Philippines urged to scale up emissions reduction targetsMANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ nationally determined commitment (NDC) or emissions reduction targets are currently viewed as modest, highlighting the need for further action in the areas of electric vehicles and nature conservation, based on a recent report on Southeast Asia’s progress towards decarbonization. Additionally, the country’s policy allowing 100 percent foreign ownership of renewable energy infrastructure presents further opportunities for growth. The report said that Southeast Asia needs to reduce greenhouse gases emissions by 33 percent to meet NDCs targets by 2030. Philippines’ green investments, for its part, have declined to $900 million in 2022 versus $2.8 billion the previous year. “Southeast Asia will need to double down on its decarbonization efforts to achieve the dual purpose of economic growth and decarbonization,” it said.

The Hong Kong teen and a British male student suffered serious injuries in the hammer attack at Blundell's School in Tiverton, Devon, in southwest England, on Friday, reports said. Three days after the incident, Hong Kong's Immigration Department confirmed the teenager's family had sought its help. Education consultant Samuel Chan Sze-ming, founder of Britannia StudyLink, said the school has not been a popular choice among Hong Kong parents. He said the school asked all 260 boarding students to leave the campus after Friday's attack. A woman, Chan, said her younger sister, who is a Year 11 student, is in boarding school in Cambridge.

(UPDATE) VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte, Sen. Rafael "Raffy" Tulfo and former vice president Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo emerged as the top three choices as possible bets in the 2028 presidential election, according to a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte. Contributed Photo VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte. There are talks that Vice President Duterte aims to become a second-generation leader like Marcos. Sara Duterte was expected to run for president last year but in a move that surprised her supporters, chose to become Marcos' running mate instead.

Perfect, Pasilyo and other songs for your wedding playlistAnother top choice of hip couples of the moment is Pasilyo by the band Sunkissed Lola. And how nice to know that today’s bride has a lot of beautiful songs on which she can build her memories on. “You are perfect…” sang Sheeran to his bride, his high school sweetheart Cherry Seaborne and he sounds so sincere. It’s nice to know that today’s bride has a lot of beautiful songs which she can build her memories on. It is a simple song with a light pop melody but that pasilyo means the church aisle.

China deployed a reconnaissance aircraft over Pacific waters east of Taiwan last week that Chinese media said monitored and gathered intelligence on an exercise involving the navies of the United States, Japan, France and Canada. The islands separate the East China Sea from the Philippine Sea, and dot the West Pacific between Japan and Taiwan, which China claims as its territory. The Japanese defence ministry reported a sighting of a Y-9 reconnaissance variant in the Pacific on Thursday. A spokesperson for the Japanese ministry said on Monday it was analysing a piece of equipment attached to the undercarriage of the Y-9 variant that had not been seen before. Days before the quadrilateral exercise, the coast guards of the Philippines, United States and Japan held their first trilateral exercise off the coast of a western Philippine province.

MANILA, Philippines — Former senator Rodolfo ‘Pong’ Biazon, who dedicated his life to defending freedom and democracy, died on Monday, his family announced. ADVERTISEMENT“It is with deep sadness that we announce that the bell has rung and the last Taps [have] been sung for General Rodolfo Gaspar Biazon,” said Muntinlupa City Mayor Ruffy Biazon in a statement. During Corazon “Cory” Aquino’s administration, the senior Biazon held the position of Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces of the Philippines. On Sunday, June 11, Mayor Biazon asked for prayers for his father, who was still in hospital. Biazon’s aide had discovered the plans and received orders from higher-ups to shoot Biazon if he decided to defect.

A 65-year-old woman who climbed a tree in an attempt to harvest lychee from it fell to her death on Monday. The tragedy happened at around 11.01 am this morning when the woman Wong tried to climb up the four-meter-tall tree to harvest lychee from it. It is understood that the woman lost her footing during the climb and fell unconscious after the fall. Her friends reported the incident to authorities and parademics later rushed the woman to Tin Shui Wai Hospital - where she was pronounced dead after resuscitation attempts. Police were investigating the incident and the cause of the woman’s death is pending an autopsy.

MANILA, Philippines — With the country celebrating its 125th Independence Day, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. challenged Filipinos to assert the liberties that their ancestors had fought for. “I challenge each of us: On the 125th year since the declaration of our freedom, let us assert our liberty day by day. According to Marcos Jr., the flag, national march, and written proclamation of independence were a result of the battles and sacrifices of the Philippine people. Marcos Jr. then urged Filipinos to take charge of the fight that earned the country its freedom. RELATED STORIESMarcos: Philippines will not lose one inch of its territoryOn Independence Day, Bongbong Marcos urges Filipinos to free PH from pandemic, ‘cancel culture’jeYour subscription could not be saved.

French Open champ Djokovic back as World No. It was a 388th week as the world's number one for the 36-year-old Djokovic, who jumped two places in the standings after his French Open victory. He beat Spanish rival Carlos Alcaraz, 20, who had held the number one spot until the French Open, in the semi-final. Fourteen-time French Open winner Nadal, however, paid the price for his absence through his long-term hip injury, dropping 121 places to 136th in the rankings. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 7595 pts (+2)2.

(UPDATE) ONCE his potential stint in the NBA Summer League is over, Filipino NBA hopeful Kai Sotto said that he will shift his focus to his Gilas Pilipinas duties and the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Sotto, 21, is a member of the 21-man Gilas pool for the World Cup set in August. Kai Sotto FIBA PHOTO Kai Sotto FIBA PHOTO"Summer League won't be a conflict in terms of scheduling before the World Cup. I'm just about to focus all in on the Summer League, try my best to make it to the NBA. After the Summer League, I'm pretty much focused on the World Cup."

Below: mini ducks in Ngong Ping and Florentijn Hofman with the reinflated second duck. "I thought it was a common rubber duck. The deflated duck was spotted being reinflated in the shipyard with its tail attached to a crane. University of Hong Kong chemistry professor Fung Ying-sing said higher temperatures will result in higher pressure on the duck, affecting its structure. Some 1,000 of the mini ducks will be sold at Ngong Ping Village today with profits to be donated to the council.

LONDON: Representatives from business associations and enterprises in the United Kingdom have expressed their strong interest and unwavering confidence in China's Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP). Speaking at a promotion conference of Hainan FTP held here on Friday, Chinese Ambassador to Britain Zheng Zeguang highlighted that building Hainan FTP is a national strategy and a great number of breakthroughs have been made. A NATIONAL STRATEGY Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom Zheng Zeguang delivers a speech at China Hainan Free Trade Port — the UK Promotion Conference in London, Britain, on Friday, June 9, 2023. XINHUA PHOTO A NATIONAL STRATEGY Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom Zheng Zeguang delivers a speech at China Hainan Free Trade Port — the UK Promotion Conference in London, Britain, on Friday, June 9, 2023. This further strengthens our confidence in the future development of the free trade port."

Gilas women eye stunning performance in FIBA Asia CupMANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas will not troop to Australia only to play and participate in the FIBA Women's Asia Cup. We need to improve," Aquino, also the concurrent program director, told The STAR ahead of the team's departure this week. "We have to come out and play our game and show them who we are and why we’re here. Hindi yung pupunta lang kami doon just to play," he added, also mentioning their SEA Games' silver medal finish as added motivation. In Melbourne where Duke University ace Vanessa de Jesus will join the SEA Games' Gilas core, the team will play two to three friendlies against Australian clubs before flying to Sydney.

Lee with 10 other Hong Kong officials is supposed to be barred from entering the United States under the sanctions imposed in 2020 for helping introduce the national security law. The chief executive has also said it was the United States' responsibility to invite members to join this year's 21-member meeting in California as APEC does not "belong to any country or economy." The Hong Kong currency, backed by the Exchange Fund, is traded at between HK$7.75 and HK$7.85 per greenback under the system. While calling the US moves including confiscating the Russian and Afghanistan assets in the country "stupid," Lui also said Hong Kong must prepare for a trade war. He believes Hong Kong can leverage its status as a financial center to facilitate the internationalization of the yuan, including providing more financial products denominated in the Chinese currency.

A 6,845-meter-long underwater tunnel - part of a cross-sea link project between Shenzhen and Zhongshan - has reached a milestone. The world's longest and widest sub-sea steel shell concrete tube tunnel consists of 32 tubes. Some 450,000 Hong Kong cars - or half of the 820,000 registered vehicles - will be eligible for the scheme, SAR authorities said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said he hopes the scheme will boost economic, trade, social and cultural links between Hong Kong and Guangdong. They must also have their cars checked at a designated vehicle examination center in Hong Kong and purchase insurance that also covers the mainland from any of 16 Hong Kong companies.