Inquirer Breaking News

MOSCOW---Lyudmila Navalnaya, the mother of dead Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, demanded on Tuesday that President Vladimir Putin hand over her son's body so she could bury him. Navalny, 47, fell unconscious and died suddenly on Friday after a walk at the "Polar Wolf" penal colony above the Arctic Circle where he was serving a three-decade sentence, the prison service said. (See related story in World, Page A9.) Speaking in a video filmed in front of the prison as small snow flakes swirled in the air, his mother---dressed in black---complained she did not even know where her son's corpse was and demanded Putin give the order to release it. Up to 'you alone' "For a f...

Keep on reading: Navalny’s mother to Putin: Hand over my son’s body

  MANILA, Philippines --- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he wants to relax regulations on transportation network vehicle services (TNVS). In a post late Tuesday night, Marcos said that the government is working with TNVS company Grab. "We're working with Grab to legalize motorcycle taxis and relax regulations on TNVS," Marcos said in a Facebook post. READ: House spots holes in prolonged study on motorcycle taxis "More transport options will benefit commuters, drivers, and MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises)," Marcos added. READ: LTFRB: New 100,000 TNVS slots are for motorcycles, 4-wheeled vehicles The government has long been studying the viabil...

Keep on reading: Marcos wants to relax regulations on TNVS

Only 10 players from Gilas Pilipinas' long-haul cast will be seeing action in the Fiba (International Basketball Federation) Asia Cup qualifiers this coming Thursday when the National Five finally takes the first step in its four-year quest to return to the Fiba World Cup and Olympic Games. Both young big man AJ Edu and seven-time Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo are going to be shelved due to injuries, with former skipper Japeth Aguilar coming in as the lone stopgap measure. While it's a bit disappointing not to see this new-look Gilas crew debut at full strength, national coach Tim Cone pointed out that injuries are one of the many hurdl...

Keep on reading: Cone to have just 10 healthy men vs Hong Kong as Fajardo, Edu out

Despite displaying a strong performance in a preseason tournament, Brooke van Sickle still felt the nerves in her first game in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL). "I felt like we're a little tense, not really flowing as well. Probably first game jitters a little bit," said the Filipino-American hitter after only contributing seven points in Petro Gazz's otherwise dominating 25-12, 25-20, 25-12 victory against league newcomer Strong Group Athletics (SGA) at PhilSports Arena on Tuesday. "It's still really good to start PVL with a win. [The] other team did really well, they blocked very well and they're really scrappy so it was a good win," she added. Chery Tiggo also welcome...

Keep on reading: Jittery Van Sickle, Petro Gazz still too much for SGA

A conference to remember is obviously not enough for CJ Perez to be considered a cinch for the biggest individual award left to be won at this point of the Philippine Basketball Association's (PBA) 48th season. That's because his San Miguel Beer teammate June Mar Fajardo is suddenly in contention for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy, the coveted individual plum the gentle giant has unprecedentedly won seven times. Ineligible to cop the Best Player of the Conference (BPC) award that Perez claimed owing to a lack of games, Fajardo suddenly jumped into the lead of the MVP derby at the end of the recent Commissioner's Cup, which the Beermen ruled, as Perez sits in third spot b...

Keep on reading: June Mar on prowl for yet another MVP trophy

OTTAWA - Canada's annual inflation rate cooled much more than expected to 2.9 percent in January, largely on lower gas prices, while core inflation measures dropped to their lowest levels in more than two years, data showed on Tuesday. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast inflation to tick down to 3.3 percent from 3.4 percent in December. At 2.9 percent, headline inflation rate is back in the Bank of Canada's 1 percent-3 percent control range for the first time since June 2023. Month-over-month, the consumer price index was unchanged, compared with a forecast of a 0.4-percent rise. Two of the Bank of Canada's (BoC) three core measures of underlying inflation also edged do...

Keep on reading: Canada’s January inflation rate drops more than expected to 2.9%

MANILA, Philippines --- The Land Transportation Office (LTO) vehicle plate-making plant will shift to a 24-hour operation schedule so it can address its backlog, officials told a House of Representatives panel on Tuesday. During the hearing of the House committee on transportation, LTO Property Section Head Clarissa Ogsimer said that after the plate-making plant has finished all its maintenance works, the production will shift to a 24-hour operation, increasing the daily output from 38,000 plates to 48,600 plates. Currently, the plant is producing around 28,000 plates per day, but boosting it to 38,000 will mean that the agency can cover its 12.50 million backlog in plates by t...

Keep on reading: LTO plate-making plant to operate 24 hours to address backlog

One of the things Ricci Rivero loves about his girlfriend, Leren Mae Bautista, is her eagerness to help others. And seeing her do her job as a public servant, he said, inspires him to do better. "Yes, of course, [she inspires me]. Work-wise, sobrang hands-down ako sa kanya. She always stays up late and gets up early to serve or help other people. She does what she does to the best of her abilities," Ricci said of Leren, a former beauty queen who now serves as a municipal councilor in Los Baos, Laguna. "As for myself, I try to think of ways to help in any way possible, like giving out extra food. I have always had that in me, but she pushes me to do more," the basketball player-...

Keep on reading: How intrigues brought Ricci Rivero and GF closer together

MANILA, Philippines --- The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (Cocopea) warned legislators on Tuesday to tread lightly in introducing amendments to the 1987 Constitution, saying it may have long standing and complicated repercussions to Filipinos. Cocopea chairperson Albert Delvo, during the Senate's hearing on Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, said they have yet to come up with a definite stand on economic Charter change (Cha-cha). "[But] initial conversations from our rank and file are to this direction -- that we respectfully urge the lawmakers to proceed with caution regarding introducing amendments to the pertinent provisions [of th...

Keep on reading: Cocopea warns lawmakers on amending 1987 Constitution: Be careful

MANILA, Philippines --- A resolution seeking to investigate the circumstances surrounding the "warrantless arrest" of filmmaker Jade Castro and his three companions in Mulanay, Quezon, has been filed before the House of Representatives. Makabayan bloc lawmakers ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel filed House Resolution 1596 on Monday directing the committee on public order and safety to conduct a thorough probe on the case. In the resolution, the lawmakers explained that "[n]o person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal p...

Keep on reading: Makabayan solons move to probe warrantless arrest of filmmaker

MANILA, Philippines --- A bill that seeks to reinstate divorce was brought to the House plenary for consideration and debate during Tuesday's session. House Bill (HB) No. 9349 or the Absolute Divorce Act, as contained in Committee Report No. 962, was sponsored by different lawmakers --- including staunch divorce advocate Albay 2nd District Rep. Edcel Lagman, Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John Garcia, Negros Occidental 4th District Rep. Juliet Ferrer, and Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas. According to Garcia, the Philippines remains the only country in the world which does not have divorce as a way for dissolving failed marriages --- save for the Vatican, a small city-state...

Keep on reading: Bill reinstating divorce now brought to House plenary

MANILA, Philippines --- Government officials on Tuesday forged an agreement to institutionalize the Public Employment Service Office (PESO). During a ceremony at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Main Office in Manila on Tuesday, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr., and PESO Managers Association of the Philippines National President Luningning Vergara signed a memorandum of agreement for the institutionalization of PESO. Under the agreement, DILG, DOLE, and PESOMAP will work together to establish a PESO office in each local government unit in the country. "Sana maging permanente 'yung opisina nila, maging permanente 'yung mga...

Keep on reading: Gov’t execs sign MOA to institutionalize employment service offices

MANILA, Philippines --- All resources to be spent on Charter change (Cha-cha) are unconscionable waste, said former chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Dr. Patricia Licuanan on Tuesday. Speaking at the Senate's hearing on Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, Licuanan bucked proposals to ease foreign ownership of educational institutions in the Philippines via Cha-cha. "As a citizen who loves her country and worries about its future, I share the dismay of many over all this fuss about Cha-cha at a time when the country has so many serious problems. I'm not convinced that amending the Constitution is the solution to our economic woes," said Licuanan. Licuanan ...

Keep on reading: Ex-CHEd Chair Licuanan says Cha-cha efforts are unconscionable waste

MANILA, Philippines --- A House of Representatives panel has recommended the filing criminal complaints against vape companies Denkat Philippines, a local firm subject to House Resolution (HR) No. 1437, and Top King. During the hearing of the House committee on ways and means on Tuesday, Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez moved to suggest that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) file the appropriate cases against Denkat for allegedly conspiring with Flava Corporation, a brand from China being investigated for "possibly massive" tax evasion totaling billions of pesos. Citing the committee report, Rodriguez revealed that Dennis ...

Keep on reading: Rep. Rufus Rodriguez tells BOC, BIR to file raps vs vape firms

MANILA, Philippines --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWD) said on Tuesday that it is working with the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) for any adjustments to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, or 4Ps. This follows after President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. told the DSWD to ensure that inflation will not affect the financial assistance given by the government. READ: Marcos wants DSWD to adjust cash aid for inflation "Inflation always hits the bottom 30 the hardest so that is why the President instructed DSWD to work with PSA and Neda to come up with a right mechanism to protect the...

Keep on reading: DSWD works with Neda for 4Ps adjustments amid inflation

MANILA, Philippines --- A Bulacan court has ordered the arrest of environmental activists Jhonila Castro and Jhed Tamano for grave oral defamation. According to the arrest warrant penned by Presiding Judge Jonna Veridiano on February 2, the two committed grave oral defamation under Article 358 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Section 94 of Republic Act No. 10951. Bail was set at P18,000 for Castro and Tamano. On February 15, the Supreme Court granted a writ of amparo and habeas data to Castro and Tamano, citing threats or violations to their life, liberty, and security. The charges stem from the approval of the Department of Justice to file cases against the...

Keep on reading: Bulacan court orders arrest of 2 environmental activists

MANILA, Philippines --- The recent signing of laws aimed at strengthening the Charter and expanding course offerings in four state universities will improve quality education for its learners, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said on Tuesday. These four measures that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. signed recently are as follows: Republic Act (RA) 11980 or the Revised Bulacan State University (BulSU) Charter RA 11978 or the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University-South La Union Campus-College of Medicine RA 11977 or the Establishment of the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) Floridablanca Campus RA 11979 that converts the Polytechnic U...

Keep on reading: New laws to improve education in 4 state universities – Villanueva

Edgar Allan Guzman confessed that the first two years of practicing celibacy (or abstaining from sex) with his fianc Shaira Diaz was difficult, although they remained firm about saving themselves for marriage since 2013. During a "Fast Talk with Boy Abunda" interview on Monday, Feb. 19, Guzman looked back at the time he and Diaz decided to practice celibacy in their relationship wherein the actor-host cried about it at first. "First two years namin, umiiyak ako sa kanya. Kasi ang hirap. To be honest, ang hirap. Noong time na yun, parang hindi ko na kaya. Kasi siyempre 'diba," he said knowingly before laughing. (In our first two years, I was crying about this to her. Because it ...

Keep on reading: Shaira Diaz, Edgar Allan Guzman on practicing celibacy before marriage

  MANILA, Philippines --- President Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday guaranteed an atmosphere of freedom so that art could flourish under his administration. "Rest assured, your government in the Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines) will create a nurturing environment that will see your talent fully and finally bloom. We know that art can only flourish under an atmosphere of freedom, and under Bagong Pilipinas, this is something that we will guarantee," said Marcos in his Ani ng Dangal (Harvest of Honor) 2024 speech at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila. Marcos congratulated the awardees, saying that they were able to bring honor to the country through th...

Keep on reading: Marcos guarantees ‘nurturing environment’ for art to flourish

Maxine Medina and her non-showbiz husband Timmy Llana were overjoyed as they announced they're expecting their first child, four months after saying "I do." The couple confirmed Medina's pregnancy in a joint Instagram post on Tuesday, Feb. 20, where the former beauty queen is excited about being a mother for the first time. "So, this is how it feels to hold an ultrasound photo of our own little one, yieeee... We're thrilled to share the most precious news! We're expecting our first little bundle of joy," Medina wrote, sharing a photo of herself and Llana holding an ultrasound of their baby.   View this post on Instagram ...

Keep on reading: Maxine Medina, non-showbiz husband Timmy Llana expecting first child