Here is a piece of news that the US embassy and the presidential palace would surely welcome: Rape victim “Nicole” has recanted her testimony, fired her lawyer and has gone to the US as early as last week.

Also today, groups, public officials and public figures relaunched the Junk VFA Movement. It appears they are surprised but unperturbed by the recent acts of “Nicole”and whether these would affect the crusade to have the VFA nullified.

We can only speculate what has happened between now and the day the Supreme Court issued its recent ruling — perhaps

The fourth impeachment complaint has been killed by President Arroyo’s hordes in the House of Representatives and they delighted in doing it. They even went so far as to invent something perverse in the process of protecting their principal, according to lawyer’s group NUPL.

With the impeachment complaint buried, pro-Arroyo diehards appear to be preparing for a dance extravaganza that will trample harder on our rights and liberties. The dance, as we all know it by now, is called Chacha or charter change.

Thus, the Christmas season will be marked with Holiday protests on Dec. 12. Whether this signals something big happening by the first quarter, we can only hope, nay, work for it ourselves.

Barack Obama’s victory in the US elections is a big step forward for the American people. It is a historic achievement that the Americans chose their first black president despite lingering racism. It is likewise welcome news to the world’s peoples that Americans soundly rejected the continuation of Republican rule that is marked by plunder and war. It is thus no surprise that many non-Americans welcomed Obama’s candidacy and were elated by his election.

Progressives in the US and elsewhere have much to learn from Obama’s campaign. Obama’s raising of the clarion call of change captured the imagination and support of people, especially the workingpeople, the minorities and the youth. Even the conservatives were so attracted by the call for change, they left the tight embrace of their political party afters years of fealty and loyalty. Obama also used technology to advance his campaign, be it to expand his organization or to garner financial support mostly from common people who pitched in small amounts. He expanded the political map in favor of the Democratic Party, thanks to his huge organization and the enormous resources that his supporters donated to him, dime after dime.