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MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to conduct reblocking and repairs on portions of Edsa this weekend. In a traffic advisory, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced that the DPWH road reblocking would begin on Friday, April 23, until April 25. The reblocking will cover the following areas: 1. Edsa, from Dario Bridge to Landers, the first lane from the sidewalk, northbound 2. Agham Road, in front of the Office of the Ombudsman, the second lane from center island Travelers are advised to take North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, and Edsa as alternate routes. Motorists are advised to avoid those areas as the traffic build-up is expected. MMDA said all affected roads would be fully passable on Monday, April 26. abc ... » Learn More about Portions of Edsa to undergo repairs, reblocking from April 23 to April 25

INQUIRER.net Stock Photo A 19-year-old streamer has been arrested after carrying out a hoax bomb threat inside a restaurant in New York City. Malik Sanchez, who goes by Smooth Sanchez on YouTube, carried out the “prank” in Manhattan on Feb. 13, as seen in his stream cited by the US Department of Justice in a release on April 14. In the video, Sanchez can be seen approaching a restaurant with around six people inside while saying, “Let’s enhance their meal.” He then positioned himself near two women at a table after entering, then loudly said, “Allahu Akbar. Allahu Akbar. Bomb detonation in two, in two minutes. I take you with me and I kill all you. I kill all you right now. And I kill all you for Allah (sic).” “I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna f*cking do it for Allah. I’m gonna do it, for, Allah, Allah, Allahu Akbar, Come on. I do it, bomb now, bomb now,” he continued, all the while faking an Arabic accent. Right after people left, Sanchez expressed his delight to his ... » Learn More about Streamer known for harassing women arrested for fake bomb threat in New York

BOAO - The tables featured plastic screens between diners, hand sanitisers were ubiquitous at every session - even the gift bag contained half a dozen surgical masks. For a conference meant to show that China is once again open for business - last year's edition was cancelled by the pandemic - Covid-19 weighed heavily on the Boao Forum. Boao is a sleepy fishing town, usually visited by few tourists, that truly comes alive once a year. Most of its modern infrastructure - hotels, golf courses and an imposing waterfront conference centre - is purpose-built for the annual forum. This year, however, even the forum was a somewhat muted affair. China's borders are still largely shut to foreign visitors and even those who get approval to enter face a daunting two-week minimum quarantine. Most - if not all - foreign delegates who spoke at the forum, including representatives from Singapore, like CPF Board head Augustin Lee, Professor Kishore Mahbubani and former Cabinet ministers ... » Learn More about Boao Forum a muted affair as Covid-19 pandemic keeps borders shut

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN): Malacañang on Tuesday (April 20) said the government’s anticommunist task force should leave the community pantries alone after the agency linked the citizens’ movement to the insurgency, forcing the young woman who started it to temporarily shut down her aid station for the safety of volunteer workers. President Rodrigo Duterte backs these citizens’ initiatives to provide food aid to the needy who are struggling to survive the pandemic which had crippled the economy, according to his spokesperson Harry Roque. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said he had not ordered the Philippine National Police to look into the community pantries around the country as they were expressions of the 'bayanihan' spirit. Ana Patricia Non, a 26-year-old small-business owner, announced on Monday night a “pause” in food distribution at the aid station that she personally put up, the now popular Maginhawa Community Pantry, named after the Quezon City street where it ... » Learn More about Leave community pantries alone, Philippine palace tells anticommunist task force

A child sits at a table in front of closed shops at Pratunam market in Bangkok on April 16, 2021, as Thailand imposes further restrictions to deal with a spike in the number of Covid-19 coronavirus cases. (AFP photo) Thailand's joint business group on Wednesday trimmed its 2021 economic growth forecast for the second time this year to 1.5-3.0% from 1.5-3.5% after a third wave of coronavirus infections, despite improved exports. The tourism-reliant country is struggling with a new outbreak that includes a highly contagious variant, with over 17,700 infections recorded in three weeks, dealing a blow to its already slow economic recovery. The new economic projection is based on an assumption that Thailand will meet its vaccination targets and introduce fiscal measures of more than 200 billion baht ($6.39 billion) to support the economy, Supant Mongkolsuthree, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, told a briefing. "Without such money, GDP will grow zero percent," he said. ... » Learn More about Business group trims 2021 GDP outlook after new virus outbreak