Food crisis, high costs to test Marcos as agriculture chief
Outgoing Agriculture Secretary William Dar on Tuesday said the first order of business for the Marcos administration would be to ensure sufficient food supply amid the looming global food crisis. So there is really a major disruption of the food supply chain. Former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cielito Habito has also cited various issues the incoming administration will face in the agriculture sector. He said rice farmers should get the support they need from the government: subsidized inputs, technology access, and a support price for palay. I think this will be very good for the agriculture sector,” Manuel Lamata, president of the United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 22, 2022 03:13 UTC
Shopping festival reflects pandemic lifestyle shifts
BEIJING — High-end home appliances and camping gear were among Chinese shoppers’ most sought after buys during the “618” shopping festival, according to e-commerce platforms, in a sign of how China’s COVID-19 curbs are driving lifestyle changes. The event was the first major shopping festival to take place since several Chinese cities, including Shanghai, were hit by a series of lockdowns to halt the spread of COVID-19. ADVERTISEMENTConsumption in China remains weak as shoppers were confined to their homes in Shanghai and other cities. Retail sales slipped another 6.7 percent in May from a year earlier, on top of a 11.1-percent contraction the previous month. In addition, rising health awareness during the pandemic also pushed people to stockpile health products, JD.com said, citing surging sales of organic milk, high-end teas, and fitness drinks.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 22, 2022 00:50 UTC
Two ice-cream products pulled amid pesticide fears
Sales of "Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream Pint" (473 milliliters) and "Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream Bulk" (9.46 liters), with best-before dates of April 13, 2023 and October 26, 2022 respectively, have been stopped. A Centre for Food Safety spokesman urged the public not to consume the affected products if they had bought any. "A preliminary investigation found that the importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected batches of the products concerned." The affected products only involve two specific batches and the other products are in compliance with Hong Kong regulation. It can normally be found as a contaminant in baked goods, cereals, seeds, ice cream and yogurt.
Source:The Standard
June 22, 2022 00:40 UTC
Murray hopeful of being fit for Wimbledon
LONDON: Andy Murray faces a race against time to be fit for Wimbledon next week, but believes he is in a better position than he was ahead of the championships last year. "The positives are I've been able to practice but there are certain shots I've not been able to practice, so that has obviously disrupted my preparations. The injury is healing but still not perfect," the two-time Wimbledon winner said. "I've been practicing for the past three or four days and have been practicing well. Murray made it through to the third round at Wimbledon last year despite an injury-disrupted preparation.
Source:Manila Times
June 21, 2022 23:36 UTC
LG creates real-world environments at Infocomm 2022
LG presents the future of commercial technology with digital signage solutions and autonomous robotic assistants. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOLG Electronics (LG) showcased its innovative commercial technologies, including Transparent OLED Signage, to a diverse lineup of LED signage products and autonomous robot assistants in Las Vegas at InfoComm 2022 last June 8. Welcoming visitors to LG's Retail Solutions zone was the LED signage solution, using 54-inch bezel-free displays, allowing integrators to create a seamless viewing experience. The new 54-inch LG LED Bloc (model LSAC) was approximately four times larger in area than most commonly used LED cabinets, and its unique size allowed this model to use a 55-inch LCD video wall display with easy installation. Also unveiled in the retail solutions zone was the company's first multipurpose customer service robot, LG CLOi GuideBot, which was designed to provide way-finding, enhanced security and powerful advertising opportunities.
Source:Manila Times
June 21, 2022 20:45 UTC
South Africa’s latest hot export to China? Donkeys
MAGALIESBURG, South Africa — Chinese demand for traditional medicines has sent poachers hunting for African animals from rhinos to pangolins. But as in countries from Burkina Faso to Kenya, South Africa is now seeing its donkey population plunge, threatening other businesses that make soaps and creams from donkey milk. A recent study by researchers from the University of South Africa showed the donkey population shrank from 210,000 in 1996 to about 146,000 in 2019. South Africa has two donkey dairies, but they may not be viable if prices for the animals keep rising. “The increased demand for donkey milk is mainly from people suffering from eczema, psoriasis,” he said.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 21, 2022 19:13 UTC
Desperate Chinese property developer willing to 'swap wheat for house'
A desperate developer in China's softening property market is coming up with a novel promotion to attract buyers, recently offering to take wheat and garlic as down payments. Central China Real Estate did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. Late last month, another Central China advertisement said buyers of houses in another development could make down payments in garlic at 5 yuan per catty. The garlic promotion attracted 852 visits and 30 transactions involving 860,000 catties of garlic during the 16 days it was available, the advertisement said. The wholesale market price for both garlic and wheat is 1.5 yuan per 500 grams.
Source:The Standard
June 21, 2022 16:19 UTC
South Korea prepares for second space rocket attempt
On Monday, the rocket was erected on its launch pad at the Naro Space Center on the southern coast of South Korea. It uses only Korean rocket technologies, and is the country’s first domestically built space launch vehicle. Nuri is key to South Korean plans to eventually build a Korean satellite-based navigation system and a 6G communications network. South Korea is also working with the United States on a lunar orbiter, and hopes to land a probe on the moon by 2030. RELATED STORIESSouth Korea readies second attempt to send homegrown rocket to orbitS. Korea’s Moon vows ‘Korean space age’ after mixed rocket test resultsSouth Korea test-fires first indigenous solid-fuel rocket, pushes to launch spy satellitesSubscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 21, 2022 16:11 UTC
Jumbo should not have been towed to the open ocean: marine expert
Jumbo Floating Restaurant should not have been towed to the open ocean, a marine expert said, as he added that transporting by semi-submersible ship may not be feasible either. The restaurant, which was towed away from Hong Kong last week, capsized in the South China Sea on Sunday due to extreme weather conditions. A veteran member of the Hong Kong Institute of Marine Technology Lee Kin-kwong said the restaurant was a wharf boat, which had no power itself. He added that once an accident happens, the tugboat will have to abandon the floating boat for its safety. As for Jumbo Group's Tai Pak Floating Restaurant, which was shipped to the Philippines in 1999 with a semi-submersible transport ship, Lee said the larger size of Jumbo Restaurant may result in expensive transportation fees and not that feasible.
Source:The Standard
June 21, 2022 14:45 UTC
Luzon grid placed under yellow alert on Tuesday afternoon
MANILA, Philippines — The Luzon grid will be placed under yellow alert on Tuesday afternoon, beginning 1 p.m. to 4 p.m, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) announced. According to the NGCP, seven power plants went on a forced outage. Ltd; Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp. 1, 3, and 4; GN Power Mariveles Coal Ltd. Co. 1 and 2; and Calaca 2. The NGCP said the operating requirement on Monday stood at 11,385 megawatts as against 12,251 megawatts of available capacity. Luzon grid status, 21 June 2022: Yellow Alert1:00PM – 4:00PM Operating Requirement: 11,385MWAvailable Capacity: 12,251MWNet Operating Margin: 412MWhttps://t.co/z54cqQRKyZ — NGCP (@NGCP_ALERT) June 21, 2022RELATED STORY:Luzon grid placed under red alert causing power outagesEDVSubscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 21, 2022 09:51 UTC
House leader to refile two electoral reform bills
Rep. Rufus Rodriguez. TMT PHOTOA LEADER of the House of Representatives said he will reintroduce two electoral reform bills in the next Congress, including one that will prohibit any candidate from having any substitute in any local or national election. They are intended to put an end to practices by politicians and political parties that put in doubt the integrity of our elections," Rodriguez said. Rodriguez introduced House Bills 10380 and 10381 in October last year, but they were not passed by the current Congress. Under House Bill (HB) 10380, a political party will be forbidden from substituting any candidate unless he or she died or was disqualified.
Source:Manila Times
June 21, 2022 09:48 UTC
Two detained Americans endangered Russian servicemen, Kremlin says
Two Americans detained in Ukraine while fighting on the Ukrainian side of the war were mercenaries who endangered the lives of Russian servicemen and should face responsibility for their actions, the Kremlin said on Monday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, interviewed by the U.S. television network NBC news, also said U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, held in Russia for more than two months, was guilty of drug offenses and not a hostage. ADVERTISEMENTGriner’s prosecutionMeanwhile, Peskov said Griner, who had come to promote basketball in Russia, was being prosecuted under laws forbidding the import of drugs. He “strongly disagreed” with any notion that Griner, who arrived in Russia in February, was being held hostage. The U.S. State Department determined in May that Griner was wrongfully detained and assigned diplomats to work for her release.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 21, 2022 09:26 UTC
South Korea resumes visa-free travel for HK residents starting July 1
South Korea is set to allow visa-free entry to Hong Kong residents starting July 1, the South Korean Consulate General in Hong Kong announced on Monday. The Korean government has previously suspended visa exemptions and visa-free entry for foreign nationals of 90 countries due to Covid-19. The announcement by the Consulate General noted that holders of a Hong Kong SAR passport or a British National (Overseas) passport (BNO) can enter South Korea without a visa for short-term visits such as tourism, business meetings, and family visits from July 1. However, travelers will still need to apply for a Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation (K-ETA) and get approval before they can board the plane to South Korea. Application for K-ETA (https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/apply/index.do) will commence on June 30, and K-ETA is valid for multiple entries within 2 years from the date of approval, according to the announcement.
Source:The Standard
June 21, 2022 04:19 UTC
Daily Covid caseload at nearly 1000 expected, says health expert
HKU microbiologist Ho Pak-leung said on Tuesday that it is expected that Hong Kong’s daily Covid caseload will hover at about 1,000, and will have a limited effect on the city’s pace to return to normal. Speaking on a radio program, the health expert said the number came as an expectable figure with the city easing its social distancing measures, as well as businesses reopening. Even if the daily caseload surge to some 2,000 to 3,000 cases, it would have a limited effect on the city resuming normal, as long as citizens complete their Covid vaccinations, he added. Separately, he noted that from the past winter influenza season, health authorities have recorded an average of around 500 to 1,000 deaths per year, and that citizens should not worry too much about the number of Covid deaths. Read more: Rising Macau cases spur panic buying, stock jitters
Source:The Standard
June 21, 2022 03:24 UTC
Thousands of Rohingya refugees rally to 'go home'
KUTUPALONG, Bangladesh: Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh on Sunday staged demonstrations demanding repatriation to Myanmar, where they fled a brutal military crackdown five years ago. But authorities allowed several groups of Rohingya to hold simultaneous "Go Home" marches and rallies ahead of World Refugee Day on Monday. Let's go home," top Rohingya community leader Sayed Ullah said in a speech at one rally. A Bangladesh foreign ministry official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that during the meeting, Dhaka pressed Naypyidaw for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees to start this year. Police said thousands of refugees, including young children, joined the marches and rallies, standing on roads and alleys with placards that read "Enough is Enough!
Source:Manila Times
June 21, 2022 01:23 UTC