A federal jury has convicted a woman of naturalization fraud after prosecutors said she falsely claimed that her previous marriage had ended and submitted a fraudulent divorce decree while applying for U.S. citizenship. Ana Zahia Gonzalez, 46, of Winter Garden, Florida, was found guilty of knowingly providing false information during the naturalization process, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Federal prosecutors said Gonzalez entere

MANILA, Philippines - Century Tuna Superbods is entering a bold new chapter as the country’s premier fitness competition celebrates its 20th anniversary with a renewed mission to promote holistic wellness, inclusivity and purpose-driven transformation. Dubbed the “Superbod Era,” this year’s competition moves beyond celebrating physical appearance by highlighting the personal stories, mental strength, discipline and health advocacies behind every fit body. Hundreds of hopefuls

NEW YORK - New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act took effect Wednesday, August 5, allowing certain terminally ill adults to request prescription medication that they may choose to take themselves to end their lives. The law, signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul on February 6, applies only to adult New York residents diagnosed with an incurable and irreversible illness or condition expected to cause death within six months. State officials refer to the practice as “medical aid in dying.”

ANYBODY can win the Mubadala DC Open, a tennis tournament, which, in terms of prestige, sits below the four Grand Slam tournaments: Wimbledon, The US Open, The French Open, The Australian Open. But not all tennis players in the world can beat truly four world class Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) behemoths en route to capturing the Mubadala DC Open, recognized as the only combined ATP 500 and WTA 500 joint event globally, held annually at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis C

UAAP basketball player and model Aaron Beau Davis of Albay has been chosen to represent the Philippines at the Mister World 2026 pageant, which will be held later this year. Davis bested 17 other candidates from across the Philippines and Filipino communities abroad during the national competition held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater on August 2. Despite inclement weather, families, friends and pageant enthusiasts flocked to the venue to support the contestants. Sean K

US Open Tennis Championships Photo via Facebook NEW YORK - What initially appeared to be another frustrating weather interruption may have become the turning point Alex Eala needed in the biggest match of her career. Eala struggled to find her best rhythm during the opening stages of the Mubadala DC Open women’s singles final against top-seeded American Jessica Pegula on Sunday. Pegula controlled the important points and captured the first set, 6-4. The match had already star

A 19-year-old Filipino national living in Hawaii has been charged with unlawfully voting in the 2024 United States general election, federal prosecutors announced. United States Attorney Ken Sorenson said Bernadette Acaso, who resides in Honolulu on Oahu and Kahului on Maui, was charged by criminal complaint on July 22, 2026, with voting illegally as a non-U.S. citizen. According to court records, Acaso was born in the Philippines and entered the United States around 2018 on

New York City – The Asia Society theatre was full, and the applause after the film was immense on the East Coast premiere of the movie Sisa, starring the enchanting Hilda Koronel and written and directed by Jun Robles Lana. ‍Sisa, an entry to the 49th Asian American Film Festival, started remarkably well. It’s a period piece set at in the early 1900s, where the waning resistance of Filipinos against the new colonialist America took place. ‍The movie is valuable for bringing

ICHRP Photo The family of Filipino-American organizer Christina Pasion is demanding her immediate release after she was apprehended during a joint military, police and immigration operation in Cabuyao City, Laguna, on July 30. In an open letter released with the assistance of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines–United States, or ICHRP-US, Pasion’s wife, mother and brother said she was receiving medical treatment when Philippine security forces ente

NEW YORK - The Association of Fil-Am Teachers of America (AFTA), recognized as the oldest Filipino American teachers’ organization in the United States, played a leading role in teaching Filipino language, history and culture to young Filipino Americans through the Paaralan sa Konsulado summer program. Organized in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in New York, the program offered educational and cultural activities designed to strengthen students’ connection

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey - Filipino American elected officials and immigrant-rights advocates are calling for the immediate release of Raul Raagas, a 63-year-old native of Cebu City who has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement since July 24. Raagas, known to relatives and friends as “Kuya Raul,” was taken into custody while driving to work in New Jersey. He was later transferred to the CoreCivic Elizabeth Detention Center, where he remains detained as his

MANILA, Philippines- A Filipino-American woman identified as Cristina Pasion was apprehended during a joint government operation in Cabuyao City, Laguna, on Thursday, July 30, after security authorities alleged that she had links to the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army. Pasion was found with Binay Serrano, also known as “Samay,” when personnel from the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police and Bureau of Immigration served Serrano with an arr

Hawaiʻi businessman and lobbyist Tobi Solidum is reportedly in the Philippines as he faces an outstanding no-bail arrest warrant in connection with a sweeping public corruption case involving Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke and several former state officials. Solidum was indicted by an Oʻahu grand jury on one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and three counts of bribery of a public servant. A no-bail warrant was issued after he failed to surrender to authorities following

NEW YORK - Philippine customs authorities prevented three containers of electronic waste from the United States from being unloaded at the Port of Subic after the shipment was classified as potentially hazardous or toxic waste. The Bureau of Customs said the containers arrived aboard the MV Tokyo Express on July 22 from New York, United States. Port of Subic District Collector Atty. Genniefelle Lagmay ordered port officials not to discharge the containers after authorities de

MANILA, Philippines - Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz has added another historic honor to her celebrated career after becoming the inaugural recipient of the Bb. Pilipinas Hall of Fame Award. Binibining Pilipinas introduced the new recognition to honor former queens whose achievements have brought pride to the organization and the Philippines. Diaz made history in 1969 when she became the first Filipina to win the Miss Universe crown. Following her international pageant victor

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino excellence once again took center stage as two Filipinas brought pride and honor to the country through impressive achievements in international pageantry and modeling. Lyndzy Maranan was crowned Miss Universe Global 2026, while Eunice Deza earned the prestigious Second Runner-Up title at Top Model of the World 2026. Their victories were celebrated during a special Double Victory Press Conference honoring their successful international journeys

A Maryland man, 47-year-old Philip Andrew Turner of Linthicum Heights, pled guilty in federal court to coercion and enticement charges tied to his role as a paying customer of a child-sex trafficking ring operating in the Philippines. Prosecutors say Turner used Skype between late 2017 and early 2018 to connect with a known Filipino trafficker, selecting children from images and directing them during live-streamed sexual abuse sessions in exchange for money. Records show that

NEW YORK - Mima Alicia Mira Lipata was more than the name now circulating on social media. She was a daughter, a sister, a mother, and a young woman shaped by hardship, ambition, and determination. Yet in the wake of her tragic passing on July 17, what should have been a moment of remembrance has, for many, been overshadowed by harsh criticism and hateful commentary. Born in Manila, Alicia’s life began in struggle. Her mother, originally from Barangay Atipolo in Laoang, Samar

Police in the United States arrested a Filipino after authorities discovered that he had allegedly been raping his own 12-year-old niece, which resulted in her becoming pregnant. According to Pinellas Park police in St. Petersburg, Florida, officers responded to a call about a woman giving birth at Helen Howarth Park on July 16. When police investigated, they discovered that the victim did not know she was pregnant before giving birth. The victim told investigators that she h

NEW YORK - Andrew Arrabaca, 43, of Poughkeepsie, New York, who is of Filipino descent, has been charged after allegedly setting a fire outside the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building at 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan in what federal authorities say was an attack motivated by anti-government and anti-ICE beliefs. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, Arrabaca allegedly ignited a flammable liquid outside the federal building on the mor