GENEVA, Switzerland – The World Health Organization said Tuesday, February 2, it had created a global unit to respond to the Zika virus, voicing fears the disease blamed for a surge in birth defects in South America could spread across Africa and Asia.

"We have now set up a global response unit, which brings together all people across WHO in headquarters, in the regions, to deal with the formal response" to Zika, said WHO expert Anthony Costello.

The UN health body had said Monday that a surge in cases in South America of microcephaly – a devastating condition in which a baby is born with an abnormally small head and brain – was likely caused by the mosquito-borne Zika virus, and declared the situation a "public health emergency of international concern."

The WHO is under pressure to move swiftly to tackle Zika, after admitting it was slow to respond to the recent Ebola outbreak that ravaged parts of west Africa.

Costello, a pediatrician and an expert on microcephaly, told reporters in Geneva that the WHO's new response unit would aim to use "all the lessons we've learned from the Ebola crisis" to help quickly address Zika and the birth defects and neurological conditions it is believed to cause.

He emphasized the urgency of rapid action, stressing there was no reason to believe the crisis would remain limited to South America, where 25 countries so far have reported Zika cases.

"We are worried that this could also spread back into other areas of the world where the population may not be immune, and we know that the mosquitos that carry Zika virus (...) are present through most of Africa, parts of southern Europe and many parts of Asia, particularly south Asia," he said.

Cape Verde hit

Underlining his point, Thai officials announced Tuesday that a man had contracted the virus in the country.

Cape Verde, which lies off the coast of west Africa, has also already reported domestic Zika cases.

Jitters over the virus have spread far beyond the affected areas to Europe and North America, where dozens of cases have been identified among travellers returning from Latin America.

Zika is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also spreads dengue fever, and was first discovered in Uganda in 1947.

"Given that there is a vector, and given that we are in a global world, and presumably it crossed the Atlantic at some stage to get into Latin America, there is no reason particularly to think it couldn't travel in the opposite direction," Costello said. – Nina Larson, AFP/Rappler.com

BERLIN, Germany – German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday, February 2, urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to use his influence to rein in pro-Kremlin rebels in eastern Ukraine, a day after she warned a year-old peace deal was not being fully implemented.

During a phone call, Merkel "made it clear to President Putin that in order to obtain further progress towards a comprehensive political solution", the ceasefire between Ukrainian government forces and the rebels had to be respected and observers monitoring the truce given unfettered access.

"Here, Russia must use its influence on the separatists," she said, according to a statement issued by her spokesman.

In Moscow, the Kremlin said Merkel and Putin discussed issues related to the implementation of constitutional reforms in Ukraine and the holding of local elections in the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk "based on legislation agreed with representatives" of the two self-proclaimed rebel republics.

"Mutual interest has been expressed in securing a stable ceasefire," the Kremlin said, adding that a meeting of foreign ministers from Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France -- the four countries involved in last year's peace talks -- was planned "in the coming days".

The conversation came a day after Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko, speaking after talks with Merkel in Berlin, accused Russia of continuing to send troops and weapons across the border into the ex-Soviet country in violation of the ceasefire deal.

Merkel also noted that "unfortunately we still, as before, do not have a sustainable ceasefire".

The truce brokered by France and Germany in the Belarus capital of Minsk in February 2015 lead to a marked decline in the fighting in eastern Ukraine but sporadic clashes still take place along the frontline.

Poroshenko blamed "Russia and its proxies" for the violence, accusing them of being responsible for 1,200 shellings in January alone.

Kiev and the West have accused Russia of supporting the insurgency militarily.

Putin has repeatedly denied playing any direct role in a war that began less in April 2014, than two months after the ouster of Ukraine's Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych.

More than 9,000 people have been killed and 20,000 injured in the conflict, according to the United Nations. – Rappler.com

ANTIPOLO, Philippines – A “foreigner,” a tough-talking and motorcycle-riding bully, or a filthy rich suitor may be appealing at first, but Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II hopes that when push comes to shove, it’s the “boring” and “no drama” suitor who will prevail. 

Speaking to local politicians and officials of Rizal province on Tuesday, February 2, Roxas likened the presidential race – one of the fiercest in recent history – to courtship. 

Roxas described himself as someone you’ve known for a long time. 

“[Tapos] bigla na lang may dadating, naka-motorsiklo, siga-siga. Aba, tigas ito. Syempre, maakit tayo kasi siga-siga. May dadating, isang magandang kotse, magara. Mayaman na mayaman [at] magara ang suot, maraming pera pero hindi maipaliwanag kung saan nanggaling ang pera. Meron rin diyan, dayuhan. Aba, dollar ito. Madaling masilaw eh. Pero sa dulo, palagay ko, pagdating na ng pilian, pagdating ng pagkataon [itatanong mo sa sarili mo]: saan ko ba itataya ang kinabukasan ko? Saan ko ba itataya ang kinabukasan ng ating mga kababayan?”  

(Then someone comes along riding a motorcycle, a bully. This guy’s tough. Of course you’d find him appealing, he’s a bully. Then someone comes along in a flashy care. He’s really rich and wears nice clothes. He has a lot of money but he can’t explain where the money comes from. And then a foreigner comes along. This means dollars. It’s easy to be blinded. But in the end, I think when it’s time to choose, you ask yourself: With whom will I entrust my future to? To whom will I entrust the future of my countrymen to?) 

It was a clear reference to Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, whom Roxas once called a bully, opposition standard-bearer Vice President Jejomar Binay, who faces allegations of corruption, and independent presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe, who once renounced her Filipino citizenship. 

The LP bet continued: “Inaasahan ko na makikita rin ninyo na hindi tama na masilaw tayo sa siga-siga, sa mayaman pero hindi maipaliwanag or kaya sa dayuhan. At sa dulo, makikita ninyo: ah, ito matagal ko nang kakilala. Ni minsan wala akong nadinig na anomalya. Mapapakinabangan, mahusay naman.”

(I hope that in the end, you are not blinded by the bully, the filthy rich or the foreigner. In the end, you’ll realize that you’ve known this person the longest. You’ve never heard of anything anomalous about him. He’s helpful and he’s skilled.) 

“The thing is, he’s boring. There’s no drama,” quipped Roxas, a reference to his latest series of stripped-down campaign ads. 

It's barely two weeks before the official campaign period for national candidates kicks off on February 9, but the May presidential race appears to be still anybody's ballgame.

The latest survey saw Binay bounce back from what his critics had thought was a steady ratings decline in the wake of corruption allegations against him.

Poe, the previous survey front runner, is facing a huge legal battle in the Supreme Court after the Commission on Elections cancelled her certificate of candidacy over questions on her citizenship. 

On the other hand, Roxas has been unable to sustain the momentum that he enjoyed after he was endorsed in late July 2015 by President Benigno Aquino III.

The latest polls tie him at 3rd place alongside Duterte. 

“Marami nang excitement sa mga buhay ninyo. Pagdating sa governance, pagdating sa mga problema na dapat nating lutasin, hindi excitement ang hinahanap natin. Ang hinahanap natin yung may subok nakakayahan na lutasin itong mga problemang ito,” Roxas told the Rizal crowd.

(There’s a lot of excitement in your lives already. But when it comes to governance, when it comes to solving problems, we’re not looking for excitement. You’re looking for someone who’s already proven the ability to solve these problems.) 

Roxas visited 5 towns in Rizal province on Tuesday, attending assemblies with civil society leaders and local politicians. – Rappler.com

GENEVA, Switzerland (UPDATED) – The biggest push to date to end Syria's tangled war was thrown into fresh disarray Tuesday, February 2, as the government denied formal peace negotiations had begun and the opposition cancelled a meeting with the UN envoy.

Chief regime negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari insisted that discussions were still "in a preparatory phase," only a day after UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura announced the Geneva talks had officially started.

"We are still in the preparatory phase for indirect talks ... We still don't know who the opposition delegation is," Jaafari told reporters after meeting de Mistura.

"We also asked for the names of participants and the agenda of indirect talks... We are waiting to know... whom we will negotiate with," he said, saying the opposition delegation was not made up of "professional politicians".

De Mistura, the third person to be UN Syria envoy, said late Monday that his first formal meeting with the opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) signalled the official start of the hoped-for six months of peace talks.

He said he expected the talks to be "complicated and difficult" but hoped they would "achieve something" in time for a mooted meeting of key outside players announced by Russia for February 11 in Munich, Germany.

In another sign that political momentum had slowed, HNC representatives told journalists they would not attend a scheduled meeting with de Mistura on Tuesday.

"There is no meeting with de Mistura," said HNC member Farah Atassi.

"We presented the demands that we wanted to demand. At this moment, there is no reason to repeat ourselves with de Mistura," she added.

The HNC has demanded the regime allows humanitarian access to besieged towns, stops bombing civilians and releases thousands of prisoners – some of them children – languishing in regime jails.

"We are waiting for an answer from de Mistura on what we discussed yesterday. We need to see the lifting of sieges," HNC spokesman Salem al-Meslet told reporters.

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.

The conflict has dragged 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 in Paris in November.

The extremist Sunni Muslim group claimed responsibility for multiple blasts on Sunday on a revered Shiite shrine south of Damascus that killed at least 70 people.

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.

In November, world powers agreed in Vienna on an ambitious roadmap that foresees 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 of Assad, whose forces have made progress on the ground since late September thanks to a bombing campaign by Russia.

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.

'Terrorist' negotiators

President Bashar al-Assad's government, which is backed by Moscow and Tehran, is objecting to the inclusion in the HNC of certain rebels it denounces as "terrorists".

One of these is Mohammed Alloush, a member 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 proceedings, with Jaafari reportedly meeting with the Russian ambassador, Western envoys in contact with the opposition and US and Russian officials in discussions. – Cecile Feuillatre and Simon Sturdee, AFP/Rappler.com

WASHINGTON, USA – US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Tuesday, February 2, announced a big boost in military spending to counter Russia and raise the US presence in eastern Europe, while also stepping up the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) group.

The total budget for fiscal year 2017 will be $583 billion, Carter said, far surpassing that of any other country and exceeding the combined defense spending of the next eight biggest militaries in the world.

The budget includes $3.4 billion – quadruple the amount spent last year – for operations in Europe to deter Russian "aggression," Carter said.

"We're reinforcing our posture in Europe to support our NATO allies in the face of Russia's aggression," Carter said.

"That'll fund a lot of things. More rotational US forces in Europe, more training and exercises with our allies, more prepositioned warfighting gear, and infrastructure improvements to support it."

Additionally, the United States will spend $7.5 billion – a 50% increase from last year – to fund the fight against the Islamic State group. He noted that the 18-month US-led air campaign against the jihadists in Iraq and Syria has depleted US bomb stocks.

"We've recently been hitting ISIL with so many GPS-guided smart bombs and laser-guided rockets that we're starting to run low on the ones we use against terrorists the most," Carter said, using an acronym for the ISIS group.

"So we're investing $1.8 billion dollars in 2017 to buy over 45,000 more of them."

He also said America would continue to invest in futuristic technologies such as the rail-gun, which can shoot projectiles at a massive velocity, and swarming micro-drones. – Rappler.com

ROME, Italy – Washington and its allies vowed Tuesday, February 2, to "accelerate and intensify" the fight against Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists in Syria and Iraq but distanced themselves from calls for military action to curb the group's expansion in Libya.

Meeting in Rome, ministers from the 23 countries involved in the US-led coalition battling the extremist group said progress was being made in pushing ISIS back in Syria and Iraq and cutting off its sources of finance and energy.

And they pledged to step up their action.

"We will intensify and accelerate the campaign against ISIL/Daesh in Iraq and Syria, act in concert to curb its global ambitions, and take every measure to ensure the protection of our citizens," they said in a statement.

"We reaffirm our commitment to deliver a lasting defeat to this barbaric organization."

The statement expressed concern over "the growing influence" of ISIS in Libya but stopped short of threatening air strikes. It said only that the allies would "continue to monitor closely developments there, and stand ready to support" a proposed national unity government that is struggling to establish itself.

Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and US Secretary of State John Kerry opened the talks by telling their allies that ISIS was adapting to the pressure on its heartland and redirecting its efforts towards Libya and into attacks like those in Paris, Ankara and San Bernadino, California.

"We are surely not here to brag about anything," Kerry cautioned after saying ISIS fighters have lost 40% of their territory in Iraq and 20% in Syria.

Gentiloni added: "If anything we need to be ever more wary and more watchful because we know that the more Daesh is squeezed in its core territories, the more tempted it is to pursue its terrorist activities elsewhere.

"We are witnessing renewed activity in Libya and in sub-Saharan Africa," he said.

Within the coalition, Italy has taken the lead in planning how to address the ISIS threat which is just a short boat ride from its southern shores, in and around the Libyan coastal city of Sirte.

No military intervention

But Rome's focus is firmly on trying to rally the international community behind efforts to get a national unity government established and helping it stabilise a country that descended into chaos after the ouster of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Direct military intervention against ISIS fighters is not on the immediate agenda, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters, rubbishing reports that Paris was pushing for strikes.

"There is absolutely no question of military intervention in Libya," Fabius said. "There is pressure (for that) but that is not the position of the government."

Gentiloni also played down the need for "hasty military intervention."

Washington says it has built a 66-nation coalition to fight the IS group, with Afghanistan becoming the latest country to join, Kerry said.

But a so-called "small group" of 23 nations has taken the lead in carrying out air strikes in Iraq and Syria and training and arming local forces to fight the jihadists.

Kerry said the effort now needs to be stepped up, citing the example of Washington's deployment of small numbers of special forces troops inside Syria.

The allies need to "push ahead with a strategy we have learned will work and to do so relentlessly, giving Daesh no time to regroup, no place to run, no safe havens in which to hide," he said.

Fabius said France also supported intensified strikes in Syria but suggested "more strategic" targeting was required while peace talks are under way in Switzerland.

"We cannot bomb in Syria and negotiate in Geneva," he said in an explicit allusion to Russia's air campaign in Syria. – Dave Clark and Angus Mackinnon, AFP/Rappler.com

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea confirmed Tuesday, February 2, it was planning an imminent satellite rocket launch that would amount to another major breach of UN resolutions following its nuclear test last month.

The International Maritime Organization said it had received a shipping warning from North Korea of its intention to launch an earth observation satellite between February 8-25.

The dates suggest a launch aimed at coinciding with the birthday on February 16 of late leader Kim Jong-Il, father of current leader Kim Jong-Un.

Although Pyongyang insists its space program is purely scientific in nature, the United States and its allies insist such launches are aimed at developing an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of striking the US mainland.

UN resolutions forbid the North from any use of ballistic missile technology, and imposed sanctions following its last rocket launch in December 2012. (READ: TIMELINE: North Korean history and weapons development)

If the notified launch goes ahead, it would be a further slap in the face of the international community which is struggling to find a united response to the North Korea's January 6 nuclear test.

Challenge to US

In particular it throws down a defiant gauntlet to the United States which has spearheaded efforts to draft a tough UN resolution with harsh sanctions in response to what was the North's fourth nuclear test.

There had been widespread speculation in recent weeks regarding an imminent rocket test, after satellite images showed increased activity at the North's main Sohae satellite launch station.

Since early 2013, North Korea has been upgrading the Sohae launch complex to handle larger, longer-range rockets with heavier payloads, but most experts say Pyongyang is still years from obtaining a credible ICBM capability.

"North Korea is still a long way off from being able to strike the US mainland," Siegfried Hecker, one of the foremost authorities on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme, said in a recent interview.

"It has only had one successful space launch. It needs a lot more, but it has made a large effort in that direction," Hecker said.

Although the 2012 rocket launch was successful in putting a satellite in orbit, experts say the North still faces the technical challenge of developing a missile and warhead that can withstand the heat of re-entry.

Briefing reporters in Washington last week, US defense officials said any rocket launch was seen as a developmental threat.

ICBM test

"Our concern is that when they do a space launch, it happens to be the same components that can be used in an ICBM," one official said.

Confirmation that the North is planning a fresh launch is likely to put more pressure on China, Pyongyang's chief diplomatic protector.

Beijing has been resisting Washington's push for tougher sanctions on the North, but a rocket launch would bolster calls for China to bring its maverick neighbour into line.

China's top envoy on the North Korean nuclear issue, Wu Dawei, arrived in Pyongyang for talks on Tuesday, just hours before the rocket launch notification was issued.

While its patience has been stretched to the limit by Pyongyang's refusal to curb its nuclear ambitions, China's overriding concern is a collapse of Kim Jong-Un's regime and the possibility of a US-allied unified Korea on its border.

US Secretary of State John Kerry met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing last week and said they had agreed to mount an "accelerated effort" to resolve their differences over a UN resolution condemning the North's latest nuclear test.

But Kerry acknowledged that the two diplomats had not agreed on the "parameters of exactly what (a resolution) would do or say."

North Korea said last month's test was of a powerful hydrogen bomb – a claim dismissed by most experts who argued that the yield had been far too low for a full-fledged thermonuclear device. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The United States is open to the proposed joint patrol with the Philippines in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea), US Ambassador Philip Goldberg indicated on Wednesday, February 3.

“I don’t think there are limitations to what the US can do. I could say yes,” Goldberg said in a press conference, when asked about the Philippine suggestion to have joint patrols with the superpower in the disputed area.

The Philippines had earlier raised the possibility of such joint patrols, after its Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the two countries.

Goldberg refused to categorically say if there would be joint patrols in the disputed waters, as he maintained that EDCA is not meant to solve maritime disputes in the region.

But he reiterated that the US will continue to follow international law and exercise freedom of navigation in the contested waters.

“I’m not going to announce anything about joint patrols. I’m going to say we will continue to exercise freedom of navigation, operations. I don’t want to prejudge how we will carry out the defense relationship. But we have a deep interest in assuring freedom of navigation in those waters,” Goldberg said.

Beijing earlier slammed Washington for sailing near the islands claimed by China. (READ: China: US island sail-by 'dangerous and irresponsible')

Philippine officials earlier suggested the joint patrol, citing the "need for more collaborative presence in the South China Sea," but did not specify the area where this would be carried out.

The Philippines and China are claimants to the South China Sea, along with Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. – Rappler.com

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – A leading Malaysian politician relinquished his post as a state chief minister Wednesday, February 3, in what is widely seen as the latest move by scandal-plagued Prime Minister Najib Razak to purge potential rivals.

Ruling party politician Mukhriz Mahathir, son of former longtime premier Mahathir Mohamad, resigned as head of Kedah state following an internal party push to oust him, Malaysian media reported.

Mukhriz had been mentioned among potential future contenders for prime minister but his fortunes have flagged due to his outspoken father's ongoing campaign to oust Najib over sensational corruption allegations.

Malaysia has been seized for more than a year by reports that huge sums of money were diverted from a state-owned investment company closely linked to Najib.

The affair escalated last July when it was revealed that Najib had received payments of $681 million to his personal bank accounts.

Both Najib and the investment company, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), strongly deny that the $681 million involved 1MDB money.

Mukhriz, 51, is the latest top figure in the long-ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) to suffer in the fallout.

After the Najib payment was revealed, he reshuffled his cabinet to sack several members including his deputy prime minister, who had called for transparency, and the attorney-general, who was heading investigations.

A new Najib-appointed attorney-general last week declared the premier clear of any wrongdoing, claiming the payment was a legal "personal donation" from the Saudi royal family.

That story is widely disbelieved in Malaysia, and the move to exonerate Najib has sparked accusations of a conspiracy to subvert justice to protect Najib.

Authorities in Switzerland, Singapore, the United States and Hong Kong also are looking into money flows related to 1MDB. – Rappler.com

WASHINGTON DC, USA – The White House warned Congress Wednesday, February 3, that delaying ratifying a vast trans-Pacific trade deal will cost the US economy.

Ahead of the formal signing of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), US Trade Representative Michael Froman expressed confidence that Congress would endorse the deal in coming months, despite the US presidential campaign that has made trade issues a frequent hot potato.

The deal between 12 Pacific Rim countries is scheduled to be signed Thursday, February 4, at 11:30 am in Auckland, New Zealand, (2230 GMT Wednesday).

The ambitious pact – agreed in October after marathon negotiations in Atlanta, Georgia – aims to break down trade and investment barriers between countries comprising about 40% of the global economy.

But the signing will come with barely a year left in the term of its principal proponent, US President Barack Obama, and many speculate that members of Congress will not want to risk alienating voters by approving it ahead of the November national elections.

Froman, though, said that putting off ratification will come with costs.

"After five years of negotiation, signing the TPP is an important milestone in our efforts to set high-standard rules of the road in the Asia Pacific region and more generally, and to deliver an agreement that will benefit American workers, farmers and businesses."

Saying that the deal stands to add $100 billion a year to US economic growth, "There are costs to delay, real economic costs," he said.

"It's imperative to move forward."

Froman noted that the deal will keep the US in position as a leader in "21st century standards" for global trade and protection of intellectual property, an open Internet, and labor and environmental protections.

"It also has important geopolitical benefits. The US is and has long been a Pacific power. TPP is a concrete manifestation of our rebalancing strategy towards Asia," he said.

On Tuesday, February 2, Obama discussed his desire to get the treaty ratified this year with top Congressional Republican leaders, who said they still had problems with the complex deal.

"I have some problems with the agreement," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

"It's my advice that we not pursue that, certainly before the election." – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Despite an order from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), ride-hailing service GrabBike is still continuing its operations because the cease and desist order had been sent to the wrong entity. 

In a hearing of the House committee on transportation on Wednesday, February 3, Grab's vice president for public affairs Nina Teng said the LTFRB letter dated January 21 was addressed to MyTaxi.PH, which offers transport network vehicle services (TNVS) GrabTaxi and GrabCar.

But the motorcycle ride-hailing service is being operated by a separate company – Grab Bike Incorporated – even though it also uses the same app-based platform. 

"We are still operating GrabBike as we speak. The cease and desist letter was sent to the wrong entity....Once the GrabBike entity receives the cease and desist, we will honor that," Teng said.

Last week, the LTFRB ordered the suspension of the GrabBike service, saying MyTaxi.PH has not been accredited to offer the use of motorcycles or bikes as part of its business model. (READ: Could this be GrabBike’s last ride in the Philippines?)

"We will have no option but to cancel MYTAXI.PH's accreditation if they continue to offer motorcycle transport service which is not part of its business model and not what the Board had envisioned for TNCs and TNVS," LTFRB Chairman Winston Ginez said in a statement.

During the House hearing, Teng said the GrabBike service aims to address a strong demand from commuters for a faster and more efficient form of transport, given Metro Manila's hours-long traffic jams.

She said that most GrabBike passengers take the service when they are in a hurry, or if they only need to travel shorter distances, such as transferring from the train station to a bus stop.

Teng also said that around 2.6 million motorcycle drivers stand to gain from the employment opportunities provided by the company.

But committee chairman Catanduanes Representative Cesar Sarmiento said that with the absence of approval from the LTFRB, GrabBike should cease operations because it is still operating illegally as a public utility vehicle.

"If you are transporting passengers from one point to another, then you are a public utility vehicle. And if you are a public utility vehicle, you must secure an authority coming from the LTFRB. In the absence of an authority from the LTFRB, you are a 'colorum' [vehicle]," Sarmiento said.

While Teng said the company would comply once it receives the cease and desist letter, she also said Grab would like to work with transport authorities to craft regulations specifically for the motorcycle service, similar to what it did  when the transportation department laid out rules for new transport categories covering the ride-hailing services.

"We also want to offer a solution to the government....If you take the case of GrabCar, it wasn't regulated at first. Now it is. When it first began, it really was a service for the people, just like GrabBike," Teng said.

She added that the GrabBike service, which operates much like the local habal-habal, aims to create a safer, more regulated form of motorcycle-based public transport.

"If you're going to have habal-habal in Metro Manila anyway, and it's unsafe and operating illegally, and there's a solution to make it safer and to regulate it with the government, we're very open to explore that option," Teng said. –Rappler.com

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MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY. A farmers barn is seen here in Ivy, Iowa, USA, January 27, 2016. The first votes in the state-by-state primary process to choose the presidential candidate for each party will be cast in the Iowa caucuses on February 1, 2016. John Taggart/EPA</font>
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DES MOINES, Iowa, USA – The candidates have already headed to New Hampshire for the next contest in the US presidential nominations race. But Iowa, where they jousted for months, holds key lessons for those seeking the White House.

Here are the most important takeaways from Monday's (February 1) closely contested vote that saw Donald Trump knocked off his perch, and Hillary Clinton breathe a sigh of relief with a razor-thin win over Bernie Sanders.

Trump: giant with feet of clay

Trump had led in all the opinion polls in the run-up to Monday's caucuses in Iowa, but in the end, he didn't deliver, and conservative Senator Ted Cruz won the night with 27.6% of the vote to 24.3% for the tycoon. Why?

"While he looked sort of invincible, the reality was that a majority of Republicans did not have a favorable impression of him," David Redlawsk, a professor at Rutgers University who was in Iowa for the caucuses, told Agence France-Presse.

"The media focus on him went way beyond what the reality was, and voters brought back the reality."

But Cary Covington, a professor of political science at the University of Iowa, cautioned that the large number of evangelical Christians in the state – a strong base for Cruz – was always going to be an obstacle for the billionaire businessman.

"Moving forward, he faces a more favorable path," Covington told Agence France-Presse, with the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries next up.

Don't forget the ground game

Wooing Iowa voters from afar with crafty advertising, debate stage appeals and showmanship just doesn't work. Perhaps nothing matters more here than a top-rate operation that can get out the vote – something that Cruz was able to do mightily on his way to victory.

Trump showed he had Iowa support, but he did not engage in the retail politics that is the hallmark of the opening stages of the presidential race. Cruz managed to rally his troops, with an extraordinary multi-pronged push.

Trump's candidacy "befuddled" experts, and poll numbers flew in the face of collective knowledge about the system, noted Joseph Cammarano, an associate professor at Providence College.

"It turns out our knowledge is still relevant: the ground game matters, and a conservative demographic that tends to dominate in Iowa dominated again."

The question now is: will Trump engage more on the ground in the coming weeks?

Wake-up call for Clinton

Sanders showed on Monday that he is a viable alternative to the Clinton machine. While Clinton did not have a bad night – she avoided the dreaded prospect of reliving her 2008 loss to Barack Obama – it was not good either, and shows she has work to do to convince the US electorate to choose her.

"Clinton still needs to figure out how to get young people to trust her," Cammarano said.

Sanders, meanwhile, drew huge support from younger voters, and the question is how well the self-described democratic socialist can mobilize the younger generation to come out and vote.

New Hampshire is Sanders's backyard and he is expected to win there. But Clinton has the chance to flip the script after New Hampshire, where the race turns to states like South Carolina where she is more popular. 

It then moves to a host of southern states that Clinton may well sweep, Covington said.

Voter anger is real

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<label class="padding top no-margin light"><font color="gray">WORKING THE CROWD. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz campaigns at North Star Restaurant in Fenton, Iowa, USA, January 29, 2016. Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA</font>
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More than 90% of Republicans who participated in Monday's caucuses said they were angry or unsatisfied with the federal government, according to entrance polls. Trump and Cruz tapped into that anger, and it paid off.

"The angry electorate showed up," Covington said. "They were the dominant voices" on the Republican side, he added.

"And Bernie Sanders, in a different direction, taps into that impatience for change on the Democratic side," he said. The Vermont senator earned 84% of the vote among caucus participants under the age of 30.

Rubio - consensus candidate?

The rebels won the night in Iowa – even if Clinton squeezed out a technical win on the Democratic side – but the Empire can still strike back.

Marco Rubio exceeded expectations with a strong third place showing, proving that a mainstream candidate can still compete in 2016.

Rubio's performance was "very important to the Republican party establishment. They're looking for someone to rally behind," said Covington.

Anger and frustration have marked much of the election cycle, to be sure, but Rubio largely steered clear of the pessimism. 

His bounce will give him dramatic increases in media exposure and air time, and donor money could pour in.

Do-or-die time for low-pollers

Thanks for playing. But should low-pollers Rick Santorum or New Jersey Governor Chris Christie really stay in the race? Republican Mike Huckabee and Democrat Martin O'Malley dropped out as Iowa's results were rolling in.

"One wonders what took them so long," said professor Paul Beck of Ohio State University.

"This is going to be a long campaign probably on both sides," he said, and the quicker the Republicans in particular can winnow their field, the better positioned they'll be to take on the Democrats.

Early favorite Jeb Bush's weak performance in Iowa means he needs to up his game immediately, or face irrelevance.

"He's just not performing, so New Hampshire is do or die" for him," Beck said. – Michael Mathes, AFP / Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Rodrigo Duterte has something to say about politicians and critics who don’t think he can quash crime, drugs, and corruption in 6 months.

“Sabi ng mga kalaban ko, imposible raw. Kasi bayot kayo!” he said during a farmers’ election forum on Wednesday, February 3, in Quezon City. (My enemies say, it’s impossible. Because they're sissies!)

Duterte has been repeatedly saying he will end criminality, drugs, and corruption in government in 3 to 6 months.

He envisions himself as the discipline-enforcer of a country where, he constantly laments, “following the law is only an option.”

The timeline he has given himself is stringent, he admitted, but not impossible. 

Those who say so only lack the political will, he insisted.

“Hindi nila kaya. Kasi alam mo mga ‘yan takot mapreso. Takot magkamali, takot pumatay, takot mamatay. Kasi bakit, mayaman. Ang mga mayaman, takot mamatay, nawiwili sa pera,” he told reporters after the event.

(They can’t do it. They are scared to go to prison. They are scared to make mistakes, to kill, to die. Why? Because they are rich. The rich are scared to die because they are hooked on money.)

Duterte, who has said he would “gladly die” at the hands of a druglord, maintained that he is the only presidential bet with the political will to end the “oppression” of the people.

“Tayo, anumang wilihin natin, we can go anytime, wala naman tayong pera,” he said. (We, whatever we wish, we can go anytime, I don’t have any money.)

In the platform he shares with running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Duterte has promised to use all the powers of the presidency to end crime.

He intends to accomplish this by increasing salaries of police and military, creating special criminal courts for the speedy trial of heinous crimes, and retiring corrupt policemen and generals.

To stop corruption, he said he would call for the abolition of the pork barrel system and the opening of bank accounts of politicians for public scrutiny.

He also supports the passage of the Freedom of Information Act. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – A division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday, February 3, dismissed all disqualification cases against presidential bet Rodrigo Duterte.

The commissioners of the Comelec First Division unanimously found the complaints without merit, it was announced at a press briefing.

The ruling was announced just as Duterte was inspecting his campaign headquarters in Greenhills, San Juan.

Duterte faced 3 disqualification cases before the poll body over the clerical mistake committed by his political party's staff in the filing of his certificate of candidacy (COC) in October 2015.

Duterte in October filed for mayor of Davao City, while his party mate Martin Diño filed for president as candidate of PDP-Laban, obviously as place holder in case Duterte decided to run for the highest post. Duterte eventually replaced Diño.

However, critics saw a loophole in Diño's COC. Rappler first reported that a staff of the party mistakenly attached a second page to his COC that indicated the candidate was running for mayor of Pasay City. The first page of the COC, however, clearly indicated he was running for president.

Duterte's critics said the Pasay City mayoral candidacy page invalidated his COC, but his camp pointed out that the fact Diño filed his COC at the Comelec central office meant that the intention was to run for president.

On Wednesday, the Comelec division said it found that:

• Diño's COC for president was valid
• Diño was not a nuisance candidate
• Diño's withdrawal of this candidacy for president was valid
• Duterte's substitution of Diño was valid
• Duterte did not commit material representation in his COC

"I'd like to thank the Comelec for making the right decision. I think they have decided correctly. No matter what clerical error, it is stated that it (COC) is for the presidency," Duterte said.

"This time I will attend all the debates and forums everywhere. You have decided it for the Filipino people. I will campaign more extensively," he added.

The petitioners against Duterte can still file a motion for reconsideration with the 1st division, after which the case can be elevated to the Comelec en banc.

The Comelec has been waiting for disqualification cases to be decided with finality so it can also finalize the list of presidential candidates on the ballot. Another leading presidential candidate, Grace Poe, was disqualified by the poll body, but she elevated the cases to the Supreme Court, which is still hearing them. 

On Wednesday, Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said that given the scheduled printing of ballots on February 8, the names of Duterte and Poe will be in the ballot. – with reports from Michael Bueza and Pia Ranada/Rappler.com

MOGADISHU, Somalia – A blast on a passenger airplane punched a hole in the side of the fuselage soon after take off from the airport at Somalia's capital Mogadishu, police said Wednesday, February 3.

The airplane, operated by Daalo Airlines and flying from Mogadishu to Djibouti with around 60 passengers, landed safely.

Two passengers were slightly injured, police said.

"The passenger plane made an emergency landing soon after it took off on Tuesday, February 2, and there was a damage on one side of the aircraft over the right wing," Somali police officer Mohamed Ise said.

He added it was not clear what had caused the explosion and fire and that investigations were being carried out.

"Passengers were terrified," said Abdiwahab Hassan, an airport official.

Photographs show a large hole – about a meter in diameter – ripped in the side the plane just above the engines on the right wing, with streaks of soot on the plane. – Rappler.com

GENEVA, Switzerland – The UN envoy for Syria was under pressure Wednesday, February 3, to get peace negotiations back on track after intense Russian bombing in support of regime forces left talks in Switzerland hanging by a thread.

Staffan de Mistura's brief is to coax the warring parties in a conflict that has killed more than 260,000 people into 6 months of indirect talks in Switzerland.

After formally meeting the main opposition umbrella group for the first time in Geneva late Monday, February 1, the Italian-Swedish diplomat said these negotiations had officially begun.

But less than 24 hours later, it became clear that this had been premature, with the head of the delegation representing President Bashar al-Assad insisting the talks were "still in the preparatory stage.”

"We still don't know who the opposition delegation is," Bashar al-Jaafari told reporters after, he said, putting de Mistura straight.

Then the opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) cancelled its meeting with de Mistura scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, with HNC member Farah Atassi saying that "at this moment, there is no reason to repeat ourselves with de Mistura." 

The HNC has demanded the regime allow humanitarian access to besieged towns, stop bombing civilians and release thousands of prisoners – some of them children – languishing in regime jails before the talks can start.

But what really outraged the HNC is an ongoing regime offensive, backed by Russian air power, that allowed government forces Tuesday, February 2, to edge closer to breaking a long-running rebel siege on two government-held villages in Aleppo province.

Russian planes carried out an intense aerial bombardment throughout the area north of Aleppo city, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reporting some 320 raids since Monday morning in the region.

The monitoring group said at least 18 civilians had been killed in the raids on Tuesday, including five women, three children and two emergency workers.

"We have never seen things like this since the beginning of the revolution," HNC spokeswoman Basma Kodmani said in Geneva, calling the Russian raids "unprecedented".

"The regime's and Russia's actions gravely threaten the political process at this early stage," Atassi said.

Tangled conflict

Since the conflict began in March 2011 as an uprising against Assad's rule, more than half of Syria's population have fled their homes. 

Millions are in neighbouring countries and hundreds of thousands have travelled to Europe, creating a political storm that has boosted populist parties and driven a wedge between EU states.

The tangled conflict has dragged in a range of international players, from Iran, Turkey and the Gulf states – the latter two on the opposition side – to Western nations and Russia. 

The chaos has also created a vacuum allowing the Islamic State (ISIS) group to overrun swathes of Syria and Iraq and stage a series of deadly attacks across the globe, including in Paris in November.

The hoped-for peace talks in Geneva are part of an ambitious roadmap hammered out in November in Vienna by the outside powers that foresees elections within 18 months.

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday urged the Syrian opposition to remain on board despite the Russian bombing, adding that he was "extraordinarily sympathetic" to their difficult situation.

Russia, which put its military might at Assad's disposal in late September, said it was willing to coordinate efforts towards a ceasefire with the US, according to Interfax.

The Russian news agency reported that Russian deputy foreign minister Gennady Gatilov said de Mistura would meet the opposition negotiators again on Wednesday or Thursday.

Gatilov, in Geneva to follow the talks, said the opposition "will explain their position and will announce the makeup of the delegation that will participate in talks".

De Mistura, for his part, said on Swiss television late Tuesday that if these talks fail, "all hope would be lost." – Simon Sturdee and Maya Gebeily, AFP / Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – About 100 senior citizens who trooped to the House of Representatives on Wednesday, February 3, expressed outrage that congressmen, despite forming a quorum, did not take up the possibility of overriding President Benigno Aquino III’s veto on the Social Security System (SSS) pension hike.

The House adjourned at 7:30 pm for its 15-week break for the campaign and elections. 

During Congress’ last session day, pensioners from in and out of Metro Manila marched to Batasan as early as 2:30 pm, to relay their call to the representatives who were expected at the 4 pm plenary session. The senior citizens were led by progressive groups Bayan Muna and Gabriela.

“Nanawagan kami na 'yung dalawang libo sana maibigay kasi 'yun, malaking bagay sa amin 'yun eh. Pambili namin ng mga gamot. Pambili namin ng mga kailangan, lalong lalo na sa panahon ngayon, hirap na ang buhay,” said 66-year-old Alberto Buenazedacruz.

(We are calling for the P2,000 [increase] to be granted because it is a big thing for us – to buy our medicines, to buy our food, especially nowadays when life is so hard.) 

“Palagay ko naman makakatulong 'yun, 'pag gustong gawin. Walang mahirap 'pag gustong gawin, hindi ba?” the pensioner from Caloocan added. (I believe [our mobilization] will help. If they want to do something, nothing is difficult, they will do it.)

Bearing a heart-shaped sign with the words “Bumoto kayo para sa amin mga lolo’t lola,” Edna Sahgun of Makati said lawmakers should fight for the legislation that they themselves passed.

“Paalala ito sa mga congressman, na 'yung 'pinasa nilang batas ay masusugan pa nila,” Sahgun said. 

(This is a reminder to lawmakers to stand by the law they passed.) 

This is not the first time senior citizens mobilized to call for the overturn of the pension hike veto. On Saturday, January 30, pensioners also gathered in Quezon City.  

Earlier in January, Aquino vetoed the measure that seeks to increase monthly pensions, citing the SSS' impending bankruptcy. (READ: EXPLAINER: Are SSS pension funds in peril?) 

In order to overturn the President’s decision, at least 192 lawmakers should vote to override the measure. Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares earlier called on his colleagues to vote for the benefit of pensioners. 

But House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr said it is upon the SSS board to provide for a more amenable increase of P1,000. The House leader also called for the passage of the complementary bill that will allow the board to independently raise contribution rates, which will ensure the longevity of SSS funds – a bill it passed but which the Senate didn't.

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MANILA, Philippines – Shared candidates of the ruling Liberal Party (LP)-led “Daang Matuwid” coalition won’t exactly have the best of both worlds once the campaign period begins on February 9. 

“Malinaw na kung kabahagi ka ng Daang Matuwid eh yung Daang Matuwid ang siyang itinutulak, itinataguyod at sinusuportahan mo at mga kandidato ng Daang Matuwid ang siyang sinusuportahan mo,” party standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II said on Tuesday, February 2, when asked if the party has “hard and fast” rules when it comes to its shared senatorial bets.

(It’s clear that if you’re a part of Daang Matuwid then it’s Daang Matuwid that you are pushing for, promoting and supporting, and it's the Daang Matuwid candidates you are supporting.)

Roxas was also asked if those candidates will be allowed to appear on stage alongside other presidential candidates. 

The “Daang Matuwid” coalition is composed of two “shared” candidates: incumbent Senator Ralph Recto and Panfilo Lacson, who is seeking re-entry into the Senate. 

Recto is also a candidate of independent presidential bet Senator Grace Poe and running mate Senator Francis Escudero. Lacson, meanwhile, is also included in the slate of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) which is fielding Vice President Jejomar Binay as its standard-bearer. 

Both Poe and Binay are front runners in the latest presidential preference polls. Roxas, meanwhile, is at third. 

“Daang Matuwid” is the LP and the current administration’s tagline for its transparency, anti-corruption and good governance platform. Its candidates for 2016 are campaigning on the promise of continuing the reforms and programs of President Benigno Aquino III’s administration. 

Aquino himself is expected to campaign aggressively for Roxas, LP vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo, and the 12-person Senate slate. 

Poe had earlier insisted that “Daang Matuwid” is not an exclusive club, an assertion the ruling party concedes to. But, the LP insists, only their bets have the track record to prove their commitment to the administration’s reforms. 

“Shared candidates” are a unique – and to some, peculiar – case in Philippine politics. Senatorial candidates are included in different slates, sometimes in opposing camps. 

Poe and Escudero were themselves “shared candidates” of both the LP-led “Team PNoy” and the UNA slates in the 2013 elections.

But the LP put its foot down as the campaign season at the time neared and insisted shared candidates should not appear on stage with other slates. UNA eventually dropped Poe, Escudero, and the re-electionist Loren Legarda from its Senate slate. 

Poe topped that senatorial election, with Escudero obtaining the second-highest number of votes. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The woman who shares Rodrigo Duterte’s home and is mother to his youngest child joined him on the campaign trail for the first time.

Cieleto “Honeylet” Avanceña sat quietly beside Duterte during a farmers’ election forum on Wednesday, February 3, in Quezon City.

In a floral dress and wearing minimal make-up, she listened to Duterte’s more than one-hour speech and was beside him during an ambush interview with the media.

“Alalay lang ako. Sa likod lang niya (I’m just his assistant, always just behind him),” she said to reporters from behind Duterte.

She earlier told Rappler she was something of a personal assistant and personal nurse, watching his choice of clothes, making sure his health does not suffer from the back-to-back events he will be attending. 

“Yung shirt niya ngayon suot niya kahapon (The shirt he's wearing now is the shirt he wore yesterday),” she laughed.

On Duterte's 'womanizing'

This is the first time Avanceña has appeared in public with Duterte outside Davao City. 

Duterte considers Avanceña his second wife even if they are not married legally. His marriage to his first wife, Elizabeth, was annulled. Elizabeth is the mother of Duterte's grown children – Sara, former Davao City mayor; Paolo, current vice-mayor; and Basti.

Avanceña usually keeps a low profile, avoiding public events. But this time, she said she wanted to see for herself Duterte going around the country.

Asked about the Davao City mayor’s self-confessed “womanizing” tendencies, Avanceña said, “Dati ‘yun…Malapit talaga siya sa mga tao. Mapagbiro siya.”

True enough, she stood quietly behind Duterte as he jokingly wiped the bare arm of a female television reporter who was sweating from the heat.

Duterte is known to call the attention of beautiful ladies during events he attends. 

In public, he has bared the details of his relationships with two girlfriends.

A source close to the family said Avanceña would always ask him about any woman requesting to speak with him. 

On Wednesday, after his speech, Duterte himself joked in her presence, “Kasi nahuli ako kaya buntot nang buntot ‘yan (I was caught that’s why she’s now following me).” 

No secrets

On his alleged involvement with death squads in Davao City, Avanceña said, “Hindi niya ginagawa yun (He doesn’t do that).” 

She insisted that Duterte has been honest with the electorate, right from the start, about who he is as a person.

”You know what, inunahan na niya lahat, kwinento niya, sinabi niya para wala na kayo sisilipin sa kanya,” said Avanceña. (You know what, he pre-empted everyone, he told all so there's nothing to hide from you.)

Will Avanceña become the country's First Lady if Duterte wins in May? Duterte said, "Para walang away (So there is no fighting)" he would make Sara his First Lady.

When the campaign season starts on February 9, insiders said Sara and Paolo will likely be joining him in sorties. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Grace Poe on Wednesday, February 3, sponsored Senate Bill 2139, seeking to exempt law enforcement agencies from the anti-wiretapping law.

Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, said the measure seeks to amend Republic Act 4200 or the Anti-Wiretapping Law to strengthen the government’s ability to prosecute drug cases.

The law is necessary, the senator said, as drug syndicates continue to increase and have become “more apparent and cunning” in getting away with their crimes. (READ: A look at the state of crime, drugs in the Philippines)

“Wiretapping has been used to solve major crimes, such as terrorism and drug trafficking, in the United States. Wiretapping has helped established the flow of drugs and the structure of syndicates and how they are managed from the source to the market,” Poe said in her speech. 

RA 4200 only allows authorized “peace officers” to wiretap conversations in cases involving crimes of treason, espionage, disloyalty during war, piracy, rebellion, conspiracy, sedition, and kidnapping, among others.

SB 2139 seeks to expand the exemptions by also allowing law enforcement agencies to tap into conversations, as long as it is for anti-illegal drug operations.

In 2015, the Department of Justice made a similar proposal to fight drug syndicates. (READ: DOJ suggests wiretapping to fight drug syndicates)

“The heads of syndicate and financiers are not exposed during criminal activity. It is not easy to prove their participation in trade, but recorded conversations can establish their involvement,” Poe said. – Rappler.com