San Diego Bulletin - News - Latest Posts https://sandiegodaily.net/rss/latest-posts San Diego Bulletin - News - Latest Posts en Copyright 2026 San Diego Bulletin - All Rights Reserved. Space Force seeks fresh bidders for satellite-control antennas https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/space-force-seeks-fresh-bidders-for-satellite-control-antennas/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/space-force-seeks-fresh-bidders-for-satellite-control-antennas/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Space, Force, seeks, fresh, bidders, for, satellite-control, antennas

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force is launching a new competition for mobile satellite-control antennas, formally restarting a program it canceled after abandoning a $1.7 billion contract with AeroVironment and shifting toward a more commercial procurement strategy.

The Space Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office earlier this month issued a pre-solicitation under the Satellite Communication Augmentation Resource program, known as SCAR, seeking industry proposals for electronically steered phased-array antennas that can supplement the military’s aging Satellite Control Network.

The solicitation is the latest step in the government’s effort to reset a program originally awarded in 2022 to BlueHalo, later acquired by AeroVironment. The contract was terminated after the government decided to shift its acquisition strategy away from a single-vendor arrangement toward an open competition built around commercially developed systems rather than a customized design.

SCAR was created to address growing capacity constraints in the Satellite Control Network, a global system of military ground stations used to track, monitor and command U.S. satellites. These network terminals rely on large mechanically steered dishes that typically communicate with one spacecraft at a time, limiting throughput as the number of military satellites grows.

Under the new approach, the Space Force is seeking commercially derived phased-array systems that can be produced at scale.

The Commercial Solutions Opening, or CSO, is expected to serve as the first step toward a new procurement that officials have said will introduce additional vendors and emphasize manufacturing capacity, supply-chain resilience and fixed-price production.

New competitors

The new competition is expected to draw established defense contractors as well as newer commercial entrants. AeroVironment has said it intends to submit a version of its BADGER antenna, the system originally developed under the SCAR agreement.

The restart also opens a lane for companies such as Northwood Space, a California startup developing commercial phased-array ground systems. Northwood recently raised $100 million and has been positioning itself as a supplier of ground infrastructure for satellite command-and-control and data communications.

In January, Northwood won a $49.8 million Space Force contract through the Joint Antenna Marketplace to augment capacity for the Satellite Control Network. That separate initiative allows the Space Force to tap commercial antenna capacity rather than relying only on government-owned ground stations.

Northwood is developing two main products. Portal is a modular phased-array ground station designed to support multiple simultaneous satellite links through electronic beam steering rather than mechanically moving dishes. The company says a single Portal installation can support up to eight concurrent connections.

Its second product, Prism, is aimed at high-volume satellite communications and data delivery.

Northwood recently hired Patrick Little, a former Space Force program director who worked on the Satellite Control Network and related ground systems, as director of U.S. government growth. Little said the current acquisition environment is creating openings for nontraditional suppliers.

“I think the government’s doing a really good job” bringing in commercial competitors into programs, Little told SpaceNews. “Barriers are rapidly coming down, which is great. There’s lots of opportunity for commercial.”

Read the original article here

The post Space Force seeks fresh bidders for satellite-control antennas appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> NBC’s Fall Schedule Is a Desert for Scripted TV Fans, and One New Drama Isn’t Enough https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nbcs-fall-schedule-is-a-desert-for-scripted-tv-fans-and-one-new-drama-isnt-enough/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nbcs-fall-schedule-is-a-desert-for-scripted-tv-fans-and-one-new-drama-isnt-enough/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NBC’s, Fall, Schedule, Desert, for, Scripted, Fans, and, One, New, Drama, Isn’t, Enough

NBC unveiled its Fall 2026 premiere schedule, and if you’re a fan of scripted television, you may want to sit down before taking a look.

Actually, scratch that. You’ll have plenty of time to sit down because there won’t be much scripted programming to watch.

NBC’s lineup is packed with football, reality competitions, and unscripted fare, leaving longtime fans of the network’s dramas with a surprisingly barren fall calendar. 

(Screengrab -/NBC)

While other broadcasters will likely unveil returning hits and new scripted offerings throughout September, NBC appears content to hand over much of the season to The Voice, America’s Got Talent, The Traitors: New Blood, and football.

The most glaring issue isn’t that NBC has reality programming. Every network does.

It’s that NBC barely seems interested in offering scripted alternatives.

The network’s lone new fall drama, Line of Fire, starring Peter Krause and Hope Davis, premieres September 21 after The Voice. That’s it.

One.

A single hour of new scripted drama serving as the lone representative for an entire genre on one of the country’s major broadcast networks.

(Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

Meanwhile, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. won’t return until October 7. Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU follow on October 8.

That means NBC’s biggest drama brands will spend most of September sitting on the sidelines while viewers are encouraged to invest their time in singing competitions and reality contests.

And if you’re hoping additional scripted programming is waiting in the wings, NBC has already confirmed that The Rockford Files reboot and Sunset P.I. are being held for midseason.

In other words, the network isn’t merely delaying a few premieres. It’s delaying entire portions of its scripted slate until 2027.

(Euan Cherry/Peacock)

The schedule becomes even more striking when viewed as a whole.

September opens with football. Then comes The Traitors: New Blood. Then multiple nights of The Voice. America’s Got Talent occupies two-hour blocks. Dateline fills Friday nights. 

Even the comedies arrive gradually, with Happy’s Place and the new series Newlyweds not premiering until late October and St. Denis Medical waiting until November.

For viewers who still tune into broadcast television primarily for scripted storytelling, the message feels impossible to ignore.

Wait. Wait until October. Wait until January. Wait until spring. Wait while reality programming gets first dibs on the schedule.

(Scott Gries/NBC)

NBC executives would likely argue that these decisions are driven by ratings economics. Reality shows cost less, can air more episodes, and often deliver dependable audiences. From a business perspective, the strategy makes sense.

From a viewer perspective, it’s becoming harder to understand what NBC wants to be.

Once upon a time, fall premiere season was an event. Networks packed their schedules with ambitious dramas, new comedies, and returning favorites. There was a sense that broadcasters were competing to earn viewers’ attention.

Now NBC’s schedule feels less like a showcase and more like a placeholder.

The frustrating part is that NBC still has some of broadcast television’s strongest scripted brands. One Chicago remains a powerhouse.

(Virginia Sherwood/NBC)

Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU continue to draw loyal audiences. New dramas like Line of Fire deserve room to breathe and build momentum.

Instead, scripted television feels like an afterthought.

Perhaps Line of Fire will be a breakout hit. Maybe The Rockford Files and Sunset P.I. will make midseason worth the wait.

But looking at NBC’s fall schedule as it currently stands, it’s difficult to escape one conclusion:

If you love scripted television, NBC is asking for a remarkable amount of patience.

And after years of shrinking episode counts, delayed premieres, and increasingly crowded reality schedules, viewers may be running out of it.

(Scott Gries/NBC)

NBC Fall 2026 Premiere Calendar

Thursday, September 17

  • 8:00-10:00 PM – The Traitors: New Blood

Monday, September 21

  • 8:00-10:00 PM – The Voice
  • 10:00-11:00 PM – Line of Fire ⭐ (NBC’s only new fall drama)

Tuesday, September 22

  • 8:00-9:00 PM – The Voice
  • 9:00-11:00 PM – America’s Got Talent
(George Burns Jr/NBC)

Wednesday, September 23

  • 8:00-9:00 PM – The Voice
  • 9:00-11:00 PM – America’s Got Talent Season Finale

Friday, September 25

  • 9:00-11:00 PM – Dateline NBC

Wednesday, October 7

(Greg Gayne/NBC)

Thursday, October 8

  • 9:00-10:00 PM – Law & Order: SVU
  • 10:00-11:00 PM – Law & Order

Friday, October 23

  • 8:00-8:30 PM – Happy’s Place
  • 8:30-9:00 PM – Newlyweds

Monday, November 2

  • 8:00-8:30 PM – St. Denis Medical
  • 8:30-9:00 PM – The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins  
(Matt Hill/NBC)

Coming Midseason

  • The Rockford Files
  • Sunset P.I.  

Well, there you have it. Mark your calendars!

Or, don’t.

I guess it depends on what shows on the NBC schedule bring light to your life. Me? I’ll be holding out hope for David Boreanaz to work wonders with Jim Rockford.

  • NBC’s Fall Schedule Is a Desert for Scripted TV Fans, and One New Drama Isn’t Enough

    NBC unveiled its Fall 2026 premiere schedule, and if you’re a fan of scripted television, you may want to sit down before taking a look. Actually, scratch that. You’ll have plenty of time to sit down because there won’t be much scripted programming to watch. NBC’s lineup is packed with football, reality competitions, and unscripted…

  • 20 Years of Friday Night Lights: A Look Back on the Best Episodes

    20 years later, and Friday Night Lights has still left a mark on our hearts. Here are the six episodes that defined the show.

  • The Traitors: New Blood’s Episode Runtime Is Already Raising Red Flags

    The Traitors’ New Blood spinoff is getting a drastically reduced runtime. Let’s discuss why that’s a problem.

Read the original article here

The post NBC’s Fall Schedule Is a Desert for Scripted TV Fans, and One New Drama Isn’t Enough appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> After Successfully Selling Over 15 Cars, Faraday Future Would Now Like You To Buy Its Robots https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/after-successfully-selling-over-15-cars-faraday-future-would-now-like-you-to-buy-its-robots/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/after-successfully-selling-over-15-cars-faraday-future-would-now-like-you-to-buy-its-robots/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator After, Successfully, Selling, Over, Cars, Faraday, Future, Would, Now, Like, You, Buy, Its, Robots






Photo of Faraday Future's robotics lineup at a convention show floor
Faraday Future

Faraday Future would like you to purchase an $89,900 robot. As part of its latest revamp, the embattled electric car company is now pitching a lineup of robots, including humanoids, quadrupeds and a robotic arm. If that name doesn’t ring any bells, that could be because the company has been going through a bit of a pivot over the past year in an attempt to salvage its bottom line, if not its reputation. 

That’s become something of a theme for Faraday. The business generated a fair bit of hype years before it showed off its first production-ready electric car at CES 2017. Its leaders certainly had lofty goals. But in the almost decade since, both the business and its founder, YT Jia, experienced financial tumult. Compounded by about a dozen lawsuits, internal turmoil, layoffs and yet more confusion around money, a lot of Faraday’s plans went on hold. It showed. In January 2025, it said it had sold “15 or 16” vehicles.

However, Faraday Future returned to CES that year promising a new electric minivan and a “fresh start.” The return of founder YT Jia as sole global CEO in May of this year as part of a larger executive shakeup might mean a loose definition of “fresh.” The company is still putting work into its EV strategy, with the first pre-production model of its FX Super One MPV van completed in December. But now it seems to be taking a page from Tesla’s book and directing more energy into robotics.

This month, Faraday Future shared some new details about its robotics lineup. There’s a quadruped model called Navi that looks to be targeted toward kids for learning embodied AI. That one starts at just under $2,000, but you may have to pay extra to give it a 3D-printed canine head. The company also has a new version of its humanoid model called Futurist. The 5’8″ robot, equipped with NVIDIA Sonic’s full-body motion control system, is on sale for just shy of $90K. It’s also selling an industrial-grade robotic arm that it’s calling a “mobile manipulator product.” There’s no public pricing, which is likely code for unbelievably expensive, even for business customers.

Despite the massive price tags and a history one could most politely call spotty, the company seems to be counting on at least some sales. According to its latest press release, Faraday Future claims to expect shipments of more than 100 robotics units in June and that total shipments for the first six months on the year are “expected to surpass our original target of 220 units.” Hey, at least it’s better than 15.



Read the original article here

The post After Successfully Selling Over 15 Cars, Faraday Future Would Now Like You To Buy Its Robots appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Sam Smith announces new album ‘Hazel Eyes’ with romantic single ‘My Guy’ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/sam-smith-announces-new-album-hazel-eyes-with-romantic-single-my-guy/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/sam-smith-announces-new-album-hazel-eyes-with-romantic-single-my-guy/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Sam, Smith, announces, new, album, ‘Hazel, Eyes’, with, romantic, single, ‘My, Guy’

Sam Smith has announced their fifth album ‘Hazel Eyes’ and shared its romantic new single ‘My Guy’ – check it out below.

The singer-songwriter will release the new record and the follow-up to 2023’s ‘Gloria’ on August 21 via Capitol Records UK. It is available to pre-order now here.

Fans have been given a taste of the record with ‘My Guy’, a warm and heartfelt track that shows off Smith’s deeply soulful vocals, over a minimal, restrained backing. “And like all good things, it caught me by surprise / You could dream he’s yours all you want, but he’s mine / He’s my guy,” Smith sings.

Check out the video for ‘My Guy’ here:

Speaking about the single, Smith has said: “This is a song that I feel I have been waiting a lifetime to write and sing. Written with beautiful friends on a summer’s day in New York, this one fell out of the sky.

“In this sometimes cold and distant world, I hope you can feel the love and the closeness of this recording. I tried to capture the glow and the warmth of love in this one, it makes me cry, maybe it will make you feel a little love too.”

‘Hazel Eyes’, which includes the 2025 single ‘To Be Free’, was created alongside Smith’s longtime collaborator and friend Simon Aldred, with much of the 12-track album taking shape in New York.

It also features contributions from Feist and multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily, who has worked with Yoko Ono and Damien Rice, with parts of the album recorded at Electric Lady Studios.

Smith has said: “This album is an incredibly special record to me. I have been writing it for over three years with a very small group of beautiful, dear friends of mine.

“This album is very personal, and I feel I have deepened myself as an artist through the making of it, through being a producer on the record, to walking alongside this record from the start to the finish and pushing myself at every single turn. This record and this music is incredibly romantic. I’ve learned so many life lessons through making this album, and I’ve documented it all through the music.”

Sam Smith – ‘Hazel Eyes’ tracklist: 

  1. Everlasting Love 
  2. Hazel Eyes 
  3. Moondance (feat. Feist) 
  4. My Guy 
  5. When He’sGone  
  6. Thief 
  7. Love Is AStillness  
  8. Sugar Rush 
  9. Oh Mother (feat. The TwoCityChorus)  
  10. Constant Companion 
  11. Hold On 
  12. To Be Free

On Friday (June 26), Smith will mark the start of NYC Pride Weekend with an intimate performance at the Booking.com Theater at the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center.

NME gave Smith’s last album ‘Gloria’ a four-star review, writing: “Smith’s soulful voice is stunning throughout, and it’s surely a sign of confidence that several songs feature such prominent and intricate backing vocals. When you’re comfortable in yourself, you don’t always have to push to the front. Smith’s heavenly tone also helps to sell the odd bland line.”

Read the original article here

The post Sam Smith announces new album ‘Hazel Eyes’ with romantic single ‘My Guy’ appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> @ Sign to 4AD for New Album Autosmile https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/sign-to-4ad-for-new-album-autosmile/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/sign-to-4ad-for-new-album-autosmile/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Sign, 4AD, for, New, Album, Autosmile

Philadelphia psych-folk duo and frontrunners for most “un-Googleable band name” @ (pronounced like “at”) have signed to 4AD for their sophomore album. Victoria Rose and Stone Filipczak will release Autosmile on October 16 via the storied British label. As a lead single, they’ve shared the LP’s title track alongside a stripped-down performance video. Watch it below.

Rose and Filipczak originally self-released their debut full-length, 2021’s Mind Palace Music. Carpark Records reissued the album in 2023 and, the following year, put out an EP by the duo, Are You There God? It’s Me, @. @ will support both YHWH Nailgun and This is Lorelei on their respective North American tours this fall, then head to Europe in November for their own run of headlining dates. Scroll down to see the full run of shows.

Revisit Nina Corcoran’s review of Are You There God? It’s Me, @.

Autosmile:
01 Bird
02 Love in the Dark
03 I Know You Are (But What Am I Thinking)
04 Earthly Love
05 Your Dog
06 Untitled
07 I’m Not in Pain
08 Punish My Mind
09 Judgement Farmer
10 Autosmile
11 Amity

@:
09-18-20 Philadelphia, PA – Making Time
10-01 Seattle, WA – Chop Suey +
10-02 Vancouver, British Columbia – The Fox Cabaret +
10-03 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios +
10-05 Berkeley, CA – Cornerstone +
10-06 San Diego, CA – Soda Bar +
10-09 Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room +
10-27 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall =
10-28 Lakewood, OH – Mahall’s =
10-30 Toronto, Ontario – The Concert Hall =
10-31 Montreal, Quebec – Bar Le Ritz P.D.B. =
11-02 Boston, MA – Royale =
11-04 Washington, D.C. – The Atlantis =
11-05 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church =
11-06 New York, NY – Webster Hall =
11-09 Paris, France – Point FMR
11-11 Bristol, England – Exchange
11-12 Leeds, England – Lending Room
11-13 Glasgow, Scotland – 1990
11-14 Birmingham, England – Hare & Hounds
11-15 Manchester, England – Yes Pink Room
11-16 Dublin, Ireland – Workman’s Club
11-18 London, England – St Matthias Church
11-21 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Cinetol
11-22 Leeuwarden, Netherlands – Explore the North Festival
11-23 Berlin, Germany – Kantine am Berghain
11-24 Brussels, Belgium – Botanique

+ with YHWH Nailgun
= with This is Lorelei

Read the original article here

The post @ Sign to 4AD for New Album Autosmile appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Board of Supervisors to vote on funding food distributions https://fox5sandiego.com/news/food-insecurity-san-diego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/food-insecurity-san-diego/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Board, Supervisors, vote, funding, food, distributions Big Bay Boom 2026: What to know about San Diego's largest fireworks show https://fox5sandiego.com/news/big-bay-boom/san-diego-big-bay-boom-2026/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/big-bay-boom/san-diego-big-bay-boom-2026/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Big, Bay, Boom, 2026:, What, know, about, San, Diegos, largest, fireworks, show Pride Promenade delays frustrating residents and business owners https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/hillcrest-pride-promenade-delays/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/hillcrest-pride-promenade-delays/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Pride, Promenade, delays, frustrating, residents, and, business, owners Tennis legend Stan Smith coming to San Diego youth tennis gala https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/stan-smith-barnes-tennis-center-gala/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/stan-smith-barnes-tennis-center-gala/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Tennis, legend, Stan, Smith, coming, San, Diego, youth, tennis, gala Great white shark spotted off San Diego shore https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/great-white-shark-la-jolla/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/great-white-shark-la-jolla/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Great, white, shark, spotted, off, San, Diego, shore Soon to Rise: HAMAKA Trade Center Set to Boost Taytay’s Local Economy https://sandiegodaily.net/soon-to-rise-hamaka-trade-center-set-to-boost-taytays-local-economy https://sandiegodaily.net/soon-to-rise-hamaka-trade-center-set-to-boost-taytays-local-economy Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:22:00 -0600 Meme Borja - International News Correspondent

Taytay, Rizal — June 23, 2026

A significant milestone was achieved today as the Municipality of Taytay held the groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming HAMAKA Trade Center, a project expected to bring renewed growth and opportunities to the local economy.

The ceremony was led by Mayor Allan De Leon, together with Vice Mayor JV Cabitac and the 13th Sangguniang Bayan, marking the beginning of the construction of a new commercial hub strategically located in front of the New Taytay Public Market.

The HAMAKA Trade Center is envisioned to become a modern center for trade and business in Taytay, providing a more organized and accessible space for entrepreneurs, vendors, and businesses. The project aims to create additional livelihood opportunities, support local enterprises, and further strengthen the economic activities of the municipality.

More than just an infrastructure project, the HAMAKA Trade Center represents the continuing commitment of the Taytay Municipal Government to implement programs and developments that deliver long-term benefits for its residents. Through projects focused on sustainable growth and progress, the municipality continues to build a more dynamic, resilient, and organized community for future generations.

As Taytay moves forward with its vision for progress and development, the HAMAKA Trade Center stands as another symbol of the town’s commitment to innovation, economic empowerment, and inclusive growth.

Tara na, Let’s Smile Taytay!

By: Meme Borja

]]> Barbie merch pop-up coming to Mission Valley https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/barbie-sports-club-truck-san-diego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/barbie-sports-club-truck-san-diego/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:58:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Barbie, merch, pop-up, coming, Mission, Valley Pope Leo XIV to UN: To combat hunger, focus on humanity https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-to-un-to-combat-hunger-focus-on-humanity https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-to-un-to-combat-hunger-focus-on-humanity Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV, UN:, combat, hunger, focus, humanity After meeting with pope, collaboration between Vatican, abuse victims takes ‘a step forward’ https://catholics.news/after-meeting-with-pope-collaboration-between-vatican-abuse-victims-takes-a-step-forward https://catholics.news/after-meeting-with-pope-collaboration-between-vatican-abuse-victims-takes-a-step-forward Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator After, meeting, with, pope, collaboration, between, Vatican, abuse, victims, takes, ‘a, step, forward’ Pope Leo XIV warns no doctor should ever 'decide on the life of an embryo' https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-warns-no-doctor-should-ever-decide-on-the-life-of-an-embryo https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-warns-no-doctor-should-ever-decide-on-the-life-of-an-embryo Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV, warns, doctor, should, ever, decide, the, life, embryo NASA’s inspector general warns launch sites nearing capacity https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nasas-inspector-general-warns-launch-sites-nearing-capacity/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nasas-inspector-general-warns-launch-sites-nearing-capacity/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NASA’s, inspector, general, warns, launch, sites, nearing, capacity

WASHINGTON — A report by NASA’s inspector general is the latest to highlight the problems that the increasing number of launches is posing to spaceports.

NASA’s Office of Inspector General released a report June 22 on NASA launch infrastructure at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. It concluded that those spaceports are not equipped to handle the growing demand for government and commercial launches.

“NASA’s launch infrastructure is dated and lacks the capacity to meet the growing demands of the agency and government and commercial partners,” it stated. “Based on current launch projections, Kennedy and Wallops are expected to operate near capacity in the 2028 to 2029 time frame.”

NASA data included in the report projected launches supported by KSC, which includes those at neighboring Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, to grow from 109 in 2025 to 268 in 2030. Launches from Wallops would grow from 17 in 2025 to 44 in 2030, according to the agency.

That projected growth is pushing the limits of what the spaceports can handle, particularly when accounting for events like launch scrubs and major tests. The report said that KSC will reach its limits by early 2029, while Wallops could be at capacity by 2028.

Those launch rates are projected to continue to grow beyond 2030. According to the report, Blue Origin expects to perform more than 50 New Glenn launches a year by 2030 and more than 120 annually by 2035, figures the company has not widely discussed before. The report said the company approached NASA about another launch site on KSC property, although the site identified by NASA, north of Launch Complex 39, “is a protected wetland and would have to undergo lengthy and extensive federal and local review and approval processes.”

Concerns about launch activity exceeding capacity at U.S. spaceports are not new. In March 2025, executives with three major launch companies — Blue Origin, SpaceX and United Launch Alliance — all warned that spaceports would not be able to meet the demand they projected for their vehicles.

A report by the Commercial Space Federation released in May also noted that high demand for launches could overwhelm existing spaceports. Its recommendations included improved coordination and investment in existing spaceports while considering new launch sites, such as inland or sea-based facilities.

The NASA inspector general’s report, though, provided additional details about the conditions at KSC in particular and the demands on infrastructure there. The center’s electrical infrastructure is aging, the report noted, and demand from future Starship launches at Launch Complex 39A could exceed capacity.

Similarly, the center’s gaseous nitrogen pipelines, which extend to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, cannot simultaneously support launches of Blue Origin’s New Glenn and ULA’s Vulcan Centaur or the Space Launch System. The report added that Blue Origin warned that future SLS launches could create “1- to 2-month blackout periods” in the gaseous nitrogen pipeline.

Those problems are exacerbated by funding shortfalls. The report stated that NASA funding for launch facilities and other infrastructure across its field centers has been falling over the last five years when adjusted for inflation. The agency is also restricted from receiving money from companies using launch facilities and has used agreements, like the one with SpaceX for using LC-39A, that limit its ability to recover costs.

Last year’s budget reconciliation bill included $250 million for infrastructure improvements at KSC. “However, NASA has estimated that projects to upgrade and improve infrastructure at the center could cost at least $1 billion,” the report stated. “In our judgment, it is imperative that NASA strategically prioritize funding to address Kennedy’s most pressing common-use infrastructure issues, including those related to electrical power distribution, gas supply and distribution, and transportation.”

In a response included in the report, Brian Hughes, named by NASA as director of KSC last month, accepted recommendations that included prioritizing that $250 million for launch infrastructure, as well as studying the effects of increased launch-related road traffic on the center’s roadways and assessing ways to charge fees for the use of launch infrastructure to fund maintenance and upgrades.

The report added that infrastructure problems at Wallops are not as acute as those at Kennedy, in part because of recent upgrades to the facility’s power distribution system and construction underway on a new bridge connecting Wallops Island to the mainland. However, Wallops may need to invest in additional pipelines for gaseous nitrogen and helium, and the site expects traffic from increased launches to require “frequent and necessary road repairs.”

Read the original article here

The post NASA’s inspector general warns launch sites nearing capacity appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> House of the Dragon Has Just Given Rhaena the Emotional Growth Arc We Need https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/house-of-the-dragon-has-just-given-rhaena-the-emotional-growth-arc-we-need/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/house-of-the-dragon-has-just-given-rhaena-the-emotional-growth-arc-we-need/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator House, the, Dragon, Has, Just, Given, Rhaena, the, Emotional, Growth, Arc, Need

Look, I definitely think that House of the Dragon messed up by changing Sheepstealer’s rider, but I’m here for the ride nonetheless.

Anything that delivers growth potential for Rhaena Targaryen is welcome, and it’s about damn time!

She’s spent two seasons moping about the lot she’s been handed, but now she gets a chance to grow emotionally as she deals with the aftermath of the House of the Dragon Season 3 Premiere.

(Theo Whiteman/HBO)

Rhaena Needs to Deal With Her Mistake

There’s no doubt that Rhaena got her cousin killed during House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 1, and she nearly got her sister killed as well.

I won’t get into all the flaws in Jacaerys flying low, even though he had already noticed an issue with it earlier in the Battle of the Gullet.

The simple fact is that he wouldn’t have had to do that if it weren’t for Rhaena flying in on a wild dragon in an attempt to prove herself.

Now, Rhaena has to deal with the knowledge that she created the circumstances of Jace’s death. 

House of the DragonHouse of the Dragon
(Theo Whiteman/HBO)

Had she just taken some time to work with Sheepstealer and really train with him, Jace’s death could have been avoided.

Others have had to live through these types of mistakes. 

We’ve seen Aemond deal with the mistake of getting Lucaerys killed during House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 10 — and yes, he did initially feel bad for not being able to control Vhagar during that stormy attack.

On A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Maekar has to live with Baelor’s death after hitting him over the head during the Trial of Seven.

While we haven’t had a chance to see what that means for Maekar, he did share his regret over his involvement.

House of the DragonHouse of the Dragon
(HBO)

It’s moments like these that allow characters to assess the decisions they’ve made and how they could have done things differently, and Jace’s death opens that door for Rhaena.

After all of this, it’s not like Rhaena can really go to Dragonstone with a dragon she can barely control. Rhaenyra is going to want her head for the death of her son.

So, Rhaena is on her own, which creates opportunities for her development, as she needs to become a hardened woman to survive.

There’s a Chance to Bond with Daemon

As soon as Daemon finds out that his nephew has been killed, he will want answers.

House of the DragonHouse of the Dragon
(Theo Whiteman/HBO)

Only Jace saw that Rhaena was riding Sheepstealer. Baela never saw the person attacking her, so she probably thinks that the Greens have tamed a wild dragon.

As that message gets passed onto the rest of the Blacks, Daemon is sure to head out in an attempt to avenge the Crown Prince’s death.

It opens the door for a relationship between a father and a daughter to develop on House of the Dragon Season 3, one that Rhaena has been waiting for all her life.

Daemon effectively ignored the twin since she wasn’t a dragonrider, and that has stuck with her all her life.

House of the DragonHouse of the Dragon
(Ollie Upton/HBO)

As Daemon learns the identity of Sheepstealer’s rider, he’s going to be torn. He’ll want to avenge Jace’s death, but he’ll also want to protect his daughter.

On top of that, he’ll want to make sure Rhaena can tame her dragon better, despite knowing that the ability to tame a wild dragon is near impossible.

Not only can Daemon help with flying, fighting, and training, but he can also help Rhaena deal with the guilt that she’s sure to feel in the aftermath of what transpired. 

He’s made his own mistakes and poor decisions that have led to injury and time lost, and he’s had to harden himself to the world because of them. 

(Theo Whiteman/HBO)

Rhaena can figure out how to shut down the grief and guilt so she can continue to fight for the Blacks and earn some forgiveness.

This is likely where “Nettles” comes into the story, as Rhaena is likely to adopt a new name and persona to handle this change in her character.

While I would love to see the real Nettles storyline play out, I’m ready to see where House of the Dragon Season 3 will take us for Rhaena.

No clickbait. No AI junk. Just fans talking TV.

If that matters to you, I’d love to chat more with you about House of the Dragon and how you hope Rhaena’s story progresses. Sound off in the comments!

  • House of the Dragon Has Just Given Rhaena the Emotional Growth Arc We Need

    With some major changes to the book storyline, House of the Dragon has opened the potential for Rhaena to finally get some growth.

  • House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 1 Review: The Battle of the Gullet Was Visually Stunning but Emotionally Hollow

    House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 1 delivers the long-awaited Battle of the Gullett, and I’m not impressed. Let’s discuss.

  • House of the Dragon Season 3 Review: Big Changes and Delayed Momentum Hold It Back — Until It Finds Its Rhythm

    House of the Dragon Season 3 starts on a slow note, but improves tenfold when we get to what was planned for the season. Let’s discuss.

Read the original article here

The post House of the Dragon Has Just Given Rhaena the Emotional Growth Arc We Need appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Superhuman Has Acquired AI Authenticity Service GPTZero https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/superhuman-has-acquired-ai-authenticity-service-gptzero/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/superhuman-has-acquired-ai-authenticity-service-gptzero/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Superhuman, Has, Acquired, Authenticity, Service, GPTZero

It’s an odd-seeming move for a company selling an AI writing assistant.


Screenshot of GPTZero's AI Vision website with stats about artificial intelligence content on various web platforms
GPTZero

Superhuman announced that it has acquired GPTZero. This AI identification business offers services such as hallucination and plagiarism detection as well as a nifty little tool that displays how much of the internet is artificial intelligence. Superhuman said it plans to integrate GPTZero into its Superhuman Go AI assistant to improve the reach of its existing efforts around AI and authenticity. Teachers and students will still be the priority audience for Superhuman following the acquisition. For its part, GPTZero emphasized that Superhuman would also help put its tools in places where people were already reading and writing. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

On the surface, this seems like an odd pairing. The press release announcing the acquisition focuses on concerns about the public being able to identify AI-generated content, but Superhuman is quite literally encouraging people to use AI to generate content. The company’s most popular product is the AI writing assistant Grammarly, which does have its own tools for AI detection. However the push to put AI resources everywhere in Grammarly has also landed Superhuman in some hot water. Notably, the company tried to give its users AI generated feedback that aped the voice and style of other writers; said other writers were none too pleased.

Read the original article here

The post Superhuman Has Acquired AI Authenticity Service GPTZero appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> BTS fan who rang Jungkook’s doorbell 133 times in two months faces deportation https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/bts-fan-who-rang-jungkooks-doorbell-133-times-in-two-months-faces-deportation/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/bts-fan-who-rang-jungkooks-doorbell-133-times-in-two-months-faces-deportation/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator BTS, fan, who, rang, Jungkook’s, doorbell, 133, times, two, months, faces, deportation

A BTS fan who rung the doorbell of the band’s Jungkook 133 times has been told they may face deportation after the incident. 

The Brazilian woman, who has not been identified, received a suspended prison term for repeatedly visiting Jungkook’s house despite warnings to stay away.

The woman first started stalking Jungkook in December 2025 and tried to leave letters and photographs at his doorstop “out of love”, she claimed.

This week, a district court in Seoul sentenced the woman to one year in prison, suspended for two years. The woman is also expected to be deported from South Korea. This could be overturned if she successfully appeals the verdict.

The woman is said to have first visited the star’s property in December last year, where, according to court documents, she loitered before throwing items over the wall and letters through gaps in the door (as per BBC). 

Just days later, she visited again where she is said to have rung the doorbell 133 times, which the court said showed an “extreme level of obsession”.

The woman was then arrested on December 13 after following a food delivery worker to enter the property through a side gate. The woman was released the next day following a warning to not visit the property again.

BTS concert Goyang Stadium Arirang World Tour
BTS perform at Goyang Stadium on the ‘Arirang’ world tour on April 11, 2026. Credit: Big Hit Music/HYBE

However, this was ignored and further visits continued, something that led police to issue an emergency order that banned her from coming within a hundred metres of the property. In total, the woman is alleged to have visited the property 22 times. 

When that also failed, police referred her to prosecutors this February.  

In other BTS news, the band returned to Busan earlier this month for a two-night stadium concert celebrating their debut anniversary week.

The group hosted ‘BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ In Busan’ at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium in back-to-back performances on Friday and Saturday night (June 12 and 13), marking their first performance in Busan in more than three years.

Following their 2022 concert ‘Yet to Come in BUSAN’, the two concerts this weekend held deep emotional weight for the group, given they were held in the last venue they performed in before mandatory military service forced them into a temporary hiatus.

As well as that, the second night coincided with their official debut anniversary on June 13, something they celebrated with a massive audience of over 110,000 over the two-night run in Busan.

The homecoming performances come after the band played over 20 shows across seven cities, since the launch of their tour in April, and saw the world premiere of ‘NORMAL (Korean Ver.)’, the Korean rendition of the original track heard on their latest chart-topping album ‘ARIRANG’.

The setlist saw them sail through tracks inspired by the city with ‘Paldogangsan’ and ‘Ma City’ played on the first day, which was followed by tracks like ‘Ddaeng’, ‘Dimple’ and ‘Magic Shop’ on the second night.

Earlier this year, BTS kicked off their huge 2026 and 2027 world tour at Goyang Stadium in South Korea, and broke out tracks from ‘ARIRANG’ for the first time. That gig saw them debut ‘Body to Body’, ‘Hooligan’, ‘2.0’, and ‘Like Animals’, with RM performing seated for much of the set after spraining his ankle in rehearsals.

NME caught the show with Rhian Daly writing: “Throughout, it’s clear that they’re still as committed to BTS as before their enforced break for military service, RM referring to decisions they’ve made so they “can keep doing this for a long time”.

“It’s a sentiment that makes the fireworks-heavy final song, ‘Into The Sun’, feel beautifully optimistic – this might be the end of the show, but BTS’ moment in the sun is far from over.”

The current run of shows are the first tour dates from the K-Pop giants in three years and will see them cover 34 regions with 79 live shows, marking their biggest tour yet. Before kicking off, they held a free concert in Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, which was livestreamed to over 190 countries on Netflix and welcomed roughly 104,000 fans – breaking the record for the largest-ever public concert in South Korea.

There are currently only two UK dates on the group’s 2026/27 itinerary, taking place in London on July 6 and 7, 2026.

Other dates include more slots in North America, Asia and Australia, set for later in 2026 and early 2027. Find all ticket information here, UK tickets here, and international tickets here.

‘ARIRANG’ was given a four-star review from NME, which read: “Much of ‘ARIRANG’ negotiates polar ideas – BTS as heroes or normal people, the buzz of the spotlight and the hush of their private worlds, longing for the euphoric parts of life to continue versus wanting to get off of the ride.”

Since it dropped, BTS have unveiled a surprise hidden ‘ARIRANG‘ track, and NME has created what it considers to be the “dream BTS setlist”. Check it out here.

Read the original article here

The post BTS fan who rang Jungkook’s doorbell 133 times in two months faces deportation appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Let Florist’s Emily Sprague “Sing To” You on New Single https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/let-florists-emily-sprague-sing-to-you-on-new-single/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/let-florists-emily-sprague-sing-to-you-on-new-single/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Let, Florist’s, Emily, Sprague, “Sing, To”, You, New, Single

Florist’s Emily Sprague has a new album on the way. Called Cyano, it includes “Double Moon,” which she released earlier this year, alongside 13 additional tracks. It’s due October 2 via Rvng Intl.

Today, Sprague also shared a new song from the album, “Sing To,” as well as a video directed by their real-life partner V Haddad. The visual intersperses footage from a trip the pair took to Iceland with clips of their Upstate New York home, a fitting backdrop to Sprague’s spectral vocals and wandering synth arcs.

Cyano marks Sprague’s latest LP under her real name, but her first on lead vocals—her most recent record with Florist, Jellywish, came out last year. Although Sprague has yet to announce any tour plans in support of Cyano, she does have a show coming up this month with Grouper. The duo will perform at New York City’s Town Hall on September 15.

Cyano:
01 Double Moon
02 Garden of Charms
03 Harmony in Your Hands
04 Inscription of Wind
05 Lava Surrounds
06 Listening Thru
07 Night Woven
08 Noon Liquid Ore
09 Rising
10 Sing To
11 Spiraling to the Place
12 Transfiguring
13 Under Tone
14 Weather Melody

Read the original article here

The post Let Florist’s Emily Sprague “Sing To” You on New Single appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Police shoot at suspect barricaded in San Diego apartment https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/san-diego-police-shooting-apartment/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/san-diego-police-shooting-apartment/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Police, shoot, suspect, barricaded, San, Diego, apartment San Diego City Council approves new E-Bike rules for kids https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/stricter-e-bike-rules-san-diego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/stricter-e-bike-rules-san-diego/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, City, Council, approves, new, E-Bike, rules, for, kids SDUSD pushes to limit technology in classrooms https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-school-district-tech-limits/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-school-district-tech-limits/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator SDUSD, pushes, limit, technology, classrooms Millete trial: Scratches on Larry’s Lexus after Maya went missing https://fox5sandiego.com/maya-millete/millete-trial-lexus-scratches-housekeeper-day-21/ https://fox5sandiego.com/maya-millete/millete-trial-lexus-scratches-housekeeper-day-21/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Millete, trial:, Scratches, Larry’s, Lexus, after, Maya, went, missing Mother-daughter duo charged in $9.5M Medicare fraud scheme https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/mother-daughter-medicare-scheme/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/mother-daughter-medicare-scheme/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Mother-daughter, duo, charged, 9.5M, Medicare, fraud, scheme San Diego’s Best BBQ & Picnic Spots https://101thingstodosw.com/san-diego/san-diegos-best-bbq-picnic-spots/ https://101thingstodosw.com/san-diego/san-diegos-best-bbq-picnic-spots/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:01:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego’s, Best, BBQ, Picnic, Spots San Diego's Best BBQ & Picnic Spots

From the sizzle of the grill to the mouthwatering aromas wafting through the air, outdoor BBQs offer an unbeatable dining experience. With the right tools, techniques, and recipes, you can become the master of al fresco grilling in no time. So, gather your friends and family, fire up the grill, and enjoy a delicious outdoor feast that will create lasting memories. Here are some of San Diego’s Best BBQ & picnic spots.

Happy grilling!

Crown Point Park

Crown Point Park offers the perfect setting for a memorable cookout experience with family and friends. With its grills, picnic tables, basketball court, and stunning bay views, this park has everything you need for a fun and relaxing outdoor gathering. Whether you’re a local looking to join in on the weekly Saturday BBQs or a visitor wanting to experience a unique San Diego tradition, Crown Point Park is the ultimate cookout destination. Arrive early on weekends; they fill up fast by midmorning. Many of the city parks let you reserve picnic shelters through the City of San Diego Parks & Rec website if you’re planning a larger gathering. Directions!

De Anza Cove Park

Whether you’re hosting a birthday party, family reunion, or company picnic, De Anza Cove Park offers ample room for everyone to gather and celebrate together. With stunning views of the bay as your backdrop, your event is sure to be a hit. The park offers access to the bay, making it an ideal spot for paddleboarding and fishing. Spend your day gliding across the water on a paddleboard, or cast your line and reel in a big catch. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced water enthusiast, the park has something for everyone. Directions!

Bonita Park

At Bonita Cove, you can take a dip in the water knowing that a lifeguard is on duty to ensure your safety. Whether you’re a seasoned swimmer or just looking to cool off, the calm waters of the cove are perfect for a relaxing swim. And if you’re feeling adventurous, there are plenty of water activities to enjoy, such as paddleboarding or kayaking. After working up an appetite, head over to one of the picnic tables or barbecue grills located at the park. Fire rings are also available for those looking to roast some marshmallows and enjoy a cozy beach bonfire. Additionally, there is a comfort station with a beach rinse-off shower for your convenience. Directions!

Sunset Point Park

Sunset Point Park offers a charming and scenic setting for picnicking and outdoor fun near SeaWorld. With its fire rings, picnic tables, and bayfront walking path, the park provides all the essentials for a memorable outing. Whether you’re looking to relax with a leisurely picnic or enjoy a sunset walk by the water, Sunset Point Park is the perfect destination for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Don’t forget to make your reservation in advance to secure your spot at this popular picnic spot in San Diego! Directions!

La Jolla Shores

La Jolla Shores offers a more laid-back and family-friendly atmosphere. With fire pits, picnic tables, bathrooms, and showers available, you can spend the entire day at the beach without any worries. The calm waters at La Jolla Shores are perfect for swimming and snorkeling, making it an ideal spot for families with children. After a day of fun in the sun, you’re sure to work up an appetite. Luckily, La Jolla Shores has some fantastic dining options to choose from. Whether you’re in the mood for fresh seafood, casual beach fare, or a gourmet meal with ocean views, you’re sure to find something to satisfy your taste buds. Directions!

Moonlight State Beach

Experience the perfect family beach bonfire at Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas! It is the ideal spot for a beach bonfire. With its wide, sandy shores, plenty of fire pits, and amenities like picnic tables and restrooms, it offers everything you need for a fun and comfortable day by the water. There is also a nearby snack bar where you can grab a quick bite when hunger strikes. So gather your loved ones, pack your marshmallows, and head to Moonlight State Beach for an unforgettable beach bonfire experience! Directions!

Tourmaline Surfing Park Beach

Tourmaline Surfing Park is distinguished by its consistent, mellow waves that provide the perfect conditions for honing your surfing skills. The gradual slope of the ocean floor at Tourmaline ensures a smooth, gentle ride, making it an ideal spot for learners to build confidence and progress at their own pace. In addition to its excellent surfing conditions, Tourmaline Surfing Park also boasts a range of amenities and facilities to enhance visitors’ experience. The park features restrooms and showers, making it easy to rinse off after a day of surfing. There are also fire pits, picnic tables, and a BBQ area, perfect for those looking to relax and enjoy a beachside meal with friends and family. With all these amenities available, Tourmaline Surfing Park truly has everything a surfer needs for a fun and memorable day on the water. Directions!

The post San Diego’s Best BBQ & Picnic Spots appeared first on 101 Things To Do In San Diego.

]]> Congressman, advocates urge safe firearm storage as summer begins https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/gun-storage-child-safety-gun-violence-awareness-month/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/gun-storage-child-safety-gun-violence-awareness-month/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:34:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Congressman, advocates, urge, safe, firearm, storage, summer, begins Woman with Alzheimer’s starts conversing again after taking psilocybin https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/woman-with-alzheimers-starts-conversing-again-after-taking-psilocybin/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/woman-with-alzheimers-starts-conversing-again-after-taking-psilocybin/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Woman, with, Alzheimer’s, starts, conversing, again, after, taking, psilocybin

A scanning electron microscope image of the magic mushroom species Psilocybe cubensis, the highly potent psychedlic that the woman with Alzheimer's was given

A scanning electron microscope image of the magic mushroom species Psilocybe cubensis, the highly potent psychedlic that the woman with Alzheimer’s was given

Ted Kinsman/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

A woman with severe Alzheimer’s disease who spent years communicating in monosyllables started initiating conversations after receiving a large dose of psilocybin. The woman, who also had urinary incontinence and was unable to get around without assistance, also regained control of her bladder and experienced improved mobility in the weeks after taking the drug. While further research is required, the case adds to evidence that psychedelics can acutely alter cognition and brain function.

“Her facial expressions became much more animated; she made prolonged eye contact, smiled responsively and moved with greater agility,” says Marcus Lago at the Ankh Cross Association in São Paulo, Brazil, an organisation that focuses on holistic medical practices. “During a later session she spontaneously said: ‘It feels good to come here.’”

The woman, who has not been named, is 83 and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease 10 years ago. She had been living with a marked decline in function for around half that time.

With the consent of her son, the woman was given 5 grams of the Enigma strain of the highly potent magic mushroom species Psilocybe cubensis, administered orally. She initially began sweating profusely and entered a prolonged deep sleep-like state. But around 19 hours later, her son reported her initiating a conversation that included her memories and reflections, which lasted around 4 hours.

Over the subsequent days and weeks, Lago and his colleagues observed her regaining urinary continence, dressing herself and spontaneously entering conversations. Off the success of her first trip, about a month later she was given another 3 grams of psilocybin, which prompted her to describe surfing with her son on a peaceful island.

“She selected and put on coordinated clothing independently, went to the television room expecting breakfast, recognised contextual details such as a rented car, noticed when someone was unexpectedly absent and repeatedly remained continent for periods in which incontinence had previously been routine,” says Lago.

The researchers have stressed that her Alzheimer’s has not been reversed, but she may have some residual functional capacity that psychedelics can tap into. We know that psilocybin activates serotonin receptors in the brain, which is thought to boost its plasticity and alter communication between its networks.

David Nutt at Imperial College London says he has heard of similar reports of psychedelics improving brain function in people with neurodegenerative decline. “These accounts don’t prove psychedelics promote longevity and maintain good brain function but are consistent with [their] known anti-inflammatory activity,” he says.

The cause of Alzheimer’s is not entirely clear, but the leading idea is the amyloid hypothesis. This suggests that the clumping of a misfolded protein called amyloid-beta between brain cells triggers the abnormal formation of a protein called tau inside cells to form tangles. This then leads to neuroinflammation, disruption of neural connections and cell death. “Some brain dysfunctions can be due to one brain circuit suppressing another and psychedelics can disrupt such effects,” says Nutt.

However, it is unclear what effects psilocybin could have long term. “I have a litany of concerns about the validity of the report and the ethics overall,” says Albert Garcia-Romeu at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, who is involved in a study investigating psilocybin’s effects on depression in people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s disease. “The paper only described the month after the first session and does not specify any longer follow-up duration, or how long or whether improvements persisted.”

Garcia-Romeu adds that this is a single case report so cannot be extrapolated out to people with Alzheimer’s as a whole. What’s more, her diagnosis was based on symptom assessment, not more reliable methods such as biomarker testing or neuroimaging, he says.

However, some are encouraged enough to want further research into psilocybin’s potential here. “This is a pretty dramatic case study and while we have to be careful to not make too many conclusions based on one anecdotal event, the findings do suggest a trial may be warranted,” says Rudolph Tanzi at Harvard University.

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post Woman with Alzheimer’s starts conversing again after taking psilocybin appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Trump executive order directs NASA to plan quantum space applications https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/trump-executive-order-directs-nasa-to-plan-quantum-space-applications/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/trump-executive-order-directs-nasa-to-plan-quantum-space-applications/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Trump, executive, order, directs, NASA, plan, quantum, space, applications

TAMPA, Fla. — The White House has issued an executive order aiming to unify and accelerate U.S. development of quantum technologies, including space systems that could enable next-generation navigation, sensing and secure communications.

The “Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation” order, signed by U.S. President Donald Trump June 22, gives NASA 120 days to submit a five-year plan for “developing and extending civilian quantum sensing and networking for space applications.”

Other agencies were also tasked with producing five-year plans to translate atomic-scale physics into federally backed research and applications.

The order directs the Department of War to identify at least three next-generation quantum sensor projects within 60 days to prioritize for fielding by Sept. 30, 2028.

It also establishes the Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science effort, or QC-ADDS, to develop a quantum computer for scientific applications.

“This national effort shall pursue development of a quantum computer at a scale intended to initiate the era of quantum-enabled scientific discovery,” the order stated, “with the intent to deliver at least one such computer to a Department of Energy facility and, to the extent possible, make it available to the scientific community.”

Trump also signed a separate executive order directing federal agencies to strengthen cryptographic protections for the country’s sensitive data, critical infrastructure and digital economy against threats posed by future quantum computers.

Industry collaboration

The executive orders came shortly after U.S.-based quantum technology firm Infleqtion announced America’s Quantum Space Initiative, an industry coalition aiming to advance demonstrations to operational capability.

Founding partners include Voyager Technologies, Armada, Monarch Quantum and the University of Colorado Boulder.

“Quantum is moving fast, and so is the competition,” said Matt Kinsella, Infleqtion’s CEO.

“The science is proven and the systems are coming. We are grateful to President Trump for making American quantum leadership a national priority today, because the time to act is now.”

Infleqtion has been working with NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for about a decade, including on foundational components for the Cold Atom Lab, a facility launched to the International Space Station in 2018 to study quantum behavior in ultra-cold gases.

Kinsella said the company aims to deploy a quantum gravity gradiometer with NASA and JPL before the end of the decade to measure tiny changes in gravity from orbit, enabling more precise space situational awareness and data on and below Earth’s surface.

“We’re not talking percentage improvements,” he told SpaceNews, “these are 10x to 1,000x improvement in precision when you swap [existing] sensors to quantum sensors.”

Years of experimentation have “verified that quantum in space is important and it’s real,” he said, laying the foundation for a more coordinated push to turn the technology into operational infrastructure.

Infleqtion CEO Matt Kinsella (far right) during the executive order signing ceremony. Credit: White House webcast

While quantum sensing is likely to mature first in space via capabilities such as Infleqtion’s gravity gradiometer, according to Kinsella, he said secure communications and advanced atomic clocks are likely to follow to greatly improve timing and navigation.

“I think it’ll be a while before we see quantum computers in space,” he added. “We need to make them useful here on planet Earth first.”

High stakes

China has also been investing heavily in quantum communications, Kinsella noted, with a focus on encrypted communications between Earth and space.

“I would anticipate they continue to invest in that and that will become increasingly important as time goes on,” he said, pointing to a global race to realize a capability that could reshape military communications as space becomes an increasingly strategic domain.

In a conflict, he said, the loss of GPS and communications would create major vulnerabilities for the United States and its allies, but “with quantum sensors in space, you can effectively recreate GPS with turbocharged capabilities, working in tandem with things here on the Earth.”

Getting operational

Having proven the underlying physics, Kinsella said remaining hurdles include engineering systems that can survive launch, operate in radiation and continue performing in orbit without repair.

“This isn’t really necessarily physics challenges at this point, these are kind of systems engineering challenges,” he continued.

America’s Quantum Space Initiative aims to bring together the disparate parts of the emerging ecosystem to help solve this.

Voyager and Armada are supporting efforts to get assets into space, while the University of Colorado Boulder brings academic expertise. Monarch, which is already working with Infleqtion on the gravity gradiometer, aims to contribute the photonics and laser capabilities that are key for quantum links.

The initiative is about “getting all the different pieces of the puzzle to take quantum from building it here on land, getting it up into space and then having it start to do useful things,” Kinsella said, with more partners likely to be announced over the next year.

Read the original article here

The post Trump executive order directs NASA to plan quantum space applications appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Meta Is ‘Pausing’ Employee Tracking Program After It Let The Whole Company See Sensitive Data https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/meta-is-pausing-employee-tracking-program-after-it-let-the-whole-company-see-sensitive-data/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/meta-is-pausing-employee-tracking-program-after-it-let-the-whole-company-see-sensitive-data/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Meta, ‘Pausing’, Employee, Tracking, Program, After, Let, The, Whole, Company, See, Sensitive, Data

This won’t make the already-controversial AI training endeavor any more popular.


Photo of a smartphone displaying the Meta logo and name on a black screen.
PJ McDonnell/Shutterstock

Meta has paused use of an AI training program that tracks its own employees’ keystrokes and mouse movements. The company has suspended the Model Capability Initiative, not because of workers’ understandable displeasure around being (almost) perpetually monitored or for potentially breaking privacy laws, but because it caused an internal data leak. Business Insider reported that sensitive data collected through MCI, including employees’ private conversations, performance data and transcriptions, was made inadvertently available to the entire Meta staff.

“We have carefully designed this program with privacy safeguards, and while we have no indication at this time that any data was improperly accessed by Meta employees, we’re pausing it while we investigate,” a spokesperson told BI.

Despite this official line and previous statements that employees’ collected data would be “tightly controlled,” it appears Meta wasn’t quite as on top of security as it claimed. This marks the latest in a series of AI-related cybersecurity incidents for the company. Meta reps issued a similar response in March after an agentic AI took unprompted action that also dominoed into a security breach. And earlier this month, the company had to react after hackers exploited its AI customer service chatbot to hijack Instagram accounts.

Read the original article here

The post Meta Is ‘Pausing’ Employee Tracking Program After It Let The Whole Company See Sensitive Data appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Wembley Stadium confirms rule change for Harry Styles gig during heatwave https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/wembley-stadium-confirms-rule-change-for-harry-styles-gig-during-heatwave/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/wembley-stadium-confirms-rule-change-for-harry-styles-gig-during-heatwave/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Wembley, Stadium, confirms, rule, change, for, Harry, Styles, gig, during, heatwave

Wembley Stadium has confirmed a rule change for Harry Styles’ show tomorrow amid an extreme heatwave in the UK.

The former One Direction singer is due to continue his record-breaking ‘Together, Together’ residency at the venue tomorrow night (June 23), with Shania Twain once again appearing as a special guest.

The show is still set to go ahead as planned, but Wembley has relaxed its usual water bottle policy due to the severe warm weather expected in the capital.

While metal bottles are not usually permitted inside the stadium, guests will be allowed to bring metal or hard plastic water bottles to Tuesday’s show, where they can be filled at free refill stations.

Empty soft-plastic bottles up to 500ml are also permitted, while bottled water sold across all bars will be reduced by 50 per cent. Free water points will be available in the stadium. Free sun cream will also be available from information points inside Wembley.

Fans have been advised to stay hydrated, take breaks in shaded areas, wear sun cream, dress in loose, breathable clothing and avoid arriving too early.

The warning comes as London faces extreme temperatures this week, with highs in the mid-30s forecast for Tuesday and a red Met Office extreme heat warning in place from Wednesday morning into Thursday night.

Doors open at 5pm, with Shania Twain due on stage at 6.55pm. Styles is expected to begin his set at 8.15pm, with curfew set for 10.30pm.

Styles’ Wembley residency began on June 12 and is due to continue through to July 4. His remaining London dates are June 23, 26, 27 and 29, plus July 1, 3 and 4.

The 12-night run is the longest single-artist residency in Wembley Stadium history, surpassing Coldplay’s 10-night run in 2025 and Taylor Swift’s eight-night solo-artist record in 2024.

Styles kicked off the residency earlier this month by paying tribute to the late David Hockney and reflecting on his One Direction days.

He dedicated ‘Taste Back’ “to all the ravers in the house”, as a snippet of Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy’ was interpolated into the song, while a brief burst of Talking Heads’ ‘This Must Be The Place’ was introduced to ‘Treat People With Kindness’. During ‘Dance No More’, the pop star’s band played part of the groove from Happy Mondays’ ‘Step On’, while Styles sang a snatch of Gorillaz’s ‘Clint Eastwood’.

He also recently played a special orchestral show as part of his own Meltdown Festival at London’s Southbank Centre, performing reworked solo tracks, rarities and covers with the Jules Buckley Orchestra and House Gospel Choir.

His fourth album ‘Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally’ came out in March and NME gave it four stars, noting: “Largely, Styles taking a new approach to things really works – ‘Kiss All The Time…’ feels like an album that you’ll really want to spend a lot of time with, letting all its layers envelope you.”

Read the original article here

The post Wembley Stadium confirms rule change for Harry Styles gig during heatwave appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Watch Angine de Poitrine Perform “Fabienk” on Jools Holland https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/watch-angine-de-poitrine-perform-fabienk-on-jools-holland/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/watch-angine-de-poitrine-perform-fabienk-on-jools-holland/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Watch, Angine, Poitrine, Perform, “Fabienk”, Jools, Holland

Canada’s Angine de Poitrine were among the guests on last night’s (June 21) episode of Later… With Jools Holland. The masked math rock duo broke out all their signature trappings—uncanny choreography, microtonal riffs, and lots and lots of polka dots—for a performance of “Fabienk,” from their new EP, Vol. II. Also, have you noticed that their guitarist (that’s Khn de Poitrine to you; the drummer is Klek) plays barefoot? ’Cause I sure didn’t—until today.

Last night’s other performers included Arlo Parks, Sam Smith, and Shania Twain. Holland himself hopped behind the piano to accompany Twain, who covered Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” Watch Angine de Poitrine and Shania Twain on Later… below.

Read about Vol. II in The Best Music of 2026 So Far.

Read the original article here

The post Watch Angine de Poitrine Perform “Fabienk” on Jools Holland appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> San Diego County expands Mexican fruit fly quarantine area https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-mexican-fruit-fly-quarantine-spring-valley/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-mexican-fruit-fly-quarantine-spring-valley/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, County, expands, Mexican, fruit, fly, quarantine, area Some Coronado businesses report a slow weekend despite NASCAR https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/coronado/nascar-weekend-slower-business-coronado/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/coronado/nascar-weekend-slower-business-coronado/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Some, Coronado, businesses, report, slow, weekend, despite, NASCAR Hells Angels event in San Diego results in multiple arrests https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/hells-angels-arrests-san-diego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/hells-angels-arrests-san-diego/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Hells, Angels, event, San, Diego, results, multiple, arrests Teenager shot in leg during drive-by shooting in Clairemont https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/drive-by-shooting-clairemont-san-diego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/drive-by-shooting-clairemont-san-diego/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Teenager, shot, leg, during, drive-by, shooting, Clairemont Maya Millete's affair partner takes the stand in the Larry Millete murder trial https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/jamey-laird-testifies-larry-millete-trial/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/jamey-laird-testifies-larry-millete-trial/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Maya, Milletes, affair, partner, takes, the, stand, the, Larry, Millete, murder, trial San Diego’s Best BBQ & Picnic Spots https://101thingstodosw.com/san-diego/san-diegos-best-bbq-picnic-spots/ https://101thingstodosw.com/san-diego/san-diegos-best-bbq-picnic-spots/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:01:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego’s, Best, BBQ, Picnic, Spots From the sizzle of the grill to the mouthwatering aromas wafting through the air, outdoor BBQs offer an unbeatable dining experience. With the right tools, techniques, and recipes, you can become the master of al fresco grilling in no time. So, gather your friends and family, fire up the grill, and enjoy a delicious outdoor feast that will create lasting memories. Here are some of San Diego’s Best BBQ & picnic spots.

Happy grilling!

Crown Point Park

Crown Point Park is truly a hidden gem in San Diego, offering the perfect setting for a memorable cookout experience with family and friends. With its grills, picnic tables, basketball court, and stunning bay views, this park has everything you need for a fun and relaxing outdoor gathering. Whether you’re a local looking to join in on the weekly Saturday BBQs or a visitor wanting to experience a unique San Diego tradition, Crown Point Park is the ultimate cookout destination. Arrive early on weekends; they fill up fast by midmorning. Many of the city parks let you reserve picnic shelters through the City of San Diego Parks & Rec website if you’re planning a larger gathering. Directions!

De Anza Cove Park

Whether you’re hosting a birthday party, family reunion, or company picnic, De Anza Cove Park offers ample room for everyone to gather and celebrate together. With stunning views of the bay as your backdrop, your event is sure to be a hit. The park offers access to the bay, making it an ideal spot for paddleboarding and fishing. Spend your day gliding across the water on a paddleboard, or cast your line and reel in a big catch. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced water enthusiast, the park has something for everyone. Directions!

Bonita Park

At Bonita Cove, you can take a dip in the water knowing that a lifeguard is on duty to ensure your safety. Whether you’re a seasoned swimmer or just looking to cool off, the calm waters of the cove are perfect for a relaxing swim. And if you’re feeling adventurous, there are plenty of water activities to enjoy, such as paddleboarding or kayaking. After working up an appetite, head over to one of the picnic tables or barbecue grills located at the park. Fire rings are also available for those looking to roast some marshmallows and enjoy a cozy beach bonfire. Additionally, there is a comfort station with a beach rinse-off shower for your convenience. Directions!

The post San Diego’s Best BBQ & Picnic Spots appeared first on 101 Things To Do In San Diego.

]]> Full text: Pope Leo XIV’s Angelus address given June 21, 2026 https://catholics.news/full-text-pope-leo-xivs-angelus-address-given-june-21-2026 https://catholics.news/full-text-pope-leo-xivs-angelus-address-given-june-21-2026 Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Full, text:, Pope, Leo, XIV’s, Angelus, address, given, June, 21, 2026 Pope Leo venerates heart of Mother Cabrini, calls for more missionaries like her https://catholics.news/pope-leo-venerates-heart-of-mother-cabrini-calls-for-more-missionaries-like-her https://catholics.news/pope-leo-venerates-heart-of-mother-cabrini-calls-for-more-missionaries-like-her Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, venerates, heart, Mother, Cabrini, calls, for, more, missionaries, like, her Pope Leo prays at St. Augustine’s tomb in Pavia, calling all to be signs of Jesus’ love https://catholics.news/pope-leo-prays-at-st-augustines-tomb-in-pavia-calling-all-to-be-signs-of-jesus-love https://catholics.news/pope-leo-prays-at-st-augustines-tomb-in-pavia-calling-all-to-be-signs-of-jesus-love Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, prays, St., Augustine’s, tomb, Pavia, calling, all, signs, Jesus’, love MDA Space to buy Blue Canyon Technologies to gain foothold in U.S. market https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/mda-space-to-buy-blue-canyon-technologies-to-gain-foothold-in-u-s-market/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/mda-space-to-buy-blue-canyon-technologies-to-gain-foothold-in-u-s-market/ Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator MDA, Space, buy, Blue, Canyon, Technologies, gain, foothold, U.S., market

WASHINGTON — MDA Space is buying smallsat manufacturer Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT) for $620 million, giving the Canadian company greater access to the lucrative U.S. government market.

MDA Space announced June 19 that it would buy BCT from RTX, parent company of Raytheon, in an all-cash deal. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year pending regulatory approvals, including a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS.

BCT, founded in 2008 and acquired by Raytheon in 2020, builds smallsats and smallsat components. It has more than 400 employees in two Colorado facilities. It is projected to generate $160 million in revenue in 2026, up from $115 million in 2023, and is cash-flow positive.

In a call with analysts, MDA executives described the acquisition as a strategic move to allow the company to win more business from the U.S. government, particularly in defense. About 75% of BCT’s revenue comes from defense work.

“Historically, we have served U.S. defense customers as a merchant supplier,” said Mike Greenley, chief executive of MDA Space. “BCT advances this dynamic as it provides us with an established U.S. presence, proven program delivery to U.S. defense customers and a pathway to pursue classified work and compete for prime contracts in our own right.”

“This is a strategic foothold in the world’s most important defense market,” he added.

There may also be opportunities to incorporate BCT’s products into MDA Space’s own spacecraft. “BCT actually is a candidate member of our current supply chain,” Greenley said. “That’s going to be an interesting synergy to explore for us as we go forward.”

The deal, he said, fits into the company’s plans to grow through mergers and acquisitions. “We’ve been clear the last two to three years that in M&A, we will always look for two things. One would be vertical integration opportunities to be able to pull key technologies from our supply chain into the business to increase control over our pipelines, and the second would be for geographic distribution, primarily in the United States or Europe.”

Greenley said he did not know why RTX decided to sell BCT, only that MDA Space became aware of the sales process and got involved. RTX did not immediately reply to questions about why it decided to sell BCT.

“It seemed like it was just an asset that they wanted to be able to put out on the market,” he said, noting he was unaware of any issues that might have prompted RTX to sell it.

The acquisition of BCT comes a year after MDA Space bought SatixFy, an Israeli satellite chipmaker. Greenley did not rule out additional acquisitions.

“We do have a strong short list of candidates” in both the United States and Europe, he said of acquisition targets. That would include companies that would strengthen MDA Space’s U.S. presence, he added.

Read the original article here

The post MDA Space to buy Blue Canyon Technologies to gain foothold in U.S. market appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Elisabeth Röhm Reveals Why Don’t Trust the Girls Upstairs Is “More of an Emotional Thriller Than You Might Expect” https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/elisabeth-rohm-reveals-why-dont-trust-the-girls-upstairs-is-more-of-an-emotional-thriller-than-you-might-expect/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/elisabeth-rohm-reveals-why-dont-trust-the-girls-upstairs-is-more-of-an-emotional-thriller-than-you-might-expect/ Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Elisabeth, Röhm, Reveals, Why, Don’t, Trust, the, Girls, Upstairs, “More, Emotional, Thriller, Than, You, Might, Expect”

Grief, trauma, sisterhood, Lifetime’s latest thriller truly has it all.

Don’t Trust the Girls Upstairs is a compelling watch, and much of that is due to the adaptation of an acclaimed novel and the talent behind bringing this story to the small screen.

We had the distinct pleasure of speaking to the incomparable Elisabeth Röhm about adapting such an emotional piece, casting Remy Ma in such an emotionally challenging role, and Lifetime’s initiatives that champion women in front of and behind the camera.

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

Don’t Trust the Girls Upstairs is a layered suspense thriller whose strengths lie in the exploration of the family dynamics among Remy Ma’s Ashley, her daughter Luna, and niece Serena.

The film quickly reveals a story that’s intent on exploring mental illness as we learn that Ashley’s late sister, Courtney, battled some mental health issues — the effects of which linger throughout the film.

Her impact touches our primary characters in more ways than one.

It sows seeds of uncertainty, distrust, fear, and more when the nature of Courtney’s death still hangs heavily in the background while Ashley and her family struggle to adapt to the inclusion of Serena into her family.

The film delves into the complexities of sisterly and familial bonds, stigmatization of mental illness, and so much more, with Remy Ma carrying the film with a strong, heartfelt performance as a woman trying to navigate her own grief while protecting her family.

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

But at the crux of this film, the most compelling performances come from Sasha Rojen and Aliyah Marc as the contentious and complex dynamic between the cousins unfolds in really engrossing ways.

Viewers will be in for quite a ride that’s as suspenseful as it is emotional, which is something we had the pleasure of talking to Röhm about below.

I’ve watched you in so many things, and I love all of your movies and your Lifetime movies. And this one, of course, was really great. What exactly attracted you to this project?

Well, first of all, I’m a huge fan. Kara Feifer, my producing partner, and I are big, big fans of this sister duo writing team, Liv Constantine.

We did a movie called Wife Stalker, which Keshia Knight Pulliam starred in, and Grace and Trey Byers, which we did for Lifetime. So we already had this great relationship with them.

We read this book called My Sister’s Daughter, and we were like, “This is a great thriller.” And we, thank God, had a partner in Lifetime that felt the same about the book.

And so we then did an adaptation with a really wonderful screenwriter named Crystal Verge.

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

Then David Weaver, who’s a fantastic director, came on board and said that he would love to collaborate with us again. We’ve worked with him many times in the past. Then we were like, “Oh my God, Remy Ma wants to be in this movie.”

It was just a big, like pinch-me moment because we’re all just such big fans, and to see her make a transition into a starring role in a movie was really exciting.

So yeah, I’m so thrilled that you loved it.

I was going to ask you about that, too. You got Remy Ma to star in this, and I love how she brought such vulnerability to the role. Why was she the perfect person for it?

Oh, I’m so glad.

Yeah. I think what Kara, David Weaver, the network, and I — we all felt that it was a real character, you know? She was really playing another character.

And I think being vulnerable, like you said, or really having to dig deep in some real acting chops and sort of go through this very tough journey, losing her sister and everything that happens after that, it’s just a challenging role.

And I think she wanted that challenge, and she killed it. So I’m really excited for people to see the movie on Saturday.

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

Speaking of that, it’s a story that’s so deeply rooted in trauma. But of course it’s also this suspenseful, twisty Lifetime thriller.

How do you strike the right balance of making it really edgy and suspenseful while also acknowledging this story of trauma and grief?

Well, I do feel that we can make fun, commercial movies that can have a little bit of that twisty-turny, higher-level kind of thriller genre.

But I definitely think we’re drawn to telling stories that are hard and important and that deal with tough topics that Lifetime is incredibly responsible to.

And I can’t tell you how many movies we’ve made that have had either some component, a call to action, a 1-800 number, whatever it may be, really addressing these issues that the stories tap into.

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

Whether it was Girl in the Basement or Girl in Room 13, they’ve really taken that risk, taken it very seriously, and have been very responsible about the project.

Now, Don’t Trust the Girls Upstairs is a book adaptation, so it’s not ripped from the headlines. It’s not really a true crime. But it does delve into some of the deeper topics of generational trauma and mental health issues.

And I really do hope that when people see it, whether they just enjoy the ride or things come up for them, that they do dig a little bit deeper into some of those topics.

I definitely think the movie is an invitation to reflect in that way.

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

You just mentioned it’s a book-to-screen adaptation. Do you find it easier or more challenging to have source material to work with?

We at Röhm Feifer Entertainment mostly have either life rights or book rights, so we believe in the underlying IP for everything. I think it’s an incredible blueprint.

I think it has a built-in audience, generally speaking. So there’s something very meaningful about that.

True crime is harder because you have to wait for the trial to be adjudicated, or you have to get some sort of life right.

So it’s a more complicated path than just getting book rights and doing an adaptation.

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

I loved the parallels between Ashley and Courtney’s relationship and that dynamic blossoming again between Serena and Luna. It was contentious at times, but also felt like a very relatable sibling relationship.

Was it intentional to have those dynamics paralleling one another?

Well, I definitely think David Weaver did a great job finding those themes, using the flashbacks as a way to really connect back to Courtney and their childhood relationship.

So that was a really good sort of B-storyline, that relationship and how it was growing and how it connected to these sisters in the past.

Definitely, that’s also in the book. I do recommend people also read the book, My Sister’s Daughter by Liv Constantine. It’s great.

And I think it feels very relatable, even though there are the great classic twists and turns that make a thriller exciting, and you buckle up, and you’re going on this ride of all these ups and downs of this type of drama.

But I think that it does have very strong, meaningful themes in it that include trauma, sibling rivalry, and mental health issues, all within the family.

And then seeing it generationally, you know? Are they going to follow this legacy and this family into the next generation with these two girls upstairs that you shouldn’t trust?

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

I love stories about generational trauma, and I thought the balance of all of that was really, really good, considering it’s also such a massive suspense thriller.

I couldn’t predict anything that was happening next.

Well, that’s good.

I thought I could predict something, and then I’m like, wait, what? It was very engrossing.

That’s good.

Listen, I think, like I said, either the play is the thing or a great book. And I think the Liv Constantine sisters really, their books give you all of that. So, you know, you’re starting with a really good tool at the jump.

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

Of course, you tend to wear many hats. How does being an actor and then going into producing and directing inform how you approach storytelling?

As far as being a director, I think it’s all about the actors and really being prepared for them and building worlds for them in which they feel safe to play in, and that the trust is built, and they can surprise themselves and surprise the audience.

That is my greatest passion, whether it was myself doing it in the past or really creating an environment where the actors can succeed and go on an incredible journey.

And then, as far as the producing goes, Kara Feifer, also my producing partner, is a former actor.

And she, I think we really do approach our material thinking, are these roles that actors are going to want to play? Is the storytelling complicated?

I definitely think that’s why we lean towards true crime and true stories as our brand at Röhm Feifer, because those are the great roles to play.

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

So I think we do think actor-forward. We create an environment of respect and nurturing. I think that’s distinctly female. And we love what we do from the many different facets of how we’ve approached it over the years of our careers.

I’ve noticed that speaking with other people who’ve gone from acting to directing and producing. I think they tend to make some of the best directors and producers because they come at it from a different angle.

But again, if you’ve been an actor, you know that the crew is your family. The camera operators are your family. Script is your family. Craft is your family.

So I also think when you are approaching producing and directing, having been a series regular or somebody that’s done a lot of work on set, I think you really just respect the cinema family that you’re building, and or crew, and or teamsters, anybody, because this is your world.

And so that impacts just sort of the day-to-day as well.

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

You work with Lifetime pretty extensively, and one thing I love is their commitment to putting more women behind and in front of the camera. What has that experience been like for you?

Yeah, I think the Broad Focus program is one of the most effective in the industry.

You know, you see Lifetime hosting events, The Power Women’s Breakfast. And I do feel that the women’s network is something that’s real and actionable, and it’s actualized through these programs.

Like putting directors behind the camera who were former actresses, like Angela Bassett or Kyra Sedgwick, myself.

I know so many people who’ve been given their first opportunity to explore if they have a place behind the camera as a storyteller.

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

I think, as women, particularly if we were actors for decades, we never saw women in leadership roles. I was so seldom directed by women. I don’t know if I could have even dreamt it for myself because, unless we see it, it’s hard to fathom that it’s something that you can do.

To have that opportunity and the veil lifted for me by Lifetime, I will forever be grateful.

I think that’s why I’m so dedicated to continuing to work with them. And also A&E Global Media, just the whole conglomerate, really. So even the television series generally that we’ve sold and developed at Röhm Feifer have been through A&E Global Media.

So we love them, and we continue to partner because it’s just been such a great, empowering experience, and just phenomenal women and men over there running that network.

Before I let you go, what are three words you’d use to describe Don’t Trust the Girls Upstairs to entice people to tune in?

Tragic, surprising, emotional.

Yeah, and I think that will surprise people, that it’s so emotional.

And Remy did such a great job, and Garfield [Wilson] and the young ladies who play the girls. But I definitely think it’s more of an emotional thriller than you might expect, just because it’s so sad.

(Courtesy of Lifetime)

The girls were fantastic. I absolutely loved watching them because that’s some very heavy material to tackle.

They’re little superstars.

We’ve already worked with one of them again since then, because we just finished another movie, and we worked with her again. So yeah, I think they’re really special.

I think great things are ahead for them, and I think our fans are going to be very happy with this. So we’re excited to see how it does for the network.

Don’t Trust the Girls Upstairs premieres Saturday, June 20, at 8/7c on Lifetime.

  • Elisabeth Röhm Reveals Why Don’t Trust the Girls Upstairs Is “More of an Emotional Thriller Than You Might Expect”

    Elisabeth Röhm discusses her latest collaboration with Lifetime, Don’t Trust the Girls Upstairs, spotlighting Remy Ma, and women-forward projects.

  • “It Takes Much More Courage to Be Vulnerable”: Tyler Johnson Talks Where the Heart Lands, Romance & Emotional Growth

    Tyler Johnson previews Where the Heart Lands, Lifetime’s latest romance, and he opens up about vulnerability, horses, and much more.

  • Kidnapped in Her Own Home: The Martha Carelli Story Quietly Transforms Trauma into a Haunting Human Connection

    Stana Katic gives a powerful performance in Kidnapped in Her Own Home: The Martha Carelli Story. A fascinating exploration of trauma and human connection. Our review!

  • Italia Ricci Teases Going Dark, Getting Bloody, and a Dream Collaboration in The Boy with My Son’s Face

    Italia Ricci stars in a twisty thriller, The Boy with My Son’s Face, and we caught up with her to discuss this darker role. Check it out!

  • Rescued By Faith: The Connie and Larry Van Oosten Story Trailer Teases a Bone-Chilling Must-Watch

    We have the first look at Lifetime’s bone-chilling trailer of Rescued By Faith: The Connie and Larry Van Oosten Story. You won’t want to miss it!

TV Fanatic is searching for passionate contributors to share their voices across various article types. Think you have what it takes to be a TV Fanatic? Click here for more information and next steps.

Read the original article here

The post Elisabeth Röhm Reveals Why Don’t Trust the Girls Upstairs Is “More of an Emotional Thriller Than You Might Expect” appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Polymarket Has Reportedly Been Paying Creators To Post Fake Betting Videos https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/polymarket-has-reportedly-been-paying-creators-to-post-fake-betting-videos/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/polymarket-has-reportedly-been-paying-creators-to-post-fake-betting-videos/ Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Polymarket, Has, Reportedly, Been, Paying, Creators, Post, Fake, Betting, Videos

The Wall Street Journal reviewed 1,105 videos along with guidance given to creators for crafting their posts.


The Polymarket logo and lettering against a black background
Polymarket

In case you needed another reason to be wary of those videos showing people winning big on Polymarket, an investigation by The Wall Street Journal has found that the company is paying social media creators to post misleading content promoting the prediction market. Of the 1,105 TikTok videos the publication reviewed, 778 appeared to show someone placing a bet — but a closer look reportedly revealed that none of the latter featured the actual Polymarket website, instead using dummy sites made to look like the real thing.

For more than half of the videos that appeared to show winning bets, those bets would in reality have been losses, The Wall Street Journal reports. The publication spoke to creators who worked with Polymarket and viewed materials they say they were given to ensure their videos were convincing and engaging. In addition, Polymarket reportedly also enlisted a “social-media army” to repost these videos and help them go viral.

Polymarket has been making headlines this year as governments grapple with how to regulate prediction markets. Minnesota last month became the first US state to ban them. Other states have tried to do the same, but multiple lawsuits have challenged these efforts. Meanwhile, Spain blocked Polymarket and another prediction market, Kalshi, in May as it figures out whether they violate the country’s gambling law.

Read the original article here

The post Polymarket Has Reportedly Been Paying Creators To Post Fake Betting Videos appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Watch The Weeknd kick off European leg of ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ tour in Copenhagen https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/watch-the-weeknd-kick-off-european-leg-of-after-hours-til-dawn-tour-in-copenhagen/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/watch-the-weeknd-kick-off-european-leg-of-after-hours-til-dawn-tour-in-copenhagen/ Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Watch, The, Weeknd, kick, off, European, leg, ‘After, Hours, Til, Dawn’, tour, Copenhagen

The Weeknd kicked off the European leg of his ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ tour in Copenhagen this week – watch footage below.

The Canadian artist performed the first of two sold-out shows at Parken Stadium on Friday night (June 19), having played two dates at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium earlier this month.

‘After Hours Til Dawn’ has become the highest-grossing tour ever by a male solo artist since its launch in 2022, surpassing $1billion in gross revenue and selling more than 7.5million tickets.

Production at the show includes a 40-foot gold sculpture created by Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama, the largest fine-art commission ever created for a live concert production, and the staging also features sprawling golden ruins, immersive visuals, lasers and flames.

A gargantuan 36-track setlist leaned heavily on The Weeknd’s latest album ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’, while also taking in material from across his career. Playboi Carti also appeared during the show, joining him on ‘Timeless’ and ‘RATHER LIE’.

The Weeknd’s full setlist at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen on June 19 was: 

‘Baptized In Fear’
‘Open Hearts’
‘Wake Me Up’
‘After Hours’
‘Starboy’
‘Heartless’
‘Faith’
‘Cry For Me’
‘São Paulo’
‘Take My Breath’
‘Sacrifice’
‘How Do I Make You Love Me?’
‘Eva’
‘Can’t Feel My Face’
‘Lost In The Fire’
‘Often’
‘Given Up On Me’
‘I Was Never There’
‘Given Up On Me’
‘The Hills’
‘Timeless’
‘RATHER LIE’
‘Creepin’’
‘Niagara Falls’
‘One Of The Girls’
‘Stargirl Interlude’
‘Out Of Time’
‘I Feel It Coming’
‘Die For You’
‘Is There Someone Else?’
‘Wicked Games’
‘Call Out My Name’
‘The Abyss’
‘Professional’
‘Save Your Tears’
‘Less Than Zero’
‘Blinding Lights’
‘Without A Warning’
‘House Of Balloons’
‘Moth To A Flame’

The tour continues with multi-night stadium runs in Munich, Lille, Paris, Amsterdam, Nice, Milan, Frankfurt, Warsaw and Stockholm.

The Weeknd will then return to the UK later this summer for five nights at Wembley Stadium on August 14, 15, 16, 18 and 19, before heading to Ireland for two shows at Dublin’s Croke Park on August 22 and 23. Find any remaining tickets here.

After the European run, the tour will continue into Asia, with dates scheduled in Tokyo, Jakarta, Singapore, Seoul, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, the final dates of the ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ tour.

The dates continue The Weeknd’s partnership with Global Citizen, with a portion of every ticket sold going towards education access for underprivileged children and food relief. To date, he has donated more than $8.5million to the XO Humanitarian Fund and Global Citizen through the tour.

At a show in Brazil in April, he debuted the energetic new single ‘Rio’, a collaboration with Anitta.

Read the original article here

The post Watch The Weeknd kick off European leg of ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ tour in Copenhagen appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Man Dies After Falling at Goose Madison Square Garden Show https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/man-dies-after-falling-at-goose-madison-square-garden-show/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/man-dies-after-falling-at-goose-madison-square-garden-show/ Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Man, Dies, After, Falling, Goose, Madison, Square, Garden, Show

A man died last night (June 20) after falling during Goose’s show at New York’s Madison Square Garden (MSG). The NYPD told CBS News that they found the 51-year-old concertgoer unconscious and responsive around 10 P.M. He had fallen from MSG’s 300 level, which sits on an elevated platform above the stadium floor. The man, identified by police as Paul Kueker, was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

In a statement to CBS, Madison Square Garden said: ”While we await the police report on the tragedy at last night’s Goose concert, we are deeply saddened by the loss of a fan’s life at Madison Square Garden. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the concertgoer.”

Goose’s Friday night show was part of their ongoing “Big Tour,” which continues tonight in Central Park as part of New York’s annual SummerStage series. In a statement shared to Instagram earlier today, the band said they were “deeply saddened and heartbroken” to learn about the Madison Square Garden incident. “We extend our deepest sympathy to everyone affected,” they wrote. “Thank you to the emergency personnel and venue staff who stepped in with care and support.”

Read the original article here

The post Man Dies After Falling at Goose Madison Square Garden Show appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> 'A love letter to California': Swimmer set to begin historic 900-mile journey down coast https://fox5sandiego.com/news/cat-breed-swim-california/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/cat-breed-swim-california/ Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator love, letter, California:, Swimmer, set, begin, historic, 900-mile, journey, down, coast Austin Varco stops by KUSI after his race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/austin-varco-stops-by-kusi-after-his-race-in-the-nascar-craftsman-truck-series/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/austin-varco-stops-by-kusi-after-his-race-in-the-nascar-craftsman-truck-series/ Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Austin, Varco, stops, KUSI, after, his, race, the, NASCAR, Craftsman, Truck, Series Paul’s Place in Oceanside may be converted into cannabis retail shop https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/oceanside/pauls-place-cannabis-conversion/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/oceanside/pauls-place-cannabis-conversion/ Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Paul’s, Place, Oceanside, may, converted, into, cannabis, retail, shop Larry Millete murder trial: Week 5 recap https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/larry-millete-murder-trial-week-5-poison-maya-instagram/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/larry-millete-murder-trial-week-5-poison-maya-instagram/ Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Larry, Millete, murder, trial:, Week, recap Deckman's North in North Park to shut down permanently https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/deckmans-north-park-closure/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/deckmans-north-park-closure/ Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Deckmans, North, North, Park, shut, down, permanently 14 Best San Diego Beaches: A Local’s Complete Guide [2026] https://sandiegoexplorer.com/best-beaches-in-san-diego/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-beaches-in-san-diego https://sandiegoexplorer.com/best-beaches-in-san-diego/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-beaches-in-san-diego Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:01:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Best, San, Diego, Beaches:, Local’s, Complete, Guide, 2026 San Diego has over 70 miles of coastline, which makes it one of the top beach destinations in Southern California, maybe even on the whole West Coast. But which beaches in San Diego are the best ones?

Quick Beach Hotel Picks by Area

La Jolla (Luxury): La Valencia → Check price
Coronado (Family): Hotel del Coronado → View deals (often rated as one of the most romantic hotels in San Diego!)
Mission Bay (Budget/fun): Bahia Resort → Check availability

Of course, that depends on your preferences. Are you looking for a secluded beach for a romantic moment with stunning views? Or a beach for the kids with plenty of family-friendly activities and restaurants nearby? Or are you looking for adventure, hikes, and sports amenities to entertain you all day?

Quick Picks: Best San Diego Beaches

BeachBest ForVibeFamily-FriendlySwimmingSurfParkingStay Nearby
Mission BeachActive families, boardwalk, beach barsLively, sportyYes (older kids + teens)YesYes (beginner-friendly)Free, fills fastBahia Resort
Coronado BeachIconic, upscale, romanticRefined, classicYesYesLimitedLimited freeHotel del Coronado
La Jolla ShoresActive families, kayaking, gentle surfScenic, balancedYes (best for active families)Yes (gentle)Yes (beginners)Free, fills fastLa Jolla Beach & Tennis Club
Silver Strand State BeachCamping, RVs, quiet beach daysQuiet, remoteYesYesLimitedState park feeLoews Coronado Bay Resort
Pacific BeachNightlife, surfers, college crowdParty, youngLimited (party scene)YesYes (Tourmaline for beginners)Free, very limitedTower 23 Hotel
Torrey Pines State BeachNature, dramatic cliffs, hikingWild, scenicYesLimited (currents)LimitedState park feeThe Lodge At Torrey Pines
Del Mar North BeachPhotography, off-leash dogs (winter)Intimate, rockyWith caution (rip currents)LimitedLimitedPaid streetL’Auberge Del Mar
Shell Beach La JollaSunsets, tide pools, photosTiny, charmingYes (low impact)NoNoFree, very limitedLa Valencia
Ocean BeachHippie vibe, surfers, dog beachChill, hippieYesYes (designated section)YesFree, very limitedThe Inn at Sunset Cliffs
La Jolla CoveSnorkeling, sea lions, scenic viewsIconic, crowdedLimited (small, crowded)Yes (for snorkeling)NoLimitedPantai Inn
Mission BayYoung kids, water sports, fire pitsCalm, familyYes (best for toddlers)Yes (calm, shallow)NoFree, limitedBahia Resort
Windansea BeachPhotography, sunsets, experienced surfersPhotogenic, ruggedNo (rocky, surf-focused)Limited (rocky)Yes (experienced)Limited street
Solana BeachQuieter beach day, easy day tripSuburban, relaxedYesYesYesLimited streetCardiff by the Sea Lodge
Black’s BeachAdventurous, clothing-optional, surfersRemote, unconventionalNo (clothing-optional, steep access)Yes (for experienced)YesLimited (hike down)The Lodge at Torrey Pines

No matter what you are looking for, here are our recommendations for the best beaches in San Diego, recommended by a San Diego local.

Planning Your Trip?

14 Best Beaches in San Diego

Whether you are searching for the best family-friendly beach in San Diego, the best dog beaches in San Diego, tide pools, a fun spot to hang out with friends, or the best location to catch some waves, San Diego beaches make everyone happy. Here are some of our local favorite beaches in San Diego county.

Mission Beach

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Sunbathing, Sports, Beach Bars

Mission Beach is one of my favorite Beaches in San Diego. My husband and I often come here for our runs. There is so much to do here, whether you want to learn how to surf, rent a bike to cruise along the boardwalk, relax in the sand, or watch the world go by with a cocktail in your hand at one of the beach bars.

? Mission Beach is great for families and larger groups who want to chill on the beach, be active, and have a good time.

Mission Beach San Diego Aerial shot at sunset
Mission Beach San Diego

Why Visit Mission Beach

  • Wide, sandy beach with boardwalk
  • Many sports amenities
  • Fun bars and restaurants nearby
  • Belmont Park Amusement Park

Good to Know

  • Parking is free, but it fills up fast
  • Holiday weekends can get crowded
  • Belmont Park is free; only rides/games cost money

Best Experiences in Mission Beach

Best Hotels Near Mission Beach

Where to Eat Nearby

  • Moe’s Steak House (happy hour cheeseburger)
  • The Mission (best brunch spot)

More Things to Do in Mission Beach

  • Rent a Beach Cruiser and bike along the boardwalk
  • Play Volleyball
  • Learn to surf

Coronado Beach

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Sunbathing, Upscale, Romantic Getaway

Coronado is an upscale peninsula overlooking downtown San Diego on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other side. It is known for its long and wide beach, stunning luxury hotels, and fantastic restaurants.

Coronado is SoCal’s version of the Hamptons; refined and relaxing!

Panoramic sunset view of San Diego Hotel del Coronado, California.

Why Visit Coronado

  • Stunning luxury hotels that will pamper you
  • Small town vibe with big city amenities
  • One of the best photo spots in San Diego Downtown

Good to Know

  • Traffic to and from San Diego can be bad
  • Not budget-friendly
  • Free Parking is very limited
  • Even if you don’t stay at the Hotel Del, walk through it and soak up the atmosphere

Best Experiences in Coronado

Best Hotels in Coronado

See more: Best Coronado Hotels

Where to Eat Nearby

  • Peohe’s (stunning views of San Diego skyline + great happy hour)
  • Little Frenchie (feels like you are in Paris)

See more: Best Coronado Restaurants

More Things to Do in Coronado

See full guide: Things to Do on Coronado Island

La Jolla Shores

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Families, Active

La Jolla Shores is the perfect Family Beach in San Diego, as well as a place for people who want to be active. There is plenty of space to spread out on this mile-long beach, the amenities are great, and there are a few family-friendly restaurants nearby.

Perfect for active Families looking for kayaking, hiking, and chilling on the beach

la jolla shores beach san diego

Why Visit La Jolla Shores

  • Kayaking along the dramatic cliffs and sea caves
  • Go Tidepooling
  • Visit the Birch Aquarium

Good to Know

  • Check the tide schedule before kayaking to the caves (or ask the tour operator for the best time to go)
  • Parking is free, but it fills up fast on weekends and holidays

Best Experiences in La Jolla Shores

Best Hotels Near La Jolla Shores

If you are coming from out of town, take a look at these stunning La Jolla Hotels and La Jolla Vacation Rentals that will make your trip extra special.

Where to Eat Nearby

  • Piatti (Italian fare + great service)
  • Caroline’s Seaside Cafe (long wait, but stunning ocean views)

See more: Best La Jolla Brunch Spots

More Things to Do near La Jolla Shores

  • Sunny Jim’s Sea Cave
  • Shopping & Galleries in La Jolla Village
  • Hike Torrey Pines

See full guide: Things to Do in La Jolla

Silver Strand State Beach

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Camping, RVs, quiet beach days

Silver Strand State Beach is the southern stretch of Coronado, connecting the peninsula to the mainland with miles and miles of uninterrupted sand. It’s where you go when you want the Coronado beach experience without the Hotel del crowds.

Limited amenities, almost no restaurants nearby, and a state-park entrance fee — but in exchange, you get one of the quietest beach experiences in San Diego County, plus genuine camping access right on the sand.

? The right pick if you want quiet, space, and the freedom to camp near the beach — not if you want bars and restaurants in walking distance.

Sunset at Silver Strand Coronado

Why Visit Silver Strand

  • Miles of quiet, uninterrupted sand
  • One of the only San Diego beaches with on-site camping
  • Coronado vibe without the Hotel del crowds
  • Calm enough water for families with kids who want fewer waves than the open Pacific

Good to Know

  • State Park entrance fee for vehicles (current rate posted at the gate)
  • Bring food and drinks with you — almost no restaurants in walking distance
  • Holiday weekends fill up early; campsite reservations open months in advance

Best Experiences Near Silver Strand

Best Hotels Near Silver Strand

Where to Eat Nearby

  • Bluewater Boathouse – Fantastic Steak and Fish restaurant
  • Coronado Village restaurants are a short drive north — see Best Coronado Restaurants

More Things to Do Near Silver Strand

  • Beach camping and bonfires (with permit)
  • Cycling the Silver Strand bike path north to Coronado
  • Day trip to Tijuana via the bridge or border crossing — see our Cross Border Xpress guide

Pacific Beach

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Nightlife, surfers, college crowd

Pacific Beach is where the college kids hang out. Along Grant and Garnet Street, you’ll find plenty of bars and clubs, cheap eateries, and fun coffee shops — and the beach itself has more of a party atmosphere than anywhere else in San Diego. During spring break, it becomes a full-on party town.

For surfers, Tourmaline Surf Park at the north end of Pacific Beach is surf-only, which makes it one of the better beaches in the city for beginners to learn without dodging swimmers.

? Great for a young crowd, surfers, and travelers who want bars and nightlife within walking distance — not the best fit if you want a family-friendly chill beach day.

Why Visit Pacific Beach

  • Tourmaline Surf Park — one of the best beginner-surf spots in the city
  • Walkable nightlife, bars, and cheap eats along Grant and Garnet
  • The Crystal Pier is one of San Diego’s most photographed landmarks
  • Reliable surf year-round

Good to Know

  • Spring break and holiday weekends get rowdy — book early or stay elsewhere if you want quiet
  • Free parking exists but is very limited; arrive early or plan to pay
  • The beach itself is wide and sandy, but expect crowds during peak season

Best Experiences in Pacific Beach

Best Hotels Near Pacific Beach

Where to Eat Nearby

  • PB Shore Club – Burgers, Beer, Sandwiches and more with a sports bar feel
  • Oceana Coastal Kitchen – Upscale California cuisine

See more: Best Pacific Beach Bars

Outdoor patio of Oceana Coastal Kitchen San Diego Outdoor Restaurants
Oceana Coastal Kitchen

More Things to Do in Pacific Beach

  • Walk or bike the boardwalk between Pacific Beach and Mission Beach
  • Sunset drinks at one of the rooftop bars on Garnet
  • Beginner surf lesson at Tourmaline

Torrey Pines State Beach

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Nature lovers, photographers, hikers

Torrey Pines State Beach sits between La Jolla and Del Mar, with sandstone cliffs towering above it and the Torrey Pines State Reserve perched on top. It’s one of the most scenic stretches of coast in San Diego, and one of the few where you can walk all the way to Del Mar from the south end.

If you feel like a hike, you can climb up to the preserve from the beach — the view from the top is stunning, and on a lucky day you’ll spot whales or, like my husband and I once did, a Great White cruising the shoreline. I didn’t go back in the water for a few weeks after that.

? The right pick for travelers who want a beach day combined with a scenic hike — not a casual sunbathe-and-go destination.

View from Torrey Pines over the beach looking north

Why Visit Torrey Pines

  • Some of the most dramatic coastal scenery in California
  • Direct access to the Torrey Pines State Reserve hiking trails
  • Long, wide beach — you can walk all the way to Del Mar from here
  • Whale-watching potential from the cliffs above

Good to Know

  • One of the most popular hikes in San Diego — avoid weekends if you don’t like crowds
  • State Park entrance fee for vehicles, or paid street parking on the south end
  • The hike from the beach up to the preserve is steep; wear real shoes, not flip-flops

Best Experiences at Torrey Pines

Best Hotels Near Torrey Pines

These hotels are on the famous Torrey Pines Golf Course on a bluff overlooking the ocean — not on the beach itself.

Where to Eat Nearby

  • Cliff Hanger Café – Casual Sandwich Shop overlooking the ocean.
  • The Lodge at Torrey Pines restaurants (open to non-guests for dinner) — verify hours

More Things to Do at Torrey Pines

  • Hike the Torrey Pines State Reserve trails
  • Play a round at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (book well ahead)
  • Visit the Birch Aquarium in nearby La Jolla
  • Find the Secret Swings on the cliffs (locals know where)

Del Mar North Beach

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Photography, off-leash dogs (winter), small-group beach days

Del Mar North Beach is one of those small San Diego beaches that locals know about and visitors usually miss. It’s tucked between rocky cliffs and shaped by an inlet that makes for great photos — we had our family photos taken there (the picture above is from that day).

In winter, dogs are allowed off-leash, which is rare for San Diego. In summer the leash requirement kind of defeats the purpose of a dog beach, so we save Del Mar North for the off-season.

? A photogenic, intimate beach with a strong dog-beach angle in winter — be cautious of rip currents from the inlet year-round.

A man, a woman and a dog running through the shallow water on the dog beach in San Diego
Del Mar North Dog Beach

Why Visit Del Mar North

  • One of the most photogenic small beaches in San Diego
  • Off-leash dog beach in winter months
  • Beautiful rock formations and cliff backdrop
  • Genuinely quieter than the more famous SD beaches

Good to Know

  • Rip currents are common because of the inlet — be careful, especially with kids
  • Dogs must be on-leash in summer; off-leash allowed in winter (check current Del Mar city rules)
  • Parking is paid street parking only — no dedicated lot
  • No amenities on the beach itself

Best Experiences Near Del Mar

Best Hotels Near Del Mar North

Where to Eat Nearby

  • Coya Peruvian Secret – amazing ceviche
  • L’Auberge Del Mar restaurants (Kitchen 1540, Coastline) — open to non-guests

More Things to Do in Del Mar

  • Walk the Del Mar bluff trail
  • Shop in Del Mar Village
  • Day at the Del Mar Racetrack (summer season)

Shell Beach La Jolla

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Sunsets, tide pools, ocean views

Shell Beach is one of the cutest little beaches in La Jolla — small, right in the heart of the village, and stunning at sunset. It’s not really a sunbathing or swimming beach; the appeal is in dipping your toes in the water while exploring the area, watching the sea lions on the rocks nearby, and catching the golden-hour light on the cliffs. When the tide is out, the tide pools fill with crabs and tiny critters that kids love finding.

? A small, gorgeous beach for sunsets, photography, and tide-pool exploring — not where you go to lay out a towel for the day.

Small beach with cliffs during sunset time.
Shell Beach La Jolla

Why Visit Shell Beach

  • One of the best sunset spots in La Jolla
  • Tide pools full of crabs and marine life at low tide
  • Walking distance to La Jolla Cove, the shops, and galleries
  • Genuinely picturesque — strong photo opportunities

Good to Know

  • Not a sunbathing or swimming beach — small and rocky
  • Free parking in the village is very limited during peak season
  • Check the tide schedule for tide-pool exploring; low tide is the window
  • Bring sturdier shoes than flip-flops for the rocks

Best Experiences in La Jolla

Best Hotels Near Shell Beach

Where to Eat Nearby

More Things to Do in La Jolla

  • See the famous La Jolla sea lions
  • Sunset drinks at George’s at the Cove
  • Shopping and galleries in La Jolla Village
  • Find the Secret Swings on the cliffs

Ocean Beach

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Hippie vibe, surfers, dog beach

I love how Ocean Beach has distinct sections for surfers, swimmers, and dogs — that way everyone gets to enjoy the beach without getting in each other’s way.

On the northern end, right by the parking lot, there’s a huge off-leash dog beach. Our dog Robby loves it. After the beach we walk him to the showers, rinse him off, and take the walk/bike path along the inlet until he’s dried out.

OB is the hippie beach town in San Diego — chill, relaxed, perfect for groups and families. Near the pier you can catch some great waves; in the center you can swim, play, or just sit in the sand.

? A genuinely relaxed, hippie-flavored beach with one of the best dog beaches in San Diego and reliable surf near the pier.

sunset at ocean beach san diego

Why Visit Ocean Beach

  • Dedicated off-leash dog beach at the northern end
  • Distinct sections for surfers, swimmers, and dogs — no overlap conflict
  • Chill, hippie vibe — different from the rest of San Diego’s beach towns
  • Reliable surf near the pier; quieter swimming area in the center

Good to Know

  • Free parking exists but is very limited during peak season — arrive early
  • The dog beach is genuinely off-leash all year (rare for San Diego)
  • The pier is one of the longest concrete piers on the West Coast — walk it at sunset
  • Some areas can feel rough at night; stay aware after dark

Best Experiences in Ocean Beach

Best Hotels Near Ocean Beach

Where to Eat Nearby

  • OB Noodle House – Asian fare with a pub food feel
  • Hodad’s – Fantastic Burger spot (take it to go and eat at the beach)

More Things to Do in Ocean Beach

  • Walk the OB Pier at sunset
  • Sunset Cliffs hike just south of OB
  • Wednesday Farmers Market on Newport Avenue
  • Take Robby — or any dog — to the off-leash beach

Mission Bay

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Young kids, water sports, fire-pit nights

Mission Bay is perfect for families with small children. There are practically no waves, the water is shallow and warm, and there’s plenty of shady grass nearby to escape the midday heat. It’s also a paradise for paddleboarders, kayakers, and windsurfers who don’t want to battle ocean surf. At night the fire pits along the bay come alive — locals and tourists pull up for bonfires, beach hangs, and s’mores. It’s the closest you’ll come to a calm-water lake experience in San Diego, with all the amenities of being right in the city.

? The single best San Diego beach choice for families with toddlers — and a favorite local spot for fire-pit nights with friends.

Mission Beach Mission Bay Pacific Beach Map

Why Visit Mission Bay

  • Calm, shallow, warm water — perfect for toddlers and beginner swimmers
  • Fire pits along the bay for sunset bonfires (first-come, first-served)
  • Excellent for stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and windsurfing
  • Grassy shaded areas for picnics and cool-downs

Good to Know

  • Fire pits fill up fast on summer weekends — arrive early to claim one
  • Free parking exists but is limited during peak season
  • Sea World is right around the corner if you want to add an attraction day
  • The water is warm enough for swimming most of the year

Best Experiences in Mission Bay

Best Hotels Near Mission Bay

Where to Eat Nearby

  • The Mission – One of the best breakfast/brunch places in San Diego
  • Cannonball Sushi — yummy rolls and stunning ocean views

More Things to Do at Mission Bay

  • Rent a paddleboard, kayak, or windsurfer
  • Beach bonfire with s’mores at sunset
  • Belmont Park amusement park (steps away from the bay)
  • Visit Sea World (right next door)

Windansea Beach

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Photography, sunsets, experienced surfers

Windansea is a hidden gem on this list — a mix of soft sand and dramatic rocky boulders that makes for some of the most photogenic beach scenery in San Diego. If you’re into photography, head here at golden hour or sunset; the light on the rocks is genuinely stunning.

The waves at Windansea hit just right, which is why it’s been a favorite surf spot for decades. The famous palm-covered surf shack at the south end is a historic landmark — and a great photo backdrop.

? The single best San Diego beach for sunset photography — and a serious surf spot, not a casual swimming beach.

Amazing sunset lights up Windansea Beach in La Jolla, San Diego, California
Windansea Beach in La Jolla

Why Visit Windansea

  • Some of the most photogenic beach scenery in San Diego
  • The historic palm-covered surf shack at the south end
  • Reliable, well-formed waves popular with experienced surfers
  • Genuinely uncrowded compared to nearby La Jolla Cove

Good to Know

  • Mostly rocky — not the right pick for sunbathing or a kids’ beach
  • Surf is for experienced surfers; not a beginner-friendly break
  • Bathrooms aren’t right at the beach — plan accordingly
  • Street parking only, and very limited during peak season

Best Experiences in La Jolla

Best Hotels Near Windansea

  • The Shoal ⭐⭐⭐⭐ → [Reserve My Room Now] (generate a dedicated Stay22 link — currently shares Pantai Inn’s URL in the article, which is the duplicate I flagged)
  • Spanish-Style Casa (up to 6 people) → Check Dates Now

Where to Eat Nearby

More Things to Do at Windansea

  • Sunset photography session
  • Watch the surfers from the rocks
  • Walk south along the coast toward Bird Rock
  • Visit the La Jolla sea lions — short drive north

Solana Beach

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Quieter beach day, easy day trip from San Diego

Solana Beach technically isn’t San Diego — but we let it slide because it’s so nice, and getting there from San Diego is easy by car or even by the Coaster commuter train.

The beautiful sandstone cliffs are the visual signature here, and the view from the bluff above is even better than from the sand. One block up from the beach you’ll find the restaurants, bars, shops, and cafés that make Solana Beach a real little beach town, not just a strip of sand.

? The right pick for a slower-paced beach day with walkable restaurants and shopping — easy to combine with Cardiff or Encinitas on a North County coast day.

Aerial view of Solana Beach and cliff, California coastal beach with blue Pacific ocean. San Diego County, California, USA
Solana Beach, California

Why Visit Solana Beach

  • Beautiful sandstone cliffs as the backdrop
  • Walkable to restaurants, bars, and shops one block from the beach
  • Easy day trip from San Diego by car or Coaster train
  • Quieter than the more famous San Diego city beaches

Good to Know

  • Street parking only, and limited during peak season
  • The Coaster train runs from downtown SD to Solana Beach — a stress-free option
  • Combine with nearby Cardiff or Encinitas for a full North County coast day

Best Experiences in Solana Beach

Best Hotels in Solana Beach

Where to Eat Nearby

  • Pizza Port – Pizza and Beer, the most magical combination
  • Pacific Coast Grill – Seafood and Seaviews

More Things to Do in Solana Beach

  • Walk the Solana Beach bluff trail
  • Drive a few minutes north to Cardiff or Encinitas
  • Shop the Cedros Avenue Design District
  • Sunset drinks at one of the bluff-top restaurants

Black’s Beach San Diego

? Find on Google Maps

Best for: Adventurous, clothing-optional, experienced surfers

Black’s Beach is the only nudist beach in San Diego — clothing optional, not required. You don’t have to go naked, but you can. (I’ll admit I’ve only been to the very edge so far.) Black’s sits just below the Torrey Pines Gliderport, and getting there isn’t easy.

The shortest route is the Gliderport trail, which is steep enough that you should wear real shoes, not flip-flops. You can also walk in from Torrey Pines State Park or La Jolla Shores, depending on the tide. The waves are excellent — Black’s is one of the most respected surf spots in California — but the swim back to shore is no joke.

? Adventurous, dramatic, and clothing-optional — not a casual or family beach. Plan the access route carefully and watch the tide.

Why Visit Black’s Beach

  • One of California’s most respected surf spots
  • Dramatic cliff backdrop, genuinely off the beaten path
  • The only clothing-optional beach in San Diego
  • Quieter than other La Jolla beaches because of the access

Good to Know

  • The Gliderport trail is steep — wear sturdy shoes, not flip-flops
  • Access via Torrey Pines State Park or La Jolla Shores depends on the tide; check before you go
  • No amenities of any kind — bring everything you need (water, sunscreen, food)
  • Clothing-optional is the cultural norm; comfort level varies by visitor

Best Experiences in La Jolla

Best Hotels Near Black’s Beach

These hotels sit on the Torrey Pines Golf Course bluff overlooking the ocean — not on the beach itself.

Where to Eat Nearby

  • Cliff Hanger Café – casual sandwich spot at the Glider Port
  • The Lodge at Torrey Pines restaurants (open to non-guests)
Glider Port Cafe La Jolla

More Things to Do at Black’s Beach

  • Watch the hang gliders launch from the Torrey Pines Gliderport
  • Hike the Torrey Pines State Reserve trails
  • Sunset on the cliffs above
  • Long walk south to La Jolla Shores at low tide

Where to Stay in San Diego for Your San Diego Beach Getaway

Quick Hotel Picks by Area

Solana Beach (Small Beach Town): Cardiff by the Sea Lodge -> Book My Escape
Pacific Beach (Young Crowd/Spring Break): Tower23 Hotel -> Reserve My Room Now
Ocean Beach (Budget/Hippie): The Inn at Sunset Cliffs -> Check My Dates

Couple running at the beach - Romantic Staycation in San Diego

La Jolla

If I could just pick one San Diego Beach town, I would hands down recommend La Jolla. La Jolla has luxury accommodations, cute beach-cottage vacation rentals, fantastic restaurants, shopping, and galleries, and the beaches are top-notch. From the wide, sandy beaches in La Jolla Shores to surfers’ paradise at Windansea Beach, there is something for everyone.

Sunset over the pacific ocean in La Jolla with a bush of flowers with white petals in the foreground and sandstone rock cliffs and palm trees in the background

La Jolla is also perfect if you like to do more than just lie on the beach. Enjoy a breathtaking hike down the cliffs of Torrey Pines, go kayaking in the sea caves, or snorkel with sea lions in La Jolla Cove. And the sunsets overlooking the Ocean from Shell Beach make for the best end of every beach day in La Jolla.

Mission Beach & Mission Bay

Mission Beach and Mission Bay are my top recommendations if you are traveling with kids. Mission Beach is perfect for older kids and teens, while Mission Bay is fantastic for families with young kids and toddlers. Belmont Park, a small amusement park right by the beach, is the perfect spot for some fun family time with arcades, games, rides, and cotton candy.

Lifeguard tower at Mission Beach San Diego
Mission Beach San Diego

You are just minutes from Downtown and all the top attractions, including the San Diego Zoo, the USS Midway, Balboa Park, and the Maritime Museum. Sea World is also just around the corner.

Coronado

I always see Coronado as a SoCal version of the Hamptons. Beachy luxury that is classy yet laid back at the same time. You’ll find beautiful hotels, great restaurants, and a small-town feel, despite being right in the middle of San Diego.

Colorful sunset on Coronado Island with white bench and sand in the foreground
Sunsets are spectacular on Coronado Island, California

You get the convenience of all the cool things a big city has to offer, but without the hustle and bustle. Explore San Diego attractions during the day and then head back to Coronado for some relaxing island time. Time really flows differently on Coronado. You’ll see when you get there.

Pacific Beach & Ocean Beach

If you are looking for a younger crowd, cheaper accommodations, fun beach bars, and a thriving nightlife, I highly recommend you stay in either Pacific Beach or Ocean Beach.

Pacific Beach is super popular among San Diego college kids, and you will find many bars, cheap restaurants, and a beach with a party atmosphere. Spring Break and Holidays like St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, or the 4th of July can get pretty wild here.

Ocean Beach is known as the Hippie Beach, and you’ll find plenty of Van-lifers, tie-die enthusiasts, and, in general, a very chill crowd there. Definitely add a hike along Sunset Cliffs to your itinerary if you are staying here.

rocks on the beach at sunset with a wave crashing into them
Ocean Beach, San Diego
What is the best beach in San Diego for families with kids?

Mission Bay is hands-down the best San Diego beach for families with young kids — the water is calm, shallow, and warm, with plenty of shaded grass nearby to escape the midday heat. For families with older kids or teens, Mission Beach is a stronger fit because of the boardwalk, Belmont Park amusement park next door, and the sports amenities. Both are within easy driving distance of family-friendly hotels like the Bahia Resort.

What’s the best swimming beach in San Diego?

Mission Bay is the best option for swimmers who want calm, warm, shallow water with no waves. For ocean swimming with gentler surf, La Jolla Shores is the local favorite — long sandy beach, lifeguards on duty, and manageable waves most days. Coronado is great for strong swimmers, but the open Pacific surf there can be stronger than it looks.

Where can you swim with seals or sea lions in San Diego?

La Jolla Cove is the spot — sea lions and harbor seals haul out on the rocks year-round, and snorkelers regularly encounter them in the water. Booking a snorkel or kayak tour is the easiest way to see them up close. However, please respect these wild animals and do not get too close, especially during pupping season. They can get quite aggressive and attack. Fair warning: the sea lion colony has a strong smell, especially in summer, so don’t expect a pristine beach experience.

Which San Diego beach has the best sunset?

Shell Beach in La Jolla is my personal pick for the most magical sunsets — the cliffs and tide pools catch the light beautifully. Windansea Beach is a close second, especially during golden hour when the sand and rocky boulders glow. For an easier-access option with great sunsets, Coronado Beach is hard to beat. The sand actually sparkles at sunset because of the mica content. How magical is that?

Are San Diego beaches free?

Yes, all San Diego city and county beaches are free to access. The exceptions are state beaches like Torrey Pines State Beach and Silver Strand State Beach, which charge a vehicle entrance fee for the parking lot (street parking is sometimes available for free, but limited). Most city beaches have free parking lots that fill up fast on weekends and holidays.

Can dogs go to San Diego beaches?

Yes — Ocean Beach has a dedicated off-leash dog beach at the northern end that’s the best spot in the city for dogs to run free. Del Mar North Beach allows off-leash dogs in the winter months only (on-leash in summer). At most other San Diego beaches, dogs are either not allowed on the sand or must be leashed in adjacent areas — check posted signs before you go. Check out our post on the best dog beaches in San Diego here.

What is the most beautiful beach in San Diego?

This is subjective, but the local consensus tends to land on three: Windansea Beach for its mix of sand and sandstone boulders that catch the light dramatically, La Jolla Cove for the postcard-perfect cliffs and turquoise water, and Coronado Beach for its iconic wide flat sand with the Hotel del as the backdrop. If I had to pick one, Windansea at sunset wins for sheer photographic beauty.

Is Coronado Beach worth the trip?

Yes — Coronado consistently ranks in the top 10 US beaches, and the wide, flat sand actually sparkles at sunset because of its mica content. The Hotel del Coronado backdrop is iconic enough to justify the visit alone. Plan around the Padres’ home game schedule, though, because traffic to and from Coronado over the bridge can be brutal during games at Petco Park.

I hope you liked our little list of the best beaches in San Diego and found one to try on your next beach day. What is your favorite beach in San Diego?

Best Beaches in San Diego – Pin for Later:

Best Beaches in San Diego - Family Friendly beaches in San Diego - San Diego Beaches - Mission Beach - Pacific Beach - Mission Bay - Coronado Beach - Solana Beach - Beach Towns - Southern California - SoCal - Soak up the sun - Cali - SoCal living - Coastal living - Beach pictures - beach pics #SanDiego #VisitSanDiego #BeachLife #beach #Beachtrip #Beachgetaway #beachgirl #beachtowns #SoCal #socalvibe #SanDiegoExplorer
Best Beaches in San Diego - Family Friendly beaches in San Diego - San Diego Beaches - Mission Beach - Pacific Beach - Mission Bay - Coronado Beach - Solana Beach - Beach Towns - Southern California - SoCal - Soak up the sun - Cali - SoCal living - Coastal living - Beach pictures - beach pics #SanDiego #VisitSanDiego #BeachLife #beach #Beachtrip #Beachgetaway #beachgirl #beachtowns #SoCal #socalvibe #SanDiegoExplorer
Best Beaches in San Diego - Family Friendly beaches in San Diego - San Diego Beaches - Mission Beach - Pacific Beach - Mission Bay - Coronado Beach - Solana Beach - Beach Towns - Southern California - SoCal - Soak up the sun - Cali - SoCal living - Coastal living - Beach pictures - beach pics #SanDiego #VisitSanDiego #BeachLife #beach #Beachtrip #Beachgetaway #beachgirl #beachtowns #SoCal #socalvibe #SanDiegoExplorer
Best Beaches in San Diego - Family Friendly beaches in San Diego - San Diego Beaches - Mission Beach - Pacific Beach - Mission Bay - Coronado Beach - Solana Beach - Beach Towns - Southern California - SoCal - Soak up the sun - Cali - SoCal living - Coastal living - Beach pictures - beach pics #SanDiego #VisitSanDiego #BeachLife #beach #Beachtrip #Beachgetaway #beachgirl #beachtowns #SoCal #socalvibe #SanDiegoExplorer

Last Updated on June 21, 2026 by Maria Haase

The post 14 Best San Diego Beaches: A Local’s Complete Guide [2026] appeared first on San Diego Explorer.

]]> 7 Best Luxury & Beachfront La Jolla Hotels (2026) https://sandiegoexplorer.com/best-la-jolla-hotels/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-la-jolla-hotels https://sandiegoexplorer.com/best-la-jolla-hotels/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-la-jolla-hotels Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:01:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Best, Luxury, Beachfront, Jolla, Hotels, 2026 With 17 miles of stunning, rugged, and picturesque coastline curving into a myriad of natural coves, La Jolla is a natural treasure trove – San Diego’s Jewel by the Sea. And La Jolla Hotels are just as stunning, I promise.

HotelClassPriceLocation / BeachfrontBest ForResort/Amenity FeeBook
Pantai Inn5-star boutique$$$$Coast Blvd — oceanfrontCouples & romanceNone notedCheck Rates
La Valencia Hotel4-star historic$$$$La Jolla Village — cliff/ocean viewIconic luxury, walkable village$39/nightCheck Rates
The Lodge at Torrey Pines5-star resort$$$$Torrey Pines — golf/ocean viewGolfers, families, petsNone notedCheck Rates
Grande Colonial4-star historic$$$La Jolla Village — steps to oceanDining & history lovers$20/nightCheck Rates
Scripps Inn La Jolla Cove4-star boutique$$$Coast Blvd — across from the coveQuiet couples, tide poolsNone notedCheck Rates
La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club3-star resort$$$Spindrift Dr — private beachfrontActive families, tennis, no resort feeNoneCheck Rates
La Jolla Shores Hotel3-star$$La Jolla Shores — directly on the beachBest value, family beach stay$20/nightCheck Rates

Explore La Jolla

The vibrant upscale community of San Diego has always attracted surfers, beach-goers, and nature lovers, along with the rich and famous. Everyone falls in love with La Jolla, even the local San Diegans. As a resident of America’s finest city, I can definitely say that every family member or friend who comes visiting has La Jolla on their to-do list. And for good reason.

Pantai Inn La Jolla sign in front of stone wall and yellow luxury hotel in the background

?Top Rated Hotel in La Jolla

Don’t have time to read the whole article? Book this beachfront boutique hotel with 230 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Star Reviews on Booking!

Check Prices Here

Also read:
La Jolla, California – Ultimate Guide by a Local
Best Beach Houses for Rent in San Diego
Best Vacation Rentals in La Jolla – Best Deals for Every Budget
Best La Jolla Restaurants
Best La Jolla Brunch Spots
Best Spots to Watch the La Jolla Seals & Sea Lions
8 Adventurous Kayaking Tours in La Jolla

View of La Jolla Beach with a concrete fortification and cliffs surrounding a small sand beach with sea lions
Children’s Pool – La Jolla, California

The town celebrates a rich history steeped in the whimsical tales of Dr. Seuss and classic Hollywood. Its picture-perfect weather, awe-inspiring vistas, stunning beach houses, fascinating tide pools, and churning azure waters are forever a draw. Mix in a charming walkable village with delightful shops, and delectable places to brunch and dine, and it’s no wonder La Jolla provides a unique, magical experience.

For those planning a trip here, or for locals longing for a perfect staycation getaway, La Jolla is the place to be. But to get the true experience for all the amazing things to see and do in this beachside resort town, staying at one of these magnificent La Jolla Hotels is a must.

Best La Jolla Hotels – Where to Stay in La Jolla

Pantai Inn 

1003 Coast Blvd S, La Jolla, CA 92037
5-Star Hotel|$$$$|Complimentary WiFi, On-Site Breakfast & Parking 
+1 (858) 224-7600
Book here

Pantai Inn La Jolla sign in front of stone wall and yellow luxury hotel in the background
Pantai Inn La Jolla – Photo courtesy of Pantai Inn

Pantai Inn, a 30-room seaside boutique hotel is one of La Jolla’s best oceanfront resorts. Its relaxed, warm atmosphere, attention to detail, and top-notch service are hallmarks of Pantai providing guests a royal experience.

Accommodations and grounds of the historic early 1900s property reflect the beauty and culture of Indonesia with impeccable intricate detail. Statues, tumbling waterfalls, tropical plants, and teak wood furnishings transport guests to exotic Bali in Southeast Asia.   

The inn is considered the perfect romantic getaway. Honeymoon and romance packages are available, and the inn is a popular venue for destination weddings. But this enchanted property is also family-friendly and the ideal place for girls’ getaways.

Lush garden beds with flowers and palm trees in front of yellow luxury hotel in La Jolla Pantai Inn
Pantai Inn La Jolla – Photo courtesy of Pantai Inn

Pantai Inn’s amenities and services include complimentary lobby drinks and snacks, an impressive deluxe continental breakfast, and outdoor seating with ocean view fire pits.

Each room has unique custom furnishings, all hand-selected and imported from Bali. Room types offer a kitchenette or a full kitchen, and a fireplace. Bathrooms are equipped with plush robes, rainfall showers, luxury towels, and high-end bath products. Guests in oceanfront rooms are lulled to sleep by the nearby crashing waves. Compare Prices Here>>

Scripps Inn La Jolla Cove

555 Coast Blvd S, La Jolla, CA 92037
4-Star Hotel|$$$|Complimentary WiFi|
+1 (888) 387-9907
Book here

Hotel Suite at the Scripps Inn La Jolla. It features a large couch, a white table with chairs and a blue and tan colored ocean inspired color scheme and decor.
Suite at the Scripps Inn La Jolla Cove

Another boutique property just steps from La Jolla’s world-renowned beaches is the Scripps Inn La Jolla Cove. This warm and charming inn with its colorful bougainvillea represents quintessential Southern California charm in a laid-back, intimate setting. It’s so easy to fall in love with this inn—one of La Jolla’s best-kept secrets.

The 14-room, two-floor property features one and two-bedroom deluxe rooms and suites with quaint seating areas, some with kitchenettes and fireplaces. Each is well-appointed with beach-inspired décor. An outdoor terrace is the perfect place to share a bottle of wine or champagne and toast a Pacific sunset. 

View from Suite at Scripps Inn La Jolla overlooking the Pacific Ocean with Palm trees
View from Suite at Scripps Inn La Jolla

Rooms are not air-conditioned but do have ceiling fans and additional pedestal fans if needed. However, due to the Scripps Inn’s prime location directly across from the ocean, Pacific breezes are enough, and sounds of the ocean waves will lull you into a peaceful slumber.

Paid parking is available on site, though guests may choose to park in nearby street areas at no charge. The top benefit of this property is its ideal location for some of the area’s best tide-pooling. Compare Prices Here>>

The Lodge at Torrey Pines

Address: 11480 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA 92037
Phone: (858) 453-4420
Website

Couple in outdoor jacuzzi watching sunset over golf course and ocean in the distance. The Lodge at Torrey Pines Best hotels in San Diego for Couples
Luxury hotel room with leather sitting area and large outdoor balcony with wicker furniture, balcony overlooks golf course and distant ocean on sunny day. The Lodge at Torrey Pines.
Photo Credit: The Lodge at Torrey Pines

A much-loved San Diego 5-star hotel, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, goes above and beyond to ensure guests have a top-tier stay. But Golfers aren’t the only ones who’ll find the Lodge to their liking!

Set alongside the immaculate Torrey Pines Golf Course, spend your mornings practicing your swing before catching a quick 10-minute ride to Torrey Pines Nature Preserve. If you wish to explore a little more of San Diego during your vacation, reach La Jolla in just 15 minutes by car, or head a bit further south to the downtown area.

The Lodge manages to strike a balance between luxe and homely, with a warm ambiance. With plenty of large rooms on offer, families will have their pick of comfortable and spacious suites. 

As one of the most sought-after wedding venues in San Diego, the Lodge is also well accustomed to catering to couples in search of an intimate getaway.

Bounce between fine dining and casual eats at the two on-site restaurants. Choose to dine indoors or enjoy your meal al fresco on the patio, where you’ll be treated to enviable views of the Pacific Ocean each evening.

The full-service spa offers seasonal packages that will leave you feeling rejuvenated, or opt to spend your days lounging poolside. Coordinated fitness classes, a modern gym, and bike rentals are available for guests looking to stay active during their visit.

Couples or small families will love the signature rooms here. Rooms are kitted out with hardwood furnishings, chic marble bathrooms, and the finest Egyptian cotton bed linen on the market. Most feature a spacious balcony or a terrace overlooking the golf course or the courtyard.

Elevate your visit with a stay in one of the Lodge’s expansive suites. These feature everything you could possibly ask for, from fully stocked kitchens with the latest appliances and toasty fireplaces to roomy living areas and Jacuzzi bathtubs!

Additionally, those traveling with pets will be happy to know The Lodge at Torrey Pines is pet-friendly. Compare prices here>>

Grande Colonial Hotel

910 Prospect St., La Jolla, CA 92037
4-star|$$$|Restaurant|Pool|Complimentary Coffee|Free Parking|Accessible
+1 (888) 828-5498
Book here

Luxurious hotel room with bed, and two windows looking out over the pacific ocean
Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla – Photos courtesy of Grande Colonial

A 97-room boutique hotel, La Jolla’s Grande Colonial is the seaside town’s oldest original lodging. Opened in 1913, the classic European-designed inn was a temporary home to many of Hollywood’s up-and-coming stars performing at the La Jolla Playhouse. Famous actors like Charlton Heston, Dorothy McGuire, Jane Wyatt, and Groucho Marks graced this historic hotel situated just steps from the ocean.

It’s delightful yellow-painted building set on a corner with blue and white striped awnings remains an iconic landmark in the heart of La Jolla village. The casual, elegant hotel lobby is stunning with its perfectly appointed furnishings, warm ambiance, and magnificent fireplace.   

Accommodations at the hotel include village, garden, and ocean view rooms and suites, studio and suite vacation rentals with all the amenities of a private residence. Soft goose-down comforters sit atop Serta iComfort Eurotop mattresses, guaranteeing guests a comfortable night’s rest. Bathrooms provide plush bathrobes and high-end Gilchrist & Soames bath and beauty products. 

Exterior Photo of Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla - a 4 story yellow corner building surrounded by palm trees
Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla – Photos courtesy of Grande Colonial

Grande Colonial also sports the award-winning restaurant NINE-TEN with farm-to-table seasonal California cuisine now served al fresco on the patio.  

A $20 per night hospitality charge covers high-speed internet, poolside towel and water service, beach gear (towels, chairs, and umbrellas), use of hotel bicycles, guest pass to the nearby La Jolla Sports Club, and 10% discount on food and beverages at NINE-TEN. Compare prices here>>

La Jolla Shores Hotel

8110 Camino Del Oro, La Jolla, CA 92037
3-Star|$$|Pool|Restaurant|Beachfront|Accessible
+1 (858) 459-4461
Book here

La Jolla Shores Hotel from the Air - Large 2 to 4 story hotel complex with red tiled roof directly on the beach
La Jolla Shores Hotel from the Air – Photo courtesy of La Jolla Shores Hotel

Unlike the above-mentioned La Jolla hotels, which are all located within La Jolla Village, La Jolla Shores Hotel is nestled on one of the most beautiful beaches on the San Diego coast. This means surfing, kayaking, or boogie-boarding are just a few sand-covered footsteps away. The hotel is ideal for a perfect throwback Americana beach vacation, and it’s extremely family-friendly to boot. This makes it quite popular for family and friend reunions. It’s no surprise that guests vacationing here return again and again.

128 casual beach-themed guestrooms are infused with the laid-back spirit of California, offering lush gardens, a pool, and scenic coastal or beachfront views with a private patio or balcony. 19 rooms include kitchenettes. A relaxing heated outdoor courtyard pool and Jacuzzi, tennis courts, ping-pong tables, and a fitness center are on-site. 

Beachfront Balcony overlooking the Pacific Ocean at the La Jolla Shores hotel
La Jolla Shores Hotel from the Air – Photo courtesy of La Jolla Shores Hotel

Beach crews are available to set up umbrellas, chairs, and towels for guests at the La Jolla Shores Hotel. Unlimited WiFi, shuttle service around the local area, seasonal games and activities, and free DVD rentals are available with an amenity fee of $20 per night.

Beachside views meet the perfect bites at the resort’s spectacular The Shores Restaurant. This oceanfront hacienda-style eatery with indoor and open-air dining serves fresh, sustainable, seasonal California-coastal-inspired entrees and beachy-themed libations.  Compare Prices here>>

La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club

2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037
3-Star|$$$|Pool|Private Beach|Restaurant|Accessible
+1 (888) 828-0948
Book here

View of pool in the front with pool chairs in the background at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club
La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club Pool – Photo courtesy of La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club

One of the region’s most timeless beach resorts, La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club is a landmark oceanfront hotel. Despite serving guests for over 80 years, it remains one of La Jolla’s treasures and best-kept secrets.

The casually elegant, relaxing, well-appointed beach-themed hotel features guestrooms, studio suites, and cottages with a picturesque interior, golf course, or sweeping ocean views. Room amenities include complimentary WiFi, Starbucks coffee products, and spa-style soft cotton bathrobes.

Guests have access to a beach complete with beach loungers and umbrellas, a tennis shop, 12 championship tennis courts, a par-3 nine-hole golf course, a bocce ball court, and ping-pong tables. An outdoor heated swimming pool, children’s pool, playground, and fitness center round out the resort’s impressive amenities.  Lastly, it’s important to note there is no resort fee here.

Beach with colorful beach umbrellas at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club
Beach at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club – Photo courtesy of La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club

One of the best aspects of staying at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club is dining at the Marine Room, one of San Diego’s most beloved restaurants. Dining at high tide lets guests watch waves crash against its panoramic window while enjoying ocean, cove, and sunset views. Resort guests can also have oceanfront patio dining at their sister eatery, The Shores Restaurant.  Compare prices here>>

La Valencia Hotel

1132 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA, 92037
4-Star|$$$$|Restaurant and Lounge, Pool, Poolside Bar|Pet-Friendly|Accessible
(855) 476-6870
Book here

You can’t miss this beautiful, iconic pink lady in the heart of La Jolla village. The historic La Valencia Hotel, built in 1926 has housed many Hollywood elite over the years providing the perfect escape getaway.  

View of La Valencia Hotel La Jolla overlooking the Ocean

Perched high on the magnificent cliffs of overlooking scenic Ellen Browning Scripps Park, the 114-room hotel touts awe-inspiring Pacific Ocean views from many of its rooms, restaurants, and bars. With its classic Spanish old-world ambiance and magnificent legacy of restoration, it’s of no surprise this elegant lady is a charter member of the Historic Hotels of America. Walking into its enchanting lobby is like entering an enchanting European Mediterranean inn.

La Valencia offers four elegantly distinctive room types. Vintage features lovely Euro-style bathrooms, and the Classic provides luxury bathrooms with chic bath amenities. The luxurious and spacious Villas sport Jacuzzi tubs. The Icon Suites are the height of luxury with sweeping ocean vistas. Soft luxury bedding in every room makes sleeping a dream.  

Swaying palms and colorful bougainvillea surround the ocean-view pool. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner outdoor dining is currently available on the Ocean View Terrace featuring rich Mediterranean influences with re-imagined California coastal cuisine. A $39 per night resort fee includes parking, beach towels, a fitness center, a daily newspaper, high-speed internet, and business services. Compare prices here>>

A sign in one of La Jolla’s quaint boutiques reads, “There is a little bit of paradise built into every day. You just have to find it.” And find it you will in the enchanting town of La Jolla.

What is the nicest hotel in La Jolla?

For pure luxury, the 5-star Pantai Inn (a Balinese-inspired boutique near La Jolla Cove) and The Lodge at Torrey Pines top most local lists. If you want iconic and historic, the pink La Valencia Hotel, a charter member of Historic Hotels of America, is hard to beat. Pantai Inn and La Valencia are both an easy walk into the village, while The Lodge sits out by Torrey Pines, about a 15-minute drive away.

Which La Jolla hotels are closest to the beach?

No La Jolla hotel sits directly on the water, but a few are just steps from the sand. The La Jolla Shores Hotel and the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club are closest to La Jolla Shores beach, while Pantai Inn and Scripps Inn La Jolla Cove sit across Coast Boulevard from La Jolla Cove and its tide pools.

What are the best luxury hotels in La Jolla?

The standout luxury stays are Pantai Inn ($$$$, oceanfront boutique), The Lodge at Torrey Pines ($$$$, 5-star golf resort and spa), and La Valencia Hotel ($$$$, historic cliffside landmark). Grande Colonial and Scripps Inn offer a slightly more affordable upscale option in the heart of the village.

Where should I stay in La Jolla for the first time?

First-timers usually love staying in La Jolla Village, where you can walk to the cove, shops, and restaurants. Grande Colonial and La Valencia put you right in the heart of it. If you’d rather be near the sand, choose La Jolla Shores Hotel.

What is the best La Jolla hotel for families?

La Jolla Shores Hotel is the top family pick — it’s just steps from a calm, swimmable beach, has a pool, and offers kitchenette rooms. The La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club is also very family-friendly, with beach access on La Jolla Shores, tennis courts, and a children’s pool, and The Lodge at Torrey Pines is pet- and family-friendly.

Do La Jolla hotels charge a resort fee?

It varies. La Valencia charges about $39/night (parking, beach towels, fitness center, internet), while Grande Colonial and La Jolla Shores Hotel each add roughly $20/night. The La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club notably has no resort fee. Always confirm the current fee when you book.

Best Hotels in La Jolla – Pin for Later:

Looking to visit La Jolla, California? Here's the best La Jolla beach hotels that you should look at including luxury hotels and more budget friendly options, recommended by a San Diego local! La Jolla California - La Jolla Beaches - La Jolla Hotels - La Jolla Luxury Hotels - Luxury Travel Destinations - Southern Calfornia Luxury Travel - San Diego Beach Hotels - La Jolla Cove Hotels - San Diego Vacation - San Diego Hotels
Looking to visit La Jolla, California? Here's the best La Jolla beach hotels that you should look at including luxury hotels and more budget friendly options, recommended by a San Diego local! La Jolla California - La Jolla Beaches - La Jolla Hotels - La Jolla Luxury Hotels - Luxury Travel Destinations - Southern Calfornia Luxury Travel - San Diego Beach Hotels - La Jolla Cove Hotels - San Diego Vacation - San Diego Hotels

Last Updated on June 21, 2026 by Maria Haase

The post 7 Best Luxury & Beachfront La Jolla Hotels (2026) appeared first on San Diego Explorer.

]]> San Diego International Airport ranked among world's most beautiful airports https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-airport-terminal-1-prix-versailles/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-airport-terminal-1-prix-versailles/ Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:34:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, International, Airport, ranked, among, worlds, most, beautiful, airports Pope Leo expected to visit 5 Peruvian cities in November, president says https://catholics.news/pope-leo-expected-to-visit-5-peruvian-cities-in-november-president-says https://catholics.news/pope-leo-expected-to-visit-5-peruvian-cities-in-november-president-says Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, expected, visit, Peruvian, cities, November, president, says Pope Leo XIV: Failure to understand Eastern Christianity impoverishes the Church https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-failure-to-understand-eastern-christianity-impoverishes-the-church https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-failure-to-understand-eastern-christianity-impoverishes-the-church Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV:, Failure, understand, Eastern, Christianity, impoverishes, the, Church Pope Leo XIV remembers Cardinal Ruini as a shepherd who guided the people of God https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-remembers-cardinal-ruini-as-a-shepherd-who-guided-the-people-of-god https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-remembers-cardinal-ruini-as-a-shepherd-who-guided-the-people-of-god Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV, remembers, Cardinal, Ruini, shepherd, who, guided, the, people, God Pope Leo XIV: Synodality can help us avoid being another Tower of Babel https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-synodality-can-help-us-avoid-being-another-tower-of-babel https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-synodality-can-help-us-avoid-being-another-tower-of-babel Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV:, Synodality, can, help, avoid, being, another, Tower, Babel Vatican recognizes martyrdom of 20 priests killed during Spanish Civil War https://catholics.news/vatican-recognizes-martyrdom-of-20-priests-killed-during-spanish-civil-war https://catholics.news/vatican-recognizes-martyrdom-of-20-priests-killed-during-spanish-civil-war Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Vatican, recognizes, martyrdom, priests, killed, during, Spanish, Civil, War Astrobotic says sale to Voyager will allow it to scale up https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/astrobotic-says-sale-to-voyager-will-allow-it-to-scale-up/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/astrobotic-says-sale-to-voyager-will-allow-it-to-scale-up/ Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Astrobotic, says, sale, Voyager, will, allow, scale

PITTSBURGH — Lunar lander developer Astrobotic decided to sell to Voyager Technologies so it could quickly scale up to meet the projected demands of NASA’s lunar base initiative.

Voyager announced June 2 that it reached an agreement to acquire Astrobotic for $162 million in cash and stock and the assumption of $9 million in debt. The deal includes up to an additional $129 million in earnout payments contingent on meeting performance milestones.

The announcement took many in the industry by surprise. Astrobotic is a 19-year-old company that had not relied on significant outside investment, choosing instead to bootstrap the company with customer contracts. That included NASA awards for the Peregrine lunar lander, launched in 2024, and its Griffin-1 lander, which the company unveiled June 15 for launch late this year.

In an interview at the event, John Thornton, chief executive of Astrobotic, said the decision to sell the company to Voyager came after concluding that it was the fastest approach to scaling up the company to meet NASA’s needs after the agency announced its lunar base plans at the Ignition event in March.

“Fundamentally, we need to move fast,” he said. “With Moon Base coming out, we needed to scale, and we needed a partner that could do that, and Voyager is that in every way.”

Selling to Voyager, he said, would allow it to scale faster than if it took outside investment. “The alternate path would have been raise some money, maybe try to go IPO after that. That probably takes 18 months all in,” he said. “With the partnership with Voyager, we basically have access to public markets imminently when we close. That gives us an ability to scale now.”

The acquisition was part of Voyager’s “strategic lunar initiative” announced earlier this year that includes a much smaller investment in Max Space, a startup developing inflatable habitats that could be used as part of a lunar base.

“We’ve been mapping out the space infrastructure company for many, many years,” said Matt Magaña, president of defense and national security at Voyager, in an interview. He said what was attractive about Astrobotic was not just its lunar lander work but also its development of other lunar infrastructure, notably power systems.

“Every time that we mapped out what companies were there, what companies that we feel could be a great partnership,” he said, “Astrobotic was at the center of that map every single time.”

Neither Magaña nor Thornton said which company initiated the discussions that led to the acquisition. “We both saw it as a real strong strategic partnership and an opportunity to meet the moment,” Thornton said.

“We’re geared to move very fast. We’re geared to be partners with folks,” Magaña added.

Voyager said that Astrobotic would remain in Pittsburgh and become the center of Voyager’s overall lunar programs. Thornton said Astrobotic planned to expand its presence there.

“It’ll be a foundational change for us as a business, for Astrobotic, because for 19 years we’ve been basically living contract to contract, and piecing those contracts together into bigger things,” he said. “This is a fundamental game change for us, because now we can be strategic.”

“This is really what we needed in this moment with Moon Base. The opportunities abound, and if we weren’t ready to move at the speed that NASA needs, we would be left behind,” he concluded. “This is the perfect partnership to meet the moment.”

Read the original article here

The post Astrobotic says sale to Voyager will allow it to scale up appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Widow’s Bay, Criminal Minds & I Will Find You Prove Heroism Starts with Humanity https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/widows-bay-criminal-minds-i-will-find-you-prove-heroism-starts-with-humanity/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/widows-bay-criminal-minds-i-will-find-you-prove-heroism-starts-with-humanity/ Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Widow’s, Bay, Criminal, Minds, Will, Find, You, Prove, Heroism, Starts, with, Humanity

Summer may be running short on content, but we still have some characters who have resonated with us.

Whether they were navigating grief, confronting impossible choices, or relentlessly chasing the truth, these Characters of the Week drove some of the week’s strongest stories.

From a long-overdue spotlight on Criminal Minds’ Luke Alvez to a supernatural reckoning in Widow’s Bay and a scene-stealing journalist in I Will Find You, these are the characters who left the biggest impression on us.

Luke Alvez – Criminal Minds

(Trae Patton/Paramount+)

The emotional development for Luke Alvez has been a long time coming, but Criminal Minds Season 19 has delivered.

Just after the heartbreaking loss of Roxy (and we all felt that one!), Criminal Minds Season 19 Episode 5 had Luke investigating the death of his friend, Tom.

In a shocking turn of events, we learned that Tom was definitely murdered, but not by the man holding the gun.

Throughout the hour, Luke worked through his grief, even opening up to JJ and acknowledging that it wouldn’t be fair to her. I’ll give JJ her props — nobody owns grief, and she stepped up in the way Luke needed her.

We got to see depth for Luke’s character, and he figured out the mystery behind the murder. He even stepped back when he thought it was best for the case, showing maturity and understanding.

In the end, only Luke could solve the case because knowing someone well is the difference between making assumptions and considering all the facts.

Tom Loftis – Widow’s Bay

(Apple TV/Screenshot)

Tom spent most of the season doing what he does best: avoiding uncomfortable truths and hoping they’ll somehow resolve themselves.

Unfortunately for him, Widow’s Bay isn’t the kind of place that lets you ignore reality for long.

By the finale, Tom was faced with an impossible choice. Kill Ruth and potentially save his son, or spare a woman who had spent her life helping others and risk everything. 

What made the story so compelling wasn’t the supernatural mystery but watching Tom realize that every answer only created bigger problems.

Just when he thought he understood the island’s curse, he learned that Evan wasn’t merely caught up in the story. He was the story.

Tom may have spent years trying to protect his son from Widow’s Bay, but now he’s staring down a future in which keeping Evan safe could require sacrifices no parent should ever have to make. 

The storm may have passed, but Tom’s troubles are only beginning. And considering the island just rang up eight more sacrifices like it was updating a grocery list, he’s going to need all the luck he can get.

Rachel Mills – I Will Find You

(Amanda Matlovich/Netflix)

If you’re looking for a fun binge that makes “Next Episode” feel like a little treat. It’s twisty, entertaining, and stacked with a great cast, and as we mentioned in our I Will Find You Review, it’s just downright fun.

And at the center of all that action is Rachel Mills. It may be David Burroughs fighting for his life, but it’s Rachel who emerges as the MVP of this limited series.

As a formerly disgraced journalist and the devoted aunt of the missing kid in question, she’s the one who believes in David from the beginning and becomes the ride-or-die who goes on quite an adventure to prove it.

Rachel is such a dynamic character that she commands every scene that she’s in.

Her interest lies in finding the truth, doing what’s best for her loved ones, and clearing David’s name in the process, and she takes all of those tasks seriously.

She’s a force of nature, not without her flaws, but arguably the most compelling character of the series.

Over to you, TV Fanatics! Sound off below with your favorite characters from the week.

  • Widow’s Bay, Criminal Minds & I Will Find You Prove Heroism Starts with Humanity

    Luke Alvez, Tom Loftis, and Rachel Mills lead this week’s Characters of the Week, showcasing the complexity of heroism, humanity, and personal sacrifice.

  • Vibe Check: Outer Banks Teases a Revenge-Fueled Final Season — So Why Am I Not Hyped?

    Outer Banks is returning with its fifth and final season this summer, but with all that vengeance, why is it hard to get hype about it?

  • The Boroughs’ Cancellation Less Than a Month After Premiere Proves Netflix Doesn’t Give New Shows a Chance

    Netflix did the unthinkable in cancelling The Boroughs, but the decision came less than a month after its premiere. Let’s discuss.

  • Netflix’s I Will Find You Twists Itself Into Knots & Dares You to Enjoy the Ride

    Harlan Coben’s I Will Find You is a ridiculous but fun and twisty, star-studded thrill ride. And that’s all we needed it to be.

  • Pour One Out for Dana Sue & Annie: Sweet Magnolias Season 5’s Men Were Anything but Sweet

    Dana Sue and Annie’s men failed them in Sweet Magnolias Season 5. Who stepped in to pick up the pieces? Our thoughts below.

Read the original article here

The post Widow’s Bay, Criminal Minds & I Will Find You Prove Heroism Starts with Humanity appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> NASA Is Testing A Rover That Can Drive Faster And Lift Its Wheels To Climb Obstacles https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nasa-is-testing-a-rover-that-can-drive-faster-and-lift-its-wheels-to-climb-obstacles/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nasa-is-testing-a-rover-that-can-drive-faster-and-lift-its-wheels-to-climb-obstacles/ Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NASA, Testing, Rover, That, Can, Drive, Faster, And, Lift, Its, Wheels, Climb, Obstacles

NASA’s Mars rovers have accomplished a whole lot since the first one landed on the red planet in the late ’90s, but even the latest members of the fleet still have plenty of limitations. For one, they’re very slow; Perseverance, which NASA considers a “standout,” achieves a top speed of just under .1 mph on flat ground. On top of that, the rough terrain is hard on the rovers’ wheels, and steep slopes with hazards like rocks and sand pose a real challenge, sometimes requiring long detours to reach certain targets. But this week, NASA showed off its progress on a prototype that boasts more advanced capabilities: the Exploration Rover for Navigating Extreme Sloped Terrain, or Ernest.

The space agency has been testing Ernest in the Colorado Desert, exploring new approaches that could be used for future missions on Mars and the moon. Ernest has four wheels, in contrast to the current Mars’ rovers’ six, and is four feet long, though a version that would be used for an actual mission would be double the size. And, it can individually lift its wheels to step on or over obstacles. In the recent tests in the desert, the prototype drove for a total of over 37 hours across seven days, covering roughly 16 miles, according to NASA. It hit a top speed of about .6 mph.

“You could do a science road trip across the Moon — or Mars — with this vehicle,” said James Keane, a JPL planetary scientist working on lunar missions. Going back to NASA’s Sojourner rover, the Mars rovers have relied on a passive suspension system, the rocker-bogie system, to keep the weight constant across their wheels. Now, though, engineers are trying out active suspension with Ernest to achieve greater mobility. “Two powered joints in front articulate a gimbal that allows the rover to drive using different gaits like squirming, wheel-walking, and obstacle-climbing,” NASA says.

It can switch between active and passive suspension depending on the task and energy needs, and thanks to its four steerable wheels, it can drive in any direction. There have already been multiple iterations of the Ernest prototype since the program began in 2022, and the team has tested nearly a dozen active suspension configurations. The latest version also has “enhanced independent decision-making capabilities.” The goal with Ernest is to develop the technology for rovers that can cover more ground than those that came before them, and faster, with less reliance on human controllers back on Earth.

Read the original article here

The post NASA Is Testing A Rover That Can Drive Faster And Lift Its Wheels To Climb Obstacles appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Phoebe Green announces new album ‘Premature Nostalgia’ with dizzying single ‘There’s Always Someone Kicking The Seat’ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/phoebe-green-announces-new-album-premature-nostalgia-with-dizzying-single-theres-always-someone-kicking-the-seat/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/phoebe-green-announces-new-album-premature-nostalgia-with-dizzying-single-theres-always-someone-kicking-the-seat/ Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Phoebe, Green, announces, new, album, ‘Premature, Nostalgia’, with, dizzying, single, ‘There’s, Always, Someone, Kicking, The, Seat’

Phoebe Green has announced her new album ‘Premature Nostalgia’ with the dizzying and beautiful single ‘There’s Always Someone Kicking The Seat’.

The Manchester singer-songwriter will release the follow-up to her 2022 debut record ‘Lucky Me’ on October 2 via The Green Dream Machine/Absolute, and you can pre-order your copy here.

The album has been written and produced alongside her sister Lucy Green, aka Elucyve, and ‘There’s Always Someone Kicking The Seat’ gives fans their first taste of it. Over a frantically busy bed of electronic rhythms and effects, Green’s disaffected, cool spoke-sung delivery gives way to spectral, delicate vocals.

Listen to the single here:

Speaking about the song, Green has said: “We wanted this song to feel extremely visceral, as though the listener is experiencing the story firsthand; it was written in a similar way to ‘Reinvent’ lyrically where I just wanted to get an experience off my chest and melodically nothing fit, so I ended up just talking. It’s maybe my only proper break-up song, and Lucy really beautifully encapsulated the chaotic emotional journey sonically. It felt really fitting for the verses to feel quite matter of fact, recounting events, then melancholic choruses followed by a cathartic outro.”

She has also said that influences on ‘Premature Nostalgia’ include Jockstrap, James Blake, Imogen Heap and FKA Twigs, and has explained it will “explore my tendency to be extremely sentimental and attach value to every little thing – feeling nostalgic before a moment is even over and trying to control the grieving process by going through the motions prematurely in order to prepare myself”.

The album also contains a collaboration with Picture Parlour’s Katherine Parlour and makes use of field recordings captured from Manchester’s industrial landscape and club culture.

Phoebe Green – ‘Premature Nostalgia’ tracklist: 

  1. ‘Showing Off’ 
  2. ‘There’s Always Someone Kicking The Seat’ 
  3. ‘I Don’t Play It Cool, I Play It Steaming’ (ft. Katherine Parlour) 
  4. ‘Polluting You With Me’ 
  5. ‘Screen Glow Halo’ 
  6. ‘Clothes Still On’ 
  7. ‘Double Vodka Lemonade’ 
  8. ‘Pressing The Bruise’ 
  9. ‘Happy Birthday’ 
  10. ‘Silver’ 
  11. ‘Gum For The Aftertaste’ 

NME awarded her debut ‘Lucky Me’ four stars in 2022, writing: “On her debut album, Green finds power and release by marching to the beat of her own drum. By letting go of inhibition and surrendering to her musical instincts she’s created not just one unique sound, but worlds within worlds of indie pop brilliance.”

Read the original article here

The post Phoebe Green announces new album ‘Premature Nostalgia’ with dizzying single ‘There’s Always Someone Kicking The Seat’ appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Craig Finn Announces The Man I’ve Always Been Tour https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/craig-finn-announces-the-man-ive-always-been-tour/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/craig-finn-announces-the-man-ive-always-been-tour/ Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Craig, Finn, Announces, The, Man, I’ve, Always, Been, Tour

Craig Finn is staring down the barrel of a jam-packed 2026. The Hold Steady frontman already announced the second round of his joint tour with Drive-By Truckers’ Patterson Hood, set for June, and a European trek supporting the Mountain Goats in October. To those, Finn has now added a November run of full-band headlining shows, billed to Craig Finn & the Band of Forgiveness, in support of his latest solo LP, last year’s Always Been. Below, check out the full rundown of his upcoming performances.

“I put together The Band of Forgiveness last year with three Minneapolis-based musicians—Nelson Devereaux, Joe Strachan, and Ethan Elseth,” Finn shared in a press statement. “I had imagined a group of musicians that would help me take on some of my songs in a unique approach, one that let the stories shine through but still brought a high level of musicality…I was thrilled how the tour went—each show the band ascended higher, and we were able to create dramatic musical narratives that were exciting and satisfying.”

Read about Finn’s A Legacy of Rentals in The 38 Best Rock Albums of 2022.

Craig Finn: The Man I’ve Always Been Tour

Craig Finn:
07-09 St. Paul, MN – The Fitzgerald Theater *
07-11 State College, PA – The State Theatre *
07-12 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg *
07-14 Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom *
07-15 Rockport, MA – Shalin Liu Performance Center *
07-16 Worcester, MA – Off the Rails *
07-17 Tarrytown, NY – Tarrytown Music Hall *
07-20 Homer, NY – Center for the Arts of Homer *
07-21 Bellmore, NY – The Bellmore Movies and Showplace *
10-05 Helsinki, Finland – Kuudes Linja ^
10-07 Stockholm, Sweden – Nalen ^
10-08 Oslo, Norway – Vulkan Arena ^
10-10 Copenhagen, Denmark, Pumpehuset ^
10-11 Berlin, Germany – Metropol ^
10-12 Hamburg, Germany – Christianskirche Altona ^
10-13 Ghent, Belgium – De Centrale ^
10-14 Utrecht, Netherlands – TivoliVredenburg Grote Zaal ^
10-16 Manchester, England – Albert Hall ^+
10-18 Dublin, Ireland – Vicar Street ^+
10-19 Glasgow, Scotland – Barrowland Ballroom ^+
10-21 London, England – Hackney Church ^+
10-22 London, England – Hackney Church ^+
10-23 Bristol, England – Bristol Beacon ^+
11-10 Portland, OR – Polaris Hall +
11-11 Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern +
11-13 Novato, CA – Hopmonk +
11-14 Carson City, NV – Brewery Arts Center +
11-15 San Francisco, CA – The Chapel +
11-17 Los Angeles, CA – Sid the Cat Auditorium +
11-19 Milwaukee, WI – The Vivarium +
11-20 Berwyn, IL – Fitzgerald’s +
11-21 Berwyn, IL – Fitzgerald’s +
11-22 Madison, WI – Atwood Music Hall +

* with Patterson Hood
^ with the Mountain Goats
+ full band show

Read the original article here

The post Craig Finn Announces The Man I’ve Always Been Tour appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> NASCAR drivers visit San Diego Zoo ahead of historic Coronado Naval Base race https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/nascar-drivers-visit-san-diego-zoo/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/nascar-drivers-visit-san-diego-zoo/ Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NASCAR, drivers, visit, San, Diego, Zoo, ahead, historic, Coronado, Naval, Base, race San Diego-based Navy destroyer USS Fitzgerald returns after months at sea https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/uss-fitzgerald-returns-san-diego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/uss-fitzgerald-returns-san-diego/ Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego-based, Navy, destroyer, USS, Fitzgerald, returns, after, months, sea Hot springs resort near San Diego offers unique summer evening escape https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-guide/things-to-do/glen-ivy-hot-springs-evenings/ https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-guide/things-to-do/glen-ivy-hot-springs-evenings/ Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Hot, springs, resort, near, San, Diego, offers, unique, summer, evening, escape Father's Day barbershop pop-up offering free line-ups, beard trims in North County https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/escondido/free-fathers-day-barbershop-escondido/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/escondido/free-fathers-day-barbershop-escondido/ Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Fathers, Day, barbershop, pop-up, offering, free, line-ups, beard, trims, North, County Heavy police presence in Nestor after alleged burglary https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/heavy-police-presence-in-nestor-after-alleged-burglary/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/heavy-police-presence-in-nestor-after-alleged-burglary/ Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Heavy, police, presence, Nestor, after, alleged, burglary India’s Jio lays out sovereign LEO constellation plan ahead of IPO https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/indias-jio-lays-out-sovereign-leo-constellation-plan-ahead-of-ipo/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/indias-jio-lays-out-sovereign-leo-constellation-plan-ahead-of-ipo/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator India’s, Jio, lays, out, sovereign, LEO, constellation, plan, ahead, IPO

TAMPA, Fla. — Jio Platforms, which owns India’s largest telco, is looking to lease broadband capacity from global satellite constellations to jumpstart its own sovereign low Earth orbit (LEO) network in the country.

“Jio connected India on the ground — now, we must connect India from the skies,” Akash Ambani, the company’s managing director, said June 19.

“There are still the remotest of villages, island communities, and border outposts where Jio network cannot reach. For them, satellite connectivity will be the bridge to the rest of India.”

Ambani said “partnering with leading global constellation providers by leasing satellite capacity” would help accelerate the availability of services ahead of building a longer-term sovereign capability.

“This dual approach will enable Jio to meet India’s connectivity needs faster, while laying the foundation for the Indian satellite broadband platform of global scale,” he added.

The same day, Jio submitted draft papers to India’s capital markets regulator for an Initial Public Offering (IPO).

India has been moving to open its market to foreign space players and investors in recent years, encouraging LEO operators pushing for access to the world’s most populous nation.

However, India’s government tightened security and data compliance rules for satellite connectivity last year, including new obligations for national security, sovereignty and promotion of local industry participation.

SpaceX won a key approval from India’s space regulator in July 2025 to provide Starlink LEO services, but has yet to launch commercially in the country nearly a year later.

Jio’s local rival Bharti Enterprises owns a part of France-based Eutelsat, which operates OneWeb, currently the only other operational LEO broadband network as Amazon prepares to enter the market this year.

Ambani said Jio will also build its own ground infrastructure in India to anchor its LEO ambitions.

“These ground stations will support our partner constellations,” he continued, “as well our own future satellites, creating an end-to-end satellite broadband ecosystem from space to ground.”

Citing unnamed sources, India’s Economic Times reported June 18 that Jio is planning a constellation of around 1,600 to 1,650 satellites at about 650 kilometers above Earth.

The constellation could reportedly cost between $10 billion and $15 billion and include a direct-to-device capability.

However, while the Economic Times report said India is likely to support Jio in securing spectrum for the constellation, it added that the government is unlikely to allow the kind of inter-satellite laser links Starlink uses to reduce reliance on ground stations, because it would enable data to bypass national borders.

Read the original article here

The post India’s Jio lays out sovereign LEO constellation plan ahead of IPO appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Vibe Check: Why Am I Not Hype for Outer Banks’ Final Season? https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/vibe-check-why-am-i-not-hype-for-outer-banks-final-season/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/vibe-check-why-am-i-not-hype-for-outer-banks-final-season/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Vibe, Check:, Why, Not, Hype, for, Outer, Banks’, Final, Season

Outer Banks finally dropped the trailer and premiere date for the final season.

And lowkey, the best part about it was a prison cell shot of the Pogues Redux that looks like they’re about to drop the most fire hip-hop album in ages.

Fitting, since we’re still pouring one out for JJ. I’m not still fuming sobbing about that, by the way. Nope.

(Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix)

It feels like the Pogues have hit their all-time low, and that’s saying something, given that all they’ve ever known since we’ve followed them has been the bottom.

Their rock bottom is never the bottom; there’s always a trapdoor, no escape route, and it’s endless as the ocean.

The Pogues could probably take on Lucifer himself in hell, and they still wouldn’t have hit their worst, no?

So we’re kicking off the final season under the bleakest of circumstances, with the Pogues essentially having no home to really go back to.

I’m pretty certain most of them are wanted for something or another; the entire town would have their heads on pikes when they get back.

The Blue Crown is gone, they’ve collected more enemies around the globe than Thanos did Infinity Stones, and we’re down one Pogue and up one hot psychopath.

(Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix)

The reality of what they face is already exhausting, and you can see it on everyone’s faces, never mind that they’re grieving the very heart of the Pogues.

But there’s no real time to grieve, and that’s one of many reasons why cutting a life short for shock value in the final moments of a penultimate season leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

It means we’ll have an entire season of the Pogues too deep in the thick of it to ever get to properly grieve or process anything. They’re running on adrenaline-and they force us to do the same.

There’s a claustrophobic quality in that, which is a bit narratively exhausting. We don’t actually get much time to mourn a poor orphan whose body their frenemy had to bury in the sands of a Moroccan desert.

It makes sense that we catch a glimpse of these children of the ocean, honoring their late friend at sea with a photo send-off à la Animal Kingdom.

(Netflix/Screenshot)

And it’s still a kick in the teeth that someone with a lifestyle like JJ’s, who had the odds against him in a way that felt so visceral and real, ends so tragically.

And only the Pogues will remember and honor him.

But this sets up a final season of revenge. Frankly, from the teaser we got, it doesn’t really seem like most of them are even up for that. In many ways, I can’t blame them. They’ve had one hell of a stretch of non-stop action and life-threatening antics.

They rolled the dice on a Choose Your Own Adventure one good time, and it’s whooped their collective asses since then.

The final season has so much ground to cover, and much of it hinges on avenging JJ, which means we’ll likely have Kiara taking center stage on this endeavor, and even as someone who shipped the pairing, it feels like more than Kiara can chew.

Kiara leading the charge on trying to take down Groff doesn’t assure the emotional punch that it likely should. But that’s probably because, for something this grand, JJ would typically be leading the charge.

(Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix)

John B feels so weary and muted during the teaser, and it’s kind of difficult to get hype when it seems like even their ringleader is “over it” and for good reason, he’s an expectant father.

Although with all the explosions, running, arrests, jetsetting, and more, without proper showers, food, or just a damn moment, I can’t even process a pregnant Sarah staying that way.

The teaser attempts to give us all the things we know to be quintessentially Outer Banks — we have action, explosions, quick teases of familiar faces (was that Barry with a shotgun?).

Clearly, they’re trying to course correct Cleo’s random lack of badassery last season with that shot of her blowing up the Twinkie.

That’s the moment that strikes me the most, not because it’s devastating to see a staple like John B’s trusty Twinkie going up in flames, but because I thought I would feel something seeing that.

(Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix)

It signals the end of this series, this journey, and Pogue’s life as we know it.

But that’s quietly more depressing than all of last season, which found the Pogues feeling more distant than ever, rewrites of important dynamics, like the brotherhood between all the guys, and sidelining of characters.

It feels like a move designed to MAKE us feel something, spark a tug of nostalgia that the show itself stopped earning a while ago.

The teaser trailer gives us a taste of what’s supposed to be familiar about Outer Banks, but there’s a disconnect, and it all feels strangely hollow.

All flash, high production, and bang but no heart.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

And if it already feels like the trailer alone is coasting on our desire to see it through and our love for what Outer Banks was, more than what it is now, then maybe that’s why I can’t shake the skepticism about what the final season will deliver.

Skepticism over whether the final season can even deliver.

I’m not feeling the final season hype right now as much as I am a completionist. P4L is feeling more like an obligation than a rallying call.

Right now, I’m not passing the vibe check, but after watching the trailer, I’m curious if you are!

Outer Banks’ fifth and final season will stream in its entirety on Netflix on August 20.

  • Vibe Check: Outer Banks Teases a Revenge-Fueled Final Season — So Why Am I Not Hyped?

    Outer Banks is returning with its fifth and final season this summer, but with all that vengeance, why is it hard to get hype about it?

  • 11 Iconic Bromances That Withstood The Test of Time

    IIt’s National Bromance Day! Check out the iconic TV bromances we picked that have withstood the test of time.

  • Gone But Not Forgotten: Biggest Character Departures of 2024

    Some of our favorite characters (or loathed characters) departed their series in a myriad of ways in 2024. Check out our list of biggest character departures!

  • Unapologetically Real: TV Characters Who Embrace Their Flaws

    The best characters are those who embrace their flaws unapologetically and keep it real in the process. Check out our list of TV characters who fit the bill

  • From Pandemic-Escapist Comfort to Hopelessly Bleak Asininity: Do We Need Outer Banks Season 5?

    How did Outer Banks go from a pandemic-escapist comfort show full of hope to incredibly bleak? Is a fifth season even worth it? We discuss!

TV Fanatic is searching for passionate contributors to share their voices across various article types. Think you have what it takes to be a TV Fanatic? Click here for more information and next steps.

Read the original article here

The post Vibe Check: Why Am I Not Hype for Outer Banks’ Final Season? appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Do Fitness Trackers Still Work If You Have Tattoos? https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/do-fitness-trackers-still-work-if-you-have-tattoos/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/do-fitness-trackers-still-work-if-you-have-tattoos/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Fitness, Trackers, Still, Work, You, Have, Tattoos

The last thing you want to happen after dropping hundreds of dollars on a wearable is to discover that it doesn’t work with your body. But, that’s a fairly common problem people with wrist tattoos have been running into since the advent of smartwatches and fitness trackers. As countless posts on device support pages and Reddit have chronicled over the years, tattooed skin and the sensors used by wearables often don’t mix well.

One of the main issues people experience is with heart rate sensing. Wearables use a light-based technique called photoplethysmography (PPG) to measure heart rate. That’s the green light you see when you flip your device over. But, tattoos can get in the way of that light, messing with the readings. The other problem is wrist detection, which also uses lights to determine if the tracker is on a person’s wrist (along with an accelerometer and electrical sensors). Slap a fitness tracker on a wrist that’s covered by a tattoo, and the device may not register that it’s being worn at all, consequently requiring the wearer to repeatedly unlock the device whenever they want to interact with it.

It might seem a bit silly that technology advanced enough to respond to gesture controls and provide personalized sleep coaching would be stumped by a bit of pigment, but the tattoo issue isn’t just a baseless gripe that consumers have latched onto. Device makers have acknowledged it and advised buyers to avoid putting their trackers on top of tattoos.

“Tattoos (ink, pattern, saturation) can block the heart rate sensor’s light, causing inaccurate or missing readings,” Garmin notes on a support page. “For best performance, wear the watch on skin that is free of tattoos if possible.” Apple has issued similar notices going back to the release of the first Apple Watch.

Is there a solution?

People with tattoos have devised sorts of workarounds to get the most out of their smart watches and fitness trackers, though none are exactly ideal. The simplest? If the inside of your wrist isn’t tattooed (or at least has larger areas of clear skin), you can position the device there instead of on top of the wrist. Similarly, if your other wrist is tattoo-free, wear the device on that one. But if you’ve grown used to wearing a watch on a certain wrist for years, it’s going to feel pretty weird to change it up.

As a quick fix, some people swear by epoxy bottle cap stickers or layering pieces of clear tape, either of which are placed over the sensors and inexplicably correct the problem for a lot of wearers. Reusable accessories designed to work the same way have seen some success too. There’s also the option of using a chest strap if accurate heart rate tracking is all you’re after — and if you don’t have chest tattoos. Again, though, this isn’t the most comfortable or convenient way to use a wearable in most situations day-to-day. 

Ultimately, it’ll continue to be an issue until the sensors these watches and fitness trackers rely on are improved to account for skin variations like tattoo ink. Likewise, light-based sensors have been found to be less reliable for people with dark skin, highlighting a need for more diversity in the research and development of this type of technology.

Anecdotally, it seems like Google’s Pixel Watch 4 might be much better at handling tattooed skin than its predecessors. There were rumors of Samsung introducing an update a few years back to improve things in this area too, but the complaints of tattooed Galaxy Watch users would suggest otherwise.

More research is needed

Identifying the problem is theoretically the first step to solving it, but unhelpfully, the reality is that how much tattoos interfere with sensor readings isn’t consistent from case to case. A study published in 2025 attempted to quantify the difference in readings taken from devices worn over tattooed skin versus non-tattooed skin, and while it did find the former suffered inaccuracies, the results were mixed.

The researchers used the Polar Verity Sense and armband, outfitting participants with one device over a tattoo plus one on the same arm in an area without a tattoo. Participants also wore a Polar H10 chest strap heart rate monitor to establish a baseline, as this style of wearable is considered to be more accurate. Over the course of a day, they were monitored when at rest, walking at their own pace and jogging.

This revealed that the presence of the tattoos did have an impact on heart rate readings, but it was dependent on the wearer’s activity level, “with the greatest effect observed at rest and variation decreasing as exercise intensity increases.” And in some cases, the researchers note, “the presence of an arm tattoo did not affect the heart rate validity measurement at all.” There are a number of variables that must be taken into account — like ink color, saturation and depth — and as it stands today, there just hasn’t yet been enough research down to the nitty-gritty of the problem to bring about a solution.

Read the original article here

The post Do Fitness Trackers Still Work If You Have Tattoos? appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Albert Hammond Jr. explains delay of The Strokes’ new album ‘Reality Awaits’ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/albert-hammond-jr-explains-delay-of-the-strokes-new-album-reality-awaits/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/albert-hammond-jr-explains-delay-of-the-strokes-new-album-reality-awaits/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Albert, Hammond, Jr., explains, delay, The, Strokes’, new, album, ‘Reality, Awaits’

Albert Hammond Jr. has shared an explanation for why the release of The Strokes’ new album ‘Reality Awaits’ has been delayed.

The New York indie icons have been preparing to release their seventh studio album, with its original date having been set for June 26. However, last week (June 11), the band announced that it had been pushed back to July 24, without providing their reasoning. Pre-order the record here.

Now, guitarist Hammond has shed some light on the decision. In a since-deleted response to a fan on X, he explained that they decided to shift it four weeks later because they wanted the streaming release date to match that of the vinyl release. In his comments, he also said he thinks the music on the album sounds like that made by a “weird, young band”.

Hammond has also released a new track with the indie rock artist KennyHoopla, titled ‘NEW AMERICA//’, a stomping, ‘00s dance punk-influenced track. Listen here:

Hammond’s comments on the new music echo what he said last month, when he referred to ‘Reality Awaits’ as his “favourite album” that The Strokes have ever made. “I can’t express how beautiful it is,” he said. “I listen to the whole thing and wanna start from the beginning again. It grows and grows and becomes intoxicatingly good.”

Those words followed some pushback from Strokes fans to the early singles ‘Going Shopping’ and ‘Falling Out Of Love’, with some complaining about Julian Casablancas’ use of vocoder .

NME gave ‘Going Shopping’ a three-star review and described it as a song that “doesn’t feel bold” but also “does avoid playing anything safe.”

“You couldn’t definitively place its sound on any of The Strokes’ previous six albums, but the lack of spirit and tenacity – save for a guitar solo at the end – is noticeable,” the review read. “‘If you’re better than me you don’t have to judge me’, signs off Casablancas, with an imaginary raised eyebrow. But perhaps even he would admit that The Strokes are better than this.”

The Strokes have already played at Coachella and Bonnaroo, and have a huge tour to come that takes in the UK, North America, Europe and Japan. It will be their first full run of headline dates in the UK and Ireland in over 20 years, and it includes stops at London’s O2. Support will come from Thundercat, Cage the Elephant, Hamilton Leithauser, Fat White Family, Alex Cameron and ÖLÜM, and more dates have been added due to huge demand.

They have also announced a huge New York show with Beach House, TV On The Radio and Fcukers at Flushing Meadows Corona Park on October 2. Find any remaining tickets here.

All of these shows will see The Strokes perform without guitarist Nick Valensi, as the band confirmed recently that he would be taking a “temporary break” from playing live.

Read the original article here

The post Albert Hammond Jr. explains delay of The Strokes’ new album ‘Reality Awaits’ appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Listen to FKA twigs’ New Electro Song Featuring Lil Yachty https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/listen-to-fka-twigs-new-electro-song-featuring-lil-yachty/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/listen-to-fka-twigs-new-electro-song-featuring-lil-yachty/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Listen, FKA, twigs’, New, Electro, Song, Featuring, Lil, Yachty

FKA twigs is celebrating the end of her Body High Tour with a new single. “On Your Mind” is a thumping electro track featuring Lil Yachty; you can listen to it below. It’s twigs’ first new solo material since 2025’s Euxsexua Afterglow, a reimagined version of her LP Eusexua.

In a post to Instagram, twigs revealed the story behind “On Your Mind,” which was written after she discovered members of her team would not be able to travel with her to last year’s Coachella, leading to that set’s cancellation.

“i stayed late in the dance studio manically practicing in the hopes that the news was not true, and in denial that somehow i would still make it across the sea to perform for my amazing and loyal fans if i just practiced a bit more,” she writes. “it never ceases to amaze me how pain can manifest into the hardest and most euphoric sonics. i think making songs like this keeps me on my toes and reminds me that i am not in control.

“i am giving this back story because after completing my first arena tour of the USA and EU it feels like the perfect time to release it in celebration of what as artists we can overcome when we believe in ourselves and others believe in us. i feel so full, thank you for coming to see BODY HIGH, thank you for continuing to grow with me. thank you for what we are building next. everything happens for a reason and my reason for making music and art will always be you xxx”

FKA twigs has had a busy 2026 overall. In addition to the new track and tour, she wrote music for Anne Hathaway vehicle Mother Mary, was revealed to be playing Josephine Baker in a future biopic, and sued the band Twigs over trademark infringement.

Revisit our Best New Album review of Eusexua.

Image may contain FKA Twigs Head Person Face Adult Wedding Photography Portrait Body Part and Neck

Read the original article here

The post Listen to FKA twigs’ New Electro Song Featuring Lil Yachty appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Meet the animal kingdom's top dads https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/fathers-day-animal-dads/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/fathers-day-animal-dads/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Meet, the, animal, kingdoms, top, dads Fans and local bar come out on top after Team USA win https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-usa-soccer-win-australia/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-usa-soccer-win-australia/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Fans, and, local, bar, come, out, top, after, Team, USA, win New Taste Black San Diego food tour highlights black-owned restaurants on Juneteenth weekend https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/new-taste-black-san-diego-food-tour-highlights-black-owned-restaurants-on-juneteenth-weekend/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/new-taste-black-san-diego-food-tour-highlights-black-owned-restaurants-on-juneteenth-weekend/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator New, Taste, Black, San, Diego, food, tour, highlights, black-owned, restaurants, Juneteenth, weekend NASCAR San Diego weekend features star-studded lineup of guests https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/nascar-news/nascar-san-diego-celebrities/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/nascar-news/nascar-san-diego-celebrities/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NASCAR, San, Diego, weekend, features, star-studded, lineup, guests US shuts out Australia 2-0, advances to knockout stage in World Cup https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/usa-clinches-knockout-stage/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/usa-clinches-knockout-stage/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator shuts, out, Australia, 2-0, advances, knockout, stage, World, Cup Tickets for Sheen beatification available week of June 22 https://catholics.news/tickets-for-sheen-beatification-available-week-of-june-22 https://catholics.news/tickets-for-sheen-beatification-available-week-of-june-22 Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Tickets, for, Sheen, beatification, available, week, June The human error https://catholics.news/the-human-error https://catholics.news/the-human-error Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator The, human, error Vance’s new book ‘Communion’ details his religious and political conversions https://catholics.news/vances-new-book-communion-details-his-religious-and-political-conversions https://catholics.news/vances-new-book-communion-details-his-religious-and-political-conversions Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Vance’s, new, book, ‘Communion’, details, his, religious, and, political, conversions Pope Leo XIV meets Peru’s president, discusses possible November visit https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-meets-perus-president-discusses-possible-november-visit https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-meets-perus-president-discusses-possible-november-visit Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV, meets, Peru’s, president, discusses, possible, November, visit AI models overlook religion, but also favor some faiths — including Catholicism https://catholics.news/ai-models-overlook-religion-but-also-favor-some-faiths-including-catholicism https://catholics.news/ai-models-overlook-religion-but-also-favor-some-faiths-including-catholicism Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator models, overlook, religion, but, also, favor, some, faiths, —, including, Catholicism NASCAR makes history with inaugural Naval Base Coronado race https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/nascar-news/nascar-historic-race-coronado/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/nascar-news/nascar-historic-race-coronado/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:30:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NASCAR, makes, history, with, inaugural, Naval, Base, Coronado, race EQT to acquire Exolaunch – SpaceNews https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/eqt-to-acquire-exolaunch-spacenews/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/eqt-to-acquire-exolaunch-spacenews/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:02:07 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator EQT, acquire, Exolaunch, –, SpaceNews

WASHINGTON — Private equity firm EQT is acquiring Exolaunch, a company that has handled the rideshare launches of hundreds of satellites, to help it meet growing launch demand.

The companies announced June 18 that EQT would buy Exolaunch from its founder, Dmitriy Sternharz, for an undisclosed sum. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Berlin-based Exolaunch is best known for arranging launches of satellites as rideshare payloads. That has included more than 790 satellites on 47 missions, including every Transporter and Bandwagon dedicated rideshare launch by SpaceX. Exolaunch has also developed a series of satellite deployment systems.

“EQT is excited to partner with Exolaunch, which marks EQT Private Equity’s first investment in the space sector,” Nils Ketter, partner and head of industrial technology at EQT Private Equity, said in a statement. “We look forward to supporting Exolaunch’s management as it works with customers and partners to expand access to space.”

Robert Sproles, chief executive of Exolaunch, said in an interview that the company decided to sell to get the resources it needed to meet growing demand from customers seeking launch services.

“We realized that we have some scaling plans that we want to implement, but we need some firepower behind that,” he said. “This was an opportunity to take that next step, to enter the next phase of the company where we have the backing of EQT to help us grow and scale at the speed and the pace that the industry is demanding.”

He said EQT was “philosophically aligned” with Exolaunch, making it the preferred choice over alternatives such as raising funding from venture capital firms. He added there are no planned changes to the management team or staff of Exolaunch.

With EQT’s backing, Exolaunch will look to acquire additional launch capacity. “We are in such a launch-constrained moment in the industry. The demand for launch is outstripping access to orbit,” he said.

A big factor in that demand is the rise of smallsat constellations that are not large enough for dedicated launches but are larger than what current rideshare capacity can handle. “As soon as you start introducing even one or two players that need consistently 24 or 36 vehicles on a launch, you overwhelm that rideshare capacity instantly,” he said.

Exolaunch has already taken steps along those lines, announcing May 26 that it had acquired two Falcon 9 launches it will use for its own dedicated rideshare missions in 2027 and 2028. Sproles said the company was talking with other launch providers about similar missions.

“You will see a continued shift from Exolaunch where we are not a passive participant in other people’s manifests or passively seeing what the market can provide, but instead we are actively pulling this capacity from different providers,” he said. “It really will be about how we can create capacity that our customers need to get them to space in the timeframes that are useful to them.”

That shift comes amid industry concerns about the long-term future of SpaceX’s rideshare program. At last month’s SmallSat Europe conference, industry officials speculated that SpaceX could either shift from Falcon 9 to Starship for rideshare missions or end rideshare missions entirely in the next few years.

“SpaceX has been very transparent about its desire for Starship to be the future of the company,” Sproles said, but added that even if SpaceX continued its current Falcon 9 rideshare programs, it would not be sufficient to meet demand. “For any scenario that we play out here, we have the need for other vehicles and other options for new customers. So, that’s exactly what we’re building.”

“One of the things that I tell launch providers every time I meet with them is that every kilogram of upmass you can make available will be sold,” he added. “It will be many years before this demand is saturated, so every vehicle you can bring to market, every way that you can increase your cadence, that will be sold.”

Read the original article here

The post EQT to acquire Exolaunch – SpaceNews appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> The Boroughs’ Cancellation Less Than a Month After Premiere Proves Netflix Doesn’t Give New Shows a Chance https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-boroughs-cancellation-less-than-a-month-after-premiere-proves-netflix-doesnt-give-new-shows-a-chance/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-boroughs-cancellation-less-than-a-month-after-premiere-proves-netflix-doesnt-give-new-shows-a-chance/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:02:07 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The, Boroughs’, Cancellation, Less, Than, Month, After, Premiere, Proves, Netflix, Doesn’t, Give, New, Shows, Chance

The television industry has been in a weird state of flux over the last few years, thanks to media companies tightening their budgets and not giving shows a chance to breathe.

When Netflix swung the axe on The Boroughs this week, I couldn’t shake it for a couple of reasons.

The biggest is that the cancellation came just over three weeks after its May 21 premiere.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

The streaming platform has taken a lot of heat in recent months after a wave of high-profile shows were confirmed to be ending with their next seasons.

Emily in Paris, The Lincoln Lawyer, and The Night Agent are the most notable examples, with all three already renewed for final seasons.

They’ve all had years to build up audiences, but with their most recent seasons dropping double digits, it’s no surprise Netflix is giving them one last run to wrap things up.

Now that Sweet Magnolias Season 5 has premiered, all eyes are on it to see whether it becomes the next long-running show to get the pink slip.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

But those longer-running shows are at least getting a chance to say goodbye. The same cannot be said of newer offerings like The Boroughs.

The series was decent and very watchable, but it felt slightly out of place premiering in May.

The Boroughs Premiered Far Too Early in the Year

It probably would have had a better shot in October, leaning into the Halloween window.

Netflix has this never-ending well of content, so I don’t believe for one minute they couldn’t have shifted the release a few weeks and given it a different runway.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

A bigger issue with Netflix’s promotion in particular is that it can sometimes feel non-existent.

Shows just appear out of thin air and are expected to perform.

To their credit, the promotion for The Boroughs was actually fairly solid, but it’s still hard to believe Netflix truly gave it a fighting chance if the decision was going to be made after such a short window.

The trend may not have been on The Boroughs’ side, but the idea that dumping an entire season and canceling a show within weeks is a meaningful test of performance feels increasingly questionable.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

The only real silver lining is that The Boroughs told a relatively self-contained story, but it still feels like it could have grown into something much bigger had it been given the opportunity.

Given the current trajectory of Netflix‘s scripted originals, it would make far more sense to experiment with weekly rollouts again.

Their thinking with The Boroughs must have been that not enough people checked it out quickly enough, so it just came and went.

Had it actually been released weekly, it would have had a chance to build momentum over time.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

I don’t see how this model holds up in the long term if binge drops remain the default.

Surely Netflix executives are weighing this up now that every show is effectively on a stopwatch.

Ransom Canyon Season 2 is coming up, and given that the first season didn’t generate much buzz, I suspect it won’t be long before it’s on shaky ground too.

At this point, it feels less like shows are being evaluated on potential and more like they’re being judged on whether they catch fire instantly.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

What are your thoughts on The Boroughs getting canceled after just three weeks?

Do you think it was warranted, or are you side-eyeing the decisions to come from Netflix?

Let’s keep the conversation going — it’s the only way the good stuff survives.
Say something in the comments, share if you’re moved to, and keep reading. Independent voices need readers like you.

  • The Boroughs’ Cancellation Less Than a Month After Premiere Proves Netflix Doesn’t Give New Shows a Chance

    Netflix did the unthinkable in cancelling The Boroughs, but the decision came less than a month after its premiere. Let’s discuss.

  • Netflix’s I Will Find You Twists Itself Into Knots & Dares You to Enjoy the Ride

    Harlan Coben’s I Will Find You is a ridiculous but fun and twisty, star-studded thrill ride. And that’s all we needed it to be.

  • Pour One Out for Dana Sue & Annie: Sweet Magnolias Season 5’s Men Were Anything but Sweet

    Dana Sue and Annie’s men failed them in Sweet Magnolias Season 5. Who stepped in to pick up the pieces? Our thoughts below.

Read the original article here

The post The Boroughs’ Cancellation Less Than a Month After Premiere Proves Netflix Doesn’t Give New Shows a Chance appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Google Has Discontinued The Nest Home Mini And Nest Audio https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/google-has-discontinued-the-nest-home-mini-and-nest-audio/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/google-has-discontinued-the-nest-home-mini-and-nest-audio/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:02:07 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Google, Has, Discontinued, The, Nest, Home, Mini, And, Nest, Audio


Photo of a Google Nest Audio speaker next to a houseplant in a large ceramic pot on a wooden table.
Nathan Ingraham for Engadget

Google just introduced a new smart home speaker yesterday, but the arrival of a new product heralds the end of others. The company has confirmed that it will end production of the Nest Home Mini and Nest Audio. These Nest devices have been on the market for around five years (or longer, if you count 2017’s Google Home Mini) and it seems logical for Google to prioritize the newer generation given the current strategy of putting its Gemini chatbot everywhere it possibly can.

Although the pair of speakers has been discontinued, any of the two smart home products in the wild will remain operational. “Existing Nest Mini and Nest Audio devices will continue to be fully supported with regular software updates, security patches and customer care,” a rep from Google told Engadget. The new Google Home speaker is priced at $100, the same as the outgoing Nest Audio, but significantly more than the Nest Home Mini, which retailed at $50 and could often be found for cheaper.

Read the original article here

The post Google Has Discontinued The Nest Home Mini And Nest Audio appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> The Beatles’ missing 1964 ‘Top Of The Pops’ performance footage found https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-beatles-missing-1964-top-of-the-pops-performance-footage-found/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-beatles-missing-1964-top-of-the-pops-performance-footage-found/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:02:07 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The, Beatles’, missing, 1964, ‘Top, The, Pops’, performance, footage, found

Long-lost film footage of The Beatles playing on the BBC’s Top Of The Pops has reportedly been found and will be restored.

The band appeared on the iconic show on 19 March 1964 to record performances of ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ and ‘You Can’t Do That’, the A-side and B-side of a single released the following day which went on to become their fourth UK Number One.

Like many early episodes of Top Of The Pops, however, the footage was not preserved by the BBC and it has not been seen for decades.

Now, the film preservation group Film Is Fabulous have said that they were presented with a 35mm BBC negative of the performance at the recent British Film Collectors’ Convention in Surrey.

They claim the family of a deceased former industry professional passed the precious film to them, and they will work to restore the footage and return it to the BBC Archives. “Discussions will also be held with other parts of the corporation to ensure the content is made available to a wide audience,” Film Is Fabulous wrote on Facebook.

Describing the footage, the group said: “Recorded on the 19th March 1964, at the BBC’s Television Theatre (since renamed The Shepherd’s Bush Empire), in London, the inserts beautifully captured the Fab Four at the height of Beatlemania.”

“Passages of the recording show the studio, the technicians, and the make-up ladies. There were four takes of the first song, ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’, with two being aborted because of technical errors. During breaks, the Beatles openly joked, and could be seen dancing to amuse themselves.”

They added: “The other song, ‘You Can’t Do That’, had two takes. During the second of these recordings John Lennon pulled a funny face when the camera came in for a ‘close-up’. It’s an amusing piece of Beatle history.”

The BBC routinely wiped and reused tapes during the 1960s, resulting in the loss of countless episodes of many of their most popular shows, including Top Of The Pops. If successfully restored, this would be the oldest surviving footage of the Fab Four on the show.

In other Beatles news, June 25 is set to be Global Beatles Day, commemorating the day in 1967 when the four band members recorded the international satellite TV broadcast of ‘All You Need Is Love’.

The Beatles and Apple Corps Ltd will be launching online and in-person events around the world to celebrate the band, while a colourised version of the broadcast will also be released for the first time.

The Fab Four are also going to be the subject of a four-film series by Sam Mendes, slated for a simultaneous release in April 2028. Set to star Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, each film will tell the story of the band from a different member’s point of view.

McCartney dropped his new album ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane‘ last month, which featured his first ever duet with Starr on ‘Home To Us’. McCartney sat down with NME to look forwards and back on his extraordinary career, share his “excitement” at contributing to the new The Rolling Stones album, and also reveal if he has plans to retire.

Read the original article here

The post The Beatles’ missing 1964 ‘Top Of The Pops’ performance footage found appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Producer Tay Keith Dies at 29 https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/producer-tay-keith-dies-at-29/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/producer-tay-keith-dies-at-29/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:02:07 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Producer, Tay, Keith, Dies

In recent months, he had worked on albums from Key Glock, Megan Thee Stallion, Offset, and Westside Gunn, among others. In recent months, he had worked on albums from Key Glock, Megan Thee Stallion, Offset, and Westside Gunn, among others. in South Memphis, Chambers grew up listening to local rap royalty like Three 6 Mafia, Playa Fly, and 8Ball & MJG with his family. “I always knew music was gonna be my outlet,” he told the Fader in 2018. “I just didn’t know when, or how it was gonna happen.” That answer arrived in his early teens, when Chambers first began recording music—equipped with just a mic, his computer, and a piano—and releasing it on DatPiff and YouTube. It was also around this time that he met the rapper BlocBoy JB, who would go on to become one of his closest collaborators.

After people began offering to pay for the beats he uploaded online, Chambers went all in on producing, and eventually counted Drumma Boy and Memphis Track Boy as early mentors. Although his earliest credits date back to 2012, he broke out properly in 2015 after producing Black Youngsta’s mixtape Fuck Everybody. He released his debut solo mixtape, Foolhardy, in 2018, and his sole studio album, Fxck the Cash Up with Fast Cash Boyz, in 2020. In more recent years, he had worked on albums from Key Glock, Megan Thee Stallion, Offset, and Westside Gunn, among others.

Chambers worked consistently with some of the most recognizable names in mainstream rap, but he never shied from investing in rising, left-of-center talent. “Pound Town,” his 2023 track with Sexyy Red, became her breakout single and foregrounded one of the strongest mixtapes of the year, Hood’s Hottest Princess. But as Chambers explained to Billboard in 2024, most people treated the uproarious track as a joke when it first came out. “People were trolling the shit out of me,” he said. “It wasn’t much good feedback. It was coming from even people around me, ‘What you doing?’ I saw the potential. That’s as simple as it was, me believing in her.”

Since news broke of Chambers’ passing, multiple other musicians have shared public tributes to his life and legacy. “Damn Cuz You Just Hurt Me Bad” BlocBoy JB said in an Instagram story, alongside a photo of the pair. “We talked everyday.” Fellow Memphis producer Hitkidd also expressed disbelief on Instagram, writing: “I ain’t even got the words, we been doing this since 2010.”

Read the original article here

The post Producer Tay Keith Dies at 29 appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Live Nation offers four-ticket bundle for summer concerts in Chula Vista https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-guide/things-to-do/live-nation-concert-promotion/ https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-guide/things-to-do/live-nation-concert-promotion/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Live, Nation, offers, four-ticket, bundle, for, summer, concerts, Chula, Vista Driver detained after 'suspicious device' found near Islamic Center of San Diego https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/suspicious-device-clairemont-san-diego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/suspicious-device-clairemont-san-diego/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Driver, detained, after, suspicious, device, found, near, Islamic, Center, San, Diego Mission 2 Fire in Fallbrook: Vehicle blaze prompts evacuations https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/california-wildfires/fallbrook-brush-fire-evacuations/ https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/california-wildfires/fallbrook-brush-fire-evacuations/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Mission, Fire, Fallbrook:, Vehicle, blaze, prompts, evacuations Millete trial: Larry's Google history shows he searched for roofie drug, 'spotless car soap,' directions to Arizona https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/larry-millete-trial-google-searches-roofies-tutor-day-19/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/larry-millete-trial-google-searches-roofies-tutor-day-19/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Millete, trial:, Larrys, Google, history, shows, searched, for, roofie, drug, spotless, car, soap, directions, Arizona Thousands gather in Chula Vista for free World Cup watch party https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/chula-vista-world-cup-event/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/chula-vista-world-cup-event/ Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Thousands, gather, Chula, Vista, for, free, World, Cup, watch, party Where to Eat Barbecue in San Diego Right Now https://sandiego.eater.com/maps/best-barbecue-bbq-restaurants-san-diego https://sandiego.eater.com/maps/best-barbecue-bbq-restaurants-san-diego Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Where, Eat, Barbecue, San, Diego, Right, Now Smokin J’s BBQ" data-portal-copyright="Smokin J’s BBQ" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.sandiego.eater.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2024/06/barbecue.jpeg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100">
A variety of dishes from the menu. | Smokin J’s BBQ

San Diego has a growing number of pitmasters who specialize in various styles of American barbecue and turn out their own interpretations of pulled pork, brisket, beef ribs, and chicken — all cooked low and slow. Best paired with warm sides — think creamy macaroni and cheese, savory beans, and buttery slabs of cornbread — barbecue is one of those meals that can be enjoyed outdoors by the smoker, comfortably at home, or at a nearby restaurant with daily specials and live music. Read below for San Diego’s best barbecue restaurants. In this update, Heritage Brewery and Barbeque and Serpentine Cider and Smokehouse, which closed, leave the list.

For all the latest San Diego dining intel, subscribe to Eater San Diego’s newsletter.

]]> Pope receives Syro-Malankara delegation, calls for preservation of identity in diaspora https://catholics.news/pope-receives-syro-malankara-delegation-calls-for-preservation-of-identity-in-diaspora https://catholics.news/pope-receives-syro-malankara-delegation-calls-for-preservation-of-identity-in-diaspora Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, receives, Syro-Malankara, delegation, calls, for, preservation, identity, diaspora Pope Leo XIV defends journalism against the drug of ‘fake news’ https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-defends-journalism-against-the-drug-of-fake-news https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-defends-journalism-against-the-drug-of-fake-news Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV, defends, journalism, against, the, drug, ‘fake, news’ Pope Leo XIV says care for creation is a requirement of faith https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-says-care-for-creation-is-a-requirement-of-faith https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-says-care-for-creation-is-a-requirement-of-faith Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV, says, care, for, creation, requirement, faith Pope warns SSPX bishop ordinations risk deepening schism https://catholics.news/pope-warns-sspx-bishop-ordinations-risk-deepening-schism https://catholics.news/pope-warns-sspx-bishop-ordinations-risk-deepening-schism Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, warns, SSPX, bishop, ordinations, risk, deepening, schism Speaking truth to power: When the pope addresses governments https://catholics.news/speaking-truth-to-power-when-the-pope-addresses-governments https://catholics.news/speaking-truth-to-power-when-the-pope-addresses-governments Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Speaking, truth, power:, When, the, pope, addresses, governments Man charged in Carlsbad stabbing after months-long investigation https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/carlsbad/carlsbad-stabbing-group-fight/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/carlsbad/carlsbad-stabbing-group-fight/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Man, charged, Carlsbad, stabbing, after, months-long, investigation Michelin-starred Lilo crowned America's best restaurant by magazine Robb Report https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/lilo-named-best-restaurant-america/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/lilo-named-best-restaurant-america/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Michelin-starred, Lilo, crowned, Americas, best, restaurant, magazine, Robb, Report San Diego drivers warned of heavy traffic for NASCAR weekend https://fox5sandiego.com/traffic/san-diego-nascar-traffic-alert/ https://fox5sandiego.com/traffic/san-diego-nascar-traffic-alert/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, drivers, warned, heavy, traffic, for, NASCAR, weekend 'I think Larry, my husband, is poisoning me': Maya Millete's Instagram account post https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/chula-vista/larry-millete-trial-maya-instagram-account-poison/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/chula-vista/larry-millete-trial-maya-instagram-account-poison/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator think, Larry, husband, poisoning, me:, Maya, Milletes, Instagram, account, post New tool helps San Diego communities prepare for heat waves https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-heat-risk-explorer/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-heat-risk-explorer/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator New, tool, helps, San, Diego, communities, prepare, for, heat, waves Puregold welcomes hordes of fans as OPM Con Generations ticket selling kicks off https://bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/17/757014/puregold-welcomes-hordes-of-fans-as-opm-con-generations-ticket-selling-kicks-off/ https://bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/17/757014/puregold-welcomes-hordes-of-fans-as-opm-con-generations-ticket-selling-kicks-off/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:43:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Puregold, welcomes, hordes, fans, OPM, Con, Generations, ticket, selling, kicks, off Excitement for Puregold’s OPM Con Generations surged on June 12 as a huge turnout of fans marked ticket selling’s opening day at participating Puregold stores nationwide.

Slated on July 11 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, OPM Con Generations has consistently shaped up to be a much-anticipated annual music event. Now on its third year, OPM Con will feature SB19, Ben&Ben, Alamat, Flow G, Skusta Clee, Sunkissed Lola, G22, KAIA, and Xonara, bringing together a diverse mix of artists and genres that continue to define the Philippines’ music scene.

Participating Puregold stores included branches in Taytay, Rizal; Biñan, Laguna; Anabu-Imus, Cavite; Valenzuela; QI Central, QC; Cubao, QC; Fairview Terraces, QC; Tayuman, Manila; Parañaque; Kalentong, Manila; Cainta, Rizal; and San Pedro, Laguna.

Among the first to secure a ticket was Beverly Jane, an A’TIN who camped out at Puregold QI Central with fellow fans the night before ticket selling’s opening day.

“Super excited na for the concert kasi pinila talaga namin ito. Nandito na kami since 7 last night,” she shared. Despite the long wait, she noted that attendees were well taken care of, with food, drinks, and a well-ventilated waiting area for those in line. Expressing her appreciation for Puregold’s continued support of Filipino music, Beverly said, “Thank you so much sa Puregold dahil malaking platform ito para sa OPM at sobrang supportive nito hindi lang sa SB19 kundi sa buong P-pop community.”

The opening day of ticket sales showcased the spirit and broad appeal of Puregold’s OPM Con Generations. Fans from different generations were drawn by a lineup that resonates with a wide range of musical tastes and backgrounds. Over the years, OPM Con served as a platform that brings together artists, audiences, and fandoms in a celebration of Filipino talent and the communities built around it.

At age 62, Suzette Santiago proudly counts herself among SB19’s fans. An avid supporter of the group since 2024, she shared how fangirling over the P-pop group and attending events like OPM Con Generations continue to make her feel young.

“Whenever I listen to their music, may message talaga, and that’s what draws me to them,” she said. “It’s so nice that Puregold is doing this because it’s really encouraging to see our OPM music and industry continue to rise. Hopefully tuloy-tuloy lang because I really enjoy going to these events.”

Meanwhile, Arnel Lamber, who also came the night before to secure his place in the queue, said he was thankful for initiatives that give fans the opportunity to see their favorite artists live. On top of his regular grocery purchases, he was able to secure a ticket to OPM Con Generations and now looks forward to attending the concert.

“Thankful ako sa Puregold kasi nakaka-experience kami ng ganito. Kahit puyat, okay lang kasi masaya naman,” he said.

Puregold likewise expressed its appreciation for the enthusiastic turnout on opening day. “The response we’ve seen so far has been overwhelming,” said Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, Senior Marketing Manager of Puregold Price Club, Inc. “It’s remarkable to see so many customers excited not only about the concert, but also about being part of the experience through Puregold. We eagerly welcome even more concert goers as ticket-selling continues.”

For many customers, the chance to snag sought-after concert tickets alongside their Puregold purchases makes the experience even more rewarding. And as the concert draws near, anticipation continues to build up for what promises to be an unforgettable night of Filipino music and live entertainment.

For updates, like @puregold.shopping on Facebook, subscribe to Puregold Channel on YouTube, and follow @puregold_ph on Instagram and X, and @puregoldph on TikTok.

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.

]]> Gatchalian elected Senate president, ending leadership impasse https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/17/757244/gatchalian-elected-senate-president-ending-leadership-impasse/ https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/17/757244/gatchalian-elected-senate-president-ending-leadership-impasse/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:43:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Gatchalian, elected, Senate, president, ending, leadership, impasse The Senate on Wednesday elected Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian as president, ending a leadership dispute that had threatened to delay action on legislative measures and preparations for the impeachment trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Mr. Gatchalian got 13 votes during a special session, replacing Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano, who conceded the contest before the vote after acknowledging that the opposing bloc had gathered enough support to take control of the chamber.

“After speaking with Senator Joel Villanueva, it appears our colleagues on the other side will soon have the numbers to elect a new Senate President,” Mr. Cayetano said in a statement posted on his Facebook page. “I will not stand in the way of that vote.”

Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri nominated Mr. Gatchalian for the Senate’s top post, citing his leadership of several key committees, including the finance committee.

“He has ably led some of our most demanding and time-consuming committees,” Mr. Zubiri said. “He led the finance committee with great resolve, spearheading unprecedented initiatives to ensure accountability and transparency in the national budget.”

After Mr. Gatchalian’s election, Senator Vicente C. Sotto III was elected Senate President Pro Tempore, while Mr. Zubiri became majority leader.

Mr. Cayetano earlier said he would voluntarily step aside if the opposing bloc secured the 13 votes required to replace him.

In his statement, he said he would support measures aimed at helping communities affected by the recent earthquake in Mindanao.

“I will be among the first to back the measures before us to help Mindanao rise from the earthquake — to fund the relief and the rebuilding of broken communities is exactly what a Senate is for, and it has my vote without hesitation,” he said.

Mr. Villanueva had expressed openness to attending the special session, fueling speculation that he would join the bloc backing Mr. Gatchalian.

Several senators aligned with Mr. Cayetano were absent from the special session, although the chamber proceeded with the leadership vote after the Gatchalian bloc secured the support needed to reorganize the Senate leadership.

The change in leadership comes as the Senate faces pressure to tackle priority legislation and preparations for the impeachment proceedings against Ms. Duterte. — Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel

]]> LPA to enter PAR, enhance southwest monsoon https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/17/757261/lpa-to-enter-par-enhance-southwest-monsoon/ https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/17/757261/lpa-to-enter-par-enhance-southwest-monsoon/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:43:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator LPA, enter, PAR, enhance, southwest, monsoon A low pressure area (LPA) is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and may enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing rains over some parts of the country this weekend, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Wednesday.

PAGASA weather specialist Ms. Chenel Dominguez said the LPA has two possible tracks. Under the first scenario, it could enter the northern boundary of the PAR but may not move any closer to the country. Under the second scenario, it may only approach the PAR before recurving away from the area.

“So, it will not have a direct effect on any part of the country and will not trigger the hoisting of any tropical cyclone wind signal,” Ms. Dominguez said during PAGASA’s 5 a.m. press briefing in Filipino, describing the effects if the first scenario occurs.

“But whatever happens, whether it enters the PAR or not, it is expected to pull and enhance the southwest monsoon,” she added.

Ms. Dominguez also said the LPA has a medium chance of developing into a tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours, although the likelihood may increase in the coming days.

The LPA was last located 2,900 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, based on PAGASA’s 10 a.m. Tropical Cyclone Formation Outlook.

As for the effects of the enhanced southwest monsoon, Ms. Dominguez said it may bring widespread rains over Palawan, the Visayas, and Mindanao starting this weekend.

Meanwhile, easterlies and localized thunderstorms are expected to be the country’s prevailing weather systems over the next 24 hours, PAGASA said in its 4am weather advisory.

The easterlies are expected to bring isolated rain showers or thunderstorms over Eastern Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Davao Oriental, while localized thunderstorms are expected over Metro Manila and the rest of the country.

PAGASA warned of possible flash floods and landslides in the said affected areas.— Edg Adrian A. Eva

]]> GCash parent Mynt takes first formal step toward IPO https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/17/757272/gcash-parent-mynt-takes-first-formal-step-toward-ipo/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/17/757272/gcash-parent-mynt-takes-first-formal-step-toward-ipo/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:43:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator GCash, parent, Mynt, takes, first, formal, step, toward, IPO Mynt, Inc., the fintech company behind GCash, said on Wednesday that its board of directors and shareholders had authorized the filing of a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and a listing application with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) as part of a potential initial public offering (IPO).

In a statement, Mynt said the planned offering would be equivalent to 12% of its total outstanding capital stock after the IPO.

The company said the shares to be offered would consist of both primary and secondary shares, with each common share carrying a par value of three centavos.

The disclosure marks the first formal step toward a long-anticipated stock market debut by the operator of the country’s largest digital finance platform.

“The authorization of our board and shareholders allows us to work toward a potential public listing as the next step in Mynt’s growth journey, while continuing to focus on the priorities that have brought us to this point: serving customers, supporting merchants, strengthening our platform offering, and building the business for the long term,” Mynt President and Chief Executive Officer Martha M. Sazon said.

Any potential offering remains subject to market conditions, the company also said.

Mynt has grown into one of the country’s largest fintech companies through GCash, which began as a mobile money remittance service in 2004 before evolving into a digital finance platform offering payments, lending, and other financial services.— ALB

]]> P1.9-trillion cost of obesity spurs calls for workplace, policy action https://bworldonline.com/labor-and-management/2026/06/17/757276/p1-9-trillion-cost-of-obesity-spurs-calls-for-workplace-policy-action/ https://bworldonline.com/labor-and-management/2026/06/17/757276/p1-9-trillion-cost-of-obesity-spurs-calls-for-workplace-policy-action/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:43:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator P1.9-trillion, cost, obesity, spurs, calls, for, workplace, policy, action The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) and global healthcare company Novo Nordisk brought together health economists and medical professionals on Tuesday at Westin Manila in Pasig City for a forum on the impact of obesity on workforce productivity and the broader economy.

Obesity, a condition that increases the risk of severe chronic diseases such as diabetes, is estimated to have cost the Philippines around P1.9 trillion in 2025, according to the Epidemiological Burden and Cost of Obesity in the Philippines (EpiCOb-PH) study led by Dr. Madeleine de Rosas-Valera and funded by Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical (Philippines) Inc. released in March this year.

“We designed the study to answer two fundamental questions. First, how large is the burden of overweight and obesity in the Philippines? Second, what does the burden cost? So, not only in healthcare expenditures, but also in the loss of productivity, disability, and premature mortality,” Ms. Valera said during the forum.

According to the EpiCOb-Ph study, around 29 million adult Filipinos or 41% of Filipino adults are affected by obesity. These numbers are projected to rise by 44.8 million in 2040.

These numbers costs P551 billion direct medical cost, P1.17 trillion productivity losses, and P1.9 trillion total economic burden equivalent to 7.3% of last year’s gross domestic product (GDP).

“The greatest cost of obesity may not be reflected solely in health care expenditures or even in health insurance. It may be reflected in productivity losses that occur quietly and relatively over time. This is why obesity should no longer be viewed solely as a wellness issue,” Ms. Valera said.

Health economist John Paul Cesar Delos Trinos said that when looking at the Philippine economy, sometimes the bigger cost would be the productivity losses.

During the discussion, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Bureau of Working Conditions medical officer IV Marco Antonio S. Valeros said that from DOLE’s perspective, there are no policies yet on addressing obesity in the workplace.

“From the DOLE’s perspective, of course, to be honest, there’s still no specific policy towards obesity. However, we have Department Order 184, Series of 2017. That’s the one on prolonged sitting because we want to combat the incidental lifestyle.” Mr. Valeros said in mixed English and Filipino during the discussion.

“There should be behavioral change communication to accompany our policies… Because sometimes, we’ll go there, of course, there’s evidence, there’s documentary. But, as soon as we leave the company, we don’t know what’s going to happen… the DOLE cannot be 24/7 in all of our establishments.” He added.

Mr. Valeros noted that implementation of these policies will fall upon human resources departments.

Endocrinologist Queenie Villegas-Florencio said during the panel discussion that it is important to make the workplace a healthy environment as preventive measures for obesity.

“A while ago, I mentioned it’s because of the obesogenic environment that led to the weight gain. So, maybe in our workplace, let’s try to make our workplace a healthy environment wherein our employees have a space to exercise, walk, and maybe have some sports activities and regular activities so that they will be—it should be a part of everyday life,” Ms. Florencio said.

“We have to help them and screen them early and refer them to specialists so that they can be managed well to prevent the other comorbidities,” she added.

“From all the studies that we have done, and these are already experiences, also in other countries, if the local government will combine support with the Universal Health Care and PhilHealth—I see that the focus is more on curative than preventive,” Ms. Valera said during the discussion.

“We have not really reached universal health coverage, which has a support value of 65 to 70%. Meaning PhilHealth should be paying 65 to 70% of your hospital care… Under the Universal Health Care Law, it’s the role of the local government,” she said.— Kaizzer Angela V. Manuba

]]> Astrobotic unveils Griffin-1 lunar lander https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/astrobotic-unveils-griffin-1-lunar-lander/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/astrobotic-unveils-griffin-1-lunar-lander/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Astrobotic, unveils, Griffin-1, lunar, lander

PITTSBURGH — Astrobotic showed off the lunar lander it plans to launch later this year that will be the vanguard of NASA’s new lunar base ambitions.

At a June 15 event at its headquarters, the company revealed its Griffin-1 lander. The company is completing final work on the lander before shipping it to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California for environmental tests in the next few weeks.

After those tests are complete, Griffin will return to Astrobotic for final integration work before shipping to Florida for launch preparations. The lander is projected to launch in the fourth quarter of this year on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

Griffin will deliver 10 payloads from six nations to the moon, led by the FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform (FLIP) robotic rover from Astrolab. The 500-kilogram rover will be the heaviest commercial payload landed on the moon to date.

“This is the first infrastructure-class lander going to the surface of the moon,” said John Thornton, chief executive of Astrobotic, at a press conference, citing its ability in the future to deliver power systems and other equipment. “This lander will be part of the cornerstone of building up the moon base.”

Griffin-1 is Astrobotic’s second lunar lander mission. The company’s first mission, Peregrine, launched in January 2024 but suffered a propulsion malfunction hours after launch that prevented it from attempting a lunar landing.

“We learned a lot” from Peregrine, Thornton said. The company was able to operate the lander in cislunar space for a week and a half and determined that nothing beyond the failed valve would have prevented it from attempting a landing.

“The Griffin lander behind me has integrated all of those lessons learned,” he said. “This lander has a dual, redundant valve system with two dissimilar valves that both have to fail to have the same outcome. That will not happen. We are done with valve issues on our landers.”

“Programmatically, it is fundamentally different than how we operated with Peregrine,” Thornton said in a later interview. “Peregrine was designed to be the lowest-cost mission that could fly as fast as it could. With Griffin, it was always designed from the outset to fly a very complex science mission from NASA.”

“We’ve done way more testing on this vehicle than we did with Peregrine, and also incorporated all the lessons learned from Peregrine,” he said. “It’s as robust as we know how to do it.”

The company is similarly confident in its ability to land safely. Griffin uses an autonomous landing system that includes terrain relative navigation, where an onboard computer compares images of the surface from the lander’s cameras with a map to determine its position: “Neil Armstrong in a box,” said Andrew Horchler, chief research scientist at Astrobotic, in an interview.

That will be supplemented with a navigation Doppler lidar when the lander is a few kilometers above the surface, and then a hazard-detection lidar just above the surface that can detect obstacles as small as 15 centimeters across. That will determine the best landing location, feeding that information to the guidance computer to perform a divert maneuver to reach that site.

“What we’re doing right now, and have been doing, is going through that entire verification and validation process of our systems,” he said. That has included flight tests involving helicopters, aircraft and rocket-powered vehicles, as well as hardware-in-the-loop tests and thousands of software simulations.

Garcia-Galan
Carlos García-Galán, NASA’s program executive for the Moon Base, speaks at a June 15 event for Astrobotic’s Griffin-1 lander. Credit: Astrobotic

Fitting into NASA’s Moon Base

Astrobotic developed Griffin-1 under a 2020 task order issued by NASA as part of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The task order covered the delivery of NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission, then planned for late 2023.

However, NASA announced in July 2024 that it was canceling VIPER but would retain the CLPS task order for the Griffin-1 mission. NASA later changed course and decided to revive VIPER, electing to fly it instead on Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lander.

At a May 26 event, NASA announced that the Griffin-1 lander would be known as “Moon Base 2,” part of a renaming of three lander missions already under development under CLPS task orders. While named Moon Base 2, it is now likely the first to fly, given likely delays to the first Blue Moon Mark 1 lander, named Moon Base 1, after the pad explosion of a New Glenn rocket on May 28.

The name change is intended to be more than cosmetic. “We’re using CLPS as the vehicle, but we want to approach it a little bit different way. The contracts haven’t changed, but our focus and attention has,” said Carlos García-Galán, NASA program executive for Moon Base, in an interview.

That includes an increased focus on the reliability of landings. Of the four CLPS missions flown to date, only one — Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 — landed safely and completed its full mission. Besides Peregrine’s in-flight anomaly, Intuitive Machines’ two lunar landers toppled upon landing, limiting their missions.

“We’re basically working to put the entire NASA might behind these companies that are developing landers,” he said, including access to NASA subject matter experts and testing facilities. “We’re talking about the people who are best at landing things on other planets.”

For Astrobotic, that has included providing more NASA experts to help the company. “If there’s another need for testing and such, we’re definitely going to help them with that,” he added.

NASA only has a few small payloads on this mission, but García-Galán said the agency wants to use it to learn more about the south polar region where Griffin-1 will be landing. “We really need to get ground truth on different areas of the south pole,” including terrain and temperature conditions.

“We have meter-scale knowledge of those areas where we need centimeters, so getting that ground truth on the environment is number one,” he said. A second priority will be gaining insights into the deployment and movement of Astrolab’s FLIP rover.

“In the first few landings, like this mission, the payload is less relevant than the act of getting there and trying things,” he said.

Thornton said Astrobotic welcomed the additional NASA support. “I think that’s fantastic,” he said. “That has been a good recipe for success for Astrobotic for a long time,” going back to a NASA program called Lunar Catalyst that predated CLPS, providing technical support for lunar lander developers through unfunded agreements.

“The more that we can do that, the better,” he said of NASA collaboration. “Scaling Peregrine up to Griffin was more difficult than we realized.”

Astrobotic does not have any CLPS awards after Griffin-1, but Thornton said he hopes to fill the space that lander will vacate in the company’s clean room soon. He said the company is bidding on a CLPS task order called CS-8 that was announced at the same Ignition event where NASA disclosed its lunar base plans. “We hope to hear news about that soon,” he said.

The higher cadence of landing missions, he added, will provide additional opportunities along with the company’s work on lunar power systems. “What’s really exciting about Moon Base is the cadence of landings is going to pick up dramatically, which means the cadence of opportunities is going to pick up.”

Read the original article here

The post Astrobotic unveils Griffin-1 lunar lander appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> House of the Dragon Season 3 Review: Big Changes and Delayed Momentum Hold It Back — Until It Finds Its Rhythm https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/house-of-the-dragon-season-3-review-big-changes-and-delayed-momentum-hold-it-back-until-it-finds-its-rhythm/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/house-of-the-dragon-season-3-review-big-changes-and-delayed-momentum-hold-it-back-until-it-finds-its-rhythm/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator House, the, Dragon, Season, Review:, Big, Changes, and, Delayed, Momentum, Hold, Back, —, Until, Finds, Its, Rhythm

Critic’s Rating: 3.25 / 5.0

3.25

I’m going to be honest, I went into House of the Dragon Season 3 expecting it to be a mess.

After the relatively strong House of the Dragon Season 1, the series spun its wheels for the majority of House of the Dragon Season 2, which was ultimately cut short by two episodes.

House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 8 was a terrible finale because it was really just the setup for what were supposed to be the final two episodes of the season.

(Ollie Upton/HBO )

As a result, opening House of the Dragon Season 3 with those episodes 22 months later was never going to do the show any favors.

By the time they finally arrived, much of the momentum had evaporated, making it difficult to invest in developments that felt long overdue.

Many big things are happening that will shape the rest of the series, but the biggest talking point is the even greater deviations from the source material, which will undoubtedly rile the fanbase.

My biggest issue with these changes is that they don’t enhance the story in any way, shape, or form.

(Ollie Upton/HBO )

Look, House of the Dragon Season 1 was very good with its changes because they felt necessary, but everything since has felt like change for change’s sake.

When you have George R.R. Martin, the person who created the franchise, saying that House of the Dragon is no longer his story, it’s clear the show is heading into uncharted territory.

House of the Dragon Season 3 Hits Its Stride

Despite a lot happening in the first two episodes of House of the Dragon Season 3, they struggle to live up to the hype because of where they fall in the story.

HBO shared the first four episodes with critics in advance of the premiere, and if those were the only episodes I’d received, I probably wouldn’t have watched the rest of the season.

(HBO/Screenshot)

Thankfully, we get our first real taste of what House of the Dragon Season 3 is trying to be in Episodes 3 and 4, and truth be told, they’re a remarkable improvement and probably the best episodes since House of the Dragon Season 1.

The plot is much more focused, and these episodes feel less like setup and more like the level of intensity we should have gotten from the jump in this Targaryen civil war.

As has become the norm with the series, Emma D’Arcy is the standout star as Rhaenyra.

We’ve watched Rhaenyra’s journey since her younger days, when her right to the Iron Throne was stripped away, and she was forced to navigate a contentious relationship with Alicent, her one-time best friend and later stepmother.

(Theo Whiteman/HBO )

Rhaenyra is undoubtedly propelled by the hardship she’s endured in her quest for vengeance and to secure what she believes is rightfully hers.

The good news is that after spending so much time apart during the sophomore season, Rhaenyra and Daemon share far more screen time on House of the Dragon Season 3, allowing for a more nuanced and compelling dynamic between them.

Of course, Daemon hasn’t always had Rhaenyra’s best interests at heart. Still, his admission on the House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 8 that she was his queen certainly strengthened their relationship.

Another fantastic acting showcase comes courtesy of Olivia Cooke as Alicent struggles to come to terms with her agreement with Rhaenyra to hand over King’s Landing.

(Ollie Upton/HBO )

You can see the weight of that decision bearing down on Alicent in the early episodes, and it develops into an intriguing storyline with the potential to carry a lot of drama throughout the season.

Despite my issues with the first two episodes of the season, a lot does happen. House of the Dragon finally stages the Battle of the Gullet — one of the biggest events in Westeros history.

Even when House of the Dragon has faltered in the past, it has always been buoyed by its visual scale, which consistently towers above most other television.

The battle doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to brutality. If you’re here for dragons and humans at war, it’s a full-on spectacle, regardless of how you feel about the wider story.

(Ollie Upton/HBO )

Even when House of the Dragon stumbles, it rarely looks anything less than spectacular — but the real test this season is whether it can finally match that scale with consistent storytelling.

Over to you, House of the Dragon Fanatics! Will you check out the new season, or do you still feel burned by how the show has been handled so far?

Let’s keep the conversation going — it’s the only way the good stuff survives.
Say something in the comments, share if you’re moved to, and keep reading. Independent voices need readers like you.

  • 19 Real-Life TV Couples Who Embody Relationship Goals

    We love to ship our favorite TV characters, but what about the stars pairing up off-screen? Check out our list of real-life power couples!

  • COTW: These Characters Were Messy, Heartbreaking & Impossible to Ignore

    From Euphoria and Black Sands to Widow’s Bay and Off Campus, these characters were unforgettable, making them the week’s most compelling.

  • 7 Reasons Why Ending Euphoria After Season 3 Was the Right Call

    Euphoria Season 3 ending was painful, divisive, and necessary after Rue’s death, Nate’s fate, Angus Cloud’s tribute, and HBO’s final call.

Read the original article here

The post House of the Dragon Season 3 Review: Big Changes and Delayed Momentum Hold It Back — Until It Finds Its Rhythm appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> The Dell XPS 13 Laptop Is Available Starting Today https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-dell-xps-13-laptop-is-available-starting-today/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-dell-xps-13-laptop-is-available-starting-today/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The, Dell, XPS, Laptop, Available, Starting, Today

But will it see the same success as the MacBook Neo?


Photo of two Dell XPS 13 laptops
Dell

Dell announced the return of the XPS 13 late last month and said broadly that it would be available in June. The low-cost laptop is now available on both virtual and brick-and-mortar store shelves. It retails starting at $599 for students and $699 for other customers.

The Dell XPS 13 announcement came hot on the heels of Apple unveiling its first true budget laptop. The MacBook Neo is designed for education, targeting both teachers and students as its likely buyers and it impressed in our review. Apple even secured a deal to bring its gear, including more than 4,500 MacBook Neos, to the Kansas City Public Schools. It should be interesting to watch whether Dell will see the same success as Apple has been enjoying for such a similar laptop.

Read the original article here

The post The Dell XPS 13 Laptop Is Available Starting Today appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Eels evoke the spirit of the Cookie Monster with new album ‘Cookie Happened’ and emotive new song ‘Cap In Hand’ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/eels-evoke-the-spirit-of-the-cookie-monster-with-new-album-cookie-happened-and-emotive-new-song-cap-in-hand/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/eels-evoke-the-spirit-of-the-cookie-monster-with-new-album-cookie-happened-and-emotive-new-song-cap-in-hand/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Eels, evoke, the, spirit, the, Cookie, Monster, with, new, album, ‘Cookie, Happened’, and, emotive, new, song, ‘Cap, Hand’

Eels have today shared details of a new album, ‘Cookie Happened’, while giving fans a taster of what it sounds like via the emotive new track, ‘Cap In Hand’ – listen to it below.

The album will be the band’s 16th and will arrive on October 16 via E Works/Play It Again Sam. You can pre-order the album here.

Alongside the album announcement, the band also shared a new single, ‘Cap In Hand’, which you can listen to below.

The track is described as a “bittersweet and beautifully bruised first take of the album” that is “told from the perspective of someone finally confronting their mistakes and is now attempting to set things right.”

You can listen to the new track here:

The statement added: “The warm-hearted, rueful and quietly triumphant song, sets the tone for an album that finds E (Mark Oliver Everett) turning his gaze toward life’s small victories, inevitable disappointments and the strange miracle of having been here at all.”

Speaking about the album title, E said: “All of this will be forgotten. Every joy, accomplishment and hardship will one day become so irrelevant it will be as if none of it occurred.

“But as the great philosopher of our times, Cookie Monster once said: ‘Me no cry because cookie is finished. Me smile because cookie happened.’ This will all be forgotten. But isn’t it still a beautiful thing that it happened?”

Speaking about the new track, E added: “I wanted to sound kind of worn out for this one too, like someone who’s messed up their life but now sees the error of their ways and is trying to make amends with their tail between their legs.

“You know how record companies are: ‘We don’t care what you give us, just make sure you sound defeated on the first two tracks!’”

‘Cookie Happened Tracklist:
1. ‘Clobbered’
2. ‘Cap In Hand’
3. ‘All Forgotten’
4. ‘Bamboozled Again’
5. ‘Lost And Barking’
6. Taking Pictures’
7. ‘New Story’
8. ‘Congratulations To Me’
9. ‘One Razzle, One Dazzle’
10. ‘I’m On Standby’
11. ‘Dum Dums’
12. ‘The Way I Was Made’

Back in March, it was announced that Judd Apatow is producing a documentary about Eels frontman Everett.

The pair have worked together before, when E acted in Apatow’s 2016 TV series Love, and now the filmmaker is putting together about the musician’s fascinating life.

Titled The Way I Was Made: The Story Of A Man Called E, the film is directed by Gus Black, who has also made music videos for Eels.

The official synopsis reads: “The Way I Was Made is an intimate and emotionally powerful portrait of an artist’s unwavering pursuit of creative integrity in the face of profound personal tragedy. As a teenager, Everett discovered his brilliant but troubled father dead. Years later, just as his dreams of becoming a musician began to take shape, he lost both his sister and his mother in devastating succession.

“Confronted with unimaginable grief, Everett chose not the pursuit of fame, but a deeply personal artistic path — transforming loss into one of the most heart-achingly beautiful and critically acclaimed catalogues in modern music.”

Apatow said in a statement (via Stereogum): “I’ve always thought E’s story would make for a fantastic documentary. I am confused by why it has taken this long.”

E’s 2007 autobiography, Things The Grandchildren Should Know, received critical acclaim for its unique narrative framing, where the author takes on the persona of an elderly man sharing wisdom he has learned before he dies. The Who legend Pete Townshend described it as “One of the best books ever written by a contemporary artist.”

Read the original article here

The post Eels evoke the spirit of the Cookie Monster with new album ‘Cookie Happened’ and emotive new song ‘Cap In Hand’ appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Squirrel Flower Announces New Album Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/squirrel-flower-announces-new-album-say-a-prayer-to-the-gods-of-getting-going/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/squirrel-flower-announces-new-album-say-a-prayer-to-the-gods-of-getting-going/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Squirrel, Flower, Announces, New, Album, Say, Prayer, the, Gods, Getting, Going

Ella Williams’ is back with her latest Squirrel Flower record. Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going includes contributions from Horse Jumper of Love’s Dimitri Giannopoulos, the War on Drugs’ Dave Hartley, Free Range’s Sofia Jensen, Twin Peaks’ Clay Frankel, and more. It arrives August 21 on Polyvinyl. Check out the video for lead track “Reelin” below, along with a full slate of fall tour stops (including supporting dates with the Beths, Spoon, and Ethel Cain).

“The lyrics started as an art piece I made on an overdue Kansas Turnpike toll bill,” Williams said in a statement about the new single. “This song is my ode to the push and pull of domesticity and unraveling. Leaving and getting reeled back in, over and over and over and over.”

Revisit our review of 2023’s Tomorrow’s Fire.

Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going:
01 Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going
02 Cleveland
03 Not Me
04 Helicopters
05 Highway Woman
06 Reelin
07 Foot Thick Ice
08 Sick Tooth
09 Fought a Hornet
10 Surfing USA
11 Weightless, Untethered

Squirrel Flower: Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going

Squirrel Flower 2026 Tour Dates:
06-16 Charlotte, NC – The Underground #
06-17 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle #
06-18 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle #
06-21 New Haven, CT – College St Music Hall $
06-23 Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore $
06-24 Baltimore, MD – Nevermore Music Hall $
06-26 Detroit, MI – The Fillmore $
06-27 Cleveland, OH – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame $
06-28 Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live! $
06-30 Newport, KY – MegaCorp Pavilion $
07-01 Louisville, KY – Iroquois Amphitheater $
08-02 Chicago, IL – Metro ! [SOLD OUT]
09-23 Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop =
09-24 Toronto, ON – Second Summer Festival
09-25 Montreal, QC – La Sotterenea (POP Montreal Festival)
09-26 Boston, MA – Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre =
09-27 Northampton, MA – Iron Horse =
09-29 Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere – Rooftop*
09-30 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s*
10-01 Washington, DC – Union Stage*
10-02 Richmond, VA – Richmond Music Hall*
10-03 Durham, NC – Stanczyks*
10-06 Asheville, NC – Revival*
10-07 Atlanta, GA – The Earl*
10-08 Nashville, TN – Third Man Records – Blue Room*
10-10 Indianapolis, IN – The Turntable*
10-23 St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway +
10-24 Lawrence, KS – White Schoolhouse +
10-25 Fayetteville, AR – George’s Majestic Lounge +
10-27 Dallas, TX – Ruins +
10-28 San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger +
10-29 Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall Upstairs +
10-30 Austin, TX – 29th Street Ballroom +
11-01 Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar +
11-03 Los Angeles, CA – Sid the Cat Auditorium +
11-04 – Ojai, CA – Ojai Deer Lodge +
11-05 San Francisco, CA – The Chapel +
11-07 Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern +
11-08 Vancouver, BC – Wise Hall +
11-09 Olympia, WA – Wild Child +
11-11 Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater +
11-12 Boise, ID – Neurolux +
11-13 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge +
11-15 Denver, CO – Globe Hall +
11-17 Omaha, NE – Reverb +
11-18 Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line Music Cafe +
11-19 Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club +
11-20 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall +

# supporting The Beths
$ supporting Spoon + The Beths
! supporting Ethel Cain
= w/ youbet
* w/ Dari Bay
+ w/ Sour Widows

Read the original article here

The post Squirrel Flower Announces New Album Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Millete trial: Toxic substance found in glass vials https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/larry-millete-trial-poison-vials/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/larry-millete-trial-poison-vials/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Millete, trial:, Toxic, substance, found, glass, vials Fan events at San Diego NASCAR race: Go-Karts, immersive Navy experience, and more https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/nascar-news/san-diego-nascar-race/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/nascar-news/san-diego-nascar-race/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Fan, events, San, Diego, NASCAR, race:, Go-Karts, immersive, Navy, experience, and, more NASCAR San Diego: Parking passes needed to park on Naval Base Coronado https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/nascar-news/nascar-san-diego-parking/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/nascar-news/nascar-san-diego-parking/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NASCAR, San, Diego:, Parking, passes, needed, park, Naval, Base, Coronado Chula Vista gears up for free World Cup watch party https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/chula-vista/chula-vista-world-cup-watch/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/chula-vista/chula-vista-world-cup-watch/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Chula, Vista, gears, for, free, World, Cup, watch, party Both gubernatorial candidates commit to state of emergency for Tijuana River sewage crisis https://fox5sandiego.com/election/becerra-hilton-tijuana-crisis/ https://fox5sandiego.com/election/becerra-hilton-tijuana-crisis/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Both, gubernatorial, candidates, commit, state, emergency, for, Tijuana, River, sewage, crisis Trump and Iran reach tentative deal to end war, but obstacles to peace remain https://catholics.news/trump-and-iran-reach-tentative-deal-to-end-war-but-obstacles-to-peace-remain https://catholics.news/trump-and-iran-reach-tentative-deal-to-end-war-but-obstacles-to-peace-remain Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Trump, and, Iran, reach, tentative, deal, end, war, but, obstacles, peace, remain ‘Communion’: JD Vance’s spiritual memoir released as 2028 race heats up https://catholics.news/communion-jd-vances-spiritual-memoir-released-as-2028-race-heats-up https://catholics.news/communion-jd-vances-spiritual-memoir-released-as-2028-race-heats-up Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator ‘Communion’:, Vance’s, spiritual, memoir, released, 2028, race, heats Deacons say encouragement from family, clergy plays decisive role in answering vocational call https://catholics.news/deacons-say-encouragement-from-family-clergy-plays-decisive-role-in-answering-vocational-call https://catholics.news/deacons-say-encouragement-from-family-clergy-plays-decisive-role-in-answering-vocational-call Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Deacons, say, encouragement, from, family, clergy, plays, decisive, role, answering, vocational, call Illinois diocese, pregnancy center appeal for right to hire in line with pro-life beliefs https://catholics.news/illinois-diocese-pregnancy-center-appeal-for-right-to-hire-in-line-with-pro-life-beliefs https://catholics.news/illinois-diocese-pregnancy-center-appeal-for-right-to-hire-in-line-with-pro-life-beliefs Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Illinois, diocese, pregnancy, center, appeal, for, right, hire, line, with, pro-life, beliefs World Cup kicks off amid passion, protests in Mexico https://catholics.news/world-cup-kicks-off-amid-passion-protests-in-mexico https://catholics.news/world-cup-kicks-off-amid-passion-protests-in-mexico Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator World, Cup, kicks, off, amid, passion, protests, Mexico Gilat to buy Comtech satcoms business six years after failed merger https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/gilat-to-buy-comtech-satcoms-business-six-years-after-failed-merger/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/gilat-to-buy-comtech-satcoms-business-six-years-after-failed-merger/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Gilat, buy, Comtech, satcoms, business, six, years, after, failed, merger

TAMPA, Fla. — Israel’s Gilat Satellite Networks plans to expand its defense capabilities by acquiring most of Comtech’s space-related communications business, six years after the U.S. company’s own takeover bid collapsed.

Gilat said June 15 it had agreed to buy Comtech’s satellite ground infrastructure solutions, troposcatter systems that connect users beyond line of sight, engineering and other space communications equipment assets for $157.5 million in cash.

It is Gilat’s second-largest acquisition in the past two years, noted William Blair analyst Louie DiPalma, after snapping up aircraft antenna specialist StellarBlu for $245 million in January 2025.

In January 2020, Comtech announced plans to buy Gilat for $533 million, but the deal was later derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Comtech had to fend off a $790 million takeover attempt from investment firm Acacia Research Corp in 2022 after revenue declined following the failed merger, which also forced it to pay Gilat a $70 million breakup fee.

According to Gilat, the business it is acquiring generated $195.2 million for the 12 months ended Jan. 31, nearly 4% higher than the $187.8 million recorded for Comtech’s fiscal year ended July 31, 2025.

The assets include anti-jam tactical modems for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, satellite ground systems, space electronics and high-powered amplifiers. The deal mainly excludes Comtech’s cyber-focused assets.

The Israeli firm said the acquisition would help grow annual revenue to more than $700 million, with adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) projected to reach $80 million.

“A merger of the two entities made strategic sense six years ago and that remains true today,” DiPalma said, adding the acquisition would increase Gilat’s defense business from around 25% of total revenue to roughly 40%.

In a statement, Gilat CEO Adi Sfadia said the deal follows several years of effort to expand the company’s defense capabilities and presence.

“The addition of Comtech’s Satellite & Space Communication segment significantly accelerates this strategy by increasing our scale, strengthening our U.S. presence, and expanding our ability to address larger and more complex defense and space programs,” he said.

“We are committed to continuing to invest in these technologies, supporting existing customers and building upon Comtech’s decades-long heritage serving mission-critical programs.” 

The companies expect to close the transaction before the end of the year, pending clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and other regulatory bodies.

The sale would leave Comtech focused on a public safety technology business that emergency services use to handle calls, locate people and coordinate responses.

Read the original article here

The post Gilat to buy Comtech satcoms business six years after failed merger appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Torres Deserves Real Character Growth & NCIS Owes It to Him (And Us) https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/torres-deserves-real-character-growth-ncis-owes-it-to-him-and-us/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/torres-deserves-real-character-growth-ncis-owes-it-to-him-and-us/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Torres, Deserves, Real, Character, Growth, NCIS, Owes, Him, And, Us

When Torres first joined NCIS at the beginning of Season 14, he felt like a stand-in for DiNozzo.

There were many of the same mannerisms and personality traits, which could have helped us settle into the character.

After spending years undercover, Torres liked to keep to himself, and he carried a lot of personal heartache.

(Robert Voets/CBS )

Over time, he has developed some friendships, but there was a moment from NCIS Season 23 that made it clear he hasn’t really grown all that much.

Torres Was Way Too Hurt About Kasie Keeping Part of Her Life Silent

During NCIS Season 23 Episode 18, everyone learned that Kasie’s creation, Edna, was worth millions. 

She was even in the process of selling it to some big company.

Now, I stand by my thoughts that Parker and McGee should have never said anything to the others about the windfall that Kasie was about to receive. That was her news to share.

(Robert Voets/CBS)

It was clear from Torres’ reaction that she made the right choice in staying silent. 

Torres immediately complained that he’d just paid for dinner with Kasie.

Why should that matter when she hadn’t come into the money in the first place? The discussion about Edna was still going through the negotiation process.

It immediately left a bad taste in my mouth, showing how immature and egotistical Torres still is.

That got me thinking about how little he’s changed over the last ten seasons.

(Robert Voets/CBS)

While he’s had relationships and opened up more, his development has been short-lived, as he regresses to his previous self.

I think part of that stems from the way Bishop left at the end of NCIS Season 18, but we didn’t really get a full sense of that until her return this past season.

Torres and Bishop’s relationship was off-screen. There were always hints that they liked each other, but it was only after Bishop left that Torres showed how much he knew about her.

Bishop’s return in NCIS Season 23 Episode 10 brought much-needed flashbacks that highlighted just how important she was to him.

Add on the fact that Gibbs left shortly after Bishop, and there are plenty of reasons for Torres to revert to older personality traits, but it’s time for him to grow up.

(Robert Voets/CBS)

Torres Deserves to Become a Better Person

There have been moments that have shown Torres is capable of change, and, surprisingly, these are in the bigger ways.

He tried to lean into his lonewolf ways at the start of NCIS Season 21 to get revenge, but in the end, he decided his career and current life were worth more.

He’s fought alcoholism, and there was a brief reminder of that as the team said goodbye to Vance shortly after the 500th episode.

These major moments can’t be backtracked, as they are Torres realizing his need to change. He’s made the decisions himself.

(Robert Voets/CBS)

When it comes to the smaller elements of his personality, he doesn’t think there is a need to change just yet. Unfortunately, it’s these moments that get tiresome.

While I think someone should have called him out for going on about the dinner with Kasie, it wasn’t up to them to realize that Torres was fixating on the wrong thing.

Showing that he changed could have been as simple as realizing he was fixating on the wrong thing.

This isn’t to say that he can’t have flaws. Every human does. It’s just to say that he needs to grow up.

(Robert Voets/CBS)

There are even elements of his character that should stick around, such as his love for fun and games, his habit of betting against his teammates over trivial matters, and his decision to make Sawyer his archenemy.

These moments help secure his place on the team, and they show just how far he’s come in shedding the lone-wolf mentality.

But NCIS needs to stop using his immature moments as comedic relief, especially when they’re not all that necessary.

TV Fanatic runs on caffeine, cats, and your support.

Comment if you’re still watching. Share if you want others to know this show even exists. Hell, disagree with us all you want about the Torres topic! We appreciate you either way — truly.

  • Torres Deserves Real Character Growth & NCIS Owes It to Him (And Us)

    It’s hard to believe that Torres has been around since NCIS Season 14, considering how little character growth he’s had.

  • NCIS Doesn’t Need a Permanent Director — Hear Me Out!

    What if nobody was always sat in Vance’s chair on NCIS Season 24? Could the series work without a permanent director in place?

  • 12 Recent TV Deaths That Absolutely Crushed Us

    The latest TV season took some of our most beloved characters. The TV Fanatic staff takes a look at the 12 that hurt the most.

Read the original article here

The post Torres Deserves Real Character Growth & NCIS Owes It to Him (And Us) appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Xbox Is Reportedly Closing Ninja Theory, Double Fine And Compulsion Games https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/xbox-is-reportedly-closing-ninja-theory-double-fine-and-compulsion-games/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/xbox-is-reportedly-closing-ninja-theory-double-fine-and-compulsion-games/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Xbox, Reportedly, Closing, Ninja, Theory, Double, Fine, And, Compulsion, Games

Xbox is preparing to shut down or sell at least three of its studios — Double Fine, Ninja Theory and Compulsion Games — according to reports from The Verge and Bloomberg on Monday. 

Ninja Theory employees were informed on Monday that the studio would be closing, according to The Verge, but the team is attempting to find a buyer that can keep them operational. Ninja Theory is the studio behind the Hellblade series and it was featured in the recent Xbox Summer Game Fest showcase, revealing a new entry due in 2027.

Double Fine is the legendary studio behind the Psychonauts games, Brütal Legend, Broken Age, Keeper and all manner of LucasArts adventures, founded by Tim Schafer and friends in 2000. Double Fine leaders are in active negotiations to buy themselves back from Xbox rather than be closed altogether, Bloomberg said. 

Compulsion Games is in a similar position, according to the report. Compulsion is the Montreal studio behind the uber-stylish games Contrast, We Happy Few and South of Midnight, the latter of which came out in April 2025.

Bloomberg reported that several other studios under the Xbox Game Studios banner are also negotiating for their futures and are at risk of being shut down. As it officially stands, the Xbox Game Studios umbrella covers dozens of studios, including Arkane, Bethesda, Halo Studios, id Software, Obsidian, Playground Games, ZeniMax and Activision Blizzard King. We have contacted Xbox for clarification on the reported closures and buyout talks.

Microsoft’s modern game-studio acquiring spree kicked off in 2018 with the purchase of Undead Labs, Playground Games, Ninja Theory and Compulsion Games, plus the formation of The Initiative. This momentum continued building at a concerning pace in 2020 and 2021, when Xbox acquired eight more studios under ZeniMax Media, including Arkane, Bethesda and id. Everything came to a head in 2022 with the announcement that Xbox planned to purchase Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, the largest acquisition in video game history. That deal finally went through at the end of 2023, after a lengthy battle with regulators.

Since the acquisitions, Microsoft has enacted multiple massive rounds of layoffs affecting thousands of employees in its gaming division, and also shuttered well-known studios, including The Initiative. Unfortunately, Double Fine, Ninja Theory, Compulsion and the other at-risk Xbox studios are in good company.

Longtime Xbox division head Phil Spencer stepped down this year and was replaced by new CEO Asha Sharma, alongside other executive-level changes. Also on Monday, Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan left the company; he first took the role in October 2024. Employees across Xbox are bracing for more layoffs in 2026 after an ominous public memo from Sharma dropped in mid-June, just as the glow of Summer Game Fest fully faded.

Read the original article here

The post Xbox Is Reportedly Closing Ninja Theory, Double Fine And Compulsion Games appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Tom Morello shares message for Tommy Robinson at Download 2026 https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/tom-morello-shares-message-for-tommy-robinson-at-download-2026/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/tom-morello-shares-message-for-tommy-robinson-at-download-2026/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Tom, Morello, shares, message, for, Tommy, Robinson, Download, 2026

Tom Morello used his set at Download Festival 2026 to send a message to the British far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

The Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave guitarist played on the Opus Stage at the Donington Park festival this weekend (June 14), and took the chance while playing for a big UK crowd to share his feelings about Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.

Morello played a set of provocative, politically-fuelled songs, including ‘Killing In The Name’ and ‘Soldier In The Army Of Love’, as well as Ozzy Osbourne’s ‘Mr. Crowley’ and John Lennon’s ‘Power To The People’.

For the show, he had written in large letters on the back of the body of his guitar, “FUCK TOMMY ROBINSON”, with the big screens picking up the message. Morello later reposted a photo of the image on his X account – see below.

Morello is no stranger to picking fights with right wing British leaders – in 2018, Rage Against The Machine hit out at Nigel Farage, branding him a “pissweasel” for co-opting their name for his podcast ‘Farage Against The Machine’.

“This pissweasel IS the machine – peddling the sort of inane, blame-heavy bullshit that the guys in RATM have been raging against since day one,” the band said.

Later that year, Morello said: “I am open to accidentally giving Nigel a dry slap, if I encounter him on the tube. Though I doubt he rides the tube for fear of all the dry slaps he would receive.”

At a show supporting Muse in 2019, Morello continued his vendetta against Farage, and presaged his Robinson attack, by taping a sign to the back of his guitar that read “FUCK FARAGE”.

Morello is curating the Power To The People festival in October in Maryland, with Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Joan Baez and System of a Down’s Serj Tankian all set to perform. It is described as “a non-partisan celebration of peace, justice, solidarity, music and community action”, and you can read more about it here.

Morello also joined Springsteen at every date of his ‘Land Of Hope And Dreams’ tour of the US earlier this year, duetting with him on ‘Purple Rain’, ‘Chimes Of Freedom’ and others.

In 2024, he spoke to NME backstage at Download Festival about the power of music to spark political change, and listed his all time favourite protest songs. “Off the top of my head, some of my favourites would be ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon, ‘Biko’ by Peter Gabriel, ‘Fight The Power’ by Public Enemy. There are also probably a few Rage Against The Machine Songs that make the list too…” he said.

Read the original article here

The post Tom Morello shares message for Tommy Robinson at Download 2026 appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Future Announces New Album The Real Me https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/future-announces-new-album-the-real-me/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/future-announces-new-album-the-real-me/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Future, Announces, New, Album, The, Real

Spotify spent the last week teasing a mysterious new project called T.R.M. on billboards across the country. Predictions varied—it’s a Selena Gomez album! No, it’s a Carti project!—but now we have the real answer: It’s a Future album called The Real Me. No other details (release date, artwork, whether Future’s frenemy Drake is involved, etc.) have been shared yet; we’ve reached out to Pluto’s rep for more information.

It’s been nearly two years since the last Future solo album, 2024’s Mixtape Pluto. In the interim, he’s hopped on tracks by Lisa, Young Thug, and the Weeknd. Earlier this year, Future appeared on J. Cole’s The Fall-Off, reunited with Drake on the latter’s Iceman, and performed alongside Tyla at the opening ceremony for the FIFA World Cup.

Revisit our 2022 review of I Never Liked You.

Read the original article here

The post Future Announces New Album The Real Me appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Fox to buy streaming pioneer Roku in a $22 billion deal https://fox5sandiego.com/entertainment/ap-entertainment/ap-fox-buying-streaming-platform-roku-in-cash-and-stock-deal-worth-about-22-billion/ https://fox5sandiego.com/entertainment/ap-entertainment/ap-fox-buying-streaming-platform-roku-in-cash-and-stock-deal-worth-about-22-billion/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Fox, buy, streaming, pioneer, Roku, 22, billion, deal What to know about NASCAR San Diego races over Father's Day Weekend https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/nascar-news/nascar-san-diego-historic-debut/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/nascar-news/nascar-san-diego-historic-debut/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator What, know, about, NASCAR, San, Diego, races, over, Fathers, Day, Weekend Larry's boss testifies he didn't show up for work, and that his texts to Larry dissapeared https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/larry-millete-trial-larrys-boss-testifies-day-16/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/larry-millete-trial-larrys-boss-testifies-day-16/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Larrys, boss, testifies, didnt, show, for, work, and, that, his, texts, Larry, dissapeared Suspect in La Jolla moped hit-and-run arrested https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/hit-and-run-moped-la-jolla-suspect-arrested/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/hit-and-run-moped-la-jolla-suspect-arrested/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Suspect, Jolla, moped, hit-and-run, arrested Four-vehicle crash on I-15 leaves one person dead https://fox5sandiego.com/traffic/fatal-crash-i15-miramar/ https://fox5sandiego.com/traffic/fatal-crash-i15-miramar/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Four-vehicle, crash, I-15, leaves, one, person, dead San Diego in July: Things To Do, Events & Weather [2026] https://sandiegoexplorer.com/san-diego-in-july/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=san-diego-in-july https://sandiegoexplorer.com/san-diego-in-july/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=san-diego-in-july Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:01:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, July:, Things, Do, Events, Weather, 2026 July is here, and the sun is shining throughout Southern California. Summer is in full swing, everyone’s spirit is high, and there’s no better time to be in San Diego than now.

Hordes of tourists may make some cautious about a trip to San Diego in July, but trust us; it’s worthwhile. Exciting outdoor events like the 4th of July, Comic Con, glowing sandy beaches in La Jolla, and Del Mar racing season are all well worth it.

Read on for the best of San Diego in July, including top events, weather, and what to wear.

Palm tree lined path along white sand beach overlooking Pacific Ocean on sunny summer day with Hotel del Coronado in distance. Coronado Island, San Diego in July.

Things To Do In San Diego In July

July Events & Festivals in San Diego

The Fourth Of July Celebrations

When: July 4th, 2026
Where: Everywhere in San Diego
Read our Top Tips for the 4th of July in San Diego here

Fourth of July is an exciting day in the US, as it’s the country’s Independence Day, and boy, does San Diego throw a big party. But this year, for the 250th birthday of the United States, the show will be even bigger.

There’s so much happening in San Diego on the Fourth of July. Events include the fascinating Big Boom Bay fireworks display, Crown City Classic Race, Run & Ride event, Annual Rough Water Swim, and much more. 

There’s no way you can see it all, you’re best off choosing just an event or two to properly enjoy.

4th of July Fireworks in San Diego photographed from Coronado with the San Diego Bay in the foreground and San Diego skyline in the background

Big Bay Boom

When: July 4th, 2026
Where: The Port of San Diego
Website

We’ve already noted some Fourth of July events above, but the Big Bay Boom deserves a section of its own. This is one of the city’s most popular fireworks displays that everyone wants to see on Independence Day. 

Find yourself a nice vantage point and watch the fireworks fly into the sky from places like Harbor Island, Embarcadero North, the bay off Shelter Island, Marina District, and Coronado Ferry Landing.

There’s no entry fee. Just be sure to show up before 9 PM for a good spot.

4 red fireworks over San Diego Bay Big Boom Bay Fireworks San Diego 4th of July

San Diego County Fair

When: June 10 – July 5, 2026
Where: Del Mar Fairgrounds
Read our Top Tips for the San Diego County Fair here

At least one day in San Diego must be spent at the San Diego County Fair. This is one of the top-anticipated events each summer, with so much fun for people of all ages. 

Take a ride on the towering Ferris wheel, try your hand at an entertaining game stall in the hope of winning your crush a prize, or indulge in tasty bites complemented by an ice-cold beer.

There are different ticket prices depending on the day of the week. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, it’s $17 for an adult and $14 for a child if you buy tickets in advance. But on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, adult admission is $20, and for kids, it’s $17 if you buy in advance. Otherwise, it is $25 for adults and $17 for kids if you buy at the door. On Fridays, kids (6-12) are free. Kids under 5 are always free. Reserve your tickets here.

No doubt, this is one of the best things to do during July in San Diego.

Aerial view over san Diego County Fair

San Diego Pride Festival & Celebration

When: July 11 – July 19, 2026
Where: Various locations in San Diego
Website

San Diego hosts one of the best Pride festivals in America, with many events and activities hosted throughout the city.

The cathedral lights up in pride colors, the Spirit of Stonewall Rally is alive and kicking, and the Pride 5K Run & Walk takes over. The two-day Pride Festival is the main highlight, and the Pride Parade alone attracts thousands.

Entry to each event varies, but you can find more information via San Diego Pride. Fundraising is applied towards various charities and institutions working to make the world happier and more welcoming.

Woman standing in pride festival parade with rainbow flag on wrist

Comic-Con International San Diego

When: July 23 – July 26, 2026
Where: San Diego Convention Center
Website

You definitely don’t want to miss out on Comic-Con International, hosted at the convention center in downtown San Diego. Collaborate with like-minded comic book fans and discover the latest pop culture trends at one of America’s largest events.

Immerse yourself in the complete comic experience. Wander through the huge exhibit hall with stands featuring your favorite magazines, join educational workshops, and listen to presentations from big names in the comic world.

Tickets for the four-day event must be purchased online beforehand, and they’re limited, so act fast. But even if you don’t have tickets, it is fun to check out downtown during Comic Con to see the amazing Cosplay artists and open events and exhibits all over the city. Read our full guide on things to do during Comic Con if you don’t have a ticket.

The Del Mar Racing Season

When: July 17 – September 7, 2026
Where: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
Website

Take a break from the beach and watch some horse racing at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. The Del Mar Racing Season has been a huge part of summers in San Diego for decades, and it only gets more popular as the years go on.

Gather your buddies and witness some of the country’s top jockeys and thoroughbreds battle it out for top prizes. Opening Day is one of the most popular events, with ticket holders dressing up in their finest and placing big bets.

Attendees have two ticket options: buy a day pass or a season pass. Choose whichever suits you.

View over the Del Mar Race Tracks

Over-The-Line Annual Tournament

When: July 11/12 (Mens) & July 18/19, 2026 (Womens)
Where: Mission Bay
Website

Are you ready for the 73rd Annual World Championship Over-the-Line (OTL) Tournament? Watch over 1,000 teams take to the beach to battle it out for the top spot. For anyone who doesn’t know, Over-the-Line is a bat-and-ball sport where participants must whack the ball over the opposing team’s field to score points. 

Each morning, the first game kicks off at 7:30 AM sharp for the men’s tournament and at 9 AM for the women. Games then run throughout the day at various times, so you can always pop in and out as you please.

Anyone who isn’t participating won’t have to pay an entrance fee. However, if you’re planning on entering a team, fees apply.

Things to Do Any Time in July

The festivals and events in July in San Diego are the headline act, but San Diego’s classic attractions are at their absolute best in July — sunny, warm, and made for being outdoors. Here are the ones worth building a day around, no specific date required.

Soak Up the Sun at the Beach

July is peak beach season in San Diego, and with 70 miles of coastline, you’re spoiled for choice. Ocean temperatures climb to a swimmable 68°F or so this month, so it’s finally warm enough to spend the whole day in and out of the water.

For families, La Jolla Shores is hard to beat — gentle waves, soft sand, and plenty of room to spread out. If you want the boardwalk-and-bustle experience, head to Mission Beach or Pacific Beach. Surfers and sunset-watchers love Ocean Beach, while Coronado Beach serves up those postcard views with the Hotel del Coronado as a backdrop. For something quieter, the bluffs at Torrey Pines State Beach are stunning, and up north, you’ll find the beautiful beaches of Carlsbad. Traveling with a pup? We’ve rounded up the best dog beaches in San Diego, too.

One July tip: parking lots fill up fast on summer weekends, so arrive before 10 AM or be prepared to walk a few blocks. For the full rundown, see our guide to the best beaches in San Diego.

Visit the World-Famous San Diego Zoo

When: Anytime
Where: 2920 Zoo Dr, San Diego, CA 92101 (Balboa Park)
Website

No trip to San Diego is complete without a day at the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Spread across 100 lush acres in Balboa Park, it’s home to thousands of animals, from elephants and polar bears to the much-loved giant pandas.

July is one of the best months to go, because the Zoo extends its hours for the summer Nighttime Zoo — live entertainment, a lively atmosphere, and cooler evening temperatures that bring the animals out to play. To make the most of your visit, buy your tickets online in advance and arrive early to beat both the crowds and the midday heat. First-timers should skim our San Diego Zoo tips before heading out.

Go Sailing on San Diego Bay

San Diego Bay is one of the finest natural harbors in the country, and July’s steady afternoon breezes and warm temperatures make it prime sailing season. Whether you’ve never touched a tiller or you’re a seasoned skipper, there’s a way to get out on the water.

Hop aboard a skippered charter and simply sit back with a drink while someone else handles the sails, join a small-group sunset sail for golden-hour views of the skyline, or book a lesson or rental if you’d rather captain it yourself. Operators around Harbor Island and Shelter Island offer everything from breezy two-hour cruises to private half-day charters.

Take a Relaxing Harbor Cruise

If sailing sounds like a bit much, a narrated harbor cruise is the easy, low-effort way to see San Diego from the water — no skills required. Glide past the downtown skyline, cruise beneath the iconic Coronado Bridge, pass the Navy ships at the naval base, and keep an eye out for the sea lions lounging on the buoys.

Most operators run one-hour and two-hour narrated tours throughout the day, with sunset and dinner cruises in the evenings — a lovely way to cap off a warm July day. They’re family-friendly and a great pick if you want sightseeing without the sunburn.

July Weather In San Diego

San Diego weather during July is incredible. Imagine clear skies with the sun beaming all day, and barely any rain.

Temperatures usually range between 66.2° F and 75.2° F. This is perfect for spending your time lounging on the beach or enjoying outdoor activities like hiking or cycling. Unfortunately, with these high temperatures comes high humidity; the mornings average about 82%, and the afternoons 64%.

Daylight hours in San Diego County during July average over 14 hours per day, with 11 hours of sunshine.

Swimmers will be happy to know the ocean temperatures around San Diego are quite favorable this month, averaging around 68.5°F. Be sure to bring your towel and trunks!

San Diego Winter: Graph of Average Temperatures San Diego-1
Average monthly Rainfall in San Diego

What Should You Wear In San Diego In July?

Visiting San Diego in July allows you to bring out your favorite summer outfits. Whether you wish to wear a flowery dress or a nice pair of denim shorts, there are no limits.

Evenings tend to be a little chillier than daytime, so bring a light fleece or hoodie, just in case.

After reading this post, you shouldn’t need to question whether it’s worth visiting San Diego in July. There’s so much happening, you don’t want to miss out.

Even if events aren’t your thing, gorgeous areas like Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, Gaslamp Quarter, Coronado Island, and Ocean Beach are all wonderful spots to unwind during your time off.

We’ve done our part, now it’s time to do yours, start planning your trip to San Diego.

Last Updated on June 15, 2026 by Maria Haase

The post San Diego in July: Things To Do, Events & Weather [2026] appeared first on San Diego Explorer.

]]> San Diego in August: Things To Do, Events & Weather [2026] https://sandiegoexplorer.com/san-diego-in-august/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=san-diego-in-august https://sandiegoexplorer.com/san-diego-in-august/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=san-diego-in-august Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:01:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, August:, Things, Do, Events, Weather, 2026 If you’re considering an end-of-summer getaway, August in San Diego could be just what you’re looking for. See out the last few weeks of summer on one of the iconic San Diego beaches, soak up the culture at a festival, or catch a baseball game at sunset. It’s not hard to understand why August is a hugely popular month in the city amongst tourists and one of the best times to visit San Diego.

Notorious June Gloom will be long past, allowing visitors to enjoy all of Southern California’s best, with plenty of sunshine. You’ll likely experience higher prices for accommodation and longer lines at San Diego attractions during this time, but it’s worth it. The city really comes alive in summer, and August encapsulates everything San Diego is known for.

We’ve created a guide for all things San Diego in August, including the festivals and events you cannot miss!

Things To Do In San Diego In August

August Events & Festivals in San Diego

Art Walk At Liberty Station

When: July 31, August 1-2. 2026
Where: ART DISTRICT, Liberty Station
Website

A former naval training center, Liberty Station is now a hive of activity in the Point Loma area. A hub for food, craft beer, and shopping, Liberty Market is one of the area’s hotspots. However, there’s more to this neighborhood than good food.

Each year, Liberty Station hosts an art festival. This gives a platform to both up-and-coming and established artists to display and sell their incredible artworks. On Friday, there is an opening party (ticketed event), and Saturday and Sunday are free and open to the public.

For art collectors or visitors looking for a unique keepsake, this is a fantastic opportunity to find some real treasures.

Pupologie Cardiff Dog Days of Summer

When: August 2, 2026
Where: Encinitas Community Park
Website

If you’re an animal lover and love a budget-friendly activity, you need to check out the Pupologie Cardiff Dog Days of Summer at Encinitas Community Park. 

This event boasts so many dog vendors, pet adoption groups, and rescue teams. Not to mention live music, contests, food stalls, and everything else that could possibly put a smile on your fluffy friend’s face.

Before you ask, yes, you can bring your dog to the party. Just make sure you give them good grooming, as you could be coerced into the doggy fashion contest. Why not give them a chance to take home a ribbon?

San Diego Brew Fest

When: August 8, 2026
Where: Liberty Station
Website

San Diego’s Beer scene is still one of the best in the country. To celebrate San Diego’s best craft breweries and indulge in their top brews, sign up for the San Diego Brew Fest. Doors open at 12, and you have until 4 to sip your way through the best beers of San Diego.

There will be 70 San Diego breweries, 200+ beers on tap, and 10 food trucks to keep hunger and thirst away.

Hillcrest City Fest

When: August 9, 2026 12 PM – 11 PM
Where: 5th Ave, Hillcrest
Website

One of the largest, free art and music festivals in San Diego is taking place again in Hillcrest this year. With 70000 expected visitors, it will be a big party with lots of fun activities.

There are two stages featuring over 20 hours of combined live entertainment. There is also a kids’ zone offering arts and crafts, flower potting, making your own comic book, and more.

City Fest After Dark starts at 7 PM and turns Hillcrest into a full-on street party. 2 cocktail bars, a beer garden, and a pumping vibe that will keep you dancing until the lights are turned off.

Chula Vista Lemon Fest

When: August 15, 2026 11 AM – 6 PM
Where: Chula Vista 3rd Street
Website

To commemorate Chula Vista’s agricultural heritage and history as the “Lemon Capital of the World”, join the 29th iteration of the Chula Vista Lemon Festival. Dress up in your zestiest lemon outfit and enjoy live music, vendors, street food, and more

Bike The Bay

When: August 23, 2026
Where: Embarcadero Marina Park South
Website

A fun event open to all ages and skill levels, Bike the Bay is an annual bike ride across the San Diego Bay. Organized by the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, all proceeds from the cycle go towards making San Diego a safer, more cyclist-friendly city.

Ride across the famous San Diego – Coronado Bay Bridge as part of this 25 mile route, and see the city from a whole new perspective. Best of all, you can cycle at your own pace, making it a perfect day out for the whole family.

This year, they also offer a 50-mile route, which will take you over the Coronado Bridge twice. A great way to really pump up your endurance and enjoy the best view over San Diego twice.

Upon returning to the starting point, you’ll be greeted with a selection of food, drinks, and entertainment to enjoy. Kick back in a relaxing beer garden and celebrate with your fellow cyclists. Proceeds go to the San Diego County Bike Coalition, which fights for making San Diego’s streets more bike-friendly, safer, and connected.

Two blue cruiser bikes propped up on concrete promenade overlooking San Diego Bay and San Diego skyline. Bike the Bay San Diego, August events in San Diego.

Brazilian Festival

When: August 29, 2026 2 PM – 11 PM
Where: Waterfront Park
Website

Brazilian tunes, cultural exhibits, food, and more await you at the famous Brazilian Festival. It is the first time the festival takes place in San Diego, and we can’t wait to experience the festivities. Get tickets ahead, as the price will double at the door.

Things to Do Any Time in August

Spend A Day At Balboa Park

You’ll undoubtedly find yourself in iconic Balboa Park during your trip. A must for anyone visiting San Diego for the first or even fifth time, this sprawling park is San Diego’s backyard.

With over 1,200 acres to explore, you’ll be spoiled for choice, and may find yourself stopping here more than once during your stay.

Nature lovers will be impressed by the beautiful Botanical Building and Japanese Gardens. While those craving more of a cultural experience shouldn’t miss out on the San Diego Museum of Art, the Spanish Village Art Center, and the San Diego Natural History Museum. There are 17 museums within the park to choose from.

Balboa Park has a number of interesting exhibitions and events throughout the year. Be sure to look out for some during your visit: Balboa Park Events.

Casa De Balboa at sunset, Balboa Park, San Diego

Visit The Renowned San Diego Zoo

When: Anytime
Where: 2920 Zoo Dr, San Diego, CA 92101
Website

If Balboa Park is a must on every visitor’s list, then San Diego Zoo should also be included in your visit. The zoo is located in the park itself, making this a perfect stop for visitors.

You’ll be blown away by the huge array of majestic animals at this zoo, from rhinos, cheetahs, and sloths to polar bears and penguins.

The Nighttime Zoo experience runs through the entirety of the summer and makes for a truly memorable evening. Enchanting animals, live entertainment, and a lively atmosphere are guaranteed.

There are a number of different passes, combination tickets, and experiences to suit all needs and interests. If you purchase tickets online, you get access to a number of extras that you won’t get if you buy tickets at the entrance.

Be sure to check out the San Diego Zoo Tips before heading out.

African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) in shallow water

Take Your Pick Of Breathtaking Beaches

If you’re vacationing in San Diego, chances are you’ll be spending some of your time beach-hopping along the coast.

San Diego County has 70 miles of coastline to be explored. Whether you’re looking for a bustling boardwalk or a tranquil haven, you’ll have your pick of the best San Diego beaches. 

Those hoping to be in the center of the action will love Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, or La Jolla Shores. While visitors hoping to escape the busy city will be drawn to Torrey Pines State Beach or Black’s Beach. If you have a dog traveling with you, check out these dog beaches so your pooch can catch some waves too.

Other beaches to add to your itinerary include Oceanside, Moonlight State Beach, and the much-loved Coronado Beach, overlooked by the famous Hotel Del Coronado. 

Or you could head up north and explore the stunning beaches in Carlsbad.

View from Birch Aquarium La Jolla over Scripps Pier and La Jolla Shores with the Pacific Ocean in the background

Watch The San Diego Padres At Petco Park

When: Various dates in August
Where: 100 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101
Website

If baseball is your thing, why not watch one of the many San Diego Padres games taking place this August at their home field, Petco Park?

Watch a thrilling game as the sun goes down and enjoy the electric atmosphere throughout the stadium. The Padres have 15 home games scheduled this August, allowing plenty of opportunities for visitors to cheer on the San Diego team alongside the locals.

If you’re not a Padres baseball fan but are keen to soak up the ambiance, head to Gallagher Square. Located right beside the stadium, this is a green space where you can choose to watch the game on a big screen or simply relax and enjoy gorgeous palm trees amid the San Diego skyline.

View of Petco Park Baseball Field from the stands in San Diego Downtown

August Weather in San Diego

Many visitors flock to the San Diego shores every August for the pleasant weather. Temperatures generally range from lows of 68°F to highs of 77°F, making for some pretty perfect conditions. It’s warm enough to spend days on the beach soaking up the sun, yet still moderate enough to explore the city on foot. 

As is the case with most summer months in San Diego, August experiences very little rainfall, usually coming in at less than 1 inch. Many visitors won’t see any rain at all during their vacation here.

San Diego sees around 13.5 hours of daylight in August and about 11.9 hours of sunshine. This gives you ample time to get out and enjoy the city. Those who prefer cooler temperatures can make the most of the bright mornings and evenings, and escape the midday heat.

Ocean temperatures sit at an average of 69°F in August, while sometimes dropping to 66°F or climbing to 71°F. While we’re not home to California’s warmest waters, taking a dip in the ocean is still pleasant and refreshing this month. Plus, you won’t need to resort to a wetsuit.

Average Temperatures & Rainfall In San Diego

San Diego Winter: Graph of Average Temperatures San Diego-1
Average monthly Rainfall in San Diego

What Should You Wear In San Diego In August?

You’ll need to include all the summer essentials on your packing list for San Diego in August. Think shorts, t-shirts, and lightweight dresses or trousers, paired with flip-flops and sunglasses.

It’s always a good idea to bring a light jacket or cover-up for the evening, though it’s quite possible you won’t need it.

The sunshine can be strong this time of year, so it is important to pack a hat and sunscreen to protect your skin.

With so much to see and do, coupled with the gorgeous weather California’s finest city is famous for, August can make for an ideal time to visit San Diego. 

Though it is a busy time of year for tourism, there are plenty of quiet spots to retreat to if the hustle and bustle aren’t for you. Temperatures are perfect for beach-goers, events are plentiful and diverse, and there’s an enthralling buzz around the city.

It’s safe to say, San Diego really shines in the summertime.

Last Updated on June 15, 2026 by Maria Haase

The post San Diego in August: Things To Do, Events & Weather [2026] appeared first on San Diego Explorer.

]]> Migrants in Tenerife tell Pope Leo XIV: We do not ask for privileges or compassion https://catholics.news/migrants-in-tenerife-tell-pope-leo-xiv-we-do-not-ask-for-privileges-or-compassion https://catholics.news/migrants-in-tenerife-tell-pope-leo-xiv-we-do-not-ask-for-privileges-or-compassion Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Migrants, Tenerife, tell, Pope, Leo, XIV:, not, ask, for, privileges, compassion Pope Leo XIV’s advice to priests: ‘Holiness cannot be lived in isolation’ https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xivs-advice-to-priests-holiness-cannot-be-lived-in-isolation https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xivs-advice-to-priests-holiness-cannot-be-lived-in-isolation Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV’s, advice, priests:, ‘Holiness, cannot, lived, isolation’ 10 of the most powerful moments of Pope Leo XIV’s trip to Spain https://catholics.news/10-of-the-most-powerful-moments-of-pope-leo-xivs-trip-to-spain https://catholics.news/10-of-the-most-powerful-moments-of-pope-leo-xivs-trip-to-spain Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator the, most, powerful, moments, Pope, Leo, XIV’s, trip, Spain Pope Leo XIV tells human traffickers in Tenerife: ‘Stop. Repent’ https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-tells-human-traffickers-in-tenerife-stop-repent https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-tells-human-traffickers-in-tenerife-stop-repent Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV, tells, human, traffickers, Tenerife:, ‘Stop., Repent’ Missile production push runs into solid rocket motor bottleneck https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/missile-production-push-runs-into-solid-rocket-motor-bottleneck/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/missile-production-push-runs-into-solid-rocket-motor-bottleneck/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Missile, production, push, runs, into, solid, rocket, motor, bottleneck

WASHINGTON — U.S. production of solid rocket motors is rising, but not fast enough to meet the Pentagon’s missile-defense program demands, according to a new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The report says solid rocket motors remain a bottleneck across the U.S. missile industrial base, even as the Pentagon prepares for a sharp increase in interceptor production. The Defense Department’s 2027 budget request includes more than $73 billion for missile programs across mandatory and discretionary funding, up from a prior peak of $29 billion in 2024, according to CSIS.

The Pentagon expects deliveries of more than 2,100 air and missile defense interceptors in calendar year 2027, a roughly 70% increase from nearly 1,300 in 2021. But CSIS says that level remains well below the department’s stated production goals of roughly 5,000 interceptors a year across Army, Navy and Air Force programs.

“Achieving these goals will require dealing with myriad challenges to increasing interceptor production,” the report says. It adds that the targets were set before Operation Epic Fury, which could increase pressure to replenish interceptors used in early 2026.

The study, sponsored by Raytheon Technologies, Ursa Major and X-Bow Systems, argues that the air and missile defense interceptor industrial base isn’t configured for a long conflict with high missile-expenditure rates. A central concern is that solid rocket motors sit beneath nearly every major U.S. missile program. Problems in motor production, propellant ingredients, nozzles, inspection capacity or the specialized workforce can ripple across multiple weapon lines.

The current constraints reflect years of consolidation. Between 2000 and 2015, the domestic solid rocket motor industry shrank from six suppliers to two: Aerojet Rocketdyne and Orbital ATK. Those companies are now part of L3Harris and Northrop Grumman, respectively.

A new group of entrants has since moved into the market, including X-Bow, Ursa Major, Firehawk, Castelion, Anduril, Nammo, Avio USA and Prometheus Energetics. CSIS says those companies could eventually diversify the supply base, but many haven’t yet shown they can move from prototypes or limited production into large production lots.

The report also points to a shift in the space industry. Commercial launch once helped support demand for solid rocket motors, particularly during the Space Shuttle era. But much of the commercial launch market has moved toward liquid propulsion, reducing the space sector’s role as a stabilizing source of demand for solid motor suppliers.

CSIS argues that fixing the problem will require more than emergency funding. The report calls for stable demand signals, multiyear buying, direct investment in suppliers, requirements reform and broader acceptance of new suppliers.

The Pentagon’s $1 billion investment in L3Harris solid rocket motor production is useful, the report says, but such direct-to-supplier intervention “cannot substitute for more proactive supply chain management by both the government and prime contractors.” CSIS says these investments tend to address visible bottlenecks rather than prevent future ones, and can’t replace sustained demand from the government customer.

The report also says acquisition rules and cost-focused requirements can make it harder to introduce new materials, components and manufacturing processes. That can limit flexibility for established suppliers while slowing the entry of newer companies.

Read the original article here

The post Missile production push runs into solid rocket motor bottleneck appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 6-15-26 Promise Danger Ahead For Holly and Tate And More Cruelty in the Lexie Storyline https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/days-of-our-lives-spoilers-for-the-week-of-6-15-26-promise-danger-ahead-for-holly-and-tate-and-more-cruelty-in-the-lexie-storyline/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/days-of-our-lives-spoilers-for-the-week-of-6-15-26-promise-danger-ahead-for-holly-and-tate-and-more-cruelty-in-the-lexie-storyline/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Days, Our, Lives, Spoilers, For, The, Week, 6-15-26, Promise, Danger, Ahead, For, Holly, and, Tate, And, More, Cruelty, the, Lexie, Storyline

I can’t stand this Lexie/Abe/Paulina storyline.

It’s just too cruel, and Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 6-15-26 suggest it’s about to get worse.

Meanwhile, Holly and Tate encounter trouble at the Horton Cabin — could Sophia not be dead after all?

(Peacock/Screenshot)

Holly and Tate’s Drama Is More Predictable, But What Exactly Is Going On Here?

It’s unsurprising that Holly and Tate end up in trouble at the Horton Cabin — that place is never as idyllic as promised.

In the past, the cabin has been the source of kidnappings, fires, and storm-related accidents, so there was no way that Holly, Ari, Tate, and Aaron were going to have a fun, or even an uneventful, time.

The only question is what will happen to them.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 6-15-26 show Holly collapsing in Tate’s arms, likely tied to the ongoing investigation into tainted drugs.

(Peacock/Screenshot)

Amy would love to think that Holly was still using drugs recreationally so she could discredit her further, but she doesn’t seem the murderous type, so it’s not likely that she’s involved — but her supposedly dead daughter is another story.

After all, Sophia poisoned Holly before, and her body was never found. So could she be hiding out at the cabin or messing with Holly’s prescription again?

The other possibility is that EJ’s plan to get Amy goes horribly wrong — possibly on purpose.

EJ is diabolical. His revenge plans are never straightforward.

Although he loves his former stepdaughter (or, at least, claims to), I wouldn’t put it past EJ to poison Holly in order to implicate Amy somehow, thus getting rid of her, but at the risk of Holly’s life.

(Peacock/Screenshot)

That doesn’t quite feel right yet, but nothing does, and EJ’s twisted involvement makes as much sense as anything else.

Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 6-15-26 have Brady’s investigation into Destiny’s suspicious death lead to the conclusion that DiMera Pharmaceuticals might have been involved.

EJ will need to cover his tracks fast if that’s the case, especially if it also is about to become public knowledge that something is wrong with the so-called miracle drug that resurrected Lexie.

So, if Sophia isn’t secretly alive, EJ might want to simultaneously point attention at the dead girl’s ghost (or her mother) and cover the problems with Dimera Pharmaceuticals. Maybe.

Meanwhile, Abe and Lexie Cause More Pain for Paulina

(Peacock/Screenshot)

This Lexie/Abe/Paulina triangle is not good, soapy drama. It’s a mess with an expiration date, and the sooner this ends, the better.

First of all, it’s beyond cruel for Lexie to die again or be in danger of it. Abe and Theo already mourned the loss once, and there is no need to put them through this again.

Lexie’s decision to keep her health status secret so she doesn’t worry them is also cruel. It’s understandable that she doesn’t want to cause unnecessary pain, but if she’s at risk of developing dementia and then dying and they don’t even know, that will make it worse when she does succumb to the disease.

Should Lexie tell Abe and Theo the truth?
We want to know your thoughts! Tell us in the comments, and don’t forget to share this article with your friends.

Of course, Rolf has good news on that front, according to Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 6-15-26 — but that is likely a false positive.

Lexie is only supposed to be in Salem for a few months, and there isn’t any logical way to write her out besides another death. I suppose she could have an epiphany and leave town so that Abe and Paulina can reunite, but that would feel arbitrary and unsatisfying.

(Peacock/Screenshot)

Putting aside the issue of her impending death, Lexie promises to be cruel in another way, although in this case, it may be accidental.

The Days of Our Lives spoiler video suggests that Lexie is surprised to learn that Paulina and Abe’s anniversary fell on Juneteenth after running into Paulina at the holiday’s annual celebration.

That will make Paulina’s pain even worse. Not only does she not have her husband on their third or fourth anniversary (I’ve lost track, and anyway, Days of Our Lives could always invent a number if it feels like it!), but she has to run into him and Lexie while trying to keep her mind off the loss.

This will be especially hard to bear right now because Paulina is so worried about Chanel’s health while trying to put on a good face for her daughter.

Paulina is so desperate that she begged EJ for help. I don’t understand how the resurrection drug could possibly help a still-alive person who is fighting an aggressive cancer, but Salem logic says it could, and Paulina is devastated that EJ won’t give Chanel the drug.

(Peacock/Screenshot)

Johnny and Chanel will undoubtedly reject the idea of this kind of help anyway, but it’s not clear what they will do or how they will feel once Chanel’s chemo begins and she’s seriously ill or there is a threat to the baby’s health.

What Else Is Going On In Salem?

There are plenty of other Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 6-15-26, so if you don’t like these two stories, don’t panic!

Love our deep dives into soap operas, primetime dramas, and everything else?
Then don’t miss our newsletter. Hit the button on the top right to subscribe.

Alex will ask Kayla for advice about Joy’s ultimatum while Stephanie struggles with her conscience, Chad and EJ will both be jealous of each other’s relationship with their ex, and Theo may discover something new about that chessboard that Stefano left Marlena.

Plus, Julie and Marlena discuss life’s challenges, which will be sure to give the family-and-friends vibe that has made Days of Our Lives popular for six decades.

(Peacock/Screenshot)

Which of these spoilers excites you the most, Days of Our Lives fanatics?

Let us know in the comments! Feel free to share your favorite theories about what might happen on Days of Our Lives during the week of 6-15-26 and beyond.

Please share this article with your friends who watch Days of our Lives so they can join the conversation.

You can vote in our poll below for your favorite Days of Our Lives spoiler for the week of 6-15-26.

If you enjoyed this article, check out our recent editorial about Sarah’s new storyline.

These Days of Our Lives spoilers will stream on Peacock during the week of 6-15-26. New episodes drop on weekday mornings at 6/5c.

TV Fanatic is searching for passionate contributors to share their voices across various article types. Think you have what it takes to be a TV Fanatic? Click here for more information and next steps.    

  • Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 6-15-26 Promise Danger Ahead For Holly and Tate And More Cruelty in the Lexie Storyline

    Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 6-15-26 promise danger for the younger characters, and worse… more pain in the Lexie storyline.

  • Please Tell Me There’s More to Days of Our Lives’ Newest Sarah Story Than Romantic Angst

    Days of Our Lives started a new story for Sarah that has potential, but it shouldn’t be solely about her relationship with Xander.

  • Days of Our Lives Spoilers for the Week of 6-08-26 Suggest Stephanie Does Something As Unsurprising As It Is Tragic

    Days of Our Lives spoilers for the week of 6-8-26 promise a predictable tragedy, but we still might get strong drama from it.

Read the original article here

The post Days of Our Lives Spoilers For The Week of 6-15-26 Promise Danger Ahead For Holly and Tate And More Cruelty in the Lexie Storyline appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> NASA’s X-59 Reaches Speed And Altitude Milestones Ahead Of First Quiet Supersonic Flights https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nasas-x-59-reaches-speed-and-altitude-milestones-ahead-of-first-quiet-supersonic-flights/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nasas-x-59-reaches-speed-and-altitude-milestones-ahead-of-first-quiet-supersonic-flights/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NASA’s, X-59, Reaches, Speed, And, Altitude, Milestones, Ahead, First, Quiet, Supersonic, Flights

The plane will soon be ready to fly over US communities.


NASA's X‑59 eXternal Vision System (XVS) shows Mach 1.4 at 55,030 feet on Friday, June 12, 2026
NASA/Lori Losey

NASA’s X-59 research plane took its first supersonic flight at the beginning of the month, and now it’s demonstrated that it can reach the speed and altitude conditions it’ll need to achieve for planned trips over US communities in the near future. The X-59 is designed to fly at supersonic speeds without producing a loud sonic boom; instead, it’ll make a “quiet sonic thump,” according to NASA. For now, though, it’s flying alongside another research craft that does produce a sonic boom, to obscure whatever noise it makes as it undergoes testing.

In a test flight on Friday, the X-59 flew Mach 1.4, or about 924 mph, and reached an altitude of 55,000 feet. For the previous flight, on June 5, it hit Mach 1.1. 

The space agency says this latest test “was an even more critical step” than the one that preceded it, as it hit key targets that it’ll replicate during its Quesst mission. The Quesst mission, which is still months away, will see the X-59 fly over populated areas so NASA can get feedback from the public on what the sonic thump sounded like to listeners on the ground. Before that, though, the plane will go through an acoustic validation phase, in which the team will measure its supersonic acoustic signature to make sure it is indeed breaking the sound barrier without producing a traditional sonic boom.

Read the original article here

The post NASA’s X-59 Reaches Speed And Altitude Milestones Ahead Of First Quiet Supersonic Flights appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> UK cocaine deaths higher than ever due to “ultra strength purity” flooding market https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/uk-cocaine-deaths-higher-than-ever-due-to-ultra-strength-purity-flooding-market/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/uk-cocaine-deaths-higher-than-ever-due-to-ultra-strength-purity-flooding-market/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator cocaine, deaths, higher, than, ever, due, “ultra, strength, purity”, flooding, market

Cocaine-related deaths have reached record levels in the UK amid a surge in the availability of “ultra-strength” forms of the drug.

New figures show cocaine was linked to 1,279 deaths across the UK in 2024, an increase from 1,118 the previous year and the highest number since records began, according to a report by The Independent.

Undercover research carried out at the 200,000-capacity Cheltenham Festival this year found samples with purity levels as high as 85 per cent, marking a dramatic shift from 13 years ago, when the average purity of cocaine in the UK sat at around 32 per cent.

Experts have linked the rise to a rapidly changing market, with purer products becoming easier to access and in many cases the drug being cheaper than ever before. A boom in production in South America has contributed to the increase in purity, with users potentially unaware of the increased risk to their health.

Drug science adviser Peter Cain tests drugs seized by police and has found that purity levels are currently around 80 per cent, a 5 per cent increase since COVID-19. “It’s a buyer’s market,” he explained. “Users are getting a stronger product and they’re paying less, and this is at a time everyone else is paying more for beer and other things.”

As of 2023, the UK had the highest rate of cocaine consumer in Europe, with government figures from wastewater showing consumption of the drug in England having risen by a quarter in the past five years.

According to the National Crime Agency, the increase in consumption has been fuelled in part by record levels of production in South America. They warn that an unprecedented global supply has driven wholesale prices to historic lows, allowing organised crime groups to distribute stronger cocaine more widely.

Cocaine can increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and seizures, while mixing the drug with alcohol can further increase the risk of an overdose.

Read the original article here

The post UK cocaine deaths higher than ever due to “ultra strength purity” flooding market appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> The Fall’s Final Album Set for Autumn Release https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-falls-final-album-set-for-autumn-release/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-falls-final-album-set-for-autumn-release/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The, Fall’s, Final, Album, Set, for, Autumn, Release

Eight year’s after the Fall frontman Mark E. Smith died of lung and kidney cancer, the English post-punk band has announced a final album. Post Script will arrive on Cog Sinister Records in mid-September, per a press release, and a lead single, “30 Degrees,” is out now. Listen to that below.

“30 Degrees” was co-written by the late Smith and bandmates Simon Archer and Ed Blaney in Salford, England. The album gathers nine tracks total, and marks the group’s first full-length release since 2017’s New Facts Emerge. They also released a box set of live performances in 2018, and a live album in 2021. A book on the band, Excavate! The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall, came out the same year.

Revisit 10 Songs That Defined the Fall and Mark E. Smith.

Image may contain Text Publication Book and Page

01 30 Degrees 
02 So Long
03 Colonel’s Retreat
04 Caveat 
05 Final Position 
06 Retro Song
07 Irish Northern Man
08 Dehydrated 
09 The Book

Read the original article here

The post The Fall’s Final Album Set for Autumn Release appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> US singer, comedian Oliver Tree among 6 killed after helicopters collide over Brazil: Reports https://fox5sandiego.com/news/us-singer-comedian-oliver-tree-among-6-killed-after-helicopters-collide-over-brazil-reports/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/us-singer-comedian-oliver-tree-among-6-killed-after-helicopters-collide-over-brazil-reports/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator singer, comedian, Oliver, Tree, among, killed, after, helicopters, collide, over, Brazil:, Reports Key moments from the first month of the Millete murder trial https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/larry-millete-trial-recap-one-month/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/larry-millete-trial-recap-one-month/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Key, moments, from, the, first, month, the, Millete, murder, trial San Diego County cares for horses rescued from Julian Villa Chardonnay sanctuary https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/villa-chardonnay-julian-rescued-horses/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/villa-chardonnay-julian-rescued-horses/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, County, cares, for, horses, rescued, from, Julian, Villa, Chardonnay, sanctuary San Diego coast hit by elevated surf and hazardous conditions https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/san-diego-beach-elevated-surf-hazard/ https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/san-diego-beach-elevated-surf-hazard/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, coast, hit, elevated, surf, and, hazardous, conditions San Diego Zoo welcomes first binturong babies in 26 years https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-zoo-binturong-babies/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-zoo-binturong-babies/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, Zoo, welcomes, first, binturong, babies, years Camouflage Dressing Dating an Older Man — Without Looking Odd https://noubikko.net/camouflage-dressing-dating-an-older-man-without-looking-odd https://noubikko.net/camouflage-dressing-dating-an-older-man-without-looking-odd Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Camouflage, Dressing, Dating, Older, Man, —, Without, Looking, Odd What to do when dreamboy is at your door - Your Look NOT Ready https://noubikko.net/what-to-do-when-your-dreamboy-is-knocking-on-your-door-and-your-look-not-ready https://noubikko.net/what-to-do-when-your-dreamboy-is-knocking-on-your-door-and-your-look-not-ready Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS What, when, dreamboy, your, door, Your, Look, NOT, Ready The Art of Looking Relaxed Yet Powerful https://noubikko.net/the-art-of-looking-relaxed-yet-powerful https://noubikko.net/the-art-of-looking-relaxed-yet-powerful Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS The, Art, Looking, Relaxed, Yet, Powerful San Mateo County approves $10 million child care initiative powered by San Diego-based TOOTRiS https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-mateo-county-approves-10-million-child-care-initiative-powered-by-san-diego-based-tootris/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-mateo-county-approves-10-million-child-care-initiative-powered-by-san-diego-based-tootris/ Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:10:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Mateo, County, approves, 10, million, child, care, initiative, powered, San, Diego-based, TOOTRiS 2 arrested at Camp Pendleton after 6-hour manhunt; drugs seized https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/north-county/camp-pendleton-arrest-suspects/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/north-county/camp-pendleton-arrest-suspects/ Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator arrested, Camp, Pendleton, after, 6-hour, manhunt, drugs, seized Harrah's Resort SoCal celebrates Pride Month with themed cabanas, cocktails https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-guide/things-to-do/harrahs-resort-socal-pride/ https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-guide/things-to-do/harrahs-resort-socal-pride/ Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Harrahs, Resort, SoCal, celebrates, Pride, Month, with, themed, cabanas, cocktails Crews battle vegetation fire at MCAS Miramar base https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/mcas-miramar-base-fire/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/mcas-miramar-base-fire/ Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Crews, battle, vegetation, fire, MCAS, Miramar, base 90-Year-Old Louis ‘A Legend’ for Point Loma Senior Softball https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-senior-softball-legend/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-senior-softball-legend/ Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator 90-Year-Old, Louis, ‘A, Legend’, for, Point, Loma, Senior, Softball Black Family Statue unveiled at San Diego park https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/black-family-statue-returns/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/black-family-statue-returns/ Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Black, Family, Statue, unveiled, San, Diego, park La Valle Coastal Club Review: Rancho Santa Fe’s $50M Golf Resort Makeover https://sandiegoexplorer.com/la-valle-coastal-club-rancho-santa-fe-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=la-valle-coastal-club-rancho-santa-fe-review https://sandiegoexplorer.com/la-valle-coastal-club-rancho-santa-fe-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=la-valle-coastal-club-rancho-santa-fe-review Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:01:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Valle, Coastal, Club, Review:, Rancho, Santa, Fe’s, 50M, Golf, Resort, Makeover Thirty-one years ago, my wife and I had the honor of being the first couple to get married at the recently remodeled and newly named Morgan Run Resort in Rancho Santa Fe, formerly Whispering Palms Resort. Now, 31 years later, we’re back in Rancho Santa Fe, celebrating our anniversary at the La Valle Coastal Club, following a $50 million-dollar transformation and name change from Morgan Run.  

The Meriwether Companies acquired the weathered property three years ago and immediately began investing in upgrades and modernizations to the hotel, restaurants, meeting spaces, spa, pools, and tennis, pickleball, and padel facilities. But the new owner’s priority was overhauling the 27-hole golf course, which hosted a few celebrity tournaments, but struggled to compete with other high-end private and public courses in Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe. Twenty percent of the $50 million resort makeover was poured into elevating the course and the driving range. 

“Golf is the asset in any private resort that drives revenue,” said Fernando Fry, general manager of La Valle Coastal Club. “For us, it was important to go big on golf, create a new practice facility, new driving range, new practice putting green, new short game area, plus renovate the three nines. We knew there was a massive hole in this market for this type of experience. It’s very hard to find three nine-hole courses in this area that are extremely walkable.” 

Man swinging golf club at La Valle Coastal Club

REBRANDING SUCCESS 

With the overhaul of the old Morgan Run nearly complete, Fry said the Meriwethers’ investment is beginning to pay off. Membership is up from 900 three years ago to 1,700 today. 

“We saw this asset in a prime location in Rancho Santa Fe, probably one of the most affluent zip codes in San Diego,” said Fry, who previously managed the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, host of four U.S. Opens and two PGA Championships. “It’s so close to [Interstate 5] and the coast, we thought this could be a home run.” 

He added: “The vision of this club, once renovated, was to create a private club experience that’s the opposite of the old country club with the super-conservative dress codes and telling people how to act inside the clubhouse. We felt the San Diego demographic was interested in a prime club experience, but with an approach that’s more welcoming, more casual, fun, and engaging. We want to be the community club, a place where people feel comfortable.” 

pond at Golf Course at La Valle Coastal Club

FROM TEE TO GREEN 

I’ve played Morgan Run a few times since the course hosted my bachelor party in 1995, but I was never too impressed with the layout or the pedestrian conditions of the three nine-hole courses. So, I was anxious to see what the Meriweather Companies had done to the place that brought back so many fond memories. 

Before even hitting the course, I could see that a new era had begun. The underwhelming driving range that was previously located in a flood plain and had the distinction of having a wayward seal wash up on its banks during a heavy rainstorm had been relocated and expanded.

It now rivals the best in the county with 40 hitting bays, new bunkers, target greens, and a fairway landing zone that never existed before. Two chipping greens have been added, along with a 12,000-square-foot practice putting green and a 9,000-square-foot social putting green in front of the clubhouse, which was getting extensive use during our stay. 

La Valle Coastal Club Driving Range

My playing partner (who also had a history at Morgan Run, working in the pro shop for several years in the 1990s) and I started on the revamped Olivos course, previously the East. The new nine holes feature a full redesign with new routing that encompasses 20 additional acres, brand new greens, and a new irrigation system. 

The relatively benign course that I remembered had become more interesting and demanding. We opted to play from the back tees, which measure 3,004 yards. But we began regretting our decision by the fourth hole, which was a 390-yard par four that played into a strong wind. The par-4 fifth was even longer at 402 yards. Both of us missed the fairway on both holes and struggled to make bogeys.  

“I don’t remember this course playing this hard,” my partner grumbled. 

But even as we realized our 15 handicaps would have been more suited to the blue or white tees, we marveled at the condition of the fairways, which had been converted to paspalum with kikuyu roughs. Cedros (formerly the North) nine played longer from the tips at 3,187 yards and featured complete bunker renovations. But I was more familiar with the layout that hadn’t changed in three decades, and we began playing faster, so I was able to get into a nice rhythm. I birdied the 604-yard, par-5 fifth so and parred the 170-yard par 3. With only walking single in front of us, we played the back nine in less than 90 minutes, and my score, 40 (5 over par), reflected the breezy pace. 

We didn’t get to play the longer Palmas (formerly the South) nine (3,495 yards from the tips), which is currently under renovation. Palmas features a new property-wide signature hole, a dog-leg right playing along a newly positioned lake to the left, and lush native plants to the right with an elevated green. All 27 holes are available to play Wednesday-Sunday. On Mondays, only nine holes are available, and on Tuesdays, 18 holes are available.  

Man playing golf at La Valle Coastal Club

GOLF PACKAGES 

The revamped golf course is private to members and hotel guests. Golf memberships are available for individuals and families and allow for access to all club facilities and events.   

But there is another way to play the three nine-hole courses: the Guesthouse Hotel is offering a Golf Getaway package, an elevated stay & play experience designed for both avid golfers and leisure travelers. The package includes an overnight stay at the Guesthouse and one round of golf per guest, per day.  

Golf Course at La Valle Coastal Club

GATHER CALIFORNIA KITCHEN RESTAURANT 

The main restaurant, Gather, has been renamed and relocated since hosting our wedding reception over three decades ago. The menu has been upgraded, and the food was significantly better than I remembered. We devoured the crispy Brussels sprouts, sauteed in habanero honey and lap Xiong sausage, and the farmer’s salad, which featured cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and balsamic vinaigrette dressing. 

I frequently travel to Mexico, so I tried the Tijuana Braised short ribs, and I wasn’t disappointed. My wife loved her filet with whipped mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. We couldn’t finish our meat dishes, but somehow we made room for the chocolate lava cake, which was divine. 

THE GUESTHOUSE 

While I roamed the fairways and greens, my wife checked into our room at the recently remodeled 77-room Guesthouse Hotel. Our room overlooked the Palmas course’s ninth green. After enjoying the pool for a few hours, my wife relaxed on the patio with a glass of white wine and a cup of coffee from our Vertuo Nespresso machine. 

PICKLEBALL MANIA 

I knew I was in good company when I was welcomed to the La Valle Coastal Club Pickleball Courts with a phrase you’ll often hear while playing the fastest-growing sport in America. “We’re addicts, come join us,” said a gentleman about my age in an English accent. 

As a pickleball veteran of seven years who plays three times a week, I love strong competition, and there was plenty of it on a cloudy Wednesday morning in Rancho Santa Fe. Pickleballs (heavy wiffle balls) were flying all over the place as all 12 of the club’s courts were packed with middle-aged men and women.  

“This is a great pickleball community,” said Chris Nowers, a 63-year-old Del Mar resident who joined the Pickleball Club at La Valle a few years ago after relocating from England.  

I wound up splitting my four matches, playing against Chris and two different partners. One of them was Karen Chapman, a resident of Solana Beach. 

“The pickleball club here is super-friendly and inclusive,” she said.  “I just started playing a year and a half ago. The pros here have helped me so much with lessons and clinics.” 

League pickleball play continues to grow with 14 teams spread out over four levels of competition. A racquet sports membership includes access to the tennis, padel, and pickleball courts and includes access to the gym, pool, dry sauna, and cold plunge, club events, and dining rooms. I returned three days later for Saturday open play. The courts were even livelier, the level of play even higher than midweek. I have a tournament ranking, but I was winless in six games against club regulars and open house guests. 

Last Updated on June 13, 2026 by Maria Haase

The post La Valle Coastal Club Review: Rancho Santa Fe’s $50M Golf Resort Makeover appeared first on San Diego Explorer.

]]> The heart of the matter https://catholics.news/the-heart-of-the-matter https://catholics.news/the-heart-of-the-matter Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:00:06 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator The, heart, the, matter Washington Roundup: Trump seeks off-ramp for Iran war; pro-lifers seek Planned Parenthood defund https://catholics.news/washington-roundup-trump-seeks-off-ramp-for-iran-war-pro-lifers-seek-planned-parenthood-defund https://catholics.news/washington-roundup-trump-seeks-off-ramp-for-iran-war-pro-lifers-seek-planned-parenthood-defund Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:00:06 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Washington, Roundup:, Trump, seeks, off-ramp, for, Iran, war, pro-lifers, seek, Planned, Parenthood, defund Papal plane remains in Spain: Pope Leo’s return flight to Rome delayed by mechanical problems https://catholics.news/papal-plane-remains-in-spain-pope-leos-return-flight-to-rome-delayed-by-mechanical-problems https://catholics.news/papal-plane-remains-in-spain-pope-leos-return-flight-to-rome-delayed-by-mechanical-problems Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:00:06 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Papal, plane, remains, Spain:, Pope, Leo’s, return, flight, Rome, delayed, mechanical, problems Religious liberty ‘the cornerstone of any just society,’ Pope Leo says in message to Becket gala https://catholics.news/religious-liberty-the-cornerstone-of-any-just-society-pope-leo-says-in-message-to-becket-gala https://catholics.news/religious-liberty-the-cornerstone-of-any-just-society-pope-leo-says-in-message-to-becket-gala Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:00:06 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Religious, liberty, ‘the, cornerstone, any, just, society, ’, Pope, Leo, says, message, Becket, gala Church leaders to G7 leaders: Place the human person ‘at the heart’ of governance https://catholics.news/church-leaders-to-g7-leaders-place-the-human-person-at-the-heart-of-governance https://catholics.news/church-leaders-to-g7-leaders-place-the-human-person-at-the-heart-of-governance Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:00:06 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Church, leaders, leaders:, Place, the, human, person, ‘at, the, heart’, governance President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. delivers message in celebration of the 128th Independence Day https://bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/12/756348/president-ferdinand-r-marcos-jr-delivers-message-in-celebration-of-the-128th-independence-day/ https://bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/12/756348/president-ferdinand-r-marcos-jr-delivers-message-in-celebration-of-the-128th-independence-day/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator President, Ferdinand, Marcos, Jr., delivers, message, celebration, the, 128th, Independence, Day

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.

]]> DITO launches new StreamZone prepaid video streaming offer https://bworldonline.com/technology/2026/06/12/756368/dito-launches-new-streamzone-prepaid-video-streaming-offer/ https://bworldonline.com/technology/2026/06/12/756368/dito-launches-new-streamzone-prepaid-video-streaming-offer/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator DITO, launches, new, StreamZone, prepaid, video, streaming, offer DITO Telecommunity Thursday launched StreamZone199, its dedicated prepaid offer for accessing popular video streaming platforms, with a validity period of 30 days.

StreamZone199 comes with 11 gigabytes (GB) of streaming data for popular video streaming apps such as Netflix, iWant, and Prime Video, along with a separate 11 GB of all-access data.

It also includes unlimited calls and texts to all networks, as well as data rollover benefits.

All inclusions are valid for 30 days. The new offer also comes with free 30-day access to Prime Video Mobile, iWant, and BLAST TV.

Adel A. Tamano, chief commercial officer (CCO) of DITO Telecommunity, said the launch of StreamZone199 is a response to Filipinos’ evolving streaming habits but with the same love for connecting through stories.

“We see ourselves in digital not as a data-providing company. We’re not just a utility,” Mr. Tamano said during the launch event.

“We are here to provide not just data, but, together with our partners iWant, BLAST TV, and Prime Video, provide the content and ecosystem that Filipinos really need and want.”

DITO said in a statement that the launch of StreamZone199 continues the expansion of its lifestyle-focused portfolio. — Edg Adrian A. Eva

]]> SpaceX shares rise nearly 20% in historic IPO https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/spacex-shares-rise-nearly-20-in-historic-ipo/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/spacex-shares-rise-nearly-20-in-historic-ipo/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator SpaceX, shares, rise, nearly, 20, historic, IPO

WASHINGTON — SpaceX shares rose on the first day of trading as the company went public in a milestone event for both the company and the broader space industry.

SpaceX sold nearly 555.6 million shares at $135 per share in an initial public offering June 12, raising $75 billion before expenses for the company. SpaceX did not change details about the IPO after disclosing the number of shares and pricing June 3.

SpaceX shares started trading on the Nasdaq exchange at about 11:45 a.m. Eastern June 12 at $150 per share. They closed at $160.95, an increase of 19.2% over the IPO price, giving SpaceX a market cap of about $2.1 trillion.

The IPO is the largest in stock market history, far surpassing the $29.4 billion raised by oil company Saudi Aramco when it went public in 2019. SpaceX has the option to sell an additional 83.3 million shares, raising $11.25 billion more for the company.

SpaceX first signaled an interest last December in going public after stating for years that it would remain privately held to focus on long-term ambitions such as human missions to Mars. Going public, the company said, would enable it to pursue new opportunities such as orbital data centers.

SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk has argued that data centers in space, launched by the company’s Starship vehicle, would be more cost-effective than terrestrial data centers in meeting demand from artificial intelligence applications. SpaceX has since proposed a constellation of 1 million data center satellites and merged with xAI, the AI company Musk also led.

In a May 20 prospectus for the IPO filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, SpaceX revealed it had $18.7 billion in revenue in 2025 but a net loss of $4.9 billion because of investments in both AI and Starship. The company had $4.7 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2026 but a net loss of $4.3 billion.

“We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to fund our growth strategy, including the expansion of our AI compute infrastructure, enhancements to our launch infrastructure and launch vehicles, increases in the scale and capacity of our satellite constellations, and any remaining amounts for general corporate purposes,” the company stated in the prospectus.

The IPO is an exclamation point on the rise of SpaceX, which Musk started in 2002 in California but which was dismissed by many in the space industry at the time. The company is now the dominant provider of launch services worldwide, and its Starlink broadband constellation has more than 10 million customers.

Even Musk thought the odds of success for SpaceX were long.

“I gave SpaceX less than a 10% chance of succeeding at all,” he said, recalling its founding in remarks from the company’s Starbase, Texas, facilities to celebrate the IPO. “I said, look, we’re probably going to fail, but we should give it a try, because if we don’t, if there’s not a new company that enters space, we will never be a truly spacefaring civilization.”

“It is certainly hard to believe that little company that started in a warehouse in El Segundo is now going public with the largest IPO ever,” he said.

Neither Musk nor SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell discussed future plans for SpaceX at IPO events, but Shotwell said in an interview with CNBC that the company would focus on Starship, Starlink and its AI initiatives.

“I wasn’t sure we would go public,” she said, because of a focus on long-term projects. “But we’ve gotten so many of the building blocks completed for so many of these different business areas, it actually feels like the right time now.”

“Our horizons are very long term. I do not want to focus on quarterly earnings,” she said. “I’m not saying we’re not going to do right by our investors, but what folks that invest in SpaceX, SpaceXAI, need to know is they need to know that what we’re doing is very futuristic and we should be thinking about the future as well as the current quarter.”

She did touch on some near-term milestones in the interview, including plans for the next Starship test flight. That will be another suborbital test flight, she confirmed, after some issues with the Flight 12 launch May 22.

“So we’ll improve that, we’ll fix that, learn that lesson, address it, get back to flight,” she said.

If that Flight 13 mission is successful, she said the company may attempt an orbital test flight on Flight 14, followed by its first Starship launch from Florida on Flight 15. She also said she expected the company to start launching its first Starlink V3 satellites on Starship later this year.

At an event at Nasdaq’s New York offices to mark the IPO, she noted that earlier in the morning the company conducted another Falcon 9 launch of Starlink satellites.

“I hope today is a day you feel great about and that you’re celebrating. Take a moment,” she told employees gathered at the event. “Now, the Falcon recovery team can’t take a moment today, but everybody else can, and I hope the Falcon recovery team can take a moment a little bit later.”

Read the original article here

The post SpaceX shares rise nearly 20% in historic IPO appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Sweet Magnolias Season 5 Gave Erik and Helen Their Hard-Earned Happy Ending https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/sweet-magnolias-season-5-gave-erik-and-helen-their-hard-earned-happy-ending/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/sweet-magnolias-season-5-gave-erik-and-helen-their-hard-earned-happy-ending/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Sweet, Magnolias, Season, Gave, Erik, and, Helen, Their, Hard-Earned, Happy, Ending

Can I scream that my favorite couple finally tied the knot? It was a long, hard battle to get there, but they made it.

Throughout Sweet Magnolias, the series often focused more on the ladies’ feelings and motivations in their friendships and romances. The viewers are in for a treat.

Sweet Magnolias Season 5 flipped the script. While we saw lots of Helen, the series dove into Erik’s family drama and explored his upbringing and how it clashed with his relationship with Helen.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

If you’ve ever planned a wedding, you know how challenging it can be to balance family expectations with your desires.

Erik felt immense pressure from his rigid family and his passionate bride, which made for a dramatic season in which he learned the importance of honoring his own beliefs and speaking his truth.

Erik and Helen Appeared Blissfully Happy Until He Worried About Appearances

At the beginning of Sweet Magnolias Season 5, Erik and Helen seemed blissfully happy and madly in love.

It was romantic yet hilarious how they had two different ideas for their honeymoon. I hope Erik wins, especially if they do a location shot in Paris.

They would be so romantic to honeymoon in the city of love, and a chef could appreciate that even more.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

However, when the couple began planning the actual wedding, Erik seemed unsettled. Part of that was because his parents weren’t overly fond of his late wife, so he had a do-over with planning and wanted to please them and appease Helen.

Helen didn’t understand why he wouldn’t ask his brother to be involved or why his parents wouldn’t love anything they planned, since her mom and brother were so excited.

She wanted to help, but Erik knew how his family worked.

Erik used to admire Helen’s way of solving problems, so I disliked him insinuating she couldn’t fix it with “Magnolia magic.”

You couldn’t totally fault Helen and her cajoling and sarcasm. Erik wouldn’t confide in her. Using “Whitley” as a word for complicated in a crossword puzzle fit perfectly, but probably didn’t amuse Erik.

No One Should Tone Down Helen’s Boldness

(Netflix/Screenshot)

Helen Decatur is bold and beautiful, and she wanted everyone to appreciate her and Erik’s passionate yet imperfect relationship. That’s why I love and respect her.

She didn’t understand why their wedding should cater to other people’s desires when the wedding should’ve focused on them.

I suspect that’s why Helen struggled to select a wedding gown. She feared her dream would go up in flames or that she would embarrass Erik in front of his family on what should have been the happiest day of her life.

I know wedding planning is stressful, but bright, colorful flowers just screamed Helen. While using white blooms with the blue bridesmaid dresses would technically match, it didn’t fit the bride’s personality or their relationship.

I understood Helen’s frustration. There is nothing more frustrating than when your man wants things to be perfect, but he’s not on the same page. 

(Netflix/Screenshot)

As a lawyer, Helen longed to communicate and fix things, and Erik wouldn’t open up. But the turning point was when he kept insisting that he wanted his family’s acceptance.

My heart went out to Helen because she thought they were building a family, and she was the most important person in his life. I know how much she loved Erik, but she needed him to take a hard look at his priorities.

Erik Learned More About Himself and The Whitley Way From His Niece

Erik (Dion Johnstone) has always been meticulous about details and never talked about why he moved to Serenity. Everyone assumed it was because he needed space to grieve after Vera died.

While that was part of it, he needed to get away from his father’s ridicule and harassment. As a result, everything was left on his brother Victor’s shoulders, and their relationship worsened.

Erik didn’t realize how horrible things had gotten until his niece, Jessica, arrived unexpectedly.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

Jessica quickly became one of my favorite characters because while she was raised to be polite and poised, she also believed in communicating to solve problems like Helen.

She left her house because her parents were going through an ugly divorce, and her father took his frustration out on her and her college grades.

She had hoped to find a haven with Erik and Helem, not thinking about the stress they’d be under.

Having Jessica there for the summer changed things for Erik. He and Helen already mentored his kitchen staff and Annie and CeCe, but Jessica reminded him of a younger version of himself with her ideals.

She also heard so much of the Whitley Way that she believed Erik left home and abandoned his family to become a chef. She wanted to see why it appealed to him and be like him.

At the same time, Jessica grew fond of Helen, urging Erik not to follow the Whitleys unthinkingly when he had such a loyal, loving partner. 

(Netflix/Screenshot)

She helped him realize he could honor the Whitleys and Helen by balancing both, while Erik and Helen assisted Jessica in reconciling with her father.

Erik and Helen Fought for Each Other, and It Was Worth It

While wedding planning can be fun, marriage is hard work, and it’s even more challenging when you include your spouse’s family.

Erik was lucky. Bev Decatur adored him because he made her daughter happy. Erik’s family was all about fitting into rules and regimens and family loyalty.

While it seemed like his parents liked Helen, he seemed scared to rock the boat and seemed determined to have an understated wedding.

Helen wanted to support Erik, but she needed her voice heard, too, since, as his future wife, her desires should have been more important than his parents’.

(Netflix/Screenshot)

I was totally team Helen. It was heartbreaking that it took a tragedy for Erik to realize that Helen was the most important person in his life, but I loved that make-up scene.

It included fiery passion and sincere, emotional remorse. We learned so much about Erik in that scene.

He really is attracted to strong, passionate, and independent women, who are the exact opposite of his parents.

 He feared his parents would never treat Helen as more than a polite stranger after his experience of how they treated Vera, and that fear overtook him.

I appreciated that Erik knew he messed up and asked for forgiveness. It was never a question of Helen breaking up with, but more getting their visions aligned again.

(Courtesy of Netflix)

He underestimated Helen because she worked her magic to bring peace to his family. I was impressed when his mother realized they had pushed Erik away, and Helen promised they’d each hold a part of him.

The Wedding Represented Erik and Helen Perfectly

Weddings should represent both couples, and in the end, their wedding represented Erik and Helen beautifully.

I’m tickled pink that Heather Headley won, and Helen got the elaborate and elegant wedding she longed for, right down to the long lacy veil.

How wonderful it was that the entire female community helped to make her veil, because they were excited for her and Erik.

The attire was all Helen, but the cuisine was pure Erik. His kitchen staff is like family to him, so I loved that they prepared the wedding feast, and Issac performed double duty, standing up for Erik.

(Netflix/Screenshot)

Erik had never entrusted anyone with his grandmother’s brownie recipe before Issac, so that was a huge step.

But those brownies were one of the things Helen loved best about Erik since he first brought them to cheer her up. They’ve been a mainstay in their relationship, so it made perfect sense to display them at the wedding.

It’s difficult to pinpoint the best part of the wedding since there were so many emotional moments.

However, I would choose Helen, singing Heather Headley’s original song, “If It Wasn’t For Your Love,” to Erik before the first dance. There was something magical about that scene.

Sweet Magnolias has featured some poignant weddings over the years, but this one held a special place in my heart.

(Netflix/Screenshot)

Helen and Erik fought to get here, and we actually saw the wedding planning and the parties.

These two have come so far over the years. While I’d love to see them foster some teenagers in their next chapter, if Sweet Magnolias does end, I’m thrilled they got their happy ending.

Over to you, TV Fanatics. Did you enjoy learning more about Chef Erik? Were you as enchanted by the wedding as I was? What else would you like to see for the couple?

Let us know in the comments.

Love Sweet Magnolias? We do too — and we want to keep writing about it.
Your comment or share can help make sure we get to. That’s the magic of supporting indie media.

  • Sweet Magnolias Season 5 Gave Erik and Helen Their Hard-Earned Happy Ending

    Erik and Helen finally got married on Sweet Magnolias Season 5, but it was a long, hard road. Let’s explore the journey.

  • Sweet Magnolias’ Dion Johnstone Explains Erik’s Struggle to Escape the Whitley Way

    Sweet Magnolias’ Dion Johnstone dishes about the Whitley Way, Erik and Helen’s wedding, and more. Check out our fun chat!

  • Artistic Inspiration: Sweet Magnolias Season 5 Gave Maddie a New Inspiration and the Magnolias a New Adventure

    On Sweet Magnolias Season 5, Maddie used her new inspiration from Manhattan to form a new endeavor with the Magnolias. Our thoughts.

TV Fanatic is searching for passionate contributors to share their voices across various article types. Think you have what it takes to be a TV Fanatic? Click here for more information and next steps.

Read the original article here

The post Sweet Magnolias Season 5 Gave Erik and Helen Their Hard-Earned Happy Ending appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> DoJ Approves Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Deal, Cementing Ellison Family Control Of American Media https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/doj-approves-paramount-skydance-warner-bros-deal-cementing-ellison-family-control-of-american-media/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/doj-approves-paramount-skydance-warner-bros-deal-cementing-ellison-family-control-of-american-media/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator DoJ, Approves, Paramount, Skydance-Warner, Bros., Deal, Cementing, Ellison, Family, Control, American, Media

Paramount Skydance is cleared to move forward with its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, the US Department of Justice announced Friday. The deal marks a tectonic shift in the American media landscape, further dwindling the number of major players in the industry and drastically expanding the influence of the Ellison family.

In its press release announcing the approval, the DoJ shot down arguments against the merger. It denied that the acquisition of Fox by Disney some years ago could be used as a case study, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as an interfering factor which renders the comparison moot. It also dismissed labor concerns which have been widely voiced by industry workers. On June 9, it was reported that The United Kingdom is conducting its own investigation of the deal, a factor which may have advanced the DoJ’s timeline.

With the acquisition of Warner and its associated brands, Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison will run the historic Warner Bros. Studios, as well as HBO and its streaming counterpart HBO Max. CNN Worldwide, a major broadcast rightsholder for The Olympics and the NHL, among others, is also included in the deal, as is Warner Bros. Games. The company already owned Paramount and its TV subsidiaries including CBS, MTV, BET, and Nickelodeon. David Ellison’s father, the billionaire Larry Ellison, is reported to be providing $45.7 billion worth of equity to float the deal. The elder Ellison owns Oracle, a major provider of server infrastructure. Oracle recently joined a consortium of investors for a 45% stake in the American operations of the popular short-form video platform TikTok. Together, the father-son duo now control a media portfolio to rival Disney’s. (Megan Ellison, the senior Ellison’s daughter, has her own media venture which is independent of the father-son duo’s portfolio.)

The DoJ approval for the deal comes on the heels of multiple scandals at CBS News, which have sparked fear regarding the future of CNN. Larry Ellison is a personal friend of president Donald Trump, who has suggested that CNN’s current leadership is “corrupt and incompetent.” Under the Ellisons’ control of Paramount, Bari Weiss was installed as the head of CBS News, and she wasted no time gutting the legacy news organization. Now, the fear is that a similar fate could befall CNN.

Most recently, Weiss fired 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley, a decision which led Pelley and remaining 60 Minutes staffers to speak out, with Pelley claiming the venerated news show is being “murdered” by Weiss. A 60 Minutes report on conditions in ICE facilities was scuttled in December, and correspondent Cecelia Vega was fired in May while working on a report about Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories who was sanctioned by the US. Vega’s journalistic work was withheld from her during the firing, raising concerns that her sources might be exposed by CBS.

Under Ellisons’ control, CBS also moved to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, a decision Paramount Skydance claimed was purely motivated by financial realities but which came on the heels of a Colbert segment which pointedly criticized a $16 million settlement paid to president Trump by CBS.

In May, over 5,500 movie and television industry professionals signed an open letter warning that the acquisition of Warner by Paramount would “threaten the sustainability of the entire creative community.” Signees include Glenn Close, Jane Fonda, Joaquin Phoenix, Kevin Bacon and many other household Hollywood names.

While DoJ approval was the biggest hurdle for the landmark deal, state attorneys general in California and New York have indicated their intent to bring challenges against it, in addition to an investigation by European Officials and the aforementioned investigation by the UK. Paramount Skydance has until September 30 to officially close the deal before it will become subject to a daily ticking fee of $7 million for Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders.

Read the original article here

The post DoJ Approves Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Deal, Cementing Ellison Family Control Of American Media appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> “It was my favourite Foo Fighters show of our fucking lives” https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/it-was-my-favourite-foo-fighters-show-of-our-fucking-lives/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/it-was-my-favourite-foo-fighters-show-of-our-fucking-lives/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator “It, was, favourite, Foo, Fighters, show, our, fucking, lives”

Dave Grohl has reflected on the day he broke his leg on stage as Foo Fighters returned to Sweden for a show exactly 11 years later.

It was during the second song (‘Monkey Wrench’) of a gig at Gothenburg’s Ullevi Stadium on June 12, 2015 that the frontman fell from the stage and broke his leg in an accident that ultimately forced the band to cancel their Glastonbury headline set that year, as well as a pair of shows at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Tonight (June 12), 11 years to the day since that fateful show, Foo Fighters found themselves back in the same country for a gig at the Strawberry Arena in Solna as part of their ‘Take Cover’ tour.

The irony was not lost on Grohl, who took a moment while introducing the song ‘Walk’ to remember that day. “I fell off the stage and I bust my fucking leg,” he said. “That was 11 years ago today. Same day! How fucking weird is that. Coincidence? I don’t think so!”

“So, tonight,” he continued, “I’m gonna sing this song real fucking hard, because honestly, I think it was my favourite Foo Fighters show we’ve ever had in our fucking lives. Because we kept playing, we finished that fucking show for you. So we’ll sing this song for you.”

The band only stopped playing for a few minutes after Grohl’s fall, and remarkably, he rejoined them for the rest of the show, after briefly leaving the stage to get a cast put on his leg.

They returned to the stage just a few weeks later on July 4 in Washington DC, with Grohl sitting in a throne with his leg propped up.

Florence + The Machine ended up stepping into their headline slot at Glastonbury 2015, with Foo Fighters finally topping the bill in 2017. During that show, Grohl thanked both Florence and his surgeon James.

“I’m about two years late tonight, I’m sorry. Traffic was a bitch,” Grohl said. “But I watched [Florence’s] show on my laptop as I was sitting in a wheelchair with a broken leg, and it looked beautiful. And my friend Florence got to headline that year, and I’m very happy that that happened, because you know what? I thought she should have been headlining anyway.”

Foo Fighters’ current tour will see them play two nights in Liverpool on June 25 and 27, and will also include their festival appearances at Mad Cool and NOS Alive festival. Support across various dates will include Royel Otis, Inhaler, IDLES, Otoboke Beaver, Fat Dog and Die Spitz. Get any remaining tickets here.

They released their new album ‘Your Favorite Toy’ in April, which NME gave 3 and a half stars, noting: ‘Your Favorite Toy’ is a few more tracks of that depth away from being the most vital Foo Fighters record since 1997’s ‘The Colour and the Shape’,” we wrote. “For now, at least, they have remembered that no-frills punk, played fast and loud, suits them much better than middle-of-the-road dad-rock.”

Read the original article here

The post “It was my favourite Foo Fighters show of our fucking lives” appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> The-Dream Confirms New Album Amid Rape and Sexual Battery Lawsuit https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-dream-confirms-new-album-amid-rape-and-sexual-battery-lawsuit/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-dream-confirms-new-album-amid-rape-and-sexual-battery-lawsuit/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The-Dream, Confirms, New, Album, Amid, Rape, and, Sexual, Battery, Lawsuit

The-Dream, the Beyoncé and Rihanna hitmaker who is being sued by a former collaborator alleging rape, sexual battery, and sex trafficking, has confirmed his comeback with a new album. (The-Dream has denied the allegations in the 2024 lawsuit.) The-Dream’s own label, Radio Killa, and the Universal imprint Republic will release the sequel to his 2007 album Love/Hate on July 10. Among those on the Love/Hate II guest list are Pusha T, Swizz Beatz, T.I., Kelly Rowland, Rick Ross, and, on a single released today called “Tampa,” Usher.

The-Dream announced his return in May in a wide-ranging interview with Variety that made no mention of the allegations or ongoing lawsuit. The case, brought by the Dutch singer and songwriter Chanaaz Mangroe following months of alleged abuse in the mid 2010s, remains active in California’s District Court, with the-Dream’s legal team filing orders as recently as last week, requesting a deadline extension to gather evidence.

Read the original article here

The post The-Dream Confirms New Album Amid Rape and Sexual Battery Lawsuit appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> FOX 5 and KUSI volunteer at San Diego Food Bank as part of Nexstar's 30th Founder's Day https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/nexstar-founders-day-caring/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/nexstar-founders-day-caring/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator FOX, and, KUSI, volunteer, San, Diego, Food, Bank, part, Nexstars, 30th, Founders, Day San Diego County wildfire detection at risk as towers shut down https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/california-wildfires/historic-fire-towers-closure/ https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/california-wildfires/historic-fire-towers-closure/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, County, wildfire, detection, risk, towers, shut, down Two arrested in connection to deadly 2025 Spring Valley assault https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/arrests-made-spring-valley-assault/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/arrests-made-spring-valley-assault/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Two, arrested, connection, deadly, 2025, Spring, Valley, assault Nation's top amateur surfers compete at USA Surfing Championships in Oceanside https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/oceanside/usa-surfing-championships-oceanside/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/oceanside/usa-surfing-championships-oceanside/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Nations, top, amateur, surfers, compete, USA, Surfing, Championships, Oceanside 'I just want to feed the people': Chicken Charlie reflects after decades of running his fair food business https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-guide/chicken-charlies-san-diego-fair/ https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-guide/chicken-charlies-san-diego-fair/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator just, want, feed, the, people:, Chicken, Charlie, reflects, after, decades, running, his, fair, food, business MPTC-San Miguel tollway merger likely in third quarter — Pangilinan https://bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/06/12/756257/mptc-san-miguel-tollway-merger-likely-in-third-quarter-pangilinan/ https://bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/06/12/756257/mptc-san-miguel-tollway-merger-likely-in-third-quarter-pangilinan/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:39:02 -0600 EM - News Moderator MPTC-San, Miguel, tollway, merger, likely, third, quarter, —, Pangilinan METRO PACIFIC Tollways Corp. (MPTC) expects its merger with San Miguel Corp. to be completed by the third quarter, with negotiations moving into the valuation stage and San Miguel likely to emerge with a majority stake in the combined tollway business.

“We are at the valuation stage, but we know we will really land 45:55 in their favor,” MPTC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan told reporters on the sidelines of PLDT, Inc.’s annual stockholders meeting on Tuesday. “I am sure San Miguel will flex to arrive at that.”

The proposed transaction will combine the country’s two biggest toll road operators, creating a dominant player in the domestic tollway sector.

Mr. Pangilinan said discussions are progressing and that the latest structure covers only Philippine assets.

“[We are just waiting] for the valuation. This does not include our Indonesian assets. This will only include our domestic [assets],” he added.

The exclusion of overseas operations means MPTC’s investments in Indonesia and Vietnam will remain outside the merger.

MPTC, the tollway unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), resumed merger discussions with San Miguel last year after earlier postponing talks while focusing on debt reduction.

In November 2025, MPIC said it was reviewing several options for MPTC, including the sale of up to a 30% stake in the tollway company, as part of efforts to lower debt and prepare for both the merger and a potential initial public offering.

MPIC has said it is considering two private placement transactions to help cut MPTC’s debt burden, which stood at about P200 billion as of 2025.

MPTC’s international operations include tollway investments in Indonesia and Vietnam. Its Vietnam business is held through affiliate CII Bridges and Roads Investment JSC.

In Indonesia, MPTC and its units, together with Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte. Ltd., completed a $1-billion investment in 2024 to acquire a 35% stake in PT Jasamarga Transjawa Tol, one of the country’s biggest toll road operators.

PT Jasamarga Transjawa Tol operates a 676-kilometer section of the Trans-Java Toll Road, which serves about 700,000 to 800,000 vehicles daily.

San Miguel stocks rose 20 centavos to close at P67.50 each.

MPTC is the tollway arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of the Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., alongside Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., holds a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — A.E.O. Jose

]]> BIR prepares for rollout of global minimum tax regime https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/12/756241/bir-prepares-for-rollout-of-global-minimum-tax-regime/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/12/756241/bir-prepares-for-rollout-of-global-minimum-tax-regime/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:39:02 -0600 EM - News Moderator BIR, prepares, for, rollout, global, minimum, tax, regime By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Senior Reporter

THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) is preparing for the implementation of a proposed global minimum tax (GMT) regime aimed at ensuring that large multinational companies pay a minimum level of tax on income earned in the Philippines.

“As global tax rules evolve, we have to make sure that income earned in the Philippines remains taxable in the Philippines,” said BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin R. Mendoza in a statement on Thursday.

“At this stage, our immediate priority is to build the capability of our personnel and prepare the systems, processes, and organizational structures needed to administer the proposed regime effectively,” he added.

The Philippines joined the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Inclusive Framework in 2023, with a commitment to adhere to the two-pillar solution that seeks to reform global corporate taxation and prevent multinational firms from moving their profits into low-tax jurisdictions.

Under Pillar Two, multinational enterprises with annual revenues of at least €750 million that operate in multiple jurisdictions are subject to a 15% minimum effective tax rate.

The Department of Finance proposed the qualified domestic minimum top-up tax (QDMTT) which is targeted to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, according to Deloitte Philippines.

The BIR met with the DoF’s QDMTT team and the Fiscal Incentives Review Board to discuss the draft bill to be submitted to Congress. They discussed the tax administration considerations for its implementation, including compliance, reporting, audit readiness, and institutional capacity.

To ensure its proper implementation, the BIR is looking at conducting specialized training programs for BIR personnel, developing new tax forms and compliance mechanisms, and establishing organizational arrangements.

Finance Assistant Secretary Euvimil Nina R. Asuncion said it received feedback from multinational enterprises operating in the Philippines, who are prepared to comply with the measure.

“We have been informed that many of our multinationals would rather comply with the GMT domestically rather than comply with unfamiliar rules of other jurisdictions or pay top-up taxes abroad,” she said.

“The primary considerations are simplifying domestic compliance and ensuring that implementation is strictly in accordance with the international standards,” she added.

Raymond A. Abrea, founding chairman and chief executive officer of Asian Consulting Group, said the QDMTT would help the Philippines protect its taxing rights.

“Under the OECD GMT framework, if large multinational enterprises pay below the 15% minimum effective tax rate in the Philippines, another jurisdiction may collect the top-up tax,” he told BusinessWorld.

“The choice is simple: either the Philippines collects the revenue, or another country does,” he added.

Mr. Abrea said the country already lost P162.9 billion in foregone revenues from 2021 to 2023 due to the absence of the GMT regime.

“Delay poses a greater risk than implementation,” he added. “Proper implementation could generate substantial additional revenues without increasing taxes on ordinary Filipinos, micro, small and medium enterprises, or domestic businesses.”

However, he warned that the government must tackle challenges related to administering the QDMTT.

“The most important step today is for the government, particularly the BIR, to be brutally frank about its readiness, limitations, and resource requirements,” he said.

Mr. Abrea said the country could tap the OECD as well as the private sector in building capacity, strengthening compliance systems, and maximizing potential revenue collections.

“The objective is to implement it correctly, maximize revenues that rightfully belong to the Philippines, and create fiscal space for broader reforms — including increasing the take-home pay of the Filipino middle class and improving public services,” he added.

Asked about the impact of the reform on investors, Mr. Abrea said that he does not see it reducing the country’s competitiveness in attracting foreign investments.

“The global competition for investments is no longer based solely on low tax rates. Investors today prioritize policy stability, talent, infrastructure, energy security, ease of doing business, and regulatory certainty,” he said.

“The real opportunity is to shift from competing on tax incentives to competing on competitiveness.”

]]> Meralco rates climb P0.15/kWh in June https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/12/756242/meralco-rates-climb-p0-15-kwh-in-june/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/12/756242/meralco-rates-climb-p0-15-kwh-in-june/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:39:02 -0600 EM - News Moderator Meralco, rates, climb, P0.15kWh, June OVER EIGHT MILLION customers served by Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) will face higher bills this June, as the power distributor raises electricity rates due to higher generation charges.

The overall electricity rate is set to increase by P0.1488 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to P14.4833 per kWh this month from P14.3345 per kWh in May, Meralco said in a statement on Thursday.

For households consuming 200 kWh, the adjustment translates to an increase of about P30 in monthly electricity bills. Those consuming 300 kWh, 400 kWh, and 500 kWh will pay an additional P45, P60, and P74, respectively.

Meralco Spokesperson Joe R. Zaldarriaga attributed the rate hike to higher generation charges, which increased by P0.2762 per kWh month on month to P9.0704 per kWh.

The upward adjustment in generation charge was driven by the increase in Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) prices to P7.0281 per kWh.

This was offset by lower line rental and other charges following the lifting of the suspension of WESM operations on May 1. 

“There was a limitation in generation following the tripping of several transmission lines. That is the reason for the spike in prices in the WESM,” Mr. Zaldarriaga said in Filipino.

Last month, the Luzon grid was placed under a series of red and yellow alerts due to the unavailability of some power plants and tripping of transmission lines, triggering power interruptions in some areas.

Meanwhile, charges from power supply agreements (PSAs) increased by P0.0941 per kWh, mainly due to peso deprecation that affected 54% of the costs and higher world market prices for coal and liquefied natural gas.

On May 29, the peso lost 10.5 centavos to close at P61.59 against the dollar, from P61.485 on April 30, according to data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

Meralco said that charges from the supply procured from major gas-fired power plants in Batangas declined by P0.1569 per kWh due to improved average dispatch, offsetting the impact of higher fuel costs.

The overall rate hike this month was tempered by the transmission charge, which decreased by P0.1525 per kWh.

Taxes and other charges, meanwhile, had a net increase of P0.0251 per kWh.

Mr. Zaldarriaga said customers continue to benefit from Meralco’s ongoing refund equivalent to P0.4278 per kWh for residential customers.

“Pass-through charges for generation and transmission are paid by Meralco to the power suppliers and the grid operator, respectively; while taxes, universal charges, and feed-in tariff allowance are all remitted to the government,” Meralco said.

The distribution utility’s charge, on the other hand, remained unchanged since the P0.0360 per kWh reduction for a typical residential customer beginning August 2022.

Meralco said that the “significantly higher consumption” of customers in May due to extreme heat will have an impact on their June billing statement.

“While there is an increase in electricity rates this month, elevated consumption patterns observed in May is also a major factor that could drive higher power bills of customers,” Mr. Zaldarriaga said.

As the onset of the rainy season has been declared, the Meralco official said that consumption may decrease due to cooler temperatures.

“We can already feel that the weather is improving somewhat, at least in terms of temperature levels. There is a possibility that, because of lower consumption, customers’ bills for the July billing period may be lower. However, that will still depend on their actual consumption,” Mr. Zaldarriaga said.

Meralco is the country’s largest private electric distribution utility, serving more than 8.2 million customers in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, including Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and parts of Laguna, Batangas, Pampanga, and Quezon.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

]]> Banks’ real estate exposure edges up at end-March https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/12/756243/banks-real-estate-exposure-edges-up-at-end-march/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/12/756243/banks-real-estate-exposure-edges-up-at-end-march/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:39:02 -0600 EM - News Moderator Banks’, real, estate, exposure, edges, end-March By Katherine K. Chan, Reporter

PHILIPPINE BANKS and trust entities’ exposure to the property sector inched up in the first quarter amid improving market sentiment, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed.

Banks’ real estate exposure ratio climbed to 19.07% in the first quarter from the seven-year low of 18.93% at end-December.

Year on year, however, it slipped from 19.41% seen at end-March last year.

Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion, chief economist at Union Bank of the Philippines, said banks’ exposure to the property industry went up on a quarterly basis as sentiment began to recover and real estate projects resumed.

However, lending to other industries may have outpaced those extended to the property sector, which could explain the year-on-year drop in banks’ real estate exposure, he noted.

“The slight year-on-year decline in banks’ real estate exposure reflects faster expansion in non-property lending alongside more measured credit allocation to the sector amid tighter financial conditions last year,” Mr. Asuncion said in a Viber message.

“The quarter-on-quarter uptick likely indicates a modest rebound in lending activity at the start of 2026, supported by improving sentiment and project resumption,” he added.

Sustained lending for ongoing development projects and the slightly higher demand for property-related loans may have also led to the quarterly improvement in banks’ real estate exposure, said Dino M. Palanca, director for marketing and research at real estate firm Savills Philippines.

“While overall market conditions remain selective, developers continue to draw on committed credit facilities for projects already in the pipeline, particularly in the residential, industrial, and logistics sectors,” he told BusinessWorld via Viber.

“The increase, however, remains relatively measured, suggesting that banks continue to maintain prudent underwriting standards amid a still-evolving market environment,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Palanca noted that the annual decline was likely driven by market normalization rather than weaker sentiment in the property sector, with developers becoming “more disciplined” and banks practicing selective lending.

“While softer property market sentiment over parts of 2025 likely contributed to more cautious borrowing and investment decisions. The decline should not necessarily be interpreted as a sign of broad weakness in the property sector,” he said. “Rather, it reflects a market that has been undergoing a period of normalization following several years of adjustment.”

Mr. Palanca said developers are now more disciplined in launching new projects, focusing on absorption rates, project completion, and inventory management.

“Banks, likewise, have remained selective in extending credit, particularly toward projects with strong fundamentals and demonstrated demand,” he said.

The BSP monitors lenders’ exposure to the real estate industry as part of its mandate to maintain financial stability.

In the first quarter, Philippine banks and trust departments granted P3.556 trillion worth of loans and investments to the real estate sector. This was 6.48% higher than the P3.34 trillion it extended a year ago.

Of the total, P3.204 trillion was real estate loans, rising by 7.97% from P2.968 trillion the industry lent a year earlier.

This came as residential real estate loans grew by 8.48% to P1.229 trillion from P1.133 trillion last year, while commercial real estate loans were up by an annual 7.91% to P1.975 trillion from P1.83 trillion a year ago.

Based on central bank data, past due real estate loans amounted to P164.072 billion in the January-to-March period, climbing by 9.73% from P149.518 billion in the previous year.

Broken down, past due residential real estate loans inched up by 0.87% year on year to P108.555 billion, while past due commercial real estate loans jumped by 32.51% to P55.517 billion.

This brought the past due real estate loan ratio to 5.12%, higher than 4.79% at end-December and 5.04% in the first quarter of last year.

Meanwhile, gross nonperforming real estate loans reached P119.819 billion in the first quarter, up by 7.68% from the P111.272 billion recorded as of end-March 2025.

The increase was driven by gross nonperforming residential real estate loans, which rose 4.22% year on year to P75.309 billion, and gross nonperforming commercial real estate loans, which climbed 14.09% to P44.51 billion.

With this, the gross nonperforming real estate loan ratio went up to 3.74% in the first quarter from 3.53% a quarter ago but slightly eased from 3.75% in the prior year.

On the other hand, the sector’s real estate investments amounted to P352.184 billion as of end-March, down by 2.54% year on year from P361.37 billion.

Debt securities fell by 7.94% annually to P235.712 billion, while equity securities nudged 0.1% higher to P116.473 billion.

The annual decline of banks’ real estate exposure signals “strategic caution,” according to Jonathan L. Ravelas, a senior adviser at Reyes Tacandong & Co.

“Until we see clearer signs of sustained demand recovery, stable rates, and improving occupancy, real estate will likely stay range-bound in bank portfolios, not a major growth driver,” he added in a Viber message.

Meanwhile, Mr. Asuncion expects lending and investment to the real estate sector to be sustained in the coming months as banks step up property-related lending.

“Moving forward, we expect real estate exposure to remain elevated but broadly stable, as a gradual pickup in property-related lending is balanced by banks’ efforts to diversify portfolios,” he said. “Importantly, institutions are likely to continue managing exposures prudently to stay within regulatory ceilings.”

For Mr. Palanca, financing demand from the real estate sector in the months ahead will likely be driven by projects in industrial and logistics, data centers, as well as developments in selected residential segments and offices.

Potential interest rate cuts and increased liquidity could also support developers and property buyers, he said.

“However, banks are expected to continue prioritizing asset quality and risk management, which means capital will likely flow toward projects with clear demand drivers, strong sponsorship, and sustainable cash flow prospects,” Mr. Palanca added.

]]> Middle East war could set back human development gains in Philippines — UNDP https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/12/756244/middle-east-war-could-set-back-human-development-gains-in-philippines-undp/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/12/756244/middle-east-war-could-set-back-human-development-gains-in-philippines-undp/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:39:02 -0600 EM - News Moderator Middle, East, war, could, set, back, human, development, gains, Philippines, —, UNDP By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Senior Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES risks losing part of its recent human development gains as the Middle East conflict weighs on the economy, with the impact expected to be more significant as the crisis continues, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

In a policy brief, the UNDP said the country is among the hardest hit in the region, as it depends on the Middle East for most of its crude oil supply and is a net importer of food and fertilizer.

“The shock has reached households through three reinforcing channels: energy imports, agricultural inputs, and labor migration and remittances. These channels converge on the country’s development trajectory: The UNDP estimates that the immediate impact of the crisis could set back the Philippines’ human development progress by the equivalent of 0.01 to 0.05 years, with losses compounding the longer the disruption persists,” it said.

The policy brief titled “Socioeconomic Impact of the Middle East Conflict on the Philippines” was prepared by Mohamed Shahudh, country economist for UNDP Philippines.

Since the Iran war began on Feb. 28, the Philippines’ macroeconomic conditions have weakened, as seen in the spike in inflation due to soaring pump prices, the peso depreciation, and a slowdown in economic growth.

“UNDP estimates that more than 35,000 Filipinos could fall below the lower middle-income poverty line of $4.20 a day from the initial effects of the war, with this figure rising significantly under a prolonged conflict,” it said.

The UNDP said this could raise the country’s post-crisis poverty rate to 17% from 16.9%, leaving about 20.146 million Filipinos living in poverty.

The estimate assumes a 28-day disruption followed by an eight-month adjustment period. If the adjustment period is limited to four months, the UNDP projects 14,408 Filipinos to be pushed into poverty.

Among the most exposed groups are informal workers, public-transport drivers, farmers, households dependent on remittances, women in low-paid service and care work, and young workers.

“The setback would run through all three dimensions of the Human Development Index, which combines a country’s income, health and education outcomes into a single measure: income first, as inflation and slower growth erode real household incomes, and health and education more gradually, as households under pressure cut back on food, postpone medical care and, if the strain persists, withdraw children from school,” the UNDP said.

According to the policy brief, a prolonged Middle East conflict could sharply reduce household incomes by disrupting remittance flows that account for about 20% of the Philippines’ total remittances.

“The UNDP notes that while short-term shocks may be absorbed, prolonged disruptions to Gulf labor markets can rapidly translate into income shocks for migrant-dependent families, potentially impacting household food security and educational continuity,” it added.

FERTILIZER PRICES
The UNDP also noted that food security can be undermined as food prices rise due to higher costs of fuel, freight, and fertilizer.

“One of the most distinctive second-round price effects for the Philippines runs through fertilizer prices. The country is a net importer, and the nitrogen grades on which rice and corn depend are particularly exposed to a Middle East supply shock,” it said.

The UNDP said average granular urea prices rose by about 37% to P2,255 per 50-kilogram (/kg) bag in March-April from P1,650/kg bag in January-February.

“The burden of this price surge largely falls on the grades that rice and corn farmers use the most, making them the most vulnerable to a prolonged shock,” it added.

Rice-farming households derive about two-thirds of their income from agriculture, making them particularly vulnerable to higher input costs and supply-chain disruptions.

In March, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. placed the country under a one-year state of national energy emergency due to the impact of the Middle East conflict.

As part of its efforts, the Department of Agriculture set up a quick-response fund for fertilizer and subsidized rice programs.

“I think the government has responded well for the first round, with a really targeted, time-bound approach,” Mr. Shahudh told BusinessWorld.

“As the crisis progresses, a more comprehensive set of measures may be needed, particularly at the subnational level, starting in areas where fertilizer prices are increasing and where states of calamity have been declared,” Mr. Shahudh added.

As the next planting season looms, protecting access to affordable inputs should be the government’s time-sensitive priority “to prevent current financial pressures from translating into longer-term human development setbacks.”

PRIORITIES FOR THE GOV’T
The UNDP said the Philippine government should mitigate the impact of the crisis and ensure this temporary oil shock does not become a lasting setback for development.

“(It should) protect price stability for fuel and food staples through supply-side measures and careful sequencing of the relief measures that expire in mid-July, rather than broad price controls, helping to cushion the purchasing power of the households most exposed to price increases,” it said.

The government should also secure energy supplies through diversification of sources of refined products and accelerate the medium-to-longer term investment in renewable energy.

In the near term, however, it said that the government should require “higher buffer stocks for refined oil products and ensure inventory levels are monitored against safety minimums.” 

The UNDP also urged the government to protect livelihoods by addressing rising fertilizer prices, supporting micro and small enterprises and informal workers, and strengthening support for returning overseas workers.

It also called for the expansion of targeted cash transfers, giving priority to high-exposure, low-development regions.

]]> San Diego’s Best French Fry-Packed California Burritos https://sandiego.eater.com/maps/best-california-burrito-san-diego-mexican-food-taco-shop https://sandiego.eater.com/maps/best-california-burrito-san-diego-mexican-food-taco-shop Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:14:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego’s, Best, French, Fry-Packed, California, Burritos A California burrito.

Mention adding french fries to a burrito to someone from the Bay Area or Texas — anywhere, really — and their reaction may be one of confusion. But whoever thinks carne asada and french fries don’t belong together forgets that meat and potatoes are a universal duo. Despite raised eyebrows from those not in the know, the California burrito was created in San Diego and is arguably the city’s most famous of all burrito styles, if not our most well-known dish. And just like every real San Diegan knows where to find the best parking spots at the beach and which surface street routes to take to avoid afternoon traffic on the 805, every true local has a favorite spot for California burritos. This list features some of Eater’s favorite California burritos, including a few riffs on the traditional version.

]]> Pope Leo XIV: Fragility in old age can teach our efficiency-obsessed world https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-fragility-in-old-age-can-teach-our-efficiency-obsessed-world https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-fragility-in-old-age-can-teach-our-efficiency-obsessed-world Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV:, Fragility, old, age, can, teach, our, efficiency-obsessed, world Ahead of the World Cup, Pope Leo XIV shares an important lesson from soccer https://catholics.news/ahead-of-the-world-cup-pope-leo-xiv-shares-an-important-lesson-from-soccer https://catholics.news/ahead-of-the-world-cup-pope-leo-xiv-shares-an-important-lesson-from-soccer Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Ahead, the, World, Cup, Pope, Leo, XIV, shares, important, lesson, from, soccer Peruvian boy whose family struggles to make ends meet asks pope why bad things happen https://catholics.news/peruvian-boy-whose-family-struggles-to-make-ends-meet-asks-pope-why-bad-things-happen https://catholics.news/peruvian-boy-whose-family-struggles-to-make-ends-meet-asks-pope-why-bad-things-happen Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Peruvian, boy, whose, family, struggles, make, ends, meet, asks, pope, why, bad, things, happen A century later, Pope Leo XIV fulfills Gaudí’s dream https://catholics.news/a-century-later-pope-leo-xiv-fulfills-gaudis-dream https://catholics.news/a-century-later-pope-leo-xiv-fulfills-gaudis-dream Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator century, later, Pope, Leo, XIV, fulfills, Gaudí’s, dream ‘I’m still on cloud nine,’ says pilot who shared cockpit with Pope Leo XIV https://catholics.news/im-still-on-cloud-nine-says-pilot-who-shared-cockpit-with-pope-leo-xiv https://catholics.news/im-still-on-cloud-nine-says-pilot-who-shared-cockpit-with-pope-leo-xiv Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator ‘I’m, still, cloud, nine, ’, says, pilot, who, shared, cockpit, with, Pope, Leo, XIV Global map reveals the vast scale of underground fungal networks https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/global-map-reveals-the-vast-scale-of-underground-fungal-networks/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/global-map-reveals-the-vast-scale-of-underground-fungal-networks/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Global, map, reveals, the, vast, scale, underground, fungal, networks

Plants and fungi are interacting beneath our feet

Andrea Obzerova/Alamy

Just under Earth’s surface, 110 quadrillion kilometres of carbon-rich fungi intersect with plant roots. This vast network has been laid bare in the first global digital map of our planet’s mycelial networks. Not only do these fungi exchange nutrients with plants, they also help regulate our climate.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, an ancient group of soil fungi found throughout most terrestrial ecosystems, form symbiotic relationships with about 70 per cent of the world’s plant species, providing nutrients and water in exchange for carbon. “Some people call plants the saviours of these fungi, but these fungi are also the saviours of plants,” says Justin Stewart at the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks. “If you’re not in symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, you’re kind of the weirdo of the plant world.”

Given the fungi’s importance, Stewart and his colleagues set out to quantify this hidden infrastructure. “We asked the question: can we map the Earth’s underground circulatory system?” says team member Toby Kiers, also at the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks.

First, the researchers analysed data from 16,000 soil samples from across Earth, derived from 322 previous studies. They also used robotic imaging to measure more than 300,000 fungal threads grown in the lab, allowing them to estimate the total biomass and carbon stored in the networks. Next, the team combined that data and used it to extend estimates across deserts, tundra, forests and other regions where direct measurements were sparse or unavailable.

The results suggest that worldwide arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi networks harbour a mass of carbon equivalent to about five times that of all living humans combined. “They’re very important for a lot of the different functions of our planet,” says Stewart. “For example, they pull carbon underground – that’s important for climate change.”

The researchers also estimate that around 40 per cent of the world’s arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi live in grassland ecosystems, especially those of South Sudan, the Florida Everglades and the Tibetan plateau. That’s concerning, they say, since grasslands are rapidly being transformed into farmlands.

Croplands, meanwhile, show significantly reduced fungal presence, with large-scale crop-growing soils associated with about 50 per cent lower network densities than those in uncultivated ecosystems, despite their high presence of plants. That could be because fungicides can kill fungi directly, while tilling can break apart their networks and heavy fertiliser use may undermine the nutrient-for-carbon trade that normally sustains the symbiosis, says Stewart.

Last year, Laura Carter at the University of Leeds, UK, and her colleagues revealed that azole antifungals – a widely employed class of chemicals used to control fungal diseases like mildew and rot in crops – cut the density of hyphae (the long, straw-like tube cells of fungi) by around 70 per cent and reduced the extent to which beneficial fungi colonise plant roots by up to 80 per cent. That, combined with the new findings, “suggests current practices may be undermining a key natural ally of crops”, says Carter. “Supporting arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi isn’t just an ecological issue; it is a practical route to improving soil health, resilience and long-term crop productivity.”

Steven Allison at the University of California, Irvine, says he is particularly concerned about the thinner network under croplands. “With that biomass being knocked down so much, our agricultural crops may be missing out on some key benefits like nutrient access, drought resilience and carbon storage.”

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal networks producing reproductive spores (bright circles) that store a large amount of plant-derived carbon underground

Loreto Oyarte Gálvez – VU Amsterdam, AMOLF

But there is a positive side as well, he adds. Now the researchers have quantified the scale of the losses, it should be easier to design interventions to rebuild fungal biomass. “Farmers could add fungal spores to their soils,” says Allison. “The study might also prompt farmers to adjust their practices, by reducing tillage or adding less fertiliser.”

While the work reveals expansive networks, it doesn’t mean all fungi are connected in a global “wood wide web” – a hypothesised underground network through which plants exchange resources and information, says Stewart. “Our research here was just asking how many threads are there on Earth, not if this is one large, continuous network.”

Alongside the study, the researchers have launched an interactive map that reveals the global distribution of fungal networks in unprecedented detail. Kiers says they plan to present the findings to policy-makers at the United Nations desertification summit in Mongolia this August.

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post Global map reveals the vast scale of underground fungal networks appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> AAC Clyde Space wins ESA contract to complete maritime-monitoring constellation https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/aac-clyde-space-wins-esa-contract-to-complete-maritime-monitoring-constellation/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/aac-clyde-space-wins-esa-contract-to-complete-maritime-monitoring-constellation/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator AAC, Clyde, Space, wins, ESA, contract, complete, maritime-monitoring, constellation

SAN FRANCISCO – The European Space Agency awarded AAC Clyde Space a 10.9 million euro ($12.6 million) contract to complete development and demonstrate VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) satellites for the Inflecion maritime domain awareness program.

With the 12-satellite Inflecion constellation, AAC Clyde is developing a low-cost approach to detecting, tracking and monitoring maritime vessels, including ships that turn off their automated identification system (AIS) transponders.

“We combine synthetic aperture radar [SAR] with signals intelligence, and then we use the VHS Data Exchange System that is AIS compatible to communicate with the ships and with the authorities,” AAC Clyde Space CEO Luis Gomes told SpaceNews.

Since VDES enables two-way communication, “we will be able to challenge ships to identify themselves,” Gomes said. “The system allows you to do that kind of verification and authentication of shipping.”

Iceye UK will provide SAR data and Horizon Technologies of Reading, England, will supply signals intelligence. Inflecion’s VDES services are scheduled to be demonstrated in early 2029.

ESA and the UK Space Agency are sharing the cost of Inflecion, an ESA Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems Partnership Project. AAC Clyde Space completed phase one of the Inflecion program earlier this year.

Aside from Inflecion, AAC Clyde Space plans to launch additional VDES satellites to expand its maritime-monitoring business.

“We are proud to lead a consortium of highly qualified partners to advance this next generation service in maritime intelligence from space,” Gomes said in a statement. “We see increasing demand for resilient space-based maritime intelligence. Inflecion allows us to develop precisely that service.”

Christophe Allemand, who manages ESA Space Systems for Safety and Security, said in a statement that Inflecion will provide “dedicated connectivity for critical maritime operational services and more timely and reliable information from space” to support “safer, more resilient and more sustainable maritime operations.”

Henny Sands, UK Space Agency Satellite Communications head, said in a statement that Inflecion “brings together leading industrial and academic partners to develop capabilities that will improve maritime safety and awareness, and support more resilient and efficient global shipping.”

Read the original article here

The post AAC Clyde Space wins ESA contract to complete maritime-monitoring constellation appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Researchers Are Developing Textiles That Can Produce Drinking Water From The Air https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/researchers-are-developing-textiles-that-can-produce-drinking-water-from-the-air/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/researchers-are-developing-textiles-that-can-produce-drinking-water-from-the-air/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Researchers, Are, Developing, Textiles, That, Can, Produce, Drinking, Water, From, The, Air


Photo of a brown desert landscape with scrubby vegetation under a deep blue sky with wispy clouds that dominates the composition.
Jeffrey Morgan/Getty Images

There are existing methods to collect water from the ambient air, but most of them are large or cumbersome. Recent research by the University of Texas at Austin is taking that concept and transforming it something you could have on hand at all times. Or more literally, on your back at all times. In a study published in Scientific Advances, the team used a special textile to create a jacket capable of atmospheric water harvesting.

“We wanted to rethink the form of the technology,” said UT Austin’s Guihua Yu, one of the authors on the latest study. “If the fabric itself can collect water from air, it opens a new direction for personal and portable water access.”

The jacket used a special fabric designed to collect moisture from the air and gather it in detachable harvesting units rather than simply having the textile absorb the water. “That transport design is what allows the material to work not just in a small lab test, but in a wearable system,” added co-author Keith Johnston, also of UT Austin. The harvesters are then placed in a foldable collector piece and heated to produce drinkable water.

A chart showing the comparative performance of UT Austin's new fabric in various relative humidities.University of Texas at Austin

Depending on humidity levels, the jacket produced between 400 and 900 milliliters (about 14 to 30 ounces) of drinkable water per day in testing. The form factor created for this particular study was a jacket, but the investigators suggested that the same textile could be used to manufacture other objects, such as a backpack or a tent, to lend them water-collecting capabilities. The technology could have applications for medical response teams or during emergencies, particularly in remote places. On the commercial side, it could also make for some pretty useful hiking and extreme sports gear.

Read the original article here

The post Researchers Are Developing Textiles That Can Produce Drinking Water From The Air appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Do Nothing announce new album ‘Friend World’ with melancholic single ‘Stars’ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/do-nothing-announce-new-album-friend-world-with-melancholic-single-stars/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/do-nothing-announce-new-album-friend-world-with-melancholic-single-stars/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Nothing, announce, new, album, ‘Friend, World’, with, melancholic, single, ‘Stars’

Do Nothing have announced their second album ‘Friend World’ and shared the melancholic single ‘Stars’ – listen below.

The Nottingham band released their debut record ‘Snake Sideways’ in 2023 and now they are back, with ‘Friend World’ to be released on November 6 via Submarine Cat Records. Pre-order/pre-save your copy here.

Built around drum machine patterns and squelchy synths, ‘Stars’ is quietly melancholic, with frontman Chris Bailey singing: “We’re stars, the world is a worm on a strong / Hanging around, let’s not amount to anything”.

Bailey has said about the song: “I guess the simplest interpretation of this one would be that it’s about ambition, and people who are famous, and all the ways in which it doesn’t make them happy people. More than that though, I’d say it’s about finding someone you connect with enough that you quit caring about the other things that used to drive you.”

Check out the video, directed by Clump Collective, here:

“Getting away from the guitar was useful,” Bailey added. “We didn’t want it to sound particularly rocky or aggressive. We’re always interested in finding energy and momentum without relying on the obvious ways of creating them.”

‘Friend World’ has been produced and mixed by Louis Milburn of Folly Group and was recorded in Nottingham’s JT Soar.

Explaining how the new album deviates from ‘Snake Sideways’, Bailey has said: “With the first record there was a feeling of trying to move away from what people expected of us. This time we felt much freer. We didn’t feel any pressure to make a departure. We could follow whatever ideas felt exciting and not worry about what it meant.”

The album was inspired by novelist Elizabeth Smart and the leftfield comedian Andy Kaufman, who used to end shows by singing the song ‘This Friendly World’. “It’s this big, face-value expression of positivity that rang so weirdly to me,” Bailey has said. “I found it difficult to interpret the lyrics as anything other than sarcasm.”

“For me it’s an album about a lot of bleak things, but it doesn’t feel bleak,” he added. “I enjoyed making it more than anything we’ve ever done, and I’m more proud of it than anything we’ve ever made. That’s the whole point of the title really. There’s two sides to everything. Without the bad, there isn’t the good.”

Do Nothing – ‘Friend World’ artwork

Do Nothing – ‘Friend World’ tracklist: 

  1. ‘Misery’ 
  2. ‘The Nail’ 
  3. ‘Act Natural’ 
  4. ‘These People Want Blood’ 
  5. ‘Stars’ 
  6. ‘Smile’ 
  7. ‘Dog 2’ 
  8. ‘Loner’ 
  9. ‘Yes’ 
  10. ‘Paris Jesus’ 
  11. ‘Incommunicado’ 

NME awarded ‘Snake Sideways’ three stars in 2023, noting: “The freshness that electrified ‘LeBron James’, though, is no longer so obvious, with its striding conviction now somewhat smoothed over. It remains to be seen whether Do Nothing can use the solid foundations of ‘Snake Sideways’ as a launching pad to ascend to the giddy heights of their initial promise.”

Read the original article here

The post Do Nothing announce new album ‘Friend World’ with melancholic single ‘Stars’ appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Noname Is Touring Telefone for Its 10th Anniversary https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/noname-is-touring-telefone-for-its-10th-anniversary/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/noname-is-touring-telefone-for-its-10th-anniversary/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:02:06 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Noname, Touring, Telefone, for, Its, 10th, Anniversary

Telefone, the piercing 2016 breakout debut from Noname, turns ten this year, and the Chicago rapper is celebrating it with a late-summer anniversary trek. It kicks off in Toronto on August 2 and ends with a September 10 hometown show. Check out the full list of stops below. Two months after the tour ends, she will take the Telefone festivities across the Atlantic to Pitchfork Festival London in November.

“I hope you were there,” Noname said in an Instagram post announcing the performances. “I hope 10 years ago in some small corner of the world you heard the imagination of young folks from the city of chicago. Telefone was already breathing when I discovered it. It sat, quietly whispering to me between every blunt rotation outside youmedia, after every conversation with cam about the texture of sound, after I lived along enough to sing about it. Telefone was raised by a community.”

Revisit Julianne Escobedo Shepherd’s 2023 profile of Noname.

Image may contain Text Person Face and Head

Telefone Ten Year Anniversary Tour
08-02 Toronto, Ontario – The Opera House
08-04 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
08-05 New York, NY – Sony Hall
08-06 Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl
08-08 Richmond, VA – Richmond Jazz Festival
08-09 Washington, DC – Howard Theatre
08-11 Atlanta, GA – The Loft
08-14 Houston, TX – House of Blues
08-15 Austin, TX – Emo’s
08-16 Dallas, TX – House of Blues
08-18 Denver, CO – Cervantes
09-01 Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda
09-02 San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom
09-04 Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
09-06 Seattle, WA – Bumbershoot Festival
09-10 Chicago, IL – Park West

Read the original article here

The post Noname Is Touring Telefone for Its 10th Anniversary appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Early warning about fireworks and fire danger in San Diego County https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/illegal-fireworks-vegetation-fires-san-diego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/illegal-fireworks-vegetation-fires-san-diego/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Early, warning, about, fireworks, and, fire, danger, San, Diego, County San Diego podiatrists working with World Cup Teams https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/switzerland-new-zealand-san-diego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/switzerland-new-zealand-san-diego/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, podiatrists, working, with, World, Cup, Teams House fire breaks out in Encinitas, nearby roads closed as crews battle blaze https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/house-fire-breaks-out-in-encinitas-nearby-roads-closed-as-crews-battle-blaze/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/house-fire-breaks-out-in-encinitas-nearby-roads-closed-as-crews-battle-blaze/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator House, fire, breaks, out, Encinitas, nearby, roads, closed, crews, battle, blaze Ramona man attacked at retirement party in Mexico https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/ramona/retirement-party-attack-mexico/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/ramona/retirement-party-attack-mexico/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Ramona, man, attacked, retirement, party, Mexico Larry's search history: 'Carbon monoxide death,' 'how to confuse iPhone Find Me app' and 'shot in the heart instant death' https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/millete-murder-trial-spellcasters-search-history-day-15/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/millete-murder-trial-spellcasters-search-history-day-15/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:02:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Larrys, search, history:, Carbon, monoxide, death, how, confuse, iPhone, Find, app, and, shot, the, heart, instant, death The Power of Image in a Split Second https://noubikko.net/first-impressions-last-the-power-of-image-in-a-split-second https://noubikko.net/first-impressions-last-the-power-of-image-in-a-split-second Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS The, Power, Image, Split, Second “The Art of Presence” — as a Strategy for Success https://noubikko.net/the-art-of-presence-redefining-interview-dressing-as-a-strategy-for-success https://noubikko.net/the-art-of-presence-redefining-interview-dressing-as-a-strategy-for-success Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS “The, Art, Presence”, —, Strategy, for, Success How To Dress With POWER, AND INTENTION https://noubikko.net/a-call-to-dress-with-purpose-power-and-intention https://noubikko.net/a-call-to-dress-with-purpose-power-and-intention Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS How, Dress, With, POWER, AND, INTENTION Empower Confidence Through Smart Camouflage https://noubikko.net/redefining-beauty-is-to-empower-confidence-through-smart-styling-and-camouflage https://noubikko.net/redefining-beauty-is-to-empower-confidence-through-smart-styling-and-camouflage Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Empower, Confidence, Through, Smart, Camouflage  Not Just Interior Design. It's Fashion for Your Space https://noubikko.net/its-not-just-interior-design-its-fashion-for-your-space https://noubikko.net/its-not-just-interior-design-its-fashion-for-your-space Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS  Not, Just, Interior, Design., Its, Fashion, for, Your, Space Feng Shui-Inspired Interiors in Its Maximum Format https://noubikko.net/feng-shui-inspired-interiors-define-interiors-in-its-maximum-format https://noubikko.net/feng-shui-inspired-interiors-define-interiors-in-its-maximum-format Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Feng, Shui-Inspired, Interiors, Its, Maximum, Format Guide to Effortless Style and Smart Living https://noubikko.net/looking-into-your-wardrobe-a-guide-to-effortless-style-and-smart-living https://noubikko.net/looking-into-your-wardrobe-a-guide-to-effortless-style-and-smart-living Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Guide, Effortless, Style, and, Smart, Living Carrying a Bag Is Brilliantly Useful https://noubikko.net/carrying-a-bag-is-not-only-fashionablebut-brilliantly-useful-in-many-ways https://noubikko.net/carrying-a-bag-is-not-only-fashionablebut-brilliantly-useful-in-many-ways Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Carrying, Bag, Brilliantly, Useful Difference Between a Stylish Man and a Fashion Victim https://noubikko.net/the-difference-between-a-stylish-man-and-a-fashion-victim https://noubikko.net/the-difference-between-a-stylish-man-and-a-fashion-victim Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Difference, Between, Stylish, Man, and, Fashion, Victim First 7 Seconds: How Men Are Judged Before They Speak https://noubikko.net/the-first-7-seconds-how-men-are-judged-before-they-speak https://noubikko.net/the-first-7-seconds-how-men-are-judged-before-they-speak Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS First, Seconds:, How, Men, Are, Judged, Before, They, Speak Gentleman’s Guide to Wearing White Without Looking Flashy https://noubikko.net/the-gentlemans-guide-to-wearing-white-without-looking-flashy https://noubikko.net/the-gentlemans-guide-to-wearing-white-without-looking-flashy Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Gentleman’s, Guide, Wearing, White, Without, Looking, Flashy PLDT, KKR discuss Maya IPO issues as listing plan weighs structure https://bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/06/11/755925/pldt-kkr-discuss-maya-ipo-issues-as-listing-plan-weighs-structure/ https://bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/06/11/755925/pldt-kkr-discuss-maya-ipo-issues-as-listing-plan-weighs-structure/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator PLDT, KKR, discuss, Maya, IPO, issues, listing, plan, weighs, structure PLDT, Inc. said it is still in talks with KKR & Co., Inc. to resolve issues tied to the planned initial public offering of fintech firm Maya, as the telecom operator weighs whether to increase its stake or support a partial exit via listing, a decision that could reshape ownership in one of its key digital assets.

“An initial public offering (IPO) gives us the chance to increase our stake,” PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan told reporters on the sidelines of the company’s stockholders’ meeting on Tuesday. “We are in talks with KKR but there are just some issues right now. We are endorsing and supporting the IPO, we just have to overcome some issues.”

Mr. Pangilinan said PLDT is still evaluating its approach, including whether to raise its holding in Maya or proceed with a public listing structure that allows investor exit.

“Either way — a trade sale or an IPO — we will support. It depends on how much, it depends on what percentage,” he added.

Maya said in February it is targeting an IPO in the second half, with plans to list first in the US before a Philippine Stock Exchange debut.

The listing is intended to raise capital and give early investors an exit route while enabling PLDT to maintain exposure to the digital fintech business.

Maya’s shareholders include PLDT and First Pacific Co. Ltd., which together hold 39.6%, alongside KKR & Co. Inc., Tencent Holdings Ltd. and International Finance Corp.

PLDT posted a 1.77% decline in first-quarter attributable net income to P8.87 billion as higher expenses outweighed modest revenue growth.

Maya Innovations Holdings contributed P285 million to PLDT’s core earnings during the period.

Shares of PLDT Inc. closed P52 lower at P1,085 each.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., holds a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

]]> DoE eyes aggressive targets to reduce oil import dependence https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/11/755912/doe-eyes-aggressive-targets-to-reduce-oil-import-dependence/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/11/755912/doe-eyes-aggressive-targets-to-reduce-oil-import-dependence/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator DoE, eyes, aggressive, targets, reduce, oil, import, dependence THE DEPARTMENT of Energy (DoE) is seeking to set more “aggressive” targets in a bid to reduce dependence on imported fuel, including increasing the adoption of electric vehicles (EV) and biofuel blends, its top official said.

Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said the department is currently developing a fuel transition plan focusing on the transport sector given its heavy reliance on petroleum products.

“With one sector having one dominant fuel source, this concentration is exactly where the country’s vulnerability lies,” Ms. Garin said during the Management Association of the Philippines’ general membership meeting on Wednesday.

The DoE is considering targeting EVs to account for 60% of the country’s vehicle fleet by 2040 and 80% by 2050 under an aggressive adoption scenario, exceeding the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) 2023-2050’s target of 50% EV penetration by 2040.

The DoE is also looking at raising the target biodiesel blend to 50% (B50), far above the PEP target of 5% (B5).

Republic Act No. 9367 or the Biofuels Act of 2006 mandates that all liquid fuels for motors and engines contain a fixed percentage of biofuel such as bioethanol and biodiesel in a bid to promote cleaner energy, cut dependence on imported oil, and support agricultural industries.

Ms. Garin said the government is also aiming to fast-track the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels and explore the use of hydrogen technologies for heavy-duty transport.

The transport sector accounts for 67% of the country’s total oil demand, based on DoE data.

Oil demand increased sharply from 140,000 barrels in 2015 to 180,000 barrels last year, with diesel continuously accounting for the largest share.

For non-transport sectors, the DoE plans to push fuel switching, improving energy efficiency initiatives, and adoption of cleaner technologies across households, industry, services, agriculture, and off-grid power generation.

“The diversification of our energy sources is one of the actions that will sustain and ensure energy security. We are keen on developing our indigenous oil, gas and coal resources,” Ms. Garin said.

The US-Israel war with Iran has exposed the Philippines’ energy vulnerabilities, as around 90% of its crude oil imports are sourced from the Middle East.

“The DoE has been swift in its actions, employing a whole-of-government approach in securing fuel supply, monitoring and cushioning the impact of prices to consumers, preventing hoarding and profiteering, enforcing energy efficiency and conservation measures, and setting up support measures for the transport and agriculture sectors,” Ms. Garin said. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

]]> Red alert raised in Visayas; Mindanao on yellow alert https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/11/755913/red-alert-raised-in-visayas-mindanao-on-yellow-alert/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/11/755913/red-alert-raised-in-visayas-mindanao-on-yellow-alert/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Red, alert, raised, Visayas, Mindanao, yellow, alert By Sheldeen Joy Talavera, Reporter

POWER SUPPLY STRAINS in the Visayas worsened after a major earthquake triggered widespread outages in Mindanao, leading to a supply shortfall that prompted grid alerts across both island groups on Wednesday.

In an advisory, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Visayas grid under red alert from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and yellow alert from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

During the period, available capacity stood at 2,556 megawatts (MW), while peak demand hit 2,423 MW.

NGCP said the decline in the power supply imported by the Visayas grid from Mindanao grid was one of the factors that contributed to the declaration of a red alert.

The Visayas is a net importer of power from Luzon and Mindanao, making it vulnerable to power supply constraints when the interconnection from the two island grids is limited.

A red alert, the highest alert level, is issued when power supply is insufficient to meet consumer demand. A yellow alert is declared when power buffer is not enough to meet the transmission grid’s contingency requirement.

NGCP declared a yellow alert over the Mindanao grid from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. due to unavailability of several power plants and high forecast demand. The grid alert was lifted at 3:50 p.m.

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Sarangani province on Monday, causing outages of some power plants that led to power interruptions affecting around 850,000 households in Mindanao.

Mindanao was operating at 2,731-MW capacity against a peak demand of 2,611 MW, NGCP said.

Mindanao was placed under yellow alert for the first time this year, while the Visayas has recorded 29 yellow alerts so far.

Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin on Wednesday said restoration efforts are still ongoing, with affected power plants targeted to gradually return online.

“We’re trying to be as fast as we can, but we have to be very careful because if you bring it (power plant) too fast, the blackout could last even longer in the long term. So, we’re asking for patience. Within the week, Mindanao should return to normal,” she told reporters on the sidelines of an event organized by the Management Association of the Philippines.

Alexander D. Ablaza, president of the Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance, said the increase in demand was due to the overlapping demand of commercial, industrial and residential customers.

“Creating sufficient power reserves for the Visayas grid will need a supply-side solution of enabling adequate submarine cable transmission capacities between islands especially to import more power from Leyte and the Mindanao grid,” Mr. Ablaza told BusinessWorld.

He said that local government units, distribution utilities and electric cooperatives should implement more aggressive demand-side measures. These include load-shifting interventions and energy efficiency programs that could shave off more than 2,000 megawatts of peak demand, which continues to rise due to high heat indices and increased economic activities.

Meanwhile, Ms. Garin said the department will issue within the first half its assessment on power plants in the Visayas that are still on forced shutdown before deciding on the potential penalty that might lead to their closure.

“We need to be prepared before imposing any penalties. If there might be closures, if, for example, we cancel a license, we have to make sure that we have replacement power,” she said.

Ms. Garin said that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. directed agencies to find immediate and long-term solutions to power supply issues.

“The power supply outlook for Luzon and Mindanao is okay. Visayas is problematic. Today and next year, if we do not do anything, Visayas will still have these red and yellow alerts,” she said.

Sharon Ocampo-Montañer, director of the market operations service at the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), said the agency and the Department of Energy are closely monitoring the plants in the Visayas through joint inspections of the affected facilities.

“We’re continuously working to help those plants get restored and we’re closely monitoring their recovery so they can return to operation as soon as possible,” she told reporters.

Ms. Ocampo-Montañer said “definitely there are several plants that are exceeding the outage allowance.”

The ERC is implementing a reliability index, which sets the maximum days of planned and unplanned outages per year, varying by generating plant technology.

She said penalties that may be imposed on concerned plants would depend on the impact of the lost capacity on the grid.

]]> BSP has no space to replicate 2022-2023 tightening cycle https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/11/755914/bsp-has-no-space-to-replicate-2022-2023-tightening-cycle/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/11/755914/bsp-has-no-space-to-replicate-2022-2023-tightening-cycle/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator BSP, has, space, replicate, 2022-2023, tightening, cycle THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) will likely remain hawkish, but weak economic growth could limit its space to curb rising prices via monetary tightening, China Banking Corp.’s (Chinabank) chief economist said.

In an interview on Money Talks with Cathy Yang on One News on Wednesday, Chinabank Chief Economist Domini S. Velasquez said the central bank has no room to be as aggressive in monetary policy tightening given the weak state of the economy.

“We think the BSP will be hawkish throughout the year as long as inflation remains elevated, and we don’t see signs of it returning back to within target,” she said.

“But I think given that we have 2.8% GDP (gross domestic product) growth, one of the slowest in the region, the BSP cannot hike the same way it did in the 2022-2023 hiking cycle. They don’t have that much room,” Ms. Velasquez added.

The central bank began its previous tightening cycle in May 2022 as soaring fuel prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine stoked inflation.

Inflation accelerated from 3% before the crisis to as much as 8.7% in January 2023.

During that cycle, the BSP hiked rates by a total of 450 basis points (bps), bringing the key policy rate to 6.5% by October 2023.

The Philippine economy grew by 7.6% in 2022 and 5.5% in 2023.

Now, the economy is grappling with a new wave of oil shocks compounded by the lingering effects of last year’s flood control corruption scandal. In the first quarter, GDP grew by 2.8% — the weakest pace since the pandemic.

Ms. Velasquez said that if the BSP were to tighten aggressively against this backdrop, the economy may soon fall into a recession.

“If you hike as much as you did before, you’ll see the economy going down or possibly entering into a recession,” she said. “They need to manage it in terms of hiking prudently but not hiking too much also.”

A recession refers to a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, often seen as two consecutive quarters of contraction.

Still, Ms. Velasquez noted that the BSP can deliver another 25-bp rate increase at its June 18 meeting as inflation is expected to remain elevated throughout the year.

If realized, this would mark the central bank’s second straight hike, following its 25-bp hike to 4.5% in April to temper inflationary pressures amid threats of broadening spillover effects and disanchoring inflation expectations.

Inflation has settled above the BSP’s 2%-4% target in the last three months but unexpectedly eased for the first time in six months to 6.8% in May from the over three-year high print of 7.2% in April.

The central bank told Reuters last week it may consider taking stronger measures to steer inflation back to its 3% target if elevated inflation expectations become entrenched.

This followed BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr.’s statement in May that the Monetary Board was considering an off-cycle hike before their scheduled June review.

Based on Chinabank’s forecast, headline inflation could stay below 7% in the coming months to average 5.7% by yearend and will likely cool further to return to the BSP’s target at 3.8% in 2027.

These are slower than the BSP’s 6.3% and 3.8% estimates for 2026 and 2027.

Ms. Velasquez said elevated inflation this year will be driven by higher rice costs amid the looming El Niño season, though offset by gradually declining oil prices.

Ms. Velasquez also noted that the peso’s weakness against the dollar is benefiting the country’s exports and business process outsourcing industry, though she warned against sharp depreciation.

“But in the short term, these industries will not adjust, right? So, it’s going to take like a medium-term trend,” she said. “What we don’t want is sudden depreciation of the peso which I think the BSP has actually been monitoring.”

The Chinabank economist said they are “very positive” on the peso’s performance in the months ahead, but their “best worst-case scenario” sees the local unit hitting P63 to the dollar.

Since the war erupted on Feb. 28, the peso has moved to the P61-per-dollar range.

It averaged P61.441 against the greenback in May, about 1.91% or P1.1497 weaker than P60.2913 in April, according to central bank data.

The BSP has repeatedly said it steps in the foreign exchange market to smoothen out sharp inflationary swings, but not to maintain a specific exchange rate level. — Katherine K. Chan

]]> FDI net inflows jump 26% in March https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/11/755915/fdi-net-inflows-jump-26-in-march/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/11/755915/fdi-net-inflows-jump-26-in-march/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator FDI, net, inflows, jump, 26, March By Katherine K. Chan, Reporter

NET INFLOWS of foreign direct investments (FDI) into the Philippines grew year on year for the first time in three months in March as investor confidence stood firm, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.

Based on preliminary BSP data released on Wednesday, FDI net inflows climbed by 26.1% to $611 million in March from $485 million a year earlier.

This was the first time since December last year that FDI net inflows posted annual growth.

“FDI net inflows posted a year-on-year increase in March primarily due to base effects and some improvement in investment sentiment, particularly in equity and intercompany funding flows,” Union Bank of the Philippines Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said via Viber.

Month on month, net inflows declined by 4.2% from the revised $638 million in February.

March saw the lowest level of inflows in two months or since $469 million in January, which Mr. Asuncion attributed to cautious investor sentiment amid volatile global conditions.

Central bank data showed investments in equity and investment fund shares surged by 48.2% to $243 million in March from $164 million in the same month a year ago.

Nonresidents’ investments in net equity capital other than reinvestment of earnings also soared by 62.1% to $166 million in March from $102 million a year ago.

This came amid the 25.7% annual rise in equity capital placements to $186 million, and a 56.5% decline in withdrawals to $20 million.

Meanwhile, reinvestment of earnings stood at $78 million, 26% higher than $62 million recorded in the previous year.

Net investments in debt instruments likewise increased by 14.6% to $368 million from $321 million a year prior.

FIRST-QUARTER SLUMP
In the first quarter, total FDI net inflows fell by 16.97% to $1.717 billion from $2.068 billion in the same period last year.

SM Investments Corp. Group Economist Robert Dan J. Roces said this slide was not driven by weaker investor sentiment but likely reflected caution stemming from global uncertainty.

“The softer FDI numbers in March and in the first quarter (of 2026) suggest that investors have become more cautious amid global uncertainty, rather than signaling a sharp deterioration in sentiment toward the Philippines,” he said in a Viber message.

The US-Israeli war on Iran, which started on Feb. 28, roiled global oil markets and disrupted trade flows after access to the Strait of Hormuz was restricted.

The BSP also noted that stable foreign equity and reinvested earnings during the period showed foreign investors remained confident in the Philippines.

“From January to March 2026, foreign equity and reinvested earnings remained broadly steady, indicating continued investor confidence in the country,” the central bank said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the BSP, foreign investments in equity capital other than reinvestment of earnings dipped by 1.1% year on year to $543 million as of March from $549 million previously.

On the other hand, net foreign investments in equity capital, excluding reinvestment of earnings, grew by 13.1% to $337 million in the first quarter from $298 million in the comparable year-ago period.

This came even as equity placements slipped by 1.8% to $390 million, while withdrawals fell by 46.5% to $53 million.

“Equity capital placements were sourced primarily from Japan, the United States, and Singapore, and were channeled largely into the manufacturing, financial and insurance, and real estate industries,” the central bank said.

Meanwhile, reinvestment of earnings amounted to $206 million in the three months to March, down 17.9% annually from $251 million.

BSP data also showed net investments in debt instruments declined by 22.7% to $1.175 billion in the first quarter from $1.52 billion a year ago.

Over the coming months, FDI inflows into the country will hinge on external factors like global interest rates, geopolitical developments, and risk sentiment, as well as on domestic growth and policy execution, Mr. Asuncion said.

“While near-term inflows may remain uneven, structural drivers such as manufacturing, infrastructure, and supply chain diversification should support a gradual recovery over the medium term,” he added.

On the other hand, Mr. Roces noted that better financing conditions will allow FDI inflows to gradually rise in the months ahead.

“Moving forward, inflows may gradually pick up if and when financing conditions improve, but competition for investment remains strong, making execution, policy stability, and infrastructure delivery increasingly important in turning interest into actual investments,” he said.

FDIs refer to cross-border investments in which a nonresident investor holds at least 10% equity in a resident enterprise. These may take the form of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings and intercompany borrowings.

The BSP’s FDI data reflect actual investment flows. This differs from the Philippine Statistics Authority’s approved foreign investment data, which represent investment commitments that may not necessarily be realized within the reference period.

The central bank expects FDI net inflows to reach $7.5 billion this year.

]]> Artemis 3 commander confident crew will be ready for 2027 mission https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/artemis-3-commander-confident-crew-will-be-ready-for-2027-mission/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/artemis-3-commander-confident-crew-will-be-ready-for-2027-mission/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Artemis, commander, confident, crew, will, ready, for, 2027, mission

HOUSTON — The astronaut named commander of Artemis 3 is confident that his crew will be ready for what NASA has called one of the most complex missions in the agency’s history in just a year.

NASA named veteran astronaut Randy Bresnik as commander of Artemis 3 during a June 9 ceremony at the Johnson Space Center, along with the other three members of the crew: NASA astronauts Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio and ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano.

The four will fly a two-week mission in low Earth orbit on an Orion spacecraft that will include docking with prototypes of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 and SpaceX’s Starship lunar lander, testing those spacecraft before later crewed lunar landing attempts.

NASA has been planning a mid-2027 launch of Artemis 3, which means the four astronauts will have only about one year to train together before flying what NASA called in a social media post before the crew announcement “one of history’s most complex missions.”

In an interview a few hours after the announcement, Bresnik said he believed that his crew would be ready in time. “I’ve been working Orion and everything that goes beyond Earth orbit for eight years, and so I’ve got a lot of Orion experience,” he said, including serving as an astronaut representative to the mission management team on Artemis 2.

Douglas, while a rookie astronaut, has experience from working as a backup astronaut on Artemis 2. “Between the two of us, we’ll be able to get Luca and Frank up to speed pretty quick, and so I fully expect that a year will be sufficient,” he said.

He added that the crew of Apollo 11 was named in January 1969, six months before that historic lunar landing mission. “So if they can do that in six months, we can make one year.”

Bresnik said the Artemis 2 mission provided confidence in the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System rocket that launched it. That included the proximity operations, or “prox ops,” demonstration done on Artemis 2, where the Orion spacecraft maneuvered around its upper stage just after separating from it.

“The prox ops demonstration of Artemis 2 showed that this thing flies very, very well,” he said. “It also proved out the modeling that we were using for Artemis 2 to make our simulators work was pretty darn close.”

Artemis 2 also provided insight into how much training is needed. “The training load timewise is going to be much reduced from what they had,” he said.

There will be some new elements to Orion for Artemis 3, including a docking port and systems to assist with docking, but Bresnik did not consider Orion overall the “long pole” for the mission. “It is having the lunar lander variants or test articles up in space for us to do our work. That’s the biggest thing,” he said, something the crew will be closely tracking this summer.

Because of uncertainty about the landers and the specifics of the mission profile, he said the crew will focus its initial training on Orion. “We get to just dive into Orion and just go whole hog on Orion, and get really as up to speed as we can,” he said.

“When there is more fidelity on exactly what altitude and how the rendezvous are going to go, when that gets figured out on the mission profile, then we’ll be able to do that specific training, already having a good bit of Orion training under our belt,” he said.

Bresnik said one of the things he is looking forward to on Artemis 3 is to “complete as many flight testing objectives they can pack in that’ll buy down risk for the next mission,” which would be a crewed lunar landing attempt on Artemis 4.

“Spaceflight is hard and that’s why the most important Artemis mission will always be the next Artemis mission,” he said at the crew announcement event. “Every single mission we do after this will be more challenging and more complex.”

Read the original article here

The post Artemis 3 commander confident crew will be ready for 2027 mission appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Every Year After Season 1 Review: A Charming Summer Romance Blossoms in Barry’s Bay https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/every-year-after-season-1-review-a-charming-summer-romance-blossoms-in-barrys-bay/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/every-year-after-season-1-review-a-charming-summer-romance-blossoms-in-barrys-bay/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Every, Year, After, Season, Review:, Charming, Summer, Romance, Blossoms, Barry’s, Bay

Critic’s Rating: 4 / 5.0

4

Prime is on quite the generational run.

If there is one thing they are proving without a doubt that they know how to do, and do well, it’s pull off a sun-drenched summer romance.

While many of its themes may draw comparisons to The Summer I Turned Pretty (ahem: a disgustingly beautiful locale, two handsome blue-eyed brothers, the trials and tribulations of coming of age), Every Year After charts its own course.

(Justine Yeung/Prime Video)

Based on Carley Fortune’s debut novel Every Summer After, this 8-episode season follows the sweet, yet often fraught, friends-to-lovers relationship between Percy Fraser (Sadie Soverall) and Sam Florek (Matt Cornett).

We join them as they navigate all the magic and pain of young love — and the lasting impact it leaves, even as adults.

The show opens on our main character, Percy, a struggling obituary writer living in Seattle, giving a speech at her best friend Chantal’s (Aurora Perrineau) engagement party.

After leaving for a quick hook-up with the groom’s half-brother, she receives a call from Sam’s brother, Charlie (Michael Bradway).

Their mother, Sue (Elisha Cuthbert), has recently passed away from cancer, and Charlie is calling to invite Percy to the memorial service.

(Cate Cameron/Prime)

Percy then experiences a panic attack, and in an interesting use of visual symbolism, she rails on her closet door that refuses to close.

It’s apt foreshadowing for the core theme of this season: once opened, some doors will not stay shut.

With Chantal in tow, Percy heads back to the lake town where she spent her teen summers, the incredibly picturesque, water-so-blue-you-can’t-believe-it’s-real Canadian lake town of Barry’s Bay.

Percy has to come to terms with her past regrets; choices that have left her estranged from the Florek brothers and her former childhood friends, Delilah (Abigail Cowen) and Jordie (Joseph Chiu).

The episodes bounce back and forth between past and present-day timelines, where we watch Percy and Sam fall in love over the course of six teenage summers and discover the (honestly, not entirely shocking) twist that derailed it all.

(Cate Cameron/Prime Video)

Barry’s Bay Expands, and for the Better

The setting of Barry’s Bay is a main character in itself.

Thankfully, there are many glorious montages of lake swimming and dock-diving, ice cream eating, and boating as the golden sun sinks behind the Canadian mountains.

I’ll be the first to admit that my kryptonite is ANY story with a lake setting. If you’re in it for the vibes, I promise, they will not disappoint.

Fans of the book may also notice several subtle changes, but the bones of the story are largely the same, keeping many of the original story beats and character details.

However, the show makes one critical change, which drastically improves the adaptation for the screen: the expansion of its supporting cast.

(Cate Cameron/Prime Video)

Every Year After knows that the secret to elevating a teen drama lies in its ensemble.

It succeeds in making its supporting cast a set of nuanced, complex characters, ones you could easily see carrying future seasons as leads.

Chantal, a Type-A lawyer, quickly becomes a favorite as she embarks on a journey to find identity beyond her work and relationships with others.

Her quick wit and chemistry with the other characters keep scenes feeling fresh and surprising.

Delilah may initially appear to be the classic mean-girl archetype, but appearances are certainly deceiving. Under her polished exterior is a sensitive, complex, and very funny friend.

(Justine Yeung/Prime Video)

Jordie is also a breath of fresh air, balancing out the ensemble with his golden retriever energy and effortless charisma.

These supporting characters add some much-needed spice, compensating for the sometimes less-than-sizzling chemistry between Sam and Percy during the present-day timeline.

Percy and Sam’s teen years are marked with some sweet, convincing yearning (an edited version of the book’s “anatomy lesson” is a high point).

But as the later episodes unravel their past mistakes, their relationship dynamic is complicated by the actions of their present-day counterparts.

The show keeps them on pretty rocky ground through to the end, and their chemistry isn’t quite strong enough to convince you to unflinchingly root for them as the season draws to a close.

(Justine Yeung/Prime Video)

Unfortunately, Every Year After also drops the ball on the partners of their main characters; Sam’s girlfriend, Taylor, and Chantal’s fiancé, Jordie, quickly become collateral damage to the Barry’s Bay crew’s drama.

While minor characters, they’re still portrayed as relatively multi-dimensional during their screen time, and it would have been nice to explore that fallout with a bit more nuance.

However, I am absolutely HOOKED on the budding love triangle between Jordie, Delilah, and Chantal… and I truly do not know how I want this to play out.

The writers do an excellent job playing up the chemistry between each pair of characters, including Delilah and Chantal, who steal every scene they’re in together.

A Tale of Two Timelines

(Cate Cameron/Prime Video)

One of the biggest strengths of the season lies in how well the actors can oscillate between their teen and adult selves.

I admit, I was skeptical about how well this could come off on screen; casting actors that can plausibly play a 10-year age gap without taking the viewer out of the story is quite a lofty task.

However, through a combination of styling and subtle acting choices, all three of our leads pull off the challenge, bouncing back and forth between their youthful energy and their more grounded, sharper adult selves with apparent ease.

Sadie Soverall delivers a particularly compelling performance, showcasing her emotional range as an ambitious, curious teen and a woman haunted by the weight of her past mistakes.

No significant suspension of disbelief needed!

(Cate Cameron/Prime Video)

Real props to the younger actors as well, who play Percy, Sam, and Charlie over their first two summers.

Not only do they look the part, but they nail the charming awkwardness and eagerness inherent to the years that straddle the gap between childhood and becoming a teenager.

Can We Talk About That Unexpected Ending?

***Spoilers for Episode 8, so if you haven’t made it that far yet, you may want to skip this!***

Fans of the book will notice that the end of the season leaves things much more open-ended than the happy ending of Every Summer After.

(Justine Yeung/Prime Video)

The novel ends with Sam, Percy, and Charlie’s relationship healed, and Percy and Sam are engaged and living in Toronto.

Every Year After does not attempt to wrap things up nearly as cleanly.

It leaves room to further explore the complicated relationship between Sam and Charlie (which is still messy and broken) and to delve into how Percy and Sam can repair their trust.

Percy is now the owner of The Tavern, and the season ends with Sam returning home to Barry’s Bay in a sweet reversal of Episode 1’s “You came home” moment. Their relationship status, however, remains up in the air.

What I did not expect was for the season to end on a cliffhanger.

(Justine Yeung/Prime Video)

Charlie sees a photo of him, Sam, and Percy as teens hanging in his boss’s office.

For those who haven’t read Charlie’s love story, this is the inciting incident of Fortune’s novel One Golden Summer!

Upon viewing that photo, he suffers what appears to be a heart attack.

Is the condition that caused his father’s heart attack genetic? Will he be okay?!

After all the final two episodes did to deepen Charlie’s character development and test Sam and Percy’s bond — along with all the teasing of the Jordie/Delilah/Chantal love triangle — I’m going to need Prime to confirm Season 2 quickly!

Over to you, Every Year After Fanatics!

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this series and how Prime Video adapted it, so hit the comments below, share your thoughts, subscribe for more of our content, or share this with a friend!

You can stream the full season of Every Year After on Prime Video.

  • Every Year After Season 1 Review: A Charming Summer Romance Blossoms in Barry’s Bay

    Every Year After delivers a solid book-to-screen adaptation of Percy and Sam’s romance, but it’s the supporting cast that steals the show.

  • 7 Lessons Summer House MUST Learn From Vanderpump Rules’ Scandoval

    The betrayal? Jaw-dropping. The reunion? Heated! The romance timeline? Questionable, but it’s not playing anyone for a fool. Summer House’s Amanda and West created a scandal that has all of us gripped to the edge of our reunion seats. The messy tale of Ciara discovering that her best friend, Amanda, is dating her ex, West,…

  • FROM Season 4 Episode 7 Reinforces That Hope Comes at a Price

    Boyd and company come up with a plan as news spreads about Tabitha and Jade, and the fight to go home intensifies on FROM Season 4 Episode 7. Our review!

Read the original article here

The post Every Year After Season 1 Review: A Charming Summer Romance Blossoms in Barry’s Bay appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Windows 11 Sucks Slightly Less Now, Thanks To A June Update https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/windows-11-sucks-slightly-less-now-thanks-to-a-june-update/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/windows-11-sucks-slightly-less-now-thanks-to-a-june-update/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Windows, Sucks, Slightly, Less, Now, Thanks, June, Update

The latest Patch Tuesday update for Windows 11 is among the heaviest in recent memory, bringing a new low-latency mode for smoother system navigation in addition to new features and hundreds of bug and exploit patches. It’s a much needed relief package for Windows 11 as Microsoft puts a renewed focus on its flagship operating system, which has fallen into ill repute among tech enthusiasts over the past several years. The Redmond giant is now dumping Copilot buttons and shipping improvements to UX and performance in long-abandoned areas of the OS.

Users will see the June update as KB5094126 (OS Builds 26200.8655 and 26100.8655) in Windows Update. The big news here is the low-latency profile, which should help to alleviate slow loading times for core system shell elements such as the Start Menu, Action Center, and Search, as well as when launching apps. It’s a simple trick. When a user clicks to open a system element or app, the CPU immediately jumps to its maximum clock speed for a second or three, then jumps back down, providing just enough performance headroom to speed up the launch. Previously, the CPU would need to ramp up with increased load, which could exacerbate sluggish launches. While the low-latency profile is included in the June security update, it won’t be turned on immediately for everybody. You can check whether it’s enabled by watching a live view of your CPU speed in Task Manager or a third-party tool like HWiNFO64. If enabled, you’ll see a very brief spike in CPU activity when you open a system flyaway element like those mentioned above.

Microsoft has been making improvements to the Start Menu for a few months now, and the low-latency profile is more of a capstone on those upgrades. Mine has been much more responsive recently, whereas before all the fixes, I’d often wait a few seconds for it to open. The June update has also made a noticeable improvement in app launch speeds, even on my rather beefy gaming system. As explained by Neowin, there are even more upgrades coming in a future public build, including the ability to remove and add every section of the Start Menu. You can even turn off everything, so that when the Start Menu opens, you’ll only see a notice reading, “All Start sections are turned off.” User choice? In 2026? Pinch me.

Other Windows 11 bugbears have been bonked with this update, including improvements to downloads from the Windows Store. Previously, downloading and installing updates for apps and system components could be bafflingly slow for many users. That process should now be a lot zippier. Windows Search is now also a bit snappier, as it will begin to surface results after two characters are entered. That’s a big improvement if you’re the kind of person who likes to launch apps by pressing the Start key and typing, or if you use Search frequently.

New features in the June update include multi-app camera support, so you can now be on a Zoom call and take selfies at the same time. It also brings Shared Audio, which allows Windows to broadcast audio to two Bluetooth LE capable headphones or earbuds. Too, you can finally name your user folder to whatever you like when setting up a new Windows install. Lastly, there are new NPU monitoring tools in Task Manager, if you happen to have a PC with a dedicated AI chip.

The biggest change is one you’ll never see. Microsoft has patched a staggering 206 security vulnerabilities, many of which were rated critical or severe, with threats ranging from privilege escalation and remote code execution to information disclosure and spoofing, among other things. One fix (CVE-2026-45657) was especially critical, being a kernel-level remote code execution vulnerability with a threat score of 9.8. Microsoft said in a blog post from May that AI is supercharging vulnerability discovery. Both white and black hat researchers are able to run penetration testing on an inhuman scale, and Microsoft needs to stay ahead in that arms race to keep Windows systems secure.

Read the original article here

The post Windows 11 Sucks Slightly Less Now, Thanks To A June Update appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Thom Yorke’s Shakespeare meets Radiohead ‘Hamlet Hail To The Thief’ play to launch in London https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/thom-yorkes-shakespeare-meets-radiohead-hamlet-hail-to-the-thief-play-to-launch-in-london/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/thom-yorkes-shakespeare-meets-radiohead-hamlet-hail-to-the-thief-play-to-launch-in-london/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Thom, Yorke’s, Shakespeare, meets, Radiohead, ‘Hamlet, Hail, The, Thief’, play, launch, London

Thom Yorke’s Shakespeare-meets-Radiohead stage play Hamlet Hail To The Thief is heading to London later this year.

The show is based on Radiohead’s 2003 album ‘Hail To The Thief’ and came about as a collaboration between Yorke and the Tony and Olivier Award-winning directors Steven Hoggett and Christine Jones.

It is a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and Yorke personally reworked and orchestrated songs from the album for a cast of over 20 musicians and actors, who perform the music live on stage during each show.

It had its world premiere at Aviva Studios in Manchester in April last year before moving to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford in the summer. Now, it has been confirmed that it is heading to London for the first time.

Hamlet Hail To The Thief will open at the Barbican Theatre on October 31 this year and run until 23 January 2027. Tickets go on sale at 10am on June 26 and you will be able to find yours here.

‘Hamlet Hail To The Thief’. CREDIT: Manuel Harlan

Yorke has said: “I’m into finally bringing ‘Hamlet Hail to The Thief’ to London, and to the Barbican of all places! It is fascinating and very strange to me how this came to life and how it has worked. When it revealed itself to us over time I was shocked, having never had this kind of experience before. I am happy for it to be seen by a wider audience in such an intense space.”

Jones added: “Bringing this brutal play into the Barbican’s brutalist space seems fated. I feel fiercely fortunate to regroup with these incisive collaborators and push our work further. Both the play and the album continue to speak urgently to the convulsed world we find ourselves in. For me, working on this project is one way to find the ground beneath me.”

The original cast are returning for the Barbican run, with Samuel Blenkin (Alien: Earth, Black Mirror) playing Hamlet, Ami Tredrea as Ophelia, Paul Hilton as Claudius and Claudia Harrison as Gertrude. Alby Baldwin, Brandon Grace, Felipe Pacheco, Romaya Weaver and Marienella Phillips also return.

The synopsis for Hamlet Hail To The Thief reads: “Elsinore has become a surveillance state and hectic runs in the blood of its citizens. Hamlet Hail To The Thief centres on Hamlet and Ophelia’s awakening to the lies and corruption in Denmark, gradually revealed by ghosts and music. Paranoia reigns and no one is spared a tragic unraveling.”

Speaking about how the project came about, Yorke has explained: “I don’t not subscribe to the synchronicity thing. You know, the one about The Wizard of Oz and ‘Dark Side of the Moon’; you watch a movie, turn the sound down, put on another soundtrack and something is revealed. But, obviously, my initial reaction was, this is Hamlet, therefore it’s sacrosanct, it’s untouchable. You can’t. But the idea didn’t go away. It planted a little seed in my head.”

The project also led to a live album being released last year, after Yorke requested to hear some live recordings of Radiohead playing songs from ‘Hail To The Thief’ while putting the show together.

“I was shocked by the kind of energy behind the way we played,” he said of the recordings. “I barely recognised us, and it helped me find a way forward. We decided to get these live recordings mixed and released (it would have been insane to keep them for ourselves). It has all been a very cathartic process. We very much hope you enjoy them.”

Radiohead have not released an album since 2016’s ‘A Moon Shaped Pool’, but they played a well-received comeback tour last year. Guitarist Ed O’Brien, who released a solo album ‘Blue Morpho’ last month, recently told NME that they have “not even talked about” making a new album.

Read the original article here

The post Thom Yorke’s Shakespeare meets Radiohead ‘Hamlet Hail To The Thief’ play to launch in London appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Hail to the Thief Version of Hamlet Heads to London https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/hail-to-the-thief-version-of-hamlet-heads-to-london/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/hail-to-the-thief-version-of-hamlet-heads-to-london/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Hail, the, Thief, Version, Hamlet, Heads, London

Last year, Hamlet Hail to the Thief—an adaptation of Shakespeare’s eternal classic, Hamlet, set to Radiohead’s politically charged 2003 album, Hail to the Thief—made its world debut in Manchester, England. Now, after completing an additional run at the historic Royal Shakespeare Company, the play will get its London premiere at the Barbican Theatre from October 31 through January 23.

Hamlet Hail to the Thief is directed and adapted by Christine Jones and Steven Hoggett, with Thom Yorke reworking and orchestrating Hail to the Thief songs with a cast of 20 musicians and actors. Samuel Blenkin will reprise his role as Hamlet alongside Ami Tredrea as Ophelia.

“I’m into finally bringing Hamlet Hail to the Thief to London, and to the Barbican of all places!” Yorke wrote in a press release. “It is fascinating and very strange to me how this came to life and how it has worked. When it revealed itself to us over time I was shocked, having never had this kind of experience before. I am happy for it to be seen by a wider audience in such an intense space.”

In his review for Pitchfork, contributor Daniel Dylan Wray noted how the play’s themes of paranoia and grief dovetailed naturally with the music’s similar topics: “This project really doesn’t have any right to work, or make quite as much sense as it does. But it is an absorbing, heart-racing, and thrilling production that gracefully utilizes this music to co-exist within powerful dramatic depictions of grief, fear, madness, and death.”

Read Pitchfork’s 2025 concert review of Radiohead’s first show in eight years.

Image may contain: Person, Adult, Head, Face, Urban, Sticker, and City
Radiohead’s Hail to the Thief Brilliantly Recontextualized by New Staging of Hamlet: Review

Read the original article here

The post Hail to the Thief Version of Hamlet Heads to London appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Three more deaths linked to man accused of murder in San Diego County https://fox5sandiego.com/news/dwight-rhone-murder-charges-cold-cases-san-diego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/dwight-rhone-murder-charges-cold-cases-san-diego/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Three, more, deaths, linked, man, accused, murder, San, Diego, County Two injured in dramatic Oceanside jetty rescue amid high surf https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/oceanside/high-surf-rescue-oceanside-jetty/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/oceanside/high-surf-rescue-oceanside-jetty/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Two, injured, dramatic, Oceanside, jetty, rescue, amid, high, surf Silver Gate Yacht Club hosts 64th annual Wheelchair Regatta https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-wheelchair-regatta/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-wheelchair-regatta/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Silver, Gate, Yacht, Club, hosts, 64th, annual, Wheelchair, Regatta Man arrested for alleged kidnapping of ex-girlfriend pleads not guilty https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/man-arrested-kidnapping-ex-girlfriend-plea/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/man-arrested-kidnapping-ex-girlfriend-plea/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Man, arrested, for, alleged, kidnapping, ex-girlfriend, pleads, not, guilty FOX 5 airs these World Cup matches in San Diego, partners with SDFC for watch parties https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/fifa-world-cup-san-diego-fox-5/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/fifa-world-cup-san-diego-fox-5/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator FOX, airs, these, World, Cup, matches, San, Diego, partners, with, SDFC, for, watch, parties Pope Leo speaks with suicide survivor about mental health, hope in Christ in Barcelona stadium event https://catholics.news/pope-leo-speaks-with-suicide-survivor-about-mental-health-hope-in-christ-in-barcelona-stadium-event https://catholics.news/pope-leo-speaks-with-suicide-survivor-about-mental-health-hope-in-christ-in-barcelona-stadium-event Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, speaks, with, suicide, survivor, about, mental, health, hope, Christ, Barcelona, stadium, event US bishops urge action as housing crunch turns to crisis for families across the country https://catholics.news/us-bishops-urge-action-as-housing-crunch-turns-to-crisis-for-families-across-the-country https://catholics.news/us-bishops-urge-action-as-housing-crunch-turns-to-crisis-for-families-across-the-country Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator bishops, urge, action, housing, crunch, turns, crisis, for, families, across, the, country Benito meets Leo: Bad Bunny’s private audience with Pope Leo XIV in Madrid https://catholics.news/benito-meets-leo-bad-bunnys-private-audience-with-pope-leo-xiv-in-madrid https://catholics.news/benito-meets-leo-bad-bunnys-private-audience-with-pope-leo-xiv-in-madrid Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Benito, meets, Leo:, Bad, Bunny’s, private, audience, with, Pope, Leo, XIV, Madrid Newly renovated center brings ‘The Rosary Priest’ message to a new generation https://catholics.news/newly-renovated-center-brings-the-rosary-priest-message-to-a-new-generation https://catholics.news/newly-renovated-center-brings-the-rosary-priest-message-to-a-new-generation Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Newly, renovated, center, brings, ‘The, Rosary, Priest’, message, new, generation Lego announces new set designed after Spain’s Sagrada Família basilica https://catholics.news/lego-announces-new-set-designed-after-spains-sagrada-familia-basilica https://catholics.news/lego-announces-new-set-designed-after-spains-sagrada-familia-basilica Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Lego, announces, new, set, designed, after, Spain’s, Sagrada, Família, basilica Aftershocks exceed 2,000 following 7.8-magnitude Mindanao quake https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/10/755758/aftershocks-exceed-2000-following-7-8-magnitude-mindanao-quake/ https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/10/755758/aftershocks-exceed-2000-following-7-8-magnitude-mindanao-quake/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:39:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Aftershocks, exceed, 2, 000, following, 7.8-magnitude, Mindanao, quake Aftershocks following the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rattled Mindanao on Monday have reached 2,067, with a magnitude 5.2 tremor recorded in the past few hours, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) on Wednesday.

The aftershocks occurred across 538 areas, 48 of which were felt, based on PHIVOLCS’ aftershock count as of 8 a.m.

These aftershocks ranged from magnitude 1.2 to 6.4.

In the past few hours, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake was recorded and felt in two areas, with Intensity III reported in Malapatan, Sarangani, and General Santos City.

PHIVOLCS earlier said that aftershocks following the 7.8-magnitude earthquake on Monday may continue for weeks or even months.— Edg Adrian A. Eva

]]> Suspect wanted for $70,000 felony vandalism at Patrick Henry High School https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/suspect-felony-vandalism-patrick-henry/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/suspect-felony-vandalism-patrick-henry/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:10:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Suspect, wanted, for, 70, 000, felony, vandalism, Patrick, Henry, High, School NCR building material inflation quickens in May https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/10/755626/ncr-building-material-inflation-quickens-in-may/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/10/755626/ncr-building-material-inflation-quickens-in-may/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator NCR, building, material, inflation, quickens, May By Isa Jane D. Acabal, Researcher

WHOLESALE and retail prices of construction materials in Metro Manila accelerated to nearly three-year highs in May, driven by strong demand and persistent cost pressures, analysts said.

Preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the construction materials wholesale price index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) rose to 2.8% in May from 0.2% a year earlier and 1.9% in April.

This was the strongest reading in nearly three years or since the 5.6% growth posted in August 2023.

From January to May, CMWPI growth averaged 1.6% from 0.2% in the same period in 2025.

In a separate report, the PSA said year-on-year growth in the construction materials retail price index (CMRPI) in the NCR picked up to 1.8% in May from 1% in the same month in 2025 and 1.7% in April.

This was also the strongest reading in almost three years or since the 1.9% in June 2023.

In the five months to May, CMRPI growth averaged 1.5%, higher than the 1.1% in the same period last year.

Jonathan L. Ravelas, a senior adviser at Reyes Tacandong & Co., attributed the faster rise in construction materials prices to “a mix of firm demand and lingering cost pressures.”

“You’ve got ongoing infrastructure and construction activity supporting demand, while input costs — like cement, steel, and fuel — along with logistics, are still filtering through the system,” he said in a Viber message.

Despite easing inflation in May, Mr. Ravelas noted that construction costs are “sticky” and are slow to decline.

Inflation quickened to 6.8% in May, faster than the 1.3% print a year ago but slowed from 7.2% in April.

Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development Senior Research Fellow Ser Percival K. Peña-Reyes said the combined effects of “cost-push factors, supply-chain conditions, and demand-side pressures” contributed to the uptick in building prices in May.

He said the acceleration of prices at both the wholesale and retail levels suggests broad-based pressure across the construction supply chain.

“The most likely explanation is a combination of higher energy and logistics costs, some pickup or normalization in construction activity, lagged pass-through of earlier cost increases, and possible supply constraints in key materials,” he said in a Viber message.

Mr. Peña-Reyes said easing inflation in May “likely helped prevent a sharper acceleration in construction materials prices, but it did not reverse or significantly reduce cost pressures.”

According to the PSA, the CMWPI growth was driven by a faster annual increase in concrete products at 4.5% in May from 0.3% a year ago and 3.4% in April.

Quicker price growth was logged in lumber (1.1% in May from 0.7% in April), reinforcing steel (2.1% from 0.5%), structural steel (1.6% from 1.2%), tileworks (1.9% from 0.7%), doors, jambs, and steel casement (0.5% from 0.4%), electrical works (1.9% from 1.5%), plumbing fixtures and accessories/waterworks (0.5% from 0.4%), and painting works (3.8% from 1.9%).

Meanwhile, year-on-year growth was recorded in cement at 0.2% in May, a turnaround from the 1.5% decline a year ago and the 0.6% drop in April.

Price growth slowed in sand and gravel (3.1% in May from 3.2% in April), hardware (0.1% from 0.3%), and fuels and lubricants (7.8% from 13.6%).

On the other hand, declines were recorded in plywood at -0.1% from a 0.2% growth in April and metal products at -0.1%, a reversal from the 0.1% increase in the previous month.

PVC pipes declined further to 0.2% in May from 0.1% in the previous month.

RETAIL PRICES
Meanwhile, the PSA said the uptrend in the annual growth of the CMRPI was due to painting materials and related compounds index, which rose to 2.9% in May from 2.1% a year earlier and 2.2% in April.

Faster yearly increases were also noted in electrical materials (2% in May from 1.9% in April), masonry materials (2% from 1.9%), plumbing materials (0.8% from 0.5%), tinsmithry materials (2.9% from 2.5%), and miscellaneous construction materials (1.6% from 1.5%).

The growth in carpentry materials remained steady at 0.6%.

“What we’re seeing in concrete and paint materials reflects where we are in the build cycle — strong infra demand for concrete, and finishing activity driving paint prices, with added pressure from oil-linked chemical inputs,” Mr. Ravelas said.

In the coming months, Mr. Ravelas said price increases in construction materials are expected to be “steady but moderate.”

“The key drivers to watch are energy prices and overall inflation trends. For now, the environment calls for careful cost management and timing of projects, because while pressures are no longer surging, they’re definitely not going away,” he said.

Mr. Peña-Reyes said construction material inflation will face “moderate but uneven upward pressure.”

“The outlook depends less on headline inflation and more on a few construction-specific drivers: energy costs, infrastructure activity, exchange rates, and supply conditions,” he added.

The CMRPI is based on 2012 constant prices, while the CMWPI is based on 2018 constant prices.

]]> ADB to work with Philippine gov’t on RE project pipeline https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/10/755627/adb-to-work-with-philippine-govt-on-re-project-pipeline/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/10/755627/adb-to-work-with-philippine-govt-on-re-project-pipeline/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator ADB, work, with, Philippine, gov’t, project, pipeline By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Senior Reporter

THE ASIAN Development Bank (ADB) is working with the Philippine government to build a pipeline of energy projects to accelerate renewable energy (RE) deployment, improve energy efficiency, and reduce diesel dependence in off-grid areas.

“ADB is continuing to support the Philippines in scaling up RE by providing sovereign and non-sovereign financing, in addition to transaction advisory services,” ADB Country Director for the Philippines Andrew Jeffries told BusinessWorld, adding that the lender is working with the government to identify priority projects for future financing.

The proposed projects include support for a government energy management plan, a geothermal resource derisking facility to spur greenfield development, and initiatives to reduce diesel consumption in off-grid areas.

The planned projects come as the Philippines seeks to accelerate its energy transition and boost the share of RE in the power generation mix to 35% by 2030 from the current 26%.

ADB is also supporting the government through policy-based lending aimed at strengthening policies and regulations to scale up RE, diversify energy sources, and expand access to electricity.

Mr. Jeffries said the Philippines is well-positioned to attract the private capital needed to support its energy transition because of its largely privatized power sector and established regulatory framework.

“Its energy sector has been broadly privatized, and this is accompanied by a highly developed policy and regulatory framework. This has led to substantial levels of private sector investment,” he said, pointing to strong investor participation in the government’s Green Energy Auction (GEA) program.

The Department of Energy completed the fourth round of the GEA in November last year, awarding contracts to 123 winning bidders.

The government is also planning to offer at least 25 gigawatts (GW) of additional RE capacity through annual competitive auctions beginning this year.

“The successful implementation of a green energy auction program is evidence that the country is able to attract much needed investment in clean energy,” Mr. Jeffries said.

“The Philippines is likely to continue to be seen as an attractive destination for private sector investment — a prerequisite if it is to meet the unprecedented demand for electricity currently experienced across Asia and the Pacific region,” he added.

Mr. Jeffries’ comments came as ADB officials pushed for greater regional cooperation and private sector participation to address mounting energy challenges across Asia and the Pacific.

ADB President Masato Kanda warned that geopolitical tensions and rapidly rising electricity demand are exposing vulnerabilities in the region’s energy systems, underscoring the need for greater cross-border connectivity.

“If we attempt to operate our national energy systems in total isolation from one another, we will fail… To survive and thrive, we must build deeply connected, highly intelligent networks,” he said at the opening plenary of the Asia Clean Energy Forum on Tuesday.

ADB has recently launched the Pan-Asia Power Grid Initiative (PAGI) which aims to connect national and regional power systems and allow energy to flow across borders.

Under PAGI, ADB plans to commit $25 billion from its own balance sheet to help connect 22,000 circuit-kilometers of transmission lines, integrate 20 GW of RE into a regional system, reduce power sector emissions by 15%, and create 840,000 jobs.

However, Mr. Kanda said public resources alone would not be enough to finance the initiative, citing tightening fiscal space, rising debt burdens, and shifting aid priorities.

“The large pools of capital required for this transition exist right now in the private sector. The problem isn’t a lack of global capital; it is a lack of an enabling environment and the absence of real de-risking mechanisms,” he said.

To help mobilize private investment, ADB plans to quadruple its annual private sector financing to $13 billion by 2030 through blended finance, first-loss capital, and expanded guarantee instruments.

“We will do the hard work upstream to make these massive regional public goods genuinely bankable,” Mr. Jeffries added.

]]> June rate hike might be last as ‘worst is over’ for Philippine inflation https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/10/755628/june-rate-hike-might-be-last-as-worst-is-over-for-philippine-inflation/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/10/755628/june-rate-hike-might-be-last-as-worst-is-over-for-philippine-inflation/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator June, rate, hike, might, last, ‘worst, over’, for, Philippine, inflation THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) tightening cycle may end up short lived as the surprise easing of inflation in May signals that the “worst is over” for price shocks, Pantheon Macroeconomics said.

Pantheon Macroeconomics said the central bank might just deliver a second straight 25-basis-point (bp) hike next week before standing pat for the remainder of the year.

“Arguably, the door is now even ajar for the (Monetary) Board to stand pat next week,” Pantheon Macroeconomics Chief Emerging Asia Economist Miguel Chanco and Asia Economist Meekita Gupta said in a report on Tuesday.

The Monetary Board will hold its next policy review on June 18.

“We’ve loudly been on the dovish side of this debate from the get-go, but we now expect a final 25-bp increase next week, even though the CPI (consumer price index) result was good,” they added.

This followed the weaker-than-expected inflation reading in May, which cooled to 6.8% from 7.2% in April.

“This is the first deceleration in six months — suggesting that the worst is over — also undershooting the BSP’s 7.1-to-7.9% estimate,” Mr. Chanco and Ms. Gupta said.

For Mr. Chanco and Ms. Gupta, this means that any aggressive monetary policy action, including an off-cycle move and a 50-bp hike in a single meeting, is likely off the table.

The Monetary Board began a fresh tightening cycle in April as it delivered a 25-bp rate hike to 4.5%, which it said was meant to prevent broader spillover effects and keep inflation expectations anchored.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. has remained hawkish since their April meeting, even saying last month that the Board is considering an off-cycle rate hike.

The central bank likewise maintained its inflation-targeting stance as it reaffirmed last week that it will take all necessary measures to bring inflation back to its 3% target.

Pantheon Macroeconomics now sees Philippine inflation averaging 5.5% this year and 3.2% next year. These are slower than its previous estimate of 5.9% and 3.6%, respectively.

However, Mr. Chanco and Ms. Gupta noted that raising the key policy rate above 4.75% could harm an economy already grappling with energy shocks and still recovering from last year’s flood control mess fallout.

“We continue to believe that any additional tightening would be rash, not least because the country’s core measure still includes a lot of food and oil-sensitive components that cloud the picture. But the economy is in no shape to swallow arguably unnecessary hikes; recall the abysmal Q1 GDP (gross domestic product) result,” the Pantheon economists said.

Mr. Remolona earlier noted that they are hopeful the government’s fiscal measures will help the economy rebound as they focus on taming inflation. 

His remark came after oil shocks and the lingering effects of the flood control controversy led the economy to slump anew in the first quarter, with GDP growth easing to 2.8% from 3% in the fourth quarter and 5.4% a year ago.

TERMS-OF-TRADE SHOCK
Meanwhile, Fitch Ratings said large net oil importers like the Philippines continue to bear the brunt of the Middle East conflict, which are facing an adverse terms-of-trade shock.

“Some of the largest net oil importing countries (as a share of GDP) are in south and south-east Asia, including Korea, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand,” Fitch Ratings Chief Economist Brian Coulton and Director for Economics Group Alex Muscatelli said in a June 4 report.

“Large net oil importers will suffer the biggest adverse terms-of-trade shock, and there has been a close correlation between the size of net oil imports and currency depreciation since the oil crisis began,” they added.

The Philippines imports over 90% of its oil from the Middle East, which made the war’s impact on oil trade and prices more severe for the economy.

Since Feb. 28, the country saw local oil prices soar, with its reserves dwindling as trade disruptions dragged on.

In the same report, Fitch Ratings cut its growth forecast for emerging markets, excluding China, to 3.2% from 3.4% for this year.

This, as Mr. Coulton and Mr. Muscatelli noted that emerging economies such as the Philippines will encounter major inflationary pressures from the oil crisis amid the US-Israel war on Iran.

“Again, emerging markets seem most at risk given the larger inflationary impact and monetary policy has already been tightened in several Asian economies, including Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka,” they said.

Still, Fitch expects emerging economies to slightly recover with a 3.4% growth from 2027 to 2028. — Katherine K. Chan

]]> Philippine underemployment hits near 3-year high in April https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/10/755629/philippine-underemployment-hits-near-3-year-high-in-april/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/10/755629/philippine-underemployment-hits-near-3-year-high-in-april/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippine, underemployment, hits, near, 3-year, high, April By Erika Mae P. Sinaking, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES’ underemployment rate climbed to a near three-year high in April, even as the joblessness fell to its lowest level in four months, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The latest Labor Force Survey by the PSA showed that the underemployment rate surged to 15.2% in April 2026, up from 14.6% in the same month a year ago and the 12.3% in March 2026.

National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said the underemployment rate of 15.2% was the highest since July 2023.

The ranks of underemployed Filipinos — those who want longer work hours or an additional job — increased to 7.41 million in April from 7.081 million in the same month a year ago and from 6.031 million in March.

Mr. Mapa said underemployment was evident in the transportation and storage sector, particularly among drivers of jeepneys, taxis, buses, and ride-hailing services. Drivers may have been forced to cut their work hours due to soaring pump prices since the start of the US-Iran war in late February.

The underemployment rate averaged 13.12% in the first four months, up from 12.85% in the same period year ago.

The average weekly hours worked by an employed person rose to 40.2 hours in April from 39.9 hours in April 2025 but fell from 40.7 in March.

“Filipinos sought additional work to cope with the rising cost of living. Some jobseekers may have also accepted part-time or lower-paying roles to secure income. At the same time, firms may have reduced working hours to manage higher operating costs, prompting workers to look for supplementary employment to offset lost earnings,” Chinabank Research said in a separate report.

Meanwhile, the jobless rate rose to 4.7% in April from the 4.1% in the same month last year but easing from the 5% in March. This was the lowest jobless rate in four months or since the 4.4% in December 2025.

The number of unemployed Filipinos was estimated at 2.41 million in April, 351,000 higher than the 2.06 million recorded a year ago.

PSA data showed wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles posted the biggest annual decline in jobs in April with 450,000, followed by agriculture and forestry with 392,000.

Mr. Mapa noted that the year-on-year rise in unemployment was driven largely by job seekers in the 15-24 and 25-34 age groups.

“The reason for the year-on-year increase in the unemployed is that they were truly looking for work but could not find any,” Mr. Mapa told a news briefing in Filipino, adding that many were also waiting for results from job applications.

For the first four months of the year, the jobless rate averaged 5.15%, higher than the 4.02% a year ago.

The labor force participation rate (LFPR) fell to 62.7% in April from 63.7% a year ago and 63.3% in March. This was equivalent to 51.3 million Filipinos aged 15 years and over who were part of the labor force, slightly higher than the 50.74 million a year ago.

For youth aged 15 to 24, the LFPR stood at 31.8% in April, unchanged from last year.

The number of youths not in education, employment, or training rose to 2.64 million in April, making up 12.2% of the youth population compared with 10.6% a year ago.

CHALLENGES
In a statement, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said that the government is working to broaden market access and attract investments in emerging industries.

“The latest labor market indicators reflect both the challenges confronting the economy and the resilience of Filipino workers and businesses,” he said

Mr. Balisacan said the government is monitoring the employment impact of the Middle East crisis, the El Niño weather phenomenon, and the recent 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Mindanao.

“We remain committed to providing timely support to affected workers and households,” he said.

The employment rate in April stood at 95.3%, lower than the 95.9% posted in April 2025 but higher than the 95% in March.

The total number of employed Filipinos increased to 48.89 million in April from 48.67 million a year earlier. However, this number is lower than the 49.07 million employed in March. 

The average employment rate in the first four months fell to 94.85% from 95.97% a year ago.

Industries with the largest year-on-year increase in jobs were accommodation and food service activities with 510,000, manufacturing with 259,000, transportation and storage with 189,000, mining and quarrying with 158,000, and education with 107,000.

Regional data also showed that the Davao Region posted the highest employment rate at 97.5% in April, while the Bicol Region had the lowest at 93.2%.

Chinabank Research said the Philippines’ labor market remained resilient despite the impact of the Middle East war and slow government infrastructure spending but added that underemployment may continue to remain high.

“Looking ahead, underemployment may stay elevated in the near term as households and businesses continue to contend with high inflation,” it said, adding that underemployment rates usually increase during periods of high inflation.

Aside from the transportation sector, Chinabank Research said underemployment also rose in manufacturing and accommodation and food services.

“Notably, these sectors were key drivers of overall employment growth, suggesting that many of the jobs generated in April may offer insufficient or unstable income. The construction sector also saw an increase in underemployed workers, possibly reflecting delays in public infrastructure projects,” it said.

Chinabank Research also noted that jobs in the wholesale and retail trade sector dropped for a 10th straight month, reflecting sluggish consumer confidence.

It said the agriculture sector saw a sixth straight month of jobs decline in April, amid limited fertilizer supply and elevated fuel costs, and may face challenges from El Niño.

University of the Philippines Diliman School of Labor and Industrial Relations Assistant Professor Benjamin B. Velasco said high unemployment rate reflects a labor market that cannot adjust to the economic headwinds.

“Our economy is not being resilient as shown by big job losses in wholesale and retail trade, which easily absorbs surplus labor since this sector requires low skills and education and thus wages are cheap and jobs are insecure,” Mr. Velasco told BusinessWorld in a Facebook chat.

He noted the underemployment rate in the Philippines is around three times that of the jobless rate, since many Filipinos are unable to find steady jobs and settle for part-time work.

IBON Foundation Executive Director Jose Enrique “Sonny” A. Africa said job insecurity is worsening amid the impact of severe oil shocks.

]]> Mindanao quake death toll climbs to 45 as aftershocks persist https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/10/755755/mindanao-quake-death-toll-climbs-to-45-as-aftershocks-persist/ https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/10/755755/mindanao-quake-death-toll-climbs-to-45-as-aftershocks-persist/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Mindanao, quake, death, toll, climbs, aftershocks, persist The number of fatalities from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Mindanao on Monday has reached at least 45, the state disaster agency said, as aftershocks continue to rattle the island.

In its June 9 situational report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported 487 people were injured while 17 remain missing, as of Tuesday, 6 p.m., with figures still subject to ongoing validation.

The earthquake also affected a total of 149,372 persons across four regions, including Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, and Soccsksargen.

It added that approximately 32,464 people are currently taking shelter in 57 evacuation centers, while another 8,973 are staying with relatives or friends.

The tectonic earthquake, attributed to subduction along the Cotabato Trench, occurred on June 8 at 7:37 a.m. with its epicenter near Maasim, Sarangani, at a depth of 33 kilometers.

As of Wednesday, state seismologists recorded 1,738 aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 1.3 to 6.4.

Authorities have also suspended classes in 210 cities and municipalities, with the Education department deploying engineers to evaluate the safety of school structures before any resumption of learning is allowed.

The report also noted that 2,994 houses were damaged, of which 495 were totally destroyed.

Infrastructure damage is estimated at P15 million, with 238 structures reported damaged across the impacted areas.

Power was interrupted in 13 cities and municipalities, with restoration completed in seven of those areas as of Wednesday.

The earthquake also induced 10 reported landslides, primarily in Davao Occidental and Sarangani.

Search, rescue, and retrieval operations remain active, involving 3,773 personnel and 110 assets from the military, police, coast guard, and fire bureau.

Government agencies and local units have provided approximately P18.4 million in food and non-food assistance to affected families. Work stoppages remain in 124 affected localities as safety inspections proceed. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking

]]> Frozen squirrel scat preserves ancient DNA from hundreds of species https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/frozen-squirrel-scat-preserves-ancient-dna-from-hundreds-of-species/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/frozen-squirrel-scat-preserves-ancient-dna-from-hundreds-of-species/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Frozen, squirrel, scat, preserves, ancient, DNA, from, hundreds, species

Arctic ground squirrels gather food from a wide variety of sources and store it in burrows

Government of Yukon

A rich and complex ecosystem stretching back 700,000 years that included woolly mammoths, bison, horses and big cats has been unveiled thanks to DNA preserved in frozen faeces.

Arctic ground squirrels (Urocitellus parryii) are rodents about 40 centimetres long, found in cold regions of both North America and Siberia. These areas were joined by a land bridge in the past, with the whole region being known as Beringia.

“The squirrels hibernate for about eight months of the year and in the four months that they’re conscious, they really need to get out there and eat and bring as many resources as they can back to their burrow,” says Tyler Murchie at the Hakai Institute in Campbell River, Canada.

This means their burrows often contain a wealth of faecal pellets and food caches, which makes the animals like “natural archivists”, says Murchie. To see what might be stored in this archive, he and his colleagues looked at preserved faeces – known as coprolites – from 13 Arctic ground squirrel burrows in the central Yukon in Canada that were frozen in permafrost.

The burrows dated to between about 30,000 and 700,000 years ago. From the droppings, each of which is about 1 to 2 centimetres long, the team extracted DNA belonging to a wide range of organisms.

These include microbes, more than 200 different plant groups and animals including insects, other rodents, woolly mammoths, horses, grey wolves, steppe bison and a big cat that was either an American cheetah or a cougar. “It’s the whole cast of organisms that lived in the Beringian ice-age ecosystem,” says Murchie.

You might assume that ground squirrels would primarily eat nuts and seeds, but that’s not the case, he says. “They’re actually quite omnivorous, almost like little bears. There are reports of ground squirrels eating carcasses of moose and lynx, so the fact that we find all of these large animals in their coprolites isn’t actually that surprising.”

Ancient faecal pellets left by Arctic ground squirrels, found in Yukon, Canada

Duane Froese, University of Alberta

Murchie and his colleagues were able to use the DNA they found to reconstruct mitochondrial genomes of many animals from different points in time. These included 12 ground squirrels – one lineage of which dated back 700,000 years – three horses, two bison and one hare. They also found enough DNA to piece together six woolly mammoth genomes, but details of those will be published separately.

“These are fantastically preserved samples that really showcase the ecological diversity of the Yukon through time,” says Kelsey Witt at Clemson University in South Carolina.

She says it is hard to know whether DNA from a given species is present in a coprolite because it was eaten by a ground squirrel, or because it existed in the environment and leached in. But she does say it is feasible that the rodents consumed mammoth meat, given how much DNA was present in the samples and that ground squirrels are often scavengers.

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post Frozen squirrel scat preserves ancient DNA from hundreds of species appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> NASA names crew for Artemis 3 mission to test lunar landers https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nasa-names-crew-for-artemis-3-mission-to-test-lunar-landers/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nasa-names-crew-for-artemis-3-mission-to-test-lunar-landers/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NASA, names, crew, for, Artemis, mission, test, lunar, landers

HOUSTON — NASA has named the astronauts who will fly the next Artemis mission, a test flight in low Earth orbit in which the Orion spacecraft will attempt to dock with prototypes of two lunar landers.

During an event at the Johnson Space Center on June 9, NASA announced the crew selected to fly the Artemis 3 mission in mid-2027.

Commanding the mission will be NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, a veteran of one of the final space shuttle missions who later spent nearly five months on the International Space Station. The mission’s pilot is Luca Parmitano, a European Space Agency astronaut who spent two long-duration missions on the ISS in 2013 and 2019-20.

The mission specialists are NASA’s Frank Rubio, who holds the record for the longest American spaceflight at 371 days in 2022-23, and Andre Douglas, a rookie astronaut who was a backup for Artemis 2. Bob Hines, a NASA astronaut who flew a six-month mission on the ISS in 2022, will be the mission’s backup, training with the four prime crew members to be able to replace any of them.

The four will fly what NASA officials have described as one of the most complex crewed missions ever flown, involving a coordinated series of launches along with rendezvous and docking operations.

“This mission is deliberately designed to take calculated risks so that future crews will be safer and ultimately successful when we put boots on the lunar surface,” said Jeremy Parsons, who was named Artemis program manager by NASA last month as part of a sweeping reorganization of the agency.

Concept of operations

NASA announced in February that Artemis 3, once set to be the first crewed lunar landing attempt, would instead be a test flight involving Orion and lunar landers in Earth orbit, modeled on the Apollo 9 mission. The agency, though, had offered few specifics about the mission until now.

At the crew announcement, Parsons described how Artemis 3, slated to last two weeks, would unfold. First, Blue Origin will launch a prototype of its Blue Moon Mark 2 lander. That spacecraft will be able to spend 90 days in low Earth orbit.

“This gives us flexibility to launch our crew of four on Orion and our powerful Space Launch System,” he said. Orion will rendezvous and dock with the Blue Moon lander, spending two days docked together. That will include astronauts entering the lander and testing a version of the Artemis lunar spacesuit Axiom Space is developing.

“This gives our teams key information on systems the lunar lander crew will depend on, in an environment close to home versus four-plus days away around the moon,” he said.

After Orion undocks from Blue Moon, it will remain in low Earth orbit and await the launch of a SpaceX Starship lunar lander prototype. Orion and Starship will dock and spend a day together. Orion will then depart and prepare to return home, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

The landers that Orion will dock with are prototypes of those that would later be used for lunar missions, although neither would be capable of a landing. The Starship lander, for example, will be a variant of the Starship Version 3 vehicle that made its first test flight May 22.

Steve Creech, NASA Human Landing System program manager, said in an interview that it will be a model taken “off the line” at SpaceX’s Starbase production facility with modifications such as a docking port, but without a crew cabin or landing systems.

“We’re not going to do an ingress into the crew cabin” on that Starship, he said. “That’s a pretty big change that will come later in the progression of Starship.” SpaceX is instead working on a crew cabin for ground tests.

The Blue Moon lander, by contrast, will have a crew cabin and life support system, but without a propulsion system. “They’re going to build a mass simulator of the Mark 2 lander coming back from the moon to dock with Orion,” Creech said.

The crew cabin, which the crew will enter, will also enable tests of Axiom’s suit, such as the ability to put on and take off the suit in the lander’s cabin.

Both Blue Origin and SpaceX are still required to carry out uncrewed landings of their vehicles on the moon before NASA will use them for crewed landings. “That combination of hardware activities and the Artemis test mission cover the waterfront of key things we want to demonstrate before Artemis 4,” he said.

Schedule risk

Creech said he believed that both Blue Origin and SpaceX would be ready with their lander prototypes by Artemis 3’s projected launch date in 2027.

“We feel like this is doable in 2027 with both of these providers,” he said. “There’s hardware build and progress that needs to take place, but I think this is a really good mission to burn down a lot of risk and learn about interacting with Orion, and also keep our tempo of flights going.”

One concern is the ability of Blue Origin to launch its Blue Moon lander after a New Glenn rocket exploded on the launch pad during a static-fire test May 28. Blue Origin is making “excellent progress” on the investigation and pad cleanup, said John Couluris, senior vice president of lunar permanence at the company, during the crew announcement event.

While Blue Origin has vowed to resume New Glenn flights by the end of the year, many in the industry are skeptical that the rocket can resume flying before mid-2027 given the work needed to rebuild pad infrastructure damaged or destroyed in the explosion.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a Fox Business interview June 4 that NASA was looking at “decoupling” the Blue Moon lander from the New Glenn rocket, potentially allowing it to launch on other vehicles.

“We’re looking at that option for risk mitigation,” Creech said. A major issue, he said, is that Blue Moon Mark 2 is designed to launch on New Glenn and its payload fairing, which is 7 meters in diameter. That is larger than the payload fairings available for other rockets, like SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy and United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur.

“We’re working very closely with Blue Origin,” Isaacman told reporters after the crew announcement event. “We’re making available subject matter expertise, everything we can to get them back in the business of launching big rockets again.”

He appeared to rule out flying Artemis 3 if only one of the two landers is ready.

“We’re not going to launch this mission until we feel like the objectives that are outlined are sufficient to bring down risk for a follow-on landing to the moon itself,” he said. “As it stands right now, that’s two landers.”

“I would say NASA is extremely confident” about the schedule for Artemis 3 as well as the Artemis 4 landing attempt that would follow in 2028, he said. “We’re going to return to the moon before the end of 2028.”

Read the original article here

The post NASA names crew for Artemis 3 mission to test lunar landers appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Conan O’Brien Is Hosting Educational Videos For An AI Cybersecurity Company https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/conan-obrien-is-hosting-educational-videos-for-an-ai-cybersecurity-company/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/conan-obrien-is-hosting-educational-videos-for-an-ai-cybersecurity-company/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Conan, O’Brien, Hosting, Educational, Videos, For, Cybersecurity, Company

At long last, a corporate training you might actually enjoy.


Photo showing a close-up of comedian Conan O'Brien. He's wearing a suit and standing in front of a white backdrop.
Axelle/bauer-griffin/Getty Images

Cybersecurity AI company Adaptive Security has partnered with famed comedian Conan O’Brien for a 15-part educational video series. These training videos will help Adaptive’s clients and their employees to navigate threats such as phishing and deepfakes. 

Considering how often corporate trainings are a total snoozefest, getting a genuinely funny and smart person to present this critical information seems like a smart, if expensive, move. The clip currently promoting the partnership on Adaptive’s website even kicks off with a joke about O’Brien only doing the gig for the money.

More broadly, it’s great to see a business investing in this type of education to ensure that people really do follow best practices for online safety. The FTC said social media scams cost Americans at least $2.1 billion last year. Companies that might have access to even bigger bank accounts, not to mention sensitive information, make for even juicier targets. And AI tools can make cons awfully convincing and easier to pull off. 

Luckily, there are plenty of common sense rules you can follow to keep the troublemakers at bay. We aren’t lucky enough to have Conan narrating them, but just queue up the monorail episode of The Simpsons to play in the background while you read some of Engadget’s top cybersecurity tips for a near-identical experience. 

Read the original article here

The post Conan O’Brien Is Hosting Educational Videos For An AI Cybersecurity Company appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Ryuichi Sakamoto autobiography ‘Music Sets You Free: A Memoir’ announced https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/ryuichi-sakamoto-autobiography-music-sets-you-free-a-memoir-announced/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/ryuichi-sakamoto-autobiography-music-sets-you-free-a-memoir-announced/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Ryuichi, Sakamoto, autobiography, ‘Music, Sets, You, Free:, Memoir’, announced

An autobiography from the late legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, titled Music Sets You Free: A Memoir, has been announced today (June 9).

The memoir from the “godfather of electronic music” will be released on September 22 via HarperVia books.

A statement from publishers HarperVia (an imprint of Harper Collins) described it as “the complete autobiography from the legendary and fearless musician, composer, and activist Ryuichi Sakamoto, in a brilliant translation from the Japanese by Sam Bett and with the full support and collaboration of Sakamoto’s estate and management team.”

You can pre-order the memoir here.

A statement from publishing house Harper Collins added: “Music Sets You Free combines the translations of Sakamoto’s two memoirs published in Japanese – Music Makes You Free and How Many More Times Will I Watch the Full Moon Rise? It offers an intimate, contemplative account of his life, from his first encounter with a piano, to his rise as a global pop star, and his later reflections on mortality and music in the wake of multiple cancer treatments and surgeries.

“An affirming, beautifully written testament to art, life and sound, Music Sets You Free is a lasting gift from a true musical great.

Sakamoto died in 2023 at the age of 71. After making his name as a founding member of pioneering electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra, he went on to become a revered composer for films such as The Last Emperor, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence and The Revenant.

The NME obituary for Sakamoto said: “Over the decades, he remained fascinated with the pop song, testing the endurance of its form through different methods of musicianship – even while holding on to his earliest and dearest classical inspirations. In the wake of his departure, it’s hard to imagine that there will ever be another like Ryuichi Sakamoto.”

Ryuichi Sakamoto. Credit: Neo Sora
Ryuichi Sakamoto. Credit: Neo Sora

Meanwhile, last year, the estate of Sakamoto joined the ’No Music For Genocide’ campaign and removed his music from streaming in Israel.

The campaign was a cultural boycott initiative encouraging artists and rights-holders to pull their music from streaming platforms in Israel in response to the genocide in Gaza.

Massive Attack, Fontaines D.C., Amyl & The Sniffers, and Kneecap were among the first leading names to join the initiative and were soon joined by Paramore, Rina Sawayama, MIKE, Primal Scream, Faye Webster, Japanese Breakfast, Yaeji, King Krule, MJ Lenderman, Mannequin Pussy, Wednesday, Soccer Mommy and MØ.

The estate of the legendary Japanese composer also joined, writing on Facebook: “To the extent possible, the Estate has removed or issued formal requests to labels to remove his music from all DSP (streaming and download) services in Israel. For much of his catalog, this has already taken effect.”

Other leading names to back ‘No Music For Genocide’ included Björk, Lorde, IDLES, MUNA, Paloma Faith, Clairo, Wolf Alice, Lucy Dacus and AURORA.

Read the original article here

The post Ryuichi Sakamoto autobiography ‘Music Sets You Free: A Memoir’ announced appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Bonobo Enlists Arooj Aftab, Nilüfer Yanya for New Album Distance in Static https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/bonobo-enlists-arooj-aftab-nilufer-yanya-for-new-album-distance-in-static/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/bonobo-enlists-arooj-aftab-nilufer-yanya-for-new-album-distance-in-static/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Bonobo, Enlists, Arooj, Aftab, Nilüfer, Yanya, for, New, Album, Distance, Static

Bonobo:
08-04 Ibiza, Spain – Pikes Presents @ 528 ^
08-08 Málaga, Spain – Marenostrum Fuengirola ^
11-05 Austin, TX – Emo’s
11-06 Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
11-07 Dallas, TX – The Echo
11-09 Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
11-11 Los Angeles, CA – Wiltern
11-12 Los Angeles, CA – Wiltern
11-14 Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
11-15 Portland, OR – Roseland
11-16 Vancouver, British Columbia – PNE Forum
11-17 Seattle, WA – Showbox Sodo
11-19 Denver, CO – Mission
11-20 Aspen, CO – Belly Up Aspen
11-24 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
11-25 Chicago, IL – Radius
11-26 Toronto, Ontario – History
11-27 Montreal, Quebec – MTELUS
11-28 Boston, MA – House of Blues
11-30 Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
12-03 Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore
12-04 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
12-05 Brooklyn, NY – Paramount Theater

^ DJ Set

Correction: A previous version of this story listed several old tour dates. It has since been updated.

Read the original article here

The post Bonobo Enlists Arooj Aftab, Nilüfer Yanya for New Album Distance in Static appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> NASCAR's Daniel Suárez visits San Diego's Mexican Consulate https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/suarez-mexican-consulate-nascar/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/suarez-mexican-consulate-nascar/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NASCARs, Daniel, Suárez, visits, San, Diegos, Mexican, Consulate Former Miramar Marine pilot will lead Artemis III crew https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/artemis-iii-crew-bresnik/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/artemis-iii-crew-bresnik/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Former, Miramar, Marine, pilot, will, lead, Artemis, III, crew Larry's spellcasting messages switched from making Maya fall in love to hurting her https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/maya-millette-trial-sopp-testimony/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/maya-millette-trial-sopp-testimony/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Larrys, spellcasting, messages, switched, from, making, Maya, fall, love, hurting, her La Mesa unveils new Downtown District sign https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/la-mesa/la-mesa-downtown-district-sign/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/la-mesa/la-mesa-downtown-district-sign/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Mesa, unveils, new, Downtown, District, sign Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton will face off in California governor’s race https://fox5sandiego.com/news/world-news/ap-international/ap-republican-steve-hilton-advances-to-general-election-in-race-for-california-governor/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/world-news/ap-international/ap-republican-steve-hilton-advances-to-general-election-in-race-for-california-governor/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Democrat, Xavier, Becerra, and, Republican, Steve, Hilton, will, face, off, California, governor’s, race Philippine jobless rate rises to 4.7% in April, underemployment hits near 3-year high https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/09/755475/philippine-jobless-rate-rises-to-4-7-in-april-underemployment-hits-near-3-year-high/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/09/755475/philippine-jobless-rate-rises-to-4-7-in-april-underemployment-hits-near-3-year-high/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:39:09 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippine, jobless, rate, rises, 4.7, April, underemployment, hits, near, 3-year, high The Philippine jobless rate rose to 4.7% in April from a year earlier, while underemployment climbed to a nearly three-year high of 15.2%, signaling continued weakness in the labor market.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the jobless rate stood at 4.7% in April, higher than the 4.1% in the same month last year.

PSA data showed that the jobless rate stood at 4.7% in April, higher than the 4.1% in the same month last year.

However, the unemployment rate eased from 5% in March.

The number of unemployed Filipinos was estimated at 2.41 million in April, 351,000 higher than the 2.06 million recorded a year ago.

National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa noted that the year-on-year rise in unemployment was driven largely by job seekers in the 25-34 and 15-24 age groups.

“The reason for the year-on-year increase in the unemployed is that they were truly looking for work but could not find any; this accounted for about 276,000 individuals,” Mr. Mapa said told a news briefing in Filipino, adding that many were also waiting for results from job applications.

Meanwhile, rising underemployment emerged as a growing concern, with the rate climbing to 15.2% in April 2026, up from 14.6% year-on-year and higher than the 12.3% recorded in March 2026.

Mr. Mapa said the underemployment rate of 15.2% was the highest since July 2023.

The ranks of underemployed Filipinos — those who want longer work hours or an additional job – increased to 7.41 million in April, from the 7.081 million in the same month a year ago and from 6.031 million in March.

Mr. Mapa pointed to the transportation and storage sector as a major contributor to this trend, specifically among jeepney, taxi, and bus drivers.

“While in a way, the status of being employed was not necessarily affected in terms of hours and income, that was what was affected as reflected by the underemployment numbers in transportation and storage,” he said, linking the shift to higher costs such as fuel.

In a statement, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said that the government is working to broaden market access and attract investments in emerging industries.

“The latest labor market indicators reflect both the challenges confronting the economy and the resilience of Filipino workers and businesses,” he said

“The government is strengthening partnerships with the private sector to expand apprenticeship opportunities, improve certification systems, and support worker mobility toward high-value industries such as advanced electronics, renewable energy, and digital services,” Mr. Balisacan said. – Erika Mae P. Sinaking

]]> FCC lets Amazon Leo miss deployment deadline with temporary spectrum penalty https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/fcc-lets-amazon-leo-miss-deployment-deadline-with-temporary-spectrum-penalty/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/fcc-lets-amazon-leo-miss-deployment-deadline-with-temporary-spectrum-penalty/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:18:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator FCC, lets, Amazon, Leo, miss, deployment, deadline, with, temporary, spectrum, penalty

TAMPA, Fla. — Amazon no longer faces a July 30 cutoff for deploying half its planned 3,232 broadband satellites, but the reprieve comes with a temporary loss of spectrum priority that could give SpaceX and other rivals more leverage in orbit.

The Federal Communications Commission granted the company a waiver June 5 after only 331 Amazon Leo satellites had been launched since deployments got underway last year, or just over 10% of the proposed Gen 1 constellation.

Amazon said the constellation had been held back primarily by a lack of available rockets, despite signing launch contracts worth several billion dollars and making manufacturing progress on the satellites it builds in-house.

A deadline to deploy the full constellation by July 30, 2029, remains in place, which the company said it is still on track to meet following the recent grounding of Blue Origin’s New Glenn, one of several newer rockets its launch manifest relies on.

The FCC set the deployment deadlines in 2020, when it initially approved the constellation known then as Project Kuiper, as part of measures to prevent companies from warehousing spectrum after being awarded access to the critical communications resource.

“We find that Amazon Leo has demonstrated special circumstances warranting deviation from the milestone rules, and that Amazon Leo’s deployment progress thus far, including its significant investments in its Amazon Leo constellation, justifies deviation in service and support of the public interest,” FCC Space Bureau Chief Jay Schwarz said in the order.

The waiver “will not undermine the purpose of the milestone deployment requirement,” he added, while “promoting a second large satellite broadband constellation” to take on SpaceX’s Starlink.

Amazon said it appreciated the FCC’s support for Amazon Leo as it prepares to provide early services.

“We are excited to begin rolling out service in the coming months and bring even more innovation, investment, and competition to the industry,” an Amazon spokesperson said via email.

Amazon, which says it has more than 100 launches on contract and hundreds of satellites waiting on standby for a mission to low Earth orbit, plans to deploy 36 spacecraft June 17 on an Ariane 6 with upgraded boosters, compared with 32 on previous Arianespace missions.

The company has so far relied on Ariane 6, United Launch Alliance’s Atlas 5 and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to deploy satellites, while waiting for ULA’s Vulcan and Blue Origin’s New Glenn to enter regular service.

The penalty

Until at least 50% of the constellation is operational, the FCC said Gen 1 satellites launched after July 30 will temporarily lose the priority status gained from the regulator’s 2020 Ka/Ku-band and 2021 V-band processing rounds.

The priority lapse will last for 20 months after the missed deadline until March 30, 2028, but can be shortened by five months if Amazon proves it has built and secured launches for half its proposed Gen 1 spacecraft.

Amazon Leo will have the same coordination status as any system licensed following the 2020 and 2021 processing rounds, the order states, pointing to SpaceX’s recently expanded Starlink Gen 2 proposal and a constellation planned by Logos Space Services as examples.

Typically, later-round constellations must protect satellites processed in earlier FCC application rounds, or show they will not cause harmful interference.

However, the order means Amazon must coordinate or operate its late satellites on a non-interference basis with these companies, potentially giving competitors more room to press for favorable operating conditions, albeit temporarily. 

SpaceX and Logos did not respond to requests for comment.

SpaceX had previously opposed a waiver, arguing that late Amazon Leo Gen 1 satellites should instead undergo a new processing round.

The waiver, which retains the forfeit of a surety bond for missing the deadline, comes as the FCC considers sweeping changes to deployment and other satellite rules to keep pace with the rapidly evolving industry.

“In resolving this issue of novel complexity during a unique period when the Commission’s deployment milestone rules remain under review for fundamental change, we craft a remedy tailored to ensure that Americans quickly benefit from multiple, facilities-based providers of next-gen satellite services,” Schwarz said in the order.

The FCC separately approved Amazon’s plans earlier this year to operate 3,212 Gen 2 satellites and 1,292 polar spacecraft to improve services, with a deadline to deploy half of them by Feb. 10, 2032, and the rest three years later.

Read the original article here

The post FCC lets Amazon Leo miss deployment deadline with temporary spectrum penalty appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Big Brother Season 28 Is Likely Bringing Back Former Players — And I’m Okay With That https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/big-brother-season-28-is-likely-bringing-back-former-players-and-im-okay-with-that/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/big-brother-season-28-is-likely-bringing-back-former-players-and-im-okay-with-that/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:18:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Big, Brother, Season, Likely, Bringing, Back, Former, Players, —, And, I’m, Okay, With, That

It’s almost that time of year when I ditch social events in the name of watching the Big Brother live feeds.

Honestly, I think watching the series should be a full-time job because it’s far too easy to get immersed in the strategy.

There’s something satisfying about watching a group of people thrown into a pressure-cooker environment and forced to navigate alliances, betrayals, and competition for a life-changing cash prize.

(Matthew Taplinger/CBS)

The series is no stranger to bringing back former houseguests, and if all signs are pointing to Big Brother Season 28 featuring some franchise alums, I’m surprisingly okay with it.

Something is alluring about new houseguests getting their shot at the game for the first time. Watching people learn the ropes in real time is part of what makes Big Brother so compelling.

At the same time, returning players have had years to reflect on the mistakes that cost them the game.

As a viewer, it’s fun watching them put those lessons into practice if they’re fortunate enough to get a second chance.

Nicole for Reindeer Games - Big BrotherNicole for Reindeer Games - Big Brother
(Sonja Fleming/CBS)

Nicole Franzel springs to mind here. She first appeared on Big Brother Season 16 before returning and winning Big Brother Season 18.

She later returned for Big Brother Season 22 and made it all the way to the final three.

Big Brother Has Had Some Stellar Returning Players

Whether you’re a fan of Nicole or not, it’s hard to deny she built an impressive Big Brother legacy. Her 255 days in the house across three seasons are a testament to how well she adapted her strategy over time.

That doesn’t mean I want to see her play again, but she’s a good example of how returning players can evolve and make for compelling television.

(CBS/Screenshot)

The biggest issue I have with returning players is when people from completely different eras of the game are thrown back into the house and quickly discover that the game they once mastered barely exists anymore.

Janelle Pierzina, Keesha Smith, and Kaysar Ridha were done dirty on Big Brother Season 22 because of that.

Fortunately, recent seasons have done a better job of making competitions more accessible to a wider range of players.

Gone are the days when a handful of houseguests could steamroll the competition and maintain control of the game for weeks on end.

(CBS/Screenshot)

That’s one of the reasons I’m more open to returning players now than I was a few years ago.

Big Brother Season 27 brought back former winner Rachel Reilly, and despite the polarizing reaction to her return, the series posted impressive ratings gains.

As a result, there have been plenty of questions about whether CBS will try a similar twist again.

Adding fuel to the speculation, the press release announcing the July 9 premiere made no mention of an all-new cast.

Cody CalafioreCody Calafiore
(CBS/Screenshot)

Then there’s Julie Chen herself dropping Instagram clues featuring returning players from various eras of the franchise.

There’s always the possibility of another All-Star season, but after Big Brother Season 22, that feels unlikely.

If CBS does bring back alums, I think a coaches-style twist makes the most sense.

With everything pointing to Big Brother Season 28 featuring franchise veterans, I hope we get an even split between new and returning players.

(CBS/Screenshot)

That way, both sides have a legitimate shot at winning the $750,000 prize.

Sometimes production gives certain players too many advantages, and frankly, I’d much rather the game be fair from the outset.

With ratings on the rise, CBS will undoubtedly want to build on last season’s momentum.

If that means bringing back some familiar faces alongside a fresh crop of houseguests, I’m all for it. I want everyone entering the house on equal footing.

Rachel Reilly on Big Brother Season 27.Rachel Reilly on Big Brother Season 27.
(CBS/Screenshot)

What do you think of the chatter about returning players, Big Brother Fanatics?

Are you interested in franchise alums, or do you want newbies for Big Brother Season 28?

Let’s keep the conversation going — it’s the only way the good stuff survives.
Say something in the comments, share if you’re moved to, and keep reading. Independent voices need readers like you.

  • Big Brother Season 28 Is Likely Bringing Back Former Players — And I’m Okay With That

    The latest Big Brother Season 28 rumors point to returning players, and it’s not a big surprise. Here’s why I’m okay with that.

  • Sheriff Country Season 2 Should Finally Give Mickey and Travis a Real Chance

    Sheriff Country Season 1 did Mickey and Travis dirty. We need to see the two characters attempt to change during Season 2.

  • NCIS Doesn’t Need a Permanent Director — Hear Me Out!

    What if nobody was always sat in Vance’s chair on NCIS Season 24? Could the series work without a permanent director in place?

Read the original article here

The post Big Brother Season 28 Is Likely Bringing Back Former Players — And I’m Okay With That appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> The iOS 27 Beta Pretty Much Confirms That An Apple Foldable Is Happening https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-ios-27-beta-pretty-much-confirms-that-an-apple-foldable-is-happening/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-ios-27-beta-pretty-much-confirms-that-an-apple-foldable-is-happening/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:18:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The, iOS, Beta, Pretty, Much, Confirms, That, Apple, Foldable, Happening

Can’t a multi-trillion-dollar company have secrets any more?


Photo zoomed in on the upper half of an iPhone running iOS 27 with the Siri icon open
Apple

Everybody knows that Apple has been working toward creating a foldable phone. Maybe the company hasn’t given the official word about the project, but we’ve had more than a few signals about it, such as the experimental iPhone Air that debuted last year. But today’s inaugural developer beta of the new iOS 27 also had a few dead giveaways.

Sam Henri Gold spied the latest indications that a foldable is in the works in the iOS 27 frameworks. The documentation contains references to terms such as “foldState” and “angleDegrees” as well as language for the total number of built-in displays on the host device. Each of those point to the operating system being used on a foldable rather than a traditional, single-screen smartphone. 9to5Mac confirmed the existence of these references in iOS 27 and that they were not present in iOS 26. 

Further intrigue came from Apple’s own developer State of the Union, where the company said it was adding support for resizing iPhone apps in both macOS’ mirroring feature and on iPad. That does sound useful for iPad and Mac users, but sure seems like a prelude to introducing an iPhone with a new form factor to us.

In Apple’s defense, it’s hard to hide an item once people know what they’re looking for. Between the presence of many other foldables already on the market and the level of detail developers get access to about new operating systems, it’d be pretty tricky to disguise this type of prep work for a new form factor. Especially since we’re anticipating that the iPhone Fold could be announced this fall, meaning it would be running iOS 27.

For everything Apple actually wanted people to know about during today’s WWDC keynote, we’ve got you covered.

Read the original article here

The post The iOS 27 Beta Pretty Much Confirms That An Apple Foldable Is Happening appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Watch The Cure play ‘Treasure’ and ‘In Your House’ for the first time in over a decade as they switch up setlist for North Festival 2026 https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/watch-the-cure-play-treasure-and-in-your-house-for-the-first-time-in-over-a-decade-as-they-switch-up-setlist-for-north-festival-2026/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/watch-the-cure-play-treasure-and-in-your-house-for-the-first-time-in-over-a-decade-as-they-switch-up-setlist-for-north-festival-2026/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:18:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Watch, The, Cure, play, ‘Treasure’, and, ‘In, Your, House’, for, the, first, time, over, decade, they, switch, setlist, for, North, Festival, 2026

The Cure played ‘Treasure’ and ‘In Your House’ for the first time in over a decade at their show at North Festival – watch below.

Robert Smith and co. played the second of their summer shows at the event in Maia, Portugal on Sunday night (June 7), two nights after their return to the stage as a headliner at Primavera Sound in Barcelona, a show that was enjoyed by thousands, including Fontaines D.C.’s Grian Chatten.

The North Festival set saw them bring in tracks that they did not play at Primavera, including the deep cut ‘Treasure’, a track from their 1996 album ‘Wild Mood Swings’, and ‘In Your House’, the goth classic from their second album ‘Seventeen Seconds’. The songs made their first appearances on a Cure setlist since 2013 and 2011 respectively.

Other songs they played in Portugal that did not make the cut at Primavera included ‘Want’ and ‘M’. Check out footage from the show here:

The Cure played:

‘Alone’
‘Pictures Of You’
‘High’
‘A Night Like This’
‘Lovesong’
‘The Last Day Of Summer’
‘Burn’
‘Fascination Street’
‘alt.end’
‘Push’
‘Mint Car’
‘In Between Days’
‘Just Like Heaven’
‘Treasure’
‘Want’
‘From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea’
‘Endsong’
‘In Your House’
‘M’
‘Play For Today’
‘A Forest’
‘Lullaby’
‘Wrong Number’
‘The Walk’
‘The Lovecats’
‘Friday I’m In Love’
‘Close To Me’
‘Why Can’t I Be You?’
‘Boys Don’t Cry’

Smith also joined Olivia Rodrigo during her surprise set at Primavera this weekend (June 6), debuting their new duet ‘What’s Wrong With Me’. “I feel like I’m gonna cry,” Rodrigo said at the end of the song. “I can’t believe that’s a thing that happened in the real world and not just a figment of my imagination.”

Having now kicked off their 2026 summer UK and European tour, their next stop comes on Friday night (June 12) at Nova Rock in Austria. You can check out a full list of their upcoming UK and Ireland live shows below, and visit here to buy any remaining tickets.

The shows will mark The Cure’s first time on stage together since their show at London’s Troxy last November. That gig was in front of just 3,000 fans – including Green Day‘s Billie Joe Armstrong, Radiohead‘s Ed O’Brien, Boy George, Mogwai‘s Stuart Braithwaite, and Pedro Pascal in the crowd – and came in celebration of their latest album, ‘Songs Of A Lost World’.

The Cure’s 2026 UK and Ireland headline shows are:

JUNE
26 – Marlay Park, Dublin
28 – Belsonic, Belfast

AUGUST
21 – Live From Wythenshawe Park, Manchester
23 – Edinburgh Summer Sessions, Royal Highland Showgrounds, Edinburgh

Smith previously confirmed that the band have another new album to follow up ‘Songs Of A Lost World’ that’s “virtually finished”, as well as a third new record also on the way. He added that he wanted to have at least one of those albums finished and shared before they head out on tour, suggesting that a release could be arriving before the new tour dates start.

The singer also added that he can imagine the celebrations continuing all the way up until the band hits their 50th anniversary. “We’ll probably be playing quite regularly through until the next anniversary – the 2028 anniversary! It’s looming on the horizon,” he shared.

Read the original article here

The post Watch The Cure play ‘Treasure’ and ‘In Your House’ for the first time in over a decade as they switch up setlist for North Festival 2026 appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Kelsey Lu Announces Fall Tour Dates https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/kelsey-lu-announces-fall-tour-dates/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/kelsey-lu-announces-fall-tour-dates/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:18:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Kelsey, Announces, Fall, Tour, Dates

Ahead of this Friday’s release of So Help Me God, her first album in seven years, Kelsey Lu has announced a fall tour across North America, the UK, and Europe. The news arrives with a music video for new single “Cutting Off the Head of a Ghost.” You can watch that and check out the full itinerary below.

Co-produced by Lu with Jack Antonoff and Yves Rothman, So Help Me God includes guest appearances Kim Gordon, Sampha, Kamasi Washington, and Lady Jess.

Revisit our 2019 review of Lu’s last album, Blood.

So Help Me God Tour:
09-30 Philadelphia, PA – The Foundry
10-03 Brooklyn, NY – Pioneer Works
10-04 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
10-06 Washington, DC – Union Stage
10-08 Chicago, IL – Outset
10-10 Vancouver, BC – Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
10-12 Seattle, WA – Neumos
10-13 Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
10-15 San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
10-16 Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre
11-03 Paris, France – Foundation Cartier
11-04 Paris, France – Foundation Cartier
11-06 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Tolhuistuin
11-07 Utrecht, Netherlands – Le Guess Who
11-09 Manchester, England – New Century Locker
11-10 London, England – KOKO
11-11 Brussels, Belgium – Botanique (Museum)
11-13 Cologne, Germany – CBE
11-15 Hamburg, Germany – Bahnof Pauli
11-16 Berlin, Germany – Saalchen
11-17 Warsaw, Poland – Oczki
11-18 Prague, Czech Republic – Meet Factory
11-20 Bern, Switzerland – Full Of Lava

Read the original article here

The post Kelsey Lu Announces Fall Tour Dates appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Women in the Vatican welcome Montserrat Alvarado as new prefect for communication https://catholics.news/women-in-the-vatican-welcome-montserrat-alvarado-as-new-prefect-for-communication https://catholics.news/women-in-the-vatican-welcome-montserrat-alvarado-as-new-prefect-for-communication Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Women, the, Vatican, welcome, Montserrat, Alvarado, new, prefect, for, communication In Spain, Pope Leo XIV tells young people: 'You can change history, do it with love' https://catholics.news/in-spain-pope-leo-xiv-tells-young-people-you-can-change-history-do-it-with-love-11078 https://catholics.news/in-spain-pope-leo-xiv-tells-young-people-you-can-change-history-do-it-with-love-11078 Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Spain, Pope, Leo, XIV, tells, young, people:, You, can, change, history, with, love PHOTOS: Pope Leo XIV meets royalty, civic leaders, hundreds of thousands of youth in Spain https://catholics.news/photos-pope-leo-xiv-meets-royalty-civic-leaders-hundreds-of-thousands-of-youth-in-spain https://catholics.news/photos-pope-leo-xiv-meets-royalty-civic-leaders-hundreds-of-thousands-of-youth-in-spain Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator PHOTOS:, Pope, Leo, XIV, meets, royalty, civic, leaders, hundreds, thousands, youth, Spain Antonio Banderas tells Pope Leo XIV: 'I am a victim of God’s spell’ https://catholics.news/antonio-banderas-tells-pope-leo-xiv-i-am-a-victim-of-gods-spell https://catholics.news/antonio-banderas-tells-pope-leo-xiv-i-am-a-victim-of-gods-spell Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Antonio, Banderas, tells, Pope, Leo, XIV:, victim, God’s, spell’ Pope Leo XIV in Madrid: Corpus Christi must not become museum of the past https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-in-madrid-corpus-christi-must-not-become-museum-of-the-past https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-in-madrid-corpus-christi-must-not-become-museum-of-the-past Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV, Madrid:, Corpus, Christi, must, not, become, museum, the, past Philippine equity market risks deeper sentiment drag if IPO drought continues https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/09/755369/philippine-equity-market-risks-deeper-sentiment-drag-if-ipo-drought-continues/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/09/755369/philippine-equity-market-risks-deeper-sentiment-drag-if-ipo-drought-continues/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippine, equity, market, risks, deeper, sentiment, drag, IPO, drought, continues By Alexandria Grace C. Magno, Reporter

ANOTHER LACKLUSTER YEAR for initial public offerings (IPOs) could further dampen investor sentiment and reinforce concerns about the Philippine stock market’s appeal, analysts said, as the first five months of 2026 passed without a single IPO.

The weak IPO activity reflects concerns from both issuers and investors over valuations and post-listing performance, Jarrod Leighton M. Tin, an equity research analyst at DragonFi Securities, told BusinessWorld.

“It sends a clear message from both sides: companies do not want to list because they are unlikely to get a decent valuation, and investors do not want to participate because they are afraid newly listed stocks will just fall below the offer price,” he said via Viber.

“One feeds the other, and without a real change in market conditions, that pattern is unlikely to stop.”

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) missed its listing target for the second straight year in 2025. It recorded only two IPOs last year, below its target of six and down from three in 2024.

For this year, the PSE is targeting four listings, including the much-awaited debut of GCash’s parent company Mynt as well as PNB Holdings Corp. (PHC), which plans to list by introduction.

Mr. Tin said delays involving major planned offerings could also affect the broader IPO pipeline.

“If a high-profile listing like Mynt gets delayed or canceled, other companies will take notice and pull back their own IPO plans,” he said.

According to Reuters’ latest report, Mynt is planning to file for a domestic listing as early as July and is seeking a valuation of at least $8 billion, citing two people familiar with the matter.

In May, LT Group, Inc. said it may delay PHC’s planned listing by introduction amid market volatility.

Financial technology firm Maya earlier said it plans to list in the United States before pursuing a PSE listing in the second half of the year as part of efforts to raise capital, provide liquidity to existing investors, and allow PLDT Inc. to retain its stake.

Weak listing activity could also reduce the number of investment opportunities available in the market, particularly if delistings outpace new offerings, according to Mr. Tin.

“In the worst case, the market ends the year with no new listings at all — which is already bad enough on its own. But what makes it worse is that delistings may actually outnumber IPOs this year,” he said. “That means fewer stocks to invest in and a weaker exchange overall, which is not a good look for the PSE.”

Delisting activity on the PSE this year is approaching last year’s level, with three companies either having left or in the process of exiting the market.

Asian Terminals, Inc. delisted on April 3, while Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. is scheduled to exit the bourse on July 28 and MerryMart Consumer Corp. is undergoing a voluntary delisting after DoubleDragon Corp. moved to fully absorb the retailer.

In 2025, Keppel Philippines Holdings, Inc., Philab Holdings Corp., and 8990 Holdings, Inc. were delisted from the exchange.

Toby Allan C. Arce, head of sales trading at Globalinks Securities and Stocks, Inc., said that if the PSE falls short of its new listing targets for a second consecutive year, “the consequences for investor participation and market sentiment could be compounding rather than merely additive.”

“A single year of underperformance can be attributed to cyclical or external factors, but a second consecutive miss would more credibly signal a structural problem,” he said in a Viber message.

Mr. Arce said subdued trading volumes and investor hesitation could make it more difficult for the market to attract capital, particularly when other regional exchanges are seeing stronger listing activity.

“A thin IPO calendar reinforces a perception that the (Philippine stock) exchange lacks the dynamism to generate new investment opportunities,” Mr. Arce noted.

Regulators have introduced several reforms to encourage more listings, including changes to public float requirements and proposed adjustments to listing rules.

Mr. Arce said these measures are a positive step, but their impact will ultimately depend on whether they result in actual listings.

“The regulatory reforms underway are a constructive signal, but their credibility depends on whether they translate into actual listings,” he noted.

In February, the Securities and Exchange Commission eased the minimum public float requirements for large IPOs, which may pave the way for mega-IPOs in the Philippines such as Mynt.

According to Mr. Arce, the recent reforms were intended to encourage large companies to pursue domestic listing.

“If those same companies still do not list despite the accommodations, it would suggest that the barriers are not purely regulatory — and that deeper issues around market liquidity, valuation expectations, and investor appetite remain unresolved,” he added.

Meanwhile, Investment & Capital Corporation of the Philippines President and Chief Operating Officer Jesus Mariano P. Ocampo said the current environment remains challenging for companies seeking to go public, with weak valuations and limited investor demand weighing on new listings.

“I guess under current conditions, it really is very challenging to launch an IPO in the Philippines,” he said in a Viber message.

“As things stand, investors will likely look at existing listed companies that are trading at all-time lows before looking at any new ones.”

Mr. Ocampo said regulators could consider temporary measures to reduce listing costs and ease access to the market as a way to encourage more listing.

“I am also hoping that the PSE would take a more proactive stance in talking to institutional investors to re-visit listed equities. Doing very public roadshows for audience impact is not the same as talking to a few but big volume buyers that could move markets,” he said.

Despite global market uncertainties linked to the conflict in the Middle East, the PSE said it remains firm on its P170-billion capital-raising target this year.

In March, PSE President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Monzon said that reforms such as the new real estate investment trust (REIT) law are expected to spur more REIT listings and follow-on offerings, although he noted these are unlikely in the near term given prevailing market conditions.

]]> PHL resilient but vulnerable to domestic and external shocks https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/09/755370/phl-resilient-but-vulnerable-to-domestic-and-external-shocks/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/09/755370/phl-resilient-but-vulnerable-to-domestic-and-external-shocks/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator PHL, resilient, but, vulnerable, domestic, and, external, shocks THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY and financial sector remain resilient, but tighter institutional interconnectedness has heightened the risk of domestic and external shocks spreading more quickly across the system, according to a report by the Financial Stability Coordination Council (FSCC).

At the same time, the FSCC flagged potential foreign exchange (FX) risks from conglomerates that are facing around P1.6-trillion debt maturing between 2027 and 2029.

In its Financial Stability Report for 2025 released on Monday, the FSCC said Philippine banks have been shielded from risks by strong capital positions, prudent regulation, sufficient loan loss provisions and an effective payment system.

The economy likewise “maintained positive growth momentum” in 2025. The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed to 4.4% last year from 5.7% in 2024.

The FSCC report said the well-capitalized financial system helped the country weather global shocks, with its external position “broadly stable” last year due to robust remittances inflows and better current account dynamics.

However, the report flagged potential systemic threats stemming from valuation pressures, rising leverage in the nonfinancial sector, growing ties between banks and nonbanks, as well as funding and liquidity risks.

“Vulnerabilities are being monitored — particularly in property valuations, unsecured household credit, and corporate leverage — and tighter linkages across institutions mean that shocks, if they materialize, can transmit more rapidly and broadly than in the past,” the report said. “This calls for deliberate and forward-looking policy action.”

FX RISKS
Meanwhile, the FSCC noted that nonfinancial corporations’ (NFCs) leveraged exposures continued to expand, with heavier exposure seen among big companies from key sectors like real estate, power, energy and oil as well as information, communication and technology.

Leveraged exposures refer to listed NFCs’ aggregate amount of debt exhibiting heightened leverage coupled with debt-servicing or liquidity vulnerabilities.

“Large conglomerates face a sizeable wall of upcoming maturities and FX obligations. About P1.6 trillion — or 22.7% of conglomerate debt — is scheduled to mature between 2027 and 2029, alongside sizable foreign-currency exposures, with US dollar-denominated debt averaging 37.6% of conglomerate debt over the next five years,” the report said.

While corporations have so far met its financing needs, the report said that FX-related risks and refinancing “warrant close monitoring given the scale and currency composition of upcoming maturities.”

MIDDLE EAST WAR
At the same time, the FSCC noted that cyberthreats and geopolitical tensions, such as the Middle East war, could likewise imperil the sector’s stability.

“While these risks are assessed to be manageable under current conditions, they could potentially intensify if shocks materialize,” it said.

“Global developments, shifts in market sentiment, and emerging risks — such as cybersecurity threats and Middle East tensions — are expected to influence domestic conditions, underscoring the need for ongoing monitoring and coordinated oversight,” it added.

According to the report, risk-off sentiment due to uncertainties over the Middle East war could take a toll on the Philippine financial system, with risks increasing as the conflict drags on.

It noted that the country is mainly vulnerable to risks of higher crude prices driving up imported inflation and currency pressures further widening its current account deficit.

“The key uncertainty for financial stability is how macro financial pressures — compressed real incomes, tighter external balances, and heightened uncertainty — ultimately transmit to the balance sheets of banks, corporates, and households,” the FSCC said.

The report likewise noted that domestic firms in the utilities, industrials, information technology, consumer staples, and financial sectors may face operational risks if their Middle Eastern counterparts are disrupted by the regional conflict.

“If these firms experience prolonged financial stress, their loan obligations become a transmission channel to the banking system,” the report said.

Still, the FSCC said Philippine banks still have insignificant direct financial exposure to the Middle East, with the conflict posing “a material but manageable risk to Philippine financial stability.”

In a separate statement, FSCC Chair and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. said financial regulators will further tighten their coordination to address emerging risks.

“We will sharpen our coordination by defining when to escalate issues and by clearly communicating our assessment of our respective regulated entities,” he said.

Based on the report, the interagency body is likewise implementing stricter measures to mitigate these threats and ensure economic stability. 

These include shifting to a positive neutral Countercyclical Capital Buffer, where banks must now set aside extra capital during stable periods; strengthening supervision of nonfinancial firms, particularly complex conglomerates; broadening data coverage for nonbanks; and creating a crisis management framework.

The FSCC is composed of the BSP, Department of Finance, Securities and Exchange Commission, Insurance Commission, and Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. — Katherine K. Chan

]]> Jumbo BSP rate hike still likely as broad price pressures linger https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/09/755371/jumbo-bsp-rate-hike-still-likely-as-broad-price-pressures-linger/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/09/755371/jumbo-bsp-rate-hike-still-likely-as-broad-price-pressures-linger/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Jumbo, BSP, rate, hike, still, likely, broad, price, pressures, linger THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) may hike by as much as 50 basis points (bps) amid lingering spillover price effects despite the softer-than-expected headline inflation in May, economists said.

In a commentary on Monday, Deutsche Bank Research economist Junjie Huang said a larger rate increase may be warranted as last month’s easing inflation is likely short-lived, with renewed price pressures looming from electricity, food and other basic goods. 

“Our view of BSP hiking by 50 bps in the June MB (Monetary Board) meeting is unchanged as we think the lower print may only be temporary — and it is still materially above BSP’s 2-4% target — as broad price pressures are still building up in the economy, and our outlook for global inflation dynamics is still elevated,” he said.

However, HSBC Senior ASEAN Economist Aris D. Dacanay said the BSP might not be compelled to tighten earlier than scheduled, contrary to prior expectations following the central bank chief’s off-cycle hint last month.    

“We think this outcome removes the urgency of doing an off-cycle rate hike,” he said in a separate commentary on Monday. “As of this writing, May CPI (consumer price index) has provided some relief to the peso, minimizing the need to tighten monetary policy now to mitigate the risk of FX (foreign exchange)-induced inflation.”

Still, Mr. Dacanay anticipates a 50-bp rate hike at the Monetary Board’s meeting next week, though noted that the downward surprise from May inflation has raised the odds of a 25-bp move.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. said last month that they are considering an off-cycle tightening, citing risks of the central bank falling behind the curve amid broadening second-order price effects. He added, however, that they may also wait until their June 18 meeting to assess the May inflation data.

The May inflation reading bucked projections, with the headline print cooling to 6.8% from the over three-year high of 7.2% in April, undershooting the 7.9% median estimate in a BusinessWorld poll of 16 economists and the BSP’s 7.1%-7.9% forecast.

However, core inflation, which discounts volatile food and energy prices, breached the central bank’s target for the first time in two-and-a-half years. It hit 4.1% in May, the quickest core inflation since the 4.4% recorded in December 2023.

For Maybank analysts Azril Rosli and Suhaimi Ilias, this means the second-order effects of oil shocks are widening and becoming more persistent.

“While the BSP has consistently highlighted the limited effectiveness of monetary policy in addressing supply-driven shocks, the continued rise in core inflation suggests that second-round effects are gaining traction, particularly across transport, housing, utilities, and services-related sectors,” they said in a commentary dated June 5.

In April, the Monetary Board reversed its easing cycle by raising the key policy rate by 25 bps to 4.5%, as it sought to contain broadening spillover effects and anchor inflation expectations.

Prior to the MB’s April 23 meeting, Mr. Remolona also noted that they were trying to focus more on controlling the core print and inflation for the bottom 30% of income households.

Patrick M. Ella, a portfolio manager and an economist at Sun Life Investment Management and Trust Corp., said headline inflation still risks breaching the double-digit mark by July or August. 

“But the important point there is (that) the core inflation (is) still climbing,” he told Money Talks with Cathy Yang on One News on Monday. “So that tells you that the second-round effects that the BSP is looking at will definitely carry over in the succeeding months.”

Mr. Ella did not rule out a 50-bp increase at the June 18 review, but noted that a smaller 25-bp hike may be more definite.

Meanwhile, Nomura Global Markets Research now sees Philippine inflation averaging 5.5% by yearend, slower than its 6.1% earlier estimate, if Brent crude oil trades at an average $98.4 per barrel this year.

“Taking into account the lower-than-expected outturn (in May), we reduce our 2026 headline CPI forecast to 5.5% after raising it to 6.1% only last month, in part reflecting the fluctuations in global crude oil prices and the quick pass-through to domestic retail fuel prices in the absence of subsidies,” Nomura research analysts Euben Paracuelles and Nabila Amani said in a report.

However, Mr. Paracuelles and Ms. Amani said the impact of the expected El Niño season later this year risks stoking inflation, particularly food prices.

They expect the central bank to continue tightening this year before easing anew by the second half of 2027.

“We think BSP will view any further increase in core inflation as a sign of second-round effects that require vigilance,” the Nomura analysts said. “Nonetheless, we expect no off-cycle meeting by BSP and only measured 25-bp hikes in each of the next three meetings starting on June 18, consistent with peaking headline inflation.”

Last week, the BSP reaffirmed its commitment to bring inflation back to its 3% target using all necessary monetary policy measures as part of its price stability mandate.

The Monetary Board still has four regular meetings left this year, scheduled for June 18, Aug. 27, Oct. 22 and Dec. 17. — Katherine K. Chan

]]> Marks & Spencer set to reopen in the Philippines under new franchise partner https://bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/06/09/755457/marks-spencer-set-to-reopen-in-the-philippines-under-new-franchise-partner/ https://bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/06/09/755457/marks-spencer-set-to-reopen-in-the-philippines-under-new-franchise-partner/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Marks, Spencer, set, reopen, the, Philippines, under, new, franchise, partner Marks & Spencer (M&S) is set to resume operations in the Philippines later this year with a new franchise partner Indonesian retail group PT Mitra Adiperkasa Tbk (MAP).

In a statement, the British retailer said MAP will take over M&S operations in the Philippines and relaunch the brand later this year with the opening of its first store at Glorietta.

The relaunch will feature M&S Fashion, Home & Beauty, and Food ranges.

This comes after the SSI Group Inc closed all M&S stores in the Philippines last May 2.

M&S said it has an over 26-year relationship with MAP in Indonesia and Vietnam.

M&S International Managing Director Mark Lemming said the partnership builds on MAP’s proven track record in supporting the brand’s regional growth.

“We are delighted to expand our partnership with MAP into the Philippines. Having played a pivotal role in driving our growth in Indonesia, MAP’s deep local expertise gives us confidence as we accelerate our growth plans in Southeast Asia. We know there is strong demand for the M&S brand in the Philippines, and we’re excited to reopen our stores and online channels later this year,” Mr. Lemming said in a statement.

MAP Fashion Chief Executive Officer Sameer Prasad described the Philippines as a “fast-growing market” and said the company aims to strengthen the brand’s footprint while enhancing the retail experience for Filipino customers.

“Taking over the M&S business in the Philippines marks an important milestone for MAP Fashion and reflects our commitment to growing iconic global brands across Southeast Asia,” Mr. Prasad said.

MAP operates more than 150 international brands in its portfolio, including Zara, Sephora, Foot Locker, Starbucks, Subway, and M&S.

As of March 2026, the company had more than 4,000 stores in over 80 cities across Indonesia.

M&S is a British retailer operating across food, clothing, home, and beauty categories through a network of stores, franchise partners, and e-commerce platforms in multiple markets.

The brand has been present in the Philippines since 1984. M&S operations in the Philippines were previously handled by Rustan Marketing Specialists, Inc., a subsidiary of the Tantoco-led specialty retailer SSI Group. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno

]]> PayMongo, Paymentology, Mastercard launch virtual cards for small businesses https://bworldonline.com/banking-finance/2026/06/09/755337/paymongo-paymentology-mastercard-launch-virtual-cards-for-small-businesses/ https://bworldonline.com/banking-finance/2026/06/09/755337/paymongo-paymentology-mastercard-launch-virtual-cards-for-small-businesses/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator PayMongo, Paymentology, Mastercard, launch, virtual, cards, for, small, businesses PAYMONGO Philippines, Inc. has partnered with Mastercard and Paymentology Ltd. to launch a virtual prepaid card meant for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that may not have access to more advanced financial services.

The pre-funded card launched this month has functions allowing businesses to have full control over their expenses and make digital payments to their suppliers and teams, it said in a statement on Monday.

Under the partnership, global card processing company Paymentology and Mastercard extend their license to PayMongo, providing the infrastructure to let PayMongo issue pre-funded business payment cards without holding a banking license themselves.

Merchants can onboard through PayMongo and fund their card through their PayMongo wallet. Once onboarded, a business can issue a card to use for their transactions.

“Unlike corporate credit cards, which require a bank-approved credit line and can take weeks to process, this is a pre-funded prepaid card. Businesses can load funds through their PayMongo wallet -— which takes under five minutes to set up — and spend directly from their own balance, giving them full control without taking on credit,” it said.

Business owners can set spending limits per card, track transactions in real time, and issue separate cards for different teams or purposes.

Existing PayMongo merchants do not need to switch platforms as the card is built into the same system already used to run their business.

The card runs on Paymentology’s globally licensed infrastructure, as well as Mastercard and financial technology company APATA’s guardrails, keeping fraud controls, transaction monitoring, and compliance up to enterprise standards.

PayMongo said the product aims to help Filipino SMEs in their shift towards digital commerce amid the lack of business-grade financial tools.

“We are giving Filipino entrepreneurs a real, honest shot at growing their business. We’re giving SMEs a financial tool they can control – one that enforces the discipline to spend only on what moves the business forward, and nothing else. The biggest motivation for any business owner is seeing their business actually grow. This is the tool that lets them see it, and build on it,” says PayMongo President and Chief Executive Office Elmer M. Malolos said.

“SMEs are operating in an increasingly digital economy, but access to modern payment tools has not always kept pace. Through our collaboration with PayMongo and Paymentology, Mastercard is helping expand access to secure and accessible virtual payment capabilities, enabling businesses to participate more fully in a more connected economy through the scale and reach of our global network,” Mastercard Philippines Country Manager Jason Crasto said.

“The Philippines is a market where small businesses power the majority of employment but have had almost no access to the card infrastructure that large enterprises do. Through our collaboration with PayMongo and Mastercard, we are changing that by bringing global-grade card issuance to every Philippine business, regardless of size,” Paymentology Head of Growth in APAC Minh Hua Truong said. — Aaron Michael C. Sy

]]> Reggie Bush inspires San Diego youth through golf clinic https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/reggie-bush-san-diego-golf/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/reggie-bush-san-diego-golf/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Reggie, Bush, inspires, San, Diego, youth, through, golf, clinic San Diego's Team Cooley's 10U wins Carlsbaddies fall title https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/san-diego-flag-football/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/san-diego-flag-football/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diegos, Team, Cooleys, 10U, wins, Carlsbaddies, fall, title San Diego City Council approves ending Balboa Park paid parking, reducing trash fees https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-trash-fees-balboa-park-settlement-vote/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-trash-fees-balboa-park-settlement-vote/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, City, Council, approves, ending, Balboa, Park, paid, parking, reducing, trash, fees Hiking trails shut down as crews battle Sorrento Valley blaze https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/sorrento-valley-fire-hiking-trail-closures/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/sorrento-valley-fire-hiking-trail-closures/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Hiking, trails, shut, down, crews, battle, Sorrento, Valley, blaze Millete trial: Maya's journal entries claim Larry was abusive, while Larry's texts say Maya asked for an open relationship https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/millete-trial-day-12/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/millete-trial-day-12/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Millete, trial:, Mayas, journal, entries, claim, Larry, was, abusive, while, Larrys, texts, say, Maya, asked, for, open, relationship The New Chula Vista to San Diego Ferry: Schedule, Price & Tips (2026) https://sandiegoexplorer.com/chula-vista-to-san-diego-ferry-schedule-price/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chula-vista-to-san-diego-ferry-schedule-price https://sandiegoexplorer.com/chula-vista-to-san-diego-ferry-schedule-price/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chula-vista-to-san-diego-ferry-schedule-price Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:01:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The, New, Chula, Vista, San, Diego, Ferry:, Schedule, Price, Tips, 2026 The new Chula Vista Ferry just started operating on June 1, 2026, and I couldn’t wait to check it out. So on Sunday, Greg and I went on a little adventure to check it out, and now I am sharing everything you need to know about the new San Diego-Chula Vista Ferry, if it is worth it and things to do in Chula Vista.

Quick Facts

Operator: Flagship Cruises & Events
Route: Safe Harbor Marina South Bay (Chula Vista) ⇄ Fifth Avenue Landing (downtown, behind the Convention Center)
Launched: June 1, 2026
Crossing time: ~45 minutes
Fare: $15 one-way per passenger
Vessel: the Balboa, 30 ft, capacity 32 passengers

Chula Vista San Diego Ferry Boat Balboa

San Diego – Chula Vista Ferry Schedule

The ferry runs daily every two hours and runs from Chula Vista to Downtown at 8 AM, 10 AM, 12 PM, 2 PM, 4 PM and 6 PM. From 5th Avenue Pier in Downtown San Diego, the Chula Vista ferry leaves at 9 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM, 5 PM and 7 PM. Each one-way trip takes approximately 45 minutes.

Chula Vista – DowntownDowntown – Chula Vista
8 AM9 AM
10 AM11 AM
12 PM1 PM
2 PM3 PM
4 PM5 PM
6 PM7 PM
Chula Vista Ferry Schedule

Price & Tickets – Is it worth it?

How much is the ferry ticket to Chula Vista?

Each one-way ticket for the San Diego-Chula Vista ferry is $15 per person. You can buy a return ticket at the same time for $30 per person. Children under 4 ride free. There are currently no discounts for vets, daily commuters or other groups.

Where can I buy the ferry ticket?

You can either buy the ferry ticket on the ticket machine at either ferry landing or on the Flagship website. You can also scan the QR-code below and buy the tickets on your phone. On the ticket machine, you can use debit or credit cards, as well as cash, but no Apple Pay.

Greg and I bought a one-way ticket for 2 people at the ticket machine on 5th Avenue Pier as we weren’t sure if we would take the ferry back or not. As there is no discount to buy the return ticket at the same time, this gave us more flexibility and I highly recommend it. Also, there is no chance to lose the ticket.

Chula Vista San Diego Ferry Ticket
Ferry Ticket Machine

Is it worth it?

It depends. The ferry is neither the cheapest nor the fastest way to get from downtown to Chula Vista, so if price and speed are your top two deciding factors, the ferry is not worth it.

However, if you are looking for a scenic way and a fun experience, nothing beats the ferry. I love being on a boat and it puts me in vacation mood instantly. We shared the ferry with 2 families with young kids and they all had a blast as well. I personally think that $15 for a 45 minute boat ride is a great value.

The Ferry Ride – What to expect

Greg and I arrived at the 5th Avenue Ferry Landing right behind the Convention Center about 15 minutes before the scheduled departure at 1 PM and bought a 1 way ticket on the ticketing machine. The ticket machine is pretty straight forward. first, you select your route (Coronado or Chula Vista), decide whether you want a one-way or return ticket, and then enter the number of passengers. After that, you are prompted for payment, which you can do either in cash, debit or credit card. Apple pay is currently not available.

You can also buy your tickets online on the Flagship website.

Important: Note that you only get one ticket for all passengers, so if some people in your group want to return at different times, I recommend buying individual tickets.

Once the ferry arrives, the captain will unlock the gate to the dock and check your tickets. If the Coronado ferry departs shortly before or after, there will only be one group of passengers allowed to access the dock at a time to make sure you end up on the right ferry.

The ferry boat to Chula Vista has space for 32 passengers and is partially covered to protect from sun and rain. There are cushioned benches on the perimeter of the boat as well as a center seating area in the front area of the boat. As we were only a total of 10 passengers on our ferry ride, we had plenty of space to move around, switch from sun to shade and side to side to take photos.

The ride was smooth, but you could definitely feel the waves. If you have motion sickness, I recommend taking preventative medication before you board.

There is no restroom on board and no option to buy food or drinks.

The ferry ride took a total of 45 minutes and we passed by the San Diego Convention Center, under the Coronado Bridge and by the 32nd Street Navy shipyard on the left, with Coronado and the Coronado Cays on the right. Passing under the Coronado Bay Bridge always feels special as only then you realize how huge this bridge actually is.

Chula Vista San Diego Ferry Boat Balboa
Maria and Greg Haase on board of the Chula Vista San Diego Ferry
Hilton San Diego Bayfront from San Diego Chula Vista Ferry
Coronado Bay Bridge on Chula Vista Ferry
Gaylord Pacific Chula Vista from the ferry

Parking & How to get to Ferry Ports?

Downtown – 5th Avenue Landing

There is metered parking at the South Embarcadero available, but it can fill up, especially if there is a show at the Rady Shell or during large conventions. Also keep in mind that the maximum time you can put on the meter at South Embarcadero is 3 hours, so that would not be enough to enjoy your trip to Chula Vista.

There is paid parking available at Seaport Village as well as the Convention Center ($35/day) as well as various hotels. If you park in downtown, please pay attention to the Special Event Parking fees that are $10/hour on metered parking within an approximately 0.5 mile radius around Petco Park.

I recommend taking public transportation to get there. You can take the trolley to either Seaport Village (0.7 miles), Convention Center (0.5 miles) , or Gaslamp Quarter trolley station (0.4 miles).

Chula Vista Safe Harbor Marina

There are various free parking lots near Chula Vista Bayfront operated by the San Diego Port Authority. Please take a look at their website for detailed information and parking lot locations.

You can take the trolley blue line to Chula Vista H Street Station and walk approximately 1 mile to Chula Vista Safe Harbor Marina.

There is also the Chula Vista Bayside shuttle from Downtown Chula Vista to the Gaylord Pacific. Get off at the Gaylord Pacific H Street exit, which is closer to the ferry landing than the resort exit.

Chula Vista Shuttle

Things to do in Chula Vista

To be honest, Greg and I have not spent much time in Chula Vista so far. It is not your typical tourist neighborhood and we have not gotten around to exploring much yet. But after this weekend, we can’t wait to go back. It surprised us not only with the stunning amenities at the Gaylord Pacific, but also the cute vibe of Downtown Chula Vista.

Gaylord Pacific

Of course I have heard about the huge Gaylord Pacific Marriott Bonvoy property, which opened last year in Chula Vista, but this was my first visit. With 1600 hotel rooms and a large convention center, this hotel has created a new hot spot for tourists in the South Bay.

The resort is absolutely beautiful. With 5 pools, including a wave pool, slides, and lazy river, this 4.25 acre water park really puts you in vacation mood. The best part? You can buy day passes for the pool area starting at only 12.50 per person. Pro Tip: Our waitress told us that day passes sell out very quickly you can only book within a 21 day booking window. The Gaylord Pacific releases new tickets each night at 12 am and that is the best time to snatch some.

Lobby at Gaylord Pacific Chula Vista
Terrace at Gaylord Pacific Chula Vista
Pool area at Gaylord Pacific Chula Vista
Pool at Gaylord Pacific Chula Vista
Lobby Gaylord Pacific Chula Vista

We had lunch at the Hotel restaurant Marzul Coastal Cuisine. They serve Baja-inspired coastal dishes, including fresh oysters, fish tacos, and lamb birria. I had the swordfish tacos which were delicious, but a bit pricy for 2 small tacos. Greg had the lamb shank birria, which was very delicious, but a bit different than traditional birria. The sauce was very thick and rich (and tasty!), but not as brothy and savory as an authentic birria.

The highlight of our meal might surprise you, but it was actually the sweet potato side dish. Roasted chunks of sweet potato were smothered in a mouthwatering cream and tangy tamarind sauce that was to die for. For a fun texture, there was a sprinkle of puffed grains and a few sweet potato chips that took the dish to the next level.

Marzul Coastal Cuisine
Fish tacos at Marzul Coastal Cuisine
Sweet potato at Marzul Coastal Cuisine
Sweet potato and lamb birria at Marzul Coastal Cuisine

Downtown Chula Vista

After lunch and exploring the hotel, Greg and I decided to walk to Downtown Chula Vista. Don’t do that! The walk is anything but scenic and long (1.9 miles). At least we had sidewalks as we strolled past picturesque construction sites and scenic strip malls. Take the free Bayfront Shuttle instead!

Downtown Chula Vista is not big, but there are some fun bars, restaurants, and breweries as well as shops to check out. Greg and I came across Chula Vista Brewery and decided to check them out. Their beers were tasty and they even have live music every Sunday (usually The Ritchie Orduño Trio, a Blues-y Latin Rock band that we had seen a few times at Gator by the Bay. Super cool vibe and fantastic music. Can’t wait to go back.

Afterwards, Greg and I decided to take a shared ride back to downtown, as we had dinner plans and were running out of time to make it back on the ferry.

Chula Vista Brewing
Park in Chula Vista
Third Avenue Sign in Downtown Chula Vista
Beer Menu at Chula Vista Brewing
Neon Sign at Chula Vista Brewing

Who is this ferry really for?

This ferry is perfect for people staying at the Gaylord Pacific who don’t have a car or don’t want to take the trolley and want to visit downtown San Diego during their stay. It is also a fun day trip for locals and visitors in downtown San Diego to see a different part of the city that is not very touristy (aside from the Gaylord Pacific Resort of course). The ferry is great if you are not pressed on time and want to make the way to your destination more fun and memorable.

I would not recommend taking the ferry if you have a limited time window or are pressed on time, or want to get to Chula Vista in the most direct, affordable, and fastest way possible.

My Personal Top Tips

Don’t buy return tickets – buying a return ticket does not give you any advantages or price reduction, so I recommend buying one-way tickets only. For your whole group, you will only receive one ticket, so if part of your group wants to take a different ferry, you can’t do that. Also, since the ferry only runs every 2 hours, keeping your return option open gives you more flexibility.

Take the free Bayfront shuttle to Downtown Chula Vista – Walking to Downtown Chula Vista from the Bayfront is not very scenic and quite long (almost 2 miles). I recommend taking the free Bayfront Shuttle.

How to get Gaylord Pacific Day Pass Tickets – Tickets go on sale daily at 12 am for the next 21 days and they usually sell out within hours. I recommend buying those tickets as close to the release time as possible, especially during the busy summer season.

FAQs

How much is the Chula Vista ferry?

A one-way ticket is $15 per passenger, but children under 4 ride free. There are no discounts for seniors, military or other groups. Round trip tickets are available and are valid for all ferries returning that day. I recommend only buying a one-way ticket. This gives you more flexibility, for example in case some people in your group want to return early or you decide to take a different mode of transportation on your way back.

How long does the Chula Vista to San Diego ferry take?

About 45 minutes each way across the bay, aboard the Balboa.

What time does the Chula Vista ferry run?

The first boat leaves Chula Vista at 8 a.m. and every 2 hours after until 6 PM. From downtown, the ferry departs every 2 hours between 9 AM and 7 PM. Because this is a brand-new service, double-check the current times on Flagship’s website before you go.

Where does the Chula Vista ferry dock in downtown San Diego?

At Fifth Avenue Landing, right behind the San Diego Convention Center, walking distance to the Gaslamp Quarter and Seaport Village.

Where does it leave from in Chula Vista?

From Safe Harbor Marina South Bay on the Chula Vista Bayfront, near the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center.

Who operates the ferry?

Flagship Cruises & Events, the same company that runs the Coronado ferry.

Is the Chula Vista ferry the same as the Coronado ferry?

No, it’s a separate route. The Coronado ferry is a short (~15-minute) hop and costs $9, while the Chula Vista ferry is a longer ~45-minute crossing to the South Bay for $15. Flagship operates all three ferry routes. See our Coronado ferry guide for that route.

When did the Chula Vista ferry start?

Service launched June 1, 2026: San Diego’s first-ever passenger ferry connecting the South Bay to downtown.

Can I bring a bike or stroller on board?

Yes, you can bring bikes and strollers on board. However, they are on a first-come, first-served basis (no bike/stroller reservations), and space may be limited.

How big is the Chula Vista to San Diego Ferry?

The Flagship ferry “Balboa” is a relatively small boat with a capacity for 32 passengers. The front part is covered by a soft cover, while the back portion of the boat is open air.

How to get Gaylord Pacific Pool Day Passes?

New tickets are released 21 days in advance at 12 am on the website. The single entry tickets sell out within hours. I recommend staying up to make sure you get tickets, especially if you want to visit on specific dates and during popular times. The multi-entry tickets are not quite as popular, but do sell out as well.

How much are Gaylord Pacific Day Passes?

The single entry day passes for Gaylord Pacific Chula Vista are $12.50 per person and the multi-entry day passes are $30 per person. If you are staying at the resort, each room gets 4 multi-entry day passes.

Are pets allowed on the ferry?

No, pets are not allowed, but service animals are welcome.

Is the Chula Vista ferry wheelchair accessible?

No, the Chula Vista ferry is not wheelchair accessible and ADA compliant.

Last Updated on June 8, 2026 by Maria Haase

The post The New Chula Vista to San Diego Ferry: Schedule, Price & Tips (2026) appeared first on San Diego Explorer.

]]> Property sector seen slowing in 2nd half amid oil, price pressures https://bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/06/08/755071/property-sector-seen-slowing-in-2nd-half-amid-oil-price-pressures/ https://bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/06/08/755071/property-sector-seen-slowing-in-2nd-half-amid-oil-price-pressures/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Property, sector, seen, slowing, 2nd, half, amid, oil, price, pressures By Juliana Chloe A. Gonzales

THE PHILIPPINE property sector is expected to slow in the second half as the Iran war, elevated oil prices and persistent inflation raise costs and weaken demand, prompting developers to delay projects and adopt a more cautious approach.

Analysts said higher fuel and construction costs, elevated borrowing rates and weaker consumer purchasing power are likely to weigh on residential, retail and hospitality segments through the rest of 2026, although industrial and outsourcing-related property demand might provide some support.

Joey Roi Bondoc, director for research at Colliers Philippines, said the impact of the war on fuel and supply chains could continue to pressure developers and buyers.

Developers have started delaying construction and marketing some projects in anticipation of weaker demand, he told BusinessWorld in a video call.

“The Middle East covered about 18% of total remittances to the Philippines in 2025, so that is pretty significant,” he added.

Claro dG. Cordero, Jr., director for research at Cushman & Wakefield Philippines, said prolonged war in the Middle East would continue to affect oil markets even if tensions ease.

“Even if de-escalation occurs, oil production and trade through the Strait of Hormuz will take time to normalize,” he said in an e-mailed reply to questions.

He said higher oil prices would eventually filter through to transportation, utilities and consumer expenses, squeezing household purchasing power in a country heavily dependent on imports.

Cushman & Wakefield also said inflation risks could spur the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to keep benchmark interest rates elevated.

Mr. Bondoc said the BSP’s cumulative 200-basis-point policy easing has yet to translate into substantially lower mortgage rates.

“Until we see a significant reduction in mortgage rate, I think we won’t see a substantial spike in condominium take-up in the Metro Manila pre-selling market,” he said, noting that five-year mortgage rates remain at about 7.7% to 7.8%.

The condominium segment in Metro Manila continues to face a large supply overhang, with about seven years’ worth of unsold inventory, according to Colliers.

As a result, developers are increasingly shifting toward horizontal housing projects in provincial growth areas such as Cavite, Laguna and Batangas, where demand is driven more by end-users than speculative buyers.

“It doesn’t make economic sense at this point to start building more vertical projects in Metro Manila,” Mr. Bondoc said.

Colliers added that provincial house-and-lot projects continue to post strong average take-up rates of about 90%, partly because overseas Filipino workers are less likely to stop paying for homes occupied by their families.

Despite the challenges, analysts said some property segments are expected to continue performing well.

Mr. Cordero said logistics and industrial developments, information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) office spaces and the high-end residential market are likely to outperform.

“Logistics and industrial benefit directly from supply chain restructuring, as occupiers seek larger, strategically located warehousing near major transport nodes to guard against disruption,” he said.

He added that tighter budgets among global companies could still support Philippine outsourcing demand because firms continue to seek lower-cost operating locations.

John Corpus, executive director for tenant representation at Savills Philippines, said a weaker peso could further improve the country’s competitiveness for export-oriented industries and outsourcing firms.

However, he noted that many business process outsourcing firms and global capability centers remain cautious about expansion because of economic uncertainty and rapid technological change.

“As a result, occupiers are expected to remain selective and strategic in their expansion decisions,” Mr. Corpus said via Viber.

Savills also cited geopolitical risks involving Taiwan and domestic political uncertainty ahead of the 2028 election cycle as factors that could affect investor sentiment.

“Investors generally prefer stability, policy continuity, and a strong focus on economic priorities,” Mr. Corpus said.

Analysts said developers should prioritize operational efficiency and carefully phase projects instead of pursuing aggressive expansion.

They also recommended locking in material costs early and investing in energy-efficient infrastructure and renewable energy systems to reduce operating costs for tenants.

]]> NG debt service bill jumps by 12% in April https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/08/755060/ng-debt-service-bill-jumps-by-12-in-april/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/08/755060/ng-debt-service-bill-jumps-by-12-in-april/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator debt, service, bill, jumps, 12, April By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Senior Reporter

THE National Government’s (NG) debt service bill increased by over 12% in April amid higher interest and amortization payments, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said.

The latest Treasury data showed payments made by the government for its obligations went up by 12.1% to P314.89 billion in April from P280.9 billion in the same month a year ago.

Month on month, debt service surged by 86.2% from the P169.09 billion in March.

Debt service refers to payments made by the NG for its domestic and foreign debt.

The bulk or 79.8% of debt payments consisted of amortization payments, while the rest were interest payments.

The government’s repayment of its loan principal increased by 7.2% to P251.36 billion in April from P234.45 billion a year ago.

This came as amortization on domestic debt jumped by 43.5% to P243.63 billion in April from P169.83 billion in the same month last year.

Principal payments for foreign obligations slumped by 88% to P7.73 billion in April from P64.63 billion a year prior.

On the other hand, NG’s interest payments rose by 36.8% to P63.53 billion in April from P46.45 billion in the same month a year earlier.

Interest payments for domestic debt stood at P42.89 billion in April, up by 40.8% from P30.47 billion in the same month in 2025.

Of this total, P33.11 billion went to interest payments for fixed-rate Treasury bonds, P4.36 billion for Treasury bills, and P3.56 billion for retail Treasury bonds.

Meanwhile, interest payments for foreign borrowings went up by 29.1% to P20.63 billion in April from P15.98 billion a year prior.

FOUR-MONTH BILL
For the first four months, the government’s debt service bill surged by 68.9% to P1.05 trillion from P622.92 billion in the same period last year.

Amortization payments in the January-to-April period jumped by 113.3% to P715.63 billion from P335.47 billion a year ago.

Broken down, principal payments for domestic debt soared by 269.9% to P630.37 billion, while payments for external borrowings declined by 48.3% to P85.27 billion.

Meanwhile, interest payments stood at P336.66 billion in the four months ending April, up 17.1% from P287.45 billion in the same period a year ago.

Interest payments on domestic debt jumped by 21.6% year on year to P254.29 billion in the first four months from P209.03 billion a year ago.

This consisted of P185.33 billion for fixed-rate Treasury bonds, P47.32 billion for retail Treasury bonds, P17.09 billion for Treasury bills, and P4.55 billion in interest payments for other domestic borrowings.

Interest payments on foreign obligations increased by 5% year on year to P82.37 billion in the January-to-April period from P78.42 billion a year ago.

Union Bank of the Philippines Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion attributed the higher debt service bill to heavier principal payments, reflecting “clustered debt maturities rather than a broad deterioration in fiscal conditions.”

“The elevated P1.05-trillion year-to-date figure similarly points to front-loaded repayments and a larger debt stock, with interest costs remaining relatively stable,” he told BusinessWorld.

“For the rest of the year, the trajectory is unlikely to move in a straight line — debt service tends to be lumpy, with spikes driven by the maturity schedule. That said, the overall level should remain elevated given the still-high debt base and upcoming repayments,” he added.

The NG’s debt stock dipped by 0.09% to P18.47 trillion as of end-April from P18.49 trillion at end-March, the latest BTr data showed.

Year on year, outstanding debt went up by 10.25% from P16.75 trillion at end-April 2025.

Jose Enrique “Sonny” A. Africa, executive director of think tank IBON Foundation, flagged the government’s rising debt service burden from 2020.

“Debt service is volatile month to month but the general trend for the sixth-year running is more of scarce fiscal resources going to service debt obligations than development,” he told BusinessWorld.

“This is even more critical given the urgent need for social assistance today amid the US attack on Iran-driven oil price shocks,” he added.

Mr. Africa also noted the total debt service in the first four months is already half of the P2.1-trillion debt service bill in 2025.

]]> April bank lending growth fastest in 9 mos. https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/08/755061/april-bank-lending-growth-fastest-in-9-mos/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/08/755061/april-bank-lending-growth-fastest-in-9-mos/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator April, bank, lending, growth, fastest, mos. PHILIPPINE BANKS’ lending activities continued to expand in April with the industry’s loan growth posting its fastest pace in nine months, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported late on Friday.

Based on preliminary central bank data, the total outstanding loans of universal and commercial banks, net of reverse repurchase agreements, rose by 11.4% year on year in April to P14.755 trillion from P13.249 trillion.

April marked the fastest loan growth seen in nine months or since 11.8% in July 2025.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, bank lending climbed by 2% month on month, which the BSP said reflected banks’ expectations of steady loan demand from businesses and households this quarter.

According to the BSP’s first-quarter Senior Bank Loan Officers’ Survey, 53.8% of banks polled saw steady loan demand from businesses for the second quarter of the year, while 52.9% anticipated steady credit demand from households.

“Resident loans account for the bulk of total outstanding loans, while a small portion constitutes loans to nonresidents,” the central bank said in a statement.

Lending to residents grew by 11.8% to P14.462 trillion from P12.931 trillion a year ago. This was an improvement from the 11.1% rise seen in March.

Meanwhile, loans extended to nonresidents contracted by an annual 7.9% to P293.112 billion in April from P318.366 billion, steeper than the 5.9% decline logged in the prior month.

In April, banks lent out a total of P12.463 trillion for residents’ production activities, 10.7% higher than the P11.26 trillion it granted last year. This accounted for the bulk of banks’ loans to residents during the period and was faster than the 9.7% growth posted in March.

According to the BSP, this was driven by the 25.8% year-on-year expansion in lending for the electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply sector. Loans for repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles also rose by 11.8%, real estate activities by 8.1%, financial and insurance activities by 6.7%, and manufacturing by 1%.

On the other hand, consumer loans to residents jumped by 19.6% to P1.999 trillion from P1.671 trillion a year earlier. However, this eased from the 20.5% climb seen in March, which the BSP said followed slower lending in the credit card and motor vehicle segments.

Credit card loans increased by an annual 26.6% to P1.247 trillion in April, easing from the 27.9% rise recorded in the prior month.

Lending for motor vehicles grew by 11.6% to P539.824 billion in April, slightly easing from 12.5% in March.

However, loans for general-purpose salaries rose by 6.1% year on year to P170.236 billion in April, picking up from 4.2% in March.

The central bank monitors banks’ lending activities to track the transmission of monetary policy.

LIQUIDITY RISES FURTHER
Meanwhile, the country’s money supply rose further in April as banks continued to extend loans to nonfinancial private corporations and households.

Separate preliminary BSP data showed domestic liquidity (M3) rose by 12.2% to P20.348 trillion in April from P18.128 trillion in the same month last year.

Month on month, the country’s liquidity nudged 0.7% higher on a seasonally adjusted basis.

“Domestic liquidity growth was driven primarily by the continued expansion in borrowings to nonfinancial private corporations and households,” the central bank said in a statement on Friday.

M3 is a measure of the amount of money in the economy that includes currencies in circulation, bank deposits, and other financial assets that are easily convertible to cash.

April’s expansion was slightly faster than 12.1% in March. It also matched the liquidity growth seen in September 2020 and was the fastest pace in over five years or since 13.7% in August 2020.

Domestic claims, which include those from private and government sectors, came in 12.7% higher to P23.366 trillion in April from P20.735 trillion a year ago.

Broken down, claims on the private sector grew by 12.6% year on year to P15.021 trillion.

“Meanwhile, net claims on the central government increased by 15.1% in April, driven mainly by higher outstanding government securities (GS) and lower deposits with the BSP and banks,” the central bank said.

Net claims on the central government climbed to P6.328 trillion in April.

Claims on a sector refer to that sector’s liabilities to depository corporations such as banks and the central bank.

BSP data also showed that net foreign assets (NFA) in peso terms stood at P7.275 trillion in April, up 8.9% annually.

This as banks’ larger holdings of foreign currency-denominated debt securities boosted their NFA position to P875.709 billion, climbing by 17.2%.

The central bank’s NFAs were likewise higher year on year by 7.9% to P6.399 trillion.

NFAs reflect the difference between depository corporations’ claims and liabilities to nonresidents.

“The BSP will continue to ensure that domestic liquidity conditions remain consistent with its price and financial stability objectives,” the central bank said. — Katherine K. Chan

]]> Philippines’ dollar reserves slump to 16-month low at end-May https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/08/755062/philippines-dollar-reserves-slump-to-16-month-low-at-end-may/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/08/755062/philippines-dollar-reserves-slump-to-16-month-low-at-end-may/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippines’, dollar, reserves, slump, 16-month, low, end-May THE Philippines’ dollar reserves declined to its lowest level in over a year due to external debt payments, lower global gold prices and the central bank’s efforts to support the peso amid the Middle East war, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.

The country’s gross international reserves (GIR) stood at $103.974 billion at end-May, down 1.14% from the $105.177 billion it held a year ago, preliminary BSP data showed.

Month on month, it fell by 0.34% from the $104.328 billion at end-April.

This was the lowest GIR level seen since January 2025, when it stood at $103.271 billion.

In a statement released late on Friday, the central bank said the National Government had external debt payments due during the period, which led to fewer foreign currency deposits and reduced its dollar reserves.

The month on month decline also reflected valuation losses on the BSP’s gold holdings amid lower global gold prices, as well as its recent net foreign exchange operations, it added.

The decline in dollar reserves comes as the central bank said it moved to support the peso amid volatility triggered by the ongoing Middle East war.

This came as safe-haven demand for the greenback dragged the peso to a new historic low level of P61 to the dollar from the P58 range before the war broke out in late February.

On May 29, the peso lost 10.50 centavos to finish at P61.59 versus the dollar from its P61.485 close on April 30. It sank to a record low of P61.75 on May 18 and 19. 

Still, the BSP noted that the country’s current foreign reserves level continues to provide a “robust external liquidity buffer.”

“Despite the decline, this level still provides a robust external liquidity buffer, equivalent to 6.9 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income,” it added. 

This stands well above the three-month standard and could still cover about 3.6 times the country’s short-term external debt based on residual maturity.

Dollar reserves are the central bank’s foreign assets held mostly as investments in foreign-issued securities, foreign exchange and monetary gold, among others.

These are supplemented by claims to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the form of reserve position in the fund and special drawing rights (SDRs).

Based on BSP data, its foreign currency and deposits jumped by 24.31% to $583 million from $469 million at end-April but declined by 18.13% year on year from $712.1 million.

Meanwhile, the BSP’s foreign investments dipped by 0.19% to $79.247 billion at end-May from $79.395 billion a month prior and by 7.99% from $86.128 billion in the same period last year.

Its gold holdings also slid by 1.51% to $19.48 billion from $19.78 billion as of end-April. Annually, it climbed by 41.93% from $13.725 billion a year ago.

The Philippines’ reserve position in the IMF stood at $712.2 million as of May, lower by 1.58% from the $723.6 million recorded at end-April and by 0.5% from $715.8 million a year earlier.

Meanwhile, the country’s SDRs — or the amount the Philippines can tap from the IMF’s reserve currency basket — slid to $3.952 billion at end-May, down 0.24% from $3.961 billion in the previous month. Year on year, it increased by 1.46% from $3.895 billion.

Ample foreign exchange buffers protect the country from market volatility and ensure that it is capable of paying its debts in the event of an economic downturn.

By the end of this year, the BSP expects the country’s foreign reserves to settle at $111 billion, exceeding last year’s $110.8 billion. — Katherine K. Chan

]]> PEZA approves P15.4B in investment pledges https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/08/755059/peza-approves-p15-4b-in-investment-pledges/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/08/755059/peza-approves-p15-4b-in-investment-pledges/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator PEZA, approves, P15.4B, investment, pledges By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Senior Reporter

INVESTMENT PLEDGES approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) surged in May, driven by an increase in export-oriented manufacturing and information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) projects.

The PEZA Board approved 31 projects valued at P15.41 billion, a 446.89% jump from the P2.82-billion approved in May 2025.

The projects are expected to generate $364.73 million in exports.

Of the total, 16 projects were export manufacturing enterprises, seven are IT-BPM projects; two are domestic market enterprises; two are economic zone (ecozone) developments; two are logistics enterprises; one is a facilities enterprise; and one is a tourism enterprise.

Most of the projects will be located in the Calabarzon Region (16 projects), followed by the National Capital Region (six projects), and Central Luzon (two projects).

PEZA said Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao del Sur, and South Cotabato will each have three projects, while one project is located in Iloilo.

In the first five months of the year, PEZA approved 135 new and expansion projects worth P124.84 billion, up 88% from the P66.34-billion approved last year.

As of end-May, the agency’s investment approvals have reached 41.61% of its P300-billion target for 2026.

Approvals in the January-May period are expected to generate $2.97 billion in exports and 20,012 jobs, the agency said.

Fifty-eight of the approved projects during the period were in manufacturing, while the other projects were on ecozone development (21), IT-BPM (19), facilities (13), logistics (12), domestic market (six), tourism (four), and utilities (two).

In the five-month period, 110 of the PEZA-approved projects are located in Luzon, 19 in the Visayas, and six are in Mindanao.

The investment pledges came from investors based mainly in the Netherlands, South Korea, Indonesia, Germany, and Japan, the agency said.

In a statement on Sunday, PEZA Director-General Tereso O. Panga noted sustained investor confidence in the Philippines despite global economic uncertainties.

“Our robust investment growth and the near tripling of projected exports demonstrate that investors continue to see the Philippines as a strategic location for business expansion,” he said.

Mr. Panga also noted that PEZA has received interest from Middle Eastern companies considering the Philippines as a potential oil distribution hub. On the upside, we have received some interest from the Middle East in making the Philippines their hub for oil distribution in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations),” he told BusinessWorld in a Viber message. “This is a de-risking strategy from their end, and one that may meet our objective of creating a strategic oil reserve for the country.”

Mr. Panga said the PEZA is “cautiously optimistic” of reaching its P300-billion target of investment proposals, citing risks like geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and local political concerns.

“If these global headwinds are solved as well as some internal political problems, we will achieve the target by yearend,” he noted.

At the same time, Mr. Panga noted that the recent approval of the 2026 Strategic Investment Priorities Plan (SIPP) aligns with PEZA’s aim to attract projects that support export growth and industrial upgrading.

“The 2026 SIPP is a significant step forward in positioning the Philippines as a destination for high-value, technology-driven, and sustainable industries,” he said.

“Its stronger focus on advanced manufacturing, innovation, and Industry 4.0 technologies aligns closely with PEZA’s investment promotion strategy and our efforts to attract projects that generate higher-value exports, strengthen local industries, and deepen the country’s participation in global value chains,” Mr. Panga also said. 

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. approved on May 21 the 2026 SIPP under Memorandum Order No. 47.

The SIPP identifies economic activities that may qualify for incentives under Republic Act No. 12066 or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy Act.

Tier I activities under the latest SIPP include modern agriculture, state-of-the-art construction, mobile healthcare, ecological zones, and climate-related initiatives such as carbon capture, waste-to-value, and circular economy projects, and forest management for carbon credits.

Under Tier II, activities that may be incentivized include defense services, desalination, electric vehicle infrastructure, sustainable aviation fuel, and processing of critical minerals.

Tier III activities under the SIPP include artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, cybersecurity, hydrogen and nuclear energy, and advanced research and design.

Mr. Panga said that the updated SIPP may help deepen the country’s trade relationships with its ASEAN neighbors, particularly in AI supply chains.

Looking ahead, PEZA is aiming to attract projects that seek to leverage advanced technologies, strengthen local industries, boost export capability, and help the Philippines climb global value chains, Mr. Panga said.

]]> Flood of AI ‘garbage’ is pushing open-source developers to the limit https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/flood-of-ai-garbage-is-pushing-open-source-developers-to-the-limit/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/flood-of-ai-garbage-is-pushing-open-source-developers-to-the-limit/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Flood, ‘garbage’, pushing, open-source, developers, the, limit

AI-generated code must be carefully checked by human volunteers

MTStock Studio/Getty Images

A viral cartoon about open-source software shows a teetering pile of boxes labelled “all modern digital infrastructure” and one tiny box right at the bottom, propping up the whole lot: “a project some random person in Nebraska has been thanklessly maintaining since 2003”.

That’s the reality of open source: every website, application and operating system relies on it. Modern society couldn’t function without it, and yet it’s written by volunteers in their spare time. But the growing burden caused by a flood of AI-generated code is causing many to burn out and leave the community altogether, threatening the future of open-source software.

AI models are making it easier and easier to generate code to build new features, fix bugs or create entire new projects at the click of a button. But that code is often difficult to integrate into existing projects, confusing or simply garbage. While code submissions get ever easier, human contributors responsible for checking, fixing and approving them are getting swamped.

For some workers, the demands have become unbearable. New Scientist arranged an interview with Chad Whitacre, who runs the open-source team at Sentry – a company valued at billions of dollars. Days before the interview, Whitacre cancelled and said he was stepping down from his role. His LinkedIn and Bluesky accounts were shut down, and emails to his account bounced back. He left a blog post explaining that he was stepping away from technology and living a “Neo-Amish” existence. “AI was the last straw,” he wrote.

GitHub, the online platform where many open-source projects are hosted and organised, received 1 billion new code submissions in 2025; this year, they are on track for 14 billion, said its chief operating officer Kyle Daigle in April.

Many projects are blocking new contributors in a bid to stem the flow of what has been labelled “drive-by contributions” generated by AI, often submitted by young developers who want to have an expansive GitHub submission history to boost their appeal to software-company recruiters. Zig Software Foundation, which promotes the Zig programming language, banned AI-assisted contributions because they were “invariably garbage”, said its president Andrew Kelley.

“AI-written code can look superficially like it’s going to work and not cause any problems, but the problems are a bit more hidden and it takes a lot of effort to comb through and look for the things that might break something,” says Miranda Heath at the University of Edinburgh, UK.

Heath is researching the effects of burnout with a hope to finding ways to mitigate the problem and ensure that open source remains a sustainable field. But she encounters many people who have already had enough.

“I get this impression, when people burn out, there’s a kind of a desire to return to nature a little bit, like people suddenly take up like woodworking or photographing birds,” says Heath. “It can affect people’s relationships. And then you’re more isolated and lonely because your relationships are affected. That makes burnout worse.”

Heath believes governments should invest more in open source, rather than awarding contracts to rich technology firms. “Shore up the stuff that’s important, that you really need, rather than chucking money towards the [AI] bubble,” she says.

Vlad-Stefan Harbuz, also at the University of Edinburgh, works on open source in his spare time and has seen the demands placed on developers by users. “There’s this entitlement, like, you’ve wronged me by not doing free labour for me at the expense of your mental health,” says Harbuz.

Harbuz says the fault over increasing AI submissions lays with companies that release the models – and that GitHub is one of the main offenders. The Microsoft-owned company has launched its own AI model, Copilot, to help people contribute to projects with AI-generated code.

“GitHub will say ‘oh, we realise [AI] agents have been such a problem, we’re gonna maybe do something to fix it’ and it’s like, it’s you, right? You, GitHub, did this,” says Harbuz. GitHub did not respond to a request for comment.

For Harbuz, the problem with AI-generated code is not just that it might not work, but that people can drop thousands of lines of code without even discussing it with the project’s team. It side-steps planning and can steer them in unwanted directions. Collaboration can be thrown into disarray and the social contract of open source can break, he says.

Developer Mike McQuaid, who works on a project called Homebrew that has an estimated 20 million users, has strong opinions about how to fix the problem.

Firstly, he started an initiative called the Open Source Resistance, which calls on people to work on projects during their day job to make contributing easier. He estimates that as much as 95 per cent of his open source work is done during office hours.

Secondly, he’s not afraid to ban people. He blocks any problematic users, including one who physically threatened his team, and simply deletes any sub-par code submissions, whether they’re AI-generated or not.

“We’ve maybe had this brief golden-age window [where] you can assume if someone writes a two-page document proclaiming a security vulnerability that it’s probably legit. My experience in the last year has been the majority of those are nonsense and are just AI-generated stuff that doesn’t apply,” says McQuaid. “And the skill right now is being able to essentially skim a two-page document and spot that it’s nonsense while investing as little of your own time and energy as you possibly can.”

But in the confusing and fast-moving world of AI, bans bring their own problems. Open-source developer Scott Shambaugh deleted an AI-generated code submission to Matplotlib, which has 130 million users. In response, the AI agent (of unknown ownership) created a blog post publicly lashing out at him. “Scott Shambaugh decided that AI agents aren’t welcome contributors,” said the post. “He tried to protect his little fiefdom. It’s insecurity, plain and simple.”

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post Flood of AI ‘garbage’ is pushing open-source developers to the limit appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> NASA to select new headquarters building by end of year https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nasa-to-select-new-headquarters-building-by-end-of-year/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nasa-to-select-new-headquarters-building-by-end-of-year/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NASA, select, new, headquarters, building, end, year

WASHINGTON — NASA plans to find a new headquarters building by the end of this year while remaining in the Washington area.

As part of a reorganization of the agency announced May 22, NASA announced it had named Dave Mitchell, who had been associate administrator of the agency’s Mission Support Directorate, as the special assignment lead for NASA Headquarters relocation.

While there had been discussion last year about moving the agency’s headquarters out of Washington, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a memo about the reorganization that Mitchell was charged with finding a new office in Washington that would offer “a more efficient footprint” than its current building.

The lease on the current headquarters building, which NASA has used for more than 30 years, expires in August 2028, Mitchell said at a National Academies meeting June 3. “We’re up against it at this point in time,” he said.

He said he has already started the search for new offices with the assistance of the General Services Administration. “I’m learning a whole new world of walking the sidewalks of D.C. and looking at commercial properties,” he said, visiting eight to 10 properties so far.

The search is being helped by what he described as a “depressed” market for commercial real estate in the city. “It’s a good opportunity here, whether we lease or we purchase,” he said.

An April report by the real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield stated there was a 23.2% vacancy rate for commercial real estate in Washington in the first quarter of 2026, up from 21.6% a year ago. The firm said it expected an increase in leasing activity in the near term but that conditions would remain “tenant-favorable” given the high vacancy rates.

Mitchell said that his goal was to select a new office by the end of the year. “I’m laser-focused on that,” he said. “We’ve got to find this building pretty darn quick.”

The new headquarters office will likely be smaller than the agency’s current offices. “We’re going to have to have a smaller footprint,” he said. “That’s the administrator’s vision as well.”

He did not say how much smaller the new headquarters would be, but some people who work there now may be reassigned to the Goddard Space Flight Center in the Maryland suburbs.

“We’re looking at several buildings at Goddard that we’re looking to put money in to refurbish,” he said. He didn’t state which personnel might be moved to Goddard but noted some headquarters employees who live in Maryland might welcome a move to that center. “This could close nicely if we do this the right way.”

While NASA is leaving its current headquarters in two years, the agency is renovating one aspect of it. Isaacman announced on social media June 2 an updated lobby for the building, one that is open to the public. It includes exhibits such as models of NASA spacecraft and other vehicles, as well as interactive displays and a coffee stand.

Read the original article here

The post NASA to select new headquarters building by end of year appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Ambrosia Sky’s Final Act Lands On August 6 https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/ambrosia-skys-final-act-lands-on-august-6/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/ambrosia-skys-final-act-lands-on-august-6/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Ambrosia, Sky’s, Final, Act, Lands, August

It’ll come as a free update for players who own the game already.


Cover art for Ambrosia Sky
Soft Rains

The second — and final — act of the indie sci-fi “clean-’em-up” Ambrosia Sky will be here this summer. During the Story-Rich Showcase this weekend at Summer Game Fest, developer Soft Rains announced that Act Two is dropping on Steam August 6. It’ll come as a free update for anyone who already owns Act One, and new players who grab it at launch time will get the full game with both acts for just $12. That discount will only be available for a limited time, after which the price of the full game will go up to $25.

Ambrosia Sky follows Dalia, a death cleaner at an outpost on Saturn’s rings, where an unknown contamination wiped out the colony of people living there. In Act Two, “As she closes in on the truth behind the disaster consuming The Cluster, Dalia continues her search for her ex-girlfriend Maeve while laying the dead to rest and collecting DNA to advance research into human immortality.”

According to the developers, “The final act resolves the major threads introduced in Act One while expanding the experience with new mission locations, fresh exo-fungus types to harvest and survive, and a reworked progression system with additional upgrades.”

Read the original article here

The post Ambrosia Sky’s Final Act Lands On August 6 appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Kennedy Center staff start removing all references to Donald Trump https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/kennedy-center-staff-start-removing-all-references-to-donald-trump/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/kennedy-center-staff-start-removing-all-references-to-donald-trump/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Kennedy, Center, staff, start, removing, all, references, Donald, Trump

Staff at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. have started to remove all references to Donald Trump.

In December last year, the Trump-appointed board of the arts venue voted to rename the institution to the ‘Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts’, or the ‘Trump-Kennedy Center’ in short.

In May, however, a US district judge ruled that the board had no authority to make that change because the centre’s name is fixed by federal statute and can only be amended by Congress. He ordered all references to Trump’s name to be removed from the building and the official name to be restored to the Kennedy Center.

Trump reacted angrily to the order, writing on social media that he would be “working with Congress to transfer this failing institution back to them”, and added that the “radical left would rather see it DIE than have President Trump transform it into something that everyone could be proud of”.

This week, a memo was sent to staff at the institution directing employees to stop using Trump’s name in reference to the Kennedy Center on any formal communications or press materials. A deadline of June 12 was set to update all physical and digital signage too, with the letters in Trump’s name being removed from the exterior of the building.

Also this week, the Trump administration’s lawsuit against a jazz musician who cancelled his annual Christmas concert at the Kennedy Center in the aftermath of the name change was dismissed. 

The venue’s president Richard Grenell had strongly criticised Chuck Redd’s decision and demanded $1million in damages for what he described as a “political stunt”, but on Friday (June 5), a judge ruled in Redd’s favour, citing Anti-SLAPP laws that protect defendants against meritless lawsuits and “political retribution”.

Ben Folds also wrote an open letter this week to rally support for the National Symphony Orchestra, who are based at the Kennedy Center. Folds resigned as the NSO’s artistic advisor in the light of Trump’s takeover, but has now said the orchestra “doesn’t have the luxury of time” to get back on its feet.

A string of performers have also withdrawn from the Trump-linked Freedom 250 events at the Washington State Mall’s 250th anniversary of American independence celebrations, which are scheduled to start at the end of this month.

Milli Vanilli, The Commodores, Bret Michaels, Young MC, Martina McBride and Morris Day & The Time have all pulled out, with many choosing to distance themselves once its political associations became clear.

Read the original article here

The post Kennedy Center staff start removing all references to Donald Trump appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Duffy Announces First Live Show in 15 Years https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/duffy-announces-first-live-show-in-15-years/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/duffy-announces-first-live-show-in-15-years/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Duffy, Announces, First, Live, Show, Years

Note: This article contains references to sexual assault that readers may find disturbing.

Duffy, the Welsh singer behind the 2008 smash “Mercy,” will make a surprise return to the stage next month for the first time in nearly 15 years. She revealed on Friday (June 5) via Instagram Stories that she’ll play a “secret intimate gig” in London on July 5—a venue has yet to be announced.

The show is the latest step in Duffy’s return to the public eye after stepping away for over a decade in the wake of a traumatic attack. In a pair of statements published in 2020, Duffy shared that she had been abducted, raped, and held captive for six weeks, an ordeal that led her to retreat from the spotlight. In March, she announced that she’ll recount her story for the first time in a Hulu Original documentary for Disney+. Per a press release, the film will include extensive interviews with Duffy, as well as archival footage and conversations with her family, friends, and colleagues in the industry. The project has yet to receive a title or air date.

Duffy shared her latest new music, the songs “River in the Sky” and “Something Beautiful,” shortly after sharing the statements on her harrowing experience in 2020. Her most recent proper album, Endless, arrived in 2010 two years after her hit debut, 2008’s Rockferry.

If you or someone you know has been affected by inappropriate sexual behavior, we encourage you to reach out for support:

RAINN Hotline
http://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)

Crisis Text Line
http://www.facebook.com/crisistextline (chat support)
SMS: Text “HERE” to 741-741

Read the original article here

The post Duffy Announces First Live Show in 15 Years appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Swiss team warns of rattlesnakes at San Diego World Cup base https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/fifa-world-cup-switzerland-sandiego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/fifa-world-cup-switzerland-sandiego/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Swiss, team, warns, rattlesnakes, San, Diego, World, Cup, base Lifeguards rescue man in distress at end of Oceanside Pier https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/coastal/oceanside-pier-water-rescue/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/coastal/oceanside-pier-water-rescue/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Lifeguards, rescue, man, distress, end, Oceanside, Pier San Diego Zoo Safari Park welcomes new elephant https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-zoo/san-diego-zoo-safari-park-elephant-valley-new-elephant/ https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-zoo/san-diego-zoo-safari-park-elephant-valley-new-elephant/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, Zoo, Safari, Park, welcomes, new, elephant Legoland CA unveils largest LEGO stadium for World Cup https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/legoland-california-fifa-world-cup/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/legoland-california-fifa-world-cup/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Legoland, unveils, largest, LEGO, stadium, for, World, Cup A 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocks the southern Philippines, causing some damage and 1-meter tsunami https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/ap-7-8-magnitude-earthquake-shakes-part-of-southern-philippines/ https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/ap-7-8-magnitude-earthquake-shakes-part-of-southern-philippines/ Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator 7.8, magnitude, earthquake, rocks, the, southern, Philippines, causing, some, damage, and, 1-meter, tsunami ‘Be human as Christ is,’ Pope Leo XIV tells half a million youth in Madrid https://catholics.news/be-human-as-christ-is-pope-leo-xiv-tells-half-a-million-youth-in-madrid https://catholics.news/be-human-as-christ-is-pope-leo-xiv-tells-half-a-million-youth-in-madrid Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator ‘Be, human, Christ, is, ’, Pope, Leo, XIV, tells, half, million, youth, Madrid Bishop of Quelimane, Mozambique, shot dead at his residence https://catholics.news/bishop-of-quelimane-mozambique-shot-dead-at-his-residence https://catholics.news/bishop-of-quelimane-mozambique-shot-dead-at-his-residence Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Bishop, Quelimane, Mozambique, shot, dead, his, residence Catholic Church has message for everyone, pope says before landing in Spain https://catholics.news/catholic-church-has-message-for-everyone-pope-says-before-landing-in-spain https://catholics.news/catholic-church-has-message-for-everyone-pope-says-before-landing-in-spain Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Catholic, Church, has, message, for, everyone, pope, says, before, landing, Spain Pope Leo arrives in Spain, urges end to polarization and ‘renewed fidelity to the Gospel’ https://catholics.news/pope-leo-arrives-in-spain-urges-end-to-polarization-and-renewed-fidelity-to-the-gospel https://catholics.news/pope-leo-arrives-in-spain-urges-end-to-polarization-and-renewed-fidelity-to-the-gospel Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, arrives, Spain, urges, end, polarization, and, ‘renewed, fidelity, the, Gospel’ Corpus Christi and the astounding gift of God https://catholics.news/corpus-christi-and-the-astounding-gift-of-god https://catholics.news/corpus-christi-and-the-astounding-gift-of-god Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Corpus, Christi, and, the, astounding, gift, God Bank of Commerce’s Annual Stockholders’ Meeting to be held on June 30 via Zoom https://bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/07/754827/bank-of-commerces-annual-stockholders-meeting-to-be-held-on-june-30-via-zoom/ https://bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/07/754827/bank-of-commerces-annual-stockholders-meeting-to-be-held-on-june-30-via-zoom/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Bank, Commerce’s, Annual, Stockholders’, Meeting, held, June, via, Zoom NOTICE OF ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING 

June 08, 2026

The Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of Bank of Commerce (the Bank) will be held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 11:00 A.M. As permitted by its By-laws, the Bank will conduct the annual meeting via remote communication using Pro Version License Zoom Application and livestreaming as authorized by the Board of Directors on April 15, 2026.

The Agenda of the Meeting is as follows:

  1. Call to Order 
  2. Certification of Notice and Quorum
  3. Approval of the Minutes of Annual Stockholders’ Meeting held on 27 May 2025 
  4. Presentation of the Annual Report
  5. Ratification of Acts and Proceedings of the Board of Directors and Corporate Officers 
  6. Confirmation of Bank’s Significant Transactions with its DOSRI and Related Parties 
  7. Approval of Directors’ Fees for 2025 
  8. Election of the Board of Directors 
  9. Appointment of External Auditor 
  10. Adjournment

Stockholders who would like to attend the meeting must advise the Bank on or before Wednesday, June 24, 2026, by sending the following information to stockholders@bankcom.com.ph: (1) Name; (2) E- mail address; (3) Contact number; (4) Postal address; and (5) scanned copy of any valid government-issued ID with photo of the stockholder, to obtain the link for the 2026 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting.

Stockholders may visit the Bank’s website at https://www.bankcom.com.ph/disclosure to download copies of (a) the Minutes of the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting held on 27 May 2025 and (b) the proxy form/ballot.

Electronic copies of the Information Statement and Management Report shall be available on the Company’s website and the PSE Edge.

Ballots and proxies may be submitted via email to stockholders@bankcom.com.ph, which submission shall be duly acknowledged and validated by the Bank’s stock transfer agent, SMC Stock Transfer Service Corporation. For an individual, the submission must be accompanied by a copy of a government-issued ID with photo, as proof of identification. For a corporation, the submission must be accompanied by a certification from its Corporate Secretary stating the corporate officer’s authority to represent the corporation in the meeting. In case of an event that restricts the movement of persons and makes submission of the originally signed ballots, proxies, and notarized Secretary’s Certificate difficult, these documents shall be submitted to the SMC Stock Transfer Service Corporation within a reasonable time after the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting.

During the meeting, the Bank shall entertain questions and comments from the stockholders after the presentation of the Annual Report. Questions and comments must be submitted either in advance by email to stockholders@bankcom.com.ph or during the meeting by posting the questions and comments in the feedback box that will be made available. Priority will be given to questions sent in advance. Questions which are not answered during the meeting shall be forwarded to the Office of the Corporate Secretary for the appropriate response.

The deadline for submission of the proxy and ballot is on June 24, 2026. Validation of proxies and ballots will be on June 25, 2026 at 10:00AM at the SMC Stock Transfer Service Corporation Office, 2nd Floor, SMC Head Office Complex, No. 40 San Miguel Ave., Mandaluyong City, Philippines. Only stockholders who have notified the Bank of their intention to participate through remote communication as above described and have been validated by the Office of the Corporate Secretary to be stockholders of record of the Bank as of June 10, 2026 will be considered in computing stockholder attendance at the meeting together with the stockholders attending through proxies.

 

  (Original Signed)

EVITA C. CABALLA

Corporate Secretary

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.

]]> Beneficial Life Insurance Company, Inc. to conduct Annual Stockholders’ Meeting on June 30 via remote communication https://bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/07/754809/beneficial-life-insurance-company-inc-to-conduct-annual-stockholders-meeting-on-june-30-via-remote-communication/ https://bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/07/754809/beneficial-life-insurance-company-inc-to-conduct-annual-stockholders-meeting-on-june-30-via-remote-communication/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Beneficial, Life, Insurance, Company, Inc., conduct, Annual, Stockholders’, Meeting, June, via, remote, communication NOTICE AND AGENDA OF

2026 ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting (“ASM”) of BENEFICIAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, INC. (the “Company”) will be held through remote communication via https://www.benlife.com.ph/benlife-2026-ASM/ on June 30, 2026, Tuesday, at 3:00 o’ clock in the afternoon with the following:

A G E N D A1

  1. Call to Order
  2. Certification of Notice of Meeting and Quorum
  3. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous ASM Held on 30 June 2025
  4. Presentation of Annual Report and Approval of the Audited Financial Statements ( “AFS”)
  5. Ratification and Confirmation of all Acts and Resolutions of the Board of Directors and its Committees,Officersand Management Since the 2025 ASM
  6. Election of Members of the Board (including the Independent Directors)
  7. Election of External Auditor
  8. Consideration of Such Other Matters as May Properly Come Before the Meeting
  9. Adjournment

Only stockholders of record at the close of business hours on June 08, 2026 are entitled to notice of, and vote at, this ASM.

In view of current circumstances and pursuant to and in accordance with the Company’s Amended By-Laws, the Board of Directors during its Regular Meeting held on April 08, 2026, resolved that the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting be held in a fully virtual format, thus, stockholders may only attend the ASM by remote communication, by voting in absentia, or by appointing a proxy.

Stockholders intending to participate in the meeting by remote communication must register at https://form.jotform.com/benlifemis.com.ph/2026-ASM-registration on or before 5:00 o’clock in the afternoon of 29 June 2026. Stockholders may vote by remote communication, or in absentia subject to validation procedures. The procedures for participation in the meeting through remote communication and for casting of votes in absentia are explained in the Information Statement.

Stockholders who intend to vote by proxy shall submit the duly accomplished proxy to, and must be received by, the Office of the Corporate Secretary, 7th/F Beneficial Life Building, 166 Salcedo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City or via email to corpsec@benlife.com.ph not later than 5:00 P.M. of June 23, 2026. Validation of proxies shall be held on June 24, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. WE ARE NOT SOLICITING PROXIES.

All email communications should be sent to corpsec@benlife.com.ph on or before the designated deadlines.

Given this 2nd day of June 2026.

 

FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

(Sgd.) MA. SIGRID R. PINLAC

Corporate Secretary

 

—————————- 

1 See https://www.benlife.com.ph/investor-relations-2/ for the explanation/rationale for each item in the Agenda; and Proxy template 

2 See https://www.benlife.com.ph/disclosures/ for the Information Statement

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.

]]> Cuts to US ocean programme will hinder monitoring of El Niño and AMOC https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/cuts-to-us-ocean-programme-will-hinder-monitoring-of-el-nino-and-amoc/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/cuts-to-us-ocean-programme-will-hinder-monitoring-of-el-nino-and-amoc/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Cuts, ocean, programme, will, hinder, monitoring, Niño, and, AMOC

One of the Ocean Observatories Initiative’s mooring spheres being lifted out of the sea

Rebecca Travis / Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

In the winter of 2013-2014, the strong winds of the jet stream shifted north, allowing a mass of warm water dubbed “the blob” to swell across more than 1500 kilometres of the north Pacific Ocean.

Floating instruments moored to the seabed off Alaska, Washington and Oregon alerted scientists and the fishing industry to the arrival of this water, which was up to 4°C hotter than normal.

They were part of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), five mooring arrays off the US west and east coasts and Greenland. Announcing $220 million in funding for the programme in 2023, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) said the OOI was needed to monitor “critical organs of the Earth”. But last month the NSF announced that these arrays would be largely removed from the water following funding cuts by the administration of US President Donald Trump.

As a planet-warming El Niño climate phase warmed the water further in 2015-2016, sensors running up and down OOI mooring wires revealed the blob was expanding into the deep sea below 250 metres. The mooring data helped show the blob, which repeated in 2019 and may be happening more frequently due to climate change, spurred toxic algal blooms that closed California’s $60 million Dungeness crab fishery for the season.

The removal of most OOI moorings will diminish the accuracy of weather forecasting, including precipitation patterns influencing the record drought in the western US. It will also hinder efforts to monitor a possible weakening in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) that keeps Europe temperate, as well as the effects of an imminent El Niño.

“We’re flying blind, and it will end up costing us more,” says John Abraham at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.

While the OOI costs $56 million a year to run, the US commercial fishing industry, which relies in part on OOI data, generates billions of dollars each year. Weather and climate disasters did $183 billion of damage in 2024. (The US government discontinued this tally in 2025.)

Without the OOI, fleets won’t know which fishing areas might be less impacted by the coming El Niño, which some models say could be the strongest on record, says Jack Barth at Oregon State University. Oyster, clam and shellfish farms won’t be able to prepare for heating and reduced nutrients the El Niño could bring, and scientists will lose their view of harms to marine ecosystems. In the past, the OOI has also alerted scientists to the formation of low-oxygen “dead zones” on the seafloor.

“That is going to be lost at exactly the worst time,” says Hilary Palevsky at Boston College in Massachussetts.

Because satellites can’t see beneath the surface of the sea, measurements by underwater floats, gliders and moorings are crucial to understand what’s happening in the 70 per cent of the planet covered by ocean.

While these mostly measure temperature, salinity and flow rate, the OOI moorings also have sensors for parameters like pH, oxygen and CO2 for understanding the biology and chemistry of the ocean. And they do so in remote, little-monitored places where the movement of water masses affects the climate.

The loss of these sensors will impact the rest of the world, especially by reducing observations of the AMOC. The OOI array in the Irminger Sea, east of Greenland, is part of OSNAP, a line of moorings, gliders and floats stretching from Canada to Greenland to Scotland. It monitors warm, salty water flowing from the tropics to the north Atlantic, where it cools and sinks, driving the AMOC. A collapse in this system could plunge Europe into “ice age” winters and disrupt monsoon rains critical for agriculture in Africa and Asia.

“OSNAP has taught us that most of the actual overturning takes place east of Greenland and that the Irminger Sea is key in understanding the overturning variability,” says Femke de Jong at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research.

Removing OOI will create a data gap that will limit understanding of the AMOC, even if it’s someday replaced, Palevsky adds.

Scientists fear the dismantling of OOI is the start of a massive rollback of US ocean research funding that could see the discontinuation of OSNAP. Some worry it could even undercut Argo, a vital network of almost 4000 descending instrument floats across the global ocean, half of which are provided by the US.

In a statement to New Scientist, the NSF said the OOI removal was to “prioritise support for evolving scientific priorities”. But it comes as the Trump administration wages what Gretchen Goldman at the Union of Concerned Scientists calls an “attack on science”. The administration has cancelled or suspended thousands of research grants, and it has proposed slashing the NSF’s budget by 55 per cent in 2027.

This week, the administration proposed a rule that would cancel peer review of research grant applications, allowing political appointees rather than independent experts to decide the fate of federally funded research. It would also ban international collaborations and research on gender and diversity.

Edward Dever at the Oregon State University, who manages the OOI array off the coast of Washington and Oregon, says the dismantling of OOI and the proposed grant rule are both part of sweeping changes that would “weaken peer review and politicise NSF-funded science”.

A study last month found that dismantling even one-fifth of the Global Ocean Observing System, a network of instruments that includes the OOI arrays and the Argo floats, would increase the error in the annual rate of ocean heating by 33 per cent. That would be like going from predicting an unemployment rate of 3 per cent this year to only being able to give a range of 2 to 4 per cent, says Abraham, who was part of the team behind the research.

“This is purposeful to try and remove our eyes and ears in the ocean,” he says of the OOI dismantling. “Because if we don’t measure something, how do we know we have a problem?”

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post Cuts to US ocean programme will hinder monitoring of El Niño and AMOC appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> NASA concerns about Russian repairs prompted ISS safe haven decision https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nasa-concerns-about-russian-repairs-prompted-iss-safe-haven-decision/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nasa-concerns-about-russian-repairs-prompted-iss-safe-haven-decision/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NASA, concerns, about, Russian, repairs, prompted, ISS, safe, haven, decision

WASHINGTON — NASA directed astronauts on the International Space Station to shelter in a Crew Dragon spacecraft after Russian cosmonauts planned to perform repairs the agency thought created “elevated risk” to the station.

In a statement late June 5, NASA described what led mission controllers in Houston earlier in the day to order the four members of Crew-12, along with NASA astronaut Chris Williams, who flew to the ISS on a Soyuz, to shelter in the Crew Dragon spacecraft docked to the station.

Shortly after 9 a.m. Eastern, capcom Ever Zavala called the station and instructed the crew to execute a procedure to establish a “safe haven” in the Dragon spacecraft. He told them not to get in their pressure suits first, adding they could do so later inside the capsule if needed.

Less than two hours later, controllers informed the astronauts they could exit the Dragon and soon resumed their normal work on the station.

In the statement, NASA said the decision to establish the safe haven in Dragon came from concerns about work cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev planned to do in PrK, a portion of the Zvezda service module that has suffered small air leaks for several years. The rate of those leaks increased earlier in the week while cosmonauts were working in the PrK, which serves as a vestibule between a docking port used by Progress cargo spacecraft and the rest of the station.

“Roscosmos made the decision to begin work toward a more extensive inspection and structural repair effort Friday morning,” NASA stated. “This revised approach involved cutting a bracket to better access an area identified as a possible leak source for further inspection, using a method that could have resulted in elevated risk to the structure in the area.”

That elevated risk, NASA said, led mission controllers to seek a “heightened safety posture” and ask astronauts to shelter in the Dragon while that work was in progress.

The cosmonauts ultimately did not perform that structural work in PrK, electing instead to take measurements. Roscosmos, in its own statement, said the cosmonauts applied sealant to one of two suspected leak areas while studying the other.

“NASA strongly supported that decision, and as a result, following that decision, Crew-12 and Williams ended their safe haven activities and returned to normal operations aboard the orbiting laboratory,” NASA stated.

The statement did not discuss future plans to address the PrK air leak. Earlier this year, NASA said that the leak appeared to have been resolved by repairs that involved applying sealant to parts of PrK that showed cracks or other evidence of leaks. However, NASA and Roscosmos had not identified the root cause of the leaks and disagreed on their severity.

“NASA will continue to work with our Russian counterparts, along with the rest of the international partners that support the space station, to assess and ensure a resolution to this matter,” the agency stated.

Read the original article here

The post NASA concerns about Russian repairs prompted ISS safe haven decision appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> US States Are Reportedly Planning To Sue To Block Paramount’s Warner Bros. Takeover https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/us-states-are-reportedly-planning-to-sue-to-block-paramounts-warner-bros-takeover/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/us-states-are-reportedly-planning-to-sue-to-block-paramounts-warner-bros-takeover/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator States, Are, Reportedly, Planning, Sue, Block, Paramount’s, Warner, Bros., Takeover

California’s attorney general Rob Bonta launched a probe into the deal shortly after it was announced.


The Warner Bros logo on a water tower
Robert V Schwemmer/Shutterstock

Amid widespread opposition to Paramount’s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., multiple US states are reportedly working together to fight the merger. According to a Reuters report, California and New York are among states preparing a lawsuit to block the deal.

The deal has faced scrutiny since it was announced back in February, when Paramount officially beat out Netflix in its attempt to buy Warner Bros. following multiple bids. California Attorney General Rob Bonta in particular has voiced concerns about the potential consequences, saying in a statement at the time, “Further consolidation in markets that are central to American economic life does not serve our economy, consumers, or competition well. In fact, consolidation of markets has led to increased unaffordability, a loss of good-paying job opportunities, and fewer choices for consumers.” Bonta added that the deal “must receive a full and robust review,” and said the state is “committed to fighting market consolidation that we find unlawful.”

We don’t know yet what other states are involved in the lawsuit alongside California and New York. But according to Reuters‘ source, the suit is expected to be filed within the coming weeks.

Read the original article here

The post US States Are Reportedly Planning To Sue To Block Paramount’s Warner Bros. Takeover appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Duffy announces first live show in 15 years after kidnapping ordeal https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/duffy-announces-first-live-show-in-15-years-after-kidnapping-ordeal/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/duffy-announces-first-live-show-in-15-years-after-kidnapping-ordeal/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Duffy, announces, first, live, show, years, after, kidnapping, ordeal

Duffy has announced her first live show in 15 years, marking her return after her harrowing kidnapping ordeal.

The Welsh singer has not played a full gig since 2011, the year in which she withdrew from public life for reasons she went on to share in 2020.

On Friday, however, she told fans on her Instagram Stories that she would be playing a balloted gig in a “secret intimate” venue in London on July 5. “I would love nothing more than for some of you to attend,” she said.

“It’s only small capacity so we can only select a few, but really looking forward to it, I will sing some new songs.”

She did not reveal where the show would take place, but fans were urged to sign up for the chance to attend via a free ballot here. You will be asked for your date of birth, location and contact details, and those who apply will receive an email from the artist explaining that “winners will be notified via email on June 15th”.

In 2020, Duffy opened up about the reason for her continued absence from recording and touring, explaining that she had been “raped and drugged and held captive over some days” and that her subsequent recovery “took time”.

“You wonder why I did not choose to use my voice to express my pain?” she continued. “I did not want to show the world the sadness in my eyes. I asked myself, how can I sing from the heart if it is broken? And slowly it unbroke.”

Shortly afterwards, she called rape a “weapon of war” in a painful account of her experience shared on her website. She then went on to encourage fans to speak out about their personal struggles, adding that she felt “liberated” after sharing her story.

Duffy also hit out at Netflix that same year, calling them “irresponsible” for “glamourising the brutal reality of sex trafficking, kidnapping and rape” in the film 365 Days.

An upcoming Disney+ documentary will tell Duffy’s story, from her upbringing in Wales to her rise to fame, to her subsequent withdrawal, including interviews with family, friends and peers in the industry. The doc was announced in March but has not yet been given a release date.

After signing a record deal in 2007, Duffy’s 2008 debut album ‘Rockferry’ became the best-selling record in the UK that year. She released her second album, ‘Endlessly’, in 2010, and in 2020 she returned with the singles ‘Something Beautiful’ and ‘River In The Sky’.

Last month, she posted a photo of herself in a recording studio, writing: “If only I could find the right words to explain how much I’ve missed you all. Working on coming back to you.”

Read the original article here

The post Duffy announces first live show in 15 years after kidnapping ordeal appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Phoebe Bridgers Is Going on Tour https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/phoebe-bridgers-is-going-on-tour/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/phoebe-bridgers-is-going-on-tour/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Phoebe, Bridgers, Going, Tour

Fresh off a month-long series of surprise pop-up shows at small venues across America—along with one at much-larger venue Madison Square Garden—Phoebe Bridgers has announced an official phone-free tour. It kicks off in September with special guest Alex G; she’ll hit European dates in November and December with former Black Country, New Road vocalist Isaac Wood. It’s Bridgers’ first solo trek since her two-and-a-half year Reunion run. A full list of the Lost Tour stops is below. Bridgers notes that $1 from every ticket sold on the North American leg will be donated to RAINN.

Outside of her last album with Boygenius, 2023’s The Record, the Los Angeles songwriter hasn’t released her own work since her 2020 sophomore album Punisher and its subsequent Copycat EP. In 2024, she snagged three Grammys with her Boygenius brethren Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker.

Revisit Sam Sodomsky’s 2017 review of Stranger in the Alps.

Phoebe Bridgers: The Lost Tour 2026

Phoebe Bridgers:
09-15 Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse*
09-17 St. Paul, MN – Grand Casino Arena*
09-19 Chicago, IL – United Center*
09-22 Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena*
09-25 Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center*
09-26 Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center*
09-28 Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena*
09-29 Washington, DC – Capital One Arena*
10-01 Toronto, ON -Scotiabank Arena*
10-03 Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena*
10-06 Boston, MA – TD Garden*
10-09 Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center*
10-10 Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena*
10-13 Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena*
10-16 Austin, TX – Moody Center*
10-17 Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena*
10-19 Denver, CO – Ball Arena*
10-21 Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center*
10-23 Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena*
10-24 Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena*
10-27 San Francisco, CA – Chase Center*
10-30 Inglewood, CA – Intuit Dome*
10-31 Inglewood, CA – Intuit Dome*
11-23 Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena #
11-26 Manchester, England – Co-op Live #
11-27 Glasgow, Scotland – OVO Hydro #
11-28 Birmingham, England – bp pulse LIVE #
12-01 London, England – The O2 #
12-04 Paris, France – Adidas Arena #
12-05 Brussels, Belgium – Forest National #
12-07 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome #
12-8 Düsseldorf, Germany – Mitsubishi Electric Halle #
12-9 Berlin, Germany – Velodrom #
12-11 Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena #
12-12 Stockholm, Sweden – Avicii Arena #

* with Alex G
# with Isaac Wood

Read the original article here

The post Phoebe Bridgers Is Going on Tour appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> 'Sheriff for the Day' contest winner talks about the experience https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/emiliano-hernandez-future-officer/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/emiliano-hernandez-future-officer/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Sheriff, for, the, Day, contest, winner, talks, about, the, experience Miss Rancho Bernardo Scholarship Program Pageant accepting applications https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/miss-rancho-bernardo-scholarship-program-pageant-accepting-applications/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/miss-rancho-bernardo-scholarship-program-pageant-accepting-applications/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Miss, Rancho, Bernardo, Scholarship, Program, Pageant, accepting, applications Vegetation fire prompts road closure, evacuations in Mission Valley https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/friars-road-closure-san-diego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/friars-road-closure-san-diego/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Vegetation, fire, prompts, road, closure, evacuations, Mission, Valley Freight train cars derail near Petco Park, closes Harbor Drive https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/freight-train-cars-derail-along-harbor-drive-near-petco-park/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/freight-train-cars-derail-along-harbor-drive-near-petco-park/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Freight, train, cars, derail, near, Petco, Park, closes, Harbor, Drive At least 12 people shot at an Ohio festival and a search for suspects is still ongoing, police say https://fox5sandiego.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-multiple-people-have-been-shot-near-a-festival-in-toledo-ohio-authorities-say/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/ap-top-headlines/ap-multiple-people-have-been-shot-near-a-festival-in-toledo-ohio-authorities-say/ Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator least, people, shot, Ohio, festival, and, search, for, suspects, still, ongoing, police, say Pope Leo XIV: We must rediscover signs and symbols of the sacred liturgy https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-we-must-rediscover-signs-and-symbols-of-the-sacred-liturgy https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-we-must-rediscover-signs-and-symbols-of-the-sacred-liturgy Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV:, must, rediscover, signs, and, symbols, the, sacred, liturgy Pope calls on Catholic universities to be authentic, instill ‘passion for the truth’ https://catholics.news/pope-calls-on-catholic-universities-to-be-authentic-instill-passion-for-the-truth https://catholics.news/pope-calls-on-catholic-universities-to-be-authentic-instill-passion-for-the-truth Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, calls, Catholic, universities, authentic, instill, ‘passion, for, the, truth’ Pope Leo XIV accompanied him through his cancer battle. Now they will meet again in Madrid https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-accompanied-him-through-his-cancer-battle-now-they-will-meet-again-in-madrid https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-accompanied-him-through-his-cancer-battle-now-they-will-meet-again-in-madrid Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV, accompanied, him, through, his, cancer, battle., Now, they, will, meet, again, Madrid Cardinal Koovakad to lead Sanremo meeting on interreligious dialogue https://catholics.news/cardinal-koovakad-to-lead-sanremo-meeting-on-interreligious-dialogue https://catholics.news/cardinal-koovakad-to-lead-sanremo-meeting-on-interreligious-dialogue Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Cardinal, Koovakad, lead, Sanremo, meeting, interreligious, dialogue June consistory of cardinals will address synod, war, artificial intelligence https://catholics.news/june-consistory-of-cardinals-will-address-synod-war-artificial-intelligence https://catholics.news/june-consistory-of-cardinals-will-address-synod-war-artificial-intelligence Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator June, consistory, cardinals, will, address, synod, war, artificial, intelligence About 40% of PHL schools lack sanitation, toilet facilities https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/05/754870/about-40-of-phl-schools-lack-sanitation-toilet-facilities/ https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/05/754870/about-40-of-phl-schools-lack-sanitation-toilet-facilities/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator About, 40, PHL, schools, lack, sanitation, toilet, facilities About 40% of public schools in the Philippines lack proper handwashing facilities and designated toilets for girls and boys, according to social business SATO Philippines.

“This could cause huge risks. Children get sick from dirty water, and young girls miss school every month because they don’t have privacy,” SATO Philippines Leader Akhito Shimojo told BusinessWorld in a virtual interview.

“We need to close this infrastructure gap immediately to protect our learners,” he added.

Data from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) in 2024 showed that about two-thirds of the poorest Filipinos still lack access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.

It added that up to 50% of the population, including children under five, drinks “surface water” or unsafe water in some municipalities of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Region IV-B.

With poor WASH conditions and practices, children are at risk of waterborne diseases, such as diarrhea. The local statistics agency noted that diarrhea and gastroenteritis of presumed infectious origin ranked as the 26th leading cause of death last year, accounting for over 2,000 deaths nationwide.

In 2019, PIDS noted that poor WASH practices cause 86% of diarrhea-related deaths in the country. Of these fatalities, 35% were children under the age of five.

According to Mr. Shimojo, gaps in sanitation and hygiene infrastructures are directly linked to students’ academic performances.

“Schools in crowded cities or remote villages have the worst toilet and water,” Mr. Shimojo said. “The kids who need learning recovery the most are the ones getting sick.”

“We cannot solve the learning crisis without solving the school health crisis, even with the best textbooks,” he added.

Based on the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment (CRLA), EDCOM 2 earlier reported that 41.47% of students nationwide are struggling readers. Of these, 2,243,059 students are under Key Stage 1, or learners from Kindergarten to Grade 3.

“We talk a lot about catching up on reading in the mass, but the reality is very simple – you cannot teach on empty chairs,” he said.

“When a student misses school because of a stomach illness or UTI, they fall behind,” he added. “If kids are too sick to sit at their desks, we cannot achieve our goals.”

The SATO Philippines executive underscored that better facilities lead to higher classroom attendance and performance. “When children spend more consecutive days in class, their grades naturally go up.”

“With safe private toilets, girls don’t miss crucial lessons or exams during their periods,” he added. “When attendance is stable, teachers can finally finish their catch-up program successfully.”

SATO Philippines has partnered with the Department of Education (DepEd) and deployed over 11,700 handwashing devices across 587 schools, benefiting about 117,000 students in Luzon and Visayas. It also aims to expand into Mindanao to serve learners better.

“Any place is a place we can work with, because if there is a need, we would like to work with local segments,” Mr. Shimojo said. “We are ready to expand our product nationwide.” — Almira Louise S. Martinez

]]> Megawide kicks off vertical construction for Php3.7-B One Portwood Residences https://bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/05/754872/megawide-kicks-off-vertical-construction-for-php3-7-b-one-portwood-residences/ https://bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/05/754872/megawide-kicks-off-vertical-construction-for-php3-7-b-one-portwood-residences/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Megawide, kicks, off, vertical, construction, for, Php3.7-B, One, Portwood, Residences Ten years strong for Megawide and Megaworld!

Megawide Construction Corporation (“Megawide” or “the Company”), through its core engineering, procurement and construction services, recently completed the First Concrete Pouring for Megaworld Corporation’s (“Megaworld”) latest high-end residential project in Pasay City.

This milestone symbolizes the start of the building’s main structural works, signaling the transition from foundation preparation to vertical construction, laying the groundworks for the structure’s strength, durability, and long-term integrity.

The project — One Portwood Residences — is a 14-storey, 73,561-square-meter residential development. The contract cost is estimated at Php3.67 billion and forms part of the Company’s healthy order book of P48.7 billion as of end-March 2026.

The Company will be utilizing its integrated engineering and construction approach, leveraging First-World engineering standards and strict quality control systems. These ensure efficiency in execution while maintaining the highest levels of safety, structural reliability, and build quality expected in a premium residential development.

Megawide Construction Chief Operating Officer (COO) Frederick Tan emphasized the company’s commitment to delivering value-driven construction execution.

“Milestones, like this, are an opportunity for us to add greater value to the project through disciplined execution, engineering expertise, and a strong working relationship with Megaworld. Having worked withthem since 2016 and now spans 15 projects, we continue to deliver developments that combine both quality and efficiency at every stage of construction,” shared Tan.

Megaworld SVP Ar. Jennifer Romualdez also expressed her confidence and enthusiasm for the project’s progress.

“We are excited to see this development take shape and are confident in Megawide’s capability to deliver with both quality and timeliness. This project is part of our vision of creating premium residential spaces, and we look forward to its successful completion,” shared Romualdez.

Megawide and Megaworld drive the development of high-quality residential projects that raise urban living standards in key growth areas such as Pasay City. One Portwood Residences is targeted for completion in 2028, signaling another step forward in delivering world-class residential infrastructure in the Philippines.

Aside from Tan and Romualdez, other key executives from both companies who graced the event last May 29, 2026, were Group Head for Operations Jules Ronquillo and members of the Megawide Construction Management Committee. Megaworld, on the other, were also joined by First Vice-President Ar. Astrid Cruz, Construction Manager Engr. Leslie Habla Santos, along with their respective sales and project teams.

Megawide reported strong financial results in the first three months of the year — recording a 25% growth in net income to Php265 million amid the onset of the Middle East War and a healthier balance sheet of 1.1x debt-to-equity (D-E) ratio  and 0.8x net D-E ratio from 1.5x and 1.1x, respectively, as of end-December 2025. The Company is expecting another robust, back-ended performance this year anchored on its construction and real estate segments.

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.

]]> Lenovo teams up with FIFA World Cup 2026 for AI-powered tech https://bworldonline.com/technology/2026/06/05/754877/lenovo-teams-up-with-fifa-world-cup-2026-for-ai-powered-tech/ https://bworldonline.com/technology/2026/06/05/754877/lenovo-teams-up-with-fifa-world-cup-2026-for-ai-powered-tech/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Lenovo, teams, with, FIFA, World, Cup, 2026, for, AI-powered, tech Multinational tech company Lenovo said that it will deploy an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered infrastructure platform for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, aimed at significantly reducing latency in Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) video distribution.

In a statement released Thursday, Lenovo said the platform is designed to support ultra-low-latency IPTV delivery alongside traditional cable and satellite broadcast, intelligent content delivery, and mission-critical decision-making across the event ecosystem and operations.

Lenovo said servers will be deployed at the International Broadcast Center in Dallas, Texas, to provide computing power for ingesting, processing, and distributing live match content across FIFA venues.

The company said the platform will help reduce IPTV latency to under five seconds, enabling near real-time access to live match action.

Lenovo added that its ThinkSystem SR635 V3 servers will manage large volumes of live video data from stadiums across North America and support FIFA’s IPTV workflow by ingesting, processing, and distributing match content through multiple channels to more than 1,000 screens across official FIFA venues.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, to be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. — Edg Adrian A. Eva

]]> For Filipino migrants in Spain, Pope Leo’s visit carries message of dignity and visibility https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/05/754885/for-filipino-migrants-in-spain-pope-leos-visit-carries-message-of-dignity-and-visibility/ https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/05/754885/for-filipino-migrants-in-spain-pope-leos-visit-carries-message-of-dignity-and-visibility/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator For, Filipino, migrants, Spain, Pope, Leo’s, visit, carries, message, dignity, and, visibility By Arjay L. Balinbin, Associate Editor

MADRID — As Pope Leo XIV begins his apostolic visit to Spain on Saturday, Filipino migrants in the country are looking to the trip as more than a major Catholic event, seeing in it a message of dignity and recognition for people living far from home.

The pontiff’s June 6-12 visit will take him to Madrid, Barcelona, Tenerife, and Gran Canaria. The inclusion of the Canary Islands, one of Europe’s main entry points for migrants crossing from Africa, has given the visit particular significance amid continuing debates over migration in Spain and across the continent.

For Cardinal Pablo Virgilio S. David, the pope’s decision to include the Canary Islands in his itinerary sends a clear signal.

“The fact that his itinerary includes the Canary Islands — Spain’s front line for migrants crossing from Africa — tells us that this is not merely a ceremonial visit,” Cardinal David told BusinessWorld.

“The Pope is going to where the pain is. He is showing that the Church does not look away.”

The visit comes as migration remains a major issue in Spain.

Reuters reported in May that the Spanish government’s migrant regularization program could benefit hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants. The report, citing Funcas, a Spanish think tank, said roughly 840,000 undocumented migrants are currently part of Spain’s workforce.

Cardinal David said the pope’s presence would resonate with Filipinos who left the Philippines in search of better opportunities.

“For our Filipino kababayan in Spain, I believe the Holy Father’s presence is a powerful reminder that they are not invisible,” he said.

“They came seeking a better life, and they have given Spain their labor, their faith, and their families.”

The cardinal said Pope Leo’s motto for the visit, Alzad la mirada (“Lift your gaze”), speaks directly to migrants.

“The Pope is saying: you have dignity, you have a future, lift your eyes.”

Cardinal David also drew attention to the historical connection between Spain and the Philippines. “Spain once sent missionaries to the Philippines to plant the Gospel,” he said.

“Today, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos are living witnesses of that same faith — right here in Spain. They are not just recipients of charity. They are the Church, present and active, in the heart of Europe.”

Among those looking forward to the visit is Mariel, a 33-year-old Filipino from Bohol who has lived in Madrid for four years and works as an interna, or live-in domestic worker.

Mariel said she considers it a privilege to have the opportunity to see Pope Leo in Spain.

“When we learned that he was coming here, I thought maybe it would be good to go, or even just to see him,” she said.

Mariel said she does not regularly attend Mass because of work demands. She added that several Filipinos she lives with are planning to attend events related to the papal visit.

Another Filipino worker, Marjorie, 26, from Tarlac, said fellow Filipinos encouraged her to join them. “It is a privilege that he is coming here,” she said. “It is an opportunity to see him and hear his words of wisdom.”

Fr. Ferdi Q. Bajao, SVD, said Filipino migrants are likely to welcome Pope Leo not only as the leader of the Catholic Church, but also as a familiar presence.

“Hospitality runs deep in our national psyche, so a visit of a loved one, or an anticipated figure would surely generate a familiar and familial warmth — a heightened sense of presence,” he told BusinessWorld.

“The Filipino migrants definitely will look forward to the presence of a friend, father, pastor, brother — a panauhin who deserves the best of welcome, and who belongs to us, di iba sa amin.”

He said the pope’s visit would hold particular significance for Filipinos living away from their families.

“It would be enough to see the Pope as a tangible icon of the Lord, who is dear to a Catholic nation in exile in a foreign land,” he said.

“The Filipinos will be edified that Christ comes to them in their loneliness, helplessness, and in their chains — work, sending money back home, separation from loved ones.”

“The person of the Pope is a powerful anchorage of confidence that all shall be well, that each one is precious, and most important: not forgotten.”

He also pointed to the historical ties between Spain and the Philippines.

“This will be a full circle for Filipinos who in 1521 first received the Faith from Spain, and now are ‘missionaries of Faith’ as well to Spain,” he said.

For Cardinal David, the broader significance of the pope’s visit lies in how migrants are viewed.
“Migrants are not a problem to be managed,” he said.

“They are people to be welcomed — as the Gospel demands and as our common humanity requires.”

]]> DepEd: School heads may impose localized suspensions https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/05/754888/deped-school-heads-may-impose-localized-suspensions/ https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/05/754888/deped-school-heads-may-impose-localized-suspensions/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator DepEd:, School, heads, may, impose, localized, suspensions The Department of Education (DepEd) has granted school heads the authority to suspend classes at the granular level based on actual community conditions and consultations with Schools Division Superintendents (SDS) and Local Government Units (LGUs).

“This ensures that decisions are tailored strictly to affected classrooms or specific grade levels, doing away with the usual generic, division-wide ‘no classes for all’ cancellations,” the agency said in a news release on Friday.

Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) showed that nearly 30% of class days in School Year 2023-2024 were lost due to suspensions.

Of these, 32 days were accounted for calamities, such as typhoons, earthquakes, and high heat indices, during April and May. 12 days were also lost to non-teaching tasks, followed by four local holiday suspensions, four days off-class activities, and one day of closure due to a conflict.

Under the Department of Education Order No. 14 s. 2026, principals, SDS, and Division Alternative Learning System Focal Points are provided with a clearer decision-making framework for addressing classes disrupted by natural disasters and other emergencies.

“If there is a calamity or crisis, our first question should be: is it safe for children and teachers, and can they teach and learn?” Education Secretary Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara said in Filipino in a news release.

“We cannot expect the same from them during normal times and when they are facing danger, fear, or loss,” he added.

The new guideline introduces a levels-based Learning Continuity Framework to guide schools in selecting appropriate learning responses based on the safety, readiness, and condition of learners and teachers. The four levels are Hayo (or Continue), Hinay (or Ease-in), Hinga (or Check-in), and Hinto (or Stop).

Continue signals that stakeholders are safe and regular in-person learning can proceed. Meanwhile, Ease-in is applicable during slower, more flexible learning resulting from mild disruptions.

Check-in is used when well-being is prioritized and academic demands are reduced. The Stop level is for halted academic learning due to safety and basic needs risks.

The guidelines also set standards for emergency learning resources and experiences to sustain learning without placing unnecessary pressure on learners and teachers, including learning packets, print or digital modules, broadcast materials, family kits, check-in guides, home learning support, and emergency learning kits.

“The real essence of learning continuity is compassion—it knows when to continue, when to slow down, when to check in, and when to pause in order to prioritize safety,” Mr. Angara said.

DepEd said the new policy applies to public elementary and secondary schools, DepEd-operated Community Learning Centers (CLCs), and DepEd-recognized ALS Providers.

However, private schools, ALS providers, and basic education units of state or local universities and colleges (SUCs and LUCs) may likewise adopt it. — Almira Louise S. Martinez

]]> Are we getting to the point where it’s safe to gene-edit babies? https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/are-we-getting-to-the-point-where-its-safe-to-gene-edit-babies/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/are-we-getting-to-the-point-where-its-safe-to-gene-edit-babies/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Are, getting, the, point, where, it’s, safe, gene-edit, babies

Light micrograph of a human egg cell after fertilisation

CC STUDIO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

When a rogue researcher in China revealed in 2018 that he had used CRISPR to create three gene-edited children, his actions were almost universally condemned by biologists around the world. The main objection was not that gene-editing babies is wrong in itself, but that the CRISPR technique used was not safe and had a very high risk of causing harmful mutations.

Now, a team in the US has used an improved form of CRISPR, known as base editing, to edit healthy embryos and shown that it can be done without introducing unwanted mutations. So are we now at the point where we could consider allowing the use of the technique? The answer is no, because a major obstacle remains.

Our DNA consists of two strands. The first form of CRISPR to be developed uses a protein called Cas9, which hooks up with a piece of guide RNA that helps it find a specific place in the genome. Once there, Cas9 cuts through both strands. When a cell tries to repair the damage, it often makes mistakes, introducing small mutations that can disable genes.

So CRISPR-Cas9 is a destructive technique even when it works as intended, and it sometimes goes wrong, with the cut ends of DNA being reattached in the wrong places, causing large mutations and chromosomal abnormalities.

But many improved forms of CRISPR have been developed. For instance, CRISPR base editors change a single DNA letter to another, and during the process cut only a single strand of DNA. So base editing can be used to make precise repairs with much less chance of anything going wrong. The technique has already saved lives and a number of trials are under way – for instance, to test it as a treatment for conditions that result in very high cholesterol.

But editing embryos is very different from treating diseases. In adults, it doesn’t matter if gene editing doesn’t work perfectly in every cell – often only a fifth of cells in the liver, say, need to be successfully edited to treat a disease. In a human embryo, however, gene editing has to work perfectly, because that embryo will give rise to every cell in the body.

In 2017, a team in China reported promising results in a small study that used human embryos discarded during IVF because of abnormalities. They found base editing made the desired change in almost every embryo with very few unintended changes.

Now, Dieter Egli at Columbia University in New York and his colleagues have done a larger study using healthy two-cell embryos donated by parents, with broadly similar results. The team tried making two changes. One was successfully made in three-quarters of cells, with no unwanted changes. The other change worked only in around half of the cells, and often caused unwanted changes.

The researchers think the reason it worked well in one case and not so well in the other is down to the guide RNAs used – with better design and testing of guide RNAs, it should be possible to avoid off-target effects, they say.

But the biggest problem is that base editing didn’t work in every cell in each embryo, an issue called mosaicism. If a mosaic embryo develops into a child, only some of the cells in their body will have the intended change, which means they could still develop the disease the gene editing was meant to prevent, say. The three gene-edited children growing up in China may all be mosaics.

The trouble with this is that there is currently no way to be sure a gene-edited embryo isn’t a mosaic. When there is a risk of children inheriting a serious disease, a single cell can be removed from IVF embryos for genetic testing. This could be done with gene-edited embryos, too, but if the embryos are mosaic, testing a single cell isn’t enough.

So while these latest results are promising, they are not going to persuade any regulators that it is now safe to try germline gene editing, as it is known. The mosaicism problem is going to have to be solved first.

How? Well, one way would be to use gene-edited sperm or eggs. If the editing is done before an egg is fertilised and starts to divide, there should be no mosaicism. That has not been done in humans, but a start-up recently claimed it can generate sperm in the lab from sperm stem cells – and if that’s true it should be possible to gene-edit those sperm stem cells.

That sort of approach might us get to the point where we can safely gene-edit children. Whether we should is a whole different question.

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post Are we getting to the point where it’s safe to gene-edit babies? appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Leaf Space partners with D-Orbit and EnduroSat to test connectivity service https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/leaf-space-partners-with-d-orbit-and-endurosat-to-test-connectivity-service/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/leaf-space-partners-with-d-orbit-and-endurosat-to-test-connectivity-service/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Leaf, Space, partners, with, D-Orbit, and, EnduroSat, test, connectivity, service

MILAN – Italian ground segment operator Leaf Space unveiled a new space connectivity service May 27. The technology, named TreeNet, aims to make space communications more seamless by treating individual satellites as nodes in an interconnected communications network. The company also announced partnerships and launch timelines to bring the project to fruition.

“This launch reinforces Leaf Space’s long-term commitment to building the infrastructure that allows space to function as a network bridging the gap between orbital operations and the connectivity of Earth-based infrastructure,” Cristina Zanchi, CEO of Leaf Space, said during SmallSat Europe.To test the initial phase, named Alpha, the company also announced partnerships with D-Orbit, based in Italy, and EnduroSat, based in Bulgaria, which will launch four satellites provided with TreeNet nodes in the first half of 2027.

Giovanni Pandolfi Bortoletto, Leaf Space chief product officer and co-founder, explained to SpaceNews that the startup is planning for a “rapid industrial ramp in the commercial phase, with a target production and deployment capability of at least 100 nodes per year from the first year of operations,”.

The full commercial phase is planned by the end of 2027.

D-Orbit and EnduroSat, Pandolfi Bortoletto added, were chosen for the early testing phase because of their high launch cadence. Beyond launch capacity, “they are long-standing partners with whom we have a strong alignment on longer-term use cases.”

D-Orbit sees the early testing as an opportunity to explore how in-orbit connectivity can simplify mission operations and enable data-driven use cases, the company said during the TreeNet launch at SmallSat Europe.

EnduroSat, meanwhile, emphasized the potential to expand its mission-as-a-service offering by introducing an always-on connectivity layer that is increasingly in demand from customers.

Founded in 2014 by Pandolfi Bortoletto and Jonata Puglia, Leaf Space initially set out to build launch capabilities before moving to Ground Segment-as-a-Service. It currently has around 40 antennas across 20 sites and serves customers among satellite operators and launch providers. In 2023, it completed a 35 million euro ($41 million) Series B round. 

“TreeNet is the natural next chapter in Leaf Space’s vision,” Pandolfi Bortoletto concluded. “We built the ground infrastructure. Now we are extending that principle into orbit itself.”

Read the original article here

The post Leaf Space partners with D-Orbit and EnduroSat to test connectivity service appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Stellar Blade’s Slick-Looking Sequel Is Officially Called Blood Rain https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/stellar-blades-slick-looking-sequel-is-officially-called-blood-rain/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/stellar-blades-slick-looking-sequel-is-officially-called-blood-rain/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Stellar, Blade’s, Slick-Looking, Sequel, Officially, Called, Blood, Rain

It’s raining blood, hallelujah.


Evie does some kind of thunder punch in the trailer for Stellar Blade Blood Rain
Shift Up

Among a slew of announcements at Summer Games Fest 2026, Shift Up revealed the sequel to its breakout hit, Stellar Blade. The sequel, which we now know is called Stellar Blade: Blood Rain, is said to be in the same universe as the first game in the series. Shift Up says it will take that world in a “bold new direction.” Blood Rain will also feature a new protagonist named Evie, a clear homage to Eve from the original title.

The original Stellar Blade was generally well received, earning an 81 on Metacritic for its combination of stylish visuals and slick combat. Blood Rain looks to build on those strengths, and the lengthy trailer shown during the reveal features a mix of extremely shiny-looking cutscenes and flashy combat sequences punctuated with earth-shattering hero landings that Deadpool would balk at (very hard on the knees). As befitting its title, Blood Rain‘s enemy designs look fittingly body-horror themed. They’re appreciably different from the seemingly Souls-inspired baddies of the first title, and the trailer shows their transformation from human to video game monsters in gory detail. Not a speck of that blood can be seen on our incredibly shiny and uncomfortably shapely, skin suit-clad protagonist, though.

Shift Up will self-publish the title, a sharp turn from its previous release through Sony Interactive Entertainment for the first Stellar Blade. The move comes after some players balked at a PlayStation exclusivity window for that game before its PC launch, and amid a renewed focus on exclusives at Sony that will see titles withheld from PC.

Read the original article here

The post Stellar Blade’s Slick-Looking Sequel Is Officially Called Blood Rain appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Violet Grohl announces extra London headline show due to demand https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/violet-grohl-announces-extra-london-headline-show-due-to-demand/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/violet-grohl-announces-extra-london-headline-show-due-to-demand/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Violet, Grohl, announces, extra, London, headline, show, due, demand

Violet Grohl has announced an extra headline show in London for her upcoming tour due to high demand.

The Los Angeles-based musician and daughter of Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl released her debut solo album ‘Be Sweet To Me’ last week (May 29) via Aurora Records, including the singles ‘THUM’, ‘Applefish’, ‘595’ and ‘Cool Buzz’.

In April, she announced a string of headline US, UK and European headline tour dates, including a show in London’s Camden Assembly, but now she has confirmed she will play two dates at the venue due to outstanding demand.

Her UK dates will now kick off in Manchester’s Deaf Institute on August 25, followed by Glasgow’s King Tuts the following night, and two nights at the Camdem Assembly on September 1 and 2.

While in Europe, she also plays shows in Berlin, Cologne and Paris, and will also make appearances at Reading and Leeds Festivals, Electric Picnic in Ireland and Pukkelpop in Belgium.

Tickets for all of the European shows are on sale now and you can find any remaining tickets here.

Grohl’s US dates include a run this month on the East Coast and tour in the Western States in September and October. See all of the dates below and find any remaining North American tickets here.

Violet Grohl’s 2026 tour dates are: 

JUNE
4 – Brooklyn, NY – Baby’s All Right
5 – Philadelphia, PA – The Lounge at World Stage Live
6 – Washington, DC – The Atlantis
23 – Baltimore, MD – Nevermore Music Hall
24 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17 

AUGUST
19 – Berlin, DE – Mikropol
20 – Cologne, DE – Artheater
23 – Hasselt, BE – Pukkelpop Festival
25 – Manchester, UK – Deaf Institute
26 – Glasgow, UK, King Tuts
28 – Leeds, UK – Leeds Festival
29 – Stradbally, IE – Electric Picnic
30 – Reading, UK – Reading Festival

SEPTEMBER
01 – London, UK – Camden Assembly
02 – London, UK – Camden Assembly
04 – Paris, FR – La Maroquinerie
16 – Milkaukee, WI – Rave Bar
20 – Atlanta, GA – Shaky Knees Festival
22 – South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
24 – Boston, MA – Crystal Ballroom
26 – Brooklyn, NY – CBGB Festival

OCTOBER
22 – Vancouver, BC, Hollywood Theatre
23 – Portland, OR, Star Theatre
25 – Seattle, WA, Barboza

Grohl said earlier this year that she didn’t like male musicians her age.

“I don’t like male musicians my age – I don’t care,” she said. “They have attitude problems. They’ve been saying this about us for so fucking long – it’s time that they sit down, be quiet and play their music.

“The best advice I’ve been given is that it’s OK to say no or that you don’t want to do something,” she continued. “For a lot of women, it took them a really long time to accept and implement that into their lives. It’s inspiring to be around the kinds of people who don’t give a fuck and will say whatever they feel.”

Meanwhile, father Dave Grohl revealed several months ago that he had “no idea” Violet had signed a record deal until she told him at dinner.

Read the original article here

The post Violet Grohl announces extra London headline show due to demand appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Earl Sweatshirt Postpones North American Tour With MIKE https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/earl-sweatshirt-postpones-north-american-tour-with-mike/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/earl-sweatshirt-postpones-north-american-tour-with-mike/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Earl, Sweatshirt, Postpones, North, American, Tour, With, MIKE

The North American leg of Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE’s Home on the Range tour has been postponed. The news was first reported by Stereogum. Venues initially began sharing the announcement on Thursday, pointing to an undisclosed injury Earl suffered that will require surgery as the reason for the postponement.

“Tickets will be honored for the rescheduled dates, which will be announced as soon as they are confirmed,” reads a statement posted by participating venues. “Refunds will be available at point of purchase for anyone unable to attend the new dates.” According to Earl’s rep, the European dates are still a go; those are listed below.

Earl, MIKE, and Surf Gang released their double LP Pompeii // Utility in April.

Home on the Range Tour:
08-07 Katowice, Poland @ OFF Festival €
08-22 Salisbury, UK @ We Out Here £
08-25 Glasgow, UK @ o2 Academy Glasgow $
08-26 Dublin, Ireland @ Vicar Street $
08-27 Paris, France @ Bourse De Commerce £
08-28 Nottingham, UK @ Rock City $
08-29 London, UK @ All Points East £
08-31 London, UK @ o2 Forum Kentish Town $
09-02 Bristol, UK @ Prospect Building $
09-03 Brighton, UK @ Brighton Dome $
09-06 Paris, France @ Elysee Montmartre $
09-08 Tilburg, Netherlands @ 013 Poppodium $

$ – with Harrison [SURF GANG]
€ – Earl Sweatshirt only
£ – MIKE only with the Band of the Century

Read the original article here

The post Earl Sweatshirt Postpones North American Tour With MIKE appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> FBI arrests 25-year-old in Lakeside for plot to support ISIS https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/lakeside-isis-plot-arrest/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/lakeside-isis-plot-arrest/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator FBI, arrests, 25-year-old, Lakeside, for, plot, support, ISIS Guardian of teen stabbed at San Ysidro High sues district, suspect and his parents https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/lawsuit-san-ysidro-high-school-stabbing/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/lawsuit-san-ysidro-high-school-stabbing/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Guardian, teen, stabbed, San, Ysidro, High, sues, district, suspect, and, his, parents San Diego's Parks After Dark returns for fifth summer https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/parks-after-dark-san-diego-2026/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/parks-after-dark-san-diego-2026/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diegos, Parks, After, Dark, returns, for, fifth, summer After actor James Handy's stabbing death, his girlfriend's son is charged with murder https://fox5sandiego.com/news/world-news/ap-international/ap-lapd-arrest-girlfriends-son-in-stabbing-death-of-actor-james-handy/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/world-news/ap-international/ap-lapd-arrest-girlfriends-son-in-stabbing-death-of-actor-james-handy/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator After, actor, James, Handys, stabbing, death, his, girlfriends, son, charged, with, murder An's Dry Cleaning vying for best ice cream shop title https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/usa-today-best-ice-cream-ans-dry-cleaning-vote/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/usa-today-best-ice-cream-ans-dry-cleaning-vote/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Ans, Dry, Cleaning, vying, for, best, ice, cream, shop, title Storm Signal No. 1 up in Batanes, Luzon amid Tropical Depression Ester — PAGASA https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/05/754806/storm-signal-no-1-up-in-batanes-luzon-amid-tropical-depression-ester-pagasa/ https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/05/754806/storm-signal-no-1-up-in-batanes-luzon-amid-tropical-depression-ester-pagasa/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:11:02 -0600 EM - News Moderator Storm, Signal, No., Batanes, Luzon, amid, Tropical, Depression, Ester, —, PAGASA Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 1 is hoisted over Batanes and Luzon following the development of Tropical Depression Ester, which will bring intense rainfall along with the effects of the Southwest Monsoon, according to the state weather bureau on Friday.

Ester developed into a tropical depression around 3:00 a.m., the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a 5:00 a.m. press briefing.

This prompted the hoisting of Storm Signal No. 1 over Batanes and Luzon, where strong and up to minor life threatening winds are expected.

Tropical depression Ester was last located offshore 225 kilometers West of Itbayat Batanes, packing 45 kilometers per hour (kph) of maximum sustained winds and 55 kph of gustiness, PAGASA said.

It is moving 20 kph northwestward heading Taiwan.

Apart from storm signal, rainfall warning was raised in nine areas due to the combined effects of the tropical depression and southwest monsoon, PAGASA said.

Orange rainfall warning was hoisted in La Union and Ilocos Sur where torrential rains, or 100 to 200 millimeters (mm) of rainfall are expected.

PAGASA warned of numerous flood events in urbanized areas and flood prone areas under the rainfall warning.

Yellow rainfall warning, meanwhile, is raised over Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Benguet, Pangasinan, and Zambales.

At this warning, strong rains, or 50 to 100 mm of rainfall is expected.

Tropical depression Ester is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by tomorrow, Saturday.— Edg Adrian A. Eva

]]> The Best New Restaurants in and Around San Diego, June 2026 https://sandiego.eater.com/maps/best-new-san-diego-restaurants-heatmap https://sandiego.eater.com/maps/best-new-san-diego-restaurants-heatmap Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:06:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The, Best, New, Restaurants, and, Around, San, Diego, June, 2026 Minimalist nigiri spread from Sugarfish.
Minimalist nigiri spread from Sugarfish. | Jakob Layman

Often, readers and friends of Eater have one burning question: “Where should I eat right now?” The heatmap exists to answer that question — offering a prismatic view of what is new and notable in San Diego. While the restaurant and bar industry has faced tremendous challenges, San Diego’s restaurants continue to persevere, with new and exciting openings springing up all the time. The restaurants featured on this list are typically less than six months old and give a sense of what’s hot and happening around town. For restaurants that have established themselves as one of the city’s best, check out Eater San Diego’s Essential 38.

New this update: Night Hawk, Las Cuatro Milpas, Sugarfish, Taconora, Dagu Miishiee, and Urban Matcha join the list, while Verise, Fleurette, La Jollita, and Roppongi Restaurant and Lounge leave.

For all the latest San Diego dining intel, subscribe to Eater San Diego’s newsletter.

]]> Nearly 30% of Filipinos at risk of slipping into poverty — World Bank https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/05/754687/nearly-30-of-filipinos-at-risk-of-slipping-into-poverty-world-bank/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/05/754687/nearly-30-of-filipinos-at-risk-of-slipping-into-poverty-world-bank/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 EM - News Moderator Nearly, 30, Filipinos, risk, slipping, into, poverty, —, World, Bank By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Senior Reporter

NEARLY THREE in 10 Filipinos remain at risk of slipping into poverty, while an oil price spike linked to the Middle East conflict could push almost two million more below the poverty line, according to a World Bank report.

In its Philippines Poverty and Equity Assessment released on Thursday, the bank said that the poverty rate in the country has declined steadily, at an average of 7.7% per year since 2012, excluding the pandemic. It fell to 15.5% in 2023 based on the latest available data.

The World Bank expects this to decline further to around 12.3% by 2028 if the pre-pandemic relationship between growth and poverty reduction holds. Even so, this would remain above the 8-9% target set under the Midterm Update of the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.

Despite the gains, the World Bank said 27.7% of Filipinos remain vulnerable to falling into poverty. With a median income of only 28% above the poverty line, these families are highly exposed to shocks such as higher food and fuel prices, according to the report.

“The rise of global fuel prices associated with the 2026 Middle East conflict illustrates precisely this risk: higher transport and energy costs ripple into food prices and household budgets, with the potential to push nearly 2 million Filipinos into poverty,” it added.

World Bank Senior Economist Liliana D. Sousa, however, said the estimate was based on a modeled scenario and may no longer materialize given government measures.

Elevated oil prices and dwindling reserves have pushed the government to place the country under a one-year state of national energy emergency, suspend excise taxes on liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene, and roll out targeted subsidies to the most vulnerable sectors.

Ms. Sousa said that helping the poor and vulnerable households is critical as three out of five children live within these households.

“What our analysis shows is really it is the poor and vulnerable that are getting hit hardest with these price shocks. And the reason is that they do not have that cushion, they are not able to absorb the income shock,” she said.

“That is why it makes sense to target interventions in moments of shocks to those households that are especially vulnerable to these shocks,” she added.

The multilateral lender also cited the country’s exposure to climate-related hazards as a major challenge to poverty eradication efforts. According to the report, 61% of the population is at high risk from tropical cyclones.

“Cyclone losses amount to about 1.2% of gross domestic product each year and could rise sharply without adaptation,” the World Bank said. “Disasters disrupt schooling and work, damage assets, and worsen nutrition.”

Meanwhile, 32.9% of Filipinos belong to the emerging middle class, which still faces a 10% risk of slipping back into poverty. These are Filipinos living on $6.50-$11.70 per day at 2021 international prices.

About a quarter of Filipinos, or 23.8%, are securely middle class or high income, defined as those living on more than $11.70 a day.

“The real barrier here moving from the emerging middle class to the secure (middle class) is a question of more higher-paying jobs,” said Ms. Sousa.

Despite its expected transition to upper middle-income status, the Philippines continues to lag regional peers on poverty reduction.

Using the upper middle-income country (UMIC) poverty line of $8.30 a day at 2021 international prices, 58.7% of Filipinos are considered poor, compared with 33.8% in regional peers and 29.4% across upper middle-income economies.

“This poverty rate remains high relative to countries with similar levels of per capita output, both lower middle-income and UMIC,” it said.

The Philippines is seeking to attain UMIC status in 2026. The World Bank classifies the Philippines as a lower middle-income country with a gross national income per capita of $4,470, just $26 below the UMIC classification of $4,496-$13,935.

REFORMS NEEDED TO END POVERTY BY 2040
Despite recent gains, the World Bank said urgent reforms are needed if the Philippines wants to achieve its Ambisyon Natin 2040 goal of eradicating poverty.

“The Philippines is crossing into upper middle-income status… And this report shows that the country’s own vision — Ambisyon Natin 2040, a prosperous, predominantly middle-class society where no one is poor — is well within reach,” said World Bank Division Director for the Philippines Zafer Mustafaoğlu.

According to the World Bank report, the poverty incidence would decline to 6% and the secure middle class would increase to 43% under a business as usual scenario where current policies continue and growth and employment follow existing trends.

Under a comprehensive reform scenario where growth and job creation policies are paired with a focused equity and resilience agenda, the poverty rate could drop to 2.9% while the secure middle class could increase to 55%.

“Given the high concentration of people just above the poverty line and the country’s high prevalence of shocks, progress can be easily reversed,” the World Bank said.

“Achieving the poverty target requires faster income growth for the poorest and improved resilience,” it added.

The report said labor market gains slowed in 2025 and 2026 amid last year’s corruption scandal and elevated oil prices stemming from the Middle East conflict.

“Gains slowed due to job losses in manufacturing and construction linked to disruptions in public infrastructure spending following the investigation of flood control irregularities and, more recently, the 2026 oil price shock,” it said.

In 2025, the unemployment rate averaged 4.2%, equivalent to 2.14 million Filipinos, the highest annual average since 2023. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate rose to 5% in March from 3.9% in the same month a year ago.

Mr. Mustafaoğlu said that the difference between the Philippines of today and the Philippines of 2040 comes down to creating more quality jobs, strengthening social protection and resilience against shocks, and improving frontline public services.

“These are specific, evidence-based reforms that the Philippines has both the capacity and the track record to pursue,” he added.

]]> Philippines sees $1.6-billion hot money net outflows in April https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/05/754688/philippines-sees-1-6-billion-hot-money-net-outflows-in-april/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/05/754688/philippines-sees-1-6-billion-hot-money-net-outflows-in-april/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippines, sees, 1.6-billion, hot, money, net, outflows, April By Katherine K. Chan, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES continued to see short-term foreign investments exiting the country for a second straight month in April as investors remained cautious amid heightened global uncertainty, preliminary central bank data showed.

Transactions on foreign investments registered with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) through authorized agent banks yielded a net outflow of $1.601 billion in April, a reversal of the $857.12-million net inflow a year earlier.

However, this was lower than the $1.957-billion net outflow posted in March.

Foreign portfolio investments (FPI) are also referred to as “hot money” due to the ease with which these flows enter or leave the country.

Based on central bank data posted on its website, gross outflows of hot money ballooned by 89.63% year on year to $3.108 billion in April from $1.639 billion. However, it was 17.78% lower than the $3.78-billion outflows in the previous month.

On the other hand, total hot money inflows amounted to $1.507 billion during the month, down by 39.62% from $2.496 billion a year prior and by 17.33% from $1.823 billion in March.

Most or $1.056 billion of the outflows were recorded in investments in peso-denominated government securities, reversing from the $1.142-billion net inflow in April last year.

Meanwhile, investments in Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE)-listed securities saw a net outflow of $545 million, larger than the $284-million outflow a year ago.

More short-term foreign investments left the country in April as uncertainties stemming from global geopolitical tensions prompted investors to be more cautious, analysts said.

“April’s net outflow came as investors turned more cautious amid geopolitical tensions, a strong dollar, and uncertainty over global interest rates,” SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) Group Economist Robert Dan J. Roces said in a Viber message.

“Foreign funds tend to move quickly when risk sentiment shifts, and that’s what we saw,” he added.

The ongoing war in the Middle East, which erupted in late February, also continued to jolt domestic and global markets, which likely led to two straight months of hot money outflows, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort noted.   

“This is largely due to the second full month of the war on Iran/Middle East since Feb. 28 that increased global and local market volatility amid the sharp increase in global crude oil, fuel, and petroleum prices, higher inflation, and possible further central bank rate hikes,” he said via Viber.

Uncertainties surrounding the over three-month conflict between the United States and Iran continue to fuel market volatility, pushing up inflation for major oil importers and weighing on currencies like the Philippine peso as the US dollar strengthens on safe-haven demand.

In April, Philippine inflation quickened to its fastest pace in over three years at 7.2% from 4.1% in March as still high oil prices spilled over to costs of food and utilities.

Meanwhile, the peso touched the P61 mark for the first time in April, plunging by 73.7 centavos to close at P61.485 against the greenback on April 30 from its P60.748 finish on March 31.

The BSP has since shifted to a hawkish stance, with growing calls for further rate hikes to temper spiraling prices.

The Monetary Board tightened for the first time in two-and-a-half years at its April meeting, raising the key policy rate by 25 basis points (bps) to 4.5%.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. has said that they may keep using monetary policy to bring inflation back to their 2%-4% target, with an off-cycle hike being considered before the Board’s next review on June 18.

April’s net outflow brought the country’s four-month hot money tally to a $4.407-billion net outflow. This likewise marked a reversal from the $923-million short-term foreign investments that entered the country in the same period last year.

Broken down, foreign investments in government securities posted a net outflow of $3.072 billion in the January-to-April period, reversing the $1.68-billion inflows seen a year prior.

Meanwhile, hot money outflows in PSE-listed securities stood at $1.34 billion as of April, much higher than the $755-million outflows recorded in the previous year.

“In the coming months, flows may remain choppy, with periods of both inflows and outflows, depending on how global markets, the Fed, and the peso evolve,” said SMIC’s Mr. Roces.

The BSP projects FPIs to end this year at a net inflow of $3.7 billion, unchanged from the total estimated net inflows in 2025.

]]> Startup investing fundamentals hold firm amid AI boom https://bworldonline.com/technology/2026/06/05/754783/startup-investing-fundamentals-hold-firm-amid-ai-boom/ https://bworldonline.com/technology/2026/06/05/754783/startup-investing-fundamentals-hold-firm-amid-ai-boom/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 EM - News Moderator Startup, investing, fundamentals, hold, firm, amid, boom By Arjay L. Balinbin, Associate Editor

MADRID — Artificial intelligence (AI) may be dominating conversations across the technology sector, but Silicon Valley investor and entrepreneur Kim Perell said startup investors continue to focus on the same fundamentals that have long guided investment decisions.

At a media roundtable on Wednesday at South Summit Madrid 2026, co-organized by IE University, Ms. Perell said investors still look closely at market opportunity, management teams, differentiation, and scalability when evaluating startups.

“I look at how big the market is. I also look at the team,” she said. “Then I think about what you’re building and whether it has unique differentiation and scale.”

Ms. Perell, who has founded nine companies and invested in more than 100 startups through investment and brand-building company 100.co, said entrepreneurs should not lose sight of business fundamentals.

Asked what advice she would give founders in emerging startup ecosystems such as the Philippines, she said entrepreneurs should be willing to adapt as markets evolve.

“I think the advice for every founder is to start,” she said. “And be okay to pivot.”

She cited examples of successful technology companies that achieved growth only after changing direction from their original concepts. YouTube, for instance, began as a video-dating platform before becoming the world’s largest video-sharing website. Social media platform X, formerly Twitter, emerged from Odeo, a podcasting startup that pivoted after Apple entered the podcasting market.

“As a founder, you believe it should be X, but if the market dictates you should do something differently, you should be flexible and agile to move with the market,” she said.

Ms. Perell also stressed the importance of mentorship, describing the lack of guidance as one of the biggest mistakes she made during her early years as an entrepreneur.

“I made the mistake of thinking I could do it alone, and I couldn’t,” she said.

She encouraged founders to seek advice from experienced entrepreneurs and investors, saying mentors can help startups avoid common pitfalls and accelerate growth.

“It doesn’t matter what country you’re in. Finding great mentors is key to your success,” she said.

Her remarks come as entrepreneurs from emerging markets seek greater visibility in the global startup ecosystem.

South Summit founder and President María Benjumea said Asia remains one of the world’s strongest innovation regions and continues to produce increasingly sophisticated technologies and startups.

“Asia is incredibly strong. The technology coming out of the region is impressive, and many Asian countries have vibrant innovation ecosystems,” she said in an interview.

She said startups from the region should continue expanding beyond their domestic markets and strengthen links with international investors, corporations and entrepreneurial networks.

“What is important is helping startups expand internationally, gain visibility, connect with investors, and become part of the global ecosystem,” she added.

Four startups from Asia were selected among the Top 100 finalists in this year’s South Summit Startup Competition: South Korea’s HISTRANGER and Singapore-based Omnishelf, Ailytics and Peris.ai. The broader Middle East was represented by Turkey’s OneNewOne and Israel’s Tissue Dynamics.

For governments seeking to strengthen startup ecosystems, Spain’s Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Service Óscar López said policy support remains essential.

Asked what advice he would give countries looking to replicate Spain’s rise as one of Europe’s leading startup hubs, Mr. López pointed to three key areas: startup-friendly taxation, supportive regulation, and public investment.

“First of all, taxation,” he said. “Second, we created a good regulatory framework.”

Mr. López said Spain’s startup law helped create a more favorable environment for entrepreneurs and investors, while government support has helped accelerate the growth of new businesses.

“Then, public investment,” he said. “We have made huge efforts investing in new startups and helping new startups.”

However, he said governments should not rely solely on tax incentives to stimulate entrepreneurship.

“All the discussion is what you do it for,” Mr. López said. “If you reduce taxes to generate more investment, then, at the end of the day, that’s going to generate more growth.”

Looking ahead, he said Spain’s digital transformation strategy extends beyond startup policies and includes investments in education and digital infrastructure.

“It is not only a question” of attracting startups, he said, adding that Spain’s future competitiveness depends on innovation and education.

“We’ve invested hundreds of millions of euros in infrastructure,” Mr. López said. “There are many things there. Not only taxation.”

]]> Traditional degrees may matter less in AI era, says Udacity founder https://bworldonline.com/technology/2026/06/05/754795/traditional-degrees-may-matter-less-in-ai-era-says-udacity-founder/ https://bworldonline.com/technology/2026/06/05/754795/traditional-degrees-may-matter-less-in-ai-era-says-udacity-founder/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 EM - News Moderator Traditional, degrees, may, matter, less, era, says, Udacity, founder By Arjay L. Balinbin, Associate Editor

MADRID — Traditional university degrees may become less important as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes how people learn and how employers evaluate talent, according to Udacity founder Sebastian Thrun.

At a media roundtable on Wednesday at South Summit Madrid 2026, co-organized by IE University, Mr. Thrun said the growing accessibility of online learning platforms and AI-powered tools is making skills and demonstrated capabilities more valuable than formal academic credentials alone.

“Formal education is secondary to what you actually know and can do,” he said.

Mr. Thrun founded online learning platform Udacity after teaching a pioneering massive open online course at Stanford University that attracted more than 160,000 students.

He said technology is increasingly democratizing access to knowledge, allowing individuals to acquire marketable skills outside traditional educational institutions.

Mr. Thrun, a former Google vice-president, also said that employers are becoming more interested in whether candidates can perform a job than in where they obtained their education.

“The degree is a false belief that it is a necessary step in society,” he said.

SHIFT IN LEARNING
Mr. Thrun’s comments come as AI tools rapidly change how people acquire knowledge and perform tasks across industries.

He identified Google and YouTube as among the world’s largest education platforms, saying individuals today have unprecedented access to information and training resources.

The emergence of generative AI has accelerated that trend by enabling learners to receive personalized explanations, tutoring, and feedback on demand.

As a result, workers can increasingly develop specialized skills without necessarily enrolling in traditional degree programs, Mr. Thrun said.

He added that technological barriers that once limited access to advanced education are steadily disappearing.

A motivated learner in a remote area can now acquire expertise in fields such as machine learning and software development and compete globally, he said.

Mr. Thrun previously founded Google’s X research lab and led the company’s self-driving car project, which later became Waymo.

LABOR
The shift toward skills-based hiring may become more pronounced as AI transforms workplace structures.

Mr. Thrun described a transition from the traditional “pyramid” model, in which senior professionals supervise large numbers of junior employees, to a “diamond” model, where experienced workers use AI tools to perform tasks that previously required teams of analysts or associates.

Under such a structure, employers may place greater emphasis on practical capabilities and adaptability than on formal qualifications, he said.

“Young people have a bit of a problem,” Mr. Thrun said, noting that AI is increasing the productivity of senior employees and potentially reducing demand for some entry-level functions.

To remain competitive, workers should actively experiment with AI tools and integrate them into their daily work, he said.

“You should be on top of AI,” he said. “Play with it on a daily basis.”

PHILIPPINE CONTEXT
Philippine organizations continue to grapple with a shortage of AI-related talent, according to Philippine AI Report 2025.

The report said 57% of organizations cited a lack of AI-skilled personnel as a major obstacle to broader adoption of the technology.

The report, which surveyed 175 organizations across multiple industries, also found that while 92% of Philippine organizations used AI in some form last year, most remain in the pilot stage of deployment.

The findings suggest that demand for AI-related skills is growing faster than the available talent pool.

It recommended that organizations invest heavily in workforce development and upskilling initiatives to address the gap.

FUTURE OF UNIVERSITIES
Despite his criticism of the traditional emphasis on degrees, Mr. Thrun did not predict the disappearance of universities.

Instead, he said institutions that fail to adapt to changing labor market demands could face increasing pressure as alternative forms of education gain credibility.

Universities that remain focused on credentials rather than practical skills may struggle to justify their value proposition, particularly as employers become more open to nontraditional learning pathways, he said.

The rise of AI could further accelerate that shift by making high-quality educational content widely accessible at little or no cost, he said.

For workers, the implication is that learning may become a continuous process rather than something confined to a four-year degree program.

“The more leveraged we are as people with tools, the more we will be asked to make impactful decisions,” Mr. Thrun said.

As AI automates routine tasks, workers will increasingly be judged by their ability to solve problems, exercise judgment, and apply knowledge effectively, regardless of where they acquired those skills, he added.

]]> Philippine inflation eases to 6.8% in May amid pump price rollbacks https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/05/754801/philippine-inflation-eases-to-6-8-in-may-amid-pump-price-rollbacks/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/05/754801/philippine-inflation-eases-to-6-8-in-may-amid-pump-price-rollbacks/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:03:02 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippine, inflation, eases, 6.8, May, amid, pump, price, rollbacks By Katherine K. Chan, Reporter

HEADLINE inflation came in slower than expected in May as pressures from transport costs eased following several pump price rollbacks during the month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

Inflation settled at 6.8% in May, easing from 7.2% in April but quickened from 1.3% in the same month last year, according to PSA data.

This marked the first time in half a year or since November 2025 that the headline print cooled month on month, and was the slowest pace in two months or since the 4.1% in March.

The May reading also came in as a surprise for economic managers and the market, as a BusinessWorld poll of 16 economists conducted last week yielded a median estimate of 7.9% for the month.

Meanwhile, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) earlier said last month’s headline clip was likely between 7.1% and 7.9%.

Still, May marks the third month in a row that the headline inflation has topped the central bank’s 2%-4% target, bringing the year-to-date average inflation to 4.5%.

However, core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, bucked the headline print’s trajectory as it quickened to 4.1% in May from 3.9% a month ago and 2.2% in May 2025.

This was the fastest pace seen since the 4.4% recorded in December 2023.

]]> Becoming a parent may make you love your partner less https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/becoming-a-parent-may-make-you-love-your-partner-less/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/becoming-a-parent-may-make-you-love-your-partner-less/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Becoming, parent, may, make, you, love, your, partner, less

Parenthood may put you off date night, but not necessarily for good

Elena Odareeva / Alamy

It may feel like the exhaustion of caring for a newborn leaves little room for romance. Now, researchers have found that people really do seem to love their partner less in the first year of parenthood – but there are ways to buffer against this.

Prior studies suggest that relationship satisfaction tends to decline in the two years after having a baby, but these rarely account for the state of things before pregnancy. When Agnieszka Sorokowska at the University of Wrocław, Poland, started a family, she wanted to know how her relationship was set to change. “I got pregnant, and then I wrote the grant proposal to look at this,” she says.

With her colleagues, Sorokowska recruited nearly 300 heterosexual couples without children who had been together for at least two years. Every six months, for at least two years, the participants completed surveys – independently of their partner – in which they ranked on a scale from 0 to 6 how much they loved their partner and how committed they were.

The researchers analysed results from 71 of these couples who had a baby during the study and found that pregnancy itself had no impact. But – in line with the prior evidence – the participants reported loving their partners less and being less committed to maintaining the relationship within one year after childbirth. There was no change in this time among the couples who remained without children.

Sorokowska – who presented the results at the Love, Actually and in Theory meeting in Edinburgh, UK, last month – plans to continue surveying these couples until their children reach adulthood, to determine whether the effects are long-lasting. But prior research suggests that things gradually improve. “There’s a steep decline in [relationship satisfaction] in the first year, only a small decline from year one to two, and then it seems to slowly recover [several years later],” says Valentina Rauch-Anderegg, an independent psychologist in Zurich, Switzerland.

The researchers didn’t measure how these initial changes impacted the new parents’ well-being, but Rauch-Anderegg doubts they cause substantial distress. “It’s not that we can say all these couples have relationship distress that means they need to see a therapist, but they certainly can notice something changed in their relationship,” she says.

Some of the factors that may be responsible include the physical and hormonal turmoil of pregnancy, and new parents feeling overwhelmed by childcare duties. “Simply sitting on a couch to Netflix-and-chill with your partner, or going for a walk, [often] becomes impossible,” says Rauch-Anderegg.

To prevent this, or bring some of the magic back, Rauch-Anderegg recommends asking loved ones for help and sharing any concerns with your partner. “You can make sure you’re communicating clearly about your vision for having a kid – what is the core of your relationship that you want to maintain even if there is a baby? Whether it’s a hike once a year or 20 minutes of partner time a week.”

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post Becoming a parent may make you love your partner less appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> HASC NDAA markup challenges Space Force on satellite programs https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/hasc-ndaa-markup-challenges-space-force-on-satellite-programs/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/hasc-ndaa-markup-challenges-space-force-on-satellite-programs/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator HASC, NDAA, markup, challenges, Space, Force, satellite, programs

WASHINGTON — The House Armed Services Committee moved to preserve a Space Force missile-warning satellite program the Pentagon plans to cancel, authorizing $415 million for the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program in the markup of the fiscal 2027 defense policy bill.

During a markup session June 4, committee members debated amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act. 

Among the space-related provisions approved was to keep alive the Next-Gen OPIR Polar, a Northrop Grumman program that has been under development since 2018. The satellites are designed to operate in highly elliptical orbits and provide missile-warning coverage over the Northern Hemisphere, particularly the polar regions.

The Pentagon’s fiscal 2027 budget proposes terminating the program, arguing that newer missile-warning architectures in low Earth orbit and medium Earth orbit have reduced the need for dedicated polar satellites. The administration’s budget documents show the program’s projected cost at $3.4 billion, including approximately $2.1 billion already spent. The budget includes $436 million in fiscal 2026 largely to complete and close out development activities.

The committee took a different view, authorizing $415 million to continue development of the system.

Rep. Seth Moulton, the top Democrat on the Strategic Forces subcommittee, called Next-Gen OPIR Polar a critical capability that has long been supported by both U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Strategic Command.

Moulton argued that China and Russia have demonstrated capabilities specifically designed to degrade or destroy U.S. space assets and said the committee’s mark addresses areas the administration has not taken seriously enough.

Pushback on PTS-G

The committee also raised questions about the Space Force’s recent procurement contract awards for Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global, or PTS-G, a program intended to provide secure military communications through a proliferated network of satellites.

The Space Force announced May 22 that it awarded a combined $437.6 million to Viasat and Intelsat, now part of SES, for secure X-band and Ka-band communications satellites. The contracts include operation of the spacecraft because PTS-G is structured as a government-owned, contractor-operated constellation.

The committee criticized the decision to procure only two satellites — one from each company — for a program that had been promoted as a proliferated architecture. Pentagon budget documents described plans for a “swarm” of four satellites. While the contract announcement did not specify the number of spacecraft being purchased, committee language confirms the procurement consists of two satellites.

“The Space Force highlighted proliferation and disaggregation as attributes they were prioritizing in the President’s budget request,” the committee wrote.

Lawmakers argued that the original program sought to strengthen the industrial base by encouraging new entrants that could leverage commercial manufacturing capabilities and existing hardware. Procuring only two satellites, the committee said, runs counter to the goal of achieving resilience through larger numbers of lower-cost spacecraft.

The committee directed the Space Force to provide a report detailing how it intends to implement a resilient tactical satellite communications architecture consistent with the original objectives of the PTS-G program. Lawmakers also requested options for accelerating procurement of additional single-band satellites to achieve a more distributed architecture sooner.

More focus on PNT enterprise 

The bill also reflects congressional frustration with management of the Pentagon’s positioning, navigation and timing enterprise, the collection of systems and infrastructure centered on GPS.

Moulton said the enterprise remains disjointed and underprioritized despite its importance to military operations.

Strategic Forces subcommittee chairman Scott DesJarlais said the committee’s proposal requires the Defense Department to designate a single official responsible for oversight of the positioning, navigation and timing enterprise.

The provision would replace an existing oversight structure that lawmakers have criticized as ineffective. DesJarlais said the measure also removes what he described as duplicative bureaucracy that has slowed development of new technologies and implementation of a broader positioning, navigation and timing strategy.

Read the original article here

The post HASC NDAA markup challenges Space Force on satellite programs appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Steam Machine And Steam Frame Are Coming ‘This Summer’ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/steam-machine-and-steam-frame-are-coming-this-summer/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/steam-machine-and-steam-frame-are-coming-this-summer/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Steam, Machine, And, Steam, Frame, Are, Coming, ‘This, Summer’


Steam Machine
Valve

The Steam Machine and Steam Frame are officially scheduled to land in summer 2026, Valve announced today in a blog post about something else entirely. There’s still no word on how much either bit of hardware will cost.

Valve made the big release-window reveal in a developer-focused blog post about the Steam Machine and Steam Frame being included in the Verified program, which launched with the Steam Deck and lets players know how well games will run on the handheld. The Verified program will do the same for the Steam Machine and Steam Frame hardware. For Steam Machine, the requirements for a Verified badge are nearly identical to the Steam Deck’s, Valve says.

As for the Steam Frame, Valve writes, “Like Steam Deck Verified, the Steam Frame Standalone Verified program focuses on the experience customers will have with the device out-of-the-box in standalone mode. The criteria are similar as well: the default graphics configuration needs to perform well, text and UI elements need to be clear and legible on the built-in display, and the default controller configuration needs to work well with the Steam Frame Controllers. The same test criteria apply to both VR titles and non-VR titles.”

There’s been plenty of speculation about the cost of Valve’s hardware since it announced the Steam Machine, Steam Frame and Steam Controller in November 2025. The ongoing global memory shortage has dramatically driven up prices of gaming consoles and PCs in 2026, and there’s no clear end in sight. Xbox, Sony and Valve raised prices in their existing hardware lines this year by hundreds of dollars each, with Valve upping the price of the Steam Deck by as much as $300. Nintendo has plans to follow suit with the Switch 2.

The Steam Controller hit the market on May 4 and it costs $99, which is a perfectly reasonable price for a well-crafted not-PC controller with touchpads. Of course, it only has kilobytes of RAM, and instead runs on cool haptic screams.

In additional Steam news, the Store homepage looks a little different today. Valve rolled out a refresh that aims to organize the chaos of all those game ads with wider, higher-res images and more quick-look details at your fingertips. Wishlist and DLC sections have returned, and there’s a new Personal Calendar with even more game promos based on your play history. The Discovery Queue is now viewable in an overlay and infinite scroll has been engaged on the homepage.

Read the original article here

The post Steam Machine And Steam Frame Are Coming ‘This Summer’ appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Alex G and Mac DeMarco’s sets at Primavera Sound cancelled due to “adverse weather conditions” https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/alex-g-and-mac-demarcos-sets-at-primavera-sound-cancelled-due-to-adverse-weather-conditions/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/alex-g-and-mac-demarcos-sets-at-primavera-sound-cancelled-due-to-adverse-weather-conditions/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Alex, and, Mac, DeMarco’s, sets, Primavera, Sound, cancelled, due, “adverse, weather, conditions”

Primavera Sound has been hit by “adverse weather conditions”, with Alex G and Mac DeMarco’s sets cancelled and stages being temporarily suspended.

Today (June 4) is the opening day of the festival at the Parc del Fòrum in Barcelona, with tonight’s headliners set to be Doja Cat, Massive Attack and Bad Gyal. It runs for the next two days, with The Cure, The xx, Gorillaz, My Bloody Valentine, Addison Rae and Skrillex also topping the bill.

However, earlier this evening, the big screens on the main stages showed a warning message, explaining that “due to adverse weather conditions, performances on this stage have been temporarily suspended.”

“Please remain calm and follow the instructions of the festival’s security and staff teams,” it continued. “Stay tuned to the festival screens and official channels for further updates. Thank you for your cooperation.”

 

Amid heavy rain, areas of the festival site were closed, including the Estrella Damm and Revolut stages, while at 9:30pm local time, the festival officially announced that Alex G’s set on the Revolut Stage had been cancelled, as had DeMarco’s on the Occident Stage.

According to BBC Weather, there is a 90 per cent chance of heavy rain showers continuing until 2am local time.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and will keep you informed as soon as we have further updates,” they wrote.

Massive Attack are due to play on the Estrella Damm stage at 9:55pm, with Doja Cat scheduled for 11:30pm on the Revolut Stage. Bad Gyal’s set on Estrella Damm is listed as starting at 1:20am. Father John Misty, Florence Road, Melt-Banana and Panda Bear are also set to play later today.

For the fifth consecutive year, Amazon Music is producing and broadcasting the exclusive livestream of the festival, with The Cure, Doja Cat, Gorillaz, Little Simz and Geese among those whose sets are scheduled to be broadcast in full.

The festival officially opened yesterday (June 3), with performances from Wet Leg, Guitarricadelafuente and Yard Act.

Last year’s edition of Primavera Sound Barcelona was headlined by Charli XCX, Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter. The event also hosted slots from LCD Soundsystem, FKA Twigs, Haim, Jamie xx, Fontaines D.C., Beach House, IDLES, Turnstile and more.

Read the original article here

The post Alex G and Mac DeMarco’s sets at Primavera Sound cancelled due to “adverse weather conditions” appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> A Guide to Streaming Primavera Sound 2026 https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/a-guide-to-streaming-primavera-sound-2026/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/a-guide-to-streaming-primavera-sound-2026/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Guide, Streaming, Primavera, Sound, 2026

Amazon Music is once again streaming select performances from Primavera Sound Barcelona, which is already underway in the Spanish city. The 2026 edition will livestream on Thursday, June 4; Friday, June, 5; and Saturday, June 6. The broadcast begins each day at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on the Amazon Music channels on Twitch and Prime Video. Pitchfork is proud to be a media partner of Primavera Sound this year as well.

Among the artists set to have their performances broadcast on the livestream are the Cure, the xx, Big Thief, Geese, Doja Cat, Gorillaz, Ethel Cain, Wet Leg, Skrillex, Father John Misty, Addison Rae, Oklou, Sudan Archives, Alex G, Little Simz, Mac DeMarco, Amaarae, Grace Ives, Jade, Buscabulla, Knocked Loose, 2Hollis, Bad Gyal, Marina, Ralphie Choo, Ravyn Lenae, Men I Trust, Role Model, Rusowsky, TV Girl, and Viagra Boys.

Primavera Sound Barcelona 2026 Schedule

(All times listed in Eastern Daylight Time)

* schedule is subject to change

Thursday, June 4, 2026

1:30 PM – Gisela João
1:35 PM – Ravyn Lenae
2:10 PM – Men I Trust
2:55 PM – Alex G
3:00 PM – Geese
4:05 PM – Oklou
4:10 PM – Wet Leg
5:05 PM – Mac DeMarco
5:35 PM – Doja Cat
6:10 PM – Father John Misty
7:20 PM – Bad Gyal
7:30 PM – TV Girl
8:30 PM – 2hollis

Friday, June 5, 2026

1:30 PM – Aiko El Grupo 
1:45 PM – Ethel Cain 
2:15 PM – PAVVLA 
3:00 PM – Buscabulla 
3:00 PM – Addison Rae 
3:55 PM – Guitarricadelafuente 
4:15 PM – The Cure 
4:55 PM – Ralphie Choo 
6:00 PM – Role Model 
7:05 PM – Skrillex 
7:15 PM – Amaarae 
8:10 PM – JADE

Saturday, June 6, 2026

1:30 PM – Barry B 
1:40 PM – Big Thief 
2:15 PM – Baxter Dury 
3:00 PM – Little Simz 
3:20 PM – Ashnikko 
4:10 PM – Viagra Boys 
4:15 PM – Bestia Bebé 
5:00 PM – Sudan Archives 
5:45 PM – Grace Ives 
5:45 PM – The xx 
6:35 PM – Rusowsky 
7:20 PM – Gorillaz 
7:35 PM – MARINA 
8:35 PM – Knocked Loose

Read the original article here

The post A Guide to Streaming Primavera Sound 2026 appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Candidates for 48th Congressional Seat vow to fight for affordability https://fox5sandiego.com/election/48th-district-election-california/ https://fox5sandiego.com/election/48th-district-election-california/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Candidates, for, 48th, Congressional, Seat, vow, fight, for, affordability Dave Chappelle performing in San Diego this summer: See when https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-guide/things-to-do/dave-chappelle-san-diego/ https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-guide/things-to-do/dave-chappelle-san-diego/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Dave, Chappelle, performing, San, Diego, this, summer:, See, when Becerra advances in California governor’s race https://fox5sandiego.com/hill-politics/becerra-advances-in-california-governors-race/ https://fox5sandiego.com/hill-politics/becerra-advances-in-california-governors-race/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Becerra, advances, California, governor’s, race Tamarack Avenue in Carlsbad closed due to police activity https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/carlsbad/tamarack-avenue-in-carlsbad-closed-due-to-police-activity/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/carlsbad/tamarack-avenue-in-carlsbad-closed-due-to-police-activity/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Tamarack, Avenue, Carlsbad, closed, due, police, activity Woman sentenced after drunk crash that hits five-year-old girl https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/drunk-driver-sentenced-liberty-station/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/drunk-driver-sentenced-liberty-station/ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Woman, sentenced, after, drunk, crash, that, hits, five-year-old, girl Inside Xcaret’s All-Fun Inclusive World https://sandiegoexplorer.com/xcaret-all-fun-inclusive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=xcaret-all-fun-inclusive https://sandiegoexplorer.com/xcaret-all-fun-inclusive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=xcaret-all-fun-inclusive Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:01:05 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Inside, Xcaret’s, All-Fun, Inclusive, World I have stayed in many all-inclusive resorts in Mexico. But some of them are so generic that they could be anywhere in the world. Xcaret is different. This Mexican Resort in the heart of the Riviera Maya is designed to give you an All Fun Inclusive Mexican experience through and through.

“What you see is Mexico, what you taste is Mexico, what you hear is Mexico, and what you experience is Mexico.“

Akis Neocleous, Chief Hotels Officer Grupo Xcaret

To better understand the concept, I interviewed Akis Neocleous, Chief Hotels Officer for Grupo Xcaret. I also reviewed current hotel and park information.

What is Xcaret

Xcaret is a collection of resorts and amusement parks on the Riviera Maya, Mexico, that are designed to showcase all the magic Mexico has to offer. They have 3 hotels, targeting families (Xcaret Mexico), adults-only (Xcaret Arte), and luxury boutique travelers (Casa de la Playa).

Who is Xcaret for?

What sets Xcaret apart from other all-inclusive resorts in the area is that they offer distinct hotels, parks, and experiences for each of its target audiences and their interests. This makes it an ideal choice for many people, but not all. Let’s dive a little deeper and see if Xcaret is the right choice for you!

Xcaret is perfect for people who want to experience a vacation in Mexico that is safe, easy to book, hassle-free, and active. Depending on your travel style and interests (family travel, luxury travel, cultural adults-only travel, adventure travel, cultural experiences), Xcaret offers specific hotels and parks to cater to each group. This also makes it perfect for multi-generational travel groups with different interests and activity levels.

Xcaret is probably not the best option for people who just want to lie on the beach or the pool for a week, reading and drinking cocktails. But the value is strong if you are active and take advantage of all the activities on offer at the Xcaret hotels and parks.

Xcaret’s All Fun Inclusive Model

Xcaret takes all-inclusive to the next level. They include not only hotel, food and beverage package, and resort amenities, but also entrance to the parks, activities, and even some excursions. This makes your vacation so much more relaxing. You can just do all the activities that interest you without keeping a running tab of your vacation budget. Keep in mind that most, but not all, restaurants and activities are included.

This makes Xcaret a great option for families traveling with kids, especially teenagers. You don’t have to worry about your kids running up the bill with expensive mocktails and excursions. Xcaret Mexico offers a lot of amenities for kids of all ages. There are nightclubs for teenagers, a rooftop lounge, DJ contests, silent parties, and more. And then there is the fun at the parks, which will keep them busy with zip lining, whitewater rafting, kayaking, and more. The best part? Teenagers can do many of these activities on their own, which gives parents the opportunity to relax.

“Children and teenagers can have their own spaces and activities, while parents can still feel that everyone is safe and entertained. The property has many things to do, so families do not need to leave to find entertainment.”

Akis Neocleous

Xcaret Parks

Grupo Xcaret offers a collection of immersive parks and experiences across Cancún and the Riviera Maya. Each is perfect for a different type of traveler. The parks extend that philosophy beyond the hotel gates. Each park is rooted in a different dimension of what Mexico offers — its ecosystems, its adventure, its culture, its food.

Xcaret — The flagship eco-archaeological park, featuring underground rivers, wildlife areas, cultural exhibits, regional cuisine, and the famous Xcaret México Espectacular night show.

Xel-Há — An all-inclusive natural aquatic park centered around a beautiful inlet, with snorkeling, swimming, water activities, and scenic views.

Xplor — A high-energy adventure park with zip-lines, amphibious vehicles, underground rivers, caves, and jungle routes.

Xplor Fuego — The nighttime version of Xplor, where zip-lines, underground rivers, caves, and amphibious vehicle routes are illuminated by fire, torches, and dramatic jungle lighting.

Xenses — A half-day sensory park filled with optical illusions, playful environments, surprising pathways, and activities designed to challenge perception.

Xoximilco — A festive Mexican floating party aboard colorful trajineras, with live music, traditional food, drinks, games, and a lively social atmosphere.

Xavage — An extreme adventure park experience featuring ropes courses, rafting, jet boats, kayaking, Monster Trucks, and a horizontal zip-line. (Currently under construction and temporarily closed)

As you can see, Xcaret has something for everyone, whether they enjoy art, culture, history, nature, or adventure.

Xcaret: A Truly Mexican Vacation?

Xcaret promises an authentic Mexican experience, including authentic Mexican cuisine, cultural offerings, art and design by local artists, and more. But does it deliver? That’s the claim. Here’s what the brand team described — and what I’d need to see firsthand to verify it.

Mexican Identity as Design Language

One thing that stood out to me during the interview was how deep Xcaret’s Mexican identity goes. Xcaret used local architects and designers to give the hotels and parks a truly Mexican ambiance. The colors and textures, fabrics and artwork all showcase the rich and beautiful Mexican culture in an authentic way.

The Xcaret Arte adult-only Hotel is an artwork in itself. It features Rubén Carrasco’s Portal Solar mural as well as several rotating exhibitions of famous Mexican artists, such as Jacobo and María Ángeles, Fernando Andriacci, Ignacio Netzahualcoyotl, and Jorge Marín. All of these artists are from Mexico and share their creativity through a variety of mediums, including sculptures, paintings, murals, textiles, and pottery. The newest exhibition (June 4 – September 4, 2026) is Under the Shadow of Venus. This exhibition by María José Lavín, showcases a post-modern interpretation of Venus and her sensual form.

If you don’t just want to look at art, you can also make it yourself at one of the many art workshops. From painting to pottery, textile to Latin dance, and more, there is a workshop for everyone. Take a look at the list of art workshops here.

Mexican Cuisine Beyond the Stereotype

Want to hear a sad secret? I have had some of the worst Mexican food in Mexican resorts. They were trying so hard to please the taste buds of Americans and Europeans that every dish turned out bland. So I was very intrigued to learn about the focus that Xcaret puts on an authentic Mexican culinary experience. After all, the food in Mexico is one of the main reasons why I love traveling there!

At Xcaret, one thing is for sure: You will not go hungry. At Xcaret Mexico, there are 20 restaurants; at Xcaret Arte, 10; and at La Casa de la Playa, 4. Options include many different cuisines and range from casual beach restaurants to endless buffets to Michelin-starred fine dining options. From Italian to Asian fusion, steakhouses, and of course, ample Mexican food options, featuring specialties of various states, including Yucatan, Veracruz, and Puebla.

Michelin-Star Ha’ Restaurant

Speaking of fine dining, often regarded as the absolute highlight of every Xcaret stay is dinner at the one-Michelin-Star Ha’ restaurant. Chef Carlos Gaytán combines his French technique with local ingredients, sprinkling in a hint of Japanese finesse. He creates an unforgettable tasting menu, which is perfectly paired with local wines by Sommelier Sandra Fernández. Please keep in mind that this restaurant requires reservations and is part of the All-Fun-Inclusive-Package.

Apapaxoa Festival

One of the culinary highlights at Xcaret is the annual Apapaxoa festival. This year, the festival will take place September 18-23, 2026, under the motto “Colors of Mexico” and feature the 23 chefs of Xcaret’s Gastronomic Collective, along with national and international guest chefs. If you are a foodie like me, it is one to put on the calendar.

Returning for its third edition, the six-day festival will unfold across Hotel Xcaret Arte, Hotel Xcaret México, La Casa de la Playa, and select Xcaret parks. It will turn the Riviera Maya into a vibrant stage for Mexican flavor, creativity, and culture.

The name Apapaxoa means “to embrace with the soul,” and that spirit shapes the entire experience. Visitors can enjoy a celebration of Mexico’s culinary identity and expect a mix of gastronomy, wine, mixology, art, music, fashion, wellness, sustainability, technology, and community.

For food lovers, the draw is the chance to experience cuisine as storytelling. Every plate, pairing, conversation, and setting is designed to reveal something deeper about the land and the people behind it. More programming details are still to come, but stay tuned.

Sustainability and Community at Xcaret

Sustainability is so much more than just reducing waste and only swapping towels every other day. It also means the impact a multi-million dollar operation like Xcaret has on its direct environment and community.

“Sustainability is very important to us. We work on environmental practices, recycling, and responsible operations. We also try to support local communities and local people as much as possible.”

Akis Neocleous

Sustainability has been a priority for Xcaret before it even opened its doors. Xcaret Mexico was the first Hotel in North America to ever receive the EarthCheck Gold Certification. EarthCheck is a highly reputable certification, and the gold certification is the second-highest level of sustainability certification available through them.

To help keep them on track, Xcaret has multiple action groups. Each group focuses on various aspects of sustainability, including recycling, water fountains with filtered water, wastewater management, and more.

Xcaret also puts an emphasis on cultural sustainability by promoting the local economy, as well as local traditions and experiences, including cultural events, such as Mayan ceremonies, for visitors. Another focus is to use local products and services as much as possible.

Aside from that, Xcaret gives back to the local community by supporting local initiatives. Xcaret supports the Riviera Maya Forest Nursery, various reforestation projects in the local area, and ongoing beach preservation and cleanup efforts.

Final Remarks

The interview raised questions I can’t answer from a desk: whether the cultural framing holds up beyond the lobby, whether the culinary ambition survives at scale, and whether the sustainability credentials reflect structural practice or marketing positioning. Those are stories worth telling — and ones that require being there. Only once I visit can I share if Xcaret’s authenticity promise actually holds up.

FAQs about Xcaret

What is Xcaret’s All-Fun Inclusive model?

Xcaret’s All-Fun Inclusive package combines hotel accommodations, food and beverage, airport transportation, and entry to the Xcaret group’s parks — including Xcaret, Xel-Há, Xplor, Xplor Fuego, Xenses, and Xoximilco — into a single rate.

Unlike standard Mexican all-inclusives that include only hotel and meals, the model extends to attractions and experiences that are typically charged separately at other Riviera Maya resorts. Some additional excursions, like catamaran trips to Isla Mujeres and day trips to Chichén Itzá, are also included with most packages.

What’s the difference between Hotel Xcaret México, Hotel Xcaret Arte, and La Casa de la Playa?

Hotel Xcaret México is the family-oriented flagship with 20 restaurants and the broadest range of activities, designed for families, first-time Mexico visitors, and travelers with teens.

Hotel Xcaret Arte is adults-only (16+ across the property, with the Casa de los Artistas section restricted to 18+) and focused on Mexican art, design, and gastronomy with 10 restaurants.

La Casa de la Playa is the smallest of the three, a boutique-luxury property with 4 restaurants and the highest service ratios. All three are part of the All-Fun Inclusive model and share access to the Xcaret park network.

Is Hotel Xcaret Arte adults-only?

Hotel Xcaret Arte is restricted to guests 16 and older across the property. This makes Arte a strong fit for adult travelers, couples, and design-and-gastronomy-focused trips, and not a fit for families with children under 16.

When is the Apapaxoa GastroCultural Festival in 2026?

The 2026 Apapaxoa GastroCultural Festival runs September 18–23, 2026, under the theme “Colors of Mexico.” Returning for its third edition, the six-day festival takes place across Hotel Xcaret Arte, Hotel Xcaret México, La Casa de la Playa, and select Xcaret parks.

The festival features 23 chefs from Xcaret’s Gastronomic Collective, along with invited national and international guest chefs. Visitors can experience the festival through hotel packages that include festival programming or by booking specific experiences separately.

Which Xcaret hotel is best for families with teenagers?

Hotel Xcaret México is positioned as the family-oriented property and includes dedicated teen activity spaces, game-room style areas, 20 restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining, and direct access to the broader Xcaret park network — including Xplor and Xplor Fuego for adventure activities like zip-lines, underground rivers, and amphibious vehicle routes that tend to appeal to teens.

Hotel Xcaret Arte is adults-only (16+), so generally not the right fit for families with younger teens, though older teens 16 and older could stay there if the family is comfortable with the adults-only environment.

What’s included in an Xcaret all-inclusive stay?

A Xcaret All-Fun Inclusive stay includes accommodations, all meals and beverages at the on-property restaurants and bars, airport transportation, and entry to the Xcaret group’s parks (Xcaret, Xel-Há, Xplor, Xplor Fuego, Xenses, and Xoximilco). Most packages also include catamaran trips to Isla Mujeres and select day trips to nearby attractions.

Some specialty experiences, such as premium restaurants (HA’, Xaak, and La Casa de la Playa restaurants, except for guests staying there), wine pairing, premium spa services, and à la carte add-ons fall outside the base package and cost extra.

How do you get from Cancún Airport to Xcaret?

Xcaret’s All-Fun Inclusive package includes round-trip airport transportation from Cancún International Airport (CUN). The drive from Cancún Airport to Hotel Xcaret México, Hotel Xcaret Arte, and La Casa de la Playa takes approximately 45 minutes to one hour, depending on traffic. The properties are located near Playa del Carmen, south of Cancún, along the Riviera Maya.

Travelers from San Diego can fly nonstop to Cancún on Alaska Airlines, Southwest, and JetBlue, or use Cross Border Xpress and fly directly from Tijuana.

How many days should you stay at Xcaret?

According to Xcaret’s brand team, a four-to-five-night stay is the typical minimum to experience the property and the broader park network without feeling rushed.

The bundled access to seven parks, plus the on-property dining and cultural programming, gives travelers enough to fill a longer week-long stay; many guests choose six to seven nights to slow the pace.

Shorter stays of two or three nights work for travelers who want a focused break but won’t give full access to the All-Fun Inclusive ecosystem.

Interview Details

This article is based on in-depth research and an interview with Akis Neocleous, Chief Hotels Officer for Grupo Xcaret, conducted on May 29, 2026, via Google Meet.

All direct quotes were confirmed in writing with Xcaret’s PR team before publication.

Last Updated on June 4, 2026 by Maria Haase

The post Inside Xcaret’s All-Fun Inclusive World appeared first on San Diego Explorer.

]]> San Diego 4th of July 2026: Fireworks, Events & Things to Do https://sandiegoexplorer.com/4th-of-july-in-san-diego-fireworks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=4th-of-july-in-san-diego-fireworks https://sandiegoexplorer.com/4th-of-july-in-san-diego-fireworks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=4th-of-july-in-san-diego-fireworks Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:01:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, 4th, July, 2026:, Fireworks, Events, Things Are you ready to celebrate the 250th Independence Day of the United States this year? Any 4th of July in San Diego is a lot of fun, but this year will be an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. This year, July 4th, 2026, falls on a Saturday, bringing a full 4-day Holiday Weekend. What better way to celebrate America’s big 250th Birthday?

Whether you are looking for the best places to watch the San Diego 4th of July fireworks, parades, parties, and more, we have a list of all the fun events to celebrate this amazing milestone for our country.

Best Places to See 4th of July Fireworks in San Diego for America’s Big 250th Year Birthday Celebration

If you are after fireworks on Independence Day, you won’t be disappointed. You can look forward to some of the most amazing 4th of July fireworks in San Diego you have ever seen. Most of our fireworks take place over water, so you get to see a double effect of sparkles. Take a look below for the best places to watch the 4th of July Fireworks in San Diego.

4 red fireworks over San Diego Bay Big Boom Bay Fireworks San Diego 4th of July
Big Boom Bay Fireworks San Diego 4th of July

Big Boom Bay San Diego

Location: San Diego Bay
Time: 9:15 PM – 9:30ish PM

Big Boom Bay San Diego is the largest fireworks display in San Diego on the 4th of July. 4 barges are setting off fireworks over the San Diego Bay and can be seen from almost all over Downtown San Diego, Coronado, Point Loma, Old Town, and beyond.

The best place to see the fireworks is, of course, from the water. If you know anyone with a boat, now is the time to cash in some friendship points and see if you can join them on their boat on the San Diego Bay. The second-best places to watch the Big Boom Bay fireworks are along the bay. The barges are located in front of Shelter Island, Harbor Island, and North and South Embarcadero.

The Big Boom Bay fireworks are raising money for the Fleetweek San Diego to support the Big Bay Boom. You can also watch the 4th of July fireworks on TV on Fox 5, starting at 9:15 PM.

4th of July Fireworks in San Diego photographed from Coronado with the San Diego Bay in the foreground and San Diego skyline in the background

Here are some of the top spots to watch the San Diego fireworks:

Please note that parking in downtown and Seaport Village is extremely limited. I live right by there and see hundreds of cars stuck in traffic trying to find parking while the fireworks go off. I highly recommend using public transport (the trolley stop Seaport Village is just across the street) or coming a few hours early to reserve your spot.

FREE

RESTAURANTS

BARS

Please note that most restaurants and bars require reservations ahead of time or offer a special prix fix menu or cover charge for the holiday. Make reservations as soon as possible!

4th of July Fireworks in San Diego County 2026 Schedule

Large fireworks during Big Boom Bay in San Diego 4th of July Celebration next to Grand Hyatt Hotel by Seaport Village

Central San Diego Fireworks

Big Boom Bay
Location: San Diego Bay
Time: 9:15 PM

Coronado
Location: Glorietta Bay
Time: 9 PM

San Diego SeaWorld 4th of July Festivities
Location: SeaWorld San Diego
Time: ~ 9:30 PM

Ocean Beach
Location: Ocean Beach Pier
Time: Permanently canceled

San Diego North County 4th of July Fireworks 2026

La Jolla
Location: La Jolla Cove
Time: Permanently Cancelled

La Jolla Shores – Drone Show
Location: La Jolla Shores Hotel
Time: 8:45 PM

Del Mar Fairgrounds
Location: Del Mar Fairgrounds
Time: 9 PM

San Marcos
Location: Bradley Park
Time: 9 PM

Vista
Location: Moonlight Amphitheater
Time: 9 PM
Admission: $5 (kids 12 and under are free)

Carlsbad
Location: Legoland
Time: 8:30 PM

Carlsbad
Location: Omni La Costa Resort
Time: 6-9:30 PM

Poway
Location: Poway High School Stadium
Time: 9 PM
Admission: $6 (kids 11 and under are free)

Rancho Bernardo
Location: Webb Park
Time: 9 PM

Escondido
Location: Grape Day Park
Time: 9 PM

La Murray
Location: Lake Murray Community Park
Time: 9 PM

hand holding a mini American flag and a sparkler in the dark

East County San Diego 4th of July Fireworks 2026

El Cajon
Location: Kennedy Park
Time: 9 PM

Santee
Location: Town Center Community Park East
Time: 9 PM

South Bay San Diego Fireworks 2026

Chula Vista
Location: Elite Athlete Training Center
Time: 9 PM

Imperial Beach
Location: Imperial Beach Pier
Time: 9 PM

San Diego 4th of July Events 2026

Scripps Ranch 4th of July Parade
Location: Scripps Ranch Hoyt Park
Time: 10 AM – 11 AM Parade

Old Town 4th of July Festivities
Location: Old Town Historic State Park
Time: 11 AM – 3 PM

Julian 4th of July Parade, Pie Eating, and more
Location: Main Street
Time: 9:30 AM – 8 PM

Oceanside Independence Day Parade
Location: PCH (Wisconsin Ave – Civic Center)
Time: June 27, 10 AM – 12 PM
Oceanside Fireworks
Location: SoCal Soccer Complex
Time: July 3, 9 PM

Coronado Crown City Classic 4th of July Race
Location: Coronado Tidelands Park
Time: 6:40 AM – 10 AM

Coronado 4th of July Parade
Location: Orange Avenue
Time: 10 AM – 12 PM

USS Midway 4th of July Celebration & World Classic Rockers Concert
Location: USS Midway
Time: 7 PM

Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration
Location: Old Poway Park
Time: 10 AM – 4 PM

Santee Salutes
Location: Town Center Community Park
Time: 4 PM – 10 PM

A bicycle decorated with red/white/blue decor and American Flags

More Fun Things to Do on 4th of July in San Diego

Fireworks and Parades are fun and will definitely put you in the mood for 4th of July, but there are more fun things to do on that day to celebrate the Birth of America.

  • Beach Day: San Diego has some of the best beaches in the US and on 4th of July, they are the perfect place if you want to party and have a good time. This is NOT the time if you are looking for a quiet, read-your-book kind of relaxing beach day. It will be loud, fun, and a bit crazy. Get there early and try to use public transport or ride-shares as parking will be almost impossible. Check out some of our favorite San Diego beaches here
  • Picnic in the Park: A day in the park is always a good idea. Pack up a yummy picnic, a blanket, and some drinks and find a shady spot on the grass to enjoy and relax.
  • Bonfire on the Beach: If you are lucky, you might be able to score one of the bonfire spots in Mission Bay to have a little BBQ with the family and friends overlooking Mission Bay. You can also see the SeaWorld Fireworks from there, so this is a perfect place to hang out the whole day and evening.
  • Pay Tribute: Visit some of San Diego’s Military Memorials and Monuments and pay your tribute to the heroes who supported this nation throughout the centuries.
Big pink firework on 4th of July in San Diego over San Diego Bay.

San Diego 4th of July FAQs

When is the 4th of July in San Diego in 2026?

Independence Day falls on Saturday, July 4, 2026 — and it’s an extra-special one, marking America’s 250th birthday (the Semiquincentennial). With the holiday landing on a Saturday, expect a full weekend of celebrations across San Diego County.

What time do the San Diego 4th of July fireworks start?

Most fireworks shows across San Diego County begin around 9:00 PM. The big one — the Big Bay Boom over San Diego Bay — starts at 9:15 PM. A few run earlier, like Legoland in Carlsbad at 8:30 PM and La Jolla Shores’ drone show at 8:45 PM.

Where is the best place to watch the 4th of July fireworks in San Diego?

The best view of the Big Bay Boom is from the water, but you’ll find great free vantage points all along the bay — Embarcadero Marina Parks, Waterfront Park, Shelter Island Shoreline Park, Harbor Island, and the Coronado Ferry Landing. For a sit-down experience, bayfront restaurants and rooftop bars like Top of the Hyatt offer fireworks views (reservations required).

What is the Big Bay Boom, and is it happening in 2026?

Yes! The Big Bay Boom is San Diego’s largest fireworks display, set off from four barges across San Diego Bay starting at 9:15 PM. It can be seen from Downtown, Coronado, Point Loma, Old Town, and beyond. Can’t make it in person? Watch the broadcast live on Fox 5 starting at 9:15 PM.

Are there free places to watch the fireworks in San Diego?

Absolutely. Free viewing spots include Embarcadero Marina Parks, Waterfront Park, the Convention Center area, Shelter Island Shoreline Park, Harbor Island Park, G Street Pier, Seaport Village, and Coronado’s Ferry Landing and Centennial Park. Arrive a few hours early to claim a good spot.

What 4th of July parades and events happen in San Diego?

Popular parades include the Coronado 4th of July Parade (10 AM on Orange Avenue), the Scripps Ranch Parade, and the all-day Julian celebration with its famous pie-eating contest. The Oceanside Independence Day Parade runs earlier, on June 27. You’ll also find festivities at Old Town, the USS Midway, and Santee Salutes.

What’s the best way to get to the fireworks and deal with parking?

Parking near Downtown, Seaport Village, and the bayfront is extremely limited and fills up fast. Take the trolley (the Seaport Village stop is right across the street), use a rideshare, or arrive several hours early. Beach and bay areas get just as crowded, so plan your exit ahead of time too.

San Diego 4th of July Fireworks and Events – Pin for Later:

4th of July in San Diego is a lot of fun, whether you are looking for the best places to watch the San Diego 4th of July fireworks, parades, parties and more.

Last Updated on June 4, 2026 by Maria Haase

The post San Diego 4th of July 2026: Fireworks, Events & Things to Do appeared first on San Diego Explorer.

]]> Pope Leo urges Catholic universities to instill passion for the truth found in Christ https://catholics.news/pope-leo-urges-catholic-universities-to-instill-passion-for-the-truth-found-in-christ https://catholics.news/pope-leo-urges-catholic-universities-to-instill-passion-for-the-truth-found-in-christ Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, urges, Catholic, universities, instill, passion, for, the, truth, found, Christ Intrepid missionaries and martyrs: The origins of Catholicism in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan https://catholics.news/intrepid-missionaries-and-martyrs-the-origins-of-catholicism-in-ohio-indiana-illinois-and-michigan https://catholics.news/intrepid-missionaries-and-martyrs-the-origins-of-catholicism-in-ohio-indiana-illinois-and-michigan Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Intrepid, missionaries, and, martyrs:, The, origins, Catholicism, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and, Michigan Priest gets life in prison in Texas for sexual abuse of women under his spiritual care https://catholics.news/priest-gets-life-in-prison-in-texas-for-sexual-abuse-of-women-under-his-spiritual-care https://catholics.news/priest-gets-life-in-prison-in-texas-for-sexual-abuse-of-women-under-his-spiritual-care Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Priest, gets, life, prison, Texas, for, sexual, abuse, women, under, his, spiritual, care Meet the amazing missionary priest who could be one of Minnesota’s first saints https://catholics.news/meet-the-amazing-missionary-priest-who-could-be-one-of-minnesotas-first-saints https://catholics.news/meet-the-amazing-missionary-priest-who-could-be-one-of-minnesotas-first-saints Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Meet, the, amazing, missionary, priest, who, could, one, Minnesota’s, first, saints Spaniards hope Pope Leo’s visit promotes reconciliation amid Civil War wounds https://catholics.news/spaniards-hope-pope-leos-visit-promotes-reconciliation-amid-civil-war-wounds https://catholics.news/spaniards-hope-pope-leos-visit-promotes-reconciliation-amid-civil-war-wounds Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Spaniards, hope, Pope, Leo’s, visit, promotes, reconciliation, amid, Civil, War, wounds Philippines unlikely to cut poverty rate to single digits by 2028 https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/04/754460/philippines-unlikely-to-cut-poverty-rate-to-single-digits-by-2028/ https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/04/754460/philippines-unlikely-to-cut-poverty-rate-to-single-digits-by-2028/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:59:06 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippines, unlikely, cut, poverty, rate, single, digits, 2028 Poverty incidence in the Philippines is unlikely to fall to the government’s single-digit target by 2028, the latest World Bank report showed.

In its report “Building the Filipino Middle Class: Towards Resilient Futures and Poverty Eradication,” the World Bank projected the national poverty rate to drop to around 12.3% by 2028 “if the pre COVID growth-poverty relationship holds.”

Under the Midterm Update of the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, the government projects poverty incidence to decline to 8-9% by 2028.

“The report projects poverty to 2028 and it does find that it will be above the (government’s) goal,” said World Bank Senior Economist Liliana D. Sousa in a media briefing on Thursday. “As of this moment we are not projecting poverty in single digits by 2028.”

The poverty rate fell to 15.5% in 2023 from 23.5% in 2015, while income inequality reached its lowest level in four decades, according to the World Bank.

Despite the gains, about 28% of Filipinos remain vulnerable to falling back into poverty, underscoring the fragility of recent progress.

“The typical Filipino family earns just enough to stay above the poverty line – but not enough to feel economically secure,” it added.

However, the World Bank said poverty incidence could fall to 2.9% by 2040, in line with the government’s long-term target, if authorities implement policies that boost growth, create jobs and strengthen resilience.

Under a business-as-usual scenario or without government intervention, however, poverty incidence would decline only to 6% by 2040.

The government seeks to make the country a predominantly middle-class society where no one is poor by 2040.

World Bank Division Director for the Philippines Zafer Mustafaoğlu said the country could nearly eliminate poverty by 2040 with reforms that boost productivity, job creation, equity and resilience.

“The goal is ambitious, but it is achievable with strong commitment to reforms. The World Bank stands ready to support the government of the Philippines in this journey,” he added. – Justine Irish D. Tabile

]]> San Diego Guide to World Cup festivities https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/san-diego-fifa-fever/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/world-cup/san-diego-fifa-fever/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:46:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, Guide, World, Cup, festivities Marcos considers extra budget amid oil shock https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/04/754266/marcos-considers-extra-budget-amid-oil-shock/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/04/754266/marcos-considers-extra-budget-amid-oil-shock/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Marcos, considers, extra, budget, amid, oil, shock By Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Katherine K. Chan, Reporters

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday said the government is considering a supplemental budget and legislative amendments to cushion the impact of the Iran war.

The government needs to move quickly to respond to the energy emergency triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran, including measures that might require congressional action, Mr. Marcos told reporters in Manila.

Mr. Marcos said the Executive is studying the possibility of proposing a supplemental budget and amendments to existing laws to support sectors affected by rising fuel prices.

“We were thinking that maybe we could have a supplemental budget,” the President said, without specifying an amount.

“This is necessary so that we can assist the people because of the oil crisis,” he added, citing discussions in a committee tasked with crafting measures to ease the effects of the Iran war.

A supplemental budget is an additional spending plan approved through legislation to address unforeseen needs or fund programs not covered by the national budget.

In March, the President placed the country under a year-long energy emergency following volatility in global oil markets linked to the war in the Middle East.

The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development in April estimated that the National Government may need P429 billion to fund its ongoing response measures should the Iran war stretch until December.

On Wednesday, Mr. Marcos also questioned why the Legislature had effectively halted work while the Executive and Judiciary continued normal operations during the crisis.

He said the government needs to provide stability and assurance to Filipinos as global uncertainties threaten fuel prices and economic activity.

Mr. Marcos said the Executive is now looking at the law and Constitution to see how they “can remedy the situation.”

“But it requires the cooperation and the commitment of the Senate leadership to continue with their work… And they haven’t been doing much of a good job right now,” he added.

The Senate had not convened since Monday and only briefly resumed session on Wednesday. With 12 senators present, it elected Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian as Senate president pro tempore before adjourning sine die.

Congress will convene its second regular session on July 27.

Zy-za Nadine N. Suzara, a public finance specialist of the People’s Budget Coalition, said a supplemental budget could help cushion the impact of the energy crisis, but the government must first identify and disclose credible funding sources, whether from additional revenues or other financing options.

Any spending package should be carefully targeted and designed in consultation with affected sectors to ensure limited resources deliver the greatest impact, she said in a Viber message.

Ms. Suzara said delays in congressional approval would undermine the timeliness and effectiveness of the measures, arguing that preparations should have begun months earlier as ordinary Filipinos were affected by the crisis.

BIGGER DEFICIT
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said the supplemental budget would further widen the budget deficit and require more National Government borrowings.

Latest Treasury data showed the country’s budget gap stood at P324.1 billion as of April, 14.44% narrower than the P378.7-billion deficit posted in the same period last year. This represented 20.1% of the P1.61-trillion deficit ceiling for this year.

Meanwhile, Oxford Economics said emerging economies in Southeast Asia could see their budget deficits widen this year as the fiscal cost of the Middle East war bites, with the Philippines projected as the laggard among its peers.

In a report published late on Tuesday, Oxford Economics assistant economist Artie Lam said the fiscal deficits of emerging markets in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), or Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, could widen by as much as 1.5 percentage points (ppts) this year.

“We project fiscal deficits to widen by up to 1.5 ppts in emerging market ASEAN this year because of higher government spending on fuel subsidies and lower revenues stemming from weaker economic activity,” Mr. Lam said. “Higher yields in the region have also constrained fiscal space, especially in Indonesia and the Philippines.”

According to the United Kingdom-based think tank, the Philippines had the largest fiscal deficit within emerging ASEAN last year.

Mr. Lam said this will force the Philippines, as well as Indonesia, to face the most market pressure to limit its spending.

The National Government may continue to feel the fiscal pressure over the medium term as Oxford Economics said the Philippines will likely have the largest fiscal deficit-to-gross domestic product share until 2029, followed by Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Mr. Lam warned that higher borrowing costs will likely dampen government spending and public investments, further widening the country’s budget deficit.

“A marked increase in borrowing costs would limit its ability to respond, and persistently high yields may even force the government to rein in future spending, weighing on government consumption and public investment,” he said.

Mr. Lam expects interest rates to rise further this year as heated inflation prompts the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to tighten monetary policy.

He said the BSP may deliver 75 basis points (bps) more in rate hikes until yearend.

“We also expect the Philippines to be the most affected by inflation in the region, likely triggering a total of 100 bps in policy rate hikes this year by a historically inflation-focused central bank, 25 bps of which have already been delivered,” he said.

In April, the central bank raised the key policy rate by 25 bps to 4.5%, marking its first tightening move since October 2023, as it sought to temper second-round price effects and keep inflation expectations anchored.

The BSP has said that they stand ready to implement all necessary monetary policy actions to bring inflation back to their 2%-4% target, as they expect it to average 6.3% this year and 4.3% in 2027.

Still, Oxford Economics’ Mr. Lam noted that they are not yet concerned about emerging ASEAN’s current fiscal deficits as they are banking on the potential relief from the countries’ fiscal consolidation once the conflict ends.

“In the medium term, the current fiscal deficits aren’t a major reason for concern as we expect fiscal consolidation to resume after the conflict, bringing us back to the pre-war trajectory by 2028, but abrupt market movements may prompt governments to change course more rapidly than expected,” he said.

]]> OECD slashes PHL growth projections https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/04/754267/oecd-slashes-phl-growth-projections/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/04/754267/oecd-slashes-phl-growth-projections/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator OECD, slashes, PHL, growth, projections THE ORGANISATION for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) sharply downgraded its Philippine growth forecasts and raised its inflation outlook through 2027, warning of a temporary stagflationary shock amid elevated oil prices and weak domestic demand.

In its latest Economic Outlook released on June 3, the OECD said it expects the Philippine economy to expand by 3.2% in 2026, significantly slower than its 5.1% forecast in December. If realized, this will be slower than the 4.4% gross domestic product growth in 2025.  

The Paris-based organization also cut its 2027 growth projection to 5% from 5.8% previously.

“We project growth to be weak at 3.2% in 2026, before recovering to 5% in 2027 as inflation dissipates and public investment gradually recovers,” said OECD economist Cyrille Schwellnus in an online media briefing on Wednesday.

Both forecasts are below the government’s 5%-6% growth target for 2026 and 5.5%-6.5% target for 2027. The Palace earlier said the Development Budget Coordination Committee revised its macroeconomic assumptions, but new figures have yet to be released.

Meanwhile, inflation is projected to exceed the government’s 2%-4% target range in 2026 before easing to the upper end of the band in 2027.

The OECD raised its Philippine inflation forecast to 6.8% in 2026 from 2.6%, as well as its 2027 projection to 4% from 3% previously.

The inflation forecast for 2026 is above the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) revised estimate of 6.3%, while its 2027 forecast of 4% is below the BSP’s 4.3% estimate.

Asked whether the Philippines faces a greater risk of stagflation, Mr. Schwellnus said the shock is expected to be temporary.

“In 2026 we see growth slowing quite sharply and inflation increasing quite a bit and that would go in the direction of a stagflationary shock,” he said.

“But we also highlight in our note that we currently expect this to be temporary. So, growth will recover in 2027 to 5% and inflation is projected to return to the central bank’s target band in 2027,” he added.

However, Mr. Schwellnus said the Philippines’ recovery would depend on a rebound in public investment, easing inflationary pressures, developments in the Middle East, and a vigilant, data-dependent monetary policy.

“The Philippines entered the energy crisis with growth already slow,” he said, citing the sharp contraction in public investment following corruption investigations in 2025, as well as softer private consumption amid a weakening labor market.

The OECD expects private consumption to grow by 2.7% in 2026 and 3.8% in 2027. These are sharply below its December projections of 5.1% and 5.9%, respectively.

Meanwhile, it projects public investment to recover gradually in the second half of 2026.

It expects gross fixed capital formation, the investment component of the economy, to grow by 1.2% in 2026 and 8.2% in 2027 from earlier projections of 2.4% and 5.3%, respectively.

“Going forward, we think that high inflation will further weigh on real incomes and private consumption while the recovery in public investment is expected to remain subdued in the near term in 2026,” Mr. Schwellnus said.

As a net oil importer, the Philippines is highly exposed to the oil shock.

“The central bank has already raised the policy rate by 25 basis points (bps), and we expect further tightening as inflation and exchange rate pressures rise,” Mr. Schwellnus said.

“But despite this monetary tightening, inflation is projected to average 6.8% in 2026, well above the central bank’s target band, before gradually easing as energy pressures dissipate,” he added.

The OECD expects the BSP to raise its policy rate by another 100 bps in 2026 before easing to 5% in 2027.  — Justine Irish D. Tabile

]]> Philippines may face new US tariffs https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/04/754268/philippines-may-face-new-us-tariffs/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/04/754268/philippines-may-face-new-us-tariffs/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippines, may, face, new, tariffs As USTR cites failure to prohibit imports made with forced labor

THE PHILIPPINES is facing the prospect of additional US tariffs, after a US Trade Representative (USTR) investigation found it and 59 other economies had not done enough to curb the importation of goods that were made with forced labor.   

In its report on the Section 301 investigation, the USTR proposed additional duties on imports from the 60 economies, citing what it described as inadequate measures to restrict imports that were produced with forced labor.

“The results of this investigation indicate that the acts, policies and practices of the Philippines related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a forced labor import prohibition are unreasonable and burden or restrict US commerce,” it said.

Last March, the USTR began a forced labor probe on 60 economies under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974.

“The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labor is unacceptable,” USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer said in a statement. “This creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field. We will no longer tolerate this disparity.”

Under the proposal, the USTR said that economies that do not have any measures against forced labor imports will face an additional tariff of 12.5%.

The USTR identified 54 economies, including the Philippines, Australia, Cambodia, China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, as having failed to prohibit the import of goods that were produced with forced labor.

For the rest of the economies, it said these would face an additional tariff of 10%.

It identified six economies: Canada, Ecuador, the European Union, Indonesia, Mexico, and Pakistan as having “failed to effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor.”

“Some trading partners have taken initial steps to prevent the importation of forced labor goods, including through USMCA (US-Mexico-Canada Agreement) and commitments in Agreements on Reciprocal Trade. However, each of our trading partners must do more to ensure that trade does not perversely encourage and entrench forced labor globally,” Mr. Greer said.

It said the 60 economies’ failure to impose and enforce a forced labor import prohibition is “unreasonable” as it undermines the aim to curb forced labor globally; allows companies to practice forced labor to produce goods at a lower cost and distorts market conditions for firms that do not use forced labor; and undermines profitability of companies that do not use forced labor.

The USTR said it also was proposing a textile mechanism that would allow for a certain volume of apparel and textile imports to enter the US at a reduced tariff rate, though the duties and volumes were not disclosed.

The announcement comes ahead of the July 24 expiration of a 10% temporary tariff imposed by the Trump administration on Feb. 20, the day the Supreme Court struck down US President Donald J. Trump’s tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

In the forced labor findings, the USTR said it would exempt from the tariffs a number of products including energy, rare earths and certain other metals, beef, coffee, certain fruits and vegetables, pharmaceuticals, organic chemicals and aircraft parts.

The USTR said it would accept public comments on the proposed tariffs and other remedies through July 6, with a public hearing scheduled for July 7.

‘NAIL IN THE COFFIN’
A new tariff on Philippine exports could be the final “nail in the coffin” for exporters already burdened by rising costs amid geopolitical tensions, said Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines (FOBAP) President Robert M. Young.

“Right now, we are already struggling to be competitive, as far as pricing and costing is concerned,” he said via telephone.

“So, [the tariffs] will add to the cost [of doing business] and buyers might get turned off. The Philippines might be erased from their (American firms’) buying program radar already.”

He noted that most FOBAP members are located in export zones, such as free trade zones and special economic zones, which operate under state authorities that oversee compliance with labor laws.

Mr. Young said the group’s members sign a contract agreement with its American buyers for every purchase order to ensure that its manufacturing practices comply with international laws and regulations. 

Jose Sonny G. Matula, president of the Federation of Free Workers, said the USTR’s findings serve as a “wake-up call” for the Philippine government to strengthen labor inspection and due diligence mechanisms.

“The key issue is not only whether forced labor exists, but whether government agencies are effectively detecting, investigating, and preventing it in high-risk sectors and supply chains,” he said in a Viber message. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz with Reuters  

]]> US House votes for measure that would end Iran war, in blow to Trump https://bworldonline.com/world/2026/06/04/754434/us-house-votes-for-measure-that-would-end-iran-war-in-blow-to-trump/ https://bworldonline.com/world/2026/06/04/754434/us-house-votes-for-measure-that-would-end-iran-war-in-blow-to-trump/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator House, votes, for, measure, that, would, end, Iran, war, blow, Trump WASHINGTON — The Republican-led US House of Representatives approved a resolution on Wednesday to block President Donald Trump from continuing the war against Iran, reflecting growing concern among members of his party about the three-month-old conflict.

The House voted 215 to 208, as four Republicans voted with Democrats in favor of the war powers resolution, which directs Mr. Trump to withdraw US troops from Iran unless Congress declares war or authorizes the use of military force.

It was the latest setback for Mr. Trump in Congress despite his party’s slim majorities in both the House and Senate.

For now, the vote is largely symbolic, as legislation must pass the Senate as well as the House to become effective, and there is debate over whether war powers resolutions would be constitutional even if they are approved by Congress.

The vote, nonetheless, reflects unease among some Republicans over Mr. Trump’s handling of the conflict and marks a rare bipartisan effort to curb presidential war powers as the war has entered a fourth month. Three previous war powers resolutions had failed in the House by increasingly slim margins and the chamber’s Republican leaders abruptly postponed a vote on this one last month when it looked likely to pass.

The Senate advanced a separate, but similar resolution last month in a procedural vote, after seven previous attempts had failed. Further votes on the Senate measure have not yet been scheduled.

The four House Republicans who voted for the war powers resolution were Representatives Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

No Democrats voted against it. Seven House members did not vote.

RECENT PUSHBACK AGAINST TRUMP
Mr. Trump recently has faced some opposition from members of his party in Congress, after months in which very few Republicans pushed back against his policy initiatives.

Separately on Wednesday, the House approved a procedural motion that clears the way for a vote on the Ukraine Support Act, which would provide security aid to Ukraine as it fights a Russian invasion. The act reached the floor only after a petition reached a 218-signature threshold last month to move ahead.

Six Republicans and one independent who normally votes with Republicans voted in favor of the Ukraine measure.

Republicans recently have revolted against Mr. Trump’s plans to create a “weaponization” fund to pay his political allies who said they had been the subject of government abuse.

Republican lawmakers on Wednesday also criticized Mr. Trump’s pick of loyalist Bill Pulte – a mortgage regulator with no national security experience – to serve as acting director of national intelligence.

SEPARATION OF POWERS
Democrats have called on Mr. Trump to come to Congress for authorization to use military force in the Iran conflict, noting that the US Constitution says only the legislature, not the president, can declare war.

They warned that Mr. Trump may have pulled the country into a long conflict without setting out a clear strategy and also railed against higher prices for gasoline, food and other products since the joint US-Israeli air strikes on Iran began on February 28.

“The passage of this WPR today signals a significant turning point: more and more Republicans are listening to their constituents who do not want another open-ended war in the Middle East,” Representative Gregory Meeks, who sponsored the war powers resolution and serves as ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement after the vote.

Democrats have made affordability a central theme of their economic message ahead of midterm elections in November that will decide whether Republicans keep control of Congress.

US producer prices posted their biggest increase in four years in April, boosted by soaring costs for goods and services since the war began.

The Trump administration insists that the war on Iran is necessary for US national security, citing an urgent need to prevent the Islamic republic from developing a nuclear weapon.

Republican critics of the war powers resolutions call them political grandstanding by Democrats who want to weaken the United States and score points against Mr. Trump.— Reuters

]]> Philippines loses UNSC bid to Kyrgyzstan https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/04/754442/philippines-loses-unsc-bid-to-kyrgyzstan/ https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/04/754442/philippines-loses-unsc-bid-to-kyrgyzstan/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippines, loses, UNSC, bid, Kyrgyzstan The Philippines failed to secure a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2027-2028 term after losing to Kyrgyzstan in a four-round election at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Wednesday.

Based on the final vote tally announced during the livestreamed UNGA, Kyrgyzstan won the sole Asia-Pacific seat with 142 votes, surpassing the required two-thirds majority of 128 votes from the 191 member states present and voting. The Philippines received 49 votes.

The Philippines garnered 85 votes in the first round, followed by 81 and 68 votes in the second and third rounds, respectively. This is against Kyrgyzstan’s 105 votes in the first round, 110 in the second, and 123 in the third before clinching victory in the fourth round.

The outcome ended Manila’s multi-year campaign for a seat on the 15-member Security Council.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. formally launched the country’s bid during his maiden address before the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly in September 2022, where he appealed for support from member states and highlighted the Philippines’ contributions to peacebuilding and international cooperation.

In March, Mr. Marcos traveled to UN headquarters in New York for a final diplomatic push, addressing a special plenary session and hosting a luncheon for permanent representatives of member states as part of efforts to secure support for the Philippine candidacy.

In a statement issued after the vote, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro said the Philippines respected the outcome of the election and congratulated Kyrgyzstan on its victory.

“We thank the international community for the support and goodwill extended to the Philippines throughout our candidacy,” Ms. Lazaro said.

She added that the country’s campaign was anchored on its “longstanding commitment to peace, dialogue, international law, and cooperation among nations.”

“The Philippines remains committed to working with all nations in pursuing peace, stability, sustainable development, and a rules-based international order,” she said.

Kyrgyzstan’s election marks the first time the Central Asian nation will serve on the Security Council since gaining independence in 1991.

The five countries elected to serve as non-permanent members for the 2027-2028 term were Kyrgyzstan, Zimbabwe, Trinidad and Tobago, Portugal, and Austria. They will assume their seats on Jan. 1, 2027, replacing Pakistan, Somalia, Greece, Denmark, and Panama. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking

]]> The looming El Niño could be bad – but much worse is to come https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-looming-el-nino-could-be-bad-but-much-worse-is-to-come/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-looming-el-nino-could-be-bad-but-much-worse-is-to-come/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The, looming, Niño, could, bad, –, but, much, worse, come

Waves supercharged by El Niño hit the California coast in 2016

Eliason/Zuma Wire/Shutterstock

A “Godzilla El Niño” is coming, according to some newspaper headlines. The actual story is that there is an 80 per cent chance of an El Niño developing by September. Most models forecast a moderate event – but some suggest it could be very strong, perhaps even a so-called super El Niño.

That said, the bigger picture isn’t at all reassuring. However strong this El Niño turns out to be, we can be sure that even more damaging El Niños will occur in the coming decades. Even if future events are no stronger, their effects will be greater in a warmer world.

“Even a standard El Niño event in future will cause larger regional and global impacts,” says Axel Timmermann at Pusan National University in South Korea.

What’s even more alarming is that studies by Timmermann and others suggest that El Niños and La Niñas – known as ENSO events – will also become much stronger and start to drive weather in the Atlantic, too, amplifying their impacts.

“Our latest computer model simulations predict a shift to more regular and much stronger El Niño-La Niña extremes, as well as an intensification of ENSO impacts on remote regions, in particular Europe,” says Timmermann.

The El Niño phenomenon is all about water and winds in the Pacific. During so-called neutral conditions, trade winds blow westwards along the equator, pushing the surface water westwards and piling warm water up along the western Pacific. Cold water wells up next to South America to replace the surface waters being pushed westwards, while warm, moist air rises above the warm waters piled up in the west, producing a lot of rain.

But sometimes the trade winds weaken and even reverse, allowing some of that warm water to spill eastwards. The area of rainfall shifts eastwards, too, which can strengthen the easterly winds – one of the positive feedback loops that cause El Niños to develop. This eastward shift also causes droughts in places such as Australia and Indonesia, and floods in South America.

It’s also why El Niños lead to rapid warming of the surface of the planet. A larger area of warm water leads to more evaporation, and energy from the water is released as latent heat when clouds form, transferring vast amounts of heat from the Pacific into the atmosphere.

The strength of El Niños is determined by just how much and how far warm water moves eastwards towards South America. This is measured in terms of how much warmer than usual the central and eastern Pacific becomes. Definitions vary, but an El Niño is said to be happening when the sea-surface temperature anomaly exceeds 0.5°C. A super El Niño isn’t a scientific term, but it could be used for those above 2°C, while a Godzilla El Niño could refer to those above 3°C, suggests Adam Scaife at the Met Office Hadley Centre in the UK.

As El Niños develop, there are negative feedback loops that also kick in. In particular, more clouds over the central Pacific have a cooling effect, leading to a return to neutral conditions or a shift to La Niña, where the westerly trade winds strengthen and push cooler upwelling water further west than usual.

The three strongest El Niños since records began were in 1982-83, 1997-98 and 2015-16. All three caused immense damage to people and wildlife, with mass die-offs of corals and other marine life.

Each super El Niño also caused trillions of dollars in damages, according to a 2023 study by Christopher Callahan at Indiana University. “Our results show that the magnitude of the economic loss is directly related to the strength of the temperature of the ocean in the Pacific,” says Callahan. “If there is a significant El Niño this year, we should expect trillions in economic losses similar to previous events.”

As the world warms, future El Niños – and super El Niños – will do even more damage. “The science is very clear,” says Richard Allan at the University of Reading, UK.

ENSO-related floods will become more intense because there will be more moisture in the atmosphere, says Allan, meaning more rain falls when it rains. And the droughts will be longer and more intense, too, because soils dry out faster when it is hotter.

Some climate models also suggest warming will amplify the feedback loops that drive ENSO events. That could lead to stronger El Niños and La Niñas with faster transitions between them – greater “climate whiplash” – making it even harder for societies to cope in a warming world.

“It would mean much larger swings between years with larger-than-normal rainfall and years with drought in many regions of the world,” says Malte Stuecker at the University of Hawaiʻi, a member of Timmermann’s team.

Worse still, the team’s study suggests these stronger swings would lead to ENSO events starting to drive and synchronise with a climate phenomenon known as the North Atlantic oscillation. This would lead to big swings between floods and droughts in Europe, too.

“This would be a big regime shift for Europe, as in the current climate, we do not see a large impact of El Niño on weather patterns in Europe,” says Stuecker.

While there’s high certainty that El Niños of the same magnitude will be more damaging, there’s much less certainty about El Niño becoming more intense. “There is quite a bit of disagreement about the future behaviour of El Niño and La Niña,” says Scaife.

Not all climate models project an intensification of El Niños, he says. But many do still agree on the closer links with regions such as the Atlantic, meaning that the impacts of El Niño beyond the Pacific are likely to get even stronger in the future.

Even if ENSO events do become more intense, they won’t continue to intensify indefinitely, says Timmermann. The intensification is driven in part by the rapid warming of the top 100 metres of water in much of the Pacific. Once the underlying waters start to catch up and the temperature difference falls, ENSO events are likely to weaken, he says.

The catch? This weakening might not start to happen until after 2150. Buckle your seatbelt.

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post The looming El Niño could be bad – but much worse is to come appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> AST SpaceMobile sees New Glenn setback delaying initial commercial service into 2027 https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/ast-spacemobile-sees-new-glenn-setback-delaying-initial-commercial-service-into-2027/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/ast-spacemobile-sees-new-glenn-setback-delaying-initial-commercial-service-into-2027/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator AST, SpaceMobile, sees, New, Glenn, setback, delaying, initial, commercial, service, into, 2027

TAMPA, Fla. — AST SpaceMobile expects Blue Origin’s recent launchpad explosion will delay its direct-to-smartphone constellation by three to six months, investment bank William Blair said in an equity research note, pushing initial commercial services into the first half of 2027.

William Blair said Scott Wisniewski, AST SpaceMobile’s chief strategy officer, made the estimate June 2 during the bank’s annual growth stock conference in Chicago.

Before the loss of a New Glenn rocket in a static-fire test May 28, AST SpaceMobile had aimed to start early services at the end of 2026 with at least 45 satellites in low Earth orbit, helping anchor customers such as AT&T and Verizon in the United States plug terrestrial service gaps.

The Texas-based venture had retained that goal even after the loss of its seventh BlueBird satellite on a New Glenn launch April 19.

While AST SpaceMobile was planning to rely heavily on New Glenn, Wisniewski reaffirmed “it has a handful of launches over the remainder of the year with launch providers other than Blue Origin,” William Blair analyst Louie DiPalma wrote.

Alongside contracts with SpaceX, Wisniewski said last month that the company has “a handful of SpaceX-equivalent launches,” with United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan singled out as a viable option.

In addition to New Glenn, previous BlueBirds have flown with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and India’s LVM3.

Earlier this year, AST SpaceMobile disclosed it had signed an agreement with a new heavy launch vehicle to be on standby in its manifest, without providing details.

“Our strategy has always been to have many launch providers, and I would put ULA in that category,” Wisniewski said during AST SpaceMobile’s most recent earnings call May 11.

“We have been developing other heavy launch providers for some time, and we will have more updates as appropriate. But right now, we plan to use Blue Origin and SpaceX and equivalents to the max.”

AST SpaceMobile referred SpaceNews to a statement it released soon after the launchpad incident last week, stating that none of the missions planned for the next few months are scheduled with Blue Origin.

“Our satellites are designed to be launcher-agnostic, and we have agreements in place with multiple launch providers, giving us flexibility across our launch program,” the operator said.

Dave Limp, Blue Origin’s CEO, said June 1 that damage to the pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, is not as bad as feared and New Glenn could return to flight before the end of the year.

“That said, we view a return to service from this specific pad as unlikely in the near term,” DiPalma wrote in the research note, “and expect Blue Origin may need to rely on third-party launch infrastructure for upcoming missions.”

Read the original article here

The post AST SpaceMobile sees New Glenn setback delaying initial commercial service into 2027 appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Apple Begins Requiring Age Verification For App Store Use In Texas https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/apple-begins-requiring-age-verification-for-app-store-use-in-texas/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/apple-begins-requiring-age-verification-for-app-store-use-in-texas/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Apple, Begins, Requiring, Age, Verification, For, App, Store, Use, Texas

The state law governing app use by minors takes effect tomorrow.


Photo of an iPhone showing the logo for the App Store
Tada Images/Shutterstock

We’re continuing to see the impact of the wave of age verification laws being passed by US state governments over the last year. Apple announced today that apps distributed in Texas will need to conform to the requirements set out under state law SB 2420. MacRumors first noticed the change, which is taking effect tomorrow for any apps distributed in the state.

New Apple Accounts in Texas will be subject to SB 2420 and will need to verify their ages. A parent or guardian will need to provide consent when minors download apps or significant updates to apps and when they make in-app purchases. Developers will also need to support parents or guardians revoking that consent to access at any time.

The Texas measure was signed into law last May, although legal challenges delayed its planned effective date of January 1. Apple had already laid some groundwork for how it will handle geographically-tied requirements, and the company began adopting age verification for iCloud accounts in the UK in March.

Read the original article here

The post Apple Begins Requiring Age Verification For App Store Use In Texas appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> R.E.M, QOTSA, Screaming Trees supergroup Drink The Sea announce new album and 2026 UK and European tour https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/r-e-m-qotsa-screaming-trees-supergroup-drink-the-sea-announce-new-album-and-2026-uk-and-european-tour/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/r-e-m-qotsa-screaming-trees-supergroup-drink-the-sea-announce-new-album-and-2026-uk-and-european-tour/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator R.E.M, QOTSA, Screaming, Trees, supergroup, Drink, The, Sea, announce, new, album, and, 2026, and, European, tour

The supergroup Drink The Sea have announced details of a new album and a US, UK and European tour for later this year.

The band is made up of former R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees and Alain Johannes of Eleven and Queens Of The Stone Age, as well as Duke Garwood and Lisette Garcia.

They will release their third studio album ‘Drink The Sea III’ on October 2 via Martin’s Sunyata Records and Sony Orchard Digital Music, and they will share the record’s lead single on July 31.

The album was produced by Martin and Johannes and was recorded while the band were on the road between October 2025 and April 2026, making use of studios in Olympia, Washington as well as Chile and Brazil.

Drink The Sea will play a lengthy tour that kicks off with a US leg in Vashon Island, Washington on August 30. The UK dates begin in Cardiff on September 30 and also include shows in Manchester, London and Brighton, before a European tour that wraps up in Ravenna, Italy on October 23.

Tickets for all shows are on sale now and you can find yours here (North America) and here (UK/Europe).

Drink The Sea will play: 

AUGUST 
30 – Vashon Island, WA, Vashon Center For The Arts 

SEPTEMBER 
3 – Grass Valley, CA, Grass Valley Center For The Arts 
4 – Menlo Park, CA, Guildhall 
5 – San Francisco, CA, The Chapel 
8 – Tucson, AZ, Rialto Theatre 
10 – San Antonio, TX, Stable Hall 
12 – Austin, TX, 04 Center 
13 – Dallas, TX, Granada Theater 
15 – Fort Collins, CO, Aggie Theater 
16 – Denver, CO, Gothic Theater 
18 – Salt Lake City, UT, State Room 
20 – Boise, ID, Treefort Music Hall 
22 – Bozeman, MT, The Elm 
23 – Spokane, WA, Knitting Factory 
24 – Kirkland, WA, Kirkland Performance Center 
30 – Cardiff, The Gate 

OCTOBER 
1 – Manchester, Band On The Wall 
2 – London, Islington Assembly Hall 
3 – Brighton, Chalk 
5 – Amsterdam, Paradiso 
6 – Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, De Casino 
7 – Groningen, Netherlands, Vera 
8 – Cologne, Gloria 
10 – Oslo, John Dee 
11 – Gothenburg, Monument 031 
12 – Stockholm, Debaser 
14 – Hamburg, Fabrik 
15 – Berlin, Festival Kreuzberg 
17 – Warsaw, Proxima 
18 – Budapest, Akvarumklub 
20 – Bern, Muhle Hunziken 
23 – Ravenna, Italy, Bronson Club 

The band came together at the end of 2024 and released their first two studio LPs, ‘Drink The Sea I’ and ‘Drink The Sea II’, last year.

Read the original article here

The post R.E.M, QOTSA, Screaming Trees supergroup Drink The Sea announce new album and 2026 UK and European tour appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Primavera Sound 2026 Lineup & Schedule: All the Set Times You Need to Know https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/primavera-sound-2026-lineup-schedule-all-the-set-times-you-need-to-know/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/primavera-sound-2026-lineup-schedule-all-the-set-times-you-need-to-know/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Primavera, Sound, 2026, Lineup, Schedule:, All, the, Set, Times, You, Need, Know

Friday, June 5, 2026

Annahstasia (4:30 PM, Auditori Rockdelux)
.bd. (4:35 PM, Schwarzkopf)
Pavvla (5:15 PM, Cupra Pulse)
Las Petunias (5:20 PM, Port)
NewDad (5:40 PM, Estrella Dam)
Bombificadas (6:00 PM, Aperol Island of Joy)
Ivy Barkakati (6:00 PM Barcelona Sona by Estrella Dam)
Malena (6:00 PM, Plenitude)
mark william lewis (6:00 PM, Auditori Rockdelux)
Tiyumii (6:00 PM, Cupra Pulse)
Sofy Suars (6:00 PM, Fever House)
Somos la Herencia (6:00 PM, Occident)
Juicy Bae (6:20 PM Schwarzkopf)
Slowdive (6:35 PM Revolut)
Mondo du Plantis (6:45 PM, The Adidas Yard)
Buscabulla (6:50 PM, Cupra)
Dj Khalifa (7:00 PM, Cupra Pulse)
Ósserp (7:00 PM, Port)
Rose Gray (7:15 PM, The Levi’s Pulse)
Ouineta (7:20 PM, Aperol Island of Joy)
Einstürzende Neubauten (7:30 PM, Auditori Rockdelux)
Powder (7:30 PM, Plenitude)
Ethel Cain (7:45 PM, Estrella Damm)
Rilo Kiley (7:50 PM, Occident)
Texas Is The Reason (7:50 PM, Schwarzkopf)
Dj Khalipha (7:00 PM, Cupra Pulse)
GЯEG (8:00 PM, Cupra Pulse)
Rian Brazil (8:00 PM, The 501 Club Curated by Colors X Studios)
Martin (8:00 PM, Disney)
Raly (8:05 PM, The Adidas Yard)
Paco Te Quiero (8:40 PM, Aperol Island of Joy)
Lusillon (8:50 PM, The Backstage by Schwarzkopf)
Ralphie Choo (8:55 PM, Cupra)
The Avalanches DJ Set (9:00 PM, Cupra Pulse)
Addison Rae (9:00 PM, Revolut)
Water From Your Eyes (9:00 PM, Port)
Merzbow (9:00 PM, Auditori Rockdelux)
Call Super (9:00 PM, Plenitude) 
Babymorocco (9:25 PM, The Levi’s Plaza)
Role Model (10:00 PM, Occident)
Dharmacide (10:00 PM, Aperol Island of Joy)
Loukeman (10:00 PM, Cupra Pulse)
Joan La Barbara (10:00 PM, The Levi’s Warehouse)
Disobey (10:05 PM, Schwarzkopf)
Jan (10:10 PM, Barcelona Sona by Estrella Damm)
The Cure (10:15 PM, Estrella Damm)
Haich Ber Na (10:15 PM, The 501 Club Curated by Colors X Studios)
DJ Koolt (10:30 PM, Plenitude)
Matmos (10:55 PM, The Levi’s Warehouse)
Brutalismus 3000 (11:00 PM, Cupra Pulse)
Shlohmo (11:15 PM, Port)
Amaarae (11:20 PM, Cupra)
Chéri (11:20 PM, The Levi’s Plaza)
Korashe (11:45 PM, The 501 Club Curated by Colors X Studios)
Rashad Becker (11:50 PM, The Levi’s Warehouse)
Brat Star DJ Set (12:00 PM, Cupra Pulse)
Roza Terenzi Live (12:05 AM, Plenitude)
Fakemink (12:15 AM, Schwarzkopf)
Jade (12:30 AM, Occident)
Mohammad Reza Mortazavi (12:55 AM, The Levi’s Warehouse)
Hannah Diamond DJ Set (1:00 AM, Cupra Pulse)
Skrillex (1:00 AM, Revolut)
Aurora Halal (1:05 AM, Plenitude)
Kylesa (1:35 AM, Port)
PinkPantheress (1:45 AM, Cupra)
Hekt (2:00 AM, Cupra Pulse)
Marc Piñol (2:15 AM, The Levi’s Warehouse)
Cara Delevigne (2:30 AM, Schwarzkopf)
Sama’ Abdulhadi (2:35 AM, Plenitude)
DeBasement (2:45 AM, Cupra Pulse)
Viagra Boys (2:55 AM, Occident)
Raya Diplomática (3:15 AM, Port)
Debit (3:45 AM, Cupra Pulse)
Underground Resistance (4:05 AM, Schwarzkopf)
KI/KI (4:10 AM, Cupra)
Iglooghost (4:25 AM, The Levi’s Warehouse)
Dave P. (4:45 AM, Cupra Pulse)

Saturday, June 6, 2026

St.frances (4:30 PM, Auditori Rockdelux)
Ven’nus (4:35 PM, Schwarzkopf)
Jimena Amarillo (5:10 PM, Cupra)
Sofia (5:15 PM, Port)
Barry B (5:15 PM, Revolut)
Bestia Bebé (5:50 PM, Occident)
M8nse (6:00 PM, Plenitude)
These New Puritans (6:00 PM, Auditori Rockdelux)
Fillo Deportaberta (6:00 PM, Fever House)
Curated by Sonny (6:00 PM, Cupra Pulse)
Depresión Sonora (6:00 PM, Schwarzkopf)
Amiga Date Cuenta (6:00 PM, Aperol Island of Joy)
Grace Ives (6:10 PM, Cupra)
Baxter Dury (6:30 PM, Revolut)
Annahstasia (6:35 PM, The Backstage by Schwarzkopf)
Adios Adios (6:45 PM, The Adidas Yard)
The Sophs (6:50 PM, Port)
Sudan Archives (7:00 PM, Occident)
Hadren (7:00 PM, Barcelona Sona by Estrella Damm)
Perfecto Miserable (7:20 PM, Aperol Island of Joy)
Florentino b2b DJ G2G (7:30 PM, Plenitude)
Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Elizabeth Copeland (7:30 PM, Auditori Rockdelux)
Big Thief (7:40 PM, Estrella Damm)
Gelli Haha (7:45 PM, Schwarzkopf)
Natalia Lacunza (7:45 PM, The Levi’s Plaza)
Léa Sen (8:00 PM, The 501 Club Curated by Colors X Studios)
Akazie (8:00 PM, Barcelona Sona by Estrella Damm)
Absolutely (8:00 PM, Disney)
Rebe (8:05 PM, The Adidas Yard)
Ashnikko (8:15 PM, Occident)
Corte! (8:40 PM, Aperol Island of Joy)
Little Simz (8:50 PM, Revolut)
Smerz (8:55 PM, Port)
Anna von Hausswolff (9:00 PM, Auditori Rockdelux)
Cobrah (9:15 PM, The Levi’s Plaza)
Rusowsky (9:15 PM, Cupra)
Safety Trance Live AV (9:35 PM, Plenitude)
Spill Tab (9:45 PM, The Backstage by Schwarzkopf)
Res_ (10:00 PM, The Levi’s Warehouse)
Touché Amoré (10:00 PM, Schwarzkopf)
SVSTO (10:00 PM, Aperol Island of Joy)
My Bloody Valentine (10:05 PM, Estrella Damm)
Haloplus+ (10:15 PM, The 501 Club Curated by Colors X Studios)
Chica Acosta (10:20 PM, Barcelona Sona by Estrella Damm)
Lechuga Zafiro & Verraco: Hyperverbena (10:30 PM, Plenitude)
Lambrini Girls (11:10 PM, Port)
DJ Marcelle (11:10 PM, The Levi’s Warehouse)
Barry B (11:15 PM, The Levi’s Plaza)
Dijon (11:20 PM, Cupra)
The xx (11:40 PM, Revolut)
Mobilegirl (11:45 PM, Plenitude)
Sade Olutola (11:45 PM, The 501 Club Curated by Colors X Studios)
Joey Valence & Brae (12:25 AM, Schwarzkopf)
Marina (12:40 AM, Occident)
Shackleton Live (12:40 AM, The Levi’s Warehouse)
Gorillaz (1:15 AM, Estrella Damm)
Mechatok Live (1:15 AM, Plenitude)
Femtanyl (1:30 AM, Port)
Knocked Loose (1:35 AM, Cupra)
Beatrice M. (1:45 AM, The Levi’s Warehouse)
U.r.trax Live (2:05 AM, Plenitude)
Nick León Live (2:50 AM, Schwarzkopf)
Jasss (2:55 AM, Plenitude)
Kneecap (3:00 PM, Occident)
A Guy Called Gerald Live (3:10 PM, The Levi’s Warehouse)
Ninajirachi (3:40 AM, Port)
Peggy Gou (4:15 AM, Cupra)
DJ Nobu (4:15 AM, The Levi’s Warehouse)
Ecco2k (4:35 AM, Schwarzkopf)

Sunday, June 7, 2026

Greta (3:00 PM, Parc Del Fòrum)
Blond:ish (4:30 PM, Parc Del Fòrum)
Joseph Capriati (6:00 PM, Parc Del Fòrum)
Carl Cox (8:00 PM, Parc Del Fòrum)

Read the original article here

The post Primavera Sound 2026 Lineup & Schedule: All the Set Times You Need to Know appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Disturbing details in Bay Park pregnant teen murder case https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/bay-park-pregnant-teen-shooting-not-guilty/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/bay-park-pregnant-teen-shooting-not-guilty/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Disturbing, details, Bay, Park, pregnant, teen, murder, case Where to watch NBA Finals: Knicks-Spurs in San Diego https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-guide/things-to-do/san-diego-nba-finals-viewing/ https://fox5sandiego.com/san-diego-guide/things-to-do/san-diego-nba-finals-viewing/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Where, watch, NBA, Finals:, Knicks-Spurs, San, Diego Family of woman hit and killed at bus stop wants answers https://fox5sandiego.com/news/san-diego-hit-and-run/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/san-diego-hit-and-run/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Family, woman, hit, and, killed, bus, stop, wants, answers Tribute Pizza makes Italian 50 Top Pizza Guide https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/tribute-pizza-north-park-best-50/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/tribute-pizza-north-park-best-50/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Tribute, Pizza, makes, Italian, Top, Pizza, Guide Evacuation warnings lifted for Border 6 Fire near Dulzura, smoke advisory still in effect https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/california-wildfires/border-6-fire-update-evacuations-smoke-advisory/ https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/california-wildfires/border-6-fire-update-evacuations-smoke-advisory/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Evacuation, warnings, lifted, for, Border, Fire, near, Dulzura, smoke, advisory, still, effect President Marcos witnesses landmark MoU signing between Ayala, Globe, Mitsubishi, and KDDI for the Philippines’ first Intelligent City initiative https://bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/03/754085/president-marcos-witnesses-landmark-mou-signing-between-ayala-globe-mitsubishi-and-kddi-for-the-philippines-first-intelligent-city-initiative/ https://bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/03/754085/president-marcos-witnesses-landmark-mou-signing-between-ayala-globe-mitsubishi-and-kddi-for-the-philippines-first-intelligent-city-initiative/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:43:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator President, Marcos, witnesses, landmark, MoU, signing, between, Ayala, Globe, Mitsubishi, and, KDDI, for, the, Philippines’, first, Intelligent, City, initiative Four industry leaders, Ayala Corporation, Globe Telecom, Mitsubishi Corporation, and KDDI Corporation, have come together to pioneer the country’s first Intelligent City, with Makati CBD as the identified pilot. This project will harness data, digital technologies, and advanced connectivity to redefine how Filipinos live, work, and thrive in urban environments.

The initiative will showcase Globe’s consistent and reliable network and digitally enable an ecosystem of sectors to bring the Intelligent City vision to life. This includes advancements in mobility, retail, energy, and connectivity, alongside the development of intelligent city platforms that integrate data and harness AI solutions.

“Ayala Corp. has always believed in building communities that uplift lives. Through this initiative, we are reimagining Makati CBS as a hub of innovation, where technology and human connection converge to create a city that truly serves its people,” said President and CEO Cezar Consing.

The partnership will also utilize technologies like the Internet of Things that will incorporate artificial intelligence in practical, everyday use. Together, these focus areas form the foundation for building more intelligent, more sustainable, and more resilient urban communities.

Globe President and CEO Carl Cruz highlighted the role of connectivity in digital inclusion and nation‑building:  “Connectivity has become the lifeblood of progress, the Fifth Utility that empowers nations to grow and thrive. Globe is excited to showcase its consistent and reliable network to transform our cities, ensuring that every Filipino has access to the tools, opportunities, and digital experiences they need to keep moving forward in an increasingly connected world.”

This collaboration marks a milestone in nation‑building, setting the stage for a new era of urban development in the Philippines. By combining innovation, sustainability, and connectivity, the Intelligent City project will not only redefine Makati’s business district but also serve as a model for future developments nationwide.

“The launch of the Intelligent City initiative in Makati CBD is a powerful step toward shaping the future of Philippine commerce and industry. By harnessing advanced connectivity, AI, and sustainable technologies, we are creating an environment where businesses can innovate and opportunities become more inclusive. At the Department of Trade and Industry, we see this as a catalyst for economic resilience and competitiveness, ensuring that Filipino enterprises and entrepreneurs are equipped to succeed in the digital age,” said DTI Secretary Cristina Roque.

Through this strategic partnership, millions of Filipinos will experience safer, more intelligent, and more connected communities, proving that when industry leaders unite, technology becomes a powerful force for transformation. By harnessing innovation and collaboration to modernize cities and empower communities, truly uplifting the lives of Filipinos.

For more information, visit www.globe.com.ph.

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.

]]> Pope Leo XIV: Our world is more divided, but shared humanity unites us https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-our-world-is-more-divided-but-shared-humanity-unites-us https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-our-world-is-more-divided-but-shared-humanity-unites-us Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:03:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV:, Our, world, more, divided, but, shared, humanity, unites ‘Invisible, silent, misunderstood work’: The pope’s school for diplomats at 325 years https://catholics.news/invisible-silent-misunderstood-work-the-popes-school-for-diplomats-at-325-years https://catholics.news/invisible-silent-misunderstood-work-the-popes-school-for-diplomats-at-325-years Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:03:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator ‘Invisible, silent, misunderstood, work’:, The, pope’s, school, for, diplomats, 325, years Fulton Sheen’s missionary legacy hailed by Pope Leo XIV https://catholics.news/fulton-sheens-missionary-legacy-hailed-by-pope-leo-xiv https://catholics.news/fulton-sheens-missionary-legacy-hailed-by-pope-leo-xiv Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:03:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Fulton, Sheen’s, missionary, legacy, hailed, Pope, Leo, XIV Pope Leo XIV highlights ‘key aspects’ of Catholic Charismatic Renewal https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-highlights-key-aspects-of-catholic-charismatic-renewal https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-highlights-key-aspects-of-catholic-charismatic-renewal Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:03:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV, highlights, ‘key, aspects’, Catholic, Charismatic, Renewal Middle East war re-escalation, higher oil prices may drag peso to P64.50 https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/03/753939/middle-east-war-re-escalation-higher-oil-prices-may-drag-peso-to-p64-50/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/03/753939/middle-east-war-re-escalation-higher-oil-prices-may-drag-peso-to-p64-50/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Middle, East, war, re-escalation, higher, oil, prices, may, drag, peso, P64.50 THE PESO could plummet to as much as P64.50 against the dollar if the Middle East conflict further escalates and drives global oil prices higher, MUFG Global Markets Research said.

In its foreign exchange outlook for June, the Japan-based think tank said a re-escalation of the Iran conflict and a fresh spike in oil prices could bring the peso above P62 to as high as P64.50 per dollar.

“On the global front as well, the Philippine peso will also be sensitive if there is a ‘Super El Niño’ event and if the Fed turns more hawkish moving forward — arguably more so than other G10 and lower-yielding Asia currencies given its status as a current account deficit economy,” MUFG analysts also said in their report published late on Monday.

Based on MUFG’s forecast, the local unit will likely touch the P62 mark this quarter, before strengthening versus the dollar to P61.50 by the third quarter and P61 by the last quarter.

Its baseline also sees the local currency recovering to trade below P61 as the conflict eases and the greenback weakens.   

By the first quarter of 2027, the peso-dollar exchange rate could be back to P60.50, MUFG said.

Since the onset of the Middle East conflict on Feb. 28, the peso has been on a steady decline. It has moved to the P61-a-dollar level from the P58 range before the war.

Month on month, the local unit lost 10.5 centavos to close at P61.59 against the greenback on May 29 from its P61.485 per dollar finish on April 30. It plunged to an all-time low close of P61.75 on May 18 and 19.   

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) told Reuters on Monday that its foreign exchange market intervention remains limited to smoothening out sharp swings that could stoke inflation and potentially de-anchor inflation expectations.

Meanwhile, MUFG said heated inflation and signs of broadening spillover effects may still prompt the central bank to keep tightening monetary policy.

For the Japanese think tank, the key policy rate could be raised to at least 5.25% from 4.5%.

“From a local perspective, with the sharp surge in domestic CPI (consumer price index) pressures coupled with some initial signs of second-round effects, we see BSP hiking rates by at least 75 bps (basis points) more, bringing the policy rate to 5.25%, and more so if risks materialize,” it said.

The Monetary Board hiked benchmark interest rates by 25 bps to 4.5% in April, marking its first tightening in over two years as the Middle East war led to spiraling domestic prices.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. said last month that they are considering an off-cycle hike before their June 18 meeting amid growing concerns over inflation expectations. 

The central bank also said it will take all necessary actions, including stronger measures, to temper inflation and steer it back to their 2%-4% tolerance range. 

However, Pantheon Macroeconomics said an aggressive policy stance may be unnecessary if the May inflation print meets the central bank’s projections.

This came after two straight months of misses, as the faster-than-expected transmission of oil shocks on the prices of key commodities pushed the headline print past the BSP’s target and forecasts.

“No such surprise this time will likely mean the most aggressive rate options — an off-cycle hike or 50 bp move — are off the table,” Pantheon Macroeconomics Chief Emerging Asia Economist Miguel Chanco said in a separate note on Tuesday.

The central bank said inflation could come in between 7.1% and 7.9% in May, driven by a weaker peso and costlier rice, vegetables, and meat.   

The lower end of the forecast means inflation will be slower than the over three-year high of 7.2% in April, while the upper end brings inflation to its fastest since February 2023.

For Mr. Chanco, the headline clip will likely settle at 7.5% as the lingering effects of elevated global oil prices continue to weigh on housing and utilities inflation.

A BusinessWorld poll of 16 economists conducted last week yielded a median estimate of 7.9% for May inflation.

The Philippine Statistics Authority is set to release the May inflation report on Friday, June 5.

Still, the BSP’s tightening cycle may be short lived as MUFG analysts expect the central bank to start cutting rates again next year to bolster the economy as oil prices ease.

This as MUFG noted that emerging signs of the government’s catch-up spending may have limited impact on the country’s growth.

In April, government spending climbed by 11.14% year on year to P505.4 billion from P454.8 billion, latest data from the Bureau of the Treasury showed.

“(T)his improvement seems to be driven more by transfers to regional governments rather than spending on projects and so the actual growth impact maybe more limited for now,” it said. “Net-net, we see BSP likely reversing rate hikes in 2027 assuming oil prices decline and given the soft starting point of the economy. — Katherine K. Chan

]]> AMRO cuts Philippine growth forecasts for 2026, 2027 https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/03/753936/amro-cuts-philippine-growth-forecasts-for-2026-2027/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/03/753936/amro-cuts-philippine-growth-forecasts-for-2026-2027/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator AMRO, cuts, Philippine, growth, forecasts, for, 2026, 2027 THE ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) lowered its Philippine growth forecast for this year and in 2027, as stronger inflationary pressures are expected to weigh on domestic demand.

In its Interim Update of the ASEAN+3 Regional Economic Outlook released on Tuesday,  AMRO slashed its 2026 growth forecast for the Philippines to 4.1% from 5.3% previously.

“The Philippines’ GDP growth is expected to slow further to 4.1% in 2026 from 4.4% in 2025, facing headwinds from the Middle East conflict,” AMRO Group Head and Lead Economist Jinho Choi told BusinessWorld.

“Private consumption — which has already slowed for four consecutive quarters through the first quarter of 2026 — is expected to weaken further due to the energy shock, while the recovery in public construction is expected to be gradual,” he added.

AMRO also cut its gross domestic product (GDP) growth projection for the Philippines to 5.5% for 2027, from 5.8% previously.

While AMRO’s 2026 growth forecast falls short of the government’s 5%-6% target, its 2027 projection is within the official 5.5%-6.5% goal.

The Palace earlier said the Development Budget Coordination Committee revised its macroeconomic assumptions, but new figures have yet to be released.

The Philippine economy grew by a weaker-than-expected 2.8% in the first quarter, the slowest pace since the pandemic, as the fallout from a corruption scandal and soaring oil prices triggered by the Middle East conflict hurt economic activity.

“ASEAN growth has been downgraded in some economies, including the Philippines and Vietnam, where stronger inflation passthrough is expected to weigh on domestic demand,” AMRO said.

AMRO had trimmed Vietnam’s growth outlook to 7.2% for 2026 and 7% for 2027, from 7.4% and 7.1%, respectively.

AMRO’s interim report reflected the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on ASEAN economies, as disruptions proved to be more prolonged than initially expected.

Despite the downgrades for some economies, AMRO maintained its ASEAN growth outlook at 4.6% in 2026 and 4.8% in 2027. Its ASEAN+3 projection was unchanged at 4% for both years.

“ASEAN+3 growth has remained resilient, supported by firm domestic demand and technology exports. But incipient signs of stress are emerging,” AMRO Chief Economist Dong He said in a statement on Tuesday.

He said higher energy and transport costs are feeding into inflation and adding pressure on industrial supply chains amid prolonged disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict.

“If the conflict persists, these pressures could broaden and weigh on regional growth,” Mr. He said.

At the same time, AMRO raised its 2026 inflation forecast for the Philippines to 6% from 3.9%. It also hiked the Philippine inflation outlook to 4.1% for 2027, from 3.6%.

If realized, inflation would exceed the government’s 2%-4% target range.

“Consumer price index is projected to rise to 6% in 2026 from 1.7% in 2025, reflecting the upside inflation surprise in April (7.2%) and revised expectations of higher-for-longer global oil prices,” said Mr. Choi.

AMRO expects inflation in ASEAN to accelerate to 4% in 2026 and 3.2% in 2027, amid rising energy and transport costs.

Inflation in ASEAN+3 is projected to settle at 1.8% in 2026 and 1.5% in 2027.

“Higher energy and industrial input costs, alongside continued tariff uncertainty, are expected to impact the region unevenly, with net energy importers and economies exposed to affected inputs facing stronger headwinds,” AMRO said. 

AMRO said the duration and severity of the Middle East conflict are the biggest near-term risks to the regional outlook.

It said that if oil prices average $125 per barrel in 2026, compared with its baseline assumption of $95, ASEAN+3 growth could slow to 2.5% while inflation could accelerate to 3.5%.

“Excluding the COVID-19 pandemic years, this would mark the highest regional inflation in more than a decade and the slowest growth since the Asian Financial Crisis,” it added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

]]> NG debt dips to P18.47 trillion at end-April https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/03/753937/ng-debt-dips-to-p18-47-trillion-at-end-april/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/03/753937/ng-debt-dips-to-p18-47-trillion-at-end-april/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator debt, dips, P18.47, trillion, end-April By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Senior Reporter

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT (NG) debt dipped month on month in April as domestic debt repayments outweighed the impact of a weaker peso on external obligations, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said.

Latest data from the Treasury showed that the debt slipped by 0.09% to P18.47 trillion from the P18.49 trillion end-March level.

“The decline in debt was primarily driven by the government’s repayment of domestic securities, which more than offset the impact of peso depreciation against the US dollar on foreign currency-denominated obligations,” the BTr said on Tuesday.

Year on year, outstanding debt went up by 10.25% from P16.75 trillion at end-April 2025.

NG debt is the total amount owed by the Philippine government to creditors such as international financial institutions, development partner-countries, banks, global bondholders and other investors.

The bulk or 67.22% of the total debt stock came from domestic sources, while the rest were from external sources.

Domestic debt, which was composed of government securities, slid by 0.95% to P12.42 trillion at end-April from P12.53 trillion at end-March.

According to the BTr, the month-on-month decline in domestic debt was “mainly due to the P121.64-billion net redemption for the month, as P283.24 billion in debt issuance was offset by maturities of P404.88 billion.”

“A P2.46-billion valuation increase in the peso equivalent of foreign currency-denominated domestic securities from peso depreciation partially tempered the decline,” it added.

According to the Treasury, the peso had weakened to P61.54 as of end-April versus the dollar from P60.678 as of end-March.

Year on year, domestic debt jumped by 7.12% from P11.59 trillion in the same period.

Meanwhile, external debt rose by 1.71% to P6.06 trillion as of end-April from P5.95 trillion at end-March.

Year on year, it jumped by 17.3% from P5.16 trillion in the same period.

The Treasury said the increase was mainly due to the depreciation of the peso as the value of foreign currency-denominated obligations increased by P101.72 billion. Net redemptions amounted to P80 million.

External debt was composed of P3.06 trillion in global bonds and P3 trillion in loans.

The NG’s guaranteed obligations inched up by 0.48% to P383.23 billion as of end-April from P381.41 billion in the previous month.

“The increase was driven by the effect of peso depreciation and third-currency movements on the valuation of external guarantees amounting to P1.25 billion and P620 million, respectively,” the BTr said.

“Meanwhile, repayments made by National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. and National Power Corp. reduced domestic guaranteed operations by P0.05 billion.”

Year on year, guaranteed obligations jumped by 13.53% from P337.54 billion.

The NG’s outstanding debt is projected to reach P19.06 trillion by end-2026 under the Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing 2026.

Under the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 Midterm Update Results Matrices posted on May 20, the government expects the debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio at 60-63% in 2026.

In the first quarter, the debt-to-GDP ratio climbed to 65.2%, the highest annual level since 65.7% in 2005.

OUTLOOK
However, the month-on-month decline in outstanding debt may prove temporary as slower economic growth could make it harder for the government to improve revenue collection, according to a former central banker.

“It would be a big challenge for NG to sustain the decline because economic growth is not exactly spectacular. With the slowdown, higher revenue generation would be a tall order,” GlobalSource Partners Principal Advisor Diwa C. Guinigundo told BusinessWorld.

He added that the government should continue exercising fiscal discipline and improve budget utilization to prevent leakages that could widen the fiscal deficit and add to debt.

Mr. Guinigundo also cautioned against reading too much into the April decline, noting that monthly debt movements are often driven by scheduled repayments and valuation effects.

“For April, it was reported that there was some net repayment on debt securities as scheduled. The dip, however, was undoubtedly small although higher than the impact of the peso depreciation on the external component of the NG debt,” he added.

]]> Philippine banks’ NPL ratio hits 8-month high in April https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/03/753938/philippine-banks-npl-ratio-hits-8-month-high-in-april/ https://bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/03/753938/philippine-banks-npl-ratio-hits-8-month-high-in-april/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippine, banks’, NPL, ratio, hits, 8-month, high, April By Katherine K. Chan, Reporter

PHILIPPINE LENDERS’ nonperforming loan (NPL) ratio worsened to its highest level in eight months in April as borrowers faced tighter economic conditions amid the Middle East war, latest Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showed.

The banking industry’s gross NPL ratio rose to 3.37% from 3.29% in March but slightly eased from 3.39% a year earlier, based on data posted on the central bank’s website.

April had the highest bad loan ratio since the 3.5% in August last year.

This came as soured loans reached P579.885 billion during the month, climbing by 11.68% year on year from P519.234 billion. It likewise edged about 2% higher from P568.554 billion in March.

Loans are considered nonperforming once they are unpaid for at least 90 days after the due date and deemed to be risky assets since borrowers are unlikely to pay.

Jonathan L. Ravelas, senior adviser at Reyes Tacandong & Co., said the increase in nonperforming loans is “not a crisis,” but likely an early sign that the Middle East war is tightening financial conditions for households and businesses in the country. 

“The uptick in NPLs to 3.37% tells us that higher inflation and global uncertainties — especially elevated oil prices linked to Middle East tensions — are starting to strain households and businesses,” he said in a Viber message. “It’s an early warning sign of tighter cash flows, not a crisis.”

The higher NPL ratio also means borrowers’ repayment capacity is now challenged by faster inflation, higher operating costs and a weakening economy, Philippine Institute for Development Studies senior research fellow John Paolo R. Rivera said.

“The Middle East conflict may not be the sole driver but it has contributed through higher fuel prices, transport costs, and broader economic uncertainty,” he added.

In April, inflation heated up to an over three-year high of 7.2% as elevated oil costs amid the Middle East war continued to spill over to prices of food and utilities. This was faster than 4.1% in March and 1.4% in the same month last year.

Meanwhile, BSP data showed that the industry’s total loan portfolio stood at P17.198 trillion at end-April, slipping by 0.38% from P17.263 trillion a month ago but up 12.12% from P15.339 trillion last year.

Banks’ past due loans rose by 3.72% to P763.591 billion in April from P736.181 billion in March. Year on year, it jumped by 16.89% from P653.259 billion.

This brought the latest past due loan ratio to 4.44% from 4.26% in the prior month and April 2025.

Restructured loans likewise edged up by 1.34% month on month to P342.924 billion from P338.39 billion. It also grew by 10.03% from P311.665 billion in April last year.

These loans accounted for 1.99% of the sector’s total loan book in April, exceeding the 1.96% ratio in March but below the 2.03% in the same month last year.

Meanwhile, lenders’ loan loss reserves reached P526.849 billion during the month, inching up by 1.42% from P519.46 billion a month earlier and by 6.69% annually from P493.793 billion.

With this, domestic banks’ loan loss reserve ratio stood at 3.06%, higher than 3.01% in March but eased from 3.22% in the same year-ago period.

On the other hand, lenders’ NPL coverage ratio, which gauges the allowance for potential losses due to bad loans, fell to 90.85% in April from 91.37% the previous month and 95.1% a year prior.

Mr. Rivera said a prolonged conflict in the Middle East could translate to continued pressure for banks and borrowers.

“If the conflict drags on and keeps oil prices elevated, NPL ratios could remain under pressure in the coming months,” he said. “Higher inflation reduces household purchasing power, while businesses face tighter margins and weaker demand, making debt servicing more difficult.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Ravelas said banks’ bad loan ratio could range from 3.3%-3.8% in the coming months, though noted banks can likely weather such elevated NPL levels given their strong capital and buffers.

“At current levels, NPLs are above the ideal 2%-3% range but still manageable,” he said. “The key is to watch the trend — gradual increases are tolerable, but any sharp spike would be a bigger concern.”

]]> LPA to enter PAR starting Thursday amid Southwest monsoon — PAGASA https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/03/754075/lpa-to-enter-par-starting-thursday-amid-southwest-monsoon-pagasa/ https://bworldonline.com/the-nation/2026/06/03/754075/lpa-to-enter-par-starting-thursday-amid-southwest-monsoon-pagasa/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator LPA, enter, PAR, starting, Thursday, amid, Southwest, monsoon, —, PAGASA A low-pressure area (LPA) may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) as early as Thursday amid the continued effects of the Southwest monsoon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Wednesday.

“This LPA, based on our data, is likely to enter the PAR between Thursday and Friday,” PAGASA weather specialist Aldczar D. Aurelio said during a 5 a.m. press briefing in Filipino.

“On those days, it will be located west of Extreme Northern Luzon,” he added.

The LPA was last located 475 kilometers northwest of Pag-asa Island in Kalayaan, Palawan, as of 8 a.m.

It has a low chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, a heavy rainfall warning remains in effect in nearly a dozen areas due to the Southwest monsoon, based on PAGASA’s 5am weather advisory.

The affected areas are Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro and Palawan, where 50 to 100 millimeters of rainfall are expected.

A similar rainfall warning is in effect on Thursday over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Benguet, Zambales and Bataan.

On Friday, the warning remains in effect over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Benguet, Zambales and Bataan.

With 50 to 100 mm of rainfall expected, PAGASA warned of possible flooding in urbanized, low-lying and near-river areas.— Edg Adrian A. Eva

]]> Why you need to future proof your brain in middle age and how to start https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/why-you-need-to-future-proof-your-brain-in-middle-age-and-how-to-start/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/why-you-need-to-future-proof-your-brain-in-middle-age-and-how-to-start/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:02:07 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Why, you, need, future, proof, your, brain, middle, age, and, how, start

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

To chart how our brains change over the course of our lives, neuroscientists have focused largely on beginnings and endings: the rapid development and pruning of neural connections in childhood and adolescence, and the degeneration associated with old age. “We kind of skipped over middle age,” says Sebastian Dohm-Hansen, a bioinformatician at University College Cork in Ireland.

There are good reasons for that, not least that changes in brain structure and function are easier to spot with neuroimaging when they are at their most extreme. In the case of cognitive decline and dementia, “a lot of what we care about presents most dramatically after the age of 60”, says Dohm-Hansen.

But over the past few years, researchers have started to look more closely at the middle-aged brain, identifying a series of subtle but significant changes between the ages of 40 and 65 that mark it out as a vital time to identify problems that won’t manifest until later in life.

“Think of midlife as the top of an inverted U-curve,” says Ahmad Hariri, a professor of neuroscience at Duke University in North Carolina. You spend the earlier decades on the upward slope, developing and refining your brain. You’ll likely spend decades on the downward slope, slowly losing those gains. “Targeting midlife is like extending that level section at the top of the curve, to delay the downward trajectory.”

Among the most important of these midlife changes, according to a 2024 review by Dohm-Hansen and his colleagues, are changes in connectivity – how well neurons send signals over long distances and how the brain organises its processing across regions. This connectivity peaks in middle age, then rapidly declines.

The extent of the decline correlates with how people’s cognitive abilities fare, too, particularly their capacity to remember everyday events. The brain “undergoes a kind of turning point during middle age,” says Dohm-Hansen, offering a window for the detection of problems down the line. It is not simple to track, though. Connectivity increases across some brain networks to compensate for losses elsewhere, and how all of these changes play out varies among individuals.

The good news is that other ways to spot early signs of cognitive decline and dementia are emerging. One of the most striking is using blood-based biomarker tests, which can detect the presence of the misfolded amyloid-beta and tau proteins thought to cause Alzheimer’s disease – the most common form of dementia – long before symptoms appear.

These tests might one day be used in clinical settings, possibly even as part of routine screenings, and they are already available directly to consumers. Most neurologists urge caution, though, because most studies have been done in older cohorts. More importantly, not everyone with accumulations of these misfolded proteins will go on to develop Alzheimer’s.

Another, broader approach stems from a new way to measure rates of biological ageing, which don’t always tally with rates of chronological ageing. In 2025, a team led by Hariri introduced a tool to estimate a person’s overall rate of biological ageing, at 45, from a single MRI brain scan. When the researchers used the tool to analyse other brain scans, they found that older people deemed to be ageing faster had more shrinkage in the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory, and performed worse on cognitive tests. They were also more likely to experience cognitive impairment and develop dementia in the following years. “[Our tool] is foundationally a measure of accelerated aging in midlife,” says Hariri, “but it predicts future dementia for people in their late 60s to 80s.” It is not yet a reliable prediction tool, however, because the associations come from older people with short-term follow-ups.

As with blood-biomarker tests, then, we can’t yet use MRI pace-of-ageing scans to say with any confidence that a 45-year-old, say, will develop dementia at 75. “Knowing how well any midlife biomarkers actually predict later health requires tracking individuals for decades,” says Hariri. What’s more, even if these measures provide clinically reliable predictions, it is difficult to imagine them being available to everyone any time soon, owing to the costs involved.

There are signs anyone can look out for today, though. A study published earlier this year, for example, found a correlation between 6 specific psychological and cognitive symptoms of depression in midlife – including people losing confidence in themselves and feeling “nervous and strung-up all the time” – and an increased risk of dementia in later years. “These symptoms might be very early signs of brain changes, and we’re talking 20 years before dementia [onset],” says Gill Livingston, a professor of psychiatry at University College London and a co-author of the study. “It’s possible that how you think and feel could be as informative, or even more informative, than MRI or biomarkers, but we don’t know yet.”

Livingston also points out that we already have several well-established early indicators of brain health trajectories and dementia risk, including blood pressure and cholesterol, which can be easily checked. “We shouldn’t overlook them,” says Livingston.

Indeed, there is growing evidence that adopting a healthier lifestyle in midlife can boost long-term resilience to cognitive decline and even “prevent” dementia – in the sense that it can be delayed long enough that people don’t develop symptoms in their lifetime. The latest Lancet Commission on dementia, published in 2024, concluded that 45 per cent of dementia cases could be avoided by addressing key lifestyle factors, including high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, social isolation, depression and physical inactivity. Doing so in middle age has a particularly significant effect on our risk of getting dementia in our later years.

So, while we await reliable, cheap blood-biomarker tests and genuinely effective treatments for dementia, middle age is a critical window of opportunity to protect your brain before it’s too late.

Livingston draws an analogy with the way we think about pensions: the sooner you start investing in your brain health, by taking steps to reduce your blood pressure, for example, the greater the long-term benefits in terms of resilience to cognitive decline and dementia. “If you wait, you’re going to have less cognitive reserve [in your later years],” she says. “Doing it earlier will make a difference.”

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post Why you need to future proof your brain in middle age and how to start appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> NRO nominee says commercial space, AI are reshaping spy satellite agency https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nro-nominee-says-commercial-space-ai-are-reshaping-spy-satellite-agency/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nro-nominee-says-commercial-space-ai-are-reshaping-spy-satellite-agency/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:02:07 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator NRO, nominee, says, commercial, space, are, reshaping, spy, satellite, agency

WASHINGTON — Roger Mason, President Trump’s nominee to lead the National Reconnaissance Office, told senators that the nation’s spy satellite agency is navigating a period of rapid innovation in commercial space and artificial intelligence that is transforming space-based intelligence.

Appearing June 2 before the Senate Intelligence Committee for his confirmation hearing, Mason described the National Reconnaissance Office, or NRO, as being in the midst of a transformation driven by commercial innovation, growing volumes of intelligence data and increasing threats to U.S. assets in space.

“We are in a space renaissance where the pace of technology advancement, speed of innovation and promise of the future has drawn unprecedented investments,” Mason said.

Mason, currently chief growth officer at V2X Corp., would succeed Christopher Scolese, who has led the NRO since 2019.

The NRO operates the nation’s spy satellites and acquires commercial satellite imagery used by military commanders and civilian policymakers. Under Scolese, the agency has embraced commercial launch and satellite technologies while deploying a proliferated low Earth orbit imaging constellation that now exceeds 200 satellites.

Several senators pressed Mason on how he would work with industry and support military forces that increasingly rely on space-based intelligence for operations.

Mason said maintaining strong ties with private industry would be essential as the agency expands its satellite architecture and seeks access to emerging technologies.

“The relationship between industry and NRO clearly is critical,” Mason said, adding that he would continue using acquisition approaches designed to broaden opportunities for startups and nontraditional suppliers.

He said government agencies must provide clear signals to industry about future requirements.

“The things that most well-run companies want is, first of all, predictability in terms of demand,” Mason said. Companies need visibility into government priorities not only one or two years ahead but over five- and ten-year periods in order to justify investments, he said.

Mason said the NRO’s growing fleet of satellites is generating increasing amounts of intelligence data that require new methods for prioritizing collection and distributing information.

The agency’s low Earth orbit constellation is part of a broader effort to increase resilience by distributing intelligence collection across hundreds of satellites.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning will play a central role in managing that architecture, Mason said. With a proliferated constellation of imaging satellites on orbit, AI is becoming necessary to synchronize operations and process information at speeds that would be difficult for human operators alone, he said.

Mason said he supports the NRO’s existing approach to AI governance, including policies that address risk management and oversight alongside operational benefits.

He also emphasized the importance of protecting U.S. space capabilities as rival nations develop weapons and technologies designed to target satellites.

Like the Pentagon, the NRO views space as a contested environment in which adversaries may seek to disrupt intelligence collection through anti-satellite missiles, cyber attacks, electronic jamming and other means. In response, the agency has focused on building a more resilient architecture capable of continuing operations even if individual satellites are degraded or lost.

Read the original article here

The post NRO nominee says commercial space, AI are reshaping spy satellite agency appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Meta Will Reportedly Let Employees Take 30-Minute Breaks From Its Tracking Program https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/meta-will-reportedly-let-employees-take-30-minute-breaks-from-its-tracking-program/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/meta-will-reportedly-let-employees-take-30-minute-breaks-from-its-tracking-program/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:02:07 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Meta, Will, Reportedly, Let, Employees, Take, 30-Minute, Breaks, From, Its, Tracking, Program

Workers can pause the all-seeing eye when they need to “check something personal.”


Meta is making some very minor concessions after protests from employees.
Chesnot/Getty Images

Meta is making some minor concessions in its extremely dystopian plan to track employees’ mouse clicks and keystrokes in the name of AI training. The company has reportedly made some changes to the controversial project known internally as the Model Capability Initiative (MCI), according to a report in The Information.

Meta now plans to allow employees to “pause” the tracking for up to 30 minutes in the event they need to “check something personal,” the company told workers in a memo. A subset of employees will also be able to request to opt out of the program altogether, though this will be limited to remote workers with bandwidth concerns, people who deal with “sensitive” material and those who often work in spaces where they can’t easily keep laptops connected to a power source.

In other words, it sounds like the vast majority of Meta employees will still be required to allow their (nearly) every move to be tracked and recorded in the name of improving Meta’s AI models. However, the company did say that it had improved the software’s battery usage to address some employee complaints, Reuters reports. The company has faced protests from employees over MCI, which was announced last month just before the company laid off 8,000 workers and reshuffled thousands of others into AI-focused roles.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently defended the program to employees, telling them that “watching really smart people do things” is the best way for AI models to improve quickly. “The average intelligence of the people who are at this company is significantly higher than the average set of people that you can get to do tasks,” he said in leaked audio from a company-wide meeting last month.

“None of the data is being used for, like, looking at what people are doing, or surveillance, or performance track[ing], or anything like that. It’s purely just, like, we are using this to feed a very large amount of content into the AI model, so that way it can learn how smart people use computers to accomplish tasks. I think that this is going to be a very big advantage if we can do it.” He also added that if it works, “we’ll probably do more things like it” in the future.

Read the original article here

The post Meta Will Reportedly Let Employees Take 30-Minute Breaks From Its Tracking Program appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Stella McCartney releases exclusive, limited edition Paul McCartney ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane’ t-shirt https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/stella-mccartney-releases-exclusive-limited-edition-paul-mccartney-the-boys-of-dungeon-lane-t-shirt/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/stella-mccartney-releases-exclusive-limited-edition-paul-mccartney-the-boys-of-dungeon-lane-t-shirt/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:02:07 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Stella, McCartney, releases, exclusive, limited, edition, Paul, McCartney, ‘The, Boys, Dungeon, Lane’, t-shirt

Stella McCartney has released an exclusive, limited edition t-shirt, made in celebration of Paul McCartney’s new album ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane‘.

The record dropped last week (Friday May 29), and is the first from the music legend since 2020’s ‘McCartney III’. Throughout the 14-song tracklist he opens up about his younger years in a way not seen before – recalling his childhood in Liverpool, the resilience of his parents, early adventures shared with George Harrison and John Lennon before they found fame with The Beatles, and more.

There is also his first duet with former Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr on ‘Home To Us’, which also features Texas’ Sharleen Spiteri and The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde.

Now, in celebration of the record, Stella McCartney – renowned British fashion designer and daughter of Paul and Linda McCartney – has designed an exclusive, limited edition t-shirt inspired by the cover.

The unisex design draws inspiration from the imagery and storytelling throughout Paul’s new album. It shows the Dungeon Lane street sign from the album cover featured at the centre of a white tee, as well as two blue tits perched on top.

Stella McCartney The Boys of Dungeon Lane' t-shirt
Stella McCartney The Boys of Dungeon Lane’ t-shirt. CREDIT: Press

The birds are a nod to the pre-fame memories her father recalls in the songs – particularly his afternoons by the Mersey with his birdwatching book in hand – and also are the same design she uses throughout her own Summer of Love 2026 collection.

Out now, the shirt is exclusively for UK customers who buy Paul’s new album, and will be available from today (Tuesday June 2) until midnight tomorrow (Wednesday June 3). Visit here for more information.

NME gave ‘The Boys Of Dungeon Lane’ a four-star review, and described it as “a guided tour of the long and winding road”.

“Elsewhere, against all odds, given that this album arrives some 63 years after the Beatles’ debut ‘Please Please Me’, Macca actually makes history on ‘The Boys Of Dungeon Lane’,” the review read.

Paul McCartney announces new album ‘The Boys Of Dungeon Lane’. Credit: Press
Paul McCartney ‘The Boys Of Dungeon Lane’. Credit: Press

“Remarkably, the jaunty ‘Home To Us’ is his first-ever duet with Ringo Starr, who assists him in celebrating their rough-and-tumble hometown. ‘Days We Left Behind’, though, is the album’s real tear-jerker, as Paul nods to the “secret code” he shared with John Lennon but will never reveal,” it added. “Still, despite the absence of any real bombshells, it’s a pleasure to accompany McCartney as he gets back to where he once belonged.”

Ahead of the album’s release, McCartney sat down with NME to look forwards and back on his extraordinary career, share his “excitement” at contributing to the new The Rolling Stones album, and also reveal if he has plans to retire.

“I don’t know. I never know, y’know?” the 83-year-old music icon said, recalling how his manager asked him the same question when he was 50.

He then added that he still wants to perform live as he is aware that there are very few opportunities for fans to hear the music from his era in person, and said that his love of songwriting hasn’t diminished over the years.

“Creative satisfaction is just writing a song – it’s still the same old satisfaction that it was,” he shared. “There’s something magical about it, and I often think, ‘I never set out to be a singer-songwriter person.’ When I was at school, I thought the only thing left for me would be a teacher, because I didn’t have massive qualifications and unfortunately, that mean[t] you have to be a teacher.”

“But I got in the band, and it just led me to this,” he continued. “So, the satisfaction is just being able to write a song and, if you pull it off, that’s the same satisfaction that it always was. Some of them you pull off better than others, but it’s still a great thing.”

Read that interview in full here, or tune in the video above.

The ‘Boys of Dungeon Lane’ t-shirt isn’t the first time that Stella McCartney has released a clothing line to coincide with her father’s music. Back in 2019, the fashion designer unveiled a collection inspired by the iconic Beatles film Yellow Submarine.

The ‘All Together Now’ range included attire for men, women and children, all featuring slogans, characters and colourful graphics inspired by the film. The collection was also worn by Billie Eilish during her set at Glastonbury that year.

Read the original article here

The post Stella McCartney releases exclusive, limited edition Paul McCartney ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane’ t-shirt appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Meg Stalter Loves All Gays in Her New Single “Gay” https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/meg-stalter-loves-all-gays-in-her-new-single-gay/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/meg-stalter-loves-all-gays-in-her-new-single-gay/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:02:07 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Meg, Stalter, Loves, All, Gays, Her, New, Single, “Gay”

Actress, comedian, and noted Kylie Jenner BFF Meg Stalter has released a dance-pop track just in time for Pride. It’s called, yes, “Gay,” and Stalter shouts out everyone: lipstick lesbians, the dolls, bisexuals, “the they (period),” all while claiming “Everything we do is slay.” Listen to her “gaying up and down” below.

Stalter, who rose to fame through roles in Hacks and Lena Dunham’s Too Much, has spent the last month teasing her upcoming album Crave and its debut single “Prettiest Girl in America,” which she premiered at a Meg Stalter lookalike contest in Bushwick’s Maria Hernandez Park.

Though “Gay” is Crave’s second single, the LP won’t be out until late summer. Until then, you can follow Stalter’s listening instructions to “Play this song in the gay club.”

Read the original article here

The post Meg Stalter Loves All Gays in Her New Single “Gay” appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Millete trial day 9: Neighbor testifies footage captures loud bangs, Millete kids ‘unusual’ playing outside https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/loud-bangs-night-maya-disappeared/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/loud-bangs-night-maya-disappeared/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Millete, trial, day, Neighbor, testifies, footage, captures, loud, bangs, Millete, kids, ‘unusual’, playing, outside Primary election results for California's Congressional Districts 49, 50, 51 and 52  https://fox5sandiego.com/election/san-diego-congressional-election/ https://fox5sandiego.com/election/san-diego-congressional-election/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Primary, election, results, for, Californias, Congressional, Districts 49, 50, and, 52  Primary election results for California's 48th Congressional District https://fox5sandiego.com/election/primary-election-results-california-congressional-district-48/ https://fox5sandiego.com/election/primary-election-results-california-congressional-district-48/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Primary, election, results, for, Californias, 48th, Congressional, District Primary election results for California's Assembly District 74, Senate Districts 38 and 40 https://fox5sandiego.com/election/california-primary-election-results-ad-74-sd-38-40/ https://fox5sandiego.com/election/california-primary-election-results-ad-74-sd-38-40/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Primary, election, results, for, Californias, Assembly, District, 74, Senate, Districts, and Smoke advisory, evacuation warning issued as crews battle 'Border 6 Fire' near Dulzura https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/california-wildfires/border-6-fire-smoke-advisory/ https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/california-wildfires/border-6-fire-smoke-advisory/ Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Smoke, advisory, evacuation, warning, issued, crews, battle, Border, Fire, near, Dulzura DigiPlus reinforces player-first commitment via ArenaPlus alliances with Sportradar and Altenar https://www.bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/02/753758/digiplus-reinforces-player-first-commitment-via-arenaplus-alliances-with-sportradar-and-altenar/ https://www.bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/02/753758/digiplus-reinforces-player-first-commitment-via-arenaplus-alliances-with-sportradar-and-altenar/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:27:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator DigiPlus, reinforces, player-first, commitment, via, ArenaPlus, alliances, with, Sportradar, and, Altenar DigiPlus Interactive Corp., the premier digital entertainment provider behind BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, and GameZone, is deepening its commitment to responsible gaming and a reliable, player-first experience through strategic global alliances for its flagship sportsbook, ArenaPlus.

By integrating world-class technology, DigiPlus ensures that every aspect of the user journey — from seamless gameplay to rigorous account security — remains paramount. Recognizing that a premium customer experience demands a high-performance platform, DigiPlus announced last May 21, 2026, that it has tapped Altenar, a leading global turnkey sportsbook provider to power ArenaPlus. By transitioning its operations to Altenar’s advanced, fully-managed solution, ArenaPlus now delivers faster odds updates, custom localized betting options, and comprehensive player props. This technical integration effectively elevates local sports entertainment to global benchmarks, ensuring Filipino users enjoy a seamless, highly-engaging gameplay experience that is world-class and at par with international sportsbook standards.

True customer care requires a demonstrably safe environment, which is why ArenaPlus officially also joined the Sportradar Integrity Exchange (SIE) back in March 2026. This global intelligence-sharing network combats match-fixing by reporting suspicious betting activity in real-time. By tapping into Sportradar’s AI-powered fraud detection, ArenaPlus adds robust layers of protection, building a secure ecosystem where players can engage with complete confidence.

“We are committed to continuously improving our platform to bring the best possible sportsbook experience to Filipinos, and securing top-shelf, world-class partnerships is central to that,” said ArenaPlus Head Erick Su. “Altenar provides the kind of technical strength and reliability that we need to elevate the ArenaPlus experience, while our collaboration with Sportradar ensures a safer space for our users. By combining top-tier digital entertainment with operational integrity, we are actively protecting the sports we support while also making sure our platform is sustainable.”

Echoing this unwavering commitment to the end-user, Sportradar Executive Vice-President of Integrity Services Andreas Krannich said the collaboration aims to “foster a safer and more secure environment for sport and its stakeholders.”

Altenar COO Dinos Stranomitis added that their localized sportsbook solutions “deliver the performance, stability, and compliance required” for the highly engaged Philippine market.

Ultimately, these infrastructure upgrades translate DigiPlus’ commitment to responsible gaming into practical platform safeguards. Through embedding risk controls and real-time fraud detection directly into its backend, ArenaPlus ensures a transparent environment where player protection is built straight into its platform.

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.

]]> Millete trial day 8: Investigator says loud bangs heard in surveillance footage, freezer was loaded out of Millete house https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/millete-trial-day-8/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/millete-trial-day-8/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:26:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Millete, trial, day, Investigator, says, loud, bangs, heard, surveillance, footage, freezer, was, loaded, out, Millete, house San Miguel seeks approval for P30-billion preferred share offer https://www.bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/06/02/753663/san-miguel-seeks-approval-for-p30-billion-preferred-share-offer/ https://www.bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/06/02/753663/san-miguel-seeks-approval-for-p30-billion-preferred-share-offer/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator San, Miguel, seeks, approval, for, P30-billion, preferred, share, offer SAN MIGUEL CORP. has filed a registration statement for a P30-billion preferred share offering to refinance debt and fund infrastructure projects, including the Manila International Airport development in Bulacan province.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Monday, the company said it had submitted a registration statement and preliminary prospectus to the Securities and Exchange Commission covering as many as 400 million Series 2 preferred shares.

The offer includes a base tranche of 266.67 million shares and an oversubscription option of as many as 133.33 million additional shares, according to the preliminary prospectus.

The shares will be priced at P75 each and issued in three subseries: 2-V, 2-W and 2-X.

San Miguel expects to raise nearly P20 billion from the base offer, with total gross proceeds potentially reaching P30 billion if the oversubscription option is fully exercised.

The group said proceeds would partly refinance short-term borrowings used to redeem its Series 2-I preferred shares in March 2026 and settle Series C and Series J bonds maturing in March 2027.

Funds will also support further investments in infrastructure projects, including the Manila International Airport and related airport developments in Bulakan, Bulacan.

The offer period is scheduled from July 15 to 23, while the preferred shares are targeted to list on the Philippine Stock Exchange’s main board on July 31.

San Miguel tapped Bank of Commerce, BDO Capital & Investment Corp. and China Bank Capital Corp. as joint issue managers.

Joint lead underwriters and bookrunners include Bank of Commerce, BDO Capital, BPI Capital Corp., China Bank Capital, Land Bank of the Philippines, Philippine Commercial Capital, Inc., PNB Capital and Investment Corp., RCBC Capital Corp. and Security Bank Capital Investment Corp.

San Miguel shares fell 5.35% to P67.20 each on the local bourse. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno

]]> Institutional credibility now a bigger risk to PHL economy, ex-central banker says https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/02/753650/institutional-credibility-now-a-bigger-risk-to-phl-economy-ex-central-banker-says/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/02/753650/institutional-credibility-now-a-bigger-risk-to-phl-economy-ex-central-banker-says/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Institutional, credibility, now, bigger, risk, PHL, economy, ex-central, banker, says THE GOVERNMENT could face a tougher task as growing political instability could translate to weaker confidence in the Philippine economy, which may compound external risks, a former central banker said.

GlobalSource Partners Principal Advisor Diwa C. Guinigundo said issues surrounding the country’s political institutions, particularly the Senate, may now pose a greater risk to the economy than external shocks such as the oil crisis and artificial intelligence.

“With respect to external shocks, we have very little control. But with respect to domestic issues, particularly political issues, I think we have better latitude in terms of control and management,” he told Money Talks with Cathy Yang on One News on Monday.

Asked what is the bigger economic threat between the two, Mr. Guinigundo said: “It’s (the) institutional issues and credibility of our political institutions.”

This came after the chaos that ensued in the Senate last month following a leadership shake-up allegedly orchestrated in time for Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment trial and Senator Ronald M. dela Rosa’s impending arrest linked to his alleged role in former President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.

The former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) deputy governor noted that governance issues arising from the recent controversies surrounding lawmakers create uncertainties about the country’s capacity to provide stability and long-term viability to investors.

This, he added, could eventually impact investor confidence and social cohesion.

“When the Senate is perceived to be inconsistent with certain principles of the Constitution, issues about credibility would actually crop up,” Mr. Guinigundo said. “So, credibility as well as loss of confidence may be an issue, and it is becoming an issue.”

“And that could also extend to the Philippine economy in terms of issues about governance,” he added.

Investor confidence, alongside consumer and business sentiment, has already taken a hit from last year’s corruption scandal.

In April, businesses’ confidence index worsened to -35.8% from -24.3% in March, a recent survey from the BSP showed.

While none of the reasons pointed to political instability, the survey indicated that local firms remain pessimistic due to the economic implications of the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Still, Mr. Guinigundo said investor confidence can still be saved if the government restores its credibility, but noted that the opportunity to do so is “fast closing in.”

Among the reforms the government can pursue include reaffirming its constitutional autonomy, ensuring transparent leadership, and refraining from taking any action that could provoke further instability.

Meanwhile, the former BSP official said the current systemic issues present a fresh challenge for the central bank, which is under mounting pressure to tackle inflation amid an energy crisis straining the economy.

Mr. Guinigundo noted that the central bank could have tightened policy rates as early as last year amid emerging external risks at the time.

“The work of the central bank is even harder today because while the BSP can provide very decisive forward guidance with respect to interest rate as well as the exchange rate, the other factors pulling it apart is the political noise that we hear from the Senate,” he said.

Although the Senate situation lies beyond the BSP’s direct authority, monetary authorities still have the tools to control its economic fallout, according to Mr. Guinigundo.

Fiscal policy should also go hand in hand with monetary policy, with the latter centered on keeping inflation expectations anchored to help strengthen public trust on government measures, he added.

“It (BSP) has little control over what the Philippine Senate is doing at this point,” he said. “But if the BSP will just continue anchoring expectations and trying to increase public confidence in public policy, particularly on monetary policy, I think it can do its share in helping stabilize the situation.”

For Mr. Guinigundo, this means the BSP should continue taking decisive action to bring inflation back to its 3% target.

The Monetary Board began tightening in April as it sought to temper the spillover effects of rising oil prices and keep inflation expectations anchored amid the Middle East war.

It raised the benchmark policy rate by 25 basis points to 4.5% for the first time since October 2023.

Since then, the central bank has been vocal about maximizing its monetary policy tools to steer inflation back to its 2%-4% tolerance range within a reasonable time. — Katherine K. Chan

]]> Philippines moves to build strategic petroleum reserves https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/02/753651/philippines-moves-to-build-strategic-petroleum-reserves/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/02/753651/philippines-moves-to-build-strategic-petroleum-reserves/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippines, moves, build, strategic, petroleum, reserves MOTORISTS may get some relief from high fuel costs this week as pump prices are set for a major rollback, while the government moves to build strategic petroleum reserves to shield the Philippines from future oil supply shocks linked to the war in the Middle East.

At a briefing on Monday, Energy Secretary  Sharon S. Garin said there will be a major rollback this week, with gasoline prices set to decrease by at least P4.76 per liter, diesel by P9.26 per liter, and kerosene by P10.86 per liter.

The decline in fuel prices came after five consecutive weeks of hike in gasoline prices and a second week for diesel.

With the downward adjustments, the prevailing fuel prices in the National Capital Region will reach as high as P84.74 per liter for gasoline, P82.54 per liter for diesel, and P102.94 per liter for kerosene.

While the Iran war remains unresolved, Ms. Garin said the fuel prices are now moving closer to the “pre-war prices” of around P50 to P60 per liter.

“Hopefully, with no more surprises in the events that are happening in the Middle East, especially with Iran, Israel, and US hopefully it goes steady and we go back to the previous prices, or at least not as high as before,” she said.

The Philippines is increasingly vulnerable to the Middle East conflict as it depends heavily on the region for its oil imports, raising concerns over energy security and higher fuel costs.

As of May 29, the country’s fuel inventory is equivalent to 45.97 days, slightly higher than the 44.82 days last week.

The average inventory for gasoline is 47.10 days, while diesel has an average inventory of 44.36 days. Kerosene has an average inventory of 143.64 days; 65.03 days for jet fuel; 41.30 days for fuel oil; and 42.13 days for liquefied petroleum gas.

Ms. Garin said the government is working on the establishment of a strategic petroleum reserve program, which includes building new stockpiling facilities.

“This will be a more systematic and a more organized system, one that won’t be reactive, as we will have our own reserves in the Philippines, sufficient enough to weather any effects or disruptions in the other parts of the world or in the countries where we get our oil,” she said.

The Energy chief said the DoE is working with state-run firms Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) and Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC) to explore options to build at least 30 days’ worth of additional reserves.

PNOC, which is mandated to ensure a stable, adequate, and sustainable supply of energy for the country, will take the lead in this effort to secure reserves.

Funding for the program will be managed by MIC, which oversees the country’s sovereign wealth fund.

“We will start with an initial inventory and then later over the years, we can keep on improving and improving and have more and more every year,” Ms. Garin said.

The planned strategic petroleum reserve program was among the matters discussed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. with the Japanese government during his state visit to Japan last week.

Ms. Garin said Japan will support the initiative by conducting necessary feasibility studies and providing capacity building in the development of a stockpiling system.

This program will involve collaboration with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and Japanese trading and engineering companies with relevant technical expertise.

“Both sides will explore the possibility of Japanese government institutions and private companies participating in EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) and financing for relevant projects,” Ms. Garin said.

Beyond strengthening national petroleum reserves, the Philippines has also committed to participate in the establishment of an ASEAN-wide joint stockpiling to strengthen regional energy security and resilience.

“We are also presenting ourselves as the venue for the regional stockpiling because we have possible areas where we can host regional stockpiling,” she said. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

]]> BSP eyes stronger response vs inflation https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/02/753652/bsp-eyes-stronger-response-vs-inflation/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/02/753652/bsp-eyes-stronger-response-vs-inflation/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator BSP, eyes, stronger, response, inflation MANILA — The Philippine central bank said on Monday it may consider a stronger monetary policy response if elevated inflation expectations become entrenched, vowing it “will take all necessary action” to ensure that inflation returns to its 3% target.

“If the data and our assessment of evolving risks point to higher inflation expectations becoming entrenched, then we may consider a stronger response,” the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said in an e-mailed response to a Reuters query.

The BSP raised its key policy rate by 25 basis points to 4.50% in April.

Here are more details and context of the central bank’s responses:

The BSP said it does not target a specific exchange rate level and intervenes only when excessive volatility poses a serious risk to inflation expectations. The peso has risen 6.1% vs. the dollar in the last three months, according to LSEG data.

The Philippines is sensitive to oil price shocks due to its high dependence on oil imports and current account deficits, but a weaker peso cushions the impact by supporting exports, remittances and revenues from business process outsourcing, the BSP said.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. said in May the central bank was considering an off-cycle rate hike ahead of a scheduled meeting on June 18.

‘SLOWFLATION’
Meanwhile, the Philippines is experiencing “slowflation,” with slowing growth and accelerating inflation amid oil shocks from the Middle East war, putting the central bank in a difficult policy setting, Metropolitan and Bank Trust Co. (Metrobank) said.

In a commentary on Friday, Metrobank research officer Marian Monette Florendo Obias noted that the economy has not reached stagflation as domestic growth is only weak but not stagnant, while the unemployment rate is seen holding steady.

“The domestic economy remains fragile and highly sensitive to geopolitical developments, with ongoing local political squabbles weighing on overall sentiment,” she said. “For now, while stagflation risks are rising, the Philippines remains in the early phase of ‘slowflation.’”

According to Ms. Obias, ‘slowflation’ refers to an economic condition with fast inflation, weak but still positive growth, and still stable employment.

Economic growth has been sluggish since the second half of 2025, easing to a new post-pandemic low of 2.8% in the first three months of the year.

The country’s latest jobless rate softened to 5% in March from 5.1% in February but worsened from 3.9% a year earlier.

Inflation, on the other hand, has settled above the BSP’s target as it quickened to 7.2% in April from 4.1% in March.

In a separate Viber message on Monday, Metrobank Chief Economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa said they expect headline inflation to slightly quicken to 7.3% in May. 

Analysts at Nomura Global Markets Research also project the May print to settle at 7.3%, as slightly lower fuel prices offset still high rice prices and electricity rates. 

Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank Research sees last month’s inflation coming in at 8.1%.

However, Metrobank’s Ms. Obias noted that even the ongoing suspension of excise taxes on kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which was imposed in April, may not be enough to temper energy inflation.

“The suspension of excise taxes on kerosene and LPG may alleviate the impact, but these fuels represent only a small share of overall consumption,” she said. “Diesel and gasoline, which are more widely used, are still subject to excise taxes and continue to lead to second-round effects, limiting the overall effect on inflation.”

A BusinessWorld poll of 16 economists conducted last week yielded a median estimate of 7.9% for headline inflation in May, which is faster than the 7.2% clip in April and 1.3% last year.

It likewise sits right at the upper bound of the central bank’s 7.1%-7.9% forecast for the month, but well above its 2%-4% tolerance range.

The BSP expects inflation to stay above 5% for most of the year to bring the full-year print to 6.3% before cooling to 4.3% in 2027.

HAWKISH BSP
Although the continued acceleration of consumer prices remains largely driven by supply shocks, the central bank is still expected to remain hawkish, Metrobank’s Mr. Mapa noted.   

“Despite the sharp uptick in inflation due mainly to supply side shocks, BSP will still likely resort to tightening of policy,” he said. “We caution against aggressive tightening however given the moderating growth outlook.”

However, Ms. Obias said the “slowflation” scenario is challenging local monetary and fiscal authorities, with the central bank seen to eventually return to easing as high borrowing costs risk hurting the economy further.

“This “slowflation” has made the policy environment for both monetary and fiscal authorities increasingly complex,” she said. “Although the BSP is expected to tighten monetary policy this year, it may eventually reverse course, as a prolonged high-interest-rate environment could further dampen already weak economic growth.”

The Philippine Statistics Authority will release the May inflation data on Friday, June 5, around two weeks before the Monetary Board’s third policy meeting this year on June 18. — Reuters with Katherine K. Chan

]]> ‘Transformative’ pancreatic cancer drug doubles survival time https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/transformative-pancreatic-cancer-drug-doubles-survival-time/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/transformative-pancreatic-cancer-drug-doubles-survival-time/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator ‘Transformative’, pancreatic, cancer, drug, doubles, survival, time

Menta

The drug daraxonrasib is being put forward to treat people with advanced pancreatic cancer in clinics

REUTERS/Danielle Villasana

A daily pill doubles the survival time of people with pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of the condition, even after they have stopped responding to chemotherapy. What’s more, the convenient pill has fewer side effects than standard chemotherapy.

“It’s a transformative treatment,” says Pilar Acedo at University College London, who wasn’t involved in the research. “For decades, [survival outcomes] haven’t changed for pancreatic cancer. [The new treatment] gives you double the amount of time to enjoy your life, be with your family and do things that you would like to do.”

About 70 per cent of people with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage. A combination of no routine screening and vague symptoms, like a sore back, means that the condition is usually spotted when it has spread elsewhere. Standard treatment involves chemotherapy, but even then, most people only survive for about three to six months, on average. “The disease is really aggressive and difficult to treat,” says Acedo.

More than 90 per cent of pancreatic cancers are driven by mutations in the KRAS gene, which encodes for a protein known as K-Ras. When the gene is mutated, K-Ras gets stuck in a state that drives cancer cells to divide uncontrollably.

Eileen O’Reilly at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and her colleagues wondered if a drug called daraxonrasib, which binds to the protein, could dampen its signals and slow the growth of cancer cells.

So the team recruited 500 people with metastatic pancreatic cancer from the US, Europe and Asia, all of whom had stopped responding to an initial round of chemotherapy. They were assigned to two groups: the first took daraxonrasib every day and the second continued to receive standard chemotherapy infusions.

The researchers – who presented the results at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago on 31 May – found that the participants in the daraxonrasib group went on to survive for 13.2 months, on average, compared with 6.7 months in the chemotherapy group. “It’s fantastic news,” says Acedo. The treatment is the first in decades to improve survival outcomes among patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, she says.

What’s more, only 1 per cent of the participants in the daraxonrasib group stopped taking the drug due to side effects, such as rash, whereas 11 per cent stopped chemotherapy due to adverse events like fatigue. “A daily pill is also much easier to take than chemotherapy, which involves frequent hospital visits and is invasive,” says Acedo.

The team has submitted the findings to the US Food and Drug Administration, and hopes to get the drug approved for use in people with metastatic pancreatic cancer who have had chemotherapy in the coming months, says O’Reilly.

But it is still far from a cure, says Acedo. “It’s a few extra months, which is really promising, but it’s still not years and they’re still dying of the disease,” says Acedo. Nevertheless, further studies may reveal that combining daraxonrasib with other experimental drugs or chemotherapy could lead to even better outcomes, she says.

The researchers are exploring this in ongoing trials, says O’Reilly. They are also looking at whether daraxonrasib could be used as a first-line therapy in untreated patients, she says.

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post ‘Transformative’ pancreatic cancer drug doubles survival time appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Northrop Grumman partners with Apex on space-based interceptors for Golden Dome https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/northrop-grumman-partners-with-apex-on-space-based-interceptors-for-golden-dome/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/northrop-grumman-partners-with-apex-on-space-based-interceptors-for-golden-dome/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Northrop, Grumman, partners, with, Apex, space-based, interceptors, for, Golden, Dome

WASHINGTON — Northrop Grumman has partnered with satellite manufacturing startup Apex to develop space-based interceptors for the Golden Dome missile defense program.

The companies announced the partnership June 1. Northrop Grumman is one of 12 firms selected by the U.S. Space Force to develop concepts for space-based interceptors, one of the most ambitious elements of the Trump administration’s Golden Dome missile defense initiative. These are weapons that would operate in orbit and engage adversary missiles during flight. 

Golden Dome is a proposed layered missile defense architecture intended to defend the United States against ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missile threats.

Los Angeles-based Apex manufactures standardized satellite buses designed to be produced more quickly and at lower cost than traditional government spacecraft. 

The announcement follows a series of industry pairings emerging across the space-based interceptor program. Raytheon has disclosed a partnership with Rocket Lab, while Anduril Industries has assembled a team that includes several commercial space companies. The arrangements reflect a deliberate effort by the Pentagon to encourage collaboration between established defense contractors and newer entrants to the space sector.

The partnerships seek to address a question repeatedly raised by Gen. Michael Guetlein, the Pentagon official overseeing Golden Dome: whether space-based interceptors can be built affordably and in sufficient quantities to support a large-scale homeland defense architecture.

“Manufacturing readiness empowers rapid development and deployment of next-gen space-based missile defense,” Northrop Grumman said in a statement. The company described Apex as one of its industry collaborators and has not identified other partners.

“We’re combining our advanced missile defense technologies and commercial partnerships to demonstrate next generation space-based interceptor capabilities in support of our nation’s Golden Dome priorities,” said Ryan Tintner, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman’s space superiority systems division.

Tintner said the company has completed key ground tests this year and is on track to demonstrate an on-orbit capability in 2027. He added that the partnership with Apex is intended to help accelerate development and support affordable production at larger scale.

Apex co-founder and chief executive Ian Cinnamon said the collaboration is intended to support what he described as “operational, constellation-scale space-based missile defense” and enable the companies to respond quickly to emerging government requirements.

The Space Force is pursuing the interceptor effort through Other Transaction Authority agreements, a contracting approach designed to encourage competition and rapid prototyping. Companies selected for the program are expected to also invest their own capital during early development, with the prospect of larger follow-on awards if technologies prove viable.

Whether commercial approaches can substantially change the economics of space-based missile defense remains a central question for the program. Recent estimates from the Congressional Budget Office concluded that space-based interceptors would likely be the most expensive element of a Golden Dome architecture, potentially accounting for hundreds of billions of dollars in costs over the life of the program.

Read the original article here

The post Northrop Grumman partners with Apex on space-based interceptors for Golden Dome appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE review: A cheaper GPU for a wildly expensive era https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/amd-radeon-rx-9070-gre-review-a-cheaper-gpu-for-a-wildly-expensive-era/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/amd-radeon-rx-9070-gre-review-a-cheaper-gpu-for-a-wildly-expensive-era/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator AMD, Radeon, 9070, GRE, review:, cheaper, GPU, for, wildly, expensive, era AMD's Radeon RX 9070 GRE is finally available globally, and it's a solid performer for $549.

Read the original article here

The post AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE review: A cheaper GPU for a wildly expensive era appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> The Avalanches and Jamie xx share summer-ready banger ‘Every Single Weekend’ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-avalanches-and-jamie-xx-share-summer-ready-banger-every-single-weekend/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-avalanches-and-jamie-xx-share-summer-ready-banger-every-single-weekend/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The, Avalanches, and, Jamie, share, summer-ready, banger, ‘Every, Single, Weekend’

The Avalanches have shared their latest single, the summer-ready ‘Every Single Weekend’ with Jamie xx – check it out below.

The Melbourne electronic group returned last month with the nostalgic ‘Together’, their first new track in six years, which featured Nikki Nair, Jessy Lanza and Prentiss.

Now, they have followed it up with another new banger in the form of ‘Every Single Weekend’, a track that first appeared as an interlude towards the end of Jamie xx’s 2024 album ‘In Waves’.

The track and its video slyly poke fun at the shallow and insincere language of advertising, and it follows on from The Avalanches’ previous collaborations with the producer, ‘Wherever You Go’ from ‘We Will Always Love You’, and the 2024 single ‘All You Children’.

Watch the video for ‘Every Single Weekend’ here:

The Avalanches have said: “We’ve loved collaborating with Jamie xx over the years – his ‘In Colour’ album reignited our passion for sampling, and this track is all about letting go, forgetting the 9-5 grind and enjoying every single weekend.”

The new songs mark the first new material from The Avalanches since their 2020 album ‘We Will Always Love You’, the follow-up to ‘Wildflower’ in 2016, which itself was their return 16 years after their landmark debut record ‘Since I Left You.

They also recently played a surprise “free party” in OM in East London, where they went b2b with Yu Su, Nikki Nair and Baalti.

NME spoke to The Avalanches in 2020 about the legacy of their landmark 2000 debut album ‘Since I Left You’.

“‘Since I Left You’s shadow got bigger and bigger every year,” Tony Di Blasi said.

“I still remember four years [after it was released] my girlfriend at the time said, ‘You know people say it’s a really classic record?’” Robbie Chater added. “I’d never heard anybody say that. I just heard all the shit I should’ve done better.”

“Now it’s 20, the little kid’s all grown up!” Di Blasi exclaimed.

“I have a great relationship with the album now,” Chater continued. “It sounds like a very young me made it. It’s naïve, heart-on-sleeve, it was never cool or ironic. It was passionate, of the moment, full of joy.”

Elsewhere, The Avalanches contributed tracks to Massive Attack’s ‘Piccadilly Un:Plugged’ installation in London.

Read the original article here

The post The Avalanches and Jamie xx share summer-ready banger ‘Every Single Weekend’ appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Pitchfork Paris 2026 Announces First Wave of Artists https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/pitchfork-paris-2026-announces-first-wave-of-artists/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/pitchfork-paris-2026-announces-first-wave-of-artists/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Pitchfork, Paris, 2026, Announces, First, Wave, Artists

The London and Paris editions of Pitchfork Music Festival have announced their return. The 2026 events will take place in venues across the two cities from November 2 to 8. Pitchfork Paris has also unveiled its first wave of artists, including headline shows on the Monday to Wednesday dates from Iceage, Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, Headache, Ear, Amore, and Bassvictim. The label DH2 will host a night at Badaboum Club on Thursday, and a Pitchfork Avant-Garde lineup will soon be revealed. Stay tuned for Pitchfork London’s first lineup soon.

Pitchfork Paris has also announced support acts for a pair of shows: Mori will open the Amore show at Badaboum, and Tracey and Dumbhead are supporting Adigéry and Pupul at Élysée Montmartre. Pitchfork Avant-Garde, held at several venues in the Bastille neighborhood, will feature a lineup primarily composed of artists playing their first concerts in France.

Pitchfork Paris tickets will go on sale, via Dice, from 11 a.m., Central European Summer Time, on Wednesday, June 3.

Image may contain Advertisement Poster Purple Art and Graphics

Read the original article here

The post Pitchfork Paris 2026 Announces First Wave of Artists appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Del Mar Little League Champs Visit GMSD https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/del-mar-little-league-victory/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/del-mar-little-league-victory/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Del, Mar, Little, League, Champs, Visit, GMSD Two rescued after ATV plunges off Valley Center cliff https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/two-rescued-after-atv-plunges-off-valley-center-cliff/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/two-rescued-after-atv-plunges-off-valley-center-cliff/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Two, rescued, after, ATV, plunges, off, Valley, Center, cliff Cal Fire battles grass fire in Ramona, SR-67 closed https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/california-wildfires/cal-fire-battles-grass-fire-in-ramona-sr-67-closed/ https://fox5sandiego.com/weather/california-wildfires/cal-fire-battles-grass-fire-in-ramona-sr-67-closed/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Cal, Fire, battles, grass, fire, Ramona, SR-67, closed Serena Williams is coming back to tennis at 44, returning to the sport she dominated for decades https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-serena-williams-is-returning-to-pro-tennis-at-age-44-after-nearly-4-years-away-from-the-sport/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-serena-williams-is-returning-to-pro-tennis-at-age-44-after-nearly-4-years-away-from-the-sport/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:02:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Serena, Williams, coming, back, tennis, 44, returning, the, sport, she, dominated, for, decades Millete trial day 8: Surveillance footage shows loud bangs, freezer loaded out of Millete house https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/millete-trial-day-8/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/millete-trial-day-8/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Millete, trial, day, Surveillance, footage, shows, loud, bangs, freezer, loaded, out, Millete, house Faithful join in rosary for peace in Washington as pope leads the Marian devotion for world https://catholics.news/faithful-join-in-rosary-for-peace-in-washington-as-pope-leads-the-marian-devotion-for-world https://catholics.news/faithful-join-in-rosary-for-peace-in-washington-as-pope-leads-the-marian-devotion-for-world Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Faithful, join, rosary, for, peace, Washington, pope, leads, the, Marian, devotion, for, world Can Catholics as consumers drive a better AI future? https://catholics.news/can-catholics-as-consumers-drive-a-better-ai-future https://catholics.news/can-catholics-as-consumers-drive-a-better-ai-future Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Can, Catholics, consumers, drive, better, future The Breadwinner https://catholics.news/the-breadwinner https://catholics.news/the-breadwinner Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator The, Breadwinner Catholic priest found guilty of sexually abusing women under his spiritual care in Texas https://catholics.news/catholic-priest-found-guilty-of-sexually-abusing-women-under-his-spiritual-care-in-texas https://catholics.news/catholic-priest-found-guilty-of-sexually-abusing-women-under-his-spiritual-care-in-texas Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Catholic, priest, found, guilty, sexually, abusing, women, under, his, spiritual, care, Texas Washington Roundup: Policymakers’ reaction to pope’s AI encyclical, new trial for death-row inmate https://catholics.news/washington-roundup-policymakers-reaction-to-popes-ai-encyclical-new-trial-for-death-row-inmate https://catholics.news/washington-roundup-policymakers-reaction-to-popes-ai-encyclical-new-trial-for-death-row-inmate Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Washington, Roundup:, Policymakers’, reaction, pope’s, encyclical, new, trial, for, death-row, inmate Philippine factory activity returns to growth in May, PMI shows https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/01/753463/philippine-factory-activity-returns-to-growth-in-may-pmi-shows/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/01/753463/philippine-factory-activity-returns-to-growth-in-may-pmi-shows/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:19:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippine, factory, activity, returns, growth, May, PMI, shows PHILIPPINE factory activity returned to expansion in May as stronger domestic demand lifted output and new orders, even as the Middle East conflict continues to affect supply chains and costs, S&P Global said on Monday.

The Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 50.8 in May from 48.3 in April. A PMI reading above 50 indicates an improvement in operating conditions from the previous month, while a reading below 50 signals deterioration.

“The overall expansion was driven by a fresh rise in new orders, which followed a sharp reduction in April. Improved client demand and new customer wins were said to have driven growth,” S&P Global said.

However, last month’s rebound was “only modest and historically subdued,” it said:

Maryam Baluch, an economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said despite the renewed growth, “supply-chain disruption and cost pressures worsened as the Middle East conflict entered its third month.” — Justine Irish DP. Tabile

]]> RoW bottlenecks seen weighing on Philippine infrastructure momentum https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/01/753375/row-bottlenecks-seen-weighing-on-philippine-infrastructure-momentum/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/01/753375/row-bottlenecks-seen-weighing-on-philippine-infrastructure-momentum/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator RoW, bottlenecks, seen, weighing, Philippine, infrastructure, momentum By Ashley Erika O. Jose, Reporter 

RIGHT-OF-WAY (RoW) challenges continue to delay major transport projects and push back completion timelines, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said, highlighting the risk to the Philippines’ infrastructure investment momentum.

“One significant problem (in securing funding and completing projects) I would say, is right-of-way acquisition, particularly in densely populated areas,” ADB Country Director for the Philippines Andrew Jeffries told BusinessWorld in a recent interview.

“Land valuation disputes are inevitable and the resettlement of people can be very complex and involves many different local government units,” he added.

RoW challenges are not unique to the Philippines, as many projects in developing countries face similar issues, Mr. Jeffries said.

He noted that major infrastructure projects have also been hit by supply chain disruptions triggered by events such as the pandemic and the ongoing Middle East war.

“All of a sudden, work had to stop. Input costs rose dramatically, and there were supply chain issues, like what we are facing right now with the Middle East crisis. All of a sudden fuel costs translate into other costs and become much higher. These are all big challenges faced by large transport projects,” he said.

The Department of Transportation (DoTr) has revised timelines for key transport projects, particularly rail systems, with many now targeted for partial operations following delays mainly due to RoW issues.

In particular, the Transportation department cited RoW as the reason for delays in the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), particularly in the northern section of the project.

NSCR, a 147-kilometer line, is one of the DoTr’s flagship projects and is seen to boost mobility and economic activity in Luzon.

The NSCR’s northern section is expected to be operational by 2028, while the southern section is targeted for completion by 2031. The entire NSCR is expected to be fully operational by late 2031 or early 2032, later than the original target completion date of 2027. 

The P488-billion Metro Manila Subway project’s RoW is now at 90.8%, with the project expected to be completed by 2032 from the initial target of 2025.

At the same time, the DoTr is still addressing issues that arose after the Department of Justice (DoJ) issued a legal opinion on RoW acquisition rules for big-ticket projects. The DoJ’s legal opinion held that compensation rules set by development partners for persons displaced by foreign-funded projects apply only if the loan agreement was signed prior to the effectivity of the Right-of-Way Act (Republic Act No. 10752).

Workarounds to the legal opinion will be necessary to ensure that big-ticket railway projects are not delayed beyond 2028, the DoTr has said.

The DoJ also said that DoTr must fully comply with the RoW Act, which requires payment to landowners only after properties are cleared of structures. This contrasts with multilateral development banks’ rules, which mandate that borrowers fully compensate landowners before displacement.

“RoW remains as one of the main challenges in completing projects, more particularly with transport projects, or even in the process of securing funding thereof,” Nigel Paul C. Villarete, senior adviser on public-private partnerships (PPPs) at Libra Konsult, Inc., said in a Viber message to BusinessWorld.

The government should address the issue by factoring in added costs from delays caused by RoW challenges into project design, development, and cost estimates, Mr. Villarete said.

“Our problem sometimes is that we just see RoW issues as problems but not as costs, when in fact, it is one of the major causes of cost overruns which eventually results in delays and thus, further costs in terms of missed opportunities,” Mr. Villarete said.

“A road project delayed for two years will actually redound to economic costs brought about by my unrealized economic benefits which were contributory to the overall national economic growth. So, we need to realize that RoW problems and delays will redound to lower national economic growth.”

For Rene S. Santiago, an international consultant on transport development and former president of the Transportation Science Society of the Philippines, the government should start and replicate efforts done by countries like Japan and Canada to address its RoW challenges.

Japan, for instance, has implemented innovative solutions by integrating urban planning legislation and aligning transport planning with zoning and land use, according to information from Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Meanwhile, ADB’s Mr. Jeffries said transport projects continue to face challenges beyond RoW issues, including funding constraints, as the government recalibrates its strategy toward greater reliance on PPP investments rather than loans.

“There are also budget constraints and fiscal pressures, you know. The government is keeping a very close eye on public debt levels and how to bring the private sector into some of these investments as opposed to just borrowing,” he said.

At present, ADB’s portfolio of projects under construction and for implementation in the Philippines stood at $12.5 billion, majority of these or about $7 billion is for transport projects.

Mr. Jeffries said the ADB is willing to fund one of the government’s flagship projects, the Mindanao Railway Project, which is still in limbo after lack of funding.

The ADB is ready to provide official development assistance loans or provide PPP advisory services for the Mindanao rail project, he said.

]]> NG gross borrowings sharply decline in April https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/01/753376/ng-gross-borrowings-sharply-decline-in-april/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/01/753376/ng-gross-borrowings-sharply-decline-in-april/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator gross, borrowings, sharply, decline, April By Justine Irish D. Tabile,Senior Reporter

THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT’S (NG) gross borrowings declined by over 66% in April amid significantly lower domestic debt, the Bureau of the Treasury said.

In its latest cash operations report, the Treasury said that gross borrowings fell by 66.62% to P130.19 billion in April from P390.06 billion a year ago.

The bulk or 93.92% of April’s gross borrowings came from domestic sources.

Gross domestic debt totaled P122.28 billion in April, down by 68.22% from P384.71 billion a year earlier.

This included the issuance of P125.02 billion in fixed-rate Treasury bonds and a net redemption of P2.74 billion in Treasury bills.

On the other hand, external debt only accounted for 6.08% of the total gross borrowings for the month.

In April, gross external borrowings stood at P7.91 billion, 47.83% higher than P5.35 billion in the same month in 2025.

External borrowings during the month consisted of P7.76 billion in new project loans and P151 million in program loans. There were no global bonds issued during the month.

“The decline in April borrowings… likely reflects timing and still-challenging global market conditions rather than a clear policy shift,” Union Bank of the Philippines Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said in a Viber message.

“The government appears to be staying opportunistic offshore while leaning more on domestic funding to manage costs and foreign exchange risks,” he added.

The peso closed at P61.485 against the greenback on April 30, weakening by 73.7 centavos from its March 30 finish of P60.748.

4-MONTH BORROWINGS
In the four months to April, NG gross borrowings were almost flat at P1.134 trillion from P1.135 trillion in the same period a year earlier.

This represented 42.28% of the P2.68-trillion gross borrowing program for the year under the Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing 2026.

Domestic debt, which accounted for 75.26% of the total, rose by 2.14% to P853.37 billion at end-April from P835.51 billion a year prior.

This consisted of P769.77 billion in fixed-rate Treasury bonds and P83.59 billion in Treasury bills.

External borrowings in the first four months slid by 6.41% to P280.47 billion from P299.69 billion year on year. This was composed of P161.29 billion in global bonds, P79.93 billion in program loans, and P39.26 billion in new project loans.

Mr. Asuncion said that he expects borrowing activity to pick up in the coming months as spending accelerates. However, he noted the pace of borrowings “will remain sensitive to global rates and risk sentiment.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Asuncion said that a stronger peso could support an increase in external borrowings in the coming months.

“A stronger peso would generally help at the margin, but it is not the primary driver. A firmer currency reduces foreign exchange risk and expected debt servicing costs, which can make external borrowing more attractive,” he said.

“It can also signal improved macro stability, which tends to support offshore investor appetite,” he added.

On Friday, the peso inched up by half a centavo to close at P61.59 against the greenback, from its P61.595 close on Thursday. Month on month, the local currency weakened by 10.5 centavos from its P61.485 finish on April 30.

However, Mr. Asuncion said that external borrowings will depend on global interest rates, market volatility, and timing of issuance windows.

“So, even with a stronger peso, external borrowing will likely remain opportunistic rather than automatic, depending on how favorable global funding conditions are,” he added.

]]> Poll: May inflation likely hit 7.9% https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/01/753377/poll-may-inflation-likely-hit-7-9/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/06/01/753377/poll-may-inflation-likely-hit-7-9/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Poll:, May, inflation, likely, hit, 7.9 By Katherine K. Chan, Reporter

PHILIPPINE INFLATION likely hit its fastest pace in over three years as elevated oil prices amid the ongoing Middle East war drove up food costs and kept the peso weak against the dollar, analysts said.

The headline print may have accelerated to 7.9% last month from 7.2% in April and 1.3% a year earlier, according to a median estimate of 16 economists polled by BusinessWorld.

If realized, this would be the fastest inflation recorded in over three years or since the 8.6% in February 2023.

The median estimate likewise matches the upper bound of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 7.1%-7.9% forecast for the month.

It would also make May the third month in a row that the headline inflation settled above the central bank’s 2%-4% target.

May inflation data will be released on June 5.

“We anticipate faster inflation in May mainly due to still-elevated crude oil prices, pricier food items, base effects, as well as spillovers into tertiary sectors,” University of Asia and the Pacific economist Marco Antonio C. Agonia said in an e-mail.

“While global crude oil prices did wind down from April to May this year, pump and bunker fuel prices are still much higher compared to last year, continuing to exert upward pressure on inflation readings,” he added.

In May, global oil prices continued to trade around $100 per barrel, higher than the average $60-$70 per barrel price seen earlier this year.

Meanwhile, pump price adjustments in the domestic market saw a net increase of P5.49 per liter for gasoline during the month but posted a net decrease of P2.13 per liter for diesel and P17.59 per liter for kerosene.

The temporary suspension of the excise tax on kerosene remained in place in May.

In its month-ahead forecast released on Saturday, the BSP said the May inflation print was likely driven by a weaker peso as well as costlier rice, vegetables, and meat, although lower pump prices and electricity rates offered consumers some relief.

The Manila Electric Co. ended its three-month streak of rate hikes in May as it cut the overall monthly bill by P0.0151 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to P14.3345 per kWh from P14.3496 per kWh in April.

However, higher year-on-year rice prices continued to strain households’ budgets, a factor analysts said was likely behind the faster inflation last month.

“Despite the fall in pump prices, increases in rice and other major food items were more than able to outweigh it,” Bank of the Philippine Islands Lead Economist Emilio S. Neri, Jr. said in a Viber message.

The average cost of local regular milled rice jumped by 17.52% to P50.91 a kilo in the second half of May from P43.32 in the same period last year, based on Philippine Statistics Authority data.

Meanwhile, the per-kilo price of well-milled rice rose by 15.55% to P57.88 from P50.09 a year earlier, while special rice was 10.51% higher year on year to P65.69 from P59.44 previously.

Union Bank of the Philippines Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said the peso’s persistent weakness against the dollar compounded price pressures in May.

“Seasonal supply constraints and the lagged effects of earlier peso depreciation also contributed to upward price pressures,” he said in an e-mail.

The peso closed at P61.59 against the greenback on May 29, declining by 10.50 centavos from its P61.485-per-dollar finish on April 30. It plunged to an all-time low close of P61.75 on May 18 and 19.

“While some commodities have begun to ease and base effects offer slight relief, overall inflation remains significantly above target,” Mr. Asuncion added.

In a separate report on Friday, analysts at MUFG Bank, Ltd. noted that the upcoming May inflation report on June 5 will prove significant for the foreign exchange (FX) market.

“A high print would strengthen the case for a larger June hike or even off-cycle action, but PHP (Philippine peso) may still struggle to rally sustainably unless oil prices ease and broader USD (US dollar) sentiment improves,” they added.

JUNE HIKE ‘DONE DEAL’
Meanwhile, analysts are now more convinced that the BSP will tighten for a second straight time this month, as sticky inflation and broader price pressures call for higher-for-longer interest rates.

China Banking Corp. Chief Economist Domini S. Velasquez said core inflation, which discounts volatile fuel and food prices, may have breached the BSP’s tolerance range in May.

“(C)ore inflation likely picked up from 3.9% to 4.2% in May, breaching the BSP’s target range for the first time since 2023,” she said in an e-mail.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. earlier said they are closely monitoring core inflation to guide their monetary policy action amid the crisis.

For Kausani Basak, FX analyst and economist at ANZ Research, the BSP will likely deliver another 25-basis-point (bp) hike at its upcoming meeting this month, with a larger 50-bp hike or off-cycle move also on the table.

“We expect the BSP to maintain its hawkish stance going forward and hike the policy rate by 25 bp in the monetary policy meeting in June,” she said in a report on Friday. “However, the chance of a 50-bp or off-cycle hike has increased in recent weeks following BSP’s recent communications.”

In April, the Monetary Board raised its policy rate for the first time in nearly two years by 25 bps to 4.5%. Mr. Remolona has left the door open to extending their tightening cycle, noting that they want to bring inflation back to their 2%-4% tolerance range.

Mr. Remolona had also said they are considering an off-cycle rate hike but may also wait until their regular meeting on June 18 before announcing their next decision as they await the May inflation data.

However, some analysts remain unsure about an off-cycle increase, noting that an aggressive monetary policy might “do more harm than good” amid lingering growth woes.

“(W)e believe that there is no need for the BSP to implement an off-cycle hike,” Alvin Joseph A. Arogo, chief economist and head of research division at the Philippine National Bank, said in an e-mail. “Addressing second-round effects through more expensive borrowings may do more harm than good since both consumer and business confidence are already impaired as the first-quarter GDP (gross domestic product) data has shown.”

Oil shocks from the Middle East war hit the economy in the first quarter, as GDP growth slowed to 2.8% from 3% in the previous quarter and 5.4% a year ago.

For Sarah Tan, an assistant director and economist at Moody’s Analytics, waiting until the Monetary Board’s next scheduled policy review will also give them ample time to evaluate the May inflation report and factor it into their decision.

“We expect the BSP to raise its policy rate by 25 bps at the June meeting as it prioritizes containing inflation and preventing inflation expectations from becoming unanchored,” she said in an e-mail.

“However, we do not expect an off-cycle move. With the May inflation print due just roughly two weeks before the scheduled policy meeting, the BSP will be able to assess the latest data and respond through its regular policy-setting process,” Ms. Tan added.

Security Bank Corp. Chief Economist Angelo B. Taningco likewise said an intermeeting hike is “less likely” but noted that a faster-than-expected May inflation could prompt such a move.

]]> Puregold ignites a celebration of Filipino artistry and identity in OPM Con Generations, with SB19, Ben&Ben, Alamat, Flow G, and more https://www.bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/01/753442/puregold-ignites-a-celebration-of-filipino-artistry-and-identity-in-opm-con-generations-with-sb19-benben-alamat-flow-g-and-more/ https://www.bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/01/753442/puregold-ignites-a-celebration-of-filipino-artistry-and-identity-in-opm-con-generations-with-sb19-benben-alamat-flow-g-and-more/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Puregold, ignites, celebration, Filipino, artistry, and, identity, OPM, Con, Generations, with, SB19, Ben&Ben, Alamat, Flow, and, more Original Pinoy Music (OPM) has long been the language — across generations — of Filipino sentiments, memories, and identity. On July 11, Puregold’s profound connection to OPM takes center stage at the Araneta Coliseum as it mounts a concert that is bigger, louder, and prouder than ever.

More than just a grand music production, Puregold’s OPM Con has evolved into the company’s signature retailtainment platform, reinforcing its role as a pioneer in merging retail, entertainment, and Pinoy fan culture in epic events. Through the years, Filipinos found their voices in music — in songs they grew up with, lyrics they quote online, anthems they scream during concerts, and fandoms that become families, built around artists they love.

After Puregold’s two straight years of sold-out concert crowds and viral fan moments—and amid nationwide anticipation — the much-celebrated music event of the year returns. Dubbed “OPM Con Generations,” it is set to gather today’s biggest talents for a night that revels in the evolving sound of Filipino music, and the communities that have formed around it.

To begin with, acclaimed folk-pop Ben&Ben and rising P-Pop group Alamat will charm the audience not only as performers, but also as two of Puregold’s newest brand ambassadors—a major moment for the devoted fan communities they proudly call “Liwanag” and “Magiliw.”

This year’s lineup is the concert’s strongest yet, featuring the most sought-after names shaping the local music landscape, led by P-Pop kings SB19, rap heavyweight Flow G, crowd-favorite rapper Skusta Clee, well-loved rock band SunKissed Lola, and breakout all-female P-Pop acts G22, KAIA, and Xonara.

From arena-shaking P-pop performances and rap anthems to emotional sing-alongs and viral chart-toppers, “OPM Con Generations” promises an unforgettable celebration of Filipino music across genres, generations, and fandoms.

Since launching in 2024, OPM Con has quickly become one of the country’s most anticipated live music events, sparking nationwide fan frenzy through Puregold’s signature ticket redemption mechanics, where grocery shopping transforms into a full-scale fan experience.

“Music has a unique way of bringing people together, no matter the generation or genre,” said Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, Senior Marketing Manager of Puregold Price Club Inc. “Through OPM Con Generations, Puregold hopes to create a space where loyal Puregold customers and fans can proudly gather, interact, and celebrate Philippine artistry and culture.”

Ticket-selling for OPM Con Generations officially begins on June 12 across 12 participating Puregold stores nationwide: Taytay, Rizal; Biñan, Laguna; Anabu-Imus, Cavite; Valenzuela; QI Central, Quezon City; Cubao, Quezon City; Fairview Terraces, Quezon City; Tayuman, Tondo, Manila; Sucat, Parañaque; Kalentong, San Andres, Manila; Sto. Domingo Cainta Junction, Rizal; and San Pedro, Laguna.

Aling Puring and Perks members may redeem free concert tickets through qualified single-receipt grocery purchases made at participating stores. Ticket tiers include VIP Standing for a minimum purchase of P8,500, Patron for P7,000, Lower Box for P5,500, Upper Box for P4,000, General Admission for P2,500, and Obstructed Upper Box and Obstructed General Admission for P1,500.

For customers in the provinces, Puregold is also rolling out a limited Regional Fan Pass initiative, giving more fans outside Metro Manila the opportunity to sign up and avail of tickets while supplies last.

For updates, like @puregold.shopping on Facebook, subscribe to Puregold Channel on YouTube, and follow @puregold_ph on Instagram and X, and @puregoldph on TikTok.

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.

]]> ArenaPlus becomes the NBA’s first official betting partner in the Philippines https://www.bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/01/753457/arenaplus-becomes-the-nbas-first-official-betting-partner-in-the-philippines/ https://www.bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/06/01/753457/arenaplus-becomes-the-nbas-first-official-betting-partner-in-the-philippines/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator ArenaPlus, becomes, the, NBA’s, first, official, betting, partner, the, Philippines ArenaPlus, a leading PAGCOR-licensed online sportsbook, announced a multiyear collaboration that makes ArenaPlus the NBA’s first Official Betting Partner in the Philippines. This marks a significant milestone for ArenaPlus and strengthens its position as a leader in the country’s evolving sports entertainment landscape.

As a global sports and media organization, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories and has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.5 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms. In the Philippines, where basketball is deeply embedded into everyday culture, the NBA continues to inspire one of its most passionate fan bases worldwide.

Through this collaboration, ArenaPlus will integrate NBA marks across its online gaming platforms, execute local activations, and be featured across the NBA’s localized social and digital platforms in the Philippines. In addition, ArenaPlus and the NBA will promote responsible gambling and best-in-class practices to protect the integrity of NBA games.

ArenaPlus will further engage fans in the Philippines through NBA-themed free-to-play games and promotions that will offer participants the opportunity to win special prizes, culminating each season with an NBA Playoffs bracket game. This includes ArenaPlus’ “Playoffs MVP: Battle for the Most Valuable Predictor”, a free-to-play contest launched on March 21, 2026 that allows participants to submit their picks for the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

“Becoming the Official Betting Partner of the NBA in the Philippines is a landmark moment for ArenaPlus,” said Erick Su, Head of ArenaPlus. “The NBA represents the highest standard in global sports, and its connection with Filipino fans is unmatched. Through our collaboration, we aim to elevate how fans experience basketball–bringing them closer to the action in ways that are more immersive and engaging and built around how they follow the game today.”

“Sport continues to be a driving force in the Philippines’ rapidly evolving digital entertainment landscape, and our collaboration with ArenaPlus reflects our commitment to engaging fans across the country in new and creative ways,” said Kuljeet Sindhar, NBA Head of International Gaming and Data Distribution. “We look forward to working together to deliver an authentic gaming experience that responsibly channels the passion of Filipino fans and deepens their connection to the league.”

As ArenaPlus expands its presence in the Philippine sports ecosystem, the collaboration ushers in a new chapter in local basketball fandom, bridging the NBA’s global reach with an innovative digital experience built for today’s Filipino fan.

Fans can download the ArenaPlus app or visit http://www.arenaplus.ph for more information.

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.

]]> Photons behave very strangely if you try to cut them https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/photons-behave-very-strangely-if-you-try-to-cut-them/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/photons-behave-very-strangely-if-you-try-to-cut-them/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Photons, behave, very, strangely, you, try, cut, them

Cutting photons is infinitely weird

Muhammad Fawaid/Alamy

In Greek mythology, cutting one head off the Hydra of Lerna simply resulted in two more heads growing to replace it – and it turns out it’s even worse for photons. If you try to cut a piece off a particle of light, the result is infinitely many more of them being created.

Some particles are elementary, which means that they cannot be broken into smaller pieces. For instance, a proton can be torn into three quarks, but each quark cannot be subdivided further. But what would happen if you tried to cut an elementary particle anyway?

Johannes Skaar at the University of Oslo in Norway and his colleagues have looked into the case of a photon encountering a mirror that could do just this.

Because it is quantum, light can be described both as made from photons and as being an electromagnetic wave. Accordingly, a photon isn’t perfectly localised, like a solid object, but rather has a tail that extends across space. In the proposed scenario, the mirror would be able to move fast enough to just reflect part of the photon, equivalent to snipping off its tail.

Using quantum equations for the electromagnetic field, the team uncovered that this snipping would create a quantum state of light that is a mix, or superposition, of infinitely many photons. This happens because, at the quantum level, empty space isn’t empty, but rather filled with quantum fields, such as the electromagnetic field, all of which have tiny fluctuations and can be excited into producing particles. The mirror trimming the photon triggers such a process.

“Whenever you change a mirror or a shutter quickly, you stir up the vacuum and conjure photons out of empty space,” says Samuel Braunstein at York University in the UK. But any local measurements – observations made from nearby – would find the superposition state to be indistinguishable from a single photon on one side of the mirror and an empty vacuum on the other, underlining how differently the idea of observation works in the quantum realm compared with our everyday experience. It shows how in quantum theory “a fearsomely complicated object can masquerade as something utterly simple”, he says.

Ulf Leonhardt at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel says that experiments have found that a sufficiently fast shutter operating in empty space does really create photons, but experimentally testing the new idea may be more technically challenging. Manipulating light on ultrafast timescales is increasingly becoming an experimental reality, but the shutter from the new study is still faster than what is available in labs, he says. The new work also points to phenomena arising from the quantum vacuum as having to be explored further, possibly leading to refining or amending quantum field theories of electromagnetism, says Leonhardt.

In addition to being interested in questions of locality in quantum theory, which can relate to even bigger ideas such as how causality works in experiments with quantum particles, Skaar and his colleagues now want to extend their analysis to more than one photon at a time or other particles like electrons.

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post Photons behave very strangely if you try to cut them appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> FAA documents outline SpaceX plans for Starfall reentry vehicles https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/faa-documents-outline-spacex-plans-for-starfall-reentry-vehicles/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/faa-documents-outline-spacex-plans-for-starfall-reentry-vehicles/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator FAA, documents, outline, SpaceX, plans, for, Starfall, reentry, vehicles

DUBLIN — Federal Aviation Administration documents have provided new details about a SpaceX project to develop and test reentry vehicles that could be used to support in-space manufacturing projects.

The FAA on May 15 issued an environmental assessment for test flights of Starfall, an uncrewed reentry vehicle. The FAA also issued a record of decision approving those test flights, concluding that they would not have any significant environmental impacts. The agency did not publicize the findings until it sent out an “FAA Space Update” on May 29.

The documents provide insights into Starfall, which SpaceX has not publicly discussed. Bloomberg first reported on the project last July, describing it as an in-space manufacturing program using capsules that would perform microgravity research and development, then return to Earth.

The FAA documents describe Starfall as serving both in-space manufacturing and point-to-point cargo delivery. The capsules could serve as a “proliferated successor” to the International Space Station to support “a self-sustaining manufacturing economy in space,” the documents state.

“The purpose of SpaceX’s proposal is to (1) enable point-to-point delivery of critical cargo through space on rapid timelines and (2) create a self-sustaining commercial in-space manufacturing market by offering access to microgravity and vacuum, loiter on orbit, and safe return from orbit as a service at scale,” the record of decision states.

The FAA decision approves two reentries of Starfall capsules in the Pacific Ocean about 1,300 kilometers off the coasts of California and Mexico. The capsules would launch on either Falcon 9 or Starship vehicles, going into orbit before reentry or flying a direct suborbital trajectory to the landing zone.

The capsules are disk-shaped, 0.75 meters tall and 3.1 meters in diameter at the top. The capsules have cold-gas attitude control thrusters but no other propulsion system and do not have the ability to deorbit on their own.

The vehicle consists of two parts: a top plate and a heat shield. The top plate is an aluminum structure partially wrapped in an unspecified thermal protection material and weighs 1,400 kilograms. The heat shield is a carbon-fiber structure covered in thermal protection material and also contains nitrogen gas bottles used for the thrusters and other systems. It weighs about 700 kilograms.

The vehicle would slow its descent using a single main parachute, along with pilot and drogue parachutes, with the heat shield jettisoned before splashdown. The FAA documents state that SpaceX will use boats to recover all elements of the spacecraft after splashdown.

The environmental assessment does not state when the test flights would take place and does not provide approvals for additional missions after the two test flights. However, the documents make clear SpaceX sees these as prototypes for spacecraft that would be built in large volumes.

SpaceX “plans to develop a mass producible reentry vehicle that can precisely deliver cargo from space to various locations on Earth, which would be able to launch on either Falcon 9 or Starship,” stated a document developed by contractor KBR that assessed sonic booms from Starfall reentries. That document also noted that Starfall will be able to carry up to 1,000 kilograms of payload in a volume measuring 2.5 by 1.5 by 0.5 meters inside the spacecraft.

Starfall would potentially put SpaceX into competition with companies that rely on SpaceX for launch services. Among them is Varda Space Industries, which has flown six of its W-series spacecraft on SpaceX rideshare missions, performing microgravity research and hypersonics testing with capsules that landed in Utah and Australia.

Inversion, another company developing reentry vehicles, flew its first spacecraft, Ray, on a SpaceX rideshare mission in 2025, but technical issues prevented the spacecraft from reentering as planned. Atmos Space Cargo, a European startup, flew its first reentry vehicle on a SpaceX rideshare mission in 2025 and plans to fly additional missions with SpaceX as well as on European small launch vehicles.

Several other companies, including Catalyx Space, Lux Aeterna and Reditus Space, have also announced plans for reusable spacecraft that would return to Earth and be recovered for reuse, with test flights planned through next year. They are also planning to rely in large part on SpaceX launches.

Read the original article here

The post FAA documents outline SpaceX plans for Starfall reentry vehicles appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Nintendo’s Pictonico! Is A Chaotic And Unexpectedly Good Time https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nintendos-pictonico-is-a-chaotic-and-unexpectedly-good-time/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nintendos-pictonico-is-a-chaotic-and-unexpectedly-good-time/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Nintendo’s, Pictonico, Chaotic, And, Unexpectedly, Good, Time

I’ll admit that I was a bit put off when I learned that Nintendo’s new WarioWare-like mobile game, Pictonico!, would need to use pictures from my phone’s gallery. I’m pretty selective when it comes to giving apps access to my photos, and the idea of a game possibly being filled with pictures of my own face just didn’t really appeal to me. But weird little games are kind of my thing here, and if Pictonico! is anything, it’s weird. So, I gave it a go — and to my surprise, it won me over pretty fast.

While Pictonico! is free to download, the game itself is not actually free beyond the short demo it offers. Once you complete that, you have to purchase game packs (or volumes, as Nintendo is calling them). Vol. 1 contains 20 stages and costs $8, and Vol. 2 costs $6, with 12 stages. These stages are made up of rapid-fire microgames, each stage requiring you succeed at 10 of these games before you can move on. And the games are wild. You might be shown a picture of yourself or a loved one with a nutcracker-style jaw, which you then need to use to rapidly chomp a bunch of items coming down the line. Or maybe you’re a flower whose petals must be plucked. Or a grumpy banana waiting to be peeled.

You’re informed upon setup that your photos are not sent to Nintendo or shared in any way, which is somewhat reassuring, since you really need to use photos that include faces for it to work. Local storage seems especially important in this case, as Pictonico! would be a fun game to play with your kids.

The game gives you the option to choose a specific album so you can ensure that only pictures you approve are used in the game. You could make an album just for that purpose, and fill it with whatever you want. (It doesn’t do well with pet photos, but it did work with a picture I took of a potato that I thought looked like Strega Nona). You can also choose “Snap & Play” to take photos right within the app to use. If it can’t find enough usable photos in your album, it’ll pop in sample photos of things like a snowman or stuffed monkey.

There is a lot happening in this game; bright colors, arcade sounds and chaotically upbeat music are coming at you from all angles. While this is going on, you have to try and do whatever is being asked of you on screen in a matter of seconds, or you’ll fail the round. There’s no time for thinking, just roll with the nonsense. Once you get started, it kind of sucks you in. There are multiple game modes under the Score Attack tab if you want more of a challenge: Normal (difficulty ramps up as you go), High-Speed (self-explanatory) and Danger Zone, where you’re done after one fail.

Pictonico! is ridiculous, for sure, but it’s an undeniably joyful experience, and I had a lot of laughs seeing what it did with my photos. I can’t see myself coming back to play it just to pass the time if I’m alone, but in the right social setting, it could make for a really silly, really wholesome time. It’s nice to laugh at yourself sometimes!

Read the original article here

The post Nintendo’s Pictonico! Is A Chaotic And Unexpectedly Good Time appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> “Hopefully it’s going to be as soon as possible” https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/hopefully-its-going-to-be-as-soon-as-possible/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/hopefully-its-going-to-be-as-soon-as-possible/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator “Hopefully, it’s, going, soon, possible”

Mick Jagger has said he “can’t wait” to get back out on the road with The Rolling Stones.

The rock legends are preparing to release their 25th studio album ‘Foreign Tongues’ on July 10 via Polydor/Universal Music. It’s set to feature guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Robert Smith, Steve Winwood, and the band’s late drummer Charlie Watts – you can pre-order your copy here.

Although the new album is on the horizon, The Stones don’t have any tour dates lined up to promote it. In late 2025, they confirmed that they’d scrapped plans for a UK and European stadium tour in 2026 because Keith Richards was unable to “commit” to it, but he recently hinted that they might hit the road in 2027.

Jagger’s latest comments on BBC Radio 2’s Tracks of My Years have added fuel to those rumours, and while he and Ronnie Wood looked back at the songs that shaped them, the frontman was asked if The Stones would ever tour again.

“I’d love to go on tour, I can’t wait,” Jagger said, before quickly clarifying that fans shouldn’t expect a shock announcement any time soon. “I don’t think it’s going to be this year,” he added. “But hopefully it’s going to be as soon as possible.”

Their upcoming album will include the previously released, raw and bluesy ‘Rough And Twisted’, ‘‘In The Stars’, and will see the band take on the Amy Winehouse classic ‘You Know I’m No Good’.

The full tracklist was revealed earlier this month, with the song titles appearing on streaming devices, but in actual foreign tongues.

At a media event in New York last week, the band also revealed how they ended up working with The Cure’s Robert Smith. “He was standing there with his back to me and this long gown on and when he turned around, he was covered in lipstick,” Jagger said. “And I said, I never met him before, ‘You’re Robert Smith of The Cure’.

“And he said, ‘Yeah, we’ve never met’. And I said, ‘While you’re here, you better go and do something’. That’s how collaborations work sometimes,” he smiled.

The whole record was brought to life in less than one month at Metropolis Studios in West London, with production from Andrew Watt – who also worked with them on 2024’s ‘Hackney Diamonds’.

“I love doing these recording sessions in London at Metropolis,” said Jagger. “It was a very intense few weeks recording ‘Foreign Tongues’. We had 14 great tracks and we went as fast as we could. I like the room there as it’s not too big so you can feel the passion in the room from everyone.”

Earlier this week, Paul McCartney has looked back on the “excitement” he felt while working with the band in NME’s latest In Conversation video series, saying he was glad he “wasn’t blasé about it”.

Marking his second appearance on a Stones record in the last few years after featuring on ‘Hackney Diamonds‘, McCartney told us it was “really exciting”, because he didn’t normally play “as a session guy”.

“It was really nice to just show up at a studio with your bass and just say, ‘Right, where do you want me?” he said. “You start playing, and they show you the song, and I start thinking, ‘I’m playing with the Stones!’

Read the original article here

The post “Hopefully it’s going to be as soon as possible” appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> DMX Gets His Own Street in Yonkers https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/dmx-gets-his-own-street-in-yonkers/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/dmx-gets-his-own-street-in-yonkers/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator DMX, Gets, His, Own, Street, Yonkers

It’s hard to overstate the contributions DMX, who died in 2021 at 50, made to New York hip-hop history during his lifetime. This week, the city recognized that impact by naming the corner of School Street and Brooke Street in Yonkers, where the MC was born and raised, “Earl DMX Simmons Way.”

Per the Yonkers Times, the Yonkers City Council voted without objection to move forward with the proposal on May 27, after a public hearing garnered support from members of the local community. Earl DMX Simmons Way will be located near the Calcagno Homes, the public housing complex where DMX grew up. It’s also situated near a large mural honoring the rapper, which New York artist Floyd Simmons painted in 2021.

The new street name is not the only memorial nod to DMX coming this year. Back in January, 50 Cent announced that he is launching a new podcast on the rapper’s life and legacy, Look Thru My Eyes: Becoming DMX. The series will be hosted by Jadakiss; an official release date has yet to be announced.

Read about DMX’s 1998 album It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot at No. 35 in The 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time.

Read the original article here

The post DMX Gets His Own Street in Yonkers appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> US-Mexico border: Underground tunnel found for drug, weapon smuggling https://fox5sandiego.com/news/border-report/us-mexico-border-underground-tunnel-found-for-drug-weapon-smuggling/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/border-report/us-mexico-border-underground-tunnel-found-for-drug-weapon-smuggling/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator US-Mexico, border:, Underground, tunnel, found, for, drug, weapon, smuggling Pedestrian on scooter injured in hit-and-run in College Area https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/pedestrian-on-scooter-injured-in-hit-and-run-in-college-area/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/pedestrian-on-scooter-injured-in-hit-and-run-in-college-area/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Pedestrian, scooter, injured, hit-and-run, College, Area Becerra campaign threatens lawsuit after Steyer drops new negative ad https://fox5sandiego.com/news/becerra-campaign-threatens-lawsuit-after-steyer-drops-new-negative-ad/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/becerra-campaign-threatens-lawsuit-after-steyer-drops-new-negative-ad/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Becerra, campaign, threatens, lawsuit, after, Steyer, drops, new, negative Vang hopes to advance in 7th Congressional District race against Matsui https://fox5sandiego.com/news/vang-hopes-to-advance-in-7th-congressional-district-race-against-matsui/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/vang-hopes-to-advance-in-7th-congressional-district-race-against-matsui/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Vang, hopes, advance, 7th, Congressional, District, race, against, Matsui SeaWorld San Diego mourns loss of 39-year-old dolphin Dottie https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/seaworld-san-diego-mourns-loss-of-39-year-old-dolphin-dottie/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/seaworld-san-diego-mourns-loss-of-39-year-old-dolphin-dottie/ Sun, 31 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator SeaWorld, San, Diego, mourns, loss, 39-year-old, dolphin, Dottie Leo XIV: Don’t water down Christianity https://catholics.news/leo-xiv-dont-water-down-christianity https://catholics.news/leo-xiv-dont-water-down-christianity Sat, 30 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Leo, XIV:, Don’t, water, down, Christianity Pope receives Ferrari Luce steering wheel — Italian brand’s first fully electric car https://catholics.news/pope-receives-ferrari-luce-steering-wheel-italian-brands-first-fully-electric-car https://catholics.news/pope-receives-ferrari-luce-steering-wheel-italian-brands-first-fully-electric-car Sat, 30 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, receives, Ferrari, Luce, steering, wheel, —, Italian, brand’s, first, fully, electric, car Can wars still be just? Pope Leo XIV addresses the issue in Magnifica Humanitas https://catholics.news/can-wars-still-be-just-pope-leo-xiv-addresses-the-issue-in-magnifica-humanitas https://catholics.news/can-wars-still-be-just-pope-leo-xiv-addresses-the-issue-in-magnifica-humanitas Sat, 30 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Can, wars, still, just, Pope, Leo, XIV, addresses, the, issue, Magnifica, Humanitas Pope Leo XIV to visit the Republic of San Marino on Aug. 22 https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-to-visit-the-republic-of-san-marino-on-aug-22 https://catholics.news/pope-leo-xiv-to-visit-the-republic-of-san-marino-on-aug-22 Sat, 30 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Pope, Leo, XIV, visit, the, Republic, San, Marino, Aug. CERN may have made a quark–gluon plasma by colliding which nuclei? – Physics World https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/cern-may-have-made-a-quark-gluon-plasma-by-colliding-which-nuclei-physics-world/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/cern-may-have-made-a-quark-gluon-plasma-by-colliding-which-nuclei-physics-world/ Sat, 30 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator CERN, may, have, made, quark–gluon, plasma, colliding, which, nuclei, –, Physics, World







Quiz of the week: CERN may have made a quark–gluon plasma by colliding which nuclei? – Physics World


















Skip to main content






Everyday science

Discover more from Physics World


Copyright © 2026 by IOP Publishing Ltd and individual contributors

Read the original article here

The post CERN may have made a quark–gluon plasma by colliding which nuclei? – Physics World appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> The best new science-fiction books of June 2026 include novels from Adrian Tchaikovsky and M. John Harrison https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-best-new-science-fiction-books-of-june-2026-include-novels-from-adrian-tchaikovsky-and-m-john-harrison/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-best-new-science-fiction-books-of-june-2026-include-novels-from-adrian-tchaikovsky-and-m-john-harrison/ Sat, 30 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The, best, new, science-fiction, books, June, 2026, include, novels, from, Adrian, Tchaikovsky, and, John, Harrison

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

A father mysteriously slips through time in Joseph Eckert’s The Traveler

Mikhail Rudenko / Alamy

Writing this as the UK swelters under an unprecedented May heatwave, perhaps it’s small wonder that so many science-fiction authors are currently imagining miserable versions of an overheated future in which their characters are struggling to survive. I’m intrigued by the sound of sci-fi legend M. John Harrison’s upcoming take on a dystopian future, but if post-apocalyptic hellscapes aren’t your thing, I’m also happy to report that there are other options for sci-fi fans this month. I’m already enjoying time-travel adventure The Traveler by Joseph Eckert. Next, I’m going to explore Isabel J. Kim’s sci-fi spin on immigration, Sublimation, as soon as I can get my hands on it. And then for a little light relief, I’m planning on lining up Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Green City Wars.

I am excited about this book: M. John Harrison is a really classy writer, winner of all sorts of awards, and his latest novel sounds right up my street. It’s set in a future years after an obscure “crisis” changed everything, in a world where the seas are full of new creatures. Phillip, who makes a living collecting objects that wash up on the tideline from the Channel, discovers a creature that keeps changing…

I started reading this over a weekend and it turned out to be exactly what I was in the mood for – a rip-roaring time-travel adventure with the love between a father and a son at its heart. It follows the story of Scott Treder, husband and father, who first “slips” on the way to work: one minute he’s in his car, the next he’s rolling down the road, his car gone – and it’s a day later. The slippages start at 7:52 am every morning and keep doubling in length until he’s hurtling through time, losing weeks, years, decades, as his son Lyle grows up before his eyes, and no one knows how to stop it. Lyle, though, is determined to catch the father who is leaving him behind.

This sounds really intriguing from the Nebula award-winning Isabel J. Kim. The conceit is this: when you emigrate, you leave a literal version of yourself behind. You can keep in touch with your original “instance”, in the hope of one day reintegrating; Soyoung Rose Kang, however, left home at 10 and hasn’t spoken to her other “instances” again. Now she’s living in New York, but when her grandfather dies, her Korean instance says she needs to come home for the funeral.

I’ve only just finished Adrian Tchaikovsky’s previous novel, March’s Children of Strife, and now sci-fi’s most prolific author has another book out. It does look fun, though – set in a solar-powered future, it sees humans living in luxury. It’s a luxury kept in place, however, by unseen “Little Helpers”: artificially enhanced animals who keep the green cities running and have one key rule: “do not bother the humans”. We follow freelance raccoon investigator Skotch, whose latest case is finding a fugitive mouse scientist – while also keeping that cardinal rule.

More post-apocalyptic survival here, but in the form of cosy romance. In this version of the future, Kayla lives in the wasteland of the Canadian Pacific Northwest. When her sister April falls ill, they trek to Salt Spring Island, which still has a hospital, but are unable to access its medical care. A panicking Kayla makes a deal with an aspiring politician, Sid, to save her sister – she’ll marry him to get her treatment. But real feelings start to emerge in this arranged marriage.

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Salt Spring Island – an apocalyptic setting for Emily Paxman

rgbstudio / Alamy

This novel sounds wild – but in a good way. Philip K. Dick award-winner Meg Elison imagines a world where some right-wing billionaires have decided to take control of the US by cloning the original Founding Fathers and raising them in secrecy, so they can restore the US to its “original glory” once they are adults. But then “Ben” (Franklin, I assume) discovers a smartphone in the “privy” of their isolated island plantation, and the young men decide to take their lives into their own hands.

The world of the future is (again) ravaged, and in Korea people escape their miserable real lives by using virtual reality headsets. High schooler Soop is bullied by her classmates because she is unable to access VR. She pins her hopes on meeting K-pop star Yichae, who is coming to film a music video at her school.

Schoolteacher Youngah lives her life according to everyone else’s rules but secretly hates it. So, she undertakes a four-week emotion-regulation programme. Once completed, she unleashes her unfiltered self on the world, throwing off the expectations that have always been imposed on her – and she loves it.

In a small feminist community on an isolated mountaintop, Mila is struggling to keep things from falling apart, while nearby an orchid endling is about to die. When the women of the community mysteriously become pregnant, and Mila gives birth to the only boy, their ideals are put to the test.

VALET by J.P. Lacrampe

Helper robot Cy isn’t delighted when he’s tasked with helping his owner’s 35-year-old son Grayson “get out of his funk”. But then Grayson discovers that his CEO sister, Charlotte, is planning to sell the family company to a tech conglomerate, and he decides to plot a corporate takeover. Cue a “mad-cap adventure”, which the publisher says is a “whimsically speculative ode to Wodehouse’s Jeeves and Wooster”.

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Mitch is stuck in a backwater moon base in The Disco At the End of the World

Peepo/Getty Images

It’s 1977 in an alternate US, one where the US launched its space program shortly after the second world war. Mitch joined the US Spaceguard because his lost love, Flynn, did; he’s been stuck in a backwater moon base ever since – until he’s dishonourably discharged and returned to the US. Then Flynn comes back, claiming to be the host for an emissary from a utopian alien civilization…

This is the sequel to Hamilton’s EXODUS: The Archimedes Engine, set in a far future where the human population has been reduced to little better than serfs by the Celestials. Can Finn and his allies finally throw off their shackles?

Defrosted by Cristina LePort

This high-concept medical thriller sees cryogenically preserved scientist Peter and his wife Monica wake up two centuries into the future. The world they discover is dystopian, with the devastating “mitocancer” a global threat.

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post The best new science-fiction books of June 2026 include novels from Adrian Tchaikovsky and M. John Harrison appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Lamine Yamal Shares Pictures Teasing The New Beats Headphones On The Way https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/lamine-yamal-shares-pictures-teasing-the-new-beats-headphones-on-the-way/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/lamine-yamal-shares-pictures-teasing-the-new-beats-headphones-on-the-way/ Sat, 30 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Lamine, Yamal, Shares, Pictures, Teasing, The, New, Beats, Headphones, The, Way

The Spanish soccer player posted a bunch of images featuring the mystery product.


Soccer player Lamine Yamal is pictured in a car wearing pink headphones around his neck
Lamine Yamal via Instagram

Beats has made a tradition of slipping unannounced products to famous athletes and letting a little mystery drive the hype train, and it’s just done it again with a pair of bubblegum pink (perhaps with a dash of lilac?) headphones. Spanish soccer player Lamine Yamal shared a series of pictures and a video on Instagram showing the headphones hanging from his bag and draped around his neck. 

It’s hard to tell for sure if they’re on-ear or over-ear, but they certainly appear to be a new design. We reached out to Beats and the company did not provide any information. The headphones sported by Yamal don’t have the flat headband we see on Beats’ current line, instead featuring a more rounded band design with a wider piece at the top that would sit snugly on the head. If you zoom in, they’re actually pretty different from anything we’ve seen from the company before. Consider us intrigued.

Read the original article here

The post Lamine Yamal Shares Pictures Teasing The New Beats Headphones On The Way appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> The radical left would rather see it die https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-radical-left-would-rather-see-it-die/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/the-radical-left-would-rather-see-it-die/ Sat, 30 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The, radical, left, would, rather, see, die

A US judge has ordered the removal of Donald Trump‘s name from the title of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, triggering a Truth Social tirade from the US President.

It comes after a turbulent year for the venue, which has seen a host of artists cancelling their performances and boycotting the arts centre after the board that presides over the building voted to rename it the Trump-Kennedy Center last December.

On Friday (May 29), a judge ruled that the Washington DC venue cannot be renamed without congressional approval, meaning Trump’s name must now be taken off the institution’s title, façade, and any other signage or official materials within 14 days.

Per BBC News, a spokesperson for the centre has said they would appeal the name-change order, while Trump posted on social media that he will “be working with Congress to transfer this failing Institution back to them”.

“Unless I am free to do what I do better than anyone else, bring this Institution back, physically, financially, and artistically, I have no interest in continuing what could only be a hopeless journey into ‘NEVER NEVER LAND’,” he wrote on Truth Social in a lengthy post last night.

The full title of the venue was set to be ‘The Donald J Trump and John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts’. However, under the District Judge ‌Christopher ⁠Cooper’s order, the name will revert back to the ‘John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts’, as it was named upon first opening 1971, in tribute to the assassinated President.

“The Kennedy Center’s organic statute makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board’s unilateral say-so,” Cooper, an Obama-era appointee – something Trump made note of in his social media rant – wrote of the decision.

“Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it.”

On Truth Social, Trump said that “Judge Cooper and the Radical Left would rather see it DIE than have President Trump transform it into something that everyone could be proud of”.

Last year, Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz joined the growing list of artists boycotting the venue, saying it no longer represented “the apolitical place for free artistic expression it was founded to be”.

Back in December, South Park writer Toby Morton revealed that he bought the Trump-Kennedy Center domain names months prior in order to troll the US President.

More recently, Milli Vanilli and The Commodores were reported to be among a slate of artists to have dropped out of Trump‘s Freedom 250 celebration at the Great American State Fair.

The event was announced earlier this week and is scheduled to take place at the National Mall in Washington DC between June 25 and July 10. Per an official listing, the “once-in-a-generation celebration” will “unite and showcase all 56 US states and territories in a single World’s Fair-scale event”.

With an initial line-up including the likes of Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli, Flo Rida, Poison frontman Bret Michaels, The Commodores, Young MC, Morris Day & The Time, C+C Music Factory and more, the event – much like the Kennedy Centre fiasco – has seen a host of artists drop out in protest of Trump’s actions.

Read the original article here

The post The radical left would rather see it die appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Nevada City Declares May 27 Joanna Newsom Day https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nevada-city-declares-may-27-joanna-newsom-day/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nevada-city-declares-may-27-joanna-newsom-day/ Sat, 30 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Nevada, City, Declares, May, Joanna, Newsom, Day

Joanna Newsom’s hometown of Nevada City has declared May 27 “Joanna Newsom Day.” On Wednesday, a City Council meeting was held at Nevada City’s City Hall where mayor Adam Kline, a longtime friend and early supporter of Newsom (who also plays in the band Golden Shoulders), made the announcement. He presented her with the honor, commending her contributions to the “cultural vitality” of the city.

Following the honor, Newsom gave an entertaining 15-minute acceptance speech, which she admitted she wrote at 2 a.m. (you can watch it at the 9:50 timestamp below). “Thank you so much Mayor Kline. This proclamation truly means more to me than a Grammy any other award could,” she said. “Nevada City, you’re so dear to me. Being formally recognized as your native daughter is one of the highest honors I could imagine.” She went on to speak about Kline’s early support of her demos, childhood memories in Nevada City, and in one hilarious stretch, the difference between a metaphor and a simile.

Joanna Newsom’s last album, Divers, was released in 2015. The singer-songwriter last performed a headline show in 2024, at the Hollywood Forever’s Masonic Lodge in Los Angeles.

Revisit the concert review Witnessing Joanna Newsom’s Surprise New Era.

Read the original article here

The post Nevada City Declares May 27 Joanna Newsom Day appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Pregnant Arizona teen killed in Bay Park shooting; boyfriend arrested https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/boyfriend-arrested-murder-bay-park/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/boyfriend-arrested-murder-bay-park/ Sat, 30 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Pregnant, Arizona, teen, killed, Bay, Park, shooting, boyfriend, arrested Rollover crash on I-8 near I-15 causes traffic disruption https://fox5sandiego.com/news/rollover-crash-i8-i15/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/rollover-crash-i8-i15/ Sat, 30 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Rollover, crash, I-8, near, I-15, causes, traffic, disruption More than 200 vote centers open across San Diego County ahead of primary election https://fox5sandiego.com/election/more-than-200-vote-centers-open-across-san-diego-county-ahead-of-primary-election/ https://fox5sandiego.com/election/more-than-200-vote-centers-open-across-san-diego-county-ahead-of-primary-election/ Sat, 30 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator More, than, 200, vote, centers, open, across, San, Diego, County, ahead, primary, election Carlsbad native joins the world's best longboarders https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/carlsbad-native-joins-the-worlds-best-longboarders/ https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/carlsbad-native-joins-the-worlds-best-longboarders/ Sat, 30 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Carlsbad, native, joins, the, worlds, best, longboarders Man killed in Escondido hit-and-run; police search for driver https://fox5sandiego.com/traffic/escondido-fatal-hit-and-run/ https://fox5sandiego.com/traffic/escondido-fatal-hit-and-run/ Sat, 30 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Man, killed, Escondido, hit-and-run, police, search, for, driver Master Your Image or Be Defined by It https://noubikko.net/noubi-says-issues-a-bold-message-master-your-image-or-be-defined-by-it https://noubikko.net/noubi-says-issues-a-bold-message-master-your-image-or-be-defined-by-it Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Master, Your, Image, Defined “The Art of Presence” — Interview Dressing as a Strategy for Success https://noubikko.net/the-art-of-presence-redefining-interview-dressing-as-a-strategy-for-success https://noubikko.net/the-art-of-presence-redefining-interview-dressing-as-a-strategy-for-success Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS “The, Art, Presence”, —, Interview, Dressing, Strategy, for, Success How To Dress With PURPOSE, POWER, AND INTENTION https://noubikko.net/a-call-to-dress-with-purpose-power-and-intention https://noubikko.net/a-call-to-dress-with-purpose-power-and-intention Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS How, Dress, With, PURPOSE, POWER, AND, INTENTION The Power of Personal Presentation in Everyday Life https://noubikko.net/the-message-of-clothing-emphasizes-the-power-of-personal-presentation-in-everyday-life https://noubikko.net/the-message-of-clothing-emphasizes-the-power-of-personal-presentation-in-everyday-life Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS The, Power, Personal, Presentation, Everyday, Life Feng Shui-Inspired Interiors Defined in Its Maximum Format https://noubikko.net/feng-shui-inspired-interiors-define-interiors-in-its-maximum-format https://noubikko.net/feng-shui-inspired-interiors-define-interiors-in-its-maximum-format Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Feng, Shui-Inspired, Interiors, Defined, Its, Maximum, Format Smart Luxury, Zen Peace, and Bold Beauty Come Alive https://noubikko.net/noubi-says-smart-luxury-zen-peace-and-bold-beauty-come-alive https://noubikko.net/noubi-says-smart-luxury-zen-peace-and-bold-beauty-come-alive Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Smart, Luxury, Zen, Peace, and, Bold, Beauty, Come, Alive Smarter, More Conscious Fashion Choices https://noubikko.net/on-buying-clothes-smarter-more-conscious-fashion-choices https://noubikko.net/on-buying-clothes-smarter-more-conscious-fashion-choices Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Smarter, More, Conscious, Fashion, Choices Where Fashion, Luxury, and Modern Interiors Become One https://noubikko.net/living-in-style-where-fashion-luxury-and-modern-interiors-become-one https://noubikko.net/living-in-style-where-fashion-luxury-and-modern-interiors-become-one Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Where, Fashion, Luxury, and, Modern, Interiors, Become, One Where Fashion, and Modern Interiors Become One https://noubikko.net/noubikko-interiors-redefines-living-in-style-where-fashion-and-modern-interiors-become-one https://noubikko.net/noubikko-interiors-redefines-living-in-style-where-fashion-and-modern-interiors-become-one Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Where, Fashion, and, Modern, Interiors, Become, One Your Exit Is Your Last Impression https://noubikko.net/the-truth-your-exit-is-your-last-impression https://noubikko.net/the-truth-your-exit-is-your-last-impression Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Your, Exit, Your, Last, Impression How Mature Men Can Look More Attractive Than Younger Men https://noubikko.net/how-mature-men-can-look-more-attractive-than-younger-men https://noubikko.net/how-mature-men-can-look-more-attractive-than-younger-men Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS How, Mature, Men, Can, Look, More, Attractive, Than, Younger, Men The Gentleman’s Travel Wardrobe https://noubikko.net/the-gentlemans-travel-wardrobe https://noubikko.net/the-gentlemans-travel-wardrobe Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS The, Gentleman’s, Travel, Wardrobe Why European Men Dress Differently https://noubikko.net/why-european-men-dress-differently https://noubikko.net/why-european-men-dress-differently Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Why, European, Men, Dress, Differently Why Simplicity Makes a Man Look Wealthier https://noubikko.net/why-simplicity-makes-a-man-look-wealthier https://noubikko.net/why-simplicity-makes-a-man-look-wealthier Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Why, Simplicity, Makes, Man, Look, Wealthier The Difference Between a Stylish Man and a Fashion Victim https://noubikko.net/the-difference-between-a-stylish-man-and-a-fashion-victim https://noubikko.net/the-difference-between-a-stylish-man-and-a-fashion-victim Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS The, Difference, Between, Stylish, Man, and, Fashion, Victim The First 7 Seconds: How Men Are Judged Before They Speak https://noubikko.net/the-first-7-seconds-how-men-are-judged-before-they-speak https://noubikko.net/the-first-7-seconds-how-men-are-judged-before-they-speak Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS The, First, Seconds:, How, Men, Are, Judged, Before, They, Speak The Gentleman’s Guide to Wearing White Without Looking Flashy https://noubikko.net/the-gentlemans-guide-to-wearing-white-without-looking-flashy https://noubikko.net/the-gentlemans-guide-to-wearing-white-without-looking-flashy Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS The, Gentleman’s, Guide, Wearing, White, Without, Looking, Flashy The Silent Power of a Well-Fitted Black Jacket https://noubikko.net/the-silent-power-of-a-well-fitted-black-jacket https://noubikko.net/the-silent-power-of-a-well-fitted-black-jacket Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS The, Silent, Power, Well-Fitted, Black, Jacket Tips of Executive on Vacation? Or Executive on Duty? https://noubikko.net/tips-of-executive-on-vacation-or-executive-on-duty https://noubikko.net/tips-of-executive-on-vacation-or-executive-on-duty Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Tips, Executive, Vacation, Executive, Duty Why Expensive Men Rarely Look Loud https://noubikko.net/why-expensive-men-rarely-look-loud https://noubikko.net/why-expensive-men-rarely-look-loud Sat, 30 May 2026 21:00:05 -0600 Noubikko from NOUBI SAYS Why, Expensive, Men, Rarely, Look, Loud Signify Philippines sees up to 12% growth in 2026 https://www.bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/05/29/753165/signify-philippines-sees-up-to-12-growth-in-2026/ https://www.bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/05/29/753165/signify-philippines-sees-up-to-12-growth-in-2026/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Signify, Philippines, sees, 12, growth, 2026 Signify Philippines, the local arm of one of the world’s leading lighting manufacturers, said it is expecting up to double-digit growth by year-end, driven mainly by stronger private-to-public partnerships (P2P) and growing demand from the manufacturing sector.

“We grew last year. We’re aiming for the same growth this year. We’re looking at maybe 8% to 12%,” Redin Aliling, commercial lead for professional business at Signify Philippines, said during a media roundtable lunch on Thursday.

The company has various ongoing lighting projects with the government, including partnerships with the local governments of Baguio, Ormoc, and Manila, as well as an ongoing railway project. These mainly cover solar lighting, street lighting, office lighting, and façade beautification, Mr. Aliling said.

He added that Signify has more P2P projects in the pipeline and is actively expanding partnerships with more local government units (LGUs) with strong financial capacity, as part of efforts to increase the government’s share in its total project portfolio from around 10% to up to 15%.

“We’re still low. That’s the area where we want to go. We can grow to around 15% yearly. Then I think we will call it an accomplishment,” Mr. Aliling said.

The manufacturing sector is also seen as a key growth driver for the company this year, citing its continued expansion.

“There’s a boom in manufacturing recently,” Mr. Aliling said. “Now, if manufacturing is growing, all industries associated with it will also have strong potential, such as warehousing and transportation. All related sectors will benefit from that.”

Signify Philippines’ growth is also expected to be supported by new technologies and products currently in development.

On a national scale, the Philippines’ LED (light-emitting diode) lighting market was valued at US$692.95 million in 2025 and is projected to reach US$2.415 billion by 2035, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 13.3%, according to global market research firm Claight.

It noted that the country’s growth will be driven by increased government infrastructure spending, declining LED hardware costs, rising commercial and residential retrofits, and the expansion of smart lighting deployments.

Despite an optimistic growth outlook, Mr. Aliling said that a lack of awareness regarding regulations and upfront costs for adopting more advanced lighting technologies remains a likely bottleneck to the company’s growth.

Signify Philippines is addressing this by continuing its education initiatives and engaging both public and private sector stakeholders on the importance of investing in more advanced and sustainable lighting technologies, he said. — Edg Adrian A. Eva

]]> Over 22k non-teaching posts eyed to ease teacher workload https://www.bworldonline.com/labor-and-management/2026/05/29/753168/over-22k-non-teaching-posts-eyed-to-ease-teacher-workload/ https://www.bworldonline.com/labor-and-management/2026/05/29/753168/over-22k-non-teaching-posts-eyed-to-ease-teacher-workload/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Over, 22k, non-teaching, posts, eyed, ease, teacher, workload The Department of Education (DepEd) said on Friday that over 22,000 new non-teaching positions will help ease teachers’ workload nationwide amid the nationwide rollout of the three-term calendar.

“We are thankful to President Marcos and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) because this is a big help in easing the administrative works of our teachers,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara said in Filipino in a news release.

“With these new positions, our teachers can better focus on teaching and improving the education quality of our country,” he added.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines earlier warned that teachers may be affected by the additional workload that comes with the implementation of the three-term calendar.

“This is not just about changing the calendar, we have seen a lot changes,” ACT Chairperson Ruby Bernardo said in Filipino during a House committee hearing.

She noted that the academic shift entails changes to the Budget of Work, the grading system, and school forms. “I know there are birth pains in all changes, but our teachers have always carried the burden of these changes. We need support from you, DepEd.”

The 22,268 new non-teaching posts approved by DBM will be distributed across various regions, allocating 6,000 School Principal I, 11,268 Administrative Officer II, and 5,000 Project Development Officer I positions at the elementary and secondary levels.

Regional offices will directly issue the corresponding Notice of Organization, Staffing, and Compensation Actions to expedite deployment.

“With this manpower boost, DepEd reinforces its commitment to fostering a more efficient and supportive environment for Filipino educators and learners alike,” the agency said in a news release.

The DBM also previously approved 32,916 new teaching positions for Kindergarten, Elementary, Junior High School (JHS), Senior High School (SHS), and the Alternative Learning System (ALS).

Teacher I positions will receive an allocation of 32,047; 369 to Teacher III positions as Special Science Teacher I; and 500 to Teacher IV positions for Special Needs Education (SNED).

Zamboanga Peninsula will receive the highest deployment allocation, with 3,361 posts, including 1,467 Teacher I positions for the Division of Sulu to bridge critical instructional gaps.

Central Luzon will also receive 2,722 items, followed by CALABARZON with 2,644, Central Visayas with 2,586, and Northern Mindanao with 2,541.

DepEd said the funding for these newly filled positions will be charged against the agency’s built-in appropriations under the FY 2026 General Appropriations Act.— Almira Louise S. Martinez

]]> April trade deficit nears 4-year high https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/29/753171/april-trade-deficit-nears-4-year-high/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/29/753171/april-trade-deficit-nears-4-year-high/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator April, trade, deficit, nears, 4-year, high THE COUNTRY’S goods trade deficit widened to its largest gap in nearly four years in April, driven by the Middle East conflict spillovers and weaker peso that made imports expensive.

Preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the country’s trade-in-goods deficit reached $5.97 billion in April, widening by almost half from the $3.98-billion gap in April last year. The gap also rose from the $5.03-billion deficit in March.

It was the largest trade deficit in almost four years or since the revised $5.99-billion gap in August 2022.

The country’s trade balance has been in deficit for more than a decade or since the $64.95-million surplus recorded in May 2015.

In a research note, Chinabank Research (Chinabank) said that the country’s trade performance “continued to reflect spillovers from the Middle East conflict, with elevated oil prices inflating the import bill, disrupting supply chains, and weighing on consumer sentiment.”

However, Chinabank noted that a potential easing in US–Iran tensions, which could likely to lower oil prices, along with weak domestic demand curbing imports, could narrow the trade gap later this year.

In April, US President Donald J. Trump began the month saying that his military forces will leave Iran “pretty quickly,” as he discussed the timeline for the conflict’s end, Reuters reported.

Two weeks into April, Iran ramped up control over the Strait of Hormuz — reverting its position to reopen the trade-concentrated waterway just a day earlier — citing the US blockade of imports as a violation of the ceasefire.

Mr. Trump closed the month “unhappy” with the latest negotiation development that month, as the Tehran-sent proposal did not delve into its nuclear program, the US president’s primary point of concern.

Cid L. Terosa, senior economist at the University of Asia and the Pacific, said that the import surge reflects a weaker peso which raised import costs.

“The weakening of the peso made imports expensive, undermining any increase in exports due to cheaper prices,” he said in an e-mail.

In April, the peso logged its worst finish that month at P61.567 against the dollar on April 29. The following day it touched the record weakest intraday low of P61.75. To date, the local currency’s record weakest close was at P61.75 per dollar on May 19.

Merchandise imports climbed by 22.4% year on year in April to $13.17 billion, a turnaround from the 2.4% drop in the same month last year. It was also faster than the 17% expansion in March.

April marked its third straight month of growth. It was the largest imports expansion in nearly four years or since the 26.4% surge recorded in August 2022.

On the other hand, total outbound sales of Philippine-made goods grew by 6.3% year on year in April to $7.21 billion, slower than the 7.6% increase in April 2025 and the 20.8% expansion a month earlier.

The value of export sales in April was the lowest in three months or since the $7.14 billion in January.

April saw the weakest export growth in eight months or since the 5.5% gain in August 2025.

In the January to April period, the trade-in-goods deficit widened to $19.28 billion from the $16.44-billion gap in the same period last year.

Exports expanded by 11.2% to $29.93 billion in the first four months of 2026, while imports jumped by 13.5% to $49.22 billion.

That month, the country surpassed the 2% growth targets for both imports and exports set by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) this year.

For Miguel Chanco, chief emerging Asia economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, the outperformance of import growth over exports has been driven by higher commodity prices, particularly imports of commodities, minerals and fuels, as well as raw materials and intermediate goods.

“The concerning thing is that this is masking quite a big deterioration in ‘real’ import demand, with capital and consumer goods import growth weakening further last month,” he said in an e-mail.

PSA data showed that imports of raw materials and intermediate goods for that month jumped by 31.1% to $5.03 billion. These accounted for 38.2% of the country’s total imports in April.

Capital goods grew by 8.2% to $3.68 billion and accounted for 27.9% of the country’s total import bill.

Imports of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials jumped by 105.6% year on year to $2.55 billion.

Mr. Terosa said that mineral fuel import significantly contributed to the import bill that month as “the Middle East crisis raised their prices as demand for them surged amidst limited supply.”

Meanwhile, the imports of consumer goods declined by 16.7% to $1.88 billion in April, in which Chinabank said elevated fuel costs tightened household spending, especially for non-essentials.

“With consumption — the main engine of economic growth — still weak, we could continue to see soft GDP (gross domestic product) print for this quarter,” Chinabank said.

In April, China was the top source of imported goods with a 29.7% share worth $3.92 billion. It was followed by South Korea with $1.55 billion (11.8% share) and Japan with $4.03 billion (7.3% share).

Electronic products, which cornered 47.7% of the total exports, grew by 1.2% year on year to $3.44 billion in April.

Semiconductors, which accounted for the bulk of electronic products and 33.8% of the total exports, declined by 4.7% year on year to $2.43 billion.

“Semiconductor exports, the country’s largest segment, contracted after 11 months of strong growth, likely manifesting the impact of previous reports of order cancelations due to air cargo disruptions caused by elevated jet fuel prices,” Chinabank said.

It added that decline likely reflected supply chain disruptions for specialty gases and petrochemical inputs, which have slowed production.

The United States was the main destination of locally made goods in April as exports to the country amounted to $1.30 billion, accounting for 18% share of the total outbound goods.

It was followed by China with $926.66 million (12.9% share), Japan with $914.64 million (12.7% share), Hong Kong with $914.59 million (12.7% share) and Singapore with $332.75 million (4.6% share).

For Mr. Chanco, ease in export growth may be attributed to the unwinding favorable base effects as exports have been losing momentum caused mainly by demand from Hong Kong weakening quite substantially albeit from what was a relatively strong start to the year.

OUTLOOK
Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Jr., president of Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc., said that the country’s trade performance may remain within manageable levels barring any shocks and sudden disruptions in the Middle East conflict.

For Mr. Terosa, the remaining months of the second quarter will be the most challenging for the country’s trade performance as high oil prices, inflating food imports, and rate hikes loom.

He added that for the second half of the year, the country’s trade performance will depend on the developments surrounding the Middle East crisis.

“If the crisis ends or is tamed, the second semester could be a pivot point. If the crisis continues, the second semester will witness a more urgent defensive posture for trade,” Mr. Terosa said.

He cautioned that meeting the DBCC’s 2% growth targets for imports and exports in 2026 may be difficult if the conflict rages on.

“The government can de-risk imports by diversifying sources of oil and petroleum products and set up import financing or foreign exchange risk programs for major exports and imports,” he said.

He also noted that the country may take advantage of global product trends in electronic vehicles and batteries by empowering mineral exports.

For Mr. Chanco, import growth will likely continue running faster than exports due to the lift from commodity prices, which may exert more downward pressure on the peso.

He said that exports, on the other hand, have lost some momentum lately and leading indicators are deteriorating.

“This suggests to us that this quarter and next, at the very least, will be very challenging, given the indirect impact of the war on global trade,” he added. — Matthew Miguel L. Castillo

]]> Xiaomi 17T review: great Leica cameras in a compact package https://www.bworldonline.com/technology/2026/05/29/753139/xiaomi-17t-review-great-leica-cameras-in-a-compact-package/ https://www.bworldonline.com/technology/2026/05/29/753139/xiaomi-17t-review-great-leica-cameras-in-a-compact-package/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:03:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Xiaomi, 17T, review:, great, Leica, cameras, compact, package By Bettina V. Roc, Associate Editor

GLOBAL TECH BRAND Xiaomi just unveiled its Xiaomi 17T Series phones, the 17T and 17T Pro, updating its T Series line after less than a year. The series sits in that middle ground between midrange and high-end flagships, promising strong performance at a relatively accessible price point.

And the base model Xiaomi 17T, which we’ve been testing for a few weeks now, encapsulates that philosophy perfectly. Call it what you will: premium midrange, almost flagship, flagship killer. With the global memory chip crunch already driving up device prices (and expected to continue doing so within the next year or so), the Xiaomi 17T hits that sweet spot between price and performance.

CAMERA SYSTEM

First is the Xiaomi 17T Series’ key selling point: the triple camera system co-engineered with Leica Camera AG. The two brands’ long-running imaging partnership has entered its fifth year, and for this T Series refresh, they brought Leica’s 5x telephoto camera to all models in the lineup.

Aside from the 50-megapixel Leica 5x periscope telephoto lens with telemacro capabilities, rounding out the triple rear camera array are the 50MP main lens and a 12MP ultra-wide camera.

Even as someone who loves cameras, I prefer testing smartphones using basic shooting modes as this lets me assess ease of use. Smartphones positioned as imaging-first devices should not need extensive tinkering with settings to show what they’re made of.

The Xiaomi 17T does just that and more. The main camera is a 50MP lens with a Light Fusion 800 image sensor, and is great for all-around, point-and-shoot photography. It captures great and crisp detail, especially during daytime and in good lighting, and the phone renders colors well — just enough contrast for that pop without feeling artificial. The built-in Leica color modes, Leica Vibrant and Leica Authentic, also bring that distinct aesthetic to shots.

Leica Live Moment, a feature introduced in this series, is a great addition, bringing stills to motion without sacrificing image quality.

Where this phone really shines is the 50MP Leica 5x telephoto camera. Few phones at this price range offer 5x optical zoom, and with the rapid development of smartphone imaging technology, I personally feel that the ability to zoom in without having to sacrifice quality becoming more of a must-have and less of a nice-to-have.

Using the 5x periscope telephoto, the Xiaomi 17T shoots photos with stellar clarity and minimal vignetting. The telemacro lens delivers excellent subject-background separation for those who want that bokeh but can also capably handle deeper depth of field. Optical image stabilization also helps with the usual shake when shooting telephoto. These are true even up to 10x digital zoom, but beyond that, details understandably soften.

For all three rear lenses, there is a bit of drop-off when shooting in low light or less ideal conditions, especially when snapping moving subjects. The phone’s imaging technology compensates for these by smoothing out textures, but I saw noticed chromatic aberration at times when I channeled my inner pixel peeper (which one really shouldn’t do with phones, but I digress).

Those who want to maximize these Leica cameras can also shoot with Pro Mode, which offers extensive setting controls. The Camera app also has various Scene shooting modes like Stage and Silhouette with tuned settings.

BATTERY AND PERFORMANCE

The Xiaomi 17T sports 6,500mAh silicon-carbon battery that supports 67-watt HyperCharge wired charging. The adapter is included in-box and can get the phone to a full charge in less than an hour.

Battery life is excellent on this phone. Even while trying out the camera and using mobile data to watch videos, doomscroll, and for some light gaming, it has enough juice for a day and more. With usual use, I suspect that you’d be able to squeeze out more than 24 hours’ worth of power if you aren’t really trying to get these batteries to run out like I was during testing.

The phone’s MediaTek Dimensity 8500-Ultra chip coupled with the 12GB RAM make for a very smooth and speedy performance. It’s able to handle multitasking well, including light gaming. It also doesn’t heat up that much (yes, even in this weather).

It runs on HyperOS 3 based on Android 16 with Google Gemini and their Circle to Search feature, and also comes with other AI features.

Bloatware is also minimal — and that’s always a plus in my book.

DISPLAY AND BUILD

For the first time in the T Series, Xiaomi is offering two phone sizes. The base model Xiaomi 17T is the compact version and comes with a 6.59-inch AMOLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

With 3,500 nits peak brightness, HDR10+ Dolby Vision, and DCI-P3 color gamut, the screen offers vibrant and sharp details with accurate color rendition, even under bright daylight. Navigating between apps and through menus is smooth and snappy, even if not all apps support 120Hz.

The Xiaomi 17T also features eye-care technology via the Xiaomi Eye Care Shield with various TÜV Rheinland certifications, making the user experience (literally) easy on the eyes.

The phone itself is very easy on the eyes. The test unit came in the Violet colorway, which to me leans more toward lilac. It features a smooth, matte finish and thin bezels.

It also weighs just 200 grams and is 8.17-millimeter thin without a case, making it easy to hold with just one hand, and slip into pockets or most reasonable bag sizes. The in-hand feel is great — just enough weight for stability, but light enough to minimize strain. With the smooth frame, it can get a bit slippery, but the slightly rounded edges help with the grip.

The Xiaomi 17T still comes with the square camera island in the top-left corner, which protrudes a little when used without a case.

The stereo speakers’ placement helps with the audio quality on this phone. It delivers punchy and clear sound, even with the volume turned up.

So, should you buy the Xiaomi 17T? Priced at P33,999 for the 12GB+256GB variant and at P37,999 for the 12GB+512GB model, this is a smartphone worth looking into if you’re looking for a device with stellar cameras, strong performance, and large battery life. It can hold its own even against higher-end, more expensive flagships, delivering great value for money.

The Xiaomi 17T is now available in the Philippines, with the brand offering various promos and deals.

]]> Aim high but don’t shoot for the moon, mathematicians advise https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/aim-high-but-dont-shoot-for-the-moon-mathematicians-advise/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/aim-high-but-dont-shoot-for-the-moon-mathematicians-advise/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Aim, high, but, don’t, shoot, for, the, moon, mathematicians, advise

Setting your sights high can lead to bigger rewards – up to a point

Buena Vista Images/Getty Images

Shoot for the moon and even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars, so the saying goes. But shooting straight for the stars instead might actually be the more effective option, according to mathematicians.

In life, people tend to try to be ambitious, yet not overly so, when it comes to pursuing their objectives, such as landing a better job, finding an appropriate partner or achieving political goals.

However, quantifying this balance hasn’t been studied in detail, and much research has focused on when people stop looking too soon and aren’t ambitious enough, says Thomas Hills at the University of Warwick, UK.

Now, using mathematical models, Matt Burgess at the University of Wyoming and his colleagues have found that the best outcomes for uncertain scenarios typically come from aiming high, but not unrealistically so. “You can prove that the optimal ambition is strictly above average and strictly finite, meaning above average but you don’t shoot for the moon,” says Burgess.

He and his team first came up with a statistical model for how a person might weigh up different outcomes, varying their willingness to settle for more or less ambitious results. From this, they derived a formula for the overall reward someone might receive according to their satisfaction threshold.

Then they tested this model with random potential outcomes and varied how they might appear, such as how many outcomes a person has to choose between in a set period of time, how many bad outcomes compared with good outcomes there were, or how much time and effort it took to choose a particular outcome.

After running thousands of simulations and comparing the results to real-world datasets, such as university applications and US election polls, Burgess and his team found that the optimal outcomes indeed came when people aimed above the average reward, but not near the maximum.

This wasn’t surprising given the common wisdom that people tend to follow, says Burgess, but the team was surprised to find that this picture changes when scenarios are biased towards one very bad or good outcome.

Typically, if most outcomes are mediocre but one is extremely bad, such as a recession once every 10 years, the common wisdom is to be cautious. But Burgess and his team found that the best approach is actually to be more ambitious than you would be if the rewards were more even. “We find, compared to the average, you want to be a little bit more ambitious [in these scenarios], because you don’t want to be thrown off by these bad years dragging the average down.”

Similarly, when one outcome is extremely good, such as a start-up making $1 billion or nothing, you should be a little less ambitious than average. “It’s actually initially so counterintuitive that when my colleagues showed me the result, I thought that they had made a mistake,” says Burgess.

Hills, who wasn’t involved in the study, points out that people might have different ideas on how they balance risk and reward. “Some people may prefer to have a stable income rather than an ‘optimal’ but potentially riskier income, for example,” he says. “Moreover, some environments are winner-takes-all environments, where social comparisons are more important, and in those cases risk-seeking ambition may be more appropriate.”

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post Aim high but don’t shoot for the moon, mathematicians advise appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Space Force awards SpaceX $4.16 billion to build satellite network for airborne target tracking https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/space-force-awards-spacex-4-16-billion-to-build-satellite-network-for-airborne-target-tracking/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/space-force-awards-spacex-4-16-billion-to-build-satellite-network-for-airborne-target-tracking/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Space, Force, awards, SpaceX, 4.16, billion, build, satellite, network, for, airborne, target, tracking

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force awarded SpaceX a $4.16 billion contract to build a constellation of satellites designed to track airborne targets from orbit, marking one of the Pentagon’s biggest bets yet on shifting battlefield surveillance missions from aircraft to space.

The agreement, announced May 29, covers the first increment of a space-based Air Moving Target Indicator, or AMTI, network. The program is intended to detect, track and maintain custody of airborne targets including fighter aircraft, bombers, cruise missiles and potentially hypersonic weapons.

The Space Systems Command said the award, issued through an Other Transaction Authority agreement, is intended to accelerate deployment of a space-based sensing layer capable of tracking airborne threats on a global basis.

The contract represents a significant step in a broader Pentagon effort to move military sensing functions traditionally performed by aircraft into proliferated satellite constellations. Military officials argue that satellites can provide broader coverage and greater survivability as adversaries field sophisticated anti-access and area-denial capabilities.

The Space Force has not disclosed how many satellites SpaceX will build, but officials have said the architecture will consist of a proliferated constellation in low Earth orbit.

According to the Space Systems Command, the initial award is expected to field a satellite constellation by 2028 and provide the military with an early operational capability.

The award comes days after the Space Force selected SpaceX for a separate $2.29 billion contract to build the Space Data Network backbone, a mesh communications constellation intended to move data across military satellite networks. Together, the awards give SpaceX a central role in two key elements of the Pentagon’s emerging space architecture: sensing and communications.

Although the Air Force is not preparing to retire its airborne surveillance fleets, military officials increasingly view space-based systems as a necessary complement to aircraft such as the E-3 AWACS and E-7 Wedgetail.

“The long-standing method of military airborne platforms to track moving targets faces continued challenges as adversaries develop increasingly sophisticated anti-access, area-denial systems,” the Space Systems Command said. “To complement traditional airborne sensing, the requirement for a layered, highly resilient tracking architecture is evident.”

The AMTI effort is intended to provide that additional layer. The system would combine satellites, communications links and ground infrastructure into a network capable of tracking airborne targets from orbit.

Col. Ryan Frazier, the acting Space Force portfolio acquisition executive for space-based sensing and targeting, said development and integration work would begin immediately in order to meet aggressive deployment timelines.

The Space Force has emphasized that SpaceX will not be the sole supplier. Frazier said the service has established a pool of vendors eligible to compete for future Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity procurements supporting the AMTI architecture.

“We will not leverage any one single provider,” Frazier said. Instead, the service plans to draw on a mix of traditional defense contractors and newer commercial space companies.

While SpaceX is currently the only publicly identified AMTI contractor, Frazier said the company’s award establishes an initial capability and that additional awards are expected over the next year as the Space Force expands the architecture.

The satellites are expected to be built using SpaceX’s Starshield platform, the government-focused variant of its Starlink broadband network. Starshield systems are designed specifically for national security missions and are operated by the U.S. government.

The Defense Department’s fiscal 2027 budget proposal seeks $7.1 billion for AMTI. Budget documents describe the effort as a high-band radar system intended to detect and track airborne targets while expanding coverage from regional areas toward a global capability.

Read the original article here

The post Space Force awards SpaceX $4.16 billion to build satellite network for airborne target tracking appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Fable Dodges GTA VI With Another Delay https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/fable-dodges-gta-vi-with-another-delay/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/fable-dodges-gta-vi-with-another-delay/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Fable, Dodges, GTA, With, Another, Delay

The reboot of the classic Xbox series is now coming out in February 2027.

Fable, a reboot of the Xbox fantasy RPG series developed by Playground Games, has been delayed. The game’s release date is shifting from fall 2026 to February 2027 “so it can have the dedicated moment it deserves,” according to a post from Xbox on X. The new release date will give developers more time to polish the game before it comes out, while also moving it out of the blast radius of Grand Theft Auto VI, which is scheduled for release on November 19.

This isn’t the first time the reboot has been delayed, and as Microsoft notes in its announcement post, the back half of the year is particularly stacked with big releases like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Control Resonant and the aforementioned Grand Theft Auto VI. Moving to 2027 rather than duking it out with those more hotly anticipated titles could give Fable more time to shine. It does make a long development cycle even longer than it was before, though. The Fable reboot was originally announced in 2020, and Microsoft didn’t share proper gameplay footage of the game until January of this year. That means from announcement to release, Fable will have taken seven years to make, and that’s likely not taking into account work that went into the project ahead of its original announcement.

During its earlier 2026 showcase, Microsoft demoed Fable‘s detailed character creator and ambitious approach to simulating NPCs. The company also shared that the game would be available on PlayStation 5, alongside Xbox Series X/S, PC via Steam and Xbox and Game Pass Ultimate. While Fable won’t be available this year, Microsoft says it will show off “a major new look“ at the game during its Xbox Games Showcase on June 7.

Read the original article here

The post Fable Dodges GTA VI With Another Delay appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> “How fucking dare he punch down? Where the fuck is he frequenting?” https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/how-fucking-dare-he-punch-down-where-the-fuck-is-he-frequenting/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/how-fucking-dare-he-punch-down-where-the-fuck-is-he-frequenting/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator “How, fucking, dare, punch, down, Where, the, fuck, frequenting”

Becky Hill has spoken to NME about Jack Whitehall calling her ‘Wetherspoons Whitney’ at last year’s BRIT Awards, asking: “How fucking dare he punch down?”

The incident happened last year when the comedian and actor took aim at the singer while hosting the 2025 BRIT Awards – calling her ‘Wetherspoons Whitney’ and insinuating that she was less well off because of her Midlands accent.

At the time, Hill hit back, sharing a post on Instagram that highlighted how many of the night’s winners had come from highly privileged backgrounds.

Her post pointed out that Charli XCX – who won five awards that night – attended the £38,319-a-year Bishop’s Stortford College, A.G. Cook went to the £27,747-a-year King Alfred’s School and The Last Dinner Party were alumni of Bedales, which costs £52,075 a year. It also shared that Whitehall was educated at the £52,000-a-year The Dragon School in Oxford.

“Imagine being called a ‘Wetherspoons Whitney’ by some privately educated nepo baby,” she wrote.

“My parents worked so hard to provide a middle class life for me, even tho they couldn’t afford it, no one gave me a leg up, I wasn’t near London so I couldn’t go to the BRIT School. So if you associate a Midlands accent with a Wetherspoons that says more about the silver spoon in your mouth jolly ol’ boy.”

Becky Hill's Instagram story
Becky Hill’s Instagram story criticising Jack Whitehall. Credit: Instagram

Now, speaking to NME this week about her upcoming third album ‘Rebecca’, Hill spoke about her intense new single ‘More! More! More!’, and revealed that it was inspired by the frustration of seeing working class people being “trodden on”.

After explaining that the song was inspired by that feeling of self-sacrifice that came with trying to make her career take off, Hill explained what she hopes the song will mean to listeners.

“I do think that grind is something a lot of people are struggling with, especially in this cost of living crisis. People are pushing themselves to the limit in fear that they aren’t going to be able to feed their family, keep the lights on or support themselves,” she said. “A lot of us feel trodden on, and we accept it.”

“There’s a lot of that on the album,” she added, going on to say that there is a song called ‘Daddy Range Rover’ that also tackles the same topic. “That song is about the ‘Wetherspoons Whitney’ thing because how fucking dare [Whitehall] punch down.”

“I’ll take the Whitney [comparison]. I’ll take ‘landfill Whitney’, but how fucking dare he punch down and call me a Wetherspoons Whitney, because where the fuck is he frequenting?” she continued.

“I was always brought up middle class. My parents pretended we were middle class, we couldn’t afford the middle class lifestyle, and both of them… my dad, in particular, was brought up working class, and I definitely have that mentality.”

Hill’s new album is set to arrive on September 25, and will see her embrace a new “punk” energy as well as make nods to Blur and The Prodigy. Visit here to pre-order

“This album has definitely got something to fucking say for itself,” told NME in that same interview, also adding that the songs tackle themes of self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and pressure she felt from the music industry.

Among the live shows Hill has lined-up for this summer is a slot at the top of the bill for the new Everywhere At Once festival, which has been made by Music Venue Trust and The National Lottery, and will see artists perform at grassroots venues across the UK.

Joining Hill on the line-up is The Lathums and Tinie Tempah, and the event is being spearheaded by Music Venue Trust, Save Our Scene and Association of Independent Promoters. Visit here for tickets and more information.

Read the original article here

The post “How fucking dare he punch down? Where the fuck is he frequenting?” appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> DJ Screw’s Catalog Is Coming to Streaming for the First Time https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/dj-screws-catalog-is-coming-to-streaming-for-the-first-time/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/dj-screws-catalog-is-coming-to-streaming-for-the-first-time/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:02:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Screw’s, Catalog, Coming, Streaming, for, the, First, Time

DJ Screw’s catalog is finally making it to streaming platforms this month. Starting today with the digital release of the 56-minute DJ Screw Originals (Volume 1), the DJ Screw Estate will roll out the Houston legend’s classic mixtapes weekly through the end of June. Listen to DJ Screw Originals (Volume 1) below.

Up until now, the chopped and screwed pioneer’s music was only available via physical CDs and YouTube uploads from fans. “This is for the fans who’ve always known and for those discovering him now,” the DJ Screw Estate said in a statement to Complex. “From a local legend to a global icon, his catalogue will now be accessible everywhere keeping his legacy alive one stream at a time.”

DJ Screw helped define Houston’s music scene in the ’90s, when he developed a syrupy, glitchy sound by slowing down hip-hop songs on his turntables. At 29 years old, he passed away in 2000 from a codeine overdose.

Read more about DJ Screw in the Pitchfork feature 100 Best Rap Albums Of All Time.

Read the original article here

The post DJ Screw’s Catalog Is Coming to Streaming for the First Time appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> 4th Annual National City Fire Tower Egg Drop Challenge https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/national-city/fire-tower-egg-drop-challenge/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/national-city/fire-tower-egg-drop-challenge/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator 4th, Annual, National, City, Fire, Tower, Egg, Drop, Challenge San Diego teen organizes Eid goodie bags for children after Mosque tragedy https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-teen-eids-goodie-bags/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-teen-eids-goodie-bags/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, teen, organizes, Eid, goodie, bags, for, children, after, Mosque, tragedy Scam warning involving fake law enforcement mailers https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/fallbrook-deputy-scam-warning/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/fallbrook-deputy-scam-warning/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Scam, warning, involving, fake, law, enforcement, mailers Over 80 citations issued in Escondido during distracted driving enforcement operation https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/escondido/distracted-driving-citations-escondido/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/escondido/distracted-driving-citations-escondido/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Over, citations, issued, Escondido, during, distracted, driving, enforcement, operation Crash on El Monte Road claims life of 71-year-old man from Lakeside https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/lakeside-man-dies-tree-crash/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/lakeside-man-dies-tree-crash/ Fri, 29 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Crash, Monte, Road, claims, life, 71-year-old, man, from, Lakeside Vance invokes Pope Leo on AI and warfare in Air Force Academy graduation address https://catholics.news/vance-invokes-pope-leo-on-ai-and-warfare-in-air-force-academy-graduation-address https://catholics.news/vance-invokes-pope-leo-on-ai-and-warfare-in-air-force-academy-graduation-address Fri, 29 May 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Vance, invokes, Pope, Leo, and, warfare, Air, Force, Academy, graduation, address Meet the Silicon Valley priest advising tech companies on artificial intelligence ethics https://catholics.news/meet-the-silicon-valley-priest-advising-tech-companies-on-artificial-intelligence-ethics https://catholics.news/meet-the-silicon-valley-priest-advising-tech-companies-on-artificial-intelligence-ethics Fri, 29 May 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Meet, the, Silicon, Valley, priest, advising, tech, companies, artificial, intelligence, ethics Lawmakers back US bishops’ bid to block abortion from pregnant worker protection rules https://catholics.news/lawmakers-back-us-bishops-bid-to-block-abortion-from-pregnant-worker-protection-rules https://catholics.news/lawmakers-back-us-bishops-bid-to-block-abortion-from-pregnant-worker-protection-rules Fri, 29 May 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Lawmakers, back, bishops’, bid, block, abortion, from, pregnant, worker, protection, rules Peru: Church asks forgiveness to victims of suppressed lay movement https://catholics.news/peru-church-asks-forgiveness-to-victims-of-suppressed-lay-movement https://catholics.news/peru-church-asks-forgiveness-to-victims-of-suppressed-lay-movement Fri, 29 May 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Peru:, Church, asks, forgiveness, victims, suppressed, lay, movement Relics of sister to whom Jesus appeared, showing his Sacred Heart, will come to the U.S. in June https://catholics.news/relics-of-sister-to-whom-jesus-appeared-showing-his-sacred-heart-will-come-to-the-us-in-june https://catholics.news/relics-of-sister-to-whom-jesus-appeared-showing-his-sacred-heart-will-come-to-the-us-in-june Fri, 29 May 2026 21:00:04 -0600 Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Moderator Relics, sister, whom, Jesus, appeared, showing, his, Sacred, Heart, will, come, the, U.S., June Upscaling of DMCI Homes’ Acacia Estates starts with Town Center Redevelopment https://www.bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/05/29/753070/upscaling-of-dmci-homes-acacia-estates-starts-with-town-center-redevelopment/ https://www.bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/05/29/753070/upscaling-of-dmci-homes-acacia-estates-starts-with-town-center-redevelopment/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:39:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Upscaling, DMCI, Homes’, Acacia, Estates, starts, with, Town, Center, Redevelopment Residents of Acacia Estates in Taguig City will soon see the start of major enhancements as the township begins the first phase of a comprehensive upscaling project aimed at revitalizing the Town Center and improving everyday convenience within the community.

Long known for its distinctly suburban character defined by tree-lined roads, expansive open spaces, and accessible daily essentials, Acacia Estates is now entering a new stage of growth with the introduction of additional commercial, recreational, and community spaces.

These planned enhancements form part of DMCI Homes’ continuing efforts to strengthen the township’s functionality while supporting its long-term value.

At the center of this initiative is the upscaling of the Town Center at Acacia Estates, which will introduce new destinations for shopping, recreation, and community gatherings. The project, which includes the construction of a new supermarket, is designed to create more spaces where residents can connect while making daily routines more convenient.

The upscaling works will be carried out in three phases, with development slated to be in full swing by 2028. The new supermarket is currently projected within a 2030 timeframe, subject to planning and regulatory approvals.

Here’s what residents can look forward to from the Town Center Redevelopment.

The commercial strip will feature cafés and dining spots designed for relaxed meals and easy neighborhood meetups. (Artist’s Illustration)

The first phase of the Town Center Redevelopment will focus on preparing the site for new developments. This includes the dismantling of The Tent and the existing Commercial Promenade to make way for the construction of a new supermarket and modernized commercial spaces that will anchor the revitalized Town Center.

More Commercial Spaces

Beyond the new supermarket, residents will enjoy added convenience at the upgraded commercial strip—a curated row of shops and services tailored to everyday needs. From quick errands to casual meetups, this refreshed retail zone brings essential destinations within easy reach.

Al-Fresco Dining Spaces

Open-air dining areas surrounded by landscaped greenery will add energy and vibrancy to the Town Center. These spaces create opportunities for casual meals, family celebrations, or simply unwinding after a long day in a relaxed outdoor setting.

The commercial strip is envisioned amid lush surroundings, bringing a tranquil feel to everyday experiences.
(Artist’s Illustration)

Central Plaza and Activity Park

At the center of the development, the planned Central Plaza will serve as a dynamic gathering space for community events, seasonal celebrations, and everyday interactions. Designed to become a natural meeting point, it will encourage stronger connections and shared experiences among residents.

Nearby, the Activity Park will provide dedicated spaces for recreation and organized programs, supporting active lifestyles and meaningful engagement across all age groups.

A Township That Grows With Its Residents

Since its establishment in 2007, Acacia Estates has grown into a thriving 130-hectare community home to around 25,000 residents.

With over 63 hectares of undeveloped land—more than 30 hectares being considered for future projects and the remaining area envisioned for shared community spaces—the township is well-positioned for sustained, carefully planned growth.

Notably, approximately 60 percent of the estate is dedicated to open and green spaces, preserving the signature suburban character that residents value.

The Acacia Estates upscaling project demonstrates a long-term commitment to enhancing everyday living—bringing together upgraded amenities, accessible outdoor spaces, and thoughtfully planned residential developments.

Through these enhancements, Acacia Estates continues to evolve into a township where convenience, wellness, and community come together, creating a living environment that truly grows with its residents.

DMCI Homes is the country’s first Quadruple A real estate developer, with projects in Mega Manila, Baguio City, Tuba in Benguet, San Juan in  Batangas, Boracay, Cebu City, and Davao City. Each of its properties is built with world-standard craftsmanship borne from D.M. Consunji Inc.’s over 70 years of expertise in the construction and development industry.

To learn more about DMCI Homes’ pre-selling and ready for occupancy projects, units for lease, and special promos, call (632) 5324-8888. You can also visit leasing.dmcihomes.com to know more about opportunities in leasing and rent-to-own programs of DMCI Homes. News and other updates are also posted on the company’s official website and social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.

]]> Xiaomi 17T Series phones with Leica telephoto lens now available in the Philippines https://www.bworldonline.com/technology/2026/05/29/753075/xiaomi-17t-series-phones-with-leica-telephoto-lens-now-available-in-the-philippines/ https://www.bworldonline.com/technology/2026/05/29/753075/xiaomi-17t-series-phones-with-leica-telephoto-lens-now-available-in-the-philippines/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:35:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Xiaomi, 17T, Series, phones, with, Leica, telephoto, lens, now, available, the, Philippines XIAOMI Corp. on May 29 (Friday) launched its latest T Series smartphones in the Philippines, the Xiaomi 17T and the Xiaomi 17T Pro, which both feature a Leica 5x telephoto camera and better battery life.

The phones were unveiled globally on May 28. For the first time in the T Series, which is the brand’s accessible flagship lineup, the Xiaomi 17T Series phones come in dual sizes meant to cater to different consumer preferences.

Those who want a more compact device can go for the base model Xiaomi 17T, which has a 6.59-inch AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 17T Pro has a bigger 6.83-inch screen size with up to 144Hz refresh rate.

The new smartphones are marketed as imaging flagship devices for modern users as they combine Leica’s optics with Xiaomi’s imaging technology. Both have a triple rear camera system tuned by Leica with a 50-megapixel (MP) main lens, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 50MP 5x telephoto lens.

“Inside lies an ultra-large 1/1.31-inch sensor in Xiaomi 17T Pro and a 1/1.55-inch sensor in Xiaomi 17T. Both combine Leica UltraPure optical design with a 1G + 6P hybrid Leica Summilux lens structure, renowned for rendering fine detail with exceptional clarity. The large aperture across the series delivers superior dynamic range and beautifully rendered depth of field,” the brand said.

“For the first time, Xiaomi 17T Series brings the Leica 5x telephoto camera to both models in the T series, redefining versatility across the lineup. It delivers 50MP images with OIS (optical image stabilization) and exceptional range, from intricate details captured via 30cm macro photography to 10x optical-grade zoom and up to 120x AI Ultra Zoom.”

The Xiaomi 17T Pro also has 4K 60fps (frames per second) cinematic video recording.

Both phones feature specialized shooting modes for both photo and video.

The Xiaomi 17T Series also introduces Leica Live Moment, which brings motion to still photos. The feature is supported across all rear camera focal lengths, as well as in Portrait mode via Leica Live Portrait.

POWER AND PERFORMANCE
Both models in the lineup also feature next-generation silicon-carbon battery technology.

Xiaomi 17T Pro’s 7,000mAh battery is the largest on a Xiaomi Series smartphone in the international markets, the brand said. it supports 100-watt (W) wired HyperCharge and 50W wireless HyperCharge.

For its part, the Xiaomi 17T is equipped with a 6,500mAh battery paired with 67W HyperCharge.

The Pro model is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipset built on a 3nm process, while Xiaomi 17T comes with the MediaTek Dimensity 8500-Ultra on a 4nm architecture. They run on Xiaomi HyperOS.

“Both deliver major upgrades in CPU, GPU, and AI performance, enabling smooth responsiveness across demanding multitasking and next-generation gaming. To maintain this peak output, the Xiaomi 3D IceLoop System provides advanced thermal management through efficient vapor–liquid separation.”

The phones have an IP68 water and dust resistance rating.

The Xiaomi 17T Series’ displays, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, also integrate eye-care technology via Xiaomi Vision Care.

“Guided by medical research with precise engineering, this display automatically adapts to ambient light conditions, and effectively manages blue light, flicker, and motion blur to ensure all-day comfort,” Xiaomi said.

“Thanks to these innovations, Xiaomi 17T Series is the first to receive the TÜV Rheinland quadruple eye-care certification, and has earned Xiaomi’s first TÜV Rheinland Intelligent Eye Care certification.”

More features shared by the two models are the 1.5K AMOLED display with 3,500-nit peak brightness, a 32MP front camera, and dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos Hi-Res and Hi-Res Wireless certification, among others.

PRICING
The Xiaomi 17T Pro is available in three colors: Deep Blue, Deep Violet, and Black. The suggested retail price for the 12GB memory + 512GB storage model is P47,999, while the 12GB+256GB model is a Shopee exclusive and has an SRP of P45,999.

For its part, the Xiaomi 17T comes in Violet, Opal White, Blue, and Black. The 12GB+512GB model has an SRP of P37,999, while the 12GB+256GB variant is priced at P33,999.

The brand is offering various pre-order (May 29 to June 18) deals, freebies, and promotions online and offline, as well as platform rebates. — Bettina V. Roc

]]> San Diego City Council Districts 2, 4, 6 & 8: What to know for the primary election https://fox5sandiego.com/election/san-diego-city-council-primary-election-2026/ https://fox5sandiego.com/election/san-diego-city-council-primary-election-2026/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:26:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, City, Council, Districts, What, know, for, the, primary, election The Best Restaurants to Try in Sunny Coronado, California https://sandiego.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-coronado-food-island-hotel-del-crown-city-san-diego https://sandiego.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-coronado-food-island-hotel-del-crown-city-san-diego Thu, 28 May 2026 21:06:02 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator The, Best, Restaurants, Try, Sunny, Coronado, California Inside Night Hawk at the Baby Grand hotel in Coronado, California.
Inside Night Hawk at the Baby Grand hotel in Coronado, California. | Baby Grand

There’s a European flair to Crown City. Steeped in stories of Top Gun, Marilyn Monroe, and U.S. presidents, a visit to Coronado feels like a vacation without ever leaving home. Accessing the “island” — regardless of which route you take — guarantees a picturesque adventure: take the Coronado Ferry, cruise along the San Diego-Coronado Bridge, or mosey along the Silver Strand beach route. Locals and travelers become quickly charmed by the town’s upscale seafood, European-style bistros, and the irresistible MooTaco — an ice cream taco that’s prerequisite for breezy summer nights. Find a list of the best restaurants in Coronado, California down below. 

Changes this update: La Corriente and the new Baby Grand hotel’s Night Hawk and Fallen Empire enter the map.

]]> First Gen says hydropower projects may yield P16B annually by 2031 https://www.bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/05/29/752953/first-gen-says-hydropower-projects-may-yield-p16b-annually-by-2031/ https://www.bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/05/29/752953/first-gen-says-hydropower-projects-may-yield-p16b-annually-by-2031/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator First, Gen, says, hydropower, projects, may, yield, P16B, annually, 2031 LOPEZ-LED First Gen Corp. expects its investments in hydropower projects owned by Razon-led Prime Infrastructure Capital, Inc. to contribute P16 billion annually starting in 2031, potentially becoming the largest earnings contributor across its portfolio.

First Gen President and Chief Operating Officer Francis Giles B. Puno said the company is making a long-term investment in pumped-storage hydropower assets, which he said are expected to become “one of the most critical segments of the future energy system.”

“As renewables continue to scale, one of the central challenges facing power systems is no longer simply generation, but operational flexibility — the ability to store energy when supply is abundant, and deliver it when the system needs it most,” he said at the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting on Thursday.

First Gen invested P62 billion for a 33% stake in Prime Infra’s 2,000-megawatt (MW) pumped-storage hydropower portfolio.

Mr. Puno said the facilities are projected to make a significant contribution to the company’s earnings through a 20-year contracted agreement under the government’s green energy auction program.

The projects are expected to generate three times the historical average contribution from the 60% stake in natural gas assets sold to Prime Infra, based on performance from 2018 to 2024, he said.

“While these projects require significant upfront capital and several years for construction before meaningful cash flow generation, the long-term economics remain compelling,” Mr. Puno said.

As of end-2025, First Gen had an installed renewable energy capacity of 1,764.2 MW from hydro, geothermal, solar, and wind facilities nationwide.

The company operates the Pantabangan-Masiway complex and the Casecnan hydroelectric facility in Nueva Ecija. The facilities generated 1,074.8 gigawatt-hours last year, more than double the output recorded in 2024.

First Gen is also preparing for the development of the 120-MW Aya Pumped Storage Project adjacent to the Pantabangan facility.

Separately, First Gen Chief Executive Officer Federico “Piki” R. Lopez said he hopes for “an amicable, fair, and lasting resolution of the rift” involving the Lopez family.

“I remain fully prepared for any outcome that will follow this peace overture and I will continue to fulfill my fiduciary duties to all shareholders in the companies of the Lopez Group,” Mr. Lopez said.

His statement came after the majority bloc of Lopez family holding company Lopez, Inc. withdrew a Feb. 27 board resolution removing Mr. Lopez as president and chief executive officer.

The Lopez majority earlier removed Mr. Lopez from the company, citing loss of trust and confidence over the P125-billion hydropower and gas deals, which they alleged were entered into without their knowledge.

Mr. Puno told shareholders that the hydropower deal received “unanimous approval following several questions, clarifications, deliberations, and analysis among the directors.”

Shares in First Gen fell 2.38% to P15.60 each on Thursday. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

]]> Market-based property valuation seen to boost revenues but raise costs https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/29/752945/market-based-property-valuation-seen-to-boost-revenues-but-raise-costs/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/29/752945/market-based-property-valuation-seen-to-boost-revenues-but-raise-costs/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Market-based, property, valuation, seen, boost, revenues, but, raise, costs By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Senior Reporter

THE PLANNED shift to a market value-based property valuation system could boost government revenues and improve investor confidence, though analysts warned it could also lead to higher property-related taxes and infrastructure costs.

Their comments came as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) prepares to implement a market-based valuation system by 2028, replacing outdated zonal and assessed values used in taxation and property transactions.

According to the BIR, the reform aims to make property taxes fairer by shifting to a system that values properties based on market prices through mass appraisal, standardized valuation methods, and stronger coordination between national and local governments.

Benedicta Du-Baladad, founding partner and chief executive officer of BDB Law, said the proposal falls under the National Land Valuation Reform included in Package 3 of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program.

“The main implication is that valuation would be professionally managed by a single office under the Department of Finance, making it more objective and market-based,” she told BusinessWorld in a Viber message.

“It will insulate the process of valuation from the influence of politics in the case of local government units (LGUs) and conflicts of interest in the case of BIR. This valuation will be uniformly applied to all real property transactions, whether by LGU or BIR,” she added.

Ms. Du-Baladad said that the impact on government revenues would depend on property valuations.

“Some may increase, but others may decrease since revenue is a function of the value of the property,” she added. “What is important, though, is to be paying taxes based on the correct value of the property.”

However, Ms. Du-Baladad said the government could face challenges in setting up the office and hiring valuation experts.

She also warned of possible “resistance from local politicians who may be using lower property valuation for votes.”

Meanwhile, Jose Enrique “Sonny” A. Africa, executive director of the think tank IBON Foundation, described the proposed change as a “very sound” principle, noting that property taxes are generally less distortionary than indirect consumption taxes.

“A functioning real property valuation system is among the potentially most productive and least distortionary taxes available, compared to regressive indirect consumption taxes,” he told BusinessWorld via Viber.

Mr. Africa said property taxation could generate additional revenues by targeting accumulated wealth and landholdings.

“Property taxation soundly targets accumulated wealth and landholdings and could potentially generate additional tens of billions of pesos annually, although we have not tried making more rigorous estimates,” he added.

However, Mr. Africa warned that weak enforcement could disproportionately burden middle-class and small property owners.

“The problem will be in the practice where large corporations, real estate developers, politicians, and politically connected families might find ways to subvert enforcement,” he said.

“Unfortunately, persistent unresolved corruption reaching up to the highest levels of government does not give confidence in just and fair implementation,” he added.

HIGHER PRICES
Meanwhile, analysts warned that aligning property values with market prices could raise transaction taxes and increase costs for buyers, developers, and infrastructure projects.

Nigel Paul C. Villarete, a senior adviser on public-private partnerships at Libra Konsult, Inc., said the reform is likely to increase infrastructure project costs.

“There will be both positive and negative effects but mostly leaning on the negative side as prevailing prices almost always are higher than recorded ones,” he said in a Viber message.

However, Mr. Villarete said the reform could improve the assessment of actual rates of return and make public-private partnership projects more reliable.

“In actuality, it would provide a better assessment tool on the actual rates of return and will thus make public-private partnership projects more reliable than before and thus will improve the decision-making process, making it faster and more accurate,” he added.

Savills Philippines said while the reform addresses a structural gap in valuation, it may negatively affect market liquidity as “both investors and end users absorb higher costs in an already challenging economic environment.”

“The immediate impact is quite clear, which will bring higher transaction-related taxes,” Savills Philippines’ Chief Operating Officer Rosario “Cha” P. Carbonell and Research and Marketing Head Dino Mari G. Palanca told BusinessWorld.

“With capital gains tax and documentary stamp tax now based on higher values, both buyers and sellers will feel the increase in costs,” they added.

Savills Philippines also said the reform could affect investors operating on tighter margins.

“In the near term, this is likely to slow transaction activity, as higher taxes increase the overall cost of buying and selling,” the company executives said, citing more cautious buyers.

“It also raises the barrier to entry, particularly for first-time buyers and smaller investors who are already navigating elevated interest rates and broader cost pressures.”

Savills Philippines said the country’s buyer base largely consists of investors and regular Filipino homebuyers.

“Both segments are already facing headwinds from inflation impacting disposable income, to higher borrowing costs due to rising interest rates. Adding high transaction taxes on top of these conditions does little to support market liquidity,” the executives said.

“Instead, it may further discourage discretionary purchases, delay investment decisions, and reduce overall market participation.”

In the long term, however, Savills Philippines said the reformed valuation system could support a more transparent and credible property sector, leveling the playing field for local and institutional investors.

“However, the transition will need to be managed carefully. A more phased and well-communicated rollout, alongside measures that support affordability and investment activity, will be important to ensure the policy does not unintentionally dampen market momentum,” Savills Philippines said.

]]> Tourism’s share to GDP falls to lowest in 3 years https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/29/752942/tourisms-share-to-gdp-falls-to-lowest-in-3-years/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/29/752942/tourisms-share-to-gdp-falls-to-lowest-in-3-years/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Tourism’s, share, GDP, falls, lowest, years By Abigail Marie P. Yraola, Deputy Research Head

THE TOURISM industry’s contribution to the Philippine economy fell to its lowest level in three years in 2025, weighed down by weaker tourism spending by foreign visitors, according to data from the statistics agency.

Preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed tourism’s direct gross value added (TDGVA) accounted for 8.1% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025, down from 8.7% of GDP in 2024.

This was tourism’s lowest contribution to the national output in at least three years or since 2022 when it contributed 6.3% to the country’s GDP.

The country’s TDGVA was estimated at P2.27 trillion last year, down by 1.4% from the revised P2.3 trillion in 2024.

The TDGVA measures the value generated from various tourism-related activities and is based on the results of the Philippine Tourism Satellite Accounts report, which the PSA compiles from the Department of Tourism.

Tourism Congress of the Philippines President James M. Montenegro said the drop reflected external pressures, structural constraints and a weaker recovery in international tourism relative to the rest of the Philippine economy.

“While domestic tourism remained resilient, inbound tourism weakened significantly in 2025, which pulled down overall tourism value creation,” Mr. Montenegro said in a Viber message.

He said a major factor was the slower-than-expected recovery of inbound tourism from key Asian markets such as China and India even after the Philippine government eased visa requirement for Chinese and Indian nationals.

Mr. Montenegro said another challenge is the Philippine tourism industry’s ability to remain competitive in attracting foreign tourists. He said the Philippines should prioritize making key destinations more accessible to major regional markets.

“Many neighboring countries accelerated aggressive tourism recovery programs, including visa-free access, expanded airline incentives, stronger destination marketing, and airport infrastructure improvements. The Philippines continued to face challenges in air connectivity, airport capacity, inter-island transport efficiency, and tourist friction points,” Mr. Montenegro said.

He said that while the Philippines’ tourism sector has one of the highest contributions to GDP in Southeast Asia, it continues to lag behind regional peers in attracting tourists.

In 2025, the Philippines attracted 6.48 million international tourist arrivals, compared with Malaysia’s 42 million, Thailand’s 33 million and Vietnam’s 19 million.

PSA data showed shopping accounted for 24.7% of the total TDGVA with P560.3 billion, followed by various tourism services, which include the health and wellness sector (22.6% share or P512.94 billion) and accommodation services for visitors (17.4% share or P394.14 billion).

Mr. Montenegro said the decline in the TDGVA was mainly driven by “softer inbound tourism receipts, weaker discretionary spending among travelers, and operational pressures across the industry.”

Domestic tourism expenditure, which includes resident visitors’ spending within the country on a domestic trip or as part of an international trip, rose by 3% to P3.26 trillion last year.

Outbound tourism spending, which refers to money spent by Filipinos traveling abroad, reached P357.93 billion last year, 3.5% higher than the P345.68 billion posted in 2024.

“This indicates that while travel demand remains strong, a growing portion of tourism spending is leaving the country instead of circulating within the domestic tourism economy,” Mr. Montenegro said.

Inbound tourism expenditure amounted to P698.46 billion in 2025, falling by 6.4% from P745.99 billion in 2024.

Mr. Montenegro said the decline in inbound tourism expenditure “is significant because foreign tourists typically spend more per capita and generate higher value across accommodations, food and beverage, transportation, retail, and recreation.”

“A reduction in high-yield foreign travelers directly impacts tourism value added,” he added.

Tourism-related spending by foreign visitors in the accommodation services accounted for 28% of the total with P195.66 billion. This was followed by transport services (25.1% share or P175.1 billion) and food and beverage serving services (17.8% share or P124.43 billion).

Workers employed by the industry totaled 7.7 million last year, 2.5% higher than the 7.51 million a year earlier. Tourism accounted for 15.7% of the total workforce in the country in 2025.

Accommodation and food and beverage made up the bulk of the tourism-related jobs, accounting for 38% share with 2.93 million workers. The health and wellness sector employed 1.95 million workers (25.4% share) while retail trade on tourism-characteristic goods employed 1.67 million workers (21.7% share).

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. Chief Economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa expects tourism to remain a steady source of economic output and employment in 2026.

“However, there may be a need to temper expectations given the likely challenging outlook due to the global increase in airfare costs due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” he said in an e-mail.

For his part, Mr. Montenegro said his outlook for the tourism industry is “cautiously optimistic,” with domestic tourism expected to remain stable.

He said the industry still has significant growth potential, particularly in international tourism.

“To expand tourism’s contribution to national output, the focus should shift toward long-term structural improvements rather than short-term visitor growth alone. Key priorities include improving airport efficiency, expanding direct international and regional flights, strengthening inter-island connectivity, modernizing tourism infrastructure, and reducing travel friction across destinations,” Mr. Montenegro said.

The Tourism department is aiming for 6.7 million visitors this year.

]]> Long-term inflation expectations remain ‘anchored’ despite shocks https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/29/752943/long-term-inflation-expectations-remain-anchored-despite-shocks/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/29/752943/long-term-inflation-expectations-remain-anchored-despite-shocks/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Long-term, inflation, expectations, remain, ‘anchored’, despite, shocks By Katherine K. Chan, Reporter

LONG-TERM INFLATION expectations remain anchored despite persistent price pressures driven by oil shocks stemming from the Middle East war, a study by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Research Academy showed.

According to a discussion paper penned by BSP researchers, long-run inflation expectations are “relatively stable,” hovering between 3.5% and 4.5% or around the upper bound of the central bank’s target. 

“Although long-run expectations fell at the start of the sample, they have consistently stayed near the upper end of the BSP’s current inflation target of 2%-4%,” BSP researchers Joan Christine S. Allon-Pineda, Carl Francis F. Maliwat and Cymon Kayle Lubangco said in the report.

The researchers noted that the recent oil supply shocks driving long-term inflation expectations toward the upper limit of the BSP’s target was similar to the trend seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In general, the stable contribution of long-run expectations to predicted inflation suggests that in the long-term forecasting horizon, inflation expectations are relatively anchored,” they added. 

Germany-based think tank Deutsche Bank Research earlier said inflation expectations may be unanchoring following BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr.’s move to open the door for an off-cycle rate hike before the Monetary Board’s June 18 meeting.

At its April 23 meeting, the Monetary Board began its new tightening cycle as it lifted the key policy rate by 25 basis points to 4.5% for the first time in over two years. 

The BSP said the decision came as monetary authorities sought to curb second-order price effects and ensure inflation expectations are anchored amid mounting risks from the ongoing energy crisis.

Since the war in Iran erupted in late February, inflation has moved past the BSP’s target, even missing most forecasts as oil price spikes spilled over to other key commodities faster than anticipated.

In April, the headline clip quickened to an over three-year high of 7.2% from 4.1% in March and 1.4% a year ago.

The BSP has repeatedly said that it is ready to take all necessary monetary policy actions to bring inflation back to their tolerance range, as their projections show that inflation could average 6.3% this year and 4.4% in 2027. 

“Overall, the BSP’s policy actions do not appear to be mechanical reactions to inflation alone, but rather responses to persistent or broad-based inflationary pressures, largely consistent with the standard principles of optimal monetary policy,” the researchers said. 

The study sought to analyze underlying inflation and monetary policy dynamics using the Hemisphere Neural Network (HNN) model through two frameworks.

Supply-driven inflationary pressures stemming from the Middle East war continue to challenge central banks’ monetary policy frameworks, the BSP researchers noted.

“The recent surge in inflation has drawn increased attention to how central banks monitor economic conditions and calibrate policy responses,” they said. “However, inflation is inherently a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, and sound policy decisions require a broad and integrated perspective on economic conditions.”

“The HNN offers a promising solution for disentangling underlying inflation and policy dynamics under the NKPC (New Keynesian Phillips Curve) and Taylor rule frameworks,” they added.

According to the researchers, inflation expectations captured through the HNN model reflected factors such as real activity, inflation expectations, oil commodity prices, nonfuel commodity prices, credit conditions, central bank balance sheet and international conditions.

The study also found that estimates were accurate relative to the BSP’s business and consumer expectations survey as well as the survey of private sector forecasts.

This means the same expectations may be used to show the short- to medium-term of businesses and external forecasters when existing survey data prove limited, the researchers said.

The BSP’s latest expectations survey for March showed businesses expect inflation to average 3.3% in the next 12 months, while households see inflation settling at 2.7% in the year-ahead.

]]> Japan firms to boost PHL investments https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/29/752944/japan-firms-to-boost-phl-investments/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/29/752944/japan-firms-to-boost-phl-investments/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:03:04 -0600 EM - News Moderator Japan, firms, boost, PHL, investments By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter and Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Senior Reporter

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. secured around P260 billion in investment pledges from top Japanese companies during meetings in Tokyo, as Manila seeks to attract supply-chain relocation and shield the economy from geopolitical tensions and rising energy risks.

“The Philippines is pursuing a clear national direction: building an economy where infrastructure, industry, finance, human capital and connectivity move together as one system of growth,” Mr. Marcos told executives from Japanese conglomerates and financial institutions on Wednesday.

“And increasingly, we recognize that trade and tourism will be among the most important engines of that growth,” he added.

Of the amount, $3.4 billion or around P210 billion are expected to support manufacturing, tourism infrastructure, renewable energy and supply-chain development.

Mr. Marcos on Thursday secured another P53.6 billion in potential investments from Japanese firms that are planning to expand operations in the country. These investments are expected to generate around 10,300 additional direct and indirect jobs for Filipinos.

In a Facebook post, Mr. Marcos said MinebeaMitsumi, Inc.  is planning to expand its investments in the Philippines, with P25 billion to be allocated for its projects in Cebu, Batangas and Bataan. MinebeaMitsumi is involved in the manufacturing of semiconductors, battery protection modules for hyperscale data centers, among others.

The President said he met with the executives of Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. to discuss the firm’s P17-billion expansion project in the Philippines. The project involves the production of advanced heat sink modules and thermal management products used in global electronics and digital infrastructure applications.

Mr. Marcos said Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. pledged a P4.3-billion investment to expand their advanced electronics manufacturing operations in Laguna.  This will involve the construction of a new facility run by their Philippine unit First Sumiden Circuits, Inc., the country’s only manufacturer of flexible printed circuits.

“Their new facility will help position the Philippines deeper into global supply chains for electric vehicles, AI (artificial intelligence)-related electronics, and advanced telecommunications,” he said.

The President also had a meeting with executives of Tsuneishi Group Corp. to discuss the company’s planned expansion of shipyard facilities in Balamban, Cebu, as well as the continued development of environmentally sustainable next-generation vessels.

Once the expansion is completed, the Philippines is expected to become the world’s fourth-largest shipbuilding nation, after China, Japan, and South Korea. The commitments come as the Marcos administration pushes to sustain economic growth despite elevated oil prices, supply disruptions and trade uncertainty linked partly to the war in the Middle East.

Mr. Marcos used the roundtable meeting to position the Philippines as a long-term investment destination for Japanese firms seeking to diversify operations across Southeast Asia, particularly as companies reassess regional supply chains amid global tensions.

The Palace said the investments are expected to create thousands of jobs while supporting technology transfer and industrial expansion.

Mr. Marcos assured Japanese partners of his administration’s move to improve institutional bottlenecks and long-term investment stability.

“To all our Japanese partners, you know the Philippines not from reports, but from experience,” he said. “You know our workforce: skilled, adaptable, and globally competitive… resilient in adversity, ambitious in opportunity, and increasingly connected to global trade and tourism flows.”

Mr. Marcos is in Tokyo for a state visit, the first for a Philippine leader after 11 years. His visit coincided with the 70th year of the normalization of Manila and Tokyo’s diplomatic ties.

Trade Secretary Maria Cristina A. Roque said the Philippines is targeting more high-technology and green manufacturing investments as Japanese companies boost regional production networks.

“Our message is clear: the Philippines is open, ready, and highly capable of supporting the rapid expansion and resilience of Japanese global value chains,” she said in the same statement.

“We are aggressively positioning the Philippines as your strategic hub in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) for smart manufacturing, green metals, and renewable energy,” she added.

Tourism Secretary Maria Bernardita Angara-Mathay said the government is also looking to attract investments in eco-tourism, hospitality development and aviation connectivity, sectors expected to benefit from a recovery in regional travel demand.

“Tourism is a massive engine for infrastructure and commercial investment,” she said in the same statement. “By synergizing with our trade initiatives, we are opening up high-value opportunities in hospitality facilities, eco-tourism development, and aviation connectivity, ensuring that investments in Philippine tourism yield robust, long-term returns.”

SMART CITIES, FINTECH
Meanwhile, Philippine and Japanese companies have signed three key agreements that seek to boost smart cities development, digital connectivity, and financial technology (fintech) in the Philippines, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said.

In a statement on Thursday, the PCO said Ayala Corp. (AC), the Philippines’ oldest conglomerate, signed three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with major Japanese companies during Mr. Marcos’ four-day visit in Japan.

The PCO said that AC and Ayala-led Globe Telecom, Inc. signed an MoU with Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp. and KDDI Corp. to establish “Intelligent City” initiatives in Makati City, which could be expanded to other urban areas.

Mitsubishi Corp. is a multinational conglomerate with operations across machinery, energy, and automotive, while KDDI Corp. is a Japanese telecommunications firm ranked among the Fortune Global 500 Companies.

According to the PCO, the “Intelligent City” project will leverage AI, Internet of Things, urban data integration platforms, and advanced telecommunications solutions to improve transportation, retail and commercial services, energy management, and digital city services.

AC and Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc. (Mynt) inked a separate MoU with Mitsubishi to develop “Smart Life” digital services. The initiative, which aims to make Filipinos’ digital transactions more convenient, is expected to generate around P7 billion in revenues.

The partnership will cover rewards programs, ticketing services, online payment platforms, and digital marketing solutions, PCO said.

AC and Mynt, the parent firm of digital wallet GCash, also inked a separate MoU with Mitsubishi and Japanese bank holding company Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) to expand GCash’s services in the Philippines and overseas.

The partnership is expected to help integrate GCash into AC and Mitsubishi’s business ecosystems across retail, real estate, energy, mobility, and digital services, the PCO said.

The initiative would focus on developing better digital payment systems, lending services, investment products, and stronger online security, it added.

AC President and Chief Executive Officer Cezar P. Consing said its partnerships with Japanese firms align with its push to build more inclusive financial systems while helping more Filipinos participate in the digital economy.

“These partnerships reflect our shared commitment to nation-building, leveraging innovation, infrastructure, and technology to support the Philippines’ long-term growth,” he said in a separate statement.

Angelito “Lito” M. Villanueva, chairman of FinTech Alliance PH, said the Philippines’ recent partnerships with Japan would help boost the economy’s competitiveness.

“The future of economic competitiveness will belong to nations that can connect finance, infrastructure, and technology and the Philippines is now firmly entering that conversation alongside Japan,” he said in a Viber message.

]]> Mathematical AI helps researchers crack 50-year-old problem https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/mathematical-ai-helps-researchers-crack-50-year-old-problem/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/mathematical-ai-helps-researchers-crack-50-year-old-problem/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Mathematical, helps, researchers, crack, 50-year-old, problem

Paul Erdős made many conjectures about numbers in his life

Oliver Helbig/Getty Images

Just a week after an AI disproved an 80-year-old conjecture and astonished mathematicians, another conjecture that had stood for half a century has fallen, inspired by the same techniques, but this time written entirely by humans.

Last week, an unreleased AI model from OpenAI disproved an important conjecture first posed by Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős, called the unit distance problem. The puzzle, which Erdős considered his “most striking contribution to geometry” and which many mathematicians had failed to unravel, concerns the number of similar-sized connections you can make between dots arranged on a flat surface.

Erdős had set an upper ceiling on this number, which many experts had assumed was correct. But the AI model showed that this number could in fact be much larger, using an obscure trick from algebraic number theory to make complex structures with extremely high dimensions, which could then be used to arrange the dots in a very different arrangement than humans had considered. The result took mathematicians by surprise, with some not expecting to see Erdős’s conjecture disproved in their lifetimes.

Now, less than a week later, Thomas Bloom at the University of Manchester in the UK and his colleagues have used a similar argument to disprove another famous claim, which Erdős had first posed in 1976, called the sum-product conjecture.

“It was a surprise because I had thought about the problem quite a bit,” says Bloom. After seeing the trick used by OpenAI’s AI, which used number theory to solve a geometric problem, Bloom and his team realised that they could try the same thing for the sum-product conjecture. “Once you know that something might be possible, you’re willing to try a bit harder to actually get it to work,” he says.

Erdős’s sum-product conjecture concerns collections of numbers, or sets. It says that if you either add or multiply all the numbers together in this set, one pair at a time, to create a further two sets, then at least one of these sets must be much larger than the original set – you can’t have both sets similarly small. For instance, if you multiply all the numbers from 1 through 5, you will have a larger set than if you add them all, because there will be duplicate results, such as 2+3 and 1+4. Considering a different set, such as 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16, the added set will instead be larger, because the multiplied set just contains various powers of two.

Erdős set a bar for how small the larger of the two added and multiplied sets could be, and conjectured this should hold for any set of numbers. But Bloom and his colleagues used the same high-dimensional trick to find a set where both its sum and multiplied are smaller than Erdős thought possible. Instead of using a geometric progression of numbers, like powers of two, you can create a progression of numbers in many different dimensions at the same time, which they found produces a set where the number of different sums you can make is much smaller.

“The real surprise for me was that it was so simple,” says Bloom. “The construction is so simple to describe and we do genuinely understand now why [Erdős’s conjecture] fails, which should help us with lots of other related problems as well.”

“This is typical for maths as a competitive sport,” says Misha Rudnev at the University of Bristol, UK. “As soon as a new idea kicks in, some people are ready to work twenty-four hours to find more applications to it, and these people are usually very good and quick.”

Rudnev says that Erdős’s original intuition was that this conjecture should mainly be true for integers, or whole numbers, and that still appears to be true, because the set found by Bloom and his team used exotic number systems that get ever more complicated as their sets grow larger. Bloom agrees that the conjecture still holds for integers, and that “there’s still a huge amount of work to be done; we don’t really understand what’s going on.”

The main insight from the proof is that problems that seem geometric, such as sets of square powers of two, can actually be tackled with tools from number theory, says Bloom. “It really opens these problems to a whole new community as well. People in algebraic number theory weren’t really engaging with these questions.”

Topics:

Read the original article here

The post Mathematical AI helps researchers crack 50-year-old problem appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Space Force plans nationwide network of ‘resilient operations centers’  https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/space-force-plans-nationwide-network-of-resilient-operations-centers/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/space-force-plans-nationwide-network-of-resilient-operations-centers/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Space, Force, plans, nationwide, network, ‘resilient, operations, centers’ 

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force’s proposed $71 billion budget for fiscal 2027 is drawing attention for its investments in missile-warning satellites, proliferated low Earth orbit constellations and other big-ticket systems. Less visible, but increasingly central to the service’s plans, is a major buildout of the ground infrastructure needed to operate those systems during a conflict.

Brig. Gen. Christopher Fernengel, director of plans and programs on the Space Force headquarters staff, said he is frequently asked how the service plans to invest such a large influx of new funding.

Speaking May 28 at the State of the Space Industrial Base conference hosted by NewSpace Nexus in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Fernengel said the overarching objective is to build a larger, more resilient and technologically advanced force capable of maintaining U.S. military advantages in space.

People tend to focus on “kit and widgets,” he said, but the hardware is only valuable insofar as it supports capabilities relied upon by the joint force. Alongside investments in orbital systems, the service is planning significant spending on what it calls resilient operations centers.

Those facilities are intended to ensure military space missions can continue during wartime when command-and-control sites become targets. Military planners worry that adversaries will seek to disrupt space operations through missile strikes, cyberattacks and electronic warfare aimed at ground networks rather than satellites alone. Fernengel noted that space operations centers have already emerged as targets during the conflict with Iran, reinforcing concerns that centralized command centers could become critical points of failure.

As a model for the future operations centers, Fernengel pointed to the 200,000-square-foot Consolidated Space Operations Facility under development in Colorado at Schriever Space Force Base. The Space Force envisions building as many as 10 such operations centers across the United States, creating a distributed architecture capable of supporting overseas combatant commands while preserving continuity of operations if individual sites are disrupted.

Budget documents show approximately $1 billion allocated in fiscal 2027 for four operations centers. The facilities are expected to support missions including the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, training activities, and future sensing and targeting capabilities. Three additional centers are proposed at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama; Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, and Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. The new facilities would support missions in space control, space-based sensing and targeting, and data transport.

The Space Force plans to add roughly 2,800 military personnel and 2,000 civilians in 2027, and Fernengel said the new facilities would create more permanent Space Force presence at installations that currently have limited space operations infrastructure.

That would provide career-development opportunities for guardians supporting regional combatant commands and help integrate space capabilities more deeply into day-to-day military operations, he said. The service hopes to create communities of space operators at multiple bases across the country, Fernengel said, and the centers would allow the Space Force to build a workforce at those locations instead of requiring personnel to relocate simply because there are no follow-on assignments available.

Recent operations have reinforced the need for a more distributed architecture, Fernengel added. During Operation Epic Fury, space capabilities were targeted and destroyed for the first time, underscoring the need to disperse operations and reduce reliance on centralized facilities. The expectation, he said, is that future attacks could come through both physical and cyber means, requiring a network of interconnected operations centers rather than a handful of fixed sites.

Also in the 2027 budget, Fernengel said, are investments in tactical operations centers dedicated to space-based electronic warfare. Those facilities, some based in the United States and others overseas, would support the battle management of electromagnetic warfare missions. 

Read the original article here

The post Space Force plans nationwide network of ‘resilient operations centers’  appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Rockstar Developers Go Public With First Union https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/rockstar-developers-go-public-with-first-union/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/rockstar-developers-go-public-with-first-union/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Rockstar, Developers, Public, With, First, Union

The Rockstar Game Workers Union has members across the developer’s UK offices.

Workers at Rockstar Games have announced the formation of the Rockstar Game Workers Union, the first labor union at the Grand Theft Auto developer. According to an explanatory video released alongside the announcement, the new union represents workers in Edinburgh, London, Leeds, Lincoln and Dundee, covering all of Rockstar’s offices in the UK.

The new organization is a subsidiary of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), and members say they’re focusing on issues like “pay transparency, flexible working and an end to crunch.” More immediately, they’re also responding to the conflict that galvanized the union’s current support: the sudden firing of 31 union members in October 2026. At the time, the IWGB called the decision “the most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry,” while Rockstar maintained that workers were let go for “gross misconduct” around the sharing of confidential information. If you take Rockstar at its word, it was just a coincidence that all the workers who were let go also happened to be members of a union organizing Discord channel.

In the fallout of the firings, protests were held in front of several of Rockstar’s studios and the IWGB later filed a legal claim against the developer over what it considered to be the unfair dismissal of its employees. The fired workers were denied interim pay by a UK employment tribunal in January 2026, but the case has yet to fully play out in court. Part of the reason the Rockstar Game Workers Union decided to go public now is to help raise money for their legal defense.

The timing couldn’t be better. All eyes are currently on Rockstar Games and its owner 2K because of the highly anticipated launch of Grand Theft Auto VI in November. Unless the game is somehow delayed again, some of that attention will also be on the Rockstar Game Workers Union.

Read the original article here

The post Rockstar Developers Go Public With First Union appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Nottingham’s Rock City issue statement after fire breaks out at iconic venue https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nottinghams-rock-city-issue-statement-after-fire-breaks-out-at-iconic-venue/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/nottinghams-rock-city-issue-statement-after-fire-breaks-out-at-iconic-venue/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Nottingham’s, Rock, City, issue, statement, after, fire, breaks, out, iconic, venue

Nottingham’s Rock City venue has issued an update after a fire broke out on the premises earlier today.

The iconic 2000-capacity venue in Nottingham city centre was the site of a blaze this morning (May 28), with police cordoning off the area of Clarendon Street and Talbot Street and fire engines attending the incident at around 9:30am.

Rock City’s owner George Akins later told the Nottingham Post that everybody inside the building had been evacuated and the fire had been successfully extinguished.

This evening, the venue issued an update to say that they were “delighted to say Rock City has been cleared as safe to open”. They said that tonight’s club night will go ahead but the scheduled gig from Bristol folk group The Longest Johns will not.

“Unfortunately, due to the disruption earlier today, there has not been enough time for tonight’s gig to load in and soundcheck properly,” they said. “We never want to compromise the quality of a show, so tonight’s gig will not be going ahead as planned.”

“We’re working with the artist’s team to reschedule the show and will update ticket holders as soon as possible with further details,” they added.

Explaining how the fire came about, they added: “During planned maintenance works at Rock City this morning, as part of a major upgrade to our air handling system, a small fire occurred within part of a ventilation unit, causing smoke in the ceiling space.”

“Everyone onsite was safely evacuated, the situation was quickly brought under control, and checks have now been completed. We’re pleased to say the impact was limited and the venue is safe to reopen.”

“A huge thank you to our onsite teams and Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue for their swift response and support. Thanks for bearing with us,” they concluded.

Rock City is owned by the promoters DHP Family, as are fellow Nottingham venues Rescue Rooms and Bodega, and it opened in December 1980, with The Undertones the first band ever to play there. It has since played host to the likes of David Bowie, Nirvana and Oasis.

Read the original article here

The post Nottingham’s Rock City issue statement after fire breaks out at iconic venue appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Independent Music Platform Nina Protocol to Shut Down https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/independent-music-platform-nina-protocol-to-shut-down/ https://losangelesweeklytimes.com/independent-music-platform-nina-protocol-to-shut-down/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:02:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Independent, Music, Platform, Nina, Protocol, Shut, Down

The free, independent music platform Nina Protocol is shutting down. The Web3-based streaming service and marketplace announced today (May 28) that it will “wind down” in phases over the next six weeks, advising users to export their releases and purchases. Both the website and app will be fully offline by July 15.

“We set out to build infrastructure for independent music that allowed musicians to sell their music, create their context, and connect with listeners on their own terms,” Nina’s statement read. “While our work created meaningful connections and helped foster listeners’ love for new music, we were unable to find a revenue strategy that would give Nina a path to sustainability at its current size.”

Founded in New York in 2021 by Jack Callahan, Mike Pollard, and Eric Farber, Nina began as a distribution service, which allowed artists to upload music directly to listeners via the blockchain and retain full ownership of—and sales revenue from—their releases. Built on open-source code, the platform also permitted participating artists to build custom hubs for their catalog. ML Buch, James K, Yung Lean, Purelink, Aya, Ana Roxanne, and many more distributed music through Nina over the years, and imprints including Warp, AD 93, Stroom, and Hyperdub had dedicated label hubs with the platform.

Drawing inspiration from peak Blog Era online publishing, Nina cultivated a diverse editorial arm, sharing scene reports, essays, interviews, and curated playlists from journalists, artists, and fans alike. “We want people to build their own corners here,” editorial lead Cal Hickox told Rolling Stone in 2025. “The dream is that someone starts a little magazine on Nina, writes about their friends’ bands, and that becomes a whole world.”

Nina also hosted an event series, Nina Night, and a podcast, 400 Floor. The platform expanded its services to a mobile app in 2024, and just last year, they introduced a new community revenue sharing model. The program functioned by adding a $1 fee to every purchase instead of taking a cut from an artist’s share; that fee would then be distributed “evenly and transparently,” per Nina’s website, between the platform and its users.

“We are optimistic and look forward to seeing how those who continue to build for independent music will improve our corner of the music world,” Nina’s announcement concluded. “The work of a musician changes with each phase of technology and though the reality seems grim in the age of Big Streaming, we must fight cynicism and continue to hope.”

Read Nina Protocol’s full statement below.

Today, we’re sharing the decision that we are winding down Nina Protocol.

The site will be winding down in phases over the next six weeks. You should use this time to withdraw your earnings and export your releases, purchases and connections.

Our goal is to make it easy for you to take your Nina activity with you before the site goes offline. After July 15th the site and app will be fully offline.

We’re looking into options to archive Nina Editorial online and will share a link to that once we do.

In 2021, we saw musicians’ growing fatigue in the face of streaming’s one-size-fits-all payments, context-collapse, and algorithmic discovery. We set out to build infrastructure for independent music that allowed musicians to sell their music, create their context, and connect with listeners on their own terms. Our goal was to release independent music from the grips of Big Streaming, which we felt unfairly tilted outcomes to benefit the major labels.

Over the last five years, we’ve built new models for:

  • Releasing music direct-to-fans
  • Helping artists contextualize their music
  • Elevating listeners from the role of passive consumer to active collaborator
  • Bringing editorial and curation directly into the discovery experience

Read the original article here

The post Independent Music Platform Nina Protocol to Shut Down appeared first on Los Angeles Weekly Times.

]]> Cheapest gas might be found at your nearest Native American Reservation https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/cheaper-fuel-native-reservations/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego/cheaper-fuel-native-reservations/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Cheapest, gas, might, found, your, nearest, Native, American, Reservation Feeding San Diego braces for CalFresh requirements to change https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-calfresh-changes/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-calfresh-changes/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Feeding, San, Diego, braces, for, CalFresh, requirements, change Millete trial day 7: Maya's texts reveal frustration with marriage and Larry's control https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/larry-millete-trial-day-7/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/larry-millete-trial-day-7/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Millete, trial, day, Mayas, texts, reveal, frustration, with, marriage, and, Larrys, control Student arrested after allegedly bringing gun to middle school in Chula Vista https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/firearm-found-rancho-del-rey-middle-school/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/firearm-found-rancho-del-rey-middle-school/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Student, arrested, after, allegedly, bringing, gun, middle, school, Chula, Vista Crash on SR-52 claims life of 40-year-old woman from San Diego https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-fatal-barrier-crash/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-fatal-barrier-crash/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:02:01 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Crash, SR-52, claims, life, 40-year-old, woman, from, San, Diego San Diego’s Top Burger Joints https://101thingstodosw.com/san-diego/san-diegos-top-burger-joints/ https://101thingstodosw.com/san-diego/san-diegos-top-burger-joints/ Thu, 28 May 2026 21:01:07 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego’s, Top, Burger, Joints San Diego's Top Burger Joints

Why are they called Hamburgers when they don’t contain Ham? As far back as the early 1600s, the term “Hamburger” referred to any person from Hamburg, Germany. The city has a centuries-long history of championing fine beef, and, according to Andrew F. Smith’s book Hamburger: A Global History, Hamburg beef was “an expensive gourmet food” in the 19th century. As burgers grew in popularity in the United States, marketers began to play around with the name to create new variations of the classic dish. This led to the creation of cheeseburgers, turkey burgers, and even veggie burgers. By using the term “burger” as a root word, these new creations were instantly recognizable as variations of the original hamburger. Looking for the best burgers in San Diego County? Check out our top San Diego burger joints for mouth-watering burgers that are guaranteed to satisfy your cravings.

1. Hodad’s

Hodad’s is a San Diego institution known for its massive, mouth-watering burgers. With locations in Ocean Beach and downtown San Diego, Hodad’s has been serving up delicious burgers for over 50 years. Their signature bacon cheeseburger is a must-try for any burger lover. Hodad’s website

San Diego's Best Burger Joints

2. Rocky’s Crown Pub

If you’re looking for a no-frills, classic burger joint, Rocky’s Crown Pub is the place to go. Located in Pacific Beach, Rocky’s has been serving up some of the best burgers in San Diego for decades. Their simple yet delicious burgers are sure to hit the spot. Rocky’s Website

3. Tanner’s Prime Burgers

Next time you’re in the Carlsbad area, make sure to stop by Tanner’s Burgers for a burger experience unlike any other. From their high-quality ingredients to their unique smashburger style, Tanner’s Burgers is sure to satisfy your cravings. Tanner’s Prime Burgers

4. Rosemarie’s

At Roesmarie’s Burgers, you can choose from a variety of slider options to suit your taste preferences. Whether you prefer classic cheeseburgers or adventurous options like BBQ bacon sliders, there is something for everyone on the menu. Each slider is perfectly portioned, making it easy to sample multiple flavors in one sitting. Rosemarie’s website

5. Red Rooster

When you walk into Red Rooster, you’ll immediately feel the laid-back, no-frills atmosphere that sets it apart from other burger joints. The menu is simple, with a focus on quality ingredients and classic American flavors. But the real star of the show? The Rooster Burger. It’s a juicy patty cooked to perfection, topped with crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoes, and a special sauce that will have your taste buds dancing. Red Rooster 

The post San Diego’s Top Burger Joints appeared first on 101 Things To Do In San Diego.

]]> San Diego in June 2026: Fun Events & Top Things To Do https://sandiegoexplorer.com/san-diego-in-june/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=san-diego-in-june https://sandiegoexplorer.com/san-diego-in-june/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=san-diego-in-june Thu, 28 May 2026 21:01:04 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator San, Diego, June, 2026:, Fun, Events, Top, Things June is on the horizon, which means San Diego‘s high season is about to kick off. It’s a time when many visitors flock to this Southern Californian city, and it’s easy to see why. Pleasant temperatures, little rainfall, and an array of exciting events draw tourists to San Diego County throughout this month each year.

Expect prices to be a little higher during this time compared to cooler months, and don’t be surprised to find yourself among other tourists seeking sunshine in the city. However, this should not discourage you from visiting San Diego in June, you will come to see it as a wonderful time to explore this part of California.

This post will tell you everything you need to know about visiting San Diego in June and how to make the most of your trip. We’ll cover everything from the best beaches for catching waves to unique events you cannot miss.

June Weather in San Diego

Temperatures gradually increase throughout the month of June, typically ranging from lows of 62° F to highs of 73° F. These comfortable temperatures make it an ideal time to get out and explore the city.

Rain should not impede your outdoor activities this month. San Diego experiences little to no precipitation in June, with only around 1 mm of rain.

While it’s San Diego’s driest month, it’s also the most humid, so it can sometimes feel a little warmer than the temperature suggests. It’s also one of the windier months in the county, which helps combat the humidity.

June sees long days with 14.3 hours of daylight and around 11.8 hours of sunshine each day. The city sometimes falls victim to California’s infamous ‘June Gloom,’ so be prepared for the possibility of overcast during your visit.

Ocean temperatures rise to an average of 65° F in June. Though it is not quite as warm as July and August, the temperature increases throughout the month, and swimmers see it as a perfect time to visit San Diego.

San Diego Winter: Graph of Average Temperatures San Diego-1
Average monthly Rainfall in San Diego

What Should You Wear In San Diego In June?

The warming weather in June makes it a perfect time to break out your shorts, dresses, and t-shirts.

Many locals begin to ditch jeans and sweaters at this time, though the evenings can become a little chilly, so packing a light jacket and pair of full-length trousers will keep you covered for any drops in temperature.

Don’t forget to bring SPF and sunglasses to protect yourself from the strengthening sunshine.

Things To Do In San Diego In June

Experience The San Diego County Fair

When: June 10th – July 5th 2026
Where: Del Mar Fairgrounds
Website

A must during your visit to San Diego is a day spent at the County Fair. Immerse yourself in a wide variety of activities and attractions. From live music and a funfair for the family to mouth-watering food offerings, you can easily spend hours here.

The San Diego County Fair also offers a huge range of exhibits and shows, such as art exhibitions, bird shows, and even pig racing! The most difficult part of your visit will be narrowing down what to see, experience, and eat!

Aerial view over san Diego County Fair

Sample Delicious Eats At The Street Food Festival

When: June 13th, 2026
Where: City Heights
Website

Ramble down to the richly diverse neighborhood of City Heights to celebrate San Diego’s fascinating mix of cultures. Relax with a beer or wine while listening to an eclectic mix of live performances.

Foodies will be spoiled for choice with a variety of international street food available. 

Kinfolk Festival

When: June 20th, 2026
Where: Waterfront Park
Website

On Saturday, June 14, the San Diego waterfront comes alive as Kinfolk Fest returns to Waterfront Park for its eighth year, marking the city’s largest Juneteenth celebration.

Thousands are expected to gather for this powerful, multigenerational event that shines a spotlight on Black culture and community. Kinfolk Fest 2026 will feature live music, high-energy DJ sets, a lively marketplace of Black-owned businesses, spirited spades tournaments, and immersive experiences that honor freedom, legacy, and joy.

“This isn’t just a festival — it’s a space of cultural restoration, joy, and community power,” says Loren Cobbe, founder of SD Melanin and executive producer of Kinfolk Fest. “We honor where we’ve come from while creating new traditions that center us, connect us, and empower us.”

People dancing at Kinfolk Fest San Diego

Get A Taste Of The San Diego Lifestyle At The Switchfoot Bro-Am

When: June 11th & June 13th, 2026
Where: Moonlight Beach, Encinitas
Website

This free event encompasses two things Californians are very passionate about: surfing and music.

Watch award-winning band SWITCHFOOT headline the event in their hometown with special guests each year. Come early in the day to witness the annual surf contest before live music kicks off.

Best of all, this enjoyable event was created to give back to the local community. Money raised here goes towards incredible causes such as education, athletes with disabilities, and curbing hunger.

San Diego International Boat Show

When: June 11-14, 2026
Where: Harbor Island
Website

San Diego invites boaters, ocean lovers, and adventure seekers to the landmark San Diego International Boat Show.

As the city’s premier maritime event, SDIBS 2026 celebrates all things nautical, from luxury yachts and cutting-edge marine technology to the latest trends shaping the boating industry. Dive in and discover what’s making waves in 2026!

Taste of Little Italy

When: June 16-17, 2026
Where: Little Italy
Website

One of San Diego’s favorite culinary events is back! Taste of Little Italy returns June 16–17 from 4:00–8:00 p.m. for two evenings of incredible bites, lively energy, and neighborhood charm.

Each night features a unique lineup of 20+ restaurants, serving everything from handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza to fresh seafood and globally inspired dishes. Guests will check in at Piazza della Famiglia to receive their Taste Passport, then stroll through Little Italy, enjoying curated tastings, live music, and seating at Piazza della Famiglia and Piazza Basilone.

Join for one night or both and experience the flavors of one of San Diego’s most beloved dining traditions.

blue, turquoise and white apartment buildings in the background, restaurant Grazed by Sam and Little Italy food hall in the ground floor - and a 3 tiered water foutaine in the foreground

NASCAR in San Diego

When: June 19-21, 2026
Where: Coronado Naval Base
Website

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of United States Navy, NASCAR will once again make history by hosting a brand-new street race at Naval Base Coronado as a highlight of the 2026 schedule. NASCAR San Diego will be a three-day full-throttle race weekend headlined by the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, on June 19-21, 2026.

Witness The Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off

When: June 27th, 2026
Where: Ocean Beach
Website

This annual event attracts around 70,000 visitors a year and for good reason. Attendees can enjoy three different live music stages, relax at the beer garden, or shop for locally crafted goods at the Artist Alley.

The Street Fair’s main event is the famous cook-off. Amateur chefs put themselves to the test, competing for the title of best chili.

During the contest, judges and visitors alike taste a wide selection of chilis, ultimately casting a vote for their favorite. The winning chefs will claim the coveted Judge’s Choice and People’s Choice awards.

Catch Some Rays At One Of San Diego’s Beaches

When: All Month
Where: Throughout San Diego
Check out our list of the Best Beaches In San Diego here

One of the top things visitors wish to do here is take a trip to the beach. San Diego beaches are among California’s most beautiful, the area is a haven for those hoping to unwind in the sunshine or try their hand at surfing. 

Visit iconic Coronado Beach with famous Hotel Del Coronado as your backdrop, walk along the boardwalk at Mission Beach, or check out the waves at Ocean Beach.

Those looking for a more secluded spot can head to the chilled-out beaches at Del Mar or Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.

Explore All That Balboa Park Has To Offer

When: All Month
Where: Balboa Park
Website

Another must-see during June in San Diego is Balboa Park. Home to the famous San Diego Zoo, there is something for all ages at this family-friendly hotspot. 

You can spend days wandering around Balboa Park, visiting the 17 museums alone. Other highlights include the Japanese Gardens, Botanical Building, and Spanish Village.

This park is brimming with history, culture, and natural beauty. It’s sure to be a memorable part of your adventures in San Diego.

Release Your Inner Child At LEGOLAND California

When: All Month
Where: LEGOLAND California
Buy Tickets Here

Thrill-seekers will have a blast at this ever-popular theme park located in Carlsbad.

What better way to spend a sunny day than by getting your adrenaline pumping on rollercoaster rides and cooling off at the waterpark? Not to mention, the park is also home to a fascinating aquarium. Here you can learn about incredible marine life and how the park works to conserve and protect the ocean and its animals. 

For anyone keen on completely immersing themselves in the LEGOLAND experience, there are two on-site hotels to choose from with unique rooms and facilities. Book LEGOLAND California Hotel and Castle Hotel here.

This is an adventure paradise that’s not just for kids!

Encounter Enchanting Animals At SeaWorld

When: All Month
Where: SeaWorld San Diego
Website

An amazing day out for both children and adults alike, SeaWorld has been attracting visitors for over 50 years. This popular theme park keeps guests entertained with thrilling rides and magical sea creatures.

Get a chance to see a wide variety of sea animals up close, including friendly dolphins, adorable penguins, majestic orcas, and colorful sea turtles. The amazing wildlife to be explored at this park is not limited to those found under the sea, you can also spot animals like macaws and sloths during your visit.

If you are visiting San Diego in the back half of June, be sure to check out SeaWorld’s Summer Spectacular event. You’ll be treated to mesmerizing light shows and music performances as the sun goes down.

Orca whale doing flip with instructor in background at SeaWorld San Diego. San Diego Theme Parks.

The month of June has so much to offer visitors of all tastes. Whether wishing to delve into the city’s culture, tick off some California bucket list experiences, or simply bask in the sunshine, your time here will surely be memorable.

Though the United States has many contenders for most-beloved summer destinations, San Diego is hard to beat! The plethora of June events and warm weather continue to entice tourists year after year.

So, what are you waiting for? Enjoy this magical city for all it has to offer during your summer vacation!

Last Updated on May 28, 2026 by Maria Haase

The post San Diego in June 2026: Fun Events & Top Things To Do appeared first on San Diego Explorer.

]]> Buyer secures 65 units of HONOR 600, totaling over P2M in value https://www.bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/05/28/752723/buyer-secures-65-units-of-honor-600-totaling-over-p2m-in-value/ https://www.bworldonline.com/spotlight/2026/05/28/752723/buyer-secures-65-units-of-honor-600-totaling-over-p2m-in-value/ Wed, 27 May 2026 21:59:03 -0600 EM - News Moderator Buyer, secures, units, HONOR, 600, totaling, over, P2M, value The new talk of the town? A shopper at SM Mall of Asia was spotted pre-ordering 50 pieces of HONOR 600 and 15 units of HONOR 600 Pro totaling over Php 2 million.

“The buyer, whose order is among the largest recorded during the pre-order period, signals growing excitement not only among individual consumers but also within businesses and communities,” said HONOR Philippines Vice-President Stephen Cheng.

With momentum building ahead of its official arrival on May 30, the HONOR 600 Series sees HONOR 600 5G priced at Php 25,999 for 8GB+256GB, Php 32,999 for 12GB+256, Php 37,999 for 12GB+512GB — and HONOR 600 5G Pro with 12GB+512GB for Php 49,999!

From May 14 to 29, 2026 — get a chance to win a brand-new Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 when you pre-order HONOR 600 series and receive FREE HONOR Gift Box worth PHP 1,499 and FREE HONOR Choice Earbuds Clip worth PHP 4,999 when you claim on May 30, 2026.

Run to any HONOR Experience and Partner Store or online via Lazada (https://bit.ly/Laz_H600_PR), Shopee (https://bit.ly/Shop_X9d_Media) or TikTok Shop (https://bit.ly/TikTok_H600_PR).

 

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.

]]> Wind advisory issued for San Diego deserts and mountains, potential gusts up to 55 mph https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-wind-advisory/ https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-wind-advisory/ Wed, 27 May 2026 21:46:03 -0600 Dante Ulanday - News Moderator Wind, advisory, issued, for, San, Diego, deserts, and, mountains, potential, gusts, mph Analysts see SEC broker director cap strengthening governance https://www.bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/05/28/752594/analysts-see-sec-broker-director-cap-strengthening-governance/ https://www.bworldonline.com/corporate/2026/05/28/752594/analysts-see-sec-broker-director-cap-strengthening-governance/ Wed, 27 May 2026 21:19:09 -0600 EM - News Moderator Analysts, see, SEC, broker, director, cap, strengthening, governance By Alexandria Grace C. Magno, Reporter

THE Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) new 10-year term limit for broker directors could strengthen governance standards at exchange boards by encouraging leadership renewal and broader market representation, analysts said.

The SEC is imposing a cumulative 10-year term limit on broker directors serving on exchange boards, a rule opposed by some market participants.

Analysts said the policy could help reduce over-reliance on long-serving directors while opening leadership opportunities to individuals with different backgrounds and expertise.

“The term limit and cooling-off rule may cause some initial disruption as experienced directors rotate out, but over time they reduce over-reliance on a few individuals and promote more balanced, credible board decision-making,” BDO Securities Corp. President John Tristan D. Reyes said in a Viber message on Friday last week.

He said the rules would encourage exchanges to regularly refresh their boards and strengthen succession planning, creating opportunities for new entrants and supporting a more dynamic and balanced board composition.

Under SEC Memorandum Circular No. 17, a broker director may serve a maximum cumulative period of 10 years in the same exchange, whether cumulative or intermittent.

A broker director that has served for five cumulative years will be required to undergo a one-year cooling-off period before becoming eligible for reelection.

The five-year term and 10-year maximum period will be reckoned up to the date of the next annual stockholders’ meeting following the fifth or 10th cumulative annual election.

A broker director’s service of more than six months in a year will be counted as one full year for purposes of computing the five-year term and 10-year maximum cumulative service under the circular.

Following the cooling-off period, a reelected broker director may serve a fresh term of up to five cumulative years.

The new directive would affect several long-serving broker directors at the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), including Ma. Vivian Yuchengco, who has served for 28 years, Eddie T. Gobing, who has served for 25 years, and Wilson L. Sy, who has served for 12 years.

China Bank Capital Corp. Managing Director Juan Paolo E. Colet said the term limit strikes a balance between preserving continuity and allowing leadership renewal.

“The 10-year cumulative term limit enables seasoned directors to serve long enough to ensure an exchange benefits from their experience, while also opening the doors for competent candidates to bring new backgrounds and perspectives,” he said in a Viber message on Tuesday.

The SEC circular also provides for a two-year transition period for incumbent broker directors, allowing them to complete their current terms and remain eligible for the next two annual elections.

During the transition period, exchanges are expected to progressively restructure their boards by adding independent directors, foreign brokerage representatives, and members with capital markets or investment banking expertise to strengthen corporate governance and minority shareholder protection.

Mr. Colet said the phased reconstitution of exchange boards could diversify leadership and introduce new expertise into the sector.

He added that the inclusion of foreign independent directors may provide greater objectivity, while investment bankers and other industry practitioners could help exchanges become more responsive to developments in the capital markets.

“I’m optimistic that with faithful implementation and collaboration by regulators and stakeholders, the changes will improve our capital markets and protect the investing public,” he said.

The SEC’s proposal on term limits had earlier faced criticism from some individuals, including Ms. Yuchengco, who described the measure as “wrong,” noting that brokers are also shareholders of the PSE.

Meanwhile, some business groups have expressed support for the reforms. They also pledged to collaborate with regulators and stakeholders in refining policies to promote a fair and efficient capital market.

Covered exchanges that exceed the maximum cumulative term limit for broker directors will face penalties, including a P1-million fine per broker director per year and a P30,000 monthly penalty for continuing violations.

A third or subsequent offense may result in the suspension or revocation of an exchange’s secondary or primary license.

The SEC circular will take effect 15 days after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two newspapers of general circulation.

]]> BIR clarifies tax treatment of casino jackpot winnings https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/28/752587/bir-clarifies-tax-treatment-of-casino-jackpot-winnings/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/28/752587/bir-clarifies-tax-treatment-of-casino-jackpot-winnings/ Wed, 27 May 2026 21:19:09 -0600 EM - News Moderator BIR, clarifies, tax, treatment, casino, jackpot, winnings THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) has issued new revenue memorandum circulars targeting unpaid taxes in digital marketplaces and clarifying the taxation of large casino jackpots.

BIR Commissioner Charlito Martin R. Mendoza warned that electronic marketplace (e-marketplace) and gambling operators must strictly comply with withholding tax rules or face immediate penalties.

Under Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 57-2026, the agency said jackpot prizes from casinos and other gambling activities are considered “winnings” and therefore subject to final withholding tax.

The circular was issued to address queries on the scope of “winnings” under the Tax Code.

“There is a compelling need to clarify the tax treatment of jackpot prizes to ensure consistent application of existing laws, promote equity and uniformity in taxation, and safeguard government revenue — without expanding or modifying the scope of the law,” it said.

The circular covers jackpot prizes, or the highest prize, derived by individuals from participation in casino gaming and other gambling activities.

“The tax base for computing the final withholding tax shall be the gross amount of the jackpot prize or winnings, without any deduction for service charges, administrative fees, commissions, or other similar charges,” the BIR said.

Winnings will be subject to a 20% final withholding tax or 25% if derived by nonresident aliens not engaged in trade or business in the Philippines.

“Failure of the withholding agent or gaming operator to withhold and remit the correct amount of final tax on jackpot prizes or winnings shall render such party liable for the corresponding surcharge, interest, and compromise penalties without prejudice to the filing of appropriate criminal actions,” the circular read.

Meanwhile, RMC No. 55-2026 requires operators and digital financial services providers (DFSP) to submit alphabetical lists of employees or payees from whom taxes were withheld (alphalists) as attachments to tax returns.

Monthly withholding tax returns for value-added tax and percentage tax are due on the 10th day of the following month, while quarterly alphalists for creditable and final withholding tax returns are due on the last day of the month following the quarter.

Annual alphalists for compensation and final withholding tax are due on Jan. 31, and those for creditable withholding tax on March 1 of the succeeding year.

“Since the alphalist is an attachment and therefore a part of the withholding tax return, the submission of the alphalist is likewise an obligation of the withholding agent,” it said. 

“Failure to submit the alphalist constitutes a violation of BIR regulations and is subject to the corresponding penalty,” it added.

According to the BIR, e-marketplace operators and DFSPs are identified as withholding agents which require them to remit 0.5% of their gross remittances to sellers of goods and services.

“However, BIR records show that many of these entities have not complied with this requirement,” it said.

“This circular is hereby issued as a reminder to all withholding agents particularly e-marketplace operators and DFSPs, to strictly comply with the submission of the alphalist through the BIR eSubmission facility… to avoid unnecessary penalties,” it added.

MANDATORY ACCREDITATION
Meanwhile, business-to-business (B2B) gaming providers have until May 31 to secure mandatory accreditation or face an immediate ban, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) said.

In a May 21 memorandum, PAGCOR warned that companies failing to file applications will be barred from servicing gaming system administrators (GSA).

“Any request for evaluation of gaming systems, platforms, games, and equipment shall be returned,” it said, adding that services may only resume once accreditation is secured.

GSAs found themselves availing of services from noncompliant providers will also face sanctions.

Contracted B2B providers that submit applications by May 31 may continue operating until July 31, pending approval. However, they must complete payment of fees, documentary requirements, ocular inspection, and posting of a performance cash deposit.

“Failure to comply… shall result in the decommissioning of the concerned companies’ electronic gaming systems, online platforms, games, and equipment effective Aug. 1,” PAGCOR said.

HOTLINE FOR GAMBLING ADDICTION
In a separate release, PAGCOR launched a 24/7 hotline to address gambling problems and promote responsible gaming.

The agency announced that the National Problem Gambling Helpline is now ready to connect trained counselors for confidential support and counseling for those experiencing gaming-related issues, including family members of those affected.

“PAGCOR is aware that for many, gaming is just a form of leisure and recreation,” said PAGCOR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alejandro H. Tengco. “But for some, what may start as entertainment can gradually lead to financial strain and ruin, emotional distress, damaged relationships, and isolation.”

The program will be implemented in partnership with the Seagulls Flock Organization, Inc. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

]]> Lawmakers pushed to diversify fertilizer supply amid China reliance https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/28/752584/lawmakers-pushed-to-diversify-fertilizer-supply-amid-china-reliance/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/28/752584/lawmakers-pushed-to-diversify-fertilizer-supply-amid-china-reliance/ Wed, 27 May 2026 21:19:09 -0600 EM - News Moderator Lawmakers, pushed, diversify, fertilizer, supply, amid, China, reliance By Norman P. Aquino, Associate Editor and Pexcel John Bacon

THE PHILIPPINES should diversify fertilizer sources and boost domestic capacity to reduce exposure to China and global supply shocks, according to a congressional policy paper, as imports declined but dependence on a single supplier deepened.

In a report released this month, the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) of the House of Representatives warned that the country’s fertilizer import structure remains highly concentrated among a small number of suppliers, exposing the agriculture sector to external supply disruptions and geopolitical risks.

“This heavy reliance poses a serious supply chain risk, with Chinese imports alone accounting for 53.6% of the country’s total supply in 2025,” the House think tank said.

The CPBRD said the Iran war and the crisis involving the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, aside from China’s export controls, could continue to raise fertilizer costs in the coming months, adding pressure on agricultural production and food prices.

“The Philippines has seen a significant decline in its reliance on imported fertilizers to sustain rice and maize yields,” the CPBRD said, adding that import trends also point to a concentration risk in supply.

Fertilizer imports fell 6.8% to 2.37 million metric tons (MT) in 2025 from 2.54 million MT in 2023, based on Bureau of Customs data cited in the report, reflecting lower fertilizer application rates and easing demand.

Fertilizer use also dropped, with application declining by 30.1% to 199.4 kilograms per hectare in 2023 from a year earlier, the CPBRD said, citing data from the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Nitrogenous fertilizer, mostly urea, accounted for 61.3% of total imports over 2023-2025, followed by mixed fertilizer at 28.7% and potassic fertilizer at 9.6%, it said.

China increased its share of Philippine fertilizer supply despite the fall in overall volumes. Imports from China rose to 1.27 million MT in 2025, equivalent to 53.6% of total shipments.

Other suppliers lagged far behind. Indonesia held an 8.2% share, followed by Canada at 5.8%, Brunei Darussalam at 5.2%, and Malaysia at 5.1%, while the remaining 22.1% came from 45 countries combined.

China’s role is more pronounced in key product segments. It supplied 39.1% of nitrogenous fertilizer and 79.1% of mixed fertilizer imports, backed by its coal-based ammonia production and large phosphate reserves.

Canada dominated potassic fertilizer supply with a 51.2% share, while India accounted for 50.6% of organic fertilizer imports.

The CPBRD said the concentration of suppliers exposes the country to supply chain risks, including export restrictions and geopolitical disruptions.

The Philippines gets almost half of its inorganic fertilizers from China, and relatively large volumes also from Indonesia and Malaysia, Federation of Free Farmers Board Chairman and former Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Q. Montemayor told BusinessWorld.

“All these countries are inherently dependent on oil-based inputs from the Middle East, or are affected indirectly by what is happening there,” he said in a Viber message, adding that exporting countries would prioritize domestic supply before meeting demand from buyers like the Philippines.

Mr. Montemayor said reliance on China also carries strategic risks. “With China, the added concern is it may use our dependence on them as leverage in our conflict over the West Philippine Sea,” he said, noting that developing alternative sources would take time and might not be realistic in the near term.

Global fertilizer prices rebounded in 2025 after easing in the previous two years, reflecting tighter supply and higher input costs.

Conflicts in key regions raised costs for inputs such as natural gas and sulfur, which are critical to nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer production.

China’s export caps on phosphates and output adjustments by major producers also tightened supply conditions, the CPBRD said.

Policy support for farm inputs remains in place. Fertilizers intended for agricultural use are exempt from tariffs under Republic Act (RA) No. 8435 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act, and from value-added tax under RA 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.

Nonagricultural fertilizer imports are subject to tariffs of 1%, 3%, or 7% plus a 12% value-added tax, although rates remain relatively low under regional and most-favored-nation commitments.

Revenue from nonagricultural fertilizer imports declined 5.2% to P307.1 million in 2025 from a year earlier. Nitrogenous and potassic products accounted for 75.6% of the total.

Collections rose in early 2026 as costs increased. Import revenues reached P106.72 million from January to April, with nitrogenous fertilizer contributing P56.14 million, mixed fertilizer at P28.25 million, and potassic fertilizer at P21.18 million.

The CPBRD said risks from higher input costs and export controls are likely to persist, pointing to the need for diversified sourcing, supply buffer measures and support for alternative inputs to stabilize farm production and prices.

Mr. Montemayor said lower fertilizer use likely reflects rising prices rather than efficiency gains. Reduced application without substitutes could cut farm output, he pointed out.

He said alternative inputs remain limited, with organic fertilizer accounting for about 10% of total demand.

“The government will need to actively and sustainably promote the use of such inputs,” he said, warning that farmers tend to revert to chemical fertilizers once prices stabilize unless incentives are sustained.

He said soil testing should also be expanded to improve efficiency. Fertilizer misuse remains common, with farmers applying nutrients that may not match actual soil requirements, he added.

Jayson H. Cainglet, executive director of the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura, said field conditions show a broader strain on farm activity as higher fertilizer costs weigh on planting decisions.

“This is not simply a supply issue; it is a profitability crisis,” he said in a Viber message, noting that farmers are being squeezed by rising input costs and continued inflows of cheaper imports.

He said many farmers have cut fertilizer use, shifted to lower-input crops or skipped planting altogether when prices surged to as high as P3,000 per bag before easing to about P2,000.

He added that delayed subsidy releases and skepticism over alternative inputs have limited uptake, reinforcing a cycle of lower planting, weaker domestic output and rising reliance on imports.

]]> Philippine economy expected to rebound in second half https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/28/752585/philippine-economy-expected-to-rebound-in-second-half/ https://www.bworldonline.com/top-stories/2026/05/28/752585/philippine-economy-expected-to-rebound-in-second-half/ Wed, 27 May 2026 21:19:09 -0600 EM - News Moderator Philippine, economy, expected, rebound, second, half By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Senior Reporter

THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY could grow by around 5% in the second half of the year, driven by base effects and an expected acceleration in government infrastructure spending, according to the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P).

“Growth could recover to around 5% in the second half on base effects and a ramp-up in National Government infrastructure spending,” UA&P said in its The Market Call report this month.

Government officials earlier signaled a pickup in disbursements and project implementation as agencies roll out catch-up programs.

UA&P cautioned, however, that growth will remain subdued in the first half amid unresolved issues surrounding last year’s flood control scandal and elevated oil prices.

“Weak gross domestic product growth and faster inflation will weigh on the economy in the first half amid the unresolved flood control scandal and high oil prices from the Middle East conflict,” it said.

“Flip-flopping US-Iran talks may keep fuel prices elevated, hitting the Philippines harder than its ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) peers,” it added.

The Philippine economy expanded by a slower-than-expected 2.8% in the first quarter. This was below the government’s target range of 5-6% for the year.

For the entire year of 2026, UA&P said growth will be slow “but pose some resilience in the face of near-term global and local headwinds that will likely moderate activity in the first half of the year.”

“While cautious business sentiment and lingering geopolitical uncertainties may weigh on household and investment spending, the domestic economy continues to benefit from strong structural drivers such as steady household consumption, a healthy labor market, and sustained remittance inflows,” it added.

Meanwhile, UA&P said that it expects inflation to accelerate further amid second-round effects from the oil shock, “but likely not to (reach) double digits year on year.”

Inflation accelerated to 7.2% in April, marking the second consecutive month that it settled above the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 2%-4% target. It also breached the BSP’s 5.6%-6.4% forecast for the month.

“The BSP took on a more hawkish tone because of above-estimate inflation, raising rates and its inflation forecast to 6.3% for 2026,” it said.

“We likewise see above-target inflation for the rest of 2026, with the possibility of double-digit inflation rates due to base and second-round effects creeping into succeeding readings,” it added.

As inflation is expected to settle above the target for the rest of the year, UA&P expects the BSP to further tighten.

“Our outlook pencils in 75 basis points (bps) more of rate hikes for this year, bringing the policy rate to 5.25%, especially as the April inflation reading trumped even the BSP’s upper inflation bound,” it said.

The central bank last month raised rates for the first time in nearly two years by 25 bps to 4.5%, with BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. saying the Monetary Board remains open to extending the tightening cycle to anchor inflation expectations.

NO STAGFLATION
Despite weaker growth and high inflation, UA&P said the country is not experiencing stagflation.

“Despite inflation negative commentary from some analysts, the Philippine economy is not in stagflation mode,” it said.

“Inflation, while elevated, will continually trek downwards after a peace deal gets signed, and growth will return when infrastructure spending resumes along with consumer and business confidence,” it added.

Meanwhile, the peso remains under pressure as crude oil prices surge.

“The peso-dollar rate remained under pressure amid the rebound in crude oil prices (i.e., close to $100/barrel for West Texas Intermediate, and $110/barrel for Brent) in April,” it said.

On Tuesday, the local currency closed P61.56 versus the greenback, weakening by 9.5 centavos from its P61.465 finish on Monday. 

UA&P said it expects bonds with longer tenors to deliver higher returns amid elevated interest rates, after investors cautiously returned to the local bond market in April. 

Real 10-year yields showed only a 0.9% return based on the earlier 6.2% inflation forecast of the BSP, just half of the 1.8% 10-year average over the past decade.

“That would fall further once BSP updates its inflation forecast to above 6.5% for 2026,” it said.

Smaller yield gains are expected for shorter-dated papers as banks deploy excess liquidity to earn at least some returns.

“However, they may come too far behind with likely BSP policy rate (presently at 4.5%) hikes, which we expect will total 75 bps for the rest of the year,” it added.

]]>