Wednesday, May 6, 2026


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Senado pumabor sa house arrest ni Duterte sa The Hague

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Senado pumabor sa house arrest ni Duterte sa The Hague

MAYNILA — Inaprubahan ng Senado ang isang resolusyon na humihikayat sa International Criminal Court (ICC) na bigyan ng house arrest si dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.

Sa botong 15 pabor, 3 tutol at 2 abstain, naipasa ang Senate Resolution 144 na inihain ni Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. Kabilang sa mga bumoto ng “No” sina Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino, at Kiko Pangilinan, habang nag-abstain sina Senate President Tito Sotto at Sen. Raffy Tulfo.

Ayon sa resolusyon, hinihikayat ang ICC na isailalim sa house arrest si Duterte dahil sa humanitarian reason at dahil sa kanyang edad. Nakasaad din dito na dapat magtalaga ng doktor o medical professional upang suriin kung kakayanin pa ng dating pangulo ang pananatili sa bilangguan.

Sakaling lumabas sa pagsusuri ng mga doktor na ang patuloy na pagkakapiit ni Duterte ay nagpapalala sa kanyang kondisyon medikal, hinikayat ng Senado na sumailalim siya sa house arrest.

“Such arrest, or a similar appropriate arrangement, will be subject to conditions restricting liberty to be imposed by the ICC, presenting no risk to the integrity of the ongoing trial,” nakasaad sa resolusyon.

Musk becomes first person ever to reach $500 billion net worth, report says

Paraluman P. Funtanilla
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Musk becomes first person ever to reach $500 billion net worth, report says

NEW YORK — Elon Musk has made history as the first individual to achieve a net worth of $500 billion, according to Forbes. His fortune crossed the half-trillion mark around 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, placing him about $150 billion ahead of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, currently ranked as the second-richest person in the world.

Musk’s rise in wealth has been meteoric. In March 2020, his net worth stood at $24.6 billion; by late 2020, he had passed $100 billion, by 2021, he surpassed $200 billion, and in 2024, he became the first person to exceed $400 billion. At his current trajectory, some analysts believe he could become the world’s first trillionaire by 2033, especially if Tesla’s proposed $1 trillion compensation plan begins vesting.

Much of Musk’s wealth is tied to Tesla, where he holds a roughly 12.4 % stake. Tesla shares rose more than 14 % this year, and a 3.3 % gain on Wednesday alone contributed over $6 billion to his net worth. Other ventures, such as his AI company xAI and his space exploration firm SpaceX, also play key roles in his valuation.

Tesla’s board has proposed a compensation package for Musk that, if fully realized, could stretch into the trillions and hinges on ambitious performance goals. Meanwhile, rival fortunes have shifted: Ellison now trails Musk by an estimated $150 billion.

While Musk now claims a new milestone, market volatility could swing valuation estimates. Even so, his ascent underscores how symbolic and literal wealth accumulation continues to intersect with technology, markets, and leadership in the 21st century.

Synagogue attack in Manchester leaves 2 dead, police call it terrorism

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Synagogue attack in Manchester leaves 2 dead, police call it terrorism

MANCHESTER, England — A man drove a car into worshippers outside a synagogue in northern England on Thursday and then began stabbing people, killing two and seriously injuring at least three in what authorities declared a terrorist attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Greater Manchester Police said officers shot and killed the suspect, later identified as 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, Jihad Al-Shamie. He was wearing a vest that appeared to contain explosives, delaying confirmation of his death, but police later confirmed no bomb was found.

The Metropolitan Police, which oversees counterterrorism operations across the U.K., formally declared the incident a terrorist attack. Three others — two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s were arrested on suspicion of terrorism-related offenses.

Authorities said at least three victims remain hospitalized in serious condition: one with stab wounds, another struck by the car, and a third possibly injured as officers subdued the attacker. A fourth person had been reported hurt earlier. Both of the victims who died were Jewish.

The assault occurred outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue around 9:30 a.m., shortly after Yom Kippur services began. Chief Constable Stephen Watson said the suspect “drove directly at pedestrians” before attacking them with a knife. Security guards and congregants were credited with preventing him from entering the prayer service.

Chava Lewin, who lives near the synagogue, said she initially thought the noise she heard was a firework until her husband ran inside to tell her “there had been a terrorist attack.” She recounted how the man “went for the security guard and tried to break into the synagogue.”

Video posted online showed armed police confronting the suspect beneath a blue Star of David painted on the synagogue wall. A bystander was heard saying the man had a bomb before police shot him when he attempted to rise to his feet. Officers later detonated an explosive device to access his vehicle.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the assailant, calling him “vile” and declaring: “He attacked Jews because they are Jews.” Starmer pledged a stronger police presence at synagogues nationwide and promised the Jewish community “the security that you deserve.”

“I promise you that over the coming days, you will see the other Britain, the Britain of compassion, of decency, of love,” Starmer said. “I promise you that this Britain will come together to wrap our arms around your community and show you that Britain is a place where you and your family are safe, secure, and belong.”

King Charles III and Queen Camilla expressed that they were “deeply shocked and saddened” by the attack, offering prayers and gratitude to emergency services.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also extended condolences, saying, “Our hearts are with the families of the murdered, and we pray for the swift recovery of the wounded. As I warned at the UN, Weakness in the face of terrorism only brings more terrorism. Only strength and unity can defeat it.”

Antisemitic incidents in the U.K. have risen sharply since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza. The Community Security Trust, an organization that monitors antisemitism, recorded over 1,500 incidents in the first half of 2025, the second-highest six-month total ever recorded.

Rabbi Jonathan Romain of Maidenhead Synagogue described the incident as “every rabbi’s or every Jewish person’s worst nightmare,” emphasizing the significance of Yom Kippur as both the most sacred day in Judaism and a time of large gatherings.

The Manchester attack came eight years after Britain’s deadliest recent terrorist assault, the 2017 Ariana Grande concert bombing that killed 22 people in the city.

Following Thursday’s incident, authorities enacted “Plato,” the national response code for marauding terror attacks. Starmer returned early from a summit in Copenhagen to chair an emergency government meeting, while officials confirmed additional police deployments to synagogues across the country.

Search and rescue ops sa Cebu tinapos na; aftershocks umabot na sa 3,685

Venus L Peñaflor
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Search and rescue ops sa Cebu tinapos na; aftershocks umabot na sa 3,685

CEBU CITY — Itinigil na ng mga awtoridad ang search and rescue operations sa hilagang bahagi ng Cebu matapos ang 6.9 magnitude na lindol na tumama sa Bogo City at kalapit na mga lugar.

Ayon kay Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Spokesman Junie Castillo, wala nang naiulat na nawawalang residente batay sa ulat ng mga lokal na opisyal sa Incident Command Post. Natapos na rin ang paghahanap sa mga nasawi at nasugatan.

“Sa kasalukuyan ang prayoridad ay ang paglilinis ng mga debris sa mga kritikal na pasilidad at relief operations sa mga naapektuhang pamilya,” ani Castillo.

Kinumpirma rin ni PNP Public Information Office Chief P/Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño na tinapos na ng mga pulis ang search at retrieval operations noong Miyerkules ng gabi. “All accounted na ang mga nawawala partikular na sa Bogo City na pinakamatinding niyanig ng lindol,” wika niya.

Bilang ng aftershocks, patuloy na tumataas

Samantala, iniulat ng Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) na umabot na sa 3,685 ang aftershocks mula nang tumama ang lindol. Sa 4 a.m. update nitong Biyernes, sinabi ng ahensya na 18 sa mga ito ang naramdaman, na may lakas mula magnitude 1.0 hanggang 5.1.

Ayon sa OCD, pumalo na sa 73 ang kabuuang bilang ng nasawi. Marami namang survivors ang napilitang matulog sa gilid ng kalsada at gumamit ng plastik bilang pantakip sa katawan dahil sa patuloy na banta ng aftershocks at mga gusaling posibleng gumuho.

Binigyang-diin ni PHIVOLCS Director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol na asahan pa ang mga aftershocks sa mga susunod na araw o linggo.

“Inaasahan natin na magkakaroon pa ng mga aftershocks in the next few days. Sometimes the aftershocks would last for several weeks,” ani Bacolcol. “Habang tumatagal naman, bumababa ang number ng aftershocks natin, and humihina din yung magnitude.”

Pinayuhan din niya ang mga residente na magpakonsulta muna sa mga eksperto bago bumalik sa kanilang mga tahanan. “If there are visible damages sa mga istruktura kung saan sila nakatira, huwag muna silang pumasok,” aniya. “They have to consult their municipal or city engineers kasi kung hindi man ito totally na-damage during the main shock, baka ma-damage ito totally during a strong aftershock.”

Bagyong Paolo, lumakas habang papalapit sa Aurora at Isabela

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Bagyong Paolo, lumakas habang papalapit sa Aurora at Isabela

DOST/PAGASA – Lumalakas ang Severe Tropical Storm Paolo habang ito’y papalapit sa hilagang bahagi ng Aurora at katimugang bahagi ng Isabela nitong Biyernes ng umaga, ayon sa Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Sa abiso ng PAGASA kaninang alas singko ng umaga, nakatakdang mag-landfall si Paolo sa pagitan ng dalawang probinsya ngayong umaga ng Oktubre 3, 2025.

“The center of Severe Tropical Storm PAOLO was estimated based on all available data including those from Baler and Daet Doppler Weather Radar 150 km East of Casiguran, Aurora (16.0 °N, 123.5 °E ),” ayon sa PAGASA.

Kumikilos ang bagyo sa direksyong West Northwest sa bilis na 20 km/h, taglay ang pinakamalakas na hangin na 100 km/h malapit sa gitna at pagbugso na aabot sa 125 km/h.

Mga Signal Warning

Itinaas ang Signal No. 3 sa mga sumusunod na lugar:

  • Hilagang bahagi ng Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan)
  • Gitna at timog na bahagi ng Isabela (kabilang ang Santiago City, Cauayan City, at iba pang bayan)
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Quirino
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Nueva Vizcaya
  • Mountain Province
  • Ifugao
  • Timog-silangang bahagi ng Abra (Tubo)
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Benguet
  • Gitna at timog na bahagi ng Ilocos Sur
  • Hilagang bahagi ng La Union

Signal No. 2 naman sa:

  • Gitna at timog na bahagi ng Cagayan (kabilang ang Tuguegarao City)
  • Natitirang bahagi ng Isabela, Quirino at Nueva Vizcaya
  • Gitnang bahagi ng Aurora (Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora, San Luis)
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Nueva Ecija
  • Gitna at timog na bahagi ng Apayao
  • Kalinga
  • Natitirang bahagi ng Abra at Benguet
  • Gitna at timog na bahagi ng Ilocos Norte
  • Natitirang bahagi ng Ilocos Sur at La Union
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Pangasinan (kabilang ang Dagupan City at Alaminos City)

Signal No. 1 sa:

  • Natitirang bahagi ng Cagayan kabilang ang Babuyan Islands
  • Natitirang bahagi ng Aurora
  • Hilagang Quezon kabilang ang Polillo Islands
  • Camarines Norte
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Camarines Sur
  • Catanduanes
  • Natitirang bahagi ng Apayao at Ilocos Norte
  • Natitirang bahagi ng Pangasinan at Nueva Ecija
  • Hilagang Bulacan
  • Tarlac
  • Hilagang-silangang Pampanga
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Zambales

Posibleng maging malakas na bagyo

Ayon sa PAGASA, “PAOLO is forecast to move generally west-northwestward throughout the forecast period. On the forecast track, PAOLO may make landfall in northern Aurora or southern Isabela this morning or noon. Further southward shift of track is possible depending on the strength of the high-pressure area located north of PAOLO.”

Matapos tawirin ang Hilagang Luzon, lalabas ito sa West Philippine Sea ngayong hapon o mamayang gabi at patuloy na kikilos hanggang sa lumabas ng Philippine Area of Responsibility bukas ng umaga, Oktubre 4.

Inaasahang lalo pang lalakas si Paolo habang nasa karagatan, at “highly likely” na ito’y maging ganap na bagyo (typhoon) pagdating sa West Philippine Sea, dagdag ng ahensya.

Study finds stronger evidence of habitable conditions on Saturn’s moon Enceladus

Venus L Peñaflor
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Study finds stronger evidence of habitable conditions on Saturn’s moon Enceladus

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Scientists have discovered new organic compounds in icy geysers erupting from Saturn’s moon Enceladus, strengthening the case that the small ocean world could host conditions suitable for life.

The findings, published Wednesday in Nature Astronomy, are based on data collected in 2008 during NASA’s Cassini spacecraft’s close flyby of Enceladus. The moon, only 310 miles (500 kilometers) across, has long intrigued scientists because of its hidden subsurface ocean and powerful plumes of water vapor and ice particles streaming from cracks near its south pole.

“Being habitable and being inhabited are two very different things. We believe that Enceladus is habitable, but we do not know if life is indeed present,” said Fabian Klenner of the University of Washington, who co-authored the study.

An international team reanalyzed grains of ice captured by Cassini’s cosmic dust analyzer during its passage through Enceladus’ geysers. These newer grains struck the spacecraft at 40,000 mph (64,800 kph), allowing for clearer chemical readings than older particles previously found in Saturn’s outermost ring. While earlier studies had identified organics, questions remained about whether long exposure to space radiation had altered them.

The fresh analysis revealed familiar organic molecules, confirming their origin in Enceladus’ ocean, as well as newly identified chemical compounds. Scientists believe the moon’s rocky core and possible hydrothermal vents on its ocean floor may resemble environments on Earth where microbial life thrives.

“We are confident that these molecules originate from the subsurface ocean of Enceladus, enhancing its habitability potential,” lead author Nozair Khawaja of the Free University of Berlin said in an email.

Cassini, launched in 1997 as a joint mission of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian Space Agency, ended its mission in 2017 with a controlled plunge into Saturn’s atmosphere. Researchers now advocate for new missions to probe Enceladus more directly.

“Having a variety of organic compounds on an extraterrestrial water world is simply phenomenal,” Klenner said.

ESA has begun early planning for a potential lander mission to Enceladus decades from now, while China has also proposed a landing. Meanwhile, NASA’s Europa Clipper is en route to Jupiter’s moon Europa, another prime target in the search for habitable environments, with arrival planned for 2030. ESA’s Juice mission is also headed to Jupiter to study Europa and other icy moons believed to conceal subsurface oceans.

“Underground oceans on moons are perhaps the best candidates for the emergence of extraterrestrial life in our solar system. This work only confirms the need for further studies,” said Nigel Mason, a physics professor at the University of Kent who was not involved in the research.

Israel tells Palestinians to evacuate Gaza City, warns those who remain will be treated as militants

Venus L Peñaflor
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Israel tells Palestinians to evacuate Gaza City, warns those who remain will be treated as militants

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel’s defense minister has ordered all Palestinians to evacuate Gaza City, warning that those who remain will be considered militant supporters and face the “full force” of Israel’s offensive. The directive, issued Wednesday, comes amid continued airstrikes that killed at least 21 people across the territory, according to local hospitals.

“This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south,” Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X. “Those who remain in Gaza will be (considered) terrorists and terror supporters.”

The evacuation order has intensified the exodus, with roads south crowded by trucks, cars, and families traveling on foot. “We left barefoot,” said resident Hussein al-Del. “The Israelis were striking at random, with no mercy for anyone. We left behind our food, our furniture, blankets, and everything. We left only with our souls.”

Strikes on Gaza City Wednesday killed at least seven people, including first responders, when two missiles hit a school sheltering displaced residents, according to Al-Ahli Hospital. Later strikes killed five people near a water tank and one in an apartment, while hospitals in central Gaza reported at least eight more fatalities. A strike on a tent at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital injured two others.

Among the victims was freelance journalist Yahya Barzaq, killed Tuesday alongside five others while working for Turkish broadcaster TRT. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that more than 189 Palestinian media workers have died since the war began. Israel, which has not commented on the latest strikes, maintains it does not target civilians and blames Hamas for operating in populated areas.

Since Israel launched its offensive last month, around 400,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City, though hundreds of thousands remain trapped by poverty, illness, or fear of unsafe conditions in southern camps. U.N. agencies estimate that 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, and the International Committee of the Red Cross announced it had suspended operations in Gaza City due to intensifying combat.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 66,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 170,000 injured since the conflict began, with women and children accounting for about half of the dead. The figures, widely regarded as reliable by U.N. agencies, do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The war began with the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel in October 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 others abducted. Most hostages have since been released, but Israel believes 48 remain in Gaza, around 20 of them still alive.

Meanwhile, Hamas is weighing a new 20-point ceasefire proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump, which calls for the release of hostages, Hamas’ disarmament, and Gaza’s reconstruction under international governance. The plan, however, does not outline a path to Palestinian statehood.

A senior Hamas official told the Associated Press that “some points in the proposal are unacceptable and must be amended,” adding that consultations with other factions are ongoing. Egypt and Qatar, key mediators, have also called for revisions. The Palestinian Authority has welcomed the proposal, along with several Arab and Muslim nations, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Indonesia.

In a related development, Israeli forces intercepted several boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla, a high-profile activist convoy carrying medicine and food to Gaza. Among those on board was Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, shown in an Israeli government video surrounded by soldiers after the flotilla was diverted to an Israeli port.

The flotilla, comprising about 40 civilian vessels with nearly 500 activists, had drawn international attention and support from Turkey, Spain, and Italy. Organizers condemned the interception as a “war crime” and claimed Israeli forces used water cannons and attempted to sink at least one boat, though this account could not be independently verified.

Turkey denounced the raid as “an act of terror,” while protests broke out in Italy. Israeli authorities reiterated that Gaza’s maritime blockade would be enforced.

Despite international pressure, both Israel and Hamas remain entrenched in their positions. Israel has vowed to continue its campaign until Hamas is dismantled, while Palestinians face growing displacement, famine, and civilian casualties. With no breakthrough in ceasefire negotiations, Gaza remains caught between escalating military operations and a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.

Paolo naging bagyo na, 22 lugar nasa Signal No. 1

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Paolo naging bagyo na, 22 lugar nasa Signal No. 1

MAYNILA — Itinaas na sa kategoryang tropical storm ang bagyong Paolo, na nagdulot ng Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 sa 22 lugar sa Luzon at Bicol Region, ayon sa ulat ng PAGASA nitong Huwebes ng umaga.

Sa 5 a.m. bulletin, sinabi ng PAGASA na taglay ni Paolo ang pinakamalakas na hangin na umaabot sa 65 kilometro kada oras malapit sa gitna at pagbugso ng hanggang 80 kph. Kumikilos ito pa-kanluran hilagang-kanluran sa bilis na 20 kph.

Ayon sa ahensya, nasa Signal No. 1 ang mga sumusunod na lugar:

  • Mainland Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya
  • Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet
  • Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Zambales (Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz)
  • Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, San Ildefonso)
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba, Mabalacat City)
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Quezon kabilang ang Polillo Islands
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Catanduanes (Pandan, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga)

Nasa layong 705 kilometro silangan ng Infanta, Quezon ang bagyo dakong 4 a.m.

Inaasahan ng PAGASA na higit pang lalakas si Paolo bago tumama sa kalupaan ng Isabela o hilagang Aurora sa Biyernes ng umaga.

“Further southward shift of track is possible depending on the strength of the high-pressure area located north of Paolo. After crossing the landmass of Northern Luzon, it will emerge over the West Philippine Sea tomorrow afternoon and will continue moving west-northwestward until it exits the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday morning,” ayon sa PAGASA.

Sa susunod na 24 oras, makakaranas ng ulan na may kasamang malalakas na hangin ang Catanduanes, Aurora, Quirino at Isabela. Magdadala naman ng maulap na kalangitan na may kalat-kalat na pag-ulan at thunderstorms ang trough ng bagyo sa Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region, CALABARZON, nalalabing bahagi ng Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, Nueva Ecija at Bulacan.

Asahan din ang localized thunderstorms sa iba pang bahagi ng bansa.

Katamtaman ang magiging lagay ng hangin at karagatan sa hilaga at silangang bahagi ng Luzon, habang banayad hanggang katamtaman naman ang kondisyon sa natitirang bahagi ng bansa.

Lindol sa Cebu, 69 patay, 175 sugatan; pinsala umabot sa P2 bilyon

Venus L Peñaflor
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Lindol sa Cebu, 69 patay, 175 sugatan; pinsala umabot sa P2 bilyon

MAYNILA — Umakyat na sa 69 ang bilang ng mga nasawi habang mahigit 180 ang sugatan sa tumamang magnitude 6.9 na lindol sa Bogo City, Cebu nitong Martes ng gabi, ayon sa opisyal na ulat ng Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

Sa breakdown na inilabas ng OCD, 30 ang namatay sa Bogo City, 22 sa San Remigio, 10 sa Medellin, lima sa Tobogon, at tig-iisa sa Sogod at Tabuelan. Marami sa mga biktima ang nasawi matapos maipit o mabagsakan ng guho.

“We are receiving additional numbers of reported casualties. Kaya very fluid pa po,” ayon kay OCD Deputy Administrator Bernardino Rafael Alejandro IV, na nagbabala ring iwasan muna ng publiko ang pagbabalik sa kanilang mga bahay hangga’t hindi nadedeklarang ligtas.

Ayon sa Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), tumama ang lindol alas-9:59 ng gabi sa Bogo City. Unang naitala ito sa magnitude 6.7 bago itinaas sa 6.9, may lalim na limang kilometro at tectonic ang pinagmulan. Umabot sa 848 ang naitalang aftershocks, kung saan apat ang naramdaman.


Sa ulat ng GMA Regional TV, siksikan ang mga pasyente sa Bogo Provincial Hospital na umabot na sa full capacity. Ayon kay Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro, kinakailangan nang ilipat ang mga bagong pasyente sa ibang ospital at nananawagan siya ng mga dagdag na doktor tulad ng surgeon at orthopedic specialist.

Tinatayang nasa 27,000 pamilya ang apektado sa Northern Cebu, ayon sa Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), na nagsimulang magbigay ng family food packs at ready-to-eat meals. Higit 1,000 katao rin ang pansamantalang nasa evacuation centers.
Umabot sa P2 bilyon ang tinatayang halaga ng pinsala sa imprastruktura, kabilang ang mga lumang gusali at simbahan na nagtamo ng matinding sira. Suspendido ang klase at trabaho sa ilang lugar, at inilagay sa yellow alert ang Visayas power grid matapos mawalan ng suplay ng kuryente sa ilang planta.

Ayon sa Department of Veterans Affairs, patuloy ang serbisyo ng libing sa mga pambansang sementeryo ngunit hindi muna makakapagtayo ng mga lapida o makakapaglinis ng paligid.
Minobilisa ni Gov. Baricuatro ang provincial medical teams at nanawagan ng dagdag na volunteers para sa rescue at relief operations.

Tumungo na rin sa Cebu si Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., na siyang chairman ng National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), upang personal na magsagawa ng assessment kasama ang iba pang opisyal.

Samantala, tiniyak ni Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa na sasagutin ng Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) ang gastusin sa pagpapagamot ng mga nasugatan dahil sa lindol.

Phivolcs Director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol naman ay nagpaalala sa publiko na iwasan ang mga lugar na landslide-prone dahil posible pang magkaroon ng malalakas na aftershock.

Government shutdown deepens as Trump freezes $26 billion, layoffs loom

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Government shutdown deepens as Trump freezes $26 billion, layoffs loom

WASHINGTON – The federal government entered a shutdown Wednesday with no clear path to resolution, as President Donald Trump’s administration froze $26 billion earmarked for Democratic-leaning states and warned of mass layoffs if the standoff persists.

The funding freeze targeted $18 billion for transit projects in New York, home to Congress’s top Democrats, and $8 billion for green-energy programs in 16 Democratic-run states, including California and Illinois. The move followed Trump’s pledge to use the shutdown to pressure political opponents and tighten his control over the $7 trillion federal budget.

Vice President JD Vance said at a White House briefing that the administration could be forced to move beyond furloughs and enact permanent layoffs if the shutdown drags on, adding to the 300,000 federal workers already slated for dismissal by the end of December. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office separately confirmed that it would cut 1% of its 14,000 employees.

Overall, some 750,000 federal employees have been ordered to stay home, while others, such as troops, Border Patrol agents, and some Homeland Security staff, continue working without pay. Agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, said burials at national cemeteries would proceed, but headstone installation and groundskeeping would stop. Smithsonian museums are expected to remain open through Monday, while national parks face pressure to close amid safety and staffing concerns.

Democrats condemned the White House’s decision to freeze infrastructure and clean-energy funds. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said cuts to New York projects would cost “thousands of jobs,” while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of “using the American people as pawns, threatening pain on the country as blackmail.”

Republicans expressed mixed views. Senator Thom Tillis cautioned that withholding funds could make it harder for Congress to end the shutdown. Senate Republican Leader John Thune dismissed the criticism, saying, “Well, vote to open up the government and that issue goes away, right? I mean, it’s pretty straightforward.”

The shutdown is the 15th since 1981 and the third under Trump. It comes as Democrats demand the renewal of expiring health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, calling it a “moral issue” affecting millions of Americans facing rising insurance premiums. Republicans have resisted tying the subsidies to budget negotiations, though some have floated possible extensions outside of shutdown talks.

Both chambers of Congress failed to pass stopgap measures this week. The Senate rejected a Republican bill funding the government through November 21 and a Democratic plan that paired government spending with health care support. Republicans, who hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber, need at least seven Democratic votes to clear the 60-vote threshold for spending bills.

Tensions have been inflamed by Trump’s combative approach. At a meeting with congressional leaders, he handed out “Trump 2028” caps and later shared a widely criticized video mocking Democratic figures. In a joint statement, Schumer and Jeffries said, “President Trump’s behavior has become more erratic and unhinged. Instead of negotiating a bipartisan agreement in good faith, he is obsessively posting crazed deepfake videos.”

Meanwhile, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget instructed agencies to prepare not only for furloughs but also layoffs, an unusual step in past shutdowns. The directive has fueled fears of long-term damage to government operations and ripple effects across the economy.

Wall Street opened lower on Wednesday but later rallied to fresh highs, reflecting investor uncertainty about the shutdown’s impact. Economists warn that prolonged disruption could slow economic growth, particularly if federal contracts, health services, and benefit payments are delayed.

The current standoff echoes past funding battles. The longest shutdown in U.S. history lasted 35 days in 2018–2019 during Trump’s first term, sparked by his demands for border wall funding. In 2013, the government shut down for 16 days under President Barack Obama over Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

With no new negotiations scheduled, lawmakers on both sides continue to blame each other while bracing for a prolonged standoff. “Clearly, they wanted to shut the government down,” Jeffries said in a CNN interview.

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