General

Manila: Incoming Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chair Patrick Gregorio expressed his gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for entrusting him with the new position. In a statement early Sunday, Gregorio, also the incumbent president of the Philippine Rowing Association, vowed that he would repay Marcos’ trust by assuring a smooth leadership of the PSC. According to Philippines News Agency, Gregorio emphasized his commitment to the role, stating, “It is my honor and privilege to serve as the chair of the Philippine Sports Commission. I am grateful for the President’s trust and will do right by it.” With the Philippines

Waskaduwa: Filipino FIDE Master Alekhine Nouri continued his unbeaten run at the Asian Juniors Chess Championship premier standard event in Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka after notching his third straight victory Saturday night. The 19-year-old Nouri, a two-time national juniors champion, prevailed over local W D Malisha Sasvidu Weerathungalage to earn 3.0 points and share the lead with International Masters S Aswath and Kashish Manoj Jain and FIDE Master Mahendru Jaiveer of India, IM Nayaka Budhidharma of Indonesia, FIDE Master Sajid Sakline Mostafa of Bangladesh and IM L M S T De Silva of Sri Lanka. According to Philippines News Agency, Nouri

Brussels: The European Union on Friday proposed making all eel species, including the Japanese eel, subject to regulation under an international treaty to protect endangered species, while Japan opposes the move. According to Philippines News Agency, the EU, along with the Dominican Republic, Panama, and Honduras, submitted the proposal to the secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES. The proposal aims to regulate fry, full-grown eels, and processed eel products of all 18 species. CITES, also known as the Washington Convention, categorizes animals and plants requiring protection into annexes on

Shirahama: All four giant pandas at a zoo in the Adventure World amusement park in the town of Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, left for China on Saturday morning. The pandas, all females, were reported to be in good health and displayed typical behavior, although they appeared slightly disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings, a zookeeper noted. According to Philippines News agency, the pandas departed at 8:45 a.m. in two trucks. The group included 24-year-old Rauhin and her three daughters, Yuihin, 8, Saihin, 6, and Fuhin, 4. A crowd of fans gathered at the zoo to bid farewell, capturing the moment

Aurora: A dead male blue shark (Prionace glauca) was discovered on the shoreline of Barangay Lipit, triggering a swift response from local officials and marine authorities. The incident, which took place on Saturday morning, raised concerns about marine life in the area. According to Philippines News Agency, the shark was found at 10 a.m. by a local resident, Danilo Dupale, who quickly notified village officials, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and the Municipal Agriculture Office. Luzviminda Ramos, a staff member of the Municipal Agriculture Office, confirmed the discovery and collaborated with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic