'Back to the powerhouses': An initial analysis of the Miss Universe 2022 pageantMiss Venezuela Amanda Dudamel Miss USA R'bonney Gabriel and Miss Dominican Republic Andreína Martínez speak during The 71st Miss Universe Competition at New Orleans Morial Convention Center on January 14, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. MANILA, Philippines — Fil-American R'Bonney Gabriel of Texas, USA won the Miss Universe 2022 title by besting 83 other national delegates at the close of glitzy rites in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Rabimbi Cortesi failed to make it to the Top 16, breaking the country's longest semifinal streak at 12. This 2022 edition selection committee members were Miss Universe 2010 Ximena Navarrette, Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliams, book author Emily Austin, artiste Big Freedia, supermodel Mara Martin, entrepreneur Olivia Quido, media personality Myrka Dellanos, and Roku executive Sweta Patel. To date, the USA still leads the winners race at the Miss Universe now with nine.

(UPDATED) MISS USA's R'Bonney Gabriel won the Miss Universe crown at the 71st edition of the pageant held Sunday (Manila time) at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in Louisiana. For the final Q & A segment, the three finalists were asked the same question: "If you win Miss Universe, how would you work to demonstrate this as an empowering and progressive organization?" At the Miss Universe coronation night, Gabriel wore a black gown made by Filipino designer Rian Fernandez. According to the Miss Universe website, Gabriel, as a voice for Asian Americans, opens the door for more diversity and representation in society. Gabriel took home the new "Force for Good" crown made by Lebanon's Mouawad, the official jeweler for Miss Universe.

Ginebra blasts Bay Area, claims PBA Commissioner's Cup crown in front of record crowdMANILA, Philippines — The Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings brought the house down in Bocaue, Bulacan as they copped the 2023 PBA Commissioner's Cup crown against the Bay Area Dragons, 114-99, in Game Seven at the Philippine Arena on Sunday. In front of a record crowd of 54,589 spectators — the biggest in PBA history — the Gin Kings demolished the guest team after finding themselves in a do-or-die situation. The game looked decided as early as halftime with Justin Brownlee leading Ginebra to a 22-point advantage, 61-39, at the break. But the beginning of the end for the Bay Area Dragons came early in the second quarter, when Ginebra went on a 13-4 run to create space anew after Bay Area got within two, 25-27, with 11:21 left in the period. The Gin Kings were in cruise control for most of the game as they took a wire-to-wire victory to seize the title.

Customs seized 380 boxes of smuggled Covid oral drugs with a value of about HK$500,000 at Hong Kong International Airport and in Tin Shui Wai in the past week. Officers selected and inspected an air parcel, declared as carrying healthcare products, arriving from India at the airport last Wednesday. Upon inspection, about 250 boxes of suspected smuggled Covid oral drugs with an estimated market value of about HK$330,000 were found inside the parcel. Customs arrested a 40-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case in Tin Shui Wai yesterday after a follow-up investigation and found 130 boxes of Covid oral drugs in his residential unit. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of HK$100,000 and imprisonment for two years.

BANGKOK — A catamaran that had gone missing late last month was spotted floating near Indonesian waters. The Phuket Marine Office said on Saturday that the catamaran had been spotted by the captain of a fishing boat on the edge of Thai territorial waters. At 8am on Friday, the Phuket Marine Office received a call from the manager of a fishing boat, who said the boat’s captain had spotted the catamaran adrift near Indonesian waters. Nobody was found aboard the catamaran and the fishing boat crew confirmed it was Marcopolo. RELATED STORIESCoast Guard tracking down missing boat off Davao Occidental‘Missing’ boat loaded with smuggled rice spotted off Sulu, says BOC collectorRead Next

In a duel where the loser is determined by whose knees are first to bend, the tale of triumphs and heartbreaks is coming close to its end. Only one kingdom would rise. Failing to stage their coronation in Game 6, the Kings gun for the crown before an expected another mammoth crowd as they hope to finally complete their brave home stand against the visiting Dragons in the 5:45 p.m showdown. An intense chess match at the sidelines between legendary coaches Tim Cone and Brian Goorjian is also worth noting. The trend of the series should augur well to the Kings’ favor after winning Games 1,3, and 5 while the Dragons aim to break the cycle and become the first team to win back-to-back games after emerging triumphant in Games 2, 4, and 6.

China's economic growth for 2022 is expected to have been among its weakest in four decades after the twin crises of the pandemic and property woes, analysts said ahead of Tuesday's GDP announcement. Beijing abruptly loosened pandemic restrictions in early December after three years of enforcing some of the harshest Covid measures in the world. "The three horse carriages of the Chinese economy are all facing a relatively evident downward pressure in the fourth quarter," Zhang said. But, after three years of health restrictions, "China's reopening process has started", she said. The World Bank forecast China's GDP will rebound to 4.3 percent for 2023 -- still below expectations.

(UPDATED) POKHARA, Nepal: At least 67 people were confirmed dead Sunday when a plane with 72 on board crashed in Nepal, police said, in the Himalayan country's deadliest aviation disaster in three decades. "Thirty-one [bodies] have been taken to hospitals," police official AK Chhetri told Agence France-Presse, adding that 36 other bodies were still in the 300-meter (600-foot) gorge the aircraft plunged into. This was partially confirmed by the army, with a spokesman saying 29 bodies had been retrieved and that there were 33 more at the site in Pokhara in central Nepal. "The aircraft crashed into a gorge so it is difficult to bring the bodies. Poor recordNepal's air industry has boomed in recent years, carrying goods and people between hard-to-reach areas as well as foreign trekkers and climbers.

At least 44 people were killed on Sunday when a domestic flight crashed in Pokhara in Nepal, an aviation authority official said, in the small Himalayan country's worst crash in nearly five years. Hundreds of rescue workers were scouring the hillside where the Yeti Airlines flight, carrying 72 people from the capital Kathmandu, went down. "Another 14 bodies are still lying at the crash site and authorities are bringing in a crane to move them." Some of the ground near the crash site was scorched, with licks of flames visible. Yeti Airlines has a fleet of sixATR72-500 planes, according to its website.

KATHMANDU — An aircraft with 72 people on board crashed in Nepal on Sunday, Yeti Airlines and a local official said. ADVERTISEMENTHe said the plane crashed between the old and new Pokhara airports in central Nepal. ADVERTISEMENTIn May 2022, all 22 people on board a plane operated by Nepali carrier Tara Air — 16 Nepalis, four Indians and two Germans — died when it crashed. In March 2018, a US-Bangla Airlines plane crash-landed near Kathmandu’s notoriously difficult international airport, killing 51 people. That accident was Nepal’s deadliest since 1992, when all 167 people aboard a Pakistan International Airlines plane died when it crashed on approach to Kathmandu.

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The Golden State Warriors were the stars of the party in San Antonio on Friday, Jan. 13, cruising to a 144-113 victory over the Spurs before an NBA record crowd of 68,323 at the Alamodome. An overall interior view of the court during the game between the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs on January 13, 2023 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs played the game at their old arena as part of the celebrations of the franchise’s 50th-anniversary season. Old-school Spurs fans relished a chance to return to the ‘Dome, but plenty of those in the crowd were drawn by Warriors star Stephen Curry and his teammates. And it was an emotional night for Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who played four seasons in San Antonio and won two titles with the Spurs.

SAN ANTONIO, Zambales – A fire burned three houses in a residential compound in Olongapo City on Saturday (Jan. 14). ADVERTISEMENTAccording to Vice Mayor Jong Cortez, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) received the report of the fire in Barangay (village) Pag Asa at about 9:40 a.m. The fire immediately spread because the houses are made of light materials, said Cortez. It was declared fire out a few minutes later. The BFP are still conducting investigation to establish the cause of the fire and the cost of property damage.

Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau has called on the healthcare industry to calm down after two doctors were charged with manslaughter over a medical blunder, saying doctors will always make decisions in the patients’ interest after thorough discussions. Lo said on Saturday that the work of doctors is very stressful and he understands that mistakes happen. The Medical Council of Hong Kong will handle those incidents, Lo added, but sidestepped the question on the doctors’ criminal liability. The health chief continued that doctors will discuss thoroughly with patients about their treatment plans, and will always make decisions in the patients’ interest. Lo said he believes experienced doctors can handle high-risk surgeries as well.

20 people killed by early 2023 rains, floods across the PhilippinesMembers of the Philippine Coast Guard are seen rescuing a senior citizen as floods engulfed Barangay San Jose Gusu, Zamboanga City, January 11, 2023MANILA, Philippines — Casualties pile up as the country continues to feel the effects of heavy downpour and floods brought about by the recent low pressure areas (LPAs), shear line and northeast monsoon since January 2. Around P171.23 million worth of infrastructure have been damaged, this while the agricultural sector suffered P257.76 million worth of losses. Housing damages also continue to rack up (1,135) while 42 roads and 10 bridges are said to be unpassable to all types of vehicles. "Assistance worth P32,367,486.68 were [already] provided to [the] affected population," said the OCD. "Search and Rescue teams and operations [likewise have been] deployed and ongoing."

Miss Universe Bahrain 2022 thanks 'all-Filipino' teamEvlin Khalifa in her Furne One Amato evening gown during the preliminary competition at the Miss Universe 2022. MANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe Bahrain 2022 Evlin Khalifa thanked her all-Filipino team who she thinks is the best in pageantry as she continues to catch attention with her performance at the Miss Universe 2022 being held in New Orleans, Louisiana. One part read, "Arab women should be represented," while the opposite side read, "A Muslim woman can also be a Miss Universe." The Miss Universe Bahrain National Directors are Filipinos Josh Yugen and Ian Borromeo. RELATED: The Filipino connection: Miss Universe 2022 candidates' Philippine-made costumes, trainers