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1st international flight to Cagayan airport set Mar. 23

THE Cagayan North International Airport (CNIA) in Lal-lo town will receive its first international commercial flight from Macau on March 23, the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) announced yesterday. “We are ready to open CNIA to East Asia and the North Pacific to commercial flights,” CEZA Administrator and Chief Executive Officer Raul L. Lambino is quoted in a statement. The first domestic flight by Cebu Pacific, meanwhile, is planned for April. Mr. Lambino said the opening of the upgraded CNIA sends “a strong signal to potential locators from Asia and North America that it is no longer business as usual at CEZA.” In a recent meeting with the Regional Development Council, Mr. Lambino reported that CEZA has listed priority projects under its new redeveloped Medium-Term Development Plan, including a tertiary medical center, CEZA’s corporate center, convention center, boutique hotel and a financial technologies (fintech) park. The long-term goal, he added, is developing CEZA into the “premier hub for the continuous development of these fintech.” — Janina C. Lim

Porsche’s posh hatch purveys more space, tech

Text and photos by Kap Maceda Aguila

PORSCHE registered another banner year in 2017 — shipping 246,375 vehicles to its growing stable of customers around the world. This comes on the heels of a record-breaking 2016, with the company growing the consolidated sales figure by 4%. In a news release, the brand attributes a “significant boost… from approximately 28,000 deliveries of the new Panamera; an increase of 83% compared to the previous year.”

The Porsche Panamera was something of a beautiful aberration for a marque traditionally known more for its two-door sports cars. But then Porsche always seems to be rewarded for its risk-taking — as evidenced most spectacularly by the resounding success of a foray into the sport-ute segment via the Cayenne (first produced in 2002 and has since moved more than 770,000 units) and, later, the Macan (2014).

A luxury four-door hatch that brings the sporty performance of its smaller Porsche siblings, the Panamera supplements the formula with the luxury of space and added accoutrements. The first-generation, sold from 2010 to 2016, helped broaden the appeal of Porsche even as it angered purists who had also railed against the Cayenne. Still, the success of the two models vindicated the business model and appeared not to have diluted the mystique or appeal of the German brand.

The Panamera’s new generation was unveiled last year, with observers highly critical of what had been described as the outgoing model’s “elephantine” rear heaving a sigh of relief that the new form is much more pleasing to the eyes. It’s lighter, more powerful, and chockfull of technologies to both impress and pamper passengers while giving them track-worthy performance.

Porsche Philippines now brings in two variants of the new Panamera to further spoil customers with choices: the Panamera 4 Sport Turismo and the Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo. The former is an all-wheel-drive vehicle powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter, six-cylinder engine producing 330 hp and 450 Nm — mated to an eight-speed Porsche PDK transmission. The Turbo variant is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter, eight-cylinder engine good for 550 hp and 770 Nm. It is paired with the same eight-speed PDK, and is an all-wheel-drive variant as well.

The Panamera Sport Turismo, according to Porsche, boasts a “4+1 seat concept option, lots of headroom and legroom, and large luggage compartment volume.” The vehicle is 5,049 millimeters long, 1,428 millimeters tall, and 1,937 millimeters wide, with a 2,950-millimeter wheelbase. An adaptive roof spoiler adjusts its angle depending on “the driving situation and selected vehicle settings, and generates an additional down force of up to 50 kilograms on the rear axle.” Porsche said the Panamera 4 Sport Turismo can top 264 kph, the Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo 304 kph.

The new Sport Turismo marks the first time the Panamera gets three rear seats. Reported Porsche; “The two outside seats take the form of individual seats — in keeping with the model line’s claim for sporty performance with maximum passenger comfort — thereby producing a 2+1 configuration at the rear.”

Meanwhile, rear-compartment accessibility and convenience have been enhanced through an electrically operated, wide-opening tailgate. Its 520-liter storage capacity is higher over the sports saloon’s by 20 liters. “When loaded up to roof level and with the rear seats folded down, the gains amount to around 50 liters,” added Porsche.

“The launch of the Panamera Sport Turismo models here in the Philippines is only a sneak preview of what Porsche has in store for this year. I am excited to bring this iconic German brand to greater heights as it continues on its path to success this 2018,” said Porsche Philippines President and CEO Roberto T. Coyiuto III.

The buzz on the Benz bus

Text and photos by Aries B. Espinosa

FILIPINO commuters will soon have something to look forward to in their daily grind to and from work. A fleet of Mercedes-Benz buses have been shipped in, and are now ready for various transport applications.

Auto Nation Group, Inc. (ANG) has just introduced the Mercedes-Benz OF 917 Midi Bus, a high-deck passenger coach highlighting the brand’s expanding product lineup in the commercial vehicle segment in the Philippines. And on Feb. 15 one such bus was taken for a tour that started from the ANG headquarters in Greenhills, EDSA, to Nuvali in Santa Rosa City in Laguna, and back.

Although the road trip lasted more than four hours both ways because of the payday traffic, the passengers felt generally comfortable throughout, thanks to the 32 reclining seats and high-capacity roof-mounted air-conditioning. But what caught the group’s attention first — apart from the big Mercedes-Benz logo at the rear — was the OF 917 Midi Bus’ nine-meter length. This slots the vehicle right between that of a mini-bus (six meters) and a full-size bus (12 meters).

Joseph A.C. Ayllon, assistant vice-president for public elations at ANG, explained the OF 917 has been “designed and manufactured with the Asian market in mind.”

With the engine produced by Mercedes-Benz in Germany, the chassis produced in India, and the Alpha M8 body by TruckQuip SDA BHD of Malaysia, the OF 917 offers more space and capacity than vans and “coasters,” yet still maneuverable in the Philippines’ urban and rural streets.

The OF 917 power plant features a Euro5-compliant, inline four-cylinder, turbocharged and intercooled diesel engine that puts out 170 hp at 2,500 rpm and 520 Nm at 1,500 rpm. The OF 917 is said to achieve a fuel efficiency rating of four to five kilometers per liter, which ANG said is considerably better than that achieved by other buses.

The second attention-getter was the unique 4,783-liter rear compartment luggage space, positioned where the bus engine would normally be found, effectively making the OF 917 as having among the largest storage capacities in its class.

But we won’t see the OF 917 in great numbers anytime soon. Not this year, at least. Don Ramos, assistant vice-president for commercial vehicles of the ANG, disclosed that the company is expecting to supply around 20 units this year.

However, he was quick to add that the market “will definitely grow.”

“There are a lot of transport applications for the OF 917: We’re looking at feeder buses; at the P2P packages that the government recently offered; shuttle buses for companies; school buses, and also for airport shuttles. The interiors of the OF 917 are flexible, and we can reconfigure them based on what the customer needs.”

Mr. Ramos also revealed the OF 917 standard edition Midi Bus price is P4.9 million.

LUXURY VAN
During the same activity, ANG also introduced the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Luxury Coach, the premium version of its passenger van. The nine-seat Sprinter is powered by a 2.1-liter, four-cylinder, two-stage turbocharged diesel engine that puts out 163 hp, paired with a six-speed manual transmission to deliver what is claimed as best-in-class fuel efficiency.

What sets the Sprinter apart is its luxurious interior, making each passenger feel like a rock star. “The Sprinter’s refined cabin epitomizes the prestige of the brand,” said Mr. Ayllon, as he invited guests to look inside the Sprinter displayed at the Greenhills showroom.

By the time the group returned to the showroom after the tour in the OF 917 bus, the Sprinter showed by Mr. Ayllon was gone. It sold for P5.99 million.

Isuzu pickup dons active wear, SUV goes dressy

THE two-wheel-drive variants of Isuzu’s pickup and SUV have new special renditions.

Freshly released by Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) on Feb. 23 were the new X-Series version of the Isuzu D-Max pickup and the Luxe line of the Isuzu Mu-X SUV. The former received a sportier treatment while the latter packs more premium items.

The 2018 D-Max X-Series — “dressed to be more edgy,” according to IPC — is marked out by a grille, roof rails, chin spoiler and 18-inch wheels finished in black. Body color-keyed cargo bed spoiler and rear skirt are also new. Red garnishes on the Isuzu logo, skirts and fog lamp surrounds brighten up the truck’s fresh pieces.

In its cabin, the latest D-Max variant is fitted with a rocker panel that has an illuminated Isuzu logo and more USB ports.

Colors available for the D-Max X-Series are Freestyle White and Black Hawk. The truck is priced at P1.355 million or P1.420 million, depending whether if it’s the five-speed manual or the five-speed automatic transmission that’s chosen.

Isuzu Mu-X Luxe
New Mu-X Luxe has signature paint job.

“Keeping our lineup fresh is key to [addressing the requirements of a] very demanding market,” said Hajime Koso, president of IPC.

As such, the Mu-X Luxe “brings together superior features that deliver the statement… of a premium SUV,” IPC said in a news release. The company noted the newest Mu-X line is defined by fender flares and a lower fascia finished in light gray, which match the variant’s signature Red Spinel body paint.

Joseph T. Bautista, IPC marketing head, said on the sidelines of the vehicles’ launch program that the Philippines (along with Australia) is the top destination of the Thailand-built Mu-X. “That is why we can ask for certain [special] specifications, like the red paint job,” he said, while noting red is not a popular color choice for vehicles in Thailand.

Other items unique to the Mu-X Luxe are a power-operated tailgate, illuminated scuff plate and a 3D-surround sound system.

Both the D-Max X-Series and Mu-X Luxe retain mechanical specifications found in some other variants. The two are propelled by Isuzu’s clean diesel, Euro4-compliant, four-cylinder, 3.0-liter engine — branded Blue Power — that through an intercooled variable geometry turbocharger and common rail direct injection is able to output 174 hp and 380 Nm. The engine can be matched to either a manual transmission or an automatic gearbox in the case of the D-Max X-Series, or solely with the automatic in the P1.895-million Mu-X Luxe. — Brian M. Afuang

With Terra, Nissan renews bet on pickup-based SUV segment

NOT that Nissan Motor has not built an SUV propped by a pickup truck chassis; simply look at the Nissan Xterra as a recent example (the Philippines got the Nissan Terrano around the turn of this century). On Feb. 26 though the car maker announced it would soon bring to showrooms a new “frame-based” SUV, which would be the first of such type to “launch under the company’s midterm plan” called Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022.

Nissan said the new model, named Terra, will debut in China in the second half of 2018. The SUV is based on the chassis of the current Nissan NP300 Navara pickup. Like the pickup, the Terra is expected to run via a 2.5-liter, intercooled, turbocharged diesel engine that can be matched to either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic transmission, as well as come with a choice of two-wheel or four-wheel drive trains. Its transformation from pickup to SUV also means the model will get a third row of seats.

Nissan in a statement underscored the importance of having a pickup-based SUV on its lineup, saying its LCV business unit comprised of “frame SUVs, pickups, vans [and] light-duty trucks is seen as critical to achieving the company’s midterm plan objectives.”

Nissan Terra 2
Not much details have been released about the Terra — Nissan did not even provide full three-quarter rear shot — but the vehicle’s styling instantly links it with the NP 300 Navara.

Nissan said: “One in every six Nissan vehicles sold globally is a frame-based vehicle or an LCV, and the company is focused on capturing this division’s full potential. The business unit’s objectives under the midterm plan include increasing sales by more than 40% by 2022 and becoming a global leader in pickups and frame-based SUVs.”

The car maker noted sales of its frame and LCV models reached 907,929 vehicles globally in 2017, around a 7% increase from 2016. It added more information about the Terra will be made available in April, hinting anew it would launch the production model at the Beijing Motor Show, prior to the market release. — BMA

Chinese automakers, Facebook, and how to cunningly ensnare the world

I joined the social-media platform Facebook in 2007. Back then, it was nothing more than a fun, harmless way to connect with friends and relatives online. Remember when someone would “poke” you and you’d poke the person back? Or when you’d get a friend request from a high school classmate you hadn’t seen in two decades? Or even that time when you stalked an ex-girlfriend, only to discover from her photo albums that she had been happily married for years?

You can still do these things on Facebook if you’re so inclined, but Mark Zuckerberg’s social network service is now so much more than just people foolishly messing about with each other. Today, Facebook is a dominant force in business, politics, entertainment, sports and media. No enterprising company, politician, celebrity, athlete or publisher these days is without a carefully managed Facebook brand page. The platform has enabled everyone to efficiently engage customers, constituents, fans and audiences. One’s constant presence in the virtual world does wonders for the bottom line or career longevity, and Facebook is just the social network to make a name, a product or a story trend.

As fans multiplied and online traffic increased, personalities and companies got hooked. It was just like opium. Everyone began hiring dedicated social media managers just to help with the curation of content and the supervision of client interaction. Facebook was no longer just a tool for reconnecting with long-lost relatives and old flames — it had become a serious business instrument that could help any entity monetize fame and influence.

Among publishers, the likes of Vanity Fair and The New York Times regularly shared their content on their Facebook pages, because doing so drove so much traffic to their respective Web sites. The more likes and comments their posts got, the more clout they seemed to wield — and the more attractive they became to advertisers, of course.

Alas, this wasn’t going to be forever. At some point, Facebook decided it wanted a cut from the free-flowing profits. So it radically changed its algorithm such that a brand page’s post wouldn’t be served to a lot of people if the brand didn’t pay up. And now, most brands and even celebrities around the world allot a portion of their marketing budget to Facebook just to continue being visible, viral and relevant.

In short, Facebook brilliantly gave them an addictive (and initially free) taste of popularity, reach and revenue from their pages. Then, when everyone was hooked, the social-media giant moved in for the kill and threatened to stop the supply of likes, shares and comments if they didn’t spend on their posts.

In the auto industry, a similar thing is happening.

Also in 2007, I became more aware of Chinese car brands I hadn’t previously encountered. Nobody took them seriously. I remember colleagues test-driving a Chinese vehicle and having the engine die on them in the middle of traffic — or grabbing a door handle and literally ripping the damn thing off. A little more than a decade ago, one thing was clear to all of us: The Chinese didn’t know how to make cars. They blatantly copied the exterior designs of Western manufacturers, and their build quality was practically nonexistent. The Americans, the Europeans and their fellow Asians were all laughing at them. Heck, if Filipino buyers are ridiculing your products, you must be pretty bad.

Fast-forward to the present: The founder of Chinese car company Geely, Li Shufu, is now the biggest shareholder of Germany’s Daimler AG, which owns some Teutonic brand called Mercedes-Benz. The executive is said to have paid $9 billion for 9.7% of Daimler.

Geely, in case you’re not aware, is already the owner of Sweden’s Volvo and the UK’s Lotus.

And now there are talks of the Germans being fearful of their automotive technologies getting pirated by the Chinese for the latter’s own vehicles. Which, based solely on Chinese manufacturers’ track record, is highly likely.

How did we get to this point? Why is China all of a sudden the force to reckon with in the industry? Weren’t we all mocking their cars just 10 years ago?

Well, the established brands have no one else to blame but themselves. They rushed to the Chinese market for the promise of huge sales volumes. They put up manufacturing and R&D facilities in the country for the chance to sell to a newly motorized market. They formed partnerships and agreed to technology-transfer alliances in exchange for a stronger foothold in the republic.

In the same way that Facebook lured businesses and content producers into fostering a presence on its burgeoning social network, China convinced car industry veterans to pour resources into its territory. Facebook provided millions of likes; China delivered millions of customers.

What was there to lose? After all, the Chinese were mere plagiarists that truly sucked at car manufacture. Right?

Not really. Because now the Chinese are gobbling up Western car brands left and right. I’ve seen this before. And no, I’m not referring to Facebook. I’m referring to Puss In Boots and his innocent smile. That devious cat can savagely chop off your head with his sword, you know.

Weinstein Co. inches toward bankruptcy

NEW YORK — Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein’s former studio appeared to inch closer toward bankruptcy on Monday over complaints that talks to buy the troubled production house had collapsed, leaving it with “no choice” but to go to the wall.

The Weinstein Company said that it had failed to reach a deal with an investor group led by Maria Contreras-Sweet, who served in Barack Obama’s administration, for a reported $500 million despite battling to make it palatable to prosecutors.

Ms. Contreras-Sweet, a Mexican immigrant who said she had been inspired by the #MeToo sexual harassment watershed in her bid to turn the company around and have it led by women, responded by saying she was “surprised” to learn of its complaints in the press.

“It was my understanding that we were close to signing the transaction documents in a couple of days. Regrettably, it appears that this transaction has now ended,” she said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear whether the deal can still be salvaged in some way. Mr. Weinstein was sacked as company chairman in October after bombshell exposés accused him of years of sexual harassment, assault and even rape.

Any bankruptcy will cast further doubt on the fate of several finished movies, which have languished on the shelf since the scandal blew up, with no release dates announced.

They include historical drama The Current War, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison, Mary Magdalene, a religious drama starring Rooney Mara, and The War With Grandpa, a comedy starring Robert De Niro.

In a letter to Ms. Contreras-Sweet on Sunday, Weinstein Company representatives said they had worked “tirelessly” to accommodate principles laid out by New York state attorney general Eric Schneiderman.

The prosecutor sued the firm earlier this month fearing that the imminent sale could leave victims of Mr. Weinstein’s alleged sexual misconduct without adequate redress.

He said any deal should provide adequate compensation for victims, protect employees and remove executives who had been complicit in Mr. Weinstein’s misconduct.

In Sunday’s letter, the company complained that Ms. Contreras-Sweet’s group had neither kept its side of the bargain on Mr. Schneiderman’s principles nor paid interim funding required to run the business and maintain employees before the buyout was finalized.

$90 MILLION FOR VICTIMS
“We must conclude that your plan to buy this company was illusory and would only leave this company hobbling toward its demise to the detriment of all constituents,” read the letter, a copy of which AFP obtained.

“While we deeply regret that your actions have led to this unfortunate outcome for our employees, our creditors and any victims, we will now pursue the board’s only viable option to maximize the company’s remaining value: an orderly bankruptcy process.

“Over the coming days, the company will prepare its bankruptcy filing with the goal of achieving maximum value in court,” it added.

Mr. Schneiderman’s office said it was “disappointed,” given that there had been “a clear path forward” on meeting the guidelines, including a commitment from the buyer “to dedicate up to $90 million to victim compensation.”

“We will continue to pursue justice for victims in the event of the company’s bankruptcy,” said director of communications and senior counsel Eric Soufer.

Besides Ms. Contreras-Sweet’s investor group, there had been nearly a dozen other bids, including from Qatari group beIN, Hollywood studio Lionsgate and another female-led investor group lined up behind audiovisual production company Killer Content.

Over the years, Mr. Weinstein’s films received more than 300 Oscar nominations and 81 statuettes — – but October marked the beginning of the end for his career, after The New York Times and New Yorker published the first of an avalanche of allegations.

More than 100 women have since accused him of sexual harassment, assault and rape going back 40 years, leading not only to his career annihilation but to a US reckoning over harassment and abuse that has toppled a litany of powerful men in various sectors.

Jennifer Lawrence, who at 27 is considered one of America’s top actresses, said in an interview broadcast Sunday that when she found out about the allegations, she “wanted to kill him.”

“The way he destroyed so many women’s lives. I want to see him in jail,” she told CBS television’s 60 Minutes.

The twice-married father of five is being investigated by British and US police, but has not been charged with any crime. He denies having non-consensual sex and is reportedly in treatment for sex addiction. — AFP

Presidential race firms as a Prabowo-Jokowi rerun

JAKARTA — Former general Prabowo Subianto is firming as a candidate for Indonesia’s presidential election, raising the prospect of a rerun of the bitter 2014 race that saw Joko Widodo take power in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.

In the strongest signal yet, the co-founder of the main opposition party known as Gerindra has indicated that Prabowo would be the party’s nominee for president, something that needs to be finalized by August ahead of the April 2019 vote. Hashim Djojohadikusumo, who is also Prabowo’s brother, said Gerindra had the funds to support a “credible” presidential campaign.

“All things being equal, he will run for president next time,” Djojohadikusumo said in an interview on Feb. 20 in Jakarta, when asked about Prabowo. “In the next election, 2019, we’re asking for our turn.”

Asked about whether representatives of the two men had held talks on a potential unity ticket, Djojohadikusumo said there’d been “communications,” although not initiated by Gerindra. “I would think that the only way that Prabowo would accede to that sort of offer is power sharing,” he said.

A repeat of the 2014 contest would see Widodo, known as “Jokowi,” pitted against an opponent who has sought to build an image of a populist in touch with voters on bread-and-butter issues like education and tackling inequality. While Jokowi is popular in opinion polls, and has focused on improving access to health care and infrastructure in the archipelago of 17,000 islands, he has fallen short of a promise to boost economic growth to 7%.

Jokowi is the first president to come from outside the political elite and the military, while both Prabowo and Djojohadikusumo have strong ties to Indonesia’s dynastic families. Their father served as a minister under former ruler Sukarno and dictator Suharto, and was a chief architect of Indonesian economic policy in the late 1960s. Prabowo was married to a daughter of Suharto.

Since Prabowo’s loss in 2014, Gerindra has assumed the mantle of the country’s main opposition party while Prabowo has remained visible in the political arena.

Gerindra has criticized Jokowi’s move to ban the hardline Islamic organization Hizbut Tahrir, and joined other parties in protesting a law on the threshold needed for parties to field a candidate in 2019. Parties must have at least 20% of seats in parliament or have secured a minimum 25% of the popular vote in the last legislative election to nominate a candidate.

Djojohadikusumo said Gerindra would fight the election on economic issues, adding the party wants a budget shake-up that would see more money for defense spending. And he said it would seek to be less reliant on China. “Our government’s finances are too dependent on China,” Djojohadikusumo said, and money from China comes with “strings attached.”

Indonesia’s economy is growing at about 5% and is forecast to pick up again this year while inflation is expected to moderate further, presenting a potential electoral boon for Jokowi heading into the campaign. However, growth remains well short of Jokowi’s target, while revenue from tax collection is low.

“We are underachieving,” Djojohadikusumo said, without elaborating. “For Indonesia, 5% is not good enough.”

Jokowi has proven himself a shrewd politician after converting minority support in the parliament when he came to power in October 2014 into a majority backing of more than two-thirds of lawmakers. A recent poll by Saiful Mujani Research Centre of 1,220 people put Jokowi on 64% support with voters, compared to Prabowo on about 27%.

Still, “as matters now stand it’s Jokowi’s to lose but we’re a long way from the election and enormous amount can happen between now and election day,” said Tim Lindsey, an Indonesia analyst at the University of Melbourne. “We can expect a very well funded, highly strategic and efficient campaign from Prabowo.”

Amid the influence of more conservative groups in the world’s largest Muslim majority nation, religion is expected to be a prominent feature of the campaign, which will officially begin in September. The Jakarta gubernatorial race last year was a potential harbinger, delivering a strong win to Prabowo-backed Anies Baswedan in a race marked by large rallies by Islamic groups against the incumbent, Chinese-Christian Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known as Ahok.

Jokowi, who in the final days of the 2014 election visited the holy city of Mecca to fend off questions over his Muslim credentials, faced months of unrest before the Jakarta vote. Ahok was later jailed for two years for insulting Muslims over comments he made about the Koran.

“The Jakarta election served as an important warning for Jokowi,” said Tobias Basuki, a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta. The Jakarta election entrenched polarization that began in the 2014 presidential vote, he said.

Mr. Lindsey said Prabowo would be expected to play on anxiety towards China, which has built its economic and military clout in the region in recent years and is in dispute with some Southeast Asian countries over parts of the South China Sea.

China has sought to be part of the massive infrastructure agenda at the heart of Jokowi’s first term. Foreign direct investment from China increased from about $600 million in 2015 to $3.3 billion last year.

Concern about China’s expansionism is “a fault-line in Indonesian society and undoubtedly people will respond to that, particularly if it’s about economic protectionism,” Mr. Lindsey said. — Bloomberg

Thai election to be held no later than Feb. 2019

BANGKOK — Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Tuesday that a general election he had promised to hold in November would take place “no later” than February 2019, the latest delay to anger critics of the government.

“Now I will answer clearly, an election will take place no later than February 2019,” Mr. Prayuth told reporters in Bangkok.

The junta has promised and postponed elections several times since it came to power following a coup in 2014 that removed a civilian government.

The latest date was set for November but last month the military-appointed legislature changed the election law, signaling a further delay.

There have been growing, anti-junta protests in Bangkok calling for Mr. Prayuth to stick to his November time frame. — Reuters

Climber calls off winter Everest summit bid

KATHMANDU — A Spanish climber on Tuesday abandoned his bid to make the first winter ascent of Mount Everest in 25 years after “lethal weather” forced him to retreat.

It is the second time in as many years that mountaineer Alex Txikon, 36, has been forced to call off his attempt to scale the world’s highest peak in winter without the use of tanked oxygen.

The last successful winter summit was in 1993 by a Japanese team. But only one climber has previously reached the peak in winter without using supplemental oxygen: a Nepali mountaineer in December 1987.

“Alex has ended his expedition. He reached up to Camp Four but the weather did not favor him,” Mingma Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks, which managed the logistics of Txikon’s Everest bid, told AFP.

Mr. Txikon and his team reached 7,950 meters (26,083 feet) at the weekend, roughly 900 meters below the summit.

Weather forecasts had indicated that strong winds would calm early Sunday, allowing them to press on to the summit.

But winds up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour forced the team, which included experienced Pakistani climber Muhammad Ali Sadpara, to return to base camp.

“We are back at base camp from C4 (Camp Four). Very strong winds and lethal weather made it almost impossible to go for the summit,” Sadpara posted on Facebook.

The temperatures near the summit of Everest in winter regularly plunge below minus 40 celsius (-40 Fahrenheit) while the wind chill makes it feel even colder.

In those conditions exposed skin freezes in less than five minutes, putting climbers at serious risk of frostbite. — AFP

German court to rule on older diesel car bans

FRANKFURT AM MAIN — A top German court will issue a hotly awaited decision Tuesday on whether cities can ban older diesel cars from some areas, potentially upending transport policy and a disrupting a keystone industry.

Judges at the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig last Thursday adjourned over the weekend, saying they needed more time to “deliberate very thoroughly” on the issue.

From 1100 GMT they will once again be in the spotlight, ruling on whether the cities of Stuttgart and Duesseldorf can legally ban older, more polluting diesel vehicles from zones worst afflicted with air pollution.

A finding in favor of environmentalist plaintiffs Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) would not only affect the states of Baden-Wuerttemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia, whose respective capitals are on the docket, but the whole country.

Both the government and the car industry are against driving bans, fearing outrage from the millions of diesel owners whose lives would be disrupted and whose vehicles would lose value.

But the federal government is already preparing for the possible consequences, with plans for a cut-down version of diesel bans surfacing in the media over the weekend.

The transport ministry could later this year update traffic regulations to include the option of a city-ordered ban on certain routes, to alleviate pollution from harmful fine particles and nitrogen oxides (NOx). — AFP

Bank Drive in Ortigas open to motorists from 6-10 a.m. daily

BANK DRIVE, the road between Asian Development Bank (ADB) and SM Megamall in Ortigas, will now be open to motorists from 6-10 a.m. daily, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced yesterday. MMDA said the four-hour window would ease traffic congestion in the area during rush hour. Previously, motorists from EDSA going to the Ortigas commercial and business district pass through Guadix Drive, where there is usually a “long queue of vehicles entering the ADB compound” for inspection. “Guadix Road is an identified chokepoint. With this road opening, we can somehow ease traffic flow in the busy area,” said MMDA acting General Manager Jose Arturo S. Garcia.