On Friday, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it has accelerated the release of face masks in the face of increased demand for personal protective equipment despite the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) threat. Advertisement The BOC indicated in a statement that since the detection and diagnosis of COVID-19 in January 2020, the Agency has been speeding the process and release …

Global oil demand will experience its first quarterly decline in a decade as the COVID-19 virus lashes China’s economy and ripples its effects worldwide. Advertisement “The global demand for oil has been hit hard by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and the widespread shutdown of China’s economy,” reported the International Energy Agency in its latest monthly report. Demand is now expected …

KOTA KINABALU – The Coronavirus or the official name for the illness ‘Covid-19’ Strikes has dried up tourism in Malaysia and suffered an estimated RM3bil in losses. Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry secretary-general Datuk Noor Zari Hamat said that with the recent cancellations of flight, Industries such as hoteliers, travel agents and food and beverage businesses were severely impacted. We’re …

Isabela Rep. Antonio “Tonypet” Albano said on Thursday that there was no direct pressure from President Rodrigo Duterte about the pending legislation seeking to expand the ABS-CBN broadcast network franchise. The President has never interfered with, and does not plan to intervene with, Congressional relations, “he said.” He respects the separation of powers and has great respect for us. Albano …

About 44 people on board a cruise ship moored off the coast of Japan have screened the novel coronavirus positively, said Thursday the country’s health minister. Advertisement Minister of Health Katsunobu Kato said the 44 new cases were from 221 new tests. In addition to a quarantine officer who has also tested positive for the virus, they raise the number …

As of Thursday morning the Philippines reported 33 additional suspected cases of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), data from the Department of Health (DOH) reveal. Advertising This brings the total, cumulative number of persons under investigation (PUIs) to 441 in the country—230 of them are currently admitted to different hospitals and 206 others have been discharged that yielded negative results for the …

Malacañang said that it shares US President Donald Trump’s opinion of Manila-Washington’s imminent termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Trump’s advertisement told a White House news conference on Wednesday that he wouldn’t mind the Philippines ending the VFA because it’s going to save a lot of money. Trump also said the US had helped defeat Islamic State militants in …

Immigration officers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have prohibited entry into the Philippines of a foreigner accused of being a terrorist and his three compañeros. Advertisement The name of the man was included in the database of suspected international terrorists shared by Interpol with the Immigration Bureau (BI), the BI. On February 5, the foreigner and his companions arrived …

SANDAKAN – A Retired employee of the Sabah State Railway Department was fined RM5,000 and in default of 10 months’ jailtime today for spreading fake news on the recent outbreak. Aliuudin Amit, 67, now a retiree pleaded guilty to the offence. He was charged with circulating statement and spreading misinformation to public via Whatsapp program on a Sandakan Prison inmate …

PUTRAJAYA – The late Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais was honoured posthumously tonight for his efforts in curbing corruption with the Perdana International Anti-Corruption Champion 2020 Award. Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission head investigator Novel Baswedan also have been conferred the same award. The award was presented by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in conjuction with the recent …