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Mars and Jupiter align for rare close encounter; won’t reunite this closely until 2033

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Mars and Jupiter align for rare close encounter; won’t reunite this closely until 2033

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Mars and Jupiter will align in the night sky for their closest conjunction of the decade this Wednesday, offering a stunning celestial display. The two planets will appear so close that, from our perspective, only a sliver of the moon could fit between them, despite being over 350 million miles (575 million kilometers) apart in their orbits.

The alignment, known as a planetary conjunction, will reach its minimum separation of one-third of a degree — roughly one-third the width of the moon — during daylight hours on Wednesday in most of the Americas, Europe, and Africa. However, the planets will still appear closely aligned hours before or after this peak, said Jon Giorgini from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

The best viewing opportunities will be in the eastern sky, towards the constellation Taurus, before dawn. These rare events occur approximately every three years, offering both a visual spectacle and a chance to test astronomical predictions, according to Giorgini. “Such events are mostly items of curiosity and beauty for those watching the sky, wondering what the two bright objects so close together might be,” he noted. “The science is in the ability to accurately predict the events years in advance.”

Mars and Jupiter haven’t been this close since 2018 and won’t align this closely again until 2033, when they will come even closer. The closest such event in the past 1,000 years occurred in 1761 when the two planets appeared as a single bright object to the naked eye. The next nearly as close alignment will occur in 2348.

This conjunction of Mars and Jupiter coincides with the Perseid meteor shower, one of the year’s most brilliant meteor showers, adding to the celestial excitement. No binoculars or telescopes are needed to enjoy this spectacular sight.

Brazilian authorities probe fatal plane crash that killed 62 people

Venus L Peñaflor
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Brazilian authorities probe fatal plane crash that killed 62 people

VINHEDO, Brazil. Brazilian authorities are intensifying their investigation into the plane crash that claimed the lives of all 62 people aboard on Friday. The crash involved a Voepass ATR 72 twin-engine turboprop, which went down en route to São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport.

The aircraft, carrying 58 passengers and 4 crew members, crashed in the city of Vinhedo. Initial reports from the airline listed 62 passengers. Still, this number was revised to 61 before being updated to 62 again after discovering that passenger Constantino Thé Maia was missing from the original list.

Witnesses captured footage of the plane in a flat spin, descending vertically before crashing inside a gated community. The impact caused a significant fire that consumed the fuselage. Fortunately, local residents reported no injuries on the ground.

As recovery operations continued amid the winter chill, São Paulo Public Security Secretary Guilherme Derrite confirmed that the plane’s black box had been recovered in a seemingly intact condition.

“This incident is the deadliest airline crash worldwide since January 2023,” said Brazilian aviation expert Lito Sousa. He cautioned against drawing premature conclusions solely from visual evidence. “Analyzing an air crash just with images can lead to wrong conclusions about the causes,” Sousa told the AP. “But we can see a plane with loss of support, no horizontal speed. In this flat spin condition, there’s no way to reclaim control of the plane.”

Marcelo Moura, Voepass’s director of operations, noted that while there were forecasts for ice, they were within the aircraft’s operational limits. Lt. Col. Carlos Henrique Baldi of the Brazilian Air Force’s accident investigation center indicated that it is too early to determine if ice played a role. “The plane is certified in several countries to fly in severe icing conditions,” he said.

The Brazilian Federal Police have initiated their own investigation, focusing on crash dynamics and victim identification. The São Paulo state government reported that 21 bodies have been recovered, with two already identified.

ATR, the French-Italian manufacturer of the ATR 72-500 model involved in the crash, has pledged full support for the investigation. The ATR 72, commonly used for shorter flights, has been involved in 470 fatalities since the 1990s, according to the Aviation Safety Network.

The air force’s center will also conduct a criminal probe to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the accident. Ports and Airports Minister Silvio Costa Filho stated, “We will investigate so this case is fully explained to the Brazilian people.”

Hero’s welcome para kay Carlos Yulo at iba pang Olympians handa na

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Hero’s welcome para kay Carlos Yulo at iba pang Olympians handa na

MAYNILA. Naghihintay ang isang grandeng parangal kay Carlos Yulo, ang 2-time gold medalist ng 2024 Paris Olympics, mula kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Ayon sa Presidential Communications Office (PCO), inaasahan na ang mga Filipino Olympians, kabilang si Yulo, ay bibisita sa Malacañang sa Martes, August 13.

Sa pahayag ng PCO, ang mga Olympians ay darating sa Martes ng hapon at sasalubungin ng kanilang pamilya sa Villamor Airbase. Mula dito, agad silang pupunta sa Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), kung saan sila ay tatanggap ng mainit na pagtanggap mula sa mga opisyal ng gobyerno. Susundan ito ng isang heroes’ parade sa mga pangunahing lugar sa Maynila, na magtatapos sa Palasyo.

Sasalubungin din sila ni Pangulong Marcos kasama si First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at ang First Family. Mayroon ding programa kung saan personal na bibigyan ng parangal ng Pangulo ang mga atleta at ang kanilang mga insentibo bilang pagkilala sa kanilang hindi matatawarang kontribusyon sa Philippine sports at sa kanilang outstanding na performance sa 2024 Paris Olympics.

Bukod kay Yulo, mag-uuwi rin ng bronze medal sina Aira Villegas at Nesthy Petecio. Ang makasaysayang okasyong ito ay magbibigay-diin sa tagumpay ng ating mga atleta sa pandaigdigang entablado.

Deadly Israeli airstrike hits Gaza school shelter, claims around 100 lives

Venus L Peñaflor
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Deadly Israeli airstrike hits Gaza school shelter, claims around 100 lives

CAIRO. An Israeli airstrike targeting a Gaza school compound housing displaced families resulted in the deaths of approximately 100 individuals, according to the Hamas-run Gaza government. The Israeli military, however, contested this figure, stating that the strike was aimed at Hamas militants.

The attack occurred at the Tabeen school complex in Gaza City during dawn prayers. Videos from the scene revealed disturbing images of body parts scattered on the ground, with burnt mattresses and a child’s doll among the debris. In one video, men prayed over a dozen body bags laid out on the ground. The exact location of the footage within the school complex was not immediately clear.

Gaza’s Civil Defence spokesperson, Mahmoud Bassal, reported at a press conference that the complex was struck during morning prayers, resulting in “more than 93 martyrs, including 11 children and six women,” with additional unidentified remains. The complex had been sheltering around 350 families displaced by the ongoing conflict. The Gaza health ministry has yet to provide detailed casualty figures.

The Israeli military claimed that the school compound, including the mosque within it, was being used as a military facility by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani stated on X that the Palestinian death toll was exaggerated, asserting that around 20 militants were present at the site. “The compound, and the mosque that was struck within it, served as an active Hamas and Islamic Jihad military facility,” Shoshani said. He added that the strike involved “three small, precise munitions” and questioned the accuracy of the reported casualty figures.

Hamas condemned the strike as a severe escalation and a “horrific crime,” with Izzat El-Reshiq from Hamas’ political office asserting that none of the deceased were combatants. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, expressed horror at the images from the site. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ spokesperson, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, called on the U.S. to end its “blind support” for Israel, which he claimed has led to numerous civilian casualties.

Several nations, including Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, condemned the airstrike. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri indicated that the attack should prompt renewed efforts to resume ceasefire talks. Egypt and Qatar, along with the U.S., have scheduled new ceasefire negotiations for Thursday amidst rising concerns about a broader conflict involving Iran and Hezbollah.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to end the war until Hamas is no longer a threat, following an attack by Hamas fighters on southern Israel on October 7 that resulted in 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages. Since the onset of the Israeli offensive, nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been reported killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. Israel reports that at least a third of the fatalities are fighters, while it has lost 329 soldiers.

Iraqi teen detained in Vienna following foiled Taylor Swift attack plot

Paraluman P. Funtanilla
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Iraqi teen detained in Vienna following foiled Taylor Swift attack plot

BERLIN. An 18-year-old Iraqi national has been detained in Vienna amid investigations into a thwarted plot to attack a Taylor Swift concert in the Austrian capital, Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirmed on Friday.

The detained Iraqi, who is linked to the primary suspect—a 19-year-old Austrian of North Macedonian descent—reportedly swore allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group on August 6. However, Karner stated that it remains unclear whether the Iraqi suspect had a direct role in the planned attack.

Further investigations are underway, with additional suspects to be questioned and properties to be searched. The primary suspect, who also pledged allegiance to IS, had intended to carry out a fatal assault at the Ernst Happel Stadium, where an estimated 20,000 fans were expected for Taylor Swift’s concerts. This security threat led to the cancellation of all three scheduled performances.

The 19-year-old suspect, who resigned from his job less than two weeks prior to the attack, has reportedly confessed fully to authorities. Alongside him, two other Austrian youths aged 17 and 15 were detained on Wednesday. The 17-year-old, who was employed by a company providing services at the stadium, has so far refused to cooperate, while the 15-year-old remains under intense questioning by police.

According to Karner, Austrian authorities received information about the threat from U.S. intelligence, as Austrian law does not permit the monitoring of instant messaging apps used by the suspects for communication.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer emphasized the importance of international cooperation: “Cooperation with foreign partners and services is essential and reciprocal. This made it possible to prevent a tragedy in Vienna.”

Taylor Swift, whose next concert is scheduled in London next week, has not publicly commented on the cancellation of the Vienna shows. British police have stated that there is no indication the Vienna plot poses any threat to the London performance.

Philippe Petit recreates iconic high-wire walk on 50th anniversary

Venus L Peñaflor
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Philippe Petit recreates iconic high-wire walk on 50th anniversary

NEW YORK. Fifty years after his legendary high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center, Philippe Petit has brought his death-defying stunt back to life with a new performance at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. The performance, held about seven miles north of the original site, aimed to celebrate the “glorious days of the Twin Towers” rather than focus on their tragic destruction on September 11, 2001.

“I don’t have to remind people of the doomed day,” Petit told The Associated Press after Wednesday’s performance. “It adds a certain significance when you discuss a legend or a piece of history, even when the object of that history is no longer present. That’s the miracle of memory.”

The performance, titled “Towering!!,” was a tribute to Petit’s unauthorized 1974 walk between the Twin Towers. The 74-year-old artist recreated the feat inside the cathedral, where he was accompanied by Grammy-nominated jazz clarinetist Anat Cohen. As Petit made his way across the wire, Sting performed “Fragile,” and later, Petit wore a sequined gold tunic while “Fields of Gold” played.

Petit’s show utilized the Cathedral’s stunning Gothic architecture to evoke the grandeur of his original walk 1,300 feet above the ground. Conceived and directed by Petit himself, the production featured a series of short scenes that re-enacted his historic feat.

In the performance, Petit also depicted his arrest following the Twin Towers stunt. Reflecting on the success of the Oscar-winning documentary “Man on Wire,” which chronicled his walk, Petit admitted he struggled with success and distanced himself from friends. “I was really bad to my best friend Jean-Louis Blondeau, who has been the mastermind more than me on this adventure,” Petit said.

Following the performance, Petit was honored with a proclamation from New York City Mayor Eric Adams, designating the day as Philippe Petit Day. Petit, who has been an artist in residence at St. John the Divine for over 40 years, has performed 23 times to support the cathedral.

M5.3 earthquake strikes Tokyo following Japan’s megaquake advisory

Venus L Peñaflor
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M5.3 earthquake strikes Tokyo following Japan’s megaquake advisory

TOKYO. A magnitude-5.3 earthquake struck Tokyo and surrounding areas on Friday evening, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. This seismic event occurred just one day after the Japanese government issued a historic advisory regarding the potential risk of a massive earthquake along the country’s Pacific coast.

The government had previously issued an emergency warning for a strong tremor affecting Tokyo and the neighboring prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama, Yamanashi, and Shizuoka. However, no tsunami alert was issued.

The earthquake caused noticeable shaking in Tokyo, prompting Tokyo Metro to briefly halt at least one train line, although services were quickly restored. At this time, there have been no immediate reports of significant damage, particularly in the western part of Kanagawa prefecture, which was among the hardest-hit areas.

The Japan Meteorological Agency and local authorities are continuing to assess the situation and will provide further updates as more information becomes available.

Comelec Chairman: Huwag hayaan ang foreign entities na makialam sa eleksyon

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Comelec Chairman: Huwag hayaan ang foreign entities na makialam sa eleksyon

MAYNILA. Nanawagan si Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. noong Huwebes, Agosto 8, na huwag hayaang makialam ang anumang dayuhang entidad sa mga eleksyon sa bansa.

Ang pahayag na ito ni Garcia ay kasunod ng pag-presenta ng ebidensya na nagpapakita na ang mga offshore bank accounts na iniuugnay sa kanyang pangalan ay tila may koneksyon sa Smartmatic, ang electronic voting systems provider. Ayon sa kanilang pagsisiyasat, ang offshore bank transactions na iniuugnay sa kanya ay isinagawa ng Jaleo Consulting, LLC, na nakarehistro sa Florida, USA.

“Ako po ay nakikiusap, humihingi ng tulong sa ating kagalang-galang na Pangulo Ferdinand R. Marcos [Jr.],” sabi ni Garcia. “Sana po matulungan tayo na ‘yong ganitong tao, entities ay hindi makapamayagpag sa ating lipunan. Alam niyo po, ito po ay isang banta sa ating demokrasya, ang pakikialam ng isang foreign entity sa ating halalan,” dagdag pa niya.

Noong Hulyo, sinabi ni Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta na ang umano’y offshore accounts ng isang opisyal ng Comelec ay nakatanggap ng fund transfers na nagkakahalaga ng P1 bilyon. Hindi pinangalanan ni Marcoleta ang opisyal ng Comelec sa kanyang pahayag.

Noong Agosto 1, iniulat ni Marcoleta na isang volunteer sa New York ang nag-transfer sa dalawang offshore accounts na iniuugnay sa isang “George Erwin Mojica Garcia.”

Pinabulaanan ni Garcia ang mga paratang ni Marcoleta at sinabing ang offshore accounts ay kamakailan lamang naitayo at ang mga bank transactions ay magpapatuloy kahit na may mga pagkakamali sa pangalan basta’t tama ang account numbers.

Humingi na rin si Garcia ng tulong mula kina Speaker Martin Romualdez at Senate President Francis Escudero. “Sana huwag po tayong papayag na ang atin pong mga opisina, mga institusyon ay magagamit upang maghasik ng mga kasinungalingan, magbintang sa mga tao, at manira ng puri ng iba,” ani Garcia.

Smartmatic executives indicted in alleged bribery and money laundering scheme in the Philippines

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Smartmatic executives indicted in alleged bribery and money laundering scheme in the Philippines

WASHINGTON. United States Federal prosecutors have charged several executives from the Smartmatic voting machine company in connection with a bribery and money laundering scheme related to the 2016 Philippine elections.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that a federal grand jury has indicted Roger Piñate, a Venezuelan citizen residing in Boca Raton, Florida, and Jorge Miguel Vasquez, a U.S. citizen living in Davie, Florida. The indictment alleges that between 2015 and 2018, Piñate and Vasquez, along with other co-conspirators, “caused at least $1 million in bribes to be paid” to Juan Andres Donato Bautista, the former chairman of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in the Philippines.

The DOJ stated, “These bribes were allegedly paid to obtain and retain business related to providing voting machines and election services for the 2016 Philippine elections and to secure payments on the contracts, including the release of value added tax payments.”

According to the indictment, the co-conspirators created a slush fund by inflating the cost per voting machine for the 2016 Philippine elections. “To conceal and disguise the nature and purpose of the corrupt payments, the co-conspirators used coded language to refer to the slush fund and caused the creation of fraudulent contracts and sham loan agreements to justify transfers,” the DOJ added.

The indictment further claims that the Philippine government signed contracts totaling $182 million for the sale or lease of approximately 90,000 electronic voting machines. The executives allegedly over-invoiced the cost per machine and used some of the extra funds to pay bribes to Bautista.

Piñate and Vasquez face charges of one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and one substantive violation of the FCPA. Bautista, Piñate, Vasquez, and Elie Moreno, a dual citizen of Venezuela and Israel, are also charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and three counts of international laundering of monetary instruments.

“If convicted, Piñate and Vasquez each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the FCPA and conspiracy to violate the FCPA counts. Bautista, Piñate, Vasquez, and Moreno each face a maximum penalty of 20 years for each count of international laundering of monetary instruments and conspiracy to commit money laundering,” the DOJ stated.

In response, Smartmatic released a statement saying, “Smartmatic has learned that two of our employees have been indicted for alleged violations of the FCPA in the Philippines almost 10 years ago. Regardless of the veracity of the allegations and while our accused employees remain innocent until proven guilty, we have placed both employees on leaves of absence, effective immediately. No voter fraud has been alleged and Smartmatic is not indicted. Voters worldwide must be assured that the elections they participate in are conducted with the utmost integrity and transparency. These are the values that Smartmatic lives by.”

Dalawang babae, tinadtad ng saksak sa condominium

Arman B. Cambe
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Dalawang babae, tinadtad ng saksak sa condominium

IMUS CITY, Cavite. Natagpuang tadtad ng saksak ang mga bangkay ng isang babaeng negosyante at ng kanyang dalagang kamag-anak sa isang condominium sa Brgy. Bayan Luma 2, lungsod na ito. Ang pangunahing suspek ay ang tomboy na ka-live in partner ng negosyante, na diumano ay selos ang motibo.

Ang mga biktima ay kinilalang sina Aldena Tano Popelo, 48-anyos, isang businesswoman, at Jenelyn Salvador, 19-anyos. Ang dalawa ay parehong residente ng Villa Celestine Condominium, Doña Dionisia Subdivision Gate 2, Brgy. Bayan Luma 2, Imus City, Cavite.

Ayon sa ulat ng Imus City Police, nadiskubre ang mga biktima noong alas-8 ng umaga. Ang kanilang mga katawan ay natagpuang duguan at tadtad ng saksak sa loob ng kanilang condominium unit.

Sa salaysay ng kapatid ni Popelo, napansin niyang hindi pa nagbubukas ng puwesto ang kanyang kapatid sa Imus Public Market, isang bagay na hindi pangkaraniwan. Kaya’t nagdesisyon siyang personal na bisitahin ang kapatid sa condo. Pagpasok pa lang niya sa main door ng unit, nakakita siya ng mga patak ng dugo. Nang makapasok sa kuwarto, doon niya nadiskubre ang mga duguan at nakahandusay na katawan ng mga biktima.

Ayon sa mga kapitbahay ng mga biktima, 10:30 ng gabi, narinig nila ang malalakas na ingay at tila nag-aaway mula sa unit ng mga biktima. Ang isa sa mga nag-aaway ay si Popelo at ang kanyang ka-live in partner na tomboy, na nakilala lamang sa alyas na “Mona,” 60-anyos.

Narekober ng pulisya ang isang duguang icepick mula sa kuwarto ng mga biktima, na posibleng ginamit ng suspek sa pagpatay. Sa kasalukuyan, patuloy ang paghahanap ng pulisya sa ka-live in partner ng biktima, na pangunahing suspek.

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