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Disqualified si ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan sa kaso ni Duterte

Venus L Peñaflor
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Disqualified si ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan sa kaso ni Duterte

THE HAGUE — Diskwalipikado na si International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan sa paghawak ng kasong war crimes laban kay dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, ayon sa desisyong inilabas ng mga hukom ng ICC Appeals Chamber dahil sa posibleng “conflict of interest.”

Batay sa kopya ng desisyon na nakita ng Reuters, pumabor ang mga hukom sa argumento ng panig ni Duterte na si Khan ay dati umanong kinatawan ng Commission on Human Rights (CHR) ng Pilipinas, na nagsumite ng mga komunikasyon sa ICC kung saan tinukoy si Duterte bilang pangunahing suspek sa mga pagpatay kaugnay ng kampanya kontra droga. Dahil dito, sinabi ng korte na maaaring hindi siya maging ganap na patas sa paghawak ng kaso.

Mariing itinanggi ni Khan ang akusasyon at iginiit na walang “conflict of interest” sa kaniyang dating trabaho, ngunit noong Oktubre 2 ay tuluyang ipinasiya ng Appeals Chamber na siya ay madiskwalipika.

Ang desisyon ay isa pang dagok kay Khan, na pansamantala ring umalis sa tungkulin noong Mayo dahil sa imbestigasyong isinasagawa ng United Nations hinggil sa umano’y sexual misconduct laban sa kaniya.

Samantala, si Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang ang hahawak ngayon sa kaso. Si Niang ay isa rin sa mga opisyal ng ICC na pinarusahan ng Estados Unidos dahil sa pagsisiyasat ng korte sa mga umano’y krimen sa Gaza.

Naaresto si Duterte noong Marso at dinala sa The Hague matapos maglabas ng arrest warrant ang ICC na nag-uugnay sa kaniya sa libu-libong pagpatay sa kampanya laban sa ilegal na droga mula 2016 hanggang 2022. Ipinagpipilitan ng dating pangulo na labag sa batas ang kaniyang pagkakaaresto at ito raw ay “tantamount to kidnapping.”

Si Khan ay dati na ring pinatanggal sa imbestigasyon ng ICC sa Venezuela dahil sa posibleng “conflict of interest” matapos mabunyag na ang kaniyang bayaw ay abogado ng gobyerno ni Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Patuloy namang itinanggi ng kampo ni Khan ang lahat ng paratang laban sa kaniya.

Romualdez, posibleng maging state witness sa flood control anomaly; 60% ng Pinoy nagalit ayon sa survey

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Romualdez, posibleng maging state witness sa flood control anomaly; 60% ng Pinoy nagalit ayon sa survey

MAYNILA — Ipinauubaya ng Malacañang sa Department of Justice (DOJ) ang pagdedesisyon kung maaaring maging state witness si dating House Speaker Martin Romualdez kaugnay ng umano’y maanomalyang mga flood control projects sa bansa.

Ang pahayag ay ginawa matapos humarap si Romualdez sa imbestigasyon ng Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), na kasalukuyang nagsisiyasat sa mga alegasyon ng katiwalian sa mga proyekto.

Ayon kay Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro, nakasalalay sa magiging salaysay ni Romualdez sa ICI kung maaari siyang maging state witness. “Ang DOJ ang magdedetermina batay sa kanilang pamantayan,” ani Castro.

Ang ICI ang may tungkuling magrekomenda sa korte hinggil sa magiging kapalaran ng mga opisyal at personalidad na isinangkot at inakusahan na kumita mula sa pondo ng mga flood control projects. Isa si Romualdez sa mga binanggit na pangalan ng isang engineer ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) na umano’y nakinabang sa naturang mga proyekto.

Samantala, lumabas sa isang Tugon ng Masa survey ng OCTA Research na 60% ng mga Pilipino ang nagsabing sila ay nagalit matapos mabunyag ang mga anomalya sa mga flood control projects. Ipinahayag din ng mga kalahok ang kanilang pagsuporta sa isinasagawang imbestigasyon ng pamahalaan.

Batay sa resulta ng survey, 60% ng mga Pinoy ang nagagalit tuwing naiisip ang korapsyon sa pamahalaan, 30% ang nagsabing sila ay natatakot o nababahala, at 9% naman ang nakaramdam ng pagkadismaya o kalungkutan.

Ayon sa OCTA, ang pagkagalit ang pinakapangunahing emosyon sa lahat ng rehiyon, socioeconomic class, at age groups. Pinakamapansin ito sa mga kabataang Pilipino, kabilang ang Gen Z at millennials.

Nabatid din na 83% ng mga Pilipino ang sumusuporta sa desisyon ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na ilantad ang mga kaso ng korapsyon, dahil nakikita ito bilang hakbang upang maibalik ang tiwala ng publiko sa pamahalaan.

Pinakamataas ang antas ng suporta sa National Capital Region (NCR) na may 91%, kasunod ang Balance Luzon na may 90%. Samantala, 46% ng mga respondents ang naniniwalang ang isang independiyenteng komisyon gaya ng ICI ang pinakaangkop na manguna sa imbestigasyon.

Isinagawa ang Tugon ng Masa survey mula Setyembre 25 hanggang 30, na nilahukan ng 1,200 adult respondents sa pamamagitan ng face-to-face interviews.

Nilinaw ng DOH na walang bagong virus sa gitna ng pagtaas ng flu cases

Venus L Peñaflor
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Nilinaw ng DOH na walang bagong virus sa gitna ng pagtaas ng flu cases

MAYNILA — Nilinaw ng Department of Health (DOH) na walang bagong virus na kumakalat sa bansa sa kabila ng mga ulat hinggil sa pagtaas ng mga kaso ng influenza at influenza-like illnesses (ILIs).

Ayon sa DOH, ang kamakailang pagsuspinde ng face-to-face classes ng Department of Education (DepEd) sa Metro Manila ay isang pag-iingat lamang at bahagi ng paghahanda sa lindol, hindi dahil sa isang bagong sakit.

Binigyang-diin ni DOH spokesperson Albert Domingo na ang dalawang araw na suspensyon ng klase ay isang “normal precaution” na kasabay ng mga aktibidad na may kaugnayan sa paghahanda para sa “The Big One,” isang malawakang earthquake scenario na pinagpaplanuhan at sinasanay ng iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno.

Sinabi rin ni Domingo na nananatiling kabilang sa mga karaniwang sakit tuwing tag-ulan ang ILIs, ngunit batay sa pinakahuling datos ng DOH, bumaba ng 8 porsiyento ang bilang ng mga kaso kumpara noong nakaraang taon.

Dagdag pa ni Domingo, inaasahan ang bahagyang pagtaas ng mga mild flu cases tuwing panahon ng tag-ulan mula Hunyo hanggang Nobyembre, na siyang itinuturing na taunang flu season sa bansa.

Hamas returns hostage bodies as Israel moves to cut Gaza aid

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Hamas returns hostage bodies as Israel moves to cut Gaza aid

JERUSALEM — Hamas has handed over additional bodies of deceased hostages to Israel, signaling limited progress after a series of setbacks since U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled his plan to end the Gaza war.

The transfer came after Israel announced it would cut by half the number of humanitarian aid trucks entering Gaza, saying Hamas had violated the ceasefire agreement by failing to deliver all the remains of hostages as promised under last week’s truce.

Israeli military officials confirmed that four coffins were received from the Red Cross at a meeting point in northern Gaza late Tuesday. The coffins were brought into Israel for forensic identification shortly before midnight. Hamas also acknowledged the handover.

“At this moment, the men are continuing to oversee the implementation of what was agreed upon regarding the handover of bodies as part of the agreement to end the war in Gaza,” Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem wrote on Facebook.

Despite the partial compliance, Israeli officials said it was unclear whether the latest transfer would lead to a full restoration of aid. They confirmed that only half the agreed number of trucks would be allowed in starting Wednesday, while plans to reopen Gaza’s southern border crossing to Egypt were being delayed.

The two-year Israeli offensive has left Gaza in ruins, with widespread famine affecting more than half a million Palestinians. Under the ceasefire, up to 600 aid trucks were expected to enter the enclave daily, but the restrictions have deepened the humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile, Hamas fighters have reappeared in large numbers across Gaza, signaling renewed control following Israel’s partial troop withdrawal. Residents reported seeing hundreds of armed men deployed to key streets and checkpoints.

In a video circulated on Monday, Hamas fighters were seen executing seven men accused of collaborating with Israel in a Gaza City square, an act confirmed by a Hamas source. Reuters verified the location of the video through identifiable geographic features.

The militant group warned that it would no longer tolerate “violations of order” in Gaza and vowed to target collaborators, armed looters, and drug dealers.

Trump, who addressed Israel’s parliament on Monday declaring “the historic dawn of a new Middle East,” had earlier threatened Hamas with military action if it failed to disarm. “If they don’t disarm, we will disarm them. And it will happen quickly and perhaps violently,” he said at the White House on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that the war would not end until Hamas surrendered its weapons and relinquished control of Gaza — demands the group has rejected.

The ceasefire followed the exchange of the last 20 living Israeli hostages for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees, though disputes persist over the return of 28 deceased hostages. Hamas has now handed over eight coffins, leaving at least 19 presumed dead and one unaccounted for.

Palestinian health authorities reported that Israeli drone strikes killed five people in eastern Gaza City and another airstrike killed one person near Khan Younis. Israel said its forces targeted individuals who crossed truce lines and approached its troops despite warnings.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel’s military campaign has killed at least 67,000 people in Gaza, with thousands more believed buried under rubble, according to local authorities. Gaza’s Civil Defence Service said it has recovered 250 bodies since the truce began.

Face-to-face classes sa Laguna, suspendido hanggang Oktubre 31

Roy Tomandao
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Face-to-face classes sa Laguna, suspendido hanggang Oktubre 31

LAGUNA — Sinuspinde ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Laguna ang lahat ng face-to-face classes sa mga pampubliko at pribadong paaralan mula Oktubre 14 hanggang Oktubre 31, 2025, bilang bahagi ng pag-iingat sa posibleng paggalaw ng West Valley Fault.

Ayon kay Governor Sol Aragones, ang desisyon ay resulta ng masusing konsultasyon sa disaster management teams at pagsusuri ng mga datos kaugnay ng fault line.

“Kinausap din po natin ang ating disaster team para matiyak ang kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan, hindi lamang ng mga estudyante kundi ng lahat dito sa Laguna,” pahayag ni Aragones sa isang Facebook Live broadcast.

Binigyang-diin ng gobernadora na ang kaligtasan ng mga estudyante ang pangunahing prayoridad ng pamahalaang panlalawigan. “Ang mga araw na walang klase ay puwedeng habulin, pero ang buhay ng tao ay isa lang at hindi na maibabalik. May nakaambang panganib at kailangan nating maging handa,” aniya.

Habang suspendido ang in-person classes, ipinag-utos ng pamahalaan sa mga paaralan ang pagpapatupad ng alternative learning modes tulad ng online at modular learning.

Hinimok din ng mga awtoridad ang mga residente na pag-ibayuhin ang paghahanda sa posibleng malakas na lindol at ipasuri ang katatagan ng mga gusali ng paaralan upang matiyak ang kaligtasan ng mga mag-aaral at guro.

“Even if nothing happens, this is an opportunity to remain ready. Safety comes first, especially for our students,” dagdag pa ni Aragones.

Samantala, nilinaw ni PHIVOLCS chief Dr. Teresito Bacolcol na walang direktang koneksyon ang mga naitalang lindol sa ibang bahagi ng bansa sa West Valley Fault, na dumaraan sa mga lalawigan ng Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, at sa Metro Manila.

Hostages, prisoners freed; key questions persist for Israel-Hamas ceasefire

Venus L Peñaflor
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Hostages, prisoners freed; key questions persist for Israel-Hamas ceasefire

JERUSALEM — Israel and Hamas took a critical first step in their fragile ceasefire agreement on Monday, freeing hostages and prisoners in a move that raised cautious optimism that the U.S.-brokered deal could eventually lead to a permanent end to the two-year war that has devastated Gaza.

Despite this breakthrough, major issues remain unresolved, including whether Hamas will disarm, who will govern Gaza, and the broader question of Palestinian statehood — underscoring the fragile nature of an agreement that, for now, only pauses the bloodiest conflict in Israeli-Palestinian history.

For Israelis, the release of the 20 remaining living hostages brought relief and jubilation. Public gatherings erupted in cheers as emotional reunions played out across the country. “You are alive! Two arms and two legs,” said Zvika Mor, embracing his son Eitan for the first time in two years. In another emotional reunion, Bar Kupershtein’s father, Tal, who uses a wheelchair, stood up briefly to hug his freed son.

Four deceased hostages were also returned on Monday, with another 24 expected to follow under the first phase of the ceasefire. The deal also commits Israel to allowing a surge of humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies, into Gaza.

In Gaza and the West Bank, the release of Palestinian prisoners sparked widespread celebrations. Crowds gathered in Beitunia and Khan Younis, waving flags and flashing V-for-victory signs. “Praise be to God, our Lord, who has honored us with this release and this joy,” said Mahmoud Fayez, a former detainee returned to Gaza after being arrested last year during an Israeli raid on Shifa Hospital.

The freed prisoners include 250 serving life sentences for attacks on Israelis, along with 1,700 others detained from Gaza during the war and held without charge. In Palestinian society, where nearly every family has been affected by imprisonment, the return of detainees carries deep emotional and political weight.

U.S. President Donald Trump traveled to the region to commemorate the occasion, urging Israeli lawmakers to pursue lasting peace. “Israel, with our help, has won all that they can by force of arms,” Trump said in a speech to the Knesset. “Now it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.” His remarks were briefly interrupted when two members of parliament held up a sign reading “Recognize Palestine” before being escorted out.

In Egypt, Trump joined President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, and representatives from more than 20 nations to discuss next steps. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not attend due to a Jewish holiday, but he told parliament that he supported the deal, stating it “ends the war by achieving all our objectives.” Critics, however, have accused him of prolonging the war for political gain, an allegation he denies.

The conflict began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Israel’s subsequent offensive killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, whose figures, though produced under Hamas’ administration, are considered credible by the United Nations and independent analysts.

The war has destabilized the wider Middle East, sparking clashes involving Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen, and direct hostilities with Iran.

Under the ceasefire plan, an international administration is expected to govern Gaza temporarily, with Palestinian technocrats handling daily affairs. The United States envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority contingent on internal reforms alongside an Arab-led international security force and Palestinian police. About 200 U.S. troops are already in Israel to help monitor the truce.

Israel insists that Hamas must disarm before any long-term peace can take hold, while Hamas demands a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The Israeli military has so far pulled back from most of Gaza City, Khan Younis, and other areas but remains in Rafah, parts of northern Gaza, and along the border.

With Gaza in ruins and its reconstruction expected to take years, questions of governance, security, and sovereignty remain unresolved. The ceasefire, for now, offers only a fragile pause in a war that has left lasting scars on both sides.

People gather to greet freed Palestinian prisoners arriving on buses in the Gaza Strip after their release from Israeli jails under a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, outside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

US condemns China over vessel clash, backs Philippines in South China Sea

EDGARDO HERNAL
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US condemns China over vessel clash, backs Philippines in South China Sea

WASHINGTON — The United States strongly condemned China on Monday after a maritime clash between a Chinese vessel and a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship near Thitu (Pag-asa) Island in the contested South China Sea.

“The United States condemns China’s October 12 ramming and water cannoning of a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel close to Thitu Island in the South China Sea,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement. “We stand with our Philippine allies as they confront China’s dangerous actions which undermine regional stability,” it added.

The confrontation followed earlier accusations traded between Manila and Beijing over whether the Philippine vessel had strayed into disputed waters or whether China’s coast guard had employed coercive tactics.

According to Philippine statements, the incident involved a Chinese ship using high-pressure water cannons on the BFAR vessel, followed by a ramming maneuver, causing minor structural damage but no reported injuries.

China, in response, urged the Philippines to halt what it called “provocations” and defended its actions as efforts to “safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.”

In its statement, the U.S. also reaffirmed that under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, an armed attack on Philippine government vessels or aircraft anywhere in the South China Sea is covered.

Observers note that the region surrounding Thitu Island is strategically significant, lying near China’s militarized artificial islands. The clash underscores renewed tension in maritime claims that involve multiple nations, overlapping claims, heavy shipping traffic, and the 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s expansive nine-dash line claim.

This recent confrontation follows earlier incidents in 2025 involving aggressive Chinese maneuvers, including water cannon use against Philippine vessels in research or resupply missions.

As tensions in the South China Sea persist, Manila has pushed its “transparency initiative,” publicly documenting maritime encounters to seek international support and deter further aggression.

Tarragona, Davao Oriental nasa state of calamity; libo-libong pamilya apektado ng sunod-sunod na lindol

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Tarragona, Davao Oriental nasa state of calamity; libo-libong pamilya apektado ng sunod-sunod na lindol

DAVAO CITY — Idineklara ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Tarragona, Davao Oriental ang state of calamity matapos ang dalawang malalakas na lindol na yumanig sa karagatang sakop ng bayan ng Manay noong Biyernes, Oktubre 10, 2025. Ang mga lindol ay may lakas na magnitude 7.4 at 6.8, na nagdulot ng matinding pinsala at takot sa mga residente.

Ayon sa lokal na pamahalaan, tinatayang 10,000 pamilya ang apektado ng sunod-sunod na pagyanig, at nasa 2,000 katao pa ang kasalukuyang nananatili sa mga evacuation center. Marami sa kanila ang nag-aatubiling bumalik sa kanilang mga tahanan dahil sa patuloy na aftershocks.

Patuloy naman ang pamamahagi ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ng mga food pack at bottled water sa mga apektadong residente.

Naglaan ang lokal na pamahalaan ng ₱3 milyon mula sa Quick Response Fund para sa mga pang-emerhensiyang hakbang at tulong sa mga naapektuhan.

Ayon kay Mayor Kaka Bulaong, patuloy pa rin ang operasyon ng mga serbisyo ng munisipyo, bagama’t pansamantalang inilipat ito sa mas ligtas na lugar matapos ideklarang code red ang gusali ng munisipyo at mga evacuation center.

“All of the program and services are still ongoing as regular na ginagawa ng kawani kaso off-site kasi ang municipal building naka-code red. Ang evacuation center, as well as the municipal, tagged already as red meaning inhabitable, meaning di na pwedeng pasukan so nasa open space po kami ngayon,” paliwanag ng alkalde.

Dagdag pa ni Bulaong, nakapaghanda na ang LGU ng 16-ektaryang relocation site para sa mga pamilya na nawalan ng tirahan.

“Meron po tayong na-acquire, bago lang po… nasa 16 hectares ang LGU… we focused on land banking… anytime, kung may ibibigay po relating to construction of houses, meron po kaming i-offer… may pag-uusap na po si DHSUD, NHA at LGU,” aniya.

Patuloy ang monitoring at relief operations sa Tarragona habang inaasahan pa ang mga kasunod na aftershocks sa rehiyon.

Living hostages and Palestinian prisoners freed as part of Gaza ceasefire

Venus L Peñaflor
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Living hostages and Palestinian prisoners freed as part of Gaza ceasefire

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Hamas released the remaining 20 living hostages held in Gaza on Monday, while Israel began freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of a ceasefire that has paused two years of devastating conflict. The war had killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, left vast parts of Gaza in ruins, and held scores of captives in militant custody.

All of the freed hostages are men who have since returned to Israel for medical evaluation and reunions with their families. The remains of 28 other hostages who died in captivity are also expected to be handed over, though the timing of their return remains uncertain.

At the same time, buses carrying dozens of Palestinian prisoners arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah and in the Gaza Strip. Israel is set to release more than 1,900 prisoners and detainees under the agreement. Cheering crowds greeted the arrivals in Ramallah, while at least one bus crossed into Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Prisoners Office.

The exchange of hostages and prisoners has fueled cautious optimism for an end to what has become the deadliest war between Israel and Hamas. The ceasefire is also expected to open the way for increased humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, where parts of the territory are suffering from famine.

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in the region to discuss the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and postwar plans with regional leaders.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. In Israel’s subsequent offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government. The United Nations and independent experts have cited the ministry’s figures as the most reliable available estimates.

“Much of Gaza is a wasteland,” U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the Associated Press on Sunday.

In Israel, families of hostages gathered in Tel Aviv erupted in cheers as news broke that the first group had been handed over to the Red Cross. Israeli television broadcast images of the freed men, including 28-year-old twins Gali and Ziv Berman embracing after their release. Hostages freed earlier had said the twins, from Kfar Aza, were held separately.

In Ramallah, Israeli forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds awaiting the release of Palestinian prisoners. Witnesses said drones hovered overhead as leaflets were distributed, warning that those “supporting terrorist organizations” risked arrest. The Israeli military declined to comment on the flyers.

Among the 1,900 released prisoners are 250 people serving life sentences for attacks on Israelis, and 1,700 others detained from Gaza without formal charges. Many will be sent to the West Bank, Gaza, or into exile.

The hostages’ return marks the end of a painful period for Israel. For nearly two years, the captives’ families had held weekly demonstrations calling for their release, while the nation’s media tracked the days of their captivity.

As public pressure mounted, critics accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of delaying negotiations for political reasons, while he blamed Hamas for refusing to compromise. The eventual ceasefire came after growing international pressure and Israel’s increasing diplomatic isolation.

It remains unclear when the bodies of the 28 deceased hostages will be returned. Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for hostages and missing persons, said an international task force would locate and repatriate remains not returned within 72 hours.

Trump, speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Israel, declared, “The war is over,” though significant uncertainties remain over Gaza’s future and Hamas’s role. Israel insists Hamas must disarm, a demand the militant group rejects.

Under the U.S. plan, an international body would oversee Gaza’s administration, with Palestinian technocrats managing daily governance. Hamas has said Gaza’s leadership should be determined by Palestinians themselves.

Trump is expected to travel to Egypt later Monday for a summit with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and leaders from more than 20 countries to discuss the region’s future. Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas will attend, according to his adviser Mahmoud al-Habbash.

Although Egypt initially announced that Netanyahu would join the summit, his office later said he would not attend due to a Jewish holiday.

The U.S. proposal also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority, contingent on internal reforms, and the deployment of an Arab-led international security force in Gaza. About 200 U.S. troops are currently in Israel to help monitor the ceasefire.

The plan also references the possibility of a future Palestinian state, a prospect long opposed by Netanyahu, leaving many questions about the path to lasting peace in the region.

“Your zodiac sign might be wrong?” Experts reveal the truth behind the viral claim

Paraluman P. Funtanilla
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“Your zodiac sign might be wrong?” Experts reveal the truth behind the viral claim

A viral post circulating on social media recently reignited debate over astrology, claiming that people’s zodiac signs are now “wrong” because of changes in the position of the constellations. The claim, which quickly spread on TikTok and Facebook, argues that the Earth’s axis has shifted over thousands of years, altering the zodiac calendar and, for some, their astrological identities.

However, both astronomers and astrologers have clarified that the viral report is misleading. According to a feature by People.com, astrologers emphasized that Western astrology does not use the actual positions of constellations in the sky. Instead, it follows what is known as the tropical zodiac, a system based on the Earth’s seasons and the Sun’s position relative to the equinoxes, not the shifting stars.

“Western astrology is season-based, not constellation-based,” explained astrologer Susan Miller, founder of Astrology Zone. “Your zodiac sign hasn’t changed. Aries will always begin at the spring equinox, Libra at the fall equinox, and so on.”

The confusion stems from a scientific concept known as axial precession — a slow wobble in the Earth’s rotation that gradually shifts the position of the constellations over thousands of years. Astronomers note that while the stars’ positions have indeed changed slightly since ancient times, this does not affect the zodiac signs used in astrology, which are tied to Earth’s orbital cycle rather than the night sky’s visible layout.

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and science communicator, has long pointed out that astrology and astronomy are “completely different systems.” He explained that astronomy is a science based on observation, measurement, and mathematical models, while astrology is a belief system that interprets human behavior and destiny through symbolic meanings of celestial positions.

The viral claim also revived discussions about a supposed “13th zodiac sign” called Ophiuchus, which some posts claimed should be added to the modern horoscope. Experts again dismissed this idea, noting that Ophiuchus has been known to astronomers since ancient times but was never included in the astrological system that divides the ecliptic into 12 equal segments.

Despite repeated clarifications from experts, astrology remains deeply popular across social media, especially among younger audiences who use it as a form of self-expression and reflection. Scientists, however, continue to encourage media literacy and critical thinking when encountering claims that blend science and belief.

“Precession is real,” said astronomer Dr. Lisa Harvey-Smith, “but it doesn’t mean your zodiac sign has changed. It’s a misunderstanding of how the tropical zodiac works.”

As with many viral trends, experts urge the public to verify information from credible scientific and astrological sources before sharing.

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