Other News

Bali shuts airport after volcanic eruption

  DENPASAR, Indonesia (AFP) — Bali closed its international airport following a volcanic eruption on the Indonesian resort island that sent thick smoke and ash billowing 2,000 metres (6,500 feet) into the air, an official said Friday. Ngurah Rai airport was due to be closed from 3:00 am (1900 GMT) to at least 7:00 pm Friday after a pilot report detected volcanic ash as high as 23,000 feet following Mount Agung’s eruption on Thursday. “Based on […]

Climate change sinking Arctic archeological treasures

by Michel Comte Agence France Presse A mad rush is needed to preserve or catalogue thousands of Arctic archeological sites before they are washed away by warming hastening the thaw of permafrost and coastal erosion, a study said Thursday. For millennia, the cold has conserved ivory artifacts, driftwood houses and human remains in often near-perfect conditions. But with faster and more severe climate change in the poles than the rest of the world, the situation […]

Battle lines drawn in Senate over Trump Supreme Court pick

  by Michael Mathes © Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The battle over President Donald Trump’s choice to fill a coming Supreme Court vacancy, an appointment with far-reaching consequences for American society, kicked off in the Senate Thursday as Democrats vowed against the odds to fight any Republican nominee. Justice Anthony Kennedy’s announced departure at the end of July will give Trump the opportunity to appoint his second justice to the nine-seat bench — […]

Tunisia celebrate first World Cup win for 40 years

  Saransk, Russia (AFP) — Tunisia won their first match at a World Cup for 40 years on Thursday, beating Panama 2-1 to leave Russia on a high. The North African side fell behind to a 33rd-minute own goal from Yassine Meriah but battled back to score twice in the second half through Fakhreddine Ben Youssef and Wahbi Khazri. Tunisia, ranked 21st in the world, finished third in Group G behind Belgium and England. “Today’s […]

At least five dead in Annapolis newsroom shooting

  by Ivan Couronne Agence France Presse ANNAPOLIS, United States (AFP) — At least five people were killed Thursday when a gunman opened fire inside the offices of the Capital Gazette, a newspaper published in Annapolis, a historic city an hour east of Washington. A reporter for the daily, Phil Davis, tweeted that a “gunman shot through the glass door to the office and opened fire on multiple employees.” “There is nothing more terrifying than […]

UPDATED: Fire hits SM Megamall construction site

(Eagle News) — A fire struck an SM Megamall construction site on Thursday, June 28. A report said the blaze began in the second or third basement of the site at 7:30 p.m. In a statement, SM Supermalls said only a portion of SM Megamall was “affected by the smoke coming from the site.” The fire reached the third alarm, with authorities still trying to determine what caused it. It was put out at 1:30 […]

Aguirre sues Tulfo, Inquirer editors for libel, cyber-libel; wants P1 in “symbolic” damages

(Eagle News) — Former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre on Thursday, June 28, sued columnist Ramon Tulfo, and Inquirer editors and officials for libel and cyber-libel. Charged with 12 counts of cyber libel and 10 counts of libel were Tulfo, Inquirer publishers Marixi Prieto, Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez and Renato Reinoso, Inquirer executive editor Jose Ma. Nolasco, online associate editor Abelardo Ulanday, opinion editor Rosario Garcellano, Bandera publisher Eileen Mangubat, editor-in-chief Dona Policar, deputy editor Jimmy Alcantara, and others who […]

CA rejects suspect’s plea for fellow cop to be stopped from testifying on Jee Ick Joo slay

(Eagle News) — The Court of Appeals has rejected the plea of a primary suspect in the killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo for his fellow policeman to be stopped from testifying in court. In junking SP03 Ricky Sta. Isabel’s plea for a temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction on a Pampanga court’s order allowing SP04 Roy Villegas to be discharged as state witness, the 13th Division said he failed to “sufficiently […]

Duterte shrugs off Sison’s refusal to hold peace talks with his admin; “So we continue with the war,” the President says

(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, June 28, shrugged off the Communist rebels’ decision to no longer hold peace talks with his administration. “E di mas mabuti..Ano to, negotiations, negosyo? If they are not willing to talk to me, that’s fine,” the President told reporters in Panglao, Bohol. According to Duterte, he was just a “worker of government” whose “main task is just to find peace for my country.” He questioned Sison’s earlier proposal […]

Sison: No more peace talks with Duterte admin

(Eagle News) –The National Democratic Front of the Philippines will no longer negotiate with the government of President Rodrigo Duterte, Jose Maria Sison, founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines, said on Thursday, June 28. “So long as (Duterte) heads the (Government of the Republic of the Philippines), the Filipino people, especially the oppressed and exploited, cannot expect any benefit from negotiating with the Duterte regime,”  Sison said in a statement posted on the […]

Duterte on Sereno’s possible run for Senate seat: “E di mabuti, botohin ninyo”

(Eagle News) — “E di maganda.” President Rodrigo Duterte gave this reaction when asked to comment on ousted Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno’s statement she was open to running for a Senate seat in 2019. “Palit siya from Chief Justice to senator. Maganda. Botohin ninyo..,” he said. The President then, however, openly lashed out at Sereno, who she said “wasted the prestige of (being) Chief Justice.” “With that kind of behavior, (Senator Leila) […]

Three Manila policemen to face criminal raps for robbery-extortion

(Eagle News) –Criminal charges are slated to be filed against the three Manila policemen who were arrested on Thursday, June 28, after they tried to extort money in exchange for the release of a man they earlier arrested for drug use. National Capital Region Police Office head Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said PO1 Radam Reyes Manglicmot, PO1 Edmar Dalusong Cayanan, and PO1 Jeff-Pee Macapagal Calaguas, who were stationed at the Manila Police District Anti-Crime Unit […]