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Trump meets Armenian religious leaders at White House as peace efforts take centre stage

U.S. President Donald Trump met with Armenian religious leaders based in the United States and Armenia’s Ambassador to the U.S. Narek Mkrtchyan at the White House.

According to the Armenian Embassy in Washington, the meeting included discussions on U.S.-Armenia relations, the Christian and cultural ties between the two nations, religious freedom, and efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region.

The participants also stressed the importance of peace and greater understanding between nations, as well as the role of faith and spiritual values in supporting these efforts.

During the meeting, the Armenian religious leaders held a joint prayer, asking for God’s blessing for the well-being and future of the peoples of Armenia and the United States, as well as for friendly relations between the two countries.

The religious leaders also expressed support for continued efforts toward peace and stability, while referring to the role of the United States and President Donald Trump in the Armenia-related peace process.

How much will ‘Filipiñana’ get from the government for Oscars 2027 campaign?

The Philippines’ pursuit of Oscars glory begins anew after selecting “Filipiñana” as the country’s International Feature Film submission to the 2027 Academy Awards.

A National Selection Committee chose Rafael Manuel’s debut feature from a shortlist of eight films, believing it to be the Philippines’ best chance attracting Oscars voters.

In the history of the Academy Awards, no Filipino films has been nominated or even made the shortlist of the Best International Feature Film category.

Those who follow the awards circuit will know that Oscar campaigning is a journey that requires a lot of marketing and financing, something that past Philippine entries lacked to particular degrees.

Last year’s entry “Magellan” by Lav Diaz starring Gael Garcia Bernal was arguably the closest the country got to being shortlisted, and the movie was backed by a heavy marketing campaign.

The Film Academy of the Philippines learned heavily from the experience, which is why its revamped Pinoy Oscars Pursuit grants program will help “Filipiñana” and future entries get the funding it needs for marketing and promotional efforts.

How much exactly?

The maximum amount of grant money from the Pinoy Oscars Pursuit for a country’s entry is P25 million, and the Academy confirmed to Philstar.com that “Filipiñana” qualifies for the full amount.

As the Philippines’ official seletion, “Filipiñana” will instantly receive P8 million as an incentive for its campaign to be shortlisted at the Oscars. Because the film made its world premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, the largest festival in the United States for independent films and therefore an A-list festival, it will receive another P3 million.

“Filipiñana” won the festival’s Special Jury Award for Creative Vision in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, ensuring it another P3 million as incentive.

The movie also won Best Feature Film and Youth Jury Award at the Festival Internacional de Cine de Valencia, the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature at the Independent Film Festival Boston, and the Golden Gate Award for New Directors Competition at the San Francisco International Film Festival.

Any film that wins three main awards before its selection by a country – like what “Filipiñana” has done – makes it eligible for an extra P3 million in funding.

Ahead of its European premiere in Berlinale last February, the film was picked up for North American distribution by Kino Lorber, which gives it yet another P3 million.

Kino Lorber is responsible for distributing the most recent Best Documentary Oscar winner “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” which according to the grant program, entitles “Filipiñana” to P5 million.

Industry experts predict that up to $20 million (P1.25 billion) in marketing is needed for a successful Best International Feature Film campaign.

“Filipiñana” will have to make do with the P25 million or $400,000 from the Philippine government plus any funding it will get from producers, distributors, and donors.

Summit opens investment, trade pathways for Thais

Hong Kong: Thailand’s participation in the 11th Belt and Road Summit (BRI Summit) in Hong Kong has opened new avenues for trade and investment, says Kirida Bhaopichitr, Vice Minister for Commerce, who represented the country in a panel discussion and bilateral meetings.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Sept 9-10 event, Ms Kirida said the summit, designed as a platform for informal cooperation among Belt and Road countries, focused on infrastructure development including roads, rail and ports and increasingly on digital connectivity.

“The objectives are twofold: to bring countries together for dialogue, and to facilitate business matching, primarily with Chinese enterprises,” she said.

Thai officials engaged with counterparts from Qatar, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong. “Thailand used the opportunity to push forward a pending free trade agreement (FTA) with Sri Lanka, already ratified in Bangkok but awaiting approval in Colombo. Thai companies also showcased products at exhibition booths, aiming to attract Chinese investors and expand exports,” she said.

Ms Kirida said Hong Kong acts as a global connector and financial and trading hub, but it lacks strong manufacturing and agriculture.

Thailand’s EEC, by contrast, is designed to upgrade the country’s industrial base into advanced, high-tech sectors. She said Hong Kong could serve as a bridge to the EEC, facilitating negotiations and trade flows.

“Hong Kong is not a competitor but a partner. They are the middleman, we are the producers. Together we can reinforce each other,” she said. As for the issue of cheap Chinese imports, she acknowledged the pressure on domestic producers but highlighted the benefits for consumers and Thai businesses. “Chinese products are cheaper at the same quality level, which disadvantages local manufacturers. But at the same time, Thai farmers and SMEs benefit from lower-cost machinery and inputs from China,” she said.

She urged Thai SMEs to focus on creativity and innovation rather than protectionism. “We should not rely on high tariffs or import bans. Instead, SMEs must differentiate, create products China cannot easily replicate.”

Cosmetics, skincare, snacks, and jewellery “are examples where Thai brands enjoy global trust and craftsmanship that China cannot match,” she said.

She said Thailand’s approach is to leverage every available channel — Hong Kong as a connector, China as a major market, and other global partners — while upgrading domestic industries to remain competitive in a rapidly changing world.

Wike, APC govs feud: PCC urges Tinubu to intervene

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC) has urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the escalating dispute between governors elected on the party’s platform and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

APC PCC spokesman, Ima Niboro, who made the call on Wednesday, described the face-off as an internal disagreement between allies pursuing the same electoral goal, noting that the President possesses the political pedigree to resolve the crisis internally.

The friction between the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Wike centres on the minister’s cross-party political vehicle, the Rainbow Coalition. The governors, led by PGF Chairman and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, alongside Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, have opposed the coalition for fielding opposition candidates in several states, warning that the move could undermine APC candidates and weaken Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

Wike, however, dismissed the governors’ concerns during an interview on Arise Television, describing his critics among the governors as ‘politically lazy’ and insisting that his support for Tinubu does not bar opposition parties from contesting elections.

‘They are politically lazy. When you have your local problems, don’t use Mr President as your excuse,’ Wike said, adding that opposition to his political engagements began the moment he was appointed minister.

Addressing the dispute, Niboro called for an end to public media exchanges, urging party figures to concentrate on grassroots mobilisation rather than open confrontation.

‘I consider this a quarrel among political siblings. They are all working in the same direction, but there are differences in the details. Both camps agree that President Tinubu must return in 2027,’ Niboro said. ‘If you’re a political leader, stop talking, go and work. Go and establish authority in your political base.’

Reacting to the rift, APC chieftain Joe Igbokwe called on Wike to consult the governors and explain the framework of the Rainbow Coalition, noting that while Wike remains a critical stakeholder whose influence cannot be discounted, collective dialogue is essential.

In a contrasting position, a founding member of the APC and former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, cautioned Tinubu against yielding to pressure from governors asking him to discard Wike.

Okechukwu argued that Wike’s political machinery delivered crucial support in the 2023 elections and will be needed to provide supplementary votes in 2027, advising the President to maintain a broad coalition rather than narrow his electoral base.

AI transforming, not cutting PH outsourcing jobs – study

The artificial intelligence (AI) boom has not yet caused a decline in the Philippines’ service-export revenues or employment, ING Bank N.V. said, arguing that AI is so far changing what gets outsourced rather than reducing demand for outsourced work.

In a report, Deepali Bhargava, head of Asia-Pacific research at ING, said there was evidence that AI was reshaping the composition of service exports and employment in both the Philippines and India, another global outsourcing powerhouse.

Telecom and computer services have continued to expand alongside business services exports, lifting their combined share of the Philippine economy to 7.1 percent by mid-2026 from 6.3 percent before the pandemic, Bhargava said.

The composition of those exports, however, has changed as demand moves toward faster-growing segments.

The bank said digitally delivered services exports have grown 24 percent since 2022, with financial and computer services increasingly driving growth. Financial services exports have expanded by about 25 percent a year over that period, while computer services exports have also posted strong gains.

Adjusting exposure

Meanwhile, traditional business services have moderated after the post-COVID surge in outsourcing demand.

‘The Philippines appears to be adjusting by increasing its exposure to faster-growing segments such as financial and computer services,’ Bhargava said, adding there’s ‘little evidence so far that it’s causing outright contraction in export revenues.’

On employment, Bhargava said evidence so far points to job transformation rather than job destruction.

ING Bank said the combined employment data for the information and communication, professional, scientific and technical services sectors showed jobs had increased by around 4.5 percent over the past year, with the recent readings remaining close to their long-term trends.

‘AI disruption fears look premature in India and the Philippines,’ Bhargava said. ‘The bigger story is one of upgrading, with growth increasingly concentrated in higher-skilled, more technology-intensive activities.’

Comelec-7 to continue BSKE poll preparations

The Commission on Elections in Central Visayas-7 will continue its preparations for the November 2, 2026, Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), even as Congress considers a measure that could postpone the polls.

Comelec-7 Regional Director Atty. Francisco Pobe said during a Kapihan sa PIA forum on Wednesday that, unless a new law is enacted to cancel or postpone the elections, the commission will proceed with preparations based on the existing law setting the polls on November 2.

Pobe said the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) is scheduled from September 28 to October 5. The official Comelec calendar also places the campaign period from September 28 to October 21.

He said Comelec-7 has already started manpower pooling, including preparations for the deployment of teachers as members of electoral boards, coordination with the Joint Security Council, and coordination with national agencies that will serve as deputized agencies.

Comelec is also posting lists of voters in the barangays based on the Certified Lists of Voters and conducting information dissemination through barangays and local election bodies.

For the 2026 BSKE, Central Visayas consists of Cebu and Bohol, with a total of 2,312 barangays, 1,203 in Cebu and 1,109 in Bohol.

Pobe said the region has 5,662 clustered precincts for the regular barangay elections based on Comelec’s clustering system.

The region has about 4.39 million registered voters for the regular barangay elections, while SK voters number 1,542,717.

The SK voter population increased by 32,620, or about 2.38 percent, while regular voters increased by 40,124, or about 0.91 percent.

Pobe attributed the relatively modest increase partly to the timing of the 2025 elections and the limited period for new voters to reach voting age.

For the SK elections, the region has 12,502 clustered precincts, 3,069 in Bohol and 9,443 in Cebu.

Pobe, however, clarified that Comelec-7 is aware that the House of Representatives has acted on a measure involving the postponement or extension of the barangay and SK elections, while the Senate is still considering the matter.

Despite this, Comelec will continue its preparations until Congress passes a law changing the schedule.

Pobe said they are hopeful that Congress could make a decision before the September 28 start of the COC filing period. He stressed that Comelec has already incurred substantial expenses for preparations.

Ballots and other accountable election forms have already been printed, while various supplies needed for the manual elections have also been procured or prepared.

Pobe said some election materials could be reused if the elections are postponed, as Comelec had done during a previous postponement by adjusting the dates on certain forms and ballots.

However, perishable supplies could expire and would have to be replaced. Election paraphernalia would also have to be stored and preserved, potentially resulting in additional storage and preparation costs.

Pobe also said electoral board members will receive an increase in honoraria of P2,000 across the board, along with changes in the coverage of service credits.

He said service credits that previously expired will no longer lapse and may be used throughout a person’s service, including after retirement.

The period covered by the honorarium has also been increased from five days to 10 days.

The Comelec regional director said the changes are intended to recognize the additional responsibilities carried by electoral board members during the elections.

Bayan to Palace: Focus on anti-corruption drive, not Sept. 21 rallies

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) on Thursday slammed Malacañang for urging protesters to maintain peace in rallies expected to mark the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law on Monday, September 21.

‘Ang dapat na rendahan nila yung mga kurakot, yung mga abusado sa kapangyarihan,’ Bayan Secretary-General Mong Palatino said on the sidelines of a protest outside Camp Crame in Quezon City.

(They should instead rein in the corrupt, those abusing power.)

‘Hindi yung mamamayan na nagrereklamo sa matinding korapsyon, matinding problema ng kagutuman, mataas na presyo ng langis. Hindi ba yan kagalit-galit?’ he added.

(They shouldn’t rein in the people expressing grievances over widespread corruption, prevailing hunger, rising oil prices. Aren’t those deserving of anger?)

‘Kaya walang karapatan ang Malacañang na magdikta at magsabi sa mamamayan kung paano gawin ang ating protesta,’ Palatino stressed.

(That’s why Malacañang has no right to dictate and tell the people how to protest.)

Palace press officer Claire Castro on Wednesday appealed to protesters to stage peaceful rallies, noting that the Philippine National Police (PNP) has heightened its security preparations.

The PNP – National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) earlier said that it will deploy at least 15,000 police officers personnel for security measures during the expected protest actions.

NCRPO officer in charge Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano detailed that their unit has also intensified intelligence-gathering to prevent a repeat of the riots during the September 21 protests last year, decrying corruption in the wake of the flood control scandal.

Palatino condemned the deployment of police officers.

‘Ito ay overkill deployment,’ he said.

(This is an overkill deployment.)

‘Sa September 21, babalik tayo sa lansangan sa Maynila para maningil sa pamahalaan ni [President Ferdinand] Marcos Jr.,’ he added.

(This September 21, we will return to the streets of Manila to demand justice from the government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.)

‘Siya ang mahiya dahil, one year after the flood control scam, hindi umaabot sa Malacañang ang corruption investigation. Hindi pinapanagot si Marcos at mga alipores niya,’ he stressed, alluding to the president’s ‘Mahiya naman kayo’ remark that spurred the flood control investigations.

(He should be the one ashamed because, one year after the flood control scam, the investigation has not reached Malacañang. Marcos and his henchmen will not be held accountable.)

He pointed out that former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan had been excluded from plunder and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan Third Division and released from the PNP General Hospital earlier this September.

NASC begins onboard training of seed entrepreneurs to boost quality yam production

The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) has commenced the training and onboarding of prospective Certified Seed Entrepreneurs (CSEs) as part of efforts to strengthen quality seed yam production, certification, and marketing in Nigeria.

Speaking during a one-day mandatory training and onboarding program for CSEs organized by the Council in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) under the PROSSIVA Project, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NASC, Fatuhu Muhammed, said access to quality planting materials remained critical to improving agricultural productivity, farmers’ resilience, and food security.

Muhammed, who was represented by the Director of the DG’s Office, Mal. Dahiru Rabiu noted that strengthening Nigeria’s yam seed system was essential given the crop’s importance to the country’s food and agricultural economy.

He said the training was designed to equip prospective CSEs with the technical, regulatory, and business knowledge required to establish and operate credible seed farm enterprises.

Muhammed urged the participants to see themselves not merely as trainees but as future partners in building a sustainable and commercially viable seed yam industry.

He emphasized that seed yam production and marketing remained regulated activities, noting that commercial seed production without registration contravened the National Agricultural Seeds Council Act, 2019.

‘Under Section 20(1) of the National Agricultural Seeds Council Act, 2019, a person shall not produce seed in commercial quantities unless registered as a seed producer by the Council,’ he said.

He added that the sale or supply of seeds was also subject to certification requirements, describing the regulations as safeguards for farmers and the integrity of Nigeria’s seed system.

Muhammed therefore urged the prospective CSEs to comply fully with requirements for registration, production, certification, quality control, traceability, and lawful marketing.

He said the success of seed entrepreneurs would not be measured solely by the volume of seed yam produced but also by the quality, integrity, and confidence farmers could place in their products.

The NASC, he said, would continue to provide an enabling regulatory and technical environment for the development of a sustainable seed yam system.

He said the Council would strengthen quality assurance, certification, monitoring, enforcement, and digital traceability while collaborating with research institutions, development partners, and private-sector actors to improve farmers’ access to quality planting materials, particularly at the last mile.

The Director-General further commended IITA and SAHEL Consulting for their continued support for the PROSSIVA Programme and praised the NASC technical team for organizing the training.

He said the opportunity for prospective CSEs was significant but came with responsibilities, including producing quality seed, complying with regulations, operating viable enterprises, and earning farmers’ confidence.

Muhammed said the ultimate objective was to transform Nigeria’s yam seed system from a fragmented supply structure into an organised, quality-assured, traceable and commercially sustainable seed delivery system.

FG not selling Unity Colleges – Alausa

The Federal Government has dismissed reports that it plans to sell the nation’s Unity Colleges, saying the concession of King’s College, Lagos, to its Old Boys Association is a specific intervention aimed at restoring the institution’s lost glory.

Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, who stated this at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, said the government had no intention of selling or transferring ownership of any of the Unity Colleges to private interests.

He explained that the management agreement involving King’s College was designed to allow the school’s Old Boys Association to invest heavily in infrastructure and restore the institution to its former standard, while ownership of the property would remain with the Federal Government.

Alausa, who was accompanied by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said the press conference was convened to clarify what he described as misinformation surrounding the agreement with the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA).

He said: ‘Federal Government is not selling any Unity College. The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, does not have the intention to sell any Unity College and we will not sell any Unity College.’

While lamenting the high level of dilapidation of the Unity Colleges across the country, the Minister said the government had opted for an innovative approach because of the huge infrastructure deficit confronting the Unity Colleges and the limited resources available to government.

He said even a release of ?2 trillion would not be sufficient to address the accumulated infrastructure decay across Unity Colleges nationwide.

Alausa said the condition of some of the schools became evident during unannounced inspection visits carried out by him and the Minister of State.

He said the situation he encountered at King’s College, particularly its old campus, exposed the extent of deterioration in hostels, classrooms, laboratories, toilets, dining facilities and other infrastructure.

The minister said the school had at a point gone for nine months without electricity before intervention by the government.

He also criticised the use of portions of the school premises as a public car park, saying such an arrangement raised serious security concerns for students.

Alausa said the government had subsequently directed that the car-parking arrangement be discontinued.

He explained that the decision to engage the King’s College Old Boys Association followed its willingness to invest significant resources in rehabilitating and repositioning the institution without increasing fees.

According to him, the alumni association already has a foundation that would manage the institution on a not-for-profit basis.

He said the arrangement was not an abdication of government responsibility, noting that the government would retain ownership of the school and monitor the implementation of agreed performance indicators.

‘The property still remains Federal Government property. The Federal Ministry of Education has given clear KPIs to meet,’ he said.

Alausa also cited the experience of former mission schools and some institutions managed by alumni associations as examples of how private or alumni-supported management could help restore schools to their former standards without transferring ownership.

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, explained that the management concession granted in respect of King’s College would run for 35 years.

She said the duration was necessary to enable the concessionaire to make the level of investment required to rehabilitate the institution and achieve sustainable results.

Ahmad stressed that the arrangement should not be interpreted as a sale of the school or a precedent for concessioning all Unity Colleges.

She said the Federal Government was not extending the King’s College arrangement to other Unity Colleges.

The minister said a short-term concession would not provide sufficient time for an investor or alumni body to commit the level of resources required to transform an institution with decades of accumulated infrastructure challenges.

Alausa also disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the recruitment of 3,000 teachers this year, with the government working to absorb existing PTA teachers into the public teaching system where appropriate.

He said the government planned to recruit an additional 5,000 teachers next year as part of efforts to address the shortage of teachers in federal schools.

The minister said the administration was also committed to rehabilitating infrastructure in the schools while addressing concerns raised by staff unions.

On the protest by education-sector unions over the King’s College arrangement, Alausa condemned the blockade of the Ministry of Education, saying workers had the right to protest but must do so within the law.

He said the government had already reached a six-point agreement with the Trade Union Congress and other stakeholders, adding that the ministry remained open to dialogue.

He, however, said the government would not tolerate the alleged obstruction of access to the ministry, damage to property or intimidation of workers.

Alausa maintained that the government’s objective was to restore the quality, discipline and unity that characterised institutions such as King’s College when they were established to train future leaders.

He said the government would continue to explore partnerships that could attract additional resources to the education sector without relinquishing ownership of public institutions.

2027: ADC strengthens polling unit structure in Imo North

Imo State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has intensified efforts to build a functional grassroots structure in Imo North Senatorial District, with the inauguration of polling unit executives across the zone.

The exercise, which took place in different parts of the senatorial district, was part of the party’s ongoing mobilisation and sensitisation programme ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Leading members of the State Executive Committee and other party leaders to Umuenyi in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area for the inauguration, the State Chairman of the party, Prof. James Okoroma, stressed the importance of effective grassroots organisation to the growth of the ADC.

Okoroma charged the newly inaugurated executives to take their responsibilities seriously, remain accessible to party members and ensure that information on the activities of the party reached members at the polling unit level.

He said, ‘Politics is local,’ adding that the strength of any political organisation depended largely on the effectiveness of its grassroots structures.

The chairman also welcomed new members who recently joined the ADC from other political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and an APC chieftain in Isiala Mbano.

He described the development as an indication of interest in the party and urged the new members to contribute to its growth and organisational development.

The ADC Apex Leader of Okigwe Zone, Chief Sir Stanley Ekezie, who welcomed Okoroma, members of the State Executive Committee and other party leaders to Umuenyi, his hometown, expressed support for the move to establish a strong and functional polling unit structure across the zone.

Ekezie said effective political organisation began at the grassroots, noting that polling unit executives had a key role to play in maintaining contact between the party and its members within their communities.

He urged the new executives to remain committed to their responsibilities, work closely with ward and local government leaders, and promote unity, discipline and cooperation among party members.

Those who attended the inauguration included the ADC candidate for Okigwe North Federal Constituency, Sir Emmanuel Egejurum (Bambas); the party’s candidate for Isiala Mbano State Constituency, Hon. Mrs Obiageli Nwogu (Ada Ihe); and the Isiala Mbano Local Government Area chairman, Hon. Pius Omah, among other party leaders and members.

The exercise later moved to the Okigwe South axis, where the Imo ADC State Secretary, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwokeke (Iroko), led zonal officers to Ehime Mbano, Ihitte/Uboma and Obowo local government areas.

The team inspected existing party structures and inaugurated polling unit executives as part of efforts to ensure that responsibilities were clearly defined and that active officers were in place at the various levels of the party.

In Ehime Mbano, the state secretary and his entourage were received by the State Legal Adviser, Barr. Chisom Dominic; the ADC candidate for Ehime Mbano State Constituency, Hon. Marcel Chibueze Edoh; the Ehime Mbano LGA chairman, Hon. Mrs Comfort Ukasoanya; and other party leaders and members.

The exercise is part of the wider grassroots organisational drive of the Imo ADC, following similar inauguration and sensitisation activities in other parts of the state.

Party leaders said the exercise was aimed at strengthening the party’s structures at polling unit level and improving the coordination of its activities from the grassroots.