Tightening justice against purse strings
KUALA LUMPUR: In the last decade of the last century, South Africa finally abolished its notorious apartheid sociopolitical system. And there continued to be armed conflicts among the various South African tribes. Even the universally well-regarded Mandela had his hands full trying to resolve all these explosive differences that threatened to tear South Africa apart. The main functions of the commission included the investigation of the various misdeeds done during the apartheid era, especially those involving loss of lives. It is often very difficult to weigh the scale of justice against the dire needs of the public purse.
Source:Manila Times
January 31, 2024 06:09 UTC
WATCH: Honasan seeks ceasefire between Marcos, Duterte camps
Former senator Gregorio 'Gringo' Honasan 2nd proposes a ceasefire between the camps of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, amid bickering over the move to amend the Constitution and allegations of drug use. Video from Former Sen. Gringo Honasan FB PageGet the latest newsdelivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Source:Manila Times
January 31, 2024 03:48 UTC
DOTR to prioritize digitization of railway operations
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Tuesday said that it will prioritize the digitalization of trains to improve commuter experience. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said digitization is important to keeping up with technology, for the efficiency of railways. ADVERTISEMENT“Digitizing Philippine railway operations means building a solid and fully connected technology stacked rail sector,” Bautista said during the RAILDX 2024 forum. Bautista added that the Japanese government gave a training simulators grant to the Philippine Railways Institute, the railway research department of the DOTr, which can be used for its railway projects. “We need to embrace this digital evolution towards a people-centric transport sector transformation,” he said.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 31, 2024 01:39 UTC
IRRI, BASF partner to reduce emissions from rice production
THE International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and global chemical company BASF will collaborate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from rice production. According to IRRI, rice ranks among the top five cereal crops cultivated worldwide with the majority of its production coming from Asia. "Due to this large carbon footprint, it is estimated that rice production has the greatest potential within agricultural crop production to reduce GHG emissions," said the IRRI. The IRRI has started to enhance its crop modeling system called Oryza, integrating new algorithms to estimate GHG emissions. Moreover, both BASF and IRRI targets to support farmers growing rice in transitioning to low-carbon production systems.
Source:Manila Times
January 30, 2024 22:44 UTC
Combating the financing of terrorism: A never-ending battle
Over the past 20 years, meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund has helped shape policies on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) globally and within its members' national frameworks. For many years, these organizations and other stakeholders have been working together to combat terrorism financing. Measures to combat terrorist financing need to be implemented in all jurisdictions around the world. It also lays out critical steps to execute the new strategy:– improve understanding of the threat of terrorist financing, in particular, the financing of ISIL;– ensure countries have up-to-date tools to identify and disrupt terrorist financing activity and use them effectively;– facilitate better and deeper international cooperation and information sharing between authorities and the private sector; and– identify and shut off any potential safe havens for terrorist financing. Combating terrorist financing has been a priority since 2001.
Source:Manila Times
January 30, 2024 22:34 UTC
NKorea fires cruise missiles in fresh flurry of tests
SEOUL: North Korea fired another round of cruise missiles on Tuesday, Seoul's military said, extending a recent flurry of tests of weapons that analysts warned could be destined for Russia's war in Ukraine. This month, Pyongyang has conducted tests of what it called an "underwater nuclear weapon system," a solid-fueled hypersonic ballistic missile, and a new generation of strategic cruise missiles. Unlike their ballistic counterparts, the testing of cruise missiles is not banned under current United Nations sanctions on Pyongyang. "It is believed that North Korea has commenced mass production of cruise missiles ordered by Russia," Ahn Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher who runs the World Institute for North Korea Studies, told Agence France-Presse (AFP). "During the Ukraine war, cruise missiles have played a significant role for Russia in targeting strategic facilities in Ukraine," he told AFP.
Source:Manila Times
January 30, 2024 17:47 UTC
WATCH: Obiena named 'Athlete of the Year'
Following a successful campaign in 2023, pole vaulter Ernest John 'EJ' Obiena was named the 2023 Philippine Sportswriters Association's (PSA's) Athlete of the Year. Obiena's parents Jeanette and Emerson received the trophy for their son during the Awards Night in Manila on Jan. 29, 2024. Obiena, who is in Italy training for the Paris Olympics, delivered his speech via the video sharing platform Zoom. Video by Niel Victor Masoy
Source:Manila Times
January 30, 2024 16:34 UTC
Marcos: Philippines firm on sovereignty, seeks peaceful talks with China
Marcos: Philippines firm on sovereignty, seeks peaceful talks with ChinaMANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stressed Tuesday the Philippines’ resolute stance in defending its sovereignty against Chinese provocations, while emphasizing the country’s commitment to resolving issues through peaceful dialogues. Marcos acknowledged that the South China Sea “remains to be a point of contention” during his meeting with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong in Hanoi. Marcos’ state visit also witnessed the signing of memoranda of understanding on “incident prevention and management in the South China Sea” and on cooperation between the coast guards of the Philippines and Vietnam. “We are firm in defending our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction against these Chinese provocations,” Marcos said. The Philippines and China earlier agreed to improve communication and “calmly deal” with incidents in the strategically and economically important waterway.
Source:Philippine Star
January 30, 2024 16:08 UTC
WATCH: Carlos named 'Ms Volleyball 2023'
Premier Volleyball League (PVL) superstar Diana Mae 'Tots' Carlos is named 'Ms. Volleyball' during the 2023 Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night in Manila on Jan. 29, 2024. Carlos received her Ms. Volleyball trophy and joined teammates Jema Galanza, Michele Gumabao, Kyle Negrito, and former Ms. Volleyball herself Alyssa Valdez for the Special Citation Award of the Cool Smashers, who ruled two of PVL's three conferences last year. Video by Niel Victor Masoy
Source:Manila Times
January 30, 2024 15:14 UTC
HK sees 28 pc increase in crimes, attributable to rise in fraud: Raymond Siu
Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu Chak-yee announced Monday that there was a near 30 percent increase in crime in the previous year compared to 2022, most of which was caused by the increase in fraud. He also added that the overall rate of solved cases was 31.1 percent, with the rate increasing to 46.2 percent by excluding fraud cases. Siu stated that there were 38,824 fraud cases recorded in 2023, a 42.6 percent increase compared to 2022 and a near quadruple increase compared to 2018's 31,452. Most of the fraud cases included online shopping scams, investment scams, phishing scams, job employment scams, social media scams and telephone scams. In light of the rise of scam cases, he stated the police are increasing enforcement actions along with intercepting scam money, scam forecest, etc.
Source:The Standard
January 30, 2024 10:30 UTC
Pakistani court sentences former Prime Minister Imran Khan to 10 years for revealing state secrets
A Pakistani court on Tuesday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and one of his party deputies to 10 years in prison each, after finding them guilty of revealing official secrets. According to Zulfiqar Bukhari, spokesman for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, the court announced the verdict at a prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. In the secrets case, Khan is alleged to have waved a confidential document — a classified cable — at a rally after he was toppled. Tuesday's verdict comes weeks after Khan and Qureshi were indicted in the case. During the trial, Khan’s party and supporters had feared he could be sentenced to death for treason.
Source:The Standard
January 30, 2024 10:29 UTC
Taal Volcano continues to spew toxic gas
LUCENA CITY—For four consecutive days, Taal Volcano in Batangas province has consistently emitted an alarmingly high volume of sulfur dioxide, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). In its bulletin on Monday, Phivolcs reported that the volcano emitted 15,145 metric tons (MT) of toxic sulfur dioxide, or SO2 gas, over the past 24 hours. ADVERTISEMENTState volcanologists also noted a “pronounced upwelling of hot volcanic fluids” in the main crater lake of the volcano, located on Taal Volcano Island, locally known as the “Pulo,” which sits in the middle of Taal Lake. On Jan. 25, the volcano released 15,145 MT of toxic volcanic gas, the highest so far this year, but no seismic activities were recorded at that time. Last year, the volcano logged 11,499 MT on Nov. 9, the highest emission level recorded in 2023.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 30, 2024 02:25 UTC
Public services at risk of being weaponized in Marcos-Duterte feud, analyst says
Public services at risk of being weaponized in Marcos-Duterte feud, analyst saysResidents of Barangay San Nicolas in Binondo, Manila go about their daily routine on September 20, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — Public services meant for marginalized Filipinos may be exploited to capture supporters amid the spat between the Marcoses and the Dutertes, a political science professor said on Monday, underscoring how the public ultimately shoulders the cost of warring political parties. The Presidential Communications Office has yet to disclose to reporters how much public funds were spent on the activity. Recent EDCOM report reveals that a more competent leadership in the education sector is needed so we can get out of the current mess,” the political science professor said. The political science professor said that accusations of corruption that political personalities have been flinging at each other could heighten the public’s distrust if they do not result in actual cases filed.
Source:Philippine Star
January 30, 2024 01:28 UTC
Celebrities hoping to have lucky Dragon babies
WHAT do married couples Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli, and Ellen Adarna and Derek Ramsay share in common? Both pairs wish they'd be blessed with dragon babies. Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli, Ellen Adarna and Derek Ramsay both wish they’d be blessed with Dragon babies, who are considered not only lucky but are also said to be smart and clever. "Sana [Hopefully] 'dragon baby'," Matteo wished in his last interview. As the next best option, the FFF phoned the hospital and asked to be connected to the A's suite.
Source:Manila Times
January 29, 2024 22:25 UTC
Time
Good thing my favorite daughter-in-law, who booked my flight to Korea, gave me a heads up at 8:30. Although it was a full flight, everyone was seated quickly, allowing the plane to leave at 1 a.m. The delegation, composed of district officers and fellow Rotary Club presidents, arrived at the hotel some two hours later. Good food, good company and good ambiance made up for the string of Murphy's tests. Each president was given five minutes to report their club's accomplishments for the first half of Rotary Year 2023-2024.
Source:Manila Times
January 29, 2024 18:15 UTC