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Corrupt officials have nowhere to hide, China’s anti-graft watchdog warns
There is “no way out” for corrupt officials no matter how senior they are, China’s top anti-corruption watchdog has warned following the downfall of a former big-city mayor who survived numerous previous scandals. This week, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) announced both the probe into Huang Qifan, the former mayor of Chongqing, and the expulsion of a senior figure in Sichuan province. On Saturday, the commission said these developments showed the party’s “unwavering...
63 of 77 MV June Aster fire victims identified; probe ongoing
MANILA, Philippines — Authorities have identified 63 of the 77 people killed in the MV June Aster ferry fire off Palawan in September, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has reported. The BFP also said Friday eight people remain missing as investigators continue to determine possible lapses that allowed the vessel to sail despite engine
Police call repeat iPhone fraud incident 'regrettable'
Police said on Saturday they received more than 110 reports of suspected misuse of credit cards linked to iPhone Duo pre-sale transactions. The amount involved was about HK$4.6 million, with the largest single loss reaching nearly HK$230,000 – equivalent to about 12 iPhone Duos. No arrests have been made so far. Senior inspector Lo Chun-kong from the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau called the repeated incident "extremely regrettable," after a similar situation happened just last month during Apple's other iPhone pre-orders. Lo pointed out that since then, the police advised Apple multiple times to implement 3D-Secure (3DS) to verify online credit card payments. “When a transaction has to be carried out using credit card, the issuing bank will request the card holder to carry out additional verification, for example, input a one-time password, or carry out confirmation using the bank's mobile app to safeguard the public's assets,” Lo said. “But unfortunately, Apple still had not activated 3DS during the pre-sale on Friday night, and failed to stop the issuance of similar fraud cases.” He went on to say that the force was highly concerned that Apple has not actively fulfilled its corporate responsibilities, which fraudsters exploited. The force hopes Apple will implement effective measures to prevent similar cases from happening, he said. Lo noted that the incident this time involved multiple banks, but did not offer more details. The case has been classified as “obtaining property by deception”. Regarding the iPhone 18 Pro series incidents last month, Lo stated that over 1,570 reports were received, with total losses amounting to approximately HK$31 million. Edited by Azam Khan
Ancient trees, rare plants tell Bicol Natural Park’s story
MANILA, Philippines — A centuries-old tree, a critically endangered plant and several rare and endemic species are among the botanical treasures documented in Bicol Natural Park during a biodiversity monitoring activity in the second half of 2026, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Bicol. The findings highlight the diversity of plant
Elderly man held over hacking of drinking buddy in Batac City
SAN ILDEFONSO, Ilocos Sur — A 71-year-old man was arrested after allegedly hacking a 46-year-old man during a drinking session in Barangay Bungon, Batac City in Ilocos Norte, police said Saturday, Oct. 17. Based on the initial police investigation, the suspect and the victim were drinking alcoholic beverages at the suspect’s residence when the incident
'Red Rising' is getting a movie adaptation by 'Hunger Games' director
A movie adaptation of the popular “Red Rising” book series is in the works!
Is China’s Shenzhen ready to host Xi, Trump and Putin during Apec summit?
In Shenzhen, drones are banned, shiny new hotels have opened their doors and taxi drivers are carrying devices that can translate nearly 150 languages. Since President Xi Jinping announced last year that China’s southern tech hub would host Apec meetings in November, the city has done all it can to get ready under the watchful eyes of the local, provincial and national authorities. While every Apec summit draws the world’s attention, this year’s edition is considered to be especially high-stakes...
Is China’s Shenzhen ready to host Xi, Trump and Putin during Apec summit?
In Shenzhen, drones are banned, shiny new hotels have opened their doors and taxi drivers are carrying devices that can translate nearly 150 languages. Since President Xi Jinping announced last year that China’s southern tech hub would host Apec meetings in November, the city has done all it can to get ready under the watchful eyes of the local, provincial and national authorities. While every Apec summit draws the world’s attention, this year’s edition is considered to be especially high-stakes...
NGCP raises yellow alert on electricity over Visayas grid anew on Oct. 17
MANILA, Philippines — Merely hours after it lifted its power supply warning, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) on Saturday raised again the yellow alert over the Visayas power grid from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The warning comes as the power plants remained unavailable and maintenance work affected electricity supply. A yellow
Taal Volcano logs 22 quakes as seismic activity continues
LUCENA CITY—Taal Volcano in Batangas continues to exhibit seismic activity, recording 22 volcanic earthquakes in the past 24 hours, up from 17 the previous day. This report comes from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Saturday, Oct. 17. Phivolcs data showed 139 volcanic earthquakes and 11 tremor episodes recorded from Oct. 9