Breaking News

  KHARKIV -- Three women plant flowers on a roundabout in central Kharkiv, while not far away men fill sandbags for a defensive barrier on the north of the city, the side closest to Russia. It is a stark illustration of how people in the war-battered city in the north east are attempting to recapture some essence of normal life, even though Russian aggression lurks not far away. Kharkiv, the regional capital, has been battered by the conflict, enduring an assault by Moscow's forces lasting several days and fighting in its suburbs, before weathering regular salvoes of shelling. But the noose around Ukraine's second-largest city has been loosening in recent days, even ...

Keep on reading: ‘Dancing, not war’: Signs of normality in Ukraine’s shattered Kharkiv

    LONDON -- The cost of life-saving treatment for the most severely malnourished children is set to jump by up to 16% due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and pandemic disruptions, according to the United Nations' children's agency. The raw ingredients of the ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) have leapt in price amid the global food crisis sparked by the war and pandemic, Unicef said. Without further funding in the next six months, 600,000 more children may miss out on the essential treatment, which is a high-energy paste made of ingredients including peanuts, oil, sugar and added nutrients. Unicef said a carton of the specialized nutrition containing 150...

Keep on reading: UN warns of ‘catastrophic’ child malnutrition due to price hikes, Ukraine war

  PARIS -- The bulk of the thousands of Russian soldiers killed in Moscow's onslaught against Ukraine are very young, have poor backgrounds and many are from ethnic minority groups, observers say. There has been close attention on the numbers of Russian generals and high-ranking officers killed since the invasion launched by President Vladimir Putin on February 24, which has proved far more costly than the Kremlin wished. But with observers believing the Russian toll could now be exceeding the 15,000 Soviet soldiers killed during the 1979-1989 occupation of Afghanistan, the losses among Russian rank-and-file soldiers have been devastating. Russia has been remarkably ...

Keep on reading: Young, poor and from minorities: the Russian troops killed in Ukraine

Over the past several weeks, it seems like nearly every day Americans find ourselves processing another mass shooting. Over time, the number of casualties, the cities, and the circumstances may seem to blur together. This feeling is familiar. We've been here before and, if our recent history is any indication, we will be here again.

Shanghai officials on Tuesday said they had achieved "zero-Covid at the community level" in what appeared to be a turning point in a heavy-handed and costly campaign to tame an Omicron outbreak -- but many residents remain skeptical the city will reopen anytime soon.

MANILA, Philippines --- President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure providing "greater protections" to deserted and abandoned children with unknown parents. Under Republic Act No. 11767, an orphan found in the Philippines or in its embassies, consulates, and territories abroad is presumed a natural-born Filipino citizen regardless of the status or circumstances of the child's birth. As a natural-born Filipino, a foundling is entitled to rights and protections at the moment of birth, according to the new law. READ: Senate approves bill for foundlings It also ensures that a certificate of live birth will be issued to the orphan without delay and that the foundli...

Keep on reading: Duterte signs law recognizing foundlings as natural-born Filipinos

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga----Voters in this Pampanga capital have elected a woman who substituted for her husband, who was murdered before the elections. Rosalie Mendoza garnered 79,001 votes, just behind top councilor Brenz Gonzales in the 10-seat local legislative body. She ran under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan in a field of 29 mostly male candidates. The P800,000-reward put up by Gov. Dennis Pineda since the April 30 ambush of Alasas Barangay Capt. Alvin Mendoza remained intact, although the sketch of the gunman has been widely distributed, according to Col. Alvin Consolacion, provincial police chief, in a phone interview on Tuesday. This happe...

Keep on reading: Slain bet’s wife gets 2nd top seat in council of Pampanga’s capital

K-pop group Girls' Generation will make a comeback in August by dropping a new album to mark the 15th anniversary of its debut, the group's agency said Tuesday. All eight members of the group will take part in the album that will be the band's first release in five years, SM Entertainment said without giving any details on the upcoming album. Debuting in 2007, the group churned out hit after hit, such as "Girls' Generation," "Gee," "Genie" and "Lion Heart," during its prime time. It has not been active as a group since its sixth full-length album, "Holiday Night," in August 2017. (Yonhap)/JB RELATED STORIES: BTS scoops 3 prizes at 2022 Billboard Music Awards in 6-year ...

Keep on reading: Girls’ Generation to make comeback in August after five years

MANILA, Philippines --- A coalition of transport groups is urging the incoming administration to change the leadership of the Department of Transportation (DOTr). Ariel Lim, head of the National Public Transport Coalition (NPTC), made the appeal to presumptive president "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. amid rumors that Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade will be reappointed as DOTr chief under his administration. "Ang unang dapat gawin, palitan ang liderato na luma, walang babalik, dapat puro bago dahil gusto ninyo ng unity, magkaka-unity lang po kapag pinalitan ninyo ang nasa hanay ng DOTr, wala nang babalik," Lim said in a press conference in Manila. (The first thing we need to do is t...

Keep on reading: Transport coalition says DOTr needs new leadership 

A 13-year-old boy in Utah died from injuries sustained in a dune collapse last weekend, according to Utah State Parks.

Marvel and Disney's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" saw a sharp drop off this weekend from its blockbuster opening, but still reported $61 million in estimated ticket sales to top North America's box office, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday. The superhero sequel, again starring Benedict Cumberbatch, had opened last weekend to a year's best $187 million. It has now earned $292 million domestically and an additional $396 million abroad for a global total of $688 million. Far behind in second place for the Friday-through-Sunday period was Universal's animated action-comedy "The Bad Guys." The DreamWorks Animation production, with a voice cast led by S...

Keep on reading: ‘Doctor Strange’ slips but stays atop North America box office

  MANILA, Philippines---The national government's budget deficit as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) narrowed to 6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2022, auguring well for plans to revert the gap to pre-pandemic levels of about 3 percent. The latest Department of Finance (DOF) data showed that the end-March budget deficit-to-GDP ratio was the smallest amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. In actual value, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) last month reported that the first-quarter budget deficit---amounting to P316.8 billion---was 1.4-percent smaller than the P321.5 billion posted in 2021. From January to March, the government's tax and non-tax revenue collections...

Keep on reading: PH budget deficit down to 6.4 from 8.6 percent of GDP

MANILA, Philippines --- The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) have expressed hope that the death of a Muntinlupa-based police officer, who died allegedly due to stress, would ignite reforms in the handling of police work assignments. In a statement on Tuesday, lawyer and CHR Executive Director Jacqueline de Guia said that the commission mourns the death of Chief Mst. Sgt. Manuel Escalona last Tuesday, after supposedly going on a straight three-day duty for the recently concluded elections. Escalona, CHR said, is part of the Muntinlupa City Police Station. "SPO3 Escalona's passing, possibly stress-related due to his three days straight election duty, brings to light the stress...

Keep on reading: CHR hopes death of ‘stressed out’ cop stirs reform in police assignment

MANILA, Philippines --- The Department of Health (DOH) has detected three more cases of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 in the country, driving the case tally of the subvariant to 17. Omicron is a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that leads to COVID-19. READ: Omicron 'most evolved variant of SARS-CoV-2' --- PH Genome Center exec "Tatlong kaso ng subvariant BA.2.12.1 ang na-detect natin sa Western Visayas: isang returning overseas Filipino mula sa United States na bakunado, at dalawang local cases --- isang bakunado at ang isa ay vine-verify pa natin ang kanyang vaccination status," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a forum Tuesday. (Three cases of subvaria...

Keep on reading: DOH detects 3 more cases of Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1

A producer of the movie "Rust," whose set saw the fatal accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins last year, said the movie will be completed, the Hollywood Reporter said on Monday. Hutchins was killed in October when a revolver that actor Alec Baldwin was rehearsing with during filming in New Mexico fired a live round that hit her and movie director Joel Souza. Souza was wounded but survived. "We're confident we'll be able to complete the movie," Anjul Nigam, one of the producers, was quoted as saying by the publication. A representative of Nigam did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Last month, the state of New Mexico fined Rust Movie Produc...

Keep on reading: ‘Rust’ producer says movie will be completed — report

BAC NINH CITY. -- Ian Clark Bautista opened the campaign of the Philippine boxing team on a high by scoring a lopsided unanimous decision win over Singaporean Mohammad Hanurdeen Bin on Monday night as men's boxing competition in the 31st Southeast Asian Games got going at the Bac Ninh Stadium. Bautista, the 27-year-old veteran from Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, controlled the three-round fight, landing punches perfectly from all angles to get the nod of the five judges and advance into the men's featherweight semifinals on Friday. "We trained a lot for this Southeast Asian Games so we're praying to accomplish more," said Bautista, the 2019 bronze medalist. "I will do my very b...

Keep on reading: SEA Games: Wins by Bautista, Palicte get PH boxing bid going

KORONADAL CITY---The Diocese of Marbel on Tuesday urged parishioners and residents against open-pit mining in South Cotabato to join a solidarity march on Thursday, May 19, in this city. Marbel Bishop Cerilo Casicas said the local Catholic Church-led protest was in reaction to Monday's decision of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to lift the ban on open-pit mining in the province contained in its 12-year-old landmark environment code. "Please join and help us in this mobilization. This is one way for our voices to be heard. We need warm bodies to show them that many of us don't want the lifting of the ban on open-pit mining," the prelate told reporters late Monday afternoon. The sol...

Keep on reading: Marbel Diocese calls on parishioners to join solidarity march against open pit mining

Karamo Brown is something of a self-esteem guru. Whether giving motivational speeches, campaigning for mental health or life-coaching on hit makeover show "Queer Eye," he has built a career on his seemingly infectious sense of confidence.

HANOI --- Merwin Tan's gold medal may have amazed a lot of people used to the same disappointing performances by the national bowlers in the Southeast Asian Games. But his victory in the 31st Southeast Asian Games men's singles on Monday certainly didn't surprise his coaches, specifically national head coach, former world masters champion Biboy Rivera. "We got a good fortune to be invited in the World Series of Bowling," Rivera told the Inquirer. The tournament last March was part of the United States Pro Tour in Wisconsin. "That gave Merwin the exposure to the big stage." The 22-year-old Tan collected 1,292 pinfalls to rule the singles gold, breaking an 11-year drought for ...

Keep on reading: SEA Games: Merwin Tan’s gold start of PH’s road back to bowling glory, says coach

"Black Mirror" is set to return for its highly-anticipated sixth season, three years since its latest episodes were released. The dystopian drama, which last premiered on Netflix in June 2019, is working on new episodes and casting is now underway, as per an exclusive report byVarietyyesterday, May 16. A source close to the production stated that each new episode will be treated as an individual film. This is in line with recent installments of the series which had episodes exceeding an hour of runtime. Specific storylines are yet to be revealed as of writing. Season six of "Black Mirror" is also expected to have more episodes than season five, which only had three episodes:...

Keep on reading: ‘Black Mirror’ returns for long-awaited sixth season — report