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Strengthen Asia to Weaken Beijing China’s opening to grab supremacy will vanish once its neighbors...
Kusu News 13-May-2022
Marcos Jr.’s rise is grounds for outrage — but hold the shock
It’s troubling enough another Marcos will again lead the Philippines
11-May-2022 The Japan Times
As the temperature soared, Filipinos lined up for almost a mile to enter an elementary school in central Manila to cast their votes.
Pop-up stalls sold water, mango shakes and even yakitori as music blared from cars and bikes. Despite the festive air, the task they — and tens of millions across the sprawling island republic — were engaged in was deadly serious: Determining whether a brutal dictator’s family returns to helm the country.
The last time a man named Marcos lived at the presidential palace, he packed his bags in a hurry. That was 1986 and an American helicopter was waiting to whisk him toward exile in Hawaii after the U.S. withdrew support for his bankrupt and discredited rule amid a popular uprising and defections from the army. Now, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has triumphed in the Philippines presidential election held Monday. His nearest opponent, Vice President Leni Robredo, trailed by a big margin.
As appalling as this might seem to the outside world, and a notable minority within the strategically important archipelago, it’s hardly a shock. Marcos, known as Bongbong, has consistently led in polls — and managed to keep that advantage by saying little specific about his plans. Nor are dynasties new in Philippines politics. The two presidents prior to incumbent Rodrigo Duterte were children of former heads of state. Bongbong’s running mate, Sara Duterte, is daughter of the outgoing leader. The clan likely covets the top job again after Bongbong’s tenure.
No discrimination against Singapore Specials – this dog groomer understands them well
Christine Seah opened Ruff Cuts salon resolving that no dog owner would experience the "microaggressions" she herself faced as the owner of a Singapore Special dog.
11-May-2022 CNA
When Christine Seah adopted Bubba, a local mongrel known as a Singapore Special, she began to realise that people were often making prima facie assumptions about him.
For example, she said, if you called the vet’s office to make an appointment and told them your dog was a Special, they might ask you to muzzle him before even asking about the dog’s temperament. And, she added, some people automatically show fear when they see her dog.
For an owner who has put in the work to understand and train their pet, encountering reactions like these on a regular basis can be vexing.
“The common misconception about Singapore Specials is that they're very aggressive, very difficult to manage, extremely difficult to train and very unpredictable,” she said. As a result, “I've experienced every sort of microaggression any Singapore Special owner could possibly face”.
US seeks to boost investment to Asean countries: US official
12-May-2022 The Business Times
THE United States is seeking to create opportunities for more US investment in Asean countries, US Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell said on Wednesday (May 11), ahead of President Joe Biden's summit with South-east Asian leaders this week.
Campbell, speaking at an online event at the US Institute of Peace, said there is a deep sense in the Biden administration that other pressing global challenges cannot distract the United States from the Indo-Pacific region.
The leaders are set to discuss issues including China, Myanmar, and the war in Ukraine, he said.
Shanghai moves to impose tightest restrictions yet
12-May-2022 BBC
Shanghai officials will over the next few days further restrict access to food and hospitals in some parts of the city, the most severe phase of its extended lockdown yet.
Commercial food deliveries are not allowed and access to hospitals for all but emergencies must first be approved.
Neighbours of Covid-19 cases and others living close by are also being forced into government quarantine facilities.
Shanghai is now in its seventh week of city-wide restrictions.
Confirmed cases have fallen significantly from their peak, but authorities have not yet been able to hit the target of what they call "societal zero", where no cases are reported outside of quarantine facilities.
Despite the tougher measures, Shanghai officials insist that people living in half the city's districts are now free to leave their homes and walk around.
State media has shown propaganda videos of departing medical workers visiting city landmarks together and taking photographs.
Foxconn Faces Covid Logistics Disarray in China
As China works to contain outbreaks, the world’s biggest iPhone assembler said most of its factories in the country are running under a bubblelike system
12-May-2022 WSJ
Foxconn 2317 -0.97%▼ Technology Group, the world’s biggest iPhone assembler, said it faces logistics disruptions and other challenges in China stemming from the country’s stringent Covid-19 control measures.
Most of Foxconn’s factories in China have been running under a bubble-like system, said Chairman Young Liu on Thursday. The Taiwan-based contract manufacturer has relied on its supply-chain management expertise to keep production going even during Covid outbreaks, he said.
“Our team has put a lot of effort into arranging accommodation for employees and communicating with the local government,” Mr. Liu said on an earnings call.
Apple Inc., Foxconn’s biggest customer, said last month that the Covid outbreaks in China threaten to hinder sales by as much as $8 billion in the current quarter. Chief Executive Tim Cook said Apple’s supply constraints mainly stemmed from Shanghai, much of which has been under a lockdown for more than a month, and the nearby regions, where logistics have been disrupted.
Singapore welcomes US's proposed Indo-Pacific economic plan, says PM Lee
13-May-2022 The Business Times
SINGAPORE welcomes the United States’ proposed economic plan for the Indo-Pacific and encourages greater Asean participation in it, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told top US officials and American business leaders in Washington on Thursday (May 12).
“It needs to be inclusive, and provide tangible benefits to encourage wider participation and it should cover cooperation in areas like digital and green economies and infrastructure because these issues will resonate strongly in the region,” PM Lee said of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), America’s upcoming strategy for economic engagement with the region.
“We encourage greater Asean participation in the IPEF and we hope the US will directly invite and engage Asean member states in this endeavour,” he added.
