Marcoleta suspended due to plunder case

Inquirer.net - Oct 20, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan’s Third Division on Monday suspended Sen. Rodante Marcoleta due to his plunder case. Marcoleta was charged with plunder for accepting a P75-million donation while sitting as a party-list congressman, which he admitted in a television interview in November last year. In a statement, the Third Division said “Senator Rodante D.

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Notarization is finally available online. Here’s how it works.

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Cell publisher investigates editor accused of soliciting bribes from China

Oct 20, 2026

Cell publisher investigates editor accused of soliciting bribes from China

Cell Press, one of the world’s leading scientific publishers, has launched an investigation after prominent Chinese biologist Rao Yi accused the editor-in-chief of a top medical journal of soliciting bribes from mainland authors. “Several important international academic journals have seen editors, and even editors-in-chief, soliciting and accepting bribes,” said Rao, a tenured chair professor at Peking University who stepped down as president of Capital Medical University last year, in a social...

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Oct 20, 2026

The evolution of China’s active defence doctrine

The British Army’s miraculous escape from Nazi Germany’s encirclement at Dunkirk is considered by some to be the greatest military retreat in modern history and a prime example of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Yet years before Dunkirk, the military retreat by the Chinese Red Army, known as the Long March, was more impressive and consequential. While the Dunkirk evacuation remains in Hollywood fare and a staple of World War II folklore, the Long March is taught at military academies...

Pro-China officials, online trolls embolden Beijing to make daring acts

Oct 20, 2026

Pro-China officials, online trolls embolden Beijing to make daring acts

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine officials and alleged online trolls who defend China could be giving Beijing more confidence to make daring acts and statements amid the escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea, Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro warned on Monday. During Monday’s hearing on the 2027 budget of the Department of National Defense (DND),

Should women serve? Korea's female conscription debate is back as troop pool shrinks

Oct 20, 2026

Should women serve? Korea's female conscription debate is back as troop pool shrinks

South Korea’s decade-old debate over female conscription resurfaced during a National Assembly audit this month, amid growing concerns that a shrinking draft-eligible population could undermine military readiness. During a National Assembly defense committee audit on Oct. 12, opposition lawmakers raised the issue, arguing that the time has come for a public discussion as the eligible male population continues to fall. Defense ministry data shows the pool of 20-year-old men eligible for service dropped from 332,000 in 2019 to 257,000 in 2022, and is projected to fall further to 228,000 by 2035 and 120,000 by 2043. Rep. Yoo Yeong-ha of the main opposition People Power Party said, "Now, we must officially put female conscription on the table. This will also require broad societal consensus." Rep. Chun Ha-ram of the Reform Party used the term “gender-equal conscription” — meaning mandatory service for both men and women — to call for a broader discussion on reforming the system. “If we continue wringing a dry towel without even considering gender-equal conscription as an option,

Homeplus' recovery falters as sales slump, buyer search stalls

Oct 20, 2026

Homeplus' recovery falters as sales slump, buyer search stalls

Homeplus, which narrowly avoided liquidation and resumed operations in August, is struggling to regain its footing as weak sales and stalled takeover efforts cloud its recovery, according to industry officials Monday. The uncertainty has also prompted a wave of voluntary resignations among employees. A major supermarket chain, Homeplus is currently undergoing court-led rehabilitation after struggling for years with the decline of the country’s hypermarket sector and consumers’ shift to online shopping. In July, the Seoul Bankruptcy Court briefly terminated the proceedings after the embattled retailer failed to secure the minimum 200 billion won ($150 million) in fresh funding needed to carry out its restructuring plan. Homeplus reversed that outcome only after obtaining emergency financing from Meritz Financial Group, its largest creditor, at the last minute. The retailer reopened all 67 of its remaining stores nationwide on Aug. 13, hoping to put its recovery back on track. Sales reached 10.63 billion won on the first day, followed by a daily average of 8.7 billion won over the nex

N. Korea, Russia discuss ways to expand exchanges in education

Oct 20, 2026

N. Korea, Russia discuss ways to expand exchanges in education

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DaouKiwoom-CJ consortium picked as preferred bidder for debt-laden JoongAng Ilbo

Oct 20, 2026

DaouKiwoom-CJ consortium picked as preferred bidder for debt-laden JoongAng Ilbo

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Pope Leo to hold Wednesday audience for first time since cancer surgery

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Pope Leo to hold Wednesday audience for first time since cancer surgery

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France in turmoil: What might follow a weekend of riots?

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Elections next year will see President Emmanuel Macron step down after a decade in power. The unrest is likely to give a boost to far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, the frontrunner in polls who has long talked tough on law and order.

INQToday: DFA summons Chinese envoy for ‘may easily win’ remark

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INQToday: DFA summons Chinese envoy for ‘may easily win’ remark

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Envoy’s remarks not his own; reflect Beijing’s position – Teodoro

Oct 19, 2026

Envoy’s remarks not his own; reflect Beijing’s position – Teodoro

MANILA, Philippines — Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan’s statement about the use of force, which was viewed by Philippine government officials as a threat, was not merely his personal opinion but reflected the position of the Chinese government. “They act very deliberately. Hindi pag-uugali ng ambasador ’yan, pag-uugali ng gobyerno nila ’yan (That’s not the ambassador’s

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