Weak cyber defenses seen inviting more hacks in 2024

December 4, 2023 | 8:31 pm

MORE DATA breaches are expected in 2024 with the country’s “suboptimal” security infrastructure expected to invite more attacks, Ronald B. Gustilo, national campaigner for Digital Pinoys, said.

In a Viber message to BusinessWorld, Mr. Gustilo said: “The significant financial setbacks resulting from cybersecurity incidents serve as a stark indicator of the suboptimal state of our nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure.”

The Philippines suffered an estimated $1 million in losses in the past 12 months due to cybersecurity incidents, according to connectivity cloud company Cloudflare, Inc.

Cloudflare has identified lack of investment as the biggest challenge faced by the country in the cybersecurity preparedness space.

“The cost of a cybersecurity incidents is not something that can be ignored,” the information technology management company said in its report.

“The current landscape underscores a pressing need for both governmental and private entities to proactively institute continuous improvements in their cybersecurity frameworks. Failing to do so could potentially expose us to an increased frequency of cyberattacks in the coming years,” Mr. Gustilo said.

Cloudflare also said that despite the increasing number of cybersecurity attacks in the Philippines, only 44% of respondents to a study consider themselves prepared for cybersecurity incidents.

“While it is acknowledged that achieving absolute invulnerability is a complex task, institutions — whether they belong to the public or private sector — should prioritize and invest in the ongoing development of their cybersecurity infrastructure and protocols,” Mr. Gustilo said.

This year, various government agencies came under attack, including the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., which was struck by Medusa ransomware that compromised more than 600 gigabytes worth of member data.

“This commitment to constant enhancement is essential in the face of evolving cyber threats. By allocating resources strategically and consistently, institutions can not only mitigate current risks but also bolster their resilience against emerging challenges in the dynamic field of cybersecurity,” Mr. Gustilo said.

Cloudflare has said that companies must spend time and invest in strengthening security culture.

“Strong understanding and awareness should be the first line of defense in enhancing preparedness,” it said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Ilocos Norte land assessment to open up more land for farming

December 4, 2023 | 8:30 pm

THE Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) said it will conduct a land assessment in preparation for opening up more land to farming.

In a statement, the BSWM said that it has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Ilocos Norte province to begin the project.

“(The project) aims to identify and provide an inventory of soil and water resources and evaluate them for their optimal yet sustainable utilization,” it added.

The bureau said that the project will aid in formulating land use policy with a view towards expanding food production, manufacturing, and housing supply.

The BSWM’s deliverables include 11 maps of prime agricultural land in Ilocos Norte which may not be used for any other purpose. The project will run for 18 months.

“The Province of Ilocos Norte is set to achieve its goal for sound land use and planning for agri-environmental development by conserving, preserving, and adhering to sustainable management of soil and water resources for agriculture,” the bureau said. — Adrian H. Halili

Packworks in inventory financing tieup with 1Sari

December 4, 2023 | 8:30 pm

TECHNOLOGY startup Packworks said it partnered with 1Sari Financing Corp. to provide inventory financing services to over 200,000 mom-and-pop retailers, which are known in the Philippines as sari-sari stores.

“By reaching the unbanked and underbanked, we’re championing the entrepreneurial spirit that drives our nation forward. Our collaboration with 1Sari Financing Corp. ensures that even the smallest establishments have the tools and resources they need to thrive,” Hubert Yap, co-founder and chief platform officer of Packworks, said in a statement on Monday.

Through this partnership, Packworks said a total of 270,000 unbanked sari-sari stores will be given a credit line of P2,500 in 1Sari inventory financing, which it said is also available through Packwork’s in-app service for its partners.

“Collaborating with Packworks supercharges the expansion and funding of well-deserving, credit-worthy sari-sari stores. Through their cutting-edge tech platform, we gain the power to deliver inventory financing to previously underserved micro-enterprises with unparalleled efficiency, revolutionizing their financial prospects,” Dindo T. Velasquez, co-founder, chief finance and risk officer of 1Sari, said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

2023 year-end compliance reminders

December 4, 2023 | 8:28 pm

2024 is almost at our doorstep, but many things are still going on. Most are planning for their family reunions or Christmas parties; almost all employees are looking forward to the Christmas break; some are still thinking about the big celebrity break-up announced days ago.

Taxpayers should nevertheless still be mindful of their duties in complying with various requirements. The main things to watch out for are the reporting requirements of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Local Government Units (LGU), as discussed in the following sections.

BIR COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS
• Annual Information Returns (BIR Form Nos. 1604-C, 1604-F, and 1604-E), together with the Annual Alpha List of Employees/Payees

Employers who have deducted and withheld taxes on the compensation of their employees must file BIR Form No. 1604-C and submit the annual alphabetical list (alpha list) of employees based on the revised format on or before Jan. 31, 2024. In computing the amounts to be reported in BIR Form No. 1604-C, the employer must perform annualization of compensation paid to the employees in the last month of employment or in December of the current calendar year.

Likewise, taxpayers who deducted and withheld the final withholding tax must file BIR Form No. 1604-F, together with the alpha list of payees, on or before Jan. 31, 2024.

On the other hand, taxpayers who deducted and withheld expanded withholding tax must file BIR Form No. 1604-E, together with the alpha list of payees, on or before March 1, 2024.

To ensure that all income payments subject to withholding tax are properly reported in the tax returns, taxpayers are advised to prepare a reconciliation of expenses and taxes reported in the tax returns and alpha lists vis-à-vis those recorded in the taxpayers’ books.

For taxpayers filing using the electronic filing and payment system (eFPS), it should be noted that the January 2018 version of BIR Form No. 1604-E is now available in the eFPS. As for BIR Form No. 1604-C and 1604-F, as there has been a BIR circular announcing their availability, taxpayers must check and look out when these BIR forms will actually become available in the eFPS.

• Certificate of Compensation Payment/Tax Withheld (BIR Form No. 2316)

Employers must sign and provide BIR Form No. 2316 to their employees. Upon receipt, the employees are to sign the certificate. Employees, including resident aliens, who qualify for substituted filing, are exempt from filing their income tax returns. Instead, the employers are to submit their certificates, accompanied by a notarized and signed certification, to the BIR on or before Feb. 28, 2024.

• Annual Registration Fee (Form No. 0605)

The annual registration fee (ARF) must be paid on or before Jan. 31 in the amount of P500 for every head office and/or branch. The ARF is required for the annual updating of business permits.

• Books of Account

Depending on the taxpayer’s registered books of account, the following must be observed for subsequent registration:

o Manual books of account are to be registered/stamped prior to use. Thus, a new manual book needs to be registered in case the old books are nearing consumption at year-end.

o Permanently bound loose leaf books of account shall be submitted annually, within 15 days after the end of each taxable year or within 15 days from the closure of business operation.

o Computerized Books of Account must be submitted annually, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year or within 30 days from the closure of business operation.

Taxpayers may be required to register their books of account through the BIR’s Online Registration and Update System (ORUS), since they may still manually register the same upon the advice of the BIR office having jurisdiction over the taxpayer. Moreover, manual books of account are still allowed to be registered and stamped at the BIR office where the head office or branch is registered.

• Inventory list and other schedules

Taxpayers maintaining inventory are required to submit soft copies of the annual inventory list and applicable schedules, accompanied by a notarized and signed sworn declaration, within 30 days following the close of the taxable year.

Taxpayers are advised to prepare a reconciliation of the inventory list and other applicable schedules with their records so that they can explain any differences to the BIR upon tax audit.

LGU COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS
Taxpayers are required to renew their business or mayor’s permit with the LGU annually and pay the local business tax (LBT) on or before Jan. 20 where the business is registered and operates. Taxpayers also have the option to pay the local business tax quarterly, within the first 20 days of January and for the first month of each subsequent quarter.

However, under the CREATE law, registered business enterprises (RBEs) which are subject to the 5% gross income tax, are exempt from local taxes. Nevertheless, such RBEs are not totally exempt from paying anything to the LGU because they are still required to pay fees and charges imposed by the LGUs.

For failure to pay the LBT, fees, or charges on time, the taxpayer will be subject to a 25% surcharge penalty and monthly interest of 2%. The total interest on unpaid LBT may not exceed 36 months. In case of non-compliance, the penalty and interest is to be computed beginning Jan. 1 and not from the due date of payment. As an ultimate punishment for non-compliance, the taxpayer’s establishment may be closed by the LGU.

Taxpayers must familiarize themselves with the LBT rates since these depend on the ordinances of each LGU. Taxpayers must also be aware of the announcements made by the LGUs with respect to the process of securing assessment notices and payments because the extension of deadlines differs and is usually at the discretion of each LGU.

The above-mentioned reminders may seem overwhelming. Nonetheless, taxpayers are still bound to comply with the requirements set by the BIR and the LGU. Compliance is inevitable, as is the arrival of 2024.

Let’s Talk Tax is a weekly newspaper column of P&A Grant Thornton that aims to keep the public informed of various developments in taxation. This article is not intended to be a substitute for competent professional advice.

Lorenzo Miguel A. Soriano is a manager from the Tax Advisory & Compliance division of P&A Grant Thornton. P&A Grant Thornton is one of the leading audits, tax, advisory, and outsourcing firms in the Philippines, with 29 Partners and more than 1000 staff members.

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Cancer survivor Tenorio inspires fans with his courageous spirit

December 4, 2023 | 7:32 pm

AS HE marked a “new chapter” in his PBA career, Ginebra veteran LA Tenorio hopes to have inspired even non-basketball fans with his indomitable spirit in battling and overcoming cancer.

Mr. Tenorio, who was diagnosed with colon cancer last March and spent the next months healing, played his first game back in front of a Sunday crowd that’s all rooting for him.

The PBA’s Ironman knocked down two triples in the third that kept the Gin Kings in control to highlight his 25-minute, 52-second outing. He issued three assists, had one rebound and one steal in an error-free performance as starter and closer.

Mr. Tenorio was joined at centercourt by his family as PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial, vice chairman Bobby Rosales and Ginebra governor Alfrancis Chua led the league in a tribute at halftime.

The good-sized audience that included 120 of his guests were moved to tears as he shared his fight against the Big C and thanked everyone for supporting him throughout his journey.

Mr. Tenorio said one of his reasons for playing again was to show people, especially those facing similar conditions, that yes, it could be done.

Coach Tim Cone summed Tenorio’s character best. “To me, the term warrior is such a perfect description of him. He’s been a warrior his whole career and through all these, he’s still being a warrior and he’s staying in character,” added Mr. Cone of his captain, who played a record 744 straight matches prior to his medical leave.

But just as the seasoned playmaker is back in the fold, Ginebra lost Season 46 Most Valuable Player Scottie Thompson to injury.

Mr. Thompson sat it out after sustaining a contusion on his left leg in their 90-87 victory over Blackwater last Nov. 26 and will need two to three weeks of recovery time.

“His diagnosis is two to three weeks but you know Scottie, he’s a quick healer,” said an optimistic Mr. Cone.

“He wants to come back quicker. He said that about his hand when he broke it during Gilas camp (during the World Cup buildup). All the doctors and everybody doubted him and of course, he got back (for the World Cup campaign). So we’re not going to doubt him at this point, either.” — Olmin Leyba

Cignal eyes semis berth against lowly Gerflor

December 4, 2023 | 7:31 pm

Cignal HD Spikers — CIGNAL HD SPIKERS — FACEBOOK.COM/CIGNALHDSPIKEROFFICIAL

Games Tuesday
(PhilSports Arena)
2 p.m. — Gerflor vs Cignal
4 p.m. — Galeries Tower vs Creamline
6 p.m. — PLDT vs Petro Gazz

CIGNAL guns for the last Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference semifinal berth as it tackles lowly Gerflor in today’s final elimination round play date at the PhilSports Arena.

All the Cignal HD Spikers, who are currently at fourth with a 7-3 record, needed to do is to beat the Defenders, winless in 10 outings, in their 2 p.m. duel for the former to claim the last semis spot and join Creamline (10-0), Choco Mucho (10-1) and Chery Tiggo (8-3) there.

But there are teams who are desperately hoping and praying for a shock Cignal defeat to Gerflor — sister team PLDT and this year’s first All-Filipino Conference runner-up Petro Gazz.

Tied at fifth with 6-4 marks, both the High Speed Hitters and the Angels are clinging to hope, albeit dim, that Cignal falls and the former two won their last outing.

Interestingly, PLDT and Petro Gazz were fated to face each other at 6 p.m. — a game that would lose bearing though should Cignal win.

And a Cignal win is as inevitable as the sun shining today.

Meanwhile, Creamline guns for an 11-game sweep as it battles Galeries Tower (1-9) at 4 p.m.

The best-of-three semis is unfolding Thursday at PhilSports while the finals — also a best-of-three — will be unveiled Dec. 14 at the Mall of Asia Arena and Smart Araneta Coliseum. — Joey Villar

Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards outlast Davao Occidental Tigers in overtime, 102-91, to lead PSL President’s Cup

December 4, 2023 | 7:30 pm

THE NEW-LOOK Nueva Ecija squad is off to a flying start in its redemption tour.

For the first time in front of its home fans, Nueva Ecija unveiled its revamped unit and looked like the champion that it was on in pulling off a scintillating comeback win to stay perfect in the Pilipinas Super League (PSL) President’s Cup.

The Capitals, also known as the Rice Vanguards in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) where they were the former titlists, drew inspiration from the Novo Ecijanos in scoring a 102-91 overtime win against the visiting Davao Occidental Tigers at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City.

Nueva Ecija erased an 11-point deficit in the last two minutes of the regulation before imposing its will in the extra time for a 3-0 record in the PSL with its core of young guns from the Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) leading the way.

“Credits to the boys, especially the young ones. We don’t want to lose. The boys showed composure and heart in the end. They played with heart until the final buzzer. Luckily, it’s a miracle victory,” said coach Jerson Cabiltes, also the mentor of EAC in the NCAA, in the big win graced by team owner Bong Cuevas and Palayan City mayor Viandrei Nicole Cuevas. Veteran Will McAloney, with 17 points, joined hands with King Curtiza (10), JP Maguliano (7) and Axel Doromal (5) down the stretch as they clawed back from a 76-87 deficit inside the last two minutes. The quartet was not to be stopped from there on, outscoring Davao in overtime, 15-4, as Nueva Ecija also drew ample support from new players Billy Ray Robles (15) and Robby Celiz (14).

The big home win coincided with the ongoing 58^th foundation anniversary of Palayan City, the province’s capital, until today — signaling a new and hopeful beginning for the Capitals moving forward.

“There’s a lot of people here with a passion for basketball. You can see the love of the sports here in Nueva Ecija and hopefully through PSL, we’ll also get more grassroots talents,” said Mr. Cuevas, who personally witnessed the team’s epic comeback win.

On top of the PSL with a 3-0 slate, Nueva Ecija vows no let-up as it is determined to rediscover its championship ways before trying to exact a fitting vengeance in the MPBL next season.

“We still have to adjust. We’re still not satisfied. We need more team chemistry and we want to go all the way. We want to make the playoffs and make it to the top right here. We joined here to compete and win the championship,” beamed Mr. Cabiltes. — John Bryan Ulanday

Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers dominate Philadelphia Eagles, 42-19, in rematch of NFC Championship Game

December 4, 2023 | 7:29 pm

BROCK Purdy threw for 314 yards and four touchdowns and the San Francisco 49ers overcame a shaky first quarter to pound the host Philadelphia Eagles 42-19 on Sunday in a rematch of last season’s National Football Conference (NFC) Championship Game.

Deebo Samuel caught four passes for 116 yards and accounted for three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) for the 49ers (9-3), who put together consecutive touchdown drives of 85, 90, 75, 77, 75 and 48 yards in a dominating performance.

Christian McCaffrey accounted for 133 scrimmage yards (93 rushing, 40 receiving) and rushed for a touchdown as San Francisco won its fourth straight game. Mr. McCaffrey topped 1,000 rushing yards for the fourth time. He has 1,032 this season.

Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings also caught touchdown passes for the 49ers. Mr. Purdy completed 19 of 27 passes as San Francisco outgained Philadelphia 456-333.

Jalen Hurts completed 26 of 45 passes for 298 yards and one touchdown and also rushed for a score for the Eagles (10-2). DeVonta Smith (nine receptions, 96 yards) caught a touchdown pass and A.J. Brown had eight catches for 114 yards for Philadelphia, which had its five-game winning streak halted. Mr. Hurts briefly left to be examined for a concussion after taking a hit late in third quarter and was replaced by Marcus Mariota. Hurts returned to the contest with 8:38 left in the game.

San Francisco lost 31-7 to the Eagles in last season’s NFC title game. Purdy sustained a major injury to his throwing elbow in the contest as the 49ers’ offense was non-existent.

This time around, San Francisco’s offense was clicking over the final three quarters, and Samuel’s 12-yard score on a reverse gave the 49ers a 21-6 lead with 11:41 left in the third quarter.

The Eagles moved back within eight on Mr. Hurts’ 1-yard keeper with 6:51 to go before Samuel caught a short pass from Purdy and turned it into a 48-yard touchdown to make it 28-13 with 3:54 left in the third. The lead grew to 22 when Mr. Purdy tossed an 18-yard scoring pass to Mr. Jennings with 10:43 remaining in the game.

Mr. Hurts threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Mr. Smith with 5:33 left, but the Eagles trailed 35-19 after an incomplete two-point conversion pass. Two offensive plays later, Mr. Samuel caught a receiver screen and navigated his way into the clear for a 46-yard touchdown to make it 42-19 with 5:19 to play.

The 49ers led 14-6 at halftime after dominating the second quarter.

In the first quarter, Philadelphia outgained San Francisco 124 to minus-6. But the Eagles had two 12-play drives stall and settled for field goals of 26 and 39 yards from Jake Elliott.

In the second quarter, the 49ers outgained Philadelphia 173-21 with Mr. Purdy hitting Mr. Aiyuk for a 2-yard score with 7:10 left and Mr. McCaffrey scoring from the Eagles 2 with 38 seconds to go. — Reuters

Manchester City held again in six-goal Spurs thriller

December 4, 2023 | 7:27 pm

LONDON — A Sunday goal glut ended with champions Manchester City drawing a third successive Premier League game as they were held 3-3 at home by injury-hit Tottenham Hotspur to slip to third place in the table, three points behind leaders Arsenal.

The five games produced 24 goals, the last of which was headed home by Spurs winger Dejan Kulusevski in the 90^th-minute at the Etihad Stadium to deny Pep Guardiola’s side victory.

Liverpool moved a point above City into second spot as they scored twice late on to turn around a 3-2 deficit at home to Fulham and win 4-3 with Trent Alexander-Arnold sealing victory.

Ten-man Chelsea beat Brighton & Hove Albion 3-2 at Stamford Bridge while fourth-placed Aston Villa needed a late Ollie Watkins goal to scrape a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth. West Ham United drew 1-1 at home to Crystal Palace.

City have now gone three games without a win in the league for the first time in six years as once again their nemesis Tottenham caused Mr. Guardiola’s side a headache. Despite winning three successive titles, City have now beaten Spurs only once in their last five meetings.

Substitute Jack Grealish’s 81^st-minute goal looked to have secured City victory but Kulusevski headed in Brennan Johnson’s cross to reward Ange Postecoglou’s side’s risk-taking approach and move them back up to fifth, six points off the pace.

Tottenham’s Son Heung-min had opened the scoring in the sixth minute on the counter-attack but then levelled for City as a cross bounced off him into the net three minutes later. Phil Foden gave City the lead and they twice hit the woodwork in a dominant first half but Giovani Lo Celso equalized after the break with a sublime low shot.

In a frantic conclusion Mr. Guardiola’s side were furious deep in stoppage time when Grealish was through on goal but play was stopped for a foul on Erling Haaland during the build-up. Arsenal, who beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 on Saturday, lead the table with 33 points from 14 games, with Liverpool on 31 and Manchester City on 30.

LATE GOALS
Liverpool scored two late goals a minute apart just when defeat loomed against Fulham at Anfield.

The hosts’ Wataru Endo scored his first Premier League goal in the 87^th minute before Alexander-Arnold struck the winner.

Alexander-Arnold’s 20^th-minute free kick had ricocheted off the bar and in off Fulham keeper Bernd Leno to give Liverpool the lead but Harry Wilson equalized four minutes later.

Alexis Mac Allister restored Liverpool’s advantage after 38 minutes with a stunning long-range strike but Kenny Tete equalized for Fulham in first-half stoppage time. Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s header sent the visiting fans wild in the 80^th but the Londoners left empty-handed as Liverpool remain unbeaten at home in the league since October 2022.

Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez scored twice, his first Premier League goals, as they held off Brighton in an absorbing Stamford Bridge duel while Levi Colwill also got his first league goal.

Fernandez headed home in the 17^th minute and Colwill, on loan at Brighton last season, made it two four minutes later.

Facundo Buonanotte pulled a goal back and Conor Gallagher was sent off on the stroke of halftime for a second yellow card. — Reuters

Israeli ground forces operating across Gaza as offensive builds

December 4, 2023 | 7:03 pm

Tank-Israeli soldiers — Israeli soldiers work on a tank near the border with Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, as seen from southern Israel, Dec. 3, 2023. — REUTERS

GAZA/CAIRO — Israeli ground forces were confronting Hamas fighters across the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said on Sunday in its clearest indication yet that a planned ground offensive in the enclave’s refugee-crowded south had begun as Israeli bombing killed and wounded dozens of Palestinians.

The Hamas Palestinian militant group said its fighters clashed with Israeli troops about 2 km (1 mile) from the southern city of Khan Younis.

Residents, many of whom had moved there to flee earlier attacks in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, said they could hear tank fire and feared a new Israeli ground offensive was building.

The Israeli military earlier ordered people to evacuate some areas in and near the city, but made no announcement of any new southern ground assault.

“The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) continues to extend its ground operation against Hamas centers in all of the Gaza Strip,” spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters in Tel Aviv. “The forces are coming face-to-face with terrorists and killing them.”

Early on Monday, Hamas media quoted emergency services as saying an Israeli strike killed three civil emergency workers in Gaza City in the north of the coastal enclave.

SHIPPING ATTACKS
Attacks on shipping in the southern Red Sea on Sunday heightened fears of the conflict spreading.

The US Defense Department said three commercial ships were attacked by Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi movement in international Red Sea waters, and a US destroyer operating in the area shot down three drones as it responded to distress calls.

A Houthi spokesperson said its navy had attacked two Israeli ships in the Red Sea with an armed drone and a missile on Sunday, though an Israeli military spokesman said the two ships had no connection to Israel.

REFUGEE CAMP STRIKE
The Jabalia refugee camp in the north of Hamas-ruled Gaza was among the sites reported hit from the air. A Gazan health ministry spokesperson said several people were killed by an Israeli air strike.

Footage obtained by Reuters showed a boy covered in grey dust, sitting weeping amid crumbled cement and rubble from collapsed buildings.

“My father was martyred,” he cried in a hoarse voice. A girl in a pink sweatshirt, also coated with dust, stood between piles of rubble.

Bombardments from war planes and artillery were also concentrated on Khan Younis and Rafah, another city in Gaza’s south, residents said, and hospitals were struggling to cope with the flow of wounded.

Israel’s government spokesperson, Eylon Levy, said the military had struck more than 400 targets over the weekend “including extensive aerial attacks in the Khan Younis area” and had also killed Hamas militants and destroyed their infrastructure in Beit Lahiya in the north.

There was no immediate comment on the reports of specific attacks.

The renewed warfare followed the end on Friday of a seven-day pause in the fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas militants which had allowed an exchange of 105 hostages held by Hamas, most of them Israelis, for 240 Palestinian prisoners.

The latest violence took place despite calls from the United States — Israel’s closest ally — for Israel to limit harm to Palestinian civilians in the new phase of its offensive, focused on the south.

US Vice President Kamala Harris made phone calls to both Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday, reiterating Israel’s right to self-defense and US support for a two-state solution that gives Palestinian people the right to self-determination.

Ms. Harris “reiterated our concerns with steps that could escalate tensions, including extremist (Israeli) settler violence,” her office said.

More than 15,523 people have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry, in nearly two months of warfare that broke out after a Hamas cross-border raid on southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and around 240 taken hostage. Israel says Hamas continues to hold 136 hostages.

Israel has vowed to annihilate Hamas. The Iranian-backed group is sworn to Israel’s destruction. The initial Hamas attack and the ensuing war amount to the bloodiest episode in the decades-old wider Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Osama Hamdan, a Lebanon-based Hamas official, accused Israel of pursuing a deliberate strategy of urging Gazan civilians south in order to trap and kill them there.

“It has become clear that the occupation’s claim … of the existence of safe areas in the south of the Gaza Strip, and its constant call for citizens to go there, was a premeditated plan and trap to commit more massacres against unarmed civilians and displaced people in the south,” he told reporters without citing evidence. “There are no safe areas.” — Reuters

China’s military: US Navy ship illegally entered territorial waters

December 4, 2023 | 7:02 pm

BEIJING — China’s military on Monday said a US Navy ship illegally entered waters adjacent to the Second Thomas Shoal, a disputed South China Sea atoll that has recently seen several maritime confrontations.

“The US seriously undermined regional peace and stability,” a spokesperson for China’s Southern Theater of Operations said in a statement, adding that the US disrupted the South China Sea and violated China’s sovereignty.

China is in disputes with several of its neighbors over its extensive claims of territorial waters in the South China Sea.

The US Navy said the USS Gabrielle Giffords, an Independence-class littoral combat ship, was conducting routine operations in international waters in the South China Sea, consistent with international law.

“Every day the US 7^th Fleet operates in the South China Sea, as they have for decades,” the US Navy said in a statement. “These operations demonstrate we are committed to upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”

In recent months, China has had several runs-ins with Philippine vessels, and protested about U.S. ships patrolling disputed areas.

According to the Chinese military, the US ship moved into waters adjacent to what China calls the Renai Reef, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, a part of the Spratly Islands. The Second Thomas Shoal lies in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, according to an United Nations tribunal ruling in 2016.

The Chinese military spokesperson said the US ship was monitored and followed, and that China’s “troops in the theater are on high alert at all times to resolutely defend national sovereignty.”

“We will not be deterred from continuing to work alongside our allies and partners in support of our shared vision for a free and open Indo-pacific,” the US Navy responded. — Reuters

Al Gore slams COP28 climate summit host UAE, says its emissions soared

December 4, 2023 | 7:01 pm

United Nations Climate Change Conference-COP28 — A man walks next to flags duri ng the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 3, 2023. — REUTERS

DUBAI — Climate advocate and former US Vice President Al Gore on Sunday slammed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — host of the COP28 climate summit — saying its position as overseer of international negotiations on global warming this year was an abuse of public trust.

The comments, made to Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the conference in Dubai, reflected skepticism among some delegates that COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber, head of the UAE’s national oil company ADNOC, can be an honest broker of a climate deal.

“They are abusing the public’s trust by naming the CEO of one of the largest and least responsible oil companies in the world as head of the COP,” Mr. Gore said.

At a presentation at the COP’s main plenary hall before the interview, Gore unveiled data showing that the UAE’s greenhouse gas emissions rose by 7.5% in 2022 from the previous year, compared to a 1.5% percent rise in the entire world. That data came from a coalition he co-founded called Climate TRACE, which uses artificial intelligence and satellite data to track carbon emissions of specific companies, Mr. Gore said.

The UAE did not immediately provide comment on Mr. Gore’s remarks or the TRACE data. Mr. Gore, who ran unsuccessfully for the US presidency in 2000 as the Democratic Party’s nominee, also railed against the presence of oil and gas companies at the annual climate summit and their promotion of technologies like carbon capture as a way to cleanse the emissions of fossil fuels.

Asked about the first-ever appearance of Exxon Mobil chief executive officer (CEO) Darren Woods at a COP conference, Mr. Gore said the oil giant’s engagement does not brush away its history of resistance to climate policies.

“He should not be taken seriously. He’s protecting his profits and placing them in a higher priority than the survival of the human civilization,” Mr. Gore said.

Exxon Mobil declined to comment.

Mr. Gore urged delegates to agree to language in the final text issued at the summit to phase out fossil fuels, without caveats or mentions of carbon capture technology.

“The current state of the technology for carbon capture and direct air capture is a research project,” Mr. Gore said. “There’s been no cost reduction for 50 years and there is a pretense on the part of the fossil fuel companies that it is a readily available, economically viable technology.” — Reuters