News

Taxi driver corkscrew attackers jailed

The driver had a knife held to his neck and was stabbed in the hand with a corkscrew, a court hears.

CHR lauds House’s approval of universal social pension bill

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives’ approval of the proposed universal social pension for all Filipino senior citizens is “a step towards enhancing their quality of life and a reflection of the nation’s responsibility to protect their welfare,” according to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). The CHR made the statement on Monday as it welcomed the lower chamber’s approval of House Bill (HB) No. 10423 on the third and final...

India’s Modi headed to Russia for first visit since Ukraine offensive

MOSCOW — Prime Minister Narendra Modi was due to arrive in Russia on Monday, as the Indian leader treaded a fine line between maintaining a longstanding relationship with Moscow and courting closer Western security ties. The visit is Modi’s first since Russia launched its campaign in Ukraine and since he was returned to power last month as leader of the world’s most populous country. “I look forward to reviewing all aspects of bilateral...

French court rules American man detained after ‘So I raped you’ Facebook message can be extradited

LYON, France (AP) — A French court ruled on Monday that the American man accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, “So I raped you,” can be extradited to the United States. Ian Cleary, 31, of Saratoga, California, was detained in April in the city of Metz in northeastern France after a three-year search. He has been held in custody pending extradition proceedings...

Neighbour's 'entitled' parking act sparks outrage on their street

A resident has been accused of committing an 'entitled' parking act in Sydney's inner west.

China vessels intercept 2 PCG ships in Ayungin

MANILA, Philippines — Chinese coast guard and militia ships reportedly blocked two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ships on patrol in Ayungin Shoal and forced them out of the area, according to a defense and maritime security expert tracking the movement of ships in the South China Sea. In a post on X on Sunday, Ray Powell of SeaLight said the PCG’s 44-meter BRP Cabra and BRP Cape Engaño were “intercepted” by China Coast Guard (CCG) ship with bow...

Former police officer sent to jail for 18 months

Chief Constable Nick Dean says Mark Coteman's actions were "deliberate, pre-meditated and planned".

Woman injured while stopping man attacking partner

Jonathan Knox is jailed for four years and nine months after admitting wounding with intent.

Ukraine is fielding a century old machine gun and its proving quite effective

Malta grants bail to disputed Romanian royal wanted by home country

A Maltese court on Monday ordered the release on bail of a disputed member of Romania's royal family who has been in custody since his arrest in April. A Maltese appeals judge wrote Monday that the disputed royal be accorded bail, considering his "series of debilitating illnesses" requiring medical attention.

Police say veteran who vanished in Arkansas was killed

Shannon Collins, 52, vanished in March 2021 after returning to his home in Pottsville, Arkansas, from a trip out of state. Police say he was killed as a result of foul play.

SC suspends cop who punched drug suspect

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the suspension for six months of a police officer who punched and kicked a female drug suspect during an anti-narcotics operation in Las Piñas City. In a decision promulgated on April 3 but released only yesterday, the SC’s Third Division found Cpl. Herminio Besmonte guilty of simple misconduct for using excessive force and unnecessary coercion against the suspect. Besmonte posed as a...

Two wanted men arrested at Manchester Airport after crash

Two men who escaped part way through their trial, in relation to a fatal collision near Wilmslow, have now been arrested. Osama Saeed and Asgar Taj were arrested on Monday 8th July after travelling to the UK on a flight from Abu Dhabi.

Farmer dead in Quezon shooting over ‘love triangle’

LUCENA CITY — A 24-year-old farmer died in a shooting incident on Sunday, July 7, that was described by police as a “crime of passion” in Lucban town in Quezon province. The Quezon police reported on Monday that an alias “Jimboy” was buying cigarettes at a store in Barangay Kulapi at 3:20 p.m. when a certain “Mark,” 29, a construction worker, suddenly appeared and shot him twice in the head using a handgun. The assailant fled after the shooting....

CBCP to issue prayer for peace in West Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) will issue an oratio imperata or obligatory prayer for peace in the West Philippine Sea. The prayer will be read from July 25 to Jan. 1, 2025. “Nobody wants a war,” CBCP president and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David said yesterday. The CBCP shares the position of the Vatican’s top diplomat, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, calling for a peaceful resolution of the...

11 dead, 35 missing after Indonesia landslide

INDONESIA — At least 11 people are dead and 35 more are missing after heavy rains caused a landslide near an illegal gold mine on Indonesia’s central island of Sulawesi, an official said Monday. Unlicensed mines are common across the mineral-rich Southeast Asian archipelago, where abandoned sites attract locals who hunt for leftover gold ore without proper safety equipment. The landslide hit a remote village in the Bone Bolango district of...

Man held after woman sexually assaulted in street

A 23-year-old man is held on suspicion of sexual offences after a woman was attacked in Hyde, Tameside.

Lone bettor bags over P17.5 million in Megalotto 6/45

A lone winner bagged the jackpot worth over P17.5 million in the Megalotto 6/45 draw on Monday. The combination 36-25-19-37-07-11 won for the winner P17,567,700.60. There was no winner in the other major lotto draw, the Grand Lotto 6/55. A bettor would have won P82,749,085.40 with the combination 34-22-46-43-33-28. Please see other lotto results here.—RF, GMA Integrated News This article Lone bettor bags over P17.5 million in Megalotto 6/45 was...

Ukraine's Zelenskiy vows retaliation for Russian strike

WARSAW/KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine will retaliate after a Russian missile strike killed at least 29 people and damaged a children's hospital in Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday during a visit to Warsaw during which he signed a security pact with Poland. As world leaders prepare to head to a NATO summit which starts on Tuesday in Washington, Zelenskiy called on Kyiv's allies to give

County drugs & weapons operation sees 1029 arrests

Officers have been running a targeted crackdown on major and organised crime since May 2023.

35 nabbed in Metro Manila drug stings

MANILA, Philippines — Thirty-five people were apprehended in Metro Manila during anti-narcotics operations conducted by the National Capital Region Police Office over the weekend. In a report, the NCRPO said the arrests resulted from 22 drug stings implemented in the region from July 6 to 7. Police data showed that over 194 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu and two grams of Kush valued at around P1.3 million were confiscated from...

4 kidnapped Indians rescued in Las Piñas

MANILA, Philippines — Four Indian nationals were rescued in Las Piñas City after they were reportedly kidnapped and illegally detained by their compatriots for their failure to pay P200,000 in car accident settlement. In a report yesterday, the Southern Police District said the victims aged 19 to 22 were rescued in a residential building in Barangay Pamplona Tres on July 5. Police said the operation led to the arrest of four suspects, also...

Comelec chief wants fact-finding panel to probe Alice Guo’s 2022 candidacy

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) chief George Garcia has ordered the creation of a fact-finding committee to investigate the candidacy of suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo in the 2022 national and local elections. “In view of public interest in the controversy surrounding Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, you are directed to create a Fact-finding Committee to investigate her candidacy for the 2022 National and Local...

Ex-cops face raps for murder of Pinay, Israeli

MANILA, Philippines — Two counts of murder against two former police officers and other suspects in the killing of Pampanga beauty queen Geneva Lopez and her Israeli boyfriend Yitshak Cohen are expected to be filed in the next few days. At a news briefing at Camp Crame yesterday, the former police officers implicated in the crime were identified as Michael Guiang, allegedly the mastermind whose motive was rooted in a land dispute, and Rommel...

PNP readies murder raps vs killers of Pampanga couple

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is preparing to file murder complaints against two former policemen and others involved in the abduction and killing of beauty pageant candidate Geneva Lopez and her Israeli boyfriend, Yitshak Cohen. PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco said they are currently coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation to solidify the case. “We...

CCTV appeal bid after Barclays branch targeted in protest

Officers want to find the three men and one woman who were all wearing black clothing.

£290million down the drain? Home Secretary blasts Rwanda scheme 'con'

The new Home Secretary said she planned to audit the programme to send Channel boat arrivals to east Africa, which was axed by Sir Keir Starmer in one of his first decisions after entering No10.

Hungary PM Orban in Beijing on ‘Peace mission 3.0’

BEIJING — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday, state media reported, in a visit the European leader has branded as a “Peace mission 3.0” after recent trips to Moscow and Kyiv. The unannounced visit comes a day before NATO is due to hold a summit to mark its 75th anniversary, with setbacks in Ukraine set to dominate discussions, and follows Orban’s surprise trips to Russia and Ukraine in the...

Men jailed for alleyway ambush robbery

The robbers closed off any escape before beating their victim and stealing his phone, a court hears.

Beauty queen and BF’s slay: 5 persons of interest under custody

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has said that five of seven persons of interest in the abduction and killing of beauty pageant candidate Geneva Lopez and her Israeli boyfriend Yitshak Cohen are under police custody. PNP Chief, Gen. Rommel Marbil, said in a Radyo 630 interview on Monday that “Lima na po yung nasa custody natin, tatlo arrested for different cases, dalawa po ay surrendered and gave their testimonies and...

Egyptian hockey star charged with murdering his wife to stand trial

Mohamed Samak, 42, who is charged with killing Joanne Samak, 49, was not required to attend a brief hearing at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday.

Kenya starvation cult leader goes on trial on terrorism charges

MOMBASA, Kenya — The leader of a Kenyan doomsday cult went on trial on Monday on charges of terrorism over the deaths of more than 400 of his followers in a macabre case that shocked the world. Self-proclaimed pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie appeared in court in the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa along with 94 co-defendants, an AFP journalist said. Journalists were removed from the courtroom shortly after the start of the hearing to enable a...

More people are leaving Metro Manila. Here’s why

MANILA, Philippines—When COVID-19 landed in the Philippines, nationwide lockdowns prompted many people in the National Capital Region (NCR) to return to their provinces or places of origin outside the capital. Years into the new normal, even with restrictions lifted, people continued to leave the NCR for other regions. For decades before the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipinos from impoverished rural regions migrated to densely populated cities,...

Man who abused children jailed for 30 years

Eric Mottershead, 60, is sentenced over what police describe as "horrific and degrading acts".

Rapist sentenced to four years after plea overturned

Rick Sparks, 43, was sentenced to four years in prison after raping his ex-partner at her home.

DOJ indicts 3 cops for extortion, illegal gambling

MANILA, Philippines — Charges of extortion and illegal gambling have been filed before a Caloocan City court against three police officers, one of whom allegedly accepted P30,000 in exchange for the release of an arrested drug suspect. The Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted S/Sgt. Andro Manangan as well as Senior Master Sergeants Jun-jun Silvertino and Jonathan Aggalao for illegal gambling. A separate complaint for robbery and extortion was...

Investigations to start into house explosion

A family of four is being provided with accommodation while investigations are carried out.

19 police officers in Davao City relieved from posts

DAVAO CITY — Police Major Catherine dela Rey, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO) in the Davao region, confirmed the relief of 19 heads of police stations in this city on Monday, July 8, but stayed mum about the reason for the move. “Nineteen commanders or officers-in-charge of the 19 police stations of the Davao City Police Office have been relieved effective July 8,” de la Rey told reporters in a statement. READ: Davao police...

Pensioner had no warning before deadly bike crash, court told

Polly Friedhoff, 81, died 12 days after being hit by a bike near Iffley Lock, in Oxford.

House pressed to probe Manila Bay reclamation projects

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives was asked to take action on a resolution calling for an investigation of Manila Bay reclamation projects after nine Chinese nationals were arrested for allegedly working illegally in vessels involved in dredging. ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo said the House should start the discussions on the issue, especially since he had filed a resolution urging for such a probe almost a year ago. “Ito...

Second suspected arson at flood-hit home in a week

The home's owner is away due to ongoing repairs, and no injuries have been reported, police say.

‘Horrifying’ Sydney fire: Dad arrested over children’s deaths

Australian authorities have accused a Sydney father of trying to stop rescuers from saving his own family in a “horrifying” home fire that killed two boys and a baby girl. Flames engulfed the home in western Sydney’s Lalor Park in the early hours of Sunday morning while the 28-year-old man, his female partner and seven children were inside, New South Wales state police said. Three children — two boys aged three and six, and a 10-month-old girl —...

BI: PH off-limits to sex offenders

FOREIGN sex offenders are strictly barred from entering the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Monday. Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco issued the warning after BI officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) stopped two foreign sex offenders from entering the country. He warned foreign sex offenders against traveling to the Philippines, as they will be turned away the moment they step on Philippine soil. "Our...

P10M offered for Quiboloy's arrest

(UPDATE) A P10 MILLION reward has been offered for the arrest of fugitive evangelist Apollo Quiboloy, who is wanted for child abuse and human trafficking, Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos said Monday. A P1 million bounty was also offered for the arrest of Quiboloy's co-accused, identified as Crisente, Paulene and Ingrid Canada, Sylvia Cemañes and Jackielyn Roy. Abalos said the rewards were raised by private individuals whom he declined...

Foster father killed himself as he struggled to keep up with rent

Lee McHale was facing eviction having failed to keep up with his rental payments when he took a fatal dose of paracetamol. He later died at Tameside General in Lancashire (pictured)

Child can return to Ukraine with mother, court rules

The child's father wanted to block them from returning to Ukraine saying it was safer in the UK.

2 in critical condition in fireworks disposal blast in Zamboanga City

Two persons are in critical condition after an explosion during a fireworks disposal in Zamboanga City on Monday afternoon. According to a report on "24 Oras," the blast damaged a house, a church, and other installations near the military firing range in Barangay Cabatangan. The explosion injured 22 persons. Zamboanga City Police Office said the fireworks disposal was scheduled on Sunday but it was moved. The fireworks came from the warehouse in...

First migrants to cross Channel since Labour's victory arrive in UK

Pictures showed groups of people wearing life jackets, and some wrapped in blankets, being escorted off a Border Force boat in Dover, Kent, with children among those seen being carried ashore.

British, 18, 'accuses UK holidaymaker of raping her in Ayia Napa'

The 18-year-old woman went to Cypriot police and told them that she woke up in the bed of the man, who is reported to be 19 years old.

Police investigate after shots fired

West Midlands Police were called to Walsall Road, Perry Bar, just after 01:00 BST on Monday.