The Department of the Interior and Local Government defended its $396.8-million emergency response and monitoring system contract with a Chinese firm that raised security concerns.

Three days from now, we will find out if Catriona Gray will beat 93 other aspirants for the Miss Universe crown and raise the Philippines’ ranking in the roster of countries with the most number of Misses U to a secured fourth place behind the USA, Venezuela and Puerto Rico (check out the list as you read on).

The man heralded as the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer today didn’t look too invincible against Jose Pedraza of Puerto Rico in a WBA/WBO lightweight unification showdown at the Madison Square Garden in New York City last Saturday night (Sunday morning, Manila).

Before he shot to fame with his own version of The Way We Were, Kapalaran, Macho Gwapito and others, organizers of the Aliw Awards already saw a gem of a performer in the late Rico J. Puno. They named him Most Promising Entertainer of the Year in 1997.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Portugal on yesterday for a two-day visit to boost economic ties, despite concern in some EU capitals over China's growing influence across the continent.