Philippine News

ROME, March 22 ------ The Vatican's top diplomat called on US President Donald Trump to end the expanding Iran war as soon as possible and suggested Israel should also stop its strikes against Lebanon. "I would say to finish it as soon as possible...and to leave Lebanon alone," Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a senior advisor to the American Pope Leo, said in an unusually direct appeal. "This message also goes to the Israelis," he added, speaking to journalists at an event a

TOKYO, March 22 ------ Sample Somei-Yoshino cherry trees began to bloom in the cities of Kofu and Gifu in central Japan and Kochi in western Japan, marking the country's first blooms this season, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced. Kochi was the first in the country to see cherry blossoms for the third straight year. Cherry trees in the city began to bloom six days earlier than average and seven days earlier than last year. Kofu saw the earliest blooming since records

DUBAI, March 21 ------ Dubai’s tourism machine, which just months ago was breaking records, is now rotating at a slower pace, with limited flights to and from the country as airspace remains volatile across the region. Hotels and restaurants are notably quieter, but officials in the Pearl of the Gulf insist it is still very much open for business. For years, Dubai has sold the dream of being the Middle East’s ultimate safe haven – with all-year-round sun and a five-star exper

GENEVA, March 21 ------ Vaccine programs are being challenged by rising misinformation and an uncertain pipeline for research funding, the World Health Organization's immunization experts said. And the war in the Middle East will likely hamper the fight against polio, the WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) said. The group held its biannual meeting last week, focusing on COVID-19 jab recommendations, typhoid vaccine dosing schedules, and oral poli

March 20 ------ Hong Kong aviation giant Cathay Pacific has suspended flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh until the end of April over the war in the Middle East. "In view of the developing situation in the Middle East," all Cathay Pacific flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh will be suspended "up to and including 30 April 2026," the company said in separate statements on Wednesday. "Further changes to our flight schedule may be needed in the coming days," it added. Customers

OSLO, Norway, March 20 ------ NATO chief Mark Rutte said that the military alliance's members were discussing the "best way" to open the Strait of Hormuz, through which a large chunk of the world's oil supply normally passes. "I have been in contact with many allies. We all agree, of course, that Strait has to open up again. And what I know is that allies are working together, discussing how to do that, what is the best way to do it," Rutte told a news conference during a vis

WASHINGTON, March 19 ------ President Donald Trump's administration will require citizens from 50 countries to post bonds of $15,000 to apply for U.S. entry, a State Department official said. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said 12 countries are being added to a list that already includes 38 other nations, largely in Africa. The expanded visa bond program, which requires those foreign nationals to pay $15,000 for a B1 or B2 visa for business and tourism, goe

March 19 ------ Israeli warplanes hit central Beirut in the early hours, destroying apartment buildings in some of the most intense airstrikes on the center of the Lebanese capital for decades, an expansion of the US-Israeli war against Iran. A day after killing Iran’s powerful security chief Ali Larijani in the highest-level assassination since the supreme leader died on the war’s first day, Israel said it had killed another top official, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib.

March 19 ------ Russia is preparing to scale up its drone attacks against Ukraine to as many as 1,000 per day, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Speaking to The New York Post, Zelensky said Russia is already launching between 350 and 500 drones daily. If such tactics spread globally, even the world’s most advanced militaries could struggle to respond, he said. “A drone has no distance,” Zelensky said. “Today, it can go 100 kilometers (62 miles). Tomorrow, it can go 1,000 (62

March 19 ------ A strike by the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) on an oil depot in Labinsk, Krasnodar Krai, reportedly resulted in the near-total destruction of its storage tank farm. As reported by Astra outlet, citing sources in the region’s emergency services, a massive fire broke out at the facility after four drones struck, engulfing an area of about 3,000 square meters. As a result, 18 of the 20 storage tanks burned – including 9 gasoline and 9 diesel tanks - as well as 7

LONDON, March 18 ------ Oil prices rose again as Iran launched fresh attacks on crude-producing neighbors, while stock markets were higher ahead of key central bank meetings. Prices rebounded from the previous day's decline, which came after the head of the International Energy Agency said stockpiles could be tapped again if needed. Equity markets mostly gained after US chip titan Nvidia said it expected to make at least $1 trillion in revenue through the end of 2027, and sev

WASHINGTON, March 18 ------ President Donald Trump said the United States had been informed by most of its NATO allies that they did not want to get involved with the country's military operation in Iran, a move he described as a "very foolish mistake." Speaking at an Oval Office event, Trump said NATO countries were supportive of the joint US-Israeli war, which has now entered its third week, even as they did not want to get involved. "I think NATO is making a very foolish m

March 18 ------ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine is not intimidated by Iranian threats and is warning that the drone warfare now destabilizing the Middle East was first developed and refined through years of attacks on Ukrainian cities. “Nothing new,” Zelensky said when asked about Tehran’s warnings toward Ukraine. “We don’t [fear] any kind of such messages… We live with such messages each day.” In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Zelensky revealed how

LONDON, March 18 ------ UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in London that "the focus must remain on Ukraine" despite the US-Israeli war with Iran. Starmer welcomed Zelensky to his official Downing Street residence for talks after the Ukrainian leader met King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. "I think it's really important that we are clear that the focus must remain on Ukraine," said Starmer. "There's obviously a conflict in Iran going

TOKYO, Japan, March 17 ------ Japan said it was not currently thinking about ordering maritime security operations, after US President Donald Trump called for other countries to send warships to help protect the Strait of Hormuz. "In the current Iran situation, we are not at the moment considering issuing a maritime security operation," Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told parliament. Trump called for reinforcements on Saturday from countries including Japan after earlier v

March 17 ------ A "drone-related incident" sparked a fuel tank fire near Dubai airport and disrupted travel, as Iran maintained its Gulf attacks, though authorities said flights were gradually resuming. "Flights to and from DXB are gradually resuming to selected destinations, following the temporary suspension implemented as a precautionary measure," Dubai Airports said in a statement on X. The latest incident near what is usually the world's busiest airport for international

March 17 ------ President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have “thwarted” a Russian offensive planned for March. Zelensky previously told reporters that Ukrainian defensive action has prevented the Russian troops from advancing using armored vehicles, instead forcing them to resort to small infiltration groups and constant assault attempts along parts of the front line. In Monday’s evening address, Zelensky thanked “our warriors who are defendin

March 17 ------ Ukraine’s state-owned electricity transmission system operator Ukrenergo said it has received an official letter from its Slovak counterpart – notifying it that Bratislava is unilaterally pulling out of an agreement between the two countries to provide each other with emergency energy assistance. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Feb. 23 that Slovakia will not help Ukraine stabilize its energy grid – which has been the focus of massive Russian bombardm

March 16 ------ Oil prices extended gains as the US-Israeli war against Iran entered a third week, putting oil infrastructure at risk and keeping the Strait of Hormuz shut in the biggest disruption to global supplies ever. Brent crude futures jumped US$2.01, or 1.95 per cent, to US$105.15 a barrel by 11.38 pm GMT after settling US$2.68 higher. US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed US$1.61, or 1.63 per cent, to US$100.32 a barrel, after gaining nearly US$3 in the previous s

March 16 ------ The Trump administration plans to announce as early as this week that multiple countries have agreed to form a coalition that will escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials. US President Donald Trump has warned that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) faces a “very bad” future if US allies fail to assist in opening up the strait, in an interview with the Financial Times published on Sunday. Trump