Ceasefire Holds in Gaza as Hostage Release Looms
JERUSALEM — The war in Gaza is over and the Middle East is poised to "normalize," U.S. President Donald Trump declared Sunday as he jetted toward Israel, where a fragile ceasefire with Hamas entered its third day and the release of Israeli hostages appeared imminent. "The war is over, you understand that," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One during...
Magnitude 5.8 quake rocks Cebu, Central Philippines provinces
A powerful tectonic earthquake of magnitude 6 struck early Monday about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Bogo City in the central Philippines, shaking buildings and sending residents scrambling from their beds in the predawn hours. The quake hit at 1:06 a.m. local time, with its epicenter just 5 kilometers (3 miles) beneath the earth's surface — shallow enough to...
Magnitude 6.2 Quake Jolts Surigao del Sur, No Casualties Reported
A powerful magnitude 6.2 earthquake rattled the southern Philippines late Saturday, shaking coastal communities and prompting residents to rush into the streets, though authorities reported no immediate casualties or major damage. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the tectonic quake struck at 10:32 p.m. local time, centered 22 kilometers (14 miles) northeast of Cagwait municipality in Surigao del...
Magnitude 5.0 Quake Rattles Zambales, Felt Across Luzon Provinces
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan — A magnitude 5.0 earthquake jolted Zambales province Saturday evening, sending tremors rippling through several northern Luzon communities and prompting warnings of possible aftershocks. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, or Phivocls, said the tectonic quake struck at 5:32 p.m. local time, with its epicenter about 100 kilometers (62 miles) beneath the surface in the coastal town...
Police Authorities Seek Public Help in Search for 2 Missing Filipino Women
Hong Kong police issued an urgent public appeal Friday for information on two Filipino women who vanished in the bustling Tsuen Wan district, last seen wandering a busy roadside more than a week ago. The women, both domestic workers in their 20s and 30s, were reported missing after disappearing from Yeung Uk Road on the afternoon of Oct. 4. Authorities...
Powerful 7.6 Quake Strikes Off Southern Philippines, Triggering Tsunami Warnings
A powerful offshore earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 rattled the southern Philippines early Friday, raising fears of a hazardous tsunami and potential widespread damage in a nation already reeling from recent disasters. The quake, centered at sea about 62 kilometers (38 miles) southeast of Manay town in Davao Oriental province, struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers...
Israel Approves Ceasefire with Hamas, Paving Way for Hostage Release and End to Gaza War
JERUSALEM — Israel's government ratified a ceasefire with Hamas on Friday, setting the stage for a halt to hostilities in Gaza within 24 hours and the release of remaining Israeli hostages within 72 hours after that, officials said. The Israeli Cabinet approved the deal in the early hours of Friday, about a day after mediators announced an agreement to exchange...
Flight risk bulletin sought vs. Escudero, Romualdez, others
MANILA — A Philippine government commission investigating alleged corruption in flood control projects has asked the Justice Department to slap immigration lookout orders on dozens of current and former lawmakers, auditors and officials, aiming to prevent potential flight amid the widening probe. The Independent Commission on Infrastructure, or ICI, filed the request Wednesday with the Department of Justice, targeting a...
Filipino Domestic Worker Found Dead in Apparent Suicide at Elite Peak Residence
A 31-year-old Filipino domestic helper was discovered hanged in a room of a sprawling luxury villa on Hong Kong's exclusive Peak Road early on Tuesday, in what police described as an apparent suicide, highlighting the hidden pressures faced by the city's vast army of migrant workers. The grim discovery was reported to authorities around 7 a.m. by a fellow employee...
Filipino Workers on Death Row Abroad Drop from 60 to 25, Officials Say
The number of overseas Filipino workers facing execution abroad has fallen to 25, down from 50 to 60 earlier this year, government officials said Tuesday, crediting diplomatic pushback and sentencing changes in key host countries. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac announced the decline in a news release, vowing unwavering support for the condemned Filipinos. "Every OFW is a part...
