Medical workers examine patients outside the Adventist Medical center in Pasay city as it reaches full capacity for Covid-19 wards. (File photo dated August 10, 2021 by INQUIRER/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ) MANILA, Philippines — Department of Health (DOH) recorded 1,264 total infections of COVID-19 from October 2 to 8. This figure is slightly higher than the registered cases of the previous week. 33 new cases were added from last week, which stood at 1,231. Based on the newest weekly tally of DOH, the recorded infections translated to a daily average of 181.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843719/doh-logs-over-1000-covid-19-infections-on-the-first-week-of-october

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A man runs on a road as fire burns after rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, Israel October 7, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen JERUSALEM — Israel increased airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and sealed it off from food, fuel and other supplies Monday in retaliation for a bloody incursion by Hamas militants, as the war's death toll rose to nearly 1,600 on both sides.   Hamas also escalated the conflict, pledging to kill captured Israelis if attacks targeted civilians without warnings. READ : In the war's third day, Israel was still finding bodies from Hamas' stunning weekend attack into southern Israeli towns.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/532620/israel-war-death-toll-now-at-1600

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In a recent budget hearing, Senator Jose Victor 'JV' Ejercito interpellated the Department of Health (DOH) in a strategic discussion on anti-cervical cancer or human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. As the driving force behind key healthcare laws, including the Universal Health Care Law and the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA), Ejercito's inquiry emphasized the need for accessible cancer prevention measures. DOH Usec. Vergeire discussing with Senator JV Ejercito the Health Department's appeal for additional Php 400 million to ensure a nationwide access for anti-cervical cancer vaccine Cervical cancer, predominantly caused by HPV, claims the lives of 11 Filipinas daily.

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/220478/doh-appeals-for-additional-400m-php-to-expand-access-for-anti-cervical-cancer-vaccine

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MOSCOW—Russia condemned violence against both Jews and Palestinians in Israel and the Palestinian Territories on Monday, but criticised the United States for what it said was its destructive approach which had ignored the need for an independent Palestinian state. Israeli troops were battling Hamas gunmen on Monday, more than two days after the militants burst across the fence from Gaza on a deadly rampage. The army said it would soon go on the offensive after the biggest mobilisation in Israeli history.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/532610/russia-accuses-us-of-destructive-approach-on-israeli-palestinian-war

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FILE PHOTO: 21st Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q. Brown, Jr. attends the Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in honor of General Milley and an Armed Forces Hail in honor of General Brown, at Summerall Field at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Arlington, Virginia, United States, September 29, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo ABOARD A US MILITARY AIRCRAFT — The United States' top general on Monday warned Iran not to get involved in the crisis in Israel and said he did not want the conflict to broaden, as Lebanese armed group Hezbollah fired a salvo of rockets onto northern Israel.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843706/top-us-general-warns-iran-do-not-get-involved-in-israel-crisis

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Danao City proudly celebrated the blessing and turnover of its state-of-the-art Danao City Fire Station Building. The city's fire service department received a generous boost, with a remarkable 25-million-peso budget from the National Headquarters of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). Adding to this, the 1,156-square-meter lot, graciously provided by the City Government, has paved the way for an upgraded and strategically located facility. Here in Danao we will always welcome you with open arms, for there is no better use to our city-owned lot than to make it the site of our city's Fire Station… Truly, this upgrade would be beneficial to the people of Danao RAMON 'NITO' DURANO III VICE MAYOR DANAO CITY Danao City Vice Mayor Ramon 'Nito' Durano III , in his message, underscored the unique synergy between local and national government agencies, emphasizing the need for collaboration to optimize the delivery of essential services.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/532599/danao-city-celebrates-blessing-and-turnover-of-new-fire-station

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Israeli soldiers look at the remains of a police station which was the site of a battle following a mass infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in Sderot, southern Israel October 8, 2023. (REUTERS) MANILA, Philippines — Seven Filipinos remain missing while 22 others have been rescued in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant nationalist group Hamas, according to the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), quoting the country's ambassador to Israel, said on Monday night that based on the information verified by the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv, 'there were 29 Filipinos that were initially reported missing.

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/220462/7-ofws-missing-22-savedas-war-in-israel-rages?utm_source=(direct)&utm_medium=gallery

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Palestinians inspect the rubble of the Yassin Mosque destroyed after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike at Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, early Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Israel's military battled to drive Hamas fighters out of southern towns and seal its borders Monday as it pounded the Gaza Strip. AP BEIRUT — Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007, launched an attack inside Israel over the weekend, killing hundreds and taking others hostage. Its unprecedented breach of the border sent fighters inside border communities and military installations, shocked Israel and its allies, and raised questions about the group's capabilities and strategy.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843670/what-is-hamas-the-group-that-rules-gaza-strip-has-fought-several-rounds-of-war-with-israel

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Durian nicknamed the king of fruits takes center stage at the SMX Convention Center of SMX Lanang Premiere this month as a farmers' group in Davao City holds the 1st Philippine Asia Durian Summit .  Organized by the Durian Industry Association of Davao City (DIADC), IMS Asia and with the help of the Department of Agriculture, DA AMAD XI office, the summit will be held from October 25 to 27, with over 1,500 delegates from durian industry associations as well as growers, farmers, traders, consolidators, buyers, and exporters of the well-loved tropical fruit expected to open their doors for more opportunities in the industry.

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/220481/farmers-group-in-davao-to-hold-the-1st-philippine-asia-durian-summit-from-october-25-27

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Smoke rises following Israeli strikes in Gaza on October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem The Israeli military said it had called up an unprecedented 300,000 reservists and was imposing a blockade on the Gaza Strip, in a sign it may be planning a ground assault in response to the devastating weekend attack by Hamas gunmen. Israeli TV channels said the death toll from the Hamas attack had climbed to 900. Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 687 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes on the blockaded enclave since Saturday, October 7.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843564/israel-and-palestinian-war-what-you-need-to-know-right-now

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Local residents wade through a flooded road near Shwe Maw Taw pagoda in Bago, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Yangon, Myanmar, Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Flooding triggered by heavy monsoon rains in Myanmar's southern areas has displaced more than 10,000 people and disrupted traffic on the rail lines that connect the country's biggest cities, officials and state-run media said Monday. | AP Photo/Thein Zaw BANGKOK — Flooding triggered by heavy monsoon rains in Myanmar's southern areas has displaced more than 14,000 people and disrupted traffic on the rail lines that connect the country's biggest cities, officials and state-run media said Monday.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/532617/myanmar-flooding-more-than-14000-people-displaced

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RECYCLED. Aaron Tartakovsky, co-founder and CEO of water technology startup Epic Cleantec, reaches into a refrigerator of beers brewed with recycled wastewater at the company's headquarters September 26, 2023 in San Francisco, California. | Agence France-Presse SAN FRANCISCO — With its golden hue and light fruity flavor, the beer being sipped by Aaron Tartakovsky looks and tastes just like many others. But it contains an unusual ingredient: recycled wastewater from a San Francisco skyscraper. The beverage was brewed to raise public awareness of the 'untapped' potential of water sources that might seem unsavory at first glance, at a time when the American West is struggling with chronic drought exacerbated by global warming, explains Tartakovsky.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/532631/beer-made-from-wastewater-aims-to-help-quench-us-drought

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The White House is lit in blue and white, the colors of the Israeli flag, to underscore U.S. solidarity with Israel, Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, in Washington. AP WASHINGTON — The U.S. has already begun delivering critically needed munitions and military equipment to Israel, the White House said Monday, as the Pentagon reviews its inventories to see what else can be sent quickly to boost its ally in the three-day-old war with Hamas. John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, confirmed Monday evening that the first batch of military aid in the wake of the violent assault by Hamas militants is 'making its way' to Israel.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843622/us-delivers-munitions-to-israel-as-american-death-toll-rises-to-11-in-hamas-attacks

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Ali Barakeh, a member of Hamas' exiled leadership, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Barakeh on Monday denied that Iran or the Lebanese Hezbollah had helped plan or were even aware of the wide-ranging incursion his group launched into Israel, but said 'our allies will join the battle if Gaza is subjected to a war of annihilation.' AP BEIRUT — A senior Hamas official on Monday said only a small number of top commanders inside Gaza knew about the wide-ranging incursion launched into Israel, but that allies like Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah 'will join the battle if Gaza is subjected to a war of annihilation.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843666/hamas-iran-hezbollah-not-involved-in-israel-incursion-but-will-help-if-needed

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In this file photo made Jan. 21, 2010, a passenger walks past a Delta Airlines 747 aircraft in McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Romulus, Mich. Major airlines are suspending flights to Israel after it formally declared war following a massive attack by Hamas. AP FILE PHOTO Major airlines have suspended flights in and out of Israel after the nation declared war following a massive attack by Hamas . Israel hit more than 1,000 targets in Gaza and Palestinian militants continued firing barrages of rockets, setting off air raid sirens in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843618/airlines-halt-israel-flights-as-hamas-attack-ignites-heavy-fighting

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A woman cries during the funeral of Israeli Col. Roi Levy at the Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem on Monday, October 9, 2023. Col. Roi Levy was killed after Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns. Israel's vaunted military and intelligence apparatus was caught completely off guard, bringing heavy battles to its streets for the first time in decades. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) JERUSALEM — Israel increased airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and sealed it off from food, fuel, and other supplies Monday in retaliation for a bloody incursion by Hamas militants, as the war's death toll rose to nearly 1,600 on both sides.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843563/israel-strikes-and-seals-off-gaza-as-hamas-vows-to-execute-hostages

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A woman cries during a rally in support of the people of Israel, in Buenos Aires on October 9, 2023, following the October 7 shock deadly attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas. | Photo by Luis ROBAYO / AFP Dozens of foreigners have been killed, injured or taken hostage during a surprise attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas that has left 800 people dead, mostly Israelis. READ MORE: Israel declares war; death toll now 1,100 Many of the missing foreigners were at an electronic music festival in the southern Israeli desert, at which scores of revellers were massacred.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/532600/hamas-attack-how-many-foreigners-killed-missing-or-abducted

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Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista announced on Monday the launch of cycling bike lanes along Elliptical Road and Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City (QC). The project, with the support of the QC local government, which includes the construction of two-kilometer bike lanes, will be completed in the first quarter of 2024 and will benefit around three million people, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Monday. 'We want to emphasize the safety of cyclists. We want to ensure cycling is a safe mode of daily travel, no longer just for leisure,' Bautista said during the groundbreaking ceremony.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843472/dotrs-bautista-inaugurates-qc-bike-lanes

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Israeli soldiers look at the remains of a police station which was the site of a battle following a mass infiltration by Hamas gunmen from Gaza Strip, in Sderot, southern Israel on October 8, 2023. (Photo from REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun) MANILA, Philippines —  Philippine Embassy in Israel is verifying a report of possible first Filipino fatality amid the rising tension in war-torn Israel. Philippine Consul General and Deputy Chief of Mission Anthony Mandap on Tuesday morning repeatedly clarified the embassy has yet to confirm such report.

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/220472/ph-embassy-verifying-report-of-1st-filipino-fatality-in-war-torn-israel

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A WGA support sign rests near SAG-AFTRA members picketing outside Warner Bros. Studio as the actors strike continues on Sept. 26, 2023, in Burbank, California. The Writers Guild of America announced Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, that 99 percent of the 8,525 members who cast ballots voted to ratify the deal. MARIO TAMA / Getty Images via AFP LOS ANGELES—Hollywood writers have voted almost unanimously to approve the contract agreement reached by their union leaders  that ended a strike after nearly five months, while actors remain in negotiations to find a way out of their own strike.

https://entertainment.inquirer.net/522367/hollywood-writers-vote-to-approve-contract-deal-that-ended-strike

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FILE PHOTO. (Courtesy of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority) SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Freeport's largest group of truck importers refuted on Monday the allegations of extortion after some brokers and port users claimed that they are being subjected to the practice. The Subic Bay Truck Importers Association Inc. said the accusations were 'malicious' and 'false,' noting that the group's members have been adhering to policies and procedures imposed by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). The association issued a statement to dismiss the extortion and bribery claims after some brokers and port users met with SBMA Chair and Administrator Jonathan Tan recently, supposedly to seek protection.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843707/subic-truck-importers-refute-extortion-claims

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ILLEGAL OPERATION | In this 2018 photo, National Bureau of Investigation agents seize computers and arrest a group of Chinese behind online illegal gambling operations in Muntinlupa City. (File photo by RICHARD A. REYES / Philippine Daily Inquirer) MANILA, Philippines — The primary unit of the Department of Justice (DOJ) tasked with going after cybercriminals would only get P475,000 in confidential funds for 2024. Senators said they found much wanting this allotment for the DOJ's Office of Cybercrime (OOC) — as disclosed by Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito during the Senate's budget deliberations on Monday — given the proliferation of online scams in the country.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843463/confidential-funds-for-doj-cybercrime-unit-only-p475k

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Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri's advice to President Marcos to revamp his official family and replace underperforming Cabinet secretaries is not without basis. According to Pulse Asia's latest 'Ulat ng Bayan' survey, conducted from Sept. 10 to Sept. 14, both Mr. Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte suffered double-digit declines in approval and trust ratings. It was the first time the scores of the country's top two leaders fell by two digits since the new administration started in June last year.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/167003/growing-economic-discontent

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Charles Candolo Fuentes —KAURAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FACEBOOK PHOTO AMPATUAN, MAGUINDANAO DEL SUR—Teachers at Kauran Elementary School in Kauran village here are crying for justice for their colleague slain by gunmen who took his motorbike on Saturday. Charles Candolo Fuentes, a teacher at the school, was driving home when he was flagged down and killed by the suspects, according to Capt. Guiseppe Tamayo, police chief of Ampatuan town of Maguindanao del Sur. He would have turned 30 on the 21st of this month.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843450/maguindanao-sur-teachers-call-for-justice-for-slain-colleague

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Last Thursday, Oct. 5, was World Teachers' Day. It may not be significant to many people, but for me, and the millions of people who have chosen teaching as their main profession in life, it is quite special. Teaching is a tedious and difficult profession for those who take it as a 'mission' or a vocation. It is difficult especially for teachers in the Philippine context when they are assigned to practice their profession in geographically isolated and depressed areas (GIDAs), where they have to cross rivers or walk several kilometers through mountainous trails just to reach their duty stations.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/167002/ruling-as-centurions

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Last week, I cited Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data showing how we've trailed our Asean-6 neighbors on foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, which further dropped by a fifth this year so far. I asked the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT to list the top three deterrents to FDIs in the Philippines. If one can assume that AI captures the most commonly cited reasons found in the internet, we might surmise that the list it gave represents those most prominently mentioned, ranked in order of importance.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/167009/why-investments-elude-us

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CLEAN BREW | Aaron Tartakovsky, cofounder and CEO of water technology startup Epic Cleantec, reaches into a refrigerator of beers brewed with recycled wastewater at the company headquarters in San Francisco, California, on Sept. 26, 2023. (Agence France-Presse) SAN FRANCISCO — With its golden hue and light fruity flavor, the beer being sipped by Aaron Tartakovsky looks and tastes just like many others. But it contains an unusual ingredient: recycled wastewater from a San Francisco skyscraper. The beverage was brewed to raise public awareness of the 'untapped' potential of water sources that might seem unsavory at first glance, at a time when the American West is struggling with chronic drought exacerbated by global warming, explains Tartakovsky.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1843470/wastewater-beer-aims-to-help-quench-us-drought

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It's not surprising. People are having a hard time,' lamented President Marcos, when asked about the dramatic plunge in his approval ratings amid growing economic woes. Far from being defensive or defiant, the President seemed genuinely concerned. With furrowed eyebrows and flashes of sorrow on his face, his voice was tinged with lamentation. 'I completely understand it, and that's why we're working very hard … What's important to me is that we make sure that people have enough to eat and that it is affordable to them,' Mr.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/167007/marcos-and-sara-duterte-world-of-contrasts

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In the first 14 months of this administration, law-enforcement agents seized a staggering 7.3 tons of illegal drugs (4.4 tons of shabu and 3 tons of dried marijuana leaves) valued at P30 billion.  Congressman Robert Ace Barbers made this revelation during Monday's hearing of his House Committee on Dangerous Drugs. 'This quantity alone could bankroll the political campaigns of drug lords', he said in his opening statement. This reminds us of the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago's perspective on campaign financing.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/167023/massive-p30-b-haul-of-illicit-drugs-financing-winning-drug-lords-in-politics

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It has been impossible to predict earthquakes, but artificial intelligence may change that soon. University of Texas researchers have created an AI algorithm that accurately predicted 70% of earthquakes a week before they happened. They admit that technology cannot reliably predict disasters anywhere in the world. Nevertheless, it delivered promising results. It's amazing to see how far artificial intelligence is taking humanity. It has gone from generating any text imaginable to potentially warning us of impending disasters.

https://technology.inquirer.net/128728/earthquake-ai-prediction-system

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