August 10, 2014 Edition

The Ebola crisis has escalated quickly in the past week, from being confined to several West African countries to being an international concern. As the crisis escalates, Liberia has declared a state of emergency; Sierra Leone has deployed troops to guard Ebola responders; while the three foreigners – two Americans and a Spaniard – have been airlifted to their countries for treatment. The World Health Organization has now appealed for more help for the countries worst hit by the disease, as the rest of the world, including the Philippines, braces for the virus. The key to fighting Ebola, said the new Red Cross chief: engage the communities stricken hard, and not see them as part of the problem.

More on our coverage of the Ebola crisis here. Learn more about the disease here.

It has been a month since Israel launched Operation Protective Edge in Gaza, triggered by the abduction and killing of 3 Israeli teenagers in the West Bank. Over weeks of fighting between the Israeli army and Palestinian militant group Hamas, nearly 2,000 people have been killed, according to the latest figures from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The current crisis is the latest in a long history of conflict between the two sides. This week saw the longest ceasefire so far, lasting nearly 3 days – but was broken hours before it was supposed to end. 

Rappler has a quick explainer and a timeline of the conflict. More stories and updates on the crisis here.

Were the public prosecutors in the Ampatuan case bribed? This week, private prosecutor Nena Santos and witness Lakmodin Saliao both revealed there had been alleged attempts from the camp of the Ampatuans to bribe the justice department panel handling the case.  Secretary Leila De Lima said the National Bureau of Investigation is set to probe the payoff allegations, and said no one will be spared, even DOJ Undersecretary Francisco Baraan. 

Read here and here on Rappler.

We’re still two years away from the next election, but 2016 is making itself felt again. This past week, Vice President Jejomar Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance said the ruling party was thinking of adopting him as its 2016 standard bearer, citing “credible” sources. However, big names from within LP said it was false, and maintained Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II will still be their bet for the next presidential polls, if ever. Some say the rumors show cracks are forming within the administration’s main party, but Roxas said it is a show of their “strength.”

Read here, here, here, and here on Rappler.

American warplanes are back into Iraqi skies, dropping food and water to refugees and authorized to launch air strikes against extremist fighters from the so-called Islamic State. “We can act, carefully and responsibly to prevent a potential act of genocide. I therefore authorized targeted air strikes if necessary to help forces in Iraq as they fight to break the siege and protect the civilians trapped there,” Obama said. Iraqi religious leaders say Islamic State militants have forced 100,000 Iraqi Christians to flee and have occupied churches, removing crosses and destroying manuscripts.

Read the full story here.

Animosity over the South China Sea, a crucial maritime route that is also believed to hold huge oil and gas deposits, dominated the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) talks in Myanmar. At the meeting, the Philippines has urged fellow ASEAN member-states to back its proposed Triple Action Plan (TAP), citing increasing “aggressive and provocative” actions in the South China Sea that threaten regional peace and prosperity. Meanwhile, China again defended its actions, particularly its latest one – building lighthouses on several disputed areas – saying it is “inherent territory.”

Read here and here on Rappler.

A United Nations-backed court in Cambodia sentenced to a life in jail the 2 most senior surviving members of the Khmer Rouge, the communist guerrilla organization that took power in 1975 and killed 2 million citizens in its quest to create a communist agrarian utopia and on a purge  of perceived enemies of their revolution. “Brother Number Two” Nuon Chea, 88, and former head of state Khieu Samphan, 83, showed no emotion as the verdict was handed down, but regime survivors outside the court wept and applauded. The two will remain in detention as their lawyers appeal the verdict.

Read the full story here. A Unicef Youth Peace Ambassador writes about his visit to the “Killing Fields” of Cambodia.

Two members of the Philippine national football team, the Azkals, quit on August 4. Their reason? Their coach, Thomas Dooley. Azkal standouts Stephan Schrock and Dennis Cagara announced their resignation through their social media accounts, saying their new coach is to blame. Schrock alleged that Dooley was against using Europe-based Filipinos for the Azkals, stirring up once again the age-old debate of what place Fil-foreigners had in Philippine sports. Dooley soon responded once he got back to the country, dispelling claims of bias against the Fil-foreigners and airing his side.

Read more about the resignations here, and read and watch Dooley’s reactions and comments here and here.

At long last: After a two-year winless streak, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons finally won one basketball game at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) on Saturday, August 9. The Maroons ended the drought by beating the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 77-64, causing UP fans all over to celebrate – the highlight of which was a bonfire at the UP Diliman Sunken Garden. Before this win, the Maroons last won a game in Season 75 with a 63-48 drubbing of UE on Aug 19, 2012. 

Read more about the game on Rappler, and see the celebrations on the court and at the bonfire. 

Manila hosted the Asian premiere of “Rurouni Kenshin” Kyoto Inferno,” and for two days the film’s fans in the Philippines were up close and personal with the stars and director of the Japanese hit. The film, based on the manga series written & illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki, continues to follow Kenshin Himura, former assassin-turned-wanderer, who has settled in nicely following the traumatic events of the last film. There will be two films: The first, Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno, will show in the Philippines onAugust 20, the second, Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends, on September 24.

Read our extensive coverage of #KenshinManila here.