We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Houthis fire missiles at US destroyer after trying to hijack Israel-linked ship
Etl Aviv [Israel], November 27 (ANI/TPS): US Centcom said that two ballistic missiles were fired in the direction of the USS Mason in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday night. The USS Mason, a guided missile destroyer which is part of the Eisenhower carrier strike group, was responding to a distress call from the Central Park, an Israeli-linked merchant ship that was attacked by Iran-backed Houthis. On arrival, the Mason demanded.....»»
Houthis fire missiles at US destroyer after trying to hijack Israel-linked ship
Etl Aviv [Israel], November 27 (ANI/TPS): US Centcom said that two ballistic missiles were fired in the direction of the USS Mason in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday night. The USS Mason, a guided missile destroyer which is part of the Eisenhower carrier strike group, was responding to a distress call from the Central Park, an Israeli-linked merchant ship that was attacked by Iran-backed Houthis. On arrival, the Mason demanded.....»»
Microsoft CEO hits out at ‘dominant’ Google in US trial
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told a US court on Monday that Google's dominance of the search engine market made it very hard for rivals to emerge, hitting out sharply at the business practices of his company's archrival. Nadella spoke to a courtroom in Washington DC, where lawyers from the US Department of Justice are attempting to persuade a federal judge that Google has illegally paid billions to Apple and others to preserve its monopoly. Microsoft's Bing has been trying since 2009 to build market share against Google, but Nadella said it could never compete against the search engine behemoth, largely due to its arrangements with Apple. "You can call it popular, but to me it's dominant," Nadella told a Google lawyer during tense cross examination. The three-month trial is the biggest US antitrust case against a big tech company since the same department took on Microsoft more than two decades ago over the dominance of its Windows operating system. Nadella broadly backed the government's contention that Google's intake of data from being the world's preeminent search engine created a network effect that only made Google a more powerful tool to advertisers and users. "It becomes even harder to break through when you don't have (market) share," Nadella said. 'Defaults matter' Nadella said distribution was key to a successful search engine and that his company was prepared to pay Apple dearly to give Bing the default status on the iPhone. "Defaults are the only thing that matters" and arguments by Google that users will easily switch to another app were "bogus," Nadella said. "It would be a game changer (for Bing) to be a default on Safari," he added. Apple instead stuck with Google and receives billions of dollars every year from the search engine giant with a generous revenue sharing deal, earlier testimony has revealed. With his approaches rebuffed by Apple, Nadella said that Bing has remained a very small player. The company has continued to invest in Bing, Nadella said, awaiting a possible "paradigm shift" or some sort of government intervention to restructure the business. The CEO also testified that despite some early "exuberance," he no longer believed the emergence of ChatGPT would reshape Google's dominance of the search business. Microsoft earlier this year moved aggressively to integrate the AI technology into its Bing search engine, creating some expectation that Google's singular position was under threat. Nadella said he was now worried that Google would be able to use its dominance in search to strongarm content providers that are key to training generative AI models. "I worry a lot in spite of my enthusiasm that this vicious cycle can become even more vicious," Nadella said. The post Microsoft CEO hits out at ‘dominant’ Google in US trial appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Barrier removal BBM’s call — PCG
Dismantling the floating barrier that China installed at Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc is a matter for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to decide, a Philippine Coast Guard official said yesterday. Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said they had reported the discovery of the 300-meter barrier to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, or NTF-WPS. “Should the NTF-WPS recommend to the President the actions to be taken, the PCG, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and even the Armed Forces of the Philippines would comply,” Tarriela said. Tarriela was apparently reacting to the call made by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri for the PCG to remove the barrier as it poses a danger to Filipino fishermen and keeps them from the shoal’s rich fishing grounds. Tarriela, however, said the PCG had yet to consult with Mr. Marcos and other officials of the national government on what to do about the barrier. The PCG said three China Coast Guard inflatable boats backed by a Chinese maritime militia vessel installed the floating barrier. Also on Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs vowed to press the Philippines’ sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal. “We will take all appropriate measures to protect our country’s sovereignty and the livelihood of our fisherfolk,” the DFA said. “Bajo de Masinloc is an integral part of the Philippines over which we have sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction according to UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea),” the DFA said. In 2012, Chinese and Philippine vessels faced each other in a standoff at the shoal, which was defused when the Philippines withdrew its ships, which China did not do with its ships despite an agreement to do so. China has since maintained control of the shoal even after a 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration deemed the shoal to be part of the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea. The landmark ruling, which also dismissed as illegal China’s claim to nearly the entire South China Sea, arose from a case filed by the Philippines before the arbitral court in 2013. China, however, has refused to abide by the ruling. “The 2016 Arbitral Award affirms it (Bajo de Masinloc) as a traditional fishing ground for Filipino fisherfolk,” the DFA pointed out. “China’s reported installation of barriers and its negative impact on the livelihood of Filipino fisherfolk or any other activity that infringes on the Philippines’ sovereignty and jurisdiction in Bajo de Masinloc are violations of international law, particularly UNCLOS and the Arbitral Award,” it added. The installation of the barrier was roundly criticized by European Union Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Veron, who described it as “deeply concerning.” In a tweet, Veron said the “floating barrier is dangerous, detrimental to the livelihood of Philippines fishermen, and disregards the peace-driven objectives of UNCLOS.” The post Barrier removal BBM’s call — PCG appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gov’t, businesses told to adopt AI boom
The government and private sector need to collaboratively launch a nationwide effort to push for the adoption of science-backed artificial intelligence or AI to help communities and businesses keep up with the rapid technological advancement. In an interview with reporters last Friday, Dr. Sanjay Sarma, CEO, president, and dean of the Asia School of Business or ASB, reiterated that AI is developing at an unprecedented pace and will be everywhere soon. “AI can potentially replace jobs so let’s accept that. The Philippines should become the country that leads the world in how to use AI, in call centers, for instance,” Sarma told reporters. “Here in the Philippines, it has to be a national effort. The government needs to be cognizant that this is an epic moment. It's like, you know, climate change is going to damage the environment, it will hurt a lot of people. This is technology change is just like climate change,” he said. Unlike other technologies such as automated teller machines or ATMs, which took about 15 years to be widely accepted, AI is a development that needs urgent adoption. Like ATMs, which previously raised concerns about replacing the job of bank tellers, AI will help industries develop further. “Bank tellers did not lose their jobs. Bank tellers did something more advanced, which is selling mortgages and things like that. The job changed because of technology,” he explained. Thus, in blending in with the changes brought about by AI, Sarma proposed that local industries like the business process outsourcing sector should upgrade more into becoming a technology space. “At this level, you have to go up because the attack comes from below. It's like a tiger, you know, it's chasing you, You climb a tree, and the tiger learns to climb the first 10 feet, well, you have to climb higher. So you have to go higher up in the cognitive stock to go higher,” he said. To complement the benefits of AI, Sarma noted that the local service industry workers, for instance, have to do the things that technology cannot. “For example, this Chat GPT cannot negotiate with you, can't do any planning, can't do dispute resolution. It can't calm an angry customer. So you have to figure out what the technology can do and what humans can do, that the technology can't. And you're to develop human capital in those directions.” Sarma is a professor of mechanical engineering and the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a leading authority in AI, the Internet of Things, and Education. ASB, established in 2015 by Bank Negara Malaysia in collaboration with MIT Sloan School of Management, aims to be a premier business school that develops transformative and principled leaders who will contribute to the advancement of the emerging world, particularly in Asia. Last July, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers asked the Congress and Palace to consider creating an agency that will oversee responsible AI use in the country. Barbers cited that at least 520,000 employees across different industries may be affected by the integration of AI. In March, he filed a bill eyeing to create the Artificial Intelligence Development Authority, which will serve as an AI monitoring body tasked to supervise the “development and deployment of AI technologies.” Primarily, it will ensure compliance with AI ethics principles and guidelines and protect the “rights and welfare of individuals and communities affected by AI technologies.” The post Gov’t, businesses told to adopt AI boom appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Papua New Guinea is fifth nation to open Jerusalem embassy
Pacific island nation Papua New Guinea opened its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem on Tuesday, becoming only the fifth country to have its mission in the holy city. The status of Jerusalem is the most sensitive issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape inaugurated the embassy in the presence of his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu at a function in Jerusalem. "Many nations choose not to open their embassies in Jerusalem, but we made the conscious choice," said Marape, whose country previously had no embassy in Israel. "For us to call ourselves Christian, paying respect to God will not be complete without recognizing that Jerusalem is the universal capital of the people and nation of Israel," he said, inviting Netanyahu to open Israel's embassy in Papua New Guinea. Netanyahu welcomed the opening of the mission in Jerusalem, making Papua New Guinea the first Asia-Pacific country to do so. "We are very proud and very appreciative of that fact," he said, adding that the new link between the two countries "will not only enable us to cherish the past, but seize the future". Most of the countries that have a formal diplomatic presence in Israel have their embassies in Tel Aviv, the country's commercial center. Only a handful of countries have their missions in Jerusalem -- the United States, Kosovo, Guatemala, and Honduras. Papua New Guinea's decision follows a landmark security pact, tabled in the country's parliament in June and obtained by AFP, which allows the US military to develop and operate out of bases in Papua New Guinea. The pact underpins Washington's effort to outflank China in the Pacific. After capturing it in 1967, Israel annexed east Jerusalem, including the Old City, in a move never recognized by the international community. Israel views the whole city as its capital, a stance backed by former US president Donald Trump, who moved Washington's embassy there. About 230,000 Israelis live in annexed east Jerusalem, along with at least 360,000 Palestinians who want to make the sector the capital of their future independent state. Peace talks have been moribund since 2014, and violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has intensified since last year. The post Papua New Guinea is fifth nation to open Jerusalem embassy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Escudero wants BI to reimburse travelers’ expenses after being offloaded
Senator Francis Escudero said the Bureau of Immigration should reimburse the travel expenses of those more than 32,000 passengers who were offloaded from their flights due to prolonged interrogation by immigration officers “in the guise of fighting human trafficking." Escudero made this suggestion as he backed Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri in denouncing the new departure guidelines of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking. “To teach the BI a lesson, they should pay for the troubles they caused Filipinos wanting to travel,” Escudero said. He added that immigration officers should be held accountable for the travel woes experienced by the offloaded passengers. Escudero urged his colleagues to support his call against BI. “May I seek the chamber's support that we include a provision in the proposed 2024 national budget that these 32,404 passengers and anyone who will be offloaded will be reimbursed in so far, as their expenses, is concerned," he said. "This will be chargeable against the immigration fees being collected by the BI since a percentage of this goes to them anyway. Let it hurt them, Mr. President, so that they learn their lessons and they exercise the power given to them not arbitrarily but with due diligence and care," he added. As of the latest immigration records, a total of 32,404 Filipino passengers were not allowed to proceed with their flights in 2022, with only 472 found to be victims of human trafficking or illegal recruitment. “Up to this time, there is no proof and final decision that says that indeed those offloaded will be engaged in prostitution or human trafficking,” Escudero noted. "Therefore, it just behooves the government to reimburse these 32, 404 retroactively, even for previous years, chargeable from the fees collected by the Immigration and I hope that you, Mr. President, can lead us insofar as inserting that special provision in the budget of the BI for 2024," he pointed out,” he added. The post Escudero wants BI to reimburse travelers’ expenses after being offloaded appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Crackdown vs ‘e-sabong’ intensified
The Police Regional Office in Mimaropa region has ordered its police commanders to intensify its war against operators of online cockfighting or e-sabong. PRO-4B director Brig. Gen. Joel Doria stressed on Sunday that the agency has an unwavering commitment to eradicate this illicit activity across the region as they respond to the call of Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. The PRO-4B earlier solidified its stance against e-sabong, leaving no stones unturned in its pursuit of a region free of online cockfighting. “We stand united with SILG, resolute in our determination to crush the existence of e-sabong within our beloved nation,” Doria said. Building on their previous efforts, Doria said that the PRO-4B has employed a rigorous one-strike policy that holds unit commanders fully accountable for eradicating e-sabong in their respective jurisdictions. “We will not tolerate commanders who fail to prevent or address e-sabong activities within their jurisdictions. Immediate and decisive action will be taken, leaving no room for compromise or leniency,” Doria said. “Our objective is not simply to suppress e-sabong, but to completely eradicate it. The one-strike policy serves as a powerful reminder of the duty our unit commanders bear. Under their watch, there will be no tolerance for those who allow this illegal activity to thrive,” he added. Previously, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said they also continue to work with various government agencies, especially those whose mandate is concerned with information and communications technology, in running after online cockfighting operators. Acorda has ordered an “intensified crackdown” against illegal gambling, backed by the one-strike and no-take policy. Police, regional, provincial and district directors; chiefs of police stations and community precinct commanders; and other leaders of units who will be found inefficient or wanting in their efforts to eradicate and stop illegal gambling in their respective areas of jurisdiction shall be relieved of their post. They will also be charged administratively under the doctrine of command responsibility. Acorda’s latest directive comes after the PNP and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office forged an alliance to intensify the national campaign against all forms of illegal gambling. The specialized units will employ their expertise in gathering intelligence, conducting thorough investigations, and executing strategic interventions, fortifying the nation’s fight against illegal gambling. The post Crackdown vs ‘e-sabong’ intensified appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Stalled CoC tabled anew
The long-delayed negotiations for a Code of Conduct or CoC on the West Philippine Sea resume next month reviving hopes for a binding agreement that China will adhere to in defusing maritime tensions, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed. Talks between ASEAN members and China are scheduled in Manila in August. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague issued an award that basically invalidated the nine-dash line claim of China but did not settle sovereignty issues. China refused to participate in the proceedings and said it did not recognize the ruling. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo announced the latest development following the completion of the second reading of the Single Draft CoC negotiating text. Pandemic stalled talks Constraints brought about by the pandemic prevented ASEAN and China from holding CoC negotiations over the past two years. According to Manalo, Manila anticipates adopting an “effective and substantive” agreement next month. In addition, the DFA chief advocated for stronger cooperation on several issues related to ASEAN and Beijing relations, saying that everyone involved “must ensure that gains are not undercut by threats to regional peace, security, and stability, as well as major power rivalries.” “Regarding developments in the South China Sea, we call for the effective management and peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law,” Manolo said. Both ASEAN and China reiterated through a joint statement their intent to expedite the negotiations on the long-stalled CoC. Back in November 2022, Manalo bared that at least two or three rounds of negotiations were expected to take place this year. China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei are at odds over the resource-rich South China Sea, with China claiming the disputed waterway entirely. China remained firm over its territorial claims, notwithstanding the 2016 arbitral award. Last week, the Philippines, joined by its allies, celebrated the seventh anniversary of the country’s victory in the United Nations-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration. The post Stalled CoC tabled anew appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UN chief arrives in Haiti for ‘solidarity’ visit
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Haiti on Saturday for a lightning visit aimed at showing "solidarity" with the country's people as it navigates a "tragic cycle" of overlapping security, political and economic woes, his spokesperson said. For months, the world body's leader has raised the alarm bell about the situation in the Western Hemisphere's poorest country, which has been wracked by gang violence, a worsening public health situation, and political instability. Guterres -- making his first visit to Haiti as UN secretary-general -- is expected to meet with Prime Minister Ariel Henry as well as other political leaders and members of civil society, his spokesperson said in announcing his arrival. Guterres will "reiterate the UN's support for Haiti, his strong appeal for the international community to continue to support Haiti and its humanitarian needs, as well as his call for the immediate deployment of an international force to assist the Haitian National Police," his office said. The United Nations and Henry have repeatedly made the case for a multinational force to stabilize Haiti, which has not held national elections since 2016. But nine months after Guterres first asked the Security Council for such a force, no country has been willing to step forward to lead one, fearing high risks and uncertain success. Canada and Brazil have both been heavily involved in discussions and several Caribbean nations have backed a multinational force. President Joe Biden has made clear that the United States, which has a long history of intervention in Haiti, will not lead a force and instead wants to focus on bolstering the fledgling national police. The United Nations has meanwhile been clear about the nightmare suffered by many Haitians on a daily basis -- shootings, kidnappings, and rapes are frequent. 'Never been worse' "Haitians and our team there tell me it's never been worse than it is now," UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Catherine Russell said this week after returning from Port-au-Prince. Russell highlighted "unprecedented hunger and malnutrition, grinding poverty, a crippled economy, resurgence of cholera, and a massive insecurity that creates a deadly downward spiral of violence." Compounding the crises, the flooding and earthquakes which ravage the country "continue to remind us all just how vulnerable Haiti is to climate change and natural disasters," she told a briefing. And then Russell recounted the horrific story of an 11-year-old girl who was kidnapped by five men -- and raped by three of them. "She was eight months pregnant when we spoke and gave birth just a few days later," she said, recalling that armed gangs control more than 60 percent of the capital and large swathes of the countryside. Faced with such violence, residents have occasionally taken matters into their own hands. In April, a group of civilians beat to death several suspected gang members who were in police custody and burned their bodies in the street. And in June, Haiti's minister of planning and external cooperation Ricard Pierre warned of the risk that the country could descend into civil war if an international assistance force is not deployed soon. "The risk of civil war is very real," he said. Some 5,2 million Haitians -- nearly half of the country's population -- need humanitarian assistance. Three million of those in need are children. Guterres is also planning to "underscore the need for a Haitian-led, inclusive political pathway towards elections and the return of constitutional order in Haiti," his spokesperson said. Henry, who was named to his post shortly before the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, has faced questions about his own legitimacy. Following his stop in Haiti, Guterres will head to Trinidad and Tobago for a summit of the Caribbean Community, or CARICOM. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will also attend that meeting, where he plans to meet Henry. The post UN chief arrives in Haiti for ‘solidarity’ visit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PLDT throws full support for eGovPH Super App
Best positioned to support the government’s holistic digitalization agenda, leading integrated telco PLDT Inc. lauded the newly launched eGovPH Super App. PLDT President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio was among those present when the app was unveiled by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy, and DICT Undersecretary David Almirol at the National Information and Communication Technology Month Kick-off Ceremony in Malacañang. “We echo the sentiments of President Marcos about maximizing the use of the technologies available to us, with the eGovPH Super App expected to improve ease of doing business and interactions with the government,” Panlilio said. “This aligns with how we at PLDT are committed to evolving with our customers’ increasingly digital lifestyles and delivering innovation, to achieve our ambition of a completely connected and future-ready Philippines.” Available on Google Play and Apple Store, the e-GovPH Super App is a one-stop-shop platform for local and national services, with transactions including SIM registration, LGU services, job application, healthcare assistance, job application, e-payments and banking services, and more. Actualizing PLDT’s commitment to the government’s nationwide digitalization call, Panlilio is one of the founding members of the Digital Infrastructure Group of the Private Sector Advisory Council. “Our PSAC seat permits us to provide regular policy recommendations to President Marcos, and we are grateful that he has been very engaging in initiatives specific to the nationwide expansion of internet connectivity and digitalization,” Panlilio said. PLDT’s support for PSAC aspirations is backed by its resilient and undisputed award-winning fixed and wireless networks. As of end-March 2023, PLDT had expanded its total fiber footprint to over 1.1 million kilometers, consisting of over 231,000 kilometers of international fiber and over 874,000 kilometers of domestic fiber. This fiber infrastructure also supports Smart's 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE, and 5G network, which cover 97 percent of the country's population as of end-March 2023. The post PLDT throws full support for eGovPH Super App appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rody okay with PDP-Laban merger
Former President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday revealed that he has no qualms over the looming merger of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan party to other political parties in the country. The former President also stressed that he is “slowly” removing himself from politics. “I leave it to the entire membership of the PDP-Laban, whatever they want. I may be the chairman but there’s a different President. I’d like to remove myself slowly from the politics,” Duterte said. He also gave assurance that he would “simply agree” if the entire membership of the Party will opt to merge with a stronger political Party as approved by the majority. “If that the majority wants. So it’s always a numbers game. Whatever is the prevailing sentiment in the Party,” Duterte said. Earlier this week, the PDP-Laban along with the National Unity Party, Nacionalista Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition, Partido Navoteño, Centrist Democratic Party of the Philippines, and the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. signed an agreement to reaffirm their political alliance with the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats or Lakas-CMD. But for former Presidential Legal Counsel Atty. Salvador Panelo, he sees that Duterte — as the chairperson of the Party — has no idea about the merging issues. “It’s seems like PDP-Laban’s dedication to Lakas, it looks like he didn’t know about it or he just let it go. It’s like what I heard from him -- if that’s what the majority wants, the fine,” Panelo said. Meantime, the former President also cited the “uncontrollable character” of her daughter, incumbent Vice President, and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, saying she only has a straightforward commitment to public service. “Among my children, only this one [Sara] has a character… You can’t really control Inday… She will just do what is right,” Duterte said, referring to young Duterte’s strong personality and passion in terms of public service. In other developments, Panelo has backed the former President’s decision to reject the call for him to become the country’s anti-drug czar under this administration, saying it would be a demotion on the part of the previous President. “Knowing the former President, he will not accept that. First of all, it would be a demotion for him. He put the country in order for six years,” Panelo said, adding that “it is out of character” of Duterte. Panelo said the anti-illegal drug campaign can be continued by the current administration. “We need in this one, will be like Duterte. That’s how simple things are,” said Panelo. The post Rody okay with PDP-Laban merger appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Race against time for US debt crisis bill in Congress
The bill hammered out by US leaders to prevent the country from a catastrophic default on its debts will face one last hurdle this week: Passing Congress. Top Republicans and Democrats scrambled Monday to secure congressional support for the measure, with President Joe Biden feeling "very good" about its prospects despite having just days left before the government starts running out of money. The deal, finalized Sunday by Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy after weeks of frantic negotiations, faces opposition from the progressive and hard-right wings of their respective parties. Ultra-conservative Republicans feel McCarthy should have secured far deeper spending cuts in exchange for raising the debt ceiling and allowing the government to keep borrowing money. The left wing of the Democratic Party is equally unhappy that Biden agreed to any spending limits at all. The House Rules Committee will meet Tuesday to set the parameters for the upcoming vote, now scheduled for Wednesday. Delay tactics Biden and McCarthy both say they believe the bill will pass the House and then move swiftly to the Senate. "I never say I'm confident what the Congress is going to do. But I feel very good about it," Biden said Monday, adding that he had spoken to lawmakers. But organized dissent could force some nerve-shredding delays. The key deadline is June 5 -- when, according to Treasury estimates, the government will no longer have the funds required to pay all its debts and bills. If that scenario morphs into a full-fledged default, the repercussions would be disastrous for the US and the wider global economy. The basic framework of the deal lifts the federal debt ceiling, which is currently $31.4 trillion, for two years — enough to get past the next presidential election in 2024. In return, the Republicans secured some limits on federal spending over the same period. As they finalized the text Sunday, Biden and McCarthy both went into hard-sell mode to shore up support in their parties. Biden's message to dissident Democrats, he said Monday: "Talk to me." Win, win Both Biden and McCarthy were backed by vocal spin operations insisting the agreement clearly represented a victory for their side. "You want to try to make it look like I made some compromise on the debt ceiling -- I didn't," Biden told reporters. McCarthy, for his part, touted the agreement as a "historic series of wins." But like Biden, McCarthy will have to quell members of his own party who aren't keen on the bill. "I want to raise the debt ceiling. It'd be irresponsible not to do it," Senator Lindsey Graham told Fox News Sunday. "But what I will not do is adopt the Biden defense budget and call it a success," Graham said, calling for bigger increases to the Pentagon's budget than currently agreed. "I will not be intimidated by June 5." In reality, the agreement represents a mutual climb down of sorts from Democratic and Republican negotiators. Biden had initially refused to negotiate over spending issues as a condition for raising the debt ceiling, accusing the Republicans of taking the economy, hostage. And the big cuts that Republicans wanted are not there, although non-defense spending will remain effectively flat next year, and only rise nominally in 2025. McCarthy's wafer-thin majority in the House will require significant Democratic backing to balance out Republican dissent. One Republican tweeted out a vomit emoji in response to the deal, with another calling it "an insult to the American people." At the same time, a member of the House Progressive Caucus, Ro Khanna, said a large number of fellow Democrats were still "in flux as to where they're going to be on this." Democrats hold the majority in the Senate, but individual senators could try and hold up the bill with amendment votes that would bring the process perilously close to the June 5 deadline. One element likely to rile Democratic environmental hawks was the surprise inclusion of a measure to accelerate the completion of an oil pipeline project that has been stalled by green concerns. Both the House and Senate are expected to return on Tuesday, after a long holiday weekend. The post Race against time for US debt crisis bill in Congress appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
TUCP: Employers’ stance against wage hike ‘overkill’
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, whose representative in the Lower House has filed a bill proposing a P150 wage increase for workers, blasted the statement made by eight business groups last week against the wage hike, calling it an "overkill on the poor workers." “It is unfortunate that both employers and economic managers are now ganging up in an 'overkill' on the poor workers' calls to bring up measly real wages to at least be within the poverty threshold. These employers and economic managers are now fearmongering widespread closure of MSMEs and scenarios of spiking inflation should a wage increase be granted,” TUCP vice president Luis Corral said. The statement in question was signed by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc., Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines, Philippine Hotel Owners Association, Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines and the United Portusers Confederation of the Philippines, Inc. They insisted that only 16 percent of the labor workforce will benefit from a wage hike, while the remaining number of Filipino workers -- all in informal labor -- will demand more "ayuda" or government’ aid, and that it will also affect many businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises. Corral called such statements a "scare-mongering" tactic, and urged them to join in providing the needed help for workers amid challenging economic conditions. “The call for wage increase months ago should have been a wake-up call to the economic managers to save the rapidly deteriorating situation of a majority of the working poor,” Corral said. “Contrary to the argument of resultant MSME closures, the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises and certain retail enterprises are exempt from the minimum wage law. The truth is this 'massive closure' argument is actually camouflage to benefit big employers as there is enough support available for MSMEs, including the increase in consumption that comes with wage increase,” he added. The TUCP has already filed House Bill No. 7871 or the Wage Recovery Act of 2023, which seeks a wage hike that would recover from what it said was the more than three decades of no significant wage increase since the passage of Republic Act Number 6727 or the "Wage Rationalization Act." A Senate counterpart of the measure is Senate Bill Number 2002, filed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, which TUCP backed. The group also reiterated its other proposals such as having more Kadiwa outlets that would lessen food inflation, reducing the weighted average cost of capital in electricity sources by eight percent, and returning to the original return-on-rate-base in electricity value. The TUCP also proposed a P5,000 one-time government financial aid to minimum wage workers and the instatement of the emergency cost-of-living allowance. The post TUCP: Employers’ stance against wage hike ‘overkill’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DoE mulls NGCP audit within year
The Department of Energy may order within the year the holding of the long-delayed comprehensive system and performance audit of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, the country’s lone transmission system operator. “We will be issuing the necessary orders to commence this, of course within the year. We’re just waiting for all the audit reports to be in and accepted by the Energy Regulatory Commission,” Lotilla said in a recent interview with reporters. Lotilla reiterated that a comprehensive review is needed to get to the bottom of all the country’s transmission problems, which usually causes power interruptions. “Our job is to make sure that we have the proper, called for comprehensive study and audit that will be the basis for finding out what is the solution for finishing three major interconnection projects,” the Energy chief said. “We need to finish these projects first and foremost because these will free up stranded power. There’s 600 megawatts or even more that gets stranded in Bataan, for instance,” he explained. ERC holds review Currently, the ERC is conducting a full regulatory performance audit of the NGCP, while Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management and National Transmission Corporation will also launch a contract performance review of the operator. The DoE had floated anew the call to subject NGCP to a comprehensive audit after the Luzon grid was placed in yellow and red alerts early this month due to the tripping of the transmission line that caused some power plants to fail. For its part, the NGCP already relayed that it will continue to open its gates to any government-funded audit of its systems and operations. However, NGCP spokesperson Atty. Cynthia Alabanza said Thursday that the China-backed company will only open its doors on the condition that any audit proceedings will follow its regulatory framework. “On the audit, for as long as it is within the regulatory framework that NGCP works under its franchise and concession agreement, we are open to that,” Alabanza said. The NGCP holds a 25-year franchise to solely operate the power transmission assets of the government and secure power reserves for contingency. Among others, NGCP is undertaking the P52-billion Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project or MVIP. The DoE previously said the project will launch within the first half of the year but will be pushed back anew to an indefinite date still within the year. The MVIP will link together all three major Philippine islands to create one grid. The NGCP was authorized by the ERC to start building the project way back in 2017. It was initially scheduled to be completed in 2020 but it was delayed due to the pandemic. Energy Undersecretary Rowena Guevara stated if NGCP had completed the Visayas-Mindanao connectivity project, Mindanao might have augmented Luzon’s electricity delivery. Still, Reyes pointed out that the resulting power outages have threatened the lives of the people, who are in critical need of life support services and medical attention throughout the summer months. He then emphasized that the reliability of power supply is necessary for the delivery of medical services and other life-affirming medical treatments, and these power interruptions caused by the lack of proper ancillary service agreements “clearly stems from NGCP’s failure to recontract these services early on.” The post DoE mulls NGCP audit within year appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US backs Philippines on WPS incident; Australia calls for peace, stability
Days after the Chinese Coast Guard’s maneuverings in Philippine waters, the United States again backed Manila defending itself against armed attacks while Australia reiterated its call for peace and stability......»»
Pascual backs SIM registration extension
Micro, small, and medium enterprises using numerous subscriber identity module or SIM cards have yet to register them all, which may result to huge displacements when these are deactivated by the 26 April deadline., Trade Secretary Fred Pascual said. He said that small firms are largely dependent on their smartphones in transacting with customers In a press briefing in Malacañang, Pascual said the Department of Information and Communications Technology should consider extending the deadline for SIM card registration as it will help in the country’s shift to digital payments. “Digital payments are what we need to happen to further promote and develop our MSMEs because that’s how they can facilitate accessing the market and being able to sell online,” he said. The Trade chief stressed that strictly implementing the deadline will be a “major concern.” Telco giant Globe Telecom backed the call of Pascual so customers can obtain valid IDs — a key requirement for SIM registration that many SIM users lack, preventing them from completing registration. Globe, nonetheless, urged its subscribers to complete the registration process immediately, with 33.067 million of its 86.5 million customer base compliant with the law as of 20 April. “We encourage all our subscribers to register their SIMs as soon as possible to maintain uninterrupted access to mobile and broadband services. Pending response to our appeal for the government to extend the deadline, we call on all Globe SIM users to comply with the law,” said Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu. Extension must be considered “If we really need registration, we need to be able to accommodate (adjustment of the deadline). Personally, I will go for it, but I do not know the official position of the concerned department,” the Trade chief noted. Moreover, he said the SIM registration “must be done and make sure that registration happens. It’s like voter’s registration.” On Wednesday, the DICT said the deadline for the SIM card registration period remains, amid clamors from major telecommunications giants Globe, Smart and DITO Telecommunications to extend the registration period. “With the 26 April 2023 registration deadline drawing near, we encourage everyone to register to promote the responsible use of SIMs and provide law enforcement agencies the necessary tools to crack down on perpetrators who use SIMs for their crimes, consistent with the declared policy of the law,” the DICT statement read. The DICT, headed by Secretary Ivan Uy, has the sole prerogative to extend the deadline for another 120 days, stipulated on the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 11934 or SIM Registration Law. According to the National Telecommunications Commission, as of April 18, about 5,399,998 or 36.08 percent have registered for DITO; 32,224,277 or 37.15 percent for Globe; and 36,558,127 or 55.14 percent for Smart for a total of 74,182,402. Further, the NTC said registered users make up 44.15 percent of these active mobile subscribers. The post Pascual backs SIM registration extension appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Time doesn’t heal’: Ukraine’s war widows count the cost
Olga Slyshyk began to fear the worst in January this year when her husband, Mykhailo, a military engineer serving on the front line in eastern Ukraine, didn't contact her on her birthday. It wasn't unusual for the 40-year-old trained lawyer to be offline for days at a time, but Slyshyk knew he would reach out -- one way or another -- on January 14 if he was alive and well. "I was sure he would call or find some way to congratulate me. But I had had a very bad dream and I already knew something was wrong," she told AFP in Kyiv wearing black and holding her two-year-old son Viktor. "On January 15, I found out he had died." More than one year after Moscow invaded, Slyshyk is among a growing number of women widowed by Russian forces and left to count the cost of Ukraine's determination to hold out and push Moscow's invasion back. Neither side has disclosed the exact figures of troops killed, though recently leaked US intelligence documents suggest as many as 17,500 Ukrainian servicemen have been lost. Slyshyk said a social media group for war widows she joined had more than 300 members after her husband was killed defending Soledar in the eastern Donetsk region, but it had doubled in size since. President Volodymyr Zelensky last August hosted widows and their children at an honors ceremony to reassure next of kin their loved ones' sacrifice had not been in vain. "They will remain forever at battle. But they live on in the memory of their relatives," he said, greeting mourning women and their children one by one. Thirty-year-old Slyshyk, who was born in Mariupol -- a port city besieged and captured by Russian forces last spring -- said she often evokes the memory of her killed husband. "All the time. Both in my head and aloud. I'll be unable to open a tin can, weeping from frustration, and I cry out: 'Misha, I'm not even able to do this' and then suddenly, it opens." Daria Mazur, 41, said she learned of her husband's death in 2014 from graphic pictures of his bloodied corpse published on Russian media after fierce fighting with Kremlin-backed separatists. He was killed while withdrawing from Ilovaisk, an infamous and costly chapter of the conflict for Ukraine that saw hundreds killed that August as Kyiv troops pulled back in the face of advancing pro-Russian forces. "Time does not heal. You just get used to it. You accept it. You learn to live with it. And that pain just becomes a part of you," she told AFP in her kitchen in Kyiv, next to pictures showing her husband smiling with their child in his arms. They met on a beach in 2006, fell in love and married in 2010 in the southern region of Kherson, where Mazur fled from when Russia invaded last February. Her hometown is currently occupied by Russian forces. She said her final conversations with her husband, Pavlo, who was 30 when he was killed, betrayed a sense of foreboding. He knew the situation was precarious. "He told me: 'please promise me that no matter what happens to me, you will be happy,'" she recounted to AFP. "These guys are giving their lives so we can live on," she added, referring to Ukrainian servicemen fighting now. It was precisely this need to go on that pushed Oksana Borkun, who also lost her husband to the Russian invasion, to create "We Have to Live," an organization that supports widows -- the same group that Slyshyk joined. Borkun said that while the government offers financial and psychological support, she wanted to go a step further. "The girls face a huge amount of pain. You can say it's possible to go crazy from it. Life is going on around you, and you want to talk to those who understand." The organization gathers money for widows, offers logistical and moral support, too, but chiefly it provides a platform -- mainly online -- for already nearly one thousand widows country-wide to share. For Slyshyk, her husband's family has proven a stronger pillar of support than her own. Her mother, who is also a widow of two years, lives in Donetsk, a pro-Russian stronghold city captured by separatists in 2014 and does not support Ukraine in the war. The fact they have both lost their husbands has not brought them together, she said. Months after Mykhailo's death, Slyshyk is torn when weighing whether his sacrifice was worth it. "He said he was going there for me and Viktor," she recounted, explaining her husband believed Ukraine had no choice but to fight back and win. "But if you want me to be safe, to be ok, I need you by my side, not somewhere else," she added, swallowing back tears. "For now, I'm emotionally conflicted". The post ‘Time doesn’t heal’: Ukraine’s war widows count the cost appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Arab nations call for ‘leadership role’ to solve Syria crisis
Diplomats meeting in Saudi Arabia agreed Saturday that the Arab world must play a leading role in efforts to broker a solution to Syria's war, following talks aimed at easing Damascus's isolation. Top diplomats from the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- plus Egypt, Iraq and Jordan met in Saudi Arabia at the kingdom's request. They stressed the "importance of having an Arab leadership role in efforts to end the crisis", according to a statement released by the Saudi foreign ministry early Saturday. They also discussed "the necessary mechanisms for this role" and agreed to intensify "consultations among Arab countries to ensure the success of these efforts". Backed by Iran and Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been shunned by many Middle Eastern countries and is a Western pariah over the war -- which has killed more than half a million people and forced about half of Syria's pre-war population from their homes. Syria was suspended from the Arab League in 2011 over Assad's brutal crackdown of pro-democracy protests. But on Wednesday, in the latest sign of an easing in tensions with Damascus, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad arrived in Jeddah, the first such visit since the war began. Mekdad and his Saudi counterpart discussed "the necessary steps" to end Damascus's isolation, according to a Saudi statement on Wednesday. And following the latest foreign minister meeting, top Arab diplomats "agreed on the importance of resolving the humanitarian crisis" in Syria and securing conditions that would allow for refugee returns, the Saudi foreign ministry said Saturday. Syria's rehabilitation sends "a message to the opposition that Assad will triumph in the end and that their foreign backers will betray them", Aron Lund of the Century International think tank told AFP earlier before Saudi Arabia's statement. Inhabitants of rebel-held Idlib, in northern Syria, said they felt "betrayed" by the moves to rehabilitate Assad's government. "We, the people who live in northern Syria, felt extremely betrayed when we heard about the normalisation with Assad," Rama Sifu, 32, who lives in Idlib, told AFP. "How come after 12 years of struggle and revolution, they come today and tell him: here is your seat back at the Arab League? This is unacceptable, we really felt let down." But late Thursday, the prime minister of Qatar -- an opponent of Assad's government -- poured cold water on talk of Syria's possible return to the Arab League. "There is nothing proposed, it is all speculation," Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said in a television interview. The Jeddah meeting is one of a flurry of initiatives following Saudi Arabia and Iran's landmark, Chinese-brokered announcement on March 10 that they would resume ties, seven years after an acrimonious split. On Friday, an exchange of nearly 900 prisoners from Yemen's civil war between the Iran-backed Huthi rebels and a Saudi-led coalition got underway when flights carrying captives travelled between rebel- and government-controlled areas. The Saudi ambassador to Yemen this week held talks with Huthi forces aimed at ending the devastating civil war that has raged since the Saudi-led military intervention started in 2015. And late on Wednesday, gas-rich Qatar and its tiny but strategic Gulf neighbour Bahrain agreed to re-establish relations, putting aside a long-running diplomatic feud. Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, and Shiite theocracy Iran have long been vying for influence around the region, with Yemen and previously Syria among their proxy conflicts. But analysts say Saudi Arabia is now trying to calm the region to allow it to focus on ambitious domestic projects aimed at diversifying its energy-dependent economy. Although the Arab League takes decisions by consensus, unanimous agreement is unlikely, said a Riyadh-based diplomat who declined to be identified. "The meeting aims to overcome the Gulf differences over Syria as much as possible," the diplomat told AFP, singling out Qatar. "The Saudis are trying at least to ensure that Qatar does not object to Syria's return to the Arab League if the issue is put to any vote," the diplomat added. The post Arab nations call for ‘leadership role’ to solve Syria crisis appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Catapang shuffles NBP max prison guards
Bureau of Corrections director general Gregorio Catapang on Wednesday revealed that he has replaced the 700-strong jail guards assigned to the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison with more than 300 newly-trained personnel and veterans from the Iwahig Penal Colony. He also named a replacement to NBP superintendent Chief Inspector Lucio C. Guevarra during a formation outside the building around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. “I now name Senior Inspector Purificacion Hari to replace Chief Inspector Lucio C. Guevarra as Superintendent of National Bilibid Prison maximum security compound,” Catapang said. Hari, formerly the commander of the guard, expressed gratitude to Catapang for the new position vested in her in her acceptance speech and call for the support of the BuCor personnel for the reform they will introduce for the betterment of the jail facility in Muntinlupa City. She will be backed up by 35 battle-tested prison guards which was plucked out by Catapang from Iwahig Penal Farm after a thorough review of their background and records. “We need real reformation here within five years. We need dedicated personnel. Those who will be replaced will undergo retraining, and you will be assigned with other prison and penal farms,” Catapang said. “So I ask your cooperation because I hate to reform BuCor and up to now I am not seeing any improvement on the manner on how you handle the Maximum Prison Compound. I still receive information of misdemeanors,” he added. Mentioning the marching orders given to him by Justice Secretary Jesus Crsipin Remulla, Catapang stressed that the actions of some prison guards is an outright violation of specific orders. “I think I have to emphasize that I am really here to reform BuCor. You will undergo refresher course. You will also undergo additional extra instruction on how to do your job. But before that you need to know your job, do your job and do it well,” Catapang said. The post Catapang shuffles NBP max prison guards appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»