Philippine News

MANILA, December 4 ------ The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for selected pork cuts will be enforced starting Dec 5. The move comes as the DA prepares to impose a temporary import ban on live hogs and pork products from Spain, currently the country’s second-largest source of pork, following reports of an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak. In an ambush interview, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the a

MANILA, December 4 ------ The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has formally recommended the filing of charges against former Sen. Bong Revilla and other officials tagged in the flood control scandal, citing possible cases of direct and indirect bribery, corruption, plunder and administrative sanctions. ICI chairperson Andres Reyes Jr. announced the commission's endorsement on Tuesday, after mentioning that former Public Works Secretary Rogelio “Babes” Singson h

December 4 ------ An academic team led by researchers at the UK’s National Centre for Atmospheric Science completed a first in-depth study looking at sulfur emissions at sea and found “fairly good compliance” with the IMO regulations introduced in 2020. The group looked at compliance both in the European Sulfur Emission Control Areas (SECAs) and ships in the open ocean. The team found that the average sulfur content in ship fuel dropped nearly tenfold in open ocean areas foll

December 4 ------ South Africa’s Competition Commission has referred a case of alleged collusion and price fixing against eight of the world’s largest container carriers to its Tribunal for prosecution. The case alleges that for over a decade, the carriers conducted a price-fixing scheme. The Commission, which operates under a 1989 law, investigates the cases and if it finds sufficient information, refers the situation to the Tribunal for prosecution. There is also a Competit

December 4 ------ The rivalry between PortMiami in South Florida and Port Canaveral in Central Florida took a surprising turn with Port Canaveral nudging Miami from its traditional number one ranking in FY 2025. The difference was small between the two ports, just 0.4 percent, but it is a major achievement for Port Canaveral as it continues to see rapid growth in its cruise business. Port Canaveral topped even its own projections, which had set a target of around 8.4 million

December 4 ------ Germany’s Securing Energy for Europe (SEFE) has set the wheels in motion to enrich its liquefied natural gas (LNG) arsenal with another multi-year LNG supply agreement, which has been signed with Argentina’s Southern Energy, in a bid to further strengthen Europe’s energy security. The duo’s heads of agreement for an eight-year supply arrangement will enable SEFE to buy up to two million tons per annum (mtpa) of LNG on a free on board (FOB) basis, with delive

BEIRUT, Lebanon, December 4 ------ Lebanese and Israeli civilian representatives held their first direct talks in decades under the auspices of a year-old ceasefire monitoring mechanism, though Lebanon's premier cautioned the new diplomatic contact did not amount to broader peace discussions. The two sides met at the UN peacekeeping force's headquarters in Lebanon's Naqura near the border with Israel, where the guarantors of the November 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Hezb

TOKYO, December 4 ------ A Chinese cruise operator has canceled its tours to Japan scheduled from late December to late January next year, apparently due to rising tensions between the two East Asian countries. An agent in Japan was notified of the cancellations in November, a source familiar with the situation said Tuesday. Japan-China relations are deteriorating, as evidenced by the Chinese government's call for the country's citizens to refrain from travel to Japan. China'

BEIJING, December 4 ------ French President Emmanuel Macron is due in Beijing, where he is expected to put pressure on his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, to help secure a ceasefire in Ukraine and discuss trade relations. Macron, on his fourth state visit to China since taking office in 2017, will meet Xi and Premier Li Qiang at the capital’s Great Hall of the People before heading to Chengdu, where two giant pandas loaned to France have recently been returned. Efforts to br

December 4 ------ High-stakes US-Russia talks on ending the war in Ukraine failed to yield a breakthrough, as the Kremlin said "no compromise" had been found yet on the key question of territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin met US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff in the Kremlin, after earlier signaling that his forces were ready to fight on to achieve Russia's initial war goals. The meeting is a crucial moment for Ukraine

“I would love to give everyone a present but I don’t want to spend a lot!” Sound familiar? Every time Christmas comes around, it’s the same dilemma for a lot of people. Why? Because most of them do not plan for gift-giving - everything is done last minute! So, here’s a quick guide on how you can save money on Christmas gifts: Shop early Buying gifts months before the holidays can save you a ton of money and will spare you from the Christmas shopping rush! Shop online Yes, som

In the choppy waters of Philippine politics, we are now navigating a storm of corruption allegations more scandalous than a telenovela plot twist. Having spent 20 years of my life championing MSMEs as the unsung heroes keeping our economy afloat, I’m here to sound the alarm, but not the abandon-ship kind. No, my call is for stability and continuity. After all, if we start rocking the boat too vigorously, we risk capsizing the whole vessel, passengers and all. And let’s be hon

A man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack is a cyberattack in which a hacker steals sensitive information by eavesdropping on communications between two online targets such as a user and a web application. After stealthily placing themselves in the middle of two-party communications, MITM attackers intercept sensitive data such as credit card numbers, account information and login credentials. Hackers then use that information to commit other cybercrimes such as making unauthorized p

December is here – and with many about to go partying and shopping, the Philippine National Police has drawn up 12 safety tips for the public. The PNP's Directorate for Police Community Relations drew up the "12 Safer Days of Christmas" to help people avoid being victimized by criminals during this season. Among the safety tips – which touch on shopping, social media and parties and even at home – are: Shopping 1. Ensure that doors and windows are properly locked when out sho

December 3 ------ Justin Brownlee will join forces with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson for the first time in Meralco's coming EASL Home and Away Season 3 return bout with the Macau Black Bears this Saturday in Ilagan, Isabela. The EASL officially made the announcement yesterday. “Four days from now, the rematch tips off – and this time, the Bolts are recharged by the EASL debut of Justin Brownlee,” the league said in a statement. Meralco team manager Paolo Trillo later confirmed tha

LOS ANGELES, December 3 ------ The Phoenix Suns shrugged off an injury to Devin Booker to end the Los Angeles Lakers' seven-game winning streak with an emphatic 125-108 victory on the road. Booker exited in the first quarter but the loss of the star point guard did little to halt the flow of Phoenix points over the remainder of the game. Dillon Brooks led the Phoenix scoring with 33 points while Collin Gillespie added 28 points -- including eight three-pointers -- as the Suns

December 3 ------ BRAZIL, Spain, Portugal, and Argentina reached the semifinals of the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup 2025 after beating their respective opponents at the Philsports Arena. Brazil showed why it is the No. 1 ranked team in the world by routing Japan, 6-1, on Tuesday night in their quarterfinal. Spain beat Morocco, 6-1, last Monday, while Portugal routed Italy, 7-2, last Tuesday, ensuring that the top three teams in the world reach the semifinals of the inaugural

December 3 ------ CHERY Tiggo is finalizing plans to leave the PVL. The country’s first pro volleyball champions have hit a dead end in their four-year PVL journey, following a string of lackluster campaigns since lifting the league title in 2021. Twice Philippine Superliga (PSL) champions as Foton, that same golden touch simply didn’t carry over after their maiden pro crown. Bar a runner-up finish in the 2025 PVL on Tour, the Crossovers never reached the finals again and fin

December 3 ------ The Philippines had twice as much reason to celebrate as two Filipino queens returned home to cheers from their countrymen. Miss Universe 2025 third runner-up Ahtisa Manalo and Face of Beauty International 2025 winner Nikki Buenafe Cheveh both received warm welcomes in separate events that excited pageant fans and onlookers alike. Ahtisa kicked off the day with a grand homecoming parade that made its first major stop at the Manila City Hall, where Mayor Isko

December 3 ------ Several programs and personalities of GMA Network earned recognition at the Anak TV Seal Awards 2025. According to Bernadette Reyes' report on "24 Oras" on Tuesday, GMA Network's flagship newscast "24 Oras," as well as "24 Oras Weekend" and "Unang Hirit," were among the programs that received Anak TV Seal Awards. "In the age of misinformation and disinformation, it is all the more incumbent upon the media to create content that is truthful, factual, relevant