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Latin America, Caribbean briefly overtakes N. America in virus cases
Coronavirus cases in Latin America and the Caribbean surged on Sunday, briefly overtaking the total in North America, an AFP tally showed. .....»»
Global virus infections pass 15 million
The number of novel coronavirus infections around the world passed 15 million Wednesday, with Latin America and the Caribbean, one of the hardest-hit regions, notching more than four million cases. In the United States, home to over a quarter of global infections, President Donald Trump warned that the pandemic was likely to get worse before […] The post Global virus infections pass 15 million appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Latin America, Caribbean top 2 million Covid cases
Latin America and the Caribbean on Saturday surpassed two million coronavirus cases, with Brazil home to more than half of the infections, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The virus is accelerating its spread in the region, an outbreak hotspot with 2,007,621 confirmed cases. Brazil, Latin America’s largest country, trails only the […] The post Latin America, Caribbean top 2 million Covid cases appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Black bear captured after shutting down Disney World rides
An apparently hungry black bear forced a brief shutdown of some attractions at Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Florida until it was captured, officials said. Local television station Fox 35 said more than a dozen popular rides at the Orlando theme park were closed after the bear was sighted in a tree, including the "Haunted Mansion" and "Pirates of the Caribbean." "During the fall, bears are more active as they search for food to pack on fat reserves for the winter," Lisa Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said in a statement. "This particular bear was likely moving through the area searching for food." Thompson said that "in most cases, it is best for bears to be given space and to move along on their own. "But given this situation, staff have captured the animal and are relocating the bear out of the park to an area in or around the Ocala National Forest." Walt Disney World is one of the largest tourist attractions in the world, drawing tens of millions of visitors each year. The post Black bear captured after shutting down Disney World rides appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Climate change supercharged this summer’s record heat: study
Record-shattering temperatures that impacted billions of people in the northern hemisphere this summer were given a massive boost by human-caused climate change, an analysis showed Thursday. The new paper by the nonprofit Climate Central group examined the period from June to August 2023, finding that greenhouse gas emissions pumped into the atmosphere since the start of the industrial era made the heat waves that baked Asia, Africa, Europe and North America far more likely. Nearly half of the global population -- more than 3.8 billion people -- were exposed to 30 or more days of extreme heat worsened by climate change, while at least 1.5 billion people lived through such temperatures every day over those three months. "Virtually no one on Earth escaped the influence of global warming during the past three months," said Andrew Pershing, Climate Central's vice president for science. "In every country we could analyze, including the southern hemisphere where this is the coolest time of year, we saw temperatures that would be difficult -- and in some cases nearly impossible -- without human-caused climate change. Carbon pollution is clearly responsible for this season's record-setting heat." The analysis relied on peer-reviewed methods to determine the likelihood of daily temperatures in each country of the world with and without today's levels of carbon pollution. A similar approach has allowed scientists to identify the climate influence, or "fingerprint," of extreme weather events, including recently the fire prone weather conditions that led to this year's wildfires in Quebec. Climate Central has developed a Climate Shift Index (CSI) that ranges from -5 to 5, with positive levels indicating temperatures that are becoming more likely due to climate change. A CSI of level 0 means climate change had no detectable influence, while level 3 indicates it made the odds of recording a specific temperature in a given time and place three times greater. According to the team's calculations, 48 percent of the world experienced 30 days during June-August with a CSI level of 3 or higher, while 1.5 billion people had such heat over the whole summer. "There really is this divide between the countries that have been the most responsible for climate change for the pollution that is driving the heat that we're experiencing right now," said Pershing. The world's least-developed nations and small island states, he said, are experiencing heat that is three to four times more climate-supercharged than G20 countries with the largest economies. Global exposure meanwhile peaked on August 16, 2023, when 4.2 billion people worldwide experienced climate-caused extreme heat. "A big part of what we're trying to do with this analysis, is to really come up with ways to try to localize that climate, that experience that individuals are having with climate change," said Pershing. The post Climate change supercharged this summer’s record heat: study appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
3 Popes: JP2, Benedict, Francis
Author’s Note. My perspective in this article is as a Catholic. Readers are warned that the Catholic Church is as human as it is divine. The human frailty and errors among Popes and Cardinals should not scandalize the faithful into leaving the Church, join the growing non-Catholic sects, led by the Born Again movement, and deepen the crisis. Rather, we should pray for the human Church to have the grace to reform itself. Note also that the term “Conservative” and “Liberal” are used as generic terms and do not necessarily apply to certain individuals. There is a vast rainbow of theological positions among Popes and Cardinals. St. Pope John Paul II or “JP2” (1978-2005) was a staunch Liberal. When Vatican journalists exposed the “Vatican mafia,” dominated by Conservatives, who embezzled Vatican Bank funds on a massive scale, JP2 shrewdly chose Conservative Cardinal Ratzinger (future Pope Benedict XVI) to contain his fellow Conservatives. Ratzinger partly succeeded, for which he was labeled the “German Shepherd,” but the Conservatives had been too big and powerful in the last few centuries to be easily extinguished totally. When JP2’s Parkinson’s disease worsened, Ratzinger advised him to resign. Instead, JP2 formed a commission to handle the Vatican mafia problem. The commission also gave him the same advice — resign. So it was a dead-end in the effort to weed out the mafia. When Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI (2005-2013), he still could not control his fellow Conservatives, especially the powerful Roman Curia, the central government of the Catholic Church. The corrupt Cardinals were the modern-day Pharisees who were causing a Church crisis, which was prophesied by Our Lady of Fatima. Benedict was forced to resign because he was helpless in handling the Vatican Bank scandals and the growing pedophile epidemic, two raging Church issues. In the latter, there were growing cases of pedophile prelates, from priests to cardinals, who were simply transferred to other dioceses to cover up their crimes, where they continued their evil ways. Thus, the pedophile epidemic spread even more. The cases were swept under the rug, until a massive avalanche of court cases, especially in Europe and America, was bleeding the Vatican coffers dry. Pope Benedict, before resigning, wanted the next Pope to solve the problems that he failed to solve. He chose Cardinal Bergoglio (future Pope Francis). But Bergoglio was a staunch Liberal and Benedict a staunch Conservative. Their theological perspectives were like oil and water. In spite of this, in despair, Benedict campaigned for Bergoglio, who became Pope Francis (2013-present). Benedict knew Bergoglio would easily win because he was a close runner-up in the last Papal conclave (election) where he was elected Pope. In spite of their differences, Benedict and the future Francis became intimate friends as they forged a strategy to contain the growing Church crisis. The movie “Two Popes” accurately featured the drama of their violent debates and gentle friendship. When the Liberal Bergoglio became Pope Francis, he was the first Jesuit Pope of history. The Jesuits have been the epitome of radical reforms ever since the days of the Counter Reformation (1517), a response to Luther’s Reformation, the largest splinter of the Church ever. The Jesuits led the era of counter-reforms to restore the Church. Upon ascending to St. Peter’s chair, the Liberal Pope Francis quickly suppressed the Conservatives in a deadly Blitzkrieg, especially in the Roman Curia, within six short months, shocking the Vatican media. Francis did it quickly but not totally, and he paid a dear price for it. The Conservatives exacted deep vengeance that led to the accusations of Papal “heresy” and “blasphemy’.” An eye for an eye. This was the “apostasy” (civil war) that Our Lady of Fatima also prophesied. That Satan works within the Vatican to cause havoc is a theological fact and a matter of history. Some Church historians point out that the Inquisition was the prime example of the work of the devil, where thousands were randomly beheaded without trial. Do not fret about the Church crisis. God is on top of that situation. We need only to pray for everyone, on both sides of the civil war, and God will take care of everything in His time in His way. Avoid joining the theological debates which tend to confuse. It is better to remain neutral in such complex theological issues. Let the Conservatives and Liberals fight it out. Faith has two aspects — the intellectual and the spiritual, the mind and the heart. On the mind level, it is easy to be confused (dogma, canon law, etc.). You have to prove or disprove. But on the heart level, everything becomes crystal clear, because it is simply a matter of faith. “Praise to you, Oh Father, for what you have hidden from the wise, you have revealed to little children” Luke 10:21. The post 3 Popes: JP2, Benedict, Francis appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump arrested in Georgia racketeering case
Former US president Donald Trump was arrested at a Georgia jail on Thursday on racketeering and conspiracy charges for trying to overturn the 2020 election results in the southern state. During a brief session lasting less than 30 minutes, the 77-year-old Trump was booked on 13 charges at Atlanta's Fulton County Jail, according to records published by the sheriff's office. Trump's height was listed by the jail as six foot three inches (1.9 meters), his weight as 215 pounds (97 kilograms) and his hair color as "Blond or Strawberry." Other defendants in the racketeering case who have surrendered to the Georgia authorities in recent days have had a mugshot taken. The billionaire has been criminally indicted four times since April, setting the stage for a year of unprecedented drama as he tries to juggle multiple court appearances and another White House campaign. In posts on his Truth Social platform shortly before leaving his New Jersey golf club for the flight to Atlanta, Trump said he was being arrested for "having the audacity to challenge a RIGGED & STOLLEN (sic) ELECTION." "This is yet another SAD DAY IN AMERICA!" he added. Trump was able to dodge having a mugshot taken during his previous arrests this year: in New York on charges of paying hush money to a porn star, in Florida for mishandling top secret government documents, and in Washington on charges of conspiring to upend his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. But Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat said standard procedure in Georgia is to take a defendant's photograph before they are released on bond -- set at $200,000 in Trump's case. The arrest comes one day after Trump spurned a televised debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, featuring eight of his rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination -- all of whom lag well behind him in the polls. He still stole the spotlight, though, with all but two of the candidates saying they would support him as the party's nominee even if he were a convicted felon. During a pre-recorded interview with former Fox News talk show host Tucker Carlson -- which aired on social media at the same time as the debate -- Trump dismissed the criminal cases filed against him as "nonsense." Trump said the Justice Department had been "weaponized" under Biden to hamstring his White House bid. Court dates in election race A tight security perimeter was set up for Trump's booking at the Fulton County Jail, which is under investigation for a slew of inmate deaths and deplorable conditions. Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney who filed the sweeping racketeering case, had set a deadline of noon (1600 GMT) on Friday for Trump and the other 18 defendants to surrender. Trump and 11 others have turned themselves in so far. Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows surrendered on Thursday and was released on $100,000 bond. Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who served as Trump's personal lawyer when he was in the White House and vigorously pushed the false claims that Trump had won the 2020 election, was booked and released on Wednesday. John Eastman, a conservative lawyer who is accused of drawing up a scheme to submit a false slate of Trump electors to Congress from Georgia instead of the legitimate Biden ones, has also been booked and released. A few dozen supporters of the former Republican president gathered outside the jail, including Sharon Anderson who spent the night in her car. "I think this is a political persecution and now that's turned into a political prosecution," Anderson told AFP. Trump is the first US president in history to face criminal charges. His various trials, if they take place next year, may coincide with the Republican presidential primary season, which begins in January, and the campaign for the November 2024 White House election. Special counsel Jack Smith has proposed a January 2024 start date for Trump's trial on charges of conspiring to overturn the last election with a lie-fueled campaign that culminated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters. Trump's attorneys have countered with a suggested start date well after the election -- April 2026. Willis, the Georgia district attorney, initially proposed that the racketeering case begin in March next year, the same month Trump is scheduled to go on trial in New York on charges of paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels. On Thursday, after one of the defendants asked for a speedy trial, she proposed that it begin for all 19 in October of this year, a move met with an immediate objection from Trump's lawyers. The Florida case, in which Trump is accused of taking secret government documents as he left the White House and refusing to return them, is scheduled to begin in May. The post Trump arrested in Georgia racketeering case appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Michael Ted Macapagal: Making tracks in public service
If life were a train, then Michael Ted Macapagal’s has been quite a ride. Raised by a labor leader and human rights lawyer father who served the people of Olongapo, including the workers of the US American Base in Subic, Michael Ted Macapagal had always wanted to become a public servant. It took Ted, though, a long journey to reach his goal, first achieving success in the insurance field in the United States where he lived for 20 years starting in 1991. Today, he is the chairman of the Philippine National Railways, a position “that allows me to make a difference in the lives of my countrymen,” he shared during his recent visit to the Daily Tribune office in Makati. Ted, good-looking and affable, proudly spoke of a father, his namesake, Atty. Teddy C. Macapagal who, early on, exposed his son to a firsthand view of a gentleman who looked beyond himself and his personal interests, and instead dedicated his career to protecting the common man and bettering their lot. The elder Ted served as a city councilor for 10 years. In 1984, he ran for the Batasang Pambansa, and in the late 1980s, for city mayor. “In all these electoral processes, I was involved and saw for myself how my father related to the people. He was a sincere man who helped them in the best way he could. He provided free legal services to those in need,” Ted recounted. Ted grew up in Olongapo, his place of birth. It was in the neighboring province of Pampanga, though, at the Don Bosco Institute in Bacolor town, where he first studied, but he eventually returned home to Olongapo, where he finished high school at the St. Columban. Aiming to become a lawyer, he enrolled at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, where he majored in History, which he intended as his pre-law course. Not unexpectedly, he joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi, his father’s fraternity. He also joined rallies where he stood with those who wanted the retention of US bases in the Philippines, in keeping with the sentiments of his townsmen. “It was the one concern where the whole of Olongapo was united,” he recalled, “because the people’s livelihood was connected to the base and the American presence in the community.” As a lawyer who specialized in labor, his father himself handled cases for the base employees. In 1988, his father lost his mayoralty bid in Olongapo. He fought against his fraternity brother, Richard Gordon. Actually, the two had been fighting it out for decades. “Olongapo became too small for them,” shared Ted. “A vivid memory to me to this day was the night I cried after my father lost. I was heartbroken because, for the most part of my life, I saw him give his all to the people. Throughout all those years, I just loved assisting my father. I followed him whenever he visited his constituents. I was a witness to everything that happened to him, his conflict with his political adversary and the loyalty of the people who believed in him and saw in him the man who would change the face of politics in our city.” The elder Macapagal became OIC-Mayor in 1986, but only two months after he received his appointment from the new president because the incumbent mayor did not easily give up his post which he was required to vacate under the new revolutionary government. “The next local election was the most expensive political exercise that our family ever waged,” Ted recounted. “It was then that my father decided that I pursue a new life in the United States, away from politics back home. “All the while, my heart never left the Philippines. Even before I left, I promised myself I would return to continue what my father started.” First non-white president Ted stayed in San Francisco for 20 long years. He had a tough time at the beginning of his new life. “I started off doing odd jobs. I worked as a security guard, janitor and waiter in a pizza parlor. “I also guarded the heavy equipment in a construction site in San Francisco. Thievery was a problem in that kind of situation. We would sleep in a trailer. “I transferred to a construction firm because I found out it offered a bigger salary. But I didn’t know the technical aspects of construction. Once, I made a portable ladder, but it fell apart, for which I was scolded by the owner of the company. I was fired on my third day on the job. Too bad because it paid high.” Ted then decided to pursue another degree, one that would be more useful in the United States. He took up Human Resource Management, a four-year course at the University of California in Berkeley. When he finally entered the corporate world, his first job was as a clerk. It wasn’t long before he became Division President of Stewart Title Company, one of the largest underwriters in the world, with offices across the United States, and in some 80 countries around the globe. He was based in the San Francisco Bay Area. “I may have been the first non-white president,” he said. “And I was a division president for the whole of North America. I was the first Filipino to reach that level.” Of his trailblazing accomplishments, he shared, “I was able to bring cultural diversity to the company, which enhanced its value. I got the top post because I asked for a meeting with the president. I told him we were not diverse enough to appeal to the non-white clients, and there were many of them who were first-time home buyers. Then, I told him to make the rounds. He would see that none of the home buyers was white. They were of different ethnic groups. I told him that if he appointed me as vice president, I would give him multi-cultural buyers because I would appeal to them and they would be our first-time buyers. So, he appointed me, and one month later, he made me president.” As an adjunct, he lectured on the topic of title insurance and escrow procedures in several community colleges in and around the San Franciso Bay Area. Through it all, he chose to keep his Filipino citizenship. The ‘Railway President’ For all the successes he was enjoying, the Philippines beckoned. He felt he still had a mission to accomplish. “My father was surprised. He asked me why I would still want to go home when I was doing well in the States. I insisted, so I came back and I plunged into political life. I worked on difficult campaigns, like the one for Rodrigo Duterte.” Back to his first love and passion, the political arena, he was in his element and served as president of PDP LABAN in Olongapo City from 2016 to 2021. In 2022, he joined LAKAS-CMD as its local chairman. This engagement led to his original target, as his father had achieved in his lifetime — serving the people. This time, he would be appointed to key posts in the government. He became director of the Clark Board and Gulf Oil Philippines. He took his oath of office as chairman of the Philippine National Railways on 28 April 2023. It is a job in a government agency where he is confident “I could make a difference because I can see that President Bongbong Marcos is really intent on improving the railway system of the country. “On my part, I want to make a difference. I want to be able to contribute whatever I can to help the president to achieve that objective. I call him now the ‘Railway President’ because I consider him the father of the railway system in our country.” Of course, he noted that many plans have been formulated during the time of President Rodrigo Duterte. Moreover, he recognized that President Gloria Arroyo “navigated our country through the global crisis. I was in the United States when the global economic crisis happened, and the Philippines was one of the countries spared, and I give credit to her. The economic fundamentals were very strong during her time. Being an economist, she was there at the right time when the country needed her the most.” With President BBM at the helm, he is confident “we will be able to push through with our development plan and finish the projects we have started, like the North-South Commuter Railway, which is a 147-kilometer stretch from Clark to Laguna. We hope to have the dry run in 2026 and it will be fully operational in 2027.” He also looks forward to the completion of the Bicol South Long Haul project. He is equally hopeful for the North Long Haul, the Subic-Clark and the Mindanao railways. He clarified that “we are now talking with the proponents, while some negotiations are being undertaken.” Working boots and a hard hat It would seem that this successful insurance executive was out of place in the railway sector. He pointed out, though, that “coming from the outside, I have the technical advantage of being able to look outside the box. So, I’m looking at it from outside the box, looking in. I am able to see the problems that need to be fixed. Stoppage is one of the problems so we have a bus augmentation program. We will also deploy UV Express units. We are closely coordinating with the LTFRB to provide emergency alternative transportation.” On the other hand, his exposure to people of all backgrounds from his youth, being his father’s son, has given him the advantage of “knowing how it is to be one of the boys. Something that I also experienced in the United States. “When people ask me what my management style is, I tell them straight I like to go down to the ground. I like hands-on supervision. I want my hands to be dirty. If you open the trunk of my car, you will find my working boots and my hard hat. I enjoy going to the construction sites and seeing for myself the progress, the problems, whatever it is that needs to be attended to. “Finally I want those working in the field doing the most difficult tasks to be satisfied and never to be hungry. Gusto ko, busog sila lagi. I am not happy when I get invited by the constructors and I am honored with a feast-like lunch or dinner, and not knowing what the workers are eating. I am on a diet anyway, so I make sure that my hosts bring the food to where the workers are eating. I can only eat so much and I would rather that the workers and the staff are full and happy. I am vocal about my displeasure when the construction workers are not eating the same food that is served to me. I may not be able to invite them to where I am eating but I can have the food brought to them.” Smiling from heaven Without a doubt, the old man Atty. Teddy C. Macapagal is smiling happily from his heavenly perch. He had served his fellowmen well, but he had done right as well by raising a son who took after his heart, to whom service to the people and compassion for the less fortunate matter more than any personal gain. His father, according to Ted, “died a broken man at the young age of 63. But whatever he lacked in longevity and riches, he made up for it with his compassion for others, for the free legal services that he gave to the people of Olongapo. “If you didn’t have money, you went to him because he was generous with his time and expertise. He would even give you some cash to use for your transportation fare to go home. That was my father. “The people whom he helped in turn would come to our home and bring him gifts like eggs, fruits, fish, vegetables and native chickens that they raised in their backyards. My father accepted them all. When I came home and saw all this, I teased him and said that he should probably open a sari-sari store so he could resell them. “Of course, we had a good laugh. But beyond the laughter, we both knew in our hearts that doing good to one’s fellowmen is its own reward and nothing in this world can take the place of personal fulfillment for having put a smile on people’s faces because you somehow made their lives better. “I am grateful that I have been raised by such a great father.” The post Michael Ted Macapagal: Making tracks in public service appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
An old antibiotic may get new life as an STI prevention pill
The United States is set to roll out a powerful new weapon in the long fight against sexually transmitted infections: a decades-old antibiotic repurposed as a preventative pill. DoxyPEP, or doxycycline used as a post-exposure prophylaxis, has been found to significantly cut the risk of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis when used after condomless sex. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is developing national guidance for clinicians, will need to weigh the need to contain record high rates of STIs impacting millions of Americans against potentially giving rise to more antibiotic-resistant strains. "Innovation and creativity matter in public health, and more tools are desperately needed," senior CDC official Jonathan Mermin told AFP. But the recommendations, set for publication this summer, will remain narrow in scope. They will likely target only the most at-risk groups of gay men and transgender women with histories of prior infection. As word spreads, some clinics are already prescribing DoxyPEP. Malik, a 37-year-old man in Washington, said his doctor recently told him he could start using doxycycline as a "morning-after pill" following risky sex, something he's had to do twice -- including after a partner did not warn him he had removed his condom. Two-thirds reduction Reported cases of the three bacterial infections grew to 2.5 million in the United States in 2021, following about a decade of growth. Several issues are behind the rise: fewer people are using condoms since the advent of PrEP -- daily pills that significantly reduce chances of contracting HIV. And people who are on PrEP are recommended to undergo screening every three months, likely increasing the identification of infections. Then there is the basic epidemiological fact that the greater the number of people infected, the more they can further infect. Researchers have found DoxyPEP efficacious in three of four trials. "What we found was there was about a two-thirds reduction in sexually transmitted infection every three months," Annie Luetkemeyer, who co-led a US trial, told AFP. The physician-scientist at the University of California, San Francisco recruited some 500 people in San Francisco and Seattle among communities of men who have sex with men and transgender women. Efficacy was greatest for chlamydia and syphilis, both of which were reduced by about 80 percent, while for gonorrhea it was about 55 percent. There were few side effects. Antibiotic resistance Broadening access to doxycycline has prompted concerns about causing antibiotic resistance, particularly in gonorrhea, which is fast mutating. But early research hasn't shown cause for alarm. Connie Celum of the University of Washington, who co-led the US study, told AFP researchers tested gonorrhea samples from breakthrough infections in the DoxyPEP group and compared them to the group who didn't receive the pill. Though they found the rate of resistant gonorrhea slightly higher in the DoxyPEP group, she says the finding could simply mean the pill is less effective against already resistant strains, rather than causing that resistance. DoxyPEP could even boost responsible antibiotic stewardship -- cutting the incidence of infections, thus also cutting need for antibiotic treatment. If it slashed gonorrhea cases by some 50 percent, it could reduce the number of people requiring antibiotic treatment with the current frontline treatment drug, ceftriaxone, which doctors are eager to preserve. Longer term study is required, on both impacts on STIs but also "bystander" bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, which live inside people's noses but sometimes cause serious infections. 'Additional tool' Malik said that while he is glad he could use DoxyPEP as a last resort, he wishes more men were willing to use condoms. Since moving to America from South Asia, he gets relatively little interest on dating app Grindr when he says he's not willing to have condomless sex. But Stephen Abbott -- a doctor at Washington's Whitman-Walker clinic who prescribes and uses DoxyPEP -- said it's crucial to meet people where they are. "From speaking with patients, and being part of the community that's now on PrEP... I think the age of prevention through condoms is fading," he told AFP. A 42-year-old man in London who runs a cultural organization told AFP that word had spread about DoxyPEP through the international gay party circuit and he had procured a supply on the black market and through a partner who buys in bulk in Mexico. It had largely worked for him, though he did have one breakthrough infection of throat gonorrhea. He said he was looking forward to the United Kingdom adopting similar guidance so that people have the right information and aren't left to guess at the right dosage. For Luetkemeyer, DoxyPEP won't be "the answer" to the STI epidemic, and there is considerable interest in the development of a gonorrhea vaccine. "But I'm optimistic... I think this is an additional tool," she said. The post An old antibiotic may get new life as an STI prevention pill appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
As Trump faces indictment heat, Biden chills beachside
"It was compelling," Joe Biden offered Tuesday after Donald Trump's indictment. But the US president was referring to a film -- not the legal fate of his political rival, which he has declined to address. The 80-year-old Democrat was emerging from a screening of "Oppenheimer," having dined earlier with First Lady Jill Biden at a fish restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, the seaside escape where the couple is vacationing this week. While Christopher Nolan's biopic tells the life of the American physicist who developed the first atomic weapon, Tuesday's historic indictment of ex-president Trump is the bombshell currently rocking American politics. The rebellious Republican is likely to face Biden once more in 2024, even as he is criminally charged over allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election result. It is the third indictment of Trump since March. They include charges over a hush-money payment to an adult film star in 2016, and his handling of classified documents after leaving the White House. A fourth indictment could follow in Georgia, where an investigation over electoral interference is concluding. No comment Biden, known for impulsive remarks, has demonstrated considerable discipline when it comes to his rival's legal peril. After Trump became the first-ever indicted former president in March, Biden repeatedly gave reporters a curt "no comment" and other dodges. On Wednesday, as the commander-in-chief biked along a Rehoboth trail to occasional cheers from onlookers, a reporter's shouted one-word question -- "Indictments?" -- was met with silence. Biden has little choice, especially given that the two gravest cases against Trump are federal prosecutions by the US Department of Justice, which Biden's aides have repeatedly stressed operates independently from the White House. Even the slightest word from Biden would fuel charges from Trump's supporters that the president is weaponizing the judiciary. Biden therefore is counting on the modern-day visual known as the split screen. Relaxation and remove On one side is Trump, with his legal proceedings piling up and the bracing images of the former leader scowling as he sat in a Manhattan court this year. It is not yet known whether Trump will appear in person for a preliminary hearing set for Thursday in Washington in the case surrounding the 2020 election. On the other side: Biden chilling in Rehoboth, where he might hit the beach Thursday like last weekend, or take another bike ride. Either way, it's the very image of peace of mind. If Trump is "compelling," in one form or another, Biden -- as he has described himself before -- is assumed to be "boring." In running for re-election, the current president is betting that Americans will favor calm, predictability and prosperity over potential chaos. He soon heads west to tout "Bidenomics," his economic strategy that Republicans mocked but which he pitches as responsible for America's robust growth. Is the US president, whose popularity ratings are far from effervescent, writing the script for an electoral blockbuster in 2024? That remains uncertain, but Biden wants to believe that boredom -- a mortal sin in moviemaking -- is a virtue at the ballot box. The post As Trump faces indictment heat, Biden chills beachside appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
ICTSI Argentine unit gets more port calls
TecPlata, International Container Terminal Services Inc. or ICTSI’s cargo handling operations at the La Plata Port adjacent to Buenos Aires in Argentina, received the inaugural call of Zim Integrated Shipping Services’ Patagonia Express Service. The vessel connects Argentinian trade to the United States and the Caribbean Gulf, among other destinations. ZIM’s newly launched service links Argentina to the Caribbean and the US Gulf Coast through the ports of Kingston, a major Caribbean hub, and Houston in the Gulf of Mexico. Visits every 45 days The service marked its inaugural call at TecPlata with the arrival of the 1,000- twenty-foot equivalent unit or TEU boxship Contship Key, and with its present network set up, is expected to call TecPlata every 45 days. The maritime service from La Plata to Kingston and Houston provided a reliable and efficient connection for Argentinian foreign trade, offering commercial opportunities that promote economic growth in the region. “We are pleased to receive the Contship Key at TecPlata and start this new connection with the North American gulf coast,” Juan Pablo Trujillo, TecPlata chief executive officer, said. This strategic alliance with ZIM enables us to offer new services and logistics distribution to our clients. We are confident that this service will strengthen TecPlata’s position as a strategic trade port on the East Coast of South America,” Trujillo added. TecPlata takes great pride in delivering new opportunities to clients through this service, which takes advantage of the terminal’s modern port infrastructure and world-class standard of operation. ZIM’s arrival in TecPlata further expands the connectivity of La Plata beyond the Latin America region. The post ICTSI Argentine unit gets more port calls appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Delta lifts 2023 forecast as travel demand stays lofty
Delta reported record results in the second quarter on Thursday, raising its full-year forecast on continually robust travel demand as more international markets reopen. The big carrier, the first US airline to report results, described an extension of the banner industry conditions that have followed the devastating Covid-19 downturn. "We see strong demand both domestically and internationally as far as we can see," said Delta President Glen Hauenstein. Executives have for more than a year pointed to pent-up demand for flying after the pandemic shutdowns. Delta's profits more than doubled to $1.8 billion, while revenues jumped 13 percent to $15.6 billion. Both revenues and operating profits were at quarterly records, the company said in its earnings release. Delta also raised its full-year earnings outlook to a range of $6 to $7 per share, up a dollar. The conditions have enabled Delta to reinstate its quarterly dividend and accelerate repayment of debt that mounted during the Covid-19 downturn. The company said its international business continued to tick higher, benefitting from the reopening of Japan and an especially strong flow of traffic between the United States and southern Europe. A Korean Air joint venture enjoyed a strong performance, while demand for destinations in South America and the Caribbean was also robust. Executives also highlighted an improved outlook for business travel heading into the fall. "As we see more and more offices trying to reopen or reopening... that's a great constructive backdrop as we head into the fall and post-Labor Day period," Hauenstein said. The post Delta lifts 2023 forecast as travel demand stays lofty appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UN highlights ‘vicious cycle’ of climate impacts for Latin America, Caribbean
As some Latin American countries battle severe drought and other disease outbreaks brought on by flooding, the World Meteorological Organization warned Wednesday that extreme weather and climate shocks were becoming more acute in the region. Latin America and the Caribbean were caught in a "vicious cycle of spiraling impacts" of accelerated warming and sea-level rise, the UN weather agency said in a new report on the state of the climate in 2022. Many recent events in the region were influenced by a long-running La Nina climate event, "but also bore the hallmark of human-induced climate change," said WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas. And he warned, "The newly arrived El Nino will turn up the heat and bring with it more extreme weather." El Nino is marked by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific near the equator, while La Nina has the opposite effect. Highlights of the WMO report released in Havana: - In Latin America and the Caribbean, the period from 1991 to 2022 showed an average warming trend of about 0.2 degree Celsius per decade (higher in Mexico and the Caribbean) -- the highest rate on record - Sea levels rose at a higher rate in the South Atlantic and subtropical North Atlantic than the global mean, increasing the risk of coastal flooding and freshwater contamination - Exceptionally high temperatures, low air humidity, and severe drought led to periods of record wildfires in countries including Argentina and Paraguay - The fires, in turn, contributed to planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions reaching their highest levels in 20 years, "locking in even higher temperatures" - Floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains caused hundreds of fatalities in the region and billions of dollars in losses - Drought in the Parana-La Plata Basin which includes areas of Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina, was the worst since 1944. Low river flows reduced hydropower production, forcing countries to replace hydroelectric energy sources with polluting fossil fuels - Chile is in the grips of a 14-year-long mega-drought -- the most severe in the region in over 1,000 years - Glacier melt has worsened, with near total loss of snowpack in the Andean glaciers in the 2022 summer. The darker glaciers, as a result, absorbed more solar radiation, further accelerating the melt - Only about 60 percent of people in Latin America and the Caribbean are covered by early warning systems for severe weather events. The post UN highlights ‘vicious cycle’ of climate impacts for Latin America, Caribbean appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OFW assistance now with DMW
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday announced that the Department of Migrant Workers will take over the Assistance to Nationals functions for overseas Filipino workers starting the first of July. According to the DFA, the turnover of the ATN is in compliance with Republic Act 11641, which paved the way for the creation of the newly created department. “Under the said law, all assistance cases involving OFWs, including legal or medical assistance, repatriation, and shipment of remains shall now be handled by the DMW through the use of its AKSYON Fund, except in countries where there are no resident Migrant Workers Offices under the DMW,” the agency said. To ensure uninterrupted service, the public is requested to refer to the DMW all requests for assistance involving OFWs (whether documented or undocumented) situated in the following countries/territories with resident MWOs: Asia-Pacific: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, China (including Hong Kong, Macau), Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore. Middle East and Northern Africa: Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates. Europe: Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom. Americas: Canada, United States of America. OFWs from the mentioned territories who need assistance may personally, or through their relatives contact the DMW through the following hotline numbers: 87221144 or 87221155 87221155; or email addresses: repat@dmw.gov.ph, connect@dmw.gov.ph or cacdac@dmw.gov.ph. The DFA said assistance for OFWs in territories that were not part of the list will still be processed by the agency. Likewise, the agency noted that it would also continue to assist all other Filipinos worldwide who are not OFWs, including students, tourists, and dual and permanent residents. Meanwhile, the public can reach the DFA through its hotline: 88344996, email address: oumwa@dfa.gov.ph, or Facebook: htps://www.facebook.com/OFWHelpPH. The post OFW assistance now with DMW appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Prince Harry, Meghan in ‘near catastrophic’ New York car chase
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle were involved in a "near catastrophic car chase" involving paparazzi in New York, a spokesperson for the couple said Wednesday. The pair were uninjured in the incident Tuesday night, which came almost 26 years after the Paris car crash that killed Harry's mother, Princess Diana, which Harry blames on paparazzi. The New York chase occurred after Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, attended an awards ceremony in America's financial capital with Meghan's mother Doria Ragland. "Last night, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms. Ragland were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi," the spokesperson said in a statement emailed to AFP. "This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians, and two NYPD officers," the spokesperson added. A source close to the couple said Meghan and Harry were pursued by half a dozen blacked out vehicles with "unidentified people driving recklessly and endangering the convoy and everyone around them." "The chase could have been fatal," the source added, claiming a number of possible traffic violations including driving on the sidewalk, running red lights, and reversing down a one-way street, were committed. A spokesperson for the New York Police Department said "numerous photographers" had made the couple's journey "challenging." "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their destination and there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests in regard," deputy commissioner Julian Phillips told AFP. Harry has long had a difficult relationship with the media. He blames press intrusion for causing the death of his mother in a car crash in a tunnel in Paris in 1997 while she was being pursued by paparazzi. In a US television interview earlier this year, he recalled seeing the final photos of her and realizing that the last thing she saw before she died was photographers taking her picture. Harry and Meghan, an American former TV actress, sensationally quit royal family duties in early 2020 and moved from Britain to the United States, in part because of intense media scrutiny. The younger son of King Charles III has been involved in several legal cases against British newspaper publishers since moving to California. 'Dangerous' Last week the publisher of the tabloid The Mirror, which Harry accuses of unlawful information gathering, apologized "unreservedly" and said the prince was entitled to "appropriate compensation." It did not provide further details. Harry is also pursuing claims against the publisher of The Sun and the publisher of the Daily Mail. Those cases will be decided later this year. Harry and Meghan had attended the Ms. Foundation for Women ceremony in New York where Meghan received an award and were staying at a private residence. The couple's spokesperson added that "while being a public figure comes with a level of interest from the public, it should never come at the cost of anyone's safety." "Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all in involved," it said. Mayor Eric Adams said he found it "hard to believe that there was a two-hour high speed chase," through the Big Apple but added that even "a 10-minute chase is extremely dangerous in New York City." "We have a lot of traffic, a lot of movement. A lot of people are using our streets. Any type of high-speed chase is inappropriate," he told reporters. Harry carried out several TV interviews this year to promote his best-selling memoir "Spare," which has broken publishing records. In the book and subsequent interviews, Harry aired a barrage of criticism at other royals, including elder brother Prince William. He claimed William physically attacked him during an argument about Meghan and also detailed his strained relationship with his father, King Charles. Harry attended his father's coronation earlier this month without Meghan, who remained in California with the couple's two children. Harry was not given a formal role in the ceremony and was absent from the royal procession through central London. Nor did he join other members of the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony. The post Prince Harry, Meghan in ‘near catastrophic’ New York car chase appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Latin America and the Caribbean: Working for the Economy and Knowledge of Space
“When the future is present.” For humans, one of the main unknowns of knowing and managing their environment is the knowledge of what is beyond.....»»
Dutch expected to apologize for 250 years of slavery
The Dutch funded their "Golden Age" of empire and culture in the 16th and 17th centuries by shipping around 600,000 Africans as part of the slave trade, mostly to South America and the Caribbean......»»
Can SC reopen Marcoses’ estate tax case decided with finality in 1999?
Supreme Court (SC) Can the P203-billion estate tax case of the family of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. be reopened despite the finality in 1999 of the 1997 decision of the Supreme Court (SC)? Possible, said Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum on Wednesday, Oct. 26. The reopening depends on the composition of the SC and the issues and reasons cited by the requesting party, Gesmundo said. Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo (2) The Chief Justice said: “No decision of the Court is written in stone. The modification of the Court’s decision primarily depends on its composition. Like in America, there are conservative and there are liberal magistrates. “If the majority are conservative magistrates, it would be difficult to seek a reversal of its decision. If the majority are liberal magistrates, it would be easy to do that. “Our set-up is similar, each of our magistrates has his or her own opinion about a case.” Earlier, President Marcos Jr. had said he would want to reopen the estate tax case of his family because they were not able to participate in the proceedings since they were in exile in the United States at that time. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) had sent last March a demand letter for the Marcoses to settle the unpaid taxes which had ballooned to P203 billion due to penalties and surcharges. In 1994, the Court of Appeals (CA) rendered a decision on the payment of the estate taxes. When appealed to the SC, the High Court upheld the CA ruling in 1997. The SC decision was declared final and executory in 1999. During the forum, Chief Justice Gesmundo explained that a decided case may be reopened on issues like blatant violations of constitutional rights of the affected party. “The Court is always guided that cases should be terminated at a certain point in time, it is called res judicata. But, if there are reasons so unique and the parties are filing a reconsideration or sometimes [a request] that the case be heard from a division to the En Banc, there is a possibility that a former decision or a prior judgment can be modified or reversed,” Gesmundo said. The Chief Justice also said: “So, it’s actually on a case-to-case basis. What is important are the issues being brought by the parties before the SC. Is it a question of constitutional rights so blatantly violated? “Then we have to take a second look. It really depends on the situation and on other considerations that would be presented before the Court to justify the modification or the reversal of the decision.” TAGS: #SC #CJ Gesmundo #Marcos tax case.....»»
Latin America passes 1 million COVID deaths as IMF proposes $50 billion plan
Latin America and the Caribbean passed one million coronavirus deaths on Friday as the IMF proposed a $50 billion plan to end the pandemic, aiming to expand global immunization drives......»»
More than 700,000 COVID-19 deaths in Latin America: AFP tally
More than 700,000 lives have been lost to COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean since the pandemic began, according to an AFP tally on Monday evening from official sources......»»