The Philippines and the world are in the grip of uncertainty not felt in the last half century. Major wars have erupted or will yet erupt.
The escalated Ukraine-Russia war, began Feb. 24, 2022, is now on its third year. It is the largest and deadliest ground war since World War II, with half a million Russian soldiers and 400,000 Ukrainian soldiers, as casualties, per Donald Trump's estimates. The Israel-Hamas war, began Oct. 7, 2023, has not seen the worst of it and instead engulfed the entire Middle East.
Tension is rising in the West Philippine Sea as China intensifies its island-grabbing spree and deploys more fully armed ships in the 3.5 million sq kms of the world's most strategic waters today.
Fear is growing that China will finally make good its plan to invade Taiwan and teach its long-claimed province a lesson on who is boss and owner, earlier than the planned 2027 target launch. An invasion could finally trigger a nuclear war in true MAD fashion. MAD means mutually assured destruction, the doctrine that assumes a nuke war won't happen because it has no winners, just losers.
Today, madmen are ascendant in major countries and they rule with overwhelming mandates. In 2024, 80 countries, half of the world's population, held an election, from America to Russia to Venezuela, down to Indonesia, Pakistan and India. And the winners were, to say the least, problematic.
The Economist magazine doubts the possibility of China invading Taiwan, citing persistent corruption in the People's Liberation Army. Corruption, however, never stops war. Proof is the Ukraine-Russia war, participated in by two of the world's most corrupt armies.
Denne historien er fra December 12, 2024-utgaven av The Philippine Star.
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Denne historien er fra December 12, 2024-utgaven av The Philippine Star.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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SKY'S THE LIMIT FOR SM MOA
There's a massive new addition to the Pasay City skyline, and it's giving off first-in-the-Philippines, world-class vibes.
Connecting countries with tax treaties
In today's fast-paced and technology-driven world, connections can be made in an instant.
DOTr: Rail projects derailed by ROW involving 49K ISFs
The government has a lot of catching up to do in securing the right-of-way (ROW) for big-ticket railways, with nearly 49,000 informal settler families (ISFs) still waiting to be relocated.
April showers
There are already April showers in March, bringing a soothing coolness to the metro before the onset of the summer season.
LTG profit soars to P28.9 B
Earnings of taipan Lucio Tan's LT Group Inc. (LTG) zoomed to a record high last year, fueled by strong contributions across most business segments.
How to Unmask Lazy Team Members
Suppose you assign an ad hoc team of five workers tasked with solving the problem of your factory's increasing operational costs.
Deepfake Investment Scams Baffle SEC
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) continues its relentless efforts to combat investment scams, but the agency said that its options are currently limited when it comes to those utilizing deepfakes.
Fight Obesity, Create a Healthier Workplace
March 4 is celebrated globally as World Obesity Day. And here are the alarming statistics: Obesity has reached staggering numbers. There are 800 million obese people worldwide. This number is expected to reach 1.9 billion by 2035. Of this number, 25 percent will be children.
Chiz: Let DPWH Lead Probe on Bridge Collapse
As it has the technical expertise, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) should lead the investigation into the collapse of the newly opened Cabagan-Sta. Maria bridge in Isabela, Senate President Francis Escudero said yesterday.
Semirara income drops to P19.6 B in 2024
The weaker selling prices in the energy market weighed on Consunji-led Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC), with its earnings declining by 30 percent to P19.63 billion in 2024 from P27.9 billion in 2023.
