New Chinese law allows coast guard to fire on foreign ships

Today on Rappler – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:

Locsin backpedals, files protest vs new China Coast Guard law

China passes a law allowing the coast guard to fire on foreign vessels. This prompts Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr to file a diplomatic protest against China.

Bill Gates sees lag of 6 to 8 months for poor countries to get COVID-19 shots

Philanthropist Bill Gates says poor countries face a best-case scenario of a 6- to 8-month lag behind rich nations in getting access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Cirilito Sobejana is new AFP chief

Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana is the next chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or AFP. He is the 8th military chief under President Rodrigo Duterte.

By September 30, subscribers can keep mobile numbers when switching networks

The National Telecommunications Commission or NTC says the commercial rollout for the Mobile Number Portability or MNP Act will start by September 30.

FALSE: ‘UP professor’ supports UP-DND accord termination

Several graphics posted by the Civil Relations Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines claim a certain a professor at the University of the Philippines supports the termination of the 1989 UP-DND accord. This is FALSE. – Rappler.com