A 2026 study by researchers from the University of Cambridge found that reading for pleasure is linked to improved mental health, stronger cognitive performance, and a lower risk of dementia. Based on a comprehensive review of literacy and brain health, the researchers said recreational reading offers tangible psychological and biological benefits across all stages of life, regardless of whether one prefers classic…
TOKYO — The number of centenarians across Japan topped 100,000 for the first time, the health ministry said Tuesday. With a median age of 49.9 years, Japan has the second-oldest population in the world after Monaco, according to the World Bank. The latest government survey, published ahead of the annual “Respect for the Aged” public holiday next week, showed the number of…
Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD plans to launch its first heavy-duty truck in Europe next year and ultimately manufacture trucks locally, a senior executive said at the IAA trade fair in Hanover on Monday, September 14. “For the long term, we will produce everything we sell in Europe here locally,” said Stella Li, BYD’s executive vice president and head of international business.…
Six months after launching with 21,000 daycare children, Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso’s YorMilk program now reaches 62,000 public school students who receive fresh milk three times a week. The program now forms a complete farm-to-city ecosystem that benefits dairy farmers, cooperatives, the national government, and the children of Manila simultaneously. The mayor made the disclosure in an interview on…
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%,…