We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Global stocks weak as ME fears persist
Global stock markets slid Friday on worries that an expected ground invasion of Gaza by Israel would spark a wider conflict in the Middle East. Wall Street stocks declined Friday, as investors looked to lower their risk going into the weekend. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.9 percent, while the S&P and Nasdaq indexes fell over one percent. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury, which briefly rose this week to levels not seen since 2007 amid concerns the Fed is entering a long period of high-interest rates, slipped slightly. Regina Capital Development Corp. managing director Luis Limlingan added the Federal Reserve has been raising its benchmark lending rate to cool demand and bring down stubborn inflation, with some success. Nevertheless, rates remain stuck above their long-term target of two percent. Local shares ended the week in the red as investors turned more cautious following Fitch Group’s statement that inflation will likely stay elevated for an extended period, Limlingan added. Additionally, the recent statement by Fed Chairperson Jerome Powell “weighed on the local and global markets,” the RCDC executive said. He quoted Powell as saying inflation remains too high and lower economic growth will likely be needed to bring it down. Powell also said he doesn’t think rates are too high now. At the same time, markets are warily eyeing ongoing conflict in the Middle East, for signs it could spread to other countries. “Going into the weekend there is a downward trend as short-term investors try to square positions,” Jack Ablin, Cresset Capital’s chief investment officer, said. “There is an unwillingness from certain investors (to) hold risk positions over the weekend,” he added. Major stock markets in Europe closed down more than one percent, while those in Asia also saw declines. Double geopolitical whammy The US Federal Reserve warned that the recent attack on Israel and the ongoing Ukraine conflict could cause harm to the world economy and boost global inflation. Hamas carried out a deadly attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on 7 October and killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians who were shot, mutilated, or burned to death, according to Israeli officials. “The attack on Israel, in conjunction with Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, has ratcheted up geopolitical tensions,” the Fed said in its semi-annual report on financial stability. with AFP The post Global stocks weak as ME fears persist appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Shun mass protests in Egypt
Filipinos in Egypt have been advised to avoid joining any protests following the mass demonstrations, denouncing the bombing of a hospital in the Gaza Strip that reportedly killed at least 500 civilians. In an advisory, the Philippine Embassy in Egypt cautioned Filipinos against joining the random demonstrations and planned mass actions. “The Philippine Embassy in Cairo advises everyone to exercise caution, keep away from mass congregations, and stay home unless necessary,” it said. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are 1,990 Filipinos in Egypt. Egyptians took to the streets to express their anger over the bombing of the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, which left hundreds of Palestinians dead. In one of the demonstrations, a Palestinian flag was raised while an Israeli flag was burned. The demonstrations came after Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi called on Egyptians to express solidarity with the Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war. This developed as top diplomats of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Friday denounced the ongoing war in the Middle East. End bloodshed In a statement, the foreign ministers of the 10-member regional bloc called for an immediate end to the bloodshed. “We strongly condemn the acts of violence which have led to the deaths and injuries of civilians, including ASEAN nationals,” the foreign ministers said. “We urge the immediate end of violence to avoid further human casualties and call for the full respect of international humanitarian law,” it added. Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are engaged in armed conflict following the surprise attack launched by the terror group on Israel last 7 October. The attack by Hamas has left more than 1,400 dead, most of them massacred on the first day of the assault. Meanwhile, the widespread airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have reportedly left at least 3,478 dead. ASEAN also called on “all parties to create safe, rapid and unimpeded passages of human corridors.” Last week, Israel imposed a 24-hour deadline for 1.1 million civilians to evacuate northern Gaza ahead of its ground offensive in the Palestinian territory. Since then, millions of civilians, including foreign nationals, have scrambled to move from northern Gaza to southern Gaza in hopes of exiting the war-torn territory. The bulk of civilians are swarming to the Rafah border in an attempt to enter Egypt despite the border remaining closed and the restricted availability of food, water and electricity. Two-state solution Meanwhile, ASEAN reaffirmed its support for a “negotiated two-state solution that allows Israelis and Palestinians to live side-by-side in peace and security consistent with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.” “This will be the only viable path to resolving the root cause of the conflict,” it said. The regional bloc also called on the “international community to support the peace process in order to ensure long-lasting peace and stability in the region.” “We have issued our respective national statements on the escalation of armed conflicts in the Middle East,” it said. On Wednesday, the Philippines, one of the founding members of ASEAN, expressed its “profound sadness” over the bombing of a hospital in the Gaza Strip, which reportedly killed at least 500 civilians. Israel and Hamas denied being behind the attack and blamed each other for the bombing. The Philippines said all parties should “do their utmost to protect civilians in times of war and armed conflict.” “We support efforts of the United Nations to provide humanitarian relief in the conflict areas,” it said. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are 135 Filipinos in the Hamas-controlled Gaza. Deep concern In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is attending the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit, the Chief Executive expressed deep concern over the rising number of victims and the safety of those affected by the conflict. In his intervention during the 1st ASEAN-GCC Summit here on Friday, Marcos said, “All parties (should) exert their utmost efforts to de-escalate the situation, stop all violence, and engage in dialogue and diplomacy.” He called on the members of the GCC and ASEAN to work together to promote peace, security, and stability in the South China Sea and the Arabian Sea. Marcos also underscored the importance of cooperation between member countries of the two regional groups to ensure their continued prosperity. “As the two regional organizations located astride the major sea gates and vital corridors of the world’s commerce and communications, it is imperative that we work together to promote peace, security, and stability in both our regions, the South China Sea and the Arabian Sea, grounded on the rules-based international order to ensure the stability and prosperity of our countries and the rest of the world,” Marcos said. “Peace and stability are indispensable to ensuring continued prosperity in our respective regions and the world,” he added. The six GCC member countries are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, while the 10 ASEAN member countries are Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. President Marcos attended the ASEAN-GCC Summit, where he discussed business opportunities in the Philippines and urged investors to invest in the Maharlika Investment Fund, among other significant opportunities in the Philippines. The post Shun mass protests in Egypt appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hong Kong halts trading, closes schools post-typhoon
Asian finance hub Hong Kong halted trading at its stock exchange on Monday and closed schools after Typhoon Koinu generated torrential rainfall overnight. Koinu -- which caused one death in Taiwan last week -- had weakened into a severe tropical storm by Monday, said the Hong Kong Observatory, as it moved toward the coastal areas of China's Guangdong province. The storm caused non-stop rain overnight, leading the agency to issue a "black" rainstorm warning signal -- its highest -- at 4:00 am local time (2000 GMT). More than 150 millimetres were recorded over most parts of the territory since midnight Monday, and rainfall exceeded 300 millimetres over some parts of urban Hong Kong island, data showed. "Because of seriously flooded roads and inclement weather conditions, you are advised to take shelter in a safe place and stay there," the observatory said. The city's third-highest storm warning signal -- "T8" -- was to remain in place until 11:40 am local time. Due to the storm warning, trading at the city's stock exchange was to be suspended in the morning session but was expected to resume at 2:00 p.m. Schools and daycare centres, ordered to shut down when authorities issued the T8 signal a day earlier, remained closed on Monday. This was the second time in a month the city has issued a black rain warning. In early September, Hong Kong experienced its highest rainfall in nearly 140 years, flooding subway stations and malls, and causing landslides. In China's Guangdong province -- where Koinu is expected to sweep past en route to Hainan island -- the cities of Zhuhai and Jiangmen issued a Level III emergency response, according to the Xinhua news agency Sunday. That meant more than 35,500 fishing boats had to return to port, while dozens of coastal scenic areas were temporarily closed. Before moving to Hong Kong, Koinu had grazed nearby Taiwan, bringing torrential rain and record-breaking winds to its outlying Orchid Island. The storm left at least one dead in Taiwan, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of homes. Southern China is frequently hit during the summer and autumn seasons by typhoons that form in the warm oceans east of the Philippines and then travel west. But climate change has made tropical storms more unpredictable while increasing their intensity -- bringing more rain and stronger gusts that lead to flash floods and coastal damage, experts say. The post Hong Kong halts trading, closes schools post-typhoon appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Israel says at ‘war’ after rocket barrages, militant infiltration
Palestinian militants have begun a "war" against Israel, the country's defense minister said Saturday after a barrage of rockets were fired and fighters from the Palestinian enclave infiltrated Israel, a major escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Violence between Israel and the Palestinians has been surging for almost two years, with fatalities in the occupied West Bank hitting a scale not seen in years. At least two people were killed in Israel, officials said. Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Palestinian militant group Hamas has "launched a war against the State of Israel." "Troops are fighting against the enemy at every location," he said in a statement. AFP journalists said Israel's military began air strikes on Gaza, following the rocket barrage from inside the territory which is sealed off from Israel by a militarized border barrier. "Dozens of IDF fighter jets are currently striking a number of targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip," the military said. Rockets had earlier streamed across the sky repeatedly after the first launches from multiple locations across the Palestinian territory from 6:30 am (0330 GMT), AFP journalists in Gaza City reported. The armed wing of Hamas, which controls Gaza, said it was behind the aerial assault, saying its militants had launched thousands of rockets and its fighters seized an Israeli tank. Israel's army did not immediately comment on the tank claim when contacted by AFP. Israeli security chiefs convened over the violence, which occurred on Shabbat and during a Jewish holiday. Air raid sirens wailed across southern and central Israel, and the army urged people to stay near bomb shelters. AFP journalists in Jerusalem heard multiple rockets being intercepted by Israeli air defense systems. Sirens blared across the city on more occasions than in any Gaza conflict in the past three years. "We decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation (Israel). Their time for rampaging without being held accountable is over," the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said. "We announce Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and we fired, in the first strike of 20 minutes, more than 5,000 rockets." Hundreds of Gazans flee Hundreds of residents fled their homes in eastern Gaza to move away from the border with Israel, an AFP correspondent said. Men, women and children carrying blankets and food left their homes, mostly in the northeastern part of the territory, the reporter said. Israel's military said Hamas launched "massive shooting of rockets", while at the same time "terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations". Hamas "will face the consequences and responsibility for these events", it said in a statement. In Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, some Palestinian residents cheered and blew their car horns as sirens blared. A regional council for Israeli communities northeast of Gaza said its president was killed in an exchange of fire with attackers from Gaza. Separately, a woman in her 60s was killed "due to a direct hit" in Israel, the Magen David Adom emergency services said. Fifteen others were wounded, two of them seriously, medics said. An AFP photographer in the coastal city of Tel Aviv saw a gaping hole in a building, with residents gathered outside. Hamas calls to 'join battle' Hamas called on "the resistance fighters in the West Bank" as well as "our Arab and Islamic nations" to join the battle, in a statement posted on Telegram. The United States condemned the Hamas fire and urged "all sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks." "Terror and violence solve nothing," the US Office of Palestinian Affairs wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007 after Hamas took power. Palestinian militants and Israel have fought several devastating wars since. The latest violence follows heightened tensions in September, when Israel closed the border to Gazan workers for two weeks. The shutdown of the crossing came as Palestinian demonstrators along the border burned tires and threw rocks and petrol bombs at Israeli troops, who responded with tear gas and live bullets. Resuming workers' passage on 28 September had raised hopes of calming the situation in impoverished Gaza, home to 2.3 million people. In May, an exchange of Israeli air strikes and Gaza rocket fire killed 34 Palestinians and one Israeli. So far this year at least 247 Palestinians, 32 Israelis and two foreigners have been killed in the conflict, including combatants and civilians on both sides, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials. The vast majority of fatalities have occurred in the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. There has been a rise in army raids, Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis and Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their property. The rising violence this year came against the backdrop of divisive judicial reforms introduced by the hard-right government of President Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges he denies. Several far-right ministers in Netanyahu's cabinet live in West Bank settlements deemed illegal under international law. The post Israel says at ‘war’ after rocket barrages, militant infiltration appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Omnibus poll code violators arrested
Quezon City Police District Director, P/Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan on Saturday announced the arrest of two suspects for Robbery and Illegal Possession of Firearms in relation to the Omnibus Election Code in separate operations by the QCPD operatives last Wednesday, 13 September. The first operation was conducted by the Fairview Police Station 5 under P/Lt. Col. Elizabeth Jasmin wherein they arrested Michael Degras, 52 years old, and a resident of Barangay San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal. Based on the report, Degras was involved in a robbery (snatching) incident that transpired at 5 p.m. on 11 September. This prompted the PS 5 operatives to conduct a follow-up operation against the suspect which resulted in his arrest at 7:15 p.m. on 13 September along Paterno Street corner Mabini Street, Barangay Sta Lucia, Quezon City. Confiscated from Degra were one caliber 38 revolver loaded with six ammunition and one Honda Click motorcycle with plate No. 674UAY. Meanwhile, in the second operation, suspect Florie Jun Sagaad Bapor, 28 years old, and a resident of Barangay Bagong Pagasa, Quezon City was arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit under P/Maj. Don Don Llapitan. According to the report at 7:45 p.m. of 13 September along Agham Road, Sitio San Roque, Barangay Bagong Pagasa, Quezon City, victim Rizalino del Barrio was walking thereat, when the suspect suddenly appeared from behind and at gunpoint, declared a hold-up and forcibly took the victim’s wallet with cash money amounting to P400 and a G-Cash Card and fled towards East Avenue. Fortunately, CIDU operatives who were conducting anti-criminality in the area saw the victim shouting for help. At that instance, said operatives approached the victim and immediately narrated the incident while pointing in the direction of the suspect. Acting on the information, the operatives chased the suspect which led to his arrest. Recovered from him were the stolen items and a caliber 38 revolver loaded with five live ammunition. The post Omnibus poll code violators arrested appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
WHO warns of ‘concerning’ Covid trends ahead of winter
The World Health Organization on Wednesday warned of "concerning trends" for Covid-19 ahead of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, calling for increased vaccinations and surveillance. While data is limited because many countries have stopped reporting Covid data, the UN health agency estimated that hundreds of thousands of people around the world are currently hospitalized with the virus. "We continue to see concerning trends for Covid-19 ahead of the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online press conference. "Deaths are increasing in some parts of the Middle East and Asia, intensive care unit admissions are increasing in Europe and hospitalizations are increasing in several regions," he said. But only 43 countries -- less than a quarter of the 194 WHO member states --- are reporting Covid deaths to the agency, and only 20 provide information about hospitalizations, he added. "We estimate that there are hundreds of thousands of people in hospital now for Covid," said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead on Covid-19. "That is a worry given that when we get to colder months, in some countries, people tend to spend more time indoors together, and viruses that transmit through the air like Covid will take advantage of that," she added. With influenza and RSV also circulating, Van Kerkhove emphasized the importance of testing, as well as vaccination. Tedros said while there is not currently a single dominant Covid variant worldwide, the EG.5 Omicron subvariant is on the rise. Small numbers of the highly mutated BA.2.86 subvariant have also now been detected in 11 countries, Tedros said. The WHO is "monitoring this variant closely to assess its transmissibility and potential impact," he added. Preliminary data suggests that existing vaccines will give protection against BA.2.86, Van Kerkhove said. One of WHO's biggest concerns was how few at-risk people had recently received a Covid jab, Tedros said, calling for the vulnerable not to wait to get a booster dose. "The increase in hospitalisations and deaths shows that Covid-19 is here to stay, and that we will continue to need tools to fight it," Tedros said. Last week, the WHO announced that a global knowledge-sharing platform about Covid called C-TAP had secured three new licensing agreements to transfer vaccine technologies. The post WHO warns of ‘concerning’ Covid trends ahead of winter appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Russia’s Luna-25 probe crashes on the Moon
Russia's first Moon mission in almost 50 years, the Luna-25 probe, has crashed on the Moon's surface after an unspecified incident during pre-landing maneuvers, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said Sunday. The crash comes almost a year and a half into Russia's Ukraine offensive that has seen Moscow isolated, with punishing sanctions that have affected its space industry. The failed mission comes as several companies and nations have entered a Moon race, and put a spotlight on the Russian space sector's troubles -- from corruption to lack of innovation and partnerships. Communication with Luna-25 was lost at 2:57 pm (1157 GMT) on Saturday, Roscosmos said. According to preliminary findings, the lander "has ceased to exist following a collision with the Moon's surface". "Measures taken on August 19 and 20 to locate the craft and make contact with it were unsuccessful," the space agency added. It said a ministerial investigation would be opened into the causes of the crash, without giving any indication of what technical problems might have occurred. With Luna-25, Moscow had hoped to build on the legacy of its Soviet-era Luna program, marking a return to independent Moon exploration in the face of financial troubles and corruption scandals at the program and growing isolation from the West. Valery Yegorov, a former researcher with Russia's space program who now lives in exile, said the crash would severely affect Roscosmos's future missions, with the next one not planned until 2028 or "even later". He suggested the probe's failure was linked to electronic problems, possibly resulting from Western sanctions on Moscow. The Luna-25 launch was postponed several times in the last five years, Yegorov said, "because of sanctions imposed on Russia in response to seizing Crimea". Research 'not a priority' "Science, fundamental research, some kind of humanistic ideas about space colonization, about revealing the secrets of the universe, are clearly not a priority right now," said Yegorov, who has denounced the Kremlin's Ukraine offensive. The 800-kilogram (1,760-pound) Luna-25 probe was to have made a soft landing on Monday on the Moon's south pole -- which would have been a historic first. Russia has not attempted to land on a celestial body since 1989, when the Soviet Union's Phobos 2 probe to explore the moons of Mars failed after an onboard computer malfunction. Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov had said the venture would be "risky", telling President Vladimir Putin in June that the probability of it succeeding was "around 70 percent". Luna-25 had been successfully placed in the Moon's orbit on Wednesday after being launched from the Vostochny cosmodrome in the Russian Far East. Space race But on Saturday, Roscosmos said an "emergency" had been detected during a maneuver by the probe before its landing, preventing the operation from being carried out. Luna-25 had been expected to stay on the Moon for a year, collecting soil samples and looking for water -- an ingredient enthusiasts hope could be used to make rocket fuel for future launches and support potential colonies living there. Cameras installed on the lander had already taken shots of the lunar surface. Doubts had already emerged about Russia's long-running space cooperation with the West in the wake of its military campaign in Ukraine. While Russia has said it intends to use the International Space Station until 2028, the European Space Agency has dropped plans to co-operate with Moscow on Moon and Mars missions. Moscow last landed a probe -- Luna-24 -- on the Moon in 1976, before shifting away from lunar exploration in favor of missions to Venus and building the Mir space station. Landing Luna-25 successfully would have paved the way for further Russian missions to the Moon, at a time when India and China are launching their own probes and the United States returns to manned missions. India's competing space probe, Chandrayaan-3, entered the Moon's orbit earlier in August, also with the goal of landing on the south pole. Only Russia, the United States and China have previously achieved a controlled landing on the Moon. The post Russia’s Luna-25 probe crashes on the Moon appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Emergency detected in pre-moon landing manoeuvre by Russia’s Luna-25 probe: Roscosmos
An "emergency" was detected on Saturday during a maneuver by Russia's Luna-25 probe prior to its Moon landing, Russian space agency Roscosmos said. "Thrust was released to transfer the probe onto the pre-landing orbit," Roscosmos said in a statement. "During the operation, an emergency situation occurred on board the automatic station, which did not allow the carrying out of the maneuver within the specified conditions." The lander, Russia's first such mission in almost 50 years, was successfully placed in the Moon's orbit on Wednesday after being launched from the Vostochny cosmodrome in the country's Far East. Roscosmos did not say if the incident would delay the landing, due to take place on Monday, north of the Boguslawsky crater on the lunar south pole. In June, Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov told President Vladimir Putin that such missions were "risky", with an estimated success probability of around 70 percent. The probe is expected to stay on the Moon for a year, where it is tasked with collecting samples and analyzing soil. Cameras installed on the lander have already taken distant shots of the Earth and Moon from space. Russia is seeking to restart and rebuild the Soviet Union's pioneering space program as the future of its long-running space cooperation with the West looks in doubt amid the offensive in Ukraine. Russia said it would go ahead with its own lunar plans, despite the European Space Agency announcing it would not cooperate with Moscow on future missions over its actions in Ukraine. The post Emergency detected in pre-moon landing manoeuvre by Russia’s Luna-25 probe: Roscosmos appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BuCor chief lobs kubol ultimatum
All inmates or whom the government prefers to call persons deprived of liberty, or PDLs must immediately dismantle their kubols, which are the private residences, inside the supposed maximum-security New Bilibid Prison. Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said the removal of the exclusive facilities will be immediate. The problem has been recurring since the term of the late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III when a series of raids resulted in the removal of the amenities that high-profile detainees enjoy. Later on, during President Rodrigo Duterte’s term, it was found that the NBP was used as a transit point for the drug trade involving several detained drug lords. “This is part of the continued efforts of the Bureau of Corrections for the security of PDLs. Thus all structures in the seven Operating Prison and Penal Farms nationwide to voluntarily dismantle or the bureau will do it for them,” he said. Raps will be imposed Catapang said the Kubols are not the luxury huts seen in the past that were occupied only by moneyed PDLs but these are makeshift dividers made of plywood constructed for privacy and additional space. “Nevertheless, we ask them to demolish these for transparency,” he said. Yesterday, PDLs at the New Bilibid Prison voluntarily dismantled 60 makeshift rooms or kubols located at the security housing building 1 and 6 NBP North, SHB 9 NBP East Quadrant 4 and SHB 7 NBP West Quadrant 2 while the dismantling of kubols in Quadrant 3 Maximum security compound is still ongoing. Catapang warned that if there are still kubols installed inside the NBP by Monday, Bucor personnel from the Diversified Maintenance Unit will tear it down. “I have instructed newly appointed Deputy Director General for Operations, Gil Torralba to lead this operation including the Greyhound (Galugad) operation that will be conducted regularly at the national penitentiary,” Catapang said. Torralba for his part told Catapang “We will clean up BuCor, Sir.” “We need to do this so that we can confiscate contrabands still in possession of PDLs. They are fully aware that we have given them the chance to surrender all illegal items but if they still refuse and they are caught red-handed, I’m sorry to say that they will have to stay longer at NBP as we will not hesitate to file charges against them,” Catapang said. The post BuCor chief lobs kubol ultimatum appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Filipinos in Taiwan farms
Thirty-one Taiwanese farms are hosting 49 young Filipino farmer-interns, who are now about to learn Taiwan’s agricultural technologies and skills to be able contribute to the Philippines’ national food security and agricultural progress. The farms are specializing in rice, vegetables, fruits, mushroom, poultry, swine, dairy and aquaculture production. Taiwan has been widely recognized as one of the leading countries in the field of tropical agriculture; think tropical crops and seedling, soil and pest management, agribusiness, food processing. Starting 2024, the Taiwan government will increase the number of Filipino interns from 50 per year to 100 in this capacity-development program. Chairman and resident representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office Silvestre Bello III witnessed how big strawberries and lapu-lapus can grow through agricultural technologies in Taiwan, where the capacity of rice production is three times that of the Philippines’. “There is a very big difference. That is why it’s very important to send our young farmers to Taiwan where they can learn new agricultural technologies,” Mr. Bello said. Mr. Bello told the farmers that he found out that an overwhelming percentage of Taiwan scholarship recipients from the Philippines stay in Taiwan after they graduate rather than coming back to contribute to the Philippines: “Those who graduate from this intensive program should be given the means to be able to introduce and practice that technology.” Thus, he is going to write President Marcos, advising the government to give the interns five hectares each after they come back so that the young farmers will be able to develop and apply whatever knowledge they learned “because the Philippines needs you.” While recent projections have shown a significant decline in the working-age population in Taiwan (with labor shortages predicted to reach 400,000 by 2030), many scholarship recipients from other countries chose to stay in Taiwan after they graduate. The main reason is that Taiwan provides scholarship programs, not to attract talent but to develop their knowledge and skills so that the graduates can go back to contribute to their respective countries. To be a friendly and welcoming host city, Taipei City, the capital of Taiwan, is holding Taipei MassKara Festival on 10 September in Little Manila to celebrate diversity and multiculturalism. Little Manila is a community in Taipei along the east side of Zhongshan North Road Section 3 between Minzu East Road and Nong’an Street, and along Nong’an Street and Dehui Street where you can find St. Christopher’s Church, King Wan Wan Shopping Mall in which numerous Filipino shops are located, and EEC Grocery and RJ Supermart where Filipino and Asian goods are sold. As a result, Filipinos in Taiwan love to visit Little Manila on Sunday to go to the church, eat Filipino food and buy groceries, and they can meet hundreds and thousands of kababayans there. According to the Department of Civil Affairs of the Taipei City government, the Taipei MassKara Festival was initiated in 2020, given the increasing number of new immigrants, foreign students and migrant workers. This year, the Taipei City government will subsidize NT$10,000, equals to P17,700, to each group comprising 20 people participating in the event. The groups will create their own costume and mask theme, showcasing the rich elements and exotic features of the Philippines’ MassKara Festival during the parade. The post Filipinos in Taiwan farms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Managers: Phl remains on track
Despite the lackluster 4.3 percent in the second quarter, growth this year is expected to reach the target range of 6 percent to 7 percent gross domestic product expansion, according to Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno. “To do this, we will expedite the implementation of government programs and projects, to provide fiscal stimulus to increase the productive capacity of the public and private sectors and address the adverse recent impacts of typhoons.” Diokno added. Economic managers gathered in Fort Ilocandia in Laoag City to hold the Post-State of the Nation Economic Briefing that discussed the country’s economic situation and plans on 14 August. Diokno said in 2022, GDP increased 7.6 percent from 5.7 a year ago and a 9.5 percent contraction in 2020. Diokno said the economic team is determined to pick up government expenditure in the third and fourth quarters. Revenue collections remain robust from January to June as these totaled P1.9 trillion up 7.7 percent or P132.6 billion year-on-year which is also higher than the mid-year program by 2.7 percent. Hence, Diokno said they have already pipelined 194 infrastructure flagship projects worth P8.3 trillion of which 132 are located in Luzon that will address irrigation, water supply, flood management, agriculture, digital connectivity, physical connectivity, health, and power and energy. Diokno also highlighted some of the projects like the Laoag International Airport Development Project, the EDSA Greenways, the TPLEX Expressway Expansion Project, the Laguna Lakeshore Road Network Project, the Ilocos Norte-Sur-Abra Irrigation Project, and the Naga Airport Development Project. “The Philippines is determined to be a world leader in the race to net zero and the Ilocos Region will be a strategic partner in this mission. Dubbed to be the renewable energy capital of South East Asia, Ilocos Norte is emerging to be a promising player in the clean energy arena. Being home to the first and largest wind farms in the country,” Diokno stressed. In his address, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr., said from a peak of 8.7 percent in January, headline inflation slowed to 4.7 percent in July due to improving domestic food supply conditions and lower global oil prices. However, he also admitted that core inflation remains high at 6.7 percent although it has already started to decline due to the monetary tightening. The BSP has responded to inflation by aggressively raising its policy rate, as of today, the BSP has raised policy rates by 425 basis points. Prices reined in “The good news is that inflation expectations are still well anchored. The markets continue to believe that we will hit our target range by 2024 and stay there in 2025,” Remolona said. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman also gave an update on the use pf the budget for 2023. Pangandaman said at the end of July, the total amount of the national budget that has been released already is around 93 percent. “And we expect all our government agencies including all the cabinet members present here, to spend your budget so we can help grow the economy,” Pangandaman said. While for next year, the government budget will amount to 5.768 trillion and it is 21.7 percent of the GDP it has already been submitted to Congress last August 2 and the budget is expected to be passed earlier than expected. The National Economic Development Authority said it wanted to lower the poverty level to single digit. For Socioeconomic Planning Undersecretary Carlos Bernardo Abad Santos, the government has effective regional development plans. In the Ilocos Regional Development Plan from 2023-2028, the NEDA expects the Ilocos region to have a 7 percent to 7.5 percent growth while lowering the poverty incidence by 7.3 percent. ‘Build, Better, More’ under BBM;s watch Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the “Build, Better, More” program of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is very much aligned with the medium-term development plan for 2023 to 2028 and is consistent with the 8-point economic agenda of the president. Bonoan said that from July 2022 to May 2023, the DPWH has built, maintained, rehabilitated, widened, and upgraded 4,082 kilometer of roads, 497 bridges, built 2,103 flood control projects, 55 evacuation centers, 216 kms farm to market roads, 8 kilometers of farm to mill roads, 138 kilometers tourism roads, 18 kilometers of roads to seaports, railway stations, and airports, 4,038 classrooms, and 6,002 rainwater collector system. “Because of climate change, we have to address and be building and developing resilient and sustainable communities in the 18 major river basins in the country,” Bonoan said. Some of the major projects that the department would like to continue are converting the Daang Maharlika which is actually now Asian Highway 26 which starts in Laoag City and will go around Cagayan Valley and has extended all the way to Zamboanga City. Bonoan says that they want to convert this backbone of the national highway into seamless travel. “In other words, there should be no major stops along the way, along this Maharlika highway,” Bonoan said. Bonoan said they’re going to build 12 major bridges, and the first bridge is the Cavite-Bataan Interlink bridge with a span of more than 32 km. Should it be completed, this will be the second-longest bay bridge in the world. The department also plans to start the Luzon Spine Expressway which will run from Laoag City to Bicol, Bonoan says that this will be 1,073 kms more. As for Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, major Department of Transportation projects like the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, Metro Manila Subway, EDSA Greenway Projects, EDSA Busway, MRT-3 Rehabilitation, LRT-1 Cavite, LRT-2 West Extension, MRT-7, and the modernization and capacity expansion of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport are proceeding. For the Department of Information and Communications Technology Ivan John Uy, there is already a cybersecurity plan for 2023 to 2028 which is a consolidated output of all the stakeholders in designing which includes the best practices all over the world. “We’ve ramped up in our cybercrime detection, we are busting cybercrime syndicates all over the country especially those that are dealing with scammers,” Uy said. Uy said agency is also enhancing cybersecurity status by designing courses to upgrade cybersecurity professionals. He admits that worldwide, there is a 3 million job vacancies on cyber security. DICT said by the end of the year, the department will have Two Terabits of capacity from Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan all the way to Manila and we should expect very good Internet connectivity by the start of next year especially on the Luzon area. These structures also open opportunities to data centers and BPOs along the places mentioned which produces employment. DICT expects that foreign investment opportunities and interest in those areas will boom. The post Managers: Phl remains on track appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EMBO residents bid to stay in Makati
To show their opposition to their transfer from Makati City to Taguig City, residents of the so-called Enlisted Men’s Barrio, or EMBO, started yesterday a signature campaign. The movers behind the signature campaign said they want to exercise their right under the concept of people’s initiative. Residents of Barangay East Rembo, one of the 10 barangays that the Supreme Court determined to be under Taguig City’s jurisdiction, began their signature drive as early as 7 a.m. in an effort to meet the three percent requirement. A resident said they support the campaign started by concerned local and non-governmental organizations in their barangay to demonstrate that they are unwilling to move to another city. Senior citizens from the barangay, which has a population of more than 26,000, also voiced their opposition to the transfer under a final and executory Supreme Court order. The seniors said they are afraid the benefits they are getting from Makati City will not be provided by Taguig City. The city government of Makati has boasted of providing free medicines, particularly maintenance medicine, to senior citizens as provided for in their yellow card program. The yellow card is a health card that can be used to get medical services from health centers, and the Ospital ng Makati. Students in Makati also get free uniforms, bags, books, socks, shoes, and others from the city government. The signature campaign, once it reaches the three percent threshold, will be filed before the Commission on Elections, calling for a plebiscite so the people can vote if they want to become Taguig residents or not. The initiative will be conducted simultaneously in the affected barangays, as residents have the general sentiment of not agreeing to be under another city administration. A lawyer who declined to be named said the first such initiative was conducted in Barangay Milograsa in Quezon City to take out informal settlers in the area. He said the initiative is provided for under Republic Act 6735, which says: “Initiative is the power of the people to propose amendments to the Constitution or to propose and enact legislation through an election called for the purpose.” Earlier, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay stressed that she will not transfer the territory given by the Supreme Court to Taguig City if they do not have in their possession the writ of execution from the court of origin. Binay’s statements came after the insistence of the city government of Taguig that it will now get the territory following the end of the 30-year legal battle over the 10 barangays of the second congressional district of Makati City. “As long as they have not presented the writ of execution and only the judgment, we will not transfer. They should get the writ from the court of origin,” Binay said. The post EMBO residents bid to stay in Makati appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
16.8K individuals in 5 regions affected by ‘Egay’
At least 16,888 individuals or 4,554 families have already been affected by super typhoon "Egay" (international name: Doksuri) and the intensified southwest monsoon or "habagat" as of Tuesday, according to the latest report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. NDRRMC said the affected families are residing in 11 towns and 28 villages within the Ilocos Region, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Western Visayas and Northern Mindanao. It also reported that around 100 persons were displaced while 38 individuals or 16 families opted to evacuate from their residences to stay in three activated evacuation centers. NDRRMC reported 21 flooding and landslide incidents due to inclement weather. One town is currently experiencing power interruption while one town has no water supply. Some 128 classes were suspended and 87 towns opted to hold off work in the offices amid the bad weather. Classes at all levels in Bacolod were canceled, although those affected were mostly private elementary and high school students as some private tertiary schools shifted to remote learning instead. The Manila International Airport Authority has so far reported 20 canceled flights on Tuesday due to inclement weather and in anticipation of the severe effects of the super typhoon, while 70 seaports were affected by the weather disturbance. The state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration hoisted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4 in the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan province including Babuyan Islands, Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao and Abra as "Egay" continued to threaten the northern tip of the country. TCWS No. 5 is raised in the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Camiguin Island) with very strong winds of more than 185 km/h forecast. PAGASA said the center of the eye of "Egay" was last spotted 190 kilometers East of Aparri, Cagayan while moving northwestward at 20 km/hour. It packs maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 230 km/h. The super typhoon is forecast to make landfall or pass very close to the Babuyan Islands-northeastern mainland Cagayan area between late Tuesday and Wednesday morning. The post 16.8K individuals in 5 regions affected by ‘Egay’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Era of mass closures’: the Japan businesses without successors
Kiyoshi Hashimoto's machinery factory outside Tokyo should be buzzing with industry. Instead, it's so quiet you can hear him practicing the recorder. The 82-year-old entrepreneur founded his company nearly 40 years ago, but well past retirement age he has neither a successor nor a buyer for a business that retains loyal clients. It is a problem that Japan's government warns could affect up to a third of all small businesses in the country by 2025, as the country's population shrinks and ages. "All of this would go to waste if I were to close now," said Hashimoto, whose factory in Yachimata, east of Tokyo, is filled with workbenches, drill tables and parts cabinets. He once employed dozens of people, but now gets by with just two part-time workers after scaling back operations. The problem is so vast that Japan faces an "era of mass closures", said Shigenobu Abe of bankruptcy research firm Teikoku Databank. A 2019 government report estimated that about 1.27 million small business owners would be 70 or older by 2025 and have no successors. The trend could kill up to 6.5 million jobs and reduce the size of the Japanese economy by 22 trillion yen ($166 billion), the study warned. By 2029, the situation will worsen still, as baby boomers hit 81, the average life expectancy for Japanese men, who account for most of the presidents of these firms, according to Teikoku Databank. "We know for sure that many workers will lose their livelihoods because of this," Abe told AFP. 'A serious blow' As elsewhere, small businesses in Japan are often passed down to family or trusted employees. But the country's prolonged economic stagnation has made small businesses unattractive to young people. Firms in rural areas struggle further because of a preference for city life and a growing trend of rural depopulation. Compounding the problem is a feeling among some older Japanese that selling a family business to outsiders is shameful. Some liquidate their firms rather than seeking buyers. Japan's government has offered generous incentives to encourage sales, and the private sector has also jumped in to match investors with businesses for sale. Company BATONZ now makes more than 1,000 matches a year, up from just 80 when it opened in 2018. Still, it reaches a fraction of the people who need it, said BATONZ president Yuichi Kamise. Waves of closures will mean the loss of specialized craftsmanship, unique services and original restaurant recipes that make up Japan's social and cultural fabric, he said. "Over time, what makes Japan unique could disappear due to a lack of successors," he said. "I think it will deal a serious blow to Japanese culture and Japan's attractiveness as a tourism destination." Some feel though that the trend offers a chance to fix inefficiencies and consolidate small businesses that are barely scraping by or survive on subsidies. Hiroshi Miyaji, 50, owns Yashio Group, a logistics giant started by his grandfather, and has snapped up various businesses. "There will always be buyers for firms, with or without successors, that have unique strengths, special know-how and human resources," said Miyaji, a third-generation president. Helped by BATONZ, he recently purchased a small trucking company from 61-year-old Ayako Suzuki. 'Waiting for someone' Suzuki gave up her corporate career to help her father with the business he had started in 1975. None of the firm's three drivers wanted to take over and she was asked to join and help her father, then in his late eighties. But problems quickly piled up: the coronavirus pandemic hit, a driver left, trucks needed maintenance, and before long she was dipping into savings to stay afloat. "I wanted to keep the business going, at least while my father was alive," she told AFP. BATONZ connected her with Miyaji, who pledged to keep the firm's employees, clients and trucks. "I'm more relieved than sad," she said. "I didn't think our company had any value." The glut of affordable small businesses can be a boon for young people looking to break into a sector. Among them is 28-year-old chef Rikuo Morimoto. When the pandemic prevented him from studying in Italy, he used his savings to buy a four-decade-old diner in Tokyo and start a restaurant at a fraction of the normal cost. He kept the decor, furniture and many longstanding customers of "Andante", a beloved neighborhood restaurant in the Suginami district, while offering his own menu. "I thought I could only afford to have a food truck or a small bar," he said. Not everyone is so fortunate, and the future of Hashimoto's machinery factory remains uncertain, despite his attempts to groom three successors. "I'm just waiting for someone to come along and make use of this," he said. The post ‘Era of mass closures’: the Japan businesses without successors appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
6,500 people stranded in Bicol, Easter Visayas regions due to ‘Egay’
As Typhoon Egay further intensifies, making weather forecaster PAG-ASA raised storm signals over the southeastern portion of Isabela province and the northeastern portion of Catanduanes, more than 6,500 people were now stranded in various ports in the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas, the Philippine Coast Guard reported on Monday. In its 5 a.m. weather bulletin, PAG-ASA said Egay was last seen 565 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora with maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of 170 kph. With this, the PCG monitored that a total of 3,104 people, consisting of passengers, cargo truck drivers and helpers, are currently stranded in the ports of Pioduran, Tabaco, San Andres, Virac, Aroroy, Mintac, Cawayan, Matnog and Pilar in the Bicol Region. While in the Eastern Visayas, 3,440 passengers, truck drivers and cargo helpers stay in various ports in the Eastern Visayas, namely the Port of San Ricardo, Padre Burgos, Balwarteco, Sta. Clara and Dapdap. Further, the PCG reported that a total of 36 vessels are taking shelter on those said ports as of Monday morning. The post 6,500 people stranded in Bicol, Easter Visayas regions due to ‘Egay’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DILG to LGUs: Monitor tropical cyclone ‘Egay’, implement Operation L!sto
With the onslaught of Tropical Storm ‘Egay’, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos on Sunday reminded local chief executives (LCEs) anew to be present and stay in their posts before, during, and after a typhoon hits to implement the Operation L!STO Protocols within their area of jurisdiction. “It has been proven that the Operation L!STO Protocols saves lives. We continue to remind our LCEs to stay in their posts in time of typhoons at pangunahan ang pagpapatupad nito sa kanilang mga nasasakupan. It needs LCEs to ensure that its guidelines will be implemented well lalo ngayon may parating na bagyo,” Abalos said. According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Egay’ maintains its strength as it accelerates west-north-westward over the Philippine Sea and is forecast to intensify into a severe tropical storm and may reach peak at super typhoon category on Tuesday or Wednesday while over the Philippine Sea east of Extreme Northern Luzon. Abalos said that the LCEs’ presence is critical in the swift implementation of the L!STO protocols, especially down at the grassroots level. He said that all steps in the protocols will be set in motion by the LCEs, to be assisted by the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (LDRRMO). He said that part of the LCEs' responsibilities within the Operation L!STO Protocols are to get organized by convening the LDRRM Councils within 24 hours upon receiving a severe weather bulletin; reviewing LDRRM/Contingency Plans and Hazard Risk Maps; and, organizing Search, Rescue and Retrieval, Security, and Clearing Operations Teams, among others. The L!STO protocols also prescribe that the LCEs lead in the conduct of the Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) and the preparation of appropriate response plans; assessment of the functionality of evacuation centers; and, activation of the Incident Command System, according to Abalos. “Preparation pa lang po ito, so you see, to say that LCEs’ presence during calamities is critical is an understatement.” The DILG Chief likewise underscored the preparation of evacuation centers and the conduct of pre-emptive and forced evacuation especially in flood and landslide-prone areas, and advise their constituents to avoid danger zones. He said LCEs are also expected to lead in carrying out grassroots actions, such as issuance of prohibitions for sea voyages and fishing and preventing people to cross any body of water; and dissemination of public warnings thru established warning systems and weather bulletins. “Operation L!STO remains to be the blueprint for LGUs to prepare for disasters. Kaya inaasahan nating pangungunahan nila [LCEs] ang pagsunod sa mga preparedness measures nito,” he added. The post DILG to LGUs: Monitor tropical cyclone ‘Egay’, implement Operation L!sto appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mercury hits new highs as heat waves scorch the globe
Temperatures reached new highs on Monday as heatwaves and wildfires scorched swathes of the Northern Hemisphere, forcing the evacuation of 1,200 children close to a Greek seaside resort. Health authorities have sounded alarms from North America to Europe and Asia, urging people to stay hydrated and shelter from the burning sun, in a stark reminder of the effects of global warming. Near Athens, a forest fire flared in strong winds by the popular beach town of Loutraki where the mayor said holiday camps for youngsters had come under threat. "We have saved 1,200 children who were in the holiday camps," said mayor Giorgos Gkionis. Emergency services were also battling wildfires in Kouvaras and the resorts of Lagonissi, Anavyssos and Saronida near Athens. Several homes were burned in the area, according to footage from public broadcaster ERT. "The extreme weather ... is having a major impact on human health, ecosystems, economies, agriculture, energy and water supplies," said World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. "This underlines the increasing urgency of cutting greenhouse gas emissions as quickly and as deeply as possible." 'We thought we'd escape' In Rome, where temperatures hit a near-record 39C on Monday, American Colman Peavy could not believe the heat as he sipped a cappuccino at a cafe with his wife Ana at the start of a two-week vacation. "We're from Texas and it's really hot there, we thought we would escape the heat but it's even hotter here," said the 30-year-old. It was already the world's hottest June on record, according to the EU weather monitoring service, and July looks to be readying to challenge its own record. China reported a new high for mid-July in the northwest of the country, where temperatures reached 52.2C in the Xinjiang region's village of Sanbao, breaking the previous high of 50.6C set six years ago. Heatstroke alerts had been issued in 32 out of Japan's 47 prefectures, mainly in central and southwestern regions. At least 60 people were treated for heatstroke, media reported, including 51 taken to hospital in Tokyo. In Cyprus, where temperatures are expected to remain above 40C through Thursday, a 90-year-old man died as a result of heatstroke and three other seniors were hospitalised, health officials said. 'Oppressive' US heat In western and southern US states, which are used to high temperatures, more than 80 million people were under advisories as a "widespread and oppressive" heatwave roasted the region. California's Death Valley, often among the hottest places on Earth, reached a near-record 52C Sunday afternoon. In Arizona, state capital Phoenix tied its record of 18 consecutive days above 43C (109F), as temperatures hit 45C (113F) early Monday afternoon. The US National Weather Service predicts similar highs at least through Sunday, while warning of overnight lows remaining dangerously elevated, above 32C (90F). "We're used to 110, 112 (degrees Fahrenheit)... But not the streaks," Nancy Leonard, a 64-year-old retiree from the nearby suburb of Peoria, told AFP. "You just have to adapt." In Southern California, several wildfires have ignited over the past few days in rural areas east of Los Angeles. The biggest, named the Rabbit Fire, had burned nearly 8,000 acres and was 35 percent contained on Monday morning, according to authorities. In neighbouring Canada, 882 wildfires were active on Monday, including 579 considered out of control, authorities said. Smoke from the fires has descended on the United States again, prompting air quality alerts across much of the northeast. Historic highs forecast In Europe, Italians were warned to prepare for "the most intense heatwave of the summer and also one of the most intense of all time", with a red alert issued for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna and Florence. Spain enjoyed little reprieve with temperatures of 47C in the southern town of Villarrobledo. Along with the heat, parts of Asia have also been battered by torrential rain. South Korea's president vowed Monday to "completely overhaul" the country's approach to extreme weather, after at least 40 people were killed in recent flooding and landslides during monsoon rains, which are forecast to continue through Wednesday. The post Mercury hits new highs as heat waves scorch the globe appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Hot and dangerous weekend’: US bakes under relentless heat dome
Tens of millions of Americans braced for more sweltering temperatures Sunday as brutal conditions threatened to break records due to a relentless heat dome that has baked parts of the country all week. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned of an "extremely hot and dangerous weekend," with daytime highs routinely ranging between 10 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal in the US West. Residents of central and southern California saw thermometers peaking at 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (41 to 43 degrees Celsius) on Saturday, it said. By Saturday afternoon, California's famous Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth, had reached a sizzling 124F (51C), with Sunday's peak predicted to soar as high as 129F (54C). Even overnight lows there could exceed 100F (38C). The heat is forecast to remain anchored over the west for the weekend, "growing hotter in the South by early next week," according to the NWS. Authorities have been sounding the alarm for days, advising people to avoid outdoor activities in the daytime and to avoid dehydration, which can quickly become fatal in such temperatures. In Arizona, the state capital of Phoenix has recorded 16 straight days above 109F (43C), as temperatures hit 117F (47C) Saturday afternoon and are expected to stay above 90F (32C) overnight. The NWS said Phoenix is "likely to register its hottest week on record by 7-day temperature average." The city has organized volunteers to direct residents to cooling centers and distribute bottles of water and hats, but program head David Hondula told the local ABC station that its three-days-per-week schedule is "clearly... not enough" as the heat intensifies. The NWS has said that "heat is the leading weather-related killer in the US" and to take the risk "seriously." At a construction site outside Houston, a 28-year-old worker who gave his name only as Juan helped complete a wall in the blazing heat. "Just when I take a drink of water, I get dizzy, I want to vomit because of the heat," he told AFP. "I need something else, a Coca-Cola, a Gatorade -- and cold -- just to be able to keep going." Residents of the Texas metropolis have been asked to conserve energy from 2:00 to 10:00 pm Saturday through Monday by provider Reliant Energy, in an attempt to mitigate high demand. Further west, the Texas border city of El Paso marked its 30th consecutive day of temperatures reaching or topping 100F (38C) Saturday, though it had dipped slightly to 89F by the evening. 'Not typical' Heat waves are occurring more often and more intensely in major cities across the United States, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, with a frequency of six per year during the 2010s and 2020s compared to two per year during the 1960s. "This heat wave is NOT typical desert heat," the NWS's Las Vegas branch tweeted, specifying that "its long duration, extreme daytime temperatures, & warm nights" were unusual. In Canada, which is suffering from warm temperatures combined with months of below-average rainfall, the amount of land burned by devastating wildfires climbed to an all time high of 24.7 million acres (10 million hectares) so far this year on Saturday. "We find ourselves this year with figures that are worse than our most pessimistic scenarios," Yan Boulanger, a researcher at Canada's natural resources ministry, told AFP. Smoke from the wildfires was creating unhealthy air quality conditions in upper-central parts of the United States, similar to episodes in June when Canadian blazes cloaked the US East Coast in a noxious haze. While it can be hard to attribute a particular weather event to climate change, scientists insist that global warming -- linked to humanity's dependence on fossil fuels -- is responsible for the multiplication and intensification of heat waves around the world. The US heat wave comes after the EU's climate-monitoring service said the planet saw its hottest June on record last month. The post ‘Hot and dangerous weekend’: US bakes under relentless heat dome appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Purple Power: Why more farmers should grow purple corn
The demand for healthier food options is on the rise, driven by an increasing number of health-conscious consumers. According to a survey by Food Industry Asia, eight out of ten Filipino consumers are becoming more health conscious and would prefer healthier food choices as long as they are tasty. This growing awareness of the importance of a healthy diet presents a substantial market opportunity for unique, tasty, and nutritious crops like East-West Seed’s hybrid Morado F1 purple sweet waxy corn. With its vibrant color, anthocyanin content, sweetness, and potential to increase income, Morado presents an enticing opportunity for Filipino farmers. Morado can provide farmers with a consistent income opportunity throughout the year as it is suitable to be planted all year round. It is also an early-maturing corn variety – farmers can harvest within 60 to 62 days after planting, enabling them to sell their produce to the market sooner. It also stands out not only for its vibrant purple hue but also for its ear quality. The kernels are soft, tender, and stay sweet even two days after harvest. Another remarkable attribute of Morado is its high anthocyanin content. Anthocyanins are the natural compounds responsible for the purple color of Morado. Studies have shown that anthocyanins possess antioxidant properties, offering numerous health benefits. These include reducing inflammation and preventive potential against cancer. Research also suggests that anthocyanins may be beneficial to the gut, which can contribute to overall improvement of health. Morado’s anthocyanin content makes it an appealing choice for health-conscious consumers. "Morado is very easy to sell in the market. Our buyers always look for Morado because it’s sweet, sticky, and has health benefits," said Levi Llaneta, a farmer from Albay who planted Morado. Mike Paragozo, a farmer from Agusan del Sur, also attests to Morado’s potential to increase income. He shared that the market value of Morado commands a premium, with prices ranging from 50 to 80 pesos per kilo, compared to other corn varieties. From Paragozo’s experience, customers are willing to purchase Morado, regardless of size and higher price, as they prioritize the health benefits it offers. "Every week, we plant 1-2 kg of Morado to ensure a continuous supply," said Paragozo. This consistent planting approach enables him to meet the growing demand for this unique crop and capitalize on its market potential. Mike also shared that it is easy to grow Morado. "From my experience, Morado has a high germination rate at around 95%. It is also strong against diseases," he added. The uniqueness and versatility of Morado also opens up various marketing avenues for farmers like Paragozo. "Morado can be sold to processors of corn coffee, fresh markets or directly to consumers." Moreover, because of its unique purple color, farms planted with Morado have the potential to attract tourists, offering an additional income opportunity for farmers. Mike is establishing Morado as a trademark in his farm in Agusan del Sur to attract tourists who are intrigued by this distinct purple corn. "At East-West Seed, we aim to improve the lives of our farmers by offering them innovative and high-yielding vegetable seed varieties that are suitable to the local growing conditions and needs of the local market," said Jay Lopez, general manager of East-West Seed Philippines. "Morado purple corn combines visual appeal, health benefits, and a significant potential to increase income, making it a favorable choice for entrepreneurial farmers," Lopez added. The post Purple Power: Why more farmers should grow purple corn appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Blinken on rare Beijing visit in bid to lower temperature
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday began the highest-level trip by a US official to China in nearly five years as the two powers looked to notch down the temperature in an escalating rivalry. Both sides have voiced guarded hope of improving communication and preventing conflict, with the world's two largest economies at odds on an array of issues from trade to technology and regional security. Officials though have played down hopes of a major breakthrough during Blinken's two days in Beijing. Blinken was originally scheduled to visit in February but abruptly scrapped his plans as the United States protested -- and later shot down -- what it said was a Chinese spy balloon flying over its soil. US President Joe Biden played down the balloon episode as Blinken was heading to China, saying: "I don't think the leadership knew where it was and knew what was in it and knew what was going on." "I think it was more embarrassing than it was intentional," Biden told reporters Saturday. Biden said he hoped to again meet President Xi Jinping after their lengthy and strikingly cordial meeting in November on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in Bali, where they agreed on Blinken's visit. "I'm hoping that, over the next several months, I'll be meeting with Xi again and talking about legitimate differences we have but also how there's areas we can get along," Biden said. The two leaders are likely to attend the next G20 summit, in September in New Delhi, and Xi is invited to travel to San Francisco in November when the United States hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Blinken will see top Chinese officials including over a banquet at the state guesthouse in the ancient Diaoyutai gardens. He has said he would seek to avoid "miscalculations" and to "responsibly manage" relations with the country identified by US policymakers across party lines as the greatest challenge to Washington's global primacy. "Intense competition requires sustained diplomacy to ensure that competition does not veer into confrontation or conflict," Blinken said Friday in Washington. - Array of disputes - The United States and China are at odds over a slew of issues including trade, technology and Taiwan. Beijing has not ruled out seizing Taiwan by force and has conducted military drills twice since August near the self-governing democracy, in response to top US lawmakers' actions. Ahead of Blinken's visit, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the United States needed to "respect China's core concerns" and "give up the illusion of dealing with China 'from a position of strength'". Beijing has been especially irritated by Biden's restrictions on the export of high-end semiconductors to China, with the United States both fearing their military application and eager to prevent the communist state from dominating next-generation technologies. In a rising domestic priority for the United States, Blinken is expected to press China to curb precursor chemicals sent to Latin America to produce fentanyl, the powerful painkiller behind an addiction pandemic that kills tens of thousands of Americans a year. "We're going to discuss this issue directly, and we're going to be looking for steps to reduce the scale of the problem," said a US official traveling with Blinken. Washington has also lashed China over human rights, with Blinken's visit the first by a cabinet member since the United States formally accused Beijing of genocide against the mostly Muslim Uyghur minority. - Keeping allies close - As part of the Biden administration's focus on keeping allies close, Blinken spoke by telephone with his counterparts from both Japan and South Korea during his 20-hour trans-Pacific journey. Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, traveled to Tokyo for separate three-way meetings involving Japan and both South Korea and the Philippines. In recent months the United States has reached deals on troop deployments in southern Japan and the northern Philippines, both strategically close to Taiwan. Blinken before departure also met in Washington with his counterpart from ally Singapore, who voiced hope that the United States would stay as a power but also find ways to coexist with a rising China. Blinken's "trip is essential, but not sufficient", Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said. "There are fundamental differences in outlook, in values. And it takes time for mutual respect and strategic trust to be built in." Blinken is the first top US diplomat to visit Beijing since a stop in 2018 by his predecessor Mike Pompeo, who later championed no-holds-barred confrontation with China in the final years of Donald Trump's presidency. The Biden administration has gone further than Trump in some areas, notably semiconductors, but has remained open to cooperation in limited areas such as climate. Experts say China sees more predictability with Biden than with Trump, who is running for president again next year. Danny Russel, the top diplomat on East Asia during Barack Obama's second term, doubted Blinken's brief trip would resolve fundamental differences. "But his visit may well restart badly needed face-to-face dialogue and send a signal that both countries are moving from angry rhetoric at the press podium to sober discussions behind closed doors." sct/je/leg © Agence France-Presse The post Blinken on rare Beijing visit in bid to lower temperature appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»