World Updates

World's tallest tower of Dubai opens on Monday

2010-01-05T04:31:00.000-08:00

World's tallest tower of Dubai opens on Monday. On Monday opened the world's tallest tower, promoters of the Burj Dubai opened its 24th floor for a look at the interior of the needle-shaped building.

The financially troubled Gulf emirate of Dubai on Monday opened the world's tallest building, a glistening concrete, glass and steel pinnacle rising 828 metres (2,717 feet) out of the desert sands.

Blazing fireworks rippled up and down the massive structure after it was officially opened by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum.

Known during construction as Burj Dubai, Sheikh Mohammad renamed the building Burj Khalifa, in honour of United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan.

VIDEO: Ahead of the firework-studded inauguration Monday of the world's tallest tower, promoters of the Burj Dubai opened its 24th floor for a look at the interior of the needle-shaped building. Duration: 00:59

Sheikh Khalifa is also ruler of Abu Dhabi, the UAE emirate which came to Dubai's help late last year to the tune of 10 billion dollars to bail out troubled property developer Nakheel, a subsidiary of Dubai World.

"Today the United Arab Emirates achieves the tallest building ever created by the hand of man... and this great project deserves to carry the name of a great man. Today I inaugurate Burj Khalifa," Sheikh Mohammad said.

Parachutists bearing the UAE colours of red, green, black and white then touched down as a giant portrait of Sheikh Khalifa was projected on an outer wall of the structure which cost 1.5 billion dollars to erect.

In the fireworks spectacle that followed, blossoms of flames crackled up and down the huge building and out into the Dubai night sky, followed later by lasers sweeping the horizon from the tower's many levels.

Dubai hopes the opening of the Burj Khalifa -- the latest in a series of grandiose projects -- will burnish an image tarnished by its crippling debt woes.

The needle-shaped tower, described by its developer as a "vertical city" as it dwarfs existing skyscrapers, boasts new limits in design and construction.

Emaar Properties, the partly government-owned developer, had maintained the suspense about the skyscraper's final height, saying only that it exceeded 800 metres (2,625 feet).

The construction of the tower, which began in 2004, "cost 1.5 billion dollars," Emaar chairman Mohammed Alabbar said.

Burj Khalifa has more than 200 floors, only 160 of which will be inhabited, while the remaining floors are for services.

It has a total built-up area of 5.67 million square feet, including 1.85 million square feet of residential space and more than 300,000 square feet of prime office space, Emaar said.

This amounts to 1,044 apartments and 49 floors of office space, served by 57 lifts. It also has a hotel carrying the Georgio Armani logo.

"We have sold 90 percent of the project," said Alabbar.

Bill Baker, a structural and civil engineer and partner in Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), which designed the tower, said it has set a new benchmark.

"We thought that it would be slightly taller than the existing tallest tower of Taipei 101. (Emaar) kept on asking us to go higher but we didn't know how high we could go," he said.

"We were able to tune the building like we tune a music instrument. As we went higher and higher and higher, we discovered that by doing that process... we were able to reach heights much higher than we ever thought we could."

A spiralling Y-shaped design by SOM architect Adrian Smith was used to support the structural core of the tower, which narrows as it ascends. Higher up it becomes a steel structure topped with a huge spire.

To reach the final stages, concrete was propelled to a height of 605 metres -- a world record.

Monday's inauguration of the tower comes, however, after the once-booming real estate sector of Dubai crashed, halving the value of most of the UAE city-state's properties in comparison with peak prices recorded in the summer of 2008.

It also comes as Dubai battles a serious debt crisis, resulting from the heavy borrowing by some of its state corporates to finance imposing property projects.

The emirate narrowly escaped financial catastrophe last month as neighbouring deep-pocketed Abu Dhabi threw it a last-minute lifeline worth 10 billion dollars to pay imminent debt owed by Dubai World.

The group last month began negotiations with its creditors with the hope of reaching an agreement over restructuring an accumulated debt of 22 billion dollars amassed by its troubled subsidiaries.

Dubai's total debt, mostly that of its state-owned companies, amounts to 100 billion dollars.

Abu Dhabi, and the Abu Dhabi-based central bank of the United Arab Emirates, have already extended financial aid of 25 billion dollars to Dubai since it announced early in 2009 that it needed to sort the debt problem of its firms.

New Year's "money resolutions": Save money in 2010

2010-01-01T21:53:00.000-08:00

New Year's "money resolutions": Save money in 2010. The New Year is a good chance to make important life changes, especially when it comes to managing your money. Making New Year’s resolutions is a personal commitment to avoid bad habits and practice good ones. The same idea applies to money matters, says personal finance columnist Salve Duplito.

Quick Tip

Teach your children proper spending by controlling their wallets. Don't give them too little, but don't give them too much. Ask them to make a budget plan so you can figure out the appropriate amounts they need. Give the allowance in 10 peso coins instead of whole bills so they can budget better and bring only the amounts they need.

Here are some of Duplito’s New Year’s “money resolutions” that could help put you on the road to financial prosperity.

1. No more wanton spending. How many times last year did you purchase something you don’t really need? The unwanted things scattered around your house or gathering dust in your shelves are proof of wanton purchases. The trick is to determine whether you need or want something. Before splurging or indulging in a shopping spree, ask yourself first, “Do I really need this?” and “Will I use this in many years to come?” It is only a matter of choosing your purchases and spending wisely on worthwhile things.

2. Always read the fine print. Before investing in a credit card or securing a loan, you should always read the fine print before you find yourself in a financial sinkhole. For example, as Duplito outlined in one of her column pieces, some credit card advertisements encourage card holders to pay for a fraction of their monthly expenses without being labeled as an errant client. In truth, paying only the minimum charge for your credit card (a fraction of the cost of the total monthly expenses) would actually result in more debt from interest compounded in the long run. Ask questions, seek second opinions and do some research before making any long-term investment.

3. Budget big expenses (like tuition) for next year. You can never go wrong by planning and saving ahead of time, especially for big expenses like tuition, mortgages, or loan payments. Compute how much you will need next year then portion that amount for each month this year. That way, you will know how much to set aside in the bank every month you get your salary and you break down a formidable cost into smaller, more manageable amounts.

4. Build a maintenance fund. A maintenance fund is money required for the upkeep of your home, car, or your household operations in general. Building this fund means saving about 1% of the total assessed value of your house and land every month. When something goes wrong with your plumbing, appliances, or fixtures; you can tap into this fund. The same concept applies for an emergency fund that should be equivalent to 2 or 3 months’ income. This fund should help carry you through several months after your lose your job or have to pay for a major expense (like medical bills).

5. Be mindful of “hidden hemorrhages” this year. “Hidden hemorrhages”, in monetary terms, are things that slowly bleed you of money without you realizing. These can be as simple as forgetting your credit card payments and having to pay for late payment fees, or making ATM withdrawals from machines other than your bank’s. In either case, you have to pay for what seem like small surcharges. For example, P10 to P12 is deducted from your account every time you withdraw from another bank’s ATM. When added up, these seemingly small surcharges amount to a lot of money. If you withdraw from your ATM 5 times in a week, then you spend about P50 a week on just surcharges! Duplito says a good goal this year is to “hunt down” these hidden hemorrhages and stop them. You also need to be on top of your finances and have a budget plan ready, so you don’t use your ATM like a wallet and withdraw every time you need money.

6. Increase savings by 30% of gross salary. Assuming you’ve been good and you have religiously saved up 10 to 20% of your income last year, why not hike it up a notch? “You can start at 5% then go up to 10%. But the main thing is that your savings each year should be increasing and not decreasing,” Duplito says. If the temptation is too high for you to spend instead of save, program your saving scheme instead. Many banks offer a system where a portion of your savings are automatically transferred to another account under your name. This account usually does not come with an ATM card so there is less temptation to touch this fund. 7. Don’t touch all bonuses. Instead of touching your Christmas bonus or your 13th to 14th month pay, use it for investments. “Most of us do fine every month with the income that we get. These bonuses then, are additional income. So actually, you can live without it,” Duplito said. Set your bonuses aside and look for investments that can make your money grow faster. If your expenses are programmed and planned out, you can also budget the extra money accordingly. “I put myself in a situation where I think all my bonuses are zero to me. I will put all of them aside and put them in an investment fund,” Duplito added.

8. It’s okay to make a financial mistake. Sometimes we make financial mistakes that increase the stress in the home. Duplito said she has noticed many marriages in the Philippines that ended because of money problems. She said people should be able to handle that stress by being able to love that person despite the mistakes they made. A new year is a chance to start over. “We try our best. Of course, from the very beginning, we should do all we can to avoid mistakes. But settle it, and try again,” she said. Report based on an episode of ANC’s Shoptalk.

Philippines Mount Mayon sprayed volcanic ash

2009-12-22T04:43:00.000-08:00

Philippines Mount Mayon sprayed volcanic ash. In Legaspi Philippines, Tuesday, over a wide terrain Mount Mayon sprayed volcanic ash, raising new health fears for thousands already braced for an eruption that Philippine scientists say could come any day.

The nation's most active volcano rumbled and emitted clouds of choking soot that left a layer of ash on villages near Mayon, about 330 kilometres (200 miles) southeast of Manila, officials and witnesses said.

The fine particles are being produced as fragments of rock collapse in the volcano's lava flows, chief government volcanologist Renato Solidum said.

"It's not very thick, just a few millimetres of ash, but that is the most dangerous part because it is very fine ash," he said in a television interview.

Health officials warned the tiny particles could cause respiratory problems or skin diseases, and could affect the thousands of people crammed into evacuation centres beyond the eight-kilometre danger zone.

Witnesses reported ashfall a considerable distance from the restive volcano and civil defence officials said it was hard to predict where the ash would settle because of shifting winds.

Fine white powder drifted across Guinobatan village, some 14 kilometres from Mayon.

Vehicles driving along the village's roads kicked up clouds of volcanic dust as residents, some wearing face masks, complained of stinging eyes and said they could feel the particles irritating their skin.

The government's chief epidemiologist Eric Tayag said residents should stay indoors and keep windows closed if necessary to avoid exposure to the ash.

He said anyone who had to venture outside should wear long-sleeved clothes and cover their nose and mouth with a damp cloth.

Volcanic ash has proved deadly in the past. During Mayon's last eruption in 2006, the volcano oozed lava and vented steam and ash for two months.

No one was killed by the eruption itself, but three months later, a powerful typhoon dislodged tons of volcanic ash and debris that had collected on Mayon's slopes. The fast-moving avalanche of mud and boulders crushed entire villages, leaving more than 1,000 people dead.

Mayon, which has been spewing lava and ash for a week, remains at alert level four, meaning it could violently erupt any day.

The elevated risk has prompted authorities to evacuate more than 9,440 families at least 45,336 people -- from the danger zone.

Provincial governor Joey Salceda said there were only about 500 people still in the zone.

"We are doing all sorts of contortions just to bring them in," he told AFP, while adding he was reluctant to resort to force.

Salceda said "definitely (evacuated villagers) will spend Christmas and even New Year's Day in evacuation centres".

Government medical teams have been sent to the centres to guard against any outbreaks of infectious diseases or illnesses spawned by ashfall, Salceda said.

He expressed concern that bored evacuees may try to sneak out and return home so they can celebrate Christmas in familiar surroundings.

To avert this, various agencies are carrying out activities in the evacuation centres such as concerts, painting lessons and children's parties, the governor said.

The 2,460-metre (8,070-foot) volcano, which is famed for its near-perfect cone, has erupted 48 times in recorded history. In 1814, more than 1,200 people were killed as lava buried the town of Cagsawa.

Philippines Mount Mayon volcano on danger zone

2009-12-21T03:06:00.000-08:00

Philippines Mount Mayon volcano on danger zone. On Monday began to evacuate after officials threatened to force them out, more than 3,000 villagers remaining in a no-go zone around the Philippines' rumbling Mayon volcano .

Scientists warned that powerful booms emanating from the Southeast Asian country's most active volcano, located about 330 kilometres (200 miles) southeast of Manila, indicated that a major eruption was imminent.

In Guinobatan village, lying on a dirt road in the foothills of Mayon, district officials and police went house to house, urging residents to board a truck and take shelter outside the danger zone, an AFP photographer saw.

Nearly all the villagers calmly boarded the hired truck, carrying their personal belongings in sacks and heading to evacuation centres set up by authorities outside an eight-kilometre radius zone.

But some of the menfolk refused to budge and were left alone to fend for themselves.

"There are still one or two men who don't want to go but their families have come down to the evacuation centres," village councillor Mulad Bucad told AFP.

"There are always a few who don't want to go. They say they are used to eruptions and they never get hurt anyway," he said.

The eerie glow of crimson lava could be seen oozing from the volcano overnight, and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said seismic activity had "increased in number and size".

It said a total of 1,942 volcanic quakes were detected since Sunday, while sulphur dioxide emissions were "very high".

Albay provincial Governor Joey Salceda earlier Monday said authorities "will physically remove" those refusing to leave the danger zone after volcanologists raised the alert level to four on a five-point scale.

Level four means that an "explosive eruption is possible within hours or days", according to the institute.

There were still 729 families or more than 3,000 people staying put on the edges of the eight-kilometre danger zone that has been declared around Mayon, local disaster preparations chief Cedric Daep told AFP earlier.

Just over 9,200 families or nearly 44,400 people had already taken shelter in the evacuation centres since Mayon started belching ash, steam and lava last week.

If the alert level is raised to five, meaning that an eruption is in progress, another 16,000 villagers living beyond the danger zone would also have to be evacuated as a precautionary measure, Salceda said.

Scientists underlined the growing threat of ash and lava cascading down Mayon's slopes owing to the increasing frequency of booms from inside the volcano, audible as far as 12 kilometres away.

"We cannot say exactly when the hazardous eruption is likely to occur," chief government volcanologist Renato Solidum said in a television interview.

But he stressed: "The important thing is the distance from the volcano. That is why it is important that people not be inside the danger zone."

Mayon oozed lava and vented steam for two months when it last erupted in 2006. No one was killed by the eruption itself.

But three months later, a powerful typhoon dislodged tons of volcanic debris that had collected on Mayon's slopes. The avalanche of mud and boulders crushed entire villages, leaving more than 1,000 people dead.

The 2,460 metre (8,070 foot) volcano, which is famed for its near-perfect cone, has erupted 48 times in recorded history. In 1814, more than 1,200 people were killed as lava buried the town of Cagsawa.

Mayon Volcano in Albay, continued to intensify, alert level at 3

2009-12-19T08:02:00.000-08:00

Mayon Volcano in Albay, continued to intensify, alert level at 3. Mayon Volcano in Albay province at abnormal activity, continued to intensify Saturday, but state volcanologists kept the alert level there at 3 for the moment.

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Renato Solidum Jr. said Mayon now spews lava to as far as 4 km downslope from the crater.

Less explosions were recorded in the last 24 hours, although these were more powerful, sending ash up to 2 km high, Solidum said in an interview with dzRH radio.

“Humina nang bahagya pero sustained ang pagka-abnormal (The explosions slightly weakened but the level of abnormal activity is sustained)," he added.

On Friday, Phivolcs had recorded 248 volcanic quakes and tremors that produced dark gray to dark brown ash columns that reached up to 1 km above the summit before drifting southwest.

The advancing lava flow as of Friday reached about 3 km downslope from the crater, while incandescent fragments from the lava pile rolled down along Bonga Gully reaching about 3-4 km downslope.

Solidum said it is “possible" an eruption by Mayon will be worse than the ejection of lava from the volcano in 2006.

But he said the provincial government of Albay has so far responded well with its forced evacuation of residents in the danger zone, as part of its “zero casualty" policy.

He also said Phivolcs is now guarding its instruments at strategic areas near the volcano, to prevent thieves from taking equipment and disrupting their observation activities.

“Sa ngayon, malakas ang transmission ng radyo sa gilid ng bulkan (For now, radio transmissions around the volcano remain strong)," he said.

Evacuee count nears 40,000

The number of evacuees from danger areas in Mayon neared 40,000 as of Saturday as local authorities continued implementing forced evacuations.

Radio dzRH reported that as of Friday night, some 8,264 families or 39,320 people from 30 villages within the danger zone around the volcano have been moved into 24 evacuation centers.

Mayon’s danger zone extends up to eight kilometers from the volcano.

Albay Governor Jose Salceda ordered the sustained rationing of five kilos of rice daily to each family.

Salceda also ordered local authorities to start packing up to 10,000 Noche Buena packs for families spending their Christmas in the evacuation centers, the report said.

Source: PNC, GMANewsTV

Bethenny Frankelm, naked for new PETA fur

2009-12-16T07:39:00.000-08:00

Bethenny Frankelm, naked for new PETA fur. Bethenny Frankel, for being naked for PETA, knows what she wants everyone to leave off their shopping lists: fur.

Towering high above Times Square, the The Real Housewives of New York City star posed naked for a new PETA “Fur? I’d Rather Go Naked” campaign, as captured by celeb photographer Joseph Cultice.

Bethenny shared, “I used to wear fur. I went to a cocktail party, walked outside on Fifth Avenue, and a PETA protestor was holding up a skinned animal. I looked at it, and it made me sick. I felt disgusting. That day was a huge change, and since then I’ve really been against fur. I’m cleaning out my closets—trim, everything. I don’t see any reason for cruelty.”

Watch Bethenny’s interview at PETA.org!

Rain on 14th Asian Television Awards (ATA) Winners

2009-12-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

Rain on 14th Asian Television Awards (ATA) Winners. Hallyu star Rain, a documentary on the life and career of the Korean wave star took home three awards at the 14th Asian Television Awards (ATA) held in Singapore. More, his first major Hollywood movie, ''Ninja Assassin'', was released worldwide and has so far grossed $34 million in the US.

Discovery Channel Asia-Pacific's documentary ''Hip Korea: Rain'' won the Best in Cross-Platform Content at the ATA. It was also a runner-up in the Best Music Program and Best Infotainment Program categories.

The documentary focused on Rain's rise to stardom and his ventures into acting and fashion design business.

Rain said ''Ninja Assassin'' was a dream come true.

''This movie helped me dream. My first try was successful. If I keep rising to new challenges, my movies will top the box office someday. I'm not holding my hopes high this time. If my movie enters the top five, it'll be success. I'm going to take it slow,'' said Rain in an interview with Korean TV station KBS.

Rain is one of the most popular celebrities in Korea and the rest of Asia. Last year, Rain launched his clothing line ''Six to Five.''

He debuted in the Korean music scene in 2002. In 2004, he starred together with actress Song Hye Kyo on the hit comedy series ''Full House'' that propelled his career. His albums and concerts are always a hit with fans.

The ATA gives awards to ''excellence in programming, production and performance.'' This year, 1,020 entries were received from Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.

The winners in the ATA are:

Best Documentary Program - 6420 (Hong Kong) and Yanomami: The Last Tribe (NHK, Japan)

Best Natural History or Wildlife Program or Docu-Drama - Wild China (BBC Worldwide, Hong Kong)

Best News Program - Election Counting Day Coverage (IBN 18 Broadcast Limited, India)

Best Single News Story/Report - John Vause - China /Gold Machine (CNN International, Hong Kong)

Best Drama Series - The Little Nyonya (MediaCorp Pte Ltd, Channel 8, Singapore)

and 1895 in Formosa (Hakka Television Station, Taiwan)

Best Single Drama or Television Programme - Easy Money (Hakka Television Station, Taiwan)

Best Comedy Program - The Iromonea (Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc., Japan)

Best Current Affairs Program - Sunday Report: Sichuan Earthquake One Year On - The Unspeakable Truth (Television Broadcasts Limited, Hong Kong)

Best Children's Program- Super Kid Game (Workpoint Entertainment Public Company Limited, Thailand)

Best Entertainment (One-Off/Annual) Special - My School Rocks Asia Finals 2008 (The Walt Disney Company (SEA) Pte Ltd, Singapore)

Best Entertainment Program- 26 Hours Day (Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc., Japan)

Best Music Program - Indian Idol Season 4 Episode 1 (Miditech Pvt Ltd, India)

Best Reality Program - Revealed - Chinese New Year (Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, Singapore)

Best Infotainment Program - The New Anatomy Show (NHK, Japan)

Best Talk Show - We The People (NDTV Pvt Ltd, India)

Best Animation- Little Krishna - Assault of the Lethal Bird (Big Animation Pvt Ltd, India)

Best Social Awareness Program- Inside Afghan ER (National Geographic Channel Asia, Singapore)

Best Adaptation of an Existing Format- The Amazing Race Asia, Season 3 Episode 3 (SPE Networks - Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore)

Best Cross-Platform Content - Hip Korea - Rain (Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, Singapore)

Best News Presenter or Anchor- Martin Soong for Squawk Voice (CNBC Asia Pacific, Singapore)

Best Current Affairs Presenter - Anjali Rao for Talk Asia (CNN International, Hong Kong)

Best Entertainment Presenter-Jon Niermann for Asia Uncut (West Meets East Production, Singapore)

Best Drama Performance By An Actor - Winner -Adrian Pang for Red Thread (MediaCorp Pte Ltd, Channel 5, Singapore)

Best Comedy Performance By An Actor/Actress - Chusak Lamsuk for Raberd Thurd Theung (Workpoint Entertainment Public Company Limited, Singapore)

Best Cinematography- Lonely Planet: Natural Born Traveler Episode 3 (Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, Singapore)

Best Direction - All Saints Episode 465 (Seven Network Operations Limited, Australia)

Best Editing- Supermen of Malegaon (NHK, Japan)

Best Achievement in HD - Winner - Storm Surfers - Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific (Singapore)

Best Terrestrial Channel of the Year - TBS (Japan)

Best Cable & Satellite Channel of the Year - Discovery Channel (Singapore)

Boxer Manny Pacquiao: "Most Searched" lists for 2009, tops Google and Yahoo

2009-12-16T06:38:00.000-08:00

Boxer Manny Pacquiao: "Most Searched" lists for 2009, tops Google and Yahoo. The number one and number two most popular search engines today, Google and Yahoo have released data a propos the most searched topics and names of 2009 according to local users.

It’s no surprise that boxer Manny Pacquiao still tops both lists.

Pacquiao edged out deceased political icon Cory Aquino and the late Michael Jackson for ‘most searched’ in both Google and Yahoo.

Following Pacquiao and Aquino in overall most popular searches for Yahoo! are Francis Magalona, Ondoy, Dionisia Pacquiao, Shalani Soledad, Eraserheads, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, Mar and Korina, and the Philippine Basketball Association.

In Yahoo!’s celebrity search rankings, domestic stars came first, with the list being topped by controversial actress-commercial model Maricar Reyes.

Reyes was followed by online queries for actress Angel Locsin, Korean performer Sandara Park, Binibining Pilipinas winner Pamela Bianca Manalo, Kris Aquino, actress Marian Rivera, Jackson, and local celebrities Coco Martin, Anne Curtis, and Judy Ann Santos.

Meanwhile, the most searched celebrity names according to Google is Carla Abellana, the star of the local remake of Mexican telenovela “Rosalinda.” The actress bested Bebe Gandanghari, Sandara Park, Coco Martin, Pacquiao’s mom Aling Dionisia, Katrina Halili, Angel Locsin, Dennis Laurel, and Katherine Luna.

Special mention goes to embattled beauty surgeon, Hayden Kho, as well as Korean pop star, Kim Bum.

As for music-related searches, Taylor Swift’s “Love Story" is the hottest song for Google users.

For local Yahoo! users, local band Sponge Cola's "Di Na Mababawi" is this year's anthem.

Making it on Google’s most popular music celebrities list is Lady Gaga who visited the country for a one-night concert at the Araneta Coliseum on August and pop king Michael Jackson, whose queries revolved mainly around his untimely death.

As for networking tools, Facebook and Twitter top Google Philippines’s most-searched items.

Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III, son of former senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and the late president Cory Aquino, leads this year’s “fastest-rising politicians” category according to Google.

Interest on Aquino, which had been below other 2010 presidential candidates, spiked in August, peaked on September and continues to top other bets.

Other popular politicos are senators Mar Roxas, Manny Villar, ex-president Joseph Estrada and former defense chief Gilbert Teodoro, according to Google search data.

As for list of current events topics, Yahoo! said Filipinos searched for information online regarding the A (H1N1) flu pandemic, which claimed the top spot, followed closely by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng and curiously, the reproductive health bill.

The fastest-rising local travel destination search term for Filipinos, is Baler in Aurora, the popularity of which was probably spurred by a period film shown late last year starring Anne Curtis and Jericho Rosales.

Therese Lim, Google’s corporate communications head for the Philippines, believes the year-end report serves as “barometer to reflect the pulse of Filipinos on wide-ranging issues.”

"Searches via Google offer an accurate assessment and is reflective of the information seeking behavior of Filipinos, especially on issues that interest them locally and even globally,” said she.

Meanwhile Yahoo! deemed it quite “unique” that for most Filipinos, entertainment, politics, and sports seem to intertwine almost naturally.

“What is unique to the Philippines is that the boundaries between entertainment, politics and sports intertwine simultaneously, reflective of Philippine culture,” Yahoo! disclosed.

Online searches done by people who accessed the Internet from mobile devices such as mobile phones, however, had a slightly different flavor, evidence perhaps of the different demographics of mobile web users.

The top search terms for mobile phone users according to Yahoo! [in order from first to last] are the NBA, Katrina Halili, Manny Pacquiao, Marian Rivera, Hayden Kho, Francis Magalona, Citigroup, Michael Jackson, Cory Aquino, and lastly, the PBA.

Rihanna on GQ Magazine covers January 2010

2009-12-16T06:01:00.000-08:00

Rihanna on GQ Magazine covers January 2010. Rihanna on the cover of GQ Magazine January 2010, rocks our world.

The 21-year-old Rated R singer was asked if she’d ever be friends again with Chris Brown. She answered, “Mmm. Maybe in like ten years, you know? But it’s not something that I’m depending on. I’m not depending on his friendship.”

As for how she’ll ever trust again, Rihanna said, “I can trust. I mean, I don’t like to stereotype; I believe everybody’s an individual. You can’t judge someone based on someone else’s actions. There are people in the world who will love you and people in the world who will hurt you, and there are people in the world who will do both.”

Check out the full Rihanna interview and more pics at GQ.com!

Tiger Woods: Taking an indefinite leave from golf to try to save his marriage

2009-12-11T23:11:00.000-08:00

Tiger Woods: Taking leave from golf to save his marriage. Tiger Woods, he is taking an indefinite leave from golf to try to save his marriage, the biggest fallout yet from two shocking weeks filled with allegations of rampant extramarital affairs.

“I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person,” Woods said on his Web site.

Woods and his wife, Elin, have been married five years and have a 2-year-old daughter and a 10-month-old son.

The announcement came two weeks after Woods crashed his SUV into a tree outside his Florida home, setting in motion a stunning downfall for the world’s No. 1 player who for 13 years rarely made news off the golf course. One woman who said she had a 31-month affair with Woods shared a voice mail that she said Woods left her two nights before his Nov. 27 accident.

Australia iceberg alert: Island-sized iceberg, splitting apart (with video)

2009-12-15T05:19:00.000-08:00

Australia iceberg alert: Island-sized iceberg, splitting apart (with video). Experts said, an island-sized iceberg is breaking up as it drifts closer to Australia, producing hundreds of smaller slabs spread over a massive area of ocean.

The 140-square-kilometre (54-square-mile) block of ice, known as B17B, was seen some 1,700 kilometres (1,054 miles) south-southwest of Australia's western coast on December 9, prompting a maritime alert for vessels in the area.

A NASA satellite image of iceberg B17B (C), floating southwest off the West Australian coast. An island-sized iceberg is breaking up as it drifts closer to Australia, producing hundreds of smaller slabs spread over a massive area of ocean, experts have said.

But as it has tracked further north and east the iceberg has shrunk to some 115 square kilometres still formidable at about twice the size of Manhattan.

"There are now many more smaller icebergs calving off B17B, measuring up to several kilometres in length, and spread over more than a thousand kilometres of ocean," said Australian Antarctic Division glaciologist Neal Young.

Young, who has tracked B17B using satellite images from NASA and the European Space Agency, said the iceberg was some 400 square kilometres in area and 40 metres high when it first broke off from Antarctica.

"If you didn't know about the early picture you would still say it's a monster," Young told AFP.

Young said he expected B17B to totally dissolve but was unable to predict when this would happen.

"Might be two weeks, might be several weeks. The key thing at the moment is it's getting thinner," he said.

"It's got its feet in what it thinks is warm water about six to eight degrees Celsius (45 F) we think that's freezing cold but for an iceberg that's quite warm.

"So it's thinning from the bottom and that's what's going to lead to it breaking up."

The iceberg, which calved from the eastern end of the Ross Ice Shelf nearly 10 years ago, is expected to continue tracking in a more easterly direction.

Australian authorities last week issued a shipping alert over the possible hazard from icebergs.

Source: AFP

UFC 107: Penn vs Sanchez (with Fight Cards and Events details)

2009-12-12T07:50:00.000-08:00

UFC 107: Penn vs Sanchez (with Fight Cards and Events details). Watch the action behind the scenes of UFC 107: Penn vs Sanchez on December 12, 2009 (Saturday) at FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee.

Venue doors open at 5:45 pm CT. The first under card fight starts at 6:30 pm CT. The televised main event kicks off at 9:00 pm CT. The broadcast is pay-per-view (US).

Who's the current UFC lightweight champion? Who's the one of the greatest fighters in the world?

Main card (televised):

Champ B.J. Penn vs. Diego Sanchez (for lightweight title)
Cheick Kongo vs. Frank Mir
Jon Fitch vs. Mike Pierce
Kenny Florian vs. Clay Guida
Paul Buentello vs. Stefan Struve

Under card (may not be broadcast):

Alan Belcher vs. Wilson Gouveia (195 lbs catchweight bout)
Shane Nelson vs. Matt Wiman
Ricardo Funch vs. Johny Hendricks
Lucio Linhares vs. Rousimar Palhares
Edgar Garcia vs. DaMarques Johnson
Kevin Burns vs. T.J. Grant

UFC 107: BJ PENN VS. DIEGO SANCHEZ Main Card

Miss World 2009 known tonight: Dec. 12 (Manila Time)

2009-12-11T22:55:00.000-08:00

Miss World 2009 known tonight: Dec. 12 (Manila Time). Watch the 59th 2009 Miss World will be known tonight (Dec. 12 Manila Time) from a field of 112 candidates including 2009 Bb. Pilipinas-World Marie Ann Umali. The 59th edition of the pageant will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Special guest is former Miss World Priyanka Chopra who is now a Bollywood superstar. Sorry, beauty-watchers, but the affair will not be aired in the Philippines.

Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico, facing sexual harassment by his former employee

2009-12-09T07:51:00.000-08:00

Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico, facing sexual harassment by his former employee. Erstwhile World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico is facing a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by his former employee.

Cotto, who was beaten by pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao last month via a 12th round technical knockout, was sued by Martha Chacon Acevedo. She is reportedly seeking $500,000 in damages in the lawsuit filed in a US district court.

According to DoghouseBoxing.com, Acevedo said Cotto “made unwanted romantic advances towards her” when she was an administrator of Cotto’s residential property in the US Caribbean territory.

Cotto and Acevedo allegedly had a two-month affair, BoxingScene.com added. She reasoned that she got involved with Cotto for fear of losing her job. When she broke up with the boxer, Cotto reportedly fired her in October 2008.

BoxingScene.com, meanwhile, added that Cotto’s father, Miguel Sr., and other members of his have also been sued with claims of sexual harassment.

Cotto's family said in a statement that the lawsuit was “frivolous, empty and a total fabrication.” They vowed to fight until the very end.

Cotto, 29, is a two-division champion. He is married to Melissa Guzman. They have two children. Cotto has another child with another woman, according to his Wikipedia entry.

Large iceberg found in south of Australia

2009-12-09T07:03:00.000-08:00

Large iceberg found in south of Australia. In Sydney Australia, a monster iceberg has been spotted drifting towards Australia in what scientists Wednesday called a once-in-a-century event.

Australian glaciologist Neal Young pinpointed the slab, which is some 19 kilometres (12 miles) long, about 1,700 kilometres south of the country, using satellite imagery.

He said he was not aware of such a large iceberg being found in the area since the days when 19th century clipper ships plied the trade route between Britain and Australia.

"I don't recall any mention of one for a long, long time," Young, of the Australian Antarctic Division and Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, told AFP.

"I'm guessing you would probably have to go back to the times of the clipper ships."

Young said the iceberg measured about 140 square kilometres (54 square miles).

The glaciologist saidd the iceberg carved off the Antarctic about 10 years ago and had been slowly floating round the icy continent before taking the unusual route north.

He said the "very, very big" iceberg was originally about 400 square kilometres but then split into two smaller pieces.

"This one has survived in the open ocean for about a year," he said. "In that time it's slowly been coming up to the north and north east in the general direction of Western Australia."

The finding comes after two large icebergs were spotted further east, off Australia's Macquarie Island, followed by more than 100 smaller ice chunks heading towards New Zealand.

Young described the icebergs as uncommon, but said they could become more frequent if sea temperatures rise through global warming.

Climate change issues: U.N. weather agency, 2000-2009 in warmest decade on record

2009-12-08T05:54:00.000-08:00

Climate change issues: U.N. weather 2000-2009, warmest decade on record. The U.N. weather agency reported on the second day of a pivotal 192-nation climate conference that this decade is very likely to be the warmest record keeping began in 1850, and 2009 could rank among the top-five warmest years.

Michel Jarraud, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization said, in some parts of Africa and central Asia, 2009 "is likely to be about the fifth-warmest year on record."

The decade 2000-2009 "is very likely to be the warmest on record, warmer than the 1990s, than the 1980s and so on," Jarraud said at a news conference, holding up a chart with a temperature curve pointing upward.

The data were released as negotiators at the two-week talks in Copenhagen worked Tuesday to craft a global deal to step up efforts to stem climate change, digging into the dense technicalities of "metrics" and "gas inventories."

Governments, meanwhile, jockeyed for position leading up to the finale late next week, when more than 100 national leaders, including President Barack Obama, will converge on Copenhagen for the final days of bargaining.

Scientists say without an agreement to wean the world away from fossil fuels and other pollutants to greener sources of energy, the Earth will face the consequences of ever-rising temperatures: The extinction of plant and animals, the flooding of coastal cities, more extreme weather, more drought and the spread of diseases.

In Britain, Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged fellow Europeans to raise their bid on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to pressure the U.S. and others to offer more at the Copenhagen negotiations.

On Monday, when the climate conference opened, the Obama administration gave the talks a boost by announcing steps that could lead to new U.S. emissions controls that don't require the approval of the U.S. Congress.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said scientific evidence clearly shows that greenhouse gases "threaten the public health and welfare of the American people" and that the pollutants — mainly carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels — should be reduced, if not by Congress then by the agency responsible for enforcing air pollution.

As Congress considers the first U.S. legislation to cap carbon emissions, the EPA finding will enable the Obama administration to act on greenhouse gases without congressional action, potentially imposing federal limits on climate-changing pollution from cars, power plants and factories.

The announcement gave Obama a new card to deal in what is expected to be tough bargaining next week at the climate conference. In preparation, Obama met with former Vice President Al Gore, who won a Nobel for his climate change efforts, on Monday at the White House.

The European Union called for a stronger bid by the Americans, who thus far have pledged emissions cuts much less ambitious than Europe's. The U.S. has offered a 17 percent reduction in emissions from their 2005 level — comparable to a 3-4 percent cut from 1990 levels.

The result in Copenhagen "will mostly be on what will be delivered by the United States and China," the world's two biggest greenhouse-gas emitters, EU environment spokesman Andreas Carlgren told reporters. He said he would be astonished if Obama did not put more on the table.

Most important, it requires commitments of financial support by rich countries for poor nations to help them cope with the impact of a changing climate.

Source:AP

Watch Baltimore Ravens vs Green Bay Packers NFL Live Game

2009-12-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

Watch Baltimore Ravens vs Green Bay Packers NFL Live Game. The 2009 NFL game team match Ravens vs Packers live on this Monday, December 7. The game will start at 8:30 PM at the Lambeau Field Stadium.

Watch the exciting game team match of the 2009 National Football League of Baltimore Ravens vs Green Bay Packers live this evening. Watch the game playoffs and find who's the league wins . . .

Baguio City at 11.2 degrees temperature

2009-12-07T06:27:00.000-08:00

Baguio City at 11.2 degrees temperature. Baguio City, the summer capital of the Philippines, Sunday registered a chilly 11.2 degrees Celsius temperature, and the state weather agency said the cold spell is just beginning.

The city, which is nestled at 1,500 meters above sea level, also registered an 11.2 degrees Celsius minimum air temperature last December 2, according to Bernie De Leon, weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

On Saturday, Baguio City's temperature slightly warmed up at 12.8 degrees Celsius after registering an average of 12 degrees Celsius the past few days.

The temperature readings were taken between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., according to De Leon.

Based on reports, the coldest temperature reading in Baguio City this year was registered on Jan. 15, at 7.7 degrees Celsius.

In Metro Manila, lowest temperature readings recorded at the PAGASA Science Garden in Quezon City were 20.9 degrees Celsius on Sunday; 21.5 degrees Celsius Saturday; and 22 degrees Celsius Friday-warmer than the 19. 8 and 19.7 degrees Celsius registered, respectively, on Thursday and Wednesday.

It was learned that the lowest minimum temperature recorded at the PAGASA Science Garden this year was at 18.1 degree Celsius last January 16.

De Leon told Manila Bulletin over the phone that ''colder days are still ahead as the surge of the northeast monsoon, which brings cold and dry air from mainland China, has yet to peak.''

The northeast monsoon season starts during the ''ber'' months and ends in March or April, with the peak of the cold temperature from December to February, he explained.

Based on PAGASA records, the unsurpassed minimum temperature in Baguio City is 6.3 degrees Celsius, which was registered on January 18, 1961.

On the other hand, Metro Manila registered its lowest air temperature reading at 14.5 degrees Celsius on Janunary 11, 1914 at the Port Area in Manila.

Meanwhile, De Leon said the country will experience a good weather or partly cloudy to cloudy weather this week with some parts of Luzon and Visayas experiencing occasional rains caused by the northeast monsoon or locally known as ''hanging amihan.''

Source: ManilaBulletin

Watch Detroit Lions vs Cincinnati Bengals NFL Live Game

2009-12-06T06:51:00.000-08:00

Watch Detroit Lions vs Cincinnati Bengals NFL Live Game. The 2009 NFL game team match Lions vs Bengals live on this coming Sunday, December 6. The game will start at 1:00 PM at the Paul Brown Stadium. The game will be broadcast on Channel 28 in Columbus, OH and Channel 41 in Louisvile, KY.

Watch the exciting game team match of the 2009 National Football League of Detroit Lions vs Cincinnati Bengals live this afternoon. Watch the game and find who's the players team wins . . .

*Watch Atlanta Falcons vs Philadelphia Eagles NFL Live

Watch Atlanta Falcons vs Philadelphia Eagles Live

2009-12-06T04:59:00.000-08:00

Watch Atlanta Falcons vs Philadelphia Eagles NFL Live. The 2009 NFL game 12 match Falcons vs Eagles live on this coming Sunday, December 6. The match will start at 1:00 PM at the Georgia Dome Stadium.

Watch the exciting game team match of the 2009 National Football League of Atlanta Falcons vs Philadelphia Eagles live this afternoon. Enjoy watching the game live . . . .

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FVR leads criticism on martial law

2009-12-06T03:16:00.000-08:00

FVR leads criticism on martial law; Nograles doubts House could stop declaration

Duda si House Speaker Prospero Nograles na makakukuha ang sapat na boto mula sa mababang kapulungan ng Kongreso para mabawi ang idiniklerang martial law sa Maguindanao. Umani naman ng batikos mula sa ilang personalidad sa pulitika ang proklamasyon ng Pangulo.

Gina Alajar about confirm Manny Pacquiao & Krista Ranillo link

2009-11-18T07:36:00.000-08:00

Gina Alajar about Manny Pacquiao & Krista Ranillo link. About the rumored relationship between Manny Pacquiao and Krista Ranillo, actress-director Gina Alajar is now in controversy due to her explosive Facebook status message.

Gina's message read: "If I am Jinkee Pacquiao I will not give up Manny... Krista Ranillo is not at all worth it!"

Some people think the message somewhat strengthened the validity of recent speculations that the Manny-Krista link is not just there to hype up their forthcoming film, "Wapakman."

Krista was recently rumored to have joined Manny in Baguio while he was training for his match against Miguel Cotto.

She was also said to have been spotted with Manny and her dad, Matt Ranillo III, during the boxing champ's typhoon relief operations.

It can be recalled that the young actress was rumored to have caused the break-up of Gina from her husband Michael de Mesa.

Krista denied the allegations.

"I have nothing to hide. I'm not guilty," she firmly said in a recent interview.

And although Krista did see Manny in Hong Kong, she insisted that it was a chance meeting and that she went there with her friends.

Her manager, Arnold Vegafria, defended Krista from malicious talks about her flying to Las Vegas for Manny's triumphant fight against Cotto.

"She's part of Team Pacquiao that's why she's in Las Vegas. They're good friends," Arnold said on "The Buzz."

However, during the same segment, Jinkee Pacquiao texted "The Buzz" co-host Kris Aquino an intriguing message: "Mag-uusap kami after the fight."

Watch the video of "Why did Jinkee Pacquiao cry?".

Manny Pacquiao behind over Krista Ranillo issue

Watch the Final Countdown of PACQUIAO VERSUS COTTO

Manny Pacquiao featured cover in Time Magazine

Manny Pacquiao VS Miguel Cotto Fight

Pacquiao VS Cotto Videos

Final Countdown of PACQUIAO VERSUS COTTO

Manny Pacquiao, one of 2009's Top 49 Most Influential Men of AskMen.Com

For more videos about PACQUIAO visit this: Filipino TV Channel

Watch Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns Live Stream

2009-11-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

Watch Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns Live Stream. Watch Baltimore RavensCleveland Browns Live Stream vs at Cleveland Browns Stadium (8:30 PM ET) on November 16, 2009.

Don't miss to watch Baltimore Ravens VS Cleveland Browns LIVE Online Stream from Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Ravens VS Browns LIVE game will be watched by millions of NFL fans worldwide. The Ravens vs Browns NFL game kicks off at exactly 8:30 PM ET. Watch Baltimore Ravens VS Cleveland Browns full game coverage exclusively on ESPN live streaming.

Maybe there have video online Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns live feed streaming. Provide from tv broadcast online from justin tv or ustream, p2p or sopcast. We will update for Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns score, highlights and results.

Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto Fights Photos

2009-11-14T22:52:00.000-08:00

Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto Fights Photos. See the photos of Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto fights moves. . . .

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 14: Manny Pacquiao knocks down Miguel Cotto in the third round during their WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 14, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 14: Manny Pacquiao celebrates his 12 round TKO victory against Miguel Cotto during their WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 14, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 14: Referee Kenny Bayless ends the fight in the 12th round giving Manny Pacquiao a TKO victory against Miguel Cotto during their WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 14, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 14: Manny Pacquiao celebrates his 12 round TKO victory against Miguel Cotto as Cotto is consoled by referee Kenny Bayless after their WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 14, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Manny Pacquiao (L) and Miguel Cotto exchange blows during their WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao won the title by stopping Puerto Rican champ Cotto 55 seconds into the 12th round.

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 14: Manny Pacquiao celebrates his 12 round TKO victory against Miguel Cotto during their WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 14, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Pacquiao VS Cotto Videos

2009-11-06T06:52:00.000-08:00

Pacquiao VS Cotto Videos. Watch the boxing's biggest fight of the fall: a showdown between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and welterweight titleholder Miguel Cotto.

Manny Pacquio and Miguel Cotto, two of boxing's most popular and crowd-pleasing fighters, will meet at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Nov. 14 (HBO PPV), Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com on Monday.

Watch: Pacquiao vs Cotto 24/7 build up video

Video: Manny Pacquiao open media workout

Video: Migule Cotto open media workout

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