Author: user user

P2.39 million stolen fuel seized in Tarlac

Suspected stolen petroleum products valued at P2.39 million were seized during a police operation that also resulted in the arrest of two suspects in Tarlac City on Thursday.

The raid on an unauthorized fuel distribution site in Barangay San Rafael resulted in the recovery of 8,200 liters of diesel, a fuel tanker, a tractor head, fuel pumps, hoses and other equipment.

Police said the suspects failed to show documents authorizing them to sell petroleum products.

‘Sale of petroleum products is governed by rules. The raid was not all about seizure, but also about protecting legitimate businesses, consumers and the public,’ Philippine National Police chief. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.

Iran and Pakistan foreign ministers hold urgent regional security talks

Top diplomats from Iran and Pakistan conducted a high-level telephone consultation today to review escalating regional security developments and deliberate on matters of mutual strategic concern, according to an official statement released by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The discussions brought together Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Ishaq Dar. The Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed that both officials exchanged perspectives on the rapidly evolving diplomatic and military landscape in the Middle East.

It is worth noting that Pakistan has emerged as a key diplomatic conduit between Tehran and Western powers following months of unprecedented regional volatility. On April 7, Islamabad successfully brokered a ceasefire agreement between Washington, Tel Aviv, and Tehran, halting weeks of intense military exchanges that erupted on February 28 after US-Iran nuclear negotiations stalled. The conflict had seen joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets, triggering retaliatory ballistic missile and drone strikes by Tehran against Israeli positions and US military installations across the Middle East.

Diplomatic momentum peaked on June 18 when Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump signed a landmark peace memorandum, which officially took effect on June 19.

However, the fragile truce collapsed on July 8 following a major security incident in the Strait of Hormuz. Citing retaliation for an alleged strike on a commercial vessel in the strategic waterway, US forces conducted targeted strikes on Iranian territory for the first time since the accord was enacted. President Trump subsequently declared the termination of the ceasefire.

In response to the renewed American air campaign, Tehran launched strikes targeting US military infrastructure and operational assets situated across Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman.

The latest bilateral contact between Tehran and Islamabad underscores growing international anxiety over the stability of the Persian Gulf and highlights Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to prevent further regional escalation.

Zoleta, Sanosa lead soft tennis to breakthrough feat

Before the 2026 Asian Games could formally open, Team Philippines already has a medal.

Women power delivered it.

Bannered by Bien Zoleta and Christy Sanosa, the women’s soft tennis squad assured Team Phl a podium finish in the Aichi-Nagoya Asiad, barging into the semifinals yesterday at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center.

It is a breakthrough, long years in the making.

Never since soft tennis became a medal sport in the 1998 Bangkok Asiad had the Philippines won a medal. On the eve of the Nagoya Games opening ceremonies, the drought ended.

The Nationals made the semis by punching a 2-1 win-loss record in the group play.

They opened with a statement against Mongolia, with Zoleta and Princess Catindig winning their doubles match to set the tone. Inspired by the doubles pair, Sanosa blasted her singles rival to complete the 3-0 sweep.

They followed it up with a gritty 2-1 win over Thailand before being stopped by powerhouse Chinese-Taipei, 0-3.

The 2-1 card put the Philippines at second in Group B behind Chinese-Taipei and into the semis – and with it, an automatic bronze as there is no playoff for third in soft tennis.

The men’s team couldn’t keep up with the women and bowed to fancied Korea in the quarterfinals, 0-3.

For Zoleta and her teammates, waiting in the semifinals is world champion and reigning Asian Games champion Japan, which topped Group A.

In men’s football at Minato Soccer Field, the Philippines U23 fell to Vietnam U23, 0-2, for its second straight loss in Group C that virtually doomed its bid for the KO rounds.

When illness evicts vanity

job with a strict dress code-and a boss who lives inside your bathroom mirror. Every morning, I face this boss, sighing at my thin, sparse hair and darker complexion-parting gifts from treatments and medication. I used to devote so much time and effort to dressing up, accessorizing and applying makeup-a dramatic production with me as director, star and harshest critic.

And then cancer renegotiated my priorities.

Nothing humbles this habit quite like serious illness. When your body decides to lose most of its hair, its glow or even the ability to stand upright, your inner diva quietly packs her bags and leaves. You realize that obsessing over a pore was a luxury reserved for the perfectly well, and surviving becomes much easier when you stop worrying about audience reviews.

In the past, mirrors were a battlefield. I didn’t just look. I audited. I tilted my chin to inspect every blemish. I applied three different serums before bedtime, hoping to reverse ‘the environment.’ Clothes shopping was my sport: fashion, my creative outlet. My hair was like a moody celebrity client. If one strand refused to cooperate, out came the gels and accessories to tame the rebellious traitor. After retiring from the corporate world, I gave away tons of clothes, shoes and accessories. The unexpected lightness I felt after decluttering was a quiet acceptance and affirmation of who I am now.

After most of my hair started to fall, I decided to wear a wig to feel normal. I’m not bald, but have lost much of my hair. At first, every fallen strand felt like another sad goodbye. I would throw the hair into a trash bag, disposing of evidence that made the loss feel less real. Eventually, I stopped caring. Peace arrived the day I realized I was spending more energy grieving my hair than celebrating the fact that I was still alive.

Sunblock, a light dusting of face powder, hair clips to style my wig, and a face mask to help protect me from infection are my new essentials. Light makeup is reserved for lunch dates with friends and nights out.

Illness has a remarkable way of stripping away the superficial. When your hair starts thinning, your skin darkens and your energy often runs out, the vanity factory simply goes out of business.

Your relationship with the mirror changes completely. You catch a glimpse of your nearly bare head and, instead of panicking, feel a sense of relief. The woman looking back no longer resembles the one you remember, yet she looks braver. You cannot fight illness and a bad hair day at the same time.

When survival becomes the goal, you discover that your worth was never tied to a full head of hair or flawless skin. Perhaps that is what God had been gently teaching me-that our value is never found in the mirror but lovingly placed within us long before we worried about wrinkles or appearances. Hardly-there hair and a tired face, it turns out, can be an exceptionally practical look. It requires almost no maintenance and lets you nap at a moment’s notice.

The true sign that life is returning to normal isn’t simply the return of your appetite. It is the unexpected desire to check whether your eyebrows look okay.

Vanity has returned like an old friend who disappeared during a crisis, then suddenly texts you when the drama is over. I find myself reaching for lipstick or styling my hair with colorful clips and I can’t help but giggle. Wanting to look good is a deeply human way of saying I’m ready to participate in the world again.

Today, I welcome vanity back-but as a pleasant visitor rather than a demanding supervisor. The mirror still greets me every morning, but it no longer gets the

How Monierate’s new digital platforms reshape Nigeria’s FX market

HyperFX, a foreign exchange settlement platform developed by blockchain infrastructure company Polytope Labs, has been added to Monierate, an exchange-rate data l that tracks rates from lmultiple providers.

The addition brings HyperFX into a comparison platform that covers providers across the foreign exchange, stablecoin and digital-asset markets.

Monierate said its platform currently tracks rates from more than 90 providers and exchanges. The company was founded in 2023 by Jeremy Ikwuje and Olayinka Omoniyi.

The latest addition comes as technology companies continue to develop alternative infrastructure for moving and exchanging currencies, particularly across borders.

HyperFX is focused on foreign exchange settlement using blockchain-based infrastructure. The platform is designed for businesses and fintech companies rather than primarily for retail users. Polytope Labs launched HyperFX in 2026. The platform uses stablecoins to facilitate currency swaps, with its naira settlement leg using cNGN, a naira-backed stablecoin.

The model places HyperFX within a growing segment of the financial technology industry exploring stablecoins as infrastructure for cross-border transactions and foreign exchange settlement.

For Monierate, the addition is part of its broader effort to bring rates from different providers into a single data platform.

‘Markets like Africa don’t lack rates; they lack a single, trustworthy view of them,’ Ikwuje, co-founder of Monierate, said. ‘We’re building the reference layer for what currencies are actually trading at, in real time, across relevant providers.’

Ikwuje said the company was seeking to cover rates that may not be represented on traditional financial data platforms.

The usefulness of such comparison platforms depends largely on the number and type of providers covered, as well as the quality and frequency of the data they collect.

Nigeria’s foreign exchange market has also become increasingly digital, with banks, fintech companies, cryptocurrency exchanges and peer-to-peer markets operating alongside one another. Differences in pricing between providers can make the cost of converting or transferring money vary depending on where a transaction is conducted.

The emergence of stablecoin-based infrastructure adds another layer to that market. Businesses involved in international payments can now access different models for converting, transferring and settling currencies, although the regulatory treatment of individual products and services remains an important consideration.

HyperFX’s use of cNGN also brings the platform into Nigeria’s developing stablecoin ecosystem. cNGN is a naira-backed digital token designed for transactions involving the Nigerian currency. Users and businesses of financial services remain subject to the regulatory requirements applicable to the services they provide.

Being included on Monierate does not constitute an endorsement of HyperFX. The listing simply makes its available rates part of the data displayed alongside those of other providers.

The broader significance of the development lies in the growing number of digital platforms participating in Nigeria’s currency market and the emergence of tools designed to make their rates easier to compare.

For users and businesses, the question is increasingly not only where to exchange currency, but how the price offered by one provider compares with alternatives available at the same time.

Ombudsman: claims of rights violations against Ruben Vardanyan are unfounded

Claims regarding violations of the rights of ethnic Armenian prisoners are completely unfounded.

This was stated in a statement issued by the Ombudsman’s Office.

It was reported that, within the framework of the Ombudsman’s activities as part of the National Preventive Mechanism, meetings were held with ethnic Armenian individuals, including Ruben Vardanyan, both during the preliminary investigation and court proceedings, as well as after they were convicted and transferred to correctional facilities. The conditions in which they were held, the situation regarding the protection of their rights, and issues related to their treatment were continuously monitored.

It was noted that these monitoring activities were carried out in accordance with international standards, and the situation regarding the protection of human rights and freedoms was kept under constant observation.

‘During unannounced visits conducted by myself, as well as by members of the Ombudsman’s National Preventive Group, the rights of these individuals, including R. Vardanyan, were explained to them in their native language. Their current health condition was examined by the doctor who is a member of the NPG, and relevant publications and legislative acts in their native language were provided to them in accordance with their requests. In addition, numerous works of fiction in various languages were provided to them upon their requests.

It should be noted that each of these individuals has the opportunity to contact the Ombudsman’s 916 Call Center, and every appeal they made received a timely response in accordance with the law.

During our consecutive visits, it was observed that the conditions in the facility where the aforementioned prisoners are serving their sentences meet modern standards, that no cases of discrimination against these prisoners have been allowed, and that their rights and freedoms established by international documents and national legislation are ensured, including their rights to engage in sports, take walks, and organize their leisure time. It should be noted that, despite having no funds in their accounts when they were transferred to correctional facilities, they were provided with unrestricted access to telephone calls with their family members and access to information.

It was also observed by us that the aforementioned prisoners’ requests concerning notary and medical services were addressed in accordance with the legislation.

Most recently, Araik Harutyunyan’s request concerning notary services was fulfilled, and as it coincided with the day of a visit, members of the Ombudsman’s National Preventive Group also observed on site that this service was being provided.

In addition, requests submitted by these individuals to the Ombudsman for additional medical examinations, additional telephone calls with family members, and their consecutive appeals to state institutions, both personally and through their lawyers, were also addressed.

As a result of the monitoring and visits independently conducted by the Ombudsman, we would like to state that the rights of these individuals, who were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment after their commission of crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, and other serious crimes were proven in court, are ensured without any discrimination. Claims made on behalf of the aforementioned individuals on internet websites in this regard are completely unfounded, do not reflect the truth, and serve biased political purposes,’ the statement said.

Lukashenko says Belarus could have faced Ukraine’s fate after 2020 vote

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said that his country could have experienced a situation similar to Ukraine’s if attempts to distance Belarus from Russia had succeeded during the political crisis that followed the 2020 presidential election.

Speaking at the ‘Youth. Belarus. Future’ forum in Minsk, Lukashenko said Western countries had sought to separate Belarus from Russia during the unrest that followed the August 2020 presidential election.

‘They tried to do this in 2020,’ Lukashenko said, according to Russian media reports. ‘If it had succeeded, we would have had what is happening in Ukraine now.’

Lukashenko has long portrayed Belarus’s close relationship with Russia as a central element of the country’s security. His latest remarks again linked the survival of Belarus’s political system to maintaining its alliance with Moscow.

The 2020 election triggered mass protests after Belarusian authorities declared Lukashenko the winner. Western governments rejected the official result, while Russia backed Lukashenko as the political crisis intensified. In August 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow had prepared a reserve of law-enforcement personnel that could be deployed to Belarus if the situation deteriorated, although he said there was no immediate need to use the force.

Stocks sink on heavy selling

The local stock market recorded a steep drop amid strong selling pressure among investors following a rebalancing of the Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE).

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index plummeted by 1.72 percent or 102.73 points to end the week at 5,855.91.

The broader All Shares index also fell by 1.21 percent or 40.31 points, finishing at 3,277.80.

Franco Fernandez, equity research analyst at DragonFi Securities Inc., said the index saw heavy flows driven by the FTSE rebalancing.

‘This is likely also why selling pressure persisted as institutions adjusted their portfolios amid subdued risk appetite stemming from unresolved macroeconomic and geopolitical concerns,’ Fernandez said.

AB Capital Securities said the PSEi broke 5,900 and closed near the low, lagging firmer Asian markets.

‘Turnover surged from P5.1 billion pre-close to P15.1 billion, with MOC (market-on-close) accounting for about 66 percent amid FTSE rebalancing (Bloomberry out, Emperador into Small Cap),’ it said.

RCBC chief economist Michael Ricafort said the PSEi declined on concerns that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas could match the latest 25-basis-point hike delivered by the US Federal Reserve.

All sectors were in the red, except for mining and oil, which rose by 1.65 percent.

Services and holding firms were the biggest losers, declining by 2.53 percent and 2.45 percent, respectively.

Market breadth remained negative as decliners outnumbered advancers, 117 to 79, while 43 issues did not change hands.

ICTSI was the session’s top traded stock, sliding by 3.21 percent to P905 per share, followed by Emperador and SM Investments which slipped by 0.51 percent and 5.98 percent, respectively, to P15.72 and P503.

Navy stands by frigate bidding

The Royal Thai Navy has come under public scrutiny after only one company, South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, was deemed qualified to take on the 17-billion-baht frigate procurement.

The development has sparked widespread criticism and prompted the Royal Thai Navy top brass to defend the transparency of the project on Friday.

Navy commander Adm Pairote Fuangchan held a press conference with project officials to explain the selection process after public criticism that only one bidder was left.

The project covers one high-performance frigate with onboard systems and equipment, spare parts, support, testing, training, acceptance, warranties and related costs, under a 17-billion-baht ceiling.

It forms part of the navy’s long-term force development plan to replace ageing vessels and to protect sovereignty, maritime routes, economic areas, energy resources and key infrastructure.

The navy said the new frigate would fight across three dimensions — surface combat, anti-submarine warfare and air defence — and could strike land targets, counter unmanned aircraft and conduct command, control, datalink and joint operations.

Rear Adm Parat Rattanachaiphan, a navy spokesman, said operational requirements had been set by the vessel’s missions, areas of operation and potential threats, rather than by any company, country, brand or design.

The navy invited 11 shipyards from several countries to obtain the tender documents, with six eventually submitting bids. It said the terms of reference had undergone consultation and review, with no complaints from bidders during their preparation.

Criteria announced in advance distinguished mandatory minimum requirements from scored items covering capability, readiness, survivability, logistics and technical support, bidder reliability, technology transfer and defence-industry development, Rear Adm Parat said.

“Four bidders subsequently failed to meet substantive technical requirements. The reasons included failure to submit documents needed to demonstrate performance and capability, proposals outside the scope of work, and conditional offers that could hinder assessment or potentially disadvantage the state.

“One other bidder failed the qualification stage because of missing or materially incorrect documentation and a failure to meet specified requirements,” Rear Adm Parat said.

The procurement committee unanimously applied an evidence-based evaluation using the same standards for all bidders and considered only documents submitted on time.

The navy said that one firm left in the race did not make awarding the contract automatic, as the committee still had to assess technical aspects, price, delivery terms, warranties, lifetime support, technology transfer and value for money.

Hanwha Ocean Co Ltd of South Korea was selected after evaluation and negotiations at a final price of 16.73 billion baht, 270 million baht below the ceiling, or about 1.6%. The figure includes VAT, taxes and duties, transport, insurance and related costs.

Under the final offer, Hanwha will provide an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) design, an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) design, and rights to access and further develop knowledge relating to the Tactical Data Link and Combat Management System (CMS). The navy said that would reduce dependence on foreign technology and help Thailand modify, integrate and develop systems while strengthening its defence industry and personnel.

The offset package includes investment, research and development, technology transfer, personnel development, joint production and the use of Thai labour, materials, goods and services. Hanwha’s proposal has an actual value of 7.254 billion baht, equivalent to 43.36% of the project value, and an Offset Credit Value of more than 53.65 billion baht.

The navy said the credit is a calculated figure based on set criteria and multipliers, not money paid to the government. Offset commitments would be written into the contract with plans, deadlines, indicators and verification.

Contract negotiations, drafting and signing come next, followed by design, construction, system installation, testing, training, acceptance and delivery. The navy said it would monitor performance, the delivery schedule, technology transfer, domestic activities and offset commitments.

Trump announces ‘infinite life’ agreement on US security in Greenland

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that the United States has reached an agreement with Denmark and Greenland that he says will give Washington permanent control over security and other strategic needs in Greenland.

‘I am pleased to announce that the United States of America has entered into an Agreement with the Kingdom of Denmark, and Greenland, that gives the United States permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland,’ Trump said.

According to Trump, the agreement fully addresses U.S. concerns regarding Greenland and will not impose any costs on the United States.

He said the agreement guarantees that the United States will have the ability ‘forever’ to take whatever measures it considers necessary to secure and defend Greenland and the United States.

Trump also noted the agreement prevents any U.S. adversary from establishing a base or military presence in Greenland, or making sensitive investments there, without Washington’s express written approval.

‘For over 100 years, Presidents have known the strategic importance of Greenland, but NONE of them were able to do anything about it,’ Trump said, adding that he was proud to be the president who had ‘permanently and conclusively addressed’ the issue.

Trump described the agreement as an ‘Infinite Life’ Agreement, saying that it would have no expiration date.

He also announced that the United States would immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in an appropriate part of Greenland.

‘We will work with the people of Greenland in its development and construction,’ Trump said.

The U.S. president described the agreement as a positive outcome for the United States, Denmark, Greenland and U.S. allies, and said Washington looked forward to working with Denmark and Greenland on the future development of the strategically important territory.

‘We will be very protective of it!’ Trump said.