Fresh look at Epstein’s island as lawmakers obtain his banking records

House Democrats on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee obtained banking records tied to Jeffrey Epstein and released new, previously unseen photos of his private island, Little Saint James, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Lawmakers are reviewing the records to track financial flows, examine bank compliance practices and connect money movements to activity on the island. The committee is combining the images, financial documents and witness testimony to build a detailed factual record of Epstein’s network, assets and transactions, while coordinating with other government investigations.

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HIV numbers may top 250,000 before year ends, DOH warns

The Department of Health (DOH) in the Philippines projects that around 252,800 people will be living with HIV nationwide by the end of 2024, according to new estimates from its Epidemiology Bureau. The projection, disseminated via official channels and local government partners such as Quezon City, covers both diagnosed and undiagnosed cases and draws on surveillance data, case reports, and modeling. The DOH uses these updated estimates to guide national and local HIV programs, resource allocation, and planning for testing, treatment, and prevention services across the country.

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Taylor Swift, Cup of Joe dominate Spotify PH’s 2025 year-end charts

Spotify Philippines announced that Taylor Swift ranked as the most-streamed artist in the country for 2025, while Filipino band Cup of Joe led the list of local artists. The platform’s year-end charts showed Swift at No. 1 in the Philippines despite Bad Bunny holding the top global spot. Spotify stated that the rankings relied on verified stream counts from Filipino users across free and premium tiers. The company said the results highlight how local audiences balanced international pop and homegrown acts during the year.

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SC reports fewer resolved cases in 2025 as disposition rate falls to 19%

The Supreme Court of the Philippines reported a 19 percent disposition rate for judicial cases and a 27 percent rate for administrative and bar matters in 2025, indicating it resolved fewer cases for the year. The high court released the figures as of September 30, 2025, through its public information channels, citing internal monitoring systems and formal reporting procedures as the basis for the data. The tribunal stated that it includes both newly filed and pending cases in its computation and will issue updated statistics in its official year-end judicial report.

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Family fights back in Brianna Aguilera case, enlists lawyer Tony Buzbee

The parents of 19-year-old Texas A&M student Brianna Aguilera have retained the Buzbee Law Firm and the Gamez Law Firm after authorities found her dead on a sidewalk in Austin, Texas. The family, through their attorneys, is disputing the official ruling in Aguilera’s death and initiating an independent review of the circumstances surrounding the incident. The legal team plans to examine investigative records, interview witnesses, and work alongside law enforcement while conducting its own fact-finding efforts.

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Pinoy seafarers rescued from Houthis arrive safely at Naia

Nine Filipino seafarers held hostage by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, along with the remains of a fellow mariner, arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Manila at around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday. The Department of Migrant Workers and other Philippine government agencies received the seafarers, coordinated their release and repatriation, and facilitated medical, psychosocial, and immigration processing upon arrival. Authorities also arranged the dignified transfer of the deceased seafarer’s remains and began documenting the crew’s accounts of the hostage incident.

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