Sorsogon Province Marks Three-Year Milestone in Maternal and Newborn Health Care
by Geri Matthew CarreteroLegazpi City, Philippines - Sorsogon Province, through the Sorsogon Provincial Health Office in partnership with Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, with support from the MSD for Mothers Global Grant Program, hosted a Dissemination Forum titled "Breaking Barriers: Achievements and Collaborations in UHC towards Responsive and Quality Maternal and Newborn H.....»»
Sorsogon Province Marks Three-Year Milestone in Maternal and Newborn Health Care
by Geri Matthew CarreteroLegazpi City, Philippines - Sorsogon Province, through the Sorsogon Provincial Health Office in partnership with Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, with support from the MSD for Mothers Global Grant Program, hosted a Dissemination Forum titled "Breaking Barriers: Achievements and Collaborations in UHC towards Responsive and Quality Maternal and Newborn H.....»»
Katrina Halili nagluluksa sa pagpanaw ng BF — Ang daya mo love
RATED Rni Rommel Gonzales NAGULAT kami sa Facebook post ni Katrina Halili noong Lunes, January 29. Larawan ng isang lalaking nakatalikod na tila nasa madilim na kagubatan at naglalakad sa direksiyon ng isang liwanag at may caption na, “Ang daya mo love sabi mo aalagaan mo kami ni katie bakit iniwan mo kami.” Dahil kaibigan namin ang aktres at ….....»»
COVID’s back: Here’s what you need to know
As colder weather sets in, COVID rates are once more rising across the Northern Hemisphere, with several new variants on the scene. Here's what you need to know. Covid versus seasonal nasties? The COVID pandemic extracted a terrible toll, with nearly seven million deaths worldwide. But thanks to vaccines, prior immunity, and better treatments, the virus is now far more manageable. In the United States, excess deaths -- the total number of people dying for any given cause -- has been normal since spring. "If you asked me to choose between getting flu and COVID, I would pick COVID because each individual case of flu is more dangerous," said Ashish Jha, a former White House COVID coordinator and dean of public health at Brown University. But while COVID is now less deadly to individuals, "it also seems to have higher rates of long-term complications." COVID is also less seasonal than the flu, more contagious, and over the last three US winters peaked from December to January, while flu peaks later. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, placed COVID "on par" with flu and RSV, but stressed it was more severe than the common cold. To boost or not to boost? Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax have developed new vaccines that more closely target current variants, all offshoots of Omicron which became dominant in late 2021. There is broad consensus that annual boosters will benefit the most vulnerable. But whether they bring added value to everyone is debated. Nearly everyone has already been infected, studies show. And prior infections combined with vaccines have trained immune systems to stop severe outcomes even when they can't ward off infection. One-size-fits-all recommendations no longer make sense, and could decrease trust in public health, said Monica Gandhi, author of "Endemic: A Post-Pandemic Playbook." For example, the mRNA vaccines of Pfizer and Moderna carry small risks of heart inflammation in younger men. European nations advise annual shots only for higher-risk groups, but some experts don't see downsides in wider recommendations. "People at low risk still derive benefit from boosters," said Ziyad Al-Aly, an epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis. The United States recommends that nearly everyone get annual COVID shots. Are masks still useful? Experts diverge on this subject, one of the most controversial of the pandemic. A review of clinical trial data by the respected nonprofit Cochrane on whether promoting mask-wearing helped slow respiratory viruses found inconclusive results. Whether broad mandates have a significant effect, therefore, hasn't been proven. What researchers do know -- thanks to lab experiments -- is that well-fitted, high-caliber masks such as N-95s protect individuals. "Individuals can therefore choose to wear well-fitted and filtered masks indoors to provide personal protection from respiratory pathogens," said Gandhi, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco -- though she believes in vaccines to prevent severe disease, including among the high-risk. Test, or go to work? Experts agree that it makes sense for people at risk -- the elderly and those with conditions such as cancer, obesity, and diabetes -- to test when they have symptoms. That's because these groups "would benefit from antiviral therapy within the five-day window," said Adaja. The most prominent treatment is Paxlovid, which has been shown to reduce the risk of severe disease and death among high-risk people. Some health systems have decided testing at-risk people is all that's needed. "Most people no longer need to take a coronavirus test. To prevent the spread of infection, you should try to stay at home if you're unwell," says the UK's National Health System. What about long COVID? Research around long COVID -- symptoms that linger for weeks or months -- remains nebulous and hampered by a lack of standardized definitions for a condition that has multiple causes, said Adalja. Al-Aly estimates prevalence at between 4 to 7 percent, or 65 million people worldwide. "Unfortunately, we have not made progress on treating long Covid. This should be an urgent priority for research," he said. It does appear that prior vaccination reduces the risk of long COVID and that the condition is correlated with the severity of infection. The US government has funded several trials into the condition, with one recent study finding a diabetes drug called metformin reduced the risk of ongoing symptoms by 40 percent. Jha said he was hopeful of more data on treatments in the coming months. The post COVID’s back: Here’s what you need to know appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gray zone conflict (1)
American policymakers are laying out a scenario of heightened posturing in the West Philippine Sea that is being referred to as a gray zone conflict in which China’s aggressiveness will heighten short of an actual armed conflict. US defense officials classify a gray zone conflict as an activity that is coercive and aggressive in nature, but that is deliberately designed to remain below the threshold of conventional military conflict and open interstate war. The Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Program on National Security senior fellow Hal Brands, who is a Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, said gray zone approaches are mostly the province of revisionist powers, which are “those actors that seek to modify some aspect of the existing international environment — and the goal is to reap gains, whether territorial or otherwise, that are normally associated with victory in war.” Gray zone approaches, he explained, are meant to achieve those gains without escalating to overt warfare, without crossing established red lines, and thus without exposing the practitioner to the penalties and risks that such escalation might bring. The concept of gray zone conflict has generated significant attention and controversy recently, within both the US government and the broader strategic studies community. Analysts have identified gray zone conflict as a new phenomenon that will increasingly characterize and challenge the international system in the years to come, according to Brands. Gray zone features unconventional tactics, from cyberattacks to propaganda and political warfare, to economic coercion and sabotage, to the sponsorship of armed proxy fighters, to creeping military expansionism. Brands said the tactics, in turn, are frequently shrouded in misinformation and deception and are often conducted in ways that are meant to make proper attribution of the responsible party difficult to nail down. Gray zone challenges, in other words, are ambiguous and usually incremental aggression. Real situation Defense experts said the gray zone is not an illusion contrary to what skeptics argue. But if the concept does pack a punch, it is also elusive and even paradoxical. Edward Luttwak has written about the paradoxical logic of strategy — the fact that it seems to embody multiple, and seemingly contradictory, truths at once. In dealing with the gray zone, this basic proposition applies in spades. The gray zone concept may seem relatively straightforward at first glance. But upon closer inspection, it is fraught with complexities, contradictions, and ironies. These characteristics do not make the concept worthless or meaningless. They do, however, make it quite slippery. Brands then listed factors that shed greater light on a concept that he said: “is at once deeply controversial and deeply important to debates about the future of warfare and US policy.” A common critique of the gray zone principle is that theorists have lumped together a dizzyingly diverse array of behaviors, from irregular warfare and unconventional warfare to coercion. “This is a valid critique. There is indeed a tendency for gray zone enthusiasts to define the concept expansively. One prominent piece on the subject includes the activities of Russia, China, and Iran — as well as the activities of ISIL and Boko Haram — within this category,” he said. He submits, however, that it makes no sense to cram China’s expansionism in the South China Sea and the Islamic State’s reign of terror in Iraq and Syria into the same analytical category. The former activity is a subtle campaign of pressure and expansion that seems carefully calibrated not to resemble open warfare or flagrant territorial expansion. “The latter activity is unabashed, quasi-genocidal warfare that involves maneuvers, combined-arms assaults, and theatrical atrocities designed to bring as much attention as possible. In other words, making the gray zone concept a repository for everything short of conventional, state-on-state warfare risks turning that concept into something that is both amorphous and analytically useless,” he explained (To be Continued.) The post Gray zone conflict (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ready to try yoga? Some tips before attending your first class
If you’ve always wanted to try yoga but still haven’t for one reason or another, then dilly-dally no more. Yoga offers many proven benefits for the body, mind and, most especially, the spirit. These benefits, as listed in an article on Johns Hopkins Medicine’s website, include improving strength, balance and flexibility; getting back pain relief; easing arthritis symptoms; and keeping the heart healthy. Yoga also helps you to relax, thus you get to sleep better. It means you’ll have more energy and brighter moods the following day. Additionally, you get to manage stress and improve your mental health. You may even lose weight, if that’s your intention, and achieve a slimmer figure. Finally convinced to sign up for your first class? Here are a few pointers from longtime yoga teachers Johnna Villaviray-Giolagon and Sheila Alon. “Yoga isn’t exercise,” Villaviray-Giolagon pointed out. “Don’t treat it like one.” Yoga actually began as a spiritual practice rooted in Indian philosophy (so you will hear many Sanskrit terms during practice). It then became popular beyond India as a way of promoting physical and mental well-being. [caption id="attachment_151879" align="aligncenter" width="720"] PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHEILA ALON | YOGA teacher Shiela Alon.[/caption] The teacher, who leads the Stretchy Flow, Vinyasa and Power Yoga classes at Community Fitness (located in Pasig City), shared these tips: “No heavy meal at least two to three hours before class, so you don’t throw up. Leave your ego at the door. Anything new, even if it’s slow movement, is bound to challenge our body. Wear comfortable clothes. You don’t have to be half-naked or fully clothed. Listen to the teacher and observe the demo. There are terms used that sound woowoo but make sense over time.” Alon, who teaches Yin yoga at the Yogaplus Virtual studio, has these reminders: “You do not need any previous yoga experience nor to be flexible. Every day is a learning day and our practice will be different, so just keep an open mind and heart. Your body is very intelligent, and it knows what it needs. You just have to listen to it.” She acknowledged the challenges of attending a virtual class, compared to going to a physical studio, especially for the first time. “The best tip is to just be open to learn something new about your body! I know first-timers will tend to be self-conscious, but keeping the camera open will allow the teacher/instructor to guide you and give options, so that you can make your first class accessible and fun! “It also helps to tell the teacher if you have any medical condition or injury, so that he or she can help give you verbal cues to make your practice a safe space and enjoyable, too. Yoga is not all pretzel poses. It’s a journey to getting to know what your body is capable of, moving, breathing — being present and meeting new faces in the community. Common types of yoga There are many and various types or styles of yoga, ranging from gentle practices (less poses, more meditation) to physically demanding ones (headstand, anyone?). Some of the common yoga classes, Villaviray-Giolagon said, are Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Bikram, Hatha and Yin. Ashtanga: A rigorous and fast-paced type of yoga that follows a fixed sequence of poses. It is made up of six series, namely Primary, Intermediate and four Advanced series. In many classes, Villaviray-Giolagon said, only half of the primary series is taught. Vinyasa: A fluid and dynamic yoga that links breath and movement in creative sequences. Villaviray-Giolagon described it as something like “freestyle dancing,” as the teacher “choreographs” what is done in class. Bikram: A hot and sweaty yoga that consists of 26 poses and two breathing exercises in a heated room. Hatha: A branch of yoga that focuses on posture and breathing techniques. “Poses are practiced on their own, like drills,” Villaviray-Giolagon said. “Can feel like the exercises in calisthenics class. It’s usually more accessible in gyms.” Yin: A slow, passive style of yoga, done mostly on the floor in seated or lying-down postures. “It targets the connective tissues instead of the muscle,” Villaviray explained. “Poses are practiced on the ground for maybe three to five minutes or longer.” The post Ready to try yoga? Some tips before attending your first class appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Living near green space makes you 2.5 years younger: study
City parks and green spaces help counter heat, boost biodiversity, and instill a sense of calm in the urban jungle. They also help slow biological aging, with people who have access to green spaces found to be on average 2.5 years biologically younger than those who do not, according to a new study published Wednesday in Science Advances. "Living near more greenness can help you be younger than your actual age," Kyeezu Kim, the study's lead author and a postdoctoral scholar at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, told AFP. "We believe our findings have significant implications for urban planning in terms of expanding green infrastructure to promote public health and reduce health disparities." Exposure to green spaces has previously been linked with better cardiovascular health and lower rates of mortality. It's thought that more physical activity and social interactions are at play, but whether parks actually slowed down aging on a cellular level has been unclear. To investigate, the team behind the study examined DNA chemical modifications known as "methylation." Prior work has shown that so-called "epigenetic clocks" based on DNA methylation can be a good predictor of health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, cognitive function, and a more accurate way of measuring age than calendar years. Kim and colleagues followed more than 900 white and Black people from four American cities -- Birmingham, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Oakland -- over a period of 20 years, from 1986-2006. Using satellite imaging, the team assessed how close the participants' residential addresses were to surrounding vegetation and parks, and paired this data with blood samples taken in years 15 and years 20 of the study, to determine their biological age. The team constructed statistical models to evaluate the results, and control for other variables, such as education, income, and behavioral factors like smoking, that might have affected the results. They found that people whose homes were surrounded by 30 percent green cover within a five kilometer (three mile) radius were on average 2.5 years younger biologically compared to those whose homes were surrounded by 20 percent green cover. The benefits were not evenly shared. Black people with more access to green space were only one year biologically younger, while white people were three years younger. "Other factors, such as stress, qualities of the surrounding green space, and other social support, can affect the degree of benefits of green spaces in terms of biological aging," said Kim, explaining the disparities required further study. For example, parks in deprived neighborhoods used for illicit activities might be less frequented, negating the benefits. Next steps might involve investigating the link between green spaces and specific health outcomes, she added. It's also not yet clear how exactly greenery reduces aging -- only that it does, added Kim. Epidemiologist Manuel Franco, of the University of Alcala and Johns Hopkins, called the research a "well designed study." "We have more and better scientific evidence to increase and promote the use of urban green spaces," added Franco, who was not involved in the study. ia/jh © Agence France-Presse The post Living near green space makes you 2.5 years younger: study appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Living near green space makes you 2.5 years younger — study
City parks and green spaces help counter the heat, boost biodiversity, and instill a sense of calm in the urban jungle. They also help slow biological aging, with people who have access to green spaces found to be on average 2.5 years biologically younger than those who do not, according to a new study published Wednesday in Science Advances. "Living near more greenness can help you be younger than your actual age," Kyeezu Kim, the study's lead author and a postdoctoral scholar at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, told AFP. "We believe our findings have significant implications for urban planning in terms of expanding green infrastructure to promote public health and reduce health disparities." Exposure to green spaces has previously been linked with better cardiovascular health and lower rates of mortality. It's thought that more physical activity and social interactions are at play, but whether parks actually slowed down aging on a cellular level has been unclear. To investigate, the team behind the study examined DNA chemical modifications known as "methylation." Prior work has shown that so-called "epigenetic clocks" based on DNA methylation can be a good predictor of health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, cognitive function, and a more accurate way of measuring age than calendar years. Kim and colleagues followed more than 900 white and Black people from four American cities -- Birmingham, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Oakland -- over a period of 20 years, from 1986-2006. Using satellite imaging, the team assessed how close the participants' residential addresses were to surrounding vegetation and parks, and paired this data with blood samples taken in years 15 and years 20 of the study, to determine their biological age. The team constructed statistical models to evaluate the results, and control for other variables, such as education, income, and behavioral factors like smoking, that might have affected the results. They found that people whose homes were surrounded by 30 percent green cover within a five-kilometer (three-mile) radius were on average 2.5 years younger biologically compared to those whose homes were surrounded by 20 percent green cover. The benefits were not evenly shared. Black people with more access to green space were only one year biologically younger, while white people were three years younger. "Other factors, such as stress, qualities of the surrounding green space, and other social support, can affect the degree of benefits of green spaces in terms of biological aging," said Kim, explaining the disparities required further study. For example, parks in deprived neighborhoods used for illicit activities might be less frequented, negating the benefits. Next steps might involve investigating the link between green spaces and specific health outcomes, she added. It's also not yet clear how exactly greenery reduces aging -- only that it does, added Kim. Epidemiologist Manuel Franco, of the University of Alcala and Johns Hopkins, called the research a "well-designed study." "We have more and better scientific evidence to increase and promote the use of urban green spaces," added Franco, who was not involved in the study. The post Living near green space makes you 2.5 years younger — study appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Herbosa pushes healthcare reforms
Dr. Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa took his oath on Tuesday as secretary of the Department of Health, a position that had been vacant since June last year. He was sworn into office by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañang. Herbosa pledged to fully implement the Universal Health Care Law, or UHCL, by sustaining its gains, strengthening health sector strategy interventions and introducing healthcare reforms. The UHCL, or Republic Act 11223, was enacted in 2019 to provide universal health coverage for all Filipinos, regardless of their income or employment status. “The DoH family welcomes this development, as this is crucial to the department’s operations. With this transition, the DoH ensures that healthcare services will remain unhampered,” the agency said. Marcos named Herbosa Health secretary Monday night, putting him at the helm of the department vice Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire, who had led the agency since July of last year. Vergeire assured the public that DoH will provide “all-out support” and a smooth transition for Herbosa. “Secretary Ted can be assured of our sincere support from the whole DoH family,” she said. Before his appointment, Herbosa served as an undersecretary at the DoH from 2010 to 2015, contributing to various initiatives such as the establishment of the Hospital Accreditation Commission, modernizing the Philippine Orthopedics Center, and promoting public-private partnerships in health. He is also a former undersecretary and concurrent regional director at the DoH-National Capital Regional Office. From October 2017 to April 2021, Herbosa served as executive vice president of the University of the Philippines System, contributing to its development and growth. He has held various key positions, including chief of the Division of Trauma at the Department of Surgery, Philippine General Hospital; chairman of the board of Physicians for Peace Philippines, and third vice president of the UP Alumni Association. He has likewise served as a professor in the Emergency Department at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and at the National University of Malaysia. Herbosa has been involved in numerous international roles and collaborations, including serving on the board of directors of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine. He is a former medical consultant and adviser for the Australasian Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians in Melbourne, Australia, and Regional Education Coordinator for the HOPE (Hospital Preparedness and Emergencies) Program at Johns Hopkins University Center for International Emergencies, Disasters and Refugee Studies in Maryland, USA. Amid the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Herbosa served as a Special Adviser to the National Task Force Against Covid-19, offering guidance and contributing to the formulation of strategies to mitigate the impact of the virus. He also served as an international consultant in several countries, including Palau, Maldives, Malaysia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, Tunisia and Thailand, making notable contributions to emergency medicine and trauma care. Dr. Herbosa’s involvement in the development of the STOP DEATH Program and his membership in the Safe Surgery Saves Lives Global Task Force, which developed the WHO safe surgery checklist, demonstrated his dedication to improving healthcare systems. ‘Interestingly, Gibo is a trained pilot. And he knows that our defense requirements are evolving from mainly insurgency-based to more territorial protection — and that requires air superiority in our own airspace.’ Herbosa also held a prominent position as a professor at the College of Medicine at the University of the Philippines Manila. Aside from Herbosa, Marcos named Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. as secretary of the Department of National Defense. Meanwhile, senators expressed their support for the appointments of Teodoro and Herbosa as Defense and Health chiefs, respectively. “Secretary Teodoro is a tried and tested public servant and we trust that he will head the Department of Defense most capably, particularly amid this atmosphere of brewing tensions in our waters,” Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said in a statement. “And we are happy to see the Department of Health helmed by an experienced public health expert. Secretary Herbosa’s appointment comes at an opportune time, with our Regional Specialty Centers Act having just gotten bicameral approval, and we are hopeful that he will spearhead a truly whole-of-nation approach in the improvement of our public health services,” he added. He said with the appointments of Teodoro and Herbosa, the President has “just addressed the two most pressing challenges of our time — territorial integrity and our full recovery from the pandemic.” “Their appointments should give a big boost to our fight to have a secure and stronger nation supported by a healthy population,” he said. Likewise, Senator Grace Poe welcomed the appointments of the new department heads. “We trust that their expertise and experience in their respective fields will help them carry out the gargantuan tasks that lie ahead,” she said in a separate statement. Poe said the new secretaries are “crucial in deciding and implementing strategies in addressing the various health issues we are facing and in upholding the country’s territorial integrity against various threats.” “Focus and commitment on the job coupled with straight and true service will fortify our health and defense sectors and deliver the services our people deserve,” she added. Senator JV Ejercito urged Teodoro to ensure the successful modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. “We need to expedite these efforts to put up a robust defense posture and reinforce our coastal defenses amid the growing tensions in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea,” he said. Meanwhile, former Health secretary, now Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, wished Herbosa all the luck and the perseverance to deliver accessible healthcare to Filipinos. According to Garin, the DoH needs a manager who can oversee the prompt delivery of services to the public. She added Herbosa also needs to tackle the so-called infodemics or the proliferation of fake medical news. Speaker Martin Romualdez and Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said the President made the right choices in Teodoro and Herbosa. “Interestingly, Gibo is a trained pilot. And he knows that our defense requirements are evolving from mainly insurgency-based to more territorial protection — and that requires air superiority in our own airspace,” said Salceda. The post Herbosa pushes healthcare reforms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Typhoon Mawar leaves trail of destruction as it moves from Guam
A typhoon that slammed into Guam, knocking out power and flooding buildings with a powerful storm surge, was moving away Thursday -- leaving residents of the US Pacific Ocean territory to survey the damage. Governor Lou Leon Guerrero was set to venture out when conditions allow to see what damage has been wrought on the island, a key US military outpost and home to 170,000 people. The governor and civil defense groups will look for "any major damages or blocked roadways in the wake of Typhoon Mawar," a statement said Thursday. "As Guam received the full brunt of the typhoon overnight, the assessment will help determine what damages may have occurred." Mawar brought winds of up to 225 kilometers (140 miles) an hour, the US National Weather Service reported, generating waves nine meters (30 feet) high. There were no reported deaths or injuries. At one of the island's many hotels, the 30-floor Dusit Thani Guam Resort housing about 300 guests, desk clerk Casey Hattori said the lobby was inundated with a foot of water, even with the front door barricaded with boards and bags of concrete. Outside, trees snapped in howling wind. "I can hear the walls shaking. The wind is super strong. I can hear it whistling as it comes through the cracks of the doors," Hattori told AFP. Fearful tourists were evacuated from flooded rooms to a sixth floor ballroom, she said. Images on social media showed the impact of winds that had uprooted trees, swept away vehicles and dislodged roofs, throwing debris everywhere. Tens of thousands of homes were without power Thursday, the Guam Power Authority said, but noted that a total blackout had been avoided. "We are working hard to maintain the last remaining customers through the storm, which contributes to quicker recovery after the winds die down later tonight or in the early morning hours," the agency said, according to the Pacific Daily News. The NWS said Mawar was now a Super Typhoon, and forecasting models suggested it was heading towards Taiwan or the Philippines. "As sunlight is starting to peek, we are waking up to a rather disturbing scene out there across Guam," one forecaster said during a morning update Thursday. "We are looking out our door and what used to be a jungle looks like toothpicks. It looks like a scene from the movie 'Twister,' with trees just thrashed apart." The agency said Guam remained under a typhoon warning, with destructive gusts and heavy surf expected. Ocean conditions are still treacherous, even for large vessels, it said. "Residents are urged to stay off the roads and remain in safe, hardened shelters" for now, emergency officials warned. In Washington, the White House said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the situation. "The White House is in close contact with the government of Guam and has offered as much support as needed," a spokeswoman said. About 21,700 US military personnel and their families are based on Guam, which routinely hosts nuclear attack submarines and long-range bombers. The territory is also home to key electronic listening posts, and the US bases have some of the Pacific region's most significant ammunition and fuel storage facilities. Lieutenant Commander Katie Koenig, spokesperson for Joint Region Marianas said military aircraft and ships departed before the destructive winds began or were sheltered in hangars, "except for one vessel which remains in port due to an inoperable engine." Koenig added that all military and civilian personnel were instructed to take shelter. "Our service members throughout the Marianas routinely exercise natural disaster response and are ready and postured to respond... once the 'all clear' order is given," she said. The post Typhoon Mawar leaves trail of destruction as it moves from Guam appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Princeton tops list of best US national universities for 2022-2023
Princeton University topped the list of national universities in the United States for the school year 2022-2023, according to usnewscom. An Ivy League school, Princeton University is a private institution that was founded in 1746. The suburban school on sprawling 600 acres of land has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,321 as of fall 2021. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, the school is among the oldest colleges in the US. It has a championship tradition in sports, especially its lacrosse teams. According to its profile, freshmen and sophomores live in residence while juniors and seniors get the option to join eating clubs which serve as social and dining organizations for the students. Among the notable alumni are US President Woodrow Wilson, model/actress Brooke Shields and former first lady Michelle Obama. Its tuition is around $57,410. Massachusetts Institute of Technology came in second. It is a private institution that was founded in 1861 and has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,638 as of fall 2021. Its campus size measures 168 acres. Tuition: $57,986. Another Ivy League institution, Harvard University, made it to the Top 3. It currently has 7,153 students in its urban-setting campus which spreads out 5,076 acres. Tuition: $57,261. Ranked fourth to 9th are Stanford, Yale, University of Chicago, John Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania, and California Institute of Technology. At joint 10th are Duke and Northwestern University, while Ivy Leagues Dartmouth and Brown are tied for 12th. Vanderbilt, Rice, and Washington University in St. Louis round up the top 15. The post Princeton tops list of best US national universities for 2022-2023 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UK deputy PM awaits Sunak’s verdict over bullying inquiry
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wrestled Thursday with the fate of his deputy Dominic Raab after an investigation concluded into alleged bullying by the Conservative minister. Raab, who is justice secretary as well as deputy prime minister, has been under a cloud for allegedly victimizing his civil servants in three different government departments. The controversy has dogged Sunak ever since he succeeded Boris Johnson in October with a pledge to restore "integrity, professionalism, and accountability" in government. Sunak appointed senior employment lawyer Adam Tolley in November to look into two formal complaints leveled at Raab. More complaints have emerged since from civil servants who worked with the minister, and the Financial Times newspaper quoted one person involved in the investigation as saying it was "devastating". Tolley sent his report to Sunak on Thursday morning, the prime minister's spokesman confirmed. Sunak retains "full confidence" in Raab but is "carefully considering the findings of the report", he told reporters, refusing to say when it would be published. Raab is widely expected to face dismissal if the complaints are upheld by Tolley, with Sunak and the Conservatives already staring at probable heavy losses in local elections on May 4. In February, Raab insisted to Sky News that he had "behaved professionally throughout". But he added: "If an allegation of bullying is upheld, I would resign." In late January, the prime minister fired the wealthy chairman of the Conservative Party, Nadhim Zahawi, after a separate probe into Zahawi's tax affairs. Nodding to Zahawi's abrupt dismissal, Sunak warned: "I won't hesitate to take swift and decisive action" if given conclusive findings of wrongdoing by Raab. But opposition parties will raise fresh questions about Sunak's political judgment in retaining Raab and re-appointing the controversial interior minister Suella Braverman, in October. Some 72 percent of voters believe Raab should resign if he is found to have engaged in bullying, and 44 percent think Sunak knew about the allegations when he appointed him, according to a new poll by Savanta. "If the report's findings are serious and Sunak fails to act, it could draw into contention the prime minister's assertion that his government and leadership is markedly different to those of his predecessors when it comes to scandal and sleaze," Savanta's political research director Chris Hopkins commented. If Raab does go, it would necessitate an earlier-than-expected cabinet reshuffle by Sunak at a sensitive juncture, ahead of the May elections. He is reportedly likely to appoint a woman as justice secretary if he does fire Raab, after criticism over the gender imbalance in his top team. The post UK deputy PM awaits Sunak’s verdict over bullying inquiry appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Government s role in the spread of disinformation
EVEN BEFORE the pandemic, countries around the world showed up the symptoms of a social and political disease. Only a few have emerged unscathed from the affliction. Sadly, the Philippines has been noted among the worst cases as disinformation and political lies have taken root, showing up in all aspects of society.In 2018, Katie Harbath, Facebook Global Politics and Government Outreach Director, famously called.....»»
US Justice Department taking abortion pill fight to Supreme Court
The US Justice Department said Thursday that it will go to the Supreme Court to appeal restrictions imposed on a widely-used abortion pill in the latest round of a fierce battle over reproductive rights. The decision by President Joe Biden's administration came just hours after an appeals court rejected moves to ban mifepristone outright, but imposed a series of measures restricting access to the pill. As the Justice Department prepared an emergency filing with the nation's highest court, the White House slammed a Florida bill that would ban abortion in the third most populous state after six weeks, before many women even know they are pregnant. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the bill passed on Thursday by the Republican-controlled legislature in Florida was "extreme and dangerous" and "flies in the face of fundamental freedoms." More than a dozen US states have passed laws severely restricting abortion since the conservative-dominated Supreme Court last year overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that had enshrined the constitutional right to abortion for half a century. Mifepristone, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2000 and accounts for more than half the abortions in the United States, has become the centerpiece of the country's latest clash over women's reproductive freedom. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department will seek "emergency relief from the Supreme Court to defend the FDA's scientific judgment and protect Americans' access to safe and effective reproductive care." Speaking to reporters during Biden's visit to Dublin, Ireland, Jean-Pierre said "we believe that the law is on our side, and we will prevail." Late Wednesday, the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals said mifepristone, also known as RU 486, should remain available pending a full hearing of the case, but limited access to the first seven weeks of pregnancy, down from 10. The appeals court also said in-person visits would be necessary to obtain the pill -- a requirement lifted in recent years -- and blocked the medication from being sent by mail. The 2-1 ruling by the conservative-majority appeals court in New Orleans, Louisiana, came after a US District Court judge in Texas overturned the FDA's two-decades-old approval of the drug last Friday. 'Furious' The appeals court said anti-abortion opponents had waited too long to challenge the drug's approval by the FDA but gave them a victory of sorts by imposing restrictions on its use, a move denounced by groups seeking to maintain access to abortion. "We are furious that yet another court would choose to jeopardize the health and futures of the millions of people who rely on mifepristone for abortion care," said Planned Parenthood president Alexis McGill Johnson. Jennifer Dalven, director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, said "unless the Supreme Court steps in, this decision will prevent many people from getting abortion care and force them to remain pregnant against their will." The anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony described the appeals court ruling by two judges appointed by former Republican president Donald Trump as a "win." "The court recognized that the abortion pill is dangerous and rolled back Biden's reckless mail-order abortion scheme," said Susan B. Anthony state policy director Katie Daniel. Mifepristone is one component of a two-drug regimen that can be used in the United States through the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. It has a long safety record, and the FDA estimates 5.6 million Americans have used it to terminate pregnancies since it was approved. 'Unborn human' Last week's ruling by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, also a Trump appointee, seeking to impose a nationwide ban on mifepristone came in response to a suit by a coalition of anti-abortion groups. The judge, in his decision, adopted language used by abortion opponents, saying the drug was used to "kill the unborn human." Kacsmaryk said the two-drug regimen that includes mifepristone had resulted in "thousands of adverse events suffered by women and girls," including intense bleeding and psychological trauma. But the FDA, researchers, and the drugmaker say decades of experience have proven the medication to be safe and effective when used as indicated. The Biden administration and leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies also argued that Kacsmaryk's ruling risked undermining the entire drug approval authority of the FDA. "If this decision stands, no medication -- from chemotherapy drugs to asthma medicine, to blood pressure pills, to insulin -- would be safe from attacks," said Vice President Kamala Harris. Polls repeatedly show a clear majority of Americans support continued access to safe abortion, even as conservative groups push to limit access to the procedure -- or ban it outright. The post US Justice Department taking abortion pill fight to Supreme Court appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sacramento Councilwoman Katie Valenzuela announces reelection campaign
(KTXL) Sacramento City Councilwoman Katie Valenzuela announced she would seek reelection to her District 4 seat in 2024 on Tuesday. Despite the uncertainty of the last couple of years, our team dove in and worked hard to makeour community a better place, Valenzuela said in a news release. Video above: Lodi City Council discusses [...].....»»
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American 1st swimmer to win 5 straight world titles in same event
ANKARA - American Katie Ledecky became the first swimmer to win five consecutive world titles in the same event Friday when she won the women's 800-meter freestyle at the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships."Katie Ledecky is the first swimmer in history to win a specific individual ev.....»»
Pacquiao has ‘mental’ edge vs Spence, says Hopkins
MANILA, Philippines—Boxing icon Bernard Hopkins believes Manny Pacquiao holds the mental advantage in his welterweight title fight against WBC and IBF champion Errol Spence Jr. in August. In an interview with KO Artist Sports, Hopkins said Pacquiao’s experience alone will be vital in the fight against Spence that now includes the Ring Magazine welterweight strap. “The […] The post Pacquiao has ‘mental’ edge vs Spence, says Hopkins appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»