Alex Eala to begin Roland Garros juniors campaign vs British bet
Eala will lock horns first with the ITF Juniors World No. 19 with the latter making her Roland Garros debut......»»
Eala advances in W75 Croissy-Beaubourg tennis tilt
Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala has gone into the next round of the W75 Croissy-Beaubourg tournament in France after sweeping hometown bet Emeline Dartron, 6-3, 6-4, late Tuesday night (Manila time)......»»
Lady Spikers begin push for top spot
Defending champion La Salle, after a slight stumble in the first round, wants some serious business to regain its rightful place on top when it begins its crucial second-round campaign in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum......»»
Nationals begin new campaign vs HK
This may not have the high stakes offered in Gilas Pilipinas’ last international outing......»»
Homeless population surges in rural England - study
Every 15 people per 100,000 are estimated to be living rough across the country, researchers say The number of homeless in rural England has surged by 40% in five years amid rising property prices and the cost-of-living crisis, according to a recent report by British countryside charity Campaign to Protec.....»»
Eala opens 2024 campaign with Australian Open stint
After yet another stellar year, Alex Eala is set to start the next season in the big stage when she dukes it out in the 2024 Australian Open in Melbourne......»»
Filipinas locked and loaded for Olympic qualifiers 2nd round
Philippine women’s national football team head coach Mark Torcaso will have a capable arsenal at his beck and call when the Filipinas begin their campaign in the second round of the AFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament......»»
Israel aims to crush Hamas but vague on Gaza’s post-war future
Israel is determined to crush Hamas but has said little about what would replace its rule in Gaza after the war, with observers expecting Washington will play a decisive role. "One thing is clear: the Gaza Strip will not be ruled by Hamas once this war is over," Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy told AFP as Israel's military steps up strikes in preparation for a widely-expected ground offensive. In the wake of the 7 October attacks, when militants from the Palestinian Islamist movement began a deadly cross-border assault that has killed 1,400 people, Israel has laid out just one objective: "Destroying Hamas". Since then, it has embarked on a brutal retaliatory bombing campaign, which Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says has now killed more than 5,000 people. Despite four previous wars with Gaza's Hamas rulers -- in 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2021 -- Israel has never before threatened to completely overthrow the movement which rules this tiny territory of 2.4 million people. The territory, which has been languishing under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade since Hamas took control in 2007, has since October 7 suffered a spiraling humanitarian crisis, largely deprived of water, food and other basic supplies and more than a million people displaced. Although Israel withdrew its soldiers and settlers from Gaza in 2005, ending an occupation that began in 1967, the international community considers it responsible for the tiny territory's primary needs -- energy, food and medicine. 'Handing over the keys' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called it a "do or die" war. And his government is hoping to end all responsibility for Gaza as part of a "new regional reality" it hopes will emerge after the war. After the current air strikes and action inside Gaza, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said a "third phase" would involve "the removal of Israel’s responsibility for life in the Gaza Strip, and the establishment of a new security reality for the citizens of Israel". But no minister talks about Gaza's future government. And nobody has raised the possibility of a new Israeli occupation of the enclave, the military and financial burden of such an eventuality being too high to bear. "We are discussing possibilities with our partners," said government spokesman Levy. Israel wants to "hand over the keys" to a third party, a foreign ministry source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. According to Eitan Shamir, a former Israeli government security specialist and now director of Jerusalem's Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, Washington will have a decisive say in Gaza's future. The US, he said, already has an "overview" role in Israel's action against Hamas. "The favourite option of the Americans and Israelis would be an international structure with Palestinian Authority, with Saudi funding, for example," Shamir told AFP, saying it could include US and European administrative help. Regional players silent US President Joe Biden has given Netanyahu strong support, visiting Israel last week and warning other regional players not to get involved while lining up almost $15 billion in military aid, even if he has warned Israel against letting its "rage" go too far. But Washington has also not been clear about how it sees Gaza's future. "Something needs to be found that ensures Hamas can't do this again but also doesn't reverse to an Israeli governance of Gaza which they do not want," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CBS television on Sunday. "There are different ideas out there about what could follow and all of that needs to be worked, even as Israel is dealing with the current threat." The Israeli foreign ministry source raised Egypt as a possible saviour, although Cairo has resisted decades of pressure to take a greater role. Egypt and Jordan are deeply concerned about the war unleashing a new flood of Palestinian refugees. No Arab or Muslim state has so far proposed an intervention. One option supported by Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid is for Mahmud Abbas' Palestinian Authority to take control. The authority already cooperates with Israel in running parts of the occupied West Bank, but the ageing Palestinian leader has faced growing criticism since the war began. But a report by the International Crisis Group said there was "little hope that the already deeply unpopular PA could return to Gaza on the back of an Israeli invasion and not be treated as an enemy. "Moreover, it is not clear that Israel would want the West Bank and Gaza under a single authority," the think tank said. The post Israel aims to crush Hamas but vague on Gaza’s post-war future appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Amsterdam sex workers protest planned ‘erotic center’
Amsterdam's sex workers Thursday protested against the transfer of their famed red light district to an out-of-town "erotic center", in what is seen as part of a battle for the city's soul. Many wearing masks to shield their identity, dozens of sex workers marched through the streets towards City Hall, one carrying a banner saying: "If sex workers are not to blame, then why are we being punished?" Mayor Femke Halsema wants to uproot the red light district and move it out of town to a purpose-built "erotic center", aiming to rid Amsterdam's image as a "sin city" while reducing the number of tourists and petty crime in the area. But she has found herself up against local residents who do not want the new center on their doorstep, as well as sex workers who feel they are scapegoats for the criminals and crowds surrounding their neon-lit booths. Halsema has long opposed the centuries-old red light district, known as De Wallen, with its neon-lined windows in canalside houses where sex workers stand waiting for customers. The city council has earmarked three possible sites for the erotic center, which would have 100 rooms for sex workers. One sex worker who identified herself only as Lucie dismissed the idea as "one big gentrification project". "It's mainly about combatting the crowds in De Wallen, but that is not the sex workers' fault so I don't see why we should be punished for it," said Lucie, who declined to give her last name. 'We just don't want it' Even the European Medicines Agency has been caught up in the controversy after it emerged one possible site for the erotic center was near its headquarters. The EMA voiced outrage, saying it could affect the safety of people working late at the office. More than 20,000 have signed a petition against the transfer of the booths, calling instead for better crowd control in the area and greater police surveillance, especially at night. Mariska Majoor, a former sex worker who now advocates for their rights, said the protests against moving the district had already been going for 16 years and that City Hall kept changing the goalposts. "The authorities had a plan to reduce part of the brothels already in 2007. Then it was because of the fight against people trafficking and abuse and now it's about the fight against mass tourism," she told AFP. Moving the red light district is Amsterdam's latest effort to transform its image as a party capital. It has also launched a "stay away" campaign to discourage stag nights and boozy tourists, which caused a stir in Britain after the council said it would start by targeting British men aged 18 to 35. The demonstration also attracted out-of-town locals who might suddenly find themselves living next to the new "erotic center." Cynthia Cournuejouls, a 42-year mother living to the south of the city, told AFP: "We don't want the biggest brothel in Europe in our neighborhood." "We just don't want it. We want to keep it here." The post Amsterdam sex workers protest planned ‘erotic center’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
First relief convoy enters Gaza devastated by ‘nightmare’ war
The first aid trucks arrived in war-torn Gaza from Egypt on Saturday, bringing urgent humanitarian relief to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian enclave suffering what the UN chief labelled a "godawful nightmare". Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the Islamist militant group carried out the deadliest attack in the country's history on October 7. Hamas militants killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians who were shot, mutilated or burnt to death, and took more than 200 hostages, according to Israeli officials. Israel has retaliated with a relentless bombing campaign on Gaza that has killed more than 4,300 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. An Israeli siege has cut food, water, electricity and fuel supplies to the densely populated and long-blockaded territory of 2.4 million people, sparking fears of a humanitarian catastrophe. AFP journalists on Saturday saw 20 trucks from the Egyptian Red Crescent, which is responsible for delivering aid from various UN agencies, pass through the Rafah border crossing from Egypt into Gaza. The crossing -- the only one into Gaza not controlled by Israel -- closed again after the trucks passed. The lorries had been waiting for days on the Egyptian side after Israel agreed to a request from its main ally the United States to allow aid to enter. UN chief Antonio Guterres warned Friday that the relief supplies were "the difference between life and death" for many Gazans, more than one million of whom have been displaced. "Much more" aid needs to be sent, he told a peace summit in Egypt on Saturday. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the aid and urged "all parties" to keep the Rafah crossing open. But a Hamas spokesman said "even dozens" of such convoys could not meet Gaza's needs, especially as no fuel was being allowed in to help distribute the supplies to those in need. 'Reeling in pain' Tens of thousands of Israeli troops have deployed to the Gaza border ahead of an expected ground offensive that officials have pledged will begin "soon". As international tensions soar, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was hosting a peace summit in Cairo on Saturday attended by regional and some Western leaders. "The time has come for action to end this godawful nightmare," Guterres told the summit, calling for a "humanitarian ceasefire". The region "is reeling in pain and one step from the precipice", he said. Guterres said "the grievances of the Palestinian people are legitimate and long" after "56 years of occupation with no end in sight". But he stressed that "nothing can justify the reprehensible assault by Hamas that terrorised Israeli civilians". "Those abhorrent attacks can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people," he added. Egypt, historically a key mediator between Hamas and Israel, has urged "restraint" and the relaunch of the long-frozen peace process. But diplomatic efforts to end the violence have made little headway, without the participation of Israel and its enemy Iran, a supporter of Hamas and other armed groups. 'Sliver of hope' A full-blown Israeli ground offensive carries many risks, including to the hostages Hamas took and whose fate is shrouded in uncertainty. So the release of two Americans among the hostages -- mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan -- offered a rare "sliver of hope", said Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross. US President Joe Biden thanked Qatar, which hosts Hamas's political bureau, for its mediation in securing the release. He said he was working "around the clock" to win the return of other Americans being held. Natalie Raanan's half-brother Ben told the BBC he felt an "overwhelming sense of joy" at the release after "the most horrible of ordeals". Hamas said Egypt and Qatar had negotiated the release and that it was "working with all mediators to implement the movement's decision to close the civilian (hostage) file if appropriate security conditions allow". Traumatised families with loved ones missing in Gaza demanded more action. "We ask humanity to interfere and bring back all those young boys, young girls, mothers, babies," Assaf Shem Tov, whose nephew was abducted from a music festival where Hamas killed hundreds, said Friday. Devastation Almost half of Gaza's residents have been displaced, and at least 30 percent of all housing in the territory has been destroyed or damaged, the United Nations says. Thousands have taken refuge in a camp set up in the city of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza. Fadwa al-Najjar said she and her seven children walked for 10 hours to reach the camp, at some points breaking into a run as missiles struck around them. "We saw bodies and limbs torn off and we just started praying, thinking we were going to die," she told AFP. In Al-Zahra in central Gaza, Rami Abu Wazna was struggling to take in the destruction wreaked by Israeli missile strikes. "Even in my worst nightmares, I never thought this could be possible," he said. Israel's operation will take not "a day, nor a week, nor a month" and will result in "the end of Israel's responsibilities in the Gaza Strip", Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned on Friday. Regional tensions flare In Gaza, retired general Omar Ashour said the destruction was "part of a clear plan for people to have no place left to live". "This will cause a second Nakba," he added, referring to the 760,000 Palestinians who were expelled from or fled their homes when Israel was created in 1948. The United States has moved two aircraft carriers into the eastern Mediterranean to deter Iran or Lebanon's Hezbollah, both Hamas allies, amid fears of a wider conflagration. Fire across Israel's border with Lebanon continued overnight, with one Israeli soldier killed, Israeli public radio said. The military said it hit Hezbollah targets after rocket and missile fire. Violence has also flared in the West Bank, where 84 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The post First relief convoy enters Gaza devastated by ‘nightmare’ war appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Petro Gazz, F2 begin PVL All-Filipino bids
Petro Gazz and F2 Logistics will launch their ambitious title campaign as they duel with newbie Galeries Tower and Akari, respectively, Tuesday in the PVL’s second All-Filipino Conference......»»
200 UK troops beef up Kosovo peacekeepers
The United Kingdom is reinforcing North Atlantic Treaty Organization peacekeepers in Kosovo with 200 troops who will join 400 UK soldiers already in the Balkan country as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force. UK’s ministry of defense said Sunday the deployment was in response to the request of NATO as tension rises between Kosovo and Serbia which reportedly massed troops and military equipment in the border of its former province. The deployment ups the British Army contingent to KFOR to 600. KFOR’s mandate is to maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all people of Kosovo. NATO also called for calm on Sunday and demanded that Belgrade and Pristina resume dialogue as soon as possible as “the only way to achieve lasting peace,” Dylan White, NATO spokesperson, said. There is a resurgence of tension in the region following the violent attack by dozens of suspected Serbian gunmen on Kosovo Police that killed one officer on 24 September. Kosovo police engaged the gunmen who took refuge in an Orthodox church, killing three and arresting others. On Friday, the United States said it detected troop buildup along the Serbia’s southern border with Kosovo and asked Belgrade to withdraw the forces. Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic announced Saturday he had ordered troops to be pulled back but the Kosovan government said the withdrawal was partial, The Guardian reported. Serbia refuses to recognize the independence of its former southern province, which has an Albanian majority, a decade after a deadly war between Kosovo independence guerrillas and Serbian forces, which ended after a NATO bombing campaign. WITH AFP The post 200 UK troops beef up Kosovo peacekeepers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Zambales insurgents wave white flag
Olongapo City, Zambales — Two individuals believed to be members of the New People’s Army operating in this region voluntarily surrendered to the authorities and turned over their firearms and ammunitions to the police over the weekend. According to the Police Regional Office 3, the NPA fighter operating in Zambales known as “Ka Alex” turned himself in to police and handed over a cal. 38 revolver with ammunition, a 40mm M203 grenade ammunition, one meter of detonating cord and subversive documents. Additionally, an inactive NPA member from Barrio identified as alias “Jess” voluntarily surrendered to the police, turning over a cal .38 revolver without serial number and a rifle grenade on Saturday. In the province of Bataan, two members of the communist front organization Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap linked to CPP-NPA formally withdrew their support from their former group. They pledged their allegiance to the government, sealing their commitment by surrendering a Cal .38 revolver as a symbol of their loyalty to the authorities. Over at Pampanga, “Ka Maria” of Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon-Kilusang Magbukid ng Pilipinas took an oath of allegiance to the government before police authorities last 16 September 2023. “Ka Maria” revealed her participation in a rally at Hacienda Luicita in Tarlac City and a series of demonstrations in Manila. “Our relentless campaign against local insurgency continues to yield positive results that will benefit communities across the region. We hope to inspire more of our fellow citizens to return to the government’s side and collaborate with us in building a future marked by peace and progress,” said PRO3 director Police Brigadier Gen. Jose Hidalgo Jr. “The PRO3 remains committed to safeguarding peace and security in the region and extends an open invitation to all citizens to join hands in creating a brighter and more harmonious future for everyone,” he added. The post Zambales insurgents wave white flag appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UK man swims entire New York river in clean-water campaign
British endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh on Wednesday completed a 315-mile (500-kilometer) journey down New York's Hudson River, highlighting its successful decades-long cleanup as a beacon for other waterways. "Fifty years ago, this was one of the most polluted rivers in the whole world," said Pugh, 53, who was appointed the first UN patron of the oceans a decade ago. "We need to have clean, healthy rivers," he told reporters after completing the unassisted trip from the Hudson's mountain source all the way down to New York City. He said that in New York's industrial past, the river would sometimes change color from day to day, depending on what dyes and other pollutants were dumped or ran off. But after decades of action to clean up pollution, Pugh was able to safely swim down the river, a month-long feat he said will hopefully inspire others. "They're going to be inspired by what happened here and say to themselves: 'If they can do that in the Hudson, surely we can do it in our river and our river can also be saved,'" he said. Pugh has previously undertaken high-profile swims in Antarctica, the North Pole and the Red Sea to advocate for rivers clean enough to swim and fish in safely. His Hudson River feat comes as leaders from the around the globe are set to descend on New York to attend the annual UN General Assembly, during which a historic High Seas Treaty is to be formally signed. The post UK man swims entire New York river in clean-water campaign appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Singapore accuses British journalist of foreign interference
Singapore accused a veteran British journalist of interfering in domestic politics on Friday, issuing him a warning after he publicly endorsed a local independent media outlet. Singapore's media sector is dominated by pro-government outlets and critics frequently accuse the tightly regulated city-state of curbing press freedoms, saying authorities use heavy-handed tactics to silence dissent. The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) said it had issued a warning to Dominic Ziegler, the Singapore bureau chief of The Economist magazine. Ziegler, a British national, participated in an unpaid ad campaign for Jom, a weekly digital magazine launched last year that reports on local politics and culture. In a post published last month by Jom, Ziegler said the magazine "touches deeper truths about the way Singapore is run and about the culture that runs through all Singaporeans than you will ever find in the state-supported press". He wrote in the endorsement that "in illiberal states around the world independent media need supporters". Ziegler told AFP he was not paid for the endorsement. His actions "clearly crossed the line from reporting on Singapore to participating in Singapore's domestic affairs", MCI said in a statement. "Ziegler has exploited his status in Singapore as a journalist in a prestigious international publication," it added. MCI said it expected Ziegler not to repeat his actions. The city-state has in the past sued, fined or restricted the publication of international news outlets including taking action against The Economist itself, Time magazine, The Wall Street Journal and the now-closed Far Eastern Economic Review. Singapore passed a law in 2021 aimed at preventing foreign interference in domestic politics, which opposition figures and activists have criticised as a tool to crush dissent. Authorities had said the law, which took effect in July last year, would not apply to foreigners reporting or commenting on Singaporean politics in an open and transparent way, even if their comments were critical of the government. But violators risk prison terms and hefty fines on conviction. The Economist did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The city-state ranks 129th out of 180 countries and territories in Reporters Without Borders' 2023 World Press Freedom Index. The post Singapore accuses British journalist of foreign interference appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Crackdown vs text blasters up
The Department of Information and Communications Technology, or DICT, is cracking down on fraudsters who use cheap, China-made text-blasting machines to boost the electoral campaigns of their clients. DICT Undersecretary Alex Ramos said they will clamp down on the proliferation of scam and spam messages plaguing users despite the SIM Registration Act being in place. It will also be timely as the barangay and youth elections are near, he added. Ramos recalled that government authorities had previously confiscated text blast machines used to send messages en masse to multiple mobile numbers. “Those text machines were very popular during campaign periods and they are now very cheap. We [have] seized a lot of these machines,” he said. Despite having a SIM law, fraudsters are still able to find new ways to hack into phones and computers, this time using over-the-top or OTT media services such as chat apps, which are outside the scope of telco filters. The DICT official urged consumers to be more proactive and not fall for various online ruses by malevolent players capitalizing on the increasing shift by people to a digital lifestyle. Cybercriminals use the target’s full name and pretend to be messaging them about a missed connection or make various offers. They create a sense of familiarity and trust in an attempt to start a conversation. The SIM Registration Act was envisioned to address escalating cybercrime in the country, including the proliferation of smishing and other forms of scam and spam messaging. The law mandated all mobile phone and prepaid broadband users to register their SIMs by 25 July or face SIM deactivation. A deactivated SIM card can potentially affect several aspects of a person’s life. For instance, it will cut their access to online banking, e-commerce, transportation, healthcare, education, and entertainment, among other things. The post Crackdown vs text blasters up appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
FIBA World Cup experience: Springboard to greater heights
Congratulations are in order for the whole Gilas Pilipinas Team for their monumental win versus China (96-75), ending our FIBA World Cup 2023 campaign on a hopeful note. I have always believed in the capabilities of our athletes who have shown their mettle in international sports competitions. As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, I am rallying all Filipinos to support our long-term roadmap to elevate the standing of our athletes in the global arena in all sporting events. Filipinos have excelled in the global stage not just in basketball, billiards, or boxing which are relatively the more popular sports in the country. Take for example Carlos Yulo in gymnastics, EJ Obiena in pole vaulting, Hidilyn Diaz in weightlifting, the late Lydia de Vega in track and field, and, of course, the Filipinas Football team who made us proud during the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup. Our very own Alex Eala is also a rising star in the world of tennis. We have many talented athletes, and we should support them in their quest to give honor to the country. However, success in any sporting event does not come easily. Any athlete will tell you that sports entails discipline, many hours of hard work, and even years of sacrifices. Hence, our efforts to strengthen our chances on the global stage must start at the grassroots level. This is the rationale behind RA 11470 or the National Academy of Sports or NAS law, which I authored and co-sponsored, and signed into law by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2020. The NAS System will provide scholarships to qualified student-athletes from all regions and will allow them to balance academics and sports training by utilizing the state-of-the-art facilities at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac. I am also advocating the approval of Senate Bill No. 423 or the Philippine National Games or PNG Act, to institutionalize the conduct of the PNG every two years as this will allow us to discover those with athletic potential at the grassroots level. We have talented athletes, but the government must invest in providing them with opportunities to compete if we want to produce champions on both the national and international stages. I am pushing for SBN 2116, which will amend Section 8 of RA 10699 or the “National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.” This will increase the incentives for para-athletes who will win medals in international competitions and make our approach more inclusive to all athletes regardless of their physical limitations. Our efforts to achieve victory in sports must reflect the diversity of our country. The government, together with the private sector and other stakeholders, must consistently provide all the support that our teams need to compete at the global level. Our focus must be on creating opportunities for all aspiring athletes, regardless of geographic or economic background, to excel in their chosen fields. Hence, we should bring our sports development programs closer to those who have the potentials and aspirations to represent our country and bring pride to every Filipino. More importantly, sports is not only a physical game but a means to uplift lives, keep our youth away from vices like illegal drugs, and strengthen camaraderie in our communities. Let us elevate sports as a viable tool in harnessing our citizens into disciplined, productive and patriotic individuals reflective of our Filipino pride. In the same way that we unite to support our athletes, let us also unite to support fellow Filipinos in need. That is why I have continued to engage with various sectors of society to listen to their concerns and help provide solutions to their daily struggles. Filipinos inherently have a “never say die” attitude, especially in sports which is reflective of our resilience as a society. But aside from this commendable trait, our resilience also stems from our inherent compassion for each other. Our “Tapang at Malasakit” must continue so that together, we can uplift the lives of Filipinos. As a Senator and public servant, I remain steadfast in supporting our athletes to reach greater heights while also exerting efforts to help bring government programs and services closer to those in need to provide them with opportunities for a better life. The post FIBA World Cup experience: Springboard to greater heights appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Hamilton’ ticket lottery confirmed for Phl
Producers Jeffrey Seller and Michael Cassel have confirmed the Hamilton digital ticket lottery for the Metro Manila season of the international tour playing at The Theatre at Solaire from 17 September. The digital ticket lottery, known in North America as Ham4Ham, is run exclusively through TicketWorld in the Philippines. The Hamilton Lottery will have a limited number of tickets available throughout the season at a special price. Winners will have the opportunity to purchase two orchestra tickets at P800 each. The lottery will be open from 10 a.m. on 11 September through 11:59 p.m. on 13 September for tickets to performances on the week of 17 to 24 September. Subsequent Hamilton lotteries will begin on each Monday and close the following Wednesday for the upcoming week’s performances. [caption id="attachment_178871" align="aligncenter" width="735"] THE Broadway cast of ‘Hamilton’ (from left) Daveed Diggs, Okieriete Onaodowan, Anthony Ramos and Lin-Manuel Miranda.[/caption] To enter the lottery, sign up at TicketWorld to receive Hamilton Lottery entry access. Those who sign up must use the email address associated with their active TicketWorld account. The lottery will open at 10 a.m. every Monday and will close for entry at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday prior to the following week’s performances. Participants can enter to win the chance to purchase two tickets for the upcoming week’s performances at P800 per ticket. A one-entry-per-week limit will be applied. Winners will be notified every Thursday at 12 p.m. for the upcoming week’s performances via email from TicketWorld. The confirmation email will include a one-time-use promo code and a purchase link that will expire at 12 p.m. the following day of the receipt of the email. Winners may claim and pay for their tickets online or over the counter at TicketWorld outlets before the promo code expires. Additional rules and full terms and conditions can be found on TicketWorld site. “The digital ticket lottery, created for Hamilton fans on Broadway has been embraced with tremendous enthusiasm wherever the show has played all over the world and we know fans in Manila will be exactly the same,“ Cassel said. “It’s important that theatre is accessible for anyone who wants to see it and the digital ticket lottery allows us to introduce this transformative experience to people who may not have been able to see it otherwise.” Hamilton’s first ever international tour will premiere in Manila at The Theatre at Solaire on 17 September ahead of making its Middle East premiere at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi in January 2024. More cities are expected to be announced in coming months. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre — a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics and education. It premiered on Broadway in August 2015 to wide critical and audience acclaim. The show has won Tony, Grammy and Olivier awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. The Hamilton creative team previously collaborated on the 2008 Tony Award-winning Best Musical In the Heights. Scenic design is by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe. The international tour of Hamilton is produced by Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman, The Public Theater and Cassel. The Manila season is presented by Michael Cassel Group and GMG Productions. Tickets to the Manila and Abu Dhabi seasons are available now at hamiltonmusical.com/international-tour. To be notified when the Hamilton lottery opens and get more updates on the ticket promo news, sign up for the Hamilton Lottery Newsletter at TicketWorld. For more information on tickets and Hamilton Lottery details, visit gmg-productions.com/hamilton/lottery. For news and updates, fans can visit hamiltonmusical.com/international-tour, instagram.com/hamiltoninternationaltour or www.facebook.com/hamiltonintltour. The post ‘Hamilton’ ticket lottery confirmed for Phl appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AI takes backseat to good cop work
SULHAMSTEAD, UK (AFP) — Artificial intelligence and facial recognition software are seen by some as the future of crime-fighting around the world. But British police say it has to go hand in hand with more traditional methods of detection, including the use of so-called “super-recognizers.” Forces across the country have been using officers who have an exceptional memory for faces and an above-average ability to identify people. Only one percent of the population has the “super-power,” said Tina Wallace, a surveillance expert with Thames Valley Police. Her team began recruiting the specialist officers in 2017 and now have about 20 on their books, including Alex Thorburn, an officer for 17 years. “I’ve always been good with faces. So when they put a notice out about the tests, I did it!” Thorburn told AFP. “I was shown pictures, dated between 10 and 30 years old, of 10 people. I had to find them in the crowd in the shopping center.” “I found them all, but they looked a lot different from how they did in the photos. That was really interesting.” As AI and facial recognition technology develop at a rapid pace, human skills should not be discounted, insisted Neville. “It isn’t really a competition with facial recognition,” he said. “They can be used together. AI is good with high-quality, front-on images (as with passports at airport e-gates).” According to Neville, demand for super-recognizers is growing, particularly from police forces in Germany and Australia. Professor Davis has posted a basic 14-point test online for anyone curious to check if they have the powers of recall that make them a super-recognizer. “If you get less than 10 or 12, you are not going to be a super-recognizer,” he said. “But if you reach 14, contact me please!” The post AI takes backseat to good cop work appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Political parties define Parliamentary BARMM
I bumped into prominent Maranaw politicians at a vigil for a mutual relative — former Regional Assemblyman Alex Menor. (When Muslims speak of a wake it is a gathering of relatives of a deceased minus the mortal remains. Islam mandates the immediate burial of a dead Muslim). Governor Mamintal Bombit Adiong and Marawi City Mayor Sultan Majul Gandamra and others were there to console the bereaved family. Our exchanges pivoted into politics with the start of the filing of certificates of candidacy for the barangay and youth elections last Monday. I asked them about the formation of an aggrupation called SIAP, which stands for Samahang Inklusivo, Alyansang Progresibo, which roughly translates as “inclusive group, alliance for progress.” The meeting of the group went viral on social media where it was widely talked about. It had a political ring to it and people were curious about its nature, purpose, and vision. The roster of members includes a who’s who of the political ecology of the province. A supermajority of the municipal mayors attended the meeting led by the president of the Mayors League, lawyer Dimnatang Jimmy Pansar, who has notched a distinguished mark in politics with his indomitable staying power. This column learned that a parallel organization of local parties is being conceptualized in other provinces of the BARMM which could conglomerate into the SIAP. Governor Adiong explained that the SIAP is not new. It is not a product of present-day BARMM political dynamics. It is a regional political party that was founded by his father, the late Congressman/Governor Mamintal Adiong Sr. It had been made moribund by the passage of time, pushed to the margins by the new waves of national political parties. The organization of a strong locally-based party is a strategic move meant to attract national parties for possible alliances. We suppose this is being rebooted by the son, Governor Bombit, in preparation for the coming elections, especially the parliamentary elections in BARMM where political parties are a necessity. If the SIAP is adopted by the other members of the so-called BARMM Governor Caucus it will be the regional party that will face the United Bangsamoro Justice Party of the BARMM-MILF. This is not farfetched considering the zeitgeist in BARMM where there is no love lost between the governors (except of Maguindanao del Norte) and the BARMM leadership. The BARMM setup is not the usual system of government that Filipinos are familiar with. It has a parliamentary genre, British in origin, where political parties play a major role in governance. The party that garners the majority of elected deputies or members of parliament forms the so-called “government of the day.” In case no party is able to command a majority, they amalgamate to form a coalition government. The minority or coalition of minority parties forms the opposition. For as long as the majority coalition is intact, the head of government (as differentiated from the head of state) stays in power. In case of a loss of confidence over the way the Prime Minister is governing, a confidence vote in the parliament is called to decide whether or not to unseat him. The “government of the day” refers to the cadre of officials currently performing executive functions. In the case of the BARMM, it refers to the Cabinet members appointed by Interim Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim Murad, who is also chairman of the MILF, the majority of whom must be members of the Regional Parliament. A battle royal among political parties looms in the 2025 BARMM parliamentary election unless the incumbents will agitate again for a postponement to prolong their stay in power. They could offer a flimsy reason like the noncompletion of their transition works and the normalization process. This column looks with favor on the formation of local political parties, like the SIAP, as a force to enhance democracy. In fact, if the parliamentary experiment of the BARMM is successful, it will be a strong argument for the shift of our government system to a parliamentary one in case the Constitution is amended. *** amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Political parties define Parliamentary BARMM appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rapper Eminem tells Ramaswamy to drop the mic, quit playing songs
Rap star Eminem has formally asked Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy to stop using his music on the campaign trail, according to a letter made public on Monday. A video of Ramaswamy, who is enjoying a surge in the Republican primary race, singing along to Eminem's "Lose Yourself" at the Iowa State Fair went viral earlier this month. In a letter first reported by the Daily Mail, the authenticity of which was confirmed by AFP, music licenser Broadcast Music Inc. stated that it had received an official request from Eminem demanding that the 38-year-old candidate no longer use his music. Ramaswamy, who likens himself to "Trump 2.0," has risen surprisingly to third place among Republicans who are in the running for the 2024 presidential primary elections. As an undergraduate at Harvard, his side hustle was rapping libertarian-minded lyrics with the stage name "Da Vek." "If you think debater-extraordinaire Vivek G. Ramaswamy '07 is intense, you obviously haven't met Da Vek," The Crimson, Harvard's student newspaper, humorously noted in 2006. During the last two elections, well-known artists including Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, Aerosmith, and Adele -- as well as heirs of Prince -- complained that their songs were played at Donald Trump rallies without their permission. The Rolling Stones even threatened to sue if the Trump campaign continued to use the British group's classic hit "You Can't Always Get What You Want." The post Rapper Eminem tells Ramaswamy to drop the mic, quit playing songs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»