Ranked 137th in the world, Ponchet, 26, displayed her tremendous composure and skill to turn back Eala, 18. Tied at 2-2 in the deciding third set, Ponchet broke Eala's serve in the fifth game which set up her three straight game wins and the match victory. Three-time ITF singles champ Eala, unseeded in this Spain tilt, has now lost three of her four matches against the third seed Ponchet. Eala's semis stint at Vitoria-Gasteiz is her best finish in a W100 tournament yet. Winner of nine ITF singles titles, Ponchet, meanwhile, is set to face Ukrainian sixth seed and World No.

‘PNP ready for SONA, rallies’Members of the Manila Police District Civil Disturbance Management hold a final rehearsal prior to deployment to Mendiola and Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City for the second State of the Nation Address of President Marcos today. MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is prepared for the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Marcos today as it expects groups from different sectors to hold protests, according to Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos. The PNP has coordinated with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to prepare for traffic, particularly along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. A Reactionary Standby Support Force composed of 300 PNP personnel from the regional headquarters and other provincial police offices has also been organized. The PCG’s districts in National Capital Region-Central Luzon, Northeastern Luzon, Northwestern Luzon, Southern Tagalog and Bicol are on heightened alert, according to PCG commandant Admiral Artemio Abu yesterday.

IncompleteIt’s been just over a year, so Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself acknowledges the grade of “incomplete” that an economist gave him. And so, yes, BBM’s work is incomplete. The ICC ruling came out just days before the second State of the Nation Address. Among the laws enacted in the first year of Marcos 2.0, the condonation of P57.557 billion in amortizations of over 654,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries has been hailed. The controversies and that “incomplete” assessment notwithstanding, Marcos has retained his immense popularity.

China typically sees heavy rain in late July, but storms have become more intense and unpredictable in recent years. Torrential rain also submerged parts of China's northeast on Saturday, damaging dozens of houses and ruining crops in the region known as the nation's breadbasket. About 54 hectares of crops were damaged in the area around Jinzhou and the coastal city of Huludao. Parts of the northeast had been hit by drought in May and June but recent rain has alleviated the situation, the agriculture ministry said on Friday. More heavy rain was expected on Sunday across much of the country, with rain storms and strong wind in parts of the northeast and southern Jiangxi and Fujian provinces.

Guiao said he appreciates the fact that the PBA had a listening ear as he aired his opinion on how Bay Area will play in the pro league. "For our Fil-foreign players, they need to have Filipino blood, while the question now is, do they (PBA) ask for the same requirements for Bay Area? Bay Area earned the top seed heading into the playoffs after posting a 10-2 record at the close of the eliminations last season. In fact, Guiao's Rain or Shine side suffered a 33-point beatdown in the elimination, before absorbing a 126-96 demolition at the hands of Bay Area in the opening round of the playoffs. "But what we just don't want to happen is our teams get beaten badly all the time, because in such cases, our teams don't learn anything much.

A nine-car crash in Bride's Pool this morning caused six injured, including five drivers. The nine sedans collided with each other near Wu Kau Tang Road while traveling on Bride's Pool Road toward Tai Po. Six people sustained minor injuries and were sent to the hospital for treatment. Sources said the accident was suspected to be caused by a car driving against the lane. The driver abandoned the car and fled the scene after causing the collision.

The Kurashiki Ablaze of Japan couldn't help but marvel at the Filipino volleyball fan support as they made their debut in the PVL Invitational Conference at the PhilSports Arena on Saturday, July 22. Kurashiki Ablaze PVL PHOTOKurashiki defeated fellow foreign guest team Kinh Bac-Bac Ninh of Vietnam, 23-25, 25-14, 25-20, 25-11, to start its semifinal campaign. We felt the Filipino love for volleyball," said Ablaze head coach Hideo Suzuki through an interpreter. Against Kinh Bac, there are so many fans but they headed out as the game progressed. Tamaru Asaka, who led Kurashiki against Kinh Bac with 29 points, said that her team would enjoy playing here in the Philippines.

JERUSALEM — Tens of thousands of Israelis opposed to a judicial overhaul sought by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu marched to Jerusalem on Saturday, as pressure mounts on his right-wing government to scrap a bill that would curtail the Supreme Court’s powers. Tens of thousands more protested across the country, including around 100,000 people in business hub Tel Aviv. Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition says the bill, which parliament is scheduled to vote on by Monday, is needed to balance out the branches of power. Polls suggest widespread misgivings among Israelis, and Washington has urged Netanyahu to seek consensus on any reforms which should also keep the judiciary independent. Energy Minister Israel Katz told N12 News the coalition would not bow to pressure from reservists trying to strong-arm a democratically elected government.

The greatest symphonyWe were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body. — 1 CORINTHIANS 12:13When BBC Music Magazine asked one hundred fifty-one of the world’s leading conductors to list twenty of what they believed to be the greatest symphonies ever written, Beethoven’s Third, Eroica, came out on top. Through wild swings of happiness, sadness, and eventual triumph Beethoven’s Third Symphony is regarded as a timeless tribute to the human spirit. The difference is that here we see the triumph of our human spirit as a tribute to the Spirit of God. As Paul urges us to experience together the inexpressible love of Christ, he helps us see ourselves as called together by our Father, led by His Son, and inspired by His Spirit — not for noise, but for our contribution to the greatest symphony of all.

P34 million marijuana destroyed in KalingaIf the proposed regulation on the medical use of marijuana derivative cannabidiol is passed, there would be no need for a separate law, according to the Dangerous Drugs Board. MANILA, Philippines — Police uprooted and destroyed 172,550 marijuana plants with an estimated value of P34 million in Tinglayan, Kalinga on Friday. Col. Dionisio Bartolome Jr., police Drug Enforcement Group director, said the illegal drugs were discovered in two plantations. Anti-narcotics operatives discovered marijuana plants worth P18 million in the mountains of Barangay Butbut Proper and P16 million in Barangay Tinglayan. The cultivators of the plantations eluded arrest.

A 42-year-old man died after being knocked down and run over by a tram in Sheung Wan on Saturday afternoon. The incident occurred around 1 pm today when the Sai Wan-bound tram was traveling along Des Voeux Road Central opposite Infinitus Plaza. Paramedics soon came to rescue the man from underneath the tram. They resuscitated the man who had fallen into a coma. The man was rushed to Ruttonjee Hospital but was eventually pronounced dead at 2.12 pm.

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered on Saturday the suspension of work in government offices and classes in public schools at all levels on July 24 in Metro Manila due to inclement weather and the scheduled transport strike. He said the suspension of work in private companies and classes in private schools would be left to the discretion of their respective heads. Several transport groups will stage a three-day transport strike starting on Monday to protest the government’s Public Utility Vehicle modernization program. Marcos will have an unwanted guest on his second Sona as Tropical Cyclone Egay will strengthen into a typhoon on Monday, the weather bureau said on Saturday. Egay has maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

Marcos ordered all agencies to ensure that their policies, rules, and regulations will take into consideration the lifting of the state of public health emergency and amend existing rules or promulgate new ones. Rep. Angelica Natasha Co, vice chair of the health committee of the House of Representatives, said the government must keep pushing hard to give the jabs to the vulnerable, unvaccinated, and unboosted Filipinos even after the public health emergency had been lifted. Duterte declared a nationwide public health emergency on March 8, 2020. Healthcare workers had expressed concerns that the distribution of health emergency allowance might be halted with the lifting of the public health emergency. The grant of these benefits applies only during a public health emergency, but health workers are saying that the government should still give them the allowances that had not been paid during the pandemic.

The drills held off Northern Luzon were designed primarily to enhance the maritime security capabilities of both countries. The most significant was the commencement of Navy-to-Navy strategic-level talks in March 2017, co-chaired by the Deputy Chief of the Royal Australian Navy and the Vice Commander of the Philippine Navy. The current phase of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' modernization program, or Horizon 3, is primarily focused on the acquisition of equipment for its navy. Currently, the PN has seven operational commands: Naval Forces Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Central, West, Western Mindanao, Eastern Mindanao and Fleet-Marine Ready Force. The Navy currently has a total strength of around 27,000 officers, enlisted personnel and candidate soldiers, supported by roughly 1,500 civilian employees.

(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has lifted the state of public health emergency nationwide, more than three years after his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte declared it because of the Covid-19 pandemic. "While Covid-19 remains to be a serious concern for certain subpopulations and requires continued public health response, the country has maintained sufficient health care system capacity and low hospital bed utilization rates even after the liberalization of Covid-19 health protocols," he said. Duterte issued Proclamation 922, declaring a state of public health emergency all over the country amid the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. Proclamation 922 also stated that the public health emergency declaration would remain in force until lifted or withdrawn by the President. Despite the lifting of the public health emergency, Herbosa advised the public to remain vigilant and proactive in their approach to health and safety.