News

INQToday: China used ‘very fatal’ water cannon pressure in latest assault — PCG

Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories: China used ‘very fatal’ water cannon pressure in latest assault—PCG China Coast Guard (CCG) used a “very fatal” water cannon pressure in the latest Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal incident, according to Commodore Jay Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea. According to Tarriela, the water cannon attack on April 30 also marked China’s increased aggression against...

PC 'who posted images supporting Hamas' is charged with terror offence

PC Mohammed Adil has been suspended from West Yorkshire Police following the allegations. He is due to appear in court on Thursday to face two charges under the Terrorism Act.

City of Manila suspends in-person classes from May 2 to 3 due to heat

MANILA, Philippines — In-person classes in all public schools in elementary and high schools in the City of Manila, as well as in Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and Universidad de Manila, are suspended from Thursday to Friday, May 2 to 3, due to the scorching heat. In an advisory posted on the Facebook page of Manila City Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan on Wednesday, she said public schools may adopt “any alternative mode of learning” as they deem...

Romualdez named caretaker of Cavite’s 4th legislative district

MANILA, Philippines – House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has been assigned as caretaker of Cavite’s 4th legislative district after the death Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. recently. During the plenary session on Tuesday, Romualdez was designated by the Majority to look over Barzaga’s district. This brings the number of districts under Romualdez’s supervision, aside from his own Leyte 1st District, to six: Cavite’s 7th District...

Did the United States buy defunct jets from a Russian ally for Ukraine?

PH says China ‘elevated’ tension in West Philippine Sea with Panatag Shoal harassment

The Philippine Coast Guard’s spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea says the China Coast Guard’s use of ‘jet stream pressure’ from water cannons elevated tensions in the West Philippine Sea. Full story: https://www.rappler.com/philippines/china-elevated-tension-west-sea-panatag-shoal-harassment/

House lauds UP College of Law for winning oldest moot court tilt

MANILA, Philippines — A resolution congratulating the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law for winning the 2024 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition has been adopted by the House of Representatives. During the session on Tuesday, House Resolution (HR) No. 1683 filed by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales, Jr., Deputy Speaker David Suarez, Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe,...

SC: Dismissal of HIV positive employee is illegal

MANILA CITY, Philippines — Termination of employment due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is illegal, the Supreme Court (SC) said in a decision made public Wednesday. The case concerns an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Saudi Arabia. The employee was a cleaning laborer with a two-year contract through the recruitment agency Bison Management Corporation (Bison). READ: ‘Vampire facials’ linked to cases of HIV in three women In...

Russians throng to display of Western 'trophy' tanks captured in Ukraine

By Andrew Osborn (Reuters) - Western tanks and military hardware captured by Russian forces in Ukraine went on display in Moscow on Wednesday at an exhibition the Russian military said showed Western help would not stop it winning the war. Long queues of people formed on what was a sunny May Day public holiday at the entrance to the exhibition, entitled "Trophies of the Russian Army," which is

New York arrests, violent attack in California as Gaza campus protests rage

Demonstrations continue to face police crackdown as protesters vow to more pressure on universities.

Iran rapper Toomaj banned from phone use after death sentence—supporters

PARIS — Iranian authorities have deprived rapper Toomaj Salehi, sentenced to death after supporting protests, of his right to make telephone calls from jail, his social media accounts run by supporters said on Tuesday, April 30. Salehi, 33, who performs under the name Toomaj, was last week sentenced to death in a verdict seen by activists as retaliation for his music backing nationwide protests that erupted in 2022. The rapper, a prominent...

Supreme Court holds first day of Shari’ah bar exams

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) said on Wednesday that it has held the first Shari’ah Bar Examinations (SBE) in the digital mode and across various regional testing centers in the country. According to the SC, the exams were held on April 28 in two testing centers, the Ateneo de Davao University and in University of the Philippines – Diliman. READ: 852 aspiring lawyers to take 2024 Shari’ah Bar Exam It said that 855 examinees...

How China's new Fujian aircraft carrier could challenge the US navy

Displacing some 80,000 tonnes of water and measuring 1036 feet (316 metres) in length, the gargantuan craft features a full-length flight deck and electromagnetic launch system for jets

Barbers hits background of ex-PDEA agent invited by Senate

MANILA, Philippines — Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has questioned the credentials of a former anti-drug operative who was invited by the Senate for a hearing, saying that the officer was dishonorably discharged from the police service. Barbers, who heads the House of Representatives’ committee on dangerous drugs, said in a statement on Wednesday that former agent Jonathan Morales was dismissed from the Philippine...

'Shrine of Healing' inaugurated for EJK victims in Laloma cemetery

A memorial site called “Dambana ng Paghilom” (Shrine of Healing) has been established at the Laloma Cemetery in Caloocan City on Wednesday, according to a report posted on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website. The shrine is the grave site for "the victims of extrajudicial killings (EJK) during the drug war waged by former President Rodrigo Duterte." Fr. Flavie Villanueva SVD said that the site is also "a statement...

China's water cannons can kill, says PCG

While the water cannon attack by the China Coast Guard (CCG) was not the first time, its increasing aggressiveness against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has shown it could be "fatal," a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official said. "If you are going to look at how it bent the railing of the Philippine Coast Guard vessel because of the water, obviously that would be very fatal," PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said on...

Ex-lord advocate's 'deep regret' over Bayoh case

A former head of Scotland's prosecution service tells an inquiry he accepts Sheku Bayoh's family lost confidence in the Crown.

Maryland approves more than $3M for a man wrongly imprisoned for murder for three decades

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland officials on Wednesday approved more than $3 million in compensation for a Baltimore man who spent 31 years in prison on a wrongful murder conviction. Gov. Wes Moore apologized to Gary Washington during a Board of Public Works meeting where the compensation was approved. “On the behalf of the entire state, I’m sorry for the failure of the justice system," Moore said, adding that while no amount can make up for the...

Colombia to break diplomatic relations with Israel, President Petro says

BOGOTA (Reuters) -Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Wednesday he will break diplomatic relations with Israel over its actions in Gaza. Petro has already heavily criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and requested to join South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice. "Here in front of you, the government of change, of the president

Jail for man arrested at £69K cannabis factory

Police urge the public to look out for tell-tale signs there could be a cannabis farm next door.

BI arrests Chinese national bound for Hong Kong

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Wednesday that it has arrested a Chinese national for alleged involvement in cyber fraud. According to the BI, Qin Xingye, 28, was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on April 28. READ: Bureau of Immigration blocks entry of 25 foreigners at Naia Qin tried to board a flight to Hong Kong. The BI said that immigration officers saw that Qin had a hit at the BI’s clearance...

Father of murder-accused teen gives evidence

The boy is accused of murdering of Alfie Lewis, 15, in Horsforth, Leeds, after school last November.

Dela Rosa: Documents linking Marcos to alleged drug use not fabricated

MANILA, Philippines — Former top cop turned Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is convinced that the “leaked” documents supposedly linking President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and actress Maricel Soriano to alleged drug use are not fabricated. The documents in question are the Philippine Drug Enforcement Act’s (PDEA) Authority to Operate and a Pre-Operation Report dated March 11, 2012. “Ako masasabi ko, it is existing. It is existing ‘yang...

New coalition seeks halt to militarization

MEMBERS of a local anti-war coalition called for the halt of militarization in the Philippines through various military agreements such as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and the United States. Prof. Anna Malindog-Uy, one of the conveners, said that "speculations about a planned war" by the US against China underscores the "high stakes" involved in the military buildup in the...

Marcos eyes alliances ahead of 2025 elections

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said that the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) is eyeing political alliances with different political parties for the 2025 elections, including the Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD). Speaking to new PFP members during an oath-taking ceremony in Manila, the President also said that he is eyeing the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and the National Unity Party (NUP)....

Seventh inmate dies at prison in two months

An investigation has been launched into the death of Wayne Hay, who died on Tuesday.

More LGUs cancel face-to-face classes due to intense summer heat

MANILA, Philippines — More local government units announced the suspension of face-to-face classes and instead shifted to distance learning for Thursday due to the threat of sizzling hot temperatures. Below is the list of areas where in-person classes are suspended: READ: Dangerous heat index grips 32 areas; 48°C in Pili and Catarman Pasay City- All levels (public and private), May 2 to 3 Navotas City- All levels (public and private), May 2 to 3...

Active shooter 'neutralized' outside Wisconsin school, officials say amid reports of gunshots, panic

MOUNT HOREB, Wis. (AP) — Witnesses described children fleeing after the sound of gunshots near a Wisconsin middle school where authorities said an active shooter who never got inside was “neutralized” outside the building Wednesday. There were no reported injuries to those inside the school. But police remained on the scene hours later, and Mount Horeb Area School District had only announced plans to release younger students from a nearby...

'China slowly taking over Rozul Reef'

THE Chinese presence in Rozul (Iroquois) Reef inside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is gradually growing, a maritime transparency project that monitors and reports activities in the South China Sea said. The seabed off Rozul Reef, which lies 125 nautical miles off Palawan, was the subject of recent extensive underwater surveys conducted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) that found severe damage inflicted upon the marine...

PFP not aiming to dominate political arena, unity is still key – Marcos

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said that the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) is not aiming to dominate the political arena, maintained that unity was still key. Marcos, who is the chairman of the PFP, swore in 33 new members into the political party at the Diamond Hotel in Manila. “You cannot start too early for any elections, so we have begun,” said Marcos in his speech. “Hindi naman sa sinasbai natin that...

Marcos eyes alliance with Lakas, NPC, NP, NUP

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. and the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas have started discussions with the country's national political parties for alliances ahead of Eleksyon 2025. Marcos made the remark during the oathtaking of 33 new members of the PFP at a hotel in Manila. ''We have organized a steering committee, we will then go and make our alliances with the different parties. Of course, nandiyan ang Lakas, NPC, NP, NUP,...

Hired killer suspect was 'walking fast', jury told

A witness says the unknown suspect "did not stop looking around him"

Ateneo top PH university in 2024 THE rankings

MANILA, Philippines — The Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) topped the list of Philippine universities in the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings. In the THE’s website on Tuesday, ADMU, which ranked in the 401-500 bracket, led the 14 Philippine universities that made it to the list. READ: Ateneo is top PH school in Times Higher Education world rankings ADMU was followed by the De La Salle University and the University of...

Lone bettor wins 6/58 lotto jackpot woth P103.4M

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) revealed on Tuesday that one lucky bettor bagged the P103.4 million jackpot prize for Ultra Lotto 6/58. According to the PCSO in its evening draw, the winning combination for 6/58 was 09-56-36-07-55-54. Only one winner submitted the combination, earning that individual the the total jackpot prize amounting to P103,439,627.60 Ultra Lotto is drawn every Tuesday, Friday, and...

Man in his 20s stabbed in park

Police are looking for information about two males who approached the man.

Lorry driver killed in motorway bridge crash

The crash happened on the M40 near Oxford Services and involved a Volvo lorry.

Kenya flood toll rises to 181 as homes and roads are destroyed

NAIROBI (Reuters) -Floods and landslides across Kenya have killed 181 people since March, with hundreds of thousands forced to leave their homes, the government and Red Cross said on Wednesday, as dozens more were killed in neighbouring Tanzania and Burundi. Torrential rain and floods have destroyed homes, roads, bridges and other infrastructure across the region. The death toll in Kenya exceeds

16 nabbed in alleged illegal online raffle in Biñan

Sixteen suspects were arrested for alleged involvement in illegal online raffle operations in Biñan, Laguna. According to a 24 Oras report by Chino Gaston on Wednesday, a search warrant was implemented by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group in the middle of their livestream. This led to the arrest of seven women and nine men. According to the PNP-ACG, online raffles are illegal under the PD1602 or law against illegal gambling. “Illegal po ‘yan dahil...

Man charged with murder after human remains found

The 44-year-old man will appear at Luton and South Bedfordshire Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

Man jailed after recordings reveal decade of abuse

Craig Watson subjected his victim to violent and threatening behaviour for 10 years, a court hears.

Some asylum seekers still without beds after city centre camp dismantled

Some asylum seekers still without beds after city centre camp dismantled - Hundreds of asylum seekers were removed from a makeshift camp on Wednesday morning.

Key mining town seized - DR Congo rebels

Rubaya is DR Congo's main coltan producer, used to make batteries for electric vehicles and phones.

Chinese harassment detrimental to peace – US

THE United States said the repeated harassment of Philippine vessels by Chinese ships near Scarborough Reef (Panatag Shoal) is detrimental to regional peace and stability. The China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia vessels on Tuesday water cannoned and rammed vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) en route to Panatag Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc) to bring food and supplies to...

Comelec reverses ruling, declares Pichay is disqualified to run for office

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) overturned its initial ruling on the candidacy of former lawmaker Prospero Pichay Jr. The poll body is now saying that he was not eligible to run for office in the 2022 elections. In a resolution dated April 30, the Comelec en banc decided that Pichay’s certificate of candidacy (COC) for the 2022 local elections should be canceled after the Office of the Ombudsman found him guilty of...

13 years in US prison for Ukrainian REvil hacker

A Ukrainian man was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison in Texas on Wednesday for his role in ransomware attacks by the notorious Russia-based REvil hacking group, the US Justice Department said. Vasinskyi, also known as Rabotnik, was sentenced to 13 years and seven months in prison and ordered to pay $16 million in restitution for his involvement in more than 2,500 ransomware attacks.

Russia ramps up weapons production for Ukraine war

Defence minister says Russia needs to boost volume, speed of production as US sends military aid to Ukraine.

Man cleared of terror charges over bugged meetings

The man had been on trial for eight charges arising out of two meetings secretly recorded by MI5.

98-year-old woman escapes Russian-occupied territory

Lidia Stepanivna Lomikovska and her family decided to leave the front-line town of Ocheretyne, in the eastern Donetsk region, last week after Russian troops entered it and fighting intensified.

Street closed after sinkhole appears in road

An investigation into the cause of the hole in Scarborough is under way, the council says.

Tribute to murder victim as injured man discharged

A 17-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of murder.