A few Ukrainian brigades just got some help from an interesting source

Is humanity ready? Unmasking the horrors of chemical warfare

The use of gas in warfare can be traced back to Antiquity. Though crude in their make up, these ancient chemical weapons proved very effective and provided new and deadly ways in which to dispatch an enemy. The widescale development of chemical weaponry began in earnest during the early years of the 20th century. In 1915, the first full-scale use of gas in war took place on the battlefields at Ypres in Belgium. By the Armistice, all sides involved in the First World War had used chemical weapons. The Chemical Weapons Convention of 1997 prohibits the large-scale use, development, production, stockpiling, and transfer of chemical weapons. And yet as recently as 2013 in Syria, chemical weapons have been deployed to devastating effect. Click through and follow this timeline of the development and use of chemical weapons.

LOOK: Marcos leads a command conference with AFP officials

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday met with officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a mid-year command conference at the AFP Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Marcos, who serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the AFP, reviewed the progress of the military campaigns and programs. He also provided further directives for the rest of the year. According to the AFP, in a statement, ground...

Burned body of Baguio City student found in La Union

Authorities recovered the burned body of a Baguio City student in a vacant lot in Bacnotan, La Union. According to the Thursday report on 24 Oras of GMA Regional TV One North Central Luzon's Jasmin Gabriel Galban, the 21-year old student from Pozorrubio, Pangasinan told his parents he would return to Baguio City on July 1, Sunday. His scorched remains, however, were found in Barangay Quirino on July 2 after a truck driver reported it to...

Man arrested after allegedly pushing woman onto train tracks

A man has been charged with a string of offences hours after he allegedly pushed an elderly woman onto the tracks at one of Melbourne's busiest train stations, which caused major delays.

Sydney Prowler is caught on CCTV AGAIN after terrifying spree

Chilling warning issued to women as the Sydney Prowler is caught on CCTV AGAIN after terrifying spree.

Moment predator teacher Rebecca Joynes arrested after sex with pupil

CCTV was also shown of Rebecca Joynes purchasing a pupil a £350 Gucci belt before going back to her flat in Salford Quays, where they had sex twice.

Driver posed as police officer with fake siren and lights, court hears

A DRIVER caught pretending to be a police officer after attaching a fake siren and flashing blue lights to his car has been fined £380.

Binay, Cayetano trade barbs at Senate hearing

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Nancy Binay walked out of the Senate inquiry on the construction of the new Senate building in Taguig City after trading barbs with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday. Cayetano, Senate committee on accounts chair, launched an inquiry after Senate President Francis Escudero decided to suspend the project, citing the surge in the building’s price tag from P8.9 billion to P23.3 billion. Binay, who as former chair of...

Undercover police swoop and arrest British Tinder rape suspect hanging upside down

Scottish Tinder rape suspect James Clacher, 55, was hanging upside down on ropes when he was jumped on by two plain-clothes officers posing as tourists on a Costa del Sol beach.

Ukraine might have just destroyed a very expensive air defense system

Philippines president orders de-escalation in South China Sea, military chief says

By Mikhail Flores and Karen Lema MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has ordered his armed forces to defuse tensions in the South China Sea, his military chief said on Thursday, after a flare-up with China over missions to resupply Filipino troops on a contested shoal. Marcos' instructions came after Manila and Beijing agreed on the need to restore trust and confidence to

Arrests after reports of human trafficking

The arrests come after warrants were conducted at a number of addresses in Dorset, police say.

Malaysia rescues hundreds of tortoises from ‘Ninja Turtle Gang’

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian authorities have rescued hundreds of smuggled tortoises meant for sale in Southeast Asia, disrupting an international crime ring called the “Ninja Turtle Gang”, a wildlife official said Thursday. Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim, wildlife and national parks department director-general, said 400 tortoises worth 3.8 million ringgit ($805,084) bound for the lucrative exotic pet trade were seized during an operation by the police and...

Ukrainian forces pull back from part of strategic eastern town

By Anastasiia Malenko KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's military said on Thursday its troops had pulled back from part of Chasiv Yar in the eastern Donetsk region, a day after Russia said its forces had taken control of a district in the strategic town. Chasiv Yar stands on high ground. If Russian forces establish full control over the town, they could potentially use it as a staging post to advance

No peace for Ukraine: Zelensky faces a new internal threat

Angara says pay hike for public school teachers possible

MANILA, Philippines — Incoming Department of Education (DepEd) chief Sonny Angara expressed confidence that the salaries of public school teachers will increase in the next few years. But he also admitted that the process will not be easy, noting that not only about a million public school educators are asking for a pay raise but also millions of other employees in government. “I’m confident in the next few years, hindi ko lang alam kung this...

Jay Slater could be alive 'drinking rainwater', says PI

Army reservist and private investigator Juan García, 53, claimed missing teenager Jay Slater could be alive and keeping hydrated and fed by 'drinking rainwater and eating plants'.

Sale of conjugal property without spousal consent

Dear PAO, My grandparents were legally married in 1975, but they were separated-in-fact. Their children, which include my mom, are running after a land which was sold alone by my grandfather to Jose. They are claiming that such sale is invalid because my grandmother did not give her consent to the sale. My Uncle Bo told his siblings that such sale is only voidable and not void. They want to recover the land. Terry Dear Terry, Your Uncle Bo might...

Man nabbed over 'joke' as woman cries harassment in Cebu

A habal-habal rider was arrested for allegedly harassing a shopkeeper in Cebu City, according to a Balitanghali report by Alan Domingo on Thursday. The rider admitted that he asked the shopkeeper if he could buy her instead of the food she was selling, the report said. He defended his actions, saying that he was only trying to make a joke. Although the victim did not comment on the matter, the report added that she was determined to file charges...

Police statement after man found guilty of rape and murder plot

DCI Greg Wood of Essex Police gave a statement after security guard Gavin Plumb, 37, was been found guilty of plotting to kidnap, rape and murder TV presenter Holly Willoughby. He describe Gavin Plumb as a 'dangerous and predatory' individual.

Southeast Asia armed group Jemaah Islamiyah to disband: Report

Al-Qaeda-linked group orchestrated some of the deadliest attacks in Indonesia, including the 2002 Bali bombings.

Canada names first woman to lead military

OTTAWA — Canada’s prime minister announced Wednesday the appointment of Lieutenant-General Jennie Carignan as the first woman to lead the G7 and NATO member nation’s military. A highly decorated soldier and mother of four children, two of whom serve in the Canadian Armed Forces, Carignan will be promoted to the rank of general and take over from retiring General Wayne Eyre as chief of the Defense Staff at a ceremony on July 18. “I am confident...

Comelec receives highest COA rating

MANILA, Philippines — For the first time, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) received an “unmodified opinion” from the Commission on Audit (COA). Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia announced it on Wednesday. “I am very happy to announce that, for the first time in its 84-year history, the Commission on Elections received an unmodified opinion in the Annual Audit Report of the Commission on Audit,” he said. According to the COA, an...

Aussie dad learns his fate after he was caught with meth in Bali

Troy Andrew Smith, 49, appeared in Denpasar District Court on Thursday, where a panel of judges sentenced him.

Ukraine’s army retreats from positions as Russia gets closer to seizing strategically important town

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s army has retreated from a neighborhood in the outskirts of Chasiv Yar, a strategically important town in the eastern Donetsk region that has been reduced to rubble under a monthslong Russian assault, a military spokesperson said Thursday. Chasiv Yar is a short distance west of Bakhmut, which was captured by Russia last year after a bitter 10-month battle. For months, Russian forces have focused on capturing Chasiv...

NEA activates command center

THE National Electrification Administration (NEA) officially activated its National Command Center on Thursday, which will aid in the management of electric cooperatives and its projects all over the Philippines. NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda said the initiative would help the agency monitor the conditions of electric cooperatives and their projects as well as provide warnings on possible power interruptions so they can respond...

Taiwan says China coast guard harasses fishing boat

TAIWAN — Taiwan accused China on Thursday of harassing one of its fishing boats in waters near the Penghu islands, a day after Beijing seized a Taiwanese vessel over alleged “illegal fishing”. The Taiwanese coast guard said it dispatched three patrol ships late Wednesday after receiving a call from a fishing boat that was “interfered with and approached by” an unspecified number of Chinese coast guard vessels. The incident occurred 60 nautical...

Police launch urgent hunt for missing girl, 13, not seen since Monday

Layla, who has connections in the south of England, including Essex, was reported missing from Stowmarket at the beginning of this week.

Ex-teacher jailed for six-and-a-half years for sex with schoolboys

Rebecca Joynes, 30, groomed the youngsters from the age of 15, and was on bail for sexual activity with the first child, Boy A, when she began having sex with the second, Boy B, who she went on to become pregnant by. Neither boy can be identified. Parents of both boys watched as Joynes, wearing a gold necklace, black padded jacket and with blonde highlights in her hair, visibly shook and broke down in tears as she was jailed at Manchester Crown Court.

Mystery of man who vanished nearly 22 years ago takes dramatic twist

Cold case murder detectives have made an arrest in the unsolved mystery surrounding the disappearance of a Scottish in Northumbria man more than two decades ago.

Cebu City Council: 2 councilors reject posts; majority seats filled

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Two minority councilors declined their newly nominated committee posts, while majority members filled their respective seats during the reorganizational session of the Cebu City Council. City Councilors Mary Ann Delos Santos and Jose Lorenzo Abellanosa rejected their committee nominations on July 3. The session saw members to various committees, with some positions remaining unchanged and new chairpersons appointed...

Trudeau says he will stay on as Prime Minister after major election loss

Iranian-born Norwegian man gets 30 years for Oslo Pride shootings

Zaniar Matapour convicted on ‘terrorism’ and murder charges after attack that killed two people and wounded nine.

World champion high jumper Jacques Freitag found dead in suspected murder

Russia jails US citizen Robert Woodland for 12-1/2 years in drug trafficking case

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian court on Thursday sentenced U.S. citizen Robert Romanov Woodland to 12-1/2 years in a maximum security penal colony after finding him guilty of attempting to sell drugs, Woodland's lawyer and Moscow prosecutors said. Stanislav Kshevitsky, his lawyer, told Reuters that Woodland, who was detained in Russia in early January, had partially admitted his guilt. Video

NSC: No ‘imminent attack from China despite Sen. Marcos’ warning

MANILA, Philippines — The National Security Council (NSC) assures on Wednesday that the Philippines does not face an “imminent attack” from China. The NSC made the assurance after Senator Imee Marcos’ warning that 25 areas in the country could be possible targets of a Chinese hypersonic missile attack. Marcos warned on Monday that Beijing might use its hypersonic missiles in areas including the Ilocos region, Subic, and Batanes due to Manila’s...

Find out who Vladimir Putin really is

As the world reacts in horror and disbelief to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the man who ordered the military attack, President Vladimir Putin, is being widely condemned for what's been described as a dangerous and unprovoked act of aggression. But who is this man from Leningrad who grew up to become one of the most powerful men in recent history? Click through and find out more about Vladimir Putin's life and career.

Woman found dead in Cavite hotel room

MANILA, Philippines — A woman was found dead inside a hotel room in Bacoor, Cavite on Wednesday morning, according to police. In a report on Thursday, the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batngas, Rizal, Quezon) police said a roomboy found the bloody remains of the woman, around 40 to 50 years old, at around 7 a.m. She reportedly checked into a hotel in Barangay Zapote 1 at around 1:45 a.m. with a male suspect, identified as a certain “Rommel.” The...

Chinese blockade formation seen near Ayungin

(UPDATE) THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported on Thursday the sighting of several Chinese ships off Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal), while China Coast Guard 5901 — the world's largest coast guard ship — was seen off Escoda Shoal (Sabina Shoal). The sightings occurred after the Philippines and China agreed to deescalate tensions in the West Philippine Sea through a bilateral consultation mechanism meeting in Manila. The military...

Russia poses as peacemaker, stepping up attacks on Ukraine’s east

Meanwhile, Ukraine rebuffs Hungary’s ceasefire plan as an independent media outlet analyses Russian war-related deaths.

Putin offers Kim Jong-un a poisoned gift

Two weeks ago, the Russian president visited North Korea. And he did not visit Kim Jong-un empty-handed. Vladimir Putin handed his North Korean counterpart a luxurious limousine: according to Reuters news agency, it was an Aurus Senat by Sollers, a "Russian Rolls Royce." The price of an entry-level Sollers model is around 500,000 euros. Imagine the two state leaders at the wheel of an imposing limousine, both with twinkling eyes. It was a...

BI nabs Chinese, American fugitives in Metro Manila

The Bureau of Immigration on Thursday said it arrested two fugitive foreigners in separate operations in southern Metro Manila. According to a statement by the BI on Thursday, 32-year old Deng Hongfu, who is wanted for economic crimes in China, was arrested in Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City. Hongfu has a warrant from Chibi City in China after he allegedly ran an illegal business by selling stocks without proper permits since 2018. He has been...

What became of the advanced tanks Russia sent to Ukraine?

Human Remains Found amid Search for 12-Year-Old Girl Missing After Suspected Crocodile Attack

"This is devastating news for the family," authorities in Australia said on Thursday, July 4

17 ex-GOCC, NGO officials found guilty of PDAF misuse

The Sandiganbayan has convicted 17 ex-officials of defunct government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) as well as private individuals of graft and malversation over the illegal use of around P47 million worth of pork barrel of former lawmaker Marina Clarete of Misamis Occidental from 2007 to 2009. The former officials were from the National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR), the National Livelihood Development Corporation (NLDC), and...

Man charged with murder following crash

Neil Sullingston, 52, has been charged following a crash on the A244 Claremont Lane in Esher.

Biker in hospital with serious injuries after crash

Police are asking for witnesses or drivers with dashcam footage to get in contact.

Marcos wants fast e-Visa for Indians to boost tourism

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the efficient issuance of electronic visa for Indians to boost Philippine tourism, Malacañang said on Thursday. "We don't have any such issues [with India]. So, I'm sure we can use their system," the President said during a meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council-Tourism Sector Group (PSAC-TSG) in Malacañang on Wednesday. Under current rules, Indian nationals were required to report personally to...

Angeles Mayor offers P100,000 for info on missing couple

ANGELES CITY, PAMPANGA, Philippines — Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. on Tuesday offered a P100,000 reward for any information that would help authorities find beauty pageant candidate Geneva Lopez and her boyfriend, who have been missing for almost two weeks. Lopez, a former Mutya ng Pilipinas 2024 candidate who represented Sto. Tomas, Pampanga, has been missing since June 21 with Israeli boyfriend Yitshak Cohen. They were reportedly on their way to...