Previous NextA huge false ceiling collapsed inside a restaurant in Fan Ling during breakfast hours yesterday when dozens of customers - mostly seniors - were enjoying dim sum. Building inspector Jim Zai-nam said constructors normally estimate the weight of a false ceiling before installation. Jim suspected some workers placed the air duct, lights, pipes and other facilities on the false ceiling, resulting in its collapse. The false ceiling would have been more secure if it was just three to four meters long instead of eight meters. Some online users recalled false ceiling and concrete collapses in hospitals and malls.

TOKYO: Suspected gunpowder has been found at the home of a man accused of throwing an explosive at Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a campaign event, local media said on Monday. He was transferred on Monday to the Wakayama prosecutors' office from a local police station, local media reported. The prosecutors' office declined to comment. The attack came less than a year after the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, which traumatized Japan and forced a security shake-up for public officials. Top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said Monday that the police agency had "instructed police across the country to strengthen security, which was immediately implemented."

‘Oil spill cleanup now 78% complete’A Coast Guard vessel is positioned near an oil slick as seen by President Marcos during an aerial inspection of the damage caused by a submerged oil tanker in Oriental Mindoro on April 15, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — After a month and a half of continued operations, the oil spill cleanup along the shore of Oriental Mindoro is now 78 percent complete, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. In a statement issued yesterday, the PCG told Marcos that its offshore response team had so far collected more than 20,000 liters of oily water. The report said the oil spill affected around 9,600 square meters of mangrove forest in Pola. Marcos assured residents of Pola that concerned government agencies, private stakeholders and foreign counterparts would implement the most efficient and effective response strategies to address the oil spill.

A false ceiling measured roughly eight meters by two meters collapsed Monday at a Chinese restaurant in Fanling during breakfast hours, luckily, no injuries were reported. Patrons - mostly elderlies - having dim sum breakfast were shocked by the incident that happened at around 9am this morning. According to photos circulating online, the electrical wires and fluorescent tubes were exposed after the ceiling collapsed. The collapse also leaves chunks of concrete on the floor, with the largest one measuring 30 centimeters by 30 centimeters. In another video posted online, a man can be seen shouting at patrons asking them to leave as they were recording the incident.

Morant hurt his already-injured right hand midway into the fourth quarter trying to brace a hard landing to a high fall when Anthony Davis of the Lakers blocked him in hopes of getting a charging foul. Morant's right hand, already taped after a late-season injury, took the impact. After a few seconds, Morant rose and ran off to the locker room, grabbing his sore hand and screaming as he exited. With Antetokounmpo scoring only eight points, Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 33 points and Bobby Portis added 21 off the bench. It was the first time since 1988 the Lakers had four players with 20 or more points in a playoff game.

Annual Stockholders' Meeting of Shell Pilipinas Corporation slated on May 9The Annual Stockholders' Meeting of Shell Pilipinas Corporation will be conducted virtually through Shell Operated Webcast on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 2:00 p.mMANILA, Philippines — The Annual Stockholders' Meeting of Shell Pilipinas Corporation will be conducted virtually through Shell Operated Webcast on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 2:00 p.mPlease see notice below:For further details, visit http://pilipinas.shell.com.ph.

Antique town mayor gets 8 years for rice mill dealMANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has sentenced the mayor and vice mayor of Patnongon town in Antique to eight years in prison in connection with the allegedly anomalous awarding of a rice mill equipment worth P9.9 million to a cooperative. In a 74-page decision promulgated on April 14, the court’s Third Division found Mayor Johnny Bacongallo and Vice Mayor Thomas Bacaoco as well as six other former and incumbent town officials guilty of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The six other respondents were identified as former town mayor Henry Mondejar, incumbent Councilors Al Brian Crespo and Felix Gregorio Barrientos, and former councilors Rene Philip Cayetano, Teopisto Estaris Jr. and Erika Orcasitas. Also convicted of the same offense was private respondent Efren Esclavilla, chairman of the Greater Antique Development Cooperative or GRAND Coop. The court said Cepeda was able to prove that she did not sign a resolution of the Sangguniang Bayan approving the deal with the cooperative.

SACRAMENTO, California: De'Aaron Fox scored 38 points in his long-awaited playoff debut and the Sacramento Kings celebrated their return to the postseason after a record 16-year drought by beating the defending-champion Golden State Warriors 126-123 on Saturday (Sunday in Manila). The first playoff meeting between the Northern California neighbors lived up to the hype and delighted the raucous crowd that had been waiting for a playoff game since 2006. The inexperienced Kings closed the game strong against a Warriors team that won four titles in the previous eight seasons. It was a festive environment in success-starved Sacramento where fans gathered outside the arena hours before the start of the Kings first playoff game following an NBA record 16-year drought. Sacramento missed its first seven 3-pointers, shot just 39.2% in the first half and trailed Golden State 61-55 at the half.

The Philippine women's national volleyball team fell to Japan V. League club Himeji Victorina in a tune-up game, 21-25, 25-19, 25-13, 25-22, on Saturday, April 15 at the Daicel Gymnasium in Himeji, Japan. Tying the match after a second set win, the Philippines got overwhelmed in the third frame as the Filipinos fell to a 1-2 deficit. The Alyssa Valdez-led nationals fought hard in the fourth but Himeji held on to win the set and the match. We saw that during the game against Himeji," said Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) national team committee chairman Tonyboy LiaoThe match is part of the Philippine's training camp in preparation for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia. "The Philippine Volleyball Federation and Victorina Himeji will continue to cooperate to share each other's volleyball promotion and player skills enhancement programs and this is a sign of friendship," the agreement read.

Oil spill damage, losses nearing P1 billionA Coast Guard vessel is positioned near an oil slick (above) as seen by President Marcos during an aerial inspection of the damage caused by a submerged oil tanker in Oriental Mindoro yesterday. BFAR earlier noted that income losses of fisherfolk directly affected by the oil spill have reached P441 million in 22 fishing days. Anticipating the ongoing oil spill cleanup to take longer, President Marcos instructed yesterday government agencies to look for alternative livelihood for displaced communities. In an interview early last month, Marcos said the government aims to finish the oil spill cleanup in less than four months. Maybe this time, because the oil spill is a little less, we can speed it up.

BEIJING, China: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Saturday that the United States should stop "encouraging war" in Ukraine "and start talking about peace." "The United States needs to stop encouraging war and start talking about peace, the European Union needs to start talking about peace," Lula told reporters in Beijing at the end of a visit where he met with President Xi Jinping. Lula's visit to China, Brazil's top trading partner, focused on strengthening ties and spreading the message that "Brazil is back" as a key player on the global stage. "It is important to have patience" to talk with Putin and Zelensky, he said. "But above all, it is necessary to convince the countries that are supplying weapons, encouraging the war, to stop."

(UPDATE) NEW YORK: Donald Trump testified under oath for several hours on Thursday in a New York civil case that accuses the ex-president and three of his children of business fraud. The behind-closed-doors deposition came a week after Trump's historic arraignment on criminal charges in a Manhattan courtroom in a separate case. The lengthy deposition was the second time he had sat for questions in the lawsuit brought by New York State Attorney General Letitia James. James sued Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump in September last year, alleging they committed "incredible" fraud at the Trump Organization. Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in next year's presidential election, has used his common refrain of "witch hunt" to describe the case.

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network): The Las Pinas City Regional Trial Court Branch 254 has ordered the arrest of former Bureau of Corrections director Gerald Bantag for the killing of broadcaster Percival 'Percy Lapid' Mabasa. Aside from Bantag, the court also ordered the arrest of his deputy, Sr Supt. Ricardo Zulueta, a certain Israel Dimaculangan, Edmon Dimaculangan, and alias Orly/Orlando. Bantag and Zulueta are facing two murder charges for the deaths of Lapid and Bilibid inmate Cristito 'Jun Villamor' Palana, the alleged middleman in the plot to kill Mabasa. Prior to this, a Muntinlupa City court issued an arrest warrant against Bantag and Zulueta for the murder of the Bilibid inmate.

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NEW YORK – Donald Trump testified under oath for several hours on Thursday in a New York civil case that accuses the ex-president and three of his children of business fraud. The lengthy deposition was the second time he had sat for questions in the lawsuit brought by New York state attorney general Letitia James. Trump arrived at James’s office in lower Manhattan around 10:00 am (1400 GMT) and returned to Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue shortly after 6:30 pm. James sued Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump in September last year alleging they committed “incredible” fraud at the Trump Organization. A civil trial for a sexual assault and defamation lawsuit brought by former magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll against Trump is scheduled to start in New York later this month.