Inquirer Breaking News

      BEIJING --- Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi discussed disputed islands in the East China Sea on Thursday, with both expressing concerns and Qin hoping Japan could stop "right-wing" provocations. The disputed East China Sea islets claimed by both China and Japan have long been a sticking point in bilateral relations. China calls the islands Diaoyu, while Japan calls them Senkaku. In their first conversation since Qin took office, he told Hayashi that Beijing hopes Japan can stop "right-wing forces" from provoking disputes over the contested islands, according to a statement from the foreign ministry. ...

Keep on reading: China asks Japan to stop ‘right-wing’ provocations on East China Sea islands

The Nasdaq and S&P 500 ended higher on Thursday and touched roughly five-month highs as a more dovish-than-expected message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell boosted equities and Meta Platforms shares soared on rigorous cost controls. The Dow slipped, dragged down by declines in some big healthcare stocks. Investors were still digesting the Fed's policy decision on Wednesday and comments from Powell, who acknowledged progress in the fight against inflation and appeared reluctant to push back against the rally in stocks and bonds. "I think the reaction to yesterday's Fed comments really encouraged investors to go risk on," said Rick Meckler, partner at Cherry Lane Inve...

Keep on reading: Nasdaq, S&P 500 post strong gains on Fed relief, Meta surge

Karen Green received the first-generation iPhone as a gift several years ago. She never opened it, and now it could fetch a $50,000 price tag!   That is how much the phone could sell for, according to LCG Auctions. It is accepting bids for the device at a starting price of $5,000.   In contrast, the 1st-gen iPhone was worth $599 in 2007. As a result, Green could make roughly $49,400 or more from a lucky buyer! How did the 1st-gen iPhone skyrocket in value? [embed]https://twitter.com/MikeSington/status/1621237627327500289[/embed]   The first iPhone came out almost 20 years ago, but it was a revolutionary device back then.   Before its release,...

Keep on reading: A 1st-Gen iPhone Might Sell For $50,000

Alphabet Inc on Thursday posted fourth-quarter profit and sales short of Wall Street expectations as Google's advertising clients pulled back spending from a period of pandemic-led excess. Executives of the search and advertising giant adopted a subdued tone on a call with investors, promising an extended period of belt-tightening, particularly on hiring, real estate costs and experimental projects that can take years to reach fruition. Shares of Alphabet were down nearly 5 percent in after-hours trading, after losing about 40 percent of their value in 2022. "We are committed to investing responsibly with great discipline and defining areas where we can operate more cost- effect...

Keep on reading: Alphabet disappoints on sales as ad business slips after pandemic run-up

Amazon.com Inc on Thursday said its operating profit could fall to zero in the current quarter as savings from layoffs do not make up for the financial impact of consumers and cloud customers clamping down on spending. And even while Amazon's holiday revenue beat Wall Street's expectations, the company expects sales growth in its long lucrative cloud to slow for the next few quarters, its chief financial officer told reporters. Shares fell 2 percent in after-hours trade, after they had gained 7 percent before the market's close Thursday. Facing high inflation and an uncertain economy, Amazon has aimed to slash costs across its vast array of businesses. Last month, the online ...

Keep on reading: Amazon’s outlook disappoints as customer budgets stay tight

CHICAGO - U.S. farmers expanded plantings of winter wheat by 11 percent from a year ago to an eight-year peak, encouraged by high prices tied to concerns over food supplies following Russia's invasion of major wheat producer Ukraine, as well as relatively low input costs and expanded crop insurance programs. But even with the added acres, a multi-year drought that has gripped the key Plains wheat belt puts harvest prospects in doubt, especially in states like top producer Kansas and Oklahoma, the No. 3 winter wheat producer last year. An uptick in precipitation in recent days is helpful but won't be enough to revive the crop, experts say. As a result, U.S. wheat exports, projec...

Keep on reading: Drought threatens U.S. wheat production despite acreage bump

https://youtu.be/j9Lh-viL9v4   MANILA, Philippines --- The entire country is expecting a generally fair weather on Friday as the northeast monsoon or 'amihan' continues to weaken, the state weather bureau said. According to Pagasa weather specialist Benison Estareja, the amihan or the cold winds blowing from Siberia affect most parts of Luzon and Visayas. "Patuloy pa din po ang epekto ng amihan dito sa malaking bahagi ng Luzon at Visayas, bagama't relatively mas mahina ito kumpara nitong mga nagdaang amihan nitong nagdaang linggo." (The effects of northeast monsoonin most parts of Luzon and Visayas is continuous, while it is weakening compared to the northeast...

Keep on reading: Fair Friday weather nationwide as ‘amihan’ continues to weaken — Pagasa

SEOUL - South Korea's finance minister said on Friday the country's exports and investment would be weak at least through the first half of the year and that the government would provide maximum support to ease the situation. "The government will provide maximum support to boost exports and investment by companies so that the timing of an economic rebound can be advanced," Minister Choo Kyung-ho said at a meeting of trade-related officials. He also said inflation would hover around 5 percent in annual terms during the first quarter before easing throughout the rest of the year. The central bank has said inflation would ease towards 3 percent later in the year....

Keep on reading: South Korea braces for tough H1, promises support for exports, investment

  BERLIN --- A child was killed and another was seriously injured on Thursday after they were hit and dragged by a train along a railway line in the western German town of Recklinghausen, Bild newspaper reported, citing local officials. Police confirmed several young people had been involved in a train accident but declined to give further details. Bild said the victims were dragged by a freight train for several hundred meters (yards). The accident happened between two stations, it added. It was not clear how the accident happened and whether more children were involved but local media reports said some 35 firemen and rescue workers had been deployed to the accident...

Keep on reading: Children hit and dragged by train in Germany, one killed, Bild says

  Washington, United States ---The Pentagon said Thursday that it was tracking a Chinese spy balloon flying high over the United States that appeared to be surveilling highly sensitive nuclear weapons sites. At President Joe Biden's request, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and top military officials considered shooting the balloon down but decided doing so would endanger too many people on the ground, a senior defense official told reporters. The official said the balloon flew over the US northwest where there are sensitive airbases and strategic missiles in silos underground. "Clearly, the intent of this balloon is for surveillance, and the current flight path does c...

Keep on reading: Pentagon tracking Chinese spy balloon over US

  KHARTOUM --- Israel and Sudan have finalized a deal to normalize relations, with a signing ceremony expected following a transfer of power from the military to a civilian government in Khartoum, the Israeli foreign ministry said on Thursday. Sudan's foreign ministry earlier said the deal was agreed during a visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen to "move forward towards normalising relations between the two countries". After generations of non-recognition, Sudan pledged to take steps towards diplomatic ties with Israel as part of a 2020 deal brokered by then-US President Donald Trump's administration, alongside normalisation deals between Israel and the United Ar...

Keep on reading: Israel, Sudan announce deal to normalize relations

  WASHINGTON --- US House of Representatives Republicans on Thursday ousted Democrat Ilhan Omar from a high-profile committee over remarks widely condemned as antisemitic, two years after Democrats removed two Republicans from committee assignments. The deeply divided House voted 218-211 along party lines to remove Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee with Republicans citing the 2019 remarks for which she later apologized. One Republican voted "present." Omar, who arrived in the United States as a refugee from Somalia, is the only African-born member of Congress and one of the only Muslim women in the House. She was in line to be the top Democrat on the foreign affai...

Keep on reading: Republicans oust Ilhan Omar from high-profile US House committee

BRASILIA --- A Brazilian senator said on Thursday that a close ally of former President Jair Bolsonaro tried to persuade the senator to join a conspiracy to overturn the far-right leader's electoral loss last year. Senator Marcos do Val told a news conference that he had been invited to a meeting on Dec. 9 with then-President Bolsonaro by his associate, former lawmaker Daniel Silveira. At the meeting, Silveira asked the senator to try to get the head of the electoral court to make compromising comments in a taped conversation that could lead to the judge's arrest, Val said. The senator told reporters that Bolsonaro "sat in silence" while Silveira laid out the plot against Justi...

Keep on reading: Brazil senator says he attended election conspiracy meeting with Bolsonaro

Microsoft Teams recently opened its Premium subscription tier that uses OpenAI-powered features.   It delegates tasks to artificial intelligence, such as jotting down meeting notes, providing personalized highlights, and recommending tasks.   In other words, the online collaboration tool will use OpenAI's ChatGPT to simplify online meetings. What are the AI features of Microsoft Teams Premium?   Microsoft recently entered a "multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment" with AI company OpenAI, said CEO Satya Nadella.   Both companies made headlines after the former poured $10 billion into ChatGPT's founder. Moreover, Microsoft said it would int...

Keep on reading: Microsoft Teams Premium, Powered By ChatGPT

The Philippines has granted the United States access to more of its military bases, the defense chiefs of both countries announced on Thursday, amid concerns over China's continued assertiveness in the South China Sea and potential invasion of Taiwan. The agreement by both countries to add four new locations "in strategic areas of the country" under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) capped the visit to Manila by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III, who arrived Tuesday night. Austin held talks with President Marcos at Malacaang before meeting acting Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo. "From defense perspective," he...

Keep on reading: US gets access to more PH bases

Jamike Jarin has yet to fully cherish his first-ever win as a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) coach when he was asked of the challenge that awaits Phoenix in about 48 hours. "NLEX is one of the hottest teams right now," Jarin said after the Fuel Masters picked up a 108-97 victory over the NorthPort Batang Pier in a battle of winless teams in the Governors' Cup on Thursday. "They won last night, they made a comeback. But we'll enjoy this for the moment," added the former UAAP high school and NCAA champion mentor who was tasked to call the shots following Topex Robinson's departure to La Salle. But Jarin and the Fuel Masters are surely thinking about the red-hot Road W...

Keep on reading: Phoenix soaks in first victory under new coach even as battle against streaking squad looms

  It appears that Robert Bolick and NorthPort have reached a temporary settlement in their ongoing contract negotiations. Sources told the Inquirer on Thursday that Bolick's contract has been extended to until the end of the Philippine Basketball Association Governors' Cup, allowing both parties more time to try and find common ground. NorthPort made a standing offer to Bolick, whose one-year contract was supposed to expire last Jan. 31, until an agreement for a short extension was reached. "He remains on the [NorthPort] roster," said one source who refused to identify. It's welcome news for the Batang Pier, who are trying to sneak out of an early slump in the sea...

Keep on reading: NorthPort, Bolick reach temporary solution to impasse

  For Creamline, fixing something that's not broken is very applicable as the Cool Smashers open the 2023 Premier Volleyball League season with the same local lineup that went on to have a shot at a triple crown sweep last year. With practically the entire field making player acquisitions and some going as far as changing coaches, Creamline will come into the All-Filipino Conference starting on Saturday with the same feared nucleus, as the Cool Smashers---understandably---start working on another crack at the Grand Slam. Coach Sherwin Meneses, though, refuses to look that far. He insists on taking it one point at a time, a formula that gave them the Open and Invitationa...

Keep on reading: Staying quiet in offseason, Cool Smashers ready to make another run

  BACOLOD CITY - A seven-year-old girl in Negros Occidental was the first reported dengue fatality in Western Visayas this year. The Department of Health (DOH) Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit said the girl died on January 21. Negros Occidental recorded the most number of dengue cases in Western Visayas with 23 from January 15 to 21, followed by Aklan with 21 cases, Iloilo province with 20, and Bacolod City with seven. Western Visayas has recorded 326 dengue cases in January. Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. mosquitoes. gsg...

Keep on reading: Western Visayas reports 1st dengue fatality in 2023

The Philippines' Strong Group had its offense conking out at the most critical time on Thursday to go down, 89-83, at the hands of Lebanon's Dynamo for its first loss in the 32nd Dubai Invitational Championship at Al Nasr Club Hall in the United Arab Emirates. That means that the Filipinos will be ranged against Al Riyadi, a fellow title favorite, in the knockout quarterfinals slated Friday morning. "It was a tough loss, led 60 percent of the game but fell short in the last few minutes," said coach Charles Tiu, who pointed to Dynamo's defense as the reason for the team's first defeat in four games. "Their zone really stifled us and slowed us down." Al Riyadi, which finished thir...

Keep on reading: PH side takes first loss in Dubai tourney