Philippine News

April 27 ------ Three additional nations have pledged approximately €400 million to the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced, Ukrinform reported. Speaking during a press conference in Kyiv, the president noted that these contributions from three undisclosed countries were finalized during recent meetings in Cyprus. The PURL mechanism allows international partners to fund the immediate purchase of US-made weaponry, partic

April 27 ------ The Ukraine Defense Contact Group, commonly known as the Ramstein format, has provided more than $150 billion in military assistance over the past four years to bolster Ukraine’s defenses, according to the Ministry of Defense. The ministry highlighted that the coalition of over 50 nations has delivered a wide range of advanced weaponry. This includes NASAMS, Patriot, and IRIS-T air defense systems, Leopard and Abrams tanks, HIMARS rocket launchers, and PzH 200

WASHINGTON, April 26 ------ The Trump administration has approved only one Gold Card visa under a program granting U.S. residency to non-citizens for a $1 million fee, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said, stressing that hundreds more had applied. In December, U.S. President Donald Trump launched the "Trump Gold Card" visa program that allows applicants to pay a $15,000 fee to the Department of Homeland Security for speedy processing. After a background check or vetting pro

April 26 ------ Meta is laying off about 8,000 workers, or about 10% of its workforce, the company said as it continues to ramp up spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure and highly paid AI-expert hires. The company said it was making the cuts for the sake of efficiency and to allow new investments in parts of its business, as first reported by Bloomberg, which also said the company will leave about 6,000 jobs unfilled. Microsoft said it was offering voluntary buy

BANGKOK, Thailand, April 25 ------ The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced policymakers in Asia to face questions over the security of other maritime chokepoints, including the Strait of Malacca, which is the world’s busiest waterway for international trade. What is the Malacca Strait? The 900-km (550-mile) long Malacca Strait, bounded by Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, provides the shortest sea route from East Asia to the Middle East and Europe. It carri

TOKYO, April 25 ------ The ​dollar was on track for its first weekly gain in three weeks as stalled peace negotiations between the U.S. ‌and Iran dampened hopes for an immediate easing of Middle East tensions. While Lebanon and Israel extended their ceasefire for three weeks ahead of its expiration on Sunday, Iran showed off its control over the Strait of Hormuz by releasing footage of its commandos storming a huge cargo ship, leaving the timing of the reopening of the world'

WASHINGTON, April 24 ------ Iran showed off its tightened grip over the Strait of Hormuz with video of its commandos storming a huge cargo ship, after the collapse of peace talks that Washington had hoped would open the world's most important shipping corridor. State television broadcast footage overnight of masked troops pulling up in a grey speedboat alongside the MSC Francesca, climbing a rope ladder to a shell door in the hull, and jumping through, brandishing rifles. The

Washington, April 24 ------ President Donald Trump said Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks after talks at the White House. Trump said the meeting between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States went “very well.” The meeting was the second high-level negotiation between the two countries since last week. The initial 10-day ceasefire, which took effect last Friday, had been due to expire on Monday.

KYIV, April 24 ------ US weapons deliveries to Ukraine haven't stopped despite the Iran war, and Ukrainian long-range strikes continue to hammer Russian oil production and manufacturing plants, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. “Of course, we are hitting what is painful for Russia, and it is very painful,” Zelenskyy said in voice messages to reporters. He said that Russian losses in the strikes have reached tens of billions of dollars. It wasn't possible to indepen

April 24 ------ European Union leaders confirmed the adoption of a €90 billion ($105 billion) support loan for Ukraine and reiterated their commitment to increasing pressure on Russia, following a trilateral meeting between European Council President António Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Cyprus. On Thursday, in a joint statement issued by the European Council, the leaders welcomed the formal approval o

TEHRAN, Iran, April 23 ------ Iran vowed not to reopen the Strait of Hormuz so long as a US naval blockade remained in place despite a ceasefire extension, as it announced the seizure of two ships trying to cross the strategic waterway. As the clock ticked for a return to the war that has engulfed the region, US President Donald Trump had said Tuesday he would maintain the truce to allow more time for Pakistani-brokered peace talks. Iran said it welcomed the efforts by Pakist

BAKU, April 23 ------ The government has said it will introduce a legal ban on smartphones in schools in England, according to BBC. Education minister Baroness Jacqui Smith told the House of Lords that the government would table an amendment to its landmark Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill "creating a clear legal requirement for schools" on the matter. The Department for Education (DfE) said the move would give "legal force to what schools are already doing in practice".

KYIV, Ukraine, April 23 ------ Ukraine is pushing for face-to-face talks between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kyiv's top diplomat said, presenting a potential summit as a way of injecting new momentum into U.S.-led efforts to end Russia's more than four-year invasion of its neighbor. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone attack deep inside Russia struck a residential building, killing a woman and a child, Russian officials said. Kyiv has asked Tur

BRUSSELS, April 23 ------ European Union envoys gathered with the majority cautiously optimistic that a massive loan to help meet Ukraine's military and financial needs for the next two years may soon be approved after months of deadlock. At a meeting in Brussels, the envoys assessed whether Hungary might lift its veto on the 90-billion-euro ($106 billion) loan package, which Ukraine desperately needs to prop up its war-ravaged economy and help keep Russian forces at bay. Hun

TOKYO, April 22 ------ U.S. crude futures rose in early trade despite Washington's announcement that it would indefinitely extend a ceasefire with Iran, as uncertainty over peace talks persisted and the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures climbed as high as $90.70 a barrel and traded up 59 cents, or 0.7 per cent, at $90.26 at 2215 GMT. The benchmark contract rose 2.8 per cent on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump said he

ROME, Italy, April 22 ------ Pilgrims prayed and shared fond memories at the tomb of Pope Francis on the first anniversary of his death, as his successor, Leo, paid tribute to a man "who gave so much". Italian visitor Laura Tonelli, 69, wiped her eyes with a handkerchief after praying at the modest marble tomb in Rome's Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, inscribed with just "Franciscus", the Argentine pope's name in Latin. "It's not sadness, it's gratitude, appreciation for every

KYIV, April 22 ------ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the damaged Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil to Europe had been repaired and was ready to resume operations. The pipeline has been at the center of a standoff between Hungary, which still imports Russian oil via the pipeline, Ukraine, and the European Union. Hungary's outgoing nationalist leader, Viktor Orban, had held up a much-needed 90-million-euro loan for Ukraine as leverage to pressure Kyiv to r

April 22 ------ Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Andrii Melnyk, said that Russia would need to deploy millions more troops to fully occupy Ukrainian territory, arguing that the human cost of its offensive is unsustainable. Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting, Melnyk said Ukraine rejects Russian ultimatums and will not cede any part of its territory. “Ukraine will never leave a single square millimeter of its land,” he said. Melnyk presented calc

TOKYO, April 21 ------ Japan issued a special advisory warning of an increased risk of earthquakes at magnitude 8.0 or stronger, after a powerful jolt rattled the country's north and prompted a tsunami warning. The Japan Meteorological Agency's advisory came a few hours after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck in Pacific waters off northern Iwate prefecture at 4.53 pm (3.53 pm, Singapore time). The jolt was so intense that it shook large buildings in the capital Tokyo, hundred

WASHINGTON, April 21 ------ The United States will host new talks between Israel and Lebanon aimed at encouraging an agreement, a US official told AFP, after the start of a shaky US-brokered ceasefire. The talks will take place at the State Department in Washington, again at the level of ambassadors. "We will continue to facilitate direct, good-faith discussions between the two governments," the State Department official said Monday on customary condition of anonymity. The am