Philippine News

July 15 ------ One Indian crew member was killed and eight others were wounded when two Emirati oil tankers were struck by Iranian cruise missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defense said, in the latest escalation in the strategic waterway. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's shipping arm ADNOC L&S later confirmed the very large crude carriers (VLCCs) Mombasa B and Al Bahiyah were struck while transiting Hormuz and had sustained "significant dam

July 15 ------ The first six months of 2026 saw an overall strong decline in the number of reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery against shipping in Asia, reports the ReCAAP Information Sharing Center. Across Asia, the number of incidents recorded between January and June was the lowest for this period since the first half of 2019, and while ReCAAP remains concerned specifically about the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS), it also reports a strong decline year-

July 15 ------ Lloyd’s Register (LR) has warned that routine fuel quality checks may no longer be enough to identify emerging risks, as some bunker fuels pass standard ISO 8217 testing while concealing stability, compatibility and performance issues. In its latest Fuel Oil Bunker Analysis and Advisory Service (FOBAS) Fuel Quality Report, covering the first half of 2026 (H1 2026), LR highlights that off-specification fuels remain a persistent concern for the maritime industry.

July 15 ------ Officials in Cameroon’s Port of Douala-Bonabéri reported that they have been able to resume operations after a bulker and a cargo ship collided last July 12. A crisis team responded as the cargo ship Black Rhino, loaded with containers, began sinking, potentially blocking access to the country’s main port. The Port of Douala-Bonabéri handles the majority of Cameroon’s trade. It is also a critical transshipment port, maintaining a transit corridor inland to Chad

ARLINGTON, Texas, July 15 ------ Mikel Oyarzabal scored from the penalty spot after a heady play by teenager Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro added another goal and Spain advanced to its first World Cup final since winning in 2010 with a 2-0 victory over France. A day after his 19th birthday, Yamal was denied a goal on a close offside call that came soon after Porro's give-and-go with Dani Olmo in the 58th minute had put Spain up 2-0. But it was Yamal's smart play against a veteran

MANILA, July 15 ------ San Miguel is off to a strong start in the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup after pulling away for a 123-109 win over Macau at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. Playing without June Mar Fajardo, the Beermen fell behind by as many as 11 points but turned the game around in the second half. They trailed 58-53 at the break but outscored the Giant Pandas, 36-28, in the third quarter to take control of the game, 89-86. It was all San Miguel in the fourth quarter, w

MANILA, July 15 ------ Alas placed third in the Pool B with a 1-2 win-loss record, only winning a match over Bahrain (0-3), while Iran (3-0) and India (2-1) will head to the quarterfinals since only the top two teams of the four pools will advance to the next round. The Philippines held a 2-0 advantage after kickstarting their match on a high note with Terrence Marticion, Allan-Rey Dais, Terrence Gamotea, and John Daniel Dela Cruz smashing from all angles. But India found its

July 15 ------ Despite her busy schedule in the pros, Alex Eala remains committed to national team duties as she sets her sights on a much-awaited return to the Philippine squad for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan this September. “I’m really excited and super motivated, and I’m going to give my best,” said the 21-year-old Filipina during a homecoming event hosted by the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), in Makati. “Do you think I’m going for the first round? [

July 15 ------ Gab Pangilinan has been tapped to portray Filipina revolutionary Gabriela Silang in the upcoming original production “Gabriela: The Musical.” The musical, produced by Barefoot Theatre Collaborative, reimagines the life of Silang as an active force in the revolution rather than focusing only on the events following the death of her husband, Diego Silang. Set in 18th-century Ilocos, the story follows Gabriela as she struggles to keep the revolution alive whil

MANILA, July 15 ------ Actress Bea Alonzo and Puregold Price Club Inc. president Vincent Co tied the knot in Makati, a staff of Makati Mayor Nancy Binay confirmed to ABS-CBN News on Tuesday. Binay later congratulated the couple in a social media post, saying: "Kinasal ko na po sila." Speculation about the couple's wedding surfaced after photos purportedly showing their civil ceremony began circulating online. Alonzo and Co have kept their relationship largely private. Earl

July 15 ------ Josephine "Banig" Roberto once made Filipinos proud with her singing career. Now, it's her son who is earning global attention. Filipino-Taiwanese child actor Jordan Roberto Chien, the son of the "International Star Search" champion, has been winning praise for portraying Young Zuko in the second season of Netflix's hit live-action series "Avatar: The Last Airbender." Jordan appears in the second episode, "A Fight, Once Begun," where he plays the younger ve

July 15 ------ Mika Salamanca gave away copies of her book "Lipad" to children at an outreach in Manila. In Nelson Canlas' report on "24 Oras," the actress said it was a special moment because it fits the story of "Lipad." "Tulad ng lagi kong sinasabi 'pag nag-bo-book reading ako, madala nila 'yung kwento ni Mahika, hindi lang ngayon pero pagtanda nila, madala nila sa puso nila," Mika said. Meanwhile, Mika said she is looking forward to working with Will Ashley again. The

MANILA, Philippines, July 15 ------ The National Bureau of Investigation official who investigated Vice President Sara Duterte's "kill" remarks wrapped up nearly two days on the witness stand yesterday, stressing the threat made was real, while conceding the limits of what his division established. Still, the House prosecution ended the day projecting confidence in the case it has built with just two witnesses so far in the last five trial days. After the cross-examination, r

MANILA, July 15 ------ The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has recorded an earthquake swarm of 54 incidents off the coast of Claveria, Masbate, and urged residents near the shoreline to remain vigilant and be aware of natural warning signs of a possible tsunami. In a social media post on Tuesday, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Phivolcs said the number was logged from 8:52 a.m. on July 13 to 4 p.m. on July 14, including five felt

MANILA, July 15 ------ The 15 Filipino seafarers aboard the Qatari tanker Al Rekayyat, which was damaged after being hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, are set to return home, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. In a statement, the DFA said the seafarers were repatriated on Tuesday. "Our absolute priority is the safety and well-being of our kababayans (fellow citizens) at sea. We are working closely with the vessel owners to ensure their continuous protect

MANILA, July 15 ------ The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reiterated its will to defend Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) against hostile forces planning to capture it and its newly improved airfield. "Your AFP is prepared to defend the Republic not only of Pag-asa Island, (but) any part of the country. The AFP is prepared to defend our sovereignty over that part," AFP spokesperson for the WPS Navy reservist Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a pr

BEIJING, July 15 ------ China's foreign ministry called the European side to be cautious in its words and deeds on the South China Sea and stop endorsing the "illegal ruling" to prevent impact on China-EU ties and cooperation. "Europe is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to comment on China's legitimate territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea," foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a daily press briefing

WASHINGTON, July 15 ------ Shares in IBM plunged 24 percent after the US tech giant released disappointing preliminary second-quarter results, blaming a shift in spending by customers due to expected higher prices for memory chips and other AI-related infrastructure. "We did not adapt and move quickly enough," IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said in a letter to investors. The company said revenue for the three months ending in June came in at $17.2 billion, up just one percent. A gl

July 15 ------ Donald Trump has announced that the United States will grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot interceptor missiles. “It is a huge victory,” says Stefan Korshak, Senior Defense Correspondent at the Kyiv Post, in World Talks. However, he notes that building a production line and launching manufacturing will take at least a year. Korshak also points to the NATO summit’s commitment of €70 billion in support for Ukraine, describing it as a very substantial packa

July 15 ------ French President Emmanuel Macron said that France would allow Ukraine to produce French-designed cruise missiles, glide bombs, and air defense interceptors, marking the first time France has licensed the production of its weapons in Ukraine. President Zelensky and I agreed on a roadmap between our two countries, implementing what had been agreed in principle last November regarding our bilateral defense cooperation," Macron said during a news conference follo