MAYNILA. Umabot na sa anim ang bilang ng mga Pilipinong nasugatan sa isinagawang missile strike ng Iran laban sa Israel, ayon sa ulat ng Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
Ayon sa OWWA, apat sa mga sugatang Pinoy ang nakalabas na sa ospital habang ang isa naman ay patuloy na nagpapagaling. Isa sa mga biktima, isang Filipino caregiver, ang nasa kritikal na kondisyon matapos mabagsakan ng debris mula sa gusaling tinamaan ng air strike.
Wala pang ipinatutupad na mandatory evacuation sa ngayon, ngunit tiniyak ng Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) na handa silang tumulong sa mga Pilipinong nais nang umuwi sa Pilipinas.
Leonard Lauder, the visionary businessman who helped turn Estee Lauder Companies into one of the world’s most powerful beauty empires, has died at the age of 92, the company announced on Sunday, June 15.
The eldest son of founders Estée and Joseph Lauder, Leonard joined the family business in 1958. Over the next six decades, he would transform the company from a single-brand operation with just a handful of products into a global cosmetics powerhouse with a portfolio of prestigious names.
Known for his strategic brilliance and marketing savvy, Lauder was behind the successful launches of now-iconic brands such as Clinique, Aramis, and Lab Series, helping Estee Lauder reach new generations of consumers around the world.
“Leonard was a visionary leader and a guiding light in our company,” Estee Lauder Companies said in a statement. “His love for beauty, art, and innovation helped shape the modern cosmetics industry.”
Beyond the boardroom, Lauder was a philanthropist and passionate art collector. He made major contributions to institutions like the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where his extensive collection of Cubist art is displayed.
He is remembered not only for his remarkable business acumen but also for his generosity, charm, and enduring commitment to his family’s legacy.
Leonard Lauder is survived by his two sons, William and Gary, and several grandchildren.
MANILA. Schools across the Philippines reopened on Monday, June 16, officially marking the beginning of School Year 2025, as the Department of Education (DepEd) braces for an estimated 27 million enrollees from preschool to senior high school.
“All systems go po ang lahat sa pagbubukas ng ating klase,” DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said in a Viber message, expressing confidence in the department’s preparations.
As millions of students return to classrooms, the education sector continues to face longstanding issues such as learning gaps, infrastructure shortages, and overcrowded school facilities.
Among the most critical concerns is the severe classroom shortage, with the nationwide backlog estimated at 165,000. Education officials previously admitted that, at the current pace of construction, it could take up to 55 years to fully resolve the deficit.
To address congestion, DepEd is considering limited hybrid learning options, especially for senior high school students in highly populated areas. The department is also working to modernize classrooms by providing smart TVs, laptops, and updated textbooks, supporting the government’s digital education initiative.
In line with the school reopening, DepEd also clarified its policy on cellphone use in classrooms. While phone usage during class hours is generally discouraged, exceptions are allowed when devices are used under teacher supervision for educational purposes.
Despite the challenges, DepEd officials affirmed the agency’s commitment to improving learning outcomes and ensuring safe, inclusive, and quality education for all Filipino learners.
MAYNILA. Apat na Pilipino ang naiulat na nasugatan at isinugod sa ospital matapos ang isinagawang missile strike ng Iran sa Israel, ayon sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) nitong Linggo, Hunyo 16.
Ayon kay DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega, ang mga nasugatang Pilipino ay mula sa lungsod ng Rehovot, na nasa humigit-kumulang 20 kilometro sa timog ng Tel Aviv.
“We were not sure if they were in the park or if lumabas sila ng bahay sa takot,” ani De Vega sa panayam ng ABS-CBN News.
Maliban sa apat na nasugatan, may 12 pang Pilipino ang nasa isang parke sa oras ng pag-atake.
Samantala, isang Pinay naman ang nawalan ng tirahan matapos tamaan ng missile ang Ramat Gan, sa kanlurang bahagi ng Tel Aviv. Ayon sa Philippine Embassy sa Israel, pansamantala siyang nanunuluyan ngayon sa isang hotel.
“Nakaligtas siya sa kapahamakan dahil siya ay nasa loob ng isang bomb shelter o mamad nang bumagsak ang naturang missile,” saad ng embahada sa isang social media post.
“Dahil nagdulot ng malaking pinsala ang missile sa bahay ng ating kababayan, inilikas siya at pansamantalang mamalagi sa isang hotel sa Tel Aviv. Magpapaabot pa ng karagdagang tulong at psychosocial support ang Embahada sa kaniya sa mga susunod na araw,” dagdag pa ng embahada.
Kasalukuyan ding nire-review ng Philippine Embassy sa Israel kung kailangan nang ipatupad ang voluntary o sapilitang repatriation para sa mga Pilipino sa mga susunod na araw.
Tinatayang nasa 30,000 ang mga Pilipino sa Israel, ayon sa DFA.
WASHINGTON. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a major expansion of its travel ban, potentially prohibiting citizens from 36 additional countries from entering the United States, according to an internal State Department cable reviewed by Reuters.
This move follows a proclamation signed by Trump earlier this month that banned the entry of citizens from 12 countries. The administration said the new restrictions were necessary to protect the U.S. from foreign terrorists and national security threats.
The plan is part of a broader immigration crackdown in Trump’s second term, which has included the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelans to El Salvador over alleged gang affiliations, as well as stricter policies on foreign student enrollments and deportations.
A diplomatic cable signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined concerns with the 36 countries under review and called for immediate corrective action. “The Department has identified 36 countries of concern that might be recommended for full or partial suspension of entry if they do not meet established benchmarks and requirements within 60 days,” the cable stated.
The memo, first reported by The Washington Post, cited reasons such as unreliable identity documentation, insecure passport systems, lack of cooperation in accepting deported nationals, overstaying of U.S. visas, and ties to terrorism or anti-American activities.
However, the document clarified that not all concerns applied to every country listed.
“We are constantly reevaluating policies to ensure the safety of Americans and that foreign nationals follow our laws,” said a senior State Department official, who declined to comment on the internal discussions. “The Department of State is committed to protecting our nation and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process.”
Countries that could face full or partial entry bans if issues are not addressed within 60 days include: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
This would significantly expand the travel restrictions imposed earlier this month on citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Partial restrictions also remain in place for travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
During his first term, Trump enacted a controversial travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries, a policy that underwent several revisions before being upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
MAYNILA. Nasabat ng mga awtoridad ang tinatayang P29.7 milyon halaga ng hinihinalang shabu mula sa isang babaeng pasahero na bagong dating sa bansa sa Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 noong Sabado ng hapon, Hunyo 14.
Batay sa ulat ng NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (IADITG), nakilala ang suspek sa alyas na Arlene, 43 taong gulang, at residente ng B-J1 L-15, Barangay Francisco II, Dasmariñas, Cavite.
Ayon sa IADITG, si Arlene ay dumating sakay ng AirAsia Flight AK 582 mula Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at dumaan sa Customs International Arrival Area bandang 1:35 ng hapon nang isagawa ang interdiction operation. Sa kanyang bagahe ay natagpuan ang tinatayang 4,368 gramo ng hinihinalang shabu na nakasilid sa isang improvised pouch na balot ng itim na duct tape.
Kasama rin sa nakumpiskang mga gamit ang bugkos ng mga damit, bed cover, blanket, comforter, tuwalya, at iba pang personal na gamit. Narekober din ang kanyang pasaporte, ID, boarding pass, baggage declaration form, at isang cellphone.
Dinala na ang mga ebidensya sa PDEA Laboratory Service para sa masusing pagsusuri. Ang suspek ay nahaharap ngayon sa kasong paglabag sa Section 4, Article II ng Republic Act 9165 o ang Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 sa Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office.
Ang operasyon ay pinangunahan ng NAIA-IADITG na binubuo ng PDEA RO NCR, Bureau of Customs–Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force (BOC-CAIDTF), PNP Aviation Security Group (AVSEG), Airport Police Department (APD), PNP Drug Enforcement Group (DEG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), at Bureau of Immigration (BI).
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates. Israel and Iran continued to exchange heavy strikes for a third consecutive day on Sunday, killing hundreds and threatening more attacks as regional tensions escalated.
Israel claimed it was operating almost unchallenged in Iranian airspace and had targeted high-ranking military officials. Meanwhile, Iran confirmed that some of its missile barrages had breached Israeli air defenses, with both sides vowing further retaliation.
According to Iran’s Health Ministry, 224 people have been killed since the strikes began Friday, with 1,277 more injured. Ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said over 90 percent of the casualties were civilians.
Among the latest Iranian fatalities were intelligence chief Gen. Mohammad Kazemi and two other generals from the Revolutionary Guard, which oversees Iran’s ballistic missile program, state TV reported. Israeli strikes have also reportedly killed several nuclear scientists.
Iran accused Israel of attacking two oil refineries, signaling a possible expansion of hostilities into Iran’s energy infrastructure, which could disrupt global markets. Israel has warned Iranians to evacuate arms factories and hinted at more widespread military operations.
The Israeli military reported 14 deaths and 390 injuries on its side since Friday. Iran has launched more than 270 missiles at Israel, 22 of which penetrated its advanced air defense systems, according to Israeli authorities. Explosions were reported in both Tehran and Israeli cities, including Haifa and Rehovot. Sirens blared across both countries, and Israel’s main international airport remained closed for a third day.
The violence prompted the U.S. to step in diplomatically. A senior U.S. official told the Associated Press that President Donald Trump had recently vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This move could have triggered a broader regional war.
Trump publicly denied U.S. involvement in the strikes and warned Iran that any retaliatory action would prompt an American response “at levels never seen before.” He also urged Tehran to return to nuclear negotiations to prevent further devastation.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said retaliatory attacks would stop only if Israel halted its airstrikes. President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that future responses would be “more decisive and severe,” while also blaming U.S. support for Israel. Iran said Israeli strikes hit its Foreign Ministry building and a Defense Ministry complex, damaging military and nuclear-related sites.
Israel said it struck numerous locations involved in missile and air defense production across Iran, including the country’s far northeast, where a refueling aircraft in Mashhad was reportedly targeted. Footage verified by the AP showed smoke rising from the city.
In Iran, air raid shelters were opened in metro stations and mosques across cities. Meanwhile, Israeli cities suffered direct hits. In Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv, a missile strike killed at least six people, including two children, and injured 180 others. Another attack in Tamra killed four, including a 13-year-old, and wounded 24. In Rehovot, 42 were injured, and the Weizmann Institute of Science confirmed several of its buildings were struck.
A refinery in Haifa also sustained damage, though no injuries were reported.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed global calls for de-escalation, saying in a Fox News interview that regime change in Iran “could certainly be the result” of the conflict. He further alleged, without evidence, that Iran intended to supply nuclear weapons to the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, and the U.S. and other intelligence assessments indicate Tehran has not pursued a weapon since 2003. However, recent uranium enrichment has brought Iran closer to weapons-grade levels.
The U.N. nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, issued a rare formal rebuke to Iran last week. Satellite images analyzed by the AP revealed significant damage to Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility, including buildings that supply power to the centrifuges. Four “critical buildings” at the Isfahan nuclear site were also damaged, though the IAEA said there was no detectable radiation leak.
An Israeli military official said that restoring the Natanz and Isfahan sites would take “many months, maybe more.”
The ongoing conflict also affects the broader Middle East, where Israel continues its war against Hamas in Gaza, an Iranian-backed group responsible for the deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
As the possibility of wider war looms, diplomatic channels remain strained, and nuclear negotiations between Iran and the U.S. are stalled.
An injured man is assisted in the street after an explosion in downtown Tehran, amid Israel’s three-day campaign of strikes against Iran, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Amir Kholousi/ISNA)
MAYNILA. Humihirit ng P3 taas-presyo ang mga kumpanya ng de-latang sardinas mula sa kasalukuyang P21 suggested retail price (SRP), bunsod ng patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng tin sheets o mga materyales para sa lata.
Ayon sa Canned Sardines Association of the Philippines (CSAP), isinumite na nila ang kanilang apela sa Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) upang itaas sa P24 ang SRP ng mga low economy standard na sardinas.
Paliwanag ni CSAP Executive Director Francisco Buencamino, hindi tulad ng premium sardines, hirap nang makabawi sa kita ang mga gumagawa ng murang sardinas dahil sa mga imported na materyales gaya ng lata na tumataas ang presyo, bukod pa sa mahinang palitan ng piso kontra dolyar.
“You will see lesser number of brands in the SRP level,” babala ni Buencamino kung hindi maaprubahan ang kanilang hiling.
Dagdag pa niya, nakakaapekto rin sa industriya ang pabagu-bagong presyo ng produktong petrolyo.
Samantala, nilinaw ni Buencamino na hindi totoo ang mga ulat na lumiit ang laman ng sardinas mula sa mga miyembro ng CSAP.
Aminado siyang nagkakaroon ng kakulangan sa huling tamban, ang pangunahing isda sa sardinas, ngunit kung mas maliliit ang nahuhuling isda, dinaragdagan ang dami sa bawat lata upang mapanatili ang tamang timbang.
Ayon pa sa kanya, naapektuhan din ang suplay ng tamban sa municipal waters dahil sa patuloy na ilegal na pangingisda gamit ang dinamita, dahilan upang humanap ang mga kumpanya ng alternatibong lugar kung saan mas malalaking isda ang maaaring hulihin.
NEW DELHI, India. India’s aviation regulator has ordered immediate inspections of all Boeing 787 aircraft operated by Indian carriers following a devastating Air India crash that killed 270 people this week. The country’s aviation minister, Ram Mohan Naidu, announced on Saturday that the inspections were part of an ongoing investigation into the causes of the crash.
Air India was instructed on Friday to conduct additional maintenance checks on its fleet of Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft with GEnx engines. These checks include assessments of take-off parameters, electronic engine controls, and fuel systems.
“We have also given the order to do the extended surveillance of the 787 planes. There are 34 in our Indian fleet,” said Naidu during a press briefing in New Delhi. “Eight have already been inspected and with immediate urgency, all of them are going to be done.”
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner involved in the crash had 242 people onboard and was bound for Gatwick Airport in the UK. Moments after take-off on Thursday, it lost altitude and crashed into a building, erupting into flames. It is the deadliest aviation disaster worldwide in the past decade.
Air India operates 33 of the Boeing 787 aircraft, while IndiGo operates one, based on data from Flightradar24. IndiGo has not issued a statement in response to the crash or inspections.
Air India confirmed it is complying with the mandated safety checks and warned that long-haul routes may experience delays due to increased turnaround time. The aircraft have not been grounded, but a government source told Reuters that grounding is under consideration.
Investigators are looking into several technical aspects, including engine thrust, flap performance, and whether the landing gear failed to retract during takeoff.
So far, 270 bodies have been recovered, according to Dhaval Gameti of the Junior Doctors Association at B.J. Medical College. Only one passenger survived. The aircraft struck the medical college’s hostel building, intensifying the tragedy for those at the institution.
Authorities have begun returning bodies to families, though many remain unclaimed due to the need for DNA matching and dental identification, especially given the severe burns suffered by victims. Forensic dentists have matched at least 11 DNA samples so far, with three bodies expected to be released by Saturday evening.
Family members outside Ahmedabad Civil Hospital expressed frustration over the delays and lack of information. “We have lost our children… Please help us get information about our children,” said Rafiq Abdul Hafiz Memon, who lost four relatives.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said the airline has begun the process of reuniting families with the remains and belongings of their loved ones. The airline will provide an interim financial assistance of ₹2.5 million ($29,000) to the families of the deceased and the sole survivor, on top of the ₹10 million previously announced by the Tata Group, which acquired Air India in 2022.
The crash has renewed scrutiny on Air India, which has been undergoing restructuring and modernization under the Tata Group. Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran stated the company is determined to understand the cause of the crash but “we don’t know right now.”
A government panel has begun a formal investigation and is expected to release a report within three months.
“We are going to improve every necessary thing that is going to come our way, to improve the safety,” Naidu said.
MANILA. A groundbreaking archaeological discovery in the Philippines is challenging long-held views about the origins of early civilization. Researchers have unearthed evidence of a highly advanced maritime society that thrived 35,000 years ago on the island of Mindoro, a discovery that rewrites Southeast Asia’s role in human history.
Published in Archaeological Research in Asia, the study reveals that this prehistoric society was not only skilled in deep-sea fishing but also engaged in long-distance trade and ritual burials, activities previously thought to have emerged much later.
Unlike Palawan, which was once connected to mainland Asia via land bridges during the Ice Ages, Mindoro was always separated by deep seas. This means its earliest human settlers must have arrived deliberately by boat, indicating advanced seafaring skills far earlier than previously believed.
“This wasn’t accidental,” said lead researcher Dr. Alfred Pawlik of Ateneo de Manila University. “They crossed treacherous waters with purpose. The sea was not a barrier; it was a highway.”
Deep-Sea Fishing Before Agriculture
Excavations unearthed bone fishing gorges, net sinkers, and tools designed for pelagic fishing, indicating that early Filipinos hunted far offshore species like sharks and bonito tuna. These activities suggest a deep understanding of marine ecosystems and the use of strong, likely plant-based composite boats, all long before the advent of farming.
A 3,000-Kilometer Trade Network
Even more astonishing were obsidian tools in Mindoro that match geochemically with sources in Palawan, as well as Tridacna shell adzes nearly identical to those found 3,000 kilometers away in Papua New Guinea. This implies the existence of a vast trade network across Island Southeast Asia thousands of years before the Austronesian expansion.
Burials Reflect Shared Spiritual Values
On Ilin Island, researchers also uncovered a 5,000-year-old burial site, where a body was placed in a fetal position between limestone slabs. Similar “flexed burials” have been discovered in Indonesia and Vietnam, suggesting early shared beliefs and spiritual customs in the region.
Redefining Southeast Asia’s Place in History
The findings dismantle the outdated notion of the Philippines as a prehistoric cultural backwater. Instead, Mindoro emerges as a vibrant hub in a Stone Age maritime network where ideas, tools, and technologies flowed freely.
“These early islanders were not just survivors, they were navigators, traders, and innovators,” Dr. Pawlik emphasized. “The Philippine archipelago was a maritime superhighway long before recorded history.”
As global scholars rethink the origins of human progress, the Mindoro Archaeology Project is proving that Southeast Asia was a cradle of innovation and that the story of civilization is far more ancient and far more interconnected than previously imagined.
Bone fishing gorges, net sinkers, and tools meant for pelagic fishing were discovered by the archeological team among other evidence suggesting these ancient Filipinos were open-sea hunters rather than merely coastal scavengers. Image by Pawlik & Piper 2019 via phys.orgArchaeologists discovered a meticulously placed burial on Ilin Island: a body in a fetal position between limestone slabs, 5,000 years ago. Image by Allan Siquioco, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
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