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The Never Trump movement failed four years ago. But a small band of Republicans still bucking their party are back with a new game plan for their second act: turning President Donald Trump's words and record against him.

BEIJING ---Freed Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang has filed a rare complaint seeking charges against two officials, accusing them of torturing him during his secret detention, according to documents seen by AFP. Detained in 2015 as part of a sweeping crackdown on hundreds of lawyers and rights activists, Wang was released in April after four-and-a-half years behind bars in a case that drew international attention. This week is also the fifth anniversary of the mass arrest campaign, known as the "709 crackdown." In the years since, China's crackdown on activists and rights lawyers has not subsided. In the complaint filed to the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the...

Keep on reading: Rights lawyer files torture charges against Chinese officials

The Bureau of the Treasury will auction off an initial P30 billion in five-year retail treasury bonds (RTBs) on July 16 before making these available to small investors on a new app and more online channels.   On top of selling to new investors, the Treasury will also swap the new fixed-rate RTBs with two previously issued 10-year RTBs maturing on Aug. 19 and March 3 next year and two fixed-rate treasury notes (FXTN) maturing on Aug. 20 and March 20, 2021, according to a notice posted on the Treasury website on Friday (July 10).   Following the rate-setting auction set on Thursday next week, the RTBs maturing in 2025 will be offered until Aug. 7 or at an earlier dat...

Keep on reading: At P5,000 each, 5-yr retail treasury bonds for sale starting July 16 via app, online channels

China's stock markets have been on an absolute tear.

  SUBIC BAY---The Philippine Navy on Friday (July 10) commissioned its first brand new warship in recent years, a key shift in the long-time practice of acquiring hand-me-down vessels from allies.   President Rodrigo Duterte presided over the handover, christening and commissioning ceremony held at Alava Pier in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, but doing so online to heed health protocol that is in force because of the COVID-19 pandemic.   The BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) is the first of two multi-role frigates built by South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries for the Philippine Navy. The Philippine government had signed a deal in 2016 for two frigates for P...

Keep on reading: Philippine Navy’s brand new warship commissioned

Native Americans and Polynesians bridged vast expanses of open ocean around the year 1200 and mingled, leaving incontrovertible proof of their encounter in the DNA of present-day populations, scientists revealed Wednesday. Whether peoples from what is today Colombia or Ecuador drifted thousands of kilometers to tiny islands in the middle of the Pacific, or whether seafaring Polynesians sailed upwind to South America and then back again is still unknown. But what is certain, according to a study in Nature, is that the hook up took place hundreds of years before Europeans set foot in either region, and left individuals scattered across French Polynesia with signature traces of th...

Keep on reading: Native Americans, Polynesians shared DNA 800 years ago, scientists say

MANILA, Philippines --- Despite surviving the "grueling" scrutiny of lawmakers, ABS-CBN was still "slain at the end of the show," Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said after the network's new franchise bid was denied in the House of Representatives on Friday. "The protracted hearings conducted by the Committees on Legislative Franchises and Good Government followed a foregone conclusion, and despite ABS-CBN surviving the grueling legislative inquisition, it was slain at the end of the show with premeditation and abuse of superiority in numbers as aggravating circumstances," Lagman said in a statement. With 70 affirmative votes, the House legislative franchises committee adopted the panel's ...

Keep on reading: ABS-CBN was ‘slain’ despite surviving ‘grueling’ legislative scrutiny — solon

It has been four months since a ball was last kicked in the Champions League, but now finally all the fixtures are confirmed for the remainder of the competition.

A parasitic fungus that grows inside the ghost moth caterpillar and then kills its host by bursting through its head is itself threatened with extinction, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said Thursday, as demand surges for Chinese medicine's "Himalayan Viagra." Ophiocordyceps sinensis, the world's most expensive fungus, only grows on the Tibetan Plateau where it has become the main source of income for some communities. It has been prized as a health tonic and aphrodisiac in Chinese traditional medicine for centuries, but demand has intensified since the 1990s. Overharvesting has slashed populations by at least 30 percent in the last 15 years, accor...

Keep on reading: Overharvesting threatens ‘Himalayan Viagra’ fungus — IUCN

Rats are less likely to assist a fellow rodent in need if other members of their group are being unhelpful, according to a study that sheds new light on the so-called "bystander effect." Peggy Mason, a neurobiologist at the University of Chicago and the senior author, told AFP the findings helped explain certain human behaviors such as why police officers fail to intervene when one of their own is engaging in brutality. In an experiment published in Science Advances on Wednesday, scientists found that when a rat encountered a distressed peer in a restrainer, they were generally interested in opening a door and rescuing them. One or two bystanders, who were rendered unhelpful...

Keep on reading: Rat pack: Rodents feel peer-pressure to be helpful, says study

MANILA, Philippines --- After ABS-CBN's application for a new franchise was again denied by the House of Representatives, Vice President Leni Robredo had some advice for Filipinos frustrated by the lawmakers' decisions: Remember their names and make them accountable. According to the Vice President, the move from the lawmakers --- specifically of the 70 who voted to adopt a technical working group (TWG) report to deny ABS-CBN its franchise at the committee level --- would drive the public to think wisely of their decisions. "Idinidiin ng denial ng prangkisa ng ABS-CBN ang aral: Our choice of leaders matters. Mahalagang pumili ng mga pinunong tunay sa sumasalamin sa ating mga adhika...

Keep on reading: Robredo tells Filipinos: Mark those who junked ABS-CBN franchise

The UK government has relaxed quarantine rules for travelers from a number of destinations, including France, Italy, Belgium, Germany and Spain.

Former middle distance runner turned athletics commentator Steve Cram was flummoxed and flabbergasted as US sprinter Noah Lyles crossed the finishing line.

MANILA, Philippines --- The House of Representatives' refusal to grant ABS-CBN's bid for another 25-year franchise solidifies the administration's tyrannical and de facto martial law rule, several local and international groups said. International watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday noted that the last time the network was shut down was during late dictator former president Ferdinand Marcos' martial law regime. "The Philippines Congress' refusal to renew the license to ABS-CBN, the country's largest broadcast network, is a grievous assault on press freedom in the country. Not since the dictator Ferdinand Marcos shutdown ABS-CBN and other media outlets in 1972 have a single ...

Keep on reading: House’s denial of ABS-CBN franchise bid ‘solidifies tyranny’ — rights groups

As the music industry is scrambling to find ways to hold live concerts amidst the coronavirus pandemic, production company Encore Live has announced a series of drive-in summer concerts across the United States and Canada. "Encore Drive-In Nights" will kick off on July 25 with a special concert by American country star and "The Voice" coach Blake Shelton, who will perform alongside Gwen Stefani and Trace Adkins. While their performance will be pre-taped, the one-night-only event will also feature "cinematic interviews and storytelling" from the artists. "This is such a great way to enjoy music with your family and friends and stay safe. I'm excited we're getting the chance t...

Keep on reading: Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani to perform at drive-in concert in July

MANILA, Philippines --- "They say this was a conscience vote. We respect that, and pray for them to live with that day and night." Magdalo Rep. Manuel Cabochan III said this Friday as he blasted the decision of the members of the House committee on legislative franchises to deny the application for a 25-year franchise of media giant ABS-CBN. "This is a sad day not only for the thousands of employees of ABS-CBN, but for the nation," Cabochan said in a statement. "As the proceedings both in the Senate and the House have revealed, ABS-CBN had no tax violations or any pending case to prevent its renewal of franchise. All requirements concerning its franchise are also complied with,"...

Keep on reading: Solon hits ABS-CBN franchise denial: Conscience vote? We pray for them to live with that day and night

  MANILA, Philippines --- Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Friday he does not believe that ABS-CBN losing its bid for a new franchise sends a "chilling effect" on other media organizations.   In an interview over dzBB, Roque reasoned that ABS-CBN's business is focused on entertainment and not news.   "Hindi po ako naniniwala sa chilling effect. Dahil unang una, ang negosyo naman po talaga ng ABS-CBN ay hindi naman po balita kundi ito po ay entertainment," Roque said when asked if it sends such message to the press.   (I don't believe in the chilling impact of this. Since, first of all, the business of ABS-CBN is not news, but ent...

Keep on reading: Chilling effect on media? Roque says ABS-CBN’s business is not news, but entertainment

It may feel like years, but the world has only been battling the deadly novel coronavirus for months. As scientists feverishly work around the clock to unravel the mysteries of this deadly invader, they have gained interesting insights into the virus and the disease it causes: Covid-19.

A new American study has found that not getting enough sleep could negatively impact children's emotional health, particularly their positive emotions. Led by Candice Alfano, a University of Houston professor of psychology and director of the Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston, the new study looked at the sleep and emotions of 53 children aged seven to 11 over the course of one week. The children were asked to complete an emotional assessment twice during the study, once after a night of healthy sufficient sleep and the second time after two nights of getting too little sleep, either six or seven hours. In the tests, the children saw a range of pictures and video clips whic...

Keep on reading: Not getting enough sleep could negatively affect children’s positive emotions, study finds