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Petecio cruises to Round of 16

NESTHY PETECIO (right) of Philippines in action against Lamboria of India (left). — REUTERS

Marcial bows to Khabibullaev; Sanchez misses the final

PARIS — Members of Team Philippines returned to camp Tuesday night with a heavy heart as two top boxers climbed the ring and one went down in tears.

Adding to the despair was swimmer Kayla Sanchez establishing a Philippine record in making the women’s 100m freestyle semifinals but then slowing down in the night session and missing the final.

Eumir Marcial and Ms. Sanchez, both podium finishers in Tokyo in 2021, ended their Paris campaigns with shattered dreams. They’re the latest casualties from the 22-strong Philippine contingent, joining fencer Sam Catantan, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe and gymnasts Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo and Levi Ruivivar.

Buried by sad emotions was the joy and excitement provided earlier by Nesthy Petecio in her dominant conquest of Indian Jaismine Lamboria in their women’s 57kg Round of 32 clash at the Paris North Arena.

Team Philippines was to regroup, hoping to regain momentum as Carlo Paalam and Hergie Bacyadan start their own quests in the boxing arena Wednesday night.

Gymnast Carlos Yulo, meanwhile, was to perform in the all-around final over at the Bercy Arena.

Falling by the wayside was Mr. Marcial after a shock defeat to young, tall Uzbek Turabek Khabibullaev in their 80kg Round of 16 dispute.

Mr. Khabibullaev, 22, made good use of his long reach to frustrate Mr. Marcial who spent the night looking for an opening for a knockout shot but didn’t find one.

The Filipino fighter, a demolition man with two first-round KO wins in Tokyo, threw volumes only towards the end when it’s too late to overhaul Mr. Khabibullaev’s lead.

At the bell, Mr. Khabibullaev was the clear winner, gaining the nod of judges Bachir Abbar of Morroco, Holger Kussmaul of Germany, Jeffery Verhoeven of Canada, Shawn Reese of the USA and Atarbayar Byambabayar of Mongolia.

Like Mr. Marcial versus Mr. Khabibullaev, Ms. Petecio was up against a foe with much advantage in height and reach in Ms. Lamboria.

But Ms. Petecio fought a good fight, dominating Ms. Lamboria for a unanimous decision to start her quest for Paris glory after a silver feat in Tokyo.

Ms. Petecio, up next versus home bet Amina Zidani in the Round of 16.

Over in the pool at the Paris La Defense Arena, Ms. Sanchez closed out her campaign at 15th out of 16 semifinalists in 100m freestyle with a time of 54.21 seconds.

Earlier, Ms. Sanchez, a silver and bronze winner as part of the Canadian relay team in the 2021 Tokyo Games, established a new Philippine record of 53.67 seconds in the heats.

With Ms. Sanchez done with her campaign, left to carry the Philippine flag in swimming is Jarod Hatch. He competes in men’s 100m butterfly Friday. — Nelson Beltran

Nesthy Petecio fights amidst nonstop chants of her name

NESTHY PETECIO — PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

PARIS — Nesthy Petecio fought amidst nonstop chants of her name booming and echoing at the Paris North Arena Tuesday night.

She heard clearer and louder “Pilipinas! Pilipinas!” — a call she responded with an impressive display of skills, savvy and flamboyance on the way to a unanimous win over Indian Jaismine Lamboria in their 57kg Round-of-32 bout.

“All I heard was Pilipinas,” said Ms. Petecio, with the chant sparking an adrenaline rush and fueling a juggernaut that easily carried the Tokyo silver winner to the next round.

Ms. Petecio, visibly a more confident, better fighter from the Tokyo Games, put up a clinical performance, impressing not just the Filipino supporters but the entire arena.

So impressive was the Davaoeña fighter that she yielded merely two points to Ms. Lamboria.

Kazakh Termek Suiyenish, Korean Jongjin Kim and Estonia’s Jakov Peterson all made 30-27 verdicts while American Shawn Reese and Morocco’s Mouhsine Soulmi called it 29-28.

Ms. Petecio needs two more wins to crack the top 4 for a sure medal.

The hands-down favorite in the upper bracket of the chart is Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu Ting, one of two boxers disqualified from the world championships last year for gender eligibility issue but allowed to fight here.

Asked by a foreign journalist on her possible fight with the Taiwanese, Ms. Petecio expressed confidence of a win in case they do duke it out here.

Ms. Petecio has beaten Lin in their clash in Tokyo. — Nelson Beltran

Unbeaten Cignal, Akari gun for win no. 4 in PVL Reinforced Conference

CIGNAL HD SPIKERS — FACEBOOK.COM/PREMIERVOLLEYBALLLEAGUE

Games Thursday
(PhilSports Arena)
1 p.m. — Petro Gazz vs Cignal
3 p.m. — Capital1 vs Choco Mucho
5 p.m. — ZUS vs Akari

CIGNAL and Akari aim to stay unbeaten and atop Pool B as they battle Petro Gazz and ZUS Coffee, respectively, Thursday in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference at the PhilSports Arena.

Unbeaten in three starts, the HD Spikers and the Chargers gun for win No. 4 with the former tackling the Angels (1-2) at 1 p.m. and the latter clashing with Thunderbelles (0-3) in the finale of a three-game offering at 5 p.m.

The only other duel of the day pits Capital1 Solar (1-2) versus Choco Mucho (1-2) at 3 p.m.

Venezuelan MJ Perez is expected to lead the way anew for Cignal after dropping 23 points in a 25-20, 25-17, 23-25, 25-13 win over Capital1 Solar Saturday that preserved its pristine record.

Ms. Perez said they’re still working to get to where they want to be. “We still haven’t reached our peak, we have to work hard to get there,” she said.

For Akari, it has rode on the sustained excellence of American Oluoma Okaro, whose 31-point juggernaut helped the fledgling franchise to a shock, come-from-behind 23-25, 21-25, 25-23, 29-27, 16-14 triumph over Petro Gazz also Saturday.

Ms. Okaro’s numbers have been eye-popping of late as she averaged a league-high 28.33 points a game. — Joey Villar

Soccer: France, US and Argentina reach quarters; Paraguay, Morocco and Egypt also through

FREEPIK

PARIS — Hosts France secured a place in the quarterfinals of the men’s Olympic football tournament with a 3-0 win over New Zealand that put them top of Group A, while the United States edged Guinea 3-0 to progress on the final day of the group stage on Tuesday.

Argentina, Paraguay, Morocco and Egypt also joined already-qualified Spain and Japan in the last eight.

France, coming off two wins, only needed a draw to go through, but goals by skipper Jean-Philippe Mateta, Desire Doue and Arnaud Kalimuendo made it a perfect first round.

The US advanced in second place after a strike from Djordje Mihailovic and a Kevin Paredes double earned them victory in St Etienne.

The 27-year-old Mateta grabbed the lead for France, taking advantage of New Zealand’s poor defending in the 19th minute.

Doue added another in the 71st after a neat passing move, before Mr. Kalimuendo’s low shot sealed the win three minutes later.

Thierry Henry’s side next face Argentina in Lyon on Friday.

At an almost empty Geoffroy-Guichard stadium, US midfielder Mr. Mihailovic opened the scoring in the 14th minute by sending a brilliant free-kick into the top left corner.

Mr. Paredes made it 2-0 off Paxten Aaronson’s great through ball in the 31st and got his second 15 minutes from time.

The US will meet Morocco at Parc des Princes in Paris.

FINE EFFORT
Argentina, who progressed second in Group B, beat Ukraine 2-0 thanks to Thiago Almada’s fine effort just after halftime and Claudio Echeverri’s stoppage-time goal at Lyon Stadium.

Mr. Almada scored two minutes after the break from long range, while Echeverri got on the scoresheet off a rebound from Ukraine goalkeeper Kiril Fesiun a minute into added time.

Morocco reached the quarterfinals as Group B leaders on goal difference with a crushing 3-0 win over Iraq in Nice with all the goals in the first 36 minutes.

They went ahead in the 19th when Amir Richardson headed in a superb Achraf Hakimi cross before Soufiane Rahimi doubled the advantage in the 28th for his fourth goal in the tournament.

Former Barcelona forward Abde Ezzalzouli wrapped up the win when his brilliant strike from the edge of the box sailed into the far corner.

Egypt also made the quarters as they claimed top spot in Group C ahead of already-qualified Spain who fielded a much-changed side and lost 2-1 to finish second.

Ibrahim Adel capitalized on poor Spanish defending to score in the 40th and 62nd minutes to give the Egyptians an unexpected win. Spain did pull a goal back in the final seconds with Samu Omorodion’s header but it was too little too late.

Also in Group C, the Dominican Republic were eliminated from their first Olympics after a 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan who arrived at Parc des Princes already out of contention.

A sensational Marcelo Fernandez volley after five minutes gave Paraguay a 1-0 win over Mali also in Paris to send them to the last eight. The South Americans will meet Egypt in Lyon.

Israel exited after losing 1-0 to already-qualified Japan in Nantes after a stoppage-time goal by substitute Mao Hosoya. — Reuters

Nadal and Alcaraz turn up the heat; Gauff knocked out

PARIS — Spain’s raging bulls Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz blazed into the quarterfinals of the Olympics men’s doubles but a host of women’s singles medal contenders were knocked out as the heat was turned up at Roland Garros on Tuesday.

Once again the dynamic duo received top billing on the schedule and they did not disappoint a fevered crowd as they fought off Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof to claim a 6-4 6-7(2) 10-2 victory.

Earlier, as the mercury soared into the mid-30s Celsius (90s Fahrenheit) leaving spectators and players wilting, the women’s singles was blown apart as second seed Coco Gauff, fourth seed Jasmine Paolini and seventh seed Maria Sakkari all perished.

Women’s top seed Iga Swiatek of Poland stayed on course for gold though with a 6-3 6-4 win against injury-hampered Chinese player Wang Xiyu to reach the quarterfinals.

Defending men’s singles champion Alexander Zverev of Germany stayed cool in the oven-like heat as the third seed kept on track for a repeat of his Tokyo title with a 6-3 7-5 defeat of Czech player Tomas Machac to reach the third round.

There was only one place to be on a tropical evening alongside the Bois de Boulogne though — the claustrophobic Court Suzanne Lenglen for the latest “Nadalcaraz” show.

Up against a former doubles world number one in Koolhof, the Spaniards found themselves involved in a red-dirt dogfight as the Dutch showed scant regard for reputations and threatened to spoil the party by deservedly leveling the match.

But the 38-year-old Mr. Nadal and Mr. Alcaraz, 21, have 26 Grand Slam singles titles between them for a reason, and they caught fire again in the deciding tiebreak, with some electrifying tennis moving them within three wins of a dream gold medal.

The Spaniard plays a third-round singles against Roman Safiullin on Wednesday before joining Nadal to take on Americans Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram in the doubles.

Ms. Gauff, like Mr. Alcaraz an Olympic debutant, still has medal hopes but not in the singles after her shock exit to Croatia’s 13th seed Donna Vekic.

The American was in tears in the second set when an over-ruled line call saw her slip 4-2 behind and became embroiled in an argument with umpire Jaume Campistol and the tournament supervisor in which she was heard to say “I’m being cheated.” — Reuters

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh killed in Iran, Hamas says

Palestinian group Hamas' top leader, Ismail Haniyeh is seen in this file photo dated March 26, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

CAIRO — Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the early hours of the morning in Iran, the Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Wednesday, describing the strike as a “severe escalation” that would not achieve its goals.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed the death of Mr. Haniyeh, hours after he attended a swearing in ceremony for the country’s new president, and said it was investigating.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli authorities.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Mr. Haniyeh.

The news, which came less than 24 hours after Israel claimed to have killed the Hezbollah commander it said was behind a deadly strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, appears to set back chances of any imminent ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

“This assassination by the Israeli occupation of Brother Haniyeh is a grave escalation that aims to break the will of Hamas,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.

He said Hamas would continue the path it was following, adding: “We are confident of victory.”

Mr. Haniyeh, normally based in Qatar, has been the face of the Palestinian group’s international diplomacy as the war set off by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7 has raged in Gaza, where three of his sons were killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Appointed to the Hamas top job in 2017, Mr. Haniyeh has moved between Turkey and Qatar’s capital Doha, escaping the travel curbs of the blockaded Gaza Strip and enabling him to act as a negotiator in ceasefire talks or to talk to Hamas’ ally Iran. — Reuters

Austin says Middle East war not inevitable, seeks to ‘take the temperature down’

DEFENSE.GOV

SUBIC, Philippines — US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III said on Wednesday he did not think a wider war in the Middle East was inevitable and the United States was seeking to cool rising tensions in the region.

“I don’t think war is inevitable. I maintain that. I think there’s always room and opportunities for diplomacy,” Mr. Austin told reporters during a visit to the Philippines.

His remarks come after Israel claimed on Tuesday to have killed the Hezbollah commander who it said was behind a deadly strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Asked also if he could confirm information about another strike that killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran on Wednesday, Mr. Austin said: “I don’t have any additional information to provide.”

Palestinian militant group Hamas said the strike was a “severe escalation” that would not achieve its goals.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed the death of Mr. Haniyeh, hours after he attended a swearing in ceremony for the country’s new president, and said it was investigating.

Asked what assistance the United States would provide if a wider conflict should break out in the Middle East, Mr. Austin said Washington would continue to help defend Israel if it were attacked, but the priority was de-escalating tensions.

“We don’t want to see any of that happen. We’re going to work hard to make sure that we’re doing things to help take the temperature down and address issues through diplomatic gatherings,” he said. — Reuters

Paris hotel operators slash prices in last-ditch attempt to attract more Olympics travelers

THE OLYMPIC CAULDRON and the Arc de Triomphe after sunset in Paris, France, July 30, 2024. — REUTERS

NEW YORK — With the Olympics underway in Paris, hotel operators made a final push to lure last-minute travelers, lowering prices and dropping minimum stay requirements after some people balked at what they saw as price-gouging prior to the games.

The Paris Tourist office said Monday that average hotel prices during the games have fallen to 258 euros per night — down from 342 euros earlier in the summer, which had represented a 70% increase from the average 202 euro price in July 2023.

Travel agents say visitors may clinch discounts of between 10% and 70% as operators offer deals after demand for the Games fell below expectations due to high prices and security concerns.

“Paris is not at all busy. There is space and hotel prices are about 20% cheaper,” said Denise Alevy, a travel agent who booked a last-minute trip to the city. “I found many hotels at very good prices.”

Booking Holdings’ metasearch engine KAYAK said hotel prices in the city decreased 16% in July compared to June. Hotel Planner said it is seeing a drop of as much as 66% in average hotel prices for four-star hotels in Paris through early August.

“The hospitality industry in France and worldwide has undoubtedly been taught a lesson against price-gouging when looking to capitalize on major events,” said Tim Hentschel, Chief Executive Officer of Hotel Planner, a travel booking website.

In July, France-based hotel operator Accor revised its expected gains from the Olympics, having previously forecast a 2% increase in revenue per available room in France during the Games.

“That’s no longer the case,” Accor Chief Executive Sebastien Bazin said on an earnings call. However, he said the company is doing well in terms of pricing and occupancy which is over 80% across Accor hotels during the Games.

Some hotels have dropped restrictions, including arrival dates and length of stay requirements, to attract last-minute travelers, according to travel agents.

“The rules have dropped but the prices not so much,” said Neil Kurman of Protravel International travel agent, a luxury travel agency. Five-star hotels like Le Royal Monceau Raffles are still charging close to 3,000 euros per night during the games, he said.

Accor may see a 0.5% uptick in room revenue if travelers flock to the city in the months following the Olympics, Accor’s Mr. Bazin said, but the company’s outlook remains conservative. — Reuters

This is how we know when the world has its hottest day

A TIMES SQUARE ALLIANCE public safety officer wipes away sweat amid high temperatures in New York in June. — BLOOMBERG

ON SUNDAY, July 21, the world had its hottest day on record. Just 24 hours later, that record broke again making last Monday very likely the hottest day in thousands of years.

It may seem improbable for scientists to gauge the world’s hottest day given that they don’t have temperature monitors in every corner of the world and less than a century of relatively widespread observations. But they’ve developed a technique that’s increasingly useful as the planet heats up.

The shocking heat findings, announced by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, are based on “reanalysis,” a technique that mixes temperature data and models to provide a global view of the climate. The center creates a nearly real-time picture of the Earth’s climate, including temperature, wind and precipitation, for (roughly) every 30-square-kilometer chunk of the planet’s surface.

This reanalysis goes back to 1940, and it allows researchers to say with confidence when a record is broken, whether for a day, month or year. Beyond the new daily heat record, the data also shows that 2023 was the hottest year ever recorded and that every calendar month for the past 13 months has been the hottest on record.

Though there aren’t thermometers in every corner of the world, Copernicus receives a large amount of weather data that it uses to underpin its reanalysis. “We have this constant flow of information coming into the center,” says Carlo Buontempo, director of the Climate Change Service, which is part of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).

Scientists at the center receive 100 million readings per day about weather conditions from around the world. Observations come from airplanes, satellites, ships, radar and surface-level weather stations — all feeding real-time information about temperature, wind, rain and snow information, as well as other factors like air pollution. This information is fed into a model, known as ERA5, which is already equipped with historic information about the global climate.

There are gaps in these observations, because the data sources don’t cover every part of the world. Weather conditions like cloudy skies may also reduce the amount of data coming from sources like satellites. To fill these gaps, the scientists take the predictions they have already made, based on the long-term ERA5 model, and test them against the observations. That means a forecast that predicts a particular temperature in a particular place will be tested against all the data researchers receive about the weather in that place and nearby, as well as broader forces like ocean currents and air circulation.

This is done repeatedly while assessing how compatible the prediction is with what’s actually been recorded. The model also accounts for any errors in the recorded data, and relies on the laws of physics, including the weather patterns, currents and airflow that govern how the global climate works.

In this way, it’s possible to create a complete picture that is as accurate as possible. That’s what allows scientists to confidently declare record like when the world experiences the hottest day in human history.

Globally, five weather services — the US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA, the ECMWF, the China Meteorological Administration, and the Japan Meteorological Agency — carry out continuous appraisals of global temperature using this technique. While their models differ slightly, the five groups have come to similar conclusions about record heat in recent months and years.

Historical data is trickier to come by. The longest-running temperature series, the Central England Temperature in the UK, started in the 17th century. Data from before humans were systematically monitoring temperatures comes from sources like bubbles of gas trapped in glacial ice, or tree rings. These sources aren’t as specific as a thermometer reading, but it’s possible to say with confidence that recent temperatures are likely the highest in around 100,000 years, Copernicus says.

Meteorologists also have a good idea when a particularly significant day, like the hottest day on record, is on its way. This is partly because global mean temperatures usually peak between early July and early August. Last year’s hottest day — which was the previous record for the hottest ever — occurred in early July amid a historic oceanic heat wave. An intensifying El Niño — a natural global climate phenomenon that usually means hotter temperatures globally — provided yet another clue that record heat was brewing.

Until this July, it looked for a while like the world wouldn’t set a new daily record, says Mr. Buontempo. “The global mean temperature for the oceans started rising again,” he says. “Some of the people who systematically monitor our predictions started to sound alarm bells.” By the start of last week, they were paying extra attention to the reanalysis and getting ready to make an announcement.

This technique isn’t just useful for making “hottest day ever” announcements: It’s being used to train AI forecasting models, especially for “ensemble” weather forecasts, which represent multiple possible future scenarios. It’s also used by solar energy companies to help homeowners work out how much energy their panels might generate, and by wind energy companies to plan where to put wind farms.

Copernicus is currently working on a new model, known as ERA6, which will be more precise — dividing the world into 14 kilometer squares — and incorporate many more historic data sources, including early satellite readings from the 1970s.

For Buontempo, more important than any one day is the recent extraordinary streak of record-breaking months, given that’s a better indicator of how rapidly the world is warming. But pinpointing a specific day does make a changing climate feel much more immediate.

“I think we have to make it more tangible, more direct, more visible,” he says. “It is important that people are informed.” — Bloomberg

Mega-sports events caught on horns of climate change dilemma

OVERVIEW of the Trocadero venue, with the Eiffel Tower looming in the background while the Olympic flag is being raised, during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. — FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT/POOL VIA REUTERS

PARIS — A leading sports ecologist believes the climate crisis has left organizers of mega-sporting events like the Olympics facing a truth uncomfortable enough to make them squirm.

Golf courses are sliding into the sea, snow is vanishing from alpine resorts, football grounds have flooded and wildfire smoke is choking athletes as rising temperatures disrupt events.

Some sports at the Paris Games have enacted extreme heat protocols as temperatures climb, while unseasonal high rains have led to the high pollution levels in the river Seine that forced a rescheduling of Tuesday’s men’s triathlon.

“(Climate change) is clearly having an effect,” IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said on Tuesday.

“We have to live in the world that we have. As they say in sport, you have to play with what you have in front of you.”

Critics say extravaganzas like the Olympics, which will welcome an estimated 14 million visitors to Paris, contribute to climate change through a massive carbon footprint.

“These competitions need to be smaller,” said author and sports ecologist Madeleine Orr. “It’s not athlete travel that’s doing the damage, it’s all the fans.

“These are conversations I’ve had with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), focusing on the local population for ticketing and reducing the size of venues.

“Some people squirm at that.”

ECONOMIC BENEFITS
On the other side of the scale is money.

All those visitors mean the Paris Games are projected to generate between 6.7 billion euros and 11.1 billion euros ($7.27 and $12.04 billion) in net economic benefits for the region.

The Paris organizing committee set a target of halving the carbon footprint of their Games compared to earlier editions, excluding Tokyo where spectators were banned due to COVID-19.

Paris is using a host of measures to achieve this, but the footprint is still an estimated 1.58 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent, according to its own calculations.

For comparison, a single ton of CO2 is equivalent to 138 meat-based meals or a one-way flight from Paris to New York.

“Instead of a 60,000-seat stadium for football, say ‘we’re playing in smaller facilities and there’s 10,000 tickets’,” added Ms. Orr, whose book Warming Up, How Climate Change is Changing Sport was published in May.

“It’ll still be an awesome environment for athletes. It’ll look like a full crowd for the cameras. It just won’t be a tourism spectacle.”

Meanwhile, the future of the Games themselves are at risk.

“If we’re talking winter sports, (climate change) is an existential crisis,” Orr said.

“If we’re talking summer sports, we’re still within the window of adaptation. The problem is there’s very little attention being paid.”

The IOC would disagree.

Its “reduce, compensate, influence” climate commitment includes a target of 50% reduction of carbon emissions by 2030, compensating more than 100% of the residual emissions and encouraging stakeholders and fans to act against climate change.

‘DRAMATIC IMPACT’
It is also considering introducing a rotation of the winter Games among a permanent pool of host nations who have a reliable winter climate needed for the Olympics.

“We need to address very quickly this dramatic impact of climate change on winter sport,” IOC President Thomas Bach said last October. “By mid-century, there will remain practically just 10-12 (countries) who could host these snow events.” 

On the summer side, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe warned that athletes are suffering, with 75% reporting competition or training had been affected by climate change.

“There are countries in our federation that will probably not be in existence in the next 20 years because of rising sea levels,” Mr. Coe said last year.

The heat could cause issues at endurance events in Paris, particularly once athletics gets underway on Thursday.

The World Championships marathons in Doha in 2019 started at midnight to avoid the searing Middle East heat and still 46 runners did not finish.

Ms. Orr said heat was a threat to sport all over the world and an “existential crisis” in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and parts of China.

UNCONTROLLED WILDFIRES
North America is also reeling. Hundreds of uncontrolled wildfires are burning across western Canada, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents.

The smoke from North American wildfires has wreaked havoc over the last few years, forcing the postponement of Major League Baseball games, a National Women’s Soccer League match and an indoor WNBA game to protect the fans and teams.

Christopher Blevins, who was 13th in Monday’s Olympic mountain bike race, said checking an air quality app on his phone had become routine.

“There’s typically a fire somewhere on the West Coast and as an endurance athlete air quality is obviously important,” said the American, an athlete spokesperson for the environmental group Protect our Winters.

“It’s just a new reality,” he added. “It’s not just sports, it relates just as much to someone who wants to enjoy the outdoors, go for a hike in the park.”

Canadian rower Jennifer Casson recalled training under the “apocalyptic” red sky caused by Canada’s wildfires, and the algae bloom on Vancouver Island’s Quamichan Lake being so dense that she could not see her oar below the surface.

“Athletes care about the planet,” said Casson, who is competing in her second Olympics in Paris.

“We rely on this planet to do our sport, and I don’t need to be an expert to know that it’s getting frickin’ hot outside and I can’t breathe.” — Reuters

Explore the world through education with The Travel Club

Studying abroad offers a passport to limitless possibilities. It’s an enriching journey that can create a lasting impact on the way a person views the world and navigates life.

On June 29, 2024, The Travel Club, in partnership with World Traveller, Hedgren and JanSport, hosted the third installment of The Travel Guide Series at the Activity Center of the Ayala Malls Manila Bay. The theme of the event was Exploring the World Through Education.

Meeting of the minds: Top-notch resource speakers shared their insights and know-how as guests inquired about how to get started in their dreams to study abroad.

The event offered valuable insights and helpful preparation tips from global education specialists, including IDP, British Council, and IELTS. Filipino international school alumni Richard Carvajal from the University of Oxford, Ivan Bernardo from the University of Singapore, and Chiara Abaquin from Harvard Graduate School, also shared their first-hand experiences studying abroad to educate and inspire our aspiring global students.

“While traveling is fun, there are also a lot of pain points,” said Sheena Valencia, The Travel Club’s Marketing Manager, during her opening remarks. “Today, our goal is to help you with the challenges and guide you to prepare on your study abroad journey.”

IDP Team, the country’s leading resource for studying abroad, is ready to answer guests’ queries.

Students eyeing a global education in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and New Zealand received a comprehensive guide from IDP’s Country Destination Manager for Canada, Romina Puno-Romero. She discussed crucial factors such as location, study level, weather, tuition costs, and the overall cost of living when studying abroad.

“When you study abroad and you do it with IDP, you will be guided all throughout your journey,” Ms. Puno-Romero assured. IDP has a presence worldwide and offers personalized assistance depending on a student’s needs — from selecting a destination or school to handling applications, health insurance, student visas, and even emergency support in the study destination.

Primer Groups, The Travel Club and Digworx Teams made the event a resounding success.

The British Council, represented by its Senior Cluster Marketing Manager for Exams Danica Tuliao, highlighted the importance of the IELTS test, a key requirement for many international academic programs.

“IELTS helps you unlock opportunities for work, study, and migration,” Tuliao said. “It’s required when you study abroad to know how well-versed [you are] in an environment where you’ll meet people in different parts of the world.”

During the panel discussion, guest speakers shared their ultimate tips for global students. Ivan Bernardo encouraged attendees to “always ask for help,” Chiara Abaquin advised to “be open to unlocking new opportunities,” and Richard Carvajal urged everyone to “Carpe diem! And enjoy the experience of a lifetime!”

Nearly 300 guests had the chance for one-on-one consultations with IDP, British Council and IELTS. Aside from this, the event also featured fun activities from World Traveller, JanSport, and Hedgren. PNB offered sign-ups for the PNB-The Travel Club Platinum Mastercard, and Pioneer Insurance promoted its Safetrip Study Abroad Insurance.

Attendees had the chance to win thousands of prizes, including luggage from World Traveller, school bags from Hedgren, JanSport, and Travel Blue, insulated tumblers from Hydro Flask, IDP travel kits, Klook vouchers, PNB gift certificates, and an overnight stay at Seda Hotel from Pioneer Insurance. Lucky winners also received an IELTS premium voucher worth ₱40,000 from the British Council.

It was a day filled with discovery and preparation, providing attendees with practical tips and a deeper understanding of what it takes to succeed in international studies. Watch the entire live video in The Travel Club’s Facebook page to know everything that went down during the event.

Stay tuned for upcoming The Travel Guide events! Follow The Travel Club on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for updates.

 

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‘CONNECTED’: Globe Business highlights collaboration, innovation in GSummit 2024

In photo (L-R): RJ Ledesma, event host; KD Dizon, Vice-President and Head of Globe Business; Rishad Tobaccowala, author and former Chief Strategist and Growth Officer of Publicis Groupe; Capt. Stanley Ng, Philippine Airlines COO; Margot Torres, Managing Director of Golden Arches Development Corporation; and Steve Sy, Founder and CEO of Great Deals E-Commerce

Globe Business brought together the brightest minds and influential leaders from key sectors at the GSummit 2024, transforming the Marriott Grand Ballroom into a dynamic center of innovation, insights, and collaborative opportunities.

The premier on-ground event, with its theme “CONNECTED,” highlighted the importance of building strong relationships, exploring how interconnectedness can drive business growth and improve lives.

GSummit 2024 showcased an outstanding lineup of speakers led by KD Dizon, VP and Head of Globe Business. In her presentation, “Collaborative Ecosystems: Globe Business Partnerships for Digital Success,” Dizon shared how innovative solutions foster a collaborative environment, empowering companies to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

“At its core, a collaborative ecosystem is a dynamic network of internal and external stakeholders working together to drive innovation, efficiency, and sustainability. Bringing in technology within this ecosystem elevates workplace dynamics through advanced tools and platforms that enable seamless communication, data-sharing, and real-time problem-solving,” Dizon said.

“The collaborative ecosystem at Globe has yielded substantial benefits. Improved communication, streamlined processes, and data-driven decision-making have enhanced operational excellence, reduced costs, and increased productivity. Customer satisfaction has also risen due to more personalized and efficient services enabled by Globe’s advanced analytics and digital solutions,” Dizon said.

In his keynote “Thriving in a Connected World,” Rishad Tobaccowala, author and former Chief Strategist and Growth Officer of Publicis Groupe, offered insights on driving business growth through connections, innovation, and strategic foresight.

“Think from the perspective of the human beings you serve. Think solutions. Think accessibility. Think value. Think experience,” Tobaccowala said.

Other speakers shared their own experience on collaboration and its impact on their respective organizations. Capt. Stanley Ng, President and COO of Philippine Airlines, talked about the airline’s growth through strategic partnerships and innovations under his leadership, while Margot Torres, Managing Director of Golden Arches Development Corporation, talked about how McDonald’s Philippines leveraged relationships and innovation to achieve sustained growth.

The event also included breakout sessions that delved into critical areas of business and technology, including the importance of synergy, building enterprise growth through tech, and enhancing enterprise security.

The sessions featured technology leaders from Globe portfolio companies Inquiro, m360, Adspark, and global names in tech such as Fortinet, Genesys, Huawei, Google, Navagis, Orca, Samsung and Snowflake explaining how these powerful technologies can be harnessed to create a robust growth engine for enterprises.

The summit reaffirmed Globe Business’ commitment to understanding customer challenges, providing reliable business-grade connectivity, and partnering with best-in-class providers to support various industry and business needs. This dedication positions Globe Business as the premier partner for business growth, offering cutting-edge innovations and top-tier learning experiences to unlock your full business potential.

To learn more about Globe Business, visit https://glbe.co/globebiz.

 

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