World

Rift in Israel war cabinet as defence chief opposes ‘military rule’ in Gaza

Israeli Defense Minister Gallant challenges PM Netanyahu over failure to address issue of post-war plan for Gaza.

Co-convict in Vhong Navarro case surrenders to NBI

A person convicted for the illegal detention of TV host and actor Vhong Navarro in 2014 has surrendered to authorities. Ferdinand Guerrero surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday, according to GMA Integrated News' John Consulta. According to Consulta's video posted on Facebook, Guerrero was brought to the NBI's office in Quezon City accompanied by his lawyer. The video also showed NBI agents reading Guerrero the...

SC, Australia Federal Court sign MOU on judicial cooperation

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Federal Court of Australia (FCA) on judicial cooperation. According to the SC, both courts shall undertake programs to promote a "deeper understanding of each other's legal and judicial cultures, common international legal standards, regional development and relevant emerging issues." Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and Chief Justice Debra...

A Ukrainian naval drone has done hundreds of millions in damage to Russia

New ‘reclamation’ just rumors, says China; PCG sneers at denial

MANILA, Philippines — China has dismissed as “sheer rumor” the recent statements of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) that Beijing may again be building artificial islands in the country’s exclusive economic zone. The PCG over the weekend reported the discovery of piles of dead and crushed corals dumped on the sandbars around Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, taking them as fresh signs of land reclamation in the West Philippine Sea. The PCG has deployed a...

Double standards

With rising tensions over the West Philippine Sea, people have been wary about infiltration by foreign nationals. We have seen the Senate hearings with Bamban Mayor Alice Guo who apparently secured an elected government post without much of a background to speak of. We have heard public concerns over the supposed influx of Chinese students in a university in Cagayan. News reports have shown arrests of Chinese nationals found with weapons in...

Court averts water cut in Cagayan de Oro

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — A local court has temporarily eased the worries of some 40,000 households here whose taps could run dry due to an unresolved dispute between the water district and its bulk supplier. On Tuesday night, Mayor Rolando Uy announced that Regional Trial Court Branch 17 Judge Ana Candida Casiño issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Cagayan de Oro Bulkwater Inc. (Cobi) and Rio Verde Water Consortium Inc....

Abalos warns LGUs anew vs project fund ‘fixers’

MANILA, Philippines — Local government and barangay officials nationwide should beware of dealing with people who claim they can help facilitate the release of funding for their projects. “These incidents of poseurs claiming to be government agents pose serious threats to the integrity of government processes, and undermine the trust and confidence of the public in the administration of government funds,” Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said in...

Russia wanted to capture a key settlement by May 9th but it failed

Russia's Putin arrives in China for state visit in a show of unity between the authoritarian allies

China’s leader Xi Jinping welcomed Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Thursday as he began a two-day state visit, in a show of unity between the authoritarian allies as Moscow presses forward with a new offensive in Ukraine. READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/16/russia-s-putin-arrives-in-china-for-state-visit-in-a-show-of-unity-between-the-authoritarian-allies

No mandatory graduation fees in all public schools in Marikina City

MANILA, Philippines — Graduating students of elementary and high school levels in public schools in Marikina City will have less to worry about their graduation expenses as their local government announced that they will not have to pay anything for their graduation. According to a Facebook post of the Marikina City Public Information Office on Wednesday, all graduation expenses will be handled by the local government. READ: Marikina lawmaker...

Marcos: I won’t allow destabilization, division in our nation

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday stressed that he would fend off any destabilization plot against his administration. “We will also not allow agents within the country to destabilize our government and create division within our nation,” Marcos said during his Talk to Troops at Camp Edilberto Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City. “So, I urge all of you to continue to [demonstrate] your loyalty, patriotism, and service to your...

Mother of stab victim meets boy saved by bleed kit

Daniel Baird was stabbed in Digbeth in 2017, prompting his mum to campaign for bleed kits in the UK.

Indonesia's death toll rises to 67 from Sumatra floods, 20 still missing

By Aidil Ichlas TANAH DATAR, Indonesia (Reuters) -In tears, Yose Rizal, 43, placed flowers on the graves of his sister and niece, who died during the intense flooding in Indonesia's West Sumatra province. Three of Yose's relatives are still missing. Yose's family was were having a meeting when the flash floods struck on Saturday evening, he said. "The water came very sudden, it is difficult to

Philippine civilian boat convoy won't proceed to China-held reef

A Philippine boat convoy bearing supplies for Filipino fishers said they were headed back to port Thursday, ditching plans to sail to a Beijing-held reef off the Southeast Asian country after one of their boats was "constantly shadowed" by a Chinese vessel. The advance team boat, which returned to a Philippine port on Thursday morning, was "able to distribute aid despite being constantly shadowed by a Chinese Navy vessel", Hizon told AFP. A...

Murder investigation launched after woman's death

Three people are arrested after a woman in her 30s is found dead in east Belfast.

Why did a Russian ambassador issue a veiled nuclear threat against a NATO nation?

Aussies turn on tenant who blasted Anthony Albanese over eviction

Jim Flanagan, 45, has lived in one of Mr Albanese's investment properties in the inner-west Sydney suburb of Dulwich Hill for four years.

Philippine group calls civilian mission in South China Sea a ‘major victory’

MANILA — A Philippine group leading a civilian supply mission in the South China Sea delivered food and fuel to Filipino fishermen despite being shadowed by Chinese vessels, its officials said on Thursday, calling it a “major victory”. Atin Ito (This is Ours) said a 10-member team sailed to the Scarborough Shoal a day before the […]

2 China Coast Guard ships try to block ‘Atin Ito’ convoy

WEST PHILIPPINE SEA, Philippines — Two China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels on Wednesday shadowed and tried to block the Filipino civilian-led convoy sailing toward Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), a resource-rich area in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that was seized by China in 2012. At 6:15 p.m., a CCG ship, with body No. 4108, maneuvered to blocked FB Bing Bing, one of the four commercial fishing...

Marcos admin targeting to create Northern Mindanao as leading agri hub

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Thursday bared that his administration is targeting to create Northern Mindanao as the leading agricultural hub in the country. Marcos made the remark during the distribution of presidential assistance to farmers, fisherfolks, and families in Iligan City. ''Sa pangunguna ng NEDA, inilatag na ang mga estratehiya at proyekto na gagawin sa inyong rehiyon sa ilalim ng Northern Mindanao Regional...

‘Salamat sa katapangan’: Civilian-led coalition heading to Panatag Shoal for resupply mission lauded

“Salamat sa katapangan.” Online Filipinos saluted the civilian convoy who sailed near Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal) to deliver supplies to fishermen who ventured into the area despite the presence of Chinese militia vessels. The convoy is organized by the Atin Ito Coalition, which is composed of volunteers and some members of the following organizations: New […]

Marcos tasks LWUA to study possible management of CDO Water District

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Thursday directed the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) to study the possible management of the Cagayan de Oro (CDO) Water District to address water supply issues. In his speech during the distribution of assistance in CDO, Marcos said he already talked to business tycoon Manny Pangilinan, owner of Cagayan de Oro Bulk Water Incorporated (COBI), about the matter. ''Pumayag po si Mr....

Slovakia’s populist prime minister shot in assassination attempt

BANSKA BYSTRICA, Slovakia — Slovakia’s populist prime minister, Robert Fico, was shot multiple times and gravely wounded Wednesday while greeting supporters at an event in an attempted assassination that shocked the small country and reverberated across Europe weeks before an election. Doctors were still fighting for his life several hours after the pro-Russian leader, 59, was hit in the abdomen, Defense Minister Robert Kalina told reporters at...

Marcos hopes for closer ties with 6 countries

MANILA, Philippines — The government is looking forward to forging deeper diplomatic relations with different countries in Asia, Europe and Central America as President Marcos received their envoys in Malacañang on Tuesday. The nonresident ambassadors from Belarus, Ghana, Turkmenistan, Malta, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua presented their credentials to Marcos who said that “distance should not get in the way of our continuing relations.”...

CHR visited NBP for probe vs. strip search — BuCor

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has visited the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) for their probe on the strip search that was conducted on families of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and political prisoners, the agency said Thursday. In a statement, the BuCor said the investigators arrived at the NBP on Monday. “The BuCor gave the investigators a briefing and simulation of the strip cavity search to give them an idea on how visitations are...

As countries tighten anti-gay laws, more and more LGBTQ+ migrants seek safety and asylum in Europe

RIETI, Italy (AP) — Ella Anthony knew it was time to leave her native Nigeria when she escaped an abusive, forced marriage only to face angry relatives who threatened to turn her in to police because she was gay. Since Nigeria criminalizes same-sex relationships, Anthony fled a possible prison term and headed with her partner to Libya in 2014 and then Italy, where they both won asylum. Their claim? That they had a well-founded fear of...

Iloilo under state of calamity due to El Niño

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The provincial board of Iloilo on Tuesday placed the province under a state of calamity due to damage wrought by the El Niño phenomenon on agriculture, which topped P1 billion. The declaration, which was recommended by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), enables the provincial government, through the PDRRM Office (PDRRMO), to utilize P75.78 million in allocated funds for its El Niño...

Over 40 Chinese ships move to block PH civilian mission in Scarborough

Forty-three Chinese vessels, including a warship, moved to Scarborough Shoal to block the Filipino civilian mission, which held fishing activities in the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on Thursday. “China has finally moved the rest of its blockade into position,” former US Air Force official and ex-Defense Attaché Ray Powell said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday evening. According to him, there were one People's...

Solon: Marawi board needs P5 billion annually to cover all claims

The Marawi Compensation Board, which is mandated to provide financial remuneration to the victims of Marawi Siege, needs P5 billion annually for five years to cover the victims’ claims, House Assistant Majority Leader Zia Adiong said on Thursday. Adiong, in a press conference, said that the MCB’s 2024 budget of P2 billion is not enough given that 24 barangays of Marawi were ravaged when the terrorist group Maute in May 2017 occupied the Islamic...

Jailed Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan appears in top court by video link

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan appeared in the Supreme Court on Thursday by video from prison, in connection with a case he has filed against amendments to Pakistan's anti-graft laws. His video appearance was expected to be streamed live on the court's website and YouTube, making it the first publicly seen visuals of the jailed leader since his arrest in August

Improving education in PH is Marcos' top priority

Improving the quality of education in the country is a top priority, President Marcos said, stressing that it is the "most important service" the government must provide. READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/15/improving-education-in-ph-is-marcos-top-priority 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

China challenges aircraft of senators bound for Pag-asa Island

KALAYAAN, PALAWAN—China issued a radio challenge Thursday to a private aircraft carrying Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, and Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito before landing at Pag-asa Island. The three lawmakers visited the largest island in the Kalayaan Island Group for the groundbreaking of a new barracks inside the Emilio Liwanag Naval Station and a Super Rural Health Unit in this municipality. The same...

US says warship Mason intercepted Houthi missile, vessel Destiny untouched

DUBAI (Reuters) -The U.S. navy's destroyer the USS Mason intercepted an inbound Houthi anti-ship missile over the Red Sea on Monday, U.S. Central Command said in a statement, after Yemen's Houthis said on Wednesday that they had targeted the warship. The U.S. forces also destroyed two drones, Central Command said. On Wednesday the Houthis said they had also targeted a vessel called "Destiny" in

US soldier held in Russia pleads guilty, RIA agency reports

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Gordon Black, a U.S. soldier being held in the Russian city of Vladivostok, has pleaded guilty to theft charges and is cooperating with investigators, Russia's RIA state news agencies reported on Thursday. "He is cooperating (with the investigation), he admitted (guilt)," RIA cited a representative of the local interior ministry as saying. Black could not be reached for

Man arrested after disorder at Bristol pub

Police said several people suffered injuries after the disorder at The Rising Sun in Bristol.

Comelec gets stricter: No more ‘placeholder’ ploys

MANILA, Philippines — For the 2025 midterm elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has banned the substitution of poll aspirants who withdraw from the race at the last minute to open a spot for reserve candidates. In an interview with reporters, Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia said the poll body approved during Wednesday’s en banc session a resolution disallowing substitutions beyond the designated period for filing certificates of...

'Police might have saved my sister from husband'

Three police officers are under investigation for possible misconduct in connection the case.

House also wants to probe Bamban mayor

MANILA, Philippines — House lawmakers are eyeing a parallel probe of Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, who is being investigated by the Senate over allegations she may be a Chinese asset who has infiltrated the government by winning the local post in 2022. During a regular press briefing, House Assistant Majority Leaders AKO Bicol Rep. Jil Bongalon and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega said it was “possible” to have a parallel investigation in the lower...

Ongoing police incident closes part of town

Parts of the centre of Ipswich are cordoned off as police deal with an on-going incident.

Pagcor told to tighten up on POGOs

MANILA, Philippines — The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Wednesday told the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to step up its regulatory powers and monitoring of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). PAOCC Spokesperson Winston Casio said this after the agency shut down an illegal hospital in Pasay City, allegedly catering to POGO workers. “Really the bottom-line is the Philippine Amusement Gaming...

Worshippers locked in Nigeria mosque and set on fire

A suspected arsonist sprays a mosque with petrol and sets it on fire over a family dispute, police say.

Three soldiers hit by car in Haifa, motive unclear - report

A car hit three soldiers who were standing on the sidewalk by the road on Moshe Dayan Street in Haifa, Israeli media reported on Thursday. According to the report, the reason and details of the incident are still unknown. However, the police have begun investigating all possibilities. The three soldiers were injured, and the car driver fled the sce...

PH has no plan to militarize West Philippine Sea – PCG spokesman

The national government will not militarize the West Philippine Sea (WPS) even as a civilian group launched a mission to establish their presence in the disputed waters of Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal) on Wednesday, May 15. READ: https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/15/ph-has-no-plan-to-militarize-west-philippine-sea-pcg-spokesman Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin Visit our website at http://mb.com.phFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletinInstagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletinTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin #ManilaBulletinOnline#ManilaBulletin#LatestNews

Putin ally says Ukraine risks dragging the West into a major war with Russia

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament warned that Ukraine was dragging the United States and Europe into a major global war and on Thursday urged Western leaders to act responsibly to avoid a catastrophe. President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine has touched off the worst breakdown in relations between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Russia

Paga-sa residents 'safe' from Chinese invasion, says Defense chief

PAG-ASA island, Palawan -- Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro believes that the residents here, numbering less than 200, are safe from Chinese invasion since "no right thinking nation will attack civilians." Teodoro was asked whether the civilian residents were safe amid the constant presence of Chinese Coast Guard vessels and Chinese maritime militia ships loitering near the island. Pag-asa is the biggest among the Philippine territories within...

Four dead in New Caledonia riots, France declares state of emergency

By Kirsty Needham, Juliette Jabkhiro and Augustin Turpin SYDNEY/PARIS (Reuters) -France declared a state of emergency on the Pacific island of New Caledonia on Wednesday after three young indigenous Kanak and a police official were killed in riots over electoral reform. The state of emergency, which entered into force at 5 a.m. local time (1800 GMT), gives authorities additional powers to ban

European Court upholds Belgium's school head scarf ban

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Thursday upheld a head scarf ban at secondary schools in Flanders, Belgium's northern region. Students at Flemish secondary schools are allowed to wear head scarves during religion classes but have to remove them during other classes. The ban had been challenged by three young Muslim women but the court stated the Flemish

MMDA deputizes 10 Metro LGUs’ enforcers to issue tickets

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday said it has already deputized traffic enforcers under 10 local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region (NCR) to issue violation tickets under the single-ticketing system (STS). The enforcers were from Malabon, Mandaluyong, Valenzuela, San Juan, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig and Quezon cities, as well as the municipality of Pateros, the MMDA...

Senate starts review of Baguio charter

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Senate on Tuesday began correcting flaws in the modern Baguio City Charter (Republic Act No. 11689), which had upset sectors here for technically downgrading the city’s status as an independent, highly urbanized local government and for granting another agency power in the titling of city properties. The upper chamber is reviewing House Bill No. 7406 that was recently passed by the Lower House to amend erroneous...