Trump says he will leave office if Biden victory confirmed
Washington, United States—President Donald Trump said Thursday, November 26, 2020, that he would leave the White House if Joe Biden is officially confirmed the winner of the US election, making a further concession of defeat even as he railed against the “rigged” vote. Trump has made an unprecedented attempt to defy the results of the election […] The post Trump says he will leave office if Biden victory confirmed appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
PRO-Davao awaiting order from Senate’s sgt-at-arms to arrest Pastor Quiboloy
THE Police Regional Office-Davao (PRO-Davao) has confirmed that they have not deployed law enforcers to arrest Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, a long-time religious fugitive in the country as they are awaiting a direct signal from the Office of Sergeant-at-Arms (Osaa) in the Senate......»»
Biden meets Chinese FM, urges cooperation on ‘global challenges’
US President Joe Biden met China's foreign minister for talks on Friday as the two countries seek to smooth ties ahead of a possible visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Biden told top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi that Washington and Beijing must "manage competition in the relationship responsibly and maintain open lines of communication," the White House said. With the Israel-Hamas conflict raging in the Middle East, Biden also "underscored that the United States and China must work together to address global challenges," it added in a statement. Biden has invited Xi to San Francisco next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, but he has also stood firm on China in the run-up, keeping up a stream of sanctions and backing US allies in disputes with Beijing. Wang Yi has been on a two-day visit to Washington during which he also met US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. The Chinese foreign minister had been expected to meet Biden too after Blinken met Chinese president Xi in Beijing in June, but it had not previously been confirmed. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby had said on Thursday that this week's talks were a "milestone in that effort to keep the lines of communication open with the PRC (People's Republic of China)." Sullivan was going to raise "areas of concern" including China's behavior in the South China Sea, where it has been forcefully asserting its maritime boundaries. Stabilize Wang said after meeting Blinken on Thursday that he wanted to "stabilize US-China relations" and "reduce misunderstanding" after years of tensions. Acknowledging that differences will still come up, Wang said China would respond "calmly, because we are of the view that what is right and what is wrong is not determined by who has the stronger arm or the louder voice." Biden and Xi have had no contact since a meeting in Bali in November 2022. Relations have been tense for years between world's top two economies as they vie for influence in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, and as Beijing boosts cooperation with Russia in a bid to reduce US dominance. Tensions have been particularly high over Taiwan, the self-ruling democracy claimed by Beijing that over the past year has launched major military exercises in response to actions by US lawmakers. The United States and China have also traded barbs over the conflict in the Middle East, where Biden has been Israel's foremost ally. US officials have repeatedly spoken of creating "guardrails" with China to prevent worst-case scenarios and have sought, without success, to restore contact between the two militaries. Biden on Wednesday warned China of US treaty obligations to the Philippines, which said that Chinese vessels deliberately hit Manila's boats in dispute-rife waters -- an account contested by Beijing. Speaking alongside Australia's prime minister, a key Asia-Pacific ally, Biden vowed to compete with China "every way according to the international rules -- economically, politically, in other ways. But I'm not looking for conflict." The post Biden meets Chinese FM, urges cooperation on ‘global challenges’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US police launch huge manhunt for shooter who killed at least 22
A massive manhunt was under way Thursday for a gunman who a local official said killed at least 22 people and wounded "many" more in mass shootings in the US state of Maine, the deadliest such incident this year. Police said Robert Card -- seen in surveillance footage pointing a semi-automatic weapon with an extended clip as he walked into a bowling alley in the town of Lewiston -- "should be considered armed and dangerous." Card is a certified firearms instructor and a member of the US Army Reserve, CNN reported, citing law enforcement sources. Lewiston city councilor Robert McCarthy told CNN that law enforcement had "confirmed 22 dead, many, many more injured", with local media reporting shootings had occurred at multiple locations. Swathes of Lewiston were locked down, with businesses urged to shutter and people ordered to shelter in place, as the scourge of horrifying gun violence once again ripped through an American community. Maine public safety official Mike Sauschuck said he was not prepared to give a death toll, calling it "a very fluid situation." He told reporters police were flooding the streets as they sought the gunman. "We have literally hundreds of police officers working around the state of Maine to investigate this case, to locate Mr. Card," he told reporters. Rescue vehicles rushed in from around central Maine to tend to the wounded, city councilor McCarthy said, and the two Lewiston hospitals "have called in every off-duty staff member that they could to deal with this." President Joe Biden made calls -- stepping away from a state dinner honoring Australia's prime minister -- to Maine's governor, its two senators and a local congressman to offer federal support, the White House said. Early on Thursday, armed police were seen guarding the Central Maine Medical Center, where some of the wounded were being treated. Several Maine school boards and educational institutions, including Bates College, said they would not be holding classes on Thursday, according to statements. Multiple locations Police and rescuers reportedly arrived at the Sparetime Recreation bowling alley at about 7:15 pm local time (00:15 Thursday GMT) in response to an active shooter, and then received reports of another shooting at the Schemengees Bar & Grille, according to the Sun Journal local newspaper. Police issued a number of photographs of 40-year-old Card at the bowling alley, where he appears calm and composed as he moves through the doorway with his rifle raised. "Please contact law enforcement if you are aware of his whereabouts," they said. Sauschuck said officers had located a "vehicle of interest" they had been looking for -- a white sport utility vehicle (SUV) -- in Lisbon, a town around eight miles (12 kilometers) from Lewiston, where residents had also been warned to stay off the streets. Card was not in the vehicle, reports said. Law enforcement "are investigating two active shooter events," the Androscoggin County Sheriff's Department said on social media. "We are encouraging all businesses to lock down and or close while we investigate. The suspect is still at large." Maine Governor Janet Mills said she was "aware of and have been briefed on the active shooter situation in Lewiston." CNN reported that at least 50 people were wounded in the incidents, citing multiple law enforcement sources, but said it was unclear how many of the injuries were the result of gunfire. It was unclear if initial reports of shots being fired at a third site, a Walmart distribution center, were accurate. My hometown Maine Congressman Jared Golden wrote on social media that "like all Mainers, I'm horrified by the events in Lewison tonight. This is my hometown." "Right now, all of us are looking to local law enforcement as they gain control of the situation and gather information. Our hearts break for those who are affected," he said. Distraught citizens flocked to local hospitals. "I'm just overwhelmed. I've been here trying to spread, you know, some kind of comfort, some kind of support," Cynthia Hunter, a local resident, told CBS affiliate WGME. The shooting is one of the deadliest since 2017, when a gunman opened fire on a crowded music festival in Las Vegas, killing about 60 people. Gun violence is alarmingly common in the United States, a country where there are more guns than people and where attempts to clamp down on their spread are always met with stiff resistance. The United States has recorded over 500 mass shootings this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), a non-governmental organization that defines a mass shooting as four or more people wounded or killed. Wednesday's attack was the deadliest mass shooting in 2023 so far, according to the GVA's data. Efforts to tighten gun controls have for years run up against opposition from Republicans, staunch defenders of the constitutional right to bear arms. The political paralysis endures despite widespread outrage over recurring shootings. Lewiston is the second most populous city in Maine located some 30 miles north of the largest city, Portland. The post US police launch huge manhunt for shooter who killed at least 22 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hundreds dead in Israel-Gaza war as Hezbollah launches attacks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned of a "long and difficult" war, as fighting with Hamas left hundreds dead on both sides after a surprise attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group. The conflict's bloodiest escalation in decades saw Hamas carry out a massive rocket barrage and ground, air and sea offensive Saturday that Israel's army said had killed more than 200 Israelis and wounded 1,000, while soldiers and civilians were taken hostage. Gaza officials said intense Israeli air strikes on the coastal enclave had brought the Palestinian death toll to at least 256, with nearly 1,788 wounded. As fighting raged Sunday, Lebanon's powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah movement said it had fired "large numbers of artillery shells and guided missiles" at Israeli positions in a contested border areas "in solidarity" with Hamas. Israel's army had earlier said it fired artillery on southern Lebanon in response to a shot from the area without identifying the attackers. "We are embarking on a long and difficult war that was forced on us by a murderous Hamas attack," Netanyahu said on X, formerly Twitter, early Sunday. "The first stage is ending at this time by the destruction of the vast majority of the enemy forces that infiltrated our territory," he added, pledging no "respite" until victory. Overnight Israel battered the Gaza Strip with air strikes as rockets from the blockaded Palestinians territory rained on Israel. Sunday morning gun still battles raged between Israeli forces and hundreds of Hamas fighters in multiple locations, including at the Sderot police station across the border from Gaza. Police and Israeli army special forces "neutralized 10 armed terrorists" who were holed up inside the station, a police statement said. The bloody air, sea and land attack launched Saturday by Hamas came half a century after the outbreak of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, taking Israel and the world by surprise. As the UN Security Council called an emergency meeting for Sunday, President Joe Biden voiced "rock solid and unwavering" support for the US ally and warned "against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation". - Hostages and 'so many bodies' - The Israeli army said overnight its forces were still engaged in gun battles in a string of Israel locations, in an operation labelled "Swords of Iron", as reservists were being called up. Hamas earlier released images of several Israelis taken captive, and another army spokesman, Daniel Hagari, confirmed that soldiers and civilians had been kidnapped. "I can't give figures about them at the moment," he said late Saturday, adding there was also a "severe hostage situation" in the Negev desert communities of Beeri and Ofakim east of Gaza. According to Ynet Israeli news website "dozens of Israeli captives, including numerous women, children and elders, are believed to have been taken into the Gaza Strip". The fighting prompted Israel to cut off Gaza's electricity, fuel and goods supplies, Netanyahu said. The Islamist group started the multi-pronged attack around 6:30 am (0330 GMT) on Saturday with thousands of rockets aimed as far as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some bypassing the Iron Dome defense system and hitting buildings. Hamas fighters -- traveling in ground vehicles, motorized paragliders and boats -- breached Gaza's security barrier and attacked nearby Israeli towns and military posts, opening fire on residents and passersby. "Send help, please!" one Israeli woman sheltering with her two-year-old child pleaded as militants outside opened fire and tried to break into their safe room, Israeli media reported. Bodies were strewn on the streets of the Israeli town of Sderot near Gaza and inside cars, the windscreens shattered by a hail of bullets. "I saw many bodies, of terrorists and civilians," one man told AFP, standing beside covered corpses on a road near Gevim Kibbutz in southern Israel. "So many bodies, so many bodies." AFP journalists witnessed Palestinian armed men gather around a burning Israeli tank, and others driving a seized Israeli military Humvee vehicle back into Gaza, where they were met by cheering crowds. - 'Gates of hell' - Israeli army Major General Ghasan Alyan warned Hamas had "opened the gates of hell". An AFP journalist in Gaza saw clouds of dust from the remains of bombed residential towers which Gaza's interior ministry said contained 100 apartments. Israel's military said it had warned residents to evacuate before targeting the multi-story buildings used by Hamas. The escalation follows months of rising violence, mostly in the occupied West Bank, and tensions around Gaza's border and at contested holy sites in Jerusalem. Before Saturday, at least 247 Palestinians, 32 Israelis and two foreigners had been killed this year, including combatants and civilians, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials. Hamas labeled its attack "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" and called on "resistance fighters in the West Bank" as well as in "Arab and Islamic nations" to join the battle. Its armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, claimed to have fired more than 5,000 rockets, while Hecht said Israel had counted more than 3,000 incoming rockets. Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said the group was on the "verge of a great victory", vowing to press ahead with "the battle to liberate our land and our prisoners languishing in occupation prisons must be completed". - 'Dangerous precipice' - Air raid sirens wailed across southern and central Israel, as well as in Jerusalem on Saturday, and there were major disruptions at Tel Aviv airport where many carriers canceled flights. Israel said schools would remain closed on Sunday which marks the start of the week. Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, leading to Israel's crippling blockade of the impoverished enclave of 2.3 million people. Israel and Hamas have since fought several wars. The last major military exchange, in May, killed 34 Palestinians and one Israeli. Violence also erupted across the West Bank, including annexed east Jerusalem, with five Palestinians killed and 120 wounded in clashes with Israeli forces and settlers, Palestinian medical services said. Countries around the world condemned the wave of attacks by Hamas, which Israel, the United States and European Union consider a terrorist group. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the attack "terrorism in its most despicable form". But Hamas drew support from other foes of Israel, with Iran's supreme leader declaring he was "proud". UN Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland warned of "a dangerous precipice" and called on all sides to "pull back from the brink". (Rosie Scammell with Adel Zaanoun in Gaza) az-rsc-jd/hkb © Agence France-Presse The post Hundreds dead in Israel-Gaza war as Hezbollah launches attacks appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden says Xi meeting in November ‘a possibility’
US President Joe Biden said Friday he may meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in San Francisco in November as Washington and Beijing push to reset ties, but added that nothing is scheduled yet. The leaders of the rival powers have not met in person or spoken for nearly a year, and tensions have mounted as an increasingly assertive China and the United States vie for global influence. "There has been no such meeting set up, but it is a possibility," Biden told journalists after reports that they were set to meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco. Biden is set to host leaders from across the region on November 16 and 17 in the California city, and speculation has mounted that it could be the venue for a rapprochement. The White House had begun making plans for a meeting on the sidelines of the summit in a bid to stabilize relations, The Washington Post reported, quoting one official as saying it "it's pretty firm." Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit Washington at some point ahead of the APEC summit. Beijing however has not confirmed whether Xi will attend the summit or meet with his US counterpart. The White House has also declined to elaborate on a potential meeting with Xi. 'Disappointed' The last time Biden and Xi met was in November 2022 on the sidelines of a summit in Bali. Their talks were surprisingly cordial but relations then froze over again, and there has not even been a phone call since. Biden had said last month he was "disappointed" that Xi was not attending a G20 summit in New Delhi. He added that he was "going to get to see him," although he did not elaborate. Tensions between the United States and an increasingly assertive China have mounted as the world's two largest economies push for diplomatic, military and economic influence. Bilateral ties face a long list of problems, from trade disputes to Taiwan's future to the expansive Chinese presence in the South China Sea. But the United States has been working to restore a more effective working relationship, sending a series of senior officials to China in recent months despite continuing friction. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and China's Wang met in the Mediterranean island nation of Malta in mid-September in the latest attempt to reach out. The APEC forum will be a key test of whether their efforts are working, as the Asia-Pacific region is one of the main theaters where Beijing and Washington are going head-to-head. Biden has also been pushing to show that international groupings like the G20 and APEC can still deliver on problems including the economy and climate -- even when China is not involved. The post Biden says Xi meeting in November ‘a possibility’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ransom seen in 5 Americans’ release
Republicans have described as “ransom payment” the Biden administration’s transfer to Tehran of $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds in exchange for the release of five Americans detained in Iran. Representative Mike McCaul, the Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the transfer “creates a direct incentive for America’s adversaries to conduct future hostage-taking.” “The administration is demonstrating weakness that only further endangers Americans and freedom-loving people around the world,” he said. The White House confirmed Monday it had signed off on the transfer of the fund, South Korea’s payment for oil sold by Iran, which Seoul froze as per US sanctions on Tehran for its nuclear program. The US State Department said the money transfer is “a critical step in securing the release of Siamak Namazi, a businessman arrested in 2015 and accused of spying, wildlife conservationist Morad Tahbaz, venture capitalist Emad Sharqi and two others who wished to remain anonymous. “As we have said, no money is going to Iran directly and no taxpayer funds are being used. The funds held in South Korea are Iran’s funds,” the State Department spokesperson said. The official IRNA news agency had reported that five Iranians will also be released from the US as part of the deal announced last month. Iran foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani said Iran expects to have full access to its assets in the coming days. Once the funds are moved to an account in Qatar, the American prisoners fly out of Iran. WITH AFP The post Ransom seen in 5 Americans’ release appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hawaii fire death toll expected to rise ‘very significantly’: governor
The death toll from a terrifying wildfire that razed a historic Hawaiian town is expected to rise "very significantly", the state's governor said Thursday, with 36 people already known to have perished. Brushfires on the west coast of Hawaii's Maui island -- fueled by high winds from a nearby hurricane -- broke out Tuesday and rapidly engulfed the seaside town of Lahaina. The flames moved so quickly that many were caught off-guard, trapped in the streets or jumping into the ocean in a desperate bid to escape. Governor Josh Green said Thursday the latest confirmed death toll of 36 would dramatically increase. "That number is going to go up very significantly," Green told CNN. "In 1960 we had 61 fatalities when a large wave came through Big Island. This time, it's very likely that our death totals will significantly exceed that." An official update was expected later Thursday, but Green said the numbers would "go into the 40s today at the least." Lahaina on Thursday lay in charred, smoking ruins, with Green saying 80 percent of the town was gone. "There is no doubt everyone would describe this as though a bomb hit Lahaina," he said. "It looks like total devastation; buildings that we've all enjoyed and celebrated together for decades, for generations, are completely destroyed." President Joe Biden on Thursday declared the fires a "major disaster" and unblocked federal aid for relief efforts, as residents said they needed more help in a recovery that could take years. Bodies US Coast Guard commander Aja Kirksey told CNN around 100 people were believed to have jumped into the water in a desperate effort to flee the fast-moving flames as they tore through Lahaina. Kirksey said helicopter pilots struggled to see because of the dense smoke pouring from the huge fire, but that a Coast Guard vessel had been able to rescue more than 50 people from the water. "It was a really rapidly developing scene and pretty harrowing for the victims that had to jump into the water," she added. For resident Kekoa Lansford, the horror was far from over. "We still get dead bodies in the water floating and on the seawall," Lansford told CBS. "We have been pulling people out... We're trying to save people's lives, and I feel like we are not getting the help we need." Aerial photographs of Lahaina, which served as the Hawaiian kingdom's capital in the early 19th century, showed entire blocks reduced to cinders. Green said around 1,700 buildings were now believed to have been affected by the blaze. "With lives lost and properties decimated, we are grieving with each other during this inconsolable time," Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said. "In the days ahead, we will be stronger as a... community," he added, "as we rebuild with resilience and aloha." Evacuations Thousands of people have already been evacuated from Maui, with 1,400 people waiting at the main airport in Kahului overnight, hoping to get out. Maui county has asked visitors to leave "as soon as possible," and has organized buses to move evacuees from shelters to the airport. The island hosts around a third of all the visitors who holiday in the state, and their dollars are vital for the local economy. Fires have also broken out on Hawaii's Big Island, but officials said they were under control on Thursday. The state's tourism chief Jimmy Tokioka acknowledged the tragedy but reiterated that the "rest of Hawaii is open." With a hurricane passing to the south of Hawaii, high winds and dry vegetation fueled the flames. Thomas Smith, a professor with the London School of Economics, said that while wildfires are not uncommon in Hawaii, the blazes this year "are burning a greater area than usual, and the fire behavior is extreme, with fast spread rates and large flames." The Hawaii fires follow other extreme weather events this summer in North America, with record-breaking wildfires still burning across Canada and a major heat wave baking the US southwest. Europe and parts of Asia have also endured soaring temperatures, with major fires and floods wreaking havoc. As global temperatures rise over time, heat waves are projected to become more frequent, with increased dryness due to changing rainfall patterns creating ideal conditions for bush or forest fires. The post Hawaii fire death toll expected to rise ‘very significantly’: governor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden’s son pleads not guilty on tax charges as deal derails
US President Joe Biden's son Hunter pleaded not guilty to minor tax offenses Wednesday as a deal with federal prosecutors derailed in a Delaware court. The surprise move came after Judge Maryellen Noreika raised questions over the original deal -- under which Biden had agreed to enter a guilty plea and admit to illegal gun possession -- and effectively placed it on hold. Biden, 53, whose legal troubles have cast a shadow over his father's reelection campaign, had reached an agreement with prosecutors that he would be sentenced to probation on two tax avoidance counts. The deal also specified that the firearms charge would eventually be erased if he adhered to a counseling-and-rehabilitation program. But the deal fell apart after Noreika queried why the gun charge was included in a tax case, and whether the plea agreement protected Biden from charges that might arise from a wider ongoing investigation of his business dealings, according to US media. When prosecutors could not resolve her questions, Noreika said she could not accept the deal, and Biden then entered a not guilty plea to close the session. That was expected to send the deal back to negotiations, which could become more complex. Prosecutor David Weiss confirmed to the court that his office is still examining other possible crimes by Biden. Weiss did not detail those possible crimes, but one issue mentioned in the court was possible violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, relating to his business deals in China, Ukraine and other countries dating back to the early 2010s, when his father was vice president. Political attacks Republicans have accused Weiss of giving Biden a "sweetheart deal" with the plea agreement announced on 20 June. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that Hunter Biden was "a private citizen. This was a personal matter." The case was "handled independently by the Justice Department under the leadership of a prosecutor appointed by President Trump," she added. The plea deal was to end a five-year investigation that Republicans have sought to use to politically harm his father Joe. According to the charges, Hunter, a Yale-trained lawyer and lobbyist, failed to file his tax returns on time on earnings of more than $1.5 million for 2017 and 2018. He was facing up to 12 months in prison for each tax charge and a possible maximum 10 years on a charge that, as a known drug user, he had illegally possessed a handgun in 2018. But prosecutors recommended probation on the tax charges after Biden paid the taxes and penalties, according to his attorney. In addition, the gun charge was to be suspended and then eliminated if Biden completed "pretrial diversion," which often involves counseling or rehabilitation. That would require Biden to remain sober as the charges arise from a long period when he says he struggled with addiction to alcohol, crack cocaine and other drugs. "The president, the first lady, they love their son and they support him as he continues to rebuild his life," Jean-Pierre said. The post Biden’s son pleads not guilty on tax charges as deal derails appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump: WH ‘coke’ Joe’s or Hunter’s
Former US President Donald Trump insinuated Thursday that the cocaine found at the White House may be assumed to belong to President Joe Biden or his troubled son, Hunter. “Does anybody really believe that the cocaine found in the West Wing of the White House, very close to the Oval Office, was for the use of anyone other than Hunter and Joe Biden?” Trump posted on social media. The cocaine revelation immediately sparked speculations in right-wing circles that Hunter, a recovering drug user, was somehow responsible. The White House sought to get the highly unusual story under control as details emerged of the drug’s discovery in one of the most carefully guarded buildings in the world. Biden has made it a priority to restore traditional decorum to the White House after the Trump years, which included reports that the Republican president had a habit of flushing documents down toilets. However, the 80-year-old Democrat has been dogged by salacious reporting over his son Hunter’s troubled private life, including the trained lawyer’s well-documented battle with severe drug addiction. Initial reports were of a white powder, sparking fears of the kind of episode regularly occurring in official Washington buildings where unidentified powders found during searches or received in the mail are treated as potential chemical attacks. This prompted a brief evacuation. But an entirely new set of alarms went off when preliminary analysis by technicians from the city’s fire department determined the substance was actually cocaine. On Wednesday, the US Secret Service, which protects the presidential mansion, announced it “just confirmed that the substance found was cocaine and our investigation is ongoing.” The cocaine was found in an area frequently used by visitors on tours — and not while President Biden and his family were on the premises, officials said Wednesday. Reflecting the brouhaha, reporters at a meeting between Biden and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson mostly skipped asking questions on NATO and geopolitics for unsuccessful attempts to query the President on his position regarding the cocaine. In an attempt to put an end to the gossip, the White House made clear that circumstantial evidence, at least, pointed to a visitor being responsible, not anyone connected to the Bidens. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the narcotic was found in an area routinely used by outsiders invited by White House staffers to tour the West Wing, which includes the Oval Office. Before entering the sensitive areas of the complex, visitors are asked to leave cellphones behind in lockers, which is where the narcotic was reportedly found. With AFP The post Trump: WH ‘coke’ Joe’s or Hunter’s appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Buoy issue ‘petty,’ says Embassy counselor
The alleged deliberate removal of buoys in Balagtas and Julian Felipe Reefs — reported by a Beijing-based Sohu.com — should not be an issue as it is so “petty” and will not have an adverse effect to the good and enduring bilateral relations of China and the Philippines, according to a counselor from the China Embassy. “President Marcos Jr. has said that our bilateral relations cannot be defined by maritime issues. The South China Sea issue is only a very small part of our bilateral relations. We have a lot of cooperation, especially in the post-Covid era and the economic area,” said Counselor Ji Linpeng of the Chinese Embassy in an ambush interview on Monday. “Chinese companies are coming here to invest. We should focus on our mutual understanding, and I think that is the right thing to do. I believe there is a brighter future with our two countries,” he added. The PCG on Friday said they are still verifying if the two buoys in Balagtas and Julian Felipe Reefs were indeed removed, while the other eight are intact. As of Monday, the PCG has not yet confirmed if they already deployed personnel to check the two allegedly missing buoys. Meanwhile, Rommel Banlaoi, president of the Philippine Society for Intelligence and Security Studies, said placing markers or buoys, considered to be unilateral actions of China and the Philippines, could only spark tensions between the two countries. “If these unilateral actions continue, the risk of having unintended violent encounters at sea will be high. So, we want to suggest stopping those kinds of actions because it only exacerbates security anxieties in the region,” Banlaoi said. “If China, the Philippines, and Vietnam plan to put buoys in the contested waters, then there should be proper coordination to avoid conflict,” he added. Banlaoi said buoys are placed to aid the safety of navigations, but since the Philippines and China have both different intentions, then placing buoys does not serve its purpose. “China and Philippines’ clear intentions in placing the buoys are to put sovereignty markers. That’s why it becomes an issue, although our buoys are placed in our territory. The safety of navigation now creates security tensions and is now being provocative to nations contesting the waters,” the maritime security analyst stated. Meantime, Banlaoi maintained that even if the US government is obviously courting President Marcos Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which will benefit the country’s economy, he maintained that the Philippines’ economic ties with China would flourish even in the coming decades. “If you look at the economic data, the Philippines-China relationship is far stronger than the Philippine-American economic relationship. In terms of trade and investments, China continues to be the Philippine economic partner,” Banlaoi said. “But in terms of security, the Philippine-American ties are becoming stronger. But I think the Philippines is now flying its own two wings — one wing for the US with a security aspect, and one wing for China in terms of economic aspect. But since the economic aspect is now Marcos Jr.’s priority, then I hope the Philippines and China will sustain their economic cooperation,” he added. During his official visit to China, Marcos Jr. bagged $22.8 billion worth of investment pledges, while when he had a meeting with US President Joe Biden, the Philippine President was assured by Biden that their protection of the Philippines is “ironclad, particularly in the disputed South China Sea. The post Buoy issue ‘petty,’ says Embassy counselor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Marcos, Biden to deepen US-Phl ties in bilateral meeting
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and US President Joe Biden will be discussing efforts to strengthen the alliance of the two countries in a bilateral meeting, the White House confirmed on Friday. The United States made this announcement through White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre after Marcos Jr. gave the Western country access to four more sites in the Philippines under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. "The leaders will discuss efforts to strengthen the longstanding U.S.-Philippines alliance," Jean-Pierre said. "The two leaders will review opportunities to deepen economic cooperation and promote inclusive prosperity, expand our nations' special people-to-people ties, invest in the clean energy transition and the fight against climate change, and ensure respect for human rights," she added. Along with organizing initiatives to protect international law, Marcos and Biden will also address "regional matters." In September, Marcos traveled to the US for the first time as the Philippine president to attend the 77th United Nations General Assembly. While he was there, Marcos emphasized the main goal of his working trip, which included meetings with businesspeople and an economic briefing, which was to persuade investors and business leaders in the US to invest in the Philippines. But Biden and Marcos had a meeting on the sidelines of the same UNGA. The post Marcos, Biden to deepen US-Phl ties in bilateral meeting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Four dead, 28 injured in Alabama teen birthday party shooting
At least four people were killed and more than 20 others injured, mostly teens, in a Saturday night shooting at a birthday party in Alabama, officials said, in the latest spasm of American gun mass violence. Local news reports said the shooting occurred at a Sweet 16 party at a dance studio in Dadeville, a small town northeast of the state capital Montgomery. "There were four lives tragically lost in this incident, and there's been a multitude of injuries," Sergeant Jeremy Burkett, a spokesman for the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), told reporters Sunday. He specified later that 28 people had been wounded, some of them critically, and urged residents to come forward with any information they might have related to the attack. But Burkett provided no further details on how the shooting unfolded or why. Annette Allen told the Montgomery Advertiser that her grandson Phil Dowdell was among those who died: he had been celebrating his sister Alexis's 16th birthday when gunfire ripped through the party. "He was a very, very humble child. Never messed with anybody. Always had a smile on his face," Allen said of her grandson, a high school senior and football player due to graduate within weeks. "Everybody's grieving," Allen said of the small community of some 3,000 residents. President Joe Biden, who was briefed on the shooting, said the nation was again grieving over young Americans killed in gun violence. "What has our nation come to when children cannot attend a birthday party without fear?" Biden, who has long sought tighter gun safety measures, asked in a statement. "Guns are the leading killer of children in America, and the numbers are rising -- not declining," he added. "This is outrageous and unacceptable." The nearby Lake Martin Community Hospital received 15 individual gun-shot wound patients, mostly victims in their teens, Heidi Smith, marketing director for the rural health facility's operator IvyCreek Healthcare, told AFP. Six of the patients were discharged and nine have been transferred to facilities with higher levels of care. Of those, five were in critical condition, Smith said. "It's been terrible," she said. More than 12 hours after the tragedy, neither Burkett nor other law enforcement officials provided any details on who may have perpetrated the shooting and why, or whether a suspect has been detained. "We can't share anything further at this time," the sergeant said, adding only that "it was tied to a birthday party." Dadeville Chief of Police Jonathan Floyd called the town "a tight-knit community full of wonderful people." The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said its State Bureau of Investigations has launched a probe together with Dadeville police and federal agencies including the FBI. Television station WRBL of nearby Columbus, Georgia reported heavy police activity overnight and crime scene tape around a building in Dadeville, where it said white sheets could be seen covering parts of the floor. State leaders took to Twitter Sunday offering prayers and decrying violence but they did not provide details on what happened. "This morning, I grieve with the people of Dadeville and my fellow Alabamians," Governor Kay Ivey posted. "Violent crime has NO place in our state." The United States, a country of around 330 million people, is awash with some 400 million guns, and deadly mass shootings are a regular occurrence. The latest deaths came on the 16th anniversary of the deadliest US school shooting on record, in which 32 people were killed at Virginia Tech in 2007. Separately, police confirmed two people were killed and four others wounded in a shooting late Saturday at a crowded park in Louisville, Kentucky, the same city where a bank employee slaughtered five people at his workplace last Monday. There have been 163 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The non-profit group defines a mass shooting as having a minimum of four victims shot, either injured or killed, excluding any shooter. Efforts to tighten gun controls have for years run up against opposition from Republicans, staunch defenders of the constitutional right to bear arms. The political paralysis endures despite widespread outrage over recurring shootings. The post Four dead, 28 injured in Alabama teen birthday party shooting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lionel Richie, Katy Perry to play Charles coronation show
Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Andrea Bocelli will be among those performing at a concert to mark King Charles III's coronation, the BBC said on Friday. A televised Coronation Concert is being held in the grounds of Windsor Castle, west of London, on May 7 -- the day after Charles is officially crowned king. BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore said the coronation was a "once-in-a-generation occasion" and called the concert line-up "world-class". But recent reports have said that a number of big-name stars have turned down the gig, including Adele, Elton John, Harry Styles and the Spice Girls. They are said to have declined because of scheduling clashes or touring commitments. But the Mail on Sunday said singer Kylie Minogue had refused given increased republican sentiment in her native Australia, where Charles is also king. Some 20,000 members of the public and invited guests are set to attend in person, with the live event also broadcast on radio and online. Other confirmed performers in the lineup include opera star Bryn Terfel, the singer-songwriter Freya Ridings and composer-producer Alexis Ffrench. Perry -- who performed for US President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021 -- as well as Take That and Richie all have links to Charles's charitable foundations. Richie, who at 73 is just a year younger than the king, said the concert would be an "honor and a celebration". Bocelli has previously performed for Charles's mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September last year aged 96. He was among a star-studded lineup headlined by Diana Ross for the late monarch's Platinum Jubilee concert marking her 70th year on the throne last June. Further names for the Coronation Concert will be announced in due course, the BBC said. Despite the coronation being the first since 1953 and an event most Britons alive have never witnessed, public interest currently appears lacking. Coronation coins have been minted, special chinaware produced and even a crown emoji made to mark the occasion at Westminster Abbey. But a YouGov poll of more than 3,000 people published Friday indicated that just over a third (35 percent) "do not care very much" about the event. Just under a third (29 percent) said they "do not care at all", with apathy greatest among younger age groups. About a quarter (24 percent) of all respondents said they cared "a fair amount" and only about one in 10 people (nine percent) said they cared "a great deal". Nonetheless, 46 percent of Britons said they would likely watch or take part in celebrations, including street parties and community lunches on May 8, which has been declared a public holiday. Preparations were ongoing for the solemn religious ceremony, whose roots date back more than a millennium, and the guest list finalized. Charles's younger son Prince Harry is set to attend, despite his public criticisms of the royal family since moving to the United States in early 2020. The former British army captain's actress wife, Meghan, however, will remain in California with their two young children. The post Lionel Richie, Katy Perry to play Charles coronation show appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US records nearly 3,600 cases of monkeypox
HOUSTON, Texas - Nearly 3,600 cases of monkeypox have been reported in the US as of Tuesday, with at least one confirmed case in almost every state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).On the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Biden administration is currently.....»»
Senate confirms first Native American Cabinet secretary
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Congresswoman Deb Haaland was approved by the US Senate Monday to join President Joe Biden’s administration, making her the first Native American to become a Cabinet secretary. She was confirmed by a vote of 51-40 to the position of Secretary of the Interior, overseeing a massive agency responsible for roughly […] The post Senate confirms first Native American Cabinet secretary appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US Senate confirms Blinken as secretary of state
The US Senate on Tuesday easily confirmed Antony Blinken as secretary of state, with key members of the rival Republican Party backing him. Blinken, a longtime adviser to President Joe Biden who has vowed to repair US alliances, was approved by a vote of 78-22. His easy confirmation is in contrast with former President Donald […] The post US Senate confirms Blinken as secretary of state appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The prominent role of the WNBA in the future of the United States
The The seizure of the United States Capitol Make 2021 an early milestone. On January 6, the hearing in which Joe Biden will be confirmed.....»»
Biden set to be confirmed, but Trump defiant
WASHINGTON (AFP) — Long a mere formality, a vote on Monday by members of the Electoral College to formally recognize Joe Biden as the next US president has taken on unusual import this year with Donald Trump stubbornly refusing to admit defeat. The results of the 3 November vote have been certified by each of […] The post Biden set to be confirmed, but Trump defiant appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Electoral College confirms Biden White House victory
WASHINGTON, United States — Joe Biden was confirmed as the next US president on Monday when the Electoral College formalized his victory over Donald Trump, all but closing the door on the incumbent’s efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 election. With California’s 55 electors voting for Biden, the nation’s largest state pushed the Democrat over […] The post Electoral College confirms Biden White House victory appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump says he will leave office if Biden victory confirmed
Washington, United States—President Donald Trump said Thursday, November 26, 2020, that he would leave the White House if Joe Biden is officially confirmed the winner of the US election, making a further concession of defeat even as he railed against the “rigged” vote. Trump has made an unprecedented attempt to defy the results of the election […] The post Trump says he will leave office if Biden victory confirmed appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»