Flag of Japan. Photo by Kulbir on Pexels.com Japan expected to source more than 70 percent of its crude oil needs in June from suppliers outside the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tuesday. Takaichi made the disclosure during a meeting with relevant ministers, where she also directed Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa to further…
Photo courtesy of Anadolu. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that a ceasefire between the US and Iran is active, even as lawmakers pressed him on whether a formal written agreement exists between the two sides. Hegseth made the remarks alongside Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan Caine during testimony before a House…
Photo courtesy of Anadolu. Iran on Tuesday rejected Kuwait’s allegations regarding an alleged infiltration attempt by members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), calling the claims “baseless.” In a statement, the Foreign Ministry dismissed accusations made by Kuwait’s foreign and interior ministries alleging that Iran had planned hostile actions against Kuwait. Tehran also condemned…
Photo courtesy of Anadolu. South Korea will review making phased contributions to a US-led initiative aimed at restoring safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Wednesday, according to Yonhap News Agency. Ahn told reporters that Seoul had informed US officials that South Korea would “participate as a responsible member of…
Photo courtesy of Anadolu. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said he believes both the US and Iran currently show “enough will” to stop the war and reach a lasting settlement, warning that renewed escalation would damage regional stability and the global economy. Speaking to Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar in an interview aired Tuesday, Fidan said…
DRUG HAUL. A government anti-drug operative accounts for the confiscated shabu items worth PHP34 million following an anti-drug operation in Zamboanga City on Tuesday (May 12, 2026). Three suspected drug dealers were arrested in the same operation. (Photo courtesy of RDEU-9) ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities have arrested three persons and seized some PHP34 million worth…
ROAD IMPROVEMENT. A bumpy rural road in a farming area of San Jorge, Samar, is seen in this March 16, 2026 photo. The Department of Agriculture will improve and upgrade the route through a PHP306.94 million farm-to-market road project under the World Bank-funded Philippine Rural Development Project. (Photo courtesy of the Department of Agriculture) TACLOBAN…
RED TIDE. The coastal waters of Daram, Samar, in this file photo. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Wednesday (May 13, 2026) confirmed the presence of toxic red tide in the coastal waters of Daram after testing conducted by the agency’s national laboratory. (Photo courtesy of Daram LGU) TACLOBAN CITY – The…
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has imposed a temporary ban on the importation of live animals and animal products from Greece following reported cases of foot-and-mouth disease in the European country. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued the order through Department Circular No. 20, which immediately restricts the entry of livestock and related products…
DAR FARMING SUPPORT. The set of equipment from DAR-South Cotabato handed over on Monday (May 11, 2026) to help local farmers make corn farming more efficient, reduce labor, and strengthen climate-resilient livelihoods. Beneficiaries of the DAR intervention are members of the Sitio Sufe Maan Farmers Association Inc. of Barangay Maan in Tboli town. (Photo courtesy…