What’s Up With the World Today?

Senate to continue ZTE mess investigation ‘off-cam’ - solon

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, denied going easy on the investigation into the $329.4-million ZTE controversy even as he insisted that the probe will continue minus the live television broadcasts. GMANews.TV

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RP doctors: Rectify racist slur in 'Desperate Housewives'
10/04/2007 10:27 PM

A group of Filipino medical professionals sought the producers of “Desperate Housewives"and ABC Studios to rectify the “damage that has already been done" to the sector by the racist slur in the show.

The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) on Thursday demanded that the insulting remark about “some Philippine med schools" be deleted from the now infamous scene.

In an interview with GMA News’ 24 Oras, Dr. Romeo Encanto, PMA vice president, said that with the dent made on the reputation of the Philippine medical industry, only prompt action from the show can correct it. “We are happy that they [ABC] issued an apology but the portion must be erased or a rectification must be made," said Encanto. GMANews.TV

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Pacquiao on threat: I love surprises
By Recah TrinidadInquirer
Last updated 04:52am (Mla time) 10/04/2007

LAS VEGAS -- It didn’t take long for word to reach Manny Pacquiao that Marco Antonio Barrera plans a “surprise” that will “shock the Philippines” in their coming rematch at the Mandalay Bay.

It didn’t take long, too, for the Filipino superstar to belittle the claim.

“He has a surprise?” Pacquiao said after the media presentation by both fighters at the site of the Oct. 6 bout here. “I’m used to surprises. INQUIRER.net

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Earth-like planet forming 424 light years away
By Mira ObermanAgence France-Presse
Last updated 09:35am (Mla time) 10/04/2007

CHICAGO -- Snuggled into a huge belt of warm dust, an Earth-like planet appears to be forming some 424 light years away, scientists said Wednesday.

At somewhere between 10 and 16 million years old, the planet's solar system is still in its "very young adolescence," but is at the perfect age for forming Earth-like planets, said lead researcher Carey Lisse of Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory.

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Britney Spears gets visitation rights to her kids
Agence France-PresseLast updated 11:43am (Mla time) 10/04/2007

LOS ANGELES --Troubled pop star Britney Spears Wednesday got visitation rights to her two toddlers while they remain in custody of her ex-husband, aspiring rapper Kevin Federline, his lawyer told reporters.

Lawyers of the former couple attended a new hearing Wednesday on the custody battle for Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one.

On Monday, 25-year-old Spears lost custody of her children "until further order of the court," after sharing temporary custody with Federline, 29, since their divorce at the end of July.

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And Finally…

A 7.4-pound, 20.5-inch long baby girl is born via C-section today, October 4, 2007, at around 3 p. m. Singapore (and Philippine time).


Baby Nikha Yzabel is welcomed into this world (well, in a smaller scale it’s in Singapore) by her proud parents and equally anticipating extended family in the Philippines, plus an extra-special angel up there who must have also held his breath at the sight of cute, little Nikha.