(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte is “pondering” whether or not he will accept United States President Donald Trump’s invitation to visit his country for a summit with other Southeast Asian leaders in March. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo added the President was doing this because the invite was an “official invitation” to all leaders of Southeast Asia. “The previous invitations are personal invitations from President Trump. This one is an official invitation to all ASEAN […]
Other News
How the new coronavirus developed
PARIS, France (AFP) — A new coronavirus, a mysterious SARS-like disease, has spread around China and three other Asian countries since first emerging in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. A timeline: – Alarm raised – The World Health Organization (WHO) is alerted on December 31, 2019, by the Chinese authorities of a string of pneumonia-like cases in Wuhan, a city of 11 million people. Patients are quarantined and work begins on identifying the origin […]
China locks down city at centre of virus outbreak
by Hector RETAMAL Agence France Presse WUHAN, China (AFP) — China banned trains and planes from leaving a major city at the centre of a virus outbreak on Thursday, seeking to seal off its 11 million people to contain the contagious disease that has claimed 17 lives, infected hundreds and spread to other countries. Authorities in Wuhan, a major transport hub, also suspended public buses and subways, and said residents should not leave “without […]
Guevarra: BI locates family of HK’s first suspected case of novel coronavirus
(Eagle News) — The Bureau of Immigration has tracked down the family of Hong Kong’s first suspected case of novel coronavirus, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Thursday, Jan. 23. The location was, however, not immediately made available. According to Guevarra, the immigration bureau was “monitoring their movements and may refer them to (the Department of Health’s Bureau of Quarantine).” The Hong Kong government has said the family of the man flew to Manila via […]
Hong Kong reports first ‘preliminary positive’ case of new virus
Hong Kong reported its first suspected case of the new SARS-like virus Wednesday in a man who arrived in the city from Wuhan via the cross-border high-speed railway. Health secretary Sophia Chan said the 39-year-old man was “preliminarily positive”, but a final test result would only be known on Thursday. “We decided to announced the case (early) due to heavy public concern,” Chan said. The man and four family members had taken the high-speed […]
Ten missing after migrant boat capsizes off Indonesia
PEKANBARU, Indonesia (AFP) — Ten people were missing after a boat carrying 20 migrant workers capsized off the coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra island, a search and rescue official said Thursday. The wooden vessel, which was bound for neighboring Malaysia, began taking on water when it was inundated by high waves on Tuesday evening. “There were 20 people on board — 10 of them were rescued while 10 others are still missing,” local search and rescue […]
Three killed in Australia firefighting plane crash
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Three people were killed when a water-bombing plane crashed southwest of Sydney on Thursday, setting off a “large fireball”, Australian officials said, as bushfires flared across the country’s southeast. New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said authorities lost contact with the C-130 Hercules aircraft, which was operating in the Snowy Monaro region, shortly before 1:30 pm Thursday. Fitzsimmons said the aircraft owner, Canadian firm Coulson Aviation, was grounding […]
De Lima reiterates call for legal protection of licensed volunteers when responding to emergency situations
(Eagle News) — Senator Leila de Lima has refiled a measure seeking to protect licensed volunteers from liability in the performance of their duties should anything happen. In refiling Senate Bill No. 1285, De Lima said the government should provide a conducive and enabling legal environment for volunteers by placing mechanisms that will protect their rights should any issue arise in emergency situations. “The current body of legislation does not provide safeguards which can protect […]
Studies suggest role of bats, snakes in outbreak of China virus
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — A new strain of coronavirus that emerged in China may have originated in bats or snakes, according to genetic analysis of the virus that has so far killed 17 people. The theories are based on examination of the genome sequence of the virus released by authorities in the wake of the outbreak, with two studies pointing to the likely role of bats in the outbreak. One study, published Tuesday in the […]
Waterbombing plane missing as Australia bushfires flare
by Holly ROBERTSON SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — A water-bombing plane was missing and feared to have crashed in Australia’s southeast on Thursday, as firefighters battled a new outbreak of bushfires whipped up by scorching temperatures and strong winds. At least seven blazes were declared emergencies, including one in the Snowy Monaro region, where authorities lost contact with the firefighting aircraft. “Local ground crews indicate the aircraft may have crashed,” the New South Wales Rural Fire […]
PHL transportation hubs on tighter watch amid threat of novel coronavirus
(Eagle News) — The country’s airports and seaports have started implementing safety measures against the threat of the novel coronavirus, which has continued to spread in nearby China and has killed at least 17 people. In a statement, the Department of Transportation said Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Director General Jim Sydiongco has reported they were “continuously coordinating with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Bureau of Quarantine to support its efforts to […]
Lakers bounce back with victory over Knicks
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — LeBron James started hot and Anthony Davis found his groove Wednesday as the Los Angeles Lakers bounced back from an embarrassing loss to the Boston Celtics with a 100-92 win over the Knicks in New York. James scored 19 of his 21 points in the first half and Davis scored 17 of his game-high 28 in the second, continuing to improve in his second game back from a five-game […]





