Former Dictator’s Son Wins Philippines Elections | Oh My World!

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Latest In Ukraine

Let's start with the May 9th, Victory Day holiday. Russia celebrates this day annually which commemorates the Soviet defeat of the Nazis. And we had all been expecting Putin to come out and declare some kind of victory or make other bombastic statements.

He used the historical significance of the day to try and push his lie that just like in World War Two, the Russians were again fighting to defeat the nazis but this time in Ukraine.

But we've heard all that already. What was interesting was what he didn't say. He didn't declare victory, he didn't officially announce war, and he didn't say he was gonna strike arms shipments.

On one hand, not saying this stuff means the Russian government hasn't been able to secure something it can sell us a win, but it also means the Russians aren't going anywhere and that this war could really drag on.

This week, a school was struck in the Donbas area under Russian control, killing 60 civilians who were sheltering there in just one strike.

And now Russian bombardments of a port city called Odesa have increased. Fierce fighting between Ukrainian and Russian troops also continues at a steel plant in Mariupol which is the last pocket of resistance there.

Luckily the UN and the Red Cross were able to evacuate hundreds of citizens who were stuck there and had been living in the basement under bombardment.

And the world continues to support Ukraine and protest Russia's actions. On Mother's Day, Dr. Jill Biden went to Ukraine and met with Ukraine's first lady and Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau visit Kyiv in a surprise visit. Bono and his bandmate, The Edge actually held a concert at a subway station in Kyiv that functions as a bomb shelter.

Putin's decision to pursue this war has resulted in unifying the west and NATO more than ever. In fact, Finland and Sweden just announced that they want to join NATO as quickly as possible.

Former Dictator’s Son Wins Philippines Elections

Yes, the son of a former dictator in the Philippines has just won presidential elections there in a landslide. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. allegedly won 80% of the vote and even though they're suspected election fraud, he was expected to win with such a large margin that it wouldn’t have made a difference anyway.

So who's Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who also, by the way, goes by the name Bong Bong. Bong Bong’s dad was a ruthless and excessively greedy and corrupt dictator who ruled the Philippines for nearly 20 years until he was ousted in 1986 when his term was up.

In 1972, instead of holding an election, he suspended parliament, arrested opposition leaders, censored the nation, and ordered his army and police to torture or kill his opponents.

He and his wife Imelda Marcos looted $10 billion from the treasury. She created private foundations to hide the money, which she spent on a lavish lifestyle and wardrobe including 3000 pairs of shoes that can now be seen at a museum in the Philippines.

Eventually, citizens revolted and the Marcos family fled along with all their ill-gotten valuables. They fled on American helicopters to Hawaii. Marcos Sr. died while in exile but his wife and her kids returned to the Philippines five years later and they all went back into politics.

So how on earth did this guy win, when authoritarianism in the Philippines is not such a distant memory? Apparently, people were taken by his fancy Youtube ads and promises of economic growth, which resonated with the younger generation. He asked voters to “judge me not by my ancestors, but by my actions.”

Want to see more on these topics, and who’s on our Crush List and $h!t List this week? Stay tuned to the video!

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

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