Philippine News

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland, January 2 ------ Dozens are presumed dead after a fire ripped through a crowded bar in the luxury Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana as young revellers rang in the new year with witnesses describing scenes of "panic". Horrified bystanders told of people trying to break through the windows of the bar to escape, as others, covered in burns, poured into the street. Police, firefighters and rescuers rushed to the popular resort, which is set to host the

TAIPEI, January 2 ------ Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said the island is determined to defend its sovereignty and boost its defense in the face of China's increasing expansion, after Beijing fired rockets towards the island as part of military drills. The international community is watching to see whether the Taiwanese people possess the resolve to defend themselves, Lai said in a New Year's speech broadcast live from the presidential office in Taipei. "As president, my stan

KYIV, January 2 ------ Russia and Ukraine accused each other of targeting civilians over the New Year, with Moscow reporting a deadly strike on a hotel in territory it occupies in southern Ukraine while Kyiv said there had been another broad attack on its power supplies. The reports coincide with intensive talks aimed at bringing an end to the nearly four-year-old war, overseen by US President Donald Trump. Both countries have said the other is doing all it can to influence h

January 2 ------ President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia was using ordinary apartment blocks on the territory of its ally Belarus to attack Ukrainian targets and circumvent Kyiv's defenses. The Kremlin used Belarusian territory to launch its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and Belarus remains a steadfast ally, though longstanding President Alexander Lukashenko has vowed to commit no troops to the conflict. "We note that the Russians are trying to bypass our defensive

JAPAN, January 1 ------ Japan plans to more than double funding for its security equipment aid to like-minded countries in fiscal year 2026, in view of China's increasingly assertive actions in the East and South China Seas. The government will allocate about 18.1 billion yen in its initial budget proposal for the next fiscal year from April to be adopted at a cabinet meeting. The outlay for the official security assistance program for 10 countries is 2.2 times that for the p

January 1 ------ Israel became the first country to formally recognize the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state - a decision that could reshape regional dynamics and test Somalia's longstanding opposition to secession. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would seek immediate cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology and the economy. In a statement, he congratulated Somaliland's president, Abdirahman Mohamed

December 31 ------ Donald Trump's return to power, a ceasefire in Gaza and massive investments in artificial intelligence: Here are 10 events that defined 2025. Trump returns A protectionist offensive. Mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. Dismantling entire sections of the federal government. Since his return to the White House for a second term in January, Republican President Donald Trump has targeted adversaries, deployed the National Guard in Democrat-voting citi

TOKYO, December 31 ------ Kyoto, temples, neon lights, crowds. For many, Japan is nothing more than that. But in the north, Hokkaido provides an entirely different experience. It is a journey where the sounds of silence, open spaces, and nature take center stage. As travelers around the world look to escape mass tourism, the island stands as a true alternative: A destination where travel still means discovery. Beyond cliches In an era where people choose their destinations ba

TOKYO, December 30 ------ The Japanese government has recently approved a draft budget for fiscal 2026, with defense spending set at about 9.04 trillion yen (about $58 billion), marking a new record high and sparking public concern. An editorial published by Japan’s Shimbun Akahata noted that the country’s defense budget stood at 5.4 trillion yen in fiscal 2022 and has surged by 3.6 trillion yen in just four years. The newspaper said the latest figure is comparable to the 3.5

December 30 ------ China said it is conducting "major" military exercises around Taiwan, with live firing activities to be conducted across five zones in waters and airspace near the self-governed island claimed by Beijing. "The PLA Eastern Theater Command is dispatching its Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force troops to conduct joint military drills code-named 'Justice Mission 2025'," said a statement from Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman of the force, using an acronym for

TOKYO, December 29 ------ A massive crash involving 67 vehicles in snowy weather killed two people and injured 26 on an expressway in Japan as the country kicked off its end-of-year holiday season. The Gunma prefectural highway police said Saturday that the pileup on the Kan-etsu Expressway started with a collision between two trucks in the town of Minakami, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Tokyo. The initial crash blocked parts of the expressway, and cars coming

WASHINGTON, December 29 ------ US President Donald Trump congratulated the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia on a ceasefire agreed the previous day after weeks of border clashes that have killed dozens. "I want to congratulate both great leaders on their brilliance in coming to this rapid and very fair conclusion," said Trump, who has claimed credit for a previous truce that was broken earlier this month when the border conflict reignited. In a post on his Truth Social platfor

PALM BEACH, December 29 ------ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will sit down with Donald Trump and seek to secure the US president's stamp of approval for a new proposal to end the nearly four-year conflict with Russia. The 20-point plan, which emerged from weeks of intense US-Ukraine negotiations, lacks Moscow's approval, and the face-to-face in Florida comes in the wake of a massive Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv. The meeting, to be hosted by Trump at his o

KYIV, December 29 ------ Russia attacked Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine with hundreds of missiles and drones ahead of what President Volodymyr Zelensky said would be a crucial meeting with US President Donald Trump to work out a plan to end nearly four years of war. Zelensky cast the vast overnight attack, which he said involved about 500 drones and 40 missiles and which knocked out power and heat in parts of the capital, as Russia's response to the ongoing peace efforts bro

BAKU, December 28 ------ The Japanese government will provide roughly 1 trillion yen (USD6.34 billion) in support over five years to help a planned new company develop home-grown artificial intelligence, a source close to the matter told South China Morning Post. The company will be established by around 10 firms, including SoftBank Group Corp, aiming to develop the country’s largest base AI model through public-private cooperation, the source said. The five-year support sche

WASHINGTON, December 28 ------ U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing for a more aggressive immigration crackdown in 2026 with billions in new funding, including by raiding more workplaces – even as backlash builds ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Trump has already surged immigration agents into major U.S. cities, where they swept through neighborhoods and clashed with residents. While federal agents this year conducted some high-profile raids on businesses, they lar

TOKYO, December 27 ------ The Japanese government and ruling parties began considering tightening the requirement for acquiring Japanese nationality to 10 years of residency or longer in principle, compared with the current five years, informed sources said. By extending the necessary period of residency to at least 10 years, Japan would bring the nationality requirement in line with that for obtaining permanent residency. The move is expected to be implemented by changing ho

December 27 ------ The tiny Pacific island nation of Palau has agreed to accept up to 75 non-American migrants from the United States under a deal worth $7.5 million, the two countries have said. President Donald Trump, who campaigned on a promise to expel undocumented migrants, has accelerated deportations and cracked down on border crossings since returning to power this year. Under a new memorandum of understanding, Palau will let up to 75 third-country nationals from the

LOS ANGELES, California, December 26 ------ Flash flood warnings were in effect in Los Angeles and most of southern California as one of the worst Christmas storms in recent memory brought heavy rain and fears of deadly mudslides. Driven by an atmospheric river known as “the Pineapple Express,” which moves heavy moisture from the tropical climes of Hawaii to rain on the West Coast, the storm is expected to deliver months’ worth of rain over the next few days. California Gov.

BETHLEHEM, West Bank, December 26 ------ Hundreds of worshippers gathered for mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem as the Palestinian city ushered in its first festive Christmas in more than two years, emerging from the shadow of the war in Gaza. Throughout the conflict that began with Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023, a sombre tone had marked Christmases in the biblical birthplace of Jesus Christ. But celebrations returned full swing Wednesday with crowded