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SECRETARY of Foreign Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro co-chaired a foreign ministerial meeting on ‘Reinforcing Cooperation to Achieve a Secure and Stable Maritime Domain’ during the United Nations (UN) General Assembly’s 80th Session.

On September 24, 40 countries actively participated in the meeting, which was co-hosted by the Philippines with Australia, Estonia, Greece, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Acknowledging the current challenges in ensuring a secure and stable maritime domain, there was renewed commitment to multilateralism and the shared stewardship of the world’s oceans.

In particular, emphasis was placed on international law, cooperation across shared maritime issues such as the protection of the marine environment, ensuring freedom of navigation and commerce, facilitating global connectivity, and securing critical underwater infrastructure.

‘As a growing coalition across regions, we reaffirmed international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [or UNCLOS as the constitution for the oceans,] and the legal framework in addressing global challenges to security and stability at sea.’ Lazaro said at the meeting.

Hope From Within (HFW), a multi-stakeholder cancer advocacy campaign spearheaded by global healthcare leader MSD in the Philippines, recently marked its 10th anniversary with a renewed commitment to strengthen its focus on the needs of Filipino cancer patients. The milestone celebration served as a powerful call to intensify efforts to close critical gaps in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment access nationwide.

‘Hope From Within has become more than a campaign, it is a movement that opens doors for patients,’ said Allan Ancheta, Business Unit Director for Oncology at MSD in the Philippines.

‘Whether it’s supporting access to early screening, expanding treatment options, or building partnerships that empower communities, HFW has been about making quality cancer care a reality for more Filipinos. Our commitment is to continue breaking barriers, so no patient is left behind,’ he added.

Building on foundational initiatives like Cancer Game Plan PH and Tita Hope Talks, which focused on strengthening healthcare infrastructure, improving financing models, and securing cancer assistance funds, HFW has evolved.

In 2024, the campaign expanded into precision medicine with the launch of ‘Hit the Mark.’ This initiative unites patient groups, medical societies, laboratories, and healthcare companies to champion equitable access to biomarker testing and personalized treatment for lung cancer patients. Initially partnering with Hi-Precision Diagnostics, Hit the Mark recently welcomed Detoxicare Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory. Eligible patients now benefit from a single, unified form for convenient access to vital lung cancer biomarker tests (including EGFR and PD-L1), providing oncologists with critical tools for recommending the most appropriate treatment options from the start.

Patient Safety Day 2025

The HFW anniversary coincided with Patient Safety Day 2025 which highlighted that true safety in cancer care means more than preventing harm; it requires timely diagnosis, affordable treatment, and equitable access to innovative therapies. For many Filipinos, these remain out of reach, creating urgent gaps in care that HFW seeks to close.

‘We cannot talk about patient safety without addressing accessibility,’ said Andreas Riedel, President and Managing Director of MSD in the Philippines.

‘Safety is compromised when treatment is delayed or denied. That is why we continue working with partners to strengthen the cancer care continuum, whether through financing reforms, awareness campaigns, or biomarker testing so that every Filipino patient gets the care they need, when they need it,’ Riedel emphasized.

Redefining cancer care

Since its inception in 2015, HFW has been at the forefront of efforts to redefine cancer care through education, patient empowerment, and policy advocacy. Over the years, the platform has reached more than 20 million Filipinos, mobilizing communities, patient groups, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to work together toward the full implementation and funding of the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA).

‘Every Filipino cancer patient deserves the best possible chance, not just to survive, but to live well,’ said Riedel.

He shared that Hope From Within was founded on the principle of placing patients at the center of all healthcare decisions.

‘Ten years on, our mission is stronger than ever: to find real solutions that close the cancer care gap, make treatment accessible, and give every patient the dignity of hope,’ added Riedel.

Empowering patients with digital tools

In keeping with its commitment to providing patient-centered resources, HFW will soon launch Let’s Talk Lung, a new AI-powered chatbot accessible via the campaign’s website. This digital innovation provides patients, caregivers, and the public with quick, reliable answers to common questions about lung cancer, including symptoms and diagnostic tests. Building on HFW’s award-winning platform, the chatbot expands the campaign’s capacity to empower patients with accurate, accessible, and easy-to-understand information anytime, anywhere.

HFW’s decade of sustained advocacy reflects the true power of partnership, yielding significant results-from championing the passage of the NICCA in 2019 to helping secure increased cancer assistance funding. Moving forward, MSD in the Philippines and its diverse partners across government, healthcare, and patient communities remain united by one goal: delivering equitable, comprehensive, and safe cancer care to every Filipino.

‘Ten years is just the beginning,’ Riedel concluded. ‘We will keep working until every Filipino patient feels seen, heard, and supported, and until no one has to fight cancer alone.’

President Donald Trump’s administration said Tuesday that the state of Minnesota and its governing body for high school sports are violating a key federal law against sex discrimination by allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls sports.

The ruling came from the civil rights offices at the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. The agencies said the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League are violating Title IX ‘by allowing males to compete in female sports and occupy female intimate facilities.’

The agencies said they found that the league has allowed transgender athletes to compete in girls Alpine and Nordic skiing, girls lacrosse team, girls track and field, girls volleyball and girls fastpitch softball.

‘The Trump Administration will not allow Minnesota or any other state to sacrifice the safety, fair treatment, and dignity of its female students to appease the false idols of radical gender ideology,’ Craig Trainor, the federal Education Department’s acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a statement.

Trump’s administration initiated its investigation after he issued an executive order in February giving the federal government wide latitude to pull funding from entities that ‘deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities’ by allowing transgender athletes to participate.

The Minnesota State High School League said in response back then that it would follow state law – not the executive order – and continue to allow transgender athletes to compete in prep athletics. Associations in some other states signaled they also might defy the president’s order, but others took a wait-and-see approach.

The federal agencies gave the state and league 10 days to voluntarily accept a list of conditions to reverse their policies or risk imminent enforcement action.

The state Department of Education said in a statement it is ‘reviewing the letter and remains committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive in a safe and supportive school community.’

The league did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Trump administration has launched over two dozen investigations of transgender policies in schools and colleges, including access to sports, locker rooms and bathrooms, according The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit news organization. The US Education Department said in August that Denver schools violated Title IX by creating all-gender bathrooms.

Trinasolar International Systems Business Unit (ISBU), the project development arm of China’s Trinosolar Co. Ltd., signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with AdventEnergy Inc., the retail electricity supply arm of Aboitiz Power Corp., for the 49.9-megawatt alternating current (MWac) Mabini solar project in Pangasinan.

The solar power project is scheduled for commercial operations in the third quarter of next year and is expected to generate 110.84 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity in its first year, equivalent to the annual energy consumption of over 24,000 households. This project is expected to reduce 76,549 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

The Mabini solar project earlier secured a green lane certification from the Board of Investments (BOI). The certification aims to fast-track permitting and licensing for strategic energy investments.

‘The Mabini Solar Project shows what can be achieved through strong cooperation between the Advent and Trinasolar,’ said Trinasolar ISBU Southeast Asia Country Manager Derek Wang. ‘Together, we are advancing the country’s renewable energy goals and creating lasting value for local communities.’

Wang signed the PPA with AdventEnergy Assistant Vice President for Retail Operations Rence Pazcoguin, Vice President for Retail Operations and Portfolio Management John Davis Mangubat, President James Byron Yu.

‘We look forward to working hand-in-hand with Trina Solar as we bring a stronger and more sustainable energy future to our customers and deliver lasting impact to the industries we serve,’ said Yu.

Filipino renewable energy (RE) developer Spotlight Power, Inc. is the developer of the Mabini solar power project, with support from Trina Solar.

Last March, AboitizPower said it has set aside P78.1 billion for capital expenditures (capex) this year, majority of which will be used to expand its renewable energy (RE) portfolio, aligning with its goal of increasing its clean energy capacity to 4,600 MW by 2030.

The company said it will continue to make huge bets on RE. Last year it set aside 72 percent of its capex budget of P73 billion for clean energy projects.

These include the 159-MWp Laoag solar project in Pangasinan, the 17-MW Tiwi binary geothermal plant in Albay, the 45-MWp Armenia solar project in Tarlac, and the 173-MWp Calatrava solar project in Negros Occidental.

PRESIDENT Marcos on Wednesday morning ordered immediate relief and rehabilitation efforts in Northern Cebu, which was hit by a 6.9 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday night.

The Office of Civil Defense reported that 26 people have been reported killed, 19 in Bogo City, five in the town of San Remigio, and one each in Tabuelan and Medellin.

OCD said 147 people were also reported injured.

Marcos ordered concerned government agencies to deploy immediate aid and emergency funds in the areas of the island province.

Hours after the quake hit, Social Welfare Secretary Rexlon T. Gatchalian, Public Works Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon, Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque flew to the province to coordinate government support, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

Marcos also directed the Department of Health (DOH) to check the status of the personnel of the medical facilities, which are near the affected areas, so they can assist the quake victims.

‘Doctors, nurses, and staff of the DOH Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) and the DOH Cebu South Medical Center (CSMC) have reported back on their safety. They are now deploying medical teams to nearby areas, especially in Bogo City itself,’ PCO said.

PCO said the Department of the Interior and Local Government has also mobilized personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection and the National Police (PNP) to help search and rescue operations, as well as to prevent looting and maintain order.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it has P379 million in standby funds and has 2.4 million boxes of family food packs (FFPs) prepositioned nationwide, which can be tapped to provide relief to the affected areas.

Of the food packs, 300,000 are spread all over Cebu and ready for immediate distribution, Gatchalian said.

For its part, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the agencies that are responding to the recent disaster may use their Quick Response Funds (QRF) to provide urgent relief and recovery initiatives.

It noted that agencies may seek replenishment from the DBM once their QRF balance has been reduced to at least 50 percent.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the magnitude 6.9 tremor struck at 9:59 p.m. on September 30, with its epicenter located 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City.

The quake was initially reported as a magnitude 6.7 before being upgraded to 6.9. It had a depth of five kilometers and was tectonic in origin.

The Department of Health (DOH) has deployed medical teams to Bogo City, Cebu, following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake on Tuesday night.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said that the first batch of the emergency response team came from Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City.

In addition, the DOH Cebu South Medical Center (CSMC) on Wednesday has also deployed medical teams not only in Bogo City but in nearby areas.

The DOH Centers for Health Development (CHDs-regional offices) in Central and Eastern Visayas have reported back and are now coordinating with their regional counterparts of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Herbosa said.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross (PRC) has mobilized its ambulances from Cebu, Bogo, and Masbate to assist those affected by the earthquake.

The PRC said that its volunteers continue to respond on the scene to provide essential medical care.

Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr., acting National Police (PNP) chief, on Wednesday ordered the mobilization of all personnel and resources to maximize the assistance to all affected residents after Tuesday night’s magnitude 6.9 earthquake that jolted the province of Cebu.

Aside from responding to the needs of the affected residents in coordination with local governments (LGUs), Nartatez said policemen were tasked to help secure establishments and vital infrastructure that may have been compromised as a result of the strong earthquake to ensure public safety.

‘Our personnel on the ground were among the first responders, and we assure the people of Cebu that we will extend all the necessary assistance- from securing affected establishments to attending to the needs of the local residents,’ said Nartatez.

The order is in line with Marcos’s directive to ensure fast and reliable government assistance to those in need.

Nartatez directed Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 (Central Visayas) to immediately activate its Disaster Incident Management Task Group and submit a comprehensive report on the impact of the earthquake that struck the Visayas.

He further instructed PRO7 to provide real-time updates to the National Headquarters, particularly on the extent of damage, affected communities, and the operational response being undertaken on the ground.

Nartatez also emphasized the immediate accounting of deployed personnel, logistics readiness, and the conduct of Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (Rdana).

Aside from the province of Cebu, police units in other affected provinces were also instructed to coordinate with the LGUs for any response.

‘We are closely monitoring the development on the ground to maximize police assistance in areas where additional manpower and your PNP is needed,’ said Nartatez.

With the strong magnitude and with reported damage on some establishments, Nartatez said they will place on standby personnel from the Engineering Service for technical assistance to the proper authorities.

‘Our Engineering Service will be on standby for possible rendering of assistance in the structural integrity inspection of buildings and establishments,’ said Nartatez.

Police stations and establishments, he said, will be inspected as part of the efforts to ensure the safety of PNP personnel in Cebu.

He said police forces in the entire province of Cebu were also ordered to keep all their communication lines open for any request for assistance.

Nartatez underscored the importance of close coordination with LGUs, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, and other government agencies to ensure a unified and effective disaster response.

He also reminded the regional office to support local evacuation efforts, secure affected areas, and keep the public properly informed through official advisories.

Additional resources from the National Headquarters and nearby regions are on standby to reinforce PRO7 in safeguarding communities and restoring normalcy at the soonest possible time.

‘Kagabi pa ay tumulong ang PNP at nagpadala tayo ng augmentation force para tumulong sa search and rescue [operations] sa mga apektadong lugar (As early as last night, the PNP deployed an augmentation force to help in search and rescue operations in affected areas,’ Central Visayas police chief Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said.

LIVING a more mindful life opens the path toward greater overall happiness.

Wellness coach and health educator Elizabeth Scott, PhD, stated that directing all attention and awareness to the present may bring many benefits to relationships, emotional and physical health.

‘Practicing everyday mindfulness can pull you out of the negative downward spiral caused by too much daily stress, too many bad moods, or the habit of rumination,’ she explained.

Scott, who specializes in stress management, positive psychology, and family counseling, noted that it can likewise assist to put stressful events into perspective.

This builds resilience so you are less overwhelmed in the future.

‘Learning to be present in the moment is a way of life,’ expounded the author of self-help book 8 Keys to Stress Management.

‘With practice, you can learn to live a more mindful life that allows you to become more conscious of everything you are doing,’ she added.

To guide the general public, experts from the Benilde Well-Being Center (BWC) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) shared Scott’s insights as published on the award-winning platform Verywell Mind.

Here are her key points:

Mindfulness in eating. Mindless eating-whether you eat as you scroll through your phone or look to food for emotional comfort-can contribute to problems, such as overeating and consuming too much sugar.

Her tip: Resist the urge to multitask. Be present with your food. Pay attention to each bite Chew slowly.

Savor the taste. Notice how you fuel your body.

Mindfulness in interactions Communication is important. Mindfulness in a relationship is to observe and interact without judgment.

When you are with someone, give them your undivided attention. Listen carefully. Focus on what they are saying, instead of your own response. Learn to reply with purpose.

Mindfulness in daily activities. Trouble recalling whether you washed your hair when in the shower or forgetting why you walked into a room are signs that your mind is full.

Focus on what you are doing as you are doing it-and nothing else. Tune into physical sensations. Let go of anxiety over the past and thoughts of the future. When your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to the current moment. Simple activities to focus on may include walking, gardening, or even just eating chocolate.

Pause to be mindful throughout the day. It may be a challenge to stay mindful as you move from one activity to the next.

Get back on track by focusing on your breathing when you’re upset or anxious. It can have a calming effect and help you stay grounded.

Progressive muscle relaxation is another exercise. Tense and relax your muscles-one muscle group at a time. You will learn to recognize when you tense up certain body parts.

DESPITE attempts by the Land Bank of the Philippines to rule out any irregularity in its handling of nearly half a billion pesos in cash that was released to a government contractor from DPWH funds, Senator Francis Pancratius ‘Kiko’ N. Pangilinan said the government-owned bank fell short of its duties in helping enforce policies to prevent money laundering.

At the plenary session last Tuesday, the senator highlighted the irregularity in Landbank’s release of P457 million in cash within two days.

‘These are all very legalese,’ Pangilinan said in response to a question posed by Senator Ana Theresia ‘Risa’ N. Hontiveros. ‘And if we’re going to use legalese language in order to gloss over the fact that, no matter how you look at it: two days, cash transactions, P457 million-how can that, in any way, be unsuspicious or regular?’

The senator expressed alarm over LandBank’s statement that it faithfully and strictly adhered to existing Philippine banking laws and regulations.

‘Ang tanong: Ibig sabihin ba dahil walang mali sa paglabas ng P457 million cash sa dalawang araw ay mauulit ito? Pwedeng gawin ito dahil to quote, sumunod sila ‘faithfully and strictly’ sa lahat ng existing PH banking laws and regulations?’

[Does this mean that, because they claim there’s nothing wrong in the release of P457 million in cash over two days, this can be repeated? That this can be done again because, to quote, they ‘faithfully and strictly followed’ all existing PH banking laws and regulations?]

Pangilinan added: ‘We beg to disagree. Dapat sana sinabi nila sa kanilang statement ‘maghahanap kami ng paraan para hindi na mangyari ulit ito.” [They should have said in their statement, we will find a way to ensure this does not happen again.]

The senator reminded government banking institutions of their responsibilities given that they’re managing taxpayers’ money being squandered away instead of being used for food, education, health, and livelihood.

‘The only thing I ask of LandBank and whoever drafted their statement, and all of us whose salaries are paid for by the people, is for us to have a mindset of, ‘for the people, we offer every working day, every peso that comes in and out of government banks, is for the Filipino, ouir countrymen,’ Pangilinan continued, partly in Filipino. ‘It is not enough to not do bad but we must not stand idly by while bad is happening, or while bad is already being exposed to everyone. Pakiusap po ito: Please, Landbank, let us do better for our people.’

The senator, in response to a question about possible amendments to existing laws, said that there must be ‘a different set of rules and regulations’ for government banks such as the Landbank and the Development Bank of the Philippines.

Pangilinan also pushed for looking into amending the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) after he flagged both the LandBank and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for neglecting the suspicious transaction report generated for the P457-million transaction.

‘Shouldn’t they [AMLC] have called LandBank to seek the details? And if AMLC didn’t call, then Landbank should have called AMLC to ask, ‘What should be done with this? P457 million in cash is being withdrawn from the funds of [the] DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways]?,” the senator said.

Pangilinan was referring to the cash withdrawn by Syms Construction Trading Inc. owner Sally N. Santos, one of the DPWH contractors involved in the multi-billion infrastructure corruption issue. The money was meant for former DPWH Bulacan 1st District Assistant Engineer Brice Ericson D. Hernandez, who had admitted to Senate probers that their engineering district was deeply involved in the systematic diversion of huge chunks of funds for flood-control projects, for kickbacks of officials, including lawmakers.

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported that the country’s foreign currency deposit unit (FCDU) loans posted flat growth in the second quarter of 2025.

The data showed non-peso loans inched 0.9 percent to $15.93 billion in the second quarter of 2025 from $15.78 billion in the previous quarter.

The bulk of the loans, worth $10.12 billion (63.5 percent) were extended to Philippine-based borrowers, while the rest went to non-residents.

‘As of end-June 2025, outstanding loans reflected $6.76 billion in new loans and $6.64 billion in loan payments made during the reference quarter,’ the BSP said. ‘Year-on-year, FCDU loans grew 1.9 percent. The increase came alongside the 10-percent growth in deposits in foreign currencies, which reached $60.67 billion from $55.16 billion.’

According to the central bank, major Philippine-based borrowers were led by merchandise and service exporters whose loans grew 24.9 percent to $2.52 billion in the second quarter. This was followed by FCDU loans of towing, tanker, trucking, forwarding, personal and other industries; growing 22 percent to $2.22 billion.

The BSP said FCDU loans of power generation companies also posted double digit growth of 18.7 percent which brought their loans to $1.89 billion in the second quarter.

‘Most loans were medium- to long-term, with maturities over one year. These accounted for 79 percent of the total, higher than the 77.2 percent in the previous quarter,’ according to the central bank.

FCDU loans are loans denominated in a foreign currency, such as US dollars, extended by FCDUs of local banks or local branches of foreign banks authorized by the BSP to engage in foreign currency transactions. These loans support economic activities that require foreign exchange, such as importers, businesses, and individuals with foreign currency transactions.

XDS-Astana rider Matteo Malucelli stamped his mark when he claimed his second stage victory at the Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi 2025 (PLTdL25) on Tuesday afternoon, edging out Uno-X Mobility’s Alexander Kristoff in a sprint finish at the end of Stage 3 from Gerik, Perak to Pasir Puteh,Kelantan.

Malucelli, who led the main peloton, clocked a time of 4 hours 28 minutes 04 seconds. He previously won Stage 1 in Langkawi but lost to Tudor Cycling Team’s Arvid de Kleijn at Stage 2 in Kepala Batas yesterday.

More impressively, today’s success-his fifth stage win in PLTdL after three victories last year, sees the Italian rider solidify his lead in the overall individual classification.

He continues to wear the PETRONAS Green Jersey, 16 seconds ahead of his two closest rivals, Erland Blikra (Uno-X) and Astana teammate Aaron Gate.

The victory also confirms Malucelli’s grip on the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) Orange Jersey for the Sprint King classification, increasing his lead to 42 points as his closest rival De Kleijn dropped far behind after the three climbing zones in the 198.2km route.

Meanwhile, Picnic PostNL rider, Patrick Eddy, who was part of the breakaway group, dominated the Category 3 climb (Gerik) and the Category 1 climb (Puncak Titiwangsa) and took third place in the Category 2 climb at Sri Banding.

The Australian-born rider, who joined Picnic last year, collected 15 points – an equal score with Burgos Burpellet-BH’s Jambaljamts Sainbayar. However, Eddy was awarded the BubblesO2 Polka Dot Jersey as the King of the Mountains for being the first to cross the summit of the higher-ranked Category 1 climb at Puncak Titiwangsa.

The Rakan Muda White Jersey for the Best Asian Rider has also changed hands, going to Vadim Pronskiy after his teammate, Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli, who wore the jersey for the first two stages, finished in the second group.

Eddy, Sainbayar (who was also named the Most Combative Rider), Vadim, Daniel Whitehouse (St George Continental) and Cedric Bakke Christophersen (Unibet Tietema Rockets) were in the first breakaway group, maintaining the lead with about 3 minutes over the main group. However, they were caught on the descent by a peloton who realized De Kleijn was not among them. The main peloton, led by Uno-X, Kern Pharma and Astana, continued to increase the gap and arrived almost 16 minutes ahead of the second group.

Malucelli admitted he felt a little sad about having to disappoint Kristoff, who is considered a legendary rider aiming to add to his personal win collection before retiring at the end of the year.

‘It’s a mixed feeling. I wouldn’t be sad if I had lost to Kristoff. But this is cycling. We just want to do our best in every race and all my teammates worked hard on the climbs and the flat route to create a significant gap ahead. I was quite far back as we approached the finish line because my teammates were exhausted and I just sprinted to the best as I could,’ said the 31-year-old rider, who only smiled after the commissaires confirmed his win via photo-finish.

Meanwhile, Eddy was delighted to wear the Polka Dot King of the Mountains jersey and felt his performance was in good shape after racing in the Vuelta a Espana a few weeks ago.

‘It’s hard to explain because this wasn’t my target. I just tried to chase the front riders and we managed to dominate the first three climbing zones. This (Polka Dot Jersey) will be a new motivation for me and the team after only being listed at the last minute with two young riders on the team this time,’ he said, referencing the overall green jersey won by Picnic PostNL rider Max Poole last year.

Vadim admitted the white jersey is not unfamiliar, as he won it in 2019 and 2023 when he was with the elite WorldTeam, Astana-Qazakhstan. ‘I’m becoming more comfortable and happy with TSG and consider Malaysia as my second home. Today was quite difficult because when I tried to break away on the first climb, a few riders were quite fast in the chase. I’m happy and hope to keep this jersey for the more difficult climbs ahead in Stage 5 from Temerloh to Bukit Fraser,’ he said.

Local fans also cheered local rider Tsen Ren Bao, son of former national rider Tsen Seong Hoong and now representing St George, who finished 28th in the stage to become the Best ASEAN Rider.

Only 118 riders completed the Stage 3 after three riders did not start (DNS) and five others failed to finish (DNF).

Jonathan Kuminga agreed to a two-year contract with the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday that could be worth up to $46.5 million if the team exercises its option for 2026-27.

The Warriors announced Kuminga’s new deal late Tuesday. A person with knowledge of the contract provided details, speaking on condition of anonymity because terms weren’t made public.

Kuminga has had a $7.9 million qualifying offer in hand since June 29 but was also weighing other options. He had until Wednesday night to accept the qualifying offer.

Kuminga missed media day Monday and Day 1 of training camp Tuesday, but many of his teammates expressed support and confidence that the high-flying forward would show up ready to work and help the team win.

Kuminga, who turns 23 on Oct. 6, missed much of last season with a right ankle injury. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 24.3 minutes over 47 games with 10 starts. He also scored 15.3 points per game over eight playoff games while shooting 48.4% from the floor and making 40% of his 3-point attempts. That included a career-best 30-point performance in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The unsettled situation for Kuminga, a restricted free agent, has overshadowed the offseason and delayed general manager Mike Dunleavy’s ability to build the roster.

Center Al Horford had reached agreement on a deal and now guard Seth Curry – the younger brother of Warriors star Stephen Curry – is set to join the mix, too.

Stephen Curry said players had discussed how things would go once Kuminga is back in the fold.

‘We talk about it for sure,’ he said Monday. ‘As leaders on the team you have to acknowledge what’s going on and don’t make it more than what it is.

‘Knowing JK’s situation, knowing the new faces that we’re adding to the roster, we talk about it every year going into a training camp – what it’s going to take for that particular team to win.’