Daily News Highlights – March 22, 2015 Edition

Multiple suicide bombings claimed by the Islamic State (IS, formerly known as ISIS or the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq) group killed at least 142 people on March 20 at Shiite mosques in Yemen’s capital – one of the strife-torn country’s deadliest ever jihadist attacks. The killings were the first claimed by ISIS in Yemen and represent a strong show of force by the group in a country where rival Al-Qaeda is the most prominent jihadist organization, and which reacted by saying it would not attack mosques. The attacks prompted the US to pull out the last of its troops According to a CNN report, the US is evacuating “the last American forces stationed in the Arab nation” which comprise up to 100 members of Special Operations forces including Navy SEALs from Al-Anad airbase. Yemen has acknowledged that American personnel gathering intelligence for drone strikes targeting Al-Qaeda are deployed at Al-Anad.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Read the full story on the Friday bombings on Rappler.

Days after a survey showed he remained the top choice for president in 2016, Vice President Jejomar Binay unveiled his plans for his 100 days in office – if elected as president. Speaking before 2,000 lawyers in Cebu, Binay said that his government would build on the gains of the current administration on increased business and investor confidence. But he also stressed a lot needs to be done. He said he will solve port congestion to ensure the quick availability of food supplies and to ease traffic. The Vice President also vowed to fix the problems of Metro Rail Transit system. Binay said steps will also be taken by his administration for constitutional amendment, the matter of federalism or greater autonomy to Muslim Mindanao, and the Cordillera can likewise be tackled.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Hundreds of thousands of people waving Vatican flags on Saturday, March 22, greeted Pope Francis as he headed deep into mafia territory, visiting jailbirds and the poor in Naples amid heightened security. The pontiff arrived in the poor, crime-ridden Scampia area of the city in a popemobile and immediately plunged into a crowd of children and young people, two of whom managed to pose for a selfie with the pontiff. “Corruption stinks, corrupt society stinks,” he told residents, adding that “we all have the potential to be corrupt and to slip into criminality.” Up to 800,000 people were expected to turn out through the day in the southern Italian city to greet the Argentine-born pontiff, who last year declared war on organized crime by excommunicating all mafiosi from the Catholic Church.

Read the full story on Rappler.

The military offensive against the breakaway Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) has affected 15 towns in Maguindanao province and caused the suspension of classes in these areas. Latest government data show that at least 63 schools have been affected by the conflict with 22 abandoned due to evacuations. A number of them have resorted to class suspensions as the school year draws to a close. The offensive, which forced at least 125,000 to flee their homes, was launched on February 25 following President Benigno Aquino III’s order for the military to run after the BIFF, suspected of coddling terrorist Abdul Basit Usman, who escaped a police strike in Mamasapano on January 25. The Mamasapano attack killed top terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir but at the cost of the lives of 44 cops, 5 civilians and 18 Moro rebels. It also caused the worst crisis for the Aquino government.

Read the full story on Rappler.

And so it has come to this. Malacañang over the weekend had to issue a statement debunking rumors that President Benigno Aquino III collapsed Friday evening, March 20. It’s been a tough period for the President, who is facing his worst crisis since an overwhelming election victory in 2010. Two investigative bodies that looked into the Mamasapano bloodbath on January 25 said he should own up to it – in the spirit of command responsibility – for having approved the police operation that killed 44 cops, 5 civilians, and 18 Moro rebels, and endangered the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front which his government put in place. His public approval ratings after Mamasapano plummeted to an all-time low.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Read ‘Mamasapano: Time on Target,” a narrative by Patricia Evangelista on Rappler

Homegrown Zest-O Corporation is expected to complete the acquisition of a factory in Texas within the year, facilitating the production of Zest-O tropical juice drinks in the United States. The company is currently firming up its strategy in bringing in the local Zest-O juice brand to the mainstream US market. The firm will initially produce tropical juices like mango, dalandan, guyabano and pineapple and then expand the product line to include traditional Western flavors like orange, apple and grape. The plan is to set up either a Zest-O unit or a new US company for the venture.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Filipinos on social media find religion more interesting than politics. Religion, in fact, is the Philippines’ third most popular social media topic, according to the US-based Pew Research Center. In its report on  March 19, Pew Research Center said 26% of Filipinos use social media to share their views about religion. On social media, those who share their views about politics comprise only 16% of Filipinos. The Philippines stands out because among most emerging and developing countries, religion is the least popular social media topic. This study by Pew Research Center, a decade-old think tank based in Washington DC, covers emerging and developing nations such as the Philippines.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Remember that scene from the 2004 movie King Arthur where the Saxon leader said, “Finally! A city game worth my time.” That’s how our reviewer felt when he played Cities: Skylines. Developed by Colossal Order, known for games like Cities in Motion that focused on the inner workings of city production and transportation, and published by Paradox Interactive, responsible for grand strategy games like Crusader Kings, Europa Universalis and Hearts of Iron, comes a game that will not only amaze you with its gameplay but will definitely eat away your time. The game also does not alienate anyone in its gameplay, whether you’re a long time city-building veteran or even just a casual gamer. The game lets you learn as you play.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Aside from helping his boxer prepare for the biggest fight of his career, Manny Pacquiao’s 49-year-old conditioning coach Justine Fortune is also in a battle of his own for his life. The Australian conditioner, who resumed working with Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach last year, is fighting throat and neck cancer. Fortune recently had a bone graft from his forearm to replace some of the nodules the doctors had to remove from his throat during his chemotherapy and radiation processes. Pacquiao is set to battle the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada and has recently started his training at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California. Preparation “has been perfect,” Fortune said.

Read the full story on Rappler.

It was a night to remember for Filipino Directioners, who finally got to see One Direction live in concert Saturday, March 21, the first night of their 2-night Manila show. The boys arrived earlier in the day without 5th member Zayn Malik, who pulled out of the tour due to stress. The group charged on ahead to deliver an energetic show despite the rain. Their first album Up All Night came out in September 2011, with hit single “What Makes You Beautiful.”They have since released 3 more albums: Take Me Home, Midnight Memories, and most recently, Four, which debuted at number one on the Billboard hit chart. They are also the first group to enter at number one with their first 4 albums.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Check photos of their first night in Manila on Rappler.