As the first case of the Omicron variant was discovered on December 15 of 2021 cases had kept rising to 37 thousand cases and the alert level was 3, until about January 17 when cases were slowly decreasing.

As more people are vaccinated against the Coronavirus there was a proposal to remove the COVID alert system altogether and prepare for the pandemic to become endemic. Citizens in the Philippines also say that the government should deal with the fast spreading, fast mutating virus quicker. 

In the past few days there have also been talks about going back to normal school instead of hybrid and for the COVID-19 alert level to 1. As kids even younger than 12 also get vaccinated, COVID-19 is definitely slowing down and the main focus should be building up the economy again with the GDP contracting by 9.6% year-on-year. COVID has ruined most of our lives for a while now and we have now started to learn how to live with it which is great advice.

   Current President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte will choose 3 individuals to replace those leaving the COMELEC, the branch of the government that manages the elections. As of February 2, 2022, the terms of 3 executives of COMELEC expired, leaving a hole in the organization - one to be filled by Duterte.

     With the rising tensions between the presidential candidates, (some of which are Bongbong Marcos, son of the infamous Ferdinand Marcos, Manny Pacquiao, a famous boxer, and Leni Robredo, the current Vice President), the people Duterte will choose will play a crucial role in ensuring the legitimacy of the ballots.

     “The President has a short list already of potential nominees for the appointments,” said the President’s spokesman Karlo Nograles at a press briefing on January 31st, 2022.

     However, an organization called Participate PH rallied over 2,500 organizations to sign a petition asking for the new officials to be publicly chosen, or at least have the process of choosing these officials to be transparent and open, in order to prevent favoritism and bias.

     “We call on President Duterte to immediately disclose to the public said short list”, they said in a statement. They also demand to know the standards and expectations Duterte will use to determine the new members. “The public has the right to know,” they added.

     In the past, COMELEC members were usually appointed by the President and approved by the Commission on Appointments, but President Duterte has taken matters into his own hands this time around, which is the main reason that Participate PH are making these demands.

The US Navy are rushing to save a F-35C fighter jet that crash landed on a US Air Carriers last Monday. The jet hit the carrier and then fell into the ocean, taking its highly classified technology with it.

When the F-35C crash-landed on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson during routine operations, it injured six sailors and the pilot who had ejected from the plane before it fell into the sea.

The plane is one of the most advanced current US fighter planes, packed with highly classified technology costing over $100 million, and if found would cause an intelligence boon for China. In fact, China claims almost all of the South China Sea as its own.

The F-35C is a version of the plane specially designed to operate from aircraft carriers. Experts have said it could take a US salvage ship over 10 days to even reach the site of the crash, potentially giving Chinese submarines the opportunity to find it first.

The Pentagon spokesperson, John Kirby said “We’re certainly mindful of the value of an F-35 in every respect of what value means, and as we continue to attempt recovery of the aircraft we’re going to do it obviously with safety foremost in mind, but clearly our own national security interests. And I think I will just leave it at that.”

However, a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing, Zhao Lijian, stated the Chinese government has no interest in finding the crashed plane. “I noted relevant reports. This is not the first time that the US had an accident in the South China Sea,” he said.

“We have no interest in their aircraft. We urge the country concerned to do things that are conducive to regional peace and stability, rather than flex muscles in the region.”

The US’s total national debt surpassed $30 trillion on January 31 according to data published by the Treasury Department on Tuesday. 

Rescue operations begin in a week later with people coming from Japan, Australia, New zealand, etc. However the Omicron surge complicated the rescue operations as dozens of them were tested positive upon arrival in Tonga. 

The government has feared that infections would spread in the country already while coping with the severe impacts of the disaster. 

Tongan authorities continue to investigate the unknown mystery of which ship carrier brought the virus to the small island. "The most important issue at the moment. Is for us to slow down and stop those who have been affected," said Siaosi Sovaleni according to CNN.

As of now, the Australian Military ship has detected 23 covid-19 cases on board which might result in the Tonga localists to catch covid-19.

The first reported case of Covid-19 among the citizens will force the governments to keep in mind about how they will need to carefully consider the need for assistance against the need to prevent more Covid-19 infections. 

Scientists discovered a new species of coral reefs off the coast of Tahiti, French Polynesia last November.

“When I went there for the first time, I thought, ‘Wow — we need to study that reef. There’s something special about that reef,’” Laetitia Hédouin, a researcher at the FNCSR in French Polynesia states. Last November, a team of researchers accompanied by scientists and photographers traveled and explored the coast of Tahiti, more specifically the location of these mysteriously new coral reefs. The dive expedition was supported and partly funded by UNESCO, and besides the new type, the team was able to measure corals at least six feet in diameter, and coral spawning, which is the act of synchronization multiple species of corals go through to reproduce.

The Polynesian reef sits at 100 to 210 feet deep, which is substantially lower than the standard depths of other corals, lying 82 feet below water. This unusual depth, scientists concur, may help protect it from human activity that could easily damage its growth and coral spawning capabilities. As the years progress, more coral threats have been created, varying in severity. A notable example would be coral bleaching. Corals are saltwater invertebrates that feed on microscopic algae called zooxanthellae that live in their tissues. Climate change is the principal cause of coral bleaching.

“French Polynesia suffered a significant bleaching event back in 2019, however, this reef does not appear to have been significantly affected,” Hedouin says in a statement. “The discovery of this reef in such a pristine condition is good news and can inspire future conservation. We think that deeper reefs may be better protected from global warming.”

These coral reefs are said to look like the terrestrial plant “Rosa” or rose, and their unique beauty truly marks their difference from other coral reefs.

Athlete Using Iphone At The 2022 Beijing Olympics

On Tuesday February first Tom Brady contacted Tampa bay buccaneers general manager Jason Licht to inform him that he wants to officially retire to spend more time with his wife and 3 children. He officially announced on Instagram that he wanted to thank his teammates, coaching staff, agents and of course his family. 

"I have always believed the sport of football is an 'all-in' proposition -- if a 100% competitive commitment isn't there, you won't succeed, and success is what I love so much about our game," he said.

"There is a physical, mental and emotional challenge EVERY single day that has allowed me to maximize my highest potential. And I have tried my very best these past 22 years. There are no shortcuts to success on the field or in life. This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore.

"I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention. I've done a lot of reflecting on the past week and have asked myself difficult questions. And I am so proud of what we have achieved.”

"My teammates, coaches, fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100% of me, but right now, it's best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes."

His decision brings the quarterback known as the "GOAT" – the greatest of all time – to an end after a 22-year career. In New England, where Brady spent 20 seasons with the Patriots before signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 for two seasons, his team was considered a likely bet to win.

Brady's retirement, on the other hand, was not surprising: he was the NFL's oldest active player this season, at 44. He stated that he wished to spend more time with his family. His resignation was cited as a result of his wife, Gisele Bündchen, and his three children.

Brady noted in his statement that he will continue to work with the companies he co-founded, such as the NFT platform Autograph, clothing firm Brady Brand, and fitness and health brand TB12 Sport, in his future plans. His future intentions, though, are "in the works," he said.

Brady set numerous records during his career, including the most Super Bowl appearances (10), Super Bowl wins (7), most touchdown passes (624), passing yards (84,520), playoff wins (35), regular season wins (243), and so on.

Brady, 44, retires after winning seven Super Bowls in three decades and breaking every quarterback record known to man. He's a living legend, but it hasn't always been easy. He put in long hours throughout his career and will continue to do so after he retires.