February 28, 2012 Edition

Rappler.com

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

  1. Will Sereno Speak?

    This is the second week the impeachment trial is focusing on what Justice Sereno wrote in her dissenting opinion on the TRO of former President Gloria Arroyo.  Last week, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima talked about what Sereno wrote, sparking a debate about “hearsay.” On Monday, the senator-judges discussed asking Sereno to testify but decided, instead, to leave it to the prosecution to ask her.  It’s a tricky issue bringing up questions about which branch of government has more power over another.


    The big question: will Sereno testify?


    Read it on Rappler.

  2. 2M+ Expected in INC “Evangelical Mission” Today
     
    The Iglesia ni Cristo calls it a “grand evangelical mission” – a prayer rally expected to bring about 2 million people to Luneta on Tuesday.  Largely because INC is known to vote as a political bloc, analysts say this gathering could be a show of force to support of some of its prominent members like Serafin Cuevas, who heads the defense team of another INC friend, Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.
     
     
  3. Higher PH Growth despite Increased Risks

    Philippine officials are projecting a 5-6% growth rate for 2012 despite increasing global uncertainty.  There are fears about the increase of oil prices because of tensions created by Iran’s nuclear program as well as ongoing efforts to stem a recession in the European Union. 

     

    Read it on BusinessWorld.

  4. WikiLeaks Publishes ‘Shadow CIA’ Email Messages

    Julian Assange’s whistleblowing website WikiLeaks began publishing 5.5 million email messages and documents allegedly given to them by a group of hacker-activists calling themselves Anonymous.  The target: Stratfor, a private US intelligence firm which has been dubbed a “shadow CIA.”  Anonymous defended Wikileaks last year and instigated cyber-attacks against companies and organizations perceived to be against the online whistleblower.  At a White House briefing, reporters asked whether the US is trying to stop aggressive reporting by using the Espionage Act to take whistleblowers to court in the United States.

     

    Read more on Wired. Read more about how the US is using the Espionage Act to pursue leaks on the New York Times.
     

     

  5. Putin Assassination Plot Foiled: Russian Officials

    Vladimir Putin has ruled the world’s largest country since 1999, far longer than anyone since Brezhnev.  Next Sunday, Putin is widely expected to win presidential elections in Russia.  Shortly after that, assassins planned to kill him in a plot foiled by Russian officials.  However, the timing and release of the announcement to state-controlled media has critics saying it’s designed to boost his popularity and enhance the idea “that Russia is surrounded by enemies.”  Putin’s spokesman called that speculation “sacreligious.”

     

    Read more on BBC. For more on the timing of the plot disclosure, read the New York Times.

     

  6. Wynn vs Okada: Pagcor chief a ‘Victim?’

    Congressmen defended Pagcor chief Cristino Naguiat, Jr., saying he’s only “a victim” in the battle between casino magnates Kazuo Okada and Steve Wynn, who filed a case for bribery and violation of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act against Okada. One of the men Okada allegedly bribed was Naguiat, who accepted free accomodations for his family in a $6,000/night suite in Macau.  Naguiat excused it as “industry practice.”

     

    Read more on Rappler.

  7. Budget Flights Go Long-Haul in Asia

    Good news for travellers!  Budget airlines are announcing plans to expand to longer-haul flights in the region, among them: Cebu Air Inc. of the Philippines; two from Singapore – Singapore Airlines with its budget unit, Scoot and Tiger Airways; and the JetStar unit of Australia’s Qantas Airways.  They’ve proven the budget business model works with flights up to 3 hours.  Now they plan to test that model by adding longer hauls.  The question is: can they make enough money to keep the business profitable?

     

    Read more on the Wall Street Journal.

  8. A 41 Megapixel Smartphone? Yes!

    Can you imagine taking pictures with a smartphone with a 41 megapixel sensor?  It’s coming soon, says Nokia.  This “revolution in imaging” also takes high-definition video you have never seen before.

     

    Read and watch on Rappler.

     

  9. FHM Recalls Bela Padilla Issue

    Take a look at the cover you won’t see on magazine racks because of vociferous online reactions calling it racist.  FHM is the Philippines’ top-selling men’s magazine.  Hours after it posted its March cover on its Facebook page, FHM was surprised and soon released a statement saying it would run a different cover for its March issue.

     


    Read the statement and see the cover on Rappler.

  10. Did JLo have a ‘nip slip’ at the Oscars?

    Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz wore stunning form-fitting, backless gowns when they presented an award at the Oscars, but J Lo’s dress sparked a furious debate online fuelled by conversations on Twitter.  Many claimed to have seen a ‘nip slip’ which was denied on Twitter by her stylist Mariel Haenn.  Still a new Twitter account @JLosNipple claims otherwise. 

     

    Read more on CNN.

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