A United Nations-backed tribunal at The Hague unanimously decided it has the right to hear the Philippines’ case against China over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). This paves the way for an evaluation of the merits of the country’s legal assertions against China, which includes declaring Beijing’s 9-dash line illegal. Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio had said that once the jurisdiction issue is won by the Philippines “then we practically know the tribunal will strike down the 9-dash line.” The 9-dash line is China’s demarcation to claim virtually the entire South China Sea.

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Of the 130 applications for president, 79% or 103 out of 130 are male, while only 21% are female. Among the women are senators Grace Poe and Miriam Defensor Santiago. Other demographic data from the certificates of candidacy filed with the Commission on Elections also showed that most of the presidential wannabes are from Luzon (close to 78%) and are mostly married. The Comelec is set to disqualify 125 out of the 130 presidential hopefuls.

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Martin Diño, PDP-Laban’s presidential candidate believed to be a placeholder for Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, withdrew his candidacy Thursday, October 29, even as the poll body considers declaring him a nuisance bet. Currently the chair of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, Diño said he felt insulted by the assertion of the Comelec’s legal department that he did not have enough funds to run a nationwide campaign. The party, according to him, is now offering his slot to Duterte who, however, has yet to take PDP-Laban’s offer. He has until December 10 to decide, following substitution rules of the Comelec.

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China announced the end of its hugely controversial one-child policy on Thursday, October 29, after decades of strict, sometimes brutal enforcement, left it with an aging population and shrinking workforce that has heightened the challenges of slowing economic growth. All couples will be allowed two children, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing a communique issued by the ruling Communist Party following a four-day meeting in Beijing. The policy, instituted in the late 1970s, restricted most couples to only a single offspring and for years authorities argued that it was a key contributor to China’s economic boom and had prevented 400 million births.

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A lawyer filed a petition with the Supreme Court Thursday, October 29, asking it to declare unconstitutional Vice President Jejomar Binay’s post as president of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP). Jesus Nicardo Falcis III said Binay violated the constitutional prohibition against holding dual or multiple offices. He also accused the Vice President of committing “grave abuse of discretion” in leading the BSP while he is vice president. Binay was reelected national president of the BSP last June, his 19^th year as head of the government-owned and controlled corporation. Past BSP presidents held the post for at most 7 years.

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Persistent rains have cleared the air across vast stretches of Southeast Asia that have choked for weeks on hazardous smoke from Indonesian fires. Officials expressed hope Thursday the crisis would soon end. Parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore enjoyed the cleanest air in two months, while affected areas of the Philippines and Thailand also gained a respite from pollution that has sickened hundreds of thousands, disrupted air travel, and fuelled anger at Jakarta. The fires and resulting region-wide pollution occur to varying degrees each year during the dry season as vast Indonesian plantation lands are illegally cleared by burning.

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The World Health Organization stressed Thursday, October 29, that an explosive report this week linking the consumption of processed meat to cancer was not calling for people to stop eating meat altogether. The United Nations agency cited research attributing about 34,000 cancer deaths per year worldwide to diets high in processed meat. The WHO however stressed Thursday, October 29, that IARC’s review merely confirmed the UN health agency’s 2002 diet and nutrition recommendations, urging people “to moderate consumption of preserved meat to reduce the risk of cancer.”

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Former senator and trade union leader Ernesto “Boy” Herrera died of cardiac arrest Thursday, October 29, at the Manila Doctors Hospital. He was 73. The two-term senator who won in the 1987 and 1992 elections also led the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines as general secretary and president. As lawmaker, he championed labor, employment, fiscal, education, anti-drugs, and law and order policies. His wake will be held at the Heritage Memorial in Taguig.

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On the hunt for alien worlds that might support life, NASA’s unmanned Cassini spacecraft has survived its closest-ever dive through the icy spray coming from Saturn’s moon Enceladus. The flyby took place Wednesday, October 28, at 11:22 am (1522 GMT), NASA said. The probe skimmed 49 kilometers above the moon’s southern polar region, sampling and collecting data on the spray that is believed to emanate from a subterranean ocean. While the spacecraft is not equipped to detect life, scientists hope that the pass will give them a better understanding of what is contained in the icy spray, how much there is, and if conditions might be hospitable to life. The first images are expected in the next 24-48 hours.

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After reorganization in Google, its parent “Alphabet” may do business in China, Alphabet president Sergey Brin said. The announcement comes after Google closed most operations in China in 2010 over a censorship dispute and an attack on Gmail users. Alphabet will serve as corporate parent, overseeing the Google unit for search and some other operating firms created for projects in health, Internet delivery, investment and research.

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