Author: INQUIRER.net

HANOI — The death toll from major flooding in Vietnam has risen to 90, with 12 people still missing, the environment ministry said Sunday, after days of heavy rain and landslides.

Relentless rain has lashed south-central Vietnam since late October and popular holiday destinations have been hit by several rounds of flooding.

Whole sections of coastal Nha Trang city were inundated last week, while deadly landslides struck highland passes around the Da Lat tourist hub.

READ: Vietnam flood death toll rises to 35

In the hard-hit mountainous province of Dak Lak, 61-year-old farmer Mach Van Si said the floodwaters left him and his wife stranded on their sheet-metal rooftop for two nights.

“Our neighborhood was completely destroyed. Nothing was left. Everything was covered in mud,” he told AFP on Sunday.

By the time they climbed a ladder to their roof, Si said he was no longer scared.

“I just thought we were going to die because there was no way out,” he said.

More than 60 deaths recorded since November 16 were in Dak Lak, where tens of thousands of homes were inundated, the environment ministry said in a statement.

READ: Typhoon Kalmaegi hits Vietnam after killing 140 in Philippines

Four communes in Dak Lak were still flooded on Sunday, the ministry said.

More than 80,000 hectares of rice and other crops across Dak Lak and four other provinces were damaged in the last week, with over 3.2 million livestock or poultry dead or washed away by floodwaters.

Authorities have used helicopters to airdrop aid to communities cut off by flooding and landslides, with the government deploying tens of thousands of personnel to deliver clothing, water-purification tablets, instant noodles and other supplies to affected areas, state outlet Tuoi Tre News said.

Severe flooding in southern coastal Khanh Hoa province washed away two suspension bridges last week, leaving many households isolated, the outlet said, citing officials.

Several locations on national highways remained blocked on Sunday due to flooding or landslides, according to the environment ministry, and some railway sections were still suspended.

More than 129,000 customers remained without electricity, after more than a million were without power last week.

The environment ministry on Sunday estimated economic losses of $343 million across five provinces due to the floods.

Natural disasters have left 279 people dead or missing in Vietnam and caused more than $2 billion in damage between January and October, according to the national statistics office.

The Southeast Asian nation is prone to heavy rain between June and September, but scientists have identified a pattern of human-driven climate change making extreme weather more frequent and destructive. /dl

BAGUIO CITY — Cordillera teachers on Saturday demanded that future budgets allocated for education should resolve all the gaps in classrooms and faculty wages that still plague mountainside schools, as they prepare their own national protest against corruption on November 28 ahead of the next round of the Trillion Peso March on Bonifacio Day (November 30).

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) in the Cordillera outlined next week’s plans of action after launching the local movement Guro Laban sa Korapsyon (Teachers against Corruption) to express outrage over the multimillion-peso public works kickbacks paid to government officials and several lawmakers and to demand an increase in the national education budget which should be equivalent to 6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

This year’s budget of P737 billion represents only 4 percent of GDP, and has not been enough to compensate for the recent disasters and fluctuating inflation that affects household spending, said Joel Capulong, ACT-Cordillera president. Next year, the projected 2026 budget for education has increased to almost P929 billion.

In Baguio, virtually all the campuses are taking part in a series of rallies next week: among them the University of the Philippines (UP) Baguio, the University of the Cordilleras (UC), the University of  Baguio (UB), Easter College and the biggest, Saint Louis University (SLU), according to their representatives at the briefing.

Each campus would stage its own rally on Friday next week, with participating teachers and students told to wear white, before they all march out and converge with other protesting schools at downtown Baguio in the afternoon, said Louise Montenegro, ACT-Cordillera coordinator.

The teachers would also take part in the Baguio leg of the November 30 protests at Session Road, she said.

Ronald Taggaoa, president of the union of faculty and employees of SLU (Ufeslu), said their members are “angered and have jointly objected to any form of corruption in government,” stressing that the thought of billions of pesos lost to graft offends every taxpayer.

Ufeslu joins a growing clamor for the return of the corrupted funds so it would be used to improve public services, he said. SLU teachers also demanded the full use of the freedom of information mechanism to allow the public better access to government transactions, stronger protection for whistleblowers and accelerate the digitalization of government services to reduce opportunities for graft, said Taggaoa.

Capulong said the teachers’ mass actions across provinces will highlight the government’s 165,000 classroom shortage (which the 2026 budget resolves by allocating funds to build only 4,000 new classrooms), and a teacher shortage of about 150,000 (but only 32,000 new teachers are to be hired in 2026).

This translates to the required 2,030 new classrooms for the mountain region or a 540 classroom shortage in Benguet province, 114 shortage in Baguio City, 112 in Apayao province, 288 in Mountain Province, 220 in Ifugao province, 264 in Kalinga, 197 in its city, Tabuk, he said. Capulong did not provide the classroom gaps in Abra.

He said the numbers do not reflect the impact of recent storms, like Uwan, which left serious damages to 148 classrooms. Minor repairs would be required for 461 classrooms, according to the Department of Education in the Cordillera.

Salaries also need improvements, Capulong said. He said Department of Education employees still struglle with their take home pay due to expensive market and grocery items, even though the teacher salary grade 1 had risen from P28,512 in 2024 to about P30, 000.

Earlier on November 18, an estimated 5,000 college students walked out of their classes on Tuesday to stage anti corruption rallies, beginning at noon in the Benguet State University at Benguet capital town La Trinidad, and followed at mid-afternoon by students who exited their classes at UP Baguio, UC, UB and SLU.

At 5 p.m., they converged at Malcolm Square in downtown Baguio, where student leaders blamed the previous Duterte administration and the current government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for tolerating the graft which had been an “open secret” for many generations.

This was despite Marcos’ role in disclosing flood control project anomalies during his recent State of the Nation Address in April.

The students voiced their sentiments about education budget cuts, local threats to livelihoods like a public-private partnership proposal by a mall giant to build a modern Baguio public market and the impending phase out of traditional Baguio jeepneys.

The students also denounced the continuing “impunity” of corrupt officials who remain unpunished.

Many of them participated in previous mass actions like the first rally on September 21 and the October 7 march organized by Baguio Bishop Rafael Cruz, which culminated in a Mass he led at the Baguio Cathedral. SLU students dominated the thousands of marchers who blocked traffic for hours as they walked from the Baguio Convention Center to the Cathedral.

Some of them also took part in the October 18 rally held outside the La Trinidad Public Market to express outrage over anomalies that occur closer to home. About a hundred students and youth activists that day denounced P3 billion worth of allegedly fraudulent public works projects to control Benguet flooding, as well as slope stabilization projects involving rocknetting along the province’s mountain roads,  in a rare expression of activism for a normally conservative vegetable trading town.

The October 18 protest was the first gathering of local activists since 2022 and was a display of militancy to which La Trinidad’s Ibaloy, Kankanaey and multiethnic populace and a huge migrants population are unaccustomed, said Kenneth Arroco, La Trinidad chair of the Kabataan party-list group, which helped organize last month’s Benguet rally. /das

Catriona Gray hoped that the following editions of the Miss Universe pageant will have a “more transparent judging process,” as the victory of recent titleholder Fatima Bosch continues to be marred by controversy and rigging allegations.

On her Instagram Broadcast Channel on Saturday, November 22, Gray called on the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) to give a “fair competition” to the candidates in its upcoming editions, noting the importance of having a “third party official tabulator.”

She also reiterated that the “multiple statements from judges and meant to be judges” are disheartening for the delegates, noting the recent resignations of the global tilt’s selection committee.

“My prayer has always been (as someone who has experienced a competition with vague judging methods first hand lol), is that the girls be given a fair competition. So my question becomes for the MU org. I hope moving forward they can regain the trust of the fans by having a more transparent judging process with a third party official tabulator,” she said.

“The doubts of us fans are not unfounded with multiple statements from judges and meant to be judges. It’s disheartening considering all the effort, sacrifices, and dreams that were up there on that stage,” she continued.

Despite this, Gray admitted that the hate that current titleholder Fatima Bosch is receiving makes her “really sad,” adding that she’ll be on the lookout for how she’ll use the global tilt as a platform to “make a positive impact.”

“But also, I’m actually really sad to see all the hate for Ms Mexico. I really admired how she stood up for herself in the early stages of the competition and I’ll be watching to see how she utilizes the platform to make a positive impact with her title as Miss Universe,” she said.

“Ayun ang 2 cents ko. I hope the best years of MU aren’t behind us. Lets uplift our girls and tell them how they impacted us, made us proud – and when they pursue their respective [journeys let’s] support them,” she further added.

Catriona’s two-cents on this year’s candidates

According to Gray, Ahtisa Manalo and Côte d’Ivoire’s Olivia Yace performed the best in the pageant’s question-and-answer segment, noting that she “really values communication skills.” She added that seeing them on the Top 5 was “no surprise” due to their strong performances throughout the global tilt. 

She also praised the performances of Thailand’s Praveenar Singh, Venezuela’s Stephany Abasali,  and Colombia’s Vanessa Pulgarin, noting they were “fan favorites for a reason.”

“Personal take ko: best in initial Q&A was Cote. And best in final word was PH. But again, kung judge ako — I really value communication skills, so Q&A means alot to me personally,” she said.

However, she pointed out that while the initial questions in the first round were “good,” the final question was “basic” since it’s one of the questions used to prepare for the global tilt.

“When it came to the Q&A, the selection of initial questions were good! Although i had super high expectations for the final word cause — I mean sa totoo guys, super basic yung tanong na yan in preparing for MU. If you don’t have a super solid answer for that question, ewan ko nalang,” she said.

The former beauty queen, emphasizing on her experience as a pageant judge, said the “taste” of the panel will always “be different,” and it is something that couldn’t be explained.

“But just to share, I’ve sat on judging panels both locally and abroad and I have experienced (some, not all) being [surprised] by the results. Sometimes, the “taste” of judges really is different. Baka they value a certain look, beauty, type of walk – basta, baka may personal trip lang nila. We dont know eh,” she said.

“What i would like to see though, is transparency of criteria of judging, how is it being scored and to have an official tabulating firm in MU,” she continued.

Gray is the fourth Miss Universe winner from the Philippines, and her performance in the global tilt’s 2018 edition is often referred to as the “standard” for beauty queens. 

She is also nicknamed the “pambansang coping mechanism” by Filipinos, as many would rewatch her Miss Universe performance whenever a delegate would lose in their respective pageants. /edv

Miss Universe 2025 Fatima Bosch echoed the line of the global pageant organization that her victory was destined. She added that her coronation was a moment destined by God while also expressing her gratitude for her recent milestone. 

Bosch posted on her Instagram page on Saturday, Nov. 22, saying her win is proof of God orchestrating moments that won’t be stopped by “envy or destiny.”

“Today I reaffirmed that what God has destined for you, neither envy stops it, nor destiny aborts it, nor luck changes it. Long live Christ the King,” she wrote in Spanish.

Bosch’s remarks echoes the praise of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), which also stated that the Mexican beauty queen couldn’t be stopped by “envy or fate.”

“What God has destined for you, no envy can stop it, no fate can undo it, and no luck can change it,” the post read.

In a separate post, Bosch said she is ready to work as the reigning titleholder.

“First day at work,” the post read.

Bosch is the fourth Mexican woman to bring home the Miss Universe crown after Andrea Meza, Ximena Navarrete, and Lupita Jones. Prior to the coronation, she caught the attention of pageant fans and observers after getting into a spat with VP for Asiana Nawat Itsaragrisil during a sashing ceremony. 

READ: Miss Universe 2025 ‘Fake Winner’? Resigned pageant judge alleges rigging

Her win, however, was mired in controversy after she was accused of being a “fake winner” by French–Lebanese musician Omar Harfourch, who resigned from his judging post prior to the coronation as he “couldn’t handle” the alleged rigging orchestrated by MUO. According to Harfouch, Bosch was already the pre-determined winner before the coronation took place.

Half of the MUO is owned by Mexican business mogul Raul Rocha, while Meza was one of the members of the judging panel. /edv

Here we are, 35 years after the release of a film that dared to take the ultimate alien hunter out of the Central American jungle and drop him into the concrete jungle of Los Angeles, a city in the throes of a heatwave and gang warfare in the (then) near-future of 1997. The film is, of course, ‘Predator 2,’ which was released on November 21, 1990. That was a long time ago, and yet this film, whether you get to re-watch it or watch it for the first time, will show you some things that will either impress you, turn you off, or blow your mind, that they were able to get away with things that could have possibly damaged the reputation of the Predator as this bad*** alien hunter? But what happened was the complete opposite of that.

I can still remember how I got to watch ‘Predator 2’ for the first time, and that was in VHS form. And here I was, a pre-teen who knew zero about this sequel to Predator, and only knew that it had the Number 2 on its cover. I had no idea the violence, gore, foul language, and gratuitous nudity I would be exposed to! Haha. For me, upon looking back, if Predator was a master class on the hunt, ‘Predator 2’ was an eclectic trash bag mix of a lot of other stuff that you would not easily associate with a Predator movie. 

READ: ‘Predator: Badlands’: Bold, beautiful and bloody game changer for the franchise

I mean, seriously, it was like the trashiest but coolest Predator film ever. It felt like a Dark Horse comic book in that regard. It was messy, it was brutal, it was gritty, it was as if you were taken to the most seedy underbelly of Los Angeles, which made it the ideal backdrop for the Predator to resume his hunt far away from the jungles of Central America.

Unsurprisingly, at the time of its release, the critical reception was mixed if not negative, and it didn’t quite match the box office success, expectations, and standards of the original Predator starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. I think most people were pissed off that Arnold Schwarzenegger did not come back, but he had another bigger-budget movie he had to be working on at the time. But over the decades, the sequel has rightfully earned its place as a cult classic, a brass-and-blood spectacle that deserves a fresh look, an open mind, and a little bit more respect because it dared to go in a direction that most fans of the first Predator movie never thought of. And it did pay off in spades, much later, adding to its Predator-related value for longtime fans such as myself.

‘Predator 2’ did not come up short by any means when it came to hiring top-class people behind the scenes, as this was directed by Stephen Hopkins (‘A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child,’ ‘Lost in Space (1998),’ and the movie features a respectable cast led by the always-reliable veteran actor Danny Glover as “Lieutenant Mike Harrigan,” a tough, streetwise cop who discovers that the gruesome, ritualistic murders plaguing his city are the work of a supernatural, extraterrestrial hunter and not any of the resident gangs that have turned Los Angeles into a gang warfare – war zone.

Upon watching Danny Glover’s portrayal, I could not stop thinking and asking myself why he looks much younger here than he did in the Lethal Weapon movies he did at that point, thus far. It all had to do with him shaving the mustache, dying his hair, clothes, personality, and role he portrayed that made all the differences needed for him to better pull off this onscreen character as a toughened-up, streetwise cop than everyone else on the precinct. He is, after all, deemed to be the most targeted prey of “The City Hunter” Predator because he views him to be a worthy adversary, plus he wants to add his skull to his mantle of trophies.

Beyond the theme, the tone and overall vibe differ from the first. There was another huge shift in terms of setting, which is switching from a dense, green jungle to a hot, chaotic, and overcrowded urban landscape, making for a thrilling contrast and a fresh backdrop for the hunt. The “City Hunter,” as this new Predator is known, employs its military-like tactics in this harsh environment, using the city’s verticality and crowded spaces to its advantage. I am particularly happy with how this Predator not only greatly improved upon creature design thanks to Stan Winston but showcased his extensive arsenal of weapons, which included this disc-like weapon, a net that can be shot out, a retractable staff that he can throw and use in hand-to-hand battle, and a shoulder cannon that did not shoot lasers but was the same model as the one used in the first Predator movie.

While the film provided a glimpse into the Predator species’ culture and technology, most notably the trophy wall at the end of the film, which hinted at past hunts, including an Easter egg that tied the Predator and Alien franchises together years before ‘Alien vs. Predator’ was a reality. That precise moment in that famous scene is one of the film’s most memorable, most replayed, and most discussed among longtime fans. Why so? This is because it cemented in moviegoers’ minds that the Predator species has been around for thousands of years, if not more, and hunting the best kind of prey they can find on any planet or universe it inhabits.

Beyond Danny Glover, the movie stars the late, great Gary Busey as a shady government agent, “Ruben Blades,” Maria Conchita Alonso, and, in a truly fan-favorite role, Bill Paxton as the fast-talking, excitable “Detective Jerry Lambert.” Paxton, in particular, delivers a memorably likable performance that will stand the test of time, adding to this growing list of popular roles in his filmography.

Today, the Predator franchise is alive and well, with recent hits like the critically and commercially acclaimed ‘Prey (2022)’ reinvigorating interest in the Predator franchise. The newest film, ‘Predator: Badlands,’ was released in cinemas a few weeks ago, which I got to watch, and I wrote a comprehensive review of it. ‘Predator: Badlands’ is responsible for carrying the franchise into new, out-of-this-world territory, while, on the downside, managing to cast a long shadow back over what Hopkins and the legendary Stan Winston built in L.A. all those decades ago. You can really see how far the Predator franchise has reached compared to the more primal nature of ‘Predator 2.’

But suppose it were not for ‘Predator 2’ making bold strides, changing direction, and defying expectations like a giant middle finger to the face of everyone. Truth be told, I don’t think there would have been much of a Predator franchise to begin with, and things would have turned out much differently. Perhaps, for all you know, there would have never been any brand new Predator movies if not for this one? 

So, for me, it is fitting to celebrate the 35th anniversary of ‘Predator 2,’ as it is a perfect time to revisit this underrated gem, somewhat misunderstood piece of film, and “dark horse” of the entire Predator franchise. It’s a prime example of a sequel that, while not perfect, took bold swings, made people scratch their heads in disbelief at what they were watching in some scenes, and enriched the expanding world it inhabited, giving birth to a Predator franchise that would be revisited every couple of years to see if it would still work with moviegoers. And now, only as of late, it has not only clicked with moviegoers, but has taken off to brand new, unseen planetary heights with movies like ‘Predator: Badlands,’ which was awesome.

So, grab a seat, fire up your streaming service, or if you really want to be authentic, get transported back to a different time and relive that first movie experience, then get your VHS copy of this movie into the player. Haha. And give ‘Predator 2’ the respect it deserves. After all these decades, it’s still got a few days to kill, and you may be next. 

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — James Harden made 10 3-pointers and scored a franchise-record 55 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Charlotte Hornets 131-116 on Saturday hours after 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul released a video on social media hinting at retirement after the season ends.

Ivica Zubac added 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Clippers, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

READ: NBA: Chris Paul hints at retirement before game in his home state

JAMES HARDEN SETS THE CLIPPERS SINGLE-GAME SCORING RECORD IN WIN VS. HORNETS 🤯

55 points (35 in 1H)10 triples (ties career high)

He is the only player that currently holds the single-game scoring record for multiple franchises ‼️ pic.twitter.com/DwBd1DXn6n

— NBA (@NBA) November 22, 2025

Rookie Kon Knueppel had 26 points to lead the Hornets, who have lost five straight. Brandon Miller returned from a 13-game absence because of a shoulder injury and finished with 21 points.

Harden erupted for 27 points in the opening quarter on five 3s, helping the Clippers build a 14-point first-half lead and erase a fast start by the Hornets, who made seven of their first eight shots.

Charlotte pulled within 74-72 in the third quarter, but the momentum changed when LaMelo Ball exited the game with his fourth foul.

With Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner leaving the game early with an ankle injury, the Clippers leaned on Zubac’s size advantage over Moussa Diabate in the third quarter, resulting in back-to-back dunks. Then came Harden’s signature moment, as he drilled his eighth 3 on a step-back jumper over two defenders, drawing a foul on Diabate for a 4-point play.

READ: NBA: Vintage James Harden carries Clippers past Mavericks in 2OT

Harden’s 55-point outing was the 11th-highest scoring game of his career. His career high is 61 points. The Clippers’ previous single-game scoring record was 52 points, achieved by Charles Smith and Bob McAdoo.

Paul, who grew in Winston-Salem and played at Wake Forest, finished what is expected to be his final game in his home state with eight assists. The 40-year-old showed his mastery of finding the open man in the second half by finding LA teammate Brook Lopez for three open 3s.

Hornets lose two more
The Hornets, who have been besieged by early season injuries, lost two more players against the Clippers. Kalkbrenner (left ankle soreness) and veteran guard Pat Connaughton (right calf soreness) left the game in the first half and did not return.

Up next

Both teams are on the road Sunday night, with the Clippers visiting Cleveland and the Hornets at Atlanta.

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul hinted at his potential retirement prior to the team’s 131-116 win against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday, in what is expected to be his final game in his home state of North Carolina.

The Winston-Salem native released a video on social media about 90 minutes before tipoff showing highlights of him playing for several NBA teams throughout his 21-year professional career. The video also includes Paul from childhood through high school and his days playing at Wake Forest and getting drafted into the league.

READ: NBA: LeBron, Chris Paul headline league’s 20-year club

Back in NC!!! What a ride…Still so much left…GRATEFUL for this last one!! 🤞🏾 pic.twitter.com/1ZaJSqsWRD

— Chris Paul (@CP3) November 22, 2025

In the post on X, Paul wrote “Back in NC!!! What a ride…Still so much left…GRATEFUL for this last one!!”

After the game, Paul declined interview requests to speak about his future through the team’s public relations staff and quietly left the Spectrum Center walking alongside a staff member wearing a brown plaid flannel coat.

He later met up with some family members who’d come to see the game and exchanged hugs.

Paul had three points, eight assists and three rebounds on Saturday, helping him become the first NBA player in history with at least 20,000 points, 12,000 assists and 6,000 rebounds.

He is expected to address reporters when the team returns to Los Angeles sometime before Tuesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Clippers play at Cleveland on Sunday night.

READ: NBA: Chris Paul is back with the Clippers and it means so much to him

James Harden, who scored 55 points against the Hornets, said he didn’t see Paul’s video before the game but knows the end of his career was inevitable.

“Twenty-one years, at some point you know it’s going to end,” Harden said. “And I think he has already started his transition. Obviously he is still traveling and playing now, but his transition after the (season) is going to be pretty seamless. He is always on the phone, making calls and in meetings and things like that. I’m definitely taking notes from him for whenever that time comes from me.”

Harden said Paul’s impact on the NBA has been immense.

“President of the Players Association, on the court having some really good runs with some different teams, just being a really good point guard,” Harden said. “I think he’s No. 2 (all time) in assists and he has impacted the game and winning everywhere he went.”

The 40-year-old Paul signed a one-year deal to return to the Clippers prior to the season.

READ: NBA: Chris Paul gets No. 3 jersey in return to Clippers

“I don’t want to talk about no one retiring,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said before the game. “It’s a tough time especially when you put so much work in your life to play this game. When it’s over and coming to an end, for me it was dark days because it’s something you have done your whole life. Unbelievable career, and somebody as a point guard who has impacted the game in a positive way.,”

Lue added that he is “happy he is able to come back home to end his career.”

Paul was not available for comment before the game.

Paul came into the game averaging 2.5 points and 3.3 assists per game in a limited role for the Clippers.

A 12-time NBA All-Star, Paul was the New Orleans Hornets’ fifth overall pick in 2005 and has been selected to the NBA All-Defensive first team seven times. He has played for seven different NBA teams and this is his second stint with the Clippers. He is also a two-time gold medalist at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.