39 h. ago Philippines, France near defence pact to boost ‘operational intimacy’ in contested waters

A visiting forces military deal to be signed between the Philippines and France has put the focus on “operational intimacy”, with observers noting that Paris has a presence in the Indo-Pacific and would serve Manila’s interests well in the contested waters of the South China Sea. The term was coined by Associated Press correspondent Jim Gomez and confirmed by French Ambassador to Manila Marie Fontanel during a freewheeling discussion on Tuesday at her residence. In a bid to balance the...

Culture

3 d. ago Philippines ‘comfort women’ demand apology during Japan foreign minister visit

An advocacy group representing Filipino victims of wartime sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers will renew its decades-old demand for a formal state apology and reparations as Japan’s foreign minister visits the Philippines this week. The group, Lila Pilipina (League of Filipino Grandmothers), said it plans to press its appeal during the visit of Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, who is set to arrive on Thursday. “We demand a formal public apology and reparation based on the apology,” said...

Politics

5 d. ago Philippine tourism chief’s magazine cover controversy prompts debate over branding

The Philippines’ tourism chief has drawn criticism after appearing on the cover of a lifestyle magazine intended to promote the country’s destinations, reviving complaints that the department’s messaging has become overly focused on its leader at a time when visitor numbers are slipping. Christina Frasco, secretary of the Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT), appeared on the cover of the December issue of Philippine Topics, pictured against a beach backdrop and alongside a story on the...

Politics

7 d. ago Hong Kong police arrest Russian woman over Tesla car attack, brandishing knife

Hong Kong police have arrested a Russian woman on suspicion of damaging a private car and brandishing a knife in Tsim Sha Tsui, with an online video showing her stopping the vehicle in the middle of the road. Police said they received a report at 6.05am on Saturday that the woman had been hitting the front of a private car, causing scratches on it, before snatching a knife from a nearby newspaper stall. “The woman was arrested near the Star Ferry pier at 6.33am for criminal damage and possession...

Events

1 week ago Where is the January 6 memorial plaque? Missing tribute sparks legal battle

Approaching the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, the official plaque honouring the police who defended democracy that day is nowhere to be found. It’s not on display at the Capitol, as is required by law. Its whereabouts aren’t publicly known, though it’s believed to be in storage. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, has yet to formally unveil the plaque. And the Trump administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking to dismiss a police...

Events

2 w. ago Increased police presence in Sydney for New Year’s Eve following Bondi terror attack

Australian authorities on Tuesday said there would be an increased police presence in Sydney on New Year’s Eve, less than three weeks after 15 people were killed in the Bondi terror attack. More than 2,500 officers will be on high-visibility patrols in Sydney on Wednesday, New South Wales (NSW) Police said in a statement. NSW Premier Chris Minns said Wednesday would see the “largest deployment of police for a New Year’s Eve celebration ever”. The measures are in place to help people feel safe,...

Events

2 w. ago Bondi Beach attack hero Ahmed al Ahmed wanted to protect ‘innocent people’

Bondi Beach shooting hero Ahmed al Ahmed recalled the moment he ran towards one of the attackers and wrestled the gun from him, saying in an interview published on Monday with a US outlet he wanted to protect “innocent people”. Father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram are accused of targeting a Hanukkah event on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on December 14, killing 15 people and wounding dozens in what authorities have described as an antisemitic terrorist attack. Despite the tragedy, tales of heroism...

Events

3 w. ago Australian policeman injured in Bondi terror attack wakes from coma

A police officer injured in the Bondi terror attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia has woken from a medically induced coma, his family said. New South Wales (NSW) police constable Scott Dyson, 25, was one of two officers wounded when investigators allege Naveed Akram and his father Sajid opened fire on a crowd of more than 1,000 people at Sydney’s Archer Park on December 14. The attack killed 15 people and injured dozens more. Accused gunman Naveed Akram, 24, faces 15 murder charges and...

Events

4 w. ago Bondi shooter Sajid Akram visited Philippine gun shop before attack, police say

One of the two alleged Bondi Beach shooters visited a gun store during their stay in the Philippines, police said on Saturday as they attempted to retrace the pair’s movements. An Australian counterterrorism team is investigating whether Sajid Akram and his son Naveed met with Islamist extremists during a nearly month-long visit to the southern island of Mindanao before the mass shooting that killed 15 people in Sydney six days ago. The staff of Davao City’s GV Hotel said this week that the two...

Events

4 w. ago Is Philippines being unfairly targeted in Australia’s Bondi Beach shooting?

Extremist movements in the Philippines have come under scrutiny since it was revealed that two suspected terrorists had visited the country weeks before they killed 15 people in Australia, but observers argue that such threats have waned and officials should avoid “overreach” in linking the case. Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, had allegedly opened fire on people at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday. The older man was killed while Naveed was in critical...

Events