In Iraq Kurdish town, many undertake smuggling route to Europe via Belarus
SHILADZE, Iraq — Despite the risk of getting stranded in Europe or perishing on the way there, scores of people from a single town in Iraq’s Kurdish region have opted to be smuggled into European Union countries via Belarus, local smugglers and officials say. Shiladze, a town of some 40,000 people, is one of the major points of departure, according to local smugglers and residents. But the outflow has spiked since the Belarus route opened up, with migrants believing it offers a safer, faster way out. ADVERTISEMENT$12,000 to be smuggled to EUThe Shiladze smuggler said his partner in Europe is a man he met in neighboring Turkey. Turkey has carried out air strikes in northern Iraq against the Kurdish PKK militant group which uses the north as a base.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 05, 2021 06:11 UTC
Extreme heat caused by urbanization, global warming threatening cities–study
NEW YORK — Rapid population growth and global warming are increasing exposure to extreme heat in cities, aggravating health problems and making moving to urban areas less beneficial for the world’s poor, according to a study released Monday. Using the so-called “wet-bulb globe temperature” scale, a measure that takes into account heat and humidity, they defined extreme heat as 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). The researchers then compared weather data with statistics on the cities’ population over the same 33-year period. They calculated the number of days of extreme heat in a particular year by the population of the city that year to come up with a definition called person-days. ADVERTISEMENTBangladesh’s capital Dhaka was the worst-affected city, seeing an increase of 575 million person-days of extreme heat over the study period.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 05, 2021 06:10 UTC
Over 100 musicians flee Afghanistan, fearing Taliban crackdown
SYDNEY — More than 100 music students and teachers have fled Afghanistan in a nail-biting flight from Kabul following the Taliban’s takeover of the country, their institute’s founder and principal told AFP. With help from the Qatari embassy in Kabul, the musicians had been ferried in small groups to the city’s airport, Sarmast said. “From the moment the Taliban took power in Kabul the discrimination against music and musicians began. At a Taliban rally outside Kabul this weekend, for example, religious music was played ahead of speeches by ministers and senior Taliban figures. Told to stay at homeAccording to Sarmast, the Taliban have told the musical institute’s members to stay at home until further notice.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 05, 2021 06:00 UTC
Cardinal on trial as Vatican financial scandal case resumes
VATICAN CITY — The trial of a once powerful Catholic cardinal and nine others resumes Tuesday at the Vatican over alleged financial fraud and a disastrous London property deal paid for with charity funds. Becciu was at the time number two at the Secretariat of State, the most powerful department in the Vatican’s central administration. The trial is unprecedented in going before a Vatican tribunal of three lay magistrates rather than a religious court, after Francis changed the law to strip cardinals and bishops of legal privileges. Risky investmentsAhead of the trial, prosecutors painted a picture of risky investments with little or no oversight, and double-dealing by outside consultants and insiders trusted with the financial interests of the Secretariat of State. Prosecutors allege Mincione used the money to invest in high-risk ventures over which the Church had no control.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 05, 2021 05:37 UTC
EU leaders seek unity on how to face China, US
EU leaders seek unity on how to face China, USEuropean Council President Charles Michel (2nd L) hold video conference with EU Leaders, at the European Council building in Brussels, on September 30, 2021. BRUSSELS, Belgium — EU leaders will have a hard discussion on Europe's place in the world on Tuesday as they seek unity on how to approach ties with superpowers China and the US. While no concrete outcome is expected from the meeting, "this is the first time leaders have met since June, and with everything that has happened, that seems ages ago", a senior EU diplomat said. At the dinner, leaders will have a "strategic discussion on the role of the Union on the international stage", according to an invitation letter sent out by EU Council chief Charles Michel, the former Belgian prime minister who organises summits. The EU Commission is expected on Tuesday to offer short-term solutions to the energy crunch, with a more in-depth discussion by leaders at a summit on October 21-22.
Source:Philippine Star
October 05, 2021 04:07 UTC
Jejomar Binay to run for senator in 2022 elections
Jejomar Binay to run for senator in 2022 electionsMANILA, Philippines — Former Vice President Jejomar Binay is set to mount a senatorial bid in the 2022 elections under the United Nationalist Alliance, which he founded for his failed presidential run in 2016. UNA Secretary General JV Bautista announced this development on Tuesday, noting that other political parties have invited Binay to join their senatorial slate. Lacson and his running mate Senate President Tito Sotto met Monday in Makati with Binay and his daughter, Sen. Nancy Binay, who is also UNA’s president. The former vice president has been active on social media criticizing the way that President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration has responded to the pandemic. “Until government shapes up, we will be trapped in this loop of uncertainty because of government’s inefficiency and lack of urgency,” the former vice president tweeted in July.
Source:Philippine Star
October 05, 2021 03:56 UTC
Philippines to procure 6 million J&J vaccine doses — Galvez
Philippines to procure 6 million J&J vaccine doses — GalvezA file photo taken on November 17, 2020 shows vials with COVID-19 vaccine stickers attached and syringes with the logo of US pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson. MANILA, Philippines — The government is procuring some six million new doses of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine, inoculation czar Carlito Galvez Jr. has announced. "More or less six million doses, one shot," he said in mixed English and Filipino. Philstar.com's monitoring showed the Philippines' supply of J&J vaccine remain all from the global initiative, with no procured doses arriving yet. Some 24.87 million have received a first shot, with now 46.77 million doses in total administered.
Source:Philippine Star
October 05, 2021 03:54 UTC
Asian markets follow Wall St down as oil surge fans inflation fears
Asian markets follow Wall St down as oil surge fans inflation fearsA pedestrian wearing a face mask walks past an electronic board displaying closing numbers of share prices of Tokyo EStock Exchange in Tokyo on November 9, 2020, as Asian markets react to results of the US presidential election. HONG KONG, China — Most Asian markets fell Tuesday following a Wall Street slump as soaring oil prices put further upward pressure on inflation while a standoff in Washington over raising the country's borrowing limit fuelled fears of a catastrophic US debt default. And some analysts are warning of a period of stagflation, in which prices surge while economic growth stalls. All three main indexes on Wall Street ended deep in the red, led by the Nasdaq, as tech firms took a beating owing to their susceptibility to higher interest rates. And Emily Weis at State Street told Bloomberg Television: "We think there is going to be more volatility in these markets.
Source:Philippine Star
October 05, 2021 03:42 UTC
Speaker Velasco formalizes reelection bid
MANILA, Philippines – House Speaker and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco formalized Tuesday his reelection bid as representative of the lone district of Marinduque. Velasco filed his certificate of candidacy before the Commission on Elections office in Boac town. Velasco was elected as House speaker in October 2020 following the ouster of then Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano. Velasco was first elected as Marinduque representative in 2010, beating Edmundo Reyes from the ruling Reyes family by a slim 4,000 votes. Velasco ran for reelection in 2013 but lost to Regina Ongslako Reyes in another close vote.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 05, 2021 03:22 UTC
PAGASA lifts remaining storm signal due to 'Lannie'
PAGASA lifts remaining storm signal due to 'Lannie'Satellite image shows "Lannie," the tropical depression inside the Philippine Area of ResponsibilityMANILA, Philippines — PAGASA on Tuesday noon lifted the remaining tropical cyclone wind signal in the country due to Tropical Depression "Lannie" as it continues to approach the West Philippine Sea. The weather bureau in its 11 a.m. bulletin said Lannie was last seen at 165 kilometers west of Coron in Palawan. But PAGASA said moderate to heavy rains are still likely in the province including Calamian, Kalayaan, and Cuyo Islands today. Gale warning remains in effect over the northern and western seaboards of northern Luzon due to Lannie. PAGASA said Lannie is seen to continue moving northwestward over the West Philippine Sea away from the country until Wednesday.
Source:Philippine Star
October 05, 2021 03:22 UTC
2 nabbed in Naga City buy-bust
LEGAZPI CITY––Two suspected drug pushers were arrested in a buy-bust operation Monday night in Naga City in Camarines Sur province. Master Sergeant Tobias Bongon, Naga City police spokesperson, said Amalia Ponte, 52, and Alex Magares, 40, were arrested at 10:10 p.m. in Barangay San Felipe. ADVERTISEMENTThe suspects sold four sachets of suspected shabu (crystal meth) worth P15,000 to an undercover agent. Ponte was on the illegal drugs watch list of the police. They will be facing charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.lzbSubscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 05, 2021 03:22 UTC
San Juan City mayor files COC for reelection
MANILA, Philippines — San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora on Tuesday filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) to formalize his bid for a second term. ADVERTISEMENTZamora was joined by his slate in the filing at around 11 a.m. at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) San Juan office. The incumbent San Juan City mayor was with his ticket comprising Atty. (Only the people of San Juan can say if they think I was effective as mayor. In 2019, Zamora ended the Ejercito-Estrada’s 50-year grip on San Juan City when he won the mayoralty race.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 05, 2021 03:05 UTC
What laptop features are needed for online learning? Here's what students say
Here's what students sayTo find out what a “quality” laptop is, we need to know first what tasks and features are needed for online education. We just tested one that you might want to consider: the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5. To test the IdeaPad Slim 5, we ran the concerns of our interviewees and we ticked off almost every box! A smart investment for e-learningPhilstar.com/Jap Tobias Thanks to its ease-of-use and innovative features, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 is definitely a learner's laptop worth your consideration. For those with a tighter budget, another great option is the IdeaPad Slim 3 with a price starting P20,995.
Source:Philippine Star
October 05, 2021 02:22 UTC
Philippine groups demand Duterte allies comply with probe into pandemic funds
A group of 13 high-profile organizations has urged government cooperation in a probe into alleged misuse of pandemic funds in the Philippines, challenging President Rodrigo Duterte's order to ministers not to answer summons for a Senate investigation. "We call on all parties to pursue and cooperate with this investigation to the fullest extent allowed by law," the statement said. Duterte last month ordered cabinet members to seek his consent before appearing in Senate hearings. Duterte, 76, who was elected on promises to eliminate graft completely, cannot seek a second term and had been expected to run for vice president next year. But at the weekend he declared he would retire from politics, days after an opinion poll on preferred vice president candidates showed him slipping into second place.
Source:The Standard
October 04, 2021 16:30 UTC
Nuclear submarines aren’t nuclear arms
Nuclear submarines aren’t nuclear armsPresident Duterte, not the foreign secretary, lays down policy on how the Philippines is to deal with other nations, but it would be more reassuring to hear the two officials speak with one voice on the same topic at different times. But Locsin said recently that without the actual presence of nuclear weapons, the Philippines cannot infer violation of the treaty. 8, of the Constitution provides: “The Philippines, consistent with the national interest, adopts and pursues a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory.” It speaks of nuclear weapons, not of nuclear-fueled warships. As we said in the head, a nuclear submarine is not a nuclear weapon – except probably if/when its crazed captain steers it kamikaze-style into a high-value target at sea. For the first time, the US will share nuclear propulsion technology with an ally apart from the UK.
Source:Philippine Star
October 04, 2021 15:56 UTC