Other News

Vitangcol convicted of graft, violation of procurement law over PH Trams MRT-3 maintenance contract

  His uncle-in-law, PH Trams incorporator Arturo Soriano, also convicted (Eagle News)–The Sandiganbayan has convicted former Metro Rail Transit-3 general manager Al Vitangcol of graft and violation of the procurement law. Also convicted over the MRT-3 maintenance contract mess was PH Trams incorporator Arturo Soriano. In convicting the two, the antigraft court found Vitangcol exhibited bad faith when he did not reveal his relationship with Soriano, his uncle-in-law. Had the relationship been revealed, PH Trans […]

Continue Reading →

Heavy rainfall warning hoisted over Surigao del Norte, other areas

(Eagle News)–A heavy rainfall warning has been hoisted over Surigao del Norte and four other areas in Mindanao. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the orange rainfall warning also over Surigao del Sur, particularly in Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Cortes;  and over Dinagat Islands was due to the trough of a low pressure area. The orange alert means flooding is threatening in low-lying areas and landslides are possible in mountainous areas. A […]

Continue Reading →

Gates Foundation announces $100 million for coronavirus response

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pledged Wednesday to commit up to $100 million for the global response to the novel coronavirus epidemic that has claimed nearly 500 lives. The funding will be used to strengthen detection, isolation and treatment efforts, the foundation said, including protecting at-risk populations and developing vaccines and diagnostics. “Multilateral organizations, national governments, the private sector, and philanthropies must work together to slow the pace of […]

Continue Reading →

Asian markets track Wall St surge as data trumps virus fear

HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Asian markets rallied again Thursday despite China’s virus claiming hundreds of lives and infecting tens of thousands, with investors welcoming another record close on Wall Street and strong US jobs data. Equities gained across the board on building optimism that the outbreak, which has spread to more than 20 countries, can be contained and the economic impact limited. After last week’s big losses, and a near eight-percent drop in Shanghai […]

Continue Reading →

Senate foreign relations panel starts hearings on VFA

Other military pacts between Philippines and United States to be probed (Eagle News)–The Senate foreign relations committee on Thursday, Feb. 6, kicked off its hearings on the Visiting Forces Agreement and two other military pacts between the Philippines and the United States. The hearings also on the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and to be presided over by panel chair Senator Koko Pimentel are scheduled to take place after President Rodrigo […]

Continue Reading →

Record-breaking US astronaut set to return to Earth

by Christopher RICKLETON ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AFP) — US astronaut Christina Koch is set to return to Earth Thursday having shattered the spaceflight record for female astronauts by spending almost a year aboard the International Space Station. Koch of NASA is expected to touch down in the Kazakh steppes with colleagues Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency and Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian space agency at 0912 GMT after 328 days in space. The 41-year-old […]

Continue Reading →

Avalanches kill nearly 40 in eastern Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey (AFP) — At least 33 people were killed in eastern Turkey Wednesday by a second avalanche which buried a team of rescuers searching for people hit by the first the day before. The bodies of 33 rescue workers and civilians were discovered in Van province, where they had been helping dig out a minibus buried by snow late Tuesday, the government’s disaster agency AFAD said. Five people aboard the vehicle were killed, taking […]

Continue Reading →

Alert level 3 still hoisted over Taal as emission of steam-laden plumes, seismic activity continue

(Eagle News)–An alert level 3 remains hoisted over Taal volcano as it continues to emit steam-laden plumes 50 to 100 meters high. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in its latest bulletin on Thursday, Feb. 6 ,that the Taal Volcano Network also recorded 132 volcanic earthquakes including three  low-frequency events and eleven harmonic tremors. PHIVOLCS said the tremors continued for two  to three minutes. “These earthquakes signify magmatic activity beneath the Taal edifice […]

Continue Reading →

PHIVOLCS: Two solar panels used for monitoring Mayon stolen from observatory

  (Eagle News)–Two solar panels used for monitoring Mayon Volcano were stolen from the Mayon observatory, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said. In a statement on Thursday, Feb. 6, PHIVOLCS director Renato Solidum said the panels, 150 watts each, were found to be missing by observatory personnel during a “routine inspection and preventive maintenance service” on Feb. 5. “With loss of power supply, no data will be transmitted from this station and consequently […]

Continue Reading →

African swine fever kills hundreds of pigs in Bali

BALI, Indonesia (AFP) — Hundreds of pigs have died from African swine fever in Bali, authorities said Wednesday, marking the Indonesian holiday island’s first recorded outbreak and after the virus claimed some 30,000 hogs in Sumatra. Ida Bagus Wisnuardhana, Bali’s agriculture and food security agency chief, said nearly 900 pigs succumbed to swine fever since mid-December. “The results are positive for African swine fever,” Ida told reporters, referring to tests performed on the dead animals. […]

Continue Reading →

Cancelled flights on Thursday, Feb. 6

(Eagle News)–Several flights on Thursday, Feb. 6, were cancelled due to bad weather. Below is a list: (DG) – Cebgo DG 6177 – Manila to Masbate DG 6178 – Masbate to Manila The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said it was monitoring a low pressure area off Davao. The northeast monsoon is also affecting Luzon, PAGASA said.

Continue Reading →

DA probing African Swine Fever in Davao Occidental; “total lockdown” enforced to prevent ASF spread

(Eagle News) – The Department of Agriculture is investigating the incidence of African Swine Fever in Davao Occidental which has now been placed in total lockdown to prevent its spread. Agriculture Secretary William Dar said that there are confirmed incidence of ASF in Don Marcelino and Malita – both towns in Davao Occidental. The DA’s quick response team composed of experts from the Bureau of Animal Industry and the provincial government of Davao Occidental already […]

Continue Reading →
1 … 2,572 2,573 2,574 2,575 2,576 … 7,408