A Philippine Navy ship conducted routine patrol operations near Scarborough Shoal “without any untoward incident,” National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano said in a statement. He said the vessel “did not illegally enter any space under Chinese sovereignty” because the shoal is part of the Southeast Asian nation’s territory. “Following the strong guidance of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., we will protect our territory and sovereign rights at all cost,” Ano said. Ano said the Philippines’ military and coast guard “will not be deterred by the aggressive and illegal activities” of Chinese vessels within its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea. Scarborough Shoal is a chain of reefs and rocks that both China and the Philippines claim as their own.

MAKHACHKALA, Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday accused Ukraine and the West of instigating anti-Israel rioting at Dagestan's Makhachkala airport the day before, an accusation that Washington has called absurd. "The events in Makhachkala last night were instigated through social networks, not least from Ukraine, by the hands of agents of Western special services," Putin said in a televised meeting. It is the current ruling elites of the US and their satellites who are the main beneficiaries of world instability," Putin said. Authorities said 60 people had been arrested, suspected of violently storming the airport and seeking to attack Jews. Also on Sunday, Russian state media reported that a Jewish center in another North Caucasus region — Kabardino-Balkaria — was set on fire.

US President Joe Biden addresses striking members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union at a picket line outside a General Motors Service Parts Operations plant in Belleville, Michigan, on Sept. 26, 2023. The UAW union and General Motors arrived at a tentative agreement that could end the six-week-long strike among auto workers. AFP PHOTOThe GM deal announced by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union comes after pacts with Stellantis and Ford, appearing to end the strike on the "Big Three" automakers. The deal "provides more in base wage increases than GM workers have received in the past 22 years," the union added. Return to work"GM workers will return to work while the agreement goes through the ratification process," said the union.

The previous crew of China’s orbiting space station returned to earth Tuesday morning, all reportedly in good health, amid a sharpening rivalry with the U.S. over space exploration and plans to put astronauts on the moon before 2030. (Li Gang/Xinhua via AP)Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Tuesday morning after six months aboard China’s orbiting space station. The station is essentially complete, so the new crew will conduct medical and scientific experiments and maintain equipment. China made its first crewed space mission in 2003 and plans to put astronauts on the moon before 2030. China built its own space station after it was excluded from the International Space Station, largely due to U.S. concerns over Chinese military control over the national space program.

Comelec opens bidding for automated machines in 2025 pollsThis file photo shows a vote-counting machine used by the Commission on Elections. MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections has officially started the bidding process for the acquisition of new machines that will be used in the fully automated 2025 midterm polls. In June, a group of former government officials submitted a petition to disqualify Smartmatic from participating in future Comelec bidding processes. Their claim cited "substantial inconsistencies" in the electoral results recorded at the precinct level compared to those published on the Comelec Transparency Server in the 2022 elections. The PPCRV found a 99.84% accuracy rate reflected by its parallel count of the electronically transmitted election returns with the printed receipts of the vote-counting machines in the 2022 elections.

Pro-China narratives from Filipinos exist — PCG spox TarrielaIn this undated handout photo received from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on April 25, 2021, coast guard personnel conduct maritime exercise near Pag-asa island in the West Philippine Sea. MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela warned the public against China-leaning parroted narratives of some Filipinos. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) Monday, Tarriela cited three narratives that promote Chinese narratives to downplay its aggression in the West Philippine Sea. Tarriela first pointed out that the narratives indicate that speaking up against China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea can lead to an armed conflict. The parroted pro-Beijing narratives were first reported by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) on October 23.

A two-state solution, Israeli settlements on occupied land, the status of Jerusalem, agreed borders, and the fate of Palestinian refugees are at the core of the dispute. Two-state solution: An agreement that would create a state for the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip alongside Israel. Israel has said a Palestinian state must be demilitarized so as not to threaten its security. Refugees: Today about 5.6 million Palestinian refugees – mainly descendants of those who fled in 1948 – live in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza. Israel says any resettlement of Palestinian refugees must occur outside of its borders.

19 killed due to village election-related violence — ComelecPolice gather evidence beside bodies at the scene of a shooting outside a polling station following a confrontation between supporters of rival candidates, during the nationwide village and youth representative elections in Datu Odin Sinsuat town on Mindanao island on October 30, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections reported Tuesday that 19 people were killed during the period of the long-delayed Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. Comelec is still investigating 113 cases of violence to determine if these are connected to Monday’s elections. We have to normalize the elections to the people that it must not result in any form of violence,” Laudiangco said. To prevent future violence in elections, the Comelec official said it will enhance the security template and its voter information efforts.

“We will do our part to enforce the laws that prohibit vote-buying.”“Of course, our policemen, our Commission on Elections (Comelec) are doing everything to stop it. ADVERTISEMENT“As the government, we will do our part to continue to enforce all of the laws that do not allow the use of vote-buying as a part of the campaign,” Marcos said. You know that the barangay officials are the ones you will face every day. For example, what happens here in the barangay elections — the results of the barangay elections today — are going to have an effect on the results of the midterm elections and then subsequently in the national elections,” he said further. The winners, however, are not barred from joining political parties and supporting candidates during local and national elections.

Link REIT has announced that the lower ground floor of the Temple Mall North in Wong Tai Sin, which was submerged last month in heavy rain, will reopen on Tuesday, with stores gradually reopening starting next month. The torrential rain, dubbed “once-in-500-years,” flooded the mall while ten stores were forced to suspend business for nearly two months. Link added that five lifts, two escalators, and the air-con system were damaged in the flooding. The two escalators connecting Exit B3 of Wong Tai Sin MTR Station will also reopen on October 31. Cleaning crews removed the hoarding outside the LG floor on Monday to carry out final cleaning and preparation for reopening, as shown in some online photos.

At least 60 Filipino workers from Israel arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the biggest batch to come home, on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. Of the 60, 32 were hotel workers, 28 caregivers plus two infants. Video courtesy of The Department of Migrant WorkersGet the latest newsdelivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

A celebratory mood prevailed with TMP chairman Alfred Ty and his beautiful and fashionable wife, Cherry Tan-Ty greeting guests and posing for pictures. After dinner was served, Alfred thanked the loyal TMP dealers , which included Don Juan Miguel Oben and Rene So, for helping propel Toyota to pole position in market leadership, producing post pandemic recovery sales. Alfred further rallied TMP’s loyal dealers to work even harden and drive sales under Toyota Motor Corporation’s new IMV-O program which will offer more practical and customizable vehicles at lower price points to buyers. More importantly, Toyota had the unique strategy to focus on proven technology which emphasize reliability and long lasting vehicle design. Lexus LF-ZCThe new Toyota design for its pick up truck will absolutely take the market by storm.

Fourth batch of Filipinos arrive from IsraelThe fourth batch of OFW returnees from Israel safely arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City, this afternoon, October 30, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — Around 60 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Israel were repatriated on Monday — the fourth batch of Filipinos to have returned since Hamas militants attacked Southern Israel in early October. Of the 60, most or 32 OFWs worked in the hotel industry while 28 were caregivers, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). This brings the total number of Filipino returnees from Israel to 119. In a press briefing, DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Cacdac said that 250 more Filipinos in Israel have requested repatriation, but this could still go up in the coming weeks.

The MTR Corporation will host the Asia-Pacific transport summit of the Union Internationale des Transports Publics (UITP) starting this Wednesday (Nov 1), with participants from different regions to explore the theme "Transforming Asia: Smart Public Transport". The 22nd UITP Asia-Pacific Annual Meeting will span three days - including a day dedicated to platform meetings, another for congress activities, and a third for technical visits – for shaping the future direction of the region's public transport sector and bringing in a smart public transport landscape. The summit will bring together UITP members from over ten different territories in the Asia-Pacific region, including public transport authorities and policy decision-makers, operators from the public transport supply and service industry, as well as research institutes. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung will deliver a welcome keynote speech focusing on Hong Kong's public transport policy, strategic plan, and the integration of the city's transportation network with the Greater Bay Area. UITP, an international public transport association, said Hong Kong's rising prominence in the realm of smart public transport makes it an ideal location for the annual meeting this year.

Set up renewable energy in developing world — report(FILES) This file photo taken on September 28, 2021 shows a general view of the Wujing Coal-Electricity Power Station in Shanghai. PARIS, France — Renewable power must be increased more rapidly in developing countries to ensure the energy transition necessary to limit global warming, according to a new report released Monday. The latest finding came from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), published shortly before the world convenes in Dubai for COP28. The world must also mobilise to reach 1,300 billion dollars annually in renewable energy investments by 2030, compared to 486 billion dollars in 2022, said the report. Africa received just two percent (60 billion dollars) of the cumulative 2,841 billion dollars invested in renewable energy worldwide between 2000-2020, the report noted.