Philippine News

MANILA, August 1 ------ The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it was closely monitoring reports of a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) vessel and an unmanned surface vessel allegedly operating within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad (Reserve) said the military was coordinating with other maritime agencies to verify and track the reported presence of the foreign vessels.

August 1 ------ The Philippines women's lacrosse team banked on its second-half surge and demolished Wales, 12-4, for an assured Top 10 finish in the 2026 World Lacrosse Women's Championship at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. Fueled by their breakthrough win over Czech Republic, the Nationals had a stellar first half before shifting into a higher gear in the last two frames where they scored eight more goals to create a massive cushion and completely leave their foes b

HONG KONG, August 1 ------ The Japanese yen came under renewed pressure as markets tested Tokyo's resolve in the wake of a coordinated intervention to prop up the fragile currency ahead of an eagerly anticipated policy decision from the Bank of Japan. The dollar rose as much as 0.8 per cent to 160.690 in early trades, after diving 2.4 per cent in its biggest single-day drop since January 2023 in the previous session. Japan conducted yen-buying, dollar-selling market interve

MANILA, Philippines, August 1 ------ Thousands of A'TIN in the Philippines and abroad celebrated a historic moment for Filipino pop music as SB19 became the first P-pop act to perform at Lollapalooza, drawing enthusiastic crowds at the festival in Chicago and at nationwide livestream watch parties back home. Taking the Allianz Stage, the five-member group delivered a 10-song set featuring some of its biggest hits. SB19's setlist included "DAM," "Gento," "Lawless," "Emoji,

August 1 ------ For months, industry analysts have noted that biofouling accumulation on vessels stuck in the Arabian Gulf would be a slow-down factor in restarting shipping operations through the Strait of Hormuz. Fouling pressure in the Gulf is intense, and hull cleaning services in the GCC nations' ports have reportedly been in high demand. But all of that biofouling also poses a risk to regional ecosystems in overseas ports, according to a new research paper: once the 1,5

August 1 ------ Women’s top seed Jessica Pegula and No. 2 Elina Svitolina advance to the quarterfinal of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open in Washington, D.C. Pegula had to rally from a set down, saying she started her match against Poland’s Magdalena Fręch “just a little off” after a first-round bye. “I wasn’t quite attacking the ball, and I felt like once I did that, then everything else kind of started to click together,” said Pegula, who finished with 42 winners and won 12 of the

WASHINGTON, August 1 ------ Americans outside the nation's capital will soon be able to get limited-edition US passports that feature a picture of President Donald Trump and celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the State Department said. The department’s 27 passport agencies nationwide will start offering the special travel documents next month. They previously had only been available at the Washington, DC, passport office for in-person applicants. Trump, whose stern portrai

August 1 ------ A week more to go before the inaugural staging of the Reina Filipinas Grand Coronation Night, and the new national pageant has already announced big names that will be gracing the event. “Unang Hirit” host and beauty queen Joy Barcoma and Mr. World Philippines contestant Sean Kyle Ortega will host the ceremony, with Cebuana MGI All Stars alumnae and fan-favorite queens Gazini Ganados and Fuschia Anne Ravena as backstage hosts. The Reina Filipinas Grand Coron

August 1 ------ Yemen’s Houthi group is considering imposing fees on commercial vessels sailing through the southern Red Sea, regional sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, in a move that could further disrupt a key global maritime route. The Iran-aligned group is reportedly examining plans to charge ships passing through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, which links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, following its declaration of a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on Ju

MANILA, August 1 ------ Domestic fuel prices are expected to decline by as much as PHP1.50 per liter in the first week of August, despite supply risks stemming from the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. Based on price movements during the first four trading days of the week, Jetti Petroleum President Leo Bellas said on Friday that diesel prices could be rolled back by PHP0.50 to PHP1.00 per liter next week, while gasoline prices may fall by PHP1.00 to PHP1.

MANILA, Philippines, July 31 ------ The Philippine lacrosse team made history in the 2026 World Lacross Women’s Championship in Tokyo after scoring its first-ever victory in the tournament at the expense of Czechia, 11-5. The Philippines thus finished the Pool D play with a 1-2 win-loss record. The two countries traded goals in the first quarter, after Czechia’s Anna Lottmann and the Philippines’ Steph Lazo scored. The Filipinas then punched in five goals in the second quart

July 31 ------ Strong Group Athletics has boosted its bid for a third straight title in the 45th William Jones Cup by adding veteran guard Matthew Wright and forwards William Navarro and Shaun Ildefonso to its roster. The tournament is set from Aug. 8 to 23 at the New Taipei City Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan. Team president Jacob Lao said Wright and Navarro's international experience will strengthen the squad, while thanking Abra and Congressman JB Bernos for allowing Shaun

July 31 ------ The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) has cancelled the participation of the Bacolod Masskara franchise for the remainder of the season and imposed bans on players and coaches allegedly involved in potential game manipulation. The sanctions came days after Bacolod suffered a 100-64 loss to the Bulacan Kuyas, a game in which the Masskara failed to score over the final 7:48 of the fourth quarter while committing six turnovers in the period. "The MPBL s

MANILA, July 31 ------ Clarence Villaflor scored a convincing win over Thailand's Tanawat Yimjit to advance to the quarterfinals of the men's singles in the the Philippine International Challenge 2026. Villaflor shone bright on Day 3, taking a 21-18, 21-13 win over Yimjit at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City. The current World No. 122 had to rally from an 18-16 deficit in the opening set, stringing together five straight points to seize the momentum and take a crucia

MANILA, July 31 ------ Actor Donny Pangilinan was once again recognized as one of PeopleAsia’s “Men Who Matter” 2026 awardees, earning the distinction for his achievements in entertainment and his commitment to using his platform to make a positive impact on society. Receiving the honor for the second time, Pangilinan was cited following a successful year marked by streaming and box office hits, as well as his advocacy efforts. Earlier this year, amid soaring fuel prices,

July 31 ------ The ubiquitous “gumamela” (hibiscus) flower of the Philippines has found its way to Poland, thanks to Katrina Llegado. The Filipino beauty queen paraded a voluminous creation by designer Mitch Viray, inspired by the typical red variety of the popular flower, at the 2026 Miss Supranational pageant’s costume showcase in Nowy Sacz. “I’m honored to wear this national costume inspired by the gumamela, a flower that can be found all across the Philippines,” Llegado

July 31 ------ Josh of P-pop sensation SB19 threw the ceremonial first pitch in the game between Major League Baseball (MLB) teams Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. The White Sox shared Thursday photos of Josh throwing the first pitch during their game at Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois. Josh's appearance comes ahead of SB19's highly anticipated performance at the popular Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago, with the P-pop group scheduled to take the stage on Jul

July 31 ------ "Kasi ano, 'di ba, nagkaroon ng amnesty 'yung Spain. So, all of, like, na merong mga families, or kung may apelyido ka na Spanish – my dad's Spanish, eh. So, he has a Spanish passport. So, before he passed away, my sister was like, 'Sabi niya, "Anong gagawin natin? Sayang naman, if we're not gonna avail it,” she said. The process eventually brought her to Spain, where she found out exactly where her family came from – the southern region of Andalusia. "So, we

July 31 ------ The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has completed the first audit cycle under the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS), with 168 Member States assessed on their implementation and enforcement of IMO regulations since the scheme became mandatory in 2016. The first cycle covered 94% of IMO Member States and represents one of the most extensive assessments of global maritime governance undertaken to date. The audits aim to help countries strengthen comp

July 31 ------ Saudi Arabia unveiled plans for a multinational maritime defense coalition aimed at protecting international shipping and energy supply routes in the Red Sea region after attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis disrupted one of the world's busiest trade corridors. The Saudi defense ministry said representatives from 43 countries and the European Union attended an international meeting that discussed the proposed coalition, including Saudi Arabia serving as its