News

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.

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...

California university will heed student call to boycott Israel institutions

Calls to boycott Israeli academic institutions have been a consistent demand of protesters against Israel’s war in Gaza.

The moment gunman shoots Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico

Robert Fico, 59, was wheeled into hospital after the assassination attempt in Handlova, northeast of capital Bratislava, while speaking to people outside of the building.

UK ships aid to Gaza with 100 tonnes of plastic sheeting for shelters

Rishi Sunak heralded the UK's contribution to the maritime corridor and construction of the pier off Gaza's coastline. The UK has also committed £9,7million towards aid, including 900 family tents.

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

Our Mexican connection

We have been taught that Philippine society has largely been defined by the influences of two colonial powers that ruled our islands. Referring to our occupation by Spain and the United States, we are said to have spent 300 years in the convent and almost 50 years in Hollywood. It turns out that there was a third foreign land that deeply influenced our way of life for 250 years. That country is Mexico. This was my takeaway from the exhibition...

As Putin and Xi meet, the power dynamics between Russia and China keep the West guessing

Analysts say the relationship is nuanced, deeper than a "marriage of convenience," and complex on a number of fronts.

Taiwan's incoming president faces angry China, fractured parliament

By Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee TAIPEI (Reuters) - Lai Ching-te takes office as Taiwan's president on Monday, facing a China that calls him a "dangerous separatist" and has ramped up military drills, as well as a fractured parliament at home where no party has a majority. Lai, vice president for the past four years, succeeds President Tsai Ing-wen at a time Beijing has been increasing military

What to know about Vladimir Putin's visit to China

Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China starting Thursday underlines an increasingly close partnership between the two allies who oppose the U.S.-led democratic order. China, led by President Xi Jinping, has offered robust diplomatic support to Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine and has emerged as a top export market for Russian oil and gas, helping fill the Kremlin's war coffers. Russia also has relied on China as the main source 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...

US removes Cuba from list of countries not cooperating fully against terrorism

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday removed Cuba from a short list of countries the United States alleges are "not cooperating fully" in its fight against terrorism, a State Department official said. "The department determined that the circumstances for Cuba’s certification as a 'not fully cooperating country' have changed from 2022 t...

Campaigners hail new law to punish killer cyclists as 'fantastic'

Matt Briggs has campaigned for dangerous cyclists to be given harsher prison sentences after his wife Kim, 44, was killed by a rider. He said the new law offers a 'clear process to prosecution'.

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...

Meta restores Facebook posts by Malaysian media on PM Anwar's meeting with Hamas

By Danial Azhar KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Meta Platforms has restored Facebook posts by Malaysian media covering Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's meeting this week with a Hamas leader, saying they were removed in error. The removal had drawn complaints from Malaysia's government, a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and which has warned that firm action could be taken against Meta and other

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...

Police called in as protesters take building at University of California, Irvine

(Reuters) - Pro-Palestinian protesters occupied a building at the University of California, Irvine, on Wednesday, leading university officials to call in multiple police agencies, cancel classes and advise people on campus to shelter in place, a university spokesperson said. No arrests or injuries were reported as several law-enforcement agencies from Orange County including Irvine police

Idaho inmate pleads guilty to escaping hospital after correctional officers are attacked

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho inmate who slipped custody from a hospital in March after a violent attack on corrections officers has pleaded guilty to escape, while still facing the possibility of two felony enhancements that could add to his sentence. Skylar Meade entered the plea in 4th District Court on Wednesday. He could face up to life in prison when sentenced in July. Violence erupted March 20 at a Boise hospital as Idaho Department of...

Evicted grandmother now sleeping rough in park

Heidi Dodson's council rejected her for priority housing, and told her she would cope on the streets.

Man charged eight months after fatal A93 crash

A 69-year-old man died in the incident, which involved a van, a car towing a caravan and a tractor with a trailer.

Family of Lewiston shooter to testify before commission investigating tragedy

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — An independent commission investigating the mass shooting that left 18 people dead in Maine is preparing to hear from the shooter's family for the first time. An Army reservist with a history of mental health troubles committed the deadliest shooting in Maine history, opening fire with an assault rifle inside a bowling alley and a bar and grill in Lewiston in October. The commission has been meeting for months, hearing from...

Laws strengthened after mortuary sex abuse case

The government says it will increase sentences for those convicted of abusing dead bodies.

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...

P30B OKd for rehab of damaged schools

MANILA, Philippines — The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board approved on Wednesday the P30.56-billion fund for the repair and rehabilitation of school facilities outside Metro Manila that were damaged by recent calamities. In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said the amount comprised funding for the Infrastructure for Safer and Resilient Schools (ISRS) project, the bulk of which was sourced from a...

House approves divorce bill on 2nd reading

MANILA, Philippines — House Bill No. 9348, a proposal seeking to reinstate divorce in the country as a means of dissolving marriages, was approved by the House of Representatives on second reading on Wednesday. During the plenary session, the proposal was approved via viva voce or voice voting. The bill was approved two months after it was referred to the plenary by the House committee on population and family relations. Under HB No. 9349 or the...

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...

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 812

As the war enters its 812th day, these are the main developments.

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...

Zubiri leads group to Pag-asa Island

PAG-ASA island, Palawan -- The construction of military barracks in Pag-asa Island in Palawan will boost the presence of the Philippine Navy in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and prevent the illegal incursions of China into Philippine territory, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said on Thirsday. Zubiri flew here to lead the groundbreaking ceremony for the PN barracks and a health unit in the island that he himself fought for during the budget...

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....

Powerball winning numbers for May 15 drawing: Jackpot now worth $59 million

Check the winning numbers here for the Powerball drawing on Wednesday, May 15.

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

Putin arrives in China to deepen strategic ties with Xi

By Guy Faulconbridge and Bernard Orr MOSCOW/BEIJING (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing early on Thursday for talks with counterpart Xi Jinping that the Kremlin hopes will deepen a strategic partnership between the two most powerful geopolitical rivals of the United States. China and Russia declared a "no limits" partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing

Notable People who died in 2024

Man in his 60s dies after Donegal hit-and-run

Gardaí say that a man in his 60s has died after he was struck by a vehicle which left the scene.

Barangay ‘day care centers’ for elderly pushed

MANILA, Philippines — As more Filipinos become part of the silver generation, a party list lawmaker is proposing the setup of “senior citizen day care centers” in every barangay to help elderly Filipinos stay well and active through easy access to community recreation, education and health services. United Senior Citizens Rep. Milagros Aquino-Magsaysay filed House Bill No. 10362, or the draft Senior Citizens Day Care Center Act of 2024, to...

PH boat convoy won't proceed to Scarborough Shoal – organizers

MANILA, Philippines – A convoy of boats carrying Philippine civilians bearing fuel and food for Filipino fishermen has abandoned plans to sail closer to a China-held reef off the Southeast Asian country, organizers said Thursday. "Atin Ito will now proceed to conduct the final leg of supply distribution in the current area, as there are no more Filipino fishers in BdM after they were reportedly sent away by various Chinese vessels," the...

Cebu City Council OKs release of unpaid salaries for 4 employees

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu City Council recently approved the release of the remaining unpaid salaries of four City Hall employees a month after they reported their plight to the local press. The Cebu City Council approved today, May 15, the release of the remaining six months’ worth of salaries for four employees, who initially reported that they had not been paid since July 2023 or 10 months ago. The resolution was authored by City...

Labour accused of setting 'unrealistic' short-term climate goals

The Tony Blair Institute said politicians must focus on infrastructure and technological innovation instead of arbitrary dates.

UN sees number of young migrants crossing the dangerous Darien Gap up by a third

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - The number of minors crossing the treacherous jungle between Colombia and Panama known as the Darien Gap is on pace to rise by 34% to reach 160,000 this year, the United Nations' Children Fund (UNICEF) said on Wednesday. The migration of mostly U.S.-bound kids through the Darien Gap represents "a prolonged crisis," UNICEF said in a statement, adding that current data

PCSO Lotto Draw Results, May 15, 2024 | Grand Lotto 6/55, Mega Lotto 6/45, 4D, 3D, and 2D

Here are the winning lotto combinations of the lotto draw results for the 9 p.m. draw on Wednesday, May 15.

Worrisome presence

Better late than never. That best describes the decision of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to implement stricter rules on the issuance of tourist visas to Chinese nationals in the wake of reports that fraudulently-obtained passports and visas had resulted in their illicit entry and overstay. Its action is long overdue in light of the crimes of human trafficking, forcible abduction, robbery extortion, and homicide that had earlier been...

UK developing new weapon that can blast drones out of sky with radio waves

UK developing new weapon that can blast drones out of sky with radio waves - It can be used across land, air and sea and has a range of up to 1km, which could be extended in the future

Philippines-Norway MOA Paves Way for 25,000 Filipino Seafarers’ Deployment by 2029

The Philippine Embassy in Norway estimates that 25,000 Filipino seafarers can be deployed to Norwegian-owned vessels in three to five years following the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Philippines’ Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA). Philippine Ambassador to Norway Enrico T. Fos hosted and witnessed the […] The post Philippines-Norway MOA Paves Way for 25,000 Filipino...

McCann suspect raped woman at knifepoint, trial told

Christian Brückner is on trial in Germany for five sex offence charges not related to the missing British child.

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...

US aid pier for Gaza floats into wartime reality

By Jonathan Landay and Michelle Nichols WASHINGTON/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States aims to have a floating pier in place off the Gaza Strip coast in the coming days to boost aid deliveries, but Washington is facing the same challenges that have beset the United Nations and relief groups for months when it comes to distributing assistance to the war-torn enclave. These include

Kremlin condemns shooting of Fico, wishes him a speedy recovery

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Thursday condemned the assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and wished him a speedy recovery after he was shot when leaving a government meeting. "Naturally, we condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms," Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Izvestia. "We consider it absolutely unacceptable - this is really a great tragedy." "We

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...

Council ordered to pay family it failed to house

An ombudsman found the council only acted when the family’s situation became desperate.