BEIJING -Beijing and other cities braced for severe flooding on Friday as summer storms rolled across many parts of China, while inland regions baked in intense heat, threatening to shrink the country’s biggest freshwater lake. Authorities in the neighboring city of Tianjin also ramped up flood control efforts in the Hai basin, a major northern drainage system. Temperatures of 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) and above continued to menace other parts of China. Northwestern Xinjiang, where temperatures hit a record high 52.2C on Sunday, remained blanketed in worse-than-usual heat while in neighboring Gansu province, some areas suffered intense heat while others warned of floods and landslides. Chinese officials have warned repeatedly that China is vulnerable to the impact of climate change due to its large population and unevenly distributed water supplies.

Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau has said raising the tobacco tax is the most effective way to reduce the number of smokers in the city. Lam Cheung-fu, head of the Coalition of Newspaper and Magazine Merchants, which represents over 35,000 newsstands, said vendors would suffer big income losses anticipates that four out of five newsstands would shutter if the tobacco tax is raised further. Stalls selling tobacco products had earned two-thirds of their income from cigarettes, he added, but that dropped by half following the tax increase in February. He said the tobacco tax increase would only encourage smokers to purchase illicit cigarettes. "It's common to see advertisements and sales of illicit cigarettes everywhere, on websites, social media and communication apps, while some posters of illicit cigarettes can be seen in tea restaurants and fruit stalls," Lam said.

BERLIN — German police urged residents of Berlin’s southern suburbs to stay indoors on Thursday, as they scoured the area for a wild animal on the loose, apparently a lioness. Two passersby who saw one animal chasing another,” Daniel Keip, Brandenburg police spokesman, told RBB radio. “One was a wild boar and the other apparently a wild animal, a lioness. Berlin police then alerted the public to the beast’s presence, initially putting the southwestern suburbs on alert and then expanding the area of the search. “The wild animal that escaped has not yet been found!” the police of Brandenburg, the region around Berlin, wrote on Twitter around 7:30 am (0530 GMT).

The 49-year-old, surrounded by bottles of water, knows full well the dangers heat poses to the homeless population. Phoenix, like much of the US southwest, is surrounded by desert, and its 1.6 million residents are used to brutal summer temperatures. ADVERTISEMENTAnd as global warming fuels more frequent extreme weather events, homeless people are increasingly vulnerable to the elements. Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix and its suburbs, recorded a 25 percent increase last year in heat-related deaths, with 425 fatalities — many among the homeless population. The National Weather Service warns that extreme heat is the top weather-related killer, and has recommended people in Phoenix “stay indoors and seek air-conditioned buildings” during the heat wave.

Filipinas ready to make HERstory at FIFA Women's World Cup. History is about to unfold as the Philippine Women's National Football Team make their much-awaited debut at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, and Cignal TV is all set to deliver the action via its newest sports app Pilipinas Live which launched last June. The Filipinas CONTRIBUTED PHOTO"Cignal TV is pleased to offer the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on our newest sports app, Pilipinas Live. Fans can easily download the Pilipinas Live app via the App Store & Google Play Store. It will also stream the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 which will take place in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia from August 25 to September 10.

A video went viral after showing a woman lying on the road at Cheung Sha Wan, expecting to get struck by vehicles. A sedan was driving via Hing Wa Street, approaching Tsung Tsin Christian Academy, when a man was seen standing near the road and taking video with his phone. Meanwhile, a truck driving in the fast lane on the right, suddenly stopped due to a middle-aged woman lying on the ground and blocking the path. Netizens were outraged by her actions, stating that drivers would be alarmed by a person lying on the road. Some suggested that she may have been attempting to end her life after a conflict with the man who was recording her.

The varied pros and cons are drawn from different contexts, as are the perspectives on academic inbreeding, which stems from academic immobility. In internationalizing Philippine education, academic mobility becomes a must. Academic immobility. Academic immobility, or intellectual immobility, refers to the inability of a faculty member to experience another academic environment, which is usually meant to be that of an offshore quality-assured university. Academic immobility is generally viewed as insular and unhealthy for academia.

Derek Yuen Elmer Yuen Previous NextPolitical analyst Derek Yuen Mi-chang says he has had a "short chat" with his father in the United States before Elmer Yuen Gong-yi was named a wanted national security suspect. Derek Yuen yesterday said he traveled to Japan and America last month and had a chat with his father at an event in Los Angeles, but they did not talk about politics. "The chat was too short so I don't really remember what we talked about," Derek Yuen said. I also won't help him," Derek Yuen said. Derek Yuen also said he has not been questioned by national security police since returning home last week.

United Airlines to mount daily US-Manila flights by OctoberMANILA, Philippines — United Airlines (UAL) is set to launch its first trans-Pacific service as it plans to mount daily nonstop flights from Manila to San Francisco in the United States. In a statement on Wednesday, UAL said that the eastbound service will start on October 30, subject to government approval . The airline said that this was their first-ever trans-Pacific service since starting operations in Manila back in 1982. The American airline said the B777-300ER aircraft will be used for these trans-Pacific flights. It will offer 60 seats in the United Polaris business cabin, 24 seats in the UnitedPremium Plus cabin and 266 seats in the United Economy cabin.

(UPDATE) GILAS Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes will squeeze every ounce of opportunity to make sure the national team gets the preparation it needs before making its 2023 FIBA World Cup debut against the Dominican Republic on August 25 at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan. No wonder, Reyes is calling Gilas' upcoming mini-pocket tournament in Guangdong, China as the "penultimate" part of the national squad's World Cup preparation. The China pocket tournament is scheduled from August 2 to 5 with Gilas facing Lebanon, Iran and Senegal. The 7-foot-3 Sotto failed to show up at Gilas' practice on Tuesday night, the original date he was supposed to arrive. The Filipino young big man went scoreless after going 0-of-3 from the field, had two turnovers, but managed to grab two rebounds, issue an assist and one block against the Celtics.

This come-on was irresistible, for in those days the English language still held much fascination for me (it still does, but in a different wavelength now). It did, for it started me on a love affair with the English language that continues to this day. It was happiness enough that each time, I could firm up my grasp of yet a few more strange English words and make them mine to keep. That Dr. Funk's book greatly helped me widen my English vocabulary would be an understatement. In pleasing contrast, Dr. Funk's most beautiful words in the English language were these 10: "dawn," "hush," "lullaby," "murmuring," "tranquil," "mist," "luminous," "chimes," "golden," and, "melody."

Tourists flocked to China's scenic Flaming Mountains this week to experience searing high temperatures amid punishing heatwaves that have scorched much of the Northern Hemisphere. Armed with broad-brimmed hats and umbrellas for added protection, tourists took selfies by a 12-metre-tall thermometer that displayed a real-time surface temperature of 80 Celsius (176 Fahrenheit), Chinese state television showed on Wednesday. Each summer, curious tourists gather at the Flaming Mountains on the northern rim of the Turpan Depression of China's Xinjiang region to admire their corrugated slopes of brown-red sandstone and feel the super-charged heat emanating from the ground. On that day, the oasis city of Turpan west of the Flaming Mountains recorded temperatures at 31 local weather stations above 45C, with the maximum at five of them breaking above 50C, according to state media on Wednesday. The Chinese capital's previous record was 26 days, set in 2000.

“This is the most impactful military protest so far – a critical blow to air force readiness,” said Agmon, a protest organizer and former brigadier-general who at 75 is past reserve duty age. Asked for confirmation, an Israeli military spokesperson declined to comment. Air force reservists regularly take part in combat operations. Thousands rally across the countryFrom the early hours of Tuesday, thousands rallied across the country, many waving Israeli flags. Proponents of the changes say the Supreme Court has become too interventionist and that the change will facilitate effective governance.

(UPDATE) RAIN or Shine coach Yeng Guiao will try to hit two birds in one stone when the Philippines serves as co-host of the 2023 FIBA World Cup beginning this August 25. Yeng Guiao PBA PHOTOAnd with the PBA deciding to open the season with the Commissioner's Cup instead of the traditional Philippine Cup, Guiao sees the upcoming season world basketball showpiece as an opportunity to scout for a potential import. "Though one of our plans is maybe in the World Cup, since it will be held here, we could scout [for a potential import], that is if we haven't made a decision yet." "It's really difficult to find a 6-9 import these days who could fit the team. But again, I hope we can find a 6-9 import," shared Guiao, who led Rain or Shine to only its second PBA title in franchise history during the 2016 Commissioner's Cup.

New World Development announced on Tuesday to cooperate with four corporations and organizations to build the “smart community” in transitional housing projects to benefit over 10,000 low-income residents. Microsoft Hong Kong, HKT, Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation, and Pricerite are joining with NWD to create a platform that empowers and equips transitional housing residents with learning and skills at work. Under the four transitional housing projects with sites lent by New World, Microsoft Hong Kong, and HKT will jointly support the “innovation classroom” that targets children, working youth, elderly residents etc. Volunteers will be invited to provide on-site and online teaching assistance to support the residents’ learning needs. The Foundation will also expand its community hub services, which provide shared spaces and various innovative services to support those in need, to transitional housing projects to foster community cohesion, build mutual support networks, and achieve targeted poverty alleviation.