MAYNILA. Umugong ang usapin ng posibleng pagpapalit ng liderato sa Mababang Kapulungan kasabay ng pagbubukas ng sesyon ngayong Setyembre 17 o sa mga susunod na araw.
“Baka, it’s possible,” ayon kay Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco nang tanungin ng media tungkol sa posibilidad ng pagbabago sa liderato.
Ayon sa ilang insiders, ito umano ang dahilan kaya ipinatawag ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. si Speaker Martin Romualdez sa Malacañang, na sinamahan ni House Majority Leader at Presidential Son Sandro Marcos.
Batay sa mga sources, kabilang sa mga opsyon na tatalakayin kung mananatili si Romualdez sa puwesto, pansamantalang magli-leave at magtalaga ng Acting Speaker, o tuluyang magbitiw sa tungkulin.
Nauugnay ang isyu sa nabunyag na umano’y malawakang katiwalian sa Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), partikular sa mga ghost flood control projects, na sinasabing umabot na sa trilyong piso sa loob ng ilang taon.
Napansin din ang maagang pagsususpinde ng mga sesyon sa Kamara nitong mga nagdaang araw, na nagpatindi pa sa espekulasyon ng pagbabago sa liderato.
Ilan sa mga lumulutang na pangalan bilang kapalit ni Romualdez ay sina Isabela Rep. Faustino Dy ng Federal ng Pilipinas, House Deputy Speaker Ronnie Puno, Bataan Rep. Albert Garcia, at Rep. Jay-Jay Suarez ng Lakas-CMD.
Samantala, iminungkahi ni Tiangco ang pangalan ni Negros Occidental Rep. Albee Benitez bilang isa pang posibleng kandidato para sa Speakership.
Actor, director, and activist Robert Redford has died at the age of 89, his publicist confirmed on Tuesday.
Redford, best known for his roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, and All the President’s Men, passed away in his sleep at his home in Sundance, Utah, surrounded by family. No cause of death has been disclosed.
Over a career spanning six decades, Redford became a defining figure in American cinema, later earning acclaim as a director with his Oscar-winning debut Ordinary People. He also founded the Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, which helped launch the careers of countless independent filmmakers.
Tributes have poured in from across Hollywood and beyond, praising Redford’s contributions to film and his enduring influence as both an artist and activist.
MAYNILA. Tiniyak ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. na hindi maliligtas sina House Speaker Martin Romualdez at dating House appropriations committee chair Rep. Zaldy Co (Ako Bicol party-list) sa imbestigasyon kaugnay ng umano’y maanomalyang flood control projects.
“Well there’s no other way to do it: They will not be spared,” pahayag ng Pangulo sa isang press briefing sa Malacañang noong Setyembre 15.
Ayon kay Marcos, malinaw ang direktiba niya na walang exempted sa gagawing pagsisiyasat ng Independent Commission for Infrastructure hinggil sa mga alegasyon ng anomalya at budget insertions sa flood control projects noong nakaraang taon. Si Romualdez, pinsan ng pangulo at kasalukuyang pinuno ng Kamara, at si Co, dating chairman ng House appropriations committee, ay kapwa iniuugnay sa mga kontrobersyal na pondo para sa mga nasabing proyekto.
Kasabay nito, inanunsiyo ng Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) na ipinag-utos ng Court of Appeals (CA) ang pag-freeze sa assets ng ilang indibidwal at korporasyon na sangkot umano sa mga anomalya.
Sa isang pulong balitaan sa Maynila, sinabi ni AMLC Executive Director Atty. Matthew David na sakop ng freeze order ang 135 bank accounts at 27 insurance policies ng mga naturang indibidwal at korporasyon. Inaprubahan ito ng CA noong Setyembre 12, kasunod ng kahilingan ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Hindi tinukoy ni David ang halaga ng mga bank accounts, ngunit binigyan ang mga bangko ng 24 oras upang magsumite ng ulat. Tumanggi rin siyang magbigay ng dagdag na detalye dahil sa confidentiality clause ng freeze order.
Matatandaang hiniling ng DPWH sa AMLC na isyuhan ng freeze order ang 26 indibidwal na sinampahan ng kasong graft sa Office of the Ombudsman. Kabilang dito sina dating DPWH OIC-Assistant Regional Director Henry Alcantara, dating OIC-District Engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez, dating OIC-Assistant District Engineer Jaypee Mendoza, Construction Section chief John Michael Ramos, at Ernesto Galang ng Planning and Design Section.
Kasama rin sa kinasuhan ang ilang contractors tulad nina Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando, Cezarah “Sarah” Rowena Discaya at Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II ng St. Timothy Construction Corp.; Mark Allan Arevalo ng Wawao Builders; Sally Santos ng SYMS Construction Trading; at Robert Imperio ng IM Construction Corp.
JERUSALEM/CAIRO. Israel on Tuesday launched a large-scale ground assault on Gaza City, declaring “Gaza is burning” as Palestinians described the most intense bombardment since the start of the war two years ago.
An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) official confirmed that troops were advancing deeper into the enclave’s main city and that reinforcements would arrive in the coming days to confront an estimated 3,000 Hamas combatants still present.
“Gaza is burning,” Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X. “The IDF strikes with an iron fist at the terrorist infrastructure and IDF soldiers are fighting bravely to create the conditions for the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas.”
The move came despite warnings from European leaders threatening sanctions and concerns voiced by some Israeli commanders that the operation could prove costly. Washington, however, signaled its support through Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stood alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day.
In a report that heightened international alarm, a United Nations Commission of Inquiry accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, allegedly incited by senior officials including Netanyahu. Israel dismissed the findings as “scandalous” and “fake.”
Gaza’s health ministry said at least 40 people were killed in the first hours of the assault, mostly in Gaza City. Airstrikes destroyed residential towers overnight, leaving residents digging through rubble to retrieve bodies.
Abu Mohammed Hamed, whose relatives were trapped beneath collapsed buildings, told Reuters: “We don’t know how to take her out. We have been working on it since 3 a.m.”
Thousands of Palestinians streamed southward, many on foot, as Israel renewed its calls for civilians to evacuate. “They are destroying residential towers, the pillars of the city, mosques, schools, and roads,” said 70-year-old Abu Tamer, fleeing with his family. “They are wiping out our memories.”
The escalation drew sharp criticism from European allies. EU officials in Brussels said they would move to impose sanctions on Israel, including suspending trade provisions. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called the assault “reckless and appalling” and urged an immediate ceasefire. Britain and France are expected to recognize Palestinian independence later this month.
Witnesses in Tel Al-Hawa reported heavy bombardment from air, ground, and sea, with Israeli forces deploying explosive-laden robots. Some residents, unable to flee, said they had no choice but to stay. “It is like escaping from death towards death, so we are not leaving,” said Um Mohammad, a resident of Sabra.
Hamas and the IDF estimate that around 350,000 people have already fled Gaza City, with nearly twice as many remaining. Aid groups and the United Nations have denounced Israel’s tactics as mass forced displacement under conditions lacking food, medical care, and basic hygiene. Gaza’s health ministry said three more people died of starvation in the past 24 hours, bringing hunger-related deaths to at least 428. Israel maintains that reports of famine are exaggerated.
Inside Israel, some commanders have warned that the assault could jeopardize hostages still held by Hamas or create a “death trap” for soldiers. At a security meeting on Sunday, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir urged Netanyahu to consider a ceasefire, according to officials briefed on the discussion.
Families of hostages gathered outside Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem late Monday as the offensive intensified. “Our loved ones in Gaza are being bombarded by the IDF under the orders of the prime minister,” said Anat Angrest, whose son Matan is among the 20 hostages believed to be alive.
MAYNILA. Isang bagong silang na sanggol ang dinukot ng isang babaeng nagpanggap na nurse sa Lingayen District Hospital sa Pangasinan kamakalawa, ayon sa ulat ng pulisya.
Kinilala ang biktima na si Prince Harry Carpio, ipinanganak noong Setyembre 10, anak nina Romeo at Rocel Carpio ng Binmaley, Pangasinan. Nanawagan ang mag-asawa sa hindi pa nakikilalang suspek na ibalik ang kanilang anak.
Sa inisyal na imbestigasyon ng Lingayen Municipal Police Station, iniwan ni Romeo ang kaniyang mag-ina sa Ob-Gyne ward ng ospital upang magbayad ng hospital bills. Habang wala siya, isang babae na nakasuot ng berdeng uniporme at nagpanggap na nurse ang lumapit kay Rocel at sinabing kukunin muna ang sanggol para sa umano’y blood test.
Makalipas ang ilang oras at hindi pa naibabalik ang bata, nagtanong ang mga magulang sa nurse station. Dito nila nalaman na walang isinasagawang blood test at hindi kinuha ng mga staff ng ospital ang kanilang anak.
Agad na nagreport sa pulisya ang mag-asawa. Sa kasalukuyan, nagsasagawa ng masusing imbestigasyon ang mga awtoridad at nire-review ang mga kuha sa CCTV sa loob at labas ng ospital upang matunton ang salarin.
JAKARTA, Indonesia. The Indonesian government on Monday announced a new economic stimulus package worth 16.23 trillion rupiah ($989 million), aimed at boosting growth and creating jobs through food assistance, infrastructure projects, and tax relief measures.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the package will take effect in the fourth quarter of 2025, with some measures extended to 2026. He expressed confidence that the program would help sustain the country’s momentum after recording a 5.12% annual growth rate in the second quarter, Indonesia’s strongest in two years.
“With this stimulus package, we hope we could still reach the 5.2% economic growth target this year,” Hartarto told reporters after a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto.
Key measures include distributing 10 kilograms of rice to 18.3 million households in the last quarter of 2025, removing personal income tax for tourism workers, and allocating 5.3 trillion rupiah for a “cash for work” scheme expected to provide temporary employment to more than 600,000 people between September and December. The program will engage rural workers in infrastructure projects such as road and bridge construction.
The package also features a paid internship program for 20,000 university graduates and a 50% discount on policy payments for state-provided work injury insurance covering ride-hailing motorcycle drivers and truck drivers. Both the tax exemption for select sectors and the insurance subsidies will remain in place until 2026.
Meanwhile, the government decided to delay a planned increase in income tax on small businesses, keeping the current rate of 0.5% of turnover until 2029 instead of raising it to 1% next year.
Looking ahead, Jakarta will launch a replanting initiative in 2026 covering 870,000 hectares of plantations for commodities such as sugar cane, cocoa, coffee, cashew, nutmeg, and coconut. The program is projected to create 1.6 million jobs. Airlangga also announced discounted airfares for year-end holiday travel, though details were not provided.
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the stimulus measures will not affect the 2025 budget deficit forecast of 2.78% of GDP.
Housing Minister Maruarar Sirait added that the government, through state banks, will disburse 130 trillion rupiah in construction loans to select property developers and small businesses to expand their stores. The state will subsidize 5% of the annual interest costs on the loans, part of efforts by the Prabowo administration to deliver three million affordable homes annually while generating more jobs.
ACCRA, Ghana. In Ghana, coffins are more than just burial boxes. From giant pink fish and colorful peacocks to airplanes painted with the national flag, these creations—known locally as Abebuo, meaning “proverb”are crafted to reflect the essence of the deceased’s life and identity.
For farmers, a coffin may take the shape of crops or tools they used. Fishmongers are remembered through fish-shaped coffins, while chiefs are laid to rest in lion designs, a symbol of power. In Accra’s Labadi suburb, royal families use rooster coffins, an emblem tied to their lineage. Each choice is deliberate, reflecting a person’s status, occupation, and heritage.
The practice, which began with the Ga people of Accra, has now spread across Ghana. Coffins take about two weeks to complete and cost at least $700, depending on materials and design complexity. Funerals themselves are vibrant occasions, filled with music, dancing, and displays of cultural heritage.
Coffin maker Nicolas Ablorh Annan, whose family has been in the craft for generations, said demand is not limited to Ghanaian families. Many coffins are now ordered abroad, destined for museums and exhibitions. “For us, it’s a business,” Annan explained, noting that six coffins are currently being prepared for shipment overseas.
Carpenter Eric Kpakpo Adotey described how fantasy coffins change the atmosphere of funerals. “People forget for a moment what’s inside; they admire the coffin and the atmosphere shifts,” he said.
For mourners, these coffins are more than resting places. They are tributes carved in wood, stories, symbols, and final proverbs left behind for the living.
A fish fantasy coffin crafted by Eric Kpakpo Adotey is displayed by the roadside in La, Accra, Ghana, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)Fantasy coffins crafted by Nicholas and his family are displayed at their showroom in Teshie, Accra, Ghana, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (AP Photo/ Misper Apawu)
MAYNILA. Patuloy ang pag-ulan sa malaking bahagi ng bansa habang dalawang low pressure area (LPA) ang binabantayan ng Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) sa loob ng Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Ayon sa PAGASA, parehong “unlikely” o “mababa ang tsansa” na maging bagyo sa loob ng susunod na 24 oras ang naturang mga LPA.
Sa ulat ng ahensya kaninang alas tres ng madaling araw nitong Martes, ang isang LPA ay namataan sa layong 460 kilometro kanluran ng Coron, Palawan. Isa pang LPA ang nasa 190 kilometro silangan hilagang-silangan ng Juban, Sorsogon.
Dahil dito, makararanas ng maulap na papawirin na may kalat-kalat na pag-ulan at pagkidlat-pagkulog ang Bicol Region, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Aurora, Quezon, Rizal, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Quirino at Nueva Vizcaya.
Apektado rin ng trough ng LPA ang Metro Manila, MIMAROPA, natitirang bahagi ng Central Luzon at CALABARZON, gayundin ang nalalabing bahagi ng Visayas.
Samantala, ang nalalabing bahagi ng Cagayan Valley ay makararanas ng maulap na kalangitan na may kalat-kalat na ulan bunsod ng easterlies. Ang parehong weather system din ang magdadala ng bahagyang maulap hanggang maulap na papawirin na may pulu-pulong pag-ulan o pagkidlat-pagkulog sa Ilocos Region at Cordillera Administrative Region.
Sa Mindanao, makararanas ng maulap na kalangitan na may kalat-kalat na pag-ulan at pagkidlat-pagkulog ang Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at SOCCSKSARGEN dahil sa southwest monsoon.
Ang natitirang bahagi ng Mindanao naman ay makararanas ng bahagyang maulap hanggang maulap na papawirin na may pulu-pulong pag-ulan o pagkidlat-pagkulog dulot ng localized thunderstorms.
MAYNILA. Tiniyak ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na walang sasantuhin ang Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) sa imbestigasyon hinggil sa umano’y katiwalian sa mga flood control projects, kahit pa kaibigan, kaalyado o kamag-anak ang madadamay.
Sa isang press conference sa Malacañang, binigyang-diin ng Pangulo na magiging ganap na independent ang tatlong kinatawan ng ICI. Aniya, wala silang ugnayan sa alinmang ahensya ng gobyerno, maliban kay Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong.
“Anybody will say, ah hindi, wala, wala tayong kinikilingan, wala tayong tinutulungan, wala namang maniniwala sa iyo hanggat gawin mo e, so gagawin namin,” pahayag ng Pangulo.
Lumabas ang kanyang pahayag matapos sabihin ni Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco na sina Speaker Martin Romualdez at dating House Appropriations chair Zaldy Co umano ang nasa likod ng anomalya.
Samantala, inamin din ni Marcos na kung hindi lamang siya ang Pangulo ay nais din niyang makiisa sa mga protesta laban sa isyu. Kaugnay ito sa mga nakatakdang kilos-protesta sa Setyembre 21 sa Luneta at People Power Monument.
“Do you blame them for going out into the streets? If I wasn’t President, I might be out in the streets with them. So you know, of course they are enraged. Of course they’re angry. I’m angry. We should all be angry, because what’s happening is not right,” wika ni Marcos.
Dagdag pa niya, karapatan ng bawat mamamayan na magpahayag ng galit at pagkadismaya sa pamamagitan ng mapayapang demonstrasyon. “To show that you are enraged, to show that you are angry, to show that you are disappointed, to show that you want justice, to show that you want fairness. What’s wrong with that?… I want to hold these people accountable just like they do. So I don’t blame them. Not one bit,” dagdag ng Pangulo.
Gayunman, hinimok niya ang mga organisador at kalahok na tiyaking mapayapa ang lahat ng pagkilos at hindi mauwi sa kaguluhan.
DOHA/JERUSALEM. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that he would not rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders “wherever they are,” as Arab and Islamic states gathered in Doha on Sunday to show support for Qatar following last week’s Israeli attack in the Gulf state.
The September 9 strike in Doha, which Israel said targeted Hamas leaders, marked a sharp escalation in the conflict. Hamas confirmed that five members, including the son of its exiled Gaza chief, were killed, though senior leadership survived. Qatar reported that one of its security agents also died.
Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani denounced the attack as “cowardly and treacherous,” urging the summit to take “practical and decisive steps” in response. Leaders from Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt joined the meeting, though the final communique softened language from earlier drafts, omitting direct warnings that the strike threatened regional normalization efforts. The statement did, however, call on states to review diplomatic and economic ties with Israel.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned that Israel’s actions “put obstacles in the way of any opportunities for any new peace agreements and even aborts existing ones.” The Gulf Cooperation Council separately criticized Israel’s “continuation of these aggressive policies,” saying they risk undermining existing agreements.
In Jerusalem, Netanyahu met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who offered strong backing despite Washington’s unease over the Qatar strike. Rubio stressed that the only way to end the Gaza war was for Hamas to release all hostages and surrender. “As much as we may wish that there be a peaceful, diplomatic way to end it, and we’ll continue to explore and be dedicated to it, we also have to be prepared for the possibility that’s not going to happen,” Rubio said, calling Hamas “savage terrorists.”
The United States confirmed it was not given advance warning of the Qatar strike. Former President Donald Trump, speaking on Sunday, cautioned that while Israel must act against Hamas, “Qatar has been a great ally to the United States” and should be treated carefully.
Meanwhile, fighting continued in Gaza. Local health authorities reported at least 16 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on two homes and a tent sheltering displaced families in Gaza City. The Israeli military also destroyed a 16-floor building in western Gaza, which it said was being used to hide “terrorist infrastructure,” after giving residents one hour to evacuate.
The Gaza war began after Hamas militants stormed southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s military response has since killed more than 64,000 people, Palestinian health authorities said.
Netanyahu also hinted at the possible annexation of the occupied West Bank in response to international recognition of a Palestinian state at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. Asked about extending sovereignty, he said: “A future step is a future step. We don’t need to expose it ahead of time. It’s clear that taking unilateral actions against us simply invites unilateral actions on our part.”
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