RAPPLER

Sex assaults undermine trust in military - Obama

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:59:58 +0000

MARYLAND, USA - President Barack Obama said on Friday, May 24, members of the military guilty of sexual assaults threaten to undermine the trust and discipline vital to the strength of the US military machine.

Obama delivered the warning at a graduation ceremony at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, ...

China, Switzerland eye landmark trade deal in July

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:51:57 +0000

BERNE, Switzerland - Switzerland and China could sign a landmark free-trade agreement as early as July, the Alpine country said on Friday, May 24, as Beijing seeks to underscore its growing global ties via deals with European partners.

With China's Premier Li Keqiang in Switzerland for high-level talks, the Swiss news ...

N. Korea slams S. Korea leader as 'confrontation maniac'

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:32:36 +0000

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea on Friday, May 24, accused South Korean President Park Geun-Hye of hurting the dignity of its leadership and slammed her as "a confrontation maniac".

The warning came a day after Park denounced North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un for "playing a gamble to escalate tension" on ...

British fighter jets escort diverted Pakistani plane

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:01:20 +0000

LONDON, United Kingdom (UPDATED) - British fighter jets were scrambled to escort a Pakistan International Airlines plane to a London airport on Friday, May 24, after an incident onboard, officials said.

Police said the plane, which was en route from the Pakistani city of Lahore to Manchester in northwest England, landed ...

Source of life running out - scientists

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:51:16 +0000

PARIS, France - The majority of people on Earth will face severe water shortages within a generation or two if pollution and waste continues unabated, scientists warned at a conference in Bonn on Friday, May 24.

"This handicap will be self-inflicted and is, we believe entirely avoidable," read a document entitled ...

Fashion brands say street crime threatens Paris tourism

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:38:30 +0000

PARIS, France - The streets of Paris are getting a reputation of being unsafe for tourists and this is a threat to business by the great brand names of French fashion, a top body representing the luxury industry warned on Friday, May 24.

A leading association that counts Chanel and Dior ...

VitugVlogs: The charismatic vote

Rappler.com — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:28:16 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Buhay emerges number 1 in the party-list race in the midterm polls.
But Rappler's editor at large Marites Vitug says the victory of the Catholic charismatic group does not prove the existence of a Catholic vote.
Here's her video blog.

Once more, ...

Russia hires J.P. Morgan to avoid ratings downgrade

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:24:52 +0000

MOSCOW, Russia - Russia's finance ministry said on Friday, May 24, it had hired the US banking major J.P. Morgan as a consultant for helping improve its image with the world's 3 main ratings agencies amid worries of an imminent downgrade.

The announcement came days after Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak ...

French priest sacked for being a Freemason

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:12:36 +0000

GRENOBLE, France - A Catholic priest at the posh French ski station of Megeve has been stripped of his functions at the request of the Vatican for being a member of a Masonic lodge, his parish said on Friday, May 24.

Father Pascal Vesin of the Sainte-Anne d'Arly-Montjoie parish was ordered ...

Rappler Newscast | May 24, 2013

Rappler.com — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:28:29 +0000

Today on Rappler.

The Commission on Elections proclaims 14 party-list groups winners in the midterm polls.
The regional results of the senatorial race does not support a 60-30-10 win pattern for Team PNoy bets.
Poll chief Sixto Brillantes blames “heavy traffic” for the slow transmission of election ...

Maserati recalls 692 cars in China

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:01:51 +0000

BEIJING, China - Maserati, which is part of Italian car maker Fiat, will recall 692 cars in China due to a defect that could increase the risk of a crash, the Chinese quality watchdog said Friday, May 24.

The recall applies to the Quattroporte and Maserati Granturismo models manufactured between July ...

Imus: Saquilayan vs Maliksi Round 2

Tricia Villaluz — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:56:02 +0000

CAVITE, Philippines – Theirs was the only protest case from 2010 that was never resolved in time for this year’s elections. And it seems the May 13 polls did not settle once and for all who between Homer Saquilayan (NP) and Emmanuel Maliksi (LP) the Imuseño ...

Libelous tweet!

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:53:52 +0000

LONDON, United Kingdom - A tweet by the wife of the British parliament's speaker about a senior Conservative politician in the wake of reports of child sex abuse was libelous, the High Court in London ruled Friday, May 24.

Sally Bercow said she was "surprised and disappointed" by the judgment, but ...

Osaka mayor apologizes to 'comfort women'

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:39:58 +0000

OSAKA, Japan - A Japanese politician on Friday, May 24, apologized to women forcibly drafted into military brothels during World War II after his comments about them being a military necessity sparked outrage.

Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto issued the apology hours after he was due to meet two former "comfort women," ...

N. Korean envoy meets China president

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:22:45 +0000

BEIJING, China- A North Korean envoy met China's President Xi Jinping in Beijing Friday, May 24, and handed him a personal letter from leader Kim Jong-Un, Chinese state-run media reported.

Choe Ryong-Hae told Xi that North Korea is willing to take positive actions to solve problems through dialogue, the semi-official China ...

Net reacts to Dan Brown's 'gates of hell'

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:10:53 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Atty. Francis Tolentino sent a letter of protest to best-selling author Dan Brow for calling Manila "the gates of hell" in his new novel Inferno.

Manila, said Francisco, “is an entry to heaven.”

The letter, dated May 23, expressed “concern” and “disappointment” at the ...

Brillantes on party-list winners: Quite unhappy

Paterno Esmaquel II — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:02:11 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – If the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had its way, two of the 14 party-list groups it proclaimed as winners Friday, May 24, wouldn't get a seat in Congress.

Unfortunately for the Comelec, the Supreme Court revamped its criteria for qualified party-list groups, opening the party list to 24 groups ...

Call for applications: Virgin Labfest 9

Rappler.com — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:57:14 +0000

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is now accepting applications for the Virgin Labfest 9 Writing Fellowship Program happening from June 25 to July 7, 2013.

To qualify, applicants must be:

A college student or young professional;
29 years old or below;
Able to submit the following ...

New concerns for China's rising middle class

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:07:01 +0000

BEIJING, China - With two cars, foreign holidays and a cook for their apartment, one Beijing family epitomizes the new middle class created by China's decades of rapid economic growth — and its resulting worries.

Li Na, 42, a caterer at the capital's zoo, and her husband Chi Shubo, ...

PLDT belies Comelec claim on transmission

Paterno Esmaquel II — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:40:58 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – Telecommunications giant PLDT on Friday, May 24, belied a claim by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that “heavy traffic” and signal problems hampered the transmission of election results.

In a statement, PLDT said their networks “did not suffer congestion, or heavy traffic, at any point throughout the election ...

The problem with social media

Ayeen Karunungan — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:16:57 +0000

There is no doubt that digital media, mostly the Internet, has become a very important and influential tool, especially in advocacies, campaigns, and social reforms.

From the Internet sprung the Occupy Movement of the United States and through it, the success of the Arab Springs. Through the Internet, people ...

WikiLeaks releases transcript of critical US film

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:50:26 +0000

WASHINGTON, USA - WikiLeaks released what it says is an annotated transcript of a documentary that takes a critical look at the anti-secrecy group ahead of the US film's Friday premiere.

WikiLeaks said it had not participated in the making of "We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks," a film by ...

LP aims to lay groundwork for 2016

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:35:21 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Team PNoy celebrates its victory in the recent elections and makes plans to sustain public support for 2016.

Natashya Gutierrez reports.

The sweet taste of victory.

This is what President Aquino and his senatorial slate Team PNoy celebrate on Wednesday, May 22 at Club Filipino.

It's the ...

Living for the weekend

Rappler.com — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:55:13 +0000

In this day and age of fast-paced careers and lifestyles, it is no surprise when the yuppie, especially the 9 to 5 worker, starts living for the weekend.

Weekends are when the profane and sacred happen all at once. Profane, because of the occasional misadventures that come with any ...

Backstreet Boys member authors memoir

Fri, 24 May 2013 04:53:14 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter is set to launch his memoir in September, according to Huffington Post .

Facing the Music and Living to Talk About It, to be published by Bird Street Books , chronicles Carter’s life, from growing up as teen star to dealing with alcohol and substance ...

'Comfort women' cancel meeting with Japan mayor

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:50:05 +0000

OSAKA, Japan - Two South Korean women forcibly drafted into Japanese military brothels during World War II cancelled a meeting with a Japanese mayor who sparked outrage by calling them a wartime necessity.

Outspoken Osaka mayor Toru Hashimoto and two former "comfort women" were to meet on Friday, May 24, but ...

US bridge collapse sends cars, people into river

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:42:01 +0000

LOS ANGELES, USA (UPDATED) - A bridge carrying a freeway over a river in the northwestern US state of Washington partially collapsed Thursday, May 24, sending cars and people plunging into the water below, police said.

At least 3 people were fished out but there were no reports of serious injuries ...

Paris Hilton to release second album

Fri, 24 May 2013 03:24:55 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – Hollywood it girl Paris Hilton is set to release a new album under record label Cash Money Records, Mirror reported.

Cash Money’s Bryan “Birdman” Williams made the announcement on his Twitter account where he asked his followers to welcome the newest member of their record label ...

March imports post biggest drop in 11 months

Ramon Calzado — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:59:42 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – Merchandise imports in March fell 8.4%, the biggest drop in 11 months, data released by the National Statistics Office showed.

Lower imports of fuel, chemicals, and electronics pulled down the total March imports, which reached US$4.922 billion from $5.371 billion a year ago

This brought the first quarter total to $14.4 ...

Comelec proclaims 14 party-list groups

Paterno Esmaquel II — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:35:54 +0000

MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – Rival groups Bayan Muna and Akbayan, and 12 other party-list organizations will get seats in Congress after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday, May 24, partially proclaimed party-list winners.

The Comelec, sitting as the national board of canvassers (NBOC), proclaimed the following 14 groups at ...

Cars, schools torched in Stockholm riots

Agence France-Presse — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:06:22 +0000

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - At least 9 cars were torched and two schools and a police station were set ablaze as riots swept through Stockholm's immigrant-dominated suburbs early Friday, May 24, for the 5th straight night, police and firefighters said.

The riots, which have shattered Sweden's image abroad as a peaceful and ...

LQ na 'yan!

Jayson Ambutong and Celline Anne Alias — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:02:46 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - It's love in the time of Twitter as social media users jumped in with hilarious—and occasionally true—causes of petty quarrels among the Internet generation. Hashtag LQnaYan (That's a lover's quarrel) went viral on Thursday, May 23.

Initially tweeted by @sam_yg , #LQnaYan immediately ...

Rediscovering my neighborhood

Fri, 24 May 2013 01:17:04 +0000

I grew up in Villamor Air Base, a military camp located beside the NAIA-3 terminal. To the outsider, it was a fortress of the nation's fighter jets, but to me it was an oasis within Megamanila's growing patches of concrete. Vehicular traffic was never a problem. Before the ...

Lady in red: One jacket, 6 ways

Kim Jones — Fri, 24 May 2013 01:10:43 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Fire engine red is still taking centre stage this season and is on our list of closet must-haves. A red blazer is a must-have tandem with it's ability to instantly and boldly upgrade the simplest of outfits.

(No apologies to Dan Brown and I expect none from him.)

It was a cold, rainy night followed by a hot, humid day. Like an inferno but with a tropical climate. Manila was a bewildering tintinnabulation of sights and sounds, except there were no bells, just the ...

Jesse Robredo: heroic legacy celebrated

Thu, 23 May 2013 23:22:33 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – Nine months after his death, the legacy of the late Jesse Robredo, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary, continues.

The Jesse Robredo Foundation, the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG), Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership and SM Foundation, on Thursday, May 23, ...

Payumos wiped out in Bataan, to file protest

Randy Datu — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:09:39 +0000

BATAAN, Philippines – The Payumos who ran in the recently concluded elections all lost, and the clan's head – former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman Felicito Payumo – is filing a protest, at least over the results of the congressional race in the first district, where he lost.

In a statement, Payumo said ...

Abducted social worker released in Basilan

Karlos Manlupig — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:07:57 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - A social worker of the Department of Social Welfare and Development who was abducted by armed men on May 22 was released in Sumisip, Basilan on Thursday, May 23.

The military's Western Mindanao Command said Jenelyn Luna Enprera was abducted on Wednesday morning and was released in ...

Big majority of Ampatuans lose in Maguindanao

Reynaldo Santos Jr. — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:21:51 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – Are the Ampatuans losing their grip on Maguindanao?

Based on the unofficial tally of votes in the province as of Thursday, May 23, majority of the candidates who belong to the once very powerful Ampatuan clan are bound to lose. Majority of candidates from the rival clan Mangudadatu, ...

Ecuador satellite collides with Russian space junk

AGENCE-FRANCE PRESSE — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:09:18 +0000

QUITO, Ecuador - A small Ecuadoran satellite collided in orbit with the remains of a Russian rocket, but it is too soon to know how much damage it might have sustained, Quito's space agency said on Thursday, May 23.

Ecuador's space agency EXA had warned on May 22 ...

Well-spent 200 hours

Ervin Jay A. Aroc — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:35:46 +0000

Congratulations!

You have been accepted as an intern at Rappler.

We will be scheduling an orientation for all those accepted this April.

We will get in touch with you again to notify you about final arrangements.

Thank you. – Rappler

This message delighted me like a ...

North Korean envoy meets top Chinese official

Kelly Olsen, AGENCE-FRANCE PRESSE — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:51:13 +0000

BEIJING, China - A special envoy from North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un told one of China's top officials on Thursday, May 23 that Pyongyang is willing to pursue dialogue with key countries, state television reported.

Envoy Choe Ryong-Hae met Liu Yunshan, a member of the Chinese Communist Party's highest ...

Blast outside Gaisano mall, no one hurt

Rappler.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:57:45 +0000

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A homemade bomb exploded Thursday afternoon, May 23, outside a shopping mall in Pagadian City.

Radio reports quoted the police as saying the explosive was planted inside a vehicle at the parking area of Gaisano Mall.

There were no reported casualties but the incident damaged ...

[Science Solitaire] What color do you feel?

Maria Isabel Garcia — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:27:23 +0000

Ever wondered why a water heater, or any appliance for that matter, would come in neon green, black, blue or white when it will do what it should according to manufacturing specifications, regardless of color?

Non-scientists take it for granted that “color” is a natural “pop-up” in the choices we make ...

Rappler Newscast | May 23, 2013

Rappler.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:09:53 +0000

Today on Rappler.

The justice department drops the online libel provision in a new version of the cybercrime law.
The Philippines vows to defend its territory as Chinese ships circle a reef occupied by Filipino marines.
Senator Drilon urges UNA to concede the elections UNA retorts you don’t tell us what to do.

Business sentiment soars to record high

Rappler.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:58:08 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - The 3 investment grade credit ratings the Philippines has recently won from global debt watchers caused business sentiment in the Philippines to reach a record high in the second quarter.

Overall confidence index rose to 54.9% from the first quarter's 41.5%, according to the quarterly Business Expectations Survey ...

Japan backs PH move in territorial row

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:57:17 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday, May 23 that Japan's new leader supports Manila's elevation of its maritime dispute with China to international arbitration.

DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on May 23 during his two-day visit to Tokyo, where he ...

Party-list winners proclaimed Friday

Paterno Esmaquel II — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:30:21 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will partially proclaim winning party-list groups on Friday, March 24, after the poll body releases a resolution to formalize this.

Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes Jr declined to reveal the number of party-list groups to be proclaimed on Friday. The Comelec, which ...

60-30-10? Regional votes don't support it

Aries Rufo — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:08:05 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - The regional breakdown of election results in the May 2013 senatorial race does not support claims made by some sectors about a supposed uniform and pre-determined 60-30-10 share of votes – indicating systematic cheating – in favor of the administration's Team PNoy.

Ateneo mathematics professor Felix Muga II, ...

PH mining reform measure to boost FDI — Goldman Sachs

Lean Santos — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:15:16 +0000

MANILA, Philippines — Passing the mining reform bill is needed to boost the country's foreign direct investments (FDI) flow, which an analyst of Singapore-based global investment banking and securities firm Goldman Sachs described as "outrageously low."

In a roundtable meeting on Thursday, May 23, Goldman Sachs chief growth markets strategist Christopher Eoyang said ...

PH growth to slow to 5.5% amid strong peso - analyst

Cai Ordinario — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:07:11 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - The strengthening of the Philippine peso against the US dollar and higher inflation could be among the factors that will cause the country's economic growth to slow to 5.5% in 2013 and 2014.

In a briefing on Thursday, May 23, Mark Tan, the ASEAN economist of Singapore-based Goldman Sachs, ...

World pre-orders open for Kindle Fire HD

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:02:25 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Amazon announced Thursday May 23, that pre-orders were now open for the Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HD 8.9" for customers in over 170 countries around the world.

The tablets will begin shipping on June 13, with the Kindle Fire HD 8.9” selling for US$284 and the Kindle ...

Finish clean up of mine wastes, Philex told

Rappler.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:00:33 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - The state pollution body required Philex Mining Corp. to complete the clean up of mine tailings that spilled into affected waterways before it allows the Padcal copper-gold mine to operate again.

Environment Undersecretary Demetrio Ignacio, speaking as the presiding officer of the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB), told reporters ...

What's your idea of an #epicweekend?

Rappler.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:55:14 +0000

MANILA, Philippines -- Who doesn't look forward to the weekend? The promise of adventure, relaxation, and fun without having to worry about work is simply irresistible.

Rappler wants to know what your idea of an #epicweekend is. The upcoming weekend will be the last for the summer, so go let us ...

Pacquiao, Imelda Marcos wealthiest House members

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:48:32 +0000

MANILA, Philippines (2nd Update) -- Professional boxer and Sarangani Rep Manny Pacquiao is still the wealthiest lawmaker in the House of Representatives.

The list of the top 10 richest solons is almost the same as in 2011 except for a new entrant -- Las Piñas City Rep Mark Villar.

His net worth ...

Pia Cayetano to SC: Uphold RH law

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:19:24 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Sen Pia Cayetano said the Supreme Court should junk petitions assailing the constitutionality of the Republic Act 10354, or the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012.

Cayetano, the main sponsor of the Reproductive Health (RH) law in the Senate, sought to intervene in the case along ...

Malaysian student activist charged with sedition

Agence France-Presse — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:56:49 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - A Malaysian court on Thursday, May 23, charged a student activist with sedition and three others, including two opposition politicians, were arrested on the same charge in what critics decried as a crackdown on dissent.

Prime Minister Najib Razak pledged last year to repeal the Sedition Act, ...

The Aquino administration at midterm

Peter Koeppinger — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:48:12 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - In May 2010, Benigno Aquino III was elected on a huge wave of hope: that he would bring back honesty, put an end to violence, corruption, human rights violations and impunity, and that, in the absence of corruption, he would end poverty.

Three years later, what has ...

'Project Runway's' Nina Garcia in Manila

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:05:29 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Days after style icon Sarah Jessica Parker visited Manila, another fashion guru has touched down on the capital.

"Project Runway" judge and Marie Claire magazine fashion director Nina Garcia arrived yesterday to take part in the 2013 Philippine Fashion Week happening from May 22 to 26.

READ: SM Ladies line goes floral and graphic

The ...

'Heavy traffic' blamed for transmission woes

Paterno Esmaquel II — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:01:16 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – Blame it on “heavy traffic,” poll chief Sixto Brillantes Jr said Thursday, May 23, addressing concerns over the slow transmission of election results to the Transparency Server, which is used by media and watchdogs.

In an interview with reporters, Brillantes said around 18,000 ballot-counting machines, or almost a ...

PH warns China on Ayungin: It is ours

Agence France-Presse — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:34:38 +0000

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) - The Philippines vowed Thursday, May 23, to "defend what is ours" as part of a standoff over a Chinese warship circling a South China Sea reef which is occupied by Filipino marines .

The Philippines this week protested the "provocative and illegal presence" of the warship near Ayungin Reef, also called Second Thomas Shoal, but ...

Tiangco to Drilon: Don’t tell me what to do

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:25:35 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – “You don’t have the right to tell us what to do even if you think you will be the next Senate President.”

United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) campaign manager Navotas Rep Tobias “Toby” Tiangco fired back at Sen Franklin Drilon for calling on the opposition to concede the elections .

In a phone interview on Thursday, May ...

Kerry back in Israel for peace push

Agence France-Presse — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:25:13 +0000

AMMAN, Jordan - US Secretary of State John Kerry flew in to Israel Thursday, May 23, as he kept up a push to bring Israelis and Palestinians back to peace negotiations amid a growing skepticism over his efforts.

Making his fourth trip to Israel since he began his tenure in February, ...

De Lima: Not true NBI can't go to Taiwan

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:14:35 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice dispelled reports on Thursday, May 23 that the Taiwanese Justice Ministry has barred Filipino authorities from going to Taipei to investigate the death of a Taiwanese fisherman in Philippine waters.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said that according to the Manila Economic Cultural Office, ...

Janet Jackson hits billionaire status

Rappler.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:08:56 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – Multiplatinum singer Janet Jackson is now a billionaire according to Variety Magazine, via ET News .

The star’s net worth has reportedly gone over one billion, having sold over $250 million worth of albums, over $450 million in tour sales, and over $80 million worth of music and ...

George Tapan: Master travel photographer

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:30:19 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - George Tapan is wearing a faded polo with tiny tropical islands floating on the blue fabric. His skin is tanned, his flip-flops sandy, and his watch is strapped to his wrist with a rattan woven band.

“It’s a great conversation topic wherever I go,” he tells me.

And he has ...

Why votes are bought and sold

Jake Crisologo — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:06:52 +0000

When your party list loses in the elections, no matter how much you thought you would and should win, you reflect a lot on how it happened; how you went wrong in the campaign and what you could have done differently.

You go to rallies, shake hands with people, ...

Drilon to UNA: Concede

Natashya Gutierrez — Thu, 23 May 2013 04:31:32 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - The campaign manager of the administration slate Team PNoy asked the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) to concede the elections, noting UNA has "not questioned the result of 9-3 in favor of the ruling party."

This way, "we can work toward a common agenda for the good of ...

Samsung sells 10-M Galaxy S4 units

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:23:35 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Samsung announced Thursday, May 23, that the Galaxy S4 smartphone has surpassed 10 million units sold less than a month after launch.

On the Samsung Tomorrow blog, the company's announcement compared the traction of the S4's sales to previous iterations of the Galaxy S series. The Galaxy S took ...

Drilon, Villar agree on common bet for Senate president

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:12:46 +0000

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) - Sen Franklin Drilon admitted on Thursday, May 23, he spoke to outgoing senator and Nacionalista president Manny Villar early Thursday where both agreed to support the ruling party's bet for Senate president.

While Drilon did not identify the common bet, he made obvious references to himself during ...

Nations to boost aid to Syria rebels until Assad goes

Jo Biddle and Rana Moussaoui, Agence France-Presse — Thu, 23 May 2013 04:11:45 +0000

AMMAN, Jordan - World powers urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to commit to peace, but warned Thursday, May 23, that if he fails to negotiate a political transition they would boost their backing of the opposition.

The stark warning came from a meeting of the Friends of Syria group, which held ...

Grounded ship is PH's last line of defense

Cecil Morella, Agence France-Presse — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:33:32 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - A handful of marines living on a World War II-era ship that is grounded on a remote, tiny reef is the Philippines' last line of defense against China's efforts to control most of the South China Sea.

The soldiers are stationed on Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly ...

DOJ drops online libel in cybercrime law

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:53:35 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice will remove online libel in its proposed version of the controversial Cybercrime Act, whose constitutionality is expected to be decided on by the Supreme Court in June.

Justice Assistant Secretary Geronimo Sy said at the 3rd Regional Cybercrime Conference on Thursday, May 23 that ...

Michael Cinco's couture glitters at Philippine Fashion week

Kim Jones — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:42:16 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Dubai-based Filipino designer Michael Cinco needs very little introduction, and provided a fitting end to day one of Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2013 at the SMX Convention Centre.

Cinco has earned international recognition for his intricately detailed couture gowns. After establishing his own couture house in Dubai in ...

Woman confronted London attackers to deflect danger

Agence France-Presse — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:55:51 +0000

LONDON, United Kingdom - A woman who challenged knife-wielding assailants suspected of hacking to death a British soldier in London on Wednesday, May 22, said she intervened because "it was better having them (the weapons) aimed on one person".

Cub scout leader Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, 48, explained in Thursday's (May 23) Daily Telegraph that one of the men ...

Pope to 'intolerant' Catholics: Good atheists exist

Paterno Esmaquel II — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:24:05 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – Having blasted a self-centered Catholic Church, Pope Francis on Wednesday, May 22, criticized “intolerant” believers who think, “If he is not one of us, he cannot do good.”

The Pope said all human beings, whom God created, “have this commandment at heart: do good and do ...

SM Ladies line goes floral and graphic

Kim Jones — Thu, 23 May 2013 00:35:22 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2013 opened on Wednesday, May 22 at the SMX Convention with bright summer pieces from SM Ladies' Fashion. The collection included a line of quirky footwear with colorful heels and bold wedges from Parisian.

Models in fuchsia, teal and violet walked down the ...

'British soldier' butchered in suspected Islamist attack

Robin Millard, Agence France-Presse — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:07:00 +0000

LONDON, United Kingdom - A man believed to be a British soldier was brutally murdered by suspected Islamists near a London barracks on Wednesday, May 22, in an attack Prime Minister David Cameron said appeared to be terror-related.

Cameron called the attack "appalling", and said: "There are strong indications that it ...

Conference tackles implications of PH investment grade

Rappler.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:38:49 +0000

Five officials from the government and the private sector will discuss what precisely the recent upgrade of the Philippine investment credit rating means.

In a roundtable conference on Friday, May 24, Cora Guidote of the SM Group will explain what rating agencies do and how institutional investors worldwide assess their ratings.

Guidote was the investor relations ...

Ex-poll exec blames Brillantes for mess

Aries Rufo — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:35:58 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – It was a costly and a messy exercise that could have been avoided in the first place. And with the snafu that littered the conduct of the 2013 midterm polls, poll chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr has only himself to blame.

This is what former poll commissioner Augusto Lagman ...

In faces and voices, a search for home

Shakira Sison — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:51:00 +0000

Before jonesing for green mangoes and bagoong or a steamy bowl of sinigang, the first thing I craved for away from home was my language. I moved to New York with the greatest confidence in my English-speaking skills, only to discover quickly how flawed the language was in expressing the ...

Georgina Wilson clarifies tweet

Rappler.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:30:15 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Social media was abuzz in the aftermath of the recently concluded midterm elections. Tempers rose and twitter was filled with both positive and negative feedback over the results.

Host and model Georgina Wilson's tweet, however, quickly spread on social media:

The tweet made the rounds a little more than ...

PNoy to Jun, Risa, Jamby: Don't lose heart

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:01:34 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III has a message for his handpicked bets who weren't as successful in their Senate bid: "Don't lose heart."

Team PNoy threw a thanksgiving party on Wednesday, May 22, to personally thank those who helped the administration ticket ...

Fighting displaces 70-80% of Palestinians in Syria

Agence France-Presse — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:38:09 +0000

HOMS, Syria - The conflict in Syria has displaced more than two-thirds of Palestinian refugees living in the country, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees said on Wednesday.

"We have registered approximately 530,000 Palestinian refugees. We believe that almost all of them, certainly maybe 70-80 percent, are displaced ...

FBI shoots, kills man linked to Boston bomb suspect

Agence France-Presse — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:16:17 +0000

MIAMI, Florida - An FBI agent Wednesday fatally shot a Florida man who allegedly had ties to one of the Boston bombings suspects, US media reported.

Ibragim Todashev, 27, was shot in the city of Orlando, Florida, according to the Orlando Sentinel newspaper.

Todashev became violent while being interviewed by the FBI, ...

Bro Eddie: Create elections truth commission

Reynaldo Santos Jr. — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:07:19 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Defeated senatorial candidate Eddie Villanueva has asked the Aquino government to create an “elections truth commission” to investigate reported irregularities in the recently-concluded automated polls.

In a statement released on Wednesday, May 22, Villanueva said that this commission will probe the automated election system, which he said was ...

Ryan Gosling's violent new crime movie booed at Cannes

Agence France-Presse — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:49:12 +0000

CANNES, France - Boos rang out at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday for a blood-spattered revenge tale starring Ryan Gosling as a US fugitive running a Bangkok drugs racket and Kristin Scott Thomas as a cross between "Lady Macbeth and Donatella Versace."

"Only God Forgives" left many in the auditorium ...

Disgraced Weiner announces NYC mayor bid

Agence France-Presse — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:46:08 +0000

NEW YORK - Anthony Weiner, the disgraced ex-US congressman forced to resign after tweeting lewd photos of himself to women, announced Wednesday he is running for mayor of New York.

The unlikely comeback, which Weiner has been talking about for months, was announced in an online video posted in the middle ...

Makati RTC judge convicted of graft, malversation

Rappler.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:38:52 +0000

DAPITAN CITY - A Makati regional trial court judge was convicted for a crime he committed 12 years ago when he was mayor of Dapitan City in Mindanao.

Judge Joseph Cedrick Ruiz of Makati RTC Branch 61 was convicted of graft and ...

'With months to live, how do you say goodbye?'

Joshue Concha — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:19:33 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - It's not about dying, it’s about living.

Like the average teenage boy, Zach Sobiech went to school, liked playing basketball, and loved playing guitar and video games.

But his world turned upside down when he was 14. He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer.

This ...

Rappler Newscast | May 22, 2013

Rappler.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:18:22 +0000

Today on Rappler.

Taiwan says satellite records show the fisherman shot by coastguards did not enter Philippine waters.
President Aquino announces a P75-billion military upgrade to boost the Philippines’ maritime defenses.
Camarines Sur Rep Leni Robredo says her rival used three systematic methods of vote-buying.

MANILA, Philippines -- For newly elected Camarines Sur 3rd district Rep Leni Robredo, her victory in the 2013 elections shows that not all Filipino voters can be bought.

Despite what she describes as "institutionalized" vote buying in the province, Robredo managed to defeat a member of a well-entrenched ...

Climbing Mt. Pulag’s Akiki trail

Tanya Lim — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:22:31 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - What am I doing here? That was the question I kept asking myself over and over again during our 3-day hiking trip to the summit of Mt. Pulag. I was a first-time climber with zero camping experience, and our adventurous group decided to take the Akiki Trail. The sign ...

Did DQ ruling pull down Ako Bicol?

Paterno Esmaquel II — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:20:12 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – For 7 months, a cloud of doubt lingered over Ako Bicol, the party-list group that got the most votes in 2010, but initially got disqualified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in October 2012.

Did this disqualification affect the group's standing in the 2013 polls?

As the last part of this ...

UNA in the House: What now?

Carmela Fonbuena — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:47:54 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice President Jejomar Binay has 3 new senators, 8 House members and at least 3 governors. What now?

In the Senate, UNA stalwart Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is expected to lose his position to Liberal Party Senator Franklin Drilon. The new ...

The diet and lifestyle for your blood type

Rhea Claire Madarang — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:18:21 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Eat your fruits and vegetables every day. Go easy on the meat. This is advice you know you should follow if you want to stay healthy.

But naturopathic doctor Elmie Ragas says there is a way to make this health advice work better for you –eat and adopt ...

Why no UNA sweep in Erap-Binay provinces

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:02:27 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – “We will definitely not lose by 12-0” were the words of Vice President Jejomar Binay weeks before the May 13 polls.

While he was proven right, Binay’s forecast of having at least 4 senators from his United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) did not come true.

In explaining his forecast, Binay ...

#TalkThursday with Mujiv Hataman

Rappler.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:51:35 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - On May 17, the ARMM Regional Board of Canvassers proclaimed Hataman governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Garnering a total of 446,227 votes, Hataman beats his closest rival Pax Mangudadatu by over 200,000 votes in the region's first synchronized elections with the rest of the ...

VIDEO: Ms PH Earth 2013 coronation

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:46:46 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Last May 19, another Filipina joined the ranks of newly-crowned beauty queens. Angelee Claudett delos Reyes of Olongapo City was hailed Miss Philippines Earth 2013 and received the crown from last year's winner, Stephany Stefanowitz.

Relive the moment through this video:

- Rappler.com

PH becomes a candidate for EITI

Aya Lowe — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:31:59 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has become a candidate for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) , a seal of global approval that payments and receipts involving extractive industries — mainly mining – are properly disclosed.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, May 22, Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Palace was informed by ...

When RH law is thicker than blood

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:11:09 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - A niece of an anti-reproductive health law legislator has asked the Supreme Court to dismiss petitions questioning the constitutionality of the controversial measure.

Lawyer Joan de Venecia, niece of re-elected Pangasinan Rep. Gina de Venecia, filed a motion for intervention at the SC on May 20 ...

What's your #EpicWeekend?

Rappler.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:06:38 +0000

It is halfway through the week, and you're dreaming of the weekend. Some weekends fly by fast; some of them uneventful, and others incredibly memorable.

It's the end of the summer season. The rain's starting: some bemoan the end of their days of carefree partying, others celebrate the soothing ...

More Pinoys in Saudi to be deported

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:02:43 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) disclosed on Wednesday, May 22, that the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has endorsed 14 more household service workers to the Saudi Social Administration for deportation.

DFA Spokesman Raul Hernandez said the numbers have brought down to 38 Filipino campers staying ...

Iran bars Rafsanjani from presidential bid

Mohammad Davari, Agence France-Presse — Wed, 22 May 2013 07:18:20 +0000

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran said Tuesday, May 21, the moderate ex-president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was among those barred from standing in next month's presidential election, provoking a sharp reaction from Washington.

Rafsanjani and a controversial aide of incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been ruled unsuitable, the interior ministry said.

The Guardians Council, a ...

DepEd OKs tuition hike in 260 NCR schools

Jee Geronimo — Wed, 22 May 2013 07:03:05 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) has allowed 260 private schools in the National Capital Region (NCR) to raise their tuition in time for the opening of most private schools on June 10.

DepEd-NCR Director Luz Almeda said that out of the 2,118 private pre-elementary, elementary, and secondary schools ...

CF cards may have been corrupted – Brillantes

Reynaldo Santos Jr. — Wed, 22 May 2013 06:59:57 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – The compact flash (CF) cards used in the May polls may have been deliberately corrupted precisely to delay the transmission of results and open the window to manipulate the data, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. told reporters on Tuesday, May 21, ...

LIST: Winners in the House of Representatives

Rappler.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 06:54:55 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - At least 109 members of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) won seats in the House of Representatives. Party stalwart Budget Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad said their numbers could grow as he expects some "independent" candidates to join them.

Here's the list of elected members of the House of ...

Taiwan offers free WiFi to tourists

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:28:57 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Tourists seeing the sights of Taiwan will have a lot more to enjoy during their downtime as they can now use free WiFi connectivity virtually anywhere in Taiwan.

Announced by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, the Taiwan government and local government agencies have prepared about 4,400 "iTaiwan" WiFi hotspots . These hotspots, the announcement ...

It's a boy! Baby born in LRT train

Rappler.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 06:28:28 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - It doesn't happen everyday.

A baby boy was born inside a moving train of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 on Wednesday, May 22.

Expectant mother Darlyn Edio, 33, boarded the northbound LRT-1 train at the Baclaran station early Wednesday, along with her companion William Bilon.

She soon felt ...

May 20 Oklahoma tornado a rarity - experts

Agence France-Presse — Wed, 22 May 2013 06:11:06 +0000

PARIS, France - Tornados, among the most violent of atmospheric storms, rarely reach the size and brutality of the twister that swept through an Oklahoma City suburb on Monday, May 20, experts say.

And seldom do they hit built-up areas.

"Typically, they could be about 100 meters (110 yards) across, and they ...

Lakas to remain in minority bloc

Angela Casauay — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:59:23 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) will challenge the Liberal Party for the leadership of the House of Representatives in the 16th Congress, incumbent House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez said Wednesday, May 22.

Leyte Rep Martin Romualdez, president of Lakas-CMD and House Deputy ...

Beyond the polls

Jose Solomon Cortez — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:50:23 +0000

So your candidate/s didn’t win, and the ones you didn’t want to, did. Now what? I offer a simple suggestion – roll up your sleeves and dig in! We have to keep on pushing with the drive to level the playing field for this and other coming elections.