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☆ Philippines grants U.S. greater access to bases amid China concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The Philippines has granted the United States expanded access to its military bases, the countries said on Thursday, amid mounting concern over China's increasing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea and tensions over self-ruled Taiwan. Statements from the defence ministries of both countries said Washington would be given access to four more locations under an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) dating back to 2014. The United States had allocated more than $82 million toward infrastructure investments at the existing five sites under the EDCA, the statements said. EDCA allows U.S. access to Philippine military bases for joint training, pre-positioning of equipment and the building of facilities such as runways, fuel storage and military housing, but not a permanent presence. His visit follows a three-day trip by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris to the Philippines in November which included a stop on Palawan.

☆ Brazil senator says he attended election conspiracy meeting with Bolsonaro
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Ricardo Brito | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BRASILIA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - A Brazilian senator said on Thursday that a close ally of former President Jair Bolsonaro tried to persuade the senator to join a conspiracy to overturn the far-right leader's electoral loss last year. Senator Marcos do Val told a news conference that he had been invited to a meeting on Dec. 9 with then-President Bolsonaro by his associate, former lawmaker Daniel Silveira. At the meeting, Silveira asked the senator to try to get the head of the electoral court to make compromising comments in a taped conversation that could lead to the judge's arrest, Val said. The senator told reporters that Bolsonaro "sat in silence" while Silveira laid out the plot against Justice Alexandre de Moraes, a Supreme Court judge running Brazil's top electoral authority (TSE). Silveira told the former president that Val, a Bolsonaro supporter, could be trusted and asked Bolsonaro to present "the idea that would save Brazil" to him, according to the Veja report.

☆ U.S., Philippines agree to larger American military presence
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (R) walks past military guards at Camp Aguinaldo on Feb. 2, 2023 in Quezon City, Manila, Philippines. Austin is visiting Manila for meetings with Philippine officials in an effort to boost bilateral ties between the two countries. The agreement was reached as U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was in the country for talks about deploying U.S. forces and weapons in more Philippine military camps. American forces were granted access to five Philippine military camps, where they could rotate indefinitely under the 2014 EDCA defense pact. In October, the U.S. sought access for a larger number of its forces and weapons in an additional five military camps, mostly in the north.

☆ Bed Bath & Beyond just missed another debt payment. See the full list of stores it will close, including Harmon and Buybuy Baby locations.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Avery Hartmans | Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

In addition to 87 more Bed Bath & Beyond stores, the company now says it will close all of its remaining Harmon health and beauty stores, and five Buybuy Baby stores. San Leandro: 15555 East 14th St., Suite 24015555 East 14th St., Suite 240 Burbank: 201 East Magnolia Blvd. Marina: 117 General Stilwell Drive117 General Stilwell Drive Vallejo: 105 Plaza Drive, Suite 107105 Plaza Drive, Suite 107 * Palm Desert: 72459 Highway 11172459 Highway 111 * Visalia: 3125 South Mooney Blvd. Arterial * Coralville: 2515 Corridor Way Suite 5Kansas:Lawrence: 3106 S. Iowa St., Suite 2153106 S. Iowa St., Suite 215 Manhattan: 425 3rd Place425 3rd Place * Olathe: 15335 W. 119th St.Kentucky:Elizabethtown: 1998 N. Dixie Ave.1998 N. Dixie Ave. New Hartford: 4805 Commercial Drive4805 Commercial Drive Kingston: 1187 Ulster Ave.1187 Ulster Ave. Plattsburgh: 73 Centre Drive, Suite 10073 Centre Drive, Suite 100 Farmingdale: 251 Airport Plaza Blvd.

☆ U.S. Pushes for Military Sites in Philippines to Counter China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Nancy A. Youssef | Vivian Salama | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, in Seoul for talks over security issues, will meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. later this week. WASHINGTON—The U.S. is hoping to reach an agreement this week to open as many as four U.S. military sites at Philippine bases in Washington’s latest push to expand its strategic footprint across the region to counter threats from China, U.S. officials said. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is meeting later this week with recently elected Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr . in Manila and hopes to secure the deal, which would rotate groups of U.S. forces to sites in the country, U.S. officials said.

☆ Philippines to offer value-added tax refund to foreign tourists by 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos has approved a value-added tax refund programme for foreign tourists by 2024 to attract more visitors, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said on Sunday. The plan is to allow foreigners to get a VAT refund on items they are taking out of the Philippines, similar to what many other countries offer. The Philippines recorded 2.65 million international visitors last year, who brought in an estimated $3.68 billion in revenue, exceeding its 2022 target of 1.7 million tourists, according to the Department of Tourism. Last year's total comprised of 2.02 million foreign nationals and 628,445 Filipinos based abroad, which compared with only 163,879 tourists recorded in 2021 and was still significantly lower than the pre-pandemic annual level of 8.26 million. The government aims to boost visitor arrivals this year to 4.8 million tourists.

☆ Onions are now so expensive in the Philippines that they've become a luxury item — and people have been trying to smuggle them across the border
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Onions are now a luxury item in the Philippines. The price of onions soared to $12.80 per kilogram in December, three times the price of chicken. Local authorities seized between $9 million and $11 million worth of smuggled onions in 2022. According to the country's Department of Agriculture, on January 9, onions were going for 600 pesos, or $11, per kilogram. Local authorities seized between $9 million and $11 million worth of smuggled onions in 2022, The Guardian reported.

☆ ICC prosecutor gets approval to reopen Philippines drug war probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The ICC on Thursday said it had granted its prosecutor's request to reopen an investigation into drug war killings and other suspected rights abuses. The court suspended the probe in November 2021 at Manila's request after the country said it was implementing its own investigations and prosecutions. In a statement, the ICC said it was "not satisfied that the Philippines is undertaking relevant investigations that would warrant a deferral of the investigation." Human Rights Watch said the ICC investigation was the only credible path to justice for victims and their families. Meanwhile, the families of many drug war victims are still seeking justice in long, drawn-out cases.

☆ Philippines defiant, says won't cooperate with ICC investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Jesus Crispin Remulla said the ICC should not impose on the Philippines, which is no longer a signatory to the international tribunal. The ICC, which had suspended the investigation in November 2021 at Manila's request, said in a statement it was "not satisfied that the Philippines is undertaking relevant investigations that would warrant a deferral of the investigation." Current Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and the vice president, who is Duterte's daughter, did not comment on the latest ICC decision. Human Rights Watch said the ICC investigation was the only credible path to justice for victims and their families. Families of many drug war victims are still seeking justice in long, drawn-out cases.

☆ California shooting victims: Who died in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay attacks?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Jan 26 (Reuters) - Back-to-back mass shootings in California have claimed the lives of people who loved to dance at a studio in Monterey Park and farm workers in the coastal community of Half Moon Bay. HALF MOON BAY VICTIMSSeven people were killed and one person was in critical condition after a 66-year-old man on Monday attacked two mushroom farms near the resort town of Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco, police said. "You look to improve your life and then you end up with this," said Juarez, quiet and sullen as he took a break from cooking at a Mexican restaurant in a Half Moon Bay strip mall. Perez was stunned when, upon arriving in Half Moon Bay in the late 1990s, he saw Martinez-Jimenez again at a party. The San Mateo County Coroner's Office declined to comment on the identities of the victims in the Half Moon Bay shooting.

☆ Lula replaces Brazil's army commander, source says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Lisandra Paraguassu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRASILIA, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva fired the army commander, General Julio Cesar de Arruda, on Saturday, a source with knowledge of the matter said. His replacement will be General Tomas Miguel Ribeiro Paiva, army commander of the southeast, the source said. Brazil's army and the Ministry of Defense did not immediately comment on the matter. Lula said this week that intelligence services failed on Jan. 8, when government buildings in Brasilia were stormed by supporters of far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro. Lula has said recently that his government would purge hardcore Bolsonaro loyalists from the security forces.

[1/8] Anti-government protesters clash with the police, as they demand the release of protesters detained in the protests, after President Pedro Castillo was ousted, in Lima, Peru January 21, 2023. REUTERS/Sebastian CastanedaLIMA, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Peruvian police arrested over 200 people accused of illegally entering the campus of a major Lima university, while authorities in Cusco shut the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu and the Inca trail as deadly anti-government protests spread nationwide. Some 46 people have been killed in the weeks-long clashes and another nine in traffic accidents related to the barricades set up amid the protests. In videos circulating online, an armored vehicle can be seen breaking down a door on the university campus to allow entry for security forces. Protests have rocked Peru since former President Pedro Castillo was ousted in December after he attempted to dissolve the legislature to prevent an impeachment vote.

UFC 283 will stream live on January 21, with the main card starting at 10 p.m. How to watch UFC 283You can watch the main event of UFC 283 on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+, ESPN, and ABC. Ways to save on the UFC 283 pay-per-view priceIf you plan on signing up for ESPN+ to watch UFC 283, you can take advantage of a special discounted package. Here's the fight card for UFC 283: Teixeira vs. HillESPNEarly Prelims — 5:30 p.m.

☆ In Peru, protesters pour from remote Andean regions, demand president resign
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

LIMA, Peru — People poured into Peru’s coastal capital, many from remote Andean regions, for a protest Thursday against President Dina Boluarte and in support of her predecessor, whose ouster last month launched deadly unrest and cast the nation into political chaos. The concentration of protesters in Lima also reflects how the capital has started to see more antigovernment demonstrations in recent days. Many protesters say that no dialogue is possible with a government that they say has unleashed so much violence against its citizens. “I think this will only keep growing.”Analysts warn that a failure to listen to demands from protesters could have tragic consequences. “We have to start to think what we want to do with Peru, otherwise this could all blow up,” Cardenas said.

☆ Philippine President Marcos Says He Is Seeking Ways to Defuse Tensions With China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Greg Ip | Matt Murray | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos. He told The Wall Street Journal that his country walks a fine line between the U.S. and China. The Philippines is increasing cooperation with the U.S. and developing stronger mechanisms to defuse disputes with China as it walks a fine line between the two superpowers, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr . said. “I learned an African saying: When elephants fight, the only one that loses is the grass,” Mr. Marcos said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week. “We are the grass in this situation.

☆ Peru protesters, fired up by deaths, march on Lima demanding change
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Marco Aquino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/9] Protesters take part in the 'Take over Lima' march to demonstrate against Peru's President Dina Boluarte, following the ousting and arrest of former President Pedro Castillo, in Lima, Peru January 19, 2023. Protesters are planning a "Take over Lima" protest on Thursday, with thousands of police expected in response. The government last week extended a state of emergency in Lima and the southern regions of Puno and Cusco, curtailing some civil rights. Boluarte has asked for "forgiveness" for the protest deaths but remained firm that she is not going to resign. The protest deaths have been the lightning rod for much of the anger, with banners calling Boluarte a "murderer" and calling the killings by police and military "massacres".

☆ Mother and infant were fleeing 'massacre' of California family when they were killed, sheriff says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Tim Stelloh | Tim Stelloh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A 16-year-old mother and her infant son appeared to be fleeing what authorities described as a "massacre" at their California home when they were shot in their heads, officials said Tuesday. Others killed in the shooting included Rosa Parraz, 72; Marcos Parraz, 19; Eladio Parraz, 52; and Jennifer Analla, 49. At one point, he could hear the shooters rattling the door knob before they moved on, Boudreaux said. Boudreaux declined to say why the family appeared to have been targeted by a gang or cartel. One of the victims, Eladio Parraz, was arrested there earlier this month when authorities conducted a parole compliance check, Boudreaux said.

☆ Floods devastate Philippines as president declares 'state of calamity'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Philippines has grappled with heavy rain, flooding and landslides since the beginning of January, prompting evacuations and spurring president Ferdinand Marcos Jr to declare an official "state of calamity" in the Southern Misamis Occidental province. The downpours are happening even though the Philippines is normally in its cool, dry season from December to February. Misamis Occidental, the Northern Mindanao region and the Eastern Visayas in the central Philippines are among the regions affected. The Philippines is hit with an average of 20 typhoons each year and roughly six to nine storms that make landfall annually. The country also experiences frequent landslides and floods that are partly a result of the increasing intensity of tropical cyclones.

DAVOS, Switzerland/MANILA, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said his country would resist global recessionary headwinds, but warned that increasing tensions in the South China Sea were harming trade. "My belief is that as long as the unemployment rate stays low, we will be able to resist the recessionary forces," he said. He said the upskilling of his country's labour force was powering economic growth, including remittances from overseas workers. "The future of the region has to be decided by the region, not outside powers," he said. Marcos was in Davos, Switzerland this week for the World Economic Forum, accompanied by his economic team and several Philippine business executives.

☆ Australian Open bans flags from Russia, Belarus on site
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Flags from Russia and Belarus were banned from the site of the Australian Open on Tuesday after more than one was brought into the stands by spectators on Day 1 of the year’s first Grand Slam tournament. Normally, flags can be displayed during matches at Melbourne Park. Another was offered to Russian player Daniil Medvedev to autograph after his 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 win over Marcos Giron in Rod Laver Arena on Monday night. “I mean, if everyone feels better this way, then it’s OK,” said Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist who is seeded No. Russia invaded, with help from Belarus, in February.

☆ Atletico Madrid held to 1-1 draw by Almeria
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 15 (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid were held to 1-1 draw by Almeria in LaLiga on Sunday in another disappointing showing for Diego Simeone's team who ended the match with 10 men after Sergio Reguilon was sent off in the dying minutes. Atletico, who have won only one of their last six LaLiga games, are fourth in the standings on 28 points, level with Villarreal and Real Betis. Almeria were arguably the better side for most of the match and climbed to 13th, three points clear of the relegation zone. Atletico started well and Angel Correa gave them the lead in the 18th minute. Toure almost gave Almeria the lead early in the second half but his close-range shot was blocked by a defender near the goalline.

☆ Nadal launches title defence as Australian Open ushers in new era
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal will kick off his Australian Open title defence on Monday with a first round test against rising Briton Jack Draper as a new era begins on the blue hardcourts of Melbourne Park. The top seed has had only one win since September's U.S. Open and admitted his title defence was vulnerable to an early shock after two straight defeats in the lead-up. The reigning French and U.S. Open champion opens her campaign against Jule Niemeier in the first evening match at Rod Laver Arena, the German who gave Swiatek a huge scare in the U.S. Open fourth round. With American tennis looking for a new champion in the post-Serena era, Coco Gauff will open the day session at Rod Laver Arena against Czech Katerina Siniakova. Medvedev, the men's seventh seed, will return to the scene of last year's final heartbreak when he faces unseeded American Marcos Giron in the late match at Rod Laver Arena.

☆ Djokovic faces Carballes Baena, Swiatek meets Niemeier at Australian Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Second seed Casper Ruud - twice a runner-up on the Grand Slam stage last year - plays Tomas Machac. A pre-tournament practice match between Nick Kyrgios and Djokovic saw tickets sold out in 58 minutes and the pair could potentially meet in a blockbuster quarter-final. Five-times runner-up Andy Murray plays Matteo Berrettini while fifth seed Andrey Rublev meets wildcard Dominic Thiem in other first-round matches. The Polish player could face seventh seed Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals and third seed Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals. Women's world number two Ons Jabeur will begin her latest attempt to become the first Arab player to claim a Grand Slam singles title when she plays Tamara Zidansek.

It would turn into a nightmare as their 5-year-old son, Kyle, got swept away in raging flood waters while his mom drove him to school. San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office via TwitterKyle was lost to a succession of unrelenting rainstorms that have pummeled California over the last two weeks and contributed to 17 deaths. As water poured into her car, Lindsy told Kyle to unbuckle his car seat so they could escape. Nearby homeowners fetched rope and managed to rescue Lindsy, who was closer to the bank. “We continue to hope for the best,” said Grace Norris, a San Luis Obispo sheriff’s spokesperson.

☆ Brazilian judge orders arrest of Bolsonaro’s ex-minister after Brasília rampage
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

BRASILIA, Brazil — A Brazilian Supreme Court judge ordered the arrest on Tuesday of the capital’s most recent public security chief after supporters of right-wing former President Jair Bolsonaro led a rampage through government buildings. Supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro storm the National Congress building in Brasília on Sunday. In the arrest warrant, Moraes cited their failure to ensure proper security forces were in place. A Reuters witness spotted police at the Torres family residence in an upscale Brasília neighborhood, where a resident said they left carrying bags. His son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, denied on Tuesday that the former president was responsible for the riots on Sunday.

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