Chinese accounts pounce on Mindanao secession issue to warn of 'civil war' in PhilippinesThis report forms part of Philstar.com's coverage of influence operations, which involve the spread of false information and propaganda that can mislead, cause confusion and prevent informed understanding and discourse. The call to secede Mindanao triggered not just a flurry of controversy among Filipinos. Besides anonymous accounts, the campaign was also amplified by one prominent Chinese media entity that is known to be an active distributor of the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda. Most articles and posts were uploaded on Chinese social media platforms Weibo, Baijahao and NetEase. This, some alleged, was an indication of a brewing civil war.

Armed conflicts in 2023 highest since end of WWII — studySmoke plumes billow following Israeli bombardment in Gaza City on Oct. 11, 2023 on the fifth day of fighting between Israel and the Hamas movement. Israel declared war on Hamas on October 8 following a shock land, air and sea assault by the Gaza-based Islamists. OSLO, Norway — More armed conflicts took place worldwide in 2023 than any other year since the end of the Second World War, according to a Norwegian study published Monday. Last year saw 59 conflicts of which 28 were in Africa, the the Peace Research Institute of Oslo (PRIO) showed. A total of 28 armed conflicts were registered in Africa, followed by Asia with 17, the Middle East with 10, Europe with three and the Americas with one.

Despite the changing weather, the fun shines on at Starbucks with its lineup of refreshing and invigorating drinksOne sip from the delightfully sweet and colorful Green Grape Yuzu Refreshers will bring out that sunny joy. Indulge in caramelly-coffee goodness and smoky sweetness of the Burnt Caramel Oatmilk Latte. Indulge in 'caramelly-coffee' goodness and smoky sweetness of the Burnt Caramel Oatmilk Latte. Indulge in 'caramelly-coffee' goodness and smoky sweetness of the Burnt Caramel Oatmilk Latte. This sweet and playful drink combines coffee with burnt caramel sauce and oatmilk, topped with burnt caramel whipped cream and a sprinkle of even more burnt caramel to brighten up even a rainy day.

True to its secretive nature, Apple hasn't provided any advance details about Monday's event being held at the company's Cupertino, California, headquarters. Both Google and Samsung already have released smartphone models touting AI features as their main attractions. Ives believes infusing more AI into the iPhone, iPad and Mac computer will translate into an additional $450 billon to $600 billion in market value for Apple. Advertisement"Apple's early reticence toward AI was entirely on brand," Forrester's Chatterjee wrote in a preview of the developers conference. Going that route also would help protect Apple's profit margins because AI technology through the cloud is far more expensive than when it is run solely on a device.

Armed police fail to arrest Quiboloy at KOJC compoundMANILA, Philippines — Controversial preacher Apollo Quiboloy evaded arrest on Monday after armed police personnel stormed the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Barangay Buhangin, Davao City and did not find him there. The arrest warrant was served inside the KOJC compound past 5 a.m. after four teams composed of six personnel were allowed to enter. At one point, police had to use ladders to attempt to get inside the KOJC compound due to the crowd of Quiboloy's supporters blocking their entry. Video footage posted by SMNI, the media network connected to KOJC and Quiboloy, showed that the gate of the compound was destroyed in the commotion. This arrest warrant is different from the pending arrest warrant issued by the Senate in connection to Quiboloy's refusal to attend Senate hearings on the sexual abuse allegations that hound him and his church leaders.

India's heatwave longest ever, worse to comeA woman with her face covered walks past air coolers kept on display outside a shop during a hot summer day amid severe heatwave in Varanasi on May 30, 2024. NEW DELHI — India's heatwave is the longest ever to hit the country, the government's top weather expert said Monday as he warned people will face increasingly oppressive temperatures. The mercury is expected to fall as the annual monsoon rains move north this month, but Mohapatra cautioned worse will follow. "We constituted an expert committee, which observed readings for the next two days and found there were problems with the sensor," Mohapatra said. "We inspect the AWS (automatic weather stations) every six months," he said.

A 32-year-old male suspect was arrested in connection with the suspicious death of a man who was found dead after a job interview in Sheung Shui, police said on Monday. This came after the officers found a sedan in Pat Heung last night that was suspected of being involved in the murder case. The case was revealed in Sheung Shui last Saturday (Jun 8) morning after Wong, 23, was found lying on the pavement outside the North District Hospital. Police said Monday that the suspect, with a triad background and claimed to be unemployed, was arrested in Tin Shui Wai on suspicion of murder. As for the sedan involved, it was installed with a fake license plate and a taser was found in the cabin.

The bus was carrying pilgrims to the base camp of the famed Hindu temple Mata Vaishno Devi when it came under attack in the region’s Reasi district. (AP)Suspected militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir’s Jammu province fired at a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims on Sunday and at least nine were killed after the vehicle fell into a deep gorge, officials said. The bus was carrying pilgrims to the base camp of the famed Hindu temple Mata Vaishno Devi when it came under attack in the region’s Reasi district, senior administrative officer Vishesh Mahajan said. A police officer said some of the victims had gunshot wounds and blamed the attack on Muslim militants who are fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir. Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety.

Small steps go a long way: Small Laude shares beauty tipsMANILA, Philippines — Socialite and YouTuber Small Laude has added another feather to her cap: skincare brand owner. At the re-opening of personal store chain Watsons Philippines’ SM Mall of Asia main mall branch, Small shared some beauty tips for her fans. “Skincare tips, of course, always wash your face, make it clean every day, and use Small Steps Skin,” she said of her new beauty brand with products made in Korea. Small and her family were among the special guests of the newly re-opened store, which boasts of over a thousand products in its around 900-sq.-m. retail space. — Video by Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo; video editing by Martin RamosRELATED: No small feat: Small Laude launches own skincare brand in Watsons SM MOA

This brings the total of Vietnam's overall dredging and landfill (including both landfill and harbor/channel dredging) in disputed areas of the South China Sea to approximately 2,360 acres — roughly half of China's 4,650 acres. Currently, Vietnam's only airstrip in the Spratly Islands is a 1,300-meter runway on the eponymous Spratly Island. Trenches and coastal defense emplacements typical of Vietnam's Spratly outposts can be seen underway in several features. And temporary helipads have appeared across many of the expanding features, including Discovery Great Reef, Ladd Reef, Tennent Reef and South Reef." Advertisement[Among the 11 articles that I've written on the Vietnam threat are the following: "Vietnam: The more serious threat?," "Vietnam's militarization of the Spratlys (Kalayaan)," and "The lie-low but dangerous claimant in the South China Sea."]

3-day transport strike begins todayTraditional transport jeepneys wait for passengers at a terminal on Pedro Gil Street corner Agoncillo Street in Manila on January 2, 2024. MANILA, Philippines — The three-day transport strike begins today following assurance by Manibela president Mar Valbuena that various mobilization centers will be established, even as unconsolidated public utility jeepneys (PUJs) have asked the government to allow them to operate for at least one year. Valbuena added that Manibela strike centers are situated in Novaliches, Alabang, Parañaque, Marikina and Quezon City. “Our members contested the apprehension made by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority as they failed to present a memo on the unconsolidated (PUJs). He added that many drivers are still hoping that they can ply their routes with the one-year extension so that unconsolidated jeepneys can still operate.

A September start to cuts would likely increase the gap between the Fed and the European Central Bank (ECB), which began easing monetary policy rates last week. After two days of debate, the Fed will publish its interest rate decision on Wednesday afternoon, US time, and will also update its economic forecasts from March. Fed chair Jerome Powell has repeatedly insisted that the Fed is "data-dependent" and will not be swayed by politics. Cutting backFutures traders see almost no chance of a rate cut before September, according to data from CME Group. AdvertisementThis marks a dramatic shift from late last year, when the financial markets were pricing in as many as six interest rate cuts for 2024, with the first of them coming as early as March.

The Executive Secretary confirmed that they had received the resignation letter of MB member V. Bruce Tolentino. Online media platform Bilyonaryo, however, had reported on Thursday night that MB member Anita Linda Aquino had already submitted her resignation. Diplomatic farewellsAt the Swedish National Day celebration, Swedish Ambassador Annika Thunborg announced that she would be leaving her post after serving three and a half years as Sweden’s top envoy in the Philippines. Also departing is Italian Ambassador Marco Clemente who will be saying his farewell to President Marcos on June 11. During his three year stint in the Philippines, Ambassador Clemente had worked tirelessly to introduce Italian opera to Filipino youth, including those in underprivileged communities.

Israel named the rescued hostages as Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan 22, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41. The spokesperson for Hamas' armed al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Ubaida, said some hostages were killed during the rescue operation. Fresh airstrikes in the southern city of Rafah hit homes later on Saturday, residents and Hamas officials said. U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the return of the four Israeli hostages rescued in Gaza. "To free four people, Israel killed dozens of innocent civilians," he said.

One passenger died and five others were injured following a crash involving a seven-seater and a sedan in Tai Po on Sunday afternoon. The accident happened at around 1.15 pm when a seven-seater was driving along Sam Mun Tsai Road towards Sam Mun Tsai Village and crashed head-to-head with a Tesla that was driving towards Tai Po. The 52-year-old driver and the four passengers - aged between 18 and 81 - on the seven-seater were injured in the collision. The 34-year-old female driver of the Tesla was also injured. The seven-seater driver was arrested for dangerous driving.