Bucks hold off Cavaliers for 10th straight win

LOS ANGELES, United States — Giannis Antetokounmpo drained four clutch baskets down the stretch as the Milwaukee Bucks won their 10th consecutive game with a 119-110 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

Milwaukee led by as many as 22 points in the first half but Cleveland chipped away until they closed the gap to just three late in the fourth but that was as close as they would get.

Every time the Cavs got within striking distance of levelling the score, Antetokounmpo answered with a basket of his own to help seal the win.


Antetokounmpo finished with 33 points and also delivered a double-double with a team-high 12 rebounds for the Bucks, who beat the Cavaliers for the second time this season.

George Hill chipped in with 18 points, while Khris Middleton had 12, Donte DiVincenzo 11, and Eric Bledsoe and Ersan Ilyasova 10 apiece.


Rookie Darius Garland scored 21 points to pace the Cavaliers, who lost their third straight.

Cedi Osman had 20 points, Larry Nance 18, Kevin Love and Collin Sexton 16 apiece, and Tristan Thompson 11 in a balanced Cleveland attack.

Thompson collected a game-high 13 rebounds to complete a double-double.

Elsewhere, Norman Powell scored 19 of his career-best 33 points in the third quarter and the defending champion Toronto Raptors recovered from an early 11-point deficit to defeat the Orlando Magic 90-83.

Fred VanVleet added 22 points for the Raptors, who extended their winning streak to six games.

Pascal Siakam had 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Raptors, who shot 37 percent from the field.

Evan Fournier scored 19 points for the Magic, who had 22 turnovers compared with just 13 by the Raptors.

source: philstar.com

UP Manila Oblation Run highlights HIV awareness

MANILA, Philippines — The increasing cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) took center stage in the annual Oblation Run held at the University of the Philippines in Manila yesterday.

Members of the UP Manila chapter of the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) fraternity ran naked around the campus calling for collective effort to address the problem.

“We all have a role to play in properly educating the public about HIV/AIDS. First and foremost, we must break the stigma surrounding sex and reproductive health and the stigma on people living with HIV/AIDS,” the group said.

“HIV/AIDS is a persistent threat to our communities, especially to the youth who make up majority of newly diagnosed cases,” it added.

The group noted that 35 Filipinos test positive for HIV every day, a dramatic increase compared to just one per day in the previous year.


“In July 2019 alone, 1,100 new cases were recorded by the Department of Health. Almost 20 percent of the new cases have advanced stage of HIV infection or AIDS,” it added.

The United Nations Program on HIV-AIDS (UNAIDS) earlier projected that there there will be 201,000 HIV cases in the Philippines by 2025 if the current rate is not abated.

“UNAIDS considers the HIV/AIDS situation in the country as the fastest-growing epidemic in the world,” noted the fraternity.


HIV screening booths were set up at the UP Manila campus in time with the Oblation run.

The annual Oblation Run, officially called the Ritual Dance of the Brave, is a tradition started by APO in UP Diliman in 1977 as a form of dissent against martial law.

source: philstar.com

Twitter halts plan to remove inactive accounts

MANILA, Philippines — Social media company Twitter has postponed its plan to remove inactive accounts pending the rollout of a system that would memorialize accounts of those already deceased.

The company apologized yesterday for creating confusion after it announced that it would deactivate inactive accounts as a way to free up usernames in the social media platform.

“We’ve heard you on the impact that this would have on the accounts of the deceased. This was a miss on our part. We will not be removing any inactive accounts until we create a new way for people to memorialize accounts,” the company tweeted.


It also clarified that the plan was originally intended to impact those in the European Union, noting the existing General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the region.

“We’ve always had an inactive account policy but we haven’t enforced it consistently. We’re starting with the EU in part due to local privacy regulations,” it added.


“Beyond complying with GDPR, we may broaden the enforcement of our inactivity policy in the future to comply with other regulations around the world and to ensure the integrity of the service,” said the social media company.

source: philstar.com

Applying for insurance through postpaid plan – Here’s what we think

MANILA, Philippines — Say it’s been an auspicious year and you receive a mid-year bonus. Immediately your hands itch at the notion of tapping “checkout” from your favorite online shopping app, or you make haste to the nearest mall, having mentally readied your wish list, just in time for a mid-year sale.

A new pair of kicks to satisfy your sneakerhead obsession? That new gaming console—on sale, plus freebies? Or maybe, a new set of wardrobe to complement your style?

The struggle is all the more real. But something makes you stop and think.


As a young working Filipino, you are reminded of your priorities, like providing for the family, or fulfilling more important personal needs. One of which, as you’ve ubiquitously heard time and time again, is getting insurance.

However, you still end up having reservations regarding requirements and hefty costs.

Worry no more, this we can say with confidence. We found the answer in BIMA, the newest player in microinsurance, which Philstar.com had the experience of understanding firsthand.

A safe and trusted Swedish insurance company, we learned that BIMA is now in the Philippines to offer affordable insurance tailored for the needs of young Filipino professionals.

Of its current offerings, we highly recommend the Bundle Insurance Protection product that comes with P360,000 Personal Accident Protection and P40,000 Life Protection. Available for a minimum premium of only P300 a month, it can easily be added on-top of your monthly bills and expenses.


Another exciting thing about BIMA is that one can apply—more like subscribe—to its offerings via a postpaid plan, which this author tried.

Without the need to meet with traditional insurance agents, BIMA really understands its young target market who are always busy and on the go.

Easy, no-fuss processing

Based on our experience, here’s what you’ll simply need to do:

First, submit your postpaid mobile number to their website and get in touch with a BIMA representative. What’s great is that there are no health checks nor paperwork required, all that’s needed is an eligible postpaid mobile account.

Then, the representative calls your mobile phone. After confirming submission of the postpaid mobile number, the representative proceeds to ask for basic information such as name, date of birth, location (no need for full address, just the city or province will do), and one choice of beneficiary.

After this, the representative guides you in activating the insurance policy by sending a text message to BIMA (Key in “BIMA300” and send to 2462). Within moments, you will receive the confirmation message.

Once the representative has ascertained receipt of the confirmation message, a digital copy of your BIMA Policy Card is sent to your email summarizing the details of the insurance policy, which simply means you’re all set!

Do note that BIMA’s insurance offers are only available to subscribers of Smart Communications, but will soon become available to other telco subscribers such as Sun Cellular and Globe Telecom.

Benefits that we loved

Aside from ease and convenience, we also discovered BIMA’s slew of benefits. With an affordable monthly premium to pay on a rolling basis, you instantly get a coverage of up to P400,000 on your BIMA Insurance.

Much like traditional insurance, it sufficiently covers death or permanent disability due to accident, illness and natural causes.

What’s even better is that on top of the bundled insurance coverage, BIMA is offering a limited-time free P100,000 coverage on the first month.

You can all the more rest easy knowing that you get proper security and insurance for you and your family, especially since you’re basically paying only P10 a day for protection.

There’s one last thing that we loved with BIMA. Since your postpaid is subscribed to the insurance plan, your monthly payment will be charged to your account. This takes off the burden of going to payment centers or banks just to settle your monthly premium.

Additionally, BIMA’s insurance products are renewable monthly. It is a month-to-month basis insurance that you can quit anytime, if you so choose. All you have to do is key in “BIMA300 OFF” and send to 2462.

Processing of claims too is fast and simple, with only 10 working days of claim approval after validation.

So why choose BIMA?

With the emergence of affordable insurance, no one can be without a safe place to land their feet in dire situations.

Given its affordability, ease and benefits, BIMA is a strong microinsurance that’s apt for Filipinos looking for no-nonsense protection. It certainly lives up to its purpose of “protecting the future of every family” wherever they may be.

source: philstar.com

Westpac CEO resigns amid money-laundering scandal

SYDNEY, Australia — Australian banking giant Westpac said Tuesday its beleaguered CEO Brian Hartzer was stepping down after regulators accused the bank of wholesale breaches of money laundering rules involving more than US$7 billion.

Westpac is facing a potentially massive fine over claims that it failed to report millions of international fund transfers, including "high-risk transactions" to Southeast Asian nations potentially linked to child exploitation.

"As CEO, I accept that I am ultimately accountable for everything that happens at the bank," Hartzer said in a statement announcing the changes.


"It is clear that we have fallen well short of what the community expects of us, and we expect of ourselves."

Current chief financial officer Peter King will take over the reins until a "global search process" for a permanent replacement is completed.

The axe also fell on company chairman Lindsay Maxsted, who will bring forward his retirement to "the first half of 2020" and long-standing director Ewen Crouch, who will not seek re-election next month.

Australia's financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC said the bank committed 23 million breaches of money laundering and counterterrorism rules, theoretically putting the bank on the hook for up to Aus$483 trillion (US$330 trillion) in fines.

Government treasurer Josh Frydenberg said "there needed to be accountability" because the alleged breaches were "of the most serious nature" but also stressed the importance of the financial sector.


Troubles for the Big Four 

Australia's largest lender, the Commonwealth Bank (CBA), last year faced a theoretical maximum fine of Aus$1 trillion after AUSTRAC found it had failed to report on 53,500 transactions -- a fraction of the alleged breaches by Westpac.

The CBA ended up negotiating an Aus$700 million settlement.

Among the most damaging allegations against Westpac, the regulator accused bank executives of "indifference" to clear evidence that some international transfers were used to fund child exploitation.

AUSTRAC said the bank had been aware of heightened risks associated with frequent small payments destined for Southeast Asia since 2013 and had been "specifically briefed" on the risks with respect to one of its money transfer channels in June 2016.

In a conference call, Maxsted acknowledged the bank may lose customers as a result of the breaches, but urged them to "stick with us" and "understand that we feel so remorseful".

Westpac's share price climbed 1.9 percent in morning trade on the news.

Australia's banking industry, one of the world's most profitable, is facing an array of challenges.

The country's four biggest banks -- CBA, Westpac, National Australia Bank (NAB) and ANZ -- were the target of a royal commission that earlier this year exposed rampant malpractice across the sector.

It found banks had charged fees to dead people and to others for no services at all, used aggressive sales tactics and provided poor advice that led to significant financial upheaval for clients.

All the banks have reported significant hits to profits as they reimburse hundreds of millions of dollars to wronged customers.

source: philstar.com

Malaysia's last known Sumatran rhino dies

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The last surviving Sumatran rhino in Malaysia has died, wildlife officials said Sunday.

Once found as far away as eastern India and throughout Malaysia, the Sumatran rhino has been almost wiped out, with fewer than 80 left anywhere, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Only a handful of the creatures remain in the wilds of Indonesia.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga told AFP the 25-year-old female named Iman died on the island of Borneo from cancer.

"She was starting to suffer significant pain from the growing pressure of the tumors," Tuuga said.

"I think we can confirm that the Sumatran rhino is now extinct in Malaysia," he added.

Malaysia's last male Sumatran rhino died in May this year. Tam also had lived in the same nature reserve with Iman on Borneo island in Malaysia's Sabah state.

John Payne, executive director of Borneo Rhino Alliance said the Sumatran rhinos have been hard hit by factors including changes in climate, vegetation and hunting for traditional Chinese medicine. 

source: philstar.com

From sci-fi to science lab: Holograms you can 'feel'

PARIS, France — Walking, talking holograms have been a staple of sci-fi films since Princess Leia was magically brought to life in "Star Wars".

Now scientists in Britain say they can make even more realistic 3D versions -- a butterfly, a globe, an emoji -- which can be seen with the naked eye, heard and even felt without the need for any virtual reality systems.

Writing in the journal Nature, a team at the University of Sussex in southern England, said technology currently in use can create 3D images but they are slow, short-lived and "most importantly, rely on operating principles that cannot produce tactile and auditive content as well".

To fill in the picture, so to speak, the team created a prototype called Multimodal Acoustic Trap Display (MATD) which "can simultaneously deliver visual, auditory and tactile content".

This uses what is known as "acoustophoresis" -- sound waves that move and manipulate an object, in this case particles -- to form an image in a small box containing arrays of very small speakers.


"Our system traps a particle acoustically and illuminates it with red, green and blue light to control its colour as it quickly scans the display volume," the team said.

Since the system is based on sound waves, it allows the hologram to be heard and even felt.

One of the scientists, Ryuji Hirayama, explained how this last feature -- so crucial to making the object seem real -- works.

"Even if not audible to us, ultrasound is still a mechanical wave and it carries energy through the air. Our system directs and focuses this energy, which can then stimulate your skin to feel content," Hirayama told AFP by email.

"The feeling of the tactile sensation is like a gently spraying your hand with pressurised air."

The system obviously attracts attention because of the science fiction film backdrop but the team said it could have a wide range of applications, from computing to biomedical procedures.

source: philstar.com

Doncic delivers another triple-double as Mavs rout Warriors

LOS ANGELES – Luka Doncic posted his league-leading seventh triple double of the season en route to a 35-point performance as the Dallas Mavericks trounced the Golden State Warriors, 142-94, on Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time).

The 20-year-old Slovenian scored 35 points in just 26 minutes of playing time and he finished with 11 assists and 10 rebounds in front of a crowd of 19,500 at the American Airlines Center.

Doncic scored 33 of his points in the opening half en route to his second consecutive triple-double. He was coming off a career-best, 42-point performance in a triple-double Monday against San Antonio.

Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 20 points and went four-for-four from beyond the arc for the Mavs, who posted their third straight win to start a four-game homestand.

Rookie Eric Paschall led Golden State with 22 points.


Elsewhere, Fred VanVleet scored 24 points and added seven assists, and the Toronto Raptors improved to 6-0 at home this season with a 113-97 win over the Orlando Magic.

It was the second win for the Raptors against the Magic this season.

Terence Davis had a career-best 19 points and Pascal Siakam tallied 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors who shot 52 percent from the floor.


Norman Powell added 15 points and Chris Boucher delivered 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Centre Nikola Vucevic and forward Aaron Gordon left the game with sprained ankles in the first half and did not return.

source: philstar.com

Airlines' fuel practices feed doubts over climate commitment

PARIS, France — Airlines have taken steps to reduce their carbon footprints under the gaze of public opinion, but the pressure of the bottom line means some fly with extra fuel, boosting emissions of climate-changing greenhouse gases.

As the highly competitive air travel industry is being pushed to reduce its carbon emissions—which it puts at two to three percent of the global total—the practice known as fuel tankering has become an acid test for airlines' commitment to really go green.

In fuel tankering, an aircraft's tanks are filled sufficiently at the departure airport to avoid having to take on additional fuel for the return leg at a destination airport where fuel costs may be higher, or there are supply issues.

According to a study by Eurocontrol, the practice is a money-saving strategy for airlines as it outweighs the cost of additional fuel needed to carry the extra weight on the outbound flight.

"Aviation is a very competitive market and each airline needs to minimise operating costs, in order to keep its ticket prices as competitive as possible," said the group, an inter-governmental organisation that helps harmonise regulations in the sector.


With fuel accounting for up to 25 percent of airlines' operating expenses, "saving fuel has become a major challenge for aviation", it added.

Eurocontrol found that in Europe fuel tankering concerns about one in six flights, on average resulting in an extra 136 kg of fuel burned.

Despite the additional fuel cost of 75 euros it still results in a net saving of 126 euros per flight. That saving also includes nine euros for purchasing carbon allowances for the 428kg of additional CO2 generated.


The report estimated that in Europe fuel tankering could generate net savings of 265 million euros per year for airlines, while adding 286,000 tonnes of fuel burnt and 901,000 tons of CO2 emissions.

"This represents about 2,800 round-trips between Paris and New York or the annual emissions of a European city of 100,000 inhabitants," said the report.

Everybody does it...

After being called out for fuel tankering by the BBC, British Airways called it a "common practice across the airline industry" and said that it is done for "operational, safety and price reasons."

British Airways said it resorts to fuel tankering for "mainly short-haul destinations where there are considerable fuel price differences between European airports."

Willy Walsh, the head of IAG, British Airway's parent company, acknowledged that the issue shows that airlines are torn between economic and environmental imperatives.

"What we see today is that there is often a conflict between what we do that makes a commercial and financial sense and the things we should be doing from an environmental point of view," he told investors at a gathering at the beginning of November.

Germany's Lufthansa said it resorts to fuel tankering only exceptionally for operational reasons because the practice "goes against our goal of reducing carbon emissions," said a spokesman.

Air France said it practiced fuel tankering only on "some specific" routes for economic or organisational reasons.

Offsets

The airline industry adopted in 2016 a mechanism called CORSIA to offset any increase in CO2 emissions from 2020 levels using tree-planting and other schemes that absorb carbon.

This will allow the industry to continue to grow to meet rising demand for air travel without adding any additional carbon on a net basis.

Budget airline easyJet announced it plans to go further by offsetting emissions from all flights.

Most airlines have also undertaken efforts to reduce their emissions such as optimising flight paths, using electric towing vehicles or reducing the weight of seats.

But these efforts are not sufficient believes Andrew Murphy of the non-governmental organisation Transport and Environment.

"The increase of aviation emissions and stories like this show that actually the industry isn't doing enough and actually we can't just rely on the industry to cut it's own emissions," said Murphy.

"The equation is super complex" to arrive at a reduction of emissions when the volume of air traffic is expected to double every 15 to 20 years, said Pascal Fabre, an air travel expert at the consultancy Alix Partners.

The situation is even more daunting as airlines need to make money to survive, with around a dozen going out of business in the past year and a half according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

source: philstar.com

Harden, Westbrook shine as Rockets extend win streak

LOS ANGELES – James Harden scored 36 points and Russell Westbrook bagged a triple-double as the Houston Rockets extended their red-hot winning streak to eight games with a 132-108 rout of the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday (Tuesday, Manila time).

Harden, fresh from a 49-point display in Saturday's win over Minnesota, was once again in commanding form against a Portland team who were always second best at Houston's Toyota Center.

The 2017-2018 NBA Most Valuable Player also had six rebounds and five assists as the Blazers struggled to contain the Rockets' multi-pronged offense.


Westbrook tormented the Portland defense, finishing with 28 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists on a night when all five Houston starters finished in double figures.

The win saw the Rockets improve to 11-3 at the top of the Western Conference, neck-and-neck with the pace-setting Los Angeles Lakers (11-2).


C.J. McCollum led the scoring for Portland with 25 points, but team-mate Damian Lillard was kept quiet with only 13 points. Portland fell to 5-9 with the defeat.

Elsewhere Monday, Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with a 33-point haul as the Milwaukee Bucks outgunned the Chicago Bulls 115-101.

Antetokounmpo's points tally was matched by impressive defensive numbers, with the Greek star pulling down 10 rebounds, forcing eight turnovers and making three steals.

Brook Lopez had 19 points while Donte DiVincenzo added 15 for the Bucks, who improved to 10-3 in the Eastern Conference standings.

In Toronto, O.G. Anunoby and Pascal Siakam sparked the Raptors in a 132-96 demolition of the Charlotte Hornets.

Anunoby had 24 points and Siakam 20 as seven Toronto players finished in double figures against an outclassed Charlotte team.

source: philstar.com

LeBron powers Lakers past Hawks

LOS ANGELES – LeBron James scored 33 points as the Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 122-101 win over the struggling Atlanta Hawks at the Staples Center here Sunday (Monday, Manila time).

The Lakers jumped out to a 25-point lead in the first quarter and never looked back.

Rajon Rondo scored 15 points and Anthony Davis added 14 as the Lakers posted their 11th win in their last 12 games since a season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Trae Young scored 31 points and Cam Reddish added 13 as the Hawks lost their third straight game.

Atlanta was blown out in Los Angeles for the second consecutive night after losing by 49 points to the Clippers.

Also, Denver's Jamal Murray scored 39 points and Paul Millsap added 23 to lead the Nuggets over host Memphis 131-114 for their fifth win in six road contests. Jaren Jackson led the Grizzlies with 22 points.

Tobias Harris scored 27 points to lead six Philadelphia players in double figures as the 76ers rolled to a 114-95 triumph at Cleveland.

Cameroon center Joel Embiid added 14 points for the 76ers and Australia's Ben Simmons had 10 points and 11 assists for Philadelphia. Collin Sexton led the Cavaliers with 17 points.


With Orlando clinging to a three-point lead, Magic guard Markelle Fultz made a steal and dunk then sank a free throw with 36 seconds remaining to lift the hosts over the Washington Wizards 125-121 in a matchup of struggling Eastern Conference clubs.

Montenegrin big man Nikola Vucevic led Orlando (6-7) with 30 points and 17 rebounds while Frenchman Evan Fournier had 25 points and Fultz had a 45-game career-high 19 points for the Magic, who ended a 4-1 homestand.

Bradley Beal scored 34 points to lead Washington (3-8) and crack the NBA career 10,000-point mark.

source: philstar.com

Greatest artists of all time

Billboard Magazine, which is also known as the bible of the music industry, is now 125 years old. It was founded by William Donaldson and Jame Hennegan in 1894. Billboard started out as a trade publication for bill posters. You know stuff like handouts and fliers announcing events but later on became an entertainment magazine covering all types like concerts and circuses.

As popular music grew in popularity during the 1900s, Billboard turned more and more into a trade magazine covering music events, hit songs and industry news. Back then, these were mostly found in musical shows, concerts, sales of music sheets and eventually phonograph records.

I do not know who came up with the idea for hit charts. I guess it all started with the rock era, a time during the late ‘50s when record sales increased prodigiously. This was thanks to the arrival of music idols like Elvis Presley, whose fans sent his record sales zooming up to an all-time high. So, to get a better look at the market, Billboard started getting the weekly sales figures from outlets and then coming out with the bestsellers’ list based on the reports.


Officially, the Hot 100, the hit list of top-selling singles of the week was inaugurated on Aug. 4, 1958. The first No. 1 song was Poor Little Fool by a 17-year-old Ricky Nelson. The first Top 200 Albums chart, the one which lists down the biggest-selling albums of the week, came along on Aug. 17, 1963. The No. 1 selling album of the year was the soundtrack of the motion picture adaptation of the musical Bye Bye Birdie, starring Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh and Ann Margret.

With technological advances in the ensuing years, the Billboard charts grew in accuracy and popularity all over the world.  An artist’s success soon came to be measured by the presence of his record releases in the hit lists. This remains so until today when the weekly lists are much awaited arrivals among music industry people worldwide.


This year to celebrate its 125th anniversary, Billboard came up with its list of the 125 greatest artists of all time, based, of course, on the way their recordings charted in the Hot 100 and the Top 200 Albums lists. Reading through it is like getting a crash course in the history of popular music.

No one would be likely to contest the results. Not when Billboard has The Beatles, with 20 No. 1 singles and 19 No. 1 albums leading the pack. Following are The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Mariah Carey and Madonna completing the Top 5. I must say that Taylor Swift and Drake must be tickled pink that although of fairly recent times, they made the Top 10 of the list.

Here they are. The 125 greatest artists of all time.


The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift, Stevie Wonder, Chicago, Whitney Houston, Paul McCartney, Elvis Presley, Janet Jackson, Rod Stewart, Drake, Prince, Rihanna, Billy Joel, Garth Brooks.

Herb Alpert, Eminem, Usher, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, The Supremes, Eagles, Bee Gees, The Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac, Santana, The Temptations, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Adele, Beyoncé, Eric Clapton, Lionel Richie, Led Zeppelin.

Bruno Mars, John Denver, Maroon 5, Olivia Newton-John, Bon Jovi, Phil Collins, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, JAY-Z, Donna Summer, Nickelback, BoyZ II Men, Carpenters, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Foreigner, Britney Spears, Pink, Alicia Keys.

Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, The Jacksons, Earth, Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, U2, Linda Ronstadt, Van Halen, Bob Seger, Aerosmith, The Black Eyed Peas, Nelly, Carole King, Justin Timberlake, The Monkees, Kenny Rogers, Heart, Tim McGraw, Barry Manilow, R. Kelly.

Journey, Simon & Garfunkel, Michael Bolton, Ed Sheeran, Kelly Clarkson, Pink Floyd, Queen, Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Three Dog Night, Commodores, Paula Abdul, Bryan Adams, Chris Brown, Guns N’ Roses, Dep Leppard, Huey Lewis & The News, Linkin Park, James Taylor, Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, Paul Simon, Backstreet Boys, Lil Wayne, Carrie Underwood, Andy Williams, Styx, George Michael, Cher, TLC, Shania Twain, The Doobie Brothers, The 4 Seasons, Peter, Paul & Mary, Kenny Chesney, Destiny’s Child, 50 Cent, Ray Charles, Genesis, The Police.

Rascal Flatts, Ludacris, Gloria Estefan, George Harrison and Alan Jackson.

source: philstar.com

Venice faces more floods as state of emergency declared

VENICE, Italy — Flood-hit Venice was bracing for another exceptional high tide Friday, as Italy declared a state of emergency for the UNESCO city where perilous deluges have caused millions of euros worth of damage.

Churches, shops and homes in the city of canals have been inundated by unusually intense "acqua alta," or high waters, which on Tuesday hit their highest level in half a century.

The crisis, driven by bad weather, has prompted the government to release 20 million euros ($22 million) in funds to tackle the devastation.

The water was expected to reach 1.5 metrers (5 feet) mid-morning on Friday as strong storms and winds batter the region—lower than Tuesday's peak but still dangerous, local officials said.

Undeterred, tourists have been larking around in the flooded St Mark's Square in the sunshine during breaks from the rain, snapping selfies in neon plastic boots.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who has called the flooding "a blow to the heart of our country," said late Thursday that a state of emergency had been approved.

Earlier that day he met Venice's mayor and emergency services before jumping in a speed boat to visit businesses and locals affected by the tide.

Residents whose houses had been hit would immediately get up to 5,000 euros in government aid, while restaurant and shop owners could receive up to 20,000 euros and apply for more later, he said.

Several museums remained closed to the public on Thursday.

As authorities assessed the extent of the damage to Venice's cultural treasures, such as St Mark's Basilica where water invaded the crypt, locals were defiant.

Many stopped for their usual coffees at flooded bars, drinking espresso while standing in several inches of water.

Austrian tourist Cornelia Litschauer, 28, said she felt mixed emotions seeing Venice's famous square half-submerged.

"For the tourists it's amazing, it's something to see. But for the people who live here it's a real problem," Litschauer said, cradling her white Chihuahua Pablo.

"It's strange. Tourists are taking pictures but the city is suffering."

'Need to adapt' 

The Locanda Al Leon hotel said its bookings had suffered from the international media coverage of the flood, with some guests canceling their rooms after seeing images of Venice underwater.

Under the arches of the Ducal Palace, a couple from Hong Kong posed for photos in the chilly morning sun.

"This (trip) was planned a long time ago so we couldn't change it," groom Jay Wong, 34, said.

"Actually this is a good experience. It's an adventure."

Tuesday's high waters submerged around 80 percent of the city, officials said.

Only once since records began in 1923 has the water crept even higher, reaching 1.94 metrer in 1966.

Former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi arrived for a private tour of the damage sustained to the basilica, while rival leader of the Italian right Matteo Salvini was due to drop by for the same on Friday.

French tourist Manon Gaudre, 22, said seeing Venice submerged was a "unique experience."

"The damage it's causing to monuments and the people is worrying," she said, wondering if climate change was to blame.

Many, including Venice's mayor, have blamed the disaster on global warming and warned that Italy—a country prone to natural disasters—must wake up to the risks posed by ever more volatile seasons.

"We need to be resilient and adapt. We need a policy that looks at the climate through completely different eyes," Environment Minister Sergio Costa said Thursday.

Mayor Luigi Brugnaro has estimated the damage to Venice at hundreds of millions of euros.

The Serenissima, as the floating city is called, is home to a mere 50,000 residents but receives 36 million global visitors each year.

A massive infrastructure project has been under way since 2003 to protect the city, but it has been plagued by cost overruns, corruption scandals and delays.

The plan involves 78 gates that can be raised to protect Venice's lagoon during high tides—but a recent attempt to test part of it caused worrying vibrations and engineers discovered it had rusted.

source: philstar.com

Climate change, corruption blamed for Venice flood devastation

VENICE, Italy — Much of Venice was under water on Wednesday night after the highest tide in 50 years ripped through the historic Italian city, beaching gondolas, trashing hotels and sending tourists fleeing through rapidly rising waters.

The government in Rome was expected to declare a state of emergency at a cabinet meeting on Thursday after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described the flooding as "a blow to the heart of our country."

Officials blamed climate change while shopkeepers on the Grand Canal raged against those who have failed to protect the UNESCO city from the high tide.


They said corruption had repeatedly delayed a barrier protection system that could have prevented the disaster.

"The city is on its knees," Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro said in an interview with national broadcaster RAI.

"There's widespread devastation," he said in the famed St Mark's Square, which bore the brunt of the flooding. "In all likelihood the damage from last night runs into hundreds of millions of euros."

The state of emergency for a natural disaster will allow the government to use "exceptional powers and means" to intervene more quickly, and Conte said his government was ready to allocate funds.

"The disaster that has struck Venice is a blow to the heart of our country," Conte said at the scene. "It hurts to see the city so damaged, its artistic heritage threatened."


St Mark's Square was calm on Wednesday evening, with just a smattering of tourists walking through the relatively dry square marked with occasional puddles.

Four Venetian friends who had gathered in the square, all wearing boots, said the relative quiet and lack of tourists was upside of an otherwise harrowing few days.

"We've never seen anything like it," said Alvise, 19.

Earlier, tourists lugging heavy suitcases waded in thigh-high boots or barefoot through the submerged alleys, as gondola and water taxi drivers baled sewage-tainted water out of their trashed vessels.

'We can't live like this' 

Dirty water was swirling around the marble tombs inside the 12th-century crypt of St Mark's Basilica, which suffered untold damage when an unprecedented high tide swept through the city.

It was closed to tourists as were many other Venice highlights including the Fenice Theatre and the Ducal Palace.

"We said last year that the basilica had aged 20 years in a high tide. It risks having aged much more than that in this one," said the building's procurator Carlo Alberto Tesserin.

A 78-year old was killed by an electric shock as the waters poured into his home.

"We ask the government to help us, the costs will be high," mayor Brugnaro tweeted. "These are the effects of climate change."

"The future of Venice is at stake," he warned. "We cannot live like this anymore."

Environment Minister Sergio Costa blamed climate change and the "tropicalization" of violent rainfall and strong winds.

"This is what is happening more and more often in the Mediterranean," Costa said on Facebook.

"Global warming will destroy our planet if we do not immediately reverse the direction."

'Acqua alta' 

The exceptionally intense "acqua alta," or high waters, peaked at 1.87 meters (six feet). Only once since records began in 1923 has the water crept even higher, reaching 1.94 meters in 1966.

"It was unbelievable. The water rose so quickly," said resident Tiziano Collarin, 59, as he surveyed the damage.

"Windows were blown out, there are those who have lost everything," he said as the flood alarm rang out to warn those in the canal city that the tide, which had receded somewhat overnight, was rising once again.

The fire brigade said it had carried out over 400 operations as well as laying on extra boats as water ambulances.

Around 160 firefighters were deployed to rescue people stranded on jetties and to recover boats broken free from their moorings.

President of the Veneto region Luca Zaia said 80 percent of the city had been submerged, causing "unimaginable damage" to the city, which has 50,000 residents but receives 36 million visitors each year.

A massive infrastructure project called MOSE has been under way since 2003 to protect the city, but it has been plagued by cost overruns, corruption scandals and delays.

The plan involves 78 gates that can be raised to protect Venice's lagoon during high tides—but a recent attempt to test part of the barrier caused worrying vibrations and engineers discovered parts had rusted.

Outside historic Venice, the Lido and Pellestrina islands were also hard hit by flooding

source: philstar.com

Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protests

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters clashed with riot police in the city's upmarket business district and on university campuses Tuesday, extending one of the most violent stretches of unrest seen in more than five months of political chaos.

The confrontations followed a particularly brutal day on Monday, when police shot a protester and a man was set on fire, prompting calls from western powers for compromise but further fury in China against the challenge to its rule.

"Hong Kong's rule of law has been pushed to the brink of total collapse," police spokesman Kong Wing-cheung told a press conference on Tuesday afternoon as he denounced the latest rounds of violence. -- Agence France-Presse

First case of dengue spread by sex confirmed

MADRID – Spanish health authorities confirmed Friday a case of a man spreading dengue through sex, a world first for a virus which until recently was thought to be transmitted only by mosquitos.

The case concerns a 41-year-old man from Madrid who contracted dengue after having sex with his male partner who picked up the virus from a mosquito bite during a trip to Cuba, said Susana Jimenez of the Madrid region’s public health department.

His dengue infection was confirmed in September and it puzzled doctors

because he had not traveled to a country where the disease, which causes severe flu-like symptoms such as high fever and body aches, is common, she added.

“His partner presented the same symptoms as him but lighter around 10 days earlier, and he had previously visited Cuba and the Dominican Republic,” Jimenez said.

“An analysis of their sperm was carried out and it revealed that not only did they have dengue but that it was exactly the same virus which circulates in Cuba.”

A “likely” case of sexual transmission of dengue between a man and a woman was the subject of a recent scientific article in South Corea, Jimenez said.

In an e-mail sent to AFP, the Stockholm-based European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), which monitors health and disease in Europe, said this was “to our knowledge, the first sexual transmission of the dengue


virus among men who have sex with men.”

According to the World Health Organization’s website, dengue is transmitted mainly by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which thrives in densely-populated tropical climates and breeds in stagnant pools of water.

It is most serious – and deadly – in children, especially young girls, though scientists don’t know why.

Dengue is most commonly caught by people traveling to hotter climates such as southeast Asia, Africa, Australia, the Caribbean and South and Central America.

source: philstar.com

Juul ends sale of mint flavor vape products ahead of possible ban

WASHINGTON, United States — E-cigarette market leader Juul said Thursday it was ending the sale of mint-flavored products in the US, ahead of a possible ban by health authorities that is intended to curtail youth vaping.

The decision follows the release earlier this week of the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey that said more than five million middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, an all-time high.

US President Donald Trump's administration announced last month it would soon put an end to the sale of flavored liquids used in e-cigarettes, though whether there will be some exemptions is not yet clear.


The youth survey found that mint flavor was the clear favorite among 10th and 12th graders, and second favorite after mango among 8th graders.

Mango-flavored liquid was sold by Juul until very recently and continues to be sold by other makers.

Juul's CEO KC Crosthwaite said: "These results are unacceptable and that is why we must reset the vapor category in the US and earn the trust of society by working cooperatively with regulators, attorneys general, public health officials, and other stakeholders to combat underage use."

The company will continue to sell Virginia tobacco, classic tobacco, and menthol in the US market, but has not announced similar flavor rollbacks for other countries.

The move comes as the vaping industry is facing tough scrutiny amid a mysterious epidemic of lung conditions linked to e-cigarette use that has killed 39 people and sickened more than 2,000 in recent months, according to the latest data published Thursday.


Investigators say no single substance is behind the outbreak, but preliminary work has linked a cutting agent used in cannabis flavorings, usually sold on the black market, to lung injury.

Juul is also facing a lawsuit by a former executive who claims he was sacked for "whistleblowing" for objecting to shipment of allegedly contaminated pods and other unsafe conduct like selling expired or near-expired products.

The company has called the allegations baseless.

source: philstar.com

Taylor’s new song for Cats

What a privilege on the part of Taylor Swift to be able to write a song for Cats with the legendary creator of great musicals Andrew Lloyd Webber.  And vice-versa on the part of Webber to be able to collaborate with the global pop music icon Swiftie. The two have composed a new original for the motion picture adaptation of Webber’s record-breaking musical Cats, which comes to local theaters on Jan. 8.

Writing a new song for the movie version of a musical has become a common practice. This is to give the film a crack at the annual awards rites. The Best Song from a Motion Picture category is handed out to new works.

Since the songs from the soundtrack of the musical are already several years old, a new song that can also be used in the promotions is usually included. An example is You Must Love Me, also by Webber and Tim Rice, that is performed by Madonna in Evita, and which won the Academy Award.

So from now on, Memory will not be the only song that people remember from Cats. There will also be Beautiful Ghost by Webber and Swift. The song will be performed in the movie by the London Ballet principal dancer Francesca Hayward who plays Victoria and who, it now turns out, can also sing. Swift’s pop version will be played in the end credits and I suppose will also be released as a single from the soundtrack. She plays the kitty Bombalurina.

Now, now, I am thinking, do you think they will also release the rendition of Memory by Jennifer Hudson who stars as Grizabella? That one certainly deserves to be a single.


I’m still thinking. This time into the future.  Do you think they will put it in a new song in the soundtrack of the upcoming Steven Spielberg production of West Side Story? I honestly hope not. That will be almost a sacrilege.  Besides composer Leonard Bernstein is no longer around. Although come to think of it, the musical’s lyricist who is now America’s greatest living composer Stephen Sondheim, still is. Maybe, if he can be convinced...

Anyway, the last months of the year are turning out to be quite a feast for memorable movie soundtracks. There is already the music of the blockbuster Joker, which includes Send In The Clowns and That’s Life by Frank Sinatra, Laughing by Guess Who, I Started A Joke by the Bee Gees and that heart-breaking Smile by both Nat “King” Cole and Jimmy Durante.

Then there is the Ariana Grande-produced soundtrack for the latest reboot of Charlie’s Angels with the new theme, Don’t Call Me Angel by the powerhouse trio of Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey plus Bad Girls by Donna Summer, Nobody by Grande and Chaka Khan, the love ballad How I Look On You by Grande and even the iconic Charlie’s Angel’s Theme remixed this time around by Black Caviar.


And then there is Last Christmas. You all know the song, a big-selling holiday perennial from Wham! from many years ago that sings like this, “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart/ the very next day you gave it away…” The hip-duo of Wham! was made up of Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael, who would go on to have a magnificent career as a solo artist. Unfortunately, Michael died suddenly on Christmas Day almost three years ago, just as actress and screenwriter Emma Thompson had begun work on the project.

Thankfully, although all concerned were jarred by Michael’s demise, they were able to resume work on the picture and it is now ready for release out here on Nov. 27. It features the Christmas classic and is, of course, titled Last Christmas.  And what do you know, the soundtrack includes other George Michael songs like Faith, Freedom ’90 and the previously unreleased This Is How (We Want To Get High).

Last Christmas is a romantic-comedy set in London during the holiday season. The lovers of the story are the lovely Emilia Clarke, who was last seen in Game of Thrones as an elf in a Christmas shop and the gorgeous Henry Golding of Crazy Rich Asians as her unlikely lover. Along for the ride are Thompson and Michelle Yeoh.

source: philstar.com

McDonald's CEO forced out over 'consensual relationship' with employee

NEW YORK, United States — McDonald's announced Sunday that its president and CEO Steve Easterbrook was forced out after showing "poor judgment" by engaging in a "consensual relationship" with an employee.

He was replaced by Chris Kempczinski, the president of McDonald's USA. Kempczinski was also elected to the board of directors.

"Easterbrook... has separated from the company following the board's determination that he violated company policy and demonstrated poor judgment involving a recent consensual relationship with an employee," the company said in a statement.

"The company confirms that this leadership transition is unrelated to the company's operational or financial performance."

In an email to McDonald's employees, Easterbrook said his relationship was "a mistake" that violated company policy.


"Given the values of the company, I agree with the board that it is time for me to move on," the email said.

Joe Erlinger, president of international operated markets, will take over as head of McDonald's USA, the company said.

In its most recent earnings report, on October 22, McDonald's said profits dipped 1.8 percent in the third quarter from the year-ago period to $1.6 billion.


Revenues at the company, which has 38,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries, edged up 1.1 percent to $5.4 billion.

The fast-food giant notched a healthy 5.9 percent increase in global comparable sales, including a solid rise in the United States.

But profits were pressured by increased spending on technology and research and development.

McDonald's has invested heavily in home delivery and mobile pay initiatives in recent years, and in 2019 has unveiled a number of acquisitions to boost its drive-through operation.

'The plan is working'

Kempczinski told The Wall Street Journal on Sunday that he plans to continue the focus on technology.

"There isn't going to be some radical, strategic shift. The plan is working," he said.

Easterbrook had served as chief executive since 2015. Under his leadership, McDonald's share price doubled, but he was unable to stop a decline in sales.

Like other fast food chains, McDonald's is facing headwinds as consumers seek out healthier dining options.

Easterbrook's pay as CEO rose with McDonald's share price, which closed last week at $194. His compensation hit a peak in 2017 at $21.8 million, including $9.1 million in incentive-based pay, the Journal said.

Workplace relationships have cost a number of CEOs their jobs in recent years, and the topic has become even more sensitive amid the #MeToo movement.

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich and yoga apparel brand Lululemon chief Laurent Potdevin resigned from their companies in 2018 following revelations of relationships with employees.

In 2016, Priceline CEO Darren Huston stepped down for the same reason, as did BestBuy CEO Brian Dunn in 2012.

source: philstar.com

Trump booed at UFC fight night in New York

NEW YORK, United States — President Donald Trump was loudly booed on Saturday for the second time in a week at a sporting event as he attended a UFC fight in New York.

Trump, wearing a dark suit and a red tie, pumped his fist and waved at the crowd as he walked into the city's iconic Madison Square Garden arena on Saturday night.

There was no repeat of the loud chants of "lock him up" that greeted Trump when he attended a World Series baseball game last weekend, but loud jeers rung out.


Many mixed martial arts fans also clapped and cheered as Trump took his seat just 15 feet from the cage where the UFC was set to award the "BMF" belt.

Several dozen protesters carrying placards with slogans such as "Trump/Pence Out Now!" and "Headlock Him Up" demonstrated outside the 20,000-seat venue as Trump arrived for the pay-per-view spectacle.

The president, 73, looked on in concern as lightweight Kevin Lee delivered a vicious left kick to rival Gregor Gillespie's face during the first bout on the main card.

The contact, which left the fighter sprawled on the ground for around 30 seconds, drew loud gasps from the capacity crowd as they watched the slow-motion replay of his face being squished.

Trump could be seen clapping in support when Gillespie finally got to his feet.

The president was attending the fight night with sons Donald Jr and Eric.

Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz were due to slug it out for the "BMF" belt later Saturday.

source: philstar.com