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AIA Philippines launches product to serve retirees and senior citizens

AIA Philippines, formerly Philam Life and one of the country’s largest life insurance companies, recently launched a new product ideal for those who are starting to save for their retirement later in life. Whether their goal is to secure oneself or to have a guaranteed sum passed down to their loved ones, the life insurer’s new offering provides protection as one gets older. 

“There is a commonly held notion that, beyond a certain age, it’s too late to get insurance,” shares Melissa Henson, Chief Marketing Officer at AIA Philippines. “We want to change that mindset. It’s never too late to start prioritizing yourself and your family, especially with a product like AIA A-Life Prime.”

Financial security for today and tomorrow

AIA A-Life Prime, a product payable in just two years, benefits for both plan holders and their families, standing as a valuable solution to aid the country’s growing number of nearly 10 million senior citizens. At the end of the second year, policy owners will start receiving cash payouts equal to 10% of their policy’s face amount, especially advantageous for those in retirement. These will be given out every other year, providing assurance of regular disbursements to cover expenses or act as savings. AIA A-Life Prime can be purchased by individuals up to age 70, and provides coverage until the Insured reaches the age of 100.

On top of the payouts, there is opportunity to receive more cash benefits through potential bonus dividends, which, while not guaranteed, can serve as additional funds when available. There is also a death benefit amounting to 200% of the plan’s face amount, or the total premiums paid less the cash payouts released (whichever is higher at the time of claim). For  policyholders who reach age 100, a lump sum maturity benefit of 200% of the face amount will be given.

“The need for protection is constant, so it is important for us to ensure that we make our products accessible to customers at any life stage,” adds Ms. Henson. “We aim to be with our customers wherever life goes, so they can have the peace of mind needed to live healthier, longer, better lives.”

Those interested in availing an AIA A-Life Prime plan can contact an AIA Life Planner or visit the AIA Philippines website for more information.

 

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Public transportation projects focus on providing commuter convenience – DOTr

Commuters ride the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 in Manila in this photo taken on July 30, 2023. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

Convenience of commuters is one of the main goals of public transportation and infrastructure projects, Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said. 

“Much of our focus is ordinary commuters who rely on public transport,” Mr. Bautista said on August 9. 

He added that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) focuses on managing the construction of transport projects from railways, airports, seaports, and road infrastructures.  

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) rehabilitation, the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), and the Metro Manila Subway were some of the ongoing projects of the DOTr. 

Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) Cavite Extension, the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7), and the rehabilitation and maintenance of the MRT-3 are also in progress.  

“With these various public transport infrastructures and projects, passengers will enjoy a comfortable, accessible, safe, sustainable, and affordable commuting experience,” the DOTr said in a press release. 

 

North-South Commuter Railway 

Clark depot of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Extension Project has substantial progress, the DOTr said. 

The Clark depot is part of the 35-station NSCR system that will operate from Clark International Airport to Calamba, Laguna.  

Involved in the developments was the ongoing construction of buildings and facilities, including the Operations Control Center (OCC) and Workshop Building for major train maintenance. 

The mega-railway project consists of three phases: the Malolos to Tutuban portion, the North extension from Malolos to Clark, and the South Commuter Railway from Bluementritt to Calamba. 

“The northern part of the NSCR project is more than 60% complete, the stations are about 90% complete and we expect partial operations in maybe less than two and a half years from now,” Philippine National Railway (PNR) Chairman Michael Ted R. Macapagal told BusinessWorld in an interview last July 31. 

The NSCR project aims to serve 800,000 passengers in its first year of operations and lessen the travel hours from Pampanga to Laguna by two hours.  – Almira Louise S. Martinez

 

Southwest Monsoon to intensify even as Ampil heads to Japan

source: PAGASA

The tropical storm that exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Monday, now with international name called “Ampil,” is expected to intensify the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), causing rainfall in western section of Luzon and Visayas region, according to the state weather bureau. 

“So malayo siya eh outside of PAR, kaya lang ‘pag may ganito tayong system ang nangyayari nahahatak yung Soutwest Monsoon, so itong Western section maulan, [It is far from the PAR, but when we have a system like this, it pulls the Southwest Monsoon that will cause rain fall in the Western section],” Rosalie Pagulayan, weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in an interview.  

In a weather forecast by PAGASA, areas in Luzon, primarily the western section including the Ilocos Region, Zambales, Batanes, and Babuyan Islands are expected to experience cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms. 

Meanwhile, Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Western Visayas, and the Negros Island Region are expected to have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. 

According to a report from PAGASA on Tuesday, the tropical storm is situated 1,570 km East-Northeast of extreme Northern Luzon (23.5°N, 136.8°E) and is expected to move further towards Japan. 

“Mukang hindi na (papasok sa PAR) kasi ang kanyang movement ay northeast eh, so kung nandon na siya outside PAR tapos northeast pa siya so parang away siya from the country [It seems like it will not enter the PAR anymore because its movement is toward the northeast. So, if it’s already outside the PAR and moving toward northeast, it is moving away from the country],” Ms. Pagulayan said.  

Ms. Pagulayan urges the public not to be complacent, as rain showers and thunderstorms will continue to affect the country until the Southwest Monsoon ends in October and transitions to the Northeast Monsoon (Amihan). – Edg Adrian A. Eva

Extreme heat poses new challenge for aid agencies in Gaza

PALESTINIANS wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen amid shortages of food supplies in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Jan. 16, 2024. — REUTERS

BEIRUT (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – In Gaza, the sky is full of menace. As well as the missiles that rain down on schools and shelters, the brutal rays of the sun have made the summer unbearable for those struggling to survive in a ravaged landscape of ruins and rubble.

Samaher al-Daour sometimes wishes she had been killed in the early days of the Israel-Hamas war rather than have to watch her son, who lost a leg during the conflict, endure the unbearable heat.

“The situation is horrible,” said Ms. Daour, 42, as she sat beside her 20-year-old son Haitham in their sweltering tent in the southern city of Khan Younis in June.

“During the day, it is incredibly hot inside and outside the tent,” she said in a telephone interview. “We go to the sea but it is still very difficult.”

Haitham lost his leg in February during an Israeli airstrike on a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNWRA) in the Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Now the stifling heat is denying him the rest he needs to recover his strength. He sweats all the time and this is irritating his leg and making it swell.

“He is suffering because of this,” said Ms. Daour.

After 10 months of war, almost all of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are displaced. They live in tents or overcrowded shelters, and there is almost no electricity and little clean water.

Hungry and weak, they cannot shower and struggle to sleep in their boiling shelters. In the heat, food is rotting, drawing insects and flies to crowded camps where people, who have been forced to flee again and again, now risk heatstroke and other heat-related diseases.

Since April, Gaza has experienced several periods of extreme heat, with temperatures reaching around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) during that month. Temperatures throughout August reached an average high of 34 C (93 F), according to US private forecaster AccuWeather.

In late June, the World Health Organization said scorching heat could exacerbate health problems for the millions of displaced, warning that a public health crisis was looming due to the lack of clean water, food and medical supplies.

The heat is also making things more difficult for aid agencies, already hamstrung in their work by the airstrikes, fighting and ravaged infrastructure.

“It would be fair to say that the majority of humanitarian responders, including donors … have not really considered the threats of heat and extreme heat,” said Paul Knox Clarke, principal at ADAPT, a climate and humanitarian initiative.

“The horrors” humanitarian organizations address in crises, he said, often take up too much bandwidth and prevent them from tackling additional challenges, like adapting to the effects of climate change during relief operations.

“It is not unprecedented, but it’s not part of the normal playbook,” he said.

“It has been complicating everything,” said Prabu Selvam, medical officer for the Americares relief agency, adding that the transport of medicines that need to be kept cool was proving particularly challenging.

Because of Israeli restrictions, aid trucks often spend hours under the sun, waiting for clearance.

“Of course, it is going to impact the communities, because often the cold chain medicines are the ones that are most critically in need,” Mr. Selvam said.

 

NEW CHALLENGE FOR AID AGENCIES

Nearly 40,000 people have been killed and around 92,000 wounded since the Israeli army began its assault on Gaza, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Israel launched its offensive after Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

The offensive has laid waste to homes, schools and vital infrastructure such as hospitals and clinics.

Israel has severely restricted the flow of food and aid into the Strip and humanitarian agencies have been warning of the risk of famine.

Now, the summer’s extreme heat has added another layer to the suffering. Recent years have seen a series of lethal heatwaves strike the Mediterranean region and scientists say climate change is driving these dangerous heatwaves.

Save the Children is already adapting its operations in Gaza, said Fadi Dweik, a climate resilience expert at the charity.

Usually, the agency would focus on delivering mental health services and educational support as a first response, Mr. Dweik told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

But now, it has prioritized delivering water and sanitation services and nutrition and health support.

“The conflict made us think of details and apply alternatives we had not thought of before,” Mr. Dweik said. “For the first time the environmental factors are a priority because we cannot ignore them despite the war and destruction that exists.”

The heat is not something Sabah Khames can ignore either.

The 62-year-old fled her home in Rafah close to the Egyptian border in May and now lives in a tent with 18 other relatives.

“The tent is a cramped caravan constructed entirely of sheet metal. It is like a sauna inside,” she said in a phone interview.

“Sometimes, I can barely catch my breath.” – Reuters

Overseas investors turn bearish on Japanese equities after brutal sell-off

PEOPLE walk on Shibuya crossing in Tokyo, Japan on April 23, 2021, in this photo taken by Kyodo. — KYODO/VIA REUTERS

HONG KONG – Global investors are turning bearish on once-favored Japanese stocks following last week’s turbulence as they reassess economic prospects and the viability of yen-funded trades.

Using cheap yen to buy stocks on the Nikkei was a hot trade until this month. The Nikkei index had doubled since the start of 2023, and a tumbling yen had boosted returns for investors and companies.

That trade is being turned on its head by sudden volatility in the Japanese yen, Bank of Japan (BOJ) rate rises, doubts around Japan Inc.’s earnings and worries the US economy is stalling.

The CSOP Nikkei 225 Daily Double Inverse exchange-traded fund – the only ETF outside Japan that allows bearish bets against the Nikkei index – saw a surge in its trading volume during the week ended Aug. 9.

Average daily turnover on the Hong Kong-listed product reached nearly HK$20 million ($2.57 million), a 20-fold increase from previous week’s roughly HK$1 million per day and the highest since its launch in May this year.

Investors are also exiting direct exposure to Japan.

Global hedge funds dumped Japanese equities at the fastest pace in more than five years during the Aug. 2 to Aug. 8 week, Goldman Sachs said, and even some long-term investors have started cutting exposure.

The BOJ’s quantitative tightening and a strong yen will be headwinds for Japanese stocks, said Ben Bennett, head of investment strategy for Asia at LGIM, a London-based asset management giant.

The firm’s multi-asset funds had turned underweight Japanese equities before last week, he said, adding they maintained that weighting after the volatile week.

Japanese stocks had their worst one-day sell-off since 1987 last Monday. Fears of a US recession and a surprise rate hike in Japan triggered a massive unwinding of billions of dollars of a popular yen carry trade that was financing the purchase of risk assets, including Japanese equities.

While the actual size of the unwinding remains uncertain, some analysts warn it has room to go, given expectations of yen appreciation and a spike in the CBOE Volatility Index.

The yen has surged from around 162 per dollar in mid-July to roughly 142 per dollar last Monday, its strongest level in seven months.

“One of the drivers of upside in Japanese equities is going to phase out,” said Carlos Casanova, senior economist for Asia at Swiss asset manager UBP, referring to yen carry trades.

“Now we need to see an improvement in fundamentals, meaning that you need to see upward revisions in earnings. And that’s not going to happen unless we see a recovery in the domestic economy,” he said.

UBP has recently exited some positions in Japanese equities and now holds a neutral view.

Zuhair Khan, Tokyo-based senior portfolio manager at UBP, said it was getting tougher to trade the Japanese market as the US interest rate cut path and the yen had both become harder to predict.

Markets, meanwhile, are waiting for data due this week on Japanese second-quarter economic growth and US inflation.

“No one wants to act rashly now,” said Steven Leung, a Hong Kong-based executive director at UOB-Kay Hian. “Investors need to wait for important figures this week to draw a more informed conclusion about whether the sell-off in Japanese stocks is over.” – Reuters

US, Japan keen on $15B Philippine projects as ties grow

FREDERICK GO — CECILIA YAP/BLOOMBERG

The US and Japan are very interested to help fund at least $15 billion worth of projects on the Philippines’ main island, in signs that enhanced security ties are leading to greater economic benefits, according to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s investment czar.

The three nations will prioritize five major projects in the Luzon Economic Corridor plan which may well turn out to be Marcos’ flagship investment program, said Secretary Frederick Go who advises the president on the economy. The list includes a cargo rail linking Luzon’s major ports estimated at $11 billion and a renewable energy project, he said.

“We are reaping the benefits of closer defense ties with the US and other allies in terms of promoting investments,” Mr. Go said in an interview Monday. The UK is also interested in helping fund projects in the corridor, he added.

The Philippines, which lags neighbors in attracting overseas investments due to infrastructure gaps and friction costs, is seeking to leverage stronger ties with the US and its allies under Mr. Marcos to help unlock economic benefits. The push comes as competition in the region intensifies, with Washington and other Western nations aiming to diversify supply chain sources and reduce their exposure to China.

The plan to reinvigorate Luzon, the country’s main economic engine where the capital sits, was unveiled after US President Joe Biden met with leaders from Japan and the Philippines in April. The three allies are bolstering economic ties as their defense relations grow in the face of Beijing’s assertiveness in the region.

The Philippines’ alliance with the US is expected to remain strong whoever wins the presidential race in November, Mr. Go said. The goal is to start the five Luzon corridor projects during Mr. Marcos’ term which ends in 2028, he added.

Faster gross domestic product growth, possibly exceeding 7% annually is achievable in the next four years, said Mr. Go, as Mr. Marcos aspires to shift the economy from being consumption-led to one that’s driven by investment.

Catching up with neighbors in terms of investments has eluded many Philippine presidents. What’s different this time around, according to Mr. Go, is that the administration is capitalizing on Mr. Marcos’ foreign policy agenda to benefit the economy. Part of Mr. Go’s task is to provide the follow-through that’s needed to ensure that investment pledges actually materialize.

“This is why I’m focusing on improving ease of doing business and reducing the cost of doing business because they are the key pillars to realizing an investment-led growth,” said Mr. Go, who was president of Robinsons Land Corp. before taking on the government post.

Some early signs are promising. There’s $1 billion in investment commitments from American businesses during a Biden-initiated trade mission in March. The nation also recently opened up more sectors for foreigners, including renewable energy. GDP expanded 6.3% last quarter, among the highest in Southeast Asia, as investments grew by double digits.

Yet other growth drivers have been shaky, with consumption posting the slowest post-pandemic growth in the first two quarters and government spending hampered by limited fiscal space. Signs of strain in the economy are putting the onus on Mr. Marcos to lure more investments. 

One bright spot for investments is the “Create MORE” bill which seeks to reduce corporate income taxes and put policies including incentives at par with neighbors. 

Mr. Go is paying special attention to the electronics and semiconductor sector as it accounts for the country’s biggest goods exports. He’s hoping that “Create MORE” will usher in more investments in that area.

“We have to play in a field where we are good at,” he said. “At the same time, we should benchmark ourselves with the best in the world to become more competitive,” he said. — Bloomberg 

Philippines calls Chinese air force actions over Scarborough Shoal ‘coercive, aggressive, deceptive’

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

MANILA – The Philippine Navy said on Tuesday last week’s actions by the Chinese air force over the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea were “coercive, aggressive and deceptive”.

The Philippines has been incensed by what it saw as a dangerous maneuver by two Chinese aircraft, which it said dropped flares in the path of its military aircraft while conducting a routine patrol over the contested shoal on Thursday.

The actions had no place in the international arena, which is governed by international law, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told a briefing, adding China’s conduct raised the risk of untoward incidents.

China, which also claims sovereignty over the shoal, has disputed that saying it acted in a professional and legal manner.

The Scarborough Shoal, a prime fishing patch with a lagoon that provides shelter for vessels during storms, is one of Asia’s most contested sites, located inside the Philippines‘ exclusive economic zone but occupied by China for more than a decade.

The incident is the latest flare-up between the Philippines and China after more than a year of heated rows over disputed areas of the South China Sea, as U.S. ally Manila infuriates Beijing by stepping up its efforts to assert itself.

In a separate briefing, the Philippine foreign ministry said a provisional agreement on resupply missions for its troops at the Second Thomas Shoal was subject to review, but did not provide a reason for the review.

The two countries came to an arrangement last month after multiple standoffs at the shoal, where the Philippines in 1999 intentionally grounded a navy vessel and maintains a small contingent of troops to prop up its claim to sovereignty. – Reuters

Government personnel to get discount from drugstore for National Heroes Day

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

Generika Drugstore, an Ayala Corporation subsidiary, announced on August 12 a 5% discount program for all uniformed and non-uniformed (or civilian) personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). 

More than 500,000 active employees from the AFP, PNP, BFP, BJMP, and the PCG can avail of a 5% discount on all generic medicines from all branches of Generika Drugstore from August 6, 2024 to February 28, 2025. 

“This is our way of taking care of the people who take care of us, recognizing the invaluable sacrifices they make every day in the line of duty,” said Gino D. Guinto, the drugstore’s chief commercial officer, in an August 12 press statement. 

“Supporting their health and well-being is our contribution to making our nation safer,” he added. 

This discount is in support of Ayala Corporation’s Saludo sa Serbisyo program, launched in 2016. Through its subsidiaries, the company also provides housing assistance, financial education, livelihood training, and scholarships for dependents of uniformed personnel. 

“This has an impact on the morale and welfare of all uniformed personnel,” said Police Senior Inspector – Police Captain Antonio Dela Cruz of the Police Security and Protection Group. 

“It contributes to a sense of appreciation and support from the private sector, fostering a positive environment for those serving in uniform,” he said in the same press statement. 

Qualified personnel can avail themselves of the discount by presenting their agency ID at any Generika Drugstore nationwide. 

This discount cannot be combined with other special discounts such as those for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

National Heroes Day in the Philippines is celebrated on the last Monday of August to honor the unknown heroes who fought to free the country from Spain, the US, and Japan. – Patricia B. Mirasol

The pros and cons of Kaliwa Dam’s construction

EIA.EMB.GOV.PH

The completion of the Kaliwa Dam is expected to address Metro Manila’s annual water supply drought, according to an expert from the state weather bureau.  

“Ang nangyayari kasi ang Angat pwersadong-pwersado sila magbigay ng tubig kasi nga doon lang umaasa ang lahat… ng residente ng Metro Manila plus yung karatig-bayan natin, [What’s happening is that Angat is being forced to provide water because most residents of Metro Manila and neighboring areas relies largely on it,” Juan Elmer S. Caringal, Hydrologist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in an interview.  

MWSS.GOV.PH

“Kung matatayo yung Kaliwa (dam), matutulungan ang Angat sa pagbibigay ng tubig sa mga residente ng Metro Manila (and nearby provinces) [If the Kaliwa Dam is completed, it will help Angat in providing water supply among residents of Metro Manila and nearby provinces].”  

The P12.2 billion Chinese-funded Kaliwa Dam is expected to provide Metro Manila and nearby provinces with 600 million liters of water per day, according to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). 

It is also expected to lessen the 90% potable water share of the nearly 60-year-old Angat Dam, which encounters critical water levels annually, especially during the dry season. 

For instance, on July 18 the Angat dam’s water level dropped to a critical level of 173 meters, compared to its normal high-water level of 210 meters.  

Mr. Caringal noted that the Kaliwa dam, like any other dam, could help store and manage excess rainwater that could potentially cause flooding in flood-prone areas of Metro Manila. 

“Tsaka…mababawasan ng kaunti ang pagbabaha sa Pasig at Marikina [Also, it will slightly reduce flooding in Pasig and Marikina],” he said.  

Despite various protests and opposition due to Kaliwa Dam’s potential harm to the environment and risk of displacing indigenous people from their ancestral lands.  

Kaliwa Dam’s construction is at 30% in March, and it is expected to be completed by 2027.  

 

Environment and local communities 

The promises of the Kaliwa Dam may benefit residents of Metro Manila, but it may adversely affect the environment and lives of local communities, according to Green Peace.  

“Yes, construction can potentially have positive impacts in some aspects, such as water supply. But a cost of what? Is it at the cost of the environment, alam nating bio-sensitive yang area na ‘yan [We know that area is bio-sensitive],” Jefferson Chua, Climate Campaigner for Green Peace said in an interview.  

A MAN arrives at a shallow part of Agos River, where the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System is planning to build a dam. — PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO / EFIGENIO TOLEDO IV

“There are communities there, (who are) Indigenous people (Dumagat-Remontado Indigenous group) that have intimate ties to the land.  

One main point of opposition to the Kaliwa Dam is that it is projected to inundate 113 hectares of forest land.  

Eight to eleven villages and 39 indigenous communities, totaling 1,465 families, are also at risk of being displaced. 

However, proponents of the project claimed that only 46 families will be directly impacted by the dam. 

Mr. Chua urges people to scrutinize the Kaliwa Dam project as it may justify the harm to indigenous people for the benefit of others.  

“For us, development should be for all, and not just for all, it should be equitable,” he said.  

Mr. Chua emphasized that the concerns within the communities must be fairly addressed before the completion of the dam project.  – Edg Adrian A. Eva

US says it had no role in ousting of Bangladesh’s Hasina

By Prime Minister's Office (GODL-India), GODL-India, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=138814918
Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Ms. Sheikh Hasina, in New Delhi on September 08, 2023.

WASHINGTON – The United States had no role in ousting Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who recently quit her position and fled the South Asian nation, the White House said on Monday, calling allegations of US interference “simply false.”

“We have had no involvement at all. Any reports or rumors that the United States government was involved in these events is simply false,” White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing when asked about reported claims of U.S. involvement.

A report in the Economic Times newspaper in India on Sunday had cited Hasina as accusing the U.S. of playing a role in ousting her because it wanted control over Bangladesh’s Saint Martin island in the Bay of Bengal. The newspaper said Hasina had conveyed that message to it through her close associates.

Ms. Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, in a post on X on Sunday, said she never made any such statement.

“We believe that the Bangladeshi people should determine the future of the Bangladeshi government and that’s where we stand,” the White House added.

An interim government in Bangladesh, led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, was sworn in on Thursday with the aim of holding elections in the Asian nation.

Bangladesh was engulfed by demonstrations and violence after student protests last month against quotas that reserved a high portion of government jobs for certain groups escalated into a campaign to oust Ms. Hasina.

She had won a fourth straight term in January in an election that the opposition boycotted and which the US State Department said was not free and fair.

Ms. Hasina went to New Delhi after leaving Bangladesh, ending her uninterrupted rule of 15 years. – Reuters

Elon Musk interview of Trump marred by technical issues

GAGE SKIDMORE- WIKIMEDIA.ORG

WASHINGTON – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump‘s interview with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk finally got underway on Musk’s social media platform X on Monday evening, following a lengthy delay caused by technical problems that kept many users from accessing the live stream.

Mr. Musk, who has endorsed Mr. Trump, began the event at 8:42 p.m. (0042 GMT Tuesday), more than 40 minutes after the scheduled start time. He blamed the difficulties on a distributed denial-of-service attack, in which a server or network is flooded with traffic in an attempt to shut it down, though his claim was not confirmed.

More than 1.3 million people were listening about 45 minutes into the conversation, according to a counter on X.

Mr. Trump sought to turn the problems into a positive, congratulating Mr. Musk on the number of people trying to tune in.

The former president sounded at times as if he had a lisp, many listeners on X pointed out. Some said it made him sound like a cartoon character, others suggested it could be due to audio compression issues.

The technical issues recalled a similar event on X in May 2023, when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suffered a chaotic start to his bid for the Republican presidential nomination due to glitches on the platform.

At the time, Mr. Trump mocked Mr. DeSantis on his own, social media platform, Truth Social. “My Red Button is bigger, better, stronger, and is working (TRUTH!)” Trump posted, “Yours does not.”

Ahead of Monday’s event, Mr. Musk had written: “Am going to do some system scaling tests tonight & tomorrow in advance of the conversation.” X did not respond to requests for details or evidence of the alleged cyberattack.

Mr. Musk spent much of the early part of the interview lauding Mr. Trump for his bravery during the attempt on his life on July 13, when his ear was struck by a bullet.

Mr. Musk, the world’s richest person, announced his support for Mr. Trump shortly after the shooting. He backed Democratic President Joe Biden in 2020 but has tacked rightward since.

Mr. Trump said he plans to return to Butler, Pennsylvania, the site of the attack, for a rally in October.

As the conversation unfolded, Mr. Trump delivered his usual mix of grievances, exaggerated claims and personal attacks, with Musk offering occasional encouragement.

Mr. Trump claimed without evidence that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if he were still president and praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un – all authoritarian strongmen – as at the “top of their game.”

He also expressed anger that Vice President Kamala Harris had been swapped in for Mr. Biden on the Democratic ticket.

“She hasn’t done an interview since this whole scam started,” Trump said, claiming falsely that Biden dropping off the ticket was a “coup.” Mr. Trump had been leading Mr. Biden in many polls of battleground states likely to be critical to the outcome of the Nov. 5 election, but is now trailing Harris in some of the same states.

In an interview that was light on policy detail, Mr. Trump also appeared to praise Mr. Musk for firing workers.

“You’re the greatest cutter. I mean, I look at what you do. You walk in, you just say: ‘You want to quit?’ They go on strike – I won’t mention the name of the company – but they go on strike. And you say: ‘That’s okay, you’re all gone.'”

 

TRUMP BACK ON X

The interview provided an opportunity for Mr. Trump to seize the limelight at a time when his campaign is facing new headwinds.

Ms. Harris has erased Mr. Trump’s lead in opinion polls and energized Democratic voters with a series of high-energy rallies since she replaced Biden as the party’s candidate three weeks ago. Her momentum could get another boost from the Democratic National Convention next week in Chicago.

Mr. Trump returned to X, formerly known as Twitter, with a series of posts on Monday for the first time in a year, reviving an account that had served as a main method of communication in previous campaigns and his four years in the White House, including his followers’ Jan. 6 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

Mr. Trump’s access to his account, @realDonaldTrump, was restored a month into Musk’s ownership of X after being suspended by the platform’s previous owners following the Jan. 6 attack, citing concerns he would incite violence.

Mr. Trump frequently posts on his Truth Social platform, which was launched in February 2022, but his posts there reach a much smaller audience than on X.

 

MUSK BACKS TRUMP

Mr. Musk, who heads electric car company Tesla, has echoed Mr. Trump’s false claims about voter fraud and Biden’s immigration policies.

Mr. Musk has started an external super PAC spending group to support Mr. Trump’s campaign. The political action committee is now under investigation in Michigan for possible violations of state laws on gathering voter information.

Mr. Trump, a longstanding critic of electric vehicles, shifted gears after Musk’s endorsement.

“I’m for electric cars. I have to be, because Elon endorsed me very strongly. So I have no choice,” Trump said at an early August rally.

United Auto Workers President Shawn Fein, campaigning in support of Ms. Harris, called Mr. Trump a “sellout.”

The Biden administration has worked to popularize electric vehicles through tax breaks and other support as part of its broader goal of reducing carbon emissions blamed for climate change.

Republicans in Congress, including Mr. Trump’s running mate Senator JD Vance, have opposed those subsidies. – Reuters

IAEA unable to determine cause of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant fire

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said late on Monday that its representatives inspected a damaged cooling tower at the Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant in Ukraine but could not immediately determine the cause of a fire there at the weekend.

Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of starting the fire at the vast dormant nuclear power plant in Ukraine, with Russia blaming a drone attack and Ukraine saying it was likely Russia’s negligence or arson.

The IAEA team found no immediate sign of drone remains and assessed that it was unlikely that the primary source of the fire began at the base of the cooling tower, the IAEA said in a statement on its website.

“The team has not been able to draw definitive conclusions (on the cause of fire) on the basis of the findings and observations so far,” the agency said.

Neither Moscow or Kyiv have reported signs of elevated radiation.

The IAEA said damage was most likely concentrated on the interior of the tower at the water nozzle distribution level, at roughly 10 meters (33 ft) high.

“The team confirmed that there were no significant signs of disturbance of the debris, ash or soot located at the base of the cooling tower,” the IAEA said.

“The nuclear safety of the plant was not affected, as the cooling towers are not currently in operation.”

Russia captured the plant from Ukraine shortly after launching a full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbor in 2022, which it calls a “special military operation”. – Reuters

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