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Duterte picks OP's Michael Pastores Ong as new appeals court justice
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BBC Rachel Reeves CV Investigation frequent exaggeration
Rachel Reeves’s professional history has come under renewed scrutiny after it was revealed that her online CV exaggerated the length of time she spent working at the Bank of England. Although she publicly claimed to have worked there for a decade, records indicate that her actual tenure amounted to five and a half years, including nearly a year spent studying. The Chancellor has frequently cited her experience at the Bank of England as evidence of her financial expertise and suitability for managing the nation’s economy. However, in a 2021 magazine interview, which she later posted on X, Reeves stated, "I spent a decade working as an economist at the Bank of England and loved it." Similarly, during a speech at the Labour Party Business Conference in February last year, she reiterated, "I spent the best part of a decade as an economist at the Bank of England." The same claim was echoed at a CEO summit in July 2022 and in a video uploaded to her Facebook page that same month. The Labour Party also repeated this assertion in an official document last year, stating that Reeves had spent "most of the first decade of her career at the Bank of England." However, records show that she had already moved on to HBOS by the spring of 2006, bringing her actual time at the central bank to just five and a half years, including her time studying for a master’s degree at the London School of Economics. The Bank of England confirmed last year that Reeves had departed in 2006 but declined to disclose the specific month of her departure, stating that such details were part of confidential staff records. Adding to the controversy, it was discovered that Reeves had run for election in Bromley, south-east London, more than three months after she had taken a new position in West Yorkshire. This has fueled further speculation over whether she has embellished elements of her professional background. Further discrepancies were found in her LinkedIn profile, which was modified last year to describe her role at HBOS as "Retail Banking." Previously, it had stated that she worked as an economist at the bank, but it was later revealed that she had actually held a management role in the Customer Relations department, handling complaints rather than working in an economist capacity. In November, these revelations became a topic of debate in the House of Commons, with several MPs raising questions about Reeves’s professional history. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner was questioned on the matter, and the Prime Minister’s spokeswoman also faced inquiries regarding whether Sir Keir Starmer expected members of his Cabinet to be truthful about their career backgrounds. The spokeswoman responded that the controversy pertained to "the chancellor's time before she was the chancellor." "The prime minister is very clear that what is most important is having a chancellor who is able to balance the books and who is able to be straight with the public and restore the public finances," she added. Despite the mounting questions, Labour has stood by Reeves, emphasizing her economic credentials and downplaying concerns over the accuracy of her CV. Based on a report by BBC 2025-02-14 -
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Hamas Forced Hostage to Stage Her Own Death, Says Mother of Released Daniella Gilboa
Daniella Gilboa, recently freed from captivity, was forced by Hamas to participate in a staged propaganda video depicting her as dead, her mother, Orly Gilboa, revealed in an interview on Wednesday. According to Orly, Daniella was coerced into the deceptive act while being held hostage, with her captors covering her in powder and debris to make it appear as though she had been killed in an Israeli airstrike. Daniella being captured by Hamas Additionally, eight hostages have been rescued alive by Israeli forces, while 40 bodies have been recovered, including three hostages mistakenly killed by the IDF as they attempted to escape their captors. Hamas is still holding two Israeli civilians who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015, along with the remains of an IDF soldier killed in 2014. Another soldier’s body, also killed in 2014, was recovered from Gaza in January. The ordeal of Daniella Gilboa highlights the ongoing suffering of hostages and their families, as well as the psychological tactics employed by Hamas during the conflict. Based on a report by The Australian | TOI 2025-02-14 -
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NYC Catholic School Teacher Resigns After Heated Anti-Trump Rant at Student
A teacher at Monsignor Farrell High School, an all-boys Catholic institution on Staten Island, resigned after launching into an explosive anti-Trump tirade during class, which culminated in him insulting a student in a now-leaked audio recording. The incident, which took place last Wednesday, was secretly recorded by a student and later shared with the media. In the clip, the teacher passionately criticized former President Donald Trump, particularly his decision to release billions of gallons of water in California to combat wildfires. He also labeled Trump a dictator and harshly condemned the Republican Party. The school administration was made aware of the outburst, placed the teacher on leave, and later accepted his resignation. Monsignor Farrell High School and the Archdiocese of New York declined to comment on the matter. The outburst was reportedly triggered when a student brought up politics in class. Acknowledging that discussing politics was outside his role as an educator, the teacher nevertheless proceeded with his rant. “I’m sorry to the rest of you. It’s not my job. I’m not even supposed to do it, but I’m hoping to make some sense to somebody,” he said. In an apparent moment of frustration, he also exclaimed, “Jesus Christ,” taking the Lord’s name in vain—a particularly controversial remark at a Catholic school. As he continued, his anger intensified. “You guys will be able to vote next time around. If you vote Republican, you’re bringing us all down,” he told the students, passionately arguing that the Republican Party did not adhere to the values it claimed to uphold. His frustration then shifted toward one particular student, with whom he seemed to have a prior relationship. His anger boiled over when the student responded to his rant with a smile. “I’m not kidding when I say, ‘Wipe that smile off your face.’ Detention, I just wrote you a referral mentally. You’re going to detention for bringing up politics in class,” he yelled. The student attempted to de-escalate the situation, urging the teacher to control himself. However, this only further fueled the teacher’s fury. “Excuse me?! Excuse me?!” he screamed. “You wanna go for two?” he threatened, as his frustration spiraled into personal attacks. “After all I put up with you for the last two years? And talked you up! And stood your back when they threatened you!” he shouted. The heated exchange reached an unsettling climax when the teacher made a particularly cruel remark. “If I could take back your letter of recommendation to college right now, I would,” he snapped. “You talk to me like that? After everything that I’ve done for you?!” At the height of his outburst, the teacher withdrew the detention but issued a final warning: “Don’t ever talk to me again personally.” He further threatened that if the student ever spoke out in class again without raising his hand, he would be given a week’s worth of detention. “You got your letter, so now everything’s good, right? You got your high grade on the midterm, so everything’s good? Now you can treat me like that?” he ranted before concluding with an expletive, calling the student a “punk a–.” Following the incident, Monsignor Farrell High School took immediate action, placing the teacher on leave the next day. He later submitted his resignation, according to a statement obtained by “Libs of TikTok.” Based on a report by NYP 2025-02-14 -
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Marco Rubio on the Fragile Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas
In a recent interview with Chris Cuomo of NewsNation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Senior Advisor Adam Boehler discussed the precarious state of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. Rubio emphasized the fragile nature of the truce, stating, “It’s always a tenuous ceasefire, because you’re dealing with a terrorist organization in Hamas.” He stressed that Hamas has engaged in heinous acts, including kidnapping, murder, and other atrocities, making it an unreliable participant in any negotiations. “You’re not dealing with a nation-state here who’s operating under the laws of war or any laws for that matter,” he noted. Given these challenges, Rubio underscored the uncertainty of the ceasefire’s survival, particularly as the weekend approaches. “The President’s been very clear he wants to see those hostages come – be released. He’s tired of this drip, drip every week,” Rubio said. He pointed out that American citizens are among those held captive, making the situation even more urgent. “He’s made very clear that if that’s not the case on Saturday, then all bets are off. And it’s not going to be good for Hamas.” While he expressed hope for a peaceful resolution, Rubio also made it clear that Hamas cannot be allowed to dictate the terms of the ceasefire selectively. When asked whether he believed Hamas’s claim that Israel had failed to deliver agreed-upon aid, Rubio dismissed the terrorist group’s assertions outright. “Well, I think you can’t believe anything Hamas says,” he stated. He acknowledged that a major concern for Israel is preventing Hamas from exploiting the ceasefire to smuggle weapons and rebuild its military capabilities. “Israel can’t allow that to happen. You can’t allow Hamas to use the ceasefire to sort of rebuild itself and recover strength.” Rubio reiterated that Hamas’s ultimate goal remains the destruction of Israel, making any truce inherently unstable. He expressed cautious optimism that ongoing diplomatic efforts from regional players might help sustain the ceasefire. However, he made it clear that if the truce collapses, responsibility will lie squarely with Hamas. “Let’s hope that we can overcome this hurdle over the next 72 hours. I know that a lot of countries in the region are weighing in, and hopefully we’re going to have a good outcome on Saturday; and if not, then I think Hamas will be to blame.” Based on a report by US Dept of State 2025-02-14 -
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M&S Boss Warns Budget Will Shrink UK Retail as Historic Department Store Closes
Marks & Spencer’s chief executive, Stuart Machin, has issued a stark warning that the Government’s Budget policies risk shrinking the UK retail sector, reducing jobs, and slowing wage growth. Writing in *The Sunday Times*, Machin criticized the Government’s approach, arguing that the industry is being “raided like a piggy bank” and calling on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to revise her tax plans. “The blunt truth is, left how it is, the Budget means UK retail will get smaller,” Machin wrote. “At M&S we are growing, but others are not, and there is no doubt that there will be fewer jobs, fewer shops, and slower wage growth across the sector as a whole.” He emphasized that the retail sector is already under immense financial strain and that the Government’s tax policies are exacerbating the situation. “Retail is being raided like a piggy bank and it’s unacceptable,” he added. Machin’s concerns echo those of other business leaders who have warned that rising employment costs and tax increases will squeeze the industry. Last week, car dealership Vertu Motors blamed Budget-related cost increases for impending job cuts, announcing that it would shut most of its showrooms on Sundays to offset financial pressures. The M&S chief, who has led the company since 2022, was particularly critical of what he described as “ill-thought-through decision-making” in the autumn Budget. “The Employment Rights Bill means we would have to say no to a colleague usually working weekend hours who requests more shifts, and the change to the national insurance contributions (NICs) threshold will hit part-time workers hardest,” he said. The impact of these policies is already being felt, with one of the UK’s oldest department stores, Beales, announcing that it will close its last remaining shop. The retailer, which first opened in Bournemouth in 1881, will cease trading at its Poole branch in May, blaming rising costs linked to Budget tax and wage increases. Retail industry leaders argue that Beales’ closure highlights the severe consequences of higher national insurance contributions and the upcoming minimum wage increase, which takes effect in April. Tony Brown, Beales’ boss, described the store as having become “unviable” due to the cost rises announced in Labour’s October Budget and “the risks and uncertainty of further tax increases.” Beales had already been struggling with shifting consumer habits, as younger shoppers increasingly favor online retailers over traditional high street stores. However, Brown stressed that recent Government policies have made survival impossible. The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has warned that Beales may be just the first of many closures, as retailers across the country battle mounting costs. Jeff Moody, the association’s commercial director, expressed his concern over the broader impact on the industry. “We are deeply saddened to learn of Beales’ closure,” he said. “This is not just the loss of another shop – it represents the end of a retail institution that has served communities for nearly one-and-a-half centuries. This closure starkly illustrates the devastating impact that recent tax increases are having on our retail sector.” As the retail industry braces for further financial strain, Machin and other business leaders are urging the Government to reconsider its approach before more stores follow Beales in shutting their doors. Based on a report by The Independent | Daily Mail 2025-02-14
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