News

New York, United States — The Trump administration’s tariff threats and animosity towards electronic vehicles are producing a “lot of cost and a lot of chaos” for Ford, the automaker’s chief executive said Tuesday. While Trump has spoken about the priority of strengthening manufacturing in the United States, the administration thus far has been the source of tremendous “policy uncertainty” with constantly evolving tariff plans and a lack of clarity whether tax credits favoring EVs will be rolled back, he said. Appearing at a financial conference, Jim Farley described Trump’s initial plan to enact 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and […]…

Keep on reading: Ford CEO says Trump policy uncertainty creating chaos

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ renewable energy market may have seen its best year yet in 2024, as the government recorded a historic power generation capacity expansion with more clean power injected into the national grid. The Department of Energy (DOE) said Tuesday that the local industry saw “record-breaking capacity additions” last year, reaching 794.34 megawatts (MW) of new clean energy capacity. This even surpassed the three-year aggregate capacity of 759.82 MW that went online in 2021, 2022, and 2023. READ: 149 power projects tagged as priority projects Thanks to the increasing share of renewables in the power generation mix, […]…

Keep on reading: RE sees ‘record-breaking’ capacity add

Brasília, Brazil — Brazil has no intention of entering a trade war with the United States, a government minister said Tuesday after US President Donald Trump imposed a 25-percent levy on steel. Brazil is the second-largest exporter of steel to the United States after Canada, providing 4.08 million tonnes of the metal in 2024. Asked about potential retaliation to the tariffs, institutional relations minister Alexandre Padilha told journalists “the government has not discussed this at all,” but was opposed to a commercial standoff. “Brazil does not encourage and will not enter into any trade war,” said Padilha. READ: Canada, Mexico, […]…

Keep on reading: Brazil says ‘will not enter trade war’ with US

JERUSALEM — Israel threatened Tuesday to resume “intense fighting” in Gaza if hostages were not released this weekend, while Hamas insisted it remained committed to the ceasefire deal and accused Israel of violations. Under the terms of the truce, which has largely halted more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza, captives were to be released in batches in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli custody. So far, Israel and Hamas have completed five hostage-prisoner swaps. But the deal has come under increasing strain in recent days, prompting diplomatic efforts to salvage it and Hamas to say it was “committed to […]…

Keep on reading: Israel says to resume Gaza fighting if hostages not freed Saturday

MANILA, Philippines — The Marcos administration was able to borrow more than initially planned during Tuesday’s sale of Treasury bonds (T-bonds) as local rates tracked a decline in US Treasury yields. Auction results showed that the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) had raised its target amount of P30 billion via reissued T-bonds, which have a remaining life of seven years and seven months. The offering attracted P67.6 billion in total tenders, exceeding the original size of the issuance by 2.3 times. That prompted the BTr to open its tap facility window to accept an additional P5 billion in excess demand. […]…

Keep on reading: Gov’t raises P30B from T-bond offer amid lower yield

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A week after signing the petition to impeach the Vice-President, Deputy Speaker and Cebu 5th District Rep. Duke Frasco has broken his silence. Frasco defended his decision to join the 240 lawmakers who voted to oust Vice President Sara Duterte last Feb. 5. Otherwise, projects and programs intended for Cebu’s 5th district are at risk, the congressman said in a speech during a caravan of services in his hometown in Liloan on Tuesday, Feb. 11. “(Ni sign ko sa impeachment) tungod ninyo. Tungod sa atong mga programa, proyekto, kalambuan. Di nako marisgo atong mga programa, mga […]…

Keep on reading: Impeachment vs. Sara: Cebu’s Duke Frasco tells all

Diana Moreno, the reigning Colombian queen of The Miss Globe pageant, is currently having an Asian tour, and the Philippines is one of the stops in her five-country trip. The international pageant organization announced on social media that the beauty queen will have a three-day visit to the Philippines, on March 1 to 3. She is currently in Nepal, and will travel next to India, Thailand and Vietnam. This will be the first time that a non-Filipino titleholder of The Miss Globe pageant will come to Manila during the course of her reign under the international organization. And although details […]…

Keep on reading: The Miss Globe 2024 Diana Moreno from Colombia to visit PH in March

OTTAWA — Canada said Tuesday it had appointed a fentanyl czar, after promising US President Donald Trump it would boost efforts to combat flow of the drug across the border in exchange for a pause on tariff threats. Canada has repeatedly asserted that less than one percent of fentanyl entering the United States comes through its border. Trump has remained adamant, however, that Canada increase efforts against cross-border trafficking. Last week he paused 25 percent levies against Canada for a month after Ottawa vowed to step up its efforts against fentanyl as well as undocumented migrants crossing into the United […]…

Keep on reading: Canada appoints fentanyl czar as part of promises to Trump

WASHINGTON — Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has been tapped by President Donald Trump to lead federal cost-cutting efforts, said Tuesday that the United States would go “bankrupt” without budget cuts. Musk leads the efforts under the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and was speaking at the White House with Trump, who has in recent weeks issued a flurry of orders aimed at slashing federal spending. In particular, Musk pointed to the country’s budget deficit, which topped $1.8 trillion in the last fiscal year, and took aim at high interest payments on the public debt. READ: Trump: Musk […]…

Keep on reading: Musk, with Trump at White House, says US will go ‘bankrupt’ without cuts

The death of renowned chef and restaurateur Margarita Forés brought sorrow to her loved ones and to the celebrities who admire her and had worked with her. Among them was actor Edu Manzano who paid tribute to Margarita via his Instagram page on Wednesday, Feb. 12. “To my dear friend Margarita, your presence will be deeply missed but your memories will live on in my heart forever,” he said. “I am grateful for the moments we shared and the laughter we created together. Rest in paradise my friend.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Edu Manzano (@realedumanzano) […]…

Keep on reading: Margarita Forés honored by celebrity friends