Apple announced on Tuesday it has sued notorious Israeli spyware maker NSO Group over its allegedly “flagrant violations” of US law stemming from efforts to target iPhone users. The suit is the latest against the beleaguered NSO Group after WhatsApp and Facebook parent company Meta took action in October. Apple said it is seeking a permanent injunction to prevent NSO Group from ever again using any of its devices, software, or services after the Israeli firm’s Pegasus spyware was used to surveil and target Apple users. “State-sponsored actors like the NSO Group spend millions of dollars on sophisticated surveillance technologies
At a warehouse in the southern Chinese city of Nanning, dozens of tons of durian fruit products imported from Malaysia are boxed shortly after arrival, ready to be delivered across China. “That’s the first batch of durian this winter,” said Yao Hai, who trades in fruit between China and Southeast Asian countries. With durian becoming increasingly popular with Chinese consumers, Yao’s business has boomed this year, despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. “From March to May this year, the sales of durian products grew tenfold, compared with the same period last year, and I expect the momentum to continue
At least 133 houses were turned over to families badly hit by super typhoon Yolanda in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported on Wednesday. DSWD Assistant Secretary Rodolfo Encabo, Regional Director Grace Subong, and Guiuan Mayor Annaliza Gonzales Kwan led the turnover to 133 families at the town hall on Wednesday after five years of construction. “These homes are part of DSWD’s Modified Core Shelter Assistance Project for families who were completely homeless during typhoon Yolanda,” Subong said in a statement posted at the agency’s officials Facebook page. According to DSWD, these families lived
The provincial government of Cebu, in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), on Wednesday launched the “Sugbo Kahanas” program, which will provide Cebuanos free livelihood skills training. TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña and Governor Gwendolyn Garcia signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) at the Capitol Social Hall to formalize their partnership. The MOA defines the commitment of the provincial government to provide a total of PHP100 million to the Office of the Vice Governor and the 17 Provincial Board members for a decisive province-wide investment in skills development training for Cebuanos 15 years old and above who
A total of 454 villages in Western Visayas that have been declared cleared of illegal drugs have each developed their policing systems to maintain their status. “Our barangays (villages) have become self-reliant and they developed self-policing in their communities. This means they are always on watch and are always monitoring possible illegal drug activities that are reported in their barangays,” said Shey Tanaleon, spokesperson for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in an interview Wednesday. She added that barangay officials understood that their barangay drug-cleared status is not permanent but it is an ongoing responsibility because it can be revoked
Around 8,000 farmers covering the towns of Solsona, Dingras and Marcos in Ilocos Norte province look forward to a bountiful palay harvest and other high-value commercial crops as the repair and rehabilitation of the Madongan and Solsona River Irrigation Systems (RIS) have finally been completed. The PHP318-million rehabilitation and improvement projects under the National Irrigation Sector Rehabilitation and Improvement Project are among the big-ticket infrastructure development projects of the national government under the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte which was funded through the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). “From a total of 1,000 hectares of well-irrigated
