jili 368

jili 368 IT takes more than a spoonful of food—or in this case, cash—to fix the malnutrition afflicting millions of Filipino children. The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) program, hailed as the government’s recipe for combating poverty and undernutrition, may need a stronger dose of reform to achieve its intended impact, according to a recent study by a socioeconomic think tank. The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) revealed that while the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program initially showed promise in reducing severe stunting among children, subsequent evaluations indicated inconclusive results. Statistical significance was observed only in specific metrics, such as stunting under certain conditions, leaving questions about the program’s overall effectiveness in addressing malnutrition. As undernutrition remained a persistent problem in the country, with one in three children still stunted and wasting rates exceeding national targets, the 4Ps program was launched in 2007 and institutionalized through Republic Act 11310 in 2019. 4Ps program aims to improve human capital among low-income households by providing financial aid contingent on compliance with health, nutrition, and education requirements. Based on the survey of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute in 2021, the Philippines had made significant progress in reducing child malnutrition from 1989 to 2019. Stunting decreased from 45 percent to 28.8 percent, underweight from 30 percent to 19 percent, and wasting from 6 percent to 5.8 percent. Despite receiving substantial funding, accounting for over 60 percent of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s budget between 2016 and 2020, the program has struggled to meet its goals. From 2008 to 2021, the Commission on Audit data in 2022 showed that an estimated P537.39 billion in cash grants was distributed to over four million households, benefiting approximately nine million children across 41,676 barangays. However, the study found that the program’s impact was negligible across key nutrition indicators, including height-for-age z-scores, weight-for-age z-scores, and wasting prevalence. Factors such as insufficient cash transfers, program design flaws, and gaps in implementation and monitoring were cited as potential reasons for the limited impact. Socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental differences were mentioned as contextual factors that influenced how households utilized financial aid. Additionally, unintended effects like rising food prices in beneficiary communities may have constrained the program’s effectiveness. Beneficiary households faced challenges in meeting dietary requirements as food costs increased, exacerbating poor nutritional outcomes for non-beneficiaries. “The inconsistency in the findings on 4Ps may be because the cash transfers were insufficient to make sustained changes in children’s nutritional outcomes,” the study noted. As a solution, PIDS researchers Alyssa Villanueva, Valerie Gilbert Ulep, and Rosela Agcaoili emphasized the need for the government to take a closer examination of the 4Ps and refine CCT programs to achieve tangible results in improving child nutrition and overall health. Image credits: LJ Pasion/Save The Children

Apple Cancels iPhone 14 And iPhone SE For Millions Of UsersNone

Policeman Dedicates PhD Certificate To PSC ChairmanRICHMOND — U.S. Postal Service operations have continued to improve, but a bipartisan coalition of state leaders say more work is needed to get the service to a level Virginians deserve. Virginia was ranked at the bottom for on-time mail delivery in October 2023, at the start of the federal government’s fiscal year. Just over 66% of mail was delivered on time, compared to a national average of 87.2%, according to a Postal Service tracker . Key reforms have pushed the state up in rankings. The state remained in the bottom 10 at the end of the fiscal year in September, with just over 81% of mail delivered on time. As of Nov. 8, over 86% of the state’s mail is delivered on time . The Delivering for America plan was introduced in 2021 to make the Postal Service financially stable and competitive with private mail delivery services. One part of the plan was the launch of a new processing network, with 60 regional processing and distribution centers around the U.S. The first one was rolled out in Sandston, Virginia, in 2023, and a spate of issues began. A bipartisan coalition of state lawmakers, who represent urban and rural areas, contacted Postmaster General Louis DeJoy last year to share widespread constituent reports of limited delivery. Earlier this year, the coalition toured the Sandston center after an audit pointed to significant problems at the location . There were issues during the transition to the regional processing network, according to U.S. House Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-4th, who toured the center located in her district. Atlanta was also one of the first cities to implement the plan, according to McClellan. Georgia is ranked the worst in the nation for on-time deliveries, with 35% of mail delivered late. Much of the mail in Virginia goes through Atlanta, according to McClellan. “Once it’s fully implemented the way it was intended, I do think [it] would lead to improved delivery times and improved efficiency of the mail everywhere,” McClellan said. “It’s just that transition in Richmond and Atlanta were horrible.” The Postal Service was not transparent with customers or Congress through the transition, which caused further issues, according to McClellan. Congress has the ability to hold the Postal Service accountable for poor service because it controls the budget for the service. “We have told them they need to do a much better job of being transparent with these changes,” McClellan said. State lawmakers will continue to hold the Postal Service accountable until reliable mail service is restored for all Virginians, according to U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st. The work of the bipartisan coalition to support Virginia constituents has been a “silver lining” in the experience, according to Wittman. He sent one of the first letters to DeJoy, worked with the coalition to demand answers, toured the Sandston facility and continues to receive updates from the Postal Service. “While any improvement in on-time mail delivery is welcome progress, there’s much more work to be done to attain the level of reliable mail service that Virginians deserve,” Wittman stated. “For over a year now, the mail service provided to Virginians and businesses across the Commonwealth has been inexcusable, and the lack of transparency and communication by the Postal Service has been one of the most frustrating roadblocks I have faced since coming to Congress.” ___ Some members of the congressional delegation feel confident there would be pushback if returning President-elect Donald Trump tried again to privatize the service. Trump called for the privatization of the Postal Service in his first term. A year after his inauguration, Trump created a task force to evaluate the service’s operations and finances, according to his archived presidential website. Trump stated it was on an “unsustainable financial path” and wanted it restructured to prevent a taxpayer-funded bailout. The Postal Service had net losses that totaled $69 billion in a 10-year period, according to the task force . Some suggestions of the task force were to deliver mail less frequently and increase service charges. McClellan does not expect the incoming administration to attempt to privatize the service. Congress would have to approve the privatization, she said. Although many people have access to private mail services, those who rely on the Postal Service “heavily rely on it,” according to McClellan. “So whether it’s disabled people, whether it’s older people, people in rural areas — they will be hurt the most by efforts to privatize,” McClellan said. Privatization would mean significant benefits and pay changes to the 600,000 people employed by the Postal Service. A strong Postal Service is a bipartisan issue, McClellan said. “I think there are a lot of people on both sides of the aisle that would oppose efforts to privatize,” McClellan said. U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has also worked to improve the state’s on-time mail delivery and minimize disruptions. Kaine does not think efforts to privatize are likely under the second Trump administration. “I am not currently expecting the administration to push that kind of proposal,” Kaine said. Capital News Service is a program of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Media and Culture. Students in the program provide state government coverage for a variety of media outlets in Virginia. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular 2 injured after vehicle failed to stop at Suffolk railroad crossing, police say 2 injured after vehicle failed to stop at Suffolk railroad crossing, police say 757Teamz football live scoreboard: Indian River visits Green Run, Maury hosts Warwick in region semifinals 757Teamz football live scoreboard: Indian River visits Green Run, Maury hosts Warwick in region semifinals Meet the Fort Monroe Authority’s new CEO Meet the Fort Monroe Authority’s new CEO Army-Navy 2024: Navy specialty uniforms to honor Jolly Rogers aviation squadron Army-Navy 2024: Navy specialty uniforms to honor Jolly Rogers aviation squadron Bike shop in Midtown Row rebrands, coffee shops celebrate and more business news from the Historic Triangle Bike shop in Midtown Row rebrands, coffee shops celebrate and more business news from the Historic Triangle Virginia live election results Virginia live election results Here’s what development around the Virginia Beach Convention Center could look like Here’s what development around the Virginia Beach Convention Center could look like Feeding with love: Williamsburg area’s 1st free grocery market opens in Grove community Feeding with love: Williamsburg area's 1st free grocery market opens in Grove community Column: Bird flu is about to crash flu season, and it could get ugly Column: Bird flu is about to crash flu season, and it could get ugly Gloucester looking for new football coach following Noah Crouch’s departure Gloucester looking for new football coach following Noah Crouch’s departure Trending Nationally Series of racist text messages referencing slavery sent to New York state students, police say Netflix’s “Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?” takes on Boulder murder in three parts Here’s how Orlando International Airport hopes to solve baggage delays A kayaker faked his own death and fled overseas. Now he’s telling how he did it Percival Everett, 2024 National Book Award winner, rereads one book often

Commission acknowledges eastern Idaho utility’s wildfire mitigation plan

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Republican senators pushed back on Sunday against criticism from Democrats that Tulsi Gabbard , Donald Trump's pick to lead U.S. intelligence services , is “compromised” by her comments supportive of Russia and secret meetings , as a congresswoman, with Syria’s president, a close ally of the Kremlin and Iran. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat and veteran of combat missions in Iraq, said she had concerns about Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's choice to be director of national intelligence . Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.Arewa Group Inaugurates Media, Publicity CommitteeThe AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ethan Gettman kicked what proved to be the game-winning field goal from 31-yards out midway through the fourth quarter and Brendan Bell added an insurance touchdown a minute later as Villanova pulled away from Delaware in the second half to post a 38-28 victory in the season finale on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats now have won 17 of their last 19 meetings with the Blue Hens, who played their final regular season game as an FCS-member. Delaware will join the FBS and join Conference USA for the 2025 season. Villanova (9-3, 6-2 Coastal Athletic Association) took a 21-0 lead five minutes into the second quarter after David Avit scored from a yard out, Brendan Bell returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown and Watkins fired a 36-yard touchdown pass to Kenyon Miles. But Delaware (9-2, 6-2) scored three times in the final eight minutes of the half, with JoJo Bermudez scoring from 14-yards out and Marcus Yarns punching in from the 1, then catching a Nick Minicucci pass for a 65-yard touchdown with :32 left. Connor Watkins ran up the middle on a quarterback draw for a 38-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats in front, but Minicucci answered with a six-yard touchdown to Jo’Nathan Silver to send the game into the fourth quarter tied at 28-28. Gettman put the Wildcats in top for good with 8:41 left and Bell scored on a six-yard run with 7:39 remaining. RELATED COVERAGE Auburn wins 43-41, four-OT thriller over playoff hopeful No. 15 Texas A&M Arnold, Robinson run for more than 100 yards as Oklahoma stuns No. 7 Alabama 24-3 No. 22 Iowa State keeps Big 12 title, CFP hopes alive with 31-28 win over Utah Watkins was 13 of 30 passing for 203 yards with a touchdown and an interception and carried eight times for 79 yards. Minicucci was 18 of 33 for 195 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Yarns carried 20 times for 100 yards and caught three passes for 74 yards. __ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Taoiseach Simon Harris said he also wanted to tell Nikita Hand, a hair colourist from Drimnagh, that her case had prompted an increase in women coming forward to ask for support. Ms Hand, who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a civil case at the High Court in the Irish capital on Friday. The total amount of damages awarded to Ms Hand by the jury was 248,603.60 euro (£206,714.31). Mr McGregor said in a post on social media on Friday that he intends to appeal against the decision. That post has since been deleted. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Mr Harris said he told Ms Hand of the support she has from people across Ireland. “I spoke with Nikita today and I wanted to thank her for her incredible bravery and her courage,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that she knew how much solidarity and support there was across this country for her bravery. “I also wanted to make sure she knew of what the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre had said yesterday – that so many other women have now come forward in relation to their own experiences of sexual abuse as a result of Nikita’s bravery.” The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said the case has had a “profound effect” on the people the charity supports, and that over the first 10 days of the High Court case, calls to its national helpline increased by almost 20%. It said that first-time callers increased by 50% compared to the same period last year, and were largely from people who had experienced sexual violence who were distressed and anxious from the details of case and the views people had to it. Mr Harris said: “I wanted to speak with her and I wanted to wish her and her daughter, Freya, all the very best night, and I was very grateful to talk with Nikita today. “Her bravery, her courage, her voice has made a real difference in a country in which we must continue to work to get to zero tolerance when it comes to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. “I don’t want to say too much more, because conscious there could be further legal processes, but I absolutely want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her courage, for using her voice.” Justice Minister Helen McEntee praised Ms Hand’s bravery and said she had shown “there is light at the end of the tunnel”. She said: “I just want to commend Nikita for her bravery, for her determination and the leadership that she has shown in what has been – I’ve no doubt – a very, very difficult time for her and indeed, for her family. She added: “Because of wonderful people like Nikita, I hope that it shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that there are supports available to people, and that there is justice at the end of the day.” Ms Hand said in a statement outside court on Friday that she hoped her case would remind victims of assault to keep “pushing forward for justice”. Describing the past six years as “a nightmare”, she said: “I want to show (my daughter) Freya and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.” During the case, Ms Hand said she was “disappointed and upset” when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided not to prosecute the case after she made a complaint to the Irish police. In a letter to her in August 2020, the DPP said there was “insufficient evidence” and there was not a reasonable prospect of conviction. Ms Hand asked the DPP to review the decision, saying she felt she was being treated differently because one of the suspects was famous. Asked about the DPP’s decision not to prosecute, Mr Harris and Ms McEntee stressed the importance of the DPP’s independence on whether to prosecute. “There are obviously structures in place where the DPP can meet a victim and can outline to them their reasons for not taking the case,” Mr Harris said. “But there’s also always an opportunity for the DPP in any situation – and I speak broadly in relation to this – to review a decision, to consider any new information that may come to light, and I don’t want to say anything that may ever cut across the ongoing work of the DPP.” Ms McEntee stressed that there should “never be any political interference” in the independence of the DPP’s decisions. “I have, since becoming minister, given priority to and enabled a new office within the DPP to open specifically focused on sexual offences, so that this issue can be given the focus and the priority that it needs,” she said.Murray – who retired after the summer Olympics at the age of 37 after finally admitting defeat in his battle against his body – will join the Serbian’s team in the off-season and coach him through the opening grand slam of 2025. It will see the Scot surprisingly join forces with the man who was his biggest nemesis during his long career, especially in Australia where he lost to Djokovic in four finals. Murray, who beat Djokovic to win the US Open in 2012 and Wimbledon in 2013, says he wants to help the 24-time grand slam champion achieve his goals. He never liked retirement anyway. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Ga4UlV2kQW — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) November 23, 2024 “I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the off-season, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open, he said. “I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.” Djokovic, a week younger than his new coach, added: “I am excited to have one of my greatest rivals on the same side of the net, as my coach. “Looking forward to start of the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy with whom I have shared many exceptional moments on the Australian soil.” In posting a teaser about the appointment on social media, Djokovic said: “He never liked retirement anyway.” He then added: “We played each other since we were boys, 25 years of pushing each other to our limits. We had some of the most epic battles in in our sport. They called us gamechangers, risk takers, history makers. “I thought our story may be over. Turns out it has one final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome aboard coach, Andy Murray.” Djokovic beat Murray in the 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016 Australian Open finals while also losing in the French Open final in 2016. It was his pursuit of toppling Djokovic at the top of the rankings in 2016 which was a precursor to his 2017 hip injury which derailed Murray’s career. Djokovic, who split with coach Goran Ivanisevic earlier this year, hopes that adding Murray to his team will help him get back to the top of the game as he went through a calendar year without winning a grand slam for the first time since 2017. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have developed a stranglehold at the top of the men’s game and Djokovic, who has seen Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal all retire in recent years, is still hoping to move clear of the record 24 grand slams he shares with Margaret Court.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ethan Gettman kicked what proved to be the game-winning field goal from 31-yards out midway through the fourth quarter and Brendan Bell added an insurance touchdown a minute later as Villanova pulled away from Delaware in the second half to post a 38-28 victory in the season finale on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats now have won 17 of their last 19 meetings with the Blue Hens, who played their final regular season game as an FCS-member. Delaware will join the FBS and join Conference USA for the 2025 season. Villanova (9-3, 6-2 Coastal Athletic Association) took a 21-0 lead five minutes into the second quarter after David Avit scored from a yard out, Brendan Bell returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown and Watkins fired a 36-yard touchdown pass to Kenyon Miles. But Delaware (9-2, 6-2) scored three times in the final eight minutes of the half, with JoJo Bermudez scoring from 14-yards out and Marcus Yarns punching in from the 1, then catching a Nick Minicucci pass for a 65-yard touchdown with :32 left. Connor Watkins ran up the middle on a quarterback draw for a 38-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats in front, but Minicucci answered with a six-yard touchdown to Jo'Nathan Silver to send the game into the fourth quarter tied at 28-28. Gettman put the Wildcats in top for good with 8:41 left and Bell scored on a six-yard run with 7:39 remaining. Watkins was 13 of 30 passing for 203 yards with a touchdown and an interception and carried eight times for 79 yards. Minicucci was 18 of 33 for 195 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Yarns carried 20 times for 100 yards and caught three passes for 74 yards. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football