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MANILA, Philippines --- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday canceled his appearance at the Philippine International Dive Expo due to an urgent matter. Following his attendance at the 50th Anniversary of the Design Center of the Philippines, Marcos was supposed to head to the World Trade Center. READ: Marcos sees 'vibrant creative industry' in PH However, the President suddenly had to cancel his attendance at the event. READ: PH is 'Asia's Leading Dive Destination' again, says DOT "Something urgent came up," said Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil in a message to reporters. However, the Palace did not specify what the urgent matters ...

Keep on reading: Marcos cancels appearance at dive expo due to ‘urgent’ matter

Vice Ganda offered to pay for the schooling of a searchee from "It's Showtime" segment "EXpecially for You," who has not been able to continue her studies due to lack of financial support. Nami, a 21-year-old promo girl, was among the three searchees who joined the noontime show's episode on Thursday, Feb. 22. During her conversation with show host Vice Ganda, the comedian asked if she is currently pursuing her studies. "Nag-stop na po [ako dahil sa] financial problem. Bale ako na lang po kasi nagsu-support sa sarili ko," Nami responded. "Baka pag nag-enroll po ako sa college, baka hindi ko kayang pagsabayin 'yung pag-aaral tsaka pagta-trabaho since may monthly rent pa po." ...

Keep on reading: Vice Ganda to pay for ‘It’s Showtime’ searchee’s schooling

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz set the fastest time in Formula One testing on Thursday, delivering a timely reminder of his talents ahead of his final season with the Italian giants. Sainz, who will lose his seat to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at the end of 2024, clocked a best time of 1min 29.921sec on the Sakhir circuit. Sergio Perez, taking over from defending champion Max Verstappen in the Red Bull, was 0.758sec behind with Hamilton third fastest, more than a second off the pace in his Mercedes. The morning session of testing came to an early halt when a drain cover on the track became loose. READ: F1: Carlos Sainz still hopes to fight for a title with Ferrari Bot...

Keep on reading: Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz speeds to top of F1 test charts

BUENO AIRES---Argentina's battered economy contracted 1.6 percent in 2023, the INDEC statistics agency said Thursday. For December, the drop was 4.5 percent compared to the same month a year earlier, and 3.1 percent from November, it said. Financial services, manufacturing, wholesale and retail were among the sectors hardest hit, said an INDEC report. Argentina was hit by severe drought in 2023 that hurt its agroexport industry and subtracted 3.0 percentage points from GDP, according to official data. Last month, the International Monetary Fund -- to which Argentina owes $44 billion -- revised its forecast downward with a contraction of 2.8 percent in 2024. READ: Argentina...

Keep on reading: Argentine economy contracted 1.6% in 2023

MANILA, Philippines --- Motorists were advised to take alternative routes as some roads in Metro Manila will be closed due to reblocking and repairs starting from 11 p.m. on February 23 until 5 a.m. on February 26. READ: Repairing streets still in good condition Below is the list of areas that will be affected, according to an advisory from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday: Edsa southbound, after Cabrera St. Outer Lane, Pasay City Taft Avenue cor. Pedro Gil St., Manila City Rizal Avenue southbound, from 3rd Ave. to 2nd Ave., Caloocan City Along Regalado Avenue northbound in front of Bayantel Fairview (1st lane), Quezon City Along Auror...

Keep on reading: LIST: Road reblocking, repairs in NCR areas from Feb. 23 to 26

LONDON, United Kingdom ---Attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on commercial ships in the Red Sea have sent insurance premiums surging, exacerbating costs already stretched by soaring freight rates and longer alternative trade routes. The Houthis have carried out relentless attacks since November on shipping transiting the Red Sea, a maritime hub through which 12 percent of global trade usually passes. Maritime container transport has sunk by almost one third so far in 2024 compared with a year earlier, according to IMF data. The Iran-backed Houthis argue the attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas conflict. The war started when Hamas launched ...

Keep on reading: Shipping insurance rates soar on Red Sea missile attacks

MANILA, Philippines --- The Palace is still reviewing the impending increase of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) members' contribution. In a message to reporters, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil reiterated President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s statement that the PhilHealth contribution hike must be proportionate to its services. READ: Palace didn't object to hike in premium, says PhilHealth chief "The review is still ongoing. The President wants to ensure that any increase in premium will substantially be much more in value in terms of benefits and coverage to PhilHealth members," said Garafil in a message to reporters. READ: PhilHealt...

Keep on reading: Review of PhilHealth contribution hike still ongoing, says Palace

SINGAPORE - As the bustling trade portion of the first fully post-pandemic Singapore Airshow wound down on Friday, exhibitors and delegates said they were optimistic for the aviation industry despite suppliers' struggles to keep up with the rebound in travel demand. Before the show, organizers predicted that about 50,000 people would attend the four trade days of the show, nearly four times as many than in 2022, when foreign visitors required daily rapid antigen tests for COVID-19, and nearly as many as the 54,000 who visited in 2018. The 2020 edition was rocked by last-minute cancellations as the virus spread around the world. Outside Asia's largest air show, transportation is...

Keep on reading: Post-pandemic recovery fuels robust attendance at Singapore Airshow

MANILA, Philippines --- The Philippines can cultivate a "vibrant creative industry," President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a speech at the 50th anniversary of the Design Center of the Philippines, which staged an art exhibit in the National Museum. "Empowered by the transformative power of design, this exhibition will spark inspiration for the upcoming generation of Filipino designers and creatives, encouraging us to elevate our nation's reputation on a global scale," Marcos said. "Indeed, through collaboration, ingenuity, and innovation, we can cultivate a vibrant creative industry that embodies our heritage, our values, our unique identity, our traditions, and our history." ...

Keep on reading: Marcos sees ‘vibrant creative industry’ in PH

NBA Scores, News, Schedules CHICAGO --- The Boston Celtics enjoyed their break and were ready to get back to work. The NBA leaders got the job done in another convincing win. Derrick White scored 28 points, Jayson Tatum added 25 and the Celtics won their season-high seventh straight game, beating the Chicago Bulls 129-112 on Thursday night. White and Tatum each made five of Boston's 23 3-pointers. Jaylen Brown scored 21 points, and the Celtics came away with another convincing victory after pounding Brooklyn by 50 prior to the All-Star break. READ: NBA: Celtics crush Nets, extend win-streak to six Boston went from leading by 16 to trailing by three at halftime before regaini...

Keep on reading: NBA: Celtics rout Bulls for season-high 7th straight win

NBA Scores, News, Schedules DENVER --- Nikola Jokic became the third player in NBA history to record at least one triple-double against every opponent in the league, going 10-for-10 from the floor and finishing with 21 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists in the Denver Nuggets' 130-110 win over the Washington Wizards on Thursday night. Michael Porter Jr. had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the defending champion Nuggets, who returned from the All-Star break and snapped a three-game skid. Jokic's triple-double was his 16th this season, second in the league to Domantas Sabonis' 19. LeBron James and Russell Westbrook are the other players with a triple-double against every opponent. ...

Keep on reading: NBA: Jokic’s latest triple-double gives him at least one vs every opponent

NBA Scores, News, Schedules SAN FRANCISCO--- Stephen Curry scored 32 points, hitting six 3-pointers, and had eight assists, leading the Golden State Warriors past a Los Angeles Lakers team missing LeBron James 128-110 on Thursday night as both returned from the NBA All-Star break. With his 6,000th career assist, Curry became the eighth player in NBA history with at least 23,000 points and 6,000 assists --- joining James, Russell Westbrook, Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and John Havlicek. Curry made nine of his initial 12 shots with five 3s for 25 points by halftime after scoring 16 in the opening period. He had five straight shortly before halftime as ...

Keep on reading: NBA: Steph Curry, Warriors beat Lakers team missing LeBron James

Kaila Estrada said she is currently not looking for love, as she stressed it could be a "distraction" to her blossoming acting career. Sitting down for "On Cue," the "Linlang" breakout star was asked if she has time for love considering she is currently occupied with projects here and there, and more could be on the way after she signed her first contract with ABS-CBN. "No, I feel like my priority right now is really my career. I feel like I don't want to be distracted so parang hindi ko pa siya ginagawan ng time at the moment talaga," she replied. When asked if love could serve as a "distraction" if she has one, Estrada answered candidly, "At the moment, it could be. I know...

Keep on reading: Kaila Estrada has no time for love: ‘Right now it’s not a priority’

NBA Scores, News, Schedules NEW ORLEANS --- Zion Williamson had 27 points and nine assists, and the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the struggling Houston Rockets 127-105 in the NBA on Thursday night for their eighth victory in nine games. "We know what the stakes are," said Williamson, who --- if he remains healthy --- is on track to compete in his first NBA playoff games this spring. The latest victory improved the Pelicans to 34-22, good for fifth in the Western Conference. READ: NBA: Zion Williamson leads Pelicans past Wizards Williamson, who has missed most of his first four seasons with injuries, has played in 45 games this season, leads New Orleans in points per game wi...

Keep on reading: NBA: Pelicans pound Rockets behind Zion Williamson’s 27 points

MANILA, Philippines --- The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has invited bidders for the improvement, expansion, operations, and maintenance of the Laguindingan International Airport in Misamis Oriental. The DOTr launched on February 22 the Swiss challenge, or comparative bidding process, after receiving the unsolicited proposal for the airport's privatization, which would be carried out through a public-private partnership or PPP. READ: PH seeks rival offers for Bohol, Laguindingan airport upgrades In a statement Friday, the agency said that after the proposal was submitted to the DOTr and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, the National Economic and Development...

Keep on reading: DOTr invites bidders for Laguindingan Int’l Airport upgrade, operations

NBA Scores, News, Schedules OKLAHOMA CITY --- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Clippers 129-107 on Thursday night in a matchup of NBA Western Conference contenders. Lu Dort added 19 points, Jalen Williams had 18 and Chet Holmgren 17 for Oklahoma City. The Thunder shot 55.6% from the field, made 17 3-pointers and blocked 12 shots. "We came out with a great edge," Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. "Certainly slipped up a couple of times during the game but course-corrected very well and played a pretty complete 48 (minutes)." READ: The NBA season stretch run has arrived. Time for playoff push The Thunder won th...

Keep on reading: NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander powers Thunder past Clippers

NBA Scores, News, Schedules   DALLAS--- The longest winning streak of the season for the Dallas Mavericks coincides with a tie for the longest stretch of games together for the star pairing of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Doncic scored 41 points, Irving had 29 and the Mavericks beat the Phoenix Suns 123-113 on Thursday night, extending their winning streak to seven in both teams' return from the NBA All-Star break. Dallas pulled even with Phoenix in the standings at 33-23 and took the head-to-head tiebreaker with a 2-1 record in a pairing of teams battling for a guaranteed spot in the playoffs. READ: NBA: Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic carry Mavericks past Spurs Doncic h...

Keep on reading: NBA: Doncic scores 41 to help Mavericks beat Suns for 7th straight win

NBA Scores, News, Schedules INDIANAPOLIS--- All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton had 25 points and 13 assists to help the Indiana Pacers beat the NBA-worst Detroit Pistons 129-115 on Thursday night. Coming off a 32-point night Sunday in the NBA All-Star Game on his home floor at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Haliburton had his 15th game of the season with at least 25 points and 10 assists. "Today is the best I've felt and best I've moved (in a while)," said Haliburton, who had a hamstring strain in January. "I think everybody who is really paying attention to how I look, I think that everybody can agree with that. That's a relief. But I want to maintain that as time goes on." READ...

Keep on reading: NBA: Tyrese Haliburton stars in Pacers victory over Pistons

NBA Scores, News, Schedules PHILADELPHIA --- Jalen Brunson heard "MVP!" chants each time the New York Knicks All-Star stepped to the free-throw line. The former Villanova All-American signed dozens of autographs before the game --- many for fans wearing his old college jersey. Spike Lee wore Brunson's Knicks gear from his baseline seat and the filmmaker was as animated as he would have been while sitting in his familiar spot at Madison Square Garden. But this was in Philly --- even though cheers for the Knicks and their team colors inside the arena made it seem like a stand-in for Madison Square Garden. READ: NBA: All-Star bound Brunson scores 40 to lead Knicks past Pacers B...

Keep on reading: NBA: Jalen Brunson, Knicks spoil Kyle Lowry’s 76ers debut

MANILA, Philippines --- Transformation programs under the OASIS Schoolyards Project will be piloted in three public elementary schools in Quezon City, the local government announced Friday. TheDiosdado P. Macapagal Elementary School, Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School, and Placido Del Mundo Elementary School were chosen based on their comparative vulnerability to heatwaves and flooding, and the availability of open space within the school and surrounding neighborhood, it explained. OASIS Schoolyards was originally conceived and implemented by the city of Paris as part of the Paris Resilience Strategy to address the urgent challenges of climate change in urban areas, with a focus on...

Keep on reading: QC is 1st Asian city for Temasek’s OASIS schoolyards project