Classes, work suspended in parts of Metro Manila

MANILA -- Several Metro Manila cities as well as universities and colleges have suspended classes due to anticipated rains on Tuesday.

San Juan City suspended classes in all levels in both private and public schools after the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) warned of heavy downpour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. as Tropical Depression "Emong" intensified into a storm.

Emong intensifies into tropical storm

MANILA (Updated, 2:48 p.m.) - Tropical Depression "Emong" has gained strength as it intensified into tropical storm and accelerated towards the northerly direction and hovering east of Luzon, said the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Tuesday.

Pagasa defines a tropical storm as moderate tropical cyclone with maximum wind speed of 64 to 118 kilometers per hour (kph).

Murder case vs ex-Batangas mayor yet to reach court

A FORMER mayor in Batangas will not yet be charged with murder in court for the killing of a ranking prosecutor last week.

Prosecutor General Claro Arellano said Tuesday former Sta. Teresita mayor Anna Marie Mendoza and husband Hermogenes Mendoza will undergo preliminary investigation on the death of Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Alexander Sandoval on Friday at the Department of Justice in Manila.

UST cancels afternoon classes, work anew

MANILA (Updated) -- The University of Sto. Tomas (UST) announced on Twitter that classes in high school, college, and postgraduate levels as well as office work will be cancelled from 3 p.m. onwards Tuesday.

US convenience stores exploited immigrants

NEW YORK — Nine owners and managers of 7-Eleven convenience stores were charged Monday in a scheme to exploit immigrants from Pakistan and the Philippines, in part by paying them using the stolen Social Security numbers of a child and three dead people while stealing most of their wages.

NCAA to highlight human spirit in Season 89 opening

SPORTS values will take center stage in the opening program of the 89th season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, dropping the usual practice of beaming milestones of host schools.

"We want to highlight the values that uphold NCAA, the human spirit. If you talk about athletics, it's all about perseverance, fair play, and endurance," said Hector Gloria, Season 89 media relations head from host College of St. Benilde.

Tax court affirms guilty verdict on celebrity doctor Joel Mendez

CELEBRITY wellness doctor Joel Mendez will suffer a jail term of two to four years after the Court of Tax Appeals affirmed his conviction for tax evasion.

CTA said Mendez did not file his income tax returns in 2001 and 2002 and underdeclared his income in 2003.

Power firm in Cagayan de Oro robbed

CAGAYAN DE ORO (Updated, 12:48 p.m.) - The branch of Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company (Cepalco) in Barangay Carmen here was robbed by eight men on Tuesday morning, carrying away an estimated P100,000 of money from the tellers.

Paying customers were also divested with their belongings. City Police Director Graciano Mijares said the suspect were armed with short arms and one long firearm.

Probe ordered into ‘sex-for-fly’ activities in Kuwait

MANILA (Updated, 11:51 a.m.) -- Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz ordered Tuesday the creation of an investigation team that will probe on the alleged “sex-for-fly” activities at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (Polo) in Kuwait.

Baldoz issued Administrative Order No. 239, Series of 2013 for the creation of the probe team.

Chinese supercomputer named as world's fastest

BEIJING -- China has built the world's fastest supercomputer, almost twice as fast as the previous US holder and underlining the country's rise as a science and technology powerhouse.

The semiannual TOP500 official listing of the world's fastest supercomputers released Monday says the Tianhe-2 developed by the National University of Defense Technology in central China's Changsha city is capable of sustained computing of 33.86 petaflops per second. That's the equivalent of 33,860 trillion calculations per second.