News

USC tense after valedictorian speech cancelled

The university said it cut the Muslim student's speech over security concerns tied to Middle East.

Ecuador hit by power cuts of up to 13 hours amid drought

Parts of Ecuador were facing power cuts of up to 13 hours on Thursday amid an electricity crisis sparked by a drought that has left key hydroelectric reservoirs nearly depleted. Electricity provider Emelnorte detailed power cuts in northern Ecuador of up to 13 hours.

Malampaya gas deliveries rise as Luzon grid placed on alert status

MANILA, Philippines—The Malampaya offshore field was able to deliver more than its target gas volume to key power plants as the Luzon grid was placed on red and yellow alert status by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). Prime Energy Resources Development B.V. (Prime Energy), operator of Service Contract (SC) No. 38 which governs the Malampaya project, said gas supply to customers peaked at 290 million standard cubic feet per...

EU wants to ease youth movement to and from UK

The EU on Thursday called for talks on restoring young people's ability to move between Britain and the bloc to live, study and work post-Brexit -- though London immediately poured cold water on the idea. Unlike visas for work or study, which are often limited to specific institutions or jobs, the idea would be that young people can be free to move between the UK and EU countries and undertake different activities.

PHIVOLCS, Japan study: Some PH high-rises fail building code shake test

A study conducted by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and Japan determined that some high-rise buildings in the country did not meet the requirements of the National Building Code of the Philippines when subjected to earthquake shake tests. According to a "24 Oras" report by Dano Tingcungco on Thursday, PHIVOLCS together with the Tokyo Institute of Technology surveyed over 100 buildings in Metro Manila and Cebu...

Group of instrumentalists got to try this bamboo organ in Antipolo City

From Metro Manila, the YMCA Manila Gold Triangle Club traveled to Antipolo City to try Carolina Bamboo Carden’s bamboo organ, which can be found inside their Bamboo Museum. In Vonne Aquino’s report on “24 Oras,” Thursday, the group’s musical director, Dr. Rocelle Navera, shared her delight upon trying the instrument. “Ang bamboo organ napakaganda at authentic talaga at tsaka first time to see a real bamboo organ,” she said. After trying the...

Dubai: Floods submerge roads, affect airport after record rains

Dubai’s giant highways were clogged by flooding and its major airport was in chaos as the Middle East financial centre remained gridlocked on Wednesday, a day after the heaviest rains on record. Tailbacks snaked along waterlogged, six-lane expressways after up to 259.5 millimetres (10.2 inches) of rain, the most since records began 75 years ago, fell on the desert United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. READ MORE: ‘Iron Man’ pilots race in jet suits...

A man who served 17 years in jail for a crime he didn't commit dismisses apology from UK review body

LONDON (AP) — A British man who spent 17 years in prison for a rape he didn't commit dismissed an “unreserved apology” on Thursday from a review body that twice turned down his attempts to have his conviction referred to the Court of Appeal. Andrew Malkinson, 58, had his conviction quashed last July by the appeals court after DNA evidence linked another suspect to the crime. He had applied to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, or CCRC, which...

Bosnian Serb MPs adopt a report denying the Srebrenica genocide

SARAJEVO (Reuters) -Bosnian Serb lawmakers on Thursday adopted a report denying that the killing of 8,000 Muslims in Srebrenica during the Bosnian war constituted genocide, and thousands of Serbs later protested against a United Nation's resolution to commemorate the atrocity. The massacre in 1995, which happened in the week after the U.N. safe zone of Srebrenica was attacked by Bosnian Serb

UN says solutions exist to rapidly ease debt burden of poor nations

GENEVA, Switzerland — The heavy debt weighing on developing countries can be alleviated through readily available measures, the UN’s trade and development chief said, pleading for bold international action. Rebeca Grynspan compared the debt burden facing poorer countries to “a reverse blood transfusion”, with money flowing “from the ones that need it to the ones that don’t”. In 2022 — the last year for which there are clear statistics —...

These urban centers risk being submerged 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.

Meet the dangerous new long-range missile Russia is firing at Ukraine

China: US missile system in PH worsens tensions in Asia Pacific

China has expressed "grave concern" over the US' deployment of a medium-range missile system in the Asia Pacific, saying it worsens tensions in the region and increases the risk of misjudgment and miscalculation. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian made the remark when asked for China's comment on the mid-range capability missile system known as Typhon being placed in the Philippines amid joint military exercises in the...

Why don’t animals attack humans more often?

'Cost of Living crisis meant celebrating Ramadan was tough - it started with landlord's cruel decision'

Muslim families struggling to stay afloat have said they struggled to celebrate Ramadan this year and were reliant on the good-will of charities to survive

Protester committed contempt of court using a sign

Trudi Warner was arrested on March 27 last year for holding up a sign outside an entrance used by jurors at Inner London Crown Court.

Road closures on April 21 in Lapu-Lapu, Cordova, SRP, CCLEX

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Expect major roads in Mactan Island, South Road Properties (SRP), and the Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) to be closed to traffic as the Ironman 70.3 Lapu-Lapu will unfold on Sunday, April 21, at the Mactan Newtown grounds. The Lapu-Lapu City Traffic Management System (CTMS) and the IronMan 70.3 Lapu-Lapu organizers already issued a traffic advisory for the race on Sunday. READ MORE: Lapu-Lapu City to close roads...

Philippine inflation remains most urgent concern —OCTA survey

Majority of adult Filipinos believe that inflation remains the most urgent national concern for the first quarter of 2024. The most recent Tugon ng Masa survey by OCTA Research found that 66% of adult Filipinos see as an urgent concern "controlling the increase in prices of basic goods and services." It is also the top concern across major areas and income classes. The concern on access to affordable food (44%), increase in wages (44%), creating...

Manila Water service cutoff set in Taguig, Marikina this April

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Water customers in some areas of Taguig City and Marikina City will experience temporary water supply interruption from April 18 to 19 and April 24 to 25 due to scheduled maintenance activities. The water company on Thursday advised affected residents to reserve water for their use as maintenance works will be carried out on the following: Taguig City – April 18, 10 p.m., to April 19, 4 a.m. Parts of Barangay New...

China is using civilian space exploration to mask its military efforts

NASA warned China is using its civilian exploration program as a cover for its military programs claiming territory on the moon. The US now is in a race to put Americans on the moon.

Dozens arrested as US college Gaza protest cleared

Democrat politician Ilhan Omar's daughter has also been suspended from college for participating.

DOE to public: Reduce power consumption during peak hours

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) asked the public on Thursday to minimize electric consumption during peak hours amid the scorching dry season. The call was made after the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) raised red and yellow alerts over the Luzon and Visayas grids from April 16 to 18. “The DOE reiterates its call for everyone’s cooperation in minimizing power consumption especially at peak hours during...

Rap artist GloRilla has been charged with drunken driving in Georgia

SUWANEE, Ga. (AP) — The rap artist known as GloRilla has been charged with drunken driving in Georgia, jail records show. GloRilla, whose real name is Gloria Woods, was charged Tuesday with first-offense driving under the influence of alcohol; having an open container of alcohol; and failing to obey a traffic control device, according to Gwinnett County Jail booking records. Woods, 24, of Memphis, Tennessee, was arrested by police in Suwanee,...

Candidates challenged on controversial busway plan

Villagers challenge parliamentary candidates about plans to build a new busway in Cambridgeshire.

College staff threaten new strikes over pay

Members of the University and College Union on Teesside voted in favour of more strikes.

EU leaders to tackle economic decline

BRUSSELS: The European Union's economy is falling further behind China and the United States, a major headache that will dominate leaders' talks on Thursday as they discuss how to stem the bloc's economic decline and bounce back. From supply chain disruptions following the coronavirus pandemic to an energy crisis after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Europe's economy has faced multiple challenges in recent years. But it may yet face its biggest:...

Kenya’s military chief among 10 people killed in helicopter crash

Air force sends an investigative team to establish cause of crash that killed General Francis Ogolla.

Trump's hush money criminal trial loses two jurors, five remain

By Jack Queen and Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) -The judge overseeing former U.S. President Donald Trump's criminal trial dismissed two jurors on Thursday, as lawyers struggled to assemble a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates for one of the most high-profile trials in American history. Justice Juan Merchan excused one juror after prosecutors said he may not have disclosed prior brushes with

Turtle could be sent to Cape Verde due to Brexit

A turtle that washed up in Guernsey may not be able to return to Gran Canaria, a charity says.

Chicago residents in MAGA hats tear into mayor for funding migrants

Angry Chicago residents blasted Mayor Brandon Johnson during a meeting on Wednesday as he tried to get $70million in tax payer's money to go toward the ongoing migrant crisis in the city.

Scottish government confirms it will abandon 2030 climate target

Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllen has confirmed the Scottish government is abandoning it's climate change target which claimed to reduce emissions by 75% by 2030.

Ex-Scottish leader Sturgeon's husband charged with embezzlement of party funds

LONDON (Reuters) -Police have charged Peter Murrell, the husband of former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon, with embezzlement of funds from her pro-independence Scottish National Party, the BBC and other media reported on Thursday. Police Scotland said, without naming Murrell, that a 59-year-old man who was arrested earlier on Thursday in an investigation into the SNP's finances, had now been

China told: ‘Peace-loving’ nations won’t take US-PH-Japan meet as threat

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the recent trilateral summit of the Philippines, Japan, and the United States should not be deemed as a threat “by any peace-loving country.” It explained anew that the goal of the historic three-way talks was to promote peace as it responds to the Philippines’ development needs. “It is the sovereign choice and decision of the Philippines to strengthen our alliance with the...

Olongapo starts water rationing due to lack of supply

OLONGAPO CITY —The local government has started rationing free water to residents of a village in this city who have been affected by the low water supply. The Olongapo City Information Center said Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. facilitated the water ration in Barangay New Cabalan on Wednesday, April 17, with the help of the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO). Paulino said the free water ration would be available every other...

US to oppose Palestinian bid for full UN membership

By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -The United States will on Thursday vote against a Palestinian request for full United Nations membership, a U.S. official told Reuters, blocking the world body from effectively recognizing a Palestinian state. "It remains the U.S. view that the most expeditious path toward statehood for the Palestinian people is through direct negotiations between

Marcos, Luxon eye review of PH-New Zealand deal on migrant workers

The Philippines and New Zealand are looking to review existing bilateral migrant worker arrangements for the recruitment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). According to the Presidential Communications Office, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon discussed the existing relationship between the two countries during the Luxon’s visit to the country. “The two leaders agreed to strengthen...

Inflation rate in Cebu: Your P1 is now worth 83 centavos

CEBU CITY, Philippines — As the inflation rate in Cebu continues to soar, Cebuanos also continue to struggle with the increasing prices of goods and commodities. During the data dissemination for inflation on Wednesday, April 17, a statistical specialist of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Cebu Province revealed that the purchasing power of the peso (PPP) has plummeted to 83 centavos from January to March 2024. According to the PSA, the...

IMF, WB urged to boost aid to developing nations

FINANCE Secretary Ralph Recto wants the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to increase their support for developing countries worldwide to accelerate a global economic recovery. "I urge the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and other partners to intensify their efforts in assisting developing countries to mitigate and reverse the factors threatening our growth prospects," Recto said during the Spring Ministers and Governors...

Ukraine seeks G7, NATO help for battered air defences

By Crispian Balmer and Angelo Amante CAPRI, Italy (Reuters) -Ukraine warned foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) major powers on Thursday they had to change strategy if they wanted Kyiv to withstand increasingly destructive Russian air assaults. G7 ministers meeting on the island of Capri acknowledged the need to get more air defence systems to Ukraine and applauded Ukrainian Foreign

Russia launches new Angara A5 heavy-lift rocket on 4th orbital test mission (photos)

Russia's Angara A5 rocket lifted off on April 11, marking the fourth launch of the first rocket developed by Russia since the fall of the USSR in 1991.

At UN, Iran warns Israel against further military action

By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Iran told the United Nations Security Council on Thursday that Israel "must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our interests" as the U.N. secretary-general warned that the Middle East was in a "moment of maximum peril." Israel has said it will retaliate against Iran's April 13 missile and drone attack, which Tehran says

2 minor temblors felt in Batangas island town

LUCENA CITY — Two successive minor earthquakes hit the island town of Tingloy in Batangas on late Wednesday night, April 17. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported in its bulletin that a magnitude 3.1 tremor with a 5-kilometer depth of focus was recorded in Tingloy at 11:20 p.m. At 10:51 p.m. in the same town, the only island municipality in the province, a magnitude 2.7 tremor with a 3-km depth of focus was...

Teacher jailed for 1970s sexual abuse of pupil

Carol Greer carried out the offences on a pupil at Newtownbreda Secondary School between 1971 and 1978.

‘Unconscionable’: US sends dozens to Haiti on deportation flight

Deportations ‘could be a death sentence’, advocates say, as gang violence and instability grip the Caribbean country.

Poland arrests man over suspected plan to kill Zelensky

A man suspected of aiding a plot by Russian intelligence services to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been arrested in Poland, Polish and Ukrainian prosecutors said Thursday. The Polish national, named only as Pawel K., is suspected of supplying information to Russian military intelligence and "helping the Russian special forces to plan a possible assassination attempt" against Zelensky, said a statement from Polish...

Another first: PCG to deploy six ships for US, PH war games

MANILA, Philippines — For the first time, the Philippines Coast Guard (PCG) will deploy six vessels for the expanding Balikatan war games in view of the mounting tensions in the West Philippine Sea. PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo on Wednesday said four 44-meter multi-role response vessels (MRRVs) and two larger patrol vessels will be deployed in the exercise which will commence next week. In another first, there will be trilateral...

Oxford street food market given green light in war on American candy stores

Oxford street food market given green light in war on American candy stores - More than a dozen restaurants will set up in the former Evans’ store near Marble Arch

A lab chief's sentencing for meningitis deaths is postponed, extending grief of victims' families

HOWELL, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan judge on Thursday suddenly postponed the sentencing of a man at the center of a fatal meningitis outbreak that hit multiple states, dismaying people who were poised to speak about their grief 12 years after the tragedy. The judge who took a no-contest plea from Barry Cadden retired in March. But the defense attorney and the prosecutor said they still expected Michael Hatty would return to impose a minimum 10-year...

Man, 64, jailed for hoax terror threats

Gary Preston sent white powder and threatening letters to schools, a hotel and a shopping centre.

Chinese cities sinking under their own weight

Extracting ground water for growing urban populations causes half of China's big cities to sink.