“The government is discussing reviewing the cost of electricity consumption with two major local suppliers,” he said, noting authorities will avoid “unnecessary expenses.”“However, citizens should also conserve electricity to offset the impact of fuel costs,” said the Secretary. Gary Chan Hak-kan, a lawmaker from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, slammed that the government should not blame fuel price fluctuations on the public. Lawmaker Michael Luk Chung-hung from the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions questioned the two local major suppliers - China Light and Power Group and the Hongkong Electric Company failed to bear the risk of themselves in a monopolized market. In response, the environment secretary claimed the electricity suppliers have been under monitoring by the government. “Besides,” he noted, “the cost of transferring to the external market will bring more burden to the electricity prices, and Hong Kong itself currently has the capability to maintain an electricity table supply.”

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network): The reported death toll left by Tropical Storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae) climbed to 121 on Wednesday (Nov 2) said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). According to NDRRMC in its latest situation report, of these total deaths, 92 have already been verified while the remaining 29 are still up for validation. Meanwhile, the number of injuries remained at 103, while 33 individuals remain missing. The total number of affected individuals, on the other hand, also further rose, breaching the three-million mark at 3,180,132 or a total of 927,822 families in 7,341 barangays. As of Nov 2, NDRRMC said 59,698 families or 176,337 individuals — are still inside evacuation centres, while 277,825 families or 692,941 individuals are outside these centres.

He was responding to rumors in social media that he was in Japan at the height of the typhoon for another R&R, just as he went last month to Singapore to watch the Formula 1 race. In fact, studies in the US showed that most newspaper readers do not read past the third paragraph of a news article or an opinion piece. SCREENGRAB FROM INQUIRET.NETSo, in this case, Maharlika's rants were what most readers read, not the columnist's sorry attempt at debunking her. Be very, very careful of "social media," much of which has become a dark world where character assassins and hatchet men roam. In a few months, the demolition job that was swirling in the dark depths of the swamp that is "social media" rise to the surface — in print media.

A new study shows that 314 children may not have foster homes to go to due to a nearly 20 percent decline in foster families. Foster care services provide residential family care for children under 18 who have no parents to take care of them due to special circumstances. “This year witnessed more foster families leaving the services,” said Kong Ka-wai, Chief Director of Foster Service of the Hong Kong Christian Service, noting at least six families she knew quit for emigration. In addition, the survey found that 124 children this year had failed to find their foster families. Along with 190 children in the process of submitting their applications to find their foster families, a total of 314 children are awaiting care.

The Philippine sugar industry todayThe sugar industry was recently shaken by the confusion of signals within the government on whether there was a need to import 300,000 metric tons of sugar. The sugar industry today is very different from the sugar industry of old. The old sugar industry was a truly export competitive industry that served a very large export market. The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), which superseded the SQA as the regulator of the sugar industry, is designed to resolve the conflicting interests of sugar planters, millers, and consumers in the industry. The literature analyzing the problems of the sugar industry is sparse despite the fact that much literature on the sugar industry has been an analysis of past problems of the old sugar industry.

MORBI, India: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit the site in western India where a newly repaired 143-year-old suspension bridge collapsed into a river, sending hundreds plunging into the water and killing at least 134 in one of the South Asian country's worst accidents in years. The premier was expected to reach Morbi town in Gujarat state later on Tuesday. Sandeepsinh Zala, a Morbi official, told the Indian Express newspaper the company reopened the bridge without first obtaining a "fitness certificate." Modi was the top elected official of Gujarat for 12 years before becoming India's prime minister in 2014. A Gujarat state government election is expected in the coming months and opposition parties have demanded a thorough investigation of the accident.

The Chief Executive emphasized today the legitimacy of empowering the health minister to invalidate the “problematic” vaccine exemption certificates. In a press conference on Tuesday, Hong Kong’s leader John Lee Ka-chiu slammed the criticism which accused the government of “winning by force” in amending the Control of Disease (Vaccine Pass) Regulation. The amendment authorizes the Secretary for Health - who lost a case in the High Court challenging his original voiding of the vaccine exemption certificates - to nullify the waivers assumed to be “fake.”“It shows the government is acting in accordance with laws,” Lee said. After losing the case, he claimed that the government recognized the flaw in the legislation, which contributed to the authority's decision to amend the law and fix the loopholes to defend the rule of law and show that the law enforcement actions had a legal basis. “No matter whether the government would appeal the judgment or not,” Lee said, “the intention was only to ensure public health.”Over 20,000 vaccine exemption certificates from a total of seven doctors who have been arrested for issuing their exemption documents without assessing the patients will expire on November 9.

A health expert claimed a low chance of getting severe symptoms when infected with Melioidosis, noting the source of this disease may stem from the contaminated soil. This contributed to a total of 34 cases of Melioidosis recorded across the city this year, among which 23 were found in Sham Shui Po. He claimed a further investigation would be needed to confirm whether the chain of the infection has been broken. Lam added more time is required to detect newly infected cases since the incubation period of Melioidosis could last several months. “It may take more than 4,000 cases for a severe one to occur,” he said, noting the development of infection depending on the amount and channel of exposure to the bacteria of the patient.

Police cracked a criminal syndicate involving car theft cases in New Territories, arresting four people and recovering five stolen cars worth around HK$300,000. The four arrestees included two men and two women aged between 24 and 38. They were seized in Tin Yuet Estate of Tin Shui Wai during a raid launched by police on October 29. Five stolen cars were spotted at an open-air parking lot in Tin Shui Wai, Fung Kat Heung Road, and a warehouse in Yuen Long, with a batch of weapons including telescopic sticks and cleavers found inside. "The criminals would pick old private cars which were parked in remote and isolated places," he said, "after which they would drive the car to their warehouse for reselling."

AHMEDABAD — At least 40 people were killed and 30 were critically injured when a suspension bridge in India’s western Gujarat state collapsed on Sunday, two government officials said. ADVERTISEMENTMore than 400 people were on the bridge over the Machhu River in the town of Morbi at the time of the collapse, local TV channel Zee News said. Footage broadcast by the TV channel showed dozens of people clinging onto the cables of the collapsed bridge as emergency teams struggled to rescue them. The 230-meter historic bridge was built during British rule in the 19th century. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in his home state Gujarat for a three-day visit, said he has directed the state chief minister to mobilize teams urgently for the rescue operation.

Disaster officials blamed a tragic combination of continuous rains from the approaching Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae), deforestation, and silted rivers for the floods and landslides that swamped many parts of the country this week. At least 4,443 families, or 17,167 individuals, in the region evacuated before Paeng wreaked havoc in the Visayas. One 5-year-old boy drowned while swimming in a drainage canal as Paeng dumped heavy rains over Ormoc City, Leyte, on Friday afternoon. After hitting land in Catanduanes, Paeng made a second landfall in Caramoan town in Camarines Sur province at 1:40 a.m. In Isabela, the Burgos-Ilagan road in Burgos town was also temporarily closed as heavy rains flooded the area.

SEOUL — Dozens of people were injured in a stampede in Seoul as a huge crowd poured into a central district of the South Korean capital for Halloween festivities late on Saturday, the Yonhap news agency reported. Fire authorities were administrating CPR to at least 50 people in the Itaewon district as of 11:30 p.m. (1430 GMT) on Saturday, according to the news agency. ADVERTISEMENTSocial media footage showed several people being assisted by rescue officials and private citizens at the scene. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered the dispatch of an emergency medical team to the area and said hospital beds should be prepared to minimize casualties, his office said. RELATED STORIESatmRead Next

Four teenagers aged 15 to 18 were arrested after they claimed to be members of a triad society and beat up another 17-year-old teenager over a quarrel at a Sham Shui Po basketball court on Tuesday. The incident occurred around 7pm Tuesday when the 17-year-old was playing basketball with his friends at the court in Lai Kok Estate, Sham Shui Po. The teen had physical contact in a quarrel with the four, who claimed to be members of a triad society, but the two sides departed soon. The case was handled by the police's Sham Shui Po anti-triad unit. The remaining two, aged 15 and 17, were released on bail and must report to the police in late November.

New Castle, PA (16103)TodayA mix of clouds and sun in the morning followed by cloudy skies during the afternoon. High near 65F. Winds light and variable..TonightCloudy in the evening, then off and on rain showers after midnight. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.

Natural disasters cost P61 billion damage last yearPeople clean their flooded homes in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Noru (Karding) in San Mateo, Rizal province on Monday, Sept 26, 2022. MANILA, Philippines — The total cost of damage due to natural extreme events and disasters that hit the country increased by 27 percent to hit P60.68 billion last year from P47.82 billion in 2020, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Data released by the PSA showed this was the third largest amount of damage brought by natural extreme events and disasters from 2012 to 2021. Of the total deaths due to natural extreme events and disasters, PSA said biological disasters accounted for 57,544 or 99.1 percent. It said the natural extreme events and disasters affected 3.56 million families last year.