MANILA, Philippines – Sunday, January 10, marks the beginning of the election period for the 2016 national and local polls. It is also the start of the nationwide gun ban and other election-related bans.

On Saturday evening, January 9, an hour before the election period began, Comelec chairman Andy Bautista and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ricardo Marquez took part in a "checkpoint caravan" from Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City to C5 corner Kalayaan Avenue in Taguig City.

In an interview with reporters, Bautista asked for the public's patience and cooperation for secure, fair and orderly elections on May 9.

"Humihingi kami ng pasensya sa taumbayan, kumbaga, sa konting abala para siguruhin ang kanilang kabutihan at kapakanan," he said. (We ask for patience from the people in this minor inconvenience to ensure their safety and welfare.)

Bautista reiterated that during the entire election period, no person shall be allowed to bear, carry or transport firearms or deadly weapons outside of their residence or place of business, and in all public places. (READ: What are not allowed when election period starts January 10)

In addition, all permits to carry firearms will be suspended or put on hold, unless they are covered by a Certificate of Authority from the Comelec.

Exempted from the gun ban are the police and armed forces, other law enforcement officials, and select government officials.

Individuals and other groups may apply for a Certificate of Authority before the Comelec. Forms for these are available on the Comelec website.

Guidelines for the gun ban are provided in Comelec Resolution 10015.

PNP chief: Please bear with us

For his part, PNP chief Marquez said that Comelec checkpoints will be in place nationwide to observe the gun ban, adding that all police stations are expected to have at least one checkpoint in their area.

He then noted that the officers manning the checkpoints are instructed to do only a visual check on the motorists' vehicles.

In addition, checkpoints should be well-lit, properly identified by a Comelec-mandated signboard, and manned by uniformed personnel from the PNP or the Armed Forces of the Philippines. All of these guidelines are promulgated in Comelec Resolution 10029.

Marquez said this is part of their campaign against loose firearms, private armed groups, and bodyguards without Certificates of Authority during the election period.

"Humihingi po kami ng pang-unawa (We ask for your understanding), to please bear with us," Marquez said.

Those who will violate the gun ban will have cases filed against them, and it is up to the Comelec and the authorities to hand out the penalties, he added.

The election period will last until June 8, 2016. – Rappler.com

NEW YORK, USA – Princess Ashraf Pahlavi, the twin sister of Iran's last shah, who has died at the age of 96, was a trailblazer for women's rights who lived an opulent life that was never far from controversy.

Born in Tehran, she was considered a powerful force behind her brother and a sometimes fierce critic of him in private, playing an important role in domestic and international politics.

An official with the office of the shah's son, her nephew Reza Pahlavi, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in a statement the princess died in Monte Carlo on Thursday, January 7, noting that she had long suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

Iranian media confirmed the death, with several outlets posting unflattering accounts of her private life alongside details of official posts she held under her brother's rule.

The Islamic revolution of 1979 that toppled Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi transformed Iran and meant the princess never returned, a fact she had reflected on in her final days, her nephew said.

"She was thinking about Iran till the very last moments of her life, and she passed away with hopes for her homeland’s liberation," wrote Reza Pahlavi in a Facebook tribute.

"May her soul find joy and the memory of her kind image last forever," he said, noting her efforts for women's rights, social welfare and campaigns for literacy in Iran and abroad.

"With a heart full of affection for her country, she made outstanding efforts," added Pahlavi, who lives near Washington.

Three-times married, the princess is survived by a son, Prince Shahram, 5 grandchildren and several great grandchildren.

From exile she supported cultural, literary and artistic heritage projects that aimed to restore what she saw as their near desecration by Iran's revolutionary rulers.

In the royal era, the princess was regarded as a talented diplomat, leading Iran's delegation to the United Nations General Assembly for more than a decade.

On Saturday, IRNA, Iran's official news agency, said she headed the country's human rights committee, was chief of the Women's Organization of Iran and its representative to the UN human rights commission.

Privilege, tragedy

The princess basked in her privilege and wealth, often pictured at the gaming tables of European casinos, but experienced family tragedy and survived an assassination attempt.

Shahriar Shafiq, her son from a second marriage was gunned down in front of the princess's home in Paris in 1979, an assassination blamed on the new regime in Tehran.

Two years earlier, she walked away unhurt after her lady-in-waiting was killed and her driver wounded when gunmen fired on her Rolls-Royce as she left a casino in Cannes.

In “Faces in a Mirror: Memoirs from Exile”, she revealed an unhappy childhood, saying she was overlooked. Instead, she said her sister, Princess Shams, was more cherished by her parents and her brother was coveted, as he was destined for the throne.

In the book, published in 1980, she described herself as a rebel with a quick temper.

Vatan-e-Emrooz, a conservative daily in Iran, noted Saturday that the princess died exactly 80 years to the day after her father, Shah Reza Pahlavi, banned women in Muslim Iran from wearing the veil.

In a sign of the religious and political change, the wearing of at least a headscarf and loose clothing by women to cover their bodies was made mandatory after the revolution.

Princess Ashraf was considered a powerful spokeswoman and ally for her brother, leading to her forever being loathed by Iran's religious rulers.

"In the Pahlavi era, there was no woman as influential in foreign and domestic policy as Ashraf. She played a major role in the coup," Fars News Agency reported Saturday, referring to the 1953 overthrow of the country's democratically elected nationalist Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh.

The agency, affiliated with Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards, said the US- and British-orchestrated coup that brought the princess's brother to power led to Ashraf’s "interference" in international affairs.

"She went on numerous foreign trips on behalf of her brother and negotiated with governments hostile to Iran," it said.

Stephen Kinzer, author of "All the Shah's Men", a book about the revolution, said of the princess: "Ashraf's tongue-lashings of her brother were legendary, including one in the presence of foreign diplomats where she demanded that he prove he was a man or be revealed to all as a mouse." – Rappler.com

HURGHADA, Egypt – Three European holidaymakers wounded in an attack in an Egyptian resort were in stable condition on Saturday, January 9, as a witness recounted how the assailants burst into the hotel and stabbed guests.

An elderly Austrian couple and a young Swedish man were hospitalized after the assault on Friday at the Bella Vista hotel in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

Egypt's Tourism Minister Hisham Zazou said the assailants appeared to have been acting alone, while the hotel described them as "drugged young men".

Police shot dead one of the knife-wielding attackers and wounded another, saying one of them was also carrying a "sound gun."

A Swedish man who identified himself as the father of one of the victims, 27-year-old Sammie Olovsson, said they were sitting in the hotel restaurant when the assailants burst in and stabbed his son.

"My son and me were eating in the restaurant and having a discussion," he told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in the Hurghada hospital.

The two men rushed into the restaurant "very fast," he said. "They took knives and they tried to get Sammie here," he said, pointing to his chest.

"Then (they) said 'down on the floor' and we do that," he said, adding that he told his son, who was bleeding, not to move. 

"I get up two times and they stayed there with the guns. When I got up later on they were not here," he said, speaking in English.

On its Facebook page, the hotel posted pictures of the two other victims, spelled in hospital records as Renata Weisslen and Wilhem Weislan, both smiling.

"They are ok now," it said in a post. A doctor at the hospital told AFP they were a couple, both 72.

Zazou told AFP that the two attackers were "not part of an organization".

It was "an individually motivated attack. This is the initial finding," said Zazou, who was in Hurghada to visit the victims, adding that the investigation was still ongoing.

A video published by Egyptian news websites appeared to show the wounded assailant receiving emergency medical treatment and being questioned on his identity. He appears to have been shot in both legs.

Zazou described the assailants as "amateurish" and said their motive was not yet clear.

On its Facebook page, the hotel said that "two drugged young men" attacked the restaurant with a "fake gun" and "small knives".

But a worker at the restaurant, who requested anonymity, told AFP that one of the two men shouted "there is no god but God" on entering, and carried a black banner that resembled the Islamic State (ISIS) group flag.

"The door opened and there was a man holding a knife and a black cloth with the (Islamic State group) flag on it," he said. Another held what appeared to be a gun.

"One of them said: 'There is no god but God. We will blow up this place'. The first attacked customers sitting at a table, with a knife."

Previous attacks claimed by ISIS

The incident further threatened efforts to repair the country's damaged tourism industry, coming a day after a Cairo hotel hosting Israeli tourists came under attack by men who hurled fireworks and fired birdshot.

The Islamic State group claimed credit for that attack, which they said targeted "Jewish" tourists.

Police said they were Arab-Israeli tourists, and the assailants had targeted policemen outside the hotel and not the tourists.

The extremist group's Egypt affiliate is waging an insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula, and dealt a body blow to the country's tourism industry by claiming to have downed a Russian airliner in October, killing all the holidaymakers on board.

The attack prompted Russia to suspend flights to and from Egypt, while Britain restricted flights to the Sharm el-Sheikh resort from where the doomed plane had departed.

After the Russian plane tragedy, some major tourist operators suspended packages to Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada.

The resorts, which Egypt promoted as jewels of its tourism industry, had previously attracted millions of holidaymakers, including Russians, Britons and Italians, and are famed for their pristine beaches and scuba diving.

The country's tourism industry was dealt several heavy blows in 2015.

In September, eight Mexican tourists were mistakenly killed by Egyptian security forces in the vast Western Desert.

In June, police foiled an attempted suicide bomb attack near the famed Karnak temple in Luxor – one of Egypt's most popular heritage attractions – when 600 tourists were inside.

Nine Egyptians were sentenced in November to life in prison for their involvement in the failed attack, while two others were jailed for seven years. – Haitham El-Tabei, AFP/ Rappler.com

WASHINGTON DC, USA – A heavily armed man claiming to be Jesus allegedly plotted to kidnap one of the Obama family's dogs and has been arrested, US media and officials said.

Scott Stockert, 49, was arrested at a Washington hotel on Wednesday, January 6, after Secret Service agents found unregistered firearms in his truck, together with hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a machete and a club, NBC Washington said, citing authorities in the US capital.

Agents went to the hotel after getting a "be on the lookout" alert from the Secret Service's Minnesota field office about the alleged kidnapping plan, NBC said.

It quoted the Secret Service as saying that Stockert, from North Dakota, allegedly planned to take Bo, one of the two Portuguese water dogs owned by President Barack Obama and the first family.

Court documents show that Stockert was released on Friday to a "high-intensity supervision program" and ordered not to possess any firearms or other dangerous weapons, either real or imitation.

He was charged with possession of an unregistered firearm and ordered to stay away from the White House and the Capitol.

As well as claiming to be Jesus, Stockert told agents that his parents were John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe, NBC said, citing court papers. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The Black Nazarene reached its home at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or the Quiapo Church at 2:06 am on Sunday, January 10.

This was after an estimated 20-hour procession that started before 6 am Saturday, January 9, at the Quirino Grandstand at the Luneta in Manila.

In 2015, the Traslacion also took about 20 hours, starting out at a later time, 8:00 am, on January 9, and officially ending at 4 am on January 10.  

Millions of devotees joined the annual procession that is hailed by Church leaders as a vibrant expression of faith. Of the country’s estimated 100 million people, 80 percent are Catholics.

Two devotees died at the sidelines of the procession – 27-year-old Alex Fulyedo and 58-year-old Mauro Arabit, a candle vendor.

The Philippine Red Cross reported having assisted close to 1,300 devotees. Over 500 were treated for wounds, abrasions, dizziness and bruises.

The procession was previously expected to end at 4:15 am, but as the night wore on, the number of devotees taking part in the religious journey became less. This allowed a faster movement of devotees, with arrival estimates advanced to 1:52 am by 1 am of Sunday.

A jostling crowd slowed down the entry of the Black Nazarene into the Quiapo Church, as church leaders led by parish priest Monsignor Hernando Coronel barked orders to make way for the religious icon.

By 2:06 am, the Nazarene was back home. – Rappler.com

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Tens of thousands gathered in Taiwan on Saturday, January 9, as rival presidential candidates took to the streets for "super weekend" rallies.

It is the last weekend of campaigning before the vote for president next Saturday, when the embattled ruling Kuomintang (KMT) is expected to be defeated.

Tsai Ing-wen of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is forecast to take the leadership as the KMT struggles for public support, due to skepticism over its China-friendly policies and anger at the island's stagnating economy.

The KMT says if Tsai wins, the recent rapprochement with Beijing will be over, destabilizing the region.

But addressing crowds gathered for her rally in the city of Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, the DPP's heartland, Tsai said change was the only way forward.

"Taiwan will only improve if the DPP has the majority," she said. "I will lead Taiwan towards reform, I will lead Taiwan towards change."

The DPP said turnout was 100,000, with supporters waving flags, chanting Tsai's name and blowing horns. 

"I support Tsai Ing-wen because she brings fresh ideas," said service industry worker Gladys Cheng, 27.

"Even if cross-strait relations aren't good, I don't think it matters so much. The focus should be global, not just on China."

Despite lagging Tsai in the polls, KMT candidate Eric Chu managed to garner massive crowds on the streets of Taipei Saturday afternoon, with the party saying 200,000 turned out for his rally.

Chu walked alongside current president Ma Ying-jeou in a march through the center of the city as supporters donned fancy dress, waved the national flag, and held up "Victory" signs.

Chu has emphasized the importance of peaceful relations with China throughout his campaign.

"We are marching together for Taiwan's stability," he told the crowds.

"No matter how much dissatisfaction you felt in the past, be brave, stand out and vote for our next generation," he said.  

Chu's supporters said they were afraid the DPP would bring instability.

"The DPP is pro-independence and I worry tensions will rise with China if it were to take power," said supporter Peng Yu-chia, 45, a housewife with two children.

'New politics'

Taiwan is self-ruling after it split from China in 1949 following a civil war on the mainland, but Beijing still considers it part of its territory, awaiting reunification.  

Ma has overseen a rapprochement with China since he took power in 2008, leading to trade deals and a tourist boom, and culminating in a historic summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

But many voters feel it is big business that has reaped the benefits, not ordinary people, and there are growing concerns over Beijing's influence.

Anger over trade deals with China sparked the student-led occupation of parliament in 2014 in what became known as the Sunflower Movement.

Some activists are now running for office in parliamentary elections, held on the same day as the presidential vote.

The New Power Party (NPP), which grew out of the Sunflower Movement, held a rally in Taipei Saturday night, drawing more than 1,000 people.

"Today is a critical time for the start of new politics in Taiwan" said party chairman and former protest leader Huang Kuo-chang.

"As long as we insist on our ideals, we can bring justice to parliament."

The KMT may lose its parliamentary majority for the first time ever.

Presidential candidate James Soong, trailing in the polls, also held a rally in the central city of Taichung Saturday evening, drawing around 10,000 supporters.

Soong, of the Beijing-friendly People First Party, criticized the confrontation between the DPP and KMT as damaging to the economy. – Rappler.com

MADRID, Spain – Catalonia's separatists on Saturday, January 9, struck a last-minute agreement to form a new regional government that will work towards independence from Spain, with controversial secessionist leader Artur Mas stepping aside to seal the deal.

His surprise decision brings an end to more than 3 months of deadlock between Mas' "Together for Yes" secessionist alliance and the more radical, far-left separatist CUP party that together hold a majority in the Catalan parliament.

"This is not an easy decision, but it is a coherent decision," Mas told a press conference, saying he did what was necessary to save the independence drive in the wealthy northeast region of 7.5 million.

"I am stepping aside and will not be standing as a Together for Yes candidate for the re-election of president of the regional government," Mas said, naming Girona mayor Carles Puigdemont as his replacement.

Together for Yes won 62 seats in the 135-seat parliament in regional elections in September – but were unable to form a government with the CUP, which held a crucial extra 10 seats, due to bitter disagreement over Mas.

The leftist party refused to give Mas its backing, resenting the austerity measures he implemented and corruption scandals linked to his party.

Reacting to the agreement, Spain's conservative government immediately issued a statement emphasizing the importance of forming a new national government with "an ample parliamentary base" in order to "face the separatist challenge".

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservative Popular Party is trying to form a coalition in order to stay in power after losing its absolute majority in parliament in legislative elections last month.

Sunday parliamentary vote

If a deal on the regional government had not been reached by midnight on Sunday, Mas would have had to call fresh elections in Catalonia, which would have come as a major setback for the independence drive.

Just days ago, that had seemed inevitable, with Mas saying he was ready to call snap elections as his CDC party – part of Together for Yes – refused to consider fielding a different candidate for the presidency.

But after unexpectedly announcing on Saturday that he was stepping down after all, Mas said he supported Puigdemont as his replacement.

The 53-year-old is head of the association of pro-independence municipalities as well as mayor of the city of Girona, around a hundred kilometers (60 miles) north of Catalan capital Barcelona.

He is expected to be formally voted in as regional president in a parliamentary session to be convened on Sunday.

With its own language and customs, Catalonia already enjoys a large degree of freedom in education, health and policing.

But it wants more independence from the Spanish state, particularly where taxation is concerned, complaining it pays more to Madrid than it gets back.

Polls show that most Catalans support a referendum on independence but are divided over breaking from Spain.

A 2010 decision by Spain's Constitutional Court to water down a statute giving Catalonia more powers has added fuel to the fire and caused support for independence to rise.

In November, the separatists passed a motion in the Catalan parliament calling on the assembly to start drafting laws within 30 days to create a separate social security system and treasury, with a view to completing independence in 18 months.

Rajoy immediately filed suit against the move in the Constitutional Court, which annulled the independence motion last month.– Daniel Bosque and Laurence Boutreux, AFP/Rappler.com 

MANILA, Philippines – Senator and vice-presidential candidate Alan Peter Cayetano said he will inhibit himself from the upcoming Senate investigation into the Mamasapano massacre, and is encouraging Senator Grace Poe, who is seeking the presidency, to do the same.

Poe heads the Senate sub-committee tasked to conduct the probe.

"It would be better if Senator Poe passes it to the vice chair [of the committee] or to a senator who is not running, and she could just monitor the hearing. I would do the same,” he said in a press release Sunday, January 10.

The Aquino administration says the reopening of the senate probe into the tragedy is politically-motivated given its proximity to the upcoming national elections. (READ: President Aquino and the ghosts of Mamasapano)

The ruling party has asked senators running in 2016 to inhibit themselves from the probe“to avoid any semblance of impropriety.”

Aside from Poe and Cayetano, senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Miriam Defensor Santaigo, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, Antonio Trillanes IV, and Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II are seeking top national posts.

Sending a representative

Cayetano said he would limit his participation in the probe to queries submitted to the committee and a counsel who will ask questions on his behalf.  

Most, or “80%” of his questions, would be sourced from families of the police officers who died during the ill-fated counter-terrorism operation, said Cayetano.

The senator said concerns on the intentions of the reopened Senate inquiry could have been avoided if it had been reopened earlier.

Cayetano requested Poe to reopen the probe last July 2015 through a letter, a request which Poe declined. 

It was only at the request of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile that the Senate announced the re-opening of the probe in the first week of January. 

The investigation is set to begin on January 25, the one year anniversary of the bloody operation.

The Mamasapano tragedy was a botched police operation in which 60 people, including 44 policemen, were killed in a gun battle between government forces and local armed groups, including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)

The police operation intended to capture terrorists wanted by both the Philippines and the United States.

The massacre endangered a long-awaited peace deal with the MILF and intensified public disapproval of the Aquino administration. – Pia Ranada/Rappler.com

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (UPDATED) – A meeting between American actor Sean Penn and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman in the Mexican jungle helped lead to the drug kingpin's capture this week, a Mexican official said Saturday, January 9.

The US rock magazine Rolling Stone posted online on Saturday an interview between Penn and Guzman as well as an October 2 picture showing the Oscar-winning actor shaking hands with the mustachioed Sinaloa drug cartel leader, who is wearing a blue shirt.

Penn writes that the 58-year-old Guzman gave him a "compadre" hug when they met at a Mexican jungle clearing and had a 7-hour sitdown followed by phone and video interviews.

"I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anybody else in the world," Guzman told Penn in a stunning admission of his criminal enterprise over sips of tequila.

"I have a fleet of submarines, airplanes, trucks and boats," Guzman said in the meeting, which Mexican actress Kate del Castillo helped to arrange.

A Mexican federal official told Agence France-Presse that authorities "had knowledge of this meeting" and that it helped lead to Friday's (January 8) recapture of the world's most wanted man in his northwestern home state of Sinaloa.

Mexican Attorney General Arely Gomez said on Friday that Guzman had met with unnamed actors and producers in the hope of making a biopic about himself, which helped locate him.

Rolling Stone also published a video showing Guzman without a mustache, talking about why he decided to go into drug trafficking after the age of 15 because there were "no job opportunities."

"Unfortunately, where I grew up, there was and there is no other way to survive," Guzman said.

Asked if he feels responsible for the high level of addictions in the world, he said: "It's false. The day that I don't exist, it won't reduce drug trafficking."

In a text message exchange days after their meeting, Guzman discusses a marine helicopter raid that almost captured him on October 6. He downplayed injuries to his face and leg reported by the authorities, saying: "Not like they said. I only hurt my leg a little bit."

Authorities said the marines did not shoot Guzman during the raid because he was accompanied by two women and a girl, but that he hurt himself in a fall.

Extradition bid

The Rolling Stone interview emerged after Mexican prosecutors announced that they would seek Guzman's extradition to the United States, a reversal from President Enrique Pena Nieto's refusal to send him across the border.

The attorney general's office said it received two US extradition requests last year on a slew of charges, including drug trafficking and murder, and that it later obtained arrest warrants to ship him across the border.

"With Guzman Loera's recapture, the respective extradition proceedings will have to start," the office said in a statement.

It did not indicate when the hearings would start, and noted that Guzman's lawyers could seek appeals.

One of Guzman's attorneys, Juan Pablo Badillo, vowed to take the case up to the Supreme Court if necessary.

"He shouldn't be extradited because Mexico has a fair Constitution," Badillo told reporters outside the Altiplano prison near Mexico City, where Guzman was sent following his arrest.

It was from that prison that Guzman escaped on July 11, sneaking into a hole in his cell's shower that led to a 1.5-kilometer (one-mile) tunnel outside the prison. 

A Mexican federal official defended the decision to send Guzman back to Altiplano, saying measures were taken to improve security, including the installation of metal rods under the floor of prison cells.

Deadly raid

The world's most wanted drug baron was arrested after a deadly military raid on a house early Friday in Los Mochis, a coastal city in his native northwestern state of Sinaloa.

Five suspects died and one marine was wounded in the raid. Six people were detained in the operation.

"When we had the courage, we looked out the window and saw the soldiers on the ground firing at the garage door until they opened it," said a neighbor.

Guzman and his security chief fled through the city's drainage system.

The wanted men came out of a manhole and stole a car, but they were captured on a road and taken to a motel, where Guzman was pictured seated on a bed wearing a dirty sleeveless shirt – an ignominious end for a kingpin whose billion dollar drug business reaches as far as Asia and Europe.

In the Rolling Stone video interview, Guzman is asked about the belief that Mexican authorities want to kill him instead of taking him alive.

He responds: "No, I think that if they find me they will arrest me. Of course." – Laurent Thomet, AFP / Rappler.com

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (UPDATED) – The US sent a heavy bomber over South Korea on Sunday, January 10, in a show of force as North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un insisted his country's latest nuclear test was carried out in self-defence.

The test on Wednesday, January 6, of what the North claimed was its first hydrogen bomb has sparked international alarm and raised tensions along the inter-Korean frontier, with Seoul reviving cross-border propaganda broadcasts.

Sunday's overflight saw a B52 Stratofortress, which is capable of carrying nuclear weapons, briefly roar over the Osan Air Base, some 70 kilometers (45 miles) south of the inter-Korean border, the US military and an eye-witness said.

It was escorted by a South Korean and an American jet.

The B52 conducted a low-level flight before heading back to Andersen Air Base in Guam, where it is stationed.

The mission was conducted "in response to recent provocative action by North Korea", US Forces Korea said in a statement.

The aircraft are known to have taken part in joint annual US-South Korea military exercises that have enraged Pyongyang, but their flights over South Korea are rarely publicised. 

The last time such a flight was made public was in 2013, after North Korea carried out its third nuclear test.

At that time, the US dispatched both a B52 and the more sophisticated B2 stealth bomber to South Korea in a show of military muscle against the North.

Wednesday's nuclear test was Pyongyang's fourth, though experts have questioned North Korea's claim of the explosion having been triggered by a hydrogen bomb.

On Friday, January 8, the North's state broadcaster also released video footage of a submarine-launched ballistic missile test, though South Korean media have suggested the footage was an edited compilation of a previous test.

'Ironclad' commitment

Lieutenant General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy, commander of the US 7th Air Force and Deputy Commander of the US Forces Korea, said on Sunday that the United States maintained an "ironclad" commitment to the defense of South Korea.

This commitment includes "extended deterrence provided by our conventional forces and our nuclear umbrella", he said in a statement.

"B52 missions reinforce the US commitment to the security of our allies and partners, and demonstrate one of the many alliance capabilities available for the defence" of South Korea, he said.

"As demonstrated by today's mission, the combined US and Republic of Korea air forces work and train together closely every day, and we are totally prepared to meet any threat to our alliance."

The annual US-South Korea joint military exercises regularly spark angry reactions from North Korea, which brands them "nuclear war drills" against it.

Key Resolve/Foal Eagle, one of the annual joint exercises, is expected to take place in March.

South Korea hosts 28,000 US troops as the two Koreas technically remain at war because the Korean War of 1950-53 ended in an armistice instead of a peace treaty.

Sunday's show of force came as Kim Jong-Un claimed the nuclear test was carried out in self-defence, to prevent a nuclear war with the United States.

In his first public remarks since the explosion, Kim said the test was "a self-defensive step for reliably defending the peace on the Korean Peninsula and the regional security from the danger of nuclear war caused by the US-led imperialists".

"It is the legitimate right of a sovereign state and a fair action that nobody can criticise," he added, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The North regularly accuses the US and its ally South Korea of warmongering.

An official commentary published by KCNA late Friday also cited toppled leaders Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Moammar Gaddafi of Libya as examples of what happens when countries forsake their nuclear ambitions.

The nuclear test has angered world powers, including the North's key ally China, and the UN Security Council has said it will roll out new measures to punish the maverick state. – Jung Yeon-Je, AFP / Rappler.com

PARIS, France – Tens of thousands are expected to attend an event in Paris Sunday, January 10,  to mark a year since 1.6 million people thronged the French capital in a show of unity after attacks on the Charlie Hebdo newspaper and a Jewish supermarket.

The gathering on January 11, 2015 was fronted by dozens of world leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas. 

A total of 4 million people took to the streets across France in the biggest mass demonstrations since the Liberation from the Nazis in 1945.

Many showed their solidarity with the slain editors and cartoonists of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo by holding up black-and-white signs reading: "Je suis Charlie" (I am Charlie).

Just as it was last year, the vast Place de la Republique will be the focus of the gathering as people reiterate their support for freedom of expression and remember the other victims of what would become a year of jihadist outrages in France, culminating in the November 13 coordinated shootings and suicide bombings that killed 130 people and were claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group.

 Thwarted attack

Paris's 3 days of terror last January began when jihadist brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi stormed the Charlie Hebdo offices on January 7, gunning down 12 people.

The next day, another extremist, Amedy Coulibaly, shot dead a policewoman before killing 4 people in a siege at a Jewish supermarket. 

The one-year anniversary on Thursday of the Charlie Hebdo shootings was overshadowed when a man was killed by police as he approached a police station in northern Paris wielding a meat cleaver and wearing what later turned out to be a fake explosives vest.

The man, a Tunisian called Tarek Belgacem, shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) before trying to attack an officer at the entrance of the police station in the ethnically-mixed Goutte d'Or district near the tourist hotspot of Montmartre. He was found to be carrying a handwritten letter claiming he was acting in the name of ISIS.

He had been living in an asylum seeker shelter in Germany, a source close to the matter told Agence France-Presse on Saturday. 

The thwarted attack underlined the authorities' concerns that another terror assault remains highly likely in France. Hollande responded to the November massacre by vowing to crush ISIS in Syria and Iraq. French jets have been bombing ISIS targets in both countries.

Johnny Hallyday, the 72-year-old singer who remains immensely popular in France, will perform a song he wrote about the remarkable outpouring of solidarity on French streets a year ago, called "Un dimanche de janvier" (One Sunday in January).

Ironically, Hallyday was often the subject of mocking cartoons drawn by Cabu, one of the best-known of the Charlie Hebdo staff to be killed, that jibed at his closeness to politicians and his colorful love life.

Maryse Wolinski, the widow of another of the murdered cartoonists, Georges Wolinski, said: "I don't understand why they are having Johnny Hallyday. It should have been jazz for my husband and for Cabu and Charb," referring to the slain Charlie Hebdo editor, Stephane Charbonnier.

An oak tree in memory of the victims has been planted in Place de la Republique, which has become the rallying point for mourners of France's terror attacks.

Mosques in France have opened their doors to the public this weekend in a bid by the Muslim community to build bridges following the attacks.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve was among those who sipped mint tea as he visited a mosque near Paris on Saturday.

France needs, more than ever, "the engagement of all Muslims in France," Cazeneuve said, while warning that "the self-proclaimed preachers of hate" in mosques would be dealt with severely. – Gina Doggett, AFP/Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Former and current workers of network giant GMA-7 welcomed the new year with a good news, as the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) upheld its earlier ruling declaring media talents as regular employees. 

In a 4-page decision promulgated on Tuesday, January 5, NLRC special 4^th division junked the appeal filed by the TV network.

“Wherefore, the instant Motion for Reconsideration should be, as it is hereby DENIED for lack of merit. The Decision dated September 30 2015 remains undisturbed,” the ruling said. Commissioners Numeriano D. Villena, Pablo C. Espiritu Jr, and Gregorio O. Bilog III signed the decision.

The division also said they have reviewed their earlier ruling favoring the Talents Association of GMA-7 (TAG) and found “no compelling justification or valid reason to modify, alter, much less reverse, the Decision sought to be reconsidered.”

The NLRC earlier ruled that talents are regular employees, who are “entitled to security of tenure and all benefits and rights appurtenant to their status.” (READ: Media workers win regularization case vs GMA-7)

Network talents are the technical and creative runners behind television shows, pitching stories, writing scripts and spiels, producing audiovisual reports, shooting interviews, sourcing contacts and contributors, fact-checking stories, and finding case studies for stories, among others.

"There should have been no force, duress or improper pressure brought to bear upon the employee; neither should there be any other circumstance that vitiates the employee's consent,” the September decision said.

"Understandably, complainants could not object to terms of their contracts because initially, they needed a job to support themselves and/or their families, and subsequently, they did not want to lose their jobs," it added.

Long way to go

Members of TAG, for their part, welcome the “victory.” While the battle does not end here, the group said they would fight it out until the end.

The NLRC is expected to issue an entry of judgment within 15-30 days to indicate that the decision is final and executory, which will compel GMA Network to implement its ruling. 

GMA Network, however, can file a petition before the Court of Appeals, after which they may take it to the Supreme Court, the final arbiter.

“GMA made it clear from the beginning that they will take this battle to the end. We’ll also do the same, we will persist to show everyone we are doing the right thing, that there is a chance to have fair labor treatment in this industry we love, to show everyone who said we’ll lose that they’re wrong,” TAG President Christian Cabaluna said.

Cabaluna, along with 10 other senior staff, was terminated in July 2015 but no clear reason was supposedly given. They said they filed separate illegal dismissal cases against the Network.

“This resolution plays an important role in our illegal dismissal case. As regular employees, we have rights to due process and we shouldn’t have been terminated as easily as we have,” Cabaluna said. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Islamic State in Syria & Iraq, also known as ISIS, IS, ISIL, or Da'esch, its loose arabic acronym, may soon declare a wilayat or province in the southern Philippines. If so, it would be the first recognized satellite extension of the caliphate in Southeast Asia.

A new video from Mindanao which began circulating on the dark web jihadi forum Shumukh al-Islam on January 4, 2016 shows Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon marching with other extremist leaders from Sulu and Basilan, including Abu Sharifa, the leader of Ansar al-Khilafa, among the most aggressive and targeted Filipino groups linked to ISIS. The groups pledge allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

“The ISIS-initiated merger of the fighting formations and unifications of the leaders will present an unprecedented challenge to the Manila government,” terror expert Rohan Gunaratna told Rappler. Gunaratna is the author of Inside al-Qaeda and the head of the International Centre for Political Violence & Terrorism Research in Singapore. 

"In the Philippines, the next step ISIS is likely to take is the proclamation of wilayat Mindanao," said Gunaratna.

“With the proclamation of an ISIS branch in the southern Philippines, the ISIS influence and ideology is likely to grow, affecting both the southern Philippines and eastern Malaysia. ISIS is likely to create a safe haven in Basilan and mount operations from the Sulu archipelago into both the Philippines and Malaysia,” Gunaratna added.

Who are they?

The most prominent figure in the video is ideological leader Isnilon Hapilon, but this isn’t the first time he’s declared support for ISIS. 

On July 23, 2014, a video of senior Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon along with masked men was posted on YouTube, first reported by Rappler. Hapilon carries a reward of up to $5 million from the US Rewards for Justice Program. He was indicted in the District of Columbia for “terrorist acts against United States nationals and other foreign nationals.” The FBI says he was “the deputy or second in command for the foreign terrorist organization, the Abu Sayyaf.” 

What’s new about this latest video is the consolidation of different groups saying they declare allegiance to ISIS. Post-produced to show photo insets of the different commanders, it shows Hapilon, aka Abdullah al-Filipini, the leader of the Basilan branch of the Abu Sayyaf. He’s joined by Abu Anas al-Muhajir, leader of the Ansar al-Shariah Battalion, Abu Harith al Filipini, a representative of the Ma’arakat al-Ansar Battalion in Sulu. Also in the group is Abu Sharifa, the leader of Ansar al-Khilafa, most recently the target of military operations last month. 

This follows a December video released by another ISIS account of Filipino jihadists allegedly training in the southern Philippines.

That same training camp was featured in the middle of another video released on social media in November threatening the APEC summit. (READ: ISIS’ global ambitions and plans for Southeast Asia)

Government officials and military officers from the Philippines largely dismissed the training video and claims of allegiance since 2014, saying they were more aspirational than real.

“They’re not really ISIS,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Colonel Restituto Padilla told reporters in December. “We view them as mere criminal gangs.”

"Karamihan po diyan kasi ay nakatuon sa pagbibigay ng simpatiya at saka pangingikil o paghingi ng ransom 'yung kadalasan yung iba," said Padilla. (Most of the videos are meant to offer sympathy to ISIS concerns and others are meant to extort ransom.)

Other officials dismissed the claims as propaganda, some pointing to the APEC non-threat.

The Philippines’ National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia said last year, “ISIS has no training camps in the Philippines.”

Black flag

Rappler started reporting the black flag adopted by Filipino groups as early 2011, when it largely symbolized al-Qaeda. Since then, like many extremist groups globally, the “black flag” extremists shifted from inspiration by al-Qaeda to ISIS. First posted on Rappler, this is the first known photo of what was then a rag-tag group of extremists now known as Ansar al-Khilafa. 

What seems clear is that the old networks powered by al-Qaeda’s ideology have adapted, using the same links forged by Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), once al-Qaeda’s network in Southeast Asia. As JI was decimated, the networks transformed, showing evidence that ISIS has been grafted onto these deep roots. (WATCH: Q&A: ISIS in Southeast Asia)

The continued presence of foreigners in extremist networks show the evolution of the JI networks into ISIS.

In December, the Philippine military confirmed Malaysian Mohammed Najib Husen was among 26 Abu Sayyaf members killed in operations in Basilan. He was among 3 Malaysians who fled to the Philippines to train and recruit fighters for ISIS.

In late November, the military claimed it killed Indonesian Ibrahim Alih, also known as Abdul Fatah, linked to the JI suicide attack on the Australian Embassy in Jakarta in 2004. Although his body has yet to be found, he was allegedly among 8 killed in a battle with Ansar al-Khilafa.

Danger ahead

While the Philippine government and military remain steadfast in their statements that there are no operational links between ISIS and Filipino groups, a traditional "order of battle" analysis may be moot in today’s threat landscape given ISIS’ ability to spark homegrown attacks like in Paris. (WATCH: Rappler Talk: ISIS in Southeast Asia)

Filipino officials have warned about ISIS recruitment in Mindanao, but in 2015, more than 65 countries, led by the United States and its allies, pulled together to find an effective way of countering ISIS threat on social media.  (READ: How to fight ISIS? Build communities)

Gunaratna  outlines a 5-step process ISIS follows to expand beyond its core area in Iraq and Syria.

"First, raising awareness of the Islamic Caliphate through propaganda," he said. "Second, a series of groups pledging their allegiance to the 'Caliph.' Third, selection of groups to form a province. Fourth, the selection of a leader to lead the ISIS branch, and fifth, the ISIS proclamation of a designated area as a province of the caliphate." 

Gunaratna encourages the Philippines to take pro-active measures to deal with the threat sooner rather than later, especially with a potential roadblock in the peace process. 

"As the 'soldiers of the caliphate' in the Phililppines, they will mount operations that will increasingly mirror ISIS core in Syria and Iraq," he said. "There is no better time for the governent of the Philippines to act. If President Aquino procrastinates, ISIS ideology will spread, gravely damaging the commendable peace process. The four 'battalions' of ISIS will grow in strength, size and influence and present an enduring challenge to his successors."

“The most enduring threat will be the creation of terrorist training camps that will use not only Southeast Asians but other nationalities,” added Gunaratna, pointing to the JI training camps set up in the early 90’s as precedence. “It is very likely that ISIS will dispatch its explosives experts, combat tacticians and other operatives. ISIS plans to declare a state in Mindanao presents a very real threat to the stability and security of Asia.” - Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines –  Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon slammed Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista on Sunday, January 10, for “showing partisanship” as he addresses the petitions filed by Senator Grace Poe against the poll body.

Guanzon also said she doubts if Bautista wants the Comelec to win against Poe, who leads presidential preference surveys, in the petitions she filed before the Supreme Court (SC).

The Comelec commissioner told Rappler: “It is Chair Bautista who is showing partisanship, not me. He voted in favor of Grace Poe; now he wants to shoot down our comment. And Grace Poe urged Bautista to probe the commissioners. Wow.”

Rappler reached Bautista for a reaction on Sunday, but the elections chief said he refuses “to comment any further.” 

This comes after Bautista, in an internal memo, asked Guanzon and the head of the Comelec’s law department, Maria Norina Tangaro Casingal, to explain why they filed an unauthorized comment against Poe before the SC.

Earlier on Sunday, in a live radio interview with dzBB’s Nimfa Ravelo, Guanzon said, “E ano bang gusto niyang mangyari, matalo kami sa Supreme Court (SC)?” (And what does he want to happen, for us to lose in the Supreme Court?)

She added: “Ako ayoko matalo kasi ayoko na talo ako. Nanalo na ako dati sa Supreme Court. Ayokong matalo ako.” (I don’t want to lose because I’ve never wanted to lose. I already won in the past before the Supreme Court. I don’t want to lose.)

Guanzon also warned Bautista against “bias.” “Ano ba ‘to? Hindi ba dapat ang Commission on Elections ay hindi biased? Hindi dapat tayo kumakampi kahit kanino. E bakit ang chair ko yata ay nakakalimot, at ipinapangalandakan pa niya sa mundo na mali ako, tanga ako na commissioner?” 

(What’s this? Isn’t it that the Commission on Elections shouldn’t be biased? We shouldn’t be siding with anyone. Why is it that my chair seems to forget this, and he is announcing to the whole world that I am wrong, that I am a stupid commissioner?) 

She then referred to Bautista’s vote not to cancel Poe’s candidacy for president. Five of 7 members of the Comelec voted to bar Poe from running.

“Isang boto lang siya e. Lima kami, nanalo kami e. Talo siya e. Panig siya kay Grace Poe e,” Guanzon said. (He only had one vote. There were 5 of us, and we won. He lost. He is siding with Grace Poe.)

“Itong ginagawa niya, e 'yung mga tao, nagsasabi na, ‘Aba, panig na panig siya kay Grace Poe o. Grace Poe na Grace Poe siya o.’ E masama po 'yon para sa aming lahat,” she said. (With what he’s doing, people are saying, “Oh, he’s siding with Grace Poe. He’s really for Grace Poe.” That’s bad for all of us.)

'Who's accused of partisanship?'

A Comelec insider, however, compared Guanzon with another Comelec commissioner thrust in a similar situation. 

The other commissioner is lawyer Arthur Lim, who is in charge of drafting another Comelec comment against Poe before the SC. 

The Comelec insider told Rappler that unlike Guanzon, Lim “is consulting with the entire en banc,” or the commission sitting as a whole, in drafting the comment assigned to him. 

The Comelec en banc is set to discuss the comment drafted by Lim on Monday, January 11. 

Guanzon said the comment prepared by Lim “is late” for filing. “It was also due January 7 but the commissioners were not satisfied with the draft of the law department. We will settle this issue tomorrow. The en banc rules. Not the chair,” she said.

Still, the Comelec source said Guanzon herself should answer accusations of bias. “Sino ba ang accused of partisanship?” (Who is accused of partisanship?)

The opposition United Nationalist Alliance, which is fielding Vice President Jejomar Binay as presidential bet, has associated Guanzon with administration standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.

Guanzon has denied this claim, and has stressed her role as a lawyer and women’s rights advocate in the Comelec. 

She said on Sunday, “This is about Grace Poe. Stop talking about Mar Roxas.” 

Poe’s campaign spokesman Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian, for his part, criticized Guanzon for filing the comment against the senator before the SC. At the same time, he said their camp believes that “certain personalities in the Comelec have political agendas against Senator Poe.”

Gatchalian urged Bautista to investigate these personalities, but Guanzon said the chairman “has no power to do that and that would be seen by the public as a retaliation.” Noting that the Comelec is an independent constitutional commission, she added, “Politicians should respect the Constitution and our independence.”

Guanzon on Bautista: 'How dare he'

In Sunday's radio interview, Guanzon also slammed Bautista for issuing a memo, and requiring her to reply within 24 hours, despite his supposed lack of authority.

She said: “He has no power over me. He has no authority to discipline me. How dare he issue me a memorandum to reply to him in 24 hours. What does he think of me? His employee?”

Guanzon pointed out, too, that her legal team stayed in the Comelec main office until 3 am of Thursday, January 7, to work on the comment on Poe’s case. 

She said her lawyers were even “trapped” inside the Comelec, and had to be assisted by guards to get out. 

Refering to Bautista, she said, “And this is what you will do to repay us?”

Guanzon said: “Pagod na pagod na kaming mga commissioners kakatrabaho. Bakit hindi na lang si Chairman Bautista ang magtrabaho? Anong ginawa niya? Nagbakasyon. Nagbakasyon siya sa New Zealand.” (We commissioners have been so tired working. Why not have Chairman Bautista do all the work? What did he do? He took a vacation. He took a vacation in New Zealand.) 

“Ako, I come out of my vacation to work on January 2. I don't mind, kasi sanay po talaga ako sa trabaho. Ganyan po talaga ang work ethic ko,” the Comelec commissioner added. (As for me, I come out of my vacation to work on January 2. I don’t mind, because I’m really used to work. That’s really my work ethic.)

She said she didn't want to delay Poe's case because the Constitution ensures every person “the speedy administration of justice.”

She said: "If I really work fast, that's not my fault, because I really work hard, I really work fast. I'm very studious. I read, I write fast, I think fast, I work fast. You know, I've written maybe about 10 books and articles. I really write fast. I've published around 10 books and articles, including a paper in the United Nations. It's normal for me to be fast in writing decisions.” – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Got trash?

As with most big public events, the Feast of the Black Nazarene on Saturday, January 9, left a trail of trash.

The EcoWaste Coalition, a waste and pollution watchdog group, denounced the littering during the 20-hour procession, which was attended by more than 1.5 million Filipinos.

The coalition's earlier plea for a "trash-less" Traslacion proved to be fruitless, as the sea of devotees left 30 truckloads of garbage, according to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

The procession began at the Quirino Grandstand, where piles of trash were found – cigarette butts, styrofoam, wrappers, plastic bags, bottles, newspapers, and carton boxes – despite Rizal Park’s “no smoking and no littering” policy.

“Piles of rubbish dotted Quiapo streets, particularly polystyrene containers for free lunch given by good-hearted residents and dumped on street corners and gutters,” observed Aileen Lucero, an EcoWaste Coalition coordinator. 

“Foam food containers and plastic bags were strewn everywhere. Also, portions of Evangelista and Raon Street were also littered with firecracker waste,” she added.

Some portable toilets were also damaged as devotees stood on top of them to get a better view of the procession, disregarding the safety of others. Plus, despite the presence of these portable toilets, bottles filled with urine were still scattered in the area.

“The trash scattered all over the Quirino Grandstand and the processional route regardless of its volume is still trash and deeply deplorable,” Lucero said. 

“When will we learn to pick up after ourselves?”

Volunteer sweepers

On the upside, EcoWaste praised the so-called “Basura Patrollers” – workers and volunteers who cleaned up after the 7-kilometer procession.

These sweepers were deployed by the Manila city government and the MMDA. Some volunteers came from parishes and schools.

“From Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church, waste workers and volunteers uncomplainingly removed the litter left by some devotees and vendors with broomsticks and dustpans,” Lucero said. 

Change, eventually?

Although disappointed, EcoWaste is still optimistic that Black Nazarene devotees “would sooner or later make amends for the environment.” 

After all, Pope Francis placed much emphasis on the environment, warning that “the earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.”

During last year's papal visit to Manila, piles of garbage were also strewn around Rizal Park.

Aside from the post-Traslacion trash, the EcoWaste Coalition slammed politicians who “litter on the sky” by hanging their tarpaulins along the procession trail. – Rappler.com

VATICAN CITY, Holy See – Pope Francis describes himself as "a sinner" in need of God's mercy, in an upcoming book where he also urges the Catholic Church to focus on its mission as a grassroots, hands-on organization.

The first book of his papacy, "The Name of God is Mercy," published on Tuesday in 86 countries, comprises a series of interviews, some of them highly personal, with the 79-year-old Argentine-born pope.

In extracts from the French-language edition provided to Agence Farnce-Presse by the French publisher Laffont, the pope calls himself "a man who is in need of God's mercy."

Expounding on the notion of forgiveness, the pope – a frequent visitor to prisons – refers to his "special relationship" with convicts.

"I have always been very much attached to them, precisely because of the awareness that I have of being a sinner," Francis says, according to Agence France Presse's translation of the extracts.

"Every time I cross the doorway of a prison, I always ask myself, 'Why are they are here, and not me?' I should be here, I should deserve to be here. Their fall could have been mine. I don't feel superior to those in front of me."

The pope, interviewed by veteran Vatican reporter Andrea Tornielli, talks of the power of "shame," describing it as guidance from God for providing a moral path.

"Shame is a grace: When we feel God's mercy, we really are ashamed of ourselves. Despite all our past of wretchedness and sin, God remains faithful to us and raises us up.”

Turning to the jubilee year he launched on December 8, whose theme is divine mercy, the pope says, "The church condemns sin, because it has to tell the truth: this is a sin. But at the same time, it embraces the sinner who acknowledges what he is."

"I hope that the jubilee will show the face of a Church which is rediscovering the womb of mercy," Francis added.

"A Church that goes out into the world... a field hospital whose characteristic is to spring up wherever there's fighting. Not some elaborate structure, kitted out with everything... (but) a mobile structure, for saving (people), for fast intervention.” – Rappler.com

HONG KONG – Thousands of protesters marched through central Hong Kong Sunday, demanding the release of five missing booksellers who are feared to have been detained by authorities in mainland China.

The 5 are from Hong Kong's Mighty Current publishing house known for books critical of Beijing.

Their disappearance has fuelled fears that freedoms in the semi-autonomous Chinese city are being eroded. The US State Department and European Union have expressed concern.

The latest to vanish is Lee Bo, 65, last seen in Hong Kong on December 30. Three others earlier went missing in southern China and one in Thailand.

Pro-democracy lawmakers, activists and some residents believe Lee was kidnapped in Hong Kong by mainland authorities. They accuse China of trampling on the "One Country, Two Systems" agreement under which Hong Kong has been governed since its return by Britain in 1997.

This is intended to preserve Hong Kong's freedoms and way of life for 50 years. Chinese law enforcers have no right to operate in the city.

"We demand the Chinese government immediately explain the situation of the five and release them," Richard Tsoi, an organizer of the march, told protesters through loudspeakers before the rally started at the city government's headquarters.

"No to political kidnap!" demonstrators shouted, holding up banners reading "Where are they?" as they marched towards China's representative office in Western district.

Organizers said 6,000 people took part. There was no immediate police estimate. 

The US State Department said Friday it was "disturbed" by the reports of disappearances, while the European Union described the lack of information as "extremely worrying".

The issue has sent shockwaves across Hong Kong as fears grow that Chinese control is tightening. 

"We are here to march for freedom and security for the people of Hong Kong," lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan told reporters.

"This is a political kidnap... One Country, Two Systems has been damaged."

In 2014 tens of thousands of protesters brought parts of Hong Kong to a standstill for more than two months after Beijing imposed restrictions on planned democratic elections for the city's next leader. 

But the protests failed to force any concessions from the authorities. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines — Each year, millions of Black Nazarene devotees fight their way towards what they believe is a miraculous icon. The sea of devotees at the annual Traslacion is a familiar sight – many of them barefoot, some of them getting injured, all brought together by their faith.

But there are others who doubt the January 9 procession, questioning whether it is an exercise of blind faith. Are the devotees truly sincere?

A glimpse of what happens the moment the icon of the Black Nazarene enters the Quiapo Church may offer answers to that question.

The moment the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene closes its doors, the entire scene dramatically changes.

Before that, devotees are up on their feet, waiting for the carriage to arrive. Security and church volunteers are assembled at their posts, prepared to assist the large number of people expected to come in. At the altar, Monsignor Hernando Coronel and his lay ministers are ready for the welcoming. 

Chants of “Viva, viva, viva!” echo. The devotees start waving their towels. Finally, the Mahal na Poon has arrived. 

The chorus of "Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno" fills the whole church as hundreds of people crowd the aisle. Banners are being waved. The devotees seem like soldiers coming home after the war to greet their King at the altar. It is a majestic celebration. 

With hands raised and tears streaming down their faces, devotees make their way through the aisle. Their eyes, filled with emotion, are all looking at only one thing: the image of the Black Nazarene at the altar. It appears to be an expression of great redemption after a period of pain and suffering.

The devotees, shouting their prayers, are brought to their knees as they reach the security barricade. Those in deep devotion pass by security, getting closer to the statue at the altar.

Those who joined the 7-kilometer procession are acknowledged, hugged, and comforted by their brothers and sisters. "Maraming salamat po, kapatid. Ingat sa pag-uwi." (Thank you, my brother. Take care as you go home.)

The church is filled with sounds of prayers, songs, cheering, thanksgiving, and crying – an ironic melody of great solemnity. Anyone would be a fool to play around at this event. 

In contrast to the chaotic procession, here inside the church is a more serious and intimate devotion. True devotion is not seen through the outside, but seen within. 

– Rappler.com

CAVITE, Philippines – Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II refused to join the very public debate over the Senate’s reopening of its Mamasapano probe and pointed out repeatedly that it is not his job to comment on other people’s actions.

A year after bullets rained in parts of Mamasapano town in Maguindanao, the Senate is set to hold another hearing on a controversial police operation that claimed the lives of more than 60 people, including 44 policemen.

The probe will be headed by Senator Grace Poe, who is also seeking the presidency. It did not take long for politicians from different camps, including the LP, to call on Poe to inhibit from the probe to supposedly “de-politicize” it. Poe chairs the Senate’s public safety committee.

“It’s not for me to comment on somebody else’s conduct lalo na kung katunggali ko siya (especially because I’m running against her),” Roxas told reporters on Sunday, January 10, on the sidelines of a Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (PMCC) gathering in Imus, Cavite.

Earlier, “Daang Matuwid” coalition spokesman Akbayan Representative Ibarra Gutierrez called on Poe and other senators seeking higher posts in 2016 to keep their distance from the probe and let non-reelectionists to take over.

At least 7 senators are seeking higher posts in 2016: Poe and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago are running for president while senators Francis Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Antonio Trillanes IV, and Gregorio Honasan are all running for vice president.

Roxas was interior chief when the bloody clash happened, but was kept out of the loop supposedly on the orders of former police chief Alan Purisima. Another key personality in the operation, former Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) chief Getulio Napeñas, is a senatorial candidate of opposition standard-bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay’s party.

Asked if he would encourage the LP’s Senate bets who are incumbent senators to inhibit, Roxas had this to say.

“Why should they inhibit? Kung meron silang gustong alamin ay bilang senador, ay andiyan pa naman po sila (If they want to know something, as senators they’re still there). It’s not for me to tell the senators how to conduct themselves,” he said.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, Senator Teofisto Guingona III, and Senator Ralph Recto are all seeking fresh terms in 2016 under the LP-led coalition.

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-video" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Should LP senate bets inhibit from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MamasapanoProbe?src=hash">#MamasapanoProbe</a>? <a href="https://twitter.com/MARoxas">@MARoxas</a> says: It&#39;s not for me to tell a senator how t... <a href="https://t.co/M2RLwM8WmU">https://t.co/M2RLwM8WmU</a></p>&mdash; Bea Cupin (@beacupin) <a href="https://twitter.com/beacupin/status/686118493989765121">January 10, 2016</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

In the aftermath of the clash, the bloodiest one-day operation in PNP history, several groups conducted investigations. The PNP had its Board of Inquiry (BOI) probe, the Senate eventually came out with a draft committee report, the House of Representatives held hearings, and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) conducted an internal investigation, followed by the International Monitoring Team (IMT) observing the peace process in the area.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) eventually released the results of its own probe, which led to the filing of cases against some 90 members of the MILF, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and private armed groups for the death of the 55th Special Action Battalion.

“Kung magpatawag sila, okay; kung ipatawag nila tayo, okay. Wala naman tayong tinatago. At kung matapos 'yung napakaraming mga hearing ay may gusto pa silang alamin, why not?” added Roxas.

(If they call for a hearing, okay. If they summon me, okay. I’m not hiding anything. And if after so many hearings, they still want to know more, why not?)

Roxas had earlier said he would attend the probe should he be summoned.

No less than President Benigno Aquino III, chairman of the ruling LP, has said that politics was among the many motivations in the reopening of the case one year later. It was Senator Juan Ponce Enrile’s request that prompted the Senate to give the go-signal for the resumption of hearings.

Enrile was detained at the PNP General Hospital for his supposed involvement in the pork barrel scam when the Senate first probed the police incident. Poe has cited Enrile’s “new evidence” and “personal information” as a reason for reopening the probe. While Enrile was detained, some of the survivors of the bloody clash were also admitted to the PNP General Hospital. – Rappler.com

WASHINGTON DC, USA – The jackpot for the US Powerball lottery rose to a whopping $1.3 billion (1.19 billion euros) on Sunday, January 10, after organizers said there was no winner in the weekend draw.

The Powerball prize rocketed to $950 million on Saturday, January 9, fueling a frenzy of lotto ticket buying across the United States.

Numbers were drawn and announced late Saturday at 10:59 pm – but hours later lottery officials said there was no winner.

"There was NO JACKPOT WINNER in tonight's #Powerball. We are OFFICIALLY #InSearchofaBILLIONAIRE ($1.3 BILLION)!" the lottery of the District of Columbia, where the US capital is located, wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

According to the rules, the winner can choose to be paid the full jackpot in annual instalments over 29 years or take a lower one-off payment in cash.

The cash for the new jackpot would amount to $806 million before taxes, according to the official Powerball site.

Drawings for the Powerball jackpot began on November 7, and despite a new series of numbers announced every Wednesday and Saturday since, no winner has been declared.

Americans with dreams of life-changing riches have been flocking for days to buy lottery tickets and a chance at winning a tsunami of cash.

Powerball tickets are sold in 44 states as well as the District of Columbia, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin islands.

Next chance: Wednesday 

In the Powerball game, five white balls are drawn from a drum containing 69 balls. One red one is pulled from a drum with 26 balls.

The late Saturday winning numbers were 32-16-19-57-34 and the Powerball was 13, organizers said.

To win, all 6 numbers on the lottery ticket must be correct, with the first 5 in any order. The final number, however, must be the Powerball number.

The current prize shatters the previous record for a US lottery jackpot of $656 million, scooped by 3 winning tickets in North Carolina, Puerto Rico and Texas in March 2012.

Gloria Mackenzie, 84, from Florida holds the record for the largest single Powerball jackpot win, $590.5 million, on May 18, 2013.

The next drawing is scheduled for Wednesday, January 13, organizers said.

Powerball starts its jackpot at $40 million and lets it grow if there are no winners.

In the United States, small-prize scratch lottery cards are popular, while two prizes – Mega Millions and Powerball – offer eye-popping payouts.

Both games are organized by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), a non-profit group owned by lotteries from 34 states as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Individual lotteries keep the profits and use them for projects approved by local legislatures, usually to include some money going to education.

The world's richest lottery is Spain's annual Christmas "El Gordo," which in 2015 handed out 2.2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) but which capped individual wins at 400,000 euros and handed out thousands of smaller prizes. – Rappler.com