Filipinas suffer 8-0 annihilation vs mighty Matildas
The Philippine women’s national football team’s Olympic hopes suffered a big blow on Sunday as they absorbed an absolute beating, losing 8-nil to World No. 11 Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth......»»
After conflict’s won, what happens next?
In the wake of the coordinated, well-planned savage attack mounted by the Palestinian terror group Hamas, which stunned Israel on 7 October, a seething Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed the total annihilation of Hamas. A “mighty vengeance” is what he promised against what he described as a “cruel enemy, worse than ISIS.” Likewise enraged by the slaughter of scores of Israelis, including over 200 revelers who were mowed down by armed paragliders and foot soldiers as they made merry at an electronic music festival outside the Re’im kibbutz, about 3.3 miles (5.3 kilometers) from the wall that separates Gaza from southern Israel, Netanyahu’s words were echoed by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant who declared, “We will wipe this thing called Hamas, ISIS-Gaza off the face of the earth. It will cease to exist.” Hamas didn’t spare any of the nearly 1,500 Israelis they felled —men, women, children, old people — they also took with them over 200 hostages. Within a week of the attack, Israel retaliated with an intense bombing of Central and Northern Gaza, with Israel striking over 7,000 targets, including rocket launchers, command centers, munitions factories, and leaders of Hamas. It has been nearly three weeks since the 7 October attack by Hamas, and it remains unclear if or when Israel will conduct a ground invasion of Gaza. Even as Israel continues to blast enemy targets, Western leaders and the UN are pleading for a pause to give aid a chance to get through the blockade and into Gaza and for the safe release of the hostages in Hamas’s hands. On Thursday, Israel said it had briefly sent tanks into Gaza to “prepare the battlefield ahead of the next stages of combat.” Again, on Wednesday, Netanyahu vowed Israel would exact a price for the terrorist assault, which killed over 1,400. Despite these statements by Netanyahu and the Israeli defense minister to decimate Hamas to kingdom come, there is no exact clarity as to when Israel will begin its ground invasion. For sure, the challenges of a ground war are gargantuan. If or when such a ground invasion is finally mounted, what awaits the Israeli defense force will be sustained urban warfare in enemy territory in pursuit of an objective that, other than the total demolition of Hamas, leaves so many other vital matters hanging in the air. The Israelites will confront at least four critical challenges in carrying out a major ground offensive. For Council for Foreign Relations expert Max Boot, these include urban fighting, an inherently different form of warfare where buildings provide positions for defenders, and the multiplication of difficulties for Israeli combatants due to the presence of a large number of Palestinian civilians and even the hostages seized by Hamas who could be used as human shields. Then there are all the underground tunnels built by Hamas over the years, enabling them to hide from Israeli troops and emerge at unexpected moments. There, too, is the challenge of a possible second front, with the Hezbollah in Lebanon poised on Israel’s northern border. The Hezbollah has an estimated arsenal of some 150,000 missiles and rockets. So far, Hezbollah has not mounted a major assault on Israel, but analysts fear it could do so once Israeli ground forces get into Gaza. “A two-front conflict would be a nightmare for Israel,” says Boot. A third critical challenge consists of post-combat stabilization operations. Known in the US military as “Phase IV,” this is where US efforts in both Washington and Iraq foundered badly for lack of preparation. Israeli media have reported that the Israeli government has been struggling to develop a Phase IV plan of its own and, Boot points out, “no wonder because there are no good options.” If Israel simply attacks Hamas and then leaves — as it had done in the past — the terrorist group would just regenerate itself. If to prevent that from happening, a Palestinian Authority government would be established in place of Hamas, with help from Arab states, that could be an option. But if that fails, Israel may have no choice but to re-occupy Gaza — a situation that could leave Israeli soldiers vulnerable to a grinding guerrilla war of the kind they faced in Lebanon in the early 1980s all through 2000. Even as they do get into Gaza, there are many unknowns, according to Boot: how will Israel deal with the Hamas tunnel network; how skillfully will Hamas fight; will a toll on civilian lives in Gaza force Israel to suspend its offensive; will Hezbollah join the war; will this war spread across the region and draw into the fray Hamas’s biggest supporter, Iran? If Hamas is indeed physically decimated — what then should be done to stabilize Gaza after the enemy has been vanquished? Who takes over Gaza once the guns have been stilled and the smoke of war clears? What happens next? Israel’s leaders say those matters, for the moment, are not of immediate concern to them. But at a certain point, they will become unavoidable; Israel will have to grapple with complex questions and carve out a workably resolute path through the din for its continued survival. The post After conflict’s won, what happens next? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Message of PM Anwar Ibrahim
Crisis brings out the best and the worst in man. It reveals his true persona behind the façade of photo-shopped and public relations-created images. Amidst the Israel-Hamas war, former president Rodrigo Duterte outrageously advised Israel President Benjamin Netanyahu to make “Gaza the world’s biggest cemetery.” And just recently, our ambassador to the United Kingdom twitted on social media (taken down later) that “Palestinian children should be killed . . .” These comments went viral among Moro netizens who unleashed a barrage of angry libelous words against the source. Now, juxtapose this with the public statements by regional leaders about the crisis. And from the gallery of regional statesmen, I pick Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’Seri Anwar Ibrahim whose poignant messages earned the praise of not a few, including non-Muslims. The reaction of these leaders betrays the dichotomy of opinions along religious lines. The Muslim countries, true to their affiliation with the Muslim Palestinians, as members of the World Brotherhood of Muslims or “Ummah Islamiyyah” stood should-to-shoulder with the Palestinians. On the flip side are the non-Muslims led by the United States which condemned the 7 October surprise attack by Hamas on Israel. The world is now on edge because of the strong words of revenge of rightist President Benjamin Netanyahu using the world media stage for his threats of annihilation and cutting off of basic supplies of food, medicines, water, electricity, and fuel to the Palestinians of the Muslim City of Gaza. According to jurists, these are crimes against International Humanitarian Law and other UN covenants and Geneva Conventions. And they claim that while Israel has the right to defend itself, that is not a license to commit genocide. Prime Minister Ibrahim stood tall among Muslim leaders in expressing the sentiment of his government. He had been vocal at every turn of the crisis. He must have had a premonition of the impending catastrophe. His eloquent speech before the United Nations General Assembly on 22 September, which in my book is in the same league as the “What it means to be a Muslim” speech of King Abdullah of Jordan, has earned praise from many observers. He said, “In the Middle East, the politics of dispossession continues with a vengeance with more illegal settlements being built, stripping Palestinians of land that rightfully belongs to them. This constitutes a gross violation of international law. It also poses an insurmountable obstacle to a two-state solution, not to mention the continued killings. There is also flagrant hypocrisy in dealing with the issue of Palestine. The international community must speak up against the atrocities committed towards the Palestinians even as they so vehemently speak out against human rights violations, injustice, and abusive regimes.” When the war broke out on 7 October, one of the countries that reacted immediately was Malaysia. PM Ibrahim issued a statement expressing his country’s solidarity with the struggles of the Palestinians and reiterated his indictment of the international community for its “one-sided actions regarding . . . cruelty and oppression against the Palestinians. The confiscation of land and property belonging to the Palestinian people . . . done relentlessly by the Zionists.” After the bombing of the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, which killed more than 500 innocent civilians, PM Ibrahim described it as being “on an insane and inhumane level. What is most regrettable is that Western countries, which speak about human rights, seem to differentiate between peoples, with some considered first-class and others as subordinates.” PM Ibrahim knows how geopolitics works. There will be consequences for standing up against the position of the world powers, the US and Europe, which had expressed total support for Israel. There might be a price to pay. Economic, trade, and political relationships might be put in jeopardy. But the Islam in him outweighed other interests. And for that, Muslims salute him. We are proud to belong to the Malay race. amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post Message of PM Anwar Ibrahim appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Palestinian supporters, pro-Israel counter-protestors rally in Manhattan
Some thousand demonstrators on Sunday gathered in Manhattan in solidarity with Palestinians as pro-Israel marchers counter-protested following a bloody escalation in the Middle East conflict. The rallies followed Saturday's surge in violence that's killed hundreds and wounded thousands in the region after militant group Hamas launched a deadly assault on Israel which responded by hammering blockaded Palestinian Gaza with heavy air strikes. Demonstrators in New York waved Palestinian flags during the peaceful march from Times Square to near both the Israeli consulate and the United Nations headquarters, where the Security Council was to convene over the weekend's violence. "We are here in solidarity with the Palestinian people who are fighting 75 years of Israeli settler colonialism, settler violence, and 16 years of military blockade of Gaza," said Munir Atalla, a 30-year-old member of the Palestinian Youth Movement group, which was among the demonstration's organizers. "What we saw yesterday was the people of Gaza breaking out of their open-air prison," he continued. "It's impossible to view the events of this week, without first understanding the context that the Israeli regime is founded on violence... it's founded on the erasure and annihilation of Palestinians." Counter-demonstration The rally was among others backing the Palestinian cause in American cities including Washington and Chicago. The demonstrations came as the United States quickly affirmed its support for Israel, with US President Joe Biden ordering US ships and warplanes closer to its ally and sending fresh military aid. "Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel's crimes," protestors in New York chanted. Sarah Barqawi, 38, told AFP she came to Sunday's rally "because my family is currently under siege in Gaza and are just waiting to know if they will be alive or dead, without any electricity, without any support, without any supplies." "They are merely trying to defend their right to existence." On Saturday evening the New York branches of organizations including Jewish Voice for Peace and If Not Now marched to the Brooklyn home of Chuck Schumer, the Senate's majority leader, to call "for an end to all US military funding to Israel." Schumer was among the chorus of US political leaders over the weekend to reiterate support for Israel and its "unwavering right to defend itself." At a separate Manhattan protest on Sunday, a couple of hundred people waving Israeli flags decried "vicious Hamas," among them Ofer Jacobawitz, who said, "We need to demonstrate for public opinion." "We just want everyone to know that we're supporting Israel and whatever it does now in order to defend itself and prevent this from ever happening again." New York's Governor Kathy Hochul -- who lambasted Manhattan's Palestinian solidarity rally as "abhorrent and morally repugnant" -- meanwhile ordered landmarks in the state including the World Trade Center and Niagara Falls to be illuminated in blue and white. "New York is proud to be home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel," she said. As he marched on Sunday at the Palestinian solidarity rally, Morgan Bassichis, 40, told AFP that "as a Jewish person who believes that everyone, with no exception, should be free, I am firmly in support of the Palestinian freedom movement, and I believe that all violence in the region is a result of the root cause of Israeli apartheid." "It's our job as people in the US to get our government" to stop financing Israel, he said. The post Palestinian supporters, pro-Israel counter-protestors rally in Manhattan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brawner backs NTF-ELCAC, says no let-up in anti-insurgency campaign
The Armed Forces of the Philippines will continue its efforts to achieve total annihilation of the insurgency problem in the country. This was the commitment of Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. during the Commission on Appointments panel’s deliberation of his promotion as the AFP chief of staff with the rank of four-star general and other AFP officers on Wednesday. During the deliberations, Rep. Johnny Pimentel, CA assistant Minority floor leader, backed Brawner’s endeavor to continue supporting the program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, lamenting that the insurgency has been halting community development in the country. “Gen. Brawner, the biggest challenge that you will be facing is not the problem on the West Philippine Sea, but rather how to end the communist insurgency which has been with us for more than 50 years, I believe,” he said. Pimentel said the insurgency problem may not be felt in Metro Manila but “insurgency problems in rural areas are real.” He then asked about Brawner’s plans to end insurgency in the country. “I’ve always been saying that the best thing to our counter-insurgency efforts is the NTF-ELCAC,” said Brawner, noting that the whole-of-nation approach was able to address not just the armed component but also the root causes of the problem.” Brawner also recognized the local government chief executives and barangay officials who have been playing a “big role” in the pursuit of the anti-insurgency convergence under the ambit of Executive Order 70 or NTF-ELCAC. “So ipagpapatuloy po natin iyon. Dahil po dun sa NTF-ELCAC natutugunan natin 'yung basic needs nung ating mga kababayan especially in geographic isolated areas, at habang ginagawa po natin iyan with the local government leading and andun po 'yung government agencies also supporting, ‘yung inyong armed forces are capable now of focusing on the armed element,” he said. Brawner said the inter-agency efforts through NTF-ELCAC are making the AFP’s efforts “very effective” in reducing the number of the armed component of the CPP-NPA-NDF. “We have so many accomplishments on these because of our better relations with communities; they are the ones leading us to the armed groups,” he added. Brawner said the AFP has been successful in inviting rebels to come down and surrender through the NTF-ELCAC’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program. “So we will continue all of this. We gave our units an ultimatum again, but it looks like very achievable, and right now we don’t monitor any active guerilla front,” he said. “What we have is a weakened guerilla front and we also have a few vertical units—a group of remnants gathered together. Wala no ho silang halos suporta mula sa komunidad and the only ones supporting them, right now, are their relatives,” he added. “That is why we are reaching out to their relatives to convince their family members to go down.” Meanwhile, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri cited the AFP for a “job well done” in improving the security situation in Budkidnon province. “They did not totally eradicate the communist insurgency there but brought it down drastically,” he said. The post Brawner backs NTF-ELCAC, says no let-up in anti-insurgency campaign appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Japan slams Russia threat on Hiroshima anniv
Japan’s leader took the occasion of the Hiroshima bombing commemoration on Sunday to hit out at Russia for threatening to nuke Ukraine. “Devastation brought to Hiroshima and Nagasaki by nuclear weapons can never be repeated,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, whose family comes from the city, said at a ceremony marking the world’s first nuclear bombing in Hiroshima 78 years ago. Around 140,000 people died in Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 and 74,000 in Nagasaki three days later, when the United States dropped atomic bombs on the two Japanese cities days before the end of World War II. Kishida warned that the path towards a nuclear free world “is becoming increasingly difficult because of deepening divisions in the international community over nuclear disarmament and Russia’s nuclear threat.” United Nations chief Antonio Guterres also issued a statement on the Hiroshima anniversary, saying that “some countries are recklessly rattling the nuclear saber once again, threatening to use these tools of annihilation.” “In the face of these threats, the global community must speak as one. Any use of nuclear weapons is unacceptable,” Guterres said. At the ceremony in Japan, thousands of people — survivors, relatives and foreign dignitaries from a record 111 countries — prayed for those killed or wounded in the Hiroshima bombing and called for world peace. Hiroshima officials, however, did not invite Russia or Belarus to the event for the second-straight year because of the Ukraine invasion. Russia’s leaders had repeatedly issued thinly veiled warnings that Moscow could use nuclear weapons against Ukraine while North Korea continues to test ballistic missiles in defiance of UN sanctions. WITH AFP The post Japan slams Russia threat on Hiroshima anniv appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘U.N.I.T.Y’, Brawner’s priorities as AFP chief
Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Friday officially took over the helm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, focusing his leadership on five priorities aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call for national unity. Brawner, speaking at the Change of Command and retirement ceremony in honor of outgoing AFP chief of staff, Gen. Andres Centino, at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, laid down the priorities of his leadership. “As I take the helm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, allow me to articulate the five areas where I wish to focus our efforts — for these focus areas I would like to keep in line with the President’s call for national unity,” Brawner said. Using the acronym UNITY, Brawner said the AFP will focus on the areas of unification, normalization, internal security operations, territorial defense, and youth. Under unification, Brawner said the military will provide leverage to inter-agency coordination, links, and alliances to continue the whole-of-nation approach in addressing pressing security concerns. Under normalization, the AFP will give special attention to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, particularly in the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters as stipulated in the Bangsamoro Organic Law. For internal security operations, Brawner said the military will focus on the total annihilation of the remaining local terrorist and communist terror groups in the country. “We have to sustain the dividends of peace by making sure there will be no resurgence of insurgency and terrorism in our country,” he added. On territorial defense, the AFP will heed the President’s pronouncement of “not giving an inch of Philippine territory,” Brawner said, adding that “the AFP will endeavor to modernize its personnel, equipment, facilities, processes, and systems so as to enable it to be a lethal and competent fighting force capable of defending our territory from external aggression.” Cyber warfare, he said, will be included on the military’s priority list in its modernization program, which is in its third phase or Horizon 3. For the youth, Brawner expressed his full support for the revival of the Reserve Officers Training Corps or ROTC, saying the military will push for the proper and relevant conduct of the program. “This will coincide with our efforts to develop our reserve force,” he added. “The AFP will do its share in developing our youth, the future leaders and citizens of our nation to be responsible and patriotic defenders of our national identity as a people and of our territorial integrity,” he said. BBM lauds new chief President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who graced the change of command rites, urged the AFP to continue working towards an agile and prepared force and to strengthen its external defense capabilities. In his speech, Marcos told the AFP to work with national government agencies and civilian stakeholders to form an archipelagic consciousness among Filipinos. “I have faith that under the supervision of General Brawner, the Armed Forces will continue to ensure the security of Filipinos and our country’s national sovereignty amidst the challenges ahead,” he said. “Together, let us protect the interests of our people and help them fulfill their goals for themselves, their families, their communities, and our nation,” he added. The President assured that his administration is “firm in reinforcing this noble pursuit of modernizing the AFP.” Centino awarded During the ceremony, the Department of National Defense presented Centino with the Legion of Honor Award with the rank of Chief Commander. Centino has been appointed by Marcos the Presidential Adviser on the West Philippine Sea. In his speech, Marcos lauded Centino for his “exemplary service and resolute commitment” to the nation’s peace, order, and security. “Under your supervision, the AFP has made significant strides in reducing the presence and capabilities of communists and local terrorist groups,” the President said. “You have also strengthened our external defense capabilities and helped to promote archipelagic consciousness among Filipinos.” The President then urged Brawner to recalibrate the AFP’s internal security operations so that public services could be delivered to geographically isolated and disadvantaged communities. “I know that under your supervision, we will have a safer and more secure nation where more rebels will return to the fold of the law and decide to be productive citizens,” Marcos said. The DND lauded the appointment of Brawner as it expressed confidence he is an “excellent choice” to lead the country’s crucial internal and external security operations. “We are confident that Lt. Gen Brawner will continue to exemplify excellence, innovation, and professionalism as he leads the AFP,” it said in a statement on Friday. Brawner still heads Army Meanwhile, Philippine Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the Army is expecting a movement in the leadership of the organization after its commanding general, Brawner, was named AFP chief of staff. He said Brawner will remain as concurrent Army Commanding General while awaiting Marcos’ next appointee. “In the absence of any orders, he is still considered the commanding general of the Philippine Army. You can perform two functions, wear two hats at the same time,” Trinidad said. @tribunephl_Lade @tribunephl_tiz The post ‘U.N.I.T.Y’, Brawner’s priorities as AFP chief appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brawner officially takes over AFP helm focusing on 5 key areas
Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Friday officially took over the helm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, focusing his leadership on five priorities aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call for national unity. Brawner, speaking at the change of command and retirement ceremony in honor of outgoing AFP chief of staff, Gen. Andres Centino, at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, had laid down the priorities of his military leadership. “As I take the helm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, allow me to articulate the five areas where I wish to focus our efforts—for these focus areas, I would to keep in line with the president's call for national unity,” Brawner said. Using the acronym of unity, Brawner said the AFP will focus on the areas of unification, normalization, internal security operations, territorial defense, and youth. Under unification efforts, Brawner said the military will provide leverage on inter-agency coordination, links, and alliance to continue the whole of nation approach in addressing the pressing security concerns. The AFP will also give special attention to the normalization process in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao particularly in the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of former fighters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, as stipulated in the Bangsamoro Organic Law. In internal security operations, Brawner said the military will focus on the total annihilation of the remaining local terrorist groups and the communist terrorist group in the country. “We have to sustain the dividends of peace by making sure that there will be no resurgence of insurgency and terrorism in our country,” he added. The AFP will also heed Marcos’ earlier pronouncement of “not giving an inch of the Philippine territory,” he said, adding that “The AFP will endeavor to modernize its personnel, equipment, facilities, processes, and systems so that, so as to enable it to be a lethal and competent fighting force capable of defending our territory from external aggression.” Cyber warfare, he said, will also be included in the military’s priority lists of its modernization program—which is now on its third phase or Horizon 3. Expressing his full support for the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps, Brawner said the military will push for proper and relevant conduct of the ROTC's program. “This will also coincide with our efforts to develop our reserve force,” he added. “The AFP will do its share in developing our youth, the future leaders and citizens of our nation to be responsible and patriotic defenders of our national identity as a people and of our territorial integrity,” he added. During the ceremony, the DND awarded the Centino Legion of Honor with the rank of chief commander. PA spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the army is definitely expecting a movement of leadership in the organization but Brawner will remain as concurrent Army Commanding General while awaiting Marcos’ next appointee. “In the absence of any orders, he is still be considered the commanding general of the Philippine Army… You could perform two functions—wearing two hats at the same time,” Trinidad explained. Meanwhile, the Department of National Defense lauded the appointment of Brawner as the next AFP chief as it expressed confidence that the incoming AFP chief is an “excellent choice” to crucially lead the country’s continuing internal and external security operations. “We are confident that Lt. Gen Brawner will continue to exemplify excellence, innovation, and professionalism as he leads the AFP,” it said in a statement on Friday. The DND, likewise, wishes Centino in his new role as the presidential adviser on the West Philippine Sea. The post Brawner officially takes over AFP helm focusing on 5 key areas appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AFP furthering capabilities on cyber warfare — Brawner
The newly-designated military chief, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., said the Armed Forces of the Philippines will further develop its capabilities in cyber warfare under his helm. In a media interview, Brawner said the AFP will put a premium on the enhancement of the country’s cyber security as part of the government’s goal of modernizing the Philippine territorial defense. “Part of this modernization would be a focus on cyber warfare,” he said, describing the cyber domain as a “great equalizer.” “Cyber domain, for me, is a great equalizer kasi pwede kang maging malaking bansa or maliit na bansa (whether you are a big nation or a small nation)—you can fight in that cyber domain. Hindi mo kailangan ng mga malalaking (there’s no need for large) equipment in order to fight in the cyber domain. I believe we have great potential here in the Philippines,” he added. Brawner also stressed that Filipinos have “great potential” and “talent” when it comes to cybersecurity. “If you recall… The ILOVEYOU virus was created by a Filipino. So we are not lacking in potential and in talent when it comes to cybersecurity,” the new AFP chief said. Cyber warfare was just among Brawner’s five priority areas under his helm, including the professionalism of the entire AFP personnel, special attention on disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of former fighters in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; total annihilation of the local terrorist groups and communist insurgency; and youth development through the Reserve Officer Training Corps. The post AFP furthering capabilities on cyber warfare — Brawner appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
North Korea fires two short-range ballistic missiles
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles, South Korea's military said Thursday, shortly after Pyongyang warned of an "inevitable" response to ongoing US-South Korea joint military drills. South Korea and the United States, which have ramped up defense cooperation in response to growing threats from the nuclear-armed North, are currently carrying out joint large-scale live-fire "annihilation" exercises. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had detected the launch of "two short-range ballistic missiles from the Sunan area into the East Sea between 19:25 and 19:37 (1025 to 1037 GMT)," referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan. "We have stepped up monitoring in case of further provocations and are maintaining readiness in close coordination with the United States," the military said. Tokyo also confirmed the missile launches, with a defense ministry official telling reporters that the two missiles had landed in waters within Japan's exclusive economic zone. "The missiles may have flown on irregular trajectories," Japan's top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters, adding that one had flown 850 kilometers (530 miles) and the other around 900 kilometers at altitudes of 50 kilometers, before landing in Japan's EEZ. In a joint statement, the United States, South Korea, and Japan condemned the launches, saying they violated UN Security Council resolutions and demonstrate the threat "unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs pose to the region." And in a separate move, Washington on Thursday imposed sanctions against two North Koreans based in Beijing over their alleged connection to Pyongyang's weapons program. "The DPRK's development of its missile programs directly threatens regional and international security, and the United States will continue to take action to curtail activities in support of those programs," State Secretary Antony Blinken said in a statement, using the acronym for North Korea's official name. 'Inevitable' response Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in years, with diplomacy stalled and the North's leader Kim Jong Un declaring his country an "irreversible" nuclear power, as well as calling for ramped-up weapons production, including tactical nukes. North Korea has conducted multiple sanctions-busting launches this year, including test-firing its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles, and last month attempting to put a military spy satellite into orbit. In response, the hawkish administration of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has bolstered defense cooperation with the United States and Japan, including expanding joint drills, which had been scaled back because of Covid-19, and during a bout of ill-fated diplomacy. Yoon personally watched South Korean and US troops take part in the live-fire exercises Thursday. All such drills infuriate Pyongyang, which regards them as rehearsals for invasion. North Korea slammed the drills, saying they were escalating military tensions in the region. "Our response to this is inevitable," the defense ministry said in a statement Thursday carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. "Our armed forces will fully counter any form of demonstrative moves and provocation of the enemies." Lawsuit On Wednesday, South Korea filed a lawsuit seeking damages from North Korea for the 2020 demolition of a liaison office. The office was established in 2018 with funding from Seoul at an industrial zone near the border in North Korean territory, as South Korea's then-president Moon Jae-in pressed for a diplomatic breakthrough with Pyongyang. But after that process collapsed and relations deteriorated, North Korea demolished the building in June 2020. Seoul describes the demolition as a "clearly an illegal act" and is seeking 44.7 billion won ($35 million) in damages. North Korea is likely to ignore any ruling by the court, but there is precedent in South Korea and the United States for damages being awarded against its government. "Given the timing, the launch seems like the North's expression of discontent or protest at Seoul's legal action seeking compensation (for) the North's demolition of the Kaesong office," Choi Gil-il, professor of military studies at Sangji University, told AFP. The post North Korea fires two short-range ballistic missiles appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
North Korea fires two short-range ballistic missiles, Seoul says
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles, South Korea's military said Thursday, shortly after Pyongyang warned of an "inevitable" response to ongoing US-South Korea joint military drills. South Korea and the United States, which have ramped up defence cooperation in response to growing threats from the nuclear-armed North, are currently carrying out their latest large-scale joint military drills, and live-fire "annihilation" exercises. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had detected the launch of "two short-range ballistic missiles from the Sunan area into the East Sea between 19:25 and 19:37 (1025 to 1037 GMT)," referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan. "We have stepped up monitoring in case of further provocations and are maintaining readiness in close coordination with the United States," it added. Tokyo also confirmed the launch, with a defence ministry official telling reporters that the two missiles had landed in waters within Japan's exclusive economic zone. Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in years, with diplomacy stalled and the North's leader Kim Jong Un declaring his country an "irreversible" nuclear power, as well as calling for ramped-up weapons production, including tactical nukes. Nuclear-armed North Korea has conducted multiple sanctions-busting launches this year, including test-firing its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles, and last month attempting to put a military spy satellite into orbit. In response, the hawkish administration of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has bolstered defence cooperation with the United States, including expanding joint drills, which had been scaled back because of Covid-19, and during a bout of ill-fated diplomacy. Yoon personally watched South Korean and US troops take part in the live-fire exercises Thursday. All such drills infuriate Pyongyang, which regards them as rehearsals for invasion. North Korea released a statement Thursday slamming the drills, a defence ministry spokesperson saying they were "targeting the DPRK by massively mobilizing various types of offensive weapons and equipment", referring to the country by its official name. "Our response to this is inevitable," they added in the statement, which was carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. They added that the drills were "escalating the military tension in the region", and warned: "Our armed forces will fully counter any form of demonstrative moves and provocation of the enemies." - Lawsuit - On Wednesday, South Korea filed a lawsuit seeking damages from North Korea for the 2020 demolition of a liaison office. The office was established in 2018 with funding from Seoul at an industrial zone near the border in North Korean territory, as South Korea's then-president Moon Jae-in pressed for a diplomatic breakthrough with Pyongyang. But after that process collapsed and relations deteriorated, North Korea demolished the building in June 2020. Seoul said it was seeking 44.7 billion won ($35 million) in damages, with the country's Unification Ministry describing the demolition as "clearly an illegal act". North Korea is likely to ignore any ruling by the court, but there is precedent in South Korea and the United States for damages being awarded against its government. "Given the timing, the launch seems like the North's expression of discontent or protest at Seoul's legal action seeking compensation for the North's demolition of the Kaesong office," Choi Gil-il, professor of military studies at Sangji University, told AFP. kjk/ceb/leg © Agence France-Presse The post North Korea fires two short-range ballistic missiles, Seoul says appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AFP sees end of Abu Sayyaf’s ‘reign of terror’
The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Wednesday said the annihilation of the Abu Sayyaf Group in Sulu province is imminent. AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar made the remarks following reports that ASG leader Radullan Sahiron alias "Commander Putol" allegedly recently died in Sulu. "There is a better news than the alleged death of Radullan Sahiron, a.k.a. Putol, leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group that was designated by the Anti-Terrorism Council as a terrorist organization. It is the end of the ASG's reign of terror in the province of Sulu," Aguilar told reporters. Aguilar said one of the ASG leaders, Amah Patit, along with 20 other members of the core group of Sahiron, surrendered to the government on the instruction of Sahiron himself on 8 January. At that time, Sahiron was already old and reportedly sick, he added. “Since then, no word was heard from the wanted ASG leader except for unverified information from several sources that he is already dead,” Aguilar said. Brig. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, commander of the 11th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Sulu, said they received intelligence information that Sahiron died two months ago in Patikul town. However, Patrimonio aid the military has yet to see Sahiron’s physical body as “concrete evidence” of his demise. The United Nations Security Council had previously tagged Sahiron as the mastermind behind numerous kidnappings and bombing incidents in Sulu. Among these were the abduction of 21 Filipino, Finnish, French, German, Malaysian and South African nationals in April 2000; the kidnapping of four passengers from the MT Singtec Marine 88 in June 2002; the kidnapping of four Filipino women in Jolo in August 2002; and the abduction of ABS-CBN reporter Ces Drilon and her crew in July 2008. Also, Sahiron was included in the most wanted list by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation with a $1 million bounty on his head due to the kidnapping of a male US citizen on 14 November 1993 in Sulu. The victim was transported to a jungle camp in Jolo before being released on 7 December 1993. The country’s Anti-Terrorism Council designated ASG a terrorist organization in June last year. The post AFP sees end of Abu Sayyaf’s ‘reign of terror’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Why we need to save our coral reefs
“Coral damage feared as vessel grounded,” said the headline of a recent issue of Daily Tribune. “Extensive damage to the coral reefs that serve as a marine habitat is feared with the incident raising concerns anew about the environmental impact of mining in the country,” the news report stated. Three days after the sinking of the MT Princess Empress tanker off Naujan, Occidental Mindoro in February this year, the resulting oil slick reached the shores of the coastal towns of Naujan, Pola and Pinamalayan. “Among the coastal sites that may be at risk are several marine protected areas, including but not limited to the reefs in Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro, amounting to some 1,100 hectares of coral reefs,” said the bulletin issued by the University of the Philippines-Diliman College of Science Marine Science Institute. According to the United Nations Environment Program, oil, a complex mixture of many chemicals, can kill corals, depending on species and exposure. Once soil comes into contact with corals, it can kill them or impede their reproduction, growth, behavior and development. Various threats Oil spills are not the only incidents that threaten the country’s coral reefs. Most of these threats are caused by human activities. As marine scientist Don McAllister, who once studied the cost of coral reef destruction in the country, lamented: “Nowhere else in the world are coral reefs abused as much as the reefs in the Philippines.” Sedimentation — the process of soils settling to the bottom of the sea — is said to be the most important single cause of reef degradation. Sediments that wash over reefs have a number of negative effects on corals, marine scientists claim. Deforestation is the most common source of sediments. “When trees are cut down and the underbrush burned, the mountainsides become bare and the soil are defenseless against strong wind and rain,” said the Coral Research Project of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. “During rains, runoff carries eroded soil down to the rivers that deposit it in the sea.” On its website, the BFAR singled out destructive fishing techniques as among the largest contributors to reef degradation. “Muro-ami, a technique that involved sending a line of divers to depths of 10-30 meters with metal weights to knock on corals in order to drive fish out and into waiting nets, was extremely damaging to reefs, leading to its ban in 1986,” the BFAR reported. But that’s just one. “Rampant blast fishing and sedimentation from land-based sources have destroyed 70 percent of fisheries within 15 square kilometers of the shore in the Philippines, which were some of the most productive habitats in the world,” the BFAR said. Cyanide fishing, employed since 1962 to collect aquarium fish, is another destructive fishing method, while coastal development, farming, aquaculture and land-cover change have also threatened the country’s coral reef ecosystem. Aside from human activities, natural causes of destruction among coral reefs also occur. These include extremely low tide, high temperature of surface water, predation and the mechanical action of currents and waves. Climate change is increasing the ocean’s temperature. The result: Coral bleaching. Explains John Ryan of the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute: “When subjected to extreme stress, they jettison the colorful algae they live in symbiosis with, exposing the white skeleton of dead coral beneath a single layer of clear living tissue. If the stress persists, the coral dies.” Marine rainforests Coral reefs are the marine equivalent of rainforests and considered one of the planet’s essential life-support systems. These “biological wonders,” as American environmental author Don Hinrichsen called them, are among the largest and oldest living communities of plants and animals on earth, having evolved between 200 and 450 million years ago. The Philippines holds one of the most extensive coral reefs in the world with a sprawling area of 27,000 square kilometers strategically located in Palawan (37.8 percent), Sulu (27.8 percent), Visayas (21.7 percent), Northern Luzon (7.6 percent), Central and Southern Mindanao (3.2 percent) and the Turtle Islands (1.7 percent). There are about 400 species of reef-forming corals in the country, comparable with those found in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Coral reefs provide habitat for a large variety of marine life, including various sponges, oysters, clams, crabs, sea stars, sea urchins and many species of fish. They are also linked ecologically to nearby seagrass, mangrove and mudflat communities. Coral reefs are so valued because they serve as a center of activity for marine life. The World Atlas of Coral Reefs, compiled by the United Nations Environment Program, reported that 97 percent of reefs in the Philippines are under threat. And Reef Check, an international organization assessing the health of reefs in 82 countries, stated that only five percent of the country’s coral reefs are in “excellent condition.” These are the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park in Palawan, Apo Island in Negros Oriental, Apo Reef in Puerto Galera, Mindoro and Verde Island Passage off Batangas. “Despite its high biodiversity, the Philippines’ reefs are very badly damaged. It’s one of the worst-damaged in the world, on average,” said George Hodgson, founder of the California-based organization. The Philippine government has introduced many laws in an attempt to protect and save coral reefs from annihilation. But the government cannot do it alone; help from individuals is also needed to save the coral reefs. “We are the stewards of our nation’s resources,” Guerrero said. “We should take care of our national heritage so that future generations can enjoy them. Let’s do our best to save our coral reefs. Our children’s children will thank us for the effort.” The post Why we need to save our coral reefs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Doomsday Clock Moves Closer to Midnight, Inching Closer to World Annihilation
In a recent announcement, the symbolic Doomsday Clock has moved closer to midnight than ever before, signaling that humanity is dangerously close to annihilation due to man-made actions. The clock, which was set to 90 seconds to midnight, is a measure of how close our planet is to complete self-inflicted annihilation. The decision to move […].....»»
1989 Rano massacre constant reminder of CPP-NPA brutality
MANILA - The government has brought insurgency to near annihilation more than three decades after the Rano massacre in Digos, Davao del Sur where 38 members of an indigenous peoples (IP) community were massacred by communist rebels.The Rano massacre was the most brutal, inhumane, and barbari.....»»