Author: Agnes Alpuerto

Aside from the Hanukkah and Christmas, a different but equally meaningful celebration happens in December – the Kwanzaa. Celebrated by the African-Americans, Kwanzaa is a celebration of family, community and culture marked from December 26 to January 1. “Kwanzaa is a special season and celebration of our sacred and expansive selves as African people. It is a unique pan-African time of remembrance, reflection, reaffirmation, and re-commitment. It is a special and unique time to remember and honor our ancestors; to reflect on what it means to be African and human in the most expansive and meaningful sense; and to reaffirm…

Have you given all your gifts to loved ones and friends? You surely have made them very happy. Now it’s time for some “me” time – well, virtually – as you choose the best present you can give to yourself! From December 26th through the 30th (or some extending beyond), big stores are giving us all a real blast with their superb after-Christmas sale! So, we’ve kept close tabs of the stores worth buying your post-holidays presents from. And yes, we’re talking about the likes of Amazon and Lululemon! Ready to do some after-Christmas shopping? Lululemon Until New Year’s Day,…

A huge bomb explosion rocked the city of Nashville, capital of the US state of Tennessee, early morning on Christmas Day. The explosion has caused destruction for several blocks, but suspects or motive behind the bomb is yet to be determined. The detonated bomb was found inside a parked RV on Nashville’s historic Second Avenue near Lower Broadway. Police have found what they believe are human remains but had not confirmed fatalities. Nashville Mayor John Cooper said Friday evening that that relief that not more people were injured has now turned to anger and determination to bring those responsible of…

In an attempt to save his reputation following numerous sexual allegations, Kevin Spacey has shared yet another Christmas video on YouTube – and he’s dedicating it to all those who have struggled and suffered in this quite unpleasant year. In the beginning of the video, Spacey appeared as his deceased House of Cards character, Frank Underwood, for a brief moment before snapping out of character to share a meaningful message. “That’s right, what would Christmas Eve be without a message from me?” Kevin Spacey, 61, said while sitting on a park bench. “A lot of people have reached out to…

Former prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, on Friday corrected statements ha had made in parliament related to a political funding scandal that has also cast some doubts over the current premier. Abe apologized for it to the public after prosecutors declined to indict him for illegal payments his office had made. From 2019, Abe had made repeated false denials that his political funding group had subsidized cherry blossom viewing parties for his supporters, in possible violation of the strict political funding laws in Japan. Abe admitted that he felt deeply responsible for making previous denials, and said he had…

In its stepped-up efforts to prevent the new coronavirus variant from spreading, Hong Kong has just announced that it is extending a compulsory quarantine to 21 days for all visitors arrive from outside China starting today. Hong Kong is also banning all people who have stayed in South Africa in the past 21 days. Hong Kong has already banned all flight arriving from the United Kingdom since Monday, after the UK found a new and more transmissible strain of the coronavirus. On Wednesday, two students who returned from the UK were said to have likely been infected with the new…

China on Thursday launched an anti-trust investigation into tech giant Alibaba Group, in the latest blow for Jack Ma’s e-commerce and fintech companies. Beijing’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said they are scheduled to summon Ant Group’s affiliate in the coming days. According to Reuters, the probe is part of an accelerating crackdown on monopolistic behavior in China’s booming internet space. The investigation is also the latest setback for 56-year-old Ma who founded Alibaba and became China’s most famous entrepreneur. Last month, China also suspended Ant’s planned $37 billion initial public offering, which had been on track to be…

What is the most perfect Christmas movie and why is it Love Actually? If you’re celebrating Christmas away from home, the feeling of waking up with a little sadness in your heart must be familiar. It’s the most wonderful time of the year and despite everything, there’s a lot to be thankful for — both the huge deals and little things. Personally, on this day, I’m thankful for the little thing called “Love Actually”. To Me, Love Actually is Perfect. One of the main reasons film is such a hit Christmas movie is because of the brilliant rollercoaster of emotions it…

It’s going to be a different Christmas this year, that’s for sure. With the coronavirus pandemic worsening and restriction after restriction are implemented non-stop, we can’t help but ask: is it still a season to be jolly? All countries around the world continue to implement strict travel bans. And though some have reopened their borders for international travelers, weeks-long quarantines and tests are still mandated. Most parts of the world are still not allowing any entry to their ports; and schedules of reopening keep changing. Not to mention that large gatherings and parties – which are supposedly dominating the world…

You have probably checked your Spotify 2020 Wrapped weeks ago, where your preference in music was nicely validated. Because Spotify wants everyone to end the year with smiles, its yearly “Wrapped” releases a no-judgment overview of all that you’ve listened to. It, in fact, celebrates your year in music and podcasts. But if you’re game for some hilarious and somehow mean way to assess your taste in music – the How Bad Is Your Spotify bot is for you! The AI, created by digital culture publication The Pudding, evaluates your Spotify data, rounds up your most played songs and roasts…