Librada, who is set to join the Philippine Army, heads a graduating class of 207 cadets who will officially be commissioned as officers by May 16.

For Librada, the decision to enter the academy was deeply personal, rooted in witnessing her father’s impact as the battalion commander of the 5th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, recalling how his work touched lives through civil-military operations in far-flung areas, reaching the underprivileged and sustaining communities across all walks of life.

Librada added this commitment to serve that extends beyond specific populations to the entire country became her primary motivation for donning the uniform.

She will receive the Presidential Saber, the Philippine Army Saber, and the Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) Award. Her other honors include the Information Technology Plaque and the Australian Defence Best Overall Performance Award.

Coming in second is Cadet 1CL Mark John Vincent Catacutan of Zamboanga del Sur and will graduate as Magna Cum Laude, earning the Vice Presidential Saber and the Philippine Air Force (PAF) Saber.

Catacutan will also receive the General Antonio Luna Award, the Spanish Armed Forces Award, and several academic plaques for management, natural sciences, humanities, and the Pelagio Cruz Plaque.

Cadet 1CL Thomas Edgar Isla Sepulchre from Pampanga and Cadet 1CL Ian Harold Durana Hubilla from Sorsogon is third and fourth respectively.

Sepulchre will be awarded the Secretary of National Defense Saber, while Hubilla received the Chief of Staff Saber.

Also graduating as part of the Top Ten are Cadet 1CL Maeg Adriene Pajarillo Bermudez, who placed 5th, and Cadet 1CL Cherry Mae Panag Geco, who placed 6th. Cadet 1CL Elixa Anya Lumbang Hernandez is 7th, earning the Philippine Navy Saber and an Australian Defence Best Overall Performance Award.

Cadet 1CL Catherine Liesha Beloa De Chavez placed 8th and will receive the Chief Justice Saber. Cadet 1CL Cedric Cyril Guingguing Polizon ranked 9th with Cum Laude honors, followed by Cadet 1CL Mark Clement Dequinto Centina in 10th place.

The Talang Dangal Class of 2026 is being recognized as uniquely future-ready, despite remaining under the older Bachelor of Science in National Security Management (BSMSS) curriculum.

PMA Supt. and Vice Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia said the Academy introduced several “firsts” for this class to bridge learning gaps, including micro-credentials in Python programming, data analytics, unmanned systems, electronic warfare, and artificial intelligence.

These curriculum innovations ensure the new officers are equipped for the complexities of modern warfare including shift toward territorial defense.

Valencia added their training culminated in a Joint Field Training Exercise designed around combined arms operations, emphasizing the joint employment of the Army, Air Force, and Navy.

This year’s graduating class is also the first batch to utilize a 35-35-30 distribution of branch service to align with the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ focus on territorial integrity.

The class also pioneered gamified learning, using electronic games to sharpen strategic thinking and small-unit tactics.

The 207 graduates—comprised of 142 males and 65 females—emerged from a highly competitive pool of 37,561 applicants, of which only 1,121 passed the initial entrance exam.

The Philippine Army will receive the largest group of new officers with 76 graduates, followed by 69 joining the Philippine Navy and 67 entering the Philippine Air Force.

Demographically, the Cordillera Administrative Region produced the most graduates with 24, followed by Region 4-A with 19.

Of the graduating group, only one holds a prior college degree, while 142 are college undergraduates and 64 are senior high school graduates. Roderick Osis

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Delivering the message on behalf of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, the DOH-Ilocos Regional Director Paula Paz M. Sydiongco emphasized that the future of healthcare depends not only on policy—but on the collective strength of health professionals working together in the spirit of bayanihan.

“Kalinga—our deep commitment to patient care—will always be at the heart of what we do. But it is bayanihan that will carry us forward, uniting our efforts to build a stronger, more responsive healthcare system,” she stated.

Pharmacists across the Ilocos Region and the country have emerged as key players in health system transformation. Once seen primarily as dispensers of medicines, they are now recognized as frontliners in primary care, educators in rational drug use, and advocates for patient safety and disease prevention.

Under the UHC framework, pharmacists serve as vital links connecting the Department of Health, PhilHealth, and local government units—ensuring that access to healthcare includes access to safe, effective, and affordable medicines. Programs such as PhilHealth’s outpatient drug benefits are helping reduce financial burden while improving treatment outcomes for Filipino families.

The DOH also raised urgent concern over antimicrobial resistance, a growing global threat. Pharmacists were called upon to lead efforts in antimicrobial stewardship—ensuring antibiotics are used responsibly and only when necessary.

“Every act of responsible dispensing, every patient counseled, and every unnecessary antibiotic avoided is a step toward safeguarding the health of future generations,” Sydiongco stressed.

Anchored on the theme “Honoring Our Heritage Through Embracing the Future of Philippine Healthcare,” the convention also highlighted the enduring Filipino values of care and community. From the healing traditions of the babaylan to modern pharmaceutical care, the profession remains rooted in compassion while evolving to meet today’s health challenges.

“Pharmacists are no longer at the sidelines of healthcare—they are at its core. You are not just providers; you are leaders, collaborators, and champions of public health.”

“In the Bagong Pilipinas, every life matters. And with our pharmacists at the frontlines, we are closer to a future where quality healthcare is within reach for every Filipino,” the statement concluded.

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“We are proud to showcase our world-class connectivity to thousands of foreign delegates and Filipino government and business leaders gathering across the country for the slate of ASEAN meetings that the Philippines is hosting this year,” said Converge CEO and Co-Founder Dennis Anthony Uy.

“From the airports to meeting venues, Converge is supporting the ASEAN meetings with gigabit connectivity. We will also provide uninterrupted, 5-gigabit speeds to the biggest event in this series of meetings, the 48th ASEAN Summit, to be held in the newly-opened Mactan Expo Center this May.”

“Hosting the ASEAN Summit is a monumental undertaking that puts the eyes of the entire region on us, and seamless connectivity is the backbone of its success. We extend our deepest gratitude to Converge for their unwavering support and world-class service. Their commitment ensured that our delegates remained connected, proving once again that we can achieve great things through Digital Bayanihan and meet the highest international standards,” said DICT Secretary Henry Aguda.

Converge has so far powered up 11 sites across Metro Manila and Cebu. Aside from the Mactan Expo Center, Converge will also be deploying fiber-fast connectivity to selected hosting venues such as five-star hotels NuStar Integrated Hotel and Casino (Cebu), Diamond Hotel Manila Bay, The Peninsula Manila, and Crimson Resort and Spa Boracay, to name a few.

Underlining the importance of reliable broadband internet connectivity is the fact that the Philippines has moved 650 preparatory meetings online in the face of the national emergency on fuel. The 48th ASEAN Summit, where all leaders from the 11 member nations will be present, will continue as a face-to-face event.

“In line with our mission to utilize technology for the good of all, we will continue to strengthen our fiber network in Visayas and Mindanao. Like we’ve announced, we plan to roll out many more ports there this year to increase service coverage. This fortified network allows us to serve expansive venues such as the Mactan Expo Center and several hotels in Cebu,” Uy said.

Moreover, for delegates to experience brisk connectivity upon touchdown, Converge has fully opened the 10 Gbps capacity across all its access points in Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals one, two, and three.

The Philippines’ hosting of ASEAN this year encompasses nearly all committee and working group meetings, up to the ministerial level and the Summit to be attended by the Heads of State of ASEAN members.

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Councilors Van Oliver Dicang and Yuri Weygan, alongside Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President John Rhey Mananeng, have introduced an ordinance that would ban gambling-related companies from sponsoring or participating in any city-sanctioned events.

The measure defines a “gambling entity” as any individual or organization involved in games of chance, betting, or wagering. This includes casinos, online betting platforms, e-games, and lotteries, whether they operate physically or online. Government-operated gambling intended for public welfare is exempt from the proposal.

Prohibited activities under the proposed law, event organizers are barred from accepting sponsorships or co-sponsorships from gambling firms; displaying logos, banners, or any promotional materials related to gambling; allowing gambling entities to set up booths or stalls; entering into partnerships or indirect agreements through third-party representatives.

The ordinance mandates the Baguio City Tourism Office, the City Mayor’s Office, and other organizing bodies to strictly enforce the ban.

To ensure compliance, the City Legal Office will review all sponsorship contracts. Additionally, the City Social Welfare and Development Office will provide input on the social impact of potential partners, while the Permits and Licensing Division will hold the authority to deny or revoke permits for non-compliant events.

Organizers who bypass the restrictions face escalating penalties include a written warning and immediate cancellation of the event permit after the first offense; a fine ranging from P2,000 to P5,000, event cancellation, and a one-year ban on organizing events in the city for the second offense while on the third offense, organizers may have to pay a P5,000 fine, event cancellation, and a permanent ban.

The city also reserves the right to publicly name and shame both the organizers and the gambling entities involved in violations.

The City Council approved the ordinance on first reading and has been referred to the Committee on Laws and Governance for further review. NLMonitor

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Trump also announced that a ceasefire in Lebanon would be extended by three weeks.

His post on social media about the small boats came shortly after the U.S. military seized another tanker associated with the smuggling of Iranian oil, ratcheting up a standoff with Tehran over the strait through which 20% of all crude oil and natural gas traded passed during peacetime.

“I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be … putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump posted, adding that U.S. minesweepers “are clearing the Strait right now.”

“I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!” he added.

The decision to extend a pause in fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon came during a meeting at the White House between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States.

Meanwhile, it was still unclear when, or if, the U.S. and Iran would meet again in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, where mediators are trying to bring the countries together to reach a diplomatic deal ending that conflict.

Negotiations initially planned this week have not happened. Iran insists it will not attend until the U.S. ends its blockade on Iranian ports and ships. The White House insists it will not take part until Tehran opens the strait to international traffic.

Pope Leo XIV, returning home from a trip to Africa, urged the U.S. and Iran to return to talks to end the war.

Footage shows US forces on deck of tanker
The Defense Department released video footage of U.S. forces on the deck of the oil tanker Majestic X, which was seized in the Indian Ocean. The ship had been flying a Guyanese flag, though the South American nation of Guyana said it was not registered there

The footage emerged a day after Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard attacked three cargo ships in the strait, capturing two of them, in an assault that raised new concerns about the safety of shipping through the waterway.

The powerful head of Iran’s judiciary, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, said three “violating ships” in the strait were “subject to enforcement” Wednesday.

“The show of strength by the armed forces of Islamic Iran in the Strait of Hormuz is a source of pride,” he wrote Thursday on X, claiming the Americans “lack the courage” to approach the strait.

Ship-tracking data showed the Majestic X in the Indian Ocean between Sri Lanka and Indonesia, roughly the same location as the oil tanker Tifani, seized earlier by American forces. It had been bound for Zhoushan, China.

Majestic X previously was named Phonix and had been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2024 for smuggling Iranian crude oil in contravention of U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Guyana said in a statement the Majestic X was not registered in the South American nation.

“While the name of the vessel has changed, the (International Maritime Organization) number remains recorded in the international database as PHONIX. There is no record of this vessel or name in Guyana’s registry. Therefore, the ship is FRAUDULENTLY flying the Guyana flag,” Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department said.

There was no immediate response from Iran about the seizure.

Trump claims leadership rift in Iran
Trump this week extended a ceasefire to give the Iranian leadership more time to come up with a “unified proposal” on ending the war, while maintaining an American blockade of Iranian ports.

In a post Thursday, Trump claimed a leadership rift between moderates and hard-liners was confounding Iran. “Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know!” Trump said.

Trump has repeatedly said during the ceasefire that began April 8 that his team is dealing with Iranian officials who want to make a deal, while acknowledging that his decision to kill several top leaders has come with complications.

Iran’s president and its parliament speaker posted statements on social media declaring the country has no hard-liners or moderates.

“We are all Iranians and revolutionaries,” they said.

A spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Trump’s claim of a leadership rift was a “deflection.” Other Iranian officials said on social media that the country was united.

Trump, while speaking to reporters at the White House, pushed back against questions about the conflict exceeding the four-to-six-week timeline that he and aides previously set for the war.

“I don’t want to rush myself,” Trump said, adding that the U.S. “took the country out” militarily in the first four weeks.

“Now all we’re doing is sitting back and seeing what deal” can be made. “And if they don’t want to make a deal, then I’ll finish it up militarily,” Trump said.

He said he would not use a nuclear weapon against Iran.

Meanwhile, three aircraft carriers were in the region after the USS George H.W. Bush arrived in the Indian Ocean. One carrier was in the Arabian Sea and another was in the Red Sea, military officials said.

Talks between Lebanon and Israel lead to truce extension
Trump said a second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington “went very well” and resulted in a ceasefire extension for Israel and the Hezbollah militant group.

“The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

The latest war between Israel and Hezbollah started after Israel and the U.S. launched attacks on Iran and the Tehran-backed militants fired rockets into northern Israel. The ceasefire first took effect for a 10-day period starting Friday.

Underscoring the truce’s fragility, Israel’s military said it struck missile launchers in Lebanon that had fired into its borders. Hezbollah said it fired at the Israeli town of Shtula in response to Israeli attacks on the Lebanese village of Yater.

Lebanon’s public health ministry said an Israeli airstrike killed three people further north, in the area of Nabatiya. The Israeli military said it killed three militants who launched a missile toward an Israeli warplane.

Each side has accused the other of breaching the truce.

Trump reiterated that the U.S. continues to demand that Iran stop it’s backing of Iranian-allied militias in the Mideast, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, as part of any deal between Washington and Tehran to end the U.S. war on Iran.

“Yeah, they’ll have to cut that,” Trump said to a reporter’s question about aiding Hezbollah. “That’s a must.”

Threats to shipping persist
Since the Feb. 28 start of the war between Iran, Israel and the United States, over 30 ships have come under attack in the waters of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.

The threat of attack, rising insurance premiums and other fears have stopped traffic from moving through the strait. Iran’s ability to restrict traffic through the strait, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, has proved a major strategic advantage.

Jakob Larsen, the head of maritime security for BIMCO, the largest international association representing shipowners, said in a note Thursday that most shipping companies need a stable ceasefire and assurances from both sides of the conflict that the strait is safe for transit.

The threat of mines, he wrote, was a “particular concern” if traffic might return to normal levels one day. AP

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The new infrastructure is being positioned as a primary economic engine designed to decentralize growth from Metro Manila and spark a wave of industrial development across the surrounding provinces.

BCDA recently awarded a $206.9 million contract to a joint venture between Schema Konsult Inc. and South Korea’s Yooshin Engineering Corp. to handle the detailed engineering design.

While the runway will provide technical redundancy and prevent operational shutdowns, its primary mission is to anchor a massive expansion of the regional labor market and logistics network.

For residents of the surrounding provinces, the project represents a significant shift in employment prospects.

BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang noted that the expansion is expected to generate a surge in job opportunities for local communities as airport services, ground handling, and related support industries scale up to meet the new capacity.

The development comes as Clark establishes itself as a dominant gateway, having served 2.75 million passengers in 2025 with the growth already attracting global logistics giants like UPS and FedEx, which are currently expanding their operations at the hub.

The second runway is designed to accommodate this rising demand from international business locators, ensuring that the Luzon Economic Corridor remains competitive on a global scale.

In addition to the runway, the BCDA and the Department of Transportation are fast-tracking other airside infrastructure, including new taxiways and utilities intended to improve aircraft turnaround times and support the increasing movement of cargo, further linking local manufacturers to international markets.

The detailed design phase is scheduled for completion by the second quarter of 2027, with a separate bidding process for construction to follow. If the timeline holds, the new runway will be fully operational by the fourth quarter of 2029, cementing the region’s status as a premier aviation and industrial powerhouse. Roderick Osis

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The visit comes as the administration speeds – up both emergency relief and long-term infrastructure investments to stabilize the region’s agricultural output.

Accompanied by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the president emphasized the need to protect the supply chains that move high-value highland crops to the rest of the country.

Laurel warned that current disruptions in vegetable transport are beginning to threaten the livelihoods of local producers and the food security of major urban centers, including Metro Manila.

The trading center serves as a critical economic engine for the region, moving approximately 165,000 tons of produce annually with an estimated value of 6.4 billion pesos. On a typical day, the facility connects more than 110 farmers to buyers, facilitating the distribution of staples such as cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and broccoli.

However, the surge in fuel prices has severely strained this network, forcing some farmers to delay harvests or risk spoilage as they wait for wholesale prices that can cover their increased overhead.

In response to these bottlenecks, Marcos directed the Department of Agriculture to deploy government trucks to haul produce directly from farms to trading hubs. This logistics intervention is intended to bypass market hurdles and prevent post-harvest losses.

As of mid-April, the department has facilitated the sale of nearly 28 metric tons of vegetables, with another 57 metric tons scheduled for delivery to various markets across the Philippines.

During the inspection, the president oversaw the distribution of P15.4 million in production inputs, machinery, and trading capital to 45 farmer cooperatives and associations.

The assistance is a portion of a larger P859.6 million allocation for the Cordillera Administrative Region in 2026.

This broader funding package is designed to provide seeds, fertilizers, irrigation support, and post-harvest equipment to more than 1,300 agricultural groups and 3,700 individuals.

Despite these measures, the agricultural sector continues to face significant headwinds.

Fertilizer prices have spiked, and inter-island shipping costs have increased by as much as P10 per kilogram, with the increase leading to a noticeable decline in the presence of wholesale buyers, slowing down trading activity at the La Trinidad facility.

Laurel noted that the productivity of Benguet farmers remains essential to the national food system, supplying everyone from wet market consumers to large-scale institutional buyers and restaurants. He stated that sustaining market access for these highland producers is a top government priority because any disruption in the Cordilleras is felt throughout the entire national supply chain.

Moving forward, government officials said that continued investments in the trading center’s infrastructure and more efficient market matching systems will be the primary strategy for stabilizing food supplies and protecting farmer incomes against volatile global energy prices. NLMonitor

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The White House said any further talks would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations.

The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports continued as the Trump administration warned it would ramp up economic pain on Iran with new economic sanctions on countries doing business with it, calling the move the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.

Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator after it hosted direct talks between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad that authorities said helped narrow differences between the two sides. Mediators are seeking a new round before the ceasefire expires next week.

Even as the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats strained the ceasefire agreement, regional officials reported progress, telling The Associated Press the United States and Iran had an “in principle agreement” to extend it to allow for more diplomacy. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, took part in a preliminary meeting with Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief of staff, Iranian state media reported. It said talks would continue Thursday.

But even as mediators worked for peace, tensions simmered.

The commander of Iran’s joint military command, Ali Abdollahi, threatened to halt trade in the region if the U.S. does not lift its naval blockade.

And a newly-appointed military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he doesn’t support extending the ceasefire.

Iranian state media quoted Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, as saying: “Unlike the Americans who are afraid of continuous war, we are fully prepared and familiar with a long war.”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the White House has warned countries and private companies they could face sanctions for doing business with Tehran.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. had not “formally requested an extension of the ceasefire” with Iran, which is set to expire Tuesday.

“At this moment, we remain very much engaged in these negotiations, in these talks,” Leavitt said, adding that any further in-person talks “would very likely” return to Islamabad.

Mediators are pushing for a compromise on three main sticking points that derailed direct talks last weekend — Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damages, according to a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran is open to discussing the type and level of its uranium enrichment, but his country “based on its needs, must be able to continue enrichment,” Iranian state media reported.

The negotiating team led by Vice President JD Vance urged Iran to agree to a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment as part of a potential deal to end the war, according to the regional official and a person briefed on the matter.

The Iranians countered with an offer to suspend enrichment for five years, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the negotiations.

The White House rejected that. The dueling proposals were first reported by The New York Times.

The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,100 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.

Meanwhile, Israel pressed ahead with its aerial and ground war in Lebanon. The country’s National News Agency reported airstrikes and artillery shelling throughout southern Lebanon on Wednesday, including near Bint Jbeil, where Israeli forces have encircled Hezbollah fighters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops were about to “eliminate this great stronghold of Hezbollah” and would continue expanding control of areas in southern Lebanon.

The fighting continued after Israeli and Lebanese officials concluded their first direct talks in decades. Netanyahu said negotiations are continuing, with disarming Hezbollah a key goal.

The Lebanese Health Ministry said Israel struck three teams of paramedics Wednesday in southern Lebanon, first hitting one team and then two more that rushed to help. The attacks killed three paramedics and wounded six others, the ministry said.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Israel and Lebanon have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948, and Lebanon remains deeply divided over diplomatic engagement with Israel. AP

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But the weight of that phrase truly sunk in at the O’Smach Resort complex that we visited on Tuesday. Thailand’s military, which conducted a tour for the media, said that the whole area encompasses around 197 acres (80 hectares), equivalent to 150 American football fields.

It wasn’t my first time at a scam center, but its scale dwarfed anything I had seen before.

From my base in the region, I have followed this issue for the past few years, watching its scale only grow larger and larger.

Scam compounds have mushroomed across Southeast Asia since the pandemic. Inside these industrial-scale complexes, workers attempt to lure unsuspecting targets from countries all across the world in sophisticated online-based scams. The latest estimates from the U.N. office on Human Rights are that around 300,000 workers are caught up in the industry regionally.

Thailand’s military invited journalists back to the huge scam complex it seized in December during its border conflict with Cambodia. The military said it took the area in response to the Cambodian side using it as a base of operations for launching attacks.

The complex was called the O’Smach Resort, owned by Cambodian politician Ly Yong Phat, who faces U.S. sanctions for rights abuses in the very same complex. It’s unclear, however, whether the new construction also belongs to Ly. Throughout the massive grounds of the self-contained town, there were signs of construction. Piles of bricks and construction cranes sat waiting for workers to finish the job.

The military also took us to the premises where workers likely scammed Americans. FBI data released on Tuesday shows that Americans lost near $21 billion to scams in 2025 alone.

On the desks inside a four-story office building were still snacks from the previous users, as well as scripts and notes in Chinese on each aspect of the scam. American SIM cards were scattered about as well.

There was an elaborate backstory to target the Americans. One of the scripts on the desk was 24 pages of an in-depth character sketch of a woman named Mila who had earned a lot of money on the gold options trading market.

But the script went further. Mila had lost her husband to leukemia when their daughter was just a baby. It constructed memories of her childhood, such as her getting bullied by other girls, and then her parents sending her to South Africa to live with her uncle in order to be in a healthier environment.

There are 157 buildings, 29 of which housed the scam companies and their offices. The rest included massive dorm complexes, and more luxurious accommodations that included apartments and three-story villas. The military officials said they estimated that at least 10,000 people were living there.

There was also a variety of Chinese restaurants, catering to people who wanted spicy Hunan cuisine, or southern Shaxian cuisine, or hot and sour rice noodles, a Sichuanese classic.

While Thailand and Cambodia have vowed to tackle the scamming problem, its scale is far more global.

“Every country of the world has to join together to solve this problem, (we) cannot do it alone with Cambodia and Thailand,” said Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sornchaidee, who was one of the officials leading the tour. AP

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U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a second round of talks could happen “over the next two days,” telling the New York Post the negotiations could be held again in Islamabad as diplomats worked through back channels to arrange them.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres concurred, saying it’s “highly probable” that talks will restart. He cited a meeting he had with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

Oil prices fell on hopes for an end to fighting, and in the U.S. stocks surged close to records set in January. The war, now in its seventh week, has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region.

Meanwhile in Washington, the first direct talks in decades between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the U.S. concluded on a productive note Tuesday, according to the U.S. State Department.

Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter said the two countries are “on the same side of the equation” in “liberating Lebanon” from the militant Hezbollah group. Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad called the meeting “constructive” but urged an end to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. Since March, that war has displaced more than 1 million people in Lebanon.

Israel and Lebanon have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948, and Lebanon remains deeply divided over diplomatic engagement with Israel.

First round of talks with Iran failed to end conflict

Last weekend in Pakistan, an initial round of talks aimed at permanently ending the U.S.-Iran conflict failed to produce an agreement. The White House said Iran’s nuclear ambitions were a central sticking point.

“I think they want to make a deal very badly,” Trump said in an excerpt from an interview with Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria” scheduled to air Wednesday morning. He added: “I view it as very close to over.”

A U.S. official said Tuesday that fresh talks with Iran were still under discussion and that nothing has been scheduled. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss sensitive negotiations.

Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan’s finance minister, told The Associated Press that “our leadership is not giving up” on efforts to help the U.S. and Iran end the conflict.

Though the ceasefire appeared to hold, the showdown over the strategic Strait of Hormuz risked reigniting hostilities and deepening the regional war’s economic fallout.

The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,100 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.

Tankers turned around after blockade took effect

U.S. Central Command said Tuesday no ships made it past the blockade in the first 24 hours, while six merchant vessels complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around and reenter Iranian waters.

The blockade is intended to pressure Iran, which has exported millions of barrels of oil, mostly to Asia, since the war began Feb. 28. Much of it has likely been carried by so-called dark transits that evade sanctions and oversight, providing cash that’s been vital to keeping Iran running.

Tankers approaching the strait Monday turned around shortly after the blockade took effect, though one reversed course again and transited the waterway.

Since the war began, Iran has curtailed maritime traffic, with most commercial vessels avoiding the waterway. Tehran’s effective closure of the strait, through which a fifth of global oil transits in peacetime, has sent oil prices skyrocketing, pushing up the cost of gasoline, food and other basic goods far beyond the Middle East. AP

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