Philippine boxing star Pacquiao wins seat in Senate (Reuters)

Philippine boxing star Manny Pacquiao, WBO world welterweight champion, scored a big political victory on Thursday when the elections commission declared he was among 12 new members of the upper house of Congress. Last week, about 80 percent of 55 million eligible voters cast their ballots to choose a president, vice president, 12 senators, 200 members of the lower house of Congress and 18,000 local officials in general elections held every six years. “I can focus and discipline myself, the way I did in boxing to help the nation,” Pacquiao told reporters, saying, as a new senator, he would push for free education at all levels.