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Amanda Gorman, the nation's first-ever youth poet laureate, challenged Americans Wednesday to unify and "leave behind a country better than the one we were left" as she delivered a stirring inauguration poem.

LUCENA CITY ---- The death toll from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Quezon province rose to 212 after three more patients died on Wednesday. Records from the Integrated Provincial Health Office as of 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, listed the deaths of two validated virus carriers in this city and one in the town of Tagkawayan. No other details on the fatalities were provided. Of the 212 deaths, 25 were recorded since the start of the new year. Lucena City, the capital of the province, had the highest number of fatalities at 53. The number of active virus carriers in the province has since been recording an up-and-down trend after the holiday break. On Jan. 20, the IPHO l...

Keep on reading: 3 more patients die of COVID-19 in Quezon province; death toll rises to 212

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris delivered optimistic remarks during a primetime inaugural celebration.

The Indian state of Gujarat has decided to change the name of dragon fruit, claiming that the original name was associated with China, which drew derision from the country's opposition on Wednesday.

CNN's Anderson Cooper speaks with Amanda Gorman, the nation's first-ever youth poet laureate, after she delivered a poem at the inauguration of President Joe Biden.

MANILA, Philippines --- Viewers can soon expect to watchABS-CBN's much-beloved shows on TV5. This is because ABS-CBN announced on Wednesday that its Sunday "ASAP Natin 'To" and "FPJ: Da King" will now be simulcast on the Kapatid network. In a statement, ABS-CBN said that "ASAP Natin 'To" will start airing on TV5 this Jan. 24 at 12 noon. Meanwhile, "FPJ: Da King", which showcases the movies of the late Fernando Poe Jr., will also air on Jan. 24, and can be watched every Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. "This collaboration between Cignal, TV5, Brightlight Productions and ABS-CBN marks the start of greater cooperation among our various industry players and begins a new era of pa...

Keep on reading: ABS-CBN’s ‘Asap Natin ’To’, ‘FPJ: Da King’ to be simulcast on TV5

CEBU CITY ---- At least six persons from Central Visayas, who were co-passengers of the 29-year-old Filipino real estate agent infected with the United Kingdom (UK) Covid-19 variant, tested negative for the virus. Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, spokesperson of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7), said the six passengers from the region were swabbed and isolated until Jan. 23. Three of them come from Cebu province, two from Bohol, and one from Negros Oriental. Loreche clarified that one person in Central Visayas tested positive for Covid-19, but the passenger was not on the Emirates flight. "The passenger came from another flight from the United States," she said. T...

Keep on reading: 6 co-passengers of Filipino from UAE with Covid-19-UK variant test negative for virus

Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton honored President Joe Biden Wednesday evening as America's new leader in a joint message that emphasized the new President's call for national unity.

    SHANGHAI/NEW YORK - Asian stocks rose to new record highs on Thursday, tracking U.S. markets as investors hoped for more economic stimulus from newly inaugurated U.S. President Joe Biden to offset damage wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Republicans in the U.S. Congress have indicated they are willing to work with the new president on his administration's top priority, a $1.9 trillion U.S. fiscal stimulus plan, but some are opposed to the plan's price tag. Democrats took control of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, but will still need Republican support to pass the program. But after record high closes on Wall Street overnight, markets in Asia reflected relief o...

Keep on reading: Asian stocks at record highs as Biden inauguration lifts stimulus hopes

        TOKYO - As embattled Tokyo Olympics organizers enter the final six months of preparations for the delayed Games on Saturday, virus experts believe hosting the world's biggest sporting event may be too big a gamble. The Olympics are due to start on July 23 but with much of Japan in a state of emergency and growing public opposition, organizers are under increasing pressure. Japan has been less severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic than many other advanced economies, but a recent surge in cases spurred it to close its borders to non-resident foreigners and declare a state of emergency in Tokyo and major cities. With 15,000 athletes pl...

Keep on reading: Tokyo Games may be too big a gamble, disease expert says

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden were seen on the Blue Room balcony above the White House South Lawn watching the fireworks that closed out the Inauguration Day events.

  MANILA, Philippines --- The Philippines will receive up to 40 million free Covid-19 vaccines from the Gavi vaccine alliance COVAX facility, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Thursday. "Ikinagagalak ko po na ang ating COVAX facility para sa Pilipinas ay naaprubahan na po. Siguro meron po tayong 30 to 40 million na doses for free para po sa lahat, sa ating mga kababayan," Galvez said in a televised briefing. (We are happy to announce that the COVAX facility already approved the deployment of vaccines in the Philippines. We may get 30 to 40 million doses of vaccines for free.) Galvez did not make mention of a specific vaccine that the country will receive from the ...

Keep on reading: PH to receive up to 40 million free Covid-19 vaccine doses from COVAX

The Chinese government has announced sanctions against outgoing secretary of state Mike Pompeo and 27 other high-ranking officials under former United States President Donald Trump, accusing them of "prejudice and hatred against China."

Fox News host Judge Jeanine successfully lobbied former President Donald Trump in an eleventh-hour effort to pardon her ex-husband in the final hours of Trump's presidency, CNN has learned.

      MANILA, Philippines --- Vaccine czar Cartilo Galvez Jr. has assured senators that he would "make it very hard" for people "pursuing their own interest" to overprice the government's procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, Senate Panfilo Lacson said Thursday. "I have no doubt about Sec. Galvez's integrity and his sincerity to accomplish his task. He may have the best of intentions but there may be people pushing him out front to do the talking and explaining to take advantage of his credibility while pursuing their own interests," Lacson said in a message to reporters. The senator, following his meeting with Galvez Wednesday night, was asked if he still...

Keep on reading: Galvez out to stop fraud in Covid-19 vaccine deals — Lacson

  MANILA, Philippines--The second cyber libel case against Rappler CEO Maria Ressa gets a new judge after Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 147 Judge Maria Amifaith S. Fider-Reyes inhibited from the case. Fider-Reyes inhibited after her court received a threatening e-mail. READ: Judge in Ressa case recuses self after threatening email After her inhibition, records of the case were sent to the executive judge for a re-raffle and landed on the sala of Makati RTC Branch 148 Judge Andres Soriano. Soriano was the judge who denied the Department of Justice's "very urgent" motion for a hold departure order and refused to issue a warrant for the arrest of former Sen...

Keep on reading: 2nd cyber libel case of Rappler’s Ressa gets new judge

White House press secretary Jen Psaki holds the first press briefing of Joe Biden's presidency vowing transparency and honesty.

MANILA, Philippines --- Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday said vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. has apologized to him over a remark he made which "virtually accused" the lawmaker of politicizing the government's inoculation program. "I accepted his apology. He promised to be more careful in issuing statements," Lacson said in a message to reporters. During last Friday's Senate hearing into the government's vaccination plan, Lacson said Galvez, in a virtual meeting on vaccine updates last Jan. 14, "virtually accused" some senators of "demonizing vaccine developers or hurting the ongoing negotiations of our government with vaccine manufacturers and suppliers apparently referring to S...

Keep on reading: Lacson says Galvez apologized for ‘politicizing’ remarks on vaccine issue

  MANILA, Philippines --- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday ordered an investigation on the Binangonan Municipal Police Station after its "civilian assets" were arrested for reported extortion activities. In a statement, PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas directed Calabarzon police director Police Brigadier General Felipe Natividad to place Binangonan police chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Ancheta under investigation over command responsibility for the alleged extortion activities of his subordinates. "I will not let this incident pass without implementing appropriate criminal and administrative action against those involved," Sinas said. ...

Keep on reading: PNP orders probe on Binangonan police station over alleged extortion activities