Daily News Highlights – April 21, 2015 Edition

The biggest Balikatan war games in 15 years kicked off on Monday, April 20, against the backdrop of China’s continuing reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea. Beijing’s activities alarmed not only claimant countries but others that use the sea routes for trade and commerce. US Marine Corps Forces in the Pacific Deputy commander CJ Mahoney said, “We are also honing our lethal military skills… to allow us… to assist each other as well as other nations should the need arise.”

Read more on Balikatan.

Actor Robin Padilla took a swipe at critics of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) who claim that they are for peace but reject the passage of the bill. He said, “There are many who say ‘I am for peace but I am not for BBL.’ For me, that’s not logical. Because there are only two options: you accept it or not. If you accept it, that’s peace; if you don’t accept it, there can be no peace.” He added, “You can’t say create a new BBL. They worked on that for 15 years. It’s not like they are “Batibot,” who were born yesterday and just suddenly created the peace agreement.”

Read more on peace & BBL.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo urged the Philippines to respect his country’s laws, as Indonesia is set to execute Filipino Mary Jane Veloso for drug smuggling. Widodo said the Philippines is free to lodge an appeal, even as the Indonesian Supreme Court rejected Veloso’s request for a judicial review of her case. While Widodo said Indonesian laws “allow for execution,” what he didn’t say is that his country’s laws also provide for clemency.

Read more on convicted OFW in Indonesia.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said the regional body had “no more excuses” not to act on the Mediterranean migrant crisis as reports came through of another boat sinking with 300 people on board. More than 700 people were feared dead after a fishing boat crammed with migrants seeking a better life in Europe capsized off Libya on Sunday. The mass drowning, believed to be the deadliest in the Mediterranean, caused an outcry across Europe, where newspapers called it the “EU’s darkest day.” Officials called the death “avoidable.”

Read more on migrant boats.

When Prince William and his wife Kate emerge from hospital cradling Britain’s new royal baby for the cameras, the picture will be on the front of newspapers worldwide. But don’t expect many photographs after that. The couple have fought hard for the right to bring up their family in private, despite being one of the most famous couples in the world. Their first child, Prince George, is approaching his second birthday but has only appeared in public a few times. British media are generally prepared to accept such scarce appearances by George and the new baby, who is expected this month.

Read more on Prince George’s baby sibling.

Floyd Mayweather Sr has never been shy about letting his feelings towards rivals be known, but the father and trainer of Floyd Mayweather Jr has turned his sights on a member of his own camp. Mayweather Sr took aim at Alex Ariza in a radio interview, saying that he doesn’t see the merits of the strength and conditioning coach hired by Floyd Jr. “I can’t say exactly what he’s doing,” Mayweather Sr says, “but he ain’t strength training little Floyd.”

Read more on Mayweather Sr vs Ariza.

Generation Y, otherwise known as “millennials” are born in the 80s up to the early 2000s. The mainstream image of millennials remains singular: college-educated, white-collar, urban. Their concerns include social media, travel, career-hopping, instant success, and dating. The term, which originated from the US, has slipped into the Filipino everyday language, disregards the youth living in poverty. They face issues such as unemployment, teenage pregnancy, and dropping out from school.

Read more on poverty.

A female CEO in Texas has come under fire this week for saying a woman “shouldn’t be president” because of “different hormones.” Dallas firm Go Ape Marketing’s CEO Cheryl Rios wrote on Facebook that she’d move “to Canada” if Hillary Clinton became head of state. She added, “With the hormones we have, there is no way [a woman] should be able to start a war.” She also explains the disconnect with her life, “Yes I run my own business and I love it and I am great at it but that is not the same as being the President, that should be left to a man, a good, strong, honorable man.”

Read more on female CEO.

A couple sits on a train holding hands. The picture is jarring for some – one, they’re both male, but that’s common enough. A slew of offensive online reaction reveals the roots of the problem: deep-seated discrimination based on appearance. But the story does not end there – social media redeems itself by coming to the defense of the couple.

Read more on viral photo.

Get your theories ready, Star Wars fans – Han Solo and Chewbacca are back. The two make an appearance in the second trailer of the much awaited Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens. As the scene opens on a barren planet, there’s the ruined hull of a Star Destroyer on the horizon. Then the burned helmet of Darth Vader. A hooded figure places a cybernetic hand on R2D2 – that must be Luke Skywalker. And the handover of a weapon – is that Luke’s lost lightsaber? But who could resist the coup de grace at the end – no less than Chewbacca with a crossbow and Han Solo saying “Chewie, we’re home.”

Read more on The Force Awakens trailer.