Paris – Attacks on water systems are uncommon in wartime, but Iran has threatened to target desalination plants after it said its own water and energy infrastructure had sustained damage in the ongoing war with Israel and the U.S. What has Iran said? Iran’s military renewed its threats on Sunday against the region’s infrastructure after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to “obliterate”…
SEOUL, March 23 (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was reappointed as president of state affairs, state media KCNA reported on Monday, after the isolated nation convened the first session of its Supreme People’s Assembly a day earlier. The meeting in Pyongyang will discuss amendments and supplements to the socialist constitution, as well as the election of the chairman of…
SINGAPORE, March 23 (Reuters) – Oil prices were little moved on Monday as investors weighed U.S. and Iranian threats to target energy facilities that could escalate the war against the release of millions of barrels of Iranian oil at sea to global markets after Washington lifted sanctions. Brent crude futures dropped 8 cents to $112.11 a barrel by 2324 GMT after settling…
As oil prices rise and the peso weakens, the Philippine government is being urged to reassess its spending priorities, with the ₱17.6-billion ASEAN Summit emerging as one option for review. Former Finance Secretary Gary Teves says the question is not about diplomacy, but priorities. In times of crisis, he argues, governments—like households—must decide what to delay and where to redirect limited resources.…
With the perceived ouster of career health officials, Malacañang now stands accused of putting institutional stability and expert leadership at risk for political convenience. The uproar follows the exit of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire and other veteran DOH officials in what appears to be a politically motivated shake-up. About 55 professional medical groups signed a joint statement expressing concerns of what…
The Laguna Lake is fast deteriorating into the country’s “biggest septic tank,” Biñan City Rep. Walfredo “Arman” Dimaguila Jr. warned on Saturday, August 2. In an interview on DZRH News’ Special on Saturday, Rep. Dimaguila urged the Marcos Jr. administration to take urgent and science-based action to rehabilitate the vital water body affecting millions across Southern Luzon and Metro Manila. “Magkakaroon na…
The Iran war is showing why the Philippines can’t afford to neglect its farmers
A war thousands of kilometers away is beginning to ripple through something as basic as the Filipino dining table. The conflict involving Iran has pushed oil prices higher, disrupted key shipping routes, and strained global supply chains—especially for fertilizer, a critical input for food production. Farmers are already feeling the pressure. Fertilizer prices have surged by as much as 30% to 40%,…