Cignal HD Spikers battle dangerous ZUS Coffee in All-Filipino Conference

February 12, 2025 | 7:50 pm

Games on Thursday
(PhilSports Arena)
4 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs Nxled
6:30 p.m. – Cignal vs ZUS

SENSATIONAL ROOKIE Ishie Lalongisip seeks to continue flashing her strong form as Cignal clashes with a dangerous ZUS Coffee on Thursday in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena.

Taking advantage of the opportunity that was opened up following the abrupt departure of power duo Ces Molina and Riri Meneses, the high-leaping 23-year-old former Adamson captain has flourished as she averaged 16 points in their last two games.

It included a 13-point effort in a 25-12, 25-15, 25-17 win over Capital1 last week that kept the HD Spikers in the top three with a 6-3 record.

Another second-stringer who had helped fill the void was Judith Abil, who came through with 13 hits in their most recent win.

Choco Mucho, meanwhile, likewise shoots to improve on its 6-3 mark as it tangles with Nxled (1-8) at 4 p.m. — Joey Villar

Gilas eyes Doha camp in preparation for Asia Cup meet

February 12, 2025 | 7:49 pm

GILAS PILIPINAS will go to Doha, Qatar for its next camp, seeking to simulate the elements it expects to encounter when it eventually competes in the FIBA Asia Cup in August in Saudi Arabia.

The Nationals, who have already secured their spot in the Continental meet with still one window to spare in the Qualifiers, will test themselves against counterparts from Qatar, Lebanon and Egypt in the Second Doha International Cup from Feb. 14 to 16 in this trip.

After this, Tim Cone’s troops will do more traveling as they wrap up their campaign in the Asia Cup Qualifiers on the road against Chinese Taipei (Feb. 20) and New Zealand (Feb. 23).

“We want it (training camp) hard because this is about preparation (for the Asia Cup proper),” said Mr. Cone, whose Gilas squad is scheduled to leave for Qatar on Thursday after wrapping up its two-day sessions at Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna.

“We are qualified (already) and so we’re not concerned so much about the qualification now as much as we are concerned about the actual FIBA Asia tournament. So we’re going to use this time as a chance to prepare for the FIBA Asia. It’s early but that’s the only time we’re going to have so we have to take advantage of the times that we have to do it.”

The multi-titled mentor foresees a short training period before the Aug. 5 to 17 Asia Cup and thus arranged for Gilas to have a three-games-in-three-days experience in the Middle East against Middle Eastern rivals now.

“In the FIBA Asia, we’ll play three days in a row most likely and we’ll be playing in the Middle East, in this weather. So these are things that are going to help us prepare,” he said.

“And this team hasn’t played a Middle Eastern team yet so they haven’t got a feel for their style. We played European, South American, Asian (opponents) but we haven’t played Middle Eastern so this will be that chance. I’m sure we’re going to be playing some Middle Eastern teams during the FIBA Asia,” he added. — Olmin Leyba

Real Madrid’s Bellingham nets last-gasp winner in 3-2 thriller with Man City

February 12, 2025 | 7:48 pm

MANCHESTER, England — Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham struck a last-gasp goal to give the Champions League holders a 3-2 victory over Manchester City in an edge-of-your-seat first leg of their knockout phase playoff on Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium.

Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz also struck for Real, to cancel out a double from City’s Erling Haaland, setting up what should be a thrilling second leg on February 19 in Madrid between two of Europe’s most famous teams and biggest rivals.

Haaland opened the scoring with his first career goal against Real in the 19^th minute when Josko Gvardiol chested the ball down to the 24-year-old Norwegian, who volleyed into the far corner. The goal was given after fans held their breath through a four-minute VAR check for offside.

Mbappe leveled in the 60^th minute with a rebound off a free kick, awkwardly looping the ball off his shin over goalkeeper Ederson and into the net.

Haaland struck from the penalty spot in the 80^th minute — awarded after Dani Ceballos took down Phil Foden by his right knee in the box — sending keeper Thibaut Courtois the wrong way.

It was his 49^th goal in 48 Champions League games.

But City has struggled to hold onto leads this season, conceding seven goals in the final 15 minutes of Champions League matches. And former City player Diaz pounced on a poor clearance by Ederson of Vinicius Jr.’s shot to tap home in the 86^th minute.

England international Bellingham scored the winner in the 92^nd minute to groans from City fans after a shaky pass back from Mateo Kovacic to Rico Lewis saw Vinicius nip in and loop the ball over from the left. Bellingham got in front of John Stones to slot home.

TOUGH TASK AT BERNABEU
Real and City failed to advance automatically to the last 16 as one of the top eight sides in the Champions League table, in the new league-phase format, meaning one of the tournament’s top contenders will be eliminated early.

“It was a weird one. We played some of our best football of the season and ended up behind,” Bellingham said.

“I think we were playing well and creating a lot. We were always confident throughout the game that something would drop for us. I don’t care what form City are in, they are still an unbelievable team. It’s always tricky to play against them and we finally took the chance at the end.”

The clubs are clashing for a fourth consecutive year, having met in four Champions League knockout ties since 2020, although never this early in Europe’s elite competition.

City boss Pep Guardiola has said the frequency of meetings makes it feel like a derby, while Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti called the fixture a “modern classic.”

“It’s so raw and frustrating for everyone,” City defender Stones said, summing up the home side’s agony.

“We were in the game until so late and then it’s two situations that happen and we concede… We need to see games out better… Today we had a great opportunity to go to the Bernabeu with a 2-1 lead. It’s not done. We have to stay positive, which is difficult now.”

Ancelotti urged his players to keep their head for the return match. “We didn’t deserve to be 1-2 down. We were really dangerous and defended really well. At the end of the day the victory is deserved,” he said. “We have to stay calm. It’s only the first half. Anything can happen at the Bernabeu.” — Reuters

Karl-Anthony Towns scores 40 points as Knicks top Pacers

February 12, 2025 | 7:47 pm

KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS recorded 40 points and 12 rebounds, Josh Hart added a season-high 30 points, and the New York Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers 128-115 on Tuesday in Indianapolis.

Hart also had 10 rebounds and five assists while shooting 12 of 16 from the field. Miles McBride added 15 points for New York, which drew clear in the fourth quarter to win the season series against Indiana 2-1.

New York led by eight early in the fourth quarter before using a 13-5 run to go up 116-100 with 5:41 remaining on a layup by Hart. The Knicks remained in control to win for the eighth time in their past 10 games.

Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 24 points. Bennedict Mathurin scored 18 off the bench, Thomas Bryant had 18 points and nine rebounds, Tyrese Haliburton added 16 points and eight assists, and Ben Sheppard had 12 points.

Bryant started in place of center Myles Turner, who missed his second straight game with a cervical strain. Indiana shot 29% (9 of 31) from 3-point range and lost for the third time in its past four games.

New York led 27-26 after one period and used a 15-3 run late in the second quarter to move ahead 61-50.

Towns scored 24 points in the first half for the Knicks, who led 68-60 at intermission after holding the Pacers to 30% shooting (6 of 20) from beyond the arc.

New York’s Jalen Brunson was limited to six points in the first half and picked up his fifth foul with 8:42 left in the third quarter and the Knicks leading 74-65.

With Brunson on the bench for the rest of the period, New York maintained its lead and held a 98-88 advantage at the end of the third quarter.

Precious Achiuwa finished with nine points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, while Brunson had eight points on 4-of-11 shooting.

New York played without forward OG Anunoby, who missed his fourth straight game with a sprained right foot.

RAPTORS NOTCH RARE ROAD WIN VS 76ERS
Scottie Barnes collected 33 points and 10 rebounds and Immanuel Quickley added 23 points, lifting the visiting Toronto Raptors to a 106-103 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.

Barnes made 10 of 16 shots from the floor and Quickley sank 7 of 11 attempts for the Raptors, who snapped a four-game losing skid. The win was just Toronto’s fifth in 26 road games this season.

Gradey Dick had 17 points and three steals, including one on Joel Embiid in the late stages, for the Raptors. He added a free throw with 5.3 seconds to play to cap the scoring.

Embiid recorded 27 points and 12 rebounds for the struggling 76ers, who have lost four in a row and 13 of their last 18 games.

Jared Butler scored 15 points, Paul George had 14, Quentin Grimes chipped in 13 and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 12 for Philadelphia.

Tyrese Maxey, however, was limited to just five points on 1-of-9 shooting from the floor — including 1-of-7 from 3-point range. That performance came on the heels of a 39-point effort in Philadelphia’s 135-127 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

Maxey sank a 3-pointer to forge a tie at 103 with 1:49 remaining before Toronto regained the lead on its next possession, courtesy of a layup by Ochai Agbaji.

Dick stole the ball from Embiid with eight seconds left before splitting a pair of free throws, and Maxey was off on his tying 3-point attempt to end the game.

Toronto erased a modest two-point deficit by scoring 14 of the first 20 points of the third quarter to take a 64-58 lead. Quickley drained a pair of 3-pointers and Barnes and Agbaji each added four points during the run. — Reuters

Super Bowl audience largest-ever for single network telecast

February 12, 2025 | 7:47 pm

LOS ANGELES — An estimated 127.7 million viewers tuned in for Sunday’s Super Bowl National Football League championship broadcast by Fox, the largest audience in TV history for a single-network telecast, the Nielsen ratings agency said on Tuesday.

The figure includes US viewers who watched on the Fox broadcast network, Fox Deportes, Telemundo and the Fox-owned streaming service Tubi in homes and at bars and restaurants.

Viewership for the matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles peaked in the second quarter at 137.7 million viewers, Nielsen said. The Eagles crushed the Chiefs by a score of 40-22. Rapper Kendrick Lamar performed at halftime. The Super Bowl is the biggest event on US television each year. — Reuters

Philippines law agency recommends filing criminal charges against VP Duterte over threat

February 12, 2025 | 5:16 pm

VICE-PRESIDENT Sara Duterte-Carpio — OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

MANILA — The Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation has recommended filing criminal charges against Vice President Sara Duterte over an alleged threat to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and others, the agency’s head said on Wednesday.

“We have finally recommended the filing of inciting to sedition and grave threats against the vice president,” NBI Director Jaime Santiago told radio broadcaster DZBB in an interview.

Mr. Santiago said the recommendation has been submitted to the justice ministry, which will then decide if it will conduct a preliminary investigation.

Ms. Duterte, in a brief comment sent through her media officer, said the NBI’s recommendation was “as expected”.

The case stemmed from Ms. Duterte’s remarks in November that she has spoken with an assassin, and instructed him to kill Mr. Marcos, his wife and his cousin, the speaker of the Philippine House, if she were killed. She has denied threatening them and reiterated last week that she made no such threat.

The vice president has been embroiled in a long-running row with former ally Marcos. She is facing a separate impeachment complaint over the threat she made and for allegedly misusing public funds while vice-president and education minister. — Reuters

Love, luxe, and thoughtful finds

February 12, 2025 | 5:10 pm

Get your loved ones the gift of love this Heart’s Day at SM

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and let’s be real — finding the perfect gift for your special someone can be a challenge. Whether you’re shopping for your partner, bestie, or even yourself (because self-love is the best love!), SM Supermalls has got you covered! Check out this curated list of gifts, each suited to your loved one’s personality.

For the one who’s all about self-care: Aesop hand balm

Available at SM Aura and SM Mall of Asia (soon to open), Aesop’s luxurious hand balm is perfect for someone who always has their self-care game on point. With its soothing formula and minimalist design, it’s a thoughtful gift for someone who appreciates quality over quantity.

For the sophisticated scent lover: Le Labo Perfume

If your Valentine has an effortlessly cool aura and always smells like a dream, they’ll love a signature scent from Le Labo at SM Mall of Asia. The complex, personalized scents are perfect for a fragrance connoisseur who values individuality and luxury. Give the gift of a signature scent that will linger after the special day.

For the trendsetter: Beyond the Vines Poofy Bag

For the friend who always knows what’s hot in fashion, the Beyond the Vines Poofy Bag at SM Mall of Asia is the ultimate Valentine’s Day accessory. Style meets function with this playful, yet stylish bag. This is perfect for those who want to stay ahead of fashion trends, rock the latest fits, and aren’t afraid to mix bold colors. It’s the IT bag for the IT person in your life.

For the homebody with luxe taste: Our Home x Francis Libiran Tin Candle Set

Dreamy scent + chic aesthetics = Francis Libiran Tin Candle Set. Available at Our Home branches, this tin candle set is for the one who thrives in cozy nights, binge-watching rom-coms, and setting the mood with soft lighting and a fluffy blanket.

For the audiophile: Sonos Era 100

If you have a friend who’s passionate about music, the Sonos Era 100 speaker at SM Mall of Asia is a fantastic gift choice. Known for its superior sound quality and sleek design, this speaker will make any music lover’s Valentine’s Day extra special. Whether they’re into podcasts, classic hits, or the latest chart-toppers, the Sonos Era 100 will elevate their listening experience.

For the sun-chaser: Massimo Dutti Sunglasses

For that person who exudes effortless elegance, the Massimo Dutti sunglasses available at SM Mall of Asia are the perfect accessory. These sunglasses are timeless, chic, and ideal for someone who appreciates the finer things in life. Whether they’re lounging poolside or heading out for a coffee date, these sunglasses will elevate their style with ease.

For the sweet tooth: Venchi Chocolates

Nothing says “I love you” like Venchi Chocolates from The Podium. Crafted with the finest ingredients, these luxurious chocolates are the perfect gift for a lover of fine confectionery. With a range of rich, decadent flavors, Venchi offers a delicious way to express affection on this special day.

For the one who deserves a decadent treat: Kevin Ong Patisserie Cakes

Located at SM Aura, Kevin Ong Patisserie makes cakes that are almost too beautiful to eat. Almost. Known for his artistic and flavorful creations, these cakes are perfect for those who appreciate culinary artistry. Surprise them with a slice of sweet happiness that is as delightful to the eyes as it is to the palate.

Celebrate Valentine’s with exciting experiences at SM Supermalls’ Love in Full Colors

The Valentine’s season at SM is ready to bloom in full color! Whether you’re planning a romantic date, celebrating with friends, or indulging in self-love, there’s something special for everyone from Feb. 1 to 14.

#DateSpotsAtSM will give you the ultimate date inspo with Instagram-worthy experiences, brought to you by SM and your favorite content creators. For picture-perfect moments, go to the Snap of LOVE artistic photo spots where you can capture memories with your special someone, family, or besties. And because love and food go hand in hand, LOVE Bites offers exclusive Valentine’s dining deals across SM’s cafes and restaurants.

For those who prefer fun-filled celebrations, LOVE Vibes brings exciting activities like movie dates at SM Cinema, skating at SM Skating, and strike-worthy fun at SM Bowling. If you’re still on the hunt for the perfect Valentine’s gift, the LOVE Market has everything you need from chocolates and flowers to personalized keepsakes.

Meanwhile, pet parents can enjoy a FURst Date with their fur babies at the Paw Park, while couples can unleash their creativity at the LOVE Lab (Feb. 8-9) with interactive art workshops.

And on Feb. 14, LOVE Bops will set the mood with live romantic serenades at the Event Center.

But if you are single, don’t worry because SM’s got you. Celebrate Single’s Day with self-love tips, treats, and a reminder that love starts with YOU!

No matter how you choose to celebrate, SM Supermalls is your ultimate Valentine’s destination. So tag along with your friends, family, SO, and your pets, and make this Heart’s Day even more special when you drop by an SM mall near you!

To know more about the latest news and activities at SM Supermalls, visit www.smsupermall.com or follow @SMSupermalls on social media.

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‘UnMatch’ love scammers now: Whoscall supports CICC, Scam Watch Pilipinas’ anti-love scam campaign

February 12, 2025 | 4:05 pm

As the love month celebration begins, the government, advocacy group, and private sector anticipate a rise in love scams in the Philippines.

Online scammers prey on vulnerable individuals, exploiting their emotions through social engineering tactics to deceive them into giving away money or personal information.

In response, Whoscall, a global anti-scam application, has recently expressed support for the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), Scam Watch Pilipinas, and other private organizations in combating love scams this season.

Gogolook Philippines Country Head Mel Migriño, known for her media appearances discussing online scams, said the Whoscall app will be helpful in cases where love scams occur via SMS, instant messages and calls.

The app can detect whether the person behind the call or message is legitimate or a potential scammer.

“We Filipinos are naturally generous, which love scammers often exploit. We encourage our ‘Kababayans’ to use the Whoscall app, as its free features can help protect not just their online safety but also their hearts from love scams,” she said.

She also highlighted the threat of the unethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly deepfakes, as a growing risk in love scams.

“One way to avoid being scammed is by inviting your online partner to a video call to verify if they are the same person in their profile pictures,” Ms. Migriño warned.

“However, scammers nowadays use deepfake technology to mimic someone’s face in video calls, making love scams an even bigger threat to Filipinos,” she added.

Gogolook, the leading global TrustTech company, is also the developer of the Whoscall App.

Meanwhile, CICC Executive Director Alexander Ramos warned that Filipinos’ emotional nature makes them susceptible to AI-driven scams.

“We (Filipinos) are very emotional, and because of this, AI can be used to manipulate us. Scammers have profiled us — they know our vulnerabilities and are aware of how much Filipinos earn, which is why they target us,” he said.

Mr. Ramos also noted that in previous years, many people were unaware they were being scammed and did not know where to file complaints.

He attributed the sharp rise in reported cases to increasing public awareness of cybercrimes and a growing willingness to report them.

UnMatchPH

The UnMatchPH is a campaign led by Scam Watch Pilipinas and the CICC to raise awareness about love scams and educate the public on how to recognize and avoid them.

Scammers use various tactics to manipulate victims, often preying on emotions and trust.

Some common love scam personas include Sad Boi, Sad Gurl, The Seducer, The Investor, The Servicemen, The Escort, The Blackmailer, The Slow Burn, and The Predator.

UnMatchPh reminds Filipinos to stay vigilant and think twice before trusting someone they meet online. If something feels suspicious, report it immediately and protect yourself from falling victim to these scams.

Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.

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mWell launches OnTheGo medical drone delivery service

February 12, 2025 | 1:06 pm

by Patricia B. Mirasol, Producer

mWell, the digital healthcare arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), launched on February 5 its OnTheGo medical drone delivery in Barangay Niogan, Pilila, Rizal.

OnTheGo, the first in Southeast Asia, complements the company’s telemedicine services to geographically isolated communities.

The service is in partnership with not-for-profit organization Philippines Flying Labs (PFL), which – in 2022 – was the first in Southeast Asia to use cargo drones for medical deliveries across oceans.

“Distance should never be a barrier to healthcare,” mWell chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said in a Feb. 5 press statement. “Through drones, we’re bridging the distance between patients and life-saving medicines. This isn’t simply a matter of convenience, but of getting help to every Filipino that needs it.”

The health and wellness mega app has been providing mWell OnTheGo Clinic-In-A-Bag to enable teleconsultation in remote areas such Turtle Islands in Tawi-Tawi, Calayan Island, and Sacol Island. Each of these bags contains a tablet or mobile phone, health passes for online doctor consultation, a Smart pocket Wi-Fi, and an mWellness Kit with a digital thermometer, blood pressure monitor, and oximeter.

One barrier to patient care has been the difficulty in acquiring prescribed medications due to limited pharmacy access and medication shortage.

“We have received feedback that after consultations, doctors prescribe medicines that are sometimes unavailable in health centers,” Tisha C. Quinitio, mWell’s business development head, said.

“Since these patients are in remote areas, we thought about how to get the medicines to them. That’s why we partnered with the [PFL], which offers drone delivery services,” she said on Feb. 5.

“After an mWell teleconsultation, with just a click on their tablet, medicines can be delivered directly to remote areas via drone,” she added.

DICT secretary Ivan John Uy, who attended the launch together with mWell, PFL, and Department of Health representatives, said many Filipinos will benefit from the service.

“Maipagmamalaki natin sa ibang bansa na hindi tayo nahuhuli (We can proudly say that we are not being left behind by other countries),” he said in the same press release.

Netanyahu says Israel will end Gaza ceasefire if hostages not returned on Saturday

February 12, 2025 | 11:38 am

Prime_Minister_of_Israel_Benjamin_Netanyahu — Image via Wikipedia

CAIRO/JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Tuesday the ceasefire in Gaza would end and the military would resume fighting Hamas until it was defeated if the Palestinian militant group did not release hostages by midday Saturday.

Following Mr. Netanyahu’s ultimatum, Hamas issued a statement renewing its commitment to the ceasefire and accusing Israel of jeopardizing the ceasefire.

The Israeli announcement came after Mr. Netanyahu met with several key ministers, including defence, foreign affairs and national security, who he said gave the ultimatum their full support.

After nearly 16 months of war, Hamas has gradually been releasing hostages since the first phase of a ceasefire began on January 19, but on Monday said it would not free any more until further notice over accusations Israel was violating the deal.

“If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon – the ceasefire will end and the IDF (military) will return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated,” Mr. Netanyahu said.

It was not immediately clear if Netanyahu meant Hamas should release all hostages held in Gaza or just the three who had been expected to be released on Saturday under the ceasefire.

His office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request seeking comment on the prime minister’s remarks.

U.S. President Donald Trump, a close ally of Israel, has said that Hamas should release all of the hostages by Saturday.

The prime minister also said he had ordered the military to gather forces inside and around Gaza, with the military announcing shortly after it was deploying additional forces to Israel’s south including the mobilization of reservists.

A Hamas official earlier said that Israeli hostages could only be brought home if the ceasefire was respected, dismissing the “language of threats” after Mr. Trump said he would “let hell break out” if they were not freed.

“Trump must remember there is an agreement that must be respected by both parties, and this is the only way to bring back the (Israeli) prisoners,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.

Hamas has said Israel has violated the ceasefire with several deadly shootings as well as by holding up some aid deliveries and impeding the return of Gazans to the strip’s north.

Israel denies holding back aid and says it has fired on people who disregarded warnings not to approach Israeli troops.

So far, 16 of 33 hostages have been freed as part of the ceasefire deal’s first phase due to last 42 days. Five Thai hostages were also let go in an unscheduled release.

In exchange, Israel has released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including prisoners serving life sentences for deadly attacks and others detained during the war and held without charge.

An Israeli group representing families of hostages urged Netanyahu to stick to the ceasefire agreement.

“We must not go backwards. We cannot allow the hostages to waste away in captivity,” the hostages forum said.

There are 76 hostages still held in Gaza, more than 35 of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli media.

TRUMP’S PLAN FOR GAZA
Gaza, one of the world’s most densely populated areas, has been devastated by Israel’s military offensive. The enclave is short of food, water and shelter, and in need of billions of dollars in foreign aid.

More than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, the Gaza health ministry says, and nearly all of Gaza’s pre-war population of 2.3 million has been internally displaced by the conflict.

Some 1,200 people were killed in the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli communities and about 250 were taken to Gaza as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Mr. Trump said last week the U.S. should take over Gaza and move out more than 2 million Palestinian residents so the enclave can be developed into the “Riviera of the Middle East”. Mr. Netanyahu praised the plan and said on Tuesday the security cabinet endorsed it.

Mr. Trump’s plan has enraged Palestinians and Arab leaders and upended decades of U.S. policy that endorsed a two-state solution in which Israel and a Palestinian state would coexist.

The forcible displacement of a population under military occupation is a war crime banned by the 1949 Geneva conventions.

Mr. Trump restated his position as he met Jordan’s King Abdullah on Tuesday at the White House amid widespread opposition to his plan among Washington’s Arab allies, including Jordan.

Mr. Trump said on Tuesday that he believed there would be a parcel of land in Jordan, Egypt and someplace else where Palestinians can be resettled.

Egypt rejected any proposal to allocate land to Gaza residents, the state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV reported on Tuesday, citing Egyptian sources.

North Korean state media on Wednesday denounced Mr. Trump’s Gaza proposal and accused Washington of extortion.

“The world is now boiling like a porridge pot over the U.S.’ bombshell declaration,” KCNA said.

Palestinians fear a repeat of what they call the Nakba, or catastrophe, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were driven out during the 1948 war that accompanied Israel’s creation. Israel denies they were forced out.

For Jordan, Mr. Trump’s talk of resettlement comes dangerously close to its nightmare of a mass expulsion of Palestinians from both Gaza and the West Bank, echoing an idea long promoted by ultra-nationalist Israelis of Jordan becoming an alternative Palestinian home.

Gazans interviewed by Reuters criticised Trump for saying he would be prepared for “hell” to break out if all the Israeli hostages were not released by noon on Saturday.

“Hell worse than what we have already? Hell worse than killing? The destruction, all the practices and human crimes that have occurred in the Gaza Strip have not happened anywhere else in the world,” said Jomaa Abu Kosh, a Palestinian from Rafah in southern Gaza, standing beside demolished homes. — Reuters

US Navy confirms ‘routine’ Taiwan Strait transit

February 12, 2025 | 11:26 am

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Navy confirmed on Tuesday two of its ships carried out a Taiwan Strait transit, calling it routine despite an angry reaction from Beijing.

The Navy said the vessels were the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson and Pathfinder-class survey ship USNS Bowditch. The ships carried out a north-to-south transit February 10-12, it said.

“The transit occurred through a corridor in the Taiwan Strait that is beyond any coastal state’s territorial seas,” said Navy Commander Matthew Comer, a spokesperson at the U.S. military’s Indo-Pacific Command.

“Within this corridor all nations enjoy high-seas freedom of navigation, overflight, and other internationally lawful uses of the sea related to these freedoms.” — Reuters

Germany’s trade surplus with US reaches new record

February 12, 2025 | 11:22 am

BERLIN, – Germany’s trade surplus with the United States reached a record level last year, data from the statistics office showed, as countries wait to learn how U.S. President Donald Trump will impose tariffs on imported goods.

Germany’s trade surplus with the U.S. expanded to 70 billion euros ($72 billion) in 2024, well above the previous record of 63.3 billion euros reported for the full year 2023.

“It would be hard to imagine worse timing,” said Holger Goerg, from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW).

Trump substantially raised tariffs on steel and aluminum imports on Monday to 25% “without exceptions or exemptions”. The White House on Tuesday declined to comment on the German trade surplus.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the European Union was still awaiting formal notice of any new tariffs but that any such move would be met with retaliatory measures.

The increase in trade surpluses could reverse, Mr. Goerg said, if Mr. Trump imposed new tariffs on German imports, a measure the U.S. president says would boost U.S. manufacturing.

Damon V. Pike, a trade specialist and principal with the U.S. division of global accounting firm BDO International, said Trump had long been frustrated by Germany’s longstanding reliance on exports and failure to pump up domestic demand.

“He’s talked about that, how he’s sick of these persistent trade deficits with the European Union,” he said, noting that Trump had already flagged plans to put tariffs on EU imports as early as next week.

Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, was last year the only G7 country to post a contraction for two consecutive years. A trade conflict with the U.S., its main trading partner, would deliver a big hit to output.

German exports to the U.S., led by cars and pharmaceutical goods, increased by 2.2% year-on-year to a record 161.3 billion euros in 2024, consolidating the U.S. position as the top buyer of goods “Made in Germany”.

Imports from the U.S. fell by 3.4% to 91.4 billion euros last year.

Mr. Goerg said the U.S. trade deficit reflected a lack of international competitiveness of U.S. goods, which will not be solved by tariffs.

“On the contrary, I would assume that this would have a negative impact on the U.S. export performance,” Mr. Goerg said.

The situation is completely different in trade in services, where the U.S. has a strong export surplus, including to the EU and Germany, he noted. “Mr. Trump should include that in his calculations,” Mr. Goerg said. — Reuters