Canada Designates PH 'Country of Focus' in Foreign Aid

In an effort to boost bilateral relations, Canada has designated the Philippines as a “country of focus” or a priority beneficiary of its international development assistance program, the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, reports Inquirer.net.

PH Ranks Now 6-7 in Disaster Preparedness Scale--UN Official

On a scale of 1 to 10—with 10 being the highest—the Philippines ranks “somewhere between 6 and 7” as far its level of preparedness for natural disasters is concerned, according to  Margareta Wahlstrom, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s special representative for disaster risk reduction, who pointed out the Southeast Asian nation is “very capable” of reducing its vulnerability, as well as responding to calamities, reports Inquirer.net..

Fil-Am Basketball Player Drafted By the LA Lakers

Filipino-American player Jordan Clarkson has been acquired by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2014 NBA Draft, reports Philstar.com. The Washington Wizards originally selected Clarkson as their 46th pick in the annual rookie draft before trading him to the Lakers for cash considerations.Clarkson, a shooting guard from the Missouri Tigers, has a Filipino mother. 

OFWs Going Abroad Can Now Register in PH for '16 Polls

Filipino workers bound for abroad can now register in the Philippines as overseas voters for the 2016 Presidential elections, at the  Office of Consular Affairs at the ASEANA Business Park, Macapagal Avenue. Voters who register there may also have their passports renewed without waiting in line at the Passport Division's Courtesy Lane, reports GMA News.

Filipina Wins Key Paternity Suit vs. Korean Dad of Her Kids

A Korea court ruled on a landmark paternity suit in favor of a Filipina in the Philippines who was abandoned by the Korean father of her two children, reports Inquirer.net. The court ruling, “is the first time for [Korean-Filipino children] to win in a civil lawsuit seeking to find their wayward fathers.”

Pinay in Australia Electrocuted By Cheap USB-Style Charger

 Australian authorities issued a warning about cheap, non-compliant USB-style chargers Friday after a young woman died from apparent electrocution while using a laptop and possibly a smartphone, reports GMA News. The 28-year-old was found wearing headphones and with her computer in her lap with burns on her chest and ears at a home in Gosford, north of Sydney, in April.

Hiring Filipino Househelp in UAE Just Got Tougher

Hiring Filipino housemaids has become tougher in the UAE since the introduction of the unified contract for domestic workers in June that conflicts with policies of the Philippines, reports Gulf News. Both the UAE and Philippine governments are committed to implementing their hiring contracts, but recruiters and families who need to hire house help are caught in the middle since the two countries have differing policies.

Pinoy Dies After Brutal Attack in New York

A 56-year-old Filipino man died three days after he was assaulted outside a restaurant early morning Saturday, June 21 in Queens, and police said that the assailant is still at large, reports Inquirer.net. The victim, Roberto Martines, died Tuesday at Elmhurst General Hospital, where he had been in critical condition since the attack.