We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Cebu Daily Newscast: Father jailed for gunning down son in Lahug, Cebu City
Listen to Cebu Daily Newscast to know the latest news in and out of Cebu. Here’s what you need to know this Tuesday, March 26, 2024. Father jailed for gunning down son in Lahug, Cebu City A 63-year-old father landed in jail after he allegedly gunned down his own son whom he had an altercation.....»»
Hamas tells mediators it will stick to original position on ceasefire
Hamas earlier presents a Gaza ceasefire proposal to mediators and the United States in mid-March that includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for freedom for Palestinian prisoners, 100 of whom are serving life sentences.....»»
Rappler Talk: Leila de Lima, a woman of faith
In this Holy Week episode, former senator Leila de Lima opens up about faith, forgiveness, and the godsent pets who kept her company in nearly seven years in jail.....»»
Executioner
Earlier this week, Trump adviser Peter Navarro finally stepped into jail......»»
500 Bilibid inmates moved to Davao prison
At least 500 prisoners from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa have been transferred to the Davao Prison and Penal Farm......»»
Man jailed for stealing items from school
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 26-year-old man landed in jail after being caught stealing from an elementary school in Barangay Langtad, Naga City, Cebu, early Wednesday morning, March 20, 2024. The suspect was identified as Angelito Cudias Apeliano, 26, an unemployed resident of Barangay Pasil, Santander, Cebu. In a phone interview with CDN Digital, Police.....»»
Bad faith
It’s amazing how an existential threat can unite a chamber whose members normally behave like independent republics......»»
Barangay, SK Elections: Police remind voters to behave, follow rules
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Police here are reminding Cebu City voters to respect the political choices of others and to behave appropriately inside the polling stations on the day of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on October 30, 2023. Police Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter, Deputy Director for Operations of the Cebu City Police.....»»
Kaspersky: Filipino Educators, Students Need Basic Cybersecurity Hygiene to Increase Resilience Online
Cyber-resiliency is the ability to recognize, behave, and bounce back from a cyber threat or cyber incident. The initiative is part of Kaspersky’s commitment to create a cyber-immune community by extending the company’s expertise in educating and training the public. From a Kaspersky research, here’s what’s going on with children these days: 73% of teenagers […].....»»
Man on a mission
He has been to hell and back since entering the country’s premier military school, the Philippine Military Academy, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1982, to seeing action as a police officer, and lately to waltzing into the ring of fire by entering politics. Much has been written about the exploits of former police general Benjamin “Benjie” Magalong, Baguio City Mayor, since 2019, with the positive usually outweighing the negative. Love him, hate him, but believe me, Magalong is no lone ranger. He can sustain the hard yards of fighting criminality and corruption that one wonders where he gets all the energy and focus in addressing the challenges that come his way. Last month, Magalong and a few local chief executives launched “Mayors for Good Governance,” a campaign for responsible leadership and anti-corruption in local governments. They signed A2, a manifesto committing local executives to transparency and the rule of law. The movement has already received support from more than 150 city and municipal mayors nationwide, a testament to how much rests on his stewardship. Corruption is like a “communicable” disease that can easily transmit the evils that go with it from the lowest strata to the highest echelon of society. It has many forms and strains — from petty graft to large-scale kickbacks — and affects people from all walks of life, generations, and races. People get used to it until it becomes a way of life, and in the process, they lose their independence of thought because their eyes are shut. Pope Francis described it best: “Some people behave in relation to corruption as they would with drugs. They think they can take it and leave it as they please. They start with something minor: a kickback here, a bribe there. And between this and that, they gradually lose their freedom.” Fighting corruption is like fighting drugs; it is never one-sided. There are hits and misses along the way. Anything is fair game when you put a face into a noble cause. I was a field operative of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency assigned in Region 8 when Magalong was director of PDEA’s Special Enforcement Service, which was responsible for dismantling numerous drug laboratories and causing the dismissal of several police scalawags. Magalong is one straight arrow. He never compromises his name when it comes to fighting drugs and crime. However, he is also a caring leader who always looks after his men like he would his children. He never tolerates shenanigans but lavishes praise and support for a well-done job. That’s why it did not come as a surprise when he was made chairman of the Mamasapano Board of Inquiry in 2015, which investigated the carnage of 44 Special Action Forces in Maguindanao. I have seen firsthand Magalong’s sincerity when it comes to public service. A public servant who goes beyond his comfort zone to give timely and proper assistance to the public, Magalong has the integrity and bravery to stand by his ideals to the detriment of his career because he wants the country to succeed. Like Magalong, I also had my share of fighting the tentacles of corruption in PDEA and later at the Bureau of Customs, once touted as the most corrupt government agency, during my seven-month stint as a commissioner despite the brickbats and the Sword of Damocles hanging above me. It was a lonely battle indeed, especially since I came to the bureau all alone. Tormentors coming from opposite directions were having a field day — from the not-so-harmless Marites (Mare, ano ang latest?) and Mariposa (Mare, post mo na) to greedy politicians and industry shenanigans. I have no moral qualms regarding Magalong’s mission — to take the arduous and lifelong task of making a difference in people’s lives, especially the poor, who are most hurt by corruption. Taking the high road is never easy, and I am sure that knowing Magalong, he could surmount all the hurdles, including the legal ones, that come in the end. The post Man on a mission appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Anti-Covid drug may have led to virus mutations: study
An anti-Covid drug widely used across the world may have caused mutations in the virus, researchers said on Monday, but there was no evidence that the changes had led to more dangerous variants. Pharmaceutical giant Merck's antiviral pill molnupiravir was one of the earliest treatments rolled out during the pandemic to prevent Covid becoming more severe in vulnerable people. The drug, which is taken orally over a five-day course, works mainly by creating mutations in the virus with the goal of weakening and killing it. However, a new UK-led study has shown that molnupiravir "can give rise to significantly mutated viruses which remain viable," lead author Theo Sanderson told AFP. Sanderson, a geneticist at London's Francis Crick Institute, emphasised that there is no evidence that "molnupiravir has to date created more transmissible or more virulent viruses." None of the variants that have swept the world were due to the drug, he added. But "it is very difficult to predict whether molnupiravir treatment could potentially lead to a new widely circulating variant which people don't have prior immunity to," he added. Mutational signature For the study, which was published in the journal Nature, the researchers sifted through databases of more than 15 million genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the Covid disease. The researchers used this data to track changes in how the virus mutated during the pandemic, finding signs of a particular "mutational signature" in patients they believe is linked to molnupiravir. In 2022, as the drug was prescribed in huge numbers, there was a significant increase in patients who had this mutational signature, the study found. This signature was more commonly found in countries where the drug was widely prescribed, such as the United States, UK, Australia and Japan. But in countries where it was not approved, including Canada and France, it was rarer. Merck refuted the study, saying the researchers had relied on "circumstantial associations" between where and when the sequences were taken. "The authors assume these mutations were associated with viral spread from molnupiravir-treated patients without documented evidence of that transmission," Merck said in a statement sent to AFP. Sanderson rebuffed this claim, saying the researchers had used "several independent lines of evidence to identify with confidence that molnupiravir drives this mutational signature". That included a separate analysis of treatment data in England, which found that more than 30 percent of mutation events involving the signature were in people who had taken molnupiravir. However, just 0.04 percent of people in England were prescribed the drug in 2022, the study said. Other anti-Covid drugs do not work in the same manner, so would not cause these kinds of mutations, Sanderson said. 'Incredibly important' Experts not involved in the study seemed to side with the British researchers. Stephen Griffin, a virologist at the UK's University of Leeds, said it was an "incredibly important, well-conducted piece of research". Jonathan Ball, a virologist at the University of Nottingham, said the research showed a "strong link" between molnupiravir and the occasional, limited spread of highly mutated genomes. "What isn't clear is if any of the transmitted viruses contained mutations which would change how they would behave -- for example if they were more or less transmissible, more pathogenic or less susceptible to our immunity," he added. The experts emphasised that molnupiravir is not dangerous to people who are currently taking the drug. They also did not call for the drug to be abandoned altogether. Molnupiravir is already being used by itself "less and less" as its effectiveness had waned against vaccinated people who are not at risk, Griffin said. While the existing research might suggest that molnupiravir should no longer be prescribed by itself, "it shouldn't be discarded and could still be valuable if we were to use it in drug combinations," he added. Sales of molnupiravir, sold under the brand name Lagevrio, topped $20 billion last year. However sales fell 82 percent in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year, according to Merck. The post Anti-Covid drug may have led to virus mutations: study appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chronic bureaucratic lapses
The entire bureaucracy suffers from serious lapses. Let’s borrow the phrase, “seven deadly sins,” as a handle to better understand how they indicatively fail to inform public policy on what government “should do or should not do,” to wit: First: “Tight fiscal space.” A little over 60 percent of GDP (gross domestic product) is reserved for foreign lending institutions with which the country has huge borrowings. Consequently, the government has to make do with the remaining less than 40 percent in terms of public spending. It’s no urban legend that about 45 percent of these allocable public funds is siphoned off due to massive corruption across all levels of government. Second: “Good governance.” The term, as often used, is an oxymoron. Whenever presidential appointees in any line department, agency, or bureau introduce reforms or new management ideas into state affairs, it’s unfortunate that outcomes and impacts go in the opposite direction — or bad governance overshadowing good. Isn’t it a paradox that the “top brass” of the Manila International Airport Authority were dismissed by the Ombudsman even as key stakeholders and captains of industry (i.e., the Makati Business Club) vetted and vouched for their performance par excellence on the job? Contrivedly, a purely management issue just shouldn’t be within the purview of the Ombudsman. For another, how is it that the housing program has become too costly for the government? Reportedly, P36 billion in interest is accrued by the government every year if one million houses are built. With a target of three million houses, the onerous interest is pegged at P100 billion every year, a “sunk cost” that the economy can ill afford to sustain. Why even start a program that demands that humongous amount of interest on a year-by-year basis? Third: “Street-level bureaucracy.” Nearly the whole range of public affairs appears to be manned by those we can compare to a typical traffic enforcer, gate guard, or utility aide, who, if given a chance to exercise a little authority, tend to behave as their actuations come directly from above. Fourth: “Tax hike.” Some strange mathematicians in Congress thought of taxing vehicles per kilo of weight, coupled with jacking up taxes on vehicle users by as much as 90 percent. Worse, how can there be an increase in the road users’ tax – year in and year out? Fifth: “45 seconds turnaround time.” This is the kind of rhetoric that rests on the “big bluff” or what one legislator calls a “promissory note,” or the carrot, to get what they want in their agency budgets. Scenes like offloading, missed flights, and logjams would never be a thing of the past since the Bureau of Immigration operationalized its new set of guidelines that are essentially racist, if not anti-poor, against outbound Filipino travelers, while sparing foreign travelers. Sixth: “Privatization overdrive.” There’s a dangerous pattern or trend of government aiming to privatize the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, all 45 casinos of PAGCOR, some mass transport systems (e.g., LRTs), and the toll expressways. Whether or not this privatization track is driven by the “gospel of efficiency” is another story. More likely, it’s because it opens doors to raising “windfall capital” and making available “alternative investments.” Seventh: “Multiple allotments.” As if a mere afterthought, there are “double entries,” even multiple ones, in the National Expenditure Plan that bloat the budget and such entries by various agencies even insulate them from any accountability. This explains why what is budgeted — twice or thrice — cannot be disbursed over and over again, not to mention the perennial failure of most line departments to fully utilize their budgets. In the voluminous General Appropriations Act the President signs, every budget cycle has become a “hiding place” for public funds that only trained eyes can declassify as “significant others,” for lack of a better term. It isn’t remote to say that when an agency prepares its budget, it knows under which item in its “shopping list” the money is. The post Chronic bureaucratic lapses appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BP chief Bernard Looney resigns ‘with immediate effect’
British energy giant BP said Tuesday that its chief executive Bernard Looney has resigned "with immediate effect", after admitting that he had not been "fully transparent" about historical relationships with colleagues. "Bernard Looney has notified the company that he has resigned as chief executive officer with immediate effect," the company said in a statement, adding that finance chief Murray Auchincloss would act as interim CEO. Looney, 53, is leaving the energy firm after less than four years in the role. BP said that in May last year, its board received and reviewed allegations from an anonymous source relating to Looney's conduct "in respect of personal relationships with company colleagues". Looney disclosed "a small number of historical relationships with colleagues prior to becoming CEO" during the review, it added while noting that no breach of the company's code of conduct was found. However, the board was given his assurances over his disclosures of past personal relationships, as well as his future behavior, according to BP. "Further allegations of a similar nature were received recently, and the company immediately began investigating with the support of external legal counsel," it said, adding that the process was continuing. "Mr Looney has today informed the company that he now accepts that he was not fully transparent in his previous disclosures," BP added. "He did not provide details of all relationships and accepts he was obligated to make more complete disclosure." BP said the board expects all staff to behave in accordance with the company's values. "All leaders in particular are expected to act as role models and to exercise good judgment in a way that earns the trust of others," the company said. Looney has been at BP since joining the British energy behemoth in 1991 and was appointed chief executive in 2020. The company said no decisions had yet been made regarding any remuneration payments. Looney had vowed to reposition BP as a leader in clean energy technologies, and gradually cut oil and gas production to reduce carbon emissions, but environmentalists have criticized the firm for inaction in that regard during his tenure. Like many of its rivals, BP earlier this year unveiled record annual profits for 2022, thanks to soaring oil and gas prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, earnings have fallen somewhat from those heights so far this year, as energy prices retreated for much of 2023. Nonetheless, BP said in August it was hiking its dividend and returning $1.5 billion to shareholders by repurchasing stock. The post BP chief Bernard Looney resigns ‘with immediate effect’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Strong enough now’: BRICS nations eye global geopolitical shift
Leaders of the BRICS emerging economies, which account for about a quarter of the world's wealth, meet in Johannesburg this week looking to widen the bloc's influence and push for a shift in global geopolitics. South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to host China's President Xi Jinping, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for the annual three-day summit starting on Tuesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin also will join remotely. Putin decided against attending in person as he is the target of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant that South Africa is in theory bound to enforce if he sets foot in the country. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will travel to Johannesburg instead. Representing billions of people across three continents, with economies undergoing varying levels of growth, the BRICS share one thing in common -- disdain for a world order they see as serving the interests of rich Western powers. "The traditional global governing system has become dysfunctional, deficient and missing in action," Chen Xiaodong, the Chinese ambassador to Pretoria said at a briefing on Friday, adding the BRICS are "increasingly becoming a staunch force in defending international justice". There is growing interest in the bloc -- at least 40 countries have expressed interest in joining and 23 of those have formally submitted applications to become BRICS members. 'Polarized world' Anil Sooklal, South Africa's ambassador-at-large for Asia and the BRICS, told AFP on Friday that one of the reasons countries are lining up to join is "the very polarised world we live in, that has been further polarised by the Russia-Ukraine crisis, and where countries are being forced to take sides". "Countries in the South don't want to be told who to support, how to behave, and how to conduct their sovereign affairs. They are strong enough now to assert their respective positions," added Sooklal. The BRICS have raised hope for countries looking to restructure the global "architecture", he said. "The major markets are now in the Global South... but we are still on the margins in terms of global decision-making." Lebogang Legodi, the international politics lecturer at the University of Limpopo, agrees that many states keen on joining the group "are seeing BRICS as an alternative to the current hegemony" in world affairs. Around 50 other leaders will attend a "friends of BRICS" program during the summit, which will be held at a convention center in the heart of Johannesburg's Sandton, historically referred to as the richest square mile on the continent. This year's gathering is themed "BRICS and Africa: Partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development, and inclusive multilateralism". It comes at "a critical inflection point," said Steven Gruzd of the Africa-Russia Africa project at the South African Institute of International Affairs. "The current multilateral system is under strain," he said. A decision on expanding the BRICS membership is expected at the end of the summit, according to Sooklal. An upbeat Ramaphosa told a meeting of the ruling ANC party in Johannesburg on Saturday that "we are going to have a fantastic BRICS summit". He said the presence of so many heads of state "goes to show the influence and the impact that South Africa" has in the world. But experts closely watching the BRICS aren't very optimistic about the meeting's outcomes. "I don't think this summit will yield those dramatic results because the power is still with Western countries. China is rising, but is not the dominant power yet," said SAIIA's Gruzd. Formally launched in 2009, the BRICS now account for 23 percent of global GDP and 42 percent of the world's population. The combined bloc represents more than 16 percent of the world's trade. The post ‘Strong enough now’: BRICS nations eye global geopolitical shift appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Respect for all individuals
In a Per Curiam decision (a decision unanimously and easily reached) that was dated 11 April 2023 but was made available to the public on 17 August 2023, the Supreme Court penalized five lawyers for posting what it found to be inappropriate and disrespectful comments on their Facebook accounts. Four of the lawyers, whose names we will not mention so as not to add to their public humiliation, were reprimanded with stern warnings, but their fifth colleague was dealt the heavier punishment of a P25,000 fine and a stern warning. The Supreme Court found all of them in violation of Rule 7.03 of the Code of Professional Responsibility. What is Rule 7.03 of the Code of Professional Responsibility? It states: Rule 7.03 — A lawyer shall not engage in conduct that adversely reflects on his fitness to practice law, nor shall he, whether in public or private life, behave in a scandalous manner to the discredit of the legal profession. The Supreme Court cited a case where it stated: “Lawyers, as keepers of the public faith, are burdened with a high degree of social responsibility and, hence, must handle their personal affairs with great caution.” In this instance, the Supreme Court found that insulting and degrading comments were posted against a member of the Judiciary with undertones aimed at members of the LGBTQIA+ community. It is worth noting that this cast a bad light on all lawyers, regardless of their field of practice. The posted comments appearing on the thread where the five conversed included: “The joke among lawyers is that sa Taguig sa 2nd floor puro may sira ulo mga judge, sa baba bakla at mga corrupt.” In English, this translates to: “In Taguig, on the 2nd floor, the judges are all insane, and down below they are gay and corrupt.” I wish to emphasize that neither I personally, nor my family, friends, and schoolmates who practice law, make jokes about judges in Taguig or any member of the Judiciary for that matter. Nor will I call them insane and corrupt without proof, even if their views are very different from mine. More importantly, I do not think I will ever make any derogatory statements toward any member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Those who are in this group have the right to express themselves under their constitutionally protected freedom of expression. The Supreme Court cited several other jurisdictions in proving the point of respecting all individuals regardless of belief or sexual orientation. It also reiterated the principle of non-discrimination and equality. I wholeheartedly agree with all the sources and legal provisions cited by the Supreme Court. But I do wish to stress that, while these pieces of information are all great materials and are worth reading, respect in our everyday life does not have to be based on any opinion, writing, or legal provision. It is just the most basic building block of any relationship regardless of who is involved. Whether you are dealing with a superior at work or simply showing appreciation for a waitress at your favorite restaurant, respect is fundamental and an absolute must. In today’s jargon among teenagers, “Matic yan!” (that is, it is automatic and needs no explanation). While I also strongly believe in the freedom to criticize others when appropriate, such expression must always be based on proven circumstances, ventilated in the proper forum, and accomplished with respectful language. Making statements that are unfounded, unsubstantiated, or unfair, more so those which tend to demean through innuendo a whole group of individuals or typecast them as evil just because they are different, should be strictly avoided. Specifically regarding the LGBTQIA+ community, we’ve come a long way from the time when they were not accepted or treated properly by society and I am happy for this progress. There is still much work to be done but I am thankful for the continued improvements in society towards understanding the differences between heterosexuals and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We are certain that there will still be areas where many of us will find ourselves in a discussion or debate involving matters which we do not fully understand. When that happens — and it will happen — the proper thing to do is always to go back to the basics or fundamentals — RESPECT not just for others, but for all! The post Respect for all individuals appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Wise up, China and Russia
Dear Editor “The map is not the territory.” — Alfred Korzybski China and Russia can have and keep their respective maps with all their might. In the case of China, it is its map of the entire South China Sea, but not the sea itself because no Philippine territory (West Philippine Sea to be specific) is owned by any foreign country. In China’s nine-dash line map, Chinese officials are free to commit all the aggressions and bullying they want to do and no nation will protest, not even the Philippines. They can build as many illegal structures there as they want and our government will not file for sure a single note verbale because Filipinos respect China’s dignity. Furthermore, there is no need for the Philippine government (in such an instance) to assert the ruling of the Arbitral Court that found there is no more need for the Armed Forces of the Philippines to prepare for the defense of our maritime territory against China. And what about the Philippines continually expecting the promised support/backing of big, developed nations like the United States, Australia, Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, the entire European Union and many other thinking nations for any eventuality — in defense of what belongs to Filipinos in the disputed sea? By the way, China’s nine-dash line is stranger than fiction, according to world experts. Are you willing/ready and capable to going to war with the world, dear China? German Chancellor/dictator Adolf Hitler invaded Poland in 1939, which triggered World War 2, yet Hitler was the one who ended up invaded by hell as he ultimately committed suicide in 1945, out of frustration and desperation, or guilt. Aside from many other lesser crimes against humanity that evil Hitler committed, he massacred over six million Jews at the altar of his selfish and narcissistic ambition. Unforgivable. Pray that Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin would take a cue from Hitler’s colossal blunder — vis-a-vis the West Philippine Sea, Ukraine and Taiwan. I read somewhere two years ago that a Western superpower has advanced scientifically and technologically in ways unprecedented and unparalleled in the matter of military might. I was led to ask: What nation could be more powerful than this nation which has the knack/capability, an unseen weaponry or “mechanism” in space to detect and redirect at the same time any kind of nuclear bomb launched against it — back to its point of origin? Watch out and wise up, China, Russia (and North Korea)! Learn from world history before it’s too late. Wouldn’t you behave and allow sanity, civility, reason and peace to prevail? What seems to be so difficult about the act when it won’t even cost you a dime or a single, precious human life to do it? Remember, good always triumphs over bad. Reni M. Valenzuela renivalenzuelaletters@yahoo.com The post Wise up, China and Russia appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Free divers find love and death in Netflix’s ‘Deepest Breath’
Early in "The Deepest Breath," an underwater drone follows free diver Alessia Zecchini as she plunges 100 meters down into the ocean's dark depths, and back up, all on a single breath. The heart-pounding, claustrophobic three-and-a-half-minute sequence is as difficult to watch as it is mesmerizing. As she ascends to the shallows, Zecchini's body begins to twitch. Rescue divers seize her and drag her up to the surface, her unconscious eyes rolling grotesquely backward as she is resuscitated. It may seem shocking, but "blacking out" from lack of oxygen is a common occurrence in free diving, an extreme sport in which athletes compete to go as deep as they can without any breathing apparatus. "You can watch all the videos in the world. It doesn't really prepare you for seeing a human being just pass out like that," said director Laura McGann, director of the Netflix documentary, out Wednesday. "It's scary to see." Through archive footage, interviews and a handful of re-enactments, McGann's film explores what drives these men and women to repeatedly risk their lives and push the limits of human endurance in pursuit of new competitive records. "Seeing a human being behave more like a seal or a dolphin in the water, with no tanks, was kind of like learning that there was a group of people in part of the world that knew how to fly," she told AFP. 'In the moment' Specifically, the film focuses on the relationship between record-breaking diver Zecchini and Stephen Keenan, a nomadic young Irishman who becomes one of the sport's top safety experts. Free divers, if not actively courting death, do not appear to fear it. Indeed, Zecchini airily claims in the movie's opening scene that she does not even think about death. Yet it quickly becomes apparent that some sort of tragedy has occurred. Neither Zecchini nor Keenan appear among the film's present-day interviews, leaving the question of their fates hanging for much of the movie -- at least, for those able to resist a quick Google search. That structure was criticized as being somewhat manipulative in early reviews at January's Sundance Film Festival, where the movie premiered, having already been acquired by Netflix days earlier. But McGann decided "really early" that her film would remain "in the moment" with its characters throughout their journeys. Death "was always going to be towards the end of the film," she said. Love and death "The Deepest Breath" is the latest documentary to explore dangerous obsessions through the lens of a love story. Last year's Oscar-nominated "Fire of Love" followed a husband-and-wife scientist couple as they risked their lives to explore the craters of erupting volcanoes. In 2019, "Free Solo" profiled death-defying climber Alex Honnold, as he juggled his obsession with climbing a notorious rockface without ropes, and his relationship with his understandably terrified girlfriend. For McGann, the relationship between Zecchini and Keenan was "a yin and a yang," like "they were each other's missing piece," even before they connected as celebrities in the small free diving community. It emphasizes that free diving is as much a mental sport as it is a physical one, requiring very specific personality types that not only stay calm, but actively enjoy being 100 meters under water, beyond rescue. "What the free diver is feeling is definitely close to the complete opposite to what we the audience are feeling," explained McGann. While viewers might struggle for breath just watching, divers speak of a "serene, quiet, peaceful silence," as they quieten their minds and reduce their heart rates to "that of a Tibetan monk." "You're almost in a meditative state," said McGann. "But you need to keep a little bit of your subconscious aware of what you're doing -- so that you remember that you have to come back up." The post Free divers find love and death in Netflix’s ‘Deepest Breath’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Father’s golden legacy
The first time one meets Avelino “Ave” Tolentino III, Undersecretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, one is easily impressed by his good looks and pleasant mien. One gets surprised that someone as young as he should already occupy a top position in the government. Until one finds out he is already 42 years old, which, to belabor the point, hardly shows in the man’s appearance, neither in his voice, mannerisms, and unbridled enthusiasm for his life’s purpose. He could pass for someone who had seen only three decades so far. But as he talks with you, you also realize he is very articulate and knows whereof he speaks. Brilliance is a mark of this man. But on the day that we interviewed him at the Daily Tribune office in Makati when he accompanied his boss, Secretary Gerry Acuzar, to an online guest in our early morning online show, we chose to veer away from the expected questions about his duties in the bureaucracy. Instead, we focused on the man behind the official title and function. And since Father’s Day was coming in a few weeks, we wondered as to the kind of father who would raise such a remarkable son — so young and yet so significant in the affairs of the Filipino — or make that common tao, the man on the street who deserves to live happily in a pleasant home he and his family could call their own. What makes Ave Tolentino tick? We surmised that he is the upshot of parents who instilled in him the right values from day one. And we were not wrong, except that if one imagined the father to be a strong figure, the master of his home, we were in for a surprise. As Ave revealed, theirs was not the typical family. This, in the sense that “it was our father, Avelino Jr. who kept us, four sons and a daughter, company at home, while our mom was busy at the office,” Ave shared. Given their family dynamics, his father worked from home by engaging in trading, which did not require his full-time attention. It had been an arrangement, if one could use the word, of his parents who both realized early on as they were building a family that “my mother had a future in the corporate world.” There was no doubt about her breaking the so-called glass ceiling as she was one woman who knew she would succeed as a business executive. His mom, Jenette, was a Certified Public Accountant and, at the time of her retirement, was the chief executive officer of a company that was engaged in the selling of ammunition. His father, according to Ave, “was very kind. He was what I would call a happy-go-lucky kind of guy. He was cool. Someone you could relate to. When we were younger, we could talk to him about almost anything. What I thought was normal was quite unconventional. At that time, my mom was the breadwinner. So, my dad was bringing us to school in the morning and picking us up in the afternoon.” But he was also working as a trader. He was juggling work and yet he was also raising his sons. “Well, he was practically watching over us,” Ave remembered. Just being there Being present to his children turned out to be a blessing, as “seeing him every afternoon, we made sure we would behave well, and not get into trouble. His presence was a deterrent to any of us getting into trouble or behaving foolishly. Because if we did, he would find out when he came to fetch us. Ave’s right at the gate of Colegio de San Agustin in Makati. It would have been different if we were not supervised.” As an added benefit to the family, he and his siblings grew closer as they came home together with their Dad in one car. On the other hand, just like most fathers, he had his list of don’ts. “Don’t do vices. No smoking, no drinking at a young age. And don’t give him any trouble. He made clear he did not like going to the principal’s office because any one of us needed to be disciplined.” Equally important to Ave’s father was family togetherness and awareness of their roots. “We spent a lot of time with our relatives. We had a lot of weekends at my grandfather’s, my father’s side, in Parañaque. We would all congregate there. And we also played a lot of table tennis growing up. Our games were for bonding, more than competing with one another. “He was the quintessential family man. He just enjoyed spending time with his family. He was very close to all his relatives, cousins, and second cousins. His friendship even extended to the neighbors of his cousins.” Go to guy Sharing his time and his listening ears was his idea of giving. “Dad was not too big on gifts. He showed he cared through service, or being there when you needed him. So, if you needed anything or you were in a situation, he was the person to call,” although he does not recall “having to call him at any point. But I knew that if I had to, he would have answered. He was very reliable.” And if there was one oddity about him, Ave pointed to his being a cockfighting aficionado. “As a kid, I would join him and my uncles and the rest of his relatives when they went to the cockpit in our home province, Mauban. In Parañaque, there would be cockfights right in our backyard. Our uncles would arrive with their fighting cocks.” What I thought was normal was quite unconventional. At that time, my mom was the breadwinner. So, my dad was bringing us to school in the morning and picking us up in the afternoon. If it was clean fun tinged with occasional rowdiness and incessant ribbing, Ave early on realized “it is a gentleman’s game. But for me, what I learned about cockfighting is that you have to raise the fighting cocks, you have to raise the chickens. I remember that when I was growing up, we had to help raise and take care of the chickens. I would help feed them like they were athletes. Their food was measured. It could not be more and it could not be less.” Ave was the middle child. “We had two batches,” he explained. “My two older brothers were 7 and 5 years ahead of us. And then myself and another brother. We were two years apart. My parents raised the first batch and then they raised us, the second batch, I believe they raised us well.” The post Father’s golden legacy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Solving China, Russia
Dear Editor Seeing the problem for what it truly is means half solving it. Both Russia and China have stubborn false views/beliefs and false historical narratives, coupled with avarice, in coveting what is not theirs. That’s the bottom line. Both nations need to see this. And that is the solution to the crises they have created, the peaceful way. Russia has harbored resentment against independent Ukraine since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and hallucinates that Ukraine is still part of “Mother Russia,” as opposed to the historic Act signed by Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Ukraine’s first president Leonid Kravchuk on 8 December 1991, recognizing Ukraine as an independent country. It was overwhelmingly approved by the people (90 percent) of Ukraine in a referendum even before the formal accord declaring their independence. China, for its part, in claiming almost all (90 percent) of the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea has only its own fabled “nine-dash line” to back up and defend its robbery or its continuing illegal occupation of the disputed sea. Studies and research by international experts and history professors disprove the “line.” Can we imagine if all nations created their own story and map artwork of the “nine-dash line” to invade neighboring territories? The situation in the West Philippine Sea between the Philippines and China is no different from the ongoing senseless, savage Russia-Ukraine war which Russia started and continues to inflame. It is a war better called the “Russia War.” May sanity prevail and humanity in humans triumph. Stop the bloodshed. China’s bullying is not limited to its bullying of our fishermen. It is depictive of its impudence and defiance of international law, more so its disrespect and contempt for our ethos and dignity as a people and nation. Imperious. BBM would do well to take every “goodwill” gesture of China to the Philippines with a grain of salt, if not view it as an act of ill will. Any help, aid, or “trade cooperation” China has offered and may offer in the future is and would be meaningless, and could be construed as fraught with bad intentions — unless they repent. China used to be a good friend to the Philippines, but not anymore. Dear officials of the land, beware of the present Chinese officials playing (subtle) the “forbidden fruit” game. Don’t bite the bug or the bait. Succumb not. What they are doing in the West Philippine Sea is unprecedented and indefensible. Open your eyes. Be very careful in dealing with them until they behave and cease their aggressions and juvenile sweeping claims to the contested body of water. Go ahead, dear senators, with your proposal to bring the WPS row to the United Nations for another just, intelligent decision/resolution of the brewing time bomb (for the world) on account of the incessant robber of foreign territories. It is a wise move. There are only two “ifs” — two crucial “ifs” — for China and the world to ponder upon. One is, if China won’t still budge and recognize another international ruling, this time by the United Nations no less, then all nations, not only the Philippines, should brace themselves for the undesirable. The other “if” is: If the Chinese leaders can’t and will not really accept the 2016 ruling of the arbitral tribunal rejecting its “nine-dash line” myth, before the action/decision of the United Nations, the only remaining wise thing left for them to do is to accept reason and justness. By doing so, they may engage our country and the rest of the claimant countries involved in the WPS row in a dialogue (serious, transparent, and sincere) to reach a compromise “win-win solution” for all — for the sake of peace and the saving of lives, and the preservation of our planet. Play fair and humane. That is even wiser. “God will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness.” — Psalm 9:8 (NLT) The post Solving China, Russia appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brian Cox hasn’t found time for ‘Succession’ finale
Veteran Scottish actor Brian Cox on Sunday praised striking Hollywood writers as entertainment's "prime forces" -- and revealed he has yet to watch the gripping finale of "Succession". Cox, who has grumbled about the early demise of his tyrannical character Logan Roy in the HBO drama's last series, told BBC Television he preferred not to go back over past projects. The fictional media tycoon's children were all "hateful people", and Roy was justified in refusing to hand power to them, Cox said as he prepares to return to the theatre stage in London. "I gather -- I haven't seen the end of the show -- but I gather... my character's been proven right because he knew this was all going to happen," the actor said. Cox, a lifelong socialist, has been following more closely the industrial unrest now roiling the US entertainment industry. The strike kicked off on May 3 after talks broke down between the Writers Guild of America and major US studios. The writers want better compensation after the industry disruption caused by streaming and fears over the increasing use of artificial intelligence. "They are... very clearly the prime forces of what we do," Cox said, praising Succession's British creator Jesse Armstrong as a "genius". "And they should get their just rewards for it," he added. "Unfortunately, producers are the ones who behave rather badly. You know, they're the ones who are kind of the manipulators, and sometimes the writers get pushed to the tap end of the bath." The post Brian Cox hasn’t found time for ‘Succession’ finale appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»