Kinumpirma sa isang pahayag kahapon ni dating Batangas 6th District Representative Vilma Santos-Recto na si House Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto ang itinalaga bilang bagong Kalihim ng Department of Finance (DOF).
Inaasahan ang kanyang pormal na panunumpa sa Biyernes ng hapon sa isang oath-taking ceremony sa Malacañang.
Walang ibinigay na karagdagang detalye si Santos-Recto hinggil sa appointment, ngunit inaasahan na magiging mahalaga ang papel ni Recto sa pagtahak ng gobyerno tungo sa economic recovery at fiscal management.
Samantalang ito ay kinumpirma ng kanyang asawa, wala pang opisyal na pahayag ang Presidential Communications Office (PCO) ukol sa pagpapatunay sa nasabing pagtatalaga.
Ang pagtatalaga kay Recto bilang Kalihim ng DOF ay inaasahan ding magdudulot ng positibong pagbabago sa ilalim ng administrasyon, papalitan niya ang nagretirong DOF Secretary Benjamin Diokno.
THE HAGUE. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations’ top court, is currently reviewing a case brought forth by South Africa, accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The submission also calls for the court to order Israel to cease its military operations in the region.
While the ICJ will only provide an opinion on the genocide allegation, stressing that it is not a criminal trial, the case has attracted widespread attention. Israel vehemently denies the accusations, labeling them as “baseless.”
Outside the ICJ’s Peace Palace in The Hague, Dutch police struggled to maintain order as Palestinian and Israeli supporters clashed. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators, waving flags, called for a ceasefire, while Israeli supporters displayed images of hostages still held in Gaza.
South Africa presented its case on Thursday, asserting that Israel’s actions aim to destroy a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial, and ethnic group. The submission outlines allegations of killing Palestinians, causing them harm, and imposing conditions intended to bring about their physical destruction.
Israel is set to present its defense on Friday, justifying its actions as responses to Hamas’s attacks on October 7. South Africa’s Justice Minister Ronald Lamola argued in court that no attack justifies breaches of the Genocide Convention, to which Israel is a signatory.
The ICJ, although its rulings are theoretically binding, lacks enforceability. In 2022, a similar order to Russia to suspend military operations in Ukraine was ignored.
The term “genocide” under international law involves acts with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. The ICJ cannot prosecute individuals for crimes like genocide, but its opinions hold weight with the UN and other international institutions.
While South African President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the ongoing violence in Gaza, Israeli President Isaac Herzog dismissed the accusations as “atrocious and preposterous.” The ICJ’s ruling on South Africa’s request for Israel to halt its military campaign could come swiftly, but a final decision on the genocide allegation may take years. The historical context of South Africa’s opposition to Israel draws parallels with its own struggle against apartheid.
SAN FRANCISCO. Meta announced on Tuesday its plans to conceal inappropriate content related to suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders from teenagers’ accounts on Instagram and Facebook. The social media giant, headquartered in Menlo Park, California, stated in a blog post that it aims to provide safe and age-appropriate experiences for teens on its platforms.
While Meta already avoids recommending “age-inappropriate” content to teenagers, the company has now decided not to display such material in their feeds, even if it is shared by accounts they follow. Meta emphasized its commitment to ensuring that teens can engage in safe digital experiences.
Teen users, whose age during sign-up was accurately provided, will have their accounts subjected to the most restrictive settings on both Instagram and Facebook. Additionally, they will be restricted from searching for terms that might pose harm.
Meta highlighted the complexity of certain content topics, such as ongoing struggles with thoughts of self-harm, acknowledging their importance in destigmatizing these issues. However, the company recognized that such content might not be suitable for all young people, leading to the decision to remove it from teens’ experiences.
This announcement from Meta coincides with ongoing legal challenges as dozens of U.S. states accuse the company of contributing to the youth mental health crisis. Lawsuits allege that Meta knowingly designed features on Instagram and Facebook to addict children to its platforms.
Critics argue that Meta’s recent measures fall short of addressing the broader concerns. Josh Golin, executive director of the children’s online advocacy group Fairplay, commented, “If the company is capable of hiding pro-suicide and eating disorder content, why have they waited until 2024 to announce these changes?” Despite the criticism, Meta remains committed to enhancing safety measures for its younger user base.
Bahagyang tataas ang singil sa kuryente ng Manila Electric Company (Meralco) ngayong Enero.
Magpapatupad ang Meralco ng upward adjustment na P0.08 kada kiloWatt-hour (kwh) sa kanilang electricity rate ngayong buwan bunga ng mas mataas na generation charge.
Dahil sa dagdag-singil, ang overall electricity rate sa isang typical household ay aabot na sa P11.3430 kada kWh mula sa P11.2584 kada kWh noong Disyembre.
Nangangahulugan na ang total electricity bill ng mga tahanang gumagamit ng 200 kWh kada buwan, ay magkakaroon ng hanggang P17 dagdag sa bayarin sa kuryente habang P25 sa kumukonsumo ng 300 kWh.
Nasa P34 naman ang dagdag sa nakakagamit ng 400 kWh at P42 sa 500 kWh kada buwan.
Noong Disyembre 2023 nagpatupad ang Meralco ng P0.80 kada kWh na bawas sa singil sa kuryente dahil sa pagbaba ng presyo sa spot market.
STA. CRUZ, Laguna. Laguna’s young farmers recently achieved notable success in the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Young Farmers’ Challenge (YFC) 2023 Competition. The awarding ceremony took place at the Lipa Grill in Lipa City, Batangas.
Several future-generation agricultural entrepreneurs from Laguna were recognized in the YFC Start-Up (Open Category) Provincial Awards. The awardees include:
Tanim Kabihasnan by Mr. Endrei Dale B. Dela Cruz from Biñan City
Zoila’s House of Bees by Ms. Ava Minaeir S. Velasco from Nagcarlan
Aesthetic Aquaponic by Mr. Jerwin L. Patiga from Calamba City
Fish & Greens Solar Aquaponic Garden & Smoothie Place by Ms. Dianne S. Pagalanan from Sta. Cruz
JG Shoeshine Enterprise by Mr. Jerald A. Gorgonia and Mr. Darwin D. Alejandrino from Famy
Green Growth Solutions by Mr. Emmanuel A. Abarquez from Majayjay.
In addition, the YFC Start-Up (Open Category) Regional Awardees were JG Shoeshine Enterprise by Mr. Jerald A. Gorgonia and Mr. Darwin D. Alejandrino. The YFC Enterprise Scaling-Up: UPSCALE Regional Awardee was Valentin Integrated Farm by Roanne Joy A. Valentin from Majayjay, Laguna.
Since its establishment in 2021, the DA’s YFC program has allocated a total of P149.25 million as start capital funds for 2,955 young farmers, commonly referred to as “agri-preneurs,” facilitating the initiation of their agricultural business ventures.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. NASA disclosed on Tuesday that astronauts will face additional delays before embarking on moon missions, with the crew landing postponed until September 2026. The space agency attributed the delays to safety concerns related to its spacecraft, as well as developmental challenges with moonsuits and landers from private industry.
Initially planned for late this year, NASA rescheduled sending four astronauts around the moon to September 2025. Simultaneously, the first human moon landing in over 50 years was pushed from 2025 to September 2026.
“Safety is our top priority,” emphasized NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, asserting that the delays allow the Artemis teams more time to address challenges.
The announcement coincided with a Pittsburgh company abandoning its lunar landing attempt due to a mission-ending fuel leak. Astrobotic Technology’s Peregrine lander, launched as part of NASA’s commercial lunar program on Monday, was intended to serve as a scout for astronauts. Another Houston company will attempt a lunar landing next month.
NASA heavily relies on private companies for its Artemis moon-landing program, named after the mythological twin sister of Apollo. SpaceX’s Starship mega rocket is crucial for transporting Artemis moonwalkers between lunar orbit and the surface. However, Starship’s limited successful launches and technical challenges have contributed to the delay. A third test flight is planned for February.
The longer the Starship takes to reach orbit, the more NASA must wait for its first moon landing attempt with astronauts since 1972. Despite the delays, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed confidence that the United States won’t be surpassed by China in sending a crew to the moon.
The Government Accountability Office warned in November of a likely 2027 timeline for NASA’s first astronaut moon landing. Technical challenges, including those related to Elon Musk’s Starship and moonwalking suits by Axiom Space, were cited as potential obstacles.
NASA’s Artemis program has experienced repeated delays over the past decade, contributing billions of dollars to the overall cost. Government audits estimate the total program costs at $93 billion through 2025.
Calamba City, Laguna. Bumagsak sa kulungan ang isang lalaki na matagal nang nasa listahan ng Most Wanted sa Calabarzon matapos ang 16 taon ng pagtatago, ayon sa operations group ng CIDG-Calabarzon kahapon.
Kinilala ni Police Col. Jack Malinao, direktor ng CIDG-Calabarzon ang naarestong suspek na si Sherwin Andaya, 42 anyos na residente ng Malvar, Batangas. Siya ay nadakip sa kanyang pinagtataguang lugar sa Barangay San Carlos, Lipa City, Batangas.
Ayon kay Col. Malinao, si Endaya ang pangunahing suspek sa pagpatay kay Ruben Laydia Sr. noong Abril 22, 2007 sa G. Leviste road, Poblacion, Malvar, Batangas.
Nagtago ang suspek ng 16 na taon at nagpalipat-lipat ng tirahan sa loob sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng rehiyon.
Ang pag-aresto kay Endaya ay resulta ng halos dalawang buwang surveillance ng tracker team ng CIDG, kasama ang iba pang yunit ng pulisya.
Sa bisa ng warrant of arrest na inisyu ni Judge Herminigildo Lacap, presiding judge ng RTC branch #38 ng Tanauan City, Batangas, nadakip si Endaya at walang inirekomendang piyansa.
Base sa pahayag ni Police MaJor Helen de la Cruz, opisyal ng impormasyon sa publiko ng CIDG, 4A, ang suspek ay itinuturing na most wanted sa rehiyon at may reward na P135,000 para sa sino mang makatutulong sa paghulisa kanya.
The Hague, Netherlands. A legal battle is set to open at the United Nations’ top court over South Africa’s allegation of Israeli genocide in Gaza. Preliminary hearings begin Thursday, focusing on South Africa’s call for an immediate suspension of Israel’s military actions, a claim vehemently denied by Israel.
The case, likely to be a lengthy process, delves into Israel’s national identity as a Jewish state formed after the Holocaust and South Africa’s comparison of Israel’s policies to its own apartheid history. Despite Israel’s usual skepticism towards international tribunals, it has assembled a robust legal team to defend its actions in response to the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas.
Two days of preliminary hearings start with South Africa presenting why it accuses Israel of “genocidal” acts in the Gaza war. Thursday’s hearing centers on South Africa’s request for binding interim orders, including an immediate halt to Israel’s military campaign. The decision on these orders is expected to take weeks.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza, according to Hamas-run Gaza’s Health Ministry, has resulted in over 23,200 Palestinian deaths, with about two-thirds being women and children. The current case specifically references the Oct. 7 attack, where Palestinian militants killed around 1,200 people, mainly civilians.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken dismissed the case during his visit to Tel Aviv, labeling it as “meritless.” The International Court of Justice has never declared a country responsible for genocide, making the legal threshold challenging for South Africa.
The case revolves around the genocide convention of 1948, with both Israel and South Africa as signatories. South Africa aims to establish Israel’s responsibility for violations, hold it accountable under international law, and ensure protection for Palestinians in Gaza.
South Africa’s legal team, including Jeremy Corbyn, will present arguments, while Israel’s team will refute the allegations. Human Rights Watch sees this as an opportunity to examine Israel’s conduct in Gaza, hoping to alleviate further suffering.
The UN court, headquartered in The Hague, deals with disputes between nations. Next month, Israel faces another hearing on a UN request for a non-binding advisory opinion on the legality of its policies in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
LOS ANGELES. Get ready”Star Wars” enthusiasts, as the adorable Baby Yoda is set to grace the silver screen in a new cinematic adventure. Lucasfilm and Disney jointly announced on Tuesday that Jon Favreau will be at the helm of “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” a highly anticipated production slated to commence later this year.
While a specific release date has yet to be disclosed, the revelation brought joy to the hearts of “Star Wars” fans who have eagerly awaited a new film since the 2019 release of “The Rise of Skywalker.”
“The Mandalorian & Grogu” will serve as a seamless continuation of the immensely popular Disney+ series. Details about the cast remain under wraps, leaving fans in suspense. Pedro Pascal, who has masterfully portrayed the enigmatic masked bounty hunter for three seasons on the small screen, is expected to reprise his role. Joining Favreau in the production will be Dave Filoni, the creative mind behind the series, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.
“I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created,” expressed Favreau in a statement. “The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting.”
Kathleen Kennedy chimed in, stating, “Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have ushered into ‘Star Wars’ two new and beloved characters, and this new story is a perfect fit for the big screen.”
In addition to “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” several other exciting “Star Wars” projects are in the pipeline. Filmmakers Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, James Mangold, and Dave Filoni, the latter concurrently working on the second season of “Ahsoka,” are all contributing to the expanding universe that continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
SAN PABLO CITY, LAGUNA. Brace yourselves for a week-long carnival of culture and festivities as the much-awaited Coco Festival returns to San Pablo City, Laguna, from January 9 to 15. Under the vibrant leadership of Mayor Vicente B. Amante and his wife, Gem Castillo Amante, the city is gearing up for an extravaganza that promises to be bigger and better than ever.
The heart of the celebration, the city plaza, is adorned with lively and colorful banderitas, setting the stage for a spectacular week of activities. Starting at 5 p.m. daily and extending into the late hours, the city will come alive with a plethora of events that showcase the rich cultural tapestry of San Pablo.
One of the festival’s highlights is the bustling local products market, offering a treasure trove of indigenous crafts, handmade products, and regional specialties. Visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the creativity and craftsmanship that define San Pablo City.
Along Rizal Avenue, food enthusiasts will find themselves in a gastronomic paradise, with a myriad of food stalls offering local delicacies and culinary delights. The tantalizing aromas and flavors of the Cook Fest, a culinary competition featuring the city’s culinary maestros, will further elevate the dining experience.
For those seeking a lively atmosphere, the Beer Plaza is the place to be. It provides the perfect backdrop for friends and families to unwind, socialize, and enjoy some of the finest local brews in a convivial setting.
The rhythmic beats of the street dancing competitions will reverberate through the streets, as talented performers showcase traditional dances, adding to the vibrant energy of the festival. The Binibining San Pablo beauty pageant will grace the stage, celebrating the beauty, grace, and intelligence of San Pablo’s empowered women.
Gem Castillo Amante, the esteemed wife of San Pablo City Mayor Vicente B. Amante, has played a pivotal role in elevating the Binibining San Pablo beauty pageant to new heights. Her unwavering commitment and tireless efforts have added a touch of elegance and grace to the prestigious event. Her vision for the Binibining San Pablo Pageant goes beyond the glitz and glamour, aiming to empower and celebrate the intellect, talent, and beauty of San Pablo’s exceptional women.
Tourists from far and wide are expected to flock to San Pablo City to partake in the Coco Festival 2024. Mayor Vicente B. Amante expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “The Coco Festival is not just a celebration; it’s an invitation to experience the heart and soul of San Pablo City. We are thrilled to welcome visitors from all walks of life to join in the festivities.”
Mayor Amante, along with his wife Gem and the dedicated team at the San Pablo City Tourism Office, is committed to making Cocofest 2024 a symbol of recovery and renewal for the community. The festival is expected to serve as a testament to the city’s resilience in the face of adversity after the pandemic.
One of the festival’s highlights is the bustling local products market, offering a treasure trove of indigenous crafts, handmade products, and regional specialties. Visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the creativity and craftsmanship that define San Pablo City.
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