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Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Tuesday, August 17, 2021.

READ: First Lambda variant case is local ‒ DoH

The pregnant woman who is the country's first case of the Lambda variant of Covid-19 never traveled abroad, an indication that she was infected by someone in her community, the Department of Health or DoH said.

READ: PNP warns against hoarding oxygen tanks

On Monday, the chief of the Philippine National police warned against the hoarding of oxygen tanks and other medical supplies, especially at a time when the country is trying to contain the surge in Covid-19 cases, attributed to the Delta variant.

READ: CoA bares 'lapses' in DepEd funds use

The Commission on Audit or CoA reported "lapses" in the utilization of the P3.22 billion earmarked for the Basic Education Learning Community Plan of the Department of Education or DepEd.

Meanwhile, in other news...

READ: 'Poor need more aid'

The pandemic left a record number of Filipinos jobless in 2020 ‒ 4.5 million ‒ the highest in 15 years.

READ: Lawmakers, officials tackle Bayanihan 3

Lawmakers from the House of Representatives will meet with the country's economic managers to discuss funding for the proposed Bayanihan 3 Covid response package.

READ: Govt starts evacuating Filipinos in Afghanistan

The Philippines joined the appeal of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to armed groups in Afghanistan to stop human rights abuses as the government started evacuating Filipinos hours after the Taliban swept into power.

READ: Manila mayor has mild Covid-19

Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso, who tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, has mild symptoms for the disease, an official of the Sta. Ana Hospital said.

In regional news,

READ: Imus mayor in hospital for Covid

Imus City Mayor Emmanuel Maliksi tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday and was confined at the South Imus Specialist Hospital.

In world news,

READ: Covid ravages Australia, Sri Lanka

On Monday, Australia's most populous state reported its worst day of the pandemic with 478 new Covid-19 infections and seven deaths.

READ: Taliban seizes power in Afghanistan

The Taliban swept into Afghanistan's capital on Sunday after the government collapsed and the embattled president joined an exodus of his fellow citizens and foreigners, signaling the end of a costly two-decade US campaign to remake the country.

In business,

READ: Pre-pandemic GDP seen by next year

The Philippine economy will likely be back to its pre-pandemic level next year, but further lockdowns could delay the recovery to 2023, an economist from Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation said.

And in sports,

READ: Casimero camp challenges Donaire

Sean Gibbons, the manager of Filipino World Boxing Organization bantamweight champ John Riel Casimero, urged another Filipino fighter in World Boxing Council bantamweight titlist Nonito Donaire to finally fight Casimero.

Yen Makabenta and Antonio Contreras are the featured columnists on the front page of The Times.

Makabenta asks

READ: Is PH pandemic response blindly regressing into a zero-Covid strategy?

Contreras compares

READ: Moreno's past and Duterte's present

In The Times editorial, it strips down

READ: Afghanistan: Another US misadventure in regime-propping

Read all about it.

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With Aric John Sy Cua, Currie Cator and Christian Maghanoy, this is Dafort Villaseran reporting. Have a great week!