Latest news with #Philippines-based
New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Jesus-shaped cloud floating above Philippines basilica stuns churchgoers
These churchgoers caught quite a sight. Earlier this month, one eagle-eyed individual spotted a cloud formation in the shape of Jesus Christ above the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Naga City, one of the foremost religious centers in the Philippines. The conspicuously shaped cloud in question was seen while attending a worship service ahead of National Youth Day — a Filipino holiday celebrated on June 19 that emphasizes serving community and country — and was captured in a now-viral video. The video zooms in on the cloud formation and sees details like wispy 'hair' and a faintly formed raised hand. Fellow Catholic worshippers in the crowd seemed to notice the sight as well, all looking up in amazement, as shown in a circulating video on social media. While some couch surfing critics cast doubt on the viral sight, many Philippines-based devotees took the video as a sign from above. Some commenters said it looked like the sacred-shaped cloud looked like it was addressing the crowd of people gathered below it. Viral Press In fact, after the cloud likeness was initially spotted, over 8,000 worshippers visited the site to pray in honor of the miraculous sight. This Jesus-shaped cloud comes after a series of recent discoveries were made in relation to centuries-old mysteries. As The Post reported back in April, a study by NASA could confirm some biblical events, including Jesus' crucifixion. 'Christian texts mention that the moon turned to blood after Jesus's crucifixion — potentially referring to a lunar eclipse, during which the moon takes on a reddish hue,' NASA said, adding that modern technology has discovered that there was in fact an eclipse in Jerusalem. According to the agency, the astronomical event happened on Friday, April 3, 33 AD, which happens to be the same day many theologians suggest is the day of Jesus' death. Further back in 2024, breakthroughs in AI technology allowed researchers to recreate Jesus' face from the famous Turin Shroud. The AI depictions of Jesus were quite similar to traditional representations of the figure as a man with shoulder-length brown hair and a bearded face, but some minor facial details varied between versions. PRASAD K BALAN – Though Jesus' likeness has been portrayed in art for nearly two thousand years, this AI model created a rendering of the religious figure through what many believe to be a facial impression in the piece of cloth that was suggested to have been present at the time of his resurrection. The shroud has not been officially recognized as a verified relic by the Catholic Church, but several popes— including Pope Francis — have prayed before it.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Cabinet approves establishment of International Potato Center's South Asia regional centre at Agra
The Centre on Wednesday cleared a proposal to set up a regional centre of the Peru-based International Potato Center (CIP)— a premier research-for-development organisation founded in 1971 with a focus on potato and sweet potato—in India. The CIP-South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC) will come up at Singna in Agra and will not only serve farmers in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal but also cater to South Asian countries. The cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a proposal from the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare to establish the CSARC. 'The major objective of this investment is to increase food and nutrition security, farmers income, and job creation by improving potato and sweet potato productivity, post-harvest management and value-addition,' said an official statement issued after the cabinet meeting. 'The potato sector in India has the potential to generate significant employment opportunities in production sector, processing sector, packaging, transportation, marketing, value chain, etc. Hence, in order to untap and explore the huge potential in this sector, International Potato Centre (CIP)'s south Asia regional Centre is being established at Singna, Agra, Uttar Pradesh. High-yielding, nutrient and climate-resilient varieties of potato and sweet potato developed by CSARC will significantly accelerate the sustainable development of the potato and sweet potato sectors not only in India but in the South Asia region also through world-class science and innovation,' the statement added. The decision follows a letter Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wrote to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan six months ago demanding the early establishment of a CIP regional centre in Agra. An agriculture ministry delegation led by Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi visited Peru recently. Potatoes are native to the Peruvian-Bolivian Andes in South America. The entire project, to come up on 10 hectares of land provided by the UP government, will cost $20 million (about Rs 160 crore), of which India will contribute $13 million and the CIP $7 million, according to sources. The CSARC will focus on the development of new varieties that are climate-resilient, disease-free, and suitable for processing, the sources added. China set up a similar CIP centre, known as the China Center for Asia Pacific, in Yanqing, Beijing in 2017. It serves the entire East Asia and the Pacific region. The CSARC will be the second major international agricultural research institution to set up operations in India, The regional centre of the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), established in Varanasi, was the first. Two centres of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) work on tuber crops–the Shimla-based ICAR-CPRI (Central Potato Research Institute) working on potatoes and the Thiruvananthapuram-based ICAR-CTCRI (Central Tuber Crops Research Institute) working on sweet potato. India ranks number two in potato production and consumption, after China. In 2020, China produced 78.24 million tonnes of potatoes and India 51.30 million tonnes of the crop, together accounting for over one-third of the global production of 359.07 million tonnes. Uttar Pradesh (15 million tonnes), West Bengal (15 million tonnes), and Bihar (9 million tonnes) were the top three potato producers in India in 2020-21. Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab also produce significant amounts of potatoes. Harikishan Sharma, Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express' National Bureau, specializes in reporting on governance, policy, and data. He covers the Prime Minister's Office and pivotal central ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Rural Development, and Ministry of Jal Shakti. His work primarily revolves around reporting and policy analysis. In addition to this, he authors a weekly column titled "STATE-ISTICALLY SPEAKING," which is prominently featured on The Indian Express website. In this column, he immerses readers in narratives deeply rooted in socio-economic, political, and electoral data, providing insightful perspectives on these critical aspects of governance and society. ... Read More
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
After China, India set to get regional centre of Peru-based premier potato institute
The Central Government is likely to clear a proposal to set up a regional centre of Peru-based International Potato Center (CIP), a premier research-for-development organisation with a focus on potato and sweet potato, in India. The proposed centre — CIP-South Asia Regional Centre (CIP-SARC) — will come up in Agra, and will serve farmers not only in potato belt states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal but also cater to South Asian countries. It is learnt that the Union Cabinet is likely to soon approve a proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to set up the centre. The development comes months after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wrote to the Centre, seeking early establishment of a regional centre of the CIP in the district of Agra. Recently, an Agriculture Ministry delegation led by Devesh Chaturvedi, Agriculture Secretary, visited Peru. Highlighting the delay in the establishment of the centre, Adityanath wrote a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on January 20. In the letter, Adityanath urged Chouhan to direct the officials concerned in his ministry to pave the way for the early establishment of the International Potato Center (CIP)- South Asia Regional Center at Singana, Agra. The sources say that the project will be worth $20 million (about Rs 160 crore), of which India will contribute $13 million, while the remaining $7 million will be funded by CIP. The UP government has provided 10 hectares of land for the proposed Centre. The CIP-SARC will work not only for UP but for the entire country and South Asia, said sources, adding that the proposed centre will focus on the development of new varieties, which are climate resilient, disease-free, and are suitable for processing. It will bring global science expertise, an extensive global innovation network and global genetic resources, said the sources. The proposed centre in Agra comes 8 years after China set up a similar CIP centre. The CIP's China centre, known as the China Center for Asia Pacific (CCCAP), was established in Yanqing, Beijing, in 2017. Apart from China, the centre serves the entire East Asia and the Pacific region. Headquartered in Lima, Peru, the CIP was founded in 1971 as a research-for-development organisation with a focus on potato, sweet potato and Andean roots and tubers. The potato crop is native to the Peruvian-Bolivian Andes in South America. The proposed CIP-SARC will be the second major international agricultural research institution to set up its operations in India. In 2017, the Agriculture Ministry supported the establishment of a regional centre of the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The IRRI-SARC is established in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency. As of now, at least two different centres of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) work on tuber crops. While the Shimla-based ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) is working on potato, the Thiruvananthapuram-based ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) is working on sweet potato. China is the top potato producer and consumer in the world, and it is followed by India. In 2020, China's potato production was recorded at 78.24 million tonnes, while India recorded a production of 51.30 million tonnes. Both countries accounted for over one-third of the global potato production (359.07 million tonnes). In India, Uttar Pradesh (15 million tonnes), West Bengal (15 million tonnes), and Bihar (9 million tonnes) were the top three potato producers in 2020-21. The other states having significant potato production are Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab. Harikishan Sharma, Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express' National Bureau, specializes in reporting on governance, policy, and data. He covers the Prime Minister's Office and pivotal central ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Rural Development, and Ministry of Jal Shakti. His work primarily revolves around reporting and policy analysis. In addition to this, he authors a weekly column titled "STATE-ISTICALLY SPEAKING," which is prominently featured on The Indian Express website. In this column, he immerses readers in narratives deeply rooted in socio-economic, political, and electoral data, providing insightful perspectives on these critical aspects of governance and society. ... Read More
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fintech firm Salmon completes $88m fundraise
Philippines-based financial services firm Salmon Group has raised $88m to expand its business in the Asian country. The funding includes a $60m drawdown from a three-year Nordic bond framework agreement valued at $150m, alongside $28m in new equity sourced from US institutional investors and existing shareholders. The equity round was spearheaded by Spice Expeditions, a venture capital firm established by Nick Huber. Investors include the International Finance Corporation, Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund ADQ/Lunate, Northstar, Back in Black Capital, and various Filipino stakeholders. Salmon co-founder Pavel Fedorov said: 'Salmon is on a mission to revolutionise banking in Southeast Asia. For too long the legacy banks in the region provided sub-standard product, service and customer experience, and the Philippines is the case in point of this. 'At Salmon, we believe in the quality of our technology and proprietary AI solutions to bring customers better products, of which the most empowering is access to credit. In 2024, Salmon obtained regulatory approval from the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to acquire a controlling interest in the Rural Bank of Sta. Rosa (Laguna). Founded in July 2022 by industry professionals Fedorov, George Chesakov, and Raffy Montemayor, Salmon Group holds SEC licences for its lending companies in the Philippines. The firm aims to establish a technology-driven, credit-focused banking model in Southeast Asia, with the Philippines as its initial market. Founded in July 2022, Salmon leverages AI technology and a proprietary credit engine to provide various consumer credit products, including Salmon Credit, Salmon Installment, and Salmon Cash Loans. Last year, Salmon's BSP-regulated bank on the back of the strength of its consumer loan portfolio introduced a Salmon time savings deposit, offering 8.88% deposit rate in the Philippines. "Fintech firm Salmon completes $88m fundraise" was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Barnama
11-06-2025
- Business
- Barnama
IRRI Calls For Collective Action As Rice Faces Mounting Global Pressures
Farmers continue to face multiple challenges to produce the much sought-after rice in the world. Photo credit: IRRI, Philippines. By Vijian Paramasivam PHNOM PENH, June 11 (Bernama) -- The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is urging rice-producing nations to take bold, collective action to address the growing environmental and sustainability challenges in rice cultivation, a staple crop that remains essential to millions worldwide. Unveiling its 2025-2030 strategy on Monday, the Philippines-based institute said despite advancements, rice cultivation still accounts for 1.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes 30 per cent of the world's freshwater resources. bootstrap slideshow 'Rice feeds more than half the world's population, but its potential as a climate and development solution remains underleveraged. Our future depends on how we grow, consume and govern rice. 'This strategy is our call to partners everywhere—let's act together, with urgency and ambition, to ensure rice remains a force for good in a changing world,' said IRRI Director General Dr Yvonne Pinto. The new vision comes at a time when farmers worldwide are facing a host of challenges, including the impacts of climate change, the loss of fertile land to rapid urbanisation, concerns over food safety, and increasing water scarcity. According to IRRI, rice feeds over four billion people and supports 150 million farmers across 100 countries. The RM1.4 trillion (US$332 billion) rice industry is the world's third most traded commodity and a growing global market. IRRI's strategy seeks to tackle pressing global issues ranging from food price volatility and climate-related pressures to health disparities and social inequalities within rice-growing communities. Jagdish Kumar Ladha, Adjunct Professor at the Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, told Bernama that IRRI's strategy comes at a critical stage for rice-producing nations across Asia.
