Today, after two storms skirted Luzon, the very same areas identified as prone to drought are completely inundated. Severe weather caused by climate change includes both severe rain and long droughts. The present situation where our dams are dry one week and overfilled the next will likely become the usual pattern. If Ukraine is unable to export its grains, there will be food shortages in many parts of the world. Built many decades ago, our existing dams are too small to service the needs of a substantially larger population.

LTO: 5 million driver’s license plastic cards up for deliveryMANILA, Philippines — At least five million plastic cards for driver’s licenses are set to arrive this year, with an initial one million up for delivery within two months, Land Transportation Office (LTO) Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II announced yesterday. Mendoza said Banner Plasticards Inc. vowed to deliver 500,000 plastic cards every month. “All in all we’re looking at around one million plastic cards in the next 60 days. So that would be sufficient to wipe out whatever backlog we have now,” he said. The delivery of the plastic cards in the next two months will be able to address the backlog of 900,000 plastic cards for the driver’s license, according to Mendoza.

YANGON: Myanmar's National Defense and Security Council agreed Monday to extend the country's state of emergency by six months, state media said, likely delaying elections the junta had pledged to hold by August. Acting president Myint Swe announced the decision to prolong the state of emergency — declared when the generals toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's government in February 2021 — for another six months, according to state broadcaster MRTV. AFP PHOTO/ Myanmar's Military Information Team This handout photograph taken and released by the Myanmar's Military Information Team on July 31, 2023, shows Soe Win (left) Myanmar's military Deputy Commander in Chief of Defense Services speak during a defense and security council meeting in Naypyidaw. AFP PHOTO/ Myanmar's Military Information TeamThe state of emergency was due to expire at the end of July but on Monday the junta-stacked National Defense and Security Council met to discuss the state of the nation. Myint Swe told the meeting that the "state of emergency period would be extended another six months starting from August 1st, 2023."

Surgeons around the world always seek better instruments for their life-saving procedures. Some of these world-class medical devices are actually made in tiny Japanese factories. One example is the world's thinnest surgical needle. Another factory in Tokyo produces cutting-edge surgical scissors used by brain surgeons worldwide. Surgical instruments and their production continues to evolve along with the medical care itself.

Hundreds of less fortunate children tasted the happiness of celebrating their birthdays, thanks to the help of Birthday Happiness Asia, an non-profit organization which organized birthday parties for them. Fernandes co-founded the original Birthday Happiness along with Marilou with the firm belief that all children, not only their children and grandchildren, should celebrate their birthdays. Birthday Happiness Asia was started in memory of Marilou. We give them a birthday party, have games such as pass the parcel and musical chairs, as well as a birthday cake, preferably homemade. Birthday Happiness Asia works with partnering organizations that provide centers for parties to be held, while Birthday Happiness provides the volunteers, decoration, cakes, presents etc.

KHAR, Pakistan — A suicide bomber blew himself up at a political rally in a former stronghold of militants in northwest Pakistan bordering Afghanistan on Sunday, killing at least 44 people and wounding nearly 200 in an attack that a senior leader said was meant to weaken Pakistani Islamists. The Bajur district near the Afghan border was a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban — a close ally of Afghanistan’s Taliban government — before the Pakistani army drove the militants out of the area. It said initial investigations suggested the Islamic State group — which operates in Afghanistan and is an enemy of the Afghan Taliban — could be behind the attack, and officers were still investigating. The Pakistan Taliban, or TTP, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press that the bombing was aimed at setting Islamists against each other. Feroz Jamal, the provincial information minister, told The Associated Press that so far 44 people had been “martyred” and nearly 200 wounded in the bombing.

A senior Ukrainian official reported heavy fighting in the northeast of the country on Sunday, with Kyiv’s forces holding their lines and making gains in some areas. Russia’s military said it had halted Ukrainian forces in the northeast. Maliar said the Russians had suffered “no fewer losses than during the heated battles in Bakhmut”, which fell to Russian forces after more than 10 months of fighting. Maliar said Russian forces were also “tenaciously trying to seize back” areas on the southern front taken by Ukraine. Russian forces, it said, had also repelled four Ukrainian attacks near the town of Lyman, further south.

(UPDATE) LONDON: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has backed plans to permit new fossil fuel exploration off Britain's coast, as he pledged to be "pragmatic and proportionate" about achieving net zero in an interview published on Saturday. NEW VENTURE Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (center) speaks with Barratt Homes employees during a visit to Hayes Village, a new housing development under construction by Barratt Homes on a brownfield site, in London, on Thursday, July 27, 2023. Sunak, who became leader last October, said his approach was "to support the UK's energy industry" and appeared to suggest that not exploiting new UK oil and gas reserves risked "the lights going out" in Britain. The moves follow the Conservatives defying dismal national poll ratings to narrowly retain former prime minister Boris Johnson's vacated northwest London seat in a parliamentary by-election last week. In the interview, Sunak, who has been criticized for his frequent use of helicopters and planes to travel around Britain, insisted he wants to "leave the environment and our climate in a better state."

Online classes over suspensions during disasters 'unrealistic, inhumane' — groupResidents wade through floodwaters left by torrential rains of Typhoon Doksuri in Calumpit, Bulacan province on July 29, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — Conducting online classes instead of suspending classes during disasters is “unrealistic and insensitive” as it may not be feasible for students and educators dealing with the impacts of calamities, a teachers’ group said Sunday. How do we conduct online classes when your learner and his/her family is currently flooded?” Alliance of Concerned Teachers chairperson Vladimer Quetua said. The policy stated that in-person, online classes and work in public elementary and high schools are automatically suspended in areas under tropical cyclone wind signals, orange and red rainfall warning and flood warning. Classes are automatically canceled in areas under Intensify 5 or above following an earthquake.

KuyaAs I go about my day, at some point I will hear the word “kuya.” I notice that it is used often to ask for assistance, to do a favor, to call attention. I see parallels between the Pinoy’s regard for “kuyas” with the concept of “big brothers” in our Kapatid Angat Lahat program. Yes, big-brother companies can come in all shapes and sizes; they need not be large manufacturing conglomerates. Fortunately, there are already a few big-brother companies in this sector, and more are joining their fold. That is why, in addition to the big brothers we have in the Philippines, we are now looking to find the “kuyas” in the ASEAN member-states.

Cignal sank F2 Logistics, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18, in the battle for third match to seize bronze in the Premier Volleyball League PVL Invitational Conference at the PhilSports Arena on Sunday, July 30. Cignal's Jovelyn Gonzaga PHOTO BY RIO DELUVIOGel Cayuna tossed 30 excellent sets to take the Player of the Game honor and lead the HD Spikers, who returned to the podium after missing the playoffs in the All-Filipino Conference earlier this year. Prior to that, Cignal placed second in the Reinforced Conference last year. Third placers in the All-Filipino Conference, the Cargo Movers finished fourth this time around.

CONTINUING ETHNIC CONFLICT Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during SemiconIndia 2023, at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar on Friday, July 28, 2023. "Our delegation is here to express solidarity with the people of Manipur in this time of distress. But opposition leaders say the move could at least force Modi to speak on the conflict and open a debate. The violence in Manipur and the assault on the two women triggered protests across the country last week. The European Parliament also recently adopted a resolution calling on Indian authorities to take action to stop the violence in Manipur and protect religious minorities, especially Christians.

Theme-based cafes are a great success in Japan, and continue to grow in popularity. The idea of 'concept cafes' began in Akihabara, the center of Japanese pop culture, with their renowned 'maid cafes.' They are now found everywhere, and have diversified to cater to everyone's taste; from railway enthusiasts to ninja fans. At the unique end, there's a science-themed cafe-bar run by an actual scientist, where the whole experience takes the form of lab experiments. Concept cafes aren't just fun places to eat and drink, they can let you engage in exciting activities as well.

China coped with floods in the north from a weakening Typhoon Doksuri on Sunday, with expected record rains in Beijing, while people in the south mopped up, even as another storm loomed off the coast. China's National Meteorological Center kept its red alert, the country's highest, for rainstorms on Sunday, state media Xinhua reported. Doksuri, one of the strongest storms to hit China in years, had prompted thousands to evacuate in southern province Fujian and ripping coastal areas and pushing north and inland. Although the authorities downgraded the storm from typhoon on Sunday, the China Meteorological Bureau maintained a red alert for heavy rain in various provinces, especially northern areas such as Hebei, Beijing, Shanxi and Henan. The capital was likely to receive record rainfall, while cities in Hebei province, which encircles Beijing, were waterlogged, local media reported.

The heat is on; when it rains, it poursThere’s a popular idiom that goes, “the heat is on,” referring to a serious situation that needs urgent action. Well, we are now literally experiencing “hell on earth” with the heat now on in the United States – extreme heat temperatures being experienced from coast to coast for days on end. Washington has not been spared, with the heat index reaching 110 degrees Fahrenheit last Friday, according to the National Weather Service. As UN Secretary-General Guterres said, climate change is terrifying, but “it is still possible to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avoid the very worst of climate change. PBBM clearly sees the impact of climate change, especially with the Philippines being one of the most vulnerable countries worldwide.