Saudi Crown Prince Nayef dies; new heir needed

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz, the hard-line interior minister who spearheaded Saudi Arabia's fierce crackdown crushing al-Qaida's branch in the country after the 9/11 attacks and then rose to become next in line to the throne, has died. He was in his late 70s.

US travel warning to Philippines a downgrade: Palace

MALACAÑANG said on Saturday that the latest travel advisory issued by the United States to the Philippines was an improvement from the previous travel warning since some urban areas in the country were no longer included.

In its latest warning, Washington told its citizens of the risks of traveling in the Philippines, particularly in the Sulu Archipelago and Mindanao.

June 20 declared as holiday in Dagupan City

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has declared June 20, Wednesday, as a special (non-working day) in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, in celebration of its 65th Charter Day.

The Chief Executive issued the declaration through Proclamation No. 402 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on June 11 to give the people of Dagupan the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.

Crisis team formed to search missing foreign journalist

MANILA — A crisis management committee was activated to search a veteran Middle Eastern television journalist who disappeared with four other people in Jolo, Sulu, where Muslim militants are active.

Baker Atyani, Al-Arabiya's TV bureau chief for Southeast Asia, has not contacted authorities since Tuesday, when he was last seen on Jolo Island while on a reporting trip, said Sulu provincial police chief Antonio Freyra.

Bus plunges from bridge in India, 32 dead

NEW DELHI — A bus carrying dozens of Hindu pilgrims home from a shrine plunged off a bridge in central India and 32 passengers have been killed.

Police said more than 20 people are being treated in a Maharashtra state hospital for injuries.

Hurricane Carlotta nears resorts on Mexican coast

MEXICO CITY — Carlotta grew into a powerful Category 2 hurricane on Friday as it neared Mexico's southern Pacific coast, where it is expected to brush the resort town of Puerto Escondido and then lash Acapulco.

Authorities opened emergency shelters and tourists began leaving Puerto Escondido, a laid-back port popular with surfers. Hotel owners gathered up furniture and other potential flying objects in preparation for the hurricane, which was expected to move over or near the stretch resort-studded coast early Saturday.

'Diablo III' tops list of video game sales in May

NEW YORK — U.S. retail sales of video-game hardware, software and accessories fell for a sixth consecutive month in May.

According to market tracker NPD Group, sales fell 28 percent from a year earlier to $517 million. The study tracks sales of new physical products — about 50 percent to 60 percent of the total spending. Excluded are sales of used games and rentals as well as digital and social-network spending.

Palace silent on anti-turncoatism bill

MANILA -- Malacañang refused Friday to comment on the proposed Political Party Development Act, saying that it will first study the Senate bill.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Cabinet had discussions about the measure but were based mainly on media reports. "We will have to study the entire thing before we give you a comment," Valte said.

Justice Perez nominated as top magistrate

MANILA – A member of the Supreme Court was nominated Friday to replace ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Associate Justice Jose Perez, who is only on his third year with the High Court, received the backing of the Asia Pacific Bar Association Incorporated.

Palace mourns death of Baguio journalist

MALACAÑANG has extended its condolences to the family of one of Baguio City’s most respected journalists Cecile Cariño Afable.

Afable passed away Tuesday due to pulmonary sepsis at the age of 95.