Sweden claims Eurovision tiara for seventh time

LIVERPOOL—Sweden won the Eurovision Song Contest early Sunday, as singer Loreen beat out 25 competitors in the finale of the world's biggest live music event, hosted by Britain on behalf of war-torn Ukraine.

A previous victor in 2012, Loreen is the first woman to win theeccentric, much-loved competition twice and only the second person to do so after Johnny Logan for Ireland in the 1980s.

It is a record-equalling seventh Eurovision crown for Sweden, and means the Scandinavian nation will host next year's contest on the 50th anniversary of ABBA's win—the country's first—with breakthrough hit "Waterloo".

Loreen—real name Lorine Talhaoui —told reporters that her victory with dance-pop track, "Tattoo", felt "surreal" and "so beautiful", and had left her "seriously overwhelmed".

Born in Sweden to parents of Moroccan Berber origin, the 39-year-old's win for Sweden over 25 other countries competing in the final was celebrated in her homeland.

"There is only one queen and her name is Loreen," proclaimed the Expressen tabloid while the Svenska Dagbladet said the singer had "written history."

Loreen narrowly triumphed over Finland's Kaarija after the public and jury votes were combined following an evening of typically eclectic musical acts in Liverpool.

Third place went to Israel, with Noa Kirel's "Unicorn", as more than 160 million estimated viewers watched on television around the world.

'Proud'

Last year's runner-up Britain selected Liverpool -- home of The Beatles -- to stage the Europop music festival after organisers ruled it was impossible for 2022 victors Ukraine to do so amid Russia's ongoing invasion. AFP

Ragos...

From A1 against former senator Leila M. de Lima led to her acquittal in the case involving illegal drugs, but his retraction would pave the way for charging him with perjury case.

Court records showed that De Lima and her bodyguard Ronnie P. Dayanwere accused of receiving, on two occasions, a total of P10 million as proceeds from the illegal drugs trading at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City when the former was justice secretary. Ragos had testified that he delivered the money in 2012 when he was officerin-charge of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). He later recanted his testimony against De Lima and Dayan.

The recantation paved the way for the acquittal of both De Lima and Dayan of the second criminal case filed against them.

The decision stated that “the testimony of witness Ragos is necessary to sustain any possible conviction," said Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Abraham Joseph B. Alcantara.

“Ultimately, the retraction created doubt which warrants the acquittal of both accused,” the judge ruled.

Malcontento said that Ragos swore to the truthfulness of his testimony against De Lima and was even warned that he could be charged with perjury if this was found to be false.

On the filing of a perjury case against Ragos, Malcontento said:

“That’s a possibility, but we have to wait for directions of OSEC (Office of the Secretary).” of the virus, however, as in Cabatuan National High School, 11 teachers and two students tested positive last week, forcing Mayor Bernardo Garcia Jr. to ask that the school suspend classes this week. The school and staff will return to blended, online and modular learning for its 2,224 students until May 17, the school principal said.

According to Prosecutor General, the decision to charge Ragos with perjury will come from Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla.

With her acquittal on her second drugs case, De Lima is now battling for her exoneration in the third case pending before Branch 256 of the Muntinlupa City RTC.

She had filed a motion to post bail, which is still pending resolution.

In the three cases, De Lima was charged with violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act due to the alleged proliferation of illegal drug trading at the NBP.

Mateo of ARMMC said the hospital is ready should there be a surge of cases in the coming days. Amang Rodriguez is the catchment hospital of nearby places like Rizal province, Pasig, and Quezon City.

ONLY two out of 22 remaining communist guerilla fronts in the country continue to be active, the National Security Council (NSC) said Sunday.

NSC spokesperson and Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said 20 guerilla fronts had weakened. However, several still had access to firearms and other weapons, so attacks were still possible.

“When we say weakened, they are running out of barangays or a mass base. That’s where they get their strength, from the support of the villagers... The remaining 20 guerrilla fronts, some still have weapons,” Malaya said in a radio DZBB interview.

“We are monitoring them to eliminate and arrest them. It doesn’t mean that they can’t attack anymore... Let’s expect that there will still be attacks, but their previous formation, when they could organize 20 up to 40 people, that’s already gone,” he added.

According to Malaya, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) had also cleared over 2,000 barangays from the influence of communist terrorist groups (CTG).

Around 400 barangays were still controlled by CTGs, he added.

“The military was committed to ending things this year. They are very, very hopeful that all the guerilla fronts will be finished. We will weaken them and wipe them out eventually,” Malaya said.

With more barangays to be placed under the NTF-ELCAC’s peace and development monitoring, the NSC official hopes Congress would allocate the funding needed to support the affected communities to address the root cause of the insurgency.