oleh admin | Mar 27, 2025 | donald trump, government, news, politics, politics and government
WASHINGTON, D.C. — US President Donald Trump mentioned on Wednesday that he might propose lowering tariffs on China with the aim of getting Beijing’s consent for the sale of the widely used social media app TikTok.
“Perhaps I offer them some slight tariff reductions or something similar to make it happen,” he said to journalists at the White House.
Earlier this month, Trump mentioned that the United States was negotiating with four different entities keen on purchasing TikTok, leaving the app’s prospects in the country unclear.
A U.S. law has mandated that TikTok must sell off its stake owned by ByteDance or face being outlawed within the country. This decision was made due to worries that China might use this video-sharing app to gather intelligence on American citizens or subtly manipulate public sentiment in the United States.
The legislation came into force on January 19, one day prior to Trump’s inauguration. However, he swiftly declared a postponement of the law, enabling it to keep operating.
The said delay will end on April 5th.
“We will be entering into some sort of agreement,” Trump stated, mentioning that should the timing not work out, he would prolong the deadline.
I believe China will need to participate in that process, potentially through some form of endorsement, and I expect them to do so.
In his initial time at the helm of the White House, Trump also tried to prohibit TikTok within the United States due to worries about national security.
In January, TikTok was briefly suspended in the United States and vanished from app stores as the deadline for the legislation loomed, much to the disappointment of millions of users.
After starting his second term on January 20, Trump paused its execution for two-and-a-half months in an attempt to find a resolution with Beijing.
Later, TikTok resumed operations in the United States and was reinstated in both the Apple and Google app stores in February.
The AI startup Perplexity has recently shown interest in acquiring TikTok.
In a blog post, Perplexity outlined a plan to integrate its AI-driven web search features with the widely-used video-clipping application.
“The San Francisco-based company argued that merging Perplexity’s question-answering tool with TikTok’s vast video collection could result in the creation of the premier search experience globally,” they explained.
Even though TikTok doesn’t seem particularly eager about selling the app, possible purchasers encompass an effort known as “The People’s Bid for TikTok.” This campaign was initiated by Frank McCourt’s Project Liberty venture, which has interests in both real estate and sports.
Other contenders include Microsoft, Oracle, and a consortium featuring internet celebrity MrBeast, known as Jimmy Donaldson.
“As per Perplexity’s statement, a group of investors acquiring TikTok could potentially allow ByteDance to retain control over the algorithm. However, an acquisition by another major player might lead to a dominant position for them within the realm of short-form videos and informational content,” he argued in the blog post.
Society as a whole thrives when content feeds are freed from the control of foreign governments and global conglomerates.
oleh admin | Mar 27, 2025 | government, government regulations, politics, politics and government, politics and law
MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos’ declaration that he will “never abolish” the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) proved that his administration continues the same repressive policies of his predecessor former president Rodrigo Duterte, according to House assistant minority leader and Gabriela women’s party Rep. Arlene Brosas.
“Marcos is no different from Duterte. His refusal to disband the NTF-ELCAC despite its documented human rights violations and partisan political activities shows that this administration remains committed to the same tactics that terrorize activists, progressive organizations, and ordinary citizens,” Brosas said.
Marcos’ comment followed shortly after when Gabriela, a women’s party, submitted an official grievance to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against the NTF-ELCAC due to their persistent red-tagging operations. These actions breach electoral regulations that forbid government entities from engaging in partisan political acts during elections.
During her campaign trip in Tuguegarao, Cagayan, Brosas shared that one of her backers found some black propaganda material which branded her as a terrorist and encouraged people not to back her bid for office.
She pointed out that billions of pesos are being allocated to the NTF-ELCAC’s operations, including the P10 million per barangay under its Barangay Development Program, while essential social services remain severely underfunded.
For its part, rights group Karapatan vowed to block efforts by the government to further fund the NTF-ELCAC.
Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay has criticized Marcos for ignoring the crimes committed by the NTF-ELCAC.
Of these, there are 119 instances of extrajudicial killings and 76 attempted extrajudicial killings.
They likewise accused the task force of being responsible for 14 forced disappearances and the imprisonment of 762 political detainees.
In the meantime, Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya from the National Security Council verified that President Marcos has instructed for the continuance of the NTF-ELCAC.
— Delon Porcalla, Emmanuel Tupas
oleh admin | Mar 27, 2025 | crime, crimes, criminal cases, criminal justice, government
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has brought forth accusations of tax evasion against five individuals from China for their alleged involvement in not paying PHP 5.7 billion in taxes related to an illicit cigarette trading operation.
The Department of Justice submitted the case to the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA), following the complaint from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) as well as the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
This case originated from the confiscation of 21,000 master cases of illicit cigarettes across six sites in Valenzuela and Bulacan last year.
The DOJ stated, “It is anticipated that warrants of arrest will be issued by the CTA against the Chinese nationals.”
The Department of Justice stated that the participation of foreign nationals in the unlawful cigarette trade came to light during a coordinated operation conducted in Valenzuela and Bulacan.
“The documentation provided by the BIR indicated that the tax debt owed by the Chinese individuals exceeded PHP 5.76 billion,” stated the DOJ.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla stated that the submission of the charges demonstrates that “offenses threatening our economy can be thwarted provided government agencies combine their resources and step up their efforts against tax evaders.”
oleh admin | Mar 27, 2025 | government, local news, politics, politics and government, politics and law
MANILA, Philippines – A collection of local government leaders are supporting the suspended Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, calling for a just and open investigation into his situation.
The ombudsman directed Teodoro’s suspension for half a year just prior to the commencement of the election season for local contenders.
The Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG) stated that Teodoro ought to be provided an opportunity to present his perspective regarding the accusations made against him.
Consisting of 150 local leaders, the M4GG expressed confidence that justice will be served for Teodoro, who acts as one of the organization’s conveners.
On March 21, the Ombudsman placed Teodoro, Vice Mayor Marion Andres, and other Marikina officials under suspension without pay due to their involvement in an alleged misappropriation of ₱130 million from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation funds.
Teodoro upheld his innocence, stating that the suspension order was “plainly a case of political harassment.”
On Wednesday, the Comelec announced that Teodoro remains eligible to contest for the seat of representative representing the city’s first district during the upcoming midpoint electoral event in May.
Councilor Rommel Acuna assumed the role of interim Mayor of Marikina, while Councilor Ronnie Acuna became the acting Vice Mayor.
They took up their positions following the instructions from Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.
oleh admin | Mar 27, 2025 | government, news, politics, politics and government, politics and law
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Former Chief Justice David Maraga nearly found himself in hot water following comments he made at Rongo University that were misconstrued.
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A media outlet broadcasted his statement as support for President William Ruto being described as a listener, which drew the notice of the disruptive X users who have been protesting against Ruto’s administration.
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Nevertheless, Maraga promptly moved to clarify his stance, suggesting that his comments were intended as guidance for the president rather than an expression of support.
Kai Eli, a journalist with SANGGRALOKA.co.ke, has over three years of expertise in reporting on politics and contemporary issues within Kenya.
Former Chief Justice David Maraga aims to debunk the claim that he has become more lenient towards President William Ruto, who leads an administration increasingly disliked by the public.
A media organization, via its X account, cited Maraga as praising Ruto for acting like an attentive president, indicating that the previous chief of the judicial system might be softening his position on proper governance.
It was claimed that he made these comments on Thursday, March 27, during a public address about good governance, constitutional principles, and legal fairness at Rongo University.
The post caught the eye of Twitter users, who promptly started criticizing Maraga for contradicting himself.
They were curious about how the ex-CJ would transition from advocating for good governance to aligning himself with the president, who is criticized for poor leadership.
The temperature was rising, with Maraga having climbed to the top of the trending topics list.
He quickly stepped forward to clarify his stance, indicating that what was perceived as support for the president was actually just advice.
“However, if I were to provide guidance, I would urge him to hear out Kenyans…” said Maraga in a public lecture at Rongo University this morning.
oleh admin | Mar 27, 2025 | aviation, civil aviation, government, infrastructure, transportation
The Transportation Secretary, Vince Dizon, has mandated various modifications at Siargao Airport aimed at improving the aviation journey for travelers heading to one of the nation’s premier vacation spots.
Dizon, who conducted an inspection of crucial airport improvement initiatives in Mindanao during the weekend, ordered a modular extension at Siargao Airport to boost seating capacity and tackle overcrowding issues. Additionally, he mandated the dismantling of the VIP lounge along with surplus X-ray equipment to streamline the security screening procedure.
According to videos uploaded by Joseph Morong of GMA Integrated News on X (previously known as Twitter), Dizon appeared unhappy with the troubles faced by travelers at an airport processing about 17 daily flights.
“Extreme is the difficulty our countrymen and tourists face here. It’s incredibly cramped and hot! I removed this VIP lounge as it wasn’t necessary; instead, we can use this area to create more space for passengers even just a little bit,” Dizon stated.
(The local travelers and tourists here are struggling. The airport is extremely congested and stuffy! I instructed that this VIP lounge should be taken down as it is unnecessary and could provide more space for the passengers.)
As per the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Siargao Airport was among the provincial airports examined by the Secretary during inspections conducted on March 22-23, together with Zamboanga International Airport and Camiguin Airport.
“Seeing the immediate need for more spaces inside the terminal building for the passengers, Sec. Dizon instructed CAAP to immediately implement expansion works for the terminal building that will effectively triple the current seating capacity of the airport,” the agency said.
“He also ordered the Office for Transportation Security to eliminate the initial passenger security screenings immediately following a thorough security risk evaluation,” the statement continued.
The Department of Transportation announced that the expansion project for Siargao Airport is scheduled to finish by May 2025, providing advantages for residents as well as visitors.
Dizon further emphasized the DOTr’s objective to transform Siargao Airport into an international gateway over the long term and instructed CAAP to expedite the planning process for lengthening the runway as well as constructing a modern and top-tier passenger terminal.
“We will prioritize the development and promotion of the Siargao Airport as an international gateway highlighting the significant importance of Siargao Island, which is considered one of the top tourist destinations in the entire country,” the DOTr chief further stated.
(We will focus on the expansion and enhancement of Siargao Airport as an international gateway that shows the growing importance of Siargao Island which is considered one of the top tourist destinations in the country.)
— Giselle Ombay/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
This article
DOTr’s Dizon calls for enhancements at Siargao Airport
was originally published in
GMA News Online
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