Crypto-curious firms search for right recipe
AFP PHOTOPARIS: Four years ago, fried-chicken chain KFC tweeted from its Canadian account that it would accept Bitcoin as payment for its "buckets." Many other companies have tried to harness crypto payments before abandoning their efforts, Tesla and Dell among them. 'When, not if'The barriers to widespread adoption of direct crypto payments for everyday items are considerable — perhaps even unsurmountable. The Pavilions hotel chain, for example, partnered with a payments firm last year to allow customers to use crypto but found it made little difference to its business. Pavilions spokesman Tim Sargeant told AFP in an email.
Source:Manila Times
April 10, 2022 16:59 UTC
The future of migration to a Desti-Nation: USA
In 2020, with the ban still effectively in place, only 25,491 Filipinos with immigrant visas were admitted into the US. When the immigrant visa backlog was first reported in April 2021, the number of documentarily qualified (DQ) immigrant visa applicants at the National Visa Center (NVC) was 475,310. Temporary work visasThe H-1B temporary work visa allocates 65,000 places for qualified applicants, registered by qualified US employers. Thus, Filipino H-1B applicants are competing for the remaining 58,200. The H-2B temporary working visa, on the other hand, is capped at 66,000 per fiscal year.
Source:Manila Times
April 10, 2022 16:47 UTC
HK bans two flights from Tokyo and Istanbul as it reports 1,921 Covid-19 cases
Hong Kong authorities reported 1,921 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday as they banned two flights operated by Japan Airlines and Turkish Airlines respectively for a week. Flights operated by Turkish Airlines from Istanbul and by Japan Airlines from Tokyo will be banned for a week from Sunday and Monday respectively, after they saw more than three passengers infected on a flight. Among those who reported positive results on the two days, 68.7 percent had no symptoms – reflecting that many patients were asymptomatic, he added. There will be a further increase in the number of positive cases reported by citizens, he expected. The patient subsequently went to a public hospital on October 17.
Source:The Standard
April 10, 2022 11:05 UTC
Customs seize HK$400m of 'ice' in biggest case ever
Customs seize HK$400m of 'ice' in biggest case ever. Previous NextHong Kong customs have busted the city's largest-ever suspected methamphetamine case, seizing 700 kilograms of the drug nicknamed “ice” with an estimated market value of HK$400 million. “It is believed that someone was using the logistics company to remotely control drug trafficking,” Lee said. Fong Heung-wing, divisional commander of the drug investigation bureau, said the department immediately contacted the mainland customs and launched a joint operation. The two men arrested have been released on bail, as customs pursue the mastermind of the drug trafficking syndicate.
Source:The Standard
April 10, 2022 08:24 UTC
Entrepreneurs seen as vital cog to growth
PRESIDENTIAL Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion 3rd on Saturday said that Filipino entrepreneurs can power the country's path to growth and prosperity. "The return of Mentor Me On Wheels signals confidence in the Philippines' ability to bounce back from the pandemic, and the key role of small entrepreneurs in powering the country's path to growth and prosperity," he said. The event marked the return of Go Negosyo's MMOW which was put on hold for 25 months because of pandemic restrictions. During the event, Concepcion mentored Josh Mojica, who founded a business during the pandemic making kangkong chips and who now wants to get a loan to expand his business. Aspiring entrepreneurs from the provinces also had the opportunity to receive advice remotely from onsite experts via the Mentor Me Online Hub, which was held simultaneously with the event.
Source:Manila Times
April 10, 2022 06:58 UTC
Civilians flee eastern Ukraine after deadly railway station attack
KRAMATORSK, Ukraine – Evacuations resumed on Saturday from Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine, where a missile strike killed 52 people at a railway station, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the latest Western leader to visit Kyiv. Six weeks into Russia’s invasion, Moscow has shifted its focus to eastern and southern Ukraine after stiff resistance thwarted plans to swiftly capture Kyiv. With thousands killed in fighting and more than 11 million fleeing their homes or the country, the Ukrainian president called on the West to follow Britain’s example on military aid. The Kramatorsk station was serving as the main evacuation hub for refugees from parts of the eastern Donbas region still under Ukrainian control. Ukraine said Saturday it had completed a third prisoner exchange with Russia, bringing 12 soldiers and 14 civilians home.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
April 10, 2022 01:36 UTC
Palm Sunday starts off Holy Week
The mostly Roman Catholic nation will observe Holy Week this year, starting Palm Sunday, April 10, until Easter Sunday, April 17. "Even though the pandemic has subsided, let us not let our guard down. Let us continue following the health protocols so that we can finally defeat this pandemic," CBCP President Bishop Pablo Virgilio David said in a radio interview. The Department of Health (DoH) has earlier appealed to churches to reconsider the holding of some Holy Week traditions such as "pahalik" or kissing of icons, since it is a potential Covid-19 spreader. The CBCP said it will release the schedule of livestreaming of Lenten celebrations as soon as it is available.
Source:Manila Times
April 09, 2022 22:38 UTC
Sins of the times: Fake news a growing concern for Church
MANILA, Philippines — Sharing fake news online is a sin that needs absolution. The gravity of the offense diminishes if netizens are not aware that they are sharing fake news. ADVERTISEMENTTwo scholars of theology are sounding this warning as concern grows about the prevalence of fake news, especially in the run-up to the May 9 elections. “Consensus or collective tolerance in the family or society doesn’t make spreading fake news right.”With Holy Week nigh, a number of diocesan priests used the homily to warn about the evils of fake news. Daniel Voltaire Hui, parochial vicar of Quiapo Church, cautioned the faithful against being complacent to fake news.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
April 09, 2022 21:42 UTC
Philippines' Duterte, China's Xi call for restraint in South China Sea
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Reuters)Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to exercise restraint to maintain peace in the South China Sea, Manila's presidential office said on Saturday. "The leaders stressed the need to exert all efforts to maintain peace, security and stability in the South China Sea by exercising restraint, dissipating tensions and working on a mutually agreeable framework for functional cooperation," the presidential office said in a statement. Since taking office in 2016, Duterte has pursued warmer ties with Beijing, setting aside a longstanding territorial spat over the South China Sea in exchange for billions of dollars of aid, loans and investment pledges. The two presidents spoke of the importance of continuing discussions and concluding the code of conduct on the South China Sea.
Source:The Standard
April 09, 2022 16:05 UTC
Marielese's welcome-cum-birthday celebration
Monette Guevarra, Fortune Ledesma Vicky Assad, Tina Dacuycuy and Linda Velayo Tetha Agustin, Christian Baveree, Monette Guevarra, Hi Society, Cocoy Cordoba Dolly Nolan, Tessie Amparo and Mita Rufino Sonia Lopez, Racquel Tioseco Sta. Ines Linda Velayo, Chichi Laperal and Fortune Ledesma Monette Guevarra, Hi! Society and Cocoy Cordoba Raquel Tioseco Sta. A birthday lunch will not be complete without the noodles and birthday cakes which was brought by friends to blow. Ines, Mita Rufino, Tessie Amparo, Sonia Lopez, famous Interior Designer Cocoy Cordoba, Dolly Nolan Galang, Vicky Assad, Lita Bato, Dr. George Sarakinis, Chichi Laperal, and Tina Dacuycuy.
Source:Manila Times
April 09, 2022 13:00 UTC
Marcos expected to rake in 36M votes
File PhotoSURVEY frontrunner Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. could garner over 36 million votes after he maintained his lead in the presidential race, Pulse Asia said. Pulse Asia's survey which was released last Wednesday showed Marcos comfortably on top with a 56 percent voter preference. Marcos's 32 percent lead over Robredo translates into around 19.5 million votes, which is higher than the more than 16 million votes President Rodrigo Duterte obtained in the 2016 presidential election, she said. Marcos spokesman Victor Rodriguez cautioned Marcos supporters and campaigners against being complacent as the election nears. A survey released by Publicus Asia on Friday also had Marcos and his running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio in the lead.
Source:Manila Times
April 08, 2022 23:21 UTC
Alex Eala storms into the semis of Thailand tourney
Alex Eala pounced on Momoko Kobori, 6-3, 6-3, Friday to barge into the semifinals of the W25 Chiang Rai International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament in Thailand. Photo from Alex Eala’s Facebook pageThe unseeded Eala dictated the tempo against her Japanese rival to arrange a Final Four meeting with China’s YieXin Ma, who won after Hong Kong’s Ho Ching Wu retired, 6-2, 1-2. Prior to beating Kobori, Eala downed Serbia’s Katarina Kozarov, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, in the opening round and Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej, 6-3, 6-4, in the second round. The tournament is one of Eala’s tuneup events heading to her debut appearance at the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam next month. She is scheduled to compete in the second and third legs of the said tournament in the next two weeks.
Source:Manila Times
April 08, 2022 21:00 UTC
Authentication platform launched for Philippine natl ID
THE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) introduced on Friday the Philsys Check, an authentication platform for the Philippine national ID. Assistant National Statistician Fred Sollesta noted during the launch that Philsys Check is a web-based offline authentication solution that leverages public private key cryptography to allow relying parties to check the authenticity of PSA-issued QR code. "The QR code at the back of the Philippine identification card or the Phil ID may be verified by simply accessing the website using a smartphone or computer with camera and internet access," he said. Sollesta further said that Philsys Check was intended to serve as a platform for identity verification in regard to transactions between individuals and various reliant parties, such as government organizations or any corporate entities. He said the platform was piloted in November 2021 with 13 financial institutions participating.
Source:Manila Times
April 08, 2022 18:23 UTC
Philippines teachers outraged over 'politicking' in school learning
Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo, presidential candidate for the 2022 Philippine elections, speaks during a campaign rally in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. (Reuters)The Philippines education ministry came under fire from teachers on Friday over a learning module that contained negative content about presidential candidate Leni Robredo, and praise for incumbent Rodrigo Duterte, including a fake endorsement from Britain's queen. ACT Teachers Partylist, a congressional group representing teachers, expressed outrage over the learning material and said teachers had struggled enough from two years of pandemic restrictions on face-to-face learning. In a text message she said authorities also were "exerting all efforts to warn teachers against participating in partisan politics". Robredo on Friday said education authorities should not publish content that "would poison people's minds".
Source:The Standard
April 08, 2022 16:26 UTC
Anti-corruption watchdog charges nurse and four others for faking Covid jab records
The ICAC on Friday charged a nurse and four others for faking Covid jab records. The move came after the ICAC received a corruption complaint, allegedly that the group have conspired to make false vaccination records by pretending to have been inoculated with the Covid vaccine at a communication vaccination center. They were released on ICAC bail, pending their appearance in the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Court next Tuesday (Apr 12) for plea. Supervisors of the vaccination center also recovered four syringes containing unused vaccines from the sharp box in Ho's booth for placing used vaccine syringes after the four co-defendants' visits. Any person who commits the offence is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 14 years,” said the spokesman.
Source:The Standard
April 08, 2022 15:27 UTC