Philippine News

MANILA, Philippines, November 12 ------ China and Southeast Asian countries have made progress on a South China Sea pact but won't be able to conclude decades of negotiations this year as agreed, three regional diplomats said. China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations began negotiating the so-called “code of conduct” in 2005 to prevent occasional confrontations in the disputed waters from turning into a major conflict that could threaten Asia’s economies. The accor

ANTALYA, Turkey, November 12 ------ Leaders at the COP31 summit in Turkey are trying out a new sales pitch for climate action that is tailored to the times: do it to bolster the economy and bring down the cost of living. The message, being repeated in the hallways and on the plenary stage of the annual UN conference, reflects efforts by organizers to capture the attention of governments wrestling with crises that have pushed global warming down the list of priorities. Among t

November 12 ------ Ukraine has rejected a US proposal to redraw the administrative boundaries of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, allowing Russia to claim control over the entire Donbas without capturing the Ukrainian-held cities it still seeks. The proposal, put forward by US President Donald Trump’s peace envoys, envisaged changing the borders of the two eastern Ukrainian regions to reflect the current division of territory along the front line, The Telegraph reported, citi

November 12 ------ European Council President Antonio Costa has kept discussions over Ukraine's financing needs for 2027 on the late-November agenda, despite German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's request to prioritize the issue at an earlier meeting of EU leaders. In a letter to Merz seen by the Kyiv Independent on Nov. 10, Costa affirmed that Ukraine's financing needs would be addressed at the second of two special European Council meetings, this one to be held in Brussels in l

NEW YORK, November 11 ------ Oil prices eased to a two-month low, after US officials downplayed the need for additional military action against Iran, easing fears of additional Middle East supply disruptions. In early trade, prices fell by more than $3 a barrel but clawed back some losses after Iran's top security official Mohsen Rezaei said there are currently no negotiations taking place between Tehran and Washington, in an interview with pro-Iran broadcaster Al-Mayadeen.

MELBOURNE, Australia, November 11 ------ Australia plans to create an artificial intelligence safety regulator in response to a breach of an Australian health department website by a rogue OpenAI agent in June, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. The regulator would enforce world-leading legislated AI standards that would apply to all frontier AI companies that want to operate in Australia, Albanese said. Financial penalties would apply, although the government has yet to

ABU DHABI, November 11 ------ Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States began talks in Abu Dhabi on ending Europe’s worst conflict since World War II in the first such meeting in more than nine months, as another winter of war approaches. Europe — alarmed by US President Donald Trump floating a deal with Moscow on European security ahead of the talks — has also sent representatives to Abu Dhabi. Trump has pushed for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war since return

November 11 ------ Outgoing Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin called on the incoming U.S. Congress not to give up on Ukraine and to help restock its air defenses as Russia continues deadly attacks. "So, as I wind down my time in Congress, let me implore (U.S. President Donald Trump) and this new Congress, don't give up on Ukraine. We must help it restock its air defenses and make sure bipartisan appropriated funds are finally delivered instead of being delayed," he said. Durbi

CAIRO/ABU DHABI, November 10 ------ US President Donald Trump will meet the prime minister of key mediator Qatar as efforts to end the Iran war ramp up following last week's midterm elections, though senior US and Gulf officials cast doubt on the chances of an imminent deal. More than eight months into the conflict he launched alongside Israel on February 28, Trump has played down the likelihood of major warfare restarting soon but remains unwilling to accept an existing Ir

ANTALYA, Turkey, November 10 ------ Leaders of the COP31 climate summit urged the world to accelerate the fight against global warming amid rising temperatures and worsening climate-driven disasters, as the annual meeting began in Turkey. The comments at the start of the two-week UN conference were an appeal to governments to focus on climate, even as other international crises from war to soaring inflation and the uncertainty of artificial intelligence compete for their at

KYIV, November 10 ------ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had spoken with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen to coordinate positions with the bloc ahead of US-mediated talks with Russia in Abu Dhabi this week. European powers are engaged in an intense diplomatic push to ensure any settlement in Russia's war on Ukraine is fair to Kyiv - and avoid Washington offering Moscow new security guarantees over Europe's head. Posting on X after speaking with von der Leyen, Ze

PARIS, November 10 ------ Russia is using its strikes on Ukraine’s bridges and energy infrastructure to divide the country along the Dnipro River, President Volodymyr Zelensky said pledging state support to the frontline regions that have suffered most. Zelensky made the remarks after a meeting with regional authorities from five frontline regions – Kharkiv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy and Donetsk – along with Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, with whom he publicly clashed ove

TOKYO, November 9 ------ A strong 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook central Japan yesterday, injuring dozens of people, shattering windows and disrupting train services, officials and local media said. The quake struck in Shizuoka Prefecture, west of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. No tsunami warning was issued. Authorities reported no deaths, but the quake shattered storefront windows, knocked items off shelves, and caused transport disruption in parts of the count

WASHINGTON, November 9 ------ House Democratic leaders are placing an early emphasis on healthcare as they discuss their immediate priorities upon the swearing-in of the new Congress on Jan. 3. Early votes in the House next year are expected to focus on boosting Medicaid and restoring an enhanced tax subsidy that is designed to lower the cost of Affordable Care Act health plans for millions of enrollees. Democrats are also promising swift action on legislation to stop the war

November 9 ------ President Volodymyr Zelensky asked Prime Minister Serhii Koretsyi to create a free overground transportation program that will facilitate travel in the event of metro disruptions and bridge closures caused by Russian attacks. According to the president's advisor, Dmytro Lytvyn, the plan's details could be presented as soon as tomorrow. Moving around Kyiv has become increasingly difficult as Russian missiles have begun targeting bridges connecting the capital

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine, November 9 ------ A Russian drone struck emergency workers on rescue missions in southern Ukraine, hitting a former school and nearby shelter that had been earlier blasted by multiple Russian guided bombs as residents waited for humanitarian aid, authorities said. No one was injured in Sunday’s strike on the village of Komyshuvakha, but specialized rescue equipment was damaged, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. Ukraine said Monday’s attack

TOKYO, November 8 ------ A growing number of Japanese companies are launching local projects and working directly with residents to tackle the problems confronting farming, mountainous and fishing communities hit by depopulation and aging. Such efforts are expected to help secure agricultural labor and broaden the ranks of people with continuing ties to the regions. They also offer benefits to the companies themselves, by showcasing their social contributions and opening th

LONDON, November 8 ------ Collins Dictionary has named "mogging” — a slang word meaning to outshine someone or something — as its word of the year. Dictionary experts said that the word, most often used by young people “in a playful and ironic way when someone is upstaged," has entered mainstream language and saw a 210% increase in usage in 2026. Other new and notable entries include “firewaves," defined as a series of urban wildfires in a short space of time, and “P(doom

GENEVA, Switzerland, November 7 ------ Implementing a few climate and health measures could save nearly 1.6 million lives a year and generate trillions of dollars for the economy, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. The United Nations health agency’s report, released days before the 31st Climate Change Conference (COP31) kicks off, proposed heat-health warning systems and climate-resilient infrastructure for drinking water and sanitation. Improved hand hygiene, cleane

November 7 ------ Students using Google software in the classroom will not be allowed to access the company's search engine unless their school system also opts in to using artificial intelligence, the tech giant said. The Mountain View, California, company has been facing pushback from educators, child development experts and parents over the use of its technology in schools, with the backlash heating up since it announced in August that it had turned on its Gemini chatbot