Two-year-old Filipino Boy Dies After Free Heart Surgery in Texas

All Mary Grace Demafeliz could now wish is to have more days to tell her two-year-old son, Dave Gabriel, how much she loved him. But her boy died unexpectedly Monday night, four days after he underwent free heart surgery at the Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, reports ABS-CBN News.

Filipina Maid Marries English Baron

Baron Southampton and Alma Pasqual

A Positively Filipino reader sent an undated news clipping about a Filipina maid who married an English baron. The sender also provided a translation:  "Lord makes his cleaning woman his Lady: The aristocratic family upped their nose as the English Baron Southampton, 70, married his 34-year-old younger cleaning woman, Alma Pasqual of the Philippines and from here on officially made her his Baroness and Lady. And the heir is baby Charles who opened his eyes to the world. The Lord and lady are very happy."

Filipina Pianist Gets Standing Ovation at India Music Fest

Performing solo in Chennai, India, Filipina pianist Alexandra Minoza received a standing ovation as she set the bar for a music festival celebrated worldwide, reports GMA News. Minoza was the only Filipino to perform at the Goethe Institute-organized Fete de la Musique, a yearly musical festival that was held last June 21, a news release from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Filipinos on Ill-Fated MH17 were 'Chance Passengers'

The Filipinos who boarded the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 were apparently ''chance passengers'', one of their relatives said, reports ABS-CBN News. MH17 fatality Irene Pabellon-Gunawan and family were  chance passengers of the Malaysian plane, which was shot down over the Ukraine July 17, according to Gunawan's sister-in-law.

Libyan Extremists Behead Filipino Worker

A Filipino construction worker in Libya was beheaded by militants in Benghazi, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.. He is the first Filipino casualty in Libya since first civil war that toppled the regime of Libyan strongman Moammar Ghadafi in 2011, reports Inquirer.net. 

OFWs Warned of Internet 'Love' Scams

The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur warned Filipinos against unscrupulous individuals or groups who are asking for money on the pretext of love, reports GMA News. The embassy received reports of Filipinas who were scammed by supposed lovers they met through chatrooms and Facebook. One Filipina based in Hong Kong reportedly lost “huge sums of money” to her fiancé, a Malaysia-based Briton she met on social media.

Three Filipinos Make It to 'X-Factor Australia'

Three Filipino singers made it to the audition phase of Australia's “X-Factor,” earning standing ovations not only from the audience but also from the four judges as well, reports GMA News.
The three were self-described shy girl Marlisa Punzalan; Tiny Justin Vasquez, who has won a singing competition in Manila; and pop-rock fan Mary Ann Van Der Horst.

Singapore Warns Maid Agencies Against Undignified Ads

Singapore has warned maid employment agencies in the city-state against “undignified” advertising following complaints by rights groups that domestic workers are being marketed as commodities, reports Inquirer.net/AFP.