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Paris Fashion Week opens with drama and dashes of humor
Paris is the last of the big four fashion weeks in the busy September calendar that sees back-to-back events in London, New York, and Milan. The biggest story this season has been a new creative director at Gucci. The debut by Sabato de Sarno in Milan on Friday was a relatively low-key affair but gave a boost to the share price of French parent company Kering, which has been struggling lately to keep up with its major rival, LVMH. The first day of Paris Fashion Week always focuses on emerging designers and there was excitement this year about avant-garde newcomer Marie Adam-Leenaerdt from Belgium, who brought a dash of much-needed humor to the opening show. It opened with a chorus singing "Let's go to the beach!" only to follow it with a series of decidedly un-beachy gray, formal, and structured outfits before introducing some more summery Barbie pink and sky-blue dresses. "There's something very Belgian about it," the 27-year-old designer told AFP backstage. "It's important for me to play with the codes and have some paradoxes." Also showing on Monday was Victor Weinsanto, a former classical dancer who trained in fashion with Jean Paul Gaultier and loves to bring cabaret to the catwalk. There were doses of humor -- opening with an extravagant wedding gown that he said was designed for "a woman who gets married entirely in Swarovski". But he also showed a more serious side, with structured and chic pieces alongside more offbeat items like hooded suit jackets. Far from a newcomer, but long absent from the official line-up in Paris, is Pierre Cardin, which returned to the catwalk for the first time in 25 years last season and was back with a glamorous show on Monday night. The label's founder died in 2020 and his nephew Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin is currently in charge but is embroiled in a bitter succession dispute with family members who have accused each other of fraud and other crimes. The post Paris Fashion Week opens with drama and dashes of humor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Court to deliver verdict on hacker behind biggest leak in football history
A Portuguese court was due on Monday to deliver its verdict on hacker Rui Pinto, whose flood of "Football Leaks" revelations exposed dirty dealings in international football. It was the biggest information leak in sports history and sparked criminal investigations in Belgium, Britain, France, Spain and Switzerland. The verdict, which has been postponed several times, was due to be delivered at a hearing in Lisbon starting at 2:30 pm (1330 GMT). Pinto, 34, is charged with 89 hacking offences, and with attempted extortion, a crime punishable in Portugal by between two and 10 years in prison. He argues he is a whistleblower, whose actions exposed underhand dealings involving top football stars, clubs and agents. Between 2015 and 2018, he shared 18.6 million documents on the internet and with a consortium of European newspapers, which published details. The revelations shook the football world. They included the salaries of Lionel Messi and Neymar, an accusation of rape against Cristiano Ronaldo, alleged financial sleight of hand at Manchester City and ethnic profiling at Paris Saint Germain. Defendant and witness Pinto is both a defendant and a protected witness in Portugal. When his trial began in September 2020, Pinto told the court he had been shocked by what he had discovered and was proud of bringing it to public knowledge. But he has admitted he used illegal means to obtain documents. His alleged victims include top Portuguese football club Sporting Lisbon, the Portuguese Football Federation, lawyers, magistrates and Doyen Sports -- a Malta-based investment fund run by Kazakh-Turkish oligarchs. Pinto was arrested in Hungary in 2019 and extradited to Portugal, where he spent a year behind bars before agreeing to cooperate with the Portuguese authorities on other cases, giving them access to encrypted documents he had obtained. The French authorities have also sought his cooperation over the "Luanda Leaks", a release of 715,000 documents providing compromising information on Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos, daughter of former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos. Dos Santos, once the richest woman in Africa, has faced several court cases on charges she syphoned billions of dollars from Angolan state companies during her father's four decades in office. The post Court to deliver verdict on hacker behind biggest leak in football history appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NATO naval drills begin as U.S.-Armenia exercise irks Moscow
Thirteen members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Sweden kicked off a naval exercise in the Baltic Sea on Saturday amid rising tensions with Russia as Moscow summoned Armenia’s ambassador over Yerevan’s planned war games with the United States military. About 3,200 soldiers from Italy, France, Finland, Estonia, Denmark, Canada, Belgium, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, the US and non-NATO member Sweden are taking part in the German-led Northern Coasts 23 exercise, Germany’s navy said in a statement. Thirty ships, submarines, up to 19 aircraft and various landing units are involved in the war games, it added. The exercise will take place off the coasts and on the territory of Latvia and Estonia. Russia regularly holds naval drills in the Baltic Sea, often in response to NATO exercises in the area. It last held drills in the area in early August. Meanwhile, Moscow’s foreign ministry said Friday the Armenian ambassador was given a “tough presentation” of Yerevan’s “series of unfriendly steps.” Armenia announced drills with the US military after its increasing criticism of Moscow’s role in the Nagorno-Karabakh standoff. Yerevan, a traditional Russian ally, has increasingly criticized Moscow’s peacekeeping mission in the Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan. Russia deployed peacekeepers to Karabakh as part of a Moscow-brokered deal to end a 2020 war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Russian ministry also said that the Armenian prime minister’s wife traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine, which is at war with Russia, and Yerevan intended to join the International Criminal Court, which issued a warrant of arrest against Russian President Vladimir Putin for allegedly deporting Ukrainian children to his country. Despite the summoning, the foreign ministry stressed that Russia and Armenia “remain allies and all agreements on developing the strengthening of the partnership will be fulfilled.” WITH AFP The post NATO naval drills begin as U.S.-Armenia exercise irks Moscow appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
FDI inflow clocks highest since 2019
Foreign direct investments brought in more money to the Philippines in February primarily due to a rise in funding for debt instruments during that period, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said on Wednesday. Preliminary data from BSP showed that FDI yielded net inflows worth $1.047 billion in February this year, a 13 percent increase from the $926 million recorded in February 2022. It exceeded the $448 million recorded in January. The latest figure is the highest in 15 months, with the last highest recorded net inflows being $1.263 billion in November 2022. FDIs can take the form of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, or borrowings. “The increase in FDI was due to higher non-residents’ net investments in debt instruments, notwithstanding lower net equity capital placements and reinvestment of earnings,” the BSP said. Equity capital placements According to the BSP, most of the equity capital placements during the period were from Japan, the United States, and the Cayman Islands. The bulk of these investments were allocated to manufacturing, real estate, electricity, gas steam and air conditioning supply, as well as financial and insurance industries. However, the year-to-date FDI net inflows amounted to $1.5 billion, 14.6 percent lower than the US$1.8 billion net inflows posted in the first two months of 2022. “All major FDI components yielded lower net inflows as foreign investors remained cautious amid persistent and broadening global inflation,” the BSP said. In an emailed commentary, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said that the net inflows of FDI in February were one of the highest since the pandemic began. Further reopening of economy He attributed this to the economy’s further reopening towards greater normalcy and the absence of Covid-19 restrictions compared to 2020 and 2021. Ricafort also commented that net FDI might increase further in the coming months due to the investment commitments obtained by the Marcos administration during overseas trips in recent months. “The latest investment commitments after the administration’s official visit to the United States in May 2023 ($1.7 billion); state visit to Japan in early February 2023 with about $13 billion; investment commitments worth about $24.2 billion during President Marcos’ visit to China in early January 2023; these could lead to more US dollar/foreign currency inflows, especially in the form of FDI into the country, at the very least; though still wait-and-see for the actual investments to be made into the country in the coming months,” Ricafort said. “These are on top of the earlier investment commitments estimated from foreign investors after the new administration’s recent visits to the World Economic Forum, Belgium ($2.2 billion), Thailand ($4.6 billion), Indonesia ($8.4 billion), Singapore ($6.5 billion), and the US ($3.9 billion; the administration’s first US visit in September 2022); yet to see if these would also translate to actual investments/FDI into the country,” he added. The post FDI inflow clocks highest since 2019 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK, Frank Ocean headlining historic Coachella
Hundreds of thousands of revelers were descending on California's Coachella Valley for the premier desert arts festival that kicks off Friday, which for the first time won't feature a white headliner. Reggaeton titan Bad Bunny, K-pop superstars BLACKPINK and the influential but reclusive R&B artist Frank Ocean will top the 2023 edition of Coachella, the mammoth event that takes place over two three-day weekends and traditionally kicks off the year's summer concert circuit. It's set to be a history-making weekend, with Bad Bunny -- the globe's most-streamed artist -- as the first Spanish-language and first Latin American act to headline. And K-pop group BLACKPINK of South Korea is the first Asian act to receive a top billing at the festival. Both acts debuted at Coachella in 2019 to great fanfare, teeing up an eventual headlining slot. Ocean -- thought to be the first out queer man to headline the festival -- was originally booked as a top-billed act for the 2020 edition, which organizers postponed and eventually scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The acclaimed R&B artist, who hasn't released an album since 2016's "Blonde," is anticipated to debut new work at this year's festival. The headliners -- in particular Puerto Rico's Bad Bunny, who is by most measures the world's biggest contemporary artist -- are some of the buzziest in years, since Beyonce shut down the stage in 2018 with her revered "Homecoming" show. But despite their undeniable star power there was some surprise among industry-watchers and fans that Bad Bunny or BLACKPINK nabbed the top slots. That take is misguided according to Vanessa Diaz, a professor at Loyola Marymount University who teaches the course "Bad Bunny and Resistance in Puerto Rico." "They're surprised because they don't view this as mainstream American culture," she said. "People were in disbelief because this seems so not a representation of mainstream American popular music in the way that Coachella has represented that before." 'Public demand' The weekend is set to host perhaps the most international lineup Coachella has ever booked, including Spanish phenomenon Rosalia, Iceland's Bjork and Nigeria's Burna Boy. Belgium's Angele is slated to make her Coachella debut, as France's Christine and the Queens, who has been performing under the name Redcar, will also return after wowing audiences in 2019. And the elusive electronic producer Jai Paul will play his first public performance ever. Domi and JD Beck, the rising jazz duo comprised of a French keyboardist and American drummer, will also take the stage, months after they made a splash in Los Angeles as Grammy nominees. Diljit Dosanjh will become the first Punjabi singer to perform at Coachella, as Pakistani singer, songwriter and composer Ali Sethi will also play a set. For CedarBough Saeji, a professor of Korean and East Asian studies who specializes in K-pop, the festival lineup emphasizing the hottest acts from across the globe is long overdue. "The American music industry, the American decision-makers, are not necessarily the biggest risk-takers," she told AFP. "They want to follow clear indication of public demand, as opposed to sticking their necks out." English virtual band Gorillaz will also perform, as will New Wave pioneers Blondie and the American indie rock supergroup boygenius, which includes Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker. Beyond the supernova that is Bad Bunny, the weekend will once again see a strong showing from Latinos, including but not limited to Los Angeles native Becky G, rapper Eladio Carrion, Argentina's Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, and the Grammy-winning Kali Uchis. Coachella will take place over two three-day weekends, from April 14-16 and 21-23. And OG rock fans will get a special treat: Blink-182 announced just this week it will play a set Friday, the first time the pop punk group will perform with its original lineup in nearly a decade. The post Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK, Frank Ocean headlining historic Coachella appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Belgium tops first FIFA rankings since pandemic shutdown
ZURICH — The first FIFA men’s world rankings for five months were still led by Belgium on Thursday after the shutdown of European teams during the coronavirus pandemic ended in September. Belgium leads an unchanged top four nations from 2018 World Cup winner France, Brazil — which has yet to play in 2020 — and […] The post Belgium tops first FIFA rankings since pandemic shutdown appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Philippines beats India for back-to-back wins in women’s Asia ice hockey tiff
The Philippine women’s ice hockey team picked up where they left off after their opening win in the 2024 IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Cup with a 7-0 shutout of India at the Bishkek Arena in Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday......»»
PNVF forms coaching sataff for world meet
Seasoned coach Dante Alinsunurin will make a comeback as one of the deputies for the national men’s team as host Philippines pulls out all the stops to parade a competitive squad against the best of the best in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championships 2025......»»
Creamline still team to beat
Creamline’s dramatic, come-from-behind 26-28, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 16-14 win over Cignal Tuesday night at the PhilSports Arena showed that it’s still the superpower in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.....»»
Revisiting Uniteam (Last of 2 parts)
THE Uniteam coalition of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, described by many political analysts as the "dream team", had come a long way since sweeping the 2022 elections......»»
Roque: Xi, Duterte agreed to keep West Philippines Sea status quo
The Philippines under former president Rodrigo Duterte had a “gentleman’s agreement” with China to keep the status quo in the West Philippine Sea, a former Cabinet official said yesterday, as fresh tensions surround the WPS due to recent incursions by Beijing that targeted a Filipino resupply mission and a research team......»»
Rest of PVL catching up to perenially dominant Cool Smashers?
Creamline’s dramatic come-from-behind 26-28, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 16-14 win over Cignal Tuesday night at the PhilSports Arena showed it remained the team-to-beat in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference......»»
Alinsunurin appointed Philippine men’s volleyball assistant coach
Seasoned mentor Dante Alinsunurin will make a comeback as one of the deputies for the national men’s team as the host Philippines pulls out all the stops to parade a competitive squad against the best of the best in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championships 2025......»»
Boxing trainer Domingo is confident Jerusalem will upset Shigeoka
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Veteran boxing trainer, Michael Domingo of ZIP Sanman Boxing Team, is confident that his prized ward Melvin “Gringo” Jerusalem will make a repeat of the latter’s January 2023 world title victory in Japan. The Cebu-based Jerusalem will face the defending World Boxing Council (WBC) world minimumweight champion, Yudai Shigeoka, in Nagoya,.....»»
Team Vice, Team Anne bardagulan sa Family Feud; bakit wala si Karylle?
TULOY na tuloy na ang bakbakan ng mga “It’s Showtime” hosts sa Kapuso game show na “Family Feud” hosted by Dingdong Dantes. Nakapag-taping na last Saturday ang mga taga-“Showtime” sa naturang programa kung saan hinati sila sa dalawang grupo — ang Team Vice Ganda at Team Anne Curtis. Ka-join sa Team Vice sina Jhong Hilario,.....»»
Down Under Promotions supports ICC Bluehawks and BPBL
CEBU CITY, Philippines —The Sydney-bound Immaculada Concepcion College (ICC) Bluehawks senior men’s basketball team has earned the support of Down Under Promotions Sports and Events in their preparation for the Australian Chinese Basketball Association (ACBA). To recall, the ICC Bluehawks will represent the Philippines in the upcoming ACBA, which kicks off tomorrow. Besides the Philippines,.....»»
Mayor orders probe on alleged consumption of confiscated fish by CLO Enforcement Team
Mayor orders probe on alleged consumption of confiscated fish by CLO Enforcement Team.....»»
Army troops kill BIFF training officer in Maguindanao clash
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 25 March) – Philippine Army troops killed an alleged ranking member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) during an encounter in Maguindanao del Sur last Friday. Brig. General Jose Vlademir Cagara, commander of the Army’s 1st Brigade Combat team, said troops killed Abu Halil, a training officer of the […].....»»
Training on COA compliance for government institutions
To guide government institutions on their compliance with the Commission on Audit Circular 2020-006, the Center for Global Best Practices will be launching a two-session online training titled “COA Guidelines and Procedures for One-Time Cleansing of Property, Plant and Equipment Account Balances” on April 18 and 19, 2024 from 1:30 to 4:45 p.m. via Zoom......»»
Saintfiet confident, hopes for ‘miracle’ as PH men’s football team hosts Iraq
Hoping to take advantage of playing at home, the Philippine men's football team targets a breakthrough win in the joint qualifiers of the FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup as it battles favored Iraq.....»»