Philippine News

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, January 16 ------ Iran closed its airspace to commercial flights for hours without explanation as tensions remained high with the United States over Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests. The closure ran for over four hours, according to pilot guidance issued by Iran, which lies on a key East-West flight route. International carriers diverted north and south around Iran, but after one extension, the closure appeared to have expired, and

CARACAS, Venezuela, January 16 ------ The social network X was once again accessible in Venezuela on Tuesday, more than a year after users were blocked by deposed president Nicolas Maduro, who was captured by US forces last week.   Interim president Delcy Rodriguez updated her bio -- she served as vice president under Maduro -- and wrote: "Let us stay united, moving toward economic stability, social justice, and the welfare state we deserve to aspire to." Access remained spot

January 16 ------ Ukraine’s parliament on Wednesday appointed Mykhailo Fedorov as the country’s new defense minister, approving the move with 277 votes in the Verkhovna Rada.   Fedorov, formerly first vice prime minister and minister of digital transformation, immediately pledged to launch a full financial audit of the Defense Ministry, citing a Hr.300 billion ($7 billion) budget shortfall compared to last year. “My first task is a real audit of Defense Ministry finances, to

January 16 ------ Two million Ukrainians are currently wanted for alleged mobilization evasion, while another 200,000 servicemen are listed as absent without official leave (AWOL), Ukraine’s newly appointed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said.   Fedorov made the statement during a speech in the parliament ahead of the vote on his appointment as defense minister. “I don’t want to be a populist – I want to be a realist. The Ministry of Defense is coming into my hands with a

Hearing someone cough in public places such as churches, markets, or public transportation can now easily trigger anxiety, especially amid reports of so-called “super flu” cases in the country. From Jan. 1 to Dec. 27, 2025, the Department of Health (DOH) recorded 63 cases of “super flu” nationwide. Health experts, however, stressed that the so-called “super flu,” like other influenza-like illnesses, can be prevented by observing simple yet effective precautionary measures. A

Happy New Year! By this time, many have already made New Year’s resolutions that include money matters: Save more. Spend less. Invest better. Stick to a budget—this time for real! And so many more. The first few weeks will be good. They feel motivated, attentive, and hopeful. Then life happens. A school expense comes up. Work gets busier. A family emergency happens. An important celebration, an unexpected repair, and so many more. The neat financial plan begins to fray. By Fe

Vacations are meant to give us time to rest and recharge — something often missing during the year. But long breaks can also leave us with too much time to do nothing. As a result, getting back into the rhythm of daily life can require extra effort. A new year offers the perfect opportunity to start again. The good news is you can begin your wellness journey at any time. The best timing is determined by your own desire. Only you can overcome procrastination, laziness, and res

I can already tell that 2026 will be an eventful year. In just a few days – only into the first half of January – we will kick off the year with a significant moment: the official handover of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) chairmanship from Malaysia to the Philippines. This handover will be, in many ways, the closest thing to a dress rehearsal for ASEAN 2026. Leaders and council members from all 11 ASEAN member-states will gather to witness the transition, an

January 15 ------ Filipino seafarers, numbering over 400,000, are facing an uncertain future due to an audit by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), which revealed significant noncompliance by the Philippines with international maritime safety standards. The EMSA aims to mitigate maritime risks, including accidents and pollution, and its findings are critical for the employability of Filipino seafarers on European Union (EU) vessels. In 2022, EMSA highlighted deficienc

January 15 ------ Three Greek-managed oil tankers were hit by unidentified drones in the Black Sea on Tuesday as they were on their way to load crude at a terminal on Russia's coast, sources told Reuters. The attacks come as Kazakhstan's oil production, most of which is exported via the terminal, cratered in early January. It was not immediately clear who was behind Tuesday's strikes. Ukraine did not immediately comment. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which operates the ter

January 15 ------ Egyptian authorities are reporting that they were able to rescue a dozen crewmembers from a small cargo ship that was in danger of sinking in the anchorage near Port Said. The rescue was the successful conclusion after a series of calamities. The Turkish-owned cargo ship Fener (4,500 dwt) had come from Turkey to load a cargo of salt at Port Said. Built in 1982, the ship is 138 meters (453 feet) in length and registered in St. Kitts and Nevis. The Suez Canal

January 15 ------ Two of the leaders in the dry bulk space, Genco Shipping & Trading and Diana Shipping, are trading public jabs in the brewing takeover battle that calls for consolidating the dry bulk sector. Both companies issued public statements six weeks after Diana first went public with its rumored efforts to buy Genco. Both companies emphasize the opportunities they see emerging in the dry bulk sector. Combined, they would have a fleet of approximately 80 vessels with

MANILA, January 15 ------ The San Miguel Beermen are now just one win away from returning to the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. The Leo Austria–coached squad seized a crucial 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven affair after surviving Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 115-109, in Game 5 of the Season 50 semifinals at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao. June Mar Fajardo led the Beermen with 21 points and 11 rebounds despite dealing with shoulder issues, giving San Miguel Beer a virtual twice-to-

January 15 ------ Filipina tennis star Alex Eala aced her final match before the Australian Open, scoring an emphatic win against Donna Vekić in an exhibition match. Eala swept the Croatian Vekić, 6-3, 6-4, at the 2026 Kooyong Classic in Melbourne. This is Eala's second win over Vekić this year, having beaten her in three sets in the first round of the WTA 125 ASB Classic in Auckland last January 6. The Kooyong Classic, a traditional warm-up event ahead of the Australian Open

January 15 ------ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped a three-game losing streak against the San Antonio Spurs with a 119-98 victory over their Western Conference rivals. San Antonio have been the NBA champions' bogey team this season, winning all three of their previous meetings last month with a series of wins that hinted at a tilt in the balance of power in the West. But the Thunder's potent offense and stifling defense finally got

MANILA, Philippines, January 15 ------ Tickets for the Philippine Women’s Open, the country’s first-ever hosting of a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tournament, are now on sale. The Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) has released the ticket prices, which can be bought online or at SM ticket outlets, for the WTA 125 tournament at Rizal Memorial Tennis Center from January 26 to 31. The qualifying matches are set for Jan. 24 and 25. All tickets are priced at P200 for free

January 15 ------ Another former Miss International Queen winner is joining the first edition of MGI All Stars, Vietnam’s Nguyen Huong Giang, who also competed at the recent Miss Universe pageant with Ahtisa Manalo. The announcement was made at the Miss Grand International social media pages on Tuesday evening, Jan. 13. “[Nguyen] is a Vietnamese model, singer, television producer, and one of the most influential transgender figures in Southeast Asia,” the post said. Crowned i

MANILA, Philippines, January 15 ------ Revisiting her passion for essaying a role is Kris Bernal, who had a hiatus from the GMA afternoon and primetime drama. “House of Lies” is the Kapuso actress’ vehicle to tread on that creative familiar path. Kris will collaborate again with her fellow “Artikulo 247” co-star Mike Tan and work for the first time with Beauty Gonzalez, Martin del Rosario, and director Jerry Lopez Sineneng. Prior to starring in “House of Lies,” she did hostin

January 15 ------ Mikee Quintos took to Instagram to share snaps from her graduation, including her official graduation photo from the University of Santo Tomas’ College of Architecture. The Kapuso actress also included photos with the “people motivated me through the hard college all-nighters.” “Feels wrong to not have these pics on my feed,” the “Sang’gre” star said. “And though it took longer than expected, a promise is a promise!” “No regrets, cause i’ve never seen my mom

January 15 ------ Beauty queens Nicole Cordoves and Rabiya Mateo will once again grace the stage of the Miss Iloilo pageant for this year’s edition of the annual competition, held as part of the “Dinagyang” Festival. Cordoves is coming back for a fourth time to host the contest, while Mateo will be one of the judges. The two shared hosting chores in the 2024 pageant. Miss Iloilo made the announcements in separate posts on the pageant’s official social media pages while also r