Author: Verified News Online

AdvertisementThe PhilippinesAsiaSoutheast AsiaPhilippines’ Marcos on sister’s drug claims: ‘we’re worried about her’The president suggested that something was troubling Imee Marcos, saying ‘the lady that you see talking on TV is not my sister’
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAssociated PressPublished: 9:30am, 25 Nov 2025Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr refused to respond on Monday to an allegation by his estranged sister, a senator, that he has been a long-time drug addict whose cocaine dependence has undermined his governance, saying with a sombre tone that he did not want to discuss a family rift in public.AdvertisementCommunications Undersecretary Claire Castro has said that Senator Imee Marcos’ accusations against her own brother before a huge religious rally in Manila last week were “a web of lies”, and may have been a desperate attempt to distract from ongoing investigations into a corruption scandal that may implicate her opposition allies in the Senate.Aide..

AdvertisementWomen and genderOpinionWorld OpinionChristile DrulheOpinion | Together, we can move closer to eliminating violence against womenNo jurisdiction is spared from gender-based violence. Thus international cooperation is essential to build momentum and find solutions
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPChristile DrulhePublished: 9:30am, 25 Nov 2025On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, how can we unite and act together to defend gender equality and the rights of women and girls? This was the guiding question of the fourth ministerial conference on Feminist Foreign Policy, which France hosted late last month, convening governments from across the globe, representatives of international organisations, public development banks, as well as civil society, research bodies and philanthropic foundations.
AdvertisementOn this occasion, a coalition of 31 states pledged to support gender equality and build a firewall against the threats targeting w..

US secretary of state Marco Rubio (C) attends a discussion with a delegation from Kyiv to end the Russia-Ukraine war in Geneva on Sunday

BRUSSELS: Europeans have submitted a modified version of the US' peace plan for Ukraine that pushes back on proposed limits to Kyiv's armed forces and territorial concessions, according to a document seen by Reuters on Sunday.The document, prepared for talks on the plan in Geneva, proposes that Ukraine's military be capped at 800,000 “in peacetime” rather than a blanket cap of 600,000 proposed by the US plan. It also says “negotiations on territorial swaps will start from the Line of Contact”, rather than pre-determining that certain areas should be recognised as “de facto Russian”, as the US plan suggests.The counter-proposal was drafted by the so-called European E3 powers – the UK, France and Germany, a source said. The document takes the US proposal as its basis, but goes through point by point with suggested deletions or changes. ..

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro at an event in Caracas on Saturday. US President Trump has said that Maduro’s days were numbered as head of state PARIS: The US military operation against Venezuelan alleged drug traffickers coupled with threats by Donald Trump for a ground assault against President Nicolas Maduro have troubled European powers who retain strategically located territories in the Caribbean, observers say.The concern of France, the Netherlands and the UK is such that they have started limiting intelligence sharing with Washington about the Caribbean over worries it could be used for strikes that would be considered illegal in their countries, according to officials and sources who spoke to AFP.The UK retains small overseas territories in the Caribbean from the colonial era, while the large islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe as well as French Guiana on the South American mainland are now officially part of France.The Netherlands is the most geographically implicated, ..

AdvertisementViral storiesPeople & CultureJapan woman marries AI partner, wears augmented reality glasses during ring exchange‘Crazy’ 32-year-old shuns human relationships after real fiancé split, takes part in virtual ceremony after developing feelings for chatbot
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPYating Yangin BeijingPublished: 9:00am, 24 Nov 2025A Japanese woman turned to ChatGPT for comfort after ending a real three-year engagement, then found herself in love and marrying her artificial intelligence (AI) generated partner.
AdvertisementThe virtual relationship was sealed when she wore augmented reality (AR) glasses to exchange rings with her digital husband at their “nuptials”.
The woman, 32, who uses the pseudonym Kano, began chatting with ChatGPT after ending her three-year engagement to a real man, gradually turning to her AI “man” for comfort and advice.
Kano, above, dons augmented reality glasses for the digital wedding ceremony. Photo: X.comTheir conversations becam..