News

Senate pays tribute to Saguisag; Robin apologizes for ‘Rene’ gaffe

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate unanimously adopted on Tuesday a resolution expressing the chamber’s profound sympathy and sincere condolences to the family of staunch rights defender and late former senator Rene Saguisag. Meantime, Sen. Robinhood Padilla apologized for mistakenly citing and mentioning another late former senator and namesake of Saguisag, Rene Cayetano, in his manifestation. Senate Resolution No. 1009 was introduced by Senate...

Poe thanks media for covering ‘dry’ hearing

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday thanked the media at a Senate hearing on Tuesday for covering a seemingly “dry” topic. “Thank you nga pala sa media for covering this ah, mas exciting ‘yong hearing sa kabila. Gusto ko na nga pumunta d’on,” Poe said. (Thank you to the media for covering this, even if the hearing on the other side is more exciting. I myself would like to go there now.) It was uncertain what other hearing Poe...

Families flee as tension between armed groups brews in Mamasapano

More than 1,000 families have fled their homes for fear of being caught in the crossfire as tension between armed groups continues in Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur. Around 960 families have taken shelter temporarily at some schools in the town. According to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), the conflict between two groups of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) started on April 2, 2024, and has continued...

Solon suggests a 2026 barangay polls, avoid shorter terms for incumbent execs

MANILA, Philippines — Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte is suggesting that the next Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) be held in 2026 instead of 2025, so that sitting officials would not be given shorter terms. Villafuerte in a statement on Tuesday said he and other lawmakers have filed House Bill (HB) No. 10344 to move the next elections to October 26, 2026, explaining that incumbent barangay officials can only perform their...

Have Kyiv's American-supplied Abrams tanks failed in Ukraine?

N. Macedonia polls set to upend ties with EU neighbours

North Macedonia appears to be on a collision course with its EU neighbours Greece and Bulgaria, with double-header elections Wednesday likely to return the country's right-wing opposition to power. Party chief Hristijan Mickoski has refused to acknowledge the country's new name and a historic agreement with Greece in 2018, which added "North" to its title to settle a long-running dispute and allowed the country to join NATO. Mickoski has also...

Police 'lost' girl's evidence of abuse by babysitter

Michaela Allen says she has been "robbed of justice" in her fight to get her case to court.

Taiwan says its military is ready for China moves around new president's inaugural

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's military is prepared for any moves China may make around the time President-elect Lai Ching-te takes office later this month, the island's deputy defence minister said on Wednesday. China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has a strong dislike of Lai, believing him to be a dangerous separatist, whose repeated offers of talks it has

Notable People who died in 2024

Chaos at Heathrow as all gates go down in Border Force 'IT glitch'

Pictures on social media show enormous queues in front of the gates at Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Edinburgh and Manchester as thousands are waiting for their passports to be checked.

Fewer Chinese vessels in West PH Sea as ‘Balikatan’ nears end

LAOAG CITY, Philippines — Fewer Chinese vessels were observed in the West Philippine Sea compared to previous weeks as the war games between Manila and Washington near completion. “There was a surge at the beginning, but for this week there is no significant increase in the number of China vessels in the West Philippine Sea,” said Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson. “Compared to the last week, there is a...

Mega Millions winning numbers for May 7 drawing: Jackpot rises to $306 million

Mega Millions players, are you feeling lucky? The winning numbers are in for the May 7 drawing with the $306 million jackpot at stake.

Tolentino wants PH to acquire submarines, Pintados fleet

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis Tolentino wants the Philippine government to upgrade its maritime fleet by acquiring more submarines. “China is bullying us because we are lacking resources, especially naval resources. What we need are submarines,” said Tolentino, chairperson of the Senate’s special panel on maritime and admiralty zones, in a statement on Tuesday. READ: Submarines in next phase of PH military upgrade “The importance of...

North Korean propaganda chief who served all three leaders dies

By Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - Kim Ki Nam, one of the longest-serving North Korean officials who served all three generations of its leaders cementing their political legitimacy and heading the propaganda apparatus for the dynastic state, has died, official media said on Wednesday. North Korea leader Kim Jong Un visited the bier of Kim at 2 a.m. on Wednesday to pay tribute "with bitter grief over

Members of London’s Garrick Club agree to let women join for first time

Vote followed outrage over membership list that revealed the club was a bastion of Britain’s establishment.

AFP denies Wescom involvement in Ayungin’s ‘new model’

LAOAG CITY, ILOCOS NORTE, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday categorically denied China’s linking of its Western Command (Wescom) to the purported “new model” of management for the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal situation. An unidentified Chinese embassy spokesperson on Saturday said that the AFP-Wescom and Chinese authorities agreed with a “new model” to manage the tensions in the shoal where a Philippine navy...

DOLE warns public against fake Facebook post

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said on Tuesday that a Facebook page which alleged to give a scholarship under its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ Displaced Workers (TUPAD) is fake. According to the Dole, the TUPAD program was not a scholarship program, but was instead an employment program. READ: Dole to employers: Implement measures to protect workers vs heat “The TUPAD Program is not a cash or...

Teacher had schoolboy's baby, court years

Rebecca Joynes denies six counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child.

'Tsar' Putin tells the West: Russia will talk only on equal terms

By Guy Faulconbridge MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin, honoured like a Russian tsar at his swearing-in for a new six-year presidential term, had a double-edged message for the West: the Kremlin is ready to talk but Russia is girding for victory in Ukraine. Putin, who rose to the top of the Kremlin just eight years after the fall of the Soviet Union, will overtake Josef Stalin and become

No mere decorations

Right before Holy Week, I was part of the March of Women, and a member of a panel that the Ateneo de Manila University’s Sanggunian (student government) put together to commemorate Women’s Month. Their project hoped to bring together women in the Ateneo community in what was a kapihan, or coffee-and-conversation session, which would help students understand the many facets of women empowerment. I was there as a representative of science...

These are history's most celebrated military commanders

Winning a war requires battlefield prowess, tactical ingenuity, strategic know-how, and ruthless efficiency—human qualities that history has shown make a great military leader. A successful and victorious commander also needs to gain the trust and loyalty of the ranks, while maintaining a healthy respect for the enemy. So, who are best military minds to have gone to war? Click through and discover some of history's most celebrated combative commanders.

Mother of Australian surfers killed in Mexico gives moving tribute to sons at a beach in San Diego

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The mother of two Australian surfers killed in Mexico delivered a moving tribute to her sons Tuesday at a beach in San Diego. “Our hearts are broken and the world has become a darker place for us,” Debra Robinson said, fighting back tears. “They were young men enjoying their passion of surfing together.” Her sons, Callum and Jake, were allegedly killed by car thieves in Baja California, across the border from San Diego,...

Roque says oust Marcos plot a ‘hallucination’

MANILA, Philippines – The reported plot by the camp of former president Rodrigo Duterte to oust President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos is just a “hallucination,” former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Tuesday. Roque made the remark after former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s allegation that active senior police officials and retired military officials were already recruiting members to join the ouster move. Trillanes said the Duterte...

Italy's president says Russia's invasion of Ukraine can't be solved by rewarding Moscow's aggression

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Italy’s president told the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine can’t be solved by rewarding its aggression and peace can only come when Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are restored. Sergio Mattarella said Italy, which now heads the G7 meetings, and many international partners have come to Ukraine’s defense to support the principle that solidarity must be given to nations...

QUB students want Hillary Clinton removed as chancellor

In a statement, the QUB Palestine Assembly said they want to see a democratic election process for the next chancellor.

Home Office targetting male migrants with no family for Rwanda flights

Over 100 people have been detained by Immigration Enforcement officers following nationwide raids. They are mostly male, have no serious health issues, sources told the Mail.

US reveals it paused shipment of bombs for Israel

US reveals it paused bomb shipment for Israel over concerns it was going ahead with Rafah offensive.

DA eyes P30 per kilo of rice by July

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday said it aims to lower the price of rice to P30 per kilogram by July. DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa was asked if the P30 rice price in July is achievable after House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said that it is possible. “Ito naman ay ginagawa na ng National Irrigation Administration, Kadiwa dahil meron silang tinatawag nating contract farming,” De Mesa told Unang Balita in...

China's Xi in Serbia for talks to boost economic ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold talks with his Serbian counterpart in Belgrade on Wednesday, as Beijing seeks to deepen its political and economic ties with friendlier countries in Europe. In Belgrade, the Chinese leader will meet President Aleksandar Vucic for talks on Wednesday, before heading to Budapest.

US, Australian and Philippine forces sink a ship during war drills in the disputed South China Sea

LAOAG, Philippines (AP) — Military force from the United States, Australian and the Philippines launched a barrage of high-precision rockets, artillery fire and airstrikes to sink a ship Wednesday as part of largescale war drills in waters facing the disputed South China Sea that have antagonized Beijing. Military officials and diplomats from several countries, along with journalists, watched the display of firepower from a hilltop along a sandy...

Vaughan Gething told colleagues he deleted Whatsapp messages

Vaughan Gething (pictured), who was the health minister during the pandemic, told the inquiry in March that his lost WhatsApp messages were not deleted by him but by the Senedd's IT team.

Magnitude 4.9 quake strikes off Hernani, Eastern Samar

MANILA, Philippines — A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Hernani, Eastern Samar, on Tuesday afternoon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. The temblor occurred at 4:02 p.m. and was located 43 kilometers (km) northeast of Hernani. Phivolcs said it has a depth of focus of 16 km. The earthquake was felt at the following intensities / instrumental intensities: Intensity IV – Hernani, Eastern Samar Intensity III...

These Norwegian churches are the last of their kind in the world

Nestled in the hills and valleys of Norway’s hostile climate are a series of medieval buildings that are testaments to the test of time. These are the country’s stave churches, and they are significant not only in their architectural splendor, but also in their rich history. What's more, there are only 28 of them left in the whole world! Intrigued? Click through this gallery as we take a closer look at each of them.

Marcos: P59.8-B health emergency allowance distributed to medical frontliners

At least P59.8 billion has been distributed to medical frontline workers for their health emergency allowance during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. In a Facebook post, Marcos said the amount was 78.92% of the COVID-19 health emergency allowance allotted by the government to health workers. The President announced this following the celebration of Health Workers' Day on Tuesday as he acknowledged the...

NYC Mayor Eric Adams donates $5K of own money to catch anti-Israel agitators who defaced World War I memorial

Anti-Israel agitators vandalized a World War I memorial Monday night in NYC as protests carried on near Central Park. New York City Mayor Eric Adams called for the arrest of the vandals, while putting up some his own money as a reward.

Filipinos want sea row resolved through military action, diplomacy – OCTA survey

Seven out of ten Filipinos want the government to resort to military action and diplomatic measures in resolving issues in the West Philippine Sea, a survey conducted by OCTA Research showed. In the Tugon ng Masa survey held from March 11-14, 2024, 73 percent said that they want the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to expand naval patrols and troop presence in the West Philippine Sea. Meanwhile, 72 percent of the respondents said...

US soldier bucked Army rules before arrest in Russia

By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Before his arrest in Russia, U.S. soldier Gordon Black not only broke Army rules by traveling to the Russian city of Vladivostok without authorization, but he did so after passing through China, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. Details about Black started to emerge on Tuesday of risk-taking behavior that saw the 34-year-old Army staff sergeant's

Filipino priest to become Franciscan general treasurer

MANILA, Philippines — A Filipino priest is set to become one of the top officials of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM), or the Franciscans, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said on Tuesday. According to the CBCP, Fr. Joel Sulse was appointed general oeconomus, or the treasurer of the religious order. READ: Franciscans mark 800th anniversary of historic interreligious meeting Sulse went to Rome on Tuesday, the CBCP added....

Andy Burnham wants to end Right to Buy scheme in Greater Manchester

Mr Burnham vowed to build 10,000 homes across Greater Manchester after he was elected for a third term in last week's mayoral elections.

Several solons say linking Marcos to drugs meant to destabilize gov’t

MANILA, Philippines — Several members of the House of Representatives have pointed out that linking President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. to drug use is part of politics and an attempt to destabilize the government. During a briefing on Tuesday at the Batasang Pambansa complex, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun said that the public needs to understand that the accusations are only meant to shame the President, which is why...

Britain to build Europe's first nuclear fuel factory

Unveiling £200million in support for the new plant in Cheshire, Rishi Sunak (pictured) said the move would 'prise Vladimir Putin 's blood-soaked hands off Europe's energy market'.

DOJ to give Marcos 'briefer' on legal options for possible ICC warrants

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing a briefer on the legal options available to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. regarding any arrest warrants that may be issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano said Wednesday. “The briefer will be an objective analysis of the pros and cons of each option,” Clavano said in a message to reporters. He added that the briefer is being done “with an awareness that...

Jobless Filipinos up to 2 million in March 2024

The number of unemployed Filipinos increased in March following the effects of the ongoing El Niño phenomenon and the African swine fever (ASF) on the agriculture sector, data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Wednesday showed. There were 2 million unemployed Filipinos in March, translating to an unemployment rate of 3.9%, based on the labor force of 51.15 million Filipinos aged 15 and above or a labor force participation...

Fraudster 'planned killing' of heiress - lawyer

Paula Leeson's family want a judge to rule her husband unlawfully killed her.

Trillanes: ICC expected to issue arrest warrant vs Duterte by June or July

MANILA CITY, Philippines — The International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to issue an arrest warrant against former President Rodrigo Duterte and others by June or July, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Tuesday. Trillanes said the information came from individuals privy to the investigation conducted by the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor. “Nasa stage na ‘yung ICC investigation na patapos na patapos na at baka magrequest na sila ng...

Don't use position for re-election, Suarez tells senators

House Deputy Speaker Quezon 2nd district Rep. David "Jay-jay" Suarez has asked the country’s senators not to use their positions for the purpose of bolstering their chances in the upcoming May 2025 mid-term elections. READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/8/don-t-use-position-for-re-election-suarez-tells-senators Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin Visit our website at http://mb.com.phFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletinTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletinInstagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletinTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin #ManilaBulletinOnline#ManilaBulletin#LatestNews

Dela Rosa: No one can use me to destabilize Marcos admin

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa shunned on Tuesday allegations that he is being used by certain people to destabilize the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. “Never akong magpapagamit kahit kanino man. Wala pong makakagamit sa akin, kaya nga sabi ko sa inyo – I have to maintain the objectivity in the conduct of this hearing kasi alam kong dalawang nag-uumpugang pader dito maiipit dito [at] maiipit...

Quiboloy camp surrendered 5 firearms, says PNP

The camp of Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy has surrendered to the police five firearms registered to the controversial religious leader. Citing Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, Super Radyo dzBB's Mark Makalalad reported that the firearms were surrendered to Police Regional Office 11 (PRO-11) on Wednesday morning. "[The firearms were] surrendered to our regional security unit ng PRO-11,...

Asylum seekers pay thousands to enter Ireland as they are 'much safer'

There were a total of 85 tents lined up between Mount Street Bridge and Huband Bridge yesterday afternoon - a figure that has doubled in less than a week.

HRW: PH needs to do more to protect journalists

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the Marcos administration to improve its efforts in protecting journalists in the Philippines. "Rather than resting on the laurels of the pending Jumalon trial and the incomplete Lapid case, the Marcos administration needs to ratchet up its efforts to protect journalists," HRW Asia Division senior researcher Carlos H. Conde said in a statement on Tuesday. "It should immediately end the practice of...