Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo administered the oath of office to the newly elected national officers, deputies, presidential assistants, and presidential advisers of the Philippine Judges Association (PJA) on January 15, 2026, at the Supreme Court (SC) Session Hall in Manila.
The Philippine Consulate General in Houston is reminding clients who choose to receive consular documents by mail to take extra precautions to ensure safe and timely delivery.
Verizon is warning customers in Dallas and across the United States about scam text messages that reference a recent outage and falsely claim a $20 refund or credit is available through a link. The company says the legitimate $20 credit for affected wireless customers is applied automatically and does not require any action, links, or personal information. Verizon urges customers not to click on suspicious links, to report scam texts by forwarding them to 7726 (SPAM), and to verify account credits only through the official Verizon website or app.
Actor John Prats detailed how he transitioned from acting to directing at ABS-CBN after initially feeling offended by a 2016–2017 offer from executive Lauren Dyogi to move behind the camera, later viewing the role as a God-given purpose and a key turning point in his entertainment career.
More than 50 Texas cities, including Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston and El Paso, have filed a lawsuit directly with the Texas Supreme Court challenging two state laws that change how cable and telecommunications companies pay local fees. The cities allege the laws grant unlawful financial discounts to providers, threaten millions in municipal revenue and violate Texas constitutional limits on public subsidies to private entities. The petition seeks declaratory and injunctive relief and asks the court to block enforcement of the contested statutes statewide.
BigHit Music and the NBA announced that K-pop boy group CORTIS will perform at the opening of the NBA All-Star 2026 Crossover event as newly named “Friends of the NBA.” The five-member group, composed of Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon and Keonho, will appear at NBA games and events and collaborate on original content initiatives that connect basketball and music. The partnership forms part of the league’s celebrity and influencer program, with additional details on CORTIS’ schedule and the All-Star 2026 Crossover fan experience to be released by the NBA and BigHit Music.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” extended edition will screen in cinemas across the Philippines from January 23 to 25 in a limited nationwide run, offering about 30 minutes of additional footage and a total runtime of three hours and 28 minutes as part of an anniversary presentation of Peter Jackson’s 2001 adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novel.
Governor Greg Abbott has activated Texas emergency response resources as an arctic cold front brings freezing rain, sleet, snow, and dangerous wind chills to much of the state starting Thursday. The Texas Division of Emergency Management is coordinating with local officials, transportation crews, and shelters to prepare for hazardous travel and possible infrastructure impacts. Texans are urged to stay weather-aware, check road conditions through DriveTexas.org, follow local guidance, protect people and animals from the cold, and use designated warming centers if needed.
British tennis player Emma Raducanu announced plans to “re-evaluate” her game after a straight-sets defeat to Anastasia Potapova in the second round of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park. The 2021 US Open champion, who has not won a tour title since her breakthrough, missed the chance to face world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the third round. Raducanu’s latest early Grand Slam exit follows a period of fitness and consistency struggles and comes after her public comments questioning aspects of the Australian Open schedule.
Carlos Alcaraz said at the Australian Open in Melbourne that he feels no pressure to act as a “good ambassador” for tennis like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, stating that he does not think about serving as a spokesman for the sport. The 22-year-old world number one and six-time Grand Slam champion made the comments after defeating Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round. Alcaraz, widely seen as one of tennis’s most marketable stars, said he focuses on his game and personal development while pursuing a career Grand Slam, as the Australian Open positions him as one of its main attractions.