COVID-19 vaccination for children eyed by end-2021 or early next year — DOH
Usec. Myrna Cabotaje said experts are still studying the move, and government is likely to finish those in priority groups. .....»»
Pertussis or whooping cough: 40 child deaths so far this year – DOH
MANILA, Philippines — Assistant Health Secretary Albert Domingo reported on Wednesday that as of March 16 this year, some 40 children had died of whooping cough — a respiratory infection also called pertussis. An increase in new pertussis cases nationwide had been observed nationwide, with 28 cases reported from March 10 to 16. READ: What.....»»
Cebu bus terminals: 100,000 passengers expected on March 27
CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least 100,000 passengers are expected to flock to two of the biggest bus terminals here in Cebu for the Holy Week this year. As early as 7 a.m. on Holy Wednesday, dozens already queued for buses at the Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT) in the North Reclamation Area. READ MORE:.....»»
Mandaue drug bust: P476,000 ‘shabu’ seized from HVI
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Authorities seized suspected shabu worth at least P476,000 from a 45-year-old man described as a high-value individual during an anti-illegal drugs operation in Mandaue City early on Wednesday morning, March 27, 2024. The operation took place along Realty Road in the North Reclamation Area in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, Cebu. The.....»»
NewJeans prepares for comeback with Japanese debut, teases world tour
K-pop girl group NewJeans is gearing up for a number of comeback projects this year, including a Japanese debut eyed to kick off a world tour......»»
Early Holy Week
If soul searching, repentance and making your relationship right with your Creator are things you do on Holy Week, all came early for me this year. And now, it feels like I have been given a second chance at life......»»
Philippines-European Union FTA talks resume in H2
The Philippines and the European Union (EU) are looking to resume formal negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) in the early part of the second half of the year, according to the Department of Trade and Industry......»»
Big Dome, MOA eyed for FIVB world meet
The Philippines will be the only second Asian country, next to Japan, to host the FIVB Men’s World Championship when the 32 best teams in the world converge on local soil to duke it out for the coveted volley crown on Sept. 12 to 28 next year......»»
Man jailed for stealing items from school
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 26-year-old man landed in jail after being caught stealing from an elementary school in Barangay Langtad, Naga City, Cebu, early Wednesday morning, March 20, 2024. The suspect was identified as Angelito Cudias Apeliano, 26, an unemployed resident of Barangay Pasil, Santander, Cebu. In a phone interview with CDN Digital, Police.....»»
Philippine s population projected to reach around 138.67 mln by 2055
MANILA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine population is projected to reach 138.67 million by 2055, assuming that the total fertility rate (TFR) of 1.9 children per woman in 2021 will be sustained until 2055, according to a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) study released Wednesday night. The statistics agency based its projections on the 2020 census-based national population using three TFR scenarios. Total.....»»
Philippine s population projected to reach around 138.67 mln by 2055
MANILA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine population is projected to reach 138.67 million by 2055, assuming that the total fertility rate (TFR) of 1.9 children per woman in 2021 will be sustained until 2055, according to a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) study released Wednesday night. The statistics agency based its projections on the 2020 census-based national population using three TFR scenarios. Total.....»»
VAWC cases in Davao City rise
The number of reported Violence Against Women and their Children (VAWC) cases in Davao City has increased in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to Lorna Mandin, head of the City Mayor's Office-Integrated Gender and Development Division (CMO-IGDD). Mandin revealed that the cases have risen to approximately 2,000, attributing the previous reduction during the pandemic to limited access and fear of going out. Most cases are from Talomo District, with victims aged 18 to 35 and 36 to 64. The increase in reported cases can be linked to more people reporting incidents compared to 2020 and 2021 when fear of Covid-19 deterred reporting. The IGDD handles cases falling under Republic Act 9262, involving perpetrators with an intimate relationship, not necessarily married. About 20 to 25 percent of these cases opt for psychological intervention. From January to December 2022, CMO-IGDD served approximately 1,206 clients, with 1,191 being women and 15 children. The department provides legal assistance, representation, and follow-up on cases, especially for those in remote areas. The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DWSD-Davao.....»»
China bolsters ‘patriotic education’ with new law
China has adopted a new law strengthening so-called patriotic education, state media said, the latest step in President Xi Jinping's drive to reassert the Communist Party's ideology in the country's classrooms. A crackdown on the highly lucrative world of for-profit private tutoring in 2021 was also seen as part of efforts to reassert ruling party control over the education system. The moves banned tutoring firms from hiring overseas teachers, with critics saying it was cutting off Chinese children from outside influences. The new law, which comes into effect on January 1 and was approved on Tuesday, will "strengthen patriotic education in the new era" and seek to impart a "patriotic spirit" in China's youth, according to state-run news agency Xinhua. A Xinhua commentary hailing the law's adoption by Beijing's top lawmaking body said that education had been "facing challenges" recently. "Some people are at a loss about what is patriotism," the commentary read. It attacked "the influences of some social thoughts, such as historical nihilism" -- a term often employed by Beijing's leadership to condemn accounts that run contrary to official rhetoric about the party. The law contains provisions already included in other legislation, the commentary said, including those banning "insulting the national flag and distorting or denying heroes' deeds and spirit". Zhao Leji, China's top lawmaker, said the law would help the country in "forging a mighty force" to build a "strong" nation, Xinhua reported. Education has long been used by the Communist Party to boost its legitimacy in the eyes of China's 1.4 billion people. Much of its narrative centers on its role in conquering absolute poverty and asserting China's position in a hostile international climate. But conspicuously absent are detailed discussions of the party's role in instigating China's bloody Cultural Revolution and Great Famine, in which millions died. The post China bolsters ‘patriotic education’ with new law appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
How nations allow or restrict legal gender change
A small number of countries have made it easier for transgender people to change their legal gender, while other nations have restricted such changes, notably Russia and Pakistan. Here is a snapshot of the situation around the world. Exception, not the rule According to the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), 24 UN member states have legally allowed people to change their gender on the basis of self-identification. In about 40 other countries, the legal and administrative process can take years and may include requirements such as psychiatric diagnosis, hormone treatment, gender confirmation surgery, or even sterilization. Making it easier Argentina has led the way on transgender rights, allowing a change of gender on national ID cards with a simple declaration since 2012. Several Latin American countries have followed suit. Denmark was the first European country in 2014 to allow adults to apply for a gender change without undergoing medical or psychological assessments, with Belgium, Ireland, Malta, Norway, Portugal, and most recently Spain following suit. Since 2017, France has allowed transgender people to change their status on their ID documents without treatment, surgery, or sterilization but they must receive court approval. The issue of trans rights sparked a fierce row in 2022 in Scotland, where parliament passed a bill making it easier for people to self-identify their gender that was sensationally vetoed by London. The German cabinet in August 2023 signed off plans under which Germans will be able to change their name or legal gender by making a simple application to their local registry office. The law still has to go to parliament. Hesitating Sweden, one of the world's most liberal countries, was the first in the world to authorize physical and legal gender reassignment for adults in 1972. But last year it began restricting hormone therapy available for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria, such as puberty blockers, citing the need for caution following a strong increase in demand. It also restricted access to mastectomies for teenage girls wanting to transition. Finland in 2020 had already restricted hormone treatment for minors. Making it harder Russia adopted new legislation in July 2023 banning "medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person" and "the state registration of a change of gender without an operation". President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly railed against transgender rights in his speeches. Pakistan's religious judiciary ruled in May that landmark transgender legal protections from 2018 are un-Islamic and therefore void. An appeal is being sought with the Supreme Court. Pakistan continues to recognize the existence of a third gender, neither masculine nor feminine, as do India and Nepal. Restricting gender-affirming treatment, such as puberty blockers for minors, has become a major campaign of US conservatives. Arkansas in 2021 became the first US state to ban physicians and health workers from offering transition-related treatment to transgender minors. A federal judge in June overturned the ban. Around 20 states, including Florida and Texas, have passed similar laws. Anti-LGBTQ sentiment in Hungary has escalated during the rule of Viktor Orban's right-wing government. In May 2020, the country passed a law making it impossible for transgender people to change their name and gender on their ID documents. The post How nations allow or restrict legal gender change appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Toxic? Britney tells of troubles in new memoir
Britney Spears, the dewy-eyed child star who became a global pop phenomenon and then melted down in full view of the world, tells her story Tuesday with the release of her already bestselling memoir. "The Woman In Me" is the pop princess in her own, unvarnished words, shot through with the anguish of a family she believes has failed her at every step of the way, in an industry that mercilessly devours its talent. From sharing daiquiris with her mother as a young teenager -- two years after she became a regular on "The Mickey Mouse Club" -- to the 13 years she spent as an adult in a conservatorship, the memoir details how she struggled to escape the influence of her controlling father. Until two years ago, when she got out from under the conservatorship legal relationship that she says dictated everything from her birth control choices to the set list at lucrative Las Vegas gigs. In the intervening months, Spears has married a former dancer, announced then lost a pregnancy, and is now on the road to her third divorce. The book, whose pre-orders catapulted it to the top of the Amazon best-seller list, was produced too early to include that coda with husband Sam Asghari. But readers will still have plenty to chew on. 'Harlot' Tidbits that have leaked ahead of publication include news of an abortion Spears says fellow Mickey Mouse Club alum Justin Timberlake urged her to have after she became pregnant while the couple was together. When the pair split, and his hit "Cry Me A River" appeared to be about the way he felt she had betrayed him, Spears was painted as the "harlot who'd broken the heart of America's golden boy," she writes. In reality, he was "happily running around Hollywood" while she was "comatose in Louisiana." Readers have also learned of a brief but intense affair with Irish actor and Oscar nominee Colin Farrell, what she calls "a two-week brawl." "Brawl is the only word for it -- we were all over each other, grappling so passionately it was like we were in a street fight." The noughties brought fame and notoriety to Spears in equal measure, with a passionate fan base eager for every last scrap of news about her. That collided with an aggressive paparazzi culture that delighted in capturing her partying alongside hell-raisers like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. Spears insists there were never hard drugs and that she did not have a drinking problem, but admits that she was taking Adderall, the ADHD medication. A publicly played-out bust-up with second husband Kevin Federline, and an ensuing custody fight over their two children, presaged the emotional low watermark: shaving her head and attacking a photographer's car. "Flailing those weeks without my children, I lost it, over and over again," she writes. "I didn't even really know how to take care of myself. "I'd begin to think in some ways like a child." A year later, the courts appointed her father Jamie Spears to control her money and her personal life. Over the next 13 years, she was told who she could see, and how much she could spend, and even ordered not to have more children. Yet under Jamie Spears, she would still perform as a pop icon. "Too sick to choose my own boyfriend and yet somehow healthy enough to appear on sitcoms and morning shows, and to perform for thousands of people in a different part of the world every week." "From that point on, I began to think that (my father) saw me as put on the earth for no other reason than to help their cash flow." Jamie Spears has always insisted that he had the best interests of his daughter at heart and was seeking to protect her from exploitation. The conservatorship was dissolved in 2021, but -- aside from collaborations with Elton John and will.i.am -- it has not heralded a return to creativity for Spears. "Pushing forward in my music career is not my focus at the moment," the now-41-year-old Britney writes. "It's time for me not to be someone who other people want; it's time to actually find myself.".....»»
Britney Spears set to hit bestseller list with tell-all memoir
Two years after escaping her father's guardianship, Britney Spears recounts her years as a superstar who became a victim of her success in a highly anticipated memoir being published on Tuesday. One revelation from "The Woman in Me" has already made headlines: Spears saying she felt pressured into having an abortion while dating fellow popstar Justin Timberlake between 1999 and 2002. "If it had been left up to me alone, I never would have done it," she writes. "It's one of the most agonizing things I have ever experienced in my life." The publishers have kept a tight lid on most of the contents -- unsurprising since Simon & Schuster reportedly paid more than 15 million dollars for the rights. It was not a risky bet, however -- the book is already topping the pre-sale chart at Amazon US. It is being released on Tuesday in around 20 countries and 10 languages. "Reliving everything has been exciting, heart-wrenching, and emotional, to say the least," Spears told People magazine. The emotional turmoil means the 41-year-old singer has only recorded a small section for the audiobook, leaving the rest to actress Michelle Williams. "There are so many hard things to read in the news about my book," she wrote on her Instagram this week. "Then I woke up this morning and said it's all relative... nothing really matters at this point." Up and down Spears came from a very humble background and found early fame on "The Mickey Mouse Club" alongside other future stars Ryan Gosling and Christina Aguilera. At 16, she became one of the most famous women on the planet with 1998's iconic "...Baby One More Time", which sold 10 million copies to become one of the biggest hits of all time. Eight more albums followed, often selling in the millions, including "Oops!...I Did it Again" and "In the Zone", combined with spectacular world tours. Growing up in the media glare, relentlessly sexualized by her marketing from a young age, Spears lost her footing in 2007. A highly public breakdown in which she shaved her head and was filmed attacking a paparazzi's car led to her father, Jamie Spears, taking legal control over her life. It meant he controlled her finances, career decisions, and even whether she could see her children or marry -- which Spears described as tantamount to "abuse". Her fans organized a campaign -- #FreeBritney -- aided by media investigations that finally led a court to remove her father as guardian in September 2021. She apparently no longer speaks to her family. Her life has hardly been smooth sailing since then -- her marriage to model Sam Asghari ended in August after just 14 months. But Spears at least looks set to add a number one bestselling book to her list of artistic accomplishments. The post Britney Spears set to hit bestseller list with tell-all memoir appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Youth backsliding on tobacco use feared
Public health advocates in the Philippines expressed growing concern on Thursday over the escalation of influence by the tobacco industry, which they say threatens the health and welfare of young Filipinos. At the launch of the 2022 and 2023 Tobacco Industry Interference Index Country Reports, the advocates warned that the downward trend of smoking in the country could be reversed, and more young people could become addicted to nicotine products if the situation is not addressed. “The tobacco industry has proven just how relentless they are in using their political and marketing machinery to assert their interests via interactions with the government,” said Rom Dongeto, convenor of the Child Rights Network and executive director of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development. “We need to stop tobacco companies from targeting children and youth, especially through online platforms, in the propagation of their deadly vapes and cigarettes,” he added. The 2022 and 2023 TII Index Reports found that the Philippines’ score has consistently increased over the years, indicating the increasing influence of the tobacco industry and the government’s failure to combat interference. The country’s score rose from 45 in 2017 to 54 in 2018 and 57 in 2019. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, scores rose to 54 in 2020 and 58 in 2021. By 2022, the country’s score was up another notch at 59 and moved up further to 60 in 2023. The post Youth backsliding on tobacco use feared appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Millions of children affected by climate disasters – UNICEF
The United Nations Children’s Fund warned on Thursday that weather disasters brought on by climate change caused 43.1 million child displacements between 2016 and 2021 and criticized the lack of attention given to the victims. Co-Author Laura Healy told American for Prosperity, or AFP, that the data only indicated the “tip of the iceberg,” with many more possibly affected, in comprehensive research on the subject that included the heartbreaking stories of some children affected. Khalid Abdul Azim, a child from Sudan, recalls his terrible experience in a flooded village that can only be reached by boat. "We moved our belongings to the highway, where we lived for weeks," he said. In 2017, sisters Mia and Maia Bravo watched flames engulf their trailer in California from the back of the family minivan. "I was afraid, in shock," Maia said. Statistics on internal displacements caused by climate disasters generally do not account for the victim’s age. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, a non-governmental organization, and UNICEF collaborated to analyze the data and uncover the hidden toll for children. Four types of climate disaster (floods, storms, droughts, and wildfire) has led to 43.1 million child displacements in 44 countries in which frequency of the said disasters has increased during global warming, the report says. Ninety-five percent of those displacements were caused by floods and storms. “It’s equivalent of about 20,000 child displacements every day,” Healy lamented on AFP highlighting how the afflicted children are then at risk of suffering other traumas, such as being torn away from their parents or being the prey of child traffickers. As one child may be uprooted more than once, the numbers reflect the number of displacements rather than the number of children affected. The number of displaced people as a result of drought is “radically underreported,” according to Healy because they are less abrupt and hence harder to measure. This is just the tip of the iceberg based on the available data that we have," she said. "The reality is with the impacts of climate change, or better tracking of displacement when it comes to slow onset events, that the number of children who are uprooted from their homes is going to be much greater." Healy added. UNICEF Report Reveals Alarming Predictions for Child Displacements Due to Climate Events In a recently released UNICEF report, startling forecasts have been unveiled for specific climate-related events. According to the report, the next three decades could witness a staggering 96 million child displacements due to flooding caused by overflowing rivers. Additionally, cyclonic winds are projected to force 10.3 million child displacements, while storm surges may result in 7.2 million displacements. It's worth noting that these estimates do not factor in preventive evacuation measures, raising concerns about the potential scale of displacement. UNICEF's Executive Director, Catherine Russell, emphasized the profound impact on those compelled to flee, including the fear of an uncertain return, disruptions to education, and the possibility of further relocations. Russell stressed that while migration may save lives, it also brings significant upheaval and challenges. "As the impacts of climate change escalate, so too will climate-driven movement. We have the tools and knowledge to respond to this escalating challenge for children, but we are acting far too slowly." She added. At the COP28 climate summit in Dubai in November and December, UNICEF urged world leaders to take up the climate issue. According to Healy, children, particularly those who have already been compelled to move must be prepared “to live in a climate change world”. While the effects of climate change are spreading across large portions of the planet, the UNICEF report highlights some of the most susceptible nations. The biggest number of displaced people (almost 23 million in six years) occurred in China, India, and the Philippines because of their massive populations, strategic positions, and precautionary evacuation measures. However, in proportional terms, Africa and small island states are most at risk; in Dominica, 76 percent of all children were uprooted between 2016 and 2021. More than 30 percent of the said amount went to Saint Martin and Cuba. The post Millions of children affected by climate disasters – UNICEF appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Climate-related disasters displace 9.7 mln children in Philippines: UNICEF
MANILA, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Climate-related disasters have displaced 9.7 million children in the Philippines from 2016 to 2021, making the Southeast Asian country the epicenter of the crisis, according to a new report released by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Friday. The Children Displaced in a Changing Climate report is the first global analysis of the number of children driven from their homes.....»»
Climate disasters uproot tens of millions of children, Unicef reports
Extreme weather events fueled by climate change have displaced more than 43 million over the past six years, research by the UN Children's Fund (Unicef) has found.From 2016 to 2021, floods, storms, droughts and wildfires - spurred by global warming - led to the uprooting of 43.1 million children in 44 countries, says a report by Unicef and the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), published Thursday......»»
Iran women’s activist Narges Mohammadi wins peace Nobel
The Nobel Peace Prize was on Friday awarded to imprisoned rights campaigner Narges Mohammadi, honored for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran. Mohammadi's award comes after a wave of protests that swept Iran after the death in custody a year ago of a young Iranian Kurd, Mahsa Amini, arrested for violating Iran's strict dress rules for women. Mohammadi, a 51-year-old journalist and activist, has spent much of the past two decades in and out of jail for her campaign against the mandatory hijab for women and the death penalty. She is the vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre founded by Iranian human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi, herself a Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2003. Mohammadi was honored "for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all," said Berit Reiss-Andersen, the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo. "Her brave struggle has come with tremendous personal costs. Altogether, the regime has arrested her 13 times, convicted her five times, and sentenced her to a total of 31 years in prison and 154 lashes," Reiss-Andersen said in the jury's citation. Speaking to reporters after the announcement, she called for Mohammadi's release. "If the Iranian authorities make the right decision, they will release her. So she can be present to receive this honor, which is what we primarily hope for," she said. The recent protests in Iran "accelerated the process of realizing democracy, freedom, and equality in Iran," a process that is now "irreversible", Mohammadi told AFP last month in a letter written from her prison cell. She and three other women held with her at Tehran's Evin prison burned their hijabs to mark the anniversary of Amini's death on 16 September. Iran is ranked 143rd out of 146 countries on the World Economic Forum's gender equality ranking. Iranian authorities cracked down harshly on last year's "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising. A total of 551 protesters, including 68 children and 49 women, were killed by security forces, according to Iran Human Rights, and thousands of others were arrested. The movement has since continued in other forms. In what would have been unthinkable a year ago, women now go out in public without the headscarf, in particular in Tehran and other big cities, despite the risks. Wearing the hijab is one of the pillars of the Islamic Republic. Authorities have stepped up controls, using surveillance cameras among other things, and have arrested actresses who post pictures of themselves on social media without the hijab. No prospect of freedom In September, Iran's conservative-dominated parliament announced heavier penalties for women who refuse to wear it. "This year's Peace Prize also recognizes the hundreds of thousands of people who in the preceding year have demonstrated against the theocratic regimes policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women," Reiss-Andersen said. Offenders will face heavy prison sentences if the "Hijab and Chastity" bill is approved by Iran's Guardian Council. Incarcerated this time since November 2021, Mohammadi has not seen her children, who live in France with her husband, for eight years. Considered a "prisoner of conscience" by Amnesty International, she told AFP in her letter that she had "almost no prospect of freedom." The prize comes on the 20th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Ebadi, who was honored "for her efforts for democracy and human rights", especially those of women and children. This year's prize also symbolically coincides with the 75th anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In 2003, Ebadi defied conservative Iranians by refusing to wear the hijab when she received her prize in Oslo. If she remains behind bars, Mohammadi will not be able to make the trip to Oslo to receive her award, consisting of a diploma, a gold medal, and $1 million, at the annual prize ceremony on December 10. The Peace Prize has on several occasions honored jailed activists, including last year when it went to Ales Bialiatski of Belarus, whose prize was accepted by his wife, and Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo in 2010, whose chair remained empty. The post Iran women’s activist Narges Mohammadi wins peace Nobel appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»