MassKara Fest draws huge crowds in Bacolod

Inquirer.net - Oct 20, 2026

BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines — Thousands of residents and tourists flocked to Bacolod over the weekend for the 2026 MassKara Festival street dancing and arena competitions, featuring colorful costumes, elaborate choreography and the festival’s signature smiling masks. Barangay Taculing emerged as grand champion of the barangay street dance and arena competition on Sunday, winning

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

Oct 20, 2026

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

eNotarization makes the service more accessible to the public because under the 2004 Rules on Notarial Practice, traditional notary publics can only perform notarizations within their respective territorial jurisdictions

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...

The evolution of China’s active defence doctrine

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

The education ministers of North Korea and Russia have met in Pyongyang and discussed ways to expand exchanges in the education field, the North's state media reported Tuesday, amid deepening cooperation between the two nations. North Korean Education Minister Ri Yong-chol and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Kravtsov, held talks the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). A Russian delegation, led by Kravtsov, arrived in Pyongyang on Monday. "At the talks, the successes and experience gained by the two countries in the field of education were shared, and the issues of further boosting bilateral exchange and cooperation were discussed," the KCNA reported, without disclosing other details. In a separate dispatch, the KCNA said the Russian delegation toured the Pyongyang University of Education No. 2, a major educational institution for training teachers in the North, the previous day. The two nations signed a "supplementary agreement" to establish and operate a Russian education center in North Korea under a partnership between the Pyongyang university and Russia'

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

Creditors of JoongAng Ilbo Co. picked DaouKiwoom-CJ consortium as the preferred bidder for one of the major South Korean newspaper publishers as they closed bidding for the debt-laden company earlier in the day, industry sources said Monday. According to the sources, the DaouKiwoom-CJ consortium beat Orion and four others in a race to take over JoongAng Ilbo, a deal estimated at between 400 billion won ($300 million) and 500 billion won. In July this year, JoongAng Ilbo entered the debt workout program, led by main creditor Hana Bank and other lenders, amid liquidity problems at its parent, JoongAng Group. Creditors' debt collection has been suspended for three months, allowing the company to avoid court-led rehabilitation proceedings. JoongAng Holdings owns a 64.7 percent stake in JoongAng Ilbo and is controlled by the founding family of JoongAng Group.

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

Oct 20, 2026

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

Pope Leo pledges that he would slowly resume his usual activities as the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics

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

Oct 19, 2026

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

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

Oct 19, 2026

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

DFA summons Chinese envoy over ‘may easily win’ West PH Sea remark The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday summoned Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan over his remarks that China “may easily win” in a confrontation in the West Philippine Sea. Marcos prefers diplomacy over declaring Chinese envoy persona non grata President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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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