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Dozens missing after strike on Ukraine mall; Russia strikes east

ALICE KOTLYARENKO-UNSPLASH

KREMENCHUK, Ukraine — Dozens of people were still missing on Wednesday after a Russian missile strike on a shopping mall in central Ukraine two days ago that killed at least 18, while a regional governor said the situation was “very difficult” in Lysychansk in the east.

Ukraine said Russia had killed civilians deliberately when it pounded the mall in Kremenchuk. Moscow said the mall was empty and it had struck a nearby arms depot.

“Russian missile hit this location precisely. De-li-be-ra-te-ly… It is clear that Russian killers received those exact coordinates,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an evening video address. “They wanted to kill as many people.”

Authorities said about 36 people were still missing.

Further east in Lysychansk in the Luhansk region, a key battleground in Russia’s assault on the industrial heartland of Donbas, the governor reported increased military action.

The situation in Lysychansk resembles that in its twin city Sievierodonetsk more than a month ago when the Russians started taking building after building, Luhansk Governor Serhiy Gaidai said on Wednesday. Sievierodonetsk fell to Russia on Saturday.

“The situation in Lysychansk is very difficult,” Mr. Gaidai said earlier on television.

“The Russians are using every weapon available to them… and without distinguishing whether targets are military or not — schools, kindergartens, cultural institutions,” he said.

“Everything is being destroyed. This is a scorched-earth policy.”

Russian forces are trying to surround Lysychansk, Ukraine’s armed forces general staff said on Wednesday.

The mayor of the southern city of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Senkevych, said a multi-storey residential building had been hit this morning and rescuers were working there.

Russia has denied targeting civilian areas during its four-month offensive against Ukraine. The UN says at least 4,700 civilians have been killed since Russia invaded on Feb. 24.

In the Dnipropetrovsk region, towards Ukraine’s east, Governor Valentyn Reznychenko said the bodies of a man and a woman had been found buried under the rubble of a transportation company office that was hit by a Russian missile on Tuesday.

He earlier said Russia had fired six missiles on Tuesday in the region, three of which were shot down.

Reuters could not verify the account. The Russian Defence Ministry did not reply to an e-mailed request for comment.

Separately, Russia-installed officials said their security forces had detained Kherson city mayor Ihor Kolykhayev on Tuesday after he refused to follow Moscow’s orders. A local official said the mayor was abducted.

Kherson, a port city on the Black Sea, sits just northwest of the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula.

In the past few days, Ukrainians have also described attacks in the southern region of Odesa and Kharkiv in the northeast.

The Russian invasion, the biggest assault on a European state since World War II, has driven up prices of food and energy worldwide and fueled global security worries.

Finland and Sweden on Tuesday moved a step closer to joining the Western NATO military alliance, whose members have provided Ukraine with weapons, after Turkey dropped its opposition to their membership.

The development solidifies the alliance’s response to Russia — particularly in the Baltic Sea, where Finnish and Swedish membership would give NATO military superiority.

‘COLOSSAL MISTAKE’

The Kremenchuk attack drew a wave of global condemnation.

“We have run out of words to describe the senselessness, futility and cruelty of this war,” UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council.

While Kyiv said there was no military target in the area, Russia’s defense ministry said its missiles had struck a nearby arms depot storing Western weapons, which exploded, causing the blaze that spread to the nearby Kremenchuk mall.

Moscow’s assertion the mall was empty was contradicted by wounded survivors such as Ludmyla Mykhailets, 43, who said she had been shopping there with her husband when the blast threw her into the air “head first.”

Mr. Zelensky accused Russia of being a “terrorist state” at the United Nations, urging the Security Council to expel Moscow from the United Nations. Russia accused Mr. Zelensky of using the address as a “PR campaign” for weapons.

Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russia, but so far have failed to curtail Moscow’s main source of income: oil and gas export revenue, which has actually risen with the threat of supply disruption driving up global prices.

The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations have announced a new approach — leaving Russian oil on the market while imposing a cap on its price.

The United States also imposed sanctions on more than 100 new targets and banned new imports of Russian gold, acting on commitments made by the G7.

In a rare public questioning of Russia’s rationale for the war by one of its richest men, aluminium tycoon Oleg Deripaska told reporters in Moscow: “I think that destroying Ukraine would be a colossal mistake, including for us.” — Reuters

Abortions can resume in Texas after judge blocks pre-Roe v. Wade ban

GAYATRI MALHOTRA-UNSPLASH

Abortions can resume in Texas after a judge on Tuesday blocked officials from enforcing a nearly century-old ban the state’s Republican attorney general said was back in effect after the US Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to the procedure nationwide.

The temporary restraining order by Judge Christine Weems in Harris County came in a last-ditch bid by abortion providers to resume services after the US Supreme Court on Friday overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that guaranteed the right of women to obtain abortions.

The order allows clinics to resume services, for now, in a state where abortion was already severely restricted to only up to six weeks of pregnancy under a Texas law that took effect in September that the US Supreme Court declined to block.

“Every hour that abortion is accessible in Texas is a victory,” Marc Hearron, a lawyer for the abortion providers at Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Twitter said he was immediately appealing the judge’s “wrong” decision, saying the pre-Roe laws “are 100% in effect & constitutional.” A further hearing is scheduled for July 12.

There has been a flurry of litigation in state courts by abortion rights groups seeking to slow or halt restrictions on the ability of women to terminate pregnancies that are now taking effect or are poised to do so in 22 states.

Those states include 13 that like Texas enacted so-called “trigger” laws designed to take effect if Roe v. Wade was overturned, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights advocacy research group.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision, federal courts have been lifting orders blocking Republican-backed abortion restrictions. On Tuesday, a federal appeals court cleared the way for a six-week ban in Tennessee to take effect.

Mr. Paxton, in an advisory issued after the US Supreme Court ruled, said the state’s 2021 trigger ban, which bars abortions almost entirely, would not take immediate effect. Providers say that could take two months or more.

But Mr. Paxton said prosecutors could choose to immediately pursue criminal charges against abortion providers based on a different, old statute that had gone unenforced while Roe v. Wade was on the books but that remained Texas law.

Texas abortion providers in a lawsuit filed on Monday argued the 1925 ban had been repealed and conflicted with the more recent trigger ban the Republican-dominated Legislature passed.

The lawsuit was filed on the same day that judges in Louisiana and Utah blocked officials from enforcing their states’ “trigger” bans, and abortion providers in Idaho, Kentucky and Mississippi sued to obtain similar relief.

In Wisconsin, the Democratic attorney general sued Republican leaders of the state Legislature to block that state’s strict 1849 anti-abortion law, saying it has been superseded by other Wisconsin laws that were passed after Roe.

“We promised we’d fight this decision and these attacks on reproductive freedom in every way we can with every power we have,” Democratic Governor Tony Evers said on Twitter in support of the lawsuit.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court in a 8-1 decision on Monday rejected a request by providers to block implementation of a near-total ban on abortions that took effect in May, before the US Supreme Court’s ruling but after a draft version leaked.

In Iowa, where the state’s top court ruled the Iowa constitution does not include a “fundamental right” to abortion, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds on Tuesday said she will ask a court to reinstate a previously struck down “fetal heartbeat” law banning abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy. — Reuters

Ghislaine Maxwell sentenced to 20 years for ‘horrific’ sex trafficking

MIKA BAUMEISTER-UNSPLASH

NEW YORK — Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Tuesday for helping the sex offender and globetrotting financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls, in what a judge called a “horrific scheme” that inflicted “incalculable” harm on victims.

The British socialite, 60, was convicted in December of five charges, including sex trafficking a minor, for recruiting and grooming four girls to have sexual encounters with Epstein, then her boyfriend, between 1994 and 2004.

Speaking at her sentencing hearing in Manhattan federal court before learning the sentence, Ms. Maxwell called Mr. Epstein a “manipulative, cunning and controlling man” who fooled everyone in his orbit. She said she was “sorry” for the pain that his victims experienced.

“It is the greatest regret of my life that I ever met Jeffrey Epstein,” Ms. Maxwell said.

Ms. Maxwell’s month-long trial in late 2021 was widely seen as the reckoning that Mr. Epstein, who killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 at age 66 while awaiting his own sex trafficking trial, never had.

It was one of the highest-profile cases in the wake of the #MeToo movement, which encouraged women to speak out about sexual abuse, often at the hands of wealthy and powerful people.

In imposing the sentence, US Circuit Judge Alison Nathan said Ms. Maxwell did not appear to express remorse or accept responsibility. “Maxwell directly and repeatedly and over the course of many years participated in a horrific scheme to entice, transport and traffic underage girls, some as young as 14, for sexual abuse by and with Jeffrey Epstein,” Ms. Nathan said. “The damage done to these young girls was incalculable.”

Bobbi Sternheim, a lawyer for Ms. Maxwell, said Ms. Maxwell would appeal, arguing the public scrutiny of the case before the trial “left little room for her to be treated fairly.”

“We all know that the person who should have been sentenced today escaped accountability, avoided his victims, avoided absorbing their pain and receiving the punishment he truly deserved,” Ms. Sternheim told reporters.

Ms. Maxwell’s lawyers had proposed for her to serve no more than 5-1/4 years, arguing she was being scapegoated for Epstein’s crimes. Prosecutors last week suggested for her to serve between 30 and 55 years in prison, but on Tuesday said the 20-year sentence would hold Ms. Maxwell accountable for “heinous crimes against children.”

“This sentence sends a strong message that no one is above the law and it is never too late for justice,” Damian Williams, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, said in a statement.

Ms. Nathan said Ms. Maxwell’s statements showed a “pattern of deflection of blame.”

“Although Epstein was of course central to this criminal scheme, Ms. Maxwell is not being punished in place of Epstein or as a proxy for Epstein,” Ms. Nathan said. “Ms. Maxwell was instrumental in the abuse of several underage girls.”

In often emotional and explicit testimony during the trial, Annie Farmer, a woman known as “Kate,” and two other women testified that Ms. Maxwell, who was found guilty on five counts, was a central figure in their abuse by Epstein.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Ms. Farmer, now a psychologist, said her experience being exploited by Maxwell “resulted in significant shame” that sometimes left her feeling like she wanted to “disappear.”

Kate said she was proud to help hold Ms. Maxwell accountable.

“Today, I can look at Ghislaine and tell her that I became what I am today in spite of her and her efforts to make me feel powerless and insignificant, and I will cast that empowerment on my daughter,” Kate said. — Reuters

Turkey lifts veto on Finland, Sweden joining NATO, clearing path for expansion

MAREK STUDZINSKI-UNSPLASH

MADRID/HELSINKI — NATO ally Turkey lifted its veto over Finland and Sweden’s bid to join the Western alliance on Tuesday after the three nations agreed to protect each other’s security, ending a weeks-long drama that tested allied unity against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The breakthrough came after four hours of talks just before a NATO summit began in Madrid, averting an embarrassing impasse at the gathering of 30 leaders that aims to show resolve against Russia, now seen by the US-led alliance as a direct security threat rather than a possible adversary.

It means Helsinki and Stockholm can proceed with their application to join the nuclear-armed alliance, cementing what is set to be the biggest shift in European security in decades, as the two, long-neutral Nordic countries seek NATO protection.

“Our foreign ministers signed a trilateral memorandum which confirms that Turkey will… support the invitation of Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO,” Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said in a statement.

The steps for Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO will be agreed on in the next two days, he added.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Turkey’s presidency confirmed the accord in separate statements, after talks between the NATO chief, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Mr. Niinisto.

“Key memorandum just reached between Sweden, Finland and Türkyie. Paves way for Swedish accession to NATO,” Ms. Andersson said in a Twitter post.

RESPONSE TO RUSSIA

The resolution of the deadlock solidifies the alliance’s response to Russia — particularly in the Baltic Sea, where Finnish and Swedish membership would give NATO military superiority.

In the wider Nordic region, Norway, Denmark and the three Baltic states are already NATO members. Russia’s war in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a “special military operation,” helped overturn decades of Swedish opposition to joining NATO.

US President Joseph R. Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomed the deal.

Mr. Biden, in a Twitter post, called it a “crucial step towards a NATO invite to Finland and Sweden, which will strengthen our Alliance and bolster our collective security.”

Mr. Johnson called it “fantastic news” to start the summit.

Mr. Stoltenberg said NATO’s 30 leaders would now invite Finland, which shares a 1,300 km (810-mile) border with Russia, and Sweden to join NATO and that they would become official “invitees”. He told reporters: “The door is open — the joining of Finland and Sweden into NATO will take place.”

However, even with a formal invitation granted, NATO’s 30 allied parliaments must ratify the decision by leaders, a process that could take up to a year.

TERMS OF THE DEAL

Turkey’s main demands, which came as a surprise to NATO allies in late May, were for the Nordic countries to stop supporting Kurdish militant groups present on their territory, and to lift their bans on some sales of arms to Turkey.

Mr. Stoltenberg said the terms of the deal involved Sweden intensifying work on Turkish extradition requests of suspected militants and amending Swedish and Finnish law to toughen their approach to them.

Mr. Stoltenberg said Sweden and Finland would lift their restrictions on selling weapons to Turkey.

Turkey has raised serious concerns that Sweden has been harboring what it says are militants from the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984. Stockholm denies the accusation.

The Turkish presidency statement said the agreement reached on Tuesday meant, “Full cooperation with Turkey in the fight against the PKK and its affiliates.”

It also said Sweden and Finland were “demonstrating solidarity with Turkey in the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”

Mr. Biden, in public comments with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and King Felipe of Spain, stressed the alliance’s unity, saying NATO was “as galvanized as I believe it’s ever been.”

A senior administration official said Washington had pursued a low key approach and insisted that Turkey had not linked its longstanding request for F-16 fighter jets to secure the deal.

Mr. Biden will meet Mr. Erdogan during the summit. Mr. Erdogan said before leaving for Madrid that he would push Mr. Biden on an F-16 fighter jet purchase.

He said he would discuss with Mr. Biden the issue of Ankara’s procurement of S-400 air defence systems from Russia — which led to US sanctions — as well as modernization kits from Washington and other issues. — Reuters

Canva Philippines launches retro templates for Pride month 

To celebrate diversity and inclusion, graphic design and visual communications company Canva released a collection of colorful Pride templates that can be used in social media posts, covers, and stories across platforms. 

Following a Filipino retro style, the collection allows Filipinos to “design with pride” this Pride month. 

Canva senior brand designer and university lecturer Joan Eunice “Yuni” Y. Lao shared that in addition to bringing ideas to life through design applications, she advocates for human rights and equality for different gender expressions and identities. 

“I try to impart to my students that the space I make for them is something they can have even outside the classroom,” said Ms. Lao, who is herself bisexual. 

She said that talking about her sexuality and encouraging students to propose topics they care about helps her class in Ateneo de Manila University feel more comfortable. 

Canva Philippines, which has a workforce over 700 strong, requires “listening, understanding, and constantly evolving a company’s processes to ensure that every employee feels included.”

“Gender rights, specifically LGBTQIA+, rights, is something I feel extremely passionate about. Growing up as a closeted gay kid, I’ve experienced being teased and bullied about my self-expression,” said Geryl V. Minguillo, a designer in Canva University, the company’s learning and development unit, 

Through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) sessions, he educates fellow Canva employees on respectful and nondiscriminatory language, including the use of preferred pronouns. 

This doesn’t just benefit LGBTQ+ themselves, but everyone’s ability to do their best work, added Yani Hornilla-Donato, Canva Philippines’ country manager.  

“Whether they’re advocating for an organization or want to educate others about gender equality, we aim to provide them with an environment where they feel welcomed and appreciated,” she said. 

Canva has also invested in Textio, a tool that assesses the use of inclusive languages for job ads.  

The graphic design company is one of many in the tech space that aims to lead in setting inclusive policies. — Brontë H. Lacsamana

A collective response to Russia’s war on global food security

TUAN ANH TRAN-UNSPLASH

The global food crisis is hitting the Philippines, and it is hitting hard. Supply chains are being affected and retail prices are skyrocketing whether you buy rice, vegetable oil, or fertilizers. The decision of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to assume the post of Agriculture Secretary is an extremely strong and welcome signal. Even before 2022, 64% of the population had already been chronically food insecure, according to the World Food Program.

The worsening situation is the direct consequence of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and it is a deliberate strategy. Food security has been and is clearly being weaponized in order to obtain a leverage for the lifting of sanctions that were taken against Russia since the war started on February 24th. The lives of hundreds of millions of people are thus put into jeopardy as just another merely expendable kind of cannon fodder.

This is not the first time that food shortages are being created among civilian populations in order to obtain a strategic advantage. Three years ago in Syria, Russia helped in the burning of tens of thousands of acres of crops in areas held by its designated enemies, indiscriminately affecting men, women, and children. But this time, the world as a whole is the target, with the most vulnerable populations at risk, including Filipinos. Over 20 million tons of grains and oil seeds are currently being prevented from accessing the global markets due to the blockade of Ukrainian ports, causing a 90% reduction in Ukrainian export capacities. This volume could rise to 75 million tons by next October, according to the assessment made by President Zelensky. This is why two weeks ago, during a trip to Kyiv, President Macron reiterated his call on Russia to lift the blockade of Ukrainian ports. This simple decision could immediately ease tensions in world markets.

Let’s get a fact straight: food export restrictions in Ukraine are the sole consequence of the Russian blockade of Ukrainian export capacities. This was clearly stated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on April 8: the Philippines, as a member of the Council of the FAO, voted along with France and other like-minded countries to condemn Russia. Contrary to the narrative that Russia is trying to promote, the ongoing food crisis is not related to the sanctions as they do not target food and agricultural products. They do not have an impact on global food security. Vessels flying a Russian flag are allowed by the European Union to export seeds, grains, or fertilizers. We must not buy into the pandemic of fake news.

In the face of these serious shortages, France has taken action with its European partners to provide support to the most vulnerable countries and populations. On March 24, under its Presidency of the Council of the EU, France introduced the FARM initiative — Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission — a global coalition which includes private stakeholders and institutional partners such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the G7, and the European Commission, to name a few. It is based on three pillars:

First, a trade pillar to ease tensions in the agricultural markets. It comprises an emergency plan to release stocks in the event of a crisis, to avoid shortages and contain price rises, or the transparent monitoring of obstacles to trade and agricultural products. Relevant commitments were endorsed at the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference on June 16.

Second, a solidarity pillar which anticipates the possible sustained decrease in exports from Ukraine, including a mechanism providing food supplies under market prices for the most fragile countries, ensuring a steady flow of emergency food aid.

And lastly, a pillar fostering production in the most-affected countries through increased investments in sustainable and resilient food production systems, reinforced integration to local and regional markets, and combatting food loss and waste.

Meanwhile, France and its European partners are actively seeking solutions to export the 20 million tons of grain currently blocked in Ukraine. Alternative land exporting routes are being discussed with stakeholders in the logistics and production sectors, particularly via Romania and the river Danube. Support is already building up to respond to the immediate needs of Ukrainian farmers, in order to mitigate the expected 28% output decrease during the next wheat harvest. France donated $2 million to an FAO project aimed at supporting the Ukrainian agricultural sector.

Last Sunday, we commemorated the 75th anniversary of the bilateral relationship between France and the Philippines, a moment of joyful celebration and shared desire to pursue new endeavors together. As a nation of the Indo-Pacific, France will continue supporting the Philippines in its efforts to strengthen its resilience in the area of food security, a top national priority.

 

Michèle Boccoz is the ambassador of France to the Philippines and to Micronesia.

FDA and vaping

RAINIER RIDAO-UNSPLASH

A global public health issue recently made its way to a US court. Vaping, which has gained popularity in recent years as an alternative to tobacco and cigarette smoking, is now under legal review after one major manufacturer was banned last week by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from selling its e-cigarettes in the United States.

The issue appears procedural, however, and may not necessarily go into the pros and cons of vaping and its link to public health. Moreover, the US FDA last year approved the sale of e-cigarettes in the US, particularly those made by British American Tobacco and NJOY. But, in a surprising move, it also opted to ban Juul Labs’ products last week.

Surprising for the fact that Juul Labs is the industry’s 800-pound gorilla. CNBC reports that “Juul had been the market leader in e-cigarettes since 2018, according to Euromonitor International. As of 2020, the company held 54.7% share of the $9.38 billion US e-vapor market.” In the same report, CNBC quoted Juul as saying that “no other rival had their application denied for similar reasons.”

Juul Labs, a global producer of vaping products, thus asked a Washington DC appeals court to keep its temporary restraining order on the US FDA ban. It claimed the FDA ban was premature since the agency has yet to fully evaluate all of the company’s regulatory submissions for the approval of its e-cigarettes to be sold in the US. For now, Juul can continue to sell its products in the US. That is, unless the appeals court reverses itself on its stay order on the FDA ban.

The US FDA had claimed Juul failed to submit enough evidence on the “toxicological profile” of its e-cigarettes. Thus, the products’ ban. But Juul alleged that FDA “overlooked more than 6,000 pages of data that it provided about the aerosols generated by heating the liquid in its pods and that users ultimately inhale,” CNBC reported.

The crux of the matter is the “potential risks of using” Juul Labs products, and “whether potentially harmful chemicals could leak from Juul pods” or e-cigarettes while in use. The legal issue is whether FDA actually gave Juul a fair chance to prove the safety of its products by thoroughly reviewing its regulatory submissions.

In seeking remedy from the US District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Juul claimed that “had FDA done a more thorough review (like it did for other applicants), it would have seen data showing that those [potential harmful] chemicals are not observable in the aerosol that JUUL users inhale,” CNBC reported. Juul also claimed that “taking its products off store shelves, even temporarily, would permanently damage its brand and that its customers would either use competitors’ products or return to traditional cigarettes.”

While the issue is not novel, if memory serves me, this is the first time that an e-cigarette company has gone to court to question the ban on its products. And considering that the legal suit involves the US market leader, the court decision on the matter will surely have implications not only on US sales but also on other Juul markets like the Philippines.

Assuming, for the sake of discussion, that the appeals court reverses itself and allows the Juul ban. Then this will practically validate the FDA claim that Juul has failed to prove the safety of its products. In short, allowing their sale will be detrimental to public health. What then will be the consequence and implication of this on Juul sales in the Philippines? Will local regulators follow suit?

At this point, I am already anticipating the vaping issue to also go to court here in the Philippines. The Supreme Court previously decided an 11-year-old case and upheld the authority of the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate cigarettes and tobacco products, noting it has the “technical authority over matters of public health.”

The Philippine Tobacco Institute, Inc., representing tobacco firms, argued that the industry should be regulated by the Inter-Agency Committee on Tobacco (IAC-Tobacco) as provided for by the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003. But the Court ruled that this was “contrary to law and our international obligations,” noting that cigarette firms were part of IAC-Tobacco.

With the legality of FDA regulation of cigarettes now a settled issue, then the focus moves to vaping. Senate Bill No. 2239 and House Bill No. 9007, ratified in December 2021, transferred the regulation of vaping products from the FDA to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). While the bills have been passed, they have not been signed into law.

With the Supreme Court ruling on FDA’s authority over cigarettes, I am certain the vaping will also go to court. Other than taking the FDA out of the picture, the bills also lower the access restriction on vaping products from 21 to 18 years old; allow the sale of youth-appealing flavors other than plain tobacco and menthol; and, allow online sales of e-cigarettes.

As I have written previously, I don’t see any reason for vaping to be given more leeway than cigarettes. After all, given the Juul case in the US, it remains obvious that there are no guarantees that vaping is actually a “healthier” alternative to cigarette smoking. In this line, if the Senate bill on vaping is enacted, it should really be questioned in court.

The incoming administration and incoming legislators should also take note of international trends and developments in the tobacco industry as well as on global tobacco consumption and the sales growth of tobacco alternatives. This way, it can make better informed decisions on how to best regulate the production and sale of cigarettes and their alternatives.

The Philip Morris decision to end Marlboro sales in the UK in 10 years’ time is already indicative of the industry’s shift. Policies and regulations on tobacco and its alternatives like electronic cigarettes should recognize this shift and adjust to the times. To ensure a healthier, smoke-free future, we need to reassess present rules on taxation, advertising or marketing, and healthcare financing for smoking-related or vaping-related illnesses and diseases.

 

MARVIN TORT is a former managing editor of BusinessWorld, and a former chairman of the Philippine Press Council
matort@yahoo.com

The Philippine National Railways in the supply chain equation

CRECENCIO I. CRUZ

A press report stated that Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. would take over the Department of Agriculture (DA) upon his assumption of the Presidency today. The major reason cited for this extraordinary step is the food crisis and the need to unclog the supply chain that starts with food and crops being produced at the farms and ends with consumption. That description of the supply chain would be in its simplest terms. The chain is, however, as strong as its weakest link. Production, an integral part of the supply chain, has its own sub-supply chain if one were to consider the planting materials or seeds that have to be transported to or grown within the farm, the fertilizer and pesticide to be used to maintain and protect the crop, the water to be pumped into the field from irrigation systems, the farm implements and machinery, the credit used for working capital and so on and on until the product is ready for harvest, for processing, and eventually to become part of another supply chain.

Though simplistic, the above sequence clearly reveals a lot of logistical issues and the physical movement of labor, raw materials, and other factors of production. And movement means transportation, often motorized, for efficiency, cost effectiveness, and speed. Transportation, as an integral part of the supply chain, is therefore essential to any economy. Marcos Jr. wants to focus on making the supply chain more efficient as he tries to grapple with the food crisis created by both domestic and global factors and events.

Studies have shown the tremendous impact of an inefficient and pollutive transport system.

Metro Manila contributes about 35% to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP); and Mega Manila — Metro Manila plus Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), and Mimaropa (Mindoro Island, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) — accounts for 55% of GDP. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) states that an inefficient transport system costs these regional economic groupings about P3.5 billion a day due to traffic congestion. The cost of air pollution directly attributable to traffic jams and gridlock is about P7.5 billion a day according to the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities.

While traffic management is a key priority, keeping the roads safe and traffic moving and providing for commuters’ needs without overburdening the transport network, is a different issue from transportation as pointed out by Department of Transportation (DoTr) planners. They emphasize that transportation is the mandate of the DoTr in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) while traffic management is the mandate of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Local Government Units (LGUs) outside of the MMDA jurisdiction.

Both DoTr and DPWH are, however, crucial to influencing the supply chain and food production and distribution. Food security and sufficiency are problems that the Agriculture department cannot solve by its lonesome. Just like all major impactful issues, a coordinated and synchronized multi-disciplinary/inter departmental approach is required. How can farmers produce at optimal cost if the transport costs of inputs are prohibitive because there are no transport systems plying their farm areas due, in turn, to the absence of farm-to-market roads and major highway or rail systems as outlets? How can they be provided with production credit if the rural banking system in one’s area is almost non-existent?

One can go on and belabor the point about the importance of the transportation sector in the daily lives of both urban dwellers and our huge farming and agriculture sector. As various solutions are being proposed, those knowledgeable with the important details of the preparatory planning work point out the fact that the transport sector may have minimized the importance and significance of transportation planning that is inter operative and multi-modal as advocated by Senator Grace Poe, among others, as early as 2016.

The insufficient attention given to planning and project development surfaces in several ways, most notably in the railway system represented basically by the Philippine National Railways (PNR).

Memories are still fresh about the PNR during our Boy Scout days at De La Salle Grade School in 1957. We belonged to Troop 224 and we looked forward to camping trips headed by our Scoutmaster or Troop Leader in Grade 4, Mr. Jacinto. My parents would bring me to Tutuban railroad station at almost midnight to join about 30 other scouts to camp at the then Christian Brothers house in Baguio for two nights. The PNR train would arrive at Damortis, La Union at around six in the morning and we would then proceed to Baguio on board a Bangeute Auto Line (BAL) bus via Naguilian road.

Sixty-five years ago, the PNR could go as far north as La Union. Now, PNR’s only operating line destination from Tutuban is Calamba, Laguna. That’s a mere 100 kilometers which pales in comparison to the distance between Tutuban and Damortis. The PNR simply became moribund in the early 1980s, supposedly the golden years of Martial Law. Reviving it should be one of the priorities of Secretary-designate Jaime Bautista.

Why did a key transportation mode — the railroad train — fall into disuse and even disrepute? It had by then suffered from an image problem: that it was dirty, unreliable, dangerous.

One suspects again that there was a failure to really develop projects, prepare feasibility studies, and a lack of overall project management. It was not uncommon to hear of the lack of project roll out even after a successful bidding. We understand that about P3 trillion has been made available to extend the PNR north up to Clark via Malolos and south up to Calamba and Legazpi, Albay.

What is even more frustrating is that the lands for these routes are all owned by PNR and are therefore not bogged down by Rights of Way (ROW) issues. In short, these are low lying fruit waiting to be picked. And these are but two or three of many projects.

The PNR already has a lot on its portfolio, but between 2022 to 2028, there is a need to level up by including in its portfolio all the needed studies and designs with which railway experts are familiar.

We have heard of plans for a North-South Mindanao Rail Line (Butuan, Agusan del Norte to Davao Seaport and Airport) which is a commuter and cargo rail line. Well and good, let the experts do the plans and execute it.

Any extension of any transport mode is akin to opening up virgin territory without the corresponding massive land development at the outset. Any extension will enhance the all-important supply chain channel between several points. In this case, it will facilitate the travel channel between Northern and Southern Mindanao and also create new tourist destination points in other parts of the country which are tourist-commuter friendly.

The challenge is there to revive the railway system and make the supply chain more efficient and cost-effective. Let’s go back up to Damortis again, and even farther. Jimmy Bautista has his work cut out for him even as he attends to land, air, and sea transport.

 

Philip Ella Juico’s areas of interest include the protection and promotion of democracy, free markets, sustainable development, social responsibility and sports as a tool for social development. He obtained his doctorate in business at De La Salle University. Dr. Juico served as secretary of Agrarian Reform during the Corazon C. Aquino administration.

Raising the bar

Promises of candidates usually compete with one another in a political campaign. After the oath-taking, it’s all about delivering on these. Unfortunately, it’s only the winner that must deliver on the bar he raised.

The key to being rated well on surveys does not entail working longer hours or having pictures on the front pages. It’s all about exceeding expectations. This can entail pushing the starting line forward or moving the finish line closer. The race belongs to the one with a shorter track to run. And the track is set by the expectations raised.

Golfers win games against more skillful competitors by simply having bigger handicaps to put them ahead of the game. It’s like having additional points even before the game starts.

The expectations raised in the campaign (say, the price of rice and gasoline) or the hiring interview for corporate recruits (revenue targets and share of market) need to be lowered to attainable levels. The process starts on Day One. It entails a number of options.

Lower the goals. Anyone rated against budget targets understands that the higher the numbers, the lower the chances of a performance bonus. Instead of striving to be a great CEO, declare you merely want to be a good one. If low hanging fruits are easier to pluck, why not plant a smaller tree?

Emphasize problems but call them “challenges.” Still, having too long a list of obstacles can make the board wonder if you’re the right person for the job when all you see are negatives. Just a few challenges will do. (Throw in regulatory risk which is out of your control.) A situation that presents no hurdles to clear may lead to the conclusion that nothing is broken, so why bring in a fixer? Problems should not be laid at the doorstep of the predecessor. The new leader needs his help too.

Appeal for team support. This request need not be couched as powerlessness — I need a lifeguard at the beach. Give credit for victory to the staff (without mentioning specific names) — it’s a team effort. This puts some burden on a broader base of people and converts many from passive critics to active defenders. Never mind that you appointed most of them.

Avoid hard deadlines. To promise to solve the price of gas in 60 days is a guarantee for failure. Afterwards, the pump price will be there to haunt the chief. It’s better to promise setting up a process like a summit to put an action program in place within 60 days.

Lowering expectations elicits little cheering. Mentioning problems and obstacles tends to disappoint followers. People are looking for miracle workers and visionaries whose rhetoric lifts their spirits. It is these orators that garner applause on day one. Much of the loathing for traditional politicians (trapos) has to do with their penchant to over-promise and under-deliver. They are doomed by speech writers who go for memorable turns of phrase. Quotations from Churchill or Thucydides (One’s sense of honor is the only thing that does not grow old) are sprinkled all over.

In the climb to power, however, whether in politics or the corporation, humility is the first casualty. The Darwinian struggle up the hierarchy dictates that only the fittest, or those who claim to be, get to the top. How can those with modest goals even make it to the screening committee? Anyone who opts for lowering expectations is tagged a loser.

Even newcomers to power make their presence felt, bawling out those who dare to apply regular rules to them, like showing one’s ID at the reception. (Don’t you know who I am?) Rather than assuming a low profile, the take-charge leader raises expectations.

A truly shrewd executive or politician prefers to be underestimated so that his adversaries do not hinder his success.

The top vote getter in the Senate has no problems with lowered expectations. A complete sentence with subject, predicate, and direct object delivered with a straight face is sure to wow the gallery. Not being expected to do a good job provides an advantage. Then, even the most modest of accomplishments can invite a perception of excellence. (I didn’t think he was ready.)

Still, in the real world, overpromising is necessary to get the top job. Can disappointment be far behind?

 

TONY SAMSON is chairman and CEO of TOUCH xda
ar.samson@yahoo.com

Eden Cheese has something for everyone

More and more people are snacking these days. According to a survey on snacking trends, more than half of people surveyed said that they eat more small meals throughout the day as opposed to the traditional three large meals. In fact, majority of people say that snacks play different roles in their lives. Understanding the changing needs of consumers for snacks, Eden Cheese is strengthening its presence in Filipino’s lives with varied snack offerings to fulfill their different needs. For comfort, enjoyment and deliciousness.

From the same survey, majority of people say their definition of a snack has evolved over the last three years to include more or different types of foods and occasions for eating. This survey is called the State of Snacking and is conducted by snacking company Mondelēz International — the maker of Eden Cheese, in conjunction with The Harris Poll, and Next Atlas.

Eden Cheese: #1 Cheese Brand, with its Creamy, Delicious Goodness that makes Snacks Savor-Worthy

For many years, Eden Cheese has been the undisputed leader in cheese in the Philippines. It’s been consumers’ constant companion throughout birthdays, gatherings and Christmas, and evokes warm memories of times shared together. Pinoy’s favorite spaghetti tastes the best with creamy Eden Cheese melted on top. It’s also packed with milk and cheese, and contains calcium, that makes it a great choice for the family.

Eden understands that as consumers’ lives evolve, they crave choices in the food they consume. Consumers look for a variety of choices among snack products they buy; more than in personal care, clothing, or other needs. To address this demand for different snacks, Eden Cheese has strengthened its portfolio of products to make sure consumers get the same creamy, milky and delicious taste, whatever snack they choose. Below are the different ways Eden’s comforting and familiar taste can be enjoyed together with your family and friends:

The Classic: Eden Cheese with Pan de Sal

There is nothing quite like a warm, toasted pan de sal with creamy, milky, and delicious Eden Cheese between it. Many breakfasts, morning snacks, and afternoon snacks have been made more complete when having this absolute classic pairing. It’s like Darna and Ding, and Romeo and Juliet. Simple but memorable and comforting. Nothing compares!

The Creamier and Meltier Merienda: Eden Meltsarap Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Picture crunchy toasted bread with gooey and melty cheese in between. That’s the goodness that Eden Meltsarap can give. Imagine grating melty cheese on bread, cooking in the pan for more crunch, slicing in half to see the gooey goodness inside, and biting it. It’s certainly not your ordinary snack.

The Easy Cheese Fix: Ham with Eden Cheese Slices

On days consumers need a little something extra to their snacks but have little time, they can slide in a milky and delicious Eden Cheese Singles slice on a sandwich to make it more mouthwatering and enjoyable. It’s so convenient! Just peel, place on top of a ham sandwich, and enjoy. What a quick way to add feel-good cheese to snacks.

The Leveled-up Snack: Eden Cream Cheese with Bagel

Make your leveled-up snacks with the new Eden Cream Cheese made from farm fresh milk. Eden Cream Cheese is the newest offering from the Eden brand! It comes in two formats, a spreadable variant in a tub, to make those fancy snacks that can be seen online. Spread on smooth and creamy Eden Cream Cheese generously on a bagel and add some smoked salmon, or avocado and egg on top for that adult-level snack time. It also comes in a block format for baking recipes, like Blueberry or Basque Burnt Cheesecake.

Consumers’ snack choices should reflect their different tastes and preferences. Eden Cheese has been a constant in Filipino’s lives for many decades, and it’s about to play an even bigger role in more snacking occasions. All Eden variants are available in stores today. For more delicious ways to enjoy your favorite Eden Cheese, visit our website www.cheeseanything.com to checkout recipes!

 

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Trump wanted to join Capitol riot, tried to grab limo steering wheel -aide

U.S. President Donald Trump — REUTERS/LEAH MILLIS/FILE PHOTO

WASHINGTON – Donald Trump tried to grab the steering wheel of his presidential limousine on Jan. 6, 2021, when his security detail declined to take him to the U.S. Capitol where his supporters were rioting, a former aide testified on Tuesday.

The then-president dismissed concerns that some supporters gathered for his fiery speech outside the White House that day carried AR-15-style rifles, instead asking security to stop screening attendees with metal-detecting magnetometers so the crowd would look larger, the aide testified.

“Take the effing mags away; they’re not here to hurt me,” Cassidy Hutchinson, who was a top aide to Mr. Trump‘s then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, quoted Trump as saying that morning.

Ms. Hutchinson, in testimony on the sixth day of House of Representatives hearings into the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol assault by Mr. Trump‘s followers, said the conversation was relayed to her by Tony Ornato, a senior Secret Service official who was Trump‘s deputy chief of staff for operations.

The New York Times and NBC, citing sources in the Secret Service, said the head of Mr. Trump‘s security detail, Robert Engel, and the limousine driver were prepared to testify under oath that Mr. Trump never lunged for the steering wheel. Mr. Engel was in the room when Mr. Ornato relayed the story, Hutchinson said.

The New York Times and CNN, citing unnamed sources, said Mr. Ornato also denied the story and was willing to testify.

Citing her conversation with Mr. Ornato, Ms. Hutchinson testified that Mr. Trump struggled with Secret Service agents who insisted he return to the White House rather than join supporters storming the Capitol where Congress was meeting to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over him in the presidential election.

Mr. Trump‘s supporters were roused by his false claims that his 2020 election defeat was the result of fraud

“‘I’m the effing president. Take me up to the Capitol now,'” Ms. Hutchinson quoted an enraged Mr. Trump as saying. She said Mr. Trump tried from the back seat to grab the steering wheel of the heavily armored presidential vehicle and lunged in anger at a Secret Service official.

Mr. Trump, a Republican, denied her account of his actions.

“Her Fake story that I tried to grab the steering wheel of the White House Limousine in order to steer it to the Capitol Building is ‘sick’ and fraudulent,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social, his social media app.

In a statement, the Secret Service said it was cooperating fully with the committee and would continue to do so.

“We learned of the new information shared at today’s hearing and plan on responding formally and on the record as soon as they can accommodate us,” it added.

Ms. Hutchinson’s lawyer Jody Hunt wrote on Twitter that she had “testified, under oath, and recounted what she was told. Those with knowledge of the episode also should testify under oath.”

Dozens of courts, election officials and reviews by Mr. Trump‘s own administration rejected his fraud claims, including outlandish stories about an Italian security firm and the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s tampering with U.S. ballots.

Four people died the day of the attack, one fatally shot by police and the others of natural causes. More than 100 police officers were injured, and one died the next day. Four officers later died by suicide.

 

WITNESS TAMPERING?

At the end of about two hours of testimony, Representative Liz Cheney, one of two Republicans on the nine-member House panel, presented possible evidence of witness tampering and obstruction of justice.

Ms. Cheney showed messages to unidentified witnesses advising them that an unidentified person would be watching their testimony closely and expecting loyalty.

Republican Mick Mulvaney, who served as Mr. Trump‘s chief of staff before Mr. Meadows, tweeted: “There is an old maxim: it’s never the crime, it’s always the cover-up. Things went very badly for the former President today. My guess is that it will get worse from here.”

Ms. Hutchinson told the committee that Mr. Meadows and Mr. Trump‘s former attorney Rudy Giuliani had sought pardons from Mr. Trump.

Mr. Giuliani told WSYR radio in Syracuse, New York, on Tuesday that he had not sought a pardon.

Tuesday’s hastily called hearing marked the first time this month, in six hearings, that a former White House official appeared for live testimony.

Speaking in soft but assured tones, Ms. Hutchinson, 26, painted a picture of panicked White House officials bristling at the possibility of Mr. Trump‘s joining what was to become a violent mob pushing its way into the Capitol, hunting for his vice president, Mike Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers who were certifying the victory of Mr. Biden over Mr. Trump.

 

‘EVERY CRIME IMAGINABLE’

The White House officials’ worries focused on the potential criminal charges Mr. Trump and others could face.

“We’re going to get charged with every crime imaginable,” Ms. Hutchinson said White House counselor Pat Cipollone told her if Trump were to go to the Capitol on Jan. 6.

“‘We need to make sure that this doesn’t happen, this would be a really terrible idea for us. We have serious legal concerns if we go up to the Capitol that day,'” Mr. Cipollone said, Ms. Hutchinson testified.

Ms. Hutchinson, who sat doors away from Mr. Trump‘s Oval Office, testified that days before the attack on the U.S. Capitol, Mr. Meadows knew of the looming violence that could unfold.

“‘Things might get real, real bad on Jan. 6,'” she quoted him as saying inside the White House on Jan. 2 with her boss.

She testified that Mr. Giuliani had said of Jan. 6: “‘We’re going to the Capitol, it’s going to be great. The president’s going to be there; he’s going to look powerful.'”

At that point, she told the committee of seven Democrats and two Republicans: “It was the first moment that I remembered feeling scared and nervous of what could happen on Jan. 6.”

This month’s hearings featured videotaped testimony from figures including Mr. Trump‘s oldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, and his former attorney general Bill Barr. They and other witnesses testified that they did not believe Mr. Trump‘s false claims of widespread fraud and tried to dissuade him of them.

Before resigning, Mr. Barr told the Associated Press in an interview there was no evidence of fraud. That angered Trump so much that he threw his lunch at a White House wall, breaking a porcelain dish and leaving ketchup dripping down the wall, according to video testimony to the committee from Kayleigh McEnany, Trump‘s White House press secretary at the time.

Ms. Hutchinson told the committee it was not unusual for Trump to throw food when he was angry: “There were several times throughout my tenure with the chief of staff that I was aware of him either throwing dishes or flipping the tablecloth to let all the contents of the table go onto the floor and likely break or go everywhere.” – Reuters

EU countries reach deal on climate laws after late-night talks

PIKISUPERSTAR-FREEPIK

LUXEMBOURG – EU countries clinched deals on proposed laws to combat climate change early Wednesday, backing a 2035 phase-out of new fossil fuel car sales and a multibillion-euro fund to shield poorer citizens from CO2 costs.

After more than 16 hours of negotiations, environment ministers from the European Union’s 27 member states agreed their joint positions on five laws, part of a broader package of measures to slash planet-warming emissions this decade.

“The climate crisis and its consequences are clear, and so policy is unavoidable,” EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans said, adding that he thought the invasion of Ukraine by top gas supplier Russia was spurring countries to quit fossil fuels faster.

Ministers supported core parts of the package that the European Commission first proposed last summer, including a law requiring new cars sold in the EU to emit zero CO2 from 2035. That would make it impossible to sell internal-combustion engine cars.

The deal makes it likely that the proposal will become EU law. The ministers’ agreements will form their position in upcoming negotiations with the EU Parliament on the final laws. Parliament has already backed the 2035 car target.

Italy, Slovakia and other states had wanted the phase-out delayed to 2040. Countries eventually backed a compromise proposed by Germany, the EU‘s biggest car market, which kept the 2035 target and asked Brussels to assess in 2026 whether hybrid vehicles or CO2-neutral fuels could comply with the goal.

Timmermans said that the commission would keep an “open mind” but that today, hybrids did not deliver sufficient emissions cuts and alternative fuels were prohibitively expensive.

The climate proposals aim to ensure the 27-country EU – the world’s third-biggest greenhouse gas emitter – reaches its 2030 target of reducing net emissions by 55% from 1990 levels.

Doing so will require governments and industries to invest heavily in cleaner manufacturing, renewable energy and electric vehicles.

Ministers backed a new EU carbon market to impose CO2 costs on polluting fuels used in transport and buildings, though they said it should launch in 2027, a year later than initially planned.

After fraught negotiations, they agreed to form a 59-billion-euro EU fund to shield low-income citizens from the policy’s costs over 2027-2032.

Lithuania was the only country to oppose the final agreements, having unsuccessfully sought a bigger fund alongside Poland, Latvia and others concerned the new CO2 market could increase citizens’ energy bills.

Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands – wealthier countries who would pay more into the fund than they would get back – had wanted it to be smaller.

Ministers also rallied behind reforms to the EU‘s current carbon market, which forces industry and power plants to pay when they pollute.

Countries accepted core elements of the Commission’s proposal to reinforce the market to cut emissions 61% by 2030, and extend it to cover shipping. They agreed on rules to make it easier for the EU to intervene in response to CO2 price spikes.

Ministers backed two other laws to strengthen the national emissions-cutting targets Brussels sets countries for some sectors, and increase natural carbon sinks like forests. – Reuters

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