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Abduction by state agents: An isolated incident or a growing pattern?
By: CMFR StaffPosted on: March 18, 2024, 3:52 pm JEERS TO the media for reporting the abduction in Batangas of Jose Marie Estiller on February 20 as an isolated incident and for not providing the necessary background of past cases of abductions and enforced disappearances by state agents in the country. The lack of context ignores the continuing reality of human rights violations against activists.....»»
Abduction by state agents: An isolated incident or a growing pattern
JEERS TO the media for reporting the abduction in Batangas of Jose Marie Estiller on February 20 as an isolated incident and for not providing the necessary background of past cases of abductions and enforced disappearances by state agents in the country. The lack of context ignores the continuing reality of human rights violations against activists and critics during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.Media.....»»
Pope Francis urged to offer financial support for abused nuns
Activists call for Pope Francis to establish a fund for nuns who quit religious life due to abuse from priests.....»»
Using 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence at Work
Thanks to the efforts of feminists, trade unionists, and human rights activists, violence against women, once a normalized practice, is now widely acknowledged as a human rights violation - including in the world of work.From the struggle of domestic workers campaigning for legal protections in Indonesia to women athletes fighting against sexual abuse in sports, activists and trade unionists have pushed their go.....»»
Marcos discusses labor relations with Crown Prince of Kuwait
RIYADH — The Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, had a short bilateral meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit here, Malacañang said on Friday. In a brief statement from the Palace, both the head of state discussed the "labor relations between the two countries." The government has yet to provide information on the meeting as of writing. Kuwait is one of the top destinations for Filipino workers abroad, with over 250,000 Filipinos working there. However, there have been recent reports of abuse and exploitation of Filipino workers in Kuwait. Last May, Kuwait indefinitely suspended the issuance of new visas to Philippine citizens amid concerns between the Gulf nation and Manila concerning safeguarding worker rights and employer prerogatives. The Middle Eastern country's decision to suspend visas comes in response to the Philippines' earlier move in February to halt the initial deployment of domestic workers to Kuwait. The Philippines implemented the measure following the discovery of the body of domestic worker Jullebee Ranara in the Kuwaiti desert in January. The post Marcos discusses labor relations with Crown Prince of Kuwait appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NGOs question occupational permits given to prostituted women
NGOs in Davao City question the occupational permits given to prostituted women, stating that selling one's body for sex should not be classified as legitimate work. Referring to prostituted women as 'pokpok' or 'sex workers' only exacerbates discrimination against them, rather than addressing the root cause of the issue. Jeanette Ampog, executive director of Talikala Incorporated, argues that the term 'sex workers' fails to accurately portray the exploitative situations these women face, and instead, glamorizes their predicament. There are existing laws against prostitution, such as Republic Act (RA) Number 11930 (Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children), RA 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse), RA 9710 (Magna Carta of Women), and a local ordinance in Davao in its second reading for OSAEC, but Ampog expressed hope that it would pass the final reading. This, she believes, would signal the commitment of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Davao to fund programs for prostituted women. Lawig Bubai and Talikala called on government bodies, non-government groups, and faith-based organizations to address the root causes of prostitution.....»»
Socorro town under close Comelec monitoring ahead of barangay, SK elections
The Commission on Elections said it is closely monitoring developments in Socorro municipality, Surigao del Norte ahead of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on 30 October. Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said the poll body wants to ensure there will be no failure of election in the area. “Dapat maayos at makakaboto sila nang walang pressure, walang dikta ng kahit na sino, at the same time, base sa kung ano ang kalooban nila (They should be able to vote without pressure, no influence from others, but according to their will),” he said in a media interview on Thursday. The security situation in Socorro municipality is currently being assessed amid the ongoing investigation by the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, which began on Thursday. on the alleged presence of a shabu laboratory and a heavily armed private army within the town’s Sitio Kapihan, Barangay Sering, The senate joint panel is also investigating the alleged systematic rape, sexual abuse, trafficking, forced labor and child marriage in the area perpetrated by a local cult. “‘Yun ang issue sa Socorro and that’s the reason why the Comelec is monitoring closely the development in Socorro and likewise ‘yung hearing d’yan sa Senado (That’s the issue in Socorro and that’s the reason why Comelec is monitoring closely the development in Socorro and likewise the Senate hearing),” Garcia said. Garcia urged the town’s residents not to worry about a "possible postponement of the elections” in the area, as he noted that the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines have not yet recommended deferring the election. “There should be no failure of election in any part of the country and we can hold the elections at all costs,” he added. The post Socorro town under close Comelec monitoring ahead of barangay, SK elections appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Helmut Lang and Ralph Lauren kick off New York Fashion Week
Amid sweltering heat and jitters over the Hollywood strike, New York kicked off its Spring-Summer 2024 Fashion Week on Friday, with heavyweights Ralph Lauren and Helmut Lang returning to the industry's flagship event with fresh ideas. American luxury brand Coach unveiled its collection of sensual translucent dresses at the New York Public Library in Manhattan on Thursday, but the event was briefly disrupted by animal rights activists. As Vogue editor Anna Wintour and Jennifer Lopez watched the show, two female protesters from the animal rights group PETA -- one covered in body paint that mimicked animal flaying and another holding a poster that read "Coach: Leather Kills" -- joined the models on the runway before security led them away. At another unofficial kick-off event on Wednesday, featuring Naomi Campbell, Doja Cat, Naomi Osaka and Gigi Hadid, the iconic lingerie label Victoria's Secret teased a film meant to showcase the brand's new and more inclusive identity after it was criticized for designing garments that objectify women. The film, entitled "The Victoria's Secret World Tour," to be released on Amazon Prime at the end of September, highlights the work of creators and artists from Lagos, London, Bogota, and Tokyo. Yellow taxi This year, New York Fashion Week will feature young talents and emerging brands, along with heavyweights such as Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Altuzarra, Gabriela Hearst, Carolina Herrera, Tory Burch, and Luar. The city will then pass the baton to London, Milan, and Paris. "New York has always been a cornerstone of Fashion Week," said Steven Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. "It really underscores how strong it is, in terms of presenting creative thinking." Under the humid heat of the New York summer, the six-day marathon kicked off Friday afternoon in Manhattan's Lower East Side with a show by Helmut Lang, who rose to fame in the 1990s and 2000s, thanks to the minimalist aesthetic of the Austrian artist. Helmut Lang, the designer, left fashion in 2005 but Helmut Lang, the brand, lives on, bought by Prada and then by the Japanese group Fast Retailing, which owns Uniqlo. The brand now returns to the runways of the Big Apple with a collection concocted by its new artistic director, Peter Do, widely considered a fashion prodigy. The show had nostalgic undertones, a bow to the 1990s when it became the first fashion brand to advertise on New York yellow taxi signs. Fewer red carpets Another brand to make its return on Friday, albeit in Brooklyn where many of the fashion shows have migrated, was Ralph Lauren, the legendary brand that defined American elegance and embodied preppy US style with an annual turnover of more than $6 billion. The brand, whose founder was born in the Bronx, has not held a show in New York since 2019. This fashion season is marked by the double strike of Hollywood screenwriters and actors seeking better compensation, which has reduced the number of red carpet previews to a minimum, thus depriving brands of a chance to dress stars and promote themselves in the process. "Certainly, the red carpet is a way to speak to the audience," said Kolb, adding that fashion shows were no less important. The "content that they create for social channels will contribute to a very loud, very visible Fashion Week," he added. The post Helmut Lang and Ralph Lauren kick off New York Fashion Week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NSC denies NTF-ELCAC’s links to 2 missing youth activists
The National Security Council on Thursday challenged Human Rights watchdog Karapatan to provide proof that the government's anti-insurgency task force is behind the reported abduction of two youth activists involved in an anti-reclamation campaign in Bataan province. NSC Assistant Director-General, Jonathan Malaya, insisted there was no way that the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict would do such an act. “As if on cue, the alleged abduction of the two individuals has once again been blamed on the NTF-ELCAC, without any shred of evidence whatsoever,” Malaya said in a statement. According to Karapatan, Jhed Tamano, 22, and Jonila Castro, 21, have gone missing as of Monday. Amador Cadano, Karapatan-Central Luzon spokesperson, cited accounts of witnesses that suspected armed men were seen forcing Tamano and Castro inside a gray Toyota Innova in front of the Orion Water District in Barangay Lati around 8 p.m. on 2 September. “Before they went missing, the two reported being tailed by men wearing civilian clothes. The two stayed in Sitio Ormoc in Barangay Balut (also in Orion) for at least three days, consulting the community for a possible relief operation,” Cadano said. The group held state forces, the NTF-ELCAC, and the Marcos administration should be held “accountable for the enforced disappearance of Jhed and Jonila and all others who disappeared in the region and in the nation.” Malaya described this as a 'usual playbook' of the group saying, “The NTF-ELCAC is the convenient scapegoat by this front organization for any alleged deficiency of government.” “We challenge Karapatan to come up with any evidence or proof of wrong-doing by the NTF ELCAC and submit the same to the Department of Justice for preliminary investigation,” Malaya said. Should there be no evidence be presented, Malaya said the group must let the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group do their job. “If they have none, then they should let the PNP CIDG conduct its investigation rather than pointing fingers at the NTF ELCAC with complete disregard for the truth,” he added. The NSC serves as the vice chair of the anti-communist insurgency body. The post NSC denies NTF-ELCAC’s links to 2 missing youth activists appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
MAP denies backing on dismissed MIAA chief
Management Association of the Philippines president, Atty. Benedicta Du-Baladad denied that her group aired its support to the dismissed Manila International Airport Authority, General Manager Cesar Chiong, and MIAA OIC assistant general manager Irene Montalbo, saying that the backing came from some of its members. Besides MAP, the Makati Business Club last week released a statement of support backing Chiong and Montalbo, questioning the decision of Ombudsman Samuel Martires. “Please note that this is not a MAP statement. Nowhere should the statement be attributed to MAP. This is a statement of individual businessmen and professionals who requested us to distribute it to the media,” Baladad told the Daily Tribune. Trabaho Partylist on Wednesday also hit business groups petition urging Ombudsman Martires to reverse the decision dismissing Chiong, stating that it is a clear interference with the independence and investigatory functions of the Ombudsman. “While the 1987 Constitution created the Ombudsman as ‘an independent constitutional body, unfettered by political influence and insulated it from the ebb and tide of political fortunes,’ here comes now a group of businessmen trying to erode the integrity of the office,” Trabaho Partylist Secretary General Atty. Juan Paolo Lorica said. “The decision dismissing Chiong and MIAA OIC assistant general manager Irene Montalbo is clearly supported by evidence. It is unfair for the business sector to even insinuate that the Ombudsman and the panel of investigators did not investigate and decide the case with utmost objectivity,” he added. Lorica pointed out that Martires’ record as Ombudsman has consistently shown he has maintained his independence and that he does not look into the political color of the respondents of the cases being decided by his office. “It must be recalled that Ombudsman Martires caused the withdrawal of the usurpation case that his predecessor has filed against President Noynoy Aquino. And just recently he dismissed from the service the Over-All Deputy Ombudsman for his involvement in the Pharmally case. The Ombudsman exacted justice for the Filipino people even as other government organs failed to do the same,” he said. The Trabaho Partylist Secretary General further stressed that what the business groups are asking is for the Ombudsman to favor Chiong. “Is Chiong the only citizen who can manage the airport efficiently and effectively? Is he the only citizen who is honest for which this government must lean on?” he asked. Last April 2023, Chiong and Montalbo were put on preventive suspension by the Ombudsman for Grave Abuse of Authority, Grave Misconduct, and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service for reassigning 285 MIIA personnel despite the two officials’ temporary positions in the attached agency of the Department of Transportation. The post MAP denies backing on dismissed MIAA chief appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Plus-size movement reshapes fashion in Brazil
Defying the fashion world's narrow stereotype of beauty, Brazilian plus-size designer Amanda Momente poses confidently for the camera, wearing the clothing label she founded after failing to find other options that fit. More than half of all adults in Brazil are overweight, but Momente is part of a growing movement of entrepreneurs, activists and models who are fed up with a fashion industry they say fails to fit their needs and shames them for their bodies. "Society judged me based on one thing, so I took that thing and used it... to launch my business," says Momente, 34, dressed in a sheer black bodysuit created by Wondersize, the company she founded in 2017. The former real-estate agent, who sports a pink mohawk and multiple tattoos, got the idea after feeling uncomfortable at the gym in clothes she says were too tight, turned transparent when stretched or bunched up around her thighs. She decided to find a seamstress to help her make her own workout outfit. It turned out so well she quit her day job and plunged headfirst into the fashion world, she says. The rise of colorful, stylish clothes for Brazilians with large bodies is part of a broader international trend rejecting unrealistic standards of beauty, especially for women. "The fashion industry needs to fit our bodies, not the other way around," says Momente. - 'Identity and dignity' - Major brands tend to dedicate at most a small portion of their lines to clothing in larger sizes, leaving "repressed" demand, says Marcela Liz, head of the Brazil Plus Size Association. The plus-size sector grew in Brazil more than 75 percent in the decade through 2021, reaching sales of 9.6 billion reais (about $1.9 billion) that year, according to the association. It projects sales will hit 15 billion reais by 2027 in Latin America's biggest economy. "Supply has improved, but we're still not meeting demand," says Liz. The nascent industry sashayed through Sao Paulo this month at the Pop Plus fair, where indie designers showed off sparkling skirts, racy tops, T-shirts stamped with bold statements and other clothes in sizes ranging up to 70. "The market saw fat people as people who didn't like fashion, who just wanted to hide their bodies," says Flavia Durante, the activist who founded the fair in 2012. "We had clothes, not fashion," she told AFP. "Fashion isn't just about consumption. It's about identity and dignity." - More work to do - TV presenter and plus-size model Letticia Munniz has strutted the runway at glitzy Sao Paulo fashion week, made the cover of glossy magazines and been the face of numerous ad campaigns. But she says real inclusion remains a long way off for the overweight and obese in Brazil -- 57 percent and 23 percent of the adult population, respectively, in the country of 203 million people. "Things have improved, but our work is still seen as just checking a quota box. We're not seen as real equals," she says. The activist and influencer, who usually wears custom-made clothes, says she is glad to see more plus sizes on runways -- but adds that doesn't necessarily mean they are actually available in stores. She encourages her more than one million followers on social media to love themselves as they are. "When you find something made to exalt your body instead of hide it, it changes everything," she says in one post. mls/jhb/md/dw © Agence France-Presse The post Plus-size movement reshapes fashion in Brazil appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Indonesia capital becomes world’s most polluted major city: monitor
Indonesian capital Jakarta has become the world's most polluted major city, according to air quality monitoring firm IQAir, topping global charts for days as authorities fail to grapple with a spike in toxic smog. Air pollution is estimated to contribute to seven million premature deaths every year and is considered by the United Nations to be the single biggest environmental health risk. The capital and its surroundings form a megalopolis of about 30 million people that has outpaced other heavily polluted cities including Riyadh, Doha and Lahore all week for its concentration of tiny particles known as PM2.5. It has topped Swiss company IQAir's ranking of pollution data -- which only tracks major cities -- every day since Monday, according to an AFP tally. Jakarta has regularly recorded "unhealthy" levels of PM2.5, which can penetrate airways to cause respiratory problems, many times the World Health Organization's recommended levels. President Joko Widodo told reporters Monday he plans to tackle pollution levels by reducing "Jakarta's burden" as the country prepares to move its capital to Nusantara on Borneo island next year. He also said a planned metro train network across Jakarta "must be finished" to reduce pollution. Residents have complained that the pollution caused by industrial smog, traffic congestion and coal-powered plants was affecting their lives and health. "I have to wear a mask all the time. Both my body and my face are suffering," Anggy Violita, a 32-year-old officer worker in Jakarta, told AFP. "Last week my entire family was sick for a week and the doctor told me I should stay indoors," the mother-of-two added. In 2021 a court ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by activists and citizens against the government, ordering Widodo to clean up the city's notorious air pollution and ruling he and other top officials had been negligent in protecting residents. Indonesia has pledged to stop building new coal-fired power plants from 2023 and to be carbon neutral by 2050. But despite an outcry from activists, the government is expanding the enormous Suralaya coal plant on Java island, one of the biggest in Southeast Asia. According to Greenpeace Indonesia, 10 coal-fired power plants are operating within a 100-kilometre (62 miles) radius of the capital. The post Indonesia capital becomes world’s most polluted major city: monitor appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bills up amid P24-B recovery
Luzon customers may soon pay for additional charges in their monthly electricity bills as the Energy Regulatory Commission, or ERC, prepares to issue an order that will implement a high court-approved recovery of at least P24 billion in generation losses. In an interview with reporters last week, ERC chairperson lawyer Monalisa Dimalanta disclosed that the collection, which will likely be on a staggered basis within three years, takes effect next year. “We have calculated it, so the timing (of collection) is what we care about now. The cost is somehow hefty so we will spread the collection for three years,” Dimalanta said. ERC order According to her, the ERC will issue an order to allow the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines, or IEMOP, to start the Luzon-wide collection of generation charges. “It will be co-collected with the consumers, but not all generation companies have claims, there are others who will pay for it,” she noted. For Manila Electric Co., or Meralco alone, the development means that customers will collectively pay to recover as much as P22.64 billion in generation loss from way back in 2013. This is part of the Supreme Court, or SC, ruling released last year. SC voids ERC order It can be recalled that the SC — through a decision promulgated on 3 August 2021, a copy of which was only released online on 1 July 2022 — voided the ERC order that was supposed to regulate prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, or WESM for November to December 2013. The move, according to ERC, should have capped spot market prices for the period to cut rates and lessen the high prices impact on customers by more than a third, or to just P7 million from P24 billion. The SC pointed out that the ERC’s order cannot be implemented due to the possibility of market power abuse, which could affect electricity prices. Address abnormal spike However, in its order, the ERC argued that it only wanted to address the abnormal spike and unreasonable electricity costs imposed by generation companies, or gencos during the period. The regulatory body also investigated alleged collusion among gencos to manipulate prices of electricity in the spot market during the maintenance shutdown of the Malampaya gas facility for a similar period. Yet, the SC pointed out that the ERC failed to notify the affected parties about its probe, which violated the gencos’ right to due process. The post Bills up amid P24-B recovery appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Thai PM bet faces suspension
Thailand’s frontrunning candidate for prime minister found himself facing disqualification and possible charges Wednesday as the Election Commission alleged he violated campaign rules for parliamentarians. The EC recommended Wednesday to the Constitutional Commission Pita Limjaroenrat’s suspension as a member of parliament after its investigation determined he owns a defunct broadcast company which is not allowed for MPs. “The Election Commission has considered the issue... and perceives that the status of Pita Limcharoenrat is considered to be voided, according to the Thai Constitution,” EC said in a statement Wednesday, adding that it had concluded its probe. Move Forward Party’s Pita accused the EC of “abuse of power.” “The decision to submit a case to the court saying there was enough evidence, without informing him of any charges and not allowing him a chance to explain as under the regulations set by the EC... is an abuse of power under the criminal code,” MFP said in a statement. Chairman Ittiporn Boonprakong confirmed to Agence France-Presse the body’s recommendation. The EC stated that Pita is the holder of iTV shares during the election registration date. If found guilty in court, he could be barred from politics while facing up to 10 years in prison. Pita says he inherited the shares in the television station, which has not broadcast since 2007, from his father. The decision throws yet another hurdle ahead of Pita’s path to the premiership. Although backed by an eight-party coalition, he is still 64 votes short of the absolute majority required to surpass the junta-appointed senators. Many oppose Pita and his party because of their determination to amend Thailand’s tough royal defamation laws that protect King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his family. The post Thai PM bet faces suspension appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Facebook says China trolls ‘evolving’ in push for influence
Networks of fake Facebook accounts run from China are "evolving" and adopting new tactics in their quest to sow discord overseas, the social media platform told Australian lawmakers Tuesday. Fronting a Senate inquiry into foreign interference, officials from parent company Meta said there had been a noticeable "shift in tactics" by China-based networks over the past seven months. Meta spokesman Josh Machin said coordinated networks of Chinese Facebook accounts were increasingly trying to influence public opinion by targeting journalists, charities and public relations firms. "We are seeing a whole new range of tactics evolving," Machin told the inquiry. Meta recently removed dozens of Facebook accounts belonging to a China-based network waging a coordinated disinformation campaign in Europe. The network had been sharing incendiary content attacking migrants and LGBTQ activists. It had also set up a front media company, hired freelance writers and attempted to recruit protesters, Meta said in May. Lawmakers have been grilling social media companies as Australia steps up efforts to detect and eliminate foreign interference threats such as election meddling. The government has said spying and foreign interference is the "principal security concern facing Australia". Australia will hold a historic referendum on Indigenous rights this year, and there are fears foreign actors may use social media to inflame racial divisions within the country. Meta's policy director for Australia and New Zealand, Mia Garlick, said the platform would be rolling out a suite of measures to combat misinformation in the lead-up to the referendum. "We've developed a comprehensive strategy in consultation with First Nations communities to combat misinformation and voter interference as well as other forms of abuse that could occur on our platform," she told the inquiry. Australia has been at the forefront of efforts to regulate digital platforms, and has adopted measures to force them to take down violent videos and hand over identities of online trolls. The government recently proposed new laws that could result in tech giants being slapped with hefty fines if they fail to tackle disinformation. Under the draft legislation, the owners of platforms like Facebook, Google, Twitter and TikTok would face penalties worth up to five percent of annual global turnover -- some of the highest proposed anywhere in the world. The post Facebook says China trolls ‘evolving’ in push for influence appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Star gymnast Biles poised for August return to competition
Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles is poised to compete in August for the first time since mental health and safety concerns cut short her Tokyo Olympics campaign, entering the August US Classic near Chicago. USA Gymnastics announced Wednesday that the four-time Olympic gold medallist was entered in the August 4-5 event, which would be her first since she withdrew from most of her events in Tokyo in 2021. "Registration...does not guarantee participation," USA Gymnastics warned in the statement. "Every athlete is at a different place in their season and career, and we will support each of them, wherever they are in their journey," said USA Gymnastics chief programs officer Stefanie Korepin. Biles electrified the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where she won gold in team, all-around, vault and floor exercise as well as a balance beam bronze. She entered the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021 as a heavy favorite to win as many as five gold medals. She hadn't lost an all-around competition since 2013 and her build up to the Games included mastery of a daring Yurchenko double pike vault that had never before been seen in women's competition. However, she would depart Tokyo with only team silver and a balance beam bronze, however, her campaign cut short after she experienced the "twisties" -- the phenomenon in which gymnasts lose the ability to orientate themselves in mid-air. Biles withdrew from the team event after performing on one apparatus and later withdrew from the all-around competition and the finals for vault, uneven bars and floor exercise, saying at the time she needed to prioritze her mental health. Biles said in a video released after Tokyo that her problems had been building for a while. "I wouldn't even say it started in Tokyo. I feel like it was probably a little bit deeper-rooted than that," Biles said. "I think it was just the stress factor. It kind of built up over time, and my body and my mind just said no. But even I didn't know I was going through it until it just happened." "It just sucks," Biles said in the video. "But I know that I helped a lot of people and athletes speak out about mental health and saying no. Because I knew I couldn't go out there and compete. I knew I was going to get hurt." After the Tokyo Games, in September 2021, Biles testified before a U.S. Senate committee looking into FBI failures in investigating sexual abuse by former gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. Nassar received a life sentence after pleading guilty in late 2017 and early 2018 to sexually assaulting women and girls while working as a sports medicine doctor at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University. - Another Olympics? - In recent months Biles's popular social media feeds have featured not gymnastics but news of her personal life, including her marriage to NFL Safety Jonathan Owens, then with the Houston Texans, in April. When Owens signed with the Green Bay Packers in May she endeared herself to Green Bay fans by soliciting suggestions on what to see and do in the couple's new town. Biles has won 25 world championships medals, 19 of them gold, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden in 2022. Although she hasn't outlined her plans, the US Classic is roughly a year out from the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Biles has used the event to launch a comeback before. She returned to competition at the meeting in 2018, having taken a break after her stunning Rio Games campaign. bb/pb/nr © Agence France-Presse The post Star gymnast Biles poised for August return to competition appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Indian ‘debt slaves’ rescued
Eleven shackled workers in India digging wells for 12 hours a day without wages have been rescued from a chain gang, a government rights body said Monday. The rescue of the laborers from Maharashtra state was launched on 17 June after one of them slipped his chains and reported their torture to the police, the National Human Rights Commission said. It shone new light on the long-outlawed practice of bonded labor, dubbed “debt slavery” by rights campaigners, in which debtors are forced to work to pay back borrowed cash while interest keeps mounting. NHRC said in a statement that the workers were chained to prevent them from escaping, were fed once a day and forced to defecate where they worked. Police had arrested four people but the NHRC said more had to be done than the “mere rescue by the police and arrest of some of the accused.” The NHRC said the case “grossly violated” the 1976 abolition of the bonded labor system. Rules against bonded labor are regularly flouted to maximize profits with little fear of prosecution, with activists saying there are some 10 million bonded laborers in India. The NHRC said the employers in this case were “habitual” in engaging laborers and then using such brutal conditions that, when the workers were released after three or four months, “they preferred running away without asking for wages to escape more torture.” The post Indian ‘debt slaves’ rescued appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden singles out Russia on world torture day
US President Joe Biden singled out "appalling brutality" by Russian authorities both at home and in occupied Ukraine in a statement Monday marking the United Nations Day for the support of torture victims. "Torture destroys lives, families, and communities. Yet, every day, people around the world are subjected to this horrific violation of their human rights and human dignity," Biden said. He cited "evidence of appalling brutality by members of Russia's forces" in Ukraine. "Patterns of abuse included torture to compel cooperation with occupation authorities and during interrogations, such as through beatings, electrical shock, mock executions, and use of sexual violence," Biden said. "Inside Russia itself, reports of torture in places of detention are commonplace, including against activists and critics of government policies." Biden also highlighted Syria and North Korea, saying "Tens of thousands of Syrians remain forcibly disappeared and subject to torture, with families often never knowing the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones." There are "widespread credible reports of torture and other forms of cruel, inhumane, and degrading punishment" by the authorities in Pyongyang, Biden wrote. This includes abuse of women "such as sexual violence, forced abortion, and forced sterilization." Biden made no reference to years of reports of torture conducted by US security services in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the US military base at Guantanamo, Cuba. However, he said "no country is immune. It is our firm belief as a nation that we must hold ourselves to the same standards to which we hold others." The post Biden singles out Russia on world torture day appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Comelec: No extension to SoCE turnovers
The Commission on Elections on Thursday stressed that there should be no extensions in the filing of Statements of Contribution and Expenditures, which is a detailed document of all the contributions and expenditures made by certain candidates during the election campaign. This comes after the Supreme Court ruled against the poll body’s 2016 resolution that stretched the deadline on the filing of SoCEs from 8 to 30 June 2016, right after the 2016 national and local elections, saying that the poll body has committed grave abuse of discretion over the said resolution. “No extensions now on all our deadlines except in highly meritorious circumstances,” Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said. Under Section 14 of the Republic Act 7166 — which was approved back in 1991 — candidates and treasurers of political parties must file their SoCEs “within 30 days after the day of the election.” The said provision barred elected officials and political parties of winning candidates to assume positions without the filing of SoCE, with penalties on the first offense between P1,000 to P30,000 and on the second offense between P2,000 to P60,000, as well as prohibition in assuming public office. The resolution in question — Resolution 10147 — said that the extension of the deadline was due to, among other things, “several requests,” as well as previous rulings that compel the poll body to extend the deadline on the filing of SoCEs both after the 2010 and 2013 elections. Comelec also argued that the extension would help in their probes on possible election overspending. “The simple expediency of not accepting the SoCE if filed beyond the deadline and just imposing a fine is in effect throwing away the evidence of any infraction of the campaign finance rules and unwittingly assisting in hiding the evidence,” the poll body said. However, the Supreme Court argued that such actions “effectively condoned erring candidates and political parties from administrative liabilities, even if the law does not provide any exempting circumstance.” Meantime, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan expressed its gratitude to the Supreme Court for taking the party’s position that the Comelec committed grave abuse of authority in granting extensions on the filing of SoCEs. PDP Laban president and Palawan Representative Jose Alvarez said that the High Court’s decision vindicates the party’s decision in June 2016 to challenge Comelec resolution which granted the extension on the filing of SoCE that favored the Liberal Party and its candidates. The Comelec has recognized in a final and executory decision the PDP Laban led by Party chairman Rodrigo Duterte and Party president and Representative Alvarez as the true and legitimate PDP Laban. “We thank the Supreme Court En Banc for taking PDP Laban’s position in this landmark case and we also welcome the statement of the Comelec that it will no longer grant extensions on the filings of SoCEs in compliance with the SC’s decision,” said Alvarez. “The Supreme Court decision voiding Comelec Resolution 10147 affirms the provisions of RA 7166 that states that the Comelec is not authorized to extend the deadline for the filing of SoCE or not beyond 30 days after the polls conclude,” he added. “This decision should serve as a warning to all candidates that they should just comply with laws like RA 7166 and not seek exemptions from the Comelec. Based on the law, candidates who fail to file their SoCEs on or before the deadline cannot assume the elected position that they won,” the lawmaker said. The post Comelec: No extension to SoCE turnovers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Twitter blocks troll hunters
For years, a band of science-loving “troll hunters” hounded climate change deniers off Twitter — but Elon Musk’s takeover has upended their efforts, with many ousted accounts back, pushing fresh disinformation. Despite the threat climate change poses to the planet, disinformation about it has gone largely unsanctioned on Twitter. But a secretive global community of about 25 scientists and activists, calling themselves Team Ninja Trollhunters, found a roundabout way to tackle it. Since its founding in 2019, TNT claims to have secured the suspension of some 600 accounts of climate change denialists by reporting them for other infringements, including hate speech, that are officially recognized by the platform as valid grounds for termination. “If they’re saying something racist or offensive or misogynist, we can get them kicked off,” one Germany-based TNT member, a 45-year-old scientist who asked to be identified as Tom, told AFP in a Zoom interview. Like other TNT members interviewed by AFP, he requested that his real identity be withheld to avoid online harassment. TNT members showed AFP archives documenting their campaigns, including a spreadsheet logging thousands of Twitter accounts they reported on grounds ranging from spam and harassment to hate speech and threats. They also shared screenshots confirming numerous suspensions. “We make sure that we’re as under the radar as possible... to get (climate) deniers and ‘sceptics’ and just generally nasty people reported on Twitter,”” a Canada-based member named Peter told AFP. “We’re more effective if we’re very quiet about it. These deniers are quite often very violent in their responses to climate misinformation being corrected. Intimidation and abuse are very common.” The post Twitter blocks troll hunters appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»