#as of this day forward the philippines no longer has a president and vice president

[toboldlymuppet]

i will no longer bleed for you

[crazygirl-n-things]

So the Philippines is gonna have their election next year

As a minor in the Philippines right now, I cannot vote. But I do have a voice and a means to spread awareness. Being a mere 4th grader during the Philippine Presidential election in 2016, I witnessed history when my country elected Duterte but I did not understand the impact of his election years later.

My interest in the history of the world started in that same year, I binged a load of documentaries and read all I could. Admittedly my worst subject in grades 1-3 were AP (history of the Philippines) but call it character development that I have probably consumed all the information available about my country’s history. Which is why I do not want history to repeat itself. 

The Duterte administration has many accomplishments from the victory of the Marawi Siege, the build, build, build program and many others. These are the positives that I can give at the top of my head because when I think of this administration I think of the horrific war on drugs. I think of the unjustly killed, the families that grieved.

I can only think about the shutdown of Abs-cbn.

Let me repeat something many people who supported the shutdown used: “No one is above the law.”

The company violated laws but the president of this country has also violated these laws. 

The human rights violations during his war on drugs should be investigated and not be brushed aside. He as the president should be held accountable.

You may be wondering why I am criticizing the current administration and have not talked about the current elections. It’s because I want to lay a foundation of information for you to know about what the country is going through right now. The abundant human rights abuses and the attacks on journalism.

What if I tell you this is not the first time the Philippines has seen these things?

On September 21, 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law. It is one of the most memorable speeches in the 20th century and unfortunately it was also the day the button was pressed.

Many news stations were closed, publications shutdown. Seems familiar? Many of these news stations and publications were reopened soon enough, albeit with heavy censorship with the military overseeing it.

Many were killed, tortured and never seen or heard of again. Why you may ask? Because if you criticized the government in the tiniest of topics, you are immediately being labeled as a communist.

President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in order to “protect” the country from communists that could invade the country, in context this was in the midst of the cold war.

He may be justified for declaring Martial Law to “protect” but he will never be justified in the human rights that were violated during this time. The money that he stole from the Filipino people that is still not returned.

I could tell you about the methods of torture, the number of people, the amount of money stolen but would that really make a difference?

Because let’s fast forward to today and unfortunately a growing number of Filipinos believe that President Ferdinand Marcos was the “Greatest President” of the Philippines.

This makes me sick. That my fellow Filipinos would elect the son of the late dictator. I will no longer refer to him as president because he didn’t rule as a president, he ruled as a dictator abusing his power.

His son is running for president, his chances winning seem to be very high.

Did you know that his son has a YouTube channel? Please don’t visit it cause it’ll just inflate it’s chances of being on the recommended page.

He makes videos about his father and his mother. Presenting himself as an approachable man.

This is so disgusting to me.

The man doesn’t even apologize to the victims. The excuse? Why should he apologize for his father?

The excuse of Marcos sympathizers? “The sins of the father should not be the sins of the son”

I call bs.

Martial Law lasted for 14 fucking years.

Bongbong Marcos became vice-governor of Ilocos Norte (a province in the Philippines) at age 23 and later governor.

When his father was ousted and exiled from the country, he was around 25-26 years old. 

Don’t tell me that he didn’t know anything because he was a kid. NO. He was a damn adult, surely he was aware of everything since he stood beside his father during engagements.

He should at least acknowledge the pain and suffering during his father’s regime. But he doesn’t.

Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.

This is true.

But those who learn the wrong history are doomed to also repeat it.

The Marcoses are wiping their hands of their sins and point to the good. The infrastructure, the hospitals, the roads, the manila film center, etc.

Ironic since the Manila Film Center had a tragedy that Imelda Marcos, wife of the dictator himself, just brushed aside because she had a deadline for the construction.

The sad thing is that they are succeeding in this historical revisionism.

I’m sorry if I went on a rant about the Marcoses. There’s just a fire that burns within me when I talk about them, it is anger. Anger that they are able to do this, anger that people can’t see their disgusting lies.

There is a possibility that I will be bombarded with Marcos sympathizers in reblogs, replies, comments, dm’s.

This is a risk I am taking because too much is too much.

This will not be the last post I make about this topic because I want to spread awareness about this.

The Philippines is my country and despite it’s flaws, I still love it. I do not want it to suffer once again. It has suffered enough.

The real battle in this election starts online. This was said by the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate of 2021, Maria Ressa, and she is absolutely right.

The US election is one example. The battle started on social media, the same is applied to my country. As someone who cannot yet vote, all I can do is spread the right information and awareness about what has happened.

This is the best I can do as a Filipino.

And all I can say is-

Never again to a Marcos.

[onenettvchannel]

News Anchor of OneNETnews receives an Academic Excellence Awardee at the Online School Class in Dumaguete

DUMAGUETE, NEGROS ORIENTAL -- A graduated 6th grader student of West City Elementary School (WCES) named Rhayniel Calimpong receives for the first time in online history due to a CoViD19 post-Pandemic in Negros Oriental.

In a localized virtual attendance of a Zoom Meeting at 8:30am onwards (Manila and Dumaguete local time by July 16th, 2021)... The Department of Education (DepEd) in Dumaguete City secures a broadcast rights to our blocktime internet news media of OneNETnews through Facebook, Twitch & Odnoklassniki LIVE. WCES is hosting an individual single morning only event for the 6th graders in between the Dumaguete teachers to be graduated this morning with Marissa Abella & Alpha Omega Blanco.

The actual title for this local event called "89th Graduation Exercises"; with the theme as roughly translated in a Filipino dialect, "Education Quality Strengthened amids the Pandemic". Subsequently, the entire lesson subjected teams of Grade 6 Teachers are kicking off with a virtual graduation in the entire province of Negros Oriental, with a several educational experts under the Online Distance Learning (ODL).

Abella receives an Academic Excellence Awardee (AEA) with a regular honor at WCES to a news anchor of OneNETnews to Calimpong, which is due to a higher ratings as based from it's daily lessons with a sponsored advertisers like Nescafé Classic. Class Officers of Abella in Grade 6 announced last mid-October 2020 for it's first day of school, as they named a few with a Regular Class President named Earl Cedric Javier and a Vice Class President named Dylan Jehdeiah Angub. As it concludes before the graduation in mid-July 2021, Public Relations Officers (PRO) are added through 3 of them including Calimpong as well. 6th Grader students are acknowledged to come forward virtually for the batched School Year of 2020-2021 at WCES.

Although, the other students are fully graduated with a 6th Grader section of Blanco in between with a regular and higher honors from this virtual attendance of WCES via Zoom meeting.

Schools Division Superintendent named Dr. Gregorio Cyrus R. Elejorde, CESO V told OneNETnews... Elejorde officiates the 6th Grader graduates for the entire section of Marissa Abella & Alpha Omega Blanco, "Despite the difficulty, you still manage to become successful and to graduate. And for some, you have been successfully accelerated to the next level of basic education".

He adds as the skyrocketed cases of CoViD19 in Negros Oriental... Face-to-Face classes is restricted under the quarantine classification orders of a Philippine President named Rodrigo R. Duterte to the DepEd amids the post-Pandemic from Wuhan in China, instead of a daily physical class. Elejorde has decided to come up for a last resort alternatives, "It is no longer face-to-face, so our learners need to really come up with a different platform in order to continue living and learning. When i say this in a different platform, they do things differently in the school year of 2020-2021 and we expect them to continue for the incoming years. We do not know when exactly the pandemic and a health threats will come to an end. Despite the entire restrictions happened, we continue to learn in our school to operate and to provide the basic education to all of our learners, and to our needs through the entire community".

Abella and the entire team of Grade 6 teachers are bidding all the students to be farewell'd for a new journey in High School and Colleges, as included with Calimpong alone at WCES. He will soon to be a full-time news anchor of OneNETnews if he is eligible smoothly to study it right online, without an offensive negative noise such as cyberbullying and mental issues as an example.

Calimpong is now heading at the Piapi High School (PHS) later this Fall 2021 onwards (since he was fully graduated on his 6th Grader at WCES), leaving for a late rescheduled 2-month summer break with a possible broadcast negotiations if they permitted to simulcast our Internet TV Station and the news media through our blocktime programme from the DepEd.

OneNETnews congratulates the entire students and classmates of Grade 6 with Marissa Abella & Alpha Omega Blanco.

SCREENGRAB & PHOTO COURTESY: West City Elementary School & Marissa Abella

If you missed a special coverage of OneNETnews last Friday morning in Manila & Dumaguete local time... We got you back! You can see a full replay (unedited) at anytime for the 89th Graduation Exercises at West City Elementary School on demand (exclusively for the 6th Graders):

SOURCE: *https://postimg.cc/hXZNY1VY [Class Officers of GR6: Abella at WCES] *https://postimg.cc/KKKCh3N8 [Graduation Winners of GR6: Abella at WCES] and *https://www.facebook.com/100001176128608/posts/4061098663939298 [Behind the Scenes for the 89th Graduation Exercises with Marissa Abella & Alpha Omega Blanco]

HONEST DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed from this news report are not necessarily those from the Department of Education-Philippines. Furthermore, the assumptions of this news report will NOT state, intervene or reflect those of our affiliated reporters. The show, the station, the management, interwebs and the network. Thanks for reading! Stay safe and may the Celestia blesses you. Later!

-- OneNETnews Team

[phgq]

Christmas finds three former NPAs way back to government

#PHinfo: Christmas finds three former NPAs way back to government

DAVAO ORIENTAL- Two days before Christmas, three former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) finally surrendered to the government after many years of living life as insurgents.

These former communists who go by the code names “Ramil,” “Dodong Ahos,” and “Rolex” yielded to the government through the Revitalized Police sa Barangay (RPSB) assigned at Barangay Maragatas in the municipality of Lupon.

Police Lieutenant Nadie Lambino and Police Lieutenant Joeffre Q. Narido under the Davao Oriental Police Provincial Office accompanied the former rebels to Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict Vice-Chairman Mr. Ednar Dayanghirang on December 23.

Ramil, Dodong Ahos, and Rolex were operating for more than five years under Front 18 before they surrendered. Right after they decided to lie-low from the movement, they lived in Talaingod, Davao del Norte.

Although it has already been five years since they last operated as members of the Communist-Terrorist group, the three former NPAs said they did not formally surrender out of fear that they would be killed by the government troops.

“Our former comrades told us that the government troops will kill us if we surrender,” said Ramil. He added that they only mustered the courage to come forward after realizing that those were only part of the NPA propaganda.

“On top of it all, we want to live peacefully,” Dodong Ahos said. “We are no longer working for them (CPP-NPA) but we are still hiding. We no longer want to live in fear,” he added.

Their decision to return back to the folds of the government was influenced largely by President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order 70 or Whole-of-Nation Approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, which they learned about only recently.

Seeing that the program brings genuine services to the hinterlands, gives a second chance to former rebels, and is  strongly supported by Governor Nelson Dayanghirang’s Executive Order 13, the three finally had the firm resolve to surrender.

As they had seen the government’s efforts to reach out to hinterland areas to bring government services, they realized that leaving the communist group would not be enough. To live peacefully, they must concede to the government. Upon yielding, they also surrendered a Calibre 38 Revolver and nine live ammunition.

The provincial government will be endorsing these former rebels to the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) where they will be holistically processed to prepare them for reintegration into the mainstream society without discrimination.

More former rebels are expected to surrender as the government intensifies its efforts on peace and development under the implementation of President Duterte’s Executive Order 70 or Whole-of-Nation Approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflicts. (By Shaye Dacles, PIO Davao Oriental)

***

References:

* Philippine Information Agency. "Christmas finds three former NPAs way back to government." Philippine Information Agency. https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1062670 (accessed December 29, 2020 at 09:50PM UTC+08).

* Philippine Infornation Agency. "Christmas finds three former NPAs way back to government." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1062670 (archived).

[businessliveme]

Fed to Buy Corporate Debt; Deaths Surpass 286,000: Virus Update

(Bloomberg) — The U.S. central bank on Tuesday will start purchasing eligible exchange-traded funds invested in corporate debt, bringing a key part of the Federal Reserve’s emergency lending program online.

Japan is accelerating its review of potential treatments for Covid-19 as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faces criticism for planning to exit a state of emergency. President Donald Trump said “we have prevailed” as U.S. deaths from the coronavirus exceeded 80,000, a remark he later said pertained only to testing for the infection.

Wuhan, the epicenter of the pandemic, reported its first new infections since the Chinese city ended its lockdown last month. The Philippines will extend some lockdowns scheduled to expire May 15 because it can’t afford another wave of infections, the president said.

Key Developments:

Virus Tracker: Cases top 4.17 million; deaths exceed 286,300

Federal Reserve to begin buying corporate debt

Boeing CEO says a major carrier “most likely” will fold

An overview of Japanese carmakers’ plant closures

South Korea fighting new outbreak from nightclubs

Subscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloomberg’s Prognosis team here. Click VRUS on the terminal for news and data on the coronavirus. See this week’s top stories from QuickTake here.

South Korea’s Virus Strategy Tested by Nightclub Outbreak (11:24 a.m. HK)

The “come forward, get tested” strategy that’s helped South Korea contain the coronavirus has run into an obstacle: its homophobia.

Following an outbreak linked to clubs, several of them frequented by gay customers, health officials are trying to track more than 5,500 people who visited the bars between April 24 and May 6. But more than half remain out of reach, while the infections tied to the bars continue to rise.

On Tuesday morning, Seoul’s mayor said 101 confirmed cases have been linked to the nightclubs, up from 86 yesterday.

Federal Reserve to Start Buying Corporate-Debt ETFs (11:04 a.m. HK)

The Federal Reserve said a facility designed to purchase eligible corporate debt from investors will launch Tuesday, bringing a key part of the U.S. central bank’s emergency coronavirus lending program online.

The Secondary Market Corporate Credit Facility will begin purchasing eligible exchange-traded funds invested in corporate debt, the New York Fed said on its website. It was first announced in March and has played an important role in keeping financial markets relatively calm since.

Congress allocated $454 billion in equity to backstop the Fed loans as part of the $2 trillion-plus economic relief package passed in March.

Abe Speeds Approval of Unproven Virus Drugs (9:45 am HK)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government is following the U.S. in speeding up the approval of unproven virus drugs, as he faces new criticism over his plan for exiting a state of emergency and reviving Japan’s economy.

Regulators — which usually take a year for drug approvals — authorized the use of Gilead Sciences Inc.’s remdesivir just three days after receiving the application. Abe also said Fujifilm Holdings Corp.’s anti-viral drug Avigan, a treatment he long has cited in public remarks, was in line for clearance by May 31.

Japan is only the second country to approve the use of remdesivir after the U.S. The drug originally was intended to treat Ebola.

Some Philippine Areas to Remain Under Lockdown (9:15 a.m. HK)

President Rodrigo Duterte said some areas in the Philippines will remain on lockdown as the nation can’t afford to have another wave of coronavirus infections.

Duterte, at a briefing aired Tuesday, said areas with high infection rates will remain under stay-at-home orders beyond their original May 15 end date. He didn’t identify those areas.

The capital region of 13 million people and nearby central and south Luzon areas have been on lockdown since mid-March, an order extended twice already.

Democrats Consider Convention Changes (7:58 a.m. HK)

The Democratic National Committee will decide whether to give convention organizers free rein to make whatever changes are necessary to “protect the public safety” amid the coronavirus pandemic, and that includes changing the format and date of the event, scheduled to begin on Aug. 17 in Milwaukee.

Former Vice President Joe Biden is the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

A resolution will be voted on Tuesday by the Rules and Bylaws Committee before going to all DNC members for a vote.

Malaria Drug Fails to Stop Covid in New York (6:39 a.m. HK)

A malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump as a coronavirus treatment failed to help patients in New York City successfully fight off the pathogen, both when used alone or with an antibiotic, researchers and public health officials said.

Patients given hydroxychloroquine were more likely to die, especially if they were also treated with the antibiotic azithromycin, than those were weren’t given either drug, though they were also sicker and had more health problems to start, according to the report in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The differences were no longer meaningful once the doctors took into account the severity of the disease.

The findings from researchers at the University of Albany School of Public Health and the New York State Department of Health confirm numerous other reports that examined the medication, which was initially and vociferously backed by Trump based on preliminary results from a French study that has since drawn criticism. The review of medical records from 1,438 hospitalized patients in New York City found cardiac arrest was more common in those getting both medications.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration since warned against its unrestricted use, citing potential toxic effects for the heart.

Trump Says ‘We Have Prevailed’ (5:30 p.m. NY)

President Donald Trump declared at a White House news conference on the coronavirus outbreak that “we have prevailed,” as U.S. deaths from the disease exceeded 80,000 — a remark he later said pertained only to testing for the infection.

“Thanks to the courage of our citizens and our aggressive strategy, hundreds of thousands of lives have been saved,” Trump said. “In every generation, through every challenge and hardship and danger, America has risen to the task, we have met the moment and we have prevailed.”

Asked later about his remark that the U.S. had “prevailed,” Trump said he was only talking about testing for the virus. The U.S. didn’t exceed 100,000 coronavirus tests performed until March 19, according to data compiled by the Covid Tracking Project, but more than 300,000 tests were conducted daily on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

White House Orders Staff to Wear Masks (4:40 p.m. NY)

The White House ordered everyone entering the West Wing to wear a face mask after Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary tested positive for the coronavirus last week. The announcement was made in a memo addressed to staff on Monday, according to two people, and it said employees didn’t need face coverings while working at their desks.

“Staff who sit in the West Wing are not required to wear a facial covering while at their desk if they are appropriately socially distanced from their colleagues,” the memo from the White House Management Office reads.

“Unless you absolutely need to conduct in-person business in the West Wing, we respectfully ask you to avoid unnecessary visits,” it added.

U.S. to Distribute $11 Billion in Test Funding (4:30 p.m. NY)

The Trump administration plans to distribute $11 billion to states for coronavirus testing, according to senior administration officials.

The money is part of the CARES Act stimulus package. It will be distributed under a formula that reflects the burden of Covid-19 as well as population-based estimates, the officials said. The administration plans to release details about the distribution in the next day or two, the officials said.

Twitter to Tag Misleading Virus Posts (1:55 p.m. NY)

Twitter Inc. will label some misinformation that’s confusing or misleading, increasing the likelihood that more Covid-19 tweets will be marked or taken down. Previously, Twitter reserved that for posts posing a direct threat to safety. The new label will apply to tweets that are “less severe” but “where people may still be confused or misled,” the company said in a blog post.

Twitter, like Facebook Inc., has been trying to curb the spread of incorrect data and misleading material, relying on public health authorities to determine what may be misleading.

N.Y. to Start Some Reopenings Friday (1:04 p.m. NY)

Certain businesses in New York state — including construction, curbside retail, drive-in movie theaters and some recreational activities — will reopen this week on a regional basis, Governor Andrew Cuomo said. Each area will have to meet seven criteria, including low rates of virus-related hospitalizations and having certain testing and tracing measures in place. There will be control rooms to monitor each area’s reopening, ensuring they meet the metrics, the governor said in his daily briefing.

Cuomo has said it would be a “miracle” if hard-hit New York City were ready to reopen on May 15. Earlier today, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city’s lockdown is likely to continue into June.

Risk of Transmission Will Rise Again: WHO (1 p.m. NY)

As countries ease restrictions and people mix more, the risk of transmission will rise again, said Mike Ryan, head of the World Health Organization’s health emergencies program. The question is whether countries can identify and isolate clusters of cases so the transmission doesn’t reach previous rates, he said.

“Shutting your eyes and trying to drive through this blind is about as silly an equation I’ve seen,” Ryan said. “I’m really concerned that certain countries are setting themselves up for some seriously blind driving over the next few months.”

Ryan also said the idea that countries with lax measures will “all of a sudden magically reach some herd immunity” is a “really dangerous calculation” as it would involve many deaths.

“People are growing tired, we understand, but we need to have people stay with us,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on Covid-19.

Wear Face Masks for Long Haul: U.K.’s Johnson (9 a.m. NY)

Britons should wear face coverings in enclosed spaces and prepare for a different kind of normal that may last for a year or more, Boris Johnson’s government said as he published a road map for the national recovery from coronavirus.

Johnson said social-distancing measures are likely to be needed for the foreseeable future, with people continuing to work from home where they can, until a vaccine or drug treatment can be found. The government aims to allow shops to reopen next month and pubs after July 4.

Among the options under consideration is the idea of allowing households to mix, potentially forming “bubbles” with another household. That would allow two households to share childcare, helping parents go back to work, the document said.

The post Fed to Buy Corporate Debt; Deaths Surpass 286,000: Virus Update appeared first on Businessliveme.com.

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[hudsonespie]

The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Shipping

The Covid-19 pandemic still rages unabated in April 2020, affecting lives, businesses, individuals and industries in ways that will change the world forever. The International Labor Organization predicts that as many as 25 million jobs worldwide could be wiped out by a worldwide recession brought about by the pandemic.

In many countries, governments imposed “lockdown” to restrict the movements of its citizens and to control the rapid spread of the pandemic. The lockdown was implemented throughout the countries in Southeast Asia in stages:

a) Malaysia: The Malaysia government announced a national lockdown on March 25 by issuing the Movement of Control Order (Restricted Movement). The period of the lockdown was initially until March 31, but it has been extended to April 14. Specific exceptions have been given to transportation and some other essential service sectors.

b) Indonesia: The Indonesian government on March 15 formed the National Disaster Management Agency (BPNP) and declared National Disaster – Non-Natural situation until May 29. It has requested all citizen to work, study and pray from home.

c) Singapore: On April 3, Singapore announced ‘circuit breaking’ measures, a euphemism for lockdown. Earlier measures included trade and border control measures: the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore implemented temperature screenings at all sea checkpoints, including ferry and cruise terminals, PSA terminals and Jurong Port for inbound travelers. It has also taken additional precautionary measures such as prohibiting shore leave for personnel in Chinese ports, mandatory temperature checks, keeping a log of crew movements and restricting staff travel to China, among others.

d) Thailand: Thailand’s lockdown operates until April 30. 

e) Philippines: President Rodrigo Duterte’s lockdown came five weeks after the first case was discovered, and a declaration of a State of Emergency on March 25 gave him extraordinary powers.

Cruise Industry

As the pandemic raged worldwide, the plight of the passengers and crew on board cruise ships and the cruise industry came into stark focus. 

Cruise ships - with large numbers of passengers and crew and an emphasis on communal dining and group activities - became incubators of the Covid-19 virus, and infections on ships like the Diamond Princess have been described as floating nightmares

The Diamond Princess, operated by Princess Cruise Lines, departed from Yokohama on February 4 for a round trip cruise. On January 20, an 80-year-old passenger from Hong Kong embarked in Yokohama, and he disembarked in Hong Kong on January 25. On February 1, six days after leaving the ship, he visited a Hong Kong hospital, where he tested positive for Covid-19. 

The ship was due to depart Yokohama for its next cruise on February 4, but it announced a delay the same day to allow Japanese authorities to screen and test passengers and crew still on board. On February 4, the authorities announced positive test results for SARS-CoV-2 for ten people on board, the cancellation of the cruise, and that the ship was entering quarantine. By late March, about 712 of 3,711 people on the Diamond Princess (19 percent) had been infected by Covid-19.

Beginning March 15, Australia banned cruise ships arriving from foreign ports. However, exemptions were granted to allow four ships that were already en route to Australia to dock and disembark their passengers. On March 19, the Ruby Princess - one of the four ships given an exemption - docked in Sydney after a cruise to New Zealand. The cruise ship was forced to return to Sydney early after a passenger reported a respiratory problem, but when disembarking, passengers were not told that anyone on board presented any symptoms during the voyage.

Many countries in Southeast Asia banned cruise ships from disembarking their passengers for fear of importing the virus through infected passengers and crew. Cruise ships are often registered under flags of convenience, e.g. Panama, the Bahamas and other countries chosen for their low wages, cheap fees and lenient health and safety regulations - and, more often than not, their non-existent tax regimes. 

At the time of writing there are still cruise ships with passengers and crew infected by Covid-19 seeking safe harbor. These ships often have difficulty finding countries and ports willing to receive them and allow them to disembark passengers. Each country can set conditions for entry into its ports and many have denied entry to these ships seeking safe harbor.  These incidents involving cruise ships pose the question whether the cruise industry can survive or recover from the effects of the pandemic.

Port Congestion

Many countries have responded to the pandemic by imposing lockdown or restricting movement. Some retailers and manufacturers fail to pick up their cargo and containers because their warehouses are full or closed. Some ports remain open but have reduced workforce, which exacerbates the cargo congestion. This causes disruption of the supply chain, including movement of essential goods and foodstuffs. The cargo lying uncollected at ports creates congestion and takes up space, reducing capacity for incoming cargo and containers. 

Some ports have taken the precaution to declare ‘force majeure’ to pre-empt claims and legal liability. The closure of ports and port congestion have caused disruptions in the supply chain and import and exports.

Supply Chains

The pandemic has exposed the fragility of the global supply chains and brought into acute focus the shortages of critical medical components needed in the fight against the pandemic.

Wuhan and China in general were important manufacturing bases for manufacturing of key components for companies like Apple. The pandemic lockdown and measures taken stopped manufacturing of crucial component items and disruption of supply chain. When the manufacturing 

Countries ravaged by the pandemic find it hard to provide adequate medical care due to shortages of critical medical equipment such as ventilators, protective masks and other gear. In the U.S., the shortage has multiple causes, including problems with the global supply chain. Before the pandemic, for instance, China produced approximately half the world’s face masks. As the infection spread across China, their exports came to a halt. Now, as the infection spreads globally and transmission in China slows, China is shipping masks to other countries as part of goodwill packages. The United States has not been a major recipient.

Crew

The Philippines, China, India and Indonesia are among the biggest suppliers of crew members. According to one report, the pandemic has caused some 40,000 Indian crew serving on merchant and cruise ships to be stranded worldwide.

Airline and port restrictions in most of these countries have made it nearly impossible for crew members to get home if the governments do not make special arrangements. Even if a ship reaches an open port, the crew members may still be out of luck because most international air traffic is grounded. 

The safe repatriation of the crew from the vessels will require the joint efforts of the governmental agencies, the crew manning agency and the owners.

Insurance

Insurance implications arise from the disruption of shipping and logistics due to the pandemic. Cargo owners, importers, risk managers and insurers need to monitor closely: (a) Accumulation of Cargo; (b) Delay; (c) Delay Clause; (d) Demurrage Charges; (e) Deviation; (f) Force Majeure; and (g) Interruptions in Transit.

The insurance implications of the disruption include:

a) Cargo and stock throughput – limited workforce availability will reduce capacity to distribute and handle goods. Cargo is also envisaged to be held for a longer duration at ports and for storage locations to see a volume increase whilst stocks await their next destination.

b) These areas raise the limitations of cover of the normal marine cover:

Delay – although many will want to keep their cargo moving, delay during the ordinary course of transit or while the goods are in storage could soon be inevitable. Most cargo and stock throughput policies exclude loss or damage solely caused by delay.

Additional costs/charges –hold-ups or re-routing goods to an alternative destination due to government prohibition will incur an additional cost. Although these costs are usually sub-limited, the additional forwarding costs clause (or similar) will provide extra financial support should you experience added expenses.

Vulnerable goods – perishable items such as pharmaceutical products and produce operate on a stringent and well-monitored time schedule. The normal cover for marine insurance does not cater to the characteristics of these cargoes due to exclusions for inherent vice and delay. Both will operate when ports are congested and cargo clearance is delayed in the current outbreak. 

Legal Disputes

The disruption caused by the pandemic has legal effects. 

The cargo owner who charters vessels to ports to load or to discharge cargo is required to nominate a “safe port” - i.e. a port which the vessel can safely call at, conduct cargo operations and safely leave. When the intended port is closed, the cargo owner / charterer would be obliged to nominate an alternative port. This is often not possible as there will not be any alternative destination the cargo can be discharged at.

If the cargo is non-essential cargo, it cannot be moved to the ports during a national lockdown. This may result in the vessel arriving at the port and finding no cargo to be shipped, causing incurring of costly demurrage.

Before the vessel can take on cargo, it must be cleared by the health authorities of the port, a process known as obtaining “free pratique.” In the pandemic-affected countries the process of vetting the crew may take time, and this delay will fall on the shipowner rather than on the charterer.

The effects of the pandemic may possibly be covered in the force majeure clauses in some contracts, but these are not uniform and will not be always be available. The disruptive effects of the pandemic will cause losses and the result in the most part will be to determine who will bear or share these losses.

While these legal issues and disputes do not immediately arise, they will certainly surface once countries recover from the immediate effects of the pandemic.

Philip Teoh is a practicing lawyer and partner, and he is the head of the Insurance, Shipping, International Trade and Arbitration Practice at Azmi & Associates Malaysia. He has been in legal practice in Singapore and Malaysia for over 30 years and is an international arbitrator with several international arbitration centers of AIAC, ICC, SCMA, LMAA, KCAB, AABD, Brunei, CAAI Taiwan, LCIA. 

from Storage Containers https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/the-impact-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-shipping via http://www.rssmix.com/

[mideastsoccer]

Building cohesive societies: Southeast Asian states take on gargantuan challenge

By James M. Dorsey

A podcast version of this story is available on Soundcloud, Itunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Spreaker, Pocket Casts, Tumblr, and Patreon, Podbean and Castbox.

Several Southeast Asian governments and social movements are seeking to counter mounting polarization and inter-communal strife across the globe fuelled by the rise of civilizationalist leaders who think in exclusionary rather than inclusionary terms.

In the most high-brow of various initiatives, King Abdullah of Jordan is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the inaugural International Conference on Cohesive Societies organized by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) with support from the Singapore government.

Singapore president Halimah bint Yacob has mooted the conference as a high-level forum involving religious leaders akin to the annual Shangri-La Dialogue that for the past 17 years brings together annually senior Asian, European and US government officials in what is Asia’s foremost security forum.

In what amounts to a timely strategic effort to tackle what may be one of the most fundamental threats to peace and security, the conference reflects a growing concern that global polarization and civilisationalism could fuel inter-communal tensions and militancy in Southeast Asian societies.

It crowns a separate Indonesian initiative that targets religious reform and Malaysian willingness to speak out on controversial or sensitive issues.

Southeast Asian concerns include fear that Rohingya lingering in refugee camps in Bangladesh with no prospects could radicalize, the possibility of extremists capitalizing on the fact that reconstruction of the devastated southern Philippine city of Marawi has stalled two years after it was overrun by jihadists, and the danger that suspected sleeper cells of groups like the Islamic State will seek to disrupt the region’s social fabric.

"The social fabric of many communities is stressed by extremism, exclusivism and polarisation. It is important for us to grow trust across communities. This will always be a work in progress, so it is an effort we must constantly invest in," Ms. Yacob said on the eve of the Singapore conference.

King Abdullah, in a separate statement, warned that “attacking and excluding others, insulting other peoples and their faiths and convictions - this is no way forward. The future lies in unity and respect, not division and stereotypes."

Ms. Yacob and King Abdullah’s warnings were designed to be an anti-dote to rising prejudice and racism fuelled by the rise of supremacism of various stripes and Islamophobia as well as increased anti-Semitism that often is encouraged by world leaders for ideological or opportunistic reasons.

For Ms. Yacob and King Abdullah, the concern is not a far-from-my-bed show.

Human rights activists were taken aback when Myanmar leader, Nobel peace prize winner and one time human rights advocate Aung San Suu Kyi agreed earlier this month during a visit to Hungary with far-right, staunchly anti-immigrant prime minister Viktor Orban that both Southeast Asia and Europe were struggling with the “emergence of the issue of coexistence with continuously growing Muslim populations.”

Southeast Asia and its Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are home to the world’s most populous and foremost Muslim democracy, Indonesia, as well as Malaysia that has been among the most outspoken in criticizing Myanmar’s repression of the Rohingya and one of the few Islamic countries to speak out about China’s crackdown on Turkic Muslims in the troubled north-western province of Xinjiang.

To King Abdullah, Ms. Yacob’s backyard must look like something approaching paradise. Conflict characterizes all of his kingdom’s borders.

Moreover, the Middle East, beyond Jordan’s immediate borders, is wracked by civil wars, national conflicts and regional rivalries that all involve aspects of prejudice, right-wing nationalism, militancy and sectarianism.

Add to that, the world is holding its breath as the United States, Saudi Arabia and Iran square off in the Gulf in a dangerous dance that threatens to spiral out of control.

Less highbrow but no less ambitious, Nahdlatul Ulama, the world’s largest Sunni Muslim movement, has launched a campaign with Indonesian government backing to “reinterpret and recontextualize” Islam.

The campaign amounts to more than simply confronting ultra-conservatism and militancy. It is a pushback against the notion that secularism and pluralism are expressions of a Western conspiracy to undermine Islam.

If successful, Nahdlatul Ulama’s strategy could have far-reaching consequences. For many Middle Eastern autocrats, adopting a more tolerant, pluralistic interpretation of Islam would mean allowing far greater social and political freedoms and embracing concepts of pluralism. That would likely lead to a weakening of autocrats’ grip on power.

Similarly, political scientist and Islam scholar Ahmet T. Kuru throws down a gauntlet in a forthcoming book by arguing that the notion of Islam rejecting a separation of religion and state is based on “a fabricated hadith” or saying of the Prophet Mohammed that has since been perpetuated.

Singapore’s conference like Nahdlatul Ulama’s initiative constitute accepting a gargantuan but critical challenge posed by civilizationalist leaders who reflect deeply rooted currents in societies irrespective of their political systems and/or notions and myths that have been nurtured over centuries.

Inclusiveness is the magic wand touted by all seeking to halt a slide toward societies characterized by fragmentation, political polarization and inter-communal discord. Yet, the enormity of the challenge lies in addressing deep-seated grievances and challenging taboos.

Discussing the rise of populism in the West, politics scholar Matthew Goodwin identifies what he terms the four Ds that drive democracy’s turmoil: distrust of political institutions that have become less representative; the destructive impact of fear of loss of national identity, culture and way of life; ethno-national deprivation fuelled by liberal elites’ focus on migrant and minority rights; and the dealignment of significant segments of the electorate with the traditional parties they long supported.

Mr. Goodwin’s four Ds are likely to challenge cohesiveness even if, as Financial Times columnist Simon Kuper notes, their foremost political beneficiaries are being sucked into the swamp they vowed to drain.

US president Donald J. Trump, Brexit party leader Nigel Farage, Israeli prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu, former Austrian vice-chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, and billionaire Czech prime minister Andrej Babis are all fighting off allegations of wrongdoing.

The allegations and their legal entanglements mean that they risk losing the high ground on issues of corruption, alongside immigration and security, a key pillar of their recent success.

Putting forward an optimistic argument, Mr. Kuper notes that concerns about migration and security no longer top Europeans’ agenda with younger voters mobilising around climate change.

Polls, however, suggest that the popularity of leaders accused of illegitimately benefitting from wrongdoing or questionable practices and their political parties have lost little of their allure despite climate change increasingly becoming a major concern.

Populists’ current Teflon effect means that building cohesive societies will have to involve finding a middle ground between majoritarian concerns and concepts of diversity, multiculturalism and minority rights.

It amounts to manoeuvring minefields and treading on uncharted territory irrespective of culture and political system.

In the absence of the perfect blueprint, countries like Singapore, New Zealand and Norway have in their own ways taken a lead in attempting to make inclusion a pillar of policy.

While inter-communal harmony has long been a driver of Singapore’s social and economic policies, New Zealand and Norway responded to traumatic acts of political violence by bucking the trend towards polarization, profiling and concepts of us and them by saying not me instead of me too.

The proof is in the pudding.

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who became an icon of compassion and inclusivity with her response to the killing of 50 people in March in two Christchurch mosques, recalled a Muslim woman reacting to the government’s response by telling her that, despite having been a target, she had "never felt more at home (in New Zealand) than she had in the last 10 days" since the attacks.

Singapore’s creation of a global forum in which opposing views and grievances are aired constitutes a vital contribution towards creating the environment for the building of more cohesive societies. It is a vital cog in a mesh of attempts to achieve legal reform and call out abuse and violations of human rights.

Taken together, they hold out the promise of a concerted effort to counter debilitating prejudice and bias even if a truly cohesive, harmonious society may prove to be a utopia.

Dr. James M. Dorsey is a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, an adjunct senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute and co-director of the University of Wuerzburg’s Institute of Fan Culture.

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State Department to ban Americans from visiting to North Korea.

The State Department stated Friday it’s going to restrict U.S.

Residents from traveling to North Korea beginning late next month, mentioning the risk of arrest and imprisonment by way of the authoritarian regime.

The pass follows the death of an American pupil ultimate month who changed into imprisoned for nearly 18 months in Pyongyang earlier than he turned into flown domestically to Ohio in a coma.

The State Department long has suggested Americans no longer to go to but the choice with the aid of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson flatly bars the use of U.S. Passports “to travel in, via, or to North Korea,” spokeswoman Heather Nauert stated in an assertion.

Several hundred Americans visit North Korea each 12 months on excursion businesses that specialize within the united states. Some aid workers, newshounds, and teachers additionally journey there.

Actions that aren’t criminal, or not fundamental crimes, somewhere else can cause harsh punishment underneath North Korea’s totalitarian device. More than a dozen Americans had been arrested and detained considering 2009, and three are still held there.

Nauert said Tillerson determined to prohibit U.S. Tour to North Korea “because of mounting concerns over the extreme risk of arrest and lengthy-term detention” there.

“The protection and security of U.S. Residents distant places are one in every of our highest priorities,” she brought.

The restriction could be posted next week inside the Federal Register and take impact 30 days later. Exceptions may be made on a case-by way of-case foundation for a few humanitarian journey, Nauert stated.

The motion comes as President Trump grapples to discover a strategy to stress North Korea to rein in its robust nuclear guns and ballistic missile assessments in a duration of rising tensions.

In April, Trump in my view sought the assistance of Chinese President Xi Jinping to persuade North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but that method has in large part failed to produce effects.

Since then, the management has delivered new sanctions on human beings or businesses, along with some in China, that do commercial enterprise in or with North Korea.

Earlier this month, North Korea tested a missile that flew a trajectory that U.S. Experts stated indicated an ability for the primary time to move the Pacific and probably threaten the United States.

U.S. Officers say the united states has yet to build a nuclear weapon small sufficient to in shape atop a missile and live on, however that is probably a matter of time.

The Americans State Department visiting declaration targeted, but, on the threat of arrests and imprisonment North Korea.

A University of Virginia pupil, Otto F. Warmbier, turned into arrested at the giving up of his journey to Pyongyang with an excursion group in January 2016 for trying to scouse borrow a propaganda poster from his lodge.

Two months later, he changed into sentenced to fifteen years in jail with difficult hard work. In June, he becomes released on clinical grounds and flown to Cincinnati in a coma. He died six days later.

Warmbier’s family says they’ve now not received a fine clarification of what occurred.

North Korea said Warmbier reduced in size botulism rapidly after he becomes imprisoned, changed into given a snoozing pill and by no means weakened. U.S. Docs did now not find that version attainable.

What Are the Differences Between Travel Agent and Tour Operator?

The Travel Agent and Tour Operators are usually separate carrier carriers managing exceptional parts of the adventure, no longer always distinctive however the difference does lie within the provider they provide.

From patron point of view, the big alternate took place in 1992, when you consider that then anybody who’s presenting the services for travels is accountable based totally upon their stake and expected income which they are looking forward to. This is high-quality development for the purchaser facet as now economic responsible for the ability liability is split into every birthday celebration accountable.

The Tour Operators provide a lot extra exact offerings which you require from every little thing in the course of the go to. It might not appear a huge difference, however, the both of those events are the exclusive result in a case of any liability and so forth. As the journey dealers do not have big stakes to the entire adventure, being only a cross between, so they are taking the fee for their offerings. In the case of the dissatisfaction or problem, they may not be dealing with huge proceedings as they’re not the number one dealers.

The foremost difference among is that the scope. The Travel Agents offer the precise offerings unless one asks for them to address other things, they act as pass between the airways and tourists. It is predicted that the journey marketers maximum of instances have enterprise internal their personal office and don’t have any stakes inside the jogging of excursions, or aren’t connected with the real centers and services.

The difference between Agent and Tour Operator also can be seen in the way they are being paid. The retailers are given commission for their services for the regular things like air tickets and many others. The bill of the agent is often very small as examine to.

The offerings of each the tour operator and travel marketers are basically related so some of the corporations begin to take each the sports. This however rarely occurs as the duties of Tour Operators are big as examine to the Travel Agent.

What Would an Invasion of North Korea Achieve?

The international awaits a way to the standoff over the nuclear missile threat posed by using the president of North Korea, Kim Jong-un. His leading opponent is Donald Trump, the newly elected president of the USA. Over the time considering that his ascension to the top activity the North Korean has put the Americans on being aware that he’ll construct an inter-continental-ballistic-missile capable of attaining America. It seems that he has done that purpose.

The question is what will Trump do about it? The disaster has escalated over the previous few days due to the anti-American rhetoric and provocation by means of his foe who’s taunting him into creating a circulate by means of his movements.

The subsequent query is what will the other countries within variety also do? The today’s take a look at proves that Kim has a functionality of attaining as ways as Australia and all the international locations in a circle of that distance around him. Those maximum anxious include Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and even India.

Globally there is a nervousness in an effort to in no way subside until something primary happens. For a few sixty-seven years the threat of retaliation via the North in opposition to the South and its allies has existed. On twenty-fifth June 1950, a navy of 75,000 poured across the 38th parallel and within per week had control of Seoul.

The cause for the invasion happened, reputedly, on the top of World War II while the allies had been given manipulate over the peninsula after 35 years of Japanese occupation. It passed off that the Soviet Union and the united states have been given joint partnership of its management.

The Communist regime of us fostered the rise of Kim il-Sun in the north to move a communist government. The USA supported Syngman Rhee and provisional authorities within the south. The end result turned into catastrophic as the two opposites and their adversarial armies confronted every other throughout the 38th parallel.

It changed into additionally going to lead to the war and the inclusion of 21 international locations who rose to the defence of South Korea. They supplied military system, armies, and all the important aspect-lines to the defence of South Korea.

By November the Chinese had entered the war at the aspect of North Korea and therein lies an extraordinary tale to what the West expects today. Both China and North Korea have communist-led philosophies of a rule. It is tough to assume that one will aspect towards the opposite. Putin, on the other hand, who inherited the significantly faded Soviet Union, is openly favouring the dictators who’re opposing the united states and the West.

Given Russia’s guide of North Korea inside the beyond and the connection between the leaders, Putin and Xi Jinping, one has to surprise if the vintage struggle is set to start again. The Chinese President has made common journeys to Russia and vice-versa in current months. The remaining only a few days ago.

Something is cooking and some thing massive will result. What to be able to be in every body’s guess but Russia is increasing its forces into the Pacific location. One of its struggle-ships turned into spotted off the Australian Coast multiple weeks in the past, even though in International waters.

China has made massive inroads into Australia over the last few years and even has a lease on the Port of Darwin. Its people have offered up land and homes here and its investment is a fear for plenty Australians who see it as a threat to our security. We are not secure and no matter whether the united states invade the North Korean region or now not there may be some thing taking place that the world holds its breath to discover what it’s far.

An invasion of that kind could be unsightly, devastating, and lead immediately to a prime battle between the most effective countries. The question is are we prepared for it as there can be no winners and nothing desirable performed?

[jairaroxas]

This is a lengthy post as the narrative is of a life-changing experience

And of course I remember it all vividly.

A year ago, I had no idea what would happen today. I would not know that right after eating a sumptuous breakfast at the posh Sarabia Manor Hotel, I would be facing a whole 20-hour day learning and mastering the highly stressful Rules of Parliamentary Procedures for the next day’s Plenary Session. I would not know that I would eat dinner for a record-breaking (for me) 15 minutes--because there is a bill to be styled waiting. I would not know that as I smile and talk to new-found friends, I would be staying up and working late with them that night. I had no idea what would happen today.

Months back before June 2, I worked my ass off for the application of this one youth conference because a friend asked me to sign up with him but I really had no idea what it was about. I literally sent my application minutes before the deadline and did not expect to get accepted. But the universe has plans. I became a delegate for the 11th National Youth Parliament to be held in Iloilo City.

June 2nd was the 2nd day of the Parliament. On the first day, we had opening program and getting to know with our committee-mates. From the conference kit given to us in the early morning registration, I understood what the conference was about. Yes, I admit. It was just during the day of the conference itself I understood what was going to happen. Judge me all you want but yes, I got on that plane not knowing what to expect.

Before the first day ended, the organizers made sure we went to work. Acting as parliamentarians for our respective districts and being under the Committee on Participation, we identified key issues: Participation of the youth in the peace process and in youth conferences.

The hustle for June 2 started really early. 8am we were already buried in bills crafted by each other--we were getting the substance of each one related to the two issues we identified. The whole day--literally the whole day (spare the 30 minutes allotted for lunch)--was spent 1. crafting the bill for the participation in peace process and the one granting the youth funds for attending conferences and conventions and 2. actually approving the two bills as a committee. The day was full of points of inquiry, motions to amend, motions to recess, motions to extend recess and believe it or not, getting out of order. It was all about being familiar with the whole parliament process with a little laughing with each other whenever mistakes were made.

It all became better when two of our committee-mates won as President and Vice President of the Parliament. Although they won’t be with us as we bring the bills we crafted to the plenary the next day, we took comfort that they will be the ones to preside the whole plenary session. Talk about committee pride. Haha!

They day however did not end at dinner and committee-mates winning plenary positions. After dinner, we still convened as we recognized a bigger issue regarding youth participation--the youth’s participation in the government.

We crafted a resolution in the middle of the night. Stories were told, questions were asked. We disagreed with each other on some points, we agreed on some. We ended up writing one that is “urging the President of the Republic of the Philippines, the Congress, and the Commission on Elections to push through with the conduct of the October 31 2016 Sangguniang Kabataan elections” at 2 in the morning.

It was a fun experience. I was getting the most of the whole process as it was all new to me. Nothing was like the stories I have heard that day. Nothing was like the passion I saw and felt among these young people for their localities, for their country. Those youth leaders with me that night was just so full of hope and fire and love for our country. It was as genuine as it could get. It made me check my privilege. Nothing was like it, and nothing in my life inspired me more than these stories.

The following day was a bright and sunny one. We had a hurried breakfast and went all the way to Santa Barbara, Iloilo to 1. see the largest Philippine flag outside Luzon and 2. get the feels of a legit parliament.

Like grade schoolers on a field trip, we had the time of our lives on the bus--we were laughing and singing and having loads of fun. But with these noises are the hushed voices discussing whether we should present to plenary the resolution we did the night before. I and two of my committee-mates were discussing the possibility of the resolution to be adopted by the plenary. There are a lot of factors why it would not be adopted but we could not let go of the possibility that it would. It would hurt if it would not get adopted but we held on to the very reasons that drove us to craft the resolution. That is why as soon as we arrived at the Casa Real, the old municipal hall of the city, the whole committee had a discussion to come up with a decision.

The majority does not want to push through with the resolution. But there is one person, just one person who believed that the youth's voice deserves to be heard.

We pushed through with the resolution to plenary.

The plenary was not easy. Although we have already practised the rules of procedure the day before, it was a totally different time. Added to the stress of the RoP was the lobbying of our bills. We had to "sell" our own bills to the other committees for our bills to be adopted by the plenary. Much like a real parliament, you see. We have to earn the trust and confidence of our co-parliamentarians so that our bills will be approved.  We had intense interpolations and point of inquiries. Amendments were presented and accepted during recess. Questions were asked during recess. Lobbying for our own bills were done during recess. I think you have an idea what a recess during plenary looked like now. Haha! But we had fun. I had fun. Except that moment when our bills were the one being discussed on plenary.

I was nervous that time. Although I know we lobbied hard for our two bills, I still did not have that much confidence. During dinner time, we had intense discussions on how we would defend our bills against the questions the other parliamentarians might have. We were tired and drained physically and mentally but I know we never let, even for a single second, our spirits die. I know all of us were ready to fight for our bills in plenary.

After a few moments, I then heard a motion to adopt and I swear I can't contain my happiness. There were no objections--the motion was carried and our two bills were adopted by the parliament. I was happy. The whole committee was ecstatic. It was heaven on earth as we all hugged each other and congratulated everyone for a job well done.

But it was not yet done. It was 11 in the evening and as all the 10 bills were adopted (two bills for each of the five committees), the resolution we did for the SK elections was yet to be presented in plenary.

I would never forget how I felt as the resolution was being read for the plenary. I remember I was holding hands with my committee-mates at the back of our little area at the side of the hall, we were all silent, not saying a word. After the resolution was read, I was deaf for a moment and hearing just came back when someone raised a motion to adopt.

I WAS CRYING THAT TIME I SWEAR. Filled with much happiness and fulfillment, we in the committee started hugging each other again but was cut short as someone from another committee raised his hand. We all fell silent and god knows fear came rushing back. What if they realized the SK elections is no longer worth the effort of youth leaders? What if they no longer believed the youth can still make change? What if they think we just wasted our efforts on a resolution that will never work?

But that person said something I cannot forget. "I move that this committee be named co-authors of the resolution with the committee on participation." I was like, "what? What was that again?" And then someone from the another committee said something about being co-authors too, and then another committee, and then another committee, and then another one. It was all blurry but I know that at that point we in our committee was just happy and it looked like nothing made sense at all. OUR RESOLUTION WAS NOT JUST ADOPTED BUT EVERYONE WANTED TO BE A PART OF IT. We couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. And it was amazing.

10 bills and 1 resolution were adopted and the night ended with the whole committee finding ourselves in a ktv bar where we had pizza, burgers, a lot of karaoke, laughing, and everything in between. It was a night worth celebrating and getting wasted for. Tbh (and this is the only time I would say this publicly--after a year, I know!!!), I had no idea how I got safely to my hotel bed from the elevator door in our floor. It was all a blur. Haha

The following day was not less than celebratory in mood. We started late and it was kind of understandable since everyone obviously had a fun night. We had the closing program in the morning and were all looking forward to the city tour that was going to happen that afternoon.

I went to the tour with my committee-mates, of course. More kwentuhan and laughter on the way from one place to another, even though we did not have the best tour guide (he was annoying, actually). Still had fun even tough in the end, we ditched the guide and cut the tour short.

To my committee--Committee on Participation, I know we miss each other too much these days and I just want to thank all of you. Your passion and dedication made me into what I am now and more importantly, made me realize that this country--no matter how messed up it is--is worth fighting for. You guys changed my life <3

To my NYP 11 batchmates, I know we all did a wonderful job with the 10 bills and one resolution, but we still have one year to lobby those to our localities--to real life. At the same time, I know we never forget “to make the Filipino youth proud.” You guys were amazing people.

To my NYP 11 squad, Chard, Princess, JC and Flored, I miss the late night conference calls!! All the laughing and the kwentos, I just miss them all. Please don’t be too busy, okay?

To Dale, former NYC Comm. JP, Yani, JB and Roni, you guys are the friends I never expected to have. I cannot wait for the next hang out and the stories and laughter I will share with you guys.

All that I’ve learned in this four-day event (and all the other days that followed) can be summarized in nine words:

NEVER BE AFRAID TO JUMP WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED.

Because it is in blind faith when you learn to trust the process. It is in blind faith when you meet the people you know you’re gonna cherish forever. And it is in blind faith when you realize what your purpose in life is.

Padayon, NYP 11!

Padayon, National Youth Parliament!

Padayon, Kabataang Pilipino!

---------

All photos are from the National Youth Commission Facebook page

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North Korea launches missile however take a look at results in failure

North Korea has defied Donald Trump’s needs for it to abandon its nuclear and missile programs, launching a missile from an eastern port city on Sunday morning.

But, the test seemed to fail. “The missile blew up almost at once,” America Pacific Command said in an assertion. “The sort of missile continues to be being assessed.” Reuters pronounced one US professional as pronouncing it turned into assured the failed projectile become no longer an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The try came hours before US vice-president Mike Pence was because of arriving in Seoul on the begin of a ten-day experience to Asia in what his aides said became a signal of the dedication of the united state to its ally in the face of growing anxiety over North Korea. Both Pence and President Donald Trump have been notified. The president had no further remark, stated defense secretary Jim Mattis.

South Korea described the launch as a “chance to the whole international” and warned that it might respond to any in addition provocations, along with a nuclear check or the release of an ICBM.

“North Korea displaying an expansion of offensive missiles at the day past’s army parade and daring to fireplace a ballistic missile today is a show of force that threatens the entire international,” South Korea’s overseas ministry stated in an assertion.

The missile turned into released from the eastern coastal town of Sinop, that’s the web page of a submarine base and wherein the North has examined the submarine-launched ballistic missile it is developing. Weapons on submarines are a good deal harder to tune and wreck and would make it some distance greater difficult for the USA and its allies to mount a pre-emptive strike. But, it’s far notion the clear-cut release was land-primarily based.

A spokesman for the United Kingdom foreign Office said: “We’re worried by using reports of a missile take a look at via North Korea and are monitoring the scenario closely.”

The overseas secretary, Boris Johnson, advised North Korea to abide via UN resolutions and give up its quest to expand nuclear Guns. “We had been right here before however maintain to reveal the state of affairs carefully,” Johnson said in an assertion.

North Korea – The world’s Worst Tyranny – From History, Nuclear Crisis, and Economic system to Sport A Quick History of the Hermit State

Following Japan’s defeat during world Struggle II, Korea regained its independence. almost right away, then Soviet Union/USA — now Russia— set up a hardline Communist regime in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula with Kim Il-Sung as a warlord, which became identified by means of the Human beings’ Republic of China (Percent).

Exactly, the Democratic Human beings’ Republic of Korea —regarded to the outdoor international as North Korea— changed into born on May 1, 1948. For over a yr, it joined China and the Soviet Union as considered one of best 3 countries with a Marxist administration. Although, NK’s introduction turned into opposed now not most effective via Koreans but additionally with the aid of The sector. Thru those years, the South Koreans based the Republic of Korea underneath the route of us and the UN. For the reason that then, Korea become divided into states, the Communist North and the non-Communist South.

In postwar years, beneath Soviet-sponsored Communist control, North Korea commenced a policy against its neighbor, blocking off efforts to allow the Koreans unite their country. but it turned into not anything in comparison with the violence at some stage in the early Fifties. A War broke out inside the Korean Peninsula while over 60,000 NKorean troops invaded the South Korean territory. Simultaneously, on November 1, 1950, the Chinese language Communists introduced useful resource to the Korean Communists inside the fight against SK, sending 200,000 troops. The arena condemned NK’s invasion.

throughout Korea’s 1950-1953 Struggle, the Soviet-backed North Korea failed to overcome South Korea, which becomes supported via The USA’s troops and the UN Protection Council. In lots of approaches, it turned into a 665ffa919c35bfa66744e335c03b7855 victory for Washington and Seoul, even though Moscow, China, and NK had worked for hand in hand to win the Conflict. Unequivocally, it was one of the most sizable defeats inflicted on the Chinese military. On February 1, 1951, the UN Fashionable Meeting permitted a global embargo on shipments of hands and War fabric to the Percent and the Soviet-sponsored regime.

Due to the fact, no peace treaty changed into signed, the Republic of Korea and Pyongyang remained at War and began a turbulent generation that continues these days. On the other hand, that Conflict had grown to become South Korea into one of the poorest lands on the planet.

Over the approaching many years, Washington and their Western allies refused to recognize North Korea. From that point on, the anti-American government has grown to be one of the Earth’s maximum remote states.

North Korea: An isolated country

The sized-Ohio land is a complete-fledged Communist republic in a ways East, geographically surrounded via South Korea, Russia, and the Humans’ Republic of China. The nation is thought Each at home and overseas beneath the call of North Korea, Korea DPR, or the Democratic Humans’s Republic of Korea. it’s far ruled by a one-party rule beneath tyrant Kim Jong-Un. Domestically, he has condemned Humans to poverty and repression. In clear straight forward Records, maximum Communist regimes were (are) much less hardline than North Korea’s role with the exception of Mao Tse-tung, Pol Pot, and Enver Hoxha. The influence of Mao Tse-tung’s 27-yr dictatorship turned into substantial within the status quo of the unconventional tyranny.

Its terrain is predominantly mountains with slim valleys and plains. The Amnok, Duman, and Daedong are the main rivers inside the sized-Ohio territory. Dividing us of an into 9 provinces. Population anticipated at 21 million. at the home scene, Pyongyang is its capital.

on the economic aspect, the draconian regime has left it as the poorest country in some distance East. There are areas in Kim Jong-Un’s Korea wherein existence expectancy is underneath 40. No matter a few minerals, the DPRK suffers from a terrible natural aid base, not like different Asian nations inclusive of Mongolia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and the Philippines — which had not permitted the development of roads, bridges, industry, ports, airports, and energy. maximum of the nation’s Population is engaged in subsistence-degree farming.

Agricultural products (end result and veggies), minerals and are the main exports. Likewise, the united states of America’s bloody rule sell palms to some repressive states inside the growing world. As resource-poor united states of America, the DPRK is heavily depending on overseas aid. Further, its Economic system is likewise financed by remittances from emigrants who paintings in Center East and Japan.

Politically, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has by no means regarded a period freed from tyranny, being one of the Earth’s most secretive societies. Attributable to this, u. S . A . remains one in every of only some locations wherein the Communist birthday celebration is the most effective legal political celebration. As one of the world’s few closing Communist countries, However, the DPRK is one of the enemies of Internet.

Kim Il-Sung: 1948-1994

Kim Il-Sung became the first Head of State, u .who became declared “President for Eternity”, in politics North Korean. His tyrannical government was a virtual kleptocracy. Upon Kim Il-Sung’s demise, he turned into replaced with the aid of his handpicked successor Kim Jong-Il, his son. Lower back in the Nineteen Eighties, he was designed as his successor.

In a few 0.33 international international locations, he become perceived as a benign dictator. in the tyrannical years of Kim Il-Sung, However, the DPRK won international fame as a terroriu.S . and robust links with pariah and anti-American states. The usage of Soviet/Chinese language resource given in exchange for his pro-Moscow guidelines, he, as an instance, sent terrorist bands to South Korea at the same time as the state’s Economy become in a hunch. In conjunction with Muammar al-Qadaffi of Libya, Kim Il-Sung turned into now and again referred to as a paymaster of worldwide terror for the duration of Cold Struggle.

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The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Shipping

The Covid-19 pandemic still rages unabated in April 2020, affecting lives, businesses, individuals and industries in ways that will change the world forever. The International Labor Organization predicts that as many as 25 million jobs worldwide could be wiped out by a worldwide recession brought about by the pandemic.

In many countries, governments imposed “lockdown” to restrict the movements of its citizens and to control the rapid spread of the pandemic. The lockdown was implemented throughout the countries in Southeast Asia in stages:

a) Malaysia: The Malaysia government announced a national lockdown on March 25 by issuing the Movement of Control Order (Restricted Movement). The period of the lockdown was initially until March 31, but it has been extended to April 14. Specific exceptions have been given to transportation and some other essential service sectors.

b) Indonesia: The Indonesian government on March 15 formed the National Disaster Management Agency (BPNP) and declared National Disaster – Non-Natural situation until May 29. It has requested all citizen to work, study and pray from home.

c) Singapore: On April 3, Singapore announced ‘circuit breaking’ measures, a euphemism for lockdown. Earlier measures included trade and border control measures: the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore implemented temperature screenings at all sea checkpoints, including ferry and cruise terminals, PSA terminals and Jurong Port for inbound travelers. It has also taken additional precautionary measures such as prohibiting shore leave for personnel in Chinese ports, mandatory temperature checks, keeping a log of crew movements and restricting staff travel to China, among others.

d) Thailand: Thailand’s lockdown operates until April 30. 

e) Philippines: President Rodrigo Duterte’s lockdown came five weeks after the first case was discovered, and a declaration of a State of Emergency on March 25 gave him extraordinary powers.

Cruise Industry

As the pandemic raged worldwide, the plight of the passengers and crew on board cruise ships and the cruise industry came into stark focus. 

Cruise ships - with large numbers of passengers and crew and an emphasis on communal dining and group activities - became incubators of the Covid-19 virus, and infections on ships like the Diamond Princess have been described as floating nightmares

The Diamond Princess, operated by Princess Cruise Lines, departed from Yokohama on February 4 for a round trip cruise. On January 20, an 80-year-old passenger from Hong Kong embarked in Yokohama, and he disembarked in Hong Kong on January 25. On February 1, six days after leaving the ship, he visited a Hong Kong hospital, where he tested positive for Covid-19. 

The ship was due to depart Yokohama for its next cruise on February 4, but it announced a delay the same day to allow Japanese authorities to screen and test passengers and crew still on board. On February 4, the authorities announced positive test results for SARS-CoV-2 for ten people on board, the cancellation of the cruise, and that the ship was entering quarantine. By late March, about 712 of 3,711 people on the Diamond Princess (19 percent) had been infected by Covid-19.

Beginning March 15, Australia banned cruise ships arriving from foreign ports. However, exemptions were granted to allow four ships that were already en route to Australia to dock and disembark their passengers. On March 19, the Ruby Princess - one of the four ships given an exemption - docked in Sydney after a cruise to New Zealand. The cruise ship was forced to return to Sydney early after a passenger reported a respiratory problem, but when disembarking, passengers were not told that anyone on board presented any symptoms during the voyage.

Many countries in Southeast Asia banned cruise ships from disembarking their passengers for fear of importing the virus through infected passengers and crew. Cruise ships are often registered under flags of convenience, e.g. Panama, the Bahamas and other countries chosen for their low wages, cheap fees and lenient health and safety regulations - and, more often than not, their non-existent tax regimes. 

At the time of writing there are still cruise ships with passengers and crew infected by Covid-19 seeking safe harbor. These ships often have difficulty finding countries and ports willing to receive them and allow them to disembark passengers. Each country can set conditions for entry into its ports and many have denied entry to these ships seeking safe harbor.  These incidents involving cruise ships pose the question whether the cruise industry can survive or recover from the effects of the pandemic.

Port Congestion

Many countries have responded to the pandemic by imposing lockdown or restricting movement. Some retailers and manufacturers fail to pick up their cargo and containers because their warehouses are full or closed. Some ports remain open but have reduced workforce, which exacerbates the cargo congestion. This causes disruption of the supply chain, including movement of essential goods and foodstuffs. The cargo lying uncollected at ports creates congestion and takes up space, reducing capacity for incoming cargo and containers. 

Some ports have taken the precaution to declare ‘force majeure’ to pre-empt claims and legal liability. The closure of ports and port congestion have caused disruptions in the supply chain and import and exports.

Supply Chains

The pandemic has exposed the fragility of the global supply chains and brought into acute focus the shortages of critical medical components needed in the fight against the pandemic.

Wuhan and China in general were important manufacturing bases for manufacturing of key components for companies like Apple. The pandemic lockdown and measures taken stopped manufacturing of crucial component items and disruption of supply chain. When the manufacturing 

Countries ravaged by the pandemic find it hard to provide adequate medical care due to shortages of critical medical equipment such as ventilators, protective masks and other gear. In the U.S., the shortage has multiple causes, including problems with the global supply chain. Before the pandemic, for instance, China produced approximately half the world’s face masks. As the infection spread across China, their exports came to a halt. Now, as the infection spreads globally and transmission in China slows, China is shipping masks to other countries as part of goodwill packages. The United States has not been a major recipient.

Crew

The Philippines, China, India and Indonesia are among the biggest suppliers of crew members. According to one report, the pandemic has caused some 40,000 Indian crew serving on merchant and cruise ships to be stranded worldwide.

Airline and port restrictions in most of these countries have made it nearly impossible for crew members to get home if the governments do not make special arrangements. Even if a ship reaches an open port, the crew members may still be out of luck because most international air traffic is grounded. 

The safe repatriation of the crew from the vessels will require the joint efforts of the governmental agencies, the crew manning agency and the owners.

Insurance

Insurance implications arise from the disruption of shipping and logistics due to the pandemic. Cargo owners, importers, risk managers and insurers need to monitor closely: (a) Accumulation of Cargo; (b) Delay; (c) Delay Clause; (d) Demurrage Charges; (e) Deviation; (f) Force Majeure; and (g) Interruptions in Transit.

The insurance implications of the disruption include:

a) Cargo and stock throughput – limited workforce availability will reduce capacity to distribute and handle goods. Cargo is also envisaged to be held for a longer duration at ports and for storage locations to see a volume increase whilst stocks await their next destination.

b) These areas raise the limitations of cover of the normal marine cover:

Delay – although many will want to keep their cargo moving, delay during the ordinary course of transit or while the goods are in storage could soon be inevitable. Most cargo and stock throughput policies exclude loss or damage solely caused by delay.

Additional costs/charges –hold-ups or re-routing goods to an alternative destination due to government prohibition will incur an additional cost. Although these costs are usually sub-limited, the additional forwarding costs clause (or similar) will provide extra financial support should you experience added expenses.

Vulnerable goods – perishable items such as pharmaceutical products and produce operate on a stringent and well-monitored time schedule. The normal cover for marine insurance does not cater to the characteristics of these cargoes due to exclusions for inherent vice and delay. Both will operate when ports are congested and cargo clearance is delayed in the current outbreak. 

Legal Disputes

The disruption caused by the pandemic has legal effects. 

The cargo owner who charters vessels to ports to load or to discharge cargo is required to nominate a “safe port” - i.e. a port which the vessel can safely call at, conduct cargo operations and safely leave. When the intended port is closed, the cargo owner / charterer would be obliged to nominate an alternative port. This is often not possible as there will not be any alternative destination the cargo can be discharged at.

If the cargo is non-essential cargo, it cannot be moved to the ports during a national lockdown. This may result in the vessel arriving at the port and finding no cargo to be shipped, causing incurring of costly demurrage.

Before the vessel can take on cargo, it must be cleared by the health authorities of the port, a process known as obtaining “free pratique.” In the pandemic-affected countries the process of vetting the crew may take time, and this delay will fall on the shipowner rather than on the charterer.

The effects of the pandemic may possibly be covered in the force majeure clauses in some contracts, but these are not uniform and will not be always be available. The disruptive effects of the pandemic will cause losses and the result in the most part will be to determine who will bear or share these losses.

While these legal issues and disputes do not immediately arise, they will certainly surface once countries recover from the immediate effects of the pandemic.

Philip Teoh is a practicing lawyer and partner, and he is the head of the Insurance, Shipping, International Trade and Arbitration Practice at Azmi & Associates Malaysia. He has been in legal practice in Singapore and Malaysia for over 30 years and is an international arbitrator with several international arbitration centers of AIAC, ICC, SCMA, LMAA, KCAB, AABD, Brunei, CAAI Taiwan, LCIA. 

from Storage Containers https://maritime-executive.com/article/the-impact-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-shipping via http://www.rssmix.com/