Wars, extreme weather are the top global risks — WEF survey

January 16, 2025 | 4:55 pm

Balikatan-26960 — FILIPINO and American soldiers participate in war games at a recent Balikatan (shoulder to shoulder) military exercise. — PHILIPPINE STAR/WALTER BOLLOZOS

LONDON — Armed conflict is the top risk in 2025, a World Economic Forum (WEF) survey released on Wednesday showed, a reminder of the deepening global fragmentation as government and business leaders attend an annual gathering in Davos next week.

Nearly one in four of the more than 900 experts surveyed across academia, business and policymaking ranked conflict, including wars and terrorism, as the most severe risk to economic growth for the year ahead.

Extreme weather, the no. 1 concern in 2024, was the second-ranked danger.

“In a world marked by deepening divides and cascading risks, global leaders have a choice: to foster collaboration and resilience, or face compounding instability,” WEF Managing Director Mirek Dusek said in a statement accompanying the report.

“The stakes have never been higher.” The WEF gets underway on Jan. 20 and Donald Trump, who will be sworn in as the 47^th president of the United States, will address the meeting virtually on Jan. 23. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the meeting and give a speech on Jan. 21, according to the WEF organizers.

Advisers to Mr. Trump concede that the Ukraine war will take months or even longer to resolve, Reuters reported on Wednesday, a sharp reality check on his pledge to strike a peace deal on his first day in the White House.

Among other global leaders due to attend the Davos meeting are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.

Syria, the “terrible humanitarian situation in Gaza” and the potential escalation of the conflict in the Middle East will be a focus at the gathering, according to WEF President and CEO Borge Brende.

Negotiators were hammering out the final details of a potential ceasefire in Gaza on Wednesday, following marathon talks in Qatar. The threat of misinformation and disinformation was ranked as the most severe global risk over the next two years, according to the survey, the same ranking as in 2024.

Over a 10-year horizon environmental threats dominated experts’ risk concerns, the survey showed. Extreme weather was the top longer-term global risk, followed by biodiversity loss, critical change to earth’s systems and a shortage of natural resources.

Global temperatures last year exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above the pre-industrial era for the first time, bringing the world closer to breaching the pledge governments made under the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

A global risk is defined by the survey as a condition that would negatively affect a significant proportion of global GDP, population or natural resources. Experts were surveyed in September and October.

The majority of respondents, 64%, expect a multipolar, fragmented global order to persist. — Reuters

President Biden warns oligarchy forming in US that threatens democracy

January 16, 2025 | 4:54 pm

Joe Biden — US PRESIDENT Joseph R. Biden delivers an address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on July 14, 2024. — POOL VIA REUTERS

WASHINGTON — President Joseph R. Biden capped a half-century political career on Wednesday with a final Oval Office speech as he hopes to seal a legacy overshadowed by Democrats’ failure to stop Donald Trump from returning to the White House.

Mr. Biden opened his speech with a familiar message — asking Americans to join together — but quickly warned about a dangerous concentration of wealth in the United States.

“Our system of separation of powers, checks and balances may not be perfect, but it has maintained our democracy for nearly 250 years, longer than any other nation in history that’s ever tried such a bold experiment,” Mr. Biden said.

But he warned of a “tech industrial complex” that is bringing an “avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power.” The free press, he added, “is crumbling.”

Mr. Biden hands over power toMr. Trump at noon (1700 GMT) on Monday. Mr. Trump has enlisted billionaire Elon Musk, who helped his election efforts, as a special adviser charged with cutting costs from the federal government.

The foreboding speech comes as Biden’s Democratic Party has little leverage in national politics and Trump has nominated a slate of cabinet members who have pledged to upend traditional American alliances and governing norms.

Mr. Biden ran for president in 2020 as a transition figure, but opted at the unprecedented age of 80 to run for reelection, convinced he was the only Democrat who could beat Mr. Trump.

Forced out of the race in July after a disastrous debate against Mr. Trump, Mr. Biden has been blamed by some Democrats for their November wipeout, after Vice President Kamala Harris’ whirlwind campaign lost every battleground state.

Mr. Biden and his allies oversaw the recovery from COVID-19, funded an infrastructure revival, sparked new semiconductor chips manufacturing, and tackled climate change as they tried to rebalance inequality and invest in the future. He leaves an outperforming US economy and optimistic businesses.

But Mr. Biden was unable to heal divisions in the country the way he had hoped, or stop democratic backsliding around the world. His crowning political achievement — defeating Mr. Trump in 2020 — proved temporary. Now the Republican president-elect has vowed to undo much of what the Democratic administration accomplished.

“All Joe Biden wanted was to be remembered for the great things he did for this country and, at least in the short run, they’ve been eclipsed by his ill-conceived decision to run,” said David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Barack Obama.

“He became a historic president when he defeated Mr. Trump. So obviously the fact that Mr. Trump is resurgent and returning to power, more powerful than he was when he left, is an unhappy coda to the story.”

Mr. Biden addressed what he described as an ongoing threat to the country in a letter released early Wednesday by the White House.

“I ran for president because I believed that the soul of America was at stake. The very nature of who we are was at stake. And, that’s still the case,” he said, urging Americans to keep fighting for the country’s focus on equality, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

A White House official said that legacies are set over the long term.

“In historical terms, it has been a millisecond since the election. This president has locked in the most significant legislative record since LBJ (President Lyndon Johnson in the 1960s), and the irreversible benefits of those laws will grow over decades,” the official said.

Senator Chris Coons, a longtime ally, said Mr. Biden faced an economic crisis, a public health crisis, and a democracy crisis following the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters when he came into office that year.

“The country was in the depths of crises. The recovery from that pandemic has been his single greatest accomplishment,” Mr. Coons said.

Mr. Biden’s administration oversaw the distribution of COVID vaccines and an economic recovery that defied predictions of a recession, even as inflation soared and prices remained high, which soured voters on his economic stewardship.

Republicans seized on public frustration in last year’s election, stoking anger over high prices with accusations of Democrat elitism and disconnection from working-class voters, while blaming immigrants for high prices, despite a lack of evidence.

“You cannot reverse four and a half decades of rising inequality with a few years of absolute good economic outcomes and policy changes,” said Heidi Shierholz, president of the Economic Policy Institute. “But one of the most fundamental things they did was provide relief recovery at the scale that was needed to generate a strong jobs recovery.”

AFGHANISTAN, ISRAEL
Mr. Biden, who spent more than three decades in the US Senate and eight years as vice president to Mr. Obama before his four years as president, cites a unified Western response to Russia’s war with Ukraine, the strengthening of alliances and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan as key foreign policy achievements.

However, 13 US military personnel died during the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal in August 2021, and Mr. Biden’s popularity never recovered.

His staunch support for Israel, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in response to the Hamas militant group’s deadly attack on Israel, split the Democratic Party, and Mr. Biden’s reputation with the left suffered.

Vincent Rigby, a former senior national security adviser to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said Mr. Biden would forever be remembered as an “interlude” president despite his solid achievements in rebuilding trust in the United States after Mr. Trump’s first term.

“We’ll see how history treats him five, 10, 15 years from now, but he’ll be seen as the president between the two Trump presidencies. He held the line, but Trump came back.” — Reuters

China gives a wary welcome to influx of ‘TikTok refugees’ on RedNote

January 16, 2025 | 4:53 pm

USA-CHINA-TIKTOK-REDNOTE — RedNote, known in China as Xiaohongshu, logo is seen in this illustration taken Jan. 15, 2025. — REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/ILLUSTRATION

SHANGHAI — Users of the Chinese social media app RedNote welcomed “TikTok refugees” from the United States with selfies and messages on Wednesday, as Beijing said it encouraged stronger cultural ties with other countries in response to the sudden influx.

Known in China as Xiaohongshu and as a platform to find lifestyle recommendations on areas from beauty to food, the app has in recent days been transformed into an unexpected bilateral channel for U.S.-China exchanges, with users swapping photos and questions about pets, favorite foods and their lives.

Not everyone was happy, though, with some grumbling that their platform was being taken over and nationalist bloggers warning against American influences.

The influx of more than 700,000 new users has been driven by a looming U.S. ban on TikTok, used by 170 million Americans, on national security concerns.

Many Chinese users on Wednesday posted selfies and messages saying “welcome TikTok refugees”, and responded eagerly to questions from U.S. users on topics such as popular Chinese dishes, city tourist sights and even China’s birth policies.

Among them was Jacob Hui, a translator in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, who said he joined a live chat co-hosted by Chinese and American influencers on the platform and posed questions – such as what video games were popular in the U.S. – to the new users.

“There were not many such opportunities to directly interact with Americans in the past,” he said.

Chinese state media has also cheered the trend, with state broadcaster CCTV saying that the TikTok users had found a “new home”. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, asked at a regular press briefing, said the use of social media was a “personal choice”.

“China has always supported and encouraged strengthening cultural exchanges and promoting mutual understanding among the peoples of all countries,” Guo said.

China has for years tightly controlled cyberspace through its “Great Firewall” censorship architecture and blocked foreign social media networks such as Instagram and X.

While many Chinese social media platforms such as Weibo allow foreign phone numbers to register, they usually limit such users to the international versions. ByteDance restricts TikTok to foreign users and runs a separate version for mainland Chinese residents called Douyin.

RedNote, in contrast, does not require users to have such a number and maintains only one version of its app. The company did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment on Wednesday.

In the past, other Western social media platforms, such as Clubhouse, have enjoyed a similar trend of Chinese mainland users joining in swathes before being blocked by Beijing’s censors.

‘PROPAGANDISTS FROM THE UNITED STATES’
The newcomers to RedNote have not been universally welcomed, however, with criticism from some Chinese users unhappy with how they were changing the content of the platform and from some nationalist Chinese bloggers.

Ren Yi, the Harvard-educated grandson of a former Chinese Communist leader who runs a popular WeChat blog under the pen name “Chairman Rabbit”, warned his followers against being unsuspectingly influenced.

“Propagandists from the United States can easily achieve their goals by following a simple routine – first praise you a few words to make you ‘relax your vigilance’, and then bring their own goods to subtly influence you,” he said in an article first published on Wednesday morning that was later deleted.

Beijing-based independent industry analyst Liu Xingliang said he believed the sudden popularity of RedNote among TikTok users would be short-lived, though the current atmosphere was “very warm and joyful.”

“American netizens are in a dissatisfied mood, and wanting to find another Chinese app to use is a catharsis of short-term emotions and a rebellious gesture. You can see that Xiaohongshu is also caught unprepared, the experience on it is not very good for foreigners,” he said.

There were also signs that some new foreign users were testing the platform’s censorship limits, with some posting on social media network X that they were unable to post about topics known to be sensitive in China such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing two sources familiar with the company, that the platform was scrambling to find ways to moderate English-language content and build English-Chinese translation tools. — Reuters

US TikTok users scramble, despair as Bytedance waves the ‘white flag’

January 16, 2025 | 4:52 pm

NEW YORK — Disappointment, denial and confusion flooded U.S. TikTok on Wednesday upon hearing the news that Chinese owner ByteDance planned to shut off the app for its 170 million US users by Sunday, seemingly throwing in the towel on efforts to keep the popular video-sharing platform going.

Users who have amassed followings and careers on the app hoped for months that TikTok would find a way to avoid a US ban passed into law in 2023. But resignation and anger have begun to set in, with Jan. 19 just a few days away.

“TikTok signaling that white flag is very discouraging and very sad,” said Joonsuk Shin, 28, a research manager and content creator based in New York.

Some users called for a boycott of apps like Instagram and Facebook, owned by Meta Platforms and X, owned by Elon Musk, which are expected to pull in advertisers who used TikTok frequently.

“We all need to delete our Facebook, X and Instagram accounts that same day,” one user said.

ByteDance was given until Jan. 19 to sell the U.S. assets of TikTok or face a US ban, following lawmakers’ concerns that the app poses national security risks because China could compel the company to share the data of its U.S. users. TikTok has denied that it has or ever would share U.S. user data.

TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have sought to delay the law’s implementation, which they say violates the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment protection against government abridgment of free speech.

Unless the US Supreme Court decides to halt the ban, people attempting to open the app on Sunday will see a pop-up message directing them to a website with information about the shutdown.

TikTok user Amber Goode, 28, a true crime content creator from Colorado Springs, Colorado, complained about waiting for the Supreme Court to make a decision on the fate of the beloved app.

“Why are they playing with us?” Ms. Goode said. “I feel like the government is avoiding giving us the answer they already know.”

The Washington Post on Wednesday reported President-elect Donald Trump is considering issuing an executive order hoping to “save TikTok,” but it is unclear if such an order would circumvent the ban.

Other users started bidding farewell this week, sharing information on where their followers can find them. Many have already decamped to China-based apps like RedNote — using translation services to decipher instructions to sign up, which are in Mandarin.

On Tuesday, users were still hoping for the prospect of a 270-day extension of the Sunday deadline, while some jokingly parroted simple Chinese phrases they picked up on RedNote, leaving TikTokers wondering: “How did everyone learn Chinese in 24-hours?”

Some are scrambling to save their content.

“My daughter passed away in 2023. I’ve been saving all her videos to my phone. I can’t lose those,” one user commented.

Other users thanked ByteDance for “not giving into the bullies” by not waiting for a ruling, while others criticized them for doing exactly that.

“It’s pretty sad because I thought we were making progress,” said former attorney and full-time creator Ishpal Sidhu, 32, who stands to lose close to 400,000 followers and her income on Sunday. She wondered if she would still be paid for her content in January.

Some users outside of the United States were more blunt — celebrating how their algorithms would no longer be dominated by American social media woes.

“Say goodbye to the Americans,” said New Zealand content creator Luke Hopewell. — Reuters

‘Feel the force’: Pilots push the limits to fight LA fires

January 16, 2025 | 4:51 pm

CALIFORNIA-WILDFIRES — A PLANE makes a drop as smoke billows from the Palisades Fire at the Mandeville Canyon, in Los Angeles, California, US, Jan. 11, 2025. — REUTERS

AS Los Angeles residents fled an insatiable inferno in Pacific Palisades last week, aerial firefighter Diego Calderoni was plunging towards the flames at about 170 mph (275 kph) in a DC-10 jet.

Relying on instinct and 13 years of experience, Mr. Calderoni pushed his 37-year-old jet — a plane designed to haul passengers across oceans, not to skim treetops — into a canyon and dropped a load of fire retardant, aiming between a cluster of firefighters on the ground and a wave of 60-foot-tall (18-meter-tall) flames sweeping towards them.

The 42-year-old pilot scored a direct hit, giving the ground crew the breathing space to save a nearby house.

Mr. Calderoni is among dozens of pilots from around the United States and Canada who have rushed to Los Angeles to drop fire retardant and water on fires encircling the city in a disaster that has claimed at least 25 lives and destroyed thousands of homes and entire neighborhoods.

Tankers and helicopters can slow down a fire or direct its path, but ground crews working with hand tools or hoses are the ones who actually contain it.

For aerial firefighters — or fire bombers, as they are commonly called — hitting the target is “the seat of the pants part” of the job, said Calderoni, a pilot with 10 Tanker, an aerial firefighting contractor based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

There is no precision equipment or autopilot for fire drops, just a pilot’s view through the windscreen and his experience.

“I call it ‘feeling the force,’” Mr. Calderoni told Reuters, a reference to a mystical energy in the sci-fi film, Star Wars.

Mr. Calderoni has flown over countless fires but was still shocked by the devastation he witnessed when he flew into Los Angeles on Jan. 8.

“It looks like a war zone,” he said. “Everything’s just wiped out.”

FIRE BOMBERS
In the five or six daily runs he’s performed in Los Angeles over the last week, Mr. Calderoni’s DC-10 air tanker has been buffeted by updrafts and downdrafts, while also getting pushed by strong crosswinds whipping through canyons and passes.

Tanker pilots can call off a run if they don’t think it is safe, he said. “If you get scared, you’ve put yourself in a scenario that you shouldn’t be in.”

Sean Ketchum, a helicopter captain with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), is one of a handful of Cal Fire firefighters and pilots trained to work at night using night-vision goggles.

Ketchum, 46, was flying so low on Jan. 10, that he could feel the heat from the flames as his team of Sikorsky S-70i Firehawks were dropping water on the Palisades fire.

Mr. Ketchum has always been drawn to the thrill and urgency of firefighting. As a young kid, he and his friends would race after fire engines on their bicycles. A 23-year veteran with Cal Fire, he has spent the last 10 years flying in the left seat, coordinating with ground crews and other aircraft. He also spent a few years in the 2000s as a backseater, helping guide the pilot.

He said he relishes being one of a small group of firefighters working in the air. He paused and added, it is “super cool to fly on a helicopter every day.”

Mike Evans, 57, began flying helicopters in the U.S. Army in the 1980s, before spending 18 years flying air rescue in Nevada, where he also started working to put out wildfires.

Mr. Evans does not consider fire bombing the most dangerous work he has done, because every move is a calculated risk. Nonetheless, pilots and aerial crew are making life and death decisions under intense pressure, he says.

“If we make an error, people tend to die.” — Reuters

Start the new year with OUR HOME

January 16, 2025 | 1:40 pm

1_SOFT-CURVES-AND-BIOMORPHIC-SHAPES-OL — Soft, biomorphic shapes are in, with standout pieces like this Nicholas bean-shaped sofa from OUR HOME. These organic, flowing designs create airy spaces and add artful, conversation-starting elements to your home.

Interior Design Trends 2025

Interior Design is such a dynamic field that trends always come and go. There are trends though that remain and as such they are considered staples, and they belong to the sphere of what is called timeless of classic. However, like any field of design, interior design is one of those that really watch out for what is in and what is not, what is passe’ and what is current and trending, and here at OUR HOME, we strive to be on the forefront of what the new year has to offer. Furniture styles that are considered hot and modish — we’ve got them! And all, right in time for the new year.

SOFT CURVES AND BIOMORPHIC SHAPES

For 2025, watch out for styles that offer softness in their shapes and curvy in their proportions. Usually, these characteristics will be found in, but not limited to sofas and loungers. These furniture pieces will present themselves in biomorphic shapes; a kidney-shaped three-seater, an ottoman in the form of an amoeba and even bean bags. These are all shapes that are organic, flowing, and non-restrictive, allowing for a home that breathes, open and airy. These curves can also be found in tables and other pieces making for a consistent and cohesive look. Eliminating angles and stiff corners in a space is big in 2025 interior design paving the way for open planning in the home. This trend can also include the addition of a “sculptniture” in the home. Is it art or is it furniture? The answer could be both. Including these tables, pedestals, and accoutrements in the home will always be a statement piece guaranteed to keep your guests guessing. Not to mention that it’s always going to be a conversation starter.

SUSTAINABILTY

Sustainability is key in 2025! Invest in well-crafted, long-lasting, and versatile furniture, and when you’re ready for a change, re-style it. At OUR HOME, sofas are designed to adapt — shifting from sectional to L-shape or rearranging for new uses, keeping your space fresh without waste.

Sustainability is in for 2025! Owning a piece of furniture that can last you for a very long period of time is the first step to sustainability. Not having to throw out a sofa or a dining chair is a big plus in achieving sustainable living. But how does one go about this? Try furniture re-style. You don’t necessarily have to change your sofa if you get tired of it. The answer is to simply re-style it. Change the shape, change the color or even the configuration. At OUR HOME, the coming year bodes of styles that can change from one style to another. Sofas that shift from a sectional to an L-shape; tables that offer a variety of uses when you decide to rearrange the room.

LAYERING

Textures make an impression — a tactile one. The things that come into contact with our skin offers a variety of sensations but in interior design, these sensations should be restricted to comfort, softness, plushness, warmth, and smoothness. In the same way that fashion can over a variety of layering options, what is to stop interior design from doing the same thing. A sofa with a soft yet plush feel to the touch can become the base and start adding on textures — a warm throw blanket, layers of throw pillows and what you have is a cozy retreat — also a big trend for 2025. Interior spaces for the coming year should not just be places that you come home to at the end of the day. They should be places of refuge, sanctuaries, and wellness abodes. And, textures can do all these things and more. What a hug can do to boost your endorphins — imagine the same thing but with a comfortable sofa with a layer of textures.

COLORS

2025 is not a neutral year when it comes to color. Let’s start with Pantone’s Colors of the Year. Yes, we no longer have just one but four colors for 2025; Mocha Mousse, Future Dusk, Carmine Red, and Emerald Green. This simply means that beige, taupe and gray do not dominate the color palette anymore. 2025 is a year for bold, stark contrasts. It is a year that embraces individual styles and preferences especially when it comes to color. Whether in main furniture pieces, accents or even accessories, color should find a way into your home this year and it should be eye-catching, bold, and brazen.

PAST AND FUTURE

Regardless of any new trend in any new year, there would always be a nod to the past. Let’s face it, there have been a lot of good shapes, great proportions, and trendy styles that pay homage to the past. “Vintage” and “Retro” are now terms that are synonymous to furniture pieces and accessories that speak of good taste and an excellent appreciation for style. And for 2025, arm your home with at least an iconic piece from the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s and even the ’70s, and your home will instantly become a hit. The past is a good source of design inspiration, but the new year also sees the emergence of technology fused into the design. This is where the past and the future merge. Furniture pieces; that is, beds, tables, headboards that allow you to charge your devices with portals that are discreetly merged into the design — this is the way that furniture design is going. Better get on board.

OUR HOME is ready for the new year. Our branches provide the stage for where all these trends are showcased and highlighted — perfect for the start of the new year. Be inspired to try something new for the new year and let us get you started. Only at OUR HOME — Great Designs, Great Prices!

Visit any of OUR HOME stores nationwide ourhome.ph/pages/branches or check out our website, www.ourhome.ph. For customers who prefer to shop from home, call OUR HOME’s Call to Deliver at 0917-830-8037.

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Trump’s US Treasury pick Bessent says dollar must remain world’s reserve currency

January 16, 2025 | 1:04 pm

US Dollar curreny-wc — United States one-dollar bills are seen on a light table at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington in this Nov. 14, 2014 file photo. Dollar reserves stood at $108.5 billion as of end-November, the Philippine central bank said. — REUTERS

WASHINGTON – Scott Bessent, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to head the Treasury Department, on Wednesday vowed to ensure that the dollar remains the world’s reserve currency as he laid out a vision for a “new economic golden age”.

Bessent, who faces questioning before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, said in prepared testimony that the new Trump administration must prioritize productive investment that grows the economy over “wasteful spending that drives inflation.”

“We must secure supply chains that are vulnerable to strategic competitors, and we must carefully deploy sanctions as part of a whole-of-government approach to address our national security requirements,” Bessent said in the remarks.

“And critically, we must ensure that the U.S. dollar remains the world’s reserve currency.”

Bessent, a hedge fund manager who has advocated for Trump’s plans to impose significantly higher tariffs on imports, did not single out China in his remarks, but he has previously said China’s trade practices have hollowed out American industry.

Trump has threatened a 60% tariff on imports from China and a 10% duty on global imports. Trump has also said he would impose 25% duties on Canadian and Mexican imports, until those two countries halt the flow of illegal immigrants and fentanyl into the United States.

$4 TRILLION TAX HIKE
Bessent also said the administration and Congress need to “make permanent” the expiring provisions of Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

“If Congress fails to act, Americans will face the largest tax increase in history, a crushing $4 trillion tax hike,” Bessent said.

The Trump administration and Congress also need to implement “pro-growth policies to reduce the tax burden on American manufacturers service workers and seniors,” he said.

The latter policies refer to Trump’s campaign promises to lower the corporate tax rate to 15% from 21% for companies manufacturing products in the United States, and to exempt income from tips and Social Security from taxation.

Bessent said that with support from Congress, the Trump administration could usher in a new, more balanced era of prosperity for Americans that he called “a generational opportunity to unleash a new economic golden age”. — Reuters

LTFRB to release standardized guidelines for special passenger discounts on PHL ride-hailing platforms

January 16, 2025 | 1:00 pm

In a hearing conducted by the Committee on Public Services, chaired by Senator Raffy Tulfo, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III announced that a memorandum circular would be issued by the end of January to standardize the implementation of discounts for students, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and senior citizens across ride-hailing platforms currently operating in the Philippines.

The initiative follows LTFRB’s thrust to clarify the various conflicting memoranda issued in the past that have led to the inconsistent implementation of special discounts by Transport Network Companies (TNCs).

Chairman Guadiz affirmed that the guidelines will also clarify who will bear the cost of the special discounts. When questioned about the legislation mandating the distribution of discounts between drivers and platforms, the chairman explained that, “Sa ngayon po, Mr. Chair, we have to admit wala po. Ayan po ang binabalangkas namin ngayon dahil it was an oversight on our part. Isa pong malaking paumanhin. But we hope to correct this until the end of this month. Asahan ninyo pa na isasaayos po namin ‘yung pagpapatupad.”

Mr. Guadiz emphasized that the memorandum set to be released by the end of January will designate TNCs and operators as the primary entities responsible for covering the costs associated with the special discounts, ensuring that drivers are not burdened with these expenses.

Grab Philippines commends the LTFRB for its definitive action on the standardization of the implementation of special discounts. Grab Philippines Head of Public Affairs Gio Tingson underscored, “Grab has consistently supported the commuting public and the government in ensuring that passengers receive these discounts properly. We extend our gratitude to the LTFRB and Senator Tulfo’s office for finalizing the implementation of these special discounts with clear guidelines.”

Ira Panganiban, chairman of the Coalition of Filipino Commuters, expressed gratitude to the LTFRB for addressing their call for standardization made in late 2024. “We thank Chair Guadiz for taking action to standardize the rollout of student, PWD, and senior citizen discounts across digital ride-hailing platforms. By standardizing the implementation, we ensure that the public receives the discounts mandated by law. This move will put an end to the inconsistent or nonexistent application of discounts by some platforms. We also extend our thanks to TNCs like Grab, Angkas, and Joyride for respecting and implementing these discounts.”

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Globe spotlights holistic disaster resilience strategies at APMCDRR 2024

January 16, 2025 | 12:35 pm

Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer, talks about Globe’s innovative, technology-driven disaster resilience strategies on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) 2024.

Globe recently showcased its innovative, technology-driven disaster resilience strategies and its commitment to mitigating climate risks on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) 2024.

In a timely event mounted alongside the Ayala Group, Globe outlined the company’s holistic approach to disaster risk reduction (DRR), encompassing advanced technology solutions, robust infrastructure, and community-centered response measures.

“Reliable infrastructure is crucial in ensuring reduced downtime services during disasters. Globe constructs and retrofits towers to withstand extreme weather, factoring in risks such as flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Backup power sources have also been installed to reduce network interruptions and ensure continuity,” Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer.

In partnership with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Globe plays a vital role in disseminating geo-tagged disaster alerts, as required by Republic Act 10639, or “The Free Mobile Disasters Alert Act.”

Beyond prevention, the mobile leader has established swift response mechanisms to support affected communities, including pre-positioning resources like Cell site on Wheels (COW), Tower on Wheels (TOW), Cell site at Less Footprint (CALF), Genset on a Truck (GOAT), and Emergency Base Stations to maintain connectivity in disaster-affected areas.

Libreng Tawag, Libreng Charging (LTLC) stations are also deployed in disaster-hit areas to provide residents essential communication services amid power outages. Meanwhile, Globe’s telehealth provider KonsultaMD offers medical and mental health services to assist in disaster recovery.

Employee volunteers also help prepare and distribute relief supplies, reflecting Globe’s commitment to community recovery and rebuilding. Through Globe Rewards, customers can directly donate to partner organizations, providing aid for those in need.

Globe’s commitment to climate action is also key to its disaster risk reduction strategy. By pursuing its net-zero ambition, the telco giant seeks to reduce the risks posed by extreme weather and other climate-related threats through climate mitigation.

On the other hand, speaking at the panel discussion on “Leveraging Digital Advancements for Early Warning Dissemination and Communication,” Emmanuel Estrada, Globe Vice President for Regulatory Development and Strategy, highlighted the importance of a multi-channel approach for emergency communications.

He emphasized that integrating cell broadcasts with location-based SMS and various channels— such as sirens, billboards, TV, radio, mobile apps, and social media —would significantly expand audience reach. Maintaining consistency across platforms is crucial to prevent confusion and ensure that information is delivered clearly and effectively.

“In times of emergency, it is crucial that we leverage all existing and in-service technologies to send Emergency Alert Warning Messages (EAWM) to as many people as possible. This means we cannot rely solely on mobile networks,” he stressed.

Estrada also shared that Globe is exploring low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology to ensure uninterrupted communication in areas where terrestrial networks may fail. These satellite services can extend connectivity to remote or disaster-affected areas, enhancing resilience for emergency teams.

With disaster preparedness embedded in its business model, Globe applies the principles of Resilience by Design (RD) throughout its network lifecycle, ensuring that critical infrastructure, such as satellite hubs, are positioned safely to maintain service continuity.

The APMCDRR 2024 gave Globe a valuable opportunity to present its DRR accomplishments and reaffirm its commitment to protecting Filipinos through innovative technologies and sustainable practices. With over 4,000 attendees, this year’s conference emphasized accelerating DRR efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and natural disasters across the region.

To learn more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.

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Apple Q4 iPhone shipments in China drop 25% as Huawei closes in, Canalys data shows

January 16, 2025 | 11:39 am

BEIJING – Apple’s smartphone shipments in China plunged 25% in the fourth quarter of 2024, data from research firm Canalys showed, as the iPhone maker faced mounting pressure from a resurgent Huawei in one of its biggest global markets.

The U.S. tech giant shipped 13.1 million units in China during the period, narrowly maintaining its market lead with a 17% share, according to Canalys data released on Thursday.

Huawei captured 17% market share on shipments of 12.9 million units, placing it in a virtual tie with Apple for market leadership, the Canalys data showed.

Huawei, which posted a 24% rise in shipments in the fourth quarter, has emerged as a particularly strong challenger since its return to the premium segment in August 2023 with locally-made chipsets.

Apple has turned to rare discounts to stimulate sales amid growing competitive pressure. The company launched a four-day promotion in China from Jan. 4-7, offering price cuts of up to 500 yuan ($68.50) on its iPhone 16 models through its official channels.

Major Chinese e-commerce platforms have followed suit with their own promotions. Alibaba’s Tmall marketplace announced discounts of up to 1,000 yuan ($137) on iPhone 15 series devices.

“While Apple and its iPhone 15 series maintained their leadership in the fourth quarter, they face mounting pressure from domestic flagship devices,” Canalys analyst Amber Liu said.

“Beyond seasonal promotions, Apple is enhancing its competitive position and user retention in China’s premium segment through improved retail experiences, trade-in programs, and expanded interest-free installment plans.”

Annual shipments of smartphones in China in 2024 increased 4% year-over-year to 285 million units. – Reuters

US blacklists Chinese companies over TSMC chips in Huawei processor

January 16, 2025 | 11:35 am

White-House — Official White House Photo by Cameron Smith

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration added more than two dozen Chinese entities to a U.S. restricted trade list on Wednesday, including Zhipu AI, a developer of large language models, and Sophgo, a company whose TSMC-made chip was illegally incorporated into a Huawei artificial intelligence processor.

The Commerce Department also strengthened controls on the flow of chips to China to better prevent diversion to Huawei.

Zhipu AI, Sophgo and entities linked to them were among 25 China-based companies and two Singapore-based companies added to the U.S. Commerce Department’s Entity List, according to government postings. Companies on the list cannot receive goods or technology exports without a license, which is generally denied.

Zhipu AI, whose investors have included Alibaba and Tencent, was added for advancing China’s military modernization through advanced AI research.

Sophgo drew attention after a chip found on Huawei’s Ascend 910B multi-chip AI system matched one it ordered from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.

Huawei was placed on the Entity List in 2019 and is now at the center of China’s AI chip ambitions.

Sophgo is among numerous companies that have been punished for helping Huawei. Late last year, the Commerce Department added other companies viewed as part of Huawei’s shadow network to the restricted trade list.

In a statement on its WeChat account late on Wednesday, Zhipu said the decision lacked a “factual basis” and its inclusion would not make a substantial impact on its business as it had mastered large language models’ end-to-end core technology.

Sophgo, an affiliate of bitcoin mining equipment supplier Bitmain, and Huawei did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest additions to the Entity List.

In a statement on its website posted after the initial allegations in October, Sophgo said it “has never been engaged in any direct or indirect business relationship with Huawei.”

The U.S. on Wednesday also tightened rules on exports of semiconductors that can be used for AI.

The new rules follow curbs the U.S. placed on TSMC after discovery of its chip in Huawei’s Ascend 910B multi-chip system. As Reuters exclusively reported, the U.S. in November ordered TSMC to halt shipments of certain advanced chips.

ADDING NEW CONTROLS

The latest regulation adds new controls for chip factories and packaging companies seeking to export certain chips, building on earlier measures aimed at hampering China’s access to chips that could help its military.

The new restrictions affect chips at 14 or 16 nanometer nodes or below that meet certain parameters and can be used in AI applications, and impact companies beyond TSMC.

A TSMC spokesperson declined comment. Samsung, which also may be affected by the changes, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Chipmakers can bypass licensing requirements if certain conditions are met, such as working with trusted chip packagers and approved designers subject to due diligence and reporting obligations.

“We are holding foundries accountable for verifying that their chips are not being diverted to restricted entities,” Commerce official Alan Estevez said in a statement.

The rule also imposes tighter restrictions around a type of memory known as DRAM that is needed to make high bandwidth memory, which is used in AI processors.

The DRAM change will likely affect goods and technology destined for Chinese memory chip maker Changxin Memory Technologies, also known as CXMT, by imposing controls on more of its facilities, according to chip experts. CXMT did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Companies are added to the Entity List for activities viewed as contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests.

Besides Zhipu AI, nine other entities were added on Wednesday over military modernization through advanced AI research, most of them also Zhipu entities. One company was listed for helping develop lithography equipment for advanced chip factories in China.

Sixteen companies listed, including the Sophgo units, are related to the development of chips that further China’s advanced weapons systems, weapons of mass destruction and high-tech surveillance applications, and were also targeted because they pose a risk of diversion to Huawei, according to the Commerce Department.

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Wednesday’s rules are among a slew of export restrictions issued the last weeks of the Biden administration. On Monday, the U.S. put out an ambitious plan to control the development of advanced AI worldwide. – Reuters

International reaction to Gaza ceasefire deal

January 16, 2025 | 11:27 am

Negotiators reached a phased ceasefire deal on Wednesday in the war in Gaza between Israel and the militant group Hamas. Here is some reaction to the deal.

U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

“I can announce a ceasefire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas,” Biden said at the White House.

“Fighting in Gaza will stop, and soon the hostages return home to their families.”

“For the Palestinian people, a credible, credible pathway to a state of their own. And for the region, a future of normalization, integration of Israel and all its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia,” he said.

U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP

“We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!” he said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven,” Trump said in a second post.

U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES

“The United Nations stands ready to support the implementation of this deal and scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer,” he told reporters.

“It is imperative that this ceasefire removes the significant security and political obstacles to delivering aid across Gaza so that we can support a major increase in urgent lifesaving humanitarian support.”

TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN

He told reporters in Ankara the ceasefire deal was an important step for regional stability. Fidan also said Turkish efforts for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would continue.

QATAR’S PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN ABDULRAHMAN AL THANI

The prime minister called for calm in the Gaza Strip between now and Jan. 19 when the ceasefire deal takes effect.

EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT ABDEL FATTAH AL-SISI

He welcomed the Gaza ceasefire deal, according to a post on X, and stressed the importance of a fast delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS PRESIDENT MIRJANA SPOLJARIC

“I hope this agreement marks a new beginning. Civilian lives must be protected and their needs prioritised. The coming days are critical and we are counting on the parties to hold to their commitments. While the agreement is welcome, it is not the end.”

URSULA VON DER LEYEN, PRESIDENT OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION

“I warmly welcome the ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza. Hostages will be reunited with their loved ones and humanitarian aid can reach civilians in Gaza. This brings hope to an entire region, where people have endured immense suffering for far too long. Both parties must fully implement this agreement, as a stepping stone toward lasting stability in the region and a diplomatic resolution of the conflict,” she said.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES FOREIGN MINISTER SHEIKH ABDULLAH BIN ZAYED

He stressed “the importance that both Israel and Hamas adhere to the commitments made to end the suffering of the Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages.”

He said unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid was urgent.

QATARI EMIR SHEIKH TAMIM BIN HAMAD AL THANI

“We hope that the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza will contribute to ending the aggression, destruction and killing in the strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, and to start a new phase in which this just cause will not be marginalised.”

SAUDI ARABIA’S FOREIGN MINISTRY

It welcomed the deal and thanked the mediating countries. It urged commitment “to the deal to end the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the strip and all Palestinian and Arab lands… It also affirms the importance of building on this deal to resolve the basis of the conflict.”

MOHAMMED ABDULSALAM, SPOKESPERSON FOR YEMEN’S HOUTHIS

“We salute Gaza’s legendary and historic resilience in the face of Israel’s fiercest aggression against the oppressed Palestinian people…. With its continued occupation of Palestine, (Israel) represents a threat to the security and stability of the region.”

SOUTH AFRICA GOVERNMENT

“South Africa welcomes the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas after 15 months of Israel’s genocidal onslaught on Gaza after Hamas and other armed groups launched an attack on Israel. South Africa calls for the implementation of a just and lasting peace that ensures the human rights of both Palestinians and Israelis are protected and promoted.”

ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIA’S PRIME MINISTER

“This agreement is a constructive step to peace and stability in the region. Today must mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Israeli and Palestinian people. We hope it will allow the Palestinian people the opportunity to rebuild, reform their governance which is most necessary, and pursue self-determination. Australia remains unequivocal in our condemnation of Hamas’s atrocities on the 7th of October and of the ideology that drives this terrorist organisation. There must be no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.”

CINDY MCCAIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WORLD FOOD PROGRAM

“…A ceasefire is the start — not the end. We have food lined up at the borders to Gaza — and need to be able to bring it in at scale. For this: We need all border crossings open and be able to move food safely from the crossing points to the people in need across Gaza.”

ALEXANDER DE CROO, BELGIUM’S PRIME MINISTER

“After too many months of conflict, we feel tremendous relief for the hostages, for their families and for the people of Gaza. Let’s hope this ceasefire will put an end to the fighting and mark the beginning of a sustained peace. Belgium stands ready to help.”

GERMAN FOREIGN SECRETARY ANNALENA BAERBOCK

“In these hours there is hope that the hostages will finally be released and the deaths in Gaza will come to an end. Everyone who bears responsibility should now ensure that this opportunity is seized.”

BRITISH PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER

“For the innocent Palestinians whose homes turned into a warzone overnight and the many who have lost their lives, this ceasefire must allow for a huge surge in humanitarian aid, which is so desperately needed to end the suffering in Gaza.

“And then our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people – grounded in a two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine state.”

NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER JONAS GAHR STOERE

“The Palestinian institutions must be strengthened and prepared to assume full control and responsibility, including in Gaza. Both Israel and Palestine must receive credible security guarantees, and the solution must be anchored regionally.”

SPANISH PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ

“This agreement is crucial to achieving regional stability. It represents an indispensable step on the road to a two-state solution and a just peace that respects international law.” – Reuters