World

North Korea state media says there is an 'important report' amid key party meeting

SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea's state news agency said in a one-line dispatch on Sunday there was "important news" but did not provide details. Leader Kim Jong Un is presiding over a key meeting of the ruling party to review the performance of the party in the first half of the year. In a separate report on Sunday morning following the "important news" dispatch, KCNA news agency said that Kim

North Korea calls South Korea, US and Japan 'Asian version of NATO'

By Hyunsu Yim and Ju-min Park SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea criticised a joint military exercise by South Korea, Japan and the United States held this month, state media said on Sunday, saying such drills show the relationship among three countries has developed into "the Asian version of NATO". On Thursday, the three countries began large-scale joint military drills called "Freedom Edge"

Man told to tear down 8ft fence by 'ridiculous' council 'buffoons'

Residents of Derby's Limes Avenue had thanked their lucky stars when Matt Hubbard and his family moved into the grade II listed cottage two years ago.

Gordon Brown insists Keir Starmer's Labour government 'will be even better than 1997'

Former PM Gordon Brown joined forces with Angela Rayner to make one last plea for your vote - urging Brits not to pass up the chance to elect a 'life-changing government' this Thursday

Israeli tanks advance into areas in north and south Gaza, fighting rages

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Kamel Hamdan CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli forces advanced further on Sunday into the Shejaia neighbourhood of northern Gaza and also pushed deeper into western and central Rafah in the south, killing at least six Palestinians and destroying several homes, residents said. Israeli tanks, which moved back into Shejaia four days ago, fired shells towards several houses,

Florida Man Electrocuted and Killed While Trimming Trees

The man was using a tree-trimming bucket to cut palm trees when he may have come into contact with nearby power lines

Gilas Girls sweep Asia Cup U18 Division B

MANILA, Philippines — The Gilas Pilipinas Youth Girls team completed a sweep of FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup Division B tournament that culminated in a 95-64 final win over Lebanon at the Futian Sports Park in Shenzhen, China on Sunday. With a repeat win over the Lebanese, the Filipinos got promoted to the top level Division A tournament where powerhouse teams China, Japan, Australia, and South Korea participate. After a competitive first frame,...

Boy, 10, suffers serious injuries in crash

The boy was riding his bike when he was involved in a crash with a white BMW on Saturday.

Mexico celebrates Pride as Costa Rica fires minister

More than 100,000 people rallied for LGBTQ rights in Mexico on Saturday, while Costa Rica's culture minister was sacked for supporting the country's own Pride March this weekend. The Mexico City march came as Pride events took place globally throughout June, with Costa Rica's rally scheduled for Sunday.

2 more delegations added in 2024 Palarong Pambansa

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Education announced Friday that the National Academy for Sports and Philippine schools from overseas will be joining the Palarong Pambansa 2024, adding two new official delegations to the event. Adolf Aguilar, Assistant Superintendent for the Cebu City Division, said in a press conference that with these additions, the total number of participating delegations will rise to 19. Originally, only the 17...

WB approves $1.25-B loans for education, maritime sectors

MANILA, Philippines — The World Bank (WB) on Saturday approved $1.25 billion in loans for the Philippines to build safe and resilient schools and develop infrastructure for the maritime sector. In a statement, the Washington-based multilateral lender said its executive directors greenlighted a $500-million financing for a project called “infrastructure for safer and resilient schools” and a $750-million policy loan for reforms in the domestic...

Explainer-France's snap election: how does it work and what's next?

By Ingrid Melander PARIS (Reuters) -France holds the first round of parliamentary elections on Sunday. Opinion polls show the far right could win the two-round legislative vote that concludes on July 7. Here are some key facts about the election and what comes next. HOW DOES THE VOTE WORK? France has 49 million registered voters. There are 577 constituency contests, one for each seat in the

Homeless man accused of stabbing stranger to death is amateur artist

Forrest Stevenson, 36, has been charged with murder after Andres Malmis Pancha, 45, was allegedly killed at Frankston pier at 6am on Saturday.

Spanish police END hunt for missing teenager Jay Slater

Apprentice bricklayer Jay, 19, was last seen almost two weeks ago and a huge search involving dogs, drones and a helicopter has failed to find any trace.

Sunday Times newspaper backs opposition Labour Party in UK election

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's Sunday Times newspaper endorsed the main opposition Labour Party on Sunday for the July 4 parliamentary election, saying in an editorial that the country needs a "radical reset" after 14 years of Conservative rule. The newspaper, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News UK, has backed the Conservatives at every election since 2005 but said on Sunday that the country could not

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visits BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak greets attendees during a visit to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in North West London, while on the General Election campaign trail.

P1.2M worth of gadgets stolen from store in Batangas

Closed circuit television (CCTV) footage captured a brazen move to steal gadgets at a store in Lemery, Batangas worth over P1.2 million. CCTV footage shows four men entering the store early in the morning. One of them headed straight to the counter, appearing to search for something. Another man, carrying a container, stuffed cellphones and other gadgets there, while another attempted to open a cabinet. Minutes later, two more men entered....

Nigel Farage's speech interrupted by banner mocking views on Putin

During a speech by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, an event was interrupted by a banner mocking his views on Vladimir Putin. The unexpected disruption highlighted ongoing controversies surrounding Farage's stance on the Russian leader.

Bereaved families call for drug law change

Thousands of flowers are laid in front of a council house to represent lives lost because of drugs.

Church scaffolding to stay despite removal claims

The church says a £250k grant means the scaffold could be removed but it still needs £128k more.

How will Louisiana's new Ten Commandments classroom requirement be funded and enforced?

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Even as a legal challenge is already underway over a new Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms, the details of how the mandate will be implemented and enforced remain murky. Across the country there have been conservative pushes to incorporate religion into classrooms, from Florida legislation allowing school districts to have volunteer chaplains to counsel students to Oklahoma’s top...

Council warns students over cannabis parties

Neighbours report cannabis use and loud, late night parties as the academic year ends.

NEDA to hold regional consultations for Trabaho Para sa Bayan -DOLE

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) will conduct regional consultations to fill in the gaps in the Trabaho Para sa Bayan plan, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Sunday. “[I]to na yung na submit sa Pangulo, yung tatagos sa term niya. May karagdagan pang apat na taon para matugunan ang mandato ng batas na 10-year national employment masterplan,” DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said on Super Radyo dzBB. (The...

'Conman' shown on video 'tricking pawnbroker into buying fake gold'

A 'gold swap hustler' caught on CCTV tricking a pawnbroker into buying fake gold has been shown striking at a different jewellers 230 miles away in East Sussex using a similar con months earlier.

When it comes to discussing lockdown, politicians are on mute

Back in June 2021 as the UK began to emerge from the long months of lockdown, I interviewed one of the world’s leading epidemiologists, Jay Bhattacharya, for The Telegraph’s Planet Normal podcast. The Stanford-based professor of medicine told me that lockdowns “will be seen as the single biggest public health mistake in history”. At a time when all...

Baguio Midland Courier to cease publication after 77 years

The Baguio Midland Courier on Sunday announced that it will cease its operation in July after 77 years of covering weekly news in Northern Luzon. In a notice posted on Facebook, the Courier said the community newspaper was “not spared from the worldwide trend that newspapers are facing unprecedented challenges.” “The decision to cease publication was a difficult one, and the management deeply regrets any impact this may have on our esteemed...

PH a living lab in the quest to breed ‘super corals’

BOLINAO, PANGASINAN, Philippines — Three years ago, the emerald waters off Quezon Island—one of the 124 islets that make up the famed Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos City—concealed a vast wasteland of dead corals. The seabed was basically all rubble, recalled marine scientist Dexter dela Cruz. Very few coral had survived the combined effects of bleaching and the increase in ocean temperatures induced by climate change. That year, Dela...

Commandment 11: “Thou shalt not think”

Louisiana’s Ten Commandments crusade is no doubt a handy distraction from more profoundly existential problems.

North Korean officials sport Kim Jong Un pins for first time

By Hyunsu Yim SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean officials wore pins with a portrait of Kim Jong Un in public for the first time in pictures released by state media on Sunday, the latest step in the development of a cult of personality about the leader. The officials, speaking at a key meeting chaired by Kim of the reclusive state's ruling party, wore the typical party logo pin on the right lapel

How well would YOU do on the UK citizenship test?

It's the general knowledge test that immigrants must take to prove they know about the British way of life. Yet over half of Brits would fail if they had to sit it, a new study has found.

Rider flees checkpoint, hits police vehicle

A motorcycle rider hit a police officer's vehicle from behind after allegedly attempting to flee a checkpoint in Naga City, Camarines Sur. The incident occurred during a One-Time Big-Time operation conducted by the Naga City Police Office and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Naga. Both the 39-year-old rider and the person riding in pillion sustained minor injuries in the incident. Police said the rider smelled of alcohol. "Si driver po, nung...

American and British voters share deep roots. In 2024, they distrust their own leaders, too

DARTFORD, England (AP) — Distrust has settled over the campaign trails in the United States and United Kingdom ahead of July 4 like a soggy summer haze. On that day, British voters will choose a new Parliament in an election expected to finish with a Labour government after 14 years under the Conservatives. Americans across the pond, deeply polarized by the rematch between Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump, will mark...

Kris Aquino reveals new boyfriend a doctor in the Philippines

Kris Aquino opened up about her blooming relationship with a new boyfriend, a doctor in the Philippines, clarifying that there was no overlapping between the latter and her previous boyfriend, Batangas Vice Gov. Mark Leviste. The Queen of All Media spoke about this through an interview with showbiz reporter Ogie Diaz, who flew to the United States to visit her. Aquino has been seeking medical treatment for her autoimmune diseases in California....

DOJ: Teves can be extradited by end of July

MANILA, Philippines — Former lawmaker turned murder suspect Arnolfo Teves Jr. could be brought back to the Philippines by July to finally face the multiple murder charges filed against him here, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Saturday. In a news forum in Quezon City, Mico Clavano, spokesperson for the DOJ, said they expected a favorable decision even if Teves’ camp appealed the Timor-Leste Court of Appeals’ decision granting the...

The volunteers behind a massive free music festival

Youth Beatz draws thousands of music fans - mainly aged between 12 and 25 - to Park Farm in Dumfries.

At UK’s Glastonbury festival: Music, sunshine and a call to vote

GLASTONBURY, England— Amid the thump of reggae beats from a stage nearby, the leafy scent of cannabis in the air and the warmth of sunshine at Glastonbury, a big sign tells festival-goers to “use your superpower” and vote in Britain’s July 4 election. The Just Vote campaign has installed a large black cube to represent a […]

Factbox-Key party figures to know in the French election campaign

PARIS (Reuters) -France is the closest it has been to having a far-right government since World War Two, with the anti-immigrant National Rally (RN) riding high in opinion polls ahead of the first round of snap parliamentary elections on Sunday. President Emmanuel Macron dissolved parliament and called the election after his centrist Together alliance was trounced by the RN in European elections.

Man in critical condition after stabbing

Police say they are treating the attack as an isolated incident but are appealing for witnesses.

Russian hackers suspected of attempting to infiltrate Carlton Club

Members of the Carlton Club received what looked like a genuine email from the club's fundraising political committee last week with a link to a file called 'donations funding', which was fake.

Las Piñas residents vote 'yes' in plebiscite on setting barangay boundaries

Over 41,000 residents (67%) of Las Piñas City on Saturday voted in favor of an ordinance that sets the territorial boundaries of the 20 barangays in the city. Based on the certificate of canvass of votes shared by Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia to members of the media, 41,493 residents voted “yes” while 19,498 voted “no” when asked if they agree with delineating the territorial boundaries of the 20 barangays. With this,...

'I've been running polling stations for 41 years'

Andy Wragg worked at a general election for the first time in Ashfield in 1983.

At 192 Jonathan the tortoise is the world's oldest living land animal

Colombia rebel group agrees to 'unilateral ceasefire'

A Colombian splinter group of former FARC guerrillas known as Segunda Marquetalia has agreed to a "unilateral ceasefire" and the release of captives following negotiations with the government, according to a joint statement Saturday. Segunda Marquetalia is a rebel group that broke away from a historic 2016 ceasefire deal with FARC guerillas.

Unsolved murder of 'poor Michelle' affected expert

Prof Patricia Wiltshire says the case has stayed with her, 22 years on.

PAOCC receives death threats amid illegal POGO probe

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said Sunday some of its personnel have received death threats amid its investigation into the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hubs. “Well opo, kami ay nakakatanggap ng ilang mga pagbabanta. Pero siguro po naman ay 'yun ay mga pananakot lamang,” PAOCC spokesperson Winston John Casio said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. (Yes, we have been receiving some threats. But maybe...

Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right National Rally, casts vote in first round of elections

PARIS (AP) — Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s resurgent National Rally, has voted in the first round of surprise legislative elections called for after her far-right party trounced French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrists in European elections. Macron, a deeply unpopular president, decided to dissolve parliament in a huge gamble that could result in the French far right leading a government for the first time since World War II. Two rounds...

The Badjao tribe's fight with poverty in Batangas City

Struggling against harsh realities in Batangas City, the Badjao tribe, originally from Sulu, continues to grapple with poverty. Their fervent hope is that, soon, they will trade outstretched hands for fishing rods and other dignified paths to sustain their livelihoods. They dream of a future where begging is a thing of the past. One such individual is Maracani Pusasi, 60, who lost his hands in a battle with pirates while fishing in Sulu decades...

Family claim children were given insect repellent at restaurant

A family went out to a Perth restaurant to enjoy a nice meal. Moments later they were rushing to the hospital after a terrifying mistake had been made.

IRONMAN 70.3 Davao returns with new course, stronger support

MANILA, Philippines — With an exciting new course, new backers and full support from the host city, the IRONMAN 70.3 Davao Philippines promises to surpass all previous editions of this premier endurance race in terms of participation, prestige and challenge when it is held on August 11. "The event has proven to be very successful in the past three stagings, not only for the city government but also for the business sector. We truly value hosting...

Sudan’s RSF claims it has captured a key city in the southeast

The army does not dispute RSF’s statement, but says the fighting is ongoing in Singa, the capital of Sennar state.