INSIDER
Philippine president approves amnesty program for rebels
Read full article: Philippine president approves amnesty program for rebelsThe Philippine president has approved an amnesty program for Muslim and communist rebels who would agree to surrender their weapons as they return to normal life in the latest such attempt to tame rural insurgencies that have raged for half a century. (Joey Dalumpines/Malacanang Presidential Photographers Division via AP)MANILA – The Philippine president has approved an amnesty program for Muslim and communist rebels who would agree to surrender their weapons as they return to normal life in the latest such attempt to tame rural insurgencies that have raged for half a century. Duterte also agreed to include former insurgents who once belonged to the main communist New People’s Army in his amnesty program. The 75-year-old Duterte has promised to resolve Muslim and communist insurgencies before he leaves office. The amnesty program excludes the notoriously brutal Abu Sayyaf and other small armed bands associated with the Islamic State group.
Asia Today: Duterte extends virus calamity status by a year
Read full article: Asia Today: Duterte extends virus calamity status by a yearDuterte first placed the country under a state of calamity in March when the number of confirmed infections was approaching 200 with about a dozen deaths. The country now has more than 291,700 confirmed cases, the highest in Southeast Asia, with more than 5,000 deaths. India announced more than 75,000 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday along with 1,053 more deaths, taking total fatalities to 88,935. — South Korea has added 61 coronavirus cases, its lowest daily increase since mid-August amid a downward trend in new infections. Executive power in South Korea is concentrated in the president.
Duterte orders customs chief to shoot, kill drug smugglers
Read full article: Duterte orders customs chief to shoot, kill drug smugglersIn this handout photo provided by the Malacanang Presidential Photographers Division, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he meets members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines on Monday Aug. 30, 2020. Duterte publicly ordered the country's top customs official to shoot and kill drug smugglers in one of his most overt threats during a deadly four-year campaign that has been the centerpiece of his presidency. (King Rodriguez/Malacanang Presidential Photographers Division via AP)
Can COVID-19 be spread by air conditioners?
Read full article: Can COVID-19 be spread by air conditioners?DETROIT Warm weather across the country is driving people to the comfort of indoor air conditioning -- but some were wondering if it was a good idea amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. A detailed investigation concluded that the virus was most likely spread to distant tables by the flow of air from the air conditioner. One important concern is that air conditioning systems could either blow the aerosol more quickly from an infected person to nearby people or by recirculating the air, could spread virus even farther. High efficiency HEPA filtration systems would trap infectious particles in the air stream, specific wavelengths of ultraviolet lights embedded in the duct work or near air registers could kill virus, and finally existing systems could be redesigned to bring in fresh uncirculated outdoor air to dilute any infectious particles in the air. Whether its summer or winter -- all businesses and schools should begin to consider how they can efficiently improve indoor air quality.
Asia Today: Philippines extends lockdown in central city
Read full article: Asia Today: Philippines extends lockdown in central cityPhilippine officials placed the central city of Cebu back under a strict lockdown and retained quarantine restrictions in the capital for another two weeks as coronavirus infections continue to spike alarmingly. The Philippines has among the most COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia with more than 37,500 people infected, including 1,266 who have died. Duterte blamed Cebu city, which will remain under a lockdown up to July 15, for many violations of the rules that led to infection spikes. He pleaded people to refrain from religious gatherings and criticized churches and other facilities for failing to use proper prevention measures. No new deaths were reported, leaving the toll at 4,634 among 83,534 cases of COVID-19 recorded since the virus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.