MANILA, Philippines --- A coping beam at the Skyway Stage 3 protect got detached from its hook during installation on Sunday, causing heavy traffic on the southbound lane of the North Luzon Expressway. In an advisory, the NLEX Corp. said the incident happened at the Balintawak area of the expressway which caused heavy traffic on the southbound lane of the Balintawak-Camachile area around 9 a.m. https://twitter.com/NLEXexpressways/status/1162912729620836352?s=20 The coping beam was retrieved around 11:50 a.m., making two lanes passable for motorists. Three lanes became passable around 12:33 p.m. NLEX apologized for the inconvenience the incident caused. The Skyway Stage 3 p...Keep on reading: Skyway coping beam falls, causing heavy traffic at NLEX

MANILA, Philippines---Chef's Classsics took one of the worst beatings in Premier Volleyball League history when it lost to Creamline 25-12, 25-5, 25-15, in the Open Conference Sunday at Filoil Flying V Center. The Red Spikers scored just 14 spikes in the match that saw the first two sets start at 16-1 with Alyssa Valdez, usually a first option on offense, serving 35 times. Skipper Justine Tiu was downtrodden after the loss, which she thinks should serve as a wakeup call for the team. «Of course, we'll train harder and this is a sign for us that we need work even harder in the future,» said Tiu in Filipino. No player from Chef's Classics scored in double figures with Nieza...Keep on reading: Brutal loss to Creamline adds motivation to Chef’s Classics

MANILA, Philippines---Defending champion Creamline came in full force against lightweight novice Chef's Classics, 25-12, 25-5, 25-15, Sunday night to claim its third straight win in the Premier Volleyball League at Filoil Flying V Center. The Cool Smashers didn't hold their punches in handing the Red Spikers their second consecutive defeat and firm up their hold of the leadership with a 3-0 record. Alyssa Valdez finished wih 16 points for the Cool Smashers, embodying the Cool Smashers' dominance, serving 16 straight times at one point as her team posted a 16-1 lead in the second. There was hardly any rally in the lopsided match with the Cool Smashers putting the younger Red ...Keep on reading: Creamline extends streak, pounds Chef’s Classics

PORTLAND, Oregon --- Hundreds of far-right protesters and anti-fascist counter-demonstrators swarmed downtown Portland, Oregon, on Saturday for a long-hyped rally that attracted President Donald Trump's attention and resulted in at least 13 arrests. Police seized metal poles, bear spray, and other weapons and closed bridges and streets to try to keep the rival groups apart. They were largely successful. Six minor injuries were reported. «This was a dynamic event with demonstrators frequently moving from one part of the city to another,» Mayor Ted Wheeler said at an evening news conference. Leaders of the right-wing groups vowed to return to Portland, saying they would keep c...Keep on reading: Portland ‘ground zero’ for protests between right, left-wing

MEXICO CITY --- Workers erected a wooden wall around Mexico City's iconic Angel of Independence monument Saturday after feminists defaced it with graffiti during a raucous and violent protest over a string of alleged rapes by police. READ:Women in Mexico City protest alleged police rapes The disorder Friday night erupted as part of protests that arose this week over a perception that city officials were not adequately investigating the rape accusations. Both victims were teenagers. The demonstrations have become known as the «glitter protests» after marchers doused the city's police chief in pink glitter. Hundreds of city workers spent the wee hours of the morning pressure-c...Keep on reading: Mexico City assesses monument damage after anti-rape march

GENEVA --- From guitars to traditional medicines and from tusk to tail, mankind's exploitation of the planet's fauna and flora is putting some of them at risk of extinction. Representatives of some 180 nations are meeting in Geneva to agree on protections for vulnerable species, taking up issues including the trade in ivory and the demand for shark fin soup. The World Wildlife Conference on trade in endangered species, known as CITES, which takes place every three years, aims to make sure that global trade in specimens of wild animals and plants doesn't jeopardize their survival. The conference opens Saturday and runs through Aug. 28, with key decisions expected to be finalized...Keep on reading: From tusks to tails, nations eye trade in endangered species

MANILA, Philippines---Alyssa Valdez, one of the most talented wing spikers of her generation, had no problems taking a step back during Creamline's annihilation of Chef's Classics in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference. Creamline's talisman still had her fair share of points with 16, but she spent most of her time in the service line in the Cool Smashers' merciless three-set sweep of the Red Spikers, 25-12, 25-5, 25-15, Sunday at Filoil Flying V Center. Valdez went to the service line 35 times, two more than what the Red Spikers had as a team and converted on seven aces. "More than not committing an error, I wanted to get points from the service line because the tr...Keep on reading: Valdez glad to see teammates shine in Creamline romp of Chef’s Classics

MANILA, Philippines---PetroGazz barged into the winners' column after a dominant sweep of BaliPure, 25-22, 25-18, 25-16, in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference Sunday at Filoil Flying V Center. The Angels bounced back from their four-set loss against BanKo for a 1-1 record while the Water Defenders dropped to 0-2 in the conference as their losing streak stretched to 12 games dating back to the Reinforced Conference. Jeanette Panaga had 16 points to lead all scorers while Paneng Mercado added nine points. Angels head coach Arnold Laniog said he saw a change in his team's mindset that resulted to a much better showing this time. "I think the mindset at the start of the of...Keep on reading: PetroGazz rebounds, beats BaliPure in 3 sets

According to reports by American outlets on Thursday, Aug. 15, Russell Brand is in negotiations to play in the film based on Agatha Christie's novel, to be directed by Kenneth Branagh. No information has been released regarding the role that the Brit is said to be in the running for. «Death on the Nile» will be the sequel to «Murder on the Orient Express», which was brought to life by Branagh in 2017 and will once again be adapted by screenwriter Michael Green. This new adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic will follow famous detective Hercule Poirot as he investigates a murder onboard a boat going down the Nile, with a love triangle as a bonus. The film, which should hit t...Keep on reading: Russell Brand in negotiations to join Gal Gadot in ‘Death on the Nile’

LAL-LO, Cagayan--The Royal Air Philippines on Sunday (Aug. 18) started direct commercial flights, both domestic and international, at the Cagayan North Development Airport (CNDA) here. At least 161 people were the first passengers of the airline's inaugural direct flights. For its maiden international flight, Royal Air carried 91 passengers from Macau International Airport to CNDA and another 44 passengers from CNDA to Macau. The airline's domestic flight from CNDA to Clark in Pampanga and vice versa carried 26 passengers. The inaugural flights were welcomed by Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) officials. Raymundo Roquero, CEZA senior deputy administrator, said the commercial f...Keep on reading: Direct flights, carrying Chinese nationals, start in Cagayan

CAMP GEN. ALEJO SANTOS, Bulacan---Three suspected drug pusher were killed in clashes with police in separate buy-bust operations in the province on Saturday (Aug. 17). Col. Chito Bersaluna, Bulacan police director, identified the slain suspects as Harold Sunpongco, Alfie Garcia, and Julius Ace Lavarro. Bersaluna said drug busts were carried out between 2 a.m. and 11 p.m. in the towns of San Rafael, Norzagaray and Bulakan. Seized from the suspects were .38-caliber revolvers, bullets, «shabu» (crystal meth), marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Carmela Reyes-Estrope/TSB...Keep on reading: Bulacan drug busts turn lethal, kill 3 suspects

MAKATI CITY---It's a kind of hybrid different from modern cars running on electric and gasoline engines. Beauty for those behind the Mutya Pilipinas pageant meant not only a pretty face, well proportioned body but also ability to shine on the catwalk. So when the pageant declares its 2019 winners, a new title would be added, one requiring not only keeping a beautiful appearance but also talent in modelling clothes. The new title would be called Mutya-World Top Model. It would be on top of the titles Mutya Asia Pacific International and Mutya Tourism International. As the name suggests, the winner of the Mutya-World Top Model would compete in the World Top Model contest. "There is ...Keep on reading: In bid to go hybrid, Mutya eyes World Top Model tilt, too

Actress Maritoni Fernandez recently jetted off to Bangkok, Thailand for some quality time with her daughter Lexi and mother Luth. «Off to Bangkok for some food, shopping and bonding with my fave ladies. 3 [generations] of Fernandez's,» she said in her Instagram post last Thursday, Aug. 15. https://www.instagram.com/p/B1KocYRBDn5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link The three women arrived in Bangkok later the same day. Their first order of business was to taste some delicious Thai cuisine. As per Fernandez's mother's request, they enjoyed a large lobster as their first dish in the city. «Best ever...it was even pregnant so we had the eggs! So YUMMY!» the actress stated. https://www.insta...Keep on reading: LOOK: Maritoni Fernandez goes shoe shopping, food tripping with daughter and mom

France won a thrilling mixed triathlon test event for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Sunday, which passed off as planned in a welcome boost for organisers after difficulties with high temperatures and water pollution. The swimming leg of the paratriathlon on Saturday was scrapped after water tests showed levels of e-coli bacteria more than double the acceptable standard and the running section of a women's test event on Thursday was curtailed in blistering temperatures, with French athlete Cassandre Beaugrand treated for heatstroke. But on Sunday in the Japanese capital with the temperature a slightly cooler 30 Celsius, the levels of bacteria reduced to within permitted levels. The...Keep on reading: Relief for Tokyo 2020 after smooth triathlon mixed relay test

MANILA, Philippines --- «Parati niya sa aming sinasabi na una, walang monopoly ng husay, na dapat iyong lahat nabibigyan ng pagkakataon.»   This is how Vice President Leni Robredo remembered her late husband, Jesse Robredo, and his leadership on Sunday, seven years after the untimely plane crash that took the life of the then interior secretary.   «Iyong sa akin, mas pasasalamat sa ngalan ng aming pamilya, pasasalamat sa lahat na nakakaalala pa din, pumupunta. Mayroong mga pumupunta dito kahit hindi taga-dito, yearly talaga pumupunta para makiisa,» the Vice President told reporters following the commemoration event of Jesse Robredo in Naga City, where he once se...Keep on reading: ‘Walang monopoly ng husay’: Robredo remembers Jesse on his death anniversary

MANILA, Philippines---June Mar Fajardo has once again reached the pinnacle of the PBA when San Miguel took the Commissioner's Cup title, beating TNT in six games. The 6-foot-10 center won his eighth championship with the Beermen and even though he's experienced tremendous success over the years there's still that lingering feeling that it wasn't enough. Fajardo has been known to be close to his family in Cebu, especially to his mother Marites, and he said that the championship would have been more special if his kin was in Manila with him. «I dedicate this championship to my family and it's just sad that they aren't here with me tonight,» said Fajardo in Filipino after San M...Keep on reading: Fajardo dedicates latest San Miguel Beer title to family in Cebu

MANILA, Philippines --- Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Sunday renewed his call for the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a special audit on the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) as he underscored the importance of removing corruption from the office.   Drilon said that Philhealth's net operating loss reached P26 billion over the last five years, excluding its unpaid claims amounting to P48 billion.   «Kaya siguro ang unang hihingin natin ay pwede bang magkaroon ng special audit ang COA sa Philhealth, hindi lang annual audit, para makita natin kung magkano ba talaga ang lugi sa Philhealth at magkano ang pondo na kailangan,» Drilon said ...Keep on reading: Drilon renews call for COA special audit on Philhealth

MANILA, Philippines --- Those «free» movies are not totally free after all.   The local government of Makati City said it paid more than P18 million in the first half of the year for movie tickets given to senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).   In a report by the accounting department's officer in charge William Dayrit, City Hall paid a total of P18,146,284 to its six cinema partners from January to June.   Of this, P16,595,131.75 went to movie tickets of more than 110,000 senior citizens, and P1,551,152.25 to movie tickets of at least 12,000 PWDs.   The amounts represent the 25-percent share of the city government in the c...Keep on reading: ‘Free’ movies for seniors, PWDs cost Makati gov’t P18M

MANILA, Philippines --- The Commission on Audit (COA) has called out the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) for purchasing life insurance plans worth a total of P500 million for 10 of its officials, despite lack of board approval and proper selection criteria.   In its annual audit report, the COA said the insurance plans, bought from United Coconut Planters Life Assurance Corp. (Cocolife), were the single-pay variable life insurance type, also called the Zenith plan under Cocolife.   A variable life insurance product is an investment-linked product that simultaneously provides insurance and invests in mutual funds or unit investment funds.  ...Keep on reading: COA questions CAAP over P500M spent for 10 execs’ life insurance

The Dumagat have been living on the banks of the Kaliwa River for centuries, and swimming is second nature to them. Yet they are afraid that they, along with their ancestral domain, their culture and traditions, will be drowned in the planned Kaliwa Dam, a project of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to be built with an P18.7-billon loan from China.   «We will drown ... They say it will be deep,» said 10-year-old Erik John Leynes, who lives with his family near the Kaliwa River.   The river, which is to be the dam's main water source, flows between the towns of Infanta and General Nakar in Quezon province, on the boundaries of Barang...Keep on reading: Tide of fear rising in Dumagat land

MANILA, Philippines --- He and his party mates are «the victims» here, Duterte Youth party list nominee Ronald Cardema said on Saturday as he claimed that Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, through an emissary, had asked favors from him in exchange for the party's accreditation in January.   Cardema was apparently responding to Guanzon's recent claims that she had been receiving death threats from his camp after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division canceled his nomination as Duterte Youth representative on Aug. 5 for «material misrepresentation» of his age.   The law requires youth sector nominees to be 25 to 30 years old on Election Day. Car...Keep on reading: Cardema cries extortion; all for publicity, says poll exec

MANILA, Philippines --- Do Filipinos suspect that Chinese workers in the Philippines are really spies? Well, the Chinese can think the same way about overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in China, too. But let's perish the thought that the thousands of our nationals working in your country and yours working in ours are security threats.   That was the message from Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua to Malacaang after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana raised concerns about the presence of Chinese-manned Philippine offshore gaming operation (Pogo) sites near military and police camps, according to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo.   Lorenzana earlier said that ...Keep on reading: Envoy to Panelo: What if China suspects OFWs of spying, too?

MANILA, Philippines---Marcio Lassiter is over the moon after San Miguel Beer's latest championship. But he is even more elated with how his teammates stepped up to fill the void he left. «I've always had belief in everyone,» he told reporters in the din of celebration at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Friday night. «They were tremendous, you know,» he said of his teammates, who finished off top-seeded TNT in six games, capped a 102-90 decision. «We needed all of that.» «Whether it was one second, one minute or big minutes---everyone filled a void,» he said. Lassiter hurt his left knee during the Beermen's twice-to-win stand against NorthPort in the quarters. Shortly aft...Keep on reading: Marcio Lassiter proud of how teammates covered for him

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Philippines --- Close to a hundred families here were left homeless as a two-hour fire swept through their neighborhood Saturday morning, Aug. 17. SFO3 Samson Velarde said the fire started at the house of couple Apolinario and Leoncia Diaz around 8:50 a.m. According to Velarde, Leoncia, 68, was cooking rice while also doing another chore. When she went back, the kitchen had already caught fire. She called on Apolinario, 74, to help her put out the fire, but it had already spread fast to the rest of their shanty. Both suffered burns in trying to put out the fire. From the Diaz couple's so-called St. John neighborhood in Barangay Punto...Keep on reading: Fire leaves 100 families homeless in Cagayan de Oro

The BTS dolls by Mattel were made available to fans and collectors last Thursday. The dolls landed at the Super K headquarters early, thanks to National Book Store and the dolls' Philippine distributor Richmore Global Inc. (Watch our unboxing video on Facebook!) BTS is the super boy group from South Korea. Its members are RM, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, Jin, Jungkook and V. All the members have dolls made in their likeness. Each doll comes in a clear box that is designed with the BTS logo and has a black backing. The clear box allows you look at the doll from every angle without actually opening it. The group's logo is indented on both sides of the box. The word BTS is in silver lettering...Keep on reading: It’s playtime with BTS

Michael Kooman & Christopher Dimond's musical «Dani Girl» was the maiden production of The Sandbox Collective, and for their fifth anniversary they decided to return to it with a new cast (as alternates to their returning one) and a new stage. Directed once again by Toff De Venecia, «Dani Girl» tells the tale of Dani Lyons, a precocious 9-year-old girl distraught by the return of the cancer she thought she'd beaten. Set in a hospital, she makes a new friend in roommate Marty, a fellow cancer patient and certainly less made-up than Raph, her imaginary friend cum guardian angel. Together they go on a series of adventures to recover Dani's lost hair and an answer to the question "why...Keep on reading: ‘Dani Girl’ makes a triumphant return

Ever since «Mobile Suit Gundam» (Kido Senshi Gundam) first aired in Japan in 1979 and launched the «Real Robots» mecha anim genre, the Gundam franchise has been closely and almost exclusively associated with the hobby of plastic model-making ---colloquially called «Plamo» for «plastic model»---to the point that it earned its own hobby subgenre, «Gunpla» for «Gundam plastic.» Through its decades of the Universal Century canon and its alternative realities--- including the wildly popular «Mobile Suit Gundam Wing» (1996), the gritty «Mobile Suit Gundam: O8th MS Team» (1996), the divisive «Mobile Suit Gundam SEED» (2002), the noirish «Mobile Suit Gundam 00» (2007) and the kid-friendly "Gu...Keep on reading: Gundam Universe gets into the action figure action

HONG KONG --- Thousands of school teachers in Hong Kong marched to the official residence of the city's leader on Saturday as another weekend of protests got underway in the Chinese territory. An overflow crowd rallied at a nearby public square before setting off on streets that had been closed to traffic, carrying signs that read «Protect the next generation» and umbrellas to ward off intermittent downpours. The teachers tied white ribbons to a metal fence near Government House to show their support for the protesters, who have taken to the streets since early June and include many students. They said the government of leader Carrie Lam should answer the protesters' demands an...Keep on reading: Hong Kong teachers’ rally starts another weekend of protests

MANILA, Philippines---Gilas Pilipinas will finally have everyone on board when it resumes practice on Monday. Head coach Yeng Guiao said San Miguel Beer's June Mar Fajardo and TNT's Troy Rosario and Roger Pogoy will rejoin the team on Monday after wrapping up their stint in the PBA Commissioner's Cup won by the Beermen in six games. «On Monday, we expect everybody to be here including Roger, Troy and June Mar. So for the first time in a long time, that's the time we'll be a hundred percent in practice,» Guiao, who gave his wards a day off on Sunday, said after wrapping up training on Saturday. Guiao thinks the three won't have a hard time in reincorporating themselves back in the sy...Keep on reading: Fajardo, Rosario, Pogoy set to rejoin Gilas Pilipinas on Monday

MANILA, Philippines---Terrence Jones was the target of a racial slur in the heat of the PBA Commissioners' Cup finals between San Miguel and his club team TNT. San Miguel's Arwind Santos taunted Jones with a monkey gesture late in the second quarter of Game 5 and that merited the 2013 MVP a P200,000 fine and scrutiny from the public. Santos has since broadcasted a public apology via his Twitter account and sought out Jones during shootaround of Game 6 Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. READ: Arwind Santos reaches out toTerrence Jones in person before Game 6 Jones said that Santos' actions won't affect his overall experience in the Philippines that has been nothing but grea...Keep on reading: NBA-bound Terrence Jones still relishes Philippines stint: ‘I love being here’

LONDON --- A British judge has sentenced a lookalike of «Friends» actor David Schwimmer to nine months in prison for theft and fraud. Judge Sara Dodd sentenced Abdulah Husseni on Thursday for using a stolen bank card to make or attempt to make fraudulent purchases at four shops in Blackpool, northwest England, last year. He was convicted of one count of theft and four counts of fraud by false representation. Husseni's image became famous after police published surveillance-camera footage of a man carrying a carton of cans from a restaurant in Blackpool. Social media users noted a strong similarity to Schwimmer's character Ross Geller in the TV show. The actor then posted a v...Keep on reading: David Schwimmer lookalike sentenced to 9 months in jail

Teen center Bol Bol, the Sudanese-American son of the late NBA star Manute Bol, is confident and excited to begin his own NBA journey with the Denver Nuggets. The 7-foot-2 (2.18m) 19-year-old has an amazing 7-foot-8 (2.37m) extended fingertip reach, impressive outside shooting and dribbling moves to match his formidable shotblocking skills and is back to full strength after a left foot fracture cut short his US college career. «I still can't believe it, that I'm in the NBA,» Bol told AFP. «I'm very excited. Time has flown by. I can't wait to get going.» Bol averaged 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots a game in nine appearances for the University of Oregon, conne...Keep on reading: Big man Bol Bol excited for NBA debut with Nuggets

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --- Actresses America Ferrera and Eva Longoria are leading a group of more than 150 writers, artists and leaders who have written a public «letter of solidarity» to U.S. Latinos after the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, and an immigration raid in Mississippi. The letter, published Friday in The New York Times and in a handful of Spanish-language newspapers, says the signers stand with U.S. Latinos who may feel «terrified, heartbroken and defeated by the barrage of attacks,» citing the shooting in El Paso, which targeted Hispanics, and another shooting in Gilroy, California. The two attacks killed nearly two dozen Latinos. A huge immigration raid of Mississipp...Keep on reading: Latino actors, writers pen ‘letter of solidarity’ amid fears

MANILA, Philippines---Adamson University took down San Beda in one fell swoop, 25-18, 25-22, 25-16, to start its campaign in the Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference Saturday at Filoil Flying V Center. Trisha Genesis led the Lady Falcons, who had three players score in double figures, with 16 points while Lucille Almonte and Ceasa Pinar had 11 points apiece. Adamson head coach Lerma Giron commended the players for showing up and taking on the challenge of the league. «They were already competitive to begin with and now they're leveling up together with the competition,» said Giron in Filipino. «This would be a great way for us to prepare for the UAAP.» The Lady Fal...Keep on reading: PVL: Adamson sweeps San Beda to open campaign

SEREMBAN, Malaysia --- The family of a 15-year-old London teen who was found dead nine days after she disappeared from a Malaysian forest resort claimed her body on Saturday and hope to find answers to their many questions about her death. Police have ruled out foul play, saying the autopsy showed that Nra Anne Quoirin died of intestinal bleeding due to starvation and stress. Police said there was no evidence that she was abducted or raped. Her naked body was found Tuesday beside a small stream about 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) from the Dusun eco-resort after she went missing Aug. 4 from her family's resort cottage. Police said she had been dead two to three days when the body w...Keep on reading: Family seeks more answers to London teen’s death in Malaysia