MANILA, Philippines – Half of the 14 senatorial candidates who showed up to present their platforms before University of the Philippines (UP) students on Friday, January 29, came from the slate of presidential candidate Grace Poe.

The senatorial bets were asked about divorce, same-sex marriage, the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, and political dynasties. They were also asked if they favored a continuation of the state university's socialized tuition scheme.

Among the members of the Puso at Galing ng Pilipino (PGP) Team who attended ANC’s “The Rundown 2016” at the UP Theater were congressmen Neri Colmenares, Sherwin Gatchalian, Samuel Pagdilao, and Roman Romulo; former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri; labor advocate Susan Ople; and prominent women's right lawyer Lorna Kapunan. 

Bayan Muna Party-list Representative Neri Colmenares said he will push for industrialization that is not propelled by foreign investors but by the local economy – a point he also raised during Rappler's recent #TheLeaderIWant forum. (READ: ASEAN integration will 'cripple' local economy)

The martial law veteran said that the government should pour capital into local businesses. This way, there would be more factories in the country that would provide employment. 

Valenzuela Representative Sherwin Gatchalian and Pasig Representative Roman Romulo both advocate the improvement of access to higher education.  

Gatchalian vowed to abolish tuition fee in state universities and colleges (SUCs) should he be elected as senator.

Romulo, for his part, boasted of education policies he championed: the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Law and the “Iskolar ng Bayan” (state scholar) Law.

The UniFAST law intends to make tertiary education affordable to the poor by rationalizing the allocation of government-funded financial assistance programs. The “Iskolar ng Bayan” Law assures top high school graduates scholarships in 112 SUCs.

Zubiri, being a former lawmaker, also cited measures he authored. They included the Renewable Energy Act and 20 other enacted bills. He is shared candidate of Poe's PGP and Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

As former police general, ACT Party-list Representative Samuel Pagdilao said peace and order will be his priority. He assured students that they would have peace of mind going to schools because they would be free from fear of being victims of crimes.

The two women from the Poe's senatorial slates said they will fight for justice on different fronts.

Susan Ople, daughter of the late labor secretary and Senator Blas Ople, said she will push for justice for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have continually been victims of abuse by their employers. (READ Rappler's Women senatorial bets vow to prioritize labor, human rights)

Kapunan, who formerly served as legal counsel for pork barrel mastermind Janet Lim Napoles, said she will plant the seed of HOPE: honesty in government, opportunity for all, peace, education, environment, and employment. (READ about Kapunan's #TheLeaderIWant speech: I'm desperate, angry, but not hopeless about PH)

Independent, admin, opposition bets

Also present at the forum in UP were independent candidates and former security officials Rafael Alunan III and Dionisio Santiago. 

Former Alunan, a former interior secretary, said he seeks to empower the Filipinos with a “total national well-being” achieved by advocating “good governance, reform of the justice system, poverty reduction and national security.” 

On the legislative agenda of former Armed Forces of the Philippines General Dionisio Santiago are security and defense, anti-drugs program, and national development. 

Days after lawmakers declared the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law dead, Liberal Party candidate Narina Ambolodto, a Muslim, said she will continue fighting for peace.

Her party-mate, former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, said he will push for cheaper electricity laws. 

Another administration candidate, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority chief Mark Lapid, said will continue to boost tourism because it is the foundation of the economy.

The opposition’s "senatoriables" also joined the debate. 

UNA’s Sandra Cam vowed to pass measures that will curb corruption in government such as the Whistleblower’s Act and the freedom of information law. In 2005, Cam exposed the alleged jueteng (illegal numbers game) in Bicol that involved former lawmakers Mikey and Iggy Arroyo, sons of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez told the UP audience that he will prioritize reduced laboratory fees and increasing the number of dormitories. He will also push for additional health funding and allocations for livelihood programs. 

The 14 candidates were presented in two batches. The first batch, composed of Poe’s candidates, answered questions on divorce and higher education spending. The second batch – a mix of independent, administration, and opposition bets – were asked about their stand on same-sex marriage, anti-political dynasty bill, and the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. – Rappler.com 

BANGKOK, Thailand – A new draft charter meant to soothe Thailand's caustic political divisions was unveiled Friday, January 29, but swiftly shot down by the toppled government who warned it would only deepen the kingdom's crisis.

The draft is the junta's second stab at crafting a new constitution since former army chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha ousted an elected civilian government in May 2014.

Prayut says he was forced into a coup to restore order following months of mass street protests.

The junta touts its new charter as the only way to clip the wings of powerful politicians and expunge corruption.

But critics say it is a brazen attempt to limit the influence of billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra whose populist parties have won all elections since 2001, unsettling the Bangkok-centric elite.

The junta's first effort at a charter was voted down by a military-appointed committee late last year, effectively starting the drafting process anew and postponing elections for over a year.

Analysts said that move was engineered to extend the military government's rule over Thailand, which has seen 12 successful army takeovers since absolute monarchy was abolished in 1932 and 20 constitution rewrites.

The next few weeks will be dedicated to gathering feedback on the fresh charter, drafting committee chairman Meechai Ruechupan told reporters.

"We are ready to reasonably adjust the constitution as it will be enforced for the entire nation to benefit the public," he said, launching the document.

'Lip service to democracy'

The revised charter contains many of the same controversial points that saw the last draft voted down.

A major sticking point among politicians of all stripes is a provision to allow for the parliament to choose an unelected prime minister to lead the country.

The draft wants to establish a proportional representation voting system, something the junta say will make every ballot count but large parties have balked at that provision fearing they may struggle to make a clear majority.

Critics say other elements are openly anti-democratic, including a provision for a 200-member unelected senate.

In a statement rejecting the draft, the toppled Puea Thai Party said it hoped the junta is "aware of the damage that will occur if the constitution is enacted".

The party, whose leader Yingluck Shinawatra – Thaksin's sister – was removed by a court just before the coup and is now on trial warned the document may become "the core cause of crisis in the future".

A finalised version of the charter is due to go to a referendum vote this August.

But political expression or gatherings remain banned in Thailand and it is unclear if opponents will be at all able to discuss their concerns.

"In some sense, the new document gives lip service to democracy while only enshrining a hollow variant of it," Paul Chambers, a Thailand-based academic, told Agence France-Presse.

Thailand's nearly century-long struggle with democracy has seen 19 charters come and go, with power swinging back and forth between military rulers and quasi-democratic legislatures.

Prayut this week said elections will be held in July 2017, irrespective of the outcome of referendum. – Rappler.com

GENEVA, Switzerland – The UN insisted that high-stakes peace talks aimed at ending the brutal, five-year-old Syrian conflict would still begin in Switzerland later Friday, January 29, despite uncertainty over whether key groups would even attend.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura "will start by meeting the government's delegation today (Friday)" in Geneva, followed by talks with "other participants", the United Nations said in a statement.

The Syrian government delegation, headed by Syria's envoy to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari, arrived in Geneva early afternoon, a source said.

Opposition figures not part of the umbrella group High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said they would be present.

However, despite Western pressure on the HNC, it has yet to decide whether to come and was engaged in a fourth day of discussions in Saudi Arabia on Friday.

The talks, backed by all the external powers embroiled in the war, are the biggest push yet to end a conflict that has killed more than 260,000 people and facilitated the meteoric rise of the extremist Islamic State (ISIS) group.

The highly complex conflict, now almost five years old, has also destabilized the already restive Middle East and drawn in not only regional powers like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey but also the United States and Russia.

It has also forced millions of Syrians from their homes, many of them into neighboring states and further afield, causing a major political headache for the European Union which received around a million migrants in 2015.

De Mistura issued on Thursday an emotional video message to the Syrian people both inside and outside the country saying that after previous failures, this new effort "cannot fail".

"Five years of this conflict have been too much. The horror is in front of everyone's eyes," de Mistura said. "You must know also that we count on you to raise your voice to say 'khalas' ("stop" in Arabic)."

Vienna Process

The Geneva negotiations, if they happen, would not be a face-to-face conversation between the regime and its opponents. Instead they are "proximity talks" when go-betweens shuttle between the different participants.

They are part of an ambitious plan launched in Vienna in November by a raft of key actors including Russia, the United States, Gulf states, Iran and Turkey that foresees elections within 18 months.

Despite Western pressure, the HNC is refusing to show up in Switzerland before an agreement is reached on aid reaching hundreds of thousands of people stuck in besieged towns.

With such an agreement highly unlikely in the immediate term, a senior delegate for the HNC told Agence France-Presse that it may still decide later in the day to travel to the negotiations.

The HNC, which named Mohammed Alloush of the Islamist rebel group Army of Islam as its chief negotiator, has also asked for "clarifications" after the UN issued invitations to other opposition figures.

Individual invitations were reportedly issued to a list of figures opposed to the regime but who are thought to have closer ties to Moscow and have limited influence on the ground.

Randa Kassis, a member of that list, told AFP in Geneva on Friday that despite the uncertainty on who would attend, "something has to start. We have to think of the Syrian people."

The HNC and its Saudi and Turkish backers have also objected to the participation of Syrian Kurdish groups that have made key advances against IS in northern Syria in recent months.

Russia, however, which has helped the regime of President Bashar al-Assad make inroads against rebels with air strikes since September, says Kurdish involvement is essential.

'Inflexible' Assad

Haytham Manna, a longstanding opposition figure who is co-chair of the political wing of a Kurdish-Arab alliance, told AFP in Geneva he did not expect the discussions to begin until Monday.

France-based Middle East analyst Agnes Levallois said the opposition was growing increasingly frustrated that the question of Assad's fate, a key stumbling block in previous talks, was being put off.

"Assad is feeling stronger and stronger so is being inflexible," she said.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, whose Shiite country also backs Assad and is at daggers drawn with Sunni regional rival Saudi Arabia, said in a visit to Paris on Thursday that the process would take time.

"We hope that these talks will succeed as soon as possible. But I would be surprised if they succeed very quickly because in Syria there are groups who are at war with the central government and also amongst themselves," French media quoted him as saying.

"There is interference in the internal affairs of Syria," he added. – Simon Sturdee and Maya Gebeily, AFP/Rappler.com

MOSCOW, Russia – The Kremlin on Friday, January 29, lashed out at the White House after it backed up an allegation from the US Treasury that President Vladimir Putin is corrupt.

US Treasury acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence Adam Szubin said in a BBC documentary aired Monday that Putin was a "picture of corruption".

White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Thursday backed up that line, saying that the Treasury's assessment "best reflects the administration view."

The Kremlin has already dismissed the US Treasury claim that it said amounted to an "official accusation," but ratcheted up the rhetoric after the White House got involved.

"We consider this statement outrageous and offensive," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

"We really need further explanation because such a statement is absolutely unprecedented."

Ties between Moscow and Washington have plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War over Russia's meddling in Ukraine.

The two sides, however, are currently engaged in an international peace push on the conflict in Syria, although they support different sides in the civil war.

Peskov accused Washington of firing the starting gun on attempts to discredit Putin ahead of Russia's next presidential elections in 2018, even though he insisted Putin has not yet decided to run.

In a sign that the allegations could further damage ties between the two countries, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov raised the issue with his counterpart John Kerry in a phone call Friday.

"Lavrov expressed outrage at the contrived and unforgivable allegations against the Russian leadership," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.

"It was emphasized that the blame for the deliberate whipping up of tension in bilateral affairs falls squarely on Washington," the statement said.

Russian authorities have repeatedly accused the West of plotting to overthrow Putin, but critics insist an elite around the strongman is whipping up public fears as they cement their grip over the country's vast wealth. – Rappler.com

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands – Netherlands has agreed to join US-led air strikes in Syria extending its current mission over Iraq, Dutch officials announced Friday, January 29, bowing to a request from the United States.

"In order to make the fight against ISIS in Iraq more efficient, it has been decided to carry out air strikes against ISIS in eastern Syria," the foreign and defense ministries said in a statement.

Late last year in the wake of the November Paris attacks, the Dutch government received a request from allies the US and France to broaden its campaign of air support against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group -- also known by the acronym ISIS.

The Netherlands is already participating in the coalition by carrying out air strikes in Iraq with four F-16 aircraft specializing in close air support of ground operations by Iraqi forces.

But it had insisted in the past that it would not extend the air strikes over Syria without a UN mandate.

"We are going to deploy the F-16s above Syria, in particular to stop the pipeline leading from Syria into Iraq," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told reporters Friday.

The four Dutch F-16 jet fighters which have been pounding IS jihadists in Iraq since October 2014 would "remain active until July 1 over the enlarged zone," the government statement said.

"We are convinced that only a consistent approach to bring back stability in Iraq and Syria," said Foreign Minister Bert Koenders added in the statement.

But he insisted there had to be the utmost "care and accuracy."

After weeks of dallying, the junior partner in the ruling coalition, the Labour Party (PvdA), Tuesday finally agreed to back an extension of air strikes into Syria, paving the way for approval from parliament.

High-stakes peace talks aimed at ending the brutal, five-year-old Syrian conflict which has left over 260,000 dead and created millions of refugees were due to start later Friday in Geneva.

But there was uncertainty whether the key groups would attend, even though the Syrian government delegation had arrived in the Swiss city. – Rappler.com

KANO, Nigeria (UPDATED) – A child suicide bomber blew himself up in a market in northeast Nigeria Friday, January 29, killing at least 10 people, witnesses said, the latest bloodshed to hit the region, which is plagued by Islamist violence.

They said a huge blast erupted at around midday (1100 GMT) in the crowded market in Gombi in Adamawa state, one of the worst-hit in the seven-year Boko Haram insurgency.

The blast came after three suicide bombers killed at least 14 people in town of Chibok on Wednesday, where Islamist gunmen kidnapped more than 200 girls in April 2014.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari last month declared that the Islamic State group affiliate had been "technically" defeated but there has been no let-up in suicide and bomb attacks.

In the latest attack, trader Mustapha Jalo told Agence France-Presse: "I heard a huge explosion coming from the grain section, which is at the edge of the market.

"Many of us rushed to the scene and we found carnage. People were scattered everywhere.

"I can say over 10 people died in the explosion. I can't give precise number of the injured but there are many."

Bomber 'aged 12'

Gombi, which lies about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the state capital, Yola, has been hit several times by Boko Haram attacks, with the most recent taking place in March 2015.

Adamu Ahmad, a security guard at the market, gave a similar account to Jalo, saying the bomber was believed to be a boy aged around 12.

"There was a suicide explosion at the grain section of the market around midday. The explosion killed at least 11 people and injured several others," he said.

"The attack was believed to have been carried out by a boy of around 12. Today is market day in Gombi and the market attracts thousands of people from the district."

Following the blast, the market closed down and all the traders returned home, he added.

Boko Haram, which is looking to establish a hardline Islamic state in mainly Muslim northern Nigeria, has killed at least 17,000 people since its campaign began in 2009.

At the same time, more than 2.6 million others have fled their homes. Some 2.0 million have been displaced within Nigeria, with the others fled into neighboring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

A counter-insurgency begun last year by the Nigerian military, supported by troops from surrounding nations, has succeeded in recapturing swathes of territory lost to the militants in 2014.

But cross-border attacks have become more commonplace: on Thursday, four people were killed by suicide bombers in the town of Kerawa in Cameroon's extreme north region.

On Monday, at least 37 died in four suicide attacks at a market in Bodo. In all, nearly 1,200 people have been killed in Cameroon since 2003, according to the government in Yaounde.

"Soft" civilian targets such as markets, mosques and bus stations have frequently been hit.

The group regularly uses young women and girls as human bombs, although experts suggest many of them are coerced into wearing suicide vests and the explosives are detonated remotely. – Rappler.com

NAIROBI, Kenya (UPDATED) – Two foreign journalists working in Burundi and arrested during a raid were released one day later on Friday, January 29, on the eve of a key Africa summit where the troubled nation tops the agenda.

The journalists, Jean-Philippe Remy, Africa bureau chief for French daily Le Monde, and British photojournalist Phil Moore, were arrested on Thursday afternoon during a raid in which 15 others were also held, police said.

Both journalists have covered the region for years winning several awards for their work. Their arrest sparked widespread condemnation from rights groups and diplomats.

"They were released, no charges were brought against them," French ambassador Gerrit Van Rossum told Agence France-Presse, but added they had not been given their equipment and notebooks back.

Burundi has been in crisis since April when President Pierre Nkurunziza ran for a controversial third term, sparking street protests, a failed coup, regular killings and a nascent rebellion.

Despite Burundi's rejection, African leaders are expected to vote at AU headquarters in Ethiopia this weekend on sending 5,000 peacekeepers to Burundi, to end months of the violence the journalists were reporting on when arrested.

The Foreign Correspondents' Association of East Africa (FCAEA), who described the reporters as "consummate professionals", said that while their release was "a big relief... the incident bodes ill for our work in Burundi."

Police said a mortar, a Kalashnikov rifle and pistols were seized in the raid in Nyakabiga, a Bujumbura suburb and anti-government protest hotspot.

Moore, 34, has frequently worked for AFP and other international publications, winning widespread recognition for his photographs of conflicts in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as well as Libya, Somalia and Syria.

Remy, 49, has won several awards, including the 2013 Prix Bayeux-Calvados for his coverage of the war in Syria.

Mass graves

The Burundi government has cracked down on the press, forcing independent media to shut down and driving some journalists into exile.

AFP and RFI reporter Esdras Ndikumana, 54, was forced to seek refuge in Kenya in August after he was tortured by the SNR in Bujumbura.

While the official theme of the African Union meeting is human rights, leaders from the 54-member bloc will once again confront a string of crises across the continent when they open two-day talks at AU headquarters in the Ethiopian capital on Saturday.

Leaders, as well as UN chief Ban Ki-moon, are expected to open the summit around 11:00 am (0800 GMT), but Nkurunziza is not expected to attend.

Since he won presidential elections in July, clashes between loyalists and the opposition have turned increasingly violent.

The UN has warned that Burundi risks a repeat of a 1993-2005 civil war, with some 400 dead since April and at least 230,000 people fleeing to neighboring countries.

On Friday, rights group Amnesty International released satellite photos they said "strongly indicate" five mass graves of those killed during battles in the capital in December.

"These images suggest a deliberate effort by the authorities to cover up the extent of the killings by their security forces and to prevent the full truth from coming out," Amnesty's regional chief Muthoni Wanyeki said. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – An explosion hit Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat province on Tuesday afternoon, February 2, just as the city was celebrating the Feast of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria.

Camarines Sur 3rd District Representative Leni Robredo, the Liberal Party's vice presidential candidate, was one of the guests for Tacurong's celebration of the religious feast.

Police said an improvised explosive device (IED) went off inside a vehicle parked outside La Forteza Pharmacy along Jose Abad Santos Street. The explosion occurred around 2 pm, after Robredo's convoy had already left the area at 11:20 am.

Tacurong City police chief Senior Superintendent Ranie Hachuela said two people – a 16-year-old and a 9-year-old – were injured.

"We are determining the explosive used as well the personalities behind [the incident]," Hachuela said.

Police added that Robredo's convoy is safe. From Tacurong, the lawmaker proceeded to Awang, Cotabato, for the Bangsamoro Women Summit.

{source}

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="tl" dir="ltr">[ADMIN] Maayong hapon! After Upi &amp; Tacurong, Cong. Leni is now in Awang, Cotabato for the Bangsamoro Women Summit. <a href="https://t.co/QEu1fErjQE">pic.twitter.com/QEu1fErjQE</a></p>&mdash; Leni Robredo (@lenirobredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/lenirobredo/status/694413836703522816">February 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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In a statement, Robredo condemned the bombing and expressed sympathies for the wounded.

"Nananawagan tayo sa mga awtoridad para mabigyan ng agarang pagkalinga ang mga nasaktan. Hinihingi rin natin ang mabilis na pagtugon sa pangyayari upang malaman natin ang ugat ng pagsabog at mapanagot sa batas ang mga nasa likod nito," said Robredo.

(I appeal to the authorities to immediately address the needs of the injured victims. I am also seeking a prompt investigation into the incident to determine the motive behind it, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.) – Rappler.com

NEW DELHI, India (UPDATED) – India's top court agreed Tuesday, February 2, to review a law outlawing gay sex, sparking hope among campaigners that the legislation dating back to the 19th century will eventually be overturned in the world's biggest democracy.

The Supreme Court's three most senior judges accepted a challenge against a 2013 reimposition of the ban stipulated in India's colonial-era criminal code, which enables the jailing of homosexuals.

"We believe that it is an important issue and it must be referred to a constitutional bench," Chief Justice T.S. Thakur told the court.

"We are going to constitute a bench of five judges which will now hear this matter."

Members of the gay community, some wearing rainbow-colored scarves, clapped, hugged and cheered outside the court in New Delhi, echoing cautious celebrations held in other cities in India.

"This is the first step in the right direction. It's still a long way from here but definitely we are moving in the right direction," said gay activist Manish Malhotra.

Fellow activist Dhrubo Jyoti said the community had feared that the judges would dismiss the appeal outright, adding: "We are hopeful that the honorable judges will now look into it and uphold our constitutional rights."

The decision is the latest chapter in a long-running legal battle between India's social and religious conservatives and the gay community over the law passed by British colonial rulers in the 1860s.

Six years ago the Delhi High Court effectively legalized gay sex in a landmark ruling – that the ban infringed the fundamental rights of Indians.

That 2009 ruling emboldened the still largely closeted gay community, which started to campaign publicly against widespread discrimination and violence.

But the Supreme Court reinstated the ban in 2013, saying responsibility for changing the law rested with lawmakers and not the courts.

Members of the gay community and campaigners lodged the last-ditch curative petition – or special appeal – to the Supreme Court to have the 2013 judgement reviewed.

Prosecutions for gay sex are rare, but activists say corrupt police use the reimposed law to harass and threaten homosexuals. The gay community says criminalizing homosexuality makes its members vulnerable to blackmail.

Gay sex has long been a taboo subject in conservative India, where homophobic tendencies abound and some still regard homosexuality as a mental illness.

A lawmaker's attempt to introduce a private member's bill into parliament to decriminalize gay sex failed in December.

In the eastern city of Kolkata, activists carrying placards that read "Love is not a crime" erupted in song in celebration at Tuesday's decision, optimistic that the court would eventually strike down the ban.

"It (the decision) reinstates that democracy prevails and right to freedom of expression and right to a life of dignity is there," prominent transgender activist Laxmi Tripathi told the NDTV network.

"We welcome the Supreme Court's decision... to take it further."

The court introduced such "curative" appeals in 2002 as a final way for judgements to be reexamined. But very few judgements reviewed have been overturned and petitions can be dismissed outright without a hearing. – Abhaya Srivastava, AFP/Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The race to save the life of convicted overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Joselito Zapanta was one that the Philippine government has unfortunately lost. (READ: '35-year-old Filipino executed in Saudi Arabia')

Zapanta was convicted in Saudi Arabia for the murder and robbery of his Sudanese landlord 6 years ago. 

The family of the victim demanded a payment of P55 million, or 5 million in Saudi riyal, so that Zapanta could be spared from death penalty. However, the government was only able to raise about P23 million, failing to save Zapanta from death row.

Inquiry on blood money

On Monday, February 1, Senator Cynthia Villar said that she will file a resolution to determine the status of the P23-million blood money that the government raised for Zapanta.

Another question raised was what to do with the blood money. If it were up to Villar, she wants all of it to be given to the Zapanta family, especially because the executed OFW left behind two children.

The senator said, however, that those who made contributions should be asked what they want to do with the money raised.

Rappler asked its readers about their thoughts on where the blood money should go. Below were some of the answers posted by netizens. 

{source} <div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3";  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/move.ph/posts/936806893077613" data-width="500"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/move.ph/posts/936806893077613:0"><p>Senator Cynthia Villar seeks to file a resolution to determine the status of the blood money that the government raised...</p>Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/move.ph/">Move.PH</a> on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/move.ph/posts/936806893077613:0">Monday, February 1, 2016</a></blockquote></div></div> {/source}

Netizens weigh in

For some netizens, the money should all be given to the family Zapanta left behind.

{source} <div class="storify"><iframe src="//storify.com/rappler/give/embed?header=false&border=false" width="100%" height="750" frameborder="no" allowtransparency="true"></iframe><script src="//storify.com/rappler/give.js?header=false&border=false"></script><noscript>[<a href="//storify.com/rappler/give" target="_blank">View the story "'Give it to the family.'" on Storify</a>]</noscript></div> {/source} 

For others, however, only a part of the blood money should be given to his family, and the remaining, put in a fund for other OFWs in distress.

{source} <div class="storify"><iframe src="//storify.com/rappler/save-some-for-other-ofws-in-need/embed?header=false&border=false" width="100%" height="750" frameborder="no" allowtransparency="true"></iframe><script src="//storify.com/rappler/save-some-for-other-ofws-in-need.js?header=false&border=false"></script><noscript>[<a href="//storify.com/rappler/save-some-for-other-ofws-in-need" target="_blank">View the story "'Save some for other OFWs in need.'" on Storify</a>]</noscript></div> {/source}

What do you think? Share your comments or write about them on X! - Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court affirmed on Tuesday, February 2, the disqualification of more aspirants vying for various national posts in the May 2016 polls.

In its latest en banc session, the High Court dismissed the petitions of the following individuals to reverse the earlier ruling of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that declared them nuisance candidates:

For president:

• Ranulfo Feliciano
• Maria Aurora Marcos
• Simeon de Castro
• Dante Valencia
• Rodel Mancilla
• Pedrito Diaz Tagle

For vice president:

• Teodulo Malangen

For senator:

• Efren Bernabe Cadiz
• Mary Lou Estrada
• Amay Bisaya (Roberto Gloria Reyes)
• Roger Alim Rodriguez
• Sixto Lagare

SC claimed "Comelec did not act with grave abuse of discretion" in disqualifying them.

A total of 130 presidential aspirants, 19 vice presidential aspirants, and 172 senatorial aspirants filed their candidacy in October 2016. But the initial "final" list of candidates, published by Comelec in its website on January 21, revealed there are only 8 presidential candidates, 6 vice presidential candidates, and 52 senatorial candidates approved.

The number of presidential candidates has since dropped to only 6, after the disqualification of independent candidate Dante Valencia and the withdrawal of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino's Mel Mendoza.

Valencia’s and Mendoza’s names remain in the draft ballot, however, until the Comelec finalizes the list of candidates on February 3.

Party list

The High Court also dismissed the petitions of the following groups, who appealed Comelec's refusal to accredit them:

• 1st Kabagis (1st KABAGIS)
• Aagapay sa mga Bata at Taong Kapus-Palad  (ABATAKA)
• Abante Bicol Oragon-Philippines Inc (ABO)
• Bukluran ng Malayang Mamamayan at Kawal sa Kuta Bonifacio (BUMAKA)
• Kampilan ng Lakan Inc. (KAMPILAN)
• Movement against Dynasty (MAD)
• Peace Advocates and Reformation of Democratic System Inc (PARDS)
• Ang Laban ng Indiginong Pilipino (ALIF)
• Alliance of Cavite Land Reform Tenant Association Inc
• Bumabagang Sigaw ng Lahing Kayumanggi Kalayaan sa Kahirapan
• Samahang Magbabasura Inc

They are among the 213 party-list organizations that filed in 2015 their intent to join the May 2016 polls, but were not included in Comelec's "final" list.

The names of the first 7 party-list groups above were among the 84 whose inclusion in the party-list raffle – which determines their order of listing on the official ballot – was initially up in the air due to pending motions for reconsideration before the Comelec en banc by the time the Comelec issued Resolution 10025 on December 3, 2015.

The names of the last 3 party-list groups were not in the same resolution, while ALIF is listed in the Comelec resolution as among those "for consideration of the Commission en banc."

SC also ruled that "Comelec did not act with grave abuse of discretion" in disqualifying them.

Apart from these, the SC also dismissed the petition filed by the following parties for lack of merit:

• Ely Pamatong
• Mindanao Alliance for Reforms (MAR)
• People’s Movement for Democratic Governance Inc 

The High Court already affirmed on January 12 the Comelec's disqualification of these poll aspirants, but they still filed a motion for reconsideration. – Rappler.com

PARIS, France – French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi announced Tuesday, February 2, that it had begun research and development into a vaccine against the mosquito-borne Zika virus, blamed for causing a surge in brain-damaged babies.

The company said the success of its Sanofi Pasteur vaccines division in developing a vaccine against dengue fever could be "rapidly leveraged" in the fight against Zika.

"Sanofi Pasteur leads the vaccine field for viruses in the same family as Zika virus (ZIKV), with licensed vaccines against yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and, most recently, dengue," it said in a statement.

It continued that "Sanofi Pasteur's expertise and established R&D and industrial infrastructure for the newly licensed vaccine for dengue, Dengvaxia, can be rapidly leveraged to help understand the spread of ZIKV and potentially speed identification of a vaccine candidate for further clinical development."

The announcement comes a day after the World Health Organization declared an international emergency over the Zika virus which it last week warned was "spreading explosively" in the Americas.

The UN health body also said a surge in serious birth defects in South America was "strongly suspected" of being caused by the Zika virus.

Brazil has now warned pregnant women to stay away from the Olympics due to open in August in Rio de Janeiro.

"Sanofi Pasteur is responding to the global call to action to develop a Zika vaccine given the disease's rapid spread and possible medical complications," vaccine project head Nicholas Jackson said in the statement.

"In addition to the serious possibility of congenital complications associated with Zika, investigations are also underway to assess another reported connection between Zika and a dangerous neurological disorder," he added.

There is currently no treatment for Zika. The virus is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also spreads dengue fever, and which is found everywhere in the Americas except Canada and Chile.

WHO has warned that the Americas region could see up to four million Zika cases this year alone. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – What evidence should Senator Grace Poe produce to prove to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that she is a natural-born Filipino?

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno raised this question on Tuesday, February 2, during the 3rd round of oral arguments on the presidential candidate's qualifications before the Supreme Court (SC).

The SC is hearing oral arguments on the consolidated petitions filed by Poe seeking for a reversal of the Comelec's decision to cancel her certificate of candidacy (COC) for president in the 2016 elections.

During her interpellation of Comelec's lead counsel Commissioner Arthur Lim, Sereno asked the poll body what their standard of evidence is. Lim said the burden of evidence shifted to Poe the moment she admitted she is a foundling.

"The standard of evidence you are requiring is physical evidence: prove who her parents are, if she cannot prove who her parents are, she can't be considered as a natural-born citizen. Is that your standard?" the Chief Justice asked.

"Not totally," Lim answered.

"What were you asking her to produce?" Sereno continued. "If it's so fuzzy in your mind, when there is actually no legal standard, it depends on what she presents, but every quasi-judicial agency, every court must already have the legal standard in its mind. What was your requirement before she can prove her natural-born citizenship?"

Lim said Poe's camp could have presented substantial evidence, but instead submitted the case "on presumption of international law."

Pressed further to enumerate what kind of evidence would have satisfied the Comelec, Lim said Poe could have presented not only results of DNA tests, but also testimonial evidence, documentary evidence, baptismal records, and even family photos to prove her parents are Filipinos.

Earlier in the interpellation, Sereno asked Lim if he thinks any foundling who says "Ako ay Filipino (I'm a Filipino)" is being dishonest.

"If you think a person who is...an ampon, pulot, singaw, sabit– those are the local terms that can cut the hearts of these people with no known parents. If a person says 'I do not know who my mother is, who my father is, but they are Filipinos,' then she is lying?"

"But if I will interpret your decision, you're saying 'Nanloloko po ang petitioner kasi sinasabi niyang natural-born citizen siya kasi di naman niya mapatunayan kung sino ang ina niya.' Ngunit kung alam naman niya sa puso niya at naniniwala siya, panloloko po ba 'yun?"

(But if I will interpret your decision, you're saying, 'The petitioner is deceitful because she is saying she is a natural-born citizen, but she has not yet proven who her mother is.' But if she knows that in her heart and believes in that, is that deception?)

To this, Lim asked Sereno not to forget Poe is running for the presidency in the 2016 elections, and that "the sad plight of foundlings is not an issue in these proceedings." (READ: ‘Adoption laws presume foundlings Filipino citizens’ – Sereno)

Sereno then asked if Poe's case as a foundling is isolated from the thousands of other foundlings in the country. The Chief Justice has insisted in her interpellation on Tuesday, and even during the January 26 oral arguments, that the case at hand has a very profound implication on foundlings.

Lim said the Comelec is only fulfilling its mandate to find out if whether there was material misrepresentation on the part of Poe when she claimed she is a natural-born citizen in her 2015 COC.

Circumstantial evidence

Sereno asked Lim if it is not a sufficient circumstantial evidence that Poe as an infant was found in the Parish of Jaro in Iloilo – "a sleepy town where there are not many foreigners." (READ: TIMELINE: Grace Poe's citizenship, residency)

Lim said this evidence was not presented by Poe's camp, because the Comelec would have evaluated it, although it is an admitted fact stipulated by both parties.

He said the circumstances the senator was found in 1968 is not considered a substantial evidence to prove her natural-born citizenship.

But Sereno cited examples to show physical evidence is not always needed for presumptions on filiation.

"In other words, the matter of proving filiation by blood is not a matter of absolute requirement. It is not even a matter of a medium or substantial evidence requirement. Presumptions can take the place, even circumstantial evidence surrounding a person can be used, to come to a conclusion," she explained.

But Lim countered, "Unfortunately, the Commission has not found any applicable presumption to warrant the conclusion that the petitioner is natural-born.” – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – How honest are candidates in declaring their campaign spending?

"That’s very difficult to ascertain," said Eric Alvia of the poll watchdog National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), commenting on the veracity of the candidates' Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE).

"You can't say SOCEs are 100% truthful," added lawyer Rona Caritos of the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente).

Under the Omnibus Election Code, all candidates, political parties, and party-list groups are required to declare their campaign finance by submitting their SOCEs to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

SOCE documents show how much candidates spend on their campaigns and where they get their funding.

Candidates must not overspend, otherwise, they will be sanctioned. 

As of January 2016, there are 1,629 cases involving overspending during the 2010 and 2013 local elections. All of them, however, are still undergoing preliminary investigation.

The Comelec Campaign Finance Unit (CFU) is in charge of monitoring the spending of all candidates from February to May 2016 – the official campaign period.

The unit was established just in 2012, upon the recommendation of Luie Tito Guia of the Lawyers' League for Liberty. 

"The only way we can verify [SOCEs] is by comparison of receipts they submitted, and the fair market value of their declarations," CFU lawyer Maze Lutchavez-Vergara told Rappler.

Are there candidates who cheat in their SOCE by not declaring all receipts? 

"Yes, ganun na nga," Lutchavez-Vergara said. "But come 2016, we'll plan stricter implementation hopefully." 

"In the past, the lack of receipts was not an offense. Because we were quite lenient as long as there was substantial compliance," she added. SOCEs are submitted 30 days after the election. 

Reforms

Although many advocates laud the Comelec for putting up the CFU, Namfrel is still looking for more ways to catch overspending candidates who "circumvent" the law.

"We all know most candidates have been doing the rounds and posting tarpaulins and contracting media outlets [even before the campaign period]," Alvia told Rappler.

"Where did these money and resources come from?" he asked.

Under election laws, candidates are not required to document their finances before February 9 because they are not yet deemed official candidates until the start of the campaign period. (EXPLAINER: Why 'candidates' can spend so much and not report it)

Hence, such expenses are not included in the SOCE, and premature campaigning is not considered an election offense.

"Technically, it won't be counted. It's a loophole in the current status of the law, but we cannot do anything but implement it," Lutchavez-Vergara explained.

Namfrel is unhappy with the current election environment.

"The law interpreted by the Supreme Court reduced the effectiveness of the Fair Elections Act," Alvia argued. "All hell broke loose. Candidates took advantage of the law." (READ: Loophole in the law)

For a more truthful reporting of SOCEs, Namfrel suggested the following reforms:

• Candidates must undergo a pre-audit. Candidates should hire accountants to prepare and certify that SOCES are factual.
• Periodic filing. Submit monthly reports of contributions prior to start of campaign to track unusual spikes or changes.
• Donors must report contributions.
• Electronic filing for easier analysis.
  

To set a level playing field among all candidates, Alvia also proposed looking at state funding.

"But it’s a difficult push because you’re asking Congress to create those electoral reforms. State funding is possible, but reform should not only come from legislation. This is where the Comelec comes in, be more creative in crafting equitable [campaign finance policies]," he added.

Meanwhile, Lente suggested improving data sharing and monitoring among the BIR, the Comelec, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the media. The latter can disclose how much candidates spend on ads.

Money, money, money

Under election laws, each candidate has a spending limit:

Such spending caps have been in place since 1991 and have not changed since then. 

Lente and some electoral reform advocates, however, are pushing for increasing the limit since the current ones are already "unrealistic."

"One peso from 25 years ago is not equivalent to one peso today," argued lawyer Rona Caritos. Lente added that since candidates are forced to comply with unrealistic spending caps, some of them tend to cheat in their SOCEs.

"Make expense limits attuned to the time," Caritos said, adding that contributions should also have a cap.

Namfrel, however, disagrees. "You have to minimize the cost of campaigns. Why is it that whoever has the most resources has higher changes of winning? We have to take that out," said Alvia.

"If you increase the cap, whoever can reach the cap, it's just them."

Stronger political parties

Namfrel stressed that campaign finance "goes deeper" than basic compliance with reporting expenses and contributions.

"Campaign finance is tied to political parties reforms and development," Alvia said. "Candidates with proper platforms should receive resources. In our case, herd mentality happens. If you're popular, that's when the money flows."

If political parties are better equipped, they can better support unknown candidates, Caritos added.

In fact, a Political Party Development bill has been gathering dust in Congress.

"Congress should amend laws so that the Comelec can do its job properly," Lente emphasized. – Rappler.com.

To reach the Comelec Campaign Finance Unit, contact 525-9334.

Is your candidate following campaign finance rules? Have you seen suspiciously extravagant campaigns? Let us know, e-mail us at move.ph@rappler.com. Stay vigilant, own your vote!

MANILA, Philippines – A Supreme Court justice on Tuesday, February 2, asked why presidential bet Grace Poe hid the truth from the Bureau of Immigration when she applied to reacquire her Philippine citizenship in 2006.

Justice Teresita Leonard De Castro, who earlier voted against Poe’s natural-born status in the Senate Electoral Tribunal case, said the bureau approved Poe's application based on false claims.

De Castro argued that Poe, in her application form, claimed she was born to Filipino parents, when she was born a foundling and then adopted by movie stars Fernando Poe Jr and Susan Roces. (READ: TIMELINE: Grace Poe's citizenship, residency)

“Dual citizenship was granted based on erroneous factual finding that she was born to [Filipino parents] and an erroneous factual representation,” De Castro said.

The magistrate then asked Elections Commissioner Arthur Lim, representing the poll body during the oral arguments, why Poe may have withheld that fact. Lim claimed it would have been an obvious evidence against Poe.

“So if this is the form required by the Bureau of Immigration, why do you think Senator Poe did not mention she was not born to Ronald Allan Kelly Poe and Jesusa Sonora Poe and she did not disclose she was a foundling?” she asked.

“That would show evidence against her. Precisely, [the] Commission [on Elections] considered that as evidence to prove specific intent, plan. With all due respect, the commission felt that there was a pattern of declaring untruthful statements, your honor,” Lim said.

The senator would not have been granted dual citizenship had she declared she was a foundling, Lim said. After all, he said, Republic Act 9225 or the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act is exclusive to natural-born Filipinos.

"The commission believes...following regularity of official functions, judges and quasi-judicial adjudicators are familiar with the law and know their duties. Such revelation of the truth must have led to a denial of the repatriation considering RA 9225 is exclusively intended for natural-born Filipino citizens," Lim said.

De Castro said that had Poe confronted her citizenship issues as early as 2006, the case would have been settled by now.

No fault

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, for her part, defended foundlings, saying they should not be faulted for indicating in documents that their adoptive parents are their biological ones.

Sereno argued this is the spirit of adoption laws in the country. Case in point, she said, is the local adoption law, which requires all parties involved to treat amended birth certificates as original.

Poe was earlier issued a foundling certificate. It was later amended to reflect her adoption by the Poe couple. 

“A foundling that has been adopted who put in her records that she is a child of her adoptive parents, is she committing an infraction of law? No fault given to foundlings if they keep on claiming, 'Siya ang tatay ko, siya ang nanay ko' (He's my father, she's my mother). That’s the spirit of adoption laws. Everytime they apply, should they say parents unknown? Is that what's required of foundlings?” Sereno asked Lim.

But the election commissioner refused to concede, saying this goes against the very definition of a foundling.

“Unfortunately, that will be so. Foundling by definition is one whose parents are unknown,” Lim replied.

Sereno's statement is in consonance with her arguments during the two previous oral arguments. The Chief Justice repeatedly mentioned that the pending case against Poe would have an impact on thousands of other foundlings as well. (READ: Not natural-born? Foundlings will be deprived of these rights...) – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno reiterated on Tuesday, February 2, that the implication of Grace Poe's disqualification case is profound not only on the presidential candidate, but on all foundlings in the country.

This time, she enumerated some of the implications herself. According to the Chief Justice, foundlings, if declared not natural-born citizens:

• will not be allowed to hold thousands of offices
• will be removed from their present offices
• may be made to return all the emoluments and benefits granted by their occupation of their offices
• may be denied pension benefits that are being presently enjoyed by them
• will be denied the right to own private land except through intestate succession
• cannot be adopted
• cannot enjoy scholarships as well as health and social services except those granted to them in orphanages and similar institutions
• will have no national law to determine the legal requirements applicable to them (for example, for marriage)
• will be rendered stateless, without any protection, and without privileges and rights such as:
• right to suffrage
• right to run for public office and hold certain positions in government
• right to practice a profession
• right to quality education at all levels

"Why should the court not let things be the way they are, and not deprive foundlings of their rights? The moment the court says foundlings are not natural-born citizens, or are stateless, this will be a degradation of rights they are already enjoying," Sereno told Commissioner Arthur Lim, lead counsel of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

She added: "It will be so upsetting, known to the entire world, that the court which is supposed to be a court of justice, is going to degrade an entire class of people of rights, presumptions, lives they are already enjoying right now."

But Lim pointed out all 7 Comelec commissioners found that Poe is not a natural-born Filipino.

"Based on that finding of 7 commissioners and 3 justices of the court in dissent, petitioner is clearly not natural-born, [and] not qualified to be president of the Philippines," he said, citing the votes of Supreme Court justices Antonio Carpio, Teresita Leonardo De Castro, and Arturo Brion at the Senate Electoral Tribunal.

The commissioner repeated what he said in his opening statement, that there might be "another EDSA uprising" in the event the Comelec allows an ineligible candidate to get elected and assume the highest position in the country.

But Sereno countered: "You are talking about something that is speculative, while what I’m saying something that will affect lives of…foundlings. Is it right for the court to pull the rug from under the feet of these people and say, ‘Look, this is the bill of prohibition against you,’ nail it on a door, and say these are the denials of your benefits. Is that a correct position?"

"The Commission did not see it that way, unfortunately," Lim answered.

Later in her interpellation, Sereno noted only 8 out of 189 countries use blood relationship as the sole basis for determining citizenship, while the rest use either a jus soli (by birthplace) approach, both jus soli and jus sanguinis (by blood), or a combination of jus soli, jus sanguinis, and residence.

She also shared that she met with international lawyers to talk about the citizenship of foundlings.

"International lawyers said if we say foundlings are stateless, then we are going to be in a very surprising situation considering civilized nations already practiced recognition of foundling rights," she added.

The SC is hearing oral arguments on the consolidated petitions filed by Poe seeking for a reversal of the Comelec's decision to cancel her certificate of candidacy for president in the 2016 elections. – with reports from Camille Elemia/Rappler.com

BANGKOK, Thailand – A man has contracted the Zika virus in Thailand, officials said Tuesday, February 2, as a global alert intensifies over the mosquito-borne infection blamed for a surge in serious birth defects in South America.

Authorities said the 22-year-old Thai man is likely to have caught the same strain of the virus that has caused panic in countries such as Brazil and Colombia.

The virus "was confirmed by blood tests", Air Vice Marshall Santi Srisermpoke, director of Bangkok's Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital, told reporters.

"His symptoms were a fever, a rash and redness of the eyes," he said, adding he had not travelled abroad.

The man has recovered and been discharged from hospital, he added, without giving further details of how long he was in hospital, or where he contracted the sickness.

Amnuay Gajeena, director-general of the Disease Control Department of the Public Health Ministry, said it was "likely to be the same strain as the one found in South America".

"It's not a new disease in Thailand... we had the first confirmed case in 2012. Since then we have an average of not more than five cases yearly," he said.

"There is no need to panic... we have never had an epidemic of the Zika virus in Thailand all of the cases were one-offs."

The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also spreads dengue fever, carries the sickness.

It breeds in tropical areas, including Thailand, which has seen a surge in cases of dengue in recent months.

The World Health Organization linked a spike in birth defects in South America to the virus.

The UN health body said that a rise in cases of microcephaly – in which babies are born with an abnormally small head – was likely caused by the mosquito-borne virus, and declared the situation a "public health emergency of international concern."

First detected in Africa in 1947, Zika was considered a relatively mild disease until the current outbreak was declared in Latin America last year.

Brazil was the first country to sound the alarm on the apparent link with birth defects.

It has since become the worst affected country, with some 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly, of which 270 have been confirmed.

As alarm grows over the surge in the number of cases, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Jamaica and Puerto Rico have warned women to delay conceiving until the Zika outbreak is brought under control. – Rappler.com

BRUSSELS, Belgium (3rd UPDATE) – European Union President Donald Tusk on Tuesday, February 2, unveiled proposals to keep Britain in the 28-nation club, firing the starting gun for two weeks of tense negotiations to reach a deal at a summit later this month.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said the plans showed "real progress" and made it likely that he would campaign to stay in the EU in a referendum expected in June.

The proposals include a four-year "emergency brake" on welfare payments for EU migrant workers, protection for countries that do not use the euro currency and a "red card" system giving national parliaments more power.

But the plans were dismissed as worthless by eurosceptics in Britain, and could be a hard sell for some EU states who fear that Cameron is winning too many concessions.

"To be, or not to be together, that is the question which must be answered not only by the British people in a referendum, but also by the other 27 members of the EU in the next two weeks," Tusk said in a letter to EU leaders.

He said his proposals went "really far in addressing all the concerns raised by Prime Minister Cameron. The line I did not cross, however, were the principles on which the European project is founded."

London's bid to transform its EU membership has added to the turmoil as the bloc struggles with the biggest influx of migrants since World War II and the fallout from the eurozone debt crisis.

Eurosceptics blast 'pathetic' deal

Cameron, who is set to visit Poland and Germany in coming days to woo other European leaders, said Tusk's proposal showed that he had "secured some very important changes".

"If I could get these terms for British membership I sure would opt in for being a member of the EU," he said in a speech at a factory in southwest England.

British eurosceptics were unconvinced, with London Mayor Boris Johnson, from Cameron's own Conservative Party, saying he had "doubts" about the effectiveness of the "red card" proposal.

UK Independence Party head Nigel Farage dismissed Tusk's proposals as "pathetic" and "hardly worth the wait".

Tusk's most controversial proposal is an "emergency brake" that would allow any EU state to limit the welfare payments that migrants from other European countries can claim for up to four years after their arrival.

States would have to prove an "exceptional situation" in which their welfare system and public services are overwhelmed -- but instead of Cameron's demand for an outright ban it said such limitations should be gradually reduced over the four years.

To pull the brake, Britain or any other country would also have to get approval from the European Commission, the powerful executive arm of the EU, and then from other EU leaders in a majority vote.

The plan has angered Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, which have thousands of citizens working in Britain and view proposals to limit their benefits as discriminatory.

Eurozone brake?

Despite concerns in France, Tusk's plan includes a "mechanism" by which the nine countries that are not in the euro can raise concerns about decisions by the eurozone.

But he stressed that the mechanism could not delay or veto urgent decisions by the 19 euro countries.

Britain will be further exempted from the EU's stated goal of "ever closer union" because of its "special status" in the bloc's treaties – including staying out of the euro and the passport-free Schengen area.

Meanwhile, the "red card" system would allow a group representing 55% of the EU's national parliaments to stop or change draft EU laws.

Tusk said his plans would not require a difficult change of the EU's treaties because a deal agreed at an EU summit would be legally binding, but said some elements could be incorporated into the treaties at a later date.

Although Cameron has only set a deadline of end-2017 to hold the referendum, sources have said he is keen to push a vote through by June.

That would avoid the fallout from any new flare-up in Europe's migration crisis this summer and British eurosceptic elements becoming even more unruly.

Opinion polls are split on whether Britons would vote to leave the EU in their first vote on the subject since 1975. – Danny Kemp, AFP/Rappler.com

TOKYO, Japan – Japan says it has found no evidence its WWII government and military forcibly rounded up women to be sex slaves, Tokyo has told a UN committee, the latest pronouncement in a corrosive row over interpretations of history.

The confirmation Tuesday, February 2, ahead of a conference on women later this month, is likely to renew anger among the dwindling number of surviving former "comfort women," who say the country has never taken full responsibility for what it did in wartime.

It could also further complicate a troubled deal between Tokyo and Seoul sealed in late December – one their top diplomats called "final and irreversible" – but which has sparked anger among former South Korean comfort women and their supporters.

Up to 200,000 women, many of them South Koreans but also from China, the Philippines and what is now Indonesia, are estimated to have been forced to provide sex to Japanese soldiers during World War II.

Tokyo has offered repeated apologies over the issue, and says that while there was military involvement in the establishment of "comfort stations" there is no evidence its officials were involved in the abduction of women for the purpose.

It says private brokers were responsible in some cases, and in others, the women were common prostitutes.

In a report submitted to the committee in December and posted on its website, Japan said it carried out a "full-scale fact-finding study" by investigating documents and interviewing people including former military officials since the early 1990s.

"'Forceful taking away' of comfort women by the military and government authorities could not be confirmed in any of the documents that the GOJ (government of Japan) was able to identify," it said in a report dated December 8.

"The Japanese delegation will explain our position" on that and other women's issues at the Geneva conference that begins February 15, a foreign ministry official in charge of gender issues told Agence France-Presse, declining to give her name.

The UN-sponsored conference is part of the ongoing Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

The plight of the women is a hugely emotional issue that has for decades marred ties between Seoul and Tokyo, which ruled the Korean peninsula as a colony from 1910-1945.

Under the late December deal Japan offered an offered an apology and a one-billion yen ($8.5 million) payment to the surviving South Korean women. (READ: Tokyo to propose new fund for former 'comfort women' – Reports)

But it immediately sparked an angry reaction from some of the women and South Korean activists, who take issue with Japan's refusal to accept formal legal responsibility.

They also have bitterly complained that neither Seoul nor Tokyo consulted the women about the agreement before concluding it.

While most mainstream Japanese accept national guilt over historic atrocities, a vocal right wing minority say the country has been unfairly maligned for behaviour they claim was common in conflict. – Rappler.com

GENEVA, Switzerland – The UN envoy for Syria sought Tuesday, February 2, to press President Bashar al-Assad's regime to ease the suffering of ordinary Syrians to enable fragile peace talks in Switzerland to "go deeper."

Staffan de Mistura declared Monday that indirect negotiations between Assad's government and the main opposition umbrella group to seek an end to Syria's brutal civil war, had finally begun in Geneva.

But the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), the main opposition umbrella group, remains skeptical, insisting that the regime allow humanitarian access to besieged towns, stop the bombardment of civilians and release prisoners.

In an apparent gesture of goodwill, Syria's government on Monday agreed "in principle" to allow aid into three besieged towns, the UN said. One of them is Madaya where 46 people have died of starvation since December.

While welcoming the "positive messages" from de Mistura, the HNC said Tuesday it was awaiting the outcome of his talks with Syrian government envoy Bashar al-Jaafari.

"The regime will without doubt make some small signs," HNC spokesman Munzer Makhous told Agence France-Presse, saying the Madaya announcement was "designed to distract the international community's attention."

After his first official meeting with the HNC on Monday, De Mistura said it had a "very strong point" with its demands, saying the Syrian people "deserve to hear and see facts on the ground".

"When I meet the Syrian people they tell me: Don't just have a conference, have also something that we can see and touch while you are meeting in Geneva," he told reporters.

De Mistura was on Tuesday meeting with a 20-strong government delegation ahead of afternoon talks with the HNC "to go deeper into the issues".

The Swedish-Italian diplomat said he expected the talks to be "complicated and difficult" but hoped they would "achieve something" by February 11 when key global players are mooted to meet over the talks.

The war on ISIS

Since the conflict began in March 2011, more than 260,000 people have died and more than half of Syria's population have fled their homes, with the conflict dragging in a range of international players, from Turkey, Iran and the Gulf states to Western nations and Russia.

The chaos has also fuelled the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS) extremist group which has overrun swathes of Syria and Iraq and staged a raft of deadly attacks across the globe, including those in Paris in November.

US Secretary of State John Kerry was in Rome on Tuesday meeting foreign ministers from the US-led coalition against ISIS to discuss efforts to combat the group which claimed responsibility for Sunday's attacks at a revered Shiite shrine near Damascus that killed more than 70 people.

In November, world powers agreed in Vienna on an ambitious roadmap that foresees the six months of intra-Syrian talks leading to a new constitution and free elections within 18 months.

But they did not address the thorny issue of the future Assad, whose forces since late September have made progress on the ground thanks to Moscow's military involvement.

On Tuesday, Syrian state news agency SANA and monitors said government troops backed by militants had taken key villages north of Aleppo, close to two other villages long under rebel siege.

'Use your influence'

Whether the government's response to de Mistura will be positive remains to be seen.

In particular, Damascus, which is backed by Moscow and Tehran, is objecting to the inclusion in the HNC of rebels whom it denounces as "terrorists".

One of these is Mohammed Alloush, head of the powerful Army of Islam armed rebel group who arrived in Geneva late Monday to act as the HNC's chief negotiator.

Speaking in Abu Dhabi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that if members of any such groups "take part in negotiations... (they) will do so in a personal capacity," Interfax reported.

Outside powers were also in Geneva keeping a close eye on the proceedings, with Jaafari reportedly meeting with the Russian ambassador and Western envoys in contact with the opposition.

Anne Patterson, US assistant secretary for Near Eastern Affairs met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov in Geneva on Monday, a US official said, saying she had urged Moscow to "use its influence with the Assad regime to push for full humanitarian access to all Syrians in need." – Cecile Feuillatre and Simon Sturdee, AFP/Rappler.com