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‘Balikatan’ on; AFP sees China shadowing drills

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and the United States kicked off on Monday one of their biggest “Balikatan” (shoulder-to-shoulder) joint military exercises, with officials expecting Beijing to make a certain presence as it increasingly asserts its maritime claims in the South China Sea. For this year’s 39th iteration of the Balikatan drills, which will run until May 10, France is joining as a partner for the first time, sending its...

Aboriginal spears repatriated after 250 years

The four spears were taken by Captain Cook's crew during their first contact with Australia in 1770.

Kim Jong Un oversees North Korea's first 'nuclear trigger' drills

The drills showcased North Korea's 'nuclear trigger' management system for the first time, KCNA reported, adding this was the country's combined control system for its nuclear weapons

In Bohol, gov bars entry of pigs, pork from Panglao to mainland

TAGBILARAN CITY, BOHOL, Philippines — Bohol Gov. Aris Aumentado has prohibited the entry of hogs, pork and other related products from Panglao Island to the mainland province after three villages in Dauis town, one of the two local governments on the island, recorded cases of African swine fever (ASF). Gov. Aris Aumentado said the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPV) reported at least 57 deaths of pigs that tested positive for ASF in the...

Ilang senador, hindi pabor sa planong paglalagay ng motorcycle lane sa EDSA

Ilang senador, hindi pabor sa planong paglalagay ng motorcycle lane sa EDSA; Transport infrastructures, patuloy na pabubutihin ayon sa DOTr

Ukraine wants to destroy the Crimean Bridge but how could they do it?

Sen. Pimentel, nais alamin ang totoo sa isyu ng mataas na bilang ng Chinese students sa Cagayan

Sen. Pimentel, nais alamin ang totoo sa isyu ng mataas na bilang ng Chinese students sa Cagayan

From PDP-Laban to PDP: Koko laments party changes

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said on Monday that former President Rodrigo Duterte and his allies should have just formed their own party instead of drastically changing the once-ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban). “They made many changes, both formal and substantive—from the party name, the constitution, the oath-taking, the handshake [and others],” Pimentel told reporters....

Comelec told to rule on Mamba DQ case

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has ordered the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to rule on the disqualification case filed against incumbent Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba based on its merits and not on technicality. The ruling issued on April 16 reversed the poll body’s decision to dismiss the petition of defeated gubernatorial candidate Zarah Rose Lara. She had sought to disqualify Mamba as Cagayan gubernatorial candidate in the May 9,...

Lords accepts Commons rejection of their final Rwanda Bill amendment

Rishi Sunak's Rwanda deportation plan is poised to become law after peers ended their protracted stand-off over the controversial policy. The safety of Rwanda bill has finished its legislative stages and will now awaits Royal Assent.

'At least five migrants' die during attempt to cross the Channel

At least five migrants have died after trying to cross the Channel. Pictured: Dozens of migrants were seen on a boat in Calais this morning. It is not believed to be the same boat that got into trouble.

Top UN officials call on UK to reconsider plan to transfer asylum seekers to Rwanda

GENEVA (Reuters) -Two United Nations top officials on Tuesday called on the UK to reconsider its plan to transfer asylum seekers to Rwanda, warning the move would have a harmful impact on human rights and refugee protection. In a joint statement, Filippo Grandi, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and Volker Turk, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, called on the UK to instead take

Indonesia's biggest party confirms President Jokowi no longer a member after backing Prabowo

By Ananda Teresia JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia President Joko Widodo and his son, incoming vice president Gibran Rakabuming Raka, are no longer members of the country's largest party after they backed rival candidate and election winner Prabowo Subianto, a party official said on Tuesday. Their exit will put the spotlight on the next moves for the popular Jokowi, as the outgoing president is

American cities are seeing a major drop in homicides

Road closed after reports of stabbing

Bedfordshire Police have closed off Downs Road in Luton after a man was injured in the early hours.

Maynilad, Manila Water announce service interruptions in NCR, Rizal

Several areas in Metro Manila and Rizal will have water service interruptions this week, concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water announced. In separate advisories, Maynilad and Manila Water said they are conducting regular maintenance activities to ensure the good condition of the whole distribution system. The maintenance activities will be conducted during off-peak hours. The water concessionaires advised affected customers to store enough...

Rwanda bill passage draws election dividing line

Ministers believe the novel deportation scheme is worth a try, but Labour plans to get rid of it.

Fire hits Parola compound in Manila

A fire broke out in Parola compound in Manila on Tuesday noon, the city disaster risk reduction and management office said. In a Facebook post, the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) said the fire incident was verified at 12:11 p.m. and reached the third alarm around 12:24 p.m. The fire was declared under control at 12:53 p.m and finally put out at 1:32 p.m.—Joviland Rita/AOL, GMA Integrated News This article Fire hits...

Marcos says he's lucky to have a 'very protective' wife

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he feels lucky that his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, is "very protective" of him. "First of all, my first reaction is what a lucky husband I am that I have a wife na (who is) very protective sa akin (of me)," Marcos said in an ambush interview in Occidental Mindoro amid his wife's apparent rift with Vice President Sara Duterte. Marcos said his wife could not be blamed if she gets...

Russia's Belgorod region says 120 civilians killed by Ukraine strikes since 2022

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Belgorod region which borders Ukraine said that 120 civilians had been killed there in Ukrainian strikes and 651 people injured since the start of the war over two years ago. Belgorod has been repeatedly attacked by Ukrainian artillery, drones and proxies over the past year. Russia invaded Ukraine in February, 2022. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said 11 children were

Group of retired generals, flag officers support moves to investigate Alvarez

MANILA, Philippines — A group of retired generals has supported the Department of National Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other government agencies’ plan to investigate former Speaker and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez following his call for the withdrawal of support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Association of General and Flag Officers (AGFO) called Alvarez’s remarks during a prayer rally held in Tagum City last...

As El Niño persists, more local gov’ts declare state of calamity

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Iloilo City, Maguindanao del Sur and four towns of Cotabato province have joined the growing number of local government units (LGUs) that have declared a state of calamity amid huge agricultural losses caused by severe dry spell spawned by the El Niño phenomenon. The declaration by the Iloilo City Council on Monday would enable the LGU to use P12.54 million from its quick response fund to procure 696,900 liters of...

Taiwan, muling niyanig ng malalakas na lindol; DMW, wala pang naitatalang nasugatang Pilipino

Taiwan, muling niyanig ng malalakas na lindol; DMW, wala pang naitatalang nasugatang Pilipino

DENR chief: PH ‘literally swimming’ in plastics

MANILA, Philippines — Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga issued an urgent call to action on Monday, Earth Day, against the deadly threat of plastic pollution, saying the Philippines was “literally swimming” in plastics. “It is our choice to act today or let our plastic waste determine our tomorrow,” the head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said, as the country joined the global Earth Day observance...

Marcos vows to address power crisis in Occidental Mindoro

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Tuesday vowed to address the power supply problem in Occidental Mindoro. "We'll talk about the electricity problem, that's a long-term problem that we really have to solve. Mahal na ngayon. We are connecting you to the other provinces para immediately bababa 'yan," Marcos said during a situation briefing. (We'll talk about the electricity problem, that's a long-term problem that we really have to...

Marcos appoints new PCGG head

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday announced the appointment of 35 key officials of various government agencies, including the new chair of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), the body mainly tasked to recover the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcos family. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. named retired Court of Appeals Justice Melchor Quirino Sadang as PCGG chair, replacing its former head John Agbayani. READ: Marcos...

Grassfire seen as possible cause of NAIA parking lot blaze

The fire that burned cars in an outdoor pay parking area at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) may have been caused by a grassfire due to the extremely hot weather, the airport's management said. According to a report on Unang Balita on Tuesday, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) is in talks with the concessionaire of the parking area for possible assistance to the owners of the affected cars. The Bureau of Fire...

LIST: UP, ADMU, DLSU Best Subjects on QS World University Rankings

The University of the Philippines (UP), Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), and De La Salle University (DLSU) have once again proven their academic excellence by securing spots in the prestigious 2024 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings By Subject. Out of 1,559 universities globally, UP, DLSU, and Ateneo stand tall among the best institutions for […] The post LIST: UP, ADMU, DLSU Best Subjects on QS World University Rankings...

Marcos sees 'no reason' to replace Sara in Cabinet

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he does not see any reason why Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte needs to be replaced in his cabinet amid her rift with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. ''Why? I don't see the reason behind that,'' Marcos said in an ambush interview in Occidental Mindoro. ''Any of the Cabinet secretaries will be replaced kapag hindi nila ginagawa 'yung trabaho nila. All the other things...

Beijing slams G7’s concerns in the South China Sea

MANILA, Philippines — The Foreign Ministry of China on Monday rejected the objections raised by foreign ministers of G7 where it opposed the East Asian nation’s actions in the South China Sea. “We strongly deplore and firmly reject the manipulation of China-related issues at the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting,” said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin. “The comments from the meeting are a deliberate mischaracterization of the facts and...

Iran's foreign minister calls EU sanctions 'regrettable'

DUBAI (Reuters) - European Union sanctions announced following Iran's attack against Israel are "regrettable" because the country was acting in self-defence, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian posted on X on Tuesday. Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles on Israel in what it said was retaliation against a suspected Israeli bombing of its embassy compound in Damascus. On

Malaysian navy helicopters collide in mid-air, 10 killed

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -Two Malaysian navy helicopters collided in mid-air during a rehearsal for a naval parade on Tuesday, killing all 10 crew members aboard, the navy said in a statement. The incident occurred at the Lumut naval base in the western state of Perak at 9.32 a.m. on Tuesday morning (0132 GMT), the navy said. "All victims were confirmed dead at the scene and sent to the Lumut

Barangay geopolitics: ‘Bobo ba tayo?’

Wisdom can often come from the unlikeliest corners. Over the past few years, Sen. Cynthia Villar has emerged as the most “memeable” figure in the country. Late last year, she captured media headlines anew with her distinct brand of spicy interventions. During a hearing on the Philippines’ food security and dependence on imports of fertilizers, the veteran senator correctly asked in a mixture of Filipino and English: “Why should we import? Why...

No Filipinos injured in 2 Taiwan quakes

MANILA, Philippines: No Filipino was injured following two strong earthquakes that struck eastern Taiwan early Tuesday morning, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). The department had placed on alert its Migrant Workers Offices (MWOs) in Taiwan, after magnitude 6.0 and 6.3 earthquakes struck Hualien County around 2:26 a.m. on Tuesday. "Initial reports from Filipino communities and leaders in Hualien County say MWO-Taipei...

UK's Sunak says nothing will stop Rwanda policy, migrants die in channel

By Kate Holton LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak vowed that nothing would prevent him from sending asylum seekers to Rwanda after parliament finally approved the divisive policy that is designed to deter migrants from travelling in small boats to Britain. Hours after the bill passed, a French newspaper reported that at least five migrants had died in an attempt to cross the

New police force to review Met's handling of Stephen Lawrence case

Stephen Lawrence, 18, an aspiring architect, was murdered on his way home in an unprovoked attack by a gang of racists in Eltham, south-east London, in April 1993.

Satellite images show Israeli forces gathered for Gaza escalation

Analysis of images by Al Jazeera’s Sanad unit shows hundreds of military vehicles deployed at bases near Gaza.

South Korean court hears children's climate change case against government

By Ju-min Park and Minwoo Park SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea's Constitutional Court began hearing on Tuesday a case that accuses the government of having failed to protect 200 people, including dozens of young environmental activists and children, by not tackling climate change. The proceeding is Asia's first such climate-related litigation, the plaintiffs said, which includes four petitions by

Rishi Sunak vows 'nothing will stand in our way' of migrant flights

Rishi Sunak said: 'The passing of this landmark legislation is not just a step forward but a fundamental change in the global equation on migration.'

Two helicopters crash during training in Malaysia

At least 10 crew members were on board the aircraft, say local media reports.

Russian drone attack injures nine in Ukraine's Odesa, officials say

(Reuters) -Russia launched a drone attack on Ukraine that injured nine people in the Black Sea port of Odesa, four of them children, and also targeted Kyiv, the capital, Ukraine's military officials said early on Tuesday. The injured children, which include two infants, have been hospitalised, as well as three of the injured adults, the governor of the Odesa region, Oleh Kiper, said on the

9 pacts inked as Qatar head visits PH

MANILA, Philippines — The governments of the Philippines and Qatar on Monday forged an agreement to waive visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and official passports to make travel to either country easier for parties on official missions. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) covers valid diplomatic and official passports for the Philippines while those covered for Qatar will be valid diplomatic and special passports, according to a...

Mga partylist na ‘di nakapagpapanalo ng representative sa dalawang magkasunod na halalan, posibleng hindi na maisama sa susunod na eleksyon

Mga partylist na ‘di nakapagpapanalo ng representative sa dalawang magkasunod na halalan, posibleng hindi na maisama sa susunod na eleksyon

Marcos orders NIA to put irrigation systems in El Niño-hit Occidental Mindoro

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Tuesday directed the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to set up irrigation systems in Occidental Mindoro to augment agricultural production in several municipalities amid the El Niño phenomenon. Speaking during the distribution of various government assistance in Occidental Mindoro, Marcos acknowledged El Niño's impact on the livelihood of farmers and the province's agriculture sector. "Kaya't...

Suspect given police bail after officer injured

He has been admitted to a healthcare facility "for his safety" after he was arrested in Ilkeston.

Lack of officers delays fatal school crash case

The family of a girl killed when a car crashed into her school are told there are too few forensic experts.

Marcos drives East Asia’s power balance shift

The recently concluded summit between US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Philippine President Marcos is a milestone in recasting the balance of power in maritime (North and Southeast) East Asia. This milestone further clarifies the political dynamics in the South China Sea, Taiwan, and the Senkaku Islands. A transformative shift has occurred over the past three years, reshaping the balance of power in maritime...

Owners of cars burned in NAIA parking fire have reached out – MIAA

Owners of six of the 19 cars that burned in a recent fire at an outdoor parking lot at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have reached out to the Manila International Airport Authority. According to an dzBB interview with MIAA spokesperson Attorney Chris Bendijo on Tuesday, the MIAA will not be answering for the private concessionaire regarding the April 22 incident at NAIA Terminal 3. “Sinabi po ng ating general manager (Eric Ines) that...

Ukraine just destroyed a really expensive piece of Russian equipment

NATO forces could face battle-hardened Russian troops if Ukraine falls