Author: Newark Independent

The Bureau of Customs-Ninoy Aquino International Airport successfully condemned 159,830 pieces of vape products valued at P34,112,500 in Cavite on January 17 and 20, 2025. (Photos from Bureau of Customs) MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC), through the BOC-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), successfully condemned 159,830 pieces of vape products valued at P34,112,500 in Cavite on January 17 and 20, 2025. The shipments were forfeited following the issuance of Warrants of Seizure and Detention (WSD) for violating Republic Act No. 11900, as implemented by Department Administrative Order No. 22-16 of the Department of Trade and Industry (series of…

Instagram and Facebook have recently blurred, blocked or removed posts from two abortion pill providers. Instagram also suspended the accounts of several abortion pill providers and hid the providers from appearing in search and recommendations.The actions ramped up in the last two weeks, and were especially noticeable in the last two days, abortion pill providers said. Content from their accounts — or in some cases, their entire accounts — were no longer visible on Instagram.Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, confirmed some account suspensions and the blurring of posts. The company restored some of the accounts and posts on Thursday,…

The cloud of TikTok’s uncertain future is still lingering. Some marketers are forging ahead on TikTok creator campaigns after its brief shutdown this month, albeit warily, given the app’s unclear future. Others are maintaining their strategies as if a ban is still in effect and limiting their long-term campaigns as they consider the various twists and turns happening around the ByteDance-owned platform. “We are still seeing deals come through as usual, but some brands are focusing on other platforms outside of TikTok at the moment because of the long-term uncertainty,” said Ali Grant, co-CEO of influencer agency The Digital Department.…

THE decision by several dioceses and bishops to leave X (formerly Twitter) has sparked a debate (News, 17 January). Some, such as the Bishop of Barking, the Rt Revd Lynne Cullens, contend that the Church should remain present in challenging spaces, offering a Christian critique and countering the platform’s increasingly negative trajectory.This perspective has merit. Christians are called to bring light into darkness and hope to the margins, engaging where others might retreat. Yet, as the realities of X grow harder to ignore, we must ask: is the Church’s voice still meaningful here, or is it time to leave a…

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost joined the growing list of candidates to throw their name in the ring for the 2026 race for governor.Yost, 68, became the third Republican to declare their candidacy for governor and the fourth total candidate.For the GOP, Yost joins Ohio treasurer Robert Sprague and former president of the Morgan County School Board Heather Hill in the primary.On the Democratic side, former Ohio Health Director Amy Acton, who became a household name in the state in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, announced her candidacy earlier this month.Yost announced his candidacy for governor on Thursday,…

Pete Hegseth, US President Donald Trump’s defence secretary nominee, told senator Elizabeth Warren that he paid $50,000 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017.Hegseth maintained his innocenceAccording to a report from The Associated Press, the payment details emerged in written responses to Warren’s additional queries during the vetting process. When contacted on Thursday, Hegseth’s legal representative, Timothy Parlatore, withheld comment on the specific amount, though he had previously acknowledged the settlement in November. During his confirmation hearing, Hegseth maintained his innocence.The Senate advanced Hegseth’s nomination on party lines, with final confirmation expected Friday. The nomination faces…

A handout image released by Merseyside Police and received in London on January 20, 2025, shows the custody photograph of Axel Rudakubana. Once an unassuming schoolboy who attended a drama club, UK child killer Axel Rudakubana retreated into his own world over the years, searching for increasingly violent images online. Rudakubana was Thursday sentenced to serve a minimum of 52 years after pleading guilty to murdering three young girls and injuring 10 other people in a frenzied, cold-blooded attack on a dance class in Southport, northwest England. (Photo by MERSEYSIDE POLICE / AFP) LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom — A judge on…

“For sure she made less mistakes, less mistakes than on those matches I won against her. I also played against her in Cincinnati where she also kind of played perfectly, and I had nothing to say,” said Swiatek, referring to Keys’ 6-3 6-4 win on hard courts in 2022.“I know she could do both. I didn’t know which one she’s going to be (on Thursday). I think she was just more solid than when we played these matches that I won.”IN FOCUS: Another year, another home-grown AO champion to look forward toIn assessing her own game, Swiatek lamented her serve.“I…

Summary: A study of nearly 1,000 people with post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) revealed that two-thirds still experienced significant symptoms, including reduced exercise capacity and cognitive performance, two years after infection. Persistent symptom clusters included fatigue, neurocognitive disturbances, and post-exertional malaise, with worse outcomes in individuals with obesity, lower education, or severe initial infections.Patients with PCS showed reduced oxygen consumption and cognitive test scores, highlighting the need for exercise and cognitive evaluations in clinical care. The findings underscore the long-term impact of PCS and the urgent need for research into recovery factors.Key Facts:Long-Term Symptoms: Two-thirds of PCS patients report persistent symptoms two…

A pilot project at Summerland Secondary School has cleared the air in school washrooms, where students once gathered to vape. Alan Stel, principal of the high school, said the vape detector pilot project was introduced following complaints from parents and students about safety in the washrooms. Stel said some students would gather in washrooms to vape, leaving others feeling uneasy. Through the pilot project, vape detectors were installed in washrooms at the school at the beginning of November. Stel said the use of vape devices had become rampant at the school. The detectors look like smoke detectors or carbon dioxide detectors. Within…