Fil-Austrian Is Cast in New 'Hunger Games' Film

Rada Rae (Source: Turing Central Luzon/Facebook)

Austrian Filipina actress Rada Rae, who was born in Tuguegarao City, joined the cast of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping as Wellie (See Facebook for story).

Ex-UP Student Journalist Named New York University Dean

Filipino American scientist and former UP Diliman student journalist Michael Purugganan has been named the new Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of Arts & Science at New York University (See Pep.ph News for story). 

Fil-Am Cornerback Is Miami Dolphins' 1st Draft Pick

The Miami Dolphins selected cornerback Chris Johnson of San Diego State with the 27th overall pick of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft (See PalmBeachPost.com for story).

Fil-Am's Podcast Wins Pulitzer Prize

Pablo Torre (Source: Wikipedia)

The “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast won a Pulitzer Prize in audio reporting for its deep dive into the finances of the Los Angeles Clippers and star Kawhi Leonard (See Bozeman Daily Chronicle for story).

38 Filipino Crew Mates Are on Hantavirus-Stricken Ship

MV Hondius (Source: Wikipedia)

There are 38 Filipinos on board the MV Hondius cruise ship suspected of a hantavirus outbreak. But Health Undersecretary Albert Domingo confirms the 38 crew mates have not been reported to have symptoms of the virus (See Rappler for story).

Filipina Forest Advocates Named Time Next Gen Leaders

Masungi Georeserve (Source: Facebook)

Filipina conservation advocates and Masungi Georeserve co-founders Ann and Billie Dumaliang were recognized as part of TIME Magazine’s prestigious Next Generation Leaders list for 2024 (See Spot.Ph for story). 

Pasig City, Metro Manila Wins $1M Bloomberg Grant

Pasig City, in Metro Manila, Philippines secured a $1 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies after being named one of 24 cities globally to win the Mayors Challenge 2025–2026 — recognition tied to its proposal to build floating parks along its waterways as a solution to the city’s chronic shortage of green and open spaces (See TheGlobalFilipino.com for story).

Cebuana Engineer Is on Artemis II Control Team

Arianne “Nikki” Jubay Lazaro, an engineer from Balamban, Cebu, gained recognition for her role in NASA’s Artemis II mission. She is part of the Orion Fracture Control Team, ensuring the spacecraft’s Environmental Control and Life Support System remains intact during space travel (See Cebu Daily News for story).