MANILA, Philippines -- The website of the Department of Education was up and running again on Saturday after being attacked early this week by pro-Taiwan hackers. The DepEd confirmed its website (www.deped.gov.ph) had been subjected to a "distributed denial of service" attack as a result of which "it became difficult to access the past few days." Its temporary backup site was also hacked and a fake DepEd memorandum titled "GUIDELINES for the apology and compensation of victim" was posted among the official issuances. The fake memo obviously referred to the Taiwanese government's demand for an official apology and compensation, among others, for the killing of a Taiwanese fisher...

Keep on reading: DepEd website now up and normal

The son of the U.S. national swim team director is reporting that Michael Phelps is planning a comeback for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Peter Busch, whose father Frank oversees the American program, is a news anchor at a television station in Fort Myers, Florida. A brief story from the younger Busch posted on the station's website Friday said Phelps is plotting his return to the pool and hopes to compete at the next Olympics. "The greatest Olympian of all time isn't hanging up his swimsuit, after all," the report said, without citing any sources. Phelps went on Twitter to downplay the report, but he didn't specifically deny it either. "Why do I keep getting texts about coming ...

Keep on reading: Report: Michael Phelps planning comeback

NEW YORK — Yahoo may be on the verge of closing its biggest acquisition during the 10-month reign of CEO Marissa Mayer as she tries to attract more traffic and advertisers to the Internet company's website and mobile applications. The Sunnyvale, California, company's board of directors will meet Sunday evening to consider approving a $1.1 billion acquisition of online content-sharing site Tumblr in a deal Mayer negotiated, according to the technology news site All Things D. The story posted late Friday cited anonymous sources. If Yahoo Inc.'s board signs off, the deal could be announced Monday. In an invitation sent Friday, Yahoo promised to unveil "something special" M...

Keep on reading: Report: Yahoo nearing $1.1B acquisition of Tumblr

BEIJING — Chinese authorities say rainstorms that battered southern China this week have killed 55 people and left 14 others missing. The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs website says at least nine provinces have had storms and some flooding and landslides since Tuesday. It says Guangdong province has been hit the hardest, with 36 deaths and 10 missing people, followed by Jiangxi province, where six people are reported dead and four more missing. Guangdong's weather service forecasts more heavy rain along with thunder, strong wind gusts and hail in the coming days and warns of flooding and mudslides....

Keep on reading: Southern China rains kill 55, leave 14 missing

FAIRFIELD, Connecticut — Two commuter trains serving New York City collided in Connecticut during Friday's evening rush hour, sending 60 people to the hospital, including five critically injured and one very critically injured, Gov. Dannel Malloy said. There were no reports of fatalities. The Metro-North Railroad, a commuter line serving the northern suburbs, referred in a news release to a "major derailment" near Fairfield. It said emergency workers were at the scene of the accident, which came shortly after 6 p.m. "We're most concerned about the injured and ultimately reopening the system," Malloy said from the scene about three hours after the crash. He said there was ...

Keep on reading: US commuter trains collide; 60 go to hospitals

ATLANTA — A woman who lost both hands, her left leg and right foot after contracting a flesh-eating disease has been fitted with prosthetic hands. Aimee Copeland, 25, was fitted with a pair of hands with 24 programmable functions that will improve her dexterity, her father, Andy, told the Associated Press. Copeland, of Snellville, contracted a rare infection called necrotizing fasciitis in May 2012 after falling from a zip line and gashing her leg. She spent two months at the Shepherd Center, a rehabilitation clinic in Atlanta, learning to move, eat and bathe without prosthetics. She spent part of the week at Touch Bionics being fitted for the prosthetic hands that her fat...

Keep on reading: Flesh-eating disease victim gets prosthetic hands

LOS ANGELES— Sonic the Hedgehog is rolling with Nintendo.   Sega says it will exclusively release the next three games starring the popular blue critter on Nintendo platforms. The first title will be called "Sonic Lost World" and is set for release on the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS later this year.   "With 'Sonic Lost World,' we're going to introduce new gameplay and enemies, which is always fun," said John Cheng, president and chief operating officer of Sega of America Inc. "In terms of Sonic and his friends, he'll have his same friends there, and I think there'll be some new ones as well. It's not a reiteration. It's going to be all new."   The origin...

Keep on reading: ‘Sonic’ video games coming to Nintendo

ELIZABETH, New Jersey— Life on the run for the Internet sensation known as "Kai the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker" ended when he asked for a cup of coffee. A Starbucks employee was credited Friday with recognizing 24-year-old Caleb "Kai" McGillvary, wanted in the beating death of a man nearly three times his age.   The pair met amid the neon lights of New York City's Times Square over the weekend and went to the home of 73-year-old lawyer Joseph Galfy Jr., authorities say. On Monday, Galfy was found beaten to death in his bedroom, wearing only his socks and underwear. McGillvary was arrested Thursday in Philadelphia and charged with his murder.   McGillvary was ...

Keep on reading: ‘Hatchet hitchhiker’ arrested in US murder

LAS VEGAS— The lawyer who defended O.J. Simpson on armed robbery charges delivered a potentially heavy blow to the former football star's bid for a new trial Friday, testifying that Simpson knew his buddies had guns on them when he went to a hotel room to reclaim some sports memorabilia.   Attorney Yale Galanter took the stand in a frequently combative hearing over Simpson's claim that he was so badly represented by Galanter that his conviction should be thrown out. Point by point, Galanter contradicted much of own former client's testimony and defended his handling of the case.   Simpson, 65, was convicted in 2008 of kidnapping and armed robbery over the hote...

Keep on reading: Former lawyer says OJ Simpson knew about guns

MANILA, Philippines—Former newsman and Press Secretary Raul S. Gonzalez died on May 15 after a long battle with cancer. He was 78.   A product of San Beda College where he studied from elementary to college, Gonzalez distinguished himself in government service and the academe.   He served as press secretary to the late President Diosdado Macapagal at a very young age, and later became vice president for university relations at the University of the East (UE).   In 1986, after the Edsa Revolt, he joined the Government Service Insurance System as vice president for public affairs, later as senior vice president for corporate planning. The late President C...

Keep on reading: Former Press Secretary Raul S. Gonzalez dies; 78

MANILA, Philippines—Fugitive double murder suspect Cezar Mancao is reportedly planning to slip out of the country and has even contacted a lawyer to help him get a fake passport, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Friday.   De Lima, citing “intelligence reports,” said Mancao was trying to secure passports for himself and two others.   “We’re still determining who the other two are. There was reportedly a lawyer working on those passports so we are trying to get his identity. Of course, the passports would be fake or under assumed names and his (Mancao’s) picture would probably be altered, especially since he is widely known now due to his public...

Keep on reading: Mancao planning to leave–De Lima

MANILA, Philippines—Know your numbers. Skip processed foods and think positive.   The World Health Organization (WHO) dispensed these tips through several posters released on Friday to mark World Hypertension Day, warning that deaths due to heart-related diseases will continue to rise if no appropriate action will be taken.   Currently, hypertension or high blood pressure is responsible for at least 45 percent of deaths across the globe due to heart disease and 51 percent due to stroke.   According to Dr. Margaret Chan, hypertension already affects one billion people worldwide. Citing studies, she also said that raised blood pressure kills nine million ...

Keep on reading: World hypertension day: Know your numbers

MANILA, Philippines—Hale them to court.   Politicians accusing policemen of having worked for their rivals during the elections should file formal complaints instead of bringing their allegations to the media, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).   “We will definitely look into reports that our personnel were engaged in partisan politics and ensure that they will be held responsible if they are guilty of wrongdoing,” PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. told reporters at Camp Crame.   But he stressed that local candidates should be able to substantiate their charges.   ‘Unfairly accused’   He no...

Keep on reading: Hale electioneering cops to work–PNP

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—The mayor of Kalayaan town in Palawan was harassed by two unidentified vessels while traveling with around 200 others by sea toward midnight on Thursday.   Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon of Kalayaan, which governs Pag-asa and four other islets in the Spratlys claimed by the Philippines, said they left Pag-asa Island on Wednesday, two days after casting their votes.   He said they were on their way to Puerto Princesa, about 280 nautical miles away, on board a municipal boat and passing by the Ayungin Shoal when the two vessels approached them.   Ayungin Shoal is about 100 nautical miles from Pag-asa and near Mischief Reef, which is occu...

Keep on reading: Foreign ships harass mayor of disputed isle

CANNES—Once a year, this sleepy resort town south of France transforms into a “mecca for cineastes,” in the words of internationally acclaimed Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz.   Scattered all over the city are giant black-and-white billboards featuring photos of Oscar winners like filmmaker Quentin Tarantino and actress Cate Blanchett taken on the Cannes red carpet.   The mood on La Croisette, the city’s main thoroughfare, is undoubtedly electrified by Hollywood glamor mixed with touristy bonanza.   On Thursday afternoon, there was a press presentation for Asian martial arts expert Jackie Chan’s latest potboiler, “Police Story 2013.” &nbs...

Keep on reading: Banner year for PH indie films in Cannes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gklPhjqeVNA Three more senatorial winners were proclaimed on the fifth day of canvassing on Friday by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) but only seventh-placer Paulo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV showed up for the ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center late Friday night.   Amid questions about the slow pace of canvassing and doubts over the propriety of proclaiming winners this early, the Comelec declared the seventh to ninth placers—Aquino, Antonio Trillanes IV and Aquilino Pimentel III—senators-elect.   Aquino, a cousin of President Benigno Aquino III, was personally escorted by Comelec Chair Sixto Br...

Keep on reading: 3 more senators proclaimed by Comelec

CEBU. Four days after the elections, the Provincial Board of Canvassers declares Hilario Davide III (right) the new governor of Cebu and his running mate, Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale, as the newly elected vice governor. Davide first ran for governor in 2010. (Amper Campaña)

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A POLICE officer died after five men repeatedly shot him near an illegal cockfight arena in Barangay Looc, Danao City late yesterday afternoon.

SPO3 Jose Relampagos, who was assigned to the Tuburan Police Station, was shot seven times in his head and body.

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DEFEATED Tuburan, Cebu mayoralty candidate Rose Marie Suezo and her running mate Daphne Lagon will not face trial for allegedly employing six armed men as bodyguards.

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CEBU Province has the most number of defective Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines in the entire Central Visayas.

Of the total 215 defective PCOS machines in Region 7, Cebu has 134.

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