MANILA, Philippines – The Goo Goo Dolls are coming to Manila!

The band is set to hold a concert for Filipino fans on February 11, 2017, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

This was confirmed by the concert's promoter, Random Minds, on its Facebook page.

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On October 9, the Goo Goo Dolls retweeted an announcement from Random Minds' that said they would be coming to Manila, but no other details were revealed then. 

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">GOO GOO DOLLS LIVE IN MANILA! More details soon. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GooGooDollsMNL?src=hash">#GooGooDollsMNL</a> <a href="https://t.co/jDD8dAFjjF">pic.twitter.com/jDD8dAFjjF</a></p>&mdash; Random Minds (@RandomMindsPH) <a href="https://twitter.com/RandomMindsPH/status/785147815941009408">October 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
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The Goo Goo Dolls, composed today of John Rzeznik and Robby Takac, were formed in 1986. They are best known for the song "Iris," which was part of the soundtrack of the movie City of Angels. Their other songs include "Name" and "Naked" from their album A Boy Named Goo and "All That You Are," which was part of soundtrack of Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

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The band released its new album, Boxes, this year, with songs such as"So Alive" and "Over and Over."

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Tickets for their Manila concert go on sale starting October 15 via ticketnet.com.ph.

Are you excited to see the Goo Goo Dolls live in Manila? Let us know in the comments! – Rappler.com 

NEW YORK, USA – Pop superstar Janet Jackson has confirmed that she is pregnant with her first child at age 50 – and has the baby bump to prove it.

People magazine on Wednesday, October 12 published a portrait of the star, her face beaming as she stood on a beach, with an unmistakably protruding belly. (READ: Janet Jackson expecting first child at 49 – report)

"We thank God for our blessing," she told the magazine.

{source}<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.5500667557% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BLePaxiDoQ7/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">#JanetJackson is one glowing mom-to-be! The 50-year-old singer is officially confirming her pregnancy and showing off her growing baby bump exclusively with PEOPLE. For more, click the link in our bio. | : Solaiman Fazel and Janet Jackson</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by People Magazine (@people) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-10-12T18:13:31+00:00">Oct 12, 2016 at 11:13am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source}

The younger sister of late king of pop Michael Jackson in April stunned fans by halting a global tour and saying that she and her husband, Qatari tycoon Wissam Al Mana, were "planning our family."

Jackson had not said more since then but was recently spotted by paparazzi shopping at a baby store in London – and looking like she had the tell-tale bump.

Natural pregnancies are highly unusual, but not impossible, for women past their mid-40s, but in vitro fertilization can extend the age at which women can have children.

Jackson has been discreet about her personal life and did not immediately publicize her 2012 marriage to Al Mana, whose company sells luxury fashion brands throughout Gulf Arab kingdoms.

Michael Jackson was also non-traditional in his efforts to have a family. He had two children with Debbie Rowe, who worked at his dermatologist's office and married him, and a third through an undisclosed surrogate.

Janet Jackson won an international fan base in the late 1980s with her albums Control and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, which brought together pop music and funk with the emerging genre of hip-hop.

The albums were notable for their socially conscious lyrics, in which Jackson identified with women's empowerment, and were accompanied by intricately choreographed live shows. – Rappler.com

LONDON, United Kingdom – A film production company was fined on Wednesday, October 12,  £1.6 million ($2 million, 1.75 million euros) over an accident on the set of the latest Star Wars movie in which the actor Harrison Ford broke his leg.

Prosecutors said Ford, then 71, was pinned to the ground by a metal hydraulic door after it broke during filming of the blockbuster film at Pinewood Studios west of London in June 2014.

It acted like a "blunt guillotine", coming down "millimeters from his face" as the actor passed underneath, pinning him by the pelvis to the ground, prosecutor Andrew Marshall told the court, adding that the door was "capable of killing one or possibly two people." (READ: 'Star Wars' set door 'could have killed' Harrison Ford, court hears)

The Disney-owned Foodles Production (UK) was handed the penalty after it admitted two breaches of health and safety laws during filming of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens in which Ford reprised his role as Han Solo. (READ: 'Star Wars' film company in court after Harrison Ford broke leg)

Ruling in the case, Judge Francis Sheridan said the production company had carried out a risk assessment on the door, but failed to tell Ford about the dangers.

"If you have a risk assessment and you do not communicate it, what is the point of having one?" the judge said.

"That is the most serious breach here.

"If only they had included Mr Ford in all the discussions, he might have at least been alert to the dangers that he had to avoid," he said.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) public body responsible for workplace regulation said the rapidly-closing door hit Ford with a force comparable to a small car.

The door was designed to be remotely closed by a special effects operator, who shut it upon a signal from a spotter.

Ford needed surgery to screw together the fractured tibia and fibula bones in his left leg and plastic surgery on a "deep laceration" to his left hand.

Charles Gibson, who defended Foodles Production (UK), admitted there was a "failure in communication" between the production team and Ford.

"This was an innocent mistake by bona fide professionals," he told the court in Aylesbury northwest of London.

"Lessons were learned. The good health and safety record of this production continued to the end."

Judge Sheridan said the remote operation of the door by someone who could not see the actor going through it was a "crazy approach" to health and safety.

"Had the wrong button been pressed it would have continued to crush down on Mr Harrison Ford. It's just incredible that so much was left to chance." – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Amazing Race Asia is back for its 5th season, with the Philippines fielding two teams to battle it out with representatives from other Asian countries. (READ: 'The Amazing Race Asia' season 5: Meet the Pinoy contestants) 

Former It's Showtime host Eric Tai and wife Rona Samson-Tai, and former beauty queens and best friends Maggie Wilson-Consunji and Parul Shah are the country's bets in the race's 5th season, hosted by Allan Wu. 

Here are a few things to know about the Philippine teams on The Amazing Race Asia season 5.

1. One of the reasons Eric and Rona joined Amazing Race was because they plan on having a child.

{source}<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BLcnIdWjNzu/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Do these adventurous soulmates have what it takes to win the prize of their dreams? Find out more about @eruption23 and @rownita here: http://bdj.bz/EricRona #TARAEricRona #AXNTARA</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by The Amazing Race Asia (@theamazingraceasia) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-10-12T03:02:15+00:00">Oct 11, 2016 at 8:02pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source} 

"With the prize money, we hope to start a family. We were told basically that we can no longer start a family naturally, we can no longer get pregnant naturally. So we have to resort to IVF and that does cost money. So we use that as a motivation," said Rona.

2. Another reason was Rona's personal advocacy: body positivity.

"And aside from that, my personal one is to break that stigma... a lot of women, especially the big women, to embrace themselves, and at the same time show to everyone, just because we're big it doesn't mean we can't run or we can't jump or we can't do any other thing," Rona said.

The two agreed that body-shaming is a big concern especially on social media. Eric said that there are times when he has to tell his wife to calm down when it comes to replying to people online.

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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BLf9hEnhit7/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Brace yourselves... Ready... Set.... @theamazingraceasia 9pm on AXN @axnph Channel: Cable Link: CH 38 Cignal: CH 61 Destiny: CH 61 Dream: CH 20 Sky: CH 49 Gsat: CH 12 #TARAEricRona #CoupleGoals #AXNTARA #TeamPhilippines #TeamPilipinas #LabanPilipinas #Amazing #Race #AmazingRace #AmazingRaceAsia #Asia #Travel #adventure #wonderfulindonesia</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Rona Tai (@rownita) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-10-13T10:15:35+00:00">Oct 13, 2016 at 3:15am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
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"Everyone is entitled to their opinion. You don't reprimand, but you can educate them maybe. But for me, that's not the way I go. I just turn the other cheek and let it be, if there is any hate or anything that's not so good. I'll just act accordingly. My wife goes on there and puts on that personal blast, because that's definitely her advocacy. She won't tolerate that," he said, adding that Rona does every now and then ignore the criticism.

Rona for her part said: "Sa akin na lang (For me) is first of all, I always try to think [that] you know what, there's a reason why they're hating on me. So I always tell people just because you do not feel so good about yourself, it doesn't mean you have to make other people feel bad about themselves."

3. They may already be married, but the two still learned a lot about each other and themselves as they ran the race. 

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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4765478424% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BLSxOFbh79D/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Being given the opportunity to compete at The Amazing Race Asia and the chance to represent the Philippines is such an honor and a blessing... but the biggest blessing of all, is having @eruption23 as my forever teammate.. You &amp; Me against the world (oh asia) my love #TARAEricRona #CoupleGoals #AXNTARA #TeamPhilippines #teampilipinas #amazing #AmazingRace #AmazingRaceAsia #asia #race #TARA #TARA5 #adventure #travel #travelgram #LDS #TeamLDS</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Rona Tai (@rownita) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-10-08T07:18:00+00:00">Oct 8, 2016 at 12:18am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
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"For me, what I found out about myself first was wow, I can hold my tongue," Rona joked. "No, I do have patience pala if I choose to. And one thing that I did notice about Eric is that he's very talented. Talented siya especially when he's not distracted because siyempre (of course), it's hard on your day to day life, you have cellphones, you have social media, everything else, and he's a gamer. He actually plays online games and what I've learned is may advantage pala 'yung paglalaro niya ng video games (there's an advantage to him playing video games). Because he's really good at figuring things out like patterns, ang galing niya (he's great)." 

As for Eric, he said: "[I realized] that I could do something like this with my wife. I never thought that we could go through challenges together physically, mentally, because sometimes, wives and husbands have their own separate life. At the same time, not separate as a couple but different types of interests, and I never thought that we could really do this together, and we've conquered ourselves as individuals and also as a team, the best that we could in every challenge that we did."

4. Maggie Wilson-Consunji and Parul Shah are beauty queens.

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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BKCdEs6Bl-w/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Counting down the days till @theamazingraceasia season 5 begins on @axnasia in October! Like my FB page for more updates! Clickable LINK in my BIO! #TARAMagParul #AxnTARA #TheAmazingRaceAsia #TARA5 #TheAmazingFace #TheBeautyQueens #TeamPhilippines #LabanPilipinas #TARAna</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Maggie Wilson (@wilsonmaggie) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-09-07T02:42:43+00:00">Sep 6, 2016 at 7:42pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
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Maggie was Binibining Pilipinas World 2007, while Parul was Bb Pilipinas Tourism in 2014 and represented the Philippines at the Miss Grand International 2015, where she placed 3rd runner-up.

5. It was Maggie who wanted to join the race first.

"When they [my friends] were doing the race, they were doing viewing parties at the house, siyempre naiinggit ako (of course I got jealous)," Maggie said. "Sabi ko (I said), I want to experience that. So when the race came back after 6 years, sabi ko (I said), this is it, this is my chance. So that's why I wanted to do the race because why not? I don't know anyone na 'pag sinabi mo (that if you said), 'I'm doing the Amazing Race,' they would't [say], 'Oh my God!' This is my dream, I want to do that. We have a lot of friends who want to be in their shoes as well."

The friends she was referring to include TV hosts Rovilson Fernandez and Marc Nelson.

6. Maggie asked Parul to be her partner.

Parul agreed to join the competition because she was going to be with Maggie, her best friend and one of her pageant mentors.

"Because I know if you were going into a race, you have to have the right partner. So the second she asked me – I wasn't her first choice though, but that's okay – and in the second she asked me, I said yes in a heartbeat," Parul said.

{source} <blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BLQfqx-jTs-/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Can these beauty queens win The Amazing Race Asia? Follow the link in our description to find out more about @wilsonmaggie and @parulshah88 #TARAMagParul #AXNTARA</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by The Amazing Race Asia (@theamazingraceasia) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-10-07T10:06:09+00:00">Oct 7, 2016 at 3:06am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source}

7. Parul and Maggie aren't the only beauty queens in season 5. 

Another pair – Miss World Malaysia 2012 Yvonne Lee and Miss World Malaysia 2011 Chloe Chen – also competed.

When asked about having another pair of former title holders, Maggie said: "Funny enough, they're also very much like us. Chill lang din sila na beauty queens. (They are just chill beauty queens) They're not maarte (high maintenance). They're not what people perceive a beauty queen to be. Like I said in one of the early interviews, they're going to see a different side to Parul and I in this race. And hopefully, we get to change the perception of beauty queens during the course of the race."

8. They may be best friends, but both Parul and Maggie agreed that their patience was tested during the course of taping the competition.

{source}

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:28.1018518519% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BK9EwpaDGKb/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Here&#39;s a candid video of Bae @wilsonmaggie and I....  . . P.S. LASHES ARE IMPORTANT OK!!!  Watch the premier of The Amazing Race Asia Season 6 on October 13 only on AXN !!!! #TheAmazingFace #TARAMagParul #TheAmazingRaceAsia #TheAmazingRaceAsia5 #TheBeautyQueens #LabanPilipinas #ParulShah #MaggieWilson #AXN #TARA #TARA5</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A video posted by Parul Shah (@parulshah88) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-09-29T21:05:27+00:00">Sep 29, 2016 at 2:05pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
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"One of our rules was we should never fight," Maggie said.

"If anything, if we do get frustrated, let's talk it out. It's better talking things out..." Parul added. 

"Or don't get mad na because if you get mad, you won't be able to do the task at hand," Maggie said.

When asked what they learned about themselves during the race, Maggie said: "[I realized] that I was a lot more patient that I thought I was. I always say to myself that I'm impatient, that I snap very quickly. During the race, I learned that I'm a lot more patient, that I was a lot stronger than I was emotionally."

"The race taught me that I was a lot stronger emotionally," Parul also said, though Maggie added that she saw a "beast" side of her friend during the show. 

The Amazing Race Asia season 5 began airing on Thursday, October 13, on AXN Asia. 

Who would you choose to be your partner if you joined Amazing Race? Let us know in the comments! – Rappler.com 

MANILA, Philippines – The newest Rogue One: A Star Wars Storytrailer is out!

In this 2-minute trailer, fans get a bit more of Jyn Erso's (Felicity Jones) past. It opens with a young Jyn speaking to her father, Galen Erso. (WATCH: Behind the scenes of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story')

"Jyn, whatever I do, I do it to protect you. Do you understand?" he says, before a future Jyn wakes up in a prison cell.

After the Alliance breaks her out, Jyn is told her father is working for the Empire: "It appears he is critical to the development of a secret weapon."

The trailer also shows off clips from the rebellion, and of course, a scene with the infamous Darth Vader, who returns to the Star Wars saga in Rogue One.

Rogue One, a standalone Star Wars film, is set to hit theaters in the US this December.– Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA – After a traumatic robbery which saw her tied up at gunpoint, no one expected US reality star and social media queen Kim Kardashian to spring immediately back into the limelight.

But the normally prolific tweeter hasn't posted online since the October 3 incident in Paris, prompting speculation that the hiatus is part of a careful strategy to stage-manage her recovery from the horrifying ordeal. 

The multimillionaire, who was in the French capital for Paris Fashion Week, was locked in a bathroom while five robbers posing as police stole a $4.5 million ring and a case of jewelry valued at $5.6 million.

Kardashian, 35, flew back to Los Angeles to be comforted by family, halting her part in filming for reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, according to entertainment cable station E!.

A fixture of celebrity news for more than a decade, the star earns an estimated $1 million a month from her social media engagement, mainly through product endorsements and promotion of her own brand.

But her 84 million followers on Instagram and 48 million on Twitter, many of whom have been asking questions about her security arrangements, have been denied her version of events.

Meanwhile Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner has been marshalling specialist firms to discuss better security for Kim and her other daughters, Kourtney, 37, Khloe, 32, Kendall, 20, and Kylie, 19, according to gossip website TMZ.

'Master strategist' 

Observers say Jenner has likely also taken the opportunity to sit down with the clan and draw up a meticulous plan for Kim's comeback, including the timing of her return to social media.

"They wouldn't be Kardashians if they didn't use this to their advantage," Rob Shuter, a former Hollywood publicist for Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson and others, who now runs NaughtyGossip.com, told Agence France-Presse.

"So they are certainly sitting down with their people and Kris Jenner is a master strategist herself."

Shuter said several television networks had been clamoring to secure an exclusive interview with Kim.

"E! and NBC are owned by the same company so I would guess she'll get a prime-time special on NBC," he said, adding that Kardashian was an expert in generating anticipation among her fans and would make a "very dramatic" return to social media.

"It will probably be a picture of a shadow or a poem or inspirational quote by Maya Angelou. Then there will be a countdown to the big sit-down interview," he told AFP.

Shuter says Kardashian's reported $1 million a month earnings from social media is likely a "conservative" estimate, meaning that she will not be able to stay offline for long.

'Wake-up call' 

"I don't think anyone is going to sue her after such a horrible incident, but technically she is probably in violation of a contract as we speak," he told AFP.

"Because I think in those contracts that I've seen, she has to tweet or post x times a week. Even if she is not directly promoting the product, just having her face and her name out there... all that helps." 

E! quoted an unnamed insider as saying Kardashian was receiving "some professional counseling" while Khloe Kardashian told Ellen DeGeneres on Tuesday her sister was "not doing that well."

"I mean, it's incredibly traumatic what happened to her, but our family is super close and great and we'll get through it together, and we do appreciate all of your guys' love and support and it will take time," Khloe said. 

It was the first time a family member had broken their silence since the robbery, which Khloe said was a "wake-up call" that had given them a new perspective on security and online privacy. 

With the Kardashians beginning to open up, Kim and her family have demonstrated that they will brook no speculation that she overplayed the incident for her own gain.

The mother-of-two and wife of rap superstar Kanye West filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Mediatakeout.com for alleging in a series of articles that she faked having her jewelry robbed to cheat her insurers out of millions.

AFP reached out to Kardashian's representatives but there was no immediate response. – Rappler.com

ROME, Italy – Movie star Tom Hanks took a shot at US presidential candidate Donald Trump Thursday, branding him "a simplistic, self-involved gasbag of a candidate".

Hanks, in Rome to receive a lifetime achievement award at the eternal city's film festival, joked with the press ahead of the ceremony about similarities between Trump and Italy's ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

"Why the Trump?" he said, imitating one of the many Italian journalists who had asked him the same question, before quipping: "You're Italian. Why the Berlusconi?"

The star attended the world premiere of his new film Inferno last week in Florence.

"Every four years, the circus comes to town in the United States. Every four years, we decide who's going to be the leader," he added.

"It's always at some form of crossroads. Often there is a fever pitch of fear and anxiety. Sometimes it's warranted, and other times it's manufactured."

The two-time Academy Award winning actor said "without a doubt the world is going through something quite profound in which the future is shaky, in which the future is mysterious, in which great parts of the world are dealing with problems that seem as though they have no solution".

However, "when America has faced those circumstances and times, we have never turned to a simplistic, self-involved gasbag of a candidate," he said. – Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA – American rapper Coolio was charged Thursday, October 14, with a firearms violation after allegedly carrying a handgun in a backpack at Los Angeles International Airport.

The gun was discovered in a bag as a member of the 53-year-old's entourage went through a TSA screening checkpoint on September 17, Los Angeles Superior Court heard.

The man initially claimed to be the owner but an inspection revealed items in the bag belonging to Coolio, who had already boarded a plane.

The rapper, best known for the chart-topping song "Gangsta's Paradise," was removed from the aircraft and arrested after admitting the bag was his.

{source}<iframe width="100%" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6sL6WrWHkhw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>{/source}<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6sL6WrWHkhw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>{/source}

He faces a single felony count of possession of a firearm by a felon with two priors, according to the LA County District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors said he has a 2001 conviction for carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle and a 2009 conviction for possession of cocaine base.

Coolio – real name Artis Leon Ivey – had been scheduled to be arraigned today, but the hearing was postponed until October 26.

He faces up to three years in prison if convicted, prosecutors said. – Rappler.com

HONG KONG – Kicking off the Doctor Strange press tour in Hong Kong, star Tilda Swinton and director Scott Derrickson once more addressed criticism of Hollywood whitewashing of Tilda's casting as the Ancient One.

The original Ancient One was an old Tibetan man, but according to a statement sent to Mashable by Marvel Studios back in April, the Ancient One in the upcoming superhero movie is a Celtic embodiment of the role. "The Ancient One is a title that is not exclusively held by any one character, but rather a moniker passed down through time, and in this particular film the embodiment is Celtic," read the statement. 

In a round table interview with Asian media, Scott said that the cast and the team behind Dr Strange took diversity very seriously and that they took many factors into consideration when casting. 

He said they were aware that they were essentially taking a space for an Asian character, but also aware that retaining this character meant potentially playing into stereotypical portrayal of the role – something that is also often under scrutiny when it comes to Asian characters in Hollywood films. 

"Hollywood movies have an abysmal record when it comes to Asian representation, both in the international sense of the characters and Asian Americans," he said.

"I'm so sensitive to that issue... I just don't think there is a way to create this character without falling into racial stereotypes. Casting a woman got me halfway there, and not just a woman, but a woman Tilda's age – very proud of that. But I don't like the fact that we got rid of an Asian role. I wasn't comfortable with that, I'm still not comfortable with that. I did my best to compensate for that by bringing [Doctor Strange's friend] Wong into the movie in a huge way, because his character I could completely rewrite."

The need for better Asian representation and improved diversity in casting, he said, was top of mind – and Scott said he could not fault critics for the intense scrutiny. 

"But it doesn't mean that we didn't still erase an Asian character from the source material, we did, and people who are activists for this cause are going to be upset about that and I'm not gonna say that they shouldn't be," said Scott. 

"Because the only way this is gonna change, the only way it's gonna get better is if people who are activists, people who are outraged about it continue to be outraged about it. I don't think I could have made better choices. I made the best choices I could, and I've thought about it more than I probably should at this point, I still think I made the right choice, I think the movie will show that."

"But things have got to change when it comes to Hollywood's representation of Asians, and the only way that's gonna happen is by this kind of backlash existing at every possible turn. Otherwise, it just won't. Otherwise, it will stay the same. So I don't criticize my own critics for that."

In an earlier press conference for the film in Hong Kong, Scott, who also has writing credits, said that the role in the movie was written specifically for Tilda. 

He explained: "With Tilda, it was primarily a need to find somebody who could embody the intrigue of the Ancient One, who was very complex character, enigmatic, ethereal, androgynous, I mean all these things that we had done with the script, we wanted an actress who could come in and bring the complexity of that character. And I specifically wrote the role for Tilda. In fact... I told Kevin [Feige, Marvel Studios president] if she turned the role down we'd have to rewrite the script, because it was so tapered to her, I couldn't write the character well until I imagined Tilda doing it."

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At the roundtable interview, Tilda also pointed out that her casting did not initially make waves. 

"We were suprised because the truth is my casting did not provoke any backlash at all, right? And neither did the first trailer."

Scott added that they were dragged into the issue when Ghost in the Shell started to release images of Scarlett Johansson cast as a Japanese character: "When Ghost in the Shell starts to release images, then it became a big issue and it got dragged into the fire, I think, a bit. So yeah, we were all surprised."

Tilda's casting was announced in August 2015 and its first trailer was released in June 2016. The first photos of Scarlett in Ghost in the Shell was released in April 2016.

Tilda added: "And what we know, which still you don't know because you haven't seen the whole film, is that we feel so confident that the film is so clearly a film that's dedicated to a diverse universe in every aspect. And so it was surprising, but at the same time, we are so up for that outrage – I mean, it's uncomfortable that it might be remotely attached to our film – but we're so up for that – not even debate, but that outcry that there should be a greater representation of diversity in cinema. So it's kind of ironic for us, and ironic for Marvel, because Marvel is so dedicated."

Scott, meanwhile, pointed to the role of Benedict Wong as Wong, Dr Strange's friend and fellow warrior, saying that his role was critical to the film and was carefully approached.

Scott told Screenrant about Wong, who served Doctor Strange in the comic books: "He was loyal in the books, and certainly fulfilled a purpose... a stereotype going back to any number of white hero-Asian driver, servant. That is not his role in this movie at all. Everyone in this movie knows more in Strange. Everyone is more talented when it comes – for 90% of the movie, to the magical abilities and the mastery of the mystic arts than Strange is, and Wong is a fellow warrior who has been a master in his own right. As we meet him in this movie, he’s tasked with protecting some of the most valuable relics and book Kamar-Taj has."

In Doctor Strange, the titular doctor-turned-sorcerer finds his way to the Ancient One after a car crash ruins his career as an in-demand surgeon. The Ancient One guides him on his new path to become Sorcerer Supreme.

Doctor Strange opens in the Philippines October 26. – Rappler.com 

MANILA, Philippines – Halloween is coming up and Kevin Hart and Jimmy Fallon decided to celebrate a little early.

For Jimmy's late night show, the two took a scary stroll through Blood Manor, which calls itself "New York's scariest haunted house."

They screamed their way through the dark manor's blood-spattered rooms as creepy clowns grabbed at them and zombies jumped out at them from every corner. At one point, Kevin even admitted, "Jimmy, I farted!"

Though they were able to convince a chainsaw-weilding clown to "stop it," it didn't last long – the shrieks continued as they made their way to the haunted house's exit.

Of course, once they're both safely out of the mansion, Kevin said with bravado, "If at any point you guys watch this and it looks like I am afraid – I'm an actor."

What's the scariest Halloween attraction you've tried? Let us know in the comments! – Rappler.com

SYDNEY, Australia – American rocker Frank Iero revealed he and his bandmates cheated death after being hit by a bus ahead of a concert in Sydney.

The former My Chemical Romance guitarist told fans they were "banged up but miraculously alive" in a Twitter post. 

He suffered "serious leg injuries" along with another band member when a public bus hit the van they were unloading on Thursday afternoon, October 13, police said.

They were both taken to hospital, with a third man treated for cuts and bruises.

"Hi friends thanks all for the well wishes. We're pretty banged up but miraculously alive & in stable condition. I'm still in a state of shock," Iero, now frontman for Frank Iero and the Patience, tweeted late Thursday.

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hi friends thanks all for the well wishes. we&#39;re pretty banged up but miraculously alive&amp; in stable condition. I&#39;m still in a state of shock</p>&mdash; frnkiero (@FrankIero) <a href="https://twitter.com/FrankIero/status/786527222513283072">October 13, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Police said the bus was empty except for the driver. The band were due to perform Thursday, but cancelled the gig.

My Chemical Romance, founded in New Jersey, split up in 2013 after 12 years. They recorded four albums, including the platinum-selling Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge in 2004, followed by The Black Parade two years later. – Rappler.com

LONDON, United Kingdom – Leonardo DiCaprio has issued an impassioned call for immediate action on climate change in Before the Flood, a documentary film making its European premiere in London on Saturday, October 15.

The Hollywood megastar, who won this year's best actor Oscar for his role in The Revenant, takes viewers around the world to meet experts and politicians in order to reveal the scale of the problem, its effects and the paths towards solutions.

As the inter-governmental Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rises comes into force on November 4, the US actor calls on individuals to examine their own habits and use their vote wisely to tackle the issue.

"I didn't want the film to scare people, or present them with statistics and facts that they already know, but to focus on what can and must be done immediately so that we can leave our planet a livable home for future generations," the 41-year-old said.

"We are quickly running out of time," said DiCaprio, who also co-produced the film.

From the remote Canadian landscapes where he shot The Revenant, to the suburbs of Beijing, Greenland, Indonesia's Sumatra and the Pacific atolls of Kiribati, DiCaprio whizzes round the planet to see the extent of the damage.

DiCaprio shows viewers the effects of pollution in China and examines the sea levels which threaten tiny island communities and the longer-term effects of deforestation.

'Take action now'  

DiCaprio, who has been named a United Nations "messenger of peace" on climate change, attacks giant corporations and politicians – especially Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump – for their stance on climate change.

He targets those he says orchestrate campaigns of media disinformation and lobby hard to block reforms that would better look after the environment.

From former US president Bill Clinton and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to Pope Francis, DiCaprio interviews powerful leaders on the chances of avoiding climate disaster.

US President Barack Obama voices cautious optimism, calling action against climate change "a national security issue".

"It's why we have to take action now. There is no reason we don't solve the problem on time."

When it comes to solutions, DiCaprio's message is clear: "it's up to all of us".

He urges people to stop consuming palm oil-based products, replace some of our reliance on beef and chicken with vegetables and "vote to tell that we know the truth about climate change".

On the political front, he defends the need for a carbon tax, hails the development of solar and wind power, and enthuses about the megafactory of South African visionary Elon Musk, producing electric car batteries.

The documentary comes out in Britain and the United States on Friday before being screened on the National Geographic television channel on October 30. – Rappler.com

Warning: The review contains a few details about the plot.

There is a scene in The Third Party that exemplifies how, despite director Jason Paul Laxamana’s penchant for stories revolving around reprehensible characters and their reprehensible decisions, his films are never devoid of humanity.

 An awkward embrace

Andi (Angel Locsin) has just reunited with her repentant mother (Cherry Pie Picache) out of sheer desperation. Pregnant and homeless, she is defeated, but pride won't allow her to forgive her mother (who gave her up when she was young) that easily, so she starts a dramatic tirade. The scene predictably ends up with both characters in tears, realizing that they are bound not by virtues but by a tendency for selfishness, considering that they both toyed around with the idea of aborting their babies.

The scene ends with a lovely gesture. Andi, confused by the discovery, hesitates as to how she will express all the overwhelming emotions to her mother, the last person she wants to share such intimacy with. She hasn’t forgiven her, but she has admitted to at least understanding her mistakes. They end up tearfully embracing. The embrace however is beautifully awkward, one that is given as an act of surrender. Andi is no longer in a position to judge her mother the way she has judged her throughout the years.

Laxamana’s characters are never easy, and Andi, who has found herself  penniless, pregnant, and dependent on the good graces of a gay couple, is hardly the most likeable of characters. Her decisions, such as the one where she breaks up with her boyfriend because she cannot stand being in a long distance relationship, are mostly done in haste.

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Laxamana cleverly masks Andi’s obnoxiousness with endearing traits that render her tolerable at least until we get a glimpse of any real redeeming humanity. He grants her a tomboyish charm, one that Locsin expertly perpetuates with her hard-boiled vibe. He places her in situations that make her charismatic, reminiscing about the good times over sticks of various streetfood, and singing sad love songs at a local karaoke bar. It is only with that scene with her mother however that Andi admits to her gross imperfections, and perhaps too conveniently, earns that sliver of redemption that is just enough to fully appreciate her predicament.

Bizarre love triangle

 Andi is unfortunately only a third of a trio of characters that Laxamana’s film tries to explore. The other two are Andi’s ex-boyfriend Max (Sam Milby) and Max’s current boyfriend Christian (Zanjoe Marudo), the couple who adopts Andi for the purpose of adopting her baby when she finally gives birth. The situation, while morally confounding, is one that immediately lends itself to a lot of comedic opportunities.  (READ: 6 fun facts about Angel-Sam-Zanjoe movie 'The Third Party) 

The screenplay by Charlene Sawit-Esguerra and Patrick John Valencia makes the most of the uncommon scenario. They pepper the film with various scenes that mine the bizarre love triangle for hilarity, such as Andi lustily eyeing her ex, while Christian jealously looks on, or Andi catching her ex and Christian in a very intimate moment, forcing her to walk out before making light of the situation with jokes about sex positions.

There is no doubt that The Third Party has a lot of funny bits, and it is all fine. However, it is when the film transitions to drama that it loses its foothold on the emotions it tries its best to convey.

In the film’s earnest ambition to take lightly the issues that are otherwise more complicated than the film’s very broad portrayals, it eventually falters to connect in a more substantial way. Clearly, The Third Party is more comfortable in exhausting the situation of Andi, making her a more complete character than either Max or Christian, who at times feel like their problems and personalities are designed within the limits of what is acceptable within a market sensitive to socially acceptable norms and political correctness.

Simply put, their conflicts are cliché, and the solutions to their conflicts are grossly convenient, seemingly ill-suited in a storyline whose moral implications deserve characters that veer further from the mainstream mold.

Palatable safety

Laxamana is an expert in nuances. He understands psychology and social dynamics, and is not beholden to the standard definitions of good taste. This is the reason why most of his more independent works, from Astro Mayabang (2010) to Mercury is Mine (2016), are insightful about the darker side of humanity given the outrageousness of their themes and narratives.

Sadly, when Laxamana tries for his talents to suit more commercial projects, they end up either forced or lacking in substance, despite being consistently entertaining. It is as if the mix of the director’s thrusts and interests and a very capitalist objective can only result in a final product that leaves you wanting and wishful that he was given the freedom he needs to take the material to more adventurous places.– Rappler.com
 

Francis Joseph Cruz litigates for a living and writes about cinema for fun. The first Filipino movie he saw in the theaters was Carlo J. Caparas’ 'Tirad Pass.' Since then, he’s been on a mission to find better memories with Philippine cinema.

LOS ANGELES, USA – An intruder was shot and a security guard stabbed during a break-in at the Malibu mansion of supermodel Miranda Kerr, police and local media reported.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department described the Friday morning, October 14 incident in a statement, but did not mention the home owner's name.

However the address given in the statement belongs to the Australian-born Kerr, 33, local US media reported.

Supermodel Kerr married Hollywood star Orlando Bloom in 2010 and gave birth to the couple's child the following year. However three years later Bloom and Kerr announced that they were separating.

Kerr is now engaged to Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, while Bloom is dating pop star Katy Perry.

LA County sheriff deputies said that they responded to an emergency phone call and rushed to the Malibu residence where "they found an armed security guard was involved in a physical altercation with an intruder."

In the fight the intruder managed to stab the security guard, who in turn "shot the intruder." Both were rushed to the hospital and are expected to survive their injuries.

There were no residents in the mansion at the time, the statement read.

The celebrity news site TMZ.com said that the intruder had jumped the fence, and the security guard responded by shooting him "multiple times." – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Lovi Poe, Derek Ramsay, and Christopher de Leon had their fair share of love scenes in their upcoming movie The Escort, but none of them felt particularly uncomfortable about it. 

At a press conference for the movie on Thursday, October 13, the cast talked about the film and how they prepared for various scenes. 

Veteran actor Christopher said that he has no qualms anymore when it comes to doing daring scenes. 

"Actually, I have done a lot of love scenes before. [But] this one is entirely different. Medyo tame [nang] kaunti, yung mga love scenes and 'di masyadong madaming tensyon (These were quite tame and they didn't have that much tension)," said Christopher.

Derek, on the other hand, said it was the few shots of alcohol they took before shooting and the music they played in the background that made him feel at ease.

For Lovi, her two co-stars were a big help. "Sobrang maalaga si Derek, sobrang maalaga si Sir Boyet [Christopher] (Derek is very caring, Sir Boyet is vey caring). So I'm just very lucky," she said to reporters after the press conference.

In the movie, Lovi plays Yassi, a woman who takes on providing for her siblings after their parents are killed in an accident. She meets, Xyruz, played by Derek, who gets attracted to her and convince her to become an escort. She eventually agrees to it, and is presented to a rich estate mogul, Gary, played by Christopher. Their relationships become complicated. 

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When asked who was more difficult to work with when it came to kissing scenes, Lovi answered, "Magkaiba...(It's different). With Derek kasi [it's] with so much love. May scene kami doon ni Sir Boyet na sobrang simple lang na eksena pero ang galing nung vision nung director namin na someone who is so gentle, tapos magiging rough," she added. 

(Sir Boyet and I had a scene that was so simple but the vision of our direction was someone who is gentle, then becomes rough.) 

Derek said he did his best to make Lovi feel comfortable: "I talked to Lovi before the scene, that I was going to protect her – her chest always on my chest. 'Don’t worry about about all the other men watching, I will protect you.'" 

When asked if she can top how daring she was in this movie, which she called "the sexiest that [she's] done," Lovi said: "I think kaya pa. It's not about the love scene. Parang marami pang pwede gawin kasi, iba yung story na ito and I'm sure I'll be given a different kind of story. So pwede pa."

(I think I can still top it. It's not about the love scene. There's still so much that can be done because this story is different, and I'm sure I'll be given a different kind of story. So yes, I can still do it.)  

Lovi on being single and dating 

After confirming that she and actor Rocco Nacino have broken up, Lovi has been linked to a foreigner named Chris Johnson. Lovi, however, said that she and Chris are good friends and that he's not based in Manila. 

{source}<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BIfTYvgA29k/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">After all the French Rivieras, Paris&#39;s &amp; More... Tu vas me manquer PoeCoup , @iamchrisjohnson </a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Lourdes Virginia M. Poe (@poevirginia) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-07-30T14:33:15+00:00">Jul 30, 2016 at 7:33am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source}

"I'm single. I'm open to dating dating people," she said.

When asked whether the guy was courting her, Lovi said: “The thing is, he's not from here, he's far away.

“So, minsan, yung effort niya, bumibiyahe talaga siya. (So sometimes, he really makes the effort to travel.)

“I don't know... I don't believe in courtship kasi. Courtship is like putting your best foot forward," she said.

She added: “I believe in companionship, kasi (because) you get to know the person even more. But the thing is, okay naman ako sa ganitong setup. (I'm okay with this kind of set up.)

“Yes, we communicate, pero malayo siya sa akin (he's far away from me), which is good thing for me.

“Kasi (Because) I don't want to get into anything right now. Parang gusto ko talaga, sarili ko muna, trabaho muna (What I really want to do now is to focus on myself, on my work first),” she said. – Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA – Some of Hollywood's biggest stars honored British director Ridley Scott as he was handed the American Cinematheque Award on Friday, October 14 to mark an illustrious career spanning five decades.

The legendary director, who was behind Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, and numerous other milestones in cinematic history, is the 30th recipient of the lifetime achievement award. 

Many of the stars of Scott's movies turned out at the glitzy Beverly Hills gala, including Matt Damon, Ben Kingsley, Noomi Rapace and Sigourney Weaver.

"He's the greatest – he's an icon and he gives all these actors the best place to work in so you feel safe and protected but still like all possibilities are open," Rapace, 36, told Agence France-Presse.

The Swedish actress, who starred in Scott's 2012 sci-fi epic Prometheus and appears in its sequel Alien: Covenant next year, said her favorite Scott film was 1991 road movie Thelma and Louise.

Scott, who grew up in a military family in north-eastern England, is the older brother of Tony Scott, a hugely successful filmmaker in his own right who committed suicide in 2012.  

Ridley's body of work – 24 movies in total – may be small compared to some luminaries of filmmaking, but many are considered among the best films of their genre ever made.

Yet Scott has never won a best director Oscar, despite nominations for Black Hawk Down (2001), Gladiator (2000), and Thelma and Louise. 

Each of those films was nominated at the Directors Guild of America Awards, while Scott finally won a trophy for his directing when American Gangster (2007) earned him a Golden Globe. 

His most recent work, the critically acclaimed box office smash The Martian, starring Damon and Jessica Chastain, received two Golden Globes and seven Academy Award nominations.

"Ridley would say that he has always evolved, as we all do. But the essence of his work was already very clear, it was already very finely tuned," said Andy Garcia, 60, who starred in Scott's 1989 underworld crime thriller Black Rain. 

Retired Italian soccer hero and Los Angeles resident Alessandro Del Piero, who scored 27 times for his country, described Scott as a "legend."

"He made incredible movies through all of his career. That's why I'm very curious to have the opportunity to meet him and feel the energy around him," the 41-year-old said.

Sue Kroll, president of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures, was also honored at Friday's gala, receiving American Cinematheque's Sid Grauman Award for her contribution to the film industry.

Bradley Cooper, the star of Warner's The Hangover films, described Kroll as his "teacher" and "an artist, plain and simple."

"What people maybe don't realize is that the first element, the first part of the story we are trying to tell will come from her – the first image, the first moment, the first beat (are) curated by her and her team," he said. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Actress Krista Miller said that she's pregnant with her second child, after undergoing a physical exam at the crime lab at the Quezon City Police District.

In an interview on 24 Oras on Friday, October 14, Miller, real name Kristalyn Engle, said that she was almost 5 months pregnant. Miller was transfered to the Valenzuela City Jail after the physical exam.

When asked how she was, Miller said: "Okay naman. Okay naman, healthy naman din [yung baby]."

(I'm okay. I'm okay, the [baby] is also healthy.)

A day before she was transferred, Miller was interviewed also by 24 Oras, where she talked about her other child she left with family.

"Although nandiyan ang parents ko, they take care of him. Pero iba pa rin yung wala na nga siyang daddy, tapos wala pa yung mommy niya. Parang ang hirap," she said.

(Although my parents are there, they take care of him. But it's very different because he no longer has a daddy, ad then now he has no mommy. It's so hard.)

"So ayoko siya isipin nang isipin nang isipin kasi malayo siya sa akin eh. Ayoko siya iyak nang iyak nang iyak na walang magagawa yung parents ko kasi malayo ako."

(So I really don't want to think and think because he he's far away from me. I don't want him to cry and cry without my parents not being able to do anything because I'm far away.)

Miller said her child is only 6 months old, and she hopes to rise up from everything she is going through. Given a chance, she would also like to return to showbiz.

"Sana bigyan ako ng pintuan ni Lord para makalabas dito[...] ang hirap. Single mom na nga ako [...]

(I hope God will give me a door to leave here[...] it's so hard. I'm a single mom[...])

"Yung pagbabago na gagawin ko hindi lang about sa akin, mas lalo para sa anak ko," she said.

(The changes I want to make are not just for me, this is most especially for my child.)

Miller was arrested last September 30 in a anti-illegal drug operation in Barangay Tiburcio de Leon in Valenzuela City, along with her companion Aaron Medina.

Miller made headlines before as the woman who allegedly came between Sunshine Cruz and Cesar Montano. She was also identified as one of the visitors of convicted drug lord Ricardo Camata in a hospital in 2014. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Marlyn Michaca, wife of the late actor Dick Israel, died on Saturday, October 15, days after her husband.

The news was confirmed by actress Vivian Velez on her Facebook page.

"Marlyn Michaca (Dick Israel's wife) just passed away. Now, in each other's arms for eternity.

"The cremation of Dick 'Tats' Israel is moved to Oct 18 (Tues). The family has decided to extend the wake together with his wife Marlyn Michaca for 2 more days and will be cremated together," she said.

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Marlyn was said to have been in a comatose state after she had an aneurysm.

Her husband Dick played various antagonist roles in Philippine cinema. 

His work as an actor has been acclaimed locally, with Best Supporting Actor awards at the 1988 Metro Manila Film Festival for Patrolman and at the 1995 FAMAS (Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences) Awards for Kanto Boy 2: Anak ni Totoy Guapo.

Some of Dick's most recent works include films such as Badil and Boy Golden in 2013. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The wedding video of Cristalle Belo Henares and husband Justin Pitt has been released online by videographer Bob Nicolas.

The video showed highlights of the couple's wedding held at Lake Como, Italy. It also showed preparations at different gatherings, from the get-together of the bridesmaids, the ceremony, and the reception.

Scenes also include Justin and Cristalle on a motorboat, as their guests enjoyed coktails on a big boat called the Milano.

On Instagram, Cristalle said about the video: "Our wedding video is finally out! Thank you [Bob Nicolas] for capturing this amazing day in one epic film! Link to the full video on my bio #PITTurePerfect [Justin Pitt]."

{source} <blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:28.1018518519% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BLm0uvagNnR/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Our wedding video is finally out! Thank you @bobnicolas for capturing this amazing day in one epic film! Link to the full video on my bio  #PITTurePerfect @justinpitt77 #BobNicolas #WeddingVideo #WeddingFilm #Wedding #LakeComo #LagoDiComo #BeloBride #CandJholiday</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A video posted by Cristalle Pitt (@cristallebelo) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-10-16T02:13:29+00:00">Oct 15, 2016 at 7:13pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source}

Cristalle also posted a message about the video on her Facebook page.

"Since most of you were not able to be with us in Lake Como, I hope that you can feel our love, joy and happiness in this video beautifully captured by Bob Nicolas. Thank you for all the messages of blessings you all sent our way this past month. We really appreciate all the love we get from everyone! Special thanks to Javi Martínez for meticulously planning this wedding with us for one whole year. Everything Justin Pitt and I ever wished for beautifully came to life!"

 Before their Italy wedding last September 15 , Cristalle and Justin married in a civil ceremony held at the Manila Peninsula Hotel on September 8. (LOOK: Cristalle Belo Henares, Justin Pitt get married)

The couple got engaged last year in the Maldives. – Rappler.com

Almost an hour and a half through the slog that is Ron Howard's Inferno, we see Professor Langdon (Tom Hanks) on a plane to Turkey. Sitting beside him is a former flame, Elizabeth Sinskey (Sidse Babett Knudsen), who after severing her romantic bonds with the world-famous history geek has risen through the ranks to become a very important person in the World Health Organization (WHO). Langdon, unsurprisingly, blurts out some piece of trivia, probably in an effort to be cute to the girl that got away.

"You talk too much and then not at all," Sinskey lovingly tells Langdon.

Preposterous tour

The third of a series of movies based on Dan Brown's best-selling novels, Infernostarts with an injured Langdon inside a hospital room somewhere in Florence, where he wakes up with a serious case of amnesia and is in some sort of danger. All the good professor has are a handful of clues and the assistance of his attending doctor Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones), who happens to be quite adept at solving mysteries.

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The movie doesn't waste time dillydallying with useless characterization. It immediately launches its sometimes exhilarating but mostly preposterous tour of some of Italy and Turkey's most popular tourist attractions. Langdon is visited by an assassin pretending to be a police officer, who chases him and Sienna out of the safety of the hospital and into a labyrinthine story about plagues and messianic millionaires who are far too obsessed with Dante for their own good. (READ: In 'Inferno,' Robert Langdon returns: 7 fun facts about the movie) 

Contrivances and conspiracies

Inferno is everything that could be expected of the franchise that turned a rather lackluster university professor into an awkward action hero. It is fueled by contrivances and conspiracy theories that are carved out of random tidbits from some history textbook. Its concept of adventure is limited to museums and castles, uncovering slivers of intrigue from artifacts that have lost their relevance to comic books.

The garbage that Inferno attempts to peddle as fun could have been more tolerable if Howard only had the gall to acknowledge the utter ridiculousness of it all. Unfortunately, he treats Brown's books like scripture, giving them an air of importance that leaves the film burdened with a responsibility that it simply cannot carry. The film is overlong and unwieldy, with Hanks and almost all of his co-stars trying to make sense of all the nonsense.

Perhaps the only person in the cast who understands the absurdity of the film is Irrfan Khan who deliciously plays Harry Sims, the leader of the security agency that cooks up the ruse that is the ludicrous center of the movie. He adds levity to the overburdened picture, turning his character into the only piece in the movie that is worth rooting for.

Flat and lousy

Infernois just shallow entertainment.

It has all the elegance and culture in the world as part of its arsenal but only ends up being very flat and lousy. Like talkative Langdon on the plane to Turkey, the film talks too much and then not at all. – Rappler.com 

Francis Joseph Cruz litigates for a living and writes about cinema for fun. The first Filipino movie he saw in the theaters was Carlo J. Caparas' 'Tirad Pass.' Since then, he's been on a mission to find better memories with Philippine cinema.