News & Stories

A LAWMAKER on Monday filed a resolution urging President Ferdinand R.

Marcos, Jr. to grant clemency to a Filipina drug convict who was narrowly spared from execution in Indonesia, citing humanitarian grounds.

House Resolution No. 583 seeks a clemency for Mary Jane F.

Veloso, who was arrested in Yogyakarta in 2010 after being found with 2.6 kilograms of heroin concealed in a suitcase.

She said she was an unwitting drug mule, but she was convicted and sentenced to death.

She was repatriated to the Philippines in December last year after Indonesia and Manila signed an agreement transferring her custody.

“Granting clemency is not a disregard of the law. It

is a humanitarian act clearly recognized by our Constitution,” Party-list Rep. Sara

h Jane Elago, who authored the measure, said in a statement. Indo

nesia had indicated it would respect any decision made by the Philippines, including if she was given clemency. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basili

THE Philippines’ intelligence agency is still monitoring a mining company executive previously embroiled in an identity falsification charge on national security grounds. Th

e National Intelligence and Coordinating Agency (NICA) is keeping an eye on Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. Ch

airman Joseph C. Sy

, whose Filipino citizenship was questioned by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and was detained in August, its director Ferlu J. Si

lvio said. Th

e Court of Appeals (CA) ordered Mr. Sy

’s release in September, after it upheld a lower court ruling ordering his immediate release, recognizing him as a Filipino citizen. “Thi

s case was dismissed for lack of probable cause,” Mr. Silvio t

old senators. “[But] f

rom an intelligence standpoint, the existence of prior investigations remains relevant for longitudinal risk assessment and interagency awareness.” Senator Ana

BAGUIO CITY — Three cadets from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) have successfully completed their academic and military training at the Australian Defense Force Academy (ADFA), marking another milestone in the growing defense cooperation between the Philippines and Australia. Ca

det First Class Charles Wandag Cayangao, Cadet First Class Nathanjan Barcelon Llasos, and Cadet First Class Kyle Rondobio Lanza, who all belong to the PMA Siklab-Laya Class of 2025, graduated on Dec. 11, highlighting PMA’s continuing efforts to develop globally competent officers for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). They

were deployed to Australia on Jan. 13, 2023, to undergo a three-year education and training program under the Philippines-Australia defense cooperation framework. Mr.

Llas

os is set to return to Australia for an additional eight months of officer training at the Royal Military College-Duntroon. Mr.

Caya

ngao, 23, from Tanudan, Kalinga, earned a Bachelor of Science degree with majors in Physics and Aviation. He w

as recognized as the Best Performing ADFA International Trainee Officer in Fitness and received a Commanding Officer Military Commendation, reflecting his strong performance in both physical and military training. He c

hose to join the Philippine Navy, citing his desire to challenge himself beyond his familiar environment. Mr.

Llas

Talks between Ukraine and the US aimed at reaching a peace deal with Russia are continuing in Berlin for a second day.

Zelensky and his chief negotiator Rustem Umerov met US envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner for five hours on Sunday, joined by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

"A lot of progress was made," a US readout said.

The same team resumed talks on Monday morning.

Ahead of the start of the meeting, Volodymyr Zelensky signalled he would give up ambitions to join Nato in exchange for security guarantees.

Recognising that "some partners from the US and Europe" did not support Ukraine's bid for Nato membership, Zelensky said he was instead seeking strong security guarantees modelled on Nato's Article 5 clause of mutual protection.

"And this is already a compromise on our part," he said on Sunday.

Witkoff has travelled to Moscow to hold talks with Vladimir Putin on several occasions, but Sunday's meeting at the chancellery in Berlin was the first time he met Zelensky.

Nato Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus Grynkewich was also present at the talks.

Several European leaders as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are expected to join further talks with the Ukrainian and US delegations on Monday evening.

Flash floods have killed at least 37 people in Morocco's coastal Safi region, according to state-owned television.

Cars and mounds of rubbish were seen sweeping through the main port city of Safi after torrential rain hit on Sunday.

Dozens of people have been receiving treatment in hospital for their injuries, say local authorities, and at least 70 homes have been inundated in the old city centre.

Local reports say access to and from the city is blocked on certain roads because of damage and debris.

Residents on Sunday described it as a dark day, with one telling the AFP news agency: "I've lost all my clothes.

Only my neighbour gave me some to cover myself.

I have nothing left.

I've lost everything."

Another survivor said he wanted to see government trucks at the scene to pump out the water.

Moroccan authorities say search and rescue missions are still under way.

Football superstar Lionel Messi has wrapped up his three-day India tour in pollution-choked Delhi, after a chaotic opening in Kolkata.

On Monday, thousands of fans gathered in a Delhi stadium to get a glimpse of the Argentina and Inter Miami forward.

As Messi, accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, strolled the pitch - kicking balls into the stands, passing with a group of children and signing autographs - the crowd chanted his name. H

is flight to the Indian capital from Mumbai was delayed due to fog and poor visibility, local media reported, and his itinerary had to be trimmed. M

essi kept a packed schedule in India, attending a string of promotional events in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai since arriving in the early hours of Saturday. B

efore heading to Kolkata's Salt Lake Stadium later that day, he virtually unveiled a 70ft (21m) statue of himself, assembled over 27 days by a 45-strong crew in the eastern city. T

he tour, however, got off to an unfortunate start after angry fans ripped up seats and threw items towards the pitch at the stadium. F

ootball is hugely popular in West Bengal state - of which Kolkata is the capital - and thousands of adoring supporters had paid up to 12,000 rupees (£100; $133) to catch a glimpse of Messi. Ho

wever, most of them couldn't even catch a glimpse of him as he was surrounded by officials and celebrities on his brief walk around the stadium and then quickly whisked away as the situation turned hostile. Ko

lkata's The Telegraph newspaper said in an editorial that "poor management of a hyped-up event, lack of coordination" and security lapses turned the stadium into a "battlefield", as fans - denied even a glimpse of Messi after he was ring-fenced by officials, celebrities and security - "vented their anger by indulging in violence". Th

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. JV 

Ejercito has appealed to his colleagues in the bicameral conference committee to reconsider the “massive” budget hike for the controversial Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients or MAIFIP program. Ejercito

is one of  the conferees of the bicam panel on the propose P6.793-trillion budget for 2026 but  he could not attend its

CBEV Transport Technology, Inc.

(CarBEV), a key player in the Philippines’ electric fleet and sustainable mobility sector, has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with global electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast at VinFast’s headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam. The

agreement formalizes the framework for a 2026 partnership aimed at accelerating the development of a fully integrated electric mobility ecosystem across the Philippines. The

collaboration marks one of the most significant cross-border partnerships in the region’s evolving EV landscape, bringing together CarBEV’s local market expertise and fleet solutions with VinFast’s global manufacturing and technology capabilities. Through th

is partnership, both parties seek to support the country’s transition to sustainable transportation while strengthening the foundation for nationwide EV adoption. The MoU sign

ing was witnessed by members of the Philippine delegation, including Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Winston “Winnie” Castelo, Chairman of the Board of the Philippine Pharma Procurement, Inc. (PPPI); Atty. Zo

j Usita, forme

r Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) spokesperson; and retired Lt. Gen. Greg Almero

l, un

derscoring the partnership’s national and strategic importance. Beyond its mobilit

The Philippine economy is losing about P68.9 billion annually as poor mental health continues to weigh on workforce productivity, according to findings presented at the National Mental Health Summit 2025.

The estimate was presented by workplace mental health service provider Mind You, which said untreated mental health conditions have become a persistent economic burden, largely driven by absenteeism, presenteeism, and reduced productivity across industries.

The findings were shared during the company’s annual summit held in October. Da

ta presented at the summit showed that 77% of Filipino employees screened reported symptoms of depression, with nearly 49.7% experiencing moderate to severe levels that may require professional intervention. Mo

re than 4% were identified as high risk, showing signs of severe depression or suicidal ideation, equivalent to over 6,000 individuals in the workplace struggling with serious mental health conditions. “M

ental health is the silent profit leak,” Dr. Fabi C

ariño, said in a statement, noting that the impact goes beyond absenteeism to include reduced creativity, weakened morale, and stalled innovation within organizations. The fin

dings were drawn from mental health screenings and support data collected by Mind You from employees across multiple organizations. The stu

dy aimed to provide a clearer measurement of distress, burnout, and fatigue in the workplace, translating what companies often observe anecdotally into quantifiable indicators. Among t

he other notable findings was the prevalence of fatigue, with 77.5% of respondents saying they feel tired often or always. The sum

Legendary Hollywood film-maker and actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele have been found dead in their Los Angeles home.

Authorities are investigating the incident as an apparent homicide after police and firefighters were called to the couple's house on Sunday afternoon in an upmarket neighbourhood of LA.

Reiner is known for directing classic films including The Princess Bride, This is Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men.

"It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner," a family spokesperson said in a statement to US media.

"We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time."

Police said a 78-year-old man and 68-year-old woman were pronounced dead at the home, but officers did not immediately identify the couple or the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Police also said no-one had been arrested, but that no suspect or person of interest was currently being sought.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department told the BBC they received a call at about 15:38 local time (23:38 GMT) for medical aid to a home in Brentwood, a neighbourhood that is home to many celebrities.

Robbery homicide detectives from the LA police department also responded to the home and have opened a homicide investigation.

In a news conference on Sunday night, police did not offer any details about the deaths or what they found when they responded.

A.

O.

Smith Corporation (NYSE: AOS), a 150-year-old American brand and a global leader in water heating and water treatment solutions, continues to expand its presence in the Philippines, a market it has served for 26 years since 1999.

Founded in 1874, A.

O.

Smith began as a small machine shop in Milwaukee and has since evolved into one of the world’s most respected names in water heating technology. It

s long-standing heritage is built on engineering innovation, reliability, and superior product performance. To

day, A. O.

Sm

ith employs more than 12,700 individuals across operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, India, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, with a broad product portfolio that includes water heating products, water treatment products, and air purifiers. A.

At least 15 civilians have been confirmed dead in Sunday's shooting attack at Bondi beach.

Many were attending an event to mark the first day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

Authorities have confirmed that two rabbis, a Holocaust survivor and a 10-year-old girl were among the victims.

This is what we know about those identified so far:

Authorities confirmed that a 10-year-old girl, named by her family to local media as Matilda, was among the dead.

Irina Goodhew, who organised a fundraiser for the girl's mother and said she was the child's former teacher, wrote: " I knew her as a bright, joyful, and spirited child who brought light to everyone around her.'

The Harmony Russian School of Sydney also confirmed that she was one of its students.

"We are deeply saddened to share the news that a former student of our school has passed away in the hospital due to injuries sustained from a gunshot," the school wrote on Facebook.

"Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to her family, friends, and everyone affected by this tragic event … Her memory will remain in our hearts, and we honor her life and the time she spent as part of our school family." Me

anwhile her aunt spoke to ABC news and said that Matilda's sister, who was with her when she was shot, was struggling to come to terms with the loss. "T