LONDON, United Kingdom – British newspaper The Independent will become digital only, and its last print edition will come out on March 26, owners ESI Media said in a statement on Friday, February 12.

ESI Media said it was also selling off the "i" – a cut-price sister title – to fund the website of The Independent.

"The newspaper industry is changing and that change is being driven by readers. They're showing us that the future is digital," said Evgeny Lebedev, the Russian-born British owner of The Independent, which was established in 1986.

"This decision preserves the Independent brand and allows us to continue to invest in the high-quality editorial content that is attracting more and more readers on our online platforms," he said.

Like many newspapers, The Independent has struggled with falling readership numbers. 

It has a total circulation of around 60,000, according to the latest figures, making it Britain's least-read national paper. 

ESI Media, which also owns TV station London Live and the British capital's Evening Standard daily, said it would be "the first national newspaper to embrace a global, digital-only future".

The company said it would launch a subscription mobile app and open new bureaux in Europe, the Middle East and Asia as well as expanding in the United States.

"The Independent's last paper edition is expected to be on Saturday March 26 and the last Independent on Sunday is expected to be on March 20," it said.

It added that "i" would be sold to publishers Johnston Press, subject to shareholder approval.

"A significant number of employees are expected to move across to Johnston Press," it said, warning that there would be "some redundancies". – Rappler.com

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The use of scratch cards as a form of raising campaign funds for the Duterte-Cayetano team has been put on hold due to legal requirements for donors, media bureau head Peter Laviña said on Thursday, February 11.

On his Facebook post, Laviña said scratch cards are legal as these "do not fall under prohibited forms of fund-raising".

Duterte's campaign manager, Leoncio Evasco Jr, told Rappler they decided to stop the production of the cards "in the meantime" after learning about the many regulations required by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

"According to our lawyers in consultation with the Comelec, the scratch cards are legal, but it would be impossible for us to use it due to the reportorial requirements where donors must each execute and sign a notarized Report of Contribution... (which) must be filed 30 days after the election either by the donor or the candidate or political party," Laviña said.

"For giving P25 you need to go to a lawyer and have him/her notarize a form stating your contribution," he added.

Lavina expressed disgust over such rules as there are just meant for very few big donors and does not consider mass donations like piso-piso or the scratch cards.

Laviña said the Comelec rules are "truly unfortunate because trapos (traditional politicians) can freely receive illicit funds from drug lords while legitimate donations from Maria and Pedro (common Filipinos) have to go through the rigors of a bureaucratic maze."

Not junked

Daisy Encabo, part of Duterte's campaign team in charge of the cards, emphasized that though production has been stopped temporarily, the project has not yet been junked completely. (READ more from Sun.Star Davao)

"We need to adjust but not stop. Currently, we are meeting to find creative ways [of] how to go about [the] compliance matter," she told Rappler Friday, February 12.

Laviña said that the supposedly stifling rules should give voters another reason to really push for Duterte’s candidacy.

Evasco told Sun.Star Davao on Wednesday that soon after the scratch cards were launched, they decided to call off distribution, pending legal opinion from their lawyers.

Evasco said that they sent the legal panel to study whether it or not the cards go against any provisions of the amended Omnibus Election Code.

The cards are the size of a regular cellular phone load card and come in denominations of P25, P50, P500, P100, P100,000, and P500,000.

The back of the card contains a PIN number, visible when the cover is scratched, much like a cellcard. To register the contribution you text: DDS PIN Surname First Name Address and send to 0932-292-2022 (Sun), 0975-7812520 (Globe) or 0928-375-9129 (Smart).

The funds supposedly collected from these scratch cards will be remitted to the campaign finance headquarters. Through the SMS, a database of supporters is also generated. The data base will show the name, address, and phone number of the donor.

Section 97 of the Omnibus Election Code says prohibited forms of fund-raising are: holding of dances, lotteries, cockfights, games, boxing bouts, bingo, beauty contests, entertainment, or cinematographic, theatrical or other performances.

Based on Sections 68, 97, 262, and 264 of the OEC, violation of Section 97 is an election offense punishable by 1 to 6 years of imprisonment, disqualification to hold public office and the exercise of the right of suffrage. Candidates involved can be disqualified from running in the elections.

Election contributions from the following are also prohibited (OEC Sections 81, 95, 96): Public or private financial institutions, but loans in the ordinary course of business are allowed; Individuals or corporations operating a public utility or in possession of or exploiting any natural resources of the nation; Individuals or corporations who hold contracts or sub-contracts to supply the government with goods or services or to perform construction or other works; Individuals or corporations who have been granted franchises, or similar privileges or concessions by the government; Individuals or corporations who, within one year prior to the date of the election, have been granted loans in excess of P100,000 by the government; Educational institutions which have received grants of public funds amounting to no less than P100,000; Officials or employees in the Civil Service, or members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; and Foreigners and foreign corporations. – Rappler.com

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Pakistan's TV regulator on Friday, February 12,  censured a leading news channel for airing "hate speech" against Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and her family, warning that accusations of blasphemy could endanger lives.

Malala, who moved to England after being shot in the head by the Taliban, is both admired and hated in her native Pakistan where some conservatives view her as a Western agent on a mission to shame her country.

In its ruling, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said that a program aired by the 24-hour ARY news channel on February 7 used "indecent and uncivilized" language to describe the 18-year-old, branding her "a traitor, a blasphemer of Allah and the Prophet (Mohammad)".

"The host and guests used such words about Malala Yousafzai and her family that undoubtedly fall under hate speech and use of such words are strictly banned under the law and constitution," it said.

"Issuing certificates of treason and infidelity and declaring someone the enemy of the country or an enemy of Islam is not the job of TV anchors or the participants of a TV program," it added.

"They are broadcasting such material which could endanger someone's life."

Malala was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 along with with India's Kailash Satyarthi, a fellow education activist.

Hardline Islamists continue to revile the teen, who was shot in the head by Taliban insurgents in 2012 after she spoke out against them for opposing girls' education.

However, there has also been an outpouring of invective from Pakistan's middle classes, who may be keen to educate their daughters but who object to airing the country's problems abroad.

The hatred towards her stems partly from religious conservatism and opposition to female empowerment, but also taps into scepticism towards a decade-long fight against militants which many Pakistanis regard as being imposed by United States. – Rappler.com

BERLIN, Germany – Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydło said Friday, February 12, a proposed deal to keep Britain in the European Union was "mostly acceptable" to Warsaw but stressed that Polish workers in the UK should not lose out. 

The proposals are "mostly acceptable," she said, after talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but she added that "what is particularly important for us is that... everything must be done to ensure that Poles who are working in Britain are also respected and given guarantees."

Merkel added that both leaders agreed that "we will do all we can to keep Britain in the EU while respecting fundamental principles of the EU like free movement of people."

Over a million Poles live and work in Britain, and Warsaw had said it would not accept any plan that discriminates against their citizens in the UK.

But following a draft agreement unveiled early this month by EU president Donald Tusk – a former Polish premier – Warsaw has signalled that it was largely on board.

The proposals include a 4-year "emergency brake" limiting welfare payments to migrants, as well as a "red card" system for national parliaments to overrule draft EU laws.

British Prime Minister David Cameron wants a reform deal at the February 18-19 summit before holding a referendum over the UK's membership in the EU, probably in June.

He is due to deliver a speech later Friday at the northern German port city of Hamburg, where Merkel is also scheduled to speak. – Rappler.com

Vice President Jejomar Binay traces his roots in Bauan, Batangas, the hometown of his late father. 

The United Nationalist Alliance standard-bearer hopes to secure another victory in the vote-rich province, dominated by the ruling Liberal Party. 

Mara Cepeda reports. - Rappler.com

Vice President Jejomar Binay continues his rags-to-riches campaign narrative in Batangas, telling supporters here that his early life of poverty had made him better equipped to address the problem.

On the fourth day of the campaign, Binay and other United Nationalist Alliance bets and supporters go to Nasugbu, Balayan, Calaca, Lemery, and Bauan, the hometown of the Binay’s father.

JEJOMAR BINAY, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My father is from Bauan, Batangas. It so happened that he got married to someone from Isabela. People sometimes joke, 'Jojo is such a tightwad.' Why? People from Batangas are known for their habit of saving money. Those from Isabela are the same.

Binay explains his platform: pro-poor governance and inclusive growth.

JEJOMAR BINAY, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We can solve poverty; we can get people out of poverty. You are looking at someone who faced that problem

Binay won in this province in the 2010 elections, beating Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Manuel “Mar” Roxas II by over 175,000 votes. Batangas has 1.53 million registered voters for the May 2016 polls.

Repeating his 1010 victory in Batangas, however, may be a challenge for Binay, with 22 out of the 34 mayors in the province administration party members.

Governor Vilma Santos Recto and Vice Governor Jose Antonio Leviste II are also LP members.

Binay’s campaign spokesperson Rico Quicho says this is not cause for concern.

RICO QUICHO, BINAY SPOKESPERSON: You know, this is why we go to every barangay and town because this is not new for Vice President Binay. If they’re saying we barely have political allies here, you saw how many of our countrymen here continue to trust and love Vice President Binay

A lack of partymates in Batangas isn't the only hurdle the man who calls himself Batangueño na Ibanag needs to surpass in the province. 

He also needs to convince people here to vote for him instead of Senator Grace Poe, who leads in  Luzon in the latest Pulse Asia election survey.

Mara Cepeda, Rappler, Batangas

DAMASCUS, Syria (UPDATED) – Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to retake the entire country but warned it could take a "long time," in an exclusive interview with AFP that comes as international pressure grows for a ceasefire.

Speaking at his office in Damascus on Thursday, February 11, Assad said he supported peace talks, but that negotiations do "not mean that we stop fighting terrorism." 

He said a major Russian-backed government offensive under way in the northern province of Aleppo was aimed mainly at severing the opposition's supply route from Turkey.

Assad said he saw a risk that Turkey and Saudi Arabia, key backers of the opposition, would intervene militarily in Syria.

He also addressed the massive flow of refugees from his country, saying it was up to Europe to stop "giving cover to terrorists" so that Syrians could return home.

Assad rejected UN allegations of regime war crimes, describing them as "politicised" and lacking evidence.

With air support from key ally Russia and backing by pro-government fighters, regime troops have nearly encircled Aleppo, Syria's second city. 

Assad said his regime's eventual goal was to retake all of Syria, large swathes of which are under the control of rebel forces or the Islamic State jihadist group.

"Regardless of whether we can do that or not, this is a goal we are seeking to achieve without any hesitation," he said.

"It makes no sense for us to say that we will give up any part," he added.

Assad said it would be possible to "put an end to this problem in less than a year" if opposition supply routes from Turkey, Jordan and Iraq were cut.

But, if not, he said, "the solution will take a long time and will incur a heavy price."

First comments since failed talks

The interview with Assad is the first he has given since the effective collapse of a new round of peace talks in Geneva earlier this month.

The talks are officially "paused" until February 25, and 17 nations agreed early Friday on an ambitious plan intended to bolster efforts for new negotiations.

The plan would see a cessation of hostilities implemented in as little as a week, and also demands humanitarian aid access to all of Syria.

Assad said his government has "fully believed in negotiations and in political action since the beginning of the crisis." 

"However, if we negotiate, it does not mean that we stop fighting terrorism. The two tracks are inevitable in Syria."

The Aleppo offensive has been the main focus of Syrian government troops in recent weeks.

The regime has virtually encircled rebels in eastern parts of Aleppo city after severing their main supply line to the Turkish border.

"The main battle is about cutting the road between Aleppo and Turkey, for Turkey is the main conduit of supplies for the terrorists," Assad said.

The operation has raised fears of a humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands fleeing their homes, and many flocking to the border with Turkey seeking entry.

The displaced could join a wave of more than four million Syrian refugees who have left the country since the conflict began in March 2011.

Last year, many of those refugees began seeking asylum in Europe in a major crisis that has failed to slow throughout the winter.

Assad said the blame for the influx lay at Europe's feet.

"I would like to ask every person who left Syria to come back," he said.

"They would ask 'why should I come back? Has terrorism stopped?'"

Instead, he urged Europe's governments "which have been a direct cause for the emigration of these people, by giving cover to terrorists in the beginning and through sanctions imposed on Syria, to help in making the Syrians return to their country."  – Sammy Ketz and Christian Chaise, AFP/Rappler.com

MUNICH, Germany – Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi vowed on Friday, February 12, to drive the Islamic State (ISIS) group out of his country by the end of the year.

"We intend this year to make it the final year for the existence of Daesh in Iraq," he told an audience at the Munich Security Conference, using the Arabic acronym for ISIS, also called IS and ISIL.

"The area we have liberated so far is more than half of what was occupied by Daesh before. Now we have almost all governorates liberated from Daesh apart from Nineveh and part of al-Anbar."

Abadi said there had been major improvements to the quality of the Iraqi army since the early days of the ISIS advance in 2014, when many troops abandoned their equipment and fled battles against the jihadists.

He also touted progress in winning the trust of Sunni populations that felt discriminated against by the Shia-dominated government.

"The population of al-Anbar are welcoming our security forces, they are fighting alongside our military in liberating their areas. The population who were under the control of Daesh are moving to areas controlled by Iraqi security forces because they feel safer," Abadi said.

"This is a huge departure from two years ago when the populations in these areas did not want Iraqi security forces to be there." – Rappler.com

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Pakistan president Mamnoon Hussain has urged the nation to refrain from celebrating Valentine's Day, while other officials blasted it as "vulgar and indecent" as they moved to outlaw festivities. 

The president made the remarks to a crowd of students on Friday, February 12, saying the day – traditionally celebrated in the West by lovers – had no place in the Muslim-majority nation. 

"Valentine's Day has no connection with our culture and it should be avoided," the president told students at a gathering held to honour one of the country's heroes of independence. 

Hussain urged the young people to focus on their studies instead.

In Peshawar, the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, members of the district assembly on Friday, February 12, unanimously passed a resolution to ban Valentine's Day celebrations.

"A particular segment of our society wants to impose Western values and culture on our youth by celebrating Valentine's Day," said the resolution, which was presented by a member of Jamaat-e-Islami, one of the largest Islamist parties in Pakistan.

"There is no place in our culture and in our civilisation for such an unnecessary and rude day, which aims to spread vulgarity and indecency amongst the youth," it said.

Authorities in the conservative northwestern Kohat district also instructed police to halt any celebrations of Valentine's Day. 

Despite the ban, an AFP reporter in Peshawar witnessed shops openly selling red balloons, toys and chocolates.

A conservative Urdu language newspaper ran an industry-funded advertisement which called the day "a festival of obscenity". 

"Just ponder...tomorrow our children will start celebrating Diwali of Hindus, Christmas of Christians and who knows what other un-Islamic festivals so let's kick out this festival of obscenity from our lives for the sake of Allah," the last lines of the advertisement said. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The remains of 13 Filipinos who died in a hotel fire in Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq arrived home on Saturday, February 13.

The flight carrying their remains landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Manila at around 6 pm, reported radio dzBB.

The overseas Filipino workers were employees of the 4-star Capitol Hotel, which caught fire on February 5 due to an electrical problem, based on an initial investigation.

The victims, all females, suffocated as they were trying to escape from the blaze.

All remains will be received by their next of kin, said Undersecretary Manolo Quezon III, head of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office, quoting the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“In a sense, habang lahat tayo nagluluksa dahil sa kaganapan na ito (while we are all grieving because of what happened), at least there is some closure happening to the families at they will be reunited with their loved ones,” Quezon said in an interview on radio dzRB.

The remains of 6 of the victims will be brought to their respective provinces, Quezon added.

He also said the DFA is committed to facilitate the release of benefits and extend assistance to the bereaved families. – with reports from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com

NAGA, Philippines – “Nakakalungkot (Saddening)” is how Liberal Party (LP) vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo describes modern-day assertions that the Philippines was in its best state under martial law.

“Nakakalungkot kasi hindi naman madali ang pinagdaanan namin. Pag 'yung kasasayan natin ang babalikan, napakaraming buhay 'yung nawala, napakaraming buhay 'yung nasayang. 'Yung karapatang pantao ang na-violate, all in the name of politics,” Robredo told Rappler in an interview on Friday, February 12, in Naga City.  

(It’s sad because what we went through wasn’t easy. If you go back in history, a lot of lives were lost and wasted. Human rights were violated in the name of politics.) 

Robredo was in her hometown for the second leg of the ruling LP’s kick-off for its 2016 campaign for the national elections, alongside party standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II and several members of their senatorial slate.  

Martial law and the subsequent EDSA People Power Revolution that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos are personal issues for Robredo, who joined street demonstrations leading up to the popular revolt. In previous interviews, Robredo said it was the EDSA  Revolution that made her decide to come back home to Naga City after studying in Manila. 

It was in Naga where she met and later married her husband, the late Jesse Robredo. (READ: The 'ordinariness' of Jesse Robredo)

One of Robredo’s rivals for the vice presidency, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr, is the only son of the late dictator. He told media during a sortie in Pangasinan that martial law isn’t even an issue in his campaign. (READ: Marcos: We don't talk about EDSA People Power Revolution in my campaign)

It was the media and his political rivals, he said, who keep bringing it up. 

That isn’t the case for Roxas, who makes it a point to cite the tumultuous years of the country under martial law in sorties and events around the country. The Philippines was under martial rule for almost 3 decades. During those years, billions were allegedly stolen from the country’s coffers while thousands fell victim to abuse and enforced disappearances allegedly sanctioned by the dictator.  

“Siguro sa mga biktima ng martial law, hindi ito issue lang sa media. Sila ay personal na nasaktan. At napakarami ng ating mga kababayan, kahit pisikal hindi sila nasaktan sa martial law ay ilang taon ang nawala sa atin,” Roxas told reporters on the sidelines of a stop to Ligao, Albay, on Saturday, February 13. 

(For the victims of martial law, it’s not just an issue raised by the media. They were hurt. A lot of our countrymen might not have been hurt physically during martial law but a lot of years were stolen from us.)  

Never again

Roxas and Robredo’s core campaign promise is to continue the so-called reforms of “Daang Matuwid (Straight Path),” the tagline of  President Benigno Aquino III’s anti-corruption, transparency, and good governance platform.  

Aquino’s father, the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr, was among the many politicians jailed by Marcos during his reign. The older Aquino lived in exile in the United States with his family but was killed upon his return to the country. The EDSA Revolution eventually ousted the older Marcos, installing Aquino’s mother, the late Cory Aquino, in power. 

Thirty years after the bloodless revolution in Manila, public sentiment on the martial law years have seemingly changed, at least on social media. (READ: #NeverAgain: Martial law stories young people have to hear)

“Nalulungkot ako pag nakikita ko sa social media na may mga nagpopost na portraying the martial law years as the best years in our country's history. Lahat madidisprove ng facts and figures yung mga kineclaim ngayon pero for some reason, maraming naniniwala na mas mabuti pa yung nangyari under a dictatorship,” added Robredo.  

(I feel sad when I see social media posts protraying the martial law years as the best in our country’s history. All these will be disproven by facts and figures but for some reason, a lot of people believe that it’s better to be under a dictatorship.) 

Robredo, who trails behind survey front runner Senator Francis Escudero and Marcos in the latest voter preference surveys, said she has nothing against those who think differently from her.

“Ayoko naman na sabihin na masama, lalo na kung katunggali ko. Pero yung sa akin lang, yung mas factual lang sana (I don’t want to say martial law was bad especially because I’m running against a Marcos, but let’s be more factual),” she added. 

The country is set to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the People Power Revolution later this month. 

“Hindi naman sa jinujudge natin yung mga tao (It’s not that I judge people) who think otherwise but I think it is just fair to the Filipino people na malaman kung ano ang tunay na pinagdaanan (to know what really happened),” she said. (READ: Help youth understand why 'never again' to martial law – Malacañang) – Rappler.com

MUNICH, Germany – The world has plunged into a "new Cold War", the Russian premier said on Saturday, February 13, as East-West tensions over Ukraine and Syria took center-stage at a gathering of world leaders in Germany.

"We have slid into a new period of Cold War," Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told the audience at the Munich Security Conference.

"Almost every day we are accused of making new horrible threats either against NATO as a whole, against Europe or against the US or other countries," Medvedev added.

It did not take long for those accusations to resurface in Munich, as a group of leaders from eastern Europe took the stage to criticize Russia's assertive foreign policy. 

"Every single day, Russian troops, Russian weapons, Russian ammunition penetrate into my country," said Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko. 

He addressed Russia's president, who was not present, saying: "Mr Putin, this is not a civil war in Ukraine, this is your aggression. This is not a civil war in Crimea, this is your soldiers who occupied my country. This is not a civil war in Syria, this is your planes bombing the civilian population."

Poroshenko warned that "pro-Russian parties" were undermining Europe from within with an alternative set of values. 

"Isolationism, intolerance, disrespect of human rights, religious fanatics, homophobia – this alternative Europe has a leader. His name is Mr Putin."

By contrast, Medvedev had earlier criticized the expansion of NATO and EU influence deep into formerly Soviet-ruled eastern Europe, which Russia still sees as its sphere of influence.

"European politicians thought that creating a so-called belt of friends at Europe's side, on the outskirts of the EU, could be a guarantee of security, and what's the result?" he said. "Not a belt of friends but a belt of exclusion."

But Medvedev also struck a more positive note, saying: "Our positions differ, but they do not differ as much as 40 years ago when a wall was standing in Europe."

He urged more dialogue, citing the "shining example" of the historic meeting of Pope Francis and Russian Patriarch Kirill in Cuba on Friday.

He also called for greater military cooperation in Syria, where Russia is backing a regime that the West wants to see removed from power.

The US and Russian militaries "should be in contact 10 times a day," he said.

'Coercion and intimidation' 

NATO general secretary Jens Stoltenberg also addressed the forum, vowing a firm stance against Russia while also boosting dialogue.

"We have seen a more assertive Russia, a Russia which is destabilizing the European security order," he said. "NATO does not seek confrontation and we don't want a new Cold War. At the same time our response has to be firm."

NATO was now "undertaking the biggest reinforcement to our collective defence in decades, to send a powerful signal to deter any aggression or intimidation. Not to wage war, but to prevent war."

Earlier this week, Stoltenberg announced that plans had been approved for an increased NATO presence in eastern Europe – which sources said would involve between 3,000 and 6,000 troops rotating through the region.

"Russia's rhetoric, posture and exercises of its nuclear forces are aimed at intimidating its neighbours, undermining trust and stability in Europe," Stoltenberg said in Munich.

The NATO chief said that "some are concerned that we are sleepwalking toward escalation with Russia... I understand those concerns but I do not share them."

He urged a "more constructive and more cooperative relationship with Russia... I strongly believe that the answer lies with both more defence and more dialogue." – Frank Zeller and Eric Randolph, AFP/Rappler.com

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) holds mock elections on Saturday, February 13, to prepare for the May 9 national and local elections. For the first time, many voters try to vote in malls aside from the usual schools.

Paterno Esmaquel reports.

Ilang buwan bago mag-eleksyon, ginawa ng Comelec ang mock elections sa dalawampung lugar sa Pilipinas. Kasama sa mga lugar na ito ang mga mall kagaya nito.

(A few months before the elections, the Comelec held mock elections in 20 areas across the Philippines. These places included malls like this.)

Ginawa rin ang mock elections siyempre sa mga eskwelahan. Binisita ito ni Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista. Isa sa mga napansin niya: Napatagal sa pagboto ang unang botante sa Baseco.

(Mock elections of course were held also in schools. Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista visited these places. One of the things he noticed: The first voter in Baseco took a long time to vote.)

Eleven minutes bumoto si Lawrence Panis. Sabi ni Bautista, dapat daw sana two to three minutes lang. Kailangan daw mag-isip pa ng paraan ang Comelec para pabilisin ang proseso.

(Lawrence Panis spent 11 minutes to vote. Bautista said it should have been only two to three minutes. He said the Comelec should think of ways to speed up the process.)

ANDRES BAUTISTA, COMELEC CHAIRMAN: Ang ayaw nating mangyari is masyadong humaba ‘yung pila e, kasi nauubusan din ng pasensya ‘yung ibang botante kung kaya’t hindi sila bumoboto. Ngayong mock elections, may mga bumoto rin sa mall.

(What we want to avoid is for the lines to get too long, because the voters lose their patience, and that’s why they don’t vote. During these mock elections, some people also voted in malls.)

ROLY LIGTAS, VOTER: Mas convenient dito, aircon, kasi doon malayo, mga 2 kilometers away from this barangay

(This is more convenient, airconditioned, because the other one is far, around 2 kilometers away from this barangay.)

Bukod sa mga botante, bumisita rin sa mall si dating Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes. Pinuri niya ang mga ginagamit na makina, pati na si Bautista. Noong isang araw kasi, inamin ng Comelec na may konting sira ang mga makina. Sabi ni Brillantes, buti raw at hindi sinungaling ang Comelec.

(Aside from voters, former Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes also visited the mall. He praised the vote-counting machines as well as Bautista. The other day, the Comelec admitted glitches in the machines. Brillantes said it’s good that the Comelec is not lying.)

SIXTO BRILLANTES JR, FORMER COMELEC CHAIRMAN: They are more transparent than we were in 2013. And it’s a good thing, what they’re doing now. That’s my regret - I should have been transparent also in 2013

BAUTISTA: E di wow. Salamat, chairman.

(Oh wow. Thank you, chairman.)

Sa mga susunod na raw, magbibigay ng update ang Comelec tungkol sa itinakbo ng mock elections. Pero hindi raw nila inaasahang perpekto ito. Gusto raw nilang alamin kung ano pa ang dapat baguhin.

(In the next few days, the Comelec is set to give more updates on the mock elections. But the Comelec doesn’t expect it to be perfect. Instead they want to know the things they need to change.)

Paterno Esmaquel, Rappler, Manila. – Rappler.com

BANGKOK, Thailand – Thai university students lampooned the military at a football game on Saturday, February 13, in a rare act of open defiance against the junta, which has strangled political expression since seizing power 2 years ago.

In a colorful parade around the Bangkok stadium where crowds gathered to watch a match between two of kingdom's top universities, students brought out elaborate hand-made floats and banners mourning prolonged military rule. 

The parade is a long-running tradition at the annual game between rival universities Thammasat and Chulalongkorn and is often provocative and political.

But the show has taken on new significance in the past two years as a rare chance to speak out under the military junta that outlawed all political activities in Thailand after toppling an elected government in May 2014. 

"What is the reason we have soldiers [in power]? No one dares to ask," read one banner marched around the arena by students before the game.

Coup leader turned Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-cha says he was forced to take power to restore order after months of mass street protests. 

But critics have questioned his intentions in response to his sliding timeline for fresh elections. (READ: Thai junta chief vows 2017 elections even if charter rejected)

Police allowed Saturday's parade to go forward despite a ban on political gatherings, but officers did detain a student activist leader who attended the game and had a standing arrest warrant for a previous protest against military corruption.  

Police also ordered students to adjust one parade float by sawing off part of a paper mache gun to make it look "less real," students told Agence France-Presse (AFP). 

The float took a shot at the military-appointed drafters who are penning a new constitution to replace the charter torn up after the coup. 

It featured a larger-than-life effigy of the drafting committee chairman alongside a gun pointed at a bloody puppet.

"It represents that a constitution that comes from the army will destroy the rights of the people," said a student who helped make the float and requested anonymity.

The proposed charter is scheduled to go up for a public referendum in July, but has already been slammed by critics as anti-democratic. (READ: Critics warn new draft charter will deepen Thai crisis)

Thailand has seen 19 constitutions come and go since absolute monarchy was abolished in 1932, with a string of military coups putting the pin in attempts at full-fledged democracy. 

The host of this year's football match, Thammasat University, was founded in 1934 by Thailand's foremost democracy figure Pridi Banomyong and holds a hallowed place in the hearts of the kingdom's pro-democracy movement.

For decades, it incubated student activism and debate against the military and elite stranglehold on the country.

It was also the site of bloody crackdowns on student protesters by arch-royalists and security forces in the 1970s.

Since the 2014 military power grab, Thammasat students have been at the forefront of the small but creative anti-coup protests that have taken place. – Rappler.com

ONZAIN, France – When they were born premature in 1912, doctors gave Paulette and Simone the slimmest chance of survival. But 104 years later, the French twins say there's a simple secret to their longevity: sticking together.

With their long white hair tied back in ponytails and gold spectacles perched on their noses, Paulette Olivier and Simone Thiot are happy to pose for the camera at their retirement home in Onzain, central France.

"This will be fun!" they say in chorus.

There is no official confirmation that Paulette and Simone are the oldest twins in France, but they appear to be the likely holders of the title.

"We're being very spoiled," one of them says as they show off the flowers given by the local council and fellow retirement home residents to mark their 104th birthday.

Paulette and Simone were born in the central village of Limeray at 11:00 am on January 30, 1912, to Marie Lamolie, a dressmaker, and her husband Joseph, a carpenter.

Their entry to the world did not bode well.

"We were premature," says Simone, who can still get around these days without the help of a Zimmer frame.

"We were due in March but we were born in January. They gave us a very small chance of surviving. I didn't even weigh a kilo. And you, just three pounds," she says to her sister.

"They had to keep us wrapped up for 4 months."

Paulette, widowed at 36, worked as a hairdresser for 15 years in Algeria, then in Paris.

Simone, a dressmaker like her mother, lost her husband when she was 64.

Neither had any children.

The twins, whose only brother died in accident at the age of 99, insist it's their lasting friendship that has kept them going all this time.

"We are still alive because we have always stayed close," says one. "We keep our independence – each of us has her own room – but we only need to cross the corridor to see and talk to each other.

"We pity old people who are alone with no one to visit them."

Paulette and Simone spend their time keeping up with current affairs, reading, watching television and listening to music.

Simone also regularly writes poems which she keeps in a notebook. 

Any other tips for a long life? "A simple life – no excess. No alcohol. And lots of sport.

"We did gymnastics for a long time, and a huge amount of cycling – almost every day." – Rappler.com

ISTANBUL, Turkey – Turkey and Saudi Arabia could launch a ground operation against Islamic State jihadists in Syria, the Turkish foreign minister said on Saturday, February 13, adding the kingdom was already sending jets to a Turkish base to attack the extremists.

The coordinated plans by Riyadh and Ankara, who are pursuing an increasingly tight alliance, add a new element to the explosive situation in Syria where Russia has been backing a successful regime offensive against rebels.

"If there is a strategy (against ISIS) then Turkey and Saudi Arabia could enter into a ground operation," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was quoted as saying by the Yeni Safak and Haberturk newspapers after taking part in the Munich Security Conference.

"Some say 'Turkey is reluctant to take part in the fight against Daesh (ISIS)'. But it is Turkey that is making the most concrete proposals," he said. 

Cavusoglu added that Saudi Arabia is also sending planes to the Turkish base of Incirlik, a key hub for US-led coalition operations against ISIS, already used by Britain, France and the United States carrying for cross-border air raids.

"They (Saudi officials) came, did a reconnaissance of the base. At the moment it is not clear how many planes will come," Cavusoglu said.

'Saudi could send troops'

Asked if Saudi Arabia could send troops to the Turkish border to enter Syria, Cavusoglu said: "This is something that could be desired but there is no plan. Saudi Arabia is sending planes and they said 'If the necessary time comes for a ground operation then we could send soldiers'."

His comments come after Assad defiantly told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in an exclusive interview published on Friday that he would recapture the whole of Syria and keep "fighting terrorism."

Assad also said he "doesn't rule out" that Turkey and Saudi Arabia would intervene militarily in Syria but said that his armed forces "will certainly confront it".

Saudi Arabia had already said earlier this month that it was ready to join any ground operation against ISIS. But this is the first time a top Turkish official has publicly raised the prospect, long the subject of speculation, of a joint ground incursion with the kingdom.

Turkey's relations with fellow mainly Sunni Muslim power Saudi Arabia have warmed considerably in recent months. Ties had been damaged by Saudi's role in the 2013 ousting of Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, a close ally of Ankara.

Saudi Arabia and Turkey both see the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as essential for ending Syria's 5-year civil war and are bitterly critical of Iran and Russia's support of the Syrian regime.

Turkey and Saudi back rebels who are seeking to oust Assad and both fear the West is losing its appetite to topple Assad on the assumption he is "the lesser of two evils" compared to the ISIS jihadists.

Both are outraged by the Russian military intervention in Syria, which analysts believe has given Assad a new lease of life and has also deeply alarmed the West.

'New Cold War'

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Saturday that strains between Russia and the West over the Syria and Ukraine crises have plunged the world into a "new Cold War."

"Almost every day we are accused of making new horrible threats either against NATO as a whole, against Europe or against the US or other countries," Medvedev said in Munich.

Speaking in Munich, US Secretary of State John Kerry complained that the vast majority of Russia's attacks in Syria were against "legitimate opposition groups" rather than ISIS jihadists.

"We think it is critical that Russia's targeting change," he said.

Russia also dispatched a new patrol ship armed with cruise missiles to the Mediterranean, with reports saying it was bound for Syria.  

With violence still raging on the ground, an ambush by Syrian rebels on pro-regime forces near Damascus this week killed 76 fighters, a monitor said Saturday.

World powers on Friday announced an ambitious plan to stop fighting in Syria within a week, but doubts have emerged over its viability, especially because it did not include ISIS or Al-Qaeda's local branch.

The 17-nation International Syria Support Group, which includes Turkey and Saudi Arabia, also agreed that "sustained delivery" of humanitarian aid would begin "immediately." – Stuart Williams, AFP/Rappler.com

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (4th UPDATE) – Pope Francis called on Mexico's leaders on Saturday, February 13, to provide "true justice" and security to citizens hit by drug violence, as he addressed a National Palace packed with politicians.

With President Enrique Pena Nieto by his side, Francis invoked the country's struggles against corruption and crime, one day after arriving on a 5-day, cross-country tour of Mexico.

The pope told the assembled lawmakers and government officials that social, cultural and political leaders have a duty to help citizens "have real access to the material and spiritual goods which are indispensable: adequate housing, dignified employment, food, true justice, effective security, a healthy and peaceful environment."

"Experience teaches us that each time we seek the path of privileges or benefits for a few to the detriment of the good of all ... society becomes a fertile soil for corruption, drug trade, exclusion of different cultures, violence and also human trafficking, kidnapping and death, bringing suffering and slowing down development," he said.

It was the kind of message that many ordinary Mexicans, fed up with a decade of drug violence that has left more than 100,000 dead of missing, were hoping for.

Mexico was reminded of its troubles on the eve of the pope's arrival, when 49 inmates were killed in a prison brawl between rival groups in the north of the country.

Thousands of Catholic faithful who stood outside the National Palace in the historic Zocalo square broke into cheers at the Argentine pontiff's words.

"Bravo! How great that he tells the government the truth," one woman shouted.

"The pope put the government to shame with everything that he said. Let's see if Pena Nieto does the right thing," said Ramiro Sosa, a 56-year-old shopkeeper from the crime-ridden eastern state of Veracruz.

First pope in palace

Pena Nieto gave Pope Francis a red-carpet welcome at the ornate palace, a symbolic location as it is the seat of governments that were militantly secular throughout the 20th century.

Previous visiting popes, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, were not invited to the palace, which features a mural of Mexico's history by communist painter Diego Rivera.

While Mexico is the world's second most populous Catholic country after Brazil, diplomatic relations with the Vatican were only restored in 1992.

"It's the first time that a pontiff is greeted at this historic place. This reflects the good relation between the Holy See and Mexico," Pena Nieto said.

"Your visit transcends the meeting between two states. It is a meeting between a nation and its faith. Your holiness, Mexico loves Pope Francis for his modesty, his kindness and his warmth."

The palace meeting "offers a study in contrasts" between a popular pope and "an unpopular head of state who faces one setback after another," said Andrew Chesnut, religion professor at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Thousands thronged the streets of Mexico City to wave at the Argentine-born pontiff again after a jubilant welcome late Friday.

"He's our spiritual guide and we hope that he supports us in this difficult moment for our country," said Magdalena Caballero, a 50-year-old government worker whose nephew was kidnapped a few weeks ago. "His presence fills us with hope."

Hours before his arrival, Pope Francis took care of another, much older rift by holding a historic meeting with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, in Cuba in a bid to end a 1,000-year-old Christian rift.

Virgin of Guadalupe

After his meeting with Pena Nieto, the pope will make a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a major Catholic shrine.

The basilica houses the image of a dark-skinned Virgin Mary that Catholics believe miraculously became imprinted on a piece of fabric after she appeared before an indigenous peasant in 1531.

"The pope's encounter with Guadalupe will be monumental – he's strongly Marian and she's not only Queen of Mexico but Empress of the Americas," Chesnut said.

The pope has asked for time alone to pray quietly in front of the image after the mass.

The following days will take the pope to some of Mexico's notoriously poor and violent regions.

"The Mexico of violence, corruption, drug cartels: That's not the Mexico that Our Mother loves," he said days before his visit, referring to the Virgin. "I don't want to cover up any of that."

Cross-country trip

The pope has chosen to visit regions affected by many of these problems.

On Sunday, he will lead a massive outdoor mass in Ecatepec, one of the many Mexico City suburbs hit by crime and an epidemic of murders against women.

The next day, he travels to Chiapas, the poorest state in the country, where he will preside over a mass that will be conducted in 3 indigenous languages and approve a decree allowing native languages at Churches.

On Tuesday, Francis goes to Morelia, the capital of the western state of Michoacan, were farmers formed vigilante forces in 2013 to combat the cult-like Knights Templar drug cartel.

He will cap his trip on Wednesday in Ciudad Juarez, the former murder capital of the world across the border from Texas.

There, he will lead hundreds of thousands in a cross-border mass, with the parents of the 43 missing students expected to be in the crowd. – Jennifer Gonzalez Covarrubias, Yemeli Ortega, and Carola Solé, AFP/Rappler.com

ALBAY, Philippines – The ruling Liberal Party (LP) visited the province of Albay on Saturday, February 13, as part of its week-long send-off for its candidates in the 2016 national elections. 

Standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II, running mate Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo, and several senatorial candidates visited the towns of Tabaco and Ligao for quick sorties, culminating in a grand kick-off at the Albay Astrodome in Legazpi City.  

The Albay visit is part of the “Daang Matuwid (Straight Path)” coalition’s Luzon leg. It formally launched its 2016 campaign in Capiz, the home province of Roxas, on February 9, the start of the official campaign period. 

Another kick off was held on Friday, February 12, in Naga City, the hometown of Robredo. Her husband, the late Jesse Robredo, was mayor of the city for nearly two decades.  

Albay is home to more than 740,000 voters while Camarines Sur has more than one million registered voters for the 2016 elections. Bicol region, where the provinces belong to, is home to more than 5 million registered voters. 

When he ran for vice president in 2010, Roxas won by a close margin over rival Jejomar Binay – Roxas got over 244,000 votes while Binay bagged over 222,000 votes. 

Speaking in Tabaco, Ligao, and Legazpi, Robredo asked for her fellow Bicolanos' help in both her and Roxas’ campaigns. 

– Rappler.com

MUNICH, Germany – The mass influx of refugees and other migrants into Europe spells a "near existential threat" to the continent, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday, February 13.

"We are facing the gravest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II," he said at the Munich Security Conference, which has been dominated by the Syrian conflict which is driving the mass flight.

"The United States understands the near existential nature of this threat to the politics and fabric of life in Europe," he told the meeting.

Europe has been deeply split by how to handle the mass influx of people fleeing war-torn Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries.

Germany took in 1.1 million refugees last year, while Italy and Greece have been overwhelmed as the main arrival points from the Middle East and Africa.

Sweden and Austria have also taken in large numbers, but many EU members, especially in the east, have been deeply reluctant to open their doors. (READ: EU 'gives Greece 3 months' to strengthen border against migrants)

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Saturday that the view in Paris is "not favorable" to Berlin's call for a permanent quota system to distribute more refugees across the EU, adding that France had already agreed to take in 30,000 refugees.

Kerry said about the refugee influx: "We are not saying, 'This is your problem, not ours'. This is our problem."

"And that is why we are joining now and enforcing a NATO mission to close off a key access route," he said of an alliance naval surveillance mission off Turkey and Greece.

"And we will join you in other ways to stem this tide because of the potential of its damage to the fabric of a united Europe," said Kerry.

He praised German Chancellor Angela Merkel for showing "great courage in helping so many who need so much" and European communities who are taking in those fleeing the violence and "rejecting intolerance and racism" within their societies. – Rappler.com

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The presence of big trees and other obstructions reportedly delayed the transmission process in one barangay of this city while others experienced a quicker vote during the mock elections organized by the Commission in Elections (Comelec) on Saturday, February 13.

"Our goal today is to check the accuracy of the digital count versus the actual votes cast," Cebu City north district election officer Manuel Sarno told reporters before polls opened. 

According to Sarno, the new Smartmatic machines are supposed to be at least 7 times faster than the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines.   

Voters were picked at random in 4 barangays where the precincts were set up.  Polls opened at 7 am and closed at 12 noon.

According to Carlota Orendain of Barangay Mabolo, the process was easy. 

It took her no more than 5 minutes to vote. "Dali ra kaayo ug mas paspas karun kaysa sa una (It's really easy and faster than in previous years)," she said. 

Orendain is among the 15 – out of 100 – voters invited to participate in mock polls in Mabolo, which had the lowest voter turnout.  In Barangay Lusaran, 95 of 100 voted. Barangay Cabutongan Santander, the southernmost municipality in Cebu, reported a turnout of 190 of 200 voters. 

In the Mabolo precinct, only 5 additional ballots were filled out by volunteers and another 5 by members of the media. 

The rest of the blank ballots were manually fed through the machines when polls closed.

'Obstructions' in Cabutongan

Cebu provincial election supervisor Lionel Castellano told reporters in a phone patch interview that they had some issues transmitting votes from barangay Cabutongan in Santander to the Comelec's station at the Cebu provincial capital. 

"We had to bring it to an area where there weren't so many big trees and obstructions blocking the signal," he said in Cebuano. 

This delayed the electronic transmission of votes. Castellano said that they were not able to transmit the votes until around 2:30 pm. 

Mabolo and Lusaran had transmitted the electronic count before 1 pm to Comelec's station at Cebu City Hall.

The Mabolo precinct reported 100% accuracy in the manual count vs the digital count of votes, while the manual count of the Lusaran precinct is ongoing.

The mock election comes after a recent fix of system errors where 1-2% of ballots were rejected. (READ: Comelec holds mock elections after glitches) 

In both Cebu City precincts, only two ballots were rejected due to over-voting or not completely shading the circle beside the name of their candidate.

After all the electronic counts have been submitted, the final results of the mock national elections will be sent to Smartmatic's warehouse in Santa Rosa, Laguna. – Rappler.com 

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Ang mosunod nga mayor sa dakbayan sa Sugbo kay si...Albert Einstein?  

Mo tuo ka ani? 

Nagpakita nga ang mga Sugbuanon seryoso kung mo ingon sila nga gusto nila ug utokan nga mo dala sa ilang dakbayan.

Sa gipahigayong mock election niadtong Sabado, Pebrero 13, gipili sa mga botante sa duha ka lugar sa Dakbayan sa Sugbo ang bantogang physicist nga naila sa iyang pagkakaplag sa theory of relativity, ug uban nga naangkong katumanan.

Sa pag ka bise mayor, gipili sa mga Sugbuanon ang kontrobersiyal nga actor nga si Mel Gibson.

Gibutyag sa opisyal sa Commision on Elections (Comelec) sa Sugbo nga wala sila nigamit ug tinuod nga mga pangan sa kandidato aron wala'y maka impluwensiya sa mga resulta.

Kinsa ang gipili sa mga Sugbuanon nga mamahimo nilang presidente? Ang “biebs” kon si Justin Bieber nakakuha ug 33.7% nga boto. Ikaduha si Selena Gomez (aruy!).

Sa pagka-presidente? Kuhaa ug andama na ang piyano sa Malacañang. Ang soul singer nga si Alicia Keys maoy nakadaog sa boto nga 29.67%. Ikaduha ang High School Musical actor nga si Zak Efron nga nakakuha ug 20.87% nga boto.

Pag-subli: kung ang mga Sugbuanon mao'y pasultihon, aduna sila'y pop star nga presidente, sa pagka-bise presidente usa ka R&B singer, theoretical physicist sa pagka-mayor, ug artista sa pagka-bise mayor? 

Alang nimo? Kinsay gusto nimung modagan sa Sugbo ug sa Pilipinas? 

(The next mayor of Cebu City is... Albert Einstein? 

Apparently, Cebuanos are serious when they say they want someone smart to lead their city. 

In a mock election held on Saturday, February 13, voters in 2 areas of Cebu City elected the renowned physicist famous for the discovery of the theory of relativity, among other achievements. 

For Vice Mayor, Cebuanos choose controversial actor Mel Gibson.

An officer of the Commision on Elections (Comelec) in Cebu said they did not use names of real candidates so that no one would try to influence the results. 

Who did Cebuanos want to be their president? The "biebs" himself, Justin Bieber with 33.7% of the votes. Selena Gomez came in second.

For Vice President? Get the grand piano ready at Malacañang. Soul singer Alicia Keys won with a 29.67% of the votes. Coming in second was High School Musical actor Zak Efron with 20.87% of the votes. 

To recap: If Cebuanos had their way, we'd have a pop star for president, an R&B singer for vice president a theoretical physicist for mayor, and an actor for vice mayor?

How about you? Who would you have run Cebu and the Philippines?) – Rappler.com