February 16, 2015 Edition

A Philippine Catholic bishop, the head of a powerful bishops’ bloc, dared President Benigno Aquino III to explain his role in the police operation that led to the death of 44 members of an elite police force, 18 Muslim rebels, and at least 3 civilians in Maguindanao. CBCP president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas Villegas said, “The President and his advisers must give a full and satisfactory accounting of their actions in respect to this tragic loss.” Villegas also rejected “extra-constitutional measures” in the face of public outrage, after talks of coup plots surfaced.

Read the full story on Rappler here and here.

Only two patients remain under watch at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) due to the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS CoV). A total of 86 other people tested for the virus. The index case, a nurse who came home from Saudi Arabia continues to test positive for the virus. RITM is also watching another patient. Garin reiterated that the public has no reason to panic because MERS is not airborne.

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Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte, known for his no-nonsense approach to peace and order, has been going around Mindanao and the Visayas the past several weeks discussing federalism – a popular topic among sectors in the south tired of being neglected by imperial Manila. The forums are seen as litmus tests for his winnability. Duterte said: “I don’t want to become the President… but if I become the President of the Philippines, I will rid the government of corrupt officials and change our style of government.” So is he considering it, or just teasing?

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ISIS or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria released a video on Sunday supposedly showing the beheading of Egyptian Christians in Libya. The footage released by ISIS online shows handcuffed hostages wearing orange jumpsuits being beheaded by their black-suited captors in a coastal area. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared 7 days of mourning, and the Coptic Church issued a statement saying it was “confident” the killers would be brought to justice.

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Swiss researchers are developing contact lenses that contain tiny telescopes to boost vision and zoom in and out with the wink of an eye. The wearer winks with the right eye to activate the telescope, and with the left eye to deactivate it. The device magnifies objects 2.8 times, holding a lot of promise to help those with age-related macular degeneration.

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A report from Internet security firm Kaspersky Lab said hackers stole approximately $1 billion from banks. In a report on CNN, Kaspersky said Sunday it uncovered how hackers surreptitiously installed spying software on bank computers, eventually learning to mimic bank employee workflows. The knowledge was used to make transfers into bank accounts they had created for this theft. More than 100 banks were hit, Kaspersky said, and based on the hackers’ practice of stealing between $2.5 million and $10 million from each bank, it estimated “total financial losses could be as a high as $1 billion, making this by far the most successful criminal cyber campaign we have ever seen.”

Read the full story on CNN.

Image from Shutterstock

The son of kung fu star Jackie Chan apologized Saturday for making “mistakes” after serving 6 months in a Chinese jail for drugs offenses. Jaycee Chan, who also worked as an actor and singer, was released from prison, Friday. He said, ”I want to apologize to everyone for my mistakes. I’m genuinely sorry.” Chan was detained in August and charged with providing a venue for others to use drugs after police found 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of marijuana at his home in Beijing. “I haven’t been a very good role-model for the youth, I feel really ashamed,” he said. Jackie Chan is one of Asia’s best-known actors with a string of Hollywood hits to his name.

Read the full story on Rappler.

In an opinion piece, Rappler’s Sports Editor Ryan Songalia talks about the frustrations of boxing fans over the elusive Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather fight. He says, “The public has every right to be upset after six years of waiting” for the two boxers “to set aside their egos.” He says the tipping point was when reputable Telegraph writer Gareth Davies cited a source in Pacquiao’s camp saying the fighters had agreed to a $250 million pot and that Pacquiao had “completed his contractual negotiations.” Showtime sports executive Stephen Espinoza belied the claims and joked that Pacquiao had signed an “imaginary contract.” Songalia says, “I vow to not report on the negotiations until a fight is announced.” He says “The fight will either happen or it won’t, but to contribute to another fan letdown is a disservice to readers.”

Read the full story on Rappler here and here.

Sorry ladies, Sherlock is off the market. British media reported actor Benedict Cumberbatch married theater director Sophie Hunter, Saturday, at a ceremony attended by family and close friends. Actors Tom Hiddleston and Martin Freeman and actress Keira Knightley were among guests at the wedding. The couple announced their engagement in November. Photographers snapped the couple leaving the ceremony in a classic Jaguar car, but many fans were left disappointed after waiting in the rain for a glimpse of the newlyweds.

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Philippine Senator Chiz Escudero and actress Heart Evangelista tied the knot in Balesin Island Club, Sunday. The two have been together since 2012, and engaged since August, 2014. Evangelista walked down the aisle alone, after mentioning in an earlier interview that she didn’t expect her parents to come after a much-publicized rift over her relationship with the senator. President Benigno Aquino III, who was supposed to be Chiz’s best man, was not able to attend the wedding.

Read the full story on Rappler here, here and here.