Latest news with #Cruz
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Cartels outdrone US at Border': Ted Cruz explodes at Senate hearing over mysterious drones - The Economic Times Video
During the Senate Judiciary Committee's 'Securing the Skies' hearing, Sen. Ted Cruz sounded the alarm on cartel drone dominance. 'Cartels have more drones than America,' Cruz declared, slamming the government's failure to respond to rising drone threats at the U.S. border. Watch the explosive exchange.
Filipino Times
3 hours ago
- Filipino Times
Starbucks Festival Mall branch under fire for labeling PWD customer; NCDA condemns discriminatory act
The National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) has called out Starbucks Festival Mall in Muntinlupa City after a viral post exposed an incident involving public ridicule of a customer with a disability. This came after Marivic Cruz shared on Facebook that her husband, who has a speech and language impairment, was labeled based on his disability when he ordered coffee. 'My husband and I went to Starbucks at Festival Mall earlier to relax after work. We are both PWDs (my husband has a speech disability and I have a psychosocial disability). Since I was already tired, he was the one who ordered at the counter,' Cruz recalled. 'When he came back to our table, nag-iba yung aura nya. Then he showed me the name written on his cup,' Cruz wrote. The cups were labeled '1/2 Speech' and '2/2 speech,' as seen on the photo attached to the post. 'Really, Starbucks!? This is so disappointing,' she added. 'And then you even called out my husband based on the name written on the cup?' According to Cruz, the branch manager apologized and acknowledged the mistake, but it had already caused them emotional distress. 'He rarely approaches people, and now it seems like he's starting to feel traumatized even just by ordering at other restaurants. Knowing that I also have a social disability, this is just too much,' she continued. A violation of the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities The NCDA confirmed that the customers were tagged based on the type of disability reflected in their ID cards. The agency described the act as 'insensitive and discriminatory,' and said it violated Republic Acts 7277 and 9442, also known as the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities. 'The Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities highlights the state's responsibility to remove barriers that hinder the inclusion of persons with disabilities. This includes not only physical barriers but also social and cultural attitudes that perpetuate discrimination,' the NCDA said in a statement. 'In a society where inclusivity is paramount, practices that label individuals based on their disabilities can perpetuate stigma and further isolate them from mainstream activities,' it added. RA 9442 specifically prohibits public ridicule, defined as any form of mockery or contempt, whether verbal or non-verbal, directed at persons with disabilities. The NCDA said this includes labeling that can lead to humiliation or emotional harm. 'The NCDA's concern is significant because it emphasizes that organizations like Starbucks, as public establishments, must uphold the rights of all individuals, irrespective of their abilities. It is essential that businesses not only understand the legal implications of discrimination but also foster a culture of respect and inclusion among their staff,' the statement read. The council has called on Starbucks to take 'immediate action,' including corrective measures and employee training on disability rights and sensitivity. 'This call to action extends to all establishments, urging them to recognize the equality of persons with disabilities,' the council added.
CairoScene
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
In 'Beneath the Desert Sky' House of Vilrique Paints Qatar in Filipino
In 'Beneath the Desert Sky' House of Vilrique Paints Qatar in Filipino There is something arresting about a garment that knows where it comes from. In Beneath the Desert Sky, designer Vilrick Cruz returns to familiar terrain—both literal and emotional—with a collection that draws from the arid stillness of the Middle East and the quiet pulse of memory. Raised in Qatar and rooted in the Philippines, Cruz belongs to a generation of designers whose work resists a singular origin. His pieces speak of movement—across cultures, across inner worlds—crafted with a discipline that feels both intuitive and studied. 'I've always felt like a nomad,' he says. 'Most of my upbringing was in Qatar, a country that's very conservative and often limiting for someone like me who wants to express and explore freely. The Philippines, on the other hand, is where I touched my roots—loud, chaotic, soulful. That contrast taught me how to create with care, but also with nerve.' His earlier work was sculptural, almost architectural in its articulation. Structured lines. Artisanal finishes. Fabric manipulated into quiet dramas of form and shadow. But in Beneath the Desert Sky, something loosens. The silhouettes open. There is more air, more drape. The collection was designed during a return to Doha, where Cruz found himself reorienting—creatively, culturally, personally. 'It had been years since I came back,' he reflects. 'I realised how much the place had changed—and how much I had, too.' Where his previous collections leaned towards neutral palettes and bold structures, Beneath the Desert Sky introduces jewel tones, silk satins, and chiffons that move with the wind. 'This was my first time using vibrant colour,' Cruz explains. 'Since it was for Ramadan, I wanted the pieces to reflect celebration. It made sense, aesthetically and emotionally. There's something powerful about seeing rich colour against a desert backdrop. That contrast stayed with me.' Though inspired by the environment, the collection is not about mimicry. It is a response to feeling—how wind presses against skin, how drape can become gesture, how fabric can carry memory. Every piece is built to move, yet holds its shape. There is no fuss. Nothing clings. Instead, garments fall in ways that allow the wearer to be present without effort. Cruz is deeply attuned to the emotional life of materials. 'For this collection, I used silk satin and chiffon—fabrics that breathe, that feel luxurious without screaming. I wanted it to be mindful, especially because this was my first time designing again in the Middle East. There's a sensitivity to the region, a conservativity I had to respect. But that doesn't mean you compromise intention.' The result is a collection that reads like a study in poise. Elemental draping. Many pieces seem to suggest wind without replicating it, or recall sand dunes without literal translation. 'I was thinking of women I used to see in the desert when I was younger. They were regal. That image stayed with me. I wanted the collection to echo that, but through lightness and presence.' Cruz calls this approach demi-couture—a mode of design that balances craftsmanship with wearability. It's couture in detail, but not in preciousness. 'In the Middle East, there's a strong culture of couture and abayas, but I think there's a hunger for something quieter, more personal. People want boldness—but grounded in something classic. That's the space I try to design from.' His voice—thoughtful, measured—mirrors his work. There's no grandstanding, no obsession with shock or novelty. Instead, there is care. There is rhythm. He describes fashion as a form of storytelling. 'Each collection begins with something I need to say. I'm not interested in speed. I think fashion needs to slow down. Let people listen to fabric again.' Beneath the Desert Sky was photographed in a remote desert resort, a location chosen after Cruz's original idea—a shoot inside a historic Qatari palace—was blocked by strict preservation laws. But the new site, though improvised, offered what the designer wanted: stillness, scale, and a cinematic solitude. 'When we got there, it felt like a scene out of Mad Max: Fury Road, but quieter, more poetic. That silence gave the collection space to breathe.' The collection also marks a turning point. It is his third overall, but the first rooted in the Middle East. 'There were moments when I nearly gave up,' he admits. 'Moving to Doha felt like things were paused. The creative silence was loud. But I allowed myself to sit with it. I didn't force my way back. I waited until I had something true to say.' That patience shows. Beneath the Desert Sky carries the calm assurance of a designer who doesn't need to shout to be heard. The collection is offering presence. When asked how he hopes the collection will be remembered fifty years from now, Cruz doesn't hesitate. 'I hope it still feels timeless. I hope people see the care in it. The refinement. That it wasn't made to chase a trend. Just something that meant something. And still does.'
GMA Network
19 hours ago
- Sport
- GMA Network
PBA: Game 1 loss sparked San Miguel finals fightback vs. TNT
Stung by a heartbreaking loss in Game 1, San Miguel flipped the script against TNT to move to within a win of ruling the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup. The Beermen were able to erase a 24-point deficit in the series opener, but an offensive basketball interference call on a Mo Tautuaa dunk attempt spoiled their comeback bid as TNT eked out a 99-96 victory to draw first blood. But since dropping Game 1, San Miguel strung together three consecutive wins to move to the brink of the title. In doing so, they also come closer to ending TNT's Grand Slam hopes. "The biggest impact is our first game — it fuels our grit. You can see naman sa mga players na on their eyes, makikita mo 'yung fire. They want to win," San Miguel head coach Leo Austria said. [The biggest impact is our first game — it fuels our grit. You can see it in the players, in their eyes, you can see the fire. They want to win.] Jericho Cruz echoed Austria sentiments, though he stressed that they have already moved on from that controversial Game 1 affair. Instead, they just regrouped and played as one in the succeeding games. The veteran shooting guard stepped up in Game 4, erupting for 23 points on 5-of-7 shooting from downtown to help the Beermen pull away late en route to a 105-91 romp on Sunday. "Sayang 'yung pagkatalo namin no'n kasi akala namin we have a chance to win the game, ayun nga lang na-minus 'yung points at natalo kami pero tapos na 'yun e. Naka-move on na kami do'n," Cruz shared. "Tulad ng sinasabi ni coach, paglaro namin talagang put in your head na parang every game is your last game. Kaya ako, specifically sinasabihan ni Boss Al, na laruin ko lang 'yung laro ko. Let it be." [It was too bad, that loss of ours because we thought we had a chance to win the game. And there, the points were subtracted and we lost the game. But that's in the past. We've moved on from that… Like coach said, when we play, put in your head that every game is your last game. For me specifically, Boss Al said to just play my game. Let it be.] Cruz's display also proved the depth of San Miguel as the likes of Don Trollano, Jeron Teng, Juami Tiongson, and Rodney Brondial giving the Beermen a huge lift against an injury-riddled TNT. Aside from Cruz's game-high output, Trollano chipped in 11 points in Game 4 while also grabbing six rebounds, three assists, and three steals. "Stepping up lang naman 'yung ginagawa ko. Kumbaga kung panget 'yung or 'di masyadong nilalaro ng first group, nandito kami ni Don to step up sa second group," Cruz added. "'Yun lang 'yung ginagawa namin. Binibigyan din namin sila ng motivation. Gusto ko rin mag-thank you kay coach dahil sa tiwala na binibigay niya sa akin, hanggang ngayon meron pa rin." [What I'm doing is just stepping up. If for example, the first group didn't play so well, Don and I are here to step up with the second group… That's all we're doing. We're giving them motivation. I also want to say thank you to coach because of the trust he gives me. Until now, he continues to give it.] —JMB, GMA Integrated News
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Deranged NYC dad who fatally stabbed wife, 2-year-old daughter while FaceTiming nephew is charged with murder: cops
The deranged Queens dad who allegedly stabbed his wife and 2-year-old daughter to death with a kitchen knife as he FaceTimed his nephew was charged with both slayings, cops said Monday. Ernesto Cruz, 54, was hit with two counts each of murder and criminal possession of a weapon in connection to the horrific Saturday evening attack on Forest Avenue near Menahan Street in Ridgewood, police said. Cruz was using the Apple video app to chat with his nephew as he allegedly knifed his 41-year-old wife Ana Pilatagsi-Moposita 18 times and his toddler daughter Analiz Cruz nine times – both in their neck and chest, police told ABC 7. 4 Ernesto Cruz, 54, was charged with the brutal kitchen knife murder of his 41-year-old wife Ana Pilatagsi and 2-year-old daughter Analiz Cruz, cops said. Obtained by NY Post The panicked nephew called 911 as the murders were carried out on his screen, with officers arriving to find that the father had stabbed himself in the chest afterward. Both victims were taken to local hospitals, where they succumbed to their injuries, cops said. Cruz was also hospitalized, and was listed in stable condition Monday, police said. It was not immediately clear whether he would be arraigned virtually from the hospital. 4 Ernesto Cruz allegedly talked to his nephew on FaceTime as he carried out the heinous murders. Obtained by the NY Post One neighbor who spoke with the heartbroken family claimed Cruz had been mentally abusive to Pilatagsi-Moposita in the past and had threatened several times to take her life. 'He told her many times, 'One day, I'm going to kill you.' That means he was planning it,' the neighbor told The Post Sunday. But police said Monday that the couple did not have a documented domestic violence history with the NYPD. 4 Little Analiz Cruz was stabbed nine times in her neck and chest. Alexandra Pilaragsi / Facebook Cruz's only brush with the law was on Dec. 23, 2022, when he was slapped with a summons in the city's transit system, but the circumstances around that incident are unclear, cops said. The same neighbor told The Post that the woman's two sons, who lived separately with their father, had been desperately trying to get a hold of their mother on the day of the murders, the neighbor added. 'Oh, my God! You don't want me to describe how they reacted. You're calling your mom all day, you come here and hear someone killed her. … It was like a shock and panic attack,' the neighbor said of the sons' reactions. 'Everyone was crying, bawling.' 4 Neighbors described described Cruz and Pilatagsi-Moposita as a seemingly idyllic couple. Paul Martinka Other neighbors described Cruz and Pilatagsi-Moposita as a seemingly idyllic couple who could be spotted pushing their tot in her stroller as they went shopping or did the laundry. 'They were a normal family, that's why it's so shocking,' one neighbor said. 'No one heard anything.'
