Philippine News

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

April 21 ------ Ukraine and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are preparing a memorandum of understanding on cooperation to restore the country’s energy infrastructure damaged by Russia’s attacks, Ukrainian officials said. According to the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU), the document will formalize collaboration between Kyiv and the UN nuclear watchdog on technical assistance, expert support, and coordination related to the recovery and p

April 21 ------ France will join the steering committee of the Special Tribunal on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Noel Barrot said. According to Ukrinform, Barrot made the announcement during a meeting of the Council of Europe, saying France’s participation would strengthen international efforts to establish accountability and support the creation of a legal mechanism to prosecute the crime of aggression. The steerin

April 20 ------ Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was at a standstill after Iran reasserted control over the strategic waterway that is key to global energy supply, days before a fragile ceasefire with the United States was set to expire. Iran’s top negotiator said recent talks with the US had made progress, while President Donald Trump cited “very good conversations” with Tehran. But neither side offered any specifics, and Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf,

NEW YORK, April 20 ------ Oil prices rose in early trading as a standoff between Iran and the U.S. prevented tankers from using the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf waterway that is crucial to global energy supplies. The price of U.S. crude oil increased 6.4% to $87.88 per barrel after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 6.5% to $96.25 per barrel. The market reaction followed more than two days of