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Gentleman’s agreement: Castro wants to get info straight from Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte should be invited to the congressional probe on the gentleman’s agreement supposedly brokered to maintain status quo over Ayungin Shoal, as current government officials are not aware of the said deal. ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said this on Monday, during the hearing of the House of Representatives’ committee on national defense and security and the committee on the West...

Cyclist stabbed in city centre machete attack

Merseyside Police says the suspects have fled the scene after the "violent and terrifying attack".

Man killed by neighbor over mangoes in Binangonan

A 56-year-old man was killed in Binangonan, Rizal after his neighbor repeatedly stabbed him in the neck over his mangoes. In Mariz Umali’s exclusive report, suspect Roberto Scott was caught in a video stabbing his neighbor Mauro Lopez multiple times on the morning of May 18. Lopez even tried to get up but failed because of Scott was on top of him. Despite the call for help from bystanders, no one was able to stop the incident, leaving the victim...

Russia fails in rival UN bid on nuclear, other weapons in space

By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -A Russian-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution that called on all countries to prevent "for all time" the placement, threat or use of any weapons in outer space failed on Monday with the 15-member body split over the move. The draft failed to get the minimum nine votes needed: seven members voted in favor and seven against, while one

Northern Samar town mayor asks PCG’s help on half-submerged ship at port

TACLOBAN CITY — The mayor of Northern Samar’s Allen town has sought the assistance of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) regarding a half-submerged ship at the municipal port. Mayor Joey Suan was referring to MV Reina Hosanna of the Montenegro Shipping Lines, Inc. which ran aground in Capul town, also in Northern Samar, on February 11 this year due to engine failure. The ship is partially submerged at the Balwharteco Port. READ: Commune with...

How Iranians reacted to president's helicopter crash

Shock and disbelief spread through social media as news about President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter broke.

Man charged with multiple sexual assaults

A 25-year-old is accused of offences in relation to a series of incidents in Stoke-on-Trent on Friday.

Taiwan’s New President Calls Out Beijing’s Intimidation

Pope appoints Cardinal Tagle as envoy to National Eucharistic Congress

MANILA, Philippines — Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle as his special envoy for the National Eucharistic Congress in the United States, the Vatican announced over the weekend. “The Holy Father has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, as his special envoy to the National Eucharistic Congress in the United States of America, to be celebrated in Indianapolis...

Concerns over trial of Greek shipwreck accused

More than 600 people died in the worst migrant shipwreck in a decade

Villanueva confirms Senate leadership change

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva confirmed a change of Leadership in the Senate. “Agenda for today, change of leadership,” Villanueva said in a screenshot of his Viber message to fellow senators which he shared with the Senate media on Monday, May 20. “Thank you guys for your trust and confidence. God bless our beloved Senate,” he added. READ: Marcos satisfied with Senate drive on priority bills – Villanueva In the...

Zubiri paints dim picture of Senate’s Cha-cha drive

MANILA, Philippines — “Wala na, good bye Cha-cha!” Former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri had this to say when he was asked on Monday to comment on the fate of the Senate’ Charter change (Cha-cha) bid now that there had been a change of leadership. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Zubiri said Cha-cha talks in the Senate initially scheduled within the week will no longer push through. “Wala na, good bye Cha-cha. Nag resign na si...

Man suffers serious injuries during assault

Officers were called to a property in Barnett Close in the early hours of Sunday, police say.

Pub that destroyed crime scene allowed to stay open

Police have worked closely with the licensee to make improvements, which include better CCTV.

Julian Assange's brother urges US President to bring end to charges

Julian Assange's brother urges US President to bring end to charges. Representatives and supporters of Julian Assange give a press conference after he won a bid to bring an appeal against his extradition at the High Court.

Man guilty of churchyard rape

The attack happened in the churchyard of St Clement's Church off Marston Road, Oxford.

Villanueva, Binay, Angara, Ejercito follow Zubiri’s resignation

MANILA, Philippines — A seismic shakeup in the Senate leadership pushed Senators Joel Villanueva, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara and JV Ejercito out of their posts. The following senators have officially resigned from their seats during the chamber’s Monday plenary session: Joel Villanueva (former Senate Majority Leader) JV Ejercito (former Deputy Majority Leader) Villanueva and Ejercito’s moves came after Juan Miguel Zubiri resigned from his post as...

Woman imported bedbug poison which killed girl, 11

Jesmin Akter, 33, previously pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter after a girl aged 11 died.

Zubiri hopes Speaker Escudero to uphold chamber‘s ideals

MANILA, Philippines — Former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said he’s hoping that newly-installed Senate chief Francis “Chiz” Escudero will uphold the ideals of the chamber. Speaking in a press conference on Monday, Zubiri said he is happy to have followed the chamber’s rules also observed by former senators. “I am happy to oblige. All the other members of the Senate that have passed before us, the likes of Joker Arroyo, Miriam Defensor...

Will SNP meltdown hand Keir Starmer the keys to No10?

Labour now has a 10-point over the SNP when it comes to Westminster voting intention, according to YouGov, a leads that would see it win 40 Scottish seats at the next general election.

Repealing law would strengthen UK as 'freedom of speech champion'

A group of UK-based and international organisations are calling for the next Government to 'give a firm and unequivocal commitment to Press freedom'.

Rishi Sunak apologises on behalf of Britain to infected blood victims

The Prime Minister said it was a 'day of shame to the British state' and promised to pay compensation to the victims after the publication of the findings of the Infected Blood Inquiry today.

Woman dies after attack by XL Bully dog

The woman was found dead at a house in Romford in east London on Monday afternoon, police say.

Jinggoy Estrada is Senate’s top 2 official; others get new posts

MANILA, Philippines — A new set of officials was elected in the Senate following the resignation of Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and his allies on Monday. Senator Jinggoy Estrada is the new Senate President Pro Tempore while Senator Francis Tolentino is elected Senate Majority Leader and concurrent chairman of the upper chamber’s committee on rules. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, on the other hand, will now head the Senate committee on...

Ukrainians strike on Black Sea: Russian deminer bombed and sunk

Ukraine sunk another Russian ship in Crimea. The Ukrainian military announced Sunday that it had sunk a Russian minesweeper in the Crimean port of Sevastopol. Ukraine identified the sunken ship as the "Kovrovets," a member of the Black Sea Fleet, "disabled as a result of the powerful nighttime bombing of the temporarily occupied peninsula." The ship's function was "to search for, detect and destroy sea mines and to guide ships through mine...

I am not a spy – Mayor Alice Guo

MANILA, Philippines — Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo on Monday categorically denied allegations that she is a spy but revealed that she is a household helper’s “love child”. In a lengthy statement in Filipino, Guo also pledged her allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines. Guo reiterated that she has nothing to do with the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) establishment in her town, but she touted its benefits to the town. “Wala po...

Taiwan inauguration barely makes ripples across strait in China

Taiwan swore in its new president Lai Ching-te on Monday in an elaborate, closely watched event complete with a thousand dancers and military air displays. Lai Ching-te?

Gazans, Hamas see false equivalence in ICC charges

By Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO (Reuters) - Gaza Strip residents criticised on Monday the International Criminal Court prosecutor's decision to seek the arrest of Hamas leaders, saying it falsely equated them with the Israeli leaders waging war in the Palestinian enclave since October. Prosecutor Karim Kahn has applied for arrest warrants for Hamas' leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar, the commander of the

Marcos hits predecessors over ‘Yolanda’ recovery: Nothing was done

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. on Monday said that “nothing was done” by the two previous administrations regarding post-Yolanda recovery programs. Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan), one of most powerful cyclones recorded in world history, devastated Eastern Visayas and other parts of Visayas and Luzon in 2013. More than a decade later, Marcos said believed little had been done by the...

Ukrainian military says it's 'holding back' Russian forces near Bilohorivka

Ukraine said on Monday its troops were holding back Russian forces near Bilohorivka in the east, a village Moscow has claimed to be under its control. "The defense forces for quite a long time today have been holding back the onslaught of the enemy, which is trying to somehow move forward in the area of Bilohorivka," Kyiv's general staff said on Fa...

Family of Black teen wrongly executed in 1931 seeks damages after 2022 exoneration

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The family of the youngest person ever executed in the state of Pennsylvania — a Black 16-year-old sent to the electric chair in 1931 and exonerated by the governor in 2022 — is suing the county that prosecuted him. Alexander McClay Williams was convicted of murder in the October 1930 icepick stabbing of a white woman in her cottage on the grounds of his reform school. Vida Robare, 34, had been stabbed 47 times. Her...

‘Heartbroken’ Zubiri says ‘he saw it coming’; recognizes 7 loyal allies

MANILA, Philippines – “I saw it coming.” Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said this on Monday after he relinquished his post to newly installed Senate President Francis Escudero. As early as Wednesday last week, Zubiri said he already knew that his colleagues were plotting his ouster. Until the weekend, he said he and the other group were monitoring each other. “And medyo masama ang loob ko dahil meron pang mga nagtext sa akin na we are with you, full...

Dying lands: Desertification taking another form in PH

MANILA, Philippines—Amid the various environmental challenges facing the Philippines, widespread land degradation poses a significant threat that could undermine the country’s agricultural productivity and food security. Land degradation, as defined by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), refers to the deterioration of land quality caused by human activities or natural phenomena. This results in decreased productivity...

SNP support at lowest point in a decade, new bombshell poll finds

Support for the SNP has plunged to its lowest in a decade as it faces the threat of unprecedented losses in the general election.

Blood scandal families were belittled, says former Bishop of Liverpool

The parallels between the Government's response to Hillsborough and the way it and the NHS colluded to cover up more than 30,000 patients being given infected blood are striking.

Off-duty police officer injured in shooting in Washington, DC

WASHINGTON (AP) — A off-duty police officer in Washington, D.C., was injured Monday afternoon when a suspect opened fire as the officer was driving to work. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said the officer was on his way to the 4th District station just after noon when he “observed a vehicle driving very erratically” in front of him with two people inside on the 5800 block of 7th Street Northwest. The vehicle then “stopped very...

Police launch murder probe after Glasgow stabbing

Brian Gough was stabbed on Saturday, according to police.

Moose kills Alaska man attempting to take photos of her newborn calves

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A 70-year-old Alaska man who was attempting to take photos of two newborn moose calves was attacked and killed by their mother, authorities said Monday. The man killed Sunday was identified as Dale Chorman of Homer, said Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Alaska Department of Public Safety. The female moose had recently given birth to the calves in Homer. “As they were walking through the brush looking for the...

Tarriela: Chinese poachers harvesting giant clams during Duterte’s time

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday revealed Chinese fishermen’s illegal activities in Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, revealed that Chinese fishermen, who are suspected members of Chinese maritime militia, were suspected to be involved in poaching and harvesting of giant claims since 2016....

Raymond Garcia suspends new Palaro procurements pending review

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has ordered the “immediate suspension” of all new procurements related to the city’s hosting of the Palarong Pambansa 2024 in July pending a review of the proposals. Garcia said he wanted to make sure that they only spend government funds on what’s needed. “Daghan kaayong mga information coming from other offices nga basig naay mga items nga dili priority or dili kinahanglanon...

Pollution alert after reports of dead marine life

A councillor has told dog walkers to keep their animals away from Minnis Bay, in Birchington-on-Sea.

PH condoles with Iran over president's death

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines condoled with the people of Iran for the the untimely passing of President Ebrahim Raisi after his helicopter crashed Sunday in the Jolfa region of East Azerbaijan province. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) conveyed the Philippines' "most heartfelt sympathy and condolences" to people and government of Iran for the death of Raisi, a ranking Iranian official, and their companions. Those who perished...

Labour leader responds to damning Infected Blood scandal report

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer responded in the Commons after the Infected Blood Inquiry identified a 'catalogue of systemic, collective and individual failures' that amounted to a 'calamity'.

'It felt like children were droids at toxic school'

Teachers speak out anonymously about standards enforced by a trust at four of its secondary schools.

Zubiri quits as Senate President: ‘I leave with my head held high’

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday resigned from his post, ending coup rumors that hounded his two-year leadership in the upper chamber. “Today, I offer my resignation as Senate President, and upon stepping down I vow to serve as an independent member of the Senate—my allegiance, as ever, belonging to no one but the people,” he said in a privilege speech. “I leave with my head held high, knowing I did what is...

3 male students allegedly hit, cursed by teacher in Lubao, Pampanga

A complaint has been filed against a teacher in Lubao, Pampanga for allegedly hitting and cursed three male students, according to the report of GMA Regional TV One North Centra Luzon's CJ Torrida on "Saksi." A video that has gone viral showed a teacher slapping, pulling the hair and cursing at three male Grade 9 students while taking the exams. "Itong ating adviser, subject adviser and teacher ay na-outrage kasi itong mga estudyante, itong mga...

Marcos sees end of Northern Samar insurgency within his term

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday remains confident that insurgency in Northern Samar will end within his term. In an ambush interview in Tacloban, Marcos was asked about his pronouncements about ending local insurgency. READ: Marcos confident insurgency in Northern Samar will end this year “Yes. I’ve seen the progress report, it’s getting better and better,” said Marcos. The President said that there are still...

DILG orders Napolcom to strip Guo of police powers

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos has ordered the National Police Commission (Napolcom) to remove the police power of Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo. “Local officials have supervision over the police, so I have instructed the Napolcom to initiate proceedings for the withdrawal of the mayor’s deputization, meaning, after the investigation, with sufficient grounds, we would withdraw the deputization of Mayor Guo as the...

Mississippi town's 'highway for the homeless' explodes in numbers

The controversy is occurring in a quiet neighborhood in suburban Biloxi, where the old campus of a now-defunct school has become a tent city, residents told local news stations this week.

Senators weep as Senate President Zubiri delivers his valedictory speech

MANILA, Philippines — It was an emotional sight in the Senate when Juan Miguel Zubiri decided to let go of his Senate presidency. Zubiri himself shed tears when he was delivering his valedictory speech during Monday’s plenary session. Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Joel Villanueva and JV Ejercito also couldn’t help but also turn emotional while the outgoing chief was reading his farewell message. READ: Chiz Escudero...