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  MANILA, Philippines --- The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) is facing renewed pressure to crack down on remaining "e-sabong" operations in the country almost two years after the online cockfighting games were suspended by then-President Rodrigo Duterte. In a Senate hearing on Wednesday, Senator Raffy Tulfo questioned Pagcor chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco on the steps that the corporation is taking in curbing the proliferation of online cockfighting games. "E-sabong has been suspended since May 3, 2022, but as of now, there are still 789 active and ongoing operations. What happened to your intel funds, why can't it be stopped yet?" Tulfo asked in a mi...

Keep on reading: Tulfo pressed Pagcor to shut down remaining 789 e-sabong ops nationwide

    MEREDITH, New Hampshire --- As temperatures plunged on Mount Washington and ferocious winds made it near impossible to see, hiker Cole Matthes began to drift away from the trail. Then he hit a patch of snow-covered ice and slid hundreds of feet down a ravine. His fall Saturday sparked a rescue mission that would last 11 hours, utilize the mountain's famed Cog Railway and prompt harsh criticism from rescuers, who said the hiker made "numerous poor decisions" in preparing for the hike and then deciding to push on. Both Matthes and the rescuers agree that without help, he would have died within hours.   READ: US hiker found after two weeks lost in Ha...

Keep on reading: Hiker describes 11-hour ordeal after falling on Mount Washington

SAN FRANCISCO, AGUSAN DEL SUR --- At least 216 residents affected by floods in Esperanza town's isolated village of Tandang Sora were reportedly poisoned by food served to them on Monday evening by staff members of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC). Dr. Maria Theresa Labiao, the municipal health officer, however, informed reporters in a press conference on Tuesday morning that all the patients suffering from vomiting, stomach pains, and diarrhea had already shown improvement after receiving immediate medication at the Esperanza Medicare Community Hospital (EMCH), where most of the victims were promptly rushed. Dr. Jaqueline Momville, the provincial health officer, said they would ...

Keep on reading: Food poisoning downs 216 flood victims in Agusan del Sur town

MANILA, Philippines --- The House committee of the whole may finish discussions on the Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 7 after three hearings, Lanao del Norte 1st District Rep. Khalid Dimaporo said on Wednesday. Dimaporo explained in a press briefing at the House complex that the committee of the whole hearings would be faster because the House Majority can take note of concerns by those against RBH No. 7 and have the leadership answer it. RBH No. 7 is a proposal to amend the 1987 Constitution's economic provisions, which the House leadership has aligned with the Senate's RBH No. 6. "So if it will be taken up via committee of the whole, I believe mabilis 'yan (that will be f...

Keep on reading: RBH 7 talks may take 3 hearings at most, says House rep

Xian Lim has yet to speak up about the real score between him and film producer Iris Lee, but he piqued the interest of netizens after making cryptic posts about wanting what's "real" and controlling his emotions. Lim didn't make a direct response to the romance rumors with Lee. However, with the comments section of his posts still turned off, he dropped a cryptic remark on how being "real" exposes the truth while sharing a video of content creator JB Copeland. Copeland's post appeared as a reminder to his followers that being "authentic" has the "power" to reveal the truth. "Anything you lose by being real... is fake. Our authenticity has the power to expose the truth. And...

Keep on reading: Xian Lim makes cryptic post after being spotted with rumored GF Iris Lee

    RAFAH, Gaza Strip --- The World Food Program said Tuesday it has paused deliveries of food to isolated northern Gaza because of increasing chaos across the territory, hiking fears of potential starvation. A study by the U.N. children's agency warned that one in six children in the north are acutely malnourished. Entry of aid trucks into the besieged territory has been more than halved in the past two weeks, according to U.N. figures. Overwhelmed U.N. and relief workers said intake of trucks and distribution have been crippled by Israeli failure to ensure convoys' safety amid its bombardment and ground offensive and by a breakdown in security, with hungry Pale...

Keep on reading: Food deliveries into northern Gaza halted because of war’s chaos

MANILA, Philippines --- Grateful for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. 's trust, senators on Wednesday said they are determined to "come out" with best amendments that will ease restrictive economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution. Marcos earlier ended the political noise surrounding economic Charter change (Cha-cha), saying it was already made clear months ago that the upper chamber will lead the discussion on proposed amendments to the Constitution. For his part, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri assured Marcos that the review of the suggested amendments is "well underway." "I thank President Marcos for reiterating his trust in the Senate to lead the review o...

Keep on reading: Senate to ‘come out’ with constitutional amendments to ease economic restrictions

  BUDAPEST, Hungary --- A vote in Hungary's parliament on ratifying Sweden's bid to join NATO could come as early as Monday, according to a senior member of the country's governing Fidesz party. It would bring an end to more than 18 months of delays by the nationalist government that have frustrated Hungary's allies. In a letter on Tuesday to the speaker of the parliament, the head of the Fidesz caucus, Mt Kocsis, requested that a vote be scheduled for the opening day of the spring session, which begins on Monday. Kocsis wrote that Fidesz, which has repeatedly blocked a vote on the matter, will opt to support Sweden's bid to join the trans-Atlantic military alliance. ...

Keep on reading: Hungary says ready to approve Sweden’s Nato accession on Monday

The pageant community was turned upside down after former Miss Universe Organization (MUO) president Paula Shugart declared she was planning to sue the pageant company co-owner Anne Jakrajutatip, who accused her of taking money to ensure certain titleholders win the crown. Since 1997, Shugart was a key figure behind the glory of the pageant's brand of a diverse group of empowered women, until her sudden decision to step down in November 2023. She was a driving force behind the titleholders' advocacies, that was why many of them vouched for her "integrity and intelligence" when she finally spoke against the Thai mogul. Below are some of the most notable Miss Universe winners who...

Keep on reading: IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Miss Universe queens under Paula Shugart’s helm

UAAP volleyball schedule of games (February 21) Araneta Coliseum 10:00 a.m. La Salle vs FEU (men's) 12:00 p.m. UE vs UST (men's) 2:00 p.m. La Salle vs FEU (women's) 4:00 p.m. UE vs UST (women's) FULL SCHEDULE HERE https://twitter.com/LanceAgcaoilINQ/status/1760154797020451256...

Keep on reading: LIVE UPDATES: UAAP Season 86 volleyball February 21

https://youtube.com/live/wlnHm6q5wro Here's a quick roundup of today's top stories: B-52H bomber joins PH jets for WPS patrol, irks China The United States has sent a nuclear-capable bomber for its first joint patrol with the Philippine military over the West Philippine Sea (WPS), prompting China's military to send its forces there to monitor that activity. Three FA-50 light fighters of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Monday flew in tandem with a B-52H Stratofortress long-range strategic bomber deployed by the US Pacific Air Forces. The joint flyovers covered 90 nautical miles (166.7 kilometers) west of Candon, Ilocos Sur, and 50 NM (92.6 km) northwest of Lubang, Mindoro, withi...

Keep on reading: INQToday: B-52H bomber joins PH jets for WPS patrol, irks China

MANILA, Philippines --- Most areas in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARRM) have logged an uptick in index crimes, police records show. BARRM Police Regional Director Police Brigadier General Allan Nobleza presented the data during the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs hearing on Wednesday. Nobleza said the number of index crimes increased from 768 on Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022, to 892 on Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 last year. Lanao del Sur logged the biggest uptick in index crimes from 185 to 246. READ:Crime wave? Also, Maguindanao del Sur's index crimes increased from 151 to 171, while it rose from 133 to 159 in Maguindanao del Norte, from 86 ...

Keep on reading: Index crimes increased in most BARMM areas, police data show

    LOS ANGELES --- President Joe Biden started a three-day swing through California on Tuesday as he looks to soak up more cash for his reelection bid. Going into the trip, Biden's campaign and the Democratic National Committee announced Tuesday that they had collected $42 million in contributions during January from 422,000 donors. Biden ended January with $130 million in cash on hand. Campaign officials said that is the highest total amassed by any Democratic candidate at this point in the cycle. Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez called the haul "an indisputable show of strength to start the election year."   READ: Biden quick to anoint...

Keep on reading: Biden boosts California fundraising for anticipated Trump rematch

LUCENA CITY --- A baby boy was found abandoned on Tuesday, Feb. 20, inside a Catholic church in Mulanay town in Quezon province. A police report on Wednesday, Feb. 21, said a woman, who was praying at the time, heard and saw around 6 p.m. the crying baby wrapped in cloth at the foot of a religious statue inside the St. Peter the Apostle parish church at the town center The woman immediately reported her findings to local social workers who took the baby to health workers for a physical check-up. READ::9-month-old baby abandoned in Lapu-Lapu An investigation has been launched to identify the mother of the infant and to find out who left it in the church. Meanwhile, the...

Keep on reading: Baby boy found abandoned inside church in Quezon

  OKOPY, Poland -- Protests by Polish farmers sparked anger in neighboring Ukraine on Tuesday, as Kyiv called on the European Commission to take robust action after demonstrators blockaded the border and opened railway carriages to let grain spill out. Warsaw has been a staunch supporter of Kyiv in its fight to repel a full-scale Russian invasion launched in 2022, but protests from farmers complaining of unfair competition have strained ties that were already on edge after truckers blocked border crossings around the turn of the year. Tuesday's protests from farmers marked an escalation from previous demonstrations, with a near-total blockade of all Ukrainian border cro...

Keep on reading: Polish farmers anger Ukraine with border blockade, grain spillage

  GREENVILLE, South Carolina -- Former US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Alexei Navalny was "a very brave man" who probably should not have returned to Russia, without assigning any blame for the Russian opposition leader's unexpected death. Democratic President Joe Biden and other Western leaders have blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for Navalny's death, as has Nikki Haley, who trails far behind Trump as his sole remaining rival for the Republican presidential nomination. "Navalny is [in] a very sad situation, and he is a very brave, he was a very brave guy because he went back. He could have stayed away," Trump said during a town hall interview wit...

Keep on reading: Trump: Navalny was ‘brave’ but should not have returned to Russia

Bianca Umali reflected on the celebrity breakups that have been making headlines lately and said she and her boyfriend Ruru Madrid don't know what the future holds, although they keep the faith in their relationship. Sitting down on "Luis Listens," the Kapuso actress admitted that the recent celebrity breakups have put a scare especially on those who are in the same industry. "Nakakatakot 'yung time na 'yon kasi tuloy tuloy 'yung mga naghihiwalay hindi lang basta bastang couple. Alam mong sila 'yung mga poste ng love life dito sa Pilipinas," she said. Umali affirmed that she and her boyfriend don't know what will happen in the future but that they get comforted knowing that ...

Keep on reading: Bianca Umali says it’s hard to maintain celebrity relationship

    LOS ANGELES --- Much of saturated California faced the threat of flooding Tuesday with winter storms blowing through, but so far the state has escaped the severity of damage from mudslides, wind and rain spawned by an atmospheric river only weeks ago. While the rainfall was focused on Southern California, thunderstorms and strong winds are expected across wide swaths of the state, and intermittent mountain snow could hit in the north. Some flood watches and warnings were expected to remain in effect into Wednesday. Heavy downpours inundated streets and sidewalks in San Francisco. The heaviest rain came through the Los Angeles area Tuesday, with an addition...

Keep on reading: California gets more rain and snow, escapes severe damage

ILIGAN CITY --- Amid separate pressure from the Senate and the House of Representatives for him to face their hearings, Apollo Quiboloy, a pastor of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) sect based in Davao City, had admitted to be in hiding due to a supposed plot to have him killed. In a 36-minute voice message uploaded on YouTube on Wednesday morning, Quiboloy accused the United States government of orchestrating the kill plot against him. Quiboloy said he could have called for a press conference, but had it put off "because my life is under threat that is why you won't see my face, for now." This is the first time in weeks for the self-proclaimed 'Appointed Son of God' to sp...

Keep on reading: Quiboloy admits he is in hiding; alleges kill plot vs him

MANILA, Philippines --- The Senate has issued a fresh subpoena against alleged sex offender Apollo Quiboloy. It has directed the religious leader to appear before the chamber's public hearing on March 5. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri signed the order on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros issued an ultimatum against the self-proclaimed "Appointed Son of God." "Ang hinihingi lang sa inyo ay humarap sa mga legal na proseso, kasama ang proseso ng Senate investigation," said Hontiveros in a separate statement issued on Tuesday. (All that is asked of you is to face the legal processes, including the process of a Senate investigation.) The senator heads Sena...

Keep on reading: Hontiveros on Quiboloy: ‘I’ll cite him for contempt, have him arrested’