Tokyo (AFP) – The number of Japanese people living in the country has fallen below 120 million for the first time in 42 years, government data showed Wednesday, as the nation confronts a low birth rate and an ageing society. As of January 1, the population of Japanese residents in Japan stood at 119.74 million, down 0.76 percent from the previous year,…
An analysis by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) in 2025 found that the rapid expansion of data centers is driving not only higher electricity demand but also massive freshwater consumption. “Data centers have a thirst for water, and their rapid expansion threatens freshwater supplies,” the EESI said. The group noted that only 3% of the Earth’s water is freshwater, and…
MOSCOW, July 29 (Reuters) – Russia said on Wednesday it had charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activity, alleging that his hugely popular messaging app was being used by Ukrainian spies to organise attacks inside Russia. In response, Telegram’s official account on X posted an image of the Russian-born billionaire making an obscene gesture with his middle finger. The charges,…
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…
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%,…