Marshmallow activity

ST. PETERSBURG — Russia on Saturday said it would expel a Ukrainian diplomat, prompting an immediate pledge of retaliation from Kiev, further escalating tensions over Moscow’s troop build-up on Ukraine’s eastern flank. The detention of a Ukrainian consul in the second city Saint Petersburg comes at a time of global concern of a repeat of Moscow’s 2014 aggression, when Russia annexed the peninsula of Crimea and backed separatists in Ukraine’s east. Moscow claimed the Ukrainian diplomat had been caught “red-handed” trying to obtain sensitive information. In response, the Ukrainian foreign ministry protested “the illegal” detention of its diplomat and said Kiev would expel a senior Russian diplomat. Kiev has been battling Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine since 2014 and clashes intensified early this year, effectively shredding a ceasefire agreed last July. Around 30 Ukrainian troops have been killed since the start of the year, compared to 50 last year. Most of them ... » Learn More about Russia, Ukraine expel diplomats as tensions soar

ILOILO CITY—Local governments in Western Visayas are closing their borders again amid the surge in cases in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces and rising COVID-19 cases in the region. Boracay Island also continues to see an increase in virus cases, even as a lockdown has been implemented in parts of the island. Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas announced on Saturday that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has approved the request of chief executives in Western Visayas to suspend flights and trips from the National Capital region and Cebu to the region. Heightened restrictions Western Visayas, composed of the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental, has recorded 27,941 cases, including 109 new cases on April 3. The suspension of flights and trips was from April 4 until April 10. On Sunday, Antique Gov. Rhodora Cadiao issued an executive order closing off provincial borders and the ... » Learn More about Western Visayas restricts cross-border travel

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo thinks that the attempt of an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to drag her into a recent controversy — about whether “lugaw,” or rice porridge, is an essential item that can be delivered during curfew hours — could serve as a reminder for the government to hire people based on job qualifications and not politics. “I don’t want to waste time on that,” she said in Filipino on Sunday during her weekly radio show, “BISErbisyong LENI”, on AM radio station DZXL. Neither she nor program anchor Ely Saludar identified the DILG official, but they were obviously referring to Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III. Densing reacted to a viral video showing a barangay official blocking the delivery of lugaw during curfew, saying that it was “not essential.” In his reaction, Densing was quoted as saying that “lugaw” was not essential — an allusion to Robredo, which he admitted. READ: Shading VP Leni? DILG’s ... » Learn More about DILG exec’s ‘lugaw’ remark a reminder to base hiring on capability not politics – Robredo

MANILA, Philippines – Female passengers are in for a treat as the Light Rail Transit-2  (LRT) line is set to give them free train rides on Monday (March 8), International Women’s Day. In a Facebook post on Friday, the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) announced that women passengers can ride the LRT-2 line for free from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. “JUANA FREE RIDE? G! In celebration of International Women’s Day, LRT-2 offers FREE RIDE for women passengers boarding the LRT-2 trains on Monday, March 8, 2021, during the peak hours indicated below. Wishing our passengers a fine and meaningful #InternationalWomensDay!” the LRTA’s Facebook post read. As per the International Women’s Day (IWD) website, the day is marked to celebrate the “social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.” “The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women’s achievements ... » Learn More about Female passengers to get free LRT-2 rides on International Women’s Day

Directors Ethan Coen (L) and Joel Coen (R) pose at the Governor’s Ball after winning Oscars for best director and best adapted screenplay, next to producer Scott Rudin (center) who holds an Oscar for best picture for their work in “No Country for Old Men” following the 80th annual Academy Awards, the Oscars, in Hollywood Feb. 24, 2008. Image: Reuters/Lucy Nicholson LOS ANGELES —  Producer Scott Rudin has announced that he will “step back” from Broadway following allegations of abusive workplace behavior, Variety has confirmed. The move marks an extraordinary turn of fortune for one of the theater and film business’s most acclaimed and influential figures. In a statement emailed to the Washington Post on Saturday morning, Rudin apologized for his behavior and declared his departure, writing: “Much has been written about my history of troubling interactions with colleagues, and I am profoundly sorry for the pain my behavior caused to individuals, directly and indirectly.” ... » Learn More about Scott Rudin to ‘step back’ from Broadway after workplace abuse allegations

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain stands in "full support" of the Czech Republic which foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Sunday had exposed the lengths Russian intelligence services will go to after Prague accused Moscow of involvement in an ammunition depot explosion. Czech police said on Saturday they were searching for two men in connection with serious criminal activity carrying Russian passports in the names of Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, and that the men were in the country in days leading up to the blast at the Czech depot in 2014. Those were the aliases used by two Russian military intelligence (GRU) officers who British prosecutors charged with the attempted poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with the nerve agent Novichok in 2018. Moscow denied involvement in that incident. "The UK stands in full support of our Czech allies, who have exposed the lengths that the GRU will go to in their attempts to conduct dangerous and malign ... » Learn More about Britain stands in ‘full support’ of Czechs after Russian expulsions

* Exports +30.5%, vs forecast of +11.7% * Imports +25.7%, vs forecast of 6% JAKARTA, April 18 (Reuters): Indonesia's exports surged in March due to higher commodity prices and rebounding global demand, while imports also grew by more than expected last month as domestic manufacturing activity improved, officials statistics bureau data have showed. Merchandise exports beat forecast with an annual jump of 30.47% to $18.35 billion on rising shipments of oil, natural gas, palm oil, steel and coal. Shipments were also supported by elevated commodity prices and improving demand from top trade partners like China and the United States, whose economies are recovering strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic. Export growth in March was the highest since July 2017, according to Refinitiv Eikon data, and compared with a Reuters poll forecast of 11.74%. Meanwhile, imports were up 25.73% to $16.79 billion on higher purchases of raw materials and capital goods. This was the strongest growth ... » Learn More about Indonesia’s exports and imports grow more than expected in March

All of the cases were imported and had been placed on stay-home notice on arrival in Singapore, said the Ministry of Health (MOH). There were no community cases and no cases from migrant workers' dormitories. In an update on Tuesday night, MOH said there were four student's pass holders among the 14 new coronavirus cases reported. The four student's pass holders had arrived from India. The other 10 imported cases comprised two permanent residents from India, two dependant's pass holders from Nepal and Pakistan, one work pass holder from Indonesia, two work permit holders from India and Indonesia, and three short-term visit pass holders from India and Nigeria. Of the 14, four were symptomatic when tested. MOH added that the number of new cases in the community had remained stable at an average of two cases per week in the past two weeks. The number of unlinked cases in the community had also remained stable at two cases in the same period. With 17 cases discharged on ... » Learn More about Singapore: Four student pass holders arriving from India among 14 imported cases on Tuesday (April 13)

Since it was set up in 2016, a popular scheme that distributes free briyani meals to Woodlands residents from the foot of a Housing Board block during the Ramadan fasting month would typically attract hundreds of people each time. While the coronavirus situation is now under control, such large crowds would still pose a risk to residents. To address this, a new scheme was devised under which residents can sign up for the free meals online and be able to collect them any day of the week. Ramadan Belanja-A-Meal @ Woodlands is the brainchild of the Woodlands Malay Activity Executive Committee and Woodlands Digital Office under Woodlands Community Club (CC). They said in a statement last Thursday that residents can collect one free meal a week from designated hawker and coffee shop stalls. The scheme kicked off last week and will last till the end of the fasting month. The free meals will be given on a first-come, first-served basis, and priority will be given to those who are ... » Learn More about Ramadan free meal scheme in Woodlands goes digital

KOTA TINGGI (Bernama): National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique wants school administrators including headmasters and principals to pay attention to racial unity and avoid sowing the seeds of division among students. She said fostering the elements of unity among the people should start from an early age and in school. "This is the basis of attitude formation to instil respect and acceptance between races, which is a very simple way to mould unity and harmony. "I hope after this, principals will pay attention to this matter (unity) and avoid sowing the seeds of disunity among students, ” she told reporters after the Ihya Ramadan programme for the Kota Tinggi parliamentary constituency here Sunday (April 18). She was asked to comment about a matter which went viral recently after a secondary school in the state segregated sporting activities based on race. Halimah, who is also the Kota Tinggi MP, said such an incident should not happen not ... » Learn More about Schools must avoid sowing seeds of division among students, says Halimah