Новости за 25.12.2015

Vatican City – Pope Francis ushered in Christmas by urging the faithful to reject the materialism that pervades the gift-giving season, and to embrace “simple, balanced” values, as violence subdued festivities in the Holy Land. The Pontiff, at his annual Christmas Eve Mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica, called on Christians everywhere to push back against the excesses of modern society. He said everyone should allow the simplicity of the child Jesus, born into poverty in a manger despite His divinity, to infuse their spirit and inspire their lives.

JERUSALEM—A Palestinian woman tried to ram a car into Israeli border guards in a village in the occupied West Bank on Friday, before being shot dead, the police said. “An attempted attack to ram a car into border guards deployed in the village of Silwad (northwest of Ramallah) failed. The border guards spotted the terrorist… fired on her and killed her,” a police spokesman said in a statement.

We may be in the middle of the Christmas season but election issues continue to hold our interest and attention. The latest election-related development was the Commission on Elections (Comelec) decision en banc upholding the rulings of its two divisions declaring Sen. Grace Poe not qualified to run for president of the country for not being a “natural-born citizen” and not having the 10-year residency requirement. The case now goes to the Supreme Court, along with the related decision of the Senate... Читать дальше...

San Jose, Calumpit, Bulacan – Wading through knee-deep floods, 12-year-old Joana Yambao pushes her infant sister in a black wash basin along the surface of the filthy water in this typhoon-hit village where residents have little to celebrate this Christmas. Under sunny skies, their mother sweeps mud from the floor of her grocery shop in San Jose, one of scores of villages and towns still submerged and struggling to recover after being battered this month by typhoon “Nona” (international name: Melor). Читать дальше...

By now, Dec. 26, moms everywhere would be heaving a collective sigh of relief. Finally, the Christmas rush has come and gone with the last bits of the Noche Buena feast eaten off and every gift under the tree given away and unwrapped. And because it’s four days before Media Noche, they know they have earned themselves reprieve before the crazy resumes. And they deserve every minute of that free time.

Dear Suzi and Paolo,   Hi. I would like to ask for your advice. I have been fighting with my parents, my children’s grandparents, on spoiling them and giving them gifts. Every time they visit, which is twice or thrice a month, they always have something for the kids. Although we’re okay with this, they are often really expensive ones. One time, they came to our house with tablets for the kids. I have already told them not to do that but their excuse is always this: It is our job as parents to discipline the kids and their job... Читать дальше...

Close to 100 tax evasion cases worth more than P3 billion were filed by the Bureau of Internal  Revenue (BIR) as the year 2015 came to a close. This brought to 421 the number of Run-After-Tax-Evaders (RATE) cases filed by BIR Commissioner Kim S. Jacinto Henares since she assumed the top agency’s post in June 2010. The RATE cases have an estimated total tax liabilities of P74 billion. Ms. Henares said the bureau, which is the foremost tax collection arm of the government, will continue to follow its... Читать дальше...

In the spirit of Christmas, I wanted to share my annual charitable outreach for 2015. It’s so easy to get swept up in the Christmas chaos that I always look forward to my gift-giving day. Six years ago, I joined my mother-in-law Rose Jacob on her small, personal Christmas program and was so moved by the experience that I decided to help her out every year. It is our small way of giving back. Our little outreach takes an army of collaborators, kind-hearted people who donate their time, energy, and love. Читать дальше...

Cagayan De Oro City – In the eyes of the world, Pia Wurtzbach is the most beautiful woman in the universe. Before that, in the eyes of the Filipinos, she was the most beautiful woman in the Philippines. And, even before that – she was the most beautiful woman in the eyes of her friends. One of her friends is Vianccy Marie Unabia of Upper Carmen, this city. Aside from being beautiful, confident, and friendly, what other features did Vianccy see and remember in Pia that could have been factors in her winning as Miss Universe 2015? Читать дальше...

For the last five years and on alternate years before that, my family has been spending the holidays in different parts of the world. Yes, we have family here (a big one at that on my husband’s side) and we would love to spend time with them during this season but we have unconsciously chosen to spend our year-end holidays away from the hustle and bustle of Manila. Here’s why. The Christmas break is literally that—a break from everything. The challenges of work can drain us. On more than one occasion... Читать дальше...

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle celebrates Misa de Gallo at the Manila Cathedral Thursday night, marking the birth of Jesus Christ and setting off a day of celebration for Filipinos. (Manny Llanes)

A vendor peddles world-class Cebu-made guitars to locals and foreigners along Colon Street in downtown Cebu City yesterday, hoping to attract holiday makers looking for the competitively priced and finely crafted instrument. (Juan Carlo de Vela)

Lawaan public beach in Talisay City, Cebu yesterday provides an ideal setting for meaningful and leisurely family reunions on Christmas day. (Juan Carlo de Vela)

After its launch on December 5, the government’s Holiday Non-Stop Bus Service has shortened travel time for commuters in the Metro through express bus trips scheduled every 30 minutes from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on both route directions.

Opposition lawmakers on Friday condemned the alleged threat of the Bagani Magahat, an anti-communist militia in Mindanao, to hand journalists the same fate suffered by victims of the Maguindanao massacre.

The film tackles the weird occurrences when students, holding a retreat, find something weird and creepy happening afterward. Formerly entitled Retreat House, this is a Filipino supernatural horror film. Directed and written by Jun Robles Lana, the movie topbills Janella Salvador, Marlo Mortel and Jerome Ponce. This horror flick serves as the debut film of the MarNella (Marlo Mortel and Janella Salvador) love team. Movie poster photo courtesy of mymovieworld-coolman0304.blogspot.com

Civil society group Social Watch Philippines called for vigilance in monitoring government expenditures in 2016 as it accused the Aquino administration of stacking up the 2016 national budget with huge sums of pork barrel that may be used for the elections.

The Department of Health (DOH) Epidemiology Bureau has recorded a total of 25 fireworks-related injuries (FWRI) as of 6 a.m. of Christmas Day on Friday.

Music plays a significant role in John Legend’s celebration of the holidays. The musician recently told this to the Business Insider at an event for his new song Under the Stars. “I look forward to doing a full Christmas album. That would be fun,” he said. “When I’m with my side of the family, we sing every Christmas. We stand around the piano, we have a good time, so music is an important part of Christmas.” Some of his favorite holiday songs are the classics, including Silent Night and O Holy Night... Читать дальше...

ASUNCION, Paraguay -- Flooding dampened Christmas eve celebrations in parts of Latin America on Thursday, leaving five people dead and driving almost 150,000 from their homes in Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay.

CAMP BANCASI, Butuan City – Army units extended Christmas gift-giving to lumads (natives) and neighbors through their humanitarian services and community outreach program.

Harassment of elderly persons in the city of Manila may now lead to imprisonment after city councilors approved an ordinance against abuse of senior citizens.

PHILADELPHIA — Gaze up into the sky and you'll see something rare. And, no, it won't be Santa. He and his reindeers will have already zoomed across the horizon.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said a magnitude 3.4 earthquake hit the province of Masbate on Christmas Day, Friday.

LUCENA CITY, Quezon- The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Lucena City branch has reminded the public that old banknotes should only be used for transaction until December 31, 2015.