BAGHDAD — A security official from Iraq’s Kataeb Hezbollah (KH) militia said attacks against US interests on Friday are the start of “new rules of engagement.”The Iran-aligned group, while not claiming responsibility for a rare attack on the US embassy in Baghdad on Friday, claimed the embassy was a forward operating base for planning military operations. ADVERTISEMENTThe attack was condemned by the US and by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who said it was an act of terrorism against a diplomatic mission. READ: US embassy in Baghdad struck with 7 mortars as attacks escalateBut KH security official Abu Ali al-Askari said in a social media post that those who described the US embassy in Baghdad as a diplomatic mission were “subservient” and self-interested. The group, which goes by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, claimed 11 attacks against US forces on Friday, the most in a single day since they began in mid-October. Subscribe to our daily newsletter SIGN ME UPREAD: Hezbollah exec says his group already ‘in the heart’ of Israel-Hamas war

United Nations, United States — The United States on Friday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have called for an immediate ceasefire in the intense fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. “This resolution still contains a call for an unconditional ceasefire… it would leave Hamas in place able to repeat what it did on October 7,” Wood said. ADVERTISEMENTGuterres had convened an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council after weeks of fighting left more than 17,487 people dead in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the latest toll from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. “Regrettably… this council is unable to demand a humanitarian ceasefire.”As a permanent Security Council member, Washington can veto any resolution, while Britain, also a member, abstained on the vote, and the 13 other members voted in favor. Guterres had sought a “humanitarian ceasefire” to prevent “a catastrophe with potentially irreversible implications for Palestinians” and the entire Middle East.

Indigenous land conflict increased by 70,300 hectares in 2023 — reportThis file photo shows members of national minority groups symbolically sentence American troops, represented by the chicken, to death. The Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC) shared in its 2023 State of Indigenous Peoples Address (SIPA 2023) Report their findings, emphasizing a surge in land and environmental conflicts. The report cited data from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), highlighting low success rates in recognizing and safeguarding ancestral domains. "26 years after the passage of the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act, the government’s adherence to the Regalian Doctrine continues to undermine its meaningful implementation even with no less than the 1987 constitution’s guarantees to indigenous peoples’ right," Dulce said. 'Increase of rights abuses'The report noted a surge in alleged human rights violations, documenting at least 45,070 affected IPs.

BI deports Fil-Swiss activist based on undisclosed intel reportMANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration cited an undisclosed intelligence report as the basis for the deportation of Anakbayan Switzerland chairperson Edna Becher upon her recent arrival in the Philippines. Becher, a Filipina-Swiss activist, was earlier barred from entering the country after arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Terminal 3. "Subject was excluded for being blacklisted in the Philippines since 2021," said Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval to Philstar.com on Saturday. "She was the subject of a government intelligence report regarding activities that may be considered as undesirable." Becher's group is a legal activist formation that organizes the youth sector in the Philippines and abroad.

The BSP is maintaining a hawkish interest rate posture even as inflation decelerated to 4.1 percent for November – which is better than expected and only a touch outside the 2 to 4 percent target inflation range. Our unemployment rate is at an 18-year low, matching the lows of the Arroyo era when the economy was solidly managed. In other economies, the unemployment rate usually rises when monetary authorities tighten through interest rate increases. The exuberance indicated by a lower inflation rate and an even lower unemployment rate may be short-lived. This should be a cautionary tale for hawkish central bankers fixated exclusively on the inflation rate.

BEIJING — China will “strictly and reasonably” control total coal use and curb high-emissions projects to improve air quality, China’s state council said in an action plan released on Thursday. ADVERTISEMENTOther proposed measures include the development of new and clean energy, increasing natural gas production, and curbing projects that lead to high energy consumption and high emissions. READ: Unfazed by smog, runners go maskless in BeijingThe plan sets a target to reduce coal consumption in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and surrounding areas by about 10% from 2020 levels by 2025. The government also called for the consumption of energy from alternative or renewable sources to account for about 20% of total consumption by 2025. Subscribe to our daily newsletter SIGN ME UPChinese cities have grappled with high air pollution readings in recent months despite authorities’ efforts to improve air quality in recent years.

Corporate reputationWhy do some entities shy away from doing business with our government? Unfortunately, predictability and consistency in so far as the rules of the game are concerned is important to businesses. The Comelec earlier set the deadline for the submissions for the 2025 automated election on Dec. 12. If it is Comelec’s intention to safeguard the integrity of future elections, including the 2025 presidential election, then this is definitely not the way to do it. And we aren’t even talking about the damage to Smartmatic’s reputation that Comelec’s ban may cause.

MOSCOW, Russia – President Vladimir Putin said Friday he will run for re-election in 2024, Russian news agencies reported, allowing the Kremlin leader to extend his decades-long grip on power into the 2030s. Following a controversial constitutional reform in 2020, Putin could stay in power until at least 2036. Putin tightened media rules on covering the 2024 election in November, banning some independent media outlets from accessing polling stations. Five major parties have been allowed to submit a candidate for the 2024 vote without collecting signatures, all of which support the Kremlin and the offensive in Ukraine. Analysts say Putin has sensed revived fortunes as Western support for Ukraine frays and Kyiv’s counter-offensive fails to pierce heavily entrenched Russian lines.

Doogee S Mini positions itself as an adventurer’s partnerThe Doogee S Mini makes a bold statement with its rugged design, featuring reinforced corners and a durable frame that can handle the rigors of outdoor adventures. Adventure seekers and thrill enthusiasts, meet your new companion – the Doogee S Mini. The Doogee S Mini measures 133.0 x 60.0 x 13.5mm and weighs at a lightweight 155g. Adventure-ready cameraThe Doogee S Mini doesn't just survive the adventure; it helps you capture it in vivid detail. For thrill-seekers who demand more from their smartphones, the Doogee S Mini emerges as a rugged and reliable companion.

TOKYO: A Japanese court is due Tuesday to give a verdict in the landmark trial of three ex-soldiers accused of sexual assault in a country where still very few victims come forward. STANDING UP Former soldier Rina Gonoi at a news conference at Japan’s National Press Club in the capital Tokyo on Jan. 30, 2023. A Japanese court is due Tuesday, December 12, to give a verdict in the landmark trial of three ex-soldiers accused of sexual assault in a country where still very few victims come forward. "In Japan, suffering sexual violence brings stigma and shame, often leaving survivors reluctant to come forward," Teppei Kasai from Human Rights Watch told AFP. "The 'rape myth' persists in Japan, meaning that there is a widespread assumption that the victims of rape and sexual assault are at fault," said Machiko Osawa, a researcher at Japan Women's University.

MANILA, Philippines: Promising young players sent by the Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) to compete in Malaysia captured multiple gold medals in the 38th Penang Open International Juniors Tennis Championships held from November 29 to December 3, 2023. Winning titles in the singles event were Kenzo Brodeth in the boys 14-under, Kendrick Bona in the boys 16-under, Mateo Rivas in the boys 18-under, Jana Jelena Diaz in the girls 14-under, Maria Hannah Divinagracia in the girls 16-under, and Kaye Ann Emana in the girls 18-under. The Unified Tennis Philippines (UTP) players and coaches show off their medals at the 38th Penang Open International Juniors Tennis Championships in Malaysia. Caroliean Fiel in the girls 10-under, Jayden Reece Ballado in the girls 14-under, Kimi Brodeth in the girls 16-under, and Mica Ella Emana in the girls 18-under. UTP and Cebuana Lhuillier president Jean Henri Lhuillier expressed extreme pride and inspiration following the outstanding performances of the young Filipino netters in Penang, Malaysia.

Indigenous peoples, settlers say no to mineral reservation in Maguindanao del SurIndigenous peoples and migrant settlers held a protest Thursday in front of the municipal gym in South Upi. MANILA, Philippines — The Lambangian and Teduray indigenous communities, along with migrant settlers in Maguindanao del Sur, have voiced their opposition to a proposed mineral reservation area, fearing the potential destruction of their forests and traditional grounds. Around 300 indigenous peoples and migrant settlers held a protest Thursday in front of the municipal gym in South Upi, according to the group Task Force Bantay Kalikasan (TFBK). The proposed mineral reservation area will cover Mt. “The burial grounds of our ancestors and the remaining forests such as Uga, Fengalungon and Kinemkem are within the proposed mineral reservation area.

The De La Salle Green Archers outlasted the UP Fighting Maroons, 73-69, in Game 3 of their Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 to win the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball championship. The victory over the Fighting Maroons netted La Salle its first title in seven years and 10th overall in the tourney. Video by Niel Victor Masoy

A defence from five participantsUS Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry arrives for a press conference at the United Nations climate summit in Dubai on December 6, 2023. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — In recent years, there have been growing questions about whether the climate talks known as COP are useful. Here, five participants at this year's COP28 defend the meetings, insisting that without them, the planet would be in much worse shape. "There is a potentially historic moment to seize, given the international mobilisation on the objective of tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency... Gustavo Pinheiro, senior associate for E3G in Brazil:"We wouldn't even have knowledge about climate change," without the COP process, Pinheiro told AFP.

THE Emirati head of the UN's climate conference pressed countries on Wednesday to strive for common ground and reach a "historic" deal by early next week, giving negotiators days to untangle disagreements over the fate of fossil fuels. COP28 president Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber speaks during a press conference at the United Nations climate summit in Dubai on December 4, 2023. KARIM SAHIB / AFP COP28 president Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber speaks during a press conference at the United Nations climate summit in Dubai on December 4, 2023. COP28 kicked off last week with the landmark launch of a loss and damage fund for nations devastated by climate change. "I want this COP to mark the beginning of the end for fossil fuels," European climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said on Wednesday.