MANILA, Philippines – Rain threatened to dampen President Benigno Aquino III’s testimonial parade at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo on Monday, June 27, but the skies cleared early enough for the outgoing president to bid the military goodbye.

In his farewell speech, Aquino waxed nostalgic as he thanked the AFP for its service while highlighting improvements it's seen throughout his tenure. (For more on the Aquino administration, visit our Aquino Legacy page)

“Good governance is good economics,” said the President as he explained how, under his administration, more than P60 billion had been spent on much-needed modernization.

Acting AFP chief Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda, speaking before the President, heaped praises on the outgoing commander-in-chief for the military upgrade. (READ: Aquino and the PH military: Toys for the big boys)

“Sa tamang pamamahala, at tamang paglalaan ng pondo, naging makasaysayan ang modernisasyon ninyo. Yung ilang mga dating pinapangarap lang natin, tangan na natin ngayon. Ang maganda pa: Hindi lang kayo tumatanggap ng biyaya mula sa estado; sinusuklian ninyo ito ng karampatang serbisyo. Sa huli, naging virtuous cycle ito; nagtutulungan ang lahat, at sa dulo, Pilipino ang panalo,” said Aquino.

(Through good governance and the proper allocation of funds, the modernization you’ve underwent has been historic. What we once merely dreamed of, we have achieved. What makes it better is that you didn’t just accept graces from the state; you gave back through your service. In the end, it was a virtuous cycle; everyone helped each other and in the end, it’s the Filipino who won.)

Innovation when resources lacked

Aquino cited instances in his presidency where the military managed to get the job done, even if its resources were lacking.

The President praised the Navy’s show of “seamanship” in its the mission to resupply Marines stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre, the country’s unconventional naval detachment in the middle of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Since China had far superior resources, Philippines troops opted to pass fishing vessels through shallow parts of the sea, to keep modern Chinese vessels at arm’s length.

“Ganitong tapang at paninindigan, diskarte at inobasyon ang di dapat mawala sa ating kaisipan. Di pwedeng maging de-kahon, walang imahinasyon, at kapos sa inspirasyon ang pagtutupad ng ating tungkulin,” said the president, who was surrounded by current and former key officials of the AFP under his administration.

(This courage and resolve, strategy and innovation is something we must never let go of. We cannot be boxed in, without imagination, lacking in inspiration when it comes to fulfilling our duty.)

The dispute between the Philippines and China over the West Philippine Sea is the driving factor in the upgrades that the AFP has seen under Aquino. Still, the country’s military remains among Asia’s weakest.

Manila has chosen the arbitration route through an international court which is expected to release its ruling by July 2016.

Aquino’s many thanks

The President, who was awarded full military honors on Monday, made sure to thank the men and women who’ve served under the defense department and the military, particularly those who worked closest to him.

Voltaire Gazmin, Aquino’s first and only defense chief, had initially agreed to only one or at most, two years in the post.

“Pasensiya ka na Secretary Gazmin, nakalimutan ko 'yung usapan nating iyon, three days to go na lang, isagad mo na (My apologies, Secretary Gazmin because I seemed to have forgotten our agreement. With three days to go, I hope you make the most of it),” quipped Aquino.

Gazmin headed the Presidential Security Group (PSG) during the presidency of Aquino’s mother, the late Cory Aquino. The defense chief, a close friend of Aquino family, shares a storied history with them. (READ: Voltaire Gazmin: The untouchable)

Aquino’s father, the late senator Benigno Aquino Jr., was Gazmin’s wedding sponsor. When the older Aquino was jailed in Nueva Ecija during the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos' rule, it was Gazmin who was officer-in-charge of the detention facility.

During the ceremony, Aquino conferred the Medal of Merit onto several officers who worked closely with him throughout his presidency:

• Major Xavier C. Celestial - For his composition of the Presidential March; 
• Lieutenant Bryner R. Las - For his service as junior military aide de camp (JADC);
• Major James Erasmus F. Cagni - For his service as JADC;
• Lieutenant Colonel Justino T. Ramolete - For his service as senior military assistant to the President; 
• Rear Admiral Raul R. Ubando - For his service as former Senior Military Assistant to the President and for his service as group commander of the PSG

“Siguro, ang iniisip ng iba, ang sarap ng buhay maging aide ng Pangulo. Ang di po alam ng marami, sila ang katapat at unang tagasalo ng stress, at pati na minsan, ng init ng ating ulo,” said Aquino of his aides.

(Others might think it’s easy to be the aide of the president. What many don’t know is that they’re the first to encounter and absorb the stress, even my anger.)

The 32nd Infantry Batallion, meanwhile, was awarded the Presidential Unit Streamer for their work in the 2013 Zamboanga siege. 

Aquino’s crises

The President is known for being on the ground in several crises, particularly in 2013 when a strong quake hit the Visayas, a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) tried to take over Zamboanga City, and the strongest typhoon to make landfall ravaged central Philippines.

Aquino thanked the PSG, led by Ubando, for having to deal with situation that naturally put the President at risk.

“Sa bawat hakbang sa Daang Matuwid, naging panatag ang loob ko, dahil nariyan kayo at laging nagpapamalas ng propesyunalismo, at maayos na pakikipag-ugnayan sa atin pong security forces,” he said.

(In every step along the Straight Path, I never feared for my safety because you were also there and you always showcased your professionalism and coordination with our security forces.)

The son of two democracy icons, seemingly confident of the legacy he was leaving behind, also reminded the military of martial law, a time when the military was “used by a dictator to abuse our fellow countrymen.”

The People Power Revolution, which saw civilians protect military-men-turned-rebels on the street of EDSA, was a “reconciliation and reunion” after years of alienation from the common Filipino.

“Sa pagtatapos po, dito natin nadadama kung gaano kakapos ang pagsasabi lang ng maraming, maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat. Palagay ko po, talagang kinakatawan ko ang sambayanang Pilipino na damang-dama nila lahat ng sakripisyo, lahat ng pinagdaanan niyo para sa kanilang kapakanan,” said the President.

(It’s only now as I end my speech that it’s clear how saying thank you is not enough. But I think I speak in behalf of the entire Filipino nation that knows what you’ve sacrificed and what you’ve gone through for their sake.)

Aquino officially ends his term on June 30, to make way for President-elect Rodrigo Duterte. – Rappler.com 

CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuela's government on Monday, June 27, launched its latest counter-maneuver against efforts to oust President Nicolas Maduro, announcing fresh legal challenges against a petition for a referendum on removing him.

Maduro's side alleged fraud in the gathering of signatures for the petition, which the opposition says was signed by hundreds of thousands of people.

"We are going to file complaints and legal action against however many fraudulent incidents there have been," said Jorge Rodriguez, an official appointed by Maduro to oversee the opposition's referendum drive.

The opposition blames Maduro for a deep economic crisis that has caused widespread food shortages and deadly looting.

The government had already filed a case against the referendum bid at the Supreme Court two weeks ago.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of opposition supporters have pushed ahead by submitting fingerprints to authenticate their signatures on the petition.

Rodriguez told a news conference the latest wave of legal challenges would be filed at local level in towns and states.

The national electoral board has said it will announce by July 26 whether enough signatures have been authenticated for the referendum drive to proceed.

If that happens, Maduro's opponents will have to collect four million more signatures to call a full referendum.

The opposition is rushing to complete the recall process by January 10, the cutoff date to trigger new elections.

After that date, a successful recall vote would simply pass power to Maduro's hand-picked vice president. – Rappler.com

WASHINGTON DC, USA – Hillary Clinton unleashed one of her most potent surrogates Monday, June 27, to wallop rival Donald Trump, with Senator Elizabeth Warren warning Americans that the provocative billionaire will "crush you into the dirt" if he is elected president.

With the White House battle raging months before Americans vote in November, Democrat Clinton campaigned for the first time alongside the liberal icon, who came out swinging against Republican Trump in a likely preview of her attack-dog role in the campaign.

The Massachusetts senator introduced Clinton at a raucous rally in Cincinnati in swing state Ohio, painting Trump as a selfish, "thin-skinned bully."

"You want to see goofy? Look at him in that hat," Warren said, referring to Trump's propensity to deliver campaign speeches wearing a cap with his logo, "Make America Great Again" – and his use of nickname "Goofy Elizabeth Warren" for the senator.

"When Donald Trump says he'll make America great, he means make it even greater for rich guys just like Donald Trump," she said.

"And watch out, because he will crush you into the dirt to get whatever he wants," she thundered. "That's who he is."

Warren, 67, is often discussed as a possible Clinton vice presidential pick, and Monday's imagery – similar blue suit jackets, arms raised in unison – did little to dispel such speculation.

Warren's support for working-class Americans has made her a favorite with liberals, and she appeared to relish her opportunity to lay into Trump on the national stage.

"You know I could do this all day," she said.

Like Clinton, Warren blasted Trump's very public self-congratulation about predicting the British people's vote last week to leave the European Union.

"He said, hey, it might bring more rich people to his new golf course," she said, even as the crisis caused US retirement accounts to lose billions of dollars in value.

"What kind of a man roots for people to lose their jobs, to lose their homes, to lose their life's savings?" Warren asked. "I'll tell you what kind of a man. A small, insecure money-grubber who fights for no one but himself."

Under Trump's skin

Trump had praised the so-called "Brexit" decision during his Friday (June 24) trip to Scotland where he re-inaugurated one of his golf properties.

Warren stressed that while Trump fuels fear and negativity, Clinton is the race's optimist.

"Hillary has brains, she has guts, she has thick skin and steady hands, but most of all, she has a good heart," Warren said. "That's what America needs, and that's why I'm with her. Are you with her?" she said to a loud roar.

Clinton, 68, who has ratcheted up her Trump criticism in recent weeks, praised Warren for knocking the real estate tycoon off balance.

"I do just love to see how she gets under Donald Trump's thin skin," Clinton said with a smile, as the crowd cheered.

"She exposes him for what he is: temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be president of the United States."

Warren, who claims some Native American blood, has engaged in a war of words with Trump in recent weeks, and the longtime consumer protection advocate has signaled she is all too willing to go head to head with The Donald.

Trump has attacked Warren over her heritage, derisively calling her "Pocahontas," while he and surrogates have accused Warren of lying about her ancestry in order to get plum teaching jobs at Harvard.

"She's not Native American," Scott Brown, who lost his US Senate seat to Warren in 2012, argued on a conference call.

"I found her audition to be very uncomfortable," he said of Warren's appearance with Clinton despite their clear differences on some issues.

The Trump campaign blasted Warren as a "turncoat" for backing Clinton despite their differences on the Iraq war – Clinton voted for it in 2002, Warren was opposed – and Wall Street, which Warren has worked tirelessly to rein in.

"This sad attempt at pandering to the Sanders wing is another example of a typical political calculation by (Washington) D.C. insiders," Trump's campaign said in a statement, referring to Clinton's liberal Democratic nomination rival Bernie Sanders. – Rappler.com

LONDON, United Kingdom – EU leaders attempted to rescue the European project and Prime Minister David Cameron sought to calm fears over Britain's vote to leave the bloc as ratings agencies downgraded the country.

Britain has been pitched into uncertainty by Thursday's (June 23) referendum result, with Cameron announcing his resignation, the economy facing a string of shocks and Scotland making a fresh threat to break away.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, who flew to Brussels and London for talks on the crisis, said there was also "a genuine fear of contagion".

While Cameron does not want to trigger the process to leave before he steps down by September, he is facing pressure from other EU leaders to hurry the process up ahead of a flashpoint Brussels summit Tuesday, June 28.

But at home, nearly 4 million people have now signed a petition calling for a second referendum on EU membership.

In his first appearance before a somber House of Commons since the referendum, Cameron told lawmakers he wanted to retain the "strongest possible economic links with our European leaders".

"Britain is leaving the European Union, but we must not turn our back on Europe – or on the rest of the world," he added.

He also announced the creation of a new government unit that will plan Britain's withdrawal from the EU – a first for a European Union member state.

In one of the first big signs of the damage caused by the Brexit vote, Standard and Poor's downgraded Britain's cherished AAA credit rating – the highest possible – to AA due to "continued uncertainty" following the decision.

Fitch followed, downgrading the UK from AA+ to AA and slashing economic growth forecasts from 2% in 2017 and 2018 to 0.9%.

The pound fell to its lowest level for 3 decades against the dollar, while stock markets in the US and European continued to fall.

Conservative, Labour turmoil

Another source of uncertainty is who will replace Cameron as prime minister and leader of the Conservative party.

The leaders of the Conservative committee which runs the process recommended Monday that his replacement be installed by September 2 at the latest. Nominations for the post formally close on Thursday, June 30.

Leading Brexit campaigner and ex-mayor of London Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Theresa May, who wanted Britain to stay in the EU but is seen as a unifying candidate, are the current favorites.

Like Cameron, Johnson sought to emphasize continuity in a column for the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

"I cannot stress too much that Britain is part of Europe, and always will be," he said.

He also attempted to reach out to the 48% of Britons who voted to stay in the EU, urging Brexit supporters to "build bridges" with pro-EU "neighbours, brothers and sisters".

The main opposition Labour party could also be getting a new leader after a revolt against veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn, who has been criticized for his lackluster role in the campaign to keep Britain in Europe.

Two-thirds of his shadow cabinet team have quit and he faces a vote of no confidence.

"Go now," read the front page of the Daily Mirror, a left-leaning newspaper.

However, around 2,000 of the young grassroots activists who voted Corbyn in last year gathered outside parliament to show their continued support for him, brandishing placards with slogans such as "Corbyn In, Tories Out".

There will be a secret ballot of Labour MPs on a no-confidence motion on Corbyn, the result of which will be announced on Tuesday, but it would still be up to the broader ranks of party members whether he goes or not.

'Don't lose your heads'

Ahead of Tuesday's summit, France's President Francois Hollande urged Britain to "not waste time" in leaving the bloc, while Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi told his country's Senate: "The last thing Europe needs is to start a year-long discussion on (the negotiation) procedures."

Others have urged a slower approach.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it was understandable that Britain "needs a certain period of time to analyze the situation".

Kerry said European leaders should take a measured approach.

"It is absolutely essential that nobody loses their head, nobody goes off half-cocked, people don't start ginning up scatterbrain or revengeful premises," he said on an earlier stop in Brussels.

Stand up against hate crimes

Britain's historic decision to leave the 28-nation bloc has also fueled fears of a break-up of the United Kingdom, with Scotland eyeing a new independence poll.

Cameron's spokeswoman played down the announcement by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that a second independence referendum was now "on the table" despite a vote against secession in 2014.

"The last thing Scotland needs now is another divisive referendum," she said.

Cameron also condemned a wave of xenophobic attacks which took place in Britain over the weekend, including on a Polish community centre in London following the vote, calling on the country to unite.

"We will not stand for hate crime or these kinds of attacks. They must be stamped out," he said. – Rappler.com

CAIRO, Egypt – One of the two black box flight recorders from the EgyptAir plane that plunged into the Mediterranean last month has been repaired, Egypt's investigation commission said Tuesday, June 28, prompting hopes it could provide clues on why the aircraft went down.

The two black box recorders were found two weeks ago, but were too damaged to extract information on what caused the passenger jet to go down.

They were sent to France's BEA air safety agency – which also extracted data from the black boxes of the ill-fated Rio de Janeiro to Paris flight that crashed in 2009 – to be repaired, where they arrived on Monday, June 27.

Investigators hope the recorders will reveal the cause of the May 19 crash of flight MS804 from Paris to Cairo, in which all 66 people on board were killed. A terror attack has not been ruled out.

The black box recorder "has been successfully repaired ... by the French accident investigation agency laboratory", the commission said in a statement.

"Tests have been carried out ... and we can be sure the flight parameters were properly recorded," the investigators said.

"Work to repair the second black box will commence tomorrow."

The Airbus A320 was en route from Paris to Cairo when it crashed in the Mediterranean, with 40 Egyptians and 15 French nationals on board as well as two Iraqis, two Canadians and one each from Algeria, Belgium, Britain, Chad, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.

France's aviation safety agency has said the aircraft transmitted automated messages indicating smoke in the cabin and a fault in the flight control unit minutes before it disappeared.

Egyptian investigators confirmed the aircraft had made a 90-degree left turn followed by a 360-degree turn to the right before hitting the sea.

The repaired black boxes will be returned to Cairo for analysis in Egypt's aviation ministry laboratories, the committee previously said.

French judges are also probing the May 19 crash. Prosecutors had previously opened a preliminary investigation – a normal procedure when French citizens are involved – and have handed their findings to judges for a "manslaughter" probe.

The crash follows the bombing of a Russian passenger over Egypt's restive Sinai Peninsula last October, killing all 224 passengers and crew.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for that attack, but there has been no such claim linked to the EgyptAir crash. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The most senior commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Christian Lim, sent a memo to his colleagues criticizing the recent trip of Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista to Japan.

In a memo dated Monday, June 27, a copy of which was obtained by Rappler, Lim said Bautista should not have issued a travel authority to himself.

Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said Bautista should get the permission of the Comelec en banc, or the commission sitting as a whole, before he can leave the Philippines.

Lim said, "Based on existing guidelines, there is no instance that a Chairman applies and approves his own travel authority. This is simply a concept of checks and balances."

Sought for a reaction, Bautista told Rappler on Tuesday morning, June 28, that he is "preparing a brief response" to Lim’s memo. 

He also referred to the Commission on Audit (COA) chair and the Ombudsman, who both reportedly sign their own travel authorities. 

"Perhaps you should ask the opinion of the COA chair and the Ombudsman who are both legal luminaries," Bautista said in a text message.

Bautista made a personal trip to Tokyo, Japan, from June 23 to June 26. 

To make this trip, Bautista availed of a one-day privilege leave on June 23. The rest of his trip was covered by a long weekend, as June 24, a Friday, was a holiday in the city of Manila, while the following days were Saturday and Sunday.

Lim’s memo comes after all 6 Comelec commissioners issued a strongly worded memo against Bautista’s supposedly "failed leadership." (READ: Comelec Chairman Bautista denies 'failed leadership')

Bautista cites COA chair, Ombudsman

In a memo to his colleagues dated June 21, Bautista explained that he is allowed to issue his own travel authority on the basis of Executive Order (EO) No. 477 series of 1991 and EO No. 459 series of 2005.

Bautista said officials like the COA chair and the Ombudsman "sign their travel authorities as heads of their respective agencies," on the basis of these executive orders. 

Lim, however, said that "there is a misapplication and/or misquotation of the provisions" of EOs 477 and 459.

He said EO 477 "refers to preserving the independent of the constitutional commissions such that it exempted the latter from securing a travel authority from the Office of the President."

Lim added that EO 459 "clearly refers to agencies within or attached to the Executive Department."

He said Bautista’s citation of EO 459 "omits the immediately succeeding sentence," which states that for the purposes of a paragraph of that EO, "heads of agencies refer to the Department Secretaries or their equivalents."

Lim also said Bautista’s memo "explicitly omits Section 2 of EO 477," which states that constitutional bodies such as the Comelec "shall promulgate guidelines on travels abroad for their members, officials, and employees."

He said that "the prevailing existing guideline, as approved by the Commission en banc, remains Minute Resolution No. 15-0361 dated May 12, 2016."

Minute Resolution No. 15-0361 provides "that for future travels of the Chairman, the most senior member of the Commission en banc shall sign his travel authority."

Lim said, "Until the existing guideline is revoked by the Commission en banc, and another is put in place, we all have to follow the guidelines we ourselves have enacted."

In a text message over the weekend, Guanzon said that Bautista "did not have en banc authority to travel abroad, and thus the en banc was not able to designate an acting chair, which is according to our rules."

"There are documents still not signed, including notices of awards to suppliers of election materials, thus payments are delayed," Guanzon said.

Bautista’s trip to Japan, however, covered only one working day.

The Comelec is set to discuss issues involving Bautista in its regular meeting on Tuesday. – Rappler.com

WASHINGTON DC, USA – The United States, Canada and Mexico will promise on Wednesday, June 29, to generate half their overall electricity from clean energy by 2025, the White House said.

"We believe it is an aggressive goal, but that it is achievable continent-wide," Brian Deese, senior advisor to US President Barack Obama, said Monday, June 27.

He spoke during a telephone conference call with reporters two days ahead of a summit between the 3 countries' leaders in Canada.

In 2015, clean energy – wind, solar and hydropower, plus nuclear power – accounted for 37% of the three countries' electricity, he added.

In the United States, the region's largest electricity producer by far, clean energy currently generates around a third of total output, putting it behind Canada but ahead of Mexico.

The rise in the coming years will be "principally driven by renewables and energy efficiency," Deese said.

In Canada, hydropower generates some 59% of electricity and nuclear power another 16%.

Mexico will also join an existing commitment by the United States and Canada to reduce production of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, by 40 to 45% of its 2012 level by 2025.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his guests Obama and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto will meet in Ottawa for the North American Leaders Summit Wednesday morning, June 29, under a climate of economic uncertainty following Britain's vote to leave the European Union on Thursday, June 23.

Linked by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) since 1994, the 3 countries usually hold an annual summit dubbed the "Three Amigos."

Chaired for the first time by Trudeau – leader of Canada's Liberal Party – following his election in November, the summit will also be Obama's last before he steps down in January.

The two met in March during Trudeau's visit to Washington, which marked a distinct warming in relations following a decade of Canadian rule by Trudeau's conservative predecessor Stephen Harper, who showed little interest in the fight against climate change. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The personal information of 112,000 French police officers was leaked onto Google Drive in early June following a security breach.

The BBC reported on Monday, June 27, that a disgruntled worker for the Mutuelle Generale de la Police (MGP), which provides the police with extra health and other insurance benefits, uploaded the information.

The information on the drive includes the details of active and retired officers, as well as information on their families. The leaked information reportedly also includes postal addresses.

The information was uploaded on June 2 and was password protected. It isn't known, however, if further security measures were placed on the data. Security experts have said no two-factor authentication was used on the data, but anyone with the password may have been able to access the data.

The MGP reportedly told France TV that it was the victim of "a malicious act on the part of an employee."

The breach comes around two weeks after a French police officer and his partner were killed by an assailant claiming allegiance to ISIS. The suspect in that case, Larossi Abballa, was killed in the police operation. – Rappler.com

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Thousands of indigenous people and peace advocates from across Mindanao gathered in Davao City on Tuesday, June 28, to show their support for the peace talks that incoming President Rodrigo Duterte has initiated with the Left.

More than 30,000 people came from Caraga, Soccsksargen, Western Mindanao, and the Davao Region – led by progressive groups, such as Gabriela, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Samasa, and local sectoral organizations – calling for "just and lasting peace."

For locals, lasting peace can only be achieved if the government delivers what people want, and if campaign promises are fulfilled.

"There will be no peace if they will not give what the people want. Because in our lands, the poor are being used, being harassed," 60-year-old Edith Kano told Rappler in an interview. 

Oscar Polikit, who travelled from Bukidnon to Davao City, expressed his high hopes for the peace negotiations with the progressive movements. 

"Ang maging solusyon dito 'yung pagkakaisa kagaya ngayon magkakaisa ang NDFP, 'yung moro," said Polikit. 

(The solution here is the unity like now [the government] is negotiating with the NDFP and the Moro.) 

"'Yung peace negotitation, iyan ang talagang prioridad nya dito," he added.

(That peace negotiation, that's really his priority.)

When asked about the large number of Mindanaoans who went to Davao City, Polikit said this might be their only opportunity to raise their concerns before the administration.

Jesus Dureza, incoming adviser on the peace process, earlier went to Oslo, Norway. to start the peace talks with Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison. 

The dialogue between the two parties is expected to resume on the 3rd week of July. 

The Mindanao Peoples' Peace Agenda

Aside from expressing their support for the peace talks, the movement also launched the Mindanao Peoples' Peace Agenda before the the Duterte administration. Incoming labor secretary Silvestre Bello III accepted the peace agenda as the representative of the Duterte administration.

"It's okay [but] we have to study [this] very carefully because probably they will use this paper [in] negotiation in the peace talks," said Bello. 

The agenda, according to one of the leaders, serves as a recommendation from the progressive groups on what Duterte can work on during the first 100 days of his administration.

Duterte will formally take his oath on Thursday, June 30 at 12:00 noon. 

This agenda calls to prioritize several issues that directly affect people in the Southern Philippines such as:

• Implementing a genuine land reform by carrying out the land distribution program
• Assisting farmers in Mindanao in improving agriculture by fully subsidizing one cropping season and scrapping irrigation fees
• Achieving national industrialization for employment to reach the area
• Promoting “ecologically-sound development” by suspending the operations of mining firms in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Davao del Sur, Agusan del Norte that violate the environment
• Respecting the rights of national minorities

Here is a full copy of the Mindanao Peoples' Peace Agenda:

{source} <p  style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;">   <a title="View Mindanao People&#x27;s Agenda on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/doc/316940635/Mindanao-People-s-Agenda"  style="text-decoration: underline;" >Mindanao People&#x27;s Agenda</a> by <a title="View Patty Pasion's profile on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/user/69610270/Patty-Pasion"  style="text-decoration: underline;" >Patty Pasion</a></p><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="https://www.scribd.com/embeds/316940635/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-qVfOl4HBauvIT73blMxH&show_recommendations=true&show_upsell=true" data-auto-height="false" data-aspect-ratio="0.7729220222793488" scrolling="no" id="doc_31513" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe> {/source}  

– Rappler.com 

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – The USNS Mercy, the lead ship of the United States Navy's hospital ships, returned to Legazpi City on June 28, to provide humanitarian assistance to impoverished families and share their expertise in disaster management as part of the 2016 Pacific Partnership initiative.

More than 1,000 sailors disembarked Legazpi City's seaport to take part in the two-week, multinational effort between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the United States Armed Forces (USAF). (READ: US troops head to Albay for 2016 Pacific Partnership mission)

The commanding officer, US Navy Captain Peter F. Roberts, MC, said the hospital ship first visited Legazpi City in March 1987 to provide humanitarian support following super typhoon Sisang (international codename Nina).

RDML Bruce L. Gillingham, added the US Armed forces wanted to share humanitarian and disaster capabilities, skills, and knowledge, as well as compassion, the trait from which the Mercy series of hospital ships sprang from. Gillingham added the Pacific Partnership team has set up an ambitious schedule during their time here, with cooperative health engagements, health fairs and medical care planned. There will also be an emphasis on developing capacity for all who participate, as the events will occur at 7 sites within Albay Province.

"Today we celebrate the beginning of the Pacific Partnership mission here in beautiful Legazpi, and look with great anticipation to the days ahead as we combine our skills, knowledge and compassion, working side by side to treat sickness and injury, growing together as healers and strengthening the partnership between our nations,” Gillingham said.

"The relationship between our countries is as important today as it was in 1987. We were committed then – as we are now – to providing medically ready forces that produce medical readiness and to leverage that training for partner nations such as the Philippines,’ he said.

Gillingham also remarked that more than 600 men and women from the USNS Mercy – made up of medical experts from the US and partner militaries as well as volunteers from non-governmental health organizations – will go shoulder-to-shoulder with Filipinos to establish and strengthen friendships.

"As this multi-national effort occurs," he explained, "women and men from several different nations will link arms to teach each other how to alleviate suffering and restore health."

Additional members of this humanitarian mission for the Pacific Partnership include the Royal Australian Navy and Royal New Zealand Air Force. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The police general who took over the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the aftermath of its bloodiest one-day operation yet admitted on Tuesday, June 28, that it caused a "crisis of confidence" in the young police force. 

Director General Ricardo Marquez, who retired from the uniformed service Tuesday afternoon, was emotional, sentimental, and proud as he spoke before the police force one last time.

"In the past 11 months and two weeks, I often get up every morning and wish that under my leadership the PNP would exceed your expectations," said Marquez, who is retiring two months earlier than scheduled.

"Hindi naging madaling pamunuan ang ating kapulisan sa gitna ng pagdadalamhati at agam-agam (It was not easy to lead the police force during a time of mourning and doubt). We had just lost so many valiant young officers in Mamasapano. [We were] embroiled in yet another crisis of confidence," added Marquez.

The Mamasapano clash claimed the lives of more than 60 Filipinos when PNP Special Action Force (SAF) troopers entered Mamasapano town in Maguindanao to target wanted terrorists. 

Of those killed, 44 were SAF troopers who found themselves pinned down by local armed groups on January 25, 2015.

The aftermath of the Mamasapano clash saw weaker morale in the police force, as well as a dip in President Benigno Aquino III's ratings. Aquino was criticized for supposedly allowing his friend, then PNP chief Alan Purisima, to play a role in the operation despite the latter's suspension from service. 

Aquino was also criticized for opting to skip the arrival ceremonies for the bodies of the slain SAF troopers. Instead, he attended a car plant inauguration in a nearby province.  

"Sa ganitong pagkakataon, mahalaga po muling pukawin ang pag-asa at pananalig ng puso ng bawat isa (On this occasion, it is important to renew each one's hope and faith)," said Marquez, who headed the PNP Directorate for Operations at the time of the SAF mission.

Like many other Camp Crame officials, Marquez was unaware of the operation until it happened.  

Aquino and his allies denied any wrongdoing on the President's part, despite an internal PNP probe that outlined his lapses in the lead-up to the operation. 

The President was the guest of honor during Marquez' retirement honors. 

As he looked back on his 11-month term as PNP chief, Marquez thanked Aquino for trusting him even if they did not know each other personally. 

Purisima, in contrast, was a good friend of Aquino's from the 80s. 

Aquino, in turn, thanked Marquez for his service and said he felt "regret (panghihinayang)" over the police general's retirement.

Marquez turns 56 – the mandatory age of retirement – in August yet. He opted to retire ahead of schedule to make way for Chief Superintendent Ronald Dela Rosa, incoming president Rodrigo Duterte's pick to head the PNP.

Aquino himself officially ends his term on Thursday, June 30. – Rappler.com

LONDON, United Kingdom – Britain's two main political parties were in Brexit turmoil on Tuesday, June 28, as the race to succeed Prime Minister David Cameron began in earnest and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn faced a no-confidence vote from Labour MPs.

Five days after the shock vote for Britain to leave the EU, the two parties that have dominated Westminster for nearly a century were in almost complete disarray.

Pro-EU finance minister George Osborne, long tipped to succeed Cameron, ruled himself out on Tuesday.

That left former London mayor and "Leave" figurehead Boris Johnson – but now a bogeyman for many in the "Remain" camp – tipped as the most likely candidate.

The Conservatives have set a Thursday deadline for nominations, with Home Secretary Theresa May the other frontrunner.

Corbyn defiant

On the opposition side, Corbyn has said he will not stand down and does not have to even if Tuesday's no-confidence vote goes against him since it would then be up to the party's 150,000 members to vote on a new leader if he puts himself forward again.

Over half of Corbyn's shadow cabinet – the leadership of his party – have stepped down since Sunday, June 26, in a coordinated series of resignations against the 67-year-old, who only became leader in September.

Corbyn, a veteran socialist and euroskeptic who voted against EU membership in a 1975 referendum, has come under heavy criticism from pro-EU lawmakers for his lukewarm campaigning in favor of Britain staying in.

Many experts have blamed the strong anti-EU vote in Labour heartlands in northern England on Corbyn.

But Corbyn himself has blamed Conservative austerity measures for creating disenchantment in many working-class areas and said the media had not covered Labour's referendum campaign, focussing instead on rifts within the ruling Conservatives.

Corbyn – who blasted "internal manoeuvering" within his party – was defiant on Monday, June 27, at a rally organized by the grassroots Momentum movement, largely made up of the far-left campaigners who helped get him elected.

"Don't let the media divide us. Don't let the people who wish us ill divide us. Stay together, strong and united for the kind of world we want to live in," he said.

Voting on the no-confidence motion is due to close around 4 pm (1500 GMT), with results expected about an hour later.

Boris or Theresa?

The Conservatives are meanwhile scrambling to choose a successor to Cameron, who announced his resignation within hours of the Brexit result last Friday, saying he wanted he or she to be in place by October.

EU leaders said they wanted Britain to move more quickly, and on Monday the Tories said they expect the new leader to be in place by September 2.

A new poll Tuesday put May in the lead with 31%, against 24% for Johnson.

Nominations for the party leadership open Wednesday, June 29, and close Thursday, June 30.

If more than two candidates stand, Tory MPs will vote next week to whittle down the field to two nominees, before the new leader is chosen by a postal ballot of party members, who currently number around 150,000.

Critics have questioned whether the "Leave" camp – and Johnson in particular – has any idea how to manage the unprecedented situation left by last week's vote.

"He has still to offer anything like a concrete plan on how he would negotiate the post-Brexit future," wrote former BBC political editor Nick Robinson.

He added: "The fallout from the biggest exercise in popular democracy has already been dramatic... It has, though, only just begun.

"The old order has been smashed. It may be a very long time – not weeks, not months but years – before the shape of the new order and the answers to all those questions become clear." – Rappler.com

BEIJING, China – More than 130 people were taken to hospital after chemicals leaked from a plant in eastern China, state media reported Tuesday, June 28, the country's latest accident involving dangerous materials.

The compound diketene, which is used to make paper and pharmaceuticals, leaked from a plant in Shandong province, Xinhua news agency reported.

It cited local officials who blamed negligence for the leak, adding that 131 residents of Shenxian county had been taken to hospital as of Monday.

Eleven of these were later released while the rest were in stable condition, Xinhua said.

The company Beichen Biotechnology had been ordered to shut down, it added.

It is the latest incident to highlight the lax storage of hazardous chemicals in China, often close to people's homes.

Last week a deadly tornado in eastern China caused the collapse of a facility used to store hazardous chemicals near a drinking water plant and a river.

Massive explosions at a chemical storage facility beside a residential area in the eastern port city of Tianjin last August killed 165 people. – Rappler.com

CAIRO, Egypt – Within 3 months, Egypt's anti-corruption chief Hisham Geneina has been fired, charged with spreading false information and tried. His mistake, he says: reporting corruption at the heart of the state.

"It's as if uncovering corruption has become a crime," Geneina, who headed Egypt's Central Auditing Authority, says in his villa in a plush Cairo suburb.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who had promised to tackle corruption, abruptly sacked the 62-year-old retired judge in March.

Since then, an intense campaign by Egyptian media, which rarely dares to criticise Sisi's governance, has now seen Geneina and his family accused of tarnishing the country and having links with the banned Islamist opposition.

Quoting a study by the authority using reports between 2012 and 2015, Geneina calculated the cost of corruption at about 600 billion Egyptian pounds ($66 billion, 60 billion euros).

The study highlighted the allegedly illegal acquisition of state-owned land by senior officials and businessmen from the tenure of toppled president Hosni Mubarak.

Geneina is convinced that his sacking and trial is based on an erroneous media report which suggested he attributed the 600-billion figure to 2015 alone.

He is accused of "spreading false news with the goal of harming public interest," and the prosecution claims Geneina used "baseless calculations" to exaggerate the cost of corruption.

"Where were you all these years if I was dangerous to the state?" he asks. "Why wasn't I unmasked earlier by security and intelligence agencies?"

Watchdog Transparency International ranks Egypt as 88th on its corruption perceptions index, and Sisi has publicly launched a crackdown on the widespread graft that dogged the Mubarak years.

In September, he sacked his agriculture minister who was later sentenced to 10 years in prison for taking bribes.

Geneina, who rose through judicial ranks in his 34-year legal career, believes Egypt's fight against widespread corruption has been piecemeal.

"We can't set an example with words alone. We need action," he says. "Could (my trial) be because the studies implicated bodies that were never named until now?"

The charges against Geneina came during a crackdown on opposition groups overseen by Sisi since the then-army chief toppled Egypt's first democratically elected president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

The former magistrate, whom Morsi had appointed to head the anti-corruption authority, criticised the "stranglehold" that security agencies still have over Egyptian state institutions.

'Settling scores'

Geneina's fall from grace now also risks bringing his eldest daughter down with him.

Shorouk, 27, a former employee of the international law firm Baker and McKenzie, was last month sacked from the administrative prosecution after sharing a cartoon on Facebook of a former justice minister.

"This is part of a score settling," Geneina says, his daughter by his side.

Amr Adly, an economist at the Carnegie Middle East Centre, says Geneina's calculation of the cost of corruption is flawed, but the authorities' reaction has been "disastrous on a political level".

Even if the figures provided in Geneina's study were inaccurate, prosecuting him "gives the impression that the executive takes revenge on those who talk about corruption," Adly says. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – He was a senior officer who, for the most part of his career, was a stranger to President Benigno Aquino III. But when Ricardo Marquez donned his police badge one last time, the president had nothing but praises for a man who tells it like it is.

“Kilala din natin si Ric bilang pinunong kapag kinausap mo, sasabihin niya ang totoo; hindi makikipagplastikan o magsisinungaling para lang magpalapad ng papel,” said Aquino on Tuesday, June 28, during Marquez’ retirement honors inside Camp Crame.

(I know Marquez as a leader who tells the truth; he doesn’t put on a facade or lie just to show off.)

Aquino, who will be stepping down from office on June 30, added: “Kaya sa totoo lang, isa siya sa mga pinuno na ngayong magwawakas na ang termino, ay talaga namang may halo tayong panghihinayang. Mayroon po kasing mga pinunong kapag nagpapaalam na sa serbisyo, gusto nating sabihin: ‘Hay, sa wakas, magreretiro na.’ Pero sa pagtatapos ng pamumuno ng isang Ric Marquez, tiyak kong marami ang makakaramdam ng: ‘Sayang naman, sana mas matagal pa siya sa serbisyo.’”

(So to be honest, there’s a mix of regret now that he’s about to end his term. You see, there are leaders who, when they say goodbye, you want to say: ‘Finally, he’s retiring.’ But now that Ric Marquez’ term is ending, I’m sure a lot feel: ‘What a shame, if only he could stay on longer.’)

Marquez, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1982, was Aquino’s 4th and final appointee to the top spot in the Philippine National Police (PNP).

He was supposed to retire in August 2016, when he turns the mandatory retirement age of 56. But he chose to end his term early, partly to give way to Chief Superintendent Ronald dela Rosa, President-elect Rodrigo Duterte's pick to lead the PNP.

Marquez had earlier said he would tender a "courtesy resignation" to whoever would win the 2016 presidential election, to give the country's next leader a chance to pick his or her own PNP chief.  

Speaking during Marquez’ retirement ceremony, Aquino heaped praises on the 4-star general, citing the PNP’s work in reducing crime, arresting wanted criminals, and securing large-scale events such as Pope Francis’ visit and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

Marquez headed security efforts for the two high-profile events held in 2015.

"'Yan nga po ang katangian ng liderato ni Ric Marquez: mahusay, maaasahan, may malasakit at paninindigan sa pagtupad ng mandato. Sinasagad ni Ric ang bawat pagkakataon para pahusayin pa ang serbisyo ng ating kapulisan," said Aquino of Marquez, who served as PNP chief for a little over 11 months.

(That’s the kind of leadership Ric Marquez has: capable and reliable, with compassion and a resolve to fulfill one’s mandate. He made the most out of every chance to improve the PNP’s service.)

On July 1, Dela Rosa is set to formally take over the 160,000-strong police force. Deputy Director General Francisco Uyami Jr, the sole member of the PNP Command Group, will serve as officer-in-charge of the PNP during the two-day transition from one PNP chief to another. – Rappler.com

WASHINGTON DC, USA (UPDATED) – Republican lawmakers on Tuesday, June 28, released a report on the deadly 2012 assault on the US mission in Benghazi, accusing then secretary of state Hillary Clinton of underestimating and then misrepresenting the extremist threat in Libya.

As Washington insiders pored over the minutiae of an 800-page document that was two years and seven million taxpayer dollars in the making, there was no sign of the kind of bombshell revelation that would fatally wound Clinton's campaign for the White House.

But every hour her team spends responding to the charges – including details of an abandoned bid to deploy troops to protect the Libyan outpost, and of behind-the-scenes meetings in Washington – is a distraction from her effort to build an unassailable lead over Donald Trump.

Clinton's Democratic supporters on the Congressional panel probing the attack and its political aftermath denounced their colleagues' response, and the State Department said it provides few new facts about the September 2012 tragedy not already covered by several former investigations.

And Clinton herself, at a campaign appearance, dismissed the report, saying it did nothing to debunk "multiple" prior probes by independent or bipartisan bodies.

"I will leave it to others to characterize this report, but I think it's pretty clear it's time to move on," she declared.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest was also scathing, saying that for all their effort, the lawmakers had only proven that the "conspiracy theories that have been flowering on the Republican side of the aisle are politically motivated fantasies."

There is, however, some material in the report that will feed the narrative of those who believe the US administration was too slow to react to mounting danger in Libya and too quick to blame unconnected protests about a US-made video.

This in turn will further raise the temperature in an already bitter campaign to succeed US President Barack Obama in the White House – a campaign in which Clinton herself is now the Democratic frontrunner and leading the Republican billionaire Trump in opinion polls.

Republican Congressman Trey Gowdy, who chaired the select committee set up to probe the attack, released the report with a tribute to the 4 Americans who died: Ambassador Chris Stevens, State Department officer Sean Smith and CIA security contractors Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.

"Now, I simply ask the American people to read this report for themselves, look at the evidence we have collected, and reach their own conclusions," he said.

But some of Gowdy's Republican colleagues had some ideas about what voters' conclusions should be.

"The report contains a significant amount of new information about what happened before, during, and after the terrorist attack that left four of our fellow citizens dead," said House Speaker Paul Ryan.

"It makes clear that officials in Washington failed our men and women on the ground when they were in need of help."

Lessons learned

In its initial response, the State Department also paid tribute to the 4 slain Americans. Spokesman Mark Toner said: "We honor them by working every day to internalize the lessons of Benghazi."

"The essential facts surrounding the 2012 attacks in Benghazi have been known for some time," Toner added, citing two independent government reviews and seven previous Congressional committees.

The reports' authors highlighted details that, while not proving the widespread conspiracy theory that Obama's White House or Clinton's State Department delayed a possible rescue, do support the view that political considerations were in play from an early stage.

The attack by organized Libyan Islamist extremists on Stevens' exposed US compound in the eastern city came as Obama was engaged in a tough re-election battle against Republican challenger Mitt Romney.

In the days immediately after the shocking assault, which happened on the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, some US officials wrongly claimed it had sprung out of a protest against an anti-Muslim YouTube video.

Action items

The Republican report provides evidence that many within the administration knew early on that it had in fact been a planned "terrorist attack," even as others were painting it as an isolated response to a specific provocation.

The report lays out an account of a White House meeting held when Stevens was already missing and the fighting still underway in which officials agreed "action items" related to the YouTube video.

It also describes, citing testimony from participants, how an elite Marine team based in Spain changed in and out of its uniforms four times while waiting to deploy, while officials mulled whether US insignia would offend Libyans.

State Department spokesman Toner firmly denied that considerations about whether or not to wear uniforms would play any role in the speed of an eventual deployment.

Previous reports have concluded that no US units could have deployed in time to save the diplomats or the CIA team posted nearby. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court on Tuesday, June 28, junked a petition against the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruling to extend the deadline for filing Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs) to June 30.

"Notably, petitioners failed to attach a duplicate original or certified true copy of the assailed Resolution along with the requisite number of copies required," the SC said in a resolution Tuesday.

The SC pointed out that the petitioners "merely submitted news reports in lieu of the required copy of the assailed Resolution."

The petition of lawyer Manuelito Luna, among others, "sought to strike down the Comelec's Resolution extending the deadline for the filing of the Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) for having been issued with grave abuse of discretion," according to the High Court.

Luna filed this petition against the Comelec on June 20, after the poll body announced on June 16 that it voted in favor of a deadline extension. 

The Comelec, however, promulgated Resolution No. 10147, which officially extended the SOCE deadline, only on June 23.

Extension requested by Roxas, LP

The SC said: "We remind petitioners that this Court cannot act upon a petition for certiorari that does not contain the assailed issuances and wholly relies upon printed news accounts. In sum, the failure of the instant Petition to comply with these basic requirements constitutes a sufficient reason for its dismissal."

The Comelec extended the deadline for SOCE filing upon the request of defeated presidential bet Manuel "Mar" Roxas II and the Liberal Party (LP). Roxas and the LP failed to submit their SOCEs on the original deadline – June 8. (READ: Roxas files SOCE, sends truckload of documents)

The LP's failure to submit its SOCE on the original June 8 deadline raised questions on whether the LP's candidates, including Vice President-elect Leni Robredo, can take office on June 30. 

Section 14 of Republic Act 7166 states: "No person elected to any public offices shall enter upon the duties of his office until he has filed the statement of contributions and expenditures herein required."

Former Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr, however, said the late filing of SOCEs cannot prevent a candidate from taking office.

"It would be absurd to apply the Comelec rule that when a SOCE is not filed on time, the Comelec can refuse acceptance of the same, thereby forever preventing the elected official from performing his/her duties," Brillantes said. – Rappler.com

SAN FRANCISCO, USA – Volkswagen has agreed to pay out $14.7 billion in a US settlement over its emissions-cheating diesel-powered cars, pledging to buy back or fix cars that tricked pollution tests, and pay each owner up to $10,000 in cash.

The huge settlement filed in federal court Tuesday, June 28, gives the first indication of the financial cost to the German auto giant of the months-long scandal unfolding on both sides of the Atlantic over its fraudulent practices.

Under the deal, Volkswagen agreed to create a pool of $10 billion to compensate owners and pay a $2.7 billion environmental penalty that will help remediate pollution around the United States.

The company will invest an additional $2.0 billion "to create infrastructure for and promote public awareness of zero emission vehicles," the court filing showed.

The settlement, which must be approved by a federal judge in San Francisco who is overseeing the litigation, could affect some 480,000 owners of Volkswagens and Audis with 2.0-liter diesel engines.

Deputy US Attorney General Sally Yates told a news conference the investigation is not yet over.

"This partial settlement marks a significant first step towards holding Volkswagen accountable for what was a breach of its legal duties and a breach of the public's trust," she said.

"And while this announcement is an important step forward, let me be clear, it is by no means the last. We will continue to follow the facts wherever they go."

Yates noted that the settlement does not cover civil penalties for violations of the Clean Air Act or a criminal investigation. The deal does not affect a parallel probe into the company's 3.0-liter diesel engines.

'Can't undo damage'

She said however the deal would offer compensation to consumers and help remediate air pollution.

"We can't undo the damage that Volkswagen caused to our air quality but what we can do is offset that damage by reducing pollution from other sources," she said.

Volkswagen admitted in September that it had installed software in the vehicles that tricked US emissions tests into showing the cars met environmental standards.

The affected vehicles include 2009 through 2015 Volkswagen TDI diesel models of Jettas, Passats, Golfs and Beetles as well as the TDI Audi A3.

The device switched off after testing, enabling the vehicles to spew up to 40 times the permitted amounts of nitrogen oxides.

Volkswagen – which had an annual turnover of 210 billion euros for 2015 – has set aside 16.2 billion euros ($17.9 billion) to cover costs from the scandal including the legal risks.

The auto giant is facing similar charges and litigation in Europe and elsewhere for the same issues.

Tuesday's settlement filed with Judge Charles Breyer would settle claims from the US government as well as a large number of plaintiffs including owners, lessees and dealers.

Volkswagen agreed under the deal to buy back the emissions-cheating vehicles at their market prices before the scandal broke late last year, at prices ranging from $12,475 for the 2009 Jetta Sedan to more than $44,000 for some 2015 Audi models.

The owners also have the option of letting Volkswagen modify the cars to meet US pollution standards, if a fix is approved by environmental officials.

In either case, the owners would also get a cash settlement ranging from $5,100 to $10,000 depending on the vehicle.

The deal also allows consumers who leased one of the affected vehicles to have the lease terminated at no cost, and calls for Volkswagen to pay off loans still owed by some owners.

"Consumers who were cheated by Volkswagen's deceptive advertising campaign will be able to get full and fair compensation, not only for the lost or diminished value of their car but also for the other harms that VW caused them," said Federal Trade Commission chair Edith Ramirez. – Rappler.com

PARIS, France – New research in lab animals, including Zika vaccines successfully tested on mice, boosted hopes Tuesday, June 28, for a jab to shield humans against the brain-damaging virus.

Two prototype vaccines tested on lab mice "provided complete protection against the Zika virus" with just a single shot, reported the first team.

"These findings certainly raise optimism that the development of a safe and effective vaccine against Zika virus for humans may be successful," said Dan Barouch, director of the Harvard Medical School's Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, who co-authored a paper in Nature.

His optimism was echoed in a separate study into Zika infection in rhesus macaques – close genetic relatives of humans and well-matched animal models for medical testing.

In a study in sister journal Nature Communications, a US-based team said they managed for the first time to infect lab monkeys with the Zika virus.

And they found that a single infection, mostly symptom-free as in humans, provided "complete protection" against later Zika exposure.

"This is a key finding because it means that a vaccine could be quite effective against the virus," said study co-author Dawn Dudley of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"It also indicates that people who are already infected with Zika virus are not susceptible to future infection, for example during a future pregnancy."

Pregnancy fears deepen

Benign in most people, Zika has been linked to a form of severe brain damage called microcephaly in babies, and to rare adult-onset neurological problems such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which can result in paralysis and death.

In an outbreak that started last year, about 1.5 million people have been infected with Zika in Brazil, and more than 1,600 babies born with abnormally small heads and brains.

On the downside, Dudley's team found that the virus persisted as much as two months longer in pregnant monkeys as non-pregnant ones, who were generally virus-free within 10 days after infection.

One hypothesis was that the fetuses themselves are infected, and remain so for much longer than adults.

"(M)y concern for Zika virus in pregnancy is much higher now than it was 6 months ago," Dudley said of the discovery.

The macaque babies have yet to be born.

There is no cure or vaccine for Zika, but the World Health Organization said in April that more than 60 companies and research institutions were working on drug candidates – including 18 vaccines targeting women of childbearing age.

Barouch said the two vaccines his team tested worked against two strains of the Zika virus, including one from the Brazil outbreak.

This was the first report of complete Zika protection in an animal model, he claimed, and "a step forward in the development of a Zika virus vaccine." It was unclear, though, how long the immunity lasts.

At least one other vaccine, developed by US biotech firm Inovio Pharmaceuticals, prompts animals to produce virus-attacking Zika antibodies, but this was not necessarily the same as full protection, Barouch explained.

Inovio recently received approval to conduct a Phase I safety trial in humans.

Outside experts welcomed the studies but highlighted a number of unknowns.

"DNA vaccines that work in mice have a sorry history of not working in humans," Peter Openshaw, president of the British Society for Immunology, cautioned via the Science Media Center.

Crucially, it was not clear if the vaccines also produced antibodies against other viruses in the Zika family, such as dengue, which could cross-react with the Zika antibodies to dangerously enhance infection, commentators said.

Dengue is endemic in Brazil. It usually causes flu-like symptoms, but about 1% of patients develop a hemorrhagic fever which claims some 22,000 lives every year.

Before human trials can begin, the vaccines will have to be tested on other Zika strains in mice, and then in monkeys, said the experts. – Rappler.com

MIAMI, USA – NASA on Tuesday, June 28, performed its second and last test-fire of a rocket booster for the Space Launch System (SLS), a powerful engine that may one day launch astronauts to Mars, the US space agency said.

Fire and gray smoke billowed from the booster, which lay on the ground during the two-minute test fire in the remote hills of Utah at 11:05 am (1605 GMT).

NASA has described the SLS as the "world's most powerful rocket," and said the test aims to see how the propellant performs at the colder end of its temperature range.

"This is the last time the booster will be fired in a test environment before the first test flight of SLS with NASA's Orion spacecraft, known as Exploration Mission-1 in late 2018," NASA said in a statement.

The test took place at Orbital ATK Propulsion Systems' test facilities in Promontory, Utah.

NASA said it will provide "critical data to support booster qualification for flight."

The test aims to see how the motor performs in cold temperatures -- a targeted 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.5 degrees Celsius).

The first full-scale booster test in March 2015 showed the booster performed adequately at 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 C) -- the highest end of the booster's accepted propellant temperature range. – Rappler.com