December 21, 2014 Edition

The Philippines’ lawyer in its historic arbitration case on the South China Sea believes China’s publication of a position paper showed that Beijing “obviously felt pressured” to respond to Manila’s claims. Paul Reichler of the US law firm Foley Hoag told Rappler that China’s position paper on the maritime dispute was a “remarkable document” but the Philippines can easily “demolish” it.

Read more on Rappler.

Eyes are on the Ombudsman as the legal noose tightens on Vice President Jejomar Binay, with two plunder cases already filed against him: one, on the over-pricing of the New Makati City Parking Building and the other, of the Makati Science High School Building. But it appears that the most straightforward case, and the strongest, has to do with insider revelations of his foreign bank accounts that were not declared in his Statements of Assets and Liabilities (SALN). It is now up to the Ombudsman to act – and it will test whether the vice president is immune from suit or not.

Read more on Newsbreak.

For a lot of motorists out there, the sharp drop in gas prices may well be the best Christmas gift they’ll receive this year. But the big question is: what is driving this new oil price regime? The combination of weaker global demand and stronger supply from non-OPEC countries (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) of late has been driving the drop.

Learn more on Rappler.

The 2004 tsunami led to greater global cooperation and improved techniques for detecting waves that could reach faraway shores, even though scientists still cannot predict when an earthquake will strike. “The scientific community of tsunami scientists has exploded since 2004,” Eddie Bernard, scientist emeritus at NOAA, told a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco this week. What they can do now is better predict the waves that spread to faraway shores.

Read more on Rappler.

North Korea called Saturday, December 20, for a joint investigation with the US into a crippling cyber attack on Sony Pictures, denouncing Washington’s “slandering” after President Barack Obama warned Pyongyang of retaliation and the US sought help from China on the issue. The US blames North Korea for the hacking which prompted the cancellation of the Christmas Day release of “The Interview”, a madcap romp about a CIA plot to kill leader Kim Jong-Un which infuriated the rogue state.

Read more on this story, and read more about the issue, on Rappler.

For a time, Scotland – yes, that Scotland – banned Christmas celebrations. The Scotsman tells us that the ban stemmed from events after the Protestant Reformation, in the 1640s, but was brought back around 1686. The Church of Scotland, which was Presbyterian, also discouraged the celebrations some time around 1583, based on the belief that it was not actually stated in the Bible. It was only in 1958 when Christmas officially became a public holiday in the country.

Read the full story on The Scotsman.

Santa Claus from Shutterstock

Still don’t have a clue what to give your family, friends, or coworkers this holiday season? Rappler has a series of gift guides to help you. We’ve got lists of gifts you can give to people who love to travel; lists of gifts for your naughty yet beloved kids and inaanaks; and even gifts that give back. We also have financial tips for the gift-giving season.

Find out more on Rappler.

Vintage travel background from Shutterstock

Most Filipino families prepare Noche Buena meals meant to be shared with relatives to celebrate Christmas. But as of late, prices of Noche Buena items have increased. DTI Undersecretary Victorio Mario Dimagiba said Noche Buena products increased by 0.72% to 28.67% compared to their 2013 prices. Importers have said this is partly due to port congestion. But whether or not prices of Noche Buena make it hard for many Filipinos to purchase them, there is no stopping Filipinos to spend for these items.

Read more on Rappler.

As the holidays started, the Philippine social welfare department discouraged the public from giving money to children on the streets, saying it endangers their lives. “Caroling on the streets is risky, especially to children who squeeze themselves between vehicles and tap on car windows, or those who jump from one public utility vehicle to another,” said Secretary Corazon Soliman said. “They are unmindful of the dangers to their life and limb.” A 35-year-old anti-medicancy law prohibits anyone from begging on the street, and provides a systematic procedure on how to deal with the problem.

Read the full story on Rappler.

On the birthday of Pope Francis on December 17, Rappler launched an interactive platform for his historic trip to the Philippines – the go-to site for the People’s Coverage of the People’s Pope. The #PopeFrancisPH microsite is a user-friendly source of news, images, conversations, and perspective on the the 78-year-old pontiff’s Philippine trip. Through a wide range of voices from various fields, it also promises to provide perspective beyond the minute details. It also includes you, the Rappler follower and reader, in covering the Pope’s trip to the Philippines.

Check the microsite on Rappler.