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AP Sources: US, France and UK Discuss Gas Attack Response

2018-04-10T22:07:00.001-07:00

AP sources: Officials of the Trump administration have been discussing with officials of France and Britain a possible joint military response to Syria's alleged poison gas attack.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Officials of the Trump administration have been discussing with officials of France and Britain a possible joint military response to Syria's alleged poison gas attack.

U.S. officials tell The Associated Press that the allies have weighed launching a military strike as early as the end of this week.

The White House says President Donald Trump has decided not to attend a summit in South America this week to remain in the U.S. to manage the crisis. In the past Trump has vowed to stand up to Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Trump has suggested that he has little doubt that Syrian government forces are to blame for what he says was a chemical attack, but neither he nor other administration officials have produced hard evidence. Syria denies the accusation.

Source from: https://www.usnews.com/

NPA Attacks During Holy Week

2018-04-01T21:05:00.004-07:00

The Philippine government stated on Monday the “senseless destruction” caused by communist rebels in Davao City during the Holy Week.

“The fact that three consecutive attacks happened during the observance of Holy Week all the more angers us,” Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza said in a report.

Suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) burn down the heavy equipment in three separate occurrence over the weekend.

News reports said the first occurence happened late evening Saturday, when rebels burned down four dump trucks and a backhoe in Brgy. Callawa in Buhangin District.

It was followed by an incident in Brgy. Fatima, Paquibato District, where two heavy equipment valued at P15 million were burned.

Early Sunday, the communist rebels burned a backhoe worth P8 million in Brgy. Dalagdag in Calinan town.

“This unnecessarily squanders whatever gains we have been quietly getting lately in our common efforts with the Communist Party of the Philippines/ NPA/ National Democratic Front leadership to achieve just peace through the negotiations table,” Dureza said.

Some lawmakers have been calling for the resumption of peace talks of both sides but Dureza said there must be an “enabling environment” conducive for the negotiations.

“We are therefore saddened by the consequent setback these attacks bring to our efforts,” he added.

Source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/979543/breaking-npa-attacks-during-holy-week-all-the-more-angers-us-dureza

May 2016 Vice Presidential Election Recount Officially Started

2018-04-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

The recount filed of former Senator Bongbong Marcos against Vice President Leni Robredo finally began this Monday, April 2, 2018. The said subject was scheduled last March 19, and was moved to April 2.

The recount of votes covers 5,418 precincts in three provinces — Camarines Sur, Iloilo, and Negros Oriental, where were selected by Marcos according to the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) spokesperson Theodore Te. Reading from a statement of the PET, Te noted the objective of the recount is to “ascertain the number of votes received by both parties in the May 9, 2016 national elections through a manual recount of the votes.”

“During the revision, the Head Revisor will segregate and examine the contents of each ballot box and on the basis thereof, determine the number of votes received by each party,” he also added.

In June 2016, Marcos filed the electoral protest and accused Robredo of cheating in the May 2016 elections. Marcos expectedly urged the PET to declare him as the elected and rightful vice president of the country.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/979537/breaking-vote-recount-in-marcos-poll-protest-vs-robredo-begins

As of 11:00 A.M. Severe Weather Bulletin Update of Typhoon Lando

2015-10-17T23:57:00.000-07:00

dost_pagasa

SEVERE WEATHER BULLETIN No. 14

FOR: TYPHOON “‪#‎LandoPH‬”

TROPICAL CYCLONE: WARNING

ISSUED AT 11:00 AM, 18 OCTOBER 2015

(Valid for broadcast until the next bulletin to be issued at 5 PM today)

Typhoon “LANDO” is now over Nueva Ecija and is about to threaten the Cordillera Region.

• Estimated rainfall amount is from heavy to intense within the 500 km diameter of the typhoon.

• Fisherfolk are advised not to venture out over the seaboards of Luzon, Visayas and the northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao.

• Occasional rains and gusty winds will be experienced over provinces under PSWS #1 while those under PSWS #2 and #3 will have stormy weather. Residents in low lying and mountainous areas of the provinces with PSWS are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Location of eye/center: At 10:00 AM today, the eye of Typhoon “LANDO” was located based on all available data including Subic Doppler Radar in the vicinity of Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija (15.9°N, 121.2°E).

Strength: Maximum sustained winds of 150 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph.

Forecast Movement: Forecast to move West Northwest at 5 kph.

Forecast Positions:

• 24 hour (Tomorrow morning): In the vicinity of Bauko, Mountain Province

• 48 hour (Tuesday morning): In the vicinity of Lacub, Abra

• 72 hour (Wednesday morning): 50 km North Northwest of Aparri, Cagayan

• 96 hour (Thursday morning): 50 km South of Basco, Batanes

• 120 hour (Friday morning): 200 km North Northeast of Basco, Batanes

____________________________________________________

Public Storm Warning Signal 03 (121-170 kph Expected in 18hrs.)

Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, La Union and Pangasinan

• Heavy damage to high-risk structures;

• Moderate damage to medium-risk structures;

• Light damage to low-risk structures

• Increasing damage (up to more than 50%) to old, dilapidated residential structures and houses of light materials. Majority of all nipa and cogon houses may be unroofed or destroyed

• Houses of medium strength materials (old, timber or mixed timber-CHB structures, usually with G.I. roofings); some warehouses or bodega-type structures are unroofed.

• There may be widespread disruption of electrical power and communication services.

• Almost all banana plants are downed

• Some big trees (acacia, mango, etc.) are broken or uprooted

• Dwarf-type or hybrid coconut trees are tilted or downed.

• Rice and corn crops may suffer heavy losses

• Damage to shrubbery & trees with foliage blown off; some large trees blown down.

____________________________________________________

Public Storm Warning Signal 02 (61-120kph Expected in 24 hrs.)

Cagayan including Calayan and Babuyan group of Islands, Isabela, Abra, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Northern Quezon including Polillo Islands and Metro Manila

• Light to Moderate damage to high-risk structures;

• Very light to light damage to medium-risk structures;

• No damage to very light damage to low-risk structures

• Unshielded, old dilapidated schoolhouses, makeshift shanties, and other structures of light materials are partially damaged or unroofed.

• A number of nipa and cogon houses may be partially or totally unroofed.

• Some old galvanized iron (G.I.) roofs may be peeled or blown off.

• Some wooden, old electric posts are tilted or downed.

• Some damage to poorly constructed signs/billboards

• In general, the winds may bring light to moderate damage to the exposed communities. Most banana plants, a few mango trees, ipil-ipil and similar types of trees are downed or broken

• Some coconut trees may be tilted with few others broken

• Rice and corn may be adversely affected

• Considerable damage to shrubbery and trees with some heavy-foliaged trees blown down.

____________________________________________________

Public Storm Warning Signal 01 (30-60kph Expected in 36 hrs.)

Batanes, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and rest of Quezon

• Very light or no damage to low-risk structures,

• Light damage to medium to high-risk structures

• Slight damage to some houses of very light materials or makeshift structures in exposed communities. Some banana plants are tilted, a few downed and leaves are generally damaged

• Twigs of small trees may be broken.

• Rice crops, however, may suffer significant damage when it is in its flowering stage.

____________________________________________________

• Public Storm Warning Signal (PSWS) elsewhere is now lowered.

• The public and the disaster risk reduction and management council concerned are advised to take appropriate actions and watch for the next bulletin to be issued at 5 PM today.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/PAGASA.DOST.GOV.PH

3 Towns In Aurora Was Isolated And Forced To Evacuate Due To Typhoon Lando

2015-10-17T23:40:00.003-07:00

BALER, Aurora – The Aurora Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council started forcing thousands of residents living in coastal areas to evacuate due to Typhoon Lando.

At once three towns in this province have been cut off since Sunday morning due to floods and landslides reason by nonstop heavy rains and strong winds initiated by typhoon Lando.

The towns of Dinalungan, Dilasag, and Casiguran, where typhoon Lando has made its landfall at 1 a.m., cannot be reached by any type of vehicles because of landslides along the Baler-Casiguran Road.

According to a statement of the Philippine Army, many houses were shattered and trees uprooted in the three towns.

The Villa Maria-Bongabon Road is also not accesible to all types of vehicles due to landslides and the overflowing of the river.

The Philippine Army, jointly with other agencies, is now performing a clearing operations.

Electric power supply was cut off since 9 p.m. Saturday

Detailed report of Provincial NDDRMC

OCD3 Assistant Director Nigel Lontoc said power outage sent many evacuees to 52 designated evacuation centers of the province. He said the local government units there are exerting effort to address the plight of affected residents.

“The entire Aurora province was battered by Lando,” said Lontoc over the phone.

He said about four meters of landslide was reported along the national highway of Barangay Dinadiawan. Government engineers are now clearing the area to make it accessible.

Baler town Mayor Nelianto Bihasa ordered forced evacuation before 6 p.m. Saturday in the four coastal barangays of Sabang, Reserva, Buhangin, and Zabali, including tourists staying in hotels near the beach.

According to a report from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), a total of 66 barangays in the towns of Dipaculao, Baler, Casiguran, Dilasag, San Luis, Dingalan, Ma. Aurora, and Dinalungan were affected by the fury of typhoon Lando, displacing 1,796 families or 8,392 persons.

Governor Jerry Noveras said all rescue assets, as well as LGU officials and civilian volunteers, have been pre-positioned since early Saturday morning to ensure that all affected residents would be in safe grounds when the typhoon hits.

Thousands of evacuees were accommodated in different evacuation centers in the whole province, and will stay there today and tomorrow.

Relief goods were distributed to affected families.

Strong winds coupled with moderate to heavy rains brought about by typhoon Lando since dawn Sunday destroyed hundreds of residences, toppled electric post, and uprooted trees along the eastern section of Aurora province, key official of the Office of the Civil Defense 3 (OCD3) said.

Due to typhoon Lando, which was packing maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph, public storm warning signal no. 3 was raised over Aurora.

Affected areas include Baler, Dipaculao, Casiguran, Dilasag, San Luis, Dingalan, Ma. Aurora, and Dinalungan.

Preemptive evacuation was also reported in Sta. Cruz, Zambales involving 26 families or 100 persons.

In Nueva Ecija, Lontoc said 140 families or 700 persons have been brought to safe grounds due to flash floods while 157 families or 787 persons were evacuated in Cabanatuan City.

Source: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/119068/typhoon-lando-forces-thousands-to-leave-homes-makes-3-towns-in-aurora-isolated

Black Lives Matter Activists Shove Sanders Off Stage at Seattle Event

2015-08-08T23:56:00.000-07:00

Black Lives Matter activists stole the attention from Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders last Saturday in Seattle, timely Sanders to depart without giving his words.

Sanders were just about to speak to numerous people who gathered shoulder to shoulder at Westlake Park when two women obtained over the microphone. Organizers couldn’t persuade the two to wait and greed to give them a few minutes.

The women spoke about Ferguson and the murder of Michael Brown. They also held a four minutes of silence.

When the crowd asked the activists to let Sanders speak, one activist called the crowd "white supremacist liberals," according to event participants.

After waiting for about 20 minutes while the women talked, Sanders was pushed away again when he tried to get the microphone back. As an alternative, he waved farewell to the crowd and left the stage with a raised fist salute. He shook hands and posed for photos with supports for about 15 minutes, and then left.

“I am disappointed that two people disrupted a rally attended by thousands at which I was invited to speak about fighting Social Security and Medicate,” Sanders said in a statement later Saturday. “I was especially disappointed because on criminal justice reform and the need to fight racism. There is no other candidate who will fight than me.”

Sanders did end up speaking to a crowd Saturday night at the University of Washington campus about his obligation to criminal justice reform as well as addressing earnings equality.

He addressed the protesters' worries in his speech saying, "No president will fight harder than me to end institutional racism and reform the criminal justice system. Too many lives have been destroyed by war on drugs, by incarceration; we need to educate people. We need to put people to work."

Saturday afternoon's fireworks weren't the first time Black Lives Matters activists disrupted the Vermont senator’s event.

Last month in Phoenix, protesters affiliated with the movement took over the stage at a Phoenix event and disrupted an interview with Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley.

In his campaign, Sanders has chiefly focused on issues like the middle class, climate change and criminal justice reform. In addition to advocating a $15-an-hour minimum wage and raising taxes on the rich, Sanders also supports a massive government-led jobs program to fix roads and bridges, a single-payer health care system, an expansion of Social Security benefits and debt-free college.

Sanders will hold a campaign rally at the University of Washington this evening. He will be driving to Portland on Sunday and is scheduled to hold a Sunday night rally at Portland's Moda Center, which has a capacity of about 19,000 and is home of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. The event had originally been scheduled at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which can handle about 12,000.

source: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/09/black-lives-matter-activists-push-sanders-off-stage-at-seattle-event/

USS Ashland Aided of Typhoon Soudelor Victims

2015-08-08T16:17:00.001-07:00

Different agencies including the Government of Guam, American Red Cross, Ayuda Foundation and other non-profit/non-governmental organizations have offered drinking water, bed sheets, food, generators, power lines and other electrical restoration supplies to assist in the effort.

Upon arriving in Saipan, the supplies will be sending to distribution place, shelters and schools around the island to provide the much needed supplies to local residents and government agencies.

"Ashland, as part of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Readiness Group, has been underway in the region conducting routine training and exercises. We have precisely the competence and capability, at the right place and time to take action," said Ashland Commanding Officer Cmdr. Daniel Duhan. "Along with the 31st MEU [Marine Expeditionary Unit], we are just one part of Typhoon Soudelor aid efforts. With the partnership between the Navy, Marines, local and federal government agencies, we hope to make major contributions to the effort."

Ashland, home ported in Sasebo, Japan, is the eighth and last of the Whidbey Island-class ships to be commissioned and the second U.S. Navy ship to bear that name. She is on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations with her crew of more than 600 Sailors and Marines.

Typhoon Soudelor Struck Southeast China After Exited in Taiwan With 6 Dead And 4 Missing.

2015-08-08T16:03:00.002-07:00

BEIJING, China - A typhoon was pounding southeast China late Saturday, leaving more than a million homes with no power after lashing Taiwan, where it downed trees, traffic lights and power lines, and left six people dead and four missing.

Typhoon Soudelor struck the city of Putian in Fujian province late Saturday night and was expected to move across the region, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The storm earlier caused more than 3 million households in Taiwan to lose electricity, with streets scattered with fallen trees. All 279 domestic flights on the island were cancelled Saturday, as well as at least 37 international flights. At least 101 people were wounded in the storm.

An 8-year-old girl and her mother died when they were swept out to sea Thursday from a beach on the east coast, Taiwan's official Central News Agency reported. The girl's twin sister remains missing.

Other victims included a firefighter who was killed and an additional injured after being hit by a drunken driver as they attempted to move a fallen tree in the island's south.

The centre of the storm made landfall in eastern Taiwan before daybreak Saturday. By mid-morning, Typhoon Soudelor was packing maximum sustained winds of 162 kilometres (100 miles) per hour, Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau said.

The typhoon weakened later Saturday with top winds of up to 144 kph (89 mph) while moving away from the island in a northwesterly direction.

Strong winds and heavy rains were expected to continue in Taiwan.

Authorities in southeast China evacuated about 163,000 people and ordered around 32,000 ships back to port ahead of the typhoon, Xinhua reported. More than 7,000 soldiers and police were on standby, provincial authorities said.

The provincial capital of Fuzhou was being worn out by heavy rain and strong winds, and all flights to the city were cancelled, Xinhua said. The neighboring province of Jiangxi also issued a typhoon alert.

Heavy rains were forecast through Sunday morning in the northern part of Fujian.

Even earlier than the storm made landfall, strong winds caused power outages to more than 1.41 million household in the province, Xinhua said.

On Friday afternoon, marine police rescued 55 university students and teachers trapped on a small island where they had been attending a summer camp, after strong gales stopped ferry services, Xinhua said.

The U.S. government was sending more help to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, which was battered by Typhoon Soudelor last Sunday. The powerful typhoon snapped utility poles and toppled trees, leaving people without electricity and running water.

The Pacific Daily News reported that food, water, dry milk, power generators and provisional shelter are expected to arrive on the central island of Saipan this weekend.

The goods left Guam aboard the USS Ashland on Friday. Hundreds of Marines are also on the amphibious dock landing ship, which was returning to Japan from a three-week military exercise off Australia but rerouted to Saipan.

President Barack Obama has declared the Northern Marianas a disaster area and ordered federal aid to help the U.S. territory.

Afghan Interpreter Threatened by the Taliban But Barred From Moving To UK

2015-08-08T15:38:00.002-07:00

Calls for an Afghan interpreter who aided David Cameron to be given refuge in Britain were rising last night, after the 26-year-old told of the threats he had received from the Taliban.

Shaffy, as he was known to the British forces, said that he felt “abandoned” by Britain, after repeated attempts to move to Britain were denied.

“The area where I have lived with my family now has a Taliban governor,” he told The Daily Mail. “I cannot resume my life there, people point to me and call me a spy.

“I tried to move to the north and was recognized, I moved to Kabul and the same thing happened. I went to my uncle’s home last month and when we woke there was a letter on Taliban headed paper from a commander named Mullah Assif.”

Johnny Mercer, the Conservative MP for Plymouth who provided three tours of Afghanistan, running a commando unit before going on to become a joint firearms controller, said he had sympathy for the case.

Mr. Mercer, one of a group of newly-elected MPs to have served in the army, said he had relied heavily on translators while scouting in Taliban territory to recognized and demolish enemy targets.

“They were some of the bravest people I know,” he told The Sunday Telegraph. “I don’t know the particulars of Shaffy’s case, but I do in general think we need to do more to support translators.

“They have invested a huge amount in building their country and helping Britain.”

He cautioned that the answer was not necessarily bringing them all to the UK.

“They are often the brightest and the best, and Afghanistan really needs them,” he said. “But certainly we should do more.”

Shaffy, one of the British army’s top Afghan translators, said he was targeted by the Taliban after working for Mr Cameron in 2011. Photographs online of him and the British prime minister have been used as verification that he was a spy, he said, while his alerting of British troops to an awaiting attack has made him a source of hatred for the Taliban.

“The Taliban told me I stood with Mr Cameron, helping the British, as they killed their mujahideen – and that I would die because of it,” he said.

“I told them that it was a mistake and not me but they said I was a liar, that my pictures and video was on Google and they were looking as we spoke at me beside Mr Cameron.

Shaffy, who worked for the army until January 2013, said he was told by UK forces that they would look after him.

But the father-of-three says the British have left and after six years with the military – three on the front lines, when he was twice blown up in armored vehicles, and three working for senior officers – the threats have grown and the Taliban have almost seized him twice.

“I have changed my telephone many times and have frequently moved house but every time their messengers find where I am and criticized me that I will die for helping the British.

“The British authorities know all about my case. I have asked to be allowed to come to the UK because my life and that of my wife and three young daughters is in danger, as a direct outcome of working faithfully for them. But they just say ‘sorry, no’ and give no reason.”

Australia and the US is also facing similar demands from Afghan translators, who feel they have been abandoned by the West.

Shaffy said he had letters from army officers highlighting his “outstanding courage” in the face of threats. Another letter said that, out of 100 translators, Shaffy was “the outstanding interpreter” who was “thoroughly battle hardened and loyal to British forces.”

Yet regardless of the honor, he was still turned down by a method that allowed interpreters who worked for a year after December 2011 to move to Britain.

“Mr Cameron and the UK government have forgotten us,” he said. “They have nothing in their hearts.”

A government spokesman said: “Whilst we cannot comment on this individual case, we recognized the involvement of all local civilian staff, including interpreters, who worked for the UK. They played a very important part in our efforts towards a more protected, steady and prosperous Afghanistan.

“The UK Government believes that its guidelines towards locally engaged staff in Afghanistan is legal, honorable and fair, and we are committed to delivering kind support that appropriately reflects their work and the risks involved, especially to patrol interpreters and translators who worked alongside us in the most challenging and dangerous roles.”

2015-08-08T15:34:00.001-07:00