5 to 15 people killed, over 160 hurt in Texas blast

WEST, Texas (Updated) -- The massive explosion at a Texas fertilizer plant killed as many as 15 people and injured more than 160, as it shook the ground with the strength of a small earthquake, leveling homes and businesses for blocks in every direction, police reported.

Rescuers searched rubble early Thursday for survivors. The Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines, meanwhile, said it is still checking if there were Filipinos hurt in the blast.

25,533 pass March 2013 teacher's board

MANILA -- The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Board for Professional Teachers (BPT) announced Thursday that out of 75,550 examinees, only 25,533 passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) held last March 10.

DFA checking for Filipino casualty in Texas plant blast

MANILA -- The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is still checking if there were Filipinos hurt in a deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in Texas that killed dozens of people and injured hundreds of others.

"The [Philippine] Embassy in Washington and Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles are monitoring the massive explosion near Waco, Texas," Raul Hernandez, Foreign Affairs spokesman, said.

More than 100 injured in Texas plant blast

TEXAS (Updated 6:00 p.m.) — A massive explosion at a fertilizer plant near Waco in Texas on Wednesday injured dozens of people and killed an unknown number of others, leaving the factory a smoldering ruin and leveling buildings for blocks in every direction.

The explosion at West Fertilizer in the town of West, some 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of Dallas, happened around 7 p.m. and could be heard as far as 45 miles (72 kilometers) away.

Screening of bidders for Cebu airport expansion set

MANILA -- Interested parties in the P17.5-billion contract that aims to renovate and expand the Mactan-Cebu International Airport are expected to submit their eligibility documents to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on Monday, April 22.

"We made sure that this project will also be attractive to investors in order to foster competitive and open bidding," the DOTC said Thursday.

Man killed while urinating

POLICE authorities said a man was shot dead while urinating in front of his house in Tuburan Sur, Danao City, late Wednesday.

Police identified the victim as 33-year-old Tanly Roble Laurente.

Comelec to oppose petition seeking to reset party-list elections to October

MANILA -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) plans to oppose a petition seeking to postpone this year's party-list elections.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said on Thursday that they have done enough preparations to ensure that there is no reason to move back the party-list elections.

Further reprieve given to OFW in Saudi death row

MANILA -- Overseas Filipino worker Joselito Zapanta, who is on a death row in Saudi Arabia, was granted further reprieve until November this year to give his family more time to raise for his blood money, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) informed the Palace of the second extension given by the family of Zapanta's victim.

Man killed while playing ‘tong-its’

CEBU CITY -- A 27-year-old man was killed while he was playing “tong-its,” a card game, in Sitio Hawod Bulacao, Talisay City, early Thursday, police reported.

Talisay City Police Station named the victim as John Dave Oyon-oyon, married, and a resident of Sitio Hollow Block, Lagtang, Talisay City.

Retrieval of grounded Chinese vessel in Tubbataha starts Friday

MANILA – Tugboats are expected to arrive in Tubattaha Reef Thursday, as retrieval operation of the grounded Chinese vessel starts tomorrow, Friday.

The Chinese fishing boat ran aground close to midnight last April 8 near the southern portion of North Islet in the Unesco World Heritage site.