DHAKA, Bangladesh (UPDATED) – Bangladeshi forces Saturday, October 8, killed 11 suspected Islamist extremists including the new leader of a banned group behind a Dhaka cafe massacre, a minister said.

"Eleven extremists were killed. They are all members of the new JMB (Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh)," Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told AFP, referring to the outlawed group that killed 22 mostly foreign hostages at the cafe in July.

"The dead included Akash who was leading the new JMB after the death of Tamim Chowdhury," he said, adding seven of the extremists were killed in a gunfight in Patertek, Gazipur district, just outside Dhaka, after they rejected an offer to surrender.

Police said Akash could be a code name for the slain JMB leader.

Chowdhury, a Canadian citizen of Bangladesh origin, was shot dead in a gunfight in August. Police said he was the leader of the JMB and behind the cafe attack.

The siege at Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Dhaka's posh Gulshan neighbourhood was the deadliest in a series of assaults claimed by Islamist groups which have blighted Bangladesh in the last three years.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, posting photos of the carnage as it happened and pictures of the attackers holding IS flags online.

However, Bangladesh officials have rejected the claims, saying the new JMB led by Tamim was responsible for the bloodbath.

The minister said seven more suspected Islamist extremists were also arrested in raids in two industrial towns just outside the capital after they committed robberies to fund their activities.

"We have seized money from these extremists that they got through robbery," he said.

He told reporters that Syed Ziaul Haque, the leader of another outlawed extremist group called Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) would soon be arrested.

"He is under our surveillance. He'll be arrested anytime," Khan said.

The ABT, also known as Ansar al Islam, is linked with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent and has been blamed for a series of murders of atheist and secular bloggers who were critical of Islam.

Bangladesh reeling

Earlier in the day the elite Rapid Action Battalion launched two separate operations after being tipped off about the presence of Islamist extremists in a building in Gazipur, just outside Dhaka, and a three-storey structure in the northern district of Tangail.

"Four extremists were shot dead during a gunfight with the RAB in the two places. They are new JMB members," RAB spokesman Mufti Mahmud Khan told AFP.

In the Tangail raid the RAB said the extremists fired at them from their hideout after shouting Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest), prompting officers to fire back.

"Two of our officers were injured during the gunfight," local RAB chief Mohiuddin Faruqe told AFP.

Long dormant after their top leaders were executed in March 2007, the JMB has recently regrouped with young, university-educated extremists taking the helm.

Bangladesh has been reeling from a deadly wave of attacks in the last three years including on foreigners, rights activists and members of the country's religious minorities.

Critics say Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's administration is in denial about the nature of the threat posed by Islamist extremists and accuse her of trying to exploit the attacks to demonise her domestic opponents.

Last month US Secretary of State John Kerry said during a visit to Dhaka that there was evidence to link the extremists behind the recent spate of deadly attacks in Bangladesh to ISIS. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – It's the hundredth day of the Duterte administration's war on drugs and the results are staggering.

More than 700,000 drug personalities surrendered.

More than 3,600 people killed in drug-related police operations and extrajudicial killings. 

The war on drugs continues.– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The communist New People's Army (NPA) said on Saturday, October 8, that while the ceasefire between rebels and the military has been holding, soldiers continue to conduct “hostile operations” in the countryside.

“In the interest of ensuring the progress of peace negotiations, the NPA calls on GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) President [Rodrigo] Duterte to tame the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines),” NPA spokesperson Ka Oris said in an emailed statement that marked the 100th day of the Duterte presidency.

The statement of Ka Oris – the nom de guerre of NPA's top leader in Mindanao, Jorge Madlos – was also timed with the 50th day of the rebels’ ceasefire declaration.

The guerrillas' political arm, the National Democratic Front, is in talks with the Duterte administration to end the communist insurgency, which has dragged for more than 3 decades. The two sides began their 2nd round of talks in Oslo, Norway, on October 6.

All guerrilla units are abiding by the ceasefire, Ka Oris said. But he cited reports of “continuing AFP operations” in key areas in Northern Luzon and Southern Mindanao.

“Even the drug campaign is being used by the AFP to conduct anti-NPA operations,” Ka Oris added.

He warned that "not a few NPA units are having difficulty holding back offensives" amid these operations.

The President should end all military-led counter-insurgency operations, including “so-called ‘peace and development operations,’ ‘visitations, ‘medical missions'," Ka Oris added. 

The current indefinite ceasefire is unprecedented. This has allowed the military to deploy its troops to Western Mindanao, particularly in Sulu, to run after the Abu Sayyaf Group. More than 8,000 troops are now in Sulu.

The talks in Oslo also resumed on a high note this week when the NDF assigned former CPP-NPA chief Benito Tiamzon as one of its panel members. The reshuffle also made Fidel Agcaoili the new head of the rebel negotiating panel, replacing Luis Jalandoni. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Around 40 former and incumbent senators convened at the old Congress building on Wednesday, October 5, to celebrate the Philippine Senate's hundred-year legacy of service to Filipinos.

They marked the Senate's 100th year through a  Senate Centennial Dinner and Reunion held at the old Congress building in Manila, which now houses the National Museum.

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III led the incumbent senators, along with Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon, Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Senate Minority Ralph Recto, and  Senators Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Nancy Binay, Leila de Lima, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian, Richard Gordon, Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan, Risa Hontiveros, Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, Grace Poe, Joel Villanueva, Cynthia Villar, and Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri.    

The former senators at the event included former president now Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, former Vice President Noli de Castro, former Senate presidents Juan Ponce Enrile and Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr, along with Heherson Alvarez, Rodolfo Biazon, Nikki Coseteng, Rene Espina, former First Lady Loi Estrada, Edgardo Ilarde, Eva Kalaw, former Manila mayor Alfredo Lim, Joey Lina Jr, Jun Magsaysay Jr, Orly Mercado, Santanina Rasul, Wigberto Tañada Sr, Francisco Tatad, and Victor Ziga.

'Dedication, devotion to Filipino people'

In his keynote address, Koko Pimentel said the Philippine Senate has continued to be a vibrant repository of the country’s democratic ideals for the last hundred years.

“Why has the Senate lasted this long? Because all of us who have served the Senate – and that means all of us here – have served with utmost dedication and devotion to the best interests of the Filipino people,” he said. 

Pimentel said that throughout the years, different generations of senators have passed relevant laws, checked abuses in government, and concurred in beneficial treaties but also "rejected some which were deemed not to be to the best interests of the nation.” The Senate has also performed its check-and-balance function as an impeachment court, he added. 

Star-studded reunion, performances

Three former Senate presidents were at the event – Drilon (2000; 2001- 2004; 2004- 2006; 2013- 2016), Enrile (2008- 2010; 2010- 2013), and Koko's father, Nene Pimentel (2000-2001). 

The centennial anniversary also featured performances from the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and singer Dulce, along with a well-applauded traditional dance performance of the Senate Spouses Foundation Incorporated led by Bing Pimentel, the mother of the current Senate President.

Check out the photos from the celebration:

– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The second round of talks between the Philippine government and the communist National Democratic Front (NDF) hit a snag on issues involving the promised general amnesty for "political prisoners" and socio-economic reforms. (READ: PH, NDF back in Oslo to tackle root cause of conflict)

But both camps, talking in Oslo, Norway, remain committed to the peace process that the government aims to complete by August 2017. 

The NDF pressed for the immediate release of 432 political prisoners, saying delays "can serve as a disincentive to the NDFP in further pursuing the discussions on prolonging the ceasefire and arriving at a bilateral agreement on a more stable ceasefire."

Separate unilateral ceasefires were declared by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the New People's Army following the successful first round of talks in August. Armed encounters have stopped, but the lack of operational guidelines to guide soldiers and NPA combatants threaten the ongoing ceasefire. 

NPA spokesperson Ka Oris on Saturday, October 8, called on President Rodrigo Duterte to "tame" the AFP because "not a few NPA units are having difficulty holding back offensives" because of the military's continued operations.

A bilateral ceasefire agreement aims to establish the ground rules.

Delays in CASER

Talks on socioeconomic reforms – expectedly the most contentious issue in the peace process – were also delayed because of disagreements on the outline of the resulting Comprehensive Agreement on Socioeconomic Reforms (CASER). 

The NDF wants policies that will push for agrarian reform, national industrialization, environmental protection, rights of the working people, foreign economic and trade relations, and monetary and fiscal policies.

It said these will address the root cause of conflict and end Asia's longest running communist insurgency.

The NDF blocked government's move to include in the outline "9 major outcomes" that it said are "merely generalizations" – poverty eradication, environment and climate justice, globally competitive economy, adequate and quality social services, reduced inequalities, peaceful rural communities, food security, living incomes, and gender equality and representation.

Hernani Braganza, chairman of the government committee negotiating CASER, said it is important to include the desired outcome. "We want the outcomes spelled out in CASER because we do not want to limit the discussions only on the root causes of poverty. We also want exhaustive discussions on how we, the GRP and the NDF, can agree on a shared view of the future for the Philippines," he said. 

Julie de Lima, chairperson of the NDF panel negotiating CASER, said it was the government panel that "requested the postponement of discussions on the CASER for them to elaborate on their nine-point outcomes-based proposal."

“The main purpose of the peace negotiations is to address the roots of the armed conflict which, among others, includes poverty, landlessness, joblessness, hunger, and inequality,” she said.

The 2nd round of talks began on October 6 and will end on October 10. – Rappler.com 

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The traffic situation in Metro Cebu is better than in Metro Manila but it still merits inclusion in the scope of proposed emergency powers for President Rodrigo Duterte, the chairman of the House committee on transportation said on Saturday, October 8.

The committee chairman, Catanduanes Representative Cesar Sarmiento, made the statement after personally checking the traffic situation in Metro Cebu. He held a public hearing on the proposed emergency powers in Cebu City on Saturday.

‪"Even if the traffic here is still not as bad as Metro Manila, we will still push for emergency powers to stop Cebu from getting to that level," Sarmiento said in a media interview after the hearing.‬

Cebu City 1st District Representative Raul Del Mar asked for the public hearing to be held in Cebu.

During the hearing, Sarmiento said the traffic condition in Metro Cebu is "better" than in the National Capital Region except that the former's roads are smaller.

Several bills seeking to grant emergency powers to the President to address the traffic problem were filed in both houses of Congress earlier this year. 

The proposed Traffic and Congestion Crisis Act of 2016 seeks to allow the President to fast-track procurement of right-of-way for various infrastructure and transportation projects. It seeks to include not only Metro Manila but also other urban areas such as Metro Cebu.

Data show that P3 billion a day is lost in terms of economic productivity due to traffic.  In Metro Cebu, the National Economic and Development Authority said that P145 million a day is lost on average due to traffic.

Sarmiento had been in Cebu since Wednesday to assess the traffic situation. 

Metro Cebu, home to about 2.8 million people, has 7 cities and 6 municipalities. It has almost twice the land area of Metro Manila, which is home to almost 15 million people in 17 cities. 

On July 1, commuters in Metro Cebu experienced being stuck in traffic for more than 4 hours of gridlock brought about by heavy rains. According to Waze, in Metro Manila, 3 to 4 hours is the average time spent in traffic during peak hours.

Scope of the crisis

"We are now certain that there is no traffic crisis in our ports and airport in Cebu but only in the roads supporting them. Being clear on the scope of the crisis will help us come up with clear solutions and can even remind us if the solutions are already at hand," Sarmiento said at the hearing.

Cebu's congressional representatives, local executives from across the Metro, and other government agencies attended the hearing. 

In a September survey conducted by Waze, Cebu was named the worst place to drive in the world. 

"We don't want to be known as the worst place in the world to drive. It may be bad, but I don't believe it's the worst," said Melanie Ng, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce.

"We should do something now so we're not known as the worst place to drive. We need to be known as a destination," Ng added.

Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino said that emergency powers were crucial in preventing Cebu from becoming the next Metro Manila. "We cannot solve the problem here without it," he said. 

Plans proposed included the construction of a light rail transit system, implementing the planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, limiting cars on the road, among others. 

The proposed emergency powers for the President would be in effect  for two to 3 years.

After Cebu City, the transportation committee plans to hold a consultation with stakeholders in the Metro Davao area. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Experts have questioned President Rodrigo Duterte's version of an "independent foreign policy," as Duterte threatens to cut ties with the United States and to strengthen alliances with China and Russia instead.

Article II, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution already says, "The State shall pursue an independent foreign policy."

Victor Andres Manhit, the Philippine managing director of international think tank BowerGroupAsia said, however, that Duterte's push for an independent foreign policy seems to be "really more of independence from the United States." (READ: Duterte puts EDCA under review, threatens to cut US ties)

"It's not independent because you move from one strong alliance to another strong alliance," Manhit said, referring to the shift toward stronger alliances with China and Russia. (READ: Duterte attacks US, praises China in Indonesia)

Manhit on Wednesday, October 5, also cautioned the Duterte administration against shelving the Philippines' historic victory against China over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). 

China has refused bilateral talks with the Philippines if based on this historic ruling.

Many analysts fear that Manila might shelve the ruling to improve ties with Beijing.

'Measured responses' needed

Manhit, who is also president of the Albert del Rosario Institute for Strategic and International Studies, said disregarding this ruling will just position the Philippines "as a very weak state."

"We basically say, 'Okay, anybody can just bully us around.' We allow ourselves to be bullied, but we call it an independent foreign policy," he said.

In any case, Manhit said Duterte’s upcoming visit to China "is a big step to really strengthening our economic relations."

Maria Elissa Lao, assistant professor of political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, said an independent foreign policy "means you can still carry out also, ably, the goals of your state."

Lao then stressed the need for "measured responses." (READ: Almonte hopes Duterte can make less 'colorful' statements)

"Any good diplomat won't put all their eggs in one basket. So you have to also be careful with the kind of statements that you’re making," Lao said.

"We're not a big state," she added. "You also have to measure what kind of resources do we really have in order to back up foreign policy statements."

Former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario earlier warned against treating foreign policy like a "zero-sum game." (READ: Duterte's tough talk and what it could mean to US, EU investments)

"In foreign affairs, you try to get as many friends as possible. You don't get one friend at the expense of another friend," Del Rosario said. – Rappler.com

HANOI, Vietnam – A Vietnamese court has rejected hundreds of lawsuits filed by fishermen who demanded more compensation from a Taiwanese-owned steel plant responsible for a devastating toxic leak, a leading activist said Saturday. 

In a rare case of civic action in authoritarian Vietnam, crowds of fishermen swamped a court house last month to file 506 lawsuits against Taiwan's Formosa, which is building a multi-billion-dollar steel plant in Ha Tinh province. 

The conglomerate paid Vietnam's government $500 million after it was blamed for dumping waste that poisoned tonnes of fish and decimated the local seafood industry earlier this year. 

Local fishermen launched their lawsuits in an effort to wrest more money from Formosa and demand it shut down the steel operation altogether. 

But Catholic priest Dang Huu Nam, who helped lead the plaintiffs, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) the court had returned more than 100 case files and that he was expecting more.

"We will look into why the files are returned as the court did not say concretely, before deciding what moves to do next," Nam said.

The court's judge, Nguyen Van Thang, was quoted in state-run media saying that all 506 cases were returned. 

The fishermen had asked for compensation of roughly $2.5 million but did not provide clear evidence of their losses, he said according to Phap Luat, an official legal news site. 

Dead fish and other marine life began washing up on Vietnam's central coast in April, hitting fishermen and triggering rounds of protests.

After weeks of obfuscation, the government laid blame on Taiwan's Formosa, which has a history of environmental scandals spanning the globe, and ordered the conglomerate to pay a $500 million fine.

The government said it would start distributing the cash to affected fishermen in October and confirmed last month that payouts would range from $130 to $1,600 per person.

Last Sunday, thousands of Vietnamese protesters surrounded the steel plant, with some scaling its walls and holding signs demanding its closure. 

Vietnam's communist rulers tolerate little dissent but anger over corruption and environmental degradation often spark significant protests. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The United States on Saturday, October 8, denied it has received official notice from the Philippines suspending their joint patrols in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

This is contrary to the statement of Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana that the joint patrols "have been suspended for the time being," and that Washington officials "know it already."

"We have not received any formal notification from Philippine officials to alter any of our many areas of bilateral cooperation," US embassy spokesperson Molly Koscina said when sought for confirmation on Saturday.

"We will continue to champion the peaceful resolution of disputes, respect for international law, including freedom of navigation and overflight and other internationally lawful uses of the sea related to those freedoms, and unimpeded lawful commerce in the South China Sea and around the world," Koscina said.

She also said the US "will continue to consult" with their Filipino partners "to appropriately tailor our assistance."

"We will continue to honor our alliance commitments and treaty obligations and expect the Philippines to do the same," Koscina added.

Not 100% sure

In contrast, Lorenzana on Friday, October 7, said he has relayed the decision to suspend joint patrols to the commander of the US Pacific Command when he was in Hawaii at the start of this month.

Still, Lorenzana indicated he was still not 100% sure of Duterte's final plans.

"They will not be conducted anymore until we clarify if he (Duterte) means what he says," Lorenzana said.

The longtime allies began planning joint patrols under the Aquino administration, which had sought to attract a greater US military presence in the region to counter Chinese efforts to take control of the South China Sea. The two governments launched the joint patrols in April.

China claims nearly all of the sea, even waters close to the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations, and has in recent years built artificial islands in the disputed areas that are capable of hosting military bases. (READ: Hangars prove China plan to 'militarize' islands)

Lorenzana said the US and Philippines had conducted two "passing through" maneuvers over the section of the sea claimed by Manila this year, but not actual "combat patrols."

Duterte, who began his 6-year term on June 30, quickly shredded Aquino's strategy on China, seeking cooperation and dialogue with Beijing while diluting the Philippines' alliance with the United States. – with reports from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com

BRUSSELS, Belgium – Belgian police missed 13 opportunities to unmask the participants of the deadly Paris November attacks before the events, according to an internal report leaked to a newspaper on Saturday, October 8.

The police report in the De Tijd daily shows that as early as February 2015, the force were in possession of phone records linking known terrorist suspects with Salah Abdeslam, allegedly the sole surviving member of the jihadist team that attacked Paris in November 2015.

The information however was not handled, due to lack of investigators, De Tijd cites the report as saying.

Of the 13 missed chances for Belgian police to catch some of the Paris attackers, six were due to staffing shortages, the secret report said.

Also left ignored by police until after the tragedy was a request from Spanish authorities for more information on Salah's older brother Brahim Abdeslam after he journeyed to Spain in March 2015.

Eight months after that visit, Brahim would blow himself up in a Paris cafe on the night of the massacre.

The Abdeslams, as well as several others involved in the attacks, are from the gritty district of Molenbeek in Brussels.

Salah Abdeslam has also been linked to several jihadists directly involved in the bomb attacks in Brussels on March 22 this year.

Both sets of attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group headquartered in Syria.

Earlier leaks of the report said that Molenbeek police warned higher ups that the Abdeslam brothers had been radicalised with links to Paris attacks ringleader Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who was already known as an important figure from ISIS.

But the information was never followed up, the report said.

Many of the details of the report have previously leaked to the media, but De Tijd said it was now completed.

The final report now goes to a special commission at Belgian parliament tasked with improving the country's response to terrorism. – Rappler.com

BERLIN, Germany – Police found on Saturday, October 8, several hundred grams of "explosive materials" in the east German apartment of a Syrian man suspected of planning a bomb attack, and arrested three people connected to him.

The suspect who remains at large, 22-year-old Syrian Jaber Albakr, could have had "an Islamist motive" sources close to the police told AFP.

"Highly explosive materials were found in the apartment concerned in Chemnitz, new evacuation measures are necessary," tweeted police in Germany's east.

Officers found "several hundred grams (of a) very dangerous substance which cannot be moved without protective measures", said police spokesman Tom Bernhardt.

Two of those arrested were seized close to the city's railway station while the other was taken into custody in the city centre. A package belonging to one of those arrested was undergoing analysis, police added.

"They were known to the suspect we are looking for and were arrested and detained," said Bernhardt who added that the trio were being questioned.

Germany has been on edge after suffering two attacks claimed by the Islamic State group (ISIS) in July – an axe rampage on a train in Wuerzburg that injured five and a suicide bombing in Ansbach that left 15 wounded.

The attacks in July rattled Germans' sense of security and fuelled concerns over the country's record influx of migrants and refugees last year.

Police in the state of Saxony, where Chemnitz is located, issued a search warrant for Albakr after officers received information from domestic intelligence services, a police spokesman said, saying he was born in Syria in January 1994.

They added that Albakr was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and was "suspected of preparing a bomb attack" and issued an image of the man.

He arrived in Germany as a refugee last year and was under interior ministry surveillance for a period, according to Focus magazine, which cited intelligence sources.

The German magazine's website added that he had been plotting to attack an airport in the country.

A vast police operation was underway as heavily armed officers, some wearing balaclavas, combed the area around Albakr's apartment and local residents were evacuated.

An explosion was heard in the leafy Chemnitz suburb which investigators said was a police entry device.

Part of the city's main station was sealed off by officers as a remote-controlled robot was deployed to inspect a suspect package on a platform.

Security threats

German police said previously they had identified 523 people who posed a security threat to the country, around half of whom were known to be currently in Germany.

On September 21 German officials said a 16-year-old Syrian refugee had been arrested on suspicion of planning a bomb attack in the name of ISIS.

The youngster, thought to have been radicalized only recently, was detained in a special forces operation at a shelter for asylum-seekers in the western city of Cologne, police and prosecutors said.

Initial information gathered from the teenager's mobile phone showed that he had expressed an "unmistakeable willingness" to carry out an attack, Klaus-Stephan Becker of the Cologne police told reporters.

A week earlier, German police detained three men with forged Syrian passports accused of being ISIS militants and labelled a possible "sleeper cell" with links to the assailants behind the November attacks in Paris.

More than 200 police took part in pre-dawn raids in northern Germany to detain the men, suspected of either plotting an attack or awaiting orders to commit one.

German authorities have urged the public not to confuse migrants with "terrorists", but have acknowledged that more jihadists may have entered the country among the one million asylum-seekers who arrived last year. – Rappler.com

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Malacañang is eyeing the dissolution of the Negros Island Region (NIR) due to "budget constraints," a Palace official said on Saturday, October 8. 

"There is a very big chance it (NIR) will be abolished because of the budget constraints," Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino told reporters after a public hearing of the House committee on transportation in this city.

He was asked about unconfirmed reports that the NIR would be dissolved and its provinces – Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental – reverted back to their old regions.

Upon the recommendation of then Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II,  President Benigno Aquino III created the NIR  through Executive Order No. 183 on May 29, 2015, to place the two provinces in Negros Island under the same region. (READ: FAST FACTS: The Negros Island Region)

EO 183 said that creating a region for the two adjacent provinces is needed “to further accelerate the social and economic development of the cities and municipalities comprising the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental and improve the delivery of public services in the aforementioned provinces.”

'Not too late'

Dino said "it's not too late" for President Rodrigo Duterte to revoke the EO. "The conversion to Negros Island Region hasn't been fully implemented yet, so it's not too late for the President to revoke the EO," he said.

He noted that "for 2016 and even in 2017, there is no allocation for NIR." Dino estimated that the budget for a new region like the NIR would "cost the government around P19 billion."

"So for now, balik muna sa [original] regions (So for now, they will be reverted to their [original] regions," Dino said.

He declined to say who proposed reverting Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental to Regions 6 and 7, respectively.

SpecuIations about the fate of the NIR were fanned by its exclusion in the  proposed 2017 budget prepared by the Duterte administration despite appeals by local officials.

NIR officials had pushed to include the new region in the proposed 2016 budget through amendments, but there was not enough time to go over the budget with all the line agencies. For that year, and also in 2017, the allocation of the two provinces remained with their previous regions.

Negros Occidental Governor Alfred Marañon Jr and Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo supported the presidential bid of Roxas in the 2016 elections. Roxas won in both provinces, while Duterte placed second.

On September 30, Marañon led 200 local officials in Negros Occidental in taking their oath as members of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas Ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), the President's party. – Rappler.com

WASHINGTON DC, USA (3rd UPDATE) – Donald Trump's lewd videotaped remarks about women threw his White House campaign and the Republican Party in crisis Saturday, October 8, just 30 days from the election and on the eve of his second debate with rival Hillary Clinton.

Trump nevertheless rejected growing calls from elected members of his own party to step aside over the 2005 remarks, insisting there is "zero chance I'll quit" the presidential race.

"We'll remember this day for a long time," David Gergen, who has served as adviser to 4 US presidents, told CNN. "A civil war is breaking out in the Republican ranks."

In the early evening hours, a defiant Trump stepped outside of his Trump Tower skyscraper in New York, brandishing his fist to cheers from dozens of supporters.

Asked if he was staying in the race, he responded: "100 percent."

Trump's own wife Melania said she was offended by her husband's "unacceptable and offensive" comments boasting about his ability to grope women as he pleases, caught on a hot mic just months after the two married in the real estate magnate's third marriage.

But she urged American voters to support him.

"I hope people will accept his apology, as I have, and focus on the important issues facing our nation and the world," Melania Trump said in a statement.

The videotape, released Friday, October 7 by The Washington Post, forced a rare apology from a campaign already peppered by controversies over Trump's treatment of women, roiling his Republican Party.

{source}

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here is my statement. <a href="https://t.co/WAZiGoQqMQ">pic.twitter.com/WAZiGoQqMQ</a></p>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/784609194234306560">October 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

{/source}

The Republican National Committee appeared to have halted part of its "Victory" program to elect Trump, with the RNC asking a vendor to "put a hold" on mail production, the Politico news website reported.

CNN said the RNC was considering ending a joint fundraising agreement with the Trump campaign.

Trump called the disclosure a "distraction," defiantly attacking the Clintons for husband Bill Clinton's past infidelities, and hinting strongly he would say more on the topic during Sunday's debate in St Louis, Missouri.

At a campaign event, Bill Clinton was heckled by an apparent Trump supporter who told him "You're a rapist!" But the ex-president brushed it off as an attempt by Republicans to "make it up" after the backlash over Trump's comments.

Trump denied his campaign was in crisis and predicted the controversy would blow over.

"The media and establishment want me out of the race so badly - I WILL NEVER DROP OUT OF THE RACE, WILL NEVER LET MY SUPPORTERS DOWN! #MAGA," he said on Twitter.

The hashtag refers to his campaign slogan: "Make America great again."

'Sickened'

Republican reaction to the videotape came fast and furious, with some calling on the bombastic billionaire to step aside, or allow running mate Mike Pence to take the top of the ticket, others simply withdrawing their endorsement.

Pence, the governor of Indiana, said that as a husband and father he was "offended" by Trump's remarks.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, the top Republican officeholder, said he was "sickened" by Trump's comments, and disinvited him from a political event in Wisconsin. Pence was to go in Trump's place, but he canceled without explanation.

By Saturday, about a dozen senators, a dozen members of the House of Representatives and three governors – all Republicans – had withdrawn their support.

Among senior party figures, Condoleezza Rice – a former secretary of state and national security advisor under president George W. Bush – said "Enough! Donald Trump should not be President. He should withdraw."

Senator John McCain, the 2008 presidential nominee with whom Trump has sparred repeatedly, said "Donald Trump's behavior... make(s) it impossible to continue to offer even conditional support for his candidacy."

Governor John Kasich of Ohio, a contender in the Republican primaries, said Trump's comments were "disgusting" and that "our country deserves better."

Illinois Senator Mark Kirk called for an "emergency replacement."

Actor-director Robert de Niro weighed in, saying "I'd like to punch him in the face."

But top Trump surrogate Rudy Giuliani, a former New York mayor, insisted that "there is nothing that would cause his dropping out." 

"That is wishful thinking of the Clinton campaign and those people who have opposed him for a long time. He is in the race to win," Giuliani added.

Campaign in crisis

With the November 8 elections one month away and Clinton leading in the polls by nearly five percentage points nationally, the latest uproar has plunged Trump in the deepest crisis of his turbulent campaign. 

He had already been seriously hurt by a sloppy performance in his first debate with Clinton on September 26, a damaging Twitter war against a former Miss Universe and reports he may have paid no income taxes for 18 years.

Clinton, who is seeking to become the nation's first female commander-in-chief, is almost certain to call out Trump about the videotape during the debate.

"This is horrific," she said on Twitter. "We cannot allow this man to become president."

In the video, Trump uses vulgar and predatory language as he describes grabbing women's crotches, and brags about trying to have sex with a woman he knew was married.

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The 3-minute video captures Trump reacting to an actress he was about to meet as he arrived on the set of daytime soap opera "Days of Our Lives," for the taping of a segment in which he was to have a cameo appearance.

"I've gotta use some Tic Tacs (breath mints), just in case I start kissing her," Trump says to Billy Bush, then host of the "Access Hollywood" show about celebrities.

"You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful. I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet," he says.

"I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything." – Rappler.com

JACKSONVILLE, Florida / SAVANNAH, Georgia, USA – A weakened Hurricane Matthew made landfall Saturday, October 8, in South Carolina, nearing the end of a 4-day rampage that left a trail of death and destruction across the Caribbean and up the southeastern US coast.

In Haiti, where Matthew was a monster Category 4 when it slammed into the  poorest country in the western hemisphere Tuesday, October 4, the official death toll rose to at least 336. 

Nine were killed in the United States.

The interim president of Haiti, Jocelerme Privert, announced 3 days of national mourning, beginning Sunday, October 9.

The scope of the devastation in the south of the country was becoming clearer as the toll remains provisional due to the difficulty of gaining access to some areas and communications.

At least 336 people were dead, the head of Haiti's civil protection services, Marie-Alta Jean Baptiste, told Agence France-Presse. "We won't have a definitive toll before Wednesday [October 12]," she said.

Other officials said earlier that at least 400 were dead.

Half a million children live in the worst-hit departments in southern Haiti, according to UNICEF, which said it needed at least $5 million to meet the children's immediate needs.

Pledges of aid have flooded in, with the United States announcing it was sending the USS Mesa Verde, whose 300 Marines will add to the 250 personnel and nine helicopters already ordered to deploy to Haiti.

France announced it was sending 60 troops, with 32 tons of humanitarian supplies and water purification equipment.

California-based charity International Relief Teams said it was donating $7 million in medical supplies with international organizations MAP International and Hope for Haiti.

US toll rises

Matthew, downgraded to the lowest-level Category 1 hurricane, lashed the coast of South Carolina as the storm moved inland. 

But despite flooding, fallen trees and power outages, most of the American southeast appeared to have been spared catastrophic damage as the storm surge turned out to be less severe than expected.

As Matthew approached – after storming through Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas – millions of Americans were ordered to evacuate and curfews were slapped on cities.

On Saturday, the center of Matthew made landfall in the South Carolina town of McClellanville and there was a "serious inland flooding event unfolding," the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.

McClellanville is about 35 miles (56 kilometers) northeast of Charleston, a port city with a historic city center.

The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of a still-dangerous 75 miles (130 kilometers) per hour.

The NHC predicted hurricane and tropical storm conditions in Georgia and South Carolina that could produce "life-threatening" flooding.

President Barack Obama declared federal states of emergency in Florida, Georgia, and North and South Carolina.

At least 4 people died in Georgia – including at least 3 killed by falling trees, officials said. Five people died in hurricane-related incidents in Florida.

"We did take a major hit last night," Savannah Mayor Eddie DeLoach told a news conference. 

St Augustine damage

The mayor of Georgia's ocean-fronting community of Tybee Island described Matthew as the worst storm to hit the area since 1898.

Nearly 120,000 customers remained without power in the city of Savannah and its surrounding Chatham County, officials said.

Various roads were still impassable, there was a curfew on Savannah for a second night running and residents became increasingly frustrated that they were prevented from returning to homes.

Eric Thomas, 42, a local business owner, brought his own chainsaw to cut down a fallen tree that blocked access on the road from Savannah to Tybee Island, desperate to get home.

Although he and his friends cleared the road, police barred residents from driving across until Sunday at the earliest.

Thomas told Agence France-Presse that he heard there was "substantial" damage on the island.

"We're concerned for their safety. I've been riding this entire county and it's scary," Chatham County Chairman Al Scott told reporters.

In Florida, power was slowly being restored. Officials said that some 879,000 customers still were without power, or nine percent. 

In Jacksonville, Florida, the rain had stopped. There were fallen trees and flooding but no major damage.

But the nearby historic town of St Augustine, a former Spanish colony that calls itself the nation's oldest city, was not so lucky.

There was "a lot of damage," Commander Chuck Mulligan, spokesman for the St Johns County Sheriff's Office, told Agence France-Presse.

In Jacksonville Beach, 68-year-old retiree Sam Vond calmly rode his bike along the shore.

"It wasn't that bad. I didn't go outside," he said. "Luckily, no damage to my house, so I'm happy." – Rappler.com

SANAA, Yemen (UPDATED) – More than 140 people were killed and more than 525 wounded Saturday, October 8, when air strikes hit a funeral ceremony in Yemen, a United Nations official said, with Huthi rebels blaming the attack on the Saudi-led coalition.

The coalition, which has come under increasing international scrutiny over alleged civilian deaths, denied any responsibility for the attack.

"The toll is very high: more than 520 wounded and more than 100 martyrs," the spokesman of the health ministry in Sanaa, Tamim al-Shami, told rebel Almasirah television.

It was one of the deadliest attacks since the coalition launched a bombing campaign against the Shiite Huthis in March 2015.

Riyadh's key ally Washington promptly warned it had launched an "immediate review" of support to the Saudi-led coalition, and that its security cooperation with Saudi Arabia was "not a blank check."

The UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, said aid workers were "shocked and outraged" by the attacks that hit a community hall in the capital Sanaa where mourners had gathered.

He called for an immediate investigation and said the international community must exert pressure to ensure civilians are protected.

"This violence against civilians in Yemen must stop immediately," said McGoldrick.

A "horrified and extremely disturbed" UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien called for a prompt and "impartial" probe into the attacks.

"I also call on all parties to protect civilians and stop using explosive weapons or conducting aerial bombardments in civilian-populated places in Yemen. Surely enough is enough," he added.

"This horrendous and heinous attack displayed an utter disregard for human life."

In September 2015, a suspected coalition air strike killed at least 131 civilians at a wedding near the Red Sea city of Mokha. The Saudi-led alliance then also denied any involvement.

And in March this year, Saudi-led air strikes on a market killed at least 119 people, including 106 civilians, of which 24 were children, in the northern rebel-held province of Hajja.

On Saturday, emergency workers pulled out at least 20 charred remains and body parts from the gutted building in southern Sanaa as others scoured the wreckage for survivors.

Some of the wounded had their legs torn off and were being treated on the spot by volunteers, he said.

In a statement to Agence France-Presse, the Saudi-led coalition said it had no operations at the location and "other causes" for the incident must be considered.

The coalition "has in the past avoided such gatherings and (they) have never been a subject of targeting", it said.

The insurgent-controlled news site sabanews.net said coalition planes hit after hundreds had gathered to mourn the death of the father of rebel interior minister Jalal al-Rowaishan and denounced the "massacre."

The Huthis did not say if Rowaishan was present in the building at the time of the attack, nor did they indicate if other senior figures were attending the funeral.

Almasirah said Sanaa mayor Abdel Qader Hilal was among those killed. 

Stark US warning

The attack could further sour already strained US-Saudi ties.

"We are deeply disturbed by reports of today's air strike on a funeral hall in Yemen, which, if confirmed, would continue the troubling series of attacks striking Yemeni civilians," White House National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

"In light of this and other recent incidents, we have initiated an immediate review of our already significantly reduced support to the Saudi-led Coalition and are prepared to adjust our support so as to better align with US principles, values and interests, including achieving an immediate and durable end to Yemen's tragic conflict."

Price stressed that "US security cooperation with Saudi Arabia is not a blank check," and called on all sides to implement an "immediate" ceasefire.

The Iran-backed Huthis swept into Sanaa in September 2014 and advanced across much of Yemen, forcing the internationally recognized government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to flee. 

More than 6,700 people – most of them civilians – have been killed in Yemen since the coalition intervened in support of Hadi, according to the United Nations.

Fighting has flared since UN-brokered peace talks between the government and insurgents collapsed in August.

People had come from all over Sanaa to attend the funeral, said Mulatif al-Mojani, who witnessed the latest air strikes.

"A plane fired a missile and minutes later another plane hit" the building where they had gathered, he told Agence France-Presse.

Another witness, who declined to give his name, angrily described the attack as a "war crime."

"This was a funeral for one man in Sanaa and now it has turned into a funeral for tens of Yemenis," he said.

Ambulance sirens blared as they transported the wounded away and residents said local hospitals had issued an appeal for blood donations.

Civilian toll climbs

The coalition has come under mounting international criticism in recent months over the civilian death toll in its aerial campaign.

A diplomatic source told Agence France-Presse that intensified coalition bombing aims "to break" the rebels but warned that "this will not work."

A UN report in August said coalition air strikes are suspected of causing around half of all civilian deaths in Yemen. 

It called for an independent international body to investigate an array of serious violations by all sides, after 4,000 civilians have been killed.

European states led by the Netherlands were defeated last week in a push to establish that inquiry.

The coalition has told Agence France-Presse it uses highly accurate laser- and GPS-guided weapons and verifies targets many times to avoid civilian casualties.

The so-called supreme political council set up by the Huthis and their allies – supporters of ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh – vowed to "use all means to respond to this crime" and urged Yemenis to protest outside UN offices in Sanaa on Sunday, October 9.

In addition to the mounting death toll, Yemenis are facing twin health and hunger crises.

The UN's children agency UNICEF estimates that three million people are in need of immediate food supplies, while 1.5 million children suffer malnutrition.

On Friday, October 7, it also reported cases of cholera in Sanaa and third city Taez. – Rappler.com

Washington DC, US – Senator John McCain, a senior figure in the Republican Party who was its 2008 presidential nominee, formally withdrew his support Saturday, October 8, for Donald Trump over lewd remarks that threw his White House campaign into disarray.

"I have wanted to support the candidate our party nominated. He was not my choice, but as a past nominee, I thought it important I respect the fact that Donald Trump won a majority of the delegates by the rules our party set. I thought I owed his supporters that deference," read a statement from McCain, the latest in a growing number of Republicans to withdraw support for Trump.

"But Donald Trump's behavior this week, concluding with the disclosure of his demeaning comments about women and his boasts about sexual assaults, make it impossible to continue to offer even conditional support for his candidacy.

"Cindy and I will not vote for Donald Trump," he added, referring to his wife.

"I have never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate and we will not vote for Hillary Clinton. We will write in the name of some good conservative Republican who is qualified to be president." – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – If there's one narrative that's clear and consistent from President Rodrigo Duterte, it would be his war on drugs.

"My God, I hate drugs," he once said. And hated drugs he did – anyone involved were rightfully put behind bars, or sprawled in a pool of their own blood.

But as President of the Republic of the Philippines, he had other pressing matters to attend to. In the war on drugs, Duterte is resolute and unwavering. In other issues, however, the Palace asked the public to use "creative imagination," as he is known to say something one day, only to retract or provide a different take in the coming days. Watch this video. – Rappler.com

SEOUL, South Korea – Analysis published Sunday, October 9, of recent satellite images fueled concerns that North Korea may be on the brink of another nuclear test or long-range rocket launch.

Speculation that Pyongyang is preparing such a show of force has been linked to Monday's (October 10) anniversary of the founding of the North's ruling Workers' Party.

Past nuclear tests and missile launches have often coincided with key political dates. Its fifth nuclear test last month was conducted on the anniversary of North Korea's founding as a state,

The latest satellite imagery analysis posted by the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University noted increased activity at the North's Sohae satellite launch station.

The pictures taken on October 1 showed crates on the launch pad next to the gantry tower, vehicles near the fuel and oxidizer buildings, and work continuing on the facility's vertical engine test stand.

"However, since both the gantry tower and the assembly structures on the launch pad are covered, it is unclear whether this activity is related to launch preparations or other operations," the analysts noted.

Two days ago, the institute had posted similarly dated images of the North's nuclear test site that showed activity at all three of its tunnel complexes.

But again its analysts could not be certain if the activity was related to an imminent test or other work.

Sunday marked 10 years to the day that North Korea carried out its first nuclear test on October 9, 2006 – an underground detonation with such a low yield that it was widely seen as a failure.

But the North's weapons program has progressed in leaps and bounds since then – despite rounds of increasingly tough international sanctions – and has notably accelerated under current leader Kim Jong-Un.

Since taking power following the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in late 2011, Kim has overseen three nuclear tests – two of them in this year alone.

Each has shown a significant level of progression, with September's fifth test the largest to date, and Pyongyang also claims it has mastered the miniaturization technique to fit a nuclear warhead on the tip of a missile.

The final goal of the North's program is a credible nuclear strike capability against the US mainland.

While most experts don't believe it is there yet, they generally agree that the level of bomb and missile testing – especially over the past year – has brought it much closer.

The North carried out its last successful satellite rocket launch in February – a month after its fourth nuclear test. 

Pyongyang insists such launches are purely scientific, but the international community has condemned them as disguised ballistic missile tests.

Last month, North Korea successfully tested a new, high-powered rocket engine, a move Seoul said was designed to showcase its progress towards being able to target the US east coast.

And in August it carried out its most successful test to date of a submarine-launched ballistic missile that would allow deployment far beyond the Korean peninsula. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Soon, all of Manila City's elected barangay (village) officials will undergo mandatory drug tests.

The Manila city government will soon test barangay officials, from the barangay chairpersons down to councilors, for drug use, a statement from the office of Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said Sunday, October 9.

"There will be no exemption," Estrada was quoted as saying.

According to Estrada, those who will test positive will be charged with criminal and administrative cases, and will be dismissed from service.

The mayor invokes the Administrative Code of 1987, which says government officials and employees proven to use drugs shall be subjected to disciplinary or administrative proceedings, with penalty of dismissal at first offense.

Estrada also said random drug tests for government officials is part of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

"It is a betrayal of public trust. People elected them. Do you think they are worthy of their positions if they’re drug addicts?," Estrada said. "We won’t be lenient to any barangay officials that are into drugs. They have no excuses."

This comes after incumbent Barangay 648 Chairman Faiz Macabato was killed in an anti-drug operation Friday, October 7. Macabato was killed after fighting with policemen who were supposed to arrest the chairman's brother, a suspected drug user.

Last August 18, Estrada, Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, and the city's Sangguniang Panglunsod, all underwent drug tests, and all tested negative. – Rappler.com

NEW YORK, USA – Maybe you can say the same thing about Teddy Locsin Jr that Barack Obama said about Rodrigo Duterte.

Colorful.

Locsin Jr. was a spokesperson for then President Corazon Aquino and went on to represent Makati in the Lower House from 2001 to 2010.

An acerbic columnist, no one could ever accuse Locsin Jr of being dull.

Hitting the ground running after his appointment as ambassador to the UN, he seems to have adopted the persona of Duterte as far as antagonizing whole groups of people are concerned.

The tweets by Locsin were perceived by most to be defending the tactics used by the Nazis, including adoption of the “Final Solution” in solving some of the problems faced by the Philippines.

Many were deleted later on, with Locsin half joking that his daughters had told him to stay away from Twitter.

Rappler tried to get in touch with people close to Locsin to see if it would be possible to talk to him about what happened. The request was politely turned down.

The whole episode raised the question whether he is the right person to be the Philippine ambassador to the United Nations.

The presidential system the country functions under gives very wide latitude to the choices the chief executive makes.

By long tradition, the President appoints many of his political supporters to be the ambassador in the major diplomatic posts around the world – from Washington to London, the Vatican to the UN in New York.

Those are the perks of being close to the president, qualified or not.

Would it be ideal to appoint someone from the ranks of the career diplomats who have worked their way up in the system? Yes. But it never works out that way.

Still, the tweets sent out by Locsin have raised misgivings for some members of the Filipino-American community. Several demurred when asked for their reaction to the controversy.

“I ignored the initial reports of Locsin’s tweets because I thought to myself ‘Surely, these are just doctored social media images. No way would he actually say that’,” said Steven Raga, a community leader in Queens who had won his first run for public office there.

Lumen Castaneda, a retired teacher, added: “I am disgustingly disappointed with what he is posting in twitter. I was asking myself, is this the Teodoro Locsin Jr who I admire? Is he the same one saying those f...... words in social media? Is he following the boss of the country? Now I have my doubts that he is suited to the job given to him. But I still want to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

Merit Salud, another community leader in New York, feels Locsin should eventually be able to get past his Nazi-themed tweets once the furore recedes into history.

“I think (his) appointment is simply timely and appropriate. President Duterte needs someone with the right credentials and temperament not quite far from him, who passionately loves the Philippines,” he said.

The background of Locsin could also help a government that has been slammed for its cavalier approach to human rights in a drug war that has claimed 3,000 lives and is willing to slaughter 3 million more.

“He is from the elite society of the Philippines, educated in Ateneo and Harvard. This means he could very well saunter effectively within the high-brow milieu of the international society of the UN. We have seen his sharp wit in writing and his probing mind on matters that count. His connection with Harvard will be of good help to him and for the people and country when he performs his job and executes his duties as our representative to the UN,” added Salud.

Castaneda also expressed her respect for Locsin.

“Long before Duterte, I was an admirer of Teddy Boy Locsin. He is a good writer, and he was a silent worker to my knowledge in the sense that I did not hear a lot of controversies about him,” she said.

“When he refused a cabinet position offered by the president, I gave him a 9 and when he accepted the position of Ambassador to the UN, I said YES. I have high regards to our ambassadors to the UN beginning with (Hilario) Davide, Libran Cabactulan, and now Yparaguirre.”

Salud hopes Locsin “will be circumscribed by his love for country and his desire to keep the legacy of his father and the Locsin family.”

“We need the Fil-Am community here to air responsible criticisms so as not to push them into on an overly defensive corner. And that could be one of the purposes why he was appointed in the first place.”

The misgivings are there though.

Raga said after verifying the accuracy of the tweets, “I was both confused and embarrassed. ‘Confused’ because you would think that being a former Philippine congressman and journalist sufficiently trains you to say the right thing at the right time.”

“The embarrassment is self-explanatory. Filipinos and Filipino Americans in New York have contributed much to the cultural and social fabric of America, while still heavily involved in philanthropy and advocacy efforts in the Philippines, many of which are through the United Nations itself. Either we deserve Mr. Locsin to better represent us, or we deserve a better Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations.” – Rappler.com

Rene Pastor is a journalist in the New York metropolitan area who writes about agriculture, politics and regional security. He was, for many years, a senior commodities journalist for Reuters. He founded the Southeast Asia Commodity Digest. He is known for his extensive knowledge of international affairs, agriculture and the El Niño phenomenon where his views have been quoted in news reports.