Pole Vault Star's Doping Accuser Apologizes for 'Harmful Words'

Anais Lavillenie, the wife of former Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie, apologized for accusing the Filipino pole vault star EJ Obiena of doping. Also a former pole vaulter, Anais said she deeply regrets posting the accusationon the Facebook page of Vaulter Magazine two weeks ago (See Rappler for story).

Filipina's 'Blue Room' Wins LA Femme Int'l Film Festival

Ma-an Asuncion-Dagñalan (Source: GMA News)

First-time director Ma-an Asuncion-Dagñalan won the Best Foreign Film Award at the 19th LA Femme International Film Festival in Los Angeles for her film, “Blue Room” (See GMA News for story).

Filipina Makes History as 1st Female Car Racer Signed by McLaren

Bianca Bustamante (Source: Nextshark)

Filipina Formula 1 Academy driver Bianca Bustamante has made history once again by becoming the first female driver to be signed to McLaren’s driver development program (See NextShark for story).

Filipino Singer Juan Karlos' 'ERE' Makes History on Spotify

Juan Karlos (Source: Nextshark)

Filipino singer and actor Juan Karlos Labajo has made history with his latest single “ERE,” which became the first Filipino track to debut on Spotify’s global chart (See NextShark for story).

Filipino caregiver paid off terrorist to save herself and her employer

Nitza Hefetz with Camille Jesalva (Photo by Shalu Shalom, Ynet)

A quick-thinking Filipino caregiver saved her life and that of her 95-year-old employer Nitza Hefetz on October 7  by giving a Hamas terrorist who had broken into their Gaza border home the savings she had prepared for a planned trip to the Philippines two days later. (Story from The Times of Israel)

Fil-Ams Are Popularizing the Barong Tagalog

The barong Tagalog — which translates loosely to “dress of the Philippines” and is often abbreviated to barong — has surged in popularity with Filipinos across the diaspora as a point of national pride and style (See CNN for story).

SF MOMA Opens First Retrospective of Artist Pacita Abad

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) announces the first retrospective of Pacita Abad, on view October 21, 2023–January 28, 2024. Featuring more than 40 major works, including many rarely seen by the public, this exhibition is the most significant U.S. presentation of the artist’s multifaceted and mesmerizing art practice (See SFMOMA for story).

Fourth Filipino Killed in Israel

Another Filipino worker died in Israel, the fourth Filipino identified as killed by Hamas militants in their daring attacks in southern Israel last October 7, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced (See Business Mirror for story).