Category: Politics

Philippines

Marawi Goes on High Alert: Army Reinforces Security as Historic BARMM Vote Draws Near

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur — Security preparations in Marawi are intensifying as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) moves into the final days before its first parliamentary elections on September 14, 2026. The Philippine Army’s 4th Mechanized Infantry “Kalasag” Battalion has stepped up preparations through troop briefings, rehearsals and coordination with government agencies involved in election security, according to Lt. Col. Eugene Flores, the battalion’s commanding o

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Politics

Trump’s Envoys Took a New Ukraine Peace Plan to Putin — But Three Hours of Talks Produced No Breakthrough

MOSCOW/KYIV — Donald Trump's latest attempt to end the Russia-Ukraine war has moved from announcement to face-to-face diplomacy — but the first major meeting has already shown how difficult the road to peace remains. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, held more than three hours of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Saturday, carrying what Trump has called a new proposal aimed at ending the conflict. The Kremli

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Politics

TRUMP ENVOYS LAND IN KYIV AFTER PUTIN TALKS—NOW THE REAL TEST BEGINS

KYIV, Ukraine — A major diplomatic push by the Trump administration entered a critical stage Sunday after U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv for their first official visit to Ukraine as Washington attempts to revive negotiations aimed at ending Russia's war. Their arrival came just one day after the two U.S. negotiators held more than three hours of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The Kremlin described the discussions as productive, while Washingt

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Philippines

Senate Ratings Fall, House Gains Ground—But What Happened to Public Trust?

MANILA, Philippines — Public trust and satisfaction ratings for the Philippine Senate declined in the second quarter of 2026, while the House of Representatives posted modest gains, according to the latest OCTA Research Tugon ng Masa survey. The results reveal a shifting public mood toward the two chambers of Congress—with the Senate still holding slightly higher overall ratings than the House, but losing ground as the lower chamber begins to recover. Senate Trust and Satisfaction Ratings Dec

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Politics

After 5 Days in Thailand, USS Abraham Lincoln Is Back at Sea — But Its Grueling 9-Month Mission Isn’t Over Yet

LAEM CHABANG, Thailand — The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has left Thailand after a five-day port visit, sending nearly 5,000 U.S. sailors and Marines back to sea after one of the most demanding stretches of operations endured by a modern American carrier crew. The Nimitz-class carrier departed Laem Chabang on Sunday, September 6, after arriving on September 2. The U.S. Navy confirmed that the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is now conducting routine operations in t

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Politics

Iran Says It Struck a U.S. Drone Boat in Hormuz — But Washington’s Attack on Three Oil Tankers Raises the Stakes Far Higher

TEHRAN/WASHINGTON — The battle between Iran and the United States is moving deeper into the waters that carry some of the world's most important energy supplies. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Sunday that its naval forces attacked a U.S. military unmanned surface vessel attempting to enter what Tehran described as a protected area of the Strait of Hormuz. In simpler terms, Iran says it attacked an American military drone boat. That claim came only hours after one of the sharpes

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Philippines

Tulfo Wants a 30-Year Infrastructure Plan Before Government Spends Another ₱1.47 Trillion — But a Masterplan Alone Won’t Stop Bad Projects

MANILA, Philippines — Roads that end before reaching their intended destination. Bridges funded in one phase but left waiting for the next. Projects that change when administrations change. Structures that fail when extreme weather finally tests them. Sen. Erwin Tulfo says the Philippines needs to stop treating those problems as isolated failures and start fixing the system that decides which infrastructure projects get built in the first place. As Congress begins examining the proposed 2027 n

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Business

Trump Wants the Fed to Cut Rates — But His Own Fed Chairman May Be Days Away From Raising Them

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump spent years demanding lower interest rates from Jerome Powell. Now the president faces a potentially more uncomfortable confrontation. The Federal Reserve chairman standing between Trump and cheaper money is Kevin Warsh — the man Trump personally nominated for the job only six months ago. And instead of preparing to cut interest rates, Warsh is overseeing a Federal Reserve that may be preparing to raise them. Financial markets increased their bets on a September rat

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Philippines

PAGASA Says Habagat May Finally Fade by Late September — But September Still Has One Dangerous Wild Card

MANILA, Philippines — After weeks of flooded roads, suspended classes, canceled sea trips and repeated heavy-rain warnings, millions of Filipinos are asking the same question: When will Habagat finally end? The answer from the country's weather bureau is encouraging—but it comes with a major warning. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration expects the Southwest Monsoon, locally known as Habagat, to persist until roughly the end of September 2026. PAGA

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Philippines

Sara Duterte Has Posted ₱360,000 Bail in Grave Threats Case — But Ortega Says the Hard Part for the VP Starts Now

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has avoided detention after posting bail over three criminal charges arising from her controversial 2024 remarks about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. But one of her most persistent critics in the House says the legal battle has now entered a much harder phase. Answering the allegations in court. House Deputy Speaker and La Union Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega V said Dutert

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