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- Country: Philippines. Population: 100 million.
A baby girl born in the early hours of Sunday, July 27, symbolized the 100 millionth Filipino alive on Earth. Government health officials led in welcoming Baby Chonalyn, who was born at around 12:35 am at the Dr Jose Fabella Hospital in Manila. She was one of 100 babies born at around the same time across the country who received the symbolic designation. With this milestone, the Philippines joins at least 11 other nations with populations upward of 100 million, and the government reiterated its commitment in fighting poverty.
Read full story on Rappler. - Israel, Hamas resume rocket attacks
Rocket fire in strife-torn Gaza resumed late Saturday, July 26, after Hamas said it will not honor Israel’s extension of the humanitarian ceasefire unless Israeli tanks are withdrawn from the besieged territory. Israel’s cabinet “approved the UN request regarding a humanitarian ceasefire to run until midnight (2100 GMT) Sunday (July 27),” but Hamas confirmed it fired rockets towards southern Israel and Tel Aviv as soon as the initial 12-hour ceasefire ended. In retaliation, Israel resumed its attacks on the coastal territory, and in the initial salvo, 3 people inside the Strip were killed. The conflict, which started July 8 over the kidnap and murder of 3 Israeli boys and a Palestinian boy in separate incidents, has now claimed the lives of more than 1,000 Palestinians and 45 Israelis.
Read more on the ceasefire extension that never was, here and here on Rappler. - New world records for Philippine-based church
Two new Guinness World Records marked the centennial celebration of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) on Sunday, the Philippine-based church that has grown from a small sect into a global religious movement. The INC now officially holds the world record for the largest mixed-use indoor theater and the largest gospel choir. The announcement caps a week-long celebration of its 100th anniversary, held at the newly-inaugurated Ciudad de Victoria in Bocaue, Bulacan. Speaking to reporters, INC spokesman Edwil Zabala said the Iglesia’s achievements in Guinness bring honor not only to their church, but also to the Philippines.
Read more on the INC’s newest cause for celebration, here and here on Rappler. - Aquino unfazed by controversies ahead of SONA
No political controversy can distract President Benigno Aquino III as he prepares for his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 28, Malacañang said. In fact, the leader of 100 million Filipinos is in “high spirits” ahead of his annual speech where he is set to highlight his administration’s achievements in the past year. The country will hear from the President about the government’s gains on improving the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), the lowering of fiscal deficit, and job creation, Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said Sunday, July 27.
Read more on Rappler. - Filipino innovation front and center at 2014 S&T Week
Filipino innovation showcased in National Science & Technology Week, the annual expo of all things science in the country. The NSTW, officially opened Thursday, July 24, is the biggest yet, with over 300 exhibits being showcased, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said. The NSTW, a five-day affair with celebrations centered at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay, showed numerous ideas that are proof that we don’t need to look far for high-tech.
Rappler takes a look at five promising projects. - Latin American tour: After Xi and Putin, it’s Abe
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe opened a five-country tour of Latin America with a visit to Mexico on Friday, July 25, marked by a signing of several agreements between the two countries. Abe will then proceed to Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil, where he is also set to seal economic deals. The region’s “growing economies and natural resources” will be an important aspect in helping the Japanese economy grow. Abe’s visit comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin visited several Latin American countries days prior. Both leaders also sealed numerous trade deals, and attended the BRICS meeting in Brazil, where the bloc announced the creation of a global financial group to rival the World Bank.
Read more about Shinzo Abe’s charm offensive, on Rappler. - After MH370 and MH17: Can Malaysia Airlines survive?
First, it was a plane lost somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Then, another plane shot down apparently by separatists in Ukraine. These twin tragedies befell Malaysia Airlines, and many are now wondering if the Kuala Lumpur-based airline can survive this annus horribilis. Aside from these incidents, the company has already been hobbled by financial problems and poor management, as well as government interference. Can it rise from its troubles and become a brand travelers trust once again? Airlines such as Korean Air and Garuda Indonesia, some say, can shed some answers.
Read more on Rappler. - Wrecked Costa Concordia arrives at final port of call
After nearly two and a half years, the cruise ship Costa Concordia finally completes its final voyage. In the early hours of Sunday, July 27, the wreck of the ship weighed anchor several miles from the shore of Genoa, Italy – the same city where, 9 years ago, the ship was built and launched. It was towed from the site off Giglio Island, where it capsized January 2012 causing the death of 32 people. It is set to be scrapped, with around 40,000-50,000 tons of steel to be reused. A team of salvage workers from around the world worked on the recovery and refloating of the ship, which started April 2013.
- #SDCC2014: Comics, celebrities, and cosplayers galore
Hit TV shows and movies, celebrities, writers, directors, comic book characters and cosplayers galore – they all converged at the 4-day San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. The 2014 edition held July 24-27 saw a slew of panels, surprises and long-awaited announcements that had fans excited for the coming months and years. Some major news out of SDCC were updates on Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Hannibal, Orphan Black, and the Family Guy-Simpsons crossover; news about Batman v Superman, Interstellar, Hunger Games: Mockingjay, and Avengers: Age of Ultron; and of course, a bevy of comics-related news, panel discussions, and selfies.
Rappler has the latest on the changes fans face in this year’s Comic-Con, the ‘Batfleck,’ and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. The Verge has the latest SDCC trailers, and CNN, meanwhile, has a story on some of the best cosplayers at the SDCC. - Rappler’s Move.ph asks citizens to tell their own Story of the Nation
On July 28, President Benigno Aquino III will deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address, and is expected – just like any chief executives – to paint a rosy picture of the government, the economy, and important issues. The situation may be different on the ground, so Rappler’s citizen engagement arm launched a campaign asking readers to take photos of ordinary people in their communities and getting their pulse on what to them is the real state of the nation. See the best of the first batch of submissions here. You can still send photos and text to move.ph@rappler.com and use the hashtag #SttoryOfTheNation.
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