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Men’s quarters has fresh look, but Djokovic and Federer loom large

LONDON — Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are part of the Centre Court furniture on quarterfinals day at Wimbledon but this year’s last-eight lineup has a refreshingly new look.

World number one Djokovic has cruised into the quarterfinals for the 12th time as he seeks the sixth Wimbledon title that would equal Federer and Rafa Nadal’s 20 Grand Slam titles.

Swiss maestro Federer, nearing his 40th birthday, has reached this stage for the 18th time.

Few would bet against them continuing their compelling rivalry with a 51st career clash in Sunday’s final, having contested three others, including two years ago when Djokovic saved match points to beat Federer in a cliffhanger.

Six of Wednesday’s cast have reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon for the first time, matching the record of 1991 and 2002. And the way Italian powerhouse Matteo Berrettini and Canadian duo Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime have arrived there suggests they are not ready to stop now.

The 34-year-old Djokovic will face unseeded Marton Fucsovics in the opening match on Centre Court, followed by eight-time champion Federer’s clash with Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz.

Fucsovics is the first Hungarian to reach a Wimbledon singles quarterfinal since Zsuzsa Kormoczy reached the women’s semifinals in 1958 but now faces one of the toughest challenges in sport — trying to knock Djokovic off his stride.

The world number 48 has lost both his previous meetings against Djokovic, but says he enjoys playing against the Serb who is bidding to reach his 41st Grand Slam semifinal.

“Maybe, his game is not so entertaining like Federer’s or when Nadal is hitting the ball so hard,” Fucsovics said after his win over Andrey Rublev on Monday.

“Actually, I like to play against him. I can rally with him. He beat me, but I like the way he plays. I think we play the same kind of tennis. We like to play long rallies.”

‘SOMETHING SPECIAL’
Federer, despite doubts about his form and match sharpness coming in after minimal time on court in the past 18 months, has gradually built up momentum, although he will be wary of 14th seed Hurkacz who beat world number two Daniil Medvedev on Tuesday, a match held over from the previous day by rain.

Should Federer prevail it would be his 106th match win at Wimbledon, surpassing Nadal’s record 105 at Roland Garros.

“Obviously, playing Roger on a huge, huge arena, it’s something special,” Hurkacz, bidding to become only the second Polish man to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, said.

Berrettini has scythed his way through the draw in impressive fashion and, having warmed up by winning the Queen’s Club title, the 25-year-old will be hugely-confident as he takes on 20-year-old Auger-Aliassime, the youngest of the eight survivors.

“I feel like I’m not using a lot of energy because I won most of the matches in three sets,” Berrettini, who has a tournament-leading 67 aces so far, said.

“Obviously, the tournament is not done yet. I’m really looking forward to achieving even more.”

Berrettini is bidding to become only the second Italian man to reach the semifinals at Wimbledon after Nicola Pietrangeli.

And with Auger-Aliassime joined in the last eight by Shapovalov, it is the first time in history that more than one Canadian man has reached the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam.

The 22-year-old left-hander is beginning to deliver on his spectacular talent and will take on Russian Karen Khachanov with the prize a likely first Grand Slam semifinal against Djokovic.

“I think, just mentally, physically, tennis-wise, I’m just a different person than I was two years ago. It’s really not comparable,” the 10th seed said after his sensational straight-sets win against Roberto Bautista Agut on Monday. — Reuters

Steph Curry rookie card nets record price

THE most expensive trading card in existence belongs to the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry.

Well, it belongs to alternative investment firm Alt, technically, but it has Curry’s likeness on it.

The record-setting card recently fetched the price of $5.9 million, breaking the previous record of a LeBron James card that went for $5.2 million, to Alt as well.

“Steph is a generational player,” Alt’s founder Leore Avidar told NBC Sports. “Our data shows that Steph’s cards have increased 35% in value YTD — compare that to the S&P and you can see the outsized return potential.”

In the All-Star point guard’s return to the NBA in 2020-21 following a broken left hand sidelining him for the majority of 2019-20, the 33-year-old Curry scored a career-high 32 points per game in 63 games, once again shooting over 40 percent from behind the arc (42.1).

The Warriors finished 39-33, good for ninth in the Western Conference, losing in overtime to Memphis (117-112) in a play-in game. — Reuters

Twitter clarifies account verification process

Twitter is gradually rolling out its account verification approval process worldwide and the social media company is prepared to handle the high volume of applications, said Brennen “B” Byrne, Twitter’s director of product management, in a July 7 Twitter Spaces talk. 

Users with notable profiles can now apply to have their accounts verified with a blue check mark in their account settings, after the social networking site relaunched its approval process for better transparency, credibility, and clarity.  

(After halting verifications in 2017, the social media company announced this May that it would start accepting submissions — only to hit pause again a week after.) 

A blue check mark indicates that an account is authentic (has a verified identity), notable (represents or is otherwise associated with a prominently recognized brand), and active (has a record of adherence to Twitter rules).  

The San Francisco-based company said these blue badges help people determine the trustworthiness of who they’re interacting with, which leads to healthier, more informed conversations.  

“It’s always impossible to know how a community would use a feature [initially],” said Mr. Byrne. “We need to give people access first and then learn how they would use it… The process we will be rolling out will be a better process for those who will use it [as compared to] those who used our previous process.” 

At the same Twitter Spaces talk, trust and safety project Sarah Husain said that those who wish to qualify for verification must fit one of six categories: government; companies, brands, and organizations; news organizations and journalists; entertainment; sports and gaming; and activists, organizers, and other influential individuals.  

“We want to make sure people are applying to the right category,” she said. “Non-governmental organizations, for example, can apply under Companies, Brands and Organizations. The Activists category, [meanwhile], is for individuals, not organizers.”  

Accounts must also be active within the last six months, plus have a profile name, a profile image, and either a confirmed e-mail address or phone number. All applications are reviewed by a human, and users may reapply 30 days after their applications have been denied.  

“Those who use pseudonyms can use other avenues such as an official e-mail address or an official website to verify their account,” added Ms. Husain. 

Ryan Collado, Twitter’s senior product manager, said that Twitter updated its e-mail templates to include context around rejected verification requests. “Moving forward, we would like to have additional context put upfront in the application flow, which will allow customers to have a better understanding of why they do or do not qualify for verification,” he said.  

The platform may remove the verified status of an account at any time and without notice, in accordance with its terms of service, said Mr. Collado. Among the reasons for revocation are if the user is no longer in the position they initially verified for, or if the account is flagged for violations such as impersonation. Repeated violations that include hateful conduct and abusive behavior are also assessed on a case-to-case basis.  

Twitter had 199 million monetizable daily active users worldwide as of the first quarter of 2021, according to Statista, a market and consumer data provider. The countries with the greatest number of users are the US, Japan, and India, respectively. 

Among the most followed celebrities in the platform are former US president Barack Obama, and singers Justin Bieber and Katy Perry. This March, actress Anne Curtis became the first Filipino to reach 14 million followers on Twitter. 

Migration and financial stability: A model on how to get there

MACROVECTOR-FREEPIK

I now conclude this series on a mini-research project I had conducted on OFWs in Paris, exploring different dimensions — including trying to understand the financial strategies of the poor, dissecting the economic reasons for migration, and finally uncovering whether and how (if so) migrants and the families they left behind really do end up better off.

Last week, I presented a model of a migrant’s road to financial stability, which is composed of two stages: Achieving Independence and Achieving Stability. All of this is based on two precipitating conditions: an indebted road to migration and a home bias for investing. I explained how achieving independence not only depends on financial freedom, which comes from higher and more stable income, but also on professional freedom (the possibility to change employers and situation freely), social freedom (repairing relationships that may have suffered due to indebtedness), and, finally, psychological freedom (learning to be motivated again once they feel a sense of security).

However, all these achievements remain fragile at Stage 1. Whenever a bad situation arises or due to the cultural need to help others in need, migrants not only get stuck in this stage, without the ability to move forward and accumulate more wealth, but they often end up back where they began. I highlighted how it was accessibility to financial products and financial literacy education which were catalysts for them to break above this Stage 1 level and onto Stage 2: Achieving Stability.

Once they have overcome these hurdles, the use of their incomes dramatically changes. Migrants shift from freedom-based objectives to stability-based objectives and enter a second stage in Migrant Finance, characterized by the items below.

Financial stability. Migrants began to move from acting with the objective to be free from debt to using the money they accumulated for savings and investments to assure their futures and those of their loved ones. They would implement budgets that had a savings and investments component both in their host and home countries. They would also participate in the paluwagan (a group savings scheme with friends) not for debt repayment purposes but instead for long-term investment and retirement plans.

Professional stability. The effects of financial stability for migrants extend much more than just being able to lift their families out of poverty or provide an education for their children, though these are important things. Financial stability also introduced confidence in their professional lives. They no longer needed to accept abusive jobs or engage in very risky activities.

“After four years, I managed to build a house. So, I began fighting them back, my co-worker and my employer. I said, ‘if you don’t need me, I will go.’” (Evelyn)

Social stability. Similarly, because they had cut the cord with those on whom they were financially dependent, they again felt accepted in their social circles. They also began themselves becoming the debt provider to others in need and continued to participate in social savings schemes, now with the additional objective of helping other people.

Psychological stability. Finally, migrants were also eventually able to achieve psychological stability and the feeling that they were happy where they were. To facilitate this, they began to create spending budgets that would instill discipline and a schedule for meeting daily needs and future investments. They participated in bank schemes and financial products that facilitate and enhance decision making and guarantee a better future. They could now also send money used as “mothering money” to make them feel closer to their loved ones, which aided both sides in the situation of separation.

“Yes, the daily talks, those don’t go away, and then each time I send money, even just a small amount — it’s not in the amount — as long as I can make them feel that I am taking care of them.” (Eduardo)

RESULTING CONDITIONS: (1) SOCIAL INTEGRATION (2) HOST COUNTRY APPRECIATION
Once the migrant had achieved stability, I found that this resulted in two key conditions: Social Integration in the host country and appreciation for the host country. Although migrants began with a home bias and had the intention to go back, this timeframe continued to extend. In fact, 60% of survey respondents said that they had surpassed their initial timeframe, with a majority stating that the reason was that they were happy with their lives in the host country and did not want to go home yet, as opposed to only a minority who stated that they had not returned because they were unable to save enough.

“Yes, I am happy. At the beginning I was disappointed but, in the process, when I managed to put myself in a stable place, that’s where I felt that I was okay here, I was happy already, as long as I continued the positive things I was doing, not deviate from what I should be doing, just be stable.” (Jenalyn)

“I have some words to leave. So, for me, one’s success is not measurable by living in a big condominium, a big house, by buying a car, buying expensive things. Success of a person is really measured by whether you are financially stable and whether you are ready in the event that you really need it (…) when there is an emergency, you can really manage. At least you are not afraid of what could happen to you. That’s where you will see a stable person.” (Jenalyn)

 

Daniela “Danie” Luz Laurel is a business journalist and anchor-producer of BusinessWorld Live on One News, formerly Bloomberg TV Philippines. Prior to this, she was a permanent professor of Finance at IÉSEG School of Management in Paris and maintains teaching affiliations at IÉSEG and the Ateneo School of Government. She has also worked as an investment banker in The Netherlands. Ms. Laurel holds a Ph.D. in Management Engineering with concentrations in Finance and Accounting from the Politecnico di Milano in Italy and an MBA from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

Safety not only for cyclists but for all

PCH.VECTOR-FREEPIK

The Senate approved recently a bill requiring safe pathways on public roads nationwide for non-motorists. These lanes will reportedly be exclusive to those who walk, bike, or use non-motorized transport to get around. Certain streets can also be designated as exclusive to cyclists and pedestrians, while parking spaces must be constructed for bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles.

In early 2019, a year before the COVID-19 pandemic started, I wrote that our future would involve some form of pedaling, noting that there are more to bicycles than just personal transport. After all, one can pedal a bicycle to also pump water, generate electricity, mill or grind grain, or sharpen knives — it is a simple machine that has countless applications.

But I also advocated for national rules to cover electric and non-motorized or mechanically propelled transport, even those pedaled by humans, that are to be used on public roads. And this was based on the premise that anyone using the road is expected to be familiar with and to abide by the rules of the road, and anything used on the road is expected to be roadworthy.

The just-approved Senate bill is a step in the right direction. By mandating the designation of safe pathways nationwide for non-cars and non-motorcycles, then we can presumably have better order on roads and better safety for all road users. What the Senate bill lacks, however, is a vision towards regulating users and their personal mobility transport or devices.

Cars are tested for safety prior to registration. Insurance is required of all car owners. Drivers are tested and licensed before being allowed on roads. Registration, insurance, and license are renewed periodically. Neither registration and safety check and insurance, nor testing and licensing, currently apply to owners and/or users of personal mobility devices like bicycles and scooters, and their electric motor versions.

By international convention and national law, bicycles can legally “share” the road. Now, with the Senate bill, they also get their own designated lanes on public thoroughfares. Yet, bicycles are not subject to any form of road users’ tax. Nor are registration or licensing required. In my opinion, anything that runs on an electric motor or any other type of motor, or a combination of pedal and motor, and used on public roads should be registered, and its user licensed. To do so, requires a national law.

For anything that is pedaled and runs only on human power, we should also consider some rules to apply, with corresponding penalties for user violations. We should have some national guide regarding the use on public roads of all “modes of transport” other than cars or motorcycles, electric or otherwise, even those drawn by animals or pedaled by humans. The main consideration is public safety.

Consider what other countries have at present, and pick up what we may deem best practices. In Japan, for instance, bicycles are registered when purchased, primarily as a protection against theft. The retailer puts a police registration sticker on the bicycle and gives the buyer the registration card.

In Switzerland, children under seven years old can use bicycles on roads only if accompanied or supervised by a person of at least 16 years of age. Also, personal liability insurance can cover damage caused to third parties in an accident involving a bicycle. Bicycles can also be covered by household insurance. But a pedal-assisted electric bicycle or e-bike requires a motor-assisted bicycle registration plate. And this registration is renewed yearly. Licenses are also issued to those who use motorized bicycles, which can use only specially designated cycle lanes. Safety helmets are also required for e-bike users.

In Denmark, a bicycle is required to have one white light in front and one red light at the back; reflectors on wheels, pedals, and on the frame; a functioning bike bell mounted on the handlebar; and, functioning brakes on both wheels. And bicycles are subject to the same traffic rules as cars. Cyclists cannot carry another person on a one-person bike, unless it’s a child in a child seat; cannot use a mobile phone while cycling; and, must use hand signals. Violations are fined.

Denmark does not license cyclists, but a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) system has been in place in Demark since 1942, which provided all bicycles in Denmark with a unique code composed of a combination of letters and digits embedded into the bicycle frame and consists of a manufacturer code, a serial number, and construction year code. Since 1948, it has been illegal to sell bicycle frames in Denmark without an embedded VIN.

As for road use rules, the present national rule is “one vehicle-one lane,” which means no splitting lanes. And this applies to all types of vehicles, including motorcycles. The same must apply to bicycles. Motorcycles, bicycles, and scooters should not be in between lanes, in between cars, and in between cars and sidewalks or curbs. They shouldn’t be on sidewalks either. More important, they should never counter flow.

Any motorist or pedestrian will tell you that these rules are practiced more in breach. However, by just designating safe pathways, bike lanes, and exclusive lanes, such misbehavior will not be curbed. More than safe pathways, we also need national regulation to counter and penalize misbehavior, and to ensure safety on our roads for all, and not just for cyclists.

Such regulations cannot just be local, anymore. There are now thousands of bicycles and scooters, electric or otherwise, on our streets — used for delivery, for going to work, for making short trips from home — and all these are unlicensed, unregulated. We even see children on bicycles and scooters, and skateboards, on sidewalks and public roads. There is no national law regulating them.

And this is where I lend my support to House Bill 8156, which proposes a framework for a national law for bicycle use. And, as I am unclear which laws or rules cover the use of motorized bicycles, motorized and non-motorized scooters, and skateboards on public roads, I hope the bill can eventually be expanded to cover all types of personal mobility devices. There should be a unified national code for all types of land transportation.

 

Marvin Tort is a former managing editor of BusinessWorld, and a former chairman of the Philippine Press Council

matort@yahoo.com

US-Philippine relations: Warming up to each other

A few days ago, Philippine ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel Romualdez, agreed to speak live from Washington, DC at the third Archer Talks forum. Archer Talks is a bi-monthly Zoom webinar organized by members of De La Salle University Manila high school 1965 and college 1970 classes.

Romualdez, himself a member of the college class of 1970, readily consented to speak before the class and, more importantly, before others from different sectors. Certainly, everyone would benefit from Romualdez’s insights that he had formed in his four-year stint in one of the most critical posts in Philippine diplomacy.

Romualdez said that US-Philippine relations “has not always been without its highs and lows. Although the pandemic may have marginally affected the way diplomacy is done, through it all, what has remained constant is our two countries’ commitment (to each other). (This commitment) was further reinforced by President Biden when he wrote President Duterte on the occasion of the (then two upcoming milestones). These milestones were the 75th anniversary of Philippine-American Friendship Day and of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The other is the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

“In his letter, President Biden also assured that the United States will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Philippines to ensure both our nations’ security.”

In what appeared to be a justifiable proud moment of claiming at least some credit for the vastly improved relations between the two nations in such a short period during the Trump-Biden transition, Romualdez said, “I can say that in all the years that I have dealt with the United States, this has been the strongest statement that emanated from the White House on the US commitment to come to our defense especially in the context of the West Philippine Sea. The US has both rejected China’s maritime claims in the West Philippine Sea and reaffirmed the applicability of the Mutual Defense Treaty in case of an attack against us in that part of the globe.”

The desire to forge closer and warmer relations between the two countries is a natural reaction by the US to Chinese attempts to solidify its influence firmly in ASEAN on one hand, and an expression of its willingness to compete with China for influence in the Indo Pacific area, on the other. The conclusion that one makes is that if China did not create the trouble it is now making in the world stage, especially in the West Philippine Sea, the US would have probably depended on Pacific allies like Australia, Japan, and India to keep China in check.

The present struggle between the two superpowers has enhanced the strategic importance of the Philippines for both the US and China. The US wants to prove that it is still number one in all aspects of human activity, including and especially in terms of military might and reach. On the other hand, the communist Chinese party wants to make good its boast and propaganda taught in all Chinese schools that the boundaries of China go beyond Hunan, its southernmost tip. For China, the Philippines is a trophy which has tons of propaganda value. As far as China is concerned, the Philippines is “America right at its maritime borders” and acquiring and occupying these territories under their nine-dash-line is a victory worth savoring by all Chinese. By getting these territories and those claimed by Vietnam, Indonesia, and other ASEAN nations, they can say they have won the race against the US and have the West Philippine Sea in its huge trophy room. China has willing partners within the Philippines.

If we play our cards right in this battle for influence, this race should only serve to benefit the Philippines which wants to have its cake and eat it too. As a pragmatist in international affairs, we find absolutely nothing wrong with that above all, for the bottom line is protection of the country’s self-interest. And this exactly what countries like the US, the Philippines, and European Union do.

Like what all diplomats do, Romualdez did proclaim the country’s partnership with the US while sticking to the Duterte line of forging the closest relationship with China. To reassure our giant neighbor, Romualdez stated, “the Philippines will always work with its allies like the United States and other partners like China on shared concerns.” In what was a graphic way of dealing with the US-Philippines-China dynamics, Romualdez added, “We, the embassy, the consulates, and the Philippine government, will navigate the diplomatic scene to ensure that opportunities are maximized, and for the balance to be in favor of the Filipino people.”

Romualdez continued his presentation with a report on what the US has done to augment Philippine defenses, albeit another subtle message to the Chinese that minuscule it may be, our military is starting to strengthen itself with help from a longtime friend. “But more than coming to our aid, the US also helps us prepare to defend ourselves by beefing up our defense capabilities. In fact, we have received an offer from the US government to transfer five cyclone-class vessels that will help the Philippine navy patrol our maritime territory, particularly in disputed areas.”

In keeping with the upbeat tone of his report, Romualdez announced that after months of persistent and sustained efforts to bring US-manufactured vaccines to the Philippines, two million doses of AstraZeneca and 1.3 million doses of the Pfizer vaccines were delivered to Manila last May through the COVAX facility. The United States is the largest contributor to COVAX. He also reported that the country received its first Moderna vaccines “over the weekend.”

Romualdez talked of a variety of other aspects of US-Philippine relations like the tremendous contributions of Filipino frontliners during the pandemic; possible US investment in agriculture, infrastructure, technology, and other fields; Asian hate crimes, and immigration.

Aside from being very instructive and informative to many who joined the forum, Romualdez’s presentation showed a stark contrast between the sober and mature approach of Joseph Biden to diplomacy compared with his predecessor. While these differences in governance and leadership styles, directly impact Americans, the Philippines and the rest of the world will surely be able to use a period of sobriety and peace during this pandemic and be assured of the US commitment to help us deal with a violator of international law.

 

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.

Socially distant

ISMAIL HAMZAH-UNSPLASH

AT THIS TIME, what can be more in keeping with social distancing than eating by oneself in a dine-in restaurant?

Solo meals when traveling (before the imposition of quarantines and the new normal) invited no social stigma. Meals taken abroad are often hurried affairs squeezed in between local tours, taken in fast food outlets, or even more quickly by a sidewalk stand selling pickled herring. There is no need to request for a table for one in a restaurant with the likelihood of getting seated in a dimly lit corner near the washroom, figuring out the cultural intricacies of what to order and how much to tip.

In our culture, eating is a social experience entailing relationships, bonding moments and celebrations, with only a semblance of fulfilling a nutritional function. In fact, social meals are characterized by unhealthy eating loaded with carbs and cholesterol. A proper diet can require eating alone.

Still, the solo diner gets defensive about being alone. When greeted by a passing friend who chances upon him chewing his chef salad in front of an empty chair, the soloist feels obliged to make up stories on his not-so-temporary state — She just stepped out to park the car.

The solo diner feels compelled to hide his discomfort. He tries to lower his profile and blend with the sparse crowd. He chooses a food court for his meal to be lost in the anonymous mass of customers sharing tables, providing a ready cast with whom he can carry on a conversation — where’d you get that cheap dessert?

Maybe, a prop is employed. Fiddling with one’s phone while having lunch can be cumbersome when needing two hands for the fried chicken wing not to drop into the soup. Perhaps, one is checking his stock portfolio and marking his losses to market? Or, is he checking his slides for a Zoom meeting later?

The man with an open computer on the table and a half-eaten sandwich on a plate beside it is not considered a social leper. Even with company, he is engaged in his self-absorbed pursuit. If he is having lunch alone, he is not seen as pathetic, merely busy. He is the Master of the Universe tracking his net worth.

There are some advantages in dining alone.

The bill is cheaper, though not eligible for reimbursement. (You were entertaining yourself?) Even when splitting the bill with other lunch mates in a non-business setting, the individual’s share is usually higher than a solo meal. The usual practice of “Dutch Treat” is to divide the total bill among the number of diners. This is not always fair as some may not have ordered soup or have removed dessert from their diet but they pay the same amount as the wine drinker. The “Manhattan Treat” is the fairest way of sharing the bill. However, it is too cumbersome to implement requiring each diner to ask for a separate check depending on what he ordered. What if somebody shared your dessert? The “Business Treat” has only one person getting the reimbursable bill — Can I have your senior card?

When eating solo, there is no lag time waiting for others to arrive or place their orders. (Sir, the paella valenciana will take another 30 minutes.) The solo diner quickly places his order, eats his meal, and pays his bill. He can, of course, also take his time with his iced cappuccino, savoring the dregs at the bottom of the cup if that is what he feels like doing. Nobody is rushing him.

One can find many soloists at open-air cafes taking their refreshments slowly and watching the passing scene behind sunglasses. Is that a smile behind the face mask?

Maybe, the solo coffee drinker is meditating on the difference between Chronos and Kairos in the matter of perceived time and idleness. He becomes a passive observer of random happenings in front of them, eavesdropping on conversations of quarrelling lovers about to split up, secure in the feeling of not being part of that conversation — life is beautiful.

Accepting solitude, whether dining alone or just being in the moment, is a way of emptying the mind and imagining parallel universes. Solitude can be comforting until it gets… well, boring.

 

Tony Samson is Chairman and CEO of TOUCH xda

ar.samson@yahoo.com

South Korea considers reimposing restrictions as COVID-19 cases surge

REUTERS

SEOUL — South Korea reported its second highest number of daily new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases ever on Wednesday, just days after it began easing social distancing restrictions in some parts of the country, buoyed by an accelerated vaccine rollout.

With the majority of the 1,212 new cases coming from densely populated Seoul, officials extended movement curbs in the capital and surrounding regions for at least another week and are considering pushing restrictions back up to the highest level.

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said the country’s fourth wave of the virus, fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant, was spreading rapidly, especially among unvaccinated people in their 20s and 30s.

Mr. Kim urged people in that demographic to get tested preemptively “to protect not just yourself, but everyone in your family, friends, school and the country.”

“If the situation is not under control after monitoring for two to three days, it might leave us with no choice but to impose the strictest of all social distancing levels,” Mr. Kim said.

President Moon Jae-in ordered the military be mobilized to aid wider contact tracing and urged authorities to install additional testing centers in densely populated areas, presidential spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee told reporters on Wednesday.

The daily caseload was the worst since Dec. 25, when South Korea was experiencing a third wave of the pandemic.

Officials had been moving in recent weeks toward a full reopening of the country. Movement restrictions in much of the country were eased on July 1, although officials in greater Seoul held off as they watched case numbers beginning to creep up again.

Health experts said the relaxation of measures that restricted business operating hours and social gatherings outside Seoul, along with the knowledge that further easings would be coming, led to public complacency, particularly in socially mobile younger people in the capital.

Around 85% of the new locally transmitted cases were in the Seoul metropolitan area, which is home to more than half of the country’s population.

“While the infection rate has dropped relatively in the people aged over 60 on the back of inoculation drive, the transmission continues in the unvaccinated group,” said Kim Tark, associate professor of infectious disease at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital.

“It’s a reminder to speed up vaccination for people under 60.”

VACCINES ARRIVE
Just 10% of the country’s population of 52 million people have been fully vaccinated, while 30% have received at least one shot, the majority of them aged over 60.

The Korean Medical Association urged the government to refrain from any hasty decisions to ease social distancing policies with vaccinations at low levels.

The country received 700,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine from Israel on Wednesday under a swap arrangement, along with a separate shipment of 627,000 directly purchased doses.

Some of the new supply will be sent to greater Seoul for inoculation programs due to start on July 13, authorities said.

Improved vaccination levels have helped lower South Korea’s mortality rate to 1.25% and the number of severe cases to 155 as of Wednesday, down significantly from 1.41% and 311 cases reported during the previous peak in late December.

The country has reported a total of 162,753 infections and 2,033 deaths during the pandemic. — Reuters

China bans tallest skyscrapers following safety concerns

REUTERS
Women pose for pictures near the CCTV headquarters and China Zun skyscraper in Beijing’s central business district, China, July 16, 2020. — REUTERS/TINGSHU WANG

CHINA is prohibiting construction of the tallest skyscrapers to ensure safety following mounting concerns over the quality of some projects.

The outright ban covers buildings that are taller than 500 meters (1,640 feet), the National Development and Reform Commission said in a notice Tuesday. Local authorities will also need to strictly limit building of towers that are more than 250 meters tall.

The top economic planner cited quality problems and safety hazards in some developments stemming from loose oversight. A 72-story tower in Shenzhen was closed in May for checks following reports of unexplained wobbling, feeding concern about the stability of one of the technology hub’s tallest buildings.

Construction of buildings exceeding 100 meters should strictly match the scale of the city where they will be located, along with its fire rescue capability, the commission said.

“It’s primarily for safety,” said Qiao Shitong, an associate law professor at the University of Hong Kong who studies property and urban law. Extremely tall buildings “are more like signature projects for mayors and not necessarily efficient.”

Authorities imposed an “in-principle” ban on new towers over 500 meters last year. There are only 10 buildings in the world exceeding that height, and five of them are in mainland China, including the 632-meter Shanghai Tower, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. 

The SEG Plaza’s shaking in May prompted the local government to investigate and led to a warning from the US consulate in Guangzhou urging Americans to avoid the area. Videos circulated showing people fleeing. The building remains closed. — Bloomberg

Digital IDs enable faster access to financial aid in Marawi

Image via Save The Children Philippines

Software provider AID:Tech developed digital IDs that have helped 3,000 displaced Filipinos in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur province, get faster access to financial aid from Save the Children Philippines.  

The IDs, which use blockchain technology powered by Microsoft Azure, allow for easier identification and faster aid delivery.  

“The effect of the fighting here four years ago is still felt today. Until now, efforts to track down and identify everyone affected are still ongoing,” said Edwin Philip J. Horca, head of Save the Children Philippines in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), in a statement.   

In 2017, Marawi City was left in ruins due to a five-month battle between local Islamic terrorist groups and government forces. As of May 2021, it had only been 65% rehabilitated, according to a report by Task Force Bangon Marawi.  

As for the over 370,000 people that were displaced, Mr. Horca added: “One of the biggest challenges in delivering aid to the impacted people of Marawi is that many children and even their parents do not have birth certificates for identification, which in turn excludes them from social protection programs.”  

Because of these complexities, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), a partner in the government’s $408 million reconstruction and recovery program, introduced AID:Tech’s platform to Save the Children Philippines. Beneficiaries are provided both physical ID cards with QR (quick response) codes and digital identities that organizations can verify in the process of delivery.   

Microsoft Azure’s blockchain technology can track and trace donated items such as back-to-school kits and food provisions. Save the Children Philippines is also planning to work with the national and local government in BARMM to adopt the use of the digital ID system in future projects.  

“A billion people globally have no official identification according to the World Bank, and 30% of the world’s aid is unaccounted for as mentioned by former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,” said Fides Ricasa-De la Rosa, Chief Partner Officer at Microsoft Philippines, in a statement.  

“Combining a digital identity with digital delivery of assets in a single platform can significantly improve accountability in aid distribution and ensure everyone’s right to a name is fulfilled,” she added. — Brontë H. Lacsamana 

As cyberattacks rise, remote workers advised to invest in security

PIXABAY

Those who work-from-home no longer have the advantage of a corporate network’s security perimeter, and can thus be more vulnerable to malicious actors on the Internet, according to internet security firm Kaspersky. Among the ways to minimize falling prey to such cyberattacks are being knowledgeable about cyberthreats and beefing up one’s security software.   

While devices have built-in anti-virus software, these aren’t capable of detecting threats such as malicious URLs (Uniform Resource Locators or web addresses), said Bric Adam Tenorio, pre-sales manager for the Philippines at Kaspersky, a security technology company. A malicious URL is either a website created by threat actors, or a legitimate website which has been compromised with malicious content.  

“I encourage everyone, especially those who work-from-home using their own devices, to invest in security software, to give them peace of mind [when accessing work files],” said Mr. Tenorio.  

Rosemarie Gonzales-Roy, Kaspersky’s corporate communication manager for Southeast Asia, added: “We have to be smart about our online habits. If you can avoid it, don’t use your work devices for personal use. … Turn off your camera and microphone when you’re not using them. Also, even if your employers don’t say so, use a VPN.”   

A virtual private network (VPN), a service that provides online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network from a public internet connection.   

SOCIAL ENGINEERING
The panelists also warned against social engineering, which involves deceiving users to act unknowingly against their best interests. The most popular type is phishing, which is when individuals are contacted by e-mail or phone by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure these individuals into providing sensitive data such as credit card details or passwords.  

Telltale signs to look out for are company logos that resemble official ones, domains that are different from the supposed senders (e.g., a Bank of America e-mail with cv@comcast.net as the return address), and non-personalized salutations (i.e., Dear Sir/Madam).   

“The operative word is deceiving,” Mr. Tenorio said.  

Mr. Tenorio listed questions that can help individuals spot a social engineering attack:  

  • Are my emotions heightened? Am I being frightened to take action? Am I being encouraged to update my personal data because of my account was supposedly compromised?  
  • Did the message come from a legitimate sender? Does the website I’m on have odd details? Does the offer sound too good to be true? Did my friend actually send this message to me?   
  • Is the attachment or link suspicious? Does the URL start with “http” instead of the secure “https”?  
  • Can this person prove their identity?  

OPEN WIFI
Because working from home can also mean working from anywhere, individuals should be wary of threats such as man-in-the-middle attacks (MITM). MITM happens when a cybercriminal gains access to an unsecure Wi-Fi router — such as in public wi-fi connections in cafes and malls — and uses this as a way to deploy tools to read a victim’s transmitted data. These tools can also be inserted between a victim’s computer and the website the victim visits to capture personal information such as log-in credentials.  

When logging in at websites, Mr. Tenorio advised utilizing one-time passwords (or OTPs) for an added layer of authentication.   

“OTP is one of my favorite security inventions,” Mr. Tenorio said. “Please don’t provide your OTP, even if [the ones asking for it] say they’re customer support.” — Patricia B. Mirasol 

SIDEBAR | How to avoid credit card fraud  

With pandemic-related restrictions boosting e-commerce, cardholders run the risk of sharing sensitive information if they aren’t careful when online shopping. There was a 30% increase in fraud cases last year compared to the previous year, according to the Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP), which acts as a mediator for the credit card industry, merchant establishments, and consumers.  

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) also reported in a briefing last month that out of 20,000 consumer concerns received in 2020, 13% were related to fraudulent, unauthorized transactions involving deposits, online services, remittances, and, of course, credit cards.  

Because there are so many different types of credit card fraud that online consumers need to watch out for, CCAP outlined the common forms of each and how to defend against them.  

Phishing and vishing  

These scams come in the form of e-mails, fake job sites and browser toolbars, banner ads, and text or chat messages. Vishing is a subcategory within phishing that involves phone calls from scammers pretending to be bank representatives. The play here is to lure victims into giving sensitive data by offering fake promos or assistance to help with their account that has been hacked.  

What to do: Don’t click any links and examine the e-mail or message first. When in doubt, contact the bank to verify if the message is valid or to ask if a caller claiming to be a bank representative is legitimate. The best thing to do is ignore them and keep all sensitive information to yourself while nothing is verified.  

Lost or stolen cards  

Whether it’s because a wallet went missing or a card was mysteriously misplaced, anyone with access to credit cards could make unauthorized transactions.   

What to do: Report the lost or stolen card to the bank immediately so they can block the account. To prevent future losses, cardholders should refrain from placing the wallet in areas visible to many people. Cards could also be placed in a separate pouch, so that losing a wallet wouldn’t mean losing all cash, cards, and IDs.  

Card replacement scam  

Scammers may call people claiming that their credit card is due for replacement or even an upgrade. Instead of doing what they promised, they can use the card for their own purchases and never give it back.  

What to do: Be careful with calls or messages that claim to be about your credit card or bank account. Banks usually ask cardholders to go to a branch to get a replacement card and let you do whatever you want with the old card.  

Skimming  

The word comes from the device that fraudsters install on an automated teller machine (ATM), as it can skim a card’s magnetic stripe that contains the cardholder’s information.  Even the credit card terminal at a cashier where one shops can be tampered to skim cards.   

What to do: While banks have upgraded their cards’ microchips to EuroPay, MasterCard, and Visa (EMV) technology that makes it harder for skimming devices to get information, cardholders should remain vigilant by staying alert when transactions are being made, checking ATMs for devices, and shaking scanners before inserting the card.  

It’s risky to conduct a credit card transaction while using a free, public internet connection as it’s difficult to determine if these have been hacked by fraudsters, CCAP said in a press release.   

Though banks now have mobile apps where cardholders can track transactions, lock cards when not in use, or receive notifications on the latest scamming trends, constant contact with the bank is still important since banks can reach out for any suspicious or unusual account activities. — B. H. Lacsamana 

Sydney locked down for another week as Delta COVID-19 variant spreads

REUTERS

SYDNEY — The leader of Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) state on Wednesday ordered a week-long extension of Sydney’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown, warning new cases are bound to rise as the country’s biggest city grapples with the highly infectious Delta variant. 

Sydney, home to a fifth of Australia’s 25 million people, was plunged into lockdown on June 26 as a Delta variant outbreak persuaded officials to tighten restrictions in a country that has been slow to vaccinate. Strict stay-at-home orders were due to end on Friday, but now remain in place until July 16. 

“This Delta strain is a game-changer, it is extremely transmissible and more contagious than any other form of the virus that we’ve seen,” NSW state Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney. 

With Sydney fighting its worst outbreak of the year so far, total infections have topped 350 since the first case was detected three weeks ago in a limousine driver who transported overseas airline crew. 

A total of 27 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 were reported on Wednesday in NSW, up from 18 a day earlier. Of the new cases, 20 were either in isolation throughout or for part of their infectious period, while seven cases spent time in the community while they were infectious. 

Lockdowns, swift contact tracing and a high community compliance with social distancing rules have helped Australia suppress past outbreaks and keep its COVID-19 numbers relatively low, with just over 30,800 cases and 910 deaths. The current lockdown is Sydney’s second since the pandemic began. 

Health officials warned Sydney residents they expect cases to rise in the next 24 hours and urged residents in three western suburbs — Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool — to stay home. 

Liverpool Deputy Mayor Mazhar Hadid said there was “no choice” but to lock down the neighborhood. 

“I know it’s affecting small businesses in Liverpool, it’s like they’ve lost their city, but we need to do the right thing,” he told Reuters. 

Schools in Sydney will move to remote learning next week when they return from the winter break. 

FRUSTRATED RESIDENTS
With less than 10% of Australians fully vaccinated and rolling restrictions ordered in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth as well as Sydney, lockdowns are starting to wear on residents watching other parts of the world open up. 

As crowds gather at Wimbledon to watch the tennis championships, sporting events including the Australian F1 Grand Prix have been cancelled. 

“Let’s lock down the people that are vulnerable, you don’t lock down healthy people because a few are sick. It’s just not making sense and your numbers don’t justify it,” Sydney resident Paul Coleman told Reuters at Bondi, near the epicenter of the latest outbreak. 

Australia’s vaccination drive has fallen well behind initial schedules after age restrictions were placed on AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, the backbone of the country’s program, due to the small risk of blood clots. 

Canberra has since scrambled to secure additional supplies of Pfizer’s vaccine, although large quantities are not due to arrive until late in the year. 

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told reporters that “challenges have been forced upon us” in the inoculation program but the pace was picking up. — Renju Jose and Byron Kaye/Reuters 

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