic zone. So we are doubling our efforts on that. We are going to address that issue by increasing our presence there,” he said. Joint patrols assessed Carlos said the government is “carefully” studying offers by other countries to conduct joint patrols with Philippine forces. For now, the military is carrying out unilateral maritime patrols in the WPS, he said, adding that these are being “jointly conducted with the Philippine Coast Guard and the BFAR, not with any foreign country.” “We are in engagement with whoever offers to help us, whoever shares our desire, our objective to establish a rules-based international order. We are studying it carefully. All the offers are on the table,” he said. More EDCA projects Ileto said Brawner and Aquilino also agreed to hasten the completion of the EDCA projects. There were 32 projects approved. The two officials are eyeing 63 more EDCA projects. “More importantly, it reaffirmed the two nations’ commitment to the PH-US alliance as espoused in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty,” he said. The Philippines and the US military officials also agreed to jointly push for a free and open Indo-Pacific region “against a backdrop of a rules-based international order,” Ileto said. The post 500 EDCA deals in 2024 pipeline appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Australia’s biggest warship deployed in Philippine drills
Australia's largest warship took part in joint drills with the Philippines and the United States in the disputed South China Sea on Monday, as they seek to strengthen defence ties in the face of China's growing military presence. China deploys hundreds of coast guard, navy and other vessels to patrol and militarize reefs in the contested waters, which it claims almost entirely despite an international ruling that its position has no legal basis. HMAS Canberra is one of several ships involved in Exercise Alon in the Philippines, which is being held for the first time as part of Australia's annual Indo-Pacific Endeavour activity. Alon is Tagalog for "wave". More than 2,000 troops from Australia and the Philippines are taking part in the August 14-31 air, sea and land exercises. About 150 US Marines are also participating. Monday's simulated air assault in the south of the Philippine island of Palawan happened around 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the Spratly Islands, where longstanding tensions between Manila and Beijing have flared. "Like the Philippines, Australia wants a peaceful, stable and prosperous region which respects sovereignty and which is guided by rules-based order," Hae Kyong Yu, Australia's ambassador to Manila, said at Tarumpitao Point Airfield. Such exercises were "critical" because "through these we are putting our words into action", she said. The United States, Japan and Australia will also hold joint naval exercises off the Philippines this week. "That's always been the plan," Captain Phillipa Hay, commander of the Australian Amphibious Task Force, told reporters on board the HMAS Canberra. "Those ships have come from Talisman Sabre (exercises in Australia) and everyone is on their way home, it's very normal for us to train in company with partners when we proceed to and from exercises." The drills come after a Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratlys was blocked by Chinese Coast Guard vessels using water cannon on August 5, triggering a diplomatic spat and international outrage. One of the charter boats carrying supplies to the outpost was prevented from reaching the shoal, while the other succeeded in unloading its cargo. The Philippine military has said it will send more supplies to the remote outpost, where a handful of Filipino marines are stationed on a rusty navy vessel. The BRP Sierra Madre was deliberately grounded on the reef in 1999 to check China's advance in the waters. China has demanded the Philippines remove the vessel and defended its actions as "professional". The post Australia’s biggest warship deployed in Philippine drills appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Emergency detected in pre-moon landing manoeuvre by Russia’s Luna-25 probe: Roscosmos
An "emergency" was detected on Saturday during a maneuver by Russia's Luna-25 probe prior to its Moon landing, Russian space agency Roscosmos said. "Thrust was released to transfer the probe onto the pre-landing orbit," Roscosmos said in a statement. "During the operation, an emergency situation occurred on board the automatic station, which did not allow the carrying out of the maneuver within the specified conditions." The lander, Russia's first such mission in almost 50 years, was successfully placed in the Moon's orbit on Wednesday after being launched from the Vostochny cosmodrome in the country's Far East. Roscosmos did not say if the incident would delay the landing, due to take place on Monday, north of the Boguslawsky crater on the lunar south pole. In June, Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov told President Vladimir Putin that such missions were "risky", with an estimated success probability of around 70 percent. The probe is expected to stay on the Moon for a year, where it is tasked with collecting samples and analyzing soil. Cameras installed on the lander have already taken distant shots of the Earth and Moon from space. Russia is seeking to restart and rebuild the Soviet Union's pioneering space program as the future of its long-running space cooperation with the West looks in doubt amid the offensive in Ukraine. Russia said it would go ahead with its own lunar plans, despite the European Space Agency announcing it would not cooperate with Moscow on future missions over its actions in Ukraine. The post Emergency detected in pre-moon landing manoeuvre by Russia’s Luna-25 probe: Roscosmos appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Virgin Galactic’s first space tourism flight set to take off
The long-awaited, first civilian space tourism flight by Virgin Galactic was set for takeoff Thursday, carrying an 80-year-old ex-Olympian and a mother and daughter who won their tickets in a sweepstakes. The three passengers -- Jon Goodwin, 80; Keisha Schahaff, 46; and her daughter Anastatia Mayers, 18 -- will spend a few minutes in space, where they can admire the curvature of the Earth and briefly float in weightlessness. The flight will be the culmination of a nearly two-decade-old promise by British billionaire Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic's founder, to bring tourists into space, giving them the chance to experience weightlessness and see the earth. This mission, named Galactic 02, is the company's second commercial flight. The first at the end of June carried a group of senior Italian Air Force officers who had carried out several experiments on board, rather than civilians making the trip purely for pleasure. Schahaff, a health coach from Antigua and Barbuda, won a contest for the tickets that raised $1.7 million for the non-profit Space for Humanity, which aims to widen space access. Mayers is a student at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, studying philosophy and physics. "I always was interested in space as a little girl," Schahaff told AFP in an interview in 2021. "This is a great opportunity for me to feel alive and to just make the greatest adventure ever." Goodwin is an adventurer who competed in the 1972 Olympic games as a canoeist for Britain. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2014 and will be the second person with the condition to travel to space. Virgin Galactic's spaceflights involve a giant, twin-fuselage carrier aircraft that takes off from a runway, gains altitude, then drops a rocket-powered spaceplane that soars into space. The passengers experience a few minutes of weightlessness at around 53 miles (85 kilometers) above sea level before the spacecraft glides back to Earth. Founded in 2004, Virgin Galactic has sold around 800 tickets for seats on future commercial flights -- 600 between 2005 and 2014 for $200,000 to $250,000, and 200 since then for $450,000 each. Virgin Galactic competes in the "suborbital" space tourism sector with billionaire Jeff Bezos's company Blue Origin, which has already sent 31 people into space using a vertical lift-off rocket. But since an accident in September 2022 during an unmanned flight, Blue Origin's rocket has been grounded. The company promised in March to resume spaceflight soon. The post Virgin Galactic’s first space tourism flight set to take off appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A flying fiasco
Gokongwei-owned Cebu Pacific Air has proven time and again that it is more interested in counting its profits than upholding its duty to the public. As irate passengers lined up to air their grievances during congressional investigations, it has become evident that Cebu Pacific’s approach to customer service is nothing short of a disaster. The tales of woe begin with the grim reality of overbooking, a practice that seems to have become the signature move of the budget behemoth. Countless passengers have found themselves heartlessly cast aside, denied the right to board their flights, while Cebu Pacific’s rapacity for more revenue reached obscene heights. As these passengers shared their nightmarish experiences, Cebu Pacific’s customer service had been exposed as a mere façade, masking the truth of their disdain for the people they are meant to serve. “Everyone should fly,” Cebu Pacific says. Yes, everyone should fly away from an airline that is a veritable circus of excuses for delays and cancellations. The airline’s explanations for rebooked flights are nothing short of outrageous insults to the intelligence of their customers, each excuse more pathetic than the last. Lightning strikes and bird collisions may be acts of nature, but Cebu Pacific’s callous disregard for its passengers’ well-being is an act of corporate mischief. And the airline’s people at its check-in counters have apparently been coached to lie. A group of journalists hustling back to Manila from a provincial coverage to catch and cover President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address discovered this for themselves. All were supposed to board a 5:30 p.m. flight, but one photographer was rebooked for the next day, while another was told to board the 10:30 p.m. flight. Explaining at the airline’s check-in counter that they could not afford to be offloaded, the journalists were told that a smaller plane than the one they were booked on was dispatched. Allegedly, the bigger plane encountered mechanical problems and did not leave Manila. Then the check-in staff started playing the guilt-laying game, saying: “We cannot sacrifice the safety of the other passengers by accommodating more people than the smaller plane’s carrying capacity.” “But who told you to sacrifice anyone?” one of the journalists retorted. “What we want to know is how on earth Cebu Pacific chose us to be the ones to be off-loaded. And why are we being told only now, just a couple of hours away from our scheduled flight?” Cebu Pacific’s check-in staffer then mouthed what we presume to be the routine argument-ender they’d been given as a tired script — that they could do nothing about the problem except to find other flights for the off-loaded who may then file a complaint with their customer care department. To the chagrin of the photographer and reporter, they were told by their colleagues who were lucky enough not to be taken off the 5:30 p.m. flight that, yes, the original plane that was supposed to fly them back to Manila was the very same plane they boarded. What happened to the smaller plane? Lies, lies, lies. The question that looms larger than an Airbus A380 is this: How can an airline that rakes in billions in revenue conveniently blame external factors for its failures? “Freak incidents” do not occur with such alarming regularity, and when they do, a responsible and reputable airline has contingencies in place to mitigate their impact on passengers. Cebu Pacific booked a net income of P1.08 billion in the first quarter of this year, tripling its revenue to P20.88 billion from P6.71 billion in the same period last year, during which it recorded a net loss of P7.6 billion. But the carrier’s return to profitability, alas, has been at the expense of customers forced to book hotel rooms at their own expense or sleep on airport floors. To add insult to injury, the Civil Aeronautics Board and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines have failed miserably in their oversight of Cebu Pacific and other erring airlines. Their inaction amounts to a dereliction of duty, leaving passengers vulnerable to the whims and caprices of a budget carrier that cares only for its bottom line. It is high time for Congress to wield its power and act decisively to protect the rights of the flying public. Rep. Rufus Rodriguez’s call for the suspension of Cebu Pacific’s legislative franchise echoes the sentiments of millions who have suffered at the hands of this budget airline. A suspension will send a clear message that reckless indifference and incompetence will not be tolerated, and the privilege of serving the public will be revoked if the airline fails to meet its obligations. We will not be saddled with Cebu Pacific’s flying fiasco. The post A flying fiasco appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Five survive helicopter crash
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Authorities reported on Friday that a helicopter carrying a pilot and four passengers crashed at Sitio Balabagon, Poblacion in Lantapan town, Bukidnon province on Thursday. Initial reports from the Lantapan Fire Station disclosed that while all survived the crash, one passenger identified as Carmelo Paras was reportedly injured. The pilot was identified as Jared Hoewing who was flying the Philippine Adventist Medical Aviation Services helicopter while the other passengers were identified as Daria Kiayn, also a foreigner, Alan Martinez and Gary Soria. The Lantapan Municipal Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office said that they responded to the incident along with personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection following the crash at the banana plantation in the town. In the report, Paras sustained injuries in the shoulder and left leg and could not stand. In a statement, PAMAS said Hoewing was piloting at around 3,000 feet altitude when the helicopter began losing power and had to do an emergency landing. “As we consider this incident, we want to praise God for his goodness in sparing the lives of all on board. We trust that the Lord will continue to hold this ministry in his hand,” the group said. According to the passengers, the chopper’s engine overheated which forced the pilot to crash land at the banana plantation. The post Five survive helicopter crash appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tainted love: Misinformation drives ‘vaccine-free’ dating
In a private dating group on Facebook, Renee flaunts herself to like-minded singles as a fit, adventurous Kizomba dancer who at 35 exudes "inner child vibes." But her main draw? She is unvaccinated. The Covid-19 pandemic may have receded, but dating apps, websites and social media groups still offer to unite vaccine-hating singles who believe debunked falsehoods such as that coronavirus jabs alter DNA or cause infertility. The trend underscores how anti-vaccine sentiment has become an entrenched identity for many who willfully resist or ignore scientific assertions that inoculations saved tens of millions of lives globally when the pandemic was raging. A prospective match's vaccination status determines compatibility not just for Renee, a self-employed Australian, but for many posting in "unvaxed singles" groups that have cropped up on Facebook. Dating decisions there are driven by chemistry but not science. In one closed group breached by AFP, many listed "no jabbies" as their top dating criteria, while others cheered anti-vaccine advocates as "pure blood freedom fighters." One meme popular in the group described their ideal partner: "She's curvy, funny, intelligent, unvaccinated." It demonstrates how the pandemic turned rejecting vaccines from a personal health decision to the way "people express their personal brand," said Timothy Caulfield, a professor at the University of Alberta in Canada. "It shows how high the walls of their echo chambers are. Being anti-vaccine has become an ideological flag -- a way to demonstrate which team you belong to," Caulfield told AFP. "It is less and less about science and more and more about the values being antivax signal." 'Swipe left' According to a 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center, about half of US adults who used a dating site or app said it was important to see the vaccination status on profiles. "Why is your vaccination status such a big deal? I've even seen it listed as a 'dealbreaker' on some profiles," said a post in a dating discussion group on the online messaging board Reddit. "The profiles I see most state the following: 'if you're vaccinated then please swipe left.'" Some comments in the group referred to vaccinated singles as people carrying "biological weapons," an apparent reference to the debunked claim the vaccinated spread "super strain" variants. Vaccine falsehoods often overlap with other types of misinformation, introducing believers to those espousing the QAnon conspiracy theory and anti-LGBTQ narratives. "Studies have consistently shown that if a person is anti-vaccine – or unvaccinated – you can make a strong guess about that person's positions on a host of other issues," Caulfield said. Spreading falsehoods can also be profitable. The Florida-based Wellness Company sells a detoxification supplement that it claims counteracts the harmful effects of coronavirus jabs, destroying spike proteins to get back "that pre-Covid feeling." But experts and public health authorities told AFP's fact-checkers there is no evidence the nearly $65 supplement does that. The same company also backs a dating website for unvaccinated people called Unjected. Before being accepted, its members are required to have their "vaccination status certified by a medical professional," according to the website. In 2021, US media reported the Unjected app, dubbed as the "Tinder for anti-vaxers," was removed from Apple's App Store over Covid-19 misinformation. A slew of similar apps for unvaccinated singles are available on the Google Play Store. One such platform is called Unjabbed, whose user reviews expressed concern about bugs and phone hacking attempts after the app was downloaded. 'Tall, dark, handsome' At the height of the pandemic in 2021, conventional online dating platforms including Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid sought to boost vaccinations. As part of a White House-backed effort, many platforms allowed users to create badges displaying vaccination status, with OkCupid calling the inoculated the "new tall, dark and handsome." Users who were vaccinated or planned to be saw a spike in matches and engagement, OkCupid said in a blog, adding the "vaccine is really helping people find love." But any future inoculation drive could be jeopardized by anti-vaccine sentiment, which appears resilient even as the pandemic ebbs and travel restrictions are lifted around the world. The allure of finding an unvaccinated partner is reinforced by false social media posts sharing unfounded fears that vaccines can be "shed" or passed onto people through body fluids, threatening fertility. "The only real utility a dating platform like this could have is finding a partner that aligns with your 'medical freedom' views," Katrine Wallace, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, told AFP. "There is no clinical reason to do so." The post Tainted love: Misinformation drives ‘vaccine-free’ dating appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OPAPRU welcomes PBBM’s support to Bangsamoro, amnesty program
The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s unwavering support to the Bangsamoro region and his commitment to helping former rebels in their transformation process. OPAPRU Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. on Tuesday thanked Marcos for mentioning the gains and progress of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao during his second State of the Nation Address on 24 July. "What we have witnessed… is President Marcos' genuine sincerity in implementing all the signed peace agreements, and his commitment to bring sustainable peace throughout the country. This is true to his mantra of unity towards national healing and reconciliation," Galvez said after Marcos cited BARMM’s progress and effective self-governing. Galvez recalled that just less than two months into his administration, Marcos administered the oath of office to 80 newly reappointed members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority on 12 August 2022. This is the first time that the composition of the BTA includes members of the Moro National Democratic Front, particularly from the group of its founding chairman Nur Misuari. In his speech, Marcos emphasized the great potential of the region and stressed that "through the BARMM, we have strengthened the nation’s prospects for finally achieving sustainable progress anchored on a true and lasting peace in Southern Philippines. We will continue to support the progress of the BARMM, apace with our singular vision for all Filipinos." He said the national government is expanding its energy resources to include the BARMM. On 6 July, Marcos previously witnessed the signing of the Intergovernmental Energy Board Circular (EIB) on the Joint Award of Petroleum Service Contracts and Coal Operating Contracts in the BARMM, which marks another major milestone in the Bangsamoro peace process. The IEB Circular operationalizes the provision in Section 10, Article XIII of Republic Act No. 11054 or the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, to jointly grant rights, privileges, and concessions for the exploration, development, and utilization of uranium and fossil fuels such as petroleum, natural gas, and coal within the territorial jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro. The Circular aims to boost economic development and draw foreign capital into the region. Amnesty program Meanwhile, Marcos vowed his administration would push for the completion of the reintegration process of the former combatants into “productive members of society” by fully implementing the amnesty program for them. Galvez also welcomed Marcos' promise to issue a proclamation that will grant amnesty to those former rebels in the country that have returned to the folds of the law. In his speech, the President asked Congress to support his endeavor on pushing the amnesty program in the country. The amnesty program is being facilitated by the National Amnesty Commission—a government agency that was created on 25 March 1994 by then-President Fidel V. Ramos, through Proclamation 347. The NAC is primarily tasked to receive and process applications for amnesty that were filed through the Local Amnesty Board. In 2021, Marcos’s predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte, likewise, issued Proclamation 1090, 1091, and 1092—were concurred with by Congress and the Senate—to grant amnesty to the members of revolutionary groups who committed crimes in furtherance of their political beliefs which include Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and Rebolusyunaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas / Revolutionary Proletarian Army / Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB). However, the Senate did not concur with Proclamation 1093, series of 2021, granting amnesty to former members of the Communist Terrorist Group that have committed crimes punishable under the revised penal code and special penal laws in the furtherance of their political beliefs. Further, Galvez said OPAPRU will be “carrying out the Marcos administration's five-point peace, reconciliation, and unity agenda throughout his term. Among the agenda includes the completion of peace agreements with the MILF and MNLF towards healing and reconciliation in the Bangsamoro; the Ending of local communist armed conflict by expanding the transformation programs for the local conflict peace process; Completion and sustainment of the gains of the signed peace agreements with the RPM-P/RPA/ABB-TPG, and Cordillera Bodong CBA-CPLA; Enhancement of the resilience for peace of communities and vulnerable groups through social healing and peacebuilding approaches in support of the peace processes; and Enhancement of the delivery of Conflict-Sensitive and Peace Promoting-compliant socio-economic interventions in addressing the key drivers of conflict through convergence and complementation in support of the peace processes. The post OPAPRU welcomes PBBM’s support to Bangsamoro, amnesty program appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
A Moro’s wish for PBBM’s 2nd SoNA
The day after tomorrow being the 4th Monday of July, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will face the nation before a joint Congress assembly for his State of the Nation Address. He will be performing the constitutionally mandated ritual of informing the Filipinos about the country’s political, financial and social condition, and about his future plans. This being his 2nd SoNA, he will likewise submit his accomplishment report card for last year which will be subjected to a surgeon’s scalpel-like scrutiny by gadflies. The politically-oriented public will be all ears to what the President will report. Heavy issues like the environment, the West Philippine Sea, and similar concerns with a global impact will be tackled. But in the Muslim Autonomous Region, Moros wish that something will be said about issues close to their hearts. Hereunder is the bucket list of issues that they hope would be addressed. Foremost of these issues which occupy the minds of Maranaw Muslims is the fate of the compensation promised by the government for victims of the 2017 Marawi siege. While there is a law that mandates its payment, it does not provide funding or the source of funding to implement the law. The burden is shifted to the Office of the President for financing. A yearly appropriation can create problems. A one-time budget appropriation similar to a block grant is ideal. Yes, an amount of P1 billion (a crumb vis-a-vis the huge damage to be compensated) was initially budgeted but it was mainly for the administrative expenditures of the Marawi Compensation Board. The processing of the claims by the MCB is in full swing and pretty soon, hopefully, they will start the process of payment. This presents a huge problem for the Board if the total budget is not predetermined. How will they distribute the money? What will happen if the government fails to appropriate a budget in the coming years (the law says five years) and some legal claimants remain unpaid? What payment mechanism will the MCB adopt? Will it wait for the completion of the processing and pay the victims pro rata based on its evaluation? Will it be on a “first come-first served basis” — the reason there is now a mad scramble by claimants to have their claims processed first? Again, this all depends upon a commitment to provide a one-time budget for the claims. Then it will save the claimants the anxiety and worry of their claims being unpaid. Corollary to this is perhaps a word from the President about Task Force Bangon Marawi. It seems the rehabilitation has reached a dead-end. Nothing is heard about the completion of the city’s rehab, and residents don’t see any ground activity on the projects yet to be finished. Admittedly, the public infrastructure projects promised by the past administration are almost complete, but the national government has an ear-splitting silence about finishing them. In fact, people have the impression the Task Force has folded its tent and become functus officio. A word or two about this will assuage the project’s completion uncertainty. Moros will likewise welcome a word from the President about the speeding up or completion of the decommissioning of the rebels so that they could be integrated into the armed or police forces to legalize the carrying of their firearms in public. Right now, Moros are bewildered about the existence of two armed forces in their area, one from the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the other, the regular defense and peace-keeping forces of the country. As we had warned before, this could be a potential flashpoint that could ignite an armed confrontation at any time. With the barangay and youth elections fast approaching, this could lead to a situation where one group, which has a registered political party, the Bangsamoro Justice Party, will be in an advantageous position with its armed militia allowed to carry their firearms during the campaign and on election day. This column empathizes with the Bangsamoro Governor Caucus which earlier raised this alarm. Will this wish merit attention from the speech writers of Malacañang? Or are the Moros shooting for the stars? As a caveat to my fellow Moros, there is a great chance these issues will not be mentioned as in past SoNAs. Prepare your minds for this possibility. *** amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post A Moro’s wish for PBBM’s 2nd SoNA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rescuers resume search for migrant boats off Canary Isles
Spain's coastguard resumed the search for three migrant boats reported lost off the Canary Islands after suspending an aerial search earlier in the day due to bad weather. In recent days, rescuers have been looking for hundreds of migrants on board three boats that left Senegal in late June and were reported lost at sea by Caminando Fronteras, a Spanish NGO that helps migrant vessels in distress. "The plane left about half an hour ago but so far we have no further information," a coastguard spokeswoman told AFP around 1600 GMT. Earlier she said bad weather conditions meant it was not possible "to conduct a search by plane". Caminando Fronteras founder Helena Maleno said the biggest boat left the southern Senegalese fishing town of Kafountine on June 27 carrying some 200 people, "among them many minors". Kafountine lies at least 1,700 kilometres (more than 1,000 miles) south of the Canaries. The other two boats, one carrying 50-60 people and the other 65 people, had left from Mbour, a town some 75 kilometres (50 miles) south of the capital Dakar, she said. During their searches on Monday, the coastguard rescued 78 sub-Saharan migrants from another boat in distress but it was not one of the three that had departed from Senegal, the NGO said. Senegal denies migrant lost In a statement late on Tuesday, Senegal's foreign ministry denied "reports on social media about at least 300 Senegalese (migrants) had gone missing at sea". "Checks that were carried out show that this information is totally unfounded," it said. It also said that "between 28 June and 9 July, 260 Senegalese in distress were rescued in Moroccan territorial waters", without saying if there was any connection with the boats reported missing by Caminando Fronteras. In a statement on Wednesday, the NGO said it had been able to confirm that the rescues mentioned by Dakar corresponded "to boats that had also left the Senegalese coast but were not those carrying the 300 missing people". The Spanish islands have long been a draw for migrants seeking a better life in Europe, with many boats setting off from the coastline of Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Senegal. But the Atlantic route to the Canaries is particularly dangerous due to the strong currents, with migrants travelling in overloaded wooden boats known as pirogues that are often unseaworthy, and without enough drinking water. Atlantic crossings began surging in late 2019 after increased patrols along Europe's southern coast dramatically reduced Mediterranean crossings. In the first six months of 2023, 7,213 migrants reached the Canary Islands by boat, interior ministry figures show. The post Rescuers resume search for migrant boats off Canary Isles appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM thanks outgoing BSP chief Medalla
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. thanked outgoing Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla on Friday for his decades-long government service and for his strong leadership that enabled the Monetary Board to mitigate the impact of inflation in the country. The Chief Executive expressed his gratitude to the central bank chief in a farewell call. Medalla’s term will end on 2 July 2023. “We have to thank you. Yes. Thank you very much,” President Marcos told Medalla. The BSP chief also thanked the President for appointing him and giving him the opportunity to serve the government as BSP governor. “I’m so thankful that I was able to [work] for you for one year, (at) very critical time,” he said. Medalla added that the country will be in good hands under his successor, current Monetary Board member Eli Remolona who will replace him as the Central Bank governor. Medalla, who served as director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority from 1998 to 2001, has been a member of the policy making Monetary Board since July 2011. He is covering the remaining term of former BSP governor Benjamin E. Diokno, who was supposed to complete the unexpired six-year term of former BSP governor Nestor Espenilla Jr., who passed away in 2019. Among the key BSP accomplishments from July 2022 to the present are ensuring price and financial stability, and carrying out payments and settlements system reform. Under Medalla’s term, the BSP has weathered the impact of inflation and is also making headway on boosting accounts ownership and expanding payments digitalization under its Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap. The post PBBM thanks outgoing BSP chief Medalla appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Desperate search for sub near Titanic with about 40 hours of oxygen left
Rescue teams raced against time Tuesday to find a deep-diving tourist submersible that went missing near the wreck of the Titanic with five people on board and an estimated 40 hours of oxygen left. All communication was lost with the 21-foot (6.5-meter) Titan craft during a descent Sunday to the Titanic, which sits more than two miles (nearly four kilometers) below the surface of the North Atlantic. The submersible was carrying three fee-paying passengers -- British billionaire Hamish Harding, and Pakistani tycoon Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman. The US and Canadian Coast Guards have deployed ships and planes in an intensive search for the vessel, which was attempting to dive near the wreck of the Titanic some 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Coast Guard Captain Jamie Frederick told reporters that the rescue efforts over an area of 7,600 square miles, larger than the US state of Connecticut, "have not yielded any results." "There's about 40 hours of breathable air left based on that initial report," he said referring to the sub's capacity to hold up to 96 hours of oxygen. A P-3 plane from Canada dropped sonar buoys in the area of the Titanic wreckage to listen for any sound from the small sub. The search, initially restricted to the ocean's surface, was expanded underwater on Tuesday. France's oceanographic institute said it was sending a deep-sea underwater robot to aid efforts. In an Instagram message posted just before the dive, Harding said a mission window had opened after days of bad weather. Among the crew he named was Paul-Henry Nargeolet, a veteran diver and expert on the Titanic wreck. Unconfirmed reports said the fifth person on board was Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate Expeditions which operates the tourist dives. The Titan lost contact with the surface less than two hours into its descent, according to authorities. "We are exploring and mobilizing all options to bring the crew back safely. Our entire focus is on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families," OceanGate said in a statement. Mike Reiss, an American television writer who visited the Titanic wreck on the same sub last year, told the BBC the experience was disorientating. The pressure at that depth as measured in atmospheres is 400 times what it is at sea level. "The compass immediately stopped working and was just spinning around and so we had to flail around blindly at the bottom of the ocean, knowing the Titanic was somewhere there," Reiss said. Legendary explorers He told the BBC that everyone was aware of the dangers. "You sign a waiver before you get on and it mentions death three different times on page one" OceanGate Expeditions charges $250,000 for a seat on the Titan. Harding, a 58-year-old aviator, space tourist, and chairman of Action Aviation, is no stranger to daredevil antics and has three Guinness world records to his name. A year ago, he became a space tourist through Amazon founder Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin company. In his Instagram post, Harding said how proud he was to be part of the latest mission. "Due to the worst winter in Newfoundland in 40 years, this mission is likely to be the first and only manned mission to the Titanic in 2023," he wrote. "The team on the sub has a couple of legendary explorers, some of which have done over 30 dives to the RMS Titanic since the 1980s including PH Nargeolet," the post added. Shahzada and Suleman Dawood hail from one of Pakistan's richest families that runs an investment and holding company headquartered in Karachi. Shahzada is the vice chairman of the subsidiary company Engro, which has an array of investments in energy, agriculture, petrochemicals, and telecommunications. Clock is ticking The Titanic hit an iceberg and sank in 1912 during its maiden voyage from England to New York with 2,224 passengers and crew on board. More than 1,500 people died. It was found in 1985 and remains a lure for nautical experts and underwater tourists. Without having studied the lost craft itself, Alistair Greig, professor of marine engineering at University College London, suggested two possible scenarios based on images of the Titan published by the press. He said if it had an electrical or communications problem, it could have surfaced and remained floating, "waiting to be found" -- bearing in mind the vessel can reportedly be unlocked from the outside only. "Another scenario is the pressure hull was compromised -- a leak," he said in a statement. "Then the prognosis is not good." There are few vessels able to go to the depth to which the Titan might have traveled. "The clock is ticking... going undersea is as, if not more, challenging than going into space from an engineering perspective," said University of Adelaide associate professor Eric Fusil in a statement. The post Desperate search for sub near Titanic with about 40 hours of oxygen left appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Underwater vessel exploring Titanic wreck declared missing
A submersible vessel carrying five people to see the Titanic's wreckage in the North Atlantic has gone missing, triggering a multinational search-and-rescue operation, US and Canadian authorities said Monday. The vessel, operated by OceanGate Expeditions, began its descent on Sunday morning and lost contact with the surface less than two hours later, the US Coast Guard said on Twitter. One of those onboard is believed to be a British aviator after he posted on social media about joining the expedition beforehand. The US Coast Guard said in a statement Monday that one of its aircraft was "searching for five persons after the Canadian research vessel Polar Prince lost contact with their submersible during a dive, approximately 900 miles (1,450 kilometers) east of Cape Cod." The Canadian Coast Guard said it too is taking part in the search effort with a fixed-wing plane and a ship sent to the search area. On its website, OceanGate Expedition says a dive expedition to the Titanic site was "currently underway." The company says it uses a submersible named Titan for its dives to a maximum depth of 4,000 meters (13,100 feet). It has a range of 96 hours for a crew of five. In a statement quoted by CBS News and other media outlets, OceanGate Expeditions said: "Our entire focus is on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families." British billionaire and aviator Hamish Harding had on Sunday posted on his Instagram account that he was "proud to finally announce" he had joined the OceanGate Expedition "for their RMS TITANIC Mission as a mission specialist on the sub going down to the Titanic." "Due to the worst winter in Newfoundland in 40 years, this mission is likely to be the first and only manned mission to the Titanic in 2023," added the 58-year-old aviator. "A weather window has just opened up and we are going to attempt a dive tomorrow." It was not known who else was on board. Harding wrote that "the team on the sub has a couple of legendary explorers, some of which have done over 30 dives to the RMS Titanic since the 1980s." OceanGate was not immediately reachable, and Harding's company Action Aviation, contacted by AFP, declined to comment. Different scenarios In its statement, OceanGate added that it was "deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to reestablish contact with the submersible." The Titanic hit an iceberg and sank in 1912 during its maiden voyage from England to New York with 2,224 passengers and crew on board. More than 1,500 people died in the tragedy. The wreckage is in two main pieces 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, under 12,500 feet of water. It was found in 1985 and remains a source of fascination and a lure for nautical experts and underwater tourists. Without having studied the craft itself, Alistair Greig, professor of marine engineering at University College London, suggested two possible theories based on images of the vessel published by the press. He said if it had an electrical or communications problem, it could have surfaced and remained floating, "waiting to be found." "Another scenario is the pressure hull was compromised -– a leak," he said in a statement. "Then the prognosis is not good." While the submersible may still be intact during its dive, "there are very few vessels" able to go to the depth to which the Titan might have traveled. The post Underwater vessel exploring Titanic wreck declared missing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NLEX gears up to improve road infra, quality of service
Now that the pandemic is gone and the restrictions have been relaxed, most Filipinos are making up for lost time by traveling to various destinations, especially during long weekends. Most Filipinos opt to go on road trips to popular destinations in central and northern Luzon, such as beach resorts in Zambales and Pangasinan, surfing resorts in La Union, beautiful parks in Baguio, and historical sites in Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. These destinations are usually accessible via the North Luzon Expressway or NLEX. Although maintaining the road infrastructure and quality of service remains a big challenge, the management of NLEX Corp. through Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. or MPTC continues to invest in various capital projects to continuously improve the road quality and motorist experience. Thus, the recent toll fee adjustment approved by the Toll Regulatory Board or TRB will be of great help to the management of NLEX in carrying out its planned projects, such as improving road conditions and modernizing its toll collection system. The TRB allowed NLEX to adjust its rates effective 15 June 2023. Under the new toll fee matrix, Class 1 vehicles will pay an additional P7, Class 2 vehicles P17, and Class 3 vehicles P19. The new rates are part of NLEX’s allowed period adjustments from 2012, 2014, half of 2018, and 2020, and now 2023 is the fourth and final tranche of adjustments. In an interview, Rogelio L. Singson, MPTC president and CEO, assured motorists they can expect improvements to NLEX’s road infrastructure and quality of service. MPTC will prioritize plans and projects to decongest chokepoints or areas of heavy traffic flow. It plans to build and implement multi-lane barrier-less systems throughout its expressway network to improve traffic flow by 30 percent. The plan includes expanding the roadway at entry and exit points, which are occasionally filled with vehicles. Right-of-way acquisition remains a challenge to the road expansion at several entry and exit points. Hence, NLEX has been coordinating with the local government units and has suggested letting the national government take over these road-widening projects. This way, the Department of Public Works and Highways will manage the budget and maintenance of these roads. “Admittedly, the improvements at NLEX will not be immediate. There is still much to fix on the roads and our toll collection system. Nonetheless, our chairman, Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan, has instructed us to implement these improvements as soon as possible,” Singson said. What is surprising is that critics are actively opposing the latest toll fee adjustment, even though these were pre-programmed and agreed upon by NLEX and the government. Under its agreement with the government, NLEX can file a petition for a rate adjustment with the TRB every two years. The actual increase is manageable to motorists, as NLEX and TRB have staggered the collection, which should have taken place in 2012. Hence, the recent adjustment is a win-win for all stakeholders, such as the TRB, NLEX, and the motorists. The improvements at NLEX since MPTC took over its operations have helped greatly develop the central and northern Luzon regions. The road infrastructure and service quality improvements have moved goods and people much faster and more cost-efficiently, thus spurring the growth of businesses and industries in the regions. The difference between NLEX today and back in the day is also undeniable. Traveling is much faster and more comfortable, particularly with the opening of various establishments along the expressway where motorists can eat and rest before proceeding to their destinations. In the end, motorists also stand to benefit from the latest toll adjustment, as it would allow MPTC to continue investing in capital projects to maintain NLEX’s road infrastructure, decongest traffic and reduce queues, improve its facilities and services, and ensure the safety of motorists. The post NLEX gears up to improve road infra, quality of service appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Unveiling the shabu bust scandal
On 13 June, Secretary Benhur Abalos of the Department of the Interior and Local Government announced that criminal charges have been filed against 50 police officers, including Gen. Benjamin Santos, former PNP-Drug Enforcement Group chief, and Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo. The investigation leading to the charges was conducted jointly by the National Police Commission and the Philippine National Police’s Special Investigation Task Group which uncovered the officers’ alleged involvement in a coverup in the seizure of 990 kilograms of shabu worth around P6.7 billion in October 2022. They were charged with violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Dangerous Drugs Act, the Revised Penal Code (specifically, falsification, perjury, false testimony, and malversation of public property), and Presidential Decree 1829, which deals with obstruction of justice. Much of the evidence was obtained from closed-circuit television camera footage which captured the alleged involvement of police officers in the attempt to pilfer 42 kilograms from the total 990 kilograms of shabu seized at WPD Lending, a finance company owned by Master Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo. The CCTV footage taken on 8 October 2022 corresponded to the day Mayo was apprehended during a drug operation at WPD Lending which resulted in the seizure of the 990 kilograms of shabu. What appeared to be a momentous victory for the PNP, however, quickly turned into a massive scandal seemingly straight out of the big screen. On 10 April, Secretary Abalos stepped forward to unveil a complex syndicated coverup surrounding the shabu bust. For the first time in public, he presented the CCTV footage that revealed a stark disparity between the reports filed by the PNP regarding the arrest of Mayo. This revelation, coupled with multiple reports, prompted Abalos to issue a statement exposing the “massive attempt to cover up” Mayo’s arrest and implicating certain PNP officials in the process. Subsequently, the House of Representatives Committee on Dangerous Drugs and the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs initiated separate inquiries into the anomalies surrounding the drug bust. Mayo and several PNP officials were summoned to shed light on the matter during these investigations. During the congressional hearings, Congressmen Barbers and Acop were able to spot several conflicting details from the PNP officials ranging from the date, time, and place of the arrests of Mayo and his alleged accomplice, Ney Atadero. Among those questioned about the conflicting details were Brig. Gen. Narcisco Domingo Jr., Lt. Col. Julius Olonan, and Capt. Jonathan Sosongco. The three officers were among the 10 ranking officers who were placed on leave after an alleged attempt to cover up Mayo’s arrest was uncovered by the National Police Commission’s fact-finding board. Olonan claimed that only Atadero was arrested at 1 p.m. at WPD Lending in Tondo, while Mayo was arrested in Bambang. Sosongco said both Mayo and Atadero were captured at around 4 p.m. at the Western Police District. The CCTV footage, however, showed that on or about 1:40 p.m. at WPD Lending, Mayo appeared in handcuffs as he alighted from a grey SUV while being escorted by the team of Sosongco who were followed by a black sedan from which Sosongco alighted. This was in stark contrast to what was reported by the PNP that Mayo was arrested by a Captain Piñon. The CCTV footage further showed several PNP officers entering and exiting WPD Lending, carrying suitcases that were loaded into vehicles and on a motorcycle. These vehicles and the motorcycle were then driven to a nearby establishment suspected to belong to another PNP official named Jimenez, where the suitcases were believed unloaded. This Jimenez was a subordinate of Colonel Ibañez of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group Special Operations Unit 4A, who was also listed in the Drug Watch list along with Mayo and Jimenez, whom Ibañez specifically asked to be part of his team. Domingo denied a coverup and said that the senior officers seen in the CCTV footage were discussing their next moves. He said efforts were being made to identify other cohorts of Mayo, recover the pilfered drugs, and cooperate with the Department of Justice in building a case against the suspects. The ramifications of these revelations led former president Rodrigo Duterte to accuse the PNP of being the “gatekeeper” of the illegal drug trade and challenged its personnel to resign. He expressed concern about the significant volume of drugs allegedly passing through the hands of the police, even reaching the level of the generals. Secretary Abalos assured Duterte and the public that they were taking action on the issue of alleged drug ties among police officers and that they were actively carrying out their responsibilities and conducting investigations into the matter. As we delve further into the shabu bust scandal, it is crucial that we remain focused on our ultimate objectives: purging the PNP of corruption, rebuilding public trust, and upholding the rule of law. He should be applauded for his courage in exposing the complicity of senior PNP officials, despite the potential risk to his personal safety from both internal and external syndicates. His unwavering resolve to root out drug connections in the PNP and restore its damaged reputation is truly commendable and deserving of our admiration. The post Unveiling the shabu bust scandal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Poland delays South African security team in diplomatic spat
South Africa said on Friday a plane carrying the security personnel accompanying President Cyril Ramaphosa on a peace mission to Ukraine was held up in Poland, in an incident that sparked a diplomatic squabble. A charter flight carrying security forces and journalists was blocked upon landing at Warsaw Chopin Airport on Thursday, with Polish authorities not allowing those on board to disembark, according to South African officials. "We're deeply disturbed by the experience they've gone through," Ramaphosa's spokesman Vincent Magwenya said in a statement on Friday, describing the incident as "regrettable". The Polish government said some of those on board did not have permission to carry weapons into the country and were thus not allowed to disembark. "They were not given permission to leave the plane with their weapons. They considered that they would remain on board," said the country's deputy minister for special services, Stanislaw Zaryn. Magwenya said South African officials were working to resolve the impasse, which earlier triggered an outburst from the head of Ramaphosa's security, who accused Polish authorities of racism -- a charge Zaryn dismissed as "nonsense". The plane left Pretoria early on Thursday, reportedly carrying about 120 people, in between security personnel and journalists. The group was meant to follow Ramaphosa on his trip to Kyiv as part of an African leaders' peace mission. "They are delaying us, they are putting the life of our president in jeopardy," the head of presidential security, Major General Wally Rhoode, said in an impromptu on-board press conference. "They say we don't have permits, we have permits," Rhoode added, albeit admitting some members of the delegation only had copies of the required papers. "See how racist they are." Magwenya later denied the incident had compromised the president's safety. Mission going 'as planned' Ramaphosa had arrived in Warsaw separately aboard the Inkwazi presidential jet, after attending a UN summit in Geneva, Switzerland. Following a short meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda, he headed to Rzeszow, near the Ukrainian border, and then on to Kyiv by train, according to the presidential office. "Notwithstanding the hitches that have been experienced in Poland... the rest of the mission is proceeding quite well and as planned," Magwenya said. "The president arrived safely in Kyiv." On Friday afternoon, some journalists aboard the aircraft reported they had been finally allowed to disembark after more than 24 hours on the tarmac. It was not immediately clear whether they would be allowed to travel onwards. Magwenya said authorities were hoping the security team would be allowed to join Ramaphosa for the second leg of the peace talks on Saturday in Russia. The post Poland delays South African security team in diplomatic spat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM safe after aircraft technical issue delays flight
Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said on Wednesday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is okay after the plane carrying the Chief Executive for an event in South Cotabato experienced technical issues. In a message to Palace reporters, Garafil said Marcos Jr. had to return to Villamor Air Base in Pasay City to board another aircraft. “The airplane encountered a technical issue, so it returned to Villamor and utilized another aircraft to proceed to South Cotabato,” Garafil said. “The President is okay,” Garafil added. In another message, Garafil said Marcos arrived safely in South Cotabato to grace the province’s Consolidated Rice Production and Mechanization Program. The post PBBM safe after aircraft technical issue delays flight appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rescue dog that helped find lost kids in Amazon is now missing
Six-year-old tracker dog Wilson, who went missing during the ultimately successful, weeks-long search for four missing Indigenous children in the Colombian Amazon, is now the target of a rescue mission himself. Dozens of soldiers are scouring the jungle for the canine hero that disappeared on duty two weeks ago, with the military having vowed not to "abandon a fallen comrade" who may have found the children long before the rescue team arrived. As relief settled in following a happy ending to the 40-day odyssey of Lesly (13), Soleiny, (9) Tien Noriel (5) and one-year-old Cristin, Colombians have been clamoring on social media for the safe return of Wilson as well. #Let'sGoForWilson, #OneIsMissing and #WilsonNationalHero are some of the tags doing the rounds. Colombians have also taken to placing posters in their windows to insist: "Missing Wilson," while others are posting photos of their cats and other pets carrying signs pleading for the dog's safe return. "The search is not over," the army insisted in a statement issued after the children were located last Friday, adding more than 70 soldiers remain deployed in the dense jungle to find the Belgian Shepherd. They include Cristian David Lara, Wilson's handler since he was a puppy in training. Lara, a colleague told the El Espectador newspaper, "does not want to leave until he finds his dog." Added General Pedro Sanchez, who headed the search for the children: "We're going for Wilson, we’re going to bring him back." 'Disoriented' Wilson was the one to find Cristin's discarded baby bottle in the thick vegetation some four kilometers (2.5 miles) from the wreckage several days after the May 1 small aircraft crash that claimed the lives of all three adults on board, including the siblings' mother. As the weeks passed, a team of nearly 200 soldiers and Indigenous jungle experts accompanied by several dogs kept finding signs that the kids were alive: half-eaten fruit, discarded diapers, makeshift shelters and footprints. Then, two weeks ago, "due to the complexity of the terrain, humidity and adverse weather conditions" Wilson must have become "disoriented" and disappeared, the military said in a statement. After his human comrades lost sight of Wilson, however, evidence emerged that he may have been the first to find the children: a dog's footprints were spotted near those of the children shortly before the rescue team got to them. The two older children, Lesly and Soleiny, have since made a drawing of a dog next to a river and amidst trees. Astrid Caceres, director of the Colombian Family Welfare Institute overseeing the children's convalescence, said they keep talking about a dog. Lesly "told us... of a dog that they had lost, that they didn't know where it went, that it had accompanied them for a while," she recounted. 'Fallen comrade' The Colombian army has trained more than 17,000 dogs during decades of internal conflict in specializations including explosives detection, demining and search and rescue. Apart from wild animals, insects and continuous rain in the Amazon, Wilson also risks encountering members of armed groups who remain active in the jungle, fighting over drug and other illegal commerce. Sanchez said Wilson had not been equipped with a GPS tracker to prevent "the enemy" from locating him and his human comrades. In Bogota, homemaker Nora Villa, 55, was one of those closely following the fate of the dog. "Please, may they do everything possible to find Wilson the doggie!" she told AFP on a city street. On the day of Wilson's disappearance, the military had vowed on Twitter to "never abandon a fallen comrade on the battlefield." The search for the children, dubbed Operation Hope, would continue "in the search for our canine Wilson, who... in his eagerness to find the children, got separated from the troops," it said. The post Rescue dog that helped find lost kids in Amazon is now missing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
What we know about India’s worst rail tragedy in decades
India's deadliest train disaster in decades killed at least 275 people and injured hundreds more, a tragedy officials have said was linked to an electronic signal system. While a final report has not been released into Friday night's crash near Balasore in the eastern state of Odisha, local media quoting preliminary investigations have pointed to human error connected to the signaling system. Trains resumed operations on tracks past the crash site on Monday. Here is what we know so far: What happened? The Coromandal Express, a passenger train travelling from Kolkata to Chennai, was diverted onto a loop line on Friday evening and slammed into a stationary goods train loaded with tons of iron ore. The collision flipped the carriages of the Coromandal Express onto another track. The derailed compartments then struck the rear carriages of another fast train, the Howrah Superfast Express from India's tech hub Bengaluru, which was passing in the opposite direction. The two fast trains were carrying more than 2,000 passengers. Trains in India are usually packed at this time of year, with many people travelling during school holidays. What went wrong? Ashwini Vaishnaw, India's railway minister, has suggested the crash happened due to the "change that occurred during electronic interlocking". That refers to a complex signal system designed to stop trains colliding by arranging their movement on the tracks. "We have identified the cause of the accident and the people responsible for it," Vaishnaw said, but added it was "not appropriate" to give details before a final investigation report was completed. Local media have quoted a preliminary investigation report, with the Times of India saying a "human error in signaling may have caused the collision between three trains". India's Railway Board has recommended a high-level probe into the disaster by the federal investigating agency. How many died? The death toll has been revised several times since the crash. Officials had initially reported it stood at 288 but the Odisha state government has since revised the toll downwards to 275 after some bodies were mistakenly counted twice. Of the 1,175 injured, 382 were still being treated in hospitals, authorities said Sunday. However, many fear the death toll could still rise because medical centres are overwhelmed by the number of casualties. It is the worst crash since 1999, when 285 were killed when two passenger trains collided at Gaisal in West Bengal, an accident blamed on human error. India's worst crash was in 1981, when an overcrowded passenger train plunged into a river during a cyclone in Bihar state, killing about 800 people. India's safety record India has launched a $30 billion railway infrastructure modernization in a bid to boost the economy and connectivity, and Vaishnaw said last month tracks were being "upgraded very rapidly". In 2022, India built 5,200 kilometers (3,230 miles) of new tracks, and upgraded or replaced about another 7,500-8,000 kilometres, Vaishnaw said. But analysts say that while accidents have reduced over time, India's antiquated rail system still has a long way to go. An average of 20,000 people died each year between 2017 and 2021 in rail accidents -- collisions, derailments and other causes -- according to official records. A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the country's top audit authority, said derailment was the reason for 69 percent of the accidents. Defective tracks, poor maintenance and old signaling kit combined with human error were the main cause, it said. Indian Railways, the world's fourth-largest rail network, runs some 14,000 trains daily with 8,000 locomotives over a vast system of tracks some 64,000 kilometers (40,000 miles) long. The trains carry more than 21 million people each day. The post What we know about India’s worst rail tragedy in decades appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»