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SEC commissioner Guevara passes at 56

MANILA, Philippines: Lawyer Hubert Dominic Guevara, who left Malacañang to return to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this month, passed away early on Friday, March 29, 2024, at the age of 56. Guevara, who previously served as senior deputy executive secretary under the Office of the President, was appointed as SEC commissioner effective March 1, replacing Kelvin Lester Lee who oversaw the markets and securities regulation...


Ukraine urges India to rethink 'Soviet legacy' of Russia ties, FT says

(Reuters) -Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has urged India to stand by Kyiv, saying the South Asian nation's close ties with Russia are based on a Soviet legacy that is evaporating, the Financial Times reported on Friday. India has traditionally had close economic and defence ties with Moscow and refrained from criticising Russia over its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, instead


Lottery agents dare PCSO's Robles to show proof of 'scam'

A group of online lottery agents has dared Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Mel Robles to prove his accusation that the group is scamming lotto bettors. In a statement on Thursday, the Philippine Online Lottery Agents Association Inc. (POLAAi) also said they should not be blamed for the controversies hounding the PCSO under Robles' watch. “Bilang Social Media Secretary ng [POLAAi], hinahamon ko si Ginoong Robles na...


The Global Magnitsky Act: Make it make sense, Joe

I have no love lost for Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa, but I will not celebrate the sanctions imposed on him by the US.


Search continues for missing brother after 30 years

His family is working with Missing People and hopes to be able to help others in similar situations.


UK same-sex couples celebrate a decade of legal marriage

When same-sex marriages became legal in England and Wales 10 years ago on Friday, Britons Neil Allard and Andrew Wale could not have tied the knot any quicker. Approximately 167,000 people in England and Wales are likely to be in same-sex marriages currently, according to the latest available figures.


If PFAS are so dangerous why haven't these chemicals been banned?


South Korea's ambassador to Australia steps down amid investigation controversy

By Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's ambassador to Australia resigned on Friday as questions about his appointment while he is under a corruption probe battered President Yoon Suk Yeol's ruling party less than two weeks from a closely fought parliamentary election. Lee Jong-sup, who was appointed ambassador to Australia just four weeks ago, is being investigated over allegations he tried


Investigators explore wreckage of Dali ship that crashed into Baltimore bridge

A team of investigators and engineers aboard the cargo ship Dali inspected hazardous materials and downloaded the vessel voyage data recorder.


Campaigners strip naked to protest Maldon hospital closure

The activists say they are not ruling out further creative protests before the consultation ends.


Paranoid Putin: Russia's leader goes to extreme lengths to stay safe


Abalos: Erring cops to be held accountable over drug killings in Davao City

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos on Friday vowed full accountability for erring cops involved in a string of bloody anti-narcotics operations in Davao City. “Heads should roll if this is not a case of valid self defense,” Abalos said in a text message to GMA Integrated News. The spate of killings in Davao City came on the heels of the public pronouncement by Mayor Baste Duterte on March 22 that “I hereby declare the campaign that the city is at...


Taiwan leader asks defence chief to stay on after offering to resign

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has asked her defence minister to stay on the job after he offered to resign, her office said Friday, following local media reports that his son hired sex workers. Local media reported Thursday that Chiu's son, who works for the National Security Bureau, allegedly hired sex workers. aw/mca


Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years for FTX fraud

NEW YORK — Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison by a judge on Thursday for stealing $8 billion from customers of the now-bankrupt FTX cryptocurrency exchange he founded, the last step in the former billionaire wunderkind’s dramatic downfall. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan handed down the sentence at a Manhattan court hearing after rejecting Bankman-Fried’s claim that FTX customers did not actually lose money and finding that...


March of ‘terror’: Pakistan grapples with deadly attacks on China interests

Attacks on strategic facilities linked to China surge, as the killings of Chinese nationals test Pakistan’s government.


Pakistan official says China halts work on two projects after deadly attack

Chinese contractors have halted construction on two major dam projects in Pakistan after a suicide bomber killed five Chinese engineers and a Pakistani driver this week, a provincial official told AFP on Friday. A senior official from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa interior department told AFP on condition of anonymity that since Wednesday, China Gezhouba Group Company has halted work on the Dasu dam in the province and Power China has stopped work on...


Russia's Lavrov tells newspaper that Ukraine peace plan is pointless

(Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in an interview published on Friday, said Ukraine's proposed peace plan was pointless as it was based on unacceptable notions like Moscow's withdrawal from areas it has captured. Lavrov told the Moscow daily Izvestia that a proposed peace summit would not succeed until its fundamental bases were changed, including allowing Russia to participate.


DND: China lacks ability to hold open, transparent, legal negotiations

The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) on Friday called out China’s alleged inability to conduct open, transparent, and legal negotiations amid the issues in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). “China’s defense ministry statement clearly reflects their isolation from the rest of the world on their illegal and uncivilized activities in the West Philippine Sea,” the DND said in a statement. “It also shows the inability of the Chinese...


Poland scrambles aircraft due to Russian strikes on Ukraine

Polish and allied aircraft were activated early on Friday after Russia launched missile strikes on Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Polish armed forces said. "Polish and allied aircraft are operating in Polish airspace, which may result in increased noise levels, especially in the southeastern part of the country," the Command said on the so...


Filipino villager to be nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Filipino villager plans to be nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea. Ruben Enaje, a 63-year-old carpenter and sign painter, said he and seven other villagers have registered for the real-life crucifixions, which have become an annual religious spectacle...


How a rusty bridge changed lives in Glasgow

It's a year since the Sighthill bridge was built to link communities divided by the M8 motorway.


Secret police report warns Canadians may revolt once they realize how broke they are under Trudeau as 'many under 35s are unlikely ever to buy a home'

The secret report paints an apocalyptical picture of the future for America's northern neighbor, in which it will be riven by economic crisis, ecological meltdown and territorial disintegration.


'We are fully prepared,' says China on growing support for PH in sea row

MANILA, Philippines: China is "fully prepared for any emergency and will resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," its Defense Ministry said, amid the increasing pressure from countries that have expressed support for the Philippines in its dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea. "On the South China Sea issue between China and the Philippines, we have stated our serious position multiple times. We...


Analysis-Russian veto points to 'grim future' for North Korea sanctions enforcement

By Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) - Russia's move to effectively disband the panel of experts monitoring longstanding United Nations sanctions against North Korea points to a "grim future" for the sanctions enforcement, three former members of the panel told Reuters. Russia vetoed the annual renewal of the multinational panel of experts on Thursday, which has spent the last 15 years monitoring U.N.


Discover history's multilingual US presidents

The President of the United States is used to talking tough. But how many presidents in US history were able to do so in another language besides English? Not many people realize that there are 21 former White House incumbents who could converse in at least one foreign language. Some, in fact, were multilinguists. And did you know that there was one American president who didn't speak English as his first language. Intrigued? Click through and discover the presidents who could communicate in foreign tongues.


South Africa bus crash kills 45 Easter pilgrims, says Transport Ministry

A bus crash in the northern province of Limpopo resulted in 45 deaths and one serious injury, the Department of Transport of South Africa said Thursday. The driver lost control and collided with barriers on a bridge near Mamatlakala, causing the bus to go over the bridge and hit the ground, catching fire, according to a statement by the transport department. READ: South Africa’s ‘staggering’ visa quagmire bogs down economy READ: South Africa...


LIST: Some Malabon City roads to be closed from March 29 to 31

MANILA, Philippines — The local government of Malabon City said on Thursday that some roads in the city will be closed to traffic from March 29 to 31. According to the city, this was to give way for church activities in Holy Week. READ: Over 2,800 QC cops, enforcers tapped for Holy Week security “Upang magbigay daan sa gawain ng mga simbahang katoliko ngayong Semana Santa, pansamantalang isasarado ang ilang mga kalsada sa lungsod sa mga...


Nearly 40 killed in air strikes on Syria

Five Lebanese Hezbollah fighters are said to be among the dead in the attacks in the Aleppo area.


Japan to resume funding to UNRWA, following Sweden, Finland and Canada

Move comes after meeting between Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini.


Australia challenged on ‘moral failure’ of weapons trade with Israel

Regular protests have been taking place outside Australian firms making crucial components for the F-35 fighter jet.


Electric Ireland to be investigated by regulator

The NI Utility Regulator is to investigate eight potential licence breaches at Electric Ireland.


These cities could disappear by 2030

Due to global warming, sea levels are rising rapidly. This could wreak havoc around the globe, as millions of people will be directly impacted by elevated water levels. If you're someone who doesn't feel directly threatened by these changes, it can be hard to visualize how the world might look in the future. Climate Central, the organization that researches the impact of climate change, including sea level rise and coastal flooding, has created a map that shows which parts of the world could find themselves threatened by rising sea levels. Keep in mind that a lot can change, and ideally governments could finally take serious action to address the climate crisis. However if they don't, these studies can help us prepare for the potential consequences. To find out which cities around the globe could find themselves below tide level as early as 2030, check out this gallery.


Baltimore bridge, port recovery will be ‘very long road’

WASHINGTON, United States — A ship carrying a giant crane was en route Thursday to the scene of the catastrophic bridge collapse over Baltimore harbor, as authorities warned of extensive work before the major US port can reopen. The machinery will be deployed in a tricky operation to clear the twisted steel remnants of the Francis Scott Key Bridge from where it fell 185 feet (56 meters) into the Patapsco River — blocking the entrance to the Port...


Activists watch for potential impact on environment as Key Bridge cleanup unfolds

Authorities removing twisted wreckage from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge are deploying nearly a mile's worth of barriers in the water, testing samples for contamination and monitoring the Patapsco River for oil and other hazardous spills as they confront the potential for environmental fallout. The Unified Command, which includes state agencies and the Coast Guard, said Thursday they have unfurled 2,400 feet (732 meters) of an...


Migrant workers who helped build modern China have scant or no pensions, and can't retire

BEIJING (AP) — At 53, Guan Junling is too old to get hired at factories anymore. But for migrant workers like her, not working is not an option. For decades, they have come from farming villages to find work in the cities. Toiling in sweatshops and building apartment complexes they could never afford to live in, they played a vital role in China's transformation into an economic powerhouse. As they grow older, the first generation of migrant...


Cranes arriving to start removing wreckage from deadly Baltimore bridge collapse

BALTIMORE (AP) — The largest crane on the Eastern Seaboard was being transported to Baltimore so crews on Friday can begin removing the wreckage of a collapsed highway bridge that has halted a search for four workers still missing days after the disaster and blocked the city's vital port from operating. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said the crane, which was arriving by barge and can lift up to 1,000 tons, will be one of at least two used to clear the...


Meloni, Le Pen rift mars far right's prospects of wielding EU power

By Michel Rose, Elizabeth Pineau and Angelo Amante PARIS/ROME (Reuters) - When a French minister compared Italy's nationalist Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni last year to the leader of the French far right, the Italian premier rang French President Emmanuel Macron to complain. Meloni was so incensed that the French leader felt compelled to send an emissary to Rome to appease her, said two sources


A growing number of Americans end up in Russian jails. The prospects for their release are unclear

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A journalist on a reporting trip in a Ural Mountains city. A corporate security executive traveling to Moscow for a wedding. A dual national returning to her hometown in Tatarstan to visit her family. All of them are U.S. citizens, and all are behind bars in Russia on charges of varying severity. Arrests of Americans in Russia have become increasingly common as relations between Moscow and Washington sink to Cold War...


Bangladesh opens mosque for transgender hijra community

Kicked out of other prayer services, members of Bangladesh's transgender hijra community have been welcomed at a new mosque in the Muslim-majority nation with the promise of worship without discrimination. - 'Like any other people' - Hijra have been the beneficiaries of growing legal recognition in Bangladesh, which since 2013 has officially allowed members of the community to identify as a third gender.


Immigrants killed in Baltimore bridge collapse died doing job 'others do not want to do'

By Gabriella Borter BALTIMORE (Reuters) -They came to the United States for a chance at a better life. They found work filling pot holes on a bridge in the middle of the night, and they ended up dead in the Baltimore harbor. The six victims of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse were all immigrants from Mexico and Central America, doing the kind of grueling work that many immigrants take on,


Russia shuts down UN tracking of N Korea sanctions

The group was investigating Russia's reported violations in using North Korean weapons in Ukraine.


Trump visits wake of police officer shot on duty

The former president attended the funeral as a debate over public safety and crime grows in some major cities.


PNP: Fatalities from Holy Week drowning incidents now 8

Eight people, including minors, have died due to drowning incidents this Holy Week, the Philippine National Police said on Friday. Based on its record, the PNP said the fatalities were reported from eight incidents in Cagayan, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Davao, and Caraga regions One person was also reported injured in Ilocos. Of the nine victims, the PNP said six were minors and three were adults. Meanwhile, the PNP also...


JD Cagulangan unselfish with advice for UP heir Rey Remogat

Treading parallel paths from high school to college, Cagulangan vows to be a 'kuya' for transferee Remogat


Reform Party attacks on the Conservatives are RIGHT, warns leading Tory MP as Rishi Sunak says Liz Truss left him the worst 'hospital pass' in decades when he took over as PM

Danny Kruger, co-founder of the New Conservatives, told party members the Tories were 'not a very conservative party in lots of ways' and that criticism from Reform was 'mostly valid'.


Exclusive-Taiwan's navy chief to visit U.S. next week, sources say

By Idrees Ali and Ben Blanchard WASHINGTON/TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's navy chief, Tang Hua, will visit the United States from next week to attend a military ceremony and discuss how to boost bilateral naval cooperation as China raises threats toward the island, six people briefed on the trip said. While Taiwan and the United States have a close relationship, it is unofficial, as Washington


Daily politics briefing - March 29

Daily politics briefing for March 29, as Humza Yousaf marks first anniversary as Scotland's First Minister.


Calls for Post Office police probe after BBC story

Former sub-postmaster and politicians say evidence uncovered by the BBC should prompt criminal inquiry.


Adapting to the challenges of a new life in NI

The Building Communities Resource Centre (BCRC) has been a lifeline for immigrants.


Philippines ups stakes in China row, vows countermeasures to coastguard ‘attacks’

Marcos says measures will be deliberate and reasonable China accuses Philippines of ‘treachery’ U.S defense secretary says ties with Manila ‘ironclad’ MANILA/BEIJING — The Philippines will implement countermeasures against “illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous attacks” by China’s coastguard, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday, upping the stakes in an escalating row in the South China Sea. The Philippines is furious over what...