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Team Barbie presents platforms for the PCL Laguna 2025 election

Venus L Peñaflor
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Team Barbie presents platforms for the PCL Laguna 2025 election

SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna. Team Barbie, led by San Pablo City Councilor Barbie Diaz, has formally introduced its slate of candidates for the upcoming Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Laguna Chapter election in 2025, with Diaz running for president.

The announcement was made during a press conference held on Thursday night at Trails Boutique Hotel in Barangay San Jose, San Pablo City. The PCL Laguna elections are scheduled for September 5, 2025.

Diaz outlined her vision of a “Reformed and Empowered PCL” anchored on integrity, unity, and genuine service. She urged fellow councilors to pursue a meaningful election process, saying: “Vote based on conscience, not money.”

Her platform includes skills and leadership development, scholarship assistance, health care benefits, livelihood assistance projects, national and global linkages, and representation in the international network for all councilors of Laguna.

The group’s key programs also cover advocating for clean and principled elections, launching an Exemplary Councilor Award in every district, and providing capacity-building seminars and training. Team Barbie pledged to strengthen representation by creating a PCL Help Desk, holding regular meetings, and ensuring more active engagement.

For member welfare, the team is proposing a Councilors’ Assistance and Welfare Program covering legal support, emergency medical and financial aid, burial assistance, insurance, and health care benefits. Other flagship initiatives include Councilors in Action for social services, livelihood programs, and the Green Communities Initiative, along with partnerships with national and international organizations to secure support and funding.

The group emphasized its commitment under the principles “Integrity over Influence, Service over Self-interest, and Unity over Division.” According to Team Barbie, their campaign is not only about winning positions but about leaving a legacy of reform, empowerment, and solidarity among Laguna councilors.

Netanyahu says Israel to resume Gaza talks, hostages at center of deal

Venus L Peñaflor
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Netanyahu says Israel to resume Gaza talks, hostages at center of deal

CAIRO/JERUSALEM. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that Israel will immediately resume negotiations aimed at securing the release of hostages held in Gaza and ending the nearly two-year war, but only under conditions acceptable to Israel.

It was his first response to a temporary ceasefire proposal brokered by Egypt and Qatar, which Hamas accepted earlier this week. An Israeli official said negotiators would join once a location for the talks is finalized.

Speaking to troops near the Gaza border, Netanyahu said Israel would press ahead with plans to capture Gaza City, the enclave’s densely populated center, while pursuing parallel talks. “I have issued instructions to begin immediate negotiations for the release of all our hostages and an end to the war on terms acceptable to Israel,” he said, calling it “the decision-making phase.”

Israel’s security cabinet, chaired by Netanyahu, approved a military plan this month to seize Gaza City, despite appeals from international allies to reconsider. The government has made clear that any agreement must secure the release of all 50 hostages seized in Israel in October 2023, with officials believing around 20 remain alive.

The current proposal calls for a 60-day ceasefire, the release of 10 living hostages and 18 bodies held by Hamas, in exchange for about 200 long-serving Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Talks on a permanent ceasefire and the return of remaining hostages would follow.

Meanwhile, rare public protests broke out in Gaza City on Thursday as residents demanded an end to the war. Carrying banners that read “Save Gaza, enough” and “Gaza is dying by the killing, hunger, and oppression,” hundreds marched in a demonstration organized by civil unions. Journalist Tawfik Abu Jarad said the rally was a message that “the time has come for action to stop the military operations.”

The Gaza health ministry reported at least 70 deaths in Israeli strikes within 24 hours, including eight in the Sabra suburb. Among those killed was a Fatah leader and seven family members, according to the Palestinian movement. Israel has not commented on the report.

The Israeli military has called up 60,000 reservists in preparation for an offensive, though officials suggested there is still room for a ceasefire deal. Military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said warning calls had been made to international and medical organizations in northern Gaza, advising residents to prepare to move south.

A Gaza health ministry official confirmed the calls but rejected the relocation request, warning it would collapse the already fragile healthcare system. The ministry also said two more people died of starvation and malnutrition in the past day, raising the death toll from hunger-related causes to 271, including 112 children. Israel disputes the figures provided by the Gaza authorities.

Tagkawayan, kampeon sa Niyogyugan Festival 2025

Venus L Peñaflor
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Tagkawayan, kampeon sa Niyogyugan Festival 2025

LUCENA CITY. Itinanghal na over-all champion ang bayan ng Tagkawayan, Quezon sa Niyogyugan Festival 2025 matapos manguna sa iba’t ibang patimpalak ng siyam na araw na pagdiriwang. Bilang gantimpala, nakamit ng Tagkawayan ang ₱10 milyong halaga ng proyekto.

Nakamit ng Atimonan ang 1st runner-up at tatanggap ng ₱7 milyong halaga ng proyekto, habang pumangatlo ang bayan ng Real na makakakuha ng ₱5 milyong halaga ng proyekto.

Sa Agri-Tourism Booth Competition, muling namayagpag ang Tagkawayan bilang kampeon at nasungkit din ang dalawang espesyal na parangal, ang Best Visual Merchandising at Best Tour Package Offerings. Kasama sa mga nagwagi ang Padre Burgos (1st runner-up), Gumaca (2nd runner-up), at Buenavista (3rd runner-up). Samantala, itinanghal naman ang Infanta bilang may Booth with Highest Sales sa pamamagitan ng kanilang tampok na suman sa bata.

Sa makulay na Niyogyugan Float 2025, nakuha ng Atimonan ang grand winner, habang pumangalawa ang Real, kasunod ang Lopez, Gumaca, at Pagbilao.

Sa Sayaw sa Niyog Dance Showdown 2025, itinanghal na kampeon ang Pagbilao na nagkamit ng ₱800,000 na premyo at karagdagang parangal bilang Best in Choreography. Pumangalawa ang Polillo, sumunod ang Atimonan, Calauag, at Infanta. Samantala, nasungkit ng Sariaya ang parangal bilang Best in Costume.

Eden review, Ron Howard’s island drama struggles to balance chaos and commentary

Paraluman P. Funtanilla
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Eden review, Ron Howard’s island drama struggles to balance chaos and commentary

Ron Howard’s latest film, Eden, revisits a true story from the 1920s, when European settlers attempted to create a new life on the remote Galápagos island of Floreana, only to face the same flaws they tried to escape: betrayal, blackmail, violence, and ultimately, murder.

The film begins with the statement “Fascism is spreading,” tying the story to its historical roots in post-World War I Germany. Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law) and his partner Dore Strauch Ritter (Vanessa Kirby) leave their homeland to pursue a utopian vision, with Friedrich hoping to write radical philosophy to “save humanity from itself.” Their solitude, however, is short-lived. New settlers arrive, including Heinz Wittmer (Daniel Brühl), his young wife Margaret (Sydney Sweeney), and eventually the enigmatic Baroness Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn (Ana de Armas) with her lovers, sparking tension and competition for survival.

Howard assembles a strong cast, but the overextended runtime and uneven storytelling dilute the impact. While the setup promises a sharp reflection on morality and human instinct, the narrative often loses focus. Shaky accents and unsympathetic characters further weaken the execution, though standout performances, particularly from Sweeney, bring moments of depth and intensity.

The film gains strength when its female characters take center stage. Each is drawn to the island in search of meaning, only to be let down by the men they follow. Their disillusionment becomes the most compelling thread in a story that otherwise struggles to deliver its philosophical weight.

Despite flashes of tension and a bloody, inevitable conclusion, Eden ultimately falters in marrying its historical backdrop with its survivalist drama. It raises big questions about human nature but often settles for surface-level explorations.

Eden, rated R for strong violence, sexual content, graphic nudity and language, runs 129 minutes. Vertical releases the film in theaters Friday. It earns two and a half stars out of four.

Russia warns Ukraine security talks without Moscow are a road to nowhere

Venus L Peñaflor
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Russia warns Ukraine security talks without Moscow are a road to nowhere

MOSCOW. Russia warned Wednesday that attempts to resolve Ukraine’s security concerns without its involvement would lead “to a road to nowhere,” as Western leaders explore possible guarantees for Kyiv’s future protection.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized European leaders who met with U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Monday to discuss security arrangements aimed at ending the war, now in its fourth year.

“We cannot agree with the fact that now it is proposed to resolve questions of security, collective security, without the Russian Federation. This will not work,” Lavrov said at a joint press conference with Jordan’s foreign minister. He added that any serious discussion on security without Russia was “a utopia.”

U.S. and European officials have begun shaping post-conflict security guarantees for Ukraine, though Lavrov dismissed such efforts as pointless. He also accused European leaders of trying to pressure Washington into escalating the conflict, calling their actions “clumsy” and “unethical.”

Trump said earlier this week the United States would help guarantee Ukraine’s security but ruled out sending U.S. ground forces, while suggesting air support could be part of a final deal. Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said Ukrainian officials were already working with Western allies on the military component of the guarantees.

NATO’s military committee also held discussions on Ukraine on Wednesday, with its chair, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, saying the priority remained “a just, credible and durable peace.”

Meanwhile, tensions rose in Eastern Europe after Polish officials said a Russian drone likely crashed in a cornfield overnight. Poland’s defense minister accused Moscow of “provocation” at a crucial time in peace discussions.

Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s rejection of any NATO troop deployment in Ukraine and said Russia supported “truly reliable” security guarantees modeled on draft proposals discussed in Istanbul in 2022. That plan included guarantees from permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, but Kyiv rejected it at the time because it would have given Moscow veto power over military responses.

Despite renewed high-level meetings in Washington and elsewhere, little progress has been made on core obstacles to peace. Analysts say the deadlock benefits Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces continue to advance slowly in Ukraine.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described Monday’s White House talks as exceeding expectations, while Zelenskyy called them “an important step toward ending this war.” But NATO leaders cautioned that major details remain unresolved.

Marcos galit sa natuklasang ghost flood control project sa Bulacan

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Marcos galit sa natuklasang ghost flood control project sa Bulacan

MAYNILA. Nagpahayag ng matinding galit si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. matapos madiskubre ang umano’y “ghost” flood control project sa Baliuag, Bulacan.

Sa kanyang personal na inspeksyon, nakita ng Pangulo na walang anumang naipatupad na proyekto sa halagang P55 milyon na nakalaan para sa river wall project sa Barangay Piel. Ayon kay Marcos, nakasaad sa ulat ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) na “completed” na ang 220 metrong river wall, ngunit sa aktuwal na lugar ay wala namang anumang konstruksyon.

“Extremely, more than disappointed, I’m actually… I’m getting very angry with what’s happening here. Papaano naman, 220 meters, P55 million completed ang record ng Public Works,” giit ni Marcos.

Dagdag pa niya, kung naisagawa ang proyekto ay malaking tulong ito sana para sa mga taga-Baliuag mula sa irigasyon hanggang sa pagkakaroon ng malinis na tubig. Sa halip, pinsala lamang ang idinulot ng hindi natuloy na proyekto.

Sinabi rin ng Pangulo na pananagutin ang mga sangkot sa anomalya, mula sa contractor hanggang sa mga opisyal ng DPWH at maging ng Commission on Audit (COA) na pumirma sa ulat na tapos na ang proyekto.

Pinag-aaralan na rin ng administrasyon ang posibilidad na sampahan ng kasong economic sabotage ang mga responsable. Ayon kay Marcos, malinaw na pananabotahe ang nangyari at hindi ito palalampasin.

Israel mobilizes 60,000 reservists as expanded Gaza City operation nears

Venus L Peñaflor
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Israel mobilizes 60,000 reservists as expanded Gaza City operation nears

JERUSALEM. Israel’s military announced Wednesday that it will call up 60,000 reservists ahead of an expanded operation in Gaza City, one of Hamas’ last strongholds in the north of the enclave.

The move is part of a plan approved by Defense Minister Israel Katz to launch a new phase of operations in Gaza’s most densely populated areas. The plan, pending final approval by the army’s chief of staff, also extends the service of 20,000 reservists already on active duty.

An Israeli military official said troops will advance into areas of Gaza City where they have not yet operated and where Hamas fighters are believed to remain active. Soldiers are already preparing in the Zeitoun neighborhood and Jabaliya refugee camp, with the expanded offensive expected to begin within days. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the timeline for the assault to be accelerated.

Gaza City, home to a vast Hamas tunnel network, is a key military and political hub for the group. Despite months of bombardment, Hamas continues to regroup and launch rockets into Israel, according to Israeli officials. Netanyahu has said the war’s goals remain the release of all hostages and the elimination of Hamas’ military capabilities.

The mobilization marks Israel’s largest call-up in months, highlighting the war’s political and economic strain in a country of fewer than 10 million people. It comes amid mass protests in Israel demanding a ceasefire and growing international criticism of the humanitarian toll in Gaza, where more than two million residents face shortages of food, water and medicine.

On Wednesday, Gaza health officials reported at least 27 Palestinians killed and more than 100 injured at the Zikim crossing after crowds rushed toward a U.N. aid convoy. The officials said most of the casualties were caused by Israeli gunfire. The Israeli military did not immediately comment.

Since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack that killed around 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages, Israel’s offensive has killed over 62,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says women and children make up about half of the dead. The ministry has also reported more than 260 deaths from malnutrition since the war began.

Hamas has indicated acceptance of a 60-day ceasefire proposal brokered by Egypt and Qatar, which includes the release of some hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Israel is reviewing the plan but has insisted that all 50 remaining hostages must be freed. Mediators remain in contact with both sides.

Meanwhile, Israel approved a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank’s E1 area, a move that rights groups and Palestinians say would cut the territory in half and eliminate prospects for a future Palestinian state.

Despite international pressure, Netanyahu has vowed not to end the war until Hamas is defeated.

Buwan ng Wika taon-taon at kung paano tayo matatauhan

DC Alviar
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Buwan ng Wika taon-taon at kung paano tayo matatauhan

I can’t accept—because it’s paradoxical—the claim that the Filipino language is an instrument of unity. I would even venture to say that the duo (so-called UniTeam) of political giants Marcos and Duterte has unified many Filipinos to trust in the unknown, or how they used to call it. The joining of forces between the two dynastic clans was questionable in many respects, so it was unlikely to bring unity to the people; in fact, the exact opposite has occurred. The duo has further confused politics, which has shocked many of their supporters, while critics have expected it.

Nagamit ang wika para maluklok sila, ngunit nganga kinalaunan ang mga tao. Hindi lang sa nauwi sa wala ang “plataporma” ng pagkakaisa, kundi lumala ang pamumulitika ng dalawa laban sa isa’t isa.

Ginulantang ang madla ng nakabidyong pagmumura at pagtatangkang pagpatay—bagama’t kalauna’y may pagtanggi si VP Sara Duterte—laban sa kabiyak pampulitika, sa asawa niya at sa pinuno ng Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso. Sa marahas na tabil ng dila ng minsa’y nanuntok ng sheriff, hindi natakot ang mga tao. Nalungkot sila. Saan hahantong ang batuhan ng putik ang isa sa mahahalagang tanong, ngunit tuluyang kinalimutan ng kanilang mga tagasuporta ang kanilang pagkakaisa. Tunay nga bang may pagkakaisa sa wika? Masdan ang ginawa ng UniTeam.

Pinakahuling kontrobersyang pang-lengguwahe—salamat kay Chiz—ang “agad-agad” na “forthwith” o “immediately” ang pakahulugan sa Inggles, saan tayo dinala? Pinangunahan niya ang Senado sa kung kailan sila available talakayin ang may kinalaman sa accountability ng impeached official. Hindi ito sakto sa selebrasyon ‘pagkat may umuungol sa ilalim ng “Buwan.”

So the thought that the Filipino language is the unifier of this nation? Perish it.

Resources can rather be directed towards local initiatives, with their respective languages playing a role in agricultural innovation, small-and-medium enterprises, health literacy, and other practical courses of action. These can focus on people’s lives that truly matter, which languages seek to understand.

Mga katutubong wika, Filipino, at realidad ng pulitika

Sa tala ng KWF (may Filipinong bigkas na “key, dobolyu, ef” pero Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino ang kahulugan), mayroon tayong 135 katutubong wika, kasama ang wikang Filipino na dapat nating paunlarin at pangalagaan. 28 milyong Pilipino ang nagsasalita ng Filipino bilang pangunahing wika at 45 milyong Pilipino naman ang gumagamit nito bilang pangalawang wika.

Meron silang Buwan ng Wika (Language Month), isang pagdiriwang na naglalayong itaguyod ang pambansang pagkakaisa, pagmamalaki sa Filipino at mga katutubong wika, at pagkilala sa magkakaibang pamana ng wika ng bansa. Gayunpaman, ang mga komplikasyon sa wika, pagkakakilanlan, at kapangyarihan ay humahadlang sa pagkamit ng mga adhikain nito.

Ang wika, bagama’t nilayon upang ikonekta ang mga tao, ay maaari ding manipulahin para sa kontrol sa pulitika at lipunan, gaya noong panahon ng diktadurang Marcos at sa mga kaganapan tulad ng pagpaslang kay Ninoy Aquino. Ang Cebuanong pariralang “Pusila, pusila” (“shoot”) ay naglalarawan kung paano maaaring maging sandata ang wika, lalo na sa mga sandali ng mapulitikang tensyon.

Ang wika, tulad ng nakikita sa maraming bansa, ay gumaganap ng isang kritikal na papel sa pagbuo ng pagkakakilanlan, ngunit maaari rin itong magsilbi bilang isang kasangkapan ng pang-aapi. Ang opisyal na wikang Filipino ay idinisenyo upang pag-isahin ang pagkakaiba-iba ng wika ng bansa ngunit kadalasang ginagamit upang magpataw ng otoridad. May mga panahong napulitika mismo ang wika para sugpuin ang hindi pagsang-ayon at kontrolin ang damdamin ng publiko.

Binangon nito ang mahalagang tanong: Kung hindi makamit ng Linggo na kalauna’y Buwan ng Wika ang layunin nitong pag-iisa, panahon na bang mas paghusayin ang pagggamit ng mga yaman ng bansa para sa mas matitinding isyu tulad ng edukasyon (pagpapahusay ng bilingual literacy), kalusugan (pagpapalaganap ng impormasyong pangkalusugan), paggawa (pagpapaintindi sa Labor Code, mga manual, at desisyon ng hukuman, usaping pang-underemployment at migration), at agrikultura?

Ang huli kong nabanggit na sektor ay nag-aalok ng pagkakataon para sa wika at kultura na bumalandra sa pambansang patakaran at estratehiya. Doon sana makapang-impluwensiya ang Filipino kapag winiwika ito.

Marcoses, Dutertes, and other political figures have cunningly used language (how truly Tausug-strong are they when they conduct “maisug” rallies?) to unify people, but once in power, their in/actions completely reverse their election campaign promises. “Budol” is the right word but that does not essentially change voter attitude, never mind the missed vows of the winning candidates.

Kampay sa tagumpay ng retorika ng umano’y pagkakaisa!

“Balakajan” (social media slang for bahala ka diyan) yata ang ibig ipahiwatig ng kawalang imik noon ni Sara Duterte sa pangako ng ka-tandem na P20 kilo ng bigas na malayong malayo sa realidad ng dalawang dekadang nakalilipas, lalo na sa panahon ngayon sa merkado.

Ibig sabihin pala, wika rin ang nagbubukldod sa mga maykapangyarihan na mambudol. Sa wika rin makikini-kinita ang kawalang paki ng mga tao (maliban sa tila namumulat na mga Botanteng Gen Z at Milenyal): “pare-pareho lang ang mga pulitiko”; “wala tayong magagawa,”; “magnanakaw pero matulungin”; at “nalalapitan naman.”

Filipino, English, and other languages must become more than a political tool for manipulation. Instead of focusing solely on Buwan ng Wika, the KWF could promote initiatives that directly address social and economic needs with the help of other government agencies, private sector, and civil society. Carry out bilingual education programs and sustain dialogues that foster active participation of rural people and the urban poor in decision-making. Communicate health information, inspire more health advocates—and of course, less Ralph Rectos in PhilHealth endeavors, please. Enough of “ForthWeed” in the Senate leadership, too.

Asal ‘pag may ‘Buwan’

Bagama’t ang Buwan ng Wika ay madalas na nagbibigay-inspirasyon sa isang pakiramdam ng pagiging makabayan at kultural na pagmamalaki, ang mga epekto nito sa pang-araw-araw na buhay ay maaaring panandalian. Maaaring ipakita ang pagmamalaki ng Pilipino sa mga pagbigkas o pagtatanghal ng tula, ngunit pagkatapos ng pagdiriwang, maaaring umurong ang wika at kultura sa tabing sa likod. Ang mababaw na pakikipag-ugnayan na ito sa wika ay kaibahan sa mas malalim na pangangailangan ng mamamayang Pilipino, na patuloy na nahaharap sa mga isyu tulad ng kahirapan, katiwalian, at di-pagkakapantay-pantay.

Sa okasyong hatid ng Proklamasyon Blg. 1041 s. 1997 ating ikintal sa kaibuturan ng ating mga puso na may aksyon at may misyon sa proklamasyon. Huwag tayong pangunahan ng mga pulitikong puro ilusyon.

Philippines, Australia, Canada, nagsagawa ng joint sail sa West Philippine Sea

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Philippines, Australia, Canada, nagsagawa ng joint sail sa West Philippine Sea

MAYNILA. Nagsagawa ng pinagsanib na pagpapatrulya sa West Philippine Sea ang mga barko pandigma ng Pilipinas, Australia at Canada nitong Martes, sa gitna ng tumitinding tensyon matapos ang banggaan ng dalawang barko ng China noong nakaraang linggo.

Kasama sa operasyon ang Philippine frigate BRP Jose Rizal, Australian destroyer HMAS Brisbane, at Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec. Ayon kay Colonel Dennis Fernandez ng Philippine military, ang aktibidad ay hindi nakatuon laban sa anumang bansa.

“Ang aming aktibidad ay nakabatay sa prinsipyong nakaugat sa free and open Indo-Pacific, na naglalayong isulong ang kapayapaan at kaunlaran sa rehiyon,” ani Fernandez sa isang media briefing, sabay dagdag na isinagawa ang joint sail sa loob ng exclusive economic zone (EEZ) ng Pilipinas.

Nagsimula ang operasyon nitong Linggo sa kanlurang bahagi ng Oriental Mindoro at magtatapos sa Palawan, bilang bahagi ng nagpapatuloy na military drills ng Pilipinas at Australia na tinawag na ALON (salitang Filipino na nangangahulugang “wave”).

Ang 15-araw na pagsasanay, na nagsimula noong Agosto 15, ay kinabibilangan ng amphibious at land operations, gayundin ng live fire exercises na layong paigtingin ang kakayahan ng dalawang bansa na mas mahusay na makipag-ugnayan.

Itinuturing na pinakamalaki sa kasaysayan ang edisyong ito ng ALON, na may 3,600 sundalo mula sa dalawang panig, kasama ang contingent ng Canadian Navy at U.S. Marines.

Unang inilunsad ang ALON noong 2023, kasabay ng pagtaas ng antas ng ugnayan ng Pilipinas at Australia sa isang strategic partnership upang tugunan ang lumalaking hamon sa seguridad sa rehiyon, kabilang na ang West Philippine Sea kung saan dumadaan ang mahigit $3 trilyong halaga ng kalakal kada taon.

Target naman ng Pilipinas na mas palawakin pa ang bilang ng joint sails kasama ang mga kaalyado. Ayon kay Philippine Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, ang mga aktibidad na ito ay nakatutulong upang hadlangan ang agresyon ng China sa West Philippine Sea.

Simula noong huling bahagi ng 2023, nagsasagawa na ang Pilipinas ng “maritime cooperative activities” kasama ang mga kaalyado, kabilang ang joint passages sa United States.

Trump assures US troops will not defend Ukraine

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Trump assures US troops will not defend Ukraine

WASHINGTON. President Donald Trump on Tuesday assured that U.S. troops will not be deployed to help defend Ukraine against Russia, clarifying remarks from a day earlier that appeared to leave the possibility open.

In a Fox News interview, Trump said Ukraine’s hopes of joining NATO and reclaiming the Crimean Peninsula from Russia are “impossible.” He stressed, “Well, you have my assurance, and I’m president,” when asked if American forces would be used to defend Ukraine’s border. His term ends in January 2029.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later reiterated that “U.S. boots will not be on the ground” in any peacekeeping mission.

Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and European leaders held lengthy talks at the White House on Monday aimed at ending Russia’s war. Trump had not ruled out U.S. participation in a European-led defense effort, but on Tuesday emphasized diplomacy, saying he was optimistic a deal could be reached.

He noted, however, that Ukraine would need to set aside aspirations of NATO membership and its claim to Crimea, seized by Russia in 2014. “Both of those things are impossible,” Trump said.

The Republican president also said he was arranging direct talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy. While Leavitt confirmed Putin had agreed to a meeting, the Kremlin has not announced any commitment.

Trump added that the possibility of three-way talks involving himself, Putin, and Zelenskyy remained open. “It was an idea that evolved in the course of the president’s conversations with both President Putin, President Zelensky, and the European leaders yesterday,” Leavitt explained.

Asked about Putin’s intentions, Trump said the Russian leader’s next moves would become clearer soon. “I think Putin is tired of it. I think they’re all tired of it. But you never know,” Trump said. “We’re going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks. That I can tell you.”

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