US National Abducted in Southern PH

The Philippine police said Friday it has launched a search after gunmen reportedly abducted an American national, Elliot Onil Eastman, who was shot in the leg as he tried to resist before being spirited away from a southern Philippine coastal town by speedboat (See AP for story).

New York Pinay Chef Makes It to TIME's Next 100 List

Chef Aisha Ibrahim was named one of TIME 100 Next List. In 2019, 101-year-old Time began publishing the Time 100 Next list (See Marivirmontebon.com for story).

UST Singers Win Grand Prize in Norway's Grieg Int'l Choir Festival

The University of Santo Tomas Singers made history by winning the Grand Prize at the 2024 Grieg International Choir Festival in Bergen, Norway, becoming the first Filipino and Asian group to ever secure this prestigious honor in the competition’s ten editions (See UST.edu.ph for story).

73% of Filipinos Won't Vote for 'Pro-China' Candidates in Midterm Polls

A large majority of Filipinos (73%) are not inclined to support aspirants who are deemed “pro-China candidates… at present or in the past” in the May 2025 midterm elections, according to a commissioned survey conducted by Pulse Asia (See Philstar for story).

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).