Padilla reminded of proper decorum
Sen. Nancy Binay reminded her colleague, Sen. Robinhood Padilla, of proper decorum yesterday after the latter’s wife Mariel Padilla received backlash for doing a glutathione drip in Senate premises......»»
Nancy Binay kay Mariel: May kasamang kapanagutan ang pagiging artista
NAGBIGAY pahayag si Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee Chair Sen. Nancy Binay kaugnay ng viral Instagram post ni Mariel Padilla matapos itong magsagawa ng IV drip session sa loob ng opisina ng kanyang mister sa Senado. Aniya, naba-bother daw siya na baka marami ang mahikayat ng dating TV host sa pagpapa-IV drip. “I’m not sure.....»»
Senate eyes OK of P100 minimum wage hike
Senators are hoping to approve this week the proposed P100 increase for minimum wage earners as a Valentine’s gift to Filipino workers, Sen. Nancy Binay said yesterday......»»
Republican rival questions Trump s mental fitness
Nikki Haley expressed doubt about the GOP frontrunner's state of mind after he confused her with Democrat Nancy Pelosi Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley has questioned rival candidate Donald Trump's mental fitness after he appeared to confuse her with former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a campaign.....»»
Ensure passenger safety – Binay
Sen. Nancy Binay has urged authorities to ensure that passengers will arrive home safely amid the holiday traffic......»»
Lookalikes Liza Soberano, Nancy McDonie star in Korean series Hwaiting
Actress Liza Soberano has joined the cast of Korean TV series "Hwaiting." .....»»
Female druggie caught in Pasig sting
A female drug suspect was nabbed in a buy-bust operation in Pasig City early Tuesday morning. The 43-year-old suspect, identified only as alias Nancy, was arrested at 1:40 a.m. at Dr. Sixto Antonio Avenue, Barangay Maybunga, after she sold a sachet of shabu to a poseur buyer. The buy-bust operation was conducted by the joint operatives of Pasig City Police Station’s Drug Enforcement Unit and Special Reaction Unit. Recovered from the suspect were eight pieces of transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing more or less 12 grams with an estimated street value of P81,600, a black coin purse, a mobile phone, P200 buy-bust money, and two pieces of fake one-thousand pesos. The suspect is now detained at the Pasig City Police Station custodial facility and is facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002. The post Female druggie caught in Pasig sting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate seeks Spanish counterpart’s aid in crafting Phl-EU free trade pact
A delegation of senators visited Spain during the celebration of the 75th year of the Philippines-European Union’s diplomatic relations. The country’s official inter-parliamentary visit was led by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday. He was accompanied by Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva and Senators Joseph Victor “JV” Estrada, Sonny Angara, Pia Cayetano, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, and Mark Villar, along with Philippine Ambassador to Spain Philippe Lhuillier. The Philippine senators met their counterparts and discussed the enhanced trade between the Philippines and the EU. During the commemoration of the Phl-EU ties, Zubiri urged their counterparts to build stronger partnerships and solid relationships anchored in history. “Let us build on 500 years of friendship and history. The foundations of our friendship are anchored on our shared history, our shared culture, and our shared Catholic faith. Though we are proud to be our own independent Republic, we are also grateful for our heritage and our Hispanidad,” Zubiri told their counterparts in a meeting. In a statement Tuesday, Zubiri said he met with his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Rollán, and Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Miguel Utray. During their meeting, Zubiri said he sought the assistance of Rollán as the Philippines is targeting to develop a free trade agreement with the EU. Rollán, in response, expressed his willingness to help the Philippines in crafting the pact saying that “Spain is well-positioned to offer support in the post-pandemic period as the head of the EU.” “Spain’s doors are always open for the Philippines. The visit is a welcome opportunity to reinforce the already excellent relations between the Philippines and Spain,” he added. Spain currently leads the EU for the extension of the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP+), which allows about 6,000 Filipino products to enter the EU duty-free. EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Veron previously said that the EU is considering the resumption of FTA talks with a Southeast Asian country “which could be Malaysia, Thailand, or the Philippines.”.....»»
Fund request for DOT brand campaign questioned
Sen. Nancy Binay questioned the funding request of the Department of Tourism for its branding campaign when it has already launched the new tourism slogan “Love the Philippines.”.....»»
Singaporean fashion label opens first south korea store with a star-studded party
Charles & Keith officially opened its inaugural flagship store in South Korea with a star-studded celebration. Located in the bustling shopping belt of Gangnam, Seoul, the boutique marks the brand’s commitment to elevating its retail experience and strengthening its presence in the Asian market. Spanning over 330 sqm, the duplex is the largest Charles & Keith’s boutique in South Korea, and the latest in the brand’s global network to adopt its new sixth generation store concept. The first floor is dedicated to bags as well as accessories, such as costume jewelry and sunglasses, while its second floor is a haven for shoe lovers and also houses the brand’s premium Collection line. As part of the festivities, the brand debuted its collaboration capsule with artist Henn Kim at the event. Fondly titled “Heart Is Every Wear,” the all-black four-piece capsule is inspired by Henn Kim’s desire for the products to be worn anywhere and everywhere, and for each wearer to feel encouraged in being forthcoming with their emotions. Its cheeky moniker invites individuals to embrace authenticity and express their innermost sentiments by confidently wearing their hearts on their sleeves. [caption id="attachment_187033" align="aligncenter" width="525"] SOUTH Korean actress Joo Hyun-young.[/caption] Party attendees included global brand ambassador Han So Hee, who showcased the versatility of the Petra bag she sported in the Fall 2023 campaign alongside statement jewelry from the Gabine line. Singers Soyeon from G(IDLE) and Nancy from Momoland expressed their Gen Z style perfectly — the former pairing the Illustrated Heart Charm Ankle Boots from the Henn Kim collection with the brand’s iconic Charlot bag in silver for an edgy look; while the latter channeled girlish charm with her Pixie Furry Platform Mules, White Petra Curved Shoulder Bag, adding a Henn Kim x Charles & Keith scrunchie to her look for a fun twist. Fashion icon and model Irene Kim oozed sophistication in this season’s Pixie Platform Mary Janes and the latest reiteration of the Koa — an east-west, top handle style. Comedienne Joo Hyun-Young channeled Academia chic in with Pixie Platform Ankle Boots and carrying a Gabine Houndstooth Leather Crossbody Bag. The post Singaporean fashion label opens first south korea store with a star-studded party appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US finds debris from missing F-35
Debris from a stealth jet that went missing after the pilot ejected has been found, the US military said Monday, after a day in which failure to track the $80 million aircraft drew amazement and ridicule in equal measure. The debris field from the F-35 was found in Williamsburg County, South Carolina, two hours northeast of Joint Base Charleston (JBC), officials said in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Members of the community should avoid the area as the recovery team secures the debris field," the statement read. When the jet disappeared over South Carolina on Sunday, JBC issued a plaintive call on social media asking for anyone who had information about it to call in. Flight tracking sites showed several search aircraft focused on a wooded and farmland area near Stuckey, which is in Williamsburg County, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of Charleston, late Monday afternoon. The F-35 Lightning II jet is coveted by US allies around the world, especially Ukraine, with its distinctive shape and features that shield it from radar detection. The pilot ejected for unknown reasons and parachuted safely into a North Charleston neighborhood on Sunday -- leaving the jet flying in what some called a "zombie state." In 1989 the pilot of a malfunctioning Soviet MiG-23 ejected over Poland and the jet continued to fly on autopilot until it crashed in Kortrijk, Belgium, more than 900 kilometers (560 miles) away. The disappearance of a highly advanced aircraft sparked incredulous comments online. "How in the hell do you lose an F-35? How is there not a tracking device and we're asking the public to what, find a jet and turn it in?" said Nancy Mace, a member of Congress representing the Charleston area. Hard for radar to detect Some posted manipulated photographs of lost signs on trees, offering rewards for finding the missing jet. One post showed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky posing in front of an F-35, suggesting he took it. Since Russia invaded his country last year, Zelensky has been pressing the United States to supply his air force with advanced US jets to give his military an advantage. The US has begun training Ukraine pilots on F-16s. The missing aircraft was an F-35B, a variation operated by the Marines that has short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities. The shape of its airframe, including two angled stabilizers on the back, and the use of special materials make it harder for traditional radar to detect. JBC spokesman Jeremy Huggins told the Washington Post that the jet's transponder was not working and that its stealth capabilities added to the challenges of tracking it. At least seven F-35s have been destroyed in previous crashes, due to a range of causes. The post US finds debris from missing F-35 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China ships, jets swarm off Taiwan
China’s Shandong carrier strike group, along with other warships of the People’s Liberation Army, earned condemnation from Taiwan for its naval exercises near the self-ruled island. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, more than 100 Chinese warplanes and nine navy ships were sighted in the Bashi Channel, which separates Taiwan and the Philippines. Over the past decades, the People’s Republic of China has maintained its stance that Taiwan is a renegade province that it intends to reunite with the mainland, by force if necessary. Taiwan’s defense ministry described the number of warplanes detected around the island as a “recent high.” “Between the morning of 17th to 18th September, the Ministry of National Defence detected a total of 103 Chinese aircraft which was a recent high and has posed severe challenges to the security across the Taiwan Strait and in the region,” the agency said in a statement. While Beijing refrained from issuing an official statement on the sorties, Taiwan called on China to stop its “destructive unilateral actions” in the area. Beijing’s “continued military harassment can easily lead to a sharp spike in tensions and worsen regional security,” the ministry said. About 40 of the Chinese fighter planes crossed the so-called median line of the Taiwan Strait that separates the island from China, and entered its southwest and southeast air defense identification zone, the statement said. Taipei reported similar incidents last week following an increased number of incursions by Chinese warplanes and ships. High alert The uptick came as Beijing said its troops were on “high alert” after two ships belonging to the United States and Canada sailed through the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s defense ministry said 68 Chinese aircraft and 10 naval vessels were detected around the island between Wednesday morning and Thursday morning. Some of those planes and warships were heading to an unspecified area in the Western Pacific to “conduct joint sea and air training” with China’s Shandong aircraft carrier, the ministry said. The Shandong, one of two operational aircraft carriers in the Chinese fleet, was detected last week around 60 nautical miles (110 kilometers) southeast of Taiwan heading to the Western Pacific, Taipei authorities said. Japan, too Meanwhile, Japan’s defense ministry said its navy had detected six ships — including frigates, destroyers, one fast combat support ship, and the Shandong — sailing through waters some 650 kilometers (400 miles) south of Miyakojima island, east of Taiwan. It also confirmed that jets and helicopters had been detected taking off and landing on the Shandong. China’s increased military activities in the South China Sea were attributed to the multiple military drills being conducted by the United States with its allies in the Asia-Pacific. Among them are the ongoing US-South Korea exercise in the Yellow Sea, a drill involving the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea in the East China Sea, and the 19-nation Super Garuda Shield exercise. Counter to naval drills Last month, Japan, Australia and the Philippines conducted a naval drill led by the US. “Politically, China aims to counter the military containment by democratic allies led by the United States,” Su Tzu-yun, an analyst at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defence and Security Research, told AFP. Taiwan had reported a large number of Chinese warplane flights around the island following last August’s visit to Taipei by Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the US House of Representatives. In April, Beijing conducted a three-day “Joint Sword” military exercise to simulate the encirclement of the island, after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met with US house Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. At the time, Taiwan detected 71 Chinese warplanes in a 24-hour period, matching the previous record daily high set in December 2022. WITH AFP The post China ships, jets swarm off Taiwan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Taiwan detects 103 Chinese warplanes around island
Taiwan told China on Monday to stop its "destructive unilateral actions" after more than 100 Chinese warplanes and nine navy ships were detected in areas around the self-ruled island. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory to be seized one day, by force if necessary, and has ramped up diplomatic and military pressure on Taipei in recent years. Taiwan's defence ministry described the number of warplanes detected in 24 hours as a "recent high", while Beijing has so far refrained from issuing any official comment on the sorties. "Between the morning of September 17th to 18th, the Ministry of National Defence had detected a total of 103 Chinese aircraft which was a recent high and has posed severe challenges to the security across the Taiwan Strait and in the region," it said in a statement. Beijing's "continued military harassment can easily lead to a sharp escalation in tension and worsen regional security," the ministry said, as it called on China to "immediately stop such destructive unilateral actions." Of the total number of warplanes detected, 40 crossed the so-called median line of the Taiwan Strait that separates the island from China, and entered its southwest and southeast air defence identification zone (ADIZ), the statement said. 'High alert' Last week, Taipei also reported an increased number of incursions by Chinese warplanes and ships. The uptick came as Beijing said its troops were on "high alert" after two ships belonging to the United States and Canada sailed through the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan's defence ministry said 68 Chinese aircraft and 10 naval vessels were detected around the island between Wednesday morning and Thursday morning. Some of those planes and warships were heading to an unspecified area of the Western Pacific to "conduct joint sea and air training" with China's Shandong aircraft carrier, the ministry said. The Shandong, one of two operational aircraft carriers in the Chinese fleet, was detected last week around 60 nautical miles (110 kilometers) southeast of Taiwan heading into the Western Pacific, Taipei authorities said. Japan's defence ministry also said last week its navy had detected six ships -- including frigates, destroyers, one fast combat support ship and the Shandong -- sailing through waters some 650 kilometers (400 miles) south of Miyakojima island, east of Taiwan. It confirmed that jets and helicopters had been detected taking off and landing from the Shandong, though China has not commented officially on any drills being conducted in the Western Pacific. 'The same China' Analysts said China could be flexing its muscles to counter US influence in the Asia-Pacific, as it leads multiple rounds of military drills with allies across the region. "Politically, China aims to counter the military containment of democratic allies led by the United States," Su Tzu-yun, an analyst at Taiwan's Institute for National Defence and Security Research told AFP. Following last August's visit to Taipei by Nancy Pelosi, then-speaker of the US House of Representatives, China staged its largest-ever war games around Taiwan. Then in April this year, Beijing conducted a three-day "Joint Sword" military exercise to simulate the encirclement of the island, after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. While Beijing has yet to issue any statements on its latest sorties, China's Global Times state tabloid posted a comment on the Weibo social media platform. "The mainland and Taiwan belong to the same China, and Taiwan is a sacred and inalienable part of China," the post said, reiterating Beijing's long-standing policy. "The People's Liberation Army's relevant combat training activities are necessary actions to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," it added, referring to China's military. The post Taiwan detects 103 Chinese warplanes around island appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Colombia extradites celebrity designer to US over illegal leathers
Colombia has extradited to the United States a celebrity fashion designer wanted for the alleged smuggling of protected animal skin purses, police in the South American country said Wednesday. Nancy Gonzalez's purses, clutches, and wallets sell for thousands of US dollars apiece, have appeared on catwalks and TV shows, and grace the shelves of high-end shops around the globe. But the Colombian, 78, was arrested in July 2022 in the city of Cali on accusations related to more than 200 of the caiman- and python-skin products that were allegedly imported illegally and sold in the United States. Individuals were allegedly paid to bring the bags from Colombia to New York on commercial flights and coached to lie about the provenance of the goods if asked. Some of the skins were allegedly from species that were either protected or in danger of extinction, police official Jose Luis Ramirez said in a video sent to media. Gonzalez was sent to the United States along with her business partner Diego Mauricio Rodriguez, the police said, without specifying when. The pair are wanted in the Southern District of Florida. She risks a 25-year prison term. According to her website, Gonzalez's bags are handcrafted in her native Cali by a team of artisans. The site says her bags are sold at over 300 luxury retailers, including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Harrod’s, and Tsum. Her designs were also featured in an exhibition by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Among Gonzalez's famous clients are Salma Hayek, Britney Spears, and Victoria Beckham. The post Colombia extradites celebrity designer to US over illegal leathers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Binay: Focus on modern info tech instead of burdening Filipino travelers
Senator Nancy Binay on Tuesday said the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking should focus more on maximizing modern technology and profiling improvement to fight human trafficking in the country instead of burdening Filipino travelers with strict document requirements. Binay, who chairs the Senate Committee on Tourism, said that the revised departure guidelines set by the IACAT are very restrictive to Filipino travelers “yet inconclusive in stopping human trafficking. Hence, the senator said the IACAT and other related agencies should also be mindful of improving their profiling of travelers as she finds the policy of providing additional travel documents "coercive, restrictive and redundant." Binay said the presence of technology is there to make it convenient for passengers and make them feel secure. Technology also plays a huge role in curbing human trafficking, she added. "Kung kaduda-duda talaga ang background ng byahero at kasamang biktima (If a traveler's background is indeed suspicious including the victim)—that's the time immigration people should do their jobs of cross-checking the info they have in their database and compare it to the claims of the person in question,” Binay further stressed. She then appealed: ”Let's maximize the use of information technology to correctly profile travelers.” Binay lamented that immigration officials should use a combination of methods and criteria to determine travelers who may pose a security risk. “We all know that visa applications are all scrutinized for accuracy and consistency. Kapag medyo kaduda-duda ang impormasyong nakalagay, expect an outright rejection of your application. Ang dapat sigurong higpitan yung mga babyahe papunta sa countries na walang visa at mataas ang human trafficking cases—in this case, cross referencing is necessary to check the background of a particular traveler,” she said. The Department of Justice and Bureau of Immigration, she said, must deploy officers who are well-trained to interpret data contextually and make informed decisions based on the info at hand. Of course, human judgment is prone to mistakes that's why oversight is essential. Kaya dapat trained professional ang nasa frontlines to treat every traveler with respect and sensitivity, at magkaroon tayo ng mechanisms to address false positives to protect an individual's rights," Binay further stressed. The IACAT recently announced the imposition of the revised guidelines for Filipinos leaving the country beginning on 3 September. Under the revised guidelines, outbound passengers should present the basic travel documents consisting of a passport with at least six months validity from the date of departure; an appropriate valid visa whenever required; a confirmed return or roundtrip ticket, if necessary; and a boarding pass. For tourists, immigration officials may also ask for proof of hotel booking/accommodation, financial capacity or source of income; passenger’s declared purpose of travel, proof of employment, and other similar documents. Immigration officials may also ask outbound travelers for a copy of their original Philippine Statistics Authority-issued birth certificate or report of birth or marriage certificate/report of marriage, copies of documents of sponsor, valid work visa or permit, residency permit, or any equivalent document, overseas employment certificate, e-receipt, or OFW clearance for OFW sponsors. If traveling through a relative’s sponsorship, an original affidavit of support and guarantee duly notarized by the Philippine Embassy/Consulate/Honorary Consulate must be presented. The post Binay: Focus on modern info tech instead of burdening Filipino travelers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bataan 3rd engineering district creation approved
The provincial government of Bataan announced on Sunday that the Senate has already approved the measure which seeks to establish the province’s Third District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways. Bataan Third District Representative Gila Garcia said that the measure — House Bill 7539 or An Act Creating a District Engineering Office in the Third Legislative District of the Province of Bataan — was approved during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Works chaired by Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. The measure was sponsored by Garcia and Bataan Second District Representative Abet Garcia. Joining the Bataan solon during the hearing were District Engineer Maribel D. Navarro, her secretary Mercy J. Romero, and Assistant District Engineer Henry John U. Morada of DPWH’s 3rd DEO. The neophyte lady solon, sister of incumbent Bataan Governor Joet Garcia also expressed gratitude to Senator Robinhood Padilla, Senator Bato dela Rosa and Senator Nancy Binay who are members of the Committee, together with House Committee Chair Cong. Romeo Momo, Vice Chair Ramon Jolo Revilla III and House Committee Secretariat on Public Works. The Garcias expressed optimism that the creation of additional DPWH district will provide additional funds and benefits to the province of Bataan in terms of infrastructures, among others. The post Bataan 3rd engineering district creation approved appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Community of property
Dear Atty. Angela, I am in a long-term relationship with a widower who has two children from a previous marriage. He recently proposed marriage to me. I am single but I am concerned with the incorporation of our properties. Will our assets automatically be conjoined after marriage? What could I do to prevent any confusion with our respective ownership? Nancy Dear Nancy, Unless there would be a prenuptial agreement, when a couple enters into marriage, a regime of absolute community will apply where the husband and the wife become joint owners of all the properties of the marriage. Whatever property each spouse brings into the marriage, and those acquired during the marriage (except those excluded under Article 92 of the Family Code) form the common mass of the couple’s properties. Under the first exception are properties enumerated in Article 92 of the Family Code, which states: Art. 92. The following shall be excluded from the community property: (1) Property acquired during the marriage by gratuitous title by either spouse, and the fruits as well as the income thereof, if any, unless it is expressly provided by the donor, testator or grantor that they shall form part of the community property; (2) Property for personal and exclusive use of either spouse; however, jewelry shall form part of the community property; (3) Property acquired before the marriage by either spouse who has legitimate descendants by a former marriage, and the fruits as well as the income, if any, of such property. To answer your query, once you marry your fiancé who has two children, the properties and income of such which he owned with his deceased wife will not form part of your property regime. However, without a marriage settlement, all of your assets will be part of the absolute community of property with your husband. The only way to prevent this or to secure your properties from being conjoined will be to execute a prenuptial agreement. Atty. Angela Antonio The post Community of property appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Taiwan’s leader says 2024 defense budget to hit record $19-B
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said Monday defense spending would reach a record 606.8 billion Taiwan dollars ($19 billion) in 2024, a demonstration of the island's "determination to ensure national security". Tsai said in a statement defense spending was "expected to reach 2.5 percent of the GDP". The proposed spending would be a 3.5 percent increase from 2023's $586.3 billion Taiwan dollars, according to official data. "Taiwan must continue to bolster its capabilities to defend itself and demonstrate its self-defense determination to ensure national security and interests while seeking more international support," she said. Democratic Taiwan lives under the constant threat of invasion by China, which views the island as its own territory to be taken one day. Tsai was briefed by Premier Chen Chien-jen about the 2024 government budget, which will be released by the cabinet on Thursday and then submitted to parliament for approval. Beijing has intensified its saber-rattling and ramped up political and economic pressure on Taiwan since Tsai, who views the island as independent, came to power in 2016. The Chinese military launched massive military exercises last year after Nancy Pelosi, then-speaker of the US House of Representatives, visited Taiwan, and again in April when Tsai transited through the United States. China staged fresh drills around the island on Saturday, a day after Tsai's deputy William Lai, also a frontrunner in the upcoming presidential election, returned from a visit to Paraguay with two stopovers in the United States. Taiwan's defense ministry said 45 warplanes had entered its air defense zone during the exercises, which also included nine Chinese vessels. The post Taiwan’s leader says 2024 defense budget to hit record $19-B appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Storm Hilary makes landfall in Mexico, heads for California
Tropical Storm Hilary slammed into northwestern Mexico on Sunday and was on course to hit California, bringing warnings of potentially life-threatening flooding in the typically arid southwestern United States. Hilary made landfall on the north of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 miles (100 kilometers) per hour, the US National Hurricane Center said. "Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding likely over Baja California and portions of the southwestern US through Monday," it warned. Authorities reported at least one fatality in northwestern Mexico, where Hilary brought heavy rain and strong winds. At its peak, Hilary reached Category 4 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale but was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved north. Despite the weakening, US Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell urged people to take the dangers seriously. "Hurricane Hilary is going to be a serious impact and threat to southern California," she said on CNN. Very very dangerous One person died in Mexico after a vehicle was swept away by a rising stream, Mexico's Civil Protection agency said, while warning of landslides and road closures in Baja California. Hilary was expected to track inland and north, depositing up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain on parts of Mexico, California, and Nevada, according to the NHC. Tornadoes were possible in southeast California, western Arizona, southern Nevada, and far southwest Utah, it said. FEMA deployed teams to areas in Hilary's path, while California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for much of the state's southern area. Nancy Ward, director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, said Hilary could be one of the worst storms to hit the state in more than a decade. "Make no mistake," she told a press conference Saturday. "This is a very, very dangerous and significant storm." Major sport events rescheduled The Mexican government deployed almost 19,000 soldiers in the states most affected by the storm, while the federal electric utility sent 800 workers and hundreds of vehicles to respond to any outages. US President Joe Biden, who was at a rented vacation home with his family on Lake Tahoe along the California-Nevada border, was briefed Saturday by senior staff on preparations for the storm, the White House said. Biden and his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, are planning to visit Hawaii on Monday to survey wildfire damage as recovery operations continue. Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer rescheduled games planned for Sunday in the US region. Hurricanes hit Mexico every year on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Although the storms sometimes affect California, it is rare for them to strike the state with much intensity. Scientists have warned that storms are becoming more powerful as the world gets warmer with climate change. "We have to also look at what is the change in the climate doing to these severe weather events," Criswell, the FEMA administrator, told CNN Sunday. "What is the risk going to look like into the future." The post Storm Hilary makes landfall in Mexico, heads for California appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China launches military drills around Taiwan as ‘stern warning’
China launched military drills around Taiwan on Saturday as a "stern warning" after voicing anger over a stopover in the United States by the island's vice president, William Lai. Lai, who is the frontrunner in Taiwan's presidential election next year, stopped in New York and returned via San Francisco on a trip to Paraguay, one of a dwindling number of nations that diplomatically recognize Taipei. China on Saturday called Lai a "troublemaker" and vowed to take "resolute measures... to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity". The Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army "launched joint air and sea patrols and military exercises of the navy and air force around the island of Taiwan" on Saturday, state media outlet Xinhua quoted military spokesperson Shi Yi as saying. Xinhua said the drills, the scale of which was not immediately known, were meant to test the PLA's ability "to seize control of air and sea spaces" and fight "in real combat conditions". They were also intended to serve as "a stern warning to the collusion of 'Taiwan independence' separatists with foreign elements and their provocations", it added. Taiwan on Saturday said it strongly condemned "such irrational and provocative behavior" and said it would dispatch "appropriate forces" to respond "with practical actions". "Conducting a military exercise this time under a pretext not only does not help the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait but also highlights (China's) militaristic mentality and confirms the hegemonic nature of its military expansion," Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence said in a statement. 'New provocative move' China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has pledged to take it one day, by force if necessary. It launched major military exercises after Nancy Pelosi, then House speaker, visited Taiwan last year and later when President Tsai Ing-wen met top US lawmakers as she transited through the United States. Washington had called for calm over Lai's transit, describing the travel as routine. But on Saturday, an official from the ruling Communist Party's Taiwan Work Office "strongly condemned" Lai's trip, calling it a "new provocative move" by his party, the DPP, "to further collude with the United States", Xinhua said. "Lai's latest 'stopover'... was a disguise he used to sell out the interests of Taiwan in order to seek gains in the local election through dishonest moves," the official was quoted as saying. "Lai's deeds have proven that he is an out-and-out troublemaker who will push Taiwan to the dangerous brink of war and bring deep troubles to Taiwan compatriots", the readout continued. At a lunch in New York during the trip, Lai vowed "to resist annexation" and continue to uphold the core tenets of Tsai's administration. Lai has been far more outspoken about independence than Tsai, to whom Beijing is already hostile as she refuses to accept its view that Taiwan is a part of China. The Harvard-educated doctor turned politician has previously described himself as a "pragmatic Taiwan independence worker". The post China launches military drills around Taiwan as ‘stern warning’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»