October 1, 2014 Edition

Doctors in the United States have diagnosed the first case of Ebola outside Africa in a man who was infected in Liberia and traveled to Texas. US health officials said Tuesday, September 30 that the man was not sick on the plane to the US and was unlikely to have infected other travelers. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vowed that the government would be able to contain the virus, which has killed more than 3,000 in parts of Africa. Though the US has treated several US citizens who acquired Ebola, this is the first time a patient was diagnosed and treated in the US. There is as yet no vaccine to treat Ebola but human trials are underway for a possible drug that could halt the disease.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Outgoing Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced Tuesday, September 30, he would issue a presidential decree to reverse the controversial new law that scraps the direct election of local leaders. The law that strips the people of the power to elect district heads, mayors and governors was passed by the House of Representatives in the early hours of Friday, September 26, and is seen as a major blow to Indonesia’s young democracy. The presidential decree has the effect of a law but can be rescinded by the members of the incoming House of Representatives, most of whom belong to the coalition that opposed President-elect Joko Widodo in the last election. Analysts say the passage of the controversial law was done to thwart anti-establishment grassroots-based politicians like Widodo from gaining power.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Hong Kong protesters who braved thunderstorms to stage their third night of pro-democracy rallies began massing Wednesday, October 1, at the city’s Golden Bauhinia Square as China’s National Day holiday lent their campaign for free elections fresh momentum. A heavy police presence was already in effect near the square, where several Communist Party officials were expected to appear along with Hong Kong’s embattled leader Leung Chun-ying. Leung has called on the protestors to ‘stop the campaign immediately’, but this appeal was rejected by the protestors who are calling on the Beijing-backed leader to step down. Protest leaders expressed confidence that many more people would come out in support of the demonstrations as October 1 is a public holiday. Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong have been cautioned by the Philippine government to avoid the protest areas. This has not stopped some Filipinos in Hong Kong from supporting the protests.

Read the full story on Rappler here and here.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Alan Purisima defended himself against allegations of corruption before a Senate committee on Tuesday, September 30 saying he legitimately acquired his wealth through hard work and savings. Purisima testified before a Senate panel led by Senator Grace Poe to answer allegations lobbied at him by the Coalition of Filipino Consumers (CFC). The PNP chief said he build his P3.7M house from the ground up and added that attacks against him were politically motivated. Senator Poe nevertheless asked Purisima to take a leave of absence pending an investigation into his integrity as a government official. President Benigno Aquino III has publicly defended Purisima.

Read the full story on Rappler.

“It wasn’t us” – Malcañang on Tuesday, September 30, denied its involvement in paid newspaper advertisements calling for a second term for President Benigno Aquino III. On Tuesday, full-paged ads parading the administration’s achievements filled major dailies. The copy at the end of the ad went “PNoy is still the best and only successor” referring to the President by his monicker. The ads were paid for by the Movement for Reform, Continuity and Momentum or More2Come. Communications Secretary Hermino Coloma Jr said he is aware of the advertisements but said the Palace had no hand in their release.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Hitting the 2014 economic growth target of 6.5% to 7.5% is still possible for the Philippines, if historical performance will repeat itself, the country’s chief economic planner said on Tuesday, September 30. A 6.9% growth in the second half of 2014 is needed to achieve the lower end of the 6.5% to 7.5% full-year growth target. In the first semester, the Philippine economy grew by 6%, slower than the 7.8% expansion in the same period last year. “I think that the impact of the truck ban [on imports] has already eased. We hope that the [imports] numbers will be much better by August,” NEDA Director General Arseno Balisacan said at the sidelines of an economic briefing on Tuesday.

Read the full story on Rappler.

The US Secret Service has come under fire once again for preventing an intruder into the President’s official residence and seat of power. The head of the Secret Service testified on Tuesday, September 30, that before the most recent incident where a man with a knife was able to enter the inner rooms of the White House, at least 16 people had jumped the fence over the last 5 years, 6 of them in this year alone. The New York Times takes a look back at all the uninvited guests of the White House.

Read the full story on The New York Times.

Microsoft announced Wednesday, October 1 (September 30 in the US) its latest version of its popular Windows operating system (OS). But, it decided to skip a few numbers and call the new OS Windows 10. The current version of Windows is called Windows 7. The company says the platform will be the most comprehensive ever and will provide integration across desktop and mobile devices. A Microsoft official said of the skip, “We want all these Windows 7 users to have the sentiment that yesterday they were driving a first-generation Prius, and now with Windows 10 it’s like a Tesla (sports car).” Windows 10 is expected to ship in 2015.

Read the full story on Rappler.

A couple from the Philippines was sentenced to life in prison for producing and selling videos depicting scantily clad girls torturing or killing animals. Victor Ridon and Chita DOrma Ridon were found guilty of human trafficking by a court in San Fernando, Pampanga. The Ridons were arrested in 2011 following a complaint by a US-based animal rights group that the couple was making “crush videos” to sell to foreigners via the web. The couple used teenaged girls to kill, maim or torture animals as part of a crush fetish that appeals to a certain group of people. The ruling is the “first of its kind” according to the trial court clerk.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Scuffles broke out and Mongolia threatened to withdraw its fighters as controversial decisions favoring home boxers caused chaotic scenes at the Asian Games on Tuesday, September 30. The husband of Indian lightweight Sarita Devi launched an expletive-laden tirade and tangled with security after South Korea’s Park Ji-Na was controversially awarded their semi-final bout. And Mongolia lodged an official protest after male bantamweight Tugstsogt Nyambayr, who staged a brief sit-in protest, contentiously lost a decision against Ham Sang-Myeong. “I don’t accept this decision. It’s wrong,” a distraught Devi, told AFP, while her husband Chongtham Thoiba Singh confronted officials screaming: “You’ve killed boxing!” He grabbed his wife’s arm and tried to lead her in protest back to the ring, where the next bout was already under way, resulting in scuffles as their path was blocked by security.

Read the full story on Rappler.