BAMAKO, Mali – The United Nations has called for calm in Mali after dozens of people were hurt during  banned opposition protests in Bamako, sparking calls for the prime minister to resign two months ahead of a presidential election.

The opposition said some 30 people were hospitalized – including prominent opposition figure Etienne Fabaka Sissoko who was left "in a coma" – after security forces fired "live ammunition" at protesters on Saturday, June 2.

The government rejected the claims outright.

"It is absolutely false to say that shots were fired using live ammunition," a source close to the security ministry told Agence France-Presse.

Earlier Sunday, June 3, the ministry said the security forces were bound by 3 words – "professionalism, courtesy and firmness" and that the police had acted to maintain public order.

It denounced the protestors for having injured a policeman in the head.

A "transparency" rally outside the party headquarters of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita attracted several hundred people.

Police fired tear gas and beat demonstrators with batons, according to an AFP reporter at the scene. Clashes also took place in other locations.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who visited Mali last week, called late Saturday for "calm and restraint by all parties".

"(He) calls on the Malian government to ensure the protection of fundamental human rights and freedom of expression to peaceful demonstrations, including in the context of the ongoing state of emergency," a UN statement said. 

Mali is one of the so-called "G5 Sahel" states -- along with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania and Niger -- which have launched joint operations against jihadist groups.

Most protests are banned as the nation has lived under a near-constant state of emergency since an attack on a hotel in Bamako in November 2015 left 20 people dead. 

Terrorize the opposition  

"In a dozen places, unarmed protesters were attacked with tear gas and clubs," the office of opposition presidential candidate Soumaila Cisse said in a statement.

"The headquarters of the ADP (Alliance for Democracy and Progress) was attacked by police special forces, who threw grenades. The prime minister's security services fired live ammunition at protesters gathered" in front of the building, the statement charged.

"Three opposition leaders were violently beaten on the head with clubs and batons," it added.

"The intention of the government was clear: to terrorise the opposition and all democratic forces."

The statement also called for "the resignation of the prime minister". 

The demonstrations come ahead of July 29 elections in which Mali President Keita, 73, will face more than a dozen challengers.

The opposition has called for equal access to public radio and television for campaigning.

"The UN secretary-general regrets the government-imposed ban on the demonstrations by opposition parties," the UN said.

"(He) urges political actors and the civil society to favour dialogue in order to maintain an environment conducive to the holding of credible and transparent elections."

Opposition leaders have called for new demonstrations next Friday. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte ended his meeting with the Filipino community in South Korea by kissing an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) on the lips – a move that drew cheers from the audience but disgust from some netizens.

Duterte first called two female OFWs to join him onstage to receive a copy of "Altar of Secrets: Sex, Politics, and Money in the Philippine Catholic Church," a book by the late Aries Rufo, who was a Rappler senior investigative reporter. The President has repeatedly shown a copy of this book to mock the Catholic Church.

Both of the women were visibly happy to meet Duterte, who is in South Korea for a 3-day official visit.

The President bussed one of the OFWs on the cheek, then gestured to the other that he wanted to kiss her on the lips.

He could be heard saying to her: "Dalaga ka? Hindi naman kayo hiwalay? Pero kaya mo sabihin na biro lang ito?" (Are you single? You're not separated from him? But you can tell him that this is just a joke?)

Duterte then kissed the OFW on the lips, and hugged her afterwards, as the crowd screamed and cheered.

Online, however, the response was far from positive. Below are some of the comments on Twitter.

{source}<a class="twitter-timeline" data-width="100%" data-height="1500" data-partner="tweetdeck" data-link-color="#E95F28" href="https://twitter.com/rapplerdotcom/timelines/1003259053701644288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">Duterte kisses an OFW - Curated tweets by rapplerdotcom</a> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

The President has a longtime partner, Honeylet Avanceña, with whom he has a young daughter, Veronica or Kitty. He also has 3 children with former wife Elizabeth Zimmerman– Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio, former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte, and Sebastian Duterte.

The President has been denounced for repeatedly making derogatory comments against women. (READ: From 'fragrant' Filipinas to shooting vaginas: Duterte's top 6 sexist remarks)

Malacañang has insisted that the President is "serious" about promoting women's rights, but female advocates are saying that Duterte's actions show otherwise. (READ: #BabaeAko campaign: Filipino women fight back against Duterte's misogyny) – Rappler.com 

TAMPA, United States – As many as 70% of women with the most common form of breast cancer may be able to skip chemotherapy, based on their score on a genetic test, researchers said Sunday, June 3.

Until now, women have faced a great deal of uncertainty about whether to add chemo to hormone therapy after a diagnosis with hormone-receptor positive, HER-2 negative breast cancer at an early stage before it has spread to the lymph nodes.

"With results of this groundbreaking study, we now can safely avoid chemotherapy in about 70% of patients who are diagnosed with the most common form of breast cancer," said co-author Kathy Albain, an oncologist at Loyola Medicine.

"For countless women and their doctors, the days of uncertainty are over."

A 21-gene test called Oncotype Dx that has been around for years has helped guide some decisions. A high recurrence score, above 25, means chemo is necessary to ward off a recurrence while a low score, below 10, means it is not.

The current study involved more than 10,000 women and focused on those whose scores were in the middle range, from 11 to 25.

Patients, aged 18 to 75, were randomly assigned to receive chemotherapy followed by hormonal therapy or hormone therapy alone.

Then, researchers studied the outcomes, including whether or not cancer recurred, and overall survival.

"For the entire study population with gene test scores between 11 and 25 – and especially among women aged 50 to 75 – there was no significant difference between the chemotherapy and no chemotherapy groups," said the findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. 

Among women younger than 50, outcomes were similar when gene test scores were 15 or lower. 

Among younger women with scores 16 to 25, outcomes were slightly better in the chemotherapy group.

The results, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago, "should have a huge impact on doctors and patients," Albain said.

"We are de-escalating toxic therapy."

According to first author Joseph Sparano of Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York, "any woman with early stage breast cancer 75 or younger should have the test and discuss the results" with her doctor. – Rappler.com

Image from Shutterstock

LIEGE, Belgium – Nearly 3,000 people marched in the Belgian city of Liege on Sunday, June 3, to honor the 3 victims of a shooting there last week that prosecutors are treating as a terrorist attack.

The marchers, most dressed in white, made a solemn procession through the city's sunny streets before laying white roses at the scene of the attack by Benjamin Herman, who shot dead two policewomen and a student on Tuesday, March 29.

Hundreds of white balloons were released into the sky at the culmination of the march, which comes ahead of official funerals on Tuesday for the two slain officers, who have both been posthumously awarded Belgium's highest civilian decoration.

"I think it's important to be here, just to support the family, not to change things. Just to show to the family that we are here and support them," Marie Pousset, who was among nearly 3,000 marchers according to local police, told Agence France-Presse.

Government officials and a representative of Belgium's king are set to attend the funerals for police officers Lucile Garcia, 54, and Soraya Belkacemi, 44, on Tuesday morning.

Student Cyril Vangriecken, 22, shot dead by Herman as he sat in the passenger seat of a parked car, will be buried on Monday.

Belgian police have identified Herman, 31, as a serial offender who spent a decade in and out of prison for acts of violence and petty crimes and came into contact with extremist Islamists while in jail.

Herman attacked the two policewomen with a knife, stabbing them repeatedly before taking their service pistols and shooting them, then Vangriecken.

Herman went on to hole up in a nearby school, briefly taking a cleaner hostage before bursting out to confront police and being cut down in a hail of bullets.

The Islamic State group claimed one of its "soldiers" was responsible for the attack, through its Amaq propaganda agency.

ISIS said "he led the attack in response to calls to target the countries of the US-led international coalition," which is fighting the jihadist group, mainly in Syria.

Prosecutors said Herman's method of attack has been encouraged in online videos from ISIS, which claimed a deadly double suicide bombing in Brussels in 2016. – Rappler.com

SEOUL, South Korea – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he plans to visit North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, Pyongyang's state media reported Sunday, June 3, potentially becoming the first head of state to meet Kim inside the isolated country.

"I am going to visit the DPRK and meet... Kim Jong Un," Assad said, the North's state-run KCNA news agency reported, using the abbreviated version of the country's official name. 

The announcement came as anticipation mounts for a historic nuclear summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Singapore on June 12, following a whirlwind round of diplomacy.

"The world welcomes the remarkable events in the Korean peninsula brought about recently by the outstanding political calibre and wise leadership of... Kim Jong Un," KCNA cited Assad as saying during a meeting with North Korean Ambassador Mun Jong Nam on Wednesday.

The Syrian president's office refused to comment on the report when contacted by Agence France-Presse.

Pyongyang and Damascus have maintained warm ties for decades and reportedly shared a military relationship for some years, including during the ongoing Syrian civil war.

Suspicions over chemical weapons trade between Pyongyang and Damascus have been raised in the past by the UN and South Korea.

There were also widespread reports that North Korea helped Syria build a nuclear plant that was destroyed by Israeli bombing in 2007.

Both regimes have been the target of international isolation -- Pyongyang over its banned nuclear programme and Damascus for atrocities committed during the seven-year civil war.

Since coming to power in 2011, Kim has not met another head of state in North Korea. He only made his first overseas trip as leader this year, travelling to China to meet President Xi Jinping, an ally of the reclusive regime. – Rappler.com

BERLIN, Germany – German Chancellor Angela Merkel came under pressure Sunday, June 3, over a brewing scandal surrounding the office charged with processing more than a million asylum seekers who have arrived in the country since 2015.

The affair stems from allegations that an employee of the branch office of the German migration agency (BAMF) in the city of Bremen may have granted asylum to 1,200 migrants in exchange for money or gifts in kind.

Investigators opened a probe in April into "organized abuse of the asylum procedure" as well as for "corruption or bribery" and Merkel's government has pledged a thorough inquiry.

The employee insists she was simply overwhelmed by the large number of cases landing on her desk with Germany having received than a million asylum seekers since 2015.

However, the former head of BAMF, Frank-Juergen Weise, added fuel to the political fire when he accused Merkel of knowing about wider problems at the agency since at least last year and neglecting to deal with them.

"The failure lies in the inaction (of the government) when the challenges that Germany would face with the arrival of the refugees became clear," Weise told news weekly Der Spiegel.

"The crisis could have been prevented," added Weise, who said he personally informed Merkel on two occasions of irregularities in 2017 without concrete action being taken.

Asked for comment, a government spokesman said only that "the chancellor remained in contact with Mr Weise from the time he became head of the BAMF until the end of his tenure". 

Weise led the BAMF from late 2015 until the end of 2016 and in late 2017 published a final report about his term at the agency.

Doubts about Germany's ability to grapple with the arrival of around 1.2 million asylum seekers over the last three years have eroded political support for Merkel, who is now in her fourth term as German chancellor.

The work of the BAMF, which answers to the interior ministry, has come in for particularly intense criticism for chaotic handling of the asylum process.

The mass influx in 2015-2016 put the service under intense pressure, forcing it to more than double its staff to 7,300 from 3,000.

Merkel's junior partner in her "grand coalition" government, the Social Democrats (SPD), on Sunday demanded "explanations" from her.

"This is quite simply the chancellor's failure," SPD vice chairman Ralf Stegner told Berlin's daily Tagesspiegel.

"You can't say 'we can do it' (Merkel's slogan during the refugee influx) and then sit with your arms crossed when the agency responsible loses control due to a lack of resources," he added. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – More than 27.7 million students are set to return to class as most schools across the country open on Monday, June 4. 

The Department of Education (DepEd) said on Sunday, June 3, that it is "all systems go" for school year 2018-2019.

An estimated 27,757,546 children from kindergarten to Grade 12 will troop back to public and private schools, including local and state universities and colleges.

"We welcome with utmost optimism our 27.7 million learners from all over the country," Education Secretary Leonor Briones said. 

The opening of the new school year comes as some public schools still face the perennial problem of the availability of classrooms, especially in highly populated areas of Metro Manila.

About 1.3% of schools, the DepEd said last May 21, still need support in terms of teachers, classrooms, toilets, seats, water supply, and electricity supply.

The DepEd had again conducted Oplan Balik Eskwela this year to address problems and concerns raised by students and their parents. The campaign received 2,219 complaints from May 21 to 31, and out of this number, 1,820 or 81% have been resolved.

An inter-agency task force consisting of various government agencies was convened to address these concerns. (READ: How DepEd, gov't agencies are preparing for school opening)

The task force is also expected to attend to needs throughout the school year, such as access to health care, assistance during crisis or emergency situations, and road safety, among others.  

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it will deploy 28,000 cops nationwide to ensure the safety and security of students, teachers, other school personnel, and parents on Monday.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), meanwhile, will deploy more than 2,980 enforcers to support peace and order initiatives in various schools and nearby areas. – Rappler.com

LOS ANGELES, USA – A woman opened fire in downtown San Diego and was taken into custody on Sunday, June 3, as thousands of people participated in the California city's marathon nearby.

As officers responded, a policeman was injured by an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg, the San Diego Police Department said in a statement.

There were no immediate reports of anyone else being hurt. Witnesses said they heard four or five shots coming from a parking structure near the finish line of the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, according to the local CBS and NBC television affiliates. 

{source}

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Update briefing regarding incident at Rock N Roll Marathon. <a href="https://t.co/ZAhXIiilMe">https://t.co/ZAhXIiilMe</a></p>&mdash; San Diego Police Department (@SanDiegoPD) <a href="https://twitter.com/SanDiegoPD/status/1003402219041910784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

{/source}

"There's no longer a threat to the community. The scene is secure. The Rock and Roll Marathon has resumed," police said in a tweet.

{source}

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Active Shooter at 100 West C St. is in custody. There’s no longer a threat to the community. The scene is secure. The Rock and Roll Marathon has resumed.</p>&mdash; San Diego Police Department (@SanDiegoPD) <a href="https://twitter.com/SanDiegoPD/status/1003359776175058944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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The marathon, which draws thousands of runners, was winding down at the time. After a brief halt, runners were allowed to complete the race.

Several streets were also closed briefly.

"We had a number of officers working in the area for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, and the route was just a couple of blocks to the north from the incident," police chief David Nisleit said in a statement.

Police first received calls about an active shooter around 10:51 am (1751 GMT).

"As officers were responding, one officer fired two rounds at the suspect, but did not hit her," Nisleit added.

"We also had an officer have an accidental discharge of his firearm and he shot himself in his leg he has been transported to the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery."

Reports said a woman on an upper floor of a downtown parking garage, not far from City Hall, had slid under a parked car and was holding a gun to her head.

She was promptly taken into custody.

'Safe' to proceed

"The situation involving an active shooter who was engaged with law enforcement was not related to today's race," marathon organizers said in a statement.

"By 11:45 am, the course was shut down and approximately 4,900 athletes were rerouted into a designated safe zone.

"While the race was officially stopped, law enforcement gave the clearance at 11:56 am for runners to resume their progress toward the finish line and the post-race finish area, where they were able to meet up with family and friends."

There was no immediate information on the shooter's identity or possible motives. But the incident brought back memories of the 2013 Boston Marathon, when two homemade bombs left by brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev killed three people and injured many others.

San Diego, a city of 1.4 million, lies on the Pacific Coast about 120 miles (190 kilometers) south of Los Angeles and on the border with Mexico. 

The city's baseball team, the San Diego Padres, said it had been in "close contact" with police following the incident.

"SDPD has confirmed that it is safe for us to proceed with today's Little League parade, as well as our 3:10 pm game at Petco Park," the team said on Twitter. – Rappler.com

LLUBLJANA, Slovenia –  The anti-immigration party of veteran leader Janez Jansa has emerged as the largest party in Slovenia's parliamentary election on Sunday, June 3, another right-wing movement riding Europe's populist wave, but will likely struggle to command a majority.

With virtually all the votes counted, Jansa's SDS has secured just under 25% – giving it 25 seats in the 90-seat assembly – and the "anti-establishment" LMS party of comedian-turned-politician Marjan Sarec placed second with 12.7% and 13 seats, the State Election Commission said.

During the campaign, Jansa made common cause with fellow right-wing firebrand Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and effectively evoked memories of more than 500,000 migrants who crossed Slovenia in late 2015 and early 2016 – although all except a handful of them continued on to northern Europe.

In a televised statement on Sunday evening, delivered with little triumphalism, the 59-year-old Jansa said his Slovenian Democratic Party's "door for talks and coalitions is open" to all other parties.

"We are ready to start serious talks based on the programme we have been working hard on," he said.

He re-iterated his anti-migrant position saying migration was "the most serious challenge according to most Europeans".

The only party which has so far said it would work with Jansa, the centre-right Nova Slovenija, has won just 7.1 percent and seven seats, leaving the two parties short of the 46 needed for a majority.

'Red lines'

That leaves the second place LMS party potentially with a crucial role to play.

Speaking to the POP TV station after polls closed, Sarec said he was "very happy" with the results, hinting that it could give him the opportunity to band with other parties to keep Jansa out of power.

During the campaign Sarec said that Jansa's anti-immigration rhetoric and his appearances with Orban "crossed all red lines".

On Sunday evening Sarec repeated his opposition to working with Jansa, saying: "We have said it so many times in public that we would not be trustworthy if we did."

Sarec had been criticised for his vague platform during the campaign but recently told AFP his party "has many things in common with (French President Emmanuel) Macron's position, a sensible, centrist orientation".

The centre-left Social Democrats have finished in third place on 9.9% followed by the SMC party of outgoing prime minister Miro Cerar on 9.7% and the left-wing Levica party with 9.3 percent.

Early elections were called in March after Cerar threw in the towel following months of public-sector strikes and internal wrangling within his coalition, with the last straw coming when a supreme court verdict on a flagship infrastructure project went against the government.

On Sunday Cerar told POP TV that the "results show that we (SMC) remain an important player on the political stage and we will continue fulfilling our roll with responsibility".

Just under 52 percent of the 1.7 million Slovenians eligible to vote turned out.

Fear of migrants

Jansa's political career stretches back to the country's struggle for independence from Yugoslavia and has already seen its fair share of drama. In 2013 he was forced to step down from a second term as prime minister over a corruption scandal and ran in the 2014 elections from jail -- the conviction was later overturned.

In this campaign he promised to tackle the thorny issues of healthcare reform and disputes with neighbour Croatia, as well as promising tax cuts.

But it was his combative personality, strident anti-immigration rhetoric and alliance with Orban that dominated the closing stages of the campaign.

Like right-wing populists elsewhere he has adopted a feisty presence on Twitter and has used it to defend his alliance with Orban.

"Thanks to its (migration) policy, Hungary is a safe country while Belgium, due to its wrong policy, isn't," read a recent tweet from Jansa, who first served as prime minister from 2004-08.

Last month Orban said a SDS victory "would ensure the survival of the Slovenian people".

According to Slovenian media reports, Jansa's media campaign was also boosted by investments totalling some two million euros ($2.3 million) from Hungarian media companies in a TV station and newspaper co-owned by SDS.

For the first time in over a decade, the elections took place against a backdrop of strong economic growth rather than financial crisis or recession.

But Cerar's government did not reap any political benefit from the turnaround, with his rivals focusing on growing hospital waiting lists and demands for higher pensions and wages and a better business environment.

Analysts say that in the near future political instability may well persist, whether under a right-wing, Jansa-led government or one from the centre-left. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – A 36-year-old overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Slovakia died in a hospital days after two men beat him up for trying to defend two women they were harassing, said the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The DFA said Henry John Acorda, an employee of a multinational company, died at the University Hospital Ruźjnov on May 31 due to injuries from the attack in Slovakia's capital, Bratislava, on May 26.

"We mourn the loss of another of our own who, by all accounts, is a hero who came to the rescue of the defenseless in a land that is not even his," said Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano in a statement Sunday, June 3.

"We give our assurance to Henry’s family that we will do everything to make sure that those responsible for his death are brought to justice," Cayetano added.

The DFA said that "a 28-year-old local man was taken into custody in connection with the incident and has been charged with manslaughter."

The Philippines is "assisting Acorda's mother, brother, and sister who flew to Slovakia to look after him," said the DFA. It is also facilitating the repatriation of Acorda's remains. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday, June 4, downplayed the number of people getting killed by riding-in-tandem shooters a day.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said the number is already so much lower compared to when they started their apparent "war" against riding-in-tandem shooters.

"The MRS [motorcycle-riding-suspects] that we are saying has gone down drastically since the time, October 5 last year, when we started, when we were removed from the war on drugs," Albayalde said in a Camp Crame press conference.

"We saw that the incidents really went down," Albayalde added.

According to records obtained by Rappler, the PNP counted on average 4 killings a day from MRS ever since they started counting such incidents in October 2017.

From October 2017 to May 2018, the PNP recorded a total of 880 killings perpetrated by MRS shooters. They have yet to release, however, the monthly breakdown of such crimes to show a trend.

Just last May, the PNP recorded suspected election-related 35 killings mostly executed by riding-in-tandem shooters. – Rappler.com

MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Pope Francis called on Sunday, June 3, for dialogue in Nicaragua after new clashes killed at least 7 people, the latest bloodshed in weeks of anti-government protests that have left more than 100 dead.

The Church has tried to mediate the crisis in the Central American country, but called off peace talks with President Daniel Ortega's government last week after a march led by victims' mothers was met with gunfire, killing at least 16 people.

Violence erupted again Saturday, as protesters fired homemade mortars to fend off police crackdowns in the cities of Masaya and Tipitapa, both near the capital Managua.

The new unrest left at least 7 people dead, including a US citizen reportedly killed by a pro-government mob in a separate incident in Managua, according to rights groups.

"I am united with my brother bishops in Nicaragua and their grief over violence committed by armed groups," the pope said at the Vatican.

"The Church is always in favor of dialogue, but for that it requires an active commitment to respect freedom and, above all, life."

At Mass in Managua's Metropolitan Cathedral, Father Luis Herrera said he was praying for the victims of "police repression."

The violence has now claimed 110 lives since it erupted on April 18, according to the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights.

The government said in a statement it was "absolutely willing to continue working for dialogue, justice and democracy."

Church caught in crossfire

The Nicaraguan Bishops' Conference aborted its attempt to mediate the conflict after the deadly crackdown on Wednesday's Mother's Day march, saying dialogue was impossible as long as "the people continue to be repressed and killed" by "groups close to the government."

The Catholic Church has been increasingly caught up in the conflict.

On Saturday, Silvio Jose Baez, the auxiliary bishop of Managua, warned residents of flashpoint city Masaya to stay indoors over reports of pro-government snipers shooting people in the street.

A church in central Masaya later opened its doors to give refuge and medical care to 21 residents who had been detained and reportedly abused by police.

The Church and the Nicaraguan Association for the Protection of Human Rights (ANPDH) obtained the release of 11 more detainees Sunday. Most had clearly been beaten.

"I'm just a paramedic," said one young woman who declined to give her name, adding that she had been arbitrarily arrested and beaten in Masaya.

"They beat my son all over, on his stomach, on his head," said a sobbing Antonia Gonzalez, whose 25-year-old son Luis was one of those detained, on what his family called fabricated looting charges.

Cardinal emeritus dies

Ortega, who has dominated Nicaraguan politics for the past four decades, had been seen as close to the Church in recent years.

One of his key allies, cardinal emeritus Miguel Obando, died Sunday at age 92.

Obando and Ortega had a love-hate relationship stretching back to the 1970s.

Obando, like the president, was a sharp critic of dictator Anastasio Somoza, who was ousted by Ortega's Sandinista guerrilla army in 1979.

He later turned his criticism on the newly installed Sandinista junta led by Ortega, criticizing its communist ideology, alleged human rights violations and vision of a "people's church" based on leftist liberation theology.

But as Ortega – who lost the presidency in a 1990 election – charted his eventual return to power in 2007, he courted the cardinal's favor with a mix of progressive social policy and support for a total abortion ban.

Obando even presided over Ortega's 2005 wedding to his current vice president, Rosario Murillo.

Former bastion

But the Catholic Church has distanced itself from Ortega over the crackdown.

The church in Masaya has sheltered opposition supporters from attacks by riot police and pro-government paramilitaries, and church bells are the warning signal residents use when security forces arrive.

Once a Sandinista bastion, the city of just over 100,000 people looked like a war zone Sunday.

Residents have put up barricades to keep out riot police and protect themselves from what they say are police and paramilitary snipers.

Ortega, whose third consecutive term is due to end in 2022, denies his forces are killing protesters. His government accuses "right-wing groups" of conspiring to "terrorize" the country. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Former president Benigno Aquino III said the graft complaint lodged against him before the Department of Justice (DOJ) should be immediately dismissed for lack of basis.

Aquino faced state prosecutors on Monday, June 4, during the preliminary investigation into the graft complaint filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) over the Dengvaxia controversy.

"'Pag binasa mo 'yung complaint nila, parang hahanapin mo muna ano nirereklamo or may basehan ba. May reklamo, pero ano 'yung basehan ng reklamo at 'yun ang nawawala. Sa aming pananaw, dismiss na dapat 'yan," Aquino told reporters ahead of the hearing.

(When you read their complaint, you have to look for what exactly they're complaining about, or if their complaint has basis. There is a complaint, but the basis of the complaint is nowhere to be found. In our view, it should be dismissed.)

"Wala kang act na inaallege na ginawa pangsuporta do'n sa reklamo mo," he added.

(They did not allege any act that I supposedly committed to support their complaint.)

The VACC, along with the Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution Incorporated (VPCI) and former Department of Health (DOH) consultant-turned-whistleblower Francisco Cruz, filed the complaint back in February.

They accused Aquino, former budget secretary Florencio Abad, and former health secretary Janette Garin of technical malversation, criminal negligence, violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and "other violations of law" after the school-based dengue vaccination program was launched by the DOH in April 2016 in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon.

Aside from the 3, also listed as respondents are the "directors and officers" of Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur and its Philippine distributor Zuellig Pharma, as well as former and current health officials.

The graft complaint states that Aquino and the other former officials "anomalously and illegally funded and procured the Dengvaxia vaccine and ill-advisedly, thoughtlessly, and imprudently" implemented the dengue immunization program. (READ: Aquino says unqualified 'experts' politicized Dengvaxia probe) – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Classes began on Monday, June 4, for around 27.7 million students nationwide.

The Department of Education (DepEd) earlier said it is "all systems go" for school year 2018-2019, despite perennial problems that still hound some schools, including the availability of classrooms.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) deployed 28,000 cops to secure students, school personnel, and parents. There were no reported terror threats in relation to the opening of classes.

Below are scenes from some public schools in Metro Manila on Monday.

President Corazon C. Aquino Elementary School, Quezon City

Senator Benigno S. Aquino Elementary School, Manila

Rosauro Almario Elementary School, Manila

– Rappler.com 

MANILA, Philippines – Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque's top pick for his deputy has backed out, Rappler learned.

Peterson Poon, Roque's former University of the Philippines law school student, who Rappler reported was set to assume the post, decided he won't be joining Roque in Malacañang after all.

"He decided not to join," Roque told Rappler on Monday, June 4, in a message. Poon also confirmed this to Rappler on Monday.

The spokesman said Poon had "many reasons" for backing out but that mainly he had said that "he is not ready for a political post."

Poon had already been introduced to some Malacañang reporters as the incoming deputy spokesman when he accompanied Roque on May 15 to Aurora province where President Rodrigo Duterte gave a speech aboard a Philippine Navy ship.The event had been promoted to the public as Duterte's visit to the Philippine (Benham) Rise yet Duterte remained in Casiguran. Poon has also been introduced to Duterte.

There had already been talks between Roque and Poon of possible division of tasks, with Poon supposed to hold Palace briefings or entertain media questions during relatively "quiet" days in the Palace.

Poon was the "good-looking, millennial" deputy who Roque had promised reporters would be coming in to help him in his presidential spokesman tasks.

With this development, it's not clear if Roque will still be scouting for a deputy spokesman. He has admitted in the past of the need for one, given the demands of the job, specifically when he is called upon to represent Duterte in events or join his delegation in trips abroad.– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Leni Robredo watched orphans and widows of drug war victims perform a play criticizing President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug campaign.

The orphans and widows belong to 25 families undergoing art therapy rehabilitation offered by the St Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center, an institution established in Manila to provide services for the poor and marginalized.

Fr Flavie Villanueva, who founded the center, was a former drug user. The Healing Intervention Leading to Optimum Management in the Rehabilitation of Significant Others of EJK Victims or PagHILOM program is his brainchild. (READ: Holy Week reflections: From drug addiction to priesthood)

The orphans and widows themselves created the play, with guidance from the center. Their group was invited by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) to perform at Robredo's headquarters on Monday, June 4.

The play first depicted the outpouring of support for then-Davao City mayor Duterte during the 2016 elections as well as his rise to the presidency. The mood was upbeat, with the actors dancing to hit songs as Duterte's campaign promises were played in the background.

The play turned somber, however, as the actors started depicting scenes from the anti-drug campaign. The speakers blared Duterte's hardline statements on killing drug users as the actors tearfully recounted how their loved ones died in anti-drug police operations.

According to Villanueva, the actors' tears were real, as they still grieve to this day.

"Did you see them cry earlier? No, that's not part of the script. Actually, when we did the play the first time, they could not even utter the lines, that's why it was recorded," said Villanueva in a mix of English and Filipino.

"But this time, there was a significant change, they were able to utter their lines, except that of course, the grieving is still there. The sobbing is still there. They used to howl before," he added.

The Philippine National Police said more than 4,000 people have been killed in anti-drug operations since Duterte became president in 2016. The police classified another 16,000 cases as deaths under investigation from July 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017. 

The play delved into other issues as well, giving commentary on fake news, the forfeiture of the missionary visa of Australian nun Sister Patricia Fox, federalism and charter change, death penalty, the Dengvaxia controversy, the Boracay closure, and the electoral protest that ex-senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr filed against Robredo. 

The Vice President and the rest of the audience laughed when an actor pretending to be a Marcos supporter delivered the line, "Bilang na ang araw mo, Robredo (Your days are numbered, Robredo)!"

Villanueva said the art therapy program aims to help the orphans and widows see theater as a form of healing, expression, and education. 

"Ito ang layunin ng teatrong ito: Na tulungan ang mga pamilya na ipahayag ang kanilang mga saloobin at mahilom [sila]. Pangalawa, para gamitin ang teatro para buksan ang mga mata ng mga tao sa nagaganap sa ating lipunan," said Villanueva. 

(This is the purpose of this theater: To help the families express what they feel and help them heal. Secondly, the theater aims to open the eyes of the people to what is happening in society.)

"Pangatlo siguro ay 'yung magbuklod-buklod ang pamilya, para malaman nila na 'di lang sila nag-iisa sa problemang nagaganap sa ating bayan," he added. 

(Thirdly, the play hopes to bring the families together, so they would know they are not alone in facing these problems in the country.)

Villanueva said they are open to performing the play in any forum, school, or institution that would be interested to help their cause. 

The play was first performed at La Salle Green Hills in April this year. – Rappler.com

Photos were blurred to protect the orphans and widows' identities upon the request of Fr Flavie Villanueva.

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) literally has a small solution to a big problem.

In a press conference on Monday, June 4, Director General Oscar Albayalde said cops are planning to use stickers on motorcycles to prevent riding-in-tandem shootings all over the Philippines. (READ: 4 killed a day by riding-in-tandem gunmen in the Philippines)

"We are planning to revive and improve the sticker systems for motorcycles that we inspect," Albayalde said in a mix of English and Filipino in a Camp Crame news conference.

From October 2017 to May 2018, cops counted 880 killings perpetrated by what they call motorcycle-riding suspects (MRS), or 4 a day on average.

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NOW: PNP chief Oscar Albayalde holds a press briefing in Camp Crame. <a href="https://twitter.com/rapplerdotcom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rapplerdotcom</a> <a href="https://t.co/IgHMatH6EZ">pic.twitter.com/IgHMatH6EZ</a></p>&mdash; Rambo Talabong (@rambotalabong) <a href="https://twitter.com/rambotalabong/status/1003431709562400769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2018</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

How will it work? According to Albayalde, they are looking at having distinctly designed stickers per province. Cops will post the stickers on the "most visible part" of motorcycles, still to be decided by PNP officials.

Whenever a riding-in-tandem shooting occurs, police will intensify checkpoint operations.

With the stickers, cops can easily spot riders of interest: those who don't have stickers and those who have different stickers from different provinces.

The stickers will also come in handy when crimes are committed along streets with security cameras. With stickers visible on camera, cops would be able to narrow down suspects to a particular province.

Security concerns? According to new PNP Highway Patrol Group chief Roberto Fajardo, they want to make the stickers mandatory for all motorcycle riders. Ultimately, however, he said local government units should require them.

Albayalde dismissed doubts that the stickers could be easily copied and stolen.

He said the PNP would use technology "of this time" such as hologram-printed labels and stronger adhesives so that attempts at removal would ruin the stickers. 

Fajardo added that the PNP is already crafting guidelines for the stickers, and for other solutions to riding-in-tandem killings.– Rappler.com

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala (UPDATED) – At least 25 people were killed when Guatemala's Fuego volcano erupted on Sunday, June 3, belching ash and rock and forcing the capital's main airport to close.

The volcano expelled hot muddy material that caused the deaths – including of several children – in the El Rodeo and Las Lajas communities located on its southern slope, disaster agency spokesman David de Leon said in a WhatsApp group.

Search and rescue operations for the missing and dead have been suspended due to low light and dangerous conditions, and will resume early on Monday morning, he said.

The eruption of the 3,763-meter (12,346-foot) volcano sent ash billowing over the surrounding area, turning plants and trees gray and blanketing streets, cars and people.

Farmers covered in ash fled for their lives as civil defense staffers tried to relocate them to shelters during the event.

National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred) chief Sergio Cabanas said earlier that the eruption also left 20 injured and affected more than 1.7 million people.

President Jimmy Morales announced a red alert for Escuintla, Chimaltenango and Sacatepequez, the areas most affected by the eruption, and an orange alert throughout the country.

The president said he and his government would determine whether to ask Congress to declare a state of emergency in the areas, while at the same time appealing to the population for calm.

Death toll may rise

Hundreds of personnel from the police, Red Cross and military have been dispatched to support emergency operations, Morales said.

Cabanas said that the dead included a civil protection official.

More than 3,000 people were evacuated due to the eruption, which affected rural communities around the volcano as well as Antigua Guatemala, a colonial-era town very popular with tourists in the Central American country, he said.

Cabanas did not rule out the number of dead increasing, as there are "missing persons, but we do not know how many."

Dense ash blasted out by the volcano shut down Guatemala City's international airport, civil aviation said.

People were working to clean ash off the runways to get the airport operating again.

The eruption is the second major one this year from the peak, following another that subsided at the beginning of February after sending ash towering 1.7 kilometers into the sky.

A September 2012 eruption of the volcano saw 10,000 people evacuated, while another in February 2015 forced the closure of the capital's main airport.

Apart from the Fuego volcano, there are two other active volcanos in Guatemala. One of them, Pacaya, is just 20 kilometers from Guatemala City. – Rappler.com

AKLAN, Philippines – One month after Boracay Island was closed off from tourists, residents living in wetlands and forestlands are still awaiting the relocation plan of the government.

Some residents, however, protest the rumored plan to relocate them outside the top tourist island.

Aika Rey files this report.

AIKA REY, REPORTING: Patuloy ang rehabilitasyon sa isla ng Boracay, at kasama nito ang paglilipat ng mga residenteng nakatira sa mga wetland at forestland.

Rehabilitation in Boracay Island is ongoing, and it includes the relocation of residents living in wetlands and forestlands.

Tinatayang mahigit sa apat na raang pamilya ang nakatanggap ng mga notice to vacate mula sa Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

More than 400 families received notices to vacate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Ngunit sabi ng ilang residente, tubong Boracay daw sila talaga ​dahil dito na raw sila pinanganak at lumaki.

But some residents ​say​​ they are originally from Boracay as they were born and raised here.

JERALYN ASUNCION CAYETANO, BRGY BALABAG RESIDENT: Taga-diyan kami mismo. Okay lang sana kung hindi, na matagal lang kami nandiyan, na hindi kami taga-diyan. Okay lang na ilipat kami kung saan. Pero sa case namin is, taga dito talaga ang nanay namin, from kalola-lolahan nila dito talaga. Na sana kung sakaling ililipat kami, dito rin kami sa Boracay ililipat.

We're really from here. It would've been okay if we weren't, if we're only here for a long time, or if we're not really from here. It would’ve been okay for us to be relocated anywhere. But our mothers was from here. Our great-grandmother was from here. If we get relocated, we hope to still live somewhere in Boracay.

AIKA REY, REPORTING: Ayon sa mga lokal na opisyal, tinatayang nasa 85 na pamilya ang unang irerelocate sa labas ng isla.

According to local officials, there are 85 families that will be initially relocated outside the island.

Ibig sabihin nito, kailangan nilang tumawid ng dagat araw-araw, para lamang maghanapbuhay sa isla.

This means they need to cross the sea every day ​to work in the island.

Aika Rey, Rappler, Boracay. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Researchers who analyzed the walking pace of more than 50,000 people found that walking at a faster pace could extend one's life.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Sydney, University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, University of Limerick, and University of Ulster. Findings of the study appeared in a special issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine on Friday, June 1. 

The researchers sought to determine the relationship between a person's walking pace with mortality risks from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and all other causes. 

"Assuming our results reflect cause and effect, these analyses suggest that increasing walking pace may be a straightforward way for people to improve heart health and risk for premature mortality – providing a simple message for public health campaigns to promote," said Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis of the University of Sydney.

The study showed that those who walked at an average pace experienced a 20% reduction in mortality risks from all causes, while those who walked at a fast pace saw a risk reduction of 24%.

With regard to mortality risks from cardiovascular diseases, those who walked at an average pace saw mortality risk lowered by 24%, while those who walked at a fast pace saw it lowered by 21%.

The study, however, said "there was no evidence to suggest pace had a significant influence on cancer mortality."

Fast pace at around 5-7 km/h

Describing the speed of walking paces, Stamatakis said a fast pace would be around 5 to 7 kilometers per hour, depending on the person's fitness level. A good indicator would also be to walk at a pace that leaves you "slight out of breath or sweaty when sustained."

The study also found the results to be more pronounced in individuals 60 years old and above.

According to the study's results, those who walked at an average pace saw mortality risk from cardiovascular diseases lowered by 46%, while those who walked at a fast pace saw it lowered by 53%.

With the study's results, Statmatakis said walking faster should be emphasized as an easy way to improve one’s overall health.

"Especially in situations when walking more isn't possible due to time pressures or a less walking-friendly environment, walking faster may be a good option to get the heart rate up – one that most people can easily incorporate into their lives," he said.

Findings from the study resulted from an analysis of mortality records linked to 11 population-based surveys in England and Scotland from 1994 and 2008, wherein participants indicated their walking pace.

The research also adjusted "factors such as total amount and intensity of all physical activity taken, age, sex and body mass index." – Rappler.com