'Sri Lanka crisis to last at least 2 more years'
WAR OF WORDS University students speak with a police officer during a demonstration against the economic crisis near the parliament building in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. Public anger has sparked sustained protests demanding the government resign over its mismanagement of the economic crisis, Sri Lanka's worst since gaining independence in 1948. I don't know if people realize the gravity of the situation," Finance Minister Ali Sabry told the Sri Lankan parliament. Negotiations with the IMF are ongoing, but Sri Lanka's central bank chief has said any assistance from the lender is months away. Sri Lanka's economic crisis took hold after the coronavirus pandemic hammered income from tourism and remittances.
Source:Manila Times
May 06, 2022 04:22 UTC
Digital platform for registering foreign vaccine records to come online in days
An online platform for people to register their non-local vaccinations will come in days, according to sources. The government last night said it will reactivate the online declaration platform for overseas vaccination records ahead of the extension of its vaccine pass scheme at the end of the month. However, people can still visit post offices for such a purpose. Hongkong Post said yesterday that it has deployed more staff, with the quota in post offices increasing from 1,200 to 2,400. Overseas vaccination records carried by arrivals are recognized by authorities, but people cannot use the records for the SAR's vaccine pass scheme.
Source:The Standard
May 06, 2022 03:22 UTC
Characteristic fault in Ma name fiasco
It's clear that Jack Ma Yun still enjoys much of the influence he has built up over the years despite keeping a low profile in recent months. Given the sensitive key words of "Ma", "Hangzhou" and "national security," anyone could have anticipated a stampede in the market. Strictly speaking, the reports were correct, based on facts presumably supplied by the national security authority - only that the suspect had a surname the same as Jack Ma and was detained by the authority in Hangzhou, where Jack Ma is also based. It was a coincidence - if Jack Ma not been so famous internationally, who would have alluded to the Alibaba co-founder? Although it did not look like a conspiracy in most aspects, the incident showed that anything in relation to "Ma" could be sensitive due to a commonly understood Chinese characteristic.
Source:The Standard
May 06, 2022 03:19 UTC
Three people killed in suspected Palestinian attack in Israel
ELAD, Israel – At least three people were killed in what police suspect was a Palestinian attack in the central Israeli city of Elad on the country’s independence day. Health officials said three people were killed and two others were being treated with serious slash wounds. A murderous attack in Elad that shocks the heart and soul,” Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid posted on Twitter. Israel has responded with arrest raids in Palestinian towns and villages which have often sparked clashes and brought the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of the year to at least 40. Hamas, the Islamist Palestinian group that controls Gaza, praised the Elad attack, but did not claim responsibility.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
May 06, 2022 01:31 UTC
Vishak Raman to head Fortinet's business in India, Saarc and Southeast Asia
Vishak Raman is Fortinet’s new vice president for Sales in India, Saarc and SEA. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOFORTINET, a global leader in broad, integrated and automated cybersecurity solutions, announced the appointment of Vishak Raman in a new role as the vice president for Sales in India, Saarc and Southeast Asia. Joe Sarno, senior vice president for International Sales-Emerging & APJ at Fortinet welcomes Raman, "We are pleased to welcome back Vishak Raman to head Fortinet business in India, Saarc and Southeast Asia region. Earlier as the senior regional director, India and Saarc at Fortinet, he was instrumental in establishing and growing Fortinet's technology leadership and success story in India. The Fortinet Security Fabric forms a solid foundation for any enterprise's digital adoption journey, and I am excited to drive our customers' success in the digital economy.
Source:Manila Times
May 05, 2022 23:22 UTC
Bongbong, Sara lead OCTA survey
PRESIDENTIAL candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Sara Duterte-CarpioPRESIDENTIAL candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Sara Duterte-Carpio, maintained their steady lead in the OCTA Research pre-election survey conducted from April 22 to 25. Based on the result of the surveys, Tayo said that Marcos who is number 7 in Comelec official ballot, and his running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, are the sure winners in the presidential and vice presidential elections. On Monday, Marcos scored 56 percent voter preference in the last Pulse Asia survey conducted with 2, 400 respondents in April 16- 21. She was also the top vice presidential bet across socioeconomic classes with 58 percent among D, 53 percent among E, and 47 percent among ABC. According to OCTA Research, voter preference share for both frontrunners barely moved compared to the April 2 to 5 survey of the pollster.
Source:Manila Times
May 05, 2022 23:00 UTC
Trucking group seeks extension of fuel subsidy
THE umbrella organization of trucking associations nationwide sought the extension of fuel subsidies to its members. The national government began the distribution of the fuel subsidy to more than 377,000 qualified drivers and operators of mass transport vehicles last March. As of April 30, around 180,000 public utility vehicle drivers and operators have received their fuel subsidy. Likewise, the Department of Agriculture implemented a fuel subsidy program for 158,730 corn farmers and fisherfolk to cushion the impact of runaway fuel prices. She said some 40 percent to 60 percent of the expenses in the trucking business is fuel.
Source:Manila Times
May 05, 2022 22:34 UTC
Comelec identifies 355 defective vote-counting machines; repairs ongoing
Comelec identifies 355 defective vote-counting machines; repairs ongoingTrailer trucks carrying vote counting machines and other paraphernalia of the Commission on Elections are sent off to regional hubs on April 3, 2022 in preparation for the May 9 polls. "The repairs for the 355 defective VCMs are ongoing, these were already sent to [the repair hub] in Sta. Casquejo said that the 355 defective machines only have mechanical defects such as not being able to read scans. Maybe because we already repaired them, refurbished the machines, [the number of defective machines] are low,” Casquejo said in a mix of English and Filipino. (With this trend, the voting turnout this year will exceed the 2016 [overseas] voting turnout which was 32%... and our data is not even complete yet.)
Source:Philippine Star
May 05, 2022 22:06 UTC
GMA Network is all set for Eleksyon 2022
On air, online, and on ground, the Kapuso Network is all set for Eleksyon 2022. It is made possible by its strategically located RTV stations in Northern and Central Luzon (GMA Dagupan and GMA Ilocos), Southern Luzon (GMA Batangas), Bicol Region (GMA Bicol), Central and Eastern Visayas (GMA Cebu), Western Visayas (GMA Iloilo and GMA Bacolod), Northern Mindanao (GMA Cagayan de Oro), Southern Mindanao (GMA Davao), South Central Mindanao (GMA General Santos), and Western Mindanao (GMA Zamboanga). GMA’s official news portal, GMA News Online (GNO), meanwhile, brings the biggest Eleksyon 2022 coverage online via the interactive Eleksyon 2022 website (http://www.eleksyon2022.ph/). There is also a section, where netizens can watch the videos and stories from the debates and interviews for Eleksyon 2022. And just like in the previous elections, GMA Network will deliver the most comprehensive Eleksyon 2022 coveragee.
Source:Philippine Star
May 05, 2022 21:56 UTC
Can kids grow up happy in Korea?
SEOUL — For many years, South Korea has lived with the infamy of being one of the unhappiest places to grow up in among advanced nations. Dozens of articles have highlighted how saddening it may be to live as school-age children in Korea. ADVERTISEMENTA 2019 study by Save the Children and Seoul National University on the well-being of children aged 10 placed South Korea 31st out of 35 countries surveyed. The study found Korean children were especially unhappy about how they spent their time. “I think the Korean education system is too demanding and doesn’t allow room for free thinking,” said Kim.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
May 05, 2022 19:33 UTC
Comelec confident of smooth voting process
Comelec confident of smooth voting processA volunteer feeds a sample ballot to the vote-counting machine or VCM during a trial run for the May 9, 2022 elections at San Nicolas in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is confident that the voting process will run smoothly as it undertakes the final testing and sealing of vote counting machines (VCMs) before the May 9 elections. Leading the inspection process at a precinct in San Juan City yesterday, Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan said: “We can see that the election process is OK. Pangarungan was walked through the process of unboxing the VCM, voting, ballot feeding and the generation of election returns which he read out. Acedo requested the Comelec to have the list of voters posted at the school entrance to help people identify and locate their assigned precinct.
Source:Philippine Star
May 05, 2022 05:25 UTC
RSU grad students participate in Japan's Sigloc-COIL program
They joined with other international students from Brazil, United States of America, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Japan. The Sigloc program started in February 2019 as a joint training (face-to-face) program between Osaka City University (Japan) and Andrews University (USA). It encourages participants to discover issues and the ability to find solutions and train them to implement the identified solutions through collaborations among the participating international students. The program also requires participating students to study about 30 hours per week, including both synchronous and asynchronous pair/group work. Meanwhile, Modena's report was titled "Romblon, Romblon resilience: The circumstances and security on the island."
Source:Manila Times
May 04, 2022 23:09 UTC
Pacquiao’s first EO: Review of all government contracts
Pacquiao’s first EO: Review of all government contractsSen. Manny Pacquiao at the first nationally televised presidential debates at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila and aired on CNN Philippines on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022. MANILA, Philippines — If elected, presidential candidate Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s first executive order will be to review all government contracts as well as identify anomalous transactions and people behind these deals. Speaking during his campaign activities in Iligan City yesterday, Pacquiao said the EO would be the springboard for his sweeping reforms against corruption in government. My very first EO will be to review all contracts of the government. Under the EO, Pacquiao said he would have a free hand in reviewing all government transactions and in holding corrupt officials and their cohorts accountable.
Source:Philippine Star
May 04, 2022 20:54 UTC
Pacquiao a dark horse but still in the race — campaign manager
Pacquiao a dark horse but still in the race — campaign managerManny Pacquiao (L), Philippine boxing legend and presidential candidate, hugs a supporter during a campaign stop ahead of the May 9 presidential election, in suburban Manila on February 16, 2022. MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Manny Pacquiao, who has been lagging in pre-election surveys, is the dark horse in the presidential race and may still pull off a come-from-behind win in the first-past-the-post polls next week, his campaign manager said. Related Stories Pacquiao overtakes Isko in latest Pulse Asia survey"My thought has always been that we are the dark horse in this 2022 elections," Pacquiao’s campaign manager Buddy Zamora said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel Wednesday. The campaign manager said they are counting on Pacquiao’s vow to provide free housing and the backing of Christian groups. "As we have always planned, we will continue to fight and up to the election day," the campaign manager said.
Source:Philippine Star
May 04, 2022 17:53 UTC
Playing it by ear when to use an infinitive or gerund
The choice between using the infinitive phrase or the gerund phrase is simply a matter of personal choice in that particular case. Some operative verbs can take either a gerund or infinitive as direct object, but other verbs balk and won't ever take an infinitive as direct object, meaning to say that the construction wouldn't read or sound right. In sentences with "continue" as operative verb, for instance, the verb can take either a gerund phrase or infinitive phrase as direct object (or as object of the preposition). In contrast, however, other operative verbs can only take a gerund or gerund phrase — never an infinitive or infinitive phrase—as direct object. We just have to play it by ear when we construct sentences using specific operative verbs.
Source:Manila Times
May 04, 2022 16:40 UTC