Filipina wins junior doublescrown at Australian Open

MANILA, Philippines — Filipina teen sensation Alexandra Eala joined Davis Cupper Francis Casey Alcantara in the elite club of Filipino junior grand slam champions, duplicating the latter’s stellar feat at the Australian Open yesterday.

Eala, 14, teamed up with Indonesian Priska Madelyn Nugroho to capture the junior girls’ doubles crown via a masterful 6-1, 6-2 drubbing of Slovenian Ziva Falkner and British Matilda Mutavdzic at Melbourne Park.

Eala struck gold 11 years after Alcantara and his Taiwanese partner Hsieh Cheng Peng reigned supreme in boys’ doubles in the season-opening slam Down Under.

Bouoyed by their epic three-set caper past the top-seeded pair of Latvian Kamilia Bartone and Czech Linda Fruhvirtova in Thursday’s semis, Eala and Nugroho came out swinging against Falkner and Mutavdzic.

The Southeast Asians landed 18 winners against only one for their rivals and scored four aces, while getting 78 percent of their first serve in (33-of-42) and winning 28 of them in this 49-minute demolition job.

Eala and Nugroho racked up the first five games of the initial frame to set the tone.

The Europeans gave a tougher challenge in the second set and stayed within reach at 3-2 before Eala and Nugroho stepped on the gas and zoomed to the finish line.

With two forehand winners and three forced errors from the Slovenian-British duo, the Pinay-Indon connection made it 4-2, then sustained the charge in the next game to get on the hill.

Eala and Nugroho came out of a 0-15 deficit in the seventh game and strung up four successive points to complete their date with destiny.

source: philstar.com

China sees deadliest day yet as global virus fears mount

WUHAN, China — China reported its biggest single-day jump in novel coronavirus deaths on Thursday, as confirmation that three Japanese evacuated from the outbreak's epicentre were infected deepened fears about a global contagion.

The World Health Organization, which initially downplayed the severity of a disease that has now killed 170 nationwide, warned all governments to be "on alert" as it weighed whether to declare a global health emergency.


As foreign countries evacuated their citizens from Wuhan, the locked-down city where the virus was first detected, concern over the economic impact has steadily intensified.

Airlines have suspended services to China and companies from Starbucks to Tesla have shuttered stores and production lines.

Chinese authorities have taken extraordinary steps to arrest the virus's spread, including effectively locking down more than 50 million people in Wuhan and surrounding Hubei province.



But that was yet to pay dividends, with the government reporting 38 new deaths in the 24 hours to Thursday, the highest one-day total. All but one were in Hubei.

The number of confirmed new cases also grew steadily to 7,711, the National Health Commission said. Another 81,000 people were under observation for possible infection.

The pathogen is believed to have been spawned in a market that sold wild game, spreading far and wide by a Lunar New Year holiday season in which hundreds of millions of Chinese travel domestically or abroad.

'Totally new situation'

Japan's infection rate grew to 11 after three Japanese citizens among more than 200 on an evacuation flight Wednesday tested positive.

Officials had already confirmed two cases in which patients tested positive without having travelled to China, adding to anxiety over human-to-human transmission of the respiratory disease.

"We are in a truly new situation," Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told parliament.

The fact that two of the three new confirmed Japanese cases showed no symptoms underscored the scale of the challenge for health workers.

The WHO has come under fire after it last week declined to declare a global health emergency.

The global health body's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed regret for what he called a "human error" in the WHO's assessment.

WHO's Emergency Committee will meet Thursday to decide whether to declare an emergency -- which could lead to travel or trade barriers.

"The whole world needs to take action," Michael Ryan, head of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, told reporters in Geneva.

A US charter flight from Wuhan arrived Wednesday at a California military base with nearly 200 consular staff and other Americans, who "cheered loudly" when the jet touched down, said an official with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

All passengers were declared symptom-free but will remain isolated for days while they are monitored.

Some 250 French citizens and 100 other Europeans will be flown out of Wuhan on board two French planes this week.

Australia plans to house any citizens it evacuates from the city on an island normally used to detain asylum seekers.

A growing number of governments -- including the United States, Britain and Germany -- have advised their citizens to avoid non-essential travel to China.

China also has urged its own citizens to delay trips abroad, after more than 15 countries confirmed infections.

Flights scrapped, stores closed

Major airlines that have suspended or pared back service to China include British Airways, German flag carrier Lufthansa, American Airlines, KLM, and United.

China efforts to halt the virus have seen the suspension of classes nationwide and an extension of the Lunar New Year holiday.

Most street traffic in and around Wuhan has been banned.

"This is the first day since the lockdown that I've had to go out," a man in his 50s told AFP on the mostly deserted streets of the industrial city.

"I have no choice because I need to buy food."

China's football body meanwhile said it was postponing "all levels and all types of football matches across the country", including the country's top-tier Chinese Super League, in response to the outbreak.

Economic worries

Japanese automaker Toyota, Swedish furniture giant IKEA, tech giant Foxconn, Starbucks, Tesla and McDonald's were among major corporate giants to temporarily freeze production or close large numbers of outlets in China.

As the "world's factory", the disruptions in China are expected to send ripples through supply chains globally, denting profits.

US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the new coronavirus posed a fresh risk to a fragile world economy, adding that the US central bank was on alert.

"There will clearly be implications at least in the near term for Chinese output and I would guess for some of their close neighbours," Powell said.

The contagion has spread to nearly every corner of China, with remote Tibet reporting its first case on Thursday.

It has triggered fears in part due to its striking similarity to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak of 2002-03, which also began in China and eventually killed nearly 800 people worldwide.

source: philstar.com

NBA plunged into mourning as Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash

LOS ANGELES – The NBA grappled with the sudden death of league great Kobe Bryant on Sunday (Monday, Manila time), players saying they felt sick to their stomach taking to the court without having ample time to absorb the shocking news.

A haunting moment of silence preceded the Houston Rockets' game against the Nuggets in Denver, which tipped off just hours after the helicopter crash in suburban Los Angeles in which Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among nine who perished.


In San Antonio, where the Spurs hosted the reigning champion Toronto Raptors, both teams took 24-second shot-clock violations on their first possessions of the game in honor of Bryant — who wore the number 24 in the later years of his career.


And in a move that other NBA teams are also expected to adopt, the Dallas Mavericks announced that they were retiring the number 24 jersey.

Several NBA stars said they were reluctant to step on the court after learning the news.



"I don't even know how we are supposed to play this game tonight," said Portland's Damian Lillard said before scoring 50 points in a 139-129 win over Indiana. "It makes you sick to your stomach. It is disturbing.

"It is bigger than just our heroes and the people we look up to dying. It goes deeper than that."

Newly retired Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade described Sunday as "one of the saddest days of my lifetime," adding that he couldn't believe Bryant was gone and that his family had been sharing Kobe stories all day.

"It seems like a bad dream that you just want to wake up from. It is a nightmare," he said.

"It is not going to go away soon. We will weep forever."

'We should honor him'

Eight NBA games were on tap Sunday, and the prevailing mood in every arena was sadness and shock.

Lillard said their coach Terry Stotts told them to go out and honor Bryant by not holding back.

"Coach said Kobe is the toughest to ever play this game. He said we should honor him that way.

"It was on all of our minds. In the time outs... it hurt all of us in our hearts. I look up to him. He's our hero. It is sad man, real sad day."

Reigning NBA finals MVP Kawhi Leonard said all of Los Angeles was feeling the loss.

"No words can explain the impact he had on the floor," said Los Angeles Clippers Leonard. "We are a team from Los Angeles so we know the LA history with him. It is just sad."

New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson was preparing to start just his third career NBA contest against Boston when he was floored by news of the death.

"I couldn't focus at first when I heard the news," said Williamson, who was born the year Bryant won his first NBA championship in 2000. "It was tough getting out there. I just hate to see it happen like that to him and his daughter."

Clippers coach Doc Rivers fought back tears as he spoke to reporters before his team took on the Magic in Orlando.

"We're all Lakers right now," Rivers said, calling himself "lucky" to have had a chance to coach against Bryant — who won five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers.

"He was such a great opponent," Rivers said. "It's what you want in sports. He had that DNA that very few athletes can ever have — the Tiger Woodses and Michael Jordans.

'Crazy day to play basketball'

"Looking at my young players and seeing how devastated they are," Rivers said as he lost his battle to hold back his tears.

New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said Bryant was one of the most driven players he has ever seen.

"I don't know where you could even start," said Gentry before his team's game against Boston.

"Great competitor, great guy, great father. Just really a sad, sad day for the NBA.

Atlanta Hawks rising star Trae Young said he was just getting to know Bryant and his basketball playing daughter.

"This is a crazy day to play basketball," Young said before the Hawks beat Washington 152-133. "I talked to him couple of times.

"He's only been to three games this year and two of them were ours. His daughter was a big fan of mine."

Bryant was one of the best closers the NBA has ever seen. Throughout his career, Bryant would baffle his coach Phil Jackson with his penchant to start games slowly before assuming total command in the fourth quarter. 

Former German all-star Dirk Nowitzki referred to Bryant's finishing skills in a heart-tugging written tribute.

"I remember coming home after games so I could watch you dominate in the fourth quarter! You will always be loved. Rest in Peace with your angel Gigi," said Nowitzki.

source: philstar.com

LeBron James surpasses Kobe Bryant at No. 3 in NBA all-time scoring list

MANILA, Philippines — The Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James is now third in the NBA all-time scoring list after surpassing Kobe Bryant on Saturday (Sunday, Manila time).

James came out in the game with an ode to Bryant, with "Mamba 4 life | 8/24 KB" written in his game-worn shoes.

In his 17th season, James is continuing to make history with at least 33,644 career points. He now only trails Karl Malone (36,928) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387).

The 35-year-old is the only active player in the Top 10 all-time leading scorers list.

James sank the history-making bucket at around the 6:27 mark of the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Lakers would go on to lose the match, 91-108 and fall to a 36-10 slate with James finishing with 29.

But James and his squad remain at the top spot of the Western Conference as the league nears the All-Star break.

James hopes to lead the Lakers to their first title since 2010. Last season, the Lakers missed out on the playoffs.

source: philstar.com

Countries with confirmed cases of coronavirus

A SARS-like virus has claimed 26 lives since emerging on December 31 in a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Here is a list of countries that have confirmed cases of the so-called coronavirus.

China

As of Friday, more than 800 people have been infected across China, with 177 in serious condition. Authorities were also examining 1,072 suspected cases.

Officials also confirmed the second virus death outside the Wuhan region, saying a patient died in Heilongjiang province, 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) to the northeast.

-- The city of Macau, a gambling hub hugely popular with mainland tourists, has confirmed two cases. The first was a 52-year-old businesswoman from Wuhan who arrived in Macau by high-speed rail on Sunday, via the neighbouring city of Zhuhai.

-- As of Thursday, two people have tested positive in Hong Kong. Both had visited Wuhan in recent days and are being treated in isolation wards in hospital.

France

On Friday two cases were confirmed in France, the first in Europe. One was in Paris while the other was in the city of Bordeaux, the country's health minister said. Both had traveled to China and both were placed in isolation.

Japan

Japan's health authorities confirmed a second case on Friday, Kyodo news agency reported, saying the patient was a man in his 40s who was originally from Wuhan and on a trip to Japan.

The country's first case was reported by the health ministry last week: a man who had visited Wuhan and was hospitalised on January 10, four days after his return to Japan.

Nepal

Nepal's health authorities on Friday confirmed their first case -- a 32-year-old man arriving from Wuhan, China. It is the first South Asian country to report the deadly disease.

The patient, who was initially quarantined, recovered and was discharged. The government said that surveillance has been increased at the airport "and suspicious patients entering Nepal are being monitored."

Singapore

Singapore has announced at least three cases: a 66-year-old man and his 37-year-old son, who arrived in Singapore Monday from Wuhan, and a 52-year-old Wuhan woman, who arrived in the city-state on Tuesday.

South Korea

South Korea confirmed on Friday its second case of the virus.

The health ministry said a South Korean man in his 50s started experiencing symptoms while working in Wuhan on Jan 10. He was tested after his return earlier this week, and the virus was confirmed.

The country reported its first case on January 20 -- a 35-year-old woman who flew in from Wuhan.

Taiwan

On Wednesday, authorities confirmed the first case on the self-ruled island of Taiwan -- a Taiwanese woman in her fifties, living in Wuhan, who returned to the island on Monday with symptoms including fever, coughing and a sore throat.

Thailand

Thailand has detected four cases so far -- three Chinese nationals from Wuhan and a 73-year-old Thai woman who came back from the Chinese city this month.

Two of the Chinese patients were treated, cured and have travelled back to their country, the Thai health ministry said this week.

United States

On Tuesday, US health officials announced the country's first case, a man in his 30s living near Seattle. On Friday a second case was announced - a woman in her 60s living in Chicago. Both were treated and are recovering.

Vietnam

Vietnam confirmed two cases of the virus on Thursday. An infected man from Wuhan travelled to Ho Chi Minh City earlier this month and passed the virus onto his son.

Both are being treated in hospital and are stable, Vietnam health officials said.

source: philstar.com

Djokovic romps past Ito into Aussie Open round three

MELBOURNE – Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic weathered a testing second set and breezy conditions to crush Japanese wildcard Tatsuma Ito and reach the Australian Open third round Wednesday.

The Serbian star gave up just seven games against the world number 146 in the 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 romp on Rod Laver Arena which lasted 95 minutes.

"Credit to him for fighting till the end, the second set was pretty close," said the reigning title-holder.

"They were tough conditions, pretty windy and it was hard to know where the balls were going. My serve helped a lot to get me out of trouble."

His reward is a clash against another Japanese, Yoshihito Nishioka, who beat Britain's Dan Evans in three sets.


It was Djokovic's 70th match win at Melbourne Park to only eight defeats, but one of those defeats was against a wildcard — Denis Istomin — in the second round three years ago.

With that in mind, he came out with all guns blazing, racing through the first set in just 22 minutes.

The 32-year-old dropped a set in a tough opening clash on Monday against German Jan-Lennard Struff, and against the odds Ito pressed hard to level the match in the second set.

The experienced Japanese, bidding to reach a Grand Slam third round for the first time, cut down on his error rate to push Djokovic around the court and get into the rallies.

But the Serb inevitably got the break he was chasing in game nine when Ito fluffed a forehand and he quickly served it out, blasting down an ace to go two sets ahead.

Djokovic, bidding for a 17th Grand Slam title, had never lost a Slam match to a player ranked as low as Ito and the Japanese couldn't sustain his level, leaking errors as the world number two galloped to the finish line.

Djokovic is seeking to become only the third man to win eight or more titles at the same Grand Slam after Rafael Nadal (12 at Roland Garros) and Roger Federer (eight at Wimbledon).

He is now on an eight-match win streak after leading Serbia to the ATP Cup title in Sydney ahead of the first Major of the year.

source: philstar.com

Intense quakes, seismic activity could mean Taal Volcano eruption — Phivolcs

MANILA, Philippines — State volcanologists on Saturday morning said that continuous volcanic earthquakes and other seismic activity could be signs of an impending eruption of the Taal Volcano.

Since the volcano's phreatic (steam-driven) eruption on Sunday afternoon, a total of 666 volcanic earthquakes were recorded by the Philippine Seismic Network. one hundred seventy-four of these were felt, registering magnitudes 1.5 to 4.1. and ranging from Intensity I (scarcely perceptible) to Intensity V (strong).


Between 5:00 a.m. today and yesterday, 32 volcanic earthquakes were plotted with magnitudes between 1.5 to 3.3.

Meanwhile, the Taal Volcano Network tallied 876 volcanic earthquakes including six tremor events and 20 low-frequency earthquakes.

“Such intense seismic activity likely signifies continuous magmatic intrusion beneath the Taal edifice, which may lead to further eruptive activity,” state volcanology bureau Phivolcs said in its 8:00 a.m. volcano bulletin on Saturday.

Phivolcs also reiterated that the Alert Level 4 (hazardous eruption imminent) is still in effect meaning "total evacuation of Taal Volcano Island and high-risk areas as identified in the hazard maps within the 14-km radius from Taal Main Crater and along the Pansipit River Valley where fissuring has been observed."

For the past 24 hours, the volcano's main crater has steadily emitted steam. It has also seen infrequent weak explosions that formed white to dirty white ash plumes as tall as 600 meters and dispersed ash southwest.

“Civil aviation authorities must advise pilots to avoid the airspace around Taal Volcano as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from the eruption column pose hazards to aircraft,” the state volcanology bureau said.

It also advised residents to continue protecting themselves from the effects of heavy and prolonged ashfall.

source: philstar.com

Jo Koy: No joke incorporating Pinoy culture into comedy act

Filipino-American funnyman Jo Koy has made the Pinoy in him a staple of his stand-up comedy act. From his Filipino mom and other relatives, to Filipino culture and idiosyncrasies, hilarious stories about these subjects have not only resonated with Filipinos, but have also found him non-Filipino fans from all over the world, gained especially through his hit Netflix specials Jo Koy: Live From Seattle (2017) and Jo Koy: Comin’ In Hot (2019).

But did you know that it took years for Jo Koy — Joseph Glenn Herbert in real life — to create comedy out of his being Filipino?

“It wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk about it. I just didn’t know how to talk about it and make it funny. So, one important thing that I always want to do is make sure that it is funny. How to, you know, involve my mom and our relationship and talk about Filipino people in a funny way, without making fun of them, or how to tell their story and make it relatable. And that takes a while,” the 48-year-old comedian, who’s in the country for his Just Kidding World Tour, told The STAR in a phone interview on Tuesday. “That alone is already hard, no matter what you’re up to. Just trying to take real life and inserting into the comedy, it’s already hard, you know, and trying to get the mass to relate to a specific ethnicity is even harder. It took me awhile to figure it out.”

How did he finally get to incorporate Pinoy culture into his routine? “The one that really took off, where I really understood what was happening, was when my mom played Nintendo Wii with my son on Christmas,” Jo Koy shared, referring to one of his most popular jokes, titled Mom and Wii, featuring his mom Josie from his 2009 Comedy Central special Don’t Make Him Angry.

He recalled just observing his mother and son playing, and finding out how competitive she could get. “Then I went onstage and impersonated her playing it. That joke just took off and it ended up being one of the biggest jokes of my first special, and that’s when I knew how to talk about my mom and what stories to talk about.”

Another hit everywhere he performs is the skit about his growing-up years when “my mom cured everything with Vicks Vapor Rub” that “I should have died nine times as a kid.”

“It was huge! So, I think any situation that my mom is involved, they love it!” he said.

Apart from his mom whom he swears loves his every joke about her, a favorite subject of his comedy is his teen son Joseph Herbert Jr.  “He’s here with me,” he said. “He loves it here, he thinks it’s the best. He can’t get enough of it. He loves the places we’re staying at and the food we’re eating. It’s been fun. I bring him to specific shows but this one was really, really important because we’re shooting a special for Netflix and I want him to see that and I want him to be a part of it. More importantly, I want him to see what my childhood was, where dad was a kid.”

Jo Koy used to live in Cubao, Quezon City. “I got family all over the place,” he said, while recalling childhood years in the Philippines from when he was five until age 11 when his family moved to the States.

“Oh, I remember everything. All the sari-sari stores. I remember running up and down with my cousins, and having a good time out here. It was always the best,” added Jo, who was spotted filming at Farmer’s Market in Cubao last week as part of a new Netflix special.

Meanwhile, bringing his comedy to Netflix “changed the game” for him. But it wouldn’t have happened had he not poured his life savings into producing Jo Koy: Live From Seattle. “One hundred percent, all of (my life savings). Netflix said no, and we went ahead anyway and shot it, and let them say yes when they watched it. When they watched it, they bought it right away! But if I didn’t make it, if I didn’t produce that special, I wouldn’t have been on Netflix — ever!”

Comin’ In Hot, his follow-up to Live From Seattle, took his act all the way to the top and “made it what it is now.” It was paid for by Netflix due to the success of Live From Seattle.

Told that his success has made many a Filipino proud, he responded that it’s a dream come true. And for Filipino audiences to patronize him through sold-out shows such as his Mall of Asia Arena gig yesterday (according to concert promoter MMI Live), “it means everything to me!” Jo Koy, who did five shows the previous time he was here in 2017, added, “It’s what I’ve always dreamt about, and to be able to do it in a giant venue in Manila, where my mom is from, it means so much to me to embrace the culture like this, and have people out here proud of me for the representation. Also putting us out there, and (having people) laugh with us rather than making fun of us, we’re enjoying our culture the right way.”

It’s not lost on Jo Koy that he has arrived in the country at a “crazy time,” what with the Taal Volcano eruption and ashfall situation. In fact, his Just Kidding show in Cebu was affected by the airport shutdown and cancelled flights, and moved from Jan. 14 to tomorrow, Jan. 17.

Since he believes comedy can do something good especially during times of tragedy, so, “Of course, I’m always going to talk about situations that happen during my stay here. I’ve never experienced something like this before, the whole world finding out that the Taal volcano erupted and here I am... just a weird experience, you know. I can’t wait to share that onstage.”

And no, he no longer feels stage jitters. “Oh my god, no! I enjoy no matter what situation I’m in, it could be an open mic, an empty bar, it could be anything, or it could be a sold-out arena, whatever. It’s the same excitement that I get no matter what stage I walk into, I just enjoy stand-up, I love it!”

Jo Koy also has some advice for aspiring comedians: “To any upcoming Filipino out there, especially those living in the Philippines, just watch my specials and know that it’s possible and remember that people said no to me, too, and I still had to make it happen. Just do it, stay focus and keep that dream alive, it’s going to come true. Hard work pays off — always.”

source: philstar.com

Downing of Ukraine jet 'unforgivable mistake' — Iran president

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran on Saturday said it unintentionally shot down the Ukrainian airliner that crashed this week killing 176 people, calling it an "unforgivable mistake".

The Ukraine International Airlines plane came down on Wednesday shortly after Iran launched missiles at bases hosting American forces in Iraq in response to the killing of Qasem Soleimani, one of Iran's top generals, in a US drone strike.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani tweeted.

"Armed Forces' internal investigation has concluded that regrettably missiles fired due to human error caused the horrific crash of the Ukrainian plane & death of 176 innocent people," he added.

"Investigations continue to identify & prosecute this great tragedy & unforgivable mistake."


Earlier, Iran's official IRNA news agency had published a statement from the military saying the Boeing 737 was mistaken for a "hostile plane" at a time when enemy threats were at the highest level.

The admission came a day after Iran's civil aviation chief denied claims that the plane had been shot down, as international pressure mounted on Tehran to conduct a credible investigation after several Western governments blamed a missile strike.

The disaster came as tensions soared in the region after the Soleimani killing, and fears grew of an all-out war between the United States and Iran.


Washington has said the Soleimani strike was carried out to prevent "imminent", large-scale attacks on US embassies. Iran had vowed "severe revenge" for Soleimani before launching missiles at the bases in Iraq.

"Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster," Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted.

"Our profound regrets, apologies and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations."

Iran has invited the United States, Ukraine, Canada and others to join the crash investigation.

The majority of passengers on UIA Flight PS752 which had just taken off from Tehran were Iranian-Canadian dual nationals but also included Ukrainians, Afghans, Britons and Swedes.

It was Iran's worst civil aviation disaster since the US military shot down an Iran Air plane over the Gulf by mistake in July 1988, killing all 290 people on board.

Video footage of the UIA 737, which the New York Times said it had verified, emerged and appeared to show the moment the airliner was hit.

A fast-moving object is seen rising at an angle into the sky before a bright flash appears, which dims and then continues moving forward. Several seconds later, an explosion is heard and the sky lights up.

Many airlines from around the world cancelled flights to and Iran in the wake of the crash, or rerouted flights away from Iranian airspace.

Nations around the world have called for restraint and de-escalation, and fears of a full-blown conflict have subsided after US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran appeared to be standing down after targeting the US bases in Iraq.

source: philstar.com

Facebook exec says it helped put Trump in White House

LAS VEGAS, United States — A senior Facebook executive on Tuesday said the world's biggest social network unintentionally helped put Donald Trump in the White House but warned against dramatic rule changes.

The Trump campaign did effectively use Facebook to rally support for his presidential run, and the social network should be mindful of that without making moves that stifle free political discourse, Andrew Bosworth said in a lengthy post on his personal Facebook page triggered by The New York Times publishing an internal memo he wrote.

"So was Facebook responsible for Donald Trump getting elected?" Bosworth asked.

"I think the answer is yes, but not for the reasons anyone thinks."

Bosworth contended Trump was not elected because of Russia or misinformation or Cambridge Analytica, but rather because he ran "the single best digital ad campaign I've ever seen from any advertiser."

He went on to say that, since Facebook has the same ad policies in place now, the outcome of the 2020 election could be the same as it was four years ago.

"As tempting as it is to use the tools available to us to change the outcome, I am confident we must never do that or we will become that which we fear," Bosworth wrote.

That doesn't mean Facebook should not draw a line when it comes to how it is used, he reasoned. Clearly inciting violence, thwarting voting, and other blatant transgressions should be banned, but voters should be trusted to decide what kind of leaders they want to elect, according to Bosworth.

"If we don’t want hate-mongering politicians then we must not elect them," Bosworth wrote.

"If we change the outcomes without winning the minds of the people who will be ruled then we have a democracy in name only. If we limit what information people have access to and what they can say then we have no democracy at all."

source: philstar.com

'I'm so sorry': Bretman Rock on dancing to Philippine national anthem

MANILA, Philippines — Internet sensation Bretman Rock has apologized for his controversial video showing him dancing to the tune of the Philippine national anthem.

A Twitter user posted a screenshot of a conversation between her and Bretman.

“I just want to inform y'all, the video of Bretman singing and disrespecting our national anthem on his story was 3 mos ago. and he deleted it immediately and HE APOLOGIZED IMMEDIATELY. I HOPE U CONSIDER THAT,” the Twitter user wrote.

Replying to the post, Bretman thanked the user, saying he will take full responsibility for his action.


“Thank you so much for understanding, I can promise you it will never happen again, I take full responsibility and I truly am so sorry,” Bretman commented.

The Hawaii-based Filipino makeup artist and vlogger was criticized recently for dancing and twerking to "Lupang Hinirang."

National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) reminded the public that such an activity actually violates the Republic Act No. 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines.

The NHCP also said that the national anthem should be respected at all times, and that it shall not be played for mere amusement and entertainment purposes, with a few exceptions.

source: philstar.com