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A 90-day suspension was imposed upon the licenses of two drivers for engaging in road rage along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) in Ortigas, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) said on Thursday.

In a video circulating on social media, a Toyota Innova and a Toyota Wigo were seen moving closely next to each other in the middle of the traffic, seemingly mirroring each other’s movements before the Wigo suddenly cut into the Innova’s lane. The video also showed the Wigo moving together with the Innova when it tried switching lanes, and the Wigo stopped in the middle of Edsa, causing the Innova to also halt.

After this, the passenger on the Wigo was also seen raising the middle finger towards the Innova.

The driver of the Innova, Marvin Cacnio, and the driver of the Wigo, Sheena Balagbagan, were both issued show-cause orders to appear before the LTO Intelligence and Investigation Office to explain why they must not be held liable for reckless driving and obstruction.

Additionally, the two must also comment on why their driver’s licenses must not be revoked for being improper persons to operate a motor vehicle, the orders read.

Byeon Woo-seok, the breakout star of ‘Lovely Runner,’ has become a rising star in an era when the K-drama scene is increasingly dominated by a saturated A-list. Once a B-list actor navigating the margins, Byeon now represents the lightning-in-a-bottle phenomenon, a talent whose momentum can carry a series from domestic acclaim to global recognition almost overnight.

Into this narrative steps Lee Chae-min, the lead of ‘Bon Appetit, Your Majesty’ – tvN’s biggest hit of 2025 – whose explosive popularity after his performance as a handsome yet exacting tyrant king has fueled comparisons calling him the next Byeon.

The drama itself spins a layered premise: Ji-young (Lim Yoon-a), a top chef transported back in time, must navigate the refined palate of Lee Heon (Lee Chae-min), a Joseon-era king with a taste for perfection. The series struck gold, peaking at a 20 percent viewership rating to become tvN’s most-watched show in 2025 and claiming the title of the first non-Netflix-original Korean drama to hit No. 1 globally on Netflix, according to FlixPatrol.

The role came to Lee under unusual circumstances. Park Sung-hoon (‘The Glory,’ ‘Squid Game’) was originally slated to play the lead, but controversy erupted last year when a pornographic ‘Squid Game’ parody surfaced on his social media, forcing him to bow out. Ten days before filming, Lee was brought on board, and facing the role with virtually no preparation time, Lee admitted feeling the full weight of expectations. ‘It’s true I had almost no time to prepare, but since it was a project with such an excellent director and senior actors I respect, I worried a lot about causing trouble as a rookie. Honestly, I even wondered, ‘Why did such an opportunity suddenly come to me?” the 25-year-old actor said in an interview in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on Sept. 30. ‘But since they saw me in such a positive light, I felt I had to give everything in return – to throw myself into it for the sake of the project without being a burden.’

Stepping into the shoes of seasoned actors and sharing scenes with global K-pop star Lim Yoon-a, who is ten years his senior, the actor who made his debut in 2021 said he initially wrestled with anxiety.

‘At first, I was really anxious and lacked confidence. At that time, Lim gave me courage. She told me, ‘You’re already doing well, just like Lee Heon,’ and that gave me great strength. Honestly, working with her was really good,’ he said.

Article continues after this advertisement He added, ‘When acting alongside her, I never thought about our age difference. At least while acting, I was fully focused on the character. To me, Lim was someone I deeply respected who taught me a lot.’

The label of ‘next Byeon’ is both a compliment and a burden – and Lee knows it.

‘It’s an honor, but I also feel a lot of pressure that comes with it. It made me think I need to show even better acting in my next project,’ he said.

Looking forward, Lee envisions a career that spans the gamut: layered noirs, portrayals of high-powered chaebol figures and emotionally charged romances. Yet, amid the relentless pace of stardom, he said he wants to preserve his identity. ‘I don’t want to lose myself. In life, you face many situations and go through changes, but I want to keep the person I am inside from changing. Hearing that many different things might happen in the future makes me think that this is exactly the time when I need to hold on to myself even more,’ he said.

Ex-Spice Girl turned designer Victoria Beckham describes herself as someone who ‘desperately wanted to be liked’ in a new three-part documentary about her life.

In the Netflix series due to launch on Thursday, the 51-year-old once known as ‘Posh Spice’ recounts her battle to reinvent herself as a fashion designer after the British girl band split.

‘People thought I was that miserable cow that never smiled,’ she said, referring to her straight-faced public persona.

Performing had been her ‘dream’, she said, but when the band came to an end she found fashion to be a ‘creative outlet’. Beckham, who frequently becomes emotional in the series by director Nadia Hallgren, said she struggled to establish herself as she came up against a world that said, ‘she’s a pop star, she’s married to a footballer, who does she think she is?’

Former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour admitted to initially having her own doubts.

‘Most of the celebrities who get involved in our world are not true designers,’ Wintour said.

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‘I was skeptical. I think we can all be a little bit snobby in the fashion business, and think maybe this is a side gig, but Victoria was one that totally proved us wrong,’ she said.

Designer Tom Ford said his first reaction on hearing that Beckham planned to start her own fashion label was astonishment.

‘I wanted to call her and say, ‘Why? Why would you do this? Do you understand this business is so tough?” he said.

‘I think a lot of people thought, ‘Oh, OK, Victoria Beckham is starting a collection. Someone else will probably design it. She’ll stick her name on it,’ he added.

‘Uncool kid’

The series, titled ‘Victoria Beckham’, traces the celebrity’s early life and pop career, and follows her as she prepares for a high-stakes catwalk show at Paris Fashion Week.

Reflecting on her school days, Beckham said she did not fit in but always yearned to be valued.

‘That uncool kid at school who was awkward, that was me. But I desperately wanted to be liked, have a sense of worth,’ she said.

The official movie trailer for ‘Predator: Badlands’ is here and, to be brutally honest, something feels. off. Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of the franchise, and ever since the movie ‘Prey’ was released, I’ve had high hopes for its future because the official teaser trailer looked much better than this. I, in fact, prefer that one flat out over this. Sometimes it could have been a case of the full-length trailer showing a bit too much and perhaps things that should have stayed in the movie itself.

In theory, after so many disappointing sequels and reboots, it was inevitable that the franchise would finally return to its former glory and that it would not be a case of trying to capture lightning in a bottle again. Why so? The filmmaking process has evolved tremendously since those years, and whatever woes the Predator franchise has been experiencing could be corrected with the right person to helm this project moving forward, because that would be a pivotal turning point in getting the Predator IP back on track in the eyes of moviegoers who are familiar with it since the beginning. But based on this final trailer, I have my doubts, and here is why.

For starters, let’s address the big, ugly ‘elephant’ in the room: the CGI. What in the world is happening with the main Predator’s face? I know that this is a younger, rebellious, and outcast Predator, and perhaps that is part of the story and, more importantly, his storyline itself. Perhaps he is not as skilled, strong, or as physically intimidating as the others. But I could have sworn that I saw a CGI face on him that looked so awkward and out of place, I had to double-check if I was watching a fan film or not. I know that CGI is a very important part of filmmaking nowadays, but it can be so distracting when it is not executed properly. This is an example of that.

I’ve always admired the classic Predator designs, with their animatronic, jungle warfare appearance, and practical effects that made them look so menacing, intimidating, and authentic. There were so many praiseworthy aspects to the design itself that it became an immediate favorite for many people upon seeing it for the first time, but here, the new Predator’s facial design does indeed look like an alien version of Jojo Siwa, with his braids not hanging down as I have previously alluded to! The close-up shots of the Predator’s face further point out the awkward facial similarities with Jojo Siwa. Haha. If you guys don’t know who she is, look it up, and you will know why I keep comparing her to the new Predator’s face. Hehe. The other point worth bringing up is the suggested overall tone of the movie. Director Dan Trachtenberg himself has called it a ‘buddy-comedy,’ with the unlikely pairing of a young Predator named ‘Dek’ (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) and an android named ‘Thia’ (Elle Fanning). To me, the casting of Elle Fanning in ‘Predator: Badlands’ was one of the praiseworthy decisions they made because Elle Fanning has always been a credible, reliable, and fantastic actress for years. To anyone familiar with Elle Fanning’s filmography, you would know why I have said that. Now, as a fan, going back to the ‘buddy-comedy’ approach is a head-scratcher. I get the need to try something new, but, c’mon, a ‘buddy-comedy’ treatment of a Predator? Seriously, ***! That’s three big asterisks right there, meaning you know what! Haha. Were they drinking or up too late when they decided to make that perplexing creative decision? Haha.

I am not so sure about this, but who knows, right? It might work out for the movie. I hope it does because I want their winning streak to continue like they started with ‘Prey.’ Hey, it’s hard to find that formula of success in movies; that is why this has to work out for them.

Here is a more positive note: the official movie trailer shows some intense action and battles with other alien creatures, but the comedic elements, especially Thia’s unflappable attitude, might dilute and water down the horror, suspense, and tension that the long-running sci-fi franchise has been famously known for. Remember when the Predator was a terrifying creature who mainly hunted humans for sport? Now, he seems to be teaming up with a Weyland-Yutani synthetic android that has been cut in half at some point in the movie to fight other aliens.

Furthermore, there is the issue of the movie’s rating. Producer Ben Rosenblatt has stated that they are aiming for a PG-13 rating, which is a major departure from the R-rated gore, intensity, and violence that the franchise is known for. Don’t get me wrong, the official trailer showed some cool, entertaining, and awesomely shot snippets of fight sequences, but with the decision to try to target a broader audience by toning down the more gritty, brutal, and intense battle scenes, they are sacrificing a big part of what the earlier Predator movies feel complete to begin with. However, they reason that since there are no human characters, they can get away with a lot more in the CGI-based action scenes. That is true. But a Predator movie without the bloody, over-the-top violence? I don’t know about that.

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Despite all my concerns, which some might say are premature, however, I still find myself cautiously optimistic. The official movie trailer for ‘Predator: Badlands’ promises a new and expanded sci-fi universe, with different creatures and an exploration of the Predator’s native culture. Given that this takes place in the future, the filmmakers have more leeway to play around with the established lore and make some tweaks and changes in the process. And I have to admit, seeing the new Predator tearing through the badlands on a speeder bike is pretty cool. It gave me ‘Return of the Jedi’

Imperial 74-Z Speeder Bike vibes. The only way to know for sure if ‘Predator: Badlands’ lives up to the hype is to watch it when it is released in cinemas here from our side of the world. Will it be a worthy addition to the franchise or another disappointing entry? We will have to wait and see. /edv

Andres Muhlach will lead a mix of rising stars who will breathe new life to the characters of Adie and Topee in the musical adaptation of ‘Bagets.’

The original ‘Bagets’ was a coming-of-age movie that sealed Andres’ celebrity dad, Aga’s status as a matinee idol. With Aga at the hem as ‘Adie,’ the 1984 movie was a star-studded cast with JC Bonnin as Topee, William Martinez, Raymond Lauchengco, Herbert Bautista, Eula Valdez and Yayo Aguila.

Casting Andres in the musical is a passing of the torch of sorts, and that it had played a huge part of his childhood.

‘To be part of it, let alone play my dad’s role, feels surreal. When we first found out that I got his breakthrough portrayal, [my dad] was super happy for me. He was also excited to see how I’m going to approach the character,’ Andres said.

The pressure to live up to his father’s legacy as a ‘Bagets’ icon is real, but Andres said he will make sure to give the role his own best interpretation. ‘I want this to be my own path. At the end of the day, the hard work is on us, the new ‘Bagets’ cast. What we put out isn’t because of what the original actors did, but because we want to create something worthy for today’s fans.’

‘Playing Adie now is a completely new experience. He’s still the charismatic, charming boy-next-door type, but his story feels more mature because of his love interest,’ he continued. ‘Atasha (his twin sister) and I studied abroad, but I enjoyed my time here more because I was with my best friends. Nothing beats being close to the people who made student life bearable. That’s really at the heart of ‘Bagets The Musical.”

Relatable character

Meanwhile, Mico (who will alternate with Andres) said he realized that he is ‘a lot more alike’ with Adie than he originally thought.

‘I think many can relate when I say we’ve all had that time in our lives when we were young, naive, and just letting our emotions get the best of us,’ he said, ‘I’ve had those encounters before – stealing glances at your crush and all. But it’s all in the past now. I think I’ve matured since then.’

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On the other hand, Jeff and Sam said they are aware of the emotional weight of Topee throughout the musical’s storyline, with Jeff sharing that he shares the character’s Hiligaynon roots.

‘Let’s go home to Bacolod. That’s what he often tells his mother. Ako ramdam ko ‘yung bigat nu’n kasi tuwing holidays na lang din ako nakakauwi sa’min. (I can really feel the weight of that because I only get to go home during the holidays),’ Jeff said. ‘Topee is kind, mature, and treats his friends like family. Pero deep inside, may tinatagong vulnerability.’

Agreeing with his co-actor, Sam said the musical is a story about everyone, except that it takes place in a different timeline.

‘I see a lot of similarities between me and Topee. Most teenagers, or even adults, have felt emotions that are hard to explain. These feelings are at the heart of ‘Bagets The Musical.’ The story is about us. Just a different timeline, different variables, but the same plot,’ he said.

Last September, it was announced that Milo Cruz and Migo Valid will star as Tonton; Noel Comia Jr. and Tomas Rodriguez were cast as Gilbert; and KD Estrada and Ethan David will portray Arnel.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) launched a revised handbook for barangay watchmen (tanods).

In a statement on Thursday, the DILG explained: ‘Instructions for barangay tanods as first responders were improved to become effective agents in providing aid and support in procedures undertaken at a crime scene.’

‘It also includes their roles in upholding the laws concerning gender and development, child protection, cultural sensitivity, and human rights protection,’ the department added.

The DILG said the revised handbook was a collaboration with its National Barangay Operations Office and the Justice Sector Coordinating Council.

The handbook can be accessed through bit.ly/2025TanodGuidebook. The department cited the Local Government Code, which tasks barangay councils with deploying tanods as part of their peace and order mechanisms.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) previously said it was considering tapping barangay tanods as part of its enhanced law enforcement visibility measures.

A historic day unfolded at the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) as top government officials came together to address the sharp decline in farmgate prices of palay (unpolished rice) and push for stronger national support for Filipino rice farmers.

Convened at the Department of Agrarian Reform office in Quezon City, under the direction of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the special caucus brought together leaders from both the executive and legislative branches, including Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., House Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III, and Senator Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan, along with key provincial and local executives from major rice-producing areas.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III underscored the urgency of the discussion, saying, ‘There is urgency. These are the peak harvest months from October to December, and we must act now to protect our farmers’ livelihoods.’

He added that the meeting was not just a routine consultation but a call to action for the entire government to stand behind the country’s farmers.

‘Our palay farmers are the backbone of our food security. Under the President’s direction, we are appealing to all government agencies, including GOCCs, to procure rice directly from local producers. Every sack of rice we buy from our own farmers strengthens stability, dignity, and nation-building.’

This unified initiative, guided by the Bagong Pilipinas vision of Marcos, aims to stabilize palay prices, create stronger market demand, and provide immediate relief to farming communities.

The group will submit a formal recommendation to the President for a policy directive requiring all government offices and GOCCs to prioritize the procurement of locally produced rice.

This moment marks a renewed sense of unity, compassion, and decisive leadership-a clear reflection of how government can work together for the hands that feed the nation

The Senate on Thursday asserted that the contempt order against controversial contractor Pacifico ‘Curlee’ Discaya was issued within the chamber’s constitutional authority.

The office of Senate President Vicente Sotto III made the remark following Discaya’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus, in which he cited alleged irregularities in his detention under contempt.

‘The Senate remains firm in its decision, asserting that the contempt order against Discaya was issued within its constitutional authority,’ the statement reads. In a hearing held before the Regional Trial Court of Pasay City, Branch 298, presided over by Hon. Melvin Cydrick Bughao, the court ordered that Discaya remain under the safekeeping of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms. Lawyers representing Discaya argued on the legality of his continued detention, while the respondents were represented by the Senate Legal Counsel.

Meanwhile, Sotto’s office said the case is scheduled to resume on Monday., after which it will be turned over to the Office of the Solicitor General for the succeeding hearings.

Discaya was cited for contempt during the Senate panel on blue ribbon’s September 18 hearing into anomalous flood control projects after the controversial contractor allegedly lied.

The decision by the committee stemmed from Sotto’s query as to why Discaya’s wife, Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya, failed to attend the hearing.

Calvin Abueva’s career night that gave Titan Ultra a winning start to its PBA campaign was quite remarkable, given his age.

Turns out, Abueva’s 41-point performance in Wednesday’s 100-96 win over Meralco at Ynares Center in Antipolo City made him the second-oldest player to score at least 40 in a PBA game. PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon said the 37-year-old Abueva was two months and 11 days shy of the record held by the great Ramon Fernandez.

Fernandez was 37 years, 10 months and 19 days old when he also scored 41 for San Miguel Beer in a 101-99 loss to Alaska in Game 1 of the best-of-three series for third place in the 1991 All-Filipino Conference.

Abueva was 37 years, eight months and four days old during his unlikely scoring output that broke his previous high of 31 when he was with Alaska in 2017.

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Mangonon also mentioned that Abueva is the eighth active player to record 40 in a game during their current careers, joining June Mar Fajardo, Don Trollano, Robert Bolick, RR Pogoy, Calvin Oftana, Chris Newsome and Stanley Pringle.

Abueva made 14 of 27 shots, including four triples, during the contest that saw Titan Ultra buck an 11-0 deficit at the start.

His 16 in the third actually blew the game wide open in the Giant Risers’ favor, before preventing the Bolts from completing a comeback from 19 down in the final minutes.

Zelda Williams, daughter of the late actor-comedian Robin Williams, urged the public to stop sending her artificial intelligence (AI)-generated videos of her father, saying she doesn’t want to see them.

The American actress and filmmaker made the appeal in a now-expired Instagram Story, where she reiterated that the AI-generated videos are a ‘waste of time and energy.’

‘Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad. Stop believing I wanna see it or that I’ll understand, I don’t and I won’t. If you’re just trying to troll me, I’ve seen way worse, I’ll restrict and move on,’ she said.

‘But please, if you’ve got any decency, just stop doing this to him and to me, to everyone even, full stop. It’s dumb, it’s a waste of time and energy, and believe me, it’s NOT what he’d want,’ she continued.

Zelda also stressed that AI-generated content of real people ‘condenses down [their] legacies’ for TikTok and other social media platforms, likening it to ‘over-processed hotdogs.’

‘To watch the legacies of real people be condensed down to ‘this vaguely looks and sounds like them so that’s enough,’ just so other people can churn out horrible TikTok slop puppeteering them is maddening,’ she said.

‘You’re not making art, you’re making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings, out of the history of art and music, and then shoving them down someone else’s throat hoping they’ll give you a little thumbs up and like it. Gross,’ she further said.

Doubling down on her frustration toward AI, Zelda said to stop calling it the ‘future.’ ‘AI is just badly recycling and regurgitating the past to be reconsumed,’ she said. ‘You are taking in the Human Centipede of content, and from the very end of the line, all while the folks at the front laugh and laugh, consume and consume.’

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Zelda, who is the daughter of Robin and film producer Marsha Garces Williams, and is popular for voicing Kuvira in the hit animated series ‘The Legend of Korra.’ She also directed Liza Soberano as one of the stars of the Hollywood movie, ‘Lisa Frankestein,’ topbilled by Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse.

Her father, Robin, is one of the greatest actor-comedians of all time, died in August 2014 after a battle with depression amid his struggle with Lewy body dementia. He was 63 years old.