May 22, 2012 Edition

The long-awaited testimony of the Philippine’s Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona takes center stage on the 40th day of his impeachment trial.  This follows an explosive testimony of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.  Her report outlines an alleged P622 million of unexplained wealth.  It will take 16 of 23 senators to decide Corona’s fate.  Over the weekend, influential religious group, Iglesia ni Cristo, was reportedly lobbying for his aquittal.  On Monday, President Benigno Aquino III met with INC to discuss the trial, according to a spokesman.  His defense lawyers on Monday say Corona skipped a Sunday rehearsal and that they don’t know exactly what he will say when he takes the stand Tuesday.

Read the full ombudsman report, what Corona may say on the stand  and his lawyers’ position – all on Rappler.

Despite protests and controversy, Lady Gaga performs her first of two concerts in Manila Monday.  Among her first songs is the controversial “Judas” which some artists and government censors wanted to change as well as her signature “Born this Way” – which has become a gay anthem.  Calling herself “Mother Monster,” Lady Gaga has become a symbolic voice for the silent and marginalized, pushing for inner and public acceptance against societal norms.  Organizers estimate about 40,000 Filipinos are paying up to $370 to watch her perform live.  Her concert tour has sparked controversy in Asia – from Seoul to Manila to Indonesia, where authorities are still debating on whether she will get a police permit to perform after threats from hardline extremist groups.

Read about Monday’s concert, flashback over a live blog and see why some compare Lady Gaga to the RH bill – all on Rappler.

After Friday’s much celebrated IPO, market sentiment turned against Facebook, which ended Monday’s trading down 11% while Apple and Google drove the NASDAQ composite index higher.  It rose the most since December because of hopes of political progress in Greece, a little more confidence in the euro zone and talks of helping China’s economy.  Other benchmarks – the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index – saw their biggest gains of the month.

Read more on the Wall Street Journal  and on Rappler

One of Facebook’s founders, Dustin Moskovitz, says, “Work is not a social network, with serendipitous communications and photo collections. Work is about managing tasks, and responding to things quickly.” So that’s what he built.  Called Asana, which is sanskrit for “easeful posture,” it’s a task-based software that gives a company a shared to-do list.

Read more on the New York Times.  

On Wednesday morning Manila time, Jessica Sanchez faces off with Phillip Phillips on the season finale of American Idol.  It’s the first time a contestant with Filipino roots has made it this far pushing Rappler to put together the top 10 Filipino moments from American Idol.  Over the weekend, there were reports Phillips may need immediate surgery, but with less than 24 hours to go, the showdown continues.  Rappler did an online survey of influence of the two contestants and prepared two reports which show their reach.  Since the Philippines is called “the social media capital of the world” since 2010 by ComScore, Filipinos may give Sanchez an on-line edge.  The jury’s out though on whether online influence will translate to real-world votes, very much influenced by their actual performances.

Read & watch the memorable Filipino moments and read the social media rankings – all on Rappler.

Yemen began targetting al-Qaeda linked militants less than two weeks ago.  On Monday, a suicide bomber reportedly dressed as a soldier merged into preparations for a military parade set for a Tuesday national holiday.  When he blew himself up near the presidential palace, at least 96 people died and at least 200 were injured.  Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility.  Known as AQAP,  or Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, this is the same group that was recently infiltrated by a CIA agent, who took the “underwear bomb” they were developing and handed it to western officials.

Read more on the Wall Street Journal and the Voice of America

Following US President Barack Obama’s lightning trip to Afghanistan to set the withdrawal of US troops, now NATO has formalized processes to transition to Afghan security forces.  They will soon be in charge of security for about 75% of the population, NATO and Afghan officials said.  Still at this point, Afghan forces are not in the lead in areas where Taliban and Pakistan-based insurgents continue to fight NATO troops in daily battles.  By next summer, they will have to take over.  How exactly that will happen is unclear.  Analysts warn about repeating history: it was the Soviet and US pull-out in 1979 from Aghanistan that created a power vacuum that incubated and grew Al-Qaeda.

Read more on the New York Times and on Rappler 

The former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was charged in a NY court of forcing a hotel maid to have sex with him.  While those charges were eventually dropped, the disgraced Strauss-Kahn seems to face a plethora of charges from women who remained silent – until now.  On Monday, French prosecutors say they are investigating charges he took part in a gang rape in the US. He and others, including a police chief were charged with “aggravated pimping in an organised gang” for allegedly organising a prostitution ring for orgies in France and the United States, among others.  His lawyer says this just shows “the incredible relentlessness” of investigators against his client.

Read more on Rappler.  

A lawyer for Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim says the government will try to derail Anwar’s political career again, this time by filing a case against him on Tuesday for an April protest demanding fair elections.  Tens of thousands protested on April 28 demanding changes to an electoral system they say is rigged in the ruling coalition’s favor.  Anwar was once Malaysia’s second most powerful man, groomed for its top post until 1998, when his mentor, Mahathir Mohammed, split with him on how to deal with the Asian financial crisis.  That was followed by sodomy & corruption charges filed against him and a prison sentence.  He was released in 2004 and led an opposition coalition to great gains in 2008.  Soon after, more sodomy charges were filed.  Anwar was just acquitted in January.

Read more and the charges filed Tuesday – on Rappler. 

How do you build a nation?  One person at a time – education, values, shared goals and dreams.  What happens when you challenge kids today?  They surprise and inspire you. Two of Rappler’s interns blog about their expectations and journeys of discovery after putting in 250 to 300 hours.  Isa Rodriguez writes, “I learned that nothing else matters when you love what you are doing …Rappler has shown me in so many ways that I am capable, that there is a voice that can and will be heard – that that voice can be lent to smaller voices so that a collective shout can be heard. I saw through this that there can be change in the world as there was change in me.  This experience has given me a clearer view of the type of person I wish and work to be as I grow older.”  Jois Joy Guinmapang writes, “Rappler has taught me to always be on my toes – to literally chase after news regardless of the scorching heat of the sun; to be resourceful, to probe further, and to not ever be satisfied with ‘good enough.'”

Read more from Rodriguez and Guinmapang on Rappler.