Philippine News

PALM BEACH, United States, March 2 ------ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader since 1989 and sworn enemy of the West, was killed in the opening salvo of a massive US and Israeli attack, President Donald Trump said, as he urged the overthrow of the Islamic Republic. Cheers could be heard on Tehran's streets after reports first emerged from Israel of the death of Khamenei, as plumes of black smoke hovered over the district where he usually resides, witnesses told AFP.

SYDNEY, March 2 ------ Oil prices surged and investors stampeded to the safety of bonds and gold as military conflict in the Middle East looked set to last weeks, just as markets had been spooked by AI and banking fears. Brent jumped 9 per cent to $79.42 a barrel, while U.S. crude climbed 8.6 per cent to $72.61 per barrel. Gold rose 1.4 per cent to $5,350 an ounce. [O/R] Military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran showed no sign of lessening, while the Arab natio

March 2 ------ President Volodymyr Zelensky has advocated for regime change in Iran during his Sunday evening address amid the US’s ongoing military operations against the Middle Eastern nation. On Saturday, the US and Israel launched “Operation Epic Fury,” including strikes against targets across Iran that US President Donald Trump said were part of a campaign to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Iranian state media confirmed on Sunday that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamen

March 2 ------ Three years into Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, with Trump’s ascension to power, the United States of America reneged on its promise to help Ukrainians defending their families and homes “as long as it takes” against a full-scale military attack by a police state intent on wiping their country off the map. Engineered by President Donald J. Trump and a Congress controlled by his allies, the almost-overnight cancellation of US backing to a Ukrainian nat

MANILA, Philippines, March 2 ------ A Filipina caregiver was killed in an airstrike in Israel, President Marcos said yesterday, as the world braces for the effects – including a possible prolonged conflict – of the attacks launched by American and Israeli forces against Iran. Marcos identified the fatality as Mary Anne Velazquez de Vera, of Basista, Pangasinan. She died from shrapnel wounds. “I regret to inform you that we have received a report that a Filipino casualty has b

MANILA, March 2 ------ Local carriers Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific (CEB) have canceled 10 flights scheduled for today due to rising tensions in the Middle East. In an advisory, PAL said the cancellations were made to ensure the safety of passengers, crew and ground personnel. PAL flights PR 684 Manila-Doha, PR 685 Doha-Manila, PR 658/659 Manila-Dubai-Manila, and PR654/655 Manila-Riyadh-Manila were cancelled. CEB, on the other hand, cancelled flights 5J 14/15 and

MANILA, March 2 ------ The Philippine Embassies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Jordan told Filipinos in their jurisdictions to limit movement as Iran bombards several United States bases in the Middle East in retaliation to a joint Israeli-US military operation. Explosions were heard in parts of the Middle East, including Abu Dhabi in UAE, Manama in Bahrain, and Kuwait, while local authorities activated sirens and issued a

March 2 ------ The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it has mobilized its vessels to Bajo de Masinloc and Escoda Shoal, along with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), to protect Filipino fishermen and deliver fuel and food support amid new incidents of “harassment” by Chinese forces. The mission aimed to ensure the safety of local fishing boats and extend their time at sea through the “Kadiwa para sa Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda” (KBBM) Program, said newly-pr

MANILA, Philippines, March 1 ------ The Philippine women’s softball team was given wild card entry to the WBSC World Cup Group Stage where it will have a chance to make next year’s finals set in Australia and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Blu Girls received the spot after Uganda withdrew from the group of World No. 1 Japan, No. 3 Puerto Rico, Great Britain, Venezuela and Peru. The Peruvians will host that stage slated July 14 to 18, which marks t

March 1 ------ The SexBomb Girls are taking their “Get Get Aw” concert outside Luzon for the first time, with a regional stop set in Tacloban City! On Instagram, Rochelle Pangilinan announced that their first regional show will happen in Visayas.“From Manila… ngayon lalabas na ng Luzon. Our first regional Get Get Aww Concert Tour is happening in Tacloban! Tacloban, ihanda ang boots at balakang — dahil dadalhin namin ang buong showdown sa inyo,” she wrote in the caption. “Mga

TOKYO, March 1 ------ Japan will invite young and mid-level defense officials from Pacific Island countries starting in fiscal 2026, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said. Koizumi unveiled the initiative in a lecture he delivered at a meeting in Tokyo with defense ministers from 14 Pacific island nations, including Fiji and Papua New Guinea. In light of China's growing presence in the South Pacific, he emphasized the need for cooperation between Japan and the island

March 1 ------ A new meta-study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution suggests that ocean warming has an outsize impact on the total amount of fish in the water, enough to have major implications for global fisheries. The study, led by researchers at Spain's Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, looked at hundreds of thousands of studies of fish populations in the Northern Hemisphere over a period of nearly 30 years, spanning 1993-2021. The vast data set covered more than 1

MANILA, March 1 ------ Three more financing agreements between the Philippines and Japan are targeted to be signed until March this year, while 11 are being considered for Japan’s 2026 fiscal year that will start in April. Finance Secretary Frederick Go, in his speech during the 42nd Annual Joint Meeting of the Philippine and Japan Economic Cooperation Committees in Taguig City Thursday night, said the additional financing agreements amount to around USD1.58 billion to be uti

LONDON, March 1 ------ An AI productivity boom, if it materializes, may help buy major economies more time to clean up their strained public finances, economists say, although it won't do the heavy lifting. The stakes couldn't be higher. Debt is above 100 per cent of output across most rich economies and set to rise given ageing population costs, interest bills, and pressure to spend more on defense and climate change. U.S. policymakers are already optimistic about AI-driven

March 1 ------ The second window of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers got underway with Gilas Pilipinas taking on New Zealand in a crucial home tiff that could have significance down the road. But even before the Filipinos and the Tall Blacks squared off at the Mall of Asia Arena, people were already circling the next playdate on their calendars. The reason? The Philippines plays Asia Cup champion Australia today with lingering memories of a dark past shared by both squads.

CAVITE, Philippines, March 1 ------ International Maritime Organization (IMO) delegates and Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) officials conducted a technical visit to the Magsaysay Training Center (MTC) in Tanza, Cavite, as part of the Regional Conference on STCW Convention implementation. Led by Magsaysay Learning President Alex Enriquez, the tour highlighted MTC’s specialized training programs and facilities, demonstrating how the center equips learners with practical sk

MANILA, Philippines, March 1 ------ The Philippine and China Coast Guards are expected to enter into an agreement in March for joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea, Sen. Erwin Tulfo said. The senator learned about the impending signing of a memorandum of agreement between the two coast guards from Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan during their meeting. The PCG, in recent months, had complained about CCG's harassment of its personnel and Fi

March 1 ------ Family Feud four-ever! Four-ever ang tawa, four-ever ang saya! GMA Network’s well-loved game show Family Feud marks its 4th anniversary with a month-long, powerhouse celebration beginning March 2. Hosted by Kapuso Primetime King Dingdong Dantes, Family Feud welcomes some of the brightest stars in the industry of television, content creation, arts and athletes, and more for its anniversary special. The hosts of the noontime show It’s Showtime are going back to t

February 28 ------ Royce O'Neale made a 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds remaining as the host Phoenix Suns overcame a 13-point second-half deficit for a 113-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. O'Neale gave the Suns a 110-108 lead on the previous possession before LeBron James' tip-in tied it with 22.7 seconds remaining. The Suns played for one shot, and Grayson Allen drove the lane and kicked it to Collin Gillespie, who found O'Neale wide open on the left wing. Allen scored 2

February 28 ------ Oil prices inched down and were on track for a weekly decline after the United States and Iran extended nuclear talks, easing concerns about potential hostilities that could disrupt supply, while OPEC+ may resume output hike at its Sunday meeting. Brent crude futures lost 5 cents to $70.70 a barrel by 0331 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 1 cent to $65.20. For the week, Brent was heading for a 1.8 per cent decline, while WTI was set to fall arou