SINGAPORE, July 2 (Reuters) – Oil prices dropped about 1% on Thursday, down for a third consecutive day, after Qatar said Iran and the U.S. had made progress in indirect talks focused on the Strait of Hormuz, which handled one-fifth of global oil supply before the war. The discussions produced “positive progress” on issues related to the memorandum that halted the war…
Reading stories on physical books may require less brain effort than reading on digital screens, according to a Japanese study. The research, published in the journal PLOS ONE, provides neurological evidence showing how different reading formats can affect how the brain processes and understands stories. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Tokyo, led by Kuniyoshi Sakai, a professor…
Serena Williams suffered a dramatic first-round defeat on her return to singles tennis at Wimbledon on Tuesday as she succumbed to inspired Australian youngster Maya Joint, while Iga Swiatek started her title defence with a nervy win. Williams lost 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 on Centre Court in her first professional singles match since “evolving away” from tennis in 2022, despite threatening a…
The world has not yet reached the point of no return on climate change, but the window for meaningful action is narrowing with every passing year, Filipino physicist and Manila Observatory Executive Director Fr. Jose Ramon “Jett” Villarin said Saturday, offering a message of cautious hope nearly two decades after his team’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning work on global warming. Villarin, who shared…
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…
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…
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%,…