📰 News & Current Affairs

“The provision requiring the mandatory drug testing of candidates is unconstitutional because it expanded the requirements of candidates under the Constitution, but it upheld the random drug testing of private and public officials,” said lawyer Sue Mae Ting, the SC spokesperson. Source: Supreme Court says mandatory drug testing for bets ‘unconstitutional’ - Manila Standard

The Philippine Embassy in Lebanon on Friday night (PH time) issued an advisory to Filipino citizens for them to leave Lebanon immediately while the airport is still open amid tensions. Source: Filipinos in Lebanon strongly urged to evacuate while airport is still open

The Ke Xue San Hao was sighted surveying the areas south and east of Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea beginning July 25. Sources: Another Chinese research ship monitored in Philippine EEZ

After Vice President Sara Duterte resigned as education secretary, more Filipinos than ever during her term were unsatisfied with her performance, a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey found. Source: After quitting DepEd, Sara Duterte's satisfaction rating plunges to lowest – SWS

Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa urged Metro Manila local governments to help address leptospirosis cases by attending to poor waste management, which increases the population of rats—the vector of the disease. Source: DOH: Garbage issues worsen leptospirosis

Paetongtarn Shinawatra has become Thailand’s youngest-ever prime minister after parliament confirmed her nomination by the ruling coalition of her Pheu Thai party. Source: Paetongtarn Shinawatra becomes Thailand’s next PM, youngest ever

There are no new cases of mpox in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday, after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global public health emergency for the second time in two years due to the infectious disease. Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2024/8/15/no-new-case-of-mpox-in-ph-says-doh-1613

Scientists in Germany have found fungi that can eat plastic, which could help tackle the global problem of plastic pollution. Source: German Scientists Discover Plastic-Eating Fungi for Waste Reduction - GKToday

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Tuesday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to acquire multi-role fighter jets following China’s recent air harassment in the West Philippine Sea. Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/14/teodoro-reaffirms-commitment-to-acquire-fighter-jets-after-china-s-flare-use-1320

US lawmakers are calling for an investigation into routers manufactured by Chinese-owned TP-Link Technologies and sold in the US – over concerns the company’s WiFi devices can be used by China to launch state-sponsored häçking campaigns. Source: https://cybernews.com/security/tp-link-chinese-routers-national-security-risk-us-lawmakers/

A Russian parliamentary deputy said on Friday that the Western-backed Ukrainian incursion has brought the world close to an all-out global war, Russia's RIA news agency reported. Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-mp-says-ukrainian-incursion-could-lead-global-war-ria-reports-2024-08-16/

Former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo cannot seek reelection in the 2025 midterm elections if she fails to secure a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Court of Appeals (CA), stopping the implementation of the dismissal order against her by the Office of the Ombudsman. Source: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1231170

US officials are assessing how the incursion might reshape the political and military dynamics of the war, as well as the implications for Washington’s long-shifting stance on how Ukraine can use American-supplied arms. Source: Ukraine's surprise advance into Russia a dilemma for Biden

Duterte, who was appointed as KOJC administrator of properties, believes the CA order is wrong since the money comes from a church organization and no public funds are involved. He also believes the case will reach the Supreme Court. In a podcast episode yesterday, the former chief executive pointed out that there is neither an allegation of misuse nor a KOJC member saying he was defrauded of his contribution. Source: CA erred on freeze order on KOJC assets – Duterte

The Supreme Court has ordered the government to comment on a petition questioning the constitutionality of a provision on unprogrammed appropriations (UA) in the 2024 national budget, tapping PHP89.9 billion in unutilized funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth). Source: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1231275

National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año said Wednesday the New People’s Army’s (NPA) force continues to dwindle, with its weakened guerrilla fronts now down to five. Source: Security exec: NPA force down to 5 weakened guerrilla fronts

The Commission on Audit (COA) should not be satisfied with just auditing the confidential funds (CF) under the previous Office of the Vice President (OVP) budgets, as it should check all secret allocations, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said. Source: Brosas urges COA: Don’t stop at OVP, audit all secret funds

Authorities in Russia’s Kursk region have decided to evacuate the population of its Glushkov district, acting governor Alexei Smirnov said late on Wednesday, August 14, amid the continued advance of Ukrainian forces into the border region. Source: Russia to evacuate thousands more from Kursk region attacked by Ukraine

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has ordered the non-working holiday in observance of Ninoy Aquino Day from Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, to Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. Source: Marcos moves Ninoy Aquino holiday to Aug. 23, 2024

Thailand’s parliament said it will meet Friday to choose a new prime minister after the Constitutional Court removed Srettha Thavisin on Wednesday over an ethics violation. Source: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1231250

The world population is expected to start shrinking within this century after hitting a peak in the mid-2080s due to lower fertility levels, particularly in China, according to the latest projection by the United Nations. Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/8/13/world-population-to-shrink-in-21st-century-amid-birthrate-fall-u-n-1420

Senator Imee Marcos has opposed the proposed revival of e-sa̾bong, or online cockfighting, in the country and the plan to spare 12 Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo) from the ban. Source: Marcos opposes revival of e-******, plan to spare 12 Pogos from ban

Schultz admits being guilty to charges of conspiring to obtain and disclose national defense information, exporting technical data related to defense articles without a license, conspiracy to export defense articles without a license, and bribery of a public official, the Department of Justice said in a statement. Source: US soldier sold defense info to China, including on PH drills

Ukraine is pushing farther into Russia’s Kursk region after claiming hundreds of square miles of territory. CNN has uncovered online job vacancies for trench diggers in Russia’s Kursk region, as satellite imagery shows a new trench system has been dug in the region. CNN’s Erin Burnett reports. Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/14/world/video/russia-ukraine-advances-war-ebof-digvid

David said that as he observed during their video call, Guo lost weight, looked stressed and was in a somber mood. The lawyer said he is now preparing Guo’s motion for reconsideration on her dismissal by the Office of the Ombudsman. “The MR is a prerequisite so that we can elevate the case before the Court of Appeals through a petition for review,” David said. Source: Alice Guo still in the Philippines, preparing motion — lawyer

The World Health Organization said mpox is spreading so rapidly in parts of Africa that it constitutes a global health emergency. There are several important differences between the type of mpox that was spreading globally (including around the U.S.) in 2022 and the type of mpox that prompted the WHO’s new declaration. Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar_media_wire/4828204-mpox-is-a-global-emergency-who-says-is-it-spreading-the-us/

An official of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) on Wednesday said P20 per meal per person was insufficient for maintaining a healthy diet. Source: NNC: P20 per meal not enough

“I think the day of reckoning is coming closer, because what I’m hearing is that a warrant of arrest will be issued by the ICC sometime in September,” Carpio said in an interview on the vlog of political analyst and Inquirer columnist Richard Heydarian. Source: Carpio: ICC warrant may be out by September

In a privilege speech, Dela Rosa urged his colleagues in the Senate to consider approving a measure similar to the US Service-Members Protection Act, which E×ρréššly prohibits US courts, agencies or entities of any state or local government, including any court, from cooperating with the ICC. Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/12/bato-suggests-law-banning-cooperation-with-icc-1825

Timbang, the only councilor left in the municipal council, is also the sole councilor who had a “difference of opinion” about the granting of permit to the Pogo in the town, according to Abalos. Source: Alice Guo replaced by councilor as Tarlac town mayor

Alleged Data Breach Involving Philippine Airlines: 12.8 Million Users Allegedly Affected Date Published: August 14, 2024 Last night, we received a notification about a possible data breach involving Philippine Airlines. A recent post circulating in several private channels allegedly shows that the breach has affected 12.8 million users. The breach appears to display sensitive information, including passport numbers, birthdates, full names, and addresses, linked to a site associated with Clark International Airport. This breach was reportedly originally posted on a channel tied to an alleged Lockbit affiliate, a notorious ransomware group known for targeting large organizations. The data, which may include information shared between...

“UP purportedly champions fearless scholarship and critical thinking, but its administration now wants to ‘strategically align (its) resources and expertise’ with a coercive institution that we all know has been accused countless times by local and international human rights watchdog groups of trampling on civil liberties in its purported counterinsurgency campaigns and attacks on government critics and dissidents,” said a joint statement by the university’s sectoral regents representing faculty, students and personnel, Kasama sa UP and Defend UP Network. Source: UP community denounces accord with military