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(The following is a story titled "Gallery: Hidilyn Diaz's humble beginnings" published in INQUIRER.net on August 10, 2016, with photographs by Julie Alipala of the Inquirer Mindanao Bureau.)   Before she got her moment at the podium in the most prestigious sporting event in the world, Hidilyn Diaz was just a small-town girl with big dreams. She lived a simple life with her family in their humble mini bungalow house in Zamboanga City. Her weightlifting equipment, which helped her become the country's first medalist in the Olympics in the last two decades, were mostly donated by friends and family. READ: Diaz's silver glitters like gold Now, Diaz is set for superstardom...

Keep on reading: FLASHBACK: Hidilyn a product of modest origins

MANILA, Philippines---The threat from the more contagious Delta variant (formerly Indian) of SARS Cov2, which could prolong the pandemic and quarantine restrictions, would make the Philippines among "losers" in long-term economic scarring and keep potential below pre-pandemic levels until 2025, according to think tanks on Tuesday (July 27). "The Philippines has eased restrictions in the past month, but the likelihood of daily infections rising now that the Delta variant has arrived are high," Moody's Analytics senior Asia-Pacific economist Katrina Ell and associate economist Dave Chia said in a report. Due to risks from the Delta variant, Moody's Analytics said the Philippines need...

Keep on reading: Think tanks see Delta further slowing PH economic recovery

In May, Vincent Keenan traveled from Chicago to Charlottesville, Virginia, for a wedding -- his first trip out of town since the start of the pandemic.

    ALMATY -- Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan reported record numbers of fresh COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, standing at 6,797 and 789 respectively, signaling that Central Asia has yet to overcome the latest pandemic wave, driven by new variants. Uzbekistan has a population of 34 million compared with Kazakhstan's 19 million but the latter does more tests while daily figures in the former are more indicative of cases requiring hospitalization. Kazakhstan has administered the first COVID-19 vaccine dose to 5.2 million people and 3.4 million have been fully inoculated. In Uzbekistan, 4.2 million people have received the first dose, with about 1.1 million fully vacc...

Keep on reading: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan report record daily COVID-19 infections

BACOLOD CITY---Huge crowds, many defying health protocols, trooped to malls in this city to get vaccinated against COVID-19 on Monday, July 26. The majority did not observe physical distancing, and some were seen without face shields or with their face masks down. The build-up of crowds was noted last week following an announcement by the city government to allow walk-ins. City Administrator Em Ang, Emergency Operations Center executive director, announced Monday that the vaccination centers at Ayala Malls Capitol Central, Robinsons Place, and SMX Convention Center had reached their maximum number of vaccinees for the day. "Beginning Tuesday, July 27, we regret that we wi...

Keep on reading: Bacolod folk flock to malls, defy health protocols, to get vaccinated vs COVID-19

  JAKARTA -- As Indonesia grapples with a devastating wave of coronavirus infections, Jakarta government data shows a fall in cases and easing pressure on hospitals in the capital, even as the situation worsens in other parts of the archipelago. The capital, home to about 10 million people and three times that figure when counting those who live in surrounding towns, has been the epicenter of an outbreak that has pushed hospitals to the brink, with desperate scenes of people queuing for oxygen and being treated in parking lots. But over two weeks Jakarta's daily cases dropped from 14,619 on July 12 to 2,662 on July 25, according to city data, while pressure on COVID-19 ...

Keep on reading: COVID-19 surge starting to ease in Indonesia capital, data shows

Six months into Joe Biden's presidency, the intelligence community still can't quite escape politics.

Former President Donald Trump's influence with Texas Republicans faces a stern test on Tuesday as voters in the state's 6th Congressional District choose between a pair of GOP candidates in a runoff to fill the late Rep. Ron Wright's seat.

    Flooding in Myanmar has displaced hundreds of people, slowing efforts to battle a fast-growing coronavirus outbreak amid the chaos that followed the Southeast Asian nation's military coup, residents told Reuters on Tuesday. Heavy weekend downpours across southern states caused flooding in several towns, forcing healthcare workers to move COVID-19 patients to dry areas across drenched streets and alleys. "Hundreds of houses are submerged in water and only their roofs can be seen," Pyae Sone, a social worker in the Kayin State town of Hlaingbwe told Reuters by telephone, adding that the water had begun rising early on Monday. "COVID is spreading in the town...

Keep on reading: Myanmar floods, coup, complicate growing COVID-19 outbreak

LAOAG CITY---At least 244 frontline health workers in the state-run Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) in Batac City have received cash aid from the government amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in Ilocos Norte province, officials said on Monday (July 26). Under its "Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation" program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Ilocos region said the aid, amounting to P3,000, was handed to health workers with salary grade 12 and below. MMMH&MC, which is the primary COVID-19 treatment center in Ilocos Norte, has over 1,200 health workers. The hospital sought a "timeout" last week as "exhausted...

Keep on reading: Ilocos Norte health workers, patients get P3,000 in cash aid

LAOAG CITY---At least 244 frontline health workers in the state-run Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) in Batac City have received cash aid from the government amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in Ilocos Norte province, officials said on Monday (July 26). Under its "Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation" program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Ilocos region said the aid, amounting to P3,000, was handed to health workers with salary grade 12 and below. MMMH&MC, which is the primary COVID-19 treatment center in Ilocos Norte, has over 1,200 health workers. The hospital sought a "timeout" last week as "exhausted...

Keep on reading: Ilocos Norte health workers, patients get P3,000 in cash aidJohn Michael Mugas

Filipino Olympian Hidilyn Diaz has received praise from the synth-pop band LANY after she earned the first ever Olympic gold medal for the Philippines yesterday, July 26. Diaz delivered the Philippines' historic win after besting China's world record holder Liao Quiyun in the Tokyo Olympics. She ended the country's drought for a gold medal by lifting a total of 224 kilograms in the women's 55 kilograms weightlifting competition. "Congrats to @hidilyndiaz and the Philippines (who have been so unbelievable to my band) on [your] first ever gold medal," LANY's vocalist Paul Klein said through his Instagram Stories today, July 27. His greeting was accompanied by a photo of Diaz duri...

Keep on reading: ‘Mahal kita, sobra’: Hidilyn Diaz congratulated by LANY for historic Olympic gold win

Jeff Bezos wants to spot NASA up to $2 billion in a bid to reignite the battle for space between his rocket company Blue Origin and Elon Musk's SpaceX.

    MOSCOW -- Russia said on Tuesday it had fully restored train travel over a Trans-Siberian railway bridge in its far east that was damaged last week by floods. The world's longest railway is a strategic transport artery for Russia's economy, shuttling not just passengers but also commodities like oil, timber and coal between Europe and Asia. The bridge over the river Areda gave way on Friday in the region of Zabaikalsk, some 300 km (190 miles) north of the border with China and Mongolia. No casualties were reported. TASS news agency said around 650 houses were flooded and five road bridges washed away in flooding in Zabaikalsk region on Thursday following ...

Keep on reading: Russia repairs damaged Trans-Siberian railway bridge, resumes transport

MANILA, Philippines --- Hidilyn Diaz, the Philippines' first Olympic gold medalist, will be back home soon. Diaz is set to arrive in Manila on Wednesday just two days after winning the gold medal in the women's 55kg weightlifting competition at the Tokyo Olympics. "It's mandatory," Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino. As per the protocols set by the Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee, athletes, coaches, officials and even the media must depart Japan within 48 hours upon completion of their events or tasks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1vzvqT2dYU&ab_channel=INQUIRER.net "But more important is that Hidilyn wants to be wit...

Keep on reading: Hidilyn Diaz set to return home after historic Tokyo Olympics feat

MANILA, Philippines --- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Tuesday released an advisory to establish guidelines in determining the relationships between delivery drivers and food delivery apps. In a statement, DOLE said those considered employees of the food delivery apps are entitled to minimum benefits under the Labor Code of the Philippines. But delivery riders who are declared as "independent contractors" or "freelancers" remain bound to the terms of their contracts. Most food delivery apps don't consider riders as employees but rather as "third-party providers" or "independent contractors," which disqualifies them from certain benefits employees receive. R...

Keep on reading: DOLE sets rules on working relationship between riders, food delivery apps

  BEIJING -- China's yet-to-be-announced new ambassador to the United States Qin Gang headed to Washington on Tuesday, according to people familiar with the matter, amid worsening relations between the world's two largest economies. Qin left a day after rare high-level talks in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin between U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and senior Chinese diplomats ended with both sides reiterating existing positions and no specific outcomes reached. Relations between Beijing and Washington deteriorated sharply under former U.S. President Donald Trump, and the Biden administration has maintained pressure on China in a stance that enjoys bip...

Keep on reading: New Chinese ambassador Qin Gang heads to Washington, sources say

The first person to be tried under Hong Kong's sweeping national security law faces life in prison after being found guilty of inciting secession and terrorism in a landmark court ruling. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout reports from the High Court in Hong Kong.

WeChat is suspending all new user registrations until early August, the social messaging app announced on Tuesday.

MANILA, Philippines---Some four hours before President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday (July 26), his spokesperson said in an interview that his boss had rehearsed his speech at least four times.   "He rehearsed at least four times. The last time was yesterday, last night," said presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in an interview with CNN Philippines a few hours before Duterte delivered his last SONA.   But when Duterte started to deliver his last most important speech before the nation, it became clear that his manner of speaking was not rehearsed at all.   In the course of delivering his final...

Keep on reading: Duterte’s last SONA: Not letting facts get in the way