Inquirer Breaking News

West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. is allocating P2.8 billion for the construction of five new pumping stations and reservoirs in Quezon City, Valenzuela, Muntinlupa and Cavite over the next five years. These new facilities will boost water pressure in the pipe network and add 211 million liters to Maynilad's water storage capacity, thus enhancing supply distribution particularly in elevated areas where water availability is still limited. Besides these new facilities, Maynilad is also spending about P1.5 billion to rehabilitate 17 of its existing pumping stations and reservoirs to ensure operational efficiency and sustain optimum performance. These projects f...

Keep on reading: Maynilad earmarks P2.8B for new pumping stations, reservoirs

JAKARTA -- Thousands of residents in Indonesia's East Java were on high alert on Monday after a violent eruption at the island's tallest volcano prompted authorities to impose an 8-kilometer no-go zone and forced evacuations of entire villages. The provincial search and rescue agency deployed teams to the worst-affected areas near Mount Semeru to assess the damage, with low rainfall giving some reprieve, Tholib Vatelehan, a Basarnas spokesperson, told Reuters. "Yesterday, the rainfall level was high, causing all the material from the top of the mountain to come down. But today, so far, there's no rain, so it's relatively safe," he said. No casualties have been reported and t...

Keep on reading: Thousands on alert in Indonesia’s Java after Mt. Semeru eruption

SHANGHAI --- China reported 30,014 new COVID-19 infections on Dec. 4, of which 4,318 were symptomatic and 25,696 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Monday. That figure compares with the previous day's 31,824 new cases, of which 4,213 were symptomatic and 27,611 were asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately. Excluding imported infections, China reported 29,724 new local cases, of which 4,247 were symptomatic and 25,477 were asymptomatic, down from 31,601 a day earlier. There were no deaths, versus two the previous day, leaving the tally at 5,235. By Sunday, mainland China had confirmed 340,483 cases with symptoms. Overall cases are dropp...

Keep on reading: China reports 30,014 new COVID cases for Dec 4 vs 31,824 a day earlier

The United States is the most powerful military force in the world because it quickly adapts to change. That is why it uses an unconventional tactic to win over recruits: video games.   Believe it or not, the US Army hosts a Twitch channel and an esports team. It understands the current trends, so learning more about its recruitment methods can help you adapt to the world.   This article will discuss how the US Army employs video game culture to recruit people from Generation Z. Later, we will discuss the results of the campaign. The US Army Wants You (to follow on Twitch)! Recent reports indicate that the US Army has spent millions of dollars to sponsor numer...

Keep on reading: How The US Army Uses Esports To Recruit Younger Generations

An electric tricycle charging station that converts waste cooking oil into fuel is now operating in Boracay Island with support from the Japanese government. The project, located in Barangay Yapakin, Malay town in Aklan, is backed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in partnership with Japanese firm Kanazawa Engineering Systems Inc. (KES). KES developed the facility, dubbed "Renergy Project," building up from a pilot project that was done in 2018 with the design of recycling waste cooking oil as a substitute for diesel used in power generation sets. "This new charging station can be a breakthrough to address the current environmental challenges in Boracay Island...

Keep on reading: Boracay e-trikes to get fuel from waste cooking oil

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts occurs in the mid-1990s, as reported and confirmed, roughly over ten years after the events of the Bumblebee movie because there is no actual war between the Autobots and Decepticons on Earth as shown in the Generation 1 cartoons. This is disappointing for me because I and millions of other fans worldwide were hoping to see Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots arrive on Earth or emerge from hiding to battle the Decepticons we saw in Bumblebee in the scene where they were in Cybertron. Where is Megatron? We got to see Starscream, Shockwave, Soundwave, Ravage, and Blitzwing, but there was no epic battle on earth, which was a drag because that p...

Keep on reading: Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, is going to be a great movie for you if you are a Transformers fan

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) continued its record-breaking streak for this year as the agency logged a new annual collection milestone, collecting a total of P790.301 billion from January to November. The government revenue-generating body said it recorded P76.770 billion in November, which was P16.176 billion or 26.7 percent higher than its target of P60.603 billion for the month. The 11-month collection performance also exceeded the 2022 full-year goal of P721.52 billion, indicating that it was already 9.5 percent -- or P68.781 billion -- above its mark. The collected revenue so far this year also exceeded that of pre-pandemic level, which was 630.31 billion back in 2019. La...

Keep on reading: BOC overshoots 2022 target with P790.3B collection as of Nov

LUCENA CITY --- An alleged member of the communist New People's Army (NPA) surrendered to police in Antipolo City in Rizal province on Sunday, Dec. 4. The Region 4A police reported that Carl Carza, alias "Ka Leon," turned himself in around 5 p.m. to the police headquarters in Barangay San Jose. The rebel returnee, tagged as an NPA squad leader operating in the Calabarzon region, turned over a .38 revolver with six bullets. A former NPA rebel from Laguna identified Carza in a photo taken in 2016 while in training inside a rebel lair in Rizal, the report said. Carza received initial help from the government, including P3,000, 50 kilos of rice, and assorted food items worth ...

Keep on reading: Alleged NPA rebel yields to police in Rizal province

Russia "will not accept" a price cap on its oil and is analyxing how to respond, the Kremlin said in comments reported on Saturday, in response to a deal by Western powers aimed at limiting a key source of funding for its war in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had made preparations for Friday's price cap announcement by the Group of Seven nations, the European Union and Australia, the Russian state news agency TASS reported. "We will not accept this cap," RIA news agency quoted him as saying. He added that Russia would conduct a rapid analysis of the agreement and respond after that, RIA reported. Russia has repeatedly said it will not supply oil to countrie...

Keep on reading: Russia says it won’t accept oil price cap and is preparing response

President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed during a state visit earlier this week to "fix" issues arising from U.S. legislation that includes subsidies for American-made products, Macron said in a bid to assuage European concerns. Biden's Inflation Reduction Act is a new $430-billion bill offering massive subsidies for U.S.-made products and aimed at addressing the climate crisis and promoting renewable energy. But European leaders say the legislative package is unfair to non-American companies and would be a serious blow to their economies as Europe deals with the fallout from Russia's February invasion of Ukraine. "What we decided with President Biden ...

Keep on reading: U.S., France agreed to “fix” U.S. subsidies issues, says Macron

LONDON - Britain's economy is on course to shrink 0.4 percent next year as inflation remains high and companies put investment on hold, with gloomy implications for longer-term growth, the Confederation of Business Industry forecast on Monday. "Britain is in stagflation - with rocketing inflation, negative growth, falling productivity and business investment. Firms see potential growth opportunities but ... headwinds are causing them to pause investing in 2023," CBI Director-General Tony Danker said. The CBI's forecast marks a sharp downgrade from its last forecast in June, when it predicted growth of 1 percent for 2023, and it does not expect gross domestic product (GDP) to re...

Keep on reading: UK economy to shrink in 2023, risks ‘lost decade’: CBI

SYDNEY - Asian shares edged higher on Monday as investors hoped steps to unwind pandemic restrictions in China would eventually brighten the outlook for global growth and commodity demand, even if full freedom could be months away. The news helped oil prices firm as OPEC+ nations reaffirmed their output targets ahead of a European Union ban and price caps on Russian crude, which kick off on Monday. More Chinese cities announced an easing of coronavirus curbs on Sunday as Beijing tries to make its zero-COVID policy more targeted and less onerous after recent unprecedented protests against restrictions. "While the easing of some restrictions does not equate to a wholesale shift aw...

Keep on reading: Asia shares pin hopes on China opening, oil rallies

TOKYO - Japan's service sector activity grew in November at the slowest pace in three months, as relentless inflation dampened a part of the economy that was benefiting from the return of domestic and foreign shoppers and easing COVID-19 restrictions. The final au Jibun Bank Japan Services purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to a seasonally adjusted 50.3 from October's 53.2, hitting the lowest since August. The index however stayed above the 50-mark that separates expansion from contraction for a third straight month and was slightly better than the flash reading of 50.0 for November. Behind the soft headline figure were inflationary pressures that "remained marked with rates ...

Keep on reading: Japan’s service sector activity growth hits 3-month low -PMI

Amazon.com Inc and Apple Inc are planning to resume advertising on Twitter, according to media reports on Saturday. The developments follow an email sent by Twitter on Thursday to advertising agencies offering advertisers incentives to increase their spending on the platform, an effort to jump-start its business after Elon Musk's takeover prompted many companies to pull back. Twitter billed the offer as the "biggest advertiser incentive ever on Twitter," according to the email reviewed by Reuters. U.S. advertisers who book $500,000 in incremental spending will qualify to have their spending matched with a "100% value add," up to a $1 million cap, the email said. On Saturday, a P...

Keep on reading: Apple and Amazon resume advertising on Twitter – reports

MANILA, Philippines -- The seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate in Metro Manila has risen to 12.4 percent, independent pandemic monitor Octa Research Group said Monday. Octa fellow Guido David said the positivity rate in the capital region climbed from 11.1 percent on Nov. 26 to 12.4 percent as of Dec. 3. The positivity rates also increased in several other areas across Luzon, he added. "[National Capital Region] positivity rate increased from 11.1 percent to 12.4 percent. Increases observed in Bataan, Cagayan, Camarines Sur, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Quezon, Rizal, Zambales," David said in a social media post. From Nov. 26 to Dec. 3, these were t...

Keep on reading: NCR’s COVID-19 positivity rate climbs to 12.4% — Octa

MELBOURNE - Oil prices inched up in early trade after OPEC+ nations reaffirmed their oil output targets ahead of a European Union ban and price caps on Russian crude, which kick off on Monday. At the same time, in a positive sign for fuel demand, more Chinese cities eased COVID-19 curbs over the weekend. Brent crude futures climbed 39 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $85.96 a barrel at 2309 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 37 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $80.35 a barrel. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, together called OPEC+, agreed on Sunday to stick to their October plan to cut output by 2 million barrels ...

Keep on reading: Oil rises after OPEC+ holds oil output targets, China eases COVID curbs

BRUSSELS - The Group of Seven price cap on Russian seaborne oil came into force on Monday as the West tries to limit Moscow's ability to finance its war in Ukraine, but Russia has said it will not abide by the measure even if it has to cut production. The price cap, to be enforced by the G7, the European Union and Australia, comes on top of the EU's embargo on imports of Russian crude by sea and similar pledges by the United States, Canada, Japan and Britain. It allows Russian oil to be shipped to third-party countries using G7 and EU tankers, insurance companies and credit institutions, only if the cargo is bought at or below the price cap. Because the world's key shipping and ...

Keep on reading: G7 price cap on Russian oil kicks in, Russia will only sell at market price

MANILA, Philippines -- A rainy Monday is expected in five areas across the archipelago, including Bicol Region, due to the easterlies, or the winds blowing from the east, said the state weather bureau. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Administration (Pagasa), in its early morning forecast, said easterlies-induced rain and thunderstorms will be scattered over the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Caraga, Davao Region, and Quezon province. "Sa may bahagi ng Bicol, kasama ng Quezon province, gayoon din sa may bahagi ng Eastern Visayas, Caraga, at Davao so sa mga lugar na iyon, ngayong araw, inaasahan natin na malaki iyong tsansa ng mga pag-ulan pati rin doon sa mg...

Keep on reading: Bicol, 4 other areas across PH to experience rain due to easterlies

MANILA, Philippines---With Christmas just around the corner, the greatest gift that adorable shelter animals can receive is a fur-ever home. If you are unsure of whether to adopt (adopting animals is a huge responsibility), Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) can help you out with a fur baby this Christmas. PAWS Executive Director Anna Hashim-Cabrera said that the organization unfortunately experiences lower adoption rates during the holidays, as everyone seems to be too busy during the season. "For this reason, we came up with 'Home for the Holidays' to urge people to try out 'temporary adoptions'," said Hashim-Cabrera, referring to her group's new campaign. Accordi...

Keep on reading: Welcome these cats home this Christmas

JAKARTA --- A volcano erupted in Indonesia on Sunday spewing a cloud of ash 15 km into the sky and forcing the evacuation of nearly 2,000 people, authorities said, as they issued their highest warning for the area in the east of Java island. There were no immediate reports of any casualties from the eruption of the Semeru volcano and Indonesia's transport ministry said that there was no impact on air travel but notices had been sent to two regional airports for vigilance. "Most roads have been closed since this morning and now it is raining volcanic ash and it has covered the view of the mountain," community volunteer Bayu Deny Alfianto told Reuters by telephone from near the v...

Keep on reading: Indonesia evacuates villagers as volcano erupts on Java island