Powerful magnitude 7.1 quake struck Kyushu region in Japan, deaths feared, report says

TOKYO, July 28 (Reuters) – A ​7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Japan’s southern Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, knocking out power to thousands of homes, rupturing roads and leaving some trapped and others presumed dead inside ‌a partially collapsed shopping mall. Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said authorities were still assessing the full extent of the damage in the area,…

Study finds AI boosts homework grades, but hurts exam scores

A new study suggests that while artificial intelligence can boost homework performance, it may undermine students’ exam results—at a significant cost. The working paper, titled “The Generative AI Learning Penalty: Evidence from Chinese Secondary Education,” tracked 26,811 students in Grades 7 to 12 over a 30-month period. Researchers David Strömberg, Victor Lei, and Yanhui Wu analyzed student performance across nine subjects as…

How garlic ‘kills the mood’: mosquitoes stop mating, laying eggs due to garlic’s chemical compound

A new study has found that garlic, a common kitchen staple, may prevent mosquitoes from mating and laying eggs. The research, conducted by scientists from Yale University, found that garlic contains a naturally occurring compound that acts like a “birth control” for winged insects. The study, led by researcher Shimaa Ebrahim and Professor John Carlson, identified a specific biological mechanism behind the…

No administration ever did this before: Marcos launches PH’s first-ever anti-hunger program

For the first time in Philippine history, the national government has launched a comprehensive program designed specifically to eliminate hunger, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said Saturday, July 25. Because hunger is the most severe form of poverty, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is clear: by 2028, no Filipino should go hungry…

The Iran war is showing why the Philippines can’t afford to neglect its farmers

A war thousands of kilometers away is beginning to ripple through something as basic as the Filipino dining table. The conflict involving Iran has pushed oil prices higher, disrupted key shipping routes, and strained global supply chains—especially for fertilizer, a critical input for food production. Farmers are already feeling the pressure. Fertilizer prices have surged by as much as 30% to 40%,…

Malacañang under fire as fallout grows over removal of career DOH officials

With the perceived ouster of career health officials, Malacañang now stands accused of putting institutional stability and expert leadership at risk for political convenience. The uproar follows the exit of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire and other veteran DOH officials in what appears to be a politically motivated shake-up. About 55 professional medical groups signed a joint statement expressing concerns of what…

SPECIAL REPORT: Laguna Lake on the verge of becoming the Philippines’ largest septic tank

The Laguna Lake is fast deteriorating into the country’s “biggest septic tank,” Biñan City Rep. Walfredo “Arman” Dimaguila Jr. warned on Saturday, August 2. In an interview on DZRH News’ Special on Saturday, Rep. Dimaguila urged the Marcos Jr. administration to take urgent and science-based action to rehabilitate the vital water body affecting millions across Southern Luzon and Metro Manila. “Magkakaroon na…

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