Wesley So Claims Runner-Up Finish at Norway Chess 2026, Defeats World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen Twice
OSLO, Norway — Filipino-American grandmaster Wesley So capped a standout run at Norway Chess 2026 with a runner-up finish, defeating world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and French star Alireza Firouzja in the final round of one of the sport’s most elite tournaments. So, who was born in Cavite, Philippines, and later represented the United States, finished one point behind India’s...
OWWA Expands Support For Returning OFWs With Business, Training Partnerships
MANILA — Returning overseas Filipino workers will gain expanded access to franchise opportunities, low-interest loans and skills training under new partnerships launched by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration during the OFW Kabuhayan Expo 2026, officials said Tuesday. OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said the agreements, unveiled at the SMX Convention Center in Manila in line with National Migrant Workers Day,...
Alex Eala beats China’s Zhang Shuai in straight sets at the WTA Queen’s Club tournament
LONDON — Fresh off her breakthrough title at the Birmingham Classic, Alex Eala of the Philippines sustained her winning momentum Tuesday with a straight-sets victory over China’s Zhang Shuai at the WTA Queen’s Club tournament, reinforcing her status as one of the tour’s rising talents ahead of Wimbledon. Eala, 21, displayed poise and control against the veteran Zhang, using sharp...
Philippine Agency Rescues 206 OFW Applicants From Illegal, Substandard Facilities
MANILA — Philippine authorities rescued 206 aspiring overseas workers from alleged illegal and substandard accommodation facilities operated by unlicensed recruitment agencies in Manila and Cavite province, the Department of Migrant Workers announced Sunday. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the coordinated operations — carried out across four locations — uncovered private recruitment agencies housing overseas Filipino worker applicants in...
Tsunami Waves Strike Southern Philippines After Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake
MANILA, Philippines — A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Monday, generating tsunami waves in at least six areas of Mindanao and sending authorities scrambling to assess damage across the region. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the waves were recorded along mostly southern coastal areas of Mindanao between 7:42 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. local...
Eala Captures Birmingham Classic Title, Joins Pantheon of Champions
BIRMINGHAM, England — Alex Eala of the Philippines claimed the Birmingham Classic championship on Sunday, defeating Nikola Bartunkova in a final that underscored the young star's growing stature in the women's game and marked a landmark moment in Philippine sporting history. Eala was disciplined and dominant throughout the contest, deploying a precise and powerful brand of tennis that the Czech...
Filipina star Alex Eala rallies past Swiss challenger, advances To Birmingham Open Final
BIRMINGHAM, England — Alexandra Eala of the Philippines advanced to the final of the 2026 Lexus Birmingham Open on Saturday, defeating Switzerland's Rebeka Masarova in a hard-fought three-set semifinal, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, at the Edgbaston Priory Club. The world No. 37 and tournament top seed overcame a stiff challenge from the Swiss to book a spot in the championship match,...
18 Filipino Seafarers in Netherlands to Be Released June 18 After Hantavirus Quarantine
MANILA — Eighteen Filipino seafarers quarantined in the Netherlands following a deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship will be released on June 18, the Philippine government said Monday. Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the crew members of the MV Hondius were placed under quarantine after three passengers died of hantavirus. The workers have been divided...
Deadly Drone Attack on Kuwait Airport Sends Shock Waves Through OFW Community
KUWAIT CITY — Iranian drones struck Kuwait’s main airport, killing one person and injuring 63 others, in the latest spillover from the wider Iran conflict and a blow that sent fresh shock waves through the country’s large foreign-worker population, including thousands of Filipinos. What happenedKuwait said the attack damaged a passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport and forced a temporary...
