Germany considers stopping all air travel due to corona virus mutations

 

By Deutsche Welle DW

Interior Minister Seehofer said Germany is considering a stop to international air travel, citing a similar approach by Israel. He added border closures to regions where new mutations are prevalent are also being mulled.

More infectious variants of the corona virus have prompted consideration of new restrictions.

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced on Tuesday that the German government is considering a ban on almost all international air travel in an effort to stop the spread of new, more virulent strains of the corona virus.

"The danger posed by numerous virus mutations forces us to consider drastic measures. That includes significantly stricter border checks, especially at borders with high-risk areas, but also reducing air travel to Germany to almost zero, as Israel is currently doing," Seehofer told the German tabloid Bild. 

The paper reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel requested that Seehofer look into ways the country could defend itself against the spread of mutations on Sunday.

On Tuesday, Merkel told lawmakers she was opposed to an all-out travel ban, while at the same time calling for a halt to tourism as the pandemic continues to spread.

The German Tourism industry braces for $1.2 trillion coronavirus blow.

The German Travel Association criticized the move noting the grave damage the corona virus has already done to the tourism and business travel sectors: "The government should take this into account. It should not concentrate on further tightening our already tightly restricted freedom of movement."

The association said the government would be better served by concentrating on the country's "drastic deficits" regarding vaccinations, adding: "Moreover, the federal government should reflect upon the fact that freedom of movement is a basic right — not a politically granted privilege."

DFA protests China’s coast guard law

 

SOUTH CHINA SEA. In this photo provided by US Navy, the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Carrier Strike Groups steam in formation, in the South China Sea, on July 6, 2020. (File)

January 27, 2021

A DAY after saying China’s new coast guard law is “none of our business”, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Wednesday, January 27, 2021, that he has filed a diplomatic protest.

“While enacting law is a sovereign prerogative, this one—given the area involved or, for that matter, the open South China Sea—is a verbal threat of war to any country that defies the law; which, if unchallenged, is submission to it,” Locsin posted on Twitter.

He said he filed the diplomatic protest “after reflection” on this development.

After reflection I fired a diplomatic protest. While enacting law is a sovereign prerogative, this one—given the area involved or for that matter the open South China Sea—is a verbal threat of war to any country that defies the law; which, if unchallenged, is submission to it. https://t.co/h2wHNPPH8n— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 27, 2021

A day earlier, he said “it is China's business what laws it passes” and asked those who were quick to criticize the new policy to exercise a little self-restraint.

China’s state media reported that the National People’s Congress passed a law on January 22, authorizing its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels.

The Philippines is among the Southeast Asian countries embroiled in maritime disputes with China over the South China Sea, or the West Philippine Sea. (SunStar Philippines)

Streit um Doppelbesteuerung der Renten

  Experten erwarten wegweisendes Urteil

• 

  vonAnne Hund

Vom Bundesfinanzhof wird ein wegweisendes Urteil zur Doppelbesteuerung der Renten erwartet. Noch in diesem Jahr soll es fallen. 

Das Jahr 2021 könnte für Steuerzahler ein wichtiges werden. So wird zur Doppelbesteuerung der Renten* in diesem Jahr ein wegweisendes Urteil vom Bundesfinanzhof erwartet. Der Streit dreht sich, wie das Portal wiwo.de bereits vor einigen Monaten berichtete, darum, dass die Regeln für die Besteuerung der Rente möglicherweise verfassungswidrig seien. Denn sie könnten, je nachdem wie gerechnet werde, zu einer Doppelbesteuerung führen, so das Portal. Die aber dürfe es laut Bundesverfassungsgericht nicht geben. Nun also soll der Bundesfinanzhof (BFH) bei der Streitfrage entscheiden.

Lesen Sie zudem: Immer mehr Rentner müssen eine Steuererklärung abgeben

Durch den Bundesfinanzhof erwarten Experten in diesem Jahr folglich ein wegweisendes Urteil. Die mündliche Verhandlung vor dem Gerichtshof in München über eine mögliche Doppelbesteuerung von Renten war dem Evangelischen Pressedienst (epd) zufolge ursprünglich für Herbst 2020 erwartet worden. Wegen der Corona-Pandemie sei der Termin allerdings mehrmals verschoben worden. Eine Entscheidung steht nun also 2021 aus. Die mündliche Verhandlung sei erst auf Januar verschoben worden, berichtet das Portal waz.de (Stand: 25.01.2021), nun sei das zweite Quartal 2021 angepeilt. Der Bundesfinanzhof wolle im Frühjahr über die viel diskutierte Besteuerung von Renten entscheiden, schreibt das Portal. Im Kern gehe es um die Frage, ob es derzeit zumindest für einen Teil der rund 21 Millionen Rentnerinnen und Rentner zu einer verfassungswidrigen Doppelbesteuerung komme, schreibt das Portal. Ausgangspunkt sei die entsprechende Klage eines Ruheständlers. 

Lesen Sie zudem: Rente: Steuererklärung nicht vergessen – was Betroffene wissen sollten

Die sogenannte Doppelsteuerung stellt, wie das Portal finanzen.de.de (Stand: 25.01.2021) anlässlich des in diesem Jahr zu erwartenden Urteils berichtet, für viele Rentner und künftige Senioren „ein großes und teures Ärgernis dar“. Je nach individueller Situation entgehen dem Bericht zufolge Betroffenen mehrere tausend Euro, die das Finanzamt aus ihrer Sicht zu Unrecht kassiere. Dazu komme es, weil der Fiskus Steuern auf die gesetzliche Rente erhebe, obwohl Steuerzahler die Beiträge dazu bereits aus ihrem versteuerten Einkommen gezahlt hätten, schreibt das Portal zu der Kritik.

Noch ist die Streitfrage allerdings nicht endgültig geklärt. Viele Rentner dürften umso gespannter sein, wie das Urteil des Bundesfinanzhofs in diesem Jahr wohl ausfällt.

Quellen: wiwo.de; finanzen.de; epd; waz.de

Twitter pilot to let users flag 'false' content

 

By James Clayton

North America technology reporter

Twitter is asking its users for help in combating fake news.

It has announced a pilot that allows people to submit notes on tweets that may be false or misleading.

The initiative, named 'Birdwatch', is being trialled among a small group in the US initially. The firm acknowledged the new system would have to be "resistant to manipulation attempts".

Companies like Twitter are looking at how they can better moderate their platforms.

Twitter said on Monday: "We know this might be messy and have problems at times, but we believe this is a model worth trying."

Twitter, along with other large social media companies, has struggled to deal with disinformation on its platform.

The pilot will allow users to flag tweets they believe to be "misleading or false", provide evidence to the contrary and discuss them with other - on a separate 'Birdwatch' site.

Additional notes and flags would then be placed on to content.

Twitter says this new approach could help it respond more quickly when misleading information spreads.

"Eventually we aim to make notes visible directly on Tweets for the global Twitter audience, when there is consensus from a broad and diverse set of contributors," Twitter said.

Twitter already adds labels to some misleading news. For example, many of Donald Trump's false claims of voter fraud were labelled by the company.

Twitter also reserves the right to remove tweets - and in extreme circumstances ban users - which it did with the US president after the riots in Washington earlier this month.

Twitter, though, wants to go further: "We don't want to limit efforts to circumstances where something breaks our rules or receives widespread public attention," said Twitter's Vice-President Keith Coleman.

Participants will have to provide a verified phone number and email to take part, in a bid to keep bots and bad actors away, as well as having no recent rule violations against their Twitter account.

President Biden said in his inauguration speech that: "We must reject a culture where facts are manipulated, or even manufactured."

WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS

 My biography as German expatriate in the Philippines 

Chapter I: How it all started

So I was sitting with my best friend Jürgen 1976 on packed suitcases at Cairo International Airport. We just had a bad night at the hotel. "Are you finally looking forward to Asia?" he asked me. "Yes, of course", I mumbled. We waited for boarding of our flight to Manila. Manila would be only a short stopover. Our main reason was travelling to Japan for a three-months-family stay in different cities organized by the International YMCA.

I have had several breathtaking journeys before. 1974 Norway, 1975 Canada and the United States. I was still uncomfortably overwhelmed by the poor hotel room and the even worst service in our hotel. At that moment, I didn't know what would happen to me, when we got to Manila... .

I came from a well-sheltered family in the German province. Farms, animals, and an intact nature. A huge forest with a little river bordered my parent's small house. I was lucky, my kindergarten was just 200 meters away. Sister Lieschen  looked after me touchingly. I can still remember that particular melody that she often played for me: "Für Elise" by Ludwig van Beethoven. At the age of 4, I started practicing on my own. Other compositions followed. This was the time, music entered my life.

And music should become my major and favorite subject in elementary school. Of course reading and writing too - calculating not so! Geography was limited to Germany. Suddenly my music teacher, an awesome violin player, asked me if I would like to join the school orchestra. Sure, I would love too - but with which instrument? The following Christmas, I knew. A student 40 accordion lay under the Christmas tree. And it's still with me here in the Philippines. 60 years old - with an original sound from Germany.

 

Our flight to Manila was delayed again. While waiting for our boarding, I kept thinking back to the past. After several performances, my music teacher presented his arrangement for Beethoven's Elise. I was happy to be one of the orchestra members. But, I always flirted with the piano... .

Besides Beethoven, I fell in love with Frederic Chopin too. My teacher told me: "You're still too young for him!" I still feel how disappointed I was then today.

The sudden announcement that our flight to Manila is ready for boarding stopped my day dreaming. My buddy Jürgen was really eager to arrive in the Philippines soon. He was dreaming about a nice beach, warm water, and a long drink. In my dreams, I saw a lonely island... .

We noticed that these dreams were not coming true when we got off the plane in Manila.

(To be continued!)

Nissan announces closure of PH plant

 Photo credit: https://www.nissan.ph/vehicles/new/almera.html

by Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat, Manila Bulletin

Nissan today announced it will stop production in the Philippines effective March 2021, putting an end to its lone completely knocked down assembly for passenger car model Almera to ensure efficient business operations in the ASEAN region

“Nissan in the Philippines, together with its vehicle assembly partner, Univation Motor Philippines, Inc. (UMPI), have made the decision to cease production operations for the Nissan Almera in the Santa Rosa plant in the Philippines, effective March 2021,” said the company statement.

The decision has been made following the expiration of the assembly contract between Nissan Philippines, Inc. (NPI) and UMPI. An estimated 133 employees, who will be affected by the plant closure, will be provided their benefits and assistance during the transition period.

The decision is aligned with Nissan’s plan towards optimized production and efficient business operations in the ASEAN region, as part of the Nissan NEXT transformation plan.

“Nissan remains committed to its investments in the Philippines. The company will continue to contribute to the growth of the Philippine automotive industry through its innovative products and excellent services, as well as its dealer expansion nationwide,” said NPI.

According to the company, Nissan’s strategy in the Philippines is to keep the customer at the heart of our business, and focus on strengthening the fundamentals of Product, Service, Customer Experience, and People. Our customer-centric approach guides our product and service offerings, as well as network expansion.

Nonetheless, UMPI will remain active in the Philippines and continue its other business operations in the country. The well-being of employees is the highest priority. Nissan is coordinating with UMPI to ensure a smooth transition. The UMPI plant has total capacity of 18,000 units annually.

NPI spokesperson Dax Avenido said Almera has been produced in the Philippines since 2013. Last year, it sold 3,238 units from 4,866 units the previous year. NPI said it is still has enough inventory units to serve orders.

NPI offers 9 imported completely built up models in the Philippines, with Almera as its lone CKD model.

Trade and Industry Secretary, who was informed of the decision a day before the announcement, emphasized the need for auto safeguard measures amid the closure of the Nissan assembly plant.

“The announcement of Nissan to close their assembly operations in the country is regrettable, as these developments all the more demonstrate the critical situation of the local motor vehicle industry. Thus, the provisional safeguard measures need to be immediately put in place to protect the domestic industry from further serious injury,” Lopez said.

Lopez also cited reports that prior to the Philippine plant closure, Nissan since 2019, Nissan had already closed plants across Europe, US and developing countries and have laid-off  approximately 42,500  workers globally. Moving forward, it plans to further cut its global production capacity by 20% as well as its number of models offered to the market.

In the Philippines, Nissan Almera’s sales of around 4,500 represents just 1 percent of the total vehicle market and its assembly activity employs 133 workers. Introduced in the country in 2011, the current 3rd generation Almera had likewise over-extended its model life cycle.

According to Lopez, NPI already contemplated on closing last year given weaker volume sales and low market share of the Almera. They have in effect extended their stay.

Their major sales come from imported pick-ups and sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

Nissan, however, reassured DTI that the 133 workers will be provided reasonable compensation packages and that only assembly workers are affected, as operations of their marketing and distribution network will continue – selling units imported mainly from Thailand and Japan.

Moreover, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the DTI regional offices will collaborate in providing affected workers with manufacturing jobs.

Sec. Lopez also stated that “The stoppage of Almera’s assembly operations, following closely that of Honda and Isuzu, only highlights that the local auto assembly industry is critically impacted by the surge in imports and will thus benefit from the time-bound safeguard duty.”

“Alongside the modernized incentives being made available under the CREATE Bill, the DTI is undertaking a comprehensive approach to revive the auto industry – employing coherent policy measures while still maintaining fair trade and the contestability of the market for imports. This, together with the major reforms we are doing—such as the Public Service Act, the Rice Tariffication Law and the Build, Build, Build program, and many more—will bring about a more attractive investment climate moving forward,” the trade chief added.

He stressed that the Philippine auto market is one of the most open among the larger ASEAN member countries. For instance, Thailand imposes an 80% Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff rate on completely built-up units (CBU) originating outside ASEAN.

Meanwhile, with various non-tariff measures on motor vehicles in place, Indonesia has effectively discouraged imports and, as a result, imports account for only 7% of

Indonesia’s domestic market. This is in stark contrast to the Philippines, where locally assembled light commercial vehicles account for only 7% of the market.

Nissan is currently leasing the manufacturing facility owned by the Taiwanese company, Yulon Group. Accordingly, the plant itself will be kept, similar to how the Honda’s facility, remained intact.

The Secretary expressed hope that the plant can be used for the next entrant to local assembly of cars when the business climate improves after the pandemic.

Which is the fake P1,000 bill?

 

by Jane Kingsu-Cheng, Manila Bulletin

Makeup artist, microblading guru, and now i’Milky milk tea shop owner Barbi Chan recently shared a photo of two P1,000 bills. In her Facebook post, she asked her friends to figure out which of the two bills that she posted is fake.

“We got scammed again with a fake P1,000 bill. Guys, be careful kasi super galing na nila mameke. We even have a UV scanner and mayroon na din ang pekeng bill . We only found out in the bank,” she posted.

In an interview with Barbi, she shared with us that her staff goes to the bank on a daily basis to deposit the sales from i’Milky Eastwood branch for the day. The staff called Barbi to update her regarding one of the peso bills.

Confiscated

They couldn’t believe that these fake peso bills are getting better every time. It passed their UV scanners. “even the fake ones have the UV reflective fibers already.” says Barbi who added that they bank took the fake bill and made them sign a currency confiscation receipt. So, in the end, they lost P1,000 worth of sales, because the bank didn’t accept the fake bill and confiscated it as well.

How to spot

“We noticed that the color of the seal of the real one is greener compared to the fake one. The fake one is more blue in color,” shares Barbi. “A friend who works at the anti fraud division of a bank told me that to check the authenticity of the bill, you can rub it against white sheet of paper and some pigment should come off. I tried it and it is really true. The fake one has no pigment at all.

Another rule she relayed to her staff, “Avoid accepting P1,000 peso-bills. Just tell them you don’t have change for it.”

 

Cebu Pacific won’t accept foreigners from countries covered by PH travel ban

by Ariel Fernandez, Manila Bulletin

The government has extended the ongoing travel ban until Jan. 31 following the detection of the new COVID-19 variant in the country.

As a result, budget carrier Cebu Pacific spokesperson Candice Iyog said they will not accept foreign nationals who originated from, transited via, or visited any of the 34 countries covered by the extended travel restrictions imposed by the Inter-Agency Task Force.

Only Filipinos will be accepted on flights from Dubai, Hong Kong, Nagoya (Japan), Singapore, and Seoul (South Korea) during this period, Iyog said.

The list of affected countries and complete details may be viewed at http://bit.ly/IATFResoNo94_011521

Passengers affected by the temporary ban may avail of any of the following options:

– Free rebooking within 90 days – waived rebooking fee and fare difference

– Full travel fund, valid for two years

– Full refund

In compliance with IATF regulations, Filipinos who wish to proceed with their travel plans will be subjected to mandatory 14-day quarantine in an accredited facility upon arrival in Manila.

Cebu Pacific said they will continue to operate its domestic and international flights as scheduled. Before going to the airport, Cebu Pacific advised passengers to check the real-time status of their flights in their website.

“We continue to work closely with the authorities and will provide updates through our website and official social media accounts as necessary,” Cebu Pacific said.

Philippines: Vaccinated individuals still need to follow travel protocols

by Charissa Luci-Atienza , Manila Bulletin

Individuals who got inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines still need to follow the national government’s travel protocols, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.

(AFP / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said there is no certainty that all vaccinated individuals will be exempted from travel restrictions or protocols set by the  Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

“We get more data as the vaccines are rolled out or administered to a growing number of individuals, but right now the policy of the IATF based on the recommendation of experts, they will continue to follow on these existing protocols. They will not be exempt just because they have been vaccinated, because as earlier pointed it is not yet clear nor there is sufficient body of evidence that showed  the vaccines can actually prevent the transmission,” he told the House Committee on Health, chaired by Quezon 4th District Rep. Angelina “Helen” Tan.

It was Palawan 3rd District Rep. Cyrille “Beng” Abueg-Zaldivar who asked if the vaccinated individuals will later on be exempted from the IATF’s travel protocols or restrictions. 

Duque said “the evidence is not sufficient” as to whether the vaccines could prevent transmission.

Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana of the DOH-Technical Advisory Group (DOH-TAG) cited the need for the country to have a transmission blocking vaccine to warrant the lifting of travel restrictions. 

“If we actually have a vaccine that is proven to be 100-percent transmission blocking then anybody who is vaccinated with it should be able to travel freely. They don’t need to wait for everybody kasi hindi ka nakahahawa (because you are not contagious).

“‘Yun talaga ang problem (That is the problem) eh even like for Moderna what evidence we have limited evidence, maybe it prevents two-thirds of a symptomatic infection may one-third pa rin ‘yun so hindi pa tayo makakasigurado (there’s remaining one third, so there is no assurance). Remember it only takes one transmission to start another cluster,” Salvana explained. 

“If not necessarily getting everybody vaccinated, it is more important that we have a transmission blocking vaccine which, for now, we don’t have data yet, the DOH official said.

CARELESS WORDS THAT HURT

My column in  MINDANAO DAILY, BusinessWeek Mindanao and The Metro Cagayan de Oro Times

OPINION

By KLAUS DORING

 January 17, 2021

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Matthew 12:34 says, "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks". Indeed, the place to begin with our words is inside in our thoughts about others and us. If we accompany that with a commitment to stop speaking hurtful words. We have begun a dramatic mid-course correction in life, a religion writer, Dave McCasland said a long time ago.

 

The power of words, written as well as spoken out, is a weapon, which can hurt or even kill. Writing with a wicked pen or talking with a sharp tongue doesn't mean that all of us should walk disrespectfully through other's lives.

 

Careless words can really inflict wounds that last for a lifetime. On the other hand, kind words can bring healing and encouragement. Yes, everything we say has the power to hurt or to heal.

 

The religious and philosophical writer Tulushkin stressed: "If you can't go for 24 hours without saying unkind words about others, you have lost control of your tongue. Joseph Telushkin lectured on the awesome power of words and our sometimes "dirty tongues".

 

He suggested taking a revealing "tongue test" to see where we stand. "Monitor your conversation for two days", he said. "Note every time you say something negative about someone, who is not personally present. Also record, when others do so, as well as your reactions when it happened. Do you try to silence the speaker, or do you ask for more details?" And then, Telushkin concluded: "Most of us who take this test are unpleasantly surprised!" And now, my dear readers you can guess, why ... .

 

I found another good description in Proverbs 6:16-19, relate to the causes and effects of hurting and damaging words: "Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers".

 

I really had to think of one of the other details  from the past few days reaching us from the global newsrooms... .