Inquirer Breaking News

Sydney, Australia — Australia’s prime minister on Tuesday suggested a visiting Frenchman who heroically fended off a knife-wielding Sydney mall attacker using only a bollard could be offered citizenship. Damien Guerot has been dubbed “bollard man” and a “hero” of Saturday’s attack that killed six people a wounded a dozen more. READ: Police probe killer’s targeting of women in Sydney mall attack Prime Minister Anthony Albanese singled Guerot out for praise on Tuesday, thanking him for his “extraordinary bravery” in confronting Joel Cauchi on an escalator and preventing the 40-year-old attacker from reaching more victims. “I say this to Damien […]...

Keep on reading: Australia offers French mall stabbing hero citizenship

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stressed that launching the drug war without resorting to violent means is possible, with the largest-ever drug bust being conducted without anyone being killed or shot. In a short briefing on Wednesday, after inspecting the shabu confiscated in Alitagtag town of Batangas province, Marcos said that the estimated weight of the contraband was 1.8 tons, making it the biggest-ever drug seizure in the country’s history. READ: Marcos notes ‘abuses’ in Duterte drug war  “Ang estimate baka umabot ito ng 1.8 tons, so ang ibig sabihin, ito na ‘yong pinaka-malaking huli na nagawa natin. […]...

Keep on reading: Marcos on largest shabu bust ever: No bullet fired, not one person dead

MANILA, Philippines — Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) said on Tuesday that some of its services will be temporarily unavailable. According to the BPI advisory, its automated teller machine (ATM) withdrawals, Cash Accept Machine (CAM) deposit, and other applications and payments will not be available as the bank is still processing weekend transactions from tax payments. READ: BPI posted record profit in 2023 However, it added that it will try to fix its services by noon on Tuesday. “Please be advised that ATM withdrawals, CAM deposits, Debit Card purchases, BPI app, BPI online, and use of BPI online credentials […]...

Keep on reading: Some BPI services temporarily unavailable on Tuesday morning

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Amid the water crisis in Cebu City, the end for the dispute between the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) and the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) remains a blur. In a statement released by the MCWD on Tuesday, April 16, the water district “condemns” for the “brazen actions” taken by the LWUA, its interim board, the Cebu City Hall, and the LWUA-appointed officer-in-charge general manager, Lawyer John Dx Lapid. The water district said that around 10 p.m. on April 15, Lapid and his cohorts from the Cebu City Hall entered the MCWD building, harassing the security […]...

Keep on reading: MCWD 'condemns' LWUA, City Hall for 'atrocious disruption'

CHICAGO — Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked roadways in Illinois, California, New York and the Pacific Northwest on Monday, temporarily shutting down travel into some of the nation’s most heavily used airports, onto the Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges and on a busy West Coast highway. In Chicago, protesters linked arms and blocked lanes of Interstate 190 leading into O’Hare International Airport around 7 a.m. in a demonstration they said was part of a global “economic blockade to free Palestine,” according to Rifqa Falaneh, one of the organizers. READ: Pro-Palestinian protesters block airport roads in New York, Los Angeles Traffic in the […]...

Keep on reading: Pro-Palestinian protesters shut down airport highways, key bridges in US

MANILA, Philippines — The April 16 heat index is projected to hit between 42 degrees Celsius and 46 degrees Celsius in 24 areas nationwide, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said. Dagupan City in Pangasinan province may experience the highest heat index for Tuesday at 46 degrees Celsius, followed by Aparri, Cagayan at 43 degrees Celsius and Aborlan, Palawan; Roxas City, Capiz; Iloilo City, Iloilo; and Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur at 43 degrees Celsius. Pagasa said temperatures of 42 to 51 degrees Celsius fall under the “danger category“and may bring about heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and […]...

Keep on reading: Heat index outlook for April 16: Dangerous 42°C to 46°C in 24 areas

HONG KONG — China’s economy in the first quarter beat expectations while receiving a boost from policies and an increase in demand, the government said Tuesday. The world’s second-largest economy expanded at a 5.3 percent annual pace in January-March, beating analysts’ forecasts of about 4.8 percent, official data show. Compared to the previous quarter, growth was up 1.6 percent. China’s economy has struggled to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic, with a slowdown in demand and a property crisis weighing on its growth. The better-than-expected economy data came days after China reported a decline in import and export figures for […]...

Keep on reading: China's economy grew 5.3% in first quarter, beating expectations

LOS ANGELES — The armorer who loaded the gun that killed a cinematographer on the set of the Alec Baldwin movie “Rust” was sentenced to 18 months in prison by a US court on Monday, April 15. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed stood impassive as a judge in New Mexico told her she was not remorseful for the October 2021 death of Halyna Hutchins during filming of the budget Western. “You were the armorer, the one that stood between a safe weapon and a weapon that could kill someone. You alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon,” Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer said. […]...

Keep on reading: 'Rust' armorer sentenced to 18 months over deadly on-set shooting

BACOLOD CITY — Local government officials of Negros have defended plans to revive the Negros Island Region (NIR) amid the request of the Diocese of Dumaguete for President Marcos to veto it. Rep. Manuel Sagarbarria of Negros Oriental’s 2nd district said consultations about the NIR had been done for the past decade contrary to what the local church claims. “Are 10 years of consultations not enough time? This (NIR push) has been going on for the longest time, 10 years or more,” he said. “We will wait for what the President has to say on this,” added Sagarbarria, who is […]...

Keep on reading: Negros execs slam local Church try to veto NIR revival

MANILA, Philippines — No Filipinos have so far signified their intentions to be repatriated amid the battle between Israel and Iran, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega told INQUIRER.net on Tuesday. “None. They feel safe,” De Vega said in a text message when asked if there have been repatriation requests from Filipinos residing in the area. “All our embassies have contingency plans in place,” he added. READ: Philippines urges non-escalation of situation in Middle East Data from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) showed that about 30,000 Filipinos are residing in Israel while at least 2,000 are in Iran. The […]...

Keep on reading: No Filipinos in Israel and Iran want to come home, 'they feel safe,' says DFA

After 1,230 games, here’s where things stand: 12 teams are in the NBA playoffs, 10 teams are done and eight teams are about to fight for the final four postseason spots. The NBA’s play-in tournament starts Tuesday with the Western Conference games. The eighth-seeded Los Angeles Lakers visit seventh-seeded New Orleans, and 10th-seeded Golden State plays an elimination game at ninth-seeded Sacramento. The Lakers-Pelicans winner is the No. 7 seed and takes on Denver in Round 1; the Lakers-Pelicans loser will play host to the Warriors-Kings winner on Friday to decide who is the No. 8 seed and takes on […]...

Keep on reading: NBA Playoffs: The play-in arrives and drama awaits

MANILA, Philippines — National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) will place Luzon and Visayas grids under red and yellow alerts today, April 16, as several power plants are either offline or running at a reduced capacity. In a statement sent to reporters, NGCP said a red alert will be raised in the Luzon grid from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The yellow alert, on the other hand, will be up from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. NGCP will also put the […]...

Keep on reading: Luzon and Visayas grids placed under yellow, red alert

MANILA,  Philippines — Let people speak out, but insulate the country’s armed forces from politics. This was according to Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, who was reacting to statements made following Davao Del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez’s controversial remarks about the West Philippine Sea (WPS)  issue. Speaking at a political rally in Tagum City on Sunday, Alvarez urged the armed forces to withdraw their support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to force him to step down and stop a possible war in the WPS. READ: AFP, PNP reject Alvarez’s call to turn back on gov’t But for […]...

Keep on reading: Koko Pimentel: 'Insulate' armed forces from politics

Henry Cavill confirmed that he is going to be a father, saying he and his girlfriend Natalie Viscuso are very excited to welcome their first child. The celebrity couple were earlier spotted in public, with the “Man of Steel” actor assisting Viscuso whose baby bump was visibly seen in her black body-con dress. Cavill then made the pregnancy confirmation in an interview with “Access Hollywood” at the sidelines of the premiere of his film “Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” on Monday, April 15. The topic was brought up after Cavill was asked if his co-star and celebrity dad Henry Golding “[inspired […]...

Keep on reading: Henry Cavill, GF Natalie Viscuso expecting first child

Caitlin Clark. Cameron Brink. Kamilla Cardoso. Angel Reese. All stepped into the glaring spotlight of Monday night’s WNBA’s draft having faced the challenge essentially every woman can identify with: wearing just the right outfit for a special occasion. When a woman finds what she wants, it’s not a question of whether alterations are needed, but how much. The taller the woman, the bigger the challenge. READ: Caitlin Clark taken No. 1 in WNBA draft by Indiana Fever This draft, thanks to Clark and others, more people should be watching than ever before. “There’s never been a bigger spotlight on women’s […]...

Keep on reading: WNBA fashionistas showcase styles at draft

NEW YORK — Caitlin Clark admitted she was a bit nervous before being chosen with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, even though it was no surprise. “I dreamed of this moment since I was in second grade, and it’s taken a lot of hard work, a lot of ups and downs, but more than anything, just trying to soak it in,” Clark said. The former Iowa star became a household name among basketball fans during her record-breaking college career, and she will now try and help revive the Indiana franchise along with last […]...

Keep on reading: Caitlin Clark taken No. 1 in WNBA draft by Indiana Fever

SAN FRANCISCO, United States — Samsung regained its position as the top smartphone seller, wresting back the lead from Apple as Chinese rivals close the gap on both market leaders, industry tracker International Data Corporation (IDC) reported Monday. South Korea-based Samsung overtook Apple as worldwide smartphone shipments grew nearly 8 percent in the first quarter of this year to 289.4 million, IDC said, citing its preliminary data. It was the third consecutive quarter of growth in the global smartphone market, signaling that a recovery from a slump in the sector is underway, according to IDC. IDC Worldwide Mobility and Consumer […]...

Keep on reading: Samsung returns to top of the smartphone market — industry tracker

MANILA, Philippines — Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez said his call for the country’s police and military to withdraw their support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cannot be deemed seditious. According to the former speaker of the House of Representatives, his appeal is not the same as advocating a coup-d’état style of withdrawing support from the current administration because “ it was done in a peaceful and orderly manner.” “How can we consider that seditious or disorderly conduct when it was done in a peaceful and orderly manner?  There is really dissatisfaction within the AFP (Armed Forces […]...

Keep on reading: Alvarez says Marcos support withdrawal call is not seditious

Answering the probably most popular question about him, 22-year-old Andres Muhlach spoke about his love life and revealed that he hasn’t had any official romantic relationship since birth. Andres made this revelation during a recent media conference with Viva Artists Agency. “I haven’t had a girlfriend my whole life, really. I’m not saying that I’m looking for one right now but I’m more focused with work really,” he stated. When asked about his thoughts on having a love-team partner, the young celebrity said he’s willing if such an opportunity comes, but that he’s “not looking for one.” Andres was quite […]...

Keep on reading: Andres Muhlach reveals he never had girlfriend at 22

PANAMA CITY — The number of ships allowed through the drought-hit Panama Canal each day will be increased thanks to signs of an improvement in water levels, authorities said Monday. The interoceanic channel is a key transit point for international cargo, but low water levels blamed on climate change and the El Nino phenomenon last year led officials to limit the number of vessels using it. The Panama Canal Authority said Monday that it had informed clients it would gradually allow up to 32 ships through per day, compared with a limit of 27 announced a month ago. READ: Panama […]...

Keep on reading: Drought-hit Panama Canal to ease traffic restrictions