On the face of a gallant stand by the Ateneo Blue Eagles, Bella Belen made the NU Lady Bulldogs come out on top in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday, February 24. Belen tallied 21 points, 24 excellent digs, and 10 receptions to power NU to its first win of the season, 25-17, 24-26, 26-28, 25-19, 15-7. Video by Niel Victor Masoy

Aboitiz completes acquisition of Coca-Cola PhilippinesIn a stock exchange filing, Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. (AEV) said the parties have closed the transaction following the completion of all the conditions precedent to the acquisition. MANILA, Philippines — The Aboitiz Group’s entry into the branded consumer goods space is ready to commence with its successful acquisition of Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. (CCBPI). In a stock exchange filing, Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. (AEV) said the parties have closed the transaction following the completion of all the conditions precedent to the acquisition. AEV and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners plc (CCEP) have purchased 100 percent of CCBPI from Atlanta-based The Coca-Cola Co. for $1.8 billion. The acquisition will build on AEV’s portfolio diversification strategy to enter the branded consumer goods spaces.

DESPITE a penalty-laden first period, the Philippine men's national ice hockey team is off to a strong start in its debut in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships Division 3B by defeating Singapore, 6-3, at Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina on Friday. Philippine national ice hockey team captain Manvil Billones. PHOTO FROM HOCKEY PHILIPPINESTeam captain Manvil Billones and forward Jan Aro Regencia each tallied two goals and an assist in the game, while Filipino Swiss forward Steven Füglister finished with three assists. No goals were scored in the first period, but the Filipinos were penalized four times. On Saturday, the Filipinos will face Iran and will play against the host team on Monday.

LIUZHOU, China: Tiny electric cars weave through traffic in southern China, their cheap and cheerful designs bringing a touch of color to the EV revolution in the country's overlooked cities. WIDESPREAD This photo taken on Jan. 24, 2024 shows a mini electric vehicle and a motorcycle driving on a street in Liuzhou, in China’s Guangxi province. Small electric cars are proliferating in southern China with their cheap and cheerful designs, which make them stand out in the lesser-known locales in China. "I just wanted something to get me around town... not necessarily to travel long distances," the 23-year-old programmer told AFP. And they "create options for those that wouldn't otherwise be able to afford their own transportation," he told AFP.

Teachers, academics join growing movement vs Charter changeLaunching and press conference of TEACH or Teachers and Academics Against Charter Change with representatives from different basic and tertiary education groups. During a press conference on Friday, the Teachers, Education Workers, and Academics Against Charter Change (TEACH) described the Charter change campaign as an attempt to rewrite history and downplay the people's struggle against authoritarian rule under the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the president’s father. This anti-Chacha campaign is part of our duty as teachers to preserve the memory of the anti-dictatorship struggle,” Pante said. The alliance also raised concerns similar to other anti-Chacha groups about the proposals to ease restrictions on foreign ownership. Ruby Bernardo, chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers - National Capital Region and TEACH member, also criticized the government’s apparent use of state resources to bankroll the Charter change campaign instead of focusing on raising teachers’ salaries, among other initiatives.

The Department of Energy (DOE) plans to raise RE share in the country’s total energy supply to 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040. But collectively, they can eventually account for half of our total energy supply in the near future. Government cannot be accused of failing to incorporate more RE in our national energy supply. What the industry complains about is the bottleneck in the creation of forward-looking regulations that will both expand RE use and rapidly modernize our energy transmission and distribution systems. That bottleneck, as usual, is blamed on an unready bureaucracy.

NEW DELHI: More than two dozen opposition parties in India joined forces to take on Narendra Modi, one of the country's most popular prime ministers in generations. RISING POPULARITY Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waits to receive Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, for a delegation level meeting, in New Delhi, India, on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. India has a first-past-the-post multiparty electoral system in which the candidate who receives the most votes wins. "Modi's party has been successful in exposing distrust within the opposition alliance. The fracturing of the opposition alliance also stems from problems that have long plagued the dynastic Congress party, which is struggling to stay relevant among voters.

In just more than four decades, China's economic miracle, anchored on China's reform and opening up, transitioning from a closed, centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented one, has led to remarkable economic growth, transforming China into the largest trading country in the world and a global economic powerhouse. Moreover, emerging as a pivotal force and an engine of global economic growth, China is a catalyst for worldwide economic advancement, surpassing major economies in its contribution to global GDP growth in recent years. First, the Chinese economic miracle illuminates an alternative pathway to economic advancement, development and modernization for the Global South. Furthermore, developing countries can find inspiration in China's economic approach, which remains grounded in its historical experience. By heeding the lessons of China's economic transformation, these countries can navigate their own paths toward economic development and prosperity accessible to all members of society without compromising national independence, sovereignty, cultural identity, unique values and cherished traditions.

Ex-VP Robredo open to running in 2025 elections — spokespersonIn this Oct. 7, 2022 photo, Vice President Leni Robredo announced that she is running for president in the 2022 elections. MANILA, Philippines — Former Vice President Leni Robredo remains open to running for a position in the 2025 elections alongside other candidates in the opposition slate, according to her spokesperson. This comes after Liberal Party spokesperson and former senator Leila de Lima revealed in a forum by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) on Thursday that they are still in talks with Robredo’s camp about her plans for the 2025 elections. Robredo and Pangilinan ran for president and vice president, respectively, in the 2022 national elections. Both of them lost to current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, who won by a landslide.

MANILA, Philippines —The Philippines has deposited its ratification document of the Violence and Harassment Convention, No. 190 of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on Violence and Harassment in the Workplace, marking the country as the first in Asia to ratify the convention, and the 38th in the world. “This ratification marks an important step to preventing and eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work. According to the ILO, Convention No. It introduces the first globally recognized definition of workplace violence and harassment, offering protection to all individuals in the workforce, including interns, apprentices, and those with employer duties or authority.

But the next leaps he wants to make will take far more processing power than what's currently available. "The kernel of truth is we think the world is going to need a lot more [chips for] AI compute," Altman said. "We are heading to a world where more content is going to be generated by AI than content generated by humans," Altman said. "There's sort of a space race going on," Gelsinger told reporters Wednesday after delivering the conference's keynote speech. "The overall demand [for AI chips] appears to be insatiable for several years into the future."

': Jonas Brothers enjoy Pinoy food, perform hits at 2024 concertThe Jonas Brothers performing at their first tour stop for 2024 in ManilaMANILA, Philippines — Fans were speechless, over the edge, and breathless seeing the Jonas Brothers back in the Philippines to play several of their best songs throughout the years. Last night, Joe, Nick, and Kevin Jonas took over the Mall of Asia Arena, one of the same venues the brothers performed in during their last visit back in 2012. The Jonas Brothers kicked the night off with "What a Man Gotta Do," then Nick laid the groundwork for the concert, "It's so good to be back! The band went straight into hits from their namesake debut album with "S.O.S," "Hold On," "Goodnight and Goodbye," and "That's Just The Way We Roll." After Manila, the Jonas Brothers will head to Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia, around South America and Mexico, then finish their tour around Europe.

The Argentina Football Association (AFA) said Thursday the national team will play two friendlies in the United States in March after China cancelled matches in a spat over a Lionel Messi no-show in Hong Kong. They were meant to play Nigeria in Hangzhou and African champions Ivory Coast in Beijing, but these matches were cancelled after Argentina captain Messi did not play in a match on February 4 -- taken by China as a political snub. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is idolized by fans in China but stayed on the bench during Inter Miami's 4-1 win in a pre-season tour match against a Hong Kong select XI. ", gave thumbs-down signs and booed Messi and the team's co-owner David Beckham after the final whistle. The United States will host the Copa America in June and July, where Argentina will seek to retain the crown it took in Brazil in 2021.

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday met the wife and daughter of Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who died last week, “to express his heartfelt condolences”, the White House said. During the meeting in California, Biden expressed his admiration for Navalny’s “extraordinary courage and his legacy of fighting against corruption and for a free and democratic Russia in which the rule of law applies equally to everyone”, the White House said in a statement. ADVERTISEMENTBiden also affirmed that the United States will announce major new sanctions against Russia on Friday in response to Navalny’s death, Russia’s repression and aggression and its war in Ukraine, it added. The latest punitive measures will target a range of items, including the country’s defense and industrial bases, along with sources of revenue for the economy, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan had previously said. Navalny, 47, fell unconscious and died suddenly on Friday after a walk at the “Polar Wolf” penal colony above the Arctic Circle where he was serving a three-decade sentence, the prison service said.

Labor leader Sonny Matula calls on employers in the private sector to support the legislation of a P100 daily wage increase for economic and social justice. He added that increasing the purchasing power of the working class would develop the economy and improve the lives of Filipinos. Video and Interview by Ezrah Raya