6 Chinese nabbed for illegal mining in Agusan del Sur

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Jul 142013
 
6 Chinese nabbed for illegal mining in Agusan del Sur

By Chris V. PanganibanInquirer Mindanao 10:16 pm | Sunday, July 14th, 2013 SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Six Chinese nationals were arrested on Saturday night for their alleged involvement in illegal mining operation near Mt. Magdiwata watershed that destroyed the waterways of a river in a remote village of this town. Police could not yet ascertain the identities of the suspects since only two of them presented identification cards from the Bureau of Immigration that already expired last May. Another Chinese national known as Jason Lu, believed to be the “big boss” and co-financier, managed to escape. Two local residents who worked with them positively identified the suspects, now detained at the town jail, after they accompanied operatives to raid their residence at the town center. Senior Inspector Ephraim Detuya, local police chief, said they would file on Monday formal charges against the Chinese nationals for violation of the mining act while awaiting information from the immigration bureau about their status in staying in the country. The arrest came after a two-day raid by a joint team of police and staff of Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office at the illegal mine site in Mati village that contaminated and depleted the source of potable water and irrigation for rice fields in nearby Maligaya village. The team confiscated a backhoe used to excavate and destroy the riverbed and banks, a power-generating set, steel pipes used to suction water, sand and gravel towards the mine tailings pond and other mining equipment. Read More …

20 hurt as portion of wooden arena in Zamboanga City collapses

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Jul 142013
 
20 hurt as portion of wooden arena in Zamboanga City collapses

By Julie S. AlipalaInquirer Mindanao 5:12 pm | Sunday, July 14th, 2013 ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – At least 20 persons were hurt when a portion of the Gallera de Ayala here gave way during a derby on Saturday night. Senior Superintendent Jose Chiquito Malayo, the city police chief, said 19 were slightly hurt while another suffered a fractured bone in the left leg. Malayo said a portion of the left wing of the wooden arena collapsed. Lawyer Cesar Jimenez, owner of the Gallera de Ayala, said the 10-year old arena was renovated in April before it was leased out to a new management. “It’s an accident and we allow the police to do the investigation,” Jimenez said. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: accidents , collapse , Features , Gallera de Ayala , Regions Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer’s Reader’s Advocate. Or write The Readers’ Advocate:

One dead, 31 injured as Typhoon Soulik hits Taiwan

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Jul 132013
 
One dead, 31 injured as Typhoon Soulik hits Taiwan

Agence France-Presse 3:13 pm | Saturday, July 13th, 2013 TAIPEI—Typhoon Soulik battered Taiwan with torrential rain and powerful winds on Saturday that left one person dead and at least 30 people injured. This as the typhoon, codenamed “Huaning” in the Philippines, left the country’s area of responsibility Saturday morning, prompting the lifting of all public storm alerts in extreme Northern Luzon. As daylight dawned, some areas in Taiwan were submerged by flood waters, roofs were ripped from homes, and debris and fallen trees littered the streets. More heavy rain and strong winds are predicted throughout Saturday with the authorities warning of landslides and further flooding. More than 8,000 people were evacuated from their homes before the typhoon hit, many from southern areas prone to landslides. Soldiers have been deployed to high risk areas and the whole island declared an “alert zone” by the authorities. In the capital Taipei, a 50-year-old police officer died after being hit by bricks that came loose during the typhoon, the Central Emergency Operation Centre said. Three people were left seriously injured with 31 reported hurt in four cities in northeast Taiwan, most of them hit by trees or flying debris. Soulik made landfall on the northeast coast around 03 a.m. Saturday (2000 GMT Friday), packing winds of up to 190 kilometers an hour (118 miles), the Central Weather Bureau said. “We expect Soulik to continue to affect Taiwan with heavy rains and strong winds throughout Saturday across Taiwan even though it is moving away and Read More …

Third girl aboard Asiana jet dies from injuries

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Jul 122013
 
Third girl aboard Asiana jet dies from injuries

Associated Press 9:15 am | Saturday, July 13th, 2013 Asiana flight 214 is dismantled and hauled to a hangar at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, July 12, 2013. Two people were killed and over 180 injured when the Boeing 777 crashed July 6 as it struck the seawall on the approach to runway 28L, knocking off the plane’s tail. AP SAN FRANCISCO — A girl who was aboard the Asiana Airlines flight that crash-landed died Friday, the same day that authorities confirmed one of the two Chinese teenagers killed in the disaster was hit by a firetruck. The disclosure about the girl raised the tragic possibility that she could have survived the crash only to die in its chaotic aftermath. No one knows yet whether the two girls lived through the initial impact at the San Francisco airport. But police and fire officials confirmed Friday that Ye Meng Yuan, 16, was hit by a firetruck racing to extinguish the blazing Boeing 777. Her close friend Wang Linjia, also 16, was among a group of passengers who did not get immediate medical help. Rescuers did not spot her until 14 minutes after the crash. The other girl died Friday morning. San Francisco General Hospital said she had been in critical condition since arriving Saturday after the accident. Officials did not identify the girl at the request of her parents. Her age was also withheld. Meng Yuan’s body was found covered in firefighting foam near a seawall Read More …

Philippines, Venezuela carriers allowed back into EU skies

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Jul 102013
 
Philippines, Venezuela carriers allowed back into EU skies

Agence France-Presse 9:16 am | Thursday, July 11th, 2013 BRUSSELS—The European Union on Wednesday allowed carriers Philippines Airlines and Venezuela’s Conviasa back into European airspace on the grounds of improved safety and compliance with EU regulations. The EU executive, the European Commission, removed the two from a blacklist—the EU air safety list—after slapping an operational ban on the Filipino flag-carrier in 2010 and on Conviasa in 2012. The decision to lift the bans was an element of the EU’s updated list which now leaves 280 airlines from 20 states still barred from flying in the EU. “Today we confirmed our willingness to remove countries and airlines from the list if they show real commitment and capacity to implement international safety standards in a sustainable manner,” said the EU’s Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas. Earlier in Manila, EU ambassador Guy Ledoux said Philippines Airlines will be allowed to fly into the 28-member bloc from Friday, which will spur tourism and business links. “This is a tremendous achievement in such a short period of time,” Ledoux said. He added that the EU would conduct further reviews so other Philippine carriers would also be able to fly to Europe as well. “This decision is very encouraging and is the first success of CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) and Philippine Airlines,” he told reporters. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your Read More …

Tropical cyclones to become stronger, more frequent, says study

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Jul 082013
 
Tropical cyclones to become stronger, more frequent, says study

Agance France-Presse 6:52 am | Tuesday, July 9th, 2013 This Aug. 14, 2010, file photo shows an aerial view of the flooded Rohjan area in southern Pakistan. Prominent climate scientist Kerry Emanuel of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said Monday, July 8, 2013, that rising greenhouse gas emissions could lead to a 10 to 40 percent increase in the frequency of tropical cyclones by the year 2100. AP PHOTO WASHINGTON—The world typically sees about 90 tropical cyclones a year, but that number could increase dramatically in the next century due to global warming, a US scientist said Monday. Rising greenhouse gas emissions could lead to a 10 to 40 percent increase in the frequency of tropical cyclones by the year 2100, said prominent climate scientist Kerry Emanuel of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Those storms could be up to 45 percent more intense, making landfall 55 percent stronger—a “substantial” increase, said the research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Stronger storm surges, winds and rain would likely be felt most acutely in the southern Indian Ocean, North Pacific and North Atlantic Ocean, and could raise risks of damage in coastal areas, he said. Satellite data has shown that cyclones—which are rotating systems of clouds and thunderstorms—have remained relatively consistent in frequency and power over the past 40 years. But he projected a steady uptick in the future using six different climate models combined with forecasts from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which predicts carbon Read More …

LGBT Fil-Ams hail same-sex marriage triumphs

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Jul 082013
 
LGBT Fil-Ams hail same-sex marriage triumphs

By Mila de GuzmanINQUIRER.net U.S. Bureau 5:41 am | Tuesday, July 9th, 2013 Shirley and Jay Mercado (2nd and 3rd from left) and their twin sons Jashley and Joriene joined over a million people at the San Francisco Pride Parade on June 30, 2013, to celebrate the Supreme Court decisions on same sex marriage. SAN FRANCISCO—Darwin Dayan and his husband, Deo Patrimonio-Martin, who have been together for 18 years and wed five years ago, screamed with delight when they heard that DOMA had been struck down.  Their union in 2008 remains valid because they luckily wed during the brief period when same-sex marriage was legal in California. The United States Supreme Court on June 26, the last day of its session this term, issued two stunning decisions on same-sex marriage that were heard around the world. It overturned the Defense of Marriage Act’s (DOMA) federal ban on same- sex marriage as unconstitutional, thus allowing married same-sex couples in states where same sex-marriage is legal to receive federal benefits. The highest court of the land also ruled that proponents of California’s Proposition 8, banning same-sex marriage, had no standing or right to appeal the district court’s ruling that the initiative violated the state Constitution, thus facilitating the resumption of same-sex marriages in the country’s most populous state. Elated Like Dayan and Patrimonio-Martin, other members of the Filipino LGBT community were elated by these historical rulings, which brought them a step closer to achieving full equality. Dayan welcomes the ruling, which not Read More …

SC urged to issue opinion on bid to let US, allies to use PH bases

 News
Jul 082013
 
SC urged to issue opinion on bid to let US, allies to use PH bases

By Tetch Torres-TupasINQUIRER.net 3:35 pm | Monday, July 8th, 2013 Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Fisherfolk group on Monday urged Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to issue a legal opinion that puts question on the constitutionality of the proposal to allow the US government and other military allies of the Philippines to use military bases across the country. In a three-page letter to De Lima dated July 8, members of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) through its Vice Chairperson Salvador France and Peter Gonzalez, Chairperson-Southern Tagalog said they believe the Justice Department is “constitutionally, politically and morally obliged to issue a legal opinion that questions the legality of such proposal. “We ask the honourable chief of the justice department to break her silence and tell the people in Malacañang that the proposal to give greater access to US, Japan and other junior partners of Washington DC for rated-A military intervention and aggression all over the country is a flagrant violation of the 1987 Constitution and grand affront to the sovereign rights of more than 100-million Filipinos,” they said in their letter. President Benigno Aquino III defended the plan to give the US and Japan access to the former US bases in the Philippines. The government has dismissed report that the Philippines is planning to build new air and naval bases that US forces could use to counter China’s creeping presence in the West Philippine Sea. Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on Read More …

Stay indoors, Filipinos in Egypt told

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Jul 072013
 
Stay indoors, Filipinos in Egypt told

Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:50 am | Monday, July 8th, 2013 Opponents of Egypt’s Islamist President Mohammed Morsi burn pictures showing the United States President Barack Obama during a rally outside the Presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, July 7, 2013. As clashes between protesters raged over the ouster of Morsi, Malacañang on Sunday cautioned Filipinos in Egypt not to venture out on “unnecessary errands.” AP PHOTO/Hassan Ammar MANILA, Philippines—As clashes between protesters raged over the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi, Malacañang on Sunday cautioned Filipinos in Egypt not to venture out on “unnecessary errands.” Undersecretary Abigail Valte, deputy presidential spokesperson, reminded the 6,000 Filipinos there that alert level 1 raised by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) remained in effect. Under this alert, Filipinos are advised to stay indoors, avoid areas of protest and take all necessary precautions. “The alert level stays, which is why this has not been lifted by the DFA to warn our citizens that they shouldn’t venture out on any unnecessary errands while there are still incidents (skirmishes) like this,” said Valte over government-run dzRB radio. Morsi’s ouster by the military following days of demonstrations has triggered violent clashes between his supporters and the opposition that has led to deaths and injuries. The Philippine government is monitoring the unrest 24/7 through duty officers manning the embassy and its communication lines, foreign affairs officials have said. “We continue to monitor the temperature, so to speak, and we are ready to extend any assistance that may be required Read More …

POEA warns nurses

 News
Jul 072013
 
POEA warns nurses

Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:35 am | Monday, July 8th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Saturday warned Filipino nurses seeking work abroad about fixers offering jobs in Germany. The POEA earlier announced Germany was hiring 500 nurses from the Philippines. ZAV, the agency authorized to recruit Filipino health professionals under German law, has the final say in the selection of candidates, the POEA said. POEA chief Hans Leo Cacdac advised jobseekers to report fixers through tel. 7221144 or 7221155, or e-mail info@poea.gov.ph, or via facebook.com/ poea.official or twitter.com/poeaNews.—Tina G. Santos Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: Germany , jobs , Nurses , Philippine Overseas Employment Administration , Philippines Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer’s Reader’s Advocate. Or write The Readers’ Advocate: c/o Philippine Daily Inquirer Chino Roces Avenue corner Yague and Mascardo Streets, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Or fax nos. +63 2 8974793 to 94

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