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Weekend mass shootings leave 6 people dead and dozens injured across the US

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Weekend mass shootings leave 6 people dead and dozens injured across the US

Mass shootings and violence across the U.S. killed at least six people this weekend, including a Pennsylvania state trooper, and wounded dozens of people. Multiple people with guns fired shots at a holiday crowd in Missouri and bullets flew among teenagers partying in Illinois.

The shootings follow a surge in homicides and other violence over the past several years that experts say accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic. They happened in suburban Chicago, Washington state, central Pennsylvania, St. Louis, Southern California and Baltimore.

“There’s no question there’s been a spike in violence,” said Daniel Nagin, a professor of public policy and statistics at Carnegie Mellon University. “Some of these cases seem to be just disputes, often among adolescents, and those disputes are played out with firearms, not with fists.”

Researchers disagree over the cause of the increase. Theories include the possibility that violence is driven by the prevalence of guns in America, or by less aggressive police tactics or a decline in prosecutions for misdemeanor weapon offenses, Nagin said.

As of Sunday evening, none of the weekend events fit the definition of a mass killing, because fewer than four people died at each location. The figure does not include the shooter. However, the number of injured in most of the cases matches the widely accepted definition for mass shootings.

Here’s a look at the shootings this weekend:

WILLOWBROOK, ILLINOIS

At least 23 people were shot, one fatally, early Sunday in a suburban Chicago parking lot where hundreds of people had gathered to celebrate Juneteenth, authorities said.

The DuPage County sheriff’s office described a “peaceful gathering” that suddenly turned violent as a number of people fired multiple shots into the crowd in Willowbrook, Illinois, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) southwest of Chicago.

A motive for the attack wasn’t immediately known. Sheriff’s spokesman Robert Carroll said authorities were interviewing “persons of interest” in the shooting, the Daily Herald reported.

A witness, Markeshia Avery, said the celebration was meant to mark Juneteenth, Monday’s federal holiday commemorating the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they had been freed, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

“We just started hearing shooting, so we dropped down until they stopped,” Avery told WLS-TV.

The White House issued a statement calling the violence a tragedy and saying the president was thinking of those killed and injured. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement that he was monitoring the investigation.

“Gathering for a holiday gathering should be a joyful occasion, not a time where gunfire erupts and families are forced to run for safety,” Pritzker said.

WASHINGTON STATE

Two people were killed and two others were injured when a shooter began firing “randomly” into a crowd at a Washington state campground where many people were staying to attend a nearby music festival on Saturday night, police said.

The suspect was shot in a confrontation with law enforcement officers and taken into custody, several hundred yards from the Beyond Wonderland electronic dance music festival.

A public alert advised people of an active shooter in the area and advised them to “run, hide or fight.”

The festival carried on until early Sunday morning, Grant County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Kyle Foreman said. Organizers then posted a tweet saying Sunday’s concert was canceled.

CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA

One state trooper was killed and a second critically wounded just hours apart in central Pennsylvania on Saturday after a gunman attacked a state police barracks.

The suspect drove his truck into the parking lot of the Lewistown barracks about 11 a.m. Saturday and opened fire with a large-caliber rifle on marked patrol cars before fleeing, authorities said Sunday.

Lt. James Wagner, 45, was critically wounded when he was shot after encountering the suspect several miles away in Mifflintown. Later, Trooper Jacques Rougeau Jr., 29, was ambushed and killed by a gunshot through the windshield of his patrol car as he drove down a road in nearby Walker Township, authorities said.

The suspect was shot and killed after a fierce gunbattle, said Lt. Col. George Bivens, who went up in a helicopter to coordinate the search for the 38-year-old suspect.

“What I witnessed … was one of the most intense, unbelievable gunfights I have ever witnessed,” Bivens said, lauding troopers for launching an aggressive search despite facing a weapon that “would defeat any of the body armor that they had available to them.”

A motive was not immediately known.

ST. LOUIS

An early Sunday shooting in a downtown St. Louis office building killed a 17-year-old and wounded 10 other teenagers, the city’s police commissioner said.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Commissioner Robert Tracy identified the victim who was killed as 17-year-old Makao Moore. A spokesman said a minor who had a handgun was in police custody as a person of interest.

Teenagers were having a party in an office space when the shooting broke out around 1 a.m. Sunday.

The victims ranged from 15 to 19 years old and had injuries including multiple gunshot wounds. A 17-year-old girl was trampled as she fled, seriously injuring her spine, Tracy said.

Shell casings from AR-style rifles and other firearms were scattered on the ground.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

A shooting at a pool party at a Southern California home left eight people wounded, authorities said Saturday.

Authorities were dispatched shortly after midnight in Carson, California, south of Los Angeles, KABC-TV reported.

The victims range in age from 16 to 24, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. They were taken to hospitals and two were listed in critical condition, the statement said.

Authorities said they found another 16-year-old boy with a gunshot wound when they responded to a call about a vehicle that crashed into a wall nearby.

BALTIMORE

Six people were injured in a Friday night shooting in Baltimore. All were expected to survive.

Officers heard gunshots in the north of the city just before 9 p.m. and found three men with numerous gunshot wounds. Medics took them to area hospitals for treatment.

Police later learned of three additional victims who walked into area hospitals with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

The wounded ranged in age from 17 to 26, Baltimore Police Department spokesperson Lindsey Eldridge said.

SAN FRANCISCO

Six people were injured after a “car-to-car” shooting in the streets of San Francisco on Sunday evening, police said.

Two victims sustained gunshot wounds, one with life-threatening injuries, in the moving shootout beginning shortly before 7 p.m., San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said at a news conference Sunday.

Suspects in two cars, a black SUV and a white sedan, “drove very recklessly and chased each other while engaged in gunfire” near the northern waterfront, Scott said. The area includes Fisherman’s Wharf, one of the city’s busiest tourist areas.

Three victims were injured by glass shards caused by “errant gunfire,” Scott said, with none of the injuries considered to be life-threatening.

Two girls, ages 10 and 16, were struck by one of the two vehicles while walking their bicycles across the street. The younger girl was injured and transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries while the older girl was not injured, Scott said.

“It appears that this was an isolated incident and these individuals were targeting each other. We don’t believe this was random at all,” he said.

A police officer hangs caution tape at the scene of an overnight mass shooting at a strip mall in Willowbrook, Ill., Sunday, June 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

Unang kaso ng Omicron subvariant FE.1 naitala sa PH

Venus L Peñaflor
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Unang kaso ng Omicron subvariant FE.1 naitala sa PH

Naitala na ng Department of Health (DOH) ang unang kaso ng Omicron subvariant FE.1 sa bansa.

Batay sa pinakahuling ulat ng biosurveillance ng COVID-19 ng DOH, ang FE.1 ay isang sublineage ng XBB na idinagdag sa listahan ng mga variant na sinusubaybayan ng European Center for Disease Prevention and Control noong Hunyo 1.

Sa kasalukuyan, ang FE.1 ay kinikilala rin bilang XBB.1.18.1.1, na natukoy na sa 35 na bansa.

Gayunpaman, sinabi sa ulat ng DOH na wala itong nakikitang malaking pagkakaiba sa sakit na ipinapakita nito kumpara sa orihinal na variant ng Omicron.

“Limitadong impormasyon lamang ang available para sa variant na ito at kasalukuyang sinusuri ng mga mananaliksik ang FE.1 sa aspeto ng kakayahan nitong kumalat, pag-iwas sa immune system, at kakayahan nitong magdulot ng mas malubhang sakit,” ayon sa DOH.

Ang ulat ng biosurveillance ng DOH ay nagpapakita rin na natukoy ang 2,215 iba pang mga subvariant ng Omicron sa bansa.

Sa bilang na iyon, 1,939 ang itinuring bilang XBB. Natukoy din ng mga health authorities ang 206 na kaso ng BA.2.3.20, 34 bilang XBC, 4 bilang BA.5, 6 bilang BA.2.75, at 26 bilang iba pang mga sublineage ng Omicron.

Ito ang mga resulta ng mga sequence samples na inilabas ng Southern Philippines Medical Center at University of the Philippines – Philippine Genome Center mula Mayo 29 hanggang Hunyo 12.

Days of sweltering heat, power cuts in northern India overwhelm hospitals as death toll climbs

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Days of sweltering heat, power cuts in northern India overwhelm hospitals as death toll climbs

BALLIA, India. A scorching heat wave in two of India’s most populous states has overwhelmed hospitals, filled a morgue to capacity and disrupted power supply, forcing staff to use books to cool patients, as officials investigate the number of deaths that has reached nearly 170.

In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, 119 people have died from heat-related illnesses over the last several days while neighboring Bihar state reported 47 fatalities, according to local news reports and health officials.

“So many people are dying from the heat that we are not getting a minute’s time to rest. On Sunday, I carried 26 dead bodies,” Jitendra Kumar Yadav, a hearse driver in Deoria town, 110 kilometers (68 miles) from Ballia, told The Associated Press.

Other residents said they were scared of going outside after midmorning.

The largest hospital in Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh is unable to accommodate more patients. Officials said the morgue was full after 54 people, all of whom were elderly suffering from various health issues, died during the heat wave. Some families were asked to take the bodies of their relatives home.

On Sunday, the state health minister, Brajesh Pathak, said a two-member team will look into what caused the large number of deaths and investigate how many of them are directly related to heat.

While northern regions of India are known for sweltering heat during the summer months, temperatures have been consistently above normal, according to the Indian Meteorological Department, with highs reaching 43.5 degrees Celsius (110 degrees Fahrenheit). A heat wave is declared in India if temperatures are at least 4.5 C above normal, or if the temperature is above 45 C (113 F).

“We have been issuing heat wave warnings for the past few days,” said Atul Kumar Singh, a scientist at the IMD.

Despite the warnings, government officials did not ask people to brace for the heat until Sunday, when the death toll began to increase.

Adding to the heat stress are consistent power outages across the region, leaving people with no running water, fans or air conditioners.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the government was taking measures to ensure an uninterrupted power supply. He urged citizens to cooperate and use electricity judiciously.

“Every village and every city should receive adequate power supply during this scorching heat. If any faults occur, they should be promptly addressed,” he said Friday night in a statement.

Inside the Ballia district hospital, the chaotic scenes were reminiscent of the coronavirus pandemic, with families and doctors scrambling as many patients required urgent attention. The corridors smelled of urine, garbage and medical waste, and hospital walls were stained with betel leaf spit.

“All our staff has been here for three days straight and are completely overworked,” said Dr. Aditya Singh, an emergency medical officer.

The wards in the hospital had no functioning air conditioners, and cooling units that were installed were not working properly due to power fluctuations. Attendants were fanning patients with books and wiping their sweat in an attempt to keep them cool.

Officials said more severe cases were being shifted to hospitals in bigger cities nearby such as Varanasi, and more doctors and medical resources were being sent to the district hospital to deal with the heat-induced crisis.

Climate experts say that heat waves will continue and India needs to prepare better to deal with their consequences. A study by World Weather Attribution, an academic group that examines the source of extreme heat, found that a searing heat wave in April that struck parts of South Asia was made at least 30 times more likely by climate change.

“Plans for dealing with heatwaves are essential for minimizing their effects and preserving lives. These plans include all-inclusive approaches to dealing with high heat occurrences, such as public awareness campaigns, the provision of cooling centers, and healthcare assistance,” said Aditya Valiathan Pillai, an associate fellow at a New Delhi-based think-tank, Centre for Policy Research.

Ashes of three villagers who died due to heat related ailments are hung from a tree during their funeral in Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh state, India, Monday, June 19, 2023. Several people have died in two of India’s most populous states in recent days amid a searing heat wave, as hospitals find themselves overwhelmed with patients. More than hundred people in the Uttar Pradesh state, and dozens in neighboring Bihar state have died due to heat-related illness. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Congressman Amante, susuporta sa pagtataguyod ng AI regulation sa ika-3 distrito ng Laguna

Venus L Peñaflor
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Congressman Amante, susuporta sa pagtataguyod ng AI regulation sa ika-3 distrito ng Laguna

SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna. Naghahanda ng mga hakbang si Kongresista Loreto ‘Amben’ Amante upang itaguyod ang regulasyon ng artificial intelligence (AI) sa ikatlong distrito ng Laguna sa layuning maprotektahan ang interes at kaligtasan ng mga mamamayan dito.

“Bilang kinatawan ng ika-3 distrito ng Laguna, kinilala ko ang pangangailangan ng pagsasaayos at pagbabantay sa paggamit ng AI sa komunidad,” ayon kay Amante sa isang press briefing na ginanap kanyang tanggapan sa Fule-Malvar Mansion kamakailan.

Kasabay nito, ipinahayag niya ang kanyang layunin na itaguyod ang mga regulasyon at patakaran upang pangalagaan ang mga mamamayan mula sa posibleng panganib at abuso na maaaring idulot ng teknolohiyang ito.

“Change is inevitable, and it is clear that artificial intelligence (AI) will eventually make its presence felt in the 3rd district of Laguna. While we may not witness its immediate impact today, we must acknowledge that AI integration is on the horizon, and it is essential that we prepare ourselves early,” ayon kay Amante.

Ang distrito ng Laguna ay kilala sa pagiging sentro ng industriya at teknolohiya, kung saan maraming kompanya at negosyo ang posibleng gumagamit ng AI para mapataas ang kanilang produksyon at magkaroon ng mas mahusay na serbisyo. Gayunpaman, may ilang aspeto na nangangailangan ng regulasyon at pagsasaayos upang tiyakin ang tamang paggamit at proteksyon ng mga mamamayan, ayon sa paliwanag ng kongresista.

Isa sa mga aspetong tatalakayin ni Kongresista Amante ay ang pangangalaga sa pribadong impormasyon ng mga mamamayan. Sa panahon ng digital na transformasyon, ang AI ay maaaring magamit upang mangolekta, imbakan, at magproseso ng malalim na impormasyon tungkol sa mga tao. Ang regulasyon ng AI ay mahalaga upang tiyakin na ang mga sensitibong impormasyon ay ligtas at hindi mababahiran ng anumang uri ng pang-aabuso o paglabag sa privacy.

Bukod dito, ipinapakita rin ni Amante ang pagnanais na pangalagaan ang seguridad at kaligtasan ng mga mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng pagsasaayos ng mga patakaran para sa AI sa transportasyon. Sa paglaganap ng mga autonomous na sasakyan at iba pang teknolohiyang konektado sa AI, mahalagang magkaroon ng malinaw na mga regulasyon at pamantayan upang maiwasan ang aksidente at iba pang mga insidente na maaaring magdulot ng pinsala sa mga pasahero at komunidad.

Bilang bahagi ng kanyang adbokasiya, susuportahan ni Kongresista Amante ang pagsasagawa ng mga konsultasyon sa mga eksperto, sektor ng teknolohiya, at mga miyembro ng pamayanan upang malaman ang kanilang mga pangangailangan at obserbasyon. Ito ay bahagi ng kanyang layuning bumuo ng malawakang batas at regulasyon na may kaugnayan sa AI upang masiguro ang positibong pag-unlad ng ikatlong distrito ng Laguna.

Sa pamamagitan ng kanyang pagtataguyod sa regulasyon ng AI, umaasa si Amante na magiging modelo ang ika-3 distrito ng Laguna sa tamang paggamit ng teknolohiya at magiging ligtas at progresibong komunidad para sa lahat ng mga mamamayan.

While the exact timeline of AI’s arrival may be uncertain, let us not delay our preparations. Together, we can build a district that harnesses the potential of AI and paves the way for a prosperous and inclusive future for all,” ang kanyang pagtatapos.

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Tutubi News Magazine’s exclusive Loreto ‘Amben’ Amante, Laguna Rep. (3rd District) interview.

“By taking proactive measures now, we can shape the future of the 3rd district of Laguna and ensure that AI integration is a seamless and beneficial process. Let us work together to create an environment that embraces technological advancements while prioritizing the well-being and interests of our community,” ayon sa pahayag ni Laguna Rep. Loreto ‘Ambeb’ Amante sa isang press briefing sa kanyang San Pablo City satellite office.

As Switzerland’s glaciers melt, Alpine nation backs climate bill with net zero target for 2050

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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As Switzerland’s glaciers melt, Alpine nation backs climate bill with net zero target for 2050

BERLIN. A majority of Swiss citizens on Sunday voted in favor of a bill aimed at introducing new climate measures to sharply curb the rich Alpine nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Final results released by public broadcaster SRF showed that 59.1% of voters were in favor of the bill, while 40.9% voted against.

The referendum was sparked by a campaign by scientists and environmentalists to save Switzerland’s iconic glaciers, which are melting away at an alarming rate.

Campaigners initially proposed even more ambitious measures but later backed a government plan that requires Switzerland to achieve “net zero” emissions by 2050. It also sets aside more than 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.357 billion) to help wean companies and homeowners off fossil fuels.

The nationalist Swiss People’s Party, which demanded the popular vote, had claimed that the proposed measures would cause electricity prices to rise.

Backers of the plan argued that Switzerland will be hard-hit by global warming and is already seeing the effects of rising temperatures on its famous glaciers.

“The supporters have reason to rejoice,” Urs Bieri of the GFS Bern Institute told SRF. “But by no means everyone is in favor of the law. The argument with the costs has brought many ‘no’ votes.”

Greenpeace Switzerland welcomed the result of the referendum.

“This victory means that at last the goal of achieving net zero emissions will be anchored in law. That gives better security for planning ahead and allows our country to take the path toward an exit from fossil fuels,” said Georg Klingler, an expert on climate and energy at Greenpeace Switzerland.

“The result of the vote shows that the citizens of our country are committed to the aim of limiting global warming to 1.5 Celsius in order to preserve as much as possible our glaciers, our water reserves, our agriculture and our prosperity. I am very relieved to see that the lies disseminated by the opposite camp during the campaign did not sow the seed of doubt in people,” he added.

Swiss glaciers experienced record melting last year, losing more than 6% of their volume and alarming scientists who say a loss of 2% would once have been considered extreme.

Experts such as Matthias Huss, a glaciologist at the Swiss Institute for Technology in Zurich, have taken to posting dramatic snapshots of retreating glaciers and rockslides from melting permafrost on social media to highlight the changes taking place in the Alps.

Team members of ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) glaciologist and head of the Swiss measurement network ‘Glamos’, Matthias Huss, arrive at the Rhone Glacier to take measurements near Goms, Switzerland, Friday, June 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Away-parking, nauwi sa pamamaril

Arman B. Cambe
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Away-parking, nauwi sa pamamaril

GEN. TRIAS, Cavite. Isang lalaki ang nakasalang ngayon sa kasong attempted homicide matapos nitong tutukan ng baril ang isang residente at pagbabarilin pa ang sasakyan nito dahil sa isang away sa parking sa isang subdivision.

Ang insidente ay naganap kamakalawa ng gabi sa Bgy. Santiago, Gen. Trias City.

Ang suspek na si Edwin Germino Guerrero, 56 anyos na residente ng B1 L5 Villa San Lorenzo, Brgy. Anabu 2E, Imus City, Cavite ay naaresto matapos ireklamo ng biktimang si Reynante Dollero Bravo, 47 anyos, ng Cluster 2 B6 L 22A Bella Vista Subdivision, Brgy. Santiago, Gen. Trias City, Cavite.

Ayon sa imbestigasyon ni P/Sergeant Lauren Lubigan, 11:00 ng gabi nang mangyari ang insidente sa harap mismo ng bahay ng biktima sa Bella Vista Subdivision, kung saan nag-park ang sasakyan ng suspek.

Nalaman na kinonpronta ng biktima ang suspek dahil sa pagharang ng sasakyang ng suspek sa harapan ng kanilang bahay.

Nag-init ang kanilang pagtatalo hanggang sa magalit ang suspek at kunin ang kanyang baril. Tinutukan nito ang biktima bago pinagbabaril ang sasakyan ng biktima.

Agad na rumesponde ang Compact Patrol at SWAT team, na nagresulta sa pagkakahuli sa suspek. Narekober sa kanya ang isang .9mm caliber Sig Sauer Navy MK25 P226 na may serial number UU771370.

Kasalukuyan ng nakakulong ang suspek habang ibinigay sa Cavite Provincial Forensic Unit ang nasabing armas upang isailalim ito sa tamang paglutas ng kaso.

Blinken kicks off meetings in Beijing on high-stakes mission to cool soaring US-China tensions

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Blinken kicks off meetings in Beijing on high-stakes mission to cool soaring US-China tensions

BEIJING. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday kicked off two days of high-stakes diplomatic talks in Beijing aimed at trying to cool exploding U.S.-China tensions that have set many around the world on edge.

Blinken opened his program by meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang for an extended discussion to be followed by a working dinner. He’ll have additional talks with Qin, as well as China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and possibly President Xi Jinping, on Monday.

Neither Blinken nor Qin made any substantive comments to reporters as they began the meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

Despite Blinken’s presence in the Chinese capital, prospects for any significant breakthroughs are slim, as already strained ties have grown increasingly fraught in recent years. Animosity and recriminations have steadily escalated over a series of disagreements that have implications for global security and stability.

Blinken is the highest-level American official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office and the first secretary of state to make the trip in five years.

Biden and Xi agreed to Blinken’s trip early at a meeting last year in Bali. It came within a day of happening in February but was delayed by the diplomatic and political tumult brought on by the discovery of what the U.S. says was a Chinese spy balloon flying across the United States that was shot down.

The list of disagreements and potential conflict points is long, ranging from trade with Taiwan, human rights conditions in China and Hong Kong to Chinese military assertiveness in the South China Sea and Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Blinken will also be pressing the Chinese to release detained American citizens and to take steps to curb the production and export of fentanyl precursors that are fueling the opioid crisis in the United States.

U.S. officials have said Blinken will raise each of these points, though neither side has shown any inclination to back down on their entrenched positions.

Shortly before leaving, Blinken emphasized the importance of the U.S. and China establishing and maintaining better lines of communication. The U.S. wants to make sure “that the competition we have with China doesn’t veer into conflict” due to avoidable misunderstandings, he told reporters.

Biden and Xi had made commitments to improve communications “precisely so that we can make sure we are communicating as clearly as possible to avoid possible misunderstandings and miscommunications,” Blinken said Friday.

Xi offered a hint of a possible willingness to reduce tensions, saying in a meeting with Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates on Friday that the United States and China can cooperate to “benefit our two countries.”

“I believe that the foundation of Sino-U.S. relations lies in the people,” Xi said to Gates. “Under the current world situation, we can carry out various activities that benefit our two countries, the people of our countries, and the entire human race.”

Biden told White House reporters Saturday he was “hoping that over the next several months, I’ll be meeting with Xi again and talking about legitimate differences we have, but also how … to get along.”

Chances for such a meeting could come at a Group of 20 leaders’ gathering in September in New Delhi and at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November in San Francisco that the United States is hosting.

Since the cancellation of Blinken’s trip in February, there have been some high-level engagements. CIA chief William Burns traveled to China in May, while China’s commerce minister traveled to the U.S. And Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan met with Wang in Vienna in May.

But those have been punctuated by bursts of angry rhetoric from both sides over the Taiwan Strait, their broader intentions in the Indo-Pacific, China’s refusal to condemn Russia for its war against Ukraine, and U.S. allegations from Washington that Beijing is attempting to boost its worldwide surveillance capabilities, including in Cuba.

And, earlier this month, China’s defense minister rebuffed a request from U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for a meeting on the sidelines of a security symposium in Singapore, a sign of continuing discontent.

Austin said Friday he was confident that he and his Chinese counterpart would meet “at some point in time, but we’re not there yet.”

Underscoring the difficulties, China rejected a report by a U.S. security firm, that blamed Chinese-linked hackers for attacks on hundreds of public agencies, schools and other targets around the world, as “far-fetched and unprofessional”

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson repeated accusations that Washington carries out hacking attacks and complained the cybersecurity industry rarely reports on them.

That followed a similar retort earlier in the week when China said Qin had in a phone call with Blinken urged the United States to respect “China’s core concerns” such as the issue of Taiwan’s self-rule, “stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, and stop harming China’s sovereignty, security and development interests in the name of competition.”

Meanwhile, the national security advisers of the United States, Japan and the Philippines held their first joint talks Friday and agreed to strengthen their defense cooperation, in part to counter China’s growing influence and ambitions.

This coincides with the Biden administration inking an agreement with Australia and Britain to provide the first with nuclear-powered submarines, with China moving rapidly to expand its diplomatic presence, especially in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific island nations, where it has opened or has plans to open at least five new embassies over the next year.

The agreement is part of an 18-month-old nuclear partnership given the acronym AUKUS — for Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

China’s spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, Hua Chunying, issued a statement of cautious optimism as Blinken started his first day of meetings in Beijing.

“Hope this meeting can help steer China-U.S. relations back to what the two Presidents agreed upon in Bali,” she said in a statement on Twitter.

However, two U.S. officials downplayed hopes for major progress and stressed that the trip was intended to restore a sense of calm and normalcy to high-level contacts.

“We’re coming to Beijing with a realistic, confident approach and a sincere desire to manage our competition in the most responsible way possible,” said Daniel Kritenbrink, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia and the Pacific.

Kurt Campbell, the top Asia expert at the National Security Council, said “intense competition requires intense diplomacy if we’re going to manage tensions. That is the only way to clear up misperceptions, to signal, to communicate, and to work together where and when our interests align.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, is welcomed by Yang Tao, center, Director General of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, and U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, left, as he arrives in Beijing, China, Sunday, June 18, 2023. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP)

Binatilyong estudyante, isa pa nalunod sa Batangas

Arman B. Cambe
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Binatilyong estudyante, isa pa nalunod sa Batangas

LIAN, Batangas. Nitong Sabado, isang binatilyong estudyante at isang hindi pa nakikilalang lalaki ang nalunod sa magkahiwalay na pangyayari sa Lian at Nasugbu sa Batangas.

Ang unang biktima ay kinilala ng mga pulis na si Aaron Lloyd Aquino, isang estudyante sa Grade 12 at residente ng Brgy. Sauyo Road, Novaliches, Quezon City.

Samantala, tinatayang nasa 50 hanggang 60 taong gulang ang ikalawang nasawi na nakasuot ng berdeng t-shirt at blue na maong shorts.

Kasalukuyan pa ring nawawala sina Patrick Torres, 19, at Benjie Muñoz, 21, parehong taga-Brgy. Sauyo, Novaliches, Quezon City.

Ayon sa ulat ng Batangas Police Provincial Office, nagpasya ang grupo ni Aquino na mag-outing sa isang beach resort sa Brgy. San Diego, Lian bandang 8:00 ng umaga. Matapos mag-inuman, lumusong sa dagat si Aquino kasama ang tatlong kaibigan.

Ayon sa salaysay ni John Denmark Cruz, isa sa mga nakaligtas, hinatak sila ng malakas na alon na nagresulta sa pagkalunod ng tatlo.

Patuloy pa rin ang search and rescue operations na isinasagawa ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), mga tauhan ng Lian Municipal Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO), at mga opisyal ng Barangay San Diego.

Sa Nasugbu naman, natagpuan ang bangkay ng hindi pa nakikilalang lalaki na lumulutang malapit sa dalampasigan sa Sitio Maligaya, Brgy. Bucana, Nasugbu.

Batay sa ulat ng pulisya, isang mangingisda ang nakapansin sa bangkay bandang 7:00 ng umaga.

Patuloy pa rin ang imbestigasyon hinggil sa kaso, ayon sa mga awtoridad.

Pope Francis, back to Vatican routine post-surgery, says thanks to shouts of ‘Long live the pope!’

Venus L Peñaflor
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Pope Francis, back to Vatican routine post-surgery, says thanks to shouts of ‘Long live the pope!’

VATICAN CITY. Two days after being discharged from the hospital, Pope Francis resumed his cherished Sunday custom of greeting the public in St. Peter’s Square, expressing thanks for the comfort he received after surgery and thanking the crowd shouting “Long live the pope!”

Before launching into prepared remarks, Francis expressed gratitude for “affection, attention and friendship” and the assurance of “the support of prayer” during his hospitalization for June 7 abdominal surgery at a Rome hospital to repair a hernia and remove increasingly painful scarring around his intestines.

“This human and spiritual closeness for me was a great help and comfort,″ Francis told some 15,000 people in the square. ”Thanks to all, thanks to you, thanks from the heart.”

The 86-year-old pontiff sounded a bit breathless and hoarse at times, but he gestured frequently with his hands for emphasis, adlibbed at times from the prepared speech, and clearly looked delighted to be back to his routine.

While the thousands of Romans, tourists and pilgrims who regularly turn out for the weekly noon appearance of the pope at a window of the Apostolic Palace usually applaud when they catch sight of the pope at the window, this time the public’s applause seemed louder than usual. The three-hour surgery under general anesthesia had forced Francis to skip the Sunday appearance on June 11.

While his mood seemed uplifted to see the crowd below, including flag-waving nuns and tourists in sun hats on the hot, humid day, Francis turned somber as he noted that Tuesday marks World Refugee Day, an occasion promoted by the United Nations.

“With great sadness and so much sorrow I think of the victims of the very grave shipwreck that happened in recent days off the coast of Greece,″ Francis said. He was referring to the smugglers’ overcrowded fishing boat, filled with hundreds of migrants, that sank in the Mediterranean Sea last week.

“It seems that the sea was calm,″ Francis said, seemingly expressing perplexity that such a grave tragedy could happen in those conditions.

“I renew my prayer for all those who lost their life, and I implore that, always, everything possible is done to prevent similar tragedies,″ the pontiff said.

Some of the 104 survivors said as many as 750 were aboard, leaving the possibilities that hundreds perished. Greek rescuers recovered 78 bodies. Questions persist whether the Greek coast guard could have intervened in time to prevent the capsizing.

He also prayed for the young students “victims of the brutal attack” on a school in western Uganda. The attack by suspected rebels on a school in Uganda killed 42 people, including 38 students in their dormitories. Several were abducted near the border with Congo.

Francis lamented “this struggle, this war all over the place. Let us pray for peace.”

He also urged people to remember the “martyred people in Ukraine,″ following Russia’s invasion last year.

As he wrapped up his remarks and was about to leave the window, cries of “Long live the pope” in Italian rose from the crowd, and the pope quickly responded, “Thanks.”

The pope’s doctors have urged him to take it easy as much as possible even as he resumes his Vatican workload. Francis will receive Brazil’s president on Wednesday afternoon, the Vatican has announced. But to ensure his convalescence can proceed well, Francis won’t conduct the Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square.

In early August, Francis will make a pilgrimage to Portugal for a youth jamboree. At the end of that month, he flies to Mongolia for a visit that will see him be the first pontiff to go to that Asian country.

Michael Jordan selling majority ownership stake in Charlotte Hornets

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Michael Jordan selling majority ownership stake in Charlotte Hornets

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Michael Jordan is finalizing a deal to sell the majority share of the Charlotte Hornets, the franchise announced Friday, leaving the 30-team NBA without any Black majority ownership.

Jordan is selling to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, the Hornets said. Plotkin has been a minority stakeholder in the Hornets since 2019. Schnall has been a minority owner of the Atlanta Hawks since 2015 and is in the process of selling his investment in that team.

It’s not clear how long the process of selling will take to be finalized by the NBA’s Board of Governors. Jordan plans to keep a minority stake in the Hornets, the team he bought in 2010 for about $275 million.

Jordan’s decision to sell ends his unsuccessful 13-year run overseeing the organization.

“In the same way that it’s wonderful that one of our greatest, Michael Jordan, could become the principal governor of a team, he has the absolute right to sell at the same time,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this month at the NBA Finals. “Values have gone up a lot since he bought that team, so that is his decision.”

In that same news conference at the finals, Silver said the Board of Governors are focused on diversity in ownership groups.

“I would love to have better representation in terms of principal governors,” Silver said. “It’s a marketplace. It’s something that if we were expanding that the league would be in a position to focus directly on that, but in individual team transactions, the market takes us where we are.”

The sale price was not immediately announced; ESPN, citing sources, said the franchise was being valued at $3 billion. The most recent sale of an NBA team came when Mat Ishbia bought the Phoenix Suns, a deal that when struck in December valued that franchise at $4 billion.

Jordan declined comment on the sale through his spokesperson, Estee Portnoy.

For as great as Jordan was on the court — national champion at North Carolina, two-time Olympic gold medalist, six-time NBA champion and in the never-ending conversation for best player ever — the Hornets never reached a championship level during his time as the owner.

Charlotte went 423-600 in his 13 seasons in charge, the 26th-best record over that span. It never won a playoff series in that time and hasn’t even been to the postseason in the last seven seasons.

Other members of the new potential Hornets ownership group — pending the approval — are recording artist J. Cole, Dan Sundheim, Ian Loring, country music singer-songwriter Eric Church, Chris Shumway and several local Charlotte investors, including Amy Levine Dawson and Damian Mills.

Along with the Hornets, HSE ownership includes the NBA G League’s Greensboro Swarm and NBA 2K League’s Hornets Venom GT, as well as managing and operating the Spectrum Center, each of which is included as part of the sale.

When Jordan, who grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, purchased majority ownership in the team, it created a great amount of buzz.

But the Hornets’ struggles and inability to turn things around bothered Jordan. The first inclination that he was looking to get out of the NBA ownership business came in 2020, when he sold a minority stake to Plotkin and Sundheim.

The Hornets are coming off an injury-plagued 27-55 season and hold the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft. Victor Wembanyana is expected to go first overall on Thursday night, leaving Charlotte with the choice of either G League star guard Scoot Henderson or Alabama’s Brandon Miller.

Charlotte’s biggest star is LaMelo Ball, and the team still has some decent foundational parts to build around including Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, P.J. Washington and Mark Williams, the team’s starting center who played well last year as a rookie.

Jordan was often criticized as an owner for not spending enough in free agency to make the Hornets competitive.

He took over a team in 2010 that had won 44 games the year before but had been swept by the Orlando Magic in the first round.

It went downhill from there.

Charlotte — still the Bobcats at the time — was 34-48 in its first year under Jordan and then an NBA-worst 7-59 the following year. But despite the abysmal record, Charlotte failed to land the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft lottery and Anthony Davis.

Charlotte got back to the playoffs in 2013-14 but was swept by the Miami Heat. Two years later, the Hornets won 48 games but lost again to the Heat in the first round, this time in seven games.

In the seven years since, Jordan’s Hornets have had only one winning season and have twice exited early in the play-in tournament as the 10 seed.

Charlotte has not won a playoff series since the 2001-02 season and has never won an NBA championship

 Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan speaks to the media about hosting the NBA All-Star basketball game during a news conference in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019. Michael Jordan is finalizing a deal to sell the majority share of the Charlotte Hornets, a move that will end his 13-year run overseeing the organization, the team announced Friday, June 16, 2023. Jordan is selling to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, the Hornets said. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)
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