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Charter change could bring back dictatorship, intensify rights abuses — survivor
For Medy De Jesus, 74, a martial law survivor and member of human rights group Hustisya, the impending charter change could bring back another dictatorship and more human rights violations. The post Charter change could bring back dictatorship, intensify rights abuses — survivor appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
‘Last’ Beatles song set for release next week
A much-anticipated "new" Beatles record, created with the help of artificial intelligence, will be released next week on November 2, former band members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr revealed Thursday. "Now And Then", first written and sung by ex-Beatle John Lennon and developed by the rest of the band, has now been finally finished by McCartney and Starr -- and AI -- decades after its original recording. McCartney, 81, announced its imminent release in June, in what has been dubbed in a promotional trailer "the last Beatles song". The track will be unveiled at 1300 GMT on November 2 by Apple Corps, Capitol and Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), with a music video debuting the following day. A 12-minute documentary written and directed by Oliver Murray -- best known for a 2022 biopic mini-series on The Rolling Stones -- will premiere on YouTube the evening, before featuring commentary from McCartney and Starr. "Now And Then" was recorded by Lennon in the late 1970s at his home in New York's Dakota Building, and also features piano music. Working with Peter Jackson, the film director behind the 2021 documentary series "The Beatles: Get Back", AI was used to separate Lennon's voice from the piano chords. 'Emotional' "There it was, John's voice, crystal clear," McCartney said, in comments published alongside the announcement of the release date. "It's quite emotional and we all play on it, it's a genuine Beatles recording," he added. "In 2023, to still be working on Beatles music, and about to release a new song the public haven't heard, I think it's an exciting thing." McCartney and Starr finished the song last year, including fellow ex-Beatle George Harrison's electric and acoustic guitar recorded in 1995. Recording at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, they also added Starr's drum part alongside bass, piano, a slide guitar solo by McCartney -- inspired by Harrison -- and more backing vocals. Starr added the process "was the closest we'll ever come to having him (Lennon) back in the room so it was very emotional for all of us. "It was like John was there, you know. It's far out." The Beatles -- Lennon, McCartney, Starr and Harrison -- split in 1970, with each going on to have solo careers, but they never reunited. Lennon was shot dead in New York in 1980 aged 40 while Harrison died of lung cancer in 2001, aged 58. 'Meant to be' "Now And Then" was one of several tracks on a cassette that Lennon had recorded for McCartney a year before his death. It was given to him by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono in 1994. Two other songs, "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love", were cleaned up by the producer Jeff Lynne, and released in 1995 and 1996. An attempt was made to do the same with "Now And Then" but the project was abandoned because of background noise on the demo. AI has now made that possible, though its use in music is the subject of industry-wide debate, with some denouncing copyright abuses and others praising its prowess. McCartney said earlier this year that the technology's use was "kind of scary but exciting because it's the future". Sean Ono Lennon, the son of Lennon and Ono, said it was "incredibly touching" to hear the former Beatles working together again "after all the years that dad had been gone. "It's the last song my dad, Paul, George and Ringo got to make together. It's like a time capsule and all feels very meant to be," he added. "Now And Then" will be released as a double A-side, with the band's 1962 debut single "Love Me Do", and cover art by US artist Ed Ruscha. (Joe JACKSON) jj/srg/jj © Agence France-Presse The post ‘Last’ Beatles song set for release next week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Azerbaijan claims victory after Karabakh separatists surrender
Azerbaijan said Wednesday it had regained control over breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh for the first time in decades after separatist Armenian fighters agreed to lay down their arms in the face of a military operation. The stunning collapse of separatist resistance represents a major victory for Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev in his quest to bring the Armenian-majority Nagorno-Karabakh back under Baku's control. Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars over the mountainous region since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The years of conflict have been marked by abuses on both sides, and there are concerns of a fresh refugee crisis as Karabakh's Armenian population fears being forced out. A day after Azerbaijan launched its military operation in the region, Baku and the ethnic Armenian authorities in Karabakh announced a ceasefire deal had been brokered by Russian peacekeepers to stop the fighting. "Azerbaijan restored its sovereignty as a result of successful anti-terrorist measures in Karabakh," Aliyev said in a televised address. Aliyev claimed that most of the Armenian forces in the region had been destroyed and said the withdrawal of separatist troops had already begun. The attack left "at least 200 killed and more than 400 wounded," Nagorno-Karabakh separatist official Gegham Stepanyan said. Late on Wednesday, Armenia's defence ministry said that Azerbaijan had fired on its positions along the border between the arch-foes. Such skirmishes are frequent along the border. Truce deal Under the truce deal, the separatists said they had agreed to fully dismantle their army and that Armenia would pull out any forces it had in the region. Azerbaijan's defence ministry said that "all weapons and heavy armaments are to be surrendered" under the supervision of Russia's 2,000-strong peacekeeping force on the ground. Both sides said talks on reintegrating the breakaway territory into the rest of Azerbaijan would be held on Thursday in the city of Yevlakh. President Vladimir Putin said Russian peacekeepers would mediate the talks. Moscow has said several of members of its force in Karabakh were killed when the car they were travelling in came under fire. Latest violence Baku's operation marked the latest violence over the rugged territory. After the Soviet Union fell apart, Armenian separatists seized the region -- internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan -- in the early 1990s. The war left 30,000 people dead and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes. In a six-week war in 2020, Azerbaijan recaptured swathes of territory in and around the region. President Aliyev on Wednesday praised the "political competence" of his country's historic rival. "The developments that took place yesterday and today will have a positive impact on the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia," he said. Azerbaijani presidential foreign policy advisor Hikmet Hajiyev promised safe passage for the separatists who surrendered and said Baku sought the "peaceful reintegration" of Karabakh Armenians. A separatist official said over 10,000 people have been evacuated from Armenian communities in Nagorno-Karabakh and "forced to find a shelter" elsewhere in the territory. Russia's President Putin said he hoped for a "peaceful" resolution, adding that Moscow has been in contact with all sides in the conflict. Putin held talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan Wednesday evening, but the Kremlin insisted the crisis was "Azerbaijan's internal affair". 'War is over' Jubilant residents in Azerbaijan's capital expressed hope the deal heralded a definitive victory and the end of the decades-long conflict. "I was very happy with this news. Finally, the war is over," 67-year-old pensioner Rana Ahmedova told AFP. In Armenia, there was fury at a second defeat in Karabakh in three years. Clashes broke out in Armenia's capital Yerevan, where thousands of protesters waving the separatist region's flag blocked a main road and riot police guarded official buildings. Demonstrators threw bottles and stones at police as they slammed the government's handling of the crisis, while officers used stun grenades and made arrests. The loss in Karabakh ratchets up domestic pressure on Pashinyan, who has faced stinging criticism at home for making concessions to Azerbaijan since the 2020 defeat. "We are losing our homeland, we are losing our people," said Sargis Hayats, a 20-year-old musician. Pashinyan "must leave, time has shown that he cannot rule. No one gave him a mandate for Karabakh to capitulate," he said. The Armenian leader has insisted that his government had not been involved in drafting the latest ceasefire deal. Again denying his country's army was in the enclave, he said he expected Russia's peacekeepers to ensure Karabakh's ethnic-Armenian residents could stay "in their homes, on their land". International pressure Azerbaijan's assault came as Moscow, the traditional power broker in the region is bogged down and distracted by its war on Ukraine, which has left it isolated in the West. But its peacekeepers there appeared to have played a key role in helping to negotiate the ceasefire and will now oversee its implementation. Turkey, a historic ally of predominantly Muslim Azerbaijan that views mostly Christian Armenia as one of its main regional rivals, had called the operation "justified". The EU and United States have been mediating talks between Baku and Yerevan in recent months aimed at securing a lasting peace deal between the two foes. The White House said Wednesday it was concerned by the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. "We're obviously still watching very, very closely the worsening humanitarian situation inside Nagorno-Karabakh," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. He added the situation "has been exacerbated by the hostilities perpetrated by Azerbaijan" in Karabakh, where there are now fears of a refugee crisis. The post Azerbaijan claims victory after Karabakh separatists surrender appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CA confirms Brawner, 29 military officers
The Commission on Appointments, led by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, confirmed Wednesday the ad interim appointment of Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines with the rank of four-star general and the nomination of other 29 generals, flag officers, and senior military officers. Zubiri lauded the soldiers for their loyalty to the Philippine flag and their willingness to make sacrifices for the country. “Once again, you are the vanguards of democracy in our country. We cannot have hearings today, we cannot have these institutions in place without the brave men and women of the Armed Forces,” Zubiri said. During the bicameral CA deliberation of his appointment, Brawner vowed the AFP military officials are ready to defend and protect the country and Filipino people against any security threats. Senator Risa Hontiveros started the deliberation by asking Brawner about his primary objectives intended to be accomplished through the AFP's revolving door policy and Republic Act 11939. Brawner responded by enumerating his priority thrusts for the armed forces embodied in an acronym U.N.I.T.Y, which stands for unification, normalization, territorial defense, internal security operations and youth programs. Brawner said the AFP will focus on the the normalization of the Bangsamoro region, particularly the decommissioning, disarmament and reintegration of the former combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. “Now that we believe that we are winding down with our internal security operations, we will have to sustain the gains that we had,” he added. Brawner also noted that the AFP will have to recalibrate its doctrines, training and the entire organization in order to be able to cope with the demands of defending the country’s territory. The AFP, he added, will focus on developing the Filipino youth through programs such as the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps. Brawner said the AFP will make sure that those who will handle the ROTC activities “are prepared and are professional” to prevent a repeat of abuses, including grades for sale, hazing and maltreatment of students. “We are anticipating the passing of that bill for the mandatory ROTC. Naghahanda na po ang inyong armed forces and we want to make sure that we will not repeat the mistakes that we had, the abuses that happened during the past when we had the ROTC program,” he said. On sending military officers to China Meanwhile, Senator Francis Tolentino scrutinized the AFP’s engagements with China, particularly the sending of senior officials and cadets to Chinese military schools. Brawner explained that the Philippines’ military-to-military relationship with China is covered by a memorandum of agreement on Defense Cooperation that was forged in 2004. “That is why we are allowed to send officers to China to study and vice versa, they are sent here because we find value in sending our officers abroad not just to China but in fact to so many countries in order for them to train and to bring back the knowledge that they gain so that we can learn from them and probably apply the best practices that they are applying in other countries,” he said. However, Brawner noted that the AFP is currently studying the revisitation of the memorandum following the blocking and water cannon actions by Chinese vessels against Philippine ships last 5 August in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. “I ordered the temporary stop to sending officers to China. Just last week there was a communication, an invitation from China for us to send cadets to China to join a conference of cadets from all over the world,” he said. Tolentino urged Brawner to provide updates on the results of the study. Senator Imee Marcos also pushed for the local production and procurement of firearms and equipment for the AFP to lessen the country's dependence on foreign suppliers for its national defense. Brawner said the AFP is eyeing the revival of the country’s Self-Reliant Defense Posture program. Meanwhile, the number of military personnel filing for early retirement has increased due to the bill on the reform of the pension system for military and uniformed personnel. "Tumaas po 'yung nagfa-file ng early retirement dahil nga po they are anticipating na kapag lumabas yung batas, 'yung unang version po, they are basing it on the early versions (The number of personnel filing for early retirement increased because they are anticipating the law on the reform of the MUP pension system. They are basing it on the early version),” the AFP chief. "Gusto nila na mapaloob pa sila sa lumang sistema (They want to be covered by the old system). They want to avail of the old system wherein they will receive one-rank higher pay when they retire and indexation,” he added. However, Brawner said there is no cause for concern as many Filipinos are willing to join and apply for the AFP service. "The alarming situation would be 'yung mawawala po 'yung ating senior non-commissioned officers. So kung puro bata naman yung ating Armed Forces, it will not be a healthy organization (The alarming situation would be when our senior non-commissioned officers leave the AFP. So we will be left with mostly young personnel, it will not be a healthy organization),” Brawner said, noting that the military organization also needs the leadership of its non-commissioned officers. According to Brawner, he already advised AFP personnel “to just wait for the final version of the law before making a decision on their retirement.” He added that soldiers are always willing to sacrifice a portion of their pay for the country's benefit. Brawner stressed the Department of National Defense has developed a plan that would enable the AFP to generate pension funds, including utilizing available real estate assets. The post CA confirms Brawner, 29 military officers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Philippine director puts women at the ‘heart’ of drug war film
Widows and mothers are at the "heart" of a gritty documentary by Philippine filmmaker Sheryl Rose Andes, who turns the camera on women left behind by former president Rodrigo Duterte's deadly drug war. More than 6,000 people were killed in police anti-drug raids during Duterte's six-year term, which ended in June 2022, government data shows. Rights groups estimate the real figure was in the tens of thousands, mostly poor men living in slums who died at the hands of law enforcers, hitmen and vigilantes. Many of the victims had wives or partners and mothers, who have had to deal with the heartbreak and hardship of losing a loved one and often the family's main breadwinner. In her new documentary "Maria", Andes follows two of these women, Mary Ann Domingo and Maria Deparine, as they struggle to survive and find justice. "We have to register that this thing really happened. And now people need to see what has happened to their families," Andes told AFP in an interview. Andes said she was inspired to make the film out of fear that Filipinos could forget, or never learn, about the brutal period in their nation's history. She got a "huge wake-up call" when one of her students in a filmmaking course she teaches at Mapua University in Manila expressed surprise that the drug war was "really happening". That moment in 2020 -- four years into Duterte's drug war, which made headlines around the world and sparked an international investigation into alleged human rights abuses -- left her aghast. Three years later, "Maria" is the first full-length documentary to compete in the country's independent film festival Cinemalaya, which opened August 4. "Maria" -- a common name for women in the Catholic-majority Philippines -- focuses on the harrowing experiences of Domingo and Deparine, which Andes says gives the film "heart and emotion". The documentary shows the women doing menial jobs to support their families and making tearful visits to the tombs of their loved ones. "I zoomed in on the details because it should not just be about numbers," said Andes. "This is a story about women. I don't want this to be remembered as a drug war story." 'It is very difficult' Deparine lost two of her sons within days of each other in September 2016. One was with a local drug dealer when they were abducted by unidentified men. They were both shot in the head and their bodies dumped under a bridge. Six days later, a second son was arrested by police at the home of a drug-dealing couple. He was later found dead under another bridge. Since their deaths, Deparine, who works in a fish cannery and voted for Duterte in 2016, has moved multiple times with her husband and surviving son as they struggle to make enough money to pay the rent. In the same month Deparine lost her sons, Domingo's partner and teenage son were killed in a nighttime police raid while the family slept in their shanty home. Later, she and three of her surviving children had to flee for fear of their safety. Lawyer Kristina Conti, who is helping Domingo seek justice for their deaths, said the four officers who allegedly shot dead her partner and son had been freed on bail and were back in uniform after serving short suspensions. That's despite the men facing a homicide trial. "As a mother who lost her partner, it is very difficult. At times I just wanted to give up, and at times I actually did," Domingo, 49, told AFP in an interview. "This (film) is our chance to show to the world what happened to us." 'Political stand' Catholic priest Flaviano Villanueva, who appears in "Maria", said widows, mothers and grandmothers endured "unimaginable" hardships to keep their remaining family members alive. Villanueva, who runs a support group for the families of the drug war's dead, said there was a "social stigma" that led to discrimination against those left behind. Orphans were "bullied" at school and widows excluded from government assistance because "her husband got killed for being a drug addict", he told AFP. Another woman who features prominently in the film is former Philippines vice president Leni Robredo, a vocal critic of the drug war who is seen consoling Domingo and Deparine. Robredo ran in the 2022 presidential election but lost by a huge margin to the son and namesake of the country's late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who has continued the drug war. Andes, who spent a decade working for a non-government organisation before turning her hand to filmmaking, refuses to shy away from difficult subjects. She said documentaries were a "powerful tool" in retelling history, but she feared that Filipinos preferred "escapism" and were not prepared to face grim reality. Despite Duterte stepping down more than a year ago and Marcos Jr vowing to take the drug war in a new direction, Andes said the killings "never stopped". "A documentary takes a political stand," she said. "We are not fiction and we are not here to titillate." The post Philippine director puts women at the ‘heart’ of drug war film appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Let Filipinos be the judge of the impact of drug war, says Go
Sen. Bong Go reiterated his strong stance against the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into the alleged crimes committed during former president Rodrigo Duterte's drug war. He stressed that the ICC has no jurisdiction to interfere in internal matters of the country which has a strong and independent judicial system. "Probes into the war on drugs are presently being conducted by competent authorities. Ibig sabihin, may tiwala naman po ako sa ating local judicial system at ang mga Pilipino should be judged by fellow Filipinos before Philippine courts operating under Philippine laws," Go said in an interview on July 24. He likewise expressed the view that Filipinos are the ones best placed to assess whether they feel safer now than before the campaign against illegal drugs started. "Alam n'yo, ang Pilipino po ang dapat humusga kung mas nagiging ligtas ba sila kumpara noong hindi nasimulan ang kampanya laban sa iligal na droga,” Go pointed out. “Sila po ang nakakaalam kung nakakalakad ba sila, 'yung mga anak nila nang ligtas at hindi nababastos at nasasaktan,” he added. Go further emphasized that the era when the country had to be dictated by foreigners on how to govern itself has long been over. "At tapos na po 'yung panahon na kailangan pa tayong diktahan ng mga banyaga kung paano natin pamamahalaan ang ating mga sarili,” stressed Go. Earlier, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said that his administration would terminate further interaction with the ICC. This comes after the court dismissed the government's appeal to halt the investigation into the alleged human rights abuses during Duterte's “war on drugs”. "That’s it. We have no appeals pending. We have no more actions being taken. So, I suppose that puts an end to our dealings with the ICC,” Marcos said. “We’re done talking with the ICC. Like what we have been saying from the beginning, we will not cooperate with them in any way, shape, or form,” he added. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla backed Marcos’ decision, and said that no Philippine representative would attend the international tribunal's proceedings. Remulla criticized the ICC for disrespecting Philippine sovereignty. Go expressed gratitude to Marcos for his decision, saying, "Nagpapasalamat rin po ako sa ating mahal na Pangulong Bongbong Marcos… sa sinabi niya po na his administration would end further engagement with the International Criminal Court after it rejected the Philippine government's appeal.” He also pointed out that the country had already withdrawn from the Rome Statute during the term of Duterte. "So, kumbaga nag-withdraw naman tayo sa ICC noon pang panahon ni Pangulong Duterte. So, para po sa akin, ang Pilipino po ang dapat humusga sa ating kapwa Pilipino,” he said. The Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, back in March 2018, following the ICC prosecutor's launch of a preliminary examination into the drug war. The withdrawal took effect the following year. The Philippine government argued that the ICC had no jurisdiction over the country and maintained that the alleged crimes should be investigated by local authorities, invoking the principle of complementarity. The post Let Filipinos be the judge of the impact of drug war, says Go appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Dismissal in disguise
Constructive dismissal has been defined as a dismissal in disguise, or an act amounting to dismissal but is made to appear as if it was not. More specifically, it is when an employee quits work because continued employment is rendered impossible, unreasonable, or unlikely, or when there is a demotion in rank or a diminution in pay and other benefits. (Dimagan v. Dackworks United, Inc., G.R. 191053, 28 November 2011). The test of constructive dismissal is whether a reasonable person in the employee’s position would have felt compelled to give up his or her employment under the circumstances (St. Paul College, Pasig v. Mancol, G.R. No. 222317, 24 January 2018). Here are some examples of acts that constitute constructive dismissal: In one case, an employee who was hired as a bookkeeper in a company engaged in the real estate business was held to be constructively dismissed when she was deprived of office space, was not given further work assignments, and was not paid her salaries until she was left with no choice but to stop reporting for work (Tan Brothers Corp. of Basilan City v. Escudero, G.R. 188711, 3 July 2013). In another case, an employee who was hired as a waiter in a hotel company was held to be constructively dismissed when his regular work days were reduced from five days to two days. The change in his work schedule thus resulted in the diminution of his take-home salary. The fact that he may have continued to report for work does not rule out constructive dismissal, nor does it operate as a waiver. (Regala v. Manila Hotel Corp., G.R. 204684, 5 October 2020). The Supreme Court explained that “constructive dismissal occurs not when the employee ceases to report for work, but when the unwarranted acts of the employer are committed to the end that the employee’s continued employment shall become so intolerable. In these difficult times, an employee may be left with no choice but to continue with his employment despite abuses committed against him by the employer, and even during the pendency of a labor dispute between them.” (The Orchard Golf and Country Club v. Francisco, G.R. 178125, 18 March 2013). In another case, a managerial employee was instructed to perform functions that were below her position. When she assigned another person to do the said functions and suggested a different procedure to her boss, the latter reacted negatively and told her she was stupid and incompetent. She was also asked to resign on more than one occasion but was later told to stay. After she was assured that she could keep her job, she was treated indifferently by the management. The Supreme Court held that acts of disdain and hostile behavior such as demotion, uttering insulting words, asking for resignation, and apathetic conduct towards an employee are tantamount to constructive dismissal. (Bayview Management Consultants Inc. v. Pre, G.R. 220170, 19 August 2020). In another instance, an employee became the subject of constructive dismissal in the guise of a transfer. She was initially promoted to the position of Chief Operating Officer in one of the employer’s branches. However, two months after her promotion, she was appointed instead as Compliance Manager, and her position of COO was declared abolished when the management decided to undertake an “organizational restructuring.” It appears, however, that the said position was actually never abolished as another employee was appointed to take her place. The appointment was even publicly announced via an official communication disseminated company-wide. The Supreme Court held that when another employee is soon after appointed to a position that the employer claims to have been abolished, while the employee who had to vacate the same is transferred against her will to a position that does not exist in the corporate structure, there is evidently a case of illegal constructive dismissal. (Ico v. Systems Technology Institute, Inc., G.R. 185100, 9 July 2014). An employee who is constructively dismissed is entitled to two reliefs, namely, back wages and reinstatement. However, where reinstatement is no longer feasible, the employee shall be granted separation pay in lieu of reinstatement (Cornworld Breeding Systems Corp. v. Court of Appeals, G.R. 204075, 17 August 2022). For more of Dean Nilo Divina’s legal tidbits, please visit www.divinalaw.com. For comments and questions, please send an email to cabdo@divinalaw.com. The post Dismissal in disguise appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Victims of rebel abuses gets help from government
Life is back to normal for more than 400 villagers at the upland border of Cotabato and Davao del Sur provinces that communist rebels had abused in years past......»»
Russian reporter ‘savagely’ beaten in Chechnya
An award-winning Russian investigative journalist is in hospital after being badly beaten by armed assailants during a trip to Chechnya, her newspaper and a rights group said. The attack happened early on Tuesday as well-known journalist Elena Milashina and Alexander Nemov, a lawyer, were traveling from the airport. Her newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, published a video of Milashina in hospital with her head shaven and covered in a green-colored dye -- used to target Kremlin critics -- and her hands bandaged. She said the attack, which included having a gun held to her head, was linked to her "professional activity in Chechnya." Milashina has covered rights abuses in Chechnya, the Caucasus republic ruled by former warlord Ramzan Kadyrov, for years. She came to Grozny on Tuesday to attend the sentencing of Zarema Musayeva, whose husband and sons have fallen foul of the Kadyrov regime but did not make it there. "It's a sensitive case," she said, calling Musayeva a "hostage." Musayeva later was handed 5-and-a-half years on fraud charges widely seen as political revenge against her family. Milashina recounted the attack in a video shared by Novaya Gazeta: "They came, they threw out the driver, the taxi driver from the car. They jumped in, pushed our heads down, they tied my hands, put us on our knees with a gun to the head," she said. "They did everything nervously. They didn't manage to tie my hands properly." The Memorial human rights group said the pair were "savagely" beaten. She said she was taken to neighboring Ossetia for safety and the newspaper said she will go back to Moscow once a medical team examines her. Not welcome Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a briefing that President Vladimir Putin had been informed. "We are talking about a very serious attack that requires vigorous measures," Peskov said. Kadyrov, who has been accused of persistent rights abuses in his restive region, said in a statement online he had instructed officials to determine who was behind the attack. "The authorities began to work immediately after the announcement of the incident," the statement read. But his rights ombudsman Mansur Soltayev said Milashina was "not welcome by a large part of the public" in Chechnya. He said this was especially true during Moscow's Ukraine offensive, during which "the Chechen nation supports the efforts of the president of Russia." The media rights group Reporters Without Borders said it was "horrified by the savage attack" on Milashina. And the rights group Amnesty International urged Russia to investigate the "vicious" beating. Milashina's paper Novaya Gazeta, Russia's top independent publication, said she and Nemov were in a hospital in the Chechen capital Grozny. Novaya Gazeta in February last year said that Milashina had to leave Russia temporarily after receiving death threats from the Chechen leadership. The paper, whose chief editor Dmitry Muratov won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, has since 2000 seen six journalists and contributors killed, including investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya. By focusing on rights abuses in Chechnya, Milashina has followed in the footsteps of Politkovskaya, a fierce critic of the Kremlin's policies in Chechnya, who was shot dead in 2006. Russian human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying that the incident "should be carefully investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice". The post Russian reporter ‘savagely’ beaten in Chechnya appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate tackles airlines’ booking glitches, offloading mess
Growing complaints from various passengers against budget carrier, Cebu Pacific’s overbooking, offloading, and booking glitches have reached the Senate inquiry on Wednesday. This came after Senate committee chairperson, Senator Nancy Binay, filed Senate Resolution No. 575 pushing for an investigation on the customers’ complaints against Cebu Pacific due to recent flight cancellations. During the hearing, Binay said her office was able to compile at least 3,000 complaints from the passengers, which have been aired through social media platforms. “We have since seen it fit to invite our other airlines to this hearing because these problems, it seemed, have only grown in number. Our passengers face inconveniences on multiple fronts on account of flight delays, cancelations, offloading, and overbooking,” Binay stressed. Overseas worker, James Bartolome, said he has yet to receive his refund from Cebu Pacific after his flight going to Qatar was canceled. After knowing that his original flight was canceled, Bartolome opted to book another airline as the budget carrier won’t be able to give him an earlier flight. Senator JV Ejercito said the airport and airline operations will provide the “first and last impressions” to the tourists and potential investors entering the country. “We need to systematize this for our tourism and business climate,” he said, sharing that he was not even spared from experiencing flight delays. Binay emphasized the need to identify problems and immediately craft strategies to prevent similar complaints in the future. Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said that Cebu Pacific and other similar airline companies should acknowledge the impacts of flight cancellations and other airline mess. “Incidents like these could discourage tourists so this hearing should serve as a platform to air the grievances of the frustrated and helpless passengers,” Go said, citing that these may affect the country’s tourism industry and the economy. “Remember that we are still reviving from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added. Go said the airlines must immediately act and rectify these issues by imposing proper mechanisms for compensating affected passengers—which includes food provisions during flight cancellation and alternative flight schedules. During the hearing, several Cebu Pacific passengers also complained about apparent website errors that resulted in them being charged multiple times for transactions yet it appeared to be unsuccessful. Cebu Pacific chief marketing and customer experience officer, Candice Iyog, explained that there is a part of the flow where if a passenger clicks proceed, it commits the changes even before the passenger pays. “We recognize that and we are taking that feedback as well,” Iyog said. The Cebu Pacific, she added, is already working on “a fix or an enhancement” to the interface of the website, which will likely be ready at the end of this month. “Depending on when it's ready, we're looking at possibly, end of July that we will be able to implement this change in the user experience,” she said. Senator Risa Hontiveros lamented that in several instances when passengers’ original flights were canceled, Cebu Pacific offered flight rebooking and passengers were immediately made to pay before they could confirm their purchase of travel tickets. Citing a passenger’s experience, the airline’s website technical issue made them pay a bill of P16,000-worth of add-ons after availing of Cebu Pacific’s free rebooking option, following the cancellation of flights. Iyog said they recently reminded their customer service agents to allow passengers to get back to their original flight or to remove add-ons that were “accidentally added.” “We don’t want to cancel flights for our passengers. It’s bad business and we don’t want to disrupt our passengers—that’s why we give options,” Iyog noted. Tougher passengers’ rights Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe slammed the budget carrier for lacking customer service agents directly responding to these complaints. Poe called on for a tougher policy on air passengers' rights to address the cancellations and delays in flights by local airlines besetting travelers. "This pressing public service issue calls for urgent effective solutions as it involves not only the air passengers' rights but also the overall impact on the country's tourism and economy,” she added. While overbooking is a globally accepted practice, Poe said "systematic delays and cancellations are not." Also, Hontiveros pressed that the government agencies should step in to prevent more passengers from being disrupted in their travels due to canceled, rescheduled, and delayed flights in Cebu Pacific and other airline companies. “These kinds of inconveniences disrupt the travel experiences also of tourists, and as the chair said, could negatively affect the tourism sector,” she added. Aside from the reported overbooking, offloading, booking, and flight cancellations, Senator Raffy Tulfo said that adding extra flights daily amid lacking proper airplane maintenance can be called “abuses of the airline companies.” He lamented that it could pose danger and compromise the safety of all airline passengers, “There were safety issues surrounding the uploading, overbooking, and flight cancellations of airlines. If these airlines don’t care about fulfilling their obligations to provide air transport for their passengers, I will not be surprised that they are cutting corners when it comes to safety as well,” Tulfo pressed on. Tulfo said extra flights can also cause fatigue in pilots and flight attendants. For his part, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa wants the Civil Aeronautics Board to become proactive in resolving the massive airline mess in the country. Dela Rosa asked CAB if it is amenable to institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights in order to protect the public from erring airline companies. "What is your position? Do you agree with the proposal to create a law that will institutionalize the Air Passenger Bill of Rights?" asked Dela Rosa. In response, CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla, said they have been very supportive of the proposal. “But it seems it is not among the priorities of Congress,” he said. Dela Rosa said he is mulling to proposed the bill in the Senate “not to discourage the airline industry but to protect the public interest. The post Senate tackles airlines’ booking glitches, offloading mess appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Final Beatles record’ out this year aided by AI: McCartney
A "final Beatles record", created with the help of artificial intelligence, will be released later this year, Paul McCartney told the BBC in an interview broadcast on Tuesday. "It was a demo that John (Lennon) had, and that we worked on, and we just finished it up," said McCartney, who turns 81 next week. The Beatles -- Lennon, McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr -- split in 1970, with each going on to have solo careers, but they never reunited. Lennon was shot dead in New York in 1980 aged 40 while Harrison died of lung cancer in 2001, aged 58. McCartney did not name the song that has been recorded but according to the BBC it is likely to be a 1978 Lennon composition called "Now And Then". The track -- one of several on a cassette that Lennon had recorded for McCartney a year before his death -- was given to him by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono in 1994. Two of the songs, "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love", were cleaned up by the producer Jeff Lynne, and released in 1995 and 1996. An attempt was made to do the same with "Now And Then" but the project was abandoned because of background noise on the demo. McCartney, who has previously talked about wanting to finish the song, said AI had given him a new chance to do so. 'Now and Then' Working with Peter Jackson, the film director behind the 2021 documentary series "The Beatles: Get Back", AI was used to separate Lennon's voice and a piano. "They tell the machine, 'That's the voice. This is a guitar. Lose the guitar'," he explained. "So when we came to make what will be the last Beatles' record, it was a demo that John had (and) we were able to take John's voice and get it pure through this AI. "Then we can mix the record, as you would normally do. So it gives you some sort of leeway." McCartney performed a two-hour set at last year's Glastonbury festival in England, playing Beatles' classics to the 100,000-strong crowd. The set included a virtual duet with Lennon of the song "I've Got a Feeling", from the Beatles' last album "Let It Be". Last month, Sting warned that "defending our human capital against AI" would be a major battle for musicians in the coming years. The use of AI in music is the subject of debate in the industry, with some denouncing copyright abuses and others praising its prowess. McCartney said the use of the technology was "kind of scary but exciting because it's the future", adding: "We'll just have to see where that leads." The post ‘Final Beatles record’ out this year aided by AI: McCartney appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Outcry as Uganda’s anti-gay bill signed into law
Uganda announced Monday that President Yoweri Museveni had signed into law draconian new measures against homosexuality described as among the world's harshest, prompting condemnation from human rights and LGBTQ groups as well as Western powers. US President Joe Biden called for the immediate repeal of the measures he slammed as "a tragic violation of universal human rights", and threatened to cut aid and investment in the East African country. Museveni's office said the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 was among six pieces of legislation the president signed into law on Sunday. Lawmakers passed a new draft of the legislation earlier this month, vowing to resist what they said was outside interference in their efforts to protect Uganda's values from Western immorality. The amended version said that identifying as gay would not be criminalized but "engaging in acts of homosexuality" would be an offense punishable with life imprisonment. Although Museveni had advised lawmakers to delete a provision making "aggravated homosexuality" a capital offense, lawmakers rejected that move, meaning that repeat offenders could be sentenced to death, though Uganda has not carried out capital punishment for several years. A rights group announced later Monday that it had filed a legal challenge with Uganda's High Court, arguing that the legislation was "blatantly unconstitutional". "By criminalizing what we call consensual same-sex activity among adults, it goes against key provisions of the constitution including rights on equality and non-discrimination," said Adrian Jjuuko, executive director of the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum. Deeply repressive law Biden said he had asked his National Security Council to assess what the law means for "all aspects of US engagement with Uganda", including services providing AIDS relief and other assistance and investments. He said the administration would also consider sanctions against Uganda and the restriction of entry into the United States of people engaging in human rights abuses or corruption there. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the Ugandan government had "an obligation to protect all of its citizens and uphold their basic rights". "Failure to do so will undermine relationships with international partners," he warned in a statement. Britain, the former colonial power in Uganda which criminalized homosexuality during its rule, said it was "appalled" and called the law "deeply discriminatory". "It will increase the risk of violence, discrimination, and persecution, will set back the fight against HIV/AIDS," Britain's Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell said. The UN Human Rights Office, whose commissioner Volker Turk in March described the bill as "among the worst of its kind in the world", also condemned its passage into law. "It is a recipe for systematic violations of the rights of LGBT people & the wider population," the office said on Twitter. Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz, Africa deputy director for Human Rights Watch, told AFP that it was "discriminatory and is a step in the wrong direction for the protection of human rights for all people in Uganda". Amnesty International also said the signing of this "deeply repressive law is a grave assault on human rights". But the legislation has broad public support in Uganda, a majority Christian country that has pursued some of the toughest anti-gay legislation in Africa, where around 30 nations ban homosexuality. "We have stood strong to defend the culture, values, and aspirations of our people," parliament speaker Anita Among, one of the bill's main proponents, said in a statement. Living in fear Discussion of the bill in parliament was laced with homophobic slurs, and Museveni himself referred to gay people as "deviants". Frank Mugisha, executive director of Sexual Minorities Uganda, said the law would "bring a lot of harm" to the country's already persecuted LGBTQ community. "We feel so, so, so worried," he told AFP. The revised bill said, "A person who is believed or alleged or suspected of being a homosexual, who has not committed a sexual act with another person of the same sex, does not commit the offense of homosexuality". An earlier version also required Ugandans to report suspected homosexual activity to the police or face six months imprisonment. Lawmakers agreed to amend that provision, and instead, the reporting requirement pertained only to suspected sexual offenses against children and vulnerable people, with the penalty raised to five years in jail. Anyone who "knowingly promotes homosexuality" faces up to 20 years in jail, while organizations found guilty of encouraging same-sex activity could face a 10-year ban. Aid cuts Reaction from civil groups in Uganda has been muted following years of authoritarian rule under Museveni. But the European Parliament voted in April to condemn the bill and asked EU states to pressure Museveni to not implement it, warning that relations with Kampala were at stake. Asuman Basalirwa, the MP who sponsored the bill, said that aid cuts were expected and that Among, the parliament speaker, had already been informed her US visa had been revoked. The bill also risked undermining progress in combating HIV/AIDS in Uganda, according to a statement by UNAIDS, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. There has never been a conviction for consensual same-sex activity since independence from Britain in 1962. The post Outcry as Uganda’s anti-gay bill signed into law appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Back to the past: The return of ROTC
If indeed the Marcos II administration intends to bring back the past by, among other means, making ROTC mandatory again, 21 years after it was made an NTSP elective, it could start by first instituting the needed reforms in the program to prevent or at least reduce the corruption, abuses and violence that many associate with it. The post Back to the past: The return of ROTC appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
In defense of the Philippines
Ever since Duterte declared the longest standing COVID-19 lockdown in the world back in March 15, 2020 up to the present, we have monitored at least 555 environmental defenders who have suffered human rights abuses. The post In defense of the Philippines appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
Moderating oligarchs’ greed
Last July 13, President Rodrigo Duterte spoke before soldiers in Jolo, Sulu and triumphantly declared he “dismantled the oligarchy that controlled the country’s economy without the need to declare martial law.” This came a few days after a committee in the House of Representatives rejected ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal bill. During his penultimate State of the Nation Address on July 27, Duterte took another swipe at the oligarchs whose great wealth has enabled them “to influence public policy to their advantage.” He cited as an example the Lopezes “who used their media outlets in their battles with political figures” including himself during the 2016 elections. People seem to forget that Duterte’s avowed mission to put oligarchs in their proper place was part of his 2016 campaign promise to stamp out corruption. At that time, he said the corruption in the Bureau of Customs and the Bureau of Internal Revenue was “small change in comparison to the high-level corruption that runs in the billions among the economic elite.” Oligarchy means the rule of the few, but its meaning has evolved to refer to powerful individuals or groups outside of government who are able to benefit from political connections to amass vast amounts of wealth and gain control of major industries. The term “oligarch” started popping up recently in mainstream and social media but its context in relation to what is happening in our society has become warped and obfuscated. To be fair, the President has given credit where credit is due, even to the so-called oligarchs when they helped the government in this COVID-19 crisis, but he said it is their abuses that he abhors. On several occasions, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano pointed out how oligarchs use their wealth to gain power, while the political elite used their power to amass wealth. He expressed full support to Duterte’s advocacy in changing the current system where he believes the people “willingly consent to being held back by the few who control the economy and through that, the running of the nation.” According to Cayetano, the real threat to the stability of our socio-political and economic systems are those backroom deals that make exploitation legal – “the quiet acquiescing to a system that naturally favors the ultra-rich and very powerful.” He believes that not all oligarchs are bad, saying in a media interview: “Just like every entrepreneur wanting to expand their business, these would-be oligarchs might very well have started off with the most benign or even benevolent intentions. But the malignant DNA of unabated, uncontrolled capitalism, especially corporate capitalism, eventually comes to play, leading to people and systems being abused and exploited.” Cayetano clarified, though, that capitalism and democracy work as we have seen in other economies. He thinks the situation in the Philippines is not hopeless, and we can begin to change this corrupt system by acknowledging there is a problem and we are part of it. “This is a battle between those who are willing to fight their self-interest and change with the system, versus those who deny that there is anything wrong with the status quo, specifically as it relates to themselves, and instead simply choose to blame the politicians and officials in government,” he said. This brings to mind the statement attributed to a Cabinet member of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who advised another top official to “moderate your greed.” Another cautionary tale is found in the recently re-launched book of Ricardo Manapat, who served as National Archives Director during the Arroyo and Ramos administrations. Manapat’s book is titled “Some Are Smarter Than Others: The History of Marcos’ Crony Capitalism” which is a classic work on anti-cronyism exposing the ill-gotten wealth of former President Ferdinand Marcos. Oligarchs may not be totally wiped out in the Philippines, since developed economies even have to contend with their presence. But Duterte’s relentless campaign against them could very well result in moderating their greed and freeing the country from their tight grip. nextgenmedia@gmail.com.....»»
7 nanlaban drug suspects dead after Baste Duterte declares drug war
Less than a week after Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte declared a "war on drugs" in the city, at least seven drug suspects were killed during a buy-bust operation in the city — violence that highlights the seriousness of the mayor's recent threat of outright killing persons caught using illegal drugs......»»
Kaspersky Shares Cybersecurity Tips for a Peaceful Getaway during the holy week
As the holiday season approaches, the urge to unwind and kick back is natural. And it’s all too common for people to let their guard down completely when connecting to the Internet too– but shouldn’t. Recently, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group shared its findings on identity theft cases in the country. Between November […].....»»
Stocks eke out gains, back at 6,900
The stock market eked out gains to move back up to the 6,900 level as investors continued to hunt for bargains......»»
CHR alarmed by war vs drugs in Davao City
THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is alarmed by Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s “war against drugs”, as seven drug users were killed from different barangays in the city over the weekend, just a few hours after his declaration......»»
Mayor Uy posts cryptic messages amid Igacos power problems
ISLAND Garden City of Samal (Igacos) Mayor Al David Uy posted cryptic messages regarding the power crisis in Igacos......»»