Cold storage joint venture hurdles competition regulator

May 7, 2025 | 8:22 pm

THE Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) said it approved a joint venture of a group of cold chain storage and real estate companies with a Singapore holding company.

According to PCC, the deal was approved after it found “that the transaction will not result in a substantial lessening of competition in the relevant markets.”

“The approval of the joint venture is expected to enhance cold storage capacity, thereby strengthening competition in the Philippine cold chain sector,” PCC said.

The deal involves Singapore’s Canopy Investments Pte. Ltd., Mets Logistics, Inc., Mets En Co., Inc., Einstee Realty, Inc., Marssha Realty Development and Trading Corp., Magnificent Trio Properties, Inc., and Mets Cold Storage Systems, Inc.

It is expected to expand Mets Logistics’ cold storage capacity in the Philippines, with Canopy entering as a new financial partner through its subscription for new shares in Mets Cold Storage.

According to the PCC, it reviewed three markets that can be potentially affected by the deal, which are dry storage and warehousing services, land leasing for commercial and industrial use, and office leasing services.

“Following its assessment, the commission found no competition concerns in the joint venture since there will be no overlap in any of the services offered by the companies involved and the reorganization merely involves intra-group transfers,” the PCC added.

Mets Logistics operates cold chain facilities, while the property companies — Einstee Realty, Marssha Realty, and Magnificent Properties — are engaged in commercial storage property management.

Prior to Canopy’s entry, Mets Logistics will undergo internal restructuring in which it will transfer its cold storage and logistics businesses to Mets Cold Storage.

The property firms will also transfer the land and cold storage facilities of the operations while retaining ownership of other properties. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

When the BIR waits too long

May 7, 2025 | 8:21 pm

Tax assessments can be a significant source of worry and concern for taxpayers. The process, from submitting the required documents to dealing with the multiple notices from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), can feel overwhelming. Certain provisions of the law, particularly regarding due process, can also be misunderstood, considering several amendments that have been introduced over the years. This may result in missed opportunities for both the taxpayers and the BIR at some stages of the assessment and collection process.

With respect to the collection process, the general understanding of most is that the BIR has five years from the date of issuance of the assessment to pursue collection, whether through the BIR’s issuance of a warrant of distraint or garnishment, or by a proceeding in court. The period is normally reckoned from the date of issuance of the Final Assessment Notice (FAN). However, as ruled by the Supreme Court (SC), certain instances may suspend the running of the period, or in some cases, a shorter period may apply.

In 2022, the SC held that the BIR is only given a three-year period to collect taxes, instead of the usual five-year period, if the assessment was duly issued within the three-year period. In the case that produced the ruling, the taxpayer received a FAN within the three-year period. Unfortunately, the taxpayer failed to timely file a protest and the BIR proceeded to issue the Final Decision on Disputed Assessment (FDDA). The taxpayer filed a request for reconsideration of the FDDA with the BIR, but the request was denied by the BIR five years later. Thereafter, the BIR proceeded to enforce collection of the assessment.

After taking into consideration the above timelines, the SC held that the CIR’s right to collect taxes had prescribed. Particularly in that case, the three-year period, rather than the five-year period, applies since the assessment was issued within the ordinary three-year prescriptive period. In its decision, the SC referred to a 2014 case, where the High Court clarified that in cases where assessments are issued within the three-year ordinary period, the CIR only has an additional three years to collect the taxes, either through distraint, levy, or court action. The three-year collection period starts when the assessment notice is released, mailed, or sent to the taxpayer.

Notably, the 2014 decision is anchored on Batas Pambansa Blg. (BP) 700, an old law which shortened the statute of limitations for both assessment and collection of taxes from five years to three years. However, the three-year period under BP 700 was subsequently reverted to five years upon the effectivity of the 1997 Tax Code, or Republic Act 8424. Unlike the 2014 case, which covered the taxable period 1992, the 2022 case covered the taxable period 2010, when the 1997 Tax Code was already effective. It is interesting that the SC similarly applied the three-year period in the latter decision. Considering that SC decisions form part of the law, it is important to take note of these to ensure that the parties observe the applicable due process requirements moving forward.

Lastly, in the 2022 case, the SC ruled that the FDDA cannot be considered as a collection letter. Collection efforts must be initiated by distraint, levy, or court proceedings. This requires the issuance of a warrant of distraint and levy, which must be served on the taxpayer, or the filing of a judicial action. In this case, no warrant of distraint or levy was served, nor were there any judicial proceedings initiated within the prescribed period. Therefore, the BIR’s right to collect the deficiency taxes had lapsed.

This case highlights the critical importance of strictly observing the prescriptive periods for both assessment and collection of taxes. It also serves as a cautionary tale for taxpayers and the tax authorities alike, emphasizing once again that for taxpayers that a timely filed protest to the FAN is critical, while for the BIR, delays or procedural lapses in enforcement can render even a valid tax assessment unenforceable. Understanding these legal timelines is essential in protecting their respective rights and resolving tax assessments.

The views or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Isla Lipana & Co. The content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for specific advice.

Edelweiss Chua is a manager at the Tax Services department of Isla Lipana & Co., the Philippine member firm of the PwC network.

edelweiss.chua@pwc.com

NU Bulldogs clinch 10^th straight finals in UAAP men’s volleyball

May 7, 2025 | 7:39 pm

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS — UAAP/JOAQUI FLORES

Games on Sunday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
1 p.m. — FEU vs NU (Men Finals)
5 p.m. — NU vs DLSU (Women Finals)

AND the National University (NU) dynasty is still standing loud and proud in the UAAP men’s volleyball realm.

Four-peat champion NU took care of business against University of Santo Tomas, 25-23, 25-23, 25-23, to clinch its 10^th straight finals appearance in the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball knockout on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The NU Bulldogs dropped the Final Four series opener, 24-26, 25-27, 25-19, 18-25, but still made the most out of their twice-to-beat advantage as the second seed to march on behind a proven and tested pedigree.

NU needed only 85 minutes to seal the deal, thus arranging a best-of-three titular showdown against No. 1 seed Far Eastern University (FEU) starting on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

FEU, with a similar win-once bonus, on Saturday made short work of No. 4 De La Salle University, 24-26, 25-23, 25-19, 25-20, to take the first finals seat.

And as much as the Bulldogs had a harder time figuring out the fourth-seeded Golden Spikers, whom they swept last finals and twice this season, one win was enough to propel them to record-breaking 10^th straight finale stint.

Leo Ordiales fired 20 points while Jade Disquitado added 14 as NU erased the nine consecutive finals appearances of Santo Tomas in the 90s to 2000s from Season 57 to 65. NU also tied the record of La Salle women’s team for the longest streak in UAAP volleyball history.

NU did, repelling every resistance from Santo Tomas in a gutsy sweep — especially in the second set where it unleashed a 4-0 closeout to erase a 21-23 deficit capped by a hit from returning ace Buds Buddin.

Mr. Buddin missed the last two games due to an ankle sprain and contributed seven points in the big win that kept the Bulldogs’ five-peat alive.

Two-time MVP Josh Ybañez and Game 1 hero Gboy de Vega had 14 and 12 points, respectively, in the Golden Spikers’ early exit this time after a runner-up finish last season. — John Bryan Ulanday

Frayna gets another World Cup chance in tough India chessfest

May 7, 2025 | 7:38 pm

FINISHING half a point short of claiming a return trip to the FIDE World Cup, the Philippines’ Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Janelle Mae Frayna gets another chance, albeit, with a more difficult route on this one as she leads lean but mean seven-strong Philippine team in the Asian Individual Chess Championships that was unveiled last night in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.

The country’s first and only WGM to date will shoot for one of the two berths to the World Cup set Oct. 31 to Nov. 27 in New Delhi, India in the 105-player field.

Ms. Frayna gave it her best in the Zonal Championships in Mongolia last week but finished only fifth and half a point short of snaring that one World Cup berth staked in the event.

The 28-year-old Army personnel from Albay gets a second chance but she, however, admits the field will be tougher since the dreaded Russians are joining the annual event for the first time after they switched from Europe to Asia two years ago.

“We’ll do our best even though it’s going to be a very tough field with India, China and even Russia, in the list,” said Ms. Frayna, who thanked the Philippine Sports Commission for financing their participation in the 10-day meet.

There will be 19 Russians in the open section and 13 in the women’s class including its top three seeds Leya Garifullina, Velentina Gunina and Olga Girya.

Ms. Frayna is seeded 20^th.

Joining her were Woman International Masters Jan Jodilyn Fronda, Bernadette Galas and Marie Antoinette San Diego.

A total of 10 slots will be available in the open section where the country will be represented by GM Daniel Quizon and IMs Pau Bersamina and Jem Garcia. — Joey Villar

Tyrese Haliburton drains winning 3 as Pacers finish off comeback vs Cavs

May 7, 2025 | 7:38 pm

TYRESE HALIBURTON grabbed his own missed free throw and buried a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining, giving the visiting Indiana Pacers a 120-119 win over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, taking a commanding lead in the series on Tuesday night.

The Pacers scored the final eight points after Donovan Mitchell made two free throws to push Cleveland’s lead to 119-112 with 57 seconds left. Baskets by Aaron Nesmith and Pascal Siakam made it a one-possession game, and Andrew Nembhard stole the subsequent inbounds pass from Max Strus.

Haliburton drew a foul with 12.4 ticks remaining, making his first free throw to make it 119-117, then grabbed his miss on the second. He dribbled beyond the arc before making the 3-pointer to complete Indiana’s comeback from 20 points down.

Mitchell amassed 48 points, nine assists, five rebounds and four steals for the top-seeded Cavaliers, who were without NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley (left ankle sprain), All-Star point guard Darius Garland (left big toe sprain) and key reserve De’Andre Hunter (right thumb sprain).

Cleveland lost the first two games of a series at home for the first time since 1996, when it was swept by the Knicks in a best-of-three matchup. The Cavaliers have won just 7 of 13 home games during their current three-year playoff streak.

Nesmith and Myles Turner each scored 23 points and Haliburton had 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter. Bennedict Mathurin added 19 points and Nembhard collected 13 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds, along with eight turnovers, for fourth-seeded Indiana.

Mitchell, a six-time All-Star, scored 12 points in the first, 15 in the third and 12 in the fourth in an electrifying performance. He made 15 of 30 field goal attempts and was 17-of-21 on free throws, setting career highs in free throws made and attempted.

Strus had 23 points and Jarrett Allen posted 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who led 81-61 midway through the third. Sam Merrill scored 14 off the bench.

Power forward Mobley and Hunter were both injured on Sunday in Game 1 on consecutive fourth-quarter possessions that were not deemed fouls. Garland has not played since April 23 against the Heat.

Mobley landed on the foot of Turner, who slid under him on a shot, while Hunter dislocated his thumb while falling after his dunk was blocked by Mathurin.

Atkinson, named NBA Coach of the Year earlier this week, expressed his displeasure in three-minute responses on Monday after practice and before the game, eliciting a response from Carlisle.

“Nobody wants to see players get hurt,” Carlisle said. “That disturbs the hell out of us.” — Reuters

Warriors lose Stephen Curry, still beat Timberwolves in Game One

May 7, 2025 | 7:38 pm

BUDDY HIELD scored 24 points as the Golden State Warriors held on for a 99-88 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals series on Tuesday night in Minneapolis, despite losing star Stephen Curry to injury.

Jimmy Butler notched a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Warriors, who won for the second time in three nights after eliminating the Houston Rockets in a seven-game, first-round series. Draymond Green finished with 18 points and eight rebounds.

Anthony Edwards missed his first 10 shots from the field but finished with 23 points and 14 rebounds for Minnesota, which appeared rusty after a five-day break between games. Naz Reid scored 19 points off the bench and Julius Randle finished with 18 points.

Curry left in the second quarter because of a left hamstring strain and did not return. Curry scored 13 points in 13 minutes on 5-for-9 shooting overall and 3-for-6 shooting from 3-point range before his injury.

Curry appeared to sustain the injury after driving for a layup. He favored his left leg after the shot and lifted his arm to signal to the bench that something felt wrong.

Minnesota trailed by as many as 23 points but pulled within single digits in the fourth quarter. A 13-2 run by the Timberwolves cut their deficit to 85-76 with 6:02 remaining.

On the next possession, Hield drilled one of his five 3-pointers from the left quarter to increase the Warriors’ lead back to 12 points. Butler followed with a driving jump shot to put Golden State on top 90-76 with 5:19 remaining and the Warriors maintained a comfortable lead the rest of the way.

Golden State held a commanding 80-60 advantage at the end of the third quarter.

Golden State led 44-31 at the half as Minnesota scored only 11 points in the second quarter. — Reuters

India launches strikes on Pakistan; Islamabad says Indian jets downed

May 7, 2025 | 7:27 pm

INDIA-PAKISTAN — INDIAN security force personnel stand guard near the site of a fighter jet crash in Wuyan in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, May 7, 2025. — REUTERS

MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan/NEW DELHI — India attacked Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir on Wednesday and Pakistan said it had shot down five Indian fighter jets in the worst fighting in more than two decades between the nuclear-armed enemies.

India said it struck nine Pakistani “terrorist infrastructure” sites, some of them linked to an attack by Islamist militants on Hindu tourists that killed 26 people in Indian Kashmir last month.

Islamabad said six Pakistani locations were targeted, and that none of them were militant camps. At least 26 civilians were killed and 46 injured, a Pakistan military spokesperson said.

Indian forces attacked the headquarters of Islamist militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Indian defence source told Reuters.

“India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,” the Indian defense ministry said in a statement.

Pakistan said Indian missiles hit three sites and a military spokesperson told Reuters five Indian aircraft had been shot down, a claim not confirmed by India.

However, four local government sources in Indian Kashmir told Reuters that three fighter jets had crashed in separate areas of the Himalayan region during the night.

All three pilots had been hospitalized, the sources added. Indian defence ministry officials were not immediately available to confirm the report.

Images circulating on local media showed a large, damaged cylindrical chunk of silver-coloured metal lying in a field at one of the crash sites. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the image.

Islamabad called the assault a “blatant act of war” and said it had informed the UN Security Council that Pakistan reserved the right to respond appropriately to Indian aggression.

“All of these engagements have been done as a defensive measure,” Pakistan military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said. “Pakistan remains a very responsible state. However, we will take all the steps necessary for defending the honor, integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan, at all cost.”

The South Asian neighbors also exchanged intense shelling and heavy gunfire across much of their de facto border in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, police and witnesses told Reuters.

Hindu-majority India and Islamic Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over Muslim-majority Kashmir, which both sides claim in full and control in part.

‘OPERATION SINDOOR’
Since a 2003 ceasefire, to which both countries recommitted in 2021, targeted strikes between the neighbors are extremely rare, especially Indian strikes on Pakistani areas outside Pakistani Kashmir.

But analysts said the risk of escalation is higher than in the recent past due to the severity of India’s attack, which New Delhi called “Operation Sindoor”. Sindoor is the Hindi language word for vermilion, a red powder that Hindu women put on the forehead or parting of their hair as a sign of marriage.

US President Donald J. Trump called the fighting “a shame” and added, “I hope it ends quickly.” The State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to the national security advisers of both nations, urging “both to keep lines of communication open and avoid escalation.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for maximum military restraint from both countries, a spokesperson said. China, which neighbors both India and Pakistan, also called for restraint.

The Pakistani army’s shelling across the frontier in Kashmir killed seven civilians and injured 35 in the Indian sector of the region, police there said.

Indian TV channels showed videos of explosions, fire, large plumes of smoke in the night sky and people fleeing in several places in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir. Reuters could not independently verify the footage.

In Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, damage from the Indian strike was visible at sunrise. Security forces surrounded a small mosque in a hill-side residential neighborhood which had been hit, with its minaret collapsed.

All schools in Pakistani Kashmir, the national capital Islamabad, and much of Indian Kashmir and the populous Pakistani province of Punjab were ordered closed on Wednesday in the aftermath of the strikes.

Imran Shaheen, a district official in Pakistani Kashmir, said two mortars landed on a house in the town of Forward Kahuta, killing two men and injuring several women and children. In another village, a resident had been killed in firing, Mr. Shaheen said.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad was responding to the Indian attacks but did not provide details. Pakistan’s populous province of Punjab declared an emergency, its chief minister said, and hospitals and emergency services were on high alert.

A Pakistani military spokesperson told broadcaster Geo that two mosques were among the sites hit by India. The Pakistani defense minister told Geo that all the sites were civilian and not militant camps.

He said India’s claim of targeting “camps of terrorists is false”.

After India’s strikes, the Indian army said in a post on X on Wednesday: “Justice is served.”

STOCK FUTURES, AIRLINES IMPACTED
A spokesperson for the Indian Embassy in Washington told Reuters that evidence pointed “towards the clear involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in this terror attack,” referring to the April tourist killings.

India said two of three suspects in that attack were Pakistani nationals but had not detailed its evidence. Pakistan denied that it had anything to do with the April killings.

News of the strikes impacted Indian stock futures mildly, with the GIFT NIFTY at 24,311, 0.3% below the NIFTY 50’s last close of 24,379.6 on Tuesday.

Several airlines including India’s largest airline, IndiGo, Air India and Qatar Airways cancelled flights in areas of India and Pakistan due to closures of airports and airspace.

Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior Indian officials briefed counterparts in Britain, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, an Indian source told Reuters.

The Indian strike goes far beyond New Delhi’s response to previous attacks in Kashmir blamed on Pakistan. Those include India’s 2019 air strike on Pakistan after 40 Indian paramilitary police were killed in Kashmir and India’s retaliation for the deaths of 18 soldiers in 2016.

“Given the scale of the Indian strike, which was far greater than what we saw in 2019, we can expect a sizable Pakistani response,” said Michael Kugelman, a Washington-based South Asia analyst and writer for the Foreign Policy magazine.

“All eyes will be on India’s next move. We’ve had a strike and a counter-strike, and what comes next will be the strongest indication of just how serious a crisis this could become,” he said. — Reuters

Vatican conclave to pick new pope; world awaits white smoke

May 7, 2025 | 7:26 pm

VATICAN CITY — Roman Catholic cardinals began the task on Wednesday of electing a new pope, locking themselves away from the world until they choose the man they hope can unite a diverse but divided global Church.

In a ritual dating back to medieval times, the cardinals filed into the Vatican’s frescoed Sistine Chapel after a public Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica and started their secret conclave for a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month.

No pope has been elected on the first day of a conclave for centuries, so voting could continue for several days before one of the red-hatted princes of the Church receives the necessary two-thirds majority to become the 267^th pontiff.

There was only one ballot scheduled on Wednesday. Thereafter, the cardinals can vote as many as four times a day.

They will burn their ballots, with black smoke from a chimney on the roof of the chapel marking an inconclusive vote, while white smoke and the peeling of bells signaling that the 1.4-billion member church has a new leader.

The pope’s influence reaches well beyond the Catholic Church, providing a moral voice and a call to conscience that no other global leader can match.

At a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning before entering the conclave, the cardinals prayed that God would help them find a pope who would exercise “watchful care” over the world.

In a sermon, Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re told his peers they must set aside “every personal consideration” in choosing the new pontiff and keep in mind “only … the good of the Church and of humanity.”

Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, is 91 and will not enter the conclave, which is reserved for cardinals under the age of 80.

Cardinals in recent days have offered different assessments of what they are looking for in the next pontiff.

While some have called for continuity with Francis’ vision of greater openness and reform, others have said they want to turn the clock back and embrace old traditions. Many have indicated they want a more predictable, measured pontificate.

A record 133 cardinals from 70 countries will enter the Sistine Chapel, up from 115 from 48 nations in the last conclave in 2013 -— growth that reflects Francis’ efforts to extend the reach of the Church to far-flung regions with few Catholics.

No clear favorite has emerged, although Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle are considered the front-runners.

NO EAVESDROPPING
However, if it quickly becomes obvious that neither can win, votes are likely to shift to other contenders, with the electors possibly coalescing around geography, doctrinal affinity or common languages.

Among other potential candidates are France’s Jean-Marc Aveline, Hungary’s Peter Erdo, American Robert Prevost and Italy’s Pierbattista Pizzaballa.

Re suggested the cardinals should look for a pope who respected the diversity within the Church. “Unity does not mean uniformity, but a firm and profound communion in diversity,” he said in his sermon.

As in medieval times, the cardinals will be banned from communicating with outsiders during the conclave, and the Vatican has taken high-tech measures to ensure secrecy, including jamming devices to prevent any eavesdropping.

The average length of the last 10 conclaves was just over three days and none went on for more than five days. A 2013 conclave lasted just two days.

The cardinals will be looking to wrap things up quickly again this time to avoid giving the impression that they are divided or that the Church is adrift.

Some 80% of the cardinals who enter the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday were appointed by Francis, increasing the possibility that his successor will in some way continue his progressive policies despite strong pushback from traditionalists.

Among their considerations will be whether they should seek a pope from the global south where congregations are growing, as they did in 2013 with the Argentinian Francis, hand back the reins to Europe or even pick a first US pope. — Reuters

‘What’s left to bomb?’ Israel’s plan to expand campaign strikes fear into Gazans

May 7, 2025 | 7:25 pm

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-GAZA — A view shows houses and buildings destroyed by Israeli strikes in Gaza City, Oct. 10, 2023. — REUTERS

CAIRO — Israel’s plan to expand its Gaza offensive, displace people within the enclave and take control of aid distribution has horrified Gazans who already have endured multiple displacements and food shortages during 19 months of conflict.

Israel has been blocking all aid from entering Gaza since March 2 with the collapse of a two-month ceasefire with Hamas that had improved Gazans’ access to food and medicine and allowed many of them to go home.

For Aya, a 30-year-old Gaza City resident who returned home with her family during the ceasefire after months in the southern part of the strip, Israel’s announcement on Monday raised fears of being killed or indefinitely displaced.

“Are we going to die this time?” she said in a message on a chat app.

“Are they going to displace us again? Are we going to end up in Rafah, and will this be the last time, or are they going to force us out of Gaza after Rafah?” she said, referring to the Rafah area in southern Gaza, next to Egypt’s border.

Attending a funeral on Monday for several people killed in an Israeli airstrike on a building in Gaza City, Mohammed al-Seikaly said things were so dire it was hard to imagine how Israel could further intensify its assault.

“There is nothing left in the Gaza Strip that has not been struck by missiles and explosive barrels,” he said. “I’m asking in front of the whole world: ‘What’s left to bomb?’”

On Tuesday, Israeli military strikes killed at least 46 Palestinians across Gaza, local health authorities said. Medics said at least 29 people, including women and children, were killed at a school housing displaced families in the Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Medics said the school was hit twice within a few hours.

After the first airstrike, the Israeli military said it had struck terrorists operating from a command center used for storing weapons and planning and staging attacks against Israel. There was no immediate army comment after the second attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the expanded military operation would be “intensive” and involve holding seized territories and moving Palestinians “for their own safety.”

DEARTH OF FOOD
One Israeli official said the plan would involve moving the civilian population southward and controlling aid distribution to prevent food from falling into the hands of Hamas, the Islamist militant group whose attack on Israel in October 2023 triggered Israel’s military operation in Gaza.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs rejected the plan on Tuesday as “the opposite of what is needed”.

Tamer, a man from Khan Younis in the southern half of the Strip, said he feared Israel could impose its own triage system to decide who would get food.

“Will they arrest people and kill others before they let the rest into the areas they designate?” he said.

Gaza’s 2.3-million people are struggling with a dearth of food, with many eating only once a day. The World Food Programme said on April 25 it had run out of food stocks in the Strip.

Flour often can’t be found, but when a rare sack is available it can cost as much as $500, up from 25 shekels ($7) before the war, Aya said.

“They are starving us so we can agree to anything. We want an end to the war. Let them take their prisoners (Israeli hostages) and end the war. Enough,” she added.

Some residents have been eating weeds or leaves, while fishermen have turned to catching sea turtles and selling their meat.

Israeli officials have said there is still enough food in Gaza, though the head of Israel’s military has warned the political leadership that supplies must be let in soon, public broadcaster Kan reported.

Hamas, which has run Gaza since 2007, accuses Israel of “using food as a weapon in its war against the people of Gaza.”

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel’s campaign has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Hamas-run health authorities, and reduced much of Gaza to ruins. — Reuters

US, China to hold ice-breaker trade talks on May 10

May 7, 2025 | 7:24 pm

US-China flag — COLLECTIONS - GETARCHIVE

WASHINGTON/BEIJING — US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer will meet China’s economic tsar He Lifeng in Switzerland this weekend for talks that could be the first step toward resolving a trade war disrupting the global economy.

News of the meeting announced by Washington late Tuesday, and later confirmed by Beijing, sent US equity index futures sharply higher, while stock markets in China and Hong Kong also rose as Asian trading began on Wednesday.

The talks come after weeks of escalating tensions that have seen duties on goods imports between the world’s two largest economies soar well beyond 100%, amounting to what Bessent on Tuesday described as the equivalent of a trade embargo.

The deadlock, alongside US President Donald J. Trump’s decision last month to impose sweeping duties on dozens of countries, has upended supply chains, roiled financial markets and stoked fears of a sharp downturn in global growth.

The negotiating teams convening in neutral Switzerland are expected to discuss reductions to the broader tariffs, two sources familiar with the planning told Reuters. The two sides are also expected to discuss eliminating duties on specific products, a US decision to end its so-called de minimis duty exemptions on low-value imports and US export controls, one of the sources said.

China’s State Council did not immediately reply to a faxed request for comment.

“My sense is this will be about de-escalation,” Mr. Bessent told Fox News Channel’s “The Ingraham Angle” after the announcement. “We’ve got to de-escalate before we can move forward.”

A Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson later confirmed that China had agreed to meet the US envoys.

“On the basis of fully considering global expectations, China’s interests, and the appeals of US industry and consumers, China has decided to re-engage the US,” the Chinese statement said.

“There is an old Chinese saying: Listen to what is said, and watch what is done. … If (the US) says one thing but then does another, or attempts to use talks as a cover to continue coercion and blackmail, China will never agree.”

This is the first meeting between senior Chinese and US officials since US Senator Steve Daines met Premier Li Qiang in Beijing in March.

As tensions with the United States ratcheted up, Beijing has largely adopted a fiery rhetoric, repeatedly refusing to engage in negotiations with Washington unless it withdrew its “unilateral” tariffs.

However, on Friday last week it signaled increasing openness with its commerce ministry saying Beijing was “evaluating” an offer from Washington to hold talks.

The stakes for China’s economy are high, with its vast factory sector already facing the brunt of the tariffs. Many analysts have downgraded their 2025 economic growth forecast for the Asian giant, while investment bank Nomura has warned the trade war could cost China up to 16 million jobs.

China’s central bank on Wednesday ramped up monetary stimulus, flagging rate cuts and a liquidity injection into the banking system, among other easing measures aimed at mitigating the economic impact of the duties.

Mr. Bessent told Fox News the two sides would work out during their meeting on Saturday “what to talk about.”

“Look, we have a shared interest that this isn’t sustainable,” Bessent said. “And 145%, 125% is the equivalent of an embargo. We don’t want to decouple. What we want is fair trade.”

Bo Zhengyuan, partner at Shanghai-based policy consultancy Plenum, said Saturday’s talks are aimed at easing tensions but it remains unclear how substantive they could prove.

“For more comprehensive geopolitical negotiations to be possible, tariffs would need to be lowered first — the key is whether both sides can agree on the extent and scope of tariff rollbacks, as well as on follow-up talks,” Bo said.

MIXED SIGNALS
US officials have held a flurry of meetings with trading partners since the president announced a 10% tariff on most countries on April 2, along with higher tariff rates that will kick in on July 9, barring separate trade agreements.

Mr. Trump has also imposed 25% tariffs on autos, steel and aluminum, 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and 145% tariffs on China, with further duties expected on pharmaceuticals in coming weeks.

China responded by boosting its tariffs on US goods to 125%. The European Union is also readying countermeasures.

Mr. Trump and his trade team have sent mixed signals over progress in talks with major trading partners rushing to cement agreements with Washington and avoid the imposition of hefty import taxes on their goods.

Mr. Bessent told lawmakers earlier in the day that the Trump administration was negotiating with 17 major trading partners, but not yet China, and could announce trade agreements with some of them as early as this week.

Mr. Trump told reporters before a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that he and top administration officials will review potential trade deals over the next two weeks to decide which ones to accept, triggering a slide in stocks.

US and Britain have made progress towards a trade deal, a British official said, while Mr. Bessent told Fox News that many other countries including Indonesia had come with good offers to reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers, such as subsidies.

Mr. Trump’s moves on tariffs, which he says are aimed in part at reducing the US trade deficit, are so far having an opposite effect, with the gap hitting a record in March as businesses rushed to import goods ahead of the levies. The data highlighted a dynamic that helped drive gross domestic product into negative territory in the first quarter of 2025 for the first time in three years.

In particular, an effort by drug makers to beat tariffs that Mr. Trump has threatened to impose on the sector led to a record surge in pharmaceutical imports. Notably, though, the US trade deficit with China narrowed sharply as the crushing levies Mr. Trump has imposed cut deeply into Chinese imports. — Reuters

What’s in a papal name? An agenda for the Catholic Church

May 7, 2025 | 7:23 pm

An image of Pope Francis and information including his year of death and birth is displayed, at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, in Rome, Italy, April 21, 2025. — REUTERS

VATICAN CITY — When Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio emerged onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after the conclave of March 2013, few outside his native Argentina knew who he was or what kind of pope he might be.

When his papal name was announced, things became much clearer.

Taking the name of the 13th century St. Francis of Assisi, Bergoglio laid out a plan for his papacy.

St. Francis had rejected wealth and wanted to care for the poor. He had taken care of animals and the environment and appealed movingly against the wars of his time. These traits would become key themes of the 12-year papacy of Pope Francis.

As 133 Catholic cardinals started their conclave on Wednesday to elect Francis’ successor, the world awaits the moment when the new pontiff emerges onto that balcony. What name will be announced? What signal will it send?

John, the most common name chosen by past popes and a name Francis often suggested as one for his successor, would evoke a major figure of the 1960s.

Pope John XXIII (1958 to 1963) was known as a gregarious, smiling man, often referred to as “The Good Pope.”

He helped work behind the scenes to de-escalate the Cuban Missile Crisis and called the Second Vatican Council, a three-year assembly of the world’s Catholic bishops that led to major reforms for the global institution.

Choosing the name Paul could honor Pope Paul VI (1963 to 1978), who came after John XXIII and was widely seen as a more cautious figure. He is generally seen as a careful consolidator, who firmed up some of John’s reforms but also gave clear doctrinal answers.

Paul VI, for instance, was the author of a 1968 letter that broadly banned Catholics from using birth control.

Some cardinals say quietly that after Pope Francis, a new Pope Paul is exactly what is needed. Francis, the first pope from the Americas, was not always focused on clear doctrine and even made controversial decisions like allowing priests to bless same-sex couples on a case-by-case basis.

ANOTHER DOUBLE PAPAL NAME?
Other popular papal names have included Gregory, Clement, Leo and Pius.

There is also Benedict, which could honor Francis’ conservative predecessor, Benedict XVI. Or it could honor Benedict XV (1914 to 1922), who spent his papacy pleading with European leaders to end the bloodshed of World War One.

A new pope could decide to be called Francis II, which would be taken as a clear signal that the new pontiff planned to continue with a similar agenda to the late pope.

Cardinal Albino Luciani, elected pope in 1978, decided he could not pick just one name. He chose John Paul, to honor both of his immediate predecessors.

When Luciani died only 33 days later, the next pope, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, chose John Paul II (1978-2005), honoring all three most recent popes.

The new pope could also choose a double name. Something like John Francis would evoke the reforms of the 1960s and the global attraction of Francis, whose funeral and burial procession brought out crowds in Rome of some 400,000. — Reuters

Complete Home 2025: Budols that bring joy to your home

May 7, 2025 | 3:30 pm

SM Hypermarket’s Complete Home is Back — where incredible savings and home upgrade inspiration come together for an unforgettable shopping experience!

Running from May 1 to June 30, Complete Home brings back the best deals on must-have kitchen gadgets, home organization ideas, everyday home essentials, and more — everything you need to elevate your living space. Whether you’re organizing, decorating, or simply upgrading your home, there’s something for everyone.

This year’s event is made even better through our partners Nido, Purefoods, Ariel, Tide, Surf, Creamsilk, Colgate, Palmolive, Nivea, CDO, Eden, Marby, Jolly, Cimory, Del Monte, Knorr, UFC, Jolly, Silver Swan, Barrio Fiesta, Coca-Cola, UCC, Lactum, Baygon, Sanicare, and many more.

Best Buys For Your Home

From fresh finds to home essentials, your home deserves a little upgrade — and now, it comes with perks! During the Complete Home event from May 1 to June 30, SMAC members can get exclusive discounts on select items:

Available in select stores:

Free gift: Get a free gift for every purchase of select Complete Home participating items.

Available in all SM Hypermarket online stores:

Free items: Shop at smmarkets.ph with a minimum P1,500 spend, inclusive of any Complete Home items and get free Watts Japan Home Organizer for the month of May and SM Bonus Bundle for June.

Complete Your Home with Extra Exclusive Perks

But wait, there’s more! The Complete Home Expo is back with ultra-exclusive deals and exciting activities in select SM Hypermarket stores — starting at SM Hypermarket Fairview from May 2 to 4, 2025. Last year’s hits like the Complete Ref and Mystery Bag made waves, and this year, they’re making a comeback with fun new twists, surprises, and even more promos.

Mystery Bag: Add some thrill to your haul! For every minimum ₱5,000 single-receipt grocery purchase (inclusive of any Complete Home items), you can grab a Mystery Bag filled with surprise home essentials and goodies.

Buy 1, Take 1 Promo: Double the value, double the budol! Spend at least ₱3,000 on groceries (with Complete Home items included) and score exclusive Buy 1, Take 1 offers on select appliance.

Complete Ref: Get ₱2,000 worth of FREE groceries when you purchase a Hanabishi 2-Door Mini Refrigerator — perfect for organizing and upgrading your kitchen setup.

Complete Washing Machine: Buy a Hanabishi Twin Tub Washing Machine (7kg) and receive FREE laundry essentials to complete your cleaning corner at home.

Play to Win: Bring home instant prizes! With a minimum ₱500 purchase of Complete Home items, you get a chance to play a fun in-store game and win rewards on the spot.

Catch the next legs of the expo at SM Hypermarket Baliwag from May 30 to June 1, SM Hypermarket Clark from June 13 to 15, and SM Hypermarket Bicutan from June 27 to 30. It’s the perfect opportunity to give your home the upgrade it deserves while having fun and saving more.

Complete Home is the shopping adventure your space has been waiting for. Complete your home, complete the experience — only here at SM Hypermarket.

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