News

New York, July 2 – Pop music megastar Taylor Swift and National Football League player Travis Kelce are married, the New York Post’s Page Six reported on Thursday, citing multiple unnamed sources amid preparations for an expected celebration at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The couple, both 36, exchanged vows in front of a “tiny group of loved ones,” the outlet said. It did not say when or where the nuptials took place, though it noted Swift’s private jet recently spent time in Nashville, the city where she lived early in her career. Swift’s publicist did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Reuters could not confirm the Page Six report. As workers scrambled to prepare Madison Square Garden on Thursday for what was expected to be a lavish celebration for the megastars, the pair showed some support for New York: The singer’s publicity team on Thursday said that Kelce and Swift had donated $26 million to several charities in the city and elsewhere this week. Neither…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman filed a non-bailable plunder charge against Senator Rodante Marcoleta before the Sandiganbayan on Friday, July 3, in relation to ₱75 million in campaign donations he received while serving as a public official. Also named in the charge sheet were three private individuals who donated cash to Marcoleta when he was the representative of the Social Amelioration and Genuine Intervention on Poverty (SAGIP) party-list. They are former Anakalusugan representative Mike Defensor, Joseph Espiritu, and Aristotle Viray. The Ombudsman also filed a separate case against Marcoleta and the three individuals for allegedly violating Presidential Decree No. 46, which prohibits public officials from receiving gifts on any occasion and bars private individuals from giving them. The Sandiganbayan earlier issued a precautionary hold departure order against the four, barring them from leaving the country. In March, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) cleared Marcoleta of any…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday, July 2, said it is studying the possibility of applying anti-terrorism laws to nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) groups, following reports that one such network may have groomed the Tacloban school shooters.   During a Wednesday, July 1, hearing on rising school violence, Senator Risa Hontiveros shared investigators’ findings that an NVE group named “764” could have influenced the two Tacloban suspects. The younger suspect, Nash, interacted with social media users supposedly linked to 764.  The US Department of Justice considered 764 a terrorist network and a national security threat, while Canada and New Zealand designated them as a terrorist group.  The DOJ said the country does not have a legal framework to address NVE groups. “Yung terrorism, pag aralan natin kung maaaring masakop ‘don itong NVE lalo na kung magkaroon ng mass casualty event. Kasi nga yung mga ibang bansa…

Vancouver, Canada –  The Philippines is looking to deepen ties with Canada as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. began a four-day official visit Wednesday, July 1, focused on expanding cooperation in trade, defense, maritime security and investment. Marcos arrived at Vancouver International Airport at 4:46 p.m. local time (7:46 a.m. Thursday in Manila), marking the first official visit by a Philippine president to Canada in more than a decade. The president is scheduled to meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss a plan of action that will guide the next phase of bilateral relations, with talks expected to center on trade, defense and maritime cooperation, people-to-people ties and expanded air connectivity. Before departing Manila, Marcos said the visit would build on the “very positive trajectory” of Philippines-Canada relations by pursuing new areas of collaboration, including mining, critical minerals and renewable energy. Marcos is also set to meet Canadian business leaders…

Vancouver, Canada –  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Philippines’ ascension to upper-middle-income country status will attract more investments, create better-paying jobs and expand opportunities for Filipino families. In a video statement, Marcos said the country’s reclassification by the World Bank—after nearly four decades as a lower-middle-income economy—validates his administration’s economic policies. He cited steady economic growth, a broadly stable currency and long-term reforms that strengthened the economy despite global uncertainties. Marcos described the upgrade as a vote of confidence in the country’s future, saying increased investor confidence would encourage more businesses to expand in the Philippines, creating jobs and opening more opportunities for Filipinos. The president added that economic progress should translate into tangible benefits for ordinary Filipinos, saying the government would continue working until every family feels the gains of the country’s growth. Executive Secretary Ralph Recto also welcomed the country’s new classification, saying it reflects stronger economic…