Day: February 15, 2025

Bangkok: Prisons must embrace transparency in governance and recognize the impact of incarceration on poverty and public health, a United Nations official said during the ASEAN Regional Corrections Conference (ARCC) 2025 held here. According to Philippines News Agency, Rafael Souza, crime prevention and criminal justice officer at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), highlighted on Saturday the strong link between poverty and crime. Souza emphasized that the organization is committed to ending poverty in all forms, noting that “incarceration aggravates poverty not just for the inmates but also for their families, especially if the incarcerated is the family’s

Washington: The US Army has announced a significant policy change, stating that transgender individuals will no longer be allowed to enlist, and all gender transition-related medical procedures will be halted. This decision follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. According to Philippines News Agency, the executive order also pauses all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria and halts “all unscheduled, scheduled, or planned” medical procedures associated with affirming or facilitating a gender transition for current service members. The US Army emphasized that those with gender dysphoria who have volunteered to serve will still be

Manila: The Triathlon Philippines (TriPhil) on Saturday announced the official members of its national teams for 2025. Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medalists Fernando Jose Casares Tan and Marion Kim Mangrobang will lead their respective divisions. According to Philippines News Agency, joining Filipino-Spanish Casares in the men’s Elite and Under 23 categories are Andrew Kim Remolino and Matthew Justine Hermosa of Cebu, Joshua Alexander Ramos of Baguio, I±aki Emil Lorbes, Juan Miguel Tayag, and Juan Francisco Baniqued. For the women’s Elite, Under 23, and Junior squads, Mangrobang is accompanied by Raven Faith Alcoseba, Kira Ellis, Erika Nicole Burgos, Lady Samantha

Abidjan: Climate change drove weeks of crop-withering temperatures last year in the West African countries that underpin the world’s chocolate supply, hitting harvests and likely further stoking record prices, Science Alert reported. Farmers in the region – which account for about 70 percent of global cacao production – have struggled with heat, disease, and unusual rainfall in recent years, which have all contributed to falling production. That has caused an explosion in the price of cocoa, which is produced from the beans of the cacao tree and is the main ingredient in chocolate. According to Philippines News Agency, a new

Olongapo City: Top seed Jayden Reece Ballado demolished Alecks Marguereth Quillope, 6-0, 6-0, Saturday to reach the girls’ 18-under semifinals of the Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. National Junior Tennis Championships in Olongapo City. According to Philippines News Agency, Ballado, winner of the 16-under singles and 18-under doubles titles at the Philippine Sports Commission – Philippine Tennis Association (PSC-PHILTA) in December, will face Lheira Gem Bugarin, who walked over Gwyneth Dasha Go in the quarterfinals. Second seed Shiloh Cruz also advanced without playing as Zekiah Torrente withdrew, leading to a semifinal duel with Cadee Jan Dagoon, who triumphed over Ameera Mangoba,