Philippine News

MANILA, April 28 ------ After seven years, American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz is coming back to Manila for a one-night show this October as part of his Asia Tour 2026. Mraz made the announcement through a social media post. He will be performing for his Filipino fans again this coming October 27 at the Mall of Asia Arena. Tickets for the concert will be available beginning May 17 at 12 p.m. (PHT). The "I'm Yours" hitmaker last performed in Manila in 2019 as part of his "G

April 28 ------ Dawn Zulueta opened up about her decision to step back from show business, citing both personal and professional reasons. In an interview with PeopleAsia, Dawn shared that her choice was largely influenced by the exhaustion brought about by the demanding work hours in showbiz. "I got tired with the way we were working, the usual, the late hours and all of these things. I decided muna, I take a rest from it," she said. Beyond work fatigue, the actress emphasize

MANILA, Philippines, April 28 ------ Motorists will get more relief as diesel prices post another steep rollback of nearly P13 per liter. Starting today, diesel and kerosene prices are set to decline by at least P12.94 and P15.71 per liter, respectively, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced. Gasoline prices, however, will increase by as much as P0.53 per liter. The latest adjustment marks the third straight week of price cuts for diesel and kerosene after five consecutive

MANILA, Philippines, April 28 ------ A Taiwan-based group in the Philippines has accused China of “weaponizing” international airspace after African countries denied overflight clearance to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, forcing him to cancel a planned trip to Eswatini (former Swaziland). In a statement, the Taiwanese Association of the Philippines said the incident reflected “political coercion” and warned that such actions could undermine international norms governing gl

MANILA, April 28 ------ The Department of Health (DOH) is urging residents affected by the Navotas Sanitary Landfill fire to stay indoors and use specialized face masks to protect themselves against hazardous smoke and fine particulate matter. DOH Undersecretary Albert Domingo noted that while local authorities aim to extinguish the blaze by the end of April, immediate personal health precautions are necessary for those living near the site. "Habang nag-aantay tayong mangyari

PRAGUE, April 28 ------ Former lawmaker-turned-fugitive Zaldy Co has already left the Czech Republic, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said. This, a week after Philippine authorities confirmed that the alleged mastermind of the flood control corruption scandal is still under Czechia’s jurisdiction. “Czech authorities have informed us that Mr. Zaldy Co is no longer in their custody,” Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida told reporters hours after his meeting with Czech authorities

TOKYO, April 28 ------ Crude oil procured from the United States by Japanese oil distributor Cosmo Oil Co. arrived in Japan for the first time as an alternative supply, following the start of US attacks on Iran in late February. A tanker carrying 910,000 barrels of US crude oil arrived at an offshore jetty in Tokyo Bay in the morning amid supply concerns due to the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping chokepoint. As this amount accounts for less than

JAKARTA, April 28 ------ At least four people were killed when two trains collided in the city of Bekasi, adjoining the Indonesian capital Jakarta, officials said. The collision took place in Bekasi rail station between a commuter line train and a long-distance train, the spokesperson of the commuter line operator Karina Amanda told Reuters, adding that "we are focusing on evacuating passengers and train crew." Four people had been killed and 38 people evacuated to nearby hos

April 28 ------ Israel risks a diplomatic and legal response from Kyiv if it allows a vessel carrying grain from Russian-occupied Ukraine to dock at the port of Haifa, a Ukrainian diplomatic source told Reuters. Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported earlier that the vessel Panormitis, which it said was carrying grain from occupied Ukrainian territory that Kyiv regards as stolen, was waiting for permission to berth in Haifa. "If this ship and its cargo isn't rejected, we reserve

April 28 ------ Ukrainian officials say Russian drones have again attacked the southern port city of Odesa, injuring at least 11 people, including two children, and damaging homes and important infrastructure. Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said the attack affected three districts, hitting residential buildings, vehicles and civilian facilities, including a hotel, warehouses and funicular railway. Windows shattered in many buildings and the port area sustained damage. “A 59-year-o

April 27 ------ BIMCO has issued a statement outlining escalating maritime tensions and security risks impacting global shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Two weeks into the US-Iran ceasefire, the Strait of Hormuz is operating only in a limited and highly unstable manner. Initial signs of reopening were quickly overshadowed by renewed closure signals, attacks on vessels and widespread course reversals. Enforcement by the United States has intensified, shifting from monitoring

April 27 ------ IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has called on all member states to support efforts to address the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where around 20,000 seafarers remain trapped and unable to leave. In an informal briefing to member states and industry representatives, Dominguez confirmed that several vessels had been seized and detained in the region over the past few days. He urged maximum caution, considering potential mines present throughout the S

April 27 ------ The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has moved to seal a regulatory gap that has enabled the rise of false flagging in the shipping industry, enacting new guidelines that will determine how ships are registered. In recent years, the shipping industry has witnessed a significant surge in the number of ships flying a false flag, with Russia’s shadow fleet tankers being the main culprits. The shadow fleet employs many regulatory loopholes in order to cir

April 27 ------ In a developing story, it is being reported that a small product tanker has apparently been seized off the coast of Somalia. The BBC was the first to report the story, saying the product tanker Honor 25 (3,000 dwt) had been commandeered and brought to an anchorage off the northern Somali coast. EUNAVFOR Atalanta has not yet acknowledged the incident nor the local authorities, according to the BBC. However, it comes during a busy week in which there was an unco

MANILA, April 27 ------ Barangay Ginebra San Miguel booked a spot in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals after fending off a pesky Titan Ultra Giant Risers side, 119-107 at the Araneta Coliseum. Justin Brownlee once again led the Gin Kings with 35 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one steal, as they notched their fifth straight victory, and seventh overall in nine games. RJ Abarrientos also caught fire with 25 points, highlighted by four thre

PHOENIX, April 27 ------ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 42 points in a brilliant shooting performance, Ajay Mitchell added 15 in place of the injured Jalen Williams and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 121-109 to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round series. Gilgeous-Alexander — the league's reigning MVP — hit 15 of 18 shots on a variety of tough looks, frustrating a Suns defense that actually played decently for much of the game. Alex Caruso ad

April 27 ------ SENT packing in Madrid were best friends and doubles partners Alex Eala and Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez, as they lost to second-seeded Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova, 1-6, 7-5. The young guns didn’t stand a chance against the doubles world No. 2 and No. 5’s strong start. They were able to squeeze in a game in the third game, but the veterans were quick on their feet to regain control. The following set saw a different story, with ties at 3-3, 4-4, and 5-5,

April 27 ------ Both Gilas Pilipinas 3×3 teams opened their respective campaigns on a strong note in the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China. The Gilas Women, composed of soon-to-be World Cup players Mikka Cacho and Tantoy Ferer, along with Kaye Pingol and Gabi Bade, remain undefeated at 2-0 in the women’s competition. They opened their campaign with a 15-11 win over Indonesia before following it up with a dominant 21-9 victory over Macau. Coached by Anton Altamirano, the s

April 27 ------ The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) granted a three-month extension on key identification documents for Filipino seafarers stranded onboard ships due to the worsening security situation in the Middle East. Marina Administrator Sonia Malaluan said the extension covers Seafarer’s Record Books, Seafarer’s Identification and Record Books, and Seafarer’s Identity Documents that have expired or will expire on or before June 30, 2026. It applies automatically an

BEIJING, April 27 ------ China conducted military drills recently including live-fire exercises in waters east of the Philippines' Luzon Island, it said as Manila and Washington host annual drills that extend towards disputed areas of the South China Sea. Over 17,000 troops from the US, the Philippines and allies began their annual Balikatan military exercises this week, with combat troops from Japan joining for the first time amid persistent strains between Tokyo and Beijing