Filipina Wins 2nd Place in Int'l Quran Reading Contest

Raihana Ambangala (Source: Rappler)

Raihana Ambangala, 28, a Maguindanaoan from Pikit, North Cotabato, won second place at a prestigious international Qur’an reading contest in Kuala Lumpur, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) announced (See Rappler for story).

Angeles City Named Asia's Best Emerging Culinary Destination

Pampanga's Angeles City has been recognized as Asia's Best Emerging Culinary City Destination at the World Culinary Awards Gala Ceremony 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Angeles competed against other renowned Asian food destinations, including Hanoi in Vietnam, Kyoto in Japan, Taipei in Taiwan, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia (See GMA News for story).

Filipina Bags Gold in World Taekwondo Jr. Championships

Filipino martial artist Tachiana Keizha Mangin bagged the gold medal in the women's -49kg category at the World Taekwondo Junior Championships in Chuncheon, Korea. Mangin ended the Philippines' 28-year wait for a gold medal (See GMA News for story).

Fil-Am Teen Science Wiz Is N. American Regional Champ

Alessandra Storm Mauricio (Source: Inquirer.net | Dennis Dennis-Facebook)

At just 15 years old, Filipino American prodigy Alessandra Storm Mauricio has solidified her place among the top young minds in science, advancing to the top 15 of the highly competitive Breakthrough Junior Challenge 2024 (See Inquirer.net for story). 

Filipino Teen Pianist Wins in Fukuoka Int'l Music Competition

Juan Carlos “Uno” Profeta (Source: Filipino Times | Etude Casa Musica/FB)

Thirteen-year-old Juan Carlos “Uno” Profeta won the Piano Solo – Junior Age Group category at the 2024 Fukuoka International Music Competition in Japan. He has won numerous awards from international competitions, such as in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and Canada (See Filipino Times for story).

Manila International Airport Now Has Private Operator

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has officially transferred the management of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to its new private operator, New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC), for the planned rehabilitation of the country’s premier airport (See Manila Standard for story).

Filipinos Are Third Worst Sleepers in the World – Study

(Source: Unsplash)

Australian bed manufacturer Onebed did a study on which countries have the worst sleep habits, and we came in third, just behind Australia and the US. Filipinos get an average of 6.13 hours of sleep every night, and deal with noise pollution levels of 55.60 as well as ranking top 10 in the world at being really stressed out (See Inquirer.net for story).

Jollibee to Bring Bubble Tea Shop to the US

Milksha (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Jollibee, the popular Filipino fried chicken chain, announced Thursday it is bringing its boba tea shop to the United States. The company is majority owner of the Milksha bubble tea brand which will be coming to three states-California, New York and Texas with plans to expand beyond that, reports Manila Bulletin.