World Roundup: & bull; New Zealand virus-free & bull; North Korea doles out aid
New Zealand marked 100 days on Sunday with no recorded cases of the coronavirus in the community but health officials warned there was no room for complacency......»»
Asian qualifying results for 2026 FIFA World Cup
BEIJING, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Following are Thursday's results in Asian qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico: Group A At Doha Qatar bt Kuwait 3-0 At Abha, Saudi Arabia Afghanistan tied India 0-0 Group B At Tokyo Japan bt DPR Korea 1-0 At Yangon Myanmar tied Syria 1-1 Group C At Seoul South Korea tied T.....»»
Biden to Host Japan PM Kishida, Philippines President Marcos
WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a White House summit next month amid growing concerns about North Korea's nuclear program, provocative Chinese action in the South China Sea and differences over a Japanese company's plan to buy an iconic American steel company.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a sta.....»»
USJ-R Jaguars rule Red Bull 3-on-3
USJ-R Jaguars rule Red Bull 3-on-3.....»»
Red Bull Half Court Returns with 3-on-3 Streetball, Seeking Top Talent for Thrilling New York City World Finals!
Red Bull Half Court returns for another year, calling out to the best ballers for the ultimate 3-on-3 streetball showdown. This time the competition is set to be even more intense, as players from Luzon to Mindanao battle it out in the regional qualifiers in Manila, Cebu, and Davao to determine who will secure a […].....»»
ChatGPT – Year of the Dragon
The bull market in stocks was driven by the enthusiasm over artificial intelligence and the myriads of possibilities that it offers. Considering this and the upcoming Chinese New Year, we thought it was appropriate to ask ChatGPT, OpenAI’s chat bot, about its forecasts for the year of the dragon......»»
US leads bull market
Last week saw a significant surge in US stocks, with record highs attained across major indices......»»
Red Bull not fully behind Perez, says Hamilton
Sergio Perez has been suffering a run of poor form as he battles to finish second overall in a Formula One championship already won by Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen.....»»
Web3’s Empowerment Challenge: Women in the Spotlight
In the exciting realm of Web3, where transparency and wealth creation reign supreme, women have faced unique challenges. These hurdles were passionately debated at the “Bull or Bear” event, a highlight of the 2023 Philippine Blockchain Week, hosted by educational platform Bitskwela. The event, titled “Bull or Bear: On-Chain Inclusivity: A Debate on Women Empowerment […].....»»
The Daily Guardian: Horner finds it challenging to explain the gap between Perez and Verstappe
Title: Red Bull’s Christian Horner Questions Sergio Perez’s Qualifying Struggles Compared to Verstappen Date: [Insert Date] Author: [Your Name] Word Count: 340 Red Bull team.....»»
Iloilo celebrates LGBTQ+ Pride this October
This October, the Western Visayan city of Iloilo in Panay Island is celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride with an array of different events, called Pride Pyesta, led by the organization Iloilo Pride Team with support from the Iloilo City government, Iloilo LGBTQIA+ Network, Youth Voices Count Inc. and Megaworld Lifestyle Malls. With the theme “Iloilo Embraces Hue,” this year’s celebration kicked off with an opening ceremony at the Sunburst Park on 1 October. The program included messages; unveiling of Layag Up, an LGBTQ+ landmark; SOGIESC Cup oath of sportsmanship; presentation of the contestants of the Rajah at Diwata sang Iloilo; and the official sashing of the contestants of the Search for SOGIESC Ambassador. [caption id="attachment_191688" align="aligncenter" width="525"] A biker group joined the Ride for hue. | photograph courtesy of Marshal Bikers[/caption] This was followed by the Ride for Hue: Pride Pyesta Pamukaw and Pride Ride, involving bikers going around the city center and making it more colorful. Also, on the same day, Iloilo Pride Team’s project Art x Pride opened its exhibit, “Kinaiya: A Red Rag to a Bull” at Festive Mall Iloilo, which runs until 22 October. According to the organization, “Art X Pride, which started back in 2021, is an initiative aiming to highlight the talents of LGBTQIA+ artists in the fields of literary writing and visual arts focusing on finding out how art became a movement to achieve change, promote equality, and, most importantly, acquire freedom as it focuses on the theme, “Celebrating myself through art, by art, and with art.” It has always been one of the advocacies of the Iloilo Pride Team to support the community through their many talents as well as provide living and local artists a spotlight on all possible platforms.” “This year, Art X Pride dives deeper into the nuances and subversiveness of queer art, and how it should not be subdued to conform to the societally accepted themes of today. Similar to a red rag irritating the bull, art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable,” they added. Other cultural events in the Pride Pyesta calendar include “#HowInequalityLooksLike,” which has been touring the country and which will be mounted from 8 to 22 October at Festive Mall. The exhibit features portraits of LGBTQ+ persons and their experiences of marginalization, discrimination and inequality. The Dakila Iloilo Collective will hold a poster making activity on 17 October, also at Festive Walk Mall. From 19 to 21 October, the Cinemakulay film festival will be held at Cinematheque Center Iloilo, screening LGBTQ+ films. Iloilo Pride Pyesta is also an opportunity to learn more and to facilitate discussions with its lineup of talks. A popular one is the Kalipayan Talks, which deals with sex, an often taboo subject. This year, it will be held on 16 October at Festive Mall Iloilo and will be tackling polyamory, asexuality, BDSM (bondage, discipline or domination, sadism and masochism), consent and experiences of persons living with HIV or PLHIV. On the other hand, the Gender and Safe Spaces Forum will tackle intersexuality, sexual and reproductive health and rights and HIV/AIDS on 7 October at the San Agustin University Auditorium. The Family Planning Organization of the Philippines will present TransHealth Talk on 13 October at SM City Iloilo mall. [caption id="attachment_191687" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Drag queen Avria La Veen will conduct a drag workshop. | photograph courtesy of Avria La Veen[/caption] In recent years, with its rise in popularity, drag has been a vibrant part of the celebration. On 14 October, The Queen Inside of Hue: Drag Workshop will be held at the B Lifestyle Complex. Drag queen Avria La Veen will give pointers on makeup, hair styling, runway walking, performance and stage presence. Other events include the SOGIESC Volleyball Tournament from 9 to 20 October at the Zamora-Melliza Uswag Gym; the official sashing of Rajah at Diwata sang Iloilo at SM City Iloilo on 13 October; and Libreng Gupit: A Ginhawa 2.0 Mental Health Resilience and Well-being Program on 27 October at Sunburst Park. The celebration will culminate on 22 October with a Pride march with street dancing from Iloilo Esplanade to Festive Mall Iloilo, where a program will held together with the Search for SOGIESC Ambassador Pageant, Laban Mamsh: A Lipsync Battle and Drop the Ball: A Drag Competition. The post Iloilo celebrates LGBTQ+ Pride this October appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Uratex Dream loses to Aussies, exits Red Bull 3x3 tiff
The Uratex Dream bowed out of the Red Bull Half Court world finals after succumbing to Australia, 9-5, in the quarterfinals of the tournament Sunday morning (Manila time)......»»
Uratex Dream makes quarters of Red Bull 3x3 joust; TNT get boot
The Philippines’ Uratex Dream has entered the quarterfinals of the Red Bull Half Court 3x3 World Finals in Belgrade, Serbia......»»
Uratex Dream Serbia-bound for Red Bull 3x3 tiff
The Uratex Dream women’s 3x3 team is off to Serbia for the Red Bull Half Court World Final......»»
Philippines sending father of two to international dance competition
Dhztine Bernardino was crowned the second-ever winner of the Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippine Finals and will represent the country at the World Finals in Frankfurt, Germany this November......»»
Red Bull Dance Your Style: The Road to National Finals
MANILA, Philippines — With the recent conclusions of both Red Bull Dance Your Style’s Manila and Cebu Qualifiers, the competition is only starting to heat up! The two qualifiers showcased the incredible talent and diversity of dancers in the country. With the next performances being more electrifying than the last, the participants from various backgrounds […].....»»
Gaza open-air cinema a breath of fresh air for Palestinians
Gaza residents took their seats in front of a large projector screen set up on a sandy beach, a rare event in the Islamist-ruled blockaded enclave that has no operating cinemas. Over two weeks in summer, the "Cinema of the Sea" festival which ended Monday screened some 15 films, many of them with Palestinian actors or producers. Providing a respite from the heat, the waterfront "is the only outlet for the residents" in the impoverished territory, said Ali Muhanna, a theatre director involved in the initiative. Around 2.3 million Palestinians live in the Gaza Strip, which has been under a crippling Israeli-led blockade since the Islamist group Hamas seized power in 2007. Sitting barefoot in a pink dress at the open-air cinema on Gaza City's beach, seven-year-old Salma Shamaleh was transfixed by the screen. "I have never seen a TV this size," she told AFP as she watched "Ferdinand", an animated blockbuster that tells the story of a giant but soft-hearted black bull. The first film screenings in Gaza date to the 1940s, with the opening of the Samer Cinema, whose building now houses a car dealership. Cinemas were forced to close in the late 1980s during the first Palestinian uprising, or intifada. They reopened following the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in the 1990s but for years have largely been gathering dust. In 1996, Islamists set a Gaza cinema ablaze. While not explicitly banned, Hamas authorities fear cinemas may amplify what they view as foreign or Western beliefs that go against Islamic traditions. There have been some outdoor screenings in recent years, most notably amid the rubble of buildings destroyed in Israeli air strikes during wars fought with Gaza militants. Like across much of the eastern Mediterranean, Gazans have flocked to the seaside in recent weeks to escape soaring temperatures. Shamaleh was thrilled by the cinematic experience. "Our house is nearby, I'll ask my mum for us to come every day," she said. - 'Happy' - The festival's program featured "Farha", a Jordanian film which, through a young girl's perspective, depicts atrocities committed against Palestinians during the 1948 conflict that led to Israel's creation. The hard-hitting film resonated with Mona Hanafi, 50, who watched it with her daughter and dozens of other spectators. "The film is brilliant in addressing a realistic Palestinian story... The performance and directing are impressive," she said. "Seeing the children and people watching the open cinema in Gaza made me happy," added Hanafi. Another audience member, Hadeel Hajji, said she had "never seen anything like that in my life". "I was with my family when I saw the screen from far away, so I came to watch," she told AFP. "Cinema of the Sea" was organized by Al-Bahr Elna Cooperative Cafe in partnership with the culture ministry. The cooperative was established in 2020 by a group of artists, with start-up funding from Palestinian institutions. Since that initial cash dried up, the group has relied on donations. For Muhanna, the cafe's founder, the festival has been an opportunity to show films which demonstrate how "Palestinians contributed to producing (cinema) and conveying the values of society". Atef Askoul, head of the Hamas-appointed body responsible for approving public art events, said Gazans who suffer from miserable living conditions under the blockade have "the right to watch films and cinema". my-gb/rsc/jd/ami © Agence France-Presse The post Gaza open-air cinema a breath of fresh air for Palestinians appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Son takes up Dad’s unfinished business
Expectations are high on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as he bared yesterday his accomplishments after one year in office. It won’t be surprising if many Filipinos will compare Marcos to his predecessor this early or even to his late father who is regarded by loyalists to be the GOAT leader of their generation. The reality, however, is that nobody is perfect and that there are persistent national challenges that outlasted past presidents and now face the current leader. When Marcos’ father officially assumed the presidency on 30 December 1965, he was confronted with huge government debt, inefficient agriculture, smuggling, lawlessness, rising prices and corruption. A year later, in his second State of the Nation Address delivered at the Legislative Building in Manila on 23 January 1967, the elder Marcos touted his progress in tackling those issues. “We confronted the problem of smuggling, as it was never done before by the national government. We paid no attention to the cynics who said that smuggling could not be eradicated or even diminished. Today, the popular surveys point to the success of the anti-smuggling drive as the premier achievement last year,” Marcos Sr. boasted in his second SoNA delivered 56 years and almost six months ago. The late president partly attributed to his administration’s expanded campaign against technical smuggling the higher collection of the Bureau of Customs during the period of January 1966 to January 1967 compared to the first year of his predecessor’s generated BoC revenues, P47 million against P30 million. In turn, the increased BoC collections boosted total government revenues in 1966 by over 12 percent or nearly P251 million to P2.3 billion from over P2 billion in 1965. Smuggling, however, endured after Marcos, his five successors, and now his son, whose fight against the enduring menace is focused on agricultural smugglers blamed for the rise in red onion prices to an unbelievable P720 per kilo in December. The current President has tapped the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation to find and prosecute the economic saboteurs. Taking bull by horns The elder Marcos said in his 1967 SoNA that the Philippine Constabulary, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and BoC were reorganized to root out corrupt personnel, including removing 80,000 casual employees. Of the latter, only those who had not been linked to cases of dishonesty or inefficiency were re-employed. The son, meanwhile, is also dealing with the same problem by institutionalizing online transactions, through the eGov PH Super app, to prevent the general public from being exposed to red tape, fixers, and extortionists in government. “We intend to keep prices down by increasing the production of prime commodities, especially rice and corn. We hope to be self-sufficient within a few years,” Marcos Sr. said in the 1967 SoNA. Marcos Jr. is addressing the same problem based on his own SoNA. “Ang mga pautang at financial assistance sa mga magbubukid at mangingisda ay magiging institusyon at patakaran ng aking administrasyon (Loans and financial assistance to farmers and fishermen will become an institution and the rule of my administration),” he said in his first SoNA. The concurrent agriculture secretary also mentioned modernizing farming through new technologies; expanding aquaculture, piggery, and poultry; building a national network of farm-to-market roads; and reviving the Kadiwa centers. Kadiwa is back and last 7 July, Marcos Jr. condoned the P57.65 billion in unpaid amortizations of 610,054 agrarian reform beneficiaries who till more than 1.7-million hectares of farmland. “Under existing agrarian laws, each agrarian reform beneficiary has to pay the cost of the land given to him in 30 years with six percent interest,” the President said. “It’s time to free them from this debt.” Relieved of the burden of debt, the ARBs can now channel their resources towards food production. Admittedly, perennial problems have endured despite the best efforts of past administrations to solve them. This cannot be misconstrued as a failure of leadership, but rather as unfinished business that existing and future presidents will have to assume and try to finish. The post Son takes up Dad’s unfinished business appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Unstoppable Taylor Swift becomes first woman with 4 albums on U.S. Top 10 at once
Taylor Swift has become the first woman and only the third artist ever to have four albums in the Top 10 of the US Album chart at once. Swift’s latest album, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), debuted impressively at the top of the Billboard 200 chart, selling an outstanding 716,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. This achievement not only makes it the highest-selling album of the year thus far, surpassing all other releases in 2023 but also marks the best-selling week for any album since her previous release, Midnights, in October 2022. In a rare feat, the Grammy-winning artist has made history with a series of chart-topping albums. With Lover at number seven, Folklore at number ten, Midnights at number five, and now Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) at number one, she has achieved an unparalleled feat that establishes her as a powerhouse in the music industry. This remarkable achievement makes Swift the first woman in history to have four albums in the Top 10 since the charts’ inception in 1963. It also makes her the first living act in nearly six decades to accomplish this feat, a record previously held by Herb Alpert with his albums Going Places, Whipped Cream & Other Delights, South of the Border, and The Lonely Bull. After Alpert’s passing in 2016, Prince left an indelible mark with five albums in the top 10: The Very Best of Prince, Purple Rain, The Hits/The B-Sides, Ultimate, and 1999. Alongside this exceptional achievement, the singer-songwriter has also earned her 12th number-one album with Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). She now holds the distinction of having the most number-one albums by a female performer, surpassing the previous record set by Barbra Streisand, who has 11 chart-topping albums to her name. Swift’s albums dominate the list of the top five biggest debuts in the past five years, claiming four out of the five spots. Adele’s highly anticipated 2021 album 30 lands in the fourth position, narrowly ahead of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). With its release, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) has not only achieved the distinction of being the biggest debut among the three re-recordings Swift has released thus far, but also marks another milestone in her campaign to re-record all of her albums originally produced under her former label, Big Machine. She now holds the distinction of having the most number-one albums by a female performer, surpassing the previous record set by Barbra Streisand, who has 11 chart-topping albums to her name. Following its release in late 2021, Red (Taylor’s Version) took second place with a debut of 605,000 units. Meanwhile, the initial release in the series, Fearless (Taylor’s Version), had a more modest debut with 291,000 units in early 2021, partly due to the unavailability of the highly sought -after the vinyl version at the time of its general release. Nonetheless, like the rest, it secured the top spot on the charts effortlessly. On 7 July, the American singer-songwriter released the remake version of her third studio album titled Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), which includes popular hits such as “Mine,” “Dear John,” “Back to December” and “Ours.” This release consists of 22 songs, including six tracks “From the Vault,” adding to the excitement surrounding the new album. The post Unstoppable Taylor Swift becomes first woman with 4 albums on U.S. Top 10 at once appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Encierro: Run for your life
PAMPLONA, Spain — Shards of glass, bits of broken containers, cut up and shredded pieces of hard plastic cups and the acidic and nauseating smell of urine and puke could not stop primer encierro (first bull run) Friday morning to celebrate the nine-day San Fermin Festival. [caption id="attachment_158153" align="aligncenter" width="525"] the author at the primer encierro (first bull run).[/caption] Barely 12 hours before the first run, heavy rain poured for hours, leaving the cobbled and narrow streets wet and sometimes slippery, but failing to dissuade the hundreds of mozos (runners) from showing up hours before the 8 a.m. start of the 875-meter sprint. Known all over the world as the Running of the Bulls, whose origins stretch back to the 14th century, the event is Spain’s grandest fiesta. In the last 100 years, about 12 runners have been killed. Still, many locals and even those from other regions have shied away from seeing how far they can go. “I have little kids,” said a fiesta attendee, pointing to a boy of about five and a little girl seated on his lap while his wife listened to the conversation between a vacationing journalist from Manila who had endured a 16-hour bus ride from the Galician city of Vigo just to see what the encierro is all about. [caption id="attachment_158149" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Ernest Hemingway remains a popular and revered figure in Pamplona.[/caption] “It’s not the bulls that will put you in trouble, but the people who will be running with you,” he said. “Yes, the bulls are dangerous but it’s the people that will make it even more dangerous,” the man said, stressing that while the nine-day run usually passes without any serious incident, “the danger is always there.” He was right. The herd that was released got inside the Plaza de Toros without sending anyone to the hospital, ICU or even the morgue although about half a dozen got hurt, including one who miraculously survived after being tossed like a rag doll by one raging bull. All the bulls were later killed during a bullfight and another batch will suffer the same fate in the next several days. [caption id="attachment_158150" align="aligncenter" width="525"] REVELERS get ready to celebrate the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, Spain.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_158146" align="aligncenter" width="525"] PAMPLONA fiesta attendees enjoy their brunch.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_158147" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Spanish culinary treats.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_158154" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Pamplona Church, built for the city’s patron saintSan Fermin.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_158148" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Tired tourists take a break at Pamplona’s city center.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_158152" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Spanish policemen make sure the first bull run goes underway smoothly.[/caption] During the day, local tourists and many foreigners partied for hours, eating, singing, dancing, and drinking to excessive levels. The trail of destruction could be seen in the final hours before the morning run as broken beer and wine bottles littered the cobbles of this city that goes upside down for nine straight days every July. “The economic impact is huge,” one guy from the Oficina Internacional de Prensa (International Press Office). A typical bed in a basic hostel goes for more than a staggering €150 a night. “The busiest and most expensive days to come is during the Chupinazo (formal start of the festival on 6 July) and the first bull run the following day,” he said. Indeed, a check on the website showed that the ‘cheap’ €150 the previous day was selling for €180 less than 24 hours later. Outside the San Fermin Festival, Pamplona also has countless other fiestas to look forward to each year. But nothing compares to what San Fermin and the Running of the Bulls bring. You could just imagine the availability of luscious Spanish food and savory cerveza 24 hours a day from mere alimentation (small grocery stores) and restaurants and eateries that line up the ancient and picturesque streets. No wonder this event is among the most popular on the bucket lists of thrill-seekers and serial travelers. A few days soaking up the electric atmosphere will leave every visitor longing to come back again and again provided he or she doesn’t end up being gored by the bulls. “It’s dangerous,” said the Pamplona-born security staff assigned at the vast complex that houses the press office. “One mistake and you (could) die.” You had better heed his advice. The post Encierro: Run for your life appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Viral caffeine-heavy drink raises concerns for US kids
With its extremely high levels of caffeine, a hip new soft drink is raising fears in the United States that it might be dangerous for children, who have been snapping up the beverage since it was launched by famous YouTube personalities. Prime was created in 2022 by American Logan Paul and Briton KSI, two influential YouTubers whose wacky -- and sometimes controversial -- videos are devoured by child-heavy audiences. The first drink, Prime Hydration, did not contain caffeine. But this year, a second line was launched: Prime Energy. A single can contain 200 milligrams of caffeine -- far more than the 30 milligrams in a can of Coca-Cola, for example, or the 80 milligrams in a can of Red Bull. A launch video showed the two internet stars playing video games and table tennis, very slowly and without enthusiasm at first, then frantically after drinking the beverage. Since then, many TikTok videos have featured children proudly brandishing the famous bottles, set to a musical background proclaiming "We got Prime, boys!" However, medical experts warn about the risks of younger children consuming caffeine. Children under the age of twelve should not consume the chemical at all, according to the American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). And between the ages of 12 and 18, a limit of 100 milligrams per day is recommended -- or half a can of Prime Energy. In addition to restlessness, anxiety, and headaches, too much caffeine can cause a child to vomit or to suffer from high blood pressure or heart rhythm problems, according to the AACAP. Some children may be more sensitive than others. 'Eye-popping levels of caffeine' "This product has one true target market: children under the age of 18, and that is why I am sounding the alarm," said top Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer last week. Prime Energy comes in flavors that might attract younger kids, such as orange-mango and raspberry-melon. But the drink contains "eye-popping levels of caffeine for a child’s body," the Senate majority leader said. The refreshment is fashionable because "it is born from the reels of social media and the enigmatic world of influencers," the senator said in a statement. Schumer announced he had written to the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), demanding an investigation into the levels of caffeine the drink contains and the marketing strategy adopted. The FDA responded this week that it is "reviewing the concerns" raised by the senator, and that it would respond to him directly. "We encourage caregivers and families to read a product’s label before giving the product to their child," an FDA spokesperson said in a statement. The can does feature a discreet line indicating that the drink is not recommended for those under 18, though the warning may not be obvious to everyone planning to pop one open. The FDA -- which has already issued warnings in the past against several companies marketing both alcoholic and caffeinated beverages -- noted that adults can generally consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day without harmful effects, or four to five cups of coffee. Expanding market Paul partially responded to the controversy in a video posted to social media on Thursday. He said he was offended by articles in some media that reported that Canada had recalled Prime Energy cans, though the move was only an action against illegal imports, as the drink is not officially distributed there. "Prime formulas are complying with each specific country's regulatory bodies," he said. "Actually it doesn't surprise me that we're being targeted by massive corporate conglomerates and the United States government," he said, claiming "We've effectively created a beverage so disruptive that it is eating the market shares of the biggest companies on the planet!" The energy drink market is buoyant and expanding, and US supermarket shelves are stocked with several brands. In its first year of operations, Prime sold $250 million worth of products, Paul had previously said in an interview. The post Viral caffeine-heavy drink raises concerns for US kids appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»