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Narcolepsy, cancer tipped as Medicine Prize opens Nobel week
Narcolepsy, cancer, or mRNA vaccine research could win the Nobel Medicine Prize on Monday when a week of announcements kicks off, but experts see no clear frontrunner for the Peace Prize. The awards, first handed out in 1901, were created by Swedish inventor and philanthropist Alfred Nobel in his 1895 will to celebrate those who have "conferred the greatest benefit on mankind." The Medicine Prize is first out and will be announced in Stockholm on Monday around 11:30 a.m. (0930 GMT), followed by the awards for physics on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday, and literature on Thursday. The Peace Prize, the most highly-anticipated Nobel and the only one announced in Oslo, will follow on Friday, before the Economics Prize rounds things off on October 9. The Medicine Prize has over the years crowned groundbreaking discoveries like the X-ray, penicillin, insulin, and DNA -- as well as now-disgraced awards for lobotomy and the insecticide DDT. Several Nobel watchers have suggested this year's prize could go to research into narcolepsy and the discovery of orexin, a neuropeptide that helps regulate sleep. It could also go to Hungarian-born Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman of the United States for research that led directly to the first mRNA vaccines to fight COVID-19, made by Pfizer and Moderna. Their discovery has already won a slew of major medicine prizes, but the Nobel committee nowadays often waits decades to bestow its laurels to ensure the research stands the test of time. "Maybe the Academy thinks it needs to look into it more, but someday they should win," predicted Annika Ostman, science reporter at Swedish public radio SR. Gene engineering and IceCube telescope But Ostman said her guess for this year was on Kevan Shokat, an American biologist who figured out how to block the KRAS cancer gene behind a third of cancers, including challenging-to-treat lung, colon, and pancreatic tumors. T-cell therapy for cancer treatment and work on the human microbiome could also be contenders, said David Pendlebury, head of the Clarivate Analytics group which identifies Nobel-worthy research. "There are more people deserving of a Nobel Prize than there are Nobels to go around," he told AFP. Lars Brostrom, Ostman's colleague at SR, singled out two American biologists, Stanislas Leibler, and Michael Elowitz, for their work on synthetic gene circuits which established the field of synthetic biology. It enables scientists to redesign organisms by engineering them to have new abilities. But Brostrom noted the field could be seen as controversial, raising "ethical questions about where to draw the line in creating life". For the Physics Prize, twisted graphene or the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica were seen as possible winners, as well as the development of high-density data storage in the field of spintronics. Peace Prize to Iranian women? For Wednesday's Chemistry Prize, Pendlebury suggested next-generation DNA sequencing could get the nod, or research into how to target and deliver drugs to genes. Brostrom said he would love to see it go to US-based chemist Omar Yaghi for his work into porous materials known as MOFs, which can absorb poisonous gases or harvest water from desert air, and is an "important field for the future" with enormous potential for the environment. Criticism over a lack of gender and geographical diversity has plagued the Nobels over the years. US-based men have dominated the science fields, while women account for just six percent of overall laureates -- something the various award committees insist they are addressing. Among the names making the rounds for Thursday's Literature Prize are Russian author and outspoken Putin critic Lyudmila Ulitskaya, Chinese avant-garde writer Can Xue, British author Salman Rushdie, Caribbean-American writer Jamaica Kincaid and Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse. But for the Peace Prize, experts have been scratching their heads over possible winners, as conflicts rage around the globe. Some have pointed to the Iranian women protesting since the death in custody a year ago of Mahsa Amini, arrested for violating Iran's strict dress code imposed on women. Others suggest organizations documenting war crimes in Ukraine, or the International Criminal Court, which could one day be called upon to judge them. "I think that climate change is a really good focus for the Peace Prize this year," Dan Smith, the head of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, told AFP after a year of extreme weather around the world. For the Economics Prize, research on income and wealth inequality could be honored. Recent winners of the Nobel Medicine Prize Here is a list of the winners of the Nobel Medicine Prize in the past 10 years: 2022: Swedish paleogeneticist Svante Paabo for his discoveries on the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution. 2021: US duo David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian for discoveries on human receptors responsible for our ability to sense temperature and touch. 2020: Americans Harvey Alter and Charles Rice, together with Briton Michael Houghton, for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus, leading to the development of sensitive blood tests and antiviral drugs. 2019: William Kaelin and Gregg Semenza of the US and Britain's Peter Ratcliffe for establishing the basis of our understanding of how cells react and adapt to different oxygen levels. 2018: Immunologists James Allison of the US and Tasuku Honjo of Japan, for figuring out how to release the immune system's brakes to allow it to attack cancer cells more efficiently. 2017: US geneticists Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael Young for their discoveries on the internal biological clock that governs the wake-sleep cycles of most living things. 2016: Yoshinori Ohsumi of Japan for his work on autophagy -- a process whereby cells "eat themselves" -- which when disrupted can cause Parkinson's and diabetes. 2015: William Campbell, an Irish-US citizen, Satoshi Omura of Japan, and Tu Youyou of China for unlocking treatments for malaria and roundworm. 2014: American-born Briton John O'Keefe, May-Britt Moser, and Edvard I. Moser of Norway for discovering how the brain navigates with an "inner GPS". 2013: Thomas C. Sudhof, a US citizen born in Germany, and James E. Rothman and Randy W. Schekman of the US for work on how the cell organizes its transport system. The post Narcolepsy, cancer tipped as Medicine Prize opens Nobel week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Not a fan of Donald
With a parting shot at his former boss Donald Trump, General Mark Milley resigned as the top US military official on Friday. He said that no soldier had ever taken an oath to serve a “wannabe dictator.” On his final day as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Milley delivered a shocking reprimand that perfectly exemplified how the US military has been drawn into the increasingly combustible political landscape since the Trump administration. Milley did not specifically mention Trump during a lavish military ceremony for his leaving, but it was clear who he was criticizing. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and President Joe Biden were both present. Milley remarked of American soldiers “We don’t take an oath to a king, or queen, or a tyrant, or a dictator.” And we don’t swear an oath to a would-be autocrat. Air Force General Charles “CQ” Brown, the second African American to hold the position of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will take Milley’s place. Milley, a barrel-chested army veteran with four decades of service, has held numerous high-level leadership positions and numerous foreign deployments. But he had his most difficult task when Trump gave him the career apex position of senior military advisor to the president in 2019. Milley oversaw the daunting withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, special operations in Syria, and a sizable program to support Ukraine in its valiant struggle against Russian invasion during a four-year term that will continue under Biden starting in 2021. Crisis after crisis Milley told AFP last month that during his tenure as chairman, “it was one crisis after another.” However, under Milley’s tenure at the head, the military became embroiled in an unusually high number of politicized incidents. Senior Republicans have regularly attacked what they allege are “woke” leftist practices inside the ranks, even as the Biden administration has pushed for measures such as renaming bases named after Confederate generals in the Civil War. And even that was not as dangerous as the delicate predicament Milley was in before and after the 2020 presidential election, when Trump, in a first-ever political nightmare for the United States, refused to concede loss. According to the book “Peril” by Bob Woodward, at the height of the crisis following the invasion of the US Capitol by Trump supporters on 6 January 2021, Milley discreetly called his Chinese counterpart to reassure Beijing that the US was “stable” and had no intention of attacking China. With AFP The post Not a fan of Donald appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
King Charles to descend Champs-Elysees on France trip
Royalty fans will get a glimpse of Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla as they descend the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris on Wednesday at the start of a state visit, the French presidency said Friday. At around 3:00 pm (1300 GMT) on the opening day of the three-day trip, the royal couple, accompanied by President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, will attend a ceremony in memory of World War I and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe landmark in the French capital. Charles will then share a car, marked with the French Republic's insignia, with Macron to travel down the Champs-Elysees, as will Camilla and the French first lady, but in a separate vehicle, Macron's office said. Charles III and Macron will then meet for a one-to-one discussion at the Elysee Palace. Topics are to include biodiversity, climate change, and a November summit in Britain on artificial intelligence (AI), as well as the situation in the Sahel region of Africa and the war in Ukraine, the presidency said. Both couples will get together in the evening for a state dinner at the Versailles Chateau on the outskirts of Paris. The late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip had lunch at Versailles during their first state visit to France in 1957. Charles is "appreciative of the idea of walking in his mother's footsteps", Elysee said. The choice of Versailles, a royal residence built by French king Louis XIV now owned by the French Republic, was also an opportunity "to make France shine" through one of the country's most-visited monuments, the presidency said. Up to 180 people will be invited to the dinner in the Hall of Mirrors -- 73 meters (240 feet) long and adorned with 357 mirrors -- that was built to illustrate Louis's absolute power and dazzle visitors. Swedish violinist Daniel Lozakovich will perform on the night. On Thursday, Macron and Charles will pay a visit to the Notre-Dame Cathedral, currently under restoration following a 2019 fire that destroyed its roof, and will also go to the Museum of Natural History to meet business leaders and talk about biodiversity. Queen Camilla and Brigitte Macron meanwhile will present a new French-British literary prize to be awarded for the first time next year. They will also travel to the northern suburb of Saint-Denis, home to a large ethnic minority population, and visit a center for fashion crafts founded by celebrity house Chanel in the up-and-coming 19th district of the capital. The royal couple then travels on to Bordeaux, southwest France, to conclude the visit that was originally scheduled for March but got postponed because of unrest in France over Macron's controversial reform of the French pensions system. The post King Charles to descend Champs-Elysees on France trip appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Prince Harry lawsuit against The Sun tabloid set for trial
Prince Harry's lawsuit against The Sun tabloid alleging unlawful information gathering can go to trial but will not include phone hacking claims, a High Court judge ruled on Thursday. Harry, 38, whose official title is Duke of Sussex, is suing several UK newspapers over alleged unlawful information-gathering, including News Group Newspapers -- publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World tabloids. NGN is part of Rupert Murdoch's global publishing empire and had asked the High Court in London to throw out the claims -- filed by Harry alongside actor Hugh Grant -- arguing they were out of time. But judge Timothy Fancourt ordered that Harry's case can go to trial, concluding NGN had "succeeded in part on its application" related to time limits around alleged phone hacking but "failed on the remaining part". Hugh Grant learned in May that he had won his court bid to bring to trial his claim against NGN, while other high-profile claimants are also pursuing the newspaper group. "A trial of the claims of the Duke and many other claimants is scheduled to start in January 2024," Fancourt wrote in a 19-point summary of his ruling. The judge decided the prince "has a realistically arguable case at trial" over claims the tabloid unlawfully sourced "confidential information from third parties" in part through private investigators. He noted his judgement does not conclude whether they had been made in time, "only... that it is not sufficiently clear at this stage that it was issued too late". However, on phone hacking accusations dating back to the 2000s, Fancourt sided with NGN that a six-year "limitation period" had expired before Harry filed his claim in 2019. The judge also rejected submissions by Harry that he had delayed initiating such a lawsuit due to a "secret agreement" between the royal family as an institution and the publisher. He said that claim "did not reach the necessary threshold of plausibility and cogency", adding "there was no witness or documentary evidence to support what the Duke claimed". Harry, the younger son of King Charles III, has had a rocky relationship with the media, particularly since he and his American wife Meghan left the royal family in early 2020. Since then, they have both launched litigation against British newspaper publishers, including for privacy and copyright breaches, and libel. The prince last month accused Mirror Group Newspapers of "industrial scale" phone hacking, as he became the first British royal in over a century to take to the witness stand. The judge in that lawsuit is yet to reach a decision. The post Prince Harry lawsuit against The Sun tabloid set for trial appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pride takes off
Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ leading airline, kicked off its Pride Month celebration with the launch of its very first Pride flight on 5 June, highlighting the airline’s unwavering commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and equity for every Juan. CEB Flight 5J 905, which flew from Manila to Boracay, was operated by LGBTQIA+ members and allies. The team includes Captain Bensie Tan, Captain Bettina Mercado, First Officer Lorenz Montinola, First Officer Chezka Carandang, Christopher Ian Mau, Kevin Jason Baetiong, Kimberly Naval, Niña Marudo and Mikee Vitug. Passengers on board were treated to Pride-themed giveaways, fun games, and an exclusive chance to win a free roundtrip domestic flight ticket, among others. “We take great pride in the diversity and inclusivity that define Cebu Pacific’s culture. Throughout the years, we have created a safe space for every Juan and have consistently progressed towards celebrating individuality. This year, we are thrilled to pay tribute to our moment makers from the Pride community by featuring them on a special flight — a truly remarkable way to kick off the celebration of Pride Month,” said Candice Iyog, CEB chief marketing and customer experience officer. The Pride flight is only the first installment of CEB’s lineup of events dedicated to Pride Month. Throughout June, CEB will host various training and online courses, all aimed at fostering equity and advocating for gender sensitivity in the workplace. To further support the cause, several fundraisers have been planned to help the non-profit organization Golden Gays. The funds raised from these activities will be dedicated to extending assistance to the elderly members of the Golden Gays. In 2019, CEB played a pivotal role in shaping Philippine aviation by employing the first transwomen cabin crew, Jess Labares and Mikee Vitug. The milestone serves as a testament to the airline’s steadfast commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace environment. The post Pride takes off appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
French supermarket CEO detained in stock manipulation probe
The head of a top French supermarket chain was briefly taken into custody for questioning Thursday in an inquiry over stock price manipulation, insider trading, and corruption suspicions, a source close to the case said. Jean-Charles Naouri -- already under pressure to reduce debt at retailer Casino -- was held in Paris by judges probing links between the CEO and a populist financial journalist who has made several attempts at the French presidency. The alleged acts date to 2018 and 2019, the source told AFP, with judges investigating since 2020. Lawyers for Naouri did not respond to requests for comment. Sources familiar with the matter told AFP later Thursday that Naouri had been released without charges being brought against him at this stage. Investigators searched Casino's headquarters as well as Naouri's home in May 2022. According to the French daily Le Parisien, Casino paid more than 800,000 euros ($857,000) to several companies controlled by Nicolas Miguet, editor of financial newsletters who has sought the French presidency on an anti-tax platform. The French financial markets regulator AMF, which lodged the complaint, suspects that in exchange Miguet made "buy" recommendations on Casino shares in his various publications and statements. In a recent financial filing, Casino said the legal inquiry was based only on "an encounter with a former consultant to Casino" and denied the allegations. Naouri's detention comes after a Paris court ordered last week that Casino, whose debt mountain stood at 6.4 billion euros at the end of 2022, be placed in conciliatory proceedings with creditors ahead of a potential debt restructuring. The share price of the group -- which employs more than 200,000 people worldwide under several brands -- hit a record low in Paris at the end of trading on Thursday. The post French supermarket CEO detained in stock manipulation probe appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US ‘doomsday’ mother found guilty of murdering children
A US mother with "doomsday" religious beliefs was found guilty Friday of murdering two of her children and conspiring to kill her husband's ex-wife. Lori Vallow was on trial in the northwestern US state of Idaho over the deaths of her 16-year-old daughter Tylee Ryan and adopted seven-year-old son Joshua "JJ" Vallow. Vallow, who has reportedly claimed to be a goddess charged with preparing humanity for the second coming of Christ, faces up to life in prison without parole. Her fifth husband Chad Daybell -- the self-published author of several apocalyptic novels -- will soon go on trial separately over similar charges, which also include the murder of his first wife, Tammy. The couple's "religious beliefs" were cited by prosecutors as a factor in the murders, and their story was the subject of a Netflix true-crime documentary series "Sins of Our Mother," released last year. The case first drew national headlines in late 2019 following the disappearance of Vallow's children, which was first reported to authorities by Joshua's grandparents. The police inquiry quickly took a macabre turn as it emerged that several people associated with Vallow and Daybell had died in recent years, and she was arrested in Hawaii months later. Vallow's third husband, Joseph Ryan -- Tylee's father -- had died in 2018 of a heart attack. She was in the process of divorcing her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, when he was killed by a gunshot, fired by her now-deceased brother, in July 2019. In October 2019, Daybell's wife Tammy died ostensibly of natural causes. Vallow and Daybell moved to Hawaii a few weeks later, where they married. Vallow and Daybell never reported that the children were missing, and their bodies were found in June 2020 on property owned by Daybell in Idaho. The judge agreed to take the death penalty off the table for Vallow, whose sentencing date has not been set. Daybell has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and could still face the death penalty if found guilty. Vallow, raised a Mormon, became increasingly radical in her religious beliefs over time, coming to believe she could communicate with angels. In 2018, she met Daybell -- the leader of a radical Mormon sect that was preparing for the end times -- at a religious conference in Utah. Her previous husband Charles Vallow said she had claimed to be "a god assigned to carry out the work of the 144,000 at Christ's second coming." Some religions believe that 144,000 of the faithful will be resurrected during the Apocalypse to spend eternity in heaven. Prosecutors also claimed a financial motive for the crimes. Vallow was also convicted of grand theft, having obtained social security benefits intended for her already deceased children. Daybell is charged with insurance fraud. The post US ‘doomsday’ mother found guilty of murdering children appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Princes Harry, Andrew out in the cold at coronation
Princes Harry and Andrew will both attend the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday but will have no formal role in proceedings -- confirming they remain out in the cold. Charles's younger son Harry and his American wife Meghan quit royal duties in 2020 and have since unleashed a string of barbed attacks on the monarchy. Andrew, the king's brother, has been frozen out over his past association with the disgraced late US financier Jeffrey Epstein and a related sexual abuse allegation which was settled out of court. Harry, 38, the Duke of Sussex, and 63-year-old Andrew, the Duke of York, will attend the coronation service at London's Westminster Abbey but will not perform any duties. The pair will also be absent from the public procession behind the Gold State Coach carrying the newly crowned king from the abbey back to Buckingham Palace after the ceremony. But they may yet appear on the palace balcony. Harry is fifth in line to the throne, following his brother Prince William, and William's three children -- Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis of Wales. Andrew is eighth in line, coming after Harry and his children -- Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. After finally deciding to attend, Harry's every move will be heavily scrutinized. He rejoins his family for the first time since subjecting them to a torrent of stinging criticism in his memoir "Spare" and in a series of television interviews. Meghan has remained in California with the children, thereby avoiding potentially awkward interactions with her in-laws. At the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the royal dukes each paid personal homage and allegiance to the monarch, in a public vow of loyalty. They pledged to "become your liege man of life and limb, and of earthly worship; and faith and truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of folks. So help me God." But this time, only William, the heir to the throne, will speak "the words of fealty" and pay "the homage of royal blood", as the coronation liturgy calls it -- sparing Harry from having to kneel before his father. Buckingham Palace has not said whether Harry and Andrew will or will not appear on the palace balcony following the ceremony. At Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations last June for her 70 years on the throne, the balcony appearance was restricted to working royals only. But her coronation in 1953 featured multiple balcony appearances, so Harry and Andrew might potentially appear in a wider royal family gathering. Saturday marks Archie's fourth birthday, so Harry might make a swift exit back to his home in California. Andrew's links with Epstein -- boyfriend of the prince's friend Ghislaine Maxwell -- came back to haunt him. A US woman, Virginia Giuffre, said she was pressured to have sex with Andrew when she was 17 after being delivered by Epstein, who was convicted in 2008 of procuring a child for prostitution. Andrew denied the allegations in a November 2019 BBC interview that nonetheless went down badly. Within days, he stepped back from his patronages and in May 2020 he permanently resigned from all public roles. The case was settled out of court in February 2022, with Giuffre accepting a donation to her charity and no admission of liability from Andrew. Andrew took part in events surrounding Queen Elizabeth II's funeral but, beyond mourning his mother, Charles has shown no sign of allowing him a return to public life. The post Princes Harry, Andrew out in the cold at coronation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Men spikers land in ‘Group of Death’
The Philippine men’s volleyball team faces the daunting task after landing in the so-called ‘Group of Death’ in the 32nd Phnom Penh Southeast Asian Games next month following a re-draw last Tuesday. Left out in the initial draw held last 5 April due to a clerical oversight in the submission of entries, the Filipinos were granted permission by the organizers and the seven participating teams to join the competition. However, the Nationals were inserted into dangerous Group A joined by defending champion Indonesia, Cambodia which won bronze in last year’s pandemic-delayed Hanoi Games, and Singapore in the biennial meet slated to officially open on 5 May. The Filipinos, who took silver in the 2019 Manila SEA Games, battle three-peat-seeking Indonesia in the tournament opener on 3 May – two days before the opening ceremonies. Bracketed in Group B are last edition's silver medalist Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar. Cambodia Southeast Asia Games Organizing Committee announced the inclusion of the national men’s team following the agreement of the Volleyball Federation of Cambodia and all the National Olympic Committees of the seven participating teams to a re-draw. “The process was simplified and done quickly,” Philippine National Volleyball Federation secretary-general Don Caringal said. The Philippine Olympic Committee admitted its fault in the oversight and appealed to the organizers for a re-draw which was permitted given that other participating countries agree to the team’s inclusion and participation. The re-draw was decided on 14 April. The Filipinos under Brazilian head coach Sergio Valadares Veloso are currently in Japan for a 15-day training camp in Osaka. Vince Mangulabnan skippers the squad along with Jau Umandal, who was instrumental in the team’s silver finish four years ago, Kim Dayandante, Vince Patrick Lorenzo, Jayvee Sumagaysay, Rwenzmel Taguibolos, Leo Ordiales, Manuel Sumanguid III, Steven Charles Rotter, Cyrus Justin De Guzman, Michael Raymund Vicente, 18-year-old Jade Disquitado and college players Lloyd Josafat and Jay Rack dela Noche. The national team will fly back to Manila on 23 April before heading to Cambodia at the end of this month. The post Men spikers land in ‘Group of Death’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Make goodness, social justice contagious – papal nuncio
The coronavirus disease 2019 should not be the only thing contagious. Goodness and concern for social justice, according to papal nuncio Charles John Brown, should also be contagious......»»
Prince William nagka-COVID-19 noong Abril-ulat
United Kingdom-Iniulat na kabilang si Prince William sa mga nakipaglaban sa coronavirus disease 2019 noon pang Abril 2020 subalit nagpasya itong itago ito sa publiko. Sa lumabas na ulat ng The Sun nitong Linggo, nahawa ng virus ang Duke ng Cambridge, 38, makaraang tamaan ng COVID-19 ang kanyang amang si Prince Charles at United Kingdom […] The post Prince William nagka-COVID-19 noong Abril-ulat appeared first on REMATE ONLINE......»»
Galapagos sees record rise in penguins, flightless cormorants
The population of Galapagos penguins and flightless cormorants, two species endemic to the islands, has seen a record increase, study results released Friday showed. Handout file photo taken on October 26, 2018 and released by the Charles Darwin Foundation showing a Galapagos penguin standing in Isabela Island, in Galapagos archipelago, Ecuador.(Charles Darwin Foundation / AFP) The Galapagos penguin is one of the smallest species of penguins in the world, measuring up to 35 centimeters, and the cormorants on the islands are the only type to have lost their ability to fly — but they have developed diving skills. “The number of cormorants has reached a record number, according to historical data dating back to 1977, while the number of penguins is at the highest since 2006,” said a statement from the Galapagos National Park, which carried out the census. The population of Galapagos penguins, the only ones living on the Earth’s equator, increased from 1,451 in 2019 to 1,940 in 2020, it added. Flightless cormorant numbers increased from 1,914 to 2,220 over the same period. The study was carried out by the park and the Charles Darwin Foundation in September with the main colonies present on the Isabela and Fernandina islands and on the Marielas islets, to the west of the archipelago classified as a natural heritage site. Paulo Proano, Ecuadorian minister of environment and water, said the census results reflect the “good state of health of the population” of birds in the archipelago, located some 1,000 kilometers (625 miles) off the Ecuadorian coast, according to the park. The park said the presence of the La Nina climatic phenomenon, which helps to provide more food for the birds, has contributed to the increase in their populations. Another factor was the coronavirus pandemic, which has limited disturbances to nesting areas because of the drop in tourism, the park added. The islands, which served as a natural laboratory for the English scientist Charles Darwin for his theory of the evolution of species, takes its name from the giant tortoises that live there......»»
Kidapawan bishop, priest test negative for virus
KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews / 23 October) – Bishop Colin Bagaforo of the Diocese of Kidapawan and a diocesan priest tested negative of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an official from the Cotabato Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) said on Friday. IATF head Dr. Philbert Malaluan said Bagaforo and Fr. Charles Allan Nemenzo, chancellor and rector […].....»»
Chris Nick creates the modern flapper
His fall/winter 2020 collection takes cues from the 1920s, Années folles, the ‘Crazy Years.’ What happened in the ’20s, 100 years ago? They went roaring, années folles, as the French called them. The Jazz Age in the US, the Golden Age in Europe, emerging from World War I, descending to the Great Depression. It was the time of The Lost Generation, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ezra Pound, Cole Porter. It was the time of the Surrealists, Andre Breton, Arthur Rimbaud, Charles Baudelaire. It was a time of radical views and paradigm shifts. It was the time of women’s suffrage and women’s emancipation, when fashion at last entered the modern era, with women ditching the restricting clothes in favor of comfort, slipping into short skirts or trousers. It was the time of the flapper, defined informally as a fashionable young woman intent on enjoying herself and flouting conventional standards of behavior. It is in ode to these “Crazy Years” that designer Chris Nick de los Reyes came up with his fall/winter collection 2020. “I started conceptualizing the collection December of 2019 and, as we entered a new decade, the ’20s came to mind,” he says. “The Roaring ’20s saw an explosion of art, culture, and racial pride. Social change was evident and economic growth was booming.” Contrast that to these times, 100 years since, when we are between what seemed like a boom and what lies ahead, possibly a much-changed world that has survived a pandemic. “Very timely,” says Chris of his current collection that is a form of defiance, a chin up against the tendency to dwell in the darkness, just as the 1920s emerged from a decade of war and the Black Plague. “Fashion does not necessarily have to stop. We must look forward, seek advancement.” More than giving Filipino women a temporary means of escapism, the collection celebrates the craving “for light, speed, fun” that this decade in the last century sought. In today’s restrictions, despite today’s restrictions, those cravings remain and Chris Nick lets them have it in fashion. Whereas the flapper of the 1920s was a form of rebellion, in Chris’ interpretation, it is a symbol of strength. “The modern flapper in my eyes is dressed up in classics with a distinct aura of authority, sensuality, and wit,” he says. “And as a Filipina, she brings traditional Filipiniana into the current times.” It is a time of fear and great uncertainty, but the modern Filipina maintains a positive outlook. With fashion as her outlet, she is unafraid to express herself, her individuality. “These women are leaders of change,” says Chris. “With a strong personality, attitude, and a whole lot of charisma, they are symbols of confidence.” His collection at once conceals and reveals—but not too much, never too much—the female form in tulle, satin, silk, and wool mostly in black, the designer’s favorite color, the color of power, seduction, fantasy, and mystery. Chris also plays with texture with a boldness he’s never had before, although his style signature mixing tailored pieces with evening dresses, embellishing masculine silhouettes with fringes, feather, and sparkle, makes each piece distinctly, unmistakably Chris Nick......»»
NBA restart
BASKETBALL Hall of Famer Charles Barkley disagrees with the plan of Kyrie Irving, the outspoken but injured guard of the Brooklyn Nets, and Dwight Howard, a valuable center reserve for the championship-contending Los Angeles Lakers, not to return to complete the 2019-20 NBA season. “It will be a catastrophic mistake for NBA players not to […] The post NBA restart appeared first on Bandera......»»
NBA: James triple-double pulls Lakers past Grizzlies
LeBron James returned from a one-game absence to post a 23-point triple-double on Wednesday and lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 136-124 NBA victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. James sat out the Lakers’ come-from-behind double-overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday with a sore left ankle. READ: NBA: Giannis tows Bucks over Thunder .....»»
Complete gear ko : Jennylyn Mercado figures in motorcycle accident
Kapuso star Jennylyn Mercado was involved in a motorcycle accident recently. .....»»
Marc Pingris speaks out vs affair rumors with Kim Rodriguez
Former Philippine Basketball Association star player Marc Pingris denied having an affair with actress Kim Rodriguez......»»
Ashley Tisdale buntis sa 2nd baby: ‘We can’t wait to meet you!’
MAY exciting news ang Hollywood actress at “High School Musical” star na si Ashley Tisdale sa madlang pipol! Ayon sa kanya, ipinagbubuntis niya ang second baby nila ng mister na si Christopher French. Sa Instagram, ibinandera ni Ashley ang kanyang baby bump at ang caption niya: “We can’t wait to meet you [emoji].” Baka Bet.....»»
Leren proud kay Ricci: From your Nanay, Tita and Ate all in one
SUPER proud ang beauty queen-politician na si Leren Mae Bautista sa panibagong achievement na nakamit ng kanyang dyowang si Ricci Rivero. Nitong Martes, March 26, ibinandera ng Laguna councilor ang kanilang larawan pati na rin ang video ni Ricci habang naglalaro ito sa kanyang kauna-unahang PBA All-Star Game bilang rookie. Sa kabila ng sobrang pagka-proud.....»»