(LOCAL AND
Sotto stated that he has signed the
FOREIGN
NEWS)
Pasig City hires
two hundred
extra healthcare
people amid
COVID-19 surge
The Pasig City authorities has
employed 227 new healthcare people
to maintain the operations of the
town’s hospitals amid the spike in
coronavirus (COVID-19) instances.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto introduced
the hiring in a Facebook publish on
Wednesday, Jan. 19, after numerous
medical institution body of workers
have been located below quarantine
because of COVID-19 infection. He
additionally shared the highlights in
their weekly on line govt committee
meeting.
contracts of 28 wellknown physicians,
sixty one nurses, and 138 different
clinical body of workers consisting of
clinical specialists, nursing attendants,
and bodily therapists.
He delivered that the quarantine
process, mainly for healthcare people
and town officers stays a venture in
spite of the decreased duration of
obligatory isolation.
Sotto examined high quality
COVID-19 on Saturday, Jan. 15.
for
The Pasig City Epidemiology and
Surveillance Unit (CESU) recorded
3,336 lively COVID-19 instances on
Tuesday, Jan. 18, with instances
nonetheless projected to upward push
withinside the coming days.
However, inspite of the Omicron
variant’s excessive transmission price,
the CESU stated that the dying price
withinside the town is lower.
The town authorities presently has 690
touch tracers, and are predicted to
rent extra humans if you want to
support the town’s touch tracing
operations.
Sotto delivered that the town
authorities has re-opened vaccination
webweb sites and also will open some
other one run via way of means of a
personal entity.
Vaccination registration is ongoing for
minors thru the PasigPass on line
portal whilst the town authorities is
looking forward to the Department of
Health’s tips at the vaccination of kids
elderly five to 11.
As of Jan. 18, Pasig City recorded
71,549 showed instances, 66,731
recoveries, and 1,482 deaths.
(Khriscielle Yalao)
2 nabbed for
promoting faux
drugs in QC
Two folks promoting faux drugs have
been arrested in an entrapment
operation performed with the aid of
using participants of the Northern
Police District- District Special
Operations Unit (NPD-DSOU) and the
Quezon City Police District (QCPD) on
BF Road in Barangay Holy Spirit,
Quezon City on Monday night, Jan. 17.
Police stated the suspects diagnosed
as Jessieco Ibarola, 47, and Fransisco
Ramal, 45, have been stuck promoting
faux drugs round nine p.m.
According to the report, over a
hundred containers of faux
paracetamol and different drugs for
fever, cough, cold, headache of well-
known manufacturers really well worth
P109,000 have been confiscated from
the suspects.
Authorities stated additionally they
recovered automobiles the suspects
used at some point of the transaction.
Ibarola and Ramal are actually below
the custody of the police and could be
charged with violation of Republic Act
No. 8203 or An Act Prohibiting
Counterfeit Drugs Providing Penalties
for Violations and Appropriating Funds.
Meanwhile, National Capital Region
Police Office (NCRPO) leader Vicente
Danao Jr. entreated the general public
to shop for remedy at valid
pharmacies and drug stores. (Cherrylin
Caacbay)
Prisoner who
died after being
shot through
Bilibid escapees
identified
The prisoner who died after being shot
through fellow inmates escaping from
the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in
Muntinlupa on Jan. 17 has been
diagnosed.
Michael Dullavin, in advance defined
through the Muntinlupa police as a 46-
year-vintage minimal protection prisoner
on the NBP, surpassed away on Jan. 18,
in keeping with a source.
Dullavin and 3 corrections officials of the
Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) suffered
gunshot wounds once they had been
fired at through the escapees, in
keeping with the Muntinlupa police.
They had been rushed to the Ospital ng
Muntinlupa for treatment.
The 3 wounded BuCor employees had
been diagnosed as Corrections Senior
Officer 1 Angelito Marquez, 57;
Corrections Officer 1 Mark Joseph
Persons, 29; and Corrections Officer 1
Jancy Dagamas (now no longer
Dagonas as in advance diagnosed), 26.
Last Jan. 17, the Muntinlupa police
suggested that 3 prisoners escaped
from the NBP most protection camp at
approximately 1 a.m.
The escapees had been diagnosed as
Pacifico Adlawan, 49, who became
serving his sentence for pissed off
murder, tried murder and drug use;
Arwin Bio, 35, who became convicted of
homicide and tried homicide; and
Drakilou Falcon, 34, who's serving
sentence for theft with murder and
unlawful ownership of firearms and
ammunition.
They escaped through sawing off the
steel bars in their dormitory mobileular
window. As they had been escaping,
they fired at corrections officials at NBP
Gates four and 3, and fled in the
direction of Sitio Magdaong in the NBP
Reservation.
On Jan. 18, the police and BuCor stated
any other prisoner, diagnosed as Chris
Ablas, escaped, turning into the fourth
convict to escape NBP.
Ablas is serving his sentence of reclusion
perpetua with out parole for theft with
murder on the NBP.
The BuCor in advance stated Ablas
“became suggested lacking up to
provide with opportunity because the
4th and unidentified escapee who
became concerned withinside the jail
break out incident the day gone by on
17 Jan 2022.”
Elements from the Philippine National
Police (PNP) and BuCor performed
manhunt operations in the NBP
Reservation to seize the escapees.
Two escapees, Adlawan and Bio, had
been killed all through a gunfight with
government on Jan. 17.
Adlawan became killed withinside the
Magdaong location of the NBP
Reservation even as Bio died all through
an come across with government
alongside the Muntinlupa-Cavite
Expressway (MCX).
Authorities are accomplishing operations
to arrest Falcon and Ablas. BuCor in
advance supplied a P100,000 praise to
all of us who can offer data at the
vicinity of Falcon.
Robredo to
supporters on
2022 marketing
campaign:
‘Patigasan ito ng
sikmura’
Presidential aspirant Vice President
Leni Robredo on Wednesday, Jan. 19,
rallied her “kakampinks” or supporters
to preserve their preventing spirit
withinside the marketing campaign
closer to the May elections.
Robredo, a frontrunner of the
opposition, stated they should put
together themselves for a hard conflict
ahead.
“In the times to come, patigasan po
ito ng sikmura kasi marami tayong
masamang maririnig laban sa atin.
Pero basta alam po natin na tama lang
‘yung ating pinaglalaban, walang
dahilan para humina ‘yung ating
kalooban (that is a competition on
who has the more potent stomach,
due to the fact we can pay attention a
variety of terrible matters towards us.
But so long as we combat for what's
right, there’s no motive for us to be
discouraged),” Robredo stated in a
digital sortie attended with the aid of
using nearby officers
supporters from Metro Manila.
and her
Previously, the Robredo People’s
Council (RPC) prepared the equal on
line assembly with Laguna and Rizal
supporters.
Robredo stated the proliferation of
lies, incorrect information, and
propaganda towards her on social
media has made the marketing
campaign extra difficult.
She repeated her name to her
supporters to attain out to folks that
agree with faux news, and give an
explanation for to them the truth.
“Ito po ‘yung (These) subsequent 4
months magiging busy tayo lahat.
Kausapin natin hindi lang ‘yung mga
kasama na natin pero bawat isa sa
atin na nandito, mag-goal po tayo ng
mga kakilala natin na hindi pa
kumbinsido. Bigyan lang natin ng
pagkakataon na maipahayag sa kanila
‘yung katotohanan (we're all going to
be busy. Let’s speak now no longer
most effective with people with us
however every person here, let’s goal
humans we realize who aren't but
convinced. Let us provide an
possibility to inform them the truth),”
The Vice President additionally stated
the consequences of mock elections
performed in universities, which
confirmed her because the younger
voters’ preference for president.
She requested them to marketing
campaign for her and her jogging
mate, Senator Kiko Pangilinan, and
their senatorial slate to their dad and
mom and people who they realize
were believing the incorrect
information towards the opposition.
Robredo warned her target target
market approximately applicants
who're going to position their “high-
quality foot forward” for the duration
of the marketing campaign season,
and enjoined them to examine the
song report if every candidate earlier
than they vote.
“Pero sa’kin, halimbawa, ‘pag sinabi
natin na ‘pag ako ay naging Pangulo,
aayusin ko ‘yung trabaho ko, ano
‘yung resibo ko doon? Syempre ‘yung
resibo ko doon, ano ‘yung ginawa ko
noong nabigyan ako ng pagkakataong
manilbihan (For me, for example,
while we are saying if I turn out to be
President, I will do my high-quality,
what's my evidence there? Of course,
my receipt is what I did after I
changed into given the hazard to
serve),” she stated.
The aspiring president requested the
target target market to examine the
“consistency” of the applicants’
actions.
“May posisyon kami o wala kaming
posisyon, ano ba ‘yung ginagawa
namin para makatulong sa
taumbayan? Maliit man ‘yung posisyon
o mataas ‘yung posisyon, ano ba ‘yung
ginagawa namin (Whether we’re in a
function or now no longer, what are
we doing to assist the humans?
Whether the location is low or high,
what are we doing)?,” she stressed.
This is the motive, Robredo stated,
why her workplace works difficult to
attain the best audit score from the
Commission on Audit (COA), which it's
been offered for 3 consecutive years.

Havana
syndrome: Most
instances now
no longer due to
overseas
strength - CIA
Image caption,
The first instances had been suggested
on the US embassy in Havana, Cuba
Most instances of a mysterious infection
placing US officers dubbed "Havana
syndrome" had been now no longer due
to a overseas strength, CIA officers say.
Since 2016, US diplomats round the
sector have suggested symptoms -
sparking guidelines Russia, China or any
other adversary will be responsible.
But a majority of 1,000 instances
checked out with the aid of using the
CIA may be defined with the aid of
using strain or herbal causes, officers
say.
The launch of the findings has angered
a number of folks that fell ill.
And the CIA continues to be searching
right into a small variety of unexplained
instances, wherein the function of a
overseas strength has now no longer
been dominated out.
Americans who've been hit with the aid
of using Havana syndrome have defined
dizziness, complications and an
excessive and painful sound of their
ears. First suggested in Cuba in 2016,
instances have given that been
suggested in Geneva, Berlin and
elsewhere.
Some US officers have formerly
recommended the infection will be due
to microwave attacks, fuelling
hypothesis the infection will be a form of
weapon from a overseas actor along
with Russia. Moscow has usually denied
any involvement.
• ‘Havana syndrome’ and the thriller of
the microwaves
However, one legitimate advised the
BBC that even as the research had
made 'extensive progress,' it had now
no longer observed proof of a global
marketing campaign with the aid of
using a overseas state.
Instead, it had observed that maximum
of what are officially referred to as
anomalous fitness incidents will be
defined with the aid of using scientific
situations like undiagnosed infection or
environmental factors.
The legitimate brought it was "not likely
that a overseas actor, which includes
Russia, is undertaking a sustained,
global marketing campaign, harming US
employees with a weapon or
mechanism".
Ukraine tension:
President
Zelensky hits

lower back at
Biden feedback
Media caption,
Joe Biden: "It goes to be a catastrophe
for Russia in the event that they
similarly invade Ukraine"
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky
has hit lower back at feedback made
through his US counterpart Joe Biden
approximately a "minor incursion"
through Russia into his country.
Mr Biden had counseled that a "minor"
assault may deliver a weaker reaction
from americaA and its allies.
But Mr Zelensky tweeted: "There aren't
anyt any minor incursions. Just as there
aren't anyt any minor casualties and
little grief from the lack of cherished
ones."
Russia has a few 100,000 troops close
to the border however denies making
plans an invasion.
President Vladimir Putin has made a
sequence of needs to the West, insisting
Ukraine ought to in no way be allowed
to enroll in Nato and that the protective
alliance abandons army interest in
japanese Europe.
On Wednesday, President Biden
instructed a information convention that
Mr Putin could pay a "extreme and
expensive price" for invading Ukraine,
however additionally indicated that it
would rely on how Russia went
approximately it.
"What you'll see is that Russia can be
held responsible if it invades and it relies
upon on what it does," he stated. "It's
one aspect if it is a minor incursion,
after which we come to be having to
combat approximately what to do and
now no longer do etc."
Image caption,
A Ukrainian army officer on patrol at a
checkpoint on the border in japanese
Ukraine
His feedback induced questions over
how americaA may reply to Russian
aggression and officers had been
dashing to make clear Washington's
position.
"We had been very clean throughout,"
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
stated on Thursday, including that any
Russian incursion into Ukraine could be
met with a "swift, excessive and united
reaction" from americaA and its allies.
In a speech on Thursday, Mr Biden
himself stated that any access of
Russian troops could be counted
number as an "invasion".
Coronavirus
digest: Travel
bans ineffective,
WHO says
The World Health Organization stated
bans on global journey have proved
ineffective. Meanwhile, the English
will decrease their mask. Follow DW

for the modern day coronavirus
news.
Several international locations
delivered journey bans to scale back
the unfold of the coronavirus
The World Health Organization on
Wednesday stated global journey
bans "do now no longer offer
introduced price and hold to make a
contribution to the financial and
social stress" of international
locations.
In a assertion issued after a WHO
meeting, the UN fitness corporation
stated journey regulations that have
been delivered to scale back the
unfold of the omicron variation of the
coronavirus demonstrated "the
ineffectiveness of such measures
over time."
In overdue November, numerous
international locations suspended
flights to and from southern African
international locations, bringing up
worries over omicron. Most
governments have lifted this ban.
The WHO additionally advised
international locations now no longer
to require evidence of vaccination
towards COVID-19 because the
handiest manner for travelers' entry,
bringing up inequity in vaccine
distribution.
Countries must don't forget adjusting
a few measures, which includes
trying out and quarantine
requirements, "while appropriate,"
that positioned a economic burden
on travelers, the WHO stated.
Separately, the WHO stated that
coronavirus instances globally rose
via way of means of 20% final week
to greater than 18 million.
Infections extended in each global
vicinity besides for Africa, wherein
instances fell via way of means of
almost a 1/3, in keeping with the
WHO.
The quantity of deaths globally
remained just like the preceding
week, at approximately 45,000.
Here's a roundup of the modern day
traits on COVID-19 from across the
global:
Africa
South African-born biotech billionaire
Patrick Soon-Shiong opened a plant
in Cape Town, South Africa, on the
way to be the primary at the
continent to supply COVID-19
vaccines from begin to finish.
The NantSA facility goals to supply
one thousand million doses yearly via
way of means of 2025.
The plant is South Africa's 1/3
vaccine production facility, however
it'd make vaccines itself in place of
generating them from semifinished
batches.
Soon-Shiong, who's additionally a
scientific doctor, will switch
generation and substances from his
California-primarily based totally
NantWorks to scientists in South
Africa to supply second-era vaccines
"in the year." They may even
paintings on vaccines focused on
cancer, TB and HIV.
"Africa must not be final in line to get
admission to vaccines towards
pandemics," South African President
Cyril Ramaphosa stated at the outlet
of the plant.
Ramaphosa stated Africa had
secured 500 million vaccine doses via
the African Union's vaccine
acquisition mission team, however
the continent wishes greater.
"These doses constitute handiest
round 1/2 of of what the continent
wishes to vaccinate 900 million
human beings on the way to gain the
70% goal set via way of means of
the World Health Organization,''
stated Ramaphosa.
Europe
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson
introduced that human beings in
England might not be required to put
on face mask from subsequent week.
He informed Parliament on
Wednesday that measures delivered
to fight the omicron variation have
been not wanted as scientists trust
infections have peaked withinside the
UK.
"Because of the terrific booster
campaign, collectively with the
manner the general public have
replied to the Plan B measures, we
will go back to Plan A in England and
permit Plan B policies to run out as a
end result from the begin of
Thursday subsequent week,"
Johnson stated.
He meant to drop self-isolation
guidelines for human beings with
coronavirus in March.
The high minister additionally
introduced an quit to the vaccine
certificate mandate however
introduced that companies ought to
hold soliciting for COVID-19 passes in
the event that they desired to.
Museums and live performance halls
withinside the Netherlands opened as
splendor salons and gymnasiums to
protest the Dutch government's
pandemic policies.
The cultural area is protesting
guidelines that they need to continue
to be closed whilst COVID-19
measures have been lifted on stores
and "touch professions" like barbers,
nail salons and intercourse paintings.
During the protest, nail artists have
been giving manicures on the Van
Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
Barbers additionally gave haircuts at
the level of Amsterdam's ancient live
performance hall, Concertgebouw.
People were given haircuts in the course of
a practice session on the Concertgebouw in
Amsterdam
Authorities exceeded out enforcement
notices to some of the 70-unusual venues
that took element withinside the day-
lengthy protest.
Germany recorded greater than one
hundred,000 day by day COVID-19
instances for the primary time. The new
single-day document of 112,323 comes as
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach stated he
believed there might be two times as many
unreported instances as recognised ones.
Lauterbach instructed broadcaster RTL that
Germany had now no longer reached the
height and obligatory vaccination need to
be brought with the aid of using May.
In the east-valuable German country of
Thuringia, a few 1,two hundred
demonstrators, protesting COVID measures,
marched beyond the house of Gera's Mayor
Julian Vornab, police stated.
Asked if he felt threatened, Vonarb stated:
"The police had been there, however now
no longer in share to the variety of
demonstrators."
Bodo Ramelow, the country chief of
Thuringia, stated marching as much as
politicians' houses became not anything
apart from intimidation.
Protests in opposition to Germany's
pandemic regulations have multiplied in
current weeks. Some 70,000 human beings
joined anti-COVID measures protests
throughout Germany in advance this week.
Austria recorded a document variety of
infections. "We have near 30,000 infections.
That is a frighteningly excessive figure,"
Chancellor Karl Nehammer stated.
The preceding document for brand new day
by day instances, 17,006, became set per
week ago.
Sweden set a brand new day by day
document for COVID-19 instances,
registering 37,886 on Tuesday, fitness
business enterprise records launched on
Wednesday showed. The us of a is
withinside the center of a fourth wave of
the pandemic.
Kronoberg, one in all Sweden's 25 fitness
care regions, stated it might pause all
checking out besides for health facility and
aged care sufferers and staff.
In Slovenia and Croatia, laboratories can't
procedure assessments rapid enough. The
international locations recorded document-
excessive new COVID-19 instances of
12,285 and 10,427, respectively.
The Tourism Ministry in Cyprus introduced
that the us of a will raise all access
necessities on March 1 for vacationers who
gift evidence of receiving a booster shot
The tourism-reliant island country presently
calls for vacationers to both display
evidence of a poor COVID check or to self-
quarantine upon arrival.
Under the brand new rules, vacationers who
have not obtained a booster shot can input
the us of a if it's been much less than 9
months considering that they obtained their
final dose.
Americas
The United States plans to distribute four
hundred million N95 for adults freed from
fee from subsequent week.
Speaking on circumstance of anonymity, a
White House legit stated the mask might be
to be had at pharmacies and network
fitness centers.
President Joe Biden's management hopes
that it's going to assist reduce the hastily
unfold omicron variation.
Also withinside the US, Starbucks stated it
might not require its employees to be
vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19.
The pass to opposite the coverage that
Starbuck had introduced in advance this
month got here after americaA Supreme
Court rejected a plan with the aid of using
the Biden management to require vaccines
or ordinary COVID checking out at agencies
with greater than one hundred employees.
The Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO) stated coronavirus infections
withinside the Americas are accomplishing
new peaks, with 7.2 million new instances
and greater than 15,000 COVID-associated
deaths withinside the final week.
"The virus is spreading greater actively than
ever earlier than," PAHO Director Carissa
Etienne instructed a press briefing.
According to the PAHO, the Caribbean has
had the steepest growth in infections
considering that the start of the pandemic.
The local business enterprise endorsed that
international locations prioritize fast antigen
assessments for human beings experiencing
signs and who're vulnerable to spreading
the virus amid a scarcity of checking out.
Asia
India said 282,970 new infections on
Wednesday, the best in 8 months.
Authorities stated omicron became inflicting
fewer hospitalizations and deaths than the
delta variation, which killed masses of lots
of human beings in India final year.
While contamination fees have currently
fallen in India's massive cities, specialists
say instances nationally should height with
the aid of using the center of subsequent
month.
"We must fear approximately hospitalization
and deaths and in an effort to come later,"
Tarun Bhatnagar, from the ICMR-National
Institute of Epidemiology, instructed the
Reuters information business enterprise.
Japan widened COVID-19 curbs to
numerous cities and cities, inclusive of
Tokyo, because it battles a document wave
of omicron infections.
The us of a has resisted whole shutdowns,
alternatively that specialize in requiring
eating places and bars to shut early and
now no longer serve alcohol.
It additionally advised the general public to
put on mask and exercise social distancing.
A sharp upward push in infections has all
started to paralyze hospitals, colleges and
different sectors in a few areas.
Oceania
New Zealand referred to as off the
countrywide cricket team's excursion of
Australia earlier than the scheduled first fit
due to strict COVID-19 quarantine
necessities.

The Black Caps, as they may be normally

recognised, might now no longer have
needed to isolate on their go back domestic
whilst the excursion became first
introduced.

The unfold of the omicron variation in

Australia has prompted New Zealand's
authorities to defer a plan to introduce
quarantine-loose journey among the
international locations.

fb, lo/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters)