President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with the Philippine delegation, arrives at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023 to participate at the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Year of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-Japan Friendship and Cooperation from December 15 to 18. Video by PPA Pool
A husband and wife got into a physical altercation over money on Thursday night in Tin Shui Wai and both were arrested. Yesterday night (Dec 14) at 9.30, a husband and wife got into a heated argument over a monetary issue, which gradually intensified. During the argument, the 41-year-old husband, surnamed Lok, slapped his wife twice, leading the 40-year-old wife, surnamed Wong, to attempt to contact the police for assistance. Lok was arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal intimidation, while Wong was arrested on suspicion of assault. Wong, who suffered from discomfort in her head, and her 67-year-old mother-in-law, also surnamed Wong, who suffered from chest pains, were taken to Tuen Mun hospital for medical attention.
The Philippines hosts the 2023 Asia Artist Awards (AAA), the largest gathering of Korean celebrities, at the jam-packed Philippine Arena in Bulacan on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. Among the AAA Grand Prize (Daesang) winners of the event from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. were SEVENTEEN BSS, Performance of the Year; Stray Kids, Stage of the Year; NewJeans, Song of the Year; NewJeans, Singer of the Year; and Lee Junho, Actor of the Year. Video by Iza IglesiasGet 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
The defending champions Creamline Cool Smashers aim to deliver the killer blow against sister team Choco Mucho Flying Titans in Game 2 of the 2023 PVL 2nd All-Filipino Conference best-of-3 Finals on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Creamline took Game One, 26-24, 19-25, 26-24, 25-22, at the Mall of Asia Arena, on Thursday, December 14, to put itself on the cusp of a third straight All-Filipino Conference title. Video by Niel Victor MasoyGet 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
OPM bands SB19 and Ben&Ben accept their awards at the 2023 AAA at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. SB19, along with K-pop group NewJeans, won the Hot Trend Award while Ben&Ben won the Best Choice Award. The Asian Artist Awards (AAA) is known as the Oscars and Grammys of Asia. Video by Iza Iglesias
MANILA, Philippines — Experts from the United Nations stressed Thursday the need to establish a national body dedicated to preventing torture as they wrapped up their visit to the Philippines. Victor Zaharia, who heads the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture (SPT), said the Philippines should fast-track the adoption of bills that will create a national monitoring body called National Preventive Mechanism. “This national mechanism, with adequate resources, will be a key partner in preventing torture and ill-treatment in the Philippines,” he added. At the end of the visit, the SPT delegation presented its confidential preliminary observations to the government. It has documented 488 victims of torture since July 2010 despite the passage of the Anti-Torture Act of 2009.
Moscow, Russia: Russia on Wednesday warned against a "chaotic" exit from fossil fuels, while welcoming the "compromise" deal reached at the COP28 summit in Dubai on transitioning away from them. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the Tripling Renewable Energy and Doubling Energy Efficiency by 2030 session at the COP28 United Nations climate summit in Dubai on Dec. 2, 2023. AFP PHOTO"We have at every opportunity stressed the consequences of a chaotic exit without the backing of science," Ruslan Edelgeriyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy for climate issues, was quoted by TASS news agency as saying. Russia is one of the main gas, oil and coal producers in the world. But discussion of climate issues is virtually absent from public discourse in Russia, particularly since the start of the Ukraine offensive in February 2022.
With inflation dropping faster than expected in many countries and the economic outlook worsening, policymakers were expected to hold rates steady — with the possible exception of Norway's central bank. With little rate action expected on Thursday, investor attention has shifted to when central banks might start cutting rates, even as policymakers insist it is still too early to sound the all-clear on inflation. Many analysts think the ECB will start slashing rates in June, but a recent fall in eurozone inflation has prompted some to predict a first reduction as early as April. "The lower the ECB's growth and inflation forecasts for 2024 and 2025, the higher the likelihood of rate cuts," said ING economist Carsten Brzeski. Lagarde's communication challenge on Thursday would be to "keep all options open" without sounding "too detached from reality," he added.
Fans scream inside the Philippine Arena as K-Pop groups NewJeans, Le Sserafim, ITZY, Stray Kids, Seventeen BSS and actors Lee Jun-ho and Ahn Hyo-seop walk the red carpet of the Asian Artist Awards 2023 on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. Also seen was OPM band Ben&Ben. Video by Iza Iglesias
Just two weeks after their controversial breakup, former reel to real couple Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla accept their awards at the 2023 AAA at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. The two won the 'Fabulous Award,' along with South Korean artists NewJeans, Stray Kids, and Lim Young Woong. Video By Iza Iglesias
Policemen secure Chinese nationals on a bus ahead of their deportation after they were detained in a raid on a suspected sex trafficking and online scam operation in Pasay, Metro Manila. (Image: AFP)The Philippines deported 180 Chinese nationals on Thursday after they were detained in a raid on a suspected sex-trafficking and online scam operation in the capital Manila, officials said. Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Filipino nationals were among the nearly 600 people found inside a compound during the operation in October. The Chinese nationals deported did not have work permits and had been "engaging in online scams", Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission Undersecretary Gilberto Cruz told AFP. Cruz said more foreigners detained in the raid would be deported in the coming weeks.
Host-comedian and actress Melai Cantiveros joins popular South Korean TV and movie stars Kim Sejeong, Ahn Hyo Seop, Lee Dong Hwi, and Lee Jun Hyuk after winning Best Actor at the 2023 Asia Artist Awards (AAA) at the Philippine Rena in Bulacan on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. Video by Iza Iglesias
The updated code of conduct for civil servants does not grant public officers immunity to say whatever they want in their personal capacity, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said on Thursday. She noted that private companies would not allow their employees to badmouth their business and the same works for civil servants working in the government. Meanwhile, Yeung said civil servants should not misinterpret that they have the absolute license to say anything they want when making comments in a personal capacity. "We require civil servants to uphold the rule of law and the constitutional order. If what they say impacts these things, even if it's in a personal capacity, I strongly advise my colleagues to not say it, because the consequences will be serious,” she said.
Google’s defeat in court on Monday, Dec. 12, 2023, has stunned big tech, shaking decades of supremacy on antitrust matters. Google's defeat in court on Monday, Dec. 12, 2023, has stunned big tech, shaking decades of supremacy on antitrust matters. "Big tech is not above the law. This loss isn't just the first antitrust failure for Google, it's the first antitrust loss for any big tech firm," said Matt Stoller, director of research at the American Economic Liberties Project and a critic of big tech business practices. The appeals court that will likely hear the Google case is the same one that largely dismissed Epic's appeal against Apple.
A 44-year-old shirtless man was tied to a street sign by pedestrians after he was caught trying to steal four bottles of shampoo worth some HK$200 from a Mong Kok store on Wednesday morning. According to footage circulated online, the passers-by together subdued the shirtless Nepali man and tied him to the street sign of Canton Road. The man once loosened himself and attempted to flee the scene but another passer-by immediately threw himself on the man to stop him from running. The man was again subdued as other pedestrians helped tied him up using a rope. The man was arrested for theft.
