‘Marvel’s The Avengers’ Highest Grossing Film in Philippines of All-Time

Marvel’s “The Avengers” is the Philippines’ highest-grossing film of all time.Thesuperhero flick that served as the culmination of five years worth of Marvel Studios offerings raked in a record-breaking P281-million opening weekend gross nationwide. It is the biggest debut ever in historyaccording to Victor R. Cabrera, Managing Director of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Philippines- Philstar report.

According to the report from Inquirer,  “Marvel’s The Avengers” grossed an unprecedented P100.76-million in its first two days of release nationwide, according to Victor R. Cabrera, managing director of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Philippines.

The Avengers got the biggest opening weekend in film history, surpassing previous record holderHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 by more than 20%. According to the report from Forbes, Marvel team-up has amassed a mind-boggling$641.8 million total worldwide box office in twelve days. And it hasn’t even opened in Japan yet, which will eventually pour even more into the overseas box office coffers as well.

Video- Demolition in Parañaque, 1 killed

Watch the Demolition in Parañaque where violence erupted. Hours after the violent confrontation, the demolition of stalls finally pushed through after noon Monday.

A local government operation backed by the police to demolish stalls at a flea market in Parañaque City erupted in violence Monday as stall owners, residents, and their supporters threw rocks and home-made explosives at police.

ANC reported that Parañaque Mayor Bernabe on the Silverio Cmpd demolition said: Ang nag-expropriate niyan ay city gov't so may order ang korte na i-demolish yan

Bernabe: We'll relocate the residents later on the same site. Ayaw nila maniwala, nasusulsulan sila ng professional squatters & mga pulitiko.

video credit: ANC

Video- Two Trains crashed in Amsterdam

Two trains collided head-on just outside Amsterdam on April 21, Saturday, injuring at least 60 people, up to 20 of them seriously, Dutch transport police said.

4.0 Magnitude Earthquake hits Batangas on April 18, 2012

A 4.0 Magnitude Earthquake hits Batangas on April 18, 2012. It had a depth of 123 kilometers and was tectonic in origin.

Phivolcs said no aftershocks were expected. The quake occurred at 11:48 a.m. Its epicenter was located 13 kilometers northwest of the town of Calatagan. However, no casualties or damage was reported according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

North Korean Rocket Launch- Video Report

The North Koreans have carried out the launch of a rocket taking a weather satelitte into space.

Countries around the region are monitoring the flight path closely as governments around the world are on standby.

No element of the rocket reached space, said a U.S. official, who based that conclusion on data collected by the United States from its first few moments aloft.

North Korean finally launched the long-range missile. As everybody expected, the result was a failure. The entire world urged North Korea to stop the launch, Like the US, Russia, Japan, and many other nations
Didn't feel so positive about the launch. Even China did not send observers for this launch And kept insisting that North Korea wouldn't fire the missiles.

image credit:the telegraph

Indonesia shake by 8.5 magnitude earthquake- video

Indonesia was shaken by 8.5 magnitude earthquake on April 11. A massive earthquake measuring at least 8.9 on the Richter scale hits Indonesia on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, at around 4:38 p.m.

A tsunami warning has been issued for the entire Indian Ocean by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center following the quake in the Aceh region, off the coast ofnorthern Sumatra which lies at 33 km beneath the ocean floor

Tremors from the quake was also felt as far away as Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and southern India.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage in Aceh, the Indonesian province closest to the earthquake.

Video credit toTelegraph.uk

"Weather Satellite" by North Korea, PHL Embassy in S. Korea is prepared

Vice President Jejomar Binay assures readiness of PHL embassy in South Korea should North Korea pushes it's launching of "Weather Satellite".

According to NDTV report, North Korea gave details for the first time of a "weather satellite" it plans to send into orbit next month, a launch the West sees as a disguised ballistic missile test which has prompted criticism from the reclusive state's only major ally, China.

The North's KCNA news agency described it as an "advanced geostationary meteorological satellite data receiver" as world leaders gathered in the South Korean capital, Seoul, for a nuclear security summit.

According to Yahoo News, In a statement, Binay told leaders of the Filipino community in Seoul that the embassy has a contingency plan in case tensions in the Korean peninsula escalate into a full blown conflict.

“We do not want to speculate on the effects of the launch. However, we will be directing the local government who could be affected to be prepared for any eventuality,” Binay said.

Binay, who is the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers’ concerns, further asked the 50,000 Filipinos in South Korea to continue praying that the tensions won’t escalate.

Video- George Clooney and Father arrested in Washington DC

Watch  George Clooney and Father arrested in Washington DC video.

Hollywood actor, George Clooney and his father, Nick Clooney were arrested after being warned three times not to cross a police line outside the embassy. Those taken into custody included civil rights leaders Ben Jealous, Martin Luther King III, and actor and comedian Dick Gregory.

"We need humanitarian aid to be allowed into the Sudan before it becomes the worst humanitarian crisis in the world -- immediately," Clooney said to cheering supporters shortly before his arrest.

According to the report from AFP, among others arrested outside the embassy included the actor's father, 78-year-old journalist Nick Clooney, and four members of the House of Representatives -- Al Green, Jim McGovern, Jim Moran and John Olver.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Chief Justice Renato Corona's Armory according to PNP

According to GMA News report, based on the records of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Firearms and Explosives Office, Chief Justice Renato Corona has owned at least 31 licensed firearms.  

Here's a summary of Renato Corona's 31 guns with corresponding serial numbers, according to the PNP:

• .45-cal revolver (DAN1906)
• .38-cal revolver (A40241) .22-cal revolver (CJS2753) .38-cal revolver (88676) .22-cal revolver (145560) .22-cal revolver (UD93691)
• .32-cal pistol (DAA096492) .380-cal pistol (374-29000) .45-cal pistol (748851) .45-calpistol (1678782) .22-cal pistol (1948) .45-cal pistol (92456B70) 9mm pistol (AS335) .40-cal pistol (DLB531) .45-cal pistol M37 (GDV758) .40-cal pistol (QL1431) .45-cal pistol (RK6887) .45-cal pistol (SN24969E) .45-cal pistol (WF3557) .45-cal pistol (BL32370) .45-cal pistol (DHZ878) .45-cal pistol (KPA11832)
• .45-cal frame (BL31184) .45-cal frame (PG005068)
• 9mm machine pistol (T0624-07V0060978) 9mm machine pistol (SR01121)
• 12GA shotgun (M450399) 12GA shotgun (RC101548)
• 9mm submachine gun MK9 (P0580)
• 556 high-powered rifle (4951938)
• 30-cal carbine (7243757)

Biggest Space Storm to hit Earth

According to the report from AFP,  a space weather storm that was forecast to be the strongest in five years has fizzled out and ended up causing no impact to power grids or modern navigation systems, US experts said on Thursday.

A series of eruptions on the Sun this week sent radiation and solar plasma hurtling toward Earth at high speeds but in the end, the geomagnetic storm registered the lowest level, G1, on a five-step scale.

NOAA had forecast the storm would be a level three, or "strong," and said it would be the worst since 2006. NASA had said it might even be "severe."

image credit: telegraph.co.uk

According to Telegraph .co.uk, in a new warning, Nasa said the super storm would hit like “a bolt of lightning” and could cause catastrophic consequences for the world’s health, emergency services and national security unless precautions are taken.

Read Full Story...http://ph.news.yahoo.com/earth-braces-biggest-space-storm-five-years-020630291.html

DepEd to apply 12 languages for June 2012 classes

According to the report from yahoo News.

The Department of Education said it will start using 12 major languages as medium of instruction and as subject matter when classes open in June as part of the Mother Tongue-Based Multi-Lingual Education program.

The 12 major languages are Tagalog, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Iloko, Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Tausug, Maguindanaoan, Maranao, and Chabacano.

Manny Pacquiao files Libel Suit to Gensan Journalist

Manny” Pacquiao has filed a P75-million libel case against a Edwin Espejo a news correspondent on General Santos over a controversy involving the alleged sale of a stolen car by one of his close associates.

Pacquiao’s counsel filed the charges against Espejo before the City Prosecutor’s Office late Monday afternoon.

According to the report from AKTV, Pacquiao’s case stemmed from recent articles of Espejo, which appeared at online news outfits Asian Correspondent and MindaNews, as well as in Eurasia Review, which reposted the Asian Correspondent story.

source:AKTV

Mayweather doesn't want to fight Pacquiao for Health Reason?

Is Mayweather really afraid to fight Pacquiao? Mayweather doesn't want to fight Pacquiao for Health Reason according to the report from Boxing Insider. Floyd Mayweather admitted himself: He’s afraid of getting pounded on like a punching bag by Manny Pacquiao.

According to Boxing Insider, Mayweather admitted this to Bob Costas in an NBC show interview about why he doesn’t want to fight Pacquiao. “I am in the game to win, not just inside the ring, but outside the ring,” stated Mayweather. “My health is more important than anything.”

Costas said Floyd has to fight Pacquiao, to see who is the best, to give the fans what they want and to pump up the sport with a much-needed big, exciting, Super Bowl event: “I come first. Self preservation. I gotta worry about my family. If the fight don’t happen, so be it.”

There you go: “Self preservation.” So the reasons Mayweather gave us for two years of ducking and dodging Pacquiao – drug tests, fake retirements, Manny has to leave Arum and be his own boss, no 50-50 split, he doesn’t need Manny, it’s all Bob Arum’s fault, etc. – were indeed mere smokescreens, bluffs and lies. Cleverly but dishonestly used to cover up the real secret truth – Mayweather fears for his health because he knows Pacquiao would simply beat the hell out of him.

Read more: http://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/mayweather-finally-admits-cowardice-health-concerns-are-why-he-ducked-pacquiao/#ixzz1oMEgXs78

Video- Sand Storm in Riyadh on February 25, 2012

Riyadh regions have been put on alert Saturday as extreme sandstorm, hit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at around 4PM, Saturday- February 25.

The kingdom, particularly the eastern regions including Riyadh, is currently hit by severe sandstorm, coupled with a few showers which reduced visibility and caused health, as well as traffic, problems.
Here's a video posted in YouTube

Whitney Houston is Dead- Breaking News

According to Associated Press, Whitney Houston's death came on the eve of music's biggest night — the Grammy Awards. It's a showcase where she once reigned, and her death was sure to case a heavy pall on Sunday's ceremony.

Houston's publicist, Kristen Foster, said Saturday that the singer had died, but the cause and the location of her death were unknown.

According to the report, Whitney is being considered to become a judge in American Idol.

Renato Corona's Impeachment Trial- Video Replay. Day 14

The camp of impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to stop the four-week-old impeachment trial as it accused the Senate, which is sitting as the impeachment court, of grave abuse of discretion. In their petition, Corona’s lawyers also asked the Supreme Court to nullify the impeachment complaint for allegedly being defective.

 

video credit:gmanews

OFW Redeployment to Yemen- Resolution

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Governing Board has issued a resolution allowing the redeployment of overseas Filipino workers who came home to the Philippines to return to their work in Yemen.

“The recommendation was based on the improved political and security situation in the country and in response to the clamor of our OFWs who have returned but would like to go back in Yemen to work. However, the resumption of the deployment does not cover newly-hired workers as the deployment ban for them remains,” Sec. Baldoz added.

Rep. Iggy Arroyo is brain dead

Congressman Iggy Arroyo who became controversial after he claimed ownership of the “Jose Pidal” account, is clinically dead or brain dead and is on life support system.

According to his older brother, former First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, the life support could be taken out anytime and clarified his earlier statement that Iggy has already passed away after suffering cardiac arrest last night in London. He has not been pronounced as dead by doctors.

The Arroyos are expected to issue a statement at the proper time. Iggy Arroyo, the representative of the 5th district of Negros Occidental went to London to seek treatment for a liver ailment.

Update:  Breaking News!

Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo Jr. died Thursday after life-support systems were removed from his body, said his brother, former First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo.

"Support systems were pulled out already thirty minutes ago. My brother passed away already. I'm so sad," he said.

Oscar Awards 2012 Nominees and Winners

Here are the nominees for the 2012 Academy Awards which were announced on Tuesday morning, January 24, by Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bourne) and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) President Tom Sherak at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills Tuesday morning.

 The 84th Academy Awards ceremony will honor the best films of 2011and will take place on February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre inHollywood, California. It will be televised in the United States on ABC.

The winners will be posted here once the award was concluded.

Here's the lists of Winners for the 84th Oscar Academy Awards

Actor in a Leading Role
Demián Bichir in "A Better Life"
George Clooney in "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin in "The Artist" - WINNER
Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"

Actor in a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn"
Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte in "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer in "Beginners" - WINNER
Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Actress in a Leading Role
Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis in "The Help"
Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady" - WINNER
Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"

Actress in a Supporting Role
Bérénice Bejo in "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain in "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer in "The Help" - WINNER

Animated Feature Film
"A Cat in Paris" Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
"Chico & Rita" Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
"Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson
"Puss in Boots" Chris Miller
"Rango" Gore Verbinski - WINNER

Art Direction

"The Artist" Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
"Hugo" Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo - WINNER
"Midnight in Paris"Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
"War Horse" Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Cinematography
"The Artist" Guillaume Schiffman
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Jeff Cronenweth
"Hugo" Robert Richardson - WINNER
"The Tree of Life" Emmanuel Lubezki
"War Horse" Janusz Kaminski

Costume Design
"Anonymous" Lisy Christl
"The Artist" Mark Bridges - WINNER
"Hugo" Sandy Powell
"Jane Eyre" Michael O'Connor
"W.E." Arianne Phillips

Directing
"The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius - WINNER
"The Descendants" Alexander Payne
"Hugo" Martin Scorsese
"Midnight in Paris" Woody Allen
"The Tree of Life" Terrence Malick

Documentary (Feature)
"Hell and Back Again" Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front" Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
"Pina" Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
"Undefeated" TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Rich Middlemas- WINNER

Documentary (Short Subject)
"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement" Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
"God Is the Bigger Elvis" Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
"Incident in New Baghdad" James Spione
"Saving Face" Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy - WINNER
"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom" Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

Film Editing
"The Artist" Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
"The Descendants" Kevin Tent
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall - WINNER
"Hugo" Thelma Schoonmaker
"Moneyball" Christopher Tellefsen

Foreign Language Film
"Bullhead" Belgium
"Footnote" Israel
"In Darkness" Poland
"Monsieur Lazhar" Canada
"A Separation" Iran - WINNER

Makeup
"Albert Nobbs" Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Nick Dudman,Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin
"The Iron Lady" Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland - WINNER

Music (Original Score)
"The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams
"The Artist" Ludovic Bource - WINNER
"Hugo" Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse" John WilliamsMusic

(Original Song)
"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" - WINNER
Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio" from "Rio"
Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown; Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Best Picture
"The Artist" Thomas Langmann, Producer
"The Descendants" Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" Scott Rudin, Producer
"The Help" Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
"Hugo" Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
"Midnight in Paris" Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
"Moneyball" Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
"The Tree of Life" Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad, Dede Gardner and Grant Hill, Producers
"War Horse" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Short Film (Animated)
"Dimanche/Sunday" Patrick Doyon
"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore"William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg - WINNER
"La Luna" Enrico Casarosa
"A Morning Stroll" Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
"Wild Life" Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

Short Film (Live Action)
"Pentecost" Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane
"Raju" Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
"The Shore" Terry George and Oorlagh George - WINNER
"Time Freak" Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
"Tuba Atlantic" Hallvar Witzø

Sound Editing
"Drive" Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Ren Klyce
"Hugo" Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty - WINNER
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
"War Horse" Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

Sound Mixing
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
"Hugo" Tom Fleischman and John Midgley - WINNER
"Moneyball" Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, David Giammarco and Ed Novick
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
"War Horse" Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

Visual Effects
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
"Hugo" Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossmann and Alex Henning - WINNER
"Real Steel" Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
"The Descendants" Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash - WINNER
"Hugo" Screenplay by John Logan
"The Ides of March" Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
"Moneyball" Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin; Story by Stan Chervin
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter StraughanWriting

(Original Screenplay)
"The Artist" Written by Michel Hazanavicius
"Bridesmaids" Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
"Margin Call" Written by J.C. Chandor
"Midnight in Paris" Written by Woody Allen - WINNER
"A Separation" Written by Asghar Farhadi

2012 NAPOLCOM Exam Application Online

The National Police Commission on Monday announced that the first PNP entrance and promotional examinations in 2012 will be held on April 29.  The NAPOLCOM is expected to activate the following links for exam centers on February 1, 2012.

“Applicants shall utilize the on-line system to request the Regional Office for their schedule on the filing of examination application,” NAPOLCOM posted.

“Applicants will personally appear at the NAPOLCOM Regional Office on the date assigned to them, with their printed on-line confirmation letter and other required documents, for further evaluation,” it added.

Period of Online Scheduling: February 1 - 13, 2012
Period of Filing of Application: February 14 - March 16, 2012
(No printed on-line confirmation letter - No application)

The NAPOLCOM has activated the links for exam centers:

• NCR - Makati City
• Region 1 - San Fernando City
• Region 2 - Tuguegarao City
• Region 3 - San Fernando City, Pampanga
• Region 4A - Calamba City
• Region 4B - Palawan
• Region 5 - Legazpi City
• Region 6 - Iloilo City
• Region 7 - Cebu City
• Region 8 - Tacloban City
• Region 9 - Pagadian City
• Region 10 - Cagayan de Oro City
• Region 11 - Davao City 
• Region 12 - Koronadal City
• CAR - Baguio City
• CARAGA - Butuan City
• ARMM - Cotabato City

NAPOLCOM adds further that “Applicants will personally appear at the NAPOLCOM Regional Office on the date assigned to them, with their printed on-line confirmation letter and other required documents, for further evaluation,” as posted.

UPDATE: April 26, 2012
The link for regional offices seems to be not working at this time as the application deadline for April 29, 2012 exam was from the period of February 14 to March 16 only.