Creative Art

 

Strictly Political

 

RIA Seminar: Ireland on the UN Security Council

Statement of Minister Coveney

Firstly, allow me to express my thanks to the Royal Irish Academy for organising this event and inviting me to be here.

Through its promotion of studies in the sciences, humanities and social sciences, and its long-standing contribution to public debate, the RIA has played an invaluable role in the development of modern Ireland.

I am delighted to be speaking today about the UN Security Council and Ireland’s term as an elected member from 2021 to 2022; a term which has coincided with the centenary of our independence, allowing us to reflect proudly the principles and ideals articulated 100 years ago when we were the newest member of the League of Nations.

Ladies and Gentlemen.

We have just over a month left on the Security Council.

There is a lot of important work over the next five weeks, and Ireland will continue to be an active and vocal member until the very end of our term.

Today’s event however provides a good opportunity to reflect on what Security Council membership has meant for Ireland, and to explore some of our work and achievements to date.

In January of last year, shortly after we took up our seat, I spoke at an event like this, setting out the principles that would guide our work on the Council.

Those principles, agreed by the government following our election by the UN General Assembly, were clear:

- to build peace, and to support and improve UN peacekeeping;

- to strengthen conflict prevention, by addressing the factors that cause and drive conflict;

- and to ensure accountability, because those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law cannot be allowed to enjoy impunity.

Above all, we wanted to help the Security Council fulfil its critically important mandate, as laid out in the UN Charter: the maintenance of international peace and security.

We believed that Ireland, as a small, independent country with a deep and longstanding commitment to the UN, could make a difference.

The members of the General Assembly agreed; and, at the elections in June 2020, they placed their trust in us.

Looking back over the past two years, while I feel frustrated that the Security Council has been unable to do more on certain issues, including Ukraine, I feel a great sense of pride at what Ireland has achieved as an elected member.

On joining the Council, for example, we took on the role of co-penholder for the Syria Humanitarian file, working in partnership with Norway.

We volunteered for this role because we recognised the critical importance of the Security Council-mandated cross-border mechanism, which provides lifesaving aid to over four million people in the North West of the country. Our role as co-penholder required us to make sure that this critical mechanism could continue.

We knew that this would not be easy. For over a decade, the people of Syria have seen their country torn apart by an appalling conflict. The permanent members of the Council are deeply divided on the issue. The prospects for a renewal of the mechanism were not good.

But we believed that we could succeed, by focusing on the concrete realities of the humanitarian situation on the ground.

And through patient and careful diplomacy, working with Norway, we managed to broker an agreement that was acceptable for all, and to keep the life-saving aid operation running.

During our time on the Council, it has twice renewed the UN cross-border operation.

This has had real, tangible results for millions of vulnerable people.

We will work until the very end of our term to help to keep that critical lifeline open...

READ MORE...

Tech Leaders Gather in Ireland

Conference outlines Ireland’s position as a global and European digital hub

Tech leaders were today told that Ireland remains a strong and attractive destination for investment from the digital and technology sector.

In a video address to the Digital Ireland Conference in Dublin Castle, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD, said:

“Today’s event reflects the high priority we attach to the digital transition in Ireland. Ensuring that enterprise and wider society can benefit from digital technologies is more important than ever, given the challenges both businesses and the public are facing in the current economic climate.

“We are particularly conscious of the challenges facing the tech sector and will do all we can to support those impacted. Ireland remains committed to being a digital leader in Europe, and beyond; to driving our own digital transformation; and to ensuring that Ireland’s regulatory framework is equipped to play its part.”

Delivering the Opening Address in Dublin Castle, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, said:

“The future is digital. The world has been transformed in the last twenty years by the internet, social media, smart phones, apps and electronic payments and services. This transformation has only just begun. It’s just been a taster of what’s yet to come. In the next twenty years it will continue with virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence and robotics making our lives unrecognisable compared to the lives we live today.

“Today’s Conference demonstrates Ireland’s ambition and focus as a leading global digital hub – a great place for continued investment; a digital front-runner; and the location of some of the most important regulators in the digital sphere in Europe.

“Our Conference comes at a challenging time for the tech sector. My sympathies are with all those who have received bad news in recent weeks. The Government will assist those affected as they seek alternative employment or other opportunities. There is still high demand for tech, marketing and other skills in the Irish economy and there is a strong pipeline of new investments from overseas and within Ireland.

“Embracing digital technologies is crucial for our continued economic progress as well as for meeting the demands of our people in a modern society. A competitive, innovative and resilient enterprise base will provide high-quality jobs and employment opportunities for people to live and prosper in all parts of the country. Businesses can harness digital technologies in many ways – including to better understand their customers, reduce their costs and improve their products.”

The high-level, one-day Digital Ireland Conference explored Ireland’s unique offering as a digital front-runner in Europe and how Ireland can maximise its strong digital track record, through the presence of leading global tech companies, innovative start-ups and related regulatory requirements.

Addressing the Conference, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, said:

“The opportunities that digital technologies provide for Ireland’s creative sector and cultural output cannot be understated. Ireland’s position as a digital hub places these opportunities at our fingertips and this Government is committed to realising these and supporting creativity and innovation.

“Ireland also has an obligation to deliver and resource a modern and robust regulatory framework to ensure that people, especially children, are kept safe online. We are driving that agenda strongly with the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill which I hope to have enacted by the end of the year which will enable the establishment of a new regulator, Coimisiún na Meán. Through our National Digital Strategy, Ireland has committed to delivering a balanced digital regulatory framework which will help to foster and sustain a dynamic, creative and innovative online culture.”

Closing the Conference, the Minister of State for Company Regulation, Digital and Trade Promotion, Dara Calleary TD, said:

“If we are to seize the opportunities presented by new technologies and the digital economy, we must ensure the right regulatory frameworks are in place. Ireland recognises the unique role that we have in regulating some of the leading global technology firms in the world. We take our obligations very seriously, and we are committed to a coherent, effective, modern, well-resourced regulatory framework.”

What to see in Ireland

There's nothing quite like a visit to the Emerald Isle to cleanse your soul and reinvigorate your spirit. Home to some of the world's greenest, most breathtaking landscape, Ireland brims with tourist attractions so appealing, you'll want to visit them all.

From the captivating Cliffs of Moher that will leave you gob-smacked to the bright lights of Dublin's Grafton Street to the hallowed halls of Trinity College, you'll find plenty of fun things to do in Ireland. The hard part will be choosing which fascinating attractions should top your must-see list.

Whether you're hoping to spend time pursuing Ireland's endless number of outdoor activities (we're talking horseback riding, waterfall hiking, golf, and sailing) or hope to study the works of some of the country's most famed artists in state museums and galleries, you won't be at a loss for intriguing ways to spend your time.

Discover all the things to do in this stunningly attractive country with our list of the top tourist attractions in Ireland.

1. The Cliffs of Moher (see photo above)
2. Grafton Street, Dublin
3. Killarney National Park and Muckross House & Gardens
4. The Book of Kells and Trinity College, Dublin
5. Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin
6. The Ring of Kerry
7. Glendalough, Co. Wicklow
8. Powerscourt House and Gardens, Co. Wicklow
9. The Rock of Cashel
10. National Museum of Ireland, Dublin and County Mayo
11. Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone
12. Kinsale, Co. Cork
13. The Dingle Peninsula and the Wild Atlantic Way
14. Torc Waterfall, Killarney National Park
15. St. Stephen's Green, Dublin
16. Bunratty Castle & Folk Park
17. National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
18. The English Market, Cork
19. The Aran Islands
20. Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny
21. The Little Museum of Dublin

READ MORE...

Ireland Facts and Figures

President: Michael D. Higgins (2011)

Taoiseach (Prime Minister): Leo Varadkar (2023) (Micheál Martin will serve until December 2022)

Land area: 26,598 sq mi (68,889 sq km); total area: 27,135 sq mi (70,280 sq km)

Population (2022 est.): 5,275,004 (growth rate: .94%); birth rate: 12.32/1000; infant mortality rate: 3.47/1000; life expectancy: 81.66

Capital (2022 est.): Dublin, 1.256 million

Monetary unit: Euro (formerly Irish pound [punt])

National name: Éire

Current government officials

Languages: English (official, the language generally used), Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official, spoken by approximately 39.8% of the population as of 2016)

Ethnicity/race: Irish 82.2%, Irish travelers 0.7%, other White 9.5%, Asian 2.1%, Black 1.4%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.6% (2016 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 78.3%, Church of Ireland 2.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Orthodox 1.3%, Muslim 1.3%, other 2.4%, none 9.8%, unspecified 2.6% (2016 est.)

National Holiday: Saint Patrick's Day, March 17

Literacy rate: 99% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: 

GDP/PPP(2020 est.): $447.97 billion; per capita $89,700. Real growth rate: 5.86%. 

Inflation: 0.9%. 

Unemployment: 4.98%. Arable land: 15.4%. 

Agriculture: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products. 

Labor force: 2.289 million (2020 est.); agriculture 5%, industry 11%, services 84% (2016 est.).

Industries: steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum mining processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, ship construction and refurbishment; glass and crystal; software, tourism. 

Natural resources: zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver. 

Exports: $502.31 billion (2019 est.): machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products. Major trading partners (exports): United States 28%, Belgium 10%, Germany 10%, UK 9%, China 5%, Netherlands 5% (2019). 

Imports: $452.98 billion (2019 est.): data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing. 

Major trading partners (imports): United Kingdom 31%, United States 16%, Germany 10%, Netherlands 5%, France 5% (2019).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 1,678,651 (2020); mobile cellular: 5,234,027 (2020). Broadcast media: publicly owned broadcaster Radio Telefis Eireann (RTE) operates 4 TV stations; commercial TV stations are available; about 75% of households utilize multi-channel satellite and TV services that provide access to a wide range of stations; RTE operates 4 national radio stations and has launched digital audio broadcasts on several stations; a number of commercial broadcast stations operate at the national, regional, and local levels (2019). Internet hosts: 1.387 million (2010). Internet users: 4,586,820 (2020).

Transportation: Railways: total: 4,301 km (2018). Roadways: total: 99,830 km; paved: 96,036 km (including 1,224 km of expressways) (2018). Waterways: 956 km (pleasure craft only) (2010). Ports and harbors: Cork, Dublin, Shannon Foynes, Waterford. Airports: 40 (2021).

Major sources and definitions

Geography
Ireland is situated in the Atlantic Ocean and separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea. Half the size of Arkansas, it occupies the entire island except for the six counties that make up Northern Ireland. Ireland resembles a basin—a central plain rimmed with mountains, except in the Dublin region. The mountains are low, with the highest peak, Carrantuohill in County Kerry, rising to 3,415 ft (1,041 m). The principal river is the Shannon, which begins in the north-central area, flows south and southwest for about 240 mi (386 km), and empties into the Atlantic.


Government
Republic.



History
In the Stone and Bronze Ages, Ireland was inhabited by Picts in the north and a people called the Erainn in the south, the same stock, apparently, as in all the isles before the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain. Around the 4th century B.C., tall, red-haired Celts arrived from Gaul or Galicia. They subdued and assimilated the inhabitants and established a Gaelic civilization. By the beginning of the Christian Era, Ireland was divided into five kingdoms—Ulster, Connacht, Leinster, Meath, and Munster. Saint Patrick introduced Christianity in 432, and the country developed into a center of Gaelic and Latin learning. Irish monasteries, the equivalent of universities, attracted intellectuals as well as the pious and sent out missionaries to many parts of Europe and, some believe, to North America.

Norse incursions along the coasts, starting in 795, ended in 1014 with Norse defeat at the Battle of Clontarf by forces under Brian Boru. In the 12th century, the pope gave all of Ireland to the English Crown as a papal fief. In 1171, Henry II of England was acknowledged “Lord of Ireland,” but local sectional rule continued for centuries, and English control over the whole island was not reasonably secure until the 17th century. In the Battle of the Boyne (1690), the Catholic King James II and his French supporters were defeated by the Protestant King William III (of Orange). An era of Protestant political and economic supremacy began.

By the Act of Union (1801), Great Britain and Ireland became the “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.” A steady decline in the Irish economy followed in the next decades. The population had reached 8.25 million when the great potato famine of 1846–1848 took many lives and drove more than 2 million people to immigrate to North America.  READ MORE...

All About Ireland

The magnificent scenery of Ireland’s Atlantic coastline faces a 2,000-mile- (3,200-km-) wide expanse of ocean, and its geographic isolation has helped it to develop a rich heritage of culture and tradition that was linked initially to the Gaelic language. Washed by abundant rain, the country’s pervasive grasslands create a green-hued landscape that is responsible for the popular sobriquet Emerald Isle. 

Ireland is also renowned for its wealth of folklore, from tales of tiny leprechauns with hidden pots of gold to that of the patron saint, Patrick, with his legendary ridding the island of snakes and his reputed use of the three-leaved shamrock as a symbol for the Christian Trinity. But while many may think of Ireland as an enchanted land, the republic has been beset with perennial concerns—emigration, cultural and political identity, and relations with Northern Ireland (comprising the 6 of Ireland’s 32 counties within the province of Ulster that remain part of the United Kingdom). 

At the beginning of the 21st century, Ireland’s long-standing economic problems were abating, owing to its diverse export-driven economy, but calamity struck again in 2008 when a new financial and economic crisis befell the country, culminating in a very costly bailout of the Irish economy by the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund.

The emergence of Ireland as an independent country is a fairly recent phenomenon. Until the 17th century, political power was widely shared among a rather loosely constructed network of small earldoms in often-shifting alliances. Following the so-called “Flight of the Earls” after an unsuccessful uprising in the early 17th century, Ireland effectively became an English colony. 

It was formally incorporated into the United Kingdom in 1801. A 1914 Home Rule Act was passed but never implemented due to pro-union militancy in the north, the onset of World War I, and the subsequent Irish War of Independence. 

In 1920 the island was effectively partitioned with the creation of Northern Ireland, a six-county area with devolved powers within the United Kingdom, whereas under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 6, 1921, the other 26 counties became the Irish Free State, a self-governing dominion within the British Commonwealth and Empire. In 1937 the southern state passed a new constitution that offered a more robust expression of sovereignty, and in 1949 it formally left the Commonwealth as the Republic of Ireland.  SOURCE:  Britannica

Seagulls

 

ITT Course Writer & NIIT Course Designers

 From 2001/2002 until 2009/2010, I worked for ITT Technical Institute in a variety of positions from instructor to department chair to associate dean to dean.  While I was department chair, I was designated as a course writer for Technical Project Management and working with NIIT Course Designers from New Delhi, India designed 8 courses in Project Management that revolved around the PMBOK.

While I worked for ITT full time, I was also receiving compensation from NIIT as a course writer.  What was interesting was the fact that they hired me based upon the recommendation of ITT Corporate...  but, I would like to think that I was also hired because I had am MBA with a focus in Product Management which was the precusor to Project Management.

What was also interesting for me was the fact that we conducted our meeting via computer and telephone at 5:00 am in the morning my time which was approximately 5:00pm in the afternoon New Delhi, India time.  The people with whom I worked at NIIT were the most professional people I have ever worked with along with being personable and friendly.

What was odd for them was trying to understand how some American businesses and corporations actually worked, rather than how they were supposed to work in textbooks.  The biggest concern that I recall was realizing that there were people in a company in high positions who would sabotage a company project so that a co-worker would look bad to the CEO so that the saboteur would look good.

The employees of NIIT just could not believe that Americans would do that to their own companies.

Before I left ITT, I remember thinking that I would rather work for NIIT than ITT and wished that the organization had not been so far away.

Strictly Political

 

The Taj Mahal at Agra, India

                                                                                                                                                             

Reign ~•~ 1628 – 1658

Full name ~•~ Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Shah Jahan, also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan

Born ~•~ 5 January 1592

Birthplace ~•~ Lahore

Died ~•~ 22 January 1666 (aged 74)

Place of death ~•~ Agra

Buried ~•~ Taj Mahal

Predecessor ~•~ Jahangir

Successor ~•~ Aurangazeb

Wives ~•~ Akbarabadi Mahal, Kandahari Mahal, Mumtaz Mahal, Hasina Begum Sahiba, Muti Begum Sahiba, Qudsia Begum Sahiba, Fatehpuri Mahal, Sahiba, Sarhindi Begum Sahiba, Shrimati Manbhavathi Baiji Lal Sahiba

Offspring ~•~ Jahanara Begum, Dara Shukoh, Shah Shuja, Roshanara Begum, Aurangzeb, Murad Baksh, Gauhara Begum [Many more died at birth or at an early age]

Dynasty ~•~ Mughal

Father ~•~ Jahangir

Mother ~•~ Princess Manmati

Religious beliefs ~•~ Islam



SHAHAB UDDIN MUHAMMAD SHAH JAHAN I (full title: Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram, Abu'l-Muzaffar Shahab ud-din Muhammad, Sahib-i-Qiran-i-Sani, Shah Jahan I Padshah Ghazi Zillu'llah [Firdaus-Ashiyani]) ruled India from 1628 until 1658.

FROM ‘KHURRAM’ TO SHAH JAHAN: The blue-eyed of the Mughal Royals, the young ‘Khurram’ impressed his father the Emperor Jahangir with his intense military successes of 1617 against the Lodi in the Deccan, which effectively secured the southern border of the empire.The grateful father rewarded him with the prestigious title 'Shah Jahan Bahadur ', which implicitly sealed his inheritance. The name Shah Jahan comes from Persian meaning "King of the World."

His early years saw him receive a cultured, broad education and distinguish himself in the martial arts and as a commander of his father's armies in numerous campaigns, where he became responsible for most of the territorial gains of his father's reign. Khurrum also demonstrated a precocious talent for building, impressing his father at the age of 16 when he built his own quarters within Babur's Kabul fort and redesigned several buildings within Agra fort.

He was the fifth Mughal ruler after Babur, Humayun, Akbar, and Jahangir. While young, he was a favourite of Akbar. Like Akbar, he was eager to expand his empire. Even while very young, he could be pointed out to be the successor to the Mughal throne after the death of Jahangir. He succeeded to the throne upon his father's death in 1627. He is considered to be one of the greatest Mughals and his reign has been called the Golden Age of Mughals.

Shah Jahan erected many splendid monuments, the most famous of which is the Taj Mahal at Agra . The Pearl Mosque at Agra, the palace and great mosque at Delhi. The celebrated Peacock Throne, said to be worth millions of dollars by modern estimates. He was the founder of Shahjahanabad, now known as 'Old Delhi'. Other creations of Shah Jahan also include the Diwan-i-Am and Diwan-i-Khas within the Red Fort in Delhi.



click here to know more about Shah Jahan...

Abusing a Cop

New Delhi:

A court here on Saturday sent former Congress legislator Asif Khan to judicial custody for 14 days. Mr Khan, whose daughter is contesting the upcoming Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls, was arrested early on Saturday for allegedly misbehaving with a police officer and manhandling him, police said.

The former legislator was produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Rao, who remanded him in judicial custody.

Meanwhile, Mr Khan's counsel moved his client's bail application before the court, which will be heard on Monday.

The Shaheen Bagh police station has registered an FIR against Khan under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).  READ MORE...

News From India

By NEWS18


Minute-by-minute news updates of happenings from around the world, with a special focus on India. From daily CORONAVIRUS news about the probable third wave, a number of infections, vaccination, and reopening of places and activities to all developments in the fields of politics, education, business, entertainment, and sports – everything you to need to know, as it happens, and all in one place.

Get instant news about elections, governments, and political parties; updates on school and college exam results and admissions; and information about developments in the stock market, start-up sector, and buzz about cryptocurrencies.

If movies, daily soaps, web series, and music are your interests, read the latest updates about film and TV celebrities, their work, and their personal lives, along with a sprinkling of gossip. Get news about trends in showbiz and exclusive interviews with your favourite...READ MORE

Interesting Facts About India

 

About India

India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: Bhārat Gaṇarājya), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives; its Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand, Myanmar, and Indonesia. The nation's capital city is New Delhi.

Modern humans arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa no later than 55,000 years ago. Their long occupation, initially in varying forms of isolation as hunter-gatherers, has made the region highly diverse, second only to Africa in human genetic diversity. Settled life emerged on the subcontinent in the western margins of the Indus river basin 9,000 years ago, evolving gradually into the Indus Valley Civilisation of the third millennium BCE. 

By 1200 BCE, an archaic form of Sanskrit, an Indo-European language, had diffused into India from the northwest. Its evidence today is found in the hymns of the Rigveda. Preserved by a resolutely vigilant oral tradition, the Rigveda records the dawning of Hinduism in India. The Dravidian languages of India were supplanted in the northern and western regions.

By 400 BCE, stratification and exclusion by caste had emerged within Hinduism, and Buddhism and Jainism had arisen, proclaiming social orders unlinked to heredity. Early political consolidations gave rise to the loose-knit Maurya and Gupta Empires based in the Ganges Basin. Their collective era was suffused with wide-ranging creativity, but also marked by the declining status of women, and the incorporation of untouchability into an organised system of belief. In South India, the Middle kingdoms exported Dravidian-languages scripts and religious cultures to the kingdoms of Southeast Asia.  SOURCE:  Wikipedia            TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE...

Curious Cat

 

Marcos Congratulates Malaysia's New Prime Minister

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (Anadolu photo)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday congratulated opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on his appointment as the new Prime Minister of Malaysia.

In a statement, Marcos expressed hope that Anwar, whom he described as his "good friend", would bring political stability back to Malaysia through his leadership.

“I would like to congratulate my good friend Anwar Ibrahim on his election as Prime Minister of Malaysia. I look forward to the stability that his leadership will provide Malaysia and the region,” the President said.

Former president Joseph Ejercito Estrada expressed elation over Anwar's appointment as the 10th Prime Minister of the Philippines' southeast Asian neighbor.

"I know all too well the long and difficult times you endured over the years before achieving this milestone in your career and I'm truly excited for the future of Malaysia under your capable leadership," Estrada said.

He informed Anwar that he is "happily retired from public life and enjoying being a spectator in the political world."

Estrada also told the Malaysian leader that his sons have continued his work in the Philippine Senate.

"It is my hope that my eldest son Jinggoy, who is serving in the Senate, will have access to your wise counsel should he need it," he said.

Anwar was sworn in as the country’s new prime minister on Thursday, following days of deadlock after Saturday's general elections.

The decision came after a meeting of the nine-member Council of Rulers, led by King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, in Kuala Lumpur. (PNA)

Manila Political

 

Philllippines: Drug Wars

The mother of a "drug war" victim holds his portrait in her home in Caloocan City, Philippines, 

March 2022. © 2022 Eloisa Lopez/Reuters

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday sought to downplay recent killings in the so-called “war on drugs,” claiming the death toll since the inauguration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was “very minimal.”

The police reported that 46 people were killed during anti-drug operations since Marcos took office on June 30. But this is far below the estimate of the University of the Philippines’ Third World Studies Center, whose Dahas program monitors “drug war” violence. The program tallied that 127 people were killed in “drug war” incidents from July 1, the day after Marcos was sworn in, to November 7.

Even if one accepts the PNP’s figures, calling this death toll “very minimal” smacks of insensitivity and callousness. Since the anti-drug campaign began seven years ago under then-president Rodrigo Duterte, thousands of families of people gunned down have been crying out for justice.

Over that period, the police have admitted killing more than 6,200 suspected drug users or dealers, mostly impoverished Filipinos. But the PNP has been known to manipulate its statistics on extrajudicial killings related to the campaign. Research by Human Rights Watch and other human rights groups found that police officers routinely plant evidence such as illegal drugs and weapons on the bodies of victims to try to justify their claims that the person had fought back.  READ MORE...

Philippines: FUN FACTS

 

The Chocolate Hills

Ask Filipinos “What is the Philippines known for?” and you’ll only get either of two things. They wouldn’t know where to end, or begin.

Aside from sun-kissed beaches and idyllic provincial escapes, the Philippines is famous for its diversity. This makes perfect sense, considering that its archipelagic geography paves the way for its multitude of sights and experiences.

Curious for more? Let us give you a taste of what’s unique about the Philippines before even booking that trip.

1. Philippine islands and dreamy bodies of water make up the Philippine archipelago

2. The country has three main island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao

3. Its capital, Manila, never sleeps

4. We have ties to Malays, Spanish, Japanese, and Americans

5. Filipino means the language & the people

6. Most Filipinos treat English as a second language

7. Expressions you’re likely to hear: Psst, po, uy, mabuhay!

8. The country boasts more than 150 languages

9. It’s a center for Catholic faith in Asia

10. Festivals and fiestas (and yes, beauty pageants) easily fill any calendar

11. Just very Filipino things: Bayanihan, hospitality & family first

12. Identities are as multifaceted as their regions

13. Filipino food makes anyone hungry for more

14. Mt. Mayon’s symmetry easily impresses

15. Sorry, you can’t eat the Chocolate Hills

16. Palawan’s seascapes will make you want to stay forever

17. The Cordilleras is home to a living tradition

18. Boracay’s fine, sandy shores seem unreal