OIL... FROM 5

Although rising investor fears over a potential decline in oil demand in the US were eased with a decline in US commercial crude oil inventories, oil prices started to rally later on Wednesday with a much-anticipated interest rate decision by the US Fed.

US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said inflation has “moderated somewhat” since mid-2022 but “pressures run high.”

Powell’s comments came after the Fed made another hike of 25 basis points, carrying the target range for the federal funds rate to between 5 percent and 5.25 percent -- its highest since August 2007.

Powell stressed that tighter conditions are likely to weigh on economic activity, hiring and inflation, but said the extent of their effects “remains uncertain.”

But he warned that the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is prepared to do more if greater monetary policy restraint is warranted until the Fed brings inflation down to its goal of 2 percent.

“A decision to pause (rate hikes) was not made today. We will be approaching that question in the June meeting,” Powell said. (Anadolu) throughout the growing system as a whole.

Problems affect plants quicker: Soil protects the roots from extreme temperature changes, slows diseases and pests from attacking, and regularly releases and absorbs nutrients. Without soil as a buffer, plants grown in hydroponics systems react negatively to problems like nutrient deficiencies and disease much quicker.

Almost any crop can be grown hydroponically but the most common ones are leaf lettuce, tomatoes, sweet peppers, green beans, cucumbers, strawberries, celery and some herbs. These hydroponically-grown vegetables can be just as nutritious as those grown in soil.

“The truth is that crops grown in a local hydroponic vertical farm are, in fact, better in taste and safer than the food you might find farmed otherwise,” wrote Arturo Brosas, author of “Hydroponics Farming in the Philippines.”

Lettuce is the most-often grown crop in hydroponics as it is popular in restaurants, hotels, and fast foods. to be happy with only 60 grams per head of lettuce. en and Children Protection Desk (WCPD), barangays, and women’s advocates to prevent the increase of rape incidents in the region.

In Iloilo, a locally developed smart greenhouse hydroponics is being introduced. The Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISATU), which initiated the project, applies the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to automate the monitoring and control of growth parameters for lettuce grown in a nutrient-film-technique (NFT) hydroponics system.

The ISATU project, led by Dr. Renerio S. Mucas, developed components of this technology including the hardware and firmware and installed and tested them at Ephrathah Farms, Inc. in Badiangan, Iloilo City.

“I am beyond satisfied with the system now,” Engr. Ed Roderick V. Canuto, farm manager of Ephrathah Farms, Inc, commented.

In the past, he visited his farm on early Sunday mornings to handle the tedious work that his farm attendant was doing on weekdays. He checked the greenhouse, even in the middle of the night, because the hydroponics monitoring and control system is remotely accessible by computer laptop or mobile phone.

“Monitoring the acidity or pH and other grown parameters and dosing the right amount of nutrients at the right time gave us consistent production yield,” he added.

Before the automated system, Ephrathah Farms manually recorded the microclimate and agronomic parameters essential for lettuce’ growth, which has inconsistent results leading to variable production yields.

It has been observed that the IoT smart greenhouse minimized labor and made it less tedious for Engr. Canuto and his attendant.

During the terminal review, Dr. Mucas said the smart greenhouse hydroponics is equipped with sensors and communication technologies that automatically captures data on essential parameters such as temperature, acidity, electrical conductivity, and water flow.

“Para kung nabiktima sila they have to report it sa WCPD para ma-filan ng charges itong mga suspects,” Gultiano said during the AFP PNP Press Corps media briefing at the Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday. By Maya

M. Padillo

ANOTHER... FROM 3

Southeastern Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-SEMRO) to complain that she was also raped by Abdullah.

According to the victim, Abdullah introduced himself as a general of the Philippine Coast Guard in the Davao Region.

Engr. Canuto now stops doing so. He doesn’t need to visit the farm to turn on the water-cooling system since all features and information are easily controlled and accessible.

“During the first run of our production under the automated system, I was surprised to have the best production I ever had,” he recalled. “I had 250 grams per lettuce head. I used

The collected data goes through an IoT plaftform for monitoring, analysis, and control. Aside from monitoring from a personal computer, use of Android App enables the farm manager to remotely monitor the system’s status or control specific actuators for water flow, water-cooling, and fertigation.

More importantly, the automated system of hydroponics uses low energy requirements and is run and powered by solar energy. “Generally, it helps improve efficiency in use of resources and nutrients, while optimizing yield gains,” Dr. Mucas said.

WARRIORS... FROM 11

Davis followed up his brilliant Game 1 performance — 30 points, 23 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots and 11-for-19 shooting — with 11 points while shooting 5 for 11, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

“We played with more force,” Draymond Green said.

Golden State outscored the Lakers 84-47 over the second and third quarters — recording two 40-point quarters in the same playoff game for the first time in franchise history.

“It was hard for us to guard four shooters,” Lakers forward Rui Hachimura said. “Defensively they were more aggressive I feel like. They had all the loose balls and the rebounds and everything.”

Fasten your seatbelts for a Game 7 of a lifetime

Looney received huge roars as he came off the bench for his first action with 3:41 left in the first. He grabbed eight rebounds and scored six points playing just less than 12 minutes — and the Warriors still outboarded the Lakers 55-40 without its best rebounder.

Kerr was hardly worried ahead of Game 2, pointing to how Golden State lost Game 1 of the NBA Finals at home to Boston last year before winning it all.

The Warriors also rallied from a 2-0 deficit in their firstround series to beat Sacramento, the first defending champion to do so.

“You could tell, they came out just ready to try to secure a game,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said, “and again not go back to our place down 0-2.”

KLAY’S DAY

Thompson shot 11 for 18 and 8 of 11 from deep. His 19 points in the first half were his most in a postseason contest since he scored 21 in Game 6 against the Rockets in 2019.

KEY SEQUENCE

The Warriors challenged an offensive foul call on Andrew Wiggins with James defending at the 2:50 mark of the second quarter. The call was overturned and a block assessed to James, and a Lakers assistant received a technical during the review process — and the Warriors converted all three free throws to lead 60-50 before Thompson’s 3 the next time down.

TIP-INS

Lakers: James was -27 through three quarters. The only time he had a worse plus-minus through three in a playoff game was Game 1 of a second-round series against the Pistons in 2006. ... In a big change from Game 1, the Lakers didn’t take their first free throws until 1:03 before halftime and their four attempts matched their second-fewest in a first half this season.

Warriors: Moses Moody added 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench and Gary Payton II seven points and five boards as Golden State controlled the glass all game. ... JaMychal Green earned his first playoff start since April 26, 2019, for the Clippers against the Warriors in Game 6 of the first round. “Two hours before game time Loon came down pretty ill,” Kerr said. ... Golden State improved to 20-6 in Game 2s dating to the 201415 title run.