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Dear Rappler reader,
A pain in the heart. That’s what President Rodrigo Duterte felt Monday prompting a call to the doctor. Did the “spoiled brats” in the Left cause that pain, as the peace talks appear to be near collapse? Or was it the suspension of the war on drugs?
Gina Lopez’ shutdown of mining companies violating environmental regulations is certainly elliciting palpitations in the hearts of mining executives. But that’s not all, the move also sent global prices of nickel soaring.
And as far as heartaches go, there’s US President Donald Trump, who faces an early challenge into his leadership after a Federal Court struck down enforcement of his travel ban from 7 Muslim countries.
Below are the big stories we think you shouldn’t miss.
President Rodrigo Duterte admited calling his doctor Monday, for “pain in the heart.” He said his doctor came over to conduct an electrocardiogram. When asked by reporters to elaborate, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar dismissed it as “just a story. The President said he suffers from migraines and other ailments.
“Spoiled brats.” That’s what President Rodrigo Duterte called the leaders of the communist movement in the Philippines after scrapping peace talks. Duterte made the statement even after the Left said it was willing to revive talks with government. Over the weekend, the President said he will not allow peace talks during his term unless there is a “compelling reason.” He said, “I’m sorry. I am not about to talk to them again… I released all the leaders to enable them to go to Oslo.” Former Ateneo School of Government Dean Antonio La Viña said the current situation may require a “grand gesture” from the CPP to change Duterte’s mind.
Environment Secretary Gina Lopez talked about the controversial shutdown of mining operations saying she “didn’t agree at all” with the recommendation of a mining audit team to just impose fines for environmental violations. Lopez made headlines when she announced the shutdown of 23 mining operations and the suspension of 5 others. In response, share prices of mining and oil stocks on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) dipped. The move also boosted global nickel prices since the Philippines is the world’s largest producer of nickel ore. Lopez also talked about her “area development approach” that could help the economy of communities affected.
Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) on Monday, February 6 launched the newly renovated Doroteo Jose Station, which interconnects LRT1 and LRT Line 2. It serves an average of 27,000 passengers daily. The consortium is spending half a billion pesos to rehabilitate 20 stations of Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1). The first on the list is the Doroteo Jose Station in Sta. Cruz, Manila.
The Kremlin demanded an apology from Fox News after its anchor Bill O’Reilly called Russian President Vladimir Putin “a killer” while interviewing US President Donald Trump. Reilly was pressing Trump on Putin’s alleged links to extrajudicial killings of journalists and dissidents, saying, “He’s a killer though, Putin’s a killer.” Meantime, the US Justice Department defended Trump’s ban on immigrants from Muslim countries after a federal court suspended it Thursday. Justice Dept lawyers said the court erred and the nationwide injunction was “vastly overbroad.”
A Syrian refugee whose selfie with German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been repeatedly manipulated to link him to violent jihad,sued Facebook for spreading defamatory fake news. Anas Modamani, 19, says the US social media giant failed to take down doctored images and posts that have falsely linked him to deadly Islamist attacks.
Lady Gaga rocked the Super Bowl with an electrifying halftime show but drones ended up stealing the show. LED lights magically appeared behind her to form the US flag. The lights, as it turns out, were being carried by drones. Called ‘Shooting Stars,’ the 300 performance drones are part of Intel’s program to transform individual devices into fleets that can be used for practical applications.
Queen Elizabeth II, the world’s longest reigning sovereign, on Monday, set a new record as the first British monarch to reach her sapphire jubilee, with 65 years on the throne. The queen, now 90, rose to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25 upon the premature death of her father, King George VI. Sapphire is the 65th anniversary gemstone and a photograph has been reissued of the sovereign wearing sapphire jewelery given to her by her father as a wedding gift in 1947.
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