August 12, 2013 Edition

Valerie Castro

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

  1. Typhoon Labuyo weakens, slows down; out Tuesday

    Pagasa Satellite

    As of 11:00 AM of Monday, August 12, Typhoon Labuyo (international codename Utor) has weakened and slowed down as it crossed northern Luzon.  The typhoon was spotted in the vicinity of Baguio City (16.7°N, 120.6°E) as of 10 am, state weather bureau PAGASA said, carrying maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h, and gusts of up to 170 km/h. Moderate to heavy rainfall (7-15 mm/h) is expected within the typhoon’s 500 km diameter, the bureau said. Storm warning signal #3 is still in effect over the following areas: Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Ilocos Sur, Benguet, La Union, and Pangasinan.


    Get the latest weather updates on Rappler.

  2. Thousands still stranded in Luzon, Visayas ports

    STAYING PUT. Stranded passengers wait at the passenger terminal of the Port of Tabaco in Albay, 11 August 2013. Photo by Arcel Cometa

    More than 8,000 passengers are still stranded in ports in Luzon and Visayas due to typhoon Labuyo (Utor). A total of 8,079 passengers were stranded in ports in Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Southern Tagalog after sea travel was suspended due to Labuyo, the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its 4 am bulletin Monday, August 12. Bulk of the stranded passengers are in Bicol, the Philippine Coast Guard reported. Albay and Camarines Norte reported a total of 224 families, of 935 individuals, evacuated as a precaution.


    Read the full story on Rappler.

  3. Gilas falls short as Iran takes gold

    Graphic by Rappler.com

    Iran proved to be too big for Gilas Pilipinas to conquer as the West Asian nation downed the home team, 85-71, to win the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship gold medal on Sunday night, August 11 at the Mall of Asia Arena. The Iranians went to veteran big man Hamed Haddadi often and were successful in taking the title for the 3rd time in the last 4 editions of the biennial meet. Haddadi used his massive frame to gather 29 points on 80% shooting and 16 rebounds while Samad Nikkhah Bahrami added 19 markers and 7 assists for the champions. On the other hand, the Philippines failed to overcome the absence of injured big man Marcus Douthit this time in suffering only its second loss of the tournament.


    Read the full story on Rappler.

  4. Malaysian recounts escape from Abu Sayyaf

    epa03814764 RECROPPED VERSION OF epa03814761 - Handout photo dated and released 06 August 2013 by the Sulu Police Provincial Station shows Malaysian Tung Wei Jie (C) assisted by unidentified Filipinos in Sulu province, southern Philippines. Local media reports stated that Tung Wee Jie, who escaped his captors, and a cousin were abducted by an armed group on 13 November 2012 in a plantation in Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia and held captive in the southern Philippines. Tung Wee Jie revealed that the other hostage died in captivity, police officials said. EPA/SULU POLICE PROVINCIAL STATION / HANDOUT ALTERNATIVE CROP HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

    A Malaysian plantation manager held hostage by alleged Abu Sayyaf members said he escaped before dawn under the cover of a tropical downpour after almost 9 months in abysmal conditions, reports said Sunday, August 11. Tung Wei Jie, 26, who was seized in the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo island last November together with his cousin, was found in Jolo, Sulu early this week and returned to Malaysia on Saturday, August 10. Tung told local media in his uncle’s home in Port Dickson on the Straits of Malacca that he escaped in heavy rain from a bamboo hut in the jungle when his abductors, about 20 gunmen, went for pre-dawn prayers. Tung and 3 other workers were abducted from their palm oil plantation in Sabah’s Lahad Datu district in November. Two workers were later released. While in captivity, they were only fed plain rice and some fried fish and not allowed to bathe for 3 months. There was no running water or electricity, Tung added.


    Read the full story on Rappler.

  5. Mandela making ‘slow but steady’ progress

    STILL CRITICAL. A file picture dated July 2, 2005 shows South African former president Nelson Mandela waving to the crowd at the Africa Standing Tall Against Poverty concert linked to Live 8 in Johannesburg, South Africa. File photo by EPA/Jon Hrusa

    Nelson Mandela is making “slow but steady” progress back to health, although he remains critically ill, the office of the South African president said Sunday, August 11. The 95-year-old former president and anti-apartheid icon has been in hospital for more than two months with a recurring lung infection. South African president Jacob Zuma asked his countrymen to pray for Mandela’s recovery and good health, the statement said. Mandela’s youngest daughter Zindzi Mandela said Friday that the anti-apartheid hero was “not going anywhere anytime soon” and was now able to sit up unaccompanied. He was “more alert, more responsive,” she said.


    Read the full story on Rappler:

  6. Aquino orders speedy oil spill clean-up

    ACCOUNTABILITY. The oil tanker suspected to be responsible for the leak delivers oil to the Petron oil depot in Rosario, Cavite. Photo from EPA/PCG

    President Benigno S. Aquino III wants a speedy clean-up of the Manila Bay oil spill affecting coastal villages in 3 towns in Cavite, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Saturday, August 10. This as the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), local government officials and representatives of private corporations met on Friday to coordinate the clean-up operations. Valte said all efforts would focus on containing the 500,000 liters of diesel oil leaked into Manila Bay before finding who is accountable for the spill. The PCG agreed to form an adjudication team to handle the investigation on who is responsible for the spill. Cavite Governor Juanito Victor Remulla told Rappler that the situation is “not as alarming” as initially reported. Despite PCG reports that 500,000 liters of oil was leaked, he said the number is closer to 90,000 liters.


    Read the full story on Rappler.

  7. Asiana airlines offers $10,000 to crash survivors

    WRECK. The wreckage of the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 is moved off site to a secure area away from the runway at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California, USA 12 July 2013. Photo by EPA/John Mabanglo

    Asiana Airlines said Sunday, August 11, it was offering an initial compensation payment worth $10,000 to all surviving passengers on board a plane that crash landed in San Francisco airport last month. The crash killed 3 people and left 180 injured. The South Korean airline is offering the cash to help the 288 surviving passengers meet urgent medical expenses and other needs before final compensation amounts are decided later. Those who were relatively unharmed and whose ultimate compensation may come to less than $10,000 will still be allowed to keep the rest of the money, she added. The tail of the Boeing 777 passenger jet from Shanghai via Seoul broke off after clipping a seawall short of the runway, prompting the aircraft skid out of control and catch fire.


    Read the full story on Rappler.

  8. Rehabilitated NAIA 3 ready by August 2014

    Graphic by Rappler.com

    Renovations to Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will be completed before 2014 ends, according to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC). The P1.9 billion rehabilitation project is being carried out by Takenaka Corp. of Japan. When completed, this will double the capacity of the airport to 13 million passengers. The project involves the completion and integration of NAIA Terminal 3 systems works, including baggage handling, flight information displays, computer terminals, gate coordination, and fire protection systems.


    Read the full story on Rappler.

  9. Apple reportedly to hold special event Sept 10

    Apple Event

    Apple will reportedly unveil its next iPhone at a special event on September 10, according to sources of online tech magazine AllThingsD. Market analyst are guessing whether Apple will use the event to push for a cheaper version of the iPhone or devices with larger screens. Reported leaks of new plastic iPhone cases are rife on the internet with the secretive company neither confirming nor denying the possible mass-market iPhone. The company will most probably release its new iOS7 and OS Mavericks operating systems. The company has long been rumored to also be working on television and watch projects, though there is no indication either of those are close to debuting.


    Read the full story on AllThingsD.

  10. Lea Michele tears up over Cory Monteith

    Screengrab from Youtube video

    A teary-eyed Lea Michele, star of the hit TV show Glee, won the Choice TV Comedy Actress award at Sunday night’s Teen Choice Awards. In her acceptance speech, she dedicated the award to her boyfriend and cast mate Cory Monteith, who died from a fatal overdose of heroin and alcohol on July 13 in Canada. “He was very special to me and also to the world and we were very lucky to witness his incredible talent, his handsome smile and his beautiful, beautiful heart,” Michele said in the 65-second speech during which she occasionally raised her hands to her heart. Michele and her fellow Glee cast and crew gathered July 26 for a private memorial for Monteith organized by the show’s creator, Ryan Murphy.


    Read the full story on Mashable.

    Screengrab from Youtube video “Lea Michele Cries For Corey Monteith At Teen Choice Awards 2013”


Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!