Now that the blockade on Iranian ports has been done by the United States, President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that the Islamic terrorist regime reached out to them wanting to make a deal “very badly”, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post. This happened not so long after the initial US-Iran negotiations failed and the Islamic regime has a history of lying and pretending when negotiating with America.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from The Jerusalem Post news report. Some parts in boldface…
Iran called the United States, wanting “very badly” to make a deal, US President Donald Trump claimed to reporters at the White House on Monday.
Trump said he didn’t want to comment on what would happen if a deal wasn’t reached by the end of the ongoing ceasefire, but that “it won’t be pleasant for them, let me put it that way.“
Trump also said that Iran had refused to agree to having a nuclear weapon and that the US would get the nuclear material back.
“We can’t let a country blackmail or extort the world,” Trump said.
Vice President JD Vance had done a “very good job” on Iran, the president added.
Trump also threatened that the US might also visit Cuba after finishing with Iran.
Trump threatens Iranian ships in Strait of Hormuz – Trump warned that any Iranian vessels attempting to come close to the US’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will be “immediately ELIMINATED,” in a post to Truth Social on Monday.
“Iran’s Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated – 158 ships,” Trump said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this latest development? Do you think Iran is simply lying to America and is secretly collaborating with the anti-Trump forces from national leaders to the mainstream news media nations right down to civil groups in the United States? Do you hope that Trump, the US military and Israel will hit Iran very hard to finally bring down the Islamic terrorist regime in the event the ceasefire ends without a deal? Do you think Communist China and Russia are secretly sending weapons and money to the Iran?
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To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Vietnam welcomed 6.76 million international visitors in the first three months of the year 2026, up 12% year-on-year and the highest quarterly figure ever recorded.
With nearly 2.1 million international visitors in March, Vietnam has for the first time achieved a new record of receiving over 2 million visitors for three consecutive months in a year, according to Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.
This result underscores the appeal, resilience, and growing strength of Vietnam’’s tourism sector amid an uncertain global environment, it added.
Of the total 6.76 million international visitors, 82.3% arrived by air, 15.5% by land, and 2.2% by sea.
The administration said that the dominance of air travel highlights Vietnam’s strong appeal to mid- and long-haul markets that are particularly sensitive to geopolitical shifts and fuel costs.
In the context of the Middle East conflict causing soaring oil prices and disrupting some international flights, the high number of visitors arriving by air reflects connectivity and affirms international tourists’ confidence in a safe, stable, and accessible destination, the administration added.
Mainland China and South Korea continue to be the two largest source markets for tourists to Vietnam, accounting for approximately 40% of the total international visitors.
Southeast Asian markets recorded strong growth, including Malaysia (up 21.5%), Singapore (30%), Cambodia (41%), Indonesia (44%), the Philippines (69%), and Thailand (6.5%).
Vietnam has set a target of receiving 25 million international tourists this year.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Have you thought about visiting Vietnam for vacation this year? What is the one location in Vietnam that you find attractive right now?
Fuel giant Petron confirmed that it has almost 2.5 million barrels of crude oil from Russia, according to news report by GMA News. The acquisition has been perceived by many as crucial as the Philippines is struggling with very expensive fuel.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…
Petron Corp. on Monday confirmed the procurement of 2.48 million barrels of crude oil from Russia to augment its inventory until June, as the country’s supply reaches what it described as a “precarious” level amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The listed fuel retailer, which holds a 30% share of the Philippine market and operates the country’s only oil refinery, said it closely coordinated with the Departments of Energy (DOE) and Finance (DOF) on the purchase after both agencies called on local companies to secure alternative sources of crude and finished products.
“The corporation wishes to emphasize that the procurement of Russian crude oil is not part of its business-as-usual sourcing strategy,” Petron said in a regulatory filing.
“The purchases were undertaken strictly out of extreme necessity, as an extraordinary emergency measure in response to unprecedented geopolitical and supply chain disruptions, and only after exhausting all commercially and operationally viable alternatives,” it added.
Petron said it also received confirmation from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) that there is no prohibition under Philippine law on sourcing foreign currency for import and trade transactions, clearing the way for the importation of Russian crude oil.
The corporation said that if the current crisis persists and alternative crude sources remain unavailable or insufficient, it may again be compelled to consider purchasing Russian crude oil to augment the national fuel supply.
It added that this would help directly mitigate the adverse consequences arising from the absence of a stable and reliable source of crude.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Does Petron’s procurement of 2.48 million barrels of Russian crude oil make you feel relieved when it comes to the overall supply of fuel in the Philippines?
Since the first strikes happened on February 28, the joint military operations of the United States and Israel have heavily damaged the military, energy and government sites of the Islamic terrorist state of Iran. As the war with Iran has impacted the global economy and a new so-called supreme leader of Iran was selected, US President Donald Trump stated that the war is expected to end “very soon” but not at the end of this week, according to a news report by Kyodo News.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Kyodo News report. Some parts in boldface…
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday the ongoing war with Iran is expected to be over “very soon” but ruled out the possibility of it coming to an end this week.
“We’re winning very decisively. We’re way ahead of schedule,” Trump, who had initially predicted the conflict could last four to five weeks, claimed during a press conference in Florida.
Trump’s remarks came after Iran selected Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader after his father was killed in the first wave of U.S.-Israeli strikes.
Khamenei, the late leader’s second son, is known for his close ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise to power has raised concern among many countries that the war, entering its second week, could further destabilize the Middle East and quickly ripple through the global economy.
While insisting that the United States has achieved an “unprecedented” military success, Trump said he was “disappointed” with Iran’s choice of supreme leader.
“We think it’s going to lead to just more of the same problem for the country,” he said.
Sending conflicting messages, Trump also warned that the United States will aggressively attack Iran if it attempts to block the world’s energy supply.
“We will hit them so hard that it will not be possible for them or anybody else helping them to ever recover that section of the world,” he said.
But he struck an optimistic note on oil prices, saying they would be much lower after the war ends. On disruption to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said the United States was less affected than China.
It seems that the joint Israel-America operations have achieved more than what was previously expected. The Islamic regime’s navy has been demolished, the air force crushed, and the oil refineries destroyed. It has also been reported that more military personnel of the regime have left their posts and moved out of the country using fake passports. The oppressed Iranians, meanwhile, should get more motivated to go out and protest as the regime’s military and police forces weaken.
Looking at the bigger picture, the massive devastation on the Islamic terrorist state made the leaders of Russia and Communist China worried. China needs oil from Iran while Russia needs Iranian-made weapons. Geopolitically, it’s like Trump’s America stuck two birds with one stone. In the case of Israel, Islamic terrorist groups are weakening now that the Islamic regime of Iran cannot support them. Going back to Iran, there are opportunities for the affected Iranians to move out of the country and enter Armenia as refugees. Already there are groups at the Armenian side of the border who intend to help Iranian refugees.
For more updates about what happened lately, watch the videos below.
Let me ending this post by asking you readers to pray to the Lord for victory, for the protection of the American and Israeli forces, for the safety of civilians everywhere, for the end of the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran to happen soon, and for the liberation of the oppressed Iranian people. Pray to Him to also bless US President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as their respective administrations. Pray to God for more peace and stability in the Middle East and for the stability of the global economy.
Vietnam, which is already one of the leading players of Southeast Asia on foreign tourism, is off to a powerful start as it successfully attracted 2.5 million foreign tourists in January 2026 alone, according to a news report by VnExpress. The relaxed visa policies and enhanced tourism campaigns were factors behind the early success.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Vietnam received 2.5 million foreign visitors in January, its highest monthly number ever, thanks to relaxed visa policies and increased tourism campaigns.
It represents an increase of more than 21% from the previous month, data released Tuesday by the General Statistics Office shows.
The composition of Vietnam’s top source markets changed during the month. South Korea overtook mainland China to become the top market with nearly 490,000 visitors, and China was next with 460,000.
Cambodia emerged as the most notable mover with more than 223,000 arrivals to rise to third place overtaking Taiwan. The rest of top 10 comprised Taiwan, Japan, the U.S, Australia, Russia, India, and Malaysia.
Industry insiders attribute the jump to ground-breaking visa policies, strong innovation in tourism promotion and marketing, greater product diversification, and improved service quality.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Have you ever toured Vietnam? With the strong start, do you think Vietnam will be able to attract more than 30 million foreign tourists this year? What is the first thing that comes to your mind when it comes to tourism in Vietnam?
Over in Dumaguete City, an Estonian Vlogger who runs the YouTube channel Pro Life Traveler was apprehended by operatives of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for allegedly harassing Filipinos and causing other forms of disturbance (example: asking inappropriate questions to underage women), the authorities announced online. The arrest was done in coordination with the local Philippine National Police (PNP) officers and barangay officials.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has arrested and moved to deport an Estonian vlogger, declaring that the Philippines will no longer tolerate foreign content creators who harass locals, provoke public outrage, and turn Filipino communities into viral spectacle.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the case echoes the infamous deportation of Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, calling it a repeat pattern of foreign vloggers abusing the country’s openness for shock content and online fame. The arrest, according to Viado, is in line with President Ferdinand ‘Bong Bong’ Marcos, Jr.’s directive to ensure that foreign nationals who fail to follow Philippine laws face appropriate sanctions.
“This is another Vitaly case — different person, same behavior,” Viado said. “A foreign vlogger comes here, disrespects Filipinos, violates our laws, and thinks he can hide behind a camera and a social media following. That ends here,” he stressed firmly.
Viado said authorities acted after local officials in Negros Oriental declared the vlogger persona non grata, citing complaints of harassment, unauthorized filming, offensive remarks, and online content that demeaned Filipinos. The city council resolution was endorsed to national agencies, triggering enforcement action and the foreigner’s arrest.
The Estonian vlogger, identified as Siim Roosipuu, 34, was arrested by BI intelligence operatives and anti-terrorist group on January 15, in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP) Dumaguete City Police Station and Barangay Cantil-e officials.
Roosipuu ran a YouTube channel called ‘Pro Life Traveler’, and allegedly harasses Filipinos, including minors. Videos of him chasing and asking inappropriate questions to underage women circulated on social media.
“The Philippines is not a content playground,” Viado said. “We welcome tourists and legitimate creators, but anyone who exploits our people for views, clicks, or profit will face arrest, deportation, and blacklisting,” he stated.
The BI stressed that harassment, public disturbance, and disrespect — whether done for entertainment or monetized online — are serious violations that will not be excused under the guise of vlogging.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Have you seen the videos of the YouTube channel of the apprehended Estonian vlogger? Do you think the comparisons with the deported Russian live streamer Vitaly Zdorovetskiy were fair? Do you think more foreign vloggers and live streamers will still come here in the Philippines and cause disturbances for the sake of online mileage?
Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, the Russian vlogger and live streamer who caused disturbances here in the Philippines, was deported to Russia by the local authorities, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
For my previous blog posts about Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, click here, here, here and here.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Sunday confirmed that Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy had been deported to Russia.
In a statement, the BI said Zdorovetskiy boarded an IrAero flight bound directly for Irkutsk on Saturday.
The BI’s Board of Commissioners ordered his deportation on Dec. 17 after declaring him an undesirable alien.
The deportation order stemmed from various complaints against the 33-year-old Zdorovetskiy, who had harassed and disrespected several Filipinos. He also disrupted public peace and safety and committed acts deemed contrary to morals, good customs and public policy.
He was first arrested in April last year.
Known for posting prank videos on social media, the Russian vlogger was seen in recordings harassing a security guard, shouting expletives at a Filipino woman wearing face mask, stealing a heavy-duty electric fan, and taking a tricycle that later crashed into a parked jeepney.
During inquest proceedings, he admitted to the acts of harassment and was subsequently detained at the BI Warden’s Facility inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig.
He applied for bail but was denied by the bureau.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Were you able to personally witness Vitaly Zdorovetskiy’s pranks and disturbing acts here in the Philippines? Do you think the deportation will send a strong message to IRL streamers and other liver streamers overseas that the Philippines will not tolerate their acts of disrespect and public nuisance?
Vietnam, a nation ravaged by war decades ago, has emerged as a major tourism magnet in both Southeast Asia and Asia as a whole after successfully attracting more than twenty-one million foreign tourists in 2025, according to a VnExpress International news report. The figure is a new all-time high. What Vietnam achieved was more than 20% higher than its 2024 foreign tourist numbers. For 2026, Vietnam is aiming high with a target of 25 million foreign visitors.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Vietnam welcomed a record number of foreign tourists in 2025 with 21.2 million, up 20.4% from the previous year and the highest ever, according to General Statistics Office.
Mainland China was Vietnam’s biggest source of visitors last year with 5.2 million arrivals, up 41% year-on-year, followed by South Korea with 4.3 million and Taiwan with 1.23 million.
The U.S. ranked fourth with 848,000, followed by Japan with 814,000. The rest of the top 10 were India (746,000), Russia (689,000), Cambodia (687,000), Malaysia (573,000) and Australia (548,000).
Tourism industry insiders attributed Vietnam’s strong performance to visa reforms.
Foreign tourists welcomed in Vietnam. (photo credit: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism)
In March the government decided to extend visa exemptions until 2028 for citizens of 12 countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the U.K.
In August it waived visa requirements for stays of up to 45 days for citizens of 12 more countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
This expanded the unilateral visa waiver list to 24 countries and the total number including bilateral waivers to 39.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Considering the strong international tourism momentum it has right now, do you think Vietnam will succeed in attracting 25 million foreign tourists this year? Do you think a lot more visitors from Europe will come to Vietnam this year?
Following the capture of socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro, US President Donald Trump announced that Venezuela will turn over to America thirty million to fifty million barrels of oil which will benefit people of both nations, according to a news report by Newsmax.
For the newcomers reading this, Maduro ruled Venezuela for more than a decade and his predecessor was none other than the demon Hugo Chavez. Maduro brutalized his fellow Venezuelans and is responsible with the intense deterioration of their national economy. Under Maduro, Venezuela cooperated with the terrorist state of Iran, Communist China and Putin’s Russia. Maduro is also involved in drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from a Newsmax report. Some parts in boldface…
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Venezuela is turning over 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, with proceeds he said will benefit both the Venezuelan people and Americans.
Trump made the announcement in a post on Truth Social, just days after he authorized U.S. military action to remove socialist strongman Nicolas Maduro from power in Venezuela.
“I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,” Trump said in the post.
“This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!” he added.
Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president Monday. Rodriguez indicated she would cooperate with Washington.
“I have asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute this plan, immediately. It will be taken by storage ships, and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States,” Trump concluded his post.
Before the arrest of Maduro, Venezuela’s oil sector was a shadow of its former self despite holding the world’s largest proven oil reserves — estimated at over 300 billion barrels.
Decades of socialist mismanagement, expropriation of foreign assets, and U.S. sanctions decimated output, which fell from over 3 million barrels per day in the early 2000s to roughly 1 million barrels per day by 2025.
Sanctions forced much of the crude trade underground and shifted exports mainly to China, with Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) struggling to generate cash revenue. Production bottlenecks, lack of investment, and aging infrastructure kept Venezuela’s oil influence weak on global markets.
For additional insight about Venezuelan oil and what it means to America and the world, watch the selected videos below.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? With Maduro on trial in America, are you confident that he will be found guilty on each and every charge against him? Do you think the announced high amount of barrels of Venezuelan oil will be a big economic boost for America? Do you think China, Russia and terrorist state Iran are panicking now that they lost their access to Venezuela’s oil? Do you think it is a matter of time before the military hardware of Russia, China and Iran in Venezuela will get dismantled?
What happened this past weekend was very surprising, was executed very efficiently and the result is the fall and capture of Venezuela’s dictator Nicolas Maduro. This is the latest US military operation executed by President Donald Trump and his administration. Maduro is now in America and will be tried in court. The justice that the people of Venezuela have been dreaming of will eventually manifest. Trump also announced that America will run Venezuela until a transition of power can occur.
For the newcomers reading this, Maduro and his very wicked predecessor Hugo Chavez are collectively responsible for the downfall of Venezuela. Having ruled Venezuela for more than a decade, Maduro brutalized his fellow Venezuelans and is responsible with the intense deterioration of their national economy. Under Maduro, Venezuela cooperated with the terrorist state of Iran, Communist China and Putin’s Russia. Maduro is also involved in drug trafficking and narco-terrorism. Months ago, America started encountering vessels from Venezuela filled with illegal drugs. The dangerous gang Tren de Aragua was eliminated at sea.
To put things in perspective, watch the YouTube videos posted below and pay close attention to the details.
Already Venezuelans are cheerful and relieved with the fall of the dictator. It easily the most positive turn of events in their lives. Venezuelans are also thankful to President Trump. Watch and learn from the video below.
With Maduro and his wife in US custody, the effort for justice will begin soon. For insight, posted below is an excerpt from a Newsmax report. Some parts in boldface…
President Donald Trump said Saturday that U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife during a military operation, announcing they are being transported to the United States to face criminal prosecution in what he described as a decisive blow against international drug trafficking and regional instability.
Speaking at a Saturday afternoon press conference aired live on Newsmax and Newsmax2, Trump accused Maduro of overseeing a massive criminal enterprise responsible for drug trafficking, violence and instability affecting the United States.
“The illegitimate dictator, Maduro was the kingpin of a vast criminal network responsible for trafficking colossal amounts of deadly and illicit drugs into the United States, as alleged in the indictment, he personally oversaw the vicious cartel known as cartel de las Olas, which flooded our nation with lethal poison, responsible for the deaths of countless Americans, the many, many Americans, hundreds of thousands over the years of Americans died because of him,” Trump said.
Trump said Maduro and his wife were taken into custody during a U.S. operation in Venezuela and are currently being transported by ship.
“Maduro and his wife will soon face the full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil.”
In the same Newsmax report, Trump also mentioned that there is overwhelming evidence of Maduro’s crimes which will be presented in court.
Overseas, Israel commended America for the successful operation that led to Maduro’s capture. This is not surprising as Venezuela is allied with the terrorist regime of Iran and other Islamic terrorists. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface…
Israel lauded the American operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday.
In a post on X/Twitter, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar wrote, “Israel commends the United States’ operation, led by President Trump, which acted as the leader of the free world. At this historic moment, Israel stands alongside the freedom-loving Venezuelan people, who have suffered under Maduro’s illegal tyranny.“
Sa’ar added that the Jewish state “welcomes the removal of the dictator who led a network of drugs and terror” and that it hopes democracy would return to Venezuela and that the two countries would be able to resume friendly relations.
“The people of Venezuela deserve to exercise their democratic rights. South America deserves a future free from the axis of terror and drugs,” Sa’ar concluded.
Netanyahu congratulates Trump on capture of Maduro – Later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also congratulated US President Donald Trump.
“Congratulations, President [Donald Trump] for your bold and historic leadership on behalf of freedom and justice. I salute your decisive resolve and the brilliant action of your brave soldiers,” the Prime Minister’s Office quoted Netanyahu as saying in a post to X.
Israeli NGO of retired senior security officials see Venezuela op. as warning to Iran’s regime –Earlier, the Commanders for Israel’s Security, an NGO of more than 550 retired senior officials from the IDF, the Mossad, the Shin Bet, the police, and the Foreign Service, also welcomed the operation, seeing it as a warning to the Iranian regime, Israeli outlet Maariv reported.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? What is your reaction to the American military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of dictator Maduro? Do you think it is only a matter of time before the remnants of Maduro’s administration will collapse and get overwhelmed by the Venezuelans who have long been hungry for freedom and the return of democracy? What do you think Iran, Russia and China will do now that their ally Maduro has fallen?
Author Carlo Carrasco 