Author: Agnes Alpuerto

We’re moving into a new year with a more optimistic outlook – hopefully – as the World Health Organization finally lists the coronavirus vaccine of Pfizer and BioNTech for emergency use. WHO said it will work with regional partners to inform national health authorities of facts about the vaccine and its anticipated benefits. The health agency’s emergency use listing was established to help poorer countries without their own regulatory resources to quickly approve medicines or vaccines for new diseases such as the coronavirus. Without the emergency use listing of the WHO, the use of vaccine in these countries would cause…

It’s been quite a year, hasn’t it? We spent most of the days locked into our homes, either too scared to go out or we’re not allowed to do so at all. As we watched the coronavirus pandemic evolve into this world-changing phenomenon that is haunting every city in the world and creating fears among people, we also realized how uncertain and short life really is. In this year, more than ever, we were forced to look into ourselves and ask: Have we done enough? Have we achieved all the dreams we used to talk about in our prayers? Did…

You’ve probably uploaded lesser photos on Instagram in 2020 than in previous years. The facts that we were all not allowed to travel or dine in restaurants to get those Instagrammable snaps have somehow affected what and how often you uploaded on the photo-sharing service. But hey, it’s still great to know which of your photos got the most likes! It’s a reflection of some sort as to how your year went. Instagram’s Top Nine kickstarted in 2016, and has since then become an annual year-end tradition for most Instagram users. It allows users to revisit the nine most popular…

While many other cities around the world opted to cancel grand New Year’s Eve celebrations and countdowns, some tribal casinos in California have no plans to back down. Thousands of revelers and gamblers are expected to attend the invitation-only event at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln and Cache Creek Casino Resort. The events, said to be private and closed for general public, will see at least 6000 guests. “Cache Creek Casino Resort will become a private venue starting at 12:00 p.m. on December 31, 2020,” the casino says on its website. “We will reopen to the public at 6:00…

Samuel Little, named the most prolific killer in the US history after confessing to have murdered at least 93 people, died on Wednesday in California due to multiple health complications. He was 80. California corrections department spokeswoman Vicky Waters said there was no sign of foul play, and his cause of death will be determined by a coroner. He was serving a three consecutive life-without-parole sentences from Los Angeles for the deaths of three women that occurred in the late 1980s. The FBI said Samuel Little had confessed to 93 other murders, and that his admissions were “credible “. During…

We all hoped for and wanted grand New Year’s celebrations, didn’t we? But considering all the life-altering and panic-inducing circumstance that happened in 2020 – we might all just opt to spend the last hours of the year at the comforts of our home, of our couch, in front of the TV. We’ve taken it upon ourselves to list down five of the best feel-good and heartwarming movies produced in the past few years you can watch all through the New Year’s Eve. These films, starred by the most talented actors, will make you laugh, gasp and cry – all…

With great power comes great responsibility – social media, included. With nearly half a million followers on Twitter, Ken Jennings has had unfortunate circumstances – posting insensitive and disrespectful tweets. People have called him out several times, and his tweets went viral for the wrong reasons. Jennings in 2014 made a Twitter post that sparked public backlash online for being ableist and insulting. He posted, “Nothing sadder than a hot person in a wheelchair.” It led to wheelchair users on Twitter posting selfies and using hashtags including #DisabledAndCute and #HotPersonInAWheelchair When someone retweeted that comment in 2018, Jennings responded on…

Singapore began its coronavirus vaccination on Wednesday, prioritizing health workers as the fight against the pandemic continues. Singapore is the first country in Southeast Asia to implement the vaccination programme using a legally approved vaccine. More than 30 staff at the National Center for Infectious Diseases were the first people to receive the vaccine from US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German firm BioNTech. “Vaccines have managed to bring pandemics down to their knees before. So I am hopeful that this vaccine will do the same,” infectious diseases doctor Kalisvar Marimuthu said in recorded remarks provided by Singapore’s health ministry. Those…

As BTS member V, whose real name is Kim Taehyung, turns 25 today, his face and name got featured on none other than the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Can anything be grander than that? Korean superstars BTS definitely have the most loyal, loving and generous fans – and they’re never going to let any celebration of the group or of any of its members go unnoticed. Baidu V Bar, V’s fan club based in China managed to partner with Burj Khalifa to run a dazzling visual display to mark V’s special day. The customized LED display…

Luke Letlow, Louisiana’s incoming Republican member of the US House, died on Tuesday night (US time) from complications linked to the coronavirus. The 41-year-old politician was supposed to be sworn into office on Sunday. Letlow is the first member or member-elect to die from the coronavirus, though dozens of lawmakers have been tested positive for COVID-19 over the past months. “The family appreciates the numerous prayers and support over the past days but asks for privacy during this difficult and unexpected time,” Andrew Bautsch, Letlow’s spokesman, said. The congressman-elect first announced his diagnosis on his Facebook page on December 18,…