Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Sunday, December 29, 2024.
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READ: Filipino maid held for toddler's death
The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait on Saturday said it was deeply saddened by the reported involvement of a Filipino domestic worker in the death of a Kuwaiti child in her employer's household. Initial reports showed that the unidentified Filipina maid allegedly put the toddler inside a washing machine and turned it on in the family's home in Sabah Al-Salem because he was annoying her. The embassy said it provided assistance to the unidentified detained Filipino domestic worker, within the framework of Kuwaiti law and in keeping with the embassy's mandate.
READ: 'Green Bones' biggest winner at 50th MMF
Green Bones, produced by GMA Pictures and GMA Public Affairs, was the top winner at the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), clinching the Best Picture award during the Gabi ng Parangal on Friday night at Solaire Resort in Parañaque City. The film's stars also received top honors, with Dennis Trillo named Best Actor and Ruru Madrid taking home the Best Supporting Actor award. Its young star Sienna Stevens won Best Child Performer, while National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee and Angeli Atienza received the Best Screenplay award.
READ: Firecracker-related fatalities climb to 5
Government agencies have reported at least five fatalities from firecracker-related incidents. The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday reported one firecracker-related death, while fire safety officials said the number of fatalities has reached five. In a post on its Facebook page, the department said there were a total of 125 cases of firecracker-related injuries from Dec. 22 to 6 a.m. of Dec. 28, 2024. The DOH said one senior citizen died because of multiple injuries from a Judas belt that had exploded and a combination of other illnesses. The DOH, which cited the 62 sentinel sites said it was monitoring as the source of the data, said 24 of the 125 were new cases on Saturday.
BUSINESS: US to hit new debt limit mid-January
The United States could come up against its debt ceiling as soon as in mid-January, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Friday, urging Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the country. Lawmakers have suspended the debt ceiling, a limit on government borrowing to pay for bills already incurred until January 1 next year. This means that on January 2, a new limit will be set matching the amount of debt issued by the Treasury Department.
SPORTS: Bright days ahead for Gilas Pilipinas
In sports, The future of Philippine basketball looks locked, secured and, yes, rosy as Gilas Filipinas heads to 2025. And there are many reasons why Filipino basketball fans can feel real upbeat heading to the brand-new year. Since Tim Cone took over as head coach of Gilas Pilipinas, the national squad has made groundbreaking achievements on the global stage.
Coming at the heels of the 2023 Asian Games gold medal achievement in Hangzhou, China, Gilas opened 2024 with lopsided victories over Hong Kong (94-64) in an away game in February, followed by a 106-53 crushing triumph against Taiwan in Manila for a two game sweep of the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Marlen Ronquillo's front page column talks about the global economy.
Today's editorial says the Department of Health has emphasized that vaccinating senior citizens remains a top priority but acknowledges that budget constraints and logistical challenges often limit the reach of vaccination campaigns.
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