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Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, March 25
JAKARTA -- One was killed and nine others, including children, went missing after a landslide struck a village in the Indonesian province of West Java on Sunday, a local official said Monday. The disaster took place in Cibenda village in West Bandung regency on Sunday after torrential rain reportedly poured over the area for around two hours. (Indonesia-Landslide) - - - - SYDNEY -- Local media repo.....»»
Australia s reputation among Pacific neighbours weakening
From carrying the Coalition's AUKUS pact to supporting Israel's self-defence initiative, Labor's reputation is souring among voters. Bilal Cleland reports.ASIA IS SENSITIVE to memories of the White Australia Policy, the f.....»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, March 25
JAKARTA -- One was killed and nine others, including children, went missing after a landslide struck a village in the Indonesian province of West Java on Sunday, a local official said Monday. The disaster took place in Cibenda village in West Bandung regency on Sunday after torrential rain reportedly poured over the area for around two hours. (Indonesia-Landslide) - - - - SYDNEY -- Local media repo.....»»
Australia s reputation among Pacific neighbours weakening
From carrying the Coalition's AUKUS pact to supporting Israel's self-defence initiative, Labor's reputation is souring among voters. Bilal Cleland reports.ASIA IS SENSITIVE to memories of the White Australia Policy, the f.....»»
ICT spending in AsPac reaches $1.3 trillion in 2023
Information and communications technology spending in Asia and the Pacific reached the $1.3 trillion mark in 2023, as companies increased their investments on automation and cloud to survive and thrive in the digital era......»»
Diageo taps K-pop star Suho to promote responsible drinking
Diageo Philippines announced the launch of a new regional responsible drinking campaign in Asia Pacific with Suho of K-Pop boy group EXO, to promote responsible and moderate alcohol consumption......»»
UPS expands Clark operations
Logistics giant UPS is expanding operations at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga as part of its $250-million commitment to scale up its Asia-Pacific business......»»
US Officials Warn of New Axis of Evil With China at the Fore
WASHINGTON - U.S. military and defense officials are increasingly concerned that as China and Russia forge ever stronger ties, they might attempt to challenge Western unity and eventually alter the balance of power on the world stage.The commander of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific told lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee that the evolving relationship between Beijing and Moscow is a "big portion" of.....»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Jan. 18
ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan military said in a statement that the country had carried out effective strikes early Thursday morning against hideouts inside Iran used by "terrorists" responsible for recent attacks in Pakistan. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan army, said that the precision strikes were carried out by "using killer drones, rockets, loitering munitions, and stand-o.....»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Jan. 18
ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan military said in a statement that the country had carried out effective strikes early Thursday morning against hideouts inside Iran used by "terrorists" responsible for recent attacks in Pakistan. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan army, said that the precision strikes were carried out by "using killer drones, rockets, loitering munitions, and stand-o.....»»
Governance framework on data protection, cybersecurity
In today’s digital world, at least one out of four Philippine firms are exposed to a rising incidence of disruptive attacks, making the country the worst place in Southeast Asia in terms of cybersecurity defense. According to a 2023 report released by Global cybersecurity leader Palo Alto Networks, 29 percent of local organizations in the Philippines experienced a worrisome surge of 50 percent or more in disruptive cyber incidents over the past year......»»
Blasts kill nearly 100 at slain commander Soleimani’s memorial; Iran vows revenge
(1st UPDATE) Iran's foreign ministry says it will use all international means to identify and bring to justice those involved in the attacks and their supporters.....»»
Hamas masterminds top Israel’s ‘dead man walking’ hit list
Israel has threatened that every Hamas member faces death when it invades Gaza but two accused masterminds of the October 7 attacks are at the top of its hit list. Military strategist Mohammed Deif and political leader Yahya Sinwar have already spent time in Israeli or Palestinian jails and been the targets of multiple attempts to kill them. The hunt for the two most senior Hamas leaders in the besieged Gaza Strip will be fierce this time. In the war of words leading up to the impending ground offensive, Israel has said that Sinwar is "a dead man walking" after Hamas fighters killed about 1,400 people and abducted more than 200 in the worst attacks suffered by Israel since its creation 75 years ago. Israel has responded with a withering bombardment of Gaza that has killed more than 3,700 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and with a volley of deadly warnings. "Hamas terrorists have two options: Be killed or surrender unconditionally. There is no third option," Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said. Hamas spokesmen have responded that the Palestinian Islamist group is "not scared". Security sources outside Gaza say Deif and Sinwar are now embedded in a network of tunnels built to resist the bombing campaign launched after the brutal attacks on communities and military bases near the border shook Israel to its core. But the pair have spent years operating in the shadows. Israel has singled out the 61-year-old Sinwar, who was elected Hamas leader in Gaza in 2017 after Ismail Haniyeh became the movement's supreme leader. Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht called Sinwar the "face of evil" and declared him a "dead man walking". Sinwar was a founding member of Hamas in 1987 during the first Palestinian intifada or uprising and rose through the ranks as a fierce advocate of armed struggle. A graduate of the Islamic University in Gaza, he learned Hebrew during 23 years in Israeli jails. Sinwar was serving four life terms for the killing of two Israeli soldiers when in 2011 he became the most senior of 1,100 Palestinians released in exchange for French-Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. In the shadows Sinwar and Deif were both born in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in Gaza and added to the United States' list of most wanted "international terrorists" in 2015. Hamas is blacklisted as a "terrorist organisation" by the European Union as well as the United States. Much less is known about Deif, Israel's number one public enemy for the past two decades during which he has been accused of organising suicide attacks, kidnappings and other raids. There is only one known full-face photo of the commander of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing. It is at least 20 years old. The others show him either in a mask or standing in the shadows to avoid identification. An audio message from Deif was transmitted by Hamas media on the morning of the attacks dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. "The rage of our people and our nation is exploding," he said. Deif was born Mohammed Diab al-Masri in 1965. His assumed name means "Guest" in Arabic and he reportedly never spends more than one night in the same place. Enemies have dubbed him the "cat with nine lives" as he has survived at least six attempts to kill him. Deif's wife and at least one child were killed in an Israeli air strike during the 2014 Gaza war. Deif has reportedly lost one eye and been left disabled by the attempts on his life but it has not weakened his influence. He has been involved with Hamas since the 1980s and was arrested at the start of the second intifada but escaped, or was released, from a Palestinian Authority prison in 2000. He became head of the Hamas military wing in 2002 and has been Israel's bete noire ever since. Israel has sent repeated warnings to the Hamas leadership since October 7. "Every member of Hamas is a dead man," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But experts say that eliminating Sinwar and Deif would severely weaken but not crush Hamas, which is Israel's declared aim. "Sinwar and Deif are clearly first priority leadership, the loss of which would damage Hamas, but one presumes that the group has contingencies about their loss," said H.A. Hellyer, an international security specialist at the Royal United Services Institute in London. The post Hamas masterminds top Israel’s ‘dead man walking’ hit list appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Telstra sets up cybersecurity center in Philippines for AsPac market
Australian telco Telstra has opened a cybersecurity center in Manila to provide threat intelligence to its customers in Asia and the Pacific where the volume of malicious attacks is growing......»»
‘Philippines firms most exposed to cyber attacks in ASEAN’
At least one out of four Philippine firms are exposed to a rising incidence of disruptive attacks, making the country the worst place in Southeast Asia in terms of cybersecurity defense......»»
Phl phishing attacks highest in SE Asia, linked to 2% loss in GDP
At least two percent of the global Gross Domestic Product was lost due to increasing cases of online fraud, phishing, and scams, Senator Mark Villar said Monday. Villar, presiding over the hearing by the Senate Committee on Banks, Financial and Institutions and Currencies, lamented that the proliferation of online scams threatened not only the potential of online banking but also the stability of the banking system and the hard-earned money of the Filipino people. “While digitalization and the widespread use of digital finance opened opportunities for the banking sector, it is also apparent that opportunists also devise new methods to take advantage of this emerging financial market,” Villar said. While there’s an increasing number of Filipinos using online payment platforms, Villar noted that crimes related to digital financial transactions are also growing. “A significant number of Filipinos have been targeted by digital fraud attempts and a portion of them eventually fall victim to it,” he said. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said it has received more complaints regarding online banking transactions compared to those related to using Automated Teller Machines and credit cards, among others. In fact, the Anti-Money Laundering Council reported a rise in suspicious transactions in 2020 comprising acts of phishing, skimming, and transactions related to money mules. The Security Exchange Commission likewise noted a significant rise in complaints related to online fraud committed by online lending platforms. Villar said as these scammers take advantage of their victims, they also rattle their victims' trust in the country’s banking and financial institutions. “Trust, being the currency of the banking system, must be well-earned. Given the proliferation of online fraudsters, it is imperative that we strengthen our efforts to keep scammers at bay,” he added. Among the existing laws aimed at fighting online bank fraud include Republic Act 11765 or Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act; the RA 11934 or Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act; and RA 10175 or Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Villa said as criminal elements adapt to legislation to perpetuate fraud, hence, “there is a need to legislate new laws to keep them off track” such as the proposed Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act. “This measure will reinforce and earn back the public’s trust in our financial institutions,” he said. The number of phishing attacks in the Philippines during the first half of 2022 already surpassed the number of attacks at over 1.8 million detected compared to 1.34 million attacks during the entire year of 2021. Villar described the spiking cases of online scams as “extremely concerning.” This, as data from Kaspersky Security Network revealed that cases of financial phishing attempts in the Philippines from February to April 2022 were highest in Southeast Asia. Villar emphasized that the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act or AFASA will evidently deal with cases of online fraud and will provide a regulatory framework that penalizes scammers as well as entails safeguard measures to protect Filipinos and their financial accounts. “Because of the lack of a regulatory framework that penalizes these scammers, there are and there will be more victims in the foreseeable future,” he added. AMLC executive director, Matthew David, said they required banks and payment operators to maintain the 'Know Your Customer document' for their system and store a system that could verify the identity of the clients, including the bank account owners. “They are required to do some verification in order to make sure the true identity of the customers,” David added. The public committee hearing was followed by an Executive Session due to the confidentiality and sensitivity of the issues and information that will be discussed. Villar said the executive session was conducted to ensure that law enforcement measures being undertaken to apprehend and prosecute scammers will not be disrupted. The post Phl phishing attacks highest in SE Asia, linked to 2% loss in GDP appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chavez vows greater role for NDCPAAI
Led by Transportation Undersecretary Cesar B. Chavez, the newly elected officers of the National Defense College of the Philippines Alumni Association Inc. took their oath before Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin on Monday. Chavez, a consistent appointee to various government agencies by seven successive presidents, was elected president of the NDCPAAI for 2023-2025. He is currently Undersecretary for Railways under the Department of Transportation. “Grateful to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin for administering our oath in Malacañang this morning as the newly elected officers of the National Defense College of the Philippines Alumni Association Inc.,” Chavez said. “Our association will strive to be more meaningful and relevant for its members and the country. We will actively foster a platform that encourages greater collaboration between the NDCP, its alumni, and stakeholders, contributing to the national discourse and policy development on all aspects of national security,” he added. Chavez pursued a military and national security education, completing courses such as basic and advance intelligence, psychological warfare, and command and general staff management. He earned a Master’s degree in National Security Administration at NDCP, a Ph.D. in Peace and Security Administration from Bicol University, and a Senior Executive certificate on national and international security from Harvard Kennedy School. He also finished the Strategic Management Program at the National University of Singapore. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Affairs Jesus “Gary” Domingo was elected vice president. Domingo has served as ambassador to New Zealand and held positions in the Philippine Missions to the UN, in New York and Geneva, as well as the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh. NDCP executive vice president Aldrin Cuña was elected secretary general of the association. Captain Luidegar “Lloyd” Casis will head the committee on military affairs. He graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy. Casis is a member of the Philippine Military Academy’s Tanglaw-Diwa Class of 1992. He is currently chief of the capabilities and weapons systems division of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, OJ5, of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Aboitiz InfraCapital first vice president Christopher Camba will chair the Committee on Ways and Means. With over 20 years of corporate experience within the Aboitiz Group, he has had diverse roles spanning audit, finance, operations, marketing, risk management, and government relations. Commission on Appointments director and NDCP professor Vladimir Mata was elected head of the Homecoming Committee. He is a lieutenant colonel and currently acting commander of the Marine Reserve Brigade in Northern Luzon. Zamboanga del Sur First District Rep. Divina Grace Yu will serve as chairperson of the Committee on Chairmanship. She has been serving as Deputy House Speaker since 2020. Morong, Rizal RTC Branch 79 Judge Maria Josefina San Juan-Torres was chosen to chair the Committee on Awards. She is vice president of the International Association of Refugee and Migration Judges (Asia Pacific Chapter). Valenzuela City Administrator Atty. Jaime De Veyra will join Judge San Juan-Torres in the Awards Committee. He has held roles in the Public Estates Authority and the Philippine Mining Development Corporation as chief legal counsel and CEO. CGA Capt. Jeremias “Jerry” Simon will chair the Committee on Membership. The post Chavez vows greater role for NDCPAAI appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Intramuros, citadel of an empire (1)
My appreciation of arts and culture began when I was assigned by the Commission on Audit as the first resident auditor of the Intramuros Administration, or IA, then headed by Dr. Jaime C. Laya. It was our distinct honor and privilege to have worked with Dr. Laya, who was highly admired for his honesty and integrity. His presence in the workplace brought trust, grace and efficiency. He was the chief implementor of the mandates to restore and develop Intramuros as a monument to the Hispanic period of Philippine history, to restore its general appearance to conform to the Spanish architecture of the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, and to sponsor, conduct or otherwise assist and support festivals and cultural activities. Knowing the functions of the agency under audit helped me to review intelligently the economy and effectiveness of the utilization of government resources in the implementation of the mandates to restore the walls of Intramuros, the authenticity of the works it was acquiring, and the cost-effectiveness of the acquisitions. The continuing process of examining things of the past and imbibing into my consciousness bits of knowledge about the makings, the ages, and colors of the porcelain antiques of the Ming and Sung dynasties, the religious relics, the artifacts, the paintings of Luna, Hidalgo, Amorsolo and Castañeda, the archaeological findings, of the rare and ancient books, of the music of various ages and classes of our indigenous peoples, of the architectural and sculptural designs displayed by our own artists in this particular form of discipline — in totality constituted a singular quality of distinction that was uniquely beautiful and globally interesting to behold. The whole process of assimilation enabled me to equip myself with the necessary tools to create my own forms of art out of the stored knowledge that is both teachable and writable for the education and pleasure of man and the Greater Glory of God. President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos founded the Intramuros Administration on 10 April 1979, not only to restore the walls of the oldest city of Intramuros but to perpetuate the memory of the citadel of the only Catholic Empire in Asia. Intramuros was primarily a fortress. How it was built and how it withstood the battle during the Japanese occupation in the Second World War is a fascinating story. The decision of the Japanese Imperial Army during the Second World War to make their last stand in Intramuros against the Allied Forces in the Philippines was a tribute to the formidability of the old walled city as the strongest fortification built by Spain in Asia. The Japanese Army had a worthy commander, Rear Admiral Sanji Iwabuchi, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy in 1915. In 1937, he was promoted to captain and given command of the battleship Kirishima on 20 April 1942. On 15 November 1942, his forces engaged the US Navy in the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal where his battleship Kirishima was sunk but not after it had sunk two US battleships and eight cruisers — a major one-sided triumph for the Japanese Imperial Naval Command which promoted Iwabuchi to Rear Admiral. He was given command of the 11th fleet, in charge of the Japanese defense of Guadalcanal against the United States. General Yamashita later gave him a direct order to withdraw and report to him and not to proceed to Manila. He refused, citing his shame over having lost his Kirishima. He believed he could redeem that loss by holding his position in Intramuros to the death. Before the start of hostilities, Rear Admiral Sanji Iwabuchi addressed his men: “We are very glad and grateful for the opportunity to serve our country in this epic battle. Now with what strength remains, we will daringly engage the enemy. Banzai to the Emperor! We are determined to fight to the last man.” (To be continued) The post Intramuros, citadel of an empire (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Iran court orders U.S. to pay 1980 coup victims $330M
A court in Tehran has ordered the United States government to pay $330 million in damages to families of several people killed in a 1980 failed coup d’etat allegedly planned and executed by Washington. Relatives of those killed in the coup filed last year a legal petition with Iran’s International Court demanding damages, the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said. The petitioners claimed that a year after the 1979 Islamic revolution that toppled the US-backed shah, a group of mostly army officers tried to overthrow the new government. State news agency IRNA said the “insurgents” were led by Saeed Mahdiyoun, a former Iranian air force commander, and had their headquarters in Nojeh, an air base in the western Hamedan province. “Their objective was to seize control of military bases across the country and target strategic centres and residences of the revolution's leaders. However, their efforts were thwarted,” IRNA said. Several people were killed in clashes between the coup plotters and government forces, and scores of others were arrested. Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations since the aftermath of the 1979 revolution. In 2016, the US Supreme Court ordered that Iranian assets frozen in the country should be paid to victims of attacks Washington has blamed on Tehran, including the 1983 bombing of a US Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon and a 1996 blast in Saudi Arabia. Tehran, which denies all responsibility for the attacks blamed on it by the United States, says that a series of US court judgments have awarded victims a total of $56 billion in damages. WITH AFP The post Iran court orders U.S. to pay 1980 coup victims $330M appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
USAF impressed with PAF’s PAR-23 hosting
The air forces of the Philippines and the United States, along with their counterparts in 12 other countries, wrapped up yesterday this year’s five-day Pacific Airlift Rally, or PAR-23. The other participants were Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Canada, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Timor Leste, Singapore, and Mongolia. Philippine Air Force chief, Lt. Gen. Stephen Parreño, and US Pacific Air Forces Commander, Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, graced the closing ceremony at Clark Air Base in Mabalacat City, Pampanga. “This rally is a symbol of commitment to international collaboration, a demonstration of combined expertise, and a testament to ensuring a safer and more secure Indo-Asia-Pacific region,” Parreño said. Wilscach, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to the Philippines for co-hosting this year’s iteration of the Pacific airlift exercise. PAF spokesperson, Col. Consuelo Castillo, said the country’s air force remains committed to working with its international counterparts to acquire the necessary learning in interoperability operations that can be useful during disasters and emergencies. “The PAF is confident that the skills and knowledge gained from PAR 2023 will equip the participating air forces to better respond to their future Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief missions,” she added. The Philippine Air Force co-hosted the airlift rally for the first time after 12 iterations since it began in 1997. PAR is a biennial military airlift symposium for nations within the Indo-Asia-Pacifi region. PAF Air Mobility Command chief, Maj. Gen. Joannis Leonardi, said PAR-23 primarily aimed “to bolster operational readiness, cultivate interoperability, and foster international cooperation among the participating countries.” The post USAF impressed with PAF’s PAR-23 hosting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»