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.....»»
Spyware Targets Human Rights Watch Staff in Jordan
(Amman) - Two Human Rights Watch staff members based in Jordan have been repeatedly targeted with advanced surveillance spyware, Human Rights Watch said today. The targeting, which violates their right to privacy, began in October 2022 and succeeded briefly in infecting one of their mobile phones.The same spyware was also used to target the devices of at least 33 Jordanian and Jordan-based journalists, act.....»»
10th ID bashes Canadian gov’t for travel advisory vs Mindanao
The 10th Infantry Agila Division (10ID) of the Philippine Army criticized the Canadian government for issuing a travel advisory against all parts of Mindanao, which includes their area of responsibility. Major Mark Anthony Tito, spokesperson for the 10th ID, emphasized that the regions under their jurisdiction are peaceful and free from terrorism and violent threats, contrary to the Canadian embassy's advisory. The division oversees 12 provinces, seven cities, and 72 municipalities in various parts of Mindanao. Tito expressed bewilderment at the basis of the travel advisory, asserting that the Canadian government lacks awareness of the actual situation on the ground. He highlighted the peaceful nature of the entire Davao Region throughout 2023, with no recorded incidents of terrorism or insurgency. Despite the exclusion of Davao City from the advisory, Tito noted that the region would still be impacted. The Canadian embassy's advisory warned its citizens to avoid visiting Mindanao due to ongoing terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, high levels of violence, and encounters between rebel forces and government security authorities. Specific provinces and regions were singled out for caution or non-essential travel, including Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, and Eastern Mindanao. Contrary to the advisory, the 10th ID has been actively weakening and eliminating guerilla forces within its jurisdiction as part of the Philippine Army's efforts to establish an insurgency-free zone. In fact, on October 27, 2023, the Davao Region celebrated its first anniversary as an insurgency-free region in the Philippines. This dispute has led to other related stories, including the Chamber's intention to engage in discussions with the Canadian government regarding the travel advisory, as well as refutations from the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and celebrations of the Davao Region's insurgency-free status by the Regional Peace and Order Council. In summary, the 10th ID vehemently opposes the Canadian government's travel advisory, citing the peaceful and secure nature of the regions under their jurisdiction, and highlighting the significant strides made in eradicating insurgency in the Davao Region......»»
2.4M Dabawenyos working as of Oct 2023
The October 2023 Preliminary Employment report by the Philippine Statistics Authority-Davao Region (PSA-Davao) reveals that 64 percent of the 3.780 million Dabawenyos aged 15 and above are part of the labor force, indicating that 2.42 million individuals are employed. This represents a 1.8 percentage point increase from the previous year. The report also highlights a 97.1 percent employment rate in the Davao Region as of October 2023, with a 2.9 percent unemployment rate, lower than the national average. Despite this, the region still maintains the highest employment rate in the Philippines. Additionally, the report compares employment rates across different regions, with Soccsksargen, Barmm, Central Luzon, CAR, Caraga, Western Visayas, Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, and Central Visayas surpassing the national average. The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) records the highest labor force participation rate among 17 regions, while the Zamboanga Peninsula has the lowest rate. The data is collected through the Labor Force Survey (LFS) conducted quarterly and monthly by the PSA central office and its regional statistical services offices. The Davao Region, with nearly 6 million inhabitants, remains the 7th most populous region in the country......»»
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......»»
People’s initiative advocates: 8 million signatures in 3 months
Despite the Senate’s rejection, proponents of Charter change through people’s initiative are still gathering required signatures and are hoping for a plebiscite by October......»»
USD3.32-B Loan Approved by BSP
On Monday, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) announced that the Monetary Board approved USD 3.32 billion in medium-to-long-term (MLT) foreign borrowings for Q4 2023. From October to December 2023, the public sector’s foreign borrowings rose by 65.8%, reaching USD3.32 billion, up from USD2 billion in the same period in 2022. This brought the total […].....»»
DSWD execs attend Senate hearing on Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro ‘ayuda’ scam
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary for Legislative Liaison and Coordination Group Fatima Aliah Q. Dimaporo attends on Tuesday (January 23) the Senate hearing on the alleged ‘ayuda’ scam in Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte that transpired during the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections last October 2023. In her opening message, […].....»»
J-K Bank Q3 net profit up 35 pc to Rs 421 cr, 9-month net jumps 57 pc
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 20 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir bank net profit rose 35 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 421.08 crore for the October-December Quarter (Q3FY 2024) when compared to Rs 311.59 crore registered for the same period last fiscal, an official release said. According to the release, the bank announced the results today after its Board of Directors reviewed and approved the numbers for Q3.....»»
Max Eigenmann scores intenational role in film shot in the UK
Since actress Max Eigenmann wrapped up the suspense-thriller, Raging Grace, in October 2021, still at the height of pandemic, she has watched the mystery-suspense eight times, the last being only last week.....»»
J-K Bank Q3 net profit up 35 pc to Rs 421 cr, 9-month net jumps 57 pc
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 20 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir bank net profit rose 35 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 421.08 crore for the October-December Quarter (Q3FY 2024) when compared to Rs 311.59 crore registered for the same period last fiscal, an official release said. According to the release, the bank announced the results today after its Board of Directors reviewed and approved the numbers for Q3.....»»
Southwestern University PHINMA’s Recognition of Topnotchers and Homecoming of Newly Licensed Optometrists
Southwestern University PHINMA has reaffirmed its position as the best optometry school in the country by producing 32 newly licensed optometrists and 5 topnotchers in the October 2023 Optometrists Licensure Examination. The university welcomed back these newly-licensed doctors of Optometry in a memorable ceremony on December 12, 2023 at the SWU PHINMA Campus, right after.....»»
Grave threat complaint vs ex-president Duterte junked
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 12 January) – The Office of the City Prosecutor in Quezon City has dismissed the complaint for grave threat filed by ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro against former President Rodrigo R. Duterte by October 24 for insufficient evidence. In a 13-page resolution dated January 9 but only released on Friday, […].....»»
Hong Kong records 34 mln visits in 2023 as tourism rebounds
HONG KONG, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong received approximately 34 million visits in 2023, with nearly 4 million arrivals in December, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) said Saturday. Through 2023, the Chinese mainland remains the largest source of visitors to Hong Kong, with ideal numbers during the May Day holiday, summer vacation and the Golden Week in October. The Southeast Asian market has shown the.....»»
Lisa Marie Presley s autobiography to be published posthumously
A posthumous autobiography of Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of US rock 'n' roll legend Elvis Presley, will be released in October, her daughter and publishers announced Thursday......»»
Hong Kong records 34 mln visits in 2023 as tourism rebounds
HONG KONG, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong received approximately 34 million visits in 2023, with nearly 4 million arrivals in December, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) said Saturday. Through 2023, the Chinese mainland remains the largest source of visitors to Hong Kong, with ideal numbers during the May Day holiday, summer vacation and the Golden Week in October. The Southeast Asian market has shown the.....»»
Philippines FDI net inflows drop by 29.6 pct in October
MANILA, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Foreign direct investment (FDI) that flowed into the Philippines declined year-on-year by 29.6 percent in October 2023 to 655 million U.S. dollars, the country's central bank said Wednesday. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the latest figure brought the country's FDI net inflows from January to October 2023 to 6.5 billion dollars, a 17.5 percent decline from the same period.....»»
Saludar-Kurihara rematch spices up ‘Kumbati 16’ in Cebu
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Froilan Saludar and Japanese Keita Kurihara will have their grudge rematch in the co-main event of Mega Sports Promotions’ ‘Kumbati 16’ at the Convention Center of NUSTAR Resort Cebu on Jan. 26, 2024. To recall, Saludar stunned Kurihara via a first-round technical knockout in his hometown in Tokyo, Japan, last October to.....»»
Siargao to host World Surf qualifier
The Philippines is set to host the largest International Surfing competition in the nation’s history in 2024, following the resounding success of the 27th Siargao International Surfing Tournament held in October last year......»»
FDI inflow down 17.5% in 10 months
The net inflow of foreign direct investments fell by 17.5 percent from January to October 2023, reflecting the adverse impact of persistent inflationary pressures and slowing global growth prospects on investor sentiment......»»