March 3, 2014 Edition

Warning it was on the brink of disaster, Ukraine called on its reservists to get ready in the face of a Russian invasion. The dramatic escalation in what threatens to blow up into the worst crisis between Moscow and the West since the Cold War came as pro-Kremlin forces seized key government buildings in Crimea and were blockading military bases on the strategic Black Sea peninsula. Ukraine’s new pro-Western Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk warned any invasion “would mean war and the end of all relations between the two countries.” Pro-Moscow gunmen intensified their grip on large swathes of the peninsula.

Read the full story on Rappler.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Kiev this week in a high-profile show of support for the embattled Ukrainian leadership. Kerry warned that Russia risked being stripped of its coveted seat among the prestigious Group of Eight nations, as well as faced economic turmoil and sanctions, for the “brazen act of aggression” on the Crimean peninsula. The US, Britain, and France have already pulled out of preparatory meetings this week for the G8 summit due to be held in June in Sochi, amid growing global concerns over Moscow’s threat to invade neighboring Ukraine. “If Russia wants to be a G8 country, it needs to behave like a G8 country,” Kerry said.

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The head of Thailand’s top investigative agency called for patience and restraint, warning the wave of political violence could escalate into a “civil war.” At least 22 people have been killed as the unrest claimed the life of a fourth child. The 4-month-old political crisis is feared to be entering a dangerous new phase as both sides refused to back down. The protests are aimed at ousting Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and ending the political dominance of her billionaire family.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Vice President Jejomar Binay is forming a new political party for his 2016 presidential bid, leaving the fragmented Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas-Laban party (PDP-Laban) to which he belonged. The former Makati mayor and now vice president said his new party, which is yet to be named, is open to anyone willing to join, especially PDP-Laban members. Among those he’s eyeing as a party mate is boxing legend and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao. Binay also said he’s considering as running mate popular actress Batangas Governor Vilma Santos, but conceded it’s too early to tell.

Read the full story on Rappler.

He has formed his own campaign team and put them in an office in Taguig City, where his wife is mayor. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is serious about running for president in 2016, according to sources close to him. They’re closely monitoring surveys to make sure he remains in the running and is viewed by Filipinos as a possible and feasible presidential candidate. The senator plans to release ads as early as in the next few weeks. The goal is to make him  within competitive range by June this year.

Read the full story on Rappler.

Is the end of hunger possible? The answer to this question is yes it is, and yes it is possible to end it in our lifetime. It is said that hunger is the world’s most solvable problem yet currently there are 842 million people who don’t have enough to eat every day. In partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the World Food Programme, Rappler launched on Monday, March 3, the #HungerProject with a special event titled, “The End of Hunger?” The #HungerProject is an online platform to raise awareness, spark intelligent conversation, and inspire action against hunger and related issues.

Read all about the #HungerProject on Rappler.

The Clinton Presidential Library has released close to 4,000 thousands of pages of documents that reveal the struggles of former first lady Hillary Clinton as a politician. Clinton is widely perceived to be the leading Democratic candidate to replace US President Barack Obama. The pages disclose how she disliked the Washington press corps and how she was constantly told not to be defensive in the face of “annoying” questions from the media. Clinton’s aides persistently advised her to show her human side. More documents are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

Read the full story at the Christian Science Monitor

Two studies, one of which was conducted by a team led by Filipino biologists, are challenging some of the basic ideas of plant life. The Rafflesia lagascae, a parasitic plant species found in Luzon, may be missing the genetic code in the chloroplast which allows a plant to perform the basic function of photosynthesis, according to a team of scientists from the United States, Philippines, United Arab Emirates and New Zealand, led by Jeanmarie Molina of Long Island University and Michael Purugganan of New York University. “Using genome sequencing techniques, the researchers could not find an intact genome of the chloroplast in the parasitic plant Rafflesia lagascae. This is the first time that it has been shown that a plant can exist without a chloroplast genome,” the researchers said.

Read the full story on Rappler.

US-based Honeywell Aerospace and Gogo, which supply inflight connectivity systems to airlines, are collaborating with satellite giant Inmarsat to implement the “first global high-speed broadband for the skies” dubbed the Global Xpress (GX) Aviation network. The experience would be akin to sitting at Starbucks with your smartphone, your computer and iPad, executives said. Wifi in aircraft was hobbled in the past by slow speeds. But more airlines are rolling out new and improved services.

Read the full story on Rappler.

We’ve written that this year’s Oscar race saw a strange cross between high-budget blockbusters and small-sized productions. For the Best Picture, it’s worth noting that only 3 of the 9 nominees aren’t rooted in real world events. As of posting, Gravity bagged 3 awards including Best Visual. Lupita Nyongo won Best Supporting Actress for her role in 12 Years a Slave. Jared Leto won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role as Rayon in the critically acclaimed Dallas Buyers Club.

Check the list of winners on Rappler.