Filipino.NET

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZnkNdwj4wkendofvid [starttext] Shine, Mindanao Since 2002, the United States Agency for International Development, the Philippine Department of Energy, Mirant Philippines Foundation, Inc., and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. [endtext]

[starttext]"MANILA, Philippines -- A labor organization called on the government on Sunday to step up pressure on foreign shipping firms to secure the release of 105 Filipino sailors held hostage in seven vessels in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia. "No effort should be spared to safely recover all of the hostages without further delay," the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), through its secretary general Ernesto Herrera, said. Herrera said the government should also see to it that the families of the sailors get adequate help and timely updates on the conditions of their loved ones from the shipping firms or their staffing agencies here." (2009, Inquirer.net ) [endtext]

[starttext] "MANILA, Philippines—Police arrested ABS-CBN news anchor and former Congressman Ted Failon at 12 midnight allegedly for tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice for failure to immediately report the shooting of his wife. Failon was brought to Camp Karingal in Quezon City by the arresting team led by Supt. Gerardo Ratuita, deputy chief of the Quezon City Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit. The popular news anchor was accompanied by his eldest daughter, Kaye, and his lawyers." (2009, Inquirer.net ) [endtext]

"MANILA, Philippines — Police filed obstruction of justice charges against a popular news anchor after the apparent suicide of his wife this week, saying Friday he did not report the incident to the police and tampered with the scene. ABS-CBN radio commentator and television news anchor Ted Failon said he believes he is being targeted by police because he has been critical of them in the past. He has often faulted the Quezon City police for the frequent car thefts in the city. He has also been an outspoken critic of the force over accusations they summarily killed a group of suspected car thieves in February after that incident was caught on tape by his network. Authorities are investigating the allegations. Police denied he was being singled out." (2009, BostonHerald.com )

"The 10-day food festival, which opened on March 13, 2009 with a sit-down buffet dinner attended by Filipino and Japanese VIPs, featured the culinary talents of Chef Myrna Segismundo, who was invited by the DOT for the event. Segismundo is the managing director of Restaurant 9501, the executive corporate dining restaurant of the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. She has had extensive experience both in the Philippines and overseas. She is also one of the participating chefs of "Kulinarya: A Guide to Philippine Cooking," a book published by the Asia Society and the DOT to promote Philippine cuisine in connection with its Kulinarya Filipina program. Visitors to the Festival were treated to a wide array of Filipino food, including staples such as Lechon Kawali, Chicken Adobo, and Beef Pochero, and ingenious variations like Seafood Kinilaw with Green Mango Vinaigrette and Adobo Pâté Canapés." (2009, Philstar.com )

"The Philippine military said it was tightening its cordon around Muslim extremists holding two Red Cross workers hostage, even during the Easter holidays. "There will be no let up in further constricting the kidnappers positions to reduce their freedom of movement especially this Lenten Season," a military statement said. The kidnappers holding Swiss national Andreas Notter and Italian Eugenio Vagni will be looking for security forces to take a "holiday break" from surrounding their hideout on the southern island of Jolo, the statement said." (2009, MSN.com )

"AFTER rumours that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s relationship had hit a rocky patch, recent reports claim that a date between Pitt and his former wife Jennifer Aniston has rubbed Jolie’s wounds again.While Aniston has been in Manhattan shooting for ‘The Baster‘ she was determined to arrange a get-together with Pitt, who was watching the kids at the Waldorf-Astoria while Jolie filmed ‘Salt‘, the ‘Star’ magazine reported. “Jen made two appointments at the hotel’s Guerlain Spas, hoping she would run into Brad”. – PTHowever she wasn’t leaving it all to chance so she gave him a call.“Jen called Brad to say she was in New York and would love to see him,” the insider revealed. “She wanted to talk to him about some things on her mind. Brad was only happy to catch up,” the insider added. " (2009, Nation.com.pk )

Keepon dancing to Spoon's "I Turn My Camera On" One little yellow robot is a hot contender for cutest medical device. "Two years ago, a yellow spongiform robot named Keepon became a minor YouTube sensation when one of its creators programmed it to do a squishy, twisty dance in time to the Spoon song "I Turn My Camera On." The video has garnered more than 2 million hits. Now Keepon's keepers, Marek Michalowski, a Ph.D student in robotics at Carnegie Mellon University, and Hideki Kozima of Miyagi University in Japan, are turning Keepon's attention to a more serious task: to study how children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) interact socially and to see if the robot may be able to help in therapy." (2009, Popsci.com )

" The head of the Red Cross in the Philippines has said the armed group holding two of its aid workers hostage has renewed its threats to kill them. Richard Gordon, who is also a Philippine senator, said the threat was made late on Friday by Albader Parad, an Abu Sayyaf commander, in a telephone call. "I will do what I told you I will do," Gordon quoted Parad as saying. Abu Sayyaf is demanding the government pull back its forces on the southern island of Jolo." (2009, Aljazeera.com )

"Manila - Philippine authorities Sunday rejected fresh demands by Muslim militants for government forces to withdraw from a wide area of a southern island where the rebels were holding captive two European Red Cross workers. The al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf rebel group also renewed their threat to kill the two hostages - Swiss Andreas Notter and Italian Eugenio Vagni - unless troops pulled back from their jungle hideout on Jolo island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila. The rebels freed one of the hostages, Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba, last Thursday without ransom. But they refused to free the two Europeans and reiterated their demand for troops to pull out to pave the way for negotiations. Defence Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said the government could not give in to the demands of the Abu Sayyaf because a troop pullout would endanger communities on Jolo." (2009, MonsterandCritics.com )

"MANILA, Philippines – After admitting he crossed the line in calling the Philippines a “nation of servants" in his article, HK Magazine columnist Chip Tsao approached Philippine authorities in Hong Kong Wednesday night to personally extend his apologies, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday. "Mr. Chip Tsao went to the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong last night and conveyed to consulate officials and Filipino community leaders his ‘most sincere apologies for the offense he had caused’," DFA spokesperson Eduardo Malaya said in a text message to reporters. " (2009, Gmanews.tv )

"A federal judge in Newark yesterday reduced the espionage sentence of a former Philippine National Police officer, clearing the way for a hearing to determine if he will be extradited to his homeland to face murder charges. Michael Ray Aquino, who has been imprisoned since 2005 for possessing classified U.S. military documents, was resentenced to three years and 10 months, which would have made him eligible for immediate release." (2009, NJ.com )

"MANILA, PHILIPPINES: Philippine authorities were trying to re-establish contact with al-Qaida-linked militants threatening to kill three Red Cross hostages, officials said Thursday (2 April). Gov. Abdusakur Tan of southern Sulu province, where the Abu Sayyaf threatened to behead one hostage this week, said the militants and captives were on the run as the government redeployed troops around a hilly area on Jolo island close to their camp. Tan declared a state of emergency on Jolo on Tuesday (31 April), hours after the beaheading deadline set by the militants lapsed. Tan later said he had information but not proof the hostages were alive as troops rumbled off in tanks and trucks to try to prevent the militants from escaping." (2009, Mysinchew.com )