(Central station) Woman hires "falcon” to scare pesky pigeons away from home
A woman has found the solution by hiring a “falcon” to scare away the pesky pigeons. A netizen named Chan has recently shared her funny encounter with pigeons, saying she had successfully fended off the animal with a “falcon” she purchased online. A photo shared by her saw a falcon-shaped kite being hung above her balcony, with Chan saying that the fake falcon has successfully scared away the pigeons. The Facebook community shared her joy, with some saying using falcon-shaped items is the best way to scare away the pigeons. You will have to move it from place to place to trick the birds into thinking they’re real,” the netizen wrote.
Source:The Standard
January 22, 2022 04:45 UTC
Raducanu learns she has 'fight in me'
PHOTO BY MARTIN KEEP/AFPMELBOURNE: Emma Raducanu says a key lesson from her first Australian Open is that "I've got that fight in me" after the teenager adapted her game and gritted her teeth to play through pain with nasty blisters. "I really enjoy playing the Grand Slams, I think that the takeaway is tough," she said. You know, I did discover elements of my game I didn't know I had before, and I can use that going forward. "And also, I just know that I've got that fight in me, even if I have got, like, one shot, I know that I can pull myself out of deep situations." Raducanu, the first British woman to win a Grand Slam since Virginia Wade at Wimbledon in 1977, came into the tournament after contracting Covid-19, but she refused to blame it for her defeat.
Source:Manila Times
January 22, 2022 03:35 UTC
Krejcikova advances in Australian Open
MELBOURNE: French Open champion and world number four Barbora Krejcikova survived a scare in a gritty comeback win against Jelena Ostapenko Friday at the Australian Open (AO). The Czech fourth seed was one of the standout players of 2021, winning three titles as she soared 60 places up the rankings. It set up an attractive fourth-round clash with two-time AO champion Victoria Azarenka, who swept past Elina Svitolina for the loss of just two games. "Today's match was really tough, difficult, I had to really dig deep to get this win," said Krejcikova, who has won the last three AO mixed doubles titles. I felt I found the fighting spirit in me and was just going for every ball.
Source:Manila Times
January 22, 2022 03:35 UTC
Ayala Corp., Mermac to boost Ayala Land's property holdings
Ayala Corp., Mermac to boost Ayala Land's property holdingsUnder the transaction, AC will swap property assets valued at P17.28 billion for 309.6 million primary common shares in ALI. AC's ownership in the property subsidiary will inch up to 47.2% from the current 46.07% once the swap is completed. Under the transaction, AC will swap property assets valued at P17.28 billion for 309.6 million primary common shares in ALI. Meanwhile, Mermac will own 1.98 million more primary common shares in ALI which, in turn, will receive real estate assets worth P110.6 million. The stocks that ALI will issue to AC and Mermac will come from the unissued shares in the 1-billion common shares carve-out approved by ALI shareholders in 2014.
Source:Philippine Star
January 22, 2022 00:04 UTC
Robredo: Good governance key to business growth
VICE President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo committed to create a more transparent, ethical and trustworthy government that will spur the growth of the business sector. How do we move our country from a state of response and survival to one of growth and prosperity? " My commitment to the business community: We will create an environment where enterprises have a chance to compete fairly. We will not fixate on restrictions, and your voice will be heard as we work for the common good, " she said. Robredo made a final pitch by saying that "my track record is out there for all to see.
Source:Manila Times
January 21, 2022 22:18 UTC
PH records all-time high 291,618 active COVID-19 cases
MANILA, Philippines — The country reported a record-high active COVID-19 cases in the country on Friday at 291,618 infections. Friday’s record of active cases was higher than the previous record of 290,938 active infections as of January 17. ADVERTISEMENTThe number of active cases further went up as the Department of Health (DOH) reported 32,744 new cases of the respiratory disease. In 2020, the Philippines had its highest number of active COVID-19 cases at 83,109 on August 15. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire noted that COVID-19 cases seem to be plateauing in Metro Manila, but she stressed that further study is needed to confirm if cases are dropping.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 21, 2022 20:40 UTC
Twitter suspends hundreds of accounts promoting Philippines' Marcos
Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, his wife, Louise (L) and his sister Imee (R) smile upon arrival at the Supreme Court in Padre Faura, Metro Manila, Philippines April 2, 2018. (Reuters)Twitter said on Friday it had suspended hundreds of accounts that were promoting Philippines presidential election candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr, which it said had violated rules on spam and manipulation. Marcos's chief of staff, Vic Rodriguez, applauded Twitter for its work but stressed there was no certainty all the accounts belonged to supporters of Marcos. News site Rappler this week reported that supporters of Marcos were seeking to dominate Twitter through accounts created over a short period of just a few months. Twitter noted the report and said the majority of the 300 accounts had been taken down earlier as part of routine actions.
Source:The Standard
January 21, 2022 19:22 UTC
NBI arrests 2 Nigerians, 3 others for ‘Mark Nagoyo’ bank hacking
MANILA, Philippines — Two Nigerians and three others were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for allegedly being behind the “Mark Nagoyo” bank hacking that affected more than 700 clients of BDO Unibank. ADVERTISEMENTThe NBI on Friday said the five suspects were arrested in two different entrapment operations conducted by operatives of the NBI-Cybercrime Division in Pampanga. The NBI said Taupa was the alleged mastermind of the operation while Panaligan and Clay Revillosa were involved in the BDO hacking as web developers and downloaders. According to the NBI, the suspects were involved in the BDO hacking last December where more than 700 of BDO’s clients lost funds in their accounts. The NBI said the suspects were able to access bank accounts and made the fund transfers while supposedly bypassing the One-Time-Pin requirement.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 21, 2022 18:23 UTC
Unchartered waters
Unchartered watersThe Reserve Bank of India recently announced that it is exploring a digital version of its currency or an online version of the rupee. If India pushes through with its plan, then it will be the first central bank in the world that will enter this unknown and unchartered world of central bank-backed digital currencies. Fiat currency is fully backed by the government of a country and is acceptable as payment for public and private debts. E-money is convertible to fiat currency in licensed e-money issuers or e-money agents and is used to electronically transfer monetary value that is equivalent to or similarly denominated as fiat currency. India’s proposed Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency bill has reportedly been held back.
Source:Philippine Star
January 21, 2022 17:18 UTC
PH among 105 countries eyed for anti-Covid pill
This handout photo obtained May 26, 2021, courtesy of Pharmaceutical company Merck shows capsules of the experimental antiviral drug Molnupiravir. AFP PHOTOUpdated at 12:11 amTHE Philippines is among the 105 countries being considered for the more affordable version of Merck's anti-Covid pill in deals announced on Thursday by a UN-backed organization. The global Medicines Patent Pool signed agreements with 27 manufacturers to produce the oral antiviral medicine molnupiravir, for supply in low- and-middle-income countries. The sub-licenses allow manufacturers to produce the raw ingredients for molnupiravir, and/or the finished drug itself. Five manufacturers will focus on producing the raw ingredients; 13 will produce both raw ingredients and molnupiravir itself; while nine will simply produce the finished drug.
Source:Manila Times
January 21, 2022 16:37 UTC
A first look at the 'ton'
Get the tiaras and lacy dresses ready as the return of the hit Netflix series, "Bridgerton" draws near. Adding more excitement to the upcoming premiere, Netflix and Shondaland dropped the first look at eight new photos, teasing what many different characters in the ton will be up to this season. 'Bridgerton' Season 2 will see Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) finding a suitable wife. Driven by his duty to uphold the family name, Anthony's search for a debutante who meets his impossible standards seems ill-fated until Kate (Simone Ashley) and her younger sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran) Sharma arrive from India. "Bridgerton" comes to Netflix from Shondaland and is executive produced by Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, and Chris Van Dusen.
Source:Manila Times
January 21, 2022 16:21 UTC
Group wants pneumonia vaccine purchase halted over alleged bidding anomaly
MANILA, Philippines — A consumer group has urged the government to temporarily suspend the procurement of pneumonia vaccines because the bidding process allegedly went awry. ADVERTISEMENTThe group also asked the PCC to “consider and permanently allow other equally effective pneumonia vaccine candidates to be included in the procurement process. Dela Cruz said that based on UFCC’s investigation, the two private corporations have allegedly committed antitrust practices. “These practices result in higher vaccine costs and lesser coverage for the Filipino people,” Dela Cruz said. Pfizer said it would respond as soon as it could, while Zuellig Pharma had not responded yet.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 21, 2022 16:15 UTC
Quezon City expands free testing program
Quezon City expands free testing programA health worker at Rosario Maclang Bautista General Hospital prepares to take a swab of a resident of Batasan Hills in Quezon City on July 13, 2020. MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government has expanded its free COVID-19 testing program amid the surge in new cases believed driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant, officials said yesterday. “Each testing center is equipped with swab booths and can accommodate between 100 and 200 individuals per day,” Cruz said. As of Jan. 19, 17 community-based testing centers have been set up across the city. The QCX Museum located at the Quezon Memorial Circle was also converted into a testing center.
Source:Philippine Star
January 21, 2022 16:12 UTC
Philippine Space Agency, National Coast Watch ink deal to strengthen maritime security
Philippine Space Agency, National Coast Watch ink deal to strengthen maritime securityMANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the National Coast Watch have recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enhance maritime security by using space science and technology applications (SSTA) such as satellites. PhilSA Director General Joel Joseph Marciano and National Coast Watch Center Director Roy Echeverria, along with other officials, inked the deal through a virtual ceremony on January 19. The MOU allows for the exchange of information and capacity-building between the two agencies on harnessing SSTA for better maritime response, security and domain awareness. Aside from augmenting the capabilities of the Coast Watch, the partnership will also equip PhilSA with tools and other valuable information related to maritime domain awareness, according to Echeverria. Led by the Coast Guard, the National Coast Watch is an inter-agency maritime surveillance and coordinated response center.
Source:Philippine Star
January 21, 2022 15:34 UTC
Health expert suggests three-day total lockdown on Covid-hit Kwai Chung building
A health expert on Friday said authorities should bar people from leaving a Covid-hit building in Kwai Chung for three days instead of allowing them to leave once they tested negative for the coronavirus. He said the government should lock down the building for three days to ensure residents remained Covid negative for a certain period before leaving the building. However, Hui said authorities may not have sufficient personnel to handle the total lockdown and relevant arrangements such as delivering daily necessities for residents. He urged residents of the building to avoid going outdoors to lower the risk of further transmissions. Further investigation shows the teacher and two sons of the 43-year-old woman showed up at the same MTR exit – Mei Foo MTR exit A – nine seconds apart.
Source:The Standard
January 21, 2022 05:08 UTC