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Jaishankar calls on Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong, values his perspective on current state of world
Singapore, March 25 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday and conveyed the greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jaishankar valued Lee Hsien Loong's perspectives on the current state of the world. In a post on X, Jaishankar stated, "Honoured to call on Prime Minister @leehsienloongat The Istana. Conveyed the personal greetings of PM @narendramodi. V.....»»
From the Newsrooms: March 10 to 16, 2024
THE STATE of the ruling alliance has taken back the news spotlight as the President and his predecessor engaged in yet another sharp exchange, suggesting that all is not well in Team Unity. The depth of hostility between the two remains the subject of public speculation.The media this week reported yet another back-and-forth between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the former president, Rodrigo Duterte. The ex.....»»
US State Secretary Blinken begins Middle East tour, marks his first stop in Saudi Arabia
Jeddah [Saudi Arabia], March 21 (ANI): US State Secretary Antony Blinken who began his Middle East tour arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, marking his first stop on this trip to discuss efforts to reach an "immediate ceasefire agreement" between Israel and Hamas, The New York Times reported. Blinken's visit to Jeddah came as US President Joe Biden's administration was hoping it could convince Saudi Arabia to establish.....»»
Child with Cancer from Zamboanga del Norte Calls for Help
A four-year-old girl from Brgy. Poblacion, Siayan, Zamboanga del Norte is calling for financial assistance to help sustain her chemotherapy treatment. Lucille Jhen Dionaldo was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) last September 19, 2023, 2 months after she celebrated her 4th birthday. Her symptoms started to manifest weeks prior to her diagnosis as pallor,.....»»
Toxic? Britney tells of troubles in new memoir
Britney Spears, the dewy-eyed child star who became a global pop phenomenon and then melted down in full view of the world, tells her story Tuesday with the release of her already bestselling memoir. "The Woman In Me" is the pop princess in her own, unvarnished words, shot through with the anguish of a family she believes has failed her at every step of the way, in an industry that mercilessly devours its talent. From sharing daiquiris with her mother as a young teenager -- two years after she became a regular on "The Mickey Mouse Club" -- to the 13 years she spent as an adult in a conservatorship, the memoir details how she struggled to escape the influence of her controlling father. Until two years ago, when she got out from under the conservatorship legal relationship that she says dictated everything from her birth control choices to the set list at lucrative Las Vegas gigs. In the intervening months, Spears has married a former dancer, announced then lost a pregnancy, and is now on the road to her third divorce. The book, whose pre-orders catapulted it to the top of the Amazon best-seller list, was produced too early to include that coda with husband Sam Asghari. But readers will still have plenty to chew on. 'Harlot' Tidbits that have leaked ahead of publication include news of an abortion Spears says fellow Mickey Mouse Club alum Justin Timberlake urged her to have after she became pregnant while the couple was together. When the pair split, and his hit "Cry Me A River" appeared to be about the way he felt she had betrayed him, Spears was painted as the "harlot who'd broken the heart of America's golden boy," she writes. In reality, he was "happily running around Hollywood" while she was "comatose in Louisiana." Readers have also learned of a brief but intense affair with Irish actor and Oscar nominee Colin Farrell, what she calls "a two-week brawl." "Brawl is the only word for it -- we were all over each other, grappling so passionately it was like we were in a street fight." The noughties brought fame and notoriety to Spears in equal measure, with a passionate fan base eager for every last scrap of news about her. That collided with an aggressive paparazzi culture that delighted in capturing her partying alongside hell-raisers like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. Spears insists there were never hard drugs and that she did not have a drinking problem, but admits that she was taking Adderall, the ADHD medication. A publicly played-out bust-up with second husband Kevin Federline, and an ensuing custody fight over their two children, presaged the emotional low watermark: shaving her head and attacking a photographer's car. "Flailing those weeks without my children, I lost it, over and over again," she writes. "I didn't even really know how to take care of myself. "I'd begin to think in some ways like a child." A year later, the courts appointed her father Jamie Spears to control her money and her personal life. Over the next 13 years, she was told who she could see, and how much she could spend, and even ordered not to have more children. Yet under Jamie Spears, she would still perform as a pop icon. "Too sick to choose my own boyfriend and yet somehow healthy enough to appear on sitcoms and morning shows, and to perform for thousands of people in a different part of the world every week." "From that point on, I began to think that (my father) saw me as put on the earth for no other reason than to help their cash flow." Jamie Spears has always insisted that he had the best interests of his daughter at heart and was seeking to protect her from exploitation. The conservatorship was dissolved in 2021, but -- aside from collaborations with Elton John and will.i.am -- it has not heralded a return to creativity for Spears. "Pushing forward in my music career is not my focus at the moment," the now-41-year-old Britney writes. "It's time for me not to be someone who other people want; it's time to actually find myself.".....»»
Belarusian exiles lose hope
When police in Belarus began knocking on doors and interrogating citizens suspected to have taken part in pro-democracy rallies three years ago, Maxim Isayev knew he could never go back. Like thousands of others, the 32-year-old engineer and father of two peacefully protested against the disputed re-election of strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko in 2020 and is currently wanted by the country’s authorities. “I know that they came to my address in Belarus and searched for me,” Maxim told AFP in Warsaw, where he now lives with his wife and children. More than 100,000 people are thought to have left Belarus since security forces began violently cracking down on dissidents, many of whom fled to neighboring Poland and the Baltic states. Lukashenko now wants to shut them out for good. In January, he signed a law allowing courts to strip “extremist” dissidents living abroad of their citizenship, and in September he blocked Belarusian embassies from issuing passports. The decision effectively deprives thousands of Belarusian dissidents of the ability to renew their passports unless they return, making it difficult for them to travel internationally, access public services, open bank accounts or obtain employment. “If people are forced to return to Belarus, many of them will be exposed to rights violations, like arbitrary arrest, and torture,” UN rights expert Anais Marin told AFP after the decision. Describing Lukashenko’s decree as “outrageous,” she called on all governments to refrain from sending Belarusians back to their country over invalidated or expired passports. For Maxim, who fears he faces multiple criminal charges including terrorism, returning is not an option. “I took part in the protests. Rallies, marches, calls for sanctions,” he said. “There are more than ten counts I could be charged with.” Since 1994, Lukashenko has ruled Belarus with an iron fist, in what critics have called Europe’s last dictatorship. Elections held in August 2020 resulted in another landslide victory for the long-time leader, a result which the opposition decried as blatantly falsified. The fallout from the vote led to the biggest protests in Belarus’ modern history, which were soon followed by a record number of arrests. “There are situations where people were travelling to the funeral of their relatives. They were detained and put in jail,” said Helena Niedzwiecka, founder of the Belarusian Solidarity Center that supports exiles in Poland. “You can be imprisoned for liking a post in 2020.” Maxim, whose families’ passports expire in 2024, debated with his wife whether it was safe for her to go back, given she had made fewer political posts. “I said okay, if you want to go, you are an adult... Take one of the children.” “You will get a few years for your political views,” Maxim said. “And they will put the child into an orphanage.” They decided against the idea. Lukashenko has criticized those who have sought refuge abroad as disloyal, casting them as “criminals” who do not deserve citizenship. “Are these people worthy to remain citizens of Belarus if they have fled their native country and actually severed ties with it?” he asked at a government meeting last year. Most dissidents say it is the state that severed ties with them. “My contract with my country was terminated in 2020,” said Inga Okava, a 49-year-old former volunteer who was jailed for trying to independently monitor the 2020 elections. “They falsified everything that everybody wanted,” she sighed. WITH AFP The post Belarusian exiles lose hope appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The 10-year-old fashion influencer
Taylen Biggs has close to 1.5 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, a wardrobe full of designer clothes and 15 fashion weeks under her belt -- and she's 10 years old. Taylen arrived at last week's Balmain show, one of the hottest tickets of Paris Fashion Week, in a luxurious white jacket-and-skirt combo by the French label, black boots and bag by Karl Lagerfeld and her favourite Vintage Frames shades. She was followed, as always, by her cameraman. Also keeping a discreet distance was her "bodyguard", as she calls him, who also happens to be her father. "I love fashion and I love meeting new people and interviewing them and seeing what they have to say," she told AFP, before getting down to business with her microphone. Taylen, who lives in Miami, has interviewed the likes of DJ Khaled, popstar Kali Uchis and American Football star Patrick Mahomes, as well as a huge number of models, designers and fellow fashionistas. She is practically a veteran of red carpets, appearing at everything from the MTV Music Awards to the Superbowl, a regular at New York and Miami fashion weeks, and all over Milan and Paris for the past fortnight. "I really miss my family a lot," she said. "And I miss Miami. But I don't miss the food from Miami. I'm in love with the food here." Influencers are now the fashion industry's favoured form of media -- a direct line to the public and happy to trade goodies for coverage -- and age is no obstacle. Taylen's father, Josh Biggs, says he has largely given up his job as a construction contractor in Miami to work full-time as his daughter's assistant. "I travel with her everywhere she goes, I am her shadow," he told AFP. Asked if his daughter has become a business, he says: "People see her through the camera lens... but in real life, she's a child first and foremost." 'No qualms' Taylen landed her first modelling gig when she was 18 months old after her fashion-loving mother, a Colombian who came to the United States when she was 13, posted pictures of her on social media that were spotted by an advertising agency. She now runs her daughter's social media accounts and oversees home-schooling for Taylen and her two younger brothers. "We take school very seriously, it's priority number one," said her father. They worked through the summer so that Taylen could take a long break during the back-to-back fashion weeks in Milan and Paris in September. Taylen's father -- who says he has little interest in fashion -- says there is no pressure on his daughter to continue if she gets bored. "If she's ready to change and pursue a different career, then it's up to her," he said. "We will leave the fashion world in a second. There's no qualms about it." But Taylen seems to enjoy her job. "I'm really good with anyone," she said. "I'm really good with kids. I loooove children! And I really love adults -- I don't even get annoyed." The post The 10-year-old fashion influencer appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
New gov’t hotline to boost campaign vs child abuse
The Department of Social Welfare and Development urged the public on Friday to utilize the Makabata Helpline 1383 to report cases of child abuse. The Makabata Helpline is a mechanism developed by the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), an attached agency of the DSWD, to provide immediate response, monitoring, and feedback via calls, electronic mail, and different social media platforms about all child rights and concerns. These include legal queries, psychosocial support, referral services to appropriate agencies involved in safeguarding children’s rights, and reporting of child abuse and emergency cases, among others. Since its launch in November 2022, a total of 156 reports via text, calls, emails, and chat have been received by the helpline, of which, 76.28 percent of cases were closed, while 19.23 percent are pending with limited traction and 4.48 percent are on-going. “The CWC is consistently seeking out partnerships with non-government organizations and national government agencies to strengthen the implementation of the Makabata Helpline 1383 because we believe that this mechanism will truly help us to protect and uphold the rights of children,” DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez said. Lopez, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, reminded the public not to use the hotline for prank calls or false inquiries. “We continue to remind the public that this hotline must only be used for emergency cases. So please avoid making prank calls or false reports because it may cause grave consequences for those who are in distress,” Lopez explained. The post New gov’t hotline to boost campaign vs child abuse appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Social workers ‘foot soldiers for social change’
DAVAO CITY — Vice President Sara Duterte recently lauded social workers for their hard work and dedication in social justice, and for being the “foot soldiers for social change.” At least 2,000 social welfare officers from across the country were gathered to take part in the 26th National Convention and General Assembly of Association of Local Social Welfare and Development Officers of the Philippines at the SMX Convention Center here on Tuesday. In her keynote speech, Duterte said she admires the hard work, resilience, sacrifices and the positive attributes of social workers as she emphasized the essential role of social workers in attending to the community during calamities, providing assistance during search and rescue operations, and trauma healing for victims of battering, and physical and sexual abuses. Citing her experience as mayor of Davao City, Duterte shared the Kean Gabriel Hotline where community members can anonymously report incidents of child abuse. “The Kean Gabriel Hotline receives calls and messages 24/7. And behind the hotline are social workers. They receive and process information about possible child abuse and, together with the child protection officers of the police, conduct rescue operations,” Duterte said. “And I must say that without the help and dedication of the social workers and their hearts for abused victims, we could have failed Kean Gabriel once again,” she added. Kean Gabriel was a child who died because of abuse. Since the creation of the hotline in 2016, the city has no recorded child death due to abuse. The post Social workers ‘foot soldiers for social change’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rage vs child, women abuse
The Australian government and Unicef Philippines are expanding access to facilities for women and child survivors of violence and abuse, with the launch of new tele-Women and Child Protection Units in Kapalong and Nabunturan, Davao del Norte. The TeleWCPUs allow women and children to call or send a text message to report violence and abuse and ask questions about protection services, especially those who have no direct access to the regional hospital’s Women and Child Protection Unit. Moreover, they ensure the continuity of services, such as counseling and treatments through video calls with social workers, mental health professionals and doctors. TeleWCPUs are part of Women and Child Protection Units, where social workers, pediatric doctors and experts in child psychology examine children and women who survived all forms of abuse and violence, and assess them for further medical examination, treatments, rehabilitation, and counselling. “After the drastic disruption of services that the pandemic brought, we must now ensure that vital services such as child protection and safety continue in all communities. We need to continue the work in protecting women and children against all forms of abuse, and by bringing the tele-WCPUs closer to their communities we are ensuring to reach the under-served and marginalized,” said Unicef Philippines representative Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov. The post Rage vs child, women abuse appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DFA: ‘Barbie’ nine-dash lines ‘fictitious path’
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday said that the alleged nine-dash lines in the film “Barbie” is nothing but a “fictitious path.” “Having carefully reviewed the film, the Department is not convinced that the lines shown depict anything more than a fictitious path, in an imaginary world map,” the DFA said in a statement. The agency was referring to the controversial scene in the movie where a world map was shown with a landmass labeled “Asia.” The map features dash lines alongside Asia. On Tuesday, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board rejected calls to prohibit the screening of the film “Barbie” in the Philippines. In its three-page letter addressed to Senator Francis Tolentino, the regulatory body stressed that there is “no basis” to ban the film in the country. “The Board believes that all things considered, it has no basis to ban the film Barbie as there is no clear nor outright depiction of the nine-dash line in the subject film,” the agency said. It also described the map in the film as a “child-like crayon drawing.” The MTRCB explained that the dash lines attached to a landmass labeled “Asia” is not U-shaped, and it has eight dashes instead of nine. Like the Philippines, Vietnam has overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea. China remains firm with its historic rights nine-dash line over the West Philippine Sea, which is part of the larger South China Sea. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands favored the Philippines’ claims in the West Philippine Sea, rejecting China’s nine-dash line claim. To avoid any misinterpretation, the DFA has provided advice to the MTRCB. “The Department trusts that the MTRCB will do its utmost in the exercise of their mandate,” the agency said. According to Senator Francis Tolentino, who is opposing the screening of the film in the country, the DFA suggested deleting the controversial scene. The regulatory body requested the film’s distributors, Warner Bros., to blur the controversial lines to avoid “further misinterpretations.” The post DFA: ‘Barbie’ nine-dash lines ‘fictitious path’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
COMING EMZOOM
GAC Motor Philippines, under the management of Astara Philippines, held a grand ceremony at the Blue Leaf Cosmopolitan, Quezon City, to introduce the all-new GS3 Emzoom to the world. The event signified a significant stride in the brand's ongoing expansion and growth strategy within the Philippine market. "We are proud to host the international debut of the all-new GS3 Emzoom after its reveal in China last December. The GS3 Emzoom is the newest challenger in the scene, set to drive the GAC brand to new heights and zoom through Philippine roads with its fierce and sporty character," said Jun Cajayon, brand head of GAC Motor, Astara Philippines. The launch was attended by Astara executives from both GAC and Peugeot, GAC dealer principals, friends from the banking industry and the motoring media. Also present was newly announced ambassador for the GAC brand, Dingdong Dantes. The GS3 Emzoom launch is a clear testament to GAC's aggressive growth strategy in the Philippines. Astara Philippines, the new distributor of GAC Motor, is rapidly expanding the brand's dealership network. They have increased the number of dealerships from six in January of this year, to 16 dealerships as of this writing, with a target of 20 by the end of 2023. The current dealerships are in Alabang, Bacoor, Tarlac, Pampanga, Pasig, and Davao. New ones are set to open in E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue (C5), Manila Bay, Quezon Avenue, Lipa City, Cainta, Makati, BGC, Batangas City, Cagayan de Oro and Bacolod. The GS3 Emzoom is a trendy and intelligent SUV, perfect for the dynamic and mobile generation. The vehicle carries GAC’s bold and futuristic design language. Angular edges, geometric textures and a dynamic stance give it a sporty yet futuristic industrial aesthetic. Its look is completed by 19-inch alloy wheels, an exhaust sound package and a sporty body kit, exclusive to the top of the range GL variant. The vehicle's front face features what the brand calls the Flying Wing Front Grille and Laser-Eye LED headlights, geometric executions that give the car a sporty attitude while maintaining its sleek and futuristic appearance. Its sides are led by arc shadow blades that lead to its light dart tail lamps. The GS3 Emzoom’s interior combines a trendy aesthetic with functionality and comfort. It includes advanced technological features such as dual screens, a multi-function steering wheel, leather seats, wireless charging, and futuristic AC vents. A sunroof with electric shades provides additional daylight and an airy cabin experience. The wide cabin offers more legroom and shoulder space than its competitors in the sub-compact crossover segment. Ample storage spaces and compartments can fit up to 21 items across the entire vehicle, while its luggage compartment provides a vast amount of cargo space when rear seats are folded flat. Safety has not been compromised in the GS3 Emzoom. It comes packed with industry-standard safety features, including Dual Front Side and Curtain Airbags, seatbelts with Pretensioner and Force Limiters, Hill-start Hold Control, Hill Descent Control, Electronic Parking Brake with Autohold, Electronic Stability Program, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, ISOFIX Child Safety Seat Anchors, and Engine Immobilizer. Moreover, the GS3 Emzoom features a wide range of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems including cruise control,parking sensors, a reverse camera, and other intelligent systems such as High Beam Assist, Traffic Jam Assist, Lane Keep Assist and Lane Departure Warning. The GS3 Emzoom is powered by a third-generation 1.5 Turbocharged gasoline direct injection engine mated to a seven-speed Wet Dual Clutch Transmission. The robust engine delivers 174 horsepower and 270 Nm of torque, combining power and efficiency for a smooth, energetic drive. The GS3 Emzoom is available in three variants: 1.5L GS DCT priced at P 998,000, 1.5L GB DCT at P1,098,000, and the top-of-the-range 1.5L GL DCT at P 1,198,000. Five colors are on offer, namely, Salt Lake Blue (the launch color), Graphene Grey (matte finish), Moonlight Grey, Ivory White, and Superstar Silver. Potential customers can book their reservations for the all-new GS3 Emzoom at all GAC Motor dealerships nationwide or through their website. All units come with a five-year warranty and customer deliveries will commence next month. The post COMING EMZOOM appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cashing in on ‘boring’
The new owner of Pornhub, Canadian private equity firm Ethical Capital Partners, has called on governments to stop cracking down on the infamous adult entertainment website. Their ingenious call? Make porn “normal” and even “boring” by mainstreaming it. One cannot help but marvel at the pure comedic genius of this proposition as the echoes of laughter resound across the globe. The founder of ECP, Solomon Friedman, thinks that governments ought to value sexual expression and help turn the provocative world of porn into a snooze-fest. He has argued, with a straight face, that operating systems should be responsible for coming up with a solution, rather than websites being held accountable for determining the ages of users. Yes, operating systems come to mind when we think of dependability and trustworthiness. Huh? But let’s go further than that. Friedman suggests outright that age verification be left in Google’s and Apple’s capable hands as if they have a track record of flawlessly carrying out such matters. Maybe we should entrust the care of our kids to the same businesses that fight to keep fake news, cyberbullying, and privacy violations from taking over their platforms. Isn’t that a surefire formula for success? Pornhub’s controversial history is inescapable, so let us discuss that as well. Remember when we shuddered on learning from The New York Times about websites that hosted material with rape and juvenile sexual content? Yes, that’s Pornhub. Naturally, regulators all over the world took notice and wreaked havoc on the sleazy empire. In a rare act of moral rectitude, Visa and MasterCard even stopped taking payments for Pornhub. Readers need not worry, however, as the new owners are eager to deny these “slanderous accusations.” It’s as if they want us to think that a few personnel adjustments and some ethical fairy dust will be enough to restore the reputation of a seedy $97 billion-a-year company. Let’s not overlook oligarchs like Hugh Hefner and Larry Flynt, of Playboy and Hustler infamy, respectively, who came up with clever ways to satisfy people’s prurient needs while filling their own pockets with gold. Simply put, the Pornhub owners are their legacy’s contemporary heirs, preying on people’s baser desires to further their own financial interests. They try to persuade us that making porn “boring” is a noble endeavor while hiding their greed behind a façade of progressive ideals. But we can see right through their front. Their true motivation is to protect their bottom line, not to promote healthy sexual expression. Forgive us for this poor attempt at satire, as there is still a pressing problem that needs our attention. The Netflix documentary exposing Pornhub’s failure to verify the ages of those submitting adult materials has brought into stark relief the exploitation and harm that can result from unrestricted access to explicit content. While it may be amusing to laugh at Pornhub’s absurd suggestions, we must not ignore the very real effects of their carelessness. In order to make money, they have created an environment where predators can prey on the weak. As people can easily trick the system and share explicit content involving minors, Pornhub maintains a system where harm and exploitation flourish. Here, we speak of child pornography, forced prostitution, and human trafficking — matters that Pornhub cannot downplay with comedic antics or vapid calls for normalcy. While it may be tempting to write off Pornhub’s request for “boring” porn as a joke, we must recognize the gravity of its actions and the extent of its impact. Profit maximization is its top priority, and that’s all there is to it. Instead of governments and regulators easing the pressure off Pornhub, they, on the contrary, must be compelled to act more swiftly to ensure strict age verification procedures, to protect the weak from exploitation and harm, are put in place by ECP. The post Cashing in on ‘boring’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
5 awesome local Google Doodles that made Filipinos proud
This year, the Philippines celebrates its 125th Independence Day from the Spanish — remembering and honoring our freedom to be proud as Filipinos is always a cause for celebration. For a long time now, Google has stood in solidarity with the Philippines. And one of the many ways they show that support is through occasional Filipino-themed Google Doodles, beyond the Philippine Independence Day Doodle. To get in the Pinoy Pride spirit this Independence Day, here are five Google Doodles worth revisiting: Jose Rizal’s 158th birthday No Filipino pride celebration is complete without honoring the country’s greatest hero. Google paid tribute to Dr. Jose Rizal back in 2019 with a Doodle that put the hero’s visage front and center, flanked by “Google” stylized similarly to the famous original cover of Noli Me Tangere, one of his two masterpiece novels — both of which are included at the bottom of the illustration. As an added touch, the opening passages of the novel are written in the artwork’s background, while the quill and the magnifying glass bordering it refer to Rizal’s professions as a writer and ophthalmologist. The Adobo Doodle To celebrate Filipino culture is also to celebrate its food, which is why Google put everyone’s favorite adobo front and center earlier this year. The mouthwatering illustration by Filipino-American Google artist Anthony Irwin calls back to the savory goodness of adobo, which is always enjoyed in different and unique ways among different cooks, households, and restaurants. The legendary Las Piñas Bamboo Organ This 2019 Doodle commemorating the 195th anniversary of the creation of the oldest, largest, and only bamboo pipe organ in the whole world brought immense pride to the Philippines. The Doodle is simple and powerful: the Gs, L, and E of Google were rendered in bamboo pipes, while the two Os are signified by the full organ. If you haven’t visited this at the St. Joseph Parish Church in Las Piñas, this is your sign to do it now. The colorful Regatta de Zamboanga With has 7,107 islands, the Philippines offers colorful rituals and traditions that are worth seeing. This includes the vivid Regatta de Zamboanga, a fluvial race held every October comprised of vintas, outrigger boats with vibrant and intricate sails. Google’s Doodle celebrating the Regatta last October is in-your-face, just like the parade of dazzling vintas — nothing complicated, just a bevy of boats with sails spelling out Google. Rosa Sevilla de Alvero’s 142nd Birthday Rsa Rosa Sevilla de Alvero is a journalist, educator, and activist who is widely considered one of the most influential suffragists in Filipino history. As a child, she was sent to live with her aunt, an educator who hosted Filipino patriots and intellectuals at her home. Sevilla often eavesdropped on their conversations about battling educational colonialism — revolutionary discussions that helped mold her beliefs. At just 21, Alvero founded the Instituto de Mujeres of Manila, one of the first schools for women. The post 5 awesome local Google Doodles that made Filipinos proud appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Thousands flee flooded homes after Ukraine dam destroyed
Thousands were fleeing their homes Wednesday after the destruction of a frontline Russian-held dam in Ukraine flooded dozens of villages and parts of a nearby city, sparking fears of a humanitarian disaster. Downstream from the breached Kakhovka dam, Ukrainian police and troops in the southern city of Kherson were bringing people out from inundated areas in inflatable boats, most clutching only a few documents and pets. Despite the evacuations, officials said Russian forces have kept shelling the residential neighborhoods. Ukraine and Russia have traded blame for the dam being ripped open early Tuesday, prompting Turkey's president to propose to both nations' leaders an international probe of the breach. The destruction has also raised fears of an environmental disaster and nuclear safety risks as it provides cooling water for Europe's largest nuclear plant. One woman, Nataliya Korzh, 68, had swum part of the way to escape from her house. She emerged from a rescue boat barefoot, her legs covered with scratches, her hands trembling from cold. "All my rooms are underwater. My fridge is floating, the freezer, everything. We're used to shooting, but a natural disaster is a real nightmare. I wasn't expecting that," she told AFP. She feared for her two dogs and cat, which she was unable to save. "To get to the room where the dogs were, I would have had to dive. I don't know what's happened to them." The water was waist-deep in the central streets of Kherson and the ground floors of buildings were submerged. A spokesman for Ukraine's emergency services, Oleksandr Khorunzhyi, said that "currently there is no information about the dead or injured". Water levels in Kherson have risen by five meters (16 feet), he said. While finger-pointing continued over the dam's destruction, Moscow accused Kyiv of blowing up a key pipeline that Russia used before the war to export ammonia and whose re-activation it has requested as part of grain deal talks. Continued shelling The governor of the Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, said 1,700 people had been evacuated so far and reported that ongoing shelling was endangering rescuers and locals. Moscow-installed officials on the Russian-occupied side of the river said on Tuesday that more than 1,200 people had been evacuated. A policeman, Sergiy, 38, was using a radio to coordinate the rescue boats. "Today we've already saved 30 people, 10 pets. There was one child. We will work until we've brought out all the people," he told AFP. Washington warned there would be "likely many deaths" due to the breach of the Kakhovka dam. Kyiv said the destruction of the dam -- seized by Russia in the early hours of the war -- was an attempt by Moscow to hamper its long-awaited offensive, which Ukraine's leader stressed would not be affected. The United Nations warned that hundreds of thousands could be affected on both sides of the frontline. The governor of the Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, said 1,852 houses had been flooded by early Wednesday. "According to our forecasts, the water level will increase by one meter within the next 20 hours," he warned. An official in President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, Daria Zarivna, said that in the occupied territory "the Russians simply abandoned people" and in the town of Oleshky on the opposite bank from Kherson, "many spent the night on the roofs of houses". 'Environmental bomb' Zelensky accused Russia of detonating an "environmental bomb of mass destruction", saying authorities expected up to 80 settlements with tens of thousands of residents to be flooded and urging the world to "react". "This crime carries enormous threats and will have dire consequences for people's lives and the environment," Zelensky said. But the explosion would "not affect Ukraine's ability to de-occupy its own territories", he added. Last October, Zelensky accused Russia of planting mines at the dam, warning that its destruction would spur a new wave of refugees into Europe. Kyiv said 150 tonnes of engine oil had spilled into the river, and the agricultural ministry said about 10 thousand hectares of farmland on the right bank of the river would be flooded and "several times more" on the left bank. China expressed "serious concern" over the dam destruction, while EU chief Charles Michel called it a "war crime" and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg condemned it as "outrageous". Russia has said the dam was partially destroyed by "multiple strikes" from Ukrainian forces and urged the world to condemn Kyiv's "criminal acts". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office said he proposed setting up an international commission to investigate the destruction of the dam in calls with Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The Soviet-era dam, built in the 1950s, sits on the Dnipro River, which provides cooling water for the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant some 150 kilometers (90 miles) away. The UN nuclear watchdog agency said the dam break was posing "no short-term risk" to the plant. Separately, Moscow accused a Ukrainian "sabotage" group of blowing up a section of the Togliatti-Odesa pipeline that Russia used to export ammonia and that is part of the international talks on allowing grain exports from Ukraine amid the conflict with Russia. Ukrainian officials have accused Russian forces of firing at the ammonia pipeline. The post Thousands flee flooded homes after Ukraine dam destroyed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Princes Harry, Andrew out in the cold at coronation
Princes Harry and Andrew will both attend the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday but will have no formal role in proceedings -- confirming they remain out in the cold. Charles's younger son Harry and his American wife Meghan quit royal duties in 2020 and have since unleashed a string of barbed attacks on the monarchy. Andrew, the king's brother, has been frozen out over his past association with the disgraced late US financier Jeffrey Epstein and a related sexual abuse allegation which was settled out of court. Harry, 38, the Duke of Sussex, and 63-year-old Andrew, the Duke of York, will attend the coronation service at London's Westminster Abbey but will not perform any duties. The pair will also be absent from the public procession behind the Gold State Coach carrying the newly crowned king from the abbey back to Buckingham Palace after the ceremony. But they may yet appear on the palace balcony. Harry is fifth in line to the throne, following his brother Prince William, and William's three children -- Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis of Wales. Andrew is eighth in line, coming after Harry and his children -- Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. After finally deciding to attend, Harry's every move will be heavily scrutinized. He rejoins his family for the first time since subjecting them to a torrent of stinging criticism in his memoir "Spare" and in a series of television interviews. Meghan has remained in California with the children, thereby avoiding potentially awkward interactions with her in-laws. At the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the royal dukes each paid personal homage and allegiance to the monarch, in a public vow of loyalty. They pledged to "become your liege man of life and limb, and of earthly worship; and faith and truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of folks. So help me God." But this time, only William, the heir to the throne, will speak "the words of fealty" and pay "the homage of royal blood", as the coronation liturgy calls it -- sparing Harry from having to kneel before his father. Buckingham Palace has not said whether Harry and Andrew will or will not appear on the palace balcony following the ceremony. At Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations last June for her 70 years on the throne, the balcony appearance was restricted to working royals only. But her coronation in 1953 featured multiple balcony appearances, so Harry and Andrew might potentially appear in a wider royal family gathering. Saturday marks Archie's fourth birthday, so Harry might make a swift exit back to his home in California. Andrew's links with Epstein -- boyfriend of the prince's friend Ghislaine Maxwell -- came back to haunt him. A US woman, Virginia Giuffre, said she was pressured to have sex with Andrew when she was 17 after being delivered by Epstein, who was convicted in 2008 of procuring a child for prostitution. Andrew denied the allegations in a November 2019 BBC interview that nonetheless went down badly. Within days, he stepped back from his patronages and in May 2020 he permanently resigned from all public roles. The case was settled out of court in February 2022, with Giuffre accepting a donation to her charity and no admission of liability from Andrew. Andrew took part in events surrounding Queen Elizabeth II's funeral but, beyond mourning his mother, Charles has shown no sign of allowing him a return to public life. The post Princes Harry, Andrew out in the cold at coronation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Cleantramuros’ seeks improved Walled City
The Intramuros Administration on Sunday kicked off a clean-up drive dubbed ‘Cleantramuros’ which seeks to maintain cleanliness inside the historical Walled City as 15 volunteers signed up on its clean-up activity on Sunday morning. The program — which started last month — has already 400 volunteers from six barangays participating in its first two-hour clean-up activity. The Intramuros Administration said that volunteers will be given a Certificate of Volunteerism and free entrance to Fort Santiago, a centuries-old fortress inside the walled city. “Walk-ins are welcome. Volunteers are also encouraged to bring their own broom, dustpan, gloves, and garbage bags as donations for the project,” the Administration said in a Google form for the April clean-up. “Cleantramuros” will still be in progress on 23rd and 30th of April, the last two Sundays of the month. In other developments, Monsignor Rolly de la Cruz was formally instated as the new rector of the Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception or the Manila Cathedral inside Intramuros. De la Cruz, formerly the Parish Priest of San Fernando de Dilao Parish in Paco, Manila, was appointed by Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula in October last year. He was then taking a sabbatical leave in Auckland, New Zealand when the appointment was announced. He will be assuming the position previously held by Fr. Reginald Malicdem, who was the Cathedral’s rector from 2015 to 2022. He has already led two masses since his installation, including a Friday night Mass on the visit of the Reliquary of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus at the Cathedral, as well as his first Sunday Mass as church rector. In his homily on Friday, Archbishop Advincula thanked Dela Cruz for accepting the appointment, and reminded him of his duty as assigned to him with the grace of the Lord. “Msgr. Rolly, you are assigned as Rector of the Manila Cathedral, not because you are better than the other priests, not because of your accomplishments, and not because of your capabilities and skills. You are here because it is the Lord who calls you here,” Advincula said. “As you serve them, may you listen to them for they will also help you see the Lord in your ministry, in your priesthood, and in your life. Let this cathedral, with the number of times that this was destroyed and yet rose again, be a constant reminder that ‘it is the Lord,’ he added. Dela Cruz, in his message, also gave assurance that his leadership as Manila Cathedral’s new rector will still ensure ‘solemn peace’ in the church, with a culture that will remain intact. “The Manila Cathedral will continue to be a solemn place of worship where you can come to celebrate our Faith, where you can be nourished by the Word and the Eucharist. This sacred space will still provide you with a quiet place where you will find solace and rest, consolation and grace,” said Dela Cruz. The post ‘Cleantramuros’ seeks improved Walled City appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NDFP calls on military to release 4-year-old son of political prisoner
“The soldiers forcibly grabbed MJ who was crying and resisting all the while. His foster parents were held at gunpoint while they were wrestling with the soldiers to get the child back. The soldiers forced the boy into the SUV, and the foster parents were almost run over by the SUV as it sped away with the boy." The post NDFP calls on military to release 4-year-old son of political prisoner appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Group calls for release of Amanda Echanis, baby as COVID-19 hits Cagayan jail
Lim said they hope that the government will not use a "release the child" argument, "since separating a breastfed infant from his mother is not an option and in fact is harmful and inhumane.".....»»
World Vision Calls Out Business Leaders For CSR Summit
Child-focused humanitarian agency World Vision convenes business leaders in the Philippines for a two-day virtual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Summit. Dubbed as “Doing Good is Good Business,” the summit focuses on the values of CSR amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The speakers from the different companies showed how they have chosen to help their internal and […].....»»