Doctored photo does not show 'Philippine lawmakers supporting mandatory military service'

AFP Philippines - Yesterday 


An image that appears to show three opposition politicians in the Philippines holding placards in support of mandatory military training has been shared hundreds of times in Facebook and YouTube posts that criticise them for making an apparent U-turn. The claim circulated online after Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said she wanted to reinstate mandatory military service for Filipinos aged 18 years old. The image, however, has been doctored. The pictured lawmakers told AFP they continue to oppose calls to reinstate mandatory military training in the archipelago.

The image was posted on Facebook on August 17. It has been shared more than 190 times.

The post's Tagalog-language caption accuses opposition lawmakers France Castro, Arlene Brosas and Raoul Manuel of allegedly reversing their stance on proposals to revive ROTC -- the country's mandatory military training programme.

The trio appear to be holding cards that state: "YES TO MANDATORY ROTC!", "WOMEN, SUPPORT ROTC!" and "YOUTH, JOIN ROTC!!"

The post also claims the politicians are "tired of supporting the CPP-NPA-NDF" -- referencing allegations they are linked to communist rebels trying to overthrow the government.

The lawmakers' coalition in Congress previously denied this allegation.

The caption translates in part as: "Rep. France Castro, Rep. Arlene Brosas and Rep. Raoul Manuel urged the public to support ROTC after realising this could bring huge help to the country.

"Though they have criticised this before, they are now openly giving their support. They know this will be beneficial not only for the youth but for the whole country."



Doctored photo does not show 'Philippine lawmakers supporting mandatory military service'© Provided by AFP Fact CheckScreenshot of the false post taken on September 14, 2022

The Philippine government made ROTC optional in 2002 following the death of a student who exposed alleged corruption in his university's military training programme.

Since she was elected in May this year, Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has spearheaded calls to reinstate mandatory military service.

At least four bills supporting the move have been filed to the Philippine Congress in July, as seen here, here, here and here.

But Castro, Brosas and Manuel have said they would oppose the measure.


The same image was shared in Facebook posts here, here and here; and on YouTube here alongside a similar claim.

Comments on the posts suggested some users believed the image is genuine.

"That's just for show so they can get sympathy and votes from the people," one wrote.

"Don't believe them, I think they are just pretending to support ROTC," another commented.

The image shared in the posts, however, has also been doctored.

The three lawmakers told AFP they have not changed their stance on mandatory training.

'Against mandatory training'

"The posts that state we are supporting mandatory ROTC are false. We oppose mandatory ROTC," Brosas from Gabriela Women's Party told AFP on September 14.

On the same day, Manuel from Kabataan Partylist said: "We at Kabataan Partylist are firmly against the mandatory ROTC or mandatory military training and we have never been supportive of such proposals."

Castro from ACT Teachers Party-List said her party "strongly" opposes the measure to reinstate ROTC. She told AFP on September 15: "Photos circulating online saying otherwise are false, altered and spreading disinformation."

Doctored photo

Reverse image and keyword searches found the original photo was published on the official Facebook page for the Gabriela Women's Party on August 1.

The caption states the lawmakers were calling for a probe on a clash between state and rebel forces that local media reported killed a young girl and a man with a mental disability in Batangas province, south of the capital Manila.

In the original photo, the lawmakers are shown holding placards seeking justice for the victims.

The original placards read: "DEFEND SOUTHERN TAGALOG!"; "JUSTICE FOR KYLLENE CASAO!" and "JUSTICE FOR MAXIMO DIGNO!"

Below are screenshot comparisons of the doctored photo in one of the false posts (left) and the original photo (right):


Doctored photo does not show 'Philippine lawmakers supporting mandatory military service'© Provided by AFP Fact Check

CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
Philippines: 'Communist' book bans raise new censorship fears

Ana P. Santos, Deutsche Welle - Yesterday 

Free speech advocates are concerned the new government of Ferdinand Marcos will continue cracking down on independent media in an attempt to whitewash the history of his father's brutal dictatorship.

Independent authors and book publishers in the Philippines are coming under pressure for alleged ties to the country's Communist Party and for criticizing the government.

Authorities in the Philippines are cracking down on literature labelled' subversive'.

© Rouelle Umali/ Xinhua News Agency/picture alliance

In August, the Commission on the Filipino Language (KWF) issued a memorandum calling for the removal of books containing "subversive, anti-Marcos and anti-Duterte contents" from public libraries.

The statement refers to former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, and his successor, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., both of whom have pursued hardline policies towards the media.

The KWF statement alleged that is own chairman, Arthur Casanova, had approved the books without its consent, saying it publishes books focused on "linguistics, grammar and ethnography."

The board of commissioners called Casanova's actions "illegal" and an "attack on the government." It added Casanova should be held responsible for "wasting taxpayers' money and inciting rebellion."

Casanova responded, warning that labeling books "subversive" is a "dangerous accusation which may already be stepping on the boundaries of freedom of expression and academic freedom."

In another case, a recent video posted on a pro-Marcos YouTube channel by Lorraine Badoy, the former head of a task force to end "Communist insurgency," tagged more than a dozen books by Filipino authors as anti-government because they included references written by the Communist Party of the Philippines.

The channel, SMNI News, has over 1.2 million subscribers.

In response, concerned citizens have taken to Twitter under the #HandsOffOurLibraries hashtag and set up a website documenting a "book censorship spree" across different provinces.

Dexter Cayanes, one of the authors who was red-tagged, said it he is falling victim to "certain political interests.

Scale of crackdown 'alarming'

Last year, a Philippine government task force to "end local Communist armed conflict" cooperated with the military on the removal of books considered anti-government from libraries in state-run academic institutions.

Most of the books in question documented the Communist insurgency in the Philippines and peace negotiations with the Communist Party.

La Solidaridad is an iconic, independent bookstore in Manila, which is a popular hang-out for writers and literary enthusiasts. After the task force began its work, the store was vandalized with red paint, ostensibly marking it as part of the "Communist" movement in the Philippines.

Tonet Jose, who owns and manages La Solidaridad, told DW that while he is not a stranger to state repression of freedom of expression, the magnitude of the government crackdown is alarming.

"But I still see hope. After the news of the book ban came out, a lot of people came into the store looking to buy copies of the banned titles," Jose said.

Whitewashing history of Marcos dictatorship?

Earlier this year, the head of the national intelligence agency accused children's book publisher Adarna House of subtly "radicalizing" Filipino youth. Adarna House had bundled a collection of children's storybooks about the martial law era and the brutal dictatorship of the current president's father, Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.

The curated collection was in response to public demand for books that would educate the younger generation of Filipinos about the crime and corruption during the Philippines' two-decades long military rule.

On September 21, the Philippines marks the 50th anniversary of the declaration of martial law, an era which lasted from 1972 until 1981 and saw thousands of activists killed or jailed.

Several reports have shown that a massive and well-orchestrated disinformation campaign by the Marcoses was crucial in influencing public opinion and securing the presidency for the late dictator's son.

Recently, a pro-Marcos movie was produced portraying the Marcoses as victims of the 1986 peaceful People's Power Revolution that ousted them from power.

Documentary filmmaker Alyx Arumpac, told DW that filmmaking has the power to influence the opinion wide audiences, and both sides of an issue use the medium to get complex messages across.

"This type of storytelling can also be an effective tool at countering the myths that the Marcoses have built for themselves," Arumpac told DW.

"Documentary films hold memories and evidence. In that sense, a documentary film serves as a clear record of the past. And that record will stand for decades to come," she said.

Arumpac's film "ASWANG" documented the brutalities of the Duterte Administration's drug war.

It enjoyed a wide viewing and won accolades worldwide. Arumpac has not been red tagged but has been barraged by online threats of rape and death since the release of her movie.

A turning point for culture in the Philippines

Authors, academics and human rights activists warn an entire state machinery is being implemented to target dissent.

Cristina Palabay, secretary general of human rights group Karapatan, said in a recent statement that the state-sponsored crackdown on books is an attempt to "deny the public of much-needed literature and materials encouraging critical thinking and knowledge on Filipino history and language."

Faye Cura, founder of independent feminist book publishing collective Gantala Press, told DW that the intensity of the state's attacks is an indication of how much the government is threatened by the a cultural movement fighting against historical revisionism and disinformation.

"Even more so now, cultural workers must resist all forms of censorship and the silencing of people," said Cura.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn

Copyright 2022 DW.COM, Deutsche Welle. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

KANADA

False posts claim queen convicted over missing Indigenous children

AFP Canada - Yesterday

Social media posts circulating after the death of Queen Elizabeth II claim she was found guilty of killing indigenous children in Western Canada in 1964. This is false; the late monarch's official schedule did not place her in British Columbia when the alleged crime took place, and the institution said to have convicted her has no legitimate judicial authority.

"Just a reminder that the queen was found guilty of the murder of 10 canadian Indigenous children she and prince Philip took on a 'picnic' to the woods once day while visiting and they were never seen again," says a September 8, 2022 tweet that attracted thousands of interactions.

Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral, her rural Scotland retreat, the same day at age 96. Her death inspired numerous false claims on social media.

False posts claim queen convicted over missing Indigenous children© Provided by AFP Fact Check Screenshot of a tweet taken September 13, 2022

Some Facebook posts specify that the conviction was issued in 2013 by the "International Common Law Court of Justice in Brussels" -- not to be confused with the International Criminal Court (ICC), an international tribunal based in the Netherlands.

"After nearly a year of litigation, Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Phillip, were found guilty in the disappearance of ten native children from the Catholic-run Kamloops residential school in British Columbia," says text in a September 9 Facebook post. "Grieving parents haven't seen their children since they left for a picnic with the Royal couple on Oct. 10 1964."

However, the posts are inaccurate.

Court not recognized

The court cited in the posts has no power to hand down convictions, independent experts previously told AFP.

Related video: Death of Queen Elizabeth prompts discussions about Crown-Indigenous relations

Death of Queen Elizabeth prompts discussions about Crown-Indigenous relations

"The International Common Law Court of Justice is not a recognized international court, and has no authority in Canada," said Ian McLeod, a spokesman for the Department of Justice Canada.

The International Common Law Court of Justice has previously spread misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines and regulations. Its self-described "chief adviser," Kevin Annett, is a former pastor in the United Church who was removed from the ministry in 1997.

Visit to Kamloops

The claim that Queen Elizabeth II was responsible for the disappearance of 10 Indigenous children in Western Canada in 1964 is not new. Fact-checking organization Snopes traced it back to 2010.

The rumor recirculated after the unmarked graves of 215 children were found on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia in May 2021.

First Nations peoples have sought a royal apology over the crown's role in Canada's residential school program. The schools were set up more than a century ago to assimilate Indigenous peoples, who were physically and sexually abused by headmasters and teachers who stripped them of their culture and language.

During a May 2022 visit, then-Prince Charles did not offer a formal apology, but emphasized the importance of acknowledging Canada's past abuses of its Indigenous community and described reconciliation as "vital."

AFP found no evidence that the royals visited the Kamloops residential school in 1964, as claimed in the posts.

The Canadian Research and Mapping Association said the queen visited Kamloops during her 1959 tour. The Canadian government also recorded a visit to the city by Queen Elizabeth II in March 1983 -- after the residential school had closed.

The queen did visit Canada in 1964, but she remained in Eastern provinces.


False posts claim queen convicted over missing Indigenous children© Provided by AFP Fact CheckThis screenshot taken September 12, 2022 shows the Canadian government's record of royal tours

This claim has also been fact-checked by Full Fact in the UK.

AFP has fact-checked other false and misleading claims about the queen here, here and here.

COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES AND INDIGENOUS RIGHTS

New Zealand republic debate complicated by Māori treaty

By NICK PERRY, Associated Press - 

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The death of Queen Elizabeth II last week has reignited debate in New Zealand about whether it should continue recognizing Britain's monarch as its symbolic head of state or take the final step toward independence by becoming a republic.

People walk on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed between Maori and the British Crown on Feb. 6, 1840, in Waitangi, northern New Zealand on Oct. 5, 2020. The debate in New Zealand over becoming a republic has an unusual twist: Many Indigenous Maori support New Zealand sticking with the monarchy, unlike the Indigenous people in many other former British colonies. That's because Maori signed a treaty with the British Crown in 1840 that guarantees them certain rights, and some Maori fear a constitutional change could threaten those rights. 

(AP Photo/Mark Baker)

But there remains a significant complicating factor.

While Indigenous people in many of the 14 nations outside of Britain which recognize the monarchy want to ditch it because they see it as a symbol of colonial repression, views are more mixed among Indigenous New Zealanders. Some Māori leaders favor sticking with the monarchy, at least for now.


Visitors to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed between Maori and the British Crown on Feb. 6, 1840, inspect Te Whare Runanga, a traditional meeting house in Waitangi, northern New Zealand on Oct. 5, 2020. The debate in New Zealand over becoming a republic has an unusual twist: Many Indigenous Maori support New Zealand sticking with the monarchy, unlike the Indigenous people in many other former British colonies. That's because Maori signed a treaty with the British Crown in 1840 that guarantees them certain rights, and some Maori fear a constitutional change could threaten those rights. 

(AP Photo/Mark Baker)

That's because New Zealand's founding document, the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, was signed between Māori chiefs and the British crown. The treaty guaranteed Māori sovereignty over their traditional lands and fisheries, and some Māori worry those pledges could be threatened by eliminating the monarchy from New Zealand.



A sign on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed between Maori and the British Crown on Feb. 6, 1840, detailing the history, is seen in Waitangi, northern New Zealand on Oct. 5, 2020. The debate in New Zealand over becoming a republic has an unusual twist: Many Indigenous Maori support New Zealand sticking with the monarchy, unlike the Indigenous people in many other former British colonies. That's because Maori signed a treaty with the British Crown in 1840 that guarantees them certain rights, and some Maori fear a constitutional change could threaten those rights. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

For the past 33 years, New Zealand's government has been negotiating with Māori tribes and compensating them for historic treaty breaches with settlements of money and land. But the process remains incomplete, with some tribes yet to reach settlements.

Willie Jackson, the government's minister for Māori development, said the appropriate time for a discussion about becoming a republic would come after the period of mourning for Elizabeth.

“When we do have that conversation, I think the reality for a lot of Māori is the position of the treaty is paramount,” Jackson said. “There has been a lot of worry that the treaty will disappear. So, obviously, some people will be looking for some entrenchment with regards to that."

Peeni Henare, New Zealand's defense minister and another influential Māori voice in the government, said that from his perspective, there should be “no thoughts given to becoming a republic” until the treaty settlement process is completed.

Constitutional experts argue that the obligations of New Zealand's government to compensate Māori under the treaty wouldn't need to change if it became a republic, and a switch would be a fairly simple legal maneuver to pull off. That hasn't reassured all Māori.

Some, however, are advocating for New Zealand to become a republic immediately. The small Māori Party, which holds two seats in the Parliament, surprised some observers in February by advocating for a republic as part of broader changes that include setting up a separate Māori parliament.

“The only way this nation can work is when Māori assert their rights to self-management, self-determination, and self-governance over all our domains," said party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer at the time, adding: “This won’t mean the crown is off the hook. If a couple gets divorced, you don’t lose responsibility for your child."

Lewis Holden, the campaign chair of lobby group New Zealand Republic, said the treaty remains key to the republic debate in New Zealand. He said his group's position is the same as that of academics — that nothing changes about the treaty's constitutional powers if New Zealand becomes a republic.

When it comes to Indigenous rights, Lewis added, “There is a big question, I think, about that symbolism of staying connected to the monarchy."

He said that New Zealand likely lags behind Caribbean nations and Australia in the push to become a republic, but he hopes there might be a national referendum on the issue within the next five to 10 years.

“Very clearly there was a lot of support for the monarchy simply because of the good feeling that people had towards the queen,” Holden said.

He said the feeling of nostalgia people had for Elizabeth and her connection to historic events like World War II was now gone — or would be after a spike during the mourning period for Elizabeth — and that support in New Zealand for the monarchy would inevitably wane under the reign of King Charles III.

But over the years, New Zealand's political leaders have shown little enthusiasm for engaging in the republic debate, no doubt in part because of the thorny Indigenous issues it raises.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her government doesn't plan to pursue the issue following the queen's death.

She said she thought New Zealand will eventually become a republic, and it would probably happen within her lifetime, but that there were more pressing issues for her government to address.

Opposition Leader Christopher Luxon said much the same.

“I don't see any need for constitutional change right now. I think that it might happen at some point, but that could even be decades away,” he said.





Start the conversation

TYRANT OF TUNISIA 

Tunisian president issues new electoral law reducing parties' influence

NEWS WIRES - Yesterday 

Tunisia's president issued an electoral law on Thursday reducing, but not ending, the role of political parties in a reformed parliament that will have fewer powers under a constitution passed in July.

© Fethi Belaid, AFP

Under the new law, voters will choose candidates in the Dec. 17 election individually rather than by selecting a single party list - a switch that will weaken the influence of parties.

The unilateral changes are the latest that President Kais Saied has made to Tunisia's political system since he seized most powers last summer in a move his foes called an anti-democratic coup to establish one-man rule.

"We are passing through a new stage in the history of Tunisia towards the sovereignty of the people after previous sham elections," said Saied during a cabinet meeting.

He said political parties were not being excluded and that accusations constituted "lies and fabrications."

The main parties across Tunisia's political spectrum have already rejected the law, saying they will boycott any elections under Saied's new constitution, which has greatly expanded his powers and removed most checks on his actions.



The constitution was passed overwhelmingly in a referendum in which official figures showed only 30% of voters took part - though opposition parties have accused the authorities of inflating even that low rate of participation.

The previous democratic constitution from 2014 enshrined a major role for parliament, giving it the main responsibility for forming governments, while the president had less direct power.

Saied's new constitution has instead brought the government directly under the president, while reducing the influence of a new two-chamber parliament.

The new lower chamber will only have 161 members, compared to the 217 previously. Details of the second chamber, including how its members will be elected, have not yet been issued.

The United States has repeatedly voiced concern at what it sees as democratic backsliding under Saied, a political independent who worked as a constitutional law lecturer before running for president in 2019.

He has rejected the criticism, calling it unacceptable interference in domestic Tunisian affairs, and has denied his actions constitute a coup or that he will become a dictator.

(REUTERS)

(Reporting by Tarek Amara; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Josie Kao)

FASCIST MANICHAESIM 

Brazil's Bolsonaro taps wife to woo Evangelicals, women

Ramon SAHMKOW
Thu, September 15, 2022


Once a discreetly smiling presence at Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's side, First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro is increasingly wooing Evangelical Christian and women voters to reelect the husband she calls "one of God's chosen ones."

Trailing in the polls to his leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the far-right incumbent has turned to his telegenic, fervently Christian wife to help him with those two key demographic groups ahead of October 2 elections.

A mainly behind-the-scenes presence for most of Bolsonaro's term, the first lady is now playing a starring role in his campaign -- to the point of giving what he himself called the keynote speech when he launched his reelection bid a month ago.

"She's the most important person here," Bolsonaro, 67, gushed that day.

He then handed the mic over to his beaming 40-year-old wife, who warned ominously against returning "our enemies" to power and led the crowd in the Lord's prayer.

Bolsonaro has long struggled with women voters.

In his 2018 campaign, the former army captain was the target of a women-led movement called #EleNao -- "not him" -- launched by critics who accuse him of misogyny.

He has revived those accusations this time around with controversial campaign-trail behavior such as bragging about his supposed sexual prowess and lashing out at a woman journalist who asked him a tough question during the first presidential debate.

"You must have a crush on me or something," he told her sarcastically.

Enter the first lady.

"Her role is to make (Bolsonaro) more attractive to women voters," says Sergio Praca, a political analyst at the Getulio Vargas Foundation.

- Winning strategy? -

Both Bolsonaro and former president Lula are keenly courting women (53 percent of the electorate) and Evangelicals (an estimated 31 percent of Brazil's 213 million people).

Known for his aggressive style and use of profanities, Bolsonaro has sometimes rubbed both groups the wrong way.

Political analysts say women voters also resent his lack of policies to help them through the country's post-Covid-19 economic malaise, whose impact has fallen disproportionately on their shoulders.

Michelle, Bolsonaro's third wife, sends the message the president is a "conservative family man" and "trustworthy" candidate, says Carolina Botelho, a political communication specialist at Rio de Janeiro State University.

The elegant first lady's increasingly active role has turned heads -- including among the electoral authorities, who recently blocked a Bolsonaro campaign ad from television, ruling she had exceeded the time allotted to candidates' allies.

But it is unclear the strategy is paying off: Bolsonaro's poll numbers among women have remained essentially flat, with a double-digit lead for Lula.

Michelle "may have reinforced (Bolsonaro's) standing among women who were already with him, but she hasn't drawn in those who were against him," says Botelho.

"She speaks well to a fanatic, radicalized audience, but not to the rest of the population."

- Religion and politics -

The first lady appears to have greater pull with conservative Christians, given her history of volunteering on church-affiliated charity projects and her close ties with powerful Evangelical pastors and politicians.

"Her main strength is among the Evangelical electorate," says Adriano Laureno, a political analyst at consulting firm Prospectiva.

Her speaking style "closely resembles a pastor's," with constant references to God and a struggle between good and evil, he adds.

In this case, the strategy appears to be working: Bolsonaro holds a double-digit lead over Lula among Evangelicals.

Polls also show a majority of voters in Brazil believe religion should play a role in politics.

The first lady does just that in her public appearances, regularly repeating her husband's slogan: "Brazil above all, and God above everyone."

rsr/jhb/bgs

FASCIST MALE FANTASIES
Hungarian women dismayed as new 'tormenting' abortion rules take effect


Issued on: 16/09/2022 -

01:42France 24 screen grab © France 24

Text by:NEWS WIRES

Hungarian women voiced dismay as an amendment to abortion rules took effect on Thursday in what some see as a first step towards a tightening of access to the procedure under a deeply conservative government.

Interior Minister Sandor Pinter submitted an amendment to abortion rules this week requiring pregnant women to submit evidence from their healthcare provider of a definitive sign of life, widely interpreted as the heartbeat of a foetus, before requesting the procedure.

The number of abortions fell to about 22,000 in Hungary last year from over 90,000 in 1990 based on official statistics. However, some women interviewed by Reuters were sceptical that the amendment could further dent demand for abortions.

"I think this will not change the mind of someone who has already decided to opt for an abortion, so this is completely unnecessary and will only torment women," Borbala Jonas said at a playground in central Budapest amid the cheerful jostle of children around her.

Current rules allow Hungarian women to request an abortion in cases of rape, risks to the mother's health from the pregnancy, a severe disability of the unborn child or in case of a serious personal crisis.

Poland, among Europe's most devoutly Catholic countries, has a near-total ban on abortion. Access to it was tightened in recent years under the Law and Justice (PiS) party, Hungary's conservative nationalist ally, triggering major protests.

"That's my biggest fear that they are taking away our rights step by step, bit by bit," said Nora Bakacs, a Budapest mother. "I do believe that it is a first step, and it is going to go from here, to the most extreme."

Right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban was easily re-elected in April but faces his toughest term in power since a 2010 landslide victory with the forint skirting all-time lows, energy costs surging and European Union funds in limbo amid a row over backsliding from democratic standards.

The government gave no reason for the abortion amendment.

Some political analysts have said it could be aimed at mobilising more conservative voters for Fidesz in politically challenging times by clipping the wings of the far-right Our Homeland party, which won seats in parliament for the first time in April and originally campaigned for the changes.

Dora Duro, an Our Homeland lawmaker, said that even after the decline in abortions seen over the past decades, there were still too many in the central European country.

"This is a procedural change," said the mother of four, holding up a plastic replica of a 10-week-old foetus.

"This is necessary because every fifth child conceived in Hungary still falls victim to an abortion and that is an exceedingly high number."

Women's rights group Patent said the changes would not curb demand for abortions but could foreshadow a possible future tightening in abortion laws.

"Making access to abortions more difficult will not lead to a decline in the number of abortions," spokeswoman Julia Spronz said. "It serves the only purpose of inducing guilt in women so that they feel even worse, even more like a sinner."

(REUTERS)

Plastic garbage covers Central American rivers, lakes and beaches

Issued on: 16/09/2022 - 

Plastic waste floats on the Cerron Grande reservoir in Potonico, El Salvador 

MARVIN RECINOS AFP

Potonico (El Salvador) (AFP) – A blanket of multi-colored plastic waste flowing in from tributaries covers Lake Suchitlan in El Salvador.

It is a sorry scene that has also become an all too common sight on the Caribbean beaches of Honduras, where thousands of tons of rubbish arrive from neighboring Guatemala.

Fizzy drink bottles, medication packets, tattered flipflops: all sorts of plastic rubbish can be found floating on 13,500-hectare (52 square mile) Lake Suchitlan, which serves as a reservoir for a power plant and is considered by UNESCO to be a wetland of international importance.

Local fishermen say the pollution forces tilapia and cichlid fish deeper into the artificial lake -- the largest body of freshwater in the country -- where they cannot be reached with fishing nets.

"It has been more than two months since we've been able to fish," angler Luis Penate, 25, told AFP.

To make ends meet he has started ferrying around tourists in a boat owned by another fisherman.

Ducks clear paths through the rubbish, little tortoises climb on top of floating bottles to sunbathe and skinny horses wade into the lake to drink the contaminated water.

This contamination is unprecedented, says Jacinto Tobar, the mayor of Potonico, a small village 100 kilometers north of San Salvador in Chalatenango department.

"The fauna and flora are suffering a lot" and there are ever fewer tourists, he said.

The fishermen must also compete with 1.5 million black cormorants that inhabit the lake, according to Tobar, who says they have become a type of plague since arriving as migratory birds and then staying put.#photo1




With a population of 2,500, Potonico is the most affected of 15 riverside villages.

The state body that administers the reservoir employs dozens of workers to clean the lake by hand.

Some locals also help out with the task, which Tobar says will take three to four months to complete.

"What can we hope for in the future if we don't look after our environment, if we soil our streets, rivers, lakes, forests and beaches," said President Nayib Bukele earlier this week at the launch of a "Zero Rubbish" campaign.

Environment minister Fernando Lopez said the country generates 4,200 tons of waste a day, of which 1,200 tons end up in rivers, beaches and streets.

'Unable to stop it'

One of the worst affected areas of the Central American Caribbean coast is the beaches of the Omoa region in Honduras.

It is a beautiful coastline with abundant vegetation and palm trees, some 200 kilometers (120 miles) north of Tegucigalpa.

But in some places the sand is almost entirely covered with plastic waste of all sorts, including syringes.

"This rubbish comes from the Motagua river on the Guatemalan side, they weren't able to stop it," said Candido Flores, 76, a local resident.

"As the river rises, it returns again."

It has created islands of floating waste that have been denounced by local authorities and activists, and has even caused tensions between the two countries.

Every year, some 20,000 tons of plastic waste comes through the Las Vacas river, a tributary of the Motagua, according to The Ocean Cleanup, a Dutch NGO.

Most of that comes from a landfill in the Guatemalan capital.

Environmental activists say the problem must be tackled at its source.#photo3

"We must attack where the main flow of rubbish comes from," said Eduardo Arguera, 29, an architecture student at the University of El Salvador, who has launched several clean up campaigns.

To contain plastic waste and prevent it from reaching rivers and lakes, he suggests fencing it in at strategic points.

Ricardo Navarro, president of the Center of Appropriate Technology, says only 30 percent of the waste floats; the rest sinks to the bottom of the bodies of water.

Meaning what is visible, quite literally, is just the tip of the iceberg.

The United Nations Environment Programme says 11 million metric tons of plastic enters the world's oceans every year, and warns that number could triple in the next 20 years.

© 2022 AFP

US jogger's death sparks emotional outcry and political debate

Issued on: 16/09/2022

The murder of Eliza Fletcher in Memphis, Tennessee has sparked despair and anger throughout the United States 

Washington (AFP) – Eliza Fletcher left her home in Memphis, Tennessee for an early morning jog two weeks ago when she disappeared.

Her body was found a few days later, and since then, the tragedy has rekindled two distinct debates: one on women's public safety, the other over racial tensions in the United States.

Authorities said the 34-year-old kindergarten teacher and mother of two was "abducted" around 4:20 am on September 2, by a man who forced her into his vehicle.

Her alleged attacker was arrested the next day, but Fletcher wasn't found until September 5, behind an abandoned building.

The case has sparked a nationwide outpouring of sadness and anger.

Last week in cities across the country, hundreds of joggers met at the same morning hour Fletcher was kidnapped, to "finish her run" in her honor and make clear that "women should be able to run safely any time of day," organizers said.

To those who say Fletcher was tempting fate by going out alone so early, in a city considered unsafe, "it's time to stop blaming women for getting murdered while running," said Christa Sgobba in a story in Self Magazine.

Melissa A. Sullivan, a marathon runner, described in The Washington Post how she was tired of constantly having to be on alert.

"Like so many other women, I'm angry. I'm frustrated. I'm exhausted by the expectation that the onus to prevent the harassment and intimidation of female runners is, should be and always will be on us," she wrote in an op-ed.

Culture wars

The violent death of Fletcher, a mother with a big smile who has been described as an exemplary Christian, was quickly branded by some right-wing commentators as a sign of social decay under the left's leadership.

Tucker Carlson, a star anchor at conservative-favored Fox News, made Fletcher an allegory for "the fall of Memphis, law and order."

Conservative influencer Candace Owens, known for denouncing "wokeness" among other things to her four million Instagram followers, urged Fox News viewers living in inner city areas to flee, insisting those neighborhoods are infested with criminals.

"This is not a joke," she said. "Do not wait for politicians to rescue you. Rescue yourself, and get out of these Democrat-controlled cities."

For some conservatives, Fletcher's case is a reflection of the "culture wars" brewing in the United States in the wake of the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement.

Fletcher was white, but her suspected killer, Cleotha Henderson -- also known as Cleotha Abston -- is Black.

Violence against Black women 'habitual'

Some internet users, insisting that Fletcher's murder did not get enough attention because she was not Black, have taken up a traditional Black Lives Matter rallying cry: "Say her name."

These words are often chanted at anti-racism rallies to remember the Black victims of police brutality.

Right-wing commentator Ann Coulter charged in her newsletter that the mainstream media has a policy of "no stories that would make Black people -- or more to the point, white liberals -- feel uncomfortable."

But this belief grossly misinterprets the situation, argues Kari J. Winter, an American studies professor at the University at Buffalo.

"Anyone who imagines that Eliza Fletcher's murder would have received more attention if she had been Black or brown is living in a fantasy world radically disconnected from the real world," she told AFP.

"In the United States, violence against Black and brown women is far more habitual, extreme and ignored than violence against white women."

Apart from these debates, Fletcher's death has also resurfaced a recurring problem in the United States: a DNA sample from an unrelated rape case turned out to match Henderson.

The rape occurred in September 2021, but the sexual assault kit was only processed in June.

Without the delay, it's possible that Henderson and Fletcher might never have crossed paths.

© 2022 AFP

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M
Indonesia investigating Google over app store payment system

Thu, September 15, 2022


Indonesia has launched an anti-trust investigation into Google over the etch firm's insistence that its payment system be used for purchases from its app store, authorities said Thursday, accusing it of unfair business practices.

The US internet giant has been under legal scrutiny in a number of countries over its stipulation that its billing system be used by all buyers on Google Play.

Authorities in Jakarta said in a statement they suspected "Google has abused its dominant position by imposing conditional sales and discriminatory practices in digital application distribution in Indonesia".

Google Play is the largest app distribution platform in Indonesia, a country of around 270 million people.

Third-party developers offering their apps on Google Play are charged a 15 to 30 percent service fee, higher than the five percent imposed by other payment systems, according to an initial probe by the nation's anti-trust agency.

"The respective developers cannot refuse the obligation because Google can impose sanctions by removing their applications from the Google Play store and preventing them from making updates to their applications," the agency said.

Google Indonesia said on Friday that it would work with the Indonesian authorities "to demonstrate how Google Play supports developers".

It added that since early this month, it has started a pilot billing system, allowing an alternative payment system alongside the one used on Google Play.

The American multinational has faced a barrage of legal cases in the United States, Europe and Asia based on similar accusations.

Google has also faced claims that it unfairly forced its search engine and Chrome internet browser on phone makers using the Android operating system.

On Wednesday, the European Union's second-highest court ruled that "Google imposed unlawful restrictions on manufacturers of Android mobile devices".

The court upheld the EU's record fine of more than four billion euros ($4 billion) against Google

That case was the third of three major cases brought against Google by the EU's competition czar Margrethe Vestager, whose legal challenges were the first worldwide to directly take on Silicon Valley tech giants.

South Korea fined Google nearly $180 million last year for abusing its dominant market position in a similar case regarding the Android system.

agn/axn/it