Gaza: Suspending UNRWA Aid Risks Hastening Famine
(New York) - Governments should continue funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), given its vital role in averting a humanitarian catastrophe and the risk of famine in the Gaza Strip, while the agency investigates allegations that 12 of its staff were involved in the Hamas-led October 7.....»»
Partner of World Central Kitchen worker killed in Gaza calls for truth
Seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including American Jacob Flickinger, were tragically killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Flickinger’s partner, Sandy Leclerc, is now.....»»
Gaza aid: Ships with a second round of food, supplies departed Cyprus
JERUSALEM — A three-ship convoy left a port in Cyprus on Saturday with 400 tons of food and other supplies for Gaza as concerns about hunger in the territory soar. The World Central Kitchen charity said the vessels and a barge carried enough to prepare more than 1 million meals from items like rice, pasta,.....»»
UN chief calls blocked aid for Gaza a moral outrage
A majority of Gaza's 2.3 million residents are sheltering around Rafah. Though conditions are worse in the north of the strip, the plight of civilians across the territory has deteriorated sharply as the conflict has ground on......»»
Gaza: Starving children should be ‘an alarm like no other’, says UN
The United Nations on Tuesday called on the international community to “flood” Gaza with aid amid reports that children are dying of starvation in the war-torn territory. “With children starting … to die from starvation, that should be an alarm like no other,” Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency, told reporters in Geneva......»»
Biden says Israel agrees to stop Gaza attacks for Ramadan as Hamas mulls draft truce proposal
The draft proposal, which would allow hospitals and bakeries in Gaza to be repaired and 500 aid trucks to enter the battered enclave every day, is the most serious attempt in weeks to end the conflict.....»»
Israeli forces intensify strikes on Rafah in southern Gaza
Aid agencies warn of a humanitarian catastrophe if Israel follows through on its threat to enter Rafah, one of the last remaining areas of the Gaza Strip that its troops have not moved into during its ground offensive.....»»
ICTSI remains on expansion mode even as risks abound
Ports tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. is keeping an eye out for expansion opportunities in four regions as the billionaire indicated he has no plans of standing idle even in the face of emerging risks......»»
Putin: Sending Western troops to Ukraine risks global nuclear war
Putin: Sending Western troops to Ukraine risks global nuclear war.....»»
PSSO warns anew vs building structures atop dikes, coastal road
The Davao City Public Safety and Security Office's (PSSO) Coastal Road and Davao River Monitoring Team has issued a renewed warning to Dabawenyos against constructing buildings on top of dikes and along the coastal road. This caution follows the dismantling of 334 illegal structures from October 2020 to the third week of January 2023. PSSO Head Angel Sumagaysay emphasized that these structures, including house extensions, kitchen extensions, cages, and sala extensions, are typically found atop or attached to dikes and gabions near the Davao River. Recent operations in the Talomo District involved the removal of a hut at Purok 8 Iñigo, Matina Pangi, and a reconstructed fisherman's kiosk at the Punta Dumalag section of the Coastal Area. Sumagaysay highlighted that the PSSO collaborates with barangays to identify and address illegal structures, and owners are given the choice to self-demolish or have the PSSO carry out the demolition. Sumagaysay stressed that illegal structures on dikes and gabions pose risks to the structure's integrity, potentially leading to increased flooding and related issues. He urged residents living near the river to refrain from constructing any form of extension or additional structure on the dikes, emphasizing the need to preserve their stability to prevent flooding and overflow. The PSSO does not have a specific target number of structures to dismantle, but rather identifies them during monitoring and inspection, working in coordination with barangays and purok leaders. Sumagaysay hopes that the public comprehends the purpose behind these dismantling efforts, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding the dikes to mitigate flooding risks......»»
Chemicals in counterfeit, fake fragrances may pose health risks
Chemicals in counterfeit, fake fragrances may pose health risks.....»»
Extreme weather, economic downturn top risks for Philippines – WEF
Extreme weather events, an economic downturn and shortage in energy supply are the top risks seen in the Philippines for the next two years, according to the World Economic Forum......»»
Local hopes and global risks
In national development as in personal life, hopes and expectations at the start of a new year are also fraught with risks......»»
House expedites release of P35M aid for Davao disaster victims
The House of Representatives, in collaboration with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., is expediting the release of P35 million in financial aid and 17,500 food packs to assist the seven congressional districts affected by recent flooding and landslides in the Davao Region. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez emphasized the urgency of their efforts, aiming to provide substantial assistance to the nearly 45,000 affected families and over 187,000 individuals in the region. Coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development is underway to swiftly release PHP5 million to each district through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program. The financial aid will support various relief efforts, including infrastructure reconstruction and medical assistance. Tingog Party-list representatives also expressed their commitment to ensuring the assistance reaches those most in need......»»
Waffling
US President Joe Biden drew flak from all sides for suspending shipment of munitions to Israel as a way of showing displeasure over Tel Aviv’s decision to proceed with its ground operations at Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city......»»
DA wants to suspend pork, corn MAV
The Department of Agriculture is looking at curbing the country’s agricultural imports by temporarily suspending the minimum access volume for pork and corn this year......»»
Senate to start tackling economic Cha-cha
With the Commission on Elections indefinitely suspending all proceedings related to the people’s initiative, the Senate will convene on Wednesday the committee of the whole to tackle the proposal to amend certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution......»»
Senators praise Comelec for suspending people’s initiative proceedings
MANILA, Philippines — Senators rejoiced at the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to suspend all proceedings related to a people’s initiative aimed at amending the 1987 Constitution, saying that it is nothing but a victory for the Filipino people. Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, in a statement, said the Philippine government has finally.....»»
Guterres: UN to punish staffers involved in ‘terror,’ urges UNRWA funding
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres implores governments to continue supporting the UN refugee agency for Palestinians after multiple countries paused funding.....»»
A drought and famine for solutions
For several decades now, I have had an interest in solar power for residential and recreational applications......»»
EDITORIAL — Banning GMOs
Agricultural scientists have been genetically engineering plants for decades, to increase yield, make crops resistant to certain pests or boost certain desirable characteristics. In the 1960s, the International Rice Research Institute or IRRI produced IR8, dubbed “miracle rice” because its high yield was credited for fighting famine in many countries......»»