PARIS — Iranian authorities on Thursday, April 25, faced pressure to release and clear a prominent rapper sentenced to death in a verdict supporters say is merely revenge for his music backing anti-government protests. Toomaj Salehi, 33, one of the best-known figures arrested in a crackdown on protests that began in 2022, risks being hanged after the conviction on the sharia charge of “corruption on Earth” by a Revolutionary Court. The verdict, which can still be appealed, stunned activists as the lower court disregarded a move by the supreme court to overturn a prison sentence Salehi had ..read more

COTABATO CITY — A suspected gun dealer was killed, while four of his companions were arrested Thursday afternoon during a raid in Talayan, Maguindanao del Sur. Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Huesca, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) identified the slain suspected gunrunner as Zaldy Usman of Barangay Tambunan, Talayan. During the operation, CIDG operatives backed by soldiers, injured and later arrested Ibrahim Temanong Satogan, 26; Basir Baliwan, 37; Ismael Cabagani, 49; and Ari Butuan, 43, all residents of Ta ..read more

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A 14-year-old girl who was said to be answering her school modules was shot dead by a still unidentified assailant in Talisay City, Cebu early Friday morning, April 26, 2024. The shooting took place inside the victim’s house in Sitio Riverside 1, Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City, Cebu. The victim, whose identity is being withheld since she is a minor, was reportedly answering her school modules inside her room before she was killed. Learning Modules are part of alternative learning modes given to learners across the country to ensure that all learners have access to qu ..read more

Proud parents Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez could not help but be emotional as their only son Nate graduated from grade school, and is now moving up to junior high school. The singers each celebrated their child’s milestone, showing his graduation photo through their respective Instagram pages on Thursday, April 25. “And just like that he is moving up to junior high school. Nakakaiyak,” Alcasid said. Addressing Nate, he continued, “Fly high my son. Love you so much.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ogie Alcasid (@ogiealcasid) Velasquez, on the other hand, was all praises for h ..read more

LUCENA CITY — A Chinese national drowned while scuba diving on Thursday in the waters off Mabini town in Batangas province, the Batangas police said in a report Friday, April 26. Shunyan Li, a resident of Pasay City, and his two friends were diving near Barangay Solo around 10:30 a.m. when Li encountered oxygen toxicity, the police report said. His companion brought him to a local hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival. According to the Scuba Diving Magazine, “oxygen toxicity may occur in divers using nitrox or mixed gases if they exceed the maximum operating depth for the […]... Keep ..read more

MANILA, Philippines — Newly-appointed Migrant Workers chief Hans Cacdac has received his first marching order from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr: ensure the protection and welfare of overseas Filipinos. READ: Marcos appoints Cacdac Secretary of Department of Migrant Workers In a radio interview, Cacdac said Marcos’ personal instruction to him was to make certain that Filipino migrant workers get immediate help in times of need. “Ang marching order ng Pangulo ay bigyan ng sapat na proteksyon, siguraduhin na nagagabayan natin ang Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) lalo na sa panahon ng ..read more

MANILA, Philippines — Dwellers in Metro Manila may experience another day of sweltering heat on Saturday, April 27 as the state weather bureau’s monitoring stations Pasay and Quezon City are seen to log a dangerous heat index of 44 and 42 degree Celsius respectively.  According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), these heat indices fall within the “danger threshold” as it may cause “heat cramps, heat exhaustion” – and even “heat stroke with continued exposure.” But the country’s highest heat index on Saturday is expected to be ..read more

MANILA, Philippines — The Palace on Friday said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term has so far recorded a lower crime rate when compared to the same time frame of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration. The Palace cited data from Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, who presented the information to the President during a meeting on Thursday. PNP: Focus crime rate down in first week of 2024 “He pointed out that the peace and order situation in the country has improved with a much lower index crime volume from 196,519 — from the pre-pandemic pe ..read more

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Almost 300,000 plates are yet to be distributed to the owners, according to an official from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Cebu. This is already half of the figures from the total number of unclaimed licensed plates last year, which was almost 600,000. Joel Maloloy-on, chief of LTO Cebu City District Office, said that the number was already an achievement of the agency, noting that they had already dispensed nearly a huge number of license plates since LTO started the distribution in August 2023. Maloloy-on said that they are targeting to distribute all the 3 ..read more

Filipina socialite Heart Evangelista nisakay sa TikTok trend nga “how do rich people laugh” human ang mga netizen nihangyo niya nga tudloan sila unsaon pagkatawa sa “rich girl laugh.” Sa TikTok, ang global fashion influencer nidemonstrate sa “right way” nga buhaton ang “rich girl laugh” samtang nisulti siya nga ang katawa sa usa ka rich […]... Keep on reading: Heart Evangelista nitudlo unsaon ang sakto nga pagkatawa sa ‘rich girl laugh ..read more