Developing nations warned Wednesday, December 2, that a bitter row over money threatens efforts to seal a historic pact to tame global warming. The UN-brokered talks involving 195 nations are facing a tight deadline of December 11 to forge an agreement aimed at cutting the greenhouse gases blamed for climate change, and averting its catastrophic impacts. But despite more than 150 world leaders opening the talks on Monday, November 30, with lofty rhetoric about the urgency of the task, bureaucrats became quickly ensnared in familiar rows that have condemned previous efforts to failure. One of the most fiercely contested issues in the 25-year diplomatic effort to find a solution to global warming has been how much responsibility rich nations must accept for the problem, and therefore how much they should pay. The United States and other developed countries have powered their way to prosperity since the Industrial Revolution by burning coal, oil and gas, which is the primary cause of the heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions. Developing nations insist the developed ones must now largely finance the world economy’s costly shift away fossil fuels, a debate worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

More on COP21 money issues.

Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte reportedly topped an SWS poll commissioned by a Davao-based businessman. Conducted November 26-28, it appears that the survey, which was designed before Duterte’s declaration to run, was meant to test his chances in the presidential race by giving respondents different lists of candidates. SWS released “List 2,” suggesting the use of another list. The poll did not capture the backlash the Davao mayor have suffered after he cursed Pope Francis on November 30 because of the traffic that the latter’s visit caused in Metro Manila. Still on the presidential race, a press release from the camp of former president and now Manila mayor Joseph Estrada’s camp said he is “very likely” to support the presidential candidacy of Senator Grace Poe. The press release cited an interview the former president had over radio station dzMM where he said he will definitely support Poe – his goddaughter and daughter of his friend, the late action star Fernando Poe Jr. Meanwhile, the camp of Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo recently released a music video featuring stars supporting them, including popular teen duo KathNiel.

Read: Duterte tops SWS survey.

Estrada’s statement on support for Grace Poe.

Watch: KathNiel, Billy, Ramon, and more PH stars in Mar-Leni music video.

In Paris, you can kiss, light a candle, leave your shoes on a public square. But you can’t march to protest against global warming. The French government bans protests as it hosts a crucial climate change conference. Instead, a moving installation at the Place de la Republique consisting of thousands of shoes stand for protesters who could not mass up for big actions as world leaders, negotiators, and observers gather for a two-week summit. Environmental activists and their supporters who are not allowed to protest here in the wake of the terror attacks left notes with their shoes to speak for them and to support a city that is still in shock.”

Watch the report by Voltaire Tupaz.

One of the perpetrators of the deadly Paris attacks visited London and Birmingham earlier this year to meet people suspected of plotting terror activity in Britain, The Guardian reported Saturday. The newspaper, citing counter-terrorism officials, said the unnamed attacker had managed to enter Britain and travel to the nation’s two biggest cities, before heading back to continental Europe undetected despite heightened security. The Guardian also reported that in both cities, the suspect met with people suspected of having the intention and capability of plotting or assisting terrorist activity against the UK. The suspects that visited are under investigation by Britain’s domestic intelligence agency MI5 and police counter-terrorism officials.

More on the Guardian’s report about the Paris attack suspects.

The European Union on Thursday, December 3, launched a forum bringing together Internet firms like Google, Facebook and Twitter as well as law enforcement agencies to combat online extremism. The move comes amid growing alarm in Europe over the use of social media as a powerful recruiting tool, especially by the Islamic State (ISIS) group. “Terrorists are abusing the Internet to spread their poisonous propaganda: that needs to stop,” EU Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said in a statement.

More about the effort to fight online extremism.

The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) will hear on Monday, December 7, the civil forfeiture case filed by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) against Vice President Jejomar Binay, his family, and alleged accomplices in public fund laundering. The new AMLC case comes after the lapse of the original 6-month freeze order on Binay’s assets filed on May 11, 2015. In a petition filed on November 12 before the Manila RTC, AMLC asked for a freeze order (provisional asset preservation order or PAPO) that covers 139 bank accounts and 19 real properties under the name of Binay, his family, and some associates. This order would prevent the identified personalities from making “any transaction, withdrawal, deposit, transfer, removal, conversion, concealment or other disposition” using the covered assets, the petition said.

More on the AMLC case vs the Binays.

The Afghan Taliban released an audio message Saturday, December 5 it said was from leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour. The 16-minute audio file vehemently rejected reports of Mansour’s death in a firefight with his own commanders as “enemy propaganda” and said those “rumors” had been deliberately planted to weaken the Taliban, which has seen a new resurgence under the firebrand supremo despite its internal divisions. Multiple reports citing intelligence and insurgent sources had stated that Mansour was wounded or killed on Tuesday, December 1 in a firefight at an insurgent gathering in Kuchlak.

Read the rest of the report on Mullah Akhtar Mansour.

A month before the official election period kicks in, the country’s largest business groups have joined foreign chambers of commerce in a final push for Congress to pass a legal resolution that seeks to ease constitutional restrictions on foreign investment. They argued that easing the 40% foreign investment restriction will be critical in light of the country’s aim to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, honor commitments to the ASEAN Economic Community, and forge an advanced free trade agreement with the European Union. Critics, however, argue that the resolution will only kill local industries.

More on the push for Resolution of Both Houses 1 (RBH1).

Here’s good news for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Italy who are planning to come home to the Philippines for the holidays. The labor department has instructed the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to come up with easier requirements so that OFWs in Italy can get their exit passes or the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC). This has been a problem for more than 180,000 OFWs living in Italy, since immigration officials in Manila would not honor their work permits and would instead insist on a POEA OEC or an embassy exit pass from returning OFWs as proof that they legitimately work in Italy. This has discouraged many OFWs from Italy to come back to the Philippines for vacation. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz has instructed Labor Attaché Loreta Bisquera Vergara to implement new requirements for the issuance of the OEC to OFWs.

Read about the new requirements for the issuance of OECs to OFWs.

The Philippines’ own Angelia Ong has won the title of Miss Earth 2015, succeeding the Philippines’ Jamie Herrell, Miss Earth 2014 at the pageant’s coronation night held Saturday, December 5 (early morning Sunday, December 6 in Manila) in Vienna, Austria. This is the Philippines’ second win in a row. Watch the video and check out the photos through the links below.

Philippines’ Angelia Ong wins Miss Earth 2015

FULL LIST: Winners, Miss Earth 2015.

IN PHOTOS: Emotional back-to-back win for Philippines in Miss Earth.

Photo recap: Miss Earth 2015 coronation night.