ReportWire

Tag: philippines

  • Eswatini Received $5.1 Million to Accept US Deportees, Minister Says

    [ad_1]

    JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -Eswatini received $5.1 million from the U.S. government under a deal to accept third-country nationals deported by the Trump administration, its finance minister said on Tuesday.

    Eswatini is among several African nations that agreed to receive third-country deportees as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Others include South Sudan, Ghana and Rwanda.

    Details of the agreements have not been disclosed, and Eswatini’s government is facing a lawsuit from human rights lawyers who claim the secretive deal was unconstitutional.

    Finance Minister Neal Rijkenberg confirmed the $5.1 million figure in a text message but declined to give further details, saying the transaction was handled by the prime minister and that he was unaware of it until afterwards.

    Reuters has seen an unverified copy of the agreement which both governments have so far declined to comment on.

    The document, signed on May 14 in Eswatini’s capital Mbabane, said that the U.S. would provide Eswatini with $5.1 million to “build its border and migration management capacity” and that in exchange, Eswatini would accept up to 160 third-country deportees.

    “We have no comment on the details of our diplomatic communications with other governments,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson said, adding that implementing the Trump administration’s immigration policies was a top priority.

    The U.S. has sent at least 15 immigrants to Eswatini so far, from countries including Vietnam, Cuba, Laos, Yemen and the Philippines. They are imprisoned there, except for one who was repatriated to Jamaica.

    (Additional reporting by Lunga Masuku in Mbabane; Editing by Franklin Paul)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – Nov. 2025

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link

  • Disney+ Scores Live NBA Streaming Deal In Philippines

    [ad_1]

    Disney+ has struck a multi-year deal to stream the NBA in the Philippines.

    This will bring live coverage to Disney+ and ESPN in the country for the first time, along with ESPN documentaries and live broadcasts of NBA Countdown.

    The deal kicks off with a doubleheader on Thursday (November 20), with the Houston Rockets at the Cleveland Cavaliers followed by the New York Knicks at the Dallas Mavericks. Following that will be marquee events such as NBA on Christmas Day, the NBA Draft and the All-Star Celebrity Game.

    Disney+ subs in the Philippines will be able to stream one NBA Conference Finals series live, with the others and the NBA Finals available after a delay.

    “For millions of Filipinos, basketball isn’t just a sport – it’s a passion, a shared language and a powerful source of national pride,” said Vineet Puri, Vice President and General Manager, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia. “The NBA is deeply woven into the fabric of Filipino life, inspiring generations of fans and uniting local communities.

    “Through this unique deal, we are bringing basketball fans in the Philippines closer than ever to the teams and players they love with all the NBA-focused programming while enjoying the best in global entertainment all on Disney+.”

    “Our collaboration with Disney+ Philippines makes it easier than ever for our passionate fans across the country to access the NBA, experience iconic moments from throughout the season and follow their favorite teams and players on the devices and platforms they use most,” added Kelly Cooke, Head of Content Partnerships and DTC at NBA Asia.

    Sports rights deals are becoming increasingly important to local streaming services. In Asia-Pacific, Disney+ has primarily focused on securing rights in Australia and New Zealand, where the service has an ESPN+ sports tile.

    In an interview with Deadline last week, Disney’s APAC content chief Carol Choi was keen to manage expectation on sports rights deals, but did say: “We are constantly looking at what’s available and where the market is mature enough to integrate sports into our offering.”

    Disney TV Studios boss Eric Schrier, in Hong Kong for the Disney APAC Showcase, was more bullish, telling us: “You’ll see us opportunistically get into some sports in some local territories. We have that capability in live sports, so on a global basis, we’re looking at sport in an opportunistic way where it can complement what we’re trying.”

    [ad_2]

    Jesse Whittock

    Source link

  • Palestinian Foreign Minister Says UN Vote Is ‘First Step Towards Peace’

    [ad_1]

    MANILA (Reuters) -Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin said on Tuesday the U.N. Security Council’s adoption of a resolution endorsing U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza was a necessary first step on a long road toward peace.

    The Security Council on Monday adopted the U.S.-drafted resolution, which also authorises a multinational security force to be deployed to Gaza and imposes an international guardian mechanism for the territory ravaged by two years of war.

    “The U.N. resolution is the first step in a long road towards peace. That step was needed because we could not embark on anything else before we had a ceasefire,” Shahin told reporters in Manila during a visit to the Philippines.

    Shahin said there were still other issues that needed to be addressed, including Palestinian self-determination and eventual Palestinian independence, and that the process for implementing Trump’s plan must be governed by international law.

    She said that although Trump’s plan alludes to possible Palestinian statehood and only after the PA carries out reforms, that issue could be taken up later.

    “As long as these elements are in there, we’re happy with this first step,” Shahin said.

    The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority earlier welcomed the vote and has said it is ready to take part in Trump’s plan, which doesn’t outline a clear role for the PA and makes vague references to statehood.

    European and Arab states have said that Gaza must be governed by the Palestinian Authority and that there must be a clear pathway to Palestinian independence. The Israeli government, which opposes the idea of an independent Palestinian state, rejects any involvement by the Palestinian Authority.

    Under the initial stage of Trump’s plan, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on October 10. Both sides have accused each other of violating the truce, but it continues to hold. Hamas has since released most of the hostages from Gaza. The remains of three deceased hostages are still held.

    (Reporting by Mikhail Flores, writing by Alexander Cornwell, Editing by Andrew Heavens)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link

  • Typhoon Fung-Wong Brings Floods to Taiwan, Thousands Evacuated

    [ad_1]

    TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan evacuated more than 8,300 people ahead of Wednesday’s arrival of a much weakened Typhoon Fung-wong that brought heavy downpours to the mountainous east coast and unleashed floods that ran neck-high in places.

    Businesses and schools were shut in most southern areas of the island, with 51 people injured.

    Television images showed severe floods in parts of the largely rural eastern county of Yilan, with waters neck-deep as soldiers mounted rescue efforts for those stranded.

    “The water came in so quickly,” said fisherman Hung Chun-yi, who spent the night clearing mud from his home in the eastern harbour town of Suao, after its first floor was engulfed in waters 60-cm (2-ft) deep.

    “It rained so much, and so fast, the drainage couldn’t take it.”

    The fire department said about 8,300 people were moved from their homes to safer areas, mostly in Yilan and nearby Hualien, where a monsoon from the north swelled the rainfall with the unseasonably late typhoon.

    Yilan’s town of Dongshan received 794 mm (31 inches) of rain on Tuesday, weather officials said.

    Fung-wong is forecast to graze the far southern tip of Taiwan later on Wednesday before heading into the Pacific Ocean. It lost considerable strength after swirling through the Philippines to kill 18 people.

    A typhoon in September unleashed floods that killed 18 people in Hualien.

    The typhoon will not directly affect the northern city of Hsinchu, home to TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker.

    (Reporting by Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link

  • Typhoon Kalmaegi Brings Rain and Destruction to Vietnam as Death Toll Nears 200 in Philippines

    [ad_1]

    GIA LAI, Vietnam (Reuters) -At least five people died in Vietnam after Typhoon Kalmaegi pummelled coastal regions with destructive winds and heavy rain, officials said on Friday, following the storm’s deadly passage through the Philippines where it killed at least 188 people.

    The typhoon made landfall in central Vietnam late on Thursday, uprooting trees, damaging homes, and triggering power outages, before weakening as it moved inland. 

    Authorities have warned of more heavy rainfall of up to 200 millimetres (8 inches) in central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri, and said rising river levels from Hue to Dak Lak could trigger flooding and landslides.

    In Gia Lai province, which bore the brunt of the typhoon, shrimp farm owner Nguyen Dinh Sa reported catastrophic losses.

    “I went to check them every hour yesterday until evening. I had done everything but could not save them,” Sa, 26, said, lamenting the destruction of around six metric tons of shrimp.

    “All my investments are gone. I am so desperate at the moment,” he said. Sa’s two-story warehouse, used for storing shrimp feed, was briefly submerged due to seven-meter-high waves and strong winds, leading to an estimated loss of around 1 billion dong ($37,959.31).

    The typhoon left a trail of destruction along the coast, toppling trees, scattering shattered glass and roofing sheets, with residents gathering around generators to recharge their phones.

    Vietnam’s disaster management agency reported seven injuries and damage to approximately 2,800 homes. Power outages affected about 1.3 million people, it said.

    State-run Vietnam News Agency reported damage to railway infrastructure in Quang Ngai province.

    The government mobilised over 268,000 soldiers for search-and-rescue operations and issued warnings about potential flooding that could impact agriculture in the Central Highlands, Vietnam’s main coffee-growing region. Traders said on Friday that the rain had subsided and coffee trees remained unharmed.

    PHILIPPINES BRACES FOR NEW TYPHOON

    In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited evacuation centres on Friday, distributing relief aid and assuring victims of continued government support, after Kalmaegi left 135 people missing and injured 96 others.

    “We are very, very sorry,” he told provincial officials.

    “Most of the victims were carried away by the rushing waters, the sheer volume and speed of the flash floods.”

    Kalmaegi is the 13th typhoon to form in the South China Sea this year. Vietnam and the Philippines are highly vulnerable to tropical storms and typhoons due to their locations along the Pacific typhoon belt, regularly experiencing damage and casualties during peak storm seasons.

    Scientists have warned that storms such as Kalmaegi are becoming more powerful as global temperatures rise.

    The Philippines’ civil aviation regulator has placed all area centres and airport operations under heightened alert in preparation for another storm, Fung-wong, which is forecast to intensify into a super typhoon before making landfall in the northern Philippines on Sunday evening or early Monday morning.

    (Reporting by Thinh Nguyen and Minh Nguyen in Gia Lai, Phuong Nguyen in Hanoi, Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores in Manila; Editing by John Mair)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link

  • As Typhoon Kalmaegi Wreaks Havoc in Southeast Asia, Scientists Say Rising Temperatures Are to Blame

    [ad_1]

    SINGAPORE (Reuters) -As the year’s deadliest typhoon sweeps into Vietnam after wreaking havoc in the Philippines earlier this week, scientists warn such extreme events can only become more frequent as global temperatures rise.  

    Typhoon Kalmaegi killed at least 188 people across the Philippines and caused untold damage to infrastructure and farmland across the archipelago. The storm then destroyed homes and uprooted trees after landing in central Vietnam late on Thursday.

    Kalmaegi’s path of destruction coincides with a meeting of delegates from more than 190 countries in the rainforest city of Belem in Brazil for the latest round of climate talks. Researchers say the failure of world leaders to control greenhouse gas emissions has led to increasingly violent storms.

    “The sea surface temperatures in both the western North Pacific and over the South China Sea are both exceptionally warm,” said Ben Clarke, an extreme weather researcher at London’s Grantham Institute on Climate Change and Environment. 

    “Kalmaegi will be more powerful and wetter because of these elevated temperatures, and this trend in sea surface temperatures is extremely clearly linked to human-caused global warming.” 

    WARMER WATERS PACK “FUEL” INTO CYCLONES    

    While it is not straightforward to attribute a single weather event to climate change, scientists say that in principle, warmer sea surface temperatures speed up the evaporation process and pack more “fuel” into tropical cyclones.

    “Climate change enhances typhoon intensity primarily by warming ocean surface temperatures and increasing atmospheric moisture content,” said Gianmarco Mengaldo, a researcher at the National University of Singapore.

    “Although this does not imply that every typhoon will become stronger, the likelihood of powerful storms exhibiting greater intensity, with heavier precipitation and stronger winds, rises in a warmer climate,” he added. 

    MORE INTENSE BUT NOT YET MORE FREQUENT

    While the data does not indicate that tropical storms are becoming more frequent, they are certainly becoming more intense, said Mengaldo, who co-authored a study on the role of climate change in September’s Typhoon Ragasa.         

    Last year, the Philippines was hit by six deadly typhoons in the space of a month, and in a rare occurrence in November, saw four tropical cyclones develop at the same time, suggesting that the storms might now be happening over shorter timeframes.

    “Even if total cyclone numbers don’t rise dramatically annually, their seasonal proximity and impact potential could increase,” said Drubajyoti Samanta, a climate scientist at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University. 

    “Kalmaegi is a stark reminder of that emerging risk pattern,” he added.       

    BACK-TO-BACK STORMS CAUSING MORE DAMAGE

    While Typhoon Kalmaegi is not technically the most powerful storm to hit Southeast Asia this year, it has added to the accumulated impact of months of extreme weather in the region, said Feng Xiangbo, a tropical storm researcher at Britain’s University of Reading.

    “Back-to-back storms can cause more damage than the sum of individual ones,” he said. 

    “This is because soils are already saturated, rivers are full, and infrastructure is weakened. At this critical time, even a weak storm arriving can act as a tipping point for catastrophic damage.”      

    Both Feng and Mengaldo also warned that more regions could be at risk as storms form in new areas, follow different trajectories and become more intense.

    “Our recent studies have shown that coastal regions affected by tropical storms are expanding significantly, due to the growing footprint of storm surges and ocean waves,” said Feng.

    “This, together with mean sea level rise, poses a severe threat to low-lying areas, particularly in the Philippines and along Vietnam’s shallow coastal shelves.”     

    (Reporting by David Stanway; Editing by Saad Sayeed)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link

  • U.S. embassy issues warning as typhoon bears down on Vietnam

    [ad_1]

    The U.S. Embassy in Vietnam has issued a warning to Americans there as a typhoon approaches the coast having killing at least 114 people in the Philippines.

    Why It Matters

    Densely populated Vietnam is vulnerable to typhoons roaring in across the South China Sea.

    The U.S. military’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) said the storm had gathered strength as it approached Vietnam, upgrading it to a Category 4. Forecasters said Vietnam’s low-lying commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City could be hit by flooding.

    What To Know

    Typhoon Kalmaegi killed at least 114 people in the Philippines, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of emergency on Thursday. Rescuers in the Philippines were still searching for more than 100 people missing, mostly in widespread flooding in central provinces.

    Vietnamese authorities have ordered mass evacuations from low-lying coastal areas in the path of Typhoon Kalmaegi, the 13th to hit Vietnam this year.

    The storm is expected to make landfall in central Vietnam, just north of the city of Quy Nhon, late on Thursday and early on Friday, when the JTWC estimates its intensity could drop from 90 to 20 knots.

    “The storm is expected to land in areas already impacted by heavy rains and flooding. The U.S. Embassy and Consulate General in Vietnam urge all U.S. citizens in affected areas to maintain caution and follow the directions of local authorities,” the U.S. mission in Vietnam said in a release.

    The Vietnam National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned that coastal areas from Hue to Dak Lak may be hit by waves of up to 26 feet and a storm surge of up to 2 feet in addition to high winds, possibly exceeding 84 miles per hour.

    U.S. Embassy said: “Residents should expect continued risk of flooding, flash floods, and landslides. Additionally, infrastructure already weakened by previous flooding may be increasingly unreliable.”

    Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, faces a heightened risk of severe flooding as high tides are expected to coincide with heavy rainfall from the typhoon, according to the Associated Press. Authorities have warned that low-lying areas could be inundated.

    What People Are Saying

    The Joint Typhoon Warning Center said in its latest bulletin: “Typhoon Kalmaegi is barreling toward the Vietnamese coast and reaching peak intensity.”

    What Happens Next

    The storm is likely to lose strength after crossing the Vietnamese coast and moving northwest, toward northeast Cambodia, eastern Thailand and southern Laos later on Friday.

    This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Typhoon Kalmaegi Death Toll Hits 114 in Philippines; Storm Rebuilds Strength as It Heads to Vietnam

    [ad_1]

    By Adrian Portugal and Eloisa Lopez

    CEBU, Philippines (Reuters) -The death toll in the Philippines from Typhoon Kalmaegi rose to 114 with another 127 people still missing, the disaster agency said on Thursday, as the storm that devastated the country’s central regions regained strength as it headed towards Vietnam.

    In Vietnam’s Gia Lai province, some 350,000 people were expected to have been evacuated by the middle of the day as authorities warned of heavy rains and damaging winds that could cause flooding in low-lying areas and disrupt agricultural activity. 

    In the Philippines’ hardest-hit province of Cebu, the scale of the destruction became clearer as floodwaters receded to reveal flattened homes, overturned vehicles and streets choked with debris.

    More than 200,000 people were evacuated in the Philippines ahead of Kalmaegi hitting on Tuesday. Some have returned to find their homes destroyed, while others have begun the arduous cleanup, scraping mud from their houses and streets.

    “The challenge now is debris clearing… These need to be cleared immediately, not only to account for the missing who may be among the debris or may have reached safe areas but also to allow relief operations to move forward,” Raffy Alejandro, a senior civil defence official, told DZBB radio.

    Even as Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally named Tino, exited the Philippine monitoring zone, weather forecasters were tracking a brewing storm east of Mindanao that could strengthen into a typhoon, raising concerns for potential impacts early next week.

    The devastation from Kalmaegi, the 20th storm to hit the Philippines this year, comes just over a month after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck northern Cebu, killing dozens and displacing thousands.

    As Kalmaegi moved over the South China Sea ahead of its landfall in Vietnam, it was regaining strength. It is forecast to impact several central provinces, including key coffee-growing areas, where the harvest season is currently underway.

    Authorities were mobilising thousands of soldiers to assist with potential evacuations, rescue operations, and recovery efforts.

    Vietnam’s aviation authorities said operations at eight airports, including the international airport in Da Nang, are likely to be affected. Airlines and local authorities have been urged to closely monitor the storm’s progress to ensure passenger safety.

    (Reporting by Karen Lema in Manila and Phuong Nguyen in Vietnam; Editing by John Mair)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link

  • Typhoon kills more than 50 in the Philippines

    [ad_1]

    Typhoon Kalmaegi killed more than 50 people in the Philippines, most in flooding that swept through towns in central provinces, officials said on Wednesday, just over a month after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake killed nearly 80 people.

    Why It Matters

    The Philippines is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. It is hit by about 20 typhoons a year and is also on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, meaning it is regularly struck by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

    What To Know

    Most of the deaths were reported in the central province of Cebu, which Kalmaegi hit on Tuesday after roaring in from the Pacific, bringing torrential rains, powerful winds and extensive flooding, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

    Video clips posted on social media showed cars being hurtled down inundated streets and people wading chest deep through murky floodwaters. Political leaders and many social media users raised questions about the effectiveness of flood preparations.

    “What happened to the flood control projects?” Cebu provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro asked in a Facebook post.

    “We have seen substandard projects,” Baricuatro later told the ANC news outlet.

    Baricuatro, who has been in office for just over 100 days, said the responsibility for poor or even non-existent flood-control projects that had been promised falls with the previous administration. 

    She declined to elaborate, saying: “We’ve submitted the report and we’ll allow the investigative body to reveal the details.” 

    In recent years, authorities in the Philippines have resorted to mass evacuations to get people out of vulnerable areas and save lives as storms approach. This week, the government moved 175,000 people to shelters, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a statement.

    Among the dead were six military personnel who were killed when their helicopter crashed during a relief mission on Tuesday in the southern island of Mindanao, the military said earlier.

    Hundreds of flights were canceled and ferries and fishing boats remained in port as the storm crossed the archipelago.

    Early Wednesday, the storm was battering the north of Palawan island, in the western Philippines in the South China Sea, as it shifted west toward Vietnam, where authorities were making preparations for the storm’s arrival.

    The 6.9 earthquake on September 30 struck Cebu particularly hard. Cebu is also one the country’s main tourist centers.

    What People Are Saying

    Baricuatro, on Facebook: “We continue to do everything we can. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, relief packs are being distributed…More assistance will arrive tomorrow as additional supplies and teams are deployed.”

    What Happens Next

    The storm is expected to make landfall in central Vietnam late Thursday.

    This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Vietnam Is Building Islands to Challenge China’s Hold on a Vital Waterway

    [ad_1]

    In the turquoise waters of the South China Sea, one country is challenging Beijing’s grip on one of the world’s most important maritime thoroughfares.

    Over four years, Vietnam has built out a series of remote rocks, reefs and atolls to create heavily fortified artificial islands that expand its military footprint in the Spratly Islands, an archipelago where Hanoi’s claims clash not only with China’s but also with those of Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

    [ad_2]

    Gabriele Steinhauser

    Source link

  • Pentagon Chief Joins Southeast Asian Meet to Shore up US Ties

    [ad_1]

    KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was expected on Friday to hold two-way meetings in Malaysia during a gathering of Southeast Asian counterparts, as Washington seeks to strengthen security ties amid China’s growing assertiveness in the region. 

    Hegseth is expected to meet defence ministers from India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, among others, said an official speaking on condition of anonymity, who warned the schedule could change.

    It was not clear if the Pentagon chief would meet any Chinese officials while in the Malaysian capital for the two-day meeting.

    In his meeting with Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh, Hegseth was expected to discuss a review of India’s plans to buy U.S. military hardware, as well as a new India-U.S. defence cooperation framework.

    Delegations from Australia, China, New Zealand, South Korea and Russia are also attending the meeting of defence ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.   

    CHINESE GREY-ZONE TACTICS

    Hegseth met Malaysia’s defence minister on Thursday and both leaders committed to maritime security in the disputed South China Sea.

    Beijing has deployed a coast guard armada in the busy waterway that has clashed repeatedly with Philippine vessels and been accused of disrupting the energy activities of Malaysia and Vietnam. 

    “Grey-zone tactics, such as hydrographic research conducted under the protection of foreign coast guard vessels, threaten sovereignty and are a clear provocation and threat,” Malaysian minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said in a joint statement.

    China claims almost the entire South China Sea on its maps, overlapping with the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

    Unresolved disputes have festered for years over the sovereignty of multiple islands and features. 

    Beijing says its coastguard has operated professionally in defending Chinese territory from incursions.  

    The United States has sought to shore up its presence in Southeast Asia and counter the growing influence of China.

    On Sunday, President Donald Trump told ASEAN leaders the United States was “with you 100% and we intend to be a strong partner for many generations”.

    Washington has a defence pact with the Philippines that involves dozens of annual military drills and use of some of its bases, in addition to similar exercises with Thailand and Indonesia and exchanges with Malaysia.       

    ORDER TO RESUME NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING

    Shortly before meeting Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday, Trump said he had ordered the U.S. military to resume nuclear weapons testing amid a rapid expansion of China’s nuclear stockpile.

    His administration’s efforts to persuade its allies to spend more on defence have caused friction, but Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told Trump this week that she was determined to boost defence capabilities.

    On Wednesday, Hegseth urged Japan to hasten plans to boost defence spending to 2% of GDP, saying the alliance between Washington and Tokyo was “critical to deterring Chinese military aggression”.

    (Reporting by Danial Azhar; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali in Washington; Writing by David Stanway; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link

  • US missiles stationed in Philippines can reach China: official

    [ad_1]

    A Philippine general said on Friday that the United States Typhon missile system deployed in the country since April last year is capable of striking China.

    The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Why It Matters

    The Typhon Mid-Range Capability system is a land-based missile system operated by the U.S. Army. It can launch two types of missiles—the Tomahawk and the Standard Missile-6—against aerial, surface and land targets, with respective ranges of about 1,000 and 290 miles.

    The U.S. Army initially deployed the Typhon missile system in the Philippines for drills, but the U.S. and the Philippines, allies under a mutual defense treaty, later decided to keep it there indefinitely. Eastern and southern China and parts of the South China Sea—where Beijing and Manila have territorial disputes—fall within range of the system.

    What To Know

    Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said in an interview that deploying the Typhon missile system is part of the military’s effort to strengthen its capability to defend the country against any invasion attempt, the Daily Tribune reported.

    While acknowledging that mainland China and China’s artificial islands in the South China Sea are within range of the system, the general said the weapon’s range does “not matter to others” as the Philippines focuses on building defenses against “any threats.”

    “It is not specifically targeting China, but these missile systems are here so we can train. Once we acquire these capabilities, we must be ready to use them,” the general said. Manila revealed its interest in buying the Typhon missile system last November.

    The Philippine military chief said that even without hosting the U.S. missile system, the country is already a target because of its “very strategic” location, close to Taiwan and serving as a chokepoint between the South China Sea and the broader Pacific.

    China’s communist government has claimed sovereignty over the self-governed island of Taiwan and has threatened to use force to achieve reunification. The Typhon missile system could strike Chinese invasion forces in the air and at sea from the Philippines.

    The Philippines and Taiwan form part of a north-south defensive line known as the First Island Chain, along with Japan, under a U.S. containment strategy that aims to project military power to deter and defend against potential Chinese aggression.

    The Chinese defense and foreign ministries have been urging the U.S. and the Philippines to withdraw the Typhon missile system from the Philippines, saying the deployment undermines China’s legitimate security interests and warning that it would take necessary countermeasures.

    “This is a significant step in our partnership with the Philippines, our oldest treaty ally in the region,” the U.S. Army previously said of the “landmark” Typhon missile system deployment, saying it has enhanced interoperability, readiness and defense capabilities.

    What People Are Saying

    Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said in an interview on Friday: “These are medium-range missiles, meaning that if they are launched, they can reach mainland China and even their artificial islands. But for us, they do not matter to others; we are strengthening the [Armed Forces of the Philippines] to defend our country against any nation attempting to invade or seize our territory.”

    Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said at a press conference on February 12: “China will not sit idly by when its security interests are harmed or threatened … We call on the Philippines to change its course, and make a strategic choice that truly serves the fundamental interest of itself and its people, rather than staying on the wrong path and hurting the Philippines itself when it comes to issues like Typhon.”

    What Happens Next

    China is likely to continue pressuring the Philippines over the Typhon missile system deployment, which could further increase tensions in the contested South China Sea.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • ICC Judges Reject Jurisdiction Challenge by Philippines Ex-President Duterte

    [ad_1]

    THE HAGUE (Reuters) -Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have rejected a challenge to the court’s jurisdiction in a case against former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte and said his case can move forward, a court decision published on Thursday showed.

    Duterte, in office from 2016 to 2022, was arrested and taken to The Hague in March on an arrest warrant that linked him to murders committed during his war on drugs in the Philippines, where thousands of alleged narcotics peddlers and users were killed.

    Duterte and his lawyers have said his arrest was unlawful and challenged the jurisdiction of the court on the basis that the court did not open a full-fledged investigation into crimes in the Philippines until after the country had withdrawn as an ICC member, effective in 2019.

    Under the court’s rules, a withdrawal from the ICC does not affect matters “already under consideration by the court”.

    According to Duterte’s defence, the so-called preliminary examination into the situation in the Philippines by prosecutors — announced just weeks before Manila said it would leave the court — was not enough to conclude that alleged crimes by Duterte were already under consideration.

    Judges disagreed, and said that even if an official investigation sanctioned by judges only started in 2021, the prosecution’s preliminary examination was substantial enough to say it was a matter already under consideration. 

    Thursday’s ruling does not address the other defence motion to stop the Duterte case on the basis that the 80-year-old is unfit to stand trial due to alleged cognitive decline. Judges have appointed a panel of medical experts who are due to file a report on Duterte’s fitness for trial by the end of this month.

    A decision on how Duterte’s health will affect proceedings is not expected until mid-November.

    (Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg, Editing by William Maclean)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link

  • China Accuses Australia of Covering up Airspace Intrusion in South China Sea

    [ad_1]

    BEIJING (Reuters) -Australia’s statements about an incident involving Chinese military aircraft over the South China Sea are an attempt to cover up an Australian “intrusion” into Chinese airspace, the Chinese defence ministry said on Wednesday.

    The ministry has complained to Canberra about the matter.

    The ministry was referring to an incident around the Paracel Islands in which Australia claimed a Chinese fighter jet dropped flares near one of its maritime patrol planes. Australia called the incident “unsafe and unprofessional”.

    “We urge Australia to immediately stop infringement, provocation and hype, strictly restrain the actions of front-line naval and air forces,” the ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

    (Reporting by Liz Lee and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link

  • Federal prosecutors charge Smartmatic in $1 million foreign bribery case in Miami

    [ad_1]

    Smartmatic co-founder Roger Piñate was charged with foreign corruption and money laundering in Miami federal court Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, related to securing voting machine elections contracts in the Philippines.

    Smartmatic co-founder Roger Piñate was charged with foreign corruption and money laundering in Miami federal court Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, related to securing voting machine elections contracts in the Philippines.

    Smartmatic

    Smartmatic, a London-based company with roots in Venezuela and a subsidiary in South Florida, was charged Thursday with foreign corruption by conspiring to pay more than $1 million in bribes to a Filipino election official to obtain voting machine contracts in the Philippines, according to an indictment filed in Miami federal court.

    The indictment added Smartmatic to the same conspiracy case filed last year against two of its top executives.

    Roger Alejandro Piñate, the Venezuelan-American founder of Smartmatic, which has a subsidiary in Boca Raton, surrendered to authorities in August of last year. He pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit foreign corruption and money laundering to secure voting-machine contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars from the Philippine government for the 2016 election.

    Piñate, 50, of Boca Raton, was granted an $8.5 million bond. He’s no longer president of Smartmatic.

    Piñate was charged along with Jorge Miguel Vasquez, 64, the company’s former vice president of hardware development, who also surrendered last year. Vasquez, of Davie, was given a $1 million bond and pleaded not guilty to the same conspiracy charges.

    Both Piñate and Vasquez are accused of paying more than $1 million in bribes to the former chairman of the Philippines’ Commission on Elections, Juan Andres Donato Bautista, 61, who is also named as a defendant in the indictment, between 2015 and 2018.

    Per the indictment, Piñate, Vasquez and Smartmatic paid the bribes to secure more than $182 million in contracts with the Philippines to provide voting machines and other services for the May 2016 election for president, vice president and other official positions.

    Federal authorities said the two Smartmatic executives, along with the company, financed the bribes by overbilling the cost per voting machine for the election. To conceal the operation, they allegedly used coded language in referring to a slush fund that was used to make the illicit payments, and they created fraudulent contracts and sham loan agreements to justify the transfers.

    The co-conspirators then allegedly laundered bribery payments through bank accounts located in Asia, Europe, and the United States, including in the Southern District of Florida, according to the indictment.

    In a statement, Smartmatic denied the allegations: “This is again, targeted, political, and unjust,” the company said. “Smartmartic will continue to stand by its people and principles. We will not be intimidated by those pulling the strings of power.”

    Smartmatic became a household name after it accused Fox News of airing false claims about the company being involved in vote rigging during the 2020 presidential election in which Democrat Joe Biden defeated Republican Donald Trump. Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News in 2021.

    Piñate, Vasquez and Smartmatic are each charged with conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

    Piñate, Vasquez, Bautista and Elie Moreno, a dual citizen of Venezuela and Israel who oversaw Smartmatic’s contracts in the Philippines, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and three counts of international laundering of monetary instruments. Smartmatic is also charged with those offenses, according to the indictment.

    Piñate, Vasquez, Bautista and Moreno each face a maximum penalty of 20 years if convicted of those charges. If convicted, Piñate and Vasquez each also face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and conspiracy to violate it.

    Probe began with wife

    The federal probe in South Florida was launched after Bautista’s wife in August 2017 informed the Philippine National Bureau of lnvestigation that her husband had “large amounts of unexplained wealth,” according to a Homeland Security Investigations criminal complaint filed in 2023.

    She informed the Bureau’s Anti-Fraud Division that her husband had approximately one billion Philippine Pesos, or approximately $20 million of ill-gotten wealth.

    They were going through a divorce at the time, according to published reports.

    Piñate, alongside Venezuelans Antonio Mugica and Alfredo José Anzola, founded Smartmatic in 2000. The trio gained notoriety after the company was chosen by Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez to replace the country’s voting machines in 2004. The company grew by acquiring the much larger Sequoia Voting Systems in 2006, though the company later announced that it had divested its stake in that company.

    This story was originally published October 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM.

    [ad_2]

    Jay Weaver

    Source link

  • US Prosecutors Charge Voting Tech Company Smartmatic in Alleged Bribery Scheme

    [ad_1]

    (Reuters) -Voting technology company Smartmatic was charged in U.S. federal court in Florida on Thursday with money laundering and other crimes, in an alleged foreign bribery conspiracy involving three of its former executives to secure business in the Philippines.

    Federal prosecutors named Smartmatic parent SGO Corp as a defendant in the ongoing criminal prosecution filed in 2024 against three former executives for their alleged roles in the scheme.

    Prosecutors have alleged the executives funneled $1 million in bribes between 2015 and 2018 to a former Philippine election official, also a defendant, to obtain business.

    Smartmatic in a statement on Thursday called the charges “wrong on the facts and wrong on the law.” The company said it will contest the claims, and was confident it will prevail.

    “We believe the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida has been misled and politically influenced by powerful interests, despite our extensive cooperation with the government,” Smartmatic said. “This is again, targeted, political, and unjust.”

    Federal prosecutors in Miami did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Smartmatic’s president and co-founder, Roger Alejandro Pinate Martinez, and others charged have pleaded not guilty. Pinate has called the indictment legally deficient and asked a court to dismiss it.

    Prosecutors said the bribes were paid through a slush fund created by over-invoicing voting machine costs for the 2016 Philippine elections and then disguised in financial documents using coded language.

    The indictment comes as Smartmatic is suing Fox Corp and commentators for $2.7 billion damages for allegedly defaming it with false claims that its machines rigged the 2020 U.S. presidential election. 

    Fox has denied the allegations, saying its coverage of newsworthy allegations against Smartmatic was fair and protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

    (Reporting by Mike Scarcella; Editing by David Gregorio)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link

  • Myanmar Junta Chief Admits Election Won’t Be Nationwide, as War Continues

    [ad_1]

    (Reuters) -Myanmar’s junta chief acknowledged on Wednesday that the military-backed administration will be unable to conduct an upcoming general election across the entire country, as a civil war triggered by a 2021 coup rages on.

    Critics and many Western nations view the election – due to start in late December and the first since the coup – as a sham exercise to legitimise the military’s rule via proxy political parties. Dozens of anti-junta parties are either banned or refusing to take part.

    The Southeast Asian nation has been in turmoil since the coup, which deposed an elected civilian government and triggered a nationwide armed rebellion that has wrested swathes of territory from the military.

    The remarks by Min Aung Hlaing were his first public admission that the polls cannot be fully inclusive, days after he met Malaysia’s foreign minister and ahead of a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

    “We can’t hold the election everywhere 100%,” Min Aung Hlaing said in a speech broadcast on state TV from the capital Naypyitaw, adding that by-elections would follow in some areas after a new government is formed.

    The junta was able to conduct a full, on-ground census to generate voter lists in only 145 of the country’s 330 townships, according to a December census report that put Myanmar’s total population at 51.3 million.

    Current rules require political parties to meet a high threshold of at least 50,000 members and 100 million kyat ($47,762.33) in funds, leaving only six parties eligible to contest the upcoming polls nationwide.

    The junta has invited ASEAN countries to send observers for the election, due to start on December 28 and to continue in phases into January. The bloc is expected to discuss the request during its summit later this month.

    Malaysia is the current chair of ASEAN, which also includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

    (Reporting by Naw Betty Han, Editing by Devjyot Ghoshal and Aidan Lewis)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link

  • Filipino boxing legend

    [ad_1]

    Most people, even non-boxing fans, have heard of Manny Pacquiao, who is considered the most famous fighter from the Philippines, becoming the only boxer to win a world title in eight different divisions, with a total of 12 world championships.

    But long before Pacquiao, a fighter named Francisco “Pancho Villa” Guilledo was putting Filipino boxers on the global map, when he became the first fighter from the Philippines to win a world title in 1923.

    For the past 15 years, artist and boxing enthusiast Joe Aquilizan has been learning about his culture and its connection to the “sweet science” by collecting hundreds of pieces of memorabilia and archival photos of Pancho Villa.

    “To me, these are priceless,” said Aquilizan. “I feel like I’m now the caretaker of this collection.”

    The collection of artifacts paints a picture of the young fighter’s journey to America, where Pancho Villa became a sensation on the boxing circuit.

    “He kind of changed the boxing game,” said Aquilizan. “He introduced speed and power at the same time. Little guys should not be knocking out other fighters.”

    During his career, by some accounts, he recorded 90 wins, eight losses, four draws, and two no-contests, with 22 KOs. But his most impressive win came in June of 1923, when he knocked out Welsh-born Jimmy Wilde in New York City to become the first Filipino to win a World Flyweight Title.

    “And they really respected him in the height of, like, racism back in 1920s,” said Aquilizan. “This Asian guy, this brown guy came and showed the world that we matter, we are somebody.”

    Dr. Bernard Remollino, an associate professor of Asian American and Pacific American History at San Joaquin Delta College, had already been working on his dissertation on the history of Filipino and Filipino American boxers when he had the chance to meet Aquilizan and view his collection.

    “I was geeking out, I was really excited, I think my palms started getting sweaty,” said Remollino. “Here was tangible evidence this Pancho Villa actually moved through these spaces in the 1920s.”

    Together, they decided that they needed to tell the story of this Filipino hero, and wrote a book titled “Pancho Villa: World Champion, 1923” that was released this summer.

    “It felt like we were driven by something greater than us,” said Remollino. “We can think of Pancho Villa and the winning of the flyweight championship in 1923 as a watershed moment in the history of sport, in the history of boxing, and Filipino American history, and that speaks of the cultural importance, and it speaks to the social impact that that was having.”

    An impact that would eventually open the door for other great Filipino fighters, from Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, Ceferino Garcia, Small Montana, and, of course, Manny Pacquiao.

    “I think [Pancho Villa] is greater than Manny Pacquiao, but Manny Pacquiao to me is probably the greatest fighter, but Pancho Villa opened that door so Manny can come in there,” said Aquilizan. “The first one is always the hardest one.”

    “If we are looking at the long historical thread of how Filipinos show up in the popular imagination of viable fighter, Pancho Villa really ignited the imaginations,” said Remollino.

    But Pancho Villa’s career as a boxer was cut short. After defending his title several times, his final fight was on July 4, 1925, at the old Oakland Oaks Ballpark in Emeryville. He lost to Jimmy McLarnin by decision after having a bad tooth pulled, and during the following days, he developed a serious infection, passing away ten days later at the age of 24.

    And while the book is meant to educate the public on history of Pancho Villa, both Aquilizan and Remollino admit they wrote it for their people.

    “We have to take care of our stories,” said Aquilizan. “I have to make sure the community gets to see what I have, and that I’m not just hoarding these images. I want to share it with my people.”

    Soon, part of Aquilizan’s collection will be seen by a broader audience. This summer, the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., curated a large portion of his collection for an upcoming exhibit on the Filipino American experience that is set to open in November.

    [ad_2]

    Ryan Yamamoto

    Source link

  • Exclusive-ICC Judges Disqualify ICC Prosecutor Khan From Duterte Case, Court Document Shows

    [ad_1]

    By Stephanie van den Berg and Anthony Deutsch

    THE HAGUE (Reuters) -International Criminal Court (ICC) appeals judges have disqualified chief prosecutor Karim Khan from the war crimes case against former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte due to a possible conflict of interest, according to a copy of the decision seen by Reuters.

    The ruling is yet another major blow to Khan, who stepped aside in May amid an ongoing U.N. inquiry into his alleged sexual misconduct. He has now also been barred from taking part in the Duterte prosecution, the only major active case pending at the court, which is already reeling under U.S.-imposed sanctions.

    In August, Duterte’s defence sought to disqualify Khan, arguing that his involvement in communications to the court from victims of Duterte’s war on drugs was a conflict of interest.

    The defence said Khan should have no further role in the case because he represented the Philippines Human Rights Commission (PHRC) in naming Duterte as a top suspect and could therefore not conduct an impartial investigation, a copy of the ruling seen by Reuters said.

    Khan had asked the panel of judges to reject the defence request, saying there was “no conflict of interest arising from his representation of the chair of the PHRC and a group of victims in relation to” communications with the ICC.

    The Appeals Chamber on Oct. 2 granted the defence’s request, saying in a decision that has not yet been made public that Khan might appear to be biased due to his previous role and so was disqualified from the case.

    The ICC office of the prosecutor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Duterte, in office from 2016 to 2022, was arrested and taken to The Hague in March on an arrest warrant that linked him to murders committed during his war on drugs in the Philippines, where thousands of alleged narcotics peddlers and users were killed.

    He has maintained his arrest was unlawful and tantamount to kidnapping.

    The case of the former Philippines president, who is 80 and whose lawyers say he is unfit to stand trial, is currently being handled by deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang, who also faces sanctions by Washington due to the court’s investigation into alleged war crimes by Israel in Gaza.

    ICC judges issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli defence chief Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Ibrahim al-Masri last November for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza conflict.

    In August, Khan was ordered by judges to recuse himself from an investigation into Venezuela, ruling that his sister-in-law’s role as a criminal lawyer representing the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was a potential conflict of interest.

    In the inquiry into alleged sexual misconduct, Khan’s attorneys have denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

    (Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg and Anthony DeutschEditing by Frances Kerry)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link

  • Philippines Accuses China of Ramming Vessel Near Disputed Island as Tensions Soar

    [ad_1]

    MANILA (Reuters) -The Philippines accused Chinese maritime forces of using water cannon and ramming a Filipino vessel near the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island, calling the actions a “clear threat” that escalates tensions in contested South China Sea waters.

    The Philippines Coast Guard said three Filipino vessels, including the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, were anchored near Thitu Island, locally known as Pag-asa Island, early on Sunday as part of a government programme to protect local fishermen when Chinese ships reportedly approached and used water cannon to intimidate them.

    An hour later, a China coast guard ship allegedly fired its water cannon directly at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya before ramming its stern, causing minor damage but no injuries, the PCG said.

    Manila’s coast guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vowed to continue their operations in the area, saying their presence is essential to safeguarding the livelihood of Filipino fishermen.

    China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Tensions between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea have been rising through the year, particularly over the Scarborough Shoal, a prime fishing ground.

    China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, a vital waterway for more than $3 trillion in annual ship-borne trade, parts of which are also claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

    (Reporting by Phuong Nguyen and Karen Lema; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    [ad_2]

    Reuters

    Source link