Inquirer Breaking News

WARSAW ---A Polish government advisory body has recommended banning the use of Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok on the work phones of public administration employees, Polish media reported on Monday. "The Digitization Council expresses a positive opinion regarding the order to remove the Chinese TikTok application by public administration officials and employees from their work phones," it was quoted as saying in the recommendation by wyborcza.pl website. The recommendations of the Council are not binding for the government. A string of Western governments and institutions have banned TikTok in recent weeks, including the UK parliament, the Dutch and Belgian administra...

Keep on reading: Polish council recommends banning TikTok on government phones

A shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday morning, left multiple victims before police "engaged" the gunman, leaving the suspect dead, local officials said. The shooting happened at The Covenant School, where the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a tweet that the suspect was dead but did not specify exactly what led to the death. It did not specify whether the suspect was male or female. The Nashville Fire Department said on Twitter that it responded to the scene and there are "multiple patients." It did not say if any victims were killed or how many may have been wounded. "An active shooter event has taken place at Covenant S...

Keep on reading: Nashville school shooting leave multiple victims, suspect dead

While dressed rather austerely in a gray shirt and a pair of form-fitting jeans, Sting still cut an imperious figure onstage. His natural charm and commanding presence meant that every little thing he did was enough to make the fans lose it --- a thumbs up here, a wave of the arm there. And he had yet to sing or play a single note. Up until Sting's entrance, the well-heeled audience at the Manila stop of the "My Songs" tour spoke in whispers and hushed tones. But the opening strains of "Message in a Bottle" proved irresistible, seemingly flicking on a proverbial switch that had everyone cheering in anticipation. When the spotlight was trained on him, Sting beckoned to the fans....

Keep on reading: Every little thing Sting does is magic

As the recent show biz intrigue involving James Reid, Issa Pressman and Nadine Lustre persists on social media, Yassi Pressman couldn't help but speak up and defend her younger sister from the online vitriol. But in doing so, she ended up getting dragged into the fray. This caused Yassi anxiety---something that she confided in Nadine. And yes, all is well between them, she insisted. "We talked. I told her, 'Oy, girl, nagkaka-anxiety ako sa mga tao. She replied, 'I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you're feeling better,'" she told reporters at a recent press conference for Viva Entertainment and TV5's new weekly comedy series "Kurdapya." Rumors "Kasi ganun po ang totoong magkaibig...

Keep on reading: Bashing over James-Issa-Nadine issue causes Yassi anxiety

As a self-confessed workaholic, expectant mother Kris Bernal feels guilty about staying at home and not being as productive as she used to be. But if there's one thing she has learned from her five-month pregnancy thus far, it's that there's no shame in taking a break to look after yourself. "I was told that it's OK to take things slow. Sometimes, I feel guilty for not working. Sometimes, I feel helpless because I'm on bed rest. But eventually, I realized that there will come a time when you will have to surrender to what your body and baby needs," she said over lunch with select reporters at her Korean barbecue restaurant, House of Gogi. After all, show biz will always be j...

Keep on reading: For Kris Bernal, work takes backseat to approaching motherhood

MANILA, Philippines ---The Department of Justice (DOJ) has secured its first conviction for violation of the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10168). In a statement Monday, the DOJ said the Iligan City Regional Trial Court had convicted Angeline Magdua for 55 counts of violating that law as an accessory to the crime of terrorist financing. Magdua was one of the two cashiers of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines-Northern Mindanao Region (RMP-NMR), a church-based national organization of priests and lay persons. "Despite conviction after 11 years after enactment of the law, this landmark decision will serve as the foundation a...

Keep on reading: Government secures first conviction for terrorism financing

MANILA, Philippines --- Key business groups' pullout of support for Charter change (Cha-cha) proposals only highlight that even those who support economic liberalization acknowledge its risks, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas said on Monday. Brosas in a statement referred to the opposition of the Makati Business Club and five other groups to Charter change proposals, particularly the proposed constitutional convention recently approved by the House of Representatives. According to the lady lawmaker, the risks for Cha-cha are too high, especially for a process that is deemed too costly. "As the MBC-led business bloc abandons the Cha-cha train, the push for ConCon is further expose...

Keep on reading: Gabriela solon: Biz groups’ non-support of Cha-cha shows risks of amending Constitution

LUCENA CITY -- Police anti-narcotics operatives seized over P3 million worth of "shabu" (crystal meth) from two alleged "high-value" targets in the government's illegal drug war in Antipolo City, Rizal province early Monday, March 27. Col. Dominic Baccay, Rizal police chief, said Frenlie Paolo Valledor, 36, and Ailyn Daep, 46, both local residents, were arrested at 4:41 a.m. after they allegedly sold shabu to a poseur buyer in Barangay (village) Dalig. The operatives confiscated from the suspects four plastic sachets and five knot-tied plastics containing shabu weighing a total of 500 grams. The illegal drugs have an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P3,400,000. Ba...

Keep on reading: 2 ‘high-value’ drug suspects yield P3.4-M meth in Antipolo City

MANILA, Philippines --- Local government units should play a bigger role in enticing skilled professionals, especially healthcare workers, to come home and work in their provinces through improving the available benefits and working conditions for them, Senator Pia Cayetano said on Monday. Cayetano, who presided over the hearing of the Senate panel on sustainable development goals, innovation and futures thinking, raised this idea after hearing from Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) executive director Cinderella Benitez-Jaro that there were already some 900 applicants for the 2022 - 2023 Medical Scholarship and Return Service. "Of course, the goal here is to have doctors wh...

Keep on reading: Sen. Pia urges LGUs to entice healthcare workers to serve in home provinces

KYIV --- Orlando Bloom, a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations children's organization UNICEF and a star of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Lord of the Rings" movies visited a children's center in Kyiv on Sunday. It was his first trip to Ukraine since 2016, the British actor said. He also met with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. "I would have never expected the war to have escalated throughout the country since I was there," Bloom said on Instagram. "But today, I was fortunate to hear children's laughter at a UNICEF-supported Spilno center, a safe, warm, and nurturing space for children to play, learn and receive psychosocial support." The Spilno centers...

Keep on reading: Orlando Bloom, a UNICEF ambassador and actor, visits children’s center in Kyiv

Kathryn Bernardo is about to make her return to the big screen with three films in the works, including a reunion project with her boyfriend singer-actor Daniel Padilla, and Golden Globe nominee Dolly de Leon. Bernardo's film projects were announced during the "New Movie Alert" virtual media conference on Monday, March 27, which coincidentally took place a day after her 27th birthday. The actress confirmed that she will be working with de Leon in the dark comedy film "A Very Good Girl," which will be directed by Petersen Vargas. "It's such an honor because I would be working with --- and she agreed to work with me --- with the one and only Ms. Dolly de Leon, ohmigod," a visi...

Keep on reading: Birthday girl Kathryn Bernardo bares next film projects with Dolly de Leon, Olivia Lamasan

World number oneCarlosAlcarazmoved into the last 16 of the Miami Open after beating Serbia's Dusan Lajovic 6-0, 7-6 (7/5) on Sunday as he remains on track for tennis' "Sunshine Double." The 19-year-old Spaniard, who beat Daniil Medvedev to win the title in Indian Wells last week, looked in top condition as he outclassed Lajovic in the first set to keep his Miami title defence on track. But the Serb was able to provide some tension towards the end of the second set, breaking to make it 5-5 withAlcarazpaying the price for a sloppy return. Alcarazwas 6-2 up in the tie-break, but Lajovic won the next three points before the Spaniard's big back-hand winner settled the 91-minute c...

Keep on reading: Carlos Alcaraz powers into last 16 in Miami Open

MANILA, Philippines --- The Quezon City People's Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) on Monday ordered the dismissal from service of the former head of the city's Police District Crime Investigation and Detection Unit tagged in the alleged cover-up of a hit-and-run incident that killed a tricycle driver in 2022. In a 19-page decision, PLEB removed Police Lt. Col. Mark Julio Abong from the service and meted a 60-day suspension on PCol. Alexander Barredo, PCpl. Joan Vicente and PSMS. Jose Soriano, while nine other police officers were also exonerated. The case was decided by the Fourth Division of the PLEB -- composed of its Chairman, Atty. Rafael Vicente Calinisan, Councilor Ma. Aurora...

Keep on reading: QC-PLEB dismisses cop tagged in 2022 hit-and-run of tricycle driver

Canada's Bianca Andreescu heads into Monday's last-16 of the Miami Open brimming with confidence and feeling she has finally refound her love for tennis. Andreescu burst onto the scene with a stunning US Open win as a teenager in 2019 and rose to number five in the world that year. But then her career stalled. Injury in 2020 sidelined her and then the COVID pandemic blocked any chance of regaining momentum and at the end of the following year she decided to take six months off. "It was honestly me wanting to figure out if I really want to continue playing tennis because I was literally about to just drop my racquets and just say, screw this," she said on Sunday. "I was...

Keep on reading: Back to winning, Bianca Andreescu finds her joy for tennis again

ORMOC CITY --- A family of a female college student who went missing has offered a cash reward on Sunday, March 26, for any information that can lead to the whereabouts of their daughter. Spouses Ramonito and Citadel Uy said they will give a P50,000 cash reward to any person who can locate the whereabouts of their daughter Darlene Uy, 22. Darlene, a practice teaching student at Samar State University, was reported missing on Thursday, March 23. She was last seen going out of the Catbalogan 1, Elementary School wearing her practice teaching uniform. The local police are conducting a thorough investigation to locate Darlene. RELATED STORIES Missing beachgoer found dead i...

Keep on reading: Family offers reward to locate missing female college student

Former US Open winner Bianca Andreescu and world number two Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the last-16 of the Miami Open on Sunday with straight sets victories at Hard Rock Stadium. Sabalenka's power was simply too much for Czech Marie Bouzkova, with the Belarussian breaking serve twice in the opening set on the way to a 6-1, 6-2 victory. Any chance of a comeback from Bouzkova vanished when she was broken in the opening game of the second set and Sabalenka was in no danger on her serve, not facing break point at any time in the 66 minute encounter. "There were really great things from me," said an upbeat Sabalenka. "I felt like everything I was doing was right and I am supe...

Keep on reading: Bianca Andreescu, Aryna Sabalenka march into last 16 in Miami Open

BACOLOD CITY --- Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Rep. Emilio Yulo III of the province's 5th district expressed hopes that another Negrense will be appointed to lead the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA). The statement was made following the resignation of Acting Administrator David Alba, which takes effect April 15. However, they leave the choice of a new SRA administrator to the discretion of the appointing authority, Lacson and Yulo said in interviews at the Magayon Hinuptanan Festival in Moises Padilla on Saturday, March 25. Alba, in a statement issued Sunday, said it was his honor and privilege to serve the sugar industry. "I thank President Ferdina...

Keep on reading: Lacson, Yulo hope another Negrense will be named head of SRA

MANILA, Philippines --- Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla declared an end to the era of inmate abuse as Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Gregorio Catapang Jr. is set on a mission to scrub clean the country's prison and penal colonies. Capatang's appointment paper was released last Friday, five months after being designated as the agency's officer-in-charge. READ: Gregorio Catapang permanently appointed as BuCor director general He took over as head of BuCor after Gerald Bantag was suspended after being tagged in the killing of broadcaster Percival Mabasa or Percy Lapid and Bilibid inmate Jun Villamor, the alleged contact of Joel Escorial, the confessed gunman. ...

Keep on reading: Never again should Bilibid inmates abuse – Remulla

MANILA, Philippines --- Previous abuses among inmates or persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) should never happen again, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said, as directed by Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Gregorio Catapang Jr. to clean up the country's prison and penal colonies. Capatang's appointment paper was released last Friday, five months after he was designated as the agency's officer-in-charge. READ: Gregorio Catapang permanently appointed as BuCor director general He took over as head of BuCor after Gerald Bantag was suspended after he was tagged in the killing of broadcaster Percival Mabasa or Percy Lapid and Bilibid inmate Jun Villamor, the alleged c...

Keep on reading: Abuses among Bilibid inmates should never happen again — Remulla

GEN. TINIO, Nueva Ecija -- Two teenage students drowned in a river channel at the Minalungao National Park in Barangay Pias here on Sunday (March 26), police said. Investigators identified the victims as Joshua Mallare, 17, of Barangay San Pedro, and Romnick Bote, 16, of Barangay Pulong Matong, both of this town. The victims were both Grade 10 students, the police said. An initial investigation showed that the two went to the park, along with three other companions, for a swim. But Mallare and Bote were carried away by the strong currents of around 2 p.m. A companion of the two immediately rushed to the nearest village to seek help, said Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Pineda, investig...

Keep on reading: Two Grade 10 students drown in Nueva Ecija river