Philippine authorities detained seven suspects and several more were being sought in a major corruption scandal involving flood control projects, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday as he tried to quell public outrage over the brazen anomalies that have implicated powerful members of Congress. Massive corruption has been blamed for substandard or non-existent flood control projects in the poverty-stricken Southeast Asian country long prone to deadly floods and extreme weather. Two Philippine presidents, including Marcos’ late father, were overthrown in peaceful public revolts due to alleged plunder and misrule. The initial batch of more than a dozen suspects, including Zaldy Co, a former member of...
South Korean Man Gets Life Sentence Over Blackmail Ring That Sexually Exploited Or Abused Hundreds
33-year-old South Korean man was sentenced to life in prison Monday for running an online blackmail ring that sexually exploited or abused 261 victims, including more than a dozen minors he raped or assaulted, over a four-year period before his arrest in January. The Seoul Central District Court said the severity of Kim Nok-wan’s crimes warrants his “permanent isolation from society.” It sentenced 10 accomplices to prison terms ranging from two to four years in what law enforcement authorities describe as the country’s largest cybersex crime case to date. Starting around August 2020, Kim targeted women who posted sexually suggestive...
Fátima Bosch’s Miss Universe 2025 Win Echoes In Mexico Where Women Fight For Equality
Fátima Bosch Fernández’s Miss Universe victory resounded across Mexico on Friday, framed as the vindication of a disrespected contestant from a country where women have pushed their way into positions of power and are increasingly calling out traditional chauvinism. The 25-year-old from the Gulf coast state of Tabasco was scolded by the competition’s Thai director, Nawat Itsaragrisil, during a livestreamed sashing ceremony for the more than 100 contestants on Nov. 4. She allegedly did not follow his guidelines for taking part in local promotional activities. He called security when she spoke up to defend herself, and she responded by walking out with a number...
Malaysia Says It Plans To Ban Social Media For Users Under 16 Starting Next Year
Malaysia plans to ban social media for users under the age of 16 starting next year, joining a growing list of countries choosing to limit access to digital platforms due to concerns about child safety. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said Sunday that the government was reviewing mechanisms used to impose age restrictions for social media use in Australia and other nations, citing a need to protect young people from online harms such as cyberbullying, financial scams and child sexual abuse. “We hope by next year that social media platforms will comply with the government’s decision to bar those under the age of...
Belgium Hit By Three-Day National Strike As Govt Pushes Austerity, Reforms
Belgium steeled itself for closed schools and disrupted train and air travel as three days of strikes kicked off on Monday in protest at government austerity plans aimed at shrinking the national debt. The movement is planned in three waves: trains and other public transport went on strike Monday, with national railroad company SNCB expecting to run one or two out of three trains. Several Eurostars linking Brussels to Paris were cancelled. On Tuesday, public services such as schools, creches, and hospitals join the strike, and for Wednesday unions have called for a full general strike covering all categories. No...
Three Shot Dead During Lagos Igunnuko Masquerade Festival
Community unrest in Orile Iganmu on Tuesday after gunmen believed to be members of rival cult groups fired gunshots during the annual masqueraders in Lagos. According to eyewitnesses, at least three people were killed during the incident. The festival is a traditional cultural event associated with a tall masquerader called Igunnuko. It was gathered that the masquerader, which customarily appears on Tuesdays during the festival, had just emerged when youths began firing gunshots behind it. A resident in the community who identified himself simply as Toyosi told our correspondent on Sunday that three individuals were shot while an unspecified number...
Police Arrest Two Suspects Over Attack On Fuji Maestro, Obesere
The Ondo State Police have confirmed the arrest of two suspects linked to the violent attack on Fuji musician Abass Akande, popularly known as Obesere, during a burial ceremony in the Okitipupa Local Government Area. Obesere had earlier called on the state government to fish out and prosecute those who allegedly attacked him and destroyed his equipment in the state. According to the Police spokesperson Olushola Ayanlade stated that the suspects were apprehended thanks to the swift action of security operatives who responded to the disturbance at the Government Field, where the incident took place. The attack instigated panic among...
Maduka Okoye Heroics Not Enough As Udinese Fall To Bologna
Maduka Okoye produced a standout performance in goal, but his heroics were not enough to prevent Udinese from suffering a 3-0 defeat to Bologna in Serie A. The Nigerian goalkeeper showcased his shot-stopping ability early in the game, saving a penalty in the 41st minute. Riccardo Orsolini stepped up to take the spot-kick, aiming for the bottom left corner, but Okoye guessed correctly and dived to the right, keeping the scoreline level. Despite Okoye’s heroics, Bologna continued to press and eventually broke the deadlock in the 54th minute. Orsolini delivered a precise pass into the box, finding Tommaso Pobega, who...
Video Highlight: “Statement Made,” Eberechi Eze Hat-Trick On His First North London Derby Powers Arsenal To 4-1 Win Over Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal crushed Tottenham 4-1 on Sunday at the Emirates, with Leandro Trossard scoring first before Eze, freshly arrived from Crystal Palace for £67.5 million, claimed the first Premier League hat-trick in derby history. Tottenham’s Richarlison answered with a stunning long-range lob, but Eze’s third goal sealed the rout, boosting Arsenal six points clear atop the Premier League ahead of Chelsea. Declan Rice who assisted Eze, Piero Hincapie shone on debut, in a statement on X after the match wrote; “It’s worked out..” Leandro Trossard summed it up as: ‘North London is red.’ While Arsenal FC simply wrote: “STATEMENT MADE.” Adding:...