Philippine News

January 22 ------ Cuts in sulfur emissions from oceangoing vessels have been tied to a reduction in lightning stroke density along heavily trafficked shipping routes in the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea, according to new research from the University of Kansas (KU). Previous studies had found frequent lightning along shipping routes over the Bay of Bengal before a 2020 IMO rule capped sulfur in fuel used by oceangoing ships, leading to a roughly 70% drop in sulfate emi

January 22 ------ CMA CGM has announced its FAL1, FAL3 and MEX services connecting Asia and Europe, which recently began transiting Suez Canal again on backhaul voyages, will return to sailing around the Cape of Good Hope. CMA CGM cited the "the complex and uncertain international context” in reversing its decision to return to the Red Sea. “Shippers crave predictability in supply chains. Carriers taking the decision to return to the Red Sea then reversing that decision - eve

January 22 ------ French authorities reported a record cocaine seizure in the waters of French Polynesia as part of an increased effort to intercept illegal drugs being transported across the Pacific. Australian authorities commended the French efforts highlighting an increased regional partnership working together to stop the transit of drugs. The High Commission of French Polynesia reports a suspicious vessel was identified crossing its waters. The French Navy intercepted t

January 22 ------ Military and security actions can create hardship for seafarers when ships get caught in the middle of a geopolitical confrontation, as seen all too often in the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz in recent years. Interdictions and seizures can cause distress for crewmembers, regardless of the circumstances, and affected seafarers can benefit from care - even aboard shadow fleet tankers, according to Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI). In a recent U.S. seizure of a V

ANTIPOLO, January 22 ------ TNT proved that it can go toe-to-toe against a vaunted San Miguel squad by winning the opener of the PBA 50th Season Philippine Cup Finals, 96-91, at the Ynares Center. The Tropang 5G flaunted their depth after drawing strong showings from usual suspects Kelly Williams and Calvin Oftana down to bench players Simon Enciso and Henry Galinato against the defending champion Beermen's defense. TNT also limited SMB to one of its lowest scoring outputs in

MELBOURNE, Australia, January 22 ------ Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz fended off a series of "bombs" before surging into the Australian Open third round where he was joined by Aryna Sabalenka and a near-flawless Coco Gauff. Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev also stayed alive, but he needed four sets to keep his Grand Slam dream on track at a cooler and overcast Melbourne Park after days of hot weather. Spanish superstar Alcaraz came through a tough arm-wrestle 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6

January 22 ------ EFREN "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante showed vintage form as they opened the WNT Legends with victories at Gateway Mall 2 in Cubao. Reyes held off Ralf "The Kaiser" Souquet of Germany, 11-8, while Bustamante outlasted Earl "The Pearl" Strickland, 11-9, to open this three-day nine-ball showcase. So much drama was drawn in Rack 14 as Reyes and Souquet both missed twice on the 9. But the German cueist left an open shot on the clincher allowing Re

January 22 ------ Philippine swimmers Gary Bejino, Ernie Gawilan, and Angel Otom delivered a golden start for the country at the 13th ASEAN Para Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, showcasing their dominance in the pool at the His Majesty the King’s 80th Birthday Anniversary Stadium Aquatic Center. Bejino set the tone, capturing the first gold of the meet in the men’s 400m freestyle S6 with a record-breaking time of 5:32.08, smashing his own 2023 meet standard of 5:38.26 fr

January 22 ------ GMA Network capped its 75th anniversary in 2025 by reinforcing its position as the country’s leading media company, marked by ratings leadership, digital dominance, and continued global recognition for Filipino storytelling. Throughout 2025, GMA delivered credible and breaking news, eye-opening public affairs documentaries, and hit entertainment programs across all platforms, reaching Filipinos nationwide and overseas. Based on Nielsen Television Audience

January 22 ------ When John Prats was first offered to be a director, he initially found it to be offensive. Little did he know that it was the start of the Lord working wonders in his life. “Noong 2016 or 2017, when I was about to renew my contract with ABS-CBN, I was offered by Direk Lauren [Dyogi] to be a director. At first, I got really offended. I felt na parang bakit in-offer ang direktor, wala na bang gustong makakita sa’kin on-cam, you just want to give me work but be

January 22 ------ LOS ANGELES, California - Taylor Swift, 36, will become the second-youngest songwriter ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, joining the ranks of Stevie Wonder, who was 33 when he was inducted in 1983, the organization announced. The honor places the pop superstar, winner of 14 Grammys, among the most celebrated songwriters across generations. Swift will be inducted alongside Alanis Morissette, Kenny Loggins and Kiss bandmates Paul Stanley and Gen

January 22 ------ Filipino moviegoers will get a rare chance to return to Middle-earth as “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” extended edition screens in cinemas nationwide for a limited engagement from January 23 to 25, as part of the celebrations for its 25th year. The extended cut of the 2001 fantasy epic features around 30 minutes of additional footage not included in the original theatrical release, bringing the film’s total runtime to approximately three

MANILA, January 22 ------ The Philippine Navy said the recent discovery of natural gas at Malampaya East-1 (MAE-1) is already covered by existing security measures, assuring the public that safeguards are in place to protect the country’s critical energy infrastructure. Navy spokesperson Capt. Marissa Arlene Martinez said the Malampaya gas platform has been under continuous protection for more than a decade through Joint Task Force (JTF) Malampaya, under the Armed Forces of t

January 22 ------ The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said it recorded about 400 weak to moderately strong offshore earthquakes off Sultan Kudarat over a three-day period, from late Jan. 19 to early Jan. 21. In an advisory, Phivolcs said the earthquakes were monitored from 10:52 p.m. on Jan. 19 until 1 p.m. on Jan. 21 in the vicinity of Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat. Of the total, 135 earthquakes were plotted, with magnitudes ranging from 1.5 to 5.2

MANILA, Philippines, January 22 ------ Most basic goods in the Philippines are expected to remain at current prices, with only a handful of manufacturers requesting increases, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said. Among the 205 items listed under basic goods and prime commodities, the prices of 91% will remain unchanged. These include canned sardines in tomato sauce, instant mami noodles, laundry soap, candles, bread, toilet soap and batteries. Despite higher costs

MANILA, January 22 ------ All six co-accused of former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. in a malversation case tied to an alleged ghost flood control project in Bulacan have appeared before the Sandiganbayan for the return of their arrest warrants. On Wednesday morning, Engr. Emelita Juat and Christina Pineda were escorted by the Philippine National Police - Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) and Bulacan Provincial Police to the anti-graft court’s third divisi

HOUSTON, January 22 ------ Oil prices closed 0.5 per cent higher on optimism around tighter supply after a temporary shutdown at two large fields in Kazakhstan and as low volume of Venezuelan oil exports highlighted slow progress in reversing output cuts in the South American country. Brent futures settled up 32 cents, or 0.5 per cent, to $65.24 a barrel, while the U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude contract rose 26 cents, or 0.4 per cent, to $60.62 a barrel. Both contracts c

DAVOS, Switzerland, January 22 ------ U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly stepped back from threats to impose tariffs as leverage to seize Greenland, ruled out the use of force, and said a deal was in sight to end a dispute over the Danish territory that risked the deepest rupture in transatlantic relations in decades. On a whirlwind trip to the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Trump backed down from weeks of rhetoric that shook the NATO alliance an

January 22 ------ What began as a peripheral issue exploded into a strategic confrontation over Greenland this week, transforming the mood in Davos and threatening to overshadow the war in Ukraine. While US President Donald Trump’s statements on Greenland dominated headlines and panel debates, officials from NATO and Kyiv repeatedly warned that the shift in attention risks playing directly into Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s hands. Greenland shock resets the Davos agenda U

January 22 ------ The Polish government is to reduce social benefits for Ukrainian refugees, including by limiting access to medical care, a government spokesperson said. Shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Poland passed a special law to prepare for an influx of Ukrainian refugees. Ukrainians seeking refuge in Poland were given full access to health services. Parents were entitled to a monthly payment of 800 złoty ($222) for each child. Acc