KAKAMMPI News

A family in Dumanjug town, Cebu is grieving over the loss of their patriarch who perished in the massive flooding in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a storm dumped reportedly over a year's rainfall in just a day on April 16, 2024. The family of 47-year-old overseas Filipino worker Dante Casipong is grief-stricken over the news of his death. Dante is from Barangay Tangil who worked as an air-conditioning unit technician at the Dubai International Airport. He was with colleagues at work when the vehicle they were in slipped reportedly into a sinkhole. Casipong was rescued and airlifted to the hospital but expired there. His wife, Mary Ann, said that their last conversation mentioned of the unusual amount of rainfall dumped in Dubai. “Akala ko wala lang silang Wi-Fi, walang connection sa airport kasi minsan ganu’n naman talaga ang nangyayari sa kanya roon. Madaling araw tinitingnan ko kung may message niya, wala, so yun nga kinabukasan mga [April] 18 may chat akong

WASHINGTON, DC — The Philippine Embassy in the United States has yet to receive an official request for the extradition of controversial religious leader Apollo Quiboloy, who is declared wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for sex trafficking charges. “We were informed that there was potentially a request for his extradition but so far there has been none coming our way,” Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said at a meeting with journalist-participants of Friends, Allies, Partners Program on Thursday (Manila time). Romualdez, however, said that extradition requests, even though they usually go through the Philippine Embassy, “can also go to the US Embassy [in the Philippines].” “There are law enforcement representatives in the US Embassy that can make a request directly to our Department of Justice… It doesn’t necessarily have to come to us,” he said. Quiboloy, leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), was indicted by a federal grand jury i

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Tuesday said it would assist the families of the Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who died or were injured during the heavy floods in the United Arab Emirates. “We assured the families na wala silang gagastusin kahit isang kusing, even the son who is there, and who will be joining his mother back,” said DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo Cacdac in a press conference. “More particularly, una doon sa repatriation of the remains and the father of one of the OFWs particularly made that request na makapiling nya sa huling pagkakataon yung kaniyang anak. We are arranging the repatriation,” he said, noting that they are in coordination with related agencies. (More particularly, our priority is the repatriation of the remains, and the father of one of the OFWs particularly made that request to be with his daughter for the final time.) "We assured the families na wala silang gagastusin kahit isang kusing, even the son who is there and who will be

Several Chinese militia fishing vessels were spotted in Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea, said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), which delivered crude oil to Filipino fishermen. According to Chino Gaston's report on "24 Oras" on Wednesday, the fishermen said Chinese militia vessels are often seen in the area but don't interfere with them. They also said they do not see them fishing in the area. Recto Bank is located inside the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines, which is said to be rich in oil and natural gas. On the second day of the refueling mission, China Coast Guard (CCG) Vessel 4202 arrived, which according to BFAR came from the Ayungin Shoal. The vessel is known to block or tail the Philippine Coast Guard and Armed Forces of the Philippines boats during resupply missions. Earlier on Wednesday, two rubber boats descended from the CCG and circled the BFAR vessel. In the mission of BFAR and PCG, 22 big boats were given fre

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States and the Philippines have agreed to collaborate on several initiatives such as those concerning maritime security and the cyber-digital space following a two-day bilateral meeting in the US capital in the midst of Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. In a joint statement on Thursday, released by the Philippine Embassy in the US, both Manila and Washington, D.C. announced renewed commitments to work on addressing pressing global and regional challenges. The announcement came after the conclusion of the 11th Philippines-US Bilateral Strategic Dialogue held on April 22 and 23 here. Among the salient points of the Philippines-US BSD include both nation’s agreement to “consider and develop, as appropriate, procedures and protocols on cooperative maritime law enforcement operations, in accordance with international law and our respective national laws.” Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez explained that developing maritime law e

The award highlights the JTC's role in translating the concept of a "Just Transition" into tangible actions and meaningful progress around the world. The JTC provides concrete support to ITUC affiliates through capacity building, peer-to-peer learning and documenting best practice. The aim is to ensure that workers transitioning to new sectors or roles have access to necessary skills training, social protection and safety measures. ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle said: “This award is well-deserved recognition of the JTC as a hub for knowledge, collaboration and action for a transformation towards greener economies with social justice. The JTC model of working for and with workers is inspiring. “It bridges the gap between workers, unions, employers and governments by ensuring that working people are heard and are integral to the conversation. “Social dialogue and union involvement are critical in shaping a just and sustainable future. The path to a greener planet

76% of Filipinos aged 16-29 ready to fight for country TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An article in the Economist on April 17 said the willingness to fight among Taiwan's youth is relatively high, due to the potential of a major conflict with China. In an article titled “Would you really die for your country?” it said some developed countries face a problem with recruitment, as “today’s career-oriented, individualistic young people are reluctant to join up.” In response, some countries are reconsidering mandatory military service, while Taiwan is extending its conscription. Two years after Russia's invasion, a chronic shortage of troops has forced Ukraine to lower the minimum age of conscription from 27 to 25. Following the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, 300,000 reported for duty, but as the war drags on, Israel is considering extending male conscription from 32 months to 36 months. As China continues to build its forces and U.S.-China tensions rise, Taiwan lengthened its c

US$3.9 billion earmarked for FMF program for Taiwan, replenish military supplies TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday (April 24) signed a US$95.34 billion (NT$3.1 trillion) foreign aid bill into law that includes military aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, and a provision calling for China's divestiture from TikTok. At 10:57 a.m., Biden announced that he had signed into law the national security package that was approved by the House of Representatives on Saturday (April 20) and the Senate on Tuesday (April 23). “It’s going to make America safer. It’s going to make the world safer. And it continues America’s leadership in the world, and everyone knows it,” said Biden. The president said the bill included “support to strengthen even further our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.” When news broke that the Senate had passed the bill on Tuesday, Biden said that the bill was urgent for “our partners seeking security and stability in the Indo-Pacif

The ITUC congratulates the workers at the Volkswagen car plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA for their historic vote to join the United Auto Workers (UAW). It is the first successful vote for unionisation at an auto factory in the southern USA since the 1940s. Nearly 75 per cent of workers voted for union representation. The UAW has been expanding its efforts to organise auto factories in the south, which has been traditionally resistant to unionisation. As part of the plan to organise around 150,000 workers in car plants that have no union representation, elections are planned next month at the Mercedes-Benz manufacturing facilities in Vance and Woodstock, Alabama. ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle said: “This victory at Volkswagen is not just a win for the workers there; it is an inspiration to create more democratic workplaces across the USA, the Americas and the whole world. As our campaign For Democracy makes clear, the workplace is the forge for democracy, from where it sp

China's Taiwan Affairs Office urges US to stop providing arms to Taiwan TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) on Wednesday (April 24) condemned a U.S. military aid package for Taiwan as “sending a wrong signal” to what it alleged are Taiwanese “separatist forces." At a press conference that day, TAO spokesperson Zhu Fenglian (朱鳳蓮) was asked by a reporter to comment on the passage of a US$95.34 billion (NT$3.1 trillion) foreign aid bill. Zhu responded by saying that the “Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and it does not tolerate any external interference.” Zhu said that the Taiwan-related content in the bill “seriously violates” the one-China principle and the provisions of the China-U.S. joint communiques. “It sends a wrong signal to the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces. We firmly oppose it,” said Zhu. The spokesperson said that Beijing urges Washington to "fulfill its commitment not to support Taiwan independence

Blinken's visit is the latest high-level contact between the two nations SHANGHAI, April 25 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet business leaders in Shanghai on Thursday as ties between Washington and Beijing stabilise, pushing to resolve a raft of issues threatening the newly gained equilibrium between the rivals. Blinken's visit is the latest high-level contact between the two nations that, along with working groups on issues from global trade to military communication, have tempered the public acrimony that drove relations to historic lows early last year. But Washington and Beijing have made little headway on curbing China's supply of chemicals used to make fentanyl, the South China Sea remains a flashpoint, and strains are growing over China's backing of Russia in its war in Ukraine. Blinken, in a short video statement posted to X with the Shanghai skyline in the background late on Wednesday, said curbing the flow of chemicals used to m

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Taiwanese fisher held by China after losing his way at sea was allowed to return to the outlying island of Kinmen Saturday (March 23), but another one accused of having hidden his identity as an active-duty officer is still being held. Wu (吳), 40, and Hu (胡), 25, set off from Kinmenon on March 17 on a fishing trip, but due to fog they strayed into Chinese waters near Quanzhou. They were found by the Chinese coast guard, with the authorities accusing Hu of lying about his status as a member of the armed forces. Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) sent a 100-ton patrol vessel to pick Wu and his ship up as China prepared to hand them over, per CNA. Wu boarded the CGA vessel at 12:10 p.m. Saturday, and arrived at Kinmen’s Liaoluo Harbor at around 1 p.m. Kinmen County Government hoped that Hu could soon return home too. The CGA told his mother, who was also present at Wu’s arrival, that it would continue talks with its Chinese counterpart to obtain hi

MANILA – A ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official said while China is not expected to interfere in the ongoing "Balikatan" exercise, they are prepared to implement contingency measures for such an event. "Yes, there are appropriate measures in place," PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a media briefing Tuesday afternoon, but he did not elaborate due to security reasons. Asked why he believes China will not interfere in the three-week drills, Trinidad said it is because the "activity is between the United States and the Philippines." "Historically, the illegal, unprovoked, uncalled-for actions of China will only be (against the) Philippines," Trinidad said. He also declined to comment on whether Balikatan's "multilateral maritime exercise" will be timed or coordinated with a rotation and reprovisioning for the detachment in Ayungin Shoal. Naval and Coast Guard ships from the Philipp

With more frequent extreme weather, hotter and drier conditions will have an ever greater impact on life in Japan, climate experts say Elderly Japanese are at highest risk from the elevated temperatures, while industries from agriculture to fishing are also expected to feel the impact

While China seeks greater diplomatic reach, the better to undermine US global leadership, it is unable and unwilling to engage in the necessary security guarantees the Middle East requires, analysts testified in hearings by a leading China policy panel in Washington on Friday. Jon Alterman, senior vice-president of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission that Beijing regards the Middle East as “a place with far more dangers than promises”, a region with “intractable security challenges”. He argued that Chinese diplomats saw little benefit in helping to solve the region’s problems and that Beijing would not pursue overt involvement in mediating controversial issues such as the conflict between Israel and Hamas or the Iranian threat to regional stability. “There is no desire to play a role. There’s just a desire to sit at the grown-ups’ table,” Alterman said. “China’s goal is partly to quietly enjoy the fact

Harnik/Getty Images Washington CNN — The Senate on Tuesday passed a long-delayed $95 billion package with wide bipartisan support after both sides of Capitol Hill have struggled for months to send aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The final vote was 79-18. Fifteen Republicans voted with three Democrats against the bill. Forty-eight Democrats and 31 Republicans voted for the bill. The legislation next goes to President Joe Biden to sign it into law, who said he would sign the package Wednesday. Its passage is a significant victory for the US president, congressional Democrats and Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, who long pushed to send aid to Ukraine even as the right wing of his party increasingly soured on support for Kyiv. Just ahead of the final passage, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer began his brief remarks with “finally, finally, finally.” “Tonight, may Vladimir Putin regret the day he questioned American resolve,” he said. The package ties together four bills that

Washington CNN — The Senate on Tuesday passed a long-delayed $95 billion package with wide bipartisan support after both sides of Capitol Hill have struggled for months to send aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The final vote was 79-18. Fifteen Republicans voted with three Democrats against the bill. Forty-eight Democrats and 31 Republicans voted for the bill. The legislation next goes to President Joe Biden to sign it into law, who said he would sign the package Wednesday. Its passage is a significant victory for the US president, congressional Democrats and Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, who long pushed to send aid to Ukraine even as the right wing of his party increasingly soured on support for Kyiv. Just ahead of the final passage, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer began his brief remarks with “finally, finally, finally.” “Tonight, may Vladimir Putin regret the day he questioned American resolve,” he said. The package ties together four bills that the House voted on

Death toll keeps rising: After 200 days of war, Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to the enclave's health ministry. Its counterpart in Ramallah said that 72% of those killed in Gaza were children, women and the elderly. CNN cannot independently confirm these numbers due to the lack of international media access. Hamas vows to keep fighting: Hamas' military wing has vowed continued attacks on Israel. "We will keep attacking the enemy with different techniques as long as the aggression continues on our land," said Abu Obaida, spokesperson of the Al Qassam Brigades. He also said Israel is "trying to renounce all his promises" in ceasefire negotiations and wants to "gain more time." More bodies found in mass grave: Emergency workers recovered at least 35 more bodies from a mass grave in the Nasser medical complex in southern Gaza after Israeli forces withdrew from the neighborhood earlier this month. The t

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines welcomed on Sunday the Group of Seven’s (G7) statement opposing Beijing’s militarization and intimidation activities in the South China Sea. “We appreciate the G7’s support in rejecting China’s baseless and expansive claims, and their call for China to cease its illegal activities, particularly its use of coast guard and maritime militia in the South China Sea that engage in dangerous maneuvers and the use of water cannons against Philippine vessels,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement. “We duly note and appreciate the G7’s reaffirmation that the 2016 Arbitral Award is a significant milestone and a useful basis for the peaceful management and resolution of differences at sea,” it added. In a meeting communiqué, G7 foreign ministers expressed their concerns about the situation in the South China Sea and stressed there is no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the strategic waterway. Beijing claims almo

It was a shocking and painful “no” vote by the United States to veto a draft declaration at the United Nations (UN) Security Council recognizing Palestine as a full member of the United Nations. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the U.S. veto and said it was "unfair, unethical, and unjustified." Twelve members of the Security Council approved the recommendation to the 193-member UN General Assembly for its approval that "the State of Palestine be admitted to membership" of the UN. Only the conservative British and neutral Switzerland abstained. The United States is more and more isolated by the world community by its seemingly endless support for Israel even when it bombed and killed 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, starving more to death, and bombed Iran this week. All this was done with US-supplied munitions and missiles in retaliation for the killing of 1,200 Israelis and taking of 250 hostages by Hamas, named as a terrorist organiza

MANILA, Philippines — Thousands of Filipino and American troops will kick off joint military exercises in the Philippines on Monday, as Beijing's growing assertiveness in the region raises fears of a conflict. The annual drills -- dubbed Balikatan, or "shoulder to shoulder" in Tagalog -- will be concentrated in the northern and western parts of the archipelago nation, near the potential flashpoints of the South China Sea and Taiwan. China claims almost the entire waterway, a key route for international trade, and also considers self-ruled Taiwan to be part of its territory. In response to China's growing influence, the United States has been bolstering alliances with countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including the Philippines. Washington and Manila are treaty allies and have deepened their defence cooperation since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos took office in 2022. While the Philippines is poorly armed, its proximity to the South China Sea and Taiwan

TOKYO, April 23 (Reuters) - The increase in China's defence spending is concerning given its economy is "failing", the head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Admiral John Aquilino said China's economy had been battered by turmoil in its real estate sector and asserted that its official growth rates were "not real". He also said China was spending "drastically more" on its military than the 7.2% increase it declared last month. "Despite a failing economy, there's a conscious decision to fund military capability. That's concerning to me," said Aquilino, who is due to leave his post next month. He also criticised China's increasingly aggressive rhetoric and actions in the South and East China Seas, specifically around the disputed Second Thomas Shoal and Taiwan. "As it applies specifically to Taiwan, I am watching an increasingly aggressive campaign plan of coercion and pressu

MANILA – The government is currently in the process of procuring African swine fever (ASF) vaccines and is eyeing to roll out the immunization shots within June or July, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Tuesday. “Namimili tayo... Magro-roll out na ng bakuna, siguro Hunyo o Hulyo, mailabas na namin. Dahil hinihintay pa natin ‘yung production ng bakuna sa Vietnam, doon tayo kumukuha at sila ang nakapag develop ng vaccine para sa swine flu (We’re now purchasing the vaccines. We will roll out soon, probably by June or July, we will be able to release the vaccines. We’re just waiting for the production in Vietnam because they are the developer of the vaccines),” Marcos said in a town hall consultation with farmers and fisherfolk in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. The country has been grappling with ASF since confirming in 2019 the first outbreak of the animal disease. The ASF has resulted in a reduction of domestic hog population, causing instability in the pork market in the country

MANILA – The Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, lauded on Monday the Filipino community in the Arab nation for its contribution to the progress of his country. “This is my pleasure to take this opportunity to praise the Filipino community residing in the State of Qatar and their effective contribution to the development, progress in our country,” Sheikh Tamim told President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during their bilateral meeting at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Monday. Qatar is a second home to nearly 243,000 Filipinos. In 2022, remittances to the Philippines from Qatar amounted to USD895.33 million. Formal relations between the two countries span 43 years following formal establishment on May 5, 1981. President Marcos and his Cabinet officials welcomed Sheikh Tamim. Sheikh Tamim and President Marcos witnessed the signing of several agreements and memoranda of understanding that will further strengthen the relations between the Philippines and Qatar and increase their

MANILA – At least 19 vehicles at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 parking extension caught fire on Monday, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) confirmed. "The spread of fire was fast. What was initially reported to us was one vehicle catches fire, but when the Fire Department arrived to respond, there were already several others that were affected," MIAA Acting General Manager Eric Jose Ines told the Philippine News Agency in an interview. Ines said most of the cars were severely damaged. Normal airport operations continued and no flight was disrupted, he added. Likewise, no one was reported hurt from the incident, according to MIAA. Airport authorities received the report about the fire at 1:28 p.m. and fire out was declared at 1:57 p.m. Ines said they are looking into several causes, including extreme heat and grassfire. "Because it was windy, and the area is surrounded by grass," he said. The MIAA, he said, has no lia

ANILA – The three-week annual Exercise “Balikatan” between Filipino and American troops officially opened on Monday, with 16,000 soldiers representing the "essence of unity, collective responsibility and enduring partnership between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America and other partners." Speaking at the opening rites in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the 39th installment of the annual drills is not a partnership of convenience but a “clear reflection of our shared history, unwavering commitment to democracy and respect for international law in our pursuit of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific Region." He said the "Balikatan," literally meaning shoulder to shoulder, stands as an evidence of the Philippines and America’s efforts to enhance the cooperation, dedication and mutual intentions that strengthen the interoperability of the two nations' military f

MANILA – The Philippines expressed appreciation for the Group of Seven’s (G7) rejection of China’s “baseless and expansive” claims in the South China Sea (SCS), as well as its dangerous maneuvers against Filipino vessels within Manila’s maritime territory. In a statement Sunday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) welcomed G7's commitment to the rule of law and the rules-based maritime order anchored on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as its commitment to sustainable and inclusive economic development in the Indo-Pacific. G7 is composed of Canada, France, the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom, and represents the world's leading industrialized democracies. The Philippines, according to the DFA, is firmly committed to UNCLOS and the binding Arbitral Award of 2016, adding that respect and adherence to international law and freedom of navigation are essential to ensuring global prosperity, peace and stabil

Authorities have evacuated 110,000 people from their homes in Guangdong, as days of heavy rain caused massive flooding in China's most populous province. Four people have died so far, while 10 have gone missing, according to state media. Footage on state media and online show large swathes of land inundated by the floods and rescuers ferrying people on lifeboats in waist-deep water. Several major rivers have burst their banks, and authorities are closely monitoring "dangerously high" water levels. They had warned that the level of a river in northern Guangdong could hit a "once in 100 years" peak on Monday morning, though this had yet to materialise by noon. Much of Guangdong is part of the low-lying Pearl River delta, which is prone to floods due to the rise in sea levels and storm surges. The delta is a major manufacturing base in China and one of the country’s most densely-populated regions, with Guangdong alone home to around 127 million people. Provi

Iran has launched unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles toward Israel, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed on Saturday night. They will take hours to reach their targets, according to Israel's military. The U.S. and its allies shot down an unspecified number of Iranian drone aircraft headed toward Israel on Saturday. Several Middle East countries, including Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq, have suspended flight operations in their airspace amid an Iranian drone attack on Israel. Shortly before news of Iran's drone launches, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's "defensive systems" were deployed, preparing for "any scenario." Loud explosions were heard in Jerusalem, which Israeli media say are from aerial interceptions, and blasts shook Syria's capital on Saturday. Iran's mission to the UN said on Saturday that the attack is "in response" to the Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate on April 1 t

Since last year, the Philippines has repeatedly provoked and disrupted the peace in the South China Sea by exploiting a dilapidated military vessel illegally grounded at Ren'ai Jiao in the Nansha Qundao for over 20 years. On March 23, the Philippines once again dispatched vessels to send construction materials to the illegally grounded military vessel, attempting to reinforce the vessel so as to achieve permanent occupation of Ren'ai Jiao. In the face of the intrusion by the Philippine vessels, China Coast Guard had to take necessary measures to safeguard rights and enforce the law. Subsequently, some Philippine officials and media as well as Western media distorted facts and accused China of "bullying the weak," supporting the Philippines' provocative acts of encroachment. Who is actually creating disturbances and altering the status quo? Who is violating international law and undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea? Let us expose the false inform

China on Saturday condemned the Philippines' trespassing into the adjacent waters of Ren'ai Jiao of China's Nansha Qundao and urged it not to undermine the peace and stability of the South China Sea. China Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu said in a statement that the Philippines on Saturday once again sent two coast guard ships and one supply ship to trespass into waters off Ren'ai Jiao in an attempt to transport construction materials to its illegally "grounded" military vessel, after only 18 days since the last resupply. Gan said the Philippines was causing trouble and provoking disputes, deliberately disrupting the peace and stability of the South China Sea. Despite multiple warnings and route controls from the Chinese side, the Philippines' supply ship forcefully entered the area, he said. "China Coast Guard lawfully and professionally implemented regulation, interception, and expulsion," he added. Gan warned the Philippines that "th

China will not allow the Philippines to act willfully on the South China Sea issue and rejects meddling of the issue by the United States, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday. There is "no bigger factor than the U.S. interference" in causing turbulence in the South China Sea, and the Philippines' harassment and provocations are the immediate cause of the recent escalation of the South China Sea issue, Wu Qian told a regular press conference in Beijing. On the South China Sea issue between China and the Philippines, China opposes foreign interference, infringement and provocation, and advocates proper management of differences, Wu said. China is also fully prepared for any emergency, and will resolutely safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, he said. The spokesperson made the remarks in response to questions about Manila's so-called "Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept&qu

Iran has launched unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles toward Israel, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed on Saturday night. They will take hours to reach their targets, according to Israel's military. The U.S. and its allies shot down an unspecified number of Iranian drone aircraft headed toward Israel on Saturday. Several Middle East countries, including Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq, have suspended flight operations in their airspace amid an Iranian drone attack on Israel. Shortly before news of Iran's drone launches, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's "defensive systems" were deployed, preparing for "any scenario." Loud explosions were heard in Jerusalem, which Israeli media say are from aerial interceptions, and blasts shook Syria's capital on Saturday. Iran's mission to the UN said on Saturday that the attack is "in response" to the Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate on April 1 t

The Chinese foreign ministry has dismissed accusations against China on the South China Sea issue by certain countries. Relevant countries' groundless accusations and deliberate smears against China on the South China Sea issue are unacceptable, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday. Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on a statement issued by the U.S., Japan and the Philippines after their trilateral summit. The statement expressed so-called "serious concerns about China's behavior in the South China Sea" and called on China to abide by the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal. Lin said China strongly opposes the practice of bloc politics by said countries, firmly opposes any acts that stoke and drive up tensions and harm other countries' strategic security and interests, and is seriously against forming exclusive groupings in this region. Noting that the award of the South China Sea Arbitration is ill

The United States on Thursday stopped the UN from recognizing a Palestinian state by casting a veto in the Security Council to deny Palestinians full membership of the world body. It vetoed a draft resolution that recommended to the 193-member UN General Assembly that "the State of Palestine be admitted to membership" of the UN. Britain and Switzerland abstained, while the remaining 12 council members voted yes. "The United States continues to strongly support a two-state solution. This vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood, but instead is an acknowledgment that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties," Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood told the council. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the U.S. veto in a statement as "unfair, unethical, and unjustified." The Palestinian president said the move reveals a duplicitous U.S. foreign policy, which, on the one hand, claims to support the two-

Students of the UP Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) and the Republic Polytechnic in Singapore (RP) immersed themselves in the month-long Temasek Foundation International Specialists’ Community Action and Leadership Exchange (TFI SCALE) Programme, the first half taking place in Singapore on September 6 to 19, 2023, and the second half in the Philippines last March 31 to April 8, 2024. The TFI SCALE Programme aims to promote cultural, cognitive, social, and emotional engagements among Southeast Asian youths. In the 9th iteration of the program, students from the National Institute of Geological Sciences (UPD-CS NIGS), Institute of Biology (UPD-CS IB), and National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (UPD-CS NIMBB) collaborated with students from RP’s School of Applied Sciences. As part of the program in the Philippines, the exchange students visited Mt. Pinatubo, the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park (LPPWP), and the Parañaque Science High School (ParSci) to explore t