Microsoft has issued an urgent security alert regarding “active attacks” targeting SharePoint server software used by government agencies and private businesses to share documents internally. The tech giant is urging affected customers to apply recommended security updates immediately.
The FBI confirmed on Sunday that it is aware of the attacks and is working closely with federal and private-sector partners, though it did not release further details.
In a security advisory issued Saturday, Microsoft clarified that the vulnerabilities apply specifically to on-premises SharePoint servers. SharePoint Online, the cloud-based version included in Microsoft 365, is not affected.
According to The Washington Post, which first reported the incident, unidentified actors exploited a previously unknown flaw—known as a “zero-day” vulnerability—to launch attacks targeting U.S. and international agencies and organizations. Cybersecurity experts say tens of thousands of servers could be at risk.
Microsoft stated that the vulnerability “allows an authorized attacker to perform spoofing over a network,” potentially enabling the attacker to impersonate trusted users or systems. Spoofing attacks can be used to manipulate systems, steal data, or spread malware under the guise of legitimate entities.
The company has released a security update for the SharePoint Subscription Edition and strongly advises customers to implement it immediately. Microsoft is also developing security patches for SharePoint 2016 and 2019 versions.
In the meantime, customers who are unable to activate the recommended malware protection tools are advised to temporarily disconnect affected servers from the internet until patches become available.
Microsoft has not yet responded to media requests for further comment.
TOKYO. Japan’s ruling coalition has lost control of the upper house in Sunday’s election, according to public broadcaster NHK, delivering another blow to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba as he faces mounting domestic unrest and a looming trade deadline with the United States.
While the upper house election does not directly determine the fate of Ishiba’s administration, the result adds to the political pressure already bearing down on the prime minister, who lost control of the more powerful lower house in October.
NHK reported early Monday that Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito are expected to fall short of the 50-seat threshold required to control the 248-seat upper chamber, with only six races left to be decided. Half the chamber’s seats were contested in the election.
This latest electoral setback follows the coalition’s worst performance in 15 years during the October lower house vote. That result left Ishiba’s government exposed to no-confidence motions and internal party calls for leadership change.
Speaking to NHK after the release of exit polls, Ishiba said he “solemnly” accepted the “harsh result.” In a separate interview with TV Tokyo, he emphasized the need to stay focused on critical trade talks with the United States, saying, “We are engaged in extremely critical tariff negotiations… we must never ruin these negotiations. It is only natural to devote our complete dedication and energy to realizing our national interests.”
When asked if he planned to remain as prime minister and LDP leader, Ishiba responded, “That’s right.”
Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy, faces an August 1 deadline to reach a trade agreement with the U.S., or risk facing punitive tariffs in its largest export market.
The opposition Constitutional Democratic Party is set to finish second, vote tallies show. Meanwhile, the far-right Sanseito party, which first gained traction through YouTube and social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, is poised to make significant gains. Riding on its “Japanese First” campaign and anti-immigration rhetoric, the party is expected to win at least 13 new seats, in addition to one it already held.
Opposition parties calling for tax cuts and increased welfare spending resonated with voters amid rising living costs, particularly the soaring price of rice. Analysts say the LDP’s opposition to reducing the consumption tax placed it at odds with the electorate.
“The LDP was largely playing defence in this election, being on the wrong side of a key voter issue,” said David Boling, a director at consulting firm Eurasia Group. “Polls show that most households want a cut to the consumption tax to address inflation, something that the LDP opposes. Opposition parties seized on it and hammered that message home.”
The LDP has promoted fiscal restraint to avoid spooking Japan’s government bond market, already wary due to the country’s massive national debt. Analysts warn that any concessions the ruling party makes to win opposition support may lead to increased government spending and financial market instability.
“The ruling party will have to compromise in order to gain the cooperation of the opposition, and the budget will continue to expand,” said Yu Uchiyama, a politics professor at the University of Tokyo. “Overseas investors’ evaluation of the Japan economy will also be quite harsh.”
Sanseito, which gained notoriety for spreading conspiracy theories and anti-vaccine rhetoric during the pandemic, has increasingly brought its anti-immigration stance into the political mainstream. The party’s surge has drawn comparisons to far-right groups like Germany’s AfD and the UK’s Reform Party.
“I am attending graduate school but there are no Japanese around me. All of them are foreigners,” said 25-year-old Yu Nagai, who voted for Sanseito in Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward. “When I look at the way compensation and money are spent on foreigners, I think that Japanese people are a bit disrespected.”
Despite a record 3.8 million foreign-born residents in Japan last year, they still comprise just 3% of the population, a far smaller proportion than in Western countries. However, the rise in visible foreign presence, driven in part by tourism, is reshaping Japan’s political conversation.
WASHINGTON, D.C. President Donald Trump on Friday signed into law new regulations for stablecoins, marking a significant milestone for the cryptocurrency industry as it gains political traction and mainstream legitimacy.
The new law, titled the GENIUS Act or “Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins,” establishes the first federal standards and consumer protections for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency typically pegged to assets like the U.S. dollar to minimize price volatility. The legislation passed both the House and Senate with broad bipartisan support.
The law aims to strengthen public trust in digital assets and signals a shift in Washington’s approach to crypto. The industry, which has grown into a powerful lobbying force, played a significant role in Trump’s 2024 election victory through major campaign donations and influence.
“For years you were mocked and dismissed and counted out,” Trump told crypto executives during a White House signing ceremony attended by around 200 people, including top Republican lawmakers. “This signing is a massive validation of your hard work and your pioneering spirit.”
Trump, once a skeptic of cryptocurrency, has become one of its most vocal political champions. He praised industry leaders for earning “respect in such a short period of time” and described crypto as beneficial for the dollar and the U.S. economy. “That’s why I backed you at an early stage,” he said.
In a candid moment, Trump acknowledged the political motivations behind his support: “And I also did it for the votes,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
The president also joked that the GENIUS Act was named after him. Under the new law, members of Congress and their families are prohibited from profiting off stablecoins. However, the restriction does not apply to the president and his family.
The Trump family reportedly holds a major stake in World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture that launched its own stablecoin earlier this year. The project received early investment from a fund based in the United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile, the House passed two additional crypto-related bills on Thursday. One would create a new regulatory framework for digital assets, while the other seeks to block the Federal Reserve from launching its own central bank digital currency. Both bills now await Senate consideration.
The stablecoin market continues to grow rapidly. Circle, the U.S. issuer of the popular USDC stablecoin, recently debuted on the New York Stock Exchange and saw a surge in value amid heightened investor interest. Stablecoin issuers typically earn revenue by collecting interest from the reserves backing their digital tokens.
MAYNILA. Lima na ang naiulat na nasawi dahil sa epekto ng Severe Tropical Storm Crising at habagat, ayon sa ulat ng National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) nitong Lunes, Hulyo 21.
Umakyat na rin sa lima ang bilang ng mga nasugatan, mula sa tatlong naitala noong Linggo, habang pito ang kasalukuyang nawawala.
Ayon sa NDRRMC, umabot sa 800,864 indibidwal o katumbas ng 225,985 pamilya ang naapektuhan ng masamang panahon sa 1,556 barangay sa bansa.
Sa bilang na ito, 20,115 katao o 5,921 pamilya ang kasalukuyang nanunuluyan sa mga evacuation center, habang 70,720 indibidwal o 16,671 pamilya naman ang pansamantalang nakikituloy sa labas ng mga evacuation site.
SEOUL, South Korea. At least 14 people have died and 12 others remain missing after five days of relentless heavy rains battered South Korea, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety reported on Sunday.
On Sunday, one person was killed when their house collapsed due to intense rainfall, while another victim was found dead after being swept away by a swollen stream in Gapyeong, northeast of Seoul.
The southern town of Sancheong was among the hardest hit, with eight people confirmed dead and six still missing following landslides, house collapses, and flash floods triggered by Saturday’s downpours.
Authorities also reported that six people remain missing in Gapyeong and the southern city of Gwangju.
Earlier in the week, three individuals were found dead inside a submerged vehicle, while another died when their car was buried by soil and concrete following the collapse of an overpass retaining wall in Osan, just south of Seoul.
As of 9 a.m. On Sunday, about 3,840 residents had been forced to evacuate due to the extreme weather. Although the rains stopped in most parts of the country and weather alerts were lifted, officials remain on alert.
According to the ministry, some southern regions received between 600 and 800 millimeters (24 to 31 inches) of rain since Wednesday.
LAS VEGAS. Manny Pacquiao defied age and expectations in his return to the ring on Saturday night, but ultimately fell short of reclaiming championship glory as Mario Barrios retained his WBC welterweight title with a majority draw.
Two judges scored the bout 114–114, while the third gave Barrios a narrow 115–113 edge. With the result, Barrios, 30, kept his title, extending his record to 29 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws.
Pacquiao, now 46 and recently inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, was attempting to break his own record as the oldest welterweight champion. His last title win came in 2019 against Keith Thurman when he was 40. This marked his first fight in nearly four years, following a 2021 loss to Yordenis Ugás.
The Filipino legend now holds a record of 62 wins, 9 losses, and 2 draws. Despite the result, Pacquiao hinted he might not be done yet. The largely pro-Pacquiao crowd in Las Vegas booed the decision, many believing he had done enough to win.
In the co-main event, Sebastian Fundora (23-1-1, 15 KOs) successfully defended his WBC super welterweight title after Tim Tszyu (25-3) failed to continue beyond the eighth round. Fundora dropped Tszyu in the first round and overwhelmed him with 118 power punches, leading all three scorecards 69–63.
“It’s all about aggression,” said Fundora, who also made headlines this week after being accepted into Harvard. His dominant win follows a close split-decision victory over Tszyu in their first bout in March. Fundora was previously the WBO titleholder but was stripped of that belt for not facing mandatory challenger Xander Zayas.
At least 30 people were injured when a car crashed into a crowd outside a nightclub in Los Angeles early Saturday morning, authorities said. The incident occurred shortly before 2 a.m. local time outside The Vermont, a club located in the city, according to the Los Angeles Fire and police departments.
The Los Angeles Fire Department reported that seven of the victims were in critical condition, while six others sustained serious injuries.
According to fire department spokesperson Captain Adam VanGerpen, the vehicle initially collided with a taco truck stationed outside the club, then continued through a valet stand and into a large group of people.
The Los Angeles Police Department said on X that the motive behind the crash remains under investigation.
When officers responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon, they found the driver had been shot while being attacked by bystanders. He was transported to a hospital, and his condition is currently unknown.
Authorities said a man suspected of shooting the driver fled the scene on foot and may have been armed with a silver revolver.
Before there was Facebook, before algorithms and engagement metrics began shaping our every conversation, there was community. And in San Pablo City, one of the steady voices behind that community spirit was and remains Rolly Inciong.
I owe him more than just a column.
We were friends, fellow believers in storytelling, civic duty, and the power of local media to spark national awareness. I didn’t start as a writer. I was a cartoonist. And it was Rolly who encouraged me to launch my political cartoon, Titay—a humorous but biting take on local issues that helped sharpen my eye for truth and satire. He published the cartoons in News World, his local newspaper, giving my work a platform when few others would. Through sketches and captions, I tried to make sense of the chaos. Rolly believed I had something important to say, and he made sure I dared to say it. That invitation, simple as it seemed, sparked a journey that would lead me to investigative journalism and the Philippine Press Institute. He didn’t just open a door; he helped build the hallway.
But this story isn’t about me. It’s about a man who, throughout decades of local and regional service, has defined what it means to be a communicator with conscience.
Beyond the Press
When I faced a ₱18-million libel suit in my late twenties over a story involving a basketball court that existed only on paper, Rolly and his wife Sylvia, known to most of us as Bebot, stood by me. Through hearings, through fear, through all the noise, they never wavered. They believed in truth, and they believed in me. That kind of loyalty isn’t just rare in journalism, it’s rare in life.
Yet the public record of Rolly’s contributions goes far beyond the newsroom. As San Pablo’s first-ever City Information Officer in the 1990s, he set the bar for local government communications, one rooted not in spin but in service. Now that he’s back in that post, under Mayor Najie Gapangada’s administration, his return feels less like a comeback and more like a homecoming. The city’s renewed push for transparency and civic engagement bears his thoughtful imprint.
A Civic Communicator
He didn’t stop with press releases and media liaison work. Rolly helped shape one of San Pablo’s proudest traditions: the Coconut Festival. In 1995–1996, along with Sylvia and a team of civic-minded collaborators, he was part of the think tank that branded and conceptualized Cocofest, transforming it into an annual magnet for tourism, culture, and local pride.
Later, he took his skills to the regional stage. At the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), Rolly led the Communication and Public Affairs unit, championing biodiversity not just in reports, but in people’s hearts. He facilitated workshops, authored materials, and made the complex language of conservation accessible and inspiring. It was, once again, public communication in its purest form: serving not power, but people.
Business and Beyond
As president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – San Pablo City (PCCI-SPC), Rolly infused business advocacy with vision and strategy. Under his leadership, the local chamber gained national recognition as the Most Outstanding Chamber, proof that communication can catalyze economic growth, too.
His Rotary and Apex Club affiliations further round out a life lived in service of others, volunteerism, public health, youth empowerment, and cultural preservation. For him, these were not side pursuits but the very pillars of a functioning and compassionate society.
Why This Matters Now
In an era of misinformation, of shallow virality, of rapid-fire content with little context, San Pablo is fortunate to have a City Information Officer who understands both the tempo of the internet and the soul of the barangay. Rolly Inciong brings institutional memory, regional credibility, and the kind of narrative sensitivity that AI will never replicate.
To set the record straight: Rolly earned his degree in Development Communication from the University of the Philippines, Los Baños. Before he was appointed as Chief Information Officer, he served as Regional Director of the then National Nutrition and Population Commission (NNPC), now known as the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), for the Southern Tagalog Region. In the broader field of public service, however, his most enduring credentials are not found on paper but in the decades of meaningful work he carried out with integrity and impact.
From One Publisher to Another
What makes Rolly rare is not just his resume. It’s the way he works quietly, collaboratively, persistently. With Sylvia by his side, he has woven together the threads of culture, ecology, business, and governance. And he does it with humility.
As the publisher of Tutubi News Magazine, I count myself lucky to have had Rolly Inciong as a mentor. But more importantly, San Pablo is lucky to have him now, anchoring truth in a sea of noise, one clear, steady message at a time.
Rolly Inciong shares insights on responsible journalism and the role of local media during a seminar with student writers, reflecting his lifelong commitment to truth, public service, and community storytelling.
Venus Peñaflor Publisher, Tutubi News Magazine Personal reflections drawn from experience; all other facts cited from public records and documentation as available.
MAYNILA. Magpapatuloy ang malalakas na pag-ulan sa malaking bahagi ng bansa ngayong Linggo, Hulyo 20, dulot ng Southwest Monsoon o habagat, ayon sa PAGASA.
Sa heavy rainfall outlook ng ahensiya, tinatayang aabot sa 100 hanggang 200 millimeters ng ulan ang mararanasan ngayong araw sa mga lalawigan ng Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, at Occidental Mindoro.
Samantala, posibleng umabot sa 50 hanggang 100 millimeters ng ulan sa Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Antique, Aklan, at Romblon.
Sa Lunes, magpapatuloy pa rin ang mga pag-ulan sa Zambales, Bataan, at Occidental Mindoro na posibleng umabot muli sa 100 hanggang 200 mm, habang makararanas naman ng 50 hanggang 100 mm ng ulan ang Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, at Oriental Mindoro.
Inaasahan naman na unti-unti nang bababa ang bilang ng mga lugar na makararanas ng malalakas na pag-ulan pagsapit ng Martes.
In the latest attempt to revive the tiny blue creatures of childhood fame, Smurfs brings pop royalty Rihanna to the microphone as Smurfette and even features a new song, but star power alone can’t save this lackluster animated reboot.
Directed by Chris Miller (Puss in Boots, Shrek the Third), Smurfs follows a familiar formula, borrowing liberally from the Trolls playbook: colorful forest creatures, musical numbers, and a feel-good quest. This time, Papa Smurf (voiced by John Goodman) kicks things off by DJing in the village, setting the stage for a bright, fast-paced but uninspired ride.
The story centers on No Name Smurf (James Corden), a blue blob without a defining trait in a village full of overly specific Smurfs. When he unexpectedly gains magical powers, he sets off a dangerous chain of events that threatens the entire Smurf Village. Enter Razamel, an evil wizard and brother of the iconic Gargamel, who embarks on a quest for world domination. What follows is a madcap adventure across multiple dimensions, from Paris to Australia, with even a detour into Claymation.
Despite the international chase and a few zany moments (including Rihanna singing from a kangaroo pouch), the film never manages to lift itself above its Saturday morning cartoon roots. Gags aimed at adults — from jokes about LinkedIn to spam filters — fall flat, and the movie’s strongest moments are diluted by an overreliance on IP-driven content and thin storytelling.
Scripted by Pam Brady (Hot Rod, Team America: World Police), Smurfs aims to appeal to both kids and nostalgic adults, but mostly ends up serving as a gentle 90-minute distraction for young viewers.
Rated PG for action, language, and some rude humor, Smurfs clocks in at 92 minutes and ultimately feels like a missed opportunity. With just one and a half stars out of four, this reboot adds little to the legacy of Peyo’s beloved blue beings.
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