NEW HAVEN: I have been in the forecasting business for more than 50 years. Over that period, I have heard the constant refrain that the world is in the midst of "unprecedented changes." This popular trope frequently resulted in equally hyperbolic corollaries: breathless claims that we have never faced greater risks or such an uncertain future, that forecasting has never been harder. Confession: my crystal ball has been cracked so many times by purportedly unprecedented developments that I have lost count. The 1970s was a decade of extraordinary turmoil: the oil shock of 1973 was swiftly followed by the "Great Inflation" and a period of stagflation, setting the stage for the first seemingly unprecedented phase of the post-World War 2 era.

Sorsogon province today. I would not have said this statement if I had not traveled by road to get to Sorsogon province. In Sorsogon City, two non-transport improvements that impressed me are the athletic village and the new cultural museum. The improved access to the Bicol Region with the airport in Legazpi is a great boon to the province and to wider Bicol Region tourism. With his national prominence and connections to the political powers at the center, Escudero was able to secure funding for Sorsogon’s need.

(UPDATE) LOS ANGELES: The Boston Celtics used a hot start and a strong finish to put away the Los Angeles Lakers 126-115 on Monday (Tuesday in Manila) in a Christmas clash of storied NBA franchises. Kristaps Porzingis scored 28 points and pulled down 11 rebounds and Jayson Tatum added 25 points for the Celtics, who withstood a 40-point effort from Lakers star Anthony Davis.

“Very dense fog” was observed in the city, where the temperature was just 9 degrees Celsius (48 degrees Fahrenheit), India’s weather department said, adding “dense to very dense fog” was likely in the early hours of the day in some areas until Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT“Dense fog” contains particulate matter and other pollutants, according to the weather department, which warned of the impact this may have on the health of the city’s 20 million residents. At least 30 flights that were to land at or depart from the Delhi airport, including on international routes, experienced delays because of the dense fog, according to Indian news agency ANI, in which Reuters has a minority stake. “While landings and takeoffs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected,” the Indira Gandhi International airport said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Airlines like India’s SpiceJet also took to social media to warn passengers that departures and arrivals from New Delhi may get affected “due to bad weather”.

Bureau of Immigration bars entry of 2 foreign pedophilesThis undated photo shows the Bureau of Immigration main office in Intramuros, Manila. MANILA, Philippines — Two foreign pedophiles have been barred entry to the country during the holiday season after being tagged "undesirable aliens," the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Monday. “We have noticed an upsurge in the arrival of foreign sex offenders in our ports. Tansingco stated that passengers were disallowed from entering the country in accordance with a provision outlined in the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. The bureau also said that two foreign nationals have been blacklisted.

If the executive talent is a shareholder of a successful private company, he is obliged to divest his interests. Because of the income-loss and the many hazards of serving government, our technocracy is often recruited from public universities. It is therefore remarkable, considering the odds, that President BBM managed to attract to government service two competent executives over the past several weeks: Francis Tiu Laurel Jr. and now Frederick Go. Ben Diokno either did not have enough executive energy or complete access to the Chief Executive to continue playing this role. No ifs and buts about it: Go will be guided by real-world business concerns in reforming our economic policy architecture.

WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Joe Biden has ordered retaliatory strikes against Iranian-backed militia groups after three US servicemembers injured in a drone attack in Northern Iraq. National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said one of the US troops suffered critical injuries in the attack that occurred earlier Monday. The Iranian-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups, under an umbrella of Iranian-backed militants, claimed credit for the attack.

Chinese militia vessels operate at Whitsun Reef in the South China Sea, December 2, 2023. Philippine Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS/File PhotoThe Philippines is not provoking conflict in the South China Sea, the country's military spokesperson said on Tuesday, in response to China's accusation that Manila is encroaching on Beijing's territory. "Philippines is not provoking conflict. Aguilar said the Philippines is not conducting activities that will put vessels and seafarers in danger, and instead accused China of performing dangerous manoeuvres that sometimes result in collisions at sea. China claims almost the entire South China Sea with its so-called nine-dash line that overlaps into the exclusive economic zones of rival claimants Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam.

ISLAMABAD: Police in Pakistan on Monday freed 290 Baloch activists who were arrested when they attempted to hold a protest in the capital Islamabad last week. Their release came days after protest organizers gave authorities a deadline to release all those detained.

The Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital at Sandy Bay and Hong Kong Children's Hospital held various Christmas events on Monday to celebrate with children and let them enjoy the happiness of the festive season. The hospital also held a party in the garden and arranged magic, drum and bicycle stunts performance. Healthcare workers distributed gifts and arranged a festive Christmas meal for the children, bringing them a joyful Christmas day. As for the Hong Kong Children's Hospital, it arranged an array of Christmas programs for its patients to feel the healing power of music and loving care from others. A Christmas party was held in the hospital lobby.

BEIJING: Beijing has recorded the highest number of hours of sub-freezing temperatures in December in more than seven decades as a cold wave envelops northern and central swathes of China, bringing snowstorms and record-breaking temperatures. A weather observatory in the Chinese capital as of Sunday had recorded more than 300 hours of such temperatures since December 11, the most since records began in 1951, the official Beijing Daily newspaper reported.

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned the investing public against JTrade FX Foreign Exchange Service, which was found soliciting investments without necessary licenses. In a recent advisory, the SEC said the company was enticing investors to pool their money in exchange for up to a 210-percent return in just 30 days.

The long Christmas holiday has begun, and all ports are crowded with Hong Kong residents leaving the country for overseas travel. According to figures from the Immigration Department, Hong Kong's various ports had a total of about 1.05 million arrivals and departures yesterday (Dec 24), of which about 633,000 were departures. The Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau Spur Line control points had the largest number of departures, with more than 135,000 and 123,000, respectively, followed by the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge with 82,000 people. In terms of arrivals, more than 410,000 people entered Hong Kong through various control points yesterday, with the largest number of people passing through Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, and Hong Kong West Kowloon Station.

Marcos orders identification of services that can be devolved to LGUsThe high court rejected the petition filed by Batangas Gov. MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered national government agencies to list the functions and services under its mandate that should be devolved to local government units. “Should the LGUs lack the funds to implement the functions and services, the National Government should have a program to assist them,” Marcos said, according to the Presidential Communications Office release. PCO reported that Marcos also ordered the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to come up with a list of basic functions and services that the LGUs should be performing based on their Devolution Transition Plans. This formed the basis of the LGU devolution plan, which passes on certain functions of the executive branch to LGUs.

Registered 4Ps beneficiaries to enjoy electricity bill discounts in January 2024Residents of Batasan in Quezon City receive cash aid at Quezon City Polytechnic Univesity from the government's social amelioration package. MANILA, Philippines — Registered beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) will enjoy discounts on their monthly electricity bills starting in January through the government’s new power bill subsidy program, a senator said on Monday. The Lifeline Rate Subsidy Program — which will be fully implemented by the start of 2024 — will provide discounts for registered electricity customers who cannot pay their electricity bills at full cost. How to availTo apply for the Lifeline Rate Subsidy Program, 4Ps beneficiaries should visit the nearest distribution utility or electric cooperative in their respective area to apply for the subsidy program. The signing up process for the Lifeline Rate Subsidy Program should not be too “cumbersome” for 4Ps beneficiaries, Gatchalian said.